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THE 
 
 METHODIST  HYMN   BOOK, 
 
 ILLUSTRATED   WITH 
 
 Biograplig,  Jjtstorg,  Cncttimt,  anti  Slnectiotr. 
 
 7 
 
 GEORGE  JOHN  STEVENSON,  M.A., 
 
 AUTHOR   OF 
 
 "iMEMORIAI.S   OF   THE   WESLEY    FAMILY;" 
 
 LIFE   AND  WORK    OF    PASTOR   C.   H.  SPURGEON,   TO    HIS    FORTY-THIRD    BIRTHDAY 
 
 "  HYMNS   AND    HYMN    WRITERS    OF    EVERY   AGE   AND    NATION   ;  " 
 
 "the    METHODIST    HYMN    BOOK   AND    ITS   ASSOCIATIONS;" 
 
 "the   HISTORY   OF   CITY   ROAD   CHAPEL,    LONDON;" 
 
 "  THE   ORIGIN    OF    ALPHABETICAL   CHARACTERS  ;  " 
 
 ETC. 
 
 ---is-rl$'s^<®v'fer^^ 
 
 LONDON : 
 S.  W.   PARTRIDGE   &   CO.,  9   PATERNOSTER  ROW. 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 HE  interest  which  attaches  to  the  "Collection  of 
 Hymns  for  the  use  of  the  people  called  Methodists," 
 is  much  greater  than  many  persons  would  be  ready 
 to  acknowledge.  This  has  been  shown  in  many  ways,  and  by 
 a  variety  of  persons  and  incidents.  To  a  large  number  of  the 
 hymns  there  belongs  something  like  inspiration,  or,  at  the 
 least,  a  special  attraction,  manifested  by  their  varied  uses  in 
 individual  experience,  in  social  life,  and  in  public  worship. 
 
 The  founders  of  Methodism  were  well  aware  of  the 
 importance  of  Psalms  and  Hymns  as  aids  to  a  religious  life. 
 As  early  as  the  year  1736,  Charles  Wesley  occasionally 
 indulged  in  writing  verses,  but  they  were  strikingly  defective 
 in  theology  and  gloomy  in  sentiment.  Even  after  the  con- 
 version of  the  two  brothers  J.  and  C.  Wesley,  in  1738,  the 
 pieces  which  Charles  wrote  partook  somewhat  of  the  spirit 
 of  the  mystics,  which  at  that  time  was  wide  spread,  and  to 
 which  both  the  brothers  were  for  a  time  in  bondage.  In 
 the  first  collection  of  "  Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  issued 
 conjointly  by  the  two  brothers  in  1739,  and  which  in  that 
 year  reached  a  third  edition,  the  first  sentence  of  the  preface 
 reads  thus  :  "  Some  verses  in  the  following  collection  were 
 wrote  upon  the  scheme  of  the  mystic  divines,  and  these  we 
 had  once  in  great  veneration."  The  Divine  Teacher  alone 
 enabled  them  to  break  the  spell.  The  instruction  of  Peter 
 Bohler,  and  the  influence  of  the  German  hymns  which  John 
 Wesley  translated,  and  used  so  freely,  greatly  helped  in 
 clearing  away  the  mystic  clouds. 
 
 3 
 
4  METHODIST  HVMN  BOOK  NOTES. 
 
 After  their  conversion,  the  i)octic  fire  was  enkindled  afresh 
 in  the  breast  of  Charles  Wesley.  John  had  shown  his  fine 
 taste  and  correct  judgment  in  selecting  true  poetry,  in  the 
 German,  French,  and  Spanish  Hymns,  which  he  translated 
 and  published  for  the  use  of  his  friends ;  but  no  hymns  of 
 value  seem  to  have  been  written  by  Charles  until  the  Holy 
 Spirit  had  revealed  to  him  the  nature  of  justifying  faith,  and 
 he  had  entered  into  that  experience.  Within  a  few  days  of 
 that  happy  change  in  himself,  he  wrote  two  hymns  expressive 
 of  the  change  which  had  taken  place,  and  one,  if  not  both 
 these,  seem  to  have  been  sung  on  the  occasion  of  the  con- 
 version of  his  brother  John,  which  was  only  a  few  days 
 afterwards.     One  of  these  begins  thus — 
 
 "Where  shall  my  wondering  soul  begin  .'* 
 How  shall  I  all  to  heaven  aspire  .''  " 
 
 The  second  is  no  less  clear  in  its  teaching,  and  equally 
 earnest  in  its  spirit — 
 
 "And  can  it  be  that  I  should  gain 
 
 An  interest  in  the  Saviour's  blood  ! " 
 
 The  last  verse  of  which  announces  thus — 
 
 "  No  condemnation  now  I  dread, 
 Jesus,  and  all  in  Him,  is  mine  !  " 
 
 The  quickening  influence  of  such  experience  was  soon 
 made  manifest  by  the  eager  purchase  of  the  new  volume 
 of  hymns,  and  that  was  followed  in  1740  by  another 
 volume,  in  which  were  many  new  compositions,  amongst 
 which  will  be  found  two  now  of  world-wide  popularity,  com- 
 mencing respectively — 
 
 "  Oh  for  a  thousand  tongues  to  sing  ;"  and 
 
 "  Jesu,  lover  of  my  soul." 
 Those  hymns  were  first  published,  before  Methodism,  as  a 
 separate  society,  was  a  year  old.  From  that  time,  and  for 
 about  forty  years,  the  Divine  Spirit  seems  to  have  been 
 never  absent  from  Charles  Wesley,  as  was  manifested  by  the 
 frequent  publication  of  new  poetical  works,  either  as  books 
 
 J 
 
METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  5 
 
 or  tracts,  until  by  the  year   1780,  more  than  six  thousand 
 hymns  had  been  written  by  him. 
 
 {  From  the  very  beginning  of  Methodism,  these  hymns  have 
 been  made  an  abundant  blessing  to  the  thousands  of  readers 
 into  whose  hands  they  have  fallen,  sometimes  as  helps  to 
 devotion  for  individual  Christians,  or  in  the  service  of  song 
 — at  the  out-door  preaching  as  well  as  in  the  more  social 
 means  of  grace.  They  have  been  largely  used  in  the  work 
 of  conversion,  in  relieving  daily  toil,  and  especially  in  times 
 of  suffering,  bereavement,  and  death.  More  than  five 
 hundred  instances  of  their  usefulness  are  recorded  in  this 
 volume,  and  above  twice  that  number  of  incidents  could 
 have  been  given  if  the  plan  of  the  work  had  permitted.  In 
 these  the  advantages  of  early  devotion  to  the  service  of  God, 
 and  of  attachment  to  the  Methodist  class  and  prayer  meet- 
 ings, will  be  seen  to  be  a  marked  feature.  The  index  to  a 
 similar  work,  named  below,  will  direct  the  reader  to  the 
 pages  of  the  Methodist  Magazine,  where  fuller  biographical 
 details  will  be  found  respecting  most  of  these  persons. 
 These  may  serve  to  illustrate  another  advantage  arising 
 from  religion — the  tendency  which  it  has  to  prolong  life,  a 
 large  proportion  of  those  whose  names  are  there  recorded 
 having  lived  to  threescore  years  and  ten,  while  not  a  few  have 
 reached  fourscore,  and  some  have  even  passed  through  the 
 whole  course  of  a  century. 
 
 From  a  conviction  that  the  historical,  biographical,  and 
 explanatory  information  which  the  work  contains  will  be 
 found  useful,  not  only  to  Methodists,  but  to  the  religious 
 public  generally,  and  that  the  book  will  be  especially 
 welcome  for  Sunday  reading,  and  as  a  suitable  work  for 
 presentation,  the  author  commends  it  to  all  lovers  of 
 Wesley's  Hymns,  in  the  hope  that  it  may  be  deemed  in 
 some  respects  a  not  unworthy  companion  to  those  invalu- 
 able compositions. 
 
 The  value  and  interest  of  such  a  work  as  the  present  has 
 been  demonstrated  by  the  publication  of  a  volume  entitled, 
 
6  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES. 
 
 "The  Methodist  Hymn  Book  and  its  Associations,"  by  the 
 same  author,  which  was  first  issued  in  1869,  which  reached 
 a  second  edition  in  187 1,  of  which,  latter,  several  thousand 
 copies  were  sold.  When  the  old  collection  of  the  hymns  was 
 discontinued,  and  one  very  much  enlarged  by  a  New  Supple- 
 ment was  introduced,  the  "  Associations  "  were  allowed  to 
 go  out  of  print.  There  has  since  been  much  inquiry  for 
 that  work  in  England  and  from  the  United  States  of  America, 
 and  that  demand  remains  unsatisfied.  In  the  new  collection 
 are  several  hundred  additional  hymns.  The  history  of  these, 
 with  an  account  of  their  authors,  forms  part  of  the  present 
 volume ;  and  it  is  believed  that  it  will  be  found  an  accejjt- 
 able  and  extensively  useful  work  to  preachers,  teachers,  and 
 the  Christian  public  in  general.  One  preacher  of  some 
 distinction  said  of  the  "Associations,"  that  after  the  book 
 had  been  read  through  to  his  children  as  a  Sunday  book, 
 they  desired  that  it  might  be  again  read  to  them  throughout. 
 
 Mr.  W.  M.  Symons,  of  Vauxhall,  has  long  been  a  collector 
 of  incidents  illustrative  of  the  uses  of  hymns  ;  a  selection  of 
 these  he  has  kindly  permitted  for  these  pages. 
 
 That  it  may  be  useful  to  thousands,  and 'instructive  to  all 
 who  read  it,  is  the  prayer  of 
 
 Geo.  Jno.  Stevenson. 
 
 Lanrick  Lodge,  South  Hackney, 
 20th  January y  1 883. 
 
 Note. — Great  pains  have  been  taken  to  ensure  accuracy 
 throughout ;  but  in  the  multitude  of  facts  contained  in  the 
 volume,  some  errors  may  be  found,  which  will  be  corrected  in 
 subsequent  editions. 
 
€\)t  mtiW%i  Ipxu  330ok. 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 URING  the  period  of  forty  years,  from  1739  to  1779, 
 the  Psalmody  of  the  Methodist  people  was  conducted 
 under  very  unfavourable  circumstances.  The  singing 
 of  hymns  formed,  from  the  beginning  of  the  Societies, 
 so  essential  a  part  of  divine  worship,  and  was  engaged  in  so 
 earnestly  nad  devoutly,  that  both  the  brothers,  John  and  Charles 
 Wesley,  made  the  most  ample  provision  they  could  for  the 
 cultivation  and  encouragement  of  psalmody  in  all  their  services, 
 public,  social,  and  domestic. 
 
 The  first  book  of  hymns  they  issued  in  their  joint  names,  in 
 1739,  was  a  fair  specimen  of  the  variety  contemplated  for  the 
 service  of  their  adherents.  It  is  divided  into  two  parts,  the  first 
 of  which  contains  sixty-four,  and  the  second  seventy-five  hymns, 
 forty-two  of  the  entire  number  being  by  George  Herbert.  There 
 are  in  the  volume  a  few  of  the  earliest,  and  the  best  of  Charles 
 Wesley's  compositions,  and  nearly  the  whole  of  those  choice 
 translations  from  the  German,  French,  and  Spanish,  made  by 
 John  Wesley.  It  contains  hymns  adapted  for  general  worship, 
 and  others  for  the  festivals  and  special  services,  including  hymns 
 for  Good  Friday,  Easter,  the  Ascension,  and  Whitsunday.  Here 
 is  the  first  edition  of  the  Christmas  Hymn,  "  Hark,  the  herald 
 angels  sing,"  in  its  original  form.  Although  the  hymns  adapted 
 for  religious  worship  were  little  more  than  half  the  entire  number, 
 they  well  represented  the  leading  doctrines  of  the  New  Testa- 
 ment, and  the  special  services  of  the  Methodists.  In  the  volume 
 issued  in  1740,  nearly  one  hundred  additional  hymns  were 
 provided. 
 
 As  the  number  of  adherents  to  the  Wesleys  so  rapidly 
 increased,  and  when  regular  Sabbath  as  well  as  week-day 
 services  had  to  be   provided  for,  Mr.  Wesley  soon   saw  the 
 
 7 
 
8  METHODIST  HVMN  BOOK  NOTES. 
 
 necessity  for  a  yet  more  comprehensive  volume  being  provided, 
 and  the  "  Collection  of  Psalms  and  Hymns"  was  published  in 
 1 74 1,  which  contained  one  hundred  and  sixty- five  compositions 
 specially  suited  for  Divine  worship.  That  book,  with  some  modi- 
 fication subsequently,  continued  in  use  for  about  ninety  years, 
 and  was  what  was  called  the  Morning  Hymn  Book  as  recently 
 as  1S30. 
 
 For  ten  years  and  more  after  Methodism  became  organised, 
 some  new  book  or  tract  of  hymns  was  issued  annually,  some- 
 times several  in  a  year,  up  to  1750.  Onwards  from  that  time  to 
 1785,  fresh  publications  appeared,  all  containing  hymns  by 
 Charles  Wesley  ;  the  total  number  of  separate  poetical  works 
 was  sixty-one,  and  they  included  over  six  thousand  hymns. 
 
 When  City  Road  Chapel  in  London  was  opened  in  1778,  it 
 gave  to  Methodism  a  more  permanent  position  than  previously  ; 
 and  Mr.  Wesley,  immediately  afterwards,  began  the  preparation 
 of  a  Collection  of  Hymns,  the  preface  to  which  is  dated  20th 
 October,  1779,  but  on  the  title-page  is  the  year  1780.  That 
 collection  has  now  been  the  Book  of  Methodist  Psalmody  for 
 over  a  centur}',  and  although  it  has  undergone  various  changes 
 during  that  period,  the  last  of  those  changes,  in  1875,  tended  to 
 restore  the  book,  so  far  as  Mr.  Wesley  prepared  it,  to  the  con- 
 dition in  which  he  left  it,  with  some  desirable  modifications,  but 
 up  to  Hymn  539,  the  collection  has  served  Methodism  more  than 
 a  hundred  years.  The  membership  of  British  Methodism  now 
 includes  about  four  hundred  thousand  persons,  who  are,  some  of 
 them,  in  the  daily  use  of  that  book.  To  a  large  number  of  those 
 persons,  and  to  others  who  are  adherents  to  the  cause,  the 
 history  of  these  hymns,  and  their  authors,  will  be  acceptable, 
 useful,  and  instructive. 
 
 The  collection  of  hymns  now  used  by  the  Methodists  extends 
 to  1026.  Of  these,  Charles  Wesley  was  the  author  of  more  than 
 half.  His  popularity  as  a  writer  of  hymns  is  greater  than 
 that  of  any  other  poet  of  the  Sanctuary,  although  some  of  the 
 hymns  by  Dr.  Watts  have  been  very  widely  used,  but  not  so 
 extensively  as  C.  Wesley's. 
 
 Charles  Wesley  was  the  eighteenth  child  of  his  parents,  and 
 was  born  at  Epworth,  i8th  December,  1707.  He  was  educated, 
 first  by  his  mother,  then  at  Westminster  School  under  his 
 brother  Samuel,  and  finally  at  Oxford.  In  1735  ^^  went  out  to 
 America  as  secretary  to  General  Oglethorpe,  but  returned  to 
 England  nearly  three  years  afterwards.    His  conversion  in  May, 
 
METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  9 
 
 1738,  altered  the  course  of  his  after-life.  The  only  cure  of  souls  he 
 had  was  at  St.  Mary's,  Islington,  for  a  short  time  only.  He 
 then,  as  companion  and  helper  to  his  brother  John,  became  an 
 itinerant  evangelist,  and  for  many  years  travelled  England  and 
 Ireland  over,  but  after  his  marriage  to  Miss  Sarah  Gwynne,  of 
 Garth,  in  1749  he  began  to  circumscribe  his  travels,  and  then 
 settled  with  his  family,  first  at  Bristol  for  some  years,  and 
 finally  in  Great  Chesterfield  Street,  Marylebone,  acting  as 
 resident  clergyman  to  the  Methodist  Societies  in  London  to  the 
 end  of  his  days.  He  peacefully  entered  into  rest,  29th  March, 
 1788,  aged  eighty-one  years,  and  was  interred  in  the  graveyard 
 of  Old  Marylebone  Church.     An  obelisk  marks  his  grave. 
 
 Charles  Wesley  will  ever  be  considered  to  be  the  poet  of 
 Methodism.  In  the  early  years  of  his  public  life  he  was  almost 
 daily  exercised  in  the  composition  of  hymns.  His  thoughts 
 flowed  in  numbers,  and  his  deep  feelings  of  joy,  confidence,  and 
 zeal  could  find  no  adequate  expression  but  in  verse.  His  hymns 
 were  not  the  production  of  a  lively  imagination,  suggested  by 
 the  beauties  of  nature,  nor  were  they  the  fruits  of  hard  mental 
 toil.  They  were  the  spontaneous  effusions  of  his  heart,  prompted 
 by  love  and  gratitude  to  God,  and  they  testify  to  his  joyous 
 confidence  in  the  divine  truth  and  mercy,  and  to  his  yearning 
 affection  for  the  souls  of  redeemed  men  everywhere.  Their 
 wide-spread  and  enduring  popularity  is  chiefly  due  to  their 
 eminently  experimental  and  Scriptural  character,  and  the  dis- 
 tinctness in  their  statement  of  doctrine.  ' 
 
 No  merely  human  compositions  can  compare  with  them  for 
 the  universality  of  their  use,  and  for  their  variety  and  adapta- 
 bility to  all  the  wants  and  circumstances  of  life.  Both  John  and 
 Charles  Wesley  wrote  on  important  subjects  previously  to  their 
 conversion,  but  nearly  all  their  hymns  date  their  origin  to  inci- 
 dents which  followed  the  great  spiritual  change  in  their  minds. 
 Is  it  their  purpose  to  state  the  utter  depravity  of  human  nature? 
 or  the  freeness  and  fulness  of  the  Gospel  plan  of  salvation  ?  or  a 
 sense  of  grateful  obligation  to  the  Giver  of  all  good  for  countless 
 mercies  received  ?  They  £xpr€ss  themselves  in  verse,  with  a 
 simplicity,  purity,  and  power,  which  have  never  been  surpassed 
 bx  any  uninspired  writer.  Apart  from  the  many  beauties  of 
 sentiment  and  diction  which  abound  in  the  sacred  compositions 
 of  the  Wesleys,  they  contain  many  historical  allusions  and 
 biographical  references,  which,  when  intelligently  explained, 
 greatly  increase  the  interest  which  is  felt  in  writings  so  widely 
 
lO  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTK?. 
 
 known  and  so  extensively  used.  The  design  of  these  notes  is  to 
 make  the  hymn  book  more  instructive,  and  more  conducive  to 
 general  education. 
 
 The  addition  of  several  hundred  illustrative  incidents,  and 
 anecdotes  of  the  practical  use  of  the  hymns,  will  greatly  enhance 
 the  value  of  these  compositions. 
 
 The  late  Mr.  Benjamin  Gough  wrote  some  verses  as  an  "  In 
 Memoriam  "  to  Charles  Wesley,  the  first  two  and  last  of  which 
 are  here  added  : — 
 
 "  Bard  !  inspired  by  love  divine, 
 Hallowing  influence  benign  ; 
 Ever  vital,  ever  rife, 
 Throbbing  warm  with  inner  life  ; 
 Holy  unction,  quenchless  fire. 
 All  concenter  in  thy  lyre  ; 
 Wreathe  the  laurel  round  thy  brow, 
 Israel's  sweetest  singer, — thou. 
 
 '*  Who  in  like  majestic  lays 
 Ever  voiced  Jehovah's  praise  ? 
 Earth  is  choral  with  thy  songs, 
 From  her  countless  million-tongues  ; 
 Girdling  the  great  world  around, 
 Wheresoever  man  is  found 
 Hearts  are  melted,  harps  are  strung, 
 And  thy  jubilates  sung. 
 
 Bard  of  bards  !  in  peerless  light 
 
 On  the  empyrean  height, 
 
 All  surpassing,  all  above 
 
 In  thy  canticles  of  love. 
 
 Joining  hands  with  those  who  dwell 
 
 Where  eternal  anthems  swell. 
 
 Now  we  wreathe  thy  deathless  brow, 
 
 Israel's  sweetest  singer, — thou." 
 
^otcs  on  i\}t  ^^mn^. 
 
 FTER  the  number,  and  first  line  of  each  hymn,  the 
 original  title  will  be  given  as  far  as  it  can  be  ascertained; 
 the  tunes  named  after  the  titles  are  those  chosen  by  Mr. 
 Wesley,  and  printed  in  the  "  Sacred  Melody,"  1761,  or 
 the  "Sacred  Harmony,"  1781.  The  Harmony  was  republished 
 in  1789;  where  a  second  tune  is  given,  it  is  that  found  in  the 
 Connexional  Tune  Book.  In  the  second  portion  of  the  hymn 
 book,  which  commences  with  Hymn  No.  540,  only  the  newly 
 chosen  tunes  are  given.  As  various  tune  books  are  now  in  use  in 
 the  Connexion,  other  tunes  than  those  named  here  may  in  some 
 instances  be  found  even  more  appropriate  than  those  here 
 recorded. 
 
 Hymn  i. — "  Oh  for  a  thousand  tongues  to  sing." — For  the  Atini- 
 versary  Day  of  One's  Co?iversion. — TUNE,  Birstal,  176 1. 
 
 A  memorable  and  deeply  interesting  history  belongs  to  this 
 hymn.  It  is  one  of  the  very  early  ones  written  by  its  author,  and 
 it  originated  under  circumstances  which  had  a  most  important 
 influence  on  the  history  of  Methodism.  At  the  time  of  his 
 conversion,  Whitsunday,  21st  May,  1738,  Charles  Wesley  was 
 confined  by  a  severe  attack  of  pleurisy  to  his  room,  in  the  house 
 of  Thomas  Bray,  brazier,  Little  Britain.  After  many  years  of 
 diligent  and  careful  inquiry,  the  exact  position  of  Mr.  Bray's 
 residence  in  Little  Britain  was  ascertained  towards  the  close  of 
 the  year  1881.  The  exact  spot  where  the  great  change  in  his  life 
 took  place  has  excited  a  spirit  of  inquiry  in  the  minds  of  very 
 many  earnest  Methodists. 
 
 The  event  itself  is  thus  described  by  Charles  Wesley  in  his 
 Journal  : — 
 
 The  Day  of  Pentecost. — '^  Sunday^  21st  May^  1738. — I 
 waked  in  hope  and  expectation  of  His  coming.     At  nine  my 
 
12  MKlUODIS'l'   HYMN   r.OOK  NOTES.  li\MNI. 
 
 brother  and  some  friends  came  and  sang  a  hymn  to  the  Holy 
 Ghost  (probably  that  written  by  his  brother  Samuel).  My 
 comfort  and  hope  were  hereby  increased.  In  about  half-an- 
 hour  they  went.  I  betook  myself  to  prayer  ;  the  substance  as 
 follows  : — '  O  Jesus,  Thou  hast  said,  "  I  will  come  unto  you  ;" 
 Thou  hast  said,  "  I  will  send  the  Comforter  unto  you  ; "  Thou 
 hast  said,  "  My  Father  and  I  will  come  unto  you,  and  make  our 
 abode  with  you."  Thou  art  God,  who  canst  not  lie  ;  I  wholly 
 rely  upon  Thy  most  true  promise  :  accomplish  it  in  Thy  time 
 and  manner.'^ Having  said  this  I  was  composing  myself  to 
 sleep  in  quietness  and  peace,  when  I  heard  one  come  in  and 
 say,  '  In  the  name  of  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  arise,  and  believe,  and 
 thou  shalt  be  healed  of  all  thine  infirmities.'  The  words  struck 
 me  to  the  heart.  I  lay  musing  and  trembling.  With  a  strange 
 palpitation  of  heart,  I  said,  yet  feared  to  say,  '  I  believe,  I 
 believe!'"  Mr.  Bray  told  Mr.  Wesley  that  his  sister,  Mrs. 
 Turner,  had  been  ordered  by  Christ  to  say  those  words  to  him. 
 By  degrees  the  darkness  of  his  unbelief  was  cleared  away  ;  and 
 immediately  he  was  thoroughly  convinced,  he  fell  to  intercession. 
 Looking  into  the  Scriptures,  he  read,  "And  now,  Lord,  what  is 
 my  hope .''  Truly  my  hope  is  even  in  Thee."  And  again,  "  He 
 hath  put  a  new  song  in  my  mouth,  even  a  thanksgiving  unto  our 
 God."  Mr.  Charles  Wesley  adds,  "  I  now  found  m^^elf  at  peace 
 with  God,  and  rejoiced  in  hope  of  loving  Christ."  ^ 
 
 On  the  first  anniversary  of  this  happy  event,  the  hymn  was 
 written  which  is  now  placed  first  in  the  "  Methodist  Hymn 
 Book."  It  is  the  first  also  in  the  collections  used  by  other 
 sections  of  the  Methodist  family. 
 
 The  original  hymn  extends  to  eighteen  verses,  the  first  of 
 which  commences  thus — 
 
 *'  Glory  to  God,  and  praise,  and  love, 
 Be  ever,  ever  given  ;  " 
 
 and  the  author  proceeds  to  say,  "  on  that  glad  day  the  glorious 
 Sun  of  Righteousness  arose"  on  his  benighted  soul,  "and  filled 
 it  with  repose."  The  doctrine  of  present  and  instant  salvation 
 is  plainly  stated,  and  was  fully  demonstrated  in  his  subse- 
 quent life.  The  first  six  stanzas  of  the  original  hymn,  and  the 
 fifteenth  and  sixteenth,  were  omitted  by  John  Wesley  when  he 
 selected  the  hymn  with  which  he  commenced  his  collection. 
 The  fact  of  its  being  the  first  hymn  in  the  book  has  caused  it  to 
 be  as  widely  known  as  any  hymn  which  was  ever  written.     It 
 
HYMN   I.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  1 3 
 
 forms  an  appropriate  introductory  hymn  ;  and  it  occupies  a 
 prominent  place  in  other  collections  besides  Mr.  Wesley's. 
 
 The  whole  composition  reads  like  a  sketch  of  the  Christian 
 career  of  a  new-born  soul ;  it  is  full  of  Christ,  and  glowing  with 
 the  desire  to  commend  His  love  to  sinners.  When  the  poet 
 consulted  Peter  Bohler  about  praising  Christ,  Bohler  replied, 
 "  Had  I  a  thousand  tongues,  I  would  praise  Him  with  them  all." 
 This  memorable  utterance  of  the  pious  Moravian,  Charles 
 Wesley  has  enshrined  in  this  glorious  hymn  ;  and  the  same 
 sentiment  is  embodied  in  some  German  hymns,  as  well  as  in 
 one  by  the  Rev.  H.  F.  Lyte.  In  this  hymn,  as  also  in  most  of 
 the  other  instances  in  which  Mr.  John  Wesley  abridged  his 
 brother's  compositions,  we  observe,  once  for  all,  that  the  best 
 verses  are  selected. 
 
 Objection  has  been  taken  to  one  line  in  this  hymn  as  being, 
 from  its  extreme  condensation,  somewhat  obscure — 
 
 "  He  breaks  the  power  of  cancelled  sin." 
 
 Considered  in  the  light  of  Wesleyan  theology,  a  writer  in  the 
 Methodist  Recorder  thus  explains  :  "  Salvation  consists  of  two 
 acts,  identical  indeed  in  point  of  time,  but  distinct  in  nature  and 
 successive  in  our  conception  of  them — namely  justification,  or 
 pardon  from  the  guilt  of  sin  ;  and  regeneration  or  a  deliverance 
 from  its  power.  To  effect  the  sinner's  salvation,  then,  not  only 
 must  the  guilt  of  sin  be  pardoned,  but  the  power  of  sin  must  be 
 broken  ;  not  only  must  the  ransom  price  be  paid,  but  the  victim 
 must  be  forcibly  wrested  from  the  hands  of  his  captors  ;  and  it  is 
 as  accomplishing  both  these  ends  that  Christ  is  presented  to  the 
 world  as  its  Saviour.  By  the  atoning  efficacy  of  His  sacrifice 
 He  cancels  the  guilt  of  sin,  and  by  the  renewing  influence  of 
 His  Spirit  He  abolishes  its  power.  Now  the  line  under  discus- 
 sion appears  to  be  intended  to  express,  in  tersest  language,  this 
 twofold  act  of  Christ  as  the  world's  great  Redeemer,  and  in  this 
 view  every  word  is  weighty. 
 
 In  the  year  1837,  Mr.  John  Lawson,  a  devout  local  preacher 
 in  the  Leeds  Circuit,  was  conducting  the  Sabbath  morning 
 service.  Soon  after  entering  the  pulpit  he  became  unwell,  and 
 called  on  a  friend  to  give  out  a  hymn.  Some  delay  arose, 
 during  which  Mr.  Lawson  called  out,  "  The  first  hymn — 
 
 *  Oh  for  a  thousand  tongues  to  sing.'  " 
 
 Before  the  last  verse  was  sung,  the  dying  Christian  soldier  fell 
 
14  METHODIST  HVMX  nOOK  NOTES.  HYMN    I. 
 
 in  the  pulpit,  and  in  doing  so  he  cried  out,  "  Sing,  John,  sing  !  " 
 and  an  hour  afterwards  he  entered  Paradise,  to  sing  there. 
 
 Alexander  Mather,  who  was  sent  out  by  Mr.  Wesley  to 
 travel  at  the  Conference  of  1757,  during  the  same  year  visited  a 
 poor  condemned  malefactor  in  Nottingham  Gaol,  who  had  been 
 so  hardened  that  he  was  resolved  to  be  a  devil.  Mr.  Mather 
 was  himself  a  young  convert,  and  his  zeal  in  trying  to  rescue 
 this  poor  criminal  was  signally  owned  of  God.  On  the  morning 
 of  execution  he  accompanied  the  wretched  man  to  the  scaffold, 
 erected  at  the  outskirts  of  the  town,  "Where,"  writes  Mr.  Mather, 
 "  we  sung  part  of  a  hymn — 
 
 '  Oh  for  a  thousand  tongues  to  sing.'  " 
 During  the  first  three  verses  he  seemed  lifted  up,  but  when  he 
 came  to  the  words  in  the  fourth  verse — 
 
 '  His  blood  can  make  the  foulest  clean, 
 His  blood  avail'd  for  me,' 
 then  he  rejoiced  with  joy  unspeakable  and  full  of  glor>\" 
 
 Mrs.  Green,  of  Southport,  formerly  of  Bolton,  was  a  member 
 of  the  Methodist  Society  fifty-three  years,  and  she  remembered 
 with  lively  gratitude  the  good  she  received  under  a  sermon 
 preached  by  the  Rev.  John  Wesley,  in  Bolton.  During  the 
 protracted  affliction  which  preceded  her  death,  she  frequently 
 prayed,  "  Come,  Lord  Jesus ;  come  quickly."  On  the  day 
 previous  to  her  departure  she  repeated  with   peculiar  delight 
 
 the  verse — 
 
 "  Oh  for  a  thousand  tongues  to  sing,"  S:c. 
 
 Mrs.  Clarkson,  of  Cheetham  Hill,  wife  of  James  Clarkson,  Esq., 
 was  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Society  more  than  forty  years, 
 but  owing  to  the  extreme  weakness  of  her  faith  was  unable  to 
 realise  a  clear  sense  of  her  acceptance  with  God  till  within  a 
 few  hours  of  her  death.  When  she  obtained  the  blessing,  she 
 called  on  all  around  her  bed  to  join  her  in  celebrating  redeem- 
 ing love  in  the  verse  commencing — 
 
 "  Oh  for  a  thousand  tongues  to  sing,"  &c. 
 Her  end  was  peace. 
 
 Margaret  Cargill,  wife  of  the  Rev.  David  Cargill,  one  of  the 
 pioneer  missionaries  to  Fiji,  was  born  at  Aberdeen  in  1809,  and 
 died  at  Rewa,  Fiji,  in  June,  1840.     Shortly  before  she  died,  at 
 midnight  she  repeated  with  a  cheerful  voice — 
 "  Oh  for  a  thousand  tongues  to  sing 
 My  great  Redeemer's  praise." 
 
HYMN   I.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  1 5 
 
 Her  Strength  failed,  her  voice  faltered,  but  she  added  in  feebler 
 
 tones— 
 
 "  The  glories  of  my  God  and  King, 
 The  triumphs  of  His  grace." 
 
 After  a  pause,  with  a  smiling  countenance,  she  closed  her  testi- 
 mony on  earth  with  the  couplet — 
 
 "  My  Jesus  to  know,  and  feel  His  blood  flow, 
 'Tis  life  everlasting,  'tis  heaven  below." 
 
 Mrs.  Mary  Day,  of  Whitefield  Street,  London  North  Circuit, 
 feared  the  Lord  from  her  youth.  She  bore  a  long  affliction 
 with  patient  resignation.  As  the  closing  scene  drew  nigh,  her 
 faith  and  hope  increased,  and  with  emphasis  she  repeated  the 
 
 lines — 
 
 "Jesus,  the  name  that  charms  our  fears, 
 That  bids  our  sorrows  cease,"  &c. 
 
 Her  last  words  were,  "Jesus  is  precious." 
 
 Anthony  Trififit,  of  Stillingfleet,  near  York,  was  convinced  of 
 sin  whilst  hearing  a  local  preacher  declare  the  truth  as  it  is  in 
 Jesus.  At  a  love-feast  held  in  York  soon  afterwards,  he  found 
 peace  with  God  whilst  the  congregation  was  singing  the  lines — 
 
 "  He  breaks  the  power  of  cancell'd  sin, 
 He  sets  the  prisoner  free,"  &c. 
 
 He  became  a  useful  local  preacher,  and  was  transferred  into  the 
 separated  ministry'-,  in  which  he  laboured  with  acceptance  for 
 fifty  years.     Among  his  last  words  were,  "  Blessed  Jesus." 
 
 Thomas  Molineux  was  born  in  1789.  Having  a  pious 
 mother,  he  was  early  taught  the  way  to  heaven,  and  at  the  age 
 of  ten  years  enjoyed  a  clear  sense  of  the  pardon  of  sin.  As  a 
 youth  he  was  appointed  to  lead  a  class,  and  at  that  time  regu- 
 larly attended,  at  Madeley,  Mrs.  Fletcher's  Sunday  morning 
 meeting,  and  at  her  request  made  his  first  attempt  to  preach 
 the  Gospel  in  181 5.  He  was  an  earnest,  industrious,  godly 
 man ;  meeting  in  class  every  Sunday  at  five  o'clock  in  the 
 morning.  Throughout  life  and  in  death,  he  manifested  entire 
 submission  to  the  will  of  God.  On  the  verge  of  mortality,  he 
 said  to  a  friend,  who  asked  how  he  felt,  "  Free  from  grief;  free 
 from  care  ;  free  from  sin."  To  one  of  his  daughters,  shortly 
 before  his  death,  he  replied — 
 
 **  His  blood  can  make  the  foulest  clean, 
 His  blood  avails  for  me,"  &c. 
 
1 6  milThodist  hvmx  nooK  notes.  hvmn  i. 
 
 With  a  countenance  beaming  with  hope  and  joy  he  fell  asleep 
 in  Jesus,  3rcl  November,  1854,  aged  66  years. 
 
 Peter  Bentley  was  born  at  Helmsley,  25th  February,  1787.  He 
 was  blest  with  godly  parents,  who  early  led  him  to  associate 
 with  the  Methodists,  and  to  meet  in  class.  Whilst  attending 
 this  blessed  means  of  grace,  and  the  lines  were  being  sung— 
 
 "  He  breaks  the  power  of  cancell'd  sin, 
 He  sets  the  prisoner  free,"  &c. 
 
 his  chains  fell  off,  and  he  broke  forth  in  prayer  and  praise.  As 
 an  exciseman,  he  lived  in  the  fear  of  God,  and  peacefully  changed 
 mortality  for  life,  at  Baldersly,  near  Thirsk,  24th  April,  1859. 
 
 Few  preachers  ever  quoted  hymns  with  better  effect  on  the 
 audience  than  the  late  "  Billy  Dawson,"  the  Barnbow  lay- 
 preacher.  On  one  occasion  when  preaching  his  celebrated 
 sermon  on  "  Death  on  the  white  horse,"  he  gave  out  the  first 
 hymn,  and  the  congregation,  singing  with  enthusiasm,  on  com- 
 ing to  the  eighth  verse,  the  preacher  paused,  and  said — "  See," 
 — what  ? — "  come  and  see," — what  ?  I  do  not  ask  you  to  come 
 and  see  the  preacher,  or  to  hear  the  voice  of  thunder,  but  to 
 come  and  see  yourselves — your  sins — and  your  Saviour. 
 
 *'  See  all  your  sins  on  Jesus  laid  ! " 
 
 The  effect  was  magical,  attention  was  fixed,  riveted,  and  the 
 sin"-ing  solemn  and  impressive.  Many  hearts  were  reached, 
 and  that  incident  did  more  good  than  many  a  formal  sermon. 
 
 The  Germans  have  a  hymn  which  commences  in  a  similar 
 way  to  this.  Madam  Perthes,  writing  to  her  daughter  remarks, 
 "You,  too,  must  help  us  to  thank  God:  let  us  with  united  voices 
 sing  :  Oh  for  a  thousand  tongues  to  praise — this  sweet  hymn 
 always  revives  me  when  I  know  not  what  to  say  on  reviewing 
 my  past  years." 
 
 The  Rev.  Nathaniel  Turner,  pioneer  Wesleyan  missionary  in 
 New  Zealand,  on  his  arrival  at  Sydney  in  1846,  preached  in 
 York  Street  church  the  first  Sabbath  evening  to  a  crowded 
 audience.  He  began  the  service  with  the  first  hymn,  which  was 
 suno"  to  Ebenezer  New,  and  went  with  such  zest  and  freedom, 
 that  he  asked  the  congregation  to  sing  the  whole  eleven  verses, 
 and  it  was  hard  to  say  which  most  enjoyed  the  hearty  song  of 
 praise,  the  preacher  or  the  people.  That  service  was  long 
 remembered  there. 
 
 i 
 
HYMN  2.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  1 7 
 
 Hymn  2. — "Come,  sinners  to  the  gospel  feast." — The  Great 
 Supper  {LukQ  xiv.  16-24). — Tune,  Invitation,  1761. 
 
 This  is  one  of  Charles  Wesley's  finest  compositions,  offering 
 to  all  a  free  and  full  salvation.  It  was  first  published  in  1747, 
 and  forms  No.  50  of  "  Hymns  for  those  that  seek  and  those  that 
 have  Redemption  in  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ;"  a  tract  of  sixty- 
 eight  pages,  containing  fifty-two  hymns.  The  original  has 
 twenty-four  stanzas,  only  nine  of  which  Mr.  Wesley  has  selected, 
 and  of  these  he  has  made  various  alterations  in  four  of  the  verses, 
 some  of  which  are  undoubted  improvements.  Mr.  James 
 Nichols  printed  an  edition  of  this  hymn,  with  notes  from  the 
 author's  MS.,  in  1842.  The  first  edition  of  the  Redemption 
 Hymns  appeared  in  1747  ;  the  fourth  edition  in  1755  ;  the 
 seventh  edition  in  1765.  The  hymn  which  immediately  follows 
 this  in  the  original  tract  is  the  well-known  Pilgrim's  Hymn, 
 "  How  happy  is  the  Pilgrim's  lot ! "  The  tune  here  affixed  is 
 that  used  in  the  "  Great  Festival  Hymns,"  by  Mr.  Lampe. 
 
 Early  in  the  year  1879,  ^  chair  of  historic  interest  was  pre- 
 sented to  the  Preachers'  Meeting  at  Boston  (in  the  United  States 
 of  America),  belonging  to  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  Three 
 years  previously,  the  great  historic  elm  tree  on  Boston  common 
 was  blown  down  during  a  heavy  storm  ;  the  Boston  preachers 
 and  their  friends  resolved  to  have  a  large  arm-chair  made  of 
 some  of  the  wood  of  the  tree,  to  be  preserved  as  a  memorial  of 
 the  introduction  of  Methodism  into  Boston,  in  July,  1790,  by 
 Jesse  Lee,  who,  finding  all  church  buildings  closed  against  him, 
 borrowed  a  table  of  some  one  living  near  the  common,  and, 
 carrying  it  himself  to  the  friendly  shade  of  this  huge  old  elm, 
 mounted  it  and  began  singing  lustily  that  grand  old  invitation 
 hymn  of  Methodism — 
 
 "  Come,  sinners,  to  the  Gospel  feast, 
 Let  every  soul  be  Jesus'  guest,"  ^ 
 
 and  thus  struck  the  key-note  to  a  new  Gospel  to  Calvinistic  New 
 England. 
 
 On  this  occasion  between  two  and  three  thousand  persons 
 assembled  in  his  congregation,  and  at  the  close  he  announced 
 himself  to  preach  at  the  same  place  on  the  following  Sabbath. 
 On  that  occasion  a  much  larger  congregation  assembled.  The 
 chair  constructed  from  one  of  the  large  spreading  branches  of 
 this  famous  tree  is  large  enough  to  comfortably  accommodate 
 
 B 
 
1 8  METHODIST  HYMN  r.OOK  NOTES.  HYMN  4. 
 
 any  bishop  ;  it  is  constructed  in  tlic  most  substantial  manner, 
 and  elegantly  carved  by  hand.  The  back  panel  contains  a 
 representation  of  the  tree,  beautifully  carved,  and  faithfully 
 representing  the  appearance  of  the  tree  the  day  before  its 
 destruction.  On  the  day  of  its  presentation  to  the  Preachers' 
 Meeting,  an  able  historical  paper  was  read  by  Dr.  W.  F. 
 Mallalieu,  and  an  historical  poem  by  Rev.  W.  S.  Studley,  D.D. 
 Sarah  Baker,  of  Culmstock,  Tiverton,  lived  more  than  forty 
 years  ignorant  of  God  and  unconcerned  about  her  soul's  salva- 
 tion. In  the  year  1799,  she  was  going  one  Sabbath  afternoon 
 to  church.  Mr.  Rouse,  a  local  preacher,  was  preaching  in  a 
 house  on  her  way ;  from  curiosity,  she  stayed  to  listen  at  the 
 window,  and  it  pleased  the  Lord  to  apply  the  word  spoken 
 with  power  to  her  heart,  and  to  give  her  to  feel  the  need  of  a 
 Saviour.  As  the  preacher  was  giving  out  the  words  of  the 
 hymn — 
 
 "  This  is  the  time,  no  more  delay,"  &c. 
 
 she  resolved  to  accept  the  offered  mercy ;  she  sought  the  Lord, 
 and  found  Him,  to  the  joy  of  her  heart.  She  never  lost  her 
 confidence  in  God ;  and,  though  poor  in  this  world's  goods, 
 she  was  rich  in  faith,  giving  glory  to  God.  In  great  peace  she 
 fell  asleep  in  Jesus,  29th  June,  1838,  aged  eighty-two. 
 
 Hymn  3. — "  O  all  that  pass  by.  To  Jesus  draw  near." — O71  Gods 
 Everlastmg  Love. — Tune,  Tallis,  1761. 
 
 This  hymn  was  first  published  in  Charles  Wesley's  tract  of 
 "Hymns  on  God's  Everlasting  Love,"  1741,  in  which  it  is  the 
 third.  It  is  copied  entire  with  only  the  alteration  of  one  word  ; 
 "and"  is  printed  for  "of"  in  the  fourth  line  of  the  fifth  stanza. 
 This  was  a  favourite  subject  in  Charles  Wesley's  early  sermons, 
 and  the  hymn  was  often  sung  by  the  first  Methodist  converts. 
 
 Hymn   4. — "Ho!    every   one   that    thirsts,  draw   nigh." — The 
 Fifty -Fifth  Chapter  of  Isaiah.— TlJ-i^Y.,  Angel's  Hymn,  1761. 
 
 The  original  of  this  fine  paraphrase  consists  of  thirty-one 
 stanzas,  and  appeared  first  in  1740,  in  Charles  Wesley's  "  Hymns 
 and  Sacred  Poems,"  where  it  is  the  first  hymn  in  the  third  part 
 of  the  book.  The  entire  chapter  is  paraphrased;  but  John 
 Wesley  selected  only  the  first  n'ne  verses. 
 
HYMN  8.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  1 9 
 
 Hymn  5.—"  Thy  faithfulness,  Lord,  Each  moment  we  find."— 
 O71  God's  Everlasting  Love. — Tune,  Newcastle,  1761. 
 
 This  forms  the  second  in  Charles  Wesley's  "  Hymns  on 
 God's  Everlasting  Love,"  1741.  The  first  verse  of  the  original 
 is  omitted ;  the  word  "  foulest "  is  changed  for  "  vilest "  in  the 
 first  stanza;  and  in  the  third,  "If  sin  is  your  burden,"  "is"  is 
 changed  into  "  be." 
 
 Mrs.  Ellen  Ince,  of  Lowton,  Lancashire,  mother  of  Mr. 
 William  Ince,  late  of  Southampton  Street,  London,  was  born  in 
 1769,  and  in  early  life  was  convinced  of  sin,  chiefly  by  the  use 
 of  the  Liturgy  of  the  Church  of  England.  In  reply  to  her 
 inquiry  after  the  way  of  salvation,  she  was  taken  to  a  Methodist 
 chapel,  where  she  soon  found  peace  through  believing  in  Jesus. 
 She  walked  in  the  fear  of  the  Lord  for  sixty-seven  years.  Of 
 her  thirteen  children,  nine  preceded  her  to  heaven.  The 
 death  of  her  last  surviving  son  affected  her  much.  A  few  days 
 before  her  death,  she  said  of  her  son,  "  What  a  glorious  state  he 
 is  in,  free  from  his  weak  and  suffering  body,  in  the  presence  of 
 his  Lord  !  We  shall  not  be  parted  long."  On  the  morning  of 
 the  day  of  the  first  anniversary  of  her  son's  interment,  she  read 
 the  Scriptures  for  two  hours,  chiefly  in  Isaiah  ;  and  on  closing 
 the  book,  she  exclaimed  to  her  daughter,  "  Glory  be  to  God  in 
 the  highest  for  His  great  love  in  dying  for  sinners  !  "  Later  in 
 the  day,  having  read  her  hymn  book  for  some  time,  she  repeated 
 the  lines — 
 
 "  *  We  all  are  forgiven  for  Jesus'  sake, 
 
 Our  title  to  heaven,  His  merits  we  take,'  " 
 
 and  then  she  added,  "  Now  let  me  rest.  I  think  I  can  go  to 
 sleep."  And  in  a  few  minutes  she  sweetly  fell  asleep  in  Jesus, 
 without  even  a  sigh,  2nd  April,  1854,  aged  eighty-five  years. 
 
 Hymn  6. — "  Sinners,  turn,  why  will  ye  die  "i  " 
 „       7. — "  Let  the  beasts  their  breath  resign  ; " 
 „       8. —  "What  could  your  Redeemer  do  ?" 
 "  Why  will  ye  die,  O  house  of  Israel  ? ''''  (Ezek.  xviii.  31.) 
 Tune,  Hotham,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's  "Hymns  on  God's  Everlasting  Love" 
 appeared  first  in  1741,  the  second  edition  in  1756,  the  third  in 
 1770,  the  fourth  in  1792.  The  tract  consists  of  two  parts,  of 
 thirty-six  pages  and  forty-eight  pages,  respectively.    To  the  first 
 
20  METHODIST  HYMN  ROOK  NOTES.  HYMN  9. 
 
 was  originally  added  a  singular  poem  entitled,  "  The  Cry  of  a 
 Reprobate."  This  will  be  found  reprinted  in  the  first  volume  of 
 "Jackson's  Life  of  Charles  Wesley."  That  which  forms  No.  13 
 in  the  second  part,  is  reprinted  in  Wesley's  Collection  as  three 
 separate  hymns.  It  forms  a  long  comprehensive  and  affecting 
 inquiry,  based  on  the  prophet  Ezekiel's  words,  "Why  will  ye 
 die,  O  house  of  Israel  ?  "  Four  out  of  the  sixteen  stanzas  of  the 
 original  are  omitted.  There  are  only  three  words  altered, 
 excepting  that  in  several  instances  "you"  and  "ye"  are  inter- 
 changed by  John  Wesley,  in  order  to  give  greater  emphasis  to 
 his  brother's  words. 
 
 Hymn  9. — "  Sinners,  obey  the  Gospel  word." — "  Come,  for  all 
 ihmgs  are  now  ready T — TuNE,  The  Invitation,  1761. 
 
 The  original  forms  Hymn  155  in  the  first  volume  of  "  Hymns 
 and  Sacred  Poems,"  1749,  by  C.  Wesley.  It  is  an  exact  reprint. 
 A  present  salvation  for  every  penitent  sinner  is  the  poet's  theme, 
 and  he  represents  the  whole  three  Persons  in  the  Trinity  as 
 waiting  to  welcome  sinners  to  the  Saviour.  There  is  a  detailed 
 pathos  and  simplicity  in  the  hymn  which  give  much  beauty  to 
 the  poetry.  This  hymn  would  be  improved  by  dividing  it  at 
 the  fifth  verse. 
 
 Speaking  of  these  early  volumes  of  the  Wesley  poetry,  and 
 of  John  Wesley  in  particular,  the  Rev.  Samuel  Bradburn  once 
 observed,  "  John  Wesley  had  a  fine  taste  for  poetry,  and  com- 
 posed, himself,  some  of  our  hymns  ;  but  he  told  me  that  he  and 
 his  brother  Charles  agreed  not  to  distinguish  their  hymns  from 
 each  other's."  This  rule  was  observed  by  them  for  just  ten 
 years;  but  in  1749,  Charles  Wesley  published,  on  his  own 
 account,  the  two  volumes  from  which  the  ninth  hymn  is  chosen. 
 This  work  contains  143  of  the  hymns  in  the  collection  of  1780, 
 now  in  use  throughout  the  Connexion.  In  John  Wesley's  "  Plain 
 Account  of  Christian  Perfection,"  the  author  makes  the  follow- 
 ing statement: — "In  the  year  1749,  my  brother  printed  two 
 volumes  of  '  Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems.'  As  I  did  not  see 
 these  before  they  were  published,  there  were  some  things  in 
 them  which  I  did  not  approve  of.  But  I  quite  approved  of  the 
 main  of  the  hymns  on  this  head — 'Present  Salvation  and 
 Perfect  Love.'"  It  is  important  that  these  two  testimonies 
 should  be  recorded.  This  hymn  is  the  first  which  is  extracted 
 from  those  volumes.     The  work  was  published  by  subscription 
 
HYMN   12.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  21 
 
 in  order  to  raise  money  for  the  author's  marriage,  and  to  enable 
 him  to  commence  housekeeping.  He  had  the  names  of  1145 
 subscribers,  at  twelve  shillings  each  ;  the  preachers  acted  as 
 agents  to  collect  the  money  and  distribute  the  books. 
 
 Hymn  io. — "Ye  thirsty  for  God,  to  Jesus  give  ear." — 
 John  vii.  37.— Tune,  Newcastle,  1761. 
 
 The  original  forms  No.  432  in  Charles  Wesley's  "  Short  Scrip- 
 ture Hymns,"  vol.  ii.,  which  first  appeared  in  1762.  The  work 
 was  considerably  altered  and  abridged,  and  in  that  form  it  was 
 republished  in  two  volumes  in  1794,  six  years  after  the  author's 
 death.  The  only  alteration  made  is  in  the  fourth  line,  which  reads 
 thus — "  The  sense  of  salvation  accepting  through  grace."  Those 
 two  volumes  contain  more  than  two  thousand  original  hymns. 
 
 Hymn  ii.— "God,  the  offended  God  Most  High."— " A'^^Ti/  then 
 we  are  ambassadors  for  Christj'^  &^c.  (2  Cor.  v.  20). — TUNE, 
 Canon,  1761. 
 
 The  original  forms  No.  20  in  Charles  Wesley's  "  Hymns  on 
 the  Trinity,"  first  published  in  1767.  The  only  alteration  made 
 is  in  the  last  line  of  the  third  verse,  where  "  goodness  "  in  the 
 original  is  changed  to  *'  mercy." 
 
 Hymn  12. — "Come,  ye  that  love  the  Lord." — Heavenly  joy  on 
 earth. — Tune,  Lampe's,  1746. 
 
 This  hymn  was  written  by  Dr.  Watts,  and  first  published  in 
 July,  1707.  It  forms  No.  30  in  the  author's  second  book.  Mr. 
 Wesley  has  made  judicious  alterations  in  eleven  lines,  and  the 
 original  is  two  verses  longer.  It  is  placed  as  the  first  hymn  in 
 the  second  section  of  Mr.  Wesley's  collection,  under  the  head 
 of  "  Describing  the  Pleasantness  of  Religion."  The  hymn  has 
 always  been  a  favourite ;  the  simplicity  of  its  language  and  its 
 natural  imagery  have  greatly  aided  its  popularity.  Every  verse 
 of  it  has  been  used  as  dying  testimony. 
 
 There  was  once  a  difficulty  amongst  the  singers  of  Dr. 
 Samuel  West's  Church,  New  Bedford,  U.S.,  America,  and  it 
 was  reported  that  the  choir  would  not  sing  a  note  on  the  next 
 Sabbath.  The  doctor  commenced  that  morning's  worship  by 
 giving  out  Watt's  hymn  as  in  their  collection,  "  Come,  we  who 
 love  the  Lord."    After  reading  it  through,  he  looked  up  very 
 
22  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN   12. 
 
 emphatically  at  the  choir,  and  said,  ''  You  will  begin  at  the 
 second  verse — 
 
 '  Let  those  refuse  to  sing 
 Who  never  knew  our  God.'  " 
 
 They  sang  that  hymn. 
 
 When  the  Rev.  Dr.  Gervase  Smith  lay  on  his  death-bed,  he 
 was  visited  by  the  Rev.  Benjamin  Gregory  and  the  Rev.  William 
 Hirst.  A  short  service  was  held  in  his  bedroom.  The  hymn 
 sung  on  the  occasion  with  much  emotion  was — 
 
 "  Come,  ye  that  love  the  Lord, 
 And  let  your  joys  be  known  ; 
 Join  in  a  song  with  sweet  accord. 
 While  ye  surround  the  throne." 
 
 On  coming  to  the  third  verse,  after  singing  it,  the  dying  minister 
 asked  for  it  to  be  repeated,  so  they  sang  again — 
 
 "  There  we  shall  see  His  face, 
 And  never,  never  sin  ; 
 There,  from  the  rivers  of  His  grace, 
 Drink  endless  pleasures  in." 
 
 Two  days  afterwards,  22nd  April,  1882,  that  devoted  servant  of 
 God  entered  on  the  open  vision  "before  His  face."  At  the 
 Highbury  Chapel,  on  27th  April,  during  the  funeral  service 
 conducted  there,  the  hymn  was  again  sung  by  a  large  and 
 deeply  impressed  audience. 
 
 Bartholomew  Calvin,  a  converted  Stockbridge  Indian,  died 
 in  his  eightieth  year,  saying,  "  My  trust  is  in  the  merits  of  the 
 Lord  Jesus  Christ.     Sing  at  my  funeral — 
 
 *  Come,  ye  that  love  the  Lord, 
 
 And  let  your  joys  be  known,'  "  &c. 
 
 He  continued  to  pray  whilst  speech  remained,  and  gently  sunk 
 into  the  arms  of  death  without  a  struggle. 
 
 Mr.  James  Martin,  of  Liverpool,  was  convinced  of  sin  under 
 a  sermon  preached  by  the  Rev.  Valentine  Ward,  and  soon 
 afterwards  he  found  peace  with  God.  He  was  appointed  a 
 leader  in  181 1,  and  held  that  office  for  forty-five  years.  In 
 183 1,  he  was  a  passenger  in  the  Rothesay  Castle  when  she  was 
 wrecked  between  Liverpool  and  Beaumaris,  when  ninety-three 
 persons  perished,  and  only  twenty-one  were  saved.     When  he 
 
HYMN   12.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  23 
 
 was  floating  on  a  plank  from  off  which  several  had  been  washed, 
 as  the  waves  were  breaking  over  him,  he  exclaimed, — 
 **  The  God  that  rules  on  high, 
 That  all  the  earth  surveys, 
 That  rides  upon  the  stormy  sky, 
 And  calms  the  roaring  seas,"  &c. 
 
 After  he  was  rescued,  his  life  was  afresh  dedicated  to  God. 
 He  became  a  leader  of  three  classes,  and  worked  with  untiring 
 energy  in  the  cause  of  God.  In  his  last  hours  of  consciousness 
 he  said,  "  I  know  nothing  about  doubts  and  fears."  Thus  calmly 
 he  entered  into  life,  24th  December,  1858,  aged  seventy-nine. 
 
 Thomas  Hazlehurst,  of  Runcorn,  was  born  in  1779.  At  the 
 early  age  of  seven  years  he  was  convinced  of  sin  by  means  of  a 
 conversation  with  the  schoolmistress  who  taught  him  the  first 
 elements  of  learning.  At  the  age  of  twenty-seven  he  obtained 
 peace  with  God  through  faith  in  Jesus  Christ.  Both  he  and 
 his  wife  joined  the  Methodist  Society,  and  remained  faithful 
 witnesses  for  Christ  to  the  end  of  life,  and  they  entered  Paradise 
 separated  only  by  a  few  weeks.  Mr.  Hazlehurst  had  several 
 favourite  hymns,  which  he  often  repeated  with  strong  feeling. 
 One  of  these  was  the  12th,  and  especially  the  third  verse, 
 commencing, 
 
 "  There  we  shall  see  His  face, 
 And  never,  never  sin,"  &c. 
 
 He  died  quite  suddenly,  but  fully  prepared  for  the  change, 
 17th  February,  1842,  aged  sixty-three  years. 
 
 Mrs.  Topham,  of  Mowthorpe,  Malton,  was  early  converted  to 
 God  by  a  sermon  preached  from  the  words,  "  I  know  that  my 
 Redeemer  liveth,"  Sec.  In  1832,  she  joined  the  Methodist 
 Society,  and  remained  a  consistent  member  to  the  end  of  her 
 days.  She  set  a  particular  value  on  the  class-meeting.  A 
 long  and  painful  affliction  preceded  her  death,  during  which 
 her  mind  was  sweetly  stayed  upon  God,  and  she  was  truly  happy. 
 Shortly  before  the  last  struggle,  fierce  temptation  assailed  her, 
 but  she  came  off  more  than  conqueror,  repeating,  "All  is  well 
 now,"  and  then  added — 
 
 *'  There  we  shall  see  His  face, 
 And  never,  never  sin,"  &c. 
 
 Shortly  after,  she  fell  asleep  in  Jesus,  i8th  September,   1848, 
 aged  sixty-one. 
 The  quiet  village  of  Wicken,  Soham,  near  Mildenhall,  was 
 
24  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN   12. 
 
 formerly  the  residence  of  Henry,  son  of  Oliver  Cromwell,  and 
 the  birthplace  of  the  well-known  Andrew  Fuller.  Methodism 
 has  flourished  there  for  half-a-century — one  of  its  oldest  members 
 being  John  Docking.  He  was  a  Churchman  in  early  life,  but 
 under  the  preaching  of  the  Methodists  he  was  convinced  of  sin, 
 and  with  them  he  cast  in  his  lot.  After  obtaining  a  clear  sense 
 of  pardon,  he  threw  all  his  energies  into  the  service  of  God,  and 
 through  his  efforts  a  new  chapel  was  erected  in  the  village. 
 During  a  long  life,  he  was  always  "abounding  in  the  work  of 
 the  Lord."  For  eighty  years  he  scarcely  knew  a  day's  illness. 
 He  was  a  man  of  one  book,  and  searched  the  Scriptures  often 
 many  times  in  a  day.  Shortly  before  his  death,  he  said  to  a 
 friend,  "  We  shall  soon  meet  in  heaven." 
 
 **  There  we  shall  see  His  face, 
 And  never,  never  sin,"  &c. 
 
 He  died  24th  IVIarch,  1865,  aged  eighty-two  years. 
 
 Methodism  in  Canterbury  owes  much  of  its  stability  and 
 success  to  the  labours  of  the  venerable  Vincent  Perronet  and 
 his  son  Charles.  The  latter  for  some  years  resided  with  Mrs. 
 Bissaker  ;  and  in  the  A?'nn?na?i  Magazme  for  1785  is  the 
 copy  of  a  remarkable  "Memorial  to  Miss  Nancy  Bissaker 
 in  her  seventh  year."  This  was  intended  by  the  estimable 
 writer  to  be  a  guide  to  his  young  friend  in  after  life.  Mrs. 
 Bissaker  was  one  of  Mr.  Wesley's  hearers  in  that  ancient 
 city,  at  the  very  beginning  of  Methodism.  Her  daughter  Ann 
 had  her  mind  greatly  moulded  by  Mr.  C.  Perronet,  of  whom  she 
 says,  "  he  taught  me  the  fear  of  God,  abhorrence  of  lying,  a  love 
 for  the  poor,  contempt  for  finery,  a  strong  attachment  to  the 
 Bible,  and  a  high  veneration  for  my  mother."  She  found  a 
 sense  of  pardon  whilst  Mr.  Bramwell  was  meeting  her  mother's 
 class  in  1786,  and  joined  the  Methodist  Society  in  January,  1787. 
 In  1788  she  was  married  to  Mr.  Parnell,  and  entered  upon  the 
 busy  duties  of  life,  discharging  them  for  fourscore  years  with 
 godly  sincerity  and  fidelity.  She  suffered  much  in  her  last 
 days,  and  during  an  interview  with  the  Rev.  Samuel  Hope  the 
 conversation  turned  on  the  happiness  of  heaven,  when  Mr. 
 Hope  observed — 
 
 "  The  thoughts  of  such  amazing  bliss, 
 Should  constant  joys  create." 
 "  Yes,"   said   the    sufferer,    "  constant  joys  !    constant  joys  !  ! " 
 These  words  were  her  last  testimony  ;  unconsciousness  immedi- 
 
HYMN  14.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  25 
 
 ately  followed,  and  shortly  afterwards  she  peacefully  passed 
 away  to  the  skies,  31st  August,  1843,  aged  eighty  years. 
 
 Elizabeth  Jackson  was  awakened  to  a  sense  of  her  sinful 
 condition  at  the  age  of  fifteen,  and  soon  afterwards  found 
 pardon  through  faith  in  Jesus.  She  served  God  faithfully 
 during  a  long  life.  She  was  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Society 
 at  Thirsk  for  sixty-two  years,  and  a  witness  to  the  doctrine  of 
 Christian  perfection  fifty-three  years.  Attending  the  means  of 
 grace  to  the  end  of  her  days,  she  started  for  her  class  one 
 day,  but  a  distressing  asthma  compelled  her  to  halt  at  a 
 friend's  house  on  the  way,  where  in  the  state  of  acute  suffering, 
 she  patiently  said,  "  'Jesus  is  mine,  and  I  am  His.' 
 
 "  '  The  men  of  grace  have  found 
 Glory  begun  below,'  &c. 
 
 I  never  could  have  thought  that  I  could  have  been  made  so 
 happy  as  I  am  now.  Oh,  what  happiness  !  Oh,  what  glory  ! 
 It  is  too  sweet  for  dying."  After  a  short  period  she  added,  "All 
 is  right ;  all  is  well,"  and  expired,  27th  February,  1833,  aged 
 seventy-seven. 
 
 George  Bottomley,  of  Rotherham,  was  brought  to  God  when 
 about  eighteen  years  of  age.  His  consistency  of  character  was 
 maintained  throughout  life,  and  as  a  class-leader  he  was  greatly 
 beloved.  He  dwelt  much  on  the  promises  of  God,  and  his  last 
 words,  half-an-hour  before  he  died,  in  1856,  aged  seventy,  were — 
 "  We're  marching  through  Immanuel's  ground, 
 To  fairer  worlds  on  high. " 
 
 Hymn  13. — "  Happy  soul,  that,  free  from  harms." — Waiting 
 for  full  Redei7iptio7i. — Tune,  Arne,  1781. 
 
 The  original  forms  No.  106  in  Charles  Wesley's  "  Hymns  and 
 Sacred  Poems,"  1749,  vol.  ii.  Eight  Hnes  in  the  original  are  left 
 out ;  the  first  line  is  altered  from  "  Happy  soul,  that,  safe  from 
 harms,"  to  "Happy  soul,  that,  free  from  harms,"  and  in  the 
 second  line,  fourth  verse,  "  Perfect  in "  is  altered  to  "  Perfect 
 through." 
 
 Hymn  14. — "  Happy  the  man  that  finds  the  grace." — Proverbs 
 iii.  13,  (S:c.— Tune,  Stanton,  1761. 
 
 This  was  written  by  Charles  Wesley  as  one  of  his  Redemption 
 Hymns,  1747.  The  original  is  three  verses  longer.  In  the  first 
 line  "  that  "  is  substituted  for  "  who." 
 
26  METHODIST  HYMN  DOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  1 7. 
 
 Hymn  15. — "  Happy  the  souls  to  Jesus  join'd," — The  Sacrament 
 a  pledge  of  Heaven. — TUNE,  Spitalfields,  1761. 
 
 The  original  forms  No.  96  in  Charles  Wesley's  "  Hymns  on 
 the  Lord's  Supper,"  1745.  The  third  and  fourth  lines  read  thus 
 as  first  written — 
 
 '*  Walking  in  all  Thy  ways,  we  find 
 Our  heaven  on  earth  begun." 
 
 Thomas  Ross  was  brought  up  a  Roman  Catholic  ;  but  on  his 
 coming  of  age,  he  read  the  Scriptures  for  himself,  saw  the  errors 
 of  his  past  life,  began  to  attend  the  ministry  of  the  Methodists 
 in  1797,  and  was  admitted  a  member  of  Society  by  the  Rev. 
 Samuel  Bradburn.  He  was  for  some  years  a  steward,  trustee, 
 and  class-leader,  and  faithfully  served  in  each  office.  His  last 
 illness  was  short,  but  his  mind  enjoyed  much  peace.  The  night 
 before  his  departure  he  repeated  his  favourite  hymn  which  spoke 
 the  language  of  his  heart — 
 
 "  Happy  the  souls  to  Jesus  joined, 
 And  saved  by  grace  alone,"  &c. 
 
 In  this  delightful  frame,  his  spirit  returned  to  God  who  gave  it, 
 6th  February',  1847,  aged  seventy  years. 
 
 Hymn  16. — "Happy  the  souls  that  first  believed  ;  " 
 „       17. — "Jesus,  from  whom  all  blessings  flow." — 
 Primitive  Christianity.— TVi^^^  Athlone,  1781. 
 
 This  appears  as  one  hymn  in  Charles  Wesley's  "  Hymns  and 
 Sacred  Poems,"  1749,  vol.  ii.,  and  forms  No.  246.  The  original 
 has  thirty  stanzas  ;  and  John  Wesley  has  printed  twenty-two 
 verses  in  making  the  two  hymns.  In  the  last  line  of  verse  six, 
 in  the  second  part  "  may  "  is  altered  from  "  might,"  but  this 
 change  was  made  after  Mr.  Wesley's  death.  Four  verses  were 
 left  out  at  the  revision  of  1875,  namely  the  fifth  and  seventh  from 
 Hymn  16,  and  the  fifth  and  eleventh  from  Hymn  17. 
 
 The  poetry  of  this  composition  is  smooth  and  harmonious. 
 It  describes  the  Church  as  composed  of  living  stones,  and  the 
 conversion  of  sinners  as  the  result  of  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel. 
 The  allusion  in  the  seventh  verse,  "  Draw  by  the  music  of  thy 
 name,"  seems  to  have  been  suggested  by  the  fable  of  Orpheus, 
 who  by  the  charms  of  his  lyre  subdued  the  wildness  of  savage 
 beasts,  and  held  mountains,  rivers,  and  trees  in  subjection  to 
 the  power  of  his  music — "  And  charm  into  a  beauteous  frame." 
 
HYMN   1 8.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  27 
 
 This  hymn  appeared  first  in  1744,  and  was  printed  by  John 
 Wesley  at  the  end  of  his  "Appeal  to  Men  of  Reason  and 
 Religion,"  and  separately  as  one  of  Mr.  Wesley's  halfpenny 
 tracts.  Mr.  Benson  records  the  fact  that  this  hymn  was  long  a 
 favourite  with  Mr.  Fletcher,  Vicar  of  Madeley,  who  after  dinner 
 spent  some  time  in  devotional  services,  and  generally  selected 
 verses  from  "  Primitive  Christianity,"  particularly  this  couplet — 
 
 **  Oh  that  my  Lord  would  count  me  meet 
 To  wash  His  dear  disciples'  feet  !  " 
 
 He  has  been  known  to  read  this  hymn  till  tears  of  joy  and 
 gratitude  streamed  down  his  face,  that  he  had  been  made  a 
 partaker  of  that  Christianity. 
 
 Joseph  Mood,  Wesleyan  minister,  was  bom  near  Bedal,  in 
 181 8.  In  early  youth,  he  was  dedicated  by  a  pious  mother  to 
 the  service  of  God  ;  and  one  Sunday  morning  before  breakfast, 
 at  the  prayer  meeting,  he  found  peace  through  believing.  Con- 
 verted himself,  he  soon  began  to  preach  the  Gospel  by  which 
 he  had  been  saved,  and  after  five  years'  labours  as  a  local 
 preacher,  in  1843  he  took  a  circuit.  His  ministry  was  attrac- 
 tive, acceptable,  and  useful^  and  he  won  many  of  the  young  to 
 Christ.  His  last  illness  was  brief,  but  he  was  prepared  for  its 
 issues.  The  morning  on  which  he  died,  he  repeated  the  seven- 
 teenth hymn  throughout.  Shortly  after  he  said,  "  Sing !  get  your 
 hymn  book  and  sing  ; "  and  whilst  his  friends  were  trying  to 
 meet  his  wishes,  his  countenance  was  lighted  with  a  heavenly 
 smile,  which  remained  for  some  minutes.  He  then  said,  "  I 
 shall  live  for  ever,"  and  almost  instantly  his  spirit  escaped  to 
 immortality,  23rd  June,  i860,  aged  forty-two  years. 
 
 Hymn  i8. — "  Maker,  Saviour  of  mankind." — For  Children. — 
 Tune,  Amsterdam,  1761. 
 
 This  is  an  exact  reprint  of  No.  15  of  Charles  Wesley's  "  Hymns 
 for  Children,"  the  first  edition  of  which  appeared  in  1763,  the 
 second  in  1768,  and  the  third  in  1778. 
 
 The  estimation  in  which  these  compositions  were  held  is 
 indicated  in  a  letter  written  by  Mr.  Thomas  Pearce,  of  Camel- 
 ford,  Cornwall.  To  his  daughter,  at  school,  he  writes  : — "Buy 
 of  Mr.  Evans  Mr.  Wesley's  '  Hymns  for  Children,'  and  get  them 
 by  heart  :  I  will  pay  for  the  book  and  give  you  a  penny  for  each 
 hymn  [you  learn],  which,  I  believe,  will  amount  to  nearly  four 
 
28  METHODIST  HVMN  HOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  21. 
 
 shillings.  Those  hymns  afibrded  much  comfort  to  your  sister 
 P^GtoYj  who  is  now  in  heaven."  This  volume  contains  just 
 one  hundred  hymns  ;  and  a  considerable  number  of  them  are 
 favourites  with  the  young.     See  Notes  to  Hymn  43. 
 
 Hymn  19. — "Rejoice  evermore  with  angels  above." — For  those 
 that  have  foimd  Redemption. — Tune,  Tallis,  1761. 
 
 This  forms  No.  3  in  Charles  Wesley's  "  Redemption  Hymns," 
 1747.  The  omission  of  the  fourth  verse  would  have  been  no 
 cause  of  regret. 
 
 Hymn  20. — "Weary  souls,  that  wander  wide." — The  Livitaiiofi. 
 —Tune,  Dedication,  1781. 
 
 The  original  is  No.  4  of  Charles  Wesley's  "  Redemption 
 Hymns."  The  first  line  in  the  original  reads  thus,  "  Weary 
 souls,  who  w^ander  w^ide,"  and  the  fourth  line  of  the  third  verse 
 reads,  "  Live  on  earth,"  instead  of  "  Find  on  earth  the  life  of 
 heaven."  There  is  an  earnest  and  loving  spirit  of  exhortation 
 to  sinners  pervading  the  whole,  and  some  striking  contrasts  are 
 exhibited  throughout.  How  many  earnest  seekers  of  salvation 
 have  found  Jesus  whilst  singing  this  hymn?  Dr.  Adam  Clarke 
 used  this  hymn  often  in  his  early  ministry.  It  is  admirably 
 suited  for  use  in  a  prayer  and  penitent  meeting. 
 
 Hymn  21. — "  Ye  simple  souls  that  stray." — For  those  that  have 
 found  Redeniptioju — Tune,  Olney,  1761. 
 
 This  hymn  forms  No.  16  of  the  "Redemption  Hymns,"  but 
 whether  written  by  John  or  Charles  Wesley  seems  hardly  to  be 
 decided.  Dr.  Whitehead  claims  the  hymn  for  Charles,  and 
 Henry  Moore  says  it  is  John  Wesley's^  The  internal  evidence, 
 the  purity,  strength,  and  sobriety  of  the  language  suggest  that 
 it  was  wTitten  by  John.  It  was  published  first  in  1747.  The 
 original  is  eight  lines  longer,  and  there  are  alterations  made 
 in  every  verse.  In  the  fifth  verse  the  ministration  of  angels  is 
 admirably  stated.  The  fact  that  so  many  alterations  are  made 
 throughout  would  indicate  Charles  Wesley  to  be  the  author, 
 and  John  the  corrector.  The  hymn  was  written  in  a  meter 
 rather  uncommon,  and  one  for  which  no  tune  was  provided 
 
HYMN  2  2.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES. 
 
 29 
 
 until  the  syllables  in  some  lines  were  reduced.  Occasionally  it 
 was  given  out  to  be  sung  before  it  was  altered,  but  the  attempt 
 to  sing  it  failed.  One  verse  may  be  given  as  a  specimen  of  the 
 original — 
 
 "  Ye  simple  souls  that  stray, 
 Far  from  the  path  of  peace, 
 That  unfrequented  way, 
 
 To  life  and  happiness  ; 
 How  long  will  ye  your  folly  love, 
 
 And  throng  the  downward  road  ; 
 And  hate  the  wisdom  from  above, 
 And  mock  the  sons  of  God  ?  " 
 
 When  altered,  it  became  simply  a  double  short  meter  hymn. 
 The  alteration  was  made  in  the  first  edition  of  the  Hymn  Book, 
 1780.     The  original  third  verse  is  omitted. 
 
 Hymn  22. — "  Behold  the  Saviour  of  mankind."— C«  the 
 Crucifixio7i. — TuNE,  Fetter  Lane,  1761. 
 
 The  author  of  this  hymn  was  the  Rev.  Samuel  Wesley,  rector 
 of  Ep worth,  who  died  in  the  year  1735.  The  hymn  was  first 
 pubHshed  by  his  sons  in  1739,  i^^  their  first  collected  volume  of 
 "  Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems."  In  the  collection,  as  it  appeared 
 in  1780,  it  has  the  first  place  among  the  hymns  under  the  title 
 "  Describing  the  Goodness  of  God."  And  certainly  never  was 
 goodness  more  strongly  manifested  than  in  the  gift  of  Christ  to 
 save  a  lost  world,  and  in  His  dying  to  redeem  man.  The  internal 
 structure  of  the  hymn  shows  how  fully  the  writer  appeared  to 
 realise  the  infinite  importance  of  the  event  he  so  touchingly  and 
 effectively  describes.  But  there  is  a  short  and  touching  history 
 of  this  hymn  which  should  not  pass  without  notice.  It  was 
 probably  written  a  short  time  before  the  Rectory  at  Epworth 
 was  burnt  down  in  1709  ;  for  immediately  after  the  fire  the 
 original  manuscript,  blown  by  the  wind  out  of  the  window,  was 
 found  partly  burned  in  the  garden  by  the  author.  Thus  when 
 many  more  valuable  things  were  consumed,  a  gentle  breeze 
 carried  this  lately  finished  manuscript  off  the  study  table  into  a 
 place  of  safety.  The  hymn  has  music  adapted  to  it,  probably 
 by  Henry  Purcell  or  Dr.  Blow.  It  was  for  many  years  the  only 
 hymn  by  the  rector  of  Epworth  in  the  Methodist  collection. 
 Two  verses  are  left  out,  one  after  the  first,  and  one  after  the 
 
30  METHODIST  HYMN   HOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  2  2. 
 
 fourth,  as  they  appear  in  the  hymn  book  ;  the  omitted  verses 
 are  as  follows — 
 
 "  Though  far  unequal  our  low  praise 
 To  Thy  vast  sufferings  prove, 
 O  Lamb  of  God,  thus  all  our  days, 
 Thus  will  we  grieve  and  love. 
 
 "  Thy  loss  our  ruins  did  repair, 
 Death,  by  Thy  death  is  slain  ; 
 Thou  wilt  at  length  exalt  us  where 
 Thou  dost  in  glory  reign." 
 
 The  hymn  would  not  be  much  improved  by  the  addition  of 
 these.  It  was  at  this  fire,  and  on  this  occasion,  that  John 
 Wesley  himself  was  saved,  but  only  by  being  lifted  out  of  his 
 bedroom  window,by  one  man  standing  on  the  shoulders  of  others, 
 just  before  the  burning  roof  of  the  parsonage  fell  in,  when 
 everything  else  was  consumed,  including  the  rector's  library, 
 furniture,  and  all  his  manuscripts,  his  sermons,  and  a  work  on 
 Hebrew  poetr^^,  which  was  an  English  poetical  rendering  of  the 
 Psalms  and  other  Hebrew  hymns  in  the  Bible. 
 
 Of  the  author  himself,  the  father  of  the  Wesleys,  it  is  scarcely 
 possible  to  speak  too  highly.  He  was  born  at  Winterburn- 
 Whitchurch,  in  1662  ;  educated  at  Dorchester,  and  Newington 
 Green,  London,  and  Exeter  College,  Oxford,  where  he  wrote 
 and  published  "  Maggots  "  to  obtain  the  means  of  living.  He 
 was  ordained  in  1688,  made  a  priest  in  St.  Andrew's  Church, 
 Holborn,  in  1689,  and  became  a  curate  on  ;i^28  a-year.  During 
 the  same  year  he  was  married  to  Susanna  Annesley,  and  nine- 
 teen children  were  afterwards  added  to  their  family  circle. 
 Such  privations,  sufferings,  and  hardships  seldom  fall  to  the  lot 
 of  any  household,  as  became  the  inheritance  of  the  Wesley 
 family  ;  and  yet  no  other  family  since  the  days  of  the  Apostles 
 did  more  for  the  spread  of  pure  religion,  and  for  the  glory  of 
 God.  The  venerable  rector  was  author  of  the  "  Life  of  Christ," 
 an  heroic  poem  ;  the  "  History  of  the  Old  and  New  Testament " 
 in  verse,  in  3  vols. ;  the  "  History  of  Job,"  in  Latin,  and  other 
 books  ;  and  died,  after  being  rector  of  Epworth  forty  years, 
 25th  April,  1735,  aged  72,  and  was  interred  in  the  churchyard 
 at  Epworth. 
 
 This  hymn  has  been  instrumental  in  the  hands  of  God  in 
 pointing  many  sinners  to  their  Saviour.  The  Rev.  Owen  Davis, 
 born  at  Wrexham,  North  Wales,  in  1752,  was  influenced  by  the 
 
HYMN  22.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  3 1 
 
 example  of  godly  Methodists,  through  whom  he  was  led  to  their 
 preaching,  and  once  there,  one  asked  him  if  he  had  "  a  desire  to 
 flee  from  the  wrath  to  come  ?  "  Another  invited  him  to  a  class- 
 meeting,  and  through  meeting  with  the  people  of  God,  light 
 soon  rose  on  his  dark  mind.  After  .meeting  in  class  nine 
 months,  at  a  love-feast,  while  one  was  giving  out  the  hymn 
 commencing — 
 
 "Behold  the  Saviour  of  mankind 
 Nail'd  to  the  shameful  tree  !  " 
 
 he  was  enabled  to  see  that  Christ  bore  his  sins  in  His  own  body, 
 and  that  His  blood  was  a  sufficient  atonement  for  the  sins  of 
 the  whole  world.  The  change  wrought  in  his  life  was  manifest 
 to  all.  He  became  one  of  the  Community  preachers  in  London, 
 and  by  Benjamin  Rhodes,  for  whom  he  preached  at  five  o'clock 
 one  morning  in  City  Road  Chapel,  he  was  recommended  to  Mr. 
 Wesley,  and  afterwards  accepted  as  a  preacher.  A  long  life  of 
 useful  labour  as  an  earnest  minister  of  the  Gospel  was  the  best 
 evidence  of  his  change  of  heart ;  and  he  died  as  he  had  lived, 
 honouring  the  grace  of  God,  12th  January,  1830,  aged  seventy- 
 seven  years. 
 
 We  commemorate  the  dying  of  our  blessed  Lord  on  the  day 
 we  call  Good  Friday.  On  that  day,  in  1840,  a  truly  good  man, 
 Mr.  H.  Wight,  a  class-leader,  attended  divine  worship  in  the 
 Wesleyan  Chapel  at  Plymouth  in  the  early  part  of  the  day,  in 
 his  usual  health.  In  the  afternoon  he  walked  with  his  wife  to 
 the  prayer  meeting,  and  went  up  to  the  desk.  Opening  the 
 hymn  book,  he  announced  the  22nd  Hymn,  and  read — 
 
 "Behold  the  Saviour  of  mankind 
 Nail'd  to  the  shameful  tree  !  " 
 
 Scarcely  had  he  uttered  the  last  word  when  he  fell ;  pulsation 
 and  breathing  appeared  to  cease  in  a  moment,  his  spirit  had 
 passed,  without  a  moment's  notice  of  illness,  to  the  beatific 
 vision  amongst  the  redeemed,  and  he  saw  Jesus  for  himself 
 without  a  cloud  between.  Few  die  so  suddenly — none  more 
 safely  ;  his  was  a  translation  ;  he  knew  not  death  or  dying,  but 
 by  one  step  he  passed  direct  from  blissful  service  on  earth  to 
 eternal  rest  in  heaven,  17th  April,  1840,  aged  forty  years. 
 
 "  I  remember,"  writes  a  Sabbath-school  teacher,  "  the  image 
 of  a  gentle  girl  who  was  missed  from  the  school  but  one  Sunday, 
 and  then  we  heard  that  Gertrude  was  no  more.  In  her  brief 
 sickness,  while  she  was  able  to  give  expression  to  her  thoughts, 
 
32  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  22. 
 
 she  spoke  of  the  happy  days  in  the  school.     '  Mother,'  said  she, 
 '  turn  to  that  hymn,  beginning  with — 
 
 •'  Behold  the  Saviour  of  mankind, 
 Nailed  to  the  shameful  tree  ! 
 How-vast  the  love  that  Ilim  inclined 
 To  bleed  and  die  for  thee  !  " 
 
 The  entire  hymn  was  read,  and  the  joyous  girl  responded, '  Now, 
 mother,  mind  the  line 
 
 "  '  To  bleed  and  die  for — me,' 
 
 Yes,  He  did  !  for  me,  for  me  !     He  calls  me  home  ! '    This  was 
 
 her  parting  word.     The  mother  was  left  behind  to  ponder  the 
 
 line, 
 
 *"  To  bleed  and  die  for  thee ! '  " 
 
 "  Good  Friday  !  Oh,  how  I  love  the  return  of  Good  Friday," 
 said  a  silver-haired,  saintly  woman,  as  she  sat  with  a  friend  at 
 the  door  of  her  home  in  the  twilight  of  that  Christian  memorial 
 day.  Her  eyes  seemed  to  reflect  holy  light  from  the  mysterious 
 Cross,  and  her  voice  was  tremulous  with  sacred  feeling,  as  she 
 said,  '  It  was  on  a  Good  Friday  evening  that  my  heart  was  first 
 broken  as  I  listened  to  the  story  of  the  Cross  ;  and  then  healed, 
 as  the  music  of  that  hymn  seemed  to  come  direct  from  heaven 
 with  life  in  the  words, 
 
 "  *  O  Lamb  of  God  !  was  ever  pain, 
 Was  ever  love  like  Thine  ! ' 
 
 "  Oh,  how  dear  have  those  words  been  to  me  ever  since  !  It 
 is,  indeed,  my  Good  Friday  hymn.  This  day's  return  is  always 
 sweet  and  memorable ;  that  hymn  is  my  heart's  music  through  its 
 hours,  and  will  be  till  I  go  to  see  Him.'" 
 
 Another  example  is  worthy  of  record  of  the  words  of  this 
 hymn  having  been  made  use  of  by  the  Holy  Spirit  to  lead  a 
 penitent  into  the  enjoyment  of  the  liberty  which  pardon  brings. 
 The  mother  of  the  late  Dr.  Jobson  left  the  impress  of  her 
 transparent  piety  on  the  heart  of  her  son,  and  in  return  that 
 son  has  embalmed  the  memory  of  his  sainted  mother  in  a 
 Memoir  which  exhibits  much  of  heavenly  wisdom.  In  early 
 life,  that  mother  had  partaken  of  the  sacred  emblems  of  our 
 Lord's  passion,  and  with  a  bruised  spirit  she  returned  home  to 
 seek  a  personal  interest  in  the  atonement.  On  repeating  the 
 hymn  commencing — 
 
 "Behold  the  Saviour  of  mankind,"  &c.. 
 
HYMN  23.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  33 
 
 she  was  enabled  to  appropriate  by  faith,  to  her  own  case,  the 
 merits  of  the  death  of  Christ ;  and  then,  while  uttering  the 
 verse,  commencing — 
 
 "  But  soon  He'll  break  death's  envious  chain, 
 And  in  full  glory  shine, "  &c., 
 
 her  soul  burst  into  the  clear  sunlight  and  liberty  of  the  children 
 of  God.  The  bright  example  of  a  life  of  fifty-four  years,  was 
 the  best  evidence  of  the  certainty  of  the  change  which  divine 
 grace  had  wrought.     She  died  2nd  October,  1840. 
 
 Hymn  23. — "Extended  on  a  cursed  tree." — '-^  They  shall  look 
 071  Me  whom  they  have  pierced^^  (Zech.  xii.  12). — TUNE, 
 Pudsey,  1761. 
 
 John  Wesley  was  very  successful  in  his  translation  of  Ger- 
 man hymns.  The  original  of  this  one  was  written  by  Paul 
 Gerhardt,  in  1659  »  ^^  forms  No.  104  in  the  Hernhutt  Collection, 
 and,  in  its  English  dress,  first  appeared  in  "  Hymns  and  Sacred 
 Poems,"  1740,  on  page  34.  It  is  reprinted  in  the  first  volume  of 
 Charles  Wesley's  "  Poetical  Works,"  1868.  There  are  twenty- 
 four  of  John  Wesley's  translations  in  the  hymn  book,  of  which 
 this  is  the  first. 
 
 Paul  Gerhardt  was  born  at  Graefenhaenichen,  in  Saxony, 
 in  1606.  He  suffered  much  during  the  Thirty  Years'  War.  He 
 first  became  a  village  pastor,  when  he  married  ;  and  in  1657 
 was  called  to  St.  Nicholas  Church  in  Berlin,  and  soon  became 
 known  and  esteemed  through  his  beautiful  hymns.  He  published 
 the  first  collection  of  his  hymns  in  1666,  and  in  the  same  year 
 he  was  deposed  from  his  spiritual  office  because  he  would  not 
 belong  to  either  the  Lutheran  or  the  Reformed  party  in  the 
 Church.  He  was  first  deposed,  then  reinstated,  then  altogether 
 removed  from  office  in  the  Church,  and  had  to  depend  on  the 
 alms  of  his  friends  to  save  him  from  want.  During  the  period 
 of  his  non-employment  in  the  Church,  he  wrote  some  of  his  best 
 hymns.  He  died,  weary  and  aged,  7th  June,  1676,  giving  a 
 beautiful  dying  charge  to  his  only  son,  urging  him  to  remain 
 steadfast  in  the  faith.  His  portrait,  in  the  church  at  Liibben, 
 bears  the  inscription,  "A  divine  sifted  in  Satan's  sieve."  He 
 left  one  hundred  and  twenty-three  hymns,  of  which  more  than 
 thirty  are  patterns  of  hymns  for  all  time.  Next  to  Luther,  Paul 
 Gerhardt  was  the  greatest  and  most  popular  hymn-writer  in 
 
 c 
 
34  METHODIST  HVMN  HOOK  NOTES.  HYMN   24. 
 
 (}ermany,  and  emphatically  the  people's  poet.  No  other 
 German  writer  has  had  so  many  of  his  hymns  translated  into 
 English. 
 
 Hymn  24.—"  Saviour,  if  Thy  precious  love."— Title, 
 "  Dialogue,"  1633. 
 A  remarkable  man  wrote  this  hymn,  George  Herbert  by  name. 
 He  was  well  known  in  the  English  Church  when  John  Wesley's 
 grandfather  was  alive.  He  was  one  of  the  most  distinguished 
 churchmen  of  the  age  in  which  he  lived,  and  descended  from 
 the  Earls  of  Pembroke.  George  Herbert  was  born  at  the  castle 
 of  Montgomery,  near  the  town  of  that  name,  3rd  April,  1593,  and 
 was  the  fifth  of  seven  brothers.  He  was  educated  at  home  under 
 loving  maternal  care,  afterwards  at  Westminster  and  Cambridge, 
 entering  Trinity  College  in  1608.  He  began  to  write  hymns  and 
 poetry  at  the  age  of  fifteen,  he  sending  his  beloved  mother  a 
 sonnet  from  college  at  that  age.  He  was  public  orator  at  the 
 University,  and  was  courted  by  the  most  learned  men  of  the  age. 
 He  was  for  a  time  in  favour  at  Court,  where  he  sought  prefer- 
 ment, but,  entering  holy  orders,  he  made  this  resolve,  "  I  will 
 labour  to  make  the  name  of  priest  honourable  by  consecrating 
 all  my  learning  and  abilities  to  advance  the  glory  of  that  God 
 who  gave  them.  I  can  never  do  too  much  for  Him  that  hath 
 done  so  much  for  me  as  to  make  me  a  Christian.  I  will  labour 
 to  be  like  my  Saviour  by  making  humility  lovely  in  the  eyes  of 
 all  men,  and  by  following  the  example  of  Jesus."  His  short 
 Church-life  was  in  accordance  with  his  resolution,  and  his  name 
 is  as  sweet  perfume  to  the  present  day.  In  1630  he  was 
 appointed  rector  of  Bemerton,  near  Salisbury,  where  he  died  in 
 1632,  aged  only  thirty-eight  years.  In  1633  his  poems  were 
 published  in  a  small  volume,  which  has  been  popular  ever  since, 
 under  the  title  of  "  The  Temple,"  Sacred  Poems  and  Private 
 Ejaculations.  The  second  part  is  entitled,  "  The  Synagogue  ; 
 or,  The  Shadow  of  the  Temple."  John  Wesley  was  so 
 much  in  love  with  George  Herbert's  poetr>^,  that  he  bestowed 
 great  pains  in  adapting  many  of  his  pieces  to  the  taste  and 
 requirements  of  the  age  in  which  he  lived.  More  than  forty  of 
 these  were  printed  by  Mr.  Wesley  in  the  collection  he  published 
 in  1739,  ^^^  t^^  hymn  now  under  notice  is  on  pages  120-21, 
 with  the  title,  "  The  Dialogue,"  between  Christ  and  a  child. 
 Although  the  sentiment  is  somewhat  similar,  the  words  differ 
 considerably.     Herbert's  first  verse  is  as  follows — 
 
HYMN  25.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  35 
 
 *'  Sweetest  Saviour,  if  my  soul 
 
 Were  but  worth  the  having, 
 Quickly  should  I  then  control 
 
 Any  thought  of  waving  ; 
 But  when  all  my  care  and  pains 
 Cannot  give  the  name  of  gains, 
 To  Thy  wretch  so  full  of  stains. 
 What  delight  or  hope  remains  ?  " 
 
 Here,  as  in  other  instances,  John  Wesley's  fine  poetic  taste  is 
 very  manifest.  This  hymn  takes  the  place  of  one  which, 
 having  in  it  some  objectionable  words,  has  been  excluded.  It 
 was  "  A  Passion  Hymn,"  and  began — 
 
 "Ye  that  pass  by,  behold  the  man." 
 
 Hymn  25  formed  part  of  the  same.  Complaints  had  long  been 
 made  of  both  of  them,  and  the  suggested  corrections  were  made 
 the  subject  of  a  long  and  interesting  article,  by  the  Rev. 
 Thomas  Jackson,  in  the  Wesleyan  Magazine^  1854,  page  778, 
 et  seq.  The  whole  article  is  a  defence  of  the  language  used  by 
 the  Wesleys  against  some  of  the  minor  critics  who  have 
 presumed  to  turn  "  correctors." 
 
 Hymn  25. — "Come  unto  Me,  all  ye  that  labour  and  are  heavy 
 laden." — Stupendous  love  of  God  Most  High  / 
 
 Charles  Wesley  published  two  volumes  of  "  Short  Scripture 
 Hymns"  in  1762.  These  he  afterwards  revised,  and  in  that 
 form  they  were  republished  a  few  years  after  his  death.  After 
 that  revision,  he  made  corrections  and  additions,  and  one  of  the 
 additional  hymns  he  left  in  MS.  is  the  one  now  used  as  Hymn 
 25.  It  forms  No.  290  of  Charles  Wesley's  "Hymns  on  the 
 Four  Gospels,"  "■  Poetical  Works,"  vol.  x.,  page  253,  and  is  based 
 on  Matthew  xi.  28.  In  the  same  author's  "  Short  Hymns  on 
 Scripture,"  that  verse  is  represented  by  one  short  stanza,  based 
 on  the  last  clause  of  the  verse,  "  I  will  give  you  rest,"  and  is 
 as  follows — 
 
 "  Rest  of  my  weary  mind, 
 My  burthen 'd  spirit's  ease, 
 Coming  to  Thee  I  find  : 
 
 But  gasp  in  perfect  peace 
 To  live  of  holiness  possest, 
 To  die  unto  eternal  rest." 
 
36  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  26. 
 
 HYMN  26. — "  I  thirst,  Thou  wounded  Lamb  of  God.' — A  Prayer 
 to  C/^r/j/.— Tune,  Complaint,  1761. 
 
 The  original  of  this  hymn  was  written  in  German  by  Count 
 Zinzendorf  and  John  and  Anna  Nitschman.  It  was  translated 
 by  John  Wesley,  and  published  in  "  Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems," 
 1740.  It  is  difficult  to  determine  the  exact  authorship  when 
 three  names  are  connected  with  this  hymn.  A  short  notice  of 
 Count  Zinzendorf  will  be  found  under  Hymn  190.  John  and 
 Anna  Nitschman  were  the  children  of  David  Nitschman,  of  the 
 Moravian  settlement  at  Hernhutt.  All  three  were  for  many 
 years  connected  officially  with  the  church  there.  John  was  the 
 resident  minister  of  the  church  at  Hernhutt  in  May,  1760,  when 
 the  Count  died,  and  he  read  the  funeral  service  at  the  grave, 
 although  two  bishops  were  present.  Anna  Nitschman  was 
 born  in  1715.  Her  piety  was  so  marked,  that  in  1730,  at  the 
 age  of  fifteen,  she  was  made  a  female  elder.  In  1741,  she 
 emigrated  with  her  father  to  America,  and  travelled  there  with 
 Count  Zinzendorf,  by  whom  Anna  was  highly  esteemed.  She 
 afterwards  returned  to  Germany.  The  Countess  Zinzendorf  died 
 in  1756,  and  just  one  year  afterwards,  Anna  Nitschman  became 
 the  Count's  second  wife.  They  lived  only  three  years  together, 
 and  died  within  twelve  days  of  each  other,  in  May,  1760,  and 
 are  interred  side  by  side  in  the  Hernhutt  cemeter}'.  She  was 
 aged  forty-five.  Her  portrait  is  preserved  at  the  Settlement,  and 
 is  engraved  in  the  Coitiiry  Monthly  Magazme^  February,  1882. 
 
 Like  many  of  the  German  Hymns,  this  combines  Scriptural 
 truth,  poetical  fervour,  and  deep  religious  experience.  It  has 
 been  long  a  favourite  with  new  converts,  and  will  always  find 
 admirers  amongst  those  who  are  beginning  to  know  something 
 of  the  boundless  love  of  Christ,  and  who  are  desiring  conformity 
 to  His  mind  and  will. 
 
 John  Tasker,  late  of  Skipton,  sought  the  Lord  in  early  life. 
 He  was  convinced  of  sin  under  the  preaching  of  Dr.  Bunting 
 and  Dr.  Newton,  and  much  encouraged  in  his  religious  life  by 
 the  Rev.  John  Crosse,  vicar  of  Bradford.  When  he  gave  his 
 heart  to  God,  he  gave  all  his  powers  to  be  used  in  His  service, 
 and  during  a  long  life  he  faithfully  served  the  Lord.  When 
 failing  health  indicated  the  approach  of  death,  he  said  with 
 resignation — 
 
 *'  I  thirst,  Thou  wounded  Lamb  of  God, 
 To  wash  me  in  Thy  cleansing  blood  ; 
 
HYMN  26.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  37 
 
 To  dwell  within  Thy  wounds  :  then  pain 
 Is  sweet,  and  life  or  death  is  gain." 
 He  died  as  he  had  lived,  at  peace  with  God,  3rd  September, 
 1864,  aged  seventy-one. 
 
 During  many  years  of  suffering,  Mary  Pritchard  testified  by 
 patient  endurance,  and  loving  obedience  to  the  will  of  God, 
 that  she  had  passed  from  death  unto  life.  The  Methodist 
 society  at  Tintern  Abbey  was  adorned  by  her  godly  example, 
 and  when  death  was  before  her,  she  called  her  husband  to  join 
 her  in  singing  her  favourite  hymn,  commencing — 
 
 "  I  thirst,  Thou  wounded  Lamb  of  God,"  &c. 
 At  its  close  she  exclaimed,  "  I  nothing  have  ;    I  nothing  am. 
 Jesus  !   Jesus  ! "  and  with  these  words   she  fell  on  sleep,  6th 
 January,  1840,  aged  sixty  years. 
 
 A  venerable  man  was  William  Walton,  of  Wakefield.  After  a 
 life  of  more  than  fourscore  years,  during  which  he  enjoyed  con- 
 stant communion  with  God,  at  its  close,  with  tranquillity,  he 
 faintly  articulated,  "  Jesus  is  all  the  world  to  me  ! "  and  his  last 
 utterance  before  entering  paradise  was — 
 
 "  Take  my  poor  heart,  and  let  it  be 
 For  ever  closed  to  all  but  Thee!  " 
 
 He  entered  heaven,  23rd  January,  1841,  aged  eighty-three. 
 
 James  Isitt,  of  Bedford,  was  called  at  an  early  age  to  exchange 
 mortality  for  life.  But  he  left  behind  him  a  godly  example  and 
 influence  which  is  seen  in  the  career  of  his  son  Francis,  who 
 recently  dedicated  his  life  to  the  service  of  God  in  the  Wesleyan 
 ministry.  Important  are  the  words  of  one  who  is  just  detaching 
 himself  from  earth.  Shortly  before  his  departure  to  heaven, 
 Mr.  Isitt  repeated  the  verse  commencing — 
 
 "  I  thirst,  Thou  wounded  Lamb  of  God,"  &c. 
 
 Then  adding  the  next  verse,  "Take  my  poor  heart,"  &c.,  he 
 exclaimed  with  deep  pathos,  "  Take  it  now,  Lord  ;  I  need  not 
 wait  till  I  am  better."  His  latest  expressions  indicated  the 
 serenity  of  undisturbed  peace.     Died  28th  October,  1857. 
 
 In  the  furnace  of  affliction,  William  Goodacre,  of  Long  Sutton, 
 Nottingham,  found  the  consolations  of  the  Gospel  more  than 
 equal  to  his  sufferings.  Rendered  by  disease  incapable  of 
 bearing  any  excitement,  he  would  yet  often  say — 
 
 "  How  can  it  be,  Thou  heavenly  King, 
 That  Thou  should st  me  to  glory  bring  ?  " 
 
38  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTKS.  HYMN  29. 
 
 Nature  at  length  yielded  in  the  striigt^le,  and  triumph  crowned 
 the  end,  26th  November,  1840,  aged  sixty-six  years. 
 
 There  is  a  benignity  and  tenderness  in  the  character  of  the 
 Rev.  William  Entwisle,  which  his  sainted  father  has  placed  on 
 record.  In  the  very  prime  of  a  most  useful  ministerial  life,  the 
 Master  saw  fit  to  call  him  home  ;  and  the  blessed  influence 
 which  attended  his  interviews  with  the  preachers,  indicates  more 
 of  heavenly  than  of  earthly  manifestations.  After  partaking  of 
 the  memorials  of  the  Lord's  death,  he  said — 
 
 '"How  can  it  be,  Thou  heavenly  King, 
 That  Thou  shouldst  me  to  glory  bring?' 
 
 I  am  a  poor  sinner;  the  chief  of  sinners  ;  but  Jesus  died  for  me. 
 Free  grace  for  ever,  free  grace  !  "  Rejoicing  with  such  hope  he 
 entered  heaven,  14th  July,  1831,  aged  thirty-one  years. 
 
 Hymn  27. — "  Saviour,  the  world's  and  mine." — A  Hy?nn  to 
 C/in'sf.— Tune,  West  Street,  1761. 
 
 This  is  one  the  earliest  of  Charles  Wesley's  compositions, 
 and  is  found  first  in  his  *'  Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1739. 
 This  is  an  exact  reprint,  and  was  probably  written  a  short  time 
 before  his  conversion,  as  the  words  themselves  indicate. 
 
 Hymn  28.—"  O  love  divine  !  what  hast  thou  done  !  ''—Desirini 
 to  Zd?w.— Tune,  112th  Psalm,  1761. 
 
 This  hymn  first  appeared  in  Charles  Wesley's  "  Hymns  and] 
 Sacred  Poems,"  1742.  It  is  a  sweet  and  touching  composition. 
 The  late  Rev.  Dr.  Thomas  Osmond  Summers  of  America, 
 supposes  that  the  refrain  of  this  hymn,  "  My  Lord,  my  love,  is 
 crucified,"  is  taken  from  Ignatius,  martyr  in  the  Primitive 
 Church.  The  same  line  is  found  in  J.  Mason's  "  Songs  of 
 Praise,"  which  appeared  in  1683.  It  is  also  used  by  other 
 sacred  poets. 
 
 Hymn  29. — "  Come,  ye  weary  sinners,  come," — For  those  that\ 
 seek  Rede7nptio7i. — TUNE,  Foundr)',  1761. 
 
 This  forms  No.  10  in  Charles  Wesley's  "Redemption  Hymns," 
 1747.     The  latter  half  of  the  second  and  the  first  half  of  theJ 
 third  verse  in  the   original  are  omitted.     The  second  line  is) 
 altered  from  "  All  who  groan  to  bear  your  load,"  to  "  All  who 
 
HYMN  29.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  39 
 
 groan  beneath,"  &c.  ;  and  the  fourteenth  line  is  altered  from 
 "Cast  on  thee  our  sin  and  care,"  to  "Cast  on  thee  our  every  care." 
 Testimony  to  the  value  of  class-meetings  in  Methodism  is  not 
 wanting.  Joshua  Thorley,  of  Macclesfield,  was  taken  to  the 
 house  of  prayer  when  a  child,  by  a  beloved  sister  ;  he  became 
 convinced  of  sin.  He  accepted  an  invitation  to  a  class-meeting, 
 in  which  he  earnestly  sought  salvation  by  faith  in  Christ.  While 
 he  was  at  that  means  of  grace  one  day,  and  while  the  members 
 were  singing  the  verse — 
 
 "  Come,  ye  weary  sinners,  come, 
 All  who  groan  beneath  your  load, 
 Jesus  calls  His  wanderers  home : 
 Hasten  to  your  pardoning  God," 
 
 he  was  enabled  to  believe  on  Jesus  as  his  Saviour.  Light  and 
 love  sprang  up  in  his  heart,  he  rested  on  the  promises,  and 
 returned  home  a  happy  man.  From  that  time  to  the  end  of  his 
 earthly  pilgrimage,  he  went  on  his  way  rejoicing  in  God  as  his 
 reconciled  Father  ;  and  he  gave  to  the  Church  of  his  choice 
 forty  years  of  consistent  piety  and  devoted  service.  He  died 
 25th  March,  1844,  aged  sixty  years. 
 
 The  same  hymn  which  has  been  used  as  the  means  of  leading 
 a  sinner  to  Christ  was  also  found  equally  useful  and  consoling 
 to  a  dear  departing  one,  at  the  end  of  her  earthly  journey. 
 Matilda,  daughter  of  the  Rev.  William  Dalby,  was  in  early  life 
 serious  and  thoughtful,  and  in  riper  years  the  comfort  and  joy 
 of  her  parents.  Seven  of  her  sisters  preceded  her  to  heaven,  her 
 watchful  care  of  whom,  and  especially  over  her  suffering  mother, 
 impaired  her  own  health.  After  Mrs.  Dalby's  death,  the  health 
 of  her  only  surviving  daughter  rapidly  declined  ;  but  she  knew 
 in  whom  she  had  believed.  During  her  last  affliction,  she 
 delighted  in  hearing  the  Word  of  God  read  to  her  by  her  father. 
 The  following  verse  of  the  29th  Hymn  she  often  repeated — 
 
 "  Fain  I  would  on  Thee  rely, 
 Cast  on  Thee  my  every  care, 
 To  Thine  arms  of  mercy  fly, 
 Find  my  lasting  quiet  there," 
 
 saying  to  her  father,  "  That  is  just  my  place."  She  also 
 delighted  in  the  other  verses.  Shortly  before  her  departure  she 
 sung  with  evident  rapture,  "  There  is  a  land  of  pure  delight," 
 &c.,  and  then,  after  a  brief  rest,  quietly  fell  asleep  in  Jesus, 
 i8th  April,  1858,  aged  forty-six  years. 
 
40  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  30. 
 
 Hymn  30. — "Where  shall  my  wondering  soul  begin?" — Clirist 
 the  friend  of  sinners. — TUNE,  Frankfort,  1761. 
 
 The  original  appears  in  Charles  Wesley's  "Hymns  and  Sacred 
 Poems,"  1739. 
 
 Very  few  are  aware  of  the  interest  which  belongs  to  this  hymn. 
 It  was  written  in  May,  1738,  by  Charles  Wesley,  with  another  of 
 like  character,  No.  201  in  the  Hymn  Book,  which  commences, 
 "  And  can  it  be  that  I  should  gain,"  &c.  What  the  author  of 
 this  hymn  has  written  concerning  it  is  so  full  of  interest,  we 
 cannot  refrain  from  quoting  it.  After  the  spiritual  guidance 
 which  the  brothers  Wesley  had  received  from  Peter  Bohler,  they 
 were  separated,  and  Charles  Wesley  w^ent  to  reside  with  a  poor 
 brazier  named  Thomas  Bray,  in  Little  Britain,  "who  knew 
 nothing  but  Christ,"  who  had  to  supply  Bohler's  place  in 
 explaining  the  way  of  salvation  by  faith.  On  21st  May,  1738, 
 Charles  Wesley  was  enabled  to  say,  "  I  believe,  I  believe  ! " 
 What  follows  is  from  his  "  Journal,"  under  date  of  23rd  May. 
 "  At  nine  I  began  a  hymn  on  my  conversion,  but  was  persuaded 
 to  break  off  for  fear  of  pride.  Mr.  Bray 'coming,  encouraged  me 
 to  proceed  in  spite  of  Satan.  I  prayed  Christ  to  stand  by  me 
 and  finished  the  hymn.  Upon  my  afterwards  showing  it  to  Mr. 
 Bray,  the  devil  threw  in  a  fiery  dart,  suggesting  that  it  was  wrong, 
 and  I  had  displeased  God.  My  heart  sank  within  me  ;  when, 
 casting  my  eyes  upon  a  Prayer-book,  I  met  with  an  answer  for 
 him  :  '  Why  boastest  thou  thyself,  thou  tyrant,  that  thou  must 
 do  mischief.?'  Upon  this  I  clearly  discerned  that  it  was  a 
 device  of  the  enemy  to  keep  back  glory  from  God.  And  it  is 
 not  unusual  with  him  to  preach  humility,  when  speaking  will 
 endanger  his  kingdom,  or  do  honour  to  Christ.  Least  of  all 
 would  he  have  us  tell  what  things  God  has  done  for  our  souls; 
 so  tenderly  does  he  guard  us  from  pride.  But  God  has  showed 
 me  He  can  defend  me  from  it  while  speaking  for  Him." 
 "  There  is,"  says  the  Rev.  John  Kirk,  "a  remarkable  coincidence 
 between  the  spirit  and  language  of  the  'Journal'  and  that  of  the 
 hymn.  As  soon  as  he  begins  to  express  his  joy  he  is  tempted 
 to  stay  his  pen.  He  resolves  to  perform  his  vows  unto  the 
 Lord,  of  not  hiding  His  righteousness  within  his  heart.  This 
 harmonises  exactly  with  the  third  and  fourth  verses,  probably 
 composed  after  the  temptation  to  desist.  He  asks,  '  And  shall 
 I  slight  my  Father's  love?'  &c.  Two  days  afterwards,  John 
 Wesley  also  was  able  to  believe  to  the  salvation  of  his  soul. 
 
HYMN  S$.  METHODIST  HYxMN  BOOK  NOTES.  41 
 
 Happy  in  the  pardoning  love  of  God,  John  was  accompanied  by 
 a  number  of  his  friends,  shortly  before  ten  at  night,  to  Mr. 
 Bray's  house  in  Little  Britain,  where  Charles  was  confined  by 
 illness.  The  two  brothers  and  their  companions  were  overjoyed, 
 and  Charles  records,  "  We  sang  the  hymn  with  great  joy,  and 
 parted  with  prayer." 
 
 Hymn  31. — "  See,  sinners,  in  the  Gospel  glass  ;  " 
 „      32. — "  Sinners,  believe  the  Gospel  Word  ; " 
 »      33' — "  Would  Jesus  have  the  sinner  die  ?  " — 
 Jesus  Christy  the  Saviour  of  all  men. — TuNES,  Frankfort, 
 Carey's,  and  Mourners,  1761. 
 
 The  original  forms  Hymn  No.  10 in  Charles  Wesley's  "Hymns 
 on  God's  Everlasting  Love,"  1741,  and  it  extends  to  twenty-eight 
 stanzas,  thirteen  only  of  which  are  given  in  these  three  hymns. 
 In  two  places  "in"  is  changed  for  "through,"  as,  for  instance, 
 "  Pardon  ye  all  in  Him,"  is  changed  to  "through  Him,"  and  as 
 usual  "  dear  "  loving  is  altered  to  "  thou  "  loving,  in  Hymn  33. 
 
 The  widow  of  Thomas  Smith,  of  Thurvaston,  Derbyshire,  after 
 a  long  life  of  faithful  service,  was  deprived  of  her  husband,  and 
 herself  laid  prostrate,  within  a  short  period.  The  afternoon 
 before  her  death  she  said  to  her  children,  "  I  have  no  abiding 
 city  here  ;  why  should  I  wish  to  stay?  My  home  is  in  heaven." 
 During  the  night  she  repeated  the  hymn  commencing — 
 
 "  Would  Jesus  have  the  sinner  die  ?  "  &c., 
 
 and  afterwards  added,  "  What  should  I  do  now  if  I  had  religion 
 to  seek?"  She  exhorted  those  around  her  bed  to  give  their 
 hearts  to  the  Lord  :  then  with  much  solemnity  and  sweetness 
 she  exclaimed,  "  My  Lord,  and  my  God,"  and  a  few  minutes 
 later  her  redeemed  spirit  passed  to'  the  beatific  vision,  26th 
 May,  1845,  aged  seventy-four  years. 
 
 During  forty-four  years  James  Stokoe  served  God  and  Method- 
 ism in  his  native  county  of  Durham.  He  greatly  loved  the 
 Scriptures  and  old  Methodist  preachers.  As  he  drew  near  his 
 end  he  enjoyed  more  than  ever  the  preciousness  of  the  Saviour, 
 often  repeating  the  verse  in  the  33rd  Hymn,  commencing — 
 
 "  Oh,  let  me  kiss  Thy  bleeding  feet, 
 
 And  bathe  and  wash  them  with  my  tears,  "&c., 
 
43  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  34. 
 
 and  also  another  verse  commencing — 
 
 "  O  love,  thou  bottomless  abyss,"  &c. 
 He   lived  uprightly,  and  died  happily,  4th  April,   1821,  aged 
 sixty-eight  years. 
 
 Hymn  34. — "  Let  earth  and  heaven  agree."— (9«  God's 
 everlasting  love. — TUNE,  Trumpet,  1781. 
 
 This  hymn  forms  No.  1 1  in  Charles  Wesley's  "  Hymns  on 
 God's  Everlasting  Love,"  1741.  Three  verses  are  omitted,  and 
 in  the  sixth,  "  How  swiftly  "  is  changed  from  "  How  freely  "  in 
 the  original.  Mr.  Wesley  printed  this  hymn  in  the  Arminian 
 Magazine^  vol.  i.,  page  191. 
 
 Mrs.  Alice  Car\'Osso,  a  Cornish  lady  of  cultivated  mind,  good 
 taste,  and  consistent  piety,  suffered  in  her  last  protracted  illness 
 the  most  intense  agony  of  body ;  but  in  the  midst  of  her  afflic- 
 tion she  found  great  comfort  in  reading  the  Word  of  God,  and 
 in  singing  Wesley's  hymns.  Towards  the  close  of  her  life  she 
 dwelt  particularly  on  this  admirable  hymn — 
 
 **Let  earth  and  heaven  agree,"  &c. 
 This  she  thought  was  the  most  excellent  in  all   Mr.  W^esley's 
 collection.     Though  her  physical  agony  was  intense,  her  mind 
 was  kept  in  peace,  and  just  before  her  departure,  her  dying 
 testimony  was,  "  Precious  Jesus  !"     She  died  in  July,  1813. 
 
 Rev.  Gervase  Smith,  D.D.,  was  born  at  Langley  Mill,  a 
 village  in  Derbyshire,  on  the  27th  of  June,  182 1.  He  grew  up 
 amidst  home  influences,  to  which,  and  especially  to  the  solici- 
 tude of  his  mother,  he  ascribed  his  conversion.  Peace  did  not 
 come  without  a  struggle.  Victory  was  at  last  gained  through 
 faith,  and  on  the  very  spot  where  in  his  youth  he  found  peace, 
 he  was  led  to  say — and  to  sing — 
 
 "  What  shall  I  do  to  make  it  known 
 What  Thou  for  all  mankind  has  done  ?  " 
 
 He  spoke  of  his  birthplace  as  an  obscure  hamlet  in  Derby- 
 shire, and  of  his  childhood  as  having  been  passed  amongst  the 
 scenes  and  associations  "of  the  hill  countr)'."  To  them  he 
 ascribed  "  a  sort  of  sturdy  almost  rude  independence  "  which,  he 
 said,  grew  with  his  growth,  and  strengthened  with  his  strength. 
 These  associations  were  strengthened  by  his  life  at  Sheffield, 
 whence  he  went  across  the  moors  to  the  valley  down  which  the 
 Derwent  runs,  and  the  nooks  of  secluded  beauty  at  Ladybower 
 
HYMN  34.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  43 
 
 and  beyond.  At  Sheffield  he  was  accepted  as  a  candidate  for 
 the  itinerant  ministry,  which  he  commenced  in  1844.  For 
 twenty-six  years,  he  was  in  labours  more  abundant,  in  every 
 department  of  Connexional  Service,  and  for  twelve  years  he  was 
 the  untiring  and  ever-zealous  Secretary  of  the  Metropolitan 
 Chapel  Building  Fund.  As  Secretary  and  President  of  Confer- 
 ence, as  Representative  of  the  English  Conference  in  Canada 
 and  in  Australia,  and  Ireland,  he  made  for  himself  an  honour- 
 able reputation,  which  will  live  long  after  him.  He  was  the 
 endeared  and  life-long  friend  of  Dr.  Punshon,  and  they  were 
 called  to  the  rest  of  heaven,  Dr.  Punshon  just  before  Easter  of 
 1881,  Dr.  Smith  just  after  Easter,  1882,  aged  sixty-one  years. 
 
 A  soul  in  deep  distress  will  seek  for  relief,  and  next  to  the 
 Bible,  no  book  has  more  aided  the  seeking  penitent  than 
 Wesley's  Hymns.  The  village  schoolmaster  of  Walkeringham, 
 Notts,  William  Morris,  became  concerned  for  the  salvation  of 
 his  soul.     The  verse  of  this  hymn, 
 
 "Stung  by  the  scorpion  sin,"  Sec, 
 
 so  impressed  his  mind,  that  he  gave  God  no  rest  till  he  found 
 pardon,  and  in  his  after  life,  as  a  class-leader  and  local  preacher, 
 he  gave  most  gratifying  evidence  how  entire  was  the  change 
 divine  grace  had  wrought  within  him.  Resting  alone  on  the 
 atonement,  he  fell  asleep  in  Jesus,  21st  November,  1864,  aged 
 sixty-nine  years. 
 
 The  triumphs  of  divine  grace  are  so  often  repeated,  the 
 recording  angel  alone  can  tell  how  great  is  the  sum  of  blessing 
 vouchsafed  by  God  to  man.  Shortly  before  Mr.  Wesley's  death, 
 William  Thompson,  then  a  sailor,  was  induced  to  attend  the 
 Methodist  preaching,  and  becoming  convinced  of  sin,  in  great 
 distress  of  mind,  whilst  meditating  on  the  verse — 
 
 **  Stung  by  the  scorpion  sin,"  &c., 
 
 he  realised  that  inward  comfort  which  constrained  him  to  cry 
 out,  "  O  Lord,  I  will  praise  Thee  ;  for  Thine  anger  is  turned 
 away,"  &c.  From  that  period  to  the  end  of  fourscore  years  he 
 walked  in  the  light  of  God's  countenance,  and  died  in  holy 
 composure,  i8th  September,  1840,  aged  eighty  years. 
 
 Amongst  many  deeply  afflicted  followers  of  Jesus,  Mrs.  Mary 
 Jeffs,  of  Gloucester,  was  one  who  found  abiding  comfort  and 
 consolation  through  reading  Wesley's  Hymns.  In  her  last 
 illness  she  testified  abundantly  to  the  grace  of  God  within  her, 
 
44  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  36. 
 
 and  when  very  near  her  end  slie  raised   her-  voice,  and  joyfully 
 exclaimed — 
 
 "  Oh  fi)r  a  trumpet- voice,  On  all  the  world  to  call ! 
 To  bid  their  hearts  rejoice  In  Him  who  died  for  all  !  " 
 Shortly  after  she   said,  "  Jesus  is  increasingly  precious ; "  and 
 after  a  change  in  her  position  in  bed,  she  added,  "  Oh,  how  easy  ! 
 Praise  the  Lord,"  and,  quietly  reclining  on  her  pillow,  she  peace- 
 fully fell  asleep  in  Jesus,  6th  February,  1819,  aged  forty-five. 
 
 One  much  younger  in  years  experienced  even  greater  ecstacy 
 in  death,  and  recorded  her  joyful  experience  in  strains  like  a 
 conqueror's  song.  Miss  Topham  realised  pardoning  grace 
 in  early  life,  at  the  sacrament  of  the  Lord's  Supper.  She  was 
 early  called  to  exchange  worlds  ;  and  shortly  before  her  death  she 
 exclaimed  "  Oh,  what  can  this  be  ?  I  never  felt  so  happy  before. 
 Oh,  tell  the  servants  and  all  to  come  and  see  how  happy  I  am. 
 
 "  '  Oh  for  a  trumpet-voice,  On  all  the  world  to  call  ! '" 
 And  again — 
 
 "  '  The  arms  of  love  that  compass  me 
 Would  all  mankind  em]:)race.'  " 
 
 In  this  happy  frame  of  mind  she  entered  into  rest,  15th  October, 
 1839,  ^S^^  twenty-six. 
 
 Hymn  35.—"  Jesus,  Thou  all-redeeming  Lord  ;  " 
 „      36. — "  Lovers  of  pleasure  more  than  God." — 
 Before  preaching  to  the  Colliers  i7i  Leicestershire. — TUNE, 
 
 Birstal,  1761. 
 The  original  will  be  found  in  vol.  i.,  p.  316,  of  Charles  Wesley's 
 "  Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1749,  as  one  hymn  of  eighteen 
 verses,  six  of  which  are  omitted.  In  the  fifth  verse,  "  The  hard- 
 ness" is  changed  from  "The  stony,"  "swearers"  is  substituted 
 for  "  railers,"  with  a  few  other  verbal  alterations. 
 
 Mrs.  Paulina  Wyvill  was  remarkable  for  high  Christian  attain- 
 ment, for  unassuming  benevolence,  and  for  firmness  of  character. 
 From  hearing  a  funeral  sermon,  at  the  age  of  twenty-one,  she 
 became  convinced  of  sin,  began  to  meet  in  class,  and  soon  found 
 pardon.  Naturally  feeble  in  body,  she  sought  happiness  in  the 
 company  of  the  righteous,  and  when  called  to  leave  this  world 
 she  found  her  chief  delight  in  praising  God.  Shortly  before  her 
 death  she  repeated  the  three  verses  commencing  with — 
 *'  Lovers  of  pleasure  more  than  God." 
 
HYMN  37.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  45 
 
 Amongst  her  last  counsels  to  her  friends  she  said,  "  Pay  strict 
 attention  to  the  means  of  grace  ;  never  forsake  your  class-meet- 
 ing— those  precious  meetings  !  what  heavenly  seasons  have  I 
 there  enjoyed  ! "  A  little  later  she  whispered,  "  I  want  to  be 
 filled  with  the  presence  of  Jesus,"  and  her  request  was  granted  ; 
 death  was  swallowed  up  in  victory,  28th  October,  1839. 
 
 Hymn  37. — "Jesus,  the  Name  high  over  all." — After  preaching 
 in  a  church. — Tune,  Liverpool,  1761. 
 
 As  originally  written  by  Charles  Wesley,  this  hymn  extends 
 to  twenty-two  verses,  only  six  of  which  are  chosen.  The  first 
 line  of  the  original  is  "Jesus,  accept  the  grateful  song;"  it  is 
 found  in  '^  Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1749.  The  ninth  verse 
 of  the  original  forms  the  first  of  Hymn  37. 
 
 This  hymn  has  long  been  a  great  favourite  with  the  Methodist 
 people  generally,  and  several  well  authenticated  instances  are 
 known  of  its  having  been  used  by  godly  persons  to  exorcise  the 
 devil.  The  facts  which  suggested  the  composition  are  recorded 
 by  Charles  Wesley  in  his  Journal  under  date  of  6th  August,  1744. 
 Having  been  preaching  in  the  small  church  at  Laneast,  in  Corn- 
 wall, and  condemning  the  drunken  revels  of  the  people,  whilst 
 urging  them  to  "  repent  and  be  converted,"  one  in  the  congre- 
 gation contradicted  and  blasphemed.  Charles  Wesley  asked, 
 "  Who  is  he  that  pleads  for  the  devil  .'* "  The  reviler  stood  boldly 
 forward,  the  preacher  fearlessly  exposed  his  iniquity,  and  showed 
 the  whole  congregation  their  state  by  nature.  Mr.  Wesley's 
 withering  exposure  drove  the  man  in  disgrace  out  of  the  church. 
 These  circumstances  are  believed  to  have  suggested  the  writing 
 of  the  hymn. 
 
 In  the  Life  of  the  Rev.  Henry  Ransom  ( Wesleyan  Magazine^ 
 September,  1857),  an  incident  is  related  as  having  occurred  in 
 his  presence,  of  an  evil  spirit  being  cast  out  after  the  singing  of 
 part  of  this  hymn  and  prayer,  at  Darlaston. 
 
 Other  spirits  have  been  exorcised  by  the  magic-power  of  these 
 verses,  besides  those  indicated.  Five  of  the  six  verses  of  this 
 hymn  have  been  quoted  by  happy  saints  departing  to  paradise. 
 
 Mrs.  Elizabeth  Baker,  of  Banbury,  was  brought  up  without  any 
 sense  of  the  fear  of  God  resting  upon  her.  At  the  age  of  nineteen 
 she  was  married,  and,  becoming  a  mother,  soon  lost  two  beloved 
 babes.  This  event  the  parents  took  as  a  visitation  from  God 
 for  their  sins,  especially  that  of  trading  on  the   Sabbath  day. 
 
46  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  37. 
 
 They  bought  a  Prayer  liook  to  aid  them  in  seeking  mercy,  but 
 a  revival  breaking  out  in  1820  at  Banbuiy,  the  mother  attended 
 the  Methodist  preaching,  and  found  pardon  through  beheving 
 in  Jesus.  She  maintained  her  confidence  in  God  through  a 
 long  course  of  domestic  anxieties  and  afflictions.  Just  before 
 she  died,  her  family,  never  having  known  her  to  sing,  were 
 surprised  to  hear  her  pour  forth  in  clear,  musical  strains — 
 
 "Jesus,  the  Name  high  over  nil, 
 
 In  hell  or  earth  or  sky  : 
 
 Angels  and  men  before  it  fall, 
 
 And  devils  fear  and  fly." 
 
 Her  transparent,  simple-hearted  godliness  was  manifest  in 
 dying,— she  literally  slept  in  Jesus,  27th  October,  1857. 
 
 Robert  Elliott,  of  Hutton-Rudby,  Stockton,  lived  for  twenty- 
 eight  years  without  religion,  but  was  brought  to  a  knowledge  of 
 sins  forgiven  through  the  preaching  of  the  Methodists.  For 
 more  than  thirty  years  he  was  a  faithful  leader,  and  daily  went 
 about  doing  good.  A  worldly-minded  professor  once  said  of 
 him,  "  I  cannot  but  love  Robert  Elliott,  but  I  hate  to  meet 
 him."  He  was  unflinching  in  reproving  sin.  On  his  death-bed, 
 when  visited  by  the  preacher,  he  said  to  the  friendly  inquirer, 
 "  I  am  in  great  pain,  but  happy  in  God."  Speaking  of  his 
 confidence  in  Christ,  he  exclaimed  as  in  an  ecstasy — 
 
 "Jesus,  the  Name  to  sinners  dear, 
 The  name  to  sinners  given  ; 
 It  scatters  all  my  guilty  fear. 
 It  turns  my  hell  to  heaven." 
 
 His  last  words  were,  "  Happy,  happy  ! "  and  without  a  struggle 
 or  sigh  he  ceased  to  breathe,  i6th  March,  1827, aged  seventy-two. 
 A  little  girl,  seven  years  of  age,  belonging  to  a  Methodist 
 Sunday  school  in  South  London,  was  by  an  accident  so  severely 
 burnt,  that  she  had  to  be  taken  to  the  hospital.  On  the  last 
 night  of  her  life,  nothing  was  heard  in  the  quiet  ward  where 
 she  lay  but  the  tick  and  strike  of  the  clock.  Suddenly  there 
 arose  from  her  couch  a  voice  from  the  little  sufferer,  who 
 sweetly  began  to  sing — 
 
 "Jesus  !  the  Name  to  sinners  dear, 
 The  name  to  sinners  given  ; 
 It  scatters  all  their  guilty  fear, 
 It  turns  their  hell  to  heaven." 
 
HYMN  37.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  47 
 
 The  silence  reigned  again,  and  only  the  ticking  of  the  clock 
 was  heard,  when  the  melodious  voice  was  again  heard — 
 
 "  Happy,  if  with  my  latest  breath 
 I  may  but  gasp  His  name; 
 Preach  Him  to  all,  and  cry  in  death, 
 Behold  !  behold  the  Lamb  ! " 
 
 Soon  after  she  had  finished,  the  nurse  hastened  to  her  bedside, 
 but  the  voice  was  silent — angels  had  borne  the  happy  Sunday- 
 school  girl  to  the  Saviour  whom  she  loved. 
 
 Mrs.  Collier,  of  Leicester,  was  the  daughter  of  godly  Method- 
 ists, and  the  wife  of  a  local  preacher.  She  was  convinced  of 
 sin  at  the  age  of  fourteen,  by  reading  the  Hfe  of  Miss  Mary  Helen 
 Bingham,  of  the  Chesterfield  circuit.  She  joined  her  mother's 
 class  and  became  an  exemplary  Christian.  During  her  last 
 illness  the  fear  of  death  distressed  her  ;  but  ere  the  end  came, 
 joy  succeeded  fear,  and  her  happiness  was  abounding.  Amongst 
 her  last  words  were,  "  I  rest  sweetly  in  the  arms  of  Jesus.  I 
 have  done  with  the  world  :  I  am  going  home  :  I  shall  see  Jesus 
 as  He  is.  Glory,  glory  be  to  God  !  ^'  And  then  with  surprising 
 energy  she  repeated  the  verse,  commencing — 
 
 ''Jesus,  Name  to  sinners  dear,"  &c. 
 On  the  morning  of  her  death,  her  peace  seemed  to  flow  like  a 
 river.      As   the   end  approached,  she  twice  raised  her  hand, 
 faintly  breathing  out,  "  Praise  the  Lord  ; "  and  so  she  fell  asleep 
 in  Jesus. 
 
 Miss  Helen  Hulse,  niece  of  Mr.  Sykes,  of  Mansfield-Wood- 
 house,  was  called  to  endure  severe  affliction,  which,  however, 
 was  greatly  alleviated  by  the  recital  of  the  hymns  she  had  learned 
 in  youth.  Not  more  than  ten  minutes  before  her  departure,  she 
 spoke  of  all  her  blessings  as  coming  through  Jesus  only,  and 
 repeated  the  lines — 
 
 *•  Power  into  strengthless  souls  He  speaks, 
 And  life  into  the  dead." 
 
 She  asked  her  sister  to  read  to  the  end  of  the  hymn,  earnestly 
 joining  in  the  last  verse,  commencing — 
 
 "  Happy  if  with  my  latest  breath 
 I  may  but  gasp  His  name,"  &c. 
 
 Directly  afterwards  she  sweetly  fell  asleep  in  Jesus,  4th  Decem- 
 ber, 1852,  aged  thirty  years. 
 The  gentle,  loving,  and  devoted  young  missionary,  William 
 
48  METHODIST  HYMN  HOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  37. 
 
 Rowland  Peck,  formerly  of  Loughborough,  died  in  Sierra  Leone, 
 3rd  July,  1829,  aged  twenty-three  years.  His  memoir  is  one  of 
 the  most  touching  and  interesting  biographies  in  the  range  of 
 Methodist  literature.  When  fever  had  done  its  worst,  and  not 
 having  been  able  to  speak  for  some  time,  he  suddenly  broke  out 
 with  this  couplet — 
 
 *'  Happy  if  with  my  latest  breath 
 I  may  but  gasp  His  name." 
 
 He  lifted  up  his  dying  hands  in  token  of  joy  and  victory,  and  so 
 entered  into  rest.     Early  crowned  ! 
 
 Robert  Voakes,  in  early  life,  was  deprived  of  many  religious 
 advantages;  but  Alleine's  "Alarm,"  Nelson's  "Journal,"  the 
 "  Pilgrim's  Progress,"  and  other  similar  works,  convinced  him 
 that  he  was  a  sinner.  He  was  for  seven  long  years  under  the 
 law.  On  removing  into  the  Pocklington  circuit  he  joined  a 
 class,  found  mercy,  and  soon  afterwards  was  made  a  leader. 
 He  laboured  for  God,  through  many  severe  trials,  till  he  was 
 eighty-five,  when  infirmity  laid  him  aside.  After  a  survey  of 
 his  protracted  life,  he  recorded  much  to  the  praise  of  God,  and 
 finished  by  writing,  "  Now  my  mind  is  relieved  from  the  cares 
 of  the  world, 
 
 ' '  *  'Tis  all  my  business  here  below 
 To  cry,  Behold  the  Lamb  ! ' " 
 
 He  entered  into  rest,  24th  January,  1857,  in  his  ninety-fourth 
 year,  having  been  a  Methodist  seventy-two  years,  and  a  class- 
 leader  more  than  seventy  years. 
 
