Scripture Verse

Baptizing…in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Matthew 28:19

Introduction

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William M. Bunting (1805–1866)

Words: Will­iam M. Bun­ting, in Leif­child’s Orig­in­al Hymns, 1842, ti­tled Fa­ther, Our Child We Place. The ver­sion be­low, start­ing at stanza four of the orig­in­al, ap­peared in the Am­eri­can Me­tho­dist Epis­co­pal Hym­nal, 1878.

Music: Den­nis Hans G. Nä­ge­li (1773–1836). Ar­ranged by Lo­well Ma­son in The Psal­te­ry, 1845 (🔊 pdf nwc).

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Hans G. Nägeli (1773–1836)

Lyrics

Rites can­not change the heart,
Undo the ev­il done,
Or with the ut­tered name im­part
The na­ture of Thy Son.

To meet our des­per­ate want,
There gushed a crim­son flood;
O from His heart’s o’er­flow­ing font
Baptize this soul with blood!

Be grace from Christ our Lord,
And love from God su­preme,
By the com­mun­ing Spir­it poured
In a per­pe­tu­al stream!