O word of God incarnate

386 Munich. 7. 6. 7. 6. D.

1 O Word of God incarnate,
   O Wisdom from on high,
   O Truth unchanged, unchanging,
   O Light of our dark sky:
   We praise thee for the radiance
   That from the hallowed page,
   A lantern to our footsteps,
   Shines on from age to age.

2 The Church from her dear Master
   Received the gift divine,
   And still that light she lifteth
   O'er all the earth to shine.
   It is the golden casket
   Where gems of truth are stored;
   It is the heaven-drawn picture
   Of Christ, the living Word.

3 It floateth like a banner
   Before God's host unfurled;
   It shineth like a beacon
   Above the darkling world.
   It is the chart and compass
   That o'er life's surging sea,
   Mid mists and rocks and darkness,
   Still guide, O Christ, to thee.

4 O make Thy Church, dear Savior,
   A lamp of purest gold,
   To bear before the nations
   Thy true light as of old.
   O teach Thy wandering pilgrims
   By this their path to trace,
   Till, clouds and darkness ended,
   They see Thee face to face.
                         William W. How
                         The Methodist Hymnal 1939 edition

<idle musing>
Not a terribly popular hymn, only occurring in 441 hymnals. I don't ever recall singing it.

The author of the hymn also wrote a couple other more well-known hymns, such as "For all the saints, who from their labor rest." According to the bio link above, "Called both the 'poor man's bishop' and 'the children's bishop,' How was known for his work among the destitute in the London slums and among the factory workers in west Yorkshire."
</idle musing>