 On  the  lips  of  many  of  the  Lord's  people  have  the  words  of 
 the  last  verse  of  this  hymn  faltered,  just  as  they  were  entering 
 paradise.     Four  of  the  preachers  we  may  name  as  examples  : — 
 
 The  Rev.  Richard  Robarts,  after  a  brief  but  useful  career  in 
 the  Methodist  ministry,  closed  his  pilgrimage  by  repeating  to  a 
 friend  at  his  bedside  the  verse — 
 
 •*  Happy  if  with  my  latest  breath,"  »S:c. 
 
 His  last  words  were,  "  Thank  the  Lord  !  Now,  Lord,  come. 
 Amen."     Died  ist  October,  18 19,  aged  thirty-four  years. 
 
 The  Rev.  James  Needham  appreciated  the  preciousness  of 
 many  of  Wesley's  hymns,  and  quoted  several  of  them  to  friends 
 who  visited  him  on  his  death-bed.  When  strength  was  rapidly 
 declining,  and  life  fast  ebbing  out,  one  friend  said  to  him,  "  You 
 
HYMN  38*.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  49 
 
 Still  preach  Christ  to  us."  With  much  exertion,  and  diflficulty  of 
 breathing,  he  exclaimed — 
 
 '*  *  Happy  if  with  my  latest  breath 
 
 I  may  but  gasp  His  name,'  "  &c. 
 
 His  last  words  were,  "  Glory,  honour,  might,  majesty,  and 
 dominion,  be  ascribed  to  God  and  the  Lamb  for  ever!"  He 
 died  27th  June,  1818,  aged  forty-five  years. 
 
 After  a  brief  ministry  of  only  seven  years,  the  Rev.  Thomas 
 Charles  Rushforth  exchanged  mortality  for  life.  On  the  Satur- 
 day before  his  death,  he  desired  a  few  friends  to  meet  in  his 
 house  for  prayer;  and  during  the  service  he  repeated  with 
 emphasis  the  verse  commencing — 
 
 "  Happy  if  with  my  latest  breath 
 I  may  but  gasp  His  name,"  &c. 
 
 His  last  utterances  were,  "  I  shall  soon  be  at  rest, — my  dear 
 Redeemer."     Died  21st  May,  18 19,  aged  thirty-two. 
 
 Early  conversion  is  a  safe  indication  of  a  happy  and  useful 
 life.  The  Rev.  Thomas  Thompson  began  to  preach  before  he 
 came  of  age,  and  at  twenty-two  became  a  home  missionary, 
 faithfully  and  kindly  fulfilling  the  duties  of  the  Methodist  min- 
 istry for  twenty-nine  years.  During  his  last  illness  his  mind  was 
 kept  in  perfect  peace,  and  amongst  his  last  earthly  utterances 
 were,  "  I  am  waiting  for  my  change  without  desire  of  life  or  fear 
 of  death.  I  am  an  unworthy  servant ;  but  all  my  trust  is  in  the 
 merits  of  Jesus  Christ — 
 
 "  '  Happy  if  with  my  latest  breath 
 I  may  but  gasp  His  name,'  "  &c. 
 
 He  died  trusting  in  the  Lord,  31st  January,  1838,  aged  fifty-one 
 years,  and  was  interred  under  the  Wesleyan  chapel,  Ashton- 
 under-Lyne.  His  daughter  Sarah  is  the  wife  of  the  author  of 
 this  work ;  and  his  son,  William  Bancroft  Thompson,  is  editor 
 of  the  Lticknow  Express^  India. 
 
 Hymn  38*.—"  O  God,  of  good  the  unfathom'd  Sea  !  ''—God's 
 Love  to  Mankmd. 
 
 The  original  of  this  strikingly  sublime  hymn  was  written,  in 
 German,  by  John  Angelus,  or  Angelus  Silesius,  or  John  Scheffier, 
 a  mystic,  and  member  of  the  Roman  Catholic  Church,  born  in 
 1624,  and  who  died  in  1677.  His  hymns  were  published  in 
 Breslau  in  1657,  under  the  title  of  "  Holy  Delight  of  the  Soul ; 
 
 D 
 
50  METHODIST  HVMN  I5O0K  NOTES.  HYMN  39*. 
 
 or,  Spiritual  Hymns  of  a  Soul  enraptured  by  Love  to  Jesus." 
 Hymns  of  such  a  character  were  sure  to  attract  the  attention  of 
 John  Wesley,  who  wrote  a  free  translation  of  this  one,  which 
 appeared  in  "  Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1739.  This  hymn 
 was  added  to  the  collection  after  Mr.  Wesley's  death,  as  was 
 also  Hymn  39,  which  is  indicated  by  the  asterisk  (*). 
 
 A  mighty  host  will  be  found  before  the  throne  of  God,  gathered 
 into  the  fold  as  the  result  of  the  ministry  of  the  Rev.  Robert 
 Newton,  and,  amongst  them,  Benjamin  Ward,  of  Oldham,  who 
 was  so  impressed  by  the  manner  of  the  preacher  in  giving  out 
 the  verse  commencing,  "  O  God,  of  good  the  unfathom'd  Sea  ! '" 
 &c.,  that  he  was  enabled  to  give  his  heart  to  the  Lord  after  the 
 singing  of  that  first  verse.  He  joined  the  ^Methodist  Society  at 
 the  age  of  fifteen,  and  for  forty  years  was  actively  employed  as  a 
 class-leader,  as  leader  of  the  congregational  singing,  and  in  the 
 Sunday  school.     Died  26th  May,  1849,  aged  sixty-one  years. 
 
 The  Almighty  God  sometimes  manifests  Himself  to  His 
 people  in  a  manner  so  unusual  that,  like  the  Apostle  Paul,  they 
 testify  that,  whether  in  the  body  or  out  of  it,  they  know  not. 
 Mrs,  Marian  Shipman,  of  IMansfield,  was  favoured,  a  short  time 
 before  her  death,  with  an  extraordinary  manifestation  of  the 
 divine  presence,  and  she  gave  utterance  to  her  feelings  in  the 
 language  of  the  first  verse  of  this  hymn — 
 
 "  O  God,  of  good  the  unfathom'd  Sea, 
 Who  would  not  give  his  heart  to  Thee  ? 
 
 WTio  would  not  love  Thee  with  his  might, 
 O  Jesu,  lover  of  mankind  ? 
 Who  would  not  his  whole  soul  and  mind, 
 With  all  his  strength  to  Thee  unite  ?  " 
 
 She  died  6th  January,  1856^  aged  fifty-eight. 
 
 Hymn  39*. — "  Father,  whose  everlasting  love." — On  God's 
 Everlasting  Love. 
 
 This  appeared  in  the  first  of  Charles  Wesley's  "  Tracts  of 
 Hymns,"  1741,  with  the  title  just  given.  The  original  extends 
 to  twenty-seven  verses.  In  the  fourth  verse,  "a  world"  is 
 altered  to  '*  the  world." 
 
 The  lay  agency  in  Methodist  preaching  has,  taking  man  for 
 man,  been  more  abundantly  owned  by  the  Holy  Spirit  in  the 
 saving  of  souls  than  the  separated  or  priestly  agency  of  the 
 Established  Church.     John  Johnson,  of  Gunnerside,  Reeth,  was 
 
HYMN  41.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  5 1 
 
 brought  to  God  under  a  sermon  preached  by  Richard  Buxton,  a 
 local  preaher.  Immediately  he  began  to  seek  the  souls  of 
 others,  and  became  in  turn  a  leader  and  local  preacher,  and 
 was  made  a  blessing  to  many.  On  the  day  of  his  death  he  had 
 preached  at  Gayle,  and,  at  tea  with  a  friend  at  Hawes,  spoke  of 
 being  as  happy  as  he  could  be.  In  the  evening  he  opened  the 
 service  at  Hawes,  and  gave  out  the  39th  Hymn,  the  last  two 
 lines  being— 
 
 •*  Lift  up  the  standard  of  Thy  cross, 
 
 And  all  shall  own  Thou  died'st  for  all." 
 
 He  commenced  to  pray,  and  had  uttered  a  sentence  of  adora- 
 tion, when  he  fell  in  the  pulpit ;  his  spirit  went  straight  to  the 
 paradise  of  God,  30th  November,  1861,  aged  forty-five. 
 
 Hymn  40. — "  Ye  neighbours,  and  Friends  of  Jesus,  draw  near." 
 — After  preaching  to  the  Newcastle  Colliers^  ^th  Dece7nber, 
 1746. — Tune,  Triumph,  1761. 
 
 Under  date  of  30th  November,  Charles  Wesley,  in  his  Journal, 
 uses  the  same  phraseology  as  he  embodies  in  this  spirited  hymn. 
 During  that  visit  to  the  North,  he  preached  several  times  in  the 
 streets  of  Newcastle  to' listening  crowds,  who  forgot  the  sharp- 
 ness of  the  frost  while  listening  to  the  earnest  soul-stirring  words 
 of  life  from  the  man  of  God.  The  original  appears  in  "  Hymns 
 and  Sacred  Poems,"  1749,  vol.  i.,  p.  310,  where  it  extends  to 
 twelve  verses,  five  of  which  are  omitted.  "  Praise  "  is  exchanged 
 for  "grace"  at  the  end  of  the  third  verse.  This  hymn  is 
 correctly  printed  in  John  Wesley's  first  and  subsequent  editions 
 issued  during  his  lifetime ;  but  the  first  line  was  printed 
 incorrectly  in  the  old  edition  of  the  Connexional  Hymn  Book. 
 
 Hymn  41. — "O  God  !  our  help  in  ages  past." — Man/rail^  and 
 God  eternal.— TVHY.^  Bexley,  1761. 
 
 This  much  admired  composition  is  Dr.  Watt's  paraphrase  of 
 Psalm  xc.  1-5.  It  was  first  published  in  1719,  and,  after 
 undergoing  several  corrections  by  John  Wesley,  was  issued  in 
 Mr.  Wesley's  first  Hymn  Book  in  1738,  in  its  altered  form.  In 
 Watts',  it  commences  "  Our  God,  our  help,"  &c. 
 
 William  Kay,  of  Manchester,  feared  God  from  his  youth,  and 
 was  in  communion  with  the  Methodists  for  fifty-eight  years. 
 
52  METHODIST  HYMN  DOOK  NOTES.     HYMN  4I. 
 
 His  confidence  in  God  was  unshaken  ;  and  at  the  close  of  a  life 
 of  more  than  fourscore  years,  when  a  member  of  his  family 
 repeated  the  lines — 
 
 "  O  God  !  our  help  in  ages  past, 
 Our  hope  for  years  to  come  ; 
 Our  shelter  from  the  stormy  blast," 
 
 here  the  dying  saint  cheerfully  added  the  last  line — 
 "And  our  eternal  home." 
 
 Almost  immediately  after,  his  spirit  returned  to  God,  13th  July, 
 1864,  aged  eighty-two  years. 
 
 The  Rev.  Thomas  T.  Thomson,  M.A.,  was  a  missionary  in 
 India  under  the  East  India  Company.  His  pious  wife  was 
 taken  ill,  and  ordered  home  to  England  at  once,  but  before  the 
 voyage  was  half  over  she  became  worse,  and  died  on  Easter 
 Day,  1826,  and  was  buried  in  the  sea.  Before  her  death  she 
 read  a  few  hymns  as  she  had  strength  ;  the  last  one  which 
 attracted  her  attention  was  one  by  Dr.  Watts — 
 
 "O  God  !  our  help  in  ages  past, 
 Our  hope  for  years  to  come  ; 
 Our  shelter  from  the  stormy  blast, 
 And  our  eternal  home." 
 
 She  got  through  the  first  verse,  then  her  voice  deepened,  she 
 was  much  affected,  and  reading  the  next  verse — 
 
 **  Under  the  shadow  of  Thy  throne 
 Still  may  we  dwell  secure," 
 
 she  broke  down,  her  strength  failed,  and  with  that  soothing 
 song-prayer,  she  closed  her  testimony  on  earth  to  realise  the 
 delight  of  being  before  the  throne  of  God. 
 
 The  Rev.  John  Jenkin,  born  at  Swansea  in  1798,  converted  in 
 early  life,  entered  the  Methodist  ministry  in  182 1,  and  in  1824, 
 went  to  Jamaica  as  a  missionaiy.  He  returned  to  England  in 
 1827,  travelled  in  Cornwall,  and  died  in  the  Scilly  Isles,  9th 
 August,  1830,  aged  thirty-two  years.  As  he  lay  dying,  he  said  he 
 wanted  to  sing,  and  gave  out — 
 
 "  O  God  !  our  help  for  ages  past, 
 Our  hope  for  years  to  come  ; 
 Our  shelter  from  the  stormy  blast, 
 And  our  eternal  home." 
 
 He  tried  to  sing,  but  could  not.     He  began  to  pray  for  the  king, 
 
HYMN  43.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  53 
 
 and  that  pure  religion  might  spread  in  the  world,  and  closed 
 with  the  couplet — 
 
 "  That  all  may  hear  the  quickening  sound, 
 Since  I,  even  I,  have  mercy  found." 
 
 Hymn  42. — "  Thee  we  adore,  Eternal  Name." — Frail  life,  and 
 succeeding  Eternity. — Tune,  Chimes,  1761. 
 
 A  hymn  by  Dr.  Watts,  forming  No.  55,  Book  II.,  in  his 
 collection.  It  was  first  published  in  1709  ;  and,  with  three  of 
 John  Wesley's  improvements,  was  inserted  in  his  "  Psalms  and 
 Hymns,"  1738. 
 
 In  the  company  of  the  redeemed  in  heaven,  none  will  shine 
 with  brighter  lustre  than  the  devoted  missionary  of  the  cross, 
 who  wears  out  health  and  life  in  the  work  of  proclaiming  a  free 
 salvation  for  every  man.  The  Rev.  George  Bellamy  fell  a 
 victim  to  fever  in  Demerara.  During  his  severe  sufferings, 
 whilst  a  coloured  servant  was  bathing  his  head  with  vinegar, 
 he  solemnly  exclaimed — 
 
 "  Thee  we  adore,  Eternal  Name, 
 And  humbly  own  to  Thee, 
 How  feeble  is  our  mortal  frame. 
 What  dying  worms  we  be." 
 
 The' faith  of  the  poor  black  servant  was  manifested  in  the  reply, 
 "  Massa  no  'fraid  ;  dis  sickness  for  de  glory  of  God."  Brother 
 Ames,  another  missionary  residing  near,  was  also  ill,  and  about 
 that  time  died  ;  but  the  sad  event  was  concealed  from  his  friend 
 Bellamy  by  those  around  him.  The  spirit  of  the  departed  one 
 must  have  appeared  to  him ;  for,  soon  after,  Mr.  Bellamy 
 exclaimed,  "Ames  is  gone  !  I'll  go  too."  After  this  he  changed 
 for  death,  and  at  six  next  morning  his  spirit  went  to  join  his 
 fellow-missionary  in  the  land  of  the  blessed,  2nd  November, 
 182 1,  aged  forty-two  years. 
 
 Hymn  43. — "  And  am  I  born  to  die  }  '^—For  Children.— 
 TuNE,,Lampe's,  1746. 
 
 This  forms  No.  59  of  Charles  Wesley's  "  Hymns  for  Children," 
 1763.  "A  land  of  deepest  shade,"  is  altered  from  "A  world," 
 &c.,  and  "  Shall  "  is  exchanged  for  "  Will  angel  bands  convey  ?  " 
 Of  the  one  hundred  hymns  contained  in  this  volume,  the  vener- 
 
54  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  44. 
 
 able  Thomas  Jackson  remarks — "  It  would  perhaps  be  difficult 
 to  mention  any  uninspired  book  that,  in  the  same  compass, 
 contains  so  much  evangelical  sentiment.  Charles  Wesley's 
 *  Hymns  for  Children  '  are  full  of  instruction,  yet  thoroughly 
 devotional  in  their  character.  There  is  nothing  puerile  in  them, 
 either  with  respect  to  thought  or  expression.  The  language  is 
 simple,  terse,  pure,  and  strong.  The  topics  which  they  embrace 
 are  the  truths  and  facts  of  Christianity,  especially  in  their  bearing 
 upon  personal  religion.  In  the  hands  of  a  Christian  mother, 
 these  hymns  would  form  a  valuable  help  in  the  task  of  educa- 
 tion. Most  of  the  hymns,  if  committed  to  memory,  would  at 
 once  inform  the  memory  and  impress  the  heart.  Some  of  the 
 hymns  are  intended  for  the  use  of  young  children  just  beginning 
 to  speak  and  think,  whilst  others  are  adapted  equally  to  the 
 capacity  and  experience  of  adults.  The  design  of  the  whole  is 
 to  teach,  to  form  the  manners,  and  to  discipline  the  under- 
 standing and  conscience.  The  author  leads  the  young  mind  to 
 Christ  as  a  sacrifice  for  sin,  as  the  fountain  of  grace,  as  the 
 great  example  of  all  excellence,  and  as  the  supreme  Lord  and 
 Judge."     See  Note  to  Hymn  18. 
 
 Hymn  44.—"  And  am  I  only  born  to  die  ?" — For  Children, — 
 Tune,  Snowfields,  1761. 
 
 The  original  forms  No.  64  in  the  same  volume  as  the 
 preceding.  One  incident  out  of  many  may  be  briefly  alluded 
 to,  to  show  the  power  and  influence  of  this  hymn. 
 
 A  young  lady  in  America,  of  high  position,  and  who  had 
 completed  a  thorough  course  of  education,  leaving  school  with 
 certificates  of  the  highest  merit,  had  become  the  centre  of  a  large 
 and  fashionable  circle  of  friends.  This  lady  went  one  Sunday 
 evening  to  hear  a  sermon  preached  by  the  venerable  Bishop 
 Asbury.  The  voice,  manner,  and  earnest  solicitude  of  the  man 
 of  God  fixed  the  truth  so  firmly  on  her  mind,  that  she  sought 
 and  found  pardon  through  faith  in  Jesus.  She  at  once  gave  up 
 her  worldly  companions  and  pursuits.  Her  fond  parents  used 
 their  utmost  efforts  to  win  back  her  affections  to  the  world,  but 
 in  vain.  As  a  last  resort,  her  father  gave  a  large  party  to  the 
 most  worldly  and  fashionable  persons  in  the  city.  A  more 
 busy  scene  of  pleasure-loving  gaiety  was  never  witnessed. 
 During  the  evening  it  was  arranged  that  their  daughter  should 
 be  invited  to  sing  and  play  on  the  piano,  one  of  those  fashionable 
 
HYMN  44.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  55 
 
 airs  to  which  they  had  so  often  listened  with  dehght.  Led  by 
 her  father  to  the  piano,  she  took  her  seat,  and  sang  in  a  strain 
 the  most  touching,  because  it  came  from  the  heart,  and  with  a 
 full  clear  voice,  that  part  of  Charles  Wesley's  fine  hymn  which 
 commences  : — 
 
 "  No  room  for  mirth  or  trifling  here, 
 For  worldly  hope,  or  worldly  fear, 
 If  life  so  soon  is  gone." 
 
 She  had  not  sung  through  one  verse  before  her  father,  who  stood 
 by  her  side,  drooped  his  head.  Every  whisper  ceased,  and  the 
 most  intense  feeling  pervaded  the  entire  company.  Every  word 
 of  the  hymn  was  spoken  distinctly,  and  heard  by  every  one 
 present ;  each  seemed  an  arrow  from  the  Spirit's  quiver,  going 
 directly  to  the  hearts  of  the  hearers.  Her  father  retired  to  his 
 room  to  weep  for  his  own  sinful  folly  with  a  deeply-stricken 
 heart.  Mary  had  conquered.  For  many  years  she  lived  to 
 adorn  her  godly  profession,  and  she  passed  away  at  last  in 
 triumph  to  the  skies. 
 
 A  similiar  anecdote  is  related  by  Belcher,  an  American 
 author,  of  the  daughter  of  an  English  nobleman,  who,  in  like 
 manner,  preferred  to  sing  the  same  verses  instead  of  her  song 
 in  turn  with  other  young  ladies  present.  The  noble  Lord 
 became  converted,  abandoned  worldly  company,  joined  the 
 people  of  God,  and  during  his  religious  life  distributed  one 
 hundred  thousand  pounds  to  promote  the  spread  of  the  Gospel ! 
 
 Methodism  was  established  in  the  village  of  Rookly,  in  the 
 Isle  of  Wight,  about  1783.  In  that  society  there  was  a  youth 
 named  Thomas  Whitewood,  whose  devotedness  to  God, 
 constancy,  fervour  in  the  means  of  grace,  and  usefulness  in 
 prayer  meetings,  public  and  social,  had  attracted  general 
 notice.  One  morning  while  at  work  in  his  father's  barn,  he 
 was  heard  singing  that  very  solemn  hymn  of  Charles  Wesley's 
 commencing — 
 
 **  And  am  I  only  born  to  die  ?  " 
 
 the  last  verse  of  which  is  as  follows — 
 
 "Jesus,  vouchsafe  a  pitying  ray; 
 Be  Thou  my  guide,  be  Thou  my  way 
 
 To  glorious  happiness  ! 
 Ah,  write  the  pardon  on  my  heart, 
 And  whensoe'er  I  hence  depart, 
 Let  me  depart  in  peace  !  " 
 
56  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  45. 
 
 Scarcely  had  he  expressed  the  devout  breathings  of  his  heart  to 
 (»od  in  this  remarkable  language,  than  he  fell  and  expired. 
 'ihis  sudden  dcatli  made  a  deep  impression  on  many  hearts, 
 and  so  aroused  the  conscience  of  one  youth,  named  Robert 
 ]5ull,  as  to  lead  to  his  conversion  to  God. 
 
 Methodism  was  commenced  at  Haddenham  in  1820,  in  a 
 barn  ;  and  amongst  the  early  worshippers  in  that  primitive 
 place  of  worship  was  Priscilla  Paine,  then  feeling  the  sorrows 
 of  widowhood.  Here  the  Lord  was  pleased  to  manifest  Himself 
 to  her  in  His  saving  power,  and  she  soon  identified  herself  w^ith 
 the  people  of  God,  and  opened  her  house  for  His  servants.  Her 
 convictions  of  sin  were  deepened  by  the  minister  giving  out  the 
 hymn  commencing — 
 
 "  Lo,  God  is  here,  let  us  adore,"  &c.  ; 
 
 and  at  the  closing  scene,  after  a  life  of  devoted  service  to  the 
 Master's  cause,  she  oft  repeated  the  last  verse  of  Hymn  44 — 
 
 *' Jesus  vouchsafe  a  pitying  ray,"  &c., 
 adding  on  one  occasion  after  doing  so,  "  Is  not  that  sweet — 
 Jesus  is  precious.  What  He  wills  is  iDest.  My  God  is  reconciled, 
 and  all  is  well.  Come,  Lord  Jesus."  She  lay  down  in  peace, 
 and  her  spirit  returned  to  God  who  gave  it,  22nd  August,  1848, 
 aged  seventy-seven  years. 
 
 Hymn   45.  — "  Shrinking  from   the    cold    hand    of  death."— 
 Getiesis  xlix.  33  ;  and  Nic7nbers  xx.  28. — TUNE,  Palmis,  1761. 
 
 This  hymn  is  made  up  of  parts  of  two  of  Charles  Wesley's 
 "Short  Scripture  Hymns,"  1762.  The  third  verse  is  based  on 
 Numbers  xx.  28,  commencing — "O  that  without  a  lingering 
 groan,"  &c.  This  verse  was  generally  given  out  by  John 
 Wesley  at  the  close  of  the  society  meetings  he  held  after 
 evening  preaching — a  custom  and  a  choice  worthy  of  wider 
 extension.  Illustrative  examples  of  the  use  of  this  hymn  are  so 
 numerous,  that  every  verse,  and  almost  every  line  has  its  own 
 special  interest. 
 
 Amongst  the  accidents  which  have  hurried  immortal  souls 
 into  eternity,  none  have  been  more  fatal  than  those  occurring  in 
 collieries.  Towards  the  class  of  people  employed  in  mining 
 Methodism  has  especially  devoted  its  energies,  and  many 
 blessed  results  are  on  record  as  the  reward  of  those  labours. 
 John  Jones,  of  Ashton-under-Lyne,  was  for  some  years  a  faithful 
 
 I 
 
HYMN  45.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  57 
 
 member  of  the  Methodist  Society.  On  the  day  of  his  death  in 
 July,  1 8 13,  he  uttered  a  sentence  in  his  family  prayer  which 
 expressed  a  hope  that  they  might  all  meet  in  heaven,  and  said 
 to  a  leader  that  he  would  set  out  afresh  to  serve  the  Lord.  At 
 noon  of  the  same  day  he  repeated  to  the  members  of  his  family 
 the  verse — 
 
 "Shrinking  from  the  cold  hand  of  death, 
 I,  too,  shall  gather  up  my  feet, 
 Shall  soon  resign  my  fleeting  breath, 
 And  die,  my  father's  God  to  meet." 
 
 At  one  o'clock  he  entered  the  coal-mine,  and  wrought  till  ten 
 o'clock  at  night,  when,  being  drawn  to  the  surface  of  the  earth, 
 the  rope  slipped,  and  he  fell  to  the  bottom  of  the  pit  a  lifeless 
 corpse.     Many  die  as  suddenly — would  that  all  died  as  safely. 
 
 But  few  of  the  victims  of  that  terrible  scourge,  consumption, 
 have  afforded  to  them  opportunities  for  repentance  during  their 
 rapid  march  into  eternity.  Mrs.  Fox,  wife  of  the  missionary, 
 Rev.  W.  B.  Fox,  of  Ceylon,  was  a  happy  exception  ;  she,  in 
 early  life,  devoted  to  God  her  best  energies.  When  her  end 
 was  drawing  near,  in  July,  18 19,  she  often  repeated  her  favourite 
 hymn,  commencing — 
 
 "  Shrinking  from  the  cold  hand  of  death,"  &c. 
 
 So  partial  was  she  to  .that  hymn  that  she  got  an  old  hymn 
 book  bound  and  clasped  with  silver,  because  it  contained  the 
 hymn  (unabridged)  with  her  favourite  verse,  as  follows  : — 
 
 "  Walk  w  th  me  through  the  dreadful  shade, 
 And,  certified  that  Thou  art  mine, 
 My  spirit,  calm  and  undismayed, 
 I  shall  into  Thy  hands  resign." 
 
 The  experience  of  James  Thomas,  a  leader  of  three  classes  at 
 Haverfordwest,  and  a  man  who  walked  with  God,  led  him  to 
 repeat  with  animation  and  delight  just  before  he  died  such 
 hymns  as  "  Rock  of  Ages  "  and — 
 
 *'  Shrinking  from  the  cold  hand  of  death." 
 
 He  died  in  the  faith  and  hope  of  the  Gospel,  January,  1855. 
 
 Mrs.  Bullivant,  mother  of  the  Rev.  W.  J.  Bullivant,  was  a 
 careful  student  of  God's  Word,  and  of  all  the  writings  of  the 
 worthies  of  Methodism.     She  relied  implicitly  on  the  atonement 
 
58  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  45. 
 
 of  Christ  for  salvation,  and  often  repeated  this  verse  of  her 
 favourite  hymn — 
 
 "  O  that  without  a  hngering  groan 
 I  may  the  welcome  word  receive ! 
 My  body  with  my  charge  lay  clown, 
 And  cease  at  once  to  work  and  live." 
 
 While  in  the  act  of  rising  from  bed,  her  spirit  fled  to  the  paradise 
 of  God,  I2th  March,  1835,  aged  seventy-four. 
 
 One  of  the  most  devoted  lovers  of  Wesley's  Hymns,  and  one 
 who  held  them  in  the  highest  possible  reverence  and  esteem,  was 
 the  Rev. Thomas  Osmond  Summers,  LL.D.,  an  Englishman,  born 
 at  the  Isle  of  Purbeck,  Dorsetshire,  nth  October,  1812,  and  who 
 went  to  America  as  an  orphan  in  1830.  There  he  became  a 
 Methodist,  began  to  preach,  and  in  1835  was  received  into  the 
 ministry  of  the  Baltimore  Conference.  After  spending  about 
 ten  years  in  pioneer  itinerant  labours,  he  united  himself  to  the 
 Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  South,  in  1845,  and  ever  after- 
 wards laboured  in  connection  with  that  organisation.  He  was 
 the  book  editor  of  that  Church  for  more  than  thirty  years,  the 
 editor  of  the  Nashville  Christia7i  Advocate^  till  1878,  when  he 
 was  appointed  Professor  of  Historical  Theology,  and  the  first 
 Dean  of  Vanderbilt  University.  He  was  also  the  compiler  of 
 the  new  Hymn  Book  used  in  their  Church,  in  which  are  some  of 
 his  own  hymns.  He  was  one  of  the  most  industrious  men  that 
 ever  lived,  and  his  love  of  work  was  so  deep-rooted,  and  so 
 intense,  that  at  the  age  of  seventy-one  he  accepted  the  office  of 
 Secretary  of  the  tenth  General  Conference  of  their  Church,  held 
 in  Nashville  in  May,  1882,  he  having  been  Secretary  of  all  the 
 previous  general  Conferences  for  forty  years,  and  when  persuaded 
 to  rest  he  often  quoted  the  verse — 
 
 "O  that  without  a  lingering  groan 
 I  may  the  welcome  word  receive  ! 
 My  body  with  my  charge  lay  down, 
 And  cease  at  once  to  work  and  live." 
 
 This  he  almost  literally  experienced.  He  attended  the  Con- 
 ference on  the  first  and  second  day,  and  towards  its  close,  he 
 was  smitten  with  death  in  his  chair ;  he  staggered  from  his  seat 
 at  the  table  into  the  room  in  the  rear,  followed  by  Dr.  O.  P. 
 Fitzgerald,  who  found  him  on  a  lounge,  panting  for  breath,  his 
 eyes  with  a  look  of  seeing  something  beyond,  his  face  illuminated. 
 Turning  to  Dr.  Fitzgerald,  he  said,  "  Come,  get  down  here  by 
 
HYMN  47.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  59 
 
 me,  and  let  us  talk  of  heaven."  Kneeling  by  him,  and  each 
 uniting  hands^  he  began  a  monologue  on  heaven.  His  words 
 were  strangely  beautiful  and  thrilling.  His  eyes  were  looking 
 upward,  and  the  light  on  his  face  was  reflected  from  the  heaven 
 of  which  he  spoke.  God  was  present,  and  His  faithful  servant 
 was  receiving  his  baptism  from  above  for  the  final  hour  so  near 
 at  hand.  The  season  was  holy  and  the  memory  sweet,  and  will 
 be  enduring  till  faith  is  lost  in  sight.  He  was  taken  to  his 
 residence,  and  peacefully  passed  away  at  6  a.m.,  6th  May,  and 
 on  the  afternoon  of  7th  May,  he  was  interred  in  the  Campus  of 
 Vanderbilt  University,  five  bishops  taking  part  in  the  funeral 
 service.     He  had  counted  seventy  years. 
 
 Hymn  46. — "  The  morning  flowers  display  their  sweets." — On 
 the  Death  of  a  YotmgLady  (Isa.  xl.  6,  8).— Tune,  Kettlesby, 
 1761. 
 
 This  hymn  was  written  by  the  Rev.  Samuel  Wesley,  jun.,  in 
 the  year  1735.  It  is  an  exquisitely  fine  composition,  and  was 
 published  by  John  Wesley  in  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems," 
 enlarged  edition,  1743. 
 
 Hymn  47. — "  Come,  let  us  anew  our  journey  pursue." — For 
 New  Year's  Day. — Tune,  New  Year's  Day,  1761. 
 
 This  is  one  of  C.  Wesley's  Hymns  for  the  New  Year,  1750. 
 It  is  a  lively  composition,  admirably  adapted  by  its  appropriate 
 and  weighty  sentiments  for  the  solemn  service  for  which  it  is 
 used.  There  is  a  peculiarity  about  the  long  and  short  syllables 
 which  gives  ease  to  the  rapid  flow  of  the  words,  and  testifies 
 with  what  facility  even  difficult  metres  were  composed  by  the 
 author.  It  is  now  printed  in  short  lines,  and  not  as  formerly 
 two  lines  in  one. 
 
 Grace  and  Providence  often  co-operate.  A  little  girl,  belong- 
 ing to  the  Scotch  Church,  was  permitted  by  her  father  to  go  to 
 the  watch-night  service  of  the  Methodists  in  Aberdeen,  on 
 condition  that  she  remembered  the  text,  and  repeated  it  on  her 
 return  home.  At  the  end  of  the  service  the  accustomed  hymn 
 was  sung — 
 
 "  Come,  let  us  anew  our  journey  pursue, 
 Roll  round  with  the  year,"  &c. 
 
 This  was  to  her  a  novelty,  and  so  fixed  in  the  child's  mind  a 
 love  towards  Methodism,  that  she  ultimately  became  a  member 
 
6o  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  47. 
 
 of  the  Society,  and  the  wife  of  the  Rev'.  John  Shipman,  Wesleyan 
 minister.  The  text  failed  to  influence  her  mind  seriously,  but 
 the  last  hymn  did  so  effectually.     Died  in  1846,  aged  fifty-six. 
 
 The  Rev.  John  Fletcher,  of  Madeley,  was  a  man  of  great 
 simplicity  of  living.  He  one  morning  visited  a  school  of  young 
 ladies,  and  sat  with  them  during  the  breakfast  hour  ;  at  its  close 
 he  invited  them  all  to  visit  him  next  morning  at  the  vicarage  at 
 seven  o'clock.  On  their  arrival,  Mr.  Fletcher  took  his  bason  of 
 bread  and  milk,  and  asked  the  girls  to  look  at  his  watch  and 
 tell  him  how  much  time  he  took  for  breakfast.  When  he  had 
 finished  they  said,  "Just  a  minute  and  a-half."  The  vicar  then 
 said,  "  My  dear  girls,  we  have  fifty-eight  minutes  of  the  hour 
 left,  let  us  sing — 
 
 '*  *  Our  life  is  a  dream — our  time  as  a  stream 
 Glides  swiftly  away, 
 And  the  fugitive  moment  refuses  to  stay.'  " 
 
 He  gave  them  a  lecture  on  the  value  of  time,  and  the  worth  of 
 the  soul,  and  after  praying  with  them  at  eight  o'clock,  they 
 returned  to  school  more  deeply  impressed  than  ever  before. — 
 Tyerman's  "  Life  of  Fletcher." 
 
 Mrs.  Holy,  of  Sheffield,  began  to  serve  God  in  early  life,  and 
 during  a  period  of  more  than  threescore  years  and  ten,  took 
 unceasing  pleasure  in  helping  forward  the  cause  of  God  and 
 Methodism.  When  laid  aside  by  weakness  and  age,  she 
 delighted  in  repeating  Wesley's  hymns.  The  family  not  being 
 able  to  attend  the  watch-night  service,  they  were  called  together 
 for  a  special  service  in  the  house,  when  she  addressed  some 
 faithful  and  loving  words  to  them,  closing  the  sen'ice  by  singing 
 the  New  Year's  Hymn,  in  which  she  heartily  joined.  This  was 
 the  last  service  she  attended  on  earth.  Extreme  weakness  set 
 in  ;  but  her  confidence  in  God  was  unshaken,  and  her  last 
 words  were,  "  I  do  feel  Christ  precious."  She  died  6th  January, 
 1 84 1,  aged  seventy-eight  years. 
 
 The  death  of  one  person  is  often  the  awakening  to  spiritual 
 life  of  many.  Mrs.  Hobkinson,  of  Harrogate,  was  called  to 
 part  with  her  son,  an  event  which  awakened  her  to  a  sense  of 
 her  lost  state  as  a  sinner.  She  sought  and  found  redemption, 
 and  to  the  end  of  life  maintained  her  confidence  in  God.  A 
 little  before  her  departure  she  tried  .to  sing — 
 
 "  O  that  each  in  the  day  Of  His  coming  may  say, 
 I  have  fought  my  way  through." 
 
HYMN  48.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  6 1 
 
 Adding  with,  increased  emphasis  the  last  line — 
 
 "I  have  finish 'd  the  work  Thou  didst  give  me  to  do." 
 
 She  died  loth  November,  1854,  aged  fifty-three  years. 
 
 Richard  Hayden,  bom  in  county  Wexford,  Ireland,  in  1826, 
 removed  to  Quebec  in  Canada  in  1848,  and  marrying  Jane 
 Lanceley,  the  daughter  of  a  local  preacher,  he  himself  being  a 
 consistent  member  of  the  Methodist  Church ;  they  made  a 
 happy  religious  home  for  thirty  years.  Greatly  tried  in  the 
 furnace  of  afifliction,  each  time  he  came  forth  refined.  When 
 near  the  end  he  called  his  wife  and  children  to  him,  and  said, 
 "I  want  you  to  love  Jesus  who  has  loved  me  so  much."  Though 
 not  gifted  with  the  power  of  song,  to  the  surprise  of  all  present, 
 he  sang  in  a  clear  strong  voice — 
 
 H,.  "  O  that  each  in  the  day 
 
 B| '  .  Of  His  coming  may  say, 
 
 K!  I  have  fought  my  way  through  ; 
 
 I  have  finished  the  work  Thou  didst  give  me  to  do." 
 
 With  that  song,  he  passed  away  from  Montreal,  Canada,  to  the 
 rest  of  heaven,  9th  January,  1882,  aged  fifty-six. 
 
 Hymn  48. — *'  Pass  a  few  swiftly-fleeting  years." — "  /  am  goijig 
 the  way  of  all  the  earth''^  (Joshua  xxiii.  14). — TUNE, 
 Purcell's,  1 76 1. 
 
 This  forms  No.  387,  Vol.  i.,  of  Charles  Wesley's  "  Short  Scrip- 
 ture Hymns,"  1762.  Mr.  Wesley's  volumes  of  Scripture  Hymns 
 are  too  little  known  ;  most  of  the  hymns  are  concise,  but  some 
 few  are  lengthy.  They  are  two  thousand  and  thirty  in  number, 
 and  are  founded  on  particular  texts  throughout  all  the  books  of 
 the  Bible.  "  Some  of  them/'  observes  the  Rev.  Thomas  Jackson, 
 "  display  a  singular  ingenuity,  and  nearly  all  breathe  a  spirit  of 
 pure  and  fervent  devotion.  They  prove  the  author  to  have  been 
 a  diligent,  accurate,  and  critical  student  of  the  Sacred  Books, 
 and  often  throw  an  interesting  light  upon  important  passages. 
 The  meters  are  agreeably  varied,  and  the  entire  work  is  perhaps 
 one  of  the  best  uninspired  manuals  for  the  closet  of  the  Christ- 
 ian that  was  ever  published  in  the  English  language."  They 
 appeared  in  1762,  second  edition  in  1794-6,  with  abridgment. 
 
 The  author,  in  his  preface,  remarks,  "  God  having  graciously 
 laid  his  hand  upon  my  body,  and  disabled  me  for  the  principal 
 work  of  the  ministry,  has   thereby  given  me  an  unexpected 
 
62  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  49. 
 
 occasion  of  writing  these  hymns.  Many  of  the  thoughts  are 
 borrowed  from  Mr.  Henry's  Comment,  Dr.  Gill  on  the  Pentateuch, 
 and  Bengelius  on  the  New  Testament.  Several  of  the  hymns 
 are  intended  to  prove,  and  several  to  guard,  the  doctrine  of 
 Christian  perfection.  My  desire  is  rightly  to  divide  the  word 
 of  truth.  But  who  is  sufficient  for  these  things  .''  Who  can 
 check  the  self-confident  without  discouraging  the  self-diffident? 
 Reader,  if  God  ministers  grace  to  thy  soul  through  any  of  these 
 hymns,  offer  up  a  prayer  for  the  weak  instrument,  that,  when- 
 ever I  finish  my  course,  I  may  depart  in  peace,  having  seen  in 
 Jesus  Christ  His  great  salvation." 
 
 How  many  thousands  did  offer  up  a  prayer  for  the  *'  weak 
 instrument!"  and  how  many  thousands  have  been  blessed  as 
 the  result  of  those  labours  !  What  a  glorious  ending  had  their 
 author  !  "  My  brother  Charles  fell  asleep  so  quietly  that  they 
 who  sat  by  him  did  not  see  when  he  died."  So  wrote  John 
 Wesley  in  a  letter  to  Henry  Moore,  the  original  of  which  is 
 before  the  writer. 
 
 Two  points  of  doctrine  were  introduced  into  the  "  Short 
 Hymns "  by  Charles  Wesley,  in  which  he  differs  from  his 
 brother  John.  They  were  Spiritual  Darkness  and  Christian 
 Perfection.  Many  of  the  hymns  in  the  collection  are  taken 
 from  this  work,  but  not  any  in  which  the  controverted  points  of 
 doctrine  are  found. 
 
 The  hymn  which  has  for  nearly  a  century  succeeded  the 
 above,  commencing  with — 
 
 "  Ah  !  lovely  appearance  of  death," 
 
 has  been  left  out  of  the  revised  book.  It  had  many  admirers, 
 and  a  few  stern  opponents.  John  Wesley,  in  his  Journal,  28th 
 June,  1786,  mentions  that  hymn  with  considerable  commen- 
 dation.    Its  admirers  will  find  it  only  in  the  former  collection. 
 
 Hymn  49. — "  Rejoice  for  a  brother  deceased." — A  Funeral 
 Hy/nn.—TvNE,  Sion,  1761. 
 
 This  forms  the  second  of  Charles  Wesley's  "  Funeral  Hymns," 
 1744.  Mrs.  Hall,  the  author's  sister,  commended  this,  while  she 
 was  unfavourable  to  the  hymn  named  above.  This  was  a  great 
 favourite  with  the  author  himself  in  the  decline  of  life.  Rev. 
 Henry  Moore  relates  this  anecdote  of  him  when  nearly  eighty 
 years  of  age  : — "  He  rode  every  day  (clothed  as  for  winter  even 
 in  summer)  a  little  horse,  grey  with  age.     When  he  mounted,  if 
 
HYMN  49.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  6^ 
 
 a  subject  struck  his  mind,  he  proceeded  to  expand  and  put  it  in 
 order.  He  would  write  a  hymn  thus  given  him  on  a  card,  with 
 his  pencil,  in  shorthand.  Not  unfrequently  he  has  come  to  the 
 house  in  the  City  Road,  and  having  left  his  pony  in  the  garden 
 in  front  (the  property  was  not  then  enclosed  in  wall  and  iron 
 rails,  as  it  now  is),  he  would  enter  cr>^ing  out, '  Pen  and  ink  !  pen 
 and  ink  !'  These  being  supplied,  he  would  write  the  hymn  he 
 had  composed  in  his  mind,  and  deposit  it  in  his  pocket-book." 
 That  pocket-book,  with  two  of  Charles  Wesley's  manuscript 
 hymns  in  its  folds,  is  in  the  possession  of  the  writer  of  these 
 notes.  Mr.  Moore  proceeds  :  "  When  this  was  done,  he  would 
 look  round  on  those  present,  and  salute  them  with  much 
 kindness,  and  thus  put  all  in  mind  of  eternity.  He  was  fond  of 
 repeating  on  such  occasions  the  third  stanza  of  this  hymn, 
 which  commences — 
 
 "  There  all  the  ship's  company  meet, 
 
 Who  sailed  with  the  Saviour  beneath,"  &c. 
 
 William  Hindson,  of  Hegdale,  Penrith,  many  years  a  local 
 preacher  and  leader,  maintained  intimate,  happy,  and  sanctifying 
 communion  with  God  during  a  long  life,  and  closed  it  with 
 calm  assurance  of  heaven,  leaving  as  his  closing  testimony  the 
 following  lines — 
 
 "  There  all  the  ship's  company  meet, 
 
 Who  sailed  with  the  Saviour  beneath." 
 
 He  died  24th  July,  1854,  aged  seventy-eight  years. 
 
 Edward  Maden,  of  the  Burnley  circuit,  realised  during  his 
 last  illness  an  ecstacy  of  joy  and  heavenly  consolation ;  and  the 
 full  assurance  of  his  heavenly  inheritance  he  declared  in  the 
 verse  commencing — 
 
 "  There  all  the  ship's  company  meet ;" 
 
 adding,  "  I  shall  soon  be  one  of  them,  and  shall  meet  many 
 whom  I  have  known  on  earth  who  will  welcome  me  home."  He 
 died  19th  December,  1863,  aged  fifty-eight  years. 
 
 The  honoured  son  of  an  honoured  sire  in  the  Wesleyan 
 ministry,  Nathaniel  Francis  Woolmer,  of  Gloucester,  was  a 
 useful  member  and  leader  in  Methodism,  and  by  a  consistency 
 of  religious  profession  manifested  his  "  walk  with  God."  His 
 delight  in  the  services  of  the  sanctuary,  and  in  doing  good  to  the 
 bodies  and  souls  of  those  around  him,  have  made  his  memory 
 precious.      Often,  when  engaged  in  prayer,  his  face  became 
 
64  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  5 1. 
 
 radiant  with  joy%  as  well  as  when  he  spoke  of  the  Saviour, 
 or  repeated  portions  of  Scripture  and  of  his  favourite  hymns. 
 With  remarkable  feeling  he  quoted,  as  indicative  of  the  hope 
 that  was  in  him  at  the  end  of  his  pilgrimage,  the  verse  com- 
 mencing— 
 
 "  There  all  the  ship's  company  meet,"  &c. 
 
 He  died  17th  January,  1866,  aged  sixty-one. 
 
 Hymn  50. — "  Blessing,  honour,  thanks,  and  praise." — A  Fwieral 
 By  1)171. — Tune,  Love  Feast,  1761. 
 
 This  was  first  published  in  Charles  Wesley's  "  Hymns  and 
 Sacred  Poems,"  1742.  This  is  said  to  be  the  hymn  sung  by 
 Mr.  Wesley  and  his  five  sisters,  at  the  Foundry  residence, 
 immediately  after  the  death  of  their  beloved  mother  in  July, 
 1742, — ^just  the  time  the  hymn  was  originally  written  and 
 published.  The  occurrence  was  one  of  deepest  interest.  Read 
 every  line,  and  see  how  appropriate  to  the  occasion.  Take  the 
 second  stanza  only — 
 
 "  Lo  !  the  prisoner  is  released, 
 Lightened  of  her  fleshly  load  ; 
 Where  the  weary  are  at  rest, 
 She  is  gathered  into  God  ! 
 Lo  !  the  pain  of  life  is  passed, 
 All  her  warfare  now  is  o'er  ; 
 Death  and  hell  behind  are  cast, 
 Grief  and  suffering  are  no  more." 
 
 There  was  something  holy  and  sublime  in  the  request  of  the 
 dying  saint  for  a  song  of  deliverance,  release,  or  triumph  to  be 
 sung  as  soon  as  the  spirit  had  fled.  She  anticipated  her  own 
 bliss  as  soon  as  separated  from  the  body,  and  wished  her 
 bereaved  children  to  try  to  be  sharers  with  her  of  peace  and  joy. 
 What  inspiration  that  peaceful  death  and  that  song  of  triumph 
 gave  to  her  son  John,  which  enabled  him  to  deliver  that  mar- 
 vellous sermon  over  her  grave  (which  he  names  in  his  Journal) 
 as  soon  as  the  body  was  there  laid  to  rest  ! 
 
 Hymn  51. — "  Hark  !  a  voice  divides  the  sky." — A  Funeral 
 Hymn, — Tune,  Ascension,  1761. 
 
 This  hymn  is  found  in  the  same  volume  as  the  preceding.  It 
 is  worthy  of  remark  that  the  tunes  affixed  to  this  and  the  pre- 
 ceding hymn,  indicate  a  much  stronger  leaning  to  the  joys  of 
 
HYMN  52.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  65 
 
 the  departed  than  the  sorrows  of  the  bereaved.     Both  these 
 hymns  are  unaltered  reprints. 
 
 The  exultant  tone  which  runs  through  this  hymn  has  been 
 caught  by  many  a  redeemed  spirit  on  the  border-land  of  both 
 worlds,  but  was  perhaps  never  more  fully  exhibited  than  in  the 
 closing  scene  of  that  devoted  young  missionary,  the  Rev.  James 
 H.  Wayte.  He  had  reached  Freetown,  Sierra  Leone,  and 
 gladdened  the  hearts  of  the  resident  missionaries  by  his  arrival. 
 Rejoicing  in  the  consciousness  that  Christ  is  able  to  cleanse 
 from  all  sin,  his  desire  to  make  known  this  great  salvation  was 
 manifested  by  his  intense  zeal ;  but  divine  Providence  cut  short 
 his  earthly  career.  Suffering  much  from  the  time  of  his  arrival 
 in  Africa,  fever  soon  set  in,  and  hastened  him  home  to  heaven. 
 Ere  the  vital  spark  fled,  Mr.  Dove,  a  brother  missionary,  visited 
 him,  and  attempted  to  pray  with  him,  but  he  was  interrupted  by 
 the-  dying  youth,  who  began  to  invoke  the  divine  blessing  upon 
 all  his  late  brother  students  at  Richmond.  After  a  pause,  he 
 said,  "  O  glory  be  to  Jesus  !  I  feared  I  should  depart  without 
 a  shout  for  my  Lord  ;  but  He  would  not  allow  it ;  bless  His 
 gracious  name.  I  have  preached  Christ  in  life,  though  very 
 unfaithfully ;  and  I  will  preach  Him  in  death."  Then  raising 
 his  voice  to  a  higher  pitch,  he  added — 
 
 "  *  Mortals  cry,  A  man  is  dead  ! 
 Angels  shout,  A  child  is  born  !  ' " 
 
 In  this  strain  he  continued  for  two  hours.  Soon  afterwards 
 he  seemed  to  get  a  glimpse  of  the  better  land  ;  and  just  before 
 he  breathed  out  his  spirit,  he  exclaimed,  "  Beautiful !  Oh  how 
 beautiful !  "  and  entered  into  rest,  i6th  January,  1846. 
 
 Hymn  52.— "Again  we  lift  our  voice."— 0;;  the  Death  of 
 Satnuel  Hutchins.—IXi^Y.^  Irene,  1761. 
 
 The  original  appears  in  Charles  Wesley's  "  Hymns  and  Sacred 
 Poems,"  1749,  vol.  ii.  Samuel  Hutchins  was  a  Cornish  smith, 
 one  of  the  first  race  of  Methodist  preachers,  who  died  at  an  early 
 age.  An  account  of  his  life,  written  by  his  father,  was  published 
 by  John  Wesley  in  1746. 
 
 William  Parkin,  of  Hightown,  was  a  zealous  Yorkshire 
 Methodist,  who,  yielding  to  the  strivings  of  the  Spirit  of  God, 
 knelt  down  under  a  hedge,  and,  while  praying  there,  entered 
 into  the  liberty  of  the  children  of  God.     The  testimony  of  his 
 
 E 
 
66  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  54. 
 
 acceptance  was  clear  and  abiding,  and  abated  nothing  of  its 
 intensity  in  his  latest  hours.  Shortly  before  he  died,  he  said, 
 "  My  soul  delights  in  God.  Singing  and  praying  never  hurts 
 me."  To  a  brother  local  preacher,  he  said,  his  countenance 
 radiant  with  a  heavenly  smile,  "  I  am  on  the  Rock,  and  feel  it 
 will  bear  me  up."  Expecting  his  end,  he  added,  *'  Before  you 
 take  my  body  from  the  house,  sing  the  verse — 
 
 "  *  Again  we  lift  our  voice, 
 And  shout  our  solemn  joys  ! 
 Cause  of  highest  raptures  this, 
 
 Raptures  that  shall  never  fail  : 
 See  a  soul  escaped  to  bliss, 
 
 Keep  the  Christian  festival.'  " 
 
 Whilst  speaking  to  his  wife  of  his  intention  to  take  an  hour's 
 drive  out  in  the  afternoon,  he  fell  lifeless  on  the  floor  !  loth 
 May,  1858,  aged  sixty-four  years. 
 
 Hymn  s;^^. — "  Glory  be  to  God  on  high." — A  Funeral  Hymn. 
 
 This  hymn  supplies  the  place  of  one  which  had  the  title  "  On 
 the  death  of  a  widow."  Both  were  written  by  Charles  Wesley. 
 He  published  two  small  volumes  of  Funeral  Hymns,  the  first  in 
 1744,  containing  only  sixteen  hymns,  the  enlarged  edition  in 
 1759,  containing  fifty-three  hymns.  This  hymn  is  one  left  by 
 the  author  in  MS.  It  does  not  appear  in  the  published  Funeral 
 Hymns.  Many  of  this  class  of  hymns  were  written  on  occasion 
 of  the  death  of  some  friend  of  the  author,  and  some  of  them 
 during  the  sickness  and  after  the  death  of  his  own  children  in 
 the  city  of  Bristol,  where  several  of  them  died ;  those  deaths  were 
 sources  of  heavy  trial  to  both  the  author  and  his  tender-hearted, 
 loving,  wife.  The  names  of  persons,  when  they  are  well-known, 
 are  prefixed  to  many  of  such  hymns. 
 
 Hymn  54. — "  Hearken  to  the  solemn  voice." — A  Midnight 
 Hymn. — TUNE,  Amsterdam,  1761. 
 
 Written  by  Charles  Wesley,  and  published  in  "  Hymns  and 
 Sacred  Poems,"  1742.  The  passage  in  St.  Luke  xii.  35  seems 
 to  have  suggested  the  third  verse.  This  is  the  first  hymn  in  the 
 section  "  Describing  Judgment." 
 
HYMN  56.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  67 
 
 Hymn  55.—"  Thou  Judge  of  quick  and  dea.d."— For  the 
 Watchnight.—TXi^^,  Olney,  1761. 
 
 First  published  in  Charles  Wesley's  "Hymns  and  Sacred 
 Poems,"  1749,  vol.  ii.  In  the  fourth  verse,  "  Our  lot "  is  changed 
 to  "A  lot." 
 
 A  venerable  man  was  Richard  Burdsall,  of  York  ;  and  his 
 daughter,  the  mother  of  Richard  and  John  Lyth,  was  noted 
 for  piety.  When  twelve  years  old,  she  gave  herself  to  the 
 Lord,  and  her  piety  grew  with  her  growth.  During  her  last 
 days,  her  full  heart  overflowed  in  songs  of  praise,  even  in  the 
 night  season.  On  being  told  that  her  end  was  approaching,  she 
 rejoiced  greatly  that  she  was  going  home.  On  the  day  before 
 her  death,  she  repeated — 
 
 "  O  may  I  thus  be  found 
 W  Obedient  to  His  word  ; 
 
 Attentive  to  the  trumpet's  sound, 
 And  looking  for  my  Lord." 
 
 Her  last  words  were,  "Praise,  glory,  my  Father,  my  Redeemer." 
 Thus  closed  a  life  fragrant  with  holiness  and  peace,  4th  July, 
 i860,  aged  seventy-eight  years. 
 
 Hymn  56. — "  He  comes  !  He  comes  !  the  Judge  severe." — Thy 
 Kingdom  cofne. — TuNE,  Judgment,  1761. 
 
 This  forms  No.  37  of  Charles  Wesley's  "  Hymns  of  Inter- 
 cession for  all  Mankind,"  1758.  It  is  worthy  of  remark  here,  that 
 "neither  the  delight  of  social  intercourse,  nor  the  spiritual 
 prosperity  of  his  own  people,  could  induce  Charles  Wesley  to 
 forget  the  public  welfare,  and  the  cause  of  religion  generally. 
 England  was  at  war  with  several  states  on  the  Continent, 
 domestic  tranquillity  was  menaced,  Protestant  interests  were  in 
 peril,  the  clergy  were  asleep  at  the  post  of  duty,  and  ungodliness 
 and  sin  everywhere  prevailed  at  the  time  when  Charles  Wesley 
 wrote  his  "  Hymns  of  Intercession  for  all  Mankind."  So 
 manifest  was  the  peril,  that  the  principal  Methodist  societies  had 
 a  special  meeting  for  prayer  every  Friday  at  noon,  to  incercede 
 with  God  on  behalf  of  the  Church,  the  nation,  and  the  world. 
 To  assist  those  services,  and  to  fan  the  flame  of  Christian 
 patriotism,  Mr.  Wesley  published  these  hymns.  From  this 
 small  work  six  hymns  in  the  Wesleyan  Collection  are  taken, 
 namely,  Hymns  56,  66,  441,  442,  444,  451.     There   are   forty 
 
68  METHODIST  HVMX  P.OOK  NOTKS.  HVMX  57. 
 
 hymns  in  the  tract ;  it  appeared  originally  without  author's 
 name,  and  this  fact  may  help  to  account  for  the  strange  and 
 alien  appropriation  for  so  long  a  period  of  Hymn  66,  "  Lo  ! 
 He  comes  with  clouds  descending,"  which  is  taken  from  its 
 pages. 
 
 Hymn  57. — "  The  great  Archangel's  trump  shall  sound." — 
 After  Deliverance  frovi  Death  by  the  fall  of  a  House. — 
 Tune,  Canon,  175 1. 
 
 The  original  forms  No.  174  in    Charles  Wesley's  "Hymns 
 
 and  Sacred  Poems,"  1749,  vol.  ii.,  and  commences,  "  Glory  and 
 
 thanks  to  God  we  give."     The  first  five  verses  are  omitted  ;  this 
 
 hymn  begins  with  the  sixth  verse  of  the  original.     The  accident 
 
 which  originated  this  fine   composition   is  related  in  Charles 
 
 Wesley's  journal.    On  his  third  visit  to  Leeds  he  met  the  society 
 
 in  an  old  upper  room,  which  was  densely  packed,  and  crowds 
 
 could  not  gain  admission.     He  removed  nearer  the  door,  that 
 
 those  without  might  hear,  and  drew  the  people  towards  him. 
 
 Instantly  the  rafters  broke  off  short,  close  to  the  main  beam,  the 
 
 floor  sank,  and  more  than  one  hundred  people  fell,  amid  dust 
 
 and  ruins,  into  the  room  below.    One  sister  had  her  arm  broken, 
 
 and  set  immediately  ;  rejoicing  with  joy  unspeakable.     Another 
 
 strong  in  faith,  was  so  crushed,  that  she  expected  instant  death, 
 
 but  she  was  without  fear,  and  only  said,  in  calm  faith,  "  Jesus, 
 
 receive  my  spirit."    A  boy  of  eighteen  who  had  come  to  make 
 
 a  disturbance,  who  struck  several  women  on  entering,  was  taken 
 
 up  roaring,  "  I  will  be  good  !     I  will  be  good  ! "     They  got  his 
 
 leg  set,  which  was  broken  in  two  places.     The  preacher  did  not 
 
 fall,  but  slid  down  softly,  and  lighted  on  his  feet.     His  hand  was 
 
 bruised,  and  part  of  the  skin  rubbed  off  his  head.     He  lost  his 
 
 senses,  but  recovered  them  in  a  moment,  and  was  filled  with 
 
 power  from  above.     He  writes,  "  I  lifted  up  my  head  and  saw 
 
 the  people  under  me,  heaps  upon  heaps.     I  cried  out,  *  Fear 
 
 not  :  the  Lord  is  with  us  ;  our  lives  are  all  safe  ; '  and   then 
 
 gave  out,  '  Praise  God,  from  whom  all  blessings  flow.'"    Several 
 
 were  seriously  hurt,  but  none  killed.     After  such  a  deliverance 
 
 was  this  hymn  written.     It  commences,  "  Glory  and  thanks  to 
 
 God  we  give  ;  "  and  after  twenty  lines,  in  which  there  are  evident 
 
 references  to  this  remarkable  escape  from  death,  the  sixth  verse 
 
 commences,  "The  great  Archangel's  trump  shall  sound,"  &c. 
 
 This  accident  took  place  14th  March,  1744. 
 
HYMN  59.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  69 
 
 Only  the  possession  of  mighty  faith  in  God  could  give  the 
 author  that  calmness  and  composure  of  mind  which  are  indicated 
 in  this  sublime  composition. 
 
 Hymn  58.— "Jesus,  faithful  to  His  word."— ^  Funeral  Hymn.— 
 Tune,  Hamilton's,  1781. 
 
 This  hymn  was  first  published  in  Charles  Wesley's  "  Hymns 
 and  Sacred  Poems,"  1742.  The  original  has  six  verses,  the 
 first  three  of  which  are  omitted.  It  is  based  on  i  Thess.  iv.  13. 
 The  first  line  reads  thus,  "  Let  the  world  lament  their  dead." 
 — "  Poetical  Works,"  vol.  ii.,  p.  186. 
 
 Hymn  59. — "Thou  God  of  glorious  majesty." — A  Hymn  for 
 Seriousness. — Tune,  Snowsfield's,  1761. 
 
 This  hymn  is  found  in  Charles  Wesley's  "  Hymns  and  Sacred 
 Poems,"  1749,  vol.  i.  The  Sheffield  poet,  Montgomery,  says  of 
 this  hymn  :  "  It  is  a  sublime  contemplation,  solemn,  collected, 
 unimpassioned  thought,  but  thought  occupied  with  that  which 
 is  of  everlasting  import  to  a  dying  man,  standing  on  the  lapse 
 of  a  moment  between  two  eternities."  Tradition  states  that  this 
 hymn  was  written  by  Charles  Wesley  after  a  visit  to  Land's 
 End,  Cornwall,  in  July,  1743.  There  is  at  the  Land's  End 
 a  narrow  neck  of  land  betwixt  two  unbounded  seas — the 
 Bristol  Channel  to  the  north,  and  the  English  Channel  to  the 
 south ;  or,  we  may  add,  the  Great  Atlantic  Ocean  to  the  west, 
 and  the  German  Ocean  to  the  east,  all  uniting  at  this  point. 
 The  tradition  is  natural,  and  seems  well  supported ;  it  is 
 given  by  Dr.  Adam  Clarke  in  a  manuscript  letter  before  the 
 writer,  without  doubt  or  hesitation  ;  Dr.  Clarke  knew  Charles 
 Wesley  personally,  and  the  letter  containing  the  tradition  was 
 written  partly  in  pencil  on  the  "  narrow  neck  of  land "  itself, 
 and  finished  at  "  the  first  inn  in  England,"  situated  at  the 
 Land's  End.  Mr.  Thomas  Taylor,  a  Methodist  preacher,  who 
 visited  the  Land's  End  in  1761,  records  the  words  :  "  Here  Mr. 
 Charles  Wesley  wrote,  '  Lo  !  on  a  narrow  neck  of  land,'  &c." 
 
 In  the  third  verse,  Mr.  Wesley  introduces  an  unusual  word 
 among  Christians,  "  And  tremble  on  the  brink  of  fate."  The 
 word  fate  not  only  comes  in  to  suit  the  rhyme,  but  is  in  this 
 instance  of  its  use  a  proper  rescuing  of  the  word  from  the  claim 
 of  the  infidel :  fate,  from  fatum^ — what  is  spoken  or  decreed  by 
 Almighty  power  and  goodness, — and  here  it  is  applied  to  death. 
 
70  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HVMN  6o. 
 
 Amongst  the  early  friends  of  Methodism  in  Pilsley  village,  in 
 the  Peak  of  Derbyshire,  Luke  Bridge  will  be  remembered  with 
 gratitude  and  affection.  Once,  in  the  Conference  prayer  meet- 
 ing at  Sheffield,  he  asked  the  assembly  to  "help  him  to  pray 
 for  poor  Pilsley."  For  more  than  thirty  years  he  ceased  not 
 to  strive  to  bring  his  neighbours  to  God.  At  the  end  of  his 
 pilgrimage,  protracted  to  eighty-two  years,  he  recorded  his 
 sentiments  in  the  language  of  his  favourite  hymns,  one  of  which 
 was,  "  Thou  God  of  glorious  majesty,"  &c.  He  was  eminent 
 for  his  interceding  power  in  prayer.     Died  November,  1859. 
 
 Mrs.  Ann  Brown,  the  wife  of  the  Rev.  J.  R.  Brown,  began  to 
 meet  in  class  at  the  age  of  sixteen  ;  and  from  that  time  to  the 
 end  of  her  life,  her  uprightness  of  conduct  and  seriousness  of 
 demeanour  secured  for  her  the  affectionate  regard  of  a  large 
 circle  of  friends.  At  Whitby,  her  recovery  from  serious  illness 
 she  attributed  to  the  goodness  of  God  in  answer  to  the  prayers 
 of  the  people.  An  attack  of  typhus  fever  in  Sunderland  made 
 short  work  with  her ;  and  when  told  that  medical  skill  could  do 
 no  more  for  her,  she  replied,  "  The  will  of  the  Lord  be  done," 
 and  added — 
 
 *'Lo!  on  a  narrow  neck  of  land, 
 'Twixt  two  unbounded  seas  I  stand,"  (Sec. 
 
 Her  mind  was  occupied  with  repeating  portions  of  Scripture 
 and  hymns  during  her  last  hours  on  earth  ;  and  she  expired  in 
 peace,  24th  September,  1834,  aged  thirty-nine  years. 
 
 Hymn  60. — "  Righteous  God !  whose  vengeful  phials." — For  the 
 Year  1756. — Tune,  Westminster,  1761. 
 
 This  hymn  forms  No.  15  of  Charles  Wesley's  "Hymns  for 
 the  Year  1756,"  where  it  has  six  stanzas,  the  third  and  fourth 
 being  left  out,  by  John  Wesley,  as  not  suited  for  popular  use. 
 
 The  Government  of  the  time  appointed  the  6th  of  February, 
 1756,  as  a  day  of  fasting  and  humiliation  before  God;  and  to 
 improve  the  occasion  Charles  Wesley  wrote  the  seventeen 
 hymns  which  form  this  tract.  Hymns  60,  61,  and  62  are 
 selected  from  its  pages,  and  three  more  sublime  compositions 
 have  seldom  been  written.  The  fast  was  observed  with  deep 
 solemnity ;  the  churches  were  all  crowded,  and  seriousness 
 sat  on  every  face,  "  such  as  has  not  been  seen,"  says  John 
 Wesley,  "  since   the  Restoration."     The    tract,   possessing  so 
 
HYMN  64.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  7 1 
 
 much  beauty  and  strength,  and  breathing  so  much  fervent  and 
 elevated  piety,  quickly  passed  to  a  second  edition,  in  the  title 
 of  which  the  reference  to  the  fast  day  was  omitted. 
 
 Hymn  6i. — "  Stand  the  omnipotent  decree." — For  the  Year 
 iJS^. — Tune,  Kingswood,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  written  early  in  1576;  as  fine  a  composition 
 as  ever  came  from  an  uninspired  mind.  "  It  is  a  strain  more 
 than  human." 
 
 Mr.  Montgomery  says:  "  It  begins  with  a  note  abrupt  and 
 awakening,  like  the  sound  of  the  last  trumpet.  This  is  alto- 
 gether one  of  the  most  daring  and  victorious  flights  of  our 
 author."  Young's  "  Night  Thoughts  "  doubtless  suggested 
 several  of  the  sentiments  and  expressions  in  the  hymn, — see 
 Night  vi,, — but  in  this,  as  in  other  instances.  Young  is  greatly 
 improved  in  sublimity  and  grandeur  by  Wesley.  The  first  six 
 books  of  Young's  "Night  Thoughts"  were  published  several 
 years  before  Charles  Wesley  wrote  this  grand  hymn,  and 
 whilst  some  of  Young's  conceptions  are  lofty  and  impressive, 
 Wesley's  are  much  more  so.  An  interesting  literary  discus- 
 sion on  this  point  is  given  in  "Adam  Clarke  Portrayed,"  by 
 James  Everett,  vol.  ii.,  1844,  page  339. 
 
 Hymn  62. — "Howhappy  are  the  little  flock." — On  the  Overthrow 
 of  Lisbon  by  an  Earthquake. — TUNE,  Chapel,  1761. 
 
 Written  by  Charles  Wesley  in  December,  1755,  on  the  occa- 
 sion indicated  by  the  title.  It  forms  the  last  of  the  seventeen 
 hymns  in  the  tract  of  "  Fast-day  Hymns,"  published  early  in 
 the  year  1756.  This  composition  exhibits  the  calm  faith  in  the 
 divine  love  and  protection  which  so  eminently  characterised 
 the  early  Methodists.  Besides  the  excitement  caused  by  the 
 terrible  earthquake,  the  English  nation  was  daily  expecting  an 
 invasion  by  the  French. 
 
 Hymn  63.— "Woe  to  the  men  on  earth  who  dwell;" 
 
 ,,      64. — "  By  faith  we  find  the  place  above  "  (Rev.  xvi.  16). 
 Occasioned  by  the  Earthquake  at  Lisbon. — Tune,  Brockmer,  1761. 
 
 These  two  hymns  form  one  of  Charles  Wesley's  "  Earthquake 
 Hymns,"  1756,  the  second  edition  of  a  work  which  was  first 
 published  in  1750.     The  original  is  four  verses  longer.     In  the 
 
72  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  64. 
 
 third   line  John  Wesley   has  made  an  alteration.     "  Lo,  from 
 their  roots,"  is  changed  to  "  Lo  !  from  their  scats,"  Sec. 
 
 An  appreciative  and  observant  writer  from  Manchester,  over 
 the  signature  of  A.  H.,  recently  sent  the  following  review  of  these 
 two  hymns  to  the  Methodist  Recorder.  He  says  :  "  The  object  of 
 the  author  appears  to  be  to  warn  the  careless  of  their  danger, 
 and  to  assure  the  believer  of  his  safety,  in  view  of  that  impres- 
 sive event.  The  hymn  in  question  fulfils  the  latter  part  of  this 
 design.  To  accomplish  this  the  writer  impressively  contrasts 
 the  calm  immutability  of  the  Almighty  with  the  final  convulsion 
 and  annihilation  of  nature,  and  asserts  the  assurance  that  all 
 who  have  fled  to  that  '  everlasting  Rock  '  shall  '  evermore 
 abide.'  To  illustrate  the  final  cataclysm  of  nature  the  writer 
 of  the  hymn  draws  his  imagery  from  some  of  the  most  impres- 
 sive of  natural  phenomena,  and  in  particular  from  those  of 
 thunder  and  lightning.  Few  more  impressive,  more  awful  and 
 solemn  natural  phenomena  could  be  found  than  those  of  the 
 thunderstorm  ;  indeed,  he  who  has  witnessed  a  thunderstorm, 
 say,  amid  the  Alps,  when  the  huge  mountains,  reverberating 
 the  crashing  peals  from  crag  to  crag  of  their  cavernous  recesses, 
 seem  to  heave  and  groan  in  the  throes  of  a  mighty  agony,  and 
 their  peaks,  flashing  in  the  fitful  glare  of  the  frequent  lightning, 
 seem  to  quiver  and  shake  to  their  very  foundations,  could  con- 
 ceive no  fitter  accompaniments  of  some  fearful  natural  convul- 
 sion. Hence  these  phenomena  are  frequently  used  by  writers, 
 both  sacred  and  profane,  in  describing  'that  day;'  and  it  is 
 hence  the  writer  of  the  hymn  draws  his  imagery.  He  declares 
 that  when  the  last  final  convulsion  of  nature  shall  arrive,  when 
 the  last  thunders  shall  sound,  when  *  the  last  (or  latest)  light- 
 nings'  shall  'glare,'  when  the  mountains  shall  melt  in  reality, 
 and  the  'solid  ground'  verily  'dissolve  as  liquid  air,'  the  Creator 
 of  all  shall  remain  unmoved  amid  the  wreck. 
 
 "  *  Yet  still  the  Lord,  the  Saviour  reigns, 
 When  nature  is  destroyed  ; ' 
 
 And  he  infers  thence  his  assurance  that  'all  who  trust  in'  Him 
 *  shall  evermore  abide.'  From  this  exegesis  of  the  hymn  I 
 think  the  full  import  and  force  of  the  line  referred  to  will  be 
 apparent.  Certainly,  the  proposed  emendation — '  latent '  for 
 'latest' — would  not  be  altogether  incompatible  with  this  read- 
 ing of  the  hymn,  but  I  think  the  former  word  would  scarcely 
 have  the  same  force  as  the  latter.     Indeed,  I  think  we  may 
 
HYMN  65.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  73 
 
 conclude  that  the  latter  word  was  advisedly  employed  in  order 
 to  express  the  idea  of  finality  so  prominent  throughout  the 
 hymn." 
 
 The  hymn,  when  read  and  studied  in  connection  with 
 these  criticisms,  will  have  for  the  reader  increased  force  and 
 solemnity. 
 
 Hymn  65. — "Ye  virgin  souls,  arise." — For  the  Watchnight. — 
 Tune,  Trumpet,  1761. 
 
 This  is  from  Charles  Wesley's  "  Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems," 
 1749,  vol.  ii.  The  original  is  one  verse  longer.  It  forms  a  fine 
 paraphrase  of  the  parable  of  the  ten  virgins. 
 
 Samuel  Hick,  the  village  blacksmith  of  Micklefield,  Yorkshire, 
 born  at  Aberford  in  1758,  was  converted  in  early  life,  having 
 heard  both  John  Nelson  and  John  Wesley  preach.  The  latter 
 he  thought  to  be  an  angel  on  earth,  something  more  than 
 mortal.  He  was  a  natural  genius,  a  most  earnest  and  devoted 
 Methodist,  and  laborious  local  preacher.  Highly  executive, 
 thoroughly  original,  deeply  pious,  for  about  half-a-century  he 
 enjoyed  and  preached  entire  Sanctification  ;  when  worn  out  with 
 incessant  labour  in  the  spread  of  divine  truth,  he  went  home  to 
 die,  and  as  he  had  lived  in  an  atmosphere  of  prayer,  his  last 
 hours  were  filled  with  hymns  and  prayers.  During  his  last 
 evening  on  earth,  speech  faltered,  but  he  understood  every 
 spoken  word,  and  when  his  friends  began  to  sing,  "  Ye  virgin 
 souls  arise,"  he  entered  into  the  spirit  of  it,  and  when  they  sang — 
 
 "  The  everlasting  doors 
 
 Shall  soon  the  saints  receive ; 
 
 Above  yon  angel  powers 
 In  glorious  joy  to  live, 
 
 Far  from  a  world  of  grief  and  sin, 
 
 With  God  eternally  shut  in." 
 
 He  lifted  his  hand  and  waved  it  round  in  triumph,  till  in  utter 
 feebleness  it  fell  by  his  side,  but  even  then,  his  forefinger  turned 
 round  in  token  of  victory  over  death,  and  thus  the  vital  spark 
 expired  on  earth,  9th  November,  1829,  aged  seventy-one  years. 
 
 We  visited  the  house  and  room  in  which  he  died  more  than 
 thirty  years  after  the  event,  and  his  memory  was  fragrant  as 
 ever  there  ;  and  not  a  few  were  living  who  delighted  to  relate 
 incidents  of  that  good  man's  Christian  heroism. 
 
 More  gentle  in  disposition,  and  not  less  faithful  in  the  service 
 
74  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  66. 
 
 of  God,  was  Mrs.  Margaret  Scott,  of  Newcastle.  Like  "Sammy 
 Hick,"  she  never  allowed  sin  to  go  unreproved.  After  a  life  of 
 scrupulous  integrity,  and  unspotted  piety,  on  her  death-bed  she 
 felt  her  confidence  in  the  merits  of  Christ  to  be  unshaken. 
 Shortly  before  her  death  she  sang  twice,  in  a  plaintive  manner, 
 the  verse — 
 
 "  He  comes,  He  comes,  to  call 
 The  nations  to  His  bar, 
 And  raise  to  glory  all 
 
 Who  fit  for  glory  are  : 
 Made  ready  for  your  full  reward 
 Go  forth  with  joy  to  meet  your  Lord." 
 
 She  tried  it  a  third  time,  but  her  voice  failed  her ;  but  she 
 added,  "What  a  strange  thing  that  I  should  gain  a  full  reward  ! 
 a  full  reward  !  "  In  this  happy  frame  of  mind  she  soon  entered 
 on  its  enjoyment,  6th  March,  1845,  aged  seventy-six  years. 
 
 Hymn  66. — "  Lo  !  He  comes  with  clouds  descending." — Thy 
 Kingdom  cojue. — TUNE,  Olivers  (Helmsley),  1761. 
 
 The  original  of  this  grand  hymn  forms  No.  29  in  Charles 
 Wesley's  "  Hymns  of  Intercession  for  all  Mankind,"  1758.  This 
 hymn  was  not  in  the  collection  published  in  1780,  but  it  was  in 
 "  Select  Hymns  with  Tunes  Annext,  1761,"  second  edition,  issued 
 and  used  by  Mr.  Wesley  at  the  Foundr>^ 
 
 The  notion  that  Thomas  Olivers  wrote  this  fine  composition  is 
 entirely  without  evidence  to  support  it.  Olivers  wrote  the  tune 
 to  it,  and  it  appears  in  Mr.  Wesley's  "Sacred  Melody,"  1761, 
 with  the  proper  words  to  the  tune  ;  and  as  the  tune  is  named 
 after  its  author,  Olivers,  it  has  been  supposed  that  both  words 
 and  tune  were  produced  by  him.  Investigation  for  years 
 by  many  minds  has  now  settled  the  dispute.  Charles  Wesley 
 wrote  the  hymn  as  it  now  appears  in  the  Wesleyan  Collection. 
 The  tune  written  by  Olivers,  and  long  known  by  his  name,  is 
 now  called  "  Helmsley."  Both  the  hymn  and  tune  are  spirited 
 compositions,  and  well  adapted  for  either  cheerful  or  solemn 
 subjects. 
 
 "  In  death  not  divided,"  or  but  little,  may  be  said  of  many 
 family  ties  amongst  the  Lord's  people.  It  was  less  than  a  year 
 and  a-half  since  the  Rev.  William  Pemberton  had  died  in  peace 
 at  Newcastle,  that  Mrs.  Pemberton,  at  Leeds,  was  called  some- 
 what suddenly  to  rejoin  the  redeemed  spirit  of  her  husband. 
 
HYiMN  66.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  75 
 
 Seized  with  typhus  fever,  recovery  was  soon  found  to  be  hope- 
 less ;  but  if  her  time  was  come,  her  work  was  done — she  was 
 ready,  prepared  to  meet  the  Bridegroom.     Just  as  the  mortal 
 conflict  ended,  with  her  latest  breath  she  sang — 
 *'  Lo  !  He  comes  with  clouds  descending, 
 Once  for  favour'd  sinners  slain,"  &c., 
 when  she  calmly  fell  asleep  in  Jesus,  loth  October,  1852,  leaving 
 nine  young  orphan  children  to  the  care  of  God  and  His  Church. 
 
 Enduring  a  long  life  of  affliction,  relieved  only  by  the  con- 
 solations of  the  Gospel,  Mrs.  Sarah  Edwards,  of  Seefton-Bach, 
 Ludlow,  realised  a  comforting  assurance  of  her  acceptance  with 
 God.  The  day  before  she  died,  her  peace  rose  to  triumphant 
 joy,  so  that  she  exclaimed,  "  Conquering  !  conquering  !  glory  ! 
 glory  !  "  she  then  sang  the  hymn  commencing — 
 
 "  Lo  !  He  comes  with  clouds  descending,"  &c., 
 and  fell  asleep  in  Jesus,  2nd  January,  1866,  aged  sixty-seven. 
 
 This  hymn,  like  many  others,  has  been  used  by  the  Holy 
 Spirit  to  carry  conviction  to  the  sinner's  heart,  as  well  as  to 
 afford  consolation  to  the  departing  saint.  Elizabeth  Nuttall, 
 of  Rochdale,  at  the  age  of  nineteen,  was  invited  to  a  Methodist 
 prayer  meeting,  and  while  the  hymn  was  being  sung  which 
 commences  with — 
 
 **  Lo  !  He  comes  with  clouds  descending,"  &c., 
 her  mind  was  deeply  convinced  of  sin,  her  distress  became  too 
 much  to  be  endured,  and  by  faith  she  was  enabled  to  believe 
 to  the  salvation  of  her  soul.  She  lived  a  consistent  godly  life, 
 and  died  i6th  December,  1834,  aged  fifty-seven  years,  saying, 
 "Praise  the  Lord"— "He  is  my  God." 
 
 During  the  last  illness  of  Mrs.  Sophia  Charlotte  Howes,  she 
 frequently  said — "What  a  blessing  it  is  that  I  found  the  Saviour 
 when  in  health  ;  it  could  not  be  done  now,  I  am  too  weak  for 
 that.  Thank  God  !  I  have  now  only  to  look  to  and  trust  in 
 Jesus."  As  the  end  was  approaching,  she  repeated  some  verses 
 of  the  Gospel  by  St.  John,  after  which  she  sang  the  third  and 
 fourth  verses  of  the  sixty-sixth  hymn,  commencing — 
 
 *'  The  dear  tokens  of  His  passion  ;  " 
 and — 
 
 "  Yea,  Amen  !  let  all  adore  Thee,"  &c. 
 
 The  powers  of  nature  then  rapidly  declined,  and  she  ceased 
 to  breathe,  2nd  December,  1865,  at  the  age  of  eighty-three, 
 exclaiming,  "  God  be  merciful  to  me  a  sinner  !  " 
 
1^  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTKS.  HYMN  67. 
 
 Hymn  67.—"  I  low  weak  the  thoughts,  and  \;i\n:'— Written  on 
 the  Earthquake  in  London.— Tuii-E^  West  Street,  1761. 
 
 This  forms  No.  9  of  Charles  Wesley's  "  Earthquake  Hymns," 
 1750-  This  hymn  is  the  first  in  the  fifth  section  of  the  collec- 
 tion, with  the  title,  "  Describing  Heaven."  The  original  is  in  ten 
 verses,  only  seven  of  which  are  given. 
 
 The  circumstances  which  caused  this  hymn  to  be  written 
 were  briefly  these  : — On  8th  February,  1750,  there  was  a  terrible 
 earthquake  in  London,  and  many  panic-stricken  people  rushed 
 in  hot  haste  to  the  Methodist  chapels.  In  twenty-eight  days 
 God  gave  the  people  of  London  a  second  and  far  severer  shock. 
 Charles  Wesley  was  preaching  in  the  Foundry  Chapel,  just 
 repeating  his  text,  at  a  quarter  past  five  A.M.  The  Foundry 
 shook  violently  ;  the  alarmed  people  cried  out ;  the  preacher 
 changed  his  text  and  cried  out,  "  Therefore  will  we  not  fear, 
 though  the  earth  be  moved,  and  the  hills  be  carried  into  the 
 midst  of  the  sea  ;  the  God  of  Jacob  is  our  refuge."  God  filled 
 the  preacher's  heart  with  faith,  and  his  mouth  with  suitable 
 words,  shaking  the  hearers'  souls  as  well  as  their  bodies.  The 
 excitement  which  spread  over  London  baffles  all  description  ; 
 the  people  rushed  in  hot  haste  out  of  the  city  into  Moorfields, 
 Hyde  Park,  and  other  open  spaces  for  safety.  A  mad  dragoon 
 intensified  the  wild  excitement  by  declaring  that  all  London 
 would  be  swallowed  up  on  4th  April.  The  people  believed  the 
 prediction,  and  at  midnight  Hyde  Park  was  filled  with  people 
 frantic  with  fear,  to'whom  George  Whitefield  preached  a  sermon 
 of  masterly  eloquence  and  power.  Fear  filled  the  Methodist 
 preaching-house  at  midnight,  and,  observes  Charles  Wesley,  "  I 
 preached  my  written  sermon  on  the  subject  with  great  effect, 
 and  gave  out  several  suitable  hymns."  It  was  a  glorious  night 
 for  the  disciples  of  Jesus.  The  hymns  composed  for  that  occa- 
 sion were  nineteen  in  number,  and  they  display  all  the  highest 
 qualities  of  the  author's  poetry. 
 
 Fearing  God  from  her  youth,  and  joining  the  Methodist 
 society  at  the  age  of  fourteen,  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Sims,  of  the 
 Lincoln  circuit,  maintained  her  Christian  integrity  through  life. 
 During  her  last  illness  she  often  called  her  family  around  her 
 to  join  her  in  singing  the  praises  of  God.  After  a  violent 
 paroxysm  of  pain,  she  said,  "  My  blessed  Saviour  !  what  should 
 I  have  done  without  Thee  now.?"  On  her  husband  speaking 
 of  Jesus,  she  said,  "  'Tis  heaven  below  to  know  Jesus."    Then 
 
HYMN  68.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  77 
 
 exerting  all  her  remaining  energies,  she  sang,  with  great  anima- 
 tion— 
 
 "  How  happy,  then,  are  we, 
 Who  build,  O  Lord,  on  Thee  !  "  &c. 
 
 In  the  last  note  her  voice  faltered  and  died  away,  as  her  spirit 
 returned  to  God,  nth  August,  1845,  ^S^^  sixty-five  years. 
 
 Hymn  68.—"  How  happy  is  the  pilgrim's  lot  V'—The  Pilgrim. 
 —Tune,  Chapel,  1761. 
 
 The  original  was  written  by  John  Wesley,  and  forms  No.  51 
 in  *'  Hymns  for  those  that  seek  and  those  that  have  Redemp- 
 tion," &c.,  1747.  It  was  composed  and  published  about  five 
 years  before  the  author's  marriage,  and  describes  his  own  views 
 and  feelings  on  that  question  in  terms  of  eloquent  simplicity. 
 It  has  been  admired  as  a  composition  by  multitudes  who  are 
 not  Methodists ;  and  viewed  in  connection  with  the  unhappy 
 marriage  of  its  gifted  and  pious  author,  it  will  always  possess,  to 
 the  Methodists  in  particular,  a  special  attraction.  One  verse  is 
 omitted  between  the  third  and  fourth  ;  and  in  the  second  verse 
 '"''low  design"  is  printed  for  " j-^^- design "  in  the  original. 
 
 This  hymn  has  been  a  great  favourite  from  the  time  of  its  first 
 pubHcation.  The  chief  attraction  of  the  poem  clusters  around 
 the  seventh  verse,  although  the  first  and  the  last  have  had  their 
 special  admirers.  Mrs.  Bumby,  of  Thirsk,  mother  of  the  Rev. 
 John  Bumby,  a  woman  of  deep  and  sincere  piety,  benevolence, 
 patience,  humility,  and  affection,  towards  the  end  of  life  had  her 
 affections  weaned  from  all  earthly  things,  and  she  delighted  to 
 sing  the  first  verse  of  this  hymn,  as  indicating  that  she  was 
 "  Happy  in  her  pilgrim's  lot,"  but  that  "  she  only  sojourned 
 here."     She  died  4th  July,  1831,  aged  fifty-seven  years. 
 
 A  cloud  of  witnesses  cluster  their  affections  around  the 
 following  stanza — 
 
 "  There  is  my  house  and  portion  fair ; 
 My  treasure  and  my  heart  are  there, 
 
 And  my  abiding  home  ; 
 For  me  my  elder  brethren  stay, 
 And  angels  beckon  me  away, 
 And  Jesus  bids  me  come." 
 
 The  sainted  and  truly  holy,  devoted,  and  loving  Mary  Fletcher, 
 of  Madeley,  after  seventy-six  years  of  toil,  mourned  because, 
 
78  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  68. 
 
 through  great  weakness,  from  exhausted  nature,  she  could  toil 
 no  longer.  Her  sweet  spirit  said,  "  I  am  doing  nothing;  neither 
 working  nor  reading,  praying  nor  praising ;  only  sleeping." 
 Indeed,  to  her,  doing  nothing  was  very  extraordinary.  As  the 
 end  approached,  she  said,  "  I  am  drawing  near  to  glory  ;"  and 
 soon  after — 
 
 "  There  is  my  house  and  portion  fair  ; 
 My  treasure  and  my  heart  are  there, 
 And  my  abiding  home." 
 
 Shortly  afterwards  she  added,  "  He  lifts  His  hand  and  shows 
 that  I  am  graven  there!"  Many  more  sweet  words  fell  from 
 her  gracious  lips  ere  the  spirit  fled.  The  last  time  she  lay  down 
 she  said  to  her  beloved  and  attentive  friend,  Mary  Tooth,  "  Now, 
 if  I  can  rest  I  will ;  but  let  our  hearts  be  united  in  prayer  :  and 
 the  Lord  bless  both  thee  and  me."  She  did  rest,  for  shortly 
 after  midnight  of  9th  December,  181 5,  all  was  silent.  She  was 
 ''asleep  in  Jesus,"  and  the  serenity  of  the  face  indicated  the 
 tranquillity  of  the  heart." 
 
 The  short  but  glorious  career  of  the  Rev.  Daniel  M'Allum, 
 M.D.,  was  crowned  with  a  triumphant  end.  When  failing  health 
 compelled  him  to  cease  his  pulpit  labours,  he  realised  an  inward 
 calmness  and  peace,  varied  only  by  so  much  of  the  gracious 
 presence  of  God  as  led  him  to  cry  out,  "  Lord,  stay  Thy  hand, 
 lest  the  tabernacle  break."  On  the  last  Sabbath  he  remained  on 
 earth,  knowing  that  his  hours  below  were  but  few,  he  said  to  his 
 wife,  with  emphasis  and  sweetness — 
 
 "  There  is  my  house  and  portion  fair,"  «S:c. 
 
 The  great  and  constant  peace  he  enjoyed  he  believed  to  be  in 
 answer  to  the  prayers  of  the  Lord's  people.  His  last  words 
 were,  "  I  build  only  on  the  merit  of  my  Saviour."  He  died 
 2nd  July,  1827,  aged  thirty-three  years. 
 
 Mrs.  Horton,  a  beloved  and  useful  class-leader,  and  the  com- 
 panion and  helper  of  her  husband,  the  Rev.  W.  Horton,  during 
 his  missionary  travels  and  labours,  on  reaching  the  end  of  her 
 earthly  pilgrimage,  expressed  her  feelings  by  saying,  "  I  am 
 unspeakably  happy ;  oh,  help  me  to  praise  the  Lord."  As  she 
 lay  rapidly  sinking,  she  said,  "  I  have  now  nothing  to  do  but  to 
 praise  God  to  all  eternity."  Her  last  words,  breathed  in  a  faint 
 whisper,  just  as  she  was  departing,  on  6th  June,  1842,  were — 
 
 *'  There  is  my  house  and  portion  fair,"  &c. 
 
HYMN  6S.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  79 
 
 Venerable  for  her  age,  esteemed  for  her  piety,  and  beloved  for 
 her  godly  example  and  Christian  benevolence,  Sarah  Hall,  of 
 Bristol,  wife  of  Mr.  John  Hall,  stands  pre-eminent  in  the  annals 
 of  Methodism.  Joining  her  father's  class  at  the  age  of  thirteen, 
 and  receiving  from  John  Wesley  himself  her  first  ticket,  for 
 more  than  seventy  years  she  was  a  consistent  member  of  the 
 Methodist  society,  welcoming  to  her  cheerful  hospitality  the 
 leading  worthies  of  the  connection — Dr.  Coke,  Pawson,  Benson, 
 Moore,  Clarke,  Reece,  and  others,  usually  making  her  house 
 their  home.  Till  her  eightieth  year,  she  was  actively  engaged  in 
 works  of  charity  and  benevolence.  Her  last  letter,  her  last 
 interview  with  her  family,  and  the  last  entry  in  her  journal,  all 
 tell  of  her  Saviour's  indwelling  presence,  whilst  her  dying  words, 
 uttered  i8th  December,  1856,  aged  eighty-seven,  with  brightened 
 eye,  uplifted  hand,  but  tremulous  voice,  were — 
 "  TAere  is  my  house  and  portion  fair ; 
 My  treasure  and  my  heart  are  ^Aere, 
 And  my  abiding  home  ;  " 
 
 after  which  the  venerable  saint  departed  "  to  be  with  Christ." 
 
 Service  for  God  early  in  youth  is  usually  followed  by  service 
 for  God  during  life.  Maximilian  Wilson  gave  his  heart  to  God 
 and  the  service  of  Methodism  at  the  age  of  seventeen,  and  for 
 sixty  years  and  more  he  devoted  his  best  energies  in  promoting 
 its  interests.  During  forty-five  years  he  discharged  the  duties 
 of  the  Wesleyan  ministry,  and  as  a  supernumerary  went  about 
 doing  good.  As  the  end  drew  nigh,  his  conversation  was  about 
 things  above.  Frequently  he  was  heard  to  say,  "Bless  the 
 Lord  !  I  am  going  home  ;  I  shall  soon  be  there.  I  live  on  the 
 border  of  both  worlds,  and  have  fellowship  with  my  departed 
 friends  in  heaven."  Then  he  would  repeat  the  two  closing 
 verses  of  the  Pilgrim's  Hymn — 
 
 *'  There  is  my  house  and  portion  fair,"  &c. 
 and  when  the  end  came,  Christ  smiled  his  peaceful  spirit  away 
 to  His  own  paradise,  "  where  all  the  ship's  company  meet."    He 
 died  13th  January,  1857,  aged  eighty-nine  years. 
 
 A  somewhat  novel  adaptation  of  this  favourite  stanza  [was 
 made  by  John  G.  Stevenson,  of  Chesterfield,  a  Methodist  for  half 
 a  century,  whose  wife  and  six  of  his  children  had  preceded  him 
 to  heaven.  The  cares  and  anxieties  of  more  than  three-score 
 years  and  ten  had  brought  exhausted  nature  to  the  end  of  its 
 pilgrimage,  and,  without  any  disease,  the  good  man  was  patiently 
 
8o  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  68. 
 
 waiting  the  summons  to  depart,  when,  visited  by  the  writer,  he 
 was  found  in  an  ecstasy  of  joy,  ascribing  all  his  happiness  to 
 Christ  and  His  finished  work  ;  and  then,  as  though  holding 
 communion  with  the  redeemed  spirits  of  his  own  family,  he 
 repeated  with  surprising  frequency — 
 
 "  For  me  my  wife  and  children  stay, 
 And  angels  beckon  me  away, 
 And  Jesus  bids  me  come." 
 He  entered  into  rest  ist  August,  1866,  aged  seventy-four. 
 
 The  Rev.  William  Hamilton  spent  his  life  in  missionary 
 labours  in  Ireland  with  Ouseley,  Graham,  and  others.  Devoted 
 to  God  at  fourteen,  sent  into  the  ministry  by  Mr.  Wesley  in 
 1788,  he  finished  his  labours  on  earth  w^ith  this  triumphant 
 testimony  in  1843  •  "  My  soul  is  on  the  wing ;  I  am  very  happy. 
 I  bless  the  day  that  I  was  born.  What  hath  the  world  to  equal 
 the  joy  of  my  experience  ?     I  bid  its  frowns  and  smiles  farewell, 
 
 for— 
 
 **  '  Angels  beckon  me  away, 
 
 And  Jesus  bids  me  come.' 
 
 "  If  I  could  make  all  the  world  hear,  I  would  tell  of  the  love 
 of  Christ  my  Saviour.  Not  a  cloud  !  Victoiy  over  death  !  the 
 sting  taken  away  !     Glory  to  God  !  "     Glorious  ending  ! 
 
 James  West  was  a  native  of  Essex;    born  in   1809,  and  in 
 answer  to  his  mother's  prayers,  born  again  at  the  age  of  twenty- 
 four.     He  became  an  earnest  Sunday-school  teacher  and  class- 
 leader.     In  1848  he  removed  to  Toronto,  Canada,  where,  as  an 
 acceptable  local  preacher,  he  was  in  the  pulpit  preaching  nearly 
 every  Sabbath  day.     Up  to  the  age  of  seventy,  he  toiled  on  to 
 the  utmost  of  his  strength,  till  a  painful  illness  prostrated  him, 
 but  only  to  test  the  fulness  of  his  joy.      For  six  months,  he  was 
 in  a  furnace  of  suffering,  but  his  confidence  in  God  was  unshaken. 
 Shortly  before  his  release  he  cried  out — 
 "  Amazing  love  !  how  can  it  be. 
 That  Thou,  my  Lord,  shouldst  die  for  me  ?  " 
 After  a  pause,  he  suddenly  exclaimed,  "  Hark  !  hark  1 "  as  if  the 
 music  of  heaven  was  heard  ;  then  raising  his  hand  he  shouted, 
 "  Glorious  Messiah  ! 
 
 **  '  Angels  beckon  me  away, 
 
 And  Jesus  bids  me  come.'" 
 
 Thus  closed  the  pure  life  of  James  West,  at  Toronto,  i8th 
 January,  1882,  aged  seventy-three  years. 
 
HYMN  69.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  8 1 
 
 Hymn  69. — "Thou,  Lord,  on  whom  I  still  depend." — Revelation 
 ii.  10-12. — Tune,  Marienburn,  1761. 
 
 This  hymn  is  formed  of  three  of  Charles  Wesley's  "  Short 
 Scripture  Hymns,"  1762,  vol.  ii.,  Nos.  831-833.  One  verse  of 
 the  original  is  altered,  and  other  verses  are  omitted. 
 
 There  is  a  calm  dignity  in  the  manner  in  which  the  Christian 
 is  represented  as  going  to  meet  death — 
 
 "My  soul  the  second  death  defies. 
 And  reigns  eternal  in  the  skies. " 
 
 William  Roach  was  one  amongst  the  first  Methodists  in 
 Shields,  and  had  the  privilege  of  hearing  Mr.  Wesley  preach 
 in  that  locality.  During  a  long  life  he  was  diligent  in  business, 
 fervent  in  spirit,  serving  the  Lord.  On  the  Sunday  previous  to 
 his  death,  exhausted  nature  having  run  its  course,  he  desired 
 his  family  to  sing  the  hymn  commencing — 
 
 "Thou,  Lord,  on  whom  I  still  depend,"  &c. 
 
 It  had  often  been  sung  by  and  for  him  before,  but  on  this 
 occasion  he  thoroughly  entered  into  the  sentiment  of  this  fine 
 hymn  ;  and  his  joyous  countenance  reflected  the  gratitude  his 
 tongue  could  not  express.  He  died  in  the  full  assurance  of  a 
 blessed  immortality,  21st  August,  1849,  aged  seventy-five. 
 
 The  maxim,  "Religion  in  youth,  and  religion  for  life,"  was 
 verified  in  the  case  of  Mrs.  Hannah  Swindells,  of  Macclesfield. 
 She  strove  to  have  every  thought,  word,  and  act  conformed  to 
 the  will  of  God.  From  a  child  she  was  a  careful  student  of  the 
 Bible,  and  a  great  admirer  of  Wesleyan  poetry.  During  her 
 last  illness  she  was  repeating  almost  continually  verses  of  Scrip- 
 ture and  hymns.  Seated  in  her  chair,  shortly  before  her  death, 
 absorbed  in  thought,  and  adjusting  her  spiritual  armour  for  the 
 last  conflict,  she  rose  rather  suddenly,  and  advancing  towards 
 the  bed,  she  said,  as  she  crossed  the  room — 
 "  Jesus,  in  Thy  great  Name  I  go 
 
 To  conquer  death,  my  final  foe  ! 
 
 And  when  I  quit  this  cumbrous  clay, 
 
 And  soar  on  angels'  wings  away, 
 
 My  soul  the  second  death  defies, 
 
 And  reigns  eternal  in  the  skies  " 
 Then  laying  herself  on  the  bed,  like  a  warrior  who  had  con- 
 quered, she  instantly  breathed  out  her  soul  into  the  hands  of 
 God,  18th  November,  1859,  aged  fifty-seven. 
 
S2  MKTllODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN   70. 
 
 Mrs.  Anne  Cocker  was  born  near  Ilathcrsage,  in  the  county 
 of  Derby.  Her  maiden  name  was  Ibbotson.  She  was  brought 
 up  religiously  in  the  Church  of  England,  and  gave  her  heart  to 
 Cod  in  early  life.  In  1786  she  was  married  to  Thomas  Cocker, 
 of  Hathersage,  a  useful  member  of  the  Methodist  society. 
 During  the  twenty  years  of  her  married  life,  she  was  a  consist- 
 ent Christian,  kind  to  the  poor,  and  beloved  by  all  who  knew 
 her.  During  her  last  illness,  she  was  visited  by  a  clergyman, 
 who  said  to  one  of  her  friends  that  he  had  never  known  such  an 
 instance  of  animated  and  fervent  piety  and  concern  for  the  souls 
 of  men,  excepting  that  of  the  Rev.  John  Fletcher,  of  Madeley, 
 with  whom  he  was  personally  acquainted.  She  frequently  desired 
 to  have  her  favourite  hymn,  the  sixty-ninth,  read  to  her,  the 
 third  verse  of  which  never  failed  to  please  and  animate  her — 
 
 "  Eye  hath  not  seen  nor  ear  hath  heard, 
 What  Christ  hath  for  His  saints  prepared, 
 Who  conquer  through  their  Saviour's  might, 
 Who  sink  into  perfection's  height, 
 And  trample  death  beneath  their  feet, 
 And  gladly  die,  their  God  to  meet." 
 
 Shortly  before  she  expired,  one  asked  her  if  she  had  any  doubts 
 or  fears.  She  promptly  replied,  "  They  are  gone  ;  gone  for 
 ever."  In  holy  triumph  she  entered  into  rest,  15th  March, 
 1806. 
 
 Hymn  70. — "  I  long  to  behold  Him  array'd." — Isaiah  xxxiii. 
 17,  23,  24. — Tune,  Thou  Shepherd  of  Israel,  1761. 
 
 This  hymn  is  made  up  of  two  of  Charles  Wesley's  "  Short 
 Scripture  Hymns,"  1762,  based  on  Isa.  xxxiii.  17,  23,  24,  of  which 
 passage  it  is  a  glowing  and  dignified  paraphrase  and  amplifica- 
 tion. There  is  much  grandeur  in  the  expectant  faith  indicated 
 throughout  the  hymn,  and  a  glorious  climax  in — 
 
 "  My  fulness  of  rapture  I  find, 
 My  heaven  of  heavens,  in  Thee." 
 
 Thus  the  author  is  represented  as  falling  into,  and  reposing 
 solely  in,  the  arms  of  Jesus.     The  hymn  is  full  of  beauty. 
 
 The  greater  part  of  a  life  of  threescore  years  and  ten  was 
 spent  by  Mrs.  Atkinson,  of  Leeds,  in  the  service  of  God  and 
 
HYMN  70.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  83 
 
 Methodism.     The  confidence  of  her  faith  and  hope  at  the  end  of 
 her  pilgrimage  often  found  expression  in  the  words — 
 
 "  I  long  to  behold  Him  array'd, 
 
 With  glory  and  light  from  above,"  &c. 
 
 She  peacefully  breathed  out  her  soul  to  God,  nth  February, 
 1858,  aged  fifty-eight  years. 
 
 Mrs.  Henley,  wife  of  the  Rev.  W.  Henley,  during  a  long  and 
 severe  illness,  preserved  her  confidence  in  God  unshaken.  Just 
 before  she  breathed  her  last,  she  repeated  her  favourite  verse — 
 
 "I  long  to  behold  Him  array'd,"  Szc. 
 
 Her  departure  was  so  peaceful,  she  seemed  only  to  have  fallen 
 asleep,  on  29th  April,  1866,  aged  sixty-two  years. 
 
 At  the  age  of  seventy-two,  George  Cowley,  a  class-leader  of 
 Nottingham,  was  enabled  to  say  on  his  approach  to  the  better 
 world,  "  I  owe  so  much  to  the  Lord,  that  I  am  overwhelmed 
 with  gratitude."  To  the  question,  "  Are  you  on  the  Rock  ?  "  he 
 said,  "  Oh  yes  ;  and  I  shall  soon  meet  Jesus  in  heaven — 
 
 "  '  I  long  to  behold  Him  array'd, 
 
 With  glory  and  light  from  above, 
 The  King  in  His  beauty  display'd, 
 His  beauty  of  holiest  love.'  " 
 
 With  these  words  on  his  lips,  he  fell  asleep  in  Jesus,  5th  Nov- 
 ember, 1848. 
 
 A  long  course  of  unpretending  but  consistent  piety  marked 
 the  life  of  Bridget  Daniel,  wife  of  the  Rev.  Mark  Daniel.  Find- 
 ing the  end  drawing  nigh,  she  desired  that  nothing  might  be 
 said  of  her  if  a  funeral  sermon  was  preached,  adding,  "  I  have 
 been  an  unprofitable  servant,  but  God  accepts  my  imperfect 
 service  through  the  atonement  of  the  blessed  Jesus;  and" — 
 her  face  becoming  radiant  with  joy — 
 
 *'  *  With  Him  I  on  Zion  shall  stand. 
 
 For  Jesus  hath  spoken  the  word.'  " 
 
 In  this  calm  spirit,  she  entered  paradise,  13th  April,  1838. 
 
 Mrs.  Ann  Hodgson  (formerly  Forster)  was  born  at  Darlington 
 in  1792,  was  converted  in  her  youth,  joined  the  Methodist 
 society,  and  was  married  to  the  Rev.  Thomas  L.  Hodgson,  and 
 devoted  many  years  to  service  in  Africa  with  her  laborious 
 
84  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTKS.  HYMN  7  I. 
 
 husband.  During  her  last  illness  she  suffered  much,  but  delighted 
 to  sing  the  verse  commencing — 
 
 "  With  Ilim  I  on  Zion  shall  stand, 
 For  Jesus  hath  spoken  the  word." 
 
 She  died  of  cancer  in  the  breast,  30th  September,  1831.  In  her 
 greatest  pain  she  would  rejoice  in  repeating  the  closing  lines  of 
 the  second  verse — 
 
 "  But  when  on  Thy  bosom  reclined, 
 Thy  face  I  am  strengthened  to  see, 
 My  fulness  of  rapture  I  find. 
 
 My  heaven  of  heavens  in  Thee." 
 
 With  that  cheering  assurance  these  lines  convey,  her  released 
 happy  spirit  took  its  flight  to  heaven. 
 
 Hymn  71, — "Leader  of  faithful  souls,  and  Guide." — The 
 
 Traveller. — TuNE,  112th  Psalm,  1761. 
 
 This  forms  one  of  Charles  Wesley's  "  Redemption  Hymns," 
 1747,  but  two  verses  of  the  original  are  omitted. 
 
 A  godly  life  dispels  the  fear  of  death.  Mrs.  Catherine  Pratt, 
 wife  of  the  Rev.  J.  C.  Pratt,  died  at  Pettigo,  very  happy,  having 
 experienced  the  regenerating  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost  for  many 
 years.  At  the  end  of  her  pilgrimage,  she  testified  of  her  confi- 
 dence in  God  by  ejiclaiming,  "  Victory,  through  the  blood  of  the 
 Lamb  ! "  adding  the  verse  commencing — 
 
 "  Strangers  and  pilgrims  here  below,- 
 
 This  earth,  we  know,  is  not  our  place,"  »S:c. 
 
 Died  13th  February',  1842,  aged  fifty-four  years. 
 
 John  Jottie  began  to  serve  God  in  early  youth,  and  for  nearly 
 fifty  years  he  was  a  bright  ornament  of  the  Methodist  society  at 
 Walferden,  near  Colne.  He  was  brought  to  a  knowledge  of  the 
 truth  in  his  eighth  year,  under  a  sermon  preached  by  Mr.  Wesley, 
 at  Southfield,  who  said  in  his  sermon,  "  The  best  of  us  have 
 no  grace  to  spare."  These  words  carried  conviction  to  his  heart, 
 and  he  sought  grace  for  himself,  and  found  that  which  kept  him 
 in  perfect  peace  for  nearly  fourscore  years.  On  the  Thursday 
 before  he  died,  while  suffering  severely,  he  was  comforted  by 
 repeating  the  fourth  verse  of  the  "Traveller's  Hymn" — 
 "  Patient  the  appointed  race  to  run, 
 This  weary  world  we  cast  behind  ; 
 
HYMN  73.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  85 
 
 From  strength  to  strength  we  travel  on. 
 
 The  new  Jerusalem  to  find  : 
 Our  labour  thus,  our  only  aim, 
 To  find  the  new  Jerusalem." 
 
 Here  his  strength  failed  him  ;  he  lingered  on,  triumphing  in 
 faith,  till,  on  the  Sunday  afternoon,  15th  July,  1849,  he  exchanged 
 the  earthly  for  the  heavenly  Sabbath,  aged  seventy-nine. 
 
 Hymn   72. — "Saviour   on  me   the   grace   bestow." — Him  that 
 overco7neth^  &:c.  (Rev.  iii.  12). — Tune,  112th  Psalm,  1761. 
 
 This    forms    one    of    Charles    Wesley's    "  Short    Scripture 
 Hymns,"  vol.  ii.,  1762,  No.  842. 
 
 Hymn  'j-^. — "Away  with  our  sorrow  and  fear." — A  Funeral 
 Hy7mi. — Tune,  Sion,  1761. 
 
 One  of  Charles  Wesley's  "Funeral  Hymns,"  1744.  The 
 imagery  used  by  the  poet  is  taken  from  that  great  city,  the 
 holy  Jerusalem,  and  should  be  read  in  conjunction  with  St.  John's 
 description  in  Rev.  xxi.  It  will  be  seen,  on  comparison,  that 
 the  "  divine  "  apostle  and  the  Methodist  poet  alike  drew  their 
 inspiration  from  heaven. 
 
 Passing  through  the  discipline  suitable  for  a  minister's  wife, 
 Martha  Smith  joined  the  fellowship  of  God's  people  at  the  age 
 of  thirteen,  became  a  Sunday-school  teacher,  and  laid  herself 
 out  for  active  service  in  the  Lord's  vineyard.  As  the  wife  of  the 
 Rev.  James  Smith,  and  sister  of  the  Rev.  Edward  Lightwood, 
 her  life  seemed  to  be  bound  up  with  the  prosperity  of  the  cause 
 of  God.  When  illness  deprived  her  of  the  privileges  of  the 
 sanctuary,  she  was  refreshed  by  meditations  on  the  Word  of 
 God,  and  especially  by  repeating  the  lines — 
 
 "  Away  with  our  sorrow  and  fear,  " 
 
 We  soon  shall  recover  our  home  ; 
 The  city  of  saints  shall  appear, 
 The  day  of  eternity  come,"  &c. 
 
 When  she  came  to  the  verse  commencing — 
 
 "  By  faith  we  already  behold 
 
 That  lovely  Jerusalem  here,"  &c. 
 
86  METHODIST  HVMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HVMN   73. 
 
 she  dwelt  with  peculiar  emphasis  on  some  of  the  lines,  as  realis- 
 ing in  her  mind  the  presence  of  the  "  city  of  jasper  and  gold  " 
 already  on  earth.  Her  last  words  were,  "  He  is  precious  I  "  She 
 died  in  July,  1856. 
 
 "  A  good  name  is  better  than  great  riches."  The  father  of 
 Robert  Wood,  Wesleyan  minister,  was  James  Wood,  one  of  the 
 Presidents  of  the  Conference,  who,  to  commemorate  his 
 eightieth  birthday,  had  a  delightful  party  at  the  Conference 
 (1831),  consisting,  among  others,  of  Messrs.  Bunting,  Newton, 
 Watson,  Lessey,  James,  Hannah,  Morley,  and  Robert  Wood. 
 To  add  to  the  honour,  the  venerable  man  preached  before  the 
 Conference  a  sermon  on  the  occasion,  full  of  affectionate  and 
 faithful  counsels.  Robert  Wood,  the  son  of  this  venerable  sire, 
 was  admitted  a  member  of  the  legal  hundred  of  the  Conference 
 at  the  same  time  (1831).  Divine  Providence,  however,  cut  short 
 his  work  in  righteousness  ;  he  lived  but  little  more  than  two- 
 thirds  the  years  of  his  father.  During  his  last  illness,  which 
 was  one  of  severe  suffering  and  patient  endurance,  he  showed 
 by  the  tenor  of  his  conversation,  the  sweetness  of  his  disposition, 
 and  his  choice  of  lessons  and  hymns  to  be  read  to  him,  that  he 
 desired  to  lead  the  members  of  his  family  to  concur  in  the 
 conclusion  of  the  apostle  Paul,  "  To  depart  and  be  with  Christ  is 
 far  better."  Allusion  having  been  made  to  the  first  Great 
 Exhibition  in  Hyde  Park,  opened  during  the  previous  week. 
 May,  1 85 1,  in  which  the  sufferer  evinced  much  interest,  a  hope 
 was  expressed  that  he  might  so  far  recover  as  to  be  able  to 
 visit  that  "fairy  land."  He  shook  his  head,  and  said,  "No; 
 I  shall  never  see  the  Crystal  Palace  ;  but  reach  the  hymn  book 
 and  read  the  seventy-third  hymn,  and  you  will  find  that  I  shall 
 not  lose  much."  The  hymn  was  read  to  him,  and  the  third 
 verse  especially  attracted  attention — 
 
 "  By  faith  we  already  behold 
 That  lovely  Jerusalem  here  ; 
 Her  walls  are  of  jasper  and  gold, 
 As  crystal  her  buildings  are  clear,"  &c. 
 
 He  survived  but  a  short  time,  but  long  enough  to  testify  that 
 his  hope  for  the  future  was  based  on  the  Rock  of  Ages.  Slowly 
 the  light  of  a  bright  summer's  morning  in  June,  1851,  broke 
 into  the  chamber  of  death,  and  a  dawn  yet  far  more  glorious 
 burst  upon  the  released  spirit.     He  was  aged  sixty-three. 
 
HYMN  74.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  87 
 
 Hymn  74. — "  We  know,  by  faith  we  know." — A  Funeral  Hynm. 
 — Tune,  Olney,  1761. 
 
 Another  of  Charles  Wesley's  "Funeral  Hymns,"  1744. 
 The  second  verse  of  the  original  is  omitted.  Dr.  Watts  has  a 
 hymn  (No.  no,  book  i.)  very  similar  to  this  of  Mr.  Wesley's. 
 
 Mr.  John  Dyson  Fernley  was  a  child  of  many  prayers,  and 
 in  early  life  gave  his  heart  to  the  Lord.  After  he  was  born  of 
 God,  and  had  become  a  new  creature,  he  became  eminently  a 
 spiritually-minded  man.  On  the  Sabbath  before  he  closed  his 
 brief  earthly  career — limited  to  thirty  years — he  addressed  the 
 children  in  the  Teviotdale  Sunday  school,  Stockport,  on  the 
 subject  of  sudden  death,  and  the  need  of  constant  preparation. 
 Many  were  much  affected,  and  it  was  in  touching  accordance 
 with  the  whole  proceeding  that  at  the  close  of  the  ser\ace  he 
 gave  out  the  seventy-fourth  hymn — 
 
 '*  We  know,  by  faith  we  know, 
 
 If  this  vile  house  of  clay, 
 This  tabernacle  sink  below 
 
 In  ruinous  decay ; 
 We  have  a  house  above, 
 
 Not  made  with  mortal  hands  ; 
 And  firm,  as  our  Redeemer's  love, 
 
 That  heavenly  fabric  stands." 
 
 On    the    following    Sabbath-day,    14th    June,    1846,   apoplexy 
 terminated  his  useful  and  happy  life,  at  the  age  of  thirty-one. 
 
 A  godly  life  is  the  best  test  of  a  real  conversion.  Thomas 
 Pearson,  of  Over-Darwen,  for  a  long  period  efficiently  sustained 
 the  offices,  in  Methodism,  of  leader,  local  preacher,  and  steward. 
 His  last  affliction  was  painful,  but  submissively  borne.  Shortly 
 before  his  death  he  asked  one  of  his  daughters  to  pray  for  the 
 descent  of  the  Holy  Ghost  upon  him.  When  she  ceased,  he 
 began  to  repeat — 
 
 **  *  I  know,  by  faith  I  know, 
 
 If  this  vile  house  of  clay,'  "  &c. 
 
 but  before  he  had  finished  the  verse  he  had  fallen  asleep  in 
 Jesus,  on  i6th  December,  1852,  aged  sixty-six. 
 
 Robert  Chapman  retained  his  fellowship  with  the  Methodists 
 of  Wolvingham,  fifty-six  years,   and   for   thirty   years   was   a 
 
8S  METHODIST  HYMN  IJOOK  NOTES.  HVMN   75. 
 
 leader.     His  religious  experience  was  clear  through  life,  and  a 
 day  or  two  before  his  death,  pointing  upwards  he  said — 
 
 "  '  I  have  a  liouse  above, 
 
 Not  made  with  mortal  hands,'  "  Sec. 
 
 and  thus  he  closed  a  life  of  consistent  piety,  by  a  peaceful 
 and  happy  death,  28th  January,  1862,  aged  seventy-eight  years. 
 iMedical  skill  and  scientific  knowledge  of  the  power  of  medi- 
 cine cannot  save  the  possessor  of  such  knowledge  from  human 
 suffering.  The  late  James  Hunter,  Esq.,  of  Islington,  was 
 called  to  endure  thirty-eight  weeks  of  weariness  and  pain, 
 unable  to  lie  down  either  by  night  or  day,  yet  he  murmured  not 
 for  these  heavy  trials.  Within  a  few  days  of  his  death  he  said, 
 "  The  Lord  is  releasing  me  very  gently.  I  shall  soon  be  free 
 from  all  suffering.  Glory  !  glory  ! "  The  last  time  he  was 
 able  to  speak,  he  repeated  with  emphasis  the  lines  in  the 
 seventy-fourth  hymn — 
 
 "  '  P'or  this  in  faith  we  call,  For  this  we  weep  and  pray  : 
 O  might  the  tabernacle  fall,  O  might  we  'scape  away  ! 
 Full  of  immortal  hope,  We  urge  the  restless  strife, 
 And  hasten  to  be  swallow'd  up  Of  everlasting  life.'  " 
 
 He  died  3rd  January',  1859,  aged  forty-three  years. 
 
 Hymn  75. — "Lift  your  eyes  of  faith,  and  see."— 77/^  Sacrament 
 a  Pledge  of  Heaven. — TuNE,  Love-feast,  1761. 
 
 This  forms  No.  105  of  Charles  Wesley's  "Hymns  on  the 
 Lord's  Supper,"  1745. 
 
 Another  instance  of  early  dedication  to  God  we  may  give 
 from  the  life  of  Charlotte  Brown,  of  Bedminster,  Bristol,  who 
 passed  some  years  in  weakness  and  suffering  during  which  the 
 consolations  of  religion  were  her  chief  joy.  Shortly  before  her 
 departure,  she  said  to  a  friend,  speaking  of  Jesus,  "  I  shall  see 
 His  face — I  shall  drink  from  the  rivers  of  His  grace  ;  and  these 
 thoughts  now  create  constant  joys."  Her  last  words  were  part 
 of  the  seventy-fifth  hymn — 
 
 "  '  Palms  they  carry  in  their  hands. 
 Crowns  of  glory  on  their  heads.' 
 
 There  is  a  crown  for  me  and  I  shall  shortly  wear  it.      I  can 
 
HYMN  76.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  89 
 
 sing  no  more  here  ;  but  in  heaven,  with  my  palm  of  victory,  I 
 will  sing  as  loud  as  any  angel  there."  She  died  9th  December, 
 1845,  aged  thirty-four  years. 
 
 Hymn  76.— "What  are  these  arrayed  in  ^Nhittl^^— The  Sacra- 
 ment a  pledge  of  Heaven. — TUNE,  Arne's,  1761. 
 
 The  original  forms  No.  106  of  Charles  Wesley's  "  Hymns  on 
 the  Lord's  Supper,"  1745. 
 
 This  was  first  printed  in  1745,  three  years  nearly  after  the 
 author's  mother  had  died  in  London.  Her  death  reminded 
 Charles  Wesley  of  the  long  years  of  trial  and  privation 
 endured  by  both  his  parents.  As  we  read  the  record  of  those 
 trials  at  this  distance  of  time,  it  makes  one's  heart  sad  to  think 
 of  such  pious  intelligence,  such  pure  goodness  enduring  such 
 hardships  and  poverty.  Their  trials  were  ended ;  and  in 
 reviewing  them,  the  poet  was  led  to  contrast  the  sorrows  of 
 their  life  on  earth  with  their  joys  in  heaven  ;  and  where  does 
 his  filial  affection  place  his  parents .?  Let  the  first  and  second 
 verses  of  this  hymn  answer  : — 
 
 "  What  are  these  arrayed  in  white, 
 
 Brighter  than  the  noon-day  sun  ? 
 Foremost  of  the  sons  of  light, 
 
 Nearest  the  eternal  Throne. 
 These  are  they  that  bore  the  cross, 
 
 Nobly  for  their  Master  stood  ; 
 Sufferers  in  His  righteous  cause, 
 
 Followers  of  the  dying  God. 
 
 '  *  Out  of  great  distress  they  came, 
 
 Washed  their  robes  by  faith  below, 
 In  the  blood  of  yonder  Lamb, 
 
 Blood  that  washes  white  as  snow ; 
 ITierefore  are  they  next  the  Throne, 
 
 Serve  their  Maker  day  and  night ; 
 God  resides  among  His  own, 
 
 God  doth  in  His  saints  delight. 
 
 "  More  than  conquerors  at  last, 
 
 There  they  find  their  trials  o'er  ; 
 They  have  all  their  sufferings  past, 
 Hunger  now  and  thirst  no  more." 
 
 A  son  entertaining  and  publishing  such  views  of  his  parents, 
 raises  for  himself  an  imperishable  monument  by  so  doing. 
 
90  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NO  lES.  HYMN  76. 
 
 Death  sometimes  makes  slrant^e  inroads  in  families.  A 
 singular  instance  occurred  in  1824  in  Flamborough.  The 
 wives  of  two  brothers  died  within  a  few  days  of  each  other. 
 Both  were  earnest,  godly  women,  and  both  were  connected 
 with  Methodism  in  that  town  during  the  greater  part  of  their 
 lives.  Both  died  enjoying  the  clear  witness  of  their  acceptance 
 with  God,  and  a  sure  hope  of  heaven.  Elizabeth  Lamplough, 
 the  elder  of  the  two  sisters  by  two  years,  when  she  appeared 
 to  be  on  the  extreme  verge  of  mortality,  and  the  realities  of  the 
 eternal  world  were  opening  to  her  view,  summoned  all  her 
 remaining  strength  and  exclaimed — 
 
 *'  *  What  are  these  arrayed  in  white, 
 Brighter  than  the  noon-day  sun  ? " 
 
 With  this  inquiry  upon  her  lips,  she  died  26th  April,  1824,  aged 
 forty-seven  years. 
 
 In  peaceful  resignation  to  the  divine  will,  and  in  sure  con- 
 fidence of  her  acceptance  with  God,  Sarah  Holden,  of  Brixton, 
 always  delicate  of  constitution,  made  preparation  for  the  eternity 
 which  she  was  awaiting.  In  calm  resignation  to  the  divine 
 will  she  committed  her  family  and  herself  to  the  disposal  of  her 
 heavenly  Father.  Just  before  her  departure,  when  failing  strength 
 prevented  singing  or  reading,  she  opened  her  hymn  book,  and 
 pointed  to  the  verse  commencing — 
 
 "  What  are  these  arrayed  in  white,"  S:c. 
 
 as  indicative  of  her  assurance  of  everlasting  happiness,  and  then 
 entered  into  rest,  loth  April,  1846,  aged  thirty-five. 
 
 Sarah,  the  daughter  of  the  Rev.  John  Dewhurst,  was  awakened 
 to  a  sense  of  her  sinful  state  at  the  age  of  fourteen,  under  the 
 ministry  of  the  Rev.  John  Bowers.  Always  delicate  in  body, 
 yet  she  was  strong  in  faith,  giving  glory  to  God.  The  know- 
 ledge that  her  life  was  fast  ebbing  out,  only  quickened  her 
 desire  to  depart  and  be  with  Christ.  Some  of  her  last  words 
 were — 
 
 **  These  are  they  that  bore  the  cross, 
 Nobly  for  their  Master  stood,"  &c. 
 
 In  meek  submission  to  the  divine  will  her  released  happy  spirit 
 entered  paradise,  4th  April,  1829,  aged  twenty. 
 
 Methodism  at  Porte-de-Grave,  Newfoundland,  was  founded 
 chiefly  by  the  labours  of  Mr.  George  Ley,  a  local  preacher. 
 
HYMN  79.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  9 1 
 
 Amongst  the  early  converts  there  were  James  and  Mary  Butler, 
 whose  daughter,  Virtue,  afterwards  became  the  wife  of  the  son 
 of  George  Ley.  She  was  brought  to  Christ  under  the  ministry 
 of  the  Rev.  James  Hickson,  and  during  the  rest  of  her  life  testi- 
 fied to  the  power  of  divine  grace  in  renewing  her  heart.  Shortly 
 before  her  death,  whilst  prostrate  by  illness,  her  mind  was  in 
 distress  through  severe  temptation.  She  was  much  comforted 
 by  a  visit  from  her  minister,  but  the  darkness  was  not  dis- 
 pelled. She  wrestled  with  God  in  her  spirit,  inwardly,  for  a 
 renewal  of  the  divine  favour,  when  she  added,  "  Yes,  I  will,  I 
 can  rejoice  in  Thee,  my  Saviour."  The  spell  was  broken,  and 
 with  a  glowing  heart,  whilst  lying  quietly  in  bed,  she  began  to 
 sing— 
 
 ** '  Out  of  great  distress  they  came, 
 
 Wash'd  their  robes  by  faith  below, 
 In  the  blood  of  yonder  Lamb, 
 
 Blood  that  washes  white  as  snow,"  &c. 
 
 In  that  holy  calm  she  remained  to  the  end,  closing  her  career 
 with  a  faint  whisper,  "  Come,  Lord  Jesus,"  4th  September,  1845, 
 aged  forty-five  years. 
 
 Hymn  ']']. — "  The  Church  in  her  militant  state." — "  The  Spirit 
 and  the  bride  say^  Come^^  &c.  (Rev.  xxii.  17). — TUNE, 
 Funeral,  1761. 
 
 The  original  forms  No.  863  of  Charles  Wesley's  "  Short 
 Scripture  Hymns,"  1762,  vol.  ii.  Two  words  are  altered  in  the 
 second  verse. 
 
 Hymn  78.—"  The  thirsty  are  called  to  their  Lord."—"  And  let 
 him  thai  is  athirst  come^^  (Rev.  xxii.  17).— TUNE,  Funeral, 
 1761. 
 
 It  forms  No.  865  of  Charles  Wesley's  "  Short  Scripture 
 Hymns,"  vol.  ii.,  1762. 
 
 Hymn  79. — "A  fountain  of  Life  and  of  Grace." — "  Whosoever 
 will  7nay  coine^^  &c.  (Rev.  xxii.  17). — TUNE,  Sion,  1761. 
 
 Forms  No.  866  of  Charles  Wesley's  "Short  Scripture  Hymns," 
 vol.  ii.,  1762.  James  Montgomery  has  a  hymn  very  similar  to 
 these  three  in  language  and  sentiment. 
 
92  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  8 1. 
 
 HvMN  80.— "Terrible  thought  !  shall  I  alone."— ^  thoti^rJit  on 
 hell.     For  C/nldrc;i.—i:\JNE,\VQnvo,  1761. 
 
 This  forms  No.  60  of  Charles  Wesley's  "  Hymns  for  Child- 
 ren," 1763,  where  it  has  ten  verses,  four  of  which  are  omitted. 
 This  has  a  special  heading  in  the  Hymn  Book,  with  the  title, 
 "Describing  Hell."  The  peculiar  idea  of  this  hymn  is  the  utter 
 loneliness  of  each  person  when  appearing  in  the  presence  of 
 God.  The  same  thought  is  also  expressed  in  these  lines  by 
 Dr.  Young — 
 
 "Thy  wretched  self  alone 
 Cast  on  the  left  of  all  whom  thou  hast  known, 
 How  would  it  wound  !  " 
 
 Hymn  8i. — "Father  of  omnipresent  grace !  " — For  Families. — 
 Tune,  Welsh,  1761. 
 
 In  Charles  Wesley's  "Hymns  for  Families,"  No.  13,  the 
 original  will  be  found:  the  last  line  is  changed  from  "Not  a 
 hoof,"  to  "  Not  a  soul,"  (S:c.  This  commences  section  three, 
 with  the  title,  "  Praying  for  a  blessing." 
 
 God  has  ways  of  working  to  human  minds  unknown.  John 
 Langley,  of  Whitstable,  made  a  rash  vow,  which  he  kept  till  he 
 was  forty-five,  that  he  would  never  enter  a  Methodist  chapel. 
 Convictions  for  sin  set  in  so  strongly  at  that  period  of  his 
 life,  that  his  friends  attributed  the  disquietude  of  his  mind  to 
 insanity.  A  judicious  and  pious  friend  prevailed  on  him  to  attend 
 a  Methodist  service  at  Canterbury.  By  this  means  he  found  out 
 the  evil  of  his  rash  vow,  began  to  meet  in  class,  found  pardon 
 and  peace,  and  introduced  Methodism  into  Whitstable  by  open- 
 ing his  own  house,  forming  a  society,  becoming  the  leader  of 
 the  first  members  there,  and  afterwards  using  his  talent  as  an 
 exhorter.  The  close  of  his  life  was  sudden.  The  local  preacher 
 appointed  for  Whitstable  had  failed  to  keep  his  appointment, 
 and  in  the  afternoon  of  that  Sunday  Mr.  Langley  read  to  the 
 people  Mr.  Wesley's  sermon  on  Romans  v.  15.  The  intervening 
 time  before  the  evening  service  he  spent  in  reading  the  Scrip- 
 tures, and  Dr.  Adam  Clarke's  Commentary  thereon.  Intending 
 to  read  another  of  Mr.  Wesley's  sermons  in  the  evening,  he 
 took  his  place,  and  selected  his  first  hymn,  commencing — 
 
 "  Father  of  omnipresent  grace,"  &c. 
 
HYMN  84.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  93 
 
 In  the  act  of  rising  to  open  the  service,  he  fell  forward ;  his 
 friends  hastened  to  his  assistance,  but  his  redeemed  spirit  had 
 fled  !     He  died  28th  August,  1832. 
 
 Hymn  82. — "  Shepherd  of  souls,  with  pitying  eye." — For  the 
 Outcasts  of  Israel. — TUNE,  Athlone,  1781. 
 
 This  forms  No.  31  of  Charles  Wesley's  "Redemption  Hymns," 
 1767.  Some  of  its  lines  exhibit  a  dark  picture  of  the  heathenism 
 in  Christian  England,  a  century  ago  as  well  as  now.  Read  the 
 seventh  verse  to  see  the  yearning  for  souls  felt  by  the  author — 
 
 "  Extend  to  these  thy  pardoning  grace, 
 To  these  be  Thy  salvation  showed  : 
 O,  add  them  to  Thy  chosen  race  ! 
 
 O,  sprinkle  all  their  hearts  with  blood  !  " 
 
 Hymn  Z^t- — "Thou  Son  of  God,  whose  flaming  eyes." — For  the 
 Evening. — Tune,  Brooks,  1761. 
 
 The  original  forms  No.  25  of  Charles  Wesley's  "  Hymns  for  a 
 Family,"  1767,  where  it  is  printed  as  four  eight-line  stanzas. 
 The  third  line  in  verse  four  is  altered  from,  "And  fill  his 
 careless  heart  with  grief."  In  the  fifth  verse  "leper"  is  changed 
 to  "  sleeper." 
 
 Hymn  84.—"  Come,  O  thou  all-victorious  Lord."—  Written 
 before  Preaching  at  Portland. — Tune,  Leeds,  1761. 
 
