Acts 11: What can persecution do

What can persecution do
Against the cause of God?
All things work if God be true
To spread the truth abroad;
Foes intending to destroy
His work, and slay the witnesses,
Higher raise the gospel joy,
And make the church increase.

God Himself prepares our way,
The door He opens wide,
Then we cheerfully obey
And follow Christ our guide,
Pilgrims o'er the desert rove,
And every place our country own,
Where we can our Saviour love,
And live to God alone.

Chased from home we cannot be,
Or into exile sent;
All this wilderness we see
Our place of banishment.
Servants of the church we live,
And who to death our bodies doom
Sooner they our souls shall drive
To their eternal home.