Christ is gone up; yet ere he passed

Christ is gone up; yet ere he passed. John Mason Neale* (1818-1866).  This is from Neale’s Hymns for Children, intended chiefly for village schools (1842). It had seven stanzas. It opened with a stanza that has hardly ever been used, but is included here as a record of the 1842 original:  Now to our Saviour let us raise The noblest hymn we may; For with the voice of joy and praise God is gone up to-day. The opening line of stanza 2 has almost always been used to begin the hymn: Christ is gone up: yet ere He pass’d From earth in heav’n to reign, He form’d one holy Church to last Till He should come again.  His Twelve Apostles first He made His Ministers of grace; And they...