 This  interesting  hymn  will  be  found  in  Charles  Wesley's 
 "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  vol.  i.,  1749,  where  it  is  No.  201. 
 It  was  written  during  the  author's  visit  to  Portland  in  June, 
 1746  ;  and  some  pleasing  particulars  relating  to  the  circum- 
 stances which  caused  the  hymn  to  be  written,  will  be  found  in 
 the  author's  Journal  under  the  date  given,  as  also  in  the 
 Wesley  an  Magazijie  for  May,  1869.  The  second  line  of  verse 
 six  is  altered  from,  "  And  make  us  feel  our  load,"  and  in  the 
 fourth  line,  "  In  thine "  is  changed  to  "  In  the."  The  chief 
 occupation  of  the  residents  of  the  Isle  of  Portland  is  that  of 
 quarrymen,  and  the  hymn  was  written  especially  to  catch  their 
 attention.     In  the  first  verse  especially  this  is  manifest — 
 
 "  Strike  with  the  hammer  of  Thy  word, 
 And  break  these  hearts  of  stone !  " 
 
94  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  90. 
 
 Hymn  85. — "Spirit  of  Faith,  come  down." — For  Whitsunday. — 
 Tune,  Lampe's,  1746. 
 
 The  original  is  No.  27  of  Charles  Wesley's  "Hymns  of  Petition 
 and  Thanksgiving  for  the  Promise  of  the  Father,"  1746,  one 
 verse  of  which  is  omitted.  The  author's  favourite  expression  in 
 the  third  verse,  "My  dear  atoning"  is  changed  to  "The  all- 
 atoning."  The  author's  desire  to  rescue  sinners  is  manifested 
 in  this  hymn  also.     We  read  in  verse  three — 
 
 "  O  that  the  world  might  know 
 The  all-atoning  Lamb  !  " 
 
 Hymn  86. — "  Sinners,  your  hearts  lift  up." — A  hymn  for  the 
 Day  of  Pentecost. — TuNE,  Irene,  1761. 
 
 Was  published  first  by  Charles  Wesley  in  "Hymns  and  Sacjfed 
 Poems,"  1742. 
 
 Hymn  87. — "  Come,  Holy  Ghost,  our  hearts  inspire  ;  " 
 
 „      88. — "  Father  of  all,  in  whom  alone." 
 Before  Readitig  the  Scriptures. — TUNE,  Aldrfch,  1761. 
 
 These  two  much  admired  compositions  are  found  in  Charles 
 Wesley's  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1740.  Another  hymn 
 designed  for  the  same  purpose  is  No.  880  in  the  Supplement, 
 written  by  Miss  Steele,  commencing,  "  Father  of  mercies,"  &:c. 
 
 Hymn  89. — "  Inspirer  of  the  ancient  Seers." — ^^  All  Scripture  is 
 given  by  inspiratioft  of  Godi^^  &c. — TUNE,  Frankfort,  1761. 
 
 This  forms  No.  664  of  Charles  Wesley's  "  Short  Scripture 
 Hymns,"  1762,  vol.  ii.,  and  is  based  on  2  Timothy  iii.  16.  The 
 second  verse  of  the  original  is  omitted. 
 
 Hymn  90. — "  Come,  O  thou  Prophet  of  the  Lord." — Christ  a 
 Prophet. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  forming  No.  6  of  "  Hymns  for  our  Lord's 
 Resurrection,"  1746,  with  four  verses  omitted.  This  was  in  the 
 former  collection  as  Hymn  No.  643  in  the  Supplement. 
 
HYMN  93.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  95 
 
 Hymn  91. — "  Long  have  I  seem'd  to  serve  thee,  Lord  ; " 
 „       92. — "Still  for  thy  loving-kindness,  Lord." 
 The  Means  of  Grace. — Tune,  91,  Fetter  Lane  ;  92,  Wednes- 
 bury,  1 761. 
 
 These  two  hymns  appear  as  one  by  Charles  Wesley  in 
 "  Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1740,  where  it  extends  to  twenty- 
 three  verses.  It  was  written  during  the  prevalence  of  the  disputes 
 between  the  Wesleys  and  the  Moravians,  some  of  the  latter 
 having  accepted  Antinomian  doctrines,  whilst  some  of  Mr. 
 Wesley's  adherents  unduly  exalted  the  means  of  grace.  This 
 hymn  commences  the  first  section  of  the  second  part  of  the 
 collection,  with  the  title,  "  Describing  Formal  Religion." 
 
 Few  persons  connected  with  Methodism  were  more  faithful 
 in  their  service  than  good  old  Thomas  Cordeux,  at  the  book- 
 room  store  in  Paternoster  Row.  His  wife,  Hannah  Cordeux, 
 feared  the  Lord  from  her  youth,  and  in  her  life  testified  to  the 
 possession  of  the  graces  of  the  Spirit — love,  joy,  peace,  long- 
 suffering,  gentleness,  goodness,  meekness.  By  these  graces  she 
 was  distinguished.  She  suffered  much  from  asthma,  but  she 
 murmured  not.  Several  times  during  her  last  days  on  earth 
 she  repeated  the  eighth  verse  of  Hymn  92 — 
 
 "  I  trust  in  Him,  who  stands  between 
 The  Father's  wrath  and  me  : 
 Jesus,  Thou  great  eternal  Mean, 
 I  look  for  all  from  Thee  !  " 
 
 In  this  spirit  she  closed  her  earthly  career,  25th  January,  1842, 
 aged  sixty  years. 
 
 Hymn  93. — "  My  gracious,  loving  Lord." — The  Backslider. — 
 Tune,  Brentford,  1761. 
 
 The  original  is  one  of  Charles  Wesley's  "  Hymns  and  Sacred 
 Poems,"  1742.  It  commences  thus — "Ah!  my  dear  loving 
 Lord  ;  "  and  throughout  the  hymn  the  alterations  are  consider- 
 able, and  generally  improvements.  The  design  of  this  hymn, 
 and  also  of  No.  94,  is  to  recommend  inward  and  experimental 
 godliness,  which  was  then  too  generally  supplanted  by  a  merely 
 outward  and  formal  observance  of  religion,  a  fatal  rock  on 
 which  many  have  struck  and  made  shipwreck  of  faith.  The 
 fifth  verse  was  left  out  at  the  revision  made  in  1875. 
 
96  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTKS,  HYMN  95. 
 
 Hymn  94'.—"  The  men  who  slight  Thy  faithful  work."—"  The 
 Temple  of  the  Lord  are  we^'  &c.  (Jer.  vii.  4).— Tune,  St. 
 Paul's,  1761. 
 
 Forms  No.  1185  of  Charles  Wesley's  "Short  Scripture 
 Hymns,"  1762,  and  is  founded  on  Jeremiah  vii.  4.  It  is  a  strong 
 admonition  to  formalists.  The  second  verse  in  the  original  is 
 omitted.    The  reason  may  be  obvious  when  we  quote  four  lines — 
 
 "  The  church — they  from  their  pale  expel 
 Whom  Thou  hast  here  forgiven  ; 
 And  all  the  synagogue  of  hell 
 Are  the  sole  heirs  of  heaven  !  " 
 
 A  withering  exposure  this  of  the  condition  of  the  Church  of 
 England  one  hundred  years  ago  !  and  yet  men  ask  why  the 
 Wesleys  left  the  Church,  and  organised  a  separate  society. 
 The  third  verse  was  added  at  the  revision  of  1875. 
 
 Hymn  95. — "  Author  of  faith,  eternal  Word." — Faith,  the 
 stibsta7ice  of  things  hoped  for. — TuNE,  Anglesea,  1761. 
 
 The  original  of  this  fine  composition,  by  Charles  Wesley, 
 was  first  printed  in  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1740,  where 
 it  extends  to  no  less  than  eighty-eight  stanzas,  and  is  entitled, 
 "The  Life  of  Faith  Exemplified"  (Rom.  x.),  being  a  lucid 
 paraphrase  and  amplification  of  that  chapter. 
 
 Every  word  of  this  hymn  is  employed  to  elicit  revealed  truth  ; 
 it  is  written  in  language  at  once  expressive  and  terse.  In  the 
 Wesleya7t  Magazine  for  1839,  page  381,  there  is  a  very  able 
 critique  of  this  noble  composition.  The  Hymn  No.  95  is  a  mere 
 fragment  of  the  whole,  and  forms  here,  the  first  of  a  new  section, 
 under  the  title,  "  Describing  Inward  Religion." 
 
 Chequered  scenes  and  severe  trials  have  been  the  lot  of 
 many  of  the  Lord's  people.  John  Harper,  in  early  life  entered 
 the  king's  service  on  board  a  transport  ship.  It  soon  fell  to  his 
 lot  to  suffer  many  privations,  and  finally  shipwreck  and 
 imprisonment.  Taken  to  France  as  a  prisoner  of  war,  he 
 found  more  than  a  thousand  of  his  countrymen  in  the  Givet 
 prison,  and  amongst  them  some  from  Shields,  his  native  place, 
 and  some  who  were  Methodists.  Awakened  to  a  sense  of  his 
 lost  condition  as  a  sinner  at  the  time  of  his  peril  in  the  sea,  he 
 gladly  accepted  the  invitation  of  those  few  devout  men  in  prison 
 to  unite  with  them  in  prayer ;  and  here  he  saw  the  greatness  of 
 
HYMN  95.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  97 
 
 his  transgression,  and  found  acceptance  with  God  by  faith  in. 
 Jesus  Christ.  That  blessed  sense  of  the  divine  favour  he  then 
 obtained,  he  retained  during  the  rest  of  his  life.  A  society  was 
 formed  in  the  prison,  and  all  the  ordinances  of  Methodism  were 
 observed  as  far  as  possible,  though  with  only  the  same  liberty 
 to  the  person  as  the  captive  Jews  had  in  Babylon.  Quarterly 
 tickets  were  regularly  issued,  neatly  written  with  the  pen,  and 
 doubtless  the  Scripture  passage  which  each  contained  was  often 
 a  source  of  comfort  to  those  in  bondage.  In  1814,  when  the 
 allied  sovereigns  entered  Paris,  the  prison  doors  throughout 
 France  were  opened,  and  every  man  went  out  free.  Mr.  Harper 
 returned  to  Shields,  became  a  schoolmaster,  joined  the  Meth- 
 odists, and  continued  faithful  in  the  Lord's  service.  His  last 
 illness  continued  for  more  than  a  year,  during  which  time  his 
 spirit  was  ripening  for  eternity.  A  little  before  his  death  he 
 repeated  a  verse  of  the  95th  Hymn — 
 
 **  To  him  that  in  Thy  name  believes 
 Eternal  life  with  Thee  is  given  ; 
 Into  himself  he  all  receives, 
 
 Pardon,  and  holiness,  and  heaven.'' 
 
 This  verse  correctly  described  his  dying  experience.  As  he 
 neared  the  port,  his  testimony  became  yet  more  clear,  that 
 Christ  was  his  all.     Died  20th  March,  1854,  aged  sixty-seven. 
 
 The  gaieties  of  youth  and  the  pleasures  of  the  world  were 
 cheerfully  resigned  at  the  age  of  twenty  by  Ann  Caudler,  of 
 Colchester,  when  the  Spirit  of  God  convinced  her  of  sin.  In  the 
 fellowship  of  the  Lord's  people,  for  two  years  she  found  more 
 real  delight  than  she  did  in  the  previous  twenty  years  of  world- 
 liness.  When  overtaken  by  sickness  and  suffering,  her  calmness 
 and  resignation  testified  to  the  preparation  of  her  heart.  A  few 
 hours  before  her  death  her  father  read  some  verses  of  hymns  to 
 her,  and  to  these  she  replied  by  repeating  others.  The  last  she 
 was  able  to  repeat  was  the  closing  verse  of  the  95th  Hymn — 
 
 "  Faith  lends  its  realising  light, 
 
 The  clouds  disperse,  the  shadows  fly  ; 
 Th'  Invisible  appears  in  sight, 
 And  God  is  seen  by  mortal  eye." 
 
 To  the  inquiry,  did  she  feel  the  truths  contained  in  these  words^ 
 she  said,  "  Oh  yes  ;  frequently  when  I  cannot  speak."  She 
 entered  into  rest,  nth  May,  1820,  aged  twenty-two  years. 
 
 G 
 
98  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  97*. 
 
 Hymn  96. — "  How  can  a  sinner  know." — The  Marks  of  Faith. 
 — Tune,  Brentford,  1761. 
 
 This  forms  a  combination  of  a  short  and  common  metre  hymn 
 by  Charles  Wesley,  in  his  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1749, 
 vol.  ii.,  No.  i6r,  sixteen  lines  of  which  are  omitted.  By  the 
 judicious  alteration  of  John  Wesley,  it  is  made  into  a  uniform 
 short  metre. 
 
 The  extent  of  the  blessings  which  flow  from  early  consecration 
 to  God  we  shall  know  only  in  eternity.  At  the  early  age  of 
 twelve  years  William  Barton  was  under  deep  religious  convic- 
 tions, and  he  desired  permission  of  his  parents  to  meet  in  class. 
 It  was  a  wise  decision  which  consented  to  the  boy's  choice. 
 Through  the  kind  instructions  of  his  class-leader,  he  was  soon 
 enabled  to  realise  a  sense  of  pardoned  sin.  It  was  on  a  Sabbath 
 evening,  in  a  prayer  meeting  which  followed  the  preaching  of  the 
 word,  that  he  found  peace  with  God.  The  minister  had  given 
 out  the  first  verse  of  Hymn  96 — 
 
 "  How  can  a  sinner  know 
 
 His  sins  on  earth  forgiven  ?  "  &c. 
 
 The  whole  of  the  verse  having  been  sung,  the  words  fixed  the 
 attention  of  the  anxious  youth,  and  while  singing  the  second 
 verse — 
 
 "We  who  in  Christ  believe 
 That  He  for  us  hath  died, 
 We  all  His  unknown  peace  receive, 
 And  feel  His  blood  applied,"  &c., 
 
 he  was  enabled  to  commit  himself  to  the  Lord  Jesus  as  his 
 Saviour,  and  felt  the  peace  which  passeth  understanding.  For 
 thirty  years  he  was  greatly  owned  of  God  as  a  Wesleyan  minister, 
 and  died,  27th  March,  1857,  saying,  "Happy  !  I  am  resting  on 
 Christ."     He  was  aged  fifty-four  years. 
 
 Hymn  97*. — "Thou  great  mysterious  God  unknown." — Seekhig 
 Redemption. 
 
 This  forms  No.  19  of  Charles  Wesley's  "Redemption  Hymns," 
 1747.  Two  verses  are  omitted.  It  is  not  found  in  any  edition 
 of  the  Hymn  Book  previous  to  the  year  1800. 
 
 Mary  Wood,  of  Maltby,  near  Rotherham,  from  childhood  was 
 under  the  striving  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  but  had  reached  woman- 
 
HYMN   lOO.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  99 
 
 hood  before  she  fully  gave  her  heart  to  the  Lord.  Nearly  forty- 
 five  years  she  was  in  fellowship  with  the  Methodist  society,  and 
 was  untiring  in  her  efforts  to  extend  the  religion  which  had  made 
 her  peaceful  and  happy.  She  never  experienced  the  rapture  of 
 spiritual  enjoyment  which  some  professed ;  this  sometimes 
 discouraged  her,  but  often  she  found  comfort  in  repeating  the 
 first  verse  of  Hymn  97,  which  commences  thus — 
 
 "  Thou  great  mysterious  God  unknown, 
 Whose  love  hath  gently  led  me  on, 
 Even  from  my  infant  days,"  &c. 
 
 To  her  to  live  was  Christ,  but  to  die  was  gain.  She  entered  into 
 rest,  23rd  February,  1856,  aged  seventy-seven  years. 
 
 Hymn  98.—"  Upright,  both  in  heart  and  will."—"  God  hath  inade 
 man  upright^''  &c.  (Eccles.  vii.  29). — Tune,  Kingswood,  1761. 
 
 This  forms  No.  920  of  Charles  Wesley's  "  Short  Scripture 
 Hymns,"  1762,  vol.  i.  There  is  much  force  and  meaning  con- 
 veyed in  the  couplet — 
 
 "  In  ten  thousand  objects  sought 
 The  bliss  we  lost  in  one." 
 
 Hymn  99. — "  Father  of  lights,  from  whom  proceeds." — 
 A  Prayer  under  Co7ivictions. — TuNE,  Mourners,  1761. 
 
 Written  by  Charles  Wesley,  and  printed  in  "  Hymns  and 
 Sacred  Poems,"  1739.  The  last  three  verses  of  the  original  are 
 omitted.  It  is  worthy  of  note  here,  that  one  of  the  omitted 
 verses  is  one  of  three,  all  by  the  same  author,  which  are  printed 
 in  Mr.  Toplady's  works,  edition  1837,  as  though  they  were 
 written  by  Toplady.  Such  an  error  should  not  be  passed 
 without  correction. 
 
 Hymn  100. — "  Jesus,  my  Advocate  above." — Try  me,  O  God,  and 
 search  the  ground  of  my  heart. — TUNE,  Smith's,  1781. 
 
 This  is  Charles  Wesley's  paraphrase  of  the  Prayer  Book 
 version  of  Ps.  cxxxix.  23^  and  is  found  in  "  Hymns  and  Sacred 
 Poems,"  1739,  page  97.  The  original  has  five  stanzas;  the 
 fourth  is  omitted.  The  first  line  in  the  original  reads  thus  : — 
 "Jesus  !  my  great  High  Priest  above,"  which  John  Wesley  has 
 altered  to  "  Advocate  "  above.  A  change  is  also  made  in  the 
 last  line. 
 
lOO  METHODIST  HYMN  I500K  NOTES.  HYMN    lOI. 
 
 Hymn  ioi. — "Saviour,  Prince  of  Israel's  race." — A  roiitcniial 
 Hymn. — TUNE,  Dedication,  1781. 
 
 This  forms  No.  ^tZ  of  Charles  Wesley's  "  Hymns  and  Sacred 
 Poems,"  vol.  i.,  1749.  The  original  has  ten  verses,  only  half  of 
 which  are  here  given.  In  the  omitted  portion  reference  is  made 
 to  severe  mental  suffering  and  penitence,  which  lead  to  the 
 opinion  that  it  was  written  before  the  author's  conversion  in 
 1738.     The  hymn  is  full  of  fine  feeling  and  power. 
 
 There  are  but  few  remaining  links  to  connect  the  period  of 
 John  Wesley's  Methodists  and  those  of  the  present  day.  Mrs. 
 Thomas  Gabriel,  late  of  Brixton  Hill,  was  present  at  the  City 
 Road  Chapel,  London,  at  the  last  covenant  service  conducted 
 there  by  Mr.  Wesley,  and  she  was  present  also  at  his  funeral. 
 In  early  life  she  was  called  to  give  her  heart  to  the  Saviour, 
 and  joined  the  Methodist  Society,  maintaining  her  connection 
 with  the  body  for  more  than  threescore  years.  In  her  extreme 
 feebleness  the  Lord  dealt  graciously  with  His  aged  disciple, 
 whom  He  called  gradually  and  tenderly  from  earth  to  heaven. 
 She  was  at  times  buffeted  by  the  adversary,  and  would  always 
 repel  his  assaults  by  quoting  the  last  verse  of  Hymn  loi — 
 
 "  O  remember  me  for  good, 
 
 Passing  through  the  mortal  vale  ; 
 Show  me  the  atoning  blood, 
 
 When  my  strength  and  spirit  fail  ; 
 Give  my  gasping  soul  to  see 
 Jesus  crucified  for  me  !  " 
 
 In  her  ninety-second  year  she  entered  into  rest,  telling  her 
 daughters,  "  I  love  you  all ;  but  I  love  Jesus  better,  and  I  am 
 going  to  Him."     She  died  nth  March,  i860. 
 
 In  very  early  life  Frances  Lewis  obtained  the  pardon  of  sin, 
 and  united  herself  to  the  Methodists  in  1796,  having  been  con- 
 verted during  a  revival  in  the  Spitalfields  circuit.  She  lived  a 
 consistent  godly  life  ;  and  during  her  last  illness,  just  before 
 her  departure  to  heaven,  she  repeated,  as  expressive  of  her 
 experience,  the  verse  commencing — 
 
 **  O  remember  me  for  good,"  (S:c. 
 
 She  died  resting  on  the  atonement  of  Christ,  14th  January,  1848. 
 
 As  a  little  boy,  William  Lishman  wrote  a  brief  prayer  to  aid 
 
 his  devotions,  in  which  he  asked  God  to  give  him  knowledge, 
 
 wisdom,  and  grace.     His  prayer  was  answered.     Drawn  gently 
 
HYMN   104.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  1 01 
 
 by  the  Spirit's  influence,  he  joined  the  Methodists  in  18 16,  and 
 was  an  honoured  and  attached  member  to  the  end  of  his  days. 
 He  formed  a  new  society  at  Coxhoe,  and  greatly  aided  the  work 
 in  the  neighbourhood  of  Gateshead.  During  a  painful  illness 
 he  found  comfort  in  prayer,  and  amongst  his  last  utterances  he 
 repeated — 
 
 "  O  remember  me  for  good, 
 
 Passing  through  the  mortal  vale." 
 
 The  earnestness  with  which  he  repeated  these  lines  deeply 
 impressed  all  present.  To  one  who  came  thirty  miles  to  see 
 him,  he  said,  "  Happy  !  oh  yes,  happy  !  "  And  so  passed  to  his 
 heavenly  home,  14th  May,  1850,  aged  fifty- seven  years. 
 
 Hymn  102. — "  O  that  I  could  repent." — For  one  Falle7i  froin 
 Grace. — TuNE,  Olney,  1761. 
 
 Forms  No.  78  of  Charles  Wesley's  "Hymns  and  Sacred 
 Poems,"  vol.  i.,  1749.  The  original  has  four  verses,  the  third 
 and  fourth  being  omitted. 
 
 Hymn  103. — "  O  that  I  could  revere." — For  07ie  Fallen  frojn 
 Grace. — Tune,  Lampe's,  1746. 
 
 This  forms  No.  82  of  Charles  Wesley's  "  Hymns  and  Sacred 
 Poems,"  vol.  i,,  1749.  The  second  verse  of  the  original  is  left 
 out.  "Imprudent"  in  the  second  verse  is  changed  to  "im- 
 pending." 
 
 This  striking  figure  of  speech  is  taken  from  the  story  of 
 Damocles,  as  related  by  Cicero,  of  Dionysius,  king  of  Italy,  and 
 one  of  his  flatterers,  B.C.  368.  By  command  of  the  king, 
 Damocles  assumed  the  sovereignty,  and  was  dazzled  by  the 
 splendour  and  luxury  of  royalty,  until  he  perceived  a  sword 
 suspended  over  his  head  by  a  single  horse-hair.  This  marred 
 his  pleasures,  and  he  relinquished  his  ambitious  assumptions. 
 The  Rev.  Joseph  Stennett  employs  the  same  figure  thus — 
 
 "Who  laughs  at  sin,  laughs  at  his  Maker's  frowns, — 
 Laughs  at  the  sword  of  vengeance  o'er  his  head." 
 
 Hymn  104. — "O  for  that  tenderness  of  heart." — The  Tender 
 Heart,  &c.— TUNE,  Mitcham,  1781. 
 
 The  original  forms  609  of  Charles  Wesley's  "  Short  Scripture 
 Hymns,"  1762,  founded  on  2  Kings  xxii.  19-30. 
 
I02  METHODIST  IIVMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  Io8. 
 
 IIVMN  105. — "O  that  I  could  rcpcni.''— For  o;ic  l\illcn  frovi 
 Grace. — TUNK,  Brentford,  1761. 
 
 P^orms  No.  84  of  Charles  Wesley's  "  Hymns  and  Sacred 
 Poems,"  vol.  i.,  1749.  The  third  and  fourth  verses  of  the  original 
 are  omitted.  From  the  early  days  of  Methodism  to  the  present 
 time,  in  revival  meetings,  and  at  home,  poor  sin-stricken  sinners 
 have  made  the  words  of  this  hymn  their  appeal  to  God  for 
 deliverance  from  the  bondage  and  power  of  sin. 
 
 Hymn  106. — "  Jesu,  let  Thy  pitying  eye." — For  one  Fallen  from 
 Grace. — TUNE,  Calvary,  1761. 
 
 Forms  No.  64  in  Charles  Wesley's  "Hymns  and  Sacred 
 Poems,"  vol.  i.,  1749.  The  original  has  twelve  verses.  The 
 third,  fourth,  ninth,  and  tenth  are  omitted.  Another  verse 
 was  left  out  when  the  revision  took  place  in  1875.  This  is  a 
 hymn  for  a  backslider  to  sing. 
 
 The  fall,  repentance  and  recovery  of  the  apostle  Peter  are 
 related  by  the  poet  with  much  feeling  and  energy.  In  the 
 original,  the  appealing  prayer  is  eleven  times  offered  : — "  Turn, 
 and  look  upon  me,  Lord,  and  break  my  heart  of  stone."  Per- 
 severing prayer  is  rewarded  :  the  last  refrain  includes  in  its 
 petition  the  sufferings,  love,  and  compassion  of  the  Saviour. 
 
 "O  my  bleeding,  loving  Lord, 
 
 Thou  break'st  my  heart  of  stone." 
 
 Hymn  107*.—''  The  Spirit  of  the  Lord  our  God."— 77/^  Sixty- 
 first  Chapter  of  Isaiah. 
 
 This  forms  No.  5  of  Charles  Wesley's  "  Hymns  and  Sacred 
 Poems,"  vol.  i.,  1749.  The  original  is  in  two  parts,  of  twenty- 
 two  and  eighteen  verses  respectively.  Only  six  verses  from  the 
 first  part  are  chosen,  and  several  alterations  are  made  in  them. 
 It  is  altered  from  the  first  to  third  person.  The  last  verse  makes 
 a  bad  ending  of  a  very  fine  hymn. 
 
 Hymn  108. — "  Enslaved  to  sense,  to  pleasure  prone."  — Grace 
 before  Meat. — TUNE,  Wednesbury,  1761. 
 
 Forms  one  of  Charles  Wesley's  "  Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems," 
 1739,  pagG  35-  This  hymn  commences  a  new  section,  tmder 
 the  title  "  For  Mourners  Convinced  of  Sin." 
 
HYMN   IIl""\  METHODIST  HYMN   BOOK  NOTES.  I03 
 
 Hymn  109. — "Wretched,  helpless,  and  distrest."— IVre/c/ifd 
 and  Miserable^  afid  Poor^  and  Blind,  and  Awaked. — Tune, 
 Kingswood,  1761. 
 
 This  forms  one  of  Charles  Wesley's  "  Hymns  and  Sacred 
 Poems,"  1742,  page  45.     The  second  verse  is  omitted. 
 
 Hymm  1 10. — "Jesus,  Friend  of  sinners,  hear." — A  Prayer  for 
 Restoring  Grace. — TuNE,  Kingswood,  1761. 
 
 Taken  from  Charles  Wesley's  "  Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems," 
 1742,  page  6^. 
 
 The  stupendous  magnitude  of  sin  which  is  indicated  in  the 
 third  verse,  is  an  idea  which  seems  to  have  been  borrowed  from 
 Mason's  "  Songs  of  Praise,"  1682 — 
 
 "My  sins  have  reach'd  up  to  the  skies  ; 
 
 But  mercy  these  exceeds  : 
 God's  mercy  is  '  above  the  heavens,  — 
 
 Above  my  simple  deeds. ' 
 My  sins  are  many,  like  the  stars, 
 
 Or  sand  upon  the  shore  ; 
 But  yet  the  mercies  of  my  God 
 
 Are  infinitely  more. 
 My  sins  in  bigness  do  arise 
 
 Like  mountains  great  and  tall ; 
 But  mercy  is  above  the  skies,"  &c. 
 
 In  verse  six  there  is  an  idea  which  is  very  characteristic  of 
 Charles  Wesley's  early  poetry,  "  Take  the  power  of  sin  away  ;  " 
 a  blessing  never  more  wanted  by  professing  Christians  than 
 now  :  but  who  has  realised  it } 
 
 Hymn  i  i  i*.— "  Thus  saith  the  Lord  !     Wlio  seek  the  Lamb."— 
 Fifty -first  Chapter  of  Isaiah. 
 
 This  hymn  forms  No.  4  of  Charles  Wesley's  "  Hymns  and 
 Sacred  Poems,"  vol.  i.,  1749.  It  is  a  composition  in  four  parts, 
 extending  to  sixty-two  stanzas.     The  first  commences  thus — 
 
 "Hearken  to  me,  who  seek  the  Lamb, 
 Who  follow  after  righteousness,"  (S:c. 
 
 The  hymn  as  given  in  the  collection  consists  of  the  first  nine 
 stanzas  of  the  original,  omitting  the  second  and  seventh.  The 
 first  line  of  verse  seven  reads  thus  : — "  My  mercy  will  I  cause 
 to  rest,"  &c. 
 
T04  M1:TH0DIST  HYMN  I500K  NOTES.  HV.MNII4. 
 
 HVMN  112. — "  Woe  is  me  I  what  tongue  can  tell." — The  Good 
 Siwiaritan. — TUNE,  Kingswood,  1761. 
 
 The  original  will  be  found  in  Charles  Wesley's  "  Hymns  and 
 Sacred  Poems,"  1742,  page  loi,  where  it  extends  to  eleven 
 verses,  four  of  which  are  omitted. 
 
 The  hymn  contains  an  ingenious  and  evangelical  application 
 of  the  parable  of  the  Good  Samaritan.  In  the  omitted  portion 
 the  poet  seems  to  imply  that  the  poor  sinner  was  a  confessed 
 backslider,  in  these  words — 
 
 "  God  was  once  my  glorious  dress, 
 And  I  like  Him  did  shine ; 
 Satan  of  His  righteousness 
 
 Hath  spoil'd  this  soul  of  mine." 
 
 This  poem  was  considered  by  the  Rev.  John  Kirk  to  be  "the 
 most  chaste,  tender,  comprehensive,  and  eloquent  poetic  exposi- 
 tion of  the  parable  he  had  met  with."  The  leading  features  of 
 the  parable  are  very  clearly  embodied  in  the  poem.  The  com- 
 position is  believed  to  have  had  its  origin  in  sermons  which,  in 
 early  life,  Charles  Wesley  was  constantly  preaching  on  the 
 Good  Samaritan.  During  a  period  of  nine  years  there  are  no 
 less  than  eighteen  records  in  his  Journal,  of  his  showing  to 
 sinners  the  picture  of  their  wTetchedness,  and  the  method  of 
 their  cure,  in  this  parable.  He  also  records  not  a  few  instances 
 of  good  results  following  those  sermons. 
 
 Hymn  i  13. — "  O  Thou,  whom  fain  my  soul  would  love."—  "  J/y 
 Lord  and  ?>iy  6^^^'."— Tune,  Bradford,  1761. 
 
 Taken  from  Charles  Wesley's  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"' 
 1742,  page  no.  It  is  founded  on  Genesis  xxxii.  24,32.  The 
 fourth  verse  of  the  original  is  wisely  omitted. 
 
 Hymn  114. — "Jesus,  in  whom  the  weary  find." — Up07i parting 
 with  his  Frie?ids.—T\jiiE,  112th  Psalm  Tune,  1781. 
 
 Written  by  Charles  Wesley  in  "  Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems," 
 1740,  page  49.  The  original  is  in  four  parts,  extending  to 
 twenty-nine  verses.  The  latter  portion  is  chosen  to  make  this 
 hymn.  There  is  much  of  genuine  poetry  in  the  composition, 
 which  is  marked  with  feeling  and  beauty  of  thought. 
 
HYMN   115-  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  105 
 
 Hymn  115. — "Let  the  world  their  virtue  boast." — /  am  deter- 
 mined to  know  nothitig^  save  Jesus,  and  Him  crucified. — 
 Tune,  Calvary,  1761. 
 
 Taken  from  Charles  Wesley's  "  Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems," 
 1742,  page  256.  The  original  has  nine  stanzas,  four  of  which 
 are  omitted. 
 
 The  poet  takes  up  the  apostle  Paul's  idea  of  his  own 
 unworthiness,  and  closes  each  verse  with  the  expressive 
 declaration,  "  I  the  chief  of  sinners  am ; "  but  adds  the 
 comforting  assurance  that  "Jesus  died  for  me."  This  is  the 
 language  of  unfeigned  humility,  and  of  profound  self-knowledge. 
 The  allusion  in  verse  three  to  Gideon  is  derived  from  Judges 
 vi.  39,  40. 
 
 A  venerable  old  disciple  in  Methodism  was  John  Tyrer,  of 
 Nineveh,  near  Birmingham,  at  the  time  of  his  death.  He 
 founded  the  first  Sunday  school  at  Handsworth,  and  by  his 
 consistent  earnest  piety,  greatly  promoted  the  cause  of  God  in 
 the  Soho  works,  where  he  was  long  employed.  In  death  as  in 
 life,  the  Hymn  Book  and  Bible  afforded  him  constant  delight ; 
 and  to  a  friend  who  called  to  see  him,  when  the  conflict  was 
 nearly  over,  he  gave,  as  the  only  ground  of  his  confidence  and 
 hope — 
 
 "  Let  the  world  their  virtue  boast, 
 Their  works  of  righteousness  ; 
 I,  a  wretch  undone  and  lost, 
 Am  freely  saved  by  grace." 
 
 He  passed  away  in  peace  to  the  skies,  in  August,  1841,  aged 
 seventy-five,  saying,  "  All  is  well  !  all  is  well ! " 
 
 The  author  of  this  hymn  had  but  one  daughter  who  arrived 
 at  mature  years.  Miss  Sarah  Wesley  was  a  person  of  much 
 mental  power,  and  possessed  great  general  intelligence.  She 
 was  much  loved  by  both  her  father  and  the  Rev.  John  Wesley. 
 Most  of  her  time  was  spent  in  literary  pursuits.  In  her  last 
 illness,  which  was  short,  she  visited  her  native  city,  Bristol, 
 where  she  closed  her  earthly  career.  She  often  said,  "  I  have 
 peace,  but  not  joy."  When  too  feeble  to  converse,  she  would 
 repeat  the  lines — 
 
 "  I  the  chief  of  sinners  am, 
 But  Jesus  died  for  me." 
 
 These  were  nearly  the  last   words   she  uttered.      She  died  a 
 
Io6  MHTHODIS'J-  HVMN   BOOK   NOTKS.  nVMNll5. 
 
 member  of  the  Methodist  Society,  19th  September,  1828,  aged 
 sixty-eight,  and  was  interred  in  the  family  grave,  Bristol. 
 
 The  chief  interest  which  attaches  to  this  hymn,  as  a  dying 
 testimony,  is  that  afforded  from  the  use  of  it  by  John  Wesley 
 himself,  and,  in  consequence  thereof— the  account  of  his  death 
 having  been  read  by  so  many  thousands  of  persons — it  has  been 
 very  frequently  used  by  his  followers,  when  under  similar 
 circumstances.  Of  these  instances  we  have  not  space  for  more 
 than  a  passing  allusion. 
 
 The  only  account  we  have  left  us  of  the  last  days  of  John 
 Wesley,  the  founder  of  the  Methodist  Societies,  was  written  by 
 Miss  Elizabeth  Ritchie,  one  of  his  most  intimate  friends,  and 
 one  of  the  elect  ladies  of  Methodism.  From  that  account  we 
 learn  that  Mr.  Wesley  preached  his  last  sermon  at  Leatherhead, 
 in  Surrey,  23rd  February,  1791.  On  the  24th  he  stopped  at  Mr. 
 Wolff's  at  Balham,  and  on  the  25th  he  returned  to  his  own 
 house  at  City  Road.  On  the  26th  he  remained  very  feeble. 
 On  the  27th  he  seemed  to  be  much  exhausted,  and  said, 
 "  Speak  to  me  ;  I  cannot  speak."  To  the  cjuestion,  "  Shall  we 
 pray  with  you,  sir } "  he  earnestly  replied,  "  Yes,"  At  the  end 
 of  the  prayer,  he  added  a  hearty  Amen.  In  the  afternoon,  as 
 indicating  his  own  consciousness  that  the  end  was  not  far  off, 
 he  said,  "There  is  no  need  for  more  than  what  I  said  at 
 Bristol.*     My  words  then  were — 
 
 *' '  I  the  chief  of  sinners  am, 
 But  Jesus  died  for  me.'  " 
 
 *  At  the  Bristol  Conference,  in  1783,   Mr.  Wesley  was  taken  so  ill 
 
 that  neither  he  nor  his  friends  thought  he  would  recover.  Expecting 
 sudden  death,  and  that  speedily,  he  said  to  Mr.  Bradford  :  "  I  have  been 
 reflecting  on  my  past  life ;  I  have  been  wandering  up  and  down 
 between  fifty  and  sixty  years,  endeavouring  in  my  poor  way  to  do  a 
 little  good  to  my  fellow-creatures,  and  now  it  is  probable  there  are  but 
 a  few  steps  between  me  and  death,  and  what  have  I  to  trust  to  for 
 salvation?  I  can  see  nothing  which  I  have  done  or  suffered,  that  will 
 bear  looking  at;  I  have  no  other  plea  than  this — 
 *  I  the  chief  of  sinners  am, 
 But  Jesus  died  for  me.'  " 
 
 This  sentiment  continued  to  influence  him  during  the  remaining  eight 
 years  of  his  earnest  active  public  life  and  ministiy,  and  was  the  most 
 prominent  feeling  of  his  mind  when  the  fourscore  and  seven  years  of  his 
 life  were  ending. 
 
HYMN   115.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  I07 
 
 Miss  Ritchie  said,  "Is  this  the  present  language  of  your  heart ; 
 and  do  you  now  feel  as  you  then  did?"  He  replied,  "Yes." 
 Soon  after,  he  said  to  Miss  Ritchie,  "He  is  all!  He  is  all!" 
 To  his  niece.  Miss  Wesley,  who  sat  by  his  bedside,  he  said, 
 "Sally,  have  you  zeal  for  God,  now?"  In  the  evening,  he  got 
 up,  and  while  sitting  in  his  chair,  he  said,  "  How  necessary  is  it 
 for  every  one  to  be  on  the  right  foundation  ! — 
 
 "  '  I  the  chief  of  sinners  am. 
 But  Jesus  died  for  me.' 
 
 We  must  be  justified  by  faith,  and  then  go  on  to  sanctification." 
 During  the  next  day,  28th  February,  he  slept  much.  On  Tuesday, 
 1st  March,  he  was  restless  but  uncomplaining,  and  tried  to 
 sing  part  of  two  hymns.  He  also  tried,  but  in  vain,  to  write  the 
 memorable  words,  which  he  could  only  speak,  "God  is  with 
 us ; "  and  afterwards,  "  The  best  of  all  is,  God  is  with  us." 
 After  some  kindly  interchange  of  affectionate  inquiries  with  Mr. 
 Rogers,  Mr.  Bradford,  and  his  sister-in-law,  Mrs.  Charles 
 Wesley,  he  said,  "  I'll  praise  !  I'll  praise  ! "  These  were  the 
 last  words  of  the  departing  saint,  excepting,  that  shortly  before 
 he  drew  his  last  breath,  on  Wednesday  morning,  2nd  March,  a 
 few  minutes  before  ten  o'clock,  he  said  to  Mr.  Bradford,  his 
 faithful  friend,  who  had  just  then  prayed  with  him,  "  Farewell !  " 
 As  his  spirit  escaped  from  its  clay  tenement,  his  friends  were 
 kneeling  around  his  bed,  commending  him  to  his  Father  and 
 their  Father  in  heaven. 
 
 The  Rev.  James  Methley,  born  near  Barnsley,  in  1790, 
 converted  at  sixteen,  entered  the  itinerant  Methodist  ministry 
 in  18 14,  and  laboured  in  that  calling  for  forty-eight  years.  In 
 1859  he  settled  in  Sheffield,  and  on  31st  October,  1861,  he 
 closed  his  pilgrimage.  As  he  lay  dying,  he  said,  "  The  Master 
 is  come  and  calleth  for  me.  I  know  the  import  of  the  couplet 
 which  Mr.  Wesley  quoted  when  heaven  flooded  his  soul  with 
 
 supernal  light — 
 
 "  I  the  chief  of  sinners  am, 
 But  Jesus  died  for  me." 
 
 That  is  my  hope— Christ;  His  precious  blood  shed  for  me; 
 Heaven  is  my  home."  His  last  words  were,  "The  final  victory 
 is  sure."     He  had  counted  seventy-one  years. 
 
 More  than  a  score  similar  testimonies  have  been  collected  of 
 the  use  of  this  hymn,  which  are  excluded  for  want  of  room,  not 
 for  want  of  interest. 
 
lo8  MI.IHUniST  HV.MN   1500K  NOIKS.  HYMN   I  I S. 
 
 Hymn  i  i6.— "  Saviour,  cast  a  pitying  eye." — For  one  Fallen  from 
 Gnir^.— Tune,  Foundr)-,  1761. 
 
 Written  by  Charles  Wesley,  and  forms  No.  55  in  "  Hymns 
 and  Sacred  Poems,"  vol.  i.,  1749.  The  second  verse  is  omitted  ; 
 and  in  the  third  verse,  "  Thy  own  sweet  mercy,"  is  changed  to 
 "Thy  love  and  mercy."  Another  verse,  the  second,  was  left 
 out  of  the  present  revised  edition. 
 
 Hymn  117. — "God  is  in  this  and  every  place."— /^c'r  one  Con- 
 vinced of  Uiibelief. — Tune,  Fetter  Lane,  1761. 
 
 Written  by  Charles  Wesley,  and  forms  No.  9  in  "  Hymns  and 
 Sacred  Poems,"  vol.  i.,  1749.  The  original  has  sixteen  stanzas  ; 
 the  first  ten  and  the  fifteenth  are  omitted.  In  the  last  verse  the 
 author  shows  with  what  ease  he  can  adopt,  even  in  verse.  Scrip- 
 tural ideas  and  language.  There  is  a  singular  coincidence 
 deserving  of  notice  in  this,  as  well  as  in  another  of  Charles 
 Wesley's  hymns.     The  first  two  verses  read  thus — 
 
 "  And  have  I  measured  half  my  days, 
 And  half  my  journey  run, 
 Nor  tasted  the  Redeemer's  grace, 
 Nor  yet  my  work  begun  ? 
 
 "  The  morning  of  my  life  is  past, 
 The  noon  almost  is  o'er, 
 The  night  of  death  approaches  fast, 
 When  I  can  work  no  more." 
 
 When  these  lines  were  written,  their  author  was  in  his  forty- 
 first  year;  he  died  aged  eighty-one.  How  did  he  obtain  the 
 knowledge  that  he  had  measured  half  his  days  ?  These  facts 
 are  indisputable,  account  for  them  who  may  !  There  are  many 
 statements  in  the  entire  hymn  which  are  certainly  not  applicable 
 to  Charles  Wesley. 
 
 Hymn  118. — "Author  of  faith,  to  Thee  I  cry." — '^  Ask,  and  it 
 shall  be  given''  (Matt.  vii.  7).— Tune,  Snowsfield's,  1761. 
 
 The  original  was  written  by  Charles  Wesley,  and  is  the  first 
 of  six  hymns  which  are  printed  at  the  end  of  a  small  tract, 
 entitled,  "A  Short  View  of  the  Differences  between  the  Mora- 
 
HYMN  12  1.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES. 
 
 109 
 
 vian  Brethren  in  England  and  J.  and  C.  Wesley,"  1745.  It  is 
 printed  also  as  No.  10  in  "  Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  vol.  i., 
 1749.  In  the  latter  portion  of  the  hymn,  the  poet  plainly  states 
 what  is  the  Gospel  plan  of  salvation,  in  contradistinction  to  the 
 errors  then  taught  by  some  of  the  Moravians. 
 
 Hymn  119^.— "Father  of  Jesus  Christ,  my  l^oxd:'—'' But  thou, 
 when  thou  prayest,  enter  into  thy  closet" — Tune,  Aldrich, 
 1761. 
 
 This  hymn  forms  No.  2  in  the  Moravian  tract  just  named ; 
 and  it  is  printed  also  in  Charles  Wesley's  "Redemption 
 Hymns"  in  1747.  The  tide  given  to  it  now  is,  "Before  Private 
 Prayer."  In  the  fourth  verse,  the  poet  urges  his  plea  for  full 
 salvation — 
 
 "Blameless  before  Thy  face  to  live, 
 To  live  and  sin  no  more." 
 
 The  seventh  verse  reads  thus  in  the  original — 
 
 "  Kindle  the  flame  of  love  within. 
 That  may  to  heaven  ascend  ; 
 And  now  in  grace  the  work  begin, 
 Which  shall  in  glory  end." 
 
 This  hymn,  as  well  as  the  next  one,  was  added  to  the  collection, 
 after  Mr.  Wesley's  death. 
 
 Hymn  120. — "Comfort,  ye  ministers  of  grace." — G?'oa7ungfor 
 Rede7nption. — Tune,  Carey's,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's  hymn,  found  in  "Hymns  and  Sacred 
 Poems,"  1742,  page  109.  The  original  is  in  four  parts,  and 
 extends  to  thirty-seven  verses,  of  which  two  only  are  here 
 given. 
 
 Hymn  121. — "Expand  thy  wings,  celestial  Dove." — The  Crea- 
 tion.    Genesis  i.  2,  3,  &c. — TUNE,  Carey's,  1761. 
 
 This  is  made  up  by  uniting  three  of  Charles  Wesley's  "  Short 
 Scripture  Hymns,"  1762,  Nos.  3,  4,  and  635,  based  on  Gen.  i.  2, 
 3,  and  2  Chron.  vi.  20,  21.  In  Hymn  87,  the  same  idea  is 
 expressed  by  the  same  author. 
 
no  MKI'IIODIST  HYMN   1!00K  NOTKS.  HVMN125. 
 
 Hymn  122. — *'0  Thou  wlio  hast  our  sorrows  l)ornc." — For 
 Families. — TUNE,  Travellers,  1761. 
 
 This  forms  No.  19  in  Charles  Wesley's  "Hymns  for  Families," 
 1767.  One  verse  is  omitted.  The  poet  describes  in  terse  strong 
 language  our  Lord's  sufferings. 
 
 Hymn  123. — "Let  the  redeem'd  give  thanks  and  praise." — For 
 Families.— TU'tiY.,  Aldrich,  1761. 
 
 This  forms  No.  90  of  Charles  Wesley's  "  Hymns  for  Families," 
 1767.  The  original  is  in  double  verses,  and  sixteen  lines  are 
 omitted,  whilst  others  are  transposed  in  their  order. 
 
 Hymn  124. — "O  that  I,  first  of  love  possess'd." — On  going-  to  a 
 7iew  habitatio7i. — TuNE,  Woods,  1761. 
 
 No.  112  of  Charles  Wesley's  "Hymns  for  Families,"  1767. 
 Two  verses  are  left  out.  It  has  the  appearance  of  being  based 
 on  Exodus  xxxiii.  20-22.  The  poet,  strangely  enough,  in  the  first 
 verse  asks  to  see  the  Lord,  although  he  knew  that  such  a  privi- 
 lege was  denied  to  mortal  eyes — "  Ye  cannot  see  my  face  and 
 live." 
 
 Hymn  125. — "O  that  I  could  my  Lord  receive." — For  Love. — 
 Tune,  Brockmer,  1761. 
 
 This  forms  No.  159  of  Charles  Wesley's  "  Hymns  for  Families." 
 Two  verses  after  the  second  are  omitted. 
 
 For  earnest  piety  and  devoted  service,  no  Methodists  can 
 exceed  the  Irish.  Sarah  Jones,  of  Farnee,  County  Wicklow, 
 feared  the  Lord  from  a  child.  At  fifteen,  during  a  revival,  she 
 obtained  a  clear  sense  of  her  acceptance  with  God.  As  a  teacher, 
 leader,  and  missionary  collector,  she  laid  herself  out  for  daily 
 service.  Her  voice,  her  pen,  and  her  example,  were  all  used  for 
 the  glory  of  God,  and  to  help  the  young  on  their  way  towards 
 heaven.  Her  last  illness  was  short  and  severe,  but  she  clung  to 
 the  Cross.     Her  last  words  were — 
 
 "  *  Nothing  I  ask  or  want  beside, 
 Of  all  in  earth  or  heaven, 
 But  let  me  feel  Thy  blood  applied, 
 And  live  and  die  forgiven.'  " 
 
 She  died  5th  May,  1847,  aged  twenty-two  years. 
 
HYMN   127.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  Ill 
 
 Solomon  Bellamy,  of  Nottingham,  when  a  youth  of  fourteen, 
 went  to  hear  a  local  preacher  in  a  village  nine  miles  from 
 Newark.  Under  that  sermon,  he,  his  uncle,  George  Foster,  and 
 an  apprentice,  George  Smith,  were  all  converted ;  the  latter 
 became  an  itinerant  preacher.  Mr.  Bellamy  had  a  long  and 
 chequered  life  ;  he  had  poverty  with  contentment,  his  wants 
 were  few  and  soon  supplied.  He  had  a  strong  dread  of  debt  and 
 drunkenness,  and  God  helped  him  to  avoid  both.  As  he  grew 
 in  years,  he  grew  also  in  grace,  and  when  he  had  nearly  com- 
 pleted his  eightieth  year,  the  decay  of  nature  suddenly  prostrated 
 him.  When  asked  by  a  friend  if  he  wanted  anything,  he  answered, 
 "  Hey,  bless  thee, — 
 
 ** '  Nothing  I  ask  or  want  beside, 
 
 Of  all  in  earth  or  heaven, 
 But  let  me  feel  Thy  blood  applied, 
 
 And  live  and  die  forgiven. '  " 
 His  last  words  on  earth  were,  "  Glory  be  to  God  !     I'm  going  ! " 
 and  in  February,  1853,  he  rested  from  his  labours. 
 
 Hymn  126. — "Too  strong  I  was  to  conquer  smy— Judges  vii.  2, 
 &c.— Tune,  Welling,  1761. 
 
 This  is  formed  by  uniting  Nos.  400  and  778  of  Charles 
 Wesley's  "Short  Scripture  Hymns,"  1762,  vol.  i.,  based  on 
 Judges  vii.  2  and  Job  xl.  4. 
 
 Hymn  127. — "Wherewith,  O  God,  shall  I  draw  n^zxP—Micah 
 vi.  6,  &c.— Tune,  St.  Luke's,  1761. 
 
 Written  by  Charles  Wesley,  and  found  in  "Hymns  and 
 Sacred  Poems,"  1740,  page  88.  There  is  a  pathos  and  power  in 
 the  pleadings  of  the  poet ;  and  as  the  Saviour's  intercessions  are 
 represented  as  accompanying  those  of  the  penitent,  the  blessing 
 desired  is  obtained. 
 
 Having  the  advantage  in  early  life  o  the  personal  advice  of 
 Mr.  Wesley,  Mrs.  Fletcher,  and  Mrs.  Crosby,  Frances  Ness 
 yielded  willingly  to  the  strivings  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  under 
 a  sermon  preached  by  the  Rev.  George  Story  in  1778,  she  was 
 brought  to  God,  and  during  the  rest  of  her  days  was  a  faithful 
 and  devoted  Methodist.  She  possessed  in  a  remarkable  degree 
 the  spirit  of  the  Master,  which  she  tried  to  diffuse  around  her. 
 A  little  before  her  death  she  said  to  her  minister — 
 "  '  I  nothing  have,  I  nothing  am  ; ' 
 
112  METHODIST  HVMN'  KOOK  NOTKS.  HVMN    I  28. 
 
 my  trust  is  alone  in  Jesus.     I  run  ^o'ur^  lionie,  praise  tlic  Lord." 
 She  died,  20th  June,  1853,  ap^cd  ninety,  saying,  "Victory  !  " 
 
 At  the  age  of  twenty,  the  Rev.  John  Fisher  was  convinced  of 
 sin  under  a  sermon  preached  by  Mr.  Moon,  and  soon  afterwards 
 he  received  the  blessing  of  pardon.  From  a  sense  of  gratitude 
 to  God,  he  soon  began  to  exhort,  and  became  a  local  preacher. 
 In  1802  he  became  an  itinerant  preacher  in  Methodism,  and 
 laboured  with  success  and  acceptance  in  several  circuits.  His 
 career  was  brief;  illness  set  in,  under  which  he  expired;  but 
 although  tried  in  affliction,  his  spirit  triumphed  over  it.  Nearly 
 his  last  words  were — 
 
 "  'Jesus,  the  Lamb  of  God,  hath  bled  ; 
 He  bore  my  sins  upon  the  tree  ; 
 Beneath  our  curse  He  bow'd  His  head  ; 
 'Tis  finished  !  He  hath  died  for  mo.'  " 
 
 He  died  i6th  January,  1810,  aged  thirty-two  years. 
 
 Hymn  128. — "With  glorious  clouds  encompassed  round." — For 
 Fawi'/ies.—TVNE,  St.  Paul's,  1761. 
 
 This  forms  No.  161  of  Charles  Wesley's  "Hymns  for  Families," 
 1767.  In  the  first  line,  "encompast"  is  altered.  The  sentiment 
 conveyed  in  the  first  verse  is  also  contained  in  the  first  verse  of 
 Hymn  130.  The  line,  "Whom  angels  dimly  see,"  seems  to  have 
 been  suggested  by  a  similar  expression  of  Milton's — 
 
 "  Who  sittest  above  these  heavens, 
 To  us  invisible,  or  dimly  seen." 
 
 — Paradise  Lost f  v.  157. 
 
 Samuel  Wesley,  jun.,  in  Hymn  642,  has  the  following  couplet— 
 
 "In  light  unsearchable  enthroned, 
 Whom  angels  dimly  see." 
 
 There  is  something  inexpressibly  affecting  in  the  very  earnest 
 appeal  of  the  poet  in  the  second  verse — 
 
 "Answer,  Thou  Man  of  Grief  and  Love  ! 
 And  speak  it  to  my  heart ! " 
 
 Giving  her  heart  to  the  Lord  in  early  youth,  Mrs.  Marriott, 
 
HYMN  129.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  II3 
 
 of  Nottingham,  became  a  Sunday-school  teacher,  missionary- 
 collector,  and  class  leader  at  Halifax  Place  Chapel.  Though  of. 
 delicate  health  she  was  diligent  in  all  her  duties,  earnest  in  her 
 piety,  and  generous  towards  the  cause  of  God  and  His  poor. 
 When  illness  laid  her  low,  her  faith  in  God  was  strong.  All 
 hope  of  recovery  being  past,  she  received  the  sacrament  of  the 
 Lord's  Supper.  At  its  close  she  said,  "That  offering  still 
 continues  new ;  it  is  the  Lamb  newly  slain — 
 
 **  *I  view  the  Lamb  in  His  own  light, 
 Whom  angels  dimly  see  ; 
 And  gaze,  transported  at  the  sight, 
 To  all  eternity.'" 
 
 Her  last  testimony  to  the  goodness  of  her  heavenly  Father 
 was,  "  God  supports  me  richly ;  He  has  never  left  me  to  feel 
 my  weakness.  Do  not  forget  the  goodness  of  God."  She  died 
 25th  May,  1865,  aged  forty-two  years. 
 
 At  the  age  of  eighteen,  Thomas  Bagshaw,  of  Rotherham, 
 joined  the  Methodist  Society,  and  he  continued  a  steady 
 member  to  the  close  of  his  life,  serving  with  uprightness  the 
 offices  of  poor,  society,  and  circuit  steward.  He  suffered  much 
 for  some  months  before  his  death ;  but  his  mind  was  kept  in 
 peace,  and  shortly  before  his  spirit  escaped  to  God,  he  repeated 
 the  verse — 
 
 "  I  view  the  Lamb  in  His  own  light,"  &c. 
 
 as  the  evidence  of  his  acceptance  with  God.  He  died  31st 
 October,  1842,  aged  seventy-four  years. 
 
 Hymn  129. — "Adam  descended  from  2iho\e\''— Isaiah  xlii.  6,  7. 
 — Tune,  Guernsey,  1761. 
 
 This  forms  No.  1044  of  Charles  Wesley's  "Short  Scripture 
 Hymns,"  1762,  where  it  is  printed  as  three  eight-line  verses. 
 
 Under  the  heart-searching  ministry  of  the  Rev.  William 
 Bramwell,  George  Sargent,  of  Huddersfield,  the  son  of  a  Wes- 
 leyan  minister,  was  awakened  to  a  sense  of  his  sinful  condition, 
 at  the  early  age  of  six  years.  These  convictions  ripened  into 
 penitence  and  pardon,  and  were  followed  by  a  life  of  earnest, 
 sincere  godliness.  At  Kingswood  School,  as  an  apprentice, 
 and  as  a  medical  student,  he  feared  the  Lord  and  walked  in 
 His  ways,  always  delighting  in  the  means  of  grace  and  in  the 
 company  of  the  Lord's  people.  On  7th  February,  1840,  he  was 
 apparently  in  his  usual  health,  and  Mrs.  Sargent  commenced 
 
 H 
 
114  MKIIIODIST  IIVMN  HOOK   NOTES.  HYMN   I32. 
 
 ihc  family  devotions.  When  slie  had  read  the  129th  Hymn,  after 
 this  verse — 
 
 "Open  mine  eyes  the  Lamb  to  know, 
 Who  bears  the  general  sin  away  ; 
 And  to  my  ransom'd  spirit  show 
 The  glories  of  eternal  day." 
 
 Mr.  Sargent's  mind  seemed  carried  above  all  earthly  things,  and 
 absorbed  in  contemplating  the  truths  contained  in  the  hymn  ; 
 forgetting  himself,  he  knelt  down  to  prayer  without  the  customary 
 lesson  from  the  Word  of  God.  Observing  the  omission,  he  rose 
 and  read  Psalms  cxxi.,  cxxii.,  and  after  prayer  retired  to  rest. 
 Shortly  afterwards,  he  complained  of  pain  in  his  head.  Assist- 
 ance was  at  once  procured ;  but  the  last  messenger  had  arrived : 
 he  became  insensible,  and  within  an  hour  he  quietly  passed  to 
 his  rest  with  God,  7th  Februar)',  1842,  aged  fifty. 
 
 Hymn  130. — "Thou  God,  unsearchable,  unknown.'' — Isaiah 
 xlv.  15. — Tune,  Mourners,  1761. 
 
 This  is  made  up  of  Nos.  1055  and  1056  of  Charles  Wesley's 
 "Short  Scripture  Hymns,"  vol.  i.,  1762.  Two  of  the  lines  are 
 altered. 
 
 Hymn  131. — "Lord,  I  despair  myself  to  heal." — ^^  Looking  unto 
 Jcsus.^' — Tune,  Evesham,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1739, 
 page  91.  It  is  based  on  Hebrews  xii.  2.  The  first  and  second 
 verses  of  the  original  are  left  out ;  the  hymn  commences  thus — 
 
 "  Weary  of  struggling  with  my  pain  ; 
 Hopeless  to  burst  my  nature's  chain  ; 
 Hardly  I  give  the  contest  o'er, 
 I  seek  to  free  myself  no  more. " 
 
 Hymn  132. — "Jesus,  the  Sinner's  Friend,  to  Thee." — Galatians 
 iii.  22. — Tune,  Complaint,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1739, 
 page  92.     The  original  has  thirteen  stanzas,  seven  are  left  out. 
 The  strong  language  used  in  the  third  verse — 
 
 ' '  Tread  down  Thy  foes,  with  power  control 
 The  beast  and  devil  in  my  soul," 
 
HYMN  136.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  IIC 
 
 the  Wesleys  and  Whitefield  learned  from  Bishop  Hall  and 
 William  Law.  Southey,  in  his  "  Life  of  Wesley,"  relates  the 
 story  of  a  merry-andrew  who,  attending  the  preaching  of 
 Whitefield,  finding  no  common  acts  of  buffoonery  of  any  avail, 
 to  divert  the  attention  of  the  audience,  climbed  into  a  tree  and 
 exposed  his  person  in  so  disgraceful  a  manner  as  to  make  the 
 brutal  mob  shout  ;  but  the  more  decent  people  were  abashed. 
 Whitefield  himself  was  for  a  moment  confounded  with  such  a 
 spectacle,  but  recovering  himself,  he  appealed  to  his  audience, 
 whether  he  had  wronged  human  nature  in  saying  with  Bishop 
 Hall,  that  "  man,  when  left  to  himself,  is  half  a  fiend  and  half  a 
 brute  ; "  or  in  calling  him,  with  William  Law,  "  a  motley  mixture 
 of  the  beast  and  the  devil.?"— Southey's  "Life  of  Wesley,"  vol. 
 ii.  page  192. 
 
 Hymn  133. — "  Jesu,  whose  glory's  streaming  rays." — The 
 Change. — Tune,  Islington,  1761. 
 
 The  original  is  a  German  hymn,  written  by  Wolfgang  Christian 
 Deszler  in  1692  ;  the  translation  was  made  by  John  Wesley, 
 and  is  found  in  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1739,  P^-g^  99> 
 where  it  is  in  six  double  verses,  the  first  three  only  of  which  are 
 here  given,  and  divided  into  single  verses.  The  remaining 
 verses  form  Hymn  No.  196.  The  German  writer  was  the  son  of 
 a  pious  jeweller  of  Nuremberg;  he  was  born  nth  February, 
 1666,  and  died  nth  March,  1722.  He  published  several 
 devotional  books,  containing  fifty-six  hymns  of  his  own,  many 
 of  which  are  very  beautiful.  He  had  a  university  education, 
 was  a  poor  schoolmaster  fifteen  years,  was  an  excellent  philolo- 
 gist and  a  true  Christian. 
 
 Hymn  134. — "Jesus,  if  still  the  same  Thou  zx\.^''— Matthew^ 
 V.  3-6. — Tune,  Frankfort,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "  Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1740. 
 
 Hymn  135.— "Jesu,  if  still  Thou  art  to-day." 
 „      136. — "While  dead  in  trespasses  I  lie." 
 "  These  things  were  written  for  our  i7istructio7t" — TUNE, 
 Mitcham,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "  Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1740. 
 
Il6  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  I39. 
 
 The  two  hymns  form  one  in  the  original,  extending  to  twenty- 
 one  verses,  the  thirteenth  being  omitted.  The  tenth  verse  is 
 ahered  from  "  Long  have  I  waited  in  the  way." 
 
 Janeway's  "Token  for  Children"  was  a  book  which  afforded 
 great  delight  to  Fanny  Wrightson,  when  only  a  child,  and  its 
 teachings  induced  in  her  a  love  of  piety  and  prayer  which 
 ripened  into  a  sincere  godly  life.  During  an  illness,  at  the  age 
 of  fifteen,  she  obtained  remission  of  sin,  and  after  her  recover)', 
 she  began  to  meet  in  class,  became  a  Sunday-school  teacher, 
 and  ultimately  was  married  to  the  Rev.  Henry  Ranson, 
 Wesleyan  minister.  During  life  she  remained  a  thorough  and 
 consistent  Methodist,  and  in  her  last  illness  she  displayed 
 perfect  submission  to  the  will  of  God,  and  strong  confidence  in 
 His  power  to  deliver,  often  repeating — 
 
 *'  If  Thou  impart  Thyself  to  me, 
 No  other  good  I  need  : 
 If  Thou,  the  Son,  shalt  make  me  free, 
 I  shall  be  free  indeed." 
 
 In  her  last  utterance  she  tried  to  say,  "  Thanks  be  to  God,  who 
 giveth  us  the  victory  ;"  but  faintly  saying  "thanks  !"  she  sweetly 
 entered  into  rest,  7th  January,  1829,  aged  forty  years. 
 
 Hymn  137. — "When  shall  Thy  love  constrain?" — The  Resigna- 
 tion.— Tune,  Lampe's,  1746. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  found  in  "  Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems," 
 1740.  The  original  has  twenty-two  verses,  the  first  eight  and 
 the  last  two  being  omitted.  The  first  line  reads  thus,  "  And 
 wilt  thou  yet  be  found  .^ "  This  is  a  great  favourite  with  the 
 people,  probably  arising  from  the  simplicity  of  the  language. 
 Like  many  of  the  poet's  hymns,  the  rhythm  of  this  is  occasion- 
 ally imperfect. 
 
 Hymn  138. — "O  that  thou  wouldst  the  heavens  rent." 
 »       139- — "Jesu!  Redeemer,  Saviour,  Lord." 
 A  Prayer  against  the  Power  of  Sin. — TUNE,  Brockmer,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  in  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1740,  page 
 79.  The  original  has  seventeen  verses.  The  hymn  presents  a 
 grand  and   sustaining  view  of  the  omnipotence  of  the  Deity, 
 
HYMN  141.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  II7 
 
 arguing  from  His  power  over  the  physical  to  that  over  the 
 moral  and  spiritual.     It  is  a  sublime  composition. 
 
 The  Rev.  Samuel  Sellers  was  born  in  Derbyshire,  3rd 
 November,  181 1.  One  of  the  humblest  sons  of  toil,  he  began 
 to  work  at  the  age  of  eight,  had  his  chief  instruction  in  the 
 Sunday  school,  and,  converted  in  early  life,  he  became  a  zealous 
 Methodist.  No  sooner  had  he  experienced  the  joy  of  conscious 
 forgiveness,  than  he  began  to  sing — 
 
 * '  A  sinner,  saved  myself  from  sin, 
 I  come  my  family  to  win — 
 
 To  preach  their  sins  forgiven." 
 
 For  many  years  he  was  an  earnest,  successful  preacher  of  the 
 Gospel,  and  soul-winner  in  the  Methodist  Free  Church.  In  his 
 last  illness  he  suffered  severely,  and  between  his  fits  of  coughing 
 he  would  say,  "Jesus,  help  me  !"  Shortly  before  he  expired,  he 
 commended  his  family  to  God,  then  in  broken  accents  began  to 
 repeat — 
 
 "Jesu!  Redeemer,  Saviour,  Lord, 
 
 The  weary  sinner's  Friend, 
 Come  to  my  help — pronounce  the  word — 
 
 And  bid  my  troubles  end." 
 
 They  were  ended  with  these  words.  His  son  (who  is  also  in 
 the  ministry)  knelt  supporting  him.  His  eyes  closed,  his  head 
 fell — all  was  over ;  the  spirit  was  at  rest  in  the  land  of  life  and 
 light.     He  died  at  Rochdale,  May,  1873,  aged  sixty-two  years. 
 
 Hymns  140,  141.— "Come,  O  Thou  Traveller  unknown;" 
 "Yield  to  me  now,  for  I  am  weak." — Wrestling  Jacob. — 
 Tune,  Travellers,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  found  in  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems," 
 1742.  The  original  consists  of  fourteen  verses.  In  the  earlier 
 editions  of  the  collection  it  was  printed  as  one  hymn  ;  the 
 editors  of  the  edition  in  1797  were  the  first  to  mar  its  unformity 
 by  dividing  it.  The  hymn  is  founded  on  the  events  recorded  in 
 Genesis  xxxii.  26-29. 
 
 Of  this  noble  composition,  so  many  have  written  in  praise,  it 
 is  difiicult  to  select  from  the  high  testimonies.  John  Wesley,  in 
 his  brief  notice  of  his  brother's  death,  observes:  "His  least 
 praise  was  his  talent  for  poetry,  although  Dr.  Watts  did  not 
 scruple  to  say  that  that  single  poem,  '  Wrestling  Jacob,'  was 
 
Il8  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN   I4I. 
 
 worth  all  the  verses  he  himself  had  written."  James  Mont- 
 gomery, the  Sheffield  lyric  poet,  in  his  "Christian  Psalmist," 
 records  that  "among  Charles  Wesley's  highest  achievements 
 may  be  recorded,  '  Come,  O  thou  Traveller  unknown,'  in  which 
 with  consummate  art  he  carries  on  the  action  of  a  lyrical  drama  ; 
 every  turn  in  the  conflict  with  the  Mysterious  Being  against 
 whom  he  wrestles  all  night  being  marked  with  precision  by  the 
 varying  language  of  the  speaker,  accompanied  by  intense 
 increasing  interest,  till  the  rapturous  moment  of  the  discovery, 
 when  he  prevails  and  exclaims,  '  I  know  Thee,  Saviour,  who 
 Thou  art,'  &c."  This  lyric  was  also  an  intense  favourite  with 
 John  Wesley,  who  frequently  selected  it  to  be  sung  in  the  public 
 services.  After  his  earnest  brother  had  in  peaceful  triumph 
 passed  away  to  his  rest,  John  was  always  moved  with  deep 
 emotion,  visible  to  all  who  heard  him,  when  he  read  that 
 intensely-touching  couplet — 
 
 "My  company  before  is  gone, 
 
 And  I  am  left  alone  with  Thee." 
 
 The  Rev.  John  Kirk  writes  of  "  its  wonderful  conciseness,  yet 
 perfect  and  finished  picturing  of  the  scene  on  the  Transjordanic 
 hills,  beyond  the  deep  defile  where  the  Jabbok,  as  its  name 
 implies,  wrestles  with  the  mountains  through  which  it  descends 
 to  the  Jordan.  The  dramatic  form,  so  singular  in  hymnic 
 composition,  shadowing  forth  the  action  of  the  conversation  ;  the 
 great  force  of  its  thoroughly  English  expression  ;  the  complete 
 finish  and  rhythm  of  its  verse  ;  its  straightforward  ease,  without 
 any  mere  straining  at  elegance ;  and  the  minuteness  and 
 general  beauty  of  its  application  of  the  narrative,  have  won  the 
 commendation  of  all  competent  critics."  Wrestling  Jacob  was 
 the  theme  of  Charles  Wesley's  preaching  as  well  as  of  his  poetr)-. 
 Before  the  hymn  was  published  in  1742,  he  records  having 
 preached  on  Jacob  wrestling  for  the  blessing  on  two  occasions — 
 on  24th  May  and  i6th  July,  1741.  On  six  occasions  after  the 
 hymn  appeared,  he  mentions  in  his  Journal  having  discoursed 
 on  the  deeply-interesting  theme — at  the  Foundry,  in  London, 
 6th  October,  1743,  and  again  in  London,  12th  June,  1744 — 
 "  when  many  wept  with  the  angel  and  made  supplication,  and 
 w^ere  encouraged  to  wait  upon  the  Lord;"  at  Bristol,  29th 
 Januar}',  1749,  when  the  power  of  the  Highest  overshadowed 
 the  audience  ;  in  Dublin,  7th  Februaiy,  and  also  on  7th  March, 
 1748,  when  hearers  went  to  their  houses  justified;  and  finally, 
 
HYMN  141.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  II9 
 
 in  Bristol,  20th  May,  1748,  when  many  were  stirred  up  to  lay  hold 
 on  the  Lord,  like  Jacob.  The  Rev.  Thomas  Jackson,  in  his 
 "  Life  of  Charles  Wesley,"  vol.  i.,  page  306,  remarking  on  this 
 poem,  says,  "  It  applies  with  admirable  ingenuity  and  tact  the 
 patriarch's  mysterious  conflict,  and  the  happy  result  to  which  it 
 led,  in  the  process  of  an  awakened  sinner's  salvation."  To 
 have  heard  the  poet's  sermon  on  this  mighty  wrestling,  with  all 
 the  play  of  a  fine  fancy  arranging  the  eminently  evangelical 
 topics  in  glowing  colours  before  a  crowded  assembly,  and  then 
 to  have  closed  that  discourse  with  the  singing  of  part  of  that 
 grand  hymn,  must  have  been  a  privilege  of  surpassing  interest 
 and  delight.* 
 
 That  theme,  which  had  been  made  a  blessing  to  many  through 
 the  author's  preaching,  has  been  also  blest  to  others  through 
 the  poet's  verse.  Solomon  Burrall,  of  Tuckingmill,  Cornwall, 
 was  in  early  life  restrained  from  sin  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  and 
 at  the  age  of  twenty  yielded  his  heart  to  the  service  of  God. 
 During  forty-five  years  he  was  a  member  of  the  Methodist 
 Society,  and  a  useful  worker  in  the  Lord's  vineyard,  living  in 
 the  uninterrupted  enjoyment  of  the  perfect  love  of  God.  The 
 evening  before  his  death,  he  put  forth  all  his  strength  in  singing 
 the  verse — 
 
 "  Come,  O  thou  Traveller  unknown, 
 Whom  still  I  hold  but  cannot  see  ! 
 
 My  company  before  is  gone, 
 
 And  I  am  left  alone  with  Thee  : 
 
 With  Thee  all  night  I  mean  to  stay, 
 
 And  wrestle  till  the  break  of  day." 
 
 *  Mr.  George  MacDonald,  in  1869,  published  in  the  Sunday  Library 
 a  volume  entitled  *'  England's  Antiphon,"  in  which  he  professes  to  give 
 a  review,  with  examples  of  the  religious  poetry  of  England.  In  this 
 somewhat  large  collection  of  religious  verse  Charles  Wesley  is  repre- 
 sented by  only  one  piece — *' Wrestling  Jacob;"  and  to  this  the  critic 
 volunteers  his  opinion  that  the  hymns  of  this  author  "do  not  possess 
 much  literary  merit."  Is  literary  merit  the  only  quality  of  a  hymn  worth 
 noticing  ?  Will  Mr.  MacDonald  furnish  evidence  of  the  practical  use 
 of  the  hymns  he  has  chosen,  as  those  which  do  contain  merit  of  other 
 kinds,  and  which  have  been  useful  in  leading  sinners  to  Christ  and  to 
 heaven  ?  If  he  cannot  furnish  such  evidence,  his  depreciatory  remarks 
 on  Charles  Wesley's  hymns  will  have  but  little  weight  with  serious 
 persons. 
 
I20  MKTHODIST  HYMN  ROOK  NOTES.  HYMN   1 42. 
 
 After  this  he  spoke  only  to  express  his  strong  confidence  in 
 God,  and  died  I4lh  November,  1825,  aged  sixty-five  years. 
 
 The  Rev.  Edward  Hare,  an  excellent  divine  and  useful 
 Methodist  preacher,  suffered  greatly  during  his  last  illness  ; 
 but  he  found  comfort  and  consolation  in  Wesley's  hymns,  some 
 of  which  he  repeated  and  sang.  He  had  very  humbling  views 
 of  his  own  services,  but  delighted  to  extol  Christ.  On  one 
 occasion  he  said,  "  The  blood  of  Jesus  Christ  is  all  that  I  have 
 to  depend  upon — 
 
 "  *  Jesu's  blood,  through  earth  and  sky, 
 Mercy,  free,  boundless  mercy,  cries.' 
 
 Oh,  for  a  voice  to  shout  it  to  all  the  world  !  "  After  a  transport 
 of  joy,  he  desired  Hymn  330  to  be  read — 
 
 "  Saviour  of  all,  what  hast  Thou  done  ? 
 What  hast  Thou  suffered  on  the  tree  ? 
 Why  didst  Thou  groan  Thy  mortal  groan, 
 Obedient  unto  death  for  me?" 
 
 He  then  said,  "  I  sometimes  think  we  err  in  making  a  display. 
 During  my  affliction  I  have  tried  to  avoid  it.  Death  is  a  sacri- 
 fice, the  penalty  due  to  sin.  Our  sacrifice  is  not  complete  till 
 death  complete  it."  Shortly  before  he  died,  his  physical  suffer- 
 ing was  great,  but  he  asked  for  the  hymn  "  Wrestling  Jacob"  to 
 be  read,  and  directed  attention  to  the  verse  closing  the  first 
 part — 
 
 **  What  though  my  shrinking  flesh  complain, 
 And  murmur  to  contend  so  long, 
 I  rise  superior  to  my  pain — 
 
 When  I  am  weak,  then  I  am  strong  ; 
 And  when  my  all  of  strength  shall  fail, 
 I  shall  with  the  God-Man  prevail." 
 
 That  he  gave  as  his  dying  experience,  and  shortly  afterwards 
 he  entered  into  rest,  dying  at  Exeter  in  18 18,  aged  forty-two 
 years. 
 
 Hymn  142. — "Drooping  soul,  shake  off  thy  fears." — Waiting 
 for  the  Promises. — TUNE,  Foundry',  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  found  in  "  Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1742, 
 page  237.  The  original  is  in  six  verses,  the  fifth  and  sixth  being 
 omitted. 
 
HYMN  143.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  121 
 
 Hymn  143.— "  Jesu,  Lover  of  my  soul."— /«  Temptatio7i. — 
 Tune,  Hotham,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's  found  in  "  Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems," 
 1740,  page  67.  This  hymn  was  not  added  to  the  collection  till 
 the  year  1797.  The  original  has  five  verses,  the  third  being 
 omitted.  It  delineates  so  correctly  the  views,  feehngs,  and 
 desires  of  all  true  Christians,  that  it  has  become  a  favourite 
 among  the  pious  of  all  denominations.  This  hymn  was  written  in 
 1739,  and  printed  before  the  first  Methodist  Society  was  six 
 months  old. 
 
 Charles  Wesley  wrote  hymns  for  almost  every  scene  and 
 circumstance  of  life ;  but,  like  Watts,  Cowper,  and  Toplady,  he 
 had  his  masterpiece.  The  Lord  of  glory  bestowed  on  Charles 
 Wesley  the  high  honour  of  composing  the  finest  heart-hymn  in 
 the  English  tongue.  If  the  greatest  hymn  of  the  cross  is  "Rock 
 of  Ages,"  and  the  greatest  hymn  of  providence  is  Cowper's  "  God 
 moves  in  a  mysterious  way,"  and  the  grandest  battle-hymn  is 
 Martin  Luther's  "  God  is  our  refuge,"  then  it  may  be  said  that 
 the  queen  of  all  the  lays  of  holy  love  is  that  immortal  song — 
 
 *'  Jesu,  lover  of  my  soul, 
 
 Let  me  to  Thy  bosom  fly, 
 While  the  billows  near  me  roll, 
 While  the  tempest  still  is  high  !  " 
 
 Whatever  may  be  said  of  Wesley's  doctrine  of  perfect  holi- 
 ness, there  is  not  much  doubt  that  he  attained  "  unto  perfec- 
 tion" when  he  wrote  this  hymn.  It  is  happily  married,  also,  to 
 two  exquisite  tunes,  "  Refuge  "  and  "  Martyn,"  both  of  which  are 
 worthy  of  the  alliance.  The  first  of  these  tunes  is  a  gem.  The 
 one  central,  all-pervading  idea  of  this  matchless  hymn  is  the 
 soul's  yearning  for  its  Saviour. 
 
 The  figures  of  speech  vary,  but  not  the  thought.  In  one  line 
 we  see  a  storm-tossed  voyager  crying  out  for  shelter  until  the 
 tempest  is  over.  In  another  line  we  see  a  timid,  tearful  child 
 nestling  in  its  mother's  arms,  with  the  words  faltering  on  its 
 tongue — 
 
 "  Let  me  to  Thy  bosom  fly. 
 
 Hangs  my  helpless  soul  on  Thee  ! " 
 
 Two  lines  of  the  hymn  have  been  breathed  fervently  and 
 often  out  of  bleeding  hearts.  When  we  were  once  in  the  valley 
 of  the  death  shade,  with  one  beautiful  child  in  its  new-made 
 
122  METHODIST  HVMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HVMN   1 43. 
 
 grave,  and  the  other  threatened  witli  fatal  disease,  there  was  no 
 prayer  which  we  uttered  oftener  than  this — 
 
 *'  Leave,  ah,  leave  me  not  alone  ; 
 Still  support  and  comfort  me.  " 
 
 We  do  not  doubt  that  tens  of  thousands  of  other  bereaved  and 
 wounded  hearts  have  cried  this  piercing  cry  out  of  the  depths — 
 
 "  Still  support  and  comfort  me." 
 
 The  whole  hymn  is  at  once  a  confession  and  a  prayer.  It  is  a 
 prayer  in  metre.  And  no  man  is  prepared  to  sing  these  words 
 aright  unless  his  soul  is  filled  with  deepest  and  most  earnest 
 longing  after  the  Lord  Jesus.  What  an  outrage  it  is  for  unsancti- 
 fied  singers  in  a  choir  to  perform  this  holy  prayer  merely  as  a 
 feat  of  musical  skill ! 
 
 What  college  boy  would  dare  to  commit  to  memory  the  Lord's 
 Prayer,  and  speak  it  as  a  mere  piece  of  declamation  on  the 
 stage  ?  Yet  we  do  not  see  any  difference  between  declaiming  a 
 prayer  and  the  mockeiy  of  performing,  for  musical  effect,  such 
 words  as  these — 
 
 "  Hide  me,  O  my  Saviour,  hide, 
 Till  the  storm  of  Hfe  is  past  1" 
 
 Or  that  self-surrender  for  the  dying  hour — 
 
 **  Oh,  receive  my  soul  at  last  !" 
 
 Words  like  these  are  too  infinitely  solemn  for  frivolous  lips  in 
 the  concert-room  or  the  organ-loft.  When  a  congregation  sings 
 such  a  hymn  as  "  Jesu,  lover  of  my  soul,"  each  person  should 
 feel  as  if  he  were  uttering  a  fervent  personal  prayer  to  God. 
 
 The  history  of  Charles  Wesley's  incomparable  hymn  would 
 fill  a  volume.  Millions  have  sung  it,  and  will  be  singing  it  when 
 the  millennial  morn  breaks.  More  than  a  hundred  incidents  of 
 the  use  of  this  hymn  have  been  collected,  but  cannot  here  be  used. 
 
 A  coasting  vessel  once  went  on  the  rocks  in  a  gale  in  the 
 British  Channel.  The  captain  and  crew  took  to  the  boats,  and 
 were  lost.  They  might  have  been  saved  had  they  remained  on 
 board  ;  for  a  huge  wave  carried  the  vessel  up  among  the  rocks, 
 where  the  ebbing  tide  left  her  high  and  dr}'.  In  the  captain's 
 cabin  a  hymn  book  was  found  lying  on  his  table.  It  was  opened 
 at  a  particular  page,  and  the  pencil  still  lay  in  it  which  had  marked 
 the  favourite  lines  of  the  stout  sailor,  who  was  just  about  going 
 into   the  jaws  of  death.      While   the   hurricane   was   howling 
 
HYMN  143.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  1 23 
 
 outside,  the  captain  had  drawn  his  pencil  beside  these  glorious 
 words  of  cheer — 
 
 "Jesu,  lover  of  my  soul, 
 
 Let  me  to  Thy  bosom  fly, 
 While  the  billows  near  me  roll, 
 
 While  the  tempest  still  is  high  ! 
 Hide  me,  O  my  Saviour  hide. 
 
 Till  the  storm  of  life  is  past ; 
 Safe  into  the  haven  guide. 
 Oh,  receive  my  soul  at  last  ! " 
 
 Blessed  death  song !  Thousands  of  God's  redeemed  ones 
 have  shouted  it  forth  as  the  "  haven  "  of  rest  opened  its  celestial 
 glories  to  their  view.  If  we  could  choose  the  manner  of  our 
 departure,  we  would  wish  to  die  singing — 
 
 "  Other  refuge  have  I  none  ; 
 
 Hangs  my  helpless  soul  on  Thee  ! 
 Leave,  ah,  leave  me  not  alone, 
 
 Still  support  and  comfort  me  ! 
 All  my  trust  on  thee  is  stayed, 
 
 All  my  help  from  thee  I  bring  ; 
 Cover  my  defenceless  head, 
 With  the  shadow  of  Thy  wing." 
 Here  is  a  very  touching  incident  in  the  last  days  of  the  life  of 
 the  late  President  Finney.      It  was  the  Sabbath.      After  tea, 
 according  to  his  custom,  he  was  walking  about  his  grounds  with 
 his  wife,  enjoying  a  glowing  sky  and  a  cool  refreshing  breeze. 
 Evening  worship  in  the  church  near  at  hand,  which  he  himself 
 had  planned,  and  in  which  he  had  preached  nearly  forty  years, 
 had  just  begun.     Presently  there  came  floating  out  of  the  old 
 sanctuary  the  familiar  strains  of  the  dear  old  hymn — 
 
 "  Jesu,  lover  of  my  soul. 
 
 Let  me  to  Thy  bosom  fly, 
 While  the  nearer  waters  roll. 
 
 While  the  tempest  still  is  high  ! 
 Hide  me,  O  my  Saviour  hide. 
 
 Till  the  storm  of  life  is  past ; 
 Safe  into  the  haven  guide, 
 
 O  receive  my  soul  at  last  ! 
 
 Other  refuge  have  I  none. 
 
 Hangs  my  helpless  soul  on  Thee  ! 
 
 Leave,  ah,  leave  me  not  alone, 
 Still  support  and  comfort  me  ! 
 
124  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN   143. 
 
 All  my  trust  on  Thee  is  stayed, 
 
 All  my  help  from  Thee  I  bring ; 
 Cover  my  defenceless  head, 
 
 With  the  shadow  of  Thy  wing." 
 
 He  quickly  caught  it,  devoutly  joined  the  invisible  congrega- 
 tion, and  kept  them  company  to  the  end.  Before  the  morning 
 dawned  the  prayer  then  breathed  was  answered,  and  he  who 
 had  so  long  trusted  in  Christ  was  "  at  last "  received  into  the 
 bosom  of  his  Saviour. 
 
 A  fine,  intelligent  Virginian  young  man,  while  residing  in  the 
 West,  became  an  infidel  and  a  blasphemer  of  the  nanie  of  God. 
 From  this  state  he  was  delivered  by  reading  the  work  of  Soame 
 Jenyns  ;  but,  while  he  acquiesced  in  the  truth  of  revelation,  he 
 yet  did  not  feel  its  power.  He  was  attacked  by  a  lingering  and 
 fatal  disease,  which  led  him  to  reflection  and  prayer,  but  often 
 made  it  difficult  for  him  to  converse.  Three  Christian  friends 
 sometimes  visited  him,  to  beguile  the  tedious  hours  by  singing. 
 They  one  day  entered  his  room,  and,  almost  without  any  previous 
 remarks,  began  the  hymn — 
 
 **  There  is  a  fountain  filled  with  blood." 
 
 He  then  said  to  them,  "  There  is  nothing  I  so  much  delight  to 
 hear  as  the  first  hymn  you  ever  sung  to  me — 
 
 "Jesu,  lover  of  my  soul." 
 
 We  began  to  sing  it  to  the  tune  of  "  Martyn,"  and  soon  the 
 solemnity  which  had  reigned  in  the  little  circle  while  singing  the 
 two  former  hymns  began  to  be  changed  to  weeping.  We  struck 
 the  touching  strains  of  the  second  stanza,  and  the  weeping 
 became  loud  ;  the  heart  of  him  who  had  reviled  Christ  broke  ; 
 and  we  feared  that  to  sing  the  remaining  stanza  would  be  more 
 than  he  could  bear.  When  singing  in  his  room  a  few  days  after 
 this,  he  said,  "  I  don't  think  I  shall  ever  hear  'Jesu,  lover  of  my 
 soul '  sung  again  ;  it  so  excites  me  that  my  poor  body  cannot 
 bear  it." 
 
 Several  years  ago  a  ship  was  burned  near  the  English  Channel. 
 Among  the  passengers  were  a  father,  mother,  and  their  little 
 child,  a  daughter  not  many  months  old.  When  the  discovery 
 was  made  that  the  ship  was  on  fire,  and  the  alarm  was  given, 
 there  was  great  confusion,  and  this  family  became  separated. 
 The  father  was  rescued  and  taken  to  Liverpool ;  but  the  mother 
 and  infant  were  carried  overboard  by  the  crowd,  and,  unnoticed 
 
HYMN  143.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  1 25 
 
 by  those  who  were  doing  all  in  their  power  to  save  the  sufferers 
 still  on  the  ship,  they  drifted  out  of  the  channel  with  the  tide, 
 the  mother  clinging  to  a  fragment  of  the  wreck,  with  her 
 little  one  clasped  to  her  breast.  Late  in  the  afternoon  of 
 that  day,  a  vessel  bound  from  Newport,  Wales,  to  America, 
 was  moving  slowly  along  in  her  course.  There  was  only 
 a  slight  breeze,  and  the  captain  was  impatiently  walking 
 the  deck  when  his  attention  was  called  to  an  object  some 
 distance  off,  which  looked  like  a  person  in  the  water.  The 
 officers  and  crew  watched  it  for  a  time,  and  as  no  vessel  was 
 near  from  which  any  one  could  have  fallen  overboard,  they 
 thought  it  impossible  to  be  a  human  being.  The  captain  sent 
 a  boat,  which  was  watched  with  deepest  interest  from  the  ship. 
 As  the  boat  approached  the  object  floating,  suddenly  the  sound 
 of  a  gentle  voice  was  heard  so  softly  singing,  and  the  sailors 
 listened  to  the  words  of  the  first  verse — 
 
 **  Jesu,  lover  of  my  soul." 
 Soon  the  rescued  mother  and  child  were  safe  on  board  the  ship, 
 and  ultimately  reached  America.     The  father  joined  them  four 
 months  afterwards. 
 
 A  party  of  Sunday-school  teachers  and  scholars  went  out 
 one  summer's  day  for  a  trip  on  Lake  Winnipeesogee.  Quite 
 suddenly  there  broke  over  them  the  most  terrific  storms  of 
 wind,  rain,  lightning,  and  thunder  ever  known  by  the  captain 
 of  the  boat  in  an  experience  of  twenty-five  years.  Terror 
 now  took  possession  of  nearly  all,  as  well  it  might.  In  a 
 confusion  amounting  almost  to  a  panic,  all  rushed  for  the 
 cabin's  hold.  Happening  to  be  among  the  last  to  leave  the 
 deck,  and  standing  about  midway  on  the  stairs,  we  witnessed  a 
 scene  such  as  we  had  never  beheld  before,  and  never  wish  to 
 re-experience.  Women  were  crying  and  fainting,  children  were 
 frantic  with  fright,  and  strong,  full-grown  men  stood  pale  and 
 trembling.  We  tried  to  inspire  calmness  and  composure,  but 
 to  very  little  purpose.  Then  we  sang — 
 **  Jesu,  lover  of  my  soul, 
 
 Let  me  to  Thy  bosom  fly." 
 
 The  lightning's  flash  seemed  almost  to  envelop  us  in  a  sheet  of 
 flame,  and  the  thunders  seemed  to  shake  the  earth  and  the  sea. 
 And  then  we  sang — 
 
 '*  Other  refuge  have  I  none  ; 
 Hangs  my  helpless  soul  on  Thee  !  " 
 
126  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN   I43. 
 
 The  gallant  boat,  in  whose  palpitating  bosom  we  had  taken 
 refuge,  met  the  storm  bravely,  but  the  gale  was  too  mighty  ;  she 
 was  beaten  back  by  the  buffeting  winds  and  waves,  and  imperilled 
 by  hidden  rocks ;  and  then  we  sang — 
 
 "  Thou,  O  Christ,  art  all  I  want, 
 More  than  all  in  Thee  I  find." 
 
 But  the  heart  of  the  hurricane  began  to  be  touched,  and  the 
 winds  to  relent ;  the  lightning  had  a  softer  glare,  and  the 
 thunder  fell  more  tenderly  in  our  ears  ;  so  we  sang — 
 
 "Ere  we  reach  the  shining  river, 
 Lay  we  every  burden  down, 
 Grace  our  spirits  shall  deliver. 
 And  provide  a  robe  and  crown." 
 
 Now  there  is  a  calm.  The  hurricane  has  sped  on  with  its 
 accompaniment  of  flood  and  terror,  and  has  left  us  out  in  the 
 full  clear  sunshine.  The  singing  saved  us  from  a  panic,  and, 
 saved  from  that,  we  were  saved  from  consequences  we  dared 
 not  contemplate.     The  twilight  found  us  all  safe  at  our  homes. 
 
 "Other  refuge  have  I  none, 
 
 Hangs  my  helpless  soul  on  Thee  ; 
 Leave,  ah,  leave  me  not  alone, 
 
 Still  support  and  comfort  me  ! 
 All  my  trust  on  Thee  is  stayed. 
 
 All  my  help  from  Thee  I  bring; 
 Cover  my  defenceless  head 
 
 With  the  shadow  of  Thy  wing." 
 
 Mrs.  Harriet  Beecher  Stowe,  describing  the  last  hours  of  her 
 <iistinguished  father,  Dr.  Lyman  Beecher,  says:  "The  last 
 indication  of  life,  on  the  day  of  his  death,  was  a  mute  response 
 to  his  wife,  repeating — 
 
 "Jesu,  lover  of  my  soul, 
 
 Let  me  to  Thy  bosom  fly." 
 
 Her  brother,  the  Rev.  Henry  Ward  Beecher,  has  made  this 
 record,  "  I  v/ould  rather  have  written  that  hymn  of  Wesley's — 
 
 "  'Jesu,  lover  of  my  soul, 
 
 Let  me  to  Thy  bosom  fly,' 
 
 than  to  have  the  fame  of  all  the  kings  that  ever  sat  on  the  earth. 
 It  is  more  glorious.  It  has  more  power  in  it.  I  would  rather 
 t)e  the  author  of  that  hymn  than  to  hold  the  wealth  of  the 
 
HYMN  143.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  I27 
 
 richest  man  in  New  York.  He  will  die.  He  is  dead,  and  does 
 not  know  it.  He  will  pass,  after  a  little  while,  out  of  men's 
 thoughts.  What  will  there  be  to  speak  of  him  ?  What  will  he 
 have  done  that  will  stop  trouble,  or  encourage  hope?  His 
 money  will  go  to  his  heirs,  and  they  will  divide  it.  It  is  like  a 
 stream  divided  and  growing  narrower  by  division.  And  they 
 will  die,  and  it  will  go  to  their  heirs.  In  three  or  four  generations 
 everything  comes  to  the  ground  again  for  redistribution.  But 
 that  hymn  will  go  on  singing  until  the  last  trump  brings  forth 
 the  angel  band ;  and  then,  I  think  it  will  mount  up  on  some  lip 
 to  the  very  presence  of  God. 
 
 "  Righteousness  to  children's  children,"  was  a  rich  heritage, 
 enjoyed  by  Julia  E.  Jordan.  Her  grandfather,  the  Rev.  George 
 M'Elwaine,  spent  fifty-six  years  in  the  Methodist  ministr)^ ; 
 whilst  she  herself  commenced  her  Christian  career  in  childhood, 
 in  answer  to  prayers  offered  by  her  parents.  Symptoms  of 
 consumption  having  set  in,  she  was  taken  from  Nova  Scotia  to 
 Bermuda,  but  no  advantage  being  manifest,  she  returned  home 
 to  die.  Her  life  had  been  one  of  brightness  and  purity,  and 
 her  last  days  testified  to  the  holiness  of  her  heart.  Just  before 
 dying  she  saw  Jesus  in  His  power  to  save  to  the  uttermost, 
 and  sang — 
 
 "Jesu,  lover  of  my  soul, 
 
 Let  me  to  Thy  bosom  fly." 
 She  called  all  her  friends  around  her  that  she  might  encourage 
 them  to  trust  in  the  Lord ;   and  with  grace  triumphing  over 
 nature,  she  entered  into  rest,  25th  November,  i860,  aged  twenty. 
 
 The  consolation  afforded  to  the  young  disciple  by  Mr.  Wesley's 
 touching  lines,  was  quite  as  acceptable  by,  and  accessible  to, 
 the  aged  divine.  Thomas  Hartwell  Home,  the  painstaking 
 theologian  and  learned  author,  was  convinced  of  sin  under  a 
 sermon  by  the  Rev.  Joseph  Benson,  and  at  once  united  himself 
 to  the  Methodists.  As  a  clerk  to  Mr.  Butterworth,  and  under 
 the  religious  instruction  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Adam  Clarke,  he 
 served  Methodism  faithfully  for  some  years,  and  ultimately  got 
 ordination  in  the  Church  of  England.  His  great  work,  "The 
 Introduction  to  the  Critical  Study  of  the  Holy  Scriptures," 
 originated  in  Methodism.  He  was  faithful  in  the  discharge  of 
 his  duties  as  one  of  the  metropolitan  clergy,  and  died  in  honoured 
 age,  often  repeating  during  his  sickness — 
 "Other  refuge  have  I  none, 
 
 Hangs  my  helpless  soul  on  Thee,"  &c. 
 
128  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN   I44. 
 
 In  this  calm  and  resigned  frame  of  mind,  he  exchanged  mortahty 
 for  hfe,  27th  January,  1862,  aged  eighty-two. 
 
 Herbert  Boutwell,  the  eldest  child  of  Charles  H.  and  Louisa 
 M.  Van  Arnan  was  born  in  1870,  and  lived  for  a  few  years  in  a 
 model  Christian  home.  Always  good  and  true,  he  was  yet,  in 
 his  eleventh  year,  awakened  to  a  sense  of  his  need  of  salvation 
 from  sin,  and  intelligently  consecrating  himself  to  the  Saviour, 
 he  soon  came  into  a  real  and  positive  Christian  experience. 
 He  was  thenceforth  a  manly  Christian  boy,  so  thoroughly  and 
 intelligently,  that  he  made  his  religious  influence  strongly  felt, 
 not  only  in  the  Sunday  school  and  church,  but  in  the  secular 
 school  and  upon  the  play-ground.  In  December,  1 881,  he  was 
 taken  sick,  and  for  several  weeks  he  patiently  suffered,  with  not 
 so  much  as  a  word  of  complaint.  He  knew  his  danger,  and 
 while  he  wished  to  live,  he  said  he  was  not  afraid  to  die,  because 
 he  "  loved  Jesus."  When  his  father  sang  at  his  bedside — 
 "  Hide  me,  O  my  Saviour,  hide, 
 Till  the  storm  of  life  is  past," 
 
 he  looked  up  with  a  smile  and  said,  "  I  don't  think  it  is  very 
 stormy,  papa."  On  the  morning  after  Christmas,  1881,  and  in 
 his  thirteenth  year,  he  went  away  to  be  with  the  Good  Shepherd. 
 Thomas  Wilson,  a  pious,  wealthy,  and  useful  Nonconformist 
 layman,  born  1765,  Treasurer  of  Highbury  College,  and  connected 
 with  most  of  the  congregational  institutions  of  London,  died  in 
 London  in  June,  1843.  Shortly  before  his  death,  he  sent  a 
 message  to  the  congregation  in  which  he  had  long  worshipped 
 in  Islington,  to  acknowledge  their  kindness  to  him,  and  to  ask 
 their  prayers,  closing  his  message  with  "  Christ  is  all  to  me — 
 
 "  *  Other  refuge  have  I  none, 
 
 Hangs  my  helpless  soul  on  Thee.'  " 
 
 A  few  hours  afterwards  he  expired,  aged  seventy-eight. 
 
 Perhaps  there  does  not  exist  a  hymn  which  has  been  more 
 extensively  quoted  on  death-beds.  A  volume,  of  considerable 
 dimensions,  might  be  made  up  of  such  examples,  from  Methodist 
 sources  alone. 
 
 Hymn  144.— "Thee,  Jesu,  Thee,  the  Sinner's  Friend." — 
 Desiri?ig  to  Love. — Tune,  Musician's,  1781. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  found  in  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems," 
 1742,  page  242.     The  original  has  eleven  verses,  the  second  and 
 
HYMM   147.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  1 29 
 
 third  being  omitted.  Two  other  verses,  the  fourth  and  eighth 
 were  left  out  in  this  revised  edition.  "Dear  Lord"  is  altered  to 
 "O  Lord"  and  "My  Lord"  in  two  places.  This  hymn  has 
 much  of  the  sentiment  and  imagery  of  Wrestling  Jacob.  The 
 sixth  verse  refers  to  the  passing  by  of  the  Almighty  before 
 Moses,  and  the  concluding  verses  glance  at  the  parable  of  the 
 Lost  Sheep  and  the  death  of  Moses,  thus  showing  how  thoroughly 
 Scriptural  is  Charles  Wesley's  poetry. 
 
 Hymn  145. — "O  Jesus,  let  me  bless  Thy  Name  V^— Desiring  to 
 Z^z/^.— Tune,  Chapel,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  found  in  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems," 
 1749,  vol.  i.  The  sixth  and  seventh  verses  of  the  original  are 
 left  out.     In  the  first  line  "kiss"  is,  changed  to  "bless." 
 
 Hymn  146. — "Still,  Lord,  I  languish  for  Thy  grace." — Desii'ing 
 to  Love. — Tune,  Snows  Fields,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1749, 
 vol.  i.,  the  second  and  fourth  verses  of  the  original  being  left  out. 
 
 Hymn  147. — "O  Love  Divine,  how  sweet  thou  art  !" — Desiring 
 to  Love. — Tune,  Chapel,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1749, 
 vol.  i.,  one  verse  of  the  original  being  omitted  ;  two  new  verses 
 were  added  to  the  revised  edition. 
 
 This  hymn  contains  an  extraordinary  depth  of  feeling  and 
 desire,  eager,  impatient,  resolute,  combined  with  an  extended 
 view  of  the  love  of  God,  such  as  only  a  poet  of  much  heart 
 experience  like  Charles  Wesley  could  write.  This  fine,  bold, 
 poetical  language  may  help  private  devotion,  but  is  scarcely 
 proper  for  general  use  in  the  sanctuary.  Interruptions  in  the 
 regular  order  of  divine  service  are  seldom  to  be  commended,  but 
 we  have  an  instance  before  us  in  which  the  monotony  was  broken 
 with  good  effect.  William  Dawson,  of  Barnbow,  Leeds,  had  once 
 preached  a  very  impressive  sermon,  and  at  its  close  gave  out 
 this  hymn.  When  the  choir  were  singing  the  third  verse,  "  God 
 only  knows  the  love  of  God,"  he  stopped  them  and  said,  "Stop, 
 friends  !  If  angels,  the  first-born  sons  of  light,  cannot  understand 
 the  height,  the  breadth,  the  depth,  the  length  of  the  love  of 
 God,   how   can   we   expect   to  fathom   it  while   here  below  .^" 
 
 I 
 
130  METHODIST  HYMN  I300K  NOTES.  HYMN    1 47. 
 
 He   then    repeated,    with   deepest   feehng,    thrilling    his    hirgc 
 
 auditory — 
 
 "  '  God  only  knows  the  love  of  God.* 
 
 Let  us  sing  it  again,  friends,  for  we  shall  all  have  to  sing  it  in 
 
 heaven — 
 
 "  '  God  only  knows  the  love  of  God,'" 
 
 It  need  hardly  be  said  that  a  profound  feeling  of  majestic  awe 
 pervaded  the  vast  assembly. 
 
 Mary  Lowe,  the  wife  of  the  Rev.  W.  Lowe,  of  Western  Aus- 
 tralia, was  born  at  Charlestown,  near  St.  Austell,  Cornwall,  in 
 the  year  1829.  Her  parents  were  members  of  the  Wesleyan 
 Church  for  many  years.  Her  father  long  officiated  as  a  local 
 preacher  and  class-leader  in  England  and  in  South  Australia. 
 When  she  entered  upon  the  last  stage  of  her  illness,  she  at  once 
 referred  to  the  Psalmist's  metaphor,  and  said,  the  entrance  of 
 "  the  valley  "  is  dark.  Soon  after,  when  prayer  had  been  offered 
 to  God  on  her  behalf,  she  exclaimed,  "  it  is  brightening ; "  and 
 not  long  after,  "  all  is  light  now."  "  Not  a  cloud !  Not  a 
 cloud  ! "  After  this  her  peace  flowed  as  a  river.  Heaven 
 seemed  to  open  to  her  view,  and  she  exclaimed,  "What  a 
 company !  "  "  If  our  earthly  house  of  this  tabernacle  were 
 dissolved,  we  have  a  building  of  God,  an  house  not  made  with 
 hands,  eternal  in  the  heavens."  Much  she  dwelt  upon  the  love 
 of  God,  often  quoting  the  lines  of  Wesley  : — 
 
 "  God  only  knows  the  love  of  God  ; 
 O  that  it  now  were  shed  abroad." 
 
 "  It  is  shed  abroad  ! "  she  added. 
 
 "In  this  poor  stony  heart." 
 
 She  died  peacefully,  30th  September,  1872. 
 
 Pardon  to  a  sinner  who  has  felt  the  agonies  of  repentance  is 
 often  followed  by  an  ecstasy  of  joy.  Thomas  Carter,  of  Catterick, 
 after  entering  into  the  society  of  the  children  of  God,  and  feeling 
 the  witness  within  him  of  his  acceptance  with  God,  one  Sabbath 
 morning,  in  the  parish  church,  after  the  absolution  had  been 
 pronounced,  modestly  stood  up  in  the  gallery,  and  asked 
 permission  to  tell  the  people  what  God  had  done  for  his  soul, 
 as  he  could  confirm  the  truth  just  read,  for  God  had  pardoned 
 him,  being  penitent.  Such  testimony  is  of  rare  occurrence; 
 the  world  would  be  the  better,  and  the  Church  too,  for  the 
 
HYMN  150.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  I3I 
 
 frequent  repetition  of  such  assurance.  The  good  man  lived 
 according  to  that  beginning,  serving  the  office  of  Methodist 
 prayer-leader  on  Sunday  morning  at  seven  o'clock,  class-leader 
 steward,  and  trustee,  with  uprightness  and  fidelity.  Only  a 
 few  hours  before  his  death  he  sang  his  favourite  hymn — 
 
 "  O  Love  Divine,  how  sweet  thou  art." 
 
 But  voice  and  speech  had  well-nigh  gone  ;  he  prayed  to  the 
 last,  and  "  entered  heaven  by  prayer."  Died  7th  June,  1858,  aged 
 seventy-seven  years. 
 
 The  labours  of  the  late  Mr.  Crabbe,  of  Southampton,  were 
 instrumental  in  bringing  John  Bailey,  of  Crowdhill,  to  the 
 Saviour,  and  he  found  pardon.  He  soon  became  useful  in 
 the  Methodist  Society  as  a  class-leader  and  local  preacher,  and 
 spent  a  long  life,  like  Enoch,  walking  with  God.  The  testimony 
 of  his  friends  was,  "that  he  was  a  faithful  man,  and  feared  God 
 above  many."  For  three  years  he  was  afflicted  with  paralysis, 
 but  without  complaint  he  endured  all  his  privations.  On  the 
 Sabbath  before  he  died,  he  awoke  with  the  words  on  his  mind — 
 
 "  O  Love  Divine,  how  sweet  thou  art,"  &c. 
 
 When  unable  to  speak,  he  made  signs  that  he  was  happy.  Died 
 23rd  December,  1862,  aged  seventy-seven  years. 
 
 Hymn  148.— "Father  of  Jesus  Christ,  the  ]usV^— Seeking 
 Redemption.— Txi^Y.^  Mourners,  1761. 
 
 It  is  No.  14  in  Charles  Wesley's  "Redemption  Hymns,"  1747. 
 The  original  has   five  verses,  two   of  which   were  formerly 
 omitted,  but  were  added  to  the  revised  edition,  in  1875. 
 
 Hymn  149.— "Why  not  now,  my  God,  my  God?" — Oh!  when 
 wilt  Thou  co7ne  unto  me? — TuNE,  Bach,  1877. 
 
 One  of  Charles  Wesley's  "  Short  Scripture  Hymns,"  based  on 
 Psalm  ci.  2;  and  forms  No.  919  in  "Poetical  Works,"  vol.  ix. 
 page  318.     This  was  added  at  the  revision  of  1875. 
 
 Hymn  150. — "Thou  hidden  God  for  whom  I  groan." — Seeking 
 Redemption, — TUNE,  Wednesbury,  1761. 
 
 Forms  No.  27  of  Charles  Wesley's  "Redemption  Hymns."' 
 
132  MKTHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN    1  54. 
 
 Hymn  151. — "Out  of  the  deep  I  cryy— Seeking  Rcdcnipliofi.— 
 Tune,  West  Street,  1761. 
 
 Is  No.  20  of  Charles  Wesley's  "Redemption  Hymns."  The 
 fourth  verse  was  omitted  at  the  revision  of  1875. 
 
 Hymn  152.—"  Ah  !  whither  should  I  goV'—Godiuillhave  all 
 Men  to  be  Saved. — TUNE,  Lampe's,  1746. 
 
 No.  14  in  Charles  Wesley's  "Hymns  on  God's  Everlasting 
 Love,"  1741.  It  is  based  on  i  Timothy  ii,  4,  These  four  verses 
 are  less  than  half  of  the  original,  and  several  lines  arc  altered 
 in  the  verses  chosen. 
 
 Hymn  153*. — "I  seem  desirous  to  repent."—//  is  God  that 
 worketh  in  you  both  to  luil/.,  &~'c. — Tune,  Cheshire,  1877, 
 
 This  is  one  of  Charles  Wesley's  "  Scripture  Hymns"  left  by  him 
 in  MS.  It  has  no  place  in  the  Short  Scripture  Hymns  of  1762, 
 but  is  printed  as  No.  3185  of  Hymns  on  the  Gospels  and 
 Epistles  in  the  "  Poetical  Works  of  John  and  Charles  Wesley," 
 vol.  xiii.  It  supplies  the  place  of  a  hymn  which  was  part  of 
 Hymn  152,  now  omitted. 
 
 Hymn  154. — "  Fain  would  I  leave  the  world  below." — A  Hymn 
 for  Midnight. — TuNE,  Mourners,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1739, 
 PP'  55)  56,  where  the  first  verse  commences  thus,  "While 
 midnight  shades  the  earth  o'erspread."  The  original  has  six 
 verses,  the  first  and  second  being  left  out.  This  hymn  com- 
 mences with  the  third  verse  ;  the  last  line  of  verse  3,  is  altered 
 from  "And  look  my  midnight  unto  day,"  to  ^^ darkness  unto 
 day;"  and  the  first  line  of  verse  4,  '"'' error'''*  is  changed  to 
 '■'■  sorrow ;''^  and  line  6,  verse  i,  "since  death"  is  changed  to 
 "since//////." 
 
 This  hymn  was  written  by  Charles  Wesley  about  the  year 
 1737,  before  his  conversion,  and  he  gave  it  then  the  title,  "A 
 Midnight  Hymn,  for  one  under  the  Law."  It  describes,  in 
 melancholy,  plaintive  language  the  distressing  state  of  spiritual 
 gloom  of  the  author  himself.  John  Wesley,  in  selecting  this 
 hymn  for  his  collection  in  1779,  aptly  placed  it  in  the  section 
 "  For   Mourners   convinced   of  Sin,"  and  altered  it  in  several 
 
HYMN   156.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  1 33 
 
 places.  "  In  its  altered  state,"  observes  the  Rev.  Thomas 
 Jackson,  "  it  no  longer  appears  as  the  desponding  language  of 
 a  real  Christian,  expecting  to  be  made  free  from  sin  and  misery 
 by  the  body's  dissolution,  but  as  the  prayer  of  a  penitent  con- 
 vinced of  his  guilt,  and  looking  for  present  deliverance  through 
 faith  in  the  blood  of  Atonement." 
 
 Hymn  155. — "God  of  my  life,  what  just  return." — After 
 Recovery  from  Sickness. — Tune,  Athlone,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1739. 
 "This  hymn,"  says  Mr.  Jackson,  "is  a  fine  specimen  of  Charles 
 Wesley's  poetic  genius,  unimpaired  by  disease."  The  Rev.  W. 
 M.  Bunting  suggests  that  a  better  title  would  be,  "  For  Evening 
 Worship."  For  that  purpose  he  used  it.  The  original  has 
 seventeen  verses,  the  first  seven  and  two  others  being  left  out. 
 The  first  line  commences  thus,  "And  live  I  yet  by  power 
 divine  ?  "  Whilst  at  Oxford,  during  the  year  of  his  conversion 
 (1738),"  the  poet  was  so  dangerously  ill,  he  did  not  expect  to 
 recover.  Feeling  the  same  sense  of  gratitude  to  God  for  his 
 restoration  to  health  as  did  King  Hezekiah  under  similar 
 circumstances,  the  poet  bases  his  thoughts  on  the  account  of 
 the  king's  recovery  (2  Kings  xx.  i-ii),  and  from  them  he  has 
 produced  a  truly  sublime  hymn.  These  stanzas,  in  sublimity  of 
 thought  and  strength  of  expression,  surpass  Addison's  fine 
 hymn,  written  under  similar  circumstances,  which  commences, 
 "  When  rising  from  the  bed  of  death,"  &c. 
 
 Hymn  156. — "O  disclose  Thy  lovely  face." — My  soul gaspeth 
 for  Thee  as  the  thirsty  land,"  Qr^c. — Tune,  Dedication,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1740, 
 pages  60,  61.  This  hymn  is  a  composite  made  up  in  this  way  : 
 the  first  verse  forms  in  the  original  the  second  of  five,  the 
 remaining  four  of  that  hymn  being  left  out.  To  that  one  verse 
 is  added  two  others  from  another  hymn  on  the  next  page, 
 entitled,  "A  Morning  Hymn." 
 
 In  Toplady's  works,  part  of  this  hymn  is  inserted  as  belong- 
 ing to  that  author,  which  is  a  misappropriation.  It  there  com- 
 mences, "  Christ,  whose  glory  fills  the  skies."  Similar  sentiments 
 are  found  in  a  hymn  by  Sir  Robert  Grant,  and  quoted  by  Dr. 
 W.  M.  Punshon  in  his  sermon  on  the  "  Christian  Inheritance." 
 
134  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  1 5  7. 
 
 At  Oxhill,  Kincton,  preaching  by  the  Methodists  was  held  for 
 a  long  period  only  fortnightly,  on  a  week  evening  ;  and  this  was 
 about  to  be  given  up,  when  Mrs.  Gardner  and  three  other  persons 
 formed  a  society,  began  to  meet  in  class,  and  then  there  followed 
 a  gracious  revival.  For  forty-eight  years  she  continued  in 
 fellowship  with  the  Methodists,  manifesting  her  love  to  God 
 by  her  care  for  the  preachers,  her  diligent  attention  on  the 
 ordinances  of  religion,  and  her  liberal  support  of  its  funds. 
 During  her  last  illness  she  was  severely  tried  by  the  enemy  ;  but 
 prayer  was  made  for  her,  and  she  obtained  the  victory,  saying, 
 "Precious  Jesus  !  His  blood  cleanseth  from  all  sin."  She  often 
 repeated,  and  tried  to  sing  verses  of  hymns,  especially  the 
 lines — 
 
 "Haste,  my  Lord,  no  more  delay, 
 Come,  my  Saviour,  come  away." 
 
 Thus  calmly  did  she  wait  till  the  heavenly  convoy  escorted  her 
 home,  23rd  October,  1848,  aged  eighty-one  years. 
 
 Hymn  157.— "My  sufferings  all  to  Thee  are  known." — Written 
 171  stress  of  Temptatio7i. — TUNE,  Dresden,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1740, 
 page  84.  The  original  has  twenty  verses,  twelve  of  which  are 
 omitted,  and  two  are  transposed. 
 
 Mrs.  Bennet,  of  Tempsford,  from  her  youth,  had  been  subject 
 to  a  painful  contraction  of  the  throat.  The  aperture  for  food 
 was  so  narrow  as  to  threaten  death  by  starvation.  Medical 
 skill  was  tried  in  vain.  Thirty  years  she  lived  happily  with  her 
 husband  and  family,  but  taking  a  cold  whilst  on  a  visit  to  two 
 of  her  sons  in  Norfolk,  the  malady  was  increased,  her  sufferings 
 were  very  severe,  and  she  wasted  away  to  a  mere  shadow  of  her 
 former  self.  In  this  extreme  trial,  she  found  support  from  her 
 confidence  in  God,  and  her  reliance  on  His  promises.  Charles 
 Wesley's  beautiful  and  pathetic  hymn  was  never  more  appropri- 
 ately used  than  by  this  sorely  tried  Christian.  Often  did  she 
 repeat — 
 
 "My  sufferings  all  to  Thee  are  known, 
 Tempted  in  every  point  like  me  ; 
 Regard  my  grief,  regard  Thine  own  ; 
 Jesus,  remember  Calvary  ! 
 
HYMN  157.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  135 
 
 "Art  Thou  not  touch'd  with  human  woe  ? 
 Hath  pity  left  the  Son  of  man  ? 
 Dost  Thou  not  all  my  sorrows  know, 
 And  claim  a  share  in  all  my  pain  ?  " 
 
 She  had  to  struggle  for  life ;  the  claims  of  her  family  seemed 
 to  produce  a  wish  to  be  spared ;  the  world  itself  had  no  charms 
 for  her.  She  at  length  gave  up  all  to  the  care  of  her  heavenly 
 Father,  and  patiently  waited  the  release  of  her  happy  spirit 
 from  her  suffering  body.  She  died  ist  December,  18 14,  aged 
 fifty  years. 
 
 Mrs.  Ann  Hardy,  was  born  at  Hatfield  Chase,  Doncaster, 
 in  June,  1800.  Early  converted  to  God,  in  answer  to  her 
 mother's  prayers,  she  sailed  from  Hull  to  Western  Australia  in 
 1829,  and  settled  at  Swan  River.  Her  husband  was  the  first 
 Methodist  preacher  in  that  part  of  Australia.  Their  residence 
 was  four  miles  from  the  nearest  Methodist  Chapel,  but  for  forty 
 years,  and  up  to  her  sixty-ninth  year,  she  was  seldom  absent  from 
 her  pew.  In  April,  1869,  she  was  twice  at  Wesley  Church, 
 Perth,  on  the  last  Sunday,  in  her  usual  health.  On  the  Monday 
 following  medical  aid  was  required,  her  illness  was  pronounced 
 fatal.  To  two  friends  visiting  her  she  said  :  "  Nothing  can 
 make  you  truly  happy  except  the  love  of  Christ.  Get  on  the  rock. 
 I  would  not  be  wdthout  the  confidence  I  have  in  Christ  for  all 
 the  world  contains."  She  asked  her  family  to  sing  the  hymn 
 commencing — 
 
 "  Come  sing  to  me  of  heaven, 
 
 When  I'm  about  to  die, 
 Sing  songs  of  holy  ecstasy. 
 
 To  waft  my  soul  on  high," 
 
 Often  she  prayed  for  patience  and  to  be  "  filled  with  the  Spirit." 
 She  said  the  hymn  commencing — 
 
 **  My  sufferings  all  to  Thee  are  known, 
 Tempted  in  every  point  like  me  ; 
 Regard  my  grief,  regard  Thy  own, 
 Jesus,  remember  Calvary  !  " 
 
 was  most  suitable  to  her  case.  Her  happy  state  of  mind  she 
 often  expressed  in  these  sentences  : — "  I  am  longing  to  be  gone." 
 "What  a  happy  exchange  it  will  be  for  me."  "Come,  precious 
 Lord  Jesus,  come  quickly  ! "  The  last  hour  approached.  Nearly 
 three  weeks'  suffering  had  done  its  fatal  work.     Her  sorrowing 
 
6  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HVMN    1 57. 
 
 relatives  thought  her  unconscious  when  they  engaged  in  prayer 
 for  the  last  time,  and  committed  her  soul  to  God.  On  her 
 husband's  repeating  the  verse — 
 
 "  And  when  we  reach  llic  furllier  shore, 
 O'er  life  rough  ocean  driven  ; 
 Oh,  may  there  be  no  wanderer  lost  : 
 A  family  in  heaven." 
 
 she  exclaimed,  Amen  !  Her  last  words  were,  "It  is  all  right." 
 She  died  at  Perth  in  May,  1869,  aged  sixty-nine  years. 
 
 Ann  Dunn  was  born  at  Lcith,  Edinburgh,  ist  July,  1793.  She 
 was  first  married  to  a  sea-captain,  who  died,  leaving  her  a  young 
 widow,  with  two  children.  When  the  Rev.  Samuel  Dunn 
 commenced  the  Wesleyan  Mission  in  the  Shetland  Isles,  the 
 young  widow  was  one  of  his  early  converts,  and  the  week  before 
 he  returned  to  England,  in  1825,  he  made  her  his  wdfe.  In  the 
 circuits  in  which  they  travelled,  she,  as  the  pastor's  wife,  was  a 
 useful  class-leader,  tract  distributor,  and  sick  visitor.  There 
 are  still  living  witnesses  of  her  goodness  of  heart,  her  unselfish- 
 ness, her  lovely  character  and  simple  godly  life,  pre-eminently 
 meek.  Her  love  of  the  Bible  and  Wesley's  hymns  was  supreme, 
 and  at  the  age  of  eighty-two,  without  any  disease  but  nature's 
 decay,  just  before  the  weary  wheels  of  life  stood  still,  she  tried 
 
 to  say — 
 
 "  Thou  wilt  not  break  a  bruised  reed, 
 
 Or  quench  the  smallest  spark  of  grace." 
 
 Here  utterance  failed  her,  and  her  spirit  entered  into  rest  at 
 Hammersmith,  23rd  June,  1875.  Her  husband  died  24th 
 Januar>',  1882,  aged  eighty-four. 
 
 It  is  only  as  "last  words"  that  we  value  some  things  which 
 would  otherwise  pass  without  notice.  John  Clarkson  Sutcliffe 
 of  Barnsley,  was  for  many  years  an  earnest  Christian,  giving  to 
 God  a  portion  of  every  day's  time,  his  journals  being  headed 
 on  alternate  pages  "  eternity "  and  "  time  ; "  and  under  each, 
 daily,  was  usually  made  some  entry,  indicating  his  methodical 
 way  of  living,  and  his  spiritual-mindedness.  Here  is  one  entr>' 
 worth  writing  in  letters  of  gold,  "  I  have  not  had  a  barren  class- 
 meeting  for  several  years."  When  smitten  wuth  paralysis,  he 
 suffered  much ;  but  on  the  Sabbath  before  his  death,  his  speech 
 was  partly  restored  to  him,  and  he  read  with  delight  the  hymn 
 commencing — 
 
 "  My  sufferings  all  to  Thee  are  known." 
 
HYMN   1 60.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  1 37 
 
 He  was  then  engaged  in  closet  prayer,  about  four  hours  before 
 the  final  stroke ;  thus  he  consecrated  his  latest  consciousness 
 to  his  loved  employ,  and  retiring  to  rest  he  slept  in  Jesus,  2nd 
 February,  1858,  aged  seventy  years. 
 
 Hymn  158.—"  O  my  God,  what  must  I  do  ?"— "  The  heart  is 
 deceitful^'  &c.  (Jer.  xvii.  9). — TuNE,  Brays,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1742. 
 The  original  has  twelve  verses.  The  first  commences  thus, 
 "  O  my  false  deceitful  heart."     Eight  verses  are  omitted. 
 
 Some  of  the  expressions  in  this  hymn  are  so  strong  as  scarcely 
 to  be  reconcilable  with  man's  free  agency.     For  example — 
 
 "  Force  me,  Lord,  with  all  to  part ; 
 Tear  these  idols  from  my  heart." 
 
 Hymn  159.— "Lay  to  Thy  hand,  O  God  of  Grace  V— Groaning 
 for  Redejnptio7i. — TUNE,  Whitsunday,  1791. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1742, 
 page  79.  The  original  is  in  four  parts,  extending  to  thirty-six 
 verses.     This  hymn  consists  of  the  last  three  verses  of  part  iii. 
 
 Hymn  160. — "O  Jesus,  my  hope.  For  me  offer'd  up." — 
 A  Pctiifential  Hymn. — TUNE,  Passion,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1749, 
 vol.  i..  No.  38,  where  it  is  printed  in  six  line  stanzas,  like  the 
 New  Year's  Hymn.  The  second  verse  is  left  out.  The  doctrine 
 of  Christian  perfection  is  strongly  expressed  in  this  hymn. 
 
 Those  who  are  familiar  with  the  "  History  of  Methodism,"  by 
 Dr.  George  Smith,  will  not  have  forgotten  the  story  he  tells  of  a 
 girl  in  Cornwall,  who  had  been  for  some  time  a  very  great 
 opponent  of  the  revivals.  She  had  been  accustomed  to  ridicule 
 the  cries  and  groans  of  those  who  were  in  distress  about  their 
 souls ;  but  there  was  one  defect  in  her  mimicr}'.  She  had 
 never  really  attended  any  of  those  prayer  meetings.  She  was 
 persuaded  to  go  on  one  of  these  occasions,  and  the  Spirit  of  God 
 sent  an  arrow  of  conviction  to  her  heart,  and  she  who  went  to 
 mock  "  remained  to  pray."  That  night  she  was  kneeling  with  the 
 penitents  ;  that  night  she  was  privileged  to  find  peace  in  God, 
 and  rejoiced  in  conscious  pardon,  and  the  next  morning  when  she 
 met  her  companions  they  found  a  strange  change  had  passed 
 
138  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.       HVMN   162*. 
 
 over  her.  They  looked  to  her  for  mimicry,  but  they  found 
 nothing  but  serious  earnestness.  So  by-and-by  they  began  to 
 persecute  her  as  she  had  persecuted  others.  She  happened  to 
 wear  ear-rings,  it  was  at  that  time  thought  to  be  an  offence 
 against  good  taste  and  Christian  propriety  that  anyone  who  was 
 converted  should  wear  ear-rings.  It  was  pointed  out  to  Mary 
 that  she  ought  not  to  wear  them  if  she  were  truly  converted  to 
 God.  She  retained  them  for  a  while,  but  at  last  her  heart  gave 
 way,  and  as  she  was  beating  the  ore  to  pieces  with  a  hammer, 
 she  took  the  ear-rings,  put  them  amongst  the  ore,  and  hammered 
 and  smashed  them  until  they  were  a  mass  of  shining  metal,  and 
 as  she  struck  them  she  sang  the  words  of  the  hymn  she  had 
 heard  the  night  before — 
 
 *'  Neither  passion  nor  pride 
 Thy  cross  can  abide  ; 
 They  melt  in  the  fountain 
 That  flows  from  Thy  side." 
 
 Hymn  i6i.— "Stay,  thou  insulted  Spirit,  say."— ^  Pefiitential 
 Hy?nn. — Tune,  Welling,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "  Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1 749, 
 vol.  i.,  No.  41.      The  sixth  verse  is  left  out. 
 
 In  this  as  in  a  former  hymn,  the  poet  refers  to  his  own  age, 
 the  original  having  been  written  in  the  middle  of  his  life ;  and 
 it  indicates  deep  feelings  of  sorrow  in  his  own  heart. 
 
 *'  Though  I  have  steel'd  my  stubborn  heart, 
 And  still  shook  off  my  guilty  fears  ; 
 And  vex'd  and  urged  Thee  to  depart 
 For  forty  long  rebellious  years." 
 
 The  word  "forty"  John  Wesley  changed  into  "many,"  and 
 some  other  alterations  were  made  by  him.  The  early  Methodist 
 preachers  often  closed  their  impressive  sermons  by  having  this 
 hymn  sung. 
 
 Hymn  162  *  — "  O  my  offended  God."— God's  Everlasting  Love. 
 —Tune,  Cambridge,  1877. 
 
 Forms  No.  5  of  Charles  Wesley's  "  Hymns  on  God's  Ever- 
 lasting Love,"  1 74 1.  The  original  has  seventeen  stanzas,  twelve 
 of  which  are  omitted. 
 
HYMN  164.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  139 
 
 Hymn  163. — "When,  gracious  Lord,  when  shall  it  be?" — Co7ue^ 
 Lordjestis. — TuNE,  Complaint,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1742, 
 page  201.  The  original  has  thirteen  stanzas,  the  fourth  to  the 
 ninth  being  left  out.  The  first  line  in  the  original  commences 
 "When,  'dearest'  Lord,"  which  is  altered  to  "gracious." 
 
 The  idea  contained  in  the  second  verse,  "  O  dark  !  dark  ! 
 dark  !  I  still  must  say,"  is  similar  to  a  line  in  Milton's  "  Samson 
 Agonistes,"  line  80,  as  follows,  "  O  dark  !  dark  !  dark  !  amid 
 the  blaze  of  noon."  The  last  verse  of  the  hymn  commencing, 
 "  Lord,  I  am  blind,"  may  have  been  suggested  to  Milton's  fertile 
 mind  by  the  fact  of  Samson's  blindness,  or  by  his  own  blindness, 
 or  both. 
 
 Never  was  the  "beauty  of  holiness"  more  marked  in  a 
 Christian's  life,  than  in  that  of  Mary  Isaac,  wife  of  the  Rev. 
 Daniel  Isaac,  who  was  born  in  York,  and  died  there  at  the 
 patriarchal  age  of  ninety-seven  years.  How  early  in  life  she 
 began  to  serve  the  Lord  is  not  now  known  ;  she  was  a  matured 
 Christian  when  married  in  1808,  and  for  twenty-five  years  was 
 a  help-meet  indeed  to  her  husband.  During  many  years  of 
 widowhood,  her  cry  was,  "Not  my  will,  but  Thine  be  done." 
 Her  piety  was  deep  ;  her  love  of  the  Bible,  of  the  means  of 
 grace,  and  of  the  Lord's  people,  was  intense.  Though  long 
 past  fourscore  years,  scarcely  a  wrinkle  marked  her  beautiful 
 countenance ;  her  complexion  was  fair  and  clear  as  that  of 
 a  child,  and  that  of  her  face  serenity  itself.  Although  a  martyr 
 to  pain,  no  complaint  escaped  her  lips,  but  rather,  "  Thy  will  be 
 done,  O  Lord,  not  mine."  During  the  watches  of  her  last  night 
 on  earth,  she  repeated — 
 
 "When,  gracious  Lord,  when  shall  it  be, 
 That  I  shall  find  my  home  in  Thee?  " 
 
 She  breakfasted  in  the  morning  at  eight,  after  which  her  niece 
 assisted  her  out  of  bed,  when  she  said,  "  I  believe  I  am  dying," 
 and  in  a  few  moments  in  great  peace,  she  departed  to  be  with 
 Christ,  nth  December,  1855,  aged  ninety-seven. 
 
 Hymn  164. — "Lord,  regard  my  earnest  cry."—"  The  Wo7nan  of 
 Canaan'''  (Matt.  xxv.  22-28).— Tune,  Calvary,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1742, 
 page  96,  where  there  are  nine  verses,  three  of  which  are  left  out. 
 
I40  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN   1 68. 
 
 Hymn  165.— "Come,  holy,  celestial  Dove."— /-^^r   Whitsunday. 
 — Tune,  Thou  Shepherd  of  Israel,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  of  Petition  and  Thanks- 
 giving for  the  Promise  of  the  Father,"  page  29. 
 
 Hymn  166.— "Jesus  take  my  sins  away."—"  The  Pool  of 
 Bcthesda''  (John  v.  2,  9). — TUNE,  Kingswood,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1742, 
 page  98.  The  original  has  eleven  verses,  five  of  which  are  left 
 out,  and  the  sixth  verse  is  made  up  of  parts  of  other  verses. 
 Two  other  verses,  the  second  and  third,  were  left  out  of  the 
 revised  edition  of  1875. 
 
 Hymn  167.— "Lamb  of  God,  for  sinners  s\7i\r\"—  Looking  to 
 /esus.—T\J-^E,  Kingswood,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "  Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1742, 
 page  49.     Two  of  the  six  verses  in  the  original  are  left  out. 
 
 Hymn  168,— "Depth  of  mercy,  can  there  h^P —After  a  Relapse 
 info  SinJ'' — TUNE,  Savannah,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1742, 
 page  82.  The  original  is  in  thirteen  stanzas  of  four  lines  each, 
 one  of  which  is  omitted,  and  the  eighth  is  transposed.  This 
 hymn  commences  the  third  section  of  the  collection,  with  the 
 title  "  For  persons  convinced  of  Backsliding." 
 
