I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ.
Philippians 3:8
Words: Anonymous, in The New Children’s Hymnal, edited by John I. Tucker (New York: James Pott, 1892), number 90, alt.
Music: Murfreesboro Reginald Geoffrey, 1892 (🔊 pdf nwc).
If you know the lyricist, or where to get a good photo of him or Geoffrey,
By the thorny way of sorrow,
Counting earthly gain but loss;
Wins the Church her glad tomorrow,
In redemption by the cross.
Lenten clouds away have drifted,
Comes at length her great rewards,
And her eyes are now uplifted,
To the glory of her Lord.
Alleluia! King eternal!
Lord of life! the strife is o’er;
Thou hast quelled the pow’rs infernal;
Throwing wide high Heaven’s door;
Alleluia! He has risen!
And His own, in Him shall rise;
Broken are the bars of prison;
Won the rest of paradise.
Forth His Church shall go to meet Him,
In the breaking of the dawn!
At her altars kneel to greet Him!
On this glorious Easter morn:
Whom His chalice veils enfolding
Very bread! and very wine!
We adore by faith beholding:
In this Eucharist divine.
In His manhood, Christ victorious
Won for man o’er death the strife;
In His Godhead ever glorious:
Grants the gift of endless life;
Hail! all hail! the King immortal!
Who shall with His Church abide
Till we pass through death’s dark portal
To th’eternal Eastertide.