Bliss Carman, et al., eds. The World’s Best Poetry.
Volume IV. The Higher Life. 1904. | | | | IV. Sabbath: Worship: Creed | | The Word | | William Walsham How (1832–1897) |
| | | O WORD of God incarnate, | |
| O Wisdom from on high, | |
| O Truth unchanged, unchanging, | |
| O Light of our dark sky; | |
| We praise thee for the radiance | 5 |
| That from the hallowed page, | |
| A lantern to our footsteps, | |
| Shines on from age to age. | |
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| The Church from thee, her Master, | |
| Received the gift divine; | 10 |
| And still that light she lifteth | |
| O’er all the earth to shine. | |
| It is the golden casket | |
| Where gems of truth are stored; | |
| It is the heaven-drawn picture | 15 |
| Of, thee, the living Word. | |
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| It floateth like a banner | |
| Before God’s host unfurled; | |
| It shineth like a beacon | |
| Above the darkling world; | 20 |
| It is the chart and compass | |
| That o’er life’s surging sea, | |
| Mid mists and rocks and quicksands, | |
| Still guide, O Christ, to thee. | |
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| Oh, make thy Church, dear Saviour, | 25 |
| A lamp of burnished gold, | |
| To bear before the nations | |
| Thy true light, as of old. | |
| Oh, teach thy wandering pilgrims | |
| By this their path to trace, | 30 |
| Till, clouds and darkness ended, | |
| They see thee face to face. | | | | |
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