 An  actress  in  one  of  the  provincial  towns,  whilst  passing 
 along  the  street,  had  her  attention  arrested  by  singing  in  a 
 cottage.  Curiosity  prompted  her  to  look  in  at  the  open  door, 
 when  she  saw  a  few  poor  people  sitting  together,  one  of  whom 
 was  giving  out  Hymn  168 — 
 
 "Depth  of  mercy,  can  there  be 
 Mercy  still  reserved  for  me  ?  " 
 
 which  they  all  joined  in  singing.  The  tune  was  sweet  and 
 simple,  but  she  heeded  it  not ;  the  words  had  riveted  her 
 attention,  and  she  stood  motionless,  until  she  was  invited  to 
 enter.  She  remained  during  a  prayer  which  was  offered  up 
 by  one  of  the  little  company,  and  which,  though  uncouth 
 in  language,  carried  with   it  the  conviction  of  sincerity.      She 
 
HYMN   1 68.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  14! 
 
 quitted  the  cottage,  but  the  words  of  the  hymn  followed  her,  and 
 she  resolved  to  procure  a  copy  of  the  book  containing  it.  The 
 hymn  book  secured,  she  read  and  re-read  this  hymn.  Her 
 convictions  deepened  ;  she  attended  the  ministry  of  the  Gospel, 
 and  sought  and  found  that  pardon  which  alone  could  give  her 
 peace.  Having  given  her  heart  to  God,  she  resolved  henceforth 
 to  give  her  life  to  Him  also  ;  and,  for  a  time,  excused  herself 
 from  attending  on  the  stage.  The  manager  of  the  theatre 
 called  upon  her  one  morning  and  urged  her  to  sustain  the 
 principal  character  in  a  new  play.  This  character  she  had 
 sustained  in  other  towns  with  admiration,  but  now  she  gave 
 her  reasons  for  refusing  to  comply  with  the  request.  At  first 
 the  manager  ridiculed  her  scruples,  but  this  was  unavailing ;  he 
 then  represented  the  loss  which  her  refusal  would  be  to  him, 
 and  promised,  if  she  would  act  on  this  occasion,  it  would  be  the 
 last  request  of  the  kind  he  would  make.  Unable  to  resist  his 
 solicitations,  she  promised  to  appear  at  the  theatre.  The 
 character  which  she  assumed  required  her,  on  her  entrance,  to 
 sing  a  song,  and  as  the  curtain  rose  the  orchestra  began  the 
 accompaniment.  She  stood  like  one  lost  in  thought ;  the  music 
 ceased,  but  she  did  not  sing ;  and,  supposing  she  was  embar- 
 rassed, the  band  again  commenced,  and  they  paused  again  for 
 her  to  begin,  but  she  opened  not  her  lips.  A  third  time  the  air 
 was  played,  and  then,  with  clasped  hands  and  eyes  suffused  with 
 tears,  she  sang — not  the  song  of  the  play,  but — 
 
 "  Depth  of  mercy,  can  there  be 
 Mercy  still  reserved  for  me  ? 
 Can  my  God  His  wrath  forbear  ? 
 Me,  the  chief  of  sinners,  spare  ?  " 
 
 The  performance  suddenly  ended  ;  many  ridiculed,  though  some 
 were  induced  from  that  memorable  night  to  "consider  their 
 ways" — to  reflect  on  the  power  of  that  religion  which  could 
 influence  the  heart  and  change  the  life  of  one  hitherto  so  vain. 
 The  change  in  the  life  of  the  actress  was  as  permanent  as  it  was 
 singular;  and  after  some  years  of  a  consistent  walk,  she  at 
 length  became  the  wife  of  a  minister  of  the  Gospel  of  Christ. 
 
 At  an  early  period  of  life,  Ralph  Ravenscroft,  of  Runcorn,  was 
 converted  to  God.  He  retained  an  unbroken  sense  of  his 
 acceptance  with  God  to  the  end  of  life.  His  last  visit  to  his 
 class  was  a  season  of  special  blessing.  His  ambition  was  to 
 have  the  faith  which  endured  as  did  that  of  Abraham.     Shortly 
 
142  METHODIST  HYMN  P.OOK  NOTES.       HYMN   1 69*. 
 
 before  his  death  he  was  heard  pleading  for  immediate  and  full 
 salvation,  exclaiming,  "Why  not  now?"     Then  began  to  sing — 
 
 "  Depth  of  mercy,  can  there  be,"  &c. 
 God  graciously  prepared  him  for  the  final  hour,  and  in  peace 
 he  entered  into  rest,  22nd  March,  1848,  aged  fifty-two  years. 
 
 Forty  years  was  the  limit  of  time  allotted  to  Mrs.  Glass,  of 
 Chichester,  for  twenty  of  which  she  was  a  consistent  member  of 
 the  Methodist  Society.  Her  piety  was  deep,  and  her  conduct 
 exemplary.  She  was  able  to  testify  that  the  blood  of  Jesus 
 Christ  cleansed  from  all  sin.  Not  long  before  she  died,  she  said, 
 with  emphasis — 
 
 "God  is  love  !  I  know,  I  feel ; 
 Jesus  weeps,  and  loves  me  still ! " 
 
 Her  last  words  were,  "  I  am  going  to  glory;"  she  breathed  out 
 her  spirit  to  God,  20th  November,  1844,  aged  forty  years. 
 
 Amongst  the  first  members  of  the  Methodist  Society  in  Lon- 
 don were  the  parents  of  Elizabeth  Dowsett.  She  was  one  of 
 the  immediate  ancestors  of  the  celebrated  William  Baynes, 
 bookseller  of  London,  and  of  his  son,  Henr}'  Samuel  Baynes, 
 author  of  "The  Witnesses  in  Sackcloth;"  "The  Life  of  St. 
 Luke,"  SiC.  Her  father  was  one  of  the  local  preachers  at  the 
 old  Foundry,  where  she  herself  worshipped,  being  a  regular 
 attendant  at  the  five  o'clock  morning  preaching  by  Mr.  Wesley 
 for  many  years,  and  she  was  honoured  with  his  personal  friend- 
 ship. Her  conversion  was  thorough,  and  her  religion  that  of 
 love.  For  nearly  eighty  years  she  was  a  member  of  the 
 Methodist  Society.  Her  life  was  one  of  holy  service,  and  her 
 experience  was  that  of  quietness  and  assurance.  As  she  drew 
 near  her  end,  her  peace  seemed  to  flow  as  a  river.  Some  of 
 her  last  words  were — 
 
 **  God  is  love  !  I  know,  I  feel ; 
 Jesus  weeps,  and  loves  me  still !  " 
 
 and  shortly  after  she  breathed  her  soul  into   her  Redeemer's 
 hands,  24th  August,  1855,  aged  ninety-two  years. 
 
 Hymn  169*. — "Jesus,  the  all-restoring  Word."— y^  Mor}ii7ig 
 //y;;m.— Tune,  Rephidim,  1877. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1740, 
 page  25.  This  was  first  added  to  the  collection  in  1797,  and 
 included  all  the  six  verses  :  the  sixth  is  now  omitted. 
 
HYMN  175.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  I43 
 
 Hymns  170,  171.— "O  'tis  enough,  my  God,  my  God!" 
 "O  God,  if  Thou  art  love  indeed." — God's  Everlasting 
 Love.— Tvi^E,  22nd  and  112th  Psalm  Tune,  1761. 
 
 These  form  together  No.  9  in  Charles  Wesley's  "  Hymns  on 
 God's  Everlasting  Love,"  1741,  page  16.  It  has  eleven  verses, 
 four  of  which  are  omitted.  The  first  nine  verses  will  be  found 
 in  the  first  number  of  the  Ar;m'man  Afagazzne,  1778,  with  the 
 title,  "Salvation  depends  not  on  Absolute  Decrees." 
 
 Hymn  172. — "  O  unexhausted  Grace  !  " — A/fer  a  Recovery.— 
 Tune,  Olney,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  forming  No.  93  in  "Hymns  and  Sacred 
 Poems,"  1749,  vol.  i.  The  original  has  seven  verses,  the  first 
 three  of  which  are  omitted. 
 
 Hymn  173. — "Jesus,  I  believe  Thee  near." — For  one  Fallen 
 from  Grace. — Tune,  Dedication,  1781. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  forming  No.  79  in  "  Hymns  and  Sacred 
 Poems,"  1749,  vol.  i.     The  third  verse  is  omitted. 
 
 Hymn  174. — "How  shall  a  lost  sinner  in  pain." — For  one  Fallen 
 from  Grace. — TUNE,  Funeral,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  forming  No.  71  in  "Hymns  and  Sacred 
 Poems,"  1749,  vol.  i. 
 
 Hymn  175. — "God  of  my  salvation,  hear." — After  a  Relapse 
 into  Sin. — TuNE,  Kings  wood,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1742. 
 
 The  Rev.  William  Barton,  of  whom  previous  mention  has 
 been  made,  after  thirty  years  of  service  in  the  Methodist 
 ministry,  became  an  invalid  from  heart  disease,  but  was  able  to 
 realise  peace  through  the  atonement  of  Christ.  His  favourite 
 hymn  was  the  175th,  and  he  delighted  to  repeat — 
 
 *'  Friend  of  sinners,  spotless  Lamb, 
 Thy  blood  was  shed  for  me. " 
 
 These  lines  he  repeated  the  night  before  his  death ;  and  the 
 last  word  he  spoke  was  "  Happy  !"  He  died  27th  March,  1857, 
 aged  fifty-four  years. 
 
144  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTKS.  HYMN   1 8 2. 
 
 Hymn  176. — "O  God,  Thy  ii<;htcousncss  we  own." — For  one 
 Fallen  from  Grace. — TuNE,  Mourners,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's  ;  forming  No.  74  in  "  Hymns  and  Sacred 
 Poems,"  1749,  vol.  i. 
 
 Hymn  177. — "Jesus,  Thou  knowst  my  sinfulness." — Groajiifig 
 for  Redemption. — Tune,  Bradford,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1742, 
 page  76.  The  original  is  in  parts,  and  extends  to  thirty-six 
 verses.  This  hymn  is  selected  from  the  second  part,  but  seven 
 verses  out  of  twelve  are  omitted. 
 
 Hymn  178. — "Yes,  from  this  instant  now,  I  will"  (Jer.  iii.  4,  5). 
 — Tune,  Carys,  1761. 
 
 Forms  No.  1168  of  Charles  Wesley's  "Short  Scripture 
 Hymns,"  1762. 
 
 Hymn  179.— "Father,  if  Thou  must  reprove"  (Jer.  x.,  &c.).— 
 Tune,  Kingsw^ood,  1761. 
 
 Forms  Nos.  1191  and  121 1  of  Charles  Wesley's  "Short  Scrip- 
 ture Hymns,"  1762,  based  on  Jer.  x.  24,  and  Jer.  xxiv.  7. 
 
 Hymn  180. — "Saviour,  I  now  with  shame  confess." — "iv?;-  the 
 iniquity^'  &^c.  (Isa.  Ivii.  17-19).— TUNE,  Pudsey,  1761. 
 
 Forms  No.  11 13  of  Charles  Wesley's  "Short  Scripture 
 Hymns,"  1762. 
 
 Hymn  181. — "Thou  Man  of  griefs,  remember  me."—"  Who  in 
 the  days  of  his  Jlesh,  &^c.  (Heb.  v.  7,  8).— TuNE,  Palmi,  1761. 
 
 Forms  No.  686  in  vol.  ii.  of  Charles  Wesley's  "  Short  Scrip- 
 ture Hymns." 
 
 Hymn  182. — "I  will  hearken  what  the  Lord." — Waiting  for 
 Christ  the  Prophet. — TUNE,  Amsterdam,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1742? 
 page  210.  This  hymn  is  the  first  in  the  fourth  section  of  the 
 collection,  with  the  title,  "  For  Backsliders  Recovered." 
 
HYMN  1 86.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  1 45 
 
 Hymn  183. — "Jesu,  Shepherd  of  the  sheep." — After  a  Recovery. 
 — Tune,  Foundry,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  No.  94  in  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems," 
 vol.  i.,  1749.     Three  verses  of  the  original  are  left  out. 
 
 Hymn  184.— "My  God,  my  God,  to  Thee  I  cryy— After  a 
 Relapse  into  Sin. — TuNE,  Wenvo,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1740, 
 page  154. 
 
 Attending  a  love-feast  at  Weeton,  near  Knaresborough,  where 
 several  young  men,  recent  converts,  related  their  experience, 
 John  Atkinson  was  convinced  of  sin,  and  at  a  prayer  meeting 
 held  in  his  father's  barn  at  five  o'clock  in  the  morning,  where 
 those  young  men  assembled  often  for  prayer,  he  received  a 
 sense  of  pardon  and  adoption  into  the  family  of  God.  During 
 forty  years'  membership  with  the  Methodists,  he  never  dis- 
 honoured his  profession.  Just  before  the  end  of  his  pilgrimage, 
 when  contending  with  his  last  enemy,  he  began  to  sing — 
 
 "  My  God,  my  God,  to  Thee  I  cry  ; 
 Thee  only  would  I  know." 
 
 And  after  prayer  he  said,  "My  God  is  reconciled.  His  pardoning 
 voice  I  hear."  Then  praying  for  his  family,  on  pronouncing  the 
 benediction,  immediately  his  happy  spirit  joined  the  company 
 of  the  redeemed  in  heaven,  in  May,  1856,  aged  sixty-three. 
 
 Hymn  185. — "After  all  that  I  have  done." — After  a  Recovery. — 
 Tune,  Magdalen,  1761. 
 
 This  forms  No.  91  in  Charles  Wesley's  "Hymns  and  Sacred 
 Poems,  1749,  vol.  i.  The  original  has  seven  verses,  the  fifth  and 
 sixth  being  selected  for  this  hymn.  In  the  last  verse,  so  intense 
 is  the  poet's  grief  for  having  sinned,  that  rather  than  fall  again 
 into  sin,  he  twice  asks  that  he  may  die  before  such  an  act  of 
 wickedness  should  overtake  him  ! 
 
 Hymn  186. — "Weary  of  wandering  from  my  God." — After  a 
 Recovery. — TUNE,  113th  Psalm,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  being  No.  89  in  "Hymns  and  Sacred 
 Poems,"  1749,  vol.  i. 
 
146  MKTHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN   1 89. 
 
 Hymn  187. — "  Son  of  God,  if  Thy  free  grace." — After  a 
 Recovery. — TUNE,  Kingswood,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1742. 
 The  original  has  six  verses,  two  of  which  are  omitted. 
 
 Hymn  188. — "Lord,  and  is  Thine  anger  gone?" — After  a 
 Recovery. — TUNE,  Kingswood,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1742. 
 The  original  has  eight  verses,  the  two  last  being  omitted. 
 
 Hymn  189. — "Now  I  have  found  the  ground  wherein." — 
 Redemptio7i  Fou?id. — TUNE,  Norwich,  1761, 
 
 Written  in  German  by  John  Andrew  Rothe,  who  was  born  in 
 1688,  many  years  a  friend  of  Count  Zinzendorf,  was  pastor  of 
 the  Moravian  church  at  Hernhalt,  and  died  in  1758.  He  wrote 
 forty-five  hymns,  many  of  which  are  very  beautiful.  This  one 
 has  in  the  original  ten  verses.  John  Wesley's  translation  is 
 faithful  and  free  ;  it  has  made  the  hymn  a  great  favourite  with 
 many  Christians,  and  is  much  sung  by  his  people.  From  its 
 first  publication  in  "  Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1740,  page  91, 
 it  has  found  multitudes  of  admirers.  Perhaps  there  is  not  in 
 the  whole  collection  a  hymn  which  is  so  full  of  Scripture  truth 
 in  Scripture  phraseology.  One  lover  of  this  hymn  has  been  led 
 to  compare  it  with  the  Word  of  God,  and  he  has  found  no  less 
 than  thirty-six  separate  passages  of  Scripture  which,  in  language 
 or  spirit,  correspond  with  the  several  lines  of  this  hymn.  When 
 the  translation  of  this  hymn  was  finished,  John  Wesley  sent  a 
 copy  of  it  to  P.  H.  Molther,  one  of  the  German  Moravians  in 
 London,  and  under  date  of  25th  January,  1740,  M.  Molther 
 returns  the  translation  with  his  approval  of  all  but  one  verse, 
 which  Mr.  Wesley  altered  as  suggested.  We  learn  from  M. 
 Molther's  letter,  first,  that  Mr.  Wesley  willingly  asked  advice  of 
 others  whose  knowledge  was  reliable  ;  and  secondly,  that  he 
 readily  adopted  such  advice  when  given.  This  hymn  has  won 
 the  admiration  of  thousands,  and  it  will  be  admired  to  the  end 
 of  time.  The  third  stanza  was  translated  by  Molther,  whose 
 rendering  Mr.  Wesley  adopted. 
 The  last  two  lines— 
 
 "While  Jesu's  blood,  through  earth  and  skies, 
 Mercy,  free,  boundless  mercy  cries  !  " 
 
HYMN  189.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  1 47 
 
 were  almost  the  last  words  spoken  by  the  saintly  John  Fletcher, 
 of  Madeley,  whose  faith  in  the  truths  they  contain  was  so  strong 
 that  his  feeble  voice  re-echoed  with  surprising  energy  the  words, 
 "boundless — boundless  mercy  !" 
 
 At  the  conference  of  18 12,  the  Rev.  Cleland  Kirkpatrick  was 
 stationed  in  Birmingham.  Having  in  his  early  life  been  in  the 
 army,  he  was  more  thoroughly  acquainted  with  the  evils  and 
 dangers  of  sin,  than  if  he  had  himself  been  less  exposed  thereto. 
 One  corner  of  Cherry  Street  chapel  was  rather  dark,  and  was 
 known  as  Nicodemus's  corner.  Hither  one  day  a  hard-working 
 but  thoughtful  man  went  and  took  his  seat.  Not  one  penny 
 had  been  spent  on  his  education.  The  sermon  by  Mr. 
 Kirkpatrick  was  plain,  pointed,  and  searching,  and  penetrated 
 even  into  the  dark  corner.  There  the  Spirit  of  God  arrested  the 
 working  man  without  education,  and  convinced  of  his  lost 
 condition,  there  and  then  he  prostrated  himself  before  God,  was 
 enabled  to  believe  on  Jesus  for  pardon,  and  found  peace  and 
 joy.  Both  head  and  heart  had  long  been  wrong  ;  now  the  heart 
 was  set  right,  he  went  home  that  night  delighted  and  happy, 
 singing  as  he  w^ent — 
 
 "  Now  I  have  found  the  ground  wherein, 
 Sure  my  soul's  anchor  may  remain, 
 The  wounds  of  Jesus  for  my  sin, 
 
 Before  the  world's  foundation  slain ; 
 When  mercy  shall  unshaken  stay, 
 When  heaven  and  earth  are  fled  away." 
 
 The  habits  and  home  of  the  man  became  changed,  he  learned 
 to  read,  studied  divinity,  became  a  master  in  Israel,  and  the 
 spiritual  father  of  the  Rev.  Samuel  Coley. 
 
 Henry  Morris  was  the  son  of  a  local  preacher  in  the  South 
 Petherton  Circuit,  born  in  18 13,  religiously  brought  up,  a  young 
 man  of  taste  and  culture,  who  wrote  poetry  and  essays,  two 
 volumes  of  which  were  published  whilst  he  was  a  young  man. 
 His  abilities  induced  his  friends  to  send  him  to  Oxford  to  study 
 for  the  Church.  His  zeal  in  acquiring  knowledge  was  too  great 
 for  his  physical  strength,  and  in  the  spring  of  1 840,  he  returned 
 home  to  Ilminster  with  brain  fever,  which  very  soon  terminated 
 fatally.  During  a  brief  season  of  consciousness,  a  pious  relative 
 inquired  what  his  views  were  respecting  eternity.  Speaking  of 
 the  atonement  made  by  Christ  for  him,  he  said  — 
 
148  METHODIST  IIVMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HVMN    1 89. 
 
 *'  With  faith  I  plunge  mc  in  this  sea, 
 Here  is  my  hope,  my  joy,  my  rest ; 
 Hither  when  hell  assails,  I  flee  ; 
 
 I  look  into  my  Saviour's  breast ; 
 Away,  sad  doubt,  and  anxious  fear  ! 
 Mercy  is  all  that's  written  there." 
 
 With  that  assurance  he  closed   his   testimony  on   earth,    and 
 entered  into  rest  at  the  age  of  twenty-seven  years. 
 
 The  pious,  earnest,  and  loving  Edward  Bickersteth,  a  popular 
 English  clergyman,  born  in  1787,  died  in  1850,  aged  sixty-three 
 years,  was  known  throughout  the  land  for  his  eminently  practical 
 and  useful  life.  When  the  end  drew  near,  he  thought  of  his 
 funeral,  and  gave  instruction  for  a  hymn  to  be  sung,  and  as  if 
 anticipating  the  joy  he  would  then  have  entered  upon,  he  broke 
 out  into  singing  part  of  that  hymn — 
 
 "Mercy's  full  power  I  then  shall  prove 
 Loved  with  an  everlasting  love." 
 
 Shortly  afterwards  the  spirit  escaped  to  its  heavenly  home. 
 
 After  the  devastating  wars  of  Napoleon,  seventy  years 
 ago,  certain  German  Christians  devoted  themselves  to  the 
 regeneration  of  Germany.  One  of  these  was  Count  von 
 der  Recke  Volmerstein,  who  founded  a  home  for  orphan 
 children,  and  a  Deaconesses'  Institute  on  the  Rhine.  He 
 and  the  Countess  were  tenderly  loved,  and  when  the  Countess 
 died  in  May,  1867,  at  an  advanced  age,  all  the  members  of  the 
 Institute  attended  her  funeral,  and  standing  round  the  grave, 
 aided  by  a  military  band,  they  sang,  at  her  request,  one  of  her 
 favourite  hymns — 
 
 "  Now  I  have  found  the  ground  wherein. 
 Sure  my  soul's  anchor  may  remain,"  &c. 
 
 In  the  Wesleyan  Magazhie  for  April,  1861,  we  read  of  the 
 Rev.  John  Haigh,  that  on  one  occasion,  at  the  end  of  a  long 
 life,  while  repeating  the  189th  Hymn,  on  coming  to  the  fourth 
 verse,  "  With  faith  I  plunge  me  in  this  sea,"  &c.,  he  appeared 
 completely  absorbed,  and  with  his  eyes  upraised,  and  his  hands 
 clasped,  he  at  length  broke  silence  with,  "  Glory  be  to  God  ! 
 Glor>'  be  to  God  !  "  continuing  to  repeat,  whisperingly,  the  verses 
 following,  and  then  sank  into  sleep,  with  the  last  lines  trembling 
 on  his  lips — 
 
 "  Mercy's  full  power  I  then  shall  prove, 
 Loved  with  an  everlasting  love." 
 
HYMN  190.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  I49 
 
 Mr.  Wesley  visited  Thorne  in  April,  1766,  when  he  was 
 welcomed  to  the  hospitable  home  of  Mr.  Meggitt.  Eleven  such 
 visits  did  the  good  man  pay  to  that  home,  and  from  that  date 
 till  1855  the  messengers  of  salvation  were  hospitably  entertained 
 by  father  and  son.  Samuel  Meggitt  succeeded  to  the  house,  and 
 had  the  piety  of  his  father,  and  his  love  of  good  men.  From 
 infancy  he  was  under  godly  influences.  In  1793,  the  Rev. 
 Alexander  Mather  preached  at  Thorne,  and  under  that  sermon, 
 young  Meggitt,  then  only  thirteen,  was  convinced  of  sin,  and 
 two  years  later  he  found  pardon  during  a  visit  of  George  and 
 William  Masby,  the  praying  colliers.  For  seventy-five  years  he 
 greatly  aided  the  cause  of  God  at  Thorne,  then  removed  to 
 Hull,  where  the  influence  of  his  family  in  promoting  Methodism 
 has  been  considerable.  When  paralysis  laid  the  strong  man 
 low,  he  patiently  endured  his  sufferings.  Often  in  the  night 
 season  he  would  awake  with  a  verse  of  Scripture  or  of  a  hymn 
 upon  his  lips.  His  rich  and  matured  Christian  experience 
 delighted  and  instructed  his  visitors.  Often  did  he  request  them 
 to  join  him  in  singing  to  the  tune  of  Euphony — 
 
 **  Now  I  have  found  the  ground  wherein 
 Sure  my  soul's  anchor  may  remain,"  &c. 
 
 Seldom  was  it  sung  without  his  face  becoming  illumined  with  a 
 heavenly  halo,  and  tears  of  joy  told  of  his  happy  heart.  He 
 passed  in  peace  to  the  haven  of  rest,  17th  February,  1861,  aged 
 eighty-one. 
 
 Testimonies  to  the  usefulness  of  this  hymn  are  so  numerous, 
 a  score  of  them  might  easily  be  given,  and  some  of  them  are 
 very  interesting  ones.  This  hymn  forms  the  first  of  the  fourth 
 part,  with  the  title,  "  For  Behevers  Rejoicing." 
 
 Hymn  190. — "Jesus,  Thy  Blood  and  Righteousness." — The 
 Believer's  Tritanph. — TuNE,  Cannon,  1761. 
 
 Translated  from  the  German  of  Count  Zinzendorf,  by  John 
 Wesley,  and  published  in  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1740, 
 page  177.     The  last  verse  was  added  in  1875. 
 
 Nicholas  Lewis,  Count  and  Lord  of  Zinzendorf  and  Potten- 
 dorf,  was  born  at  Dresden,  26th  May,  1700.  His  pious  father 
 was  the  prime  minister  of  Saxony.  He  became  one  of  the  most 
 useful  men  in  promoting  religion,  both  in  Germany  and  in 
 England,  though  sometimes  there  was  with  it  an  admixture  of 
 
150  METHODIST  HVMN  HOOK  NOTES.  HVMN   I90. 
 
 dangerous  error.  He  was  for  many  years  a  most  attached  and 
 endeared  friend  of  the  Wesleys,  and  his  life  by  Spangenberg  is 
 one  of  the  most  interesting  books  of  religious  biography  in  the 
 English  language.  He  wrote  many  hymns,  to  which  his  noble 
 wife  and  son  added  others,  also  original ;  and  he  printed  at  his 
 own  private  press  at  Chelsea  two  volumes  of  hymns,  dated 
 1754,  with  which  there  had  then  been  nothing  to  compare  in 
 England  for  variety  and  deep  spiritual  experience.  These  two 
 volumes  are  the  basis  of  nearly  all  subsequent  collections  of 
 hymns  made  in  England.  From  a  copy  before  us,  with  authors' 
 names  affixed,  we  find  most  of  the  translations  made  by  the 
 Wesleys.  The  Count  died  very  happy  in  May,  1760.  The 
 original  of  this  hymn  has  twenty-four  stanzas  ;  and  John  Wesley 
 made,  in  1739,  ^  ^^^^  and  faithful,  though  abridged,  translation 
 of  this  truly  beautiful  composition.  A  more  complete  transla- 
 tion w^ill  be  found  in  "The  United  Brethren's  Hymn  Book," 
 No.  326,  extending  to  twelve  verses. 
 
 The  interest  which  attaches  to  this  hymn  will  be  unceasing. 
 It  has  been  used  by  hundreds  of  Christians  on  their  death-beds  ; 
 but  want  of  room  excludes  many  examples  which  might  be  given. 
 
 When  divine  things  are  seen  in  their  true  light,  worldly  things 
 get  into  their  right  place.  The  father  of  the  Rev.  James 
 Smetham  was  brought  to  a  knowledge  of  the  truth  as  it  is  in 
 Jesus,  through  the  prayers  of  his  son.  When  father  and  mother 
 were  converted,  the  eldest  son  began  to  pray  for  his  brothers, 
 and  James  followed  the  happy  example.  After  many  years  of 
 useful  labour  in  the  Wesleyan  ministr>',  he  was  laid  aside  by 
 illness.  Addressing  his  son  one  day,  he  said,  "  I  have  had  such 
 a  sight  of  my  own  defects  and  unfaithfulness,  and  such  a  view  of 
 the  purity  and  holiness  of  God,  as  almost  made  me  despair  of 
 finding  mercy  at  the  last.  I  remembered  that  when  your  brother 
 John  was  dying,  he  was  delivered  from  his  last  fear  by  remem- 
 bering and  repeating  the  verse — 
 
 "  'Jesus,  Thy  blood  and  righteousness 
 My  beauty  are,  my  glorious  dress  : 
 'Midst  flaming  worlds,  with  these  array'd 
 With  joy  shall  I  lift  up  my  head.' 
 
 I  asked  that  the  hymn  book  might  be  given  me, —  I  opened  it, 
 and  the  first  lines  on  which  my  eyes  rested  were  those  commenc- 
 ing— 
 
 "  'Jesus,  Thy  blood  and  righteousness.' 
 
HYMN   192.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  I51 
 
 All  my  fear,  doubt,  and  distress  vanished,  when,  at  the  reading 
 of  that  verse,  I  cast  my  soul  on  the  Atonement ;  and  since  that 
 time  I  have  enjoyed  perfect  peace."  In  his  last  hours  he  seemed 
 to  have  sweet  and  mysterious  manifestations  of  the  heavenly 
 world.  His  pleasant  smiles,  rapt  looks,  and  upward  pointing  of 
 the  finger,  indicated  glorious  visions  to  his  own  eyes,  and  he 
 said,  "  I  am  coming  !"     Died  3rd  October,  1847,  aged  fifty-six. 
 
 Sunday  schools  were  unknown  on  the  Continent  till  the  middle 
 of  the  nineteenth  centur)^  In  a  letter  from  a  German  mission- 
 ary, dated  Carlsruhe,  October,  1865,  we  read  some  particulars  of 
 the  death  in  that  place  of  the  first  German  Sunday-school  super- 
 intendent. At  his  funeral  the  missionary  read  the  first  four  lines 
 of  this  hymn,  as  containing  the  creed  of  the  departed  man  of 
 God.  Those  simple  and  powerful  words  made  a  deep  impression 
 on  the  audience. 
 
 An  interesting  story  is  told  of  Queen  Christiana  of  Prussia, 
 who,  having  seen  a  beautiful  child,  the  little  daughter  of  one  of 
 the  palace  gardeners,  playing  amongst  the  flowers,  had  the  child 
 brought  to  her  in  the  palace  the  next  day,  and  placed  on  a 
 chair  near  her  at  dinner-time.  The  queen,  by  anticipation, 
 enjoyed  the  delight  and  surprise  she  thought  the  child  would 
 express.  But,  to  the  astonishment  of  the  queen,  the  little  girl, 
 looking  quietly  down  at  the  table,  repeated  the  following  prayer 
 for  a  blessing — 
 
 "  *  Christ's  dear  blood  and  righteousness 
 
 Be  to  me  as  jewels  given, 
 Crowning  me  when  I  shall  press 
 
 Onward  through  the  gates  of  heaven.'  " 
 
 No  one  spoke  for  a  time  ;  but  it  seemed  as  though  the  innocent 
 child,  seeing  the  dinner  provided,  was  asked  to  sing  her  blessing 
 before  meals,  and  she  said  it  accordingly. 
 
 Hymn  191.—"  Thee,  O  my  God  and  King."— Hymn  of  Tha?iks- 
 gtving  to  the  Father. — Tune,  Trene,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1739, 
 page  107.     The  fifth  verse  of  the  original  is  omitted. 
 
 Hymn  192. — "  Oft  I  in  my  heart  have  said." — Ro7na?ts  x.  6. — 
 Tune,  Amsterdam,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1742. 
 The  original  has  six  verses,  three  are  omitted. 
 
152  METHODIST  HYMN  HOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  I98. 
 
 Hymn  193.—"  O  Filial  Deity."— //j'ww  to  the  5i7«.— TUNE, 
 West  Street,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1739, 
 page  73.  It  contains  an  admirable  poetical  exemplification  of 
 the  titles  and  offices  of  Christ ;  the  metre  is  unusual. 
 
 Hymns  194,195. — "Arise,  my  soul,  arise;"  "High  above  ever)' 
 name." — On  the  Titles  of  Christ. — TUNE,  West  Street,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1739, 
 page  165.  The  original  has  fifteen  verses,  six  of  which  are 
 omitted.  Dr.  Watts  has  a  hymn  also  similar,  which  com- 
 mences— 
 
 "Join  all  the  names  of  love  and  power." 
 
 These  two  were  printed  as  one  hymn  by  Mr.  Wesley. 
 
 Hymn  196.—"  Into  Thy  gracious  hands  I  fall."     The  Change.— 
 Tune,  St.  Luke's,  1761. 
 
 From  "  Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1739,  P^ge  99.  Translated 
 by  John  Wesley  from  the  German  of  Wolfgang  C.  Deszler.  The 
 original  has  six  verses  ;  the  other  three  form  Hymn  133. 
 
 Hymn  197.— "Happy  soul,  who  sees  the  day."— 77^(?  Twelfth 
 Chapter  of  Isaiah. — TuNE,  Love-feast,  1761, 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1742, 
 page  189.     The  original  is  in  four-line  stanzas. 
 
 Hymn  198.— "O  what  shall  I  do  my  Saviour  to  praise."— 
 A  Tha7iksgiving. — TuNE,  Walsal,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1742, 
 page  118.  In  Mr.  Wesley's  "Sacred  Melody,"  this  hymn  is 
 printed  to  the  tune  of  Tallis. 
 
 When  Methodism  was  a  new  thing  in  the  land,  and  was 
 everywhere  spoken  against,  Elizabeth  Toase,  mother  of  the  Rev. 
 William  Toase,  at  the  age  of  fourteen,  was  converted  to  God, 
 became  a  member  of  Society,  and  for  seventy-three  years 
 remained  faithful  to  her  trust.  She  knew  many  of  the  first  race 
 of  Methodist  preachers.     She  was  ver)'  happy  in  her  last  illness ; 
 
HYMN  199.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  1 53 
 
 and  when  she  was  dying,  she  sang  with  a  dear  voice  the  verse 
 commencing — 
 
 •'  O  what  shall  I  do  my  Saviour  to  praise,"  &c. 
 
 She  died  5th  August,  1840,  aged  eighty-six  years. 
 
 Ann  Roberts,  of  Polruan,  Liskeard,  was  converted  to  God,  and 
 joined  the  Methodist  Society  at  the  age  of  twenty-one,  and  for 
 more  than  half-a-century  maintained  a  consistent  connection 
 with  the  people  of  her  choice.  She  delighted  in  the  ordinances 
 of  religion,  and  was  never  willingly  absent  from  the  much-loved 
 class-meeting.  In  her  last  illness  she  delighted  in  repeating 
 texts  of  Scripture  and  hymns,  especially  the  one  commencing — 
 
 *'0  what  shall  I  do  my  Saviour  to  praise,"  &c. 
 
 When  drawing  her  last  breath,  she  said,  "  Glory  shall  end,"  and 
 as  her  daughter  added,  "what  grace  has  begun,"  she  entered 
 into  glory,  6th  January,  1858,  aged  seventy -four  years. 
 
 Having  been  favoured  by  hearing  Mr.  Wesley  preach  at  York, 
 Margaret  Dickenson  never  forgot  the  privilege  she  then  enjoyed. 
 She  had  for  a  long  time  a  lingering  attachment  to  the  Methodists, 
 and  through  the  instrumentality  of  Messrs.  Spence  and  Burdsall, 
 she  was  led  to  seek  the  Saviour.  At  a  meeting,  at  which  the 
 verse  was  given  out  for  singing — 
 
 *'  O  what  shall  I  do  my  Saviour  to  praise,"  &c., 
 
 the  truths  conveyed  by  the  words  of  the  hymn  were  so  powerfully 
 applied  to  her  mind,  that  she  was  enabled  to  believe  for  herself, 
 to  enter  into  liberty,  and  to  rejoice  with  joy  unspeakable  and  full 
 of  glory.  After  a  life  of  usefulness  in  the  Church,  in  honoured 
 age,  she  entered  into  rest,  7th  May,  1846,  aged  seventy-five. 
 
 Hymn  199. — "O  Heavenly  King,  Look  down  from  above." — 
 A  Thanksgiving. — TUNE,  Triumph,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "  Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1742, 
 page  119. 
 
 Early  training  in  a  Methodist  Sabbath  school  resulted  in 
 Elizabeth  Nocke,  of  Newtown,  becoming  a  teacher  therein, 
 then,  after  her  conversion,  a  useful  member  of  Society.  Whilst 
 still  young  in  years,  an  illness  set  in  which  soon  ended  her 
 earthly  career,  and  fixing  her  affections  entirely  on  God,  she 
 realised  as  much  of  heaven  upon  earth  as  was  possible  for 
 humanity  to  enjoy.    She  once  said,  "I  heard  music  and  singing! 
 
154  METHODIST  HVMN  BOOK  NOTKS.  HYMN  200. 
 
 Oh,  the  innumerable  company  that  have  washed  their  robes,  and 
 made  them  white  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb  !"  Shortly  before 
 the  mortal  strife  was  over  she  said,  "Thy  rod  and  staff  they 
 comfort  me."  When  passing  away  to  her  inheritance  she  was 
 heard  to  say — 
 
 "  '  O  heavenly  King,  Look  down  from  above  ; 
 Assist  me  to  sing  Thy  mercy  and  love  : 
 So  sweetly  overflowing,  So  plenteous  the  store, 
 Thou  still  art  bestowing,  And  giving  us  more.'  " 
 
 Her  spirit  escaped  whilst  she  was  saying,  "  Come,  Lord  Jesus." 
 She  died  20th  February,  1837,  aged  twenty-eight. 
 
 Hymn  200.— My  Father,  my  God,  I  long  for  Thy  love."— 
 A  Thanksgiving. — TuNE,  Tallis,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1742. 
 
 The  three  hymns,  of  which  this  is  the  third,  appear  to  have 
 been  written  about  the  same  time,  and  each  has  been  made  a 
 blessing.  Stephen  Watson,  of  Sunderland,  was  under  the  happy 
 influence  of  religious  parents  ;  and  when  his  elder  brother  joined 
 the  Society,  his  worldly  companions  tried  to  induce  him  to  give 
 up  his  opinions.  In  reply,  he  entreated  several  of  them  to 
 accompany  him  to  the  sick-bed  of  a  young  Christian,  whose 
 admonitory  counsels  produced  conviction  in  their  minds  that 
 they  were  in  error.  They  began  to  seek  the  Lord ;  their 
 example  influenced  many  others,  and  a  blessed  revival  followed  ; 
 amongst  those  with  whom  the  Holy  Spirit  strove  was  Stephen 
 Watson.  For  a  fortnight  his  convictions  were  severe,  and  his 
 anguish  of  spirit  deep.  Accustomed  frequently  to  repeat  verses 
 of  hymns,  one  day,  whilst  meditating  on  this  verse — 
 
 "  My  Father,  my  God,  I  long  for  Thy  love  ; 
 O  shed  it  abroad  ;  send  Christ  from  above  ! 
 My  heart,  ever  fainting,  He  only  can  cheer  ; 
 And  all  things  are  wanting,  till  Jesus  is  here," 
 
 his  soul  was  filled  with  joy  unspeakable,  and  all  things  around 
 him  wore  a  new  aspect.  Love  to  all  men,  especially  the  people 
 of  God,  was  immediately  made  manifest  in  his  life  and  conduct, 
 and  he  lived  a  consistent  Christian  course  for  more  than  fifty 
 years.     He  died  ist  August,  1837,  aged  sixty-eight  years. 
 
HYMN  20I.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  155 
 
 Hymn  201. — "And  can  it  be  that  I  should  gain." — Free  Grace. — 
 Tune,  Birmingham,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1739, 
 page  117.  The  original  has  one  verse  more  than  is  here 
 printed. 
 
 It  was  written  in  1738,  immediately  after  the  poet's  conversion, 
 and  was  printed  in  the  scarce  volume  of  "  Psalms  and  Hymns  " 
 which  appeared  in  that  year.  Read  in  the  light  of  this  fact,  it 
 is  remarkable  how  minutely  the  poet  describes  his  own  personal 
 experience,  gratitude,  and  joy.  When,  at  ten  o'clock  of  the 
 evening  on  which  John  Wesley  entered  into  liberty,  he,  with 
 several  friends,  went  to  Charles's  room,  in  Little  Britain,  he 
 informs  us,  "We  sung  the  hymn  with  great  joy,  and  parted 
 with  prayer."  It  is  now  difficult  to  determine  which  of  two 
 hymns,  written  on  this  occasion,  was  then  sung,  but  it  was 
 either  this  or  Hymn  30.  The  fourth  verse  contains  an  expressive 
 allusion  to  the  deliverance  of  Peter  from  prison  by  an  angel. 
 
 That  a  hymn  written  under  such  circumstances  should  be 
 made  a  blessing  to  thousands  is  not  surprising.  Every  verse, 
 and  nearly  every  line  of  it,  has  been  made  useful  in  comforting 
 some  Christian.  To  notice  all  these  is  not  possible  :  but  it  may 
 be  profitable  to  give  an  example  of  the  use  of  each  verse. 
 
 In  early  life,  Mrs.  Joseph  Stocks,  of  Cud  worth,  Barnsley, 
 became  savingly  acquainted  with  God,  and  testified  to  the 
 genuineness  of  the  change,  by  a  long  life  of  uniform  devoted- 
 ness  to  Christ  and  the  interests  of  His  Church  and  people.  For 
 fifty  years  she  was  made  a  blessing  to  many  as  a  class-leader. 
 Amongst  the  poor  she  was  as  an  angel  from  heaven.  In  her 
 last  illness  her  countenance  indicated  the  growing  meekness  of 
 her  spirit,  and  the  faithfulness  of  God  in  assuring  her  of  accept- 
 ance with  Him.  She  exulted  in  the  prospect  of  reunion  with 
 sainted  relations,  but  added,  "It  will  be  the  Father's  glory 
 shining  in  the  face  of  Jesus,  that  will  be  the  crowning  joy." 
 She  often  repeated  her  favourite  hymn,  commencing — 
 
 "  And  can  it  be  that  I  should  gain,"  &c. 
 
 Dwelling  with  admiration  and  emphasis  on  the  closing  lines  of 
 that  verse — 
 
 "  Amazing  love  !  how  can  it  be, 
 That  Thou,  my  God,  shouldst  die  for  me  !  " 
 
 She  passed  to  her  rest,  4th  December,  1849,  aged  sixty-nine. 
 
156  METHODIST  HYMN  I500K  NOTES.  HYMN  20I. 
 
 Favoured  with  the  drawings  of  the  Holy  Spirit  even  in  child- 
 hood, Mrs.  Christopher  Dove,  of  Darhngton,  gave  her  heart  to  the 
 Lord  in  her  nineteenth  year,  and  joined  the  Methodist  Society. 
 Her  hfe  was  brief,  but  one  of  continued  joy  and  peace,  and  in 
 her  last  illness  she  enjoyed  a  clear  and  strong  evidence  of  her 
 interest  in  Christ.  Shortly  before  she  died,  she  called  the  nurse 
 to  her  bedside,  and  broke  out  with  these  lines — 
 
 '*  *  And  can  it  be  that  I  should  gain 
 An  interest  in  the  Saviour's  blood  ?  '  " 
 
 On  the  nurse  observing,  "  I  trust  you  have  gained,"  she  sweetly 
 smiled,  and  pressed  her  hand  in  token  of  assurance.  When  she 
 came  to  the  closing  lines  of  the  third  verse — 
 
 "  '  'Tis  mercy  all,  immense  and  free, 
 For,  O  my  God,  it  found  out  ME  " — 
 
 her  soul  seemed  to  swell  up  in  adoring  gratitude  and  love  ;  and 
 she  again  repeated,  with  stronger  emphasis — 
 
 "  For,  O  my  God  it  found  out  me." 
 
 In  the  swellings  of  Jordan  she  had  peace,  and  her  soul  cast  its 
 anchor  within  the  vail,  13th  February,  181 5,  aged  twenty-three. 
 "  To  a  mother's  prayers,  and  a  father's  counsel  and  example, 
 their  children  are  indebted  under  God  for  their  religious  convic- 
 tions, and  their  status  in  the  Church  of  God."  Such  is  the  record 
 made  by  a  son  of  George  Hobill,  who,  at  the  age  of  twenty-four, 
 joined  the  Methodist  Society  at  Daventr}',  and  for  more  than 
 fifty  years  maintained  an  unblemished  reputation  for  integrity 
 and  consistency,  and  for  more  than  forty-five  years  was  a  useful 
 and  laborious  local  preacher.  Though  his  career  in  life  was 
 a  chequered  one,  he  had  confidence  in  God's  promises  ;  and 
 though  in  his  affliction  he  was  sorely  tried,  he  found  rock  for 
 his  feet  whilst  passing  over  Jordan.  Some  of  his  last  words 
 were — 
 
 "  'Tis  mystery  all !     The  Immortal  dies  ! 
 Who  can  explore  His  strange  design  !  " 
 
 He  died  29th  December,  1858,  aged  seventy-six. 
 
 During  an  illness  of  some  duration,  Mrs.  Arnett,  the  wife  of 
 the  Rev.  Thomas  Arnett,  was  sustained  by  the  grace  she  had 
 sought  and  enjoyed  in  health.  As  the  end  of  her  life  drew  near, 
 she  greatly  exalted  the  mercy  of  Christ ;  and  shortly  before  her 
 
HYMN  20I.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  I57 
 
 departure,   while  her  husband  was    engaged    in    prayer,   she 
 joyfully  exclaimed — 
 
 "  'Tis  mercy  all,  immense  and  free, 
 For,  O  my  God,  it  found  out  me  !  " 
 
 She  died  30th  October,  1840. 
 
 Living  for  more  than  half-a-century  in  a  spirit  of  cheerfulness 
 and  worldly  gaiety,  esteemed  by  her  neighbours  for  her  integrity 
 and  kindness,  Mrs.  Sarah  Obee,  of  Cawood,  Selby,  was  awakened 
 during  a  revival,  to  a  sense  of  her  lost  condition  as  a  sinner. 
 For  two  days  and  nights  her  anguish  was  so  deep,  she  could 
 neither  take  food  nor  rest.    One  of  her  friends,  on  hearing  of  her 
 troubled  mind,  and  being  unacquainted  with  spiritual  religion, 
 said,  "  The  Lord  have  mercy  on  us  !     If  Sally  Obee  needs  to  be 
 converted,  what  is  to  become  of  us  ? "      In   the   depth  of  her 
 contrition  she  exclaimed,  "A  wounded  spirit  who  can  bear?" 
 During  the  second  night  of  her  sorrow,  after  pleading  earnestly 
 for  mercy,  she  repeated  the  hymn  commencing — 
 "And  can  it  be  that  I  should  gain,"  &c. 
 and  when  she  came  to  the  fourth  verse — 
 **  Long  my  imprison 'd  spirit  lay 
 
 Fast  bound  in  sin  and  nature's  night ; 
 Thine  eye  diffused  a  quick'ning  ray  ; 
 
 I  woke  ;  the  dungeon  flamed  with  light ; 
 My  chains  fell  off,  my  heart  was  free, 
 I  rose,  went  forth,  and  followed  Thee  " — 
 
 she  was  enabled  to  believe  in  Christ ;  she  received  the  witness 
 of  the  Spirit  to  her  adoption  ;  was  filled  with  joy  and  peace 
 through  believing  ;  joined  the  Methodists  ;  and  for  thirty  years, 
 witnessed  a  good  confession  for  Christ.  Soon  a  class  was 
 commenced  in  her  house,  and  her  husband  also  was  brought 
 to  know  the  Saviour.  She  died  loth  February,  1847,  aged 
 eighty-three. 
 
 Amongst  the  first  fruits  of  the  labours  of  the  Methodist 
 missionaries  in  Jamaica,  was  the  first  wife  of  Mr.  Charles  Davis. 
 Her  godly  example  lived  after  her ;  and  although  her  husband 
 had  persecuted  her  for  her  religion,  yet  about  the  time  of  her 
 decease  he  became  terribly  alarmed  by  the  untimely  death  of 
 one  of  his  ungodly  associates.  He  began  to  attend  the  Methodist 
 ministry,  sought  and  found  mercy  in  Parade  Chapel,  Kingston, 
 and  never  lost  the  evidence  of  his  acceptance  with  God  to  the 
 day  of  his  death.     During  the  illness  which  closed  his  life,  his 
 
158  METHODIST  HYMN  HOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  201. 
 
 soul  was  happy  in  God.  On  the  day  of  his  departure  when  he 
 supposed  himself  to  be  alone,  he  exclaimed,  with  much  feeling, 
 "  Glory  be  to  God  ! 
 
 "  'No  condemnation  now  I  dread  ; 
 
 Jesus  and  all  in  Ilim,  is  mine  ! '  &c. 
 
 *  Thy  sins,  which  are  many,  are  all  forgiven  ;  glory  be  to  God  ! ' " 
 On  his  daughter  approaching  him,  and  asking,  "  Is  Christ 
 with  you  in  the  valley? "he  tried  to  reply;  and  in  the  act  of 
 saying  "Jesus  Christ,"  the  weary  wheels  of  life  stood  still,  and 
 he  entered  into  rest,  27th  November,  1839,  aged  seventy-seven. 
 In  an  account  of  the  death  of  Mr.  Richard  Murlin,  brother  of 
 the  Rev.  John  Murlin,  the  "weeping  prophet,"  in  the  Methodist 
 MagaztJte,  under  date  of  St.  Austell,  27th  May,  1804,  we  read, 
 that  a  week  after  his  last  illness  commenced,  the  Rev.  J. 
 Anderson,  visited  him,  and  he  gave  his  religious  experience 
 in  part  of  this  hymn — 
 
 *'  No  condemnation  now  I  dread  ; 
 Jesus,  and  all  in  Him,  is  mine." 
 
 He  added,  I  feel  the  Spirit  of  God  within  me,  and  He  will 
 bring  me  triumphantly  through."  He  suffered  much  but  passed 
 quietly  away  at  last,  saying,  "Jesus  hath  died;  and  God  is 
 love." 
 
 A  revival  of  religion  in  her  native  village  was  the  means  of 
 bringing  Mary  Lewis,  of  Berriew,to  a  knowledge  of  sins  forgiven. 
 Soon  afterwards  she  was  married  to  a  godly  husband,  and  they 
 devoted  their  lives  to  the  interests  of  religion.  At  the  age  of 
 sixty-three  she  was  left  a  widow,  and  from  that  time  she  sought 
 richer  manifestations  of  the  divine  presence,  especially  in  the 
 class-meetings,  to  which  she  was  often  carried,  rather  than  be 
 absent.  On  the  Sabbath  before  her  death,  she  realised  entire 
 sanctification,  and  exclaimed — 
 
 **  '  No  condemnation  now  I  dread  ; 
 Jesus,  and  all  in  Him,  is  mine.' 
 
 Glory  to  God  !  Jesus  is  all  in  all ; "  and  quietly  fell  asleep  with 
 the  name  of  Jesus  on  her  lips.     Died  6th  May,  1861. 
 
 At  the  early  age  of  thirteen,  Mary  Ann  Gardner,  of  Shore- 
 ditch,  London,  joined  the  Methodist  Society,  and  soon  afterwards 
 was  appointed  the  leader  of  a  class  of  young  females,  over 
 whom  she  w^atched  with  fidelity  and  affection.  She  was  long  ? 
 visitor  of  the  Strangers'  Friend  Society,  and  engaged  in  othf 
 
HYMN  202.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  xTj6i 
 
 useful  labours  to  promote  the  glory  of  God,  until  by  illness  she 
 was  laid  aside.  The  last  words  she  uttered,  22nd  March,  1826, 
 just  as  she  was  expiring,  were — 
 
 "  '  Bold  I  approach  the  eternal  throne, 
 
 And  claim  the  crown,  through  Christ  my  own.' " 
 
 This   hymn  being  associated    with    the   conversion   of   the 
 founders  of  Methodism,  we  give  the  omitted  verse — 
 **  Still  the  small  inward  voice  I  hear, 
 That  whispers  all  my  sins  forgiven ; 
 Still  the  atoning  blood  is  near, 
 
 That  quench 'd  the  wrath  of  hostile  heaven. 
 I  feel  the  life  His  wounds  impart ; 
 I  feel  my  Saviour  in  my  heart." 
 
 Hymn  202. — "Arise,  my  soul,  arise." — Behold  the  7nan  ! — 
 Tune,  Fonmow,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1742, 
 -)age  264.  It  is  impossible  to  conceive  how  many  tried 
 believers  have  had  their  faith  strengthened  and  their  hope  of 
 heaven  brightened  by  this  inestimable  hymn.  It  is  full  of  that 
 self-appropriation  of  the  work  of  the  Redeemer,  which  is  a 
 marked  feature  in  Charles  Wesley's  poetr}'.  This  is  noticed  by 
 John  Wesley  himself  in  his  "Journal." 
 
 This  hymn  like  the  one  preceding  it,  has  been  made  a 
 blessing  to  multitudes  of  Christians,  and  almost  every  line  of  it 
 has  been  used  by  persons  in  dying  circumstances.  Nor  has  it 
 been  less  useful  in  bringing  sinners  to  realise  a  sense  of  sins 
 forgiven,  of  which  many  facts  can  be  given. 
 
 Richard  A.  Braden,  born  at  Dremara,  County  Down,  Ireland, 
 in  1 82 1,  was  converted  in  his  youth,  and  appointed  a  Methodist 
 class-leader  at  eighteen.  Afterwards  he  became  a  useful  local 
 preacher  and  a  mission  schoolmaster.  His  fervent  piety  and  zeal 
 made  his  services  most  acceptable  to  the  people.  In  the  summer 
 of  1848,  he  was  prostrated  by  disease  but  bore  his  affliction  with 
 patience  and  resignation.  He  had  no  fear  of  death,  and 
 shortly  before  his  sufferings  ended,  he  gave  to  a  friend  at  his 
 bedside,  his  religious  experience  in  these  lines — 
 
 "  Arise,  my  soul,  arise, 
 
 Shake  off  thy  guilty  fears  ; 
 I  The  bleeding  sacrifice 
 
 '.;.  In  my  behalf  appears  ; 
 
•S8 
 
 METHODIST  HYMN   BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  202. 
 
 Before  the  throne  my  Surely  stands, 
 My  name  is  written  on  His  hands." 
 
 These  he  often  repeated,  and  asked  that  the  whole  hymn  might 
 be  sung  at  his  funeral.  He  died  8th  Januar>',  1849,  aged 
 twenty-eight  years,  whispering,  "  I  shall  soon  be  with  Jesus." 
 
 The  necessity  of  constant  preparation  for  heaven  was  never 
 made  more  manifest  than  in  the  case  of  the  sudden  death  of 
 Mr.  James  Collinson,  of  Liverpool,  who,  from  being  in  a  state  of 
 robust  health,  was,  in  thirty  hours,  numbered  with  "the  dead 
 who  die  in  the  Lord."  At  the  age  of  twenty  he  gave  his  heart 
 to  the  Lord,  and  served  Methodism  faithfully  for  nearly  twenty 
 years.  Though  his  last  illness  was  short  and  severe,  yet  he 
 gave  clear  evidence  of  his  reliance  alone  on  the  atonement  of 
 Jesus.  Raising  himself  up,  with  a  strong  effort,  just  before  he 
 died,  he  exclaimed,  with  marked  feeling — 
 
 "  *  Arise,  my  soul,  arise,  Shake  off  thy  guilty  fears  ; 
 
 The  bleeding  Sacrifice  On  my  behalf  appears  ; 
 
 Before  the  throne  my  Surety  stands  ; 
 
 My  name  is  written  on  His  hands.'  " 
 
 He  fell  asleep  in  Jesus,  23rd  Januaiy,  185 1. 
 
 In  another,  and  somewhat  similar  instance  of  sudden  death, 
 the  second  verse  of  this  hymn  was  used  as  a  dying  testimony. 
 The  Rev.  John  Strawe  had  arrived  at  his  new  home  in  the 
 Sheffield  East  Circuit  only  a  few  days,  when  he  became 
 indisposed.  Typhus  fever  set  in,  and  recovery  became  hope- 
 less. His  hope  in  Christ  for  salvation  was  unshaken,  and 
 among  his  last  words  were  these,  "  Christ  is  my  Saviour  : — 
 "  *  He  ever  lives  above,  For  me  to  intercede.' 
 
 Glory  be  to  God  !  all  is  bright."  He  died  17th  September,  1841. 
 Among  those  honoured  men  who  took  part,  in  1813,  in 
 forming  the  Wesleyan  Missionary  Society,  the  name  of  the  Rev. 
 James  Buckley  has  a  deservedly  foremost  place,  he  having 
 preached  one  of  the  official  sermons  at  Leeds  on  that  interesting 
 occasion.  A  somewhat  lengthy  and  laborious  service  in  the 
 ministry  of  Methodism  was  followed  by  a  short  illness,  in 
 which  he  enjoyed  much  of  the  divine  presence  ;  and  during  his 
 last  night  on  earth  he  repeated,  with  much  feeling,  the  second 
 and  third  verses  of  the  202nd  Hymn  ;  after  which  he  spoke  but 
 little,  but  his  last  words  were,  "  For  me  the  Saviour  died,"  He 
 died  24th  August,  1839,  aged  sixty-nine  years. 
 
HYMN  2C2.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  l6l 
 
 In  early  life,  Mary  H.  Thorneloe,  wife  of  the  Rev.  W.  B. 
 Thorneloe,  gave  her  heart  to  the  Lord,  and  became  a  useful 
 member  of  the  Methodist  Society.  She  was  convinced  of  her 
 sinful  condition  under  a  sermon  preached  by  the  Rev.  John 
 Moulton.  Her  after-life  was  spent  in  doing  good ;  and  when 
 prostrate  by  illness,  her  mind  was  kept  in  peace.  After  she 
 had  taken  leave  of  those  she  loved,  she  repeated  the  verse — 
 
 *'  Five  bleeding  wounds  He  bears,  Received  on  Calvary  ; 
 They  pour  effectual  prayers,  They  strongly  speak  for  me  : 
 *  Forgive  him,  O  forgive  ! '  they  cry, 
 '  Nor  let  that  ransomed  sinner  die.'" 
 
 After  this  she  spoke  only  to  say,  "  Come,  Lord  Jesus,"  and 
 then  peacefully  escaped  with  a  convoy  of  angels  to  heaven.  She 
 died  15th  November,  i860,  aged  forty-five  years. 
 
 The  privileges  of  Christian  fellowship  are  too  lightly  appre- 
 ciated by  many  Christian  professors.  William  Hiskins,  of 
 Fexham,  Wilts,  in  conveying  a  ticket  of  membership  to  a 
 Methodist  living  at  a  distance,  remarked  :  "  I  value  my  ticket 
 more  than  a  pound-note ;  for  it  is  the  token  of  my  connection 
 with  a  praying  people,  and  they  pray  for  me.  I  feel  I  need 
 their  prayers."  A  class-leader  of  such  a  spirit  could  not  fail  of 
 being  useful — and,  by  doing  good  to  others — being  much  loved 
 in  return.  He  was  for  seventy-four  years  in  fellowship  with 
 the  people  of  God.  At  the  age  of  ninety  his  love  for  the 
 services  of  the  sanctuary  was  unabated  ;  and  on  the  day  of  his 
 death,  speaking  of  the  evening  service,  he  said,  "  I  believe  we 
 shall  have  a  good  time  this  evening."  The  sermon  that  night 
 was  on  the  intercession  of  Christ.  To  a  verse  in  the  Hymn 
 Book  relating  to  this  subject  he  was  very  partial,  wishing  to 
 have  it  in  recollection  both  in  life  and  death.  It  was  given  out 
 at  that  service  ;  and  when  his  favourite  verse  was  lined  out — 
 
 "Five  bleeding  wounds  He  bears, 
 Received  on  Calvary,"  &c. 
 
 he  sang  them  with  considerable  energ)-.  He  asked  the  preacher 
 to  pray  for  his  son-in-law,  then  near  death,  and  to  every  petition 
 he  subjoined  a  hearty  "Amen."  After  the  service,  he  hastened 
 to  visit  his  afflicted  relative.  His  road  lay  by  the  side  of  the 
 canal.  He  took  his  lantern  and  departed.  Half-an-hour  after- 
 wards inquiry  was  made  for  him,  but  he  could  not  be  heard  of, 
 
 I, 
 
1 62  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  202. 
 
 until  his  body  was  found  in  the  canal.  In  trying  to  avoid  a 
 heap  of  stones  he  fell  in,  23rd  March,  1830,  aged  ninety. 
 
 In  the  year  1824,  probably  the  oldest  member  of  the  Methodist 
 Society  in  Ireland  was  Theophilus  White,  of  Emo,  Queen's 
 County.  He  became  a  member  of  Society  at  the  age  of  nineteen, 
 and  for  seventy-four  years  sustained  the  Christian  character  with 
 unblemished  reputation.  He  maintained  a  clear  sense  of  his 
 acceptance  with  God,  and  only  half-an-hour  before  his  death  he 
 said,  "  Happy,  happy  !  sing,  sing — 
 
 **  '  My  God  is  reconciled, 
 
 His  pardoning  voice  I  hear  ; 
 He  owns  me  for  His  child.'  " 
 
 Here  his  voice  failed,  and  in  a  few  minutes  his  spirit  took  its 
 flight,  24th  July,  1824,  aged  ninety-three. 
 
 Another  Irish  Methodist  was  Mrs.  Deborah  Kenning,  who 
 died  at  Antrim,  23rd  August,  1855,  in  her  ninety-fourth  year. 
 Converted  under  the  preaching  of  John  Wesley  in  1780,  the 
 singing  of  the  hymn — 
 
 "  My  God  is  reconciled, 
 
 His  pardoning  voice  I  hear,"  &c. 
 
 brought  her  to  decide  for  Christ.  Seventy-five  years  after- 
 wards, as  she  lay  on  her  death-bed,  she  testified  to  those  around 
 her  that  her  experience  was  the  same,  repeating — 
 
 *'  My  God  is  reconciled, 
 
 His  pardoning  voice  I  hear  ; 
 He  owns  me  for  His  child, 
 I  can  no  longer  fear." 
 
 Then  raising  her  right  hand,  she  exclaimed,  "  Glory  be  to  the 
 King  Eternal,  Immortal,  and  Invisible  !  my  merciful  High 
 Priest  !  all  my  Salvation  !  my  Friend  !  my  God  !"  and  so  entered 
 heaven  in  triumph. 
 
 The  Rev.  G.  T.  Turner,  of  Australia,  son  of  the  Rev.  Nathaniel 
 Turner,  was  convinced  of  sin  at  a  love-feast  led  by  his  father. 
 After  three  days  of  deep  distress,  he  was  led  by  his  father  to  a 
 penitent  form  ;  and  whilst  the  father  was  leading  the  large 
 assembly  with  the  words — 
 
 **  My  God  is  reconciled. 
 
 His  pardoning  voice  I  hear  " — 
 
 on  commencing  the  third  line,  faith  brought  conscious  pardon. 
 
HYMN  202.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  163 
 
 and  with  abounding  joy  he  united  with  the  congregation  in 
 singing— 
 
 "  He  owns  me  for  His  child, 
 I  can  no  longer  fear  ; 
 With  confidence  I  now  draw  nigh, 
 And  Father,  Abba,  Father,  cry." 
 
 He  gave  himself  to  the  work  of  the  ministry. 
 
 For  thirty-one  years  the  Rev.  William  Nother  laboured  as  a 
 useful  minister  of  Jesus  Christ  in  the  Wesleyan  itinerancy.  When 
 health  failed,  and  protracted  heav>'  affliction  overtook  him,  he 
 lost  not  his  confidence  in  God.  As  the  end  drew  near,  on  being 
 asked  the  state  of  his  mind,  he  said  his  prospect  heavenwards 
 was  bright,  and  added — 
 
 "  '  My  God  is  reconciled. 
 
 His  pardoning  voice  I  hear.' " 
 
 But  his  breath  failed ;  he  was  unable  to  finish  the  verse ;  and 
 fell  asleep  in  Jesus,  15th  March,  1840,  aged  sixty-six  years. 
 
 When  feeble  flesh  is  failing,  and  the  consciousness  of  the 
 nearness  of  eternity  is  made  manifest,  to  be  able  to  say  of 
 Christ  that  He  is  felt  to  be  "a  rock,"  "a  refuge  in  a  weary 
 land,"  is  a  source  of  comfort  both  to  the  dying  and  to  those 
 who  receive  the  testimony.  Such  was  the  dying  utterance 
 faintly  breathed  by  George  Dracott,  of  Wootton-under-Wood, 
 who  was  for  thirty  years  an  attached  Methodist.  Almost  the 
 last  words  he  was  heard  to  speak,  on  4th  March,  1853,  were — 
 
 "  With  confidence  I  now  draw  nigh, 
 And  boldly,  Abba,  Father,  cry." 
 
 While  reading  the  second  of  the  Ten  Commandments,  Ann 
 Barnsley,  of  Oldbury,  was  deeply  convinced  of  sin,  and  soon 
 afterwards,  in  company  with  some  friends  who  were  pleading  for 
 her,  she  realised  the  blessing  of  pardon.  Ten  years  afterwards 
 she  was  "made  perfect  in  love  ;"  and  from  that  time  she  main- 
 tained a  life  of  perfect  consistency.  Shortly  before  she  died, 
 she  spoke  reverently  of  God  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy 
 Ghost  as  ONE  God,  adding,  "  I  shall  soon  see  Him.  I  have  no 
 fear,  no  pain. 
 
 **  *  With  confidence  I  now  draw  nigh, 
 And  boldly,  Abba,  Father,  cry.' 
 
 The   blood   of  Jesus    Christ   cleanseth   from   all   sin."      Thus 
 
164  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  202. 
 
 triumphantly  she  entered  heaven,  24th  February,  1855,  aged 
 eighty-six. 
 
 Probably  the  most  remarkable,  not  to  say  astonishing,  result 
 from  the  use  of  a  hymn  is  the  following  record,  which  has  come 
 to  hand  from  the  Rev.  Matthew  Cranswick,  a  Wesleyan  mission- 
 ary, formerly  labouring  in  the  West  Indies,  and  who  has  since 
 his  communication  personally  certified  to  the  writer  the  truth  of 
 the  statement  hereafter  made.  Mr.  Cranswick  observes  : — "  I 
 feel  it  due  to  the  honour  and  glory  of  God  to  inform  you  of  the 
 utility  of  one  hymn  in  particular,  No.  202,  commencing,  '  Arise, 
 my  soul,  arise,'  &c.  I  have  a  record  of  upwards  of  two  hundred 
 persons,  young  and  old,  who  received  the  most  direct  evidence 
 of  the  forgiveness  of  their  sins  while  singing  that  hymn  [at 
 different  services  and  at  various  periods].  The  conversion  of 
 the  greatest  number  of  these  persons  took  place  whilst  I  was  a 
 missionary  abroad.  My  plan  [of  using  the  hymn]  was  the 
 following  : — After  ascertaining  as  far  as  possible  that  the  pro- 
 fessed sorrow  of  the  penitent  was  godly  sorrow,  we  then 
 commenced  singing  that  hymn,  requesting  the  penitent  to  join. 
 Some  of  them  would  hesitate  to  sing  the  last  verse ;  in  that 
 case  I  would  begin  to  sing  the  whole  or  part  of  the  hymn 
 again,  until  the  penitent  had  obtained  courage  to  sing  every 
 part.  I  have  never  known  one  instance  of  a  sincere  penitent 
 failing  to  receive  a  joyous  sense  of  pardon  while  singing  that 
 hymn. 
 
 "  I  could  give  interesting  circumstances  of  the  use  of  this 
 hymn  both  to  the  Hving  and  dying.  Upon  one  occasion,  seven 
 young  persons,  under  concern  for  their  salvation,  visited  me  ; 
 after  about  two  hours'  engagement,  praying,  &c.,  while  singing 
 that  hymn,  six  of  them  obtained  a  clear  sense  of  pardon.  A 
 lady,  about  eighty  years  old,  on  being  seized  with  paralysis, 
 became  much  concerned  about  her  soul.  I  was  requested  to 
 visit  her.  After  explaining  the  plan  of  salvation  to  her  (though 
 belonging  to  the  Church  of  England,  she  had  a  Methodist 
 Hymn  Book  in  the  house),  I  repeated  this  hymn  to  her,  and 
 requested  her  to  let  the  servant  read  it  to  her.  She  got  several 
 of  the  verses  off  by  heart,  and  died  most  happy.  On  another 
 occasion  I  was  called  to  visit  a  man  dying  of  cancer  in  the 
 throat ;  the  same  plan  as  already  mentioned  was  adopted.  I 
 requested  his  wife  to  read  that  hymn  to  him ;  he  found  peace 
 while  it  was  being  read,  and  died  happy." 
 
 Mr.  Cranswick  goes  on  to  remark  :  "  I  do  not  think  it  possible 
 
HYMN  202.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  165 
 
 for  any  sincere  person  to  read  or  sing  that  hymn  without  profit. 
 There  is  in  it  direct  reference  to  the  Trinity,  and  the  apparent 
 office  of  each — the  intercession  of  Christ,  the  atoning  blood ; 
 the  assistance  of  the  Holy  Spirit ;  the  love  of  the  Father ;  and, 
 in  the  last  verse,  the  necessary  effort  of  faith  made  by  the 
 penitent."  May  multitudes  more  realise  a  sense  of  pardon  in 
 the  same  way  ! 
 
 The  Rev.  T.  O.  Keysell,  when  at  Bury,  in  Lancashire,  was 
 visited  by  a  woman  in  deep  distress  of  mind.  Awakened,  and 
 terrified  by  her  lost  condition  as  a  sinner,  thinking  herself  to  be 
 mad,  she  related  to  the  preacher  the  story  of  her  past  life. 
 After  directing  her  mind  to  many  very  encouraging  promises  in 
 the  Word  of  God,  he  urged  her  to  fix  her  mind's  eye  on  the 
 Crucified  One,  and  to  look  especially  to  the  blood  of  atonement. 
 To  assist  her  faith  he  quoted  a  verse  of  this  hymn — 
 
 "  Five  bleeding  wounds  He  bears, 
 Received  on  Calvary ; 
 They  pour  effectual  prayers, 
 
 They  strongly  speak  for  me,"  &c. 
 
 Instead  of  following  the  preacher  in  the  recitation,  she  hurried 
 on  before  him,  she  knowing  the  lines.  When  she  said,  "  They 
 strongly  speak  for  me,"  "Stop  !  stop  !"  said  Mr.  Keysell ;  "they 
 strongly  speak  for  whom  ?"  "  For  me^^  replied  the  seeking  soul. 
 Divine  -light  burst  in  upon  her  mind  ;  she  saw  her  interest  in 
 the  atonement,  and  she  found  redemption  in  His  blood,  even 
 the  forgiveness  of  her  sins.  She  exclaimed,  "  Bless  the  Lord  ! 
 my  load  is  gone,  and  I  am  free  !  Oh,  what  a  mercy  that  I  did 
 not  drown  myself !     Thank  God  ! " 
 
 The  Wesley  Church  of  Washington,  America,  lost  by  death 
 three  valued  members  during  the  first  week  in  August,  1876. 
 The  third  of  the  number  was  Samuel  Strettinius,  who  was  born 
 in  Washington,  and  became  one  of  the  first  Sunday-school 
 teachers  there.  He  continued  his  services  at  the  school  till 
 within  a  few  weeks  of  his  death.  He  was  loved  by  all  who 
 knew  him;  and  his  fidelity  to  the  office  of  auditor  of  the 
 treasury  won  for  him  the  confidence  and  love  of  all  his 
 associates.  The  officiary  of  Wesley  Chapel  Sabbath  School, 
 the  oldest  inhabitants,  and  the  associated  survivors  of  the 
 war  of  18 1 2,  were  all  represented  by  the  six  gentlemen  who 
 acted  as  pall-bearers.  In  his  Christian  experience.  Brother 
 Strettinius  was  always  calm  and  unobtrusive ;   but,  as   death 
 
1 66  MLTHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  2O4. 
 
 approached,  the  keen  eye  of  our  pilgrim  brother  watched 
 the  foe  approaching,  and  triumphantly  repelled  him  with 
 expressions  such  as — 
 
 *'  His  Spirit  answers  to  the  blood, 
 And  tells  me  I  am  born  of  God  ;" 
 and  also  this— 
 
 "With  confidence  I  now  draw  nigh, 
 And  Father,  Abba,  Father,  cry  !  " 
 
 In  that  spirit  of  holy  exultation  he  entered  the  rest  which 
 remaineth  for  the  people  of  God.—Neza  York  Christiafi  Advo- 
 cate, loth  August,  1876. 
 
 Hymn  203. —  "Glory  to  God,  whose  sovereign  grace." — For  the 
 Kingswood  Colliers.— TUHY.,  Islington,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1740, 
 page  104.  It  also  forms  Hymn  80  in  the  "Select  Hymns  and 
 Tunes,"  the  tune  chosen  for  it  being  Zoar,  in  which  place  the 
 hymn  closes  with  Bishop  Ken's  doxolog)',  "  Praise  God,  from 
 whom  all  blessings  flow." 
 
 The  Kingswood  colliers  had  for  many  years  been  a  horde  of 
 lawless  foresters,  ignorant,  depraved,  brutal.  When  Whitefield 
 first  visited  Bristol,  before  his  embarkation  for  America,  he 
 spoke  of  converting  the  savages  in  that  great  western  continent; 
 his  friends  said  to  him  "  What  need  of  going  abroad  for  this  1 
 Have  we  not  Indians  enough  at  home.?  If  you  want  to  convert 
 Indians,  there  are  colliers  enough  at  Kingswood ! "  The 
 preaching  of  the  Wesleys  and  Whitefield  did  result  in  their 
 conversion,  and  in  the  entire  renovation  of  the  whole  neighbour- 
 hood. This  hymn  is  Charles  Wesley's  triumphant  song  of 
 thanksgiving  that  the  sovereign  grace  of  God  had  "animated 
 senseless  stones  !" 
 
 The  original  has  eleven  stanzas,  the  two  last  and  the  doxology 
 being  omitted.  The  hymn  contains  such  terms  as  "senseless 
 stones,"  "reprobates,"  and  "out-casts,"  as  indicating  the  character 
 of  the  people  of  whom  he  wrote.     See  Hymn  211. 
 
 Hymn  204. — "Jesus,  Thou  soul  of  all  our  joys." — The  true  use 
 of  Music. — Tune,  Musician's,  1761. 
 
 It  has  also  the  additional  title  of  "  I  will  sing  with  the  Spirit, 
 I  will  sing  with  the  understanding  also"  (i  Cor.  xiv.  15).     It  is 
 
HYMN  205.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  1 67 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1749,  vol. 
 ii.  The  best  title  for  this  composition  would  be.  The  Christian 
 Musician's  Hymn.  It  was  probably  written  in  connection  with 
 an  incident  in  the  life  of  Mr.  Lampe,  a  musician  of  note,  who 
 first  composed  tunes  to  the  hymns  written  by  the  Wesleys. 
 
 Hymn  205. — "  My  God,  I  am  Thine,  What  a  comfort  divine." 
 — For  Believers. — TUNE,  Old  German,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1749, 
 vol.  i.  The  original  is  printed  in  three-line  stanzas.  The  senti- 
 ment and  metre  of  the  hymn  are  in  happy  accordance. 
 
 Portions  of  this  hymn  have  been  used  by  many  of  the  Lord's 
 people  when  in  dying  and  in  other  trying  circumstances. 
 
 Richard  Walker,  of  Colne,  was  upwards  of  thirty  years  a 
 useful  member  of  the  Methodist  Society.  His  last  illness  was 
 protracted  over  more  than  two  years,  but  he  had  a  glorious 
 hope  of  immortality  amidst  his   sufferings.      His   last  words 
 
 were — 
 
 *'  My  God,  I  am  Thine,  WTiat  a  comfort  divine, 
 "What  a  blessing  to  know  that  my  Jesus  is  mine  !  " 
 
 He  died  20th  February,  181 5,  aged  fifty-four  years. 
 
 Mrs.  Kezia  Shepherd,  of  whom  a  memoir  appears  in  the 
 Methodist  Magazijie  iox  March,  1800,  was  early  brought  under 
 religious  influence.  Visiting  some  friends  at  Oxford,  she  was 
 introduced  to  the  Methodists.  Feeling  deep  penitence  on 
 account  of  her  sins,  she  wept  one  day  as  she  walked  along  the 
 streets,  telling  her  companion  that  she  mourned  for  the  Friend 
 of  sinners.  They  called  at  a  house  where  several  pious  persons 
 were  present,  when  the  state  of  her  mind  was  readily  perceived. 
 One  of  them  gave  out  a  hymn,  and  whilst  they  were  singing 
 the  first  part  of  Hymn  205 — 
 
 ' '  My  God,  I  am  Thine,  What  a  comfort  divine, 
 What  a  blessing  to  know  that  my  Jesus  is  mine  ! " 
 
 the  Lord  spoke  peace  to  her  soul.  The  assurance  of  her 
 acceptance  through  Jesus  was  so  strong,  that  she  could  hardly 
 help  crying  out  aloud,  "  He  is  mine  !  He  is  mine  !  "  She  held 
 fast  her  confidence  through  life ;  and  in  death  she  dedicated 
 her  soul  to  God,  by  singing  entirely  through  Dr.  Watts'  hymn, 
 commencing,  "  I'll  praise  my  Maker  while  I've  breath." 
 
 Faithful  in  the  service  of  God  and  Methodism,  Mr.  J.   P. 
 
1 68  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  205. 
 
 Hawkes worth,  of  Wetherby,  Tadcaster,  for  more  than  half-a- 
 century  filled  the  offices  of  class-leader,  local  preacher,  steward, 
 and  trustee.  In  his  last  illness  he  found  rest  in  the  atonement 
 of  Christ,  while  it  yielded  peace  and  comfort  to  his  mind.  Shortly 
 before  he  died,  25th  March,  1844,  aged  seventy-four,  he  said, 
 "  I  am  going  home  ;  in  my  Father's  house  are  many  mansions — 
 
 *"My  God,  I  am  Thine,  What  a  comfort  divine, 
 
 What  a  blessing  to  know  that  my  Jesus  is  mine  ! '  " 
 
 The  religious  character  of  Mrs.  Agnes  Douglas  Sutherland, 
 was  felt  in  its  happy  influences  in  both  the  United  States  of 
 America,  and  in  Scotland,  her  native  country.  She  built, 
 almost  entirely  at  her  own  cost,  a  Methodist  chapel  in  Stirling, 
 and  a  good  minister's  house,  both  of  which,  free  of  debt,  were 
 secured  to  the  Connexion.  She  built  another  small  chapel  at 
 Doune,  where,  for  several  years,  she  supported  a  minister  also. 
 She  bequeathed  ;i^2oo  towards  building  a  third  chapel  for  the 
 benefit  of  the  colliers  at  Wallacestone.  Her  last  affliction  was 
 short,  but  severe,  and  she  was  unable  to  converse  much  ;  but  on 
 one  occasion,  she  exclaimed — 
 
 "My  God,  I  am  Thine,  What  a  comfort  divine, 
 What  a  blessing  to  know  that  my  Jesus  is  mine  !  " 
 
 In  reply  to  the  last  question  put  to  her,  she  said,  "Jesus  died 
 for  me,"  and  expired,  20th  January,  1849,  aged  eighty-six. 
 
 Samuel  Satterley  was  born  at  Teignmouth,  Devon,  in  1829. 
 He  spent  his  Sabbaths  from  the  age  of  five  in  the  Wesleyan 
 Sunday  school,  and  in  a  love-feast  held  in  the  Wesleyan  chapel, 
 he  resolved  to  give  his  heart  to  God.  On  Thursday  before 
 Good  Friday,  1844,  whilst  reading  a  book  at  six  in  the  morning, 
 he  came  to  the  lines — 
 
 "My  God,  I  am  Thine, 
 What  a  comfort  divine. 
 What  a  blessing  to  know  that  my  Jesus  is  mine !  " 
 
 He  believed,  rested  his  soul  on  God,  and  found  peace.  The 
 change  became  visible  in  his  countenance,  and  was  declared  by 
 his  conversation.  A  few  months  afterwards  he  took  cold,  became 
 seriously  ill,  but  fully  resigned  to  the  will  of  God,  and  died  in 
 peace,   13th  December,   1844.     Just  before  he  died,  he   said, 
 
HYMN  205.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  1 69 
 
 "  Now  I  am  passing  through  the  valley  and  shadow  of  death, 
 but— 
 
 •'My  Jesus  is  mine, 
 "What  a  comfort  divine." 
 
 and  closed  life  with  shouting — "  Victory  !  victory  ! " 
 
 Early  in  life  Henry  Budgett,  of  Kingswood,  was  converted 
 to  God,  and  united  himself  to  the  Methodists.  About  the  year 
 1800,  he  removed  to  Kingswood,  near  Bristol,  which  was  then 
 infested  by  a  lawless  gang  of  banditti,  whose  depredations 
 extended  far  beyond  that  locality.  Mr.  Budgett  undertook  the 
 task  of  putting  down  these  savage  hordes,  and  aided  by  two  of 
 his  neighbours,  and  the  kind  providence  of  God,  he  secured  to 
 the  village  rest  and  quietness.  His  next  benevolent  work  was 
 to  establish  a  Sunday  school,  which  was  done  on  the  spot  where 
 the  robbers  had  their  colony  ;  one  of  whom  became  converted, 
 and  was  very  zealous  in  the  cause  of  the  Redeemer.  Receiving 
 evidence  from  on  high  that  his  providential  lot  had  been  cast  in 
 that  village,  his  diligence  in  business,  and  fervency  of  spirit, 
 were  rewarded  by  both  temporal  and  spiritual  prosperity.  He 
 liberally  distributed  his  substance  to  support  the  cause  of  God, 
 and  served  Methodism  faithfully  as  steward,  class-leader,  local 
 preacher,  and  Sunday-school  superintendent.  When,  through 
 illness,  he  was  unable  to  attend  the  house  of  God,  he  was  more 
 diligent  in  his  private  devotions,  and  enjoyed  greatly  the  class- 
 meeting  held  in  his  own  house  weekly.  A  short  time  before  he 
 died,  he  sent  a  message  to  the  members  of  his  class,  charging 
 them  "not  to  rest  with  Christ  about  them,  but  to  have  Christ  IN 
 them,  the  hope  of  glor}^,"  and  repeated,  with  intense  feeling — 
 
 "  My  Jesus  to  know,  and  feel  His  blood  flow, 
 'Tis  life  everlasting,  'tis  heaven  below." 
 
 His  last  request  was,  to  have  Psalm  xxiii.  read  to  him,  after 
 which  he  fell  asleep  in  Jesus,  15th  December,  1849,  aged  seventy- 
 one. 
 
 A  scene  of  violence  committed  on  a  poor  but  pious  local 
 preacher,  about  the  year  1754,  was  the  cause  of  Bryan  Proctor's 
 thorough  awaking  to  a  sense  of  his  danger  as  a  sinner  before 
 God.  The  good  man  had  preached  near  Harewood,  and  at  the 
 close  of  the  sermon,  which  was  from  "  Ye  must  be  born  again," 
 the  rabble  Yorkshiremen  dragged  their  religious  adviser  several 
 times  through  a  pond,  till  he  was  nearly  drowned.     That  which 
 
lyo  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  205. 
 
 was  nearly  the  physical  death  of  one,  proved  to  be  the  spiritual 
 life  of  another.  Young  Proctor  took  his  tale  of  sorrow  home  to 
 his  widowed  mother  at  Pannel,  near  Harrogate,  who  from  that 
 time,  opened  her  house  to  receive  the  preachers,  and  for  preach- 
 ing. Here,  soon  afterwards,  came  Christopher  Hopper,  who, 
 after  preaching,  formed  a  class  of  those  seriously  disposed.  The 
 first  to  join  that  class  were  John  Pawson,  Richard  Burdsall, 
 Bryan  Proctor  ;  fourteen  others  were  added  as  members,  and 
 formed  the  first  Methodist  class  in  that  neighbourhood.  From 
 that  time,  and  for  about  seventy  years,  Mr.  Proctor  never  omitted 
 to  receive  from  the  preacher  himself  his  quarterly  society  ticket. 
 For  many  years,  Mr.  Proctor  accompanied  Richard  Burdsall  on 
 his  Sabbath-day  preaching  excursions.  At  the  end  of  his 
 pilgrimage,  he  said,  "  I  disputed  in  my  younger  days  whether 
 God  did  indeed  dwell  with  men  on  the  earth ;  but  now,  in  my 
 old  age  (ninety-two),  the  Lord  dwelleth  in  my  heart,  and  I  do 
 assuredly  enjoy  a  heaven  upon  earth."  Shortly  before  he  died, 
 he  said,  "The  blood  of  Jesus  cleanseth  us  from  all  sin — 
 
 ** '  My  Jesus  to  know,  and  feel  His  blood  flow, 
 'Tis  life  everlasting,  'tis  heaven  below.*  " 
 
 He  expired,  faintly  whispering,  "  My  Jesus,  my  Jesus,  glory  !  " 
 
 Died,  at  Hobart  Town,  Tasmania,  on  the  i8th  of  September, 
 1870,  at  the  house  of  her  son,  Mr.  Rowland  S.  Waterhouse,  Jane 
 Beadnell,  relict  of  the  Rev.  John  Waterhouse,  general  superin- 
 tendent of  the  Wesleyan  Missions  in  Australasia  and  Polynesia, 
 aged  seventy-six  years.  Her  end  was  peace  and  joy.  Some  of 
 her  dying  utterances  were  : — "  I  am  in  the  Lord's  hands — it  is 
 all  right,"— " Blessed  Gospel." — "I   feel  a  settled  peace  and 
 
 joy." — 
 
 "  Happy  if  with  my  latest  breath 
 I  may  but  gasp  His  name." 
 
 "  O  the  pain,  the  bliss  of  dying."—"  The  precious  blood  of  Jesus." 
 
 "  My  Jesus  to  know,  and  feel  His  blood  flow, 
 'Tis  life  everlasting,  'tis  heaven  below." 
 
 — "  Thanks  be  unto  God  which  giveth  us  the  victor}',  through 
 our  Lord  Jesus  Christ."  On  the  evening  of  the  day  of  her  death 
 the  assembled  relations  sang,  "There  is  sweet  rest  in  heaven," 
 in  which  she  participated  by  the  motion  of  her  hands  when  she 
 was  unable  to  sing.     Her  son  Joseph  asked,  "  Do  you  know  all 
 
HYMN  205.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  I7I 
 
 our  voices,  mother?"     "Yes,"  was  her  reply.     And  when  she 
 had  said  this,  she  fell  asleep. 
 
 A  season  of  bodily  suffering  in  early  life  became  to  William 
 Robinson,  of  Cleathorpe,  a  season  of  salvation.     Recovering 
 from  a  second  severe  attack  of  illness,  he  resolved  to  seek  the 
 salvation  of  his  soul,  and  through  the  preaching  of  Mr.  Thomas 
 Edman,  about  1750,  he  found  the  Lord.     His  eagerness  to  see 
 the  conversion  of  his  father  and  other  relatives  induced  him  to 
 give  up  more  lucrative  employment,  where  there  were  no  Metho- 
 dists, that  he  might  remain  under  the  influences  of  religion.    He 
 read  the  Bible  and  Wesley's  hymns  daily  in  his  family  before 
 prayer,   established   and   conducted   himself   a    public  prayer 
 meeting,  and  had  Methodist  preaching  in  his  house  for  more 
 than  fifty  years.     He  rejoiced  in  seeing  his  father  happy  in  the 
 pardoning  love  of  God.     His  conversion  was  remarkable.     In 
 youth  the  father  had  a  scythe-wound  in  his  knee,  which  healed, 
 leaving  him  with  a  stiff  knee  which  had  prevented  his  running 
 for  forty  years.     When  under  conviction  of  sin,  his  distress  was 
 painful,  arising  from  a  conviction  that  he  had  sinned  beyond 
 the  reach  of  mercy,  and  he  thought  nothing  less  than  a  miracle 
 could  convince  him  that  his  sins  were  pardoned.    The  Lord  gave 
 him  a  double  blessing.     During  his  convictions,  the  knee-joint 
 became  pliant  without  any  human  means  being  used,  and  on  the 
 following  Sabbath  father  and  son  met  after  the  service  at  Grimsby 
 and  whilst  crossing  the  common,  the  father  with  joyful  tears 
 told  his  son  that  the  Lord  had  worked  a  double  miracle,  by 
 speaking  peace  to  his  soul  and  healing  his  body,  and  to  convince 
 his  son  of  its  reality,  he  ran  some  yards  on  the  common  to 
 demonstrate   the   completeness   of   the   cure.      They   rejoiced 
 together  at  the  mercy  and  goodness  of  God.    William,  in  his  last 
 illness,  exhorted  all  around  him  to  turn  to  the  Lord.     While 
 unable  to  rest,  he  lay  in  bed  repeating — 
 
 **  My  Jesus  to  know,  and  feel  His  blood  flow, 
 'Tis  life  everlasting,  'tis  heaven  below. 
 Yet  onward  we  haste  To  the  heavenly  feast  : 
 That,  that  is  the  fulness  ;  this  is  i>ui  the  taste.'''' 
 
 His  spirit  entered  the  port  in  full  sail,  27th  January,  18 14,  aged 
 eighty-three. 
 
 At  the  early  age  of  twenty-four,  George  Gibson,  of  Braith- 
 waite  Green,  Kendal,  gave  his  heart  to  the  Lord,  and  became  a 
 zealous  and  successful  class-leader  and  local  preacher  to  the 
 
172  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  2o6. 
 
 end  of  his  life.  In  his  last  illness  his  experience  was  clear  and 
 deep,  resting  alone  on  the  merits  of  the  Redeemer.  To  the 
 vicar  and  curate  of  the  village,  who  took  pleasure  in  visiting 
 him,  he  often  said,  "  I  am  on  the  Rock  of  Ages."  His  last 
 words  were — 
 
 "My  Jesus  to  know,  and  feel  Ilis  blood  flow, 
 'Tis  life  everlasting,  'tis  heaven  below." 
 
 He  died  20th  October,  1838,  aged  sixty-nine  years. 
 
 Whilst  engaged  in  his  work  at  the  mill,  Christopher  Chap- 
 man, of  Knaresborough,  sought  and  found  the  Lord.  His 
 religious  life  was  greatly  aided  by  reading  the  "  Spiritual  Letters 
 and  Christian  Experience"  of  Hester  Ann  Rogers.  His  last 
 illness  was  long  and  painful.  His  last  night  on  earth  was  spent 
 entirely  in  prayer,  in  praise,  in  reading  the  Word  of  God,  and 
 verses  of  hymns.  Just  before  he  died,  he  whispered — 
 "My  Jesus  to  know,  and  feel  His  blood  flow, 
 'Tis  life  everlasting,  'tis  heaven  below  ;  " 
 
 and  while  praying,  "  Lord,  save  me  to  the  end,"  he  fell  asleep 
 in  Jesus,  i6th  November,  1824,  aged  thirty-three  years. 
 
 Hymn  206.— What  am  I,  O  Thou  glorious  God  !  ''—For 
 Believers."— Hv^Y,^  Sheffield,  1761. 
 Charles  Wesley's,  forming  No.  114  in  "Hymns  and  Sacred 
 Poems,"  1749,  vol.  i.     The  poet  seems  to  base  part  of  this  hymn 
 on  2  Sam.  vii.  18,  and  Ezek.  xvi.  6. 
 
 In  early  life,  the  mind  of  the  Rev.  Joseph  Agar,  of  York,  was 
 wrought  upon  by  divine  influences  ;  but  at  the  age  of  twenty- 
 one,  he  gave  his  heart  fully  to  the  Lord,  became  an  exhorter, 
 and  shortly  afterwards  was  admitted  into  the  full  ministry  of 
 Methodism.  He  was  a  man  of  much  usefulness,  of  overflowing 
 kindness  of  heart,  great  simplicity  and  integrity  of  purpose,  and 
 of  unquenchable  ardour  for  the  promotion  of  the  glory  of  God 
 and  the  salvation  of  souls.  He  lived  a  life  of  faith  on  the  Son 
 of  God,  and  in  his  last  illness  delighted  to  dwell  on  the  goodness 
 of  God  in  early  life,  especially  in  giving  him  parents  who  brought 
 him  up  in  the  fear  of  the  Lord.  He  often  expressed  his  grateful 
 feelings  in  the  verse — 
 
 "  What  am  I,  O  Thou  glorious  God  ! 
 And  what  my  father's  house  to  Thee, 
 That  Thou  such  mercies  hast  bestowed 
 On  me,  the  vilest  reptile,  me  ? 
 
HYMN  208.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  1 73 
 
 I  take  the  blessing  from  above, 
 And  wonder  at  Thy  boundless  love." 
 
 Thus  serenely  he  waited  the  closing  scene,  saying,  just  before 
 his  departure  to  heaven,  "  Pray  for  me,  praise  for  me ;  Jesus 
 comforts  me.  Sing,  sing  aloud,  I  cannot."  He  died  23rd 
 August,  1830,  aged  forty-one  years. 
 
 The  Rev,  William  J.  Shrewsbury,  born  at  Deal  in  1795, 
 converted  in  his  youth,  entered  the  Methodist  ministry  in  18 15, 
 and  at  the  age  of  twenty  went  as  a  missionary  to  the  West 
 Indies,  where  he  endured  much  painful  persecution,  which  was 
 considered  by  the  House  of  Commons.  He  spent  some  years 
 in  South  Africa,  retiring  to  England  in  1836,  and  laboured  with 
 much  success  in  English  circuits  till  his  death  at  Manchester 
 in  1866.  His  last  public  service  was  to  speak  at  a  Missionary 
 meeting  in  Grosvenor  Street  Chapel,  where,  leaning  on  the  top 
 of  his  staff,  "  in  age  and  feebleness  extreme,"  his  love,  and  zeal, 
 and  devotion,  brought  tears  to  many  eyes  as  he  began  his  short 
 address  with  the  verse — 
 
 "  What  am  I,  O  Thou  glorious  God  ! 
 
 And  what  my  father's  house  to  Thee, 
 That  Thou  such  mercies  hast  bestowed 
 
 On  me,  the  chief  of  sinners,  me  ? 
 I  take  the  blessing  from  above, 
 And  wonder  at  Thy  boundless  love." 
 
 For  nearly  three-quarters  of  a  century  the  name  of  Shrewsbury 
 has  occupied  a  distinguished  place  in  the  annals  of  Methodism, 
 three  generations  of  them  having  itinerated  in  its  ministry,  and 
 they  still  continue,  heaven's  blessing  resting  on  them. 
 
 Hymn  207. — "Jesus  is  our  common  Lord." — Receiving  a 
 Christian  Friend.— TXiYiY.^  Hotham,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1742, 
 page  157.  The  original  has  four  verses,  the  first  and  second 
 being  left  out.  The  first  line  is  as  follows — "  Welcome,  friend, 
 in  that  great  name." 
 
 Hymn  208. — "  Come,  let  us  who  in  Christ  believe."— 6>«  Gods 
 Everlasting  Love.— Txil^Y.^  Cornish,  1761. 
 
 Forms  No.  8  in  Charles  Wesley's  "  Hymns  on  God's  Ever- 
 lasting Love,"  1 74 1.     The  original  has  fourteen  verses,  of  which 
 
I  74  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  209. 
 
 ten   are   omitted.     It    has    long    been   a  favourite    in    prayer 
 meetings,  often  closing  them  with  the  last  verse. 
 
 Hymn  209. — "Thou  hidden  Source  of  calm  repose." — For 
 Believers. — TUNE,  Birmingham,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  forming  No.  143  of  "Hymns  and  Sacred 
 Poems,"  1749,  vol.  i.  The  poet's  idea  in  this  hymn  is  to  exalt 
 Christ,  and  he  selects  various  circumstances  in  life,  which  he 
 gives  in  striking  antithesis,  to  set  this  forth.  Christ  is  the 
 Christian's  rest  in  toil,  his  ease  in  pain,  his  peace  in  war,  his 
 gain  in  loss,  his  liberty  in  bondage,  and,  last  of  all,  comes 
 this  marvellous  climax — his  heaven  in  hell !  This  cannot  be 
 taken  as  it  is  literally  expressed;  it  is  a  poet's  license  with 
 language,  which  requires  to  be  received  in  a  careful  and  modified 
 symbolical  sense. 
 
 The  Rev.  Samuel  Coley  has  related,  that  a  gentleman  of  large 
 business  transactions  was  known  for  his  great  spirituality  of 
 mind,  and  was  once  asked  by  a  friend  how  he  was  enabled  to 
 preserve  such  a  frame.  He  replied,  "  By  making  Christ  all  in 
 all."  After  a  time,  he  sustained  heavy  losses  in  a  commercial 
 crisis,  when  his  friend  again  asked  him  how  he  still  maintained 
 his  cheerfulness  and  buoyancy.  He  replied,  "  By  finding  my  all 
 in  Christ." 
 
 During  a  revival  in  the  Pateley-Bridge  circuit,  Sarah  Hark- 
 ness,  at  the  age  of  fifteen,  was  enabled  to  believe  in  Christ  for 
 salvation.  From  that  time  her  love  to  Christ  was  manifest 
 throughout  life.  In  her  last  illness  she  was  dead  indeed  to  the 
 world ;  but  even  in  pain  she  rejoiced  in  God.  When  her  end 
 Avas  near,  her  husband  repeated  the  second  verse  of  Hymn  209, 
 "  Thy  mighty  name  salvation  is,"  &:c. 
 
 She  cried  out,  "  Salvation  !  glory  !  praise  Him  !  bless  Him  ! " 
 
 She  continued  in  this  happy  strain  of  exultation  till  she 
 entered  on  the  beatific  vision,  15th  April,  1857,  aged  forty-seven. 
 
 Gentle,  kind,  generous,  sincere,  faithful,  and  intelligent 
 Elizabeth  Mary  Ash,  eldest  daughter  of  the  Rev.  William  Ash, 
 in  ver>^  early  life  gave  her  heart  to  the  Lord,  and  devotedly 
 promoted  the  interests  of  Methodism.  When  unable  to  teach 
 by  her  voice,  she  wrote  her  counsels  to  the  young  in  Wesleyan 
 periodicals,  under  the  signature  of  H.  Y.  H.  In  her  last  illness 
 she  rested  entirely  on  the  atonement   made   by    Christ ;    and 
 
HYMN  210.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  I75 
 
 almost   the   last  words   she  spoke  were   part    of    a    favourite 
 hymn — 
 
 "Jesus,  my  all  in  all  Thou  art, 
 
 My  rest  in  toil,  my  ease  in  pain,"  &c. 
 
 She  died  9th  December,  1853,  aged  thirty-one  years. 
 
 Awakened  to  a  sense  of  sin  at  the  age  of  twenty,  Mary 
 Reynolds  attended  a  watch-night  ser\dce  held  in  1801,  and, 
 about  the  midnight  hour,  it  pleased  the  Lord  to  reveal  His 
 Son  in  her  heart,  and  fill  her  with  joy  and  peace  in  believing. 
 From  that  time,  and  through  a  long  life  as  the  wife  of  the  Rev. 
 John  Reynolds,  she  "walked  with  God."  She  was  much 
 devoted  to  works  of  piety  and  benevolence,  and  as  a  class- 
 leader  was  faithful  and  affectionate.  Her  last  illlness  was 
 short,  but  she  patiently  waited  the  coming  of  her  Lord ;  and 
 the  last  words  she  was  heard  to  speak  were  those  by  Charles 
 Wesley — 
 
 "Jesus,  my  all  in  all  Thou  art, 
 
 My  rest  in  toil,  my  ease  in  pain,"  &c. 
 
 She  died  3rd  January,  1854,  aged  seventy-five  years. 
 
 Hymn  210. — "Thee  will  I  love,  my  strength,  my  tower." — 
 Gratittide  for  otir  Co7iversion. — TuNE,  Frankfort,  1761. 
 
 Translated  from  the  German  of  John  Angelus,  1657,  by  John 
 Wesley,  and  found  in  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1739,  page 
 198.  The  poet's  theme  seems  to  be  that  of  David,  as  recorded 
 in  Psalm  xviii.  i,  2. 
 
 It  is  a  gratifying  circumstance  to  find  amongst  our  leading 
 statesmen,  persons  not  only  of  great  political  influence,  but  of 
 sincere  religious  character.  Such  an  one  was  the  late  Richard 
 Cobden,  one  of  the  foremost  advocates  of  free  trade,  and  one  of 
 the  originators  of  the  Anti-Corn-Law  League.  Born  at  Mid- 
 hurst,  Sussex,  in  1804,  the  son  of  a  farmer  of  moderate  means, 
 Richard  soon  gave  evidence  of  considerable  business  capacity  ; 
 this  he  improved  by  extended  tours  in  America  on  two  occa- 
 sions. Sir  Robert  Peel,  in  carr^dng  the  Repeal  of  the  Corn 
 Laws  in  1846,  admitted  that  Mr.  Cobden's  principles  and 
 unadorned  eloquence  had  largely  contributed  to  bring  about  that 
 result.  The  English  people  acknowledged  their  obligation  to 
 Mr.  Cobden  by  presenting  to  him  the  handsome  sum  of  ^70,000 
 for  his  services  on  their  behalf.     He  was  successively  member 
 
176  METHODIST  HYM^f  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  2  11. 
 
 of  Parliament  for  Stockport,  the  West  Riding  of  Yorkshire,  and 
 Rochdale.  He  subsequently  was  British  Commissioner  in  Paris 
 to  arrange  the  details  of  the  commercial  treaty  between  France 
 and  England.  Both  countries  largely  benefited  by  the  fiscal 
 changes  brought  about  by  his  wise  forethought  and  exertions. 
 He  was  greatly  aided  in  his  political  career  by  his  sincere  and 
 unobtrusive  piety,  and  at  the  end  of  his  most  useful  and  valued 
 life  and  labours,  he  consoled  his  own  heart  and  delighted  his 
 beloved  friends  by  repeating  the  first  verse  of  the  hymn  by 
 Angelus  : — 
 
 '*  Thee  will  I  love,  my  strength,  my  tower  ; 
 Thee  will  I  love,  my  joy,  my  crown  ; 
 Thee  will  I  love  with  all  my  power, 
 
 In  all  Thy  works,  and  Thee  alone  : 
 Thee  will  I  love,  till  the  pure  fire 
 Fills  my  whole  soul  with  chaste  desire." 
 
 He  died  Sunday,  2nd  April,  1865,  aged  sixty-one  years. 
 
 As  early  as  the  age  of  ten  years,  Mary  Joyce,  of  Tonge, 
 Ashby-de-la-Zouch,  joined  the  Methodist  Society,  having  been 
 taught  the  way  of  truth  by  the  preachers  who  visited  her  father's 
 house.  A  long  life  of  unassuming  usefulness  was  crowned  by  a 
 peaceful  end.  On  the  day  before  her  death,  she  dwelt  much  on 
 the  fourth  verse  of  this  hymn — 
 
 "  I  thank  Thee,  uncreated  sun, 
 
 That  Thy  bright  beams  on  me  have  shined  ; 
 I  thank  Thee,  who  hast  overthrown 
 
 My  foes,  and  heal'd  my  wounded  mind  ; 
 I  thank  Thee,  whose  enlivening  voice. 
 Bids  my  freed  heart  in  Thee  rejoice." 
 
 She  died  9th  November,  1836,  aged  sixty-nine  years. 
 
 Hymn  211. — "  Let  all  men  rejoice,  by  Jesus  restored." — For  the 
 Kingswood  Colliers. — Tune,  Newcastle,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1749, 
 vol.  ii..  No.  184.  In  it  he  strongly  characterises  the  ignorance 
 and  low  moral  and  mental  condition  of  the  colliers  at  Kings- 
 wood  of  that  day.     See  also  Hymn  203. 
 
HYMN  213*.        METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  177 
 
 Hymn  212. — "My  brethren  beloved,  Your  calling  ye  see." — Fo?' 
 the  Kingswood  Colliers. — Tune,  Triumph,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  No.  185,  in  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems," 
 1749,  vol.  ii.  The  second  verse  of  the  original  is  omitted.  In 
 this  hymn  also  are  touches  of  character,  bold  and  vigorous. 
 
 Hymn  213*.—"  My  God,  the  spring  of  all  my  joys."— C^^^j- 
 Presence  is  Light  in  Darkness. — TUNE,  Leeds,  1761. 
 
 Dr.  Watts',  from  Book  ii.,  Hymn  54,  date  1707.  Several 
 improvements  have  been  made  in  it,  and  it  has  been  added 
 to  the  collection  during  the  present  century.  In  the  i8th 
 edition,  1805,  it  formed  Hymn  Zy,  with  an  asterisk. 
 
 "This  hymn,"  says  Milner,  in  his  "Life  of  Watts,"  "is  almost 
 without  spot  or  blemish,"  if  we  except  the  last  line  of  verse  4, 
 which  was  amended  by  John  Wesley.  "  T'  embrace  my  dearest 
 Lord,"  wrote  Watts.  Wesley  made  other  improvements  in  the 
 hymn,  which  are  generally  adopted.  An  able  critic  in  the 
 Wesleyan  Methodist  Magazine  says  of  this  hymn,  that  "  it  is 
 the  very  best  Watts  wrote,  and  breathes  the  same  intense 
 earnestness,  and  passionate,  kindling  fervour  of  Wesley  himself. 
 It  is  an  effusion  of  irrepressible  joy  and  triumphant  faith." 
 
 Every  verse  of  this  hymn,  and  almost  every  line,  has^  been  a 
 source  of  comfort  and  joy  to  some  suffering  Christian.  Sarah 
 Bickerton  was  made  a  partaker  of  saving  grace  at  the  age  of 
 twenty,  and  during  a  long  and  terribly  severe  illness,  whilst 
 residing  at  Compstall  Bridge,  New  Mills,  she  bowed  in  humility 
 to  the  divine  will — saying  of  her  Heavenly  Father,  "  For  all, 
 I  bless  Thee,  most  for  the  severe."  Her  end  was  triumphant. 
 She  died  23rd  February,  1831,  aged  forty-three  years.  She 
 requested  those  around  her  bed  to  sing  the  hymn  beginning — 
 
 "My  God,  the  spring  of  all  my  joys,"  &c. 
 
 in  which  she  joined  with  all  her  might,  often  repeating — 
 
 ' '  The  wings  of  love,  and  arms  of  faith, 
 Will  bear  me  conqu'ror  through." 
 
 From  a  child,  John  Dewhurst,  of  Mytholmroyd,  Todmorden, 
 was  under  the  influence  of  the  drawings  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and 
 at  the  age  of  seventeen  he  received  a  clear  sense  of  pardon,  and 
 joined  the  Methodist  Society.  The  confidence  in  God  he  now 
 realised  he  never  lost  to  the  day  of  his  death.     To  his  class  he 
 
 M 
 
lyS  MK'JIIODIST  HYMN  KOOK  NOTES.       HYMN  213*. 
 
 was  much  attached  ;  as  a  prayer -leader  and  Sunday-school 
 teacher  he  was  dihgcnt.  At  an  early  period  of  life  he  was 
 called  away  to  heaven  ;  but  in  his  sufferings  his  face  beamed 
 with  joy,  and  his  heart  was  joyful  and  happy.  In  the  last  hour 
 of  life  he  began  to  sing — 
 
 "  My  God,  the  spring  of  all  my  joys, 
 The  life  of  my  delights, 
 The  glory  of  my  bri[^htest  days, 
 And  comfort  of  my  nights  !  " 
 
 He  then  added,  "Glory  be  to  God;  come  Lord  Jesus!"  and 
 peacefully  entered  into  rest,  24th  June,  1825,  aged  twenty. 
 
 The  erection  of  the  first  Methodist  Chapel  at  Farnley,  near 
 Leeds  was  mainly  due  to  the  efforts  put  forth  by  Mr.  Thomas 
 Pawson,  a  churchman,  who,  seeing  the  prosperity  of  the  cause 
 under  his  fostering  care,  was  induced  to  join  the  Society,  and 
 ultimately  became  a  useful  class-leader,  serving  the  Lord  and 
 Methodism  with  fidelity  for  more  than  thirty  years.  On  the 
 day  before  his  death  he  said,  "I  bless  God  I  am  happy  and 
 comfortable  ;  "  and  added — 
 
 *•  *  In  darkest  shades,  if  Thou  appear, 
 My  dawning  is  begun  ; 
 Thou  art  my  soul's  bright  morning  star, 
 And  Thou  my  rising  sun.' " 
 
 He  afterwards  said,  "  I  have  strong  confidence  ;  worthy  is  the 
 Lamb!"  and  then  entered  into  rest,  5th  September,  1831, 
 aged  seventy  years. 
 
 One  of  the  prominent  of  England's  philanthropists  during  the 
 latter  half  of  the  nineteenth  century,  is  Mr.  George  Smith,  of 
 Coalville,  Leicestershire,  the  friend  of  the  gipsies,  and  the 
 advocate  of  the  brick  yard  and  canal  population,  whose  whole 
 life  has  been  devoted  to  raise  the  fallen,  to  relieve  the  most 
 needy  and  degraded,  and  to  improve  by  education  the  neglected 
 and  destitute  ;  he  started  on  his  God-like  mission  out  of  the 
 furnace  of  affliction.  Prostrate  by  the  cholera  in  1848,  he  lay 
 on  his  bed  expecting  death  every  hour.  In  darkness  and 
 solitude,  praying,  crying,  and  singing,  to  have  the  burden  of  his 
 sin   removed,    whilst    repeating  again    and    again,   and    then 
 
 smgmg— 
 
 "  My  God,  the  spring  of  all  my  joys, 
 The  life  of  my  delights, 
 The  glory  of  my  brightest  days. 
 And  comfort  of  my  nights" — 
 
HYMN  213*.       METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  1 79 
 
 The  Sun  of  Righteousness  shone  into  his  heart,  dispelled  his 
 fear  and  gloom,  filled  his  heart  with  joy  and  thanksgiving.  He 
 then  afresh  broke  out  in  singing — 
 
 "  In  darkest  shades,  if  Thou  appear 
 My  dawning  is  begun  ; 
 Thou  art  my  soul's  bright  morning  star, 
 And  Thou  my  rising  sun." 
 
 That  hymn  was  an  inspiration  to  his  heart  and  life  ;  and  for 
 more  than  thirty  years  of  hard  and  anxious  toil,  he  found 
 constant  help  and  encouragement  in  using  Wesley's  hymns. 
 
 During    a    period   of   nearly    forty    years,    Mrs.    Batho,    of 
 Whitchurch,    Salop,   welcomed    the   visits    of   the    Methodist 
 preachers,  till  one  was  located  in  the  place.     She  lived  to  see  a 
 prosperous  Society  rise  from  small  beginnings.      She  suffered 
 much  in  her  last  illness,  but  she  was  enabled  to  "  Shout  victor)- 
 through  the  blood  of  the  Lamb."     Nearly  her  last  words  were — 
 "  The  opening  heavens  around  me  shine, 
 With  beams  of  sacred  bliss, 
 If  Jesus  shows  His  mercy  mine, 
 And  whispers,  I  am  His." 
 
 "Them  that  honour  me  I  will  honour,"  was  never  more 
 remarkably  manifested  than  in  the  case  of  Mr.  John  Lofthouse, 
 of  Sheffield.  Beginning  to  meet  in  class  as  a  youth,  he  resolved 
 to  find  out  what  were  the  joys  of  the  people  of  God ;  and  he 
 soon  realised  his  determination.  On  removing  to  London, 
 his  first  concern  was  to  secure  the  privilege  of  class-meeting, 
 and  this  he  did  by  meeting  with  Mr.  Butterworth,  M.P.,  as  leader 
 in  a  Sunday-morning  class,  at  seven  o'clock.  His  earnest, 
 consistent  piety,  at  Rotherham  and  Sheffield,  for  some  years 
 endeared  him  to  the  people  of  God.  In  his  last  illness,  he  was 
 exceedingly  happy.  During  the  night  before  his  death,  his 
 friends  remembering  that  an  American  physician  had  expressed 
 an  opinion  that  singing  may  greatly  soothe  the  dying,  the  third 
 and  fourth  verses  of  Hymn  213  were  sung,  and  verses  38,  39,  of 
 Romans  viii.  were  read,  which  roused  the  dying  energy  of  the 
 man  of  God,  who  cried  out,  "  My  soul  takes  hold  of  these  truths, 
 and  triumphs  through  them.  Glory  be  to  God  !  "  He  spoke  no 
 more,  but,  just  as  the  Rev.  George  Mather  was  offering  a  brief 
 prayer,  he  breathed  out  his  spirit  to  God,  14th  August,  1855. 
 
 Sarah  Vasey  received  a  clear  sense  of  sins  forgiven  in  her 
 twentieth  year,  and   diligently  attended   the   means   of  grace, 
 
l8o  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  nYMN2I4. 
 
 till  a  long  affliction  overtook  her,  during  which  she  was  very 
 severely  tried.  The  reading  of  the  Beatitudes  in  St.  Matthew's 
 Gospel  broke  the  power  of  the  tempter,  and  she  exclaimed,  in  a 
 transport  of  holy  joy,  "  Call  the  children  up,  let  us  join  together 
 to  praise  the  Lord  " — 
 
 "  Fearless  of  hell  and  ghastly  death, 
 I'd  break  through  every  foe  ; 
 The  wings  of  love,  and  arms  of  faith, 
 Would  bear  me  conqu'ror  through." 
 
 She  died  24th  October,  1831,  aged  forty  years. 
 
 Hymn  214. — "Talk  with  us.  Lord,  Thyself  reveal."— 6>«  a 
 Journey . — TuNE,  Liverpool,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1740, 
 page  127.  The  first  verse  is  left  out;  it  commences,  "Saviour, 
 who  ready  art  to  hear."  The  original  is  written  in  the  first 
 person,  thus—  "  Talk  with  me,  Lord,"  &c. ;  which  John  Wesley 
 has  altered  to  the  plural — "  Talk  with  us.  Lord." 
 
 The  idea  and  sentiment  conveyed  in  the  second  verse  are 
 borrowed  from  Milton,  who  represents  Eve  as  saying  in  one  of 
 her  addresses  to  Adam — 
 
 '•  With  Thee  conversing,  I  forget  all  time, 
 All  seasons  and  their  change  ;  all  please  alike." 
 
 But  how  is  the  sentiment  elevated  and  dignified  when  Christian 
 believers  are  taught,  in  approaching  God,  to  say — 
 
 "  With  Thee  conversing,  we  forget 
 All  time,  and  toil,  and  care ; 
 Labour  is  rest,  and  pain  is  sweet, 
 If  Thou,  my  God,  art  here." 
 
 In  the  "  Life  of  Dr.  Payson,"  when  the  last  sands  \vere  running 
 out  of  the  glass  of  Time  with  him,  he  said  :  "  I  have  been  ready 
 to  doubt  whether  pain  be  really  an  evil ;  for  though  more  pain 
 was  crowded  into  last  week  than  any  other  week  of  my  life,  yet 
 it  was  one  of  the  happiest  weeks  I  ever  spent.  And  now  I  am 
 ready  to  say,  Come  sickness,  pain,  agony,  poverty,  loss  of 
 friends ;  only  let  God  come  with  them,  and  they  shall  be 
 welcome."— ("  Life,"  p.  344.) 
 
 In  ver)'-  early  life,  Ann  Pool,  of  Wakefield,  was  under  the 
 influence  of  the  Divine  Spirit,  and  whilst  yet  young  began  to 
 meet  in  her  mother's  class.      Having  given  her  heart  to  the 
 
HYMN  2 1 6.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  l8l 
 
 Lord,  she  never  regretted  the  choice  she  had  made.  She  was 
 much  tried  during  her  last  illness,  but  she  had  enduring  peace 
 and  joy  ;  and  only  an  hour  before  her  death  she  said,  "Jesus  is 
 precious  ;  He  loves  me."  After  that,  when  labouring  under 
 severe  pain,  she  exclaimed — 
 
 **  *  Labour  is  rest,  and  pain  is  sweet, 
 If  Thou,  my  God,  art  here.'  " 
 
 Several  hymns  having  been  read  to  her  relating  to  the  merits  of 
 the  Saviour  and  the  happiness  of  heaven,  she  then  began  to  pray, 
 and  in  that  spirit  she  fell  asleep  in  Jesus,  22nd  October,  1837. 
 
 One  of  the  native  Wesleyan  ministers  of  Sierra  Leone,  Rev. 
 George  Harding  Decker,  was  first  brought  to  a  knowledge  of 
 sins  forgiven  through  the  preaching  of  the  Methodists  in 
 Freetown,  in  1836.  His  intelligence  and  piety  soon  recom- 
 mended him  for  service  in  the  Church,  and  he  was  appointed 
 an  assistant  missionary.  In  this  capacity  he  was  untiring  in 
 his  efforts  to  do  good,  and  unsparing  in  his  labours,  which 
 brought  on  cold  and  illness,  and  these  soon  terminated  in  death. 
 To  an  inquiry  as  to  his  having  a  clear  manifestation  of  divine 
 love,  he  replied  he  had  that  assurance.  "I  could  not  have 
 preached  the  Gospel  so  long  and  not  be  assured  of  this.  Yes, 
 I  feel— 
 
 "  '  Labour  is  rest,  and  pain  is  sweet 
 If  Thou,  my  God,  art  here. 
 
 I  feel  that  God  is  love,  and  that  He  has  loved  me,  and  that  if  I 
 die  at  this  moment,  I  shall  die  in  the  Lord.  He  is  my  rock  and 
 shield."     His  spirit  went  to  God,  23rd  February,  1857. 
 
 Hymn  215. — "Glorious  Saviour  of  my  soul." — God's  Ever- 
 lasting Love. — Tune,  Amsterdam,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  forming  No.  6  of  his  "  Hymns  on  God's 
 Everlasting  Love,"  1741.  The  original  has  seven  verses,  three 
 of  which  are  omitted.  It  was  inserted  by  Mr.  Wesley  in  the 
 Armiiiian  Magazine. 
 
 Hymn  216. — "Infinite,  unexhausted  Love." — After  a  Recovery. 
 —Tune,  Liverpool,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  forming  No.  92  in  "Hymns  and  Sacred 
 Poems,"  1749,  vol.  i.,  where  it  extends  to  eighteen  verses,  the 
 first  eight  and  the  tenth  being  left  out.  The  first  line  of  the 
 original  is,  "  O  what  an  evil  heart  have  I  ! " 
 
1 83  MKTHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  2 1 7. 
 
 In  this  hymn  we  have  a  remarkable  example  of  what  must 
 have  been  the  heart  searchings  of  Charles  Wesley  during  the 
 periods  of  his  forced  rest  when  laid  aside  from  active  duty  by  a 
 naturally  weak  constitution.  lie  would  seem  to  have  considered 
 his  illness  to  be  the  consequence  of  his  sin,  hence  he  says — 
 
 *'  My  trespass  was  grown  up  to  heaven  ; 
 But  far  above  the  skies, 
 In  Christ  abundantly  forgiven, 
 I  see  Thy  mercies  rise." 
 Such  faith  could  not  but  be  answered  by  a  God  who  is  ever 
 faithful    Himself,   and   especially    in    answering   prayer.      This 
 hymn  was  written  a  short  time   before  his  marriage,  and  in 
 anticipation  of  that  event,  it  is  manifest  his  jubilant  gratitude  is 
 the  greater.     Ten  years  before,  in    1739,  ^^^  ^^^   written   that 
 exhilarating  verse  commencing — 
 
 "  O  for  a  thousand  tongues  to  sing 
 My  great  Redemer's  praise  :  " 
 
 Now  he  is  not  less  earnest  in  his  conscious  sense  of  obligation 
 to  God  for  his  recovery  from  illness,  hence  the  second  stanza — 
 "What  shall  I  do  my  God  to  love? 
 My  loving  God  to  praise  ? 
 The  length,  and  breadth,  and  height,  to  prove, 
 And  depth  of  sovereign  grace  ?  " 
 
 Hymn  217. — "Jesus  to  Thee  I  now  can  fly." — A/fer  a  Relapse 
 mto  52«.— Tune,  Morning  Song,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1742, 
 page  141.  The  original  has  ten  verses,  the  first  five  and  the 
 seventh  being  omitted. 
 
 The  Rev.  F.  W.  Briggs,  in  a  brief  biography  of  Mrs.  Maria 
 Fernley,  of  Manchester,  who  died  at  Stockport,  says  that  though 
 her  sufferings  were  extremely  severe,  yet  she  retained  clearness 
 and  collectedness  of  mind,  and  found  much  comfort  in  repeating 
 portions  of  Scripture  and  verses  of  hymns.  Those  plaintive  lines 
 of  Charles  Wesley's,  "  In  age  and  feebleness  extreme,"  &c.,  were 
 in  her  constant  recollection,  and  also  the  last  verse  of  Hymn  217 — 
 
 "Jesus,  my  Strength,  my  Life,  my  Rest, 
 On  Thee  will  I  depend. 
 Till  summon'dto  the  marriage-feast, 
 When  faith  in  sight  shall  end." 
 She  died  13th  January,  1864,  aged  sixty-five  years. 
 
HYMN  219.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  183 
 
 Hymn  218. — "See  how  great  a  flame  aspires." — After  Preach- 
 ing to  the  Newcastle  Colliers. — TUNE,  Magdalen,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  and  forms  199  in  "Hymns  and  Sacred 
 Poems,"  1749,  vol.  i.  There  are  in  the  volume  four  hymns 
 under  this  title,  this  being  the  fourth.  It  was  written  as  an 
 evidence  of  thanksgiving  to  God  for  the  success  of  the  Gospel 
 amongst  the  colliers  of  the  North.  The  imagery  of  the  first 
 verse  was  suggested  by  the  furnace-blasts  and  burning  pit-heaps 
 which  even  now  are  scattered  thickly  over  the  district  for  some 
 miles  around  Newcastle-on-Tyne,  and  which  illuminate  the 
 whole  neighbourhood.  In  the  last  verse  allusion  is  made  to  the 
 prophet  Elijah  and  the  coming  rain   (i  Kings  xviii.  44,  45). 
 
 The  imagery  of  the  poet  in  this  hymn  is  so  exceeding  char- 
 acteristic of  the  spread  of  vital  religion,  that  it  has  become  a 
 favourite  at  missionary  services  in  other  Churches  besides 
 Methodist  ones.  The  singing  of  this  hymn  has  kindled  scores 
 of  large  congregations  into  holy  enthusiam  and  delight. 
 
 Hymn  219. — "All  thanks  be  to  God.''— Than ksgivijtg for  the 
 Success  of  the  Gospel. — Tune,  Derby,  1781. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  forming  No.  3  in  "Redemption  Hymns." 
 The  original  has  eight  verses,  the  fourth  being  left  out. 
 
 Gwennap,  in  Cornwall,  is  a  place  made  famous  by  the  suc- 
 cessful preaching  of  the  Wesleys  in  the  great  amphitheatre — 
 a  circular  green  hollow,  covering  a  surface  of  fourscore  square 
 yards,  gently  sloping  down  about  fifty  feet  deep,  and  known  as 
 the  Gwennap  Pit.  Here  the  two  founders  of  Methodism 
 preached  often  to  immense  multitudes,  once  to  twenty-five 
 thousand  persons.  On  one  occasion  after  Charles  Wesley 
 had  preached  at  Gwennap,  in  July,  1744,  such  blessed  results 
 followed  that  he  commemorated  the  incident  by  a  dialogue  hymn, 
 entitled  "  Naomi  and  Ruth ;  adapted  to  the  Minister  and  the 
 People."  In  August,  1746,  Charles  Wesley  paid  his  last  visit  to 
 that  memorable  locality,  where  he  "  found  at  least  five  thousand 
 miners  waiting  for  the  glad  tidings  of  salvation."  "  On  Sunday, 
 loth  August,"  writes  Charles  Wesley,  in  his  Journal,  "for  nearly 
 two  hours  nine  or  ten  thousand,  by  computation,  listened  with 
 all  eagerness,"  while  he  commended  them  to  God  and  to  the 
 word  of  His  grace.  "Never,"  he  continues,  "had  we  so 
 large  an  infusion  of  the  Holy  Spirit  as  in  the  Society.  I 
 could  not  doubt  at  that  time  either  their  perseverance  or  my 
 
184  MIuTHODIST  IIVMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  222. 
 
 own."  The  next  day,  i  ith  August,  1746,  he  joyfully  surveyed  the 
 glorious  progress  of  his  labours  in  that  deeply  interesting 
 locality,  and  expressed  his  gratitude  of  heart  in  the  hymn  of 
 thanksgiving  commencing — 
 
 "All  thanks  be  to  God, 
 Who  scatters  abroad,"  (Sec. 
 
 Hymn  220. — "All  glory  to  God  in  the  sky." — The  Nativity. — 
 Tune,  Thou  Shepherd  of  Israel,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  forming  No.  18  in  "  Hymns  for  the  Nativity 
 of  our  Lord."  This  hymn  is  a  fine  poetical  picture  of  the  results 
 of  Christianity  as  foretold  in  Isaiah  xxxii.  17 — the  effects  of 
 righteousness  being  quietness  and  assurance  for  ever.  John 
 Wesley  said  this  was  the  best  of  his  brother's  Nativity  hymns. 
 The  metre  is  appropriate,  and  the  diction  of  the  hymn  is  smooth 
 and  harmonious. 
 
 For  thirty  years  George  Fowler,  farmer,  Gunhouse,  near 
 Epworth,  lived  according  to  the  fashion  of  this  world.  In  1800 
 he  was  prevailed  upon  to  attend  a  Methodist  service,  held  in  a 
 cottage,  on  Christmas  Day,  at  Scotton.  On  hearing  the  hymn 
 given  out — 
 
 **  All  glory  to  God  in  the  sky,"  &c., 
 
 his  attention  was  arrested,  his  convictions  for  sin  deepened  to 
 sincere  repentance ;  he  saw  the  way  of  salvation,  believed,  and 
 obtained  pardon,  and  was  changed  from  sin  to  holiness.  The 
 change  was  abiding,  and  for  thirty  years  he  maintained  his 
 confidence  in  God,  and  died  happy,  27th  October,  1836,  aged 
 sixty-seven. 
 
 Hymn  221. — "  Meet  and  right  it  is  to  sing." — For  the  Watch- 
 night. — Tune,  Amsterdam,  1761, 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  forming  No.  97  in  "  Hymns  and  Sacred 
 Poems,"  1749,  vol.  ii.  The  second  verse  of  Hymn  221  is  similar 
 in  idea  to  the  second  verse  of  Hymn  316,  by  Dr.  Watts,  memor- 
 able as  the  last  words  of  the  late  Rev.  Dr.  Joseph  Beaumont. 
 
 Hymn  222. — "  How  happy,  gracious  Lord  !  are  we." — For  the 
 Watch-jiight. — TUNE,  Snows  Fields,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  forming  No.  96  in  "Hymns  and  Sacred 
 Poems,"  1749,  vol.  ii.     The  language  used  by  the  poet  in  this 
 
HYMN  223.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  185 
 
 and  the  preceding  hymn  is  peculiarly  appropriate  for  the  occasion 
 for  which  they  were  written. 
 
 Hymn  223. — "When  Israel  out  of  Eg^-pt  came." — Psahn  cxiv, 
 — Tune,  Sheffield,  1761. 
 
 This  is  Charles  Wesley's  version  of  Psalm  cxiv.,  found  in  a 
 "  Collection  of  Psalms  and  Hymns,"  published  by  John  and 
 Charles  Wesley,  second  edition,  page  109,  date  1743  ;  and  also 
 in  Charles  Wesley's  version  of  the  Psalms  by  H.  Fish.  It  has 
 been  wrongly  attributed  to  Addison  and  to  Andrew  Marvell. 
 Dr.  Watts  commences  his  version  of  this  Psalm  in  similar 
 language — 
 
 "  When  Israel,  freed  from  Pharaoh's  hand, 
 Left  the  proud  tyrant  and  his  land." 
 
 In  a  collection  of  hymns  prepared  for  the  use  of  the  United 
 Methodist  Free  Churches,  edited  by  the  Rev.  James  Everett, 
 this  psalm  is  assigned  to  Addison,  and  for  this  reason — "  In  No. 
 461  of  the  spectator^  there  is  given  one  of  several  versions  of 
 this  psalm,  and  this,  probably,  was  the  occasion  of  Mr.  Everett's 
 mistake;  especially  as  the  two  first  words,  'When  Israel,' are 
 in  both  versions.  But  even  the  hymn  in  the  Spectator  is  not 
 Addison's,  but  Dr.  Watts'.  It  is  somewhat  remarkable  that 
 Milton  has  given  two  renderings  of  the  same  psalm,  one  English, 
 one  Greek.  I  will  just  set  down  the  English  version  (made  when 
 the  author  was  fifteen),  and  that  of  Dr.  Watts — 
 
 Milton. 
 
 "  '  When  the  blest  seed  of  Terah's  faithful  son,    . 
 After  long  toil  their  liberty  had  won. 
 And  past  from  Pharian  fields  to  Canaan  land, 
 Led  by  the  strength  of  the  Almighty's  hand  ; 
 Jehovah's  wonders  were  in  Israel  shown, 
 His  praise  and  glory  was  in  Israel  known. 
 That  saw  the  troubled  sea,  and  shivering  fled. 
 And  sought  to  hide  his  froth-becurled  head 
 Low  in  the  earth  ;  Jordan's  clear  streams  recoil, 
 As  a  faint  host  that  hath  received  the  foil. 
 The  high  huge-bellied  mountains  skip,  like  rams 
 Amongst  their  ewes' ;  the  little  hills,  like  lambs. 
 Why  fled  the  ocean  ?    And  why  skipt  the  mountains  ? 
 Why  turned  Jordan  toward  his  crystal  fountains  ! 
 
1 86  METHODIST  HYMN  liOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  224. 
 
 Shake  earth  ;  and  the  presence  be  aghast 
 
 Of  Him  that  ever  was,  and  aye  shall  last  ;  * 
 
 That  glassy  floods  from  rugged  rocks  can  crush, 
 
 And  make  soft  rills  from  fiery  flint-stones  gush.' 
 
 Dr  Watts. 
 
 *'  'When  Israel,  freed  from  Pharaoh's  hand, 
 Left  the  proud  tyrant  and  his  land  ; 
 Their  tribes  with  cheerful  homage  own 
 Their  King,  and  Judah  was  His  throne. 
 
 Across  the  deep  their  journey  lay  ; 
 The  deep  divides  to  make  them  way  ; 
 Jordan  beheld  their  march,  and  fled 
 With  backward  current  to  his  head. 
 
 The  mountains  shook  like  frighted  sheep. 
 Like  lambs  the  little  hillocks  leap ; 
 Not  Sinai  on  her  base  could  stand, 
 Conscious  of  sovereign  power  at  hand. 
 
 What  power  could  make  the  deep  divide  ! 
 Make  Jordan  backward  roll  his  tide  ? 
 Why  did  ye  leap,  ye  little  hills  ? 
 And  whence  the  fright  that  Sinai  feels  ? 
 
 Let  every  mountain,  every  flood 
 Retire,  and  know  the  approaching  God, 
 The  King  of  Israel :  see  Him  here  ! 
 Tremble,  thou  earth,  adore  and  fear. 
 
 He  thunders,  and  all  nature  mourns, 
 The  rock  to  standing  pools  He  turns  ; 
 Flints  spring  with  fountains  at  His  word, 
 And  fires  and  seas  confess  the  Lord.'" 
 
 Hymn  224.—"  I'll  praise  my  Maker  while  I've  hrea-th."— Praise 
 to  God  for  His  Goodjiess. — TUNE,  113th  Psalm,  1761. 
 
 This  memorable  composition  forms  Dr.  Watts'  version  of 
 Psalm  cxlvi.,  published  1719.  The  original  has  six  verses,  the 
 second  and  third  being  omitted.  The  first  line  John  Wesley  has 
 altered  from  "  I'll  praise  my  Maker  ivith  ??iy  breath  ;"  and  verse 
 three  in  the  original  reads  thus — 
 
 "  The  Lord  hath  eyes  to  give  the  blind, 
 The  Lord  supports  the  sinking  mind." 
 
HYMN  224.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  187 
 
 These  and  other  judicious  alterations,  made  by  John  Wesley, 
 add  much  to  the  value  of  the  hymn.  The  thought  of  the  poet 
 in  the  third  verse  seems  to  be  borrowed  from  Pope's  "  Messiah  " — 
 
 "  AH  ye  blind,  behold  ! 
 
 He  from  thick  films  shall  purge  the  visual  ray, 
 And  on  the  sightless  eyeballs  pour  the  day.'* 
 
 The  venerable  founder  of  Methodism  died  in  great  peace.  On 
 Monday,  28th  February,  1791,  he  was  exceedingly  weak,  slept 
 much,  and  spoke  but  little.  On  Tuesday  morning,  he  sang  two 
 verses  of  a  hymn,  then,  lying  still,  as  if  to  recover  strength,  he 
 called  for  pen  and  ink,  but  could  not  write.  Miss  Ritchie 
 proposed  to  write  for  him,  and  asked  what  to  say.  He  replied, 
 "  Nothing,  but  that  God  is  with  us."  In  the  forenoon  he  said, 
 "  I  will  get  up."  While  they  were  preparing  his  clothes,  he 
 broke  out  in  a  manner  that  astonished  all  who  were  about  him 
 in  singing — 
 
 *'  I'll  praise  my  Maker  while  I've  breath  ; 
 And  when  my  voice  is  lost  in  death, 
 
 Praise  shall  employ  my  nobler  powers  ; 
 My  days  of  praise  shall  ne'er  be  past, 
 While  life,  and  thought,  and  being  last. 
 Or  immortality  endures." 
 
