Spirituality of God

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Thou art, O God, a Spirit pure

Author: John Needham
Tune: DEPAUW
Published in 46 hymnals

Printable scores: PDF, Noteworthy Composer
Audio files: MIDI

Representative Text

1 Thou art, O God! a Spirit pure,
Invisible to mortal eyes;
The immortal, and the eternal King,
The great, the good, the only wise.

2 Whilst nature changes, and her works
Corrupt, decay, dissolve, and die,
Thy essence pure no change shall see,
Secure of immortality.

3 Thou great Invisible! what hand
Can draw thy image spotless fair?
To what in heaven, to what on earth,
Can men the immortal King compare?

4 Let stupid heathens frame their gods
Of gold and silver, wood and stone;
Ours is the God that made the heaven;
Jehovah he, and God alone.

5 My soul, the purest homage pay,
In truth and spirit him adore;
More shall this please than sacrifice,
Than outward forms delights him more.

Source: The Voice of Praise: a collection of hymns for the use of the Methodist Church #43

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Author: John Needham

Needham, John, was the son of John Needham, Baptist Minister, of Hitchin, Herts, but the date of his birth is unknown. He would doubtless be educated by his father, who was a tutor and in repute as a learned man. In 1750 Needham became co-pastor with John Beddome at the Baptist meetinghouse in the Pithay, Bristol; but, two years later, Beddome having retired through age, a violent controversy arose in the Church with regard to a continuance of the plan of co-pastorship. As the result, Needham and a number of his friends removed to a Baptist meetinghouse in Callowhill Street, where a Mr. Foot was pastor. For a time the two societies used the same builing at different hours, but in 1755 they were united, with Mr. Needham and Mr. Foot as co-pa… Go to person page >

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