How soon the Savior's gracious call,

How soon the Savior's gracious call,
Disarmed the rage of bloody Saul!
JESUS, the knowledge of thy name,
Changes the lion to a lamb!

Zaccheus, when he knew the LORD,
What he had gained by wrong, restored;
And of the wealth he prized before,
He gave the half to feed the poor.

The woman who so vile had been,
When brought to weep o'er pardoned sin,
Was from her evil ways estranged,
And showed that grace her heart had changed.

And can we think the pow'r of grace
Is lost, by change of time and place?
Then it was mighty, all allow,
And is it but a notion now?

Can they whom pride and passion sway,
Who Mammon and the world obey,
In envy or contention live,
Presume that they indeed believe?

True faith unites to CHRIST the root,
By him producing holy fruit;
And they who no such fruit can show,
Still on the stock of nature grow.

LORD, let thy word effectual prove,
To work in us obedient love!
And may each one who hears it dread
A name to live; and yet be dead.