 Having  finished  the  verse,  and  got  him  into  his  chair,  they 
 observed  him  change  for  death.  But  he,  regardless  of  his  dying 
 body,  said  with  a  weak  voice,  "  Lord,  Thou  givest  strength  ; 
 speak  to  all  our  hearts,  and  let  them  know  that  Thou  loosest 
 tongues."     He  then  sung  one  of  his  brother's  doxologies — 
 
 "  To  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost, 
 Who  sweetly  all  agree." 
 
 Here  his  voice  failed.  After  gasping  for  breath,  he  said,  "  Now 
 we  have  done  all."  He  was  then  laid  on  the  bed,  from  which 
 he  rose  no  more.  Later  in  the  day  he  tried  again  to  speak,  and 
 with  all  his  remaining  strength  said,  "  The  best  of  all  is,  God  is 
 with  us."  During  the  night  following,  and  early  on  Wednesday 
 morning,  2nd  March,  he  often  attempted  to  repeat  Dr.  Watts' 
 Psalm  cxlvi.,  but  could  only  get  out — 
 
 "I'll  praise  ;  I'll  praise." 
 
 His  end  drew  near.  His  old  and  faithful  friend,  Joseph  Brad- 
 ford, now  prayed  with  him  ;  and  the  last  word  he  was  heard 
 
l8S  METHODIST  HYMN  HOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  224. 
 
 to  articulate  was  "  Farewell."  A  few  minutes  before  ten  o'clock 
 on  Wednesday  morning,  2nd  March,  1791,  while  a  number  of 
 friends  were  kneeling  round  his  bed,  died  John  Wesley,  in  his 
 eighty-eighth  year. 
 
 The  interest  which  attaches  to  this  composition,  from  the 
 circumstances  just  related,  has  caused  its  use  by  many  dying 
 saints. 
 
 George  Shadford  was  a  native  of  Scotter,  Lincolnshire  ;  born 
 in  1739,  brought  up  in  the  Church  of  England,  was  confirmed  at 
 the  age  of  fourteen,  received  the  sacrament  at  sixteen,  and 
 became  very  serious.  All  his  good  resolutions  were  scattered 
 by  joining  the  militia  ;  but  whilst  staying  at  Gainsborough  his 
 mind  was  awakened  by  hearing  the  Methodists.  These  convic- 
 tions were  deepened.  After  obtaining  his  discharge,  he  attended 
 Methodist  services.  One  day  the  preacher  called  out,  "Is  there 
 any  young  man  here,  about  my  age,  willing  to  give  up  all  and 
 come  to  Christ.'*"  That  appeal,  so  pointed  and  personal,  led 
 to  his  decision  for  God.  He  began  to  pray,  joined  the  Society, 
 became  an  exhorter,  and  in  1766,  began  to  preach  in  the  Epworth 
 circuit.  He  afterwards  met  Captain  Webb,  and  hearing  his 
 appeal  for  America,  he  offered  to  go  there,  and  in  that  country- 
 he  laboured  with  much  acceptance.  After  his  return  to  England, 
 he  continued  to  preach  till  infirmity  arrested  his  career.  For 
 nearly  fifty-four  years  he  enjoyed  a  sense  of  the  divine  favour, 
 and  at  the  close  of  his  useful  life,  he  said  with  much  energy, 
 "  The  prize  is  sure,"  and  just  before  he  expired  he  said — 
 
 *'  I'll  praise  ;  I'll  praise." 
 
 He  could  not  finish  the  line,  but  with  those  words  on  his  lips  he 
 fell  asleep  in  Jesus,  nth  March,  1816,  aged  seventy-seven. 
 
 The  Rev.  Samuel  Woolmer,  father  of  the  Wesleyan  book-, 
 steward,  after  a  useful  career  of  thirty  years  as  a  Methodist 
 preacher,  was  seized  with  paralysis.  After  the  third  attack,  from 
 which  he  suffered  for  nearly  a  year,  he  one  day  rallied,  and  said 
 how  greatly  he  should  rejoice  if  again  raised  up  for  work,  but  if 
 not  he  said,  "  I  shall  praise  Him,"  and  with  holy  ardour  repeated 
 the  verse — 
 
 "  ril  praise  my  Maker  while  I've  breath ; 
 And  when  my  voice  is  lost  in  death,"  &c. 
 
 He  lingered  in  great  feebleness  a  little  longer,  then  peacefully 
 entered  into  rest,  i8th  June,  1827,  aged  fifty-five  years. 
 
HYMN  227.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  1 89 
 
 Hymn  225.— "Praise  ye  the  Lord!  'tis  good  to  raise."— 77/^ 
 Divine  Nature^  Providence^  and  Grace. — Tune,  Kettlesby's, 
 1761. 
 
 Dr.  Watts'  version  of  Psalm  cxlvii.,  from  Wesley's  "  Collection 
 of  Psalms  and  Hymns,"  third  edition,  1743.  The  original  has 
 eight  verses,  the  second  and  fourth  being  omitted. 
 
 Hymn  226. — "Eternal  Wisdom  !  Thee  we  praise." — Sojig to 
 Creaiijig  IVisdom. — Tune,  Hallelujah,  1761. 
 
 Dr.  Watts',  from  "Horag  Lyricas,"  1705.  It  is  found  in  Wesley's 
 "Collection  of  Psalms  and  Hymns,"  third  edition,  1743,  where 
 it  appears  with  some  of  John  Wesley's  judicious  alterations. 
 Four  verses  of  the  original  are  omitted. 
 
 Hymn  227. — "  How  do  Thy  mercies  close  me  round  !" — 
 At  lyi7ig  dowji. — TUNE,  Evesham,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "  Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1740, 
 page  129.  The  original  has  ten  verses,  the  three  last  being 
 omitted.  The  language  of  this  hymn  adapts  it  especially  for 
 singing  at  the  close  of  the  day. 
 
 Converted  to  God  at  the  age  of  twenty,  Mrs.  Hunter,  of 
 Barton-on-Humber,  zealously  sought  to  bring  others  to  a  know- 
 ledge of  Christ.  She  was  meek,  consistent,  and  earnest ;  given 
 to  hospitality,  a  lover  of  the  sanctuar)^,  and  of  the  Lord's  people. 
 In  her  last  illness,  and  when  recovery  was  hopeless,  she  spoke 
 much  of  her  mercies,  often  repeating — 
 
 "  How  do  Thy  mercies  close  me  round  ! 
 For  ever  be  Thy  name  adored  ; 
 I  blush  in  all  things  to  abound  ; 
 The  servant  is  above  his  Lord  ! " 
 
 She  died  very  happy,  a  mother  in  Israel,  4th  Februar}',  1866. 
 
 The  Rev.  Nathaniel  Turner,  pioneer  missionary  to  the  South 
 Seas,  was  once  comparing  experience  with  an  Irish  Methodist 
 itinerant.  Labouring  amongst  Erin's  poorest  families,  he  one 
 day  had  travelled  far,  preached  several  times,  and  closed  with 
 an  evening  service.  He  was  entertained  for  the  night,  with  his 
 host  and  family,  and  pig,  and  calf,  and  fowls,  in  the  same  room, 
 and  pretty  close  to  his  bed.  The  whole  company  might  have 
 been  happy,  but  the  novelty  of  the  inmates  kept  the  missionary 
 
IQO  METHODIST  IIVMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  227. 
 
 wakeful,   and   in   tlic   middle    of   the    nij^ht   he   broke   out   in 
 
 singing— 
 
 *'  How  do  Thy  mercies  close  nie  round  ! 
 For  ever  be  Thy  name  adored  ; 
 I  blush  in  all  things  to  abound  ; 
 The  servant  is  above  his  Lord  !" 
 
 The  pioneer  in  the  South  Seas  and.  the  son  of  Erin  felt  them- 
 selves about  equal  in  domestic  occasional  experience. 
 
 As  early  as  the  age  of  sixteen,  Mrs.  Bush,  of  Bath,  joined 
 the  Methodist  Society,  and  remained  an  exemplary  member 
 for  fifty-nine  years.  Gratitude,  humility,  and  anxiety  for  the 
 welfare  of  others  characterised  her  long  Christian  course.  In 
 her  last  illness  she  was  subject  to  much  suffering,  weakness, 
 and  conflict ;  but  she  enjoyed  much  of  the  Saviour's  love  ;  and 
 in  the  face  of  her  spiritual  foes,  when  her  lips  were  trembling, 
 her  friends  were  rejoiced  to  hear  her  exclaim — 
 
 "  *  Jesus  protects  ;  my  fears,  begone  ! 
 
 What  can  the  Rock  of  Ages  move  ? 
 Safe  in  Thy  arms  I  lay  me  down, 
 Thy  everlasting  arms  of  love.'  " 
 
 Her  faith  was  vigorous,  and  her  prospect  clear  as  she  entered 
 the  Canaan  of  rest,  30th  June,  1848,  aged  seventy-five. 
 
 The  conversion  of  Samuel  Scholes,  of  Higher-Moor,  near 
 Oldham,  occurred  in  this  wise.  In  the  year  1777,  being  in  his 
 garden  on  a  Sunday  viewing  his  flowers,  an  earthquake 
 occurred.  This  convulsion  so  alarmed  his  fears  that  he  ran 
 into  the  house  for  his  Prayer  Book,  and  read  from  the  Litany, 
 "  From  lightning  and  tempest ;  from  plague,  pestilence,  and 
 famine  ;  from  battle  and  murder,  and  from  sudden  death—  Good 
 Lord  deliver  us."  Through  the  same  occurrence  his  wife  also 
 became  convinced  of  sin.  Both  joined  the  Methodist  Society, 
 and  soon  afterwards  they  found  peace  with  God.  Samuel  was 
 made  a  class-leader,  and  during  fifty-three  years  all  the  members 
 of  his  class  who  departed  this  life  died  happy.  During  a  severe 
 illness  he  maintained  his  peace  with  God,  and  when  recovering 
 from  a  sharp  paroxysm,  addressing  Himself  to  his  Heavenly 
 Father,  he  said — 
 
 "  Me  for  Thine  own  Thou  lov'st  to  take, 
 In  time  and  in  eternity  : 
 Thou  never,  never  wilt  forsake 
 A  helpless  worm  that  trusts  in  Thee." 
 
HYMN  228*.       METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  I9I 
 
 He  departed  in  great  peace,  17th  November,  1833,  aged  eighty- 
 four  years. 
 
 The  influence  of  early  parental  instruction,  example,  and 
 prayer,  under  the  divine  blessing,  was  evinced  by  the  conversion 
 to  God  of  Hannah  Kitson,  at  the  age  of  eighteen,  and  she 
 joined  the  class  of  her  father,  Mr.  Kitson,  of  Wakefield.  From 
 that  period  till  the  time  of  her  death  her  piety  was  manifest 
 in  all  the  duties  of  life.  She  was  afterwards  married  to  the 
 Rev.  William  Vevers.  Owing  to  the  excitement  attending  the 
 Leeds  Conference  of  1837,  her  residence  being  at  the  Conference 
 Chapel  House,  an  attack  of  paralysis  seized  her,  which  was 
 followed  by  others  ;  but  during  her  sufferings  her  mind  was 
 unclouded,  and  her  spirit  was  at  peace.  Her  father,  at  the  age 
 of  eighty-four,  took  to  his  bed  on  the  same  day  as  Mrs.  Vevers, 
 and  survived  her  only  a  few  days.  On  hearing  of  his  illness, 
 she  said,  "Tell  my  father  and  sister  I  die  happy."  A  few 
 hours  before  her  death,  after  a  night  of  restlessness,  she  sweetly 
 said,  "  He  will  lay  no  more  upon  me  than  He  will  enable  me  to 
 bear. 
 
 "  '  He  never,  never  will  forsake 
 
 A  helpless  soul  that  trusts  in  Him,'  " 
 
 She  breathed  her  spirit  in  great  tranquillity  into  the  hands  of 
 her  Saviour,  17th  March,  1840,  aged  forty-eight. 
 
 Hymn  228*.—"  Thou  Shepherd  of  Israel,  and  mine."—"  Tell  me, 
 O  Thou,  whom  my  sotd  lovethP — TuNE,  Thou  Shepherd  of 
 Israel,  1761. 
 
 This  is  No.  931  of  Charles  Wesley's  "Short  Scripture  Hymns," 
 vol.  i.  It  is  a  rich  evangelical  exposition  and  application  of 
 Solomon's  Song  i.  7.     This  was  added  in  the  year  1797. 
 
 Mrs.  Wilson,  of  Waterford,  received  the  evidence  of  her 
 adoption  into  the  family  of  God  when  reading  Isaiah  vi.  in  her 
 closet  at  the  age  of  eighteen.  Whilst  reading,  "  Thy  iniquity  is 
 taken  away,  and  thy  sin  is  purged,"  she  was  "  filled  with  joy  and 
 peace  in  believing."  She  became  a  useful  Christian  ;  and,  as 
 the  mother  of  a  large  family,  saw  her  eldest  son  engaged  as  a 
 local  preacher  at  the  age  of  nineteen,  and  five  of  her  daughters 
 in  early  life  converted  to  God,  and  meeting  with  her  in  the  same 
 class.  She  lived  to  enjoy  that  "  perfect  love  "  which  casteth  out 
 fear.  The  day  before  her  death,  she  prayed  with  each  of  her 
 children,  and  to  the  physician  and  clergyman  who  visited  her 
 
192  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  229. 
 
 she  spoke  with  earnestness  on  the  prcciousness  of  Christ,  and 
 frequently  repeated  the  hymn  commencing — 
 *'  Thou  Shepherd  of  Israel,  and  mine, 
 The  joy  and  desire  of  my  heart ; 
 For  closer  communion  I  pine, 
 I  long  to  reside  where  Thou  art." 
 
 After  repeating  this  hymn,  she  said,  "  Thanks  be  to  God,  who 
 giveth  me  the  victor)'."  Whilst  repeating,  "Victory  through  the 
 blood  of  the  Lamb,"  she  entered  into  rest,  28th  August,  1836, 
 aged  fifty. 
 
 Mary  Martin  was  a  native  of  Coughton,  where  she  was  born 
 in  March,  1794.  In  early  life  she  accompanied  her  mother  to 
 the  class  meeting,  and  herself  joined  the  Methodist  Society  in 
 181 1.  Her  conversion  to  God  was  clear  and  genuine,  and  the 
 change  in  her  conduct  was  manifested  in  a  lengthened  life  of 
 consistency  in  religion.  The  Sabbath  School,  the  Bible  Society, 
 and  the  Missionary  Society  all  shared  her  earnest  attention 
 during  her  subsequent  life.  She  was  a  woman  of  strong  faith, 
 and  of  unshaken  trust  in  Providence.  In  prayer  she  had  power 
 with  God,  and  prevailed ;  and  one  result  of  her  entire  devotion 
 to  God  was,  "  her  face  shone  as  if  it  had  been  the  face  of  an 
 angel."  She  manifested  in  her  career  through  life  as  much  of 
 Martha's  carefulness  as  was  consistent  wnih  Mar>''s  devotional 
 spirit.  The  Bible  and  Wesley's  hymns  were  her  favourite 
 books.     She  fully  entered  into  the  spirit  of  Charles  Wesley's 
 
 hymn — 
 
 "  When  quiet  in  my  house  I  sit, 
 Thy  Book  be  my  companion  still,"  «S:c, 
 
 Another  of  her  favourite  hymns  she  often  sung,  commencing — 
 *  *  Thou  Shepherd  of  Israel  and  mine  ; 
 Thou  joy  and  desire  of  my  heart,"  &c. 
 
 Up  to  the  end  of  life  she  delighted  in  attending  the  class- 
 meeting,  and  had  especial  pleasure  in  ministering  to  the  temporal 
 necessities  of  the  Lord's  people  ;  both  the  travelling  and  local 
 preachers  found  a  welcome  in  her  home.  She  died  in  great  peace 
 at  Church_Stanton,  21st  October,  1870,  aged  seventy-five  years. 
 
 Hymn  229. — "  God  of  my  life,  to  Thee." — On  his  Birthday. — 
 Tune,  Miss  Edwins,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  forming  No.  123  in  "Hymns  and  Sacred 
 Poems,"  1749,  vol.  i.     The  fifth  verse  of  the  original  is  left  out. 
 
HYMN  230.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  1 93 
 
 The  singular  idea  in  the  last  two  lines  is  founded  on  a  tradition 
 amongst  the  Jews,  that  the  Almighty  drew  the  soul  or  spirit  of 
 Moses  out  of  his  body  by  a  kiss.  Dr.  Watts,  in  his  lyric  poem 
 on  the  death  of  Moses,  gives  the  same  idea  thus — 
 
 **  Softly  his  fainting  head  he  lay 
 Upon  his  Maker's  breast ; 
 His  Maker  kissed  his  soul  away 
 And  laid  his  flesh  to  rest." 
 
 The  opinion  thus  conveyed  is  Jewish  in  its  character,  and  is 
 delicate,  touching,  and  sublime  in  its  phraseology. 
 
 As  early  as  her  thirteenth  year,  Mary  Hardy,  of  Duffield, 
 Derby,  afterwards  of  Falcon  Street,  London,  was  convinced  of 
 sin  under  a  sermon  preached  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Gill,  of  Matlock, 
 and  soon  afterwards  she  entered  into  full  liberty  from  sin.  Her 
 love  of  the  world  was  now  changed  for  love  to  the  Scriptures, 
 the  services  of  the  sanctuary,  and  the  people  of  God ;  and  she 
 became  a  zealous  Sunday-school  teacher  and  collector  for  the 
 missions.  Happy  in  her  marriage,  she  adorned  her  godly 
 profession  by  a  useful  Christian  life,  and  lived  to  realise  the 
 blessing  of  entire  sanctification.  During  a  brief  illness  she 
 found  Christ  to  be  precious,  and  delighted  in  repeating  some 
 favourite  hymns,  especially  the  lines — 
 
 '*  Then  when  the  work  is  done, 
 The  work  of  faith  with  power ; 
 Like  Moses,  to  Thyself  convey, 
 And  kiss  my  raptured  soul  away." 
 
 Her  last  words  were — "Angels  wait  to  convey  me  to  glory. 
 Very  happy  !"  And  thus  she  entered  into  rest,  19th  June,  183 1, 
 aged  thirty-three  years. 
 
 Hymn  230. — "Fountain  of  life  and  all  my  joy." — On  his 
 Birthday.— Txi'^Y.,  Whitsunday,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1742, 
 page  122.  The  original  has  ten  verses,  the  first  three  and  three 
 others  being  left  out.  It  was  written  i8th  December,  1741,  and 
 in  the  omitted  verses  the  poet  alludes  to  that  singular  desire  for 
 death  which  has  found  its  way  into  many  of  his  early  effusions. 
 He  lived  after  this  hymn  was  written  forty-seven  years,  but  they 
 were  years  of  hard  mental  toil. 
 
 N 
 
194  METHOIJIST  HVMN  I'.OOK  NOTES.  HYMN  231. 
 
 HVMN  231. — "  Away  with  our  fears !    The  glad  morning  appears." 
 — On  his  Birthday. — TUNE,  Builth,  1761. 
 
 This  forms  No.  191  in  Charles  Wesley's  "  Hymns  and  Sacred 
 Poems,"  1749,  "^o"-  ii-  The  original  is  in  fourteen  six-line  stanzas. 
 In  the  first  line,  "my  fears"  is  altered  to  "our  fears."  Two 
 verses  are  left  out.  Some  of  the  lines  are  strikingly  appropriate 
 to  the  founder  of  Methodism.  Few  persons  besides  the  brothers 
 Wesley  could  say  of  friends  what  Charles  Wesley  says  in  one 
 of  the  omitted  verses — 
 
 "  How  rich  in  the  friends  Thy  providence  sends 
 To  help  my  infirmity  on  ! 
 What  a  number  I  see  Who  could  suffer  for  me, 
 And  ransom  my  life  with  their  own  !  " 
 
 Forty-two  years  after  this  hymn  was  written,  and  after  the  poet 
 had  entered  the  realms  of  the  blessed,  John  Wesley  made  this 
 affecting  reference  to  this  hymn:  "I  this  day  (17th  June,  1788), 
 enter  on  my  eighty-fifth  year  ;  and  what  cause  have  I  to  praise 
 God,  as  for  a  thousand  spiritual  blessings  so  for  bodily  blessings 
 also  !  How  little  have  I  suffered  yet  by  the  rush  of  numerous 
 years  !  .  .  .  Even  now,  though  I  find  daily  pain  in  my  eye,  or 
 temple,  or  arm,  yet  it  is  never  violent,  and  seldom  lasts  many 
 minutes  at  a  time.  Whether  or  not  this  is  sent  to  give  me 
 warning  that  I  am  shortly  to  quit  this  tabernacle,  I  do  not 
 know  ;  but,  be  it  one  way  or  the  other,  I  have  only  to  say — 
 
 "  My  remnant  of  days  I  spend  in  His  praise, 
 Who  died  the  whole  world  to  redeem  : 
 My  days  are  His  due,  Be  they  many  or  few, 
 And  they  all  are  devoted  to  Him." 
 
 Fifty  years'  labour  as  a  Methodist  preacher  during  the  last 
 century,  and  five  of  them  passed  in  travelling  the  almost 
 untrodden  wilds  of  America,  as  a  pioneer  missionary  and  super- 
 intendent, prior  to  1780,  represents  an  amount  of  toil  and  service 
 of  which  few  in  these  days  can  have  any  knowledge.  Such  a 
 career  was  that  of  the  Rev.  Thomas  Rankin.  The  whip  which 
 accompanied  the  good  man  during  his  five  years'  journeyings  in 
 America  on  horseback,  has  long  been  a  treasured  relic  belonging 
 to  the  author  of  these  notes.  He  convened  and  presided  over 
 the  first  Conference  of  Methodist  preachers  in  America,  and  all 
 the  preachers  present  were  born  in  Great  Britain  or  Ireland. 
 His  zeal  for  the  glory  of  God,  and  his  love  to  souls,  suffered  no 
 
HYMN  234.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  1 95 
 
 abatement  during  a  long  life  ;  and  he  continued  to  preach  with 
 much  acceptance  and  profit  to  the  close  of  his  days.  During 
 his  last  illness,  he  said  to  a  friend,  "  I  did  not  immediately  join 
 the  Methodists  when  awakened  and  converted  ;  I  hesitated  for 
 some  time  ;  but  glory  be  to  God  that  He  inclined  me  to  cast  in 
 my  lot  among  them  !  "  Then  referring  to  one  of  his  favourite 
 hymns,  he  quoted  part  of  it  as  expressing  his  feelings  and 
 experience  at  the  end  of  his  pilgrimage — 
 
 "  From  Jehovah  I  came,  For  His  glory  I  am, 
 
 And  to  Him  I  with  singing  return  ; 
 What  a  mercy  is  this  !     What  a  heaven  of  bliss  ! 
 
 How  unspeakably  happy  am  I  ! 
 Gathered  into  the  fold,  With  Thy  people  enrolled, 
 
 With  Thy  people  to  live  and  to  die." 
 
 He  lived  a  long  life  of  honourable  usefulness,  and  died  rejoicing 
 in  God  his  Saviour,  and  was  buried  in  City  Road  Chapel  ground ; 
 his  character  being  sketched  at  the  time  of  his  funeral  by  three 
 Presidents  of  the  Conference,  his  friends  in  the  ministry,  the 
 Rev.  Walter  Griffith,  the  Rev.  Henry  Moore,  and  the  Rev. 
 Joseph  Benson.  Crowds  of  people  attended  at  his  funeral,  and 
 to  hear  the  funeral  sermon  which  was  preached  afterwards.  He 
 died  17th  May,  18 10,  aged  seventy-four,  and  was  interred  near 
 to  Mr.  Wesley.  His  name  was  not  in  the  minutes  of  Conference 
 when  he  died,  as  he  had  entered  into  business  when  no  longer 
 able  to  itinerate  as  a  preacher,  refusing  to  receive  the  small 
 pittance  then  offered  to  supernumerary  preachers,  so  long  as  he 
 could  earn  his  living  as  a  coal  merchant. 
 
 Hymn  232. — "Young  men  and  maidens  x-dAS^P— For  Children. 
 — Tune,  Trumpet,  1761. 
 
 This  forms  No.  65  of  Charles  Wesley's  "  Hymns  for  Children," 
 and  is  a  spirited  paraphrase  of  Psalm  cxlviii.  12,  13. 
 
 Hymn  233. — "Happy  man  whom  God  doth  aid  !" — For 
 
 Childreji. — TuNE,  Hotham,  1761. 
 
 Forms  No.  18  of  Charles  Wesley's  "Hymns  for  Children." 
 
 Hymn  234.—"  Let  all  that  breathe  Jehovah  praise."— /^3r 
 Children. — Tune,  Fulham,  1761. 
 
 Forms  No.  90  of  Charles  Wesley's  "  Hymns  for  Children." 
 
196  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  241. 
 
 Hymn  235. — "Father  of  all,  whose  powerful  voice." 
 „       236.—"  Son  of  Thy  Sire's  Eternal  love." 
 
 „       237. — "Eternal,  spotless  Lamb  of  God." 
 The  Lord's  Prayer. — Tune,  London  and  Palmis,  176 1. 
 
 John  Wesley's  "  Paraphrase  of  the  Lord's  Prayer,"  found  in 
 "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1742,  page  275.  It  possesses  all 
 the  characteristics  of  the  poet's  classical  pen.  It  is  probably 
 the  finest  paraphrase  of  that  inimitable  prayer  to  be  found  in 
 the  English  language. 
 
 Hymn  238. — "  Meet  and  right  it  is  to  praise." — For  a  Family. 
 — Tune,  Ascension,  1761. 
 
 Forms  No.  1 1  in  Charles  Wesley's  "  Hymns  for  a  Family." 
 The  original  has  five  verses,  the  last  one  being  omitted. 
 
 YMN  239.—"  Hail  !  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost  !  "— (9/ CP^./. 
 — Tune,  Cornish,  1761. 
 
 Forms  the  first  of  Charles  Wesley's  "  Hymns  for  Children." 
 
 Hymn  240. — "  O  God,  Thou  bottomless  abyss  ! " 
 
 „       241. — "Thou,  true  and  only  God,  lead'st  forth." 
 —  Gods  Great ?iess. — Tune,  Italian,  1761. 
 
 John  Wesley's  translation  from  the  German  of  Ernest  Lange, 
 found  in  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1739,  page  161.  Two 
 lines  in  the  second  verse  of  part  ii.  are  borrowed  from  Tate 
 and  Brady's  version  of  Psalm  ciii.  The  lines  commence  "Thy 
 wakened  wrath,"  &c.  The  latter  part  of  the  first  verse  of  this 
 grand  hymn  is  manifestly  not  suited  for  use  in  public  worship. 
 This  is  "an  awe-inspiring  hymn  ;  serious  without  being  heavy  ; 
 bold  without  being  extravagant."  Mr.  Wesley  has  placed  this 
 hymn  under  the  sub-title  "  On  the  Attributes  of  God." 
 
 Ernest  Lange,  the  author  of  this  much  admired  hymn,  was 
 born  at  Danzic,  in  1650,  where  he  became  magistrate  and 
 burgomaster.  In  Februar)'',  171 1,  when  sixty-one  years  old,  he 
 published  sixty-one  hymns,  "  to  praise  the  mercy  of  God,"  who 
 had  delivered  him  from  the  pestilence  which  prevailed  in  17 10. 
 He  died  at  Danzic  in  1727.  Another  translation  of  the  same 
 hymn  forms  No.  183  in  the  "United  Brethren's  Hymn  Book." 
 
HYMN  243.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  1 97 
 
 Hymn  242. — "  Glorious  God,  accept  a  heart." — For  Children, — 
 Tune,  Hambleton's,  1761. 
 
 This  hymn  forms  No.  1 1  of  Charles  Wesley's  "  Hymns  for 
 Children."  The  expressive  importunity  of  the  pleadings  in  the 
 last  verse,  where  the  personal  pronoun  me  is  five  times  repeated, 
 demonstrates  how  natural  earnestness  becomes  true  eloquence. 
 
 Hymn  243. — "Thou,  my  God,  art  good  and  wise." — For 
 Childreti. — Tune,  Amsterdam,  1761. 
 
 Forms  No.  22  of  Charles  Wesley's  "Hymns  for  Children." 
 Bristol,  1763. 
 
 This  interesting  hymn  is  said  to  be  founded  on  the  following 
 passage  of  Wesley's  "  Instructions  for  Christians  :  "  "  My  God, 
 Thou  art  good.  Thou  art  wise  ;  Thou  art  powerful.  Be  Thou 
 praised  for  ever.  Give  me  grace  to  love  and  obey  Thee.  My 
 God,  I  thank  Thee  for  giving  me  meat  and  clothes,  and  for 
 promising  to  give  me  Thy  love  for  ever.  My  God,  forgive  me 
 all  my  sins,  and  give  me  Thy  Good  Spirit.  Let  me  believe  in 
 Thee  with  all  my  heart,  and  love  Thee  with  all  my  strength. 
 Let  me  always  be  looking  unto  Jesus  Christ,  who  is  pleading  for 
 me  at  Thy  right  hand.  Give  me  grace  not  to  do  mine  own  will, 
 but  Thine.  Make  me  content  with  everything.  The  least  of 
 all  good  things  Thou  givest  me  is  far  more  than  I  deserve. 
 Give  me,  O  Lord,  a  lowly  heart.  Let  me  not  think  myself 
 better  than  any  one.  Let  me  despise  myself,  and  look  upon 
 myself  as  the  lowest  of  all.  Let  me  hate  all  praise.  Thou 
 alone,  O  my  God,  art  worthy  to  be  praised." 
 
 A  pleasant  and  instructive  investigation  was  recently  under- 
 taken owing  to  the  alteration  of  the  personal  pronoun  "  my  "  for 
 "thy"  in  the  seventh  line  of  the  second  verse.  A  gentleman 
 residing  at  Ramsgate  thus  stated  the  case  in  the  Recorder: — 
 My  daughter,  on  her  return  from  one  of  the  village  chapels  in 
 this  circuit,  was  endeavouring  to  find  a  hymn  (with  which  she 
 was  unfamiliar)  which  was  sung  during  divine  service,  and 
 whose  number  she  had  forgotten.  But  as  it  was  a  long  hymn, 
 and  she  recollected  the  side  of  the  book  on  which  it  commenced, 
 she  hoped  to  be  able  to  recognise  it.  To  assist  her  in  her 
 search,  her  mother  and  I  each  took  a  book  and  were  turning 
 over  the  leaves  in  quest  of  the  long  hymn.  Presently  she  called 
 our  attention  to  the  243rd  Hymn,  saying,  "  This  is  the  hymn  the 
 second  verse  of  which  Mr. always  gives  out  instead  of 
 
198  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  243. 
 
 '  We  thank  Thcc,  Lord,' "  Slc.  Wc  turned  to  it,  and  I  read 
 aloud,  uninterruptedly,  the  second  verse  until  I  got  to  the 
 seventh  line.  "  For  my."  "  TV/y,"  said  mother  and  daughter. 
 Thinking  that  I  might  have  made  a  mistake,  I  read  the  verse 
 again.  "For  ;;/>'."  "71^/.^"  they  both  exclaimed.  On  com- 
 paring our  hymn  books,  I  found  they  were  right,  and  I  was  not 
 wrong  ;  whereupon  we  gave  up  the  search  for  the  long  hymn, 
 and  set  to  collecting  all  the  hymn  books  in  the  house  for  the 
 purpose  of  comparison,  and  of  which  the  following  was  the 
 result  :  The  word  "my''  occurred  in  five  editions,  and  "thy"  in 
 four  editions.  Mr.  C.  D.  Hardcastle,  of  Sunderland,  a  reliable 
 authority  on  Wesley's  hymns,  wrote  as  follows  : — In  the  original, 
 line  seven  of  the  second  verse  reads  :  "  For  viy  smallest  spark 
 of  grace."  The  original  reading  occurs  in  all  the  editions  of  the 
 "  Collection  of  Hymns  for  the  Use  of  the  People  called 
 Methodists"  from  1780  to  1831.  In  the  larger  copies  of  the 
 revised  edition,  with  supplement,  1831,  the  word  //y,  and  in  the 
 smaller  ones  the  word  ?ny,  occurs.  The  editors  probably  altered 
 the  word  intentionally,  but  in  two  at  least  of  the  smaller  copies 
 the  alteration  was  not  made.  In  the  more  recent  editions,  as 
 those  with  double  columns,  for  instance,  it  is  "my"  or  "thy," 
 perhaps  accordingly  as  the  compositor  happened  to  use  a  copy 
 of  the  larger  or  smaller  edition.  The  original  reading  is  the 
 preferable  one.  When  the  poet  asks  for  the  grace,  in  the  fifth 
 line  of  the  first  verse,  he  calls  it  God's  grace— 
 
 **  Give  me  T/iy  converting  grace." 
 When  he  thanks  God  for  the  measure  of  grace  he  has  obtained, 
 he  properly  calls  it  his  own — 
 
 "  For  the  blessings  numberless 
 
 Which  Thou  hast  already  given  ; 
 
 For  MY  smallest  spark  of  grace, 
 
 And  for  my  hope  of  heaven." 
 Another  fact  was  elicited  by  this  inquiry'.  The  Methodist 
 preacher,  whose  use  of  the  hymn  led  to  this  investigation,  was 
 in  the  habit  of  opening  social  gatherings  by  giving  out  the 
 second  verse  of  this  hymn  as  a  grace  before  meals,  instead  of 
 the  popular  one  by  Cennick,  commencing,  "Be  present  at  our 
 table,  Lord  "— 
 
 '*  For  my  life,  and  clothes,  and  food, 
 
 And  every  comfort  here, 
 Thee,  my  most  indulgent  God, 
 
 I  thank,  with  heart  sincere  ; 
 
HYMN  245.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES  1 99 
 
 For  Thy  blessings  numberless, 
 
 Which  Thou  hast  already  given  ; 
 For  Thy  smallest  spark  of  grace, 
 
 And  for  my  hope  of  heaven." 
 
 A  much  more  intelligent  and  comprehensive  form  of  metrical 
 grace,  than  the  old  one  so  widely  used. 
 
 Hymn  244.— "Thou,  the  great,  eternal  God." 
 
 „       245. — "  Good  Thou  art,  and  good  Thou  dost." 
 For  Childre7i. — TUNE,  Kingswood,  1761. 
 
 Forms  No.  94  of  Charles  Wesley's  "  Hymns  for  Children." 
 The  fourth  verse  of  the  original  is  left  out,  and  the  fifth  verse  is 
 made  the  commencement  of  Hymn  245,  which  latter  has  been 
 made  extensively  useful  to  all  who  wish  to  encourage  trust  in 
 Christ. 
 
 Religious  impressions  received  in  the  Wesleyan  Sunday 
 school,  St.  Nicholas,  Margate,  led  Ann  Young  to  seek  the 
 Lord,  and  at  the  age  of  fourteen  she  became  converted  and 
 joined  the  Methodist  Society.  As  a  domestic  in  the  family  of 
 Captain  Wood,  of  Birkenhead,  she  adorned  her  profession  by  a 
 humble  walk  with  God.  When  her  end  was  approaching,  she 
 expressed  her  confidence  in  God,  and  with  all  her  strength  she 
 repeated  the  hymn — 
 
 "  Good  Thou  art,  and  good  Thou  dost, 
 Thy  mercies  reach  to  all,"  &c. 
 
 laying  particular  emphasis  on  the  line,  "Watches  every  numbered 
 hair."  In  this  calm  and  resigned  state  of  mind  she  fell  asleep 
 in  Jesus,  8th  January,  1839,  aged  thirty-nine. 
 
 Mrs.  Sarah  Broad,  of  Sewdley,  in  the  Newent  circuit,  received 
 her  first  ticket  of  membership  from  the  Rev.  Jonathan  Crowther, 
 when  she  was  a  girl  at  school.  Her  joy  was  unbounded  when 
 she  received  the  blessing  of  pardon.  When  laid  aside  by  illness, 
 her  last  hours  were  solemnly  delightful.  She  said,  "  I  cannot 
 sink,  I  hang  on  my  Saviour's  merits."  Bidding  her  husband 
 farewell,  she  said,  "  Give  your  heart  to  God."    She  then  repeated 
 
 the  verse — 
 
 "  Good  Thou  art,  and  good  Thou  dost. 
 Thy  mercies  reach  to  all,"  &c. 
 
 "He  is  mine,  and  I  am  His."  Her  last  words  were,  "Washed 
 all  my  sins  away."     She  died,  27th  December,  1837. 
 
200  METHODIST  HYMN  LOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  246. 
 
 Hymn  246. — "My  soul,  through  my  Redeemer's  care."—"  Thou 
 hast  delivered  7ny  soul  from  deaths'  &c.—  Tune,  Stanton, 
 1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  forming  No.  858  of  "Short  Scripture 
 Hymns,"  vol.  i.,  based  on  Psalm  cxvi.  8. 
 
 The  mother  of  the  Rev.  Oliver  Kenwood  was  brought  up  in 
 the  Church  of  England.  During  the  last  fifteen  years  of  her 
 life  she  was  united  to  the  Methodists,  and  her  solicitude  was 
 afterwards  increased  for  the  salvation  of  her  children,  especially 
 her  son,  who  became  a  Wesleyan  minister.  She  passed  away 
 from  earth  to  heaven,  25th  January,  1807,  repeating— 
 
 "My  soul,  through  my  Redeemer's  care, 
 Saved  from  the  second  death,  I  feel, 
 My  eyes  from  tears  of  dark  despair 
 My  feet  from  falling  into  hell." 
 
 It  was  the  privilege  of  Mrs.  Barrett,  of  Hull,  mother  of  the 
 Rev.  Alfred  Barrett,  to  attend  a  love-feast  held  in  Norfolk 
 Street  Chapel,  Sheffield,  conducted  by  the  late  William 
 Bramwell.  "  As  the  meeting  was  drawing  to  a  close  there  was 
 a  pause  ;  none  seemed  willing  to  rise  ;  and  there  fell  upon  the 
 assembly  a  stillness  and  an  awe  as  deep  as  that  of  the  grave. 
 Every  soul  seemed  to  be  absorbed  and  overwhelmed  by  the 
 influence  from  above.  None  desired  or  dared  to  break  the 
 hallowed  and  awful  silence  of  that  hour,  but  all  sat  communing 
 with  heavenly  and  eternal  things,  until  the  preacher  arose,  and 
 said,  *Now,  who  can  say  that  God  is  not  here?'  which  appeal, 
 made  with  much  force  and  feeling,  enabled  the  assembly  to 
 reheve  themselves  by  subdued  ejaculations  and  tears."  The 
 powerful  impression  produced  on  the  mind  of  Mrs.  Barrett 
 never  wore  off;  and,  supported  as  it  was  by  the  drawings  of 
 the  Holy  Spirit,  in  early  life  she  was  led  to  join  the  Methodist 
 Society  when  she  removed  to  Hull,  and  there  found  peace 
 through  believing.  In  1832,  she  gave  up  her  son  to  the  ministry, 
 to  whom  she  wrote  frequently  letters  which  indicated  a  growing 
 in  grace,  and  a  lively  interest  in  promoting  religion.  In  her 
 last  illness,  she  said,  "All  is  light  beyond."  Her  husband  said 
 it  was  a  happy  circumstance  to  be  able  to  appropriate  the  words 
 of  the  hymn  commencing — 
 
 *'  My  soul,  through  my  Redeemer's  care, 
 
 Saved  from  the  second  death,  I  feel,"  &c. 
 
 "  Indeed  it  is,"  she  replied,  "  and   through  the  mercy  of  the 
 
HYMN  250.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  201 
 
 Redeemer,  I  have  no  fear  of  death."    Her  faith  was  triumphant; 
 and  her  redeemed  spirit  fled  to  paradise,  9th  May,  1837. 
 
 The  Rev.  William  Bird,  in  describing  the  last  hours  of  Mrs. 
 Bird  {Methodist  Magazine^  18 17)  remarks  : — "When  I  inquired 
 into  her  spiritual  state,  she  replied,  '  I  hope  you  will  strive  to 
 make  yourself  easy  concerning  me  ;  because  all  is  and  ivill  be 
 well  with  me  for  ever.  Jesus  is  my  all.  The  Lord  liveth,  and 
 blessed  be  my  Rock  !  He  is  a  sure  foundation.'  Observing 
 me  weep,  she  requested  me  not  to  grieve,  '  Because  (said  she) 
 I  shall  be  happy  for  ever ;  and  I  now  feel  perfectly  resigned  to 
 the  divine  will'  A  few  minutes  before  her  departure,  she, 
 pressing  my  hand,  said,  '  I  do  love  you,  but  I  love  God  Almighty 
 better:  my  obligations  to  Him  are  infinitely  greater.     Yes — 
 
 **  *  My  soul,  through  my  Redeemer's  care. 
 Saved  from  the  second  death  I  feel ; 
 My  eyes  from  tears  of  dark  despair, 
 My  feet  from  falling  into  hell.' 
 
 She  then  added,  '  My  sight  is  going,  and  /am  going  !'  and  in  a 
 moment  fell  asleep  in  Jesus."     30th  November,  1818. 
 
 Hymn  247.—"  Holy  as  Thou,  O  Lord  is  none."—"  There  is 
 none  as  holy  as  the  Lord,''  &c.— Tune,  Palmi,  1761. 
 
 This  is  No.  448  of  Charles  Wesley's  "  Short  Scripture  Hymns." 
 vol.  i.,  based  on  i  Sam.  ii.  2. 
 
 Hymn  248. — "Blest  be  our  everlasting  Lord." — ^'■Blessed  be  tlie 
 Lord,''  &:c.— Tune,  Brooks,  1761. 
 
 Made  up  of  three  of  Charles  Wesley's  "Short  Scripture 
 Hymns,"  vol.  i.,  Nos.  623-625,  based  on  i  Chron.  xxix.  10-13. 
 
 Hymn  249.—"  Great  God  !  to  me  the  sight  afford."—"  The  Lord 
 descended  in  the  cloud,"  &c.— TUNE,  Trinity,  1761. 
 
 This  forms  three  of  Charles  Wesley's  "Short  Scripture 
 Hymns,"  vol.  i.,  Nos.  166-168,  founded  on  Exod.  xxxiv.  5-6. 
 
 Hymn  250.—"  Thy  ceaseless,  unexhausted  love." — "  The  Lord 
 God,  merciful  and  gracious,"  &c. — Tune,  Trinity,  1761. 
 
 This  is  also  composed  of  three  of  Charles  Wesley's  "  Short 
 Scripture  Hymns,"  vol.  i.,  Nos.  169- 171,  founded  on  Exod.  xxxiv.  6. 
 
202  METHODIST  IIV.MN   P.OOK.  NOTES.  HYMN  254. 
 
 Matthew  Henry  has,  in  his  commentary  on  this  passage, 
 very  similar  thoughts  to  those  expressed  by  the  poet.  It  is 
 known  that  Mr.  Wesley  made  free  use  of  Henry's  Notes  in 
 ascertaining  the  interpretation  of  many  portions  of  Holy  Scripture. 
 
 From  fifty  years  Thomas  Thompson,  of  Brompton,  Kent,  was 
 a  useful  member  of  the  Methodist  Society,  a  Sunday-school 
 teacher,  and  class-leader.  He  was  truly  a  pattern  to  believers  in 
 his  integrity,  simplicity,  and  devotedness  to  the  cause  of  God. 
 On  the  Sabbath  before  his  death  he  addressed  the  school  with  his 
 usual  earnestness,  but  during  the  week  he  met  with  an  accident, 
 by  which  he  sustained  severe  internal  injuries.  He  became  at 
 once  resigned  to  the  certainty  of  a  speedy  dissolution,  saying, 
 "  My  Saviour  is  about  to  take  me  home  ;  I  have  left  all  the 
 future  to   Him."      Amongst   his   last   words,  he   repeated   the 
 
 verse — 
 
 "  Faithful,  O  Lord,  Thy  mercies  are  ! 
 A  Rock  that  cannot  move, 
 A  thousand  promises  declare 
 Thy  constancy  of  love." 
 
 He  died  peacefully,  25th  February,  1864,  aged  seventy. 
 
 Hymn  251. — "  Father  of  me,  and  all  mankind." — "  Our  Father 
 
 which  art  in  Heavetiy — Tune,  Spitalfields,  1761. 
 
 This   forms    part    of    two   of    Charles   Wesley's    "Scripture 
 
 Hymns,"  No.  342,  and  part  of  No.  343,  founded  on  Luke  xi.  2, 
 
 being  a  paraphrase  of  the  first  three  clauses  of  the  Lord's  Prayer. 
 
 Three  verse  of  the  original  are  left  out. 
 
 Hymn  252.— "Come,  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost."—"  The 
 Lord  bless  thee,  and  keep  theeP — TUNE,  Hallelujah,  1791. 
 
 Formed  of  Nos.  200-202  of  Charles  Wesley's  "  Scripture 
 Hymns,"  vol.  i.,  founded  on  Num.  vi.  24-26. 
 
 Hymn  253. — "Father,  in  whom  we  live." — To  the  Trinity. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  forming  No.  34  in  "  Redemption  Hymns." 
 This  was  added  to  the  collection  in  1797.  In  1875,  it  was 
 printed  as  a  double  short  metre  hymn. 
 
 Hymn  254.— "The  day  of  Christ,  the  day  of  God."— 77/^ 
 Divinity  of  Christ. —  TUNE,  Smith's,  1761. 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "  Hymns  on  the  Trinity,"  founded  on 
 2  Peter  iii.  12.     It  was  printed  two  verses  in  one  in  1875. 
 
HYMN  260.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  203 
 
 Hymn  255. — "Spirit  of  Truth,  essential  God." — ^'-  All  Scripture 
 is  given  by  inspirati07i  of  God^''  &c. — Tune,  Norwich. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "  Hymns  on  the  Trinity,"  founded  on 
 2  Tim.  xvi.,  and  2  Peter  i.  21. 
 
 Hymn  256.— "Hail!  Father,  Son,  and  Spirit  great."— T/^^ 
 Plurality  and  Trinity  of  Persons. — TUNE,  Trinity,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  page  58  of  "  Hymns  on  the  Trinity." 
 Its  tendency  is  to  show  the  connection  between  the  creation  and 
 redemption  of  man. 
 
 Hymn  257*. — "Glory  be  to  God  on  high." — Gloria  i7t  Excelsis. 
 —Tune,  Salisbur}',  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's  paraphrase  of  the  Gloria  in  Excelsis^  in  the 
 Sacramental  Service,  found  in  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems," 
 1739,  P^gs  128.  It  is  printed  in  John  Wesley's  "Select  Hymns, 
 with  Tunes  annext,''  and  was  added  to  this  collection  after  Mr. 
 Wesley's  death. 
 
 Hymn  258.— "Jehovah,  God  the  Father,  bless."—"  The  Lord 
 bless  thee  and  keep  thee:;'  (Sec— TUNE,  Brooks,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "  Hymns  on  the  Trinity,"  founded  on 
 Num.  vi.  24.  The  last  verse  of  the  original  is  left  out,  in 
 which  occurs  the  line,  "The  incommunicable  name."  It  was 
 printed  in  double  verses  in  1875. 
 
 Hymn  259. — "Hail  !  holy,  holy,  holy  Lord."— " //"<?/}',  holy^  is 
 the  Lord  of  Hosts;'  &c.— TUNE,  Trinity,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  on  the  Trinity,"  page  69, 
 founded  on  Isaiah  vi.  3,  and  Rev.  iv.  8. 
 
 Hymn  260.—"  Holy,  holy,  holy  Lord."— T^  the  Trinity.— Tvii-E, 
 Salisbur)^,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  page  96  of  "  Hymns  on  the  Trinity." 
 It  is  a  hymn  full  of  noble  thoughts,  conveyed  in  fine  and 
 appropriate   language.     Dr.  Watts  has  the   same   idea  which 
 Charles  Wesley  has  conveyed  in  the  second  stanza — 
 
 "  Thy  dazzling  beauties  while  he  sings, 
 He  hides  his  face  behind  his  wings, 
 
204  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  262. 
 
 And  ranks  of  shining  thrones  around 
 Fall  worshipping,  and  spread  the  ground." 
 
 Dr.  Young,  in  his  "Complaint,"  Night  Second,  has  this  line— 
 
 "Time,  in  advance,  behind  him  hides  his  wings." 
 
 Hymn  261.— "Come,  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost."— 7i?  the 
 Tri?iity.—i:\JliY.,  Sheffield,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  page  98  of  "  Hymns  on  the  Trinity." 
 Rev.  Robert  Stainton  Ellis  was  born  in  18 14,  entered  the 
 Wesleyan  ministry  in  1840,  and,  after  travelling  in  nineteen 
 circuits,  paralysis  compelled  him  in  1877  to  become  a  supernum- 
 erary, and  he  located  in  the  Highbury  Circuit,  London.  He  was 
 a  laborious  and  conscientious  minister.  His  preaching  was 
 steeped  in  Scripture,  fortified  by  divine  authority,  and  instinct 
 with  a  melting  sympathy  for  souls.  In  his  pastoral  work  he  was 
 diligent,  and  in  conversation  as  well  as  preaching  he  was  godly, 
 cheerful,  instructive,  and  interesting.  He  preserved  the  memory 
 of  his  friend  the  Rev.  John  Randerson  in  the  funeral  sermon  he 
 preached,  and  published  in  1878,  and  the  same  year  he  furnished 
 to  the  Wesleyan  Magazine  a  valuable  article  on  Hippolytus, 
 a  Protestant  reformer  of  the  third  century.  On  the  last  Sabbath 
 evening  he  spent  on  earth,  his  voice  in  the  hymn  of  praise  was 
 as  jubilant  as  in  his  younger  days.  As  he  lay  upon  his  bed 
 he  called  for  his  Hymn  Book  and  read — 
 
 "Jehovah,  in  Three  Persons,  come, 
 
 And  draw,  and  sprinkle  us,  and  seal 
 Poor,  guilty,  dying  worms,  in  whom 
 
 Thou  dost  eternal  life  reveal. 
 The  knowledge  of  Thyself  bestow 
 And  all  Thy  glorious  goodness  show." 
 
 He  wrote  underneath  that  remarkable  anthem  to  the  Trinity — 
 "  This  is  the  true  Excelsior."  In  that  spirit,  surrounded  by  his 
 beloved  wife  and  children,  he  entered  into  rest,  2ist  April,  1882, 
 aged  sixty-eight  years. 
 
 Hymn  262.— "A  thousand  oracles  divine."— Ti?  the  Tri?tity.-^ 
 Tune,  Hallelujah,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "  Hymns  on  the  Trinity,"  page  100. 
 The  original  is  printed  in  eight-line  stanzas.  Dr.  Edward  Young, 
 in  his  "Night  Thoughts,"  Night  Four,  line  440,  has  the  follow- 
 
HYMN  263*.        METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  205 
 
 ing,  which  exactly  corresponds  with  the  seventh  verse  of  this 
 fine  hymn — 
 
 "  They  see  on  earth  a  bounty  not  indulged  on  high, 
 And  downward  look  for  heaven's  superior  praise." 
 
 Hymn  263* — "  Father,  how  wide  Thy  glory  shines  ! " — God 
 glorious^  and  SiftJiers  saved. 
 
 Dr.  Watts',  from  "Hor^  Lyricse,"  1705.  The  original  has 
 nine  verses,  the  fifth  and  seventh  being  omitted. 
 
 Through  the  instrumentality  of  an  awakening  dream,  George 
 Rolstone  was  brought  to  God  at  the  age  of  eighteen.  He  joined 
 the  Methodist  Society,  and  during  fifty  years  maintained  a 
 consistent  godly  profession,  and  for  forty  years  was  a  useful 
 class-leader.  During  his  last  illness,  he  had  an  assurance  of 
 his  acceptance  with  God.  He  looked  forward  with  joyous 
 anticipation  to  the  employment  of  glorified  saints,  and  some- 
 times said — 
 
 **  O  may  I  bear  some  humble  part, 
 In  that  immortal  song." 
 
 In  this  patient  and  happy  frame  of  mind,  he  departed  from 
 the  mihtant  to  join  the  triumphant  Church,  5th  March,  1836, 
 aged  sixty-eight. 
 
 Eliza  Wright,  daughter  of  the  Rev.  Philip  James  Wright,  of 
 the  Methodist  New  Connexion,  was  born  at  Stockport,  in  1827, 
 and  by  her  godly  parents  was  brought  up  religiously.  Under  a 
 sermon  preached  by  the  Rev.  Samuel  Hulme  at  Leeds,  in  1852, 
 she  was  convinced  of  her  lost  condition  by  nature,  and  that 
 night  directed  by  the  Rev.  Charles  D.  Ward,  and  other  friends, 
 she  struggled  into  the  liberty  of  the  children  of  God.  Her 
 after  life  was  beautiful  and  bright  as  the  result  of  the  change. 
 Early  summoned  to  the  rest  of  heaven  ;  in  her  sufferings  she 
 spoke  of  dying  as  "going  home  ;  going  to  be  with  Jesus."  On 
 the  day  she  died,  she  said,  "Jesus  is  always  with  me,"  and  then 
 sang  sweetly  these  lines — 
 
 "  O  may  I  bear  some  humble  part 
 In  that  immortal  song  ! 
 Wonder  and  joy  shall  tune  my  heart. 
 And  love  command  my  tongue." 
 
 Just  before  she  expired  she  sang  four  lines,  commencing — 
 
 "  I  love  Jesus,  hallelujah  ! 
 I  love  Jesus ;  yes,  I  do  " — 
 
2o6  METHODIST  HYMN  1500K  NOTES.  HYMN  269. 
 
 and  soon  afterwards,  with  a  sweet  smile  resting  on  her 
 countenance,  the  spirit  escaped,  leaving  the  earthly  tabernacle 
 at  the  age  of  nineteen  years,  7th  November,  1856. 
 
 Hymn  264.— "O  All-creating  Go±"—0/ the  Creation  afid  Fall 
 0/ MafL—Tv-NE,  Brentford,  1761, 
 Charles  Wesley's,  forming   the  second   of  his   "  Hymns   for 
 Children."     The  third  verse  is  omitted. 
 
 Hymn  265. — "O  may  Thy  powerful  word." — T/ie  kingdoin  of 
 heaven  suffereth  violefice. — TUNE,  Lampe's,  1746. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  forming  No.  137  of  "Short  Scripture 
 Hymns,"  vol.  ii.,  founded  on  Matt.  xi.  12.  This  hymn  commences 
 a  section  with  the  title  of  "  Believers  Fighting." 
 
 Hymn  266.— "Soldiers  of  Christ  arise." 
 „      267. — "  But,  above  all,  lay  hold." 
 „      268. — "  In  fellowship,  alone." 
 The  whole  Armour  of  God. — Tune,  Handel's  March,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  forming  together  No.  140  in  "Hymns  and 
 Sacred  Poems,"  1749,  "^'O^-  i- 5  founded  on  Ephesians  vi.,  and 
 extending  to  sixteen  verses,  four  of  which  are  omitted.  It  is 
 inserted  in  "  Select  Hymns  with  Tunes  annext." 
 
 Hymn  269. — "  Surrounded  by  a  host  of  foes." — This  is  the 
 Victory! — Tune,  Norwich,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1749, 
 vol.  ii.,  No.  113. 
 
 A  fierce  epidemical  fever  in  July,  1826,  entered  the  dwelling 
 of  William  Treffry,  of  Cuby,  Cornwall.  Its  first  victim  w^as 
 Ann  Treffiy,  a  venerable  widow,  a  godly  woman,  who  had  for 
 fifty  years  maintained  a  consistent  membership  in  the  Methodist 
 Society  ;  she  died  ascribing  "  Glory  to  God  ! "  Immediately 
 afterwards,  Charles  Treffry,  a  youth  of  eighteen,  enjoying 
 unutterable  peace  of  mind,  yielded  to  the  same  disease.  Then 
 followed  the  head  of  the  household  himself.  He  had  been 
 afflicted  for  some  years,  and  hence  he  fell  a  more  ready  victim  ; 
 but  his  loins  were  girded,  and  his  light  was  burning.  Shortly 
 before  his  departure,  he  delighted  all  about  him  by  declaring 
 his  unshaken  confidence  in  God  in  these  lines — 
 
 "  "What  though  a  thousand  hosts  engage, 
 A  thousand  worlds,  my  soul  to  shake  ? 
 
HYMi^  270.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES..  207 
 
 I  have  a  shield  shall  quell  their  rage, 
 And  drive  the  alien  armies  back  : 
 
 Portray 'd  it  bears  a  bleeding  Lamb  ; 
 I  dare  believe  in  Jesu's  name." 
 He  died  6th  October,  1846,  aged  forty-three  years. 
 
 The  Rev.  William  Fox  was  born  at  Otley,  Wharfedale, 
 Yorkshire,  in  1822.  His  mother's  cares  and  prayers  were 
 directed  to  his  spiritual  interests.  She  was  a  member  of  the 
 Church  of  England,  but  attended  the  Methodist  Chapel  on 
 Sunday  evenings.  She  prayed  with  her  children  every  evening, 
 by  which  means  they  were  led  to  think  of  heaven  and  how  to 
 get  there.  The  preaching  of  the  Rev.  John  Rattenbury,  at  Otley, 
 in  1838,  led  to  William's  decision  to  give  his  heart  to  God. 
 He  became  a  Sunday-school  teacher  and  local  preacher,  and 
 came  out  into  the  itinerant  ministry,  in  1845.  For  fifteen  years 
 he  laboured  earnestly  and  lovingly  to  win  souls,  but  disease  cut 
 short  his  career ;  yet  during  all  his  sufferings  he  was  delightfully 
 happy.  On  one  occasion,  he  said,  "  Read  the  looth  Hymn — 
 'Jesus,  my  advocate  above  ;'  and  the  189th,  'Now  I  have  found 
 the  ground  wherein,'  (Sic,  and  you  will  gather  my  experience." 
 The  latter  hymn  was  often  sung  to  him  to  the  tune  Euphony. 
 Soon  afterwards,  he  said,  "  I  am  happy  ;  oh  yes  !  I  shall  be 
 happy,  not  in  my  own  strength,  but  in  the  strength  of  Jesus.  He 
 has  taken  me  by  the  hand,  and  none  shall  pluck  me  thence — 
 "  What  though  a  thousand  hosts  engage, 
 A  thousand  worlds,  my  soul  to  shake  ? 
 
 I  have  a  shield  shall  quell  their  rage, 
 And  drive  the  alien  armies  back  : 
 
 Portray'd  it  bears  a  bleeding  Lamb  ; 
 
 I  dare  believe  in  Jesu's  name.'  " 
 In  that  happy,  resigned,  and  peaceful  frame  of  mind  he  lingered 
 on  till  6th  June,  i860,  when,  though  utterly  prostrate  physically, 
 he  faintly  whispered,  "  The  precious  blood  of  Christ !  the 
 precious  blood  of  Christ  ! "  after  which  he  quietly  languished 
 into  life  eternal  at  the  early  age  of  thirty-eight  years. 
 
 Hymn  270. — "  Equip  me  for  the  war." — On  God's  Everlasting 
 Z<77/^.— Tune,  Olney,  1761. 
 Charles  Wesley's,  forming  No.  12  of  "Hymns  on  God's  Ever- 
 lasting Love."     The  first  and  eighth  verses  of  the  original  are 
 left  out.     The  first  commences — 
 
 "0  all-atoning  Lamb." 
 
2o8  METHODIST  IIYiMN  BOOK  NOTES.         HYMN  272. 
 
 This  long  poem  was  written  at  a  time  when  the  Antinomian 
 and  high  Calvinistic  doctrines  were  boldly  enforced  ;  and  in  the 
 omitted  portions  will  be  found  some  very  strong  thoughts  against 
 "  the  five  points." 
 
 Hymn  271. — "O  Almighty  God  of  Love." — Ofi  going  into  a 
 Place  of  Danger. — TUNE,  Amsterdam,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1742. 
 The  first  and  second  verses  of  the  original  are  left  out. 
 
 Hymn  272. — "  Peace  !  doubting  heart ;  my  God's  I  am  !" — 
 Isaiah  xliii.  2,  3. — TuNE,  23rd  Psalm,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1739, 
 page  153.  This  hymn  is  one  of  rare  excellence,  abounding  in 
 Scriptural  images  and  metaphors,  and  is  full  of  instruction  and 
 encouragement. 
 
 On  one  of  Wesley's  visits  to  Cornwall  he  engaged  some 
 fishermen  to  take  him  in  a  boat  from  St.  Ives  to  the  Scilly  Isles, 
 some  forty-five  miles.  They  had  not  proceeded  far  before 
 the  winds  began  to  blow  and  the  billows  to  roll.  The  hearts  of 
 the  sailors  began  to  quail,  and  they  concluded  they  must  return. 
 Wesley,  in  the  storm,  to  cheer  them,  sang  lustily — 
 
 ' '  When  passing  through  the  watery  deep, 
 
 I  ask  in  faith  His  promised  aid, 
 The  waves  an  awful  distance  keep, 
 
 And  shrink  from  my  devoted  head  ; 
 Fearless  their  violence  I  dare, 
 They  cannot  harm,  for  God  is  there  !  " 
 
 The  men  thus  encouraged,  exerted  their  strength,  and  all  got 
 safe  to  the  islands. 
 
 The  early  life  of  James  Hoby,  of  London,  was  a  testimony  of 
 the  truth  of  the  Scriptural  record  that  "  The  thoughts  of  the  heart 
 are  evil,  and  that  continually."  A  more  giddy  round  of  gaiety, 
 worldliness,  and  sin,  never  attended  a  young  man  than  was  the 
 lot  of  Mr.  Hoby.  His  mind  next  became  entangled  with  almost 
 every  variety  of  religious  opinion — Jewish,  Popish,  Moham- 
 medan, and  infidel.  During  all  this  time  he  thought  himself  to 
 be  a  good  churchman.  Having  been  led  to  the  Methodist 
 Chapel  at  Greenwich,  he  heard  a  sermon  by  the  Rev.  Richard 
 Watson  on  holiness,  from  which  he  learned  that  in  his  heart 
 
HYMN  272.         METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  209 
 
 there  was  none  of  it.  The  next  Methodist  sermon  he  heard  was 
 by  the  Rev.  Jabez  Bunting,  from  which  he  saw,  to  his  sorrow, 
 that  for  thirty  years  he  had  been  deceiving  his  own  heart. 
 Another  sermon,  by  the  Rev.  Charles  Atmore,  led  him  to  begin 
 family  prayer.  On  Christmas  Day,  1825,  he  began  to  meet  in 
 Mr.  Butterworth's  class,  and  received  his  first  ticket  from  the 
 Rev.  John  Stephens.  From  that  time  to  the  end  of  his  Hfe,  so 
 deeply  conscious  was  he  of  the  greatness  of  God's  mercy  to  him 
 in  rescuing  him  from  so  low  a  degradation,  that  his  utmost 
 energies  were  employed  in  furthering  the  kingdom  of  Christ  in 
 the  world,  and  in  making  known  His  salvation.  When  informed 
 that  the  disease  of  the  heart  from  which  he  was  suffering  would 
 terminate  suddenly,  and  that  he  must  not  leave  his  room,  he 
 requested  that  when  he  was  dying,  his  friends  would  join  in 
 singing  the  hymn  beginning — 
 
 *'  Peace  !  doubting  heart ;  my  God's  I  am  ! 
 "Who  form'd  me  man,  forbids  me  fear." 
 
 On  the  first  Sunday  of  1863,  he  had  hoped  to  have  joined  in  the 
 Covenant  Service  at  Great  Queen  Street,  London,  but  the  call 
 of  the  Master  on  that  day  was,  "  Come  up  higher ; "  and  just 
 after  saying,  "He  will  give  the  Holy  Spirit  to  them  that  ask 
 Him,"  his  soul  entered  the  rest  above,  4th  January,  1863,  aged 
 seventy-four. 
 
 No  tale  of  sorrow  and  distress  could  exceed  in  intensity  of 
 interest  that  of  the  loss  of  the  Maria  mail-boat,  in  the  West 
 Indies,  in  1826.  The  account  of  the  shipwreck  of  the  Apostle 
 Paul  near  Malta  is  the  nearest  approach  to  the  one  just  named 
 for  variety  of  incident,  and  for  the  unbounded  faith  which  was 
 exercised  on  the  occasion.  Five  missionaries,  three  wives  of 
 missionaries,  with  several  children  and  nurses,  were  returning 
 to  Antigua.  In  sight  of  land  a  storm  arose,  and  before  its  fury 
 the  mail-boat  was  wrecked  ;  the  five  missionaries  were  drowned, 
 and  in  fact  the  only  one  of  the  large  party  who  escaped  with 
 life  was  Mrs.  Jones,  who  endured  many  deaths  in  saving  her 
 own  life  ;  but  through  mercy  she  was  saved,  and  some  years 
 afterwards  was  married  to  Mr.  Hincksman,  and  died  in  great 
 peace  at  Lytham,  in  April,  1859.  When  the  storm  arose, 
 one  of  the  missionaries'  sons,  a  little  boy,  gave  out  the  verse 
 beginning — 
 
 "Though  waves  and  storms  go  o'er  my  head,"  &c. 
 
 O 
 
2IO  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  272. 
 
 After  this  had  been  sung,  a  holy  inspiration  came  over  the  child, 
 and  he  astonished  the  party  in  the  boat  by  the  address  he  gave 
 on  the  shipwreck  of  Jonah.  A  strange  feeHng  came  over  those 
 who  heard  the  child.  Mrs.  Jones  (Hincksman)  tried  to  pray, 
 but  could  not.  At  length  she  cried,  "  Lord  !  Lord  !  help  me." 
 Scarcely  had  she  uttered  the  words  when  she  became  composed, 
 and  repeated  the  verse — 
 
 "Jesus  protects  ;  my  fears  begone  !  " 
 
 In  that  time  of  trouble  and  sorrow  she  gladdened  her  own  heart 
 and  those  of  her  companions  by  singing,  for  the  last  hymn  most 
 of  them  heard  on  earth — 
 
 "  When  passing  through  the  watery  deep, 
 
 I  ask  in  faith  His  promised  aid, 
 The  waves  an  awful  distance  keep, 
 
 And  shrink  from  my  devoted  head  ; 
 Fearless  their  violence  I  dare ; 
 They  cannot  harm,  for  God  is  there  !  " 
 
 She  was  the  only  one  who  could  sing  in  that  distressing  hour, 
 and  the  only  one  saved  in  that  redeemed  company  ! — Vide 
 Methodist  Magazi?ie^  1826,  page  486,  and  1861,  page  195. 
 
 Another  incident  of  like  character,  the  peril  and  preservation 
 of  a  missionary,  and  the  use  of  this  hymn  on  the  occasion,  will 
 be  found  in  a  letter  from  Mr.  Wallace,  in  the  Methodist  Maga- 
 2ine^  May,  1846,  page  977. 
 
 When  Methodism  was  little  more  than  a  bye- word  and 
 reproach,  Mrs.  Gaulter  chose  for  her  companion  in  life  one  of 
 John  Wesley's  preachers.  When  about  fourteen  years  old  she 
 joined  the  Methodist  Society,  and  for  more  than  sixty  years  she 
 maintained  a  consistent  godly  profession.  She  suffered  much 
 during  life,  and  in  her  last  illness  she  had  but  little  strength  for 
 resistance.  Shortly  before  her  death,  after  one  of  her  spiritual 
 conflicts,  she  repeated  with  much  energy — 
 
 "  Still  nigh  me,  O  my  Saviour,  stand  ! 
 
 And  guard  in  fierce  temptation's  hour  : 
 Hide  in  the  hollow  of  Thy  hand  ; 
 
 Show  forth  in  me  Thy  saving  power  ; 
 Still  be  Thy  arm  my  sure  defence  : 
 Not  earth  nor  hell  shall  pluck  me  thence." 
 
 Her  last  words  were  but  faint  breathings — "A  world  of  light 
 and  glory" — and  that  world  she  then  entered,  3rd  January,  1845. 
 
HYMN  276*.        METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  211 
 
 Hymn  273.—"  Omnipotent  Lord,  my  Saviour  and  King,"— r^^ 
 Good  Fight.— Tv^Y.^  Triumph,  1761. 
 
 Charles- Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1742. 
 
 Elizabeth  Deane,  of  Ightham,  Sevenoaks,  was  a  zealous  and 
 liberal  member  of  the  Methodist  Society  during  thirty  years, 
 and  greatly  aided  the  erection  of  a  chapel  on  her  property.  She 
 was  a  timid  follower  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  but  in  death  she  was 
 enabled  to  triumph.  Fearing  a  sudden  death,  in  answer  to 
 prayer  she  was  saved  from  her  apprehensions,  and  gave  the 
 most  satisfactory  evidence  of  being  ready  for  her  change.  The 
 last  words  she  was  heard  to  say  were — 
 
 **  Omnipotent  Lord,  my  Saviour  and  King, 
 Thy  succour  afford,  Thy  righteousness  bring : 
 Thy  promises  bind  Thee  compassion  to  have, 
 Now,  now  let  me  find  Thee  Almighty  to  save." 
 
 .She  died  28th  January,  1850,  aged  sixty-two  years. 
 
 Hymn  274. — "O  my  old,  my  bosom  foe." — After  a  Recovery. — 
 Tune,  Amsterdam,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1749, 
 vol.  i.,  No.  95. 
 
 Hymn  275.— "The  Lord  unto  my  Lord  hath  said."— "Z<7r^f,  Thou 
 hast  been  our  dwellijig-place^'^  Sic. — TUNE,  Liverpool,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1742, 
 page  89,  being  a  paraphrase  of  the  Ninetieth  Psalm,  first  verse. 
 The  original  has  fifteen  verses,  six  of  which  are  left  out. 
 
 Hymn  276"**". — "Worship,  and  thanks,  and  blessing." — Written 
 after  a  Deliverance  in  a  Ttwiidt. — Tune,  Dying  Stephen. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  No.  20  of  his  "  Redemption  Hymns." 
 At  this  distance  of  time,  it  is  difficult  to  decide  which  of 
 several  tumultuous  riots,  from  which  the  poet  of  Methodism  so 
 narrowly  escaped  with  his  life,  gave  rise  to  this  elegant  and 
 spirited  hymn  of  gratitude  and  praise.  The  Rev.  John  Kirk 
 traces  the  origin  of  this  hymn  to  the  Wednesbury  riots  of  1743, 
 in  which  "  Honest  Munchin "  was  the  captain  of  the  mob,  till 
 divine  grace  reached  even  him,  and  after  enduring  from  him, 
 his  followers,  and  maddened  bulldogs  what  might  be  termed 
 
212  MKTIIODISr  HYMN   BOOK  NOTKS.  HYMN   277. 
 
 "deaths  often,"  Charles  Wesley  himself  received  the  broken- 
 spirited  Munchin  on  trial  as  a  Methodist.  If  the  Wednesbury 
 riots  gave  birth  to  this  hymn,  it  was  composed  on  26th  October, 
 1743;  and  was  afterwards  used  on  other  occasions  rivalling  in 
 violence  and  ferocity  the  scenes  which  it  commemorates. 
 Another  tumult  is  thus  referred  to  by  Mr.  Charles  Wesley,  as 
 part  of  a  long  and  exciting  narrative  of  the  doings  of  an 
 infuriated  wicked  mob  at  Devizes  :  "  In  1747,  after  riding  two  or 
 three  hundred  yards,  I  looked  back  and  saw  Mr.  Merton  on  the 
 ground  in  the  midst  of  the  mob,  and  two  bulldogs  upon  him. 
 One  was  first  let  loose,  and  leaped  at  the  horse's  nose,  but  the 
 horse,  with  his  foot,  beat  him  down.  The  other  fastened  on  his 
 nose  and  held  there  till  Mr.  Merton,  with  the  butt-end  of  his 
 whip,  felled  him  to  the  ground.  Then  the  first  dog  fastened  on 
 the  horse's  breast ;  the  beast  reared,  and  Mr.  Merton  slid  gently 
 off.  The  dog  held  on  till  the  flesh  tore  off.  Then  some  of  the 
 men  took  off  the  dogs,  others  cried,  "  Let  them  alone."  But 
 neither  beast  nor  man  had  any  commission  to  hurt.  I  stopped 
 the  horse  and  delivered  him  to  my  friend  ;  he  remounted  with 
 great  composure,  and  we  rode  on  leisurely  till  out  of  sight ;  then 
 we  mended  our  pace,  and  in  an  hour  came  to  Seen,  having  rode 
 three  miles  about,  and  by  seven  to  Wrexall.  The  news  of  the 
 danger  was  got  thither  before  us,  but  we  brought  the  welcome 
 tidings  of  our  deliverance.  We  joined  in  hearty  praises  to  our 
 Deliverer,  singing  the  hymn — 
 
 "Worship,  and  thanks,  and  blessing,"  &c. 
 
 Men  who  could  thus  suffer  and  thus  sing  were  as  ready  for  the 
 "lions'  den"  or  the  "fiery  furnace"  as  for  such  infuriated 
 madness  of  men  and  beasts.  The  hymn  was  not  inserted  in 
 the  collection  until  after  Mr.  Wesley's  death. 
 
 Hymn  277. — "Jesus,  the  Conqueror  reigns." — Thanksgiving. — 
 Tune,  Handel's  March,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  forming  No.  139  in  "Hymns  and  Sacred 
 Poems,"  1749,  vol.  i. 
 
 The  original  is  in  sixteen  stanzas,  the  first  six  only  being 
 used.  These  when  first  added  to  the  collection  formed  three 
 hymns  of  two  verses  each.  They  were  united  in  the  revised 
 edition  of  1797,  and  have  so  continued. 
 
HYMN  282.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  213 
 
 Hymn  278.— "Who  is  this  gigantic  io^V— David  and  Goliath, 
 I  SanmelxvW. — Tune,  Amsterdam,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1742. 
 
 In  its  construction  the  history  of  the  triumph  of  David  over 
 the  Philistine  is  applied  most  effectively  to  the  triumph  of 
 believers  over  inbred  and  besetting  sin. 
 
 Hymn  279.—"  Shall  I,  for  fear  of  feeble  m.2inP— Boldness  in  the 
 Gospel.— TVNE,  Canon,  1761. 
 
 From  the  German  of  John  Joseph  Winkler,  published  in 
 1703,  and  translated  by  John  Wesley  during  his  residence  in 
 Georgia  as  a  missionary.  It  appeared  first  in  "Psalms  and 
 Hymns,"  issued  by  the  Wesleys  in  1738,  and  is  also  added  to 
 their  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1739. 
 
 "This,"  says  Miss  Winkworth,  "is  one  of  the  standard  hymns 
 of  Germany."  John  Wesley  endured  severe  persecution  whilst 
 in  America  for  his  stern  fidelity  in  reproving  sin,  and  in  the 
 language  of  this  hymn  he  found  comfort  and  encouragement. 
 
 John  Joseph  Winkler  was  born  at  Luckau,  in  Saxony,  23rd 
 December,  1670.  He  was  first  pastor  in  Magdeburg,  afterwards 
 chaplain  in  the  army,  and  accompanied  the  troops  to  Holland 
 and  Italy.  Subsequently  he  returned  to  Magdeburg,  where  he 
 became  chief  minister  at  the  Cathedral,  and  member  of  the 
 Consistory.  He  died  there  nth  August,  1722.  He  was  an 
 excellent  man,  of  cultivated  mind,  and  wrote  ten  good  hymns. 
 
 Hymn  280.— "The  Lord  is  King,  and  earth  submits."—"//"^  t/iat 
 believeth  shall  7iot  make  hasted — Tune,  Zoar,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1742. 
 
 Hymn  281.— "Are  there  not  in  the  labourer's  day."— 77^^  Way 
 of  Duty  the  Way  of  Safety. — TuNE,  Snows  Fields,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1749, 
 vol.  i.,  No.  124. 
 
 Hymn  282.—"  But  can  it  be,  that  I  should  prove."— /« 
 Temptation. — TUNE,  Chapel,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1749, 
 vol.  i.,  No.  113. 
 
2  14  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  285. 
 
 Hymn  283. — "O  God,  my  hope,  my  heavenly  rest." — For  a 
 Preacher  of  the  Gospel. — Tune,  Marienburn,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1749, 
 vol.  i.,  No.  178,  with  a  separate  title,  "Moses'  Wish." 
 
 Hymn  284.— "To  Thee,  Great  God  of  Love  !   I  howT— For  a 
 Preacher  of  the  Gos/>e/.—TVNE,  Carey's,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  forming  No.  180  in  "Hymns  and  Sacred 
 Poems,"  1749,  vol.  i.  The  second  verse  of  the  original  was 
 added  at  the  revision  of  1875. 
 
 Hymn  285. — "  Come,  Saviour  Jesus  from  above." — Renotmci7ii^ 
 all  for  Christ.— Tvi^Y.,  Angel's  Song,  1761. 
 
 The  original  of  this  hymn  was  written  in  French  about  the 
 year  1640,  by  Madame  Antonia  Bourignon,  whilst  she  was 
 suffering  from  her  father's  anger  on  account  of  the  mercenary 
 suitors  who  solicited  her  hand.  It  expresses  her  resolution  to 
 devote  herself  entirely  to  the  service  of  God.  The  French  is  in 
 fivee  ight-line  verses.  Her  life  was  one  of  extraordinary'' 
 suffering,  privation,  and  endurance.  Her  self-denying  industry' 
 and  devotion  were  the  marvel  of  many,  and  her  writings  fill 
 twenty  volumes.  John  Wesley  made  the  translation  in  1736, 
 when  he  was  suffering  from  reproach  and  calumny  in  America. 
 It  first  appeared  in  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1739,  P^g^ 
 123.  It  is  also  found  in  Dr.  John  Byrom's  "Miscellaneous 
 Poems,"  2  vols.,  Manchester,  1773,  ^oh  ii-,  page  211,  with  the 
 title,  "A  Hymn  to  Jesus."  That  publication  has  led  some  to 
 suppose,  erroneously,  that  it  was  written  by  Byrom. 
 
 The  author  was  born  at  Lisle,  Flanders,  13th  Januar>',  1616, 
 and  was  named  Antonia.  She  was  the  third  of  three  sisters. 
 At  her  birth  she  was  so  deformed  with  hair-lips  that  she  was 
 concealed  for  some  months  till  surgical  skill  and  fresh  air  some- 
 what restored  her  to  comeliness,  but  her  mother  called  her  ugly, 
 and  never  loved  her.  At  the  age  of  four  she  had  read  the 
 Gospels,  and  her  heart  was  so  drawn  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  that  she 
 asked  where  the  Christians  lived,  that  she  might  learn  more 
 about  Jesus  Christ.  The  disputes  she  heard  between  her 
 parents  determined  her  not  to  marr}^,  but  to  devote  her  whole 
 being  to  God  and  His  service.  She  saw  the  gaieties  of  life  in  her 
 sisters,  and  in  the  young  men  who  flattered  her  hoping  to  win 
 her  for  her  money,  but  she  never  changed  her  resolve  made  in 
 
HYMN  285.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  215 
 
 childhood.  She  shut  herself  up  in  her  chamber,  lived  on  plain 
 food,  fasted,  prayed  much,  wore  coarse  clothing,  visited  and 
 relieved  the  poor,  but  had  a  fear  and  dread  of  death  and  hell. 
 At  eighteen  she  cut  off  her  long  hair,  made  herself  the  habit  of 
 a  hermit,  and  left  home  disguised  as  a  young  man.  She  was 
 discovered,  and  fled  to  the  Archbishop  of  Cambray  for  protec- 
 tion against  the  insults  offered  to  her.  Taken  home  by  her 
 parents,  she  there  lived  a  recluse  till  her  mother's  death  in  1641. 
 In  1653,  at  the  age  of  thirty-six,  she  commenced  an  Orphans' 
 Home  at  Lisle,  which  she  superintended  and  supported  from 
 her  own  fortune,  which  was  increased  by  her  father's  death  in 
 1648.  She  then  led  a  wandering  life,  retiring  into  a  cloistered 
 cell,  or  solitary  cottage.  Rich  men  tried  to  obtain  her  hand  for 
 her  wealth,  and  her  food  was  at  times  poisoned  for  the  same 
 object,  but  God  took  care  of  her  for  her  devotion  to  Him. 
 Deprived  of  her  Ophanage,  she  spent  four  years  at  Gaunt  and 
 Mechlin,  where  she  wrote  some  of  her  books.  In  1667  she 
 removed  to  Holland  to  secure  the  printing  of  her  books,  but 
 persecution  overtook  her,  and  she  escaped  to  Holstein.  There 
 the  Jesuits  tried  to  deprive  her  of  her  property,  and  even  got 
 her  imprisoned  for  heresy  ;  but  the  officer  of  the  prison  reading 
 her  books  took  them  to  the  Prince,  and  convinced  him  of  the 
 injustice  of  her  sentence,  and  she  was  released.  In  1674  she 
 removed  to  Sleswick,  and  hid  herself  in  solitude,  but  the  Jesuits 
 pursued  her,  had  her  books  seized,  burnt,  and  scattered.  This 
 led  to  her  books  being  read,  and  the  next  year  the  royal 
 protection  gave  her  rest.  In  1676  priestly  influence  again 
 caused  her  removal,  and  Lutheran  priests  drove  her  from 
 Holland.  In  June,  1677,  she  found  a  refuge  in  Lutzburg, 
 Friesland,  and  the  resident  Baron  gave  her  charge  of  a 
 Hospital  for  Strangers.  Here  she  prepared  her  MSS.  for  the 
 press,  but  her  servants  robbed  her  of  much  of  her  property  and 
 fled.  After  being  hunted  like  a  hare  all  her  life,  she  at  length 
 died  of  fever  at  Franeker,  20th  October,  1680,  aged  sixty-four 
 years.  She  was  of  middle  stature,  slender  figure,  pleasant 
 manners,  gentle  speech,  lively,  good  memory,  clear  judgment, 
 always  wore  plain  clothes,  amiable,  charitable,  generous,  and 
 had  for  a  desk  a  smooth  piece  of  wood.  She  was  clean  and  neat 
 in  her  person,  intensely  pious,  and  one  of  the  most  devoted 
 members  of  the  School  of  Mystics.  God  drew  her  to  Himself 
 at  the  age  of  four  years,  and  of  her  own  determined  choice  she 
 followed  Him  for  sixty  years. 
 
2l6  MKIHODIST  HVMN   liOOK  NOTES.  HYMN   287. 
 
 A  reminiscence  of  sadness  is  associated  with  this  hymn  in 
 connection  with  the  last  service  conducted  by  the  Rev.  George 
 Man  waring.  That  service  was  the  administration  of  the  Lord's 
 Supper  in  Carver  Street  Chapel,  Sheffield,  14th  August,  1825. 
 Little  more  than  fourteen  days  sufficed  for  a  violent  fever  to  end 
 the  mortal  strife.  During  the  wanderings  of  the  mind,  the  man 
 of  God  was  occupied  with  divine  things,  and  the  evening  before 
 his  death  it  was  affecting  to  his  attendants  to  hear  him  give  out 
 the  hymn — 
 
 "  Come,  Saviour  Jesus,  from  above  ! 
 Assist  me  with  Thy  heavenly  grace  ; 
 Empty  my  heart  of  earthly  love, 
 And  for  Thyself  prepare  the  place." 
 
 This  he  did  with  a  distinct  and  audible  voice,  as  he  lay 
 insensible  in  bed,  proceeding  through  the  whole  of  the  Com- 
 munion Service,  and  the  form  of  administering  the  elements, 
 just  as  he  had  done  during  his  last  earthly  service.  In 
 imagination  he  was  commemorating  the  Lord's  death  with  His 
 saints  on  the  earth,  and  almost  immediately  afterwards  his 
 released  spirit  joined  the  marriage-supper  of  the  Lamb  in  the 
 courts  above,  31st  August,  1825.  Mrs.  Man  waring  was  just 
 recovering  from  an  illness  when  her  husband  was  smitten  down, 
 and  her  watchful  care  of  him  she  loved  induced  the  same 
 malady  in  herself.  She  was  taken  to  the  dwelling  of  the  Rev. 
 Daniel  Isaac,  to  whose  care  her  ultimate  recovery  was  mainly 
 attributable  ;  nor  was  it  deemed  prudent  or  safe  to  tell  her  of 
 her  widowed  condition  till  her  husband  had  been  buried  two  days. 
 
 Hymn  286. — "  Abraham  when  severely  tried." — "  The  life  of 
 faith  exemplified^'  &c. — TuNE,  Complaint,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1740, 
 page  12.  This  is  a  portion  of  one  of  the  longest  of  this  poet's 
 compositions ;  it  extends  to  more  than  eighty  verses,  and  is  a 
 paraphrase  of  Heb.  xi.  17-19. 
 
 Hymn  287. — "  Omnipresent  God !  whose  aid." — At  lying 
 dow7i. — Tune,  Magdalen,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  No.  119  of  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems," 
 1749,  vol.  i.  The  original  has  eight  verses,  two  of  which  are 
 omitted.     The  fifth  and  sixth  were  added  in  1875. 
 
 Under  the  ministiy  of  the  Rev.  W^illiam  Henshaw,  Mrs. 
 Wilson,  wife  of  the  Rev.  Joseph  Wilson,  was  convinced  of  sin, 
 
HYMN  26«.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  21 7 
 
 and  shortly  afterwards,  during  a  revival  amongst  young  people 
 in  the  Rye  circuit,  she  obtained  the  blessing  of  pardon.  In  a 
 humble  and  consistent  walk  before  God,  she  manifested  the 
 power  of  divine  grace  in  her  heart.  During  her  last  illness,  the 
 Bible,  Wesley's  hymns,  and  the  "  Pilgrim's  Progress  "  afforded 
 her  much  encouragement.  It  was  her  practice  every  night  to 
 repeat  upon  her  knees  the  whole  of  the  hymn  commencing — 
 
 "  Omnipresent  God  !  whose  aid 
 No  one  ever  ask'd  in  vain,"  &.C. 
 
 A  more  suitable  evening  prayer  was  scarcely  ever  done  in  verse. 
 It  is  matter  of  surprise  if  thousands  of  the  Lord's  people  have 
 not  made  a  similar  and  daily  use  of  this  admirable  summary  of 
 devotion  and  self-dedication.  She  died  15th  June,  1857,  aged 
 seventy-six  years. 
 
 Hymn  288.—"  O  God,  Thy  faithfulness  I  plead  !"— /« 
 Temptatio7i. — TUNE,  Wood's,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  forming  No.  106  of  "Hymns  aud  Sacred 
 Poems,"  1749,  vol.  i.  The  original  has  eight  verses,  three  of 
 which  are  omitted. 
 
 It  is  a  delightful  record  which  a  daughter  has  written  of  her 
 mother,  "  That  the  light  of  purity  and  holiness  which  made  the 
 character  of  Mrs.  Mary  Miller  so  lovely  in  the  eyes  of  others  was 
 invisible  to  herself"  What  is  recorded  of  this  holy  "  mother 
 in  Israel"  may  be  with  equal  truth  affirmed  of  her  excellent 
 husband,  the  pure,  transparent,  and  holy  William  Edward  Miller, 
 Wesleyan  minister.  The  writer  of  these  lines  has  a  delightful 
 recollection  of  hearing  the  living  testimony  of  the  good  man, 
 delivered  at  a  love-feast  in  Carver  Street  Chapel,  Sheffield,  in 
 1840 — that  for  years  sin  had  no  place  in  his  thoughts  or  heart. 
 The  thirty-eight  years  passed  by  Mrs.  Miller  in  the  Methodist 
 Society  were  marked  by  inward  and  abiding  peace,  irreproachable 
 uprightness,  and  a  holy  life.  She  walked  in  light.  She  frequently 
 repeated  the  three  last  verses  of  Hymn  288,  more  especially  the 
 closing  Hnes — 
 
 **  Thy  love  shall  burst  the  shades  of  death, 
 And  bear  tne  from  the  gulf  beneath 
 To  everlasting  day." 
 
 What  was  said  of  the  holy  patriarch  was  equally  appropriate  to 
 her  :  "  She  was  not,  for  God  took  her,"  in  the  year  1835. 
 
2l8  MKTHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTl-.S.  HYMN  289. 
 
 Hymn  289. — "  God  of  my  life,  whose  gracious  power." — Ai  the 
 approach  of  Temptation. — TUNE,  Invitation,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1740. 
 The  original  has  fifteen  verses  ;  seven  are  left  out. 
 
 Shortly  before  the  close  of  the  last  century,  the  first  Methodist 
 services  were  held  in  the  village  of  Walton,  near  Brampton, 
 Cumberland.  One  of  the  first-fruits  of  that  preaching  was  the 
 conversion  of  a  youth  of  sixteen,  named  Joseph  Taylor.  From 
 that  time  his  whole  life  and  energies  were  devoted  to  the  service 
 of  God,  and  abundantly  was  he  owned  and  blessed  in  His  work. 
 He  accompanied  a  young  friend  of  his  to  Liverpool  to  see  him 
 sail  as  a  Wesleyan  missionary  to  the  West  Indies  ;  but  when  the 
 seraphic  Dr.  Coke  saw  the  two  young  men  together,  he  was  so 
 impressed  with  the  superior  fitness  of  Mr.  Taylor  for  the  work 
 that  he  was  appointed  and  sent  in  the  place  of  his  friend. 
 Reaching  Barbadoes  on  a  Sunday  morning,  accompanied  by 
 another  missionar}',  they  hasted,  on  landing,  to  the  Methodist 
 chapel.  The  missionary  in  charge  was  so  overjoyed  that,  at  the 
 conclusion  of  the  reading  of  the  lesson,  he  left  the  pulpit  and 
 hasted  to  welcome  the  two  brethren  before  the  whole  congrega- 
 tion. They  fell  on  each  other's  necks,  and  wept  tears  of  joy  and 
 gratitude.  Mr.  Taylor's  labours  were  abundantly  owned  of  God 
 in  that  mission,  scarcely  a  service  being  held  without  souls 
 being  saved  ;  and,  as  he  once  observed,  when  stationed  in 
 London,  he  saw  more  souls  saved  in  the  West  Indies  on  one 
 Sabbath  than  he  saw  saved  in  the  metropolis  in  three  months. 
 At  one  mission-station  he  had  to  sleep  in  a  room  near  the 
 chapel,  with  no  human  being  near.  A  good  black  woman 
 prepared  him  his  supper,  and  then  left  him  alone  with  God. 
 But  he  found  there  sweet  and  happy  seasons  of  communion 
 with  heaven.  When,  in  subsequent  life,  he  referred  to  these 
 times  of  affliction  and  jeopardy,  he  would  devoutly  lift  his  eyes 
 and  hands   heavenward,   and   with   strong   feeling  repeat   the 
 
 stanza — 
 
 "  Oft  hath  the  sea  confess'd  Thy  power, 
 And  given  me  back  at  Thy  command  ; 
 It  could  not,  Lord,  my  life  devour, 
 Safe  in  the  hollow  of  Thine  hand. 
 "Oft  from  the  margin  of  the  grave 
 
 Thou,  Lord,  hast  lifted  up  my  head  ; 
 Sudden,  I  found  Thee  near  to  save  ; 
 The  fever  own'd  Thy  touch,  and  fled." 
 
HYMN  294.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  219 
 
 Then  he  would  add,  "  I  will  sing  of  mercy  and  judgment :  unto 
 Thee,  O  Lord,  will  I  sing."  Few  men  have  done  more  real 
 service  in  promoting  the  kingdom  of  Christ,  not  only  in  the 
 West  Indies,  but  in  various  important  circuits  at  home,  and 
 especially  as  one  of  the  general  missionar)'  secretaries,  and  as 
 president  of  the  Conference  in  1834.  He  was  a  devout  and 
 earnest  Christian.  He  died  in  peace  at  Bass  Lane  House,  Bury, 
 Lancashire,  the  residence  of  J.  R.  Kay,  Esq.,  19th  November, 
 1845,  aged  sixty-six,  and  had  his  last  resting-place  in  the 
 burial-ground  of  Cheetham  Hill  Wesleyan  Chapel,  Manchester. 
 
 Hymn  290. — "  My  God,  if  I  may  call  Thee  xmm.^'— Justified^ 
 but  not  Sanctified. — TUNE,  Pudsey,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1739. 
 The  original  is  in  nine  double  verses. 
 
 Hymn  291. — "Fondly  my  foolish  heart  essays." — hi  Desertion 
 or  Temptation.— Txi-iil^,  Athlone,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1739, 
 page  149.  The  original  has  fourteen  verses,  the  first  ten  of 
 which  are  left  out. 
 
 Hymn  292.— -"To  the  haven  of  Thy  breast." — Isaiah  xxxii.  2. 
 — Tune,  Kingswood,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1742, 
 page  145.  The  latter  half  of  the  fourth,  and  the  first  half  of 
 the  fifth  verses  in  the  original  are  left  out. 
 
 Hymn  293. — "Jesus,  my  King,  to  Thee  I  bow." — Fight  the 
 Good  Fight  of  Faith.— TuiiY.,  Itahan,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1742, 
 page  251.  The  original  has  nineteen  verses,  the  fourth,  and  all 
 after  the  tenth,  being  omitted. 
 
 Hymn  294. — "Jesus,  Thou  sovereign  Lord  of  all." — Desiring  to 
 /"r^j.— Tune,  Mourners,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  forming  No.  26  in  "Hymns  and  Sacred 
 Poems,"  1749,  vol.  ii.  One  half  of  the  original  is  left  out.  The 
 necessity  and  efficacy  of  prayer  is  strongly  set  forth  in  this 
 
320  METHODIST  IIVMN   LOOK  NOIKS.  HYMN   297. 
 
 hymn.  "The  God-commanding  pica"  of  the  fourth  verse  is 
 founded  on  Isa.  xlv.  ii,  where  the  Ahnighty  says,  "Command 
 ye  me."  This  commences  tlie  third  section  of  the  book,  with 
 the  title,  "  F'or  Bclicxcrs  Praying." 
 
 IIVMN  295.-  "Come,  ye  followers  of  the  Lord." — "J/r;/  ought 
 always  to  pray,  and  not  to  faint""  (Luke  xviii.  i). — TUNE, 
 Kings  wood,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  first  printed  at  the  end  of  a  tract,  entitled, 
 "A  Short  View  of  the  Differences  between  the  Moravian 
 Brethren  lately  in  England,  and  the  Rev.  Mr.  John  and  Charles 
 Wesley,  1741."  It  is  also  printed  in  "Hymns  and  Sacred 
 Poems,"  1749,  "^'ol-  ii-,  No.  28.     One  verse  is  omitted. 
 
 Under  the  preaching  of  the  first  missionaries  at  English 
 Harbour,  Trinity  Bay,  Newfoundland,  the  heart  of  George 
 Ivamy  was  graciously  opened  to  receive  the  Gospel ;  after 
 he  received  the  evidence  of  pardon  and  assurance  he  was 
 abundantly  happy,  and  during  the  rest  of  his  short  life  he 
 enjoyed  uninterrupted  peace  with  God.  Fever  and  consumption 
 followed  each  other  in  quick  succession,  and  in  the  midst  of 
 his  sufferings,  after  a  violent  paroxysm,  he  broke  forth  into 
 singing— 
 
 **Be  it  weariness  or  pain 
 
 To  slothful  flesh  and  blood 
 Yet  we  will  the  cross  sustain, 
 And  bless  the  welcome  load." 
 
 He  died  30th  December,  1826,  aged  twenty-two,  saying  to  his 
 mother,  "  Death  is  gain  ;  I  am  going  to  Jesus." 
 
 Hymn  296.—"  Help,  Lord  !  the  busy  foe."—/;/  a  Hurry  of 
 Business. — Tune,  Olney,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  No.  145,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems," 
 1749,  vol.  i.  The  first  verse  was  added  in  1875.  In  the  fourth 
 line  the  original  reads,  "  Call  off  my  anxious  heart ; "  and  by 
 changing  the  word  "anxious"  to  "peaceful,"  the  intention  of  the 
 poet  is  quite  diverted. 
 
 Hymn  297. — "  Shepherd  Divine,  our  wants  relieve." — Desiring 
 to  Love. — Tune,  Aldrich,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  No.  27  in  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems," 
 1749,  ■^'O^-  ii-     This  is  popular  in  prayer  meetings. 
 
HYMN  302.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  221 
 
 Hymn  298. — "  O  wondrous  power  of  faithful  prayer." — For 
 those  that  seek  Redemption. — Tune,  Canterbury,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Redemption  Hymns,"  page  49. 
 There  is  a  great  fervency  of  manner  and  strength  of  language  in 
 this  hymn.  The  all-powerful  intercession  of  the  Redeemer  is 
 set  forth  in  the  Hne,  "Jesus  forces  me  to  spare." 
 
 Hymn  299. — "Jesus,  thou  has  bid  us  pray." — Avenge  me  of 
 mme  Adversary. — Tune,  Kingswood,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1742, 
 page  199,  founded  on  Luke  xviii.  The  original  has  ten  verses, 
 two  of  which  are  left  out. 
 
 Hymn  300. — "Jesus,  I  fain  would  find." — Revelation  iii.  19. — 
 Tune,  Lampe's,  1746. 
 
 It  forms  No.  846  of  Charles  Wesley's  "Short  Scripture 
 Hymns,"  vol.  ii. 
 
 Hymn  301. — "Jesus,  my  strength,  my  hope." — A  Poor  Sinner. 
 — Tune,  Lampe's,  1746. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1742, 
 page  146.  The  fourth  verse  of  the  original  is  left  out,  and  the 
 second  is  placed  at  the  end  and  forms  the  sixth. 
 
 Brought  to  a  knowledge  of  the  truth  under  the  ministry  of 
 the  Rev.  William  Jenkins  in  1791,  Ann  Austen,  of  Kimbolton, 
 joined  the  Methodist  Society  in  early  life.  For  many  years  she 
 was  a  diligent  tract-distributor,  sick-visitor,  and  class-leader. 
 For  five  years  she  was  confined  to  the  house  by  severe  suffering, 
 but  no  complaint  escaped  her  lips.  In  a  paroxysm  of  pain  she 
 would  sometimes  say — 
 
 **  I  want  a  heart  to  pray.  To  pray  and  never  cease, 
 Never  to  murmur  at  Thy  stay,  Nor  wish  my  sufferings  less." 
 Her  last  words  were  expressive  of  her  confidence  in  God,  and 
 sure   hope  of  heaven.     She  died  8th    September,   1845,   aged 
 eighty-one. 
 
 Hymn  302. — "  Lord,  that  I  may  learn  of  Thee." — Isaiah  xxviii.  9. 
 — Tune,  Minories,  1761. 
 
 Forms  No.  1005  of  Charles  Wesley's  "Short  Scripture 
 Hymns,"  vol.  i. 
 
22  2  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.         HYMN  309. 
 
 IIVMN  303.— "Ah,  when  shall  I  awake?"— (7^^f^  Everlasting 
 /^7r.— Tune,  Lampe's,  1746. 
 
 This  forms  No.  7  in  part  ii.  of  Charles  Wesley's  "  Hymns 
 on  God's  Everlasting  Love."     The  original  has  eleven  verses. 
 
 Hymn  304. — "Saviour,  on  me  the  want  bestow." — The 
 Beatifudes.— i:\JliY.,  Travellers,  1761. 
 
 This  is  made  up  of  Nos.  19,  21,  22,  23,  24,  26,  and  27  of 
 Charles  Wesley's  "Hymns  on  the  Beatitudes,"  found  in  the 
 "Short  Scripture  Hymns,"  vol.  ii. 
 
 Hymn  305.— "Gracious  Redeemer,  shake." — For  the 
 IVatc/i-fii'g/it.— Tune,  Olney,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  being  No.  85  in  "Hymns  and  Sacred 
 Poems,"  1749,  vol.  ii.  The  original  has  ten  verses,  the  first  four 
 of  which  are  omitted.  This  hymn  commences  the  fourth  section 
 of  the  collection,  with  the  title,  "  For  Believers  Watching." 
 
 Hymn  306. — "  Father,  to  Thee  I  lift  mine  eyes." — For  the 
 Mormno-.—Tu-SE,  112th  Psalm,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1749, 
 vol.  i.,  No.  142. 
 
 Hymn  307. — "  God  of  all  grace  and  majesty." — For  the  fear  of 
 God. — Tune,  Wenvo,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1749, 
 vol.  ii.,  No.  166. 
 
 Hymn  308. — "  I  want  a  principle  within." — For  a  Tender 
 Conscience.— Tune,  Wenvo,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  forming  No.  167  of  "Hymns  and  Sacred 
 Poems,"  1749,  ^'ol-  ii-  The  first  verse,  and  the  halves  of  verses 
 four  and  five  of  the  original,  are  omitted. 
 
 Hymn  309. — "  Help,  Lord,  to  whom  for  help  I  fly." — In 
 Tejuptation. — TUNE,  Musicians,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  forming  No.  no  of  "Hymns  and  Sacred 
 Poems,"  1749,  vol.  i. 
 
HYMN  313.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  223 
 
 Hymn  310.— "Jesus,  My  Master  and  my  Lordf— For  t/ie 
 IVatc/im'o^/it—TVNE,  St.  Paul's,  1761. 
 
 Forms  No.  89  of  Charles  Wesley's  "Hymns  and  Sacred 
 Poems,"  1749,  vol.  ii.  The  first  verse  of  the  original  was  added 
 in  1875,  ^Ii*-  Bunting  has  suggested  an  entirely  new  and  much 
 improved  reading  of  the  second  verse — 
 
 "  Into  a  world  of  tempters  sent, 
 I  walk  on  hostile  ground  ; 
 WTiere  fools,  on  self-destruction  bent, 
 And  bent  on  mine,  surround." 
 
 Hymn  311.— "Bid  me  of  men  beware."— 7v7r  t/te  Watchnight,— 
 Tune,  Olney,  1761. 
 
 Forms  No.  90  of  Charles  Wesley's  "Hymns  and  Sacred 
 Poems,"  1749,  vol.  ii,,  the  first  verse  of  the  original  being  left 
 out,  and  the  next  slightly  altered. 
 
 Hymn  312. — "Jesu,  my  Saviour,  Brother,  Friend;" 
 „       313. — "Pierce,  fill  me  with  an  humble  fear." 
 Watch  in  all  things. — TUNE,  Purcels,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1742, 
 page  214.  The  original  of  these  two  forms  one  hymn,  extending 
 to  fifteen  stanzas,  the  last  four  being  left  out. 
 
 John  Wesley  and  Methodism  had  no  truer  friends  than 
 were  Ann  and  Sarah  Loxdale,  two  of  the  daughters  of  Thomas 
 Loxdale,  Esq.,  of  Shrewsbury.  Ann  was  the  intimate  personal 
 friend  of  the  Rev.  John  Wesley  and  the  Rev.  John  Fletcher, 
 and  afterwards  became  the  second  wife  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Coke. 
 Sarah,  the  youngest  sister,  was  converted  to  God  in  early  life, 
 and  was  afterwards  married  to  Mr.  Hill  of  Shrewsbury,  son  of 
 the  estimable  Mrs.  Hill,  who  was  her  first  class-leader.  Her 
 life  was  one  uninterrupted  round  of  goodness  and  mercy,  and 
 cannot  be  better  described  than  in  the  words  of  the  Rev.  P. 
 M'Owan  : — "  Her  Christian  experience  was  deep  ;  her  discourse 
 was  spiritual,  edifying,  and  intelligent ;  and  her  entire  deport- 
 ment and  conduct  evinced  the  closeness  of  her  walk  with  God. 
 Her  attachment  to  Methodism  was  ardent ;  and  her  liberality 
 in  supporting  its  institutions  exemplary.  Her  understanding 
 was  strong  and  well  cultivated ;  her  judgment  was  sound  and 
 discriminating ;  and  her  disposition  was  generous  and  tenderly 
 
2  24  MirniODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NO  IKS.  HYMN  3 1 6. 
 
 affectionate.  Her  piety  was  cheerful,  evan^'clical,  and  catholic. 
 She  was  a  faithful  friend,  a  condescending  teacher  of  youth,  a 
 wise  counsellor,  and  an  efficient  class-leader."  To  this  justly- 
 deserved  eulogium  may  be  added,  that  she  was,  from  the 
 commencement  of  her  religious  course,  accustomed  to  early 
 rising  and  habitual  industr)'.  In  later  years,  when  unable  to 
 rise  early,  she  generally  had  her  Bible,  Hymn  Book,*  and  writing 
 desk  in  requisition  about  six  in  the  morning.  This  custom  she 
 observed  till  she  was  half  way  between  eighty  and  ninety  years 
 of  age.  Only  five  days'  illness  preceded  her  death  ;  but  her 
 mind  was  unclouded,  and  she  enjoyed  perfect  peace.  The 
 thought  of  joining  the  glorious  company  before  the  throne  made 
 her  joyful.  Naming  several  of  her  departed  friends,  she  added 
 — "They  are  waiting  for  me;  it  is  enrapturing  to  think  of 
 joining  them."  The  day  but  one  before  her  death,  she  appeared 
 to  be  favoured  with  some  peculiar  manifestation  of  the  divine 
 presence,  and  said — 
 
 "And,  hovering,  hides  me  in  his  wings," 
 
 Her  happy  spirit  entered  paradise,  4th  December,  1847,  aged 
 eighty-seven  years. 
 
 Hymn  314. — "Hark,  how  the  watchmen  cry." 
 
 „       315. — "Angels  your  march  oppose." 
 
 For  the  Watchmght.—Tv^^y  Handel's  March,  1761. 
 
 Forms  No.  91  of  Charles  Wesley's  "  Hymns  and  Sacred 
 Poems,"  1749,  vol.  ii.  The  original  forms  one  hymn  of  twelve 
 verses,  five  of  which  are  omitted. 
 
 Hymn  316. — "Eternal  Power,  whose  high  abode." — God 
 exalted  above  all  praise. — TUNE,  Palmis,  1761. 
 
 Dr.  Watts',  from  HoraD  Lyricce,  1705.  The  original  has  six 
 verses,  the  second  being  left  out.     It  is  as  follows — 
 
 "The  lowest  step  above  Thy  seat, 
 Rises  too  high  for  Gabriel's  feet. 
 
 *  A  copy  of  Charles  Wesley's  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1749, 
 two  volumes,  with  Mrs,  vSarah  Hill's  name  written  across  both  title- 
 pages,  and  formerly  used  by  that  lady,  has  been  used  by  the  writer  of 
 these  notes  to  compare  with  the  originals  all  the  hymns  selected  from 
 that  work,  and  it  is  prized  by  him  for  that  pleasant  association. 
 
HYMN  316,  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  225 
 
 In  vain  the  tall  archangel  tries, 
 
 To  reach  Thine  height  with  wondering  eyes." 
 
 The  third  verse  commences  thus  : — 
 
 **  Thy  dazzling  beauties  whilst  he  sings," 
 
 which  Mr.  Wesley  has  greatly  improved  by  altering  to — 
 *'Thee,  while  the  first  archangel  sings." 
 
 For  all  Methodists  there  is  an  interest  of  an  impressive  character 
 attaching  to  this  hymn.  On  Sunday  morning,  23rd  January, 
 1855,  the  Rev.  Dr.  Joseph  Beaumont  prepared  to  preach,  in 
 Waltham  Street  Chapel,  Hull,  the  anniversary  sermons  for 
 the  Sunday  schools.  He  had  been  suffering  much  from  acute 
 rheumatism,  and  had  declined  taking  any  medicine  for  relief 
 that  morning,  lest  it  should  distress  him  in  his  work.  The 
 morning  was  cold,  and  the  street  slippery  with  the  frozen  snow; 
 yet,  with  the  aid  of  one  of  his  daughters,  he  reached  the  chapel 
 safely,  making  but  few  observations  by  the  way.  On  entering 
 the  vestry,  he  made  inquiries  about  the  condition  of  the  schools, 
 for  whose  aid  he  was  about  to  preach.  He  ascended  the  pulpit 
 stairs  with  apparent  ease  and  freedom,  in  order  as  much  as 
 possible  to  conceal  the  lameness  from  which  he  was  suffering. 
 He  opened  the  service  with  much  solemnity,  giving  out  Hymn 
 316,  commencing — 
 
 "  Eternal  Power,  whose  high  abode." 
 
 Without  reading  the  first  verse,  he  gave  out  the  first  two  lines 
 of  the  second — 
 
 "Thee,  while  the  first  archangel  sings. 
 He  hides  his  face  behind  his  wings." 
 
 These  lines  he  delivered  with  an  awful  pathos,  his  lips  quivering 
 as  he  uttered  the  solemn  words.  His  emotion  was  doubtless 
 increased  by  the  loosening  of  the  silver  cord  of  life  at  that 
 moment.  Whilst  the  congregation  were  singing  the  second  of 
 those  lines,  the  preacher  looked  partially  round  (as  if  in  search 
 of  something),  sank  down  on  the  spot  where  he  stood,  and  his 
 beautiful  spirit  was  at  once  admitted  to  chant  the  praises  of  God 
 before  His  throne  in  heaven,  and  to  witness  that  beatific  vision 
 which  leads  even  the  "  first  archangel"  in  heaven  to  "hide  his 
 face  behind  his  wings."  Without  a  sound,  or  sigh,  or  motion, 
 or  without  even  a  single  instant's  premonition,  did  that  eminent 
 servant  of  God  pass  away  to  the  skies,  with  a  mind  full  of  sweet 
 
 P 
 
226  METHODIST  IIV.MX  P.OOK  NOTES.  HYMN  318. 
 
 peace  and  steadfast  trust,  overflowing  with  sacred  joy  in  the  full 
 performance  of  his  holy  duties.     He  was  sixty  years  old. 
 
 Hymn  317. — "Ah,  Lord,  with  trembling  I  confess." — Matthew 
 V.  13. — Tune,  Welling,  1761. 
 
 Forms  No.  30  of  Charles  Wesley's  "  Short  Scripture  Hymns," 
 vol.  ii.  This  hymn  has  long  been  "  a  stone  of  stumbling  and  a 
 rock  of  offence  "  to  many  Calvinists. 
 
 Forty  years  of  the  active  life  of  John  Early  were  devoted  to 
 God;  during  the  whole  of  which,  he  was  the  chief  support  of 
 the  cause  of  Methodism  in  Witney.  For  several  of  his  latter 
 years,  he  was  deprived  of  his  sight,  and  was  otherwise  infirm, 
 but  in  all  these  sufferings  he  complained  not,  for  God  was  the 
 strength  of  his  heart  and  his  portion.  In  his  last  illness  he  was 
 very  happy ;  praising  God,  speaking  of  the  precious  blood  of 
 Jesus,  and  quoting  the  promises  of  God,  and  a  couplet  of  a 
 favourite  hymn — 
 
 "And  lead  me  to  the  mount  above, 
 Through  the  low  vale  of  humble  love." 
 
 His  last  words  w^ere — "  I  feel  that  heaven  is  my  home."     He 
 died  1 2th  November,  1862,  aged  seventy-nine  years. 
 
 Hymn  318. — "A  charge  to  keep  I  have." — Leviticus  viii.  35. — 
 Tune,  Olney,  1761. 
 
 This  is  No.  188  of  Charles  Wesley's  "  Short  Scripture  Hymns," 
 vol.  i.  ;  a  hymn  full  of  weighty  and  impressive  thought,  and 
 often  sung;  a  great  favourite,  as  it  will  ever  remain,  owing 
 to  its  special  adaptation  to  the  experience  of  life. 
 
 Soon  after  these  notes  first  appeared,  about  1872,  a  rather 
 warm  controversy  arose  between  Calvinistic  and  Arminian 
 readers  of  the  Christiaii  Stajidard^  conducted  by  Mr.  James 
 Grant,  as  to  the  doctrinal  views  expressed  in  this  hymn,  which 
 was  closed  by  giving  the  text  on  which  it  is  based,  and  showing 
 how  well  it  embodies  the  words  of  Moses  :  "  Therefore  shall  ye 
 abide  at  the  door  of  the  tabernacle  of  the  congregation  day  and 
 night  seven  days,  and  keep  the  charge  of  the  Lord  that  ye  die 
 not  ;  for  so  I  am  commanded."  It  teaches  the  doctrine  of 
 works,  not  faith.  Obedience  is  its  basis,  and  in  that  respect 
 corresponds  to  the  command  given  to  Saul  to  utterly  destroy 
 the  Amalekites.  Disobedience  was  Saul's  sin,  as  Samuel  so 
 sternly  pointed  out  to  him. 
 
HYMN  323.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  227 
 
 Hymn  319. — "Watch'd  by  the  world's  malignant  eye." — 
 Nehemiah  v.  9. — Tune,  Welsh,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  forming  No.  685  of  "  Short  Scripture 
 Hymns,"  vol.  i.  It  shows  the  poet's  great  power  of  embodying 
 Gospel  duty  and  principle  upon  Old  Testament  history. 
 
 Hymn  320. — "  Be  it  my  only  wisdom  here." — "  Behold  the  fear 
 of  the  Lord,  that  is  wisdom^^  &c. — TUNE,  Chapel,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  forming  No.  757  of  "  Short  Scripture 
 Hymns,"  vol.  i.,  founded  on  Job  xxviii.  28. 
 
 Hymn  321. — "  Summon'd  my  labour  to  renew." — To  be  sung  at 
 Z-F^r^.— Tune,  Mitcham,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1739, 
 page  194.  This  hymn  commences  the  Fifth  Section,  with  the 
 title — "  For  Believers  Working.'' 
 
 Hymn  322. — "  Servant  of  all,  to  toil  for  man." — To  be  stmg  at 
 IVor^.—TVNE,  Bexley,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1739, 
 page  193.     The  first  verse  of  the  original  reads  as  follows — 
 
 "Son  of  the  carpenter,  receive 
 This  humble  work  of  mine  ; 
 Worth  to  my  meanest  labour  give 
 By  joining  it  to  Thine." 
 
 Hymm  323.—"  God  of  almighty  love." — An  Hourly  Act  of 
 Oblatiojt.—TV'i^'E,  Lampe's,  1746. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  forming  No.  149  in  "Hymns  and  Sacred 
 Poems,"  1749,  "^'ol-  i- 
 
 In  the  third  verse  of  the  original  the  first  line  is,  "  Spirit  of 
 grace  inspire,"  and  the  last  line  is,  "  A  worm  into  a  god."  The 
 alterations  are  to  be  preferred ;  but  the  idea  conveyed  in  the 
 last  line  exactly  corresponds  with  a  passage  in  the  first  book  of 
 Young's  "  Night  Thoughts  "— 
 
 "  How  poor,  how  rich,  how  abject,  how  august, 
 How  complicate,  how  wonderful,  is  man  ! 
 
2  28  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  327. 
 
 Midway  from  nothing  to  the  Deity  ! 
 A  beam  ethereal,  sullied,  and  absorpt  ! 
 Though  sullied  and  dishonour'd,  still  divine  ! 
 Dim  miniature  of  greatness  absolute  ! 
 An  heir  of  g\ory,  a  frail  heir  of  dust  ! 
 Helpless  immortal,  insect  infinite  ! 
 A  worm  !  a  god  ! 
 
 Young,  as  a  poet,  was  a  fa\ourite  with  the  Wesleys,  but 
 probably  both  Young  and  the  Wesleys  had  in  their  minds  the 
 recollection  of  the  words  of  the  Saviour,  "  Is  it  not  written  in 
 your  law,  I  said,  Ye  are  gods?"  John  x.  34;  see  also  Gen. 
 i.  26. 
 
 Hymn  324. — "  Forth  in  Thy  name,  O  Lord,  I  go."— Be/ore 
 IVorJt.—TVfiE^  Angels'  Song,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  forming  No.  144  in  "Hymns  and  Sacred 
 Poems,"  1749,  '^'ol.  i- 
 
 Hymn  325. —  *  Lo  !  I  come  with  joy  to  do." — For  a  Believer  in 
 Worldly  Busi?iess. — TUNE,  Kingswood,  1761. 
 
 One  of  Charles  Wesley's  "Redemption  Hymns,"  1747. 
 
 Hymn  326. — "  Captain  of  Israel's  host,  and  Guide." — Exodus 
 xii.  21.— Tune,  Norwich,  1761. 
 
 Forms  No.  133  of  Charles  Wesley's  "  Short  Scripture  Hymns." 
 
 Hymn  327.— "O  Thou  who  camest  from  dihovt."— Leviticus 
 vi.  13.— Tune,  Palmis,  1761. 
 
 This  is  No.  183  of  Charles  Wesley's  "  Short  Scripture  Hymns." 
 The  words  here  versified  are,  "  The  fire  shall  ever  be  burning 
 upon  the  altar ;  it  shall  never  go  out."  Samuel  Bradburn,  in 
 his  sketch  of  the  character  of  the  founder  of  Methodism,  says, 
 "  The  Rev.  John  Wesley  told  me,  when  wath  him  in  Yorkshire, 
 in  the  year  1781,  that  his  experience  might  always  be  found  in 
 the  following  lines — 
 
 •'  *  O  Thou  who  camest  from  above, 
 The  pure  celestial  fire  to  impart. 
 Kindle  a  flame  of  sacred  love, 
 On  the  mean  altar  of  my  heart. 
 
HYMN  327.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  229 
 
 '*  '  There  let  it  for  Thy  glory  burn 
 With  inextinguishable  blaze ; 
 And  trembling  to  its  source  return, 
 In  humble  prayer  and  fervent  praise. 
 •* 'Jesus  confirm  my  heart's  desire, 
 
 To  work,  and  speak,  and  think  for  Thee ; 
 Still  let  me  guard  the  holy  fire, 
 And  still  stir  up  Thy  gift  in  me. 
 *'  *  Ready  for  all  Thy  perfect  will, 
 
 My  acts  of  faith  and  love  repeat. 
 Till  death  thy  endless  mercies  seal. 
 And  make  the  sacrifice  complete.*" 
 
 That  flame  of  sacred  love  was  always  kept  burning  in  Mr. 
 Wesley's  heart,  and  it  always  kept  him  in  the  path  of  duty, 
 which  was  the  path  of  safety.  It  is  said  that  some  of  the  old 
 preachers,  a  century  ago,  who  held  Mr.  Wesley  in  most 
 affectionate  veneration,  agreed  one  day  to  ask  him  his  own 
 experience  ;  so  one  said  to  him,  "  Mr.  Wesley,  you  often  ask  us 
 about  our  experience,  we  should  like  to  be  favoured  with  yours." 
 He  replied,  "Very  well;  I  will  tell  you,"  and  he  repeated  the 
 lines  commencing — 
 
 "  'Jesus,  confirm  my  heart's  desire, 
 
 To  work,  and  speak,  and  think  for  Thee,'&c. 
 
 "  That  is  my  experience,"  said  Mr.  Wesley,  "  Can  any  Christian 
 give  better?"  On  another  occasion,  when  Mr.  Wesley  was 
 asked  how  he  would  act  if  he  knew  that  in  two  days  he  must 
 die,  he  simply  repeated  the  programme  of  the  duties  he  had 
 marked  out  in  his  diary  for  those  days. 
 
 In  early  childhood,  Eliza  Hill,  of  York,  grand-daughter  of 
 Richard  Burdsall,  gave  her  heart  to  the  Lord,  and  His  service 
 ever  after  became  her  chief  joy.  Her  reliance  on  the  merit  and 
 death  of  Christ  was  habitual ;  her  sense  of  acceptance  with  God 
 was  generally  clear,  and  her  peace  and  joy  unbroken.  Knowing 
 the  shortness  of  life  and  certainty  of  death,  she  crowded  her 
 life's  short  day  with  works  of  faith  and  labours  of  love.  The 
 night  before  she  died,  she  sang  the  hymn  through,  commencing — 
 
 **  O  Thou  who  camest  from  above," 
 and  ending  with — 
 
 "  Ready  for  all  Thy  perfect  will, 
 My  acts  of  faith  and  love  repeat, 
 Till  death  thy  endless  mercies  seal, 
 And  make  the  sacrifice  complete." 
 
230  METHODIST  HYMN  I500K  NOTES.  HYMN  328 
 
 On  the  last  day  of  her  earthly  pilgrima^^e,  she  was  sending  out 
 garments  to  the  poor.  She  lived  only  a  few  hours  after  a  seizure 
 of  paralysis,  and  died  12th  November,  1856,  aged  forty-nine. 
 
 Hymn  328.— "When  quiet  in  my  house  I  ^\\.y— Leviticus  vi.  7. 
 —Tune,  Canterbury,  1761. 
 
 This  is  formed  of  four  of  Charles  Wesley's  "  Short  Scripture 
 Hymns,"  vol.  i.,  Nos.  289-292,  based  on  these  words,  "Thou 
 shalt  talk  of  them  when  thou  sittest  in  thy  house  ;  when  thou 
 walkest  by  the  way  ;  when  thou  liest  down  ;  and  when  thou 
 risest  up."  This,  like  many  other  hymns  in  the  collection,  has, 
 in  ever>'  verse  and  line,  been  made  a  blessing  to  some  of  the 
 Lord's  people. 
 
 Previous  to  the  introduction  of  Methodism  into  Fakenham 
 and  Walsingham  in  Norfolk,  in  1781,  by  Mr.  Wesley,  there 
 were  none  but  female  preachers  in  that  locality ;  but  twelve  of 
 these  eminently  holy  gifted  women  were  the  means  of  kindling 
 the  fire  of  the  Lord,  till  the  work  spread,  and  many  villages  and 
 towns  were  blessed  by  the  revival  which  followed  their  labours. 
 Amongst  the  converts  resulting  from  these  labours  were  many 
 of  the  relatives  and  friends  of  Ann  Hill  Taylor,  who  afterwards 
 became  the  wife  of  the  Rev.  George  Taylor.  One  of  these 
 converts  was  her  mother's  brother,  Josiah  Hill,  who  became  an 
 eminent  Methodist  preacher ;  another  was  his  brother,  James 
 Hill ;  a  third  was  also  named  James  Hill,  all  three  of  whom 
 adorned  the  Christian  profession  during  long  lives.  A  fourth, 
 Mr.  Harrison,  became  a  useful  local  preacher ;  then  followed  a 
 sister,  who  became  the  wife  of  Richard  Fisher,  a  Methodist 
 preacher,  and  mother  of  Thomas  R.  Fisher,  also  a  Methodist 
 preacher.  The  parents  of  Ann  Hill  Taylor  also  shared  in  the 
 rich  outpouring  of  the  Spirit  of  God  ;  and  she  herself  partook 
 of  the  heavenly  fire,  which  consumed  the  sin  from  the  soul,  and 
 produced  a  life  devoted  to  God  and  to  H  is  service.  When  scarcely 
 twenty  years  of  age,  she  was  made  the  leader  of  a  class,  and 
 wisely  used  the  office  for  many  years.  Her  love  to  the  Word  of 
 God  was  great ;  she  studied  its  truths,  lived  in  obedience  to  its 
 precepts,  partook  largely  of  its  blessings,  and  drank  in  its 
 hallowed  inspirations,  diffusing  as  a  consequence  light  and  joy 
 on  every  hand.  From  youth  she  almost  daily  sung — 
 "  When  quiet  in  my  house  I  sit, 
 
 Thy  book  be  my  companion  still ; 
 
HYMN  328.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  23 1 
 
 My  joy  Thy  sayings  to  repeat, 
 
 Talk  o'er  the  records  of  Thy  will. 
 And  search  the  oracles  divine, 
 Till  every  heart-felt  word  be  mine." 
 
 She  delighted  in  the  services  of  the  sanctuary,  and  especially 
 in  Sabbath  early  morning  prayer  meetings.  Her  life  was  one 
 of  sincerity,  integrity,  usefulness,  and  prayer.  She  died  nth 
 December,  i860,  aged  sixty-five  years. 
 
 In  very  early  life,  Ann,  the  wife  of  the  Rev.  William  Naylor, 
 devoted  herself  to  the  Lord,  and  through  many  years  maintained 
 a  close  and  uniform  walk  with  God.  In  the  church  she  was 
 ready  for  ever>'  good  work,  and  her  labours  of  love  were  blessed 
 to  many.  As  a  class-leader  she  was  diligent,  faithful,  and 
 successful.  The  Word  of  God  was  her  daily  companion  ;  and 
 she  was  accustomed  to  sing — 
 
 "  O  may  the  gracious  words  divine 
 Subject  of  all  my  converse  be  : 
 So  will  the  Lord  His  follower  join, 
 And  walk  and  talk  Himself  with  me." 
 
 By  her  life,  she  taught  her  family  how  to  live,  and  in  her  death, 
 which  took  place  at  Hammersmith,  17th  January,  1842,  showed 
 how  peacefully  the  Christian  can  die.  Her  last  words  were, 
 speaking  of  heaven,  "  My  treasure  and  my  heart  is  there." 
 
 Music,  which  has  been  the  charm  of  so  many,  has  been  the 
 snare  of  many  more.  Samuel  Potter,  of  Culmstock,  Devon,  wrs 
 for  some  years  a  member  of  the  choir  in  the  parish  church,  and 
 often  during  that  period  resisted  the  strivings  of  the  Spirit  of 
 God,  by  his  love  of  the  frivolity  of  his  companions.  A  letter 
 containing  earnest,  godly  advice,  from  a  relative  of  his,  the 
 venerable  John  Moon,  one  of  the  early  Methodist  preachers, 
 was  to  his  guilty  conscience  like  the  message  of  Nathan  to 
 David  ;  he  left  his  ungodly  companions,  joined  the  Methodists, 
 found  peace  in  believing,  opened  his  house  for  preaching,  and 
 ever  afterwards  devoted  his  best  efforts  to  the  extension  of  the 
 work  of  God.  On  the  last  Sabbath  he  spent  on  earth,  he  called 
 his  family  together  for  evening  prayer,  and  they  sang  at  his 
 request  the  whole  of  Cowper's  hymn  which  begins — 
 
 '  *  God  moves  in  a  mysterious  way. " 
 
 Having  closed  the  devotions  of  the  day,  he  sang  for  himself,  as 
 he  had  done  on  many  previous  occasions,  the  verse — 
 
232  METHODIST  HYMN  I500K  NOTES.  HYMN  328. 
 
 "  Oft  as  I  lay  mc  down  to  rest, 
 O  may  the  reconciling  word 
 Sweetly  compose  my  weary  breast ! 
 While,  on  the  bosom  of  my  Lord, 
 I  sink  in  blissful  dreams  away, 
 And  visions  of  eternal  day." 
 He  was  \ery  fervent  in  prayer  the  evening  before  he  died,  and 
 rested  peacefully  during  the   night.      Rising    in  the    morning 
 refreshed,  he  cheerfully  said,  "Well,  I  think  my  work  is  almost 
 done,"  and  before  he  left  his  bedside,  the  messenger  of  mercy 
 arrived,  he  sank  down  on  the  bed,  and  died,  29th  March,  1830, 
 aged  sixty-three.    Crowds  from  the  surrounding  villages  attended 
 his  funeral  to  do  honour  to  the  memory  of  a  useful,  godly  man. 
 
 Methodism  was  introduced  into  Beeston,  chiefly  through  the 
 residence  there  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kirkland.  When  residing  in 
 Nottingham,  Mrs.  Kirkland  was  brought  to  Christ  by  means  of 
 a  sermon  preached  in  Halifax  Place  Chapel,  by  the  Rev. 
 Edward  Hare.  In  18 19,  on  removing  to  Beeston,  Mr.  Kirkland 
 opened  a  room  on  his  ground  for  preaching.  The  cause  grew 
 and  prospered,  until  a  large  chapel  was  erected,  in  which  twelve 
 classes  of  members  were  gathered,  and  a  large  Sunday  school 
 established.  Two  of  these  classes  were  met  by  Mrs.  Kirkland, 
 whose  life  was  marked  by  so  many  of  the  fruits  of  the  Spirit,  that 
 one  of  her  neighbours  said  of  her,  "  She  had  for  many  years  lived 
 next  door  to  heaven,  and  had  only  to  step  over  the  threshold 
 when  she  died."  During  many  years,  she  sung  every  evening — 
 *'  Rising  to  sing  my  Saviour's  praise, 
 Thee  may  I  publish  all  day  long  ; 
 And  let  Thy  precious  word  of  grace 
 
 Flow  from  my  heart,  and  fill  my  tongue  ; 
 Fill  all  my  life  with  purest  love, 
 And  join  me  to  the  Church  above." 
 
 That  prayer  was  fulfilled  in  her  life  :  and  after  a  short  illness, 
 she  departed  to  be  "  For  ever  with  the  Lord."  She  died  14th 
 March,  185 1,  aged  seventy-one  years. 
 
 It  was  the  constant  daily  practice  of  Robert  Whisker,  every 
 morning,  as  soon  as  he  awoke  and  saw  the  hght,  to  attune  his 
 heart  for  daily  duty  by  singing — 
 
 "  Rising  to  sing  my  Saviour's  praise. 
 Thee  may  I  publish  all  day  long ; 
 And  let  Thy  precious  word  of  grace 
 
 Flow  from  my  heart,  and  fill  my  tongue ; 
 
HYMN  329.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  233 
 
 Fill  all  my  heart  with  purest  love. 
 And  join  me  to  the  Church  above." 
 
 Every  evening,   when  the  day's  work  was  over,  his  joy  was 
 found  in  singing  the  verse — 
 
 "  Oft  as  I  lay  me  down  to  rest, 
 
 O  may  the  reconciling  word 
 Sweetly  compose  my  weary  breast ! 
 
 "While,  on  the  bosom  of  my  Lord, 
 I  sink  in  blissful  dreams  away, 
 And  visions  of  eternal  day." 
 
 This  fact  is  on  record.     Doubtless  there  are  scores  or  hundreds 
 of  persons  who  have  similar  experience. 
 
 Hymn  329. — "Thee,  Jesus,  full  of  truth  and  grace." — The  Trial 
 of  Faith. — Tune,  Wednesbur}',  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1749, 
 vol.  ii.,  No.  18.  The  original  is  in  two  double  verses,  and  is 
 evidently  founded  on  the  fiery  trial  of  the  three  Hebrew  children 
 in  Babylon,  and  their  astonishing  deliverance. 
 
 "The  doctrine  of  a  particular  providence,"  observes  Mr. 
 David  Creamer,  "  which  breathes  throughout  Charles  Wesley's 
 poetry,  is  very  forcibly  expressed  in  the  second  stanza  of  this 
 hymn — 
 
 **  '  We  now  Thy  guardian  presence  own, 
 And  walk  unburn'd  in  fire.' " 
 
 This  hymn  commences  the  sixth  section  of  the  book,  with  the 
 title,  "  For  Believers  Suffering." 
 
 At  the  early  age  of  twelve  years,  Rev.  John  Elam,  of  Fartown, 
 Huddersfield,  gave  himself  to  the  Lord,  and  ever  aft  Awards, 
 his  unceasing  efforts  to  do  good,  gave  abundant  evidence  of  a 
 renewed  heart.  He  became  a  useful  Sunday-school  teacher,  a 
 successful  local  preacher,  and  for  a  few  years  was  an  earnest 
 preacher  in  the  itinerant  ministry.  When  seized  by  illness,  he 
 continued  to  preach  till  within  fourteen  days  of  his  death.  His 
 sufferings  were  severe,  but  borne  with  Christian  fortitude. 
 Shortly  before  he  died,  he  lifted  his  eyes  towards  heaven,  and 
 began  to  repeat  the  hymn — 
 
 .       .  "  Thee,  Jesus,  full  of  truth  and  grace,"  &c. 
 
234  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  33O. 
 
