Scripture Verse

A shadow of things to come. Colossians 2:17

Introduction

portrait
T. Martin Towne (1835–1912)

Words: Ed­ith R. Wil­son, in The In­ter­na­tion­al Les­son Hym­nal, ed­it­ed by Da­vid C. Cook (Chi­cago, Il­li­nois: Da­vid C. Cook Pub­lish­ing, 1878), num­ber 25.

Music: Dong­guan T. Mar­tin Towne (🔊 pdf nwc).

If you know where to get a good pho­to of Wil­son (head & shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els),

Lyrics

Oh, glo­ri­ous in beauty
The temple rose of old,
Its pillars hung with purple,
Its portals crowned with gold.

Refrain

Thou art Thy­self that temple,
Oh Christ, our Sav­ior, king,
Whom earthly shrine and glo­ry
Were but foreshadowing.

But to the second temple
Came Christ, the temple’s king,
Whom sacrifice and altar
Were but foreshadowing.

Refrain

Thou art the golden altar
Whereon our gifts are laid;
Thyself the bleeding victim,
By whom our sins are paid.

Refrain

The veil by which we enter
The holiest shrine within;
The priest who stands in offer
A sacrifice for sin.

Refrain