One Holy Church of God Appears

One ho­ly Church of God ap­pears

Through ev­ery age and race

Unwasted by the lapse of years

Unchanged by chang­ing place.

From old­est time

on far­thest shores

Beneath the pine or palm

One un­seen pre­sence she ad­ores

With si­lence

or with psalm.

The truth is her pro­phet­ic gift

The soul her sac­red page;

And feet on mer­cy’s er­rands swift

Do make her pil­grim­age.

O liv­ing Church

thine er­rand speed

Fulfill thy task sub­lime;

With bread of life earth’s hun­gers feed;

Redeem the ev­il time!