 On  coming  to  the  third  verse,  he  changed  the  pronoun,  and 
 continued  the  hymn  with  emphasis  thus — 
 
 "Thco,  Son  of  Man,  by  faith  I  see, 
 Antl  glory  in  my  guide, 
 Surrounded  and  upheld  by  Thee, 
 The  fiery  test  abide,"  Sec. 
 
 In  this  spirit  of  resignation,  he  waited  but  a  few  hours  longer, 
 and  the  spirit  returned  to  God  who  gave  it,  25th  April,  185 1. 
 
 When  about  sixteen  years  of  age,  Mrs.  Barritt,  wife  of  the 
 Rev.  J.  W.  Barritt,  was  enabled  to  give  her  heart  to  the  Lord, 
 and  her  life  to  His  service.  Cheerfully  relinquishing  the 
 pleasures  of  the  gay,  in  w^hich  she  had  taken  delight,  she  left 
 all  that  was  merely  worldly  to  follow  the  Lord.  When  she 
 became  a  pastor's  wife,  she  found  many  ways  of  usefulness  in 
 the  Church,  and  she  was  especially  helpful  in  forming  new 
 classes  ;  and  many  members  whom  she  gathered  into  the  fold 
 will,  in  the  last  day,  be  the  crown  of  her  rejoicing.  She 
 patiently  endured  illness  for  three  months  ;  and  when  conscious 
 that  her  end  was  near,  she  summoned  her  family  for  a  farewell 
 act  of  worship.  Hymn  329  she  selected  to  be  sung,  and  on 
 coming  to  the  last  verse,  her  voice  was  heard  clearly  and 
 distinctly  singing  forth — 
 
 **  The  fire  our  graces  shall  refine, 
 Till,  moulded  from  above, 
 We  bear  the  character  divine, 
 The  stamp  of  perfect  love." 
 
 This  was  her  last  song  upon  earth  ;    shortly  after,  she  passed 
 into  the  heaven  of  rest,  20th  June,  1853,  aged  sixty-one. 
 
 Hymn  330. — "  Saviour  of  all,  what  hast  Thou  done  ?" — T/ie 
 Trial  of  Faith. — TuNE,  23rd  Psalm,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  forming  No.  6  of  "  Hymns  and  Sacred 
 Poems,"  1749,  vol.  ii.  There  is  a  mighty  power  of  poetic 
 imagination  in  this  fine  hymn,  particularly  in  the  closing  Hues — 
 
 "  I  take  my  last  triumphant  flight 
 From  Calvary  to  Sion's  height." 
 
 An  "  old  disciple,"  of  a  cheerful  disposition,  was  John  Webster, 
 of  Leeds.  Having  good  health,  an  active  mind,  an  intense  love 
 to  Christ,  and  an  anxious  desire  to  bring  sinners  to  Him,  he 
 
HYMN  333.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  235 
 
 devoted  himself,  and  much  of  his  income,  to  promoting  the 
 cause  of  God.  He  joined  the  Methodist  Society  in  1780,  and 
 was  a  class-leader  for  forty  years.  On  one  Sunday  afternoon  he 
 met  his  class  with  more  than  his  usual  fervour  and  affection. 
 In  the  evening  he  attended  the  service  at  Brunswick  Chapel,  in 
 good  health,  and  joined  heartily  in  singing  the  concluding  verse 
 of  Hymn  330 — 
 
 "  This  is  the  strait  and  royal  way 
 
 That  leads  us  to  the  courts  above,"  &c. 
 
 He  knelt  down  with  the  congregation  to  pray,  and  whilst  so 
 engaged  he  was  heard  to  groan,  and,  without  speaking  a  word, 
 he  ceased  to  breathe,  i6th  October,  1831,  aged  seventy-six. 
 
 Hymn  331. — "Afflicted  by  a  gracious  God." — No  chaste7imgfor 
 the  prese7it  seeineth  to  be  joyous  but  grievous^  &^c. — Tune, 
 St.  Margaret's,  1877. 
 
 One  of  Charles  Wesley's  "Short  Scripture  Hymns,"  left  by  him 
 in  MS.,  and  based  on  Heb.  xii.  11.  It  forms  No.  3323  in  J.  and  C. 
 Wesley's  "Poetical  Works,"  vol.  xiii.,  page  158. 
 
 Hymn  332. — "Master,  I  own  Thy  lawful  claim." — If  a7iy  man 
 will  come  after  Me. — TUNE,  Marienbourn,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1749, 
 vol.  ii..  No.  13.  The  original  has  eleven  verses,  six  of  which 
 are  omitted  ;  and  in  some  of  them  the  more  glaring  sins  of  that 
 age,  as  well  as  of  this,  are  fearlessly  exposed. 
 
 Hymn  '^'^i'^. — "  Come  on,  my  partners  in  distress." — For  the 
 Brotherhood. — Tune,  Snows  Fields,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  forming  No.  22  in  "  Hymns  and  Sacred 
 Poems,"  1749,  vol.  ii.     The  third  verse  of  the  original  is  left  out. 
 
 This  hymn  is  distinguished  for  its  special  adaptation  to 
 the  circumstances  of  the  tried  and  suffering  people  of  God. 
 Montgomery  says  of  the  hymn  that  it  anticipates  the  strains 
 of  the  redeemed,  "  and  is  written  almost  in  the  spirit  of  the 
 Church  triumphant."  Out  of  many  examples  illustrative  of  the 
 value  of  this  hymn,  four  only  can  be  here  given,  but  a  dozen 
 others  have  been  collected. 
 
 Under  date  of"  Coleraine,  7th  June,  1778,"  Mr.  Wesley  writes 
 particulars  of  "  a  pleasing  sight."  A  young  gentlewoman  entered 
 into  the  Methodist  Society  there,  as  the  result  of  Mr.  Wesley's 
 
236  METHODIST  HYMN  HOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  333. 
 
 first  preaching  in  that  town  in  the  open  air.  Unexpectedly 
 meeting  her  sister  in  the  preaching-room,  she  fell  upon  her 
 neck,  wept  over  her,  and  could  only  say,  "O  sister,  sister  !"  and 
 sank  down  on  her  knees  to  praise  God.  Both  sisters  were  in 
 tears  ;  so  were  many  others  in  the  room.  Mr.  Wesley  himself 
 was  so  affected  that  he  hastened  into  another  apartment  to 
 conceal  his  emotion  and  to  praise  God.  These  two  sisters 
 were  Ann  Young  and  Isabella  Young.  Ann  became  the  beloved 
 wife  of  the  estimable  and  venerable  Henry  Moore,  one  of  Mr. 
 Wesley's  executors,  and  his  biographer;  and  Isabella  became 
 the  wife  of  another  Methodist  preacher,  Thomas  Rutherford. 
 There  did  not  live  a  person  who  stood  higher  in  Mr.  Wesley's 
 estimation,  for  every  grace  and  virtue  which  can  adorn  humanity, 
 than  Ann  Moore ;  nor  was  she  less  beloved  by  Mrs.  Charles 
 Wesley,  Dr.  Adam  Clarke,  and  by  other  distinguished  Method- 
 ists who  knew  her.  In  her  last  illness  she  had  a  desire  "to 
 depart  and  be  with  Christ."  When  reference  was  made  to 
 some  departed  relatives,  she  said  she  should  soon  see  them  all 
 in  heaven  ;  and,  addressing  Mrs.  Rutherford,  said,  "  Sing — 
 
 "  *  Come  on,  my  partners  in  distress. 
 My  comrades  through  the  wilderness, 
 Who  still  your  bodies  feel,'  "  &c. 
 
 Nearly  her  last  words  to  her  husband  were,  "  God  is  good ; 
 God  is  love  ;  glory  be  to  the  Father,  and  to  the  Son,  and  to  the 
 Holy  Ghost."  She  peacefully  entered  into  rest,  25th  March, 
 1 813,  aged  fifty-six  years,  with  a  heavenly  smile  resting  on  her 
 countenance ;  and  her  body  was  buried  near  that  of  her 
 husband,  close  to  the  east  wall  of  City  Road  grave-yard,  behind 
 the  chapel,  at  the  north-east  corner. 
 
 Amongst  the  "noble  army  of  martyrs,"  few  w^ill  occupy  a 
 more  prominent  position  than  the  missionary  of  the  cross  ;  and 
 amongst  that  self-denying  band,  few  will  take  higher  rank  than 
 those  of  Sierra- Leone.  Three  successive  terms  of  service  in 
 Western  Africa  were  undertaken  and  completed  by  Thomas 
 Dove.  Up  to  that  period — 1846 — no  missionary  had  rendered 
 so  much  service  in  that  terrible  climate,  and  escaped  with  his 
 life.  He  was  converted  in  early  life,  received  his  first  ticket 
 from  the  Rev.  John  Gaulter,  when  president  of  the  Conference, 
 became  a  useful  local  preacher,  and  was  encouraged  by  the 
 Rev.  Dr.  Adam  Clarke  to  offer  himself  for  the  mission  work. 
 The  record  of  his  labours,  as  furnished  by  his  brethren,  is  an 
 
HYMN  333.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  237 
 
 ample  testimony  that  he  loved  the  "  happy  toil,"  and  was 
 abundantly  owned  and  blessed  in  it.  Through  the  mercy  of  God, 
 he  was  permitted  to  return  to  England,  after  seeing  so  many 
 colleagues  fall  in  the  foreign  field  around  him,  and  he  occupied 
 several  home  circuits  with  acceptance  ;  but  the  toil  of  that 
 service  induced  a  somewhat  premature  termination  of  his  useful 
 labours.  He  bowed  in  submission  to  the  divine  will ;  and  in 
 his  severest  pain  and  weakness,  only  a  short  time  before  his 
 death,  he  said — 
 
 **  Who  suffer  with  our  Master  here, 
 
 We  shall  before  His  face  appear, 
 
 And  by  His  side  sit  down." 
 
 On  the  day  of  his  death — 1st  December,  1859,  aged  fifty-eight 
 — he  said,  "  I  have  not  a  cloud  on  my  mind.  I  die  at  peace 
 with  God  and  all  mankind."  Afterwards  he  said,  "  I  shall  soon 
 be  landed  ;"  and  in  twenty  minutes  he  expired. 
 
 Amongst  the  connecting  links  uniting  the  Methodism  of  Mr. 
 Wesley  with  that  of  his  immediate  successors,  none  held  a  more 
 useful  position  than  Thomas  Cordeux,  the  official  printer  to  the 
 Connexion.  Mrs.  Cordeux  was  a  most  excellent,  useful,  and 
 exemplary  Christian,  in  early  life  seeking  the  kingdom  of  heaven 
 and  its  righteousness,  and  finding  all  other  blessings  attendant 
 thereupon.  Her  journal  is  a  most  interesting  record  of  Christian 
 experience.  When  illness  had  prostrated  her  strength,  and 
 death  was  near,  she  said,  "  Lord,  I  am  Thine,  and  Thou  art 
 mine."     Her  husband,  seeing  that  life  was  ebbing  fast,  said — 
 
 *'  Your  conflicts  here  will  soon  be  past !  " 
 
 To  which  she  most  distinctly  rejoined — 
 
 **  And  you  and  I  ascend  at  last, 
 Triumphant  with  our  head." 
 
 With  these  words  she  closed  her  earthly  career,  2nd  April,  1824, 
 aged  sixty-four.  The  venerable  man,  her  husband,  lived  many 
 years  afterwards,  and  died  triumphing  through  Christ. 
 
 In  the  Wesleyati  Magazine  is  an  account  of  Miss  Barbara 
 Jewitt,  of  whom  we  read  as  follows  : — "  On  the  day  of  her  death 
 she  was  sitting  in  the  chair  in  which  she  had  sat  for  three  weeks, 
 and  broke  out  into  singing  in  a  loud  tone  the  delightful  hymn — 
 
 "  *  On  Jordan's  stormy  banks  I  stand, 
 
 And  cast  a  wistful  eye  _    f 
 
23S  METHODIST  HYMN  I500K  NOTE?.  HYMN  334. 
 
 To  Canaan's  fair  and  ha]-)py  land, 
 Where  my  possessions  lie.' 
 
 Her  relatives  were  alarmed,  for  she  had  only  been  able  to  speak 
 in  a  whisper  for  some  weeks.  After  singing  half-an-hour,  she 
 requested  Hymn  ;^23  to  be  given  out — 
 
 "  *  Come  on,  my  partners  in  distress,'  &c. 
 
 in  the  singing  of  which  she  joined  at  intervals  with  earnestness. 
 '  Sing  on,  sing  on,'  she  frequently  said  to  her  friends.  Then, 
 as  if  talking  to  angelic  spirits,  she  said,  '  Stay,  stay,  I  am  not 
 ready  yet.'     She  requested  the  hymn  to  be  sung — 
 
 "  *  O  glorious  hope  of  perfect  love,'  &c. 
 
 Her  sight  then  failed  her,  and  she  asked  her  friends  to  come 
 nearer  and  sing.  Whilst  they  were  thus  engaged  she  waved 
 her  hand  in  triumph,  and  with  much  emphasis  sang — 
 
 "  *  And  makes  me  for  some  moments  feast 
 With  Jesu's  priests  and  kings.' 
 
 She  then  fell  back  in  her  chair,  and  in  a  moment  her  spirit  fled 
 to  the  skies." 
 
 Hymn  334. — "Lord,  I  adore  Thy  gracious  will." — "  The Lo7-d hath 
 said  tuito  hiiii^  Ct(rse  Dai'id^ — TUNE,  Snows  Fields,  1761. 
 
 Forms  No.  519  of  Charles  Wesley's  "  Short  Scripture  Hymns," 
 vol.  i.,  founded  on  2  Sam.  xvi.  10. 
 
 Dr.  Adam  Clarke  gives  frequent  commendation  of  the  poetry 
 of  Charles  Wesley  in  his  "  Notes  on  the  Bible ; "  and  on  this 
 short  hymn  the'discriminating  Biblical  critic  makes  these  obser- 
 vations on  this  passage  of  Holy  WVit : — "No  soul  of  man  can 
 suppose  that  ever  God  bade  one  man  to  curse  another,  much  less 
 that  he  commanded  such  a  wretch  as  Shimei  to  curse  such  a 
 man  as  David  ;  but  this  is  a  peculiarity  of  the  Hebrew  language, 
 which  does  not  always  distinguish  between  permission  and 
 commandment.  Often  the  Scripture  attributes  to  God  what  He 
 only  permits  to  be  done,  or  what  in  the  course  of  His  providence 
 He  does  not  hinder.  David,  however,  considers  all  this  as 
 being  permitted  of  God  for  his  chastisement  and  humiliation." 
 The  doctor  then  quotes  this  hymn  with  these  words  : — "  I  cannot 
 withhold  from  my  readers  a  very  elegant  poetic  paraphrase  of 
 this  passage,  from  the  pen  of  the  Rev.  Charles  Wesley,  one  of 
 the  first  of  Christian  poets." 
 
HYMN  335.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  239 
 
 Hymn  335. — "  Cast  on  the  fidelity." — For  a  woman  near  the 
 time  of  her  travail. — Tune,  Kingswood,  1761. 
 
 This  is  one  of  Charles  Wesley's  "  Hymns  for  a  Family,"  page 
 54.  In  the  second  verse  there  is  a  spirited  personification  of 
 mercy,  death,  pain,  and  sorrow. 
 
 Many  who  visited  Margate  a  few  years  ago  were  struck,  on 
 entering  the  Wesleyan  chapel,  with  the  appearance  of  two 
 brothers,  both  in  the  evening  of  life,  one  of  whom  read  the 
 liturgy  with  deep  and  reverent  feeling,  while  the  other  led  the 
 responses  of  the  congregation.  One  of  these  was  George  Rowe, 
 who  early  gave  his  heart  to  the  Lord,  and  became  a  useful 
 member  of  the  Methodist  Society,  conducting  a  class  for  nearly 
 forty  years,  and  serving  the  offices  of  Society  and  Circuit  Steward 
 with  efficiency.  When  laid  aside  by  illness,  he  retained  his 
 confidence  in  God,  and  when  near  his  end,  his  brother  visited 
 and  prayed  with  him,  and  at  the  close  of  the  prayer  he  uttered 
 the  beautiful  lines — 
 
 "  Cast  on  the  fidelity  Of  my  redeeming  Lord, 
 I  shall  His  salvation  see,  According  to  His  word  : 
 Credence  to  His  word  I  give  ;  My  Saviour  in  distresses  past 
 Will  not  now  His  servant  leave,  But  bring  me  through  at  last." 
 His  faith  was  nourished  by  devout  meditation  and  prayer,  and  in 
 peace  he  entered  heaven,  22nd  December,  185 5,  aged  seventy-four. 
 
 One  of  the  worthies  of  Methodism  in  Nottingham  was  Mr. 
 Sampson  Biddulph,  M.R.C.P.  At  the  early  age  of  eighteen,  he 
 was  brought  to  a  knowledge  of  the  truth  in  the  Methodist  chapel 
 at  Hockley,  was  admitted  on  trial  by  the  Rev.  J.  S.  Pipe,  and 
 received  his  first  member's  ticket  from  the  holy  William  Bram- 
 well,  who  ever  afterwards  was  his  friend.  He  took  an  active 
 part  in  the  first  missionary  meeting  held  at  Nottingham,  and  in 
 whatever  tended  to  spread  the  knowledge  of  divine  truth,  and 
 promote  personal  holiness.  The  parties  held  in  Methodism  in  his 
 his  day  were  really  means  of  grace ;  the  time  was  spent  in 
 Christian  communion  and  in  prayer ;  this  was  their  delight,  and 
 the  secret  of  their  power,  and  one  result  was,  that  often  from 
 fifteen  to  twenty  thousand  members,  and  even  more,  were 
 annually  added  to  the  Church.  In  his  last  illness,  and  on  the 
 last  Sabbath  he  spent  on  earth,  he  said,  "  I  now  feel  the  power 
 of  grace  to  sustain  me  ; "  and  afterwards,  whilst  being  supported 
 in  bed,  he  tried  to  repeat — 
 
 "Cast  on  the  fidelity  Of  my  redeeming  Lord, 
 I  shall  His  salvation  see,"  &c. 
 
240  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTKS.  HYMN  336. 
 
 Here  his  voice  failed,  but  a  friend  read  the  hymn  through,  which 
 eminently  expressed  the  feelings  of  his  heart,  and  in  this  spirit 
 he  departed,  24th  October,  1861,  aged  eighty. 
 
 The  parents  of  Mrs.  D.  Bealey  were  both  intimate  personal 
 friends  of  Mr.  Wesley  in  London.  In  early  life  she  resided  on 
 the  Continent,  enduring  many  trials.  Returning  to  England  in 
 iScxD,  Miss  Marsdcn  became  the  wife  of  Mr.  Richard  Bealey,  of 
 Radcliffe,  near  Manchester.  During  sixty  years,  this  family  has 
 rendered  most  important  and  substantial  help  to  Methodism  in 
 Bur}',  and  around  that  locality.  Mrs.  Bealy  was  called  to  suffer 
 the  separation  from  several  members  of  her  family,  and  ulti- 
 mately her  own  health  gave  way,  and  this  confined  her  much  at 
 home.  Through  these  trials  she  found  great  consolation  in 
 reading  the  Scriptures  and  Wesley's  Hymns.  Every  night  she 
 used  to  have  two  or  three  hymns  read  to  her,  until  she  could 
 repeat  them  from  memor)'.  A  few  days  before  her  death,  whilst 
 her  sufferings  were  most  acute,  she  was  relieved  by  verses  of 
 Scripture  or  hymns.  She  frequently  repeated  two  lines  from 
 her  favourite  hymn,  the  335th — 
 
 *'  To  Thy  blcs'd  will  resign'd, 
 And  stay'd  on  that  alone." 
 
 And  when  memory  failed,  every  few  minutes  she  would  say, 
 "Repeat  7ny  lines."  In  perfect  calm  her  redeemed  spirit 
 returned  to  God,  nth  December,  1829,  aged  seventy  years. 
 
 Hymn  336. — "  Father,  in  the  name  I  pray." — For  a  Wo7nan 
 near  the  time  of  her  travail. — TUNE,  Kingswood,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "  Hymns  for  a  Family,"  page  54.  The 
 first  and  second  verses  of  the  original  are  left  out.  Objection 
 has  often  been  taken  to  the  last  lines  of  the  first  verse,  "  And 
 agony  is  heaven."  The  severity  of  the  contrast  implied  in  the 
 language  used  we  may  become  more  reconciled  to,  when  the 
 design  for  which  the  hymn  was  written  is  known.  This  is 
 expressed  in  the  title.  Under  any  circumstances,  can  it  be 
 shown  that  "  agony  is  heaven".? 
 
 The  influence  of  Methodism,  in  promoting  the  salvation  of 
 the  members  of  its  homes,  compares  favourably  with  that  of 
 other  sections  of  the  Christian  Church.  One  example  of  the 
 truth  of  this  opinion  may  be  found  in  the  blessed  effect  following 
 the  home  training  in  the  domestic  circle  of  Mr.  George  Osborn, 
 
HYMN  336.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  24 1 
 
 of  Rochester.  At  the  age  of  eighteen  he  gave  his  heart  to  the 
 Lord,  and  during  the  rest  of  his  life  he  became  the  most  active 
 and  influential  member  of  the  Methodist  Society  in  his  native 
 city.  On  several  occasions  he  had  the  privilege  of  meeting  Mr. 
 Wesley,  and  on  one  of  the  visits  of  that  excellent  man  to  the 
 locality,  he  walked  with  a  few  friends  to  one  of  the  hills  behind 
 the  town  of  Chatham,  from  which  a  delightful  prospect  of  the 
 surrounding  country  is  obtained.  All  were  pleased,  and  when 
 they  had  freely  expressed  their  admiration,  Mr.  Wesley  took  off 
 his  hat  and  began  to  sing — 
 
 "Praise  ye  the  Lord,  'tis  good  to  praise,"  &c. 
 
 When  they  had  sung  the  hymn,  they  returned  home  ;  but  the 
 lesson  learned  by  Mr.  Osborn  was,  whenever  he  saw  fine  scenery, 
 to  praise,  not  the  landscape  only,  but  the  Author  of  it  also. 
 When  he  was  married,  he  had  wished  that  the  Rev.  John 
 Newton  should  perform  the  ceremony ;  but  the  time  not  being 
 favourable,  the  venerable  city  rector  invited  his  two  Chatham 
 friends  to  tea  with  him,  when  a  religious  service  was  held,  the 
 happy  effects  of  which  were  never  forgotten.  Two  of  the  sons 
 of  Mr.  Osborn — the  Rev.  George  Osborn,  D.D.,  and  the  late 
 Rev.  James  Osborn — occupied  no  mean  place  in  the  Methodist 
 ministry  for  many  years,  and  some  grandsons  also  are  taking 
 positions  in  the  same  sphere  of  labour.  For  thirty  years  Mr. 
 Osborn,  senior,  led  the  service  of  song  in  the  Methodist  chapel, 
 Rochester,  with  propriety,  and  sometimes  with  delightful  effect. 
 His  love  of  psalmody  was  great  and  enduring  ;  and  daily  family 
 worship  was  never  considered  complete  without  a  hymn.  He 
 held  with  acceptance  and  efficiency  in  turn  every  office  of 
 influence  and  trust  in  the  Rochester  Society.  During  the  last 
 few  days  of  his  life,  he  asked  often  for  three  favourite  hymns  to 
 be  read  to  him,  the  336th,  707th,  and  709th.  Nearly  the  last 
 hymn  which  occupied  his  attention  begins — 
 
 "  Father,  in  the  name  I  pray 
 
 Of  Thy  incarnate  Love,"  &c.  ; 
 
 and  nearly  the  last  words  he  spoke  were,  "  I  will  trust  and  not 
 be  afraid."     He  died,  5th  May,  1836,  aged  seventy-two. 
 
 From  childhood,  Mary  Bailey,  daughter  of  the  Rev.  John 
 Nelson,  was  taught  to  walk  in  wisdom's  ways ;  and,  when  quite 
 young,  under  a  sermon  preached  by  the  Rev.  Robert  Newton, 
 she  was  enabled  to  believe  to  the  salvation  of  her  soul.     She 
 
 Q 
 
242  METHODIST  HYMN   I^OOK   NOTES.  HYMN  337. 
 
 was  educated  for  llic  pursuit  of  school  duties,  but  her  health 
 gave  way  ;  yet  she  was  very  useful  in  helping  to  spread  the 
 knowledge  of  salvation  where  her  lot  was  cast.  Consumption 
 cut  short  her  earthly  course  ;  but  though  her  sufferings  were 
 severe,  her  prayer  in  the  language  of  her  favourite  hymn  was 
 
 answered — 
 
 "  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost, 
 For  good  remember  me  ! 
 Me,  whom  Thou  hast  caused  to  trust 
 
 For  more  than  life  on  Thee  : 
 With  me  in  the  fire  remain. 
 
 Till  like  burnish'd  gold  I  shine  ; 
 Meet,  through  consecrated  pain. 
 To  see  the  face  divine." 
 
 She  died  2ist  May,  1865,  in  so  much  peace,  that  they  who  stood 
 watching  scarcely  perceived  when  her  happy  spirit  fled. 
 
 Hymn  337. — "  Eternal  Beam  of  Light  Divine." — hi  Affliction. 
 — Tune,  Welling,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1739, 
 page  144.  The  power  of  the  presence  of  Christ  to  comfort  and 
 heal  is  strongly  set  forth  in  the  fourth  verse. 
 
 Whilst  attending  a  social  prayer  meeting  at  a  friend's  house, 
 Elizabeth  Calvert,  afterwards  wife  of  the  Rev.  Richard  Johns, 
 was  made  happy  in  the  pardoning  love  of  God  when  little  more 
 than  eighteen  years  of  age.  Shortly  after  becoming  the  wife  of 
 a  Methodist  preacher,  she  had  to  take  charge  of  a  class.  She 
 was  a  source  of  much  help  and  comfort  to  the  Rev.  Philip 
 (zarrett  during  the  sickness  which  ended  his  days  on  earth.  As 
 the  leader  of  a  class  at  Walworth  she  was  made  a  blessing  to 
 many.  When  illness  set  in,  she  sought  recovery  in  change,  but 
 she  soon  found  that  her  earthly  labours  were  drawing  to  a  close. 
 When  life  appeared  expiring,  and  her  friends  in  tears  surrounded 
 her,  she  would  suddenly  break  out  in  singing  the  verse  of  her 
 favourite  hymn — 
 
 "Thankful  I  take  the  cup  from  Thee, 
 Prepared  and  mingled  by  Thy  skill ; 
 Though  bitter  to  the  taste  it  be. 
 
 Powerful  the  wounded  soul  to  heal." 
 
 Amongst  her  last  words  were  these — "  The  Lord  does  sustain 
 me,"  and  "  Mine  eyes  shall  behold  the  Lamb." 
 
HYMN  338.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  243 
 
 Hymn  338.—"  Thou  Lamb  of  God,  Thou  Prince  of  Peace."— 
 In  Afflictio7i  or  Pain. — Tune,  Purcells,  1761. 
 
 John  Wesley's  translation,  from  the  German  of  Christian 
 Frederic  Richter,  and  appears  in  "  Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"' 
 1739,  P^gG  145.  The  original  has  been  attributed,  in  error,  to 
 both  Tersteegen  and  Gerhardt. 
 
 Dr.  Richter  was  born  in  1676.  He  studied  medicine,  and 
 afterwards  divinity,  at  Halle,  and  in  1699  became  medical 
 adviser  at  Franke's  Orphan  House  in  that  town.  Here  he 
 discovered  a  remarkable  medicine  which  yielded  him  large 
 profits,  all  which  he  gave  to  orphan  houses.  He  was  a  remark- 
 ably plain,  simple  man,  bent  only  on  doing  good.  He  began  to 
 compose  hymns  at  the  age  of  twenty.  He  died  in  171 1,  at  the 
 early  age  of  thirty-five,  and  left  twenty-three  hymns  full  of 
 spiritual  thoughts,  and  showing  a  deeply-contemplative  Christian 
 mind. 
 
 For  many  years,  John  Bramwell,  of  Colne,  lived  like  a  rigid 
 Pharisee  ;  but  under  a  Methodist  sermon,  he  was  convinced  of 
 his  sinful  condition,  and,  after  severe  mental  anguish,  found 
 pardon.  He  used  to  say  that  the  93rd  Hymn  described  his 
 character  and  his  conversion.  He  ever  afterwards  spent  his 
 time  in  advancing  the  cause  of  God.  In  his  last  illness  he  had 
 settled  peace  of  mind,  and  generally  replied  to  inquiries  in  a 
 verse  of  Scripture  or  of  a  hymn,  some  of  which  he  much  loved. 
 To  a  friend  who  asked  how  he  was,  he  replied — 
 
 "When  pain  o'er  my  weak  flesh  prevails, 
 With  lamb-like  patience  arm  my  breast ; 
 When  grief  my  wounded  soul  assails, 
 In  lowly  meekness  may  I  rest." 
 
 A  few  hours  later,  he  whispered,  "  Well,  well,"  and  died  in  the 
 Lord,  22nd  May,  1837,  aged  forty  years. 
 
 After  many  years'  laborious  toil  in  the  ministry  of  Methodism, 
 the  Rev.  Daniel  Jackson  retired  from  the  full  work,  after  which 
 he  was  severely  afflicted,  first  by  losing  his  sight,  then  his 
 hearing,  and  lastly,  by  a  painful  spasmodic  asthma.  In  the 
 midst  of  these  complicated  sufferings  he  manifested  Christian 
 submission,  finding  relief  often  by  quoting  the  verse — 
 
 "  Thou,  Lord,  the  dreadful  fight  hast  won  ; 
 Alone  Thou  hast  the  wine-press  trod  ; 
 In  me  Thy  strengthening  grace  be  shown, 
 O  may  I  conquer  through  Thy  blood  ! " 
 
244  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  340. 
 
 He  afterwards  added,  "  I  have  sweet  peace,  sweet  confidence  in 
 God  ;"  and  with  his  last  breath  he  calmly  uttered,  "Jesus,  in 
 death  remember  me."  He  died  22nd  August,  1858,  aged  sixty- 
 eight  years. 
 
 Hymn  339.—"  O  Thou,  to  whose  all-searching  sight."-- 77/^ 
 Believer's  Support.— TU'i^'E,  Pudsey,  1761. 
 
 John  Wesley's  translation  from  the  German  of  Count  Zinzen- 
 dorf,  which  was  published  first  in  his  "  Collection  of  Psalms 
 and  Hymns,"  1738,  and  afterwards  in  the  edition  of  1739. 
 
 Hymn  340.—" The  thing  my  God  doth  \\2i\.Q''— Jeremiah 
 
 xxxi.  33  and  xliv.  4.— TuNE,  Lampe's,  1746. 
 This  hymn  is  made  up  of  two  of  Charles  Wesley's  "  Scripture 
 Hymns,"  1762,  vol.  ii.,  Nos.  1240  and  1232. 
 
 There  is  a  remarkable  thought  in  the  third  verse,  "  Soul  of 
 my  soul."  "  Christ  and  the  true  believer  become,  as  it  were, 
 identified  ;  for  he  that  is  joined  to  the  Lord,  is  one  spirit."  Sir 
 Richard  Blackmore  has  the  same  thought  in  his  "  Ode  to  the 
 Divine  Being" — 
 
 **  Blest  object  of  my  love  intense, 
 I  Thee  my  joy,  my  treasure  call, 
 My  portion,  my  reward  immense, 
 Soul  of  my  soul,  my  life,  my  all !  " 
 
 This  hymn  commences  the  seventh  section,  with  the  title  of 
 **  Seeking  for  Full  Redemption." 
 
 The  death  of  the  father  of  Robert  Spanton,  of  Malton,  was 
 the  cause  of  the  son's  conversion  at  about  the  age  of  eighteen, 
 and  for  nearly  fifty  years  he  was  a  consistent  member  of  the 
 Methodist  Society,  faithfully  and  lovingly  filling  the  duties  of 
 class-leader,  local  preacher,  and  circuit  steward  during  a  great 
 portion  of  that  period.  He  never  lost  an  opportunity  to  recom- 
 mend religion  to  all  he  came  in  contact  with  ;  declaring  to  a 
 young  gentleman  on  one  occasion,  that  it  afforded  "  pleasure  in 
 possession,  pleasure  in  the  retrospect,  and  pleasure  in  the 
 prospect."  He  seemed  to  live  in  the  spirit  of  the  text,  "  Rejoice 
 evermore;"  and  when,  just  before  his  pilgrimage  was  ended, 
 5th  January,  1844,  he  was  unable  to  sing  himself,  he  desired  this 
 verse  to  be  sung  to  him — 
 
 •*Thy  nature  be  my  law,  Thy  spotless  sanctity. 
 
 And  sweetly  every  moment  draw  my  happy  soul  to  Thee. 
 
HYMN  343.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  245 
 
 Soul  of  my  soul  remain  !  Who  didst  for  all  fulfil, 
 
 In  me,  O  Lord,  fulfil  again  Thy  Heavenly  Father's  will." 
 
 "Yes,"  he  said,  "there  is  more  divinity  in  that  one  verse  than 
 some  persons  write  in  their  life-time."  Nearly  his  last  whisper 
 was,  "  My  Heavenly  Father  calls  me.     Glory,  glory  ! " 
 
 Hymn  341. — "O  Jesus,  let  Thy  dying  cry." — Matt.  xxvn.  46  ; 
 and  Eze^.  xxxvi.  26. — Tune,  Palmis,  1761. 
 
 This  is  formed  of  two  of  Charles  Wesley's  "  Scripture  Hymns," 
 1762,  Nos.  269  and  1269. 
 
 Hymn  342. — "  God  of  eternal  truth  and  grace." — Perfect  Love. 
 —Tune,  Mitcham,  1761. 
 
 This  hymn  is  formed  by  joining  three  of  Charles  Wesley's 
 "Scripture  Hymns,"  1762,  Nos.  1376,  Micah  vii.  20;  174, 
 Matt.  XV.  28  ;  297,  Mark  ix.  23. 
 
 Hymn  343. — "  O  for  a  heart  to  praise  my  God  !" — '•''Make  me  a 
 Clean  Heart,''  &c.— Tune,  St.  Paul's,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "  Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1742, 
 page  80,  founded  on  Psalm  li.  10. 
 
 The  holy  John  Fletcher,  of  Madeley,  says  of  this  hymn, 
 "  Here  is  undoubtedly  an  evangelical  prayer  for  the  love  which 
 restores  the  soul  to  a  state  of  sinless  rest  and  Scriptural  perfec- 
 tion."    To  him,  such  a  hymn  was  meat  and  drink. 
 
 Faint  not,  Christian,  though  the  way  be  dreary,  and  though 
 clouds  and  gloom  be  spread  around — there  is  light  above  and 
 beyond.  Just  one  hundred  years  ago,  when  John  Hampson 
 and  Joseph  Pillmoor  were  itinerating  in  and  around  Nottingham, 
 and  Messrs.  Warwick,  Willis,  Kerring,  and  Jeffries,  as  local 
 preachers,  were  carrying  the  word  of  life  with  them  to  the  out- 
 lying villages,  the  prospect  of  success  was  so  cheerless  that  one 
 day,  after  preaching,  one  of  the  local  brethren  said,  as  they  had 
 visited  Calverton  so  long,  and  no  apparent  good  had  been 
 done,  they  purposed  to  discontinue  the  preaching  at  that  place. 
 The  word  had  taken  hold  of  some  hearts,  and  amongst  the 
 persons  thus  blest  was  Mrs.  Morley,  who,  fearing  to  be  deprived 
 of  the  privileges  of  the  Gospel  altogether,  told  the  preacher  that 
 he  had  been  mistaken,  that  good  had  been  done,  that  she,  with 
 others,  desired  their  visits  ;  and  thereupon  these  few  sisters  in 
 
246  METHODIST  HYMN  nOOK  NOTKS.  HYMN  343. 
 
 the  Lord  were  formed  into  a  society,  which  has  continued  in 
 that  place  ever  since.  By  the  preaching,  Mrs.  Morley  had  been 
 convinced  of  her  sinful  state  ;  by  the  class  and  prayer  meeting, 
 she  found  peace  through  believing  in  Jesus,  and  lived  through 
 fourscore  years  and  five  to  testify  to  the  power  of  Christ  to 
 forgive  sin,  and  to  keep  the  believer  from  falling.  When, 
 shortly  before  her  death,  she  was  asked  if  Christ  was  precious 
 to  her,  she  promptly  replied,  "  O  yes,  precious  indeed  ; "  and 
 then,  with  uncommon  energy  in  her  manner,  she  said — 
 
 "  O  for  a  heart  to  praise  my  God, 
 A  heart  from  sin  set  free  ! 
 A  heart  that  always  feels  Thy  blood 
 So  freely  spilt  for  me." 
 
 And  delighted  to  dwell  on  the  last  appropriating  word,  "For 
 me,  for  me  ! "  With  this  assurance,  her  happy  spirit  went  to 
 keep  an  eternal  Sabbath  before  the  throne  of  God,  20th  June, 
 1830,  aged  eighty-five  years. 
 
 Religion  does  not  exempt  a  man  from  trials,  but  it  does  supply 
 him  with  needful  grace  to  help  him  to  endure  and  overcome 
 them.  Ball-green,  Sowerby,  was  known  during  the  greater  part 
 of  a  century  as  the  home  for  the  Methodist  preachers  on  their 
 visit  to  that  place  ;  and  in  the  dwelling  of  John  Haigh  (whose 
 wife  was  sister  to  the  Rev.  Matthew  Lumb,  and  mother-in-law 
 to  the  Rev.  John  Aslin),  not  a  few  of  the  early  presidents  of 
 the  Conference  found  a  hearty  w^elcome.  This  good  man  was 
 often  in  the  furnace  of  trial ;  yet,  though  he  lived  through  ninety 
 winters  save  one,  he  lost  not  his  confidence  in  God  ;  and  in  all 
 his  trials  he  delighted  in  the  ordinances  of  religion,  and  in  the 
 spiritual  conversation  of  the  Lord's  people.  In  his  last  affliction 
 he  had  settled  peace,  and  shortly  before  his  speech  failed  him, 
 he  repeated  very  earnestly  the  verses  — 
 
 "  O  for  a  heart  to  praise  my  God,"  &c. 
 
 And  also — 
 
 "  A  heart  in  every  thought  renewed, 
 And  full  of  love  divine  ; 
 Perfect,  and  right,  and  pure,  and  good  ; 
 A  copy.  Lord,  of  thine  ! " 
 
 He  added,  "This  will  do,  and  nothing  else  ;"  and  in  that  spirit 
 he  entered  into  rest,  28th  January,  1845,  aged  eighty-nine. 
 
 Clustering  round  this  hymn  are  other  memories  sacred  and 
 precious  which  it  is  difficult  to  pass  by.     One  of  Mr.  Wesley's 
 
HYMN  343.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  247 
 
 chosen  class  and  band  leaders  in  London  was  Mrs.  Langford 
 whose  husband  was  a  local  preacher  in  the  last  century,  and  of 
 whose  trial  sermon,  Mr.  Bradburn  reported  to  the  founder  of 
 Methodism,  "  he  preached  Hke  a  prince."  The  Sunday  morning 
 prayer  meeting  now  held  in  Lambeth  Chapel  vestry  was  com- 
 menced by  Mrs.  Langford  in  her  kitchen  ;  and  the  first  female 
 class  formed  in  Lambeth  owes  its  origin  to  this  godly  woman. 
 Her  daughter  Mary  began  to  meet  in  class  when  about  twelve 
 years  old,  and  for  more  than  sixty  years  she  maintained  an 
 unblemished  reputation.  When  very  young  she  became  one 
 of  the  collectors  for  the  building  of  City  Road  Chapel,  and 
 continued  the  good  work  till  local  claims  diverted  the  flow  of 
 her  generous  disposition.  In  1791  Mary  Langford  became  the 
 wife  of  Mr.  Corderoy,  and  afterwards  the  mother  of  Messrs. 
 John,  Edward,  George  and  William  Corderoy,  all  of  whom  were 
 or  are  honoured  and  useful  members  and  officers  of  the  Methodist 
 Societies  in  London.  Her  husband  was  placed  in  a  position  of 
 trust  and  responsibility  under  the  Government,  but  it  involved 
 the  employment  of  many  workmen  on  the  Sabbath  Day.  To 
 this  Mr.  Corderoy  not  only  demurred,  but  positively  declined  to 
 work  himself,  choosing  rather  the  fear  and  love  of  God  than  the 
 fear  of  any  man,  even  the  sovereign  himself;  it  involved  the 
 breaking  of  the  divine  law.  His  integrity  as  a  man  was  as 
 great  as  his  resolution  to  keep  the  Sabbath  was  firm ;  and  his 
 firmness  of  character  was  rewarded  by  his  being  exempted  from 
 work  on  the  Lord's  Day,  and  by  his  having  still  greater  confi- 
 dence and  responsibility  reposed  in  him.  In  these  things  he  was 
 supported  and  encouraged  by  his  excellent  wife,  who,  after  she 
 became  a  widow,  continued  to  maintain  an  unwavering  confidence 
 in  God.  **  The  Lord  sustains  you,  dear  mother,"  said  one  of  her 
 children  on  the  morning  of  her  death.  Her  lips  moved  in  prayer, 
 "The  Lord  support  me."  Shortly  afterwards  she  added  with 
 emphasis,  "The  Lord  Jehovah  is  my  strength."  One  of  her  last 
 acts  was  to  take  her  purse,  and  with  her  own  hand  pay  for  a 
 Bible  to  be  used  in  the  pulpit  of  a  Primitive  Methodist  Chapel 
 in  a  village  where  she  had  lately  visited.  Immediately  after- 
 wards, at  her  request.  Psalm  ciii.  was  read  to  her.  On  coming 
 to  the  17th  verse  the  reader  said,  "You  see,  dear  mother,  the 
 promises  are  to  your  children  and  grandchildren."  Her  reply 
 was,  "  They  must  seek  the  Lord."     She  then  began — 
 
 '*  O  for  a  heart  to  praise  my  God  !  " 
 
248  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  344. 
 
 but  could  not  get  through  even  the  fust  Hne.  Her  child  caught 
 up  the  strain  and  finished  the  verse  ;  a  smile  was  the  only 
 reward  the  sufferer  could  bestow,  as  the  departing  spirit  entered 
 paradise,  22nd  September,  1847,  aged  seventy-six  years. 
 
 Hymn  344.— "Thou  hidden  love  of  God,  whose  height."— 
 Divine  Love. — Tune,  Careys,  1761. 
 
 John  Wesley's  translation  of  a  German  hymn,  written  by 
 Gerard  Tersteegen,  or  by  Gerhardt  and  Tersteegen,  the  4th  and 
 8th  verses  by  the  latter.  It  first  appeared  in  the  collection  of 
 "Psalms  and  Hymns,"  1738,  also  in  "Hymns  and  Sacred 
 Poems,"  1739. 
 
 John  Wesley,  in  his  "  Plain  Account  of  Christian  Perfection," 
 records  that  he  wrote  (translated)  this  hymn  while  at  Savannah, 
 Georgia,  in  the  year  1736,  and  he  quotes  the  line  in  verse  four, 
 commencing — "  Is  there  a  thing  beneath  the  sun,"  to  show  his 
 religious  sentiments  at  that  period.  It  is  remarkable  that  Mr. 
 Wesley  did  not  include  this  translation  in  the  Collection  of 
 Psalms  he  published  in  Charlestown,  America,  in  1737.  Dr. 
 Southey,  confusing  dates,  gives  the  love  affair  with  Grace 
 Murray  as  the  origin  of  this  hymn.  Mr.  B.  Love,  in  his 
 "  Records  of  Wesleyan  Life,"  describes  this  hymn  as  the  pious 
 contemplation  of  a  soul  seeking  for  full  redemption.  In  a 
 translated  "  Life  of  Tersteegen,"  by  the  Rev.  Samuel  Jackson,  a 
 version  of  this  hymn  is  given  with  two  verses,  the  fourth  and 
 fifth  more  than  John  Wesley  had  translated. 
 
 Information  which  has  come  to  hand  since  Dr.  Southey's  death 
 would  lead  to  the  opinion  that  John  Wesley  translated  that 
 hymn  as  a  solace  to  his  own  heart  at  the  grievous  disappoint- 
 ment he  had  to  endure  at  Savannah  in  the  matter  of  Miss  Sophy 
 Causton  (or  Hopkey)  who  had  nearly  captured  the  citadel  of  his 
 heart.  When  he  was  so  much  tried  and  persecuted  on  her 
 account,  and  all  communication  with  her  cut  off,  it  is  no  wonder 
 that  he  tried  to  find  consolation  elsewhere;  hence  the  mental 
 struggle  which  is  implied  in  the  4th  verse — 
 
 "  Is  there  a  thing  beneath  the  sun 
 
 That  strives  with  Thee  my  heart  to  share  ? 
 Ah,  tear  it  thence,  and  reign  alone, 
 The  Lord  of  every  motion  there  ! 
 Then  shall  my  heart  from  earth  be  free, 
 When  it  hath  found  repose  in  Thee." 
 
HYMN  346.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  249 
 
 Alas !  that  heart  got  entangled  again  after  his  return  to  England  ; 
 and  years  afterwards,  with  Grace  Murray. 
 
 Gerard  Tersteegen  was  born  25th  November,  1697,  in  the  town 
 of  Mors,  in  Westphalia,  and  was  the  son  of  a  godly  tradesman, 
 who  died  soon  after  his  birth.  He  early  showed  great  talents, 
 and  made  progress  at  school ;  but  his  mother's  circumstances 
 compelled  him  to  go  to  business  instead  of  the  University,  at 
 the  age  of  fifteen.  At  sixteen  the  grace  of  God  reached  his 
 heart,  and  soon  afterwards,  in  a  remarkable  manner,  he 
 surrendered  himself  to  God  and  became  unspeakably  happy. 
 Though  poor  himself  he  gave  much  to  the  poor,  so  that  he  was 
 often  in  want.  At  the  age  of  thirty  he  began  to  exhort  in 
 private  meetings,  and  soon  became  widely  known  from  the 
 simplicity,  power,  and  excellence  of  his  addresses.  He  began 
 to  travel  and  to  address  large  audiences,  chiefly  on  the  love  of 
 God,  till  his  health  failed.  He  belonged  to  no  sect,  though  the 
 Moravians  tried  to  secure  him.  He  gradually  became  so  weak 
 as  to  look  like  a  corpse,  but  he  continued  his  labours  till  he  was 
 seventy-three,  when  dropsy  set  in,  and  he  died  3rd  April,  1769. 
 He  left  III  hymns,  chiefly  on  three  subjects — namely,  "  Lo,  God 
 is  here,"  "  God  in  us,"  and  "  Communion  with  God  and  Christ." 
 This  hymn,  No.  344,  was  written  by  Tersteegen  in  1731,  and  was 
 originally  in  eight  verses,  of  which  John  Wesley  translated  six. 
 This  is  a  decided  favourite,  and  is  printed  in  all  the  Wesleyan 
 collections — in  Mercer's  "  Church  Psalter,"  in  Roundell  Palmer's 
 "  Book  of  Praise,"  and  also  in  the  Moravian  collection.  No.  669. 
 where  it  will  be  found  in  another  rendering,  and  in  the  original 
 metre. 
 
 Hymn  345. — "Ye  ransom'd  sinners,  hear." — Rejoicing  in  Hope. 
 — Tune,  Resurrection,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "  Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1742, 
 page  180.  The  second  verse  of  the  original  is  left  out,  and  the 
 first  Hne  of  the  original  is  altered  from  "Ye  happy  sinners, 
 hear,"  but  the  alteration  was  made  after  John  Wesley's  death. 
 
 Hymn  346. — "  For  ever  here  my  rest  shall  be." — Christ  our 
 Righteousness. — Tune,  Wednesbury,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1740, 
 page  96.    The  original  has  seven  verses  ;  the  first,  commencing, 
 
250  mp:thodist  hymn  book  notes.       hymn  346. 
 
 "Jesus,  Thou  art  my  righteousness,"  and  the  second  are  left 
 out.  It  is  also  inserted  in  John  Wesley's  "Select  Hymns  with 
 Tunes  Annext,"  1761. 
 
 That  excellent,  godly  woman,  Martha  Lessey,  wife  of  the 
 Rev.  Theophilus  Lessey,  and  mother  of  the  President  of  the 
 Conference  of  that  name,  walked  closely  with  God  by  a  life  of 
 true  piety,  evincing  the  genuineness  of  her  religion  by  the  fruits 
 of  righteousness  which  are  by  Christ  Jesus.  Shortly  before  her 
 death,  when  assailed  by  her  spiritual  enemy,  she  cried  out — 
 
 *'  For  ever  here  my  rest  shall  be, 
 Close  to  Thy  bleeding  side, 
 This  all  my  hope,  and  all  my  plea, 
 For  me  the  Saviour  died." 
 
 Her  end  of  life  was  a  triumph  of  joy,  dying  20th  May,  1816. 
 
 One  of  the  many  losses  of  those  self-denying  men,  the 
 missionaries  to  Shetland,  was  the  death  of  Mrs.  Allan,  wife  of 
 the  Rev.  Richard  Allan,  at  North  Maven.  She  gave  her  heart 
 to  God  in  early  youth,  and  served  Him  faithfully  to  the  end  of 
 her  days.  When  conscious  of  her  end,  she  wished  once  more  to 
 see  and  bless  her  children  ;  but  as  seas  rolled  and  mountains 
 rose  between  her  and  the  desire  of  her  heart,  she  bowed  in 
 submission  to  the  will  of  God.  Amongst  her  last  words,  she 
 said,  "  My  anchor  is  cast  within  the  veil " — 
 
 "  For  ever  here  my  rest  shall  be, 
 Close  to  Thy  bleeding  side,"  &c. 
 
 And  when  articulation  was  failing  she  whispered,  "  O  the 
 mercies  of  God,"  and  entered  paradise,  25th  April,  1836. 
 
 Rev.  William  Dowling,  born  in  Ireland,  went  to  Australia, 
 joined  the  Methodist  Society,  entered  the  ministry,  and  after  a 
 useful  ministerial  career,  died  very  happy  in  Wesley  College, 
 Melbourne,  9th  April,  1867.  Just  before  the  final  struggle,  he 
 said,  "  Death  has  no  sting,"  "  The  bitterness  of  death  is  past," 
 "'Tis  Jesus,  the  first  and  the  last,"  "  God  bless  and  comfort  my 
 dear  mother  and  friends  ; "  and  looking  at  the  friend  by  his 
 bedside,  he  repeated — 
 
 "  Lord  I  believe  Thy  precious  blood, 
 Which  at  the  mercy-seat  of  God, 
 For  ever  doth  for  sinners  plead, 
 
 For  me,  e'en  for  my  soul  was  shed," 
 
HYMN  346.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  251 
 
 Immediately  after,  he  added — 
 
 "  For  ever  here  my  rest  shall  be, 
 Close  to  Thy  bleeding  side ; 
 This  all  my  hope  and  all  my  plea, — 
 For  me  the  Saviour  died  !  " 
 
 "  My  Saviour,  my  Saviour,  He  died  for  me  ;  "  "  For  ever,  for  ever 
 with  the  Lord.  Thank  God,  I  have  a  home  in  Heaven  !  "  To 
 which  I  replied,  "  Yes,  an  inheritance  incorruptible,  undefiled, 
 and  that  fadeth  not  away."  He  said  emphatically,  "  Yes,  yes." 
 I  repeated,  "  Though  I  walk  through  the  valley  of  the  shadow 
 of  death,  I  will  fear  no  evil  :  for  Thou  art  with  me  ;  Thy  rod 
 and  Thy  staff  comfort  me."  He  responded,  "Oh  yes,  yes." 
 Shortly  after  he  tried  to  repeat — 
 
 **\Vhat  is  there  here  to  court  my  stay, 
 Or  keep  me  back  from  home  ?  " 
 
 and  not  being  able  to  proceed  further,  I  added — 
 
 "While  angels  beckon  me  away, 
 And  Jesus  bids  me  come  !  " 
 
 On  which  he  looked  as  if  catching  the  words  and  assenting. 
 
 "  My  Jesus  to  know, 
 
 And  feel  His  blood  flow  ! 
 'Tis  life  everlasting, 
 'Tis  Heaven  below." 
 
 After  a  few  words  of  commendatory  prayer,  he  entered  into 
 rest. 
 
 A  veteran  of  fourscore  years,  and  of  fifty-five  years'  service 
 in  the  Methodist  ministry,  was  John  Reynolds,  of  Penzance, 
 Cornwall.  He  began  to  travel  in  1799,  and  laboured  with  zeal 
 and  acceptance  whilst  health  was  continued  to  him.  He  died 
 just  before  the  Conference  session  of  1854,  to  which  body  he 
 sent  this  message  : — "  Tell  the  Conference  I  die  in  peace,  in 
 love  to  the  preachers,  and  the  Connexion.  I  am  going  into 
 eternity  glorying  in  the  cross  of  Christ ! 
 
 "  '  This  all  my  hope,  and  all  my  plea, 
 For  me  the  Saviour  died.'  " 
 
 He  left  most  of  his  property  to  the  funds  of  Methodism,  and 
 died  20th  June,  1854,  aged  eighty  years. 
 
25*  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.         HYMN  349. 
 
 Miss  Frances  Dalby,  of  Newark,  was  converted  to  God  in 
 early  life,  under  a  sermon  preached  by  Squire  Brook.  She 
 had  a  fine  talent  for  music,  but  for  some  years  she  had  been 
 nearly  blind.  On  the  last  Sunday  she  spent  on  earth  she 
 requested  her  sister  to  play  her  a  tune,  and  to  sing  the  hymn 
 commencing — 
 
 *'  For  ever  here  my  rest  shall  be  ;" 
 
 adding,  "  I  shall  sing  it  too."  Her  sister  having  re-entered  the 
 room  where  she  lay,  she  said  "  You  managed  your  part  better 
 than  I  did  mine.     I  could  only  sing— 
 
 *' '  For  ever  here  my  rest  shall  be  ; ' " 
 
 but  she  added  with  emphasis,  "  I  shall  remain  close  to  the 
 bleeding  side  of  my  Saviour."  And  so  she  passed  away  in 
 peace,  in  May,  1855,  aged  thirty-four  years. 
 
 A  poor  but  industrious  man  named  Martin,  who  lived  near 
 Leeds,  had  been  valiant  for  Satan,  but  after  his  conversion  was 
 as  earnest  for  his  Saviour.  It  was  his  custom,  on  returning 
 home  from  his  work  in  the  evening,  to  have  a  thorough  washing, 
 and  whilst  doing  so  he  continued  to  sing  this  verse — 
 
 "  Wash  me,  and  make  me  thus  Thine  own, 
 Wash  me,  and  mine  Thou  art ; 
 Wash  me,  but  not  my  feet  alone — 
 My  hands,  my  head,  my  heart." 
 
 Several  other  examples  of  the  use  of  this  hymn  will  be  found 
 in  the  W e si eyati- Methodist  Magazhie^  i860  and  1861. 
 
 Hymn  347. — "  Jesus,  my  life  !  Thyself  apply." — Christ  our 
 Sajictijication. — TUNE,  Aldrich,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1740, 
 page  97.  The  last  verse  of  the  original  is  left  out.  It  is  also 
 printed  in  John  Wesley's  "  Select  Hymns,  with  Tunes  annext." 
 
 Hymn  348. — "  Heavenly  Father,  sovereign  Lord." 
 
 „       349. — "  Where  the  ancient  Dragon  lay." 
 
 Isaiah  XXXV. — TUNE,  Hotham,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1740, 
 page  107.  The  original  is  in  twenty  four-line  stanzas.  It  was 
 made  into  tw^o  hymns  after  Mr.  Wesley's  death. 
 
HYMN  352.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  253 
 
 Hymn  350. — "  Holy  Lamb,  who  Thee  receive." — Redemptio7i 
 Found. — Tune,  Savannah,  1761. 
 
 John  Wesley's  translation,  made  in  1740,  from  the  German  of 
 Anna  Dober,  originally  written  in  1735.  It  was  published  in 
 "  Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1740,  page  93.  The  German  was 
 written  for  a  children's  school-feast.  The  eighth  and  ninth 
 verses  are  not  translated.  It  is  a  fine  embodiment  of  sound 
 Scriptural  doctrine.  We  have  no  particulars  of  the  life  of  the 
 author. 
 
 When  Oldham  was  part  of  the  Manchester  circuit  in 
 Methodism,  and  Thomas  Tennant  the  stationed  preacher  in 
 1790,  Hannah  Mills  received  her  first  ticket  of  membership; 
 and  for  half-a-century  her  walk  was  such  as  became  the  Gospel 
 of  Christ.  In  her  last  illness  her  mind  was  kept  in  perfect 
 peace,  and  she  often  called  on  her  friends  to  help  her  to  praise 
 the  Lord.  The  day  before  she  died,  she  was  favoured  with  a 
 special  sight  of  the  heavenly  world ;  whereupon  she  said,  "  If 
 the  Lord  will  but  allow  me  to  spend  my  next  Sabbath  in  heaven, 
 I  will  praise  Him  louder  than  any  that  are  there.  Oh  that  I 
 could  sing  !     I  would  sing  my  favourite  verse — 
 
 "  *  Dust  and  ashes  though  I  be, 
 Full  of  sin  and  misery.'  " 
 
 Then,  after  a  pause,  she  repeated  the  third  and  fourth  lines  with 
 great  emphasis — 
 
 **  Thine  I  am,  Thou  Son  of  God  ; 
 Take  the  purchase  of  Thy  blood." 
 
 Shortly  afterwards,  robed  in  righteousness  divine,  she  entered 
 the  New  Jerusalem,  27th  March,  1840,  aged  seventy-one. 
 
 Hymn  351. — "Come,  Holy  Ghost,  all  quickening  fire  !" — Hymn 
 to  God  the  Sanctifier. — Tune,  York,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1740, 
 page  45.  This  hymn  read  as  the  author's  personal  experience 
 in  the  second  year  after  his  conversion,  will  explain  the  source 
 of  his  great  power  as  a  preacher — entire  reliance  on  God,  with 
 a  humble,  teachable  spirit. 
 
 Hymn  352.—"  Jesus,  Thou  art  our  King  !  ^'—Hymn  to  Christ 
 
 the  A'm^.—TVNEj  Irene,  1761. 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "  Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1739, 
 
254  METHODIST  HVMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  354. 
 
 Hymn  353. — "  O  Jesu,  source  of  calm  repose  !" — Christ 
 Protecting  and  Sanctifying.— 'Y\5'ii'^,  113th  Psalm,  1761. 
 
 From  "  Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1739,  V^'b^  181,  translated 
 by  John  Wesley  from  the  German  of  John  Anastasius  Freyling- 
 hausen.  This  hymn  throws  much  light  on  the  doctrine  of 
 Christian  perfection  ;  but  the  petition  in  verse  five — 
 
 "  No  anger  mayst  Thou  ever  find," 
 
 must  be  understood  as  referring  only  to  sinful  anger,  and  not  as 
 condemning  all  anger  whatever  ;  for  it  is  a  precept,  Be  ye 
 angry,  and  sin  not. 
 
 John  Anastasius  Freylinghausen  was  born  2nd  December, 
 1670,  at  Gundersheim,  in  the  small  principality  of  Wolfenbiittel, 
 where  his  father  was  a  tradesman  and  the  burgomaster.  His 
 pious  mother  early  taught  him  the  truths  of  Christianity.  In 
 1689  he  entered  the  University  of  Jena,  but  in  1692  he  removed 
 to  Halle  under  A.  H.  Francke,  and  became  his  assistant- 
 minister  at  Glancha,  near  Halle.  In  171 5  he  was  raised  to  the 
 assistant  charge  of  St.  Ulric's  Church,  Halle,  and  married  his 
 god-child,  Francke's  only  daughter,  with  whom  he  lived  in 
 great  peace  and  blessedness.  On  the  death  of  Francke  in 
 1723,  Freylinghausen  was  appointed  chief  minister  of  St.  Ulric's 
 and  director  of  the  Orphan  Houses.  He  suffered  much  from 
 most  violent  toothache,  during  which,  however,  he  composed 
 some  of  his  best  hymns.  In  1737  his  tongue  became  paralysed, 
 and  he  had  to  give  up  preaching.  He  died  12th  February,  1739. 
 He  left  the  Church  a  legacy  of  forty-four  hymns  which  are  full  of 
 sound  piety  and  tender  godliness,  combined  with  great  beauty 
 and  warmth  of  expression.  Freylinghausen  was  the  chief 
 hymn-writer  of  the  Pietist  school  in  Germany,  and  collected  the 
 best  hymns  of  all  the  poets  belonging  to  that  class  of  writers, 
 together  with  their  tunes,  in  a  large  book  of  two  volumes,  the 
 first  edition  dated  1704,  the  second  1714  ;  it  was  designed 
 chiefly  for  the  use  of  the  Orphan  Houses  at  Halle. 
 
 Hymn  354. — "  Ever  fainting  with  desire." — A  Prayer  for 
 Holiness. — Tune,  Kings  wood,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "  Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1742. 
 The  original  has  ten  verses,  four  of  which  are  left  out. 
 
HYMN  360.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  255 
 
 Hymn  355. — "Jesu,  shall  I  never  be." — '■'■Let  this  7ni7id be iti yon 
 which  was  also  in  Christ  Jesus P — TUNE,  Plymouth,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1742, 
 page  221,  based  on  Phil.  ii.  5.     The  original  has  twenty  verses, 
 seven  of  which  are  omitted.     The  line  in  verse  nine — 
 "I  shall  have  no  power  to  sin," 
 
 has  been  supposed  to  inculcate  the  doctrine  of  final  perseverance 
 of  the  saints,  but  really  it  seems  to  be  no  more  than  a  little 
 extra  fervour  in  the  poet's  feelings. 
 
 Hymn  356.—"  Lord,  I  believe  Thy  every  word." — "  They  that 
 wait  upon  the  Lord  shall  renew  their  strength^ — TuNE, 
 Wenvo,  1 76 1. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1742, 
 page  225,  founded  on  Isaiah  xl.  31.  The  original  has  fourteen 
 stanzas,  four  of  which  are  omitted. 
 
 Hymn  357.— "Jesus,  the  Life,  the  Truth,  the  Way."—"  Thy 
 will  be  done  ofi  earth^''  &:c. — Tune,  Brooks,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1742, 
 page  230.  The  original  has  twelve  verses,  four  of  which  are 
 omitted.     It  is  founded  on  part  of  the  Lord's  Prayer. 
 
 Hymn  358. — "Open,  Lord,  my  inward  ear." — Waitijtgfor 
 Christ  the  Prophet. — TUNE,  Amsterdam,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "  Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1742, 
 page  206,  with  the  first  verse  omitted. 
 
 Hymn  359. — "  God  of  Israel's  faithful  three." —  The  three  Children 
 in  the  fiery  furnace. — Tune,  Amsterdam,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1742, 
 page  210,  founded  on  Daniel  iii.  The  second  verse  of  the 
 original  is  left  out.  Two  new  verses  were  added  in  1875,  ^^^ 
 three  verses  were  omitted,  all  after  the  first. 
 
 Hymn  360.—"  Father  of  Jesus  Christ,  my  Lord." — "  Therefore 
 it  is  offaith^  that  it  might  be  by  grace P — TUNE,  Bexley. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1742, 
 page  248,  founded  on  Romans  iv.  13,  &c.      The  original  has 
 
256  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  36 1. 
 
 twenty  verses,  nine  of  which  arc  left  out.  The  poet  seeks  with 
 much  care  to  guard  this  hymn  against  the  faith  of  the  Anti- 
 nomian  ;  hence  the  f^iith  of  which  he  writes  is  obedient  faith  ; 
 it  waits  on  God  in  a  dihgent  use  of  the  means  of  grace. 
 
 In  early  life,  Fanny  Wedgwood,  of  Wybunbur)',  Nantwich, 
 was  converted  to  God,  joined  the  Methodist  Society,  and  walked 
 circumspectly  in  life.  A  rapid  consumption  cut  short  her 
 earthly  career.  Her  sleepless  nights  were  occupied  in  prayer 
 and  praise.     A  little  before  her  death  she  exclaimed — 
 
 "  Faith,  mighty  faith,  the  promise  sees, 
 And  looks  to  that  alone  ; 
 Laughs  at  impossibilities. 
 And  cries,  It  shall  be  done  !  " 
 
 "  I  shall  go  to  heaven  ;  the  promise  cannot  fail,"  so  she  slept  in 
 Jesus,  15th  July,  1835,  aged  thirty-seven  years. 
 
 Mrs.  Riles,  wife  of  the  Rev.  John  Riles,  suffered  a  painful 
 affliction  with  exemplary  patience.  Her  husband  praying  by 
 her  bedside,  she  joined  heartily,  and  at  the  close  exclaimed, 
 with  great  emotion — 
 
 "Faith,  mighty  faith,  the  promise  sees. 
 And  looks  to  that  alone  ; 
 Laughs  at  impossibilities, 
 
 And  cries,  It  shall  be  done  ! " 
 
 Adding,  "  I  long  to  be  gone,"  and  her  wish  was  gratified. 
 
 Hymn  361. — "My  God  !  I  know,  I  feel  Thee  mine." — Against 
 hope,  believing  in  hope. — TuNE,  Mitcham,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1740, 
 page  156.     The  eleventh  verse  of  the  original  is  left  out. 
 
 This   soul-stirring   and    heart-quickening   hymn    is   a   living 
 testimony  to  the  vitality  of  the  author's  own  per«;onal  piety 
 during  the  year  of  the  first  gathering  together  of  the  members 
 of  the  United  Society.     The  year  was  1740  ;  the  author  and  his 
 brother  w^ere  addressing  multitudes  of  people  almost  daily  in 
 the  open  air.     They  required  sustaining  grace,'^and  feeling  his 
 own  need  of  divine  help,  his  earnest  prayer  flowed  in  verse — 
 "  My  God  !  I  know,  I  feel  Thee  mine, 
 And  will  not  quit  my  claim, 
 Till  all  I  have  is  lost  in  Thine, 
 And  all-renewed  I  am." 
 
HYMN  364.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  257 
 
 He  appeals  to  the  great  love  of  Christ  for  help,  as  the  strongest 
 motive-power  on  earth — 
 
 **  Jesus,  Thine  all-victorious  love, 
 Shed  in  my  heart  abroad." 
 
 His  earnest  longing  is  expressed  in  more  forceful  words  and 
 under  the  figure  of  fire — 
 
 "  O  that  in  me  the  sacred  fire 
 Might  now  begin  to  glow." 
 
 In  the  ninth  verse  he  reaches  the  climax — 
 
 "  Refining  fire  go  through  my  heart, 
 Illuminate  my  soul ; 
 Scatter  Thy  life  through  every  part, 
 And  sanctify  the  whole." 
 
 Imagine  Charles  Wesley  writing  this  hymn  ;  then  with  his 
 soul  full  of  such  pure  and  holy  ambition  going  out  and  standing 
 before  a  multitude  of  people  to  present  to  them  a  present,  free, 
 and  full  salvation.  The  secret  of  his  powerful  ministry  was  his 
 close  communion  with  God,  and  his  faith  in  the  doctrines  he 
 preached.  Thousands  of  times  has  the  latter  part  of  this  glowing 
 hymn  been  sung  by  godly  people  on  their  knees,  at  revival 
 and  other  services  as  the  best  exponent  of  their  then  happy 
 experience.     The  mission  of  such  a  hymn  is  not  ended  yet. 
 
 Hymn  362.—"  Be  it  according  to  Thy  word."— //"^  that  loseth 
 his  life  for  My  sake  shall  find  it. — TuNE,  St.  Paul's,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1742, 
 page  212.  The  original  has  twelve  verses,  four  of  which  are 
 omitted.     The  third  verse  was  omitted  in  the  revision  of  1875. 
 
 Hymn  363. — "  What !  never  speak  one  evil  word."— Ja7nes 
 iii.  2  ;  and  Psahn  ciii.  3. — Tune,  Evesham,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Scripture  Hymns,"  1762.  The  first 
 and  second  verses  form  No.  753  (James  iii.  2) ;  the  third  and 
 fourth  verses  form  No.  854  (Psalm  ciii.  3). 
 
 Hymn  364. — "Jesus,  the  gift  divine  I  know."— John  iv.  10,  14 
 andjafnes  i.  27. — TuNE,  123rd  Psalm,  1761. 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Scripture  Hymns,"  1762.      Verses 
 I  and  2  form  No.  413  (John  iv.  10,  14) ;  verses  3,  4,  and  5  form 
 No.  738  (James  i.  27). 
 
 R 
 
25S  METHODIST  HVMN  lU)OK  NOTES.  HYMN  367. 
 
 HvMxN  365.— "O  (iod  of  my  salvation,  hear." 
 
 „      366. — "  I  soon  shall  hear  thy  quick'ning  voice." 
 A  Thafiksgiving.—TxjtiE^  York,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1742, 
 page  167.  The  original  forms  but  one  hymn  of  eighteen  stanzas, 
 four  of  which  are  left  out. 
 
 Hymn  367. — "O  come,  and  dwell  in  me." — Seeking  for  full 
 Rcdcmptio7i. — Tune,  Olney,  1761. 
 
 The  original  forms  three  of  Charles  Wesley's  "  Scripture 
 Hymns,"  1762,  vol.  ii.  Verse  i  forms  No.  619  (2  Cor.  iii.  17) ; 
 verse  2  forms  No.  578  (2  Cor.  v.  17) ;  verse  3  forms  No.  713 
 (Hebrews  xi.  5). 
 
 The  mother  of  Mr.  James  Musgrave,  of  Leeds,  was  a 
 Methodist  for  sixty  years,  and  her  father  was  one  of  the  first 
 members  of  society  in  that  town.  James  Musgrave  was  brought 
 to  God  during  a  revival  in  1797,  when  he  was  twenty  years  of 
 age.  His  convictions  of  sin  were  so  deep,  he  retired  into  a  field 
 to  plead  with  God  for  pardon,  and  there  he  found  it.  Forty-six 
 years  afterwards,  at  a  band  meeting,  he  testified  to  the  reality 
 of  the  change  of  heart  he  then  underwent.  Several  hundred 
 young  persons  were  brought  to  God  in  that  revival,  and  amongst 
 them  was  the  Rev.  James  Blackett,  and  the  father  of  the  Rev. 
 Robert  Spence  Hardy.  A  class  formed  of  these  young  men 
 was  taken  in  charge  by  the  Rev.  William  Inglis,  whose  judicious 
 counsels  greatly  contributed  to  their  establishment  in  the  faith. 
 One  of  his  valued  admonitions  was,  "  When  the  world  assaults 
 you,  watch,  and  pray  ;  when  the  flesh,  flee  and  pray  ;  when  the 
 devil,  fight  and  pray."  He  was  successively  appointed  a  local 
 preacher,  class-leader,  and  trustee  of  several  chapels,  in  which 
 duties  he  acted  with  fidelity  and  judgment.  Oxford  Place 
 Chapel  owes  much  to  his  activity,  diligence,  and  benevolence  ; 
 and  a  tablet  to  honour  his  memory  is  erected  within  that  edifice. 
 He  was  present  at  the  great  Centenary  Meeting  held  in 
 Manchester  in  1839,  and  his  portrait  is  engraved  in  the  large 
 picture  commemorating  that  event.  On  Sunday,  6th  May,  1844, 
 he  attended  the  seven  o'clock  morning  prayer  meeting  at  the 
 Oxford  Place  Chapel,  and  shared  in  conducting  the  service. 
 He  selected  and  gave  out  Hymn  367 — 
 
 *'  O  come,  and  dwell  in  me,  Spirit  of  power  within  !" 
 
HYMN  367.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  259 
 
 With  impressive  earnestness  he  gave  out  the  last  verse — 
 
 "  I  want  the  witness,  Lord,  That  all  I  do  is  right, 
 According  to  Thy  v/ill  and  word.  Well-pleasing  in  Thy  sight ; 
 I  ask  no  higher  state ;  Indulge  me  but  in  this, 
 And  soon  or  later  then  translate  To  my  eternal  bliss." 
 
 With  the  giving  out  of  that  hymn,  and  its  accompanying  prayer, 
 his  public  work  for  God  on  earth  may  be  said  to  have  closed. 
 In  the  evening  he  was  proceeding  to  the  same  place,  when  he 
 was  seen  to  stagger,  and  fall.  Medical  aid  was  obtained  in 
 a  few  minutes,  but  life  was  extinct ;  disease  of  the  heart  had 
 translated  the  Lord's  servant  "to  sing  the  Lamb  in  hymns 
 above."     He  died  26th  March,  1844,  aged  sixty-seven  years. 
 
 The  pioneer  mother  of  Methodism  in  South  Africa  was  Ann 
 Shaw,  the  excellent  wife  of  the  Rev.  William  Shaw,  President  of 
 the  Methodist  Conference  in  1865.  Early  in  life  she  sought  and 
 found  the  Lord.  The  Rev.  J.  Wilcox,  curate  of  Long  Sutton,  was 
 the  immediate  cause  of  her  conversion,  but  it  was  at  a  Metho- 
 dist prayer  meeting  that  she  found  peace  through  believing.  In 
 South  Africa  there  are  multitudes  to  witness  how  holily,  and 
 justly,  and  unblamably,  she  lived  during  a  long  life  afterwards. 
 In  1854  she  was  seized  with  paralysis.  The  last  entries  she 
 made  in  her  journal  were  the  following — 
 "  O  come  and  dwell  in  me  ! 
 
 And  make  my  heart  Thy  loved  abode, 
 The  temple  of  indwelling  God." 
 
 These  indicate  the  devout  and  heavenly  state  of  her  mind.  She 
 died  6th  June,  1854,  aged  sixty-five  years. 
 
 The  brother  of  Ann  Pennington  was  for  a  time  a  servant  in 
 the  family  of  R.  C.  Brackenbury,  Esq.,  of  Raithby  Hall,  where 
 he  learned  the  way  of  God  perfectly,  and  returned  to  his  native 
 village  full  of  love  to  perishing  sinners,  and  several  members  of 
 his  family  became  converted.  Ann,  soon  after  her  conversion, 
 was  married  to  a  local  preacher,  Samuel  Pennington,  who  was 
 for  many  years  at  the  head  of  the  Lincoln  plan.  They  licensed 
 their  house  for  preaching,  and  in  every  way  sought  to  promote 
 the  glory  of  God.     During  her  last  affliction  she  often  quoted — 
 
 "  *  I  want  the  witness,  Lord,  that  all  I  do  is  right, 
 
 According  to  Thy  will  and  word,  Well-pleasing  in  Thy  sight.' " 
 
 Her  last  words  to  her  daughter  were,  "  Happy,  happy  !"  She 
 died  8th  April,  1863,  aged  sixty-eight  years. 
 
26o  METHODIST  HYMN  ROOK    NOTES.  HYMN  3  7 1. 
 
 Hymn  368.—"  Father,  see  this  living  c\o±"—Scek2fig  for  full 
 Redonption. — TuNE,  Kingsvvood,  1761. 
 
 This  is  formed  out  of  several  of  Charles  Wesley's  "  Scripture 
 Hymns,"  1762  ;  verse  i  forms  No.  8  (Gen.  ii.  7)  ;  verse  2  forms 
 No.  197  (Lev.  xxvi.  13);  verse  3  forms  No.  55  (Gen.  xvii.  i); 
 and  verse  4  forms  No.  5  (Gen.  i.  26). 
 
 Hymn  369. — "  O  God,  most  merciful  and  true  !" — Ezekiel  xv\. 
 62,  63.— Tune,  Athlone,  1761. 
 
 This  forms  No.  1258  of  Charles  Wesley's  "Scripture  Hymns," 
 1762,  vol.  ii.,  where  it  is  printed  in  three  double  stanzas. 
 
 An  appreciative  writer  in  the  Wesleya?i  Maga2i?ie,  1839,  page 
 382,  refers  this  hymn  "  to  one  of  a  class  including  everything 
 that  is  contained  in  communion  with  God,  whether  of  prayer  or 
 praise.  It  is  free  from  figurative  language  ;  but  how  shall  we 
 express  otherwise  than  in  the  language  of  the  hymn  itself  the 
 seraphic  solemnity,  the  spirit  of  prayer,  which  are  evinced  in 
 this  composition — that  prostration  of  soul  before  the  Infinite 
 Three-in-One,  which  none  but  the  saved  sinner  can  feel,  and 
 which  seems  to  imitate  that  of  the  angels  in  heaven  ?  It  is  only 
 the  Spirit  in  the  first,  and  those  consecrated  by  Him  in  the 
 second  place,  which  can  search  into  the  deep  things  of  God." 
 
 Hymn  370. — "Deepen  the  wound  Thy  hands  have  made." — 
 Seeking  for  fill  Redemption. — Tune,  Brockmer,  1761. 
 
 This  is  made  up  of  two  of  Charles  Wesley's  "  Scripture 
 Hymns,"  1762,  vol.  i.  Verses  i  and  2  form  No.  342  (Deut.  xxxii. 
 39),  and  verses  3  and  4  form  No.  869  (Psalm  cxix.  96). 
 
 Hymn  371. — "What  now  is  my  object  and  aim?" — Seeking  for 
 full  Redemption. — Tune,  The  Shepherd  of  Israel,  1761. 
 
 This  is  made  up  of  Nos.  805  and  810  of  Charles  Wesley's 
 "  Scripture  Hymns,"  1762,  based  on  Psalm  xxxix.  8,  and  xlii.  2, 
 of  the  Prayer  Book  version. 
 
 Mrs.  Agar,  of  York,  mother  of  the  Rev.  Joseph  Agar,  was 
 privileged  with  the  special  personal  friendship  of  the  founder  of 
 Methodism,  who  sojourned  under  her  roof  during  his  last  visit 
 to  York.  She  had  then  two  young  children,  on  whose  heads 
 that  venerable  man  of  God  laid  his  hands,  and  blessed  them. 
 Previous  to  her  marriage,  she  had  been  privileged  to  attend  the 
 
HYMN  373.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  26 1 
 
 Conference  at  Leeds  in  1784,  when  she  was  edified  with  the 
 conversations  of  Mr.  Wesley,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Fletcher,  Miss 
 Ritchie,  and  others  of  Mr.  Wesley's  special  friends.  She  gave 
 her  heart  to  God  in  early  life ;  but  after  that  Conference, 
 religion  was  with  her  more  than  ever  a  reality.  In  her  last 
 illness  her  mind  was  kept  in  perfect  peace.  When  a  hope  of 
 her  recovery  was  expressed  by  her  friends,  she  answered,  "  For 
 me  to  live  is  Christ,  and  to  die  gain."  And  again, — "  I  am  in 
 great  peace  ;  all  is  Rock  ? 
 
 ** '  I  thirst  for  a  life-giving  God, 
 
 A  God  that  on  Calvary  died  ! 
 I  gasp  for  the  stream  of  Thy  love, 
 
 The  spirit  of  rapture  unknown  ; 
 And  then  to  re-drink  it  above, 
 
 Eternally  fresh  from  the  throne.' " 
 
 Her  last  words  were,  "Jesus  is  precious  ;  He  is  with  me  in  the 
 valley."     She  entered  into  rest,  June,  1841,  aged  seventy-seven. 
 
 Hymn  372. — "  Give  me  the  enlarged  desire." — Seeking  for  full 
 Redemption. — Tune,  Amsterdam,  1761. 
 
 This  is  No.  841  (Psalm  Ixxxi.  10)  of  Charles  Wesley's  "Scrip- 
 ture Hymns,"  1762.  It  was  a  favourite  hymn  of  the  Rev.  John 
 Fletcher's,  when  president  of  Lady  Huntingdon's  College  at 
 Trevecca.  At  that  time,  1771,  Mr.  Benson  was  the  head-master 
 of  that  college. 
 
 Hymn  373. — "Jesu,  Thy  boundless  love  to  me." — Living  by 
 Christ. — Tune,  Cary's,  1761. 
 
 John  Wesley's  translations  of  Paul  Gerhardt's  German  hymn. 
 It  appears  in  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1739,  and  also  in 
 the  United  Brethren's  Collection.  The  original  has  nineteen 
 verses,  seven  of  which  are  left  out.  For  a  notice  of  the  author 
 see  under  Hymn  23.  Several  verses  of  this  hymn,  and  especially 
 the  last  one,  have  been  used  as  dying  testimonies. 
 
 The  first  Methodist  who  visited  Prince  Edward's  Island  is 
 believed  to  have  been  Benjamin  Chappel,  whom  Mr.  Wesley 
 mentions  in  his  "Journal,"  vok  iii.,  page  369  : — "Benjamin  and 
 William  Chappel,  who  had  been  here  (at  Inverness)  three 
 months,  were  waiting  for  a  vessel  to  return  to  London.  They 
 had  met  a  few  people  every  night  to  sing  and  pray  together, 
 
262  METHODIST  IIVMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  373. 
 
 and  their  behaviour,  suited  to  their  profession,  had  removed 
 much  prejudice."  Benjamin  was  a  wheelwright,  and,  going  out 
 to  Prince  Edward's  Island,  began  to  call  upon  the  islanders  to 
 turn  to  God.  He  died  as  he  had  lived,  rejoicing  in  his  Saviour, 
 and  faintly  singing  with  his  expiring  breath — 
 
 **  O  Love,  how  cheering  is  thy  ray  ! 
 All  pain  before  thy  presence  flies." 
 
 Before  he  died,  he  saw  the  cause  of  God  established  and 
 prospering  on  the  island. 
 
 It  is  related  of  Thomas  Walsh,  the  eminently  holy  and  learned 
 Irish  Evangelist  in  the  last  century,  Mr.  Wesley's  endeared 
 friend,  that  in  the  midst  of  severe  study,  regardless  of  bodily 
 weakness  and  suffering,  he  was  wont  to  rise  for  recreation,  and 
 pacing  his  room  would  sing  again  and  again — 
 
 "  O  Love,  how  cheering  is  thy  ray  ! 
 
 All  pain  before  thy  presence  flies  ; 
 Care,  anguish,  sorrow,  melt  away, 
 
 Where'er  Thy  healing  beams  arise  ; 
 O  Jesus,  nothing  may  I  see — 
 
 Nothing  desire  or  seek  but  Thee." 
 
 The  cultivation  of  such  a  spirit  was  the  key  to  the  successful 
 ministry,  and  successful  study  of  that  holy  man  of  God,  whom 
 Mr.  Wesley  names  so  tenderly  and  lovingly  in  his  Journals. 
 
 At  the  age  of  fourteen,  Eleanor  Dickinson  received  confirma- 
 tion in  the  Church  of  England,  and  learned,  by  heart,  prayers 
 adapted  to  every  circumstance  of  life.  Wrapt  in  a  cloak  of 
 self-righteousness,  she  continued  till  more  than  twenty,  when 
 she  was  induced  to  hear  a  sermon  by  the  Rev.  Thomas  Hanby 
 amongst  the  Methodists,  under  which  she  was  convinced  of  her 
 sinful  state  by  nature.  She  began  to  pray,  and  earnestly 
 sought  the  Lord,  and  entirely  lost  all  recollection  of  the  forms 
 she  had  learned  by  heart.  She  was  invited  to  a  class-meeting, 
 feeling,  at  the  same  time,  that  her  heart  was  "  as  hard  as  the 
 nether  mill-stone."  As  she  entered  the  room,  the  leader  was 
 giving  out  the  verse,  in  Hymn  2)73 — 
 
 "  More  hard  than  marble  is  my  heart, 
 And  foul  with  sins  of  deepest  stain  ; 
 But  Thou  the  mighty  Saviour  art, 
 
 Nor  flowed  Thy  cleansing  blood  in  vain  ; 
 Ah  !  soften,  melt  this  rock,  and  may 
 Thy  blood  wash  all  these  stains  away  !  " 
 
HYMN  373.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  263 
 
 These  lines  so  exactly  described  her  case,  that  she  was  greatly- 
 affected  ;  her  mind  was  earnestly  engaged  in  prayer,  and  before 
 the  meeting  closed  she  was  enabled  to  believe  on  the  Lord 
 Jesus  Christ  for  pardon,  and  went  home  happy  in  God.  After 
 her  marriage,  she  was  providentially  visited  by  Mrs.  Fletcher,, 
 who  became  an  intimate  friend,  and  they  lived  on  terms  of 
 happy  fellowship  to  the  end  of  their  lives,  dying  within  a  few 
 days  of  each  other.  Mrs.  Dickinson  was  an  example  of  all 
 godliness,  and  the  last  words  she  was  able  to  utter  were  in 
 answer  to  the  observation  of  her  friend  the  Rev.  Walter  Griffith, 
 "It  is  easy  to  die  when  the  sting  of  death,  which  is  sin,  is 
 drawn."  She  faintly  whispered,  "  Yes,  yes."  Soon  after,  she 
 entered  into  rest,  26th  November,  18 15,  aged  sixty-eight. 
 
 It  is  worthy  of  remark,  that  the  same  hymn  was  dwelt  upon 
 with  evident  delight  by  Walter  Griffith  himself,  when  on  the 
 verge  of  eternity,  just  ten  years  afterwards.  Being  somewhat 
 disappointed  in  the  plans  he  had  himself  formed  in  youth,  he 
 sought  revenge  by  a  determined  purpose  to  enter  the  army ; 
 but  divine  providence  frustrated  his  plans  :  and  when  his 
 disappointment  was  deepest,  he  was  led  to  hear  a  sermon  by 
 the  Rev.  Joseph  Pilmoor,  in  Whitefriars'  Street  Chapel,  Dublin, 
 which  resulted  in  his  being  received  a  member  of  the  Methodist 
 Society.  He  was  admitted  on  trial  as  a  travelling  preacher  by 
 the  Irish  Conference  in  1784  ;  and  the  account  of  the  labours 
 of  this  devoted  servant  of  God  in  early  life,  in  the  Methodist 
 Magazine  for  1827,  is  a  most  interesting  record.  In  18 13 
 he  was  elected  President  of  the  Conference,  and  continued  to 
 labour  with  great  acceptance  and  usefulness  till  within  a  few 
 months  of  his  death.  During  his  last  illness  he  said  to  Dr. 
 Adam  Clarke,  "You  know.  Doctor,  Mr.  Pawson  was  disturbed 
 by  fears  that  when  he  and  some  others  of  the  old  preachers 
 were  removed,  Methodism  would  come  to  nothing.  I  once  told 
 Mr.  Pawson  that  Methodism  did  not  depend  upon  his  life,  or 
 on  that  of  any  of  the  preachers  ;  that  if  it  were  a  work  of  God 
 He  would  raise  up  men  to  carry  it  on.  You  see,  Doctor,"  said 
 Mr.  Griffith,  with  animation,  "  I  spoke  the  truth :  and  never  fear 
 but  that  it  will  spread."  Shortly  before  he  died,  St.  John  xiv. 
 and  Hymn  373  were  read  to  him,  after  which  he  said,  "What  a 
 sweet  chapter  and  hymn  are  these  which  you  have  read  !  "  and 
 with  particular  delight  he  repeated  the  last  verse  of  the  hymn — 
 "  In  suffering  be  Thy  love  my  peace  ; 
 In  weakness  be  Thy  love  my  power  ; 
 
264  MKT}IODIST  HYMN   BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  378. 
 
 And  when  the  storms  of  life  shall  cease, 
 
 Jesus,  in  that  important  hour, 
 In  death  as  life  be  Thou  my  guide. 
 And  save  me,  who  for  me  hast  died." 
 
 His  weakness  became  extreme;  but  ere  his  spirit  departed  he 
 raised  his  voice  in  holy  triumph,  and  cried  aloud,  "  Glory  I 
 glory  !  glory  !  The  blood  of  Jesus  Christ  cleanseth  from  all 
 sin.  I  have  gained  the  victory  through  the  blood  of  the  Lamb  !" 
 With  this  testimony  he  peacefully  closed  his  earthly  career,  30th 
 January,  1825,  aged  sixty-two.  He  was  interred  in  Mr.  Wesley's 
 grave  at  the  City  Road  Chapel. 
 
 Hymn  374. — "  Come,  Holy  Ghost,  all-quick'ning  fire." — Hymn 
 to  the  Holy  G/tost.—T\JNEy  Mourners,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1739, 
 page  184.  The  first  verse  is  repeated,  in  the  original,  as  the 
 last. 
 
 Hymn  375. — "Saviour  from  sin,  I  wait  to  prove." — "  Groaning- 
 for  Redcmptio7iP—i:\5^Y.,  Psalm  112,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1742, 
 page  80.  The  original  forms  one  long  hymn,  in  four  parts,  of 
 which  this  is  the  fourth,  with  the  third  verse  omitted. 
 
 Hymn  376. — "  I  want  the  Spirit  of  power  within." — "  Groatiiftg 
 for  the  Spirit  of  adoption P—Tx^^Y.^  Bradford,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1740, 
 page  131.  The  first  verse  of  the  original,  which  commences, 
 "  Father,  if  Thou  my  Father  art,"  is  omitted. 
 
 Hymn  yj'j. — "Father  of  everlasting  grace." — For  Whit-Siinday. 
 —Tune,  Psalm  113,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "  Hymns  of  Petition  and  Thanksgiving 
 for  the  Promise  of  the  Father,"  1746,  page  3. 
 
 Hymn  378. — "What  shall  I  do  my  God  to  Love?" — Desiring  to 
 Z^T/^?.— Tune,  Canterbur>^,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1742, 
 page  24.     The  third  verse  of  the  original  is  left  out. 
 
HYMN  384.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  265 
 
 Hymn  379. — "O  love,  I  languish  at  thy  stay  !" — Desiring  to 
 Love. — Tune,  Psalm  112,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1742. 
 
 Hymn  380. — "Prisoners  of  hope,  lift  up  your  heads." — "  The 
 Word  of  our  God  shall  stand  for  ever." — Tune,  Frankfort. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1742, 
 page  232.     Four  verses  are  omitted. 
 
 Hymn  381. — "When  my  Saviour,  shall  I  be?" — Submission. 
 Tune,  Paris,  1781. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "  Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1742, 
 page  152.     The  original  is  in  five  double  verses. 
 
 Hymn  382. — "  O  great  Mountain,  who  art  thou?" 
 »       3^3-—''^  Who  hath  slighted  or  contemn'd  ?" 
 Zechariah  iv.  7,  &c. — TUNE,  Amsterdam,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "  Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1742, 
 page  234.  The  second  part,  like  the  first,  consists  of  five  verses, 
 of  which  two  are  omitted. 
 
 Hymn  384. — "  I  know  that  my  Redeemer  lives." — ^'•Rejoicing 
 in  Hoper — Tune,  Liverpool,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1742, 
 page  180.  The  original  has  twenty- three  verses,  of  which 
 fourteen  are  omitted. 
 
 A  plain,  simple-hearted,  unlettered,  but  godly  man  was  John 
 Warters,  of  Norton,  near  Malton,  where  he  became  a  useful 
 local  preacher,  and  lived  to  be  at  the  head  of  the  plan  in  the 
 Malton  circuit.  The  poor,  uneducated  people  heard  him  gladly, 
 his  speech  was  so  plain.  He  long  prayed  for  the  conversion 
 of  his  family,  and  lived  to  see  his  prayers  answered.  He 
 suffered  much  and  severely  in  his  last  illness,  but  comforted 
 himself  by  quoting  verses  of  hymns.  One  of  his  last  efforts 
 at  quotation  gave  evidence  of  his  assured  faith  in  Christ.     He 
 
 repeated — 
 
 "  I  know  that  my  Redeemer  lives, 
 And  ever  prays  for  me  ; 
 A  token  of  His  love  He  gives, 
 A  pledge  of  liberty." 
 
266  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  385. 
 
 He  dwelt  with  pleasure  on  the  line  in  the  second  verse — 
 
 **  He  brings  salvation  near." 
 
 Amongst  his  last  utterances  were  the  words,  "  Christ  is  precious 
 — precious  Christ — precious  blood — precious  promises."  After 
 a  connection  of  more  than  sixty  years  with  the  Church  militant, 
 he  joined  the  triumphant  host,  24th  November,  1861,  aged 
 eighty-five. 
 
 Isaac  Pope  was  brought  to  know  God  in  the  city  of  York,  and 
 made  a  prayer-leader  and  exhorter.  In  1822  he  removed  to 
 Ripon,  where  he  became  a  local  preacher,  and,  aided  by  his 
 brother,  commenced  a  Sunday  school  at  Borough-Bridge.  He 
 was  long  a  most  faithful  and  earnest  class-leader.  When  illness 
 set  in,  he  saw  no  hope  of  recovery,  and  was  fully  resigned  to  the 
 will  of  God.  To  a  friend  who  visited  him  the  day  before  his 
 death  he  said,  "  Whatever  you  do,  give  your  heart  to  God  ; 
 and  do  it  without  delay."  To  another  friend  he  said,  "  I  have 
 built  on  a  Rock,  and  that  Rock  is  Christ."  And  to  Mr. 
 Stevenson,  one  of  the  preachers,  who  asked  if  he  found  Jesus 
 near,  he  replied — 
 
 '*  I  find  Him  lifting  up  my  head, 
 He  brings  salvation  near  ; 
 His  presence  makes  me  free  indeed, 
 And  He  will  soon  appear." 
 
 After  partaking  of  the  sacrament  of  the  Lord's  Supper,  he 
 seemed  lost  to  all  earthly  things,  and  talked  of  nothing  but 
 chariots  and  angels,  shining  garments,  crowns,  and  music, 
 shouting  hallelujah,  until  his  exulting  spirit  entered  paradise, 
 28th  December,  1837,  aged  thirty-seven  years. 
 
 Hymn  385. — "  Love  Divine,  all  loves  excelling." — For  those  that 
 seek  Redemption. —  TUNE,  Westminster,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "  Hymns  for  those  that  seek  and  those 
 that  have  Redemption  in  the  Blood  of  Jesus  Christ,"  1747. 
 
 The  second  verse  of  the  original  is  left  out,  arising  probably 
 from  two  lines  which  are  thought  to  be  defective  in  doctrinal 
 accuracy.     The  omitted  verse  is  as  follows — 
 
 "  Breathe,  O  breathe  Thy  loving  spirit 
 Into  every  troubled  breast ; 
 Let  us  all  in  Thee  inherit, 
 Let  us  find  that  second  rest  : 
 
HYMN  385.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  267 
 
 Take  away  the  power  of  sinning, 
 
 Alpha  and  Omega  be. 
 End  of  faith,  as  its  beginning, 
 
 Set  our  hearts  at  liberty." 
 
 Upon  the  two  doubtful  lines  in  the  centre  of  this  stanza, 
 that  refined  critic,  Mr.  Fletcher,  of  Madeley,  has  remarked  : — 
 "  Mr.  Wesley  says  seco?id  rest,  because  an  imperfect  believer 
 enjoys  a  first,  inferior  rest ;  if  he  did  not,  he  would  be  no 
 believer."  And  of  the  line,  "  Take  away  the  power  of  sinning," 
 he  asks,  "  Is  not  this  expression  too  strong?  Would  it  not  be 
 better  to  soften  it  by  saying,  'Take  away  the  love  of  sinning?' 
 [or  the  bent  of  the  mind  towards  sin.]  Can  God  take  away  from 
 us  our  power  of  sinnmg  without  taking  away  our  power  of  free 
 obedience  ?" 
 
 As  early  as  the  age  of  ten  years,  Elizabeth,  the  first  wife  of  the 
 Rev.  Francis  Athow  West,  began  to  meet  in  class  ;  and  to  none 
 of  the  many  means  of  grace  offered  by  Methodism  was  she  more 
 attached  than  to  the  class-meeting.  Instructed  and  delighted 
 by  the  preaching  of  the  Rev.  Robert  Newton,  her  joy  was  greatly 
 increased  when  she  became  an  inmate  of  his  house  to  take 
 charge  of  his  children.  In  1826  she  was  married;  and  in  1829 
 she  had  some  strong  presentiments  of  changes  in  the  family  by 
 death.  The  death  of  two  of  her  sisters,  and  of  Mr.  West's  mother, 
 confirmed  these  impressions  ;  and  shortly  afterwards  she  had 
 further  indications  of  a  similar  character,  which  really  preceded 
 her  own  early  death.  She  suffered  much  and  severely,  and  was 
 very  prostrate.  To  her  husband's  inquir}^  "  Is  Jesus  precious  ?" 
 she  made  no  reply  for  some  time.  After  she  had  gathered  a 
 little  strength,  she  began  singing— 
 
 "  Jesus,  Thou  art  all  compassion  ; 
 Pure,  unbounded  love  Thou  art ; 
 Visit  us  with  Thy  salvation  ; 
 Enter  every  trembling  heart, "  &c. 
 
 On  the  day  before  her  death  she  had  a  fierce  conflict  with  the 
 tempter,  but  overcame  by  earnest  and  importunate  prayer.  She 
 then  exclaimed,  "  I  do  love  Thee,  O  God  ;  for  I  feel  Thy  love  !" 
 She  continued  spending  all  her  time  and  strength  in  praising 
 God  and  singing,  till  her  released  spirit  fled  from  its  clay 
 tenement,  15th  March,  1830,  aged  thirty  years. 
 
 The  desolation  of  widowhood  was  the  awakening  cause  which 
 led  Mrs.  Rowbotham  to  seek  the  Lord.     From  a  desire  "  to  flee 
 
268  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  386. 
 
 from  the  wrath  to  come,"  she  joined  the  class  led  by  Mrs. 
 Morley,  wife  of  the  Rev.  George  Morley,  at  Macclesfield,  and 
 found  pardon  whilst  praying  in  private.  Soon  afterwards  she 
 became  the  affectionate,  faithful,  and  successful  leader  of  the 
 same  class.  The  whole  tenor  of  her  life  was  changed  after  her 
 conversion,  and  her  delight  was  in  the  ordinances  of  religion, 
 and  in  fellowship  with  the  people  of  God.  On  the  day  of  her 
 death  this  promise  was  constantly  in  her  mind,  "  Fear  not, 
 worm  Jacob  ;  I  will  help  thee,  saith  the  Lord."  A  few  hours 
 before  she  exchanged  mortality  for  life — 23rd  October,  1831, 
 aged  sixty-two — she  expressed  herself  sensible  of  the  divine 
 presence,  saying — 
 
 "  Angels  are  hovering  round  us  j " 
 
 then  adding — 
 
 "  Finish,  then,  Thy  new  creation, 
 
 Pure  and  spotless  let  us  be  ; 
 Let  us  see  Thy  great  salvation. 
 
 Perfectly  restored  in  Thee  : 
 Changed  from  glory  into  glory, 
 
 Till  in  heaven  we  take  our  place. 
 Till  we  cast  our  crowns  before  Thee, 
 
 Lost  in  wonder,  love,  and  praise." 
 
 Hymn  386.— "Arm  of  the  Lord,  awake,  awake  !" — Isaiah  li.  9. 
 — Tune,  St.  Luke's,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1739, 
 page  222.  This  forms  the  last  hymn  in  the  work  which  is 
 known  as  the  1739  Book.  ^^  i^  printed  also  in  "Hymns  and 
 Sacred  Poems,"  1749,  vol.  i.,  where  it  is  in  four  parts,  this  hymn 
 forming  a  portion  only  of  the  second  part.  This  appeared  at 
 the  end  of  the  first,  second,  and  third  editions  only  of  this 
 work,  but  was  withdrawn  from  the  fourth  and  fifth  editions,  and 
 inserted  as  a  complete  paraphrase  of  the  chapter  in  the  1749 
 Book,  as  stated  above. 
 
 One  of  "  God's  worthies  "  was  Mrs.  Sarah  Benson,  wife  of  the 
 Rev.  Joseph  Benson.  Very  early  in  life  she  felt  the  strivings  of 
 the  Spirit  of  God.  When  she  was  sixteen,  she  attended  the 
 Methodist  chapel  in  Leeds,  where  she  was  convinced  of  sin, 
 and  was  enabled  to  believe  for  pardon.  From  the  time  of  her 
 acceptance  with  God,  to  the  end  of  her  earthly  pilgrimage,  her 
 
HYMN  386.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  269 
 
 uprightness  and  conscientiousness  of  conduct  were  manifest  to 
 all  who  knew  her,  and  she  was  spoken  of  as  "an  Israelite  indeed, 
 in  whom  there  was  no  guile."  She  was  much  and  heavily 
 afflicted  in  body  through  weakness,  but  her  faith  and  patience 
 enabled  her  to  bear  all  submissively.  Her  last  confinement 
 was  a  time  of  peculiar  and  protracted  trial ;  occurring  at  the 
 time  of  the  Conference  in  1799,  her  husband  was  unable  to  leave 
 her  to  attend  the  first  session,  and  a  time  of  special  prayer 
 was  observed  by  the  whole  Conference  for  the  deliverance  of 
 His  servant.  In  answer  to  these  fervent,  heartfelt,  believing 
 prayers,  the  goodness  of  God  was  manifested,  the  youngest  son 
 in  the  family  was  born,  and  Mr.  Benson  was  enabled  to  go  to 
 Conference  before  it  was  half  over.  That  child  was  called 
 Samuel,  "  heard  of  God,"  and  was  known  for  years  as  "  Mr. 
 Benson's  Conference  Child."  Dedicated  from  before  his  birth 
 to  the  Lord,  and  by  the  earnest  prayers  of  the  whole  Methodist 
 Conference,  he  grew  up  a  God-fearing,  God-loving,  and  God- 
 serving  man,  and  was  for  half-a-century  one  of  the  clergy^men 
 of  St.  Saviour's  Church,  at  the  foot  of  London  Bridge.  In  her 
 last  illness,  Mrs.  Benson  suffered  much  and  long,  but  her  joy 
 and  peace  with  God  were  unbroken.  When  she  had  taken 
 to  bed  for  the  last  time,  she  asked  her  daughter  Ann  to  read 
 three  verses  to  her — 
 
 *'  By  death  and  hell  pursued  in  vain, 
 
 To  Thee  the  ransom 'd  seed  shall  come ; 
 Shouting,  their  heavenly  Sion  gain, 
 
 And  pass  through  death  triumphant  home. 
 
 *'  The  pain  of  life  shall  there  be  o'er, 
 The  anguish  and  distracting  care ; 
 There  sighing  grief  shall  weep  no  more, 
 And  sin  shall  never  enter  there. 
 
 "Where  pure  essential  joy  is  found. 
 
 The  Lord's  redeem'd  their  heads  shall  raise, 
 With  everlasting  gladness  crown 'd, 
 
 And  fill'd  with  love,  and  lost  in  praise." 
 
 Upon  this  she  said,  "  Oh,  what  a  blessed  hymn  !  Let  me  hear 
 it  again."  She  then  gave  instructions  to  be  buried  behind  City 
 Road  Chapel,  and  soon  afterwards  entered  on  her  eternal  rest, 
 3rd  January,  18 10,  aged  fifty- one  years. 
 
 It  is  worthy  of  remark,  that  the  last  time  the  Rev.  Joseph 
 
270  METHODIST  HVMN  liOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  386. 
 
 Benson  was  out  to  tea,  the  Rev.  Jabez  Bunting  was  present,  who 
 records  how  Mr.  Benson  delighted  all  present  by  the  solemn 
 manner  in  which  he  recited  the  same  three  verses,  and  gave  a 
 heavenly  tone  to  the  whole  conversation  of  the  evening. 
 
 In  the  year  1760  the  Rev.  John  Fletcher,  then  commencing 
 his  public  ministry,  paid  a  visit  to  the  Rev.  John  Berridge,  at 
 Everton,  a  small  village,  where  he  met  Lady  Huntingdon,  and 
 the  Revs.  Martin  Madan  and  Henr>'  Venn.  They  held  three 
 days'  special  services  in  the  church,  which  were  made  a  blessing 
 to  so  many  persons,  that  on  the  third  day  ten  thousand  persons 
 gathered  to  hear  the  celebrated  preachers.  Berridge  preached 
 the  last  sermon,  and  at  its  close  the  mighty  host  joined  in 
 singing  Wesley's  grand  hymn — 
 
 **  Arm  of  the  Lord,  awake,  awake  ! 
 
 Thine  own  immortal  strength  put  on  ! 
 
 With  terror  clothed,  hell's  kingdom  shake, 
 
 And  cast  Thy  foes  with  fury  down  !  " 
 
 It  was  one  of  Charles  Wesley's  earliest  compositions,  but  never 
 before  had  so  many  persons  unitedly  sent  up  their  prayers  to 
 heaven  in  these  words. — Tyerman's  "  Fletcher." 
 
 A  woman  at  Alnwick  had  a  dream  that  she  saw  a  young  man 
 sitting  under  the  gallery  of  Alnwick  Methodist  chapel  in  a 
 pensive  mood.  On  the  next  evening,  being  at  the  chapel,  and 
 seeing  a  young  man  in  the  place  she  had  seen  in  her  dream,  she 
 sent  her  brother  to  ask  him  to  accompany  him  to  a  class-meeting- 
 He  had  previously  been  convinced  of  sin  under  a  sermon  by  Mr. 
 R.  C.  Brackenbury  in  1780,  and  soon  afterwards  he  obtained 
 pardon,  and  ultimately  entered  the  Methodist  ministry.  Such 
 was  the  commencement  of  the  religious  life  of  the  Rev.  Robert 
 Johnson.  When  prostrated  by  illness,  and  expecting  his  death, 
 he  rejoiced  in  the  fact  that  he  had  preached  a  full  Gospel,  and 
 especially  the  doctrine  of  Christian  perfection.  Then,  calling 
 for  the  Hymn  Book,  he  repeated  the  hymn — 
 
 "Arm  of  the  Lord,  awake,  awake! 
 
 Thine  own  immortal  strength  put  on  !  "  &c.; 
 
 adding  emphasis  to  the  third  verse — 
 
 '•'  Thy  arm,  Lord,  is  not  shorten'd  now  ; 
 
 It  wants  not,  Lord,  the  power  to  save,"  &c. 
 
HYMN  388.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  27 1 
 
 A  perpetual    smile   beamed    from    his    countenance,    and    in 
 tranquillity  he  entered  heaven,  3rd  April,  1829,  aged  sixty-five. 
 
 During  half  his  life-time,  James  Scott,  father  of  the  Rev. 
 William  Scott,  missionary,  was  a  useful  class-leader  at  Lincoln. 
 A  little  before  he  died,  he  said,  "All  is  bright ;  all  is  clear,"  and 
 then  repeated  the  verse — 
 
 "  By  death  and  hell  pursued  in  vain, 
 
 To  Thee  the  ransom'd  seed  shall  come,"  &c.; 
 
 and  after  quoting  the  next  verse,  he  peacefully  fell  asleep  in 
 Jesus,  20th  February,  1848,  aged  sixty-two  years. 
 
 Hymn  387. — "  Prisoners  of  hope,  arise." — For  those  that  wait 
 for  full  Redeinption. — TuNE,  Olney,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  forming  No.  133  in  "Hymns  and  Sacred 
 Poems,"  1749,  vol.  ii.  The  fourth  verse  of  the  original  is  left  out. 
 
 Hymn  388,—"  O  that  my  load  of  sin  were  gone  !" — "  Co7ne 
 unto  Me,"  &c.  (Matt.  xi.  28).— Tune,  Purcel's,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1742, 
 page  91.  It  is  also  in  John  Wesley's  "  Select  Hymns  with  Tunes 
 Annext,"  bound  with  the  Sacred  Melody,  1761,  the  tune  there 
 given  being  "  Evesham." 
 
 Having  been  brought  to  God  in  early  life  during  a  revival  in 
 1837,  the  sympathies  of  Catherine  Workman  were  naturally 
 entwined  round  the  young;  and  both  in  the  Sabbath  school 
 and  in  her  own  family,  her  love  and  regard  for  young  people Vas 
 manifested  in  an  earnest  desire  for  their  salvation.  As  the  wife 
 of  the  Rev.  J.  S.  Workman,  her  zeal  for  the  glory  of  God,  her 
 piety  and  consistent  example,  her  love  of  God's  Word,  of 
 prayer,  and  of  the  m.eans  of  grace,  won  for  her  a  circle  of 
 attached  friends.  Nine  days  of  intense  suffering,  whilst  residing 
 at  Patricroft,  Manchester,  terminated  her  earthly  course.  On 
 the  night  before  her  death,  Mr.  Workman  asked  if  she  felt 
 Christ  precious,  to  which  she  replied,  "  Very,  very ;  full  of 
 Christ !"     She  then  repeated,  with  surprising  animation — 
 
 "  Come,  Lord,  the  drooping  sinner  cheer, 
 Nor  let  Thy  chariot  wheels  delay ; 
 Appear,  in  my  poor  heart  appear  ! 
 My  God,  my  Saviour,  come  away  ! " 
 
272  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTKS.  HYMN  390. 
 
 She  suffered  much  in  her  hist  hours,  but  rejoiced  in  a  present 
 Saviour ;  and  waving  her  feeble  hand  in  triumph,  with  a  smile 
 on  her  Hps,  her  released  spirit  entered  the  realms  of  the  blest, 
 24th  June,  1868,  aged  thirty-three  years. 
 
 Hymn  389.—"  O  Jesus,  at  Thy  feet  we  wait."— /^<?r  those  that 
 wait  for  full  Rede7nptio7t. — TuNE,  Trinity,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1749, 
 vol.  ii..  No.  134.     Three  verses  of  the  original  are  left  out. 
 
 It  is  an  honourable  record  to  the  memory  of  James  Bond,  of 
 Warminster,  that  from  1780,  for  fifty  years  he  acted  as  an 
 earnest,  faithful  local  preacher  ;  and  during  that  time  he 
 preached  four  thousand  sermons,  and  to  do  so  had  to  walk 
 twenty  thousand  miles.  He  was  a  man  of  sincere  piety,  and 
 the  utmost  simplicity  in  conversation,  habits,  and  preaching. 
 The  opinion  of  all  his  neighbours,  after  he  had  lived  fourscore 
 and  seven  years  amongst  them,  was  that  "  he  was  a  good  man." 
 He  was  able  to  praise  and  rejoice  in  God  through  a  long 
 affliction  ;  and,  just  before  closing  his  earthly  pilgrimage,  he 
 raised  himself  up  in  bed,  and  said,  "  Sing  my  favourite  hymn — 
 
 "  *  O  Jesus,  at  Thy  feet  we  wait 
 Till  Thou  shalt  bid  us  rise, 
 Restored  to  our  unsinning  state, 
 To  love's  sweet  paradise.'  " 
 
 He  died  3rd  January',  1833,  aged  eighty-seven  years.     His  last 
 words  were,  "  A  full  reward  ;  but  all  through  grace." 
 
 Hymn  390. — "Since  the  Son  hath  made  me  free." — '■'■  Ask^  a?id 
 ye  shall  received — TUNE,  Dedication,  1781. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1739; 
 founded  on  John  xvi.  24.  The  original  has  twelve  verses ;  the 
 first  five  and  two  others  are  omitted.  It  was  written  the  first 
 year  after  the  author's  conversion  ;  hence  the  beginning  of  the 
 second  verse — 
 
 **  Abba,  Father  !  hear  thy  child, 
 Late  in  Jesus  reconciled." 
 
 The  whole  hymn  indicates  the  author's  yearning  to  be  Christ- 
 like. 
 
HYMN  394.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  273 
 
 Hymn  391.—"  God  of  all  power,  and  truth,  and  grace." 
 »      392. — "  Father,  supply  my  every  need." 
 
 ))      393- — "  Holy,  and  true,  and  righteous  Lord." 
 Pleading  for  the  promise  of  SanctiJicatio7t. — TuNE,  Zoar,  1761. 
 
 From  Charles  Wesley's  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1742, 
 page  261 ;  founded  on  Ezek.  xxxvi.  23,  &c. 
 
 The  whole  of  this  fine  hymn  may  be  found  at  the  end  of  Mr. 
 Wesley's  fortieth  sermon,  the  subject  of  which  is  Christian 
 perfection.  It  was  a  great  favourite  with  both  John  Wesley  and 
 John  Fletcher,  who  made  good  use  of  it  in  their  controversies 
 with  the  opponents  of  the  doctrine  of  Sanctification.  Mr. 
 Fletcher,  in  his  "  Last  Check  to  Antinomianism,"  says  of  his 
 opponents'  antagonism  to  the  doctrine,  "it  doubtless  chiefly 
 springs  from  his  inattention  to  our  definition  of  it,  which  I 
 once  more  sum  up  in  those  comprehensive  lines  of  Mr.  Wesley." 
 Then  follow  the  lines  of  this  hymn. 
 
 No  Christian  poets  but  the  Wesleys  have  so  clearly  stated 
 and  so  fearlessly  enforced  the  doctrine  of  entire  sanctification, 
 or  Christian  perfection.  Many  have  taken  exception  thereto. 
 Mr.  Fletcher  gives  a  reason  for  this,  which  it  may  be  desirable 
 to  record  here.  In  a  letter  which  the  Vicar  of  Madeley  had 
 then  lately  received  from  the  Rev.  C.  Wesley,  the  latter 
 observes  :  "  I  was  once  on  the  brink  of  Antinomianism  by 
 unwarily  reading  Crisp  and  Saltmarsh.  Just  then,  warm  in  my 
 first  love,  I  was  in  the  utmost  danger,  when  Providence  threw 
 in  my  way  Baxter's  treatise  entitled  *  A  Hundred  Errors  of  Dr. 
 Crisp  Demonstrated.'  My  brother  was  sooner  apprehensive  of 
 the  dangerous  abuse  which  would  be  made  of  our  unguarded 
 (Calvinistic)  hymns  and  expressions  than  I  was."  From  that 
 time  and  circumstance  the  clearness,  purity,  and  demonstrative 
 power  of  Scriptural  holiness  was  frequently  manifested  in 
 Charles  Wesley's  compositions,  more,  perhaps,  than  in  the 
 hymns  of  any  other  poet  of  the  sanctuary. 
 
 Hymn  394. —"O  God  of  our  forefathers,  hear." — The  Holy 
 Eucharist  as  it  implies  a  Sacrifice. — TUNE,  Marienbourn, 
 1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  and  appears  in  "  Hymns  on  the  Lord's 
 Supper,"  1745,  page  106.  This  is  also  a  hymn  pleading  for 
 Sanctification,  which  is  plainly  indicated  in  the  third  verse, 
 
 S 
 
2  74  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  398. 
 
 HvMN  395.  —  "O  God,  to  whom,  in  flesh  revealed." — Jesus 
 Christy  the  same  yesterday^  to-day  and  for  cverT — TUNE, 
 Invitation. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  forming  No.  43  in  "  Hymns  and  Sacred 
 Poems,"  1749,  vol.  i. ;  founded  on  Hebrews  xiii.  8. 
 
 Of  this  hymn  Mr.  Bunting  observes,  that  it  is  "quite  as 
 appropriate,  and  indeed  more  so,  to  a  penitent  sinner  on  his 
 first  coming  to  Christ  for  pardon  and  purity." 
 
 Hymn  396. — "  O  Thou  whom  once  they  flocked  to  hear." — 
 ^^  Jesus  Christy  the  same  yesterday^  to-day,  afid  for  ever.'^ — 
 Tune,  Evesham,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  being  No.  46  in  "  Hymns  and  Sacred 
 Poems,"  1749,  vol.  i.     Four  verses  of  the  original  are  left  out. 
 
 Hymn  397.  — "Jesu,  Thy  far-extended  fame."— "/?j«j  Christy 
 the  same  yesterday,  to-day^  and  for  ever."" — TUNE,  Dresden. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  being  No.  44  in  "  Hymns  and  Sacred 
 Poems,"  1749,  vol.  i.  The  original  has  twelve  verses,  four  of 
 which  are  omitted. 
 
 Hymn  398. — "  Saviour  of  the  sin-sick  soul." — For  those  that 
 wait  for  full  Redemption. — TUNE,  Brays,  176 1. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  forming  the  latter  half  of  No.  116  in 
 *'  Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1749,  vol.  ii.  The  original  is  in 
 four  eight-line  stanzas,  commencing,  "Jesus,  cast  a  pitying  eye." 
 The  first  and  second  verses  are  omitted.  The  second  line  of 
 verse  two  in  the  h^min  reads  in  the  original,  "  Take  away  my 
 power  to  sin,"  which  is  the  same  as  in  Hymn  391. 
 
 For  more  than  sixty  years  John  James,  of  Sancreed,  St.  Just, 
 was  a  consistent  Methodist,  and  sustained  the  offices  of  class- 
 leader  and  local  preacher,  for  more  than  fifty  years,  with 
 acceptance  and  faithfulness.  His  assurance  of  the  divine 
 favour  was  clear,  his  attachment  to  the  ministry  strong,  and  his 
 regular  early  attendance  at  the  means  of  grace  a  consistent  and 
 worthy  example  to  many.  In  his  eighty-ninth  year  he  died  a 
 tranquil  and  happy  death,  26th  January,  1857.  Some  of  his  last 
 words  were,  "  I  am  on  the  Rock." 
 
 *'  None  but  Christ  to  me  be  given  ! 
 None  but  Christ  in  earth  or  heaven." 
 
HYMN  400.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  275 
 
 "  Christ   is  my  all  in  all."     Thus  peacefully  he  entered  into 
 rest. 
 
 The  repetitions  used  in  verse  three,  just  quoted,  and  also  in 
 the  fourth  verse,  are  no  less  a  beauty  than  a  peculiarity  in 
 Charles  Wesley's  poetry ;  and  the  antithesis  in  the  first  two 
 lines  of  verse  three,  and  in  the  last  two  of  verse  four,  taken  in 
 connection"  with  the  reiteration  of  words,  renders  these  two 
 stanzas  among  the  most  remarkable  of  any  in  the  volume,  both 
 for  singularity  of  expression  and  sublimity  of  sentiment. 
 
 Hymn  399. — "  Light  of  life,  seraphic  fire." — For  those  that  wait 
 for  full  Rede7nption, — Tune,  Westminster,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  being  No.  120  in  "Hymns  and  Sacred 
 Poems,"  1749,  vol.  ii.     The  third  verse  is  omitted. 
 
 Hymn  400. — "  Jesus  comes  with  all  His  grace." — For  those  that 
 
 wait  for  full  Rede77iptio7t. — Tune,  Cookham,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1749, 
 vol.  ii.,  No.  135.     Three  verses  of  the  original  are  omitted. 
 
 The  Rev.  Samuel  Leigh  was  born  at  Milton,  near  Hanley, 
 Stafford,  in  September,  1785.  Converted  in  early  life,  he 
 gave  himself  to  the  mission  work,  and  was  the  first  Wesleyan 
 missionary  to  New  Zealand  and  Australia,  and  with  the  single 
 exception  of  Dr.  Coke,  his  labours  have  not  been  surpassed  by 
 any  missionary  of  modern  times.  He  peacefully  entered  into 
 rest,  2nd  May,  1852,  aged  sixty-six  years.  To  a  beloved  friend 
 who  visited  him  just  at  the  ebbing  out  of  life,  he  said,  "  I  wish  to 
 be  wholly  sanctified."  After  repeating  part  of  Charles  Wesley's 
 hymn,  "Jesu,  lover  of  my  soul,"  he  raised  his  hand  towards 
 heaven,  and  said,  "  Lord,  I  have  often  prayed  to  Thee  on  this 
 bed,  and  Thou  hast  often  answered  me.     Glory  be  to  God  ! 
 
 "  Object  of  our  glorious  hope, 
 Jesus  comes  to  lift  us  up." 
 
 Then  he  took  up  the  third  verse — 
 
 "  He  hath  our  salvation  wrought ; 
 He  our  captive  souls  hath  bought ; 
 He  hath  reconciled  to  God, 
 He  hath  washed  us  in  His  blood." 
 
 In  that  spirit  he  closed  his  earthly  pilgrimage. 
 
276  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.         HYMN  404. 
 
 Hymn  401. — "All  things  are  possible  to  him." — ^^  All  things  are 
 possible  to  him  that  bcliei'eth.'* — TUNE,  Norwich,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  being  No.  112  in  "Hymns  and  Sacred 
 Poems,"  1749,  vol,  ii.,  founded  on  Mark  ix.  23.  Two  verses  are 
 omitted.  The  hymn  contains  a  clear  statement  of  the  doctrine 
 of  Christian  perfection,  a  feature  which  John  Wesley  specially 
 commends  in  this  edition  of  his  brother's  works. 
 
 Hymn  402. — "  O  might  I  this  moment  cease  !" — Waiting  for 
 the  Profnise. — TUNE,  Amsterdam,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1742, 
 page  240.  Four  verses  are  left  out.  The  fourth  was  omitted 
 at  the  revision  of  1875.     The  first  commences — 
 
 "  O  the  cruel  power  of  sin." 
 
 Hymn  403. — "  Lord,  I  believe  a  rest  remains." — "  There 
 remaineth  therefore  a  rest  for  the  people  of  God." — TUNE, 
 Wednesbury,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1740, 
 p.  204,  founded  on  Heb.  iv.  9.  The  original  has  twenty-seven 
 stanzas,  and  forms  the  last  in  the  book.  In  some  of  the  omitted 
 verses  there  are  some  extravagant  thoughts  expressed. 
 
 Multitudes  of  Methodists  have  experienced  delight  in  com- 
 mitting to  memory  Wesley's  hymns  ;  but  few,  probably,  in  a 
 higher  degree  than  Emma  Ann,  the  wife  of  the  Rev.  John  B. 
 Charles.  At  the  early  age  of  twelve  she  joined  the  Methodist 
 Society,  and  when  only  twenty-two  she  was  called  to  exchange 
 mortality  for  life.  Her  chief  delight  was  to  speak  of  Jesus  ;  and 
 she  would  often,  during  her  last  illness,  ask  her  friends  to  sing 
 to  her  of  Him.  On  one  occasion,  when  those  near  were  looking 
 on  her  in  silence,  she  tried  to  sing — 
 
 "  Lord  I  believe  a  rest  remains,  To  all  Thy  people  known, 
 A  rest  where  pure  enjoyment  reigns.  And  Thou  art  loved  alone." 
 
 Her  last  advice  was,  "  Live  to   purpose,"  and  "  Meet  me  in 
 heaven."     She  died  29th  October,  1863,  aged  twenty-two. 
 
 Hymn  404. — "  O  glorious  hope  of  perfect  love  !" — Desiring  to 
 Love" — Tune,  Musicians,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1742, 
 
HYMN  404.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  S77 
 
 page  245.  The  original  has  eight  stanzas,  the  first  three  of 
 which  are  left  out.     The  first  commences — 
 
 •'  Come,  Lord,  and  help  me  to  rejoice." 
 
 It  contains  an  admirable  contrast  between  the  earthly  and  the 
 heavenly  Canaan. 
 
 During  a  revival  of  religion  at  Runcorn,  Sarah  Rhodes,  of 
 Rotherham,  was  convinced  of  sin  whilst  a  girl  at  school.  She 
 joined  the  Methodists,  and  some  time  afterwards  was  appointed 
 to  the  charge  of  a  class  of  young  persons,  by  the  Rev.  Jabez 
 Bunting.  She  had  been  but  a  short  time  married  when 
 consumption  set  in,  and  carried  her  to  an  early  grave.  She 
 left  behind  her  a  glorious  testimony  of  her  acceptance  with 
 God.  Having  partaken  of  the  Lord's  Supper,  given  by  the  Rev. 
 R.  Heyes,  she  was  perfectly  resigned  and  happy.  She  asked 
 Mrs.  Law  to  read  her  some  hymns.  When  she  had  finished 
 one,  she  said,  "  Now,  then,  another,  and  let  it  be — 
 
 "  *  O  glorious  hope  of  perfect  love  ! 
 It  lifts  me  up  to  things  above,'  "  &c. 
 
 After   hearing   this,   she   repeated   the   last  verse  with  deep 
 
 emotion — 
 
 **  Now,  O  my  Joshua,  bring  me  in  ! 
 Cast  out  Thy  foes  ;  the  inbred  sin, 
 
 The  carnal  mind,  remove  ; 
 The  purchase  of  Thy  death  divide  ; 
 And  O  !  with  all  the-  sanctified 
 Give  me  a  lot  of  love  !" 
 
 Her  prayer  was  soon  answered ;  for  she  died,  3rd  January, 
 1830,  aged  thirty  years,  exclaiming,  "Victory  in  death:  the 
 love  of  God  in  the  heart." 
 
 Methodism  was  early  planted  in  Cornwall,  and  has  been  the 
 greatest  blessing  God  ever  sent  there.  When  Dr.  Adam  Clarke 
 was  a  stripling,  he  was  stationed  in  that  county  in  1785.  The 
 pulpit  Bible  and  Hymn  Book  in  the  chapel  at  Launceston  were 
 so  torn  and  worn  that  Robert  Pearse,  a  Presbyterian,  who  heard 
 the  young  preacher,  sent  to  him  next  morning  a  handsome  Bible 
 and  Hymn  Book  for  the  use  of  the  congregation.  William 
 Pearse,  the  second  son  of  this  good  man,  became  a  Methodist, 
 and  contributed  greatly  to  the  establishment  of  Methodism  in 
 the  town,  and  to  its  extension  all  around.  He  also  contributed 
 time,  influence,  and  substance  to  the  cause  of  foreign  missions, 
 
278  METHODIST  HYMN  P.OOK  NOIKS.  HYMN  405. 
 
 then  carried  on  by  Dr.  Coke.  Going  together  one  day  to  call  on 
 a  reverend  doctor  in  divinity,  a  man  of  wealth,  and  a  magistrate, 
 to  plead  for  the  cause  of  missions,  they  were  coldly  refused  any 
 help  or  countenance  by  the  so-called  divine  ;  and,  on  leaving  the 
 room,  the  gown  of  Dr.  Coke  was  caught  in  the  door.  When 
 liberated,  the  warm-hearted  little  doctor  said,  "  Brother  Pearse, 
 I  would  not  have  that  man's  soul  in  my  body  for  all  the  world." 
 After  a  consistent,  upright,  useful,  godly  life  of  seventy-five 
 years,  a  short  illness  closed  his  earthly  career,  ist  June,  1842. 
 As  he  had  been  accustomed  throughout  life  to  express  his 
 sorrows  and  joys  in  the  language  of  Wesley's  hymns,  so,  just 
 before  his  sufferings  on  earth  were  closed,  he  said,  in  reply  to 
 the  inquiry  of  one  of  his  family — 
 
 "Rejoicing  now  in  earnest  hope, 
 I  stand,  and  from  the  mountain  top 
 See  all  the  land  below  : 
 
 There  dwells  the  Lord  our  Righteousness, 
 And  keeps  His  own  in  perfect  peace, 
 And  everlasting  rest." 
 
 After  this  he  gradually  sank,  until  his  happy  spirit  fled  to  God. 
 
 Hymn  405.—"  O  joyful  sound  of  Gospel  grace  !"— "  The  Spirit 
 a7id the  Bride  say  Come'' — TuNE,  Bexley,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  forming  the  last  piece  in  "Hymns  and 
 Sacred  Poems,"  1742.  The  original  has  twenty-two  stanzas,  the 
 first  nine  and  four  others  being  omitted.  This  is  one  of  the 
 few  hymns  to  which  the  poet  added,  in  the  omitted  portion,  a 
 note  of  explanation  of  the  terms  he  made  use  of. 
 
 Few  can  boast  the  privilege  which  was  well  earned  by  Mrs. 
 Hay,  of  Louth,  of  having  entertained  the  travelling  and  local 
 preachers  at  her  house  for  more  than  half-a-century.  For 
 seventy-two  years  she  adorned  her  religious  profession  as  a 
 member  of  the  Methodist  Society,  and  for  ninety-two  years  the 
 providence  of  God  prolonged  her  life.  When  prostrated  by 
 illness  she  rejoiced  in  Christ  as  her  Saviour,  and  had  pleasure 
 in  quoting  the  verse  commencing — 
 
 "  The  glorious  crown  of  righteousness 
 To  me  reach 'd  out  I  view." 
 
 To  which  she  added,  "  Yes  ;  I  shall  wear  it  as  my  own  through 
 Jesus."    Just  before  her  departure,  she  added,   "Angels  are 
 
HYMN  406.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  279 
 
 come  ;  surely  they  are  come  to  fetch  me  home  ;"  and  so  she 
 entered  into  rest,  nth  November,  1866,  aged  ninety-two. 
 
 Martha  Meek,  the  mother  of  Mr.  Alderman  Meek,  of  York, 
 was  brought  to  know  God  when  very  young,  and  through  a  long 
 hfe  she  was  a  sincere  follower  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  When 
 old  age  and  infirmities  set  in,  she  was  still  able  to  rejoice  in  God 
 and  frequently  before  her  departure  she  delighted  to  repeat — 
 
 "  The  promised  land,  from  Pisgah's  top, 
 I  now  exult  to  see  ; 
 My  hope  is  full  (O  glorious  hope  !) 
 Of  immortality." 
 
 She  left  behind  her  a  pleasing  testimony  that  she  was  going  to 
 be  for  ever  with  the  Lord.  She  died  17th  April,  1841,  aged 
 seventy-four  years. 
 
 Arthur  Hiscock  died  at  Ashmore,  Shaftesbury,  20th  February, 
 1857,  aged  fifty-nine  years.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Methodist 
 Society  forty-one  years,  a  local  preacher  twenty-eight  years,  and 
 a  trustee.  He  was  eminently  a  good  man,  and  during  his  illness 
 was  graciously  supported,  and  when  struggling  with  weakness, 
 just  before  his  release,  he  shouted  "Victory!  victory!"  and 
 then  repeated — 
 
 "  The  promised  land,  from  Pisgah's  top, 
 I  now  exult  to  see  ; 
 My  hope  is  full  (O  glorious  hope  !) 
 Of  immortality." 
 
 Shortly  afterwards,  his  released  spirit  glided  over  Jordan. 
 
 Hymn  406.—"  What  is  our  calling's  glorious  hope."—"  Who 
 gave  Himself  for  us^'  &c.— Tune,  Aldrich,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1742, 
 page  246,  founded  on  Titus  ii.  14.  The  original  commences, 
 "Jesus,  Redeemer  of  mankind,"  and  has  fourteen  stanzas,  the 
 first  nine  being  omitted. 
 
 Sarah  Rowbotham,  wife  of  the  city  missionary  of  that  name  in 
 Liverpool,  and  sister  of  Rev.  Dr.  Knowles,  Wesleyan  minister, 
 was  born  in  1808,  was  early  converted  to  God,  joined  the 
 Methodist  Society,  and  had  the  happiness  of  seeing  her  children- 
 devoted  to  God  in  the  service  of  Methodism,  one  of  her  sons 
 dying  in  the  mission  work  in  India.  During  the  quarter  of  a 
 century  she  resided  in  Liverpool,  she  laboured  most  earnestly 
 
28o  MKTHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  407. 
 
 and  devotedly  with  her  husband  in  the  locaHty  around  Bruns- 
 wick Chapel,  where  hundreds  of  the  poor  mothers  and  daughters 
 bless  her  name  and  memor)'.  She  closed  a  laborious  life,  7th 
 December,  1882,  aged  seventy-four  years.  A  few  days  before 
 her  death  the  doctor  said  to  her,  "My  friend,  you  have  got 
 nearly  to  the  end  of  your  journey."  She  replied,  "  Praise  the 
 Lord!"— 
 
 "  *  The  promised  land,  from  Pisgah's  top, 
 I  now  exult  to  see  ; 
 My  hope  is  full  (O  glorious  hope  !) 
 Of  immortality." 
 
 *'  Come,  Lord  Jesus,  come  quickly,"  was  the  oft-expressed 
 language  of  her  soul.  Yet  her  affection  for  her  husband  and 
 children  was  strong  in  death.  *'  Come,  Lord  Jesus,  come 
 quickly,"  were  the  words  she  uttered  as  she  fell  into  the  calm 
 sleep,  from  which  she  did  not  again  wake  this  side  of  Jordan. 
 
 Hymn  407. — "  None  is  like  Jeshurun's  God." — Deuteronomy 
 xxxiii.  26-29. — Tune,  Amsterdam,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1742, 
 page  248.  The  original  has  nine  stanzas,  the  two  last  being 
 omitted.  It  is  remarkable  for  its  admirable  adaptation  of 
 Scripture  history,  combined  with  evangelical  sentiment. 
 
