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God never had a church but there, men say,
The devil a chapel hath raised by some wiles,
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God never had a church but there, men say,
The devil a chapel hath raised by some wiles,
I doubted of this saw, till on a day
I westward spied great Edinburgh's Saint Giles.
Whenever God erects a house of prayer
The devil always builds a chapel there;
And 'twill be read more
Whenever God erects a house of prayer
The devil always builds a chapel there;
And 'twill be found, upon examination,
The latter has the largest congregation.
Who builds a church to God, and not to Fame,
Will never mark the marble with his Name.
Who builds a church to God, and not to Fame,
Will never mark the marble with his Name.
No silver saints, by dying misers giv'n,
Here brib'd the rage of ill-requited heav'n;
But such plain read more
No silver saints, by dying misers giv'n,
Here brib'd the rage of ill-requited heav'n;
But such plain roofs as Piety could raise,
And only vocal with the Maker's praise.
I never weary of great churches. It is my favourite kind of
mountain scenery. Mankind was never so happily read more
I never weary of great churches. It is my favourite kind of
mountain scenery. Mankind was never so happily inspired as when
it made a cathedral.
To Kerke the narre, from God more farre.
To Kerke the narre, from God more farre.
"What is a church?" Let Truth and reason speak,
They would reply, "The faithful, pure and meek,
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"What is a church?" Let Truth and reason speak,
They would reply, "The faithful, pure and meek,
From Christian folds, the one selected race,
Of all professions, and in every place."
A beggarly people,
A church and no steeple.
A beggarly people,
A church and no steeple.
The nearer the church, the further from God.
The nearer the church, the further from God.