"Altar To The Unknown God" lyrics

Build a fire and fan the flame
Sacrifice without a name
Offerings on the altar to the unknown God

Multitudes of gods cover our landscapes and our lives
Images of deities and halls of sacrifice
Philosophers and scholars and sophisticates we are
Our gods are our religion and religion is our God

A stranger came to town one day and fearlessly proclaimed
"The unknown god you worship on this altar has a name"
He said, "This god is not an image or a statue of the dead
In Him we live and have our being as your own poets have said"

Build a fire and fan the flame
Sacrifice without a name
Offerings on the altar to the unknown god
Dance around the altar blaze
Bring the works your hands have made
Place them on the altar to the unknown god

He dwells not in temples built by human hands
He needs no assistance or service of man
The nameless you worship is greater than all
Your idols of death never answer your call
All nations He formed from the flesh of one man
He marked out their times and the boundaries of lands
Your life and your breath He bestows with the day
So seek Him and find Him for He is not far away

Fire upon the altar burns the sacrifice
Sacrificial lamb was slain to pay the final price
Come, ye heavy laden, sinner's mercy cry
The unknown god you call upon is nigh

Gather 'round the altar
Stoke the holy fire
Purifying flames of righteousness are rising higher
Come ye hungry, eat the bread of life and drink the wine
Altar to the living God divine

No image of stone or of silver and gold
No effigy mankind has raised to behold
The day and the hour of judgment is set
He's proven Him by the resurrection of the dead

Build a fire and fan the flame
Sacrifice without a name
Offerings on the altar to the unknown god
Stand before the altar blaze
Bring the lives His hands have made
Place them on the altar to the one true God
Your unknown god
Is the one living God