The Presbyterian Hymnal ‎#442

442. The Church's One Foundation

1 The Church’s one foundation
Is Jesus Christ her Lord;
She is His new creation
By water and the word.
From heaven He came and sought her
To be His holy bride;
With His own blood He bought her
And for her life He died.

2 Elect from every nation,
Yet one o’er all the earth,
Her charter of salvation
One Lord, one faith, one birth;
One holy name she blesses,
Partakes one holy food,
And to one hope she presses,
With every grace endued.

3 Though with a scornful wonder
This world sees her oppressed,
By schisms rent asunder,
By heresies distressed,
Yet saints their watch are keeping;
Their cry goes up, “How long?”
And soon the night of weeping
Shall be the morn of song.

4 Mid toil and tribulation,
And tumult of her war,
She waits the consummation
Of peace forevermore;
Till with the vision glorious
Her longing eyes are blest,
And the great church victorious
Shall be the church at rest.

5 Yet she on earth has union
With God the Three in One,
And mystic sweet communion
With those whose rest is won:
O happy ones and holy!
Lord, give us grace that we,
Like them, the meek and lowly,
May live eternally.

Text Information

• First Line: The church's one foundation
• Title: The Church's One Foundation
• Author: Samuel J. Stone (1866; alt.)
• Meter: 7.6.7.6 D
• Language: English
• Publication Date: 1990
• Scripture:
  1 Corinthians 3:11
  ;
  Ephesians 5:26-27
• Topic: Church: Universal

Tune Information

• Name: AURELIA
• Composer: Samuel Sebastian Wesley (1864)
• Meter: 7.6.7.6 D
• Key: D Major