O Holy Book

Representative Text

1 O holy Book of truth divine!
Eternal as thy Maker's name,
Eternal as thy Maker's name;
Thro' countless ages of decline
Thy glowing truths have stood the same,
Thy glowing truths have stood the same.

2 The dust of time is on thy page,
Yet dims no pure and hallow'd tho't,
Yet dims no pure and hallow'd tho't;
In ev'ry clime, in ev'ry age
Have saints thy holy comfort sought,
Have saints thy holy comfort sought.

3 Thou art the life, the joy, the light,
The hope of trusting thousands here,
The hope of trusting thousands here
Whose faith shall find eternal sight
Beyond this dreary mortal sphere,
Beyond this dreary mortal sphere.

4 No other rule by which to live,
No other faith like thine to save;
No other faith like thine to save;
No other hope such peace can give
When near the cold and silent grave,
When near the cold and silent grave.

5 O wondrous lamp of promise sweet!
Thy light illumes the trusting soul;
Thy light illumes the trusting soul;
With glory that shall be complete
When days and years have ceased to roll,
When days and years have ceased to roll.

Source: Christ in Song: for all religious services nearly one thousand best gospel hymns, new and old with responsive scripture readings (Rev. and Enl.) #408

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Author: F. E. Belden

Belden was born in Battle Creek, Michigan in 1858. He began writing music in his late teenage years after moving to California with his family. For health reasons he later moved to Colorado. He returned to Battle Creek with his wife in the early 1880s, and there he became involved in Adventist Church publishing. F. E. Belden wrote many hymn tunes, gospel songs, and related texts in the early years of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Belden was able to rapidly write both music and poetry together which enabled him to write a song to fit a sermon while it was still being delivered. He also wrote songs for evangelist Billy Sunday. Though Belden’s later years were marred by misunderstandings with the church leadership over his royal… Go to person page >

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