 It  was  the  privilege  of  Mrs.  Witty  to  hear  Mr.  Wesley  preach 
 in  George  Yard  Chapel,  Hull,  and  also  to  hear  Mr.  Benson 
 preach  the  opening  sermon  in  that  renowned  house  of  prayer. 
 There  she  received  her  first  ticket  from  the  Rev.  Thomas  Taylor, 
 in  1791,  and  during  a  long  life  spared  no  pains  or  cost  in 
 extending  the  kingdom  of  Christ  in  the  world.  During  a 
 protracted  affliction  her  mind  was  kept  in  peace,  and  a  few 
 minutes  before  she  expired  she  faintly  uttered — 
 
 **  *  Round  me  and  beneath  are  spread 
 The  everlasting  arms  ;'  " 
 
 and  directly  afterwards  entered  into  rest,  3rd  September,  1838. 
 
 Mrs.  George  Marsden,  of  Patricroft,  Manchester,  was  born  in 
 1801,  of  pious  parents.  Her  father,  Mr.  Joseph  Beckett,  was 
 a  devoted  Methodist.  Mrs.  Marsden  joined  the  Methodist 
 Society  at  Salford.  She  removed  to  Manchester  where  she  had 
 a  school  for  young  ladies,  and  there  she  was  a  class-leader,  and 
 won  the  confidence  and  love  of  all  who  came  in  contact  with 
 
HYMN  408.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  28 1 
 
 her.  During  forty-four  years  she  lived  most  happily  with  her 
 godly  husband.  When  nearly  four  score,  her  strength  and 
 health  failed  together,  but  not  her  faith  in  God,  and  after  a 
 paralytic  seizure,  she  could  only  remain  at  home  and  read  and 
 pray.  When  the  end  drew  near,  she  asked  for  Psalm  ciii.  to  be 
 read  to  her,  and  then  Wesley's  Hymn— 
 "  None  is  like  Jeshurun's  God, 
 
 So  great,  so  strong,  so  high,"  &c. 
 
 Then  those  who  watched  by  her  saw  glimpses  of  the  excellent 
 glory  which  was  opening  to  her  vision,  and  on  21st  August,  1880, 
 in  her  eightieth  year,  she  sweetly  fell  on  sleep. 
 
 Hymn  408.— "He  wills  that  I  should  holy  ht,'^—^^ Holiness  to 
 //^^  Z^n/."— Tune,  Athlone,  1781. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  being  made  up  of  four  of  his  "  Short 
 Scripture  Hymns."  Verses  one  and  two  form  No.  631,  vol.  ii. ; 
 verses  three  and  four  No.  325,  vol.  i. ;  verses  five  and  six  No.  838, 
 vol.  i. ;  and  verses  seven  and  eight  No.  171,  vol.  ii. 
 
 From  having  been  a  gay,  thoughtless,  impetuous,  worldly 
 young  man,  John  Anderson,  through  the  grace  of  God,  became 
 one  of  the  most  honoured  and  successful  preachers  of  righteous- 
 ness which  Methodism  has  known.  Born  in  the  garrison  of 
 Gibraltar,  where  his  father  was  a  soldier,  he  grew  up  with  a 
 proud  and  unyielding  spirit,  till  the  death  of  his  mother  awakened 
 him  to  a  state  of  conscious  sinfulness,  and  at  a  love-feast  held  in 
 London  when  he  was  seventeen,  his  convictions  were  deepened, 
 and  at  another  love-feast,  held  on  Whit-Tuesday,  1808,  at 
 Poplar,  he  entered  into  the  liberty  of  the  children  of  God.  One 
 day,  whilst  reading  the  experience  of  one  of  the  early  Methodist 
 preachers,  he  became  convinced  of  a  call  to  enter  the  ministry ; 
 and,  advised  to  that  effect  by  the  Rev.  Richard  Reece,  he  soon 
 entered  upon  that  course  of  useful  and  efficient  service  with 
 which  his  name  is  blessedly  associated  even  to  this  day.  In 
 1820,  a  remarkable  visitation  from  heaven  resulted  in  the  entire 
 consecration  of  all  his  powers  of  mind  and  body  to  the  service 
 of  God,  and  in  the  entire  sanctification  of  his  nature,  and  this 
 personal  holiness  stood  alternately  in  the  relation  of  cause  and 
 effect  to  fidelity  in  the  duties  of  his  calling.  Ever  afterwards  his 
 soul  was  full  of  glory.  The  struggle  by  which  he  entered  on 
 this  blessed  experience  is  so  full  of  instruction,  that  it  may  be 
 briefly  stated  here.     The  reading  of  "  Rutherford's  Letters  "  had 
 
282  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  411. 
 
 created  a  panting  in  his  soul  after  God,  and  in  that  spirit  he  had 
 prepared  two  sermons  and  preached  them.  "  On  Monday,' 
 observes  Mr.  Anderson,  "  I  was  musing  on  the  past  day's 
 labours,  and  praying  for  a  blessing.  The  subject  of  Christ's 
 manifestation  occurred  to  me.  I  fostered  the  delightful  topic. 
 I  longed  for  Jesus  to  come  and  dwell  in  me.  I  broke  out  in 
 praise  to  God.  In  this  frame  I  took  up  our  Hymn  Book,  and 
 read  and  sang  the  hymn  beginning — 
 
 "  *  He  wills  that  I  should  holy  be  ; 
 
 That  holiness  I  long  to  feel,'  <S:c. 
 
 Proceeding  to  examine  other  h^onns  in  the  same  strain,  I  then 
 fell  upon  my  knees,  and  prayed  for  the  free  gift  of  God  in  Jesus 
 Christ.  I  soon  found  the  powerful  visitation  of  the  Spirit.  I  saw 
 the  glorious  fulness  of  Jesus  Christ.  I  felt  it  was  only  by  faith 
 Satan  tempted,  when  I  was  on  the  eve  of  believing,  that  I 
 should  not  confess  the  blessing.  I  saw  the  impious  design,  and 
 in  that  moment  my  whole  soul  opened  by  faith,  and  the  plenitude 
 of  God  entered  in  and  took  possession  of  my  heart.  My  full 
 soul  uttered,  '  I  can,  I  will,  I  do  believe  ! '  and  it  immediately 
 sank  into  a  calm  and  heavenly  state."  Oh !  for  such  a  baptism 
 on  all  the  ministers  of  the  Church  of  Christ  !  The  glorious 
 manifestations  of  divine  power  to  save  sinners  which  attended 
 his  ministry  ever  afterwards  should  induce  others  of  the  Lord's 
 servants  to  seek  the  same  experience.  He  died  nth  April, 
 1804,  aged  forty-nine. 
 
 Hymn  409.— "Jesus,  my  Lord,  I  cry  to  Thee." — Seeking  for  full 
 Rede7nption. — TUNE,  Leeds,  1761. 
 
 Charles   Wesley's,   formed   of  Nos.   299,   341,  and   1004  of 
 Short  Scripture  Hymns." 
 
 Hymn  410.— "Father,  I  dare  heWexerSeekmg for  full 
 Redemption. — Tune,  Brentford,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  formed  of  Nos.  881,  1178,  and  1179,  of 
 "  Short  Scripture  Hymns."  Hymns  395,  396,  and  397  treat  on 
 the  same  subject. 
 
 Hymn  411.—"  God  !  who  didst  so  dearly  huyy—'^  For  ye  are 
 
 bought  with  a  priced'  &c.— TuNE,  Kingswood,  1761. 
 One  of  Charles  Wesley's  "Short  Scripture  Hymns,"  based 
 on  I  Cor.  xi.  20,  the  first  verse  only  ;  the  second  was  probably 
 
HYMN  415.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  283 
 
 left  in  MS.  as  an  addition  by  the  author.  That  which  was  No. 
 311  is  omitted  from  the  collection.  The  first  verse  formerly 
 commenced  Hymn  418. 
 
 Hymn  412.—"  Thou  God  that  answerest  by  ^rt." —Seeking for 
 full  Redemption.— TXi^Y.^  Smith's,  1781. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  formed  from  Nos.  845  and  846  of  "Scripture 
 Hymns,"  vol.  i.,  founded  on  i  Kings  xviii.  38,  39.  The  first 
 eight  lines  of  the  original  are  left  out ;  they  refer  to  the 
 unavailing  character  of  the  prayers  of  the  priests  of  Baal. 
 
 Hymn  413. — "Once  thou  didst  on  earth  appear." — Seekuigfor 
 full  Redemption —Txi^Y.^  Kingswood,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  made  up  of  No.  790,  and  part  of  No.  649, 
 of  "  Short  Scripture  Hymns,"  voi.  i. ;  the  fourth  verse,  being  the 
 first  of  Hymn  28  in  the  "  Family  Hymns,"  was  omitted  at  the 
 revision  of  1875. 
 
 Hymn  414. — "Now,  even  now,  I  yield,  I  yield." — Seeki?tg  for  full 
 Redemption.— 1:\5^^^  Hamilton's,  1781. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  formed  of  No.  1179,  Jeremiah  xiii.  27,  and 
 No.  1209,  Jeremiah  xxiii.  29,  of  "  Short  Scripture  Hymns,"  vol. 
 ii.     The  second  verse  in  the  original  reads  thus — 
 
 * 'Jesus,  Lord,  our  hearts  inspire 
 With  that  true  word  of  Thine." 
 
 Hymn  415. — "Jesus  hath  died  that  I  might  live." — ^'^ Believe  in 
 the  Lord  fesus  Christ  and  thou  shalt  be  saved.^^ — TUNE, 
 Liverpool,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1742, 
 page  95,  commencing  with  the  ninth  stanza  of  the  original, 
 eight  being  omitted  ;  and  founded  on  Acts  xvi.  31.  There  are 
 few  couplets  more  widely  known  amongst  Methodists  than  the 
 closing  lines  of  this  hymn,  which  are — 
 
 "  Thy  presence  makes  my  paradise, 
 And  where  Thou  art  is  heaven." 
 
 The  poet  Cowper  has  written  a  stanza  which  contains  a 
 somewhat  similar  sentiment — 
 
284  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  4 1 8. 
 
 "  But  O,  Thou  bounteous  Giver  of  all  good  ! 
 Thou  art  of  all  Thy  gifts  Thyself  the  crown  ; 
 Give  what  Thou  canst — without  Thee  we  are  poor, 
 And  with  Thee  rich — take  what  Thou  wilt  away." 
 
 The  truth  of  the  declaration  of  the  Psalmist,  "When  my 
 father  and  mother  forsake  me,  the  Lord  taketh  me  up,"  was 
 verified  in  the  experience  of  Sarah  Pearson,  who,  losing  both 
 her  parents  before  she  was  sixteen,  found  a  pious  home  in  a 
 Methodist  family,  was  early  married  "  in  the  Lord,''  and  early 
 called  to  her  reward.  After  she  had  taken  the  final  leave  of  her 
 relatives,  she  said,  "  Oh  how  happy  I  am  ! 
 
 "  '  My  soul  breaks  out  in  strong  desire 
 The  perfect  bliss  to  prove  ; 
 My  longing  heart  is  all  on  fire 
 To  be  dissolv'd  in  love."* 
 
 Whilst  breathing  out  "  faith  and  patience,"  she  escaped  to  the 
 mansions  of  light,  17th  February,  1827. 
 
 Hymn  416.— "I  ask  the  gift  of  righteousness." — "  Whatsoever 
 thmgs  ye  desire^  when  ye  pray,  believe"  &c.  —  TUNE, 
 Brockmer,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  forming  No.  313  in  "Short  Scripture 
 Hymns,"  vol.  ii.,  founded  on  St.  Mark  xi.  24,  with  the  first  eight 
 lines  of  the  original  left  out. 
 
 Hymn  417.— "Come,  O  my  God,  the  promise  seal."— "  J^<^a/ 
 things  ye  desire,  when  ye  pray,  believe,"  &c.  —  TUNE, 
 Chimes,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  forming  No.  314  of  "Scripture  Hymns," 
 vol.  ii.,  founded  on  St.  Mark  xi.  24 ;  with  two  verses  considerably 
 altered.  Mr.  Bunting  observes,  "  This  hymn  might  be  taken  as 
 an  expression  of  the  first  triumph  of  a  new-born  believer." 
 
 Hymn  418.— "True  and  faithful  Witness,  ihost.'^—For 
 Believers  Saved. — TuNE,  Kingswood,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  formed  by  uniting  two  of  the  "Short 
 Scripture  Hymns,"  numbered  823  and  822  ;  founded  on  Rev.  i. 
 5  ;  Rev.  i.  4,  5, — the  transposed  order  being  frequently  resorted 
 to  by  John   Wesley  in  arranging  his  brother's  verses.     This 
 
HYMN  421.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  285 
 
 commences  the  eighth  section  of  the  collection,  with  the  title 
 "  For  Believers  Saved."  That  which  was  the  first  verse  was 
 made  the  first  verse  of  Hymn  411,  at  the  revision  of  1875,  and 
 the  hymn  now  begins  with  what  was  the  second  verse. 
 
 Hymn  419.— "Quicken'd  with  our  immortal  Ued^d."— "God  hath 
 not  given  us  the  spirit  of  fear','  &c.— TUNE,  Palmis,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  being  No.  655  of  "  Short  Scripture  Hymns," 
 vol.  ii.,  founded  on  the  words,  "God  hath  not  given  us  the 
 spirit  of  fear,  but  of  power,  and  of  love,  and  of  a  sound  mind  " 
 [Gr.  sobriety]  2  Timothy  i.  7. 
 
 Hymn  420. — "Ye  faithful  souls,  who  Jesus  know." — Resurrection. 
 Tune,  Palmis,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  formed  of  Nos.  625  and  626  of  "Short 
 Scripture  Hymns,  vol.  ii.,  founded  on  Col.  iii.  1-4. 
 
 Hymn  421.—"  I  the  good  fight  have  fought."— "  i^j^^>^/  the  good 
 fight  of  faith."— TvHY^y  Brentford,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  formed  of  Nos.  665  and  667  of  "Short 
 Scripture  Hymns,"  founded  on  2  Tim.  iv.  7. 
 
 At  the  age  of  fifteen,  Mrs.  Joseph  Smith,  of  Market-Weighton, 
 found  peace  in  God  through  faith  in  Jesus  Christ.  For  many 
 years  she  retired  several  times  daily  to  hold  communion  with 
 God  by  prayer.  She  suffered  from  six  attacks  of  paralysis. 
 After  the  last  seizure  she  was  very  happy,  and  just  before  she 
 expired  she  repeated  and  sang — 
 
 '*  I  the  good  fight  have  fought, 
 
 0  when  shall  I  declare  ? 
 The  victory  by  my  Saviour  got 
 
 1  long  with  Paul  to  share,"  &c. 
 
 She  died  2nd  November,  1839,  aged  fifty-nine  years. 
 
 The  enthusiasm  which  was  shown  in  worldly  pursuits  by 
 Margaret  Vasey,  of  Whitby,  was  turned  in  its  full  tide  into  the 
 cause  of  God  and  religion  when  she  became  converted  ;  and  as 
 the  affectionate,  faithful  leader  of  a  class  for  many  years,  she 
 was  made  a  blessing  to  many.  In  her  last  illness,  when  told 
 that  recovery  was  hopeless,  in  calm  resignation  she  accepted  the 
 position,  and  continued  some  time  in  prayer,  afterwards  adding, 
 "  May  I  bring  glory  to  God  in  my  last  hour  ! 
 
2  86  METHODIST  HYMN  DOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  42  2. 
 
 *' '  O  may  I  triumph  so, 
 
 When  all  my  warfare  's  past ; 
 And,  dying,  find  my  latest  foe 
 Under  my  feet  at  last  !' " 
 Her  dying  breath  was  a  prayer  for  her  youngest  son,  "  Lord, 
 save  him  !"     She  died  i6th  March,  1855,  aged  sixty-five. 
 
 In  her  seventeenth  year  Agnes  Hall,  wife  of  the  Rev.  Thomas 
 Hall,  was  brought  to  a  saving  knowledge  of  the  truth  through 
 the  instrumentality  of  Methodism,  and  from  that  time  her 
 resolution  was  taken,  "  This  people  shall  be  my  people,  and 
 heir  God  my  God."  As  the  wife  of  a  minister,  she  sought  in 
 every  way  to  extend  the  Redeemer's  kingdom.  After  a  brief 
 illness,  in  calm  resignation  she  repeated  the  lines — 
 "  *  O  may  I  triumph  so, 
 
 "When  all  my  warfare 's  past  j 
 And,  dying,  find  my  latest  foe 
 Under  my  feet  at  last ! " 
 
 Her  children  rise  up  and  call  her  blessed.  Died  7th  May,  1864. 
 The  Rev.  Nathaniel  Turner,  born  in  Cheshire,  1793,  left  an 
 orphan  at  nine,  was  converted  at  eighteen,  entered  the  ministry 
 in  18 19,  went  out  as  a  pioneer  missionary  to  New  Zealand  in 
 1822,  and  laboured  in  that  country  and  Australia  till  his  health 
 broke  down  in  1850,  when  he  became  a  supernumerary.  His 
 name  remains  in  those  regions  as  "ointment  poured  forth."  He 
 was  in  labours  more  abundant ;  and  changed  mortality  for  life 
 5th  December,  1864,  aged  seventy-one  years.  Prayer  and  praise 
 were  his  constant  occupation  in  his  last  illness,  and  he  expressed 
 his  confidence  in  God  in  the  couplet — 
 
 "  Other  refuge  have  I  none, 
 
 Hangs  my  helpless  soul  on  Thee." 
 
 Just  before  he  expired,  referring  to  his  lengthened  labours  as  a 
 missionary,  he  said  with  emphasis — 
 
 *'  Kept  by  the  power  of  grace  divine, 
 I  have  the  faith  maintained." 
 
 His  last  w^ords  were,  "  Farewell  !  all  is  well." 
 
 Hymn  422.—"  Let  not  the  wise  his  wisdom  boast."—"  Let  7iot 
 the  wise  ma?t  glory  in  his  wisdom^''  &c. — TUNE,  Angels' 
 Song,  1 76 1. 
 
 Charles    Wesley's,    being    No.    1090    of   "Short    Scripture 
 Hymns,"  vol.  ii.,  founded  on  Jer.  ix.  23. 
 
HYMN  426.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  287 
 
 Hymn  423. — "  Who  can  worthily  commend  ?" — "  Unto  Him 
 that  loved  us^'' ^Q.. — TuNE,  Kingswood,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  forming  No.  824  of  "Short  Scripture  Hymns," 
 vol.  ii.,  founded  on  Rev.  i.  5,  6.  There  is  a  boldness  in  the 
 opening  verses  which  is  continued  throughout.  The  poet  vividly 
 and  sweetly  points  out  what  the  love  of  Christ  has  done  for 
 man. 
 
 Hymn  424.—"  Us,  who  climb  Thy  holy  hill."—"  Showers  of 
 blessing^''  &c. — TUNE,  Kingswood,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  forming  No.  1263  and  part  of  No.  1264  of 
 "  Short  Scripture  Hymns,"  vol.  ii.,  founded  on  Ezek.  xxxiv. 
 26,  27. 
 
 Hymn  425.— "The  voice  that  speaks  Jehovah  near."—"  What 
 doest  thou  here,  Elijah  f^''  &c.— TUNE,  Palmis,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  forming  No.  550  of  "Short  Scripture  Hymns," 
 vol.  i.,  founded  on  i  Kings  xix.  13. 
 
 Hymn  426.—"  Lord,  in  the  strength  of  grdiCt.^—Self- 
 Consecration. — TuNE,  Lampe's,  1746. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  being  No.  621  of  "Short  Scripture  Hymns," 
 vol  i.,  founded  on  i  Chron.  xxix.  5. 
 
 From  childhood  Charles  Hulme  was  an  indefatigable  reader. 
 At  the  age  of  twelve  years  his  father  died,  and  the  family  was 
 brought  under  the  influence  of  Methodism,  by  which  means  he 
 became  seriously  impressed.  When  eighteen  years  old,  by 
 prayer  and  faith  he  was  enabled  to  believe  on  Christ  for  pardon, 
 and  from  that  time  used  his  utmost  efforts  to  bring  others 
 to  a  knowledge  of  the  truth.  After  passing  the  offices  of 
 prayer-leader,  exhorter,  and  local  preacher,  he  was  proposed 
 by  the  Rev.  Joseph  Entwisle  for  the  Wesleyan  ministry,  and 
 accepted,  and  for  twelve  years  laboured  with  very  gratifying 
 success  in  several  circuits.  He  had  a  third  year's  appointment 
 at  Dudley  in  1823,  where  a  violent  inflammation  of  the  liver 
 prostrated  his  strength,  and  closed  his  life  and  ministry,  13th 
 November,  1823,  aged  thirty-four.  In  his  last  hours  he  exalted 
 Christ,  and  urged  his  friends  to  rely  on  the  Saviour.  He  also 
 sang  with  energy — 
 
 "  Lord,  in  the  strength  of  grace, 
 With  a  glad  heart  and  free." 
 
288  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  428. 
 
 Here  his  strength  for  singing  failed,  and  he  repeated — 
 
 **  Myself,  my  residue  of  days, 
 I  consecrate  to  Thee." 
 
 With  his  last  breath  he  was  extolling  the  merits  of  the  atonement 
 made  by  Christ. 
 
 The  venerable  Robert  Spence,  the  Methodist  bookseller  of 
 York,  after  counting  seventy-six  years,  most  of  them  spent  in 
 the  service  of  Christ,  when  laid  aside  by  age  and  suffering,  thus 
 wrote  to  his  daughter  : — "  I  am  quite  passive  about  the  recovery 
 of  health,  having  a  blessed  inward  testimony  that  He  who 
 redeemed  me  cares  for  me.  I  experience  much  peace  and  joy 
 in  believing,  and  through  all  my  trials  and  bodily  weakness  I 
 have  been  enabled  to  keep  repeating  that  invaluable  song  which 
 I  have  been  singing  many  years — 
 
 **  *  Lord,  in  the  strength  of  grace, 
 With  a  glad  heart  and  free, 
 Myself,  my  residue  of  days, 
 I  consecrate  to  Thee.'  " 
 
 From  that  time  his  strength  declined ;  but  in  his  feebleness  he 
 said,  "  If  any  man  in  England  has  cause  to  say,  '  Goodness  and 
 mercy  have  followed  me  all  my  days,'  it  is  Robert  Spence.  As 
 the  end  of  life  drew  nigh,  he  desired  his  friends  to  pray,  and  on 
 their  rising  from  their  knees,  he  gently  whispered,  "  Hallelujah  ! 
 hallelujah  !"  His  happy  spirit  passed  away,  4th  August,  1824, 
 just  after  he  had  whispered,  "  I  am  going" — to  Jesus. 
 
 Hymn  427. — "  God  of  all-redeeming  grace." — ''^Concerning  the 
 Sacrifice  of  our  Persofts.^'' — TuNE,  Foundry,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  on  the  Lord's  Supper,"  1745, 
 No.  139.     The  second  verse  in  the  original  reads  thus — 
 
 "Just  it  is,  and  good,  and  right." 
 
 Hymn  428. — "  Let  Him  to  whom  we  now  belong." — Concerning 
 the  Sacrifice  of  our  Persons. — TuNE,  Spitalfields,  1761. 
 
 This  forms  No.  157  of  Charles  Wesley's  "Hymns  for  the 
 Lord's  Supper,"  1745. 
 
 The  self-consecration  expressed  in  this  and  the  previous 
 hymn  is,  as  Dr.  Brevint  remarks,  inclusive  of  all  which  we  are, 
 and  which  we  can  give  to  God,  even  to  the  least  vessel  in  our 
 
HYMN  429.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  289 
 
 houses  ;  all  are  made  holy  in  this  one  consecration,  according  to 
 the  words  of  Zech.  xiv.  20,  21.  The  poet  sums  up  the  whole  in 
 the  couplet — 
 
 "The  Christian  lives  to  Christ  alone, 
 To  Christ  alone  he  dies  !  " 
 In  early  life  Sally  Thomas,  of  Haworth,  Keighley,  was  con- 
 verted to  God,  and  continued  to  witness  a  good  confession  till 
 called  home.  She  delighted  much  in  the  means  of  grace.  To 
 the  Methodist  ministers,  who  were  for  many  years  entertained 
 in  her  family,  she  evinced  the  most  sincere  attachment.  In  her 
 last  affliction  her  mind  was  kept  in  peace ;  death  had  lost  its 
 sting,  and  she  often  exclaimed — 
 
 "The  Christian  lives  to  Christ  alone, 
 To  Christ  alone  he  dies  !" 
 
 In  this  spirit  of  resignation  she  entered  into  rest,  25th  August, 
 1840,  aged  fifty  years. 
 
 Hymn  429.—"  Behold  the  servant  of  the  Lord."— ^;^  Act  of 
 Devotion. — Tune,  Whit  Sunday,  1781. 
 
 Taken  from  Charles  Wesley's  "  Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,' 
 1749,  vol.  i..  No.  120. 
 
 This  hymn  was  first  published  by  John  Wesley  at  the  end  of 
 the  first  part  of  his  "  Further  Appeal  to  Men  of  Reason  and 
 Religion,"  which  is  dated  22nd  December,  1744.  That  the  hymn 
 was  written  by  Charles  Wesley  is  certified  by  the  fact  that  it  is 
 printed  in  the  first  volume  of  hymns  published  by  him  in  1749, 
 with  which  work  John  Wesley's  name  is  not  associated. 
 
 The  thoroughly  Scriptural  character  of  Wesley's  hymns  has 
 been  so  often  demonstrated,  that  the  Bible  may  be  said  to  be 
 embodied  in  the  Hymn  Book.  Some  of  the  more  careful 
 students  of  both  those  books  have  given  proofs  of  the  hymns 
 abounding  in  Scriptural  language  ;  indeed,  during  the  preceding 
 century,  in  which  the  hymns  were  written,  some  of  them  had 
 Scriptural  proofs  published  with  them.  To  show  only  one 
 example  of  this  interesting  fact,  this  hymn  was  lately  given  by 
 a  Wesleyan  minister  to  the  young  ladies  of  a  Bible-class,  to 
 trace  out  the  Scriptural  allusions  therein,  line  by  line.  The 
 result  was  as  follows  : — 
 
 Lines.        Scrip,  passages. 
 
 1.  Luke  i.  38. 
 
 2.  Psalm  xxii.  8. 
 
 3.  Luke  xii.  28. 
 
 Lines.         Scrip,  passages. 
 
 4.  Romans  xii.  2. 
 
 5.  Hebrews  iv.  10. 
 
 6.  Matthew  iii.  15. 
 
 T 
 
2C)0 
 
 METHODIST 
 
 IIVMN  BOOK  NOTES.           HYMN  43 1 
 
 -ines.       Scrip,  passages. 
 
 Lines,       Scrip,  passages. 
 
 7.  Ephesians  iii.  7. 
 
 16.  John  xvii.  4. 
 
 8.   I  Corinthians  xv.  9. 
 
 17.  John  viii.  29. 
 
 9.  Isaiah  vi.  8. 
 
 18.  Mark  vii.  37. 
 
 10.  Ilosca  xiv.  8. 
 
 19.   I  Cor.  vi,  19,  20. 
 
 II.  John  iii.  21. 
 
 20.  Isaiah  Ixiv,  8. 
 
 12.  Hebrews  xiii.  20,  21. 
 
 21.  Psalm  xvii,  15, 
 
 13.  2  Chronicles  vi.  7-9. 
 
 22.  Psalm  cxix.  6. 
 
 14.  Proverbs  xvi.  9, 
 
 23,  Matthew  vi,  22. 
 
 15.  I  Corinthians  xvi.  lo. 
 
 24.  Philippians  i.  21. 
 
 Hymn  430, — "  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost"— ConcerniHg  the 
 Sacrifice  of  07ir  Persons. — TUNE,  Dedication,  1781. 
 
 Forms  No.  155  of  Charles  Wesley's  "Hymns  on  the  Lord's 
 Supper,"  1745. 
 
 Directed  by  his  own  choice  to  the  medical  profession,  Daniel 
 M'Allum  was  subsequently  called  by  the  great  Head  of  the 
 Church  to  minister  in  holy  things.  In  obedience  to  this  call, 
 he  exercised  his  ministry  among  the  Wesleyans  until  (by  a 
 mysterious  dispensation  of  Providence)  he  was  removed,  in  the 
 midst  of  his  years  and  of  his  usefulness,  from  his  labours  on 
 earth  to  his  reward  in  heaven,  2nd  July,  1827,  aged  thirty-three. 
 When,  in  18 19,  he  asked  the  consent  of  the  Conference  to  be 
 relieved  from  the  law  which  prohibits  the  marriage  of  proba- 
 tioners, he  was  successful,  and  he  makes  the  following  entry  in 
 his  journal  on  the  occasion  : — "As  it  respects  temporal  things, 
 my  desire  is  to  live  honestly  in  the  sight  of  all  men  ;  and  my 
 prayer  is  that  which  Agur  offered  up.  As  it  regards  heavenly 
 things,  my  wish  is  expressed  in  the  following  lines — 
 
 "  '  If  so  poor  a  worm  as  I 
 
 May  to  Thy  great  glory  live, 
 All  my  actions  sanctify, 
 
 All  my  words  and  thoughts  receive.'" 
 
 His  last  testimony  was,  "  My  labours  are  done,  but  I  build  only 
 on  the  merits  of  my  Saviour.     I  feel  that  Jesus  died  for  me." 
 
 Hymn  431. — "  O  God,  what  offering  shall  I  give.?" — A  Morn- 
 ing Dedication  of  ourselves  to  Christ. — TuNE,  Bradford,  1761. 
 
 John  Wesley's  translation  of  a  German  hymn,  written  by 
 Ernst  Lange,  1650-1727,  and  appears  in  "Hymns  and  Sacred 
 Poems,"  1739,  P''^g^  179-     The  first  verse  commences  thus  in 
 
HYMN  434,  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  291 
 
 the  original,  "  Jesu,  Thy  light  again  I  view,"  but  it  is  omitted. 
 It  forms  a  very  earnest  and  plain  poetical  condemnation  of 
 "  the  putting  on  of  gold  and  costly  apparel,"  which  is  prohibited 
 also  by  the  original  rules  of  the  "  United  Societies." 
 
 Hymn  432. — "  Father,  into  Thy  hands  alone." — Concerning  the 
 'Sacrifice  of  our  Persons. — Tune,  Liverpool,  1761. 
 
 This  forms  No.  145  of  Charles  Wesley's  "Hymns  on  the  Lord's 
 Supper,"  1745.  The  substance  of  this  hymn  is  embodied  in 
 some  remarks  by  Dr.  Brevint,  which  generally  precede  Charles 
 Wesley's  "  Sacramental  Hymns." 
 
 Hymn  433. — "  Give  me  the  faith  which  can  remove." — For  a 
 Lay  Preacher.— Tvn^j  Welsh,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  being  No.  188  in  "Hymns  and  Sacred 
 Poems,"  1749,  vol.  i.,  the  first,  second,  and  eighth  verses  being 
 omitted.  The  individuality  of  this  hymn,  as  expressed  in  the 
 title,  is  confined  chiefly  to  the  three  omitted  verses.  In  the 
 second  verse  the  poet  breathes  a  "  strong  desire  "  for  a  "  calmly- 
 fervent  zeal " — 
 
 "  To  save  poor  souls  out  of  the  fire, 
 ^  To  snatch  them  from  the  verge  of  hell, 
 
 And  turn  them  to  a  pardoning  God, 
 And  quench  the  brands  in  Jesu's  blood." 
 
 Pollok,  in  his  "  Course  of  Time,"  has  a  passage  which  has  a 
 strong  resemblance  to  these  lines  (Book  II.,  line  157) — 
 
 "  The  Holy  One  for  sinners  dies, 
 The  Lord  of  Life  for  guilty  rebels  bleeds, 
 Quenches  eternal  fire  with  blood  divine." 
 
 Hymn  434. — "  Jesus,  all-atoning  Lamb." — For  Believers. — 
 Tune,  Savannah,  1761. 
 
 This  forms  No.  126  of  Charles  Wesley's  "  Hymns  and  Sacred 
 Poems,"  1749,  vol.  i.  The  first  line  of  the  original  is  as  follows, 
 "  Gentle  Jesus,  lovely  Lamb."  This  hymn  is  an  extension  of 
 the  sentiment  of  the  apostle,  "  He  that  dwelleth  in  love  dwelleth 
 in  God,  and  God  in  him." 
 
 At  the  early  age  of  eleven  years  Georgiana  Gladwin  was 
 awakened  to  a  sense  of  her  sinful  condition  whilst  attending  the 
 Wesleyan  Chapel,  Romney  Terrace,  Westminster,  and  was,  two 
 
292  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  434. 
 
 years  afterwards,  converted  to  God,  and  became  a  useful  member 
 and  class-leader,  and  an  infant-school  teacher,  years  before  a 
 Normal  school  was  thought  of  for  Methodism.  She  was  seized 
 with  illness  in  the  house  of  God,  and  in  a  few  weeks  finished 
 her  earthly  career.  Shortly  before  she  died,  ist  November, 
 1832,  she  laid  her  hand  on  her  bosom  and  said,  "The  Prince  of 
 Peace  is  here.  Oh,  yes,  I  feel  Him  here  !"  Afterwards,  lifting 
 her  hands  towards  heaven,  she  exclaimed — 
 
 "Jesus,  all-atoning  Lamb, 
 Thine,  and  only  Thine,  I  am  ; 
 Take  my  body,  spirit,  soul ;' 
 Only  Thou  possess  the  whole." 
 
 Then  adding,  "  Yes,  I  am  Thine.  Oh,  what  peace  I  feel  !  Well 
 may  it  be  called  the  peace  of  God,  for  it  passes  understanding." 
 The  sudden  death  of  an  uncle  was  the  cause  of  the  conversion 
 of  John  Horrill,  of  Higham  Ferrars.  From  the  time  of  his 
 joining  the  Methodist  Society  he  delighted  in  the  means  of 
 grace,  and  for  several  years  was  a  respected  and  useful  class- 
 leader  and  local  preacher.  In  his  last  affliction  the  enemy  was 
 never  suffered  to  interrupt  his  peace  :  he  was  always  happy, 
 and  resigned  to  the  will  of  God.  The  day  on  which  he  died,  9th 
 August,  1840,  he  seemed  to  be  unusually  happy,  and  repeated — 
 
 **  Jesus,  all-atoning  Lamb, 
 Thine,  and  only  Thine,  I  am  ; 
 Take  my  body,  spirit,  soul ; 
 Only  Thou  possess  the  whole." 
 
 He  added,  "  He  has  been  with  me  for  twenty-two  years,  and 
 oh  !  what  pleasure  I  have  had  in  meeting  my  class  !  But  now 
 I  am  more  happy  than  ever,"  and  so  he  entered  into  rest. 
 
 The  labours  of  Mr.  Wedlock,  as  a  missionary  in  Jamaica, 
 were  made  a  blessing  to  many,  and  amongst  them  to  Rebecca 
 Ballah,  of  Montego  Bay.  She  became  an  earnest  and  sincere 
 Christian.  In  early  life  she  was  called  to  heaven,  but  before 
 she  departed  she  left  a  blessed  testimony  of  her  acceptance 
 with  God.  To  her  leader  who  visited  her  she  said, "  Sing  me 
 my  favourite  hymn — 
 
 "Jesus,  all-atoning  Lamb, 
 Thine,  and  only  Thine,  I  am  ; 
 Take  my  body,  spirit,  soul ; 
 Only  Thou  possess  the  whole." 
 
HYMN  436.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  293 
 
 She  sat  up  and  sung  the  whole  with  those  present,  dwelling 
 with  great  emphasis  on  the  line — 
 
 "  Thine,  and  only  Thine,  I  am." 
 
 "Thank  God,"  she  said,  "  I  fear  no  evil."     Died  August,  1849. 
 
 Richard  Green,  of  Cromford,  Derbyshire,  was  converted  under 
 the  preaching  of  Edward  Brook  of  Huddersfield,  "  Squire 
 Brooke."  He  joined  the  Methodist  Society,  devoted  himself  to 
 the  service  of  God,  enjoyed  much  of  the  divine  favour,  was  a 
 young  man  of  faith,  and  when  at  the  age  of  thirty  illness  carried 
 him  off,  just  before  his  spirit  departed  he  repeated  faintly,  but 
 
 distinctly — 
 
 "Jesus,  all- atoning  Lamb, 
 Thine,  and  only  Thine,  I  am  ; 
 Take  my  body,  spirit,  soul ; 
 Only  Thou  possess  the  whole." 
 
 Soon  afterwards  he  slept  in  Jesus. 
 
 Louisa  Cannon  died  at  Bolton,  Lancashire,  31st  July,  1847, 
 aged  twenty-three  years.  Born  of  Methodist  parents,  and 
 brought  up  religiously,  she  gave  her  heart  to  God.  She  was 
 smitten  with  consumption, from  which  she  suffered  greatly ;  when 
 the  end  came,  whilst  with  much  emphasis  repeating  the  lines — 
 
 "Take  my  body,  spirit,  soul  ; 
 Only  Thou  possess  the  whole," 
 
 her  voice  failed,  and  she  peacefully  rested  in  the  arms  of  Jesus. 
 
 Hymn  435.— " Father,  to  Thee  my  soul  I  lift."—"//  is  God 
 that  worketh  in  you  to  will  and  to  do^''^  8lc.  —  TuNE, 
 Mitcham,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  forming  No.  168  of  "Hymns  and  Sacred 
 Poems,"  1749,  vol.  ii.  Note  one  very  characteristic  line  of  the 
 poet's,  "His  blood  demands  the  purchased  grace  !" 
 
 Hymn  436. — "  Jesu,  my  Truth,  my  Way." — For  Believers. — 
 Tune,  Olney,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  being  No.  127  in  "Hymns  and  Sacred 
 Poems,"  1749,  vol.  i.  The  original  is  in  seven  double  stanzas, 
 the  third  and  fourth  being  left  out. 
 
 The  affluent  circumstances  of  the  parents  of  John  Ripley,  of 
 Leeds,  did  not  prevent  them  placing  their  son  in   a  position 
 
294  MKTHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  437. 
 
 to  earn  his  living  by  his  own  industry.  When  he  grew  to 
 approaching  manhood,  he  hesitated  for  some  time  to  join  the 
 Lord's  people  in  fellowship  ;  but  under  a  sermon  preached  by 
 the  Rev.  A.  E.  Farrar,  he  saw  that  religion  was  necessary  to 
 qualify  a  man  for  business  in  the  world,  for  worshipping  in  the 
 Church,  and  for  walking  before  God  with  a  perfect  heart.  He 
 at  once  joined  his  father's  class.  A  short  time  afterwards, 
 under  a  sermon  preached  by  the  Rev.  George  Marsden,  he  was 
 able  to  realise  a  sense  of  pardon  and  adoption  into  the  family  of 
 God.  He  was  an  instructive  Sunday-school  teacher,  and  a 
 useful  and  acceptable  local  preacher.  He  was  not  strong, 
 physically,  and  one  Sunday  in  1828,  when  returning  from  one  of 
 his  preaching  appointments,  he  was  drenched  through  with  rain, 
 and  incautiously  went  into  a  chapel  and  sat  to  hear  one  of  his 
 brethren  preach.  He  went  home  ill,  and  did  not  recover  his 
 health.  During  his  illness  he  spoke  as  one  on  the  confines  of 
 heaven.  He  earnestly  sought  till  he  found  the  blessings  of 
 perfect  love,  and  then,  wnth  peculiar  emphasis  he  gave  out  the 
 hymn,  long  his  favourite — 
 
 "  Let  me  Thy  witness  live, 
 When  sin  is  all  destroyed  : 
 And  then  my  spotless  soul  receive, 
 And  take  me  home  to  God." 
 
 When  he  had  realised  the  full  blessing  of  sanctification,  the 
 weakness  of  the  man  was  swallowed  up  in  the  strength  of  the 
 Christian  :  and  he  reproached  himself  that  he  had  so  long 
 remained  without  the  blessing.  He  died  in  great  peace, 
 whispering  "Glory!  glory!"  loth  February,  1829,  aged 
 twenty-six. 
 
 Hymn  437.—"  O  God,  my  God,  my  All  Thou  art  !  "— 
 Psalm  Ixiii.— Tune,  Italian,  1761. 
 
 This  hymn  is  from  the  Spanish,  translated  by  John  Wesley 
 when  he  was  in  America  in  1735,  ^^<i  ^^st  published  in  his 
 "  Collection  of  Psalms  and  Hymns,"  1738  ;  it  is  also  in  "  Hymns 
 and  Sacred  Poems,"  1739,  page  196.  The  fourth  verse  of  the 
 original  is  left  out. 
 
 A  writer  in  the  Christiaji  Miscella7iy  for  1846  observes, 
 respecting  this  hymn,  "  This  is  one  which  stands  pre-eminent, 
 and  which  is  almost  unrivalled  for  its  elevated  devotional 
 feeling,  its  rich  evangelical   sentiment,  its  simple  elegance  of 
 
HYMN  438.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  295 
 
 language,  and  the  accurate  and  beautiful  manner  in  which, 
 without  any  apparent  effort,  the  poet  has  interwoven  the 
 thoughts  and  expressions  of  the  Psalmist  in  his  own  sacred 
 ode."  It  is  a  version  of  Psalm  Ixiii.  The  author  has  not  yet  been 
 ascertained,  and  it  is  the  only  one  of  John  Wesley's  translations 
 which  has  not  been  traced  to  its  source. 
 
 The  mind  of  Elizabeth  Stockdale  was  disposed  towards 
 religion  from  early  life.  In  reading  religious  books,  and 
 especially  Christian  biography,  she  took  delight.  She  did  not 
 receive  the  blessing  of  acceptance  with  God  until  a  short  time 
 before  her  death.  She  was  alone  with  her  husband,  and  they 
 were  speaking  of  the  beauties  of  the  hymn  beginning,  "  Thou 
 great  mysterious  God  unknown,"  &c.,  when  she  was  much 
 affected.  She  asked  to  have  the  Hymn  Book,  that  she  might 
 find  her  favourite  hymn.     With  much  feeling,  she  read  the  first 
 
 verse — 
 
 "  O  God,  my  God,  my  All  Thou  art ! 
 Ere  shines  the  dawn  of  rising  day, 
 Thy  sovereign  light  within  my  heart, 
 Thy  all-enlivening  power  display." 
 
 She  continued  to  read  till  she  came  to  the  sixth  verse,  when  she 
 increased  the  emphasis — 
 
 **  Abundant  sweetness,  while  I  sing 
 
 Thy  love,  my  ravished  heart  o'erflows  ; 
 Secure  in  Thee,  My  God  and  King, 
 Of  glory  that  no  period  knows." 
 
 And  then,  with  no  ordinary  feeling,  she  repeated — 
 
 "  O  God,  my  God,  my  All  Thou  art." 
 She  was  enabled  to  exercise  faith  in  the  promises  of  God,  and 
 to  believe  on  Him  for  her  acceptance  through  Christ.  Strangely 
 mysterious  are  the  ways  of  God  sometimes  to  the  eyes  of  human 
 observers.  A  few  hours  after  this  blessed  change  was  realised, 
 it  was  evident  that  death  was  at  hand,  and  just  before  the 
 change  came,  her  only  child  was  seized  with  croup,  and  was 
 suffocated  before  relief  could  be  applied  ;  a  youthful  mother 
 and  her  infant  entered  heaven  together  !  27th  April,  1840. 
 
 Hymn  438.— "O  God  of  peace  and  pardoning  love."— "A^<?w  the 
 God  of  peace,  "  &c.— TUNE,  York,  1761. 
 Charles  Wesley's,  being  No.  734  of  "  Short  Scripture  Hymns," 
 vol.  ii.,  founded  on  Heb.  xiii.  20,  21.     This  hymn  and  the  two 
 
296  MKTHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  444. 
 
 f()llowin<;  ones  arc  of  a  measure  so  peculiar  that  they  are  very 
 seldom  used  in  the  service  of  song. 
 
 Hymn  439. — "  Thy  power  and  saving  truth  to  show." 
 
 „      440. — "  Thou,  Jesu,  Thou  my  breast  inspire." 
 
 Fo7'  a  person  called  forth  to  bear  his  Testimony. — TUNE,  York, 
 
 1761. 
 
 From  Charles  Wesley's  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1749, 
 
 vol.  i.,  No.  209.     The  original  has  nine  verses  of  twelve  lines 
 
 each,  four  of  which  are  left  out.     The  first  line  of  the  fifth  verse 
 
 reads  thus  : — "  Thy  power  and  saving  grace  to  show."     Grace 
 
 is  altered  to  truth  by  John  Wesley.     Mr.  Jackson,  in  his  life  of 
 
 the  poet,  and  speaking  of  the  noble  and  energetic  lines  which 
 
 form  these    two    hymns,    says:  —  "Mr.    Charles   Wesley  has 
 
 strikingly  depicted  the  mighty  faith,  the  burning  love  to  Christ, 
 
 the  yearning  pity  for  the  souls  of  men,  the  heavenly-mindedness, 
 
 the  animating  hope  of  future  glor)'-,  which   characterised   his 
 
 public  ministry,  and  which  not  only  enabled  him  to  deliver  his 
 
 Lord's  message  before  scoffing  multitudes,  but  also  carried  him 
 
 through  his  wasting  labours,  and  the  riots  of  Bristol,  Cornwall, 
 
 Staffordshire,  Devizes,  and  of  Ireland  without  a  murmur." 
 
 Hymn  441.— "Let  God,  who  comforts  the  distrest." — ^^ For  all 
 Mankind^ — TUNE,  Canterbury,  1761. 
 Charles  Wesley's,  forming  the  first  of  "  Hymns  of  Intercession 
 for  all  Mankind,"  1758.     This  is  the  first  hymn  in  Section  IX., 
 with  the  title  "For  Believers  Interceding." 
 
 Hymn  442. — "  Our  earth  we  now  lament  to  see." — For  Peace. — 
 
 Tune,  Canterbury,  1761. 
 
 The  second  of  Charles  Wesley's  "Hymns  of  Intercession." 
 
 Hymn  443. — "Arm  of  the  Lord,  awake,  awake." — Be  thou 
 exalted  in  the  whole  earth. — TUNE,  St.  Luke's,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  being  made  up  from  Nos.  18,  21,  and  22  of 
 the  poet's  "  Hymns  of  Petition  and  Thanksgiving,"  1746.  James 
 Montgomery  inserted  this  hymn  in  his  "  Christian  Psalmist." 
 
 Hymn  444.—  "  Lord  over  all,  if  Thou  hast  made." — For  the 
 
 Heathen.— Tu-ii-E,  Welsh,  1761. 
 This  appears  as  No.  34  of    Charles    Wesley's    "Hymns  of 
 Intercession,"  1758. 
 
HYMN  450.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  297 
 
 The  third  stanza  is  quoted  by  John  Wesley  at  the  end  of  his 
 "  Thoughts  upon  Slavery."  In  the  original  the  author  uses  very 
 strong  language  in  describing  error  and  heresy  ;  in  the  third 
 verse  he  prayed  for  the  "  dark  Americans  "  he  remembered  in 
 Georgia  in  1736,  That  line  was  altered  in  1875  to  "  Their  blind 
 votaries  convert." 
 
 Hymn  445. — "  O  come,  Thou  radiant  Morning-Star." — Balaam^ s 
 Prophecy.— TVi^Y.,  Bradford,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  made  up  of  portions  of  Nos.  257,  258,  and 
 259  of  "Short  Scripture  Hymns,"  vol.  i.,  founded  on  Nos.  xxiv. 
 17,  18,  with  two  verses  omitted. 
 
 Hymn  446. — "  Jesu,  the  word  of  mercy  give." — "  Let  thy  priests 
 be  clothed  with  salvation^''  &c. — TUNE,  Cornish,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  made  up  of  portions  of  two  "  Short 
 Scripture  Hymns,"  Nos.  638  and  397,  founded  on  2  Chron. 
 vi.  41,  and  Judges  v.  31. 
 
 Hymn  447.—"  Messiah,  Prince  of  Peace  V^—''^  Neither  shall  they 
 learn  war  any  more^^  &c. — TUNE,  Olney,  1761. 
 
 Forms  No.  960  of  Charles  Wesley's  "Scripture  Hymns," 
 vol.  i.,  based  on  the  words,  "  Neither  shall  they  learn  war  any 
 more"  (Isa.  ii.  4). 
 
 Hymn  448*. — "Eternal  Lord  of  earth  and  skies." — There  is  no 
 Saviour  besides  ;;z^,"  &c. — TuNE,  Bradford,  1761. 
 
 This  is  a  composite  hymn,  made  up  from  several  of  Charles 
 Wesley's  "  Short  Scripture  Hymns,"  based  on  Isaiah  xlv.  22,  23, 
 &c.  It  supplants  the  hymn  which  commenced  "Prince  of 
 universal  Peace." 
 
 Hymn  449. — "Happy  day  of  union  sweet  !" — ''^ Ephraim  shall 
 not  envy  Jtidah,^^  &.C. — TUNE,  Kingswood,  1761. 
 
 Forms  No.  995  of  Charles  Wesley's  "  Scripture  Hymns,"  vol.  i., 
 based  on  Isa.  xi.  13. 
 
 Hymn  450.—"  Messiah,  full  of  grace." — "  The  Israelites  as  dried 
 bones.^^ — TuNE,  Brentford,  1761. 
 
 Forms  No.  1277  of  Charles  Wesley's  "Scripture  Hymns," 
 vol.  ii.,  based  on  Ezek.  xxxvii.  11,  12. 
 
298  METHODIST  HYMN  HOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  457. 
 
 Hymn  451.—"  Father  of  faithful  Abraham,  hear."— /v^r  the 
 Jews. — Tune,  Mourners,  1761. 
 
 This  is  No.  32  of  Charles  Wesley's  "Hymns  of  Intercession," 
 1758,  a  rare  tract,  and  seldom  reprinted.  It  is  based  on 
 Romans  xi.     The  second  verse  was  left  out  in  1875. 
 
 Hymn  452.— "Almighty  God  of  Love."— yi  Sipi  and ajt 
 Ofen'n^^.—Tu^E,  Olney,  1761. 
 
 This  is  made  up  of  Nos.  11 57,  11 58,  and  11 59  of  Charles 
 Wesley's  "Scripture  Hymns,"  based  on  Isa.  Ixvi.  19,  20. 
 
 Hymn  453. — "Jesus,  the  word  bestow." — "5^  inightily  grew  the 
 word  of  God^  and prevailed.^^ — TUNE,  Olney,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  one  of  his  manuscript  "  Scripture  Hymns," 
 founded  on  Acts  xix.  20.  This  was  formerly  No.  706  in  the 
 Supplement,  and  was  changed  at  the  revision  of  1875. 
 
 Hymn  454.—"  God  of  unspotted  purity." 
 
 „       455. — "  O  let  us  our  own  works  forsake." 
 Unto  the  arigel  of  the  Church  of  the  Laodiceans. — TUNE, 
 Athlone,  1781. 
 Charles  Wesley's,  forming  part  of  a  long  hymn  of  thirty-six 
 stanzas  in  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1742,  p.  296,  founded 
 on  Rev.  iii.  14-19.     There  are  twenty-four  verses  of  the  original 
 left  out.     Hymn  454  commences  with  verse  three  of  the  first 
 part. 
 
 Hymn  456.—"  Father,  if  justly  still  we  claim." 
 „       457.—"  On  all  the  earth  Thy  Spirit  shower." 
 On  the  Descent  of  the  Holy  Ghost  at  Pentecost. — TuNE,  Fulham, 
 
 1761. 
 These  form  part  of  a  hymn  written  by  Dr.  H.  More  (1614-1687), 
 and  altered  by  John  Wesley.    The  first  five  verses  of  the  original 
 are  left  out ;  the  first  line  reads  thus — 
 
 "When  Christ  had  left  His  flesh  below." 
 
 This  fine  Pentecostal  hymn  has  formed  the  theme  of  a  most 
 interesting  paper,  in  a  recent  issue  of  the  Wesleyan  Magazine^ 
 from  the  pen  of  the  Rev.  G.  Osborn,  D.D.,  in  which  the  reader 
 is  presented  with  parts  of  the  original  by  Dr.  More,  and  the 
 altered  version  by  John  Wesley  ;  exhibiting  the  masterly  hand 
 
HYMN  461.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  299 
 
 of  Wesley,  and  how  "  the  fulness  of  the  Gospel  salvation  shines 
 out  in  Wesley's  rendering  even  more  brightly  than  the  genius  of 
 the  poet." 
 
 Henry  More,  D.D.,  was  an  able  divine,  born  in  1614, 
 at  Grantham,  and  educated  at  Eton  and  Christ  College, 
 Cambridge.  In  1675  he  was  made  a  prebend  of  Gloucester ; 
 but  as  he  renounced  the  Calvinistic  principles,  in  which  he  had 
 been  rigidly  brought  up,  he  resigned  his  position  in  the  Church, 
 and  retired  on  a  small  competency,  refusing  high  preferment, 
 which  was  offered  him.  He  died  in  1687.  Besides  the  two 
 hymns  which  Mr.  Wesley  used  in  an  altered  form,  he  was  the 
 author  of  "  Song  of  the  Soul,"  a  Platonic  poem,  which  was 
 reprinted  in  1647  with  additions. 
 
 Hymn  458.— "Author  of  Faith,  we  seek  Thy  face."— (y 
 Intercessio7i. — Tune,  Smith's,  1781. 
 Charles   Wesley's,    from    No.   64   of  "  Hymns   and   Sacred 
 Poems,"  1749,  vol.  ii.     Three  verses  of  the  original  are  left  out. 
 
 Hymn  459. — ''  Shepherd  of  Israel,  hear."— i^:7r  the 
 
 Fallen,— Tv^Y,^  Brentford,  1761. 
 
 This  is  from  No.  65  of  Charles  Wesley's  "  Hymns  and  Sacred 
 
 Poems,"  1749,  vol.  ii.     The  second,  third,  fifth,  and  sixth  verses 
 
 of  the  original  are  left  out.    The  last  line  of  verse  two  is  changed 
 
 from  "  In  perfect  charity"  to  "harmony." 
 
 Hymn  460.—"  Father  of  boundless  grace." — "  Thy  kingdom 
 cofne." — Tune,  Lampe,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  being  No.  11 56  of  his  "Short  Scripture 
 Hymns,"  vol.  i.,  founded  on  Isa.  Ixvi.  18.  The  second  verse  is 
 omitted.  This  hymn  is  well  adapted  for  missionary  services  ; 
 one  couplet  is  worthy  of  note — 
 
 "  And  new-discover'd  worlds  arise. 
 To  sing  their  Saviour's  praise." 
 
 This  was  in  anticipation  of  the  great  missionary  enterprise 
 which  Dr.  Coke  commenced  a  quarter  of  a  century  afterwards. 
 This  was  Hymn  692  in  the  former  Collection. 
 
 Hymn  461.—"  Saviour,  to  Thee  we  humbly  cry  V'—For  the 
 
 Fallen. — Tune,  Mourners,  1761. 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1749, 
 vol.  ii.,  No.  72.     This  hymn  appeared  first  at  the  end  of  a  tract 
 
300  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  465. 
 
 on  the  "  Differences  between  the  Moravians  and  the  Wesleys," 
 1745.  The  Moravians  had  taught  that  if  a  person  professed 
 faith  in  Christ,  there  was  no  necessity  that  he  should  manifest 
 any  sorrow  on  account  of  sins,  past  or  present ;  but  that  he 
 should  acknowledge  himself  to  be  a  happy  sinner,  and  rest 
 satisfied  in  that  state.  The  term  happy  sinner  being  thus 
 prostituted  to  unholy  purposes,  was  reprobated  in  this  hymn 
 by  the  poet.  Another  of  their  errors  was  that  of  recommending 
 an  unscriptural  stillness — teaching  people  to  refrain  from  the 
 use  of  religious  means  and  ordinances.  This  error  is  condemned 
 by  Mr.  Wesley  in  Hymn  295,  verse  two,  in  the  line — 
 "While  Satan  cries,  Be  still." 
 
 Hymn  462. — "  O  let  the  prisoners'  mournful  cries." — Hynm  of 
 Intercession. — TUNE,  Evesham,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1749, 
 vol.  ii.,  No.  63.  The  original  has  eighteen  stanzas.  This  hymn 
 commences  with  the  sixth  verse,  and  includes  all  to  the  twelfth, 
 the  first  five  and  the  last  six  being  omitted.  Two  of  the  latter 
 were  excluded  at  the  revision  of  1875. 
 
 Hymn  463. — "  Lamb  of  God,  who  bear'st  away." — For  Times  of 
 Trotible  a7id  Persecution. — Tune,  Dedication,  1781. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "  Hymns  for  Times  of  Trouble  and 
 Persecution,"  for  the  year  1745.  The  original  has  eight  stanzas  ; 
 the  first  four  only  are  given  ;  and  the  fifth  and  sixth  lines  of 
 verse  three  are  transposed  with  the  same  lines  of  verse  four. 
 
 Hymn  464. — "Jesus,  from  Thy  heavenly  place." — hitercession. 
 — Tune,  Kingswood,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  being  No.  1025  of  "Short  Scripture  Hymns," 
 vol.  i.,  founded  on  Isa.  xxxiii.  5,  6.  In  the  first  line  "holy"  is 
 changed  for  "  heavenly,"  and  in  line  five  "  salvation  "  is  changed 
 for  "protection." 
 
 Hymn  465. — "  Sovereign  of  all !  whose  Will  ordains." — A  Prayer 
 
 for  his    Majesty  King  George  [//.]. — TUNE,  Brockmer's, 
 
 1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  forming  the  tenth  of  "  Hymns  for  the  Times 
 
 of  Trouble  and  Persecution,"  1744.     The  divine  right  of  kings 
 
 is  strongly  asserted  in  the  first  verse.     At  the  time  the  hymn 
 
HYMN  470.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  30I 
 
 was  written  that  dogma  was  in  high  dispute  throughout  the 
 nation.  The  opinion  of  the  Wesleys  is  clearly  enough  stated  in 
 the  hymn. 
 
 Hymn  466. — "  A  nation  God  delights  to  bless." — Intercession. 
 Tune,  Snow's  Fields,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  being  No.  771  of  "  Short  Scripture  Hymns," 
 vol.  i.,  founded  on  Job  xxxiv.  29.  The  first  and  second  verses 
 of  the  original  are  left  out. 
 
 Hymn  467. — "  Father  of  all,  by  whom  we  are." — For  Parents. — 
 —Tune,  Islington,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  being  No.  63  of  "  Hymns  for  a  Family." 
 The  original  is  in  eight-line  stanzas.  The  fifth  verse  was  left 
 out  in  1875.  The  dangers  to  which  many  children  are  exposed 
 by  the  neglect  of  parents  are  lucidly  stated  in  the  hymn.  The 
 need  for  divine  wisdom  in  the  training  of  a  family  is  impressively 
 taught  in  the  history  of  the  poet's  own  family. 
 
 Hymn  468. — "  God  only  wise,  almighty,  good." — For  a  Family j 
 or,  ^^ for  Parents:'— Tn-i^Y.,  Mitcham,  1781. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "  Hymns  for  a  Family,"  No.  65.  This 
 practical  hymn  inculcates  some  invaluable  lessons  for  the 
 government  of  a  family.  The  "sacred  clew"  of  the  fourth 
 verse,  which  guides  persons  in  a  labyrinth,  and  keeps  them  in 
 the  right  way,  is  especially  striking  and  suggestive. 
 
 Hymn  469. — "  Father  of  Lights  !     Thy  needful  aid." — For  a 
 
 Family  J  or,  ^^for  PareTtts.'^—Tv'^'E.,  St.  Paul's,  1761. 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "  Hymns  for  a  Family."     The  fourth 
 verse  is  omitted,  so  also  is  the  fifth,  and  no  wonder — only  read 
 
 it— 
 
 *'We  plunge  ourselves  in  endless  woes, 
 Our  helpless  infant  sell ; 
 Resist  the  light,  and  side  with  those, 
 Who  send  their  babes  to  hell." 
 
 Hymn  470.— "Master  Supreme,  I  look  to  Thee." — The  Master^  s 
 
 Hyjnnj  or,  "  The  Head  of  a  HousehoW — Tune,  Angels' 
 
 Song,  1 76 1. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  being  No.  135  of  "Hymns  for  Families." 
 
 It  is  written  in  eight-line  stanzas,  and  is  well  worthy  of  daily 
 
30a  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  477. 
 
 perusal.     The  original  title  of  this  and  471,  472  was  changed  in 
 1875  to  "The  Head  of  a  Household." 
 
 Hymn  471. — "  How  shall  I  walk  my  God  to  please." — The  Head 
 of  a  Household. — TUNE,  Snow's  Fields,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  forming  No.  136  in  "  Hymns  for  Families." 
 Two  verses  are  left  out. 
 
 Hymn  472. — "  I  and  my  House  will  serve  the  Lord." — The  Head 
 of  a  Household.— IM^Y.^  Travellers,  176 1. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  being  No.  137  of  "Family  Hymns." 
 
 Hymn  473. — "  Come,  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost." — At  the 
 Opening  of  a  School  in  Kin^swood. — TUNE,  Marienbourn, 
 1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  being  No.  40  of  his  "  Hymns  for  Children," 
 1763,  and  exhibits  in  a  few  words  the  true  basis  of  education — 
 "knowledge  and  piety;"  "learning  and  holiness."  The  title 
 was  changed  in  1875  to  "A  Prayer  for  Children." 
 
 Hymn  474. — "  Captain  of  our  salvation,  take." 
 „       475. — "  But  who  sufficient  is  to  lead." 
 For  Children. — TUNE,  Frankfort,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  forming  Nos.  41,  42,  of  "  Hymns  for  Child- 
 ren," the  original  title  being  "  At  the  Opening  of  a  School  in 
 Kingswood." 
 
 Hymn  476.—"  Come,  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost."— ^/  the 
 Baptis7n  of  Adults. — TuNE,  Palmis,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  No.  182,  in  "Hymns  and  Sacred 
 Poems,"  1749,  vol.  ii. 
 
 Hymn  477.—"  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost." — At  the  Baptism 
 of  Adults.— Tvn'E,  Hamilton's,  1781. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  being  No.  183,  in  "Hymns  and  Sacred 
 Poems,"  1749,  vol.  ii.  The  original  was  written  for  a  female,  as 
 the  sixth  line  reads — 
 
 "  Bless  for  her  the  laving  flood  ; " 
 
HYMN  479.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  303 
 
 and  the  feminine  pronoun  is  used  throughout ;  that  line  now 
 
 reads — 
 
 "  Bless  to  Him  the  cleansing  flood. " 
 
 Hymn  478. — "  And  are  we  yet  alive." — A^  the  Meeting  of 
 Friends. — Tune,  Lampe's,  1746. 
 This  hymn  forms  No.  236  of  Charles  Wesley's  "  Hymns  and 
 Sacred  Poems,"  1749,  vol.  ii.,  page  321. 
 
 The  fourth  verse  of  the  original  is  omitted  ;  but  it  is  given 
 here  because  of  its  connection  historically  with  Methodism,  this 
 being  the  hymn  which  has  been  sung,  more  or  less,  at  the 
 opening  of  the  Conference,  for  probably  more  than  a  century. 
 It  is  also  used  at  the  opening  of  the  conferences  of  other  sections 
 of  the  Methodist  family.  The  last  verse  is  as  follows — 
 "Jesus,  to  Thee  we  bow, 
 
 And  for  Thy  coming  wait ; 
 Give  us  for  good  some  token  now, 
 
 In  our  imperfect  state  ; 
 Apply  the  hallowing  word  ; 
 
 Tell  each  who  looks  for  Thee, 
 Thou  shalt  be  perfect  as  thy  Lord, 
 Thou  shalt  be  all  like  me." 
 There  is  here   an   apparent  discord  between   the   sentiments 
 conveyed  in  the  third  and  fourth  verses  ;  in  the  former  we  read 
 of  the  power  of  redeeming  grace,  which  saves  "  Till  we  can  sin 
 no  more  ;"  whilst  in  the  latter  verse,  as  given  above,  we  read  of 
 our  present  being  "  our  imperfect  state."     Taken  together,  it  is 
 evident  that  the  poet  means  the  sinless  state  of  the  third  verse 
 to  refer  to  the  state  of  the  glorified  saints.     This  is  the  more 
 evident  from  the  two  lines  following — 
 
 **  Let  us  take  up  the  cross, 
 Till  we  the  crown  obtain." 
 
 The  singing  of  this  hymn  at  the  opening  of  Conference  seems 
 now  to  be  an  essential  part  of  the  graver  duties  of  that  venerable 
 and  deliberative  assembly.  This  is  the  first  hymn  in  the  fifth 
 part  of  the  collection,  the  first  section,  with  the  title,  "  For  the 
 Society  on  Meeting." 
 
 Hymn  479. — "  Peace  be  on  this  house  bestow'd," — The 
 Salutatio7t. — TuNE,  Foundry,  1761. 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "  Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1742, 
 page  157.     In  the  fourth  line  of  the  third  verse,  "pardoned"  is 
 substituted  for  "  washed." 
 
304  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  482. 
 
 Hymn  480. — "  Glory  be  to  God  above." — At  the  Meeting  0/ 
 Christian  Friends.— TvNE,  Foundr)',  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1742, 
 page  158.  The  original  has  six  stanzas,  the  last  three  being  left 
 out.     The  seventh  and  eighth  lines  of  the  original  read  thus — 
 
 •'  Lasting  comfort,  steadfast  hope  ; 
 Solid  joy,  and  settled  peace." 
 
 Hymn  481.-— "All  thanks  to  the  Lamb,  Who  gives  us  to  meet." 
 — At  Meeting  of  Friejids.—Txi^Y.^  Newcastle,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1749, 
 vol.  ii.,  No.  238.  The  seventh  verse  was  left  out  at  the  revision 
 of  1875. 
 
 Hymn  482. — "  Saviour  of  sinful  men." — At  the  Meeting  of 
 
 Friends. — TUNE,  Lampe's,  1746. 
 Charles  Wesley's,  forming  No.  232  in  "  Hymns  and  Sacred 
 Poems,"  1749,  vol.  ii.     The  fourth  verse  of  this  hymn  has  been 
 often  used  by  the  Lord's  people  in  their  extremities  of  life  and 
 suffering. 
 
 When  only  seventeen  years  old,  Jane,  the  wife  of  the  Rev. 
 Matthew  Day,  was  convinced  of  sin  ;  and  at  the  Watch-night 
 service  following,  she  was  enabled  to  believe  in  Christ  to  the 
 saving  of  her  soul.     Her  friends  not  being  Methodists,  her  path 
 became  one  of  trial  ;  but  she  remained  firm  in  her  religious 
 course,  and  the  Lord  opened  her  way  into  a  pleasant  path,  in 
 which  she  walked  with  unfaltering  fidelity  during  the  rest  of  her 
 pilgrimage.      Her  last  illness  was  long  and  painful,  but   she 
 manifested  great  patience,  and  her  mind  was  stayed  on  God. 
 When   eternity  was   at  hand,   her  joy   absorbed   every   other 
 feeling.     Her  last  words  to  her  husband  were,  "  I  hardly  know 
 anything  but  Jesus  ;    but  very  soon  all  will  be  new."      After 
 pausing  a  few  moments,  with  unusual  vigour  she  said — 
 "  O  !  what  a  mighty  change 
 Shall  Jesu's  sufferers  know, 
 While  o'er  the  happy  plains  they  range, 
 Incapable  of  woe  ! 
 No  ill-requited  love 
 Shall  there  our  spirits  wound." 
 
 She  could   say  no   more  ;  but   after  remaining  a   short   time 
 speechless,  she  ceased  to  breathe,  loth  August,  1845,  ^S^^  ^^7' 
 
HYMN  482.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  305 
 
 During  fifty-seven  years,  Richard  Wade,  of  Sturton-Grange, 
 Leeds,  maintained  a  consistent  Christian  character.  For  many 
 years  he  was  a  trustee,  circuit  and  society  steward,  and  the 
 leader  of  a  class.  When  laid  aside  by  paralysis,  he  found 
 comfort  in  repeating  Wesley's  hymns ;  and  shortly  before  he 
 died,  he  said  to  his  son — 
 
 "  O  !  what  a  mighty  change 
 Shall  Jesu's  sufferers  know, 
 While  o'er  the  happy  plains  they  range, 
 Incapable  of  woe  !  " 
 
 Thus  he  fell  asleep  in  Jesus,  6th  March,  1849,  aged  seventy- 
 nine  years. 
 
 Methodism  was  introduced  into  the  Isle  of  Wight  a  century 
 ago.  Under  a  sermon  preached  by  Mr.  J.  Moon,  at  Marston, 
 in  that  island,  Mrs.  Caws  was  convinced  of  sin,  and  soon  found 
 peace  by  believing  on  Christ.  Her  parents  opposed  her  union 
 with  the  Methodists,  but  she  held  fast  her  profession,  and  the 
 trial  gave  firmness  to  her  character.  She  set  a  very  high  value 
 on  class  meetings.  While  housekeeper  to  the  Rev.  Legh 
 Richmond,  author  of  the  "Dairyman's  Daughter,"  she  main- 
 tained her  membership  with  the  Methodists  ;  and  her  Christian 
 deportment  was  so  exemplary,  that  for  some  years  after  her 
 marriage,  and  removal  to  Portsmouth,  she  was  favoured  with 
 the  friendship  of  that  eminent  clergyman.  During  many  years 
 she  sustained  the  office  of  class-leader  with  marked  fidelity. 
 Her  last  illness  was  short,  but  her  joy  at  the  prospect  of  heaven 
 was  unbounded.  She  said,  "  I  am  going  home ;  going  to  my 
 Saviour  ;  going  to  glory  ! "  The  last  night  of  her  pilgrimage  of 
 eighty- six  years  was  one  of  suffering  ;  but  instead  of  murmuring, 
 she  said,  "  Oh  that  the  cord  were  broken ;  then  would  I  fly 
 away,  and  be  at  rest ; "  adding — 
 
 **  O  !  what  a  mighty  change 
 Shall  Jesu's  sufferers  know, 
 While  o'er  the  happy  plains  they  range, 
 Incapable  of  woe  !  " 
 
 The  dying  saint  then  said,  with  an  ecstasy  of  joy,  "My  Sabbath 
 will  be  in  heaven  ;  "  and  at  midnight,  i6th  September,  1854,  her 
 released  spirit  fled  to  the  mansions  of  light. 
 
 We  read,  in  the  Wesley  an  Magazifte^  of  the  last  hours  of  Mrs. 
 Jane  Keys,  of  Lurgan,  in  Ireland,  who  at  intervals  so  delightfully 
 
 U 
 
3o6  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  484. 
 
 realised  the  glories  of  heaven,  that  she  appeared  in  a  state  of 
 rapture.  With  her  hands  clasped,  and  her  eyes  lifted  up,  she 
 sweetly  sang — 
 
 "  O  !  what  a  mighty  change 
 Shall  Jcsu's  sufferers  know, 
 While  o'er  the  happy  plains  tliey  range, 
 Incapable  of  woe  !  " 
 
 In  her  last  hour  she  said,  "All  is  sunshine  before  me."  How 
 many  thousands  have  thus  been  helped  to  realise  heaven  upon 
 earth  by  the  sweet  hymns  of  Charles  Wesley  ? 
 
 Hymn  483. — "  Jesu,  to  Thee  our  hearts  we  lift." — At  Meeting 0/ 
 Friends. — Tune,  Norwich,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1749, 
 vol.  ii.,  No.  235.  The  fifth  verse  of  the  original  is  omitted,  aftd 
 alterations  are  made  in  three  others. 
 
 Hymn  484. — "Appointed  by  Thee,  We  meet  in  Thy  name." — 
 For  Christian  Friends. — TuNE,  Tallis,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1749, 
 vol.  ii.  The  original  is  in  six  eight-line  stanzas,  single  measure, 
 the  first  being  omitted. 
 
 The  hymn,  as  first  written,  commences  thus — 
 
 "  How  happy  the  pair  Whom  Jesus  unites,"  Sec. 
 
 These  lines  suggest  thoughts  which  are  not  fully  conveyed  by 
 the  hymn  in  its  abridged  form  as  it  appears  in  the  Hymn  Book. 
 Its  author,  Charles  Wesley,  had  spent  over  forty  years  in  single 
 blessedness  that  he  might  give  himself  up  entirely  to  the  work 
 of  preaching  the  Gospel.  In  the  very  prime  of  life  the  thought 
 crossed  the  poet's  mind,  "  How  know  I  whether  it  is  best  to 
 marry  or  no?"  This  thought  soon  attained  maturity;  and, 
 having  met  with  a  fair  young  lady  during  his  evangelistic  labours 
 in  Wales,  he  consulted  his  brother  John,  who  "neither  opposed 
 nor  much  encouraged  "  the  interesting  intercourse.  Taking  the 
 still  further  advice  of  his  estimable  friend,  good  Vincent  Perronet, 
 vicar  of  Shoreham,  that  man  of  God  encouraged  him  "  to  pray, 
 and  wait  for  a  providential  opening."  He  thought,  and  waited  ; 
 and  "expressed  the  various  searchings  of  his  heart  in  many 
 hymns   on   the    important    occasion."       Charles   Wesley   was 
 
HYMN  486.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  307 
 
 married  by  his  brother  John  to  Miss  Sarah  Gwynne,  in  a  Welsh 
 village  church,  at  Garth,  on  Saturday,  8th  April,  1749,  a  day  so 
 fine  that  "  not  a  cloud  was  to  be  seen  from  morning  till  night." 
 Praise,  prayer,  and  thanksgiving  was  the  sole  occupation  of  that 
 day.     John  Wesley  says  of  that  occasion,  "  It  was  a  solemn  day, 
 such  as  became  the  dignity  of  a  Christian  marriage."      The 
 opening  verses  of  this  marriage  hymn  are  as  follows — 
 "  How  happy  the  pair  Whom  Jesus  unites 
 In  friendship  to  share  Angelic  delights, 
 Whose  chaste  conversation  Is  coupled  with  fear, 
 Whose  sure  expectation  Is  holiness  here  ! 
 
 "  My  Jesus,  my  Lord,  Thy  grace  I  commend, 
 So  kind  to  afford  My  weakness  a  friend, 
 Thy  only  good  pleasure  On  me  hath  bestowed 
 A  heavenly  treasure,  A  servant  of  God." 
 
 There  were  other  hymns  written  on  this  occasion,  portions 
 of  which  will  be  found  in  the  Hymn  Book  as  Hymns  499,  510, 
 512,  513,  514,  and  524. 
 
 At  the  age  of  forty,  owing  to  a  bereavement,  Watkin  Lewis, 
 of  Berrieu,  Montgomery,  was  convinced  of  sin,  and  found  peace 
 whilst  wrestling  with  God  alone.    After  a  few  years'  membership, 
 he  was  made  a  Methodist  class-leader,  which  office  he  held 
 nearly  forty  years.     He  was  tried  in  his  last  illness,  and  asked 
 for  Isaiah  xlix.  to  be  read  to  him.    He  then  said,  "  The  promises 
 there  have  often  been  my  support,"  and  added — 
 "  O  Jesus  appear  !  No  longer  delay 
 To  sanctify  here,  And  bear  us  away  : 
 The  end  of  our  meeting  On  earth  let  us  see, 
 Triumphantly  sitting  In  glory  with  Thee  ! " 
 
 He  died,  3rd  April,  i860,  aged  eighty-four  years,  saying,  "  Praise 
 the  Lord  !    Though  He  slay  me,  yet  will  I  trust  in  Him." 
 
 Hymn  485. — *' Jesu,  we  look  to  Thee." — At  Meeting  of 
 Friends. — TUNE,  Brentford,  1761. 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1749, 
 vol.  ii.,  No.  237,  the  last  verse  being  omitted. 
 
 Hymn  486. — "  See,  Jesus,  Thy  disciple  see." — At  Meeting  of 
 Friends. — Tune,  Swadling-Bar,  1781. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1749, 
 vol.  ii.,  No.  239,  with  two  verses  omitted. 
 
308  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  492. 
 
 Hymn  487. — "Two  are  better  far  than  one." — For  Christian 
 Friends.— iM-i^Y.,  Amsterdam,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1749, 
 vol.  ii.,  No.  227,  with  one  verse  of  the  original  omitted. 
 
 Hymn  488. — "  How  happy  are  we,  Who  in  Jesus  agree."— 7b  be 
 sung  at  the  Tca-tad/e.—TusE,  Builth,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  being  No.  146  of  "  Hymns  for  a  Family." 
 This  commences  the  second  section  of  the  fifth  part,  with  the 
 title,  "  For  the  Society  giving  Thanks."  There  is  a  quickening 
 and  edifying  spirit  pervading  this  admirable  hymn. 
 
 Hymn  489. — "  How  good  and  pleasant  'tis  to  see." — For  a 
 Fa?nily. — TuNE,  York,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  being  No.  12  of  "  Hymns  for  a  Family." 
 
 Hymn  490. — "  Brethren  in  Christ,  and  well-beloved."— (9;^  //  - 
 Admissio7i  of  any  Person  into  Society. — Tune,  Cambridge, 
 1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1740, 
 page  169,  the  second  verse  being  left  out.  This  was  formerly 
 No.  756  in  the  Supplement. 
 
 Hymn  491. — "  Come  away  to  the  skies.  My  beloved,  arise." — 
 On  the  Birthday  of  a  Friend. — TUNE,  Smith,  1761. 
 
 Forms  No.  165  of  Charles  Wesley's  "Hymns  for  a  Family." 
 It  was  composed  for  the  anniversary  of  the  birth  of  his  wife, 
 I2th  October,  1755,  when  she  was  twenty-nine. 
 
 Hymn  492. — "What  shall  we  offer  our  good  Lord?"— G^^^Tj 
 Husbandry. — TuNE,  Evesham,  1761. 
 
 This  is  John  Wesley's  translation  from  the  German  of 
 Augustus  G.  Spangenberg,  and  is  found  in  "  Hymns  and  Sacred 
 Poems,"  1742,  page  16.  The  original,  which  is  in  thirteen 
 double  stanzas,  commences  thus — 
 
 *'  High  on  His  everlasting  throne." 
 
 The  first  ten  verses  are  omitted.     The  original  German  was 
 given  to  Count  Zinzendorf,  on  his  birthday,  in  the  year  1734. 
 
HYMN  494.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  309 
 
 James  Montgomery  has  inserted  the  greater  part  of  the  hymn  in 
 his  "  Christian  Psalmist."  Speaking  of  the  hymn  in  his  preface 
 to  that  work,  Mr.  Montgomery  says  :  "  It  contains  one  of  the 
 most  consistent  allegories  in  verse  on  the  manner  in  which  it 
 hath  pleased  God,  by  the  ministry  of  the  Gospel,  to  redeem  a 
 world  from  the  desolation  which  sin  hath  made."  Mr.  La  Trobe 
 has  ascribed  the  translation  of  this  hymn  to  Bishop  Gambold, 
 but  the  translation  used  by  Mr.  Wesley  was  his  own. 
 
 The  author,  Augustus  Gottlieb  Spangenberg,  was  born  of 
 pious  Lutheran  parents  at  Klettenberg,  in  Hanover,  15th  July 
 1704.  He  was  educated  at  the  University  of  Jena,  where  he 
 changed  the  study  of  law  for  the  Gospel.  In  1727  he  became 
 acquainted  with  Count  Zinzendorf,  and  in  1735  removed  to  the 
 Moravian  settlement  at  Herrnhut,  from  whence  he  was  appointed 
 to  visit  the  churches  of  the  Brethren  in  America,  the  West 
 'ndies,  and  England.  He  married  one  of  the  Sisters  in  1740, 
 ^.nd  was  afterwards  ordained  Bishop  of  Herrnhut.  Much  of 
 '  I's  time  subsequently  was  spent  in  missionary  labours  in 
 America.  After  the  death  of  Zinzendorf,  he  was  considered  the 
 chief  adviser  of  the  Brethren.  He  died  at  Berthelsdorf,  i8th 
 September,  1792.  Knapp  designates  him  "The  Melanchthon 
 of  the  Brethren." 
 
 Hymn  493.— "The  people  that  in  darkness  \3.yP— Giving  of 
 T/ianks.—Tus'E,  Norwich,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  made  up  of  five  of  his  "  Short  Scripture 
 Hymns,"  vol.  i.,  founded  on  Isaiah  ix.  2-5,  Nos.  974-978. 
 
 Hymn  494. — "  Lo  !  God  is  here  !  let  us  adore."— i^w^/zV 
 JVors/iip.—T\JT:^E,  Sheffield,  1761. 
 
 From  "  Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1739,  page  188.  It  is 
 John  Wesley's  translation  from  the  German  of  Gerhard 
 Tersteegen,  and  is  based  on  Gen.  xxviii.  16,  17.  For  an 
 account  of  the  author,  see  under  Hymn  344. 
 
 It  is  a  truly  noble  composition ;  "  a  hymn,"  says  Mr.  Love, 
 "  that  I  should  be  glad  to  hear  sung  at  the  opening  of  divine 
 service  every  Sabbath  morning."  The  late  Rev.  Benjamin 
 Clough,  uncle  of  the  late  Dr.  Punshon,  who  went  to  India  with 
 Dr.  Coke,  states  that,  being  in  London  with  him,  the  Doctor 
 said,  "My  dear  brother,  I  am  dead  to  all  but  India."  Mr. 
 Clough  thought  over  this  remark,  and  these  words  occurred  to 
 
3IO  METHODIST  HYMN  HOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  496. 
 
 his  mind  :  "They  left  all  and  followed  Him."  This  raised  Mr. 
 Clough's  fainting  spirits,  and  he  began  to  sing  the  hymn — 
 
 **  Gladly  the  toys  of  earth  we  leave, 
 
 Wealth,  pleasure,  fame,  for  Thee  alone  : 
 
 To  Thee  our  will,  soul,  flesh,  we  give ; 
 O  take,  O  seal  them  for  Thine  own  ! 
 
 Thou  art  the  God,  Thou  art  the  Lord  : 
 
 Be  Thou  by  all  Thy  works  adored." 
 
 Dr.  Coke  heartily  joined  Mr.  Clough  in  singing  that  hymn  of 
 self-dedication.  One  knows  not  in  which  most  to  glorify  the 
 grace  of  God — the  veteran  of  the  cross,  about  to  launch  out  into 
 an  enterprise  of  great  magnitude  ;  or  the  devoted  youth,  strong 
 in  his  victorious  faith,  driving  away  from  his  heart  the  evil  spirit 
 of  fear  by  a  burst  of  sacred  song. 
 
 Under  a  sermon  preached  by  the  venerable  John  Wesley,  Mr. 
 W.  Caudle,  of  Colchester,  was  induced  to  join  the  Methodist 
 Society,  and  soon  afterwards  he  found  peace  in  believing.  He 
 lived  a  godly  and  useful  life,  and  died  like  a  patriarch,  in  the  full 
 possession  of  his  intellect,  blessing  and  counselling  his  friends. 
 A  few  hours  before  he  died— 29th  August,  1838,  aged  seventy — 
 he  repeated,  with  much  feeling,  the  couplet — 
 
 "  Lo  !  God  is  here  !  let  us  adore, 
 
 And  own  how  dreadful  is  this  place  ! " 
 
 He  fell  asleep  in  Jesus,  faintly  whispering  to  his  family,  "  Good 
 bye  ;  God  bless  you  ! " 
 
 Hymn  495. — "  Come,  let  us  arise.  And  press  to  the  skies." — For 
 Christiafi  Friends. — TuNE,  New  Year's  Day,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  forming  No.  204  of  "  Hymns  and  Sacred 
 Poems,"  1749,  vol.  ii.,  where  it  is  printed  in  double  verses,  single 
 measure.     It  is  printed  correctly  now. 
 
 Hymn  496.—"  The  earth  is  the  Lord's,  And  all  it  contains."— 
 "  Seek  ye  first  the  kingdom  of  God,^  &c. — Tune,  Triumph, 
 1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  being  No.  178  of  "  Hymns  and  Sacred 
 Poems,"  1 749,  vol.  ii.  The  fourth  verse  of  the  original  is  omitted  ; 
 it  speaks  of  God's  bounty  in  supplying  us  with  daily  food. 
 
HYMN  498.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  3II 
 
 Hymn  497. — "  Come,  all  whoe'er  have  set." — On  ajouniey. — 
 Tune,  Cardiff,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  being  No.  180  of  "Hymns  and  Sacred 
 Poems,"  1749,  vol.  ii. 
 
 For  forty-six  years,  Francis  Beacham,  of  Clutton,  Bristol,  was 
 a  useful  member  of  the  Methodist  Society,  and  a  local  preacher 
 for  forty  years.  There  was  a  freshness  and  power  in  his  preach- 
 ing, which  always  secured  for  him  a  welcome  in  the  circuit ; 
 this  was  the  result  of  his  habit  of  intercessory  prayer,  spending 
 one  hour  every  morning,  before  the  family  was  up,  in  earnest 
 devotion,  and  having  short  family  worship  four  times  every  day. 
 During  his  brief  illness,  his  mind  was  delightfully  stayed  on 
 God.  Shortly  before  he  died,  he  said  to  his  son,  "  Christ  is 
 mine,  and  I  am  His."     Finding  himself  near  the  eternal  world, 
 
 he  whispered — 
 
 "Nearer,  and  nearer  still, 
 We  to  our  country  come  : 
 To  that  celestial  hill, 
 
 The  weary  pilgrim's  home. 
 The  New  Jerusalem  above, 
 The  seat  of  everlasting  love." 
 
 His  end  was  most  peaceful,  breathing  out — "  Christ  is  precious  !" 
 He  died  4th  December,  1862,  aged  sixty-nine. 
 
 Hymn  498.—"  Come,  let  us  anew  Our  journey  pursue."— 6>;/  a 
 Journey. — TUNE,  Derby,  1781. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  forming  No.  181  in  "Hymns  and  Sacred 
 Poems,"  1749,  vol.  ii.  The  last  lines  of  verses  seven  and  eight 
 are  transposed ;  that  which  was  printed  to  the  eighth  verse  is 
 placed  to  the  seventh.     It  is  now  printed  in  double  verses. 
 
 When  about  the  age  of  twenty,  Miss  Jackman  (afterwards 
 Mrs.  Spencer,  of  Slaidburn,  and  mother-in-law  to  the  Rev.  Adam 
 Fletcher)  sought  and  found  salvation  through  Christ,  and 
 became  confirmed  in  her  choice  of  the  Methodists,  chiefly 
 through  the  ministry  of  the  Rev.  William  Bramwell.  She  was 
 one  of  the  first-fruits  of  Methodist  preaching  in  her  native  place. 
 By  a  course  of  uniform  piety,  and  of  more  than  ordinary 
 devotedness  to  God  for  sixty-five  years,  she  proved  the  genuine- 
 ness of  the  change  wrought  in  her  heart.  Her  house  was 
 opened  for  many  years  for  preaching,  and  many  were  saved 
 through  the  services.     When  nature  was  worn  out  by  age,  she 
 
312  METHODIST  HVMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  499. 
 
 spent  much  of  her  time  in  repeating  portions  of  the  Word  of 
 (iod  and  verses  of  hymns  ;  and  just  before  her  death,  she  sung 
 part  of  the  hymn — 
 
 '*  Come,  let  us  anew  Our  journey  pursue  ; 
 With  vigour  arise, 
 And  press  to  our  permanent  place  in  the  skies ;" 
 
 after  which,  peacefully  and  imperceptibly,  she  passed  away  to 
 her  "Father's  house  above,"  6th  February,  1847,  aged  eighty- 
 six  years. 
 
 For  several  years,  Mrs.  M.  M.  Fison,  of  Barningham,  Suffolk, 
 was  exercised  with  doubts  as  to  her  acceptance  with  God  ;  but 
 soon  after  her  last  illness  commenced,  the  Lord  so  powerfully 
 manifested  Himself,  after  she  had  agonised  in  prayer  for  the 
 blessing,  that  from  that  period  her  joy  was  unbounded,  and  her 
 delight  was  in  telling  every  one  how  happy  she  was,  and  in 
 urging  them  to  seek  the  Lord.  Her  confidence  in  God  was 
 unshaken  to  the  last,  and  just  before  the  final  struggle,  after 
 great  agony  of  pain,  she  said,  with  sweet  composure — 
 
 "  The  fiercer  the  blast,  The  sooner  'tis  past." 
 
 Her  last  message,  to  her  Thetford  friends,  was,  "Tell  them 
 Jesus  is  precious."     She  died  26th  June,  1823. 
 
 A  life  of  only  thirty  years  was  allotted  to  Matilda  Smedley, 
 of  Sandiacre,  and  during  twenty  of  them  she  faithfully  served 
 the  Lord.  As  a  Sunday-school  teacher  and  a  collector  for 
 missions  and  the  Bible  Society,  she  was  most  diligent  and 
 successful.  Two  years  of  affliction  were  appointed  to  her  ;  but 
 patience  had  its  perfect  work.  On  the  day  of  her  death,  30th 
 December,  1861,  referring  to  the  difficulty  of  breathing,  she  said, 
 "  It  is  hard  work  ;  but — 
 
 "  '  The  fiercer  the  blast,  The  sooner  'tis  past  : 
 And  the  troubles  that  come 
 Shall  come  to  our  rescue,  and  hurry  us  home.' " 
 
 Her  dying  prayer  was,  "  Bless  me,  even  me,  O  my  Father." 
 
 Hymn  499. — Come,  let  us  ascend,  My  companion  and  friend." 
 — For  Christian  Friends.— TiJ-a^E,  Builth,  1761. 
 
 This  appears  in  Charles  Wesley's  "  Hymns  and  Sacred 
 Poems,"  1749,  vol.  ii.,  No.  231,  and  is  printed  in  single  measure. 
 It  is  one  of  his  marriage  hymns.     The  poet  embodies  in  this 
 
HYMN  499.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  313 
 
 vigorous  hymn  the  apostle's  climax,  "  The  greatest  of  these 
 is  charity."  Writing  of  this  hymn,  the  seraphic  Fletcher,  of 
 Madeley,  says,  "  When  the  triumphal  chariot  of  perfect  love 
 gloriously  carries  you  to  the  top  of  perfection's  hill ;  when  you 
 are  raised  far  above  the  common  heights  of  the  perfect ;  when 
 you  are  almost  translated  into  glory,  like  Elijah,  then  you  may 
 sing  the  499th  Hymn." 
 
 One  of  the  many  converts  to  God,  through  the  ministry  of 
 that  blessed  man  of  God,  Joseph  Sutcliffe,  was  Richard  Buttle, 
 of  Hull.  At  the  age  of  sixteen,  he  gave  his  heart  to  the  Lord. 
 In  after  life,  he  served  in  the  office  of  class-leader  and  local 
 preacher,  with  acceptance  and  profit  to  those  who  heard  him. 
 On  the  Sunday  on  which  he  died,  his  confidence  in  God  was 
 strong,  and  his  prospect  of  heaven  bright.  He  repeated  the 
 lines  to  a  friend  sitting  by  him — 
 
 "Come,  let  us  ascend,  My  companion  and  friend, 
 To  a  taste  of  the  banquet  above  ; 
 If  thy  heart  be  as  mine,  If  for  Jesus  it  pine, 
 Come  up  into  the  chariot  of  love  ;  " 
 
 and  added,  "  Oh  for  a  gust  of  praise  ! "  After  urging  his 
 daughter  to  live  to  God,  he  entered  into  rest,  24th  August, 
 1834,  aged  forty-eight  years. 
 
 The  reading  of  Baxter's  "  Saints'  Rest,"  was  blessed  to  the 
 conversion  of  Miss  Nancy  Holland,  of  Kerridge,  Macclesfield, 
 when  she  was  nineteen.  Soon  afterwards,  she  joined  the 
 Methodist  Society,  and  maintained  a  consistency  of  conduct 
 through  life.  A  sudden  and  unexpected  illness  closed  her 
 earthly  career,  5th  October,  1840;  but  though  fever  prostrated 
 her  strength,  her  mind  was  kept  in  peace.  Shortly  before  her 
 departure  she  desired  that  Hymn  499  should  be  read  to  her. 
 After  the  sixth  verse  was  read — 
 
 "  Hallelujah,  they  cry,  To  the  King  of  the  sky, 
 To  the  great  everlasting  I  AM ; 
 To  the  Lamb  that  was  slain,  That  liveth  again. 
 Hallelujah  to  God  and  the  Lamb," 
 
 she  was  enraptured,  and  seemed  ready  to  mingle  with  the 
 celestial  throng  of  the  redeemed  before  the  throne,  whither  her 
 happy  spirit  soon  afterwards  fled,  saying,  "Jesus  is  precious." 
 
 A  miller  and  baker  in  a  country  village  has  many  temptations 
 to  Sabbath  breaking.      Many  such  are  urged  to  bake  on  the 
 
314  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  50I. 
 
 Sabbath  ;  but  in  the  case  of  Thomas  Pahner,  of  Eye,  Peter- 
 borough, the  temptation  was  invariably  resisted.  For  more 
 than  thirty  years  he  was  a  consistent  Methodist,  and  for  some 
 time,  a  useful  class-leader  and  circuit  steward.  In  his  last 
 illness  he  was  reduced  to  such  extreme  debility,  that  he  could 
 scarcely  speak  ;  but  just  previous  to  his  death,  on  20th  December, 
 1832,  at  the  age  of  fifty-seven,  to  the  surprise  of  his  friends,  he 
 sang  most  delightfully — 
 
 "A  day  without  night  We  feast  in  His  sight, 
 And  eternity  seems  as  a  day  ! " 
 
 He  continued  to  sing,  at  intervals,  some  of  his  favourite  hymns 
 till  within  an  hour  of  his  peaceful  departure  to  heaven. 
 
 Hymn  500*.— "All  praise  to  our  redeeming  Lord." — At  Meeting 
 of  Frie7ids.—i:\]^Y.^  Birstal,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  Hymns  for  those  that  seek  Redemp- 
 tion, 1747,  page  63.  It  was  added  after  Mr.  Wesle>''s  death. 
 This  hymn  is  a  great  favourite  in  class  meetings. 
 
 The  lengthened  widowhood  of  Mrs.  Isabella  Day,  of  Bere- 
 Heath,  Dorchester,  was  spent  in  helping  forward  the  work  of 
 God.  When  severely  afflicted,  yet  she  did  not  absent  herself 
 from  the  means  of  grace.  On  the  eve  of  her  last  day  on  earth, 
 the  usual  weekly  prayer  meeting  was  held  at  her  house,  when 
 she  prayed  with  great  energ>',  and,  at  its  close,  sung — 
 
 "  And  if  our  fellowship  below 
 In  Jesus  be  so  sweet, 
 What  heights  of  rapture  shall  we  know 
 When  round  His  throne  we  meet." 
 
 On  the  following  morning,  2nd  September,  1844,  her  happy 
 spirit  went  to  realise  those  raptures. 
 
 Hymn  501. — "Jesus,  great  Shepherd  of  the  sheep." — For 
 Believers. — Tune,  Wednesbur)',  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "  Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1749, 
 vol.  i..  No.  136.     The  seventh  verse  of  the  original  is  left  out. 
 
 Many  chapel-keepers  have  had  to  thank  God  for  enabling 
 them  to  realise  the  truth  of  the  Psalmist's  declaration,  that  it 
 is  better  to  be  a  door-keeper  in  the  house  of  God,  than  to  dwell 
 in  the  tents  of  wickedness.  Such  an  one  was  Samuel  Simpson, 
 of  Chapeltown,  Leeds.     He  had  been  a  useful  Methodist  from 
 
HYMN  501.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  315 
 
 the  age  of  twenty.  One  day,  whilst  at  work  in  one  of  the  stone- 
 quarries  near  Leeds,  both  his  legs  were  accidentally  broken, 
 and  from  the  first  all  hope  of  recovery  was  gone.  He  exultingly 
 endured  his  acute  sufferings,  saying,  "Jesus  is  mine,  and  I  am 
 His."  Among  his  last  words  to  his  friends,  who  visited  him  in 
 the  Infirmary,  were  these — 
 
 "  Together  let  us  sweetly  live. 
 Together  let  us  die, 
 And  each  a  starry  crown  receive, 
 And  reign  above  the  sky." 
 
 Shortly  afterwards — 6th  December,  1840,  aged  forty-seven  years 
 — his  released  spirit  escaped  to  heaven. 
 
 John  Ridgway  was  born  at  Hanley,  Staffordshire,  in  February, 
 1786,  and  he  died  at  Cauldon  Place,  in  that  town,  nearly  seventy- 
 five  years  afterwards — 3rd  December,  i860.  Bom  of  Methodist 
 parents,  he  early  gave  his  heart  to  God  and  became  useful  in 
 the  church.  Desiring  to  have  the  sacraments  from  their  own 
 preachers,  when  the  Conference  refused  the  request  of  the 
 people,  the  Hanley  Society  took  part  with  those  who  formed 
 the  Methodist  New  Connexion,  and  with  that  body  John 
 Ridgway  became  one  of  the  foremost  of  their  lay  preachers  and 
 officers.  During  a  long  life  of  great  usefulness,  religion  always 
 had  for  him  special  personal  claims.  He  assisted  in  securing 
 for  Hanley  municipal  privileges,  and  was  chosen  its  first  mayor, 
 but  the  promotion  of  the  work  of  God  was  with  him  a  life-long 
 delight.  Seeking  to  promote  the  spiritual  interest  of  the 
 Bethesda  Society,  he  presided  over  a  large  tea  and  public 
 meeting  on  3rd  December,  i860.  It  was  a  time  of  refreshing, 
 and  happiness  to  all,  and  Mr.  Ridgway  closed  the  meeting  by 
 giving  out,  and  himself  singing  most  heartily — 
 
 "  Together  let  us  sweetly  live, 
 Together  let  us  die, 
 And  each  a  starry  crown  receive, 
 And  reign  above  the  sky." 
 
 He  closed  the  meeting,  and  with  buoyant  step  walked  home. 
 He  sat  down  to  rest,  being  weary,  saying  to  his  servant  how 
 much  he  had  enjoyed  the  meeting.  She  retired  to  bring  in 
 supper,  and  on  her  return  in  a  few  minutes,  found  the  angel  of 
 death  had  been  there  and  conveyed  his  spirit  to  heaven  :  only 
 the  mortal  part  of  that  "Prince  in  Israel"  was  remaining. 
 
3l6  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  503. 
 
 Another  instance  of  the  value  of  Wesley's  Hymns,  almost  at 
 the  hour  of  death,  is  recorded  in  the  Wesleyan  Magazine  in 
 connection  with  the  sudden  death  of  Mr.  Charles  Copland,  of 
 Etruria.  The  writer  of  the  notice  alludes  to  the  last  service  for 
 social  worship  which  he  attended,  when  he  expressed  his  delight 
 that  eleven  new  members  were  added  to  the  Society,  and  having 
 received  his  own  ticket  of  membership,  part  of  Hymn  501  was 
 sung.     Mr.  Copland  set  the  tune,  and  sang  heartily  the  lines— 
 
 "  Together  let  us  sweetly  live, 
 Together  let  us  die, 
 And  each  a  starry  crown  receive, 
 And  reign  above  the  sky." 
 
 He  walked  home,  joining  in  religious  conversation  ;  on  arriving 
 at  his  residence,  he  became  suddenly  unconscious,  and  in  an 
 hour  he  passed  from  the  singing  of  hymns  on  earth  to  join  in 
 the  everlasting  song  above. 
 
 Hymn  502. — "Come,  Thou  omniscient  Son   of  Man." — ^^ For 
 any  who  think  they  have  already  attaified  {full  rede7nption)" 
 —Tune,  Fetter  Lane,  1761. 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1749, 
 
 vol.  ii..  No.  124.     Three  verses  of  the  original  are  left  out. 
 
 Hymn    503.— "Try  us,   O    God,   and  search    the  ground."— 
 A  Prayer  for  Persons  joined  in  Fellowship. — TUNE,  Brooks. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1742, 
 page  83.     The  original  is  a  long  hymn  in  four  parts,  of  which 
 
 this  is  the  first. 
 
 No  hymn  in  the  collection  has  been  more  frequently  used  in 
 social    worship.       Objectors    are    occasionally    found    to    the 
 
 couplet — 
 
 "  When  to  the  right  or  left  we  stray, 
 Leave  us  not  comfortless  " — 
 
 implying  that  even  out  of  the  narrow  path  that  leads  to  heaven 
 wanderers  might  hope  for  the  Holy  Spirit's  comforting  presence. 
 The  poet  rather  prays  that  prodigals  may  not  be  abandoned 
 when  in  the  broad  way  that  leads  to  destruction.  This  hymn 
 has  afforded  consolation  and  encouragement  to  followers  of 
 Jesus  in  various  conditions  of  experience.  In  the  Local 
 Preachers^  Magazine  for  1852,  there  is  an  account  of  the  last 
 
HYMN  503.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  317 
 
 days  of  George  Machin,  of  Stockport,  who,  in  early  life,  had 
 been  bandmaster  to  a  volunteer  corps.  When  he  became  a 
 Methodist  he  gave  up  his  military  pursuits.  His  last  illness 
 was  severe,  but  in  the  midst  of  suffering  he  would  point  to 
 heaven,  and  sing — 
 
 "There  all  the  shfp's  company  meet, 
 
 WTio  sailed  with  the  Saviour  beneath,"  &c. 
 
 On  the  Monday  he  raised  himself  up  in  bed,  and  gave  out  in  a 
 firm  voice  part  of  Hymn  503,  and,  joined  by  friends  who 
 surrounded  him,  sang  the  verse — 
 
 "  Then,  when  the  mighty  work  is  wrought, 
 Receive  Thy  ready  bride  ; 
 Give  us  in  heaven  a  happy  lot 
 With  all  the  sanctified." 
 
 The  last  two  lines  were  repeated  again  and  again,  the  dying 
 pilgrim  concluding  his  song  with  a  fervent  Amen.  The  next 
 day  he  exchanged  mortality  for  life. 
 
 As  far  back  as  1762,  John  Middleton,  of  Hartlepool,  saw  in 
 Methodism  that  which  led  him  to  leave  the  communion  of  the 
 Church  of  England  in  which  he  had  been  brought  up.  He 
 opened  his  house  for  preaching,  and  a  society  was  there  formed. 
 From  the  time  of  his  joining  the  Society,  he  maintained  a 
 uniform  cleaving  to  God  in  Christ  as  his  all  in  all;  and  a 
 peaceful  end  closed  a  holy  life.  During  his  last  illness  he 
 repeated  a  favourite  verse  which  he  had  often  sung  at  family 
 worship — 
 
 "  Then,  when  the  mighty  work  is  wrought, 
 Receive  Thy  ready  bride  ; 
 Give  us  in  heaven  a  happy  lot 
 With  all  the  sanctified." 
 
 In  this  state  of  peaceful  tranquillity  he  remained  till  he  died,  on 
 on  3rd  March,  1795,  aged  seventy-one  years. 
 
 In  the  year  1800,  a  young  man  named  John  Wilkinson  came 
 to  London  from  York,  and  being  a  Methodist,  went  to  the 
 Bookroom  to  buy  some  paper  on  which  to  write  to  his  mother. 
 Rev.  George  Whitfield,  the  book  steward,  invited  him  to  his  class, 
 which  met  at  City  Road  Chapel  every  Sunday  morning  at  six 
 o'clock.  He  continued  a  member  of  that  class  for  sixty  years  :. 
 one  of  the  other  members  was  the  late  Rev.   Dr.   Leifchild. 
 
3l8  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  507. 
 
 Soon  after  Mr.  Wilkinson  joined  the  Community,  and  in  this 
 self-denying  service  laboured  hard  and  long  to  benefit  the  sick 
 and  poor  in  destitute  localities.  He  loved  his  Bible,  was 
 attached  to  all  the  means  of  grace,  and  was  a  cheerful  happy 
 Christian.  He  commemorated  the  dying  love  of  the  Saviour  in 
 City  Road  Chapel  on  the  first  Sabbath  of  March,  1862;  and  on 
 the  last  Sabbath  of  that  month  he  was  drinking  the  wine  new 
 with  Christ  in  His  kingdom  above.  In  allusion  to  his  own 
 expected  removal,  during  his  last  few  days  he  often  sang — 
 
 "  Then,  when  the  mighty  work  is  wrought, 
 Receive  Thy  ready  bride  ; 
 Give  us  in  heaven  a  happy  lot 
 With  all  the  sanctified." 
 
 He  enjoyed  robust  health  for  nearly  eighty-seven  years;  and,  as 
 the  weary  wheels  of  life  were  standing  still,  he  faintly  whispered, 
 "  My  Saviour  !  my  Saviour  !" 
 
 Hymn  504. — "Jesus,  united  by  Thy  grace." — A  Prayer  for 
 Perso7is  joined  171  Fellowship. — Tune,  Aldrich,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  forming  the  fourth  part  of  a  long  hymn,  of 
 which  No.  503  is  the  first  part. 
 
 Hymn  505. — "  Unchangeable,  Almighty  Lord." — "  He  that 
 believeth  shall  fiot  make  haste" — TUNE,  Zoar,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1742, 
 page  173,  founded  on  Isaiah  xxxvii.  16.  The  original  is  in  four 
 parts,  of  which  this  forms  the  third,  and  Hymn  280  the  fourth 
 part.  The  soft  and  easy  flow  of  the  language  accords  admirably 
 with  the  gentle  spirit  which  pervades  the  sentiments  expressed. 
 
 Hymn  506. — "  Father  of  our  dying  Lord."— /^^r  the  Day  of 
 Petitecost. — Tune,  Amsterdam,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1742, 
 page  166,  founded  on  John  xiv.  16,  17. 
 
 Hymn  507. — "  Saviour  of  all,  to  Thee  we  bow." — "  U7ito  the 
 angel  of  the  Church  of  Laodicea"  &c. — TuNE,  Invitation, 
 1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "  Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1742, 
 page  300,  founded  on  Rev.  iii.  14,  &c.     The  original  is  a  long 
 
HYMN  510.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  319 
 
 hymn  in  three  parts  ;  this  forms  the  first  portion  of  the  third 
 part,  with  some  verses  omitted.  Hymn  454  is  part  of  the  same. 
 A  writer  in  the  Souther7i Methodist  Quarterly ^voii.  ii.  (American), 
 remarking  on  this  hymn,  says,  "  As  faith  is  a  receiving  and 
 appropriating,  not  a  bestowing  nor  imparting  grace,  there  have 
 been  objections  to  the  hne,  in  the  sixth  verse,  '  The  heavenly 
 manna  faith  imparts;'"  the  next  line  asserts:  "Faith  makes 
 thy  fulness  all  her  own." 
 
 Hymn  508.—"  God  of  love,  that  hear'st  the  prayer."— /^^r  those 
 that  have  found  Redemption. — TUNE,  Foundry,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "  Hymns  for  those  that  seek 
 Redemption,"  1747,  page  19.  Portions  of  four  of  the  verses 
 are  omitted. 
 
 Hymn  509. — "  Jesus,  Lord,  we  look  to  Thee." — For  a  Fainily. 
 —Tune,  Hotham,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1749, 
 vol.  i.,  No.  146. 
 
 Hymn  510. — "  Thou  God  of  truth  and  love." — For  Christian 
 Friends. — Tune,  Fonmon,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1749, 
 vol.  ii..  No.  203.  The  original  has  seven  verses,  the  last  of 
 which  is  omitted.  The  sixth  verse  commences  thus,  "  O  might 
 the  Spirit  seal,'' — "might  "is  changed  for  "may."  The  hymn 
 contains  a  graceful  expression  of  sympathy  and  unity  between 
 married  souls. 
 
 The  work  of  a  Methodist  preacher  was  never  what  a  worldly 
 man  would  envy,  and  up  to  the  close  of  the  last  century,  and  for 
 some  twenty  years  in  the  present  century,  a  Sabbath-day's  toil 
 for  an  earnest  preacher  would  have  been  a  "  weariness  of  the 
 flesh  "  indeed,  had  not  the  heart  been  engaged.  With  a  burning 
 love  for  souls,  Jabez  Bunting,  D.D.,  once  said,  "Many  attribute 
 their  conversion  to  their  having  attended  a  love-feast ;  I  owe 
 mine  to  having  been  shut  out  of  one."  Excluded  from  that 
 means  of  grace  by  the  firm  discipline  of  Mr.  Alexander  Mather, 
 he  went  home  to  pray ;  "  and  he  is  now  in  paradise,  praising 
 God  for  the  transactions  of  that  hour."  He  was  born,  13th 
 May,   1779,   ^"d  commenced   to   travel  in  1799.     In   1803  he 
 
320  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  5 1 3. 
 
 was  located  in  London,  where  he  was  stationed  when  he  was 
 married,  and  resided  near  Long  Lane,  Southwark. 
 
 An  eniry  in  his  journal  at  this  period  furnishes  an  illustration 
 of  the  use  of  this  hymn,  which  will  be  read  with  interest.  He 
 proceeds  as  follows  : — "  Sunday  evening,  nth  September  [1803]. 
 —At  half-past  ten  I  read  prayers  at  Snow's  Fields  Chapel,  in  the 
 Borough,  and  preached  from  i  John  i.  9.  I  begin  to  feel  a  little 
 more  at  home  in  the  pulpits  of  the  metropolis  and  its  vicinity, 
 than  I  did  when  I  first  came.  ...  At  three  o'clock  I  began 
 to  give  tickets  at  Rothcrhithe  ;  at  six  I  preached  there  from 
 Luke  XV.  2,  and  was  enabled,  as  Mr.  Wesley  used  to  phrase  it, 
 '  to  speak  some  strong,  rough  words.'  After  finishing  the  renewal 
 of  tickets,  I  walked  home.  Mr.  Joseph  Taylor  (superintendent) 
 came  a  little  after  me,  and  said  this  had  been  the  hardest  day's 
 work  he  had  performed  since  he  left  Cornwall,  many  years  ago. 
 We  tried  to  rouse  each  other  by  singing — 
 ***  O  may  Thy  Spirit  seal 
 
 Our  souls  unto  that  day, 
 With  all  Thy  fulness  fill. 
 
 And  then  transport  away  ! 
 Away  to  our  eternal  rest, 
 Away  to  our  Redeemer's  breast  !' — 
 but  we  had  not  strength  enough  to  finish  the  verse  ;  so  we  gave 
 it  up,  and  began  to  talk  about  Macclesfield," — from  which  place 
 he  bad  married  Miss  Maclardie  only  a  short  time  previously. 
 
 Hymn  5 1 1. —  "Forgive  us,  for  Thy  mercy's  sake." — For  a  Preacher 
 of  the  Gospel^Mose^  Wish. — TuNE,  Canterbury,  1761. 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1749, 
 vol.  i.,  No.  181,  the  first  verse  of  the  original  being  omitted. 
 Founded  on  Exodus  xxxiii.  12  to  xxxiv.  9. 
 
 Hymn  512. — "Centre  of  our  hopes  Thou  art." — For  Christian 
 Friejids. — TuNE,  Dedication,  1761. 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1749, 
 vol.  ii.,  No.  206,  the  first  verse  being  left  out. 
 
 Hymn  513.— "Jesus,  with  kindest  pity  see." — For  Christian 
 Friends. — TuNE,  Marienbourn,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "  Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1749, 
 vol.  ii.,  No.  199.  There  is  some  ambiguity  in  some  of  the 
 phraseology  used  by  the  poet  in  this  hymn. 
 
HYMN  523.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  3  21 
 
 Hymn  514. — "Father  at  Thy  footstool  see." — For  CJuistian 
 Friends.— Tvi^E,  Plymouth,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1749, 
 vol.  ii..  No.  194.  The  two  last  verses  of  the  original  are  left  out. 
 The  first  verse  is  an  address  to  God  the  Creator  ;  the  second  to 
 Jesus  the  Saviour  ;  the  third  to  the  Heavenly  Comforter ;  the 
 fourth  to  the  United  Trinity,  and  comprises  petitions  to  each 
 distinctly  and  appropriately.  It  is  also  remarkable  for  the 
 rhyme  being  between  first  and  second,  and  third  and  fourth 
 verses,  instead  of  between  alternate  lines. 
 
 Hymn  515.— "Father,  Son,  and  Spirit,  hear." 
 „       516. — "  Other  ground  can  no  man  lay." 
 „       517. — "Christ,  our  Head,  gone  up  on  high." 
 „       518. — "  Christ  from  whom  all  blessings  flow." 
 T/ie  Communwn  of  Sairits. — TUNES,  Love  Feast,  Salisbury,  and 
 Ascension,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  being  four  parts  of  a  long  hymn  from 
 "  Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1740,  page  188.  Portions  of  some 
 verses  of  the  original,  and  the  whole  of  others,  are  left  out. 
 When  the  Church  of  Christ  realises  in  its  members'  experience 
 the  conditions  which  are  stated  in  the  concluding  stanza,  we 
 shall  rejoice  in  the  blessings  of  millennial  glory. 
 
 Hymn  519. — "Come  and  let  us  sweetly  join." 
 „       520. — "  Come,  Thou  high  and  lofty  Lord  ! " 
 „       521. — "Let  us  join  ('tis  God  commands)." 
 „       522. — "  Partners  of  a  glorious  hope." 
 The  Love  Feast. — Tunes,  Love  Feast,  Cookham,  Foundry,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1740, 
 page  181.  This  hymn,  which  is  in  five  parts,  and  includes,  in 
 the  whole,  twenty-two  double  stanzas,  immediately  precedes,  in 
 the  original,  the  four  which  it  here  follows.  The  whole  of  the 
 fifth  part  is  omitted.  The  last  lines  of  this  hymn  were  inserted 
 by  Hogarth  on  one  of  his  caricatures. 
 
 Hymn  523.—"  O  Thou,  our  Husband,  Brother,  Friend." — Hy?nn 
 of  Intercession. — Tune,  Purcell,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "  Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1749, 
 vol.  ii.,  No.  62.     The  two  last  verses  of  the  original  are  left  out. 
 
322  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  526. 
 
 Hymn  524. — "  Our  friendship  sanctify  and  guide." — For 
 Christian  Friends. —TuiiV^y  113th  Psahn,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "  Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1749, 
 vol.  ii.,  No.  195,  commencing  with  the  second  verse  of  the 
 original.  This  hymn  was  specially  written  by  the  poet  for  him- 
 self and  his  brother,  which  will  at  once  account  for  the  personal 
 character  of  the  phraseology. 
 
 Hymn  525. — "  Jesu,  Thou  great  redeeming  Lord." — "  The  Grace 
 of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,''  &.c. — TuNE,  112th  Psalm,  1761. 
 
 Forms  the  last  of  Charles  Wesley's  "  Short  Scripture  Hymns," 
 vol.  ii.,  No.  807  ;  founded  on  the  benediction  in  Rev.  xxii.  21. 
 
 Hymn  526. — "Except  the  Lord  conduct  the  plan." — For  a 
 Family  of  Believers. — Tune,  Musicians,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "  Family  Hymns,"  page  37.  A  hymn 
 full  of  earnest  devotional  feeling. 
 
 It  has  been  used  on  tens  of  thousands  of  occasions,  in  asking 
 for  divine  guidance,  in  private,  social,  and  public  services, 
 especially  at  the  opening  of  all  deliberative  assemblies  for 
 promoting  the  spread  of  the  work  of  God. 
 
 In  the  early  part  of  his  life,  Richard  Harwood,  of  Darwen, 
 Blackburn,  entered  the  army,  and  whilst  abroad  was  afflicted  in 
 his  eyes,  and  ultimately  lost  his  sight.  For  thirty  years  after 
 leaving  the  army,  he  was  a  zealous  Methodist,  and  for  eighteen 
 years  a  class-leader.  He  was  remarkable  for  punctuality  and 
 early  attendance  at  the  class  and  prayer  meetings,  and  the 
 public  ministry  of  the  Word.  His  death  was  sudden.  He  had 
 been  at  the  six  o'clock  Sunday  morning  prayer  meeting,  and  at 
 nine  attended  to  open  the  Sunday  school  by  singing  and  prayer. 
 Having  given  out,  and  joined  in  singing  the  verse — 
 
 *'  Except  the  Lord  conduct  the  plan, 
 The  best-concerted  schemes  are  vain, 
 
 And  never  can  succeed  : 
 We  spend  our  wretched  strength  for  nought : 
 But  if  our  works  in  Thee  be  wrought. 
 
 They  shall  be  blest  indeed  ; " 
 
 immediately,  without  proceeding  to  the  second  verse,  without  a 
 groan,  "he  ceased  at  once  to  work  and  live."  He  died  i6th 
 January,  1842,  aged  sixty  years. 
 
HYMN  532.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  323 
 
 Hymn  527. — "  Come  Wisdom,  Power,  and  Grace  Divine." — For 
 a  Fa7Jiily  of  Believers. — Tune,  Snows  Fields,  1 761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "  Family  Hymns,"  page  39. 
 
 Hymn  528. — "O  Saviour,  cast  a  gracious  sm\\^P— For  a  Family 
 of  Believers.— Tu^i^Y.,  Chapel,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Family  Hymns,"  1757,  page  40. 
 
 Hymn  529. — "  Holy  Lamb,  who  Thee  confess." — For  a  Fa^nily 
 of  Believers. — TUNE,  Hotham,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Family  Hymns,"  17^,  page  41.    The 
 original  is  printed  in  four-line  stanzas. 
 
 Some  have  taken   objection  to  the  closing  couplet  of  the 
 
 hymn — 
 
 "  Till  we,  on  the  sacred  tree, 
 Bow  the  head,  and  die  like  Thee." 
 
 It  is  manifest  that  the  poet  did  not  mean  all  that  the  Romanist 
 might  affix  as  the  meaning  of  these  lines. 
 
 Hymn  530. — "  Come,  Thou  all-inspiring  Spirit." — For  a  Family 
 of  Believers. — TUNE,  Westminster,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Family  Hymns,"  1757,  page  42. 
 
 Hymn  531. — "Christ,  whose  glory  fills  the  skies." — A  Plant  of 
 Renown:  Ezek.  xxxiv.  29,  30. — TUNE,  Kingswood,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  being  No.  1267  of  "  Scripture  Hymns,"  1762, 
 vol.  i.,  based  on  Ezek.  xxxiv.  29,  30.  The  editor  of  Toplady's 
 Works  has,  in  error,  given  the  authorship  of  this  hymn  to  that 
 clergyman.  James  Montgomery  has  selected  the  first  verse  of 
 this  and  two  verses  of  Hymn  156  to  make  a  hymn  for  his 
 "  Christian  Psalmist." 
 
 Hymn  532. — "  Come,  let  us  use  the  grace  divine." — ^^  foift 
 ourselves  to  the  Lord  in  a  cove7iajit'^ — TUNE,  Brockmer, 
 1761. 
 
 This  forms  No.  1242  of  Charles  Wesley's  "Scripture  Hymns," 
 1762,  vol.  ii.,  and  is  based  on  Jeremiah  1.  5.  The  original  was 
 written  in  three  double  stanzas.     This  hymn  is  frequently  used, 
 
324  METHODIST  HVMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN   534. 
 
 both  in  England  and  America,  at  the  renewing  of  the  Covenant 
 by  the  Methodist  Societies.  The  appropriateness  of  the 
 language  and  sentiment  are  remarkable,  the  more  so  as  the 
 hymn  was  not  designed  for  any  such  service ;  although  the 
 words  of  the  prophet  indicate  such  a  dedication  :  "  Come  let  us 
 join  ourselves  to  the  Lord  in  a  perpetual  covenant,  that  shall 
 not  be  forgotten." 
 
 Hymn  533.—"  Lord,  we  Thy  will  obey."— ^/  A^r//;/^.— TUNE, 
 Trumpet,  1781. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1749, 
 vol.  ii.,  No.  209.  This  hymn  commences  the  fourth  section, 
 with  the  title,  "  For  the  Society,  at  Parting."  The  poet,  with 
 his  usual  skill,  has  wrested  from  infidels  a  sentipient  which 
 has  at  times  been  frequently  quoted  by  them  :  as  Christians, 
 Mr.  Wesley  writes — 
 
 "  We,  only  we,  can  say, 
 *  WTiatever  is,  is  best.'  " 
 
 Hymn  534.— "Blest  be  the  dear  uniting  love."— ^/  Parting  of 
 Christia7i  Friends. — TUNE,  Aldrich,  1761. 
 
 From  Charles  Wesley's  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1742, 
 page  159.  The  fifth  and  sixth  verses  of  the  original  are  left 
 out,  and  the  others  altered.  This  hymn  is  inserted  in  the 
 New  Congregational  Hymn  Book,  and  erroneously  ascribed  to 
 Cennick. 
 
 John  B.  Gough,  the  well-known  temperance  lecturer  and 
 orator,  has  recorded  an  incident  of  the  use  of  this  hymn  which 
 has  all  the  charm  of  his  popular  style  of  address.  In  his 
 Autobiography  he  thus  tells  the  story  of  his  leaving  home  as  a 
 boy  : — "  I  was  twelve  years  of  age,  and  my  father  being  unable 
 to  furnish  the  premium  necessary  to  my  learning  a  trade,  and 
 having  no  prospect  for  me  other  than  to  be  a  gentleman's 
 servant,  made  an  agreement  wdth  a  family  of  our  village,  who 
 were  about  emigrating  to  America,  that  they,  in  the  consideration 
 of  the  sum  of  ten  guineas  paid  by  him,  should  take  me  with 
 them,  teach  me  a  trade,  and  provide  for  me  until  I  was  twenty-one 
 years  of  age.  After  much  hesitation,  my  mother,  from  a  sense 
 of  duty,  yielded  to  this  arrangement.  I,  boy-like,  felt  in  high 
 glee  at  the  prospect  before  me.     My  little  arrangements  having 
 
HYMN  534.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  325 
 
 been  completed,  on  the  4th  of  June,  1839,  I  took,  as  I  then 
 supposed,  a  last  view  of  my  native  village.     The  evening  I  was 
 about  to  depart,  a  neighbour  invited  me  to  take  tea  at  her 
 house,  which  I  accepted.     My  mother  remarked  to  me  after- 
 wards, *  I  wish  you  had  taken  tea  with  your  mother,  John  ;' 
 and  this  little  circumstance  was  a  source  of  much  pain  to  me  in 
 after  years.     The  parting  from  my  beloved  parents  was  bitter. 
 My  poor  mother  folded  me  to  her  bosom ;  then  she  would  hold 
 me  off  at  arm's  length,  and  gaze  fondly  on  my  face,  through  her 
 tearful  eyes,  reading,  as   only  a  mother  could,   the  book  of 
 futurity  to  me.     She  hung  up,  on  the  accustomed  peg,  my  old 
 cap  and  jacket,  and  my  school  bag,  and  there  they  remained 
 until  years  after  she  quitted  the  house.     At  length  the  parting 
 words  were  spoken,  and   I   left  the  home  of  my  childhood, 
 perhaps  for  ever.     A  touching  scene  it  was,  as  I  went  through 
 the  village  toward  the  coach  office  that  evening.     As  I  passed 
 through  the  streets,  many  a  kind  hand  waved  a  farewell,  and  not 
 a  few  familiar  voices  sounded  out  a   hearty   'God  bless  you.' 
 On  the  loth  of  June,  everything  being  arranged,  we  sailed  from 
 the  Thames  in  the  ship  Helen.     Passing  Dover,  we  arrived  off 
 Sandgate,  when  it  fell  a  dead  calm,  and  the  ship's  anchors  were 
 dropped.     I  afforded  some  amusement  to  those  around  me  by 
 the  eagerness  with  which  I  seized  a  telescope,  and  the  positive- 
 ness  with  which  I  averred  that  I  saw  my  old  home.     During 
 that  day,  boat  after  boat  came  off  to  us  from  the  shore,  and 
 friends  of  the  family  I  was  with  paid  them  visits  ;  but  I  was 
 unnoticed ;  my  relatives  did  not  come.     After  long  and  weary 
 watching,   I  saw  a  man  standing  up  in  a  boat,  with  a  white 
 band    round    his  hat.      'That's   he !— That's    my  father!'    I 
 shouted.     He  soon  got  on  deck  and  almost  smothered  me  with 
 his  kisses — from  which  I  somewhat  shrank,  as  his  beard  made 
 very  decided  impressions  on  my  smooth  skin.     I  heard  that  my 
 mother  and  sister  had  gone  to  a  place  of  worship,  at  some 
 distance    from   Sandgate,   which    I    regretted    much.       When 
 evening  came  on,  our  visitors  from  the  shore  repaired  to  their 
 boats,  which,  when  a  few  yards  from  the  ship,  formed  in  a  half 
 circle.     Our  friends  stood  up  in  them,  and  o'er  the  calm  waters 
 floated  our  blended  voices,  as  we  sang — 
 
 **  'Blest  be  the  dear  uniting  love, 
 "Which  will  not  let  us  part ; 
 Our  bodies  may  far  hence  remove — 
 We  still  are  one  in  heart.' 
 
326  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  537. 
 
 "Boat  after  boat  then  vanished  in  the  gloomy  distance,  and  I 
 went  to  bed.  About  midnight  I  heard  my  name  called,  and 
 going  on  deck  I  there  found  my  beloved  mother  and  sister,  who, 
 hearing  on  their  return  that  I  was  in  the  offing,  had  paid  half-a- 
 guinea  (money  hardly  earned  and  with  difficulty  procured,  yet 
 cheerfully  expended)  to  a  boatman  to  row  them  to  the  ship. 
 They  spent  an  hour  with  me  (and  oh,  how  short  it  seemed  I ) 
 then  departed  with  many  tears." 
 
 Hymn  535.— "And  let  our  bodies  part."— ^/ /*ar////^.— Tune, 
 Lampe's,  1746. 
 
 From  Charles  Wesley's  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1749, 
 vol.  ii..  No.  233.  The  original  is  in  two  parts,  the  second  of 
 which  is  entirely  omitted.  When  the  Rev.  Robert  Newton  was 
 last  leaving  New  York  to  return  home,  his  American  friends, 
 standing  on  a  separate  steamer  alongside,  joined  very  heartily 
 in  singing  this  hymn.    (See  "  Life  of  Rev.  R.  Newton,"  page  222.) 
 
 Hymn  536. — "Jesus,  accept  the  praise." — At  the  Pafting of 
 Friends. — Tune,  Trumpet,  1781. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  forming  No.  48  of  "Redemption  Hymns," 
 1747.  There  are  some  sublime  thoughts  in  this  hymn  ;  the 
 sixth  verse  is  especially  worthy  of  notice. 
 
 Hymn  537.— "God  of  all  consolatioif,  take."— ^/  Parting  of 
 Friends. — TUNE,  Liverpool,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  forming  part  of  a  paraphrase  of  Revelation 
 vii.  9,  in  "  Hymns  on  Redemption,"  1747,  page  68.  The  original 
 is  printed  in  double  stanzas  ;  part  of  the  first  and  second  is 
 omitted,  and  the  sixth  was  left  out  in  1875. 
 
 It  was  the  privilege  of  John  C.  Clendinnen,  formerly  a  preacher 
 in  the  Irish  Conference,  to  be  brought  to  a  knowledge  of  the 
 truth  through  the  ministrat'.ons  of  the  early  Methodist  preachers, 
 and  whilst  a  youth  he  heard  a  sermon  by  the  venerable  John 
 Wesley,  who,  according  to  his  custom,  laid  his  hands  on  his 
 head,  and  invoked  a  blessing  on  him.  In  1796  he  commenced 
 his  itinerant  labours,  and  suffered  much  from  persecution  during 
 the  Irish  rebellion.  During  these  troublesome  times,  whilst 
 holding  a  love-feast,  he  was  sent  to  prison,  and  on  his  way 
 thither  reproved  the  officer  in  command  for  profane  swearing, 
 
HYMN  537.  METHODIST  HYIVIN  BOOK  NOTES.  327 
 
 an  act  which  converted  an  enemy  into  a  friend.  During  a 
 pilgrimage  over  the  greater  part  of  Ireland,  extending  to  more 
 than  fourscore  years,  he  delighted  in  reading  the  Bible  and 
 Wesley's  hymns.     His  wife,  shortly  before  he  died,  quoting — 
 
 "  Our  souls  are  in  His  mighty  hand, 
 And  He  shall  keep  them  still," 
 
 he  took  up  with  much  energy  and  joy  the  remainder  of  the 
 
 verse — 
 
 "  And  you  and  I  shall  surely  stand, 
 With  Him  on  Zion's  hill ;" 
 
 adding  "  Sing  it  !  sing  it !  "  Shortly  afterwards  he  tried  to  say, 
 "  Hallelujah,"  but  the  unfinished  word  died  on  his  lips  as  he 
 escaped  to  Paradise,  6th  February,  1855,  aged  eighty-three. 
 
 Job  Hansford  was  born  in  Dorset,  in  1805.  He  settled  in 
 Guernsey  in  1829,  and  was  one  of  the  early  converts  at  the 
 re-establishment  of  Methodism.  He  began  the  first  Sunday 
 school,  was  its  superintendent,  and  saw  a  new  Methodist  chapel 
 built  and  opened  free  from  debt.  He  was  a  useful  class-leader. 
 In  his  last  illness  he  was  constantly  praising  God  and  praying 
 for  the  Church.  Some  of  his  dying  expressions  were  the 
 following  : — 
 
 "  I  love  the  Sabbath  school — my  heart  is  with  you."  "  I  have 
 no  troubles,  no  cares  ;  I  have  left  them  all,  and  now  steer  straight 
 for  glory.  O,  what  a  meeting,  when  I  shall  see  mother  and  the 
 dear  girls ;  precious,  precious  Jesus,  come  !  Thy  servant 
 calleth  for  Thee ;  victory,  victory,  through  the  blood  of  the 
 Lamb  ! "     Feeling  his  end  approaching,  he  said — 
 
 "  My  Jesus  to  know,  and  to  feel  His  blood  flow, 
 'Tis  life  everlasting,  'tis  heaven  below." 
 
 He  often  repeated  the  words — 
 
 '*  O,  what  a  glorious  company, 
 When  saints  and  angels  join  ! " 
 
 At  last,  though  deprived  of  the  power  of  speech,  his  lips  moved, 
 as  if  engaged  in  prayer,  and  he  wished  to  say,  "  Everlasting 
 life — glory  to  God."  And  so  he  passed  away,  in  1874,  having 
 glorified  Christ  in  life  and  in  death. 
 
 Stephen  Drew,  a  Christian  and  a  magistrate  in  Jamaica,  was 
 a  firm  friend  of  the  missionaries.  When  a  riotous  assault  was 
 made  on  the  house  of  Mr.  Radcliffe  at  St.  Ann's,  he  went  out  to 
 
328  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  537. 
 
 defend  the  missionaiy.  By  exposure  in  the  rain  he  took  cold, 
 followed  by  fever,  which  in  four  days  terminated  his  useful  life. 
 When  near  the  end,  he  called  in  his  wife  and  pious  negroes,  to 
 whom  he  spoke  lovingly.     He  then  gave  out,  and  they  sang — 
 
 "  Our  souls  are  in  I  lis  mighty  hand, 
 And  He  shall  keep  them  still. 
 And  you  and  I  shall  surely  stand, 
 \Vith  Him  on  Zion's  hill  ; 
 
 '*  O  what  a  joyful  meeting  there  ! 
 In  robes  of  white  arrayed, 
 Palms  in  our  hands  we  all  shall  bear, 
 And  crowns  upon  our  head." 
 
 Leaving  his  wife,  with  nine  children,  he  said,  "Lavinia,  have 
 faith  in  God,"  and  soon  after  the  spirit  fled  to  rest. 
 
