By Samaria’s wayside well
Once a blessèd message fell
On a woman’s thirsty soul,
Long ago;
And to eyes that long were sealed
Was the glo­ri­ous light revealed,
Thro’ a fountain that was opened
Long ago.

Refrain

There’s a fountain that was opened
Long ago,
For the healing of the nations
Is its flow;
Along the line of ages
The prophets and the sages
Caught the singing of its waters,
Long ago.

And a little captive maid,
By a leper undismayed,
Told to him a simple story,
Long ago;
That the stream where he might lave
Had alone the power to save,
Thro’ his trust in that old fountain,
Long ago.

Refrain

And a woman in a crowd,
Without word or cry aloud,
Just stooped down and touched His garment,
Long ago;
As her urgent soul appealed,
So her sinful soul was healed,
In that fountain that was opened,
Long ago.

Refrain

As the eunuch tried to read
Philip taught him of his need,
And baptized him in the stream,
Long ago;
As the outward seal and sign
Of an inward work divine,
That was wrought through that old fountain,
Long ago.

Refrain

O thou fountain, deep and wide,
Flowing from the wounded side,
That was pierced for our re­demp­tion,
Long ago;
In thy ever cleansing wave
There is found all power to save
’Tis the power that healed the nations,
Long ago.

Refrain