Christ is gone up; yet ere He passed
From earth, in Heav’n to reign,
He formed one ho­ly Church to last
Till He should come again.

His twelve apos­tles first He made
His min­is­ters of grace;
And they their hands on oth­ers laid,
To fill in turn their place.

So age by age, and year by year,
His grace was hand­ed on;
And still the ho­ly Church is here,
Although her Lord is gone.

Let those find par­don, Lord, from Thee,
Whose love to her is cold:
Bring wan­der­ers in, and let there be
One shep­herd and one fold.

And now we haste with thank­ful feet
To seek our Sav­ior’s face;
And in the ho­ly Church to meet,
His chos­en dwell­ing place.