1 Caught by th’Almighty hand,
That Spirit of the Lord,
Carried beyond myself I stand,
A witness of His word;
I see the book unseal'd,
Least of the prophets’ sons,
I mark Ezekiel’s valley fill'd
With visionary bones!
2 Many they are and dry,
Spread thro' the open vale,
Millions of lifeless souls they lie
Within the Christian pale:
I pass the churches thro',
The scatter'd bones I see,
And Christendom appears in view
An hideous Calvary.
3 Can these dry bones perceive
The quick'ning power of grace,
Or Christian infidels retrieve
The life of righteousness?
All good, almighty Lord,
Thou know’st Thine own design,
The virtue of Thine own great word,
The energy divine.
4 Now for Thy mercy’s sake,
Let Thy great wWord proceed,
Dispens'd by whom Thou wilt, to wake
The spiritually dead;
Send forth to prophesy
Thy chosen messenger,
And Thou the Gospel word apply,
And force the world to hear.
5 Hear ye dry bones, and feel
The word of truth and grace:
I will in you myself reveal,
I will your spirits raise;
(Jehovah speaks the word)
The promise is for you,
Ye shall be gradually restor'd,
And fashion'd all anew.
6 Cover'd with flesh and skin
Ye shall your Saviour know,
And find the breath of life within,
Which I on all bestow:
The joyful news receive.
The grace to sinners given,
The knowledge of your Lord, and live
The sinless life of heaven.
AMEN.
Source: The A.M.E. Zion Hymnal: official hymnal of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church #359
Charles Wesley, M.A. was the great hymn-writer of the Wesley family, perhaps, taking quantity and quality into consideration, the great hymn-writer of all ages. Charles Wesley was the youngest son and 18th child of Samuel and Susanna Wesley, and was born at Epworth Rectory, Dec. 18, 1707. In 1716 he went to Westminster School, being provided with a home and board by his elder brother Samuel, then usher at the school, until 1721, when he was elected King's Scholar, and as such received his board and education free. In 1726 Charles Wesley was elected to a Westminster studentship at Christ Church, Oxford, where he took his degree in 1729, and became a college tutor. In the early part of the same year his religious impressions were much deepene… Go to person page >
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