Scripture Verse

Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God. 1 John 5:1

Introduction

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Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872–1958)

Words: John H. New­man, The Dream of Ge­ron­ti­us, 1865.

Music: Ship­ston tra­di­tion­al Eng­lish tune. Ar­ranged by Ralph Vaugh­an Will­iams, 1906 (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tune:

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John H. Newman (1801–1890)
National Portrait Gallery

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Lyrics

Firmly I believe and truly
God is Three, and God is One;
And I next acknowledge duly
Manhood taken by the Son.

And I trust and hope most fully
In that manhood cru­ci­fied;
And each thought and deed unruly
Do to death, as He has died.

Simply to His grace and wholly
Light and life and strength belong,
And I love supremely, solely,
Him the holy, Him the strong.

And I hold in veneration,
For the love of Him alone,
Holy Church as His creation,
And her teachings are His own.

And I take with joy whatever
Now besets me, pain or fear,
And with a strong will I sever
All the ties which bind me here.

Adoration aye be given,
With and through the angelic host,
To the God of earth and Hea­ven,
Father, Son and Holy Ghost.