Charles Wesley

Charles Wesley, one of the most prolific hymnwriters in history, was born on this date in 1707, the eighteenth of nineteen children born to his parents.  Born prematurely, he nearly died in the first weeks of his life.  The Wesley children were tutored for six hours daily by their mother Susanna, who also spoke Latin, Greek, and French, so they were well prepared to continue their educational studies in more formal settings. While at Oxford University, Charles founded the Holy Club in 1727, a small group who conducted Bible study and celebrated the Eucharist weekly, and also visited prisoners and taught children to read. 

Of course, Charles and his older brother John went on to become the founders of the Methodist Church. Though they had never intended to leave the Church of England, those who followed them eventually set themselves up as a separate denomination. The Wesley brothers were committed to teaching a faith which was based in their classical educations and not on a fundamentalist view of the Bible.

Charles is best known for his hymns, of which more than 6500 have been identified.  Like John Calvin and Martin Luther before them, the Wesleys believed congregational singing to be a good way to spread their message. Duke Divinity School, founded by the Methodists in 1926, maintains a directory of Wesley's published and unpublished hymn texts on their website.

Today's lesser-known hymn was first published in Charles's 1747 collection Hymns and Sacred Poems. 

See how great a flame aspires,
Kindled by a spark of grace!
Jesus' love the nations fires,
Sets earth's kingdoms all ablaze:
To bring fire on earth he came;
Kindled in our hearts it is:
O that all might catch the flame,
All partake the glorious bliss!

Saints of God, your Savior praise!
Christ the door hath opened wide!
He hath giv’n the word of grace,
Jesus’ word is glorified;
Jesus, mighty to redeem,
He alone the work hath wrought;
Worthy is this work of God,
God, who made the world from naught.

Saw ye not the cloud arise,
Little as a human hand?
Now it spreads along the skies,
Hangs o’er all the thirsty land!
Lo! the promise of a shower
Drops already from above;
And our God will shortly pour
On the world eternal love.

Charles Wesley, 1746; alt.
Tune: CULFORD (7.7.7.7.D.)
Edward J. Hopkins, 1867

I like how the hymn begins with fire and ends with water (the cloud "little as a human hand" comes from 1 Kings 19:44, when Elijah's prayers to God bring rain after many years of drought). 

Charles and John Wesley are also commemorated together on March 3 in the calendar of the Episcopal Church.




Seven Years Ago: Phoebe Worrall Palmer

Five Years Ago: Charles Wesley

Three Years Ago: Charles Wesley

Edward J. Hopkins

Edward John Hopkins (June 30, 1818 - February 4, 1901) was an acclaimed organist and composer of his time. As a boy, he was a chorister at the Chapel Royal, then, beginning at age 16, held a number of organist positions until he took the post at the Temple Church in London, a church dating back to medieval times with an acclaimed music program then and now. He remained in that post for more than fifty years, while composing anthems, chants and hymn tunes. Two of his anthems won the annual Gresham Prize, awarded by the Professors of Music of Oxford University and Gresham College for best original composition in sacred vocal music.

Like most of his Victorian church musician contemporaries, his music is little known today. This is his one remaining hymn tune that would still be recognized by many people.

Savior, again to thy dear Name we raise
With one accord our parting hymn of praise;
We thank and bless thee ere our worship cease;
And still our hearts to wait thy word of peace.

Grant us thy peace, throughout the coming night;
Stay with us till the morning brings its light;
From harm and danger keep thy people free,
For dark and light are both alike to thee.

Grant us thy peace — the peace thou didst bestow
On thine apostles in thine hour of woe;
The peace thou broughtest, when at eventide
They saw thy piercèd hands, thy wounded side.

Grant us thy peace throughout our earthly life;
Our balm in sorrow and our stay in strife;
Peace to our land, the fruit of truth and love;
Peace in each heart, thy Spirit from above.

Thy peace in life, the balm of every pain;
Thy peace in death, the hope to rise again;
Then, when thy voice shall bid our conflict cease,
Call us, O Christ, to thine eternal peace.

John Ellerton, 1866; alt.
Tune: ELLERS (10.10.10.10.)
Edward J. Hopkins, 1869

I found no reference to any collection of Hopkins's complete hymn tunes, as were published for some of his colleagues. Hopkins did edit at least four hymnals for different denominations, where many of his tunes undoubtedly appeared. Cyberhymnal.org lists only 15 tunes, though I have found more than forty in various older hymnals, so there probably are several more than that. Previously on the blog I used his tune CULFORD, and there must be a few others that could still be sung today without amusement or feigned horror.

Two books on which Hopkins collaborated are still in print today: The Organ: Its History and Construction and The Temple Church Choral Service Book.

P.S. We will see John Ellerton (the author of today's hymn text) again, no doubt. He wrote many hymns, several of which we know today, such as this one. I restored the third verse here, which I had never seen before.