Scripture Verse

Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. Matthew 28:19–20

Introduction

portrait
Isaac Watts (1674–1748)

Words: Is­aac Watts, Hymns and Spi­ri­tu­al Songs, Book 1, 1707, num­ber 52, alt. Baptism.

Music: Lou­van Vir­gil C. Tay­lor, Cho­ral An­thems (Bos­ton, Mas­sa­chu­setts: 1850) (🔊 pdf nwc).

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

Lyrics

’Twas the commission of our Lord,
Go teach the nations, and baptize:
The nations have received the word
Since He as­cend­ed to the skies.

He sits upon th’eter­nal hills,
With grace and pardon in His hands;
And sends His cov’nant with the seals,
To bless the distant darkened lands.
[originally the distant British lands]

Repent, and be baptized, He saith,
For the remission of your sins:
And thus our sense assists our faith,
And shows us what His Gos­pel means.

Our souls He washes in His blood,
As water makes the body clean;
And the good Spi­rit from our God
Descends like purifying rain.

Thus we engage ourselves to Thee,
And seal our cov’nant with the Lord;
O may the great eter­nal Three
In Heav’n our solemn vows record!