The Church’s One Foundation

Hymn lyrics by Samuel J. Stone,
Music by Samuel S. Wesley

Verse 1

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

Verse 2

• She is 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.

Verse 3

• The Church shall never perish!
• Her dear Lord to defend,
• To guide, sustain, and cherish,
• Is with her to the end:
• Though there be those who hate her,
• And false sons in her pale,
• Against both foe or traitor
• She ever shall prevail.

Verse 4

• Though with a scornful wonder
• Men see her sore 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!

Verse 5

• ’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.

Verse 6

• Yet she on earth hath union
• With God the Three in One,
• And mystic sweet communion
• With those whose rest is won,
• With all her sons and daughters
• Who, by the Master’s hand
• Led through the deathly waters,
• Repose in Eden land.

Verse 7

• O happy ones and holy!
• Lord, give us grace that we
• Like them, the meek and lowly,
• On high may dwell with Thee:
• There, past the border mountains,
• Where in sweet vales the Bride
• With Thee by living fountains
• Forever shall abide!