Of him the sacred record saith, He was a good man, full of faith, Who by the Holy Spirit led, Rejoiced to see the Gospel spread:-- | Spread by the Saints where'r they went From martyrdom to banishment; The cross through every region bore, And more oppress'd, prevail'd the more. | From doom'd Jerusalem cast forth, Eastward and westward, south and north! On fertile field, and barren clod, They sow'd the seed, the Word of God. | To heathen Antioch, when they came, And first received their Master's name, They gloried in it, and bequeath'd The inheritance to all that breathed:-- | To all that breathed by second birth, Children of God, though sons of earth, For "Christians," Christians such shall be Till time becomes eternity. | 142 Well then might Barnabas rejoice, And aid the work with heart and voice, For though by earth and hell assail'd, The truth grew mighty and prevail'd. | Ye faithful souls, from age to age, Transmit your heavenly heritage, Christ's easy yoke with meekness wear, And bear His cross whose name ye bear:-- | That all the living, in that day, When Heaven and Earth must pass away, Redeemed from sin, through grace restored, May be caught up to meet the Lord. | |