The Church’s One Foundation

        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. 

	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. 

	Though with a scornful wonder
	we 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. 

	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. 

	Yet she on earth hath union
	with God the Three in One,
	and mystic sweet communion
	with those whose rest is won.
	O happy ones and holy!
	Lord, give us grace that we
	like them, the meek and lowly,
	on high may dwell with thee.

             Samuel J. Stone, 1839-1900