Oh, were it other, dearest Lord,
Salvation is of thee:
I would not for a moment hope
Among the saved to be.

But, thanks to the abounding grace,
Almighty, sov'reign, free,
Which hath embraced the Church within,
Thine own identity.

And blessed be the wondrous way,
Which angels cannot scan,
That God in very deed should dwell
Among the sons of men.

To bring to light those hidden things
Eternity made fast,
And demonstrate thy sov'reign reign,
O'er all from first to last.

To turn to naught the worldly wise,
And all opposed to Thee,
And that salvation framed above,
And wrought on Calvary.

To give thy people dead in sin,
A life that cannot fall;
Because it centers deep in Him
Who filleth all in all.

A life whose principle is pure
As Him from whom it came;
And to His glory must endure
Eternally the same.

Such depths of love alone could save
From Adam's awful fall,
And bring his people, through his grace
Triumphant over all.

Forever, O my soul, adore,
Such wonder working grace,
For less than this, my dearest Lord,
Could never meet my case.

J. M. B.
Utica, N. Y., March 2, 1859
Written for the Signs of the Times.

Signs of the Times
Volume 27, Number 9; May 1, 1859

Below are the songs that were made from the poem using AI. They are identified
by the genre of the music in paranthesis.