Not all the gardens here on earth,
With every fragrant flower
Such beauty shows as Sharon's Rose
That blooms in Zion's tower.
The valley's lily is combin'd
To feast each kind sensation,
And brings unto the laboring mind
A spiritual Relation.

With all our powers we'll sing the praise
Of Judah's holy Lion;
His power protects and still displays
To shield the Mount of Zion.
'Tis guarded by a Jaspar wall
'Tis Angel's admiration,
To see poor souls raised from the fall,
To Spiritual Relation.

How vain are all things here on earth!
They're like the twinkling taper!
They either languish in the birth
Or vanish like a vapor.
Let all the earth their joys resound
In highest declamation,
There are no comforts that are found
Like Spiritual Relation.

Nothing on earth so meek and mild,
Although so much a stranger;
It personates the Virgin Child
That slept in Bethlehem's manger.
'Tis fill'd with purity and love,
And every kind sensation;
'Tis chaste as is the turtle Dove,
'Tis Spiritual Relation.

There's nothing found in fleshly ways
Nor nature's path so flowery,
That brings the soul such joyful days,
Or yields so rich a dowery.
Huge mounts of gold are but as dross,
In Wisdom's estimation,
To what we find who bear the cross
In Spiritual Relation.

Since mercy hath our souls retrieved
From the infernal Lion;
We'll be no more by him deceived,
We'll take the way to Zion.
Sodom and Egypt we'll forsake,
And Babylon's sensation;
Our crosses we will joyful take,
For Spiritual Relation.

The bands that male and female bind,
Lead souls to desolation;
Dividing joys distract the mind,
And end in desparation.
Male and female like one are known,
In this blest restoration;
Brethren and Sisters make but one,
In Spiritual Relation.

Since God hath call'd us by the light,
To this blest resurrection;
We'll follow on with all our might
Until we reach perfection.
And when we quit this earthly stage
And reach our destination
We'll praise the Lamb thro' endless age,
For Spiritual Relation.



abc | midi | pdf

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Source: Patterson, D W, 1979, The Shaker Spiritual, Princeton University Press, New Jersey

Notes:
Text: MS HD-8, pp 4-8
Tune: MS EC-11, p215

This hymn is attributed to Abijah Woster, who Shaker tradition says was wealthy and been captain of a whaler. He was born in Harvard, Massachusetts in 1745 and had been a Calvinist before he joined the Shakers.

Roud:
Laws:
Child: