We sing the everlasting truth
Of words that Jesus said:
There is a holy human life
Upon the earth we tread.
It was poured out our faith to win,
It has prevailed against our sin,
It brings eternal glory in,
E'en here among the dead.
0 Lord of all the angel host
And of the church above,
We know thee in the midst of us
By thy descending dove.
We in our prison stained and dim,
With cherubim and seraphim,
Lift up to thee the heaven-born hymn
Of joy, and praise, and love.
Hail, bread of God that men may take! —-
His spirit teaches how.
The dying soul that eateth thee
Shall even live as thou. -
"Come, eat," the faithful witness saith
To sinners breathing mortal breath,
"And live forever after death;
Yea, live forever now."
This being, with its ransomed powers,
Oh let thy body feed,
And make the very life it lives
An endless life indeed.
With faith in thy anointing shod,
It chooses paths which thou hast trod,
And offers to the living God
Its whole immortal need.
Soldiers and servants by thy grace,
But helpless children first,
We gather round our Father's board
In hunger and in thirst.
Bold through the love which thou hast shown,
Rich without substance of our own,
We give thee, not our best alone,
But all our least and worst.
The treasure worthless in our hands
Transformed in thine we see.
Thou takest from us what we are,
How spoiled soe'er it be.
In thy participating name,
We pour out sorrows, tremblings, shame,
The empty hope, the failing aim;
And then we feast on thee.
It is for service that we live,
Destroyer of our sin.
It is to keep the children's place,
With all its discipline.
But sweet be our communion song,
The whole contented way along.
God gave us thee, and we are strong
For life to triumph in.