Adventist Pioneer Library

Worship — Holy Scriptures

Let all the heathen writers join

  • No. 185
  • Words Anon.
  • 4 stanzas
  • Words only in the original

Words

⤢ Full screen
1

Let all the heathen writers join
To form one perfect book:
Great God, if once compared with thine,
How mean their writings look!

2

Not the most perfect rules they gave
Could show one sin forgiven,
Nor lead a step beyond the grave;
But thine conducts to heaven.

3

Yet men would fain be just with God
By works their hands have wrought;
But thy commands, exceeding broad,
Extend to every thought.

4

Our faith, and love, and every grace
Fall far below thy word;
But perfect truth and righteousness
Dwell only with the Lord.

About this hymn

As printed Words only. As printed: hymn number «185», reference line «438, 227, 187.» in italics (sing to the tune of hymn 438, 227 or 187); the whole hymn stands at the head of the right column of p. 64, below the music of hymn 183; «Anon.» in italics at the end. The first word «LET» is set in capitals and small capitals. The print sets a thin space before «:», «!» and «;» («book :», «look !», «grave ;», «wrought ;», «word ;»); it is closed up here, as is the wider word space in «Great God, if». Lines 2 and 4 of each stanza are indented in the print. Spelling, punctuation and capitals are the print's. No meter is printed (the text is C. M., 8.6.8.6).

Source
The Seventh-day Adventist Hymn and Tune Book (Battle Creek: Review & Herald, 1886/1888)
Where
Worship — Holy Scriptures · No. 185 · printed page 64
Checked
lyrics verified (fork reading; parent check pending) · 2026-09-30