The Old Fountain

Representative Text

1 By Samaria’s wayside well,
Once a blessed message fell
On a woman’s thirsty soul,
Long ago;
And to eyes that long were sealed
Was the glorious light revealed,
Through 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 lines of ages,
The prophets and the sages
Caught the singing of the waters,
Long ago.

2 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 pow’r to save,
Through his trust in that old fountain,
Long ago. [Refrain]

3 As the eunuch tied 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]

4 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 pow’r to save;
‘Tis the pow’r that healed the nations,
Long ago. [Refrain]

Source: Songs of Praise and Salvation #103

Author: Emma M. Johnston

Born: October 18, 1835, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Died: February 15, 1904, Ocean Grove, New Jersey. Buried: Laurel Hill Cemetery, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Daughter of Robert Elliott Johnston and Grace Acheson Johnston, Emma was baptized at the Salem Methodist Episcopal Church. She attended different churches in Philadelphia, including Ebenezer Methodist Episcopal Church, where composer William Kirkpatrick also worshipped. She worked as a school teacher, and McElroy’s 1873 Directory of Philadelphia listed her as an authoress. After her elder sister, Esther Elliott Johnston Boyd, was widowed, the two sisters moved to Asbury Park, New Jersey, and later to Ocean Grove, New Jersey, where they shared a house. © Cyber Hymnal™… Go to person page >

Text Information

First Line: By Samaria's wayside well
Title: The Old Fountain
Author: Emma M. Johnston
Language: English
Refrain First Line: There's a fountain that was opened
Copyright: Public Domain

Timeline

Media

The Cyber Hymnal #9679
  • PDF (PDF)
  • Noteworthy Composer Score (NWC)

Instances

Instances (1 - 1 of 1)
TextScoreAudio

The Cyber Hymnal #9679

Include 22 pre-1979 instances
Suggestions or corrections? Contact us