The Church’s one foundation

Vivian Akosua Twum could not have said it better. I love this hymn. It's always a blessing to listen to it and meditate on the words.

The words in this hymn is so powerful that you can use it to pray. I personal been touched by this words : - From heav’n He came and sought me.To be His holy Bride; With His own blood He bought me, And for my life He died.

Her longing eyes are blest, And the great Church victorious Shall be the Church at rest.

Hymns are not something that you just have to sing or listen, it has a lot of meaning and deep understanding if you are not descendent by the spirit it will be difficult for you.

When am down or sad I like singing hymns to revive my soul.

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.

This is a great hymn whose theological value spans the life of the Church of Christ. As an ecumenist, I stand in deep appreciation for its meaning for the church in a highly pluralistic world where it is called to bear common witness to Christ.

Outstanding hymn with powerful comforting lyrics and beautiful music.

Fortunately this version keeps the original first words of verse 2 as "Elect of" vs. "She is from", which revision greatly and sadly waters down the truth of its theological power.

See also the new book "From Heaven He Came and Sought Her" edited by the Gibson brothers.

This song is such an inspirational summation of the beliefs and doctrine of the Christian church, and how I miss it! Our church, The Church of the Nazarene, no longer plays these wonderful old hymns, instead plays long sets of praise choruses that teach nothing of doctrine or belief. Worship is fine, essential, but without knowing what or why you are worshipping it is empty and an exercise in giddy hand-waving and empty ecstasy, metaphorically like building a house with no foundation.

Samuel Stone's ministry was located among the poorer people at the outskirts of Windsor. He was a fighter. He stood up for what he believed, and if local "toughs" threatened the neighborhood, he was not afraid to take them on. In the Church of England, Stone was regarded as a fundamentalist, opposing the liberal theological tendencies of his day. When he was 27, he wrote a collection of hymns based on the Apostles' Creed. This hymn, taken from that collection, is based on the article in the Creed regarding the church as the Body of Christ.

Two years later, Anglicans from around the world met to discuss the crucial theological issues that were raging in the church. Significantly, they chose Stone's hymn as the processional for their historic conference. - Great Songs of Faith by Brown & Norton

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The 4 stanzas given above are what are in most hymnals. There are 2 additional stanzas between the above stanzas 2 and 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.
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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!
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The 4th stanza above is the combination of the 1st halves of the 2 last original stanzas:

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.
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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!

This has been my most inspiration, the hope I held on to and my everlasting faith. This song always bring me closer in fellowship with the Trinity divine. Thanks so much for this effort. God bless.

Thank you for this site.

Amazingly beautiful and true, praise our God!

Beautiful hymn.