Cântăre Biblical trace of the church

1. The church of the morning bright,

Like crystal so clear her light,

Triumphant, she knew no fears;

In finest white linen dressed;

Pure holiness she possessed,

Two hundred and sev’nty years.

* Refrain:

Hell never can destroy the church,

Built by the Savior’s hands;

Upon the Rock, the solid Rock,

Christ Jesus, still she stands;

Despite of persecution’s flood,

And gates of hell forsooth;

She’s still the kingdom of the Lord,

The pillar of the truth.

2. The sun went down ere his time,

The moon also ceased to shine,

Left Zion in bitter tears;

No star then appeared in sight,

Oh, long dreary papal night!

Twelve hundred and sixty years.

3. A rising the sun of day,

Disperses the night away

While popery quakes with fears;

Shone dimly the gospel ray,

There followed a cloudy day—

Three hundred and fifty years.

4. We welcome the evening light;

The gospel so clear and bright

Breaks forth as in days of yore;

The mists are all cleared away,

All hail the supernal day!

The sun shall go down no more.