教會唯一的根基
《教會根基歌》(英語:The Church's One Foundation),又譯教會唯一的根基或教會獨一的根基,是一首由撒母耳·約翰·斯通撰寫的基督教聖詩。
這詩歌直接回應首任納塔爾主教約翰·威廉·哥倫素當時被認為偏離正道的教導,他在南非聖公會製造了內部紛爭。[1]歌詞第四段「雖她受盡了困難,旁人嘲笑譏評,內爭分裂了她身,異端叛道離經」(普天頌讚版)點出了這主題。哥倫素主教因他的教導而被撤職,但他向英格蘭的更高教會機構上訴。
就在這時,約翰·斯通被牽涉入爭辯當中。這啟發了他1866年撰寫了以使徒信經為基礎的一套詩歌。他為詩歌命名為「Lyra Fidelium;使徒信經十二節的十二首詩歌」,《教會唯一的根基》就是根據第九節「神聖大公教會;聖徒相通」創作的。
歌譜通常是撒母耳·薩巴士田·衛斯理選定的「Aurelia」。[2]
歌詞
- 1 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.
- 2 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.
- 3 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.
- 4 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!
- 5 '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.
- 6 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.
- 7 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! Amen
參考資料
外部連結
- The Church's one foundation
- Lyrics (頁面存檔備份,存於互聯網檔案館)
- Lyra Fidelium Twelve Hymns on the Twelve Articles of the Apostle's Creed by S. J. Stone, B.A., CURATE OF WINDSOR
- Bad things done to good hymns by TAPANI posted on MAY 30, 2012
- Autograph Manuscript of "The Church's One Foundation" (頁面存檔備份,存於互聯網檔案館)