The Church's One Foundation

Words and music by Samuel Stone & Samuel Wesley · 1866

Key of D · 88 BPM · 4/4 · Trust,Assurance · 1 Corinthians 3:11

Verse 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.

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 or 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.

Public domain in the United States (best-effort). Free for every use, including commercial — no license needed. Other countries may differ.