"The Church's One Foundation"

As we sang this in church today, I thought how appropriate the words were, given the current firestorm in the Episcopal church. (The rector and vestry of the church we are currently attending are in agreement with the Anglican Communion, NOT the recent decisions made at the General Convention of the Episcopal Church.) I was intrigued to read this evening that the hymn was written at a time similar to this. Here is what the author of a book about hymns has written about this hymn:

"During an especially heated period of theological controversy in England in 1866 when liberalism threatened to destroy the great cardinal doctrines of the Anglican church, this hymn was written by Pastor Samuel Stone. He was a strong supporter of the conservative faith and refused to compromise in any way the critical attacks on doctrinal orthodoxy."

The photo above seems appropriate. Some people within the Episcopal church are trying to "improve/enlighten" the church (in their opinions) by making changes that are not supported by scripture. Their version of the church will not survive off the foundation of scripture. The True Foundation is unchangable.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
Hebrews 13:8

If you want to sing along to these words, go to Cyberhymnal for the music.

"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.

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.

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.

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!

’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,
With all her sons and daughters
Who, by the Master’s hand
Led through the deathly waters,
Repose in Eden land.

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!