What Fair One Is This, from the Wilderness Traveling
This was the first song published in the LDS newspaper known as The Evening and Morning Star, which first issued in 1832[1].
Contents
Tunes
Possible Tunes
Lyrics
Lyrics from A Collection of Sacred Hymns for the Use of the Latter Day Saints, 1844
1. What fair one is this from the wilderness trav'ling,
Looking for Christ, the beloved of her heart?
O, this is the church, the fair bride of the Savior,
Which with every idol is willing to part.
While men in contention are constantly howling,
And Babylon's bells are continually tolling,
As though all the craft of her merchants was failing,
And Jesus was coming to reign on the earth.
2. There is a sweet sound in the gospel of heaven,
And people are joyful when they understand
The saints on their way home to glory, are even
Determined by goodness, to reach the blest land.
Old formal professors are crying “Delusion,”
And high-minded hypocrites say, - “'tis confusion,”
While grace is poured out in a blessed effusion,
And saints are rejoicing to see priest-craft fall.
3. A blessing, a blessing, the Savior is coming,
As prophets and pilgrims of old have declared;
And Israel, the favored of God, is beginning
To come to the feast of the righteous prepared.
In the desert fountain continually springing,
The heavenly music of Zion is ringing;
The saints all their tithes and their off'rings are bringing;
They thus prove the Lord, and his blessing receive.
4. The name of Jehovah is worthy of praising,
And so is the Savior an excellent theme;
These elders of Israel a standard are raising,
And call on all nations to come to the same:
The elders go forth and the gospel are preaching,
And all that hear them, they freely are teaching,
And thus is the vision of Daniel fulfilling;
The stone of the mountain will soon fill the earth.
Lyrics from A Collection of Sacred Hymns for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Europe, 1840
Hymn 242 12 11 12 11 12 12 12 11 1. What fair one is this, from the wilderness trav'ling, Looking for Christ, the beloved of her heart? O this is the church, the fair bride of the Saviour, Which with every idol is willing to part. While men in contention are constantly howling, And Babylon's bells are continually tolling, As though all the craft of her merchants was failing, And Jesus was coming to reign on the earth. 2. There is a sweet sound in the Gospel of heaven, And people are joyful when they understand, The saints on their way home to glory are even Determined by goodness, to reach the blest land. Old formal professors are crying "delusion," And highminded hypocrites say "'tis confusion," While grace is poured out in a blessed effusion, And saints are rejoicing to see priest-craft fall. 3. A blessing, a blessing, the Saviour is coming, As prophets and pilgrims of old have declared; And Israel, the favoured of God, is beginning To come to the feast for the righteous prepared. In the desert are fountains continually springing, The heavenly music of Zion is ringing; The saints all their tithes and their off'rings are bringing, They thus prove the Lord and his blessing receive. 4. The name of Jehovah is worthy of praising, And so is the Saviour an excellent theme; The elders of Israel a standard are raising, And call on all nations to come to the same: These elders go forth and the gospel are preaching, And all that will hear them, they freely are teaching, And thus is the vision of Daniel fulfilling, The stone of the mountain will soon fill the earth.
