"What is a church?" Let Truth and reason speak,
They would reply, "The faithful, pure and meek,
read more

"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."

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.

It is common for those that are farthest from God, to boast
themselves most of their being near to read more

It is common for those that are farthest from God, to boast
themselves most of their being near to the Church.

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.

A beggarly people,
A church and no steeple.

A beggarly people,
A church and no steeple.

To support those of your rights authorized by Heaven, destroy
everything rather than yield; that is the spirit of read more

To support those of your rights authorized by Heaven, destroy
everything rather than yield; that is the spirit of the Church.
[Fr., Pour soutenir tes droits, que le ciel autorise,
Abime tout plutot; c'est l'esprit de l'Eglise.]

Where God hath a temple, the devil will have a chapel.

Where God hath a temple, the devil will have a chapel.

Well has the name of Pontifex been given
Unto the Church's head, as the chief builder
And read more

Well has the name of Pontifex been given
Unto the Church's head, as the chief builder
And architect of the invisible bridge
That leads from earth to heaven.

And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew,
and beat upon that house; and it read more

And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew,
and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded
upon a rock.