Dedication

Verse 1

An earthly temple here we raise,
Lord God, our Savior! to thy praise;
Oh! make thy gracious presence known,
While now we lay its corner-stone.

Verse 2

Within the house thy servants rear,
Deign by thy Spirit to appear;
On all its walls salvation write,
From corner-stone to topmost height.

Verse 3

And when this temple, “made with hands,”
Upon its firm foundation stands,
Oh! may we all with loving heart,
In nobler building bear a part,

Verse 4

Where every polished stone shall be
A human soul won back to thee;
All resting upon Christ alone,--
The chief and precious Corner-Stone.

Verse 1

Arise, O King of grace, arise,
And enter to thy rest;
Lo! thy church waits, with longing eyes,
Thus to be owned and blest.

Verse 2

Enter with all thy glorious train.
Thy Spirit and thy word;
All that the ark did once contain
Could no such grace afford.

Verse 3

Here, mighty God, accept our vows,
Here let thy praise be spread;
Bless the provisions of thy house
And fill thy poor with bread.

Verse 4

Here let the Son of David reign,
Let God’s Anointed shine;
Justice and truth his court maintain
With love and power divine.

Verse 5

Here let him hold a lasting throne,
And as his kingdom grows,
Fresh honors shall adorn his crown.
And shame confound his foes.

Verse 1

Arise, O King of grace, arise,
And enter to Thy rest:
Lo! Thy Church waits with longing eyes
Thus to be owned and blest.

Verse 2

Enter with all Thy glorious train,
Thy Spirit and Thy word;
All that the ark did once contain
Could no such grace afford.

Verse 3

Here, mighty God, accept our vows;
Here let Thy praise be spread;
Bless the provisions of Thy house,
And fill Thy poor with bread.

Verse 4

Here let the Son of David reign,
Let God’s Anointed shine;
Justice and truth His court maintain,
With love and power Divine.

Verse 5

Here let Him hold a lasting throne;
And, as His kingdom grows,
Fresh honors shall adorn His crown,
And shame confound His foes.

Verse 1

Christ is made the sure Foundation,
Christ the Head and Corner-stone,
Chosen of the Lord, and precious,
Binding all the Church in one;
Holy Zion’s help for ever,
And her confidence alone.

Verse 2

All that dedicated city,
Dearly loved of God on high,
In exultant jubilation
Pours perpetual melody;
God the One in Three adoring
In glad hymns eternally.

Verse 3

To this temple, where we call Thee,
Come, O Lord of hosts, to-day:
With Thy wonted loving-kindness
Hear Thy people as they pray;
And Thy fullest benediction
Shed within its walls alway.

Verse 4

Here vouchsafe to all Thy servants
What they ask of Thee to gain,
What they gain from Thee for ever
With the blessed to retain,
And hereafter in Thy glory
Evermore with Thee to reign.

Verse 5

Laud and honor to the Father,
Laud and honor to the Son,
Laud and honor to the Spirit,
Ever Three and ever One,
One in might, and One in glory,
While unending ages run.

Verse 1

Christ is our Corner-stone,
On Him alone we build;
With His true saints alone
The courts of heaven are filled:
On His great love our hopes we place
Of present grace and joys above.

Verse 2

O then with hymns of praise
These hallowed courts shall ring;
Our voices we will raise
The Three in One to sing;
And thus proclaim in joyful song,
Both loud and long, that glorious Name.

Verse 3

Here, gracious God, do Thou
For evermore draw nigh;
Accept each faithful vow,
And mark each suppliant sigh;
In copious shower on all who pray,
Each holy day, Thy blessings pour.

Verse 4

Here may we gain from heaven
The grace which we implore;
And may that grace, once given,
Be with us evermore,
Until that day when all the blest
To endless rest are called away.

Verse 1

Founded on Thee, our only Lord,
On Thee, the everlasting Rock,
Thy Church shall stand, as stands Thy word,
Nor fear the storm, nor dread the shock.

Verse 2

For Thee our waiting spirits yearn,
For Thee this house of praise we rear;
To Thee with longing hearts we turn:
Come, fix Thy glorious presence here.

Verse 3

Come, with Thy Spirit and Thy power,
The Conqueror, once the Crucified;
Our God, our Strength, our King, our Tower,
Here plant Thy throne, and here abide.

Verse 4

Accept the work our hands have wrought;
Accept, O God, this earthly shrine;
Be Thou our Rock, our life, our thought,
And we, as living temples, Thine.

Verse 1

God of the universe! to thee
This sacred house we rear,
And now, with songs and bended knee,
Invoke thy presence here.

Verse 2

Long may this echoing dome resound
The praises of thy name,
These hallowed walls to all around
The Triune God proclaim.

Verse 3

Here let thy love, thy presence dwell;
Thy glory here make known;
Thy people’s home, oh! come and fill,
And seal it as thine own.

Verse 4

And, when the last long Sabbath morn
Upon the just shall rise,
May all who own thee here be borne
To mansions in the skies.

Verse 1

Jesus, where-e’er Thy people meet,
There they behold Thy mercy-seat;
Where-e’er they seek Thee, Thou art found,
And every place is hallowed ground:

Verse 2

For Thou, within no walls confined,
Inhabitest the humble mind;
Such ever bring Thee where they come,
And going, take Thee to their home.

Verse 3

Dear Shepherd of Thy chosen few,
Thy former mercies here renew;
Here to our waiting hearts proclaim
The sweetness of Thy saving Name.

Verse 4

Here may we prove the power of prayer,
To strengthen faith, and sweeten care,
To teach our faint desires to rise,
And bring all heaven before our eyes.

Verse 5

Lord, we are few, but Thou art near;
Nor short Thine arm, nor deaf Thine ear:
O rend the heavens, come quickly down,
And make a thousand hearts Thine own.