 In  the  morning  of  her  days,  Elizabeth  Jackson,  wife  of  the 
 Rev.  Robert  Jackson,  received  the  evidence  of  her  acceptance 
 with  God,  and  through  much  painful  suffering  she  held  fast  her 
 confidence  to  the  end  of  her  life.  During  her  later  years 
 she  made  the  Bible  and  Wesley's  Hymns  her  constant  com- 
 panions ;  and  when  eternity  was  in  full  view  she  said  of  her 
 troubles,  "  The  Lord  hath  gently  cleared  my  way  :  I  can  still 
 praise  Him  ;  I  shall  find  it  all  right  soon — 
 
 "  '  Him  eye  to  eye  we  there  shall  see, 
 Our  face  like  His  shall  shine ; 
 O  what  a  glorious  company, 
 When  saints  and  angels  join  ! '  " 
 
 Half-an-hour  before  her  mortal  sickness  she  was  working  for  a 
 missionary  basket,  and  remarked,  as  she  laid  her  work  down, 
 "  I  love  the  mission  cause."  In  peaceful  serenity  she  entered 
 her  "Father's  house  on  high,"  3rd  January,  1861,  aged  sixty-one. 
 The  parents  of  Mary  Worth,  mother  of  the  Rev.  W.  Worth, 
 were  amongst  the  first  Methodist  converts  in  Tiverton.  When 
 Mr.  Wesley  first  formed  the  Society  there,  he  invited  all  who  felt 
 a  desire  to  "  flee  from  the  wrath  to  come  "  to  meet  him  at  his 
 lodgings  after  preaching.  Amongst  those  who  went  were  John 
 and  Sarah  Tipper.  They  went  in  different  parties  ;  neither 
 knew  what  the  other  had  done  till  they  met  at  home.  "  I  have 
 joined  the  Society,"  said  one  ;  "  So  have  I,"  said  the  other ;  and 
 they  were  both  faithful  till  death.  Mar>',  their  eldest  daughter, 
 received  the  evidence  of  pardon  whilst  communing  at  the  Lord's 
 
HYMN  357.         METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  329 
 
 Supper,  in  her  twenty-third  year.  She  suffered  much  during 
 Hfe,  but  endured  with  patience  the  Lord's  will.  When  death 
 was  at  hand,  she  said,  "The  Lord  does  comfort  and  support 
 me  ;  He  is  my  portion  for  ever."  On  another  occasion  she  said, 
 "  Sing  glory,  glory  !  "  Speaking  of  heaven,  clapping  her  hands, 
 and  looking  upward,  she  added — 
 
 "  *  Palms  in  our  hands  we  all  shall  bear, 
 And  crowns  upon  our  head. ' 
 
 The  Lord  is  my  portion."  Within  a  few  minutes  of  her  death 
 she  repeated — 
 
 "  To  patient  faith  the  prize  is  sure, 
 And  all  that  to  the  end  endure 
 The  cross,  shall  wear  the  crown," 
 
 and  in  that  peaceful  frame  passed  into  the  skies,  28th  November, 
 1 818,  aged  seventy-six  years. 
 
 It  was  under  the  ministry  of  the  Rev.  Walter  Griffith,  in 
 London,  that  Mrs.  Bywater,  of  Temple-Newsam,  was  convinced 
 of  sin,  and  led  to  give  her  heart  to  the  Lord.  Henceforth  the 
 desire  of  her  life  was  to  bring  others  to  Jesus.  She  watched  for 
 souls ;  she  wept  for  souls  ;  she  agonised  in  prayer  for  souls  ; 
 and  in  her  sphere  she  laboured  for  souls  ;  and  God  crowned  her 
 efforts  by  using  her  in  plucking  "brands  from  the  burning." 
 She  had  a  seventy  years'  pilgrimage  on  earth  without  much  sick- 
 ness ;  her  last  illness  was  short ;  the  feebleness  of  age  crept 
 upon  her,  and  when  near  the  end  of  life's  journey  she  found 
 comfort  by  her  friends  reading  to  her  verses  of  Charles  Wesley's 
 hymns.  When  her  friend  had  ceased,  on  the  last  occasion,  she 
 herself  gave  out,  with  all  the  emphasis  she  could — 
 "  Then  let  us  lawfully  contend, 
 
 And  fight  our  passage  through  ; 
 Bear  in  our  faithful  minds  the  end, 
 
 And  keep  the  prize  in  view." 
 
 In  this  happy  state  she  continued  a  short  time,  when  she  entered 
 into  rest,  22nd  July,  1837,  aged  seventy  years. 
 
 Michael  Ward,  of  Greenhays,  Manchester,  was  converted  to 
 God  in  his  youth,  and  throughout  life  he  faltered  not  in  his 
 fidelity  to  the  truth  and  in  his  attachment  to  the  cause  of  God. 
 He  loved  the  sanctuary,  and  took  special  delight  in  the  services. 
 The  last  three  times  he  met  his  class  he  gave  out  the  verse — 
 
 ♦•  Then  let  us  hasten  to  the  day 
 
 When  all  shall  be  brought  home  ! 
 
330  METHODIST  HYMN  HOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  539. 
 
 Come,  O  Redeemer  !  come  away, 
 O  Jesus,  quickly  come  !  " 
 
 A  few  hours  before  his  sudden  death,  he  solemnly  commended 
 his  wife  and  family  to  the  care  of  his  heavenly  Father,  and  was 
 hurriedly  caught  up  to  his  rest,  ist  December,  1840,  aged  forty- 
 seven  years. 
 
 Hymn  538. — "Jesus,  soft,  harmonious  n2imt''— At  parting  of 
 Christiim  FricTids.—Tu'iiY.^  Hotham,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1749, 
 vol.  ii.,  No.  243.  The  musical  allusions  in  the  hymn  indicate 
 how  strong  was  the  musical  as  well  as  the  poetic  faculty  in  the 
 author. 
 
 Hymn  539.—"  Lift  up  your  hearts  to  things  above." — At  parting 
 0/  Christia7i  Friends.— Tvn-E^  Wednesbury,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1749, 
 vol.  ii.,  page  331,  No.  244.  The  original  is  in  twelve  four-line 
 stanzas,  the  third  and  eighth  being  omitted,  and  the  ninth  and 
 tenth  transposed.     It  is  now  printed  in  single  stanzas. 
 
 This  hymn  forms  the  last  in  the  collection  as  it  was  published 
 by  John  Wesley  in  1780,  and  it  is  there  No.  525.  Other 
 Methodist  bodies  which  have  adopted  these  hymns  have  added 
 to  this  portion  a  short  hymn  commencing — "  Lord,  dismiss  us 
 with  Thy  blessing."  There  are  two  dismission  hymns  which 
 thus  commence ;  both  are  now  added  to  the  new  Supplement. 
 
Cfte  30eto  Supplements 
 
 T  T  is  now  more  than  a  century  since  John  Wesley  published 
 the  Collection  of  Hymns  which  has  been  in  use  by  the 
 United  Societies  all  the  world  over.  It  was  prepared  by  the 
 founder  of  Methodism  during  the  year  1779,  the  preface  being 
 dated  20th  October  of  that  year,  although  the  date  1780  is  on  the 
 title-page.  Into  the  changes  which  the  book  underwent  by 
 order  of  the  Conference  after  Mr.  Wesley's  death  it  is  not  pro- 
 posed now  to  enter.  Before  the  end  of  last  century  the  book 
 was  restored  to  the  form  in  which  the  second  edition  was  issued, 
 which  included  Mr.  Wesley's  corrections  of  the  first  edition. 
 
 Many  pirated  editions  of  the  book  were  issued  during  the 
 earlier  years  of  the  present  century,  chiefly  from  Derby  and 
 Nottingham,  and  they  continued  to  be  sold  for  more  than  thirty 
 years.  The  original  book  was,  however,  sold  at  the  Book  Room, 
 with  occasional  alterations  by  various  editors  ;  and  now  that  a 
 greater  variety  of  hymns  is  deemed  to  be  desirable  for  the  use 
 of  the  "  United  Societies,"  it  has  been  determined  to  retain  the 
 old  book,  up  to  Hymn  539,  nearly  as  Mr.  Wesley  issued  it. 
 About  a  dozen  of  the  hymns  which  formed  part  of  the  book  the 
 Committee  of  Revision  has  excluded.  They  were  written  by 
 Charles  Wesley,  but  were  seldom— some  of  them,  perhaps,  never 
 — used.  Their  omission  will  not  be  felt  to  be  a  great  loss.  One 
 or  two  of  them  may  have  had  admirers,  but  they  can  be  well 
 spared,  seeing  that  their  places  are  so  admirably  supplied  by 
 other  compositions  by  the  same  author,  which  are  likely  to  be 
 much  more  useful  and  popular.  The  only  exception  in  the 
 authorship  is  the  first  of  the  omitted  hymns  ;  No.  24  has  its 
 place  supplied  by  one  of  George  Herbert's,  which  is  the  only 
 composition  in  the  new  book  by  that  author.  In  the  entire  book 
 there  are  hymns  by  about  one  hundred  and  ten  authors,  and  of 
 this  number  George  Herbert  is  the  only  one  who  has  no  hymn 
 in  the  Supplement.  In  the  earliest  Hymn  Books  published  by 
 the  Wesley's,  1738,  1739,  ^^'^  I740j  the  hymns  of  George  Herbert 
 occupy  a  prominent  place,  and  are  numerous. 
 
 35^ 
 
;^^2  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES. 
 
 Only  few  persons  take  the  trouble  to  read  the  preface  to  a  book, 
 yet  there  are  facts  stated  in  the  preface  by  the  Committee  of 
 Revision  which  it  is  important  and  interesting  to  record  in  a 
 work  like  the  present.  The  following  contains  all,  excepting  the 
 opening  and  closing  paragraphs,  and  the  reader  will  be  wiser  for 
 the  careful  perusal. 
 
 "The  'Collection'  of  1780  has  been  circulated  by  millions, 
 and  has  been  recognised  as  a  priceless  treasure,  not  only  by 
 Methodists,  but  by  many  other  disciples  of  the  One  Master. 
 As  a  testimony  to  Scripture  doctrine  and  Christian  experience, 
 as  a  monument  of  piety,  a  manual  of  devotion,  and  a  bond  of  ' 
 fellowship,  it  can  never  cease  to  be  precious  to  all  who  cherish 
 the  spirit  of  its  authors,  and  wish  well  to  that  revival  of  religion 
 of  which  they  were  the  instruments  ;  while,  in  instances  almost 
 innumerable,  personal  associations  have  invested  portions  of  its 
 contents  with  tender,  and  even  sacred  interest. 
 
 "The  Conference  therefore  determined  that  it  should  be 
 retained  in  use,  and,  while  generally  revised,  should  undergo  no 
 alteration  which  would  affect  its  substance  or  impair  its  identity. 
 But  as  altered  circumstances,  often  resulting  from  the  growth  of 
 the  Connexion,  and  occasions  repeatedly  arising  in  public,  social, 
 and  domestic  life  have  rendered  additional  hymns  necessary,  an 
 attempt  has  been  made  to  meet  the  want  which  has  been  long 
 felt,  and  which  was  by  no  means  adequately  provided  for  by  the 
 valuable  Supplement  published  about  forty-five  years  since. 
 
 "  In  this  compilation  the  necessities  of  public  worship  have 
 been  first  considered  ;  and  it  is  hoped  that  an  ample  supply  of 
 compositions  suitable  for  mixed  congregations  is  here  furnished. 
 In  addition  to  hymns  of  adoration  and  thanksgiving,  there  will 
 be  found  seventy  versions  of  Psalms,  or  parts  of  Psalms  (besides 
 those  contained  in  the  former  Supplement)  by  means  of  which 
 that  portion  of  Holy  Scripture,  which  has  supplied  so  large  a 
 share  of  the  devotional  exercises  of  Christians  generally,  will 
 become  more  fully  available  for  the  use  of  Methodists  than  it 
 has  been  for  a  long  time  past.  Many  poems  of  Charles  Wesley 
 also,  which  up  to  a  late  period  only  e-xisted  in  manuscript,  are 
 now  for  the  first  time  presented  for  congregational  use  ;  and  by 
 the  force  and  sublimity  of  thought,  the  depth  and  tenderness  of 
 feeling,  and  the  spirit  of  fervent  piety  displayed  in  them,  will 
 fully  vindicate  the  judgment  of  John  Wesley  respecting  his 
 brother's  poetical  remains.  Well  does  it  become  all  the  lovers 
 of  Scriptural  Christianity,  but  especially  the  Methodists,  to  be 
 
METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  335 
 
 thankful  to  the  Author  of  every  good  gift  for  the  endowments 
 and  labours  of  Charles  Wesley,  which  were  so  long  and  faithfully 
 consecrated  to  the  promotion  of  vital  and  experimental  religion, 
 and  by  which  that  'power  of  godliness'  which  it  is  the  mission  of 
 Methodism  to  spread,  has  been  alike  exemplified  and  vindicated. 
 The  full  extent  to  which  these  labours  have  been  rendered 
 serviceable  to  the  cause  of  Christ  can  only  be  known  in  the  day 
 when  all  secret  things  shall  be  revealed. 
 
 "  The  Spirit  of  its  living  Head  having  never  departed  from  the 
 Church,  it  follows  that  those  in  all  ages  who  by  the  Holy  Ghost 
 have  called  Jesus  Lord  should  have  been  occupied  with  attempts 
 to  set  forth  His  praise.  As  in  the  old  time  they  still  'prophesy 
 and  do  not  cease,'  so  that  our  age  is  richer  in  good  hymns  than 
 any  that  have  gone  before  it.  The  Committee  have  been  glad 
 to  avail  themselves  of  the  labours  of  both  contemporaries  and 
 predecessors,  and  accordingly  the  present  volume  is  enriched 
 by  a  selection  from  the  works  of  modern  hymnologists  as  well 
 as  from  the  accumulated  treasures  of  the  past.  The  names  of 
 authors  as  presented  in  the  '  Index  of  First  Lines,'  will  help  to 
 exemplify  the  substantial  unity  existing  between  all  believers  in 
 Christ,  notwithstanding  the  many  causes  which  at  present  hinder 
 its  full  manifestation  to  the  world. 
 
 "It  may  be  proper  to' add  that  the  Committee,  while  mainly 
 desirous  to  provide  by  this  Supplement  for  the  wants  of  congre- 
 gations, have  not  restricted  themselves  to  that  object.  The 
 people  called  Methodists  were  supposed  by  their  founder  to 
 have  many  uses  for  good  hymns  besides  singing  them  in  public 
 assemblies ;  and  he  selected  for  them  accordingly.  Here  also 
 will  be  found  some  adapted  to  personal  and  private,  rather  than 
 to  collective  worship,  or  to  praising  the  Lord  '  secretly  among 
 the  faithful,'  rather  than  '  in  the  congregation  ; '  but  none,  it  is 
 hoped,  which  will  not  minister  'to  exhortation,  edification,  or 
 comfort ;'  and  for  these  objects  they  humbly  invoke  the  blessing 
 of  God  upon  their  work." 
 
 Every  hymn  has  been  revised,  and  alterations  more  or  less 
 important  have  been  made  in  about  fifty  of  them  by  the  omission 
 of  faulty  verses  and  the  addition  of  others  from  the  same  author, 
 and  generally  from  the  original  of  the  same  hymn.  In  some 
 cases  the  hymn  has  been  rearranged  in  form ;  the  titles  have 
 been  corrected  or  new  ones  added.  Undoubtedly  the  changes 
 have  greatly  improved  the  book,  and  the  labour  thus  bestowed 
 on  the  revision  is  worthy  of  proper  acknowledgment. 
 
334  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES. 
 
 Twenty-nine  of  the  hymns  which  were  in  the  Supplement  are 
 removed,  a  few  of  which  were  favourites  with  some  persons, 
 and  will  by  them  be  missed.  The  following  are  the  omitted 
 hymns,  with  the  authors'  names  : — 
 
 542  Lord  and  God  of  heavenly  powers. — C.  Wesley. 
 
 550  Come,  Holy  Ghost. —C.  W. 
 
 552  Jesus  drinks  the  bitter  cup. — C.  W. 
 
 558  Come,  Lord,  from  above. — C.  W. 
 
 577  Great  God,  attend  while  Zion  sings. — Watts. 
 
 583  Again  our  weekly  labours  end,  &c. — Stennett. 
 
 593  The  Lord,  how  wondrous  are  His  ways. — Watts. 
 
 603  Celebrate  Immanuel's  name. — C.  W. 
 
 604  Sing  all  in  heaven  at  Jesus'  birth. — C,  W. 
 
 612  Behold  the  blind  their  sight  receive. — Watt. 
 
 613  From  whence  those  dire  portents  around. — S.  Wesley,  jun. 
 631  Sons  of  God  triumphant  rise. — C.  W. 
 
 634  What  equal  honours  shall  we  bring. — Watts. 
 
 644  Coming  through  our  Great  High  Priest. — C.  W. 
 
 653  Come,  Holy  Spirit,  raise  our  songs. — R.  C.  Brackenbury. 
 
 668  Long  have  I  waited  Lord. — C.  W. 
 
 676  Blest  are  the  humble  souls  that  see. — Watts. 
 
 680  Happy  the  heart  where  graces  reign.  — Watts. 
 
 684  God  of  Daniel  hear  my  prayer. — C.  W. 
 
 687  O  that  now  the  church  were  blest. — C.  W. 
 
 688  Blessed  are  the  pure  in  heart. — C.  W. 
 
 705  The  Law  and  Prophets  all  foretold.— C,  W. 
 
 715  Jesus,  was  ever  love  like  Thine? — C.  W. 
 
 716  Hear  what  the  voice  from  heaven  proclaims. — Watts. 
 719  May  not  a  creating  God. —  C.  W. 
 
 724  Hosanna  to  God.— C.  W. 
 740  God  of  eternal  truth  and  love. — C.  W. 
 752  From  Jesu's  sacrifice. — C.  W. 
 754  Prostrate,  with  eyes  of  faith  I  see. — C.  W. 
 The  hymns  in  the  Supplement  are  arranged  under  nine  heads, 
 as  follows  : — 
 
 1  Select  Psalms. 
 
 2  Hymns  of  Adoration. 
 
 3  The  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  &c. 
 
 4  The  Holy  Spirit. 
 
 5  Penitential  Hymns. 
 
 6  The  Experience  and  Privilege  of  Believers. 
 
 7  Christian  Ordinances  and  Institutions. 
 
 8  Death  and  the  Future  Life. 
 
 9  Various  Seasons  and  Occasions. 
 
HYMN  540.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  335 
 
 Hymn  540. — "  How  blest  is  he  who  ne'er  consents." —  Version 
 of  Psalm  i. 
 
 The  honour  of  supplying  the  first  hymn  in  the  new  Supplement 
 is  conferred  on  Tate  and  Brady,  to  whom  the  Church  of  England 
 is  indebted  for  what  is  known  as  "  The  New  Version  of  the 
 Psalms  of  David,"  in  contradistinction  to  the  Old  Version  by 
 Sternhold  and  Hopkins,  which  preceded  it.  It  is  a  curious 
 circumstance  that  there  should  have  been  a  partnership  of 
 authors  in  preparing  both  the  Old  and  the  New  Versions  of  the 
 Psalms,  and  also  a  partnership  of  a  more  limited  character  in 
 the  two  brothers,  John  and  Charles  Wesley,  so  far  as  some  of 
 their  poetical  works  are  concerned,  but  very  little,  if  any,  in 
 the  contents  of  the  Methodist  Hymn  Book.  It  is  difficult  to 
 determine  the  parts  respectively  taken  by  Tate  and  Brady  ;  but 
 the  prevailing  opinion  is  that  Tate  was  the  poet,  and  the  chief 
 portion  of  the  versification  of  the  Psalms  was  done  by  him, 
 Brady  acting  as  the  corrector. 
 
 Nahum  Tate  was  born  in  Dublin  in  1652,  and  he  was  educated 
 in  that  city.  He  afterwards  came  to  England,  and  like  many 
 men  of  genius  of  that  day,  required  a  wealthy  patron  to  help 
 him  through  his  various  financial  difficulties,  although  he  was 
 Poet  Laureate  to  King  William  III.,  and  lived  long  enough  to 
 write  the  first  birthday  ode  for  George  I.  He  wrote  dramas 
 and  poems  in  abundance  ;  but  they  have  passed  out  of  use  and 
 memory^,  and  the  Version  of  the  Psalms  is  his  only  memorial. 
 He  had  a  position  of  emolument  at  the  Mint,  London,  where  he 
 died  in  the  year,  17 15,  aged  sixty-three  years. 
 
 Nicholas  Brady  was  born  at  Brandon,  Ireland,  28th  October, 
 1659.  His  father  was  a  major  in  the  army  of  Charles  I. 
 Nicholas  was  educated  at  Westminster  School,  and  at  Christ 
 Church,  Oxford ;  and  took  his  degree  of  D.D.  at  the  Dublin 
 University.  Preferments  in  the  Church  were  crowded  upon 
 him.  He  had  several  cures  in  London ;  then  at  Richmond, 
 Surrey ;  then  Stratford-on-Avon  ;  also  the  living  of  Clapham, 
 besides  being  chaplain  to  two  regimental  troops  in  the  army. 
 He  had  a  love  for  poetry  from  boyhood,  and  nature  was  to  him 
 an  attractive  and  impressive  teacher.  How  far  the  quiet  and 
 lovely  retreats  of  Richmond  and  Stratford,  two  centuries  ago, 
 contributed  to  his  more  cultivated  taste  must  be  matter  of 
 conjecture.  It  is  to  his  genial  pen,  doubtless,  we  owe  the  finish 
 which  gives  pre-eminence  to  the  new  version  of  the  first  Psalm. 
 
336  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  542. 
 
 Many  Methodists  would  have  much  preferred  Charles  Wesley's 
 graceful  rendering  of  the  same  Psalm  ;  but  the  choice  is  made. 
 Nicholas  Brady  died  in  1726,  aged  sixty-seven  years. 
 
 There  are  six  of  their  psalm-paraphrases  in  the  Supplement 
 — the  1st,  34th,  42nd,  67th,  93rd,  and  io6th  ;  but  some  of  these 
 are  rendered  as  well,  if  not  better,  by  Charles  Wesley. 
 Methodists  must,  from  old  associations,  show  some  preference 
 occasionally  to  Churchmen  and  their  productions. 
 
 Hymn  541.— "How  are  the  Gentiles  all  on  fire  !" — I'crsion  of 
 Psalm  ii. 
 
 This  has  a  thorough  Protestant  and  Puritan  ring  about  it, 
 and  was  written  by  George  Sandys,  the  Oriental  traveller,  and 
 first  published  by  him  in  the  year  1636.  He  was  a  son  of  Dr. 
 Sandys,  the  Archbishop  of  York  ;  was  born  at  Bishopsthorpe 
 in  1577,  and  was  educated  at  Oxford.  He  travelled  through 
 Greece,  Egypt,  and  the  Holy  Land,  when  such  journeys  were 
 very  tedious  and  costly.  His  mind  caught  an  Oriental  inspira- 
 tion, which  gave  him  special  taste  in  rendering  the  Psalms. 
 That  work  he  undertook  later  in  life  ;  and  in  1636  he  published 
 "  Paraphrases  of  the  Psalms  of  David,  and  the  Hymns  dispersed 
 through  the  Old  and  New  Testament."  A  copy  of  that  work  is 
 said  to  have  been  the  constant  companion  of  Charles  I.  whilst 
 confined  at  Carisbrooke.  He  also  published  a  poetical  version 
 of  the  Song  of  Solomon.  After  residing  for  some  years  in 
 Virginia,  America,  he  returned  to  England,  and  died  at  Bexley 
 Abbey,  Kent,  in  March,  1643.  He  had  a  power  of  harmonious 
 expression,  and  of  producing  striking  couplets.  Hymns  598, 
 627,  and  639  are  by  the  same  author. 
 
 Hymn  542. — "  Lord,  Thou  art  a  shield  for  mtr—Vcrsio7i  of 
 Psalm  iii. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,   from   "Poetical  Version,"*  and  also  in 
 
 *  The  reader  will  be  glad  to  learn  what  is  meant  by  the  term  "  Poetical 
 Version."  During  many  years,  both  John  and  Charles  Wesley  were 
 on  terms  of  personal  intimacy  and  friendship  with  Lady  Selina  Hunting- 
 don. As  a  mark  of  personal  regard— Charles  Wesley  having  written 
 a  paraphrase  or  poetical  rendering  of  the  Penitential  Psalms,  the  Psalms 
 of  Degrees,  the  Great  Hallel  or  Paschal  Hymn,  four  of  the  Alphabetical 
 Psalms,  and  portions  of  others— he  presented  the  manuscript  in  a  bound 
 
HYMN  543.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  337 
 
 "  Poetical  Works  "*  vol.  viii.,  page  7.  The  original  has  six 
 verses  ;  the  first,  fourth,  and  fifth  are  omitted.  The  second  verse 
 commences — 
 
 **  But  thou  art  a  shield  for  me," 
 
 which  is  altered  to  give  it  a  more  appropriate  commencement 
 as  a  first  verse. 
 
 Hymn  543-—"  On  Thee,  O  God  of  purity.— Psa/m  v. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "  Poetical  Version,"  page  8.  Edited 
 by  Rev.  Henry  Fish,  M.A.,  1854.  Also  from  "  Poetical  Works," 
 vol.  viii.,  page  10.  The  original  is  in  seven  eight-line  stanzas. 
 The  first  verse  is  omitted,  also  half  of  the  third,  fifth,  sixth,  and 
 seventh  verses. 
 
 volume  to  the  Countess  of  Huntingdon,  who  had  her  book-plate  placed 
 at  the  commencement ;  and  the  book  was  kept  for  safety  on  the  shelves 
 of  Trevecca  College,  in  Wales,  the  name  being  stamped  on  the  cover. 
 More  than  fourscore  years  afterwards,  in  clearing  the  shelves  of  the 
 College  hbrary  of  duplicates  and  unused  books,  this  MS.  volume  of 
 poetical  Psalms,  but  without  author's  name,  was  included  in  the  books 
 turned  out,  and  they  were  sold  to  a  London  bookseller.  In  his  store 
 this  MS.  was  found  by  the  Rev.  Henry  Fish,  M.A.,  who  secured  the 
 treasure,  knowing  the  handwriting,  and,  when  purchased,  attested  the 
 authorship,  and  in  July,  1854,  issued  the  same  in  a  small  octavo  volume 
 of  328  pages,  with  an  introduction  of  sixteen  pages.  It  contains  also 
 versions  by  the  Rector  of  Epworth,  by  his  sons,  Samuel  and  John 
 Wesley,  and  a  list  of  poetical  versions  of  the  Psalms.  It  was  a 
 providential  circumstance  that  the  MS.  came  into  the  hands  of  a 
 Methodist  preacher  of  so  much  intelligence,  who  disposed  of  it  in  a  way 
 at  once  judicious  and  useful. 
 
 *  By  "  Poetical  Works  "  is  meant  the  collected  edition  of  the  Hymns^ 
 Poems,  and  Paraphrases  of  Psalms  written  by  John  and  Charles  Wesley, 
 and  published  at  the  Wesleyan  Conference  Office  in  thirteen  octavo 
 volumes  of  about  500  pages  each,  1869- 1872,  and  edited  by  the  Rev. 
 George  Osborn,  D.D.  It  is  a  source  of  regret  that  the  editor  did  not 
 include  all  the  poetical  pieces  which  were  known  to  exist,  some  of 
 which  were  made  known  to  him  ;  and  further,  that  he  did  not  use 
 such  a  favourable  opportunity  for  appending  brief  notes  of  much  interest 
 and  importance  for  chronology  and  history.  No  one  was  better 
 qualified  for  the  task,  and  many  regret  that  it  was  not  done.  It  never 
 will  be  done  now — only  so  far  as  the  notes  in  this  volume  do  so. 
 
 Y 
 
33^  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN   546. 
 
 Hymn  544. — "O  Lord,  how  good,  how  great  art  Thou."— 
 Psalm  viii. 
 
 This  is  one  of  the  elegant  compositions  of  the  accompHshed 
 and  pious  Rev.  Henry  Francis  Lyte.  He  was  born  at  Kelso, 
 Scotland,  in  June,  1793,  and  educated  at  Trinity  College,  Dublin- 
 He  was  ordained  at  twenty-one,  and  after  a  brief  curacy  in 
 Ireland  was  appointed  incumbent  of  Brixham,  Devonshire. 
 He  published  "Tales  on  the  Lord's  Prayer,"  1826;  "Poems, 
 chiefly  Religious,"  1833  ;  and  "The  Spirit  of  the  Psalms,"  which 
 secured  him  a  wide  reputation  amongst  lovers  of  sacred  song.  He 
 died  at  Nice  in  November,  1847.  His  son  published  his 
 "Remains,"  with  a  memoir,  in  1850.  His  Evening  Hymn, 
 commencing  "Abide  with  me,"  written  only  a  short  time  before 
 the  author's  death,  has  obtained  wide  popularity.  There  are  six 
 of  his  hymns  in  the  Supplement.  The  Devonshire  people  were 
 passionately  fond  of  his  psalms  and  hymns,  and  long  after  the 
 happy  spirit  of  the  author  had  entered  into  rest,  it  was  no 
 uncommon  occurrence  for  the  inhabitants  to  saunter  along  the 
 shore  of  Torbay,  singing  aloud  in  the  moonlight,  his  well- 
 known  hymns. 
 
 Hymn  545.— "Thee  will  I  praise  with  all  my  heart."— Pj^/;;;  ix. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's  paraphrase,  but  it  is  not  in  the  "  Poetical 
 Version,"  it  is  in  "  Poetical  Works,"  vol.  viii.,  and  is  in  seven  double 
 verses.  This  is  made  up  of  parts  of  the  first,  fourth,  and  sixth 
 verses,  the  other  portions  being  omitted. 
 
 Hymn  546.—"  O  God,  the  help  of  all  Thy  saints."— Pj^/;;/  x. 
 
 This  is  Edward  Osier's  version  of  Tate  and  Brady's  para- 
 phrase of  the  tenth  Psalm.  Edward  Osier  was  born  at 
 Falmouth  in  1798,  and  brought  up  under  Dr.  Carvosso,  of  that 
 town,  as  a  medical  student.  After  leaving  Guy's  Hospital  he 
 was  employed  as  a  writer  and  editor  by  the  Christian  Knowledge 
 Society.  For  many  years  he  was  devoted  to  editorial  pursuits, 
 and  in  1837  he  published  "  Church  and  King,"  in  which  his  own 
 renderings  of  some  of  the  Psalms  are  found.  The  original 
 title  of  the  work  was,  "  Church  and  Dissent  considered  in  their 
 Practical  Influence."  It  contained  seventy  original  psalms  and 
 hymns,  some  altered  from  other  authors.  About  fifty  of  these 
 compositions  were  contributed  by  Mr.  Osier  to  Hall's  "Collection 
 
HYMN  550.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  339 
 
 of  Psalms  and  Hymns,"  1836,  which  obtained  a  wonderful 
 circulation  at  the  time,  and  was  sometimes  called  the  Bishop's 
 Hymn  Book  from  the  miter  stamped  on  the  cover.  Mr,  Osier 
 was  twice  married,  and  he  died  in  March,  1863,  aged  sixty-five 
 years.  The  clergy  of  Cornwall  put  a  stained  glass  window  to  his 
 memory  in  Kenwyn  Church.  He  published  the  "  Life  of  Lord 
 Exmouth,"  &c.     Hymn  634  is  by  the  same  author. 
 
 Hymn  547.—"  How  long  wilt  Thou  forget  me.  Lord  ?  "— 
 Psalm  xiii. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  "  Poetical  Version,"  page  20.  The  original 
 has  eleven  verses,  the  fourth,  fifth,  eighth,  and  eleventh  being 
 omitted. 
 
 Hymn  548.—"  O  Lord,  Thy  faithful  servant  ssLve."— Psalm  xvi. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  "  Poetical  Version,"  page  22.  The  original 
 has  nine  verses,  the  second,  third,  and  eighth  being  left  out. 
 
 Hymn  549.—"  Save  me,  O  God,  for  Thou  a.\one."— Psalm  xvi. 
 
 This  was  written  by  the  Rev.  Benjamin  Hall  Kennedy,  D.D., 
 who  was  born  at  Summer-hill,  near  Birmingham,  in  1804,  and 
 educated  at  Birmingham,  Shrewsbury,  and  Cambridge,  taking 
 high  honours  at  the  University.  He  was  head  master  succes- 
 sively of  the  Harrow  and  Shrewsbury  schools.  He  was  a  canon 
 of  Ely,  and  connected  with  Lichfield  Cathedral.  He  is  the 
 author  of  numerous  classical  works,  and  published  "  Hymnologia 
 Christiana,"  a  collection  of  1500  hymns,  and  "the  Psalter  of 
 Enghsh  Verse,"  in  i860.  His  own  compositions  appear  in 
 these  works.  Hymns  559,  579,  621,  624,  and  635  are  also  by 
 him. 
 
 He  is  the  son  of  a  Birmingham  clergyman ;  was  for  many  years 
 President  of  the  College  of  Preceptors  ;  and  at  the  venerable 
 age  of  nearly  eighty,  he  resides  at  the  Elms,  Cambridge. 
 
 Hymn  550. — "  O  that  I  could  in  every  place." — "  /  /lave  set  the 
 Lord  always  before  uieP — Psalm  xvi.  8. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's  rendering.  This  is  not  in  the  "  Poetical 
 Version."  It  was  formerly  No.  591  in  the  Supplement.  It  is  No. 
 824  in  "  Short  Scripture  Hymns,"  and  is  based  on  the  Prayer 
 Book  Version. 
 
340  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  552. 
 
 Hymn  551. — "O  God,  my  strength  and  fortitude."— 
 Psalm  xviii. 
 
 By  Thomas  Sternhold,  from  what  is  known  as  the  "Old 
 Metrical  Version,"  published  in  1562  under  royal  permission,  but 
 its  first  appearance  was  in  1549-  Sternhold  was  born  at 
 Southampton,  educated  at  the  famous  school  at  Winchester, 
 and  at  Oxford.  He  became  groom  of  the  king's  robes  under 
 Henry  VIII.,  and  his  son  Edward  VI.  King  Henry  left  him 
 100  marks  in  his  will.  During  the  reign  of  the  youthful  Edward, 
 song  singing  in  the  palace  of  the  king  was  so  prevalent,  but  of 
 so  disreputable  a  kind,  that  Sternhold's  holy  indignation  led 
 him  to  put  over  fifty  of  the  Psalms  of  David  into  English  verse, 
 hoping  that  his  sacred  verses  would  displace  the  very  carnal 
 ones.  He  had  influence  enough  to  obtain  for  his  book,  when 
 published,  the  patronage  of  his  royal  master,  and  by  that 
 authority  it  was  "  allowed  to  be  sung  in  all  churches  of  all  the 
 people  together,  before  and  after  prayers  and  sermons  ;  and 
 moreover,  in  private  houses  for  their  godly  solace  and  comfort, 
 laying  apart  all  ungodly  songs  and  ballads."  Thus  was  all  the 
 nation  awakened  to  a  new  sensation  of  joy,  and  singing  was 
 thereby  extended  and  improved.  For  more  than  a  century,  the 
 Psalms  of  Sternhold  were  in  use  in  all  the  churches.  Those 
 Psalms  remain  to  our  own  time,  a  lasting  memorial  of  his  genius 
 and  piety.  Sternhold  died  in  London  in  1 549,  the  year  in  which 
 his  book  of  Psalms  first  appeared.  John  Hopkins,  his  colleague, 
 has  nothing  in  the  book  worthy  of  notice.  It  is  on  record,  that 
 during  the  Puritan  age,  so  popular  did  the  Old  Version  become 
 with  the  people  in  many  places,  that  those  paraphrases  were  the 
 means  of  excluding  the  Te  Deum,  the  Benedictus,  Magnificat,  and 
 Nunc  Dimittis  from  the  Church  service.  This  is  the  only  piece 
 of  Sternhold's  in  the  Hymn  Book ;  the  original  is  in  forty-nine 
 verses,  six  only  of  which  are  used  here. 
 
 Hymn  552. — "  The  spacious  firmament  on  high." — ''''The  heave?is 
 declare  the  glory  of  God,"  (Sec. — Psabn  xix. 
 
 Joseph  Addison's,  being  one  of  his  five  hymns,  and  thought 
 to  be  the  best  of  them.  It  is  a  version  of  the  first  four  verses 
 of  Psalm  xix.,  and  appeared  in  the  Spectator,  No.  465,  23rd 
 August,  1712.  It  is  a  sublime  composition;  but  it  is  remark- 
 able that,  whilst  it  exhibits  the  works  of  God  in  exalted  strains, 
 the  name  of  God  or  of  Jesus  Christ  does  not  once  occur  in  the 
 
HYMN  553.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  341 
 
 hymn.  There  has  been  much  controversy  concerning  its  author- 
 ship. Partisans  have  been  found  to  claim  it  for  Watts,  Tickell, 
 and  Marvel ;  but  though  the  evidence  of  actual  authorship  is 
 not  so  clear  as  it  might  be,  the  claim  of  Addison  is  supreme. 
 He  wrote  only  a  few  hymns,  but  their  purity  of  language  has 
 secured  for  them  a  place  in  most  of  the  collections  in  use  in  the 
 Churches,  both  in  England  and  America. 
 
 Joseph  Addison  was  born  ist  May,  1672,  and  was  the  son  of 
 the  rector  of  Milston,  in  Wiltshire.  He  was  educated  at  Ames- 
 bury,  Salisbury,  and  the  Charterhouse,  where  be  became 
 acquainted  with  Richard  Steele.  He  afterwards  graduated  at 
 Queen's  College,  Oxford,  and  at  the  age  of  twenty-two,  addressed 
 some  elegant  verses  to  the  veteran  poet,  Dryden.  When  only 
 twenty-five,  he  obtained  a  crown  pension  of  ^300  per  annum, 
 for  a  complimentary  poem  on  the  king,  to  enable  him  to  travel. 
 He  afterwards  contributed  liberally  to  the  Tatler^  Spectator^ 
 and  Gtiardian^  and  in  the  Spectator  his  Saturday  papers  con- 
 tained his  hymns.  In  17 16  he  married  the  Countess-Dowager 
 of  Warwick,  and  in  1717  he  became  Secretary  of  State.  This 
 office  he  soon  relinquished  on  a  pension  of  ;!{^i5oo  a-year,  and 
 died  at  Holland  House,  Kensington,  17th  June,  17 19.  His  works 
 are  numerous,  and  possess  high  moral  excellence  as  well  as 
 distinguished  hterary  merit.  Hence  the  proverbial  saying  of 
 Dr.  Samuel  Johnson's,  "  Whoever  wishes  to  attain  an  English 
 style,  familiar  but  not  coarse,  and  elegant  but  not  ostentatious, 
 must  give  his  days  and  nights  to  the  volumes  of  Addison." 
 
 Hymn  553. — "  The  heavens  declare  Thy  glory.  Lord." — Version 
 of  Psahn  xix. 
 
 Written  by  Dr.  Isaac  Watts.  The  original  is  in  six  verses  ; 
 the  last  is  left  out,  but  it  is  necessary  to  complete  the  rendering 
 of  the  whole  Psalm.     The  omitted  verse  is  as  follows — 
 
 *'  Thy  noblest  wonders  here  we  view, 
 In  souls  renewed  and  sins  forgiven  ; 
 Lord  cleanse  my  sins  [heart]  my  heart  renew, 
 And  make  Thy  Word  my  guide  to  heaven." 
 
 Dr.  Watts  entitles  this  Psalm  "The  Book  of  Nature  and  of 
 Scripture  compared  ;  or,  the  Glory  and  Success  of  the  Gospel." 
 The  parallel  designed  in  the  author's  mind  is  admirably 
 expressed,  and  with  the  addition  of  the  above  verse,  the  poet's 
 idea  of  the  teachings  of  nature  is  complete. 
 
342  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTKS.  HYMN  556. 
 
 Isaac  Watts,  D.D.,  was  born  at  Southampton,  lyih  July,  1674. 
 From  infancy  he  gave  evidence  of  remarkable  power  of  mind. 
 He  began  to  study  Latin  at  the  age  of  four,  and  at  the  age  of 
 seven  wrote  verses  which  surprised  and  delighted  his  parents. 
 His  father  designed  him  to  become  an  Independent  minister, 
 and  his  education  was  directed  that  way.  In  1698,  at  the  age 
 of  twenty-four,  he  was  assistant  minister  in  Mark  Lane  Chapel, 
 in  the  city  of  London,  and  four  years  afterwards  he  was  chosen 
 pastor  of  that  Independent  Church.  He  began  to  write  hymns 
 and  paraphrases  of  Psalms  because  there  were  so  few  that  were 
 appropriate  for  spiritual  worship.  In  17 12  his  health  broke 
 down,  through  fever,  and  over-exertion  in  his  pastoral  duties, 
 in  consequence  of  which  his  attached  friend.  Alderman  Sir 
 Thomas  Abney,  invited  him  for  a  short  visit  to  his  residence, 
 Abney  House,  Stoke  Newington,  till  his  health  was  restored. 
 That  visit  was  continued  during  thirty  years,  and  in  that 
 mansion  he  died,  25th  November,  1748,  at  the  age  of  seventy- 
 four.  A  monument  has  been  erected  to  his  memory  in 
 Southampton  ;  in  Abney  Park  Cemetery,  on  the  spot  where 
 stood  the  summer  house  in  Sir  Thomas  Abney's  garden,  in 
 which  he  spent  much  time  in  study  and  writing  ;  and  also  in 
 Bunhill  Fields,  where  he  was  interred.  He  published  his  "Horae 
 Lyricae"  in  1705;  his  "Hymns  and  Spiritual  Songs"  in  1707;  his 
 "  New  Version  of  the  Psalms"  in  17 19.  His  "  Hymns  for  Infant 
 Minds,"  his  "Essay  on  the  Mind,"  and  other  works,  extending 
 to  six  quarto  volumes,  are  evidence  of  his  piety,  diligence,  and 
 learning.  He  knew  the  Wesleys,  and  honoured  them  for  their 
 works'  sake. 
 
 Hymn  554. — "Jesus  the  good  Shepherd  is." — Psabn  xxiii. 
 Charles    Wesley's,    in    "Poetical    Version,"    page    45,    and 
 in  "  Poetical  Works,"  vol.  viii.,  page  46.     The  whole  is  given. 
 
 Hymn  555. — "  My  Shepherd  will  supply  my  need." — Vc7'sio7i  of 
 Psalm  xxiii. 
 By  Dr.  Watts,  with  the  last  verse  omitted.     It  has  the  title 
 "  God  our  Shepherd."     It  was  No.  679  in  the  former  Supplement. 
 
 Hymn  556.—"  The  Lord's  my  Shepherd,  I'll  not  \\d.\\\''— Scotch 
 Versio7i  of  Psahn  xxiii. 
 Having  had  two  versions  already  of  this  Psalm,  there  scarcely 
 seems  a  necessity  for  a  third,  but  for  the  sake  of  contrast,  it 
 
HYMN  558.  METHOMST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  343 
 
 would  seem,  with  the  two  previous  ones,  this  rugged  specimen 
 of  Puritan  theology  is  placed  here.  Its  author  is  said  to  be 
 Francis  Rous,  once  the  Lord  of  Halton  Hall,  near  the  banks  of 
 the  Tamar,  Cornwall,  and  he  is  described  as  "legislator,  divine, 
 privy  councilman,  one  of  Cromwell's  triers  of  clerical  candi- 
 dates. Provost  of  Eton,  member  of  Cromwell's  Upper  House, 
 and  author  of  the  'Metrical  Version  of  the  Psalms'  authorised  to 
 be  used  by  the  Scotch  Presbyterians."  To  one  acquainted 
 with  the  lovely  varieties  of  scenery  around  his  Cornish  home, 
 it  would  seem  as  though  the  river-side  verdure,  the  meadows, 
 gardens,  all  helped  to  inspire  his  muse  as  expressed  in  the  first 
 verse.  Let  the  reader  compare  the  structure  and  phraseology 
 of  this  Scotch  version  with  Addison's  Psalm  xix.  to  see  the 
 advancement  in  English  literature  and  composition. 
 
 Hymn  557.— "The  earth  with  all  her  fulness  owns."— 
 Psalm  xxiv. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  "  Poetical  Version,"  page  46,  and  "  Poetical 
 Works,"  vol.  viii.,  page  47.  The  original  is  in  thirteen  verses, 
 the  sixth  and  seventh  being  omitted.  It  is  divided  into  two 
 parts,  although  only  marked  with  one  number.  It  formed  Nos. 
 554  and  572  in  the  old  Supplement.  It  is  printed  in  John 
 Wesley's  "Psalms  and  Hymns,"  enlarged  1743,  with  verses  six 
 to  thirteen  omitted,  and  was  therefore  one  of  Charles  Wesley's 
 earliest  renderings  of  the  Psalms.  The  second  part  makes  an 
 appropriate  Ascension  Hymn. 
 
 Hymn  558. — "One  thing  with  all  my  soul's  desire." — 
 Psalm  xxvii. 
 
 By  James  Montgomery,  of  Sheffield.  He  was  styled  in  his 
 day,  "  The  Christian  poet,"  and  "  The  poet  of  the  sanctuary." 
 He  was  the  son  of  John  Montgomery,  a  Moravian  missionary, 
 born  at  Irvine,  Scotland,  in  November,  1771.  His  father  was  a 
 convert  of  John  Cennick's.  Educated  at  the  Moravian  school, 
 Fulneck,  near  Leeds,  he  entered  into  business  as  a  bookseller  at 
 Sheffield,  in  which  town  he  became  the  proprietor  and  editor  of 
 the  chief  newspaper,  which  he  conducted  long  with  energy  and 
 ability.  In  1797  he  published  his  first  volume  of  poems,  entitled 
 "  Prison  Amusements,"  because  much  of  the  work  was  written  in 
 York  Castle.  He  wrote  hymns  for  about  half-a-century,  and  no 
 man  in  the  town  where  he  lived  was  more  highly  esteemed  than 
 
344  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  560. 
 
 tlic  Sheffield  Montgomery.  His  poetical  works,  including  his 
 hymns,  make  a  large  and  handsome  volume.  In  connection 
 with  the  Rev.  T.  Cotterill  he  prepared  a  collection  of  hymns, 
 published  in  18 19,  which  is  known  as  "Cotterill's  Collection." 
 Many  of  the  original  hymns  of  Mr.  Montgomery  first  appeared 
 there,  and  there  some  well-known  hymns  appeared  in  an  altered 
 and  not  always  improved  form.  There  first  appeared  the  revised 
 and  abridged  edition  of  "Rock  of  Ages,"  by  Toplady.  Mr. 
 Montgomery  died  at  Sheffield  in  April,  1854,  in  his  eighty- 
 second  year,  and  the  whole  town  did  honour  to  his  memory  at 
 the  time,  and  afterwards  by  erecting  his  statue  in  bronze  in  the 
 Cemetery.  There  are  fourteen  of  Mr.  Montgomery's  hymns  in 
 the  new  Hymn  Book,  which  will  be  found  by  the  following  Nos. 
 — 55S,  565,  586,  587,  589,  597,  619,  739,  746,  823,  865,  908,  944, 
 and  993.  A  few  of  his  hymns  have  obtained  the  widest  popu- 
 larity. The  author's  autograph  copy  of  Hymn  823,  "  Prayer  is 
 the  soul's  sincere  desire,"  is  in  the  possession  of  the  writer.  He 
 was  the  author  of  the  "  Centenary  Hymn "  for  Methodism, 
 issued  in  1838,  and  sung  throughout  the  Connexion.  A  manu- 
 script copy  of  that  hymn  the  author  sent  to  the  writer  of  these 
 Notes.  In  this  rendering  of  Psalm  xxvii.,  the  poet,  in  aiming  at 
 correct  rhythm,  has  failed  to  secure  that  easy  flow  of  thought 
 which  marks  most  of  his  hymns.  His  "Christian  Psalmist"  is 
 a  work  which  has  done  much  to  foster  a  taste  for  good  hymns. 
 He  wrote  annually  one  or  two  new  anniversary  hymns  for  the 
 Sheffield  Sunday  schools,  for  a  period  of  nearly  forty  years. 
 
 Hymn  559. —  "I  praise  Thee,  Lord,  who  o'er  my  foes." — 
 Psalm  XXX. 
 Written  by  the  Rev.  Benjamin  Hall  Kennedy,  D.D.     Charles 
 Wesley  has  a  version  of  the  same  Psalm  in  eight  verses  of  eight 
 lines  each,  which  will  more  than  favourably  compare  with  Dr. 
 Kennedy's.     The  opening  stanza  commences  thus — 
 *'  Lord,  I  will  exalt  Thy  grace, 
 Grace  which  hath  exalted  me  ; 
 Me  Thou  hast  vouchsafed  to  raise, 
 Sunk  in  sin  and  misery." 
 
 Hymn  560. — "  My  spirit  on  Thy  care." — Psahn  xxxi. 
 Taken  from  "  The  Spirit  of  the  Psalms,"  by  the  Rev.  Henr)' 
 Francis  Lyte.     The  gentle  but  confiding  faith  of  the  author 
 pervades  each  verse. 
 
HYMN  565.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  345 
 
 Hymn  561. — "Blest  is  the  man,  supremely  blest." — Psahn  xxxii. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  "  Poetical  Version,"  page  67,  and  "  Poetical 
 Works,"  vol.  viii.,  page  66.  The  original  is  in  nine  double  verses. 
 Eleven  single  verses  are  here  printed,  in  two  parts,  but  nearly 
 half  is  left  out. 
 
 Hymn  562. — "  Through  all  the  changing  scenes  of  life." — 
 
 Psalm  xxxiv. 
 This  is  credited  to  Tate  and  Brady,  but  it  is  generally  ascribed 
 to  Tate  as  its  author.     There  is  music  in  it  which  will  prolong 
 the  popularity  it  has  enjoyed  for  about  two  centuries.     It  has  a 
 place  in  many  collections. 
 
 Hymn  563. — "  High  in  the  heavens,  eternal  God." — Psahji  xxxvi. 
 By  Dr.  Watts,  with  the  fifth  verse  of  the  original  omitted.  It 
 is  an  excellent  embodiment  of  the  lofty  and  sublime  thoughts  of 
 the  Psalmist.  It  comprehends  the  goodness  of  God  in  both 
 providence  and  grace. 
 
 Hymn  564. — "  Almighty  Maker  of  my  frame." — Psalm  xxxix. 
 
 This  was  written  by  Miss  Anne  Steele,  and  first  published  in 
 1760.  Her  father  was  for  sixty  years  the  minister  of  a  small 
 Baptist  church  at  Broughton,  Hants,  where  his  daughter  was 
 born  in  1717.  Her  life  was  spent  in  works  of  mercy.  Chastened 
 by  much  pain  and  suffering,  she  was  an  example  of  Christian 
 resignation,  and  died  peacefully  in  November,  1778,  aged 
 sixty-one  years.  She  published  two  volumes  of  "  Poems  and 
 Hymns  "  ;  four  of  the  latter  have  a  place  in  the  New  Book,  and 
 are  numbered  564,  843,  880,  955  ;  two  of  them  were  in  the  old 
 Supplement  as  Nos.  722  and  746. 
 
 This  hymn  is  a  kind  of  photograph  of  her  own  painful  life 
 experience.  It  was  first  printed  in  a  volume  of  hers,  entitled 
 "  Poems  by  Theodosia,"  vol.  ii.,  page  168.  It  is  a  fine  hymn, 
 founded  on  Psalm  xxxix.  4-7.  The  original  has  thirteen  verses, 
 nine  of  which,  including  the  first,  are  left  out.  For  diction, 
 comprehensiveness,  fidelity,  and  power,  this  hymn  will  compare 
 favourably  with  many  of  far  greater  pretensions. 
 
 Hymn  565. — "  Lord,  let  me  know  mine  end." — Psabn  xxxix. 
 Written  by  James  Montgomery,  and  is  a  good  example  of  the 
 thorough  sympathy  which  the  poet  had  with  the  Hebrew  bard, 
 
34^  METHODIST  HYMN  DOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  567. 
 
 whose  thoughts  and  words,  in  plaintive  strain,    he  gracefully 
 embodies  in  these  verses. 
 
 Hymn  566.—"  Day  after  day  I  sought  the  Lord."— Psa/m  xl. 
 
 Written  by  the  venerable  Archdeacon  Hare,  a  distinguished 
 clerg)-man  of  the  Church  of  England ;  but  whatever  qualities 
 may  belong  to  him  as  a  divine,  the  ten  verses  in  which  he  has 
 rendered  this  Psalm  do  not  exhibit  a  very  high  standard  of 
 thought  or  feeling.  The  Rev.  Julius  Charles  Hare  was  born  in 
 Italy  in  1795,  and  descended  from  a  distinguished  family  at 
 Hurstmonceux  Castle,  in  Sussex.  He  was  educated  at  the 
 Charterhouse,  and  at  Trinity  College,  Cambridge.  In  1820  he 
 was  studying  law  in  the  Temple,  but  in  1822  Dr.  Whewell 
 appointed  him  classical  lecturer  to  the  University.  His  mind, 
 which  had  been  long  unsettled,  received  the  truth  in  a  remark- 
 able manner,  and  he  accepted  ordination  in  1826,  and  preached 
 his  first  sermon  in  1828.  In  1832  he  w^as  made  rector  of  Hurst- 
 monceux. In  1840  Bishop  Otter  made  him  Archdeacon  of 
 Lewes  ;  and  in  1844  he  married  the  sister  of  the  Rev.  Frederic 
 Maurice,  who,  with  Archdeacon  Hare,  became  the  founders  of 
 the  Broad  Church,  so  called.  In  1853  he  was  appointed  chaplain 
 to  the  Queen.  He  delivered  his  last  charge  in  Lincoln's  Inn  Fields 
 Chapel  in  1854,  and  died  in  his  beautiful  Sussex  rectory  in 
 Januar}',  1855,  aged  sixty  years.  "Memorials  of  a  Quiet  Life," 
 and  "  Guesses  at  Truth,"  are  works  by  members  of  the  family, 
 which  furnish  nearly  all  the  facts  we  know  of  the  scholarly  life 
 of  this  eminent  divine.  None  of  the  circumstances  here  enum- 
 erated are  a  sufficient  reason  for  importing  into  a  Methodist 
 collection  a  Psalm,  the  construction  of  which  reminds  one  of 
 what  the  father  of  John  Wesley  wrote,  complaining  of  "  the  sorry 
 Sternhold  psalms."  The  limping  style  of  John  Hopkins  is 
 scarcely  worse  than  that  of  Archdeacon  Hare.  Charles 
 Wesley's  version  of  this  Psalm  would  not  have  required  an 
 apology  for  taking  the  place  of  this  solitary  specimen  of  an 
 unmetrical  mind. 
 
 Hymn  567. — "  As  pants  the  hart  for  cooling  streams." — 
 Psa/m  xlii. 
 
 From  "Tate  and  Brady's  New  Version."  It  is  a  rendering 
 true  to  nature,  and  has  a  musical  ring  with  it. 
 
HYMN  570.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  347 
 
 Hymn  568.—"  My  heart  is  full  of  Christ  and  longs."—  The 
 Ki7igdoin  of  Christ. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's  version  of  Psalm  xlv.  The  original  has 
 twenty-one  verses.  The  poet  has  admirably  embodied  the 
 mental  sacred  fire  of  the  Hebrew  poet  in  his  verses.  Only  the 
 first  four  stanzas  are  here  used.  It  was  No.  639  in  the  former 
 Supplement. 
 
 Hymn  569.— "God  is  the  refuge  of  His  saints."— 77^^  Church's 
 Safety  and  Triumph  among  National  Desolations. 
 
 Dr.  Watts'  paraphrase  of  Psalm  xlvi.  The  last  line  is  altered 
 from  "Built  on  His  truth,  and  armed  with  power."  In  the 
 sixth  verse  of  part  the  second  the  original  reads  "  Let  tyrants 
 rage."  This  formed  two  hymns  in  the  last  Supplement,  Nos« 
 678  and  695.     There  is  grandeur  and  majesty  in  the  rendering. 
 
 Hymn  570. — "  God  our  hope  and  strength  abiding." — 
 Psabn  xlvi. 
 
 This  is  the  Rev.  John  Keble's  rendering  of  the  same  Psalm  as 
 the  preceding.  Dr.  Watts'  version  of  this  song  of  David's  has 
 held  a  prominent  place  in  the  psalmody  of  the  Church  for  more 
 than  one  hundred  and  sixty  yearSj  and  its  popularity  is  not 
 decreasing.  Charles  Wesley's  rendering  of  the  same  Psalm  is 
 in  twelve  eight-line  stanzas  commencing  with — 
 
 "  God,  the  omnipresent  God, 
 
 Our  strength  and  refuge  stands." 
 
 The  version  of  this  estimable  and  eminent  Churchman  and 
 poet,  John  Keble,  being  cast  in  a  more  animating  metre,  is 
 likely  to  become  even  more  popular.  It  partakes  much  of  the 
 energy  of  thought  and  loftiness  of  aspiration  of  Charles  Wesley's 
 best  compositions.  It  is  not  unlikely  that  much  of  the  bold 
 descriptive  language  here  used  was  derived  from  the  many 
 rough  seas  the  author  had  witnessed  in  his  oft-repeated  walks 
 about  Mount's  Bay,  Cornwall.  Its  author,  the  Rev.  John  Keble, 
 was  the  son  of  a  clergyman,  born  at  Fairford,  in  1789,  and  was 
 educated  at  Oxford,  where  he  took  first-class  honours.  He  was 
 chosen  Fellow  of  Oriel  College  in  18 13,  and  was  Public  Examiner 
 in  the  University  for  several  years,  and  Professor  of  Poetry  for 
 twelve  years.  In  1827  he  published  his  "Christian  Year," 
 which  has  become  so  popular  that  more  than  one  hundred  large 
 
34^  METHODIST  HYMN  KOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  573. 
 
 editions  of  it  have  been  issued.  In  1839  he  published  "The 
 Psalms  of  David  in  English  Verse;"  in  1844  appeared  "Lyra 
 Innocentium,"  besides  other  works  which  show  great  learning 
 and  diligence.  He  was  many  years  the  incumbent  of  Hursley, 
 in  Hampshire  ;  and  he  died  at  Bournemouth,  greatly  honoured 
 and  esteemed,  31st  March,  1866,  aged  seventy-seven  years. 
 Mrs.  Keble  died  nth  May,  about  six  weeks  after  her  husband. 
 He  was  one  of  the  most  distinguished  clerg}'men  of  his  day, 
 firmly  attached  to  the  High  Church  party ;  and  in  commemora- 
 tion of  his  learning  and  pious  labours,  a  college  called  by  his 
 name  has  been  founded  at  Oxford.  Some  of  his  hymns  have 
 reached  the  highest  possible  popularity,  and  they  have  placed 
 their  author  in  the  first  rank  of  English  hymn-writers.  Five  of 
 his  compositions  have  a  place  in  the  New  Hymn  Book,  and  are 
 numbered  570,  662,  965,  973,  and  996. 
 
 Hymn  571. — "  Clap  your  hands,  ye  people  all." — Psalm  xlvii. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  "Poetical  Version,"  page  104,  "Poetical 
 Works,"  vol.  viii.,  page  no.  The  original  has  thirteen  verses, 
 of  which  six  are  omitted. 
 
 Hymn  572. — "  Great  is  our  redeeming  Lord." — Psabn  xlviii. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  "Poetical  Version,"  page  106,  "Poetical 
 Works,"  page  in.  The  original  is  in  ten  verses,  the  first,  sixth, 
 ninth,  and  tenth  being  selected  for  this  hymn. 
 
 Hymn  573.—"  Great  is  the  Lord  our  God."— 77/^  Church  is  the 
 Honour  atid  Safety  of  a  Natio7t. 
 
 Dr.  Watts'  version  of  Psalm  xlviii.,  verses  1-8,  part  i.,  with 
 three  verses  of  the  original  left  out.  This  was  in  the  former 
 Supplement  as  Hymn  579. 
 
 In  one  of  the  omitted  stanzas  the  poet  has  shown  most 
 convincingly  how  the  power  of  the  Almighty  is  the  defence  of 
 any  nation  that  trusts  in  Him — 
 
 "  When  navies,  tall  and  proud. 
 Attempt  to  spoil  our  peace, 
 He  sends  His  tempests  roaring  loud, 
 And  sinks  them  in  the  seas," 
 
 Similar  in  sentiment  is  that  line  of  Charles  Wesley's  in  which 
 he  prays  for  the  defeat  of  the  French  navy.     When  that  nation 
 
HYMN  578.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  349 
 
 was  seeking  to  invade  England,  Charles  Wesley's  prayer  for  the 
 intruding  invaders  was  very  pointed — 
 
 "  Sink  them  in  the  Channel,  Lord." 
 
 Hymn  574.—"  Show  pity,  Lord  ;  O  Lord,  iorgxwt:^— Psalm  li. 
 
 Dr.  Watts'  version,  extending  to  thirteen  verses,  and  is  here 
 printed  in  two  parts.  The  last  seven  verses,  forming  the  second 
 part,  had  a  place  in  the  old  Supplement  as  No.  659.  In  justice 
 to  the  author,  the  whole  paraphrase  is  printed  in  its  more 
 complete  form,  though  one  verse  is  altered,  and  one  left  out. 
 
 Hymn  575.— "Through  God  I  will  His  Word  proclaim."— 
 Psalm  Ivi. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  "Poetical  Version,"  page  119,  "Poetical 
 Works,"  vol.  viii.,  page  125.  The  original  has  nine  verses,  of 
 which  the  third,  sixth,  seventh,  and  eighth  are  used  for  this 
 hymn. 
 
 Hymn  576.—"  My  heart  is  fix'd,  O  God,  my  heart."— Pr^^V^. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's  version  of  Psalm  Ivii.,  verses  7-1 1,  and 
 appears  in  the  "  Collection  of  Psalms  and  Hymns,"  second 
 edition,  1743,  page  81.  The  first  six  verses  are  left  out.  It  was 
 one  of  the  author's  earliest  paraphrases,  and  was  in  the  former 
 Supplement  as  No.  598. 
 
 Hymn  577. — "  Great  God,  indulge  my  humble  claim." — 
 Psalm  Ixiii. 
 
 Paraphrase  by  Dr.  Watts,  with  the  title,  "  Longing  after 
 God."  It  has  four  verses  of  the  original  left  out,  one  verse 
 altered,  and  one  supplied. 
 
 Hymn  578.— "Full  of  providential  \qv^:'— Psalm  Ixv. 
 
 C.  Wesley's  version  of  Psalm  Ixv.,  with  the  title,  "  A  Harvest 
 Thanksgiving."  These  special  services  having  of  late  years 
 assumed  so  much  importance,  both  amongst  Churchmen  and 
 Nonconformists,  it  was  wisely  determined  to  provide  in  the 
 service  of  song  for  the  Methodists,  hymns  for  such  festivals. 
 This  may  have  suggested  the  idea  of  commencing  harvest 
 festivals  with  exhibitions  of  choice  fruit  and  flowers  in  Methodist 
 
350  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  583. 
 
 chapels,  which  date  from  about  the  lime  of  pubhshing  the  new 
 Hymn  Book.  The  original  of  this  Psalm  has  eleven  verses,  the 
 ninth,  tenth,  and  eleventh  being  used  for  this  hymn.  It  is  in 
 *'  Poetical  Works,"  vol.  viii.,  page  142,  but  not  in  the  "  Poetical 
 Version." 
 
 Hymn  579. — "O  Thou  God  who  hearest  prayer." — Psalm  Ixv. 
 
 By  the  Rev.  Benjamin  Hall  Kennedy,  D.D. ;  another  harvest 
 festival  hymn.  Whilst  it  shows  intimate  knowledge  of  the 
 operations  of  nature,  it  has  none  of  the  fire  of  either  Watts  or 
 Wesley.    See  Hymn  549. 
 
 Hymn  580.—"  Earth  with  all  thy  thousand  voices."— Pj^/w  Ixvi. 
 
 This  is  by  the  late  Rev.  Edward  Churton,  D.D.,  a  clergyman 
 of  influence  and  distinction.  He  was  the  son  of  the  Ven.  Ralph 
 Churton,  Archdeacon  of  St.  David's.  He  was  born  in  1800, 
 educated  at  the  Charterhouse  and  Christ's  Church,  Oxford,  where 
 he  was  ordained  deacon  in  1826,  and  priest  in  1827.  He 
 became  rector  of  Crayke  in  1835,  a  Prebend  of  York  Cathedral 
 in  1841,  and  Archdeacon  of  Cleveland  in  1846.  He  wrote 
 numerous  works  of  great  popularity,  to  illustrate  early  English 
 Church  life.  He  died  in  1874.  In  1854  he  published  the 
 "  Cleveland  Psalter  : "  from  that  work  this  and  another  of  his 
 lays  have  been  taken  for  the  use  of  Methodist  singers.  They 
 have  more  merit  than  have  some  other  Church  hymns  which 
 are  found  in  this  collection. 
 
 Hymn  581.— "To  bless  Thy  chosen  race."— Pi-^z/w  Ixvii. 
 From  Tate  and  Brady's  New  Version. 
 
 Hymn  582. — "God  of  mercy,  God  of  grace." — Psalm  Ixvii. 
 By  the  Rev.  Henry  Francis  Lyte  ;  a  graceful  compliment  to 
 the  Church  of  England,  to  give  here  two  renderings  by 
 distinguished  clerg^^men  of  our  own  day,  when  Charles  Wesley 
 had  a  very  respectable  rendering  of  the  same,  which  is  printed 
 in  both  the  "Poetical  Version"  and  "Works." 
 
 Hymn  583.— Jesus,  Jehovah,  God." — Psalm  Ixviii.  18. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  but  a  rendering  of  only  one  verse,  and  this 
 was  published  amongst  his  "  Hymns  to  the  Trinity."     He  has 
 
HYMN  585.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  35 1 
 
 a  rendering  of  the  entire  Psalm  in  both  the  "  Poetical  Version  " 
 and  in  "  Poetical  Works,"  which  is  in  three  parts,  and  extends 
 to  thirty  verses. 
 
 Hymn  584.—"  God  of  my  childhood  and  my  youth."— Pj^/w  Ixxi. 
 
 By  Dr.  Watts,  with  the  title  "  The  Aged  Christian's  Prayer 
 and  Song."  It  is  a  pleasing  exercise  to  compare  this  song  of 
 gratitude  written  by  the  aged  poet,  with  his  more  sprightly 
 hymns  of  earlier  years.  Here  is  his  own  conscious  assurance  at 
 the  end  of  a  long  life — 
 
 "By  long  experience  have  I  known 
 Thy  sovereign  power  to  save  ; 
 At  Thy  command  I  venture  down 
 Securely  to  the  grave." 
 
 Hymn  585. — "Great  God,  whose  universal  sway." — Psalm  Ixxii. 
 
 Dr.  Watts'  version  of  Psalm  Ixxii.,  and  was  Hymn  636  in  the 
 former  Supplement.  It  is  printed  in  two  parts,  the  second  of 
 which  forms  a  separate  hymn,  and  was  in  the  Supplement  as 
 Hymn  697.  The  second  and  third  verses  of  the  original  are  left 
 out. 
 
 The  fulness  and  completeness  of  the  redemption  by  Christ  is 
 clearly  stated  in  the  fourth  verse — 
 
 "  In  Him  the  tribes  of  Adam  boast 
 More  blessings  than  their  father  lost." 
 
 Perhaps  one  of  the  most  interesting  occasions  on  which  this 
 hymn  was  used  was  that  on  which  King  George,  the  sable,  of  the 
 South  Sea  Islands,  but  of  blessed  memory,  gave  a  new  constitution 
 to  his  people,  exchanging  a  heathen  for  a  Christian  form  of 
 government.  Under  the  spreading  branches  of  the  banyan  trees 
 sat  some  five  thousand  natives  from  Tonga,  Fiji,  and  Samoa,  on 
 Whitsunday,  1862,  assembled  for  divine  worship.  Foremost 
 amongst  them  all  sat  King  George  himself.  Around  him  were 
 seated  old  chiefs  and  warriors  who  had  shared  with  him  the 
 dangers  and  fortunes  of  many  a  battle, — men  whose  eyes  were 
 dim,  and  whose  powerful  frames  were  bowed  down  with  the 
 weight  of  years.  But  old  and  young  alike  rejoiced  together  in 
 the  joys  of  that  day,  their  faces  most  of  them  radiant  with 
 Christian  joy,   love,  and  hope.      It  would   be   impossible    to 
 
352  METHODIST  HYMN  ROOK  NOTES,  HYMN  586. 
 
 describe  the  deep  feeling  manifested  when  the  solemn  service 
 began,  by  the  entire  audience  singing  Dr.  Watts*  hymn — 
 
 "  Jesus  shall  reign  where'er  the  sun 
 Doth  his  successive  journeys  run  ; 
 His  kingdom  stretch  from  shore  to  shore, 
 Till  suns  shall  rise  and  set  no  more." 
 
 Who,  so  much  as  they,  could  realise  the  full  meaning  of  the 
 poet's  words  ?  for  they  had  been  rescued  from  the  darkness  of 
 heathenism  and  cannibalism ;  and  they  were  that  day  met  for 
 the  first  time  under  a  Christian  constitution,  under  a  Christian 
 king,  and  with  Christ  Himself  reigning  in  the  hearts  of  most  of 
 those  present  !  That  was  indeed  Christ's  kingdom  set  up  in  the 
 earth.  Still  more  recently,  Madagascar  has  thrown  off  the  yoke 
 of  heathenism  and  idolatry,  and  established  a  Christian  govern- 
 ment and  constitution.  How  would  those  godly,  prophetical 
 poets,  Watts  and  Wesley,  have  rejoiced  to  see  the  realisation  of 
 such  earnestly-expressed  prayers  as  are  contained  in  this  and 
 other  of  their  missionary  hymns  !  In  the  two  instances  named 
 how  truly  did  they  realise  the  poet's  idea— 
 
 "  The  heathen  lands,  that  lie  benoath 
 The  shades  of  overspreading  death, 
 Revive  at  His  first  dawning  light, 
 And  deserts  blossom  at  the  sight." 
 
 Hymn  586. — "  Hail  to  the  Lord's  Anointed." — Psalm  Ixxii. 
 
 One  of  the  finest  of  James  Montgomeiy's  compositions.  The 
 author  wrote  it  when  in  the  prime  of  life,  and  recited  it  on  some 
 of  the  occasions  when  he  delivered  public  lectures  on  poetry. 
 In  the  spring  of  1822,  its  author  was  in  Liverpool,  and  attending 
 the  Wesleyan  missionary  meeting  there  on  the  14th  of  April, 
 when  Dr.  Adam  Clarke  presided,  Mr.  Montgomery,  in  the 
 course  of  his  speech,  recited  the  whole  of  his  version  of  Psalm 
 Ixxii.,  which  is  here  printed  with  two  verses  omitted.  Dr. 
 Clarke  was  so  pleased  with  it,  embodying  as  it  does  so 
 thoroughly  the  thoughts  of  the  Hebrew  Psalmist,  that  he 
 expressed  a  wish  that  the  poet  would  undertake  the  rendering 
 of  the  whole  Book  of  Psalms  into  English  verse.  In  reply,  Mr. 
 Montgomery  said  his  "hand  trembled  to  touch  the  harp  of 
 Zion."  Some  Liverpool  Methodists  have  cherished  a  love  for 
 that  hymn  ever  since,  and  Dr.  Clarke  printed  the  whole  of  the 
 
HYMN  588.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  353 
 
 eight  verses  at  the  end  of  his  Notes  on  Psalm  Ixxii.  The  third 
 and  seventh  verses  of  the  original  are  omitted  in  the  Hymn 
 Book.     The  following  are  the  omitted  verses — 
 
 "3.  By  such  shall  He  be  feared. 
 
 While  sun  and  moon  endure, 
 Beloved,  adored,  revered, 
 
 For  He  shall  judge  the  poor, 
 Through  changing  generations, 
 
 With  justice,  mercy,  truth, 
 While  stars  maintain  their  stations, 
 
 And  moons  renew  their  youth. 
 
 "  7.  For  Him  shall  prayer  unceasing. 
 
 And  daily  vows  ascend  ; 
 His  kingdom  still  increasing — 
 
 A  kingdom  without  end  : 
 The  mountain-dews  shall  nourish 
 
 A  seed  in  weakness  sown. 
 Whose  fruit  shall  spread  and  flourish 
 
 And  shake  like  Lebanon." 
 
 Hymn  587. — "  The  time  of  tribulation."— /'W;/z  Ixxvi. 
 
 Another  of  James  Montgomery's  inspired  renderings.  It  was 
 first  printed  in  his  "Songs  of  Sion."  The  first  and  second  verses 
 have  lines  in  them  which  indicate  the  author's  recollection  of 
 his  unrighteous  imprisonment  in  York  Castle  in  his  early  years. 
 He  there  writes  as  a  desponding  captive ;  but  before  he  reached 
 the  end  of  the  Psalm  a  more  joyful  spirit  is  breathed  in  his  song. 
 
 Hymn  588.—"  O  Lord,  how  long  shall  heathen's  hold."— 
 Psalm  Ixxix. — TITLE,  Prayer  for  Mercy  on  the  Jews. 
 
 This  was  written  by  the  Rev.  William  Hiley  Bathurst,  who 
 was  the  son  of  Charles  Bragge,  Esq.,  M.P.  for  Bristol,  and 
 changed  his  name  to  Bathurst  on  entering  into  possession  of 
 Lydney  Park,  the  property  of  his  uncle  so  named.  W.  H. 
 Bathurst  was  born  at  Cleve  Dale,  near  Bristol,  in  August,  1796  \ 
 he  was  educated  at  Christ  Church,  Oxford,  where  he  was 
 ordained  in  18 19,  and  was  appointed  rector  of  Barwick-in-Elmet^ 
 Yorkshire,  in  1820.  In  and  near  his  parish  were  many  earnest, 
 godly  Methodists,  whose  zeal  in  winning  souls  to  God  greatly 
 promoted  the  cause  of  religion  ;  three  of  these  men  of  God  were 
 
 z 
 
354  METHODIST  HYMN  DOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  59I. 
 
 Samuel  Hick,  "the  village  blacksmith,"  William  Dawson,  the 
 Yorkshire  farmer,  and  David  Stoner,  the  devoted  preacher. 
 The  rector  published  in  1830  a  i2mo  volume  of  "Psalms  and 
 Hymns  for  Public  and  Private  Use."  A  second  edition  was 
 issued  in  1842,  and  in  1849  ^^  added  to  his  publications 
 "  Metrical  Thoughts  in  Verse."  He  also  published  a  translation 
 of  the  "  Gcorgics  of  Virgil."  In  1S52  he  retired  from  the  village 
 rectory,  and  in  1863,  on  the  death  of  his  elder  brother,  he  went 
 to  reside  on  his  paternal  estate  at  Lydney  Park,  in  Gloucester- 
 shire. There  are  two  of  his  versions  of  Psalms  in  the 
 Supplement,  No.  602  being  the  other.  He  died  25th  November, 
 1877,  at  Lydney  Park,  aged  eighty-one  years. 
 
 Hymn  589.—"  Of  old,  O  God,  Thine  own  right  hand."— 
 Psabn  Ixxx. 
 
 By  James  Montgomer)^  This  is  written  somewhat  in  the 
 subdued  strains  of  Dr.  Watts'  ordinary  renderings. 
 
 Hymn  590.—"  How  lovely  are  Thy  tents,  O  Lord  !  "— 
 Psabn  Ixxxiv. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  first  printed  in  the  Arminian  Magazine^ 
 and  also  included  in  Mr.  Fish's  collection  of  Charles  Wesley's 
 Psalms.  The  second  and  fifth  verses  are  left  out.  It  is  in 
 "  Poetical  Works,"  vol.  viii.,  page  165,  and  was  in  the  former 
 Supplement  as  No.  574. 
 
 Hymn  591. — "  Lord  of  the  worlds  above." — Longing  for  the 
 House  of  God. 
 
 Dr.  Watts'  paraphrase  of  Psalm  Ixxxiv.  This  was  inserted  in 
 Mr.  Wesley's  "  Collection  of  Psalms  and  Hymns,"  1738;  and 
 also  in  the  same  work  enlarged,  in  1744,  with  the  second  and 
 fifth  verses  of  the  original  omitted.      It  was  formerly  Hymn  541. 
 
 In  the  year  1788,  Joseph  Kiddear,  of  Ashby  de  la  Zouch,  was 
 awakened  to  a  sense  of  his  lost  condition  as  a  sinner,  under  the 
 ministry  of  the  Rev.  George  Gibbon,  and  soon  after  obtained 
 the  remission  of  sins.  As  a  class-leader  from  1809,  a  leader  in 
 singing  and  in  prayer-meetings,  a  trustee,  and  Society  steward, 
 he  served  God  and  Methodism  faithfully  for  fifty-two  years.  In 
 his  last  illness,  during  one  of  his  painful  nights,  he  was  praising 
 God  ;   and   amongst   other  hymns  in  which  the  privileges  of 
 
HYMN  591.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  355 
 
 Christian  believers  are  described,  he  repeated  the  whole  of  the 
 one  commencing — 
 
 ' '  Lord  of  the  worlds  above  ! 
 How  pleasant  and  how  fair 
 The  dwellings  of  Thy  love, 
 Thy  earthly  temples,  are  ! 
 To  Thine  abode  my  heart  aspires, 
 With  warm  desires  to  see  my  God." 
 
 He  found  Christ  precious,  till  his  released  spirit  departed  to  be 
 where  He  reigns  alone,  7th  August,  1842,  aged  seventy-five. 
 
 The  name  of  Agar  stands  honourably  connected  with 
 Methodism  in  York  for  nearly  a  hundred  years.  Benjamin 
 Agar,  the  elder,  heard  both  John  and  Charles  Wesley  preach  in 
 London,  and  when  he  returned  to  York  he  had  the  honour  of 
 entertaining  Mr.  Wesley  at  his  house  during  his  last  visit  to 
 that  city.  On  that  occasion,  both  his  children  had  Mr.  Wesley's 
 hands  laid  on  their  heads,  and  received  the  good  man's  blessing. 
 Joseph  became  a  preacher  among  the  Methodists,  and  his 
 brother  Benjamin  found  pardon  in  early  life,  whilst  at  prayer 
 in  a  poor  but  godly  man's  cottage.  He  gave  up  much  of  party 
 politics  and  worldly  influence  to  devote  his  time  to  the  interests 
 of  religion.  He  served  the  office  of  class-leader  well,  and  gave 
 liberally  of  his  substance  to  promote  Methodism.  When  laid 
 aside  by  illness,  he  was  graciously  sustained,  saying,  "  The 
 everlasting  arms  are  around  me.  The  Lord  is  very  good,  He 
 supports  me."     He  frequently  repeated  this  verse — 
 
 "  The  Lord  His  people  loves  ; 
 His  hand  no  good  withholds 
 From  those  His  heart  approves, 
 
 From  holy,  humble  souls  : 
 Thrice  happy  he,  O  Lord  of  Hosts, 
 WTiose  spirit  trusts  alone  in  Thee  ! " 
 
 As  the  end  of  life  drew  nigh,  he  said,  "  Lord,  save  me  !  On 
 Thee,  my  Lord,  on  Thee  I  depend."  And  just  as  life  was 
 ebbing  out — 20th  February,  1858 — he  whispered  to  Mrs.  Agar, 
 "  My  dear,  I  am  going  to  claim — to  claim — "  when  his  voice 
 faltered,  and  she  added,  "  Your  mansion  in  the  skies."  He 
 replied,  "O  yes."  Thus  did  he  sleep  in  Jesus,  and  go  to  be 
 "for  ever  with  the  Lord."     He  was  aged  sixty-five  years. 
 
356  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.         HYMN  594. 
 
 Hymn  592,— "How  pleasant,  how  divinely  fair  !"— 
 Psalm  Ixxxiv. 
 
 Dr.  Watts'.     Two  verses  of  the  ori^rinal  are  left  out. 
 
 Hymn  593. — "  Pleasant  are  Thy  courts  above." — Psalm  Ixxxiv. 
 
 This  is  a  more  modern  rendering  of  the  same  Psalm  by  the 
 Rev.  Henry  F.  Lyte,  and  shows  how  strong  are  the  attractions 
 of  that  beautiful  Psalm  for  the  true  poet.  Amidst  much  bodily 
 suffering,  he  shows  in  the  first  verse  the  longings  of  his  soul 
 for  "  converse  with  the  saints,  and  for  the  fulness  of  God." 
 
 Hymn  594. — "  Glorious  things  of  Thee  are  spoken." — 
 Version  0/ Psalm  Ixxxvii. 
 
 This  introduces  the  reader  to  one  of  the  happiest  renderings 
 of  Psalm  Ixxxvii.  Its  author  was  the  Rev.  John  Newton,  Rector 
 of  St.  Mary  Woolnoth,  in  the  City  of  London,  who,  in  conjunc- 
 tion with  the  poet  Cowper,  wrote  the  "  Olney  Hymns."  John 
 Newton's  hymns  are  known  in  all  the  Churches  of  the  land,  but 
 this  is  the  first  time  they  have  found  a  place  in  the  Methodist 
 Hymn  Book.  Five  of  his  compositions  are  in  the  new  Supple- 
 ment, the  others  being  Nos.  679,  824,  975,  and  1006.  John 
 Newton  and  John  Wesley  were  contemporaries  ;  but  the  former, 
 having  such  strong  Calvinistic  tendencies,  found  his  admirers  in 
 a  class  of  Christians  outside  of  Methodism.  He  was  born  in 
 London  in  1725.  He  went  to  sea  in  1736,  and  there  led  a  very 
 wicked  life,  becoming  a  purchaser  of  slaves  in  Sierra  Leone. 
 In  1748  he  returned  to  England;  but  on  his  voyage  home, 
 during  a  terrible  storm,  he  was  so  much  alarmed  that  he  cried 
 mightily  to  God,  repented  of  his  sins,  and  found  mercy. 
 Abandoning  the  sea,  he  entered  the  ministry,  and  in  1764  was 
 ordained  curate  of  Olney.  From  that  place  the  "  Olney 
 Hymns  "  were  issued,  which  are  now  known  throughout  Christ- 
 endom. He  was  promoted  to  a  rectory  in  London  in  1780, 
 where,  by  his  preaching  and  wTitings,  he  became  very  popular, 
 and  in  which  place  he  died  on  the  shortest  day  of  1807,  aged 
 eighty-one  years.  The  original  of  this  Psalm  is  in  seven  verses, 
 four  of  which  are  omitted  ;  but  their  absence  is  no  loss.  The 
 poet  was  in  rapture  with  this  Psalm,  and  when  he  saw  the  depth 
 of  degradation  from  which  divine  grace  had  rescued  him,  in  the 
 third  verse  he  tries  to  embody  his  own  rapturous  feelings.     The 
 
HYMN  596.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  357 
 
 text  is  much  altered.     Thousands  of  sincere  Christians  will  find 
 their  own  experience  admirably  expressed  in  the  last  verse — 
 **  Saviour,  if  in  Zion's  city 
 
 Thou  enroll  my  humble  name, 
 Let  the  world  deride  or  pity, 
 I  will  glory  in  the  shame." 
 The  "  Life  of  John  Newton "  is  a  work  of  much  interest  and 
 value,  and  deserves  careful  study. 
 
 Hymn  595. — "  By  the  holy  hills  surrounded." — Psalm  Ixxxvii. 
 
 A  translation  from  the  German,  and  was  written  by  Charles 
 John  Philip  Spitta.  He  was  born  at  Hanover,  ist  August,  1801. 
 His  father  was  of  French  origin,  and  his  mother  a  baptised 
 Jewess.  He  was  early  converted  to  God,  and  began  to  write 
 verses  at  the  age  of  eight  years.  He  was  apprenticed  to  a 
 watchmaker.  His  health  was  feeble,  and  his  income  very  small ; 
 yet  he  denied  himself  all  kinds  of  comforts  to  enter  the  Univer- 
 sity of  Gottingen.  From  1824  to  1828  he  was  tutor  in  a  private 
 family  at  Lune,  where  he  wrote  many  of  his  hymns.  In  1828 
 he  became  an  earnest  Lutheran  minister  and  prison  chaplain. 
 In  1833  he  published  a  collection  of  sixty-six  hymns,  with  the 
 title,  "  Psaltery  and  Harp."  This  spread  his  fame  as  a  hymn- 
 writer,  and  by  1861  the  book  had  reached  its  twenty-third 
 edition.  In  1837  he  married,  and  eight  children  were  added  to 
 the  family  circle.  The  nature  of  his  home  is  expressed  in 
 two  lines  of  his  hymns,  "O  happy  house,  O  home  supremely 
 blest,"  and  "I  and  my  house  are  ready,  Lord."  In  1847  he 
 published  forty  more  hymns.  He  obtained  several  preferments, 
 and  the  diploma  of  D.D.  in  1855.  He  died  suddenly  at 
 Burgdorf  (where  he  was  rural  dean)  in  September,  1859, 
 honoured  as  much  in  his  burial  as  he  had  been  in  his  career 
 of  eminent  Christian  living.  Some  of  his  hymns  will  long  have 
 a  place  in  the  psalmody  of  the  Church  militant.  The  meter  is 
 a  very  unusual  one,  and  this  will  be  a  hindrance  to  its  popularity. 
 Where  an  appropriate  tune  is  known,  the  hymn  will  be  one  of 
 welcome.  It  was  the  author's  joy  to  sing  his  own  Psalms  in  the 
 family,  his  daughters  uniting  with  him  in  the  cheering  worship 
 of  praise. 
 
 Hymn  596. — "  Heavy  on  me,  O  Lord,  Thy  judgments  lie." — 
 Psahn  Ixxxviii. 
 
 This  dirge  is  very  unlike  the  style  of  the  poetry  which  has 
 formed  the  Methodist  service  of  song ;  and  it  is  scarcely  likely 
 
35^  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  598. 
 
 to  be  used  by  a  people  naturally  of  jubilant  disposition.  Its 
 author,  Matthew  Prior,  was  born  in  London  in  1664,  and  in 
 early  life  was  brought  up  in  a  tavern.  He  afterwards  graduated 
 at  St.  John's  College,  Cambridge,  became  a  courtier,  Under- 
 Secretary  of  State,  and  a  Royal  Commissioner.  Fortune  did 
 not  always  smile  upon  him.  In  his  declining  years  he  had  to 
 write  poetry  to  save  himself  from  want ;  but  the  party  he  had 
 served  in  the  State  came  to  his  relief,  and  with  the  help  of  the 
 Earl  of  Oxford  he  recovered  his  position.  A  lingering  illness 
 followed;  he  died  in  1721,  and  was  interred  in  Westminster 
 Abbey.  He  cannot  well  be  classed  amongst  hymn-writers,  but 
 as  a  poet  he  has  had  many  admirers,  and  amongst  them  was 
 John  Wesley.  Although  his  life  near  its  end  was  one  of  gloomy 
 sadness,  yet  we  may  hope  that  he  at  last  realised  the  prayer 
 with  which  he  closes  this  hymn — 
 
 "  Receive  the  son  Thou  didst  so  long  reprove, 
 Thou  art  the  God  of  love  !  " 
 
 There  would  have  been  no  great  sense  of  loss  felt  if  this  dirge 
 had  been  omitted.  The  Psalm  had  but  little  attraction  for 
 Charles  Wesley,  who  has  left  us  a  rendering  of  the  eighth  verse 
 only,  and  this  is  based  on  the  Prayer  Book  version — 
 
 "  In  unbelief  imprisoned  fast, 
 
 Far  from  the  sight  of  day, 
 I  cannot  struggle  forth,  or  cast 
 
 My  chains  of  sin  away. 
 Jesus,  Thou  knowst  I  cannot  please 
 
 Or  serve  the  living  God, 
 Till  Thou  my  helpless  soul  release, 
 
 Through  Thy  redeeming  blood." 
 
 Hymn  597.—"  Call  Jehovah  thy  Salvation."— /'j-t?/;;/  xci. 
 
 By  James  Montgomery  ;  a  hymn  of  joyful  assurance  to  those 
 whose  trust  is  in  God. 
 
 Hymn  598. — "  Thou  who  art  enthroned  above."— /'.ya/;;^  xcii. 
 
 Was  written  by  George  Sandys,  and  first  published  in  1636. 
 It  was  doubtless  a  favourite  in  those  bygone  days,  and  many  a 
 church  service  was  closed  with  the  verse — 
 
 "  All  who  in  their  sins  delight 
 Shall  be  scattered  by  Thy  might ; 
 
HYMN  60 1.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  359 
 
 But  as  palm-trees  lift  the  head, 
 As  the  stately  cedars  spread, 
 So  the  righteous  shall  be  seen, 
 Ever  fruitful,  ever  green." 
 
 Hymn  599. — "  Sweet  is  the  work,  my  God,  my  King." — 
 A  Psalm  for  the  Lord's  Day. — Psabn  xci. 
 
 Dr.  Watts'  version  of  the  ninety-first  Psalm,  part  i.,  171 9,  the 
 sixth  verse  left  out.    It  was  formerly  No.  578  in  the  Supplement. 
 
 In  early  life  Mr.  George  Nott,  brother  of  General  Sir  W. 
 Nott,  G.C.B.,  had  a  strong  bias  towards  the  Christian  ministry, 
 but  circumstances  did  not  favour  his  object ;  yet  his  highly 
 cultivated  mind  and  powerful  intellect  were  occasionally  exercised 
 as  a  local  preacher  in  Methodism,  to  which  Society  he  belonged 
 for  nearly  fifty  years.  As  a  class-leader  he  greatly  excelled, 
 owing  to  his  deep  spiritual  experience,  his  accurate  acquaint- 
 ance with  Scripture,  and  his  remarkably  retentive  memory.  He 
 loved  prayer,  and  was  regular  at  the  weekly  prayer  meeting.  In 
 retirement,  during  his  last  illness,  when  laid  aside  by  paralysis, 
 he  delighted  to  converse  on  the  heavenly  state  ;  and  the  mention 
 of  its  nearness  and  blessedness  would  at  once  awaken  strong 
 feelings  of  attachment  to  the  better  land,  which  he  would  give 
 expression  to  in  som.e  favourite  stanza.  Often  did  he  break  out 
 in  this  strain — 
 
 "  Then  shall  I  see,  and  hear,  and  know 
 All  I  desired  and  wished  below  ; 
 And  every  power  find  sweet  employ 
 In  that  eternal  world  of  joy." 
 
 He  passed  away  from  his  earthly  home  at  Carmarthen  to  his 
 everlasting  one  in  heaven,  2nd  January,  1855,  aged  seventy-four. 
 
 Hymn  600. — "  With  glory  clad,  with  strength  arrayed." — Version 
 of  Psalm  xcii. — ^''Holiness  becometh  Thine  houseP 
 
 Tate  and  Brady's  version,  with  one  word  altered.  In  the 
 fourth  line  of  the  second  verse  the  word  King  is  substituted  for 
 God,  and  many  will  not  consider  the  change  an  improvement. 
 
 Hymn  601.— "Jehovah  reigns  on  Yix^P— Psabn  xclii. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  "Poetical  Version,"  page  172;  "Poetical 
 Works,"  vol.  viii.,  page  177.     These  two  versions  seem  to  have 
 
360  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.         HYMN  6c6. 
 
 been  inserted  to  show  how,  in  the  same  Psahn,  the  rendering  of 
 the  seventh  century  was  a  poetic  cahn,  whilst  that  of  the  eighteenth 
 century  was  full  of  poetic  fire. 
 
 Hymn  602. — "  O  Lord,  with  vengeance  d3.d"—Psa/m  xciv. 
 
 The  Rev.  William  Hiley  Bathurst's  version  of  Psalm  xciv. 
 Mr.  Bathurst  lived  till  over  fourscorce,  and  inherited  wealth  ; 
 yet  he  wrote  in  this  hymn — 
 
 "  With  many  a  gloomy  care  oppressed, 
 I  sought  Thy  comforts,  and  found  rest." 
 
 Hymn  603.—"  Come  sound  His  praise  abroad."— Pj^/w  xcv. 
 
 By  Dr.  Watts,  and  was  probably  selected  as  the  most  brief 
 and  comprehensive  of  many  various  renderings.  The  fifth  and 
 sixth  verses  of  the  original  are  left  out.  It  was  No.  573  in  the 
 last  Supplement. 
 
 Hymn  604. — "  Raise  the  psalm  :  let  earth  adoring." — 
 Psahn  xcvi. 
 
 Rev.  Dr.  Edward  Churton's  paraphrase.  It  is  a  song  of 
 expansive  devotion,  and  has  the  right  ring  about  it  for  the 
 service  of  the  sanctuary. 
 
 Hymn  605. — "  Sing  we  to  our  conquering  Lord." — Psalm  xcviii. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's  vigorous  rendering,  and  was  first  published 
 in  the  Arminiaji  Magazine^  in  1798.  It  exhibits  much  of  the 
 force  and  earnestness  of  the  author's  mind.  The  seventh  verse 
 introduces  the  Judgment  Day  with  the  well-known  line, — "  Lo 
 He  comes  with  clouds  !"  &c.  It  is  in  "Poetical  Version,"  page 
 176,  and  "  Poetical  Works,"  vol.  viii.,  page  183. 
 
 Hymn  606. — "  God,  the  Lord  is  king." — Psahn  xcix. 
 
 A  rendering  of  Psalm  xcix.,  written  in  the  same  meter  as 
 Charles  Wesley's  Judgment  Hymn  alluded  to  above.  Its 
 author  is  Mr.  George  Rawson,  who  was  known  for  some  years 
 as  "A  Leeds  Layman."  He  contributed  fifteen  hymns  to  the 
 "Leeds  Hymn  Book,"  published  in  1853,  which  obtained  a  wide 
 circulation,  and  he  took  an  active  part  in  the  preparation  of  that 
 collection.     He  is  said  to  have  done  the  same  service  for  the 
 
HYMN  607.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  36 1, 
 
 volume  of  Psalms  and  Hymns  in  use  by  the  Baptist  denomi- 
 nation, to  which  he  contributed  twenty-seven  new  hymns.  Some 
 of  his  compositions  will  retain  their  popularity  from  their 
 inherent  excellence,  and  are  in  collections  of  very  wide  circulation. 
 Mr.  Rawson  resides,  we  believe,  at  Clifton,  near  Bristol,  and  he 
 has  recently  published  in  one  handsome  volume  all  his  hymns. 
 
 This  hymn  is  likely  to  be  frequently  used  because  there  are 
 one  or  two  popular  tunes  to  suit  its  peculiar  meter. 
 
 Hymn  607.—"  All  people  that  on  earth  do  dwell"— Psahn  c. 
 
 It  is  taken  from  the  old  version  of  the  Psalms  by  Sternhold, 
 Hopkins,  and  others,  and  is  considered  the  most  popular 
 rendering  of  Psalm  One  Hundred  in  the  English  language.  It 
 was  sung  for  about  a  century  at  the  opening  of  the  services  of 
 the  charity  children  in  St.  Paul's  Cathedral  in  the  month  of 
 June.  The  combination  of  some  five  thousand  "  infant  voices  " 
 with  those  of  two  hundred  trained  choristers  and  a  powerful 
 organ,  brought  out  the  full  majesty  of  both  the  words  and  the 
 music.  That  service  alone  has  given  this  composition  an 
 attractive  power  which  has  caused  its  introduction  into  almost 
 every  hymnal  in  use  in  the  Churches  in  the  land.  It  has  generally 
 been  attributed  to  Thomas  Sternhold,  but  more  careful  investi- 
 gation has  led  to  the  conviction  that  its  author  was  one  of  the 
 "others"  who  aided  Sternhold  and  Hopkins  in  preparing  their 
 version.  The  old  "  Psalter,"  a  copy  of  which  is  preserved  in  the 
 library  of  St.  Paul's  Cathedral,  had  twenty-five  psalms  added  to 
 it  in  1561,  with  the  initials  "  W.  K."  affixed  to  them;  "T.  S." 
 was  added  to  Psalm  c.  One  edition  of  the  Psalter  dated  1561 
 has  "W.  K."  to  Psalm  c.  The  "T.  S."  is  omitted  in  all 
 subsequent  issues  of  the  Psalter  after  1561.  In  the  Scottish 
 version  of  the  Psalter,  1564,  "W.  K."  are  the  initials  to  that  Psalm. 
 It  has  in  fact  been  ascribed  in  various  editions  of  the  Psalter 
 to  "J.  H."  (John  Hopkins),  "T.  S."  (Thomas  Sternhold),  and 
 *'  W.  K."  (William  Kethe).  The  general  belief  seems  now  to 
 have  rested  on  the  latter  as  the  real  author  of  this  version. 
 William  Kethe  was  an  exile  with  John  Knox  in  Geneva  in  1555. 
 He  was  chaplain  to  the  English  forces  at  Havre,  in  1563,  and 
 minister  at  Okeford,  Dorset.  He  is  described  on  a  black-letter 
 sermon  he  preached  at  Blandford  in  1571  as  a  "minister  and 
 preacher  of  God's  Word." 
 
 A  remarkable  instance  of  the  use  of  this  Psalm  is  worthy  of 
 
36a  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  607. 
 
 record,  as  having  taken  place  when  the  singer  was  otherwise 
 unconscious.  The  following  brief  notice  of  the  young  man  may 
 be  permitted  a  place  here. 
 
 Charles  John  Stevenson  (son  of  the  author  of  these  pages), 
 was  born  at  Penge,  Surrey,  24th  March,  1856.  He  had  the 
 fear  of  God  before  him  from  early  infancy.  When  quite  a  little 
 boy,  he  would  gather  his  brothers  and  sisters  around  him  on 
 Sunday  evening  and  preach  to  them.  He  was  educated  at  a 
 private  school  in  Penge  ;  afterwards  at  St.  Saviour's  Grammar 
 School,  Southwark.  He  began  business  in  his  father's 
 publishing  office  in  Paternoster  Row,  but,  at  the  urgent  request 
 of  Mr.  Robert  Mimpriss,  devoted  himself  to  the  teaching  of  the 
 Deaf  and  Dumb,  and  in  the  Yorkshire  school  at  Doncaster 
 worked  hard  and  successfully.  He  there  not  only  attained 
 considerable  proficiency,  but  did  much  good  amongst  the 
 children  by  keeping  religious  truth  before  them.  Deprived  of 
 the  ordinary  ministrations  of  the  Gospel,  he  yearned  for  closer 
 fellowship  with  the  people  of  God.  When  he  left  Doncaster,  he 
 went  to  a  much  smaller  Deaf  and  Dumb  Institution  at  Cardiff, 
 hoping  (but  in  vain)  to  be  able  there  to  get  to  religious  services 
 on  Sundays.  From  this  he  at  length  retired,  in  order  to  have 
 greater  opportunity  of  serving  Christ.  In  1874  he  entered  the 
 service  of  the  Religious  Tract  Society,  and  remained  there  to 
 the  end  of  his  life.  He  was  converted  at  the  age  of  fourteen 
 under  a  sermon  preached  at  Dalston,  by  the  Rev.  J.  Clapham 
 Greaves  from  Prov.  xxii.  3,  "A  prudent  man  foreseeth  the  evil, 
 and  hideth  himself:  but  the  simple  pass  on,  and  are  punished.'' 
 He  at  once  became  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Church.  In 
 1874  he  gave  himself  to  the  work  of  God  at  Church  Road 
 School,  Homerton,  and  remained  an  earnest,  unselfish  supporter 
 of  the  School  to  the  day  of  his  death.  In  the  same  year  he  gave 
 his  first  open-air  address.  From  that  day  his  delight  was  to  go 
 into  the  streets  of  the  city,  into  the  lanes  and  highways  of  the 
 country,  and  tell  men  of  Jesus. 
 
 In  1875  his  name  was  put  on  the  Hackney  plan  on  trial  as  a 
 local  preacher.  His  great  wish,  if  God  should  spare  him,  and 
 open  his  way,  was  to  carry  the  Gospel  to  the  heathen.  During 
 the  last  years  of  his  life  he  gave  much  time  and  attention 
 to  the  establishment  and  extension  of  a  temperance  cause  at 
 Morning  Lane,  Hackney.  The  Rev.  W.  D.  Sarjeant,  in 
 preaching  his  funeral  sermon,  said,  "We  knew  him  as  a  young 
 man  of  simple  faith,  of  earnest  spirit,  of  much  prayer,  of  uniform 
 
HYMN  607.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  363 
 
 piety,  and  of  constant  work,  and,  '  as  God's  servant  was  busy 
 here  and  there,  he  was  gone.' "  He  was  taken  ill  with  typhoid 
 fever  on  9th  August,  1880.  As  soon  as  he  began  to  realise  his 
 position,  he  assured  his  mother  that,  if  that  sickness  was  unto 
 death,  "  all  was  well."  He  prayed  earnestly  again  and  again  to 
 be  spared,  if  God  saw  fit.  On  Tuesday  morning,  15th  August, 
 he  lost  consciousness,  and  on  Saturday,  the  21st,  at  noon,  he 
 entered  into  the  presence  of  the  King,  aged  twenty-four  years. 
 
 During  the  first  night  of  his  unconsciousness  his  mind  was  in 
 his  life-work,  he  talked  as  though  addressing  an  out-door 
 assembly,  then  about  three  in  the  morning  he  broke  out  into 
 loud  singing,  using  these  words — 
 
 "  All  people  that  on  earth  do  dwell, 
 
 Sing  to  the  Lord  with  cheerful  voice  ; 
 Him  serve  with  fear,  His  praise  forth  tell ; 
 Come  ye  before  Him  and  rejoice." 
 
 Consciousness  never  returned  ;  in  that  spirit,  and  with  that  song, 
 he  joined  the  ransomed  host  above,  to  sing  for  ever. 
 
 A  New  Experience. — A  pioneer  naturalist,  Mr.  John  Muir, 
 desiring  to  gain  some  new  experience  of  the  habits  of  the 
 Douglass  squirrel  of  California,  of  which  but  little  is  known, 
 went  early  one  morning  into  the  forest  where  they  dwelt,  and 
 began  by  whistling  a  tune  behind  a  tree.  One  of  the  squirrels 
 darted  up  a  tree  close  by  and  came  out  on  a  branch  opposite  to 
 him  and  sat  down  to  listen.  Mr.  Muir  in  describing  what 
 followed,  remarks,  "  I  sung  and  whistled  a  dozen  tunes,  and  as 
 the  music  changed,  his  eyes  sparkled,  and  he  turned  his  head 
 from  side  to  side,  but  made  no  response.  Other  squirrels, 
 hearing  the  strange  sounds  in  their  home  of  solitude,  came 
 round  on  all  sides,  and  some  birds  also,  especially  a  handsome 
 thrush  came  swooping  only  a  few  feet  from  my  face,  and 
 fluttered  in  the  air  some  time,  sustaining  himself  like  a  humming 
 bird  before  a  flower,  whilst  I  saw  from  his  eyes  his  innocent 
 wonder.  I  sang  or  whistled  "  Bonnie  Doon,"  "  Lass  o'  Gowrie," 
 "O'er  the  water  to  Charlie,"  ^'Bonnie  woods  o'  Craigie  Lee," 
 and  other  lively  airs,  all  of  which  seemed  to  be  listened  to  with 
 bright  interest,  the  first  Douglass  squirrel  sitting  through  it  all 
 with  his  expressive  eyes  fixed  upon  me.  I  then  ventured  to 
 give  the  Old  Hundred  Psalm  tune,  when  the  squirrel  screamed 
 his  native  Indian  cry,  "  Pillilloocet,"  turned  tail,  and  darted  with 
 much  haste  up  the  tree,  out  of  sight,  his  voice  and  actions 
 
364  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  608. 
 
 leaving  a  ludicrous  impression  on  my  mind,  as  if  he  had  said, 
 "Give  me  something  more  cheerful,  or  I'll  not  stay  to  listen  to 
 anything  so  unpiney  !  "  This  acted  as  a  signal  for  the  dispersion 
 of  the  feathered  songsters  and  hairy  listeners,  though  the  birds 
 lingered  longest  to  listen  to  the  strange  music  which  had 
 invaded  their  long  solitude." — JOHN  MuiR  in  Scnbticrs^  Maga- 
 zine^ December,  1878. 
 
 Hymn  608.—"  Before  Jehovah's  awful  throne."— /'.fa/;;^  c. 
 
 Dr.  Watts'  version  of  the  Hundredth  Psalm,  second  meter. 
 It  was  altered  by  Mr.  Wesley,  and  inserted  by  him  in  his 
 *'  Collection  of  Psalms  and  Hymns,"  published  in  America  in 
 1737,  and  in  London  1738.  The  first  verse  of  the  original  is 
 left  out ;  the  second  verse,  as  published  by  Dr.  Watts,  commences 
 as  follows — 
 
 *'  Nations  attend  before  His  throne 
 
 With  solemn  fear,  with  sacred  joy." 
 
 These  lines  John  Wesley  has  substituted  by  two  others,  which 
 give  increased  solemnity  and  grandeur  to  the  whole  hymn. 
 They  are  as  follows — 
 
 *'  Before  Jehovah's  awful  throne, 
 
 Ye  nations,  bow  with  sacred  joy." 
 
 Never  was  a  transformation  more  complete  than  the  one  made 
 by  this  alteration.  From  being  a  hymn  comparatively  unnoticed 
 and  unnoticeable,  it  has  been  made  one  of  solemnity,  power, 
 and  sublimity.  Many  of  the  great  celebrations  of  religious 
 ordinances  both  in  England  and  in  America  have,  for  more  than 
 a  century,  been  commenced  by  the  singing  of  this  commanding 
 poetical  address  to  the  Deity. 
 
 The  late  Dr.  Dempster,  while  senior  professor  in  the  Garrett 
 Biblical  Institute,  America,  related  substantially  the  following 
 facts.  He  and  his  wife,  while  on  their  way  to  South  America, 
 with  two  other  missionaries  and  their  wives  bound  for  other 
 fields,  were  pursued  three  days  by  a  pirate  vessel.  As  their 
 disguised  enemy,  refusing  to  exchange  salutations,  came  near, 
 all  went  on  deck,  and  united  in  singing,  to  the  tune  of  Old 
 Hundred,  the  hymn  commencing — 
 
 "  Before  Jehovah's  awful  throne. 
 
 Ye  nations,  bow  with  sacred  joy  ; 
 Know  that  the  Lord  is  God  alone, 
 
 He  can  create,  and  He  destroy." 
 
HYMN  6lO.         METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  365 
 
 Kneeling  in  prayer,  they  awaited  what  appeared  to  be  their 
 certain  doom,  unless  God  especially  interfered  to  save  them. 
 The  Lord  delivered  them  from  the  mouths  of  cannon  and  the 
 wrath  of  men,  who  waited  a  time  near  the  side  of  the  missionary 
 ship,  then  turned  and  left.  Are  we  pursued  by  enemies,  let  us 
 resort  to  true,  earnest  prayer  and  living  faith.  We  give  this 
 incident  from  the  North-Western  Christian  Advocate;  and  at 
 the  time  this  was  first  written  the  writer  was  privileged  with  the 
 personal  friendship,  in  London,  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Henry  Bannister, 
 the  contemporary  of  Dr.  Dempster,  and  his  successor  in  the 
 professorship. 
 
 Possessing  an  athletic  frame,  a  mind  of  great  energy,  and 
 a  natural  fearless  daring,  John  Marris,  of  Stallingborough, 
 Grimsby,  was  distinguished  amongst  his  worldly  companions 
 for  folly  and  dissipation.  In  1785  he  was  convinced  of  sin 
 through  a  sermon  preached  by  the  Rev.  L.  Harrison,  and  soon 
 afterwards  found  peace  in  believing  under  a  sermon  by  the 
 Rev.  George  Holder.  His  clear  perception  of  divine  truth  made 
 him  a  great  blessing  to  many  dwelling  in  the  darkness  which 
 surrounded  him ;  and  as  a  class-leader  and  local  preacher  he 
 was  earnest,  affectionate,  firm,  and  stimulating.  He  was  a  good 
 man,  and  carried  the  power  of  his  goodness  about  with  him. 
 God  spared  his  useful  life  for  eighty-three  years,  and  when  death 
 was  at  hand  he  maintained  his  confidence  in  God  unshaken. 
 With  great  strength  of  voice  and  fervour  of  spirit,  just  before  he 
 died,  he  repeated — 
 
 **  Wide  as  the  world  is  Thy  command ; 
 Vast  as  eternity  Thy  love  ; 
 Firm  as  a  rock  Thy  truth  shall  stand, 
 When  rolling  years  shall  cease  to  move." 
 
 Shortly  afterwards  he  faintly  breathed  out — 
 
 "  I  am  bound  for  the  kingdom,  go  to  glory  with  me ;" 
 and  he  entered  into  rest,  i6th  October,  1845,  aged  eighty-three. 
 
 Hymn  609. — "  Mercy  and  judgment  will  I  sing." — Psahn  ci. 
 
 Dr.  Watts'  paraphrase.  The  fourth  verse  of  the  original  has 
 been  wisely  omitted. 
 
 Hymn  610. — "  O  bless  the  Lord,  my  soul !" — Psalm  cii. 
 Written  by  Dr.  Watts.     It  is  in  two  parts,  and  forms  two 
 hymns.  •  ' 
 
366  METHODIST  IIVMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  6 1 2. 
 
 Hymn  6ii. — "O  worship  the  King,  all  glorious  above." — 
 Psalm  civ. 
 
 By  Sir  Robert  Grant.  His  father,  Charles  Grant,  was  an 
 eminent  philanthropist  and  statesman  in  the  early  part  of  the 
 present  century.  Sir  Robert  was  born  in  1785,  and  was  educated 
 at  Magdalen  College,  Cambridge,  where  he  graduated  in  1806. 
 He  was  called  to  the  bar  at  Lincoln's  Inn  in  1807,  and  obtained 
 great  distinction  in  his  profession.  He  entered  Parliament  in 
 1827,  and  represented  several  constituencies.  He  was  sworn  a 
 Privy  Councillor  in  1831,  and  in  1834  was  appointed  Governor 
 of  Bombay.  He  died  in  India  in  July,  1838,  aged  fifty-two. 
 During  his  lifetime,  several  hymns  which  he  had  written  found 
 their  way  into  various  collections,  and  suffered  mutilation  by 
 some  editors.  In  1839  his  elder  brother,  Lord  Glenelg,  published 
 from  the  original  manuscripts  the  whole  of  his  twelve  lyrical 
 compositions,  three  of  which  have  a  place  in  the  New  Hymn 
 Book,  the  other  two  being  Nos.  710  and  849.  These  compositions 
 testify  to  his  piety  and  poetic  genius.  Lord  Glenelg  rendered 
 various  important  services  to  Methodism  in  the  earlier  years  of 
 this  centur)',  when  the  aid  of  persons  of  distinction  was  not  so 
 cheerfully  given  on  its  behalf  as  it  is  in  the  present  day.  To 
 persons  familiar  with  the  spirit  and  force  of  some  of  Charles 
 Wesley's  more  vigorous  hymns,  the  following  verse  will  indicate 
 that  Sir  Robert  Grant  himself  was  probably  well  read  in  the 
 hymns  of  the  poet  of  Methodism — 
 
 "  O  tell  of  His  might,  O  sing  of  His  grace, 
 Whose  robe  is  the  light,  whose  canopy  space  ; 
 Whose  chariots  of  wrath  deep  thunder-clouds  form, 
 And  dark  is  His  path  on  the  wings  of  the  storm." 
 
 Being  written  in  tens  and  elevens,  one  of  Mr.  Wesley's  favourite 
 metres,  will  secure  for  it  frequent  use  in  Methodist  gatherings. 
 
 Hymn  612. — "O  render  thanks  to  God  above." — Psalm  cvi. 
 
 Tate  and  Brady's  version  of  Psalm  cvi.  The  original  is  in 
 forty-eight  verses,  each  verse  of  the  Psalm  forming  one  stanza. 
 The  five  verses  here  selected  form  the  first,  second,  fourth,  fifth, 
 and  forty-eighth  of  the  original,  all  the  other  verses  being 
 omitted.  It  was  No.  584  in  the  former  Supplement.  The  last 
 line  in  the  original  reads  thus — 
 
 "Sing  loud  amens  ;  praise  ye  the  Lord." 
 
HYMN  614.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  367 
 
 Hymn  613.—"  The  Lord  unto  my  Lord  thus  said."— 
 Psalm  ex. 
 
 This  was  written  by  the  late  Rev.  Arthur  Tozer  Russell,  a 
 clergyman  who  has  left  his  mark  on  the  roll  of  literary  fame. 
 He  was  born  at  Northampton,  20th  March,  1806,  and  was 
 educated  in  London,  York,  and  at  St.  John's  College,  Cambridge, 
 where  he  was  in  1824.  In  1825  he  took  the  Hulsean  prize,  and 
 was  ordained  in  1829.  In  1830  he  became  vicar  of  Caxton, 
 Cambridge  ;  in  1852  he  was  promoted  to  be  vicar  of  Whaddon, 
 nearRoyston;  and  in  1863  the  living  of  St.  Thomas,  Toxteth 
 Park,  Liverpool,  was  given  to  him.  He  had  other  preferments 
 in  the  Church,  but  his  own  choice  lay  more  in  connection  with 
 literature.  He  wrote  and  edited  numerous  works,  and  published 
 volumes  of  sermons  which  extended  his  fame  in  the  Church. 
 In  1843  ^^  published  a  volume  of  Psalm  and  Hymn  Tunes, 
 some  of  the  hymns  being  his  own  composition.  This  work  he 
 afterwards  enlarged,  and  it  was  published  by  Deighton,  of 
 Cambridge,  in  1851,  with  the  title,  "Psalms  and  Hymns:  Partly 
 Original,  and  Partly  Selected,  for  the  Use  of  the  Church  of 
 England."  Many  modern  hymnals  have  borrowed  the  original 
 hymns  from  this  volume.  Mr.  Russell  was  for  some  time  a 
 chaplain  in  Paris.  He  published  in  1842  a  "Manual  of  Daily 
 Prayers,"  and  in  later  years  "  Memorials  of  Dr.  Thomas  Fuller  " 
 and  "Memoirs  of  Bishop  Andrews."  In  1848  he  contributed 
 numerous  hymns  translated  from  the  German  to  Ernest 
 Bunsen's  "  Hymns  for  Public  Worship  and  Private  Devotion," 
 prepared  for  use  in  the  German  Hospital,  Dalston.  He  wrote 
 articles  in  the  British  and  Foreign  Review^  the  Christian 
 Reme7nbrancer,  and  the  Christian  Observer.  He  wrote  with  the 
 pen  of  a  ready  writer,  and  some  of  his  writings  will  live  after 
 him.  He  died  i8th  November,  1874,  aged  sixty-eight  years. 
 His  father  made  a  selection  of  hymns  which  ran  through  many 
 editions,  enlarged  on  every  occasion.  The  early  editions  had 
 on  the  title-page  the  name  of  Thomas  Cloutt ;  he  changed  his 
 name  after  the  second  edition  to  Thomas  Russell. 
 
 Hymn  614. — "O  Thou  who,  when  I  did  complain."— 
 Psahn  cxvi. 
 
 This  has   the  name  of  Samuel  Wesley,   sen.,  affixed  to  it. 
 Hitherto  it  has  been  the  belief  that  the  rector  of  Ep worth  left 
 
368  METHODIST  H\'MN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  6 1 5. 
 
 only  one  hymn  as  his  contribution  to  the  psalmody  of  the 
 Church  :  the  one  with  such  a  singular  history,  as  having  been 
 rescued  by  the  wind  from  the  burning  of  the  rectory-house, 
 commencing,  "  Behold  the  Saviour  of  mankind."  That  which 
 is  here  printed  in  fourteen  stanzas  forms  two  hymns  divided 
 into  'equal  parts,  the  first  part  by  the  rector  of  Epworth,  the 
 second  part  by  his  son  Charles  ;  that  portion  by  the  rector  was 
 first  published  in  the  year  1700  as  an  appendix  to  the  "Pious 
 Communicant  Rightly  Prepared;"  a  volume  of  280  pages,  and 
 at  the  end  Mr.  Wesley  has  given  in  English  verse  the  Great 
 Hallel  or  Paschal  Hymn,  which  was  sung  by  the  Jews  at  their 
 Passover  Feast,  and  by  Jesus  and  His  Apostles  when  the 
 Sacrament  of  the  Lord's  Supper  was  instituted.  This  hymn  is 
 made  up  of  the  six  Psalms  commencing  with  the  Ninety-third 
 and  ending  with  the  Ninety-eighth.  The  portion  which  forms 
 Hymn  614  is  the  rector's  rendering.  The  second  part  is  Charles 
 Wesley's  paraphrase  of  the  same  Psalm,  "  Poetical  Works," 
 vol.  viii.,  page  202.  Some  confusion  has  doubtless  arisen  from 
 Mr.  Fish  having  included  the  rector's  paraphrase  of  Psalm  cxvi. 
 in  his  "  Poetical  Version  "  of  Charles  Wesley's  Psalms,  although 
 it  was  in  print  before  Charles  was  born.  In  a  supplement  at 
 the  end  of  the  "Poetical  Version"  Mr.  Fish  gives  several  Psalms 
 by  the  rector  of  Epworth,  beginning  with  the  Great  Hallel.  On 
 page  290  he  repeats  the  seven  verses  which  make  the  first  part 
 of  Hymn  614,  and  adds  to  them  seven  other  verses  which  he 
 says  were  added  by  Charles  to  his  father's  portion.  This  does 
 not  lessen  the  confusion.  That  which  forms  the  second  part  of 
 Hymn  614  is  not  in  Mr.  Fish's  edition.  The  second  part  is 
 made  up  of  the  last  five  of  the  eleven  verses  of  which  the 
 original  consists.  The  whole  of  the  Psalm  unaltered  is  printed 
 in  the  recently  published  "  Memorials  of  the  Wesley  Family," 
 by  G.  J.  Stevenson,  M.A.  It  partakes  in  a  marked  manner  of 
 the  literal  rendering  of  the  Hebrew  which  was  a  special  charac- 
 teristic of  the  Old  Version,*  by  Sternhold  and  Hopkins,  the 
 one  used  by  Mr.  Wesley  in  Epworth  Church. 
 
 Hymn  615.— "From  all  that  dwell  below  the  skies."— Praz'se  to 
 God  from  all  People. 
 
 Dr.  Watts'  paraphrase  of  Psalm  cxvii.,  the  shortest   in  the 
 Bible. 
 
 There  is  a  charm  in  poetry  and  music  which  has  never  been 
 
HYMN  615.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  369 
 
 fully  realised.  An  instance  of  this  was  witnessed  in  1849,  in  a 
 large  school  of  poor  children  at  Lambeth  Green,  London.  The 
 day's  work  was  done,  the  usual  singing  and  prayer  were  over, 
 and  three  hundred  boys  were  expecting  in  a  moment  to  be  free 
 from  authority  and  at  play.  This  Psalm  by  Dr.  Watts  had 
 been  sung  to  the  tune  of  the  Portuguese  Hymn.  The  master 
 made  a  few  remarks  about  the  pleasure  music  produced,  and 
 asked  the  children  to  try  and  sing  the  hymn  again.  They  did 
 so  :  it  was  done  with  care  and  much  feeling.  Again  the  request 
 was  preferred, — would  they  like  to  sing  it  again?  The  reply 
 from  hundreds  of  voices  was  a  simultaneous  "  Yes."  It  was 
 repeated,  if  possible  with  increased  delight  to  the  boys.  Then 
 followed  a  few  remarks  about  the  music  of  heaven,  and  how 
 sweet  it  must  be  there ;  and  the  boys  were  asked  if  they  had 
 not  felt  more  happy  by  that  singing  than  if  they  had  been  at 
 play.  Another  unanimous  "  Yes  "  was  the  response ;  and  again 
 they  were  asked  to  sing.  "Oh  yes,"  was  the  instant  reply;  and 
 thus  half-an-hour  of  their  playtime  was  occupied  by  singing 
 praise  to  God  by  three  hundred  poor  children,  immediately 
 under  the  shadow  of  the  palace  of  the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury, 
 at  Lambeth,  and  the  children  thanked  the  teacher  for  the 
 pleasure  their  own  voices  had  afforded  to  themselves.  The 
 hymn  and  tune  were  fixed  in  their  memories  for  life. 
 
 For  thirty-six  years,  John  Severs,  of  Ripon,  lived  a  member 
 of  the  Church  of  England,  having  the  form  of  godliness,  but  did 
 not  know  its  saving  power,  till,  under  the  ministry  of  the  Rev. 
 John  Phillips,  in  1798,  who  so  plainly  set  forth  the  condition 
 of  unregenerate  man  as  "  stung  by  the  scorpion,  sin,"  that  the 
 Holy  Spirit  carried  the  truth  home  to  his  conscience,  he 
 was  enabled  to  believe  at  once  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  for 
 forgiveness.  After  two  years  he  was  made  a  class-leader,  and 
 he  lived  to  see  his  family  of  five  children  useful  and  active 
 members  and  officers  in  the  Methodist  Society.  At  the  ripe 
 age  of  seventy-seven  his  usual  good  health  gave  way,  and  he 
 suffered  much  in  his  last  illness,  but  he  was  constantly  giving 
 thanks  and  singing  praises  to  God.  A  few  hours  before  he  died, 
 24th  November,  1839,  he  repeated  with  feebleness  the  couplet — 
 
 **  From  all  that  dwell  below  the  skies, 
 Let  the  Creator's  praise  arise  ;  " 
 
 and,  after  a  few  minutes,  he  faintly  breathed  his  last  testimony, 
 '*My  ever-blessed  Father !" 
 
 2  A 
 
370  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  6l8. 
 
 Hymn  6i6. — "All  glory  to  our  gracious  Lord." — Psalm  cxviii. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  which,  in  the  author's  "  Poetical  Works/' 
 vol.  viii.,  page  204,  and  "  Poetical  Version,"  page  201,  extends  to 
 twenty-two  six-line  verses.  The  six  verses  chosen  to  form  the 
 first  part  of  this  hymn  are  the  first,  third,  tenth,  eleventh,  twelfth, 
 and  fifteenth  ;  the  second  part  of  the  hymn  is  made  up  of  the 
 last  six  verses  of  the  original.  This  portion  has  this  special 
 title  given  to  it,  "A  Psalm  for  the  Sabbath  Day,"  which  is  not  in 
 the  original. 
 
 Hymn  617.— "Behold  the  sure  Foundation-Stone  !" 
 Psabn  cxviii.  22,  23. 
 
 By  Dr.  Watts,  with  the  title,  "  Christ  the  sure  Foundation  of 
 His  Church."     It  was  in  the  former  Supplement  as  No.  620. 
 
 Hymn  618.— "To  the  hills  I  lift  my  eyes."— Pj^/w  cxxi. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's  paraphrase,  found  in  the  enlarged  edition  of 
 "Psalms  and  Hymns,"  1743.  This  is  in  both  the  "Poetical 
 Version"  and  "Poetical  Works,"  and  was  No.  556  in  the  former 
 Supplement. 
 
 Methodism  has  flourished  in  Yorkshire  when  it  has  compara- 
 tively failed  in  other  localities.  Against  much  opposition,  Hugh 
 Gill,  of  Weeton,  Otley,  joined  the  Methodist  Society,  through 
 the  preaching  of  Richard  Burdsall  and  his  contemporaries,  and 
 soon  afterwards  he  became  a  local  preacher  and  travelled  long 
 journeys,  and  often,  to  proclaim  the  salvation  which  he  himself 
 had  found.  He  and  his  son,  who  was  also  a  local  preacher,  so 
 thoroughly  canvassed  the  village  on  behalf  of  the  mission  cause, 
 that  they  collected  nearly  two  shillings  annually  for  every  resident 
 therein  ;  and  the  greatest  delight  of  Mr.  Gill's  family  was  to 
 have  the  house  full  of  guests  at  the  missionary  anniversary, 
 and  to  give  each  a  thoroughly  Yorkshire  welcome.  When 
 seventy-four  summers  had  passed  over  his  head,  during  fifty  of 
 which  he  had  acted  as  a  local  preacher,  he  was  as  much  attached 
 to  the  means  of  grace  as  ever.  On  Good  Friday,  1827,  he 
 attended  a  prayer  meeting,  and  poured  out  his  soul  before  God 
 with  much  earnestness  and  power.  On  Easter  Sunday  he  met 
 his  class  in  the  morning,  and  gave  out  the  hymn — 
 
 "  To  the  hills  I  lift  mine  eyes, 
 The  everlasting  hills ; 
 
HYMN  623.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  37 1 
 
 Streaming  thence,  in  fresh  supplies, 
 My  soul  the  Spirit  feels." 
 
 He  was  taken  ill  while  singing,  yet  he  afterwards  tried  to  pray. 
 His  voice  began  to  falter,  articulation  became  difficult,  and,  on 
 13th  April,  1827,  aged  seventy-four,  his  happy  spirit  escaped  to 
 the  land  of  rest,  faintly  articulating,  "  I  feel  Jesus  precious — 
 very  precious." 
 
 Sarah  Haldorn  feared  the  Lord  from  her  youth ;  and  after 
 being  more  than  fifty  years  a  consistent  member  of  the  Methodist 
 Society,  she  died  in  great  peace  at  Newington  Green,  London, 
 with  an  unshaken  reliance  on  the  Saviour.     During  her  long 
 and  severe  illness  she  often  repeated  the  verse — 
 "  To  the  hills  I  lift  mine  eyes, 
 The  everlasting  hills ; 
 Streaming  thence,  in  fresh  supplies, 
 
 My  soul  the  Spirit  feels  : 
 Will  He  not  His  help  afford  ? 
 Help,  while  yet  I  ask,  is  given." 
 
 She  died  happy,  12th  October,  1848,  aged  eighty-eight  years. 
 
 Hymn  619. — "  Glad  was  my  heart  to  hear." — Psabn  cxxii. 
 
 James  Montgomery's  paraphrase,  a  sweet  and  natural  outburst 
 of  joy  and  thanksgiving  for  "friends  and  brethren." 
 
 Hymn  620. — "  Unto  Thee  I  lift  my  eyes." — Psalm  cxxiii. 
 By  the  Rev.  Henry  Francis  Lyte. 
 
 Hymn  621. — "  If  our  God  had  not  befriended." — Psalm  cxxiv. 
 By  the  Rev.  Benjamin  Hall  Kennedy,  D.D. 
 
 Hymn  622. — "  Who  in  the  Lord  confide." — Psalm  cxxv. 
 Charles  Wesley's,  one  of  his  early  paraphrases,  first  published 
 in  1 74 1.  The  original  has  six  verses,  three  of  which  are  left 
 out— third,  fifth,  and  sixth.  It  was  No.  677  in  the  former  Supple- 
 ment. It  is  in  both  the  "Poetical  Version  "and  "Works," 
 vol.  viii. 
 
 Hymn  623. — "When  our  redeeming  Lord." — Psalm  cxxvi. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  "Poetical  Version," page  247,  and  "Poetical 
 Works,"  viii.,  page  241.  It  extends  to  seven  verses  ;  the  fifth  is 
 omitted. 
 
372  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  627. 
 
 Hymn  624. — "  In  vain  wc  build  unless  the  Lord." — 
 Psahn  cxxvii. 
 
 By  the  Rev.  Benjamin  Hall  Kennedy,  D.I). 
 
 Hymn  625.— "Out  of  the  depth  of  self-despair."— /'j-^/;-'/  cxxx. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's.  It  appears  in  "  Psalms  and  Hymns," 
 enlarged  edition,  1743.  This  is  in  both  the  "  Poetical  Works," 
 vol.  viii.,  and  "  Poetical  Version."  Charles  Wesley  wrote  three 
 versions  of  this  Psalm  ;  the  second,  published  in  1741,  is  adapted 
 from  that  of  Phineas  Fletcher. 
 
 Hymn  626.— "Out  of  the  depths  I  cry  to  Thee."— /V^r/w  cxxx. 
 
 Martin  Luther's  rendering  of  the  same  Psalm  as  the  preceding 
 one.  Martin  Luther  was  born  in  1483,  and  died  in  1546  ;  both 
 events  took  place  at  Eisleben,  in  Lower  Saxony.  Curious, 
 indeed,  is  the  fact  that,  after  a  life  of  such  varied  trials,  persecu- 
 tions, and  sufferings,  with  the  anathemas  of  the  Pope  and  the 
 combined  priesthood  of  the  Church  of  Rome  hurled  against 
 him,  Divine  Providence,  in  whose  almighty  power  alone  he 
 trusted,  singularly  interposed  in  his  behalf,  and  permitted  him 
 to  die  in  peace  in  the  place  where  he  was  bom.  To  name  but 
 one  of  his  many  important  works,  his  "  Spiritual  Songs,"  written 
 in  German,  have  been  translated  into  English  by  many  hands. 
 They  were  first  published  in  1527,  and  republished  in  1545.  In 
 closing  the  first  preface,  Luther  remarks  :  "  We  have  inserted 
 some  sacred  songs  from  Holy  Scripture  which  the  blessed 
 patriarchs  and  prophets  of  olden  time  composed  and  sung,  that 
 we  may  not  appear  as  new  masters  of  the  work.  Therefore 
 every  Christian  will  see  that  they,  as  we  have  done,  praised  the 
 mercy  of  God,  and  not  the  work  of  man  ;  nor  will  any  one 
 condemn  us,  lest  in  so  doing  he  should  also  condemn  them." 
 It  will  be  observed  how  convincingly  he  condemns  in  this  hymn 
 the  doctrine  of  salvation  by  works  as  taught  by  the  Church  of 
 Rome.     The  life  of  Luther  is  a  fine  study  for  young  people. 
 
 Hymn  627. — "  Thou,  Lord,  my  witness  art." — Psalm  cxxxi. 
 
 Written  by  George  Sandys,  of  York.  It  is  rough  and 
 unpolished,  and  contrasts  unfavourably  with  Charles  Wesley's 
 version  of  the  same  Psalm,  which  follows  it. 
 
HYMN  631.         METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  373 
 
 Hymn  628.—"  Lord,  if  Thou  the  grace  impart."— /'W;;^  cxxxi. 
 
 C.  Wesley's, "  Poetical  Works,"  vol.  viii.,  page  247,  and  "  Poetical 
 Version,"  page  225.     The  fourth  verse  of  the  original  is  left  out. 
 
 Hymn  629.—"  Remember,  Lord,  the  pious  zeal."— PWw  cxxxii. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's.  The  original  is  in  eight  double  verses. 
 This  hymn  gives  only  nine  single  verses,  the  whole  of  the 
 second  and  fifth,  and  half  the  first,  fourth,  and  sixth  verses  being 
 omitted,  thus  necessitating  some  verbal  alterations  in  the  verses 
 
 Hymn  630. — "  Behold,  how  good  a  thmgJ'—Fsalm  cxxxiii. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  first  pubHshed  in  1742.  It  is  in  "Poetical 
 Version"  and  "Poetical  Works."  The  original  has  eleven 
 verses,  three  of  which  are  left  out.  It  was  formerly  No,  490  in 
 the  Supplement. 
 
 Hymn  631.—"  Praise,  O  praise  our  God  and  King  !"— 
 Psalm  cxxxvi. 
 
 Written  by  Sir  Henry  Baker,  Bart.,  a  clergyman  of  distinction 
 in  the  Church  of  England.  Its  author  was  born  in  London  in 
 May,  182 1.  His  father.  Sir  Henry  L.  Baker,  the  second  baronet, 
 was  a  vice-admiral  of  the  Navy.  Sir  Henry  was  educated  at 
 Trinity  College,  Cambridge,  where  he  took  his  B.A.  degree  in 
 1844.  After  his  ordination  he  was  appointed,  in  185 1,  to  the 
 vicarage  of  Monkland,  Herefordshire.  He  succeeded  his  father 
 in  the  baronetcy  in  1859.  When  "Hymns,  Ancient  and 
 Modern,"  were  being  selected  for  publication.  Sir  Henry  was 
 chosen  one  of  the  editors,  and  in  its  pages  his  contributions  to 
 Church  psalmody  first  appeared.  They  have  since  been  added 
 to  other  hymnals  when  the  consent  of  the  learned  baronet  has 
 been  obtained.  Sir  Henry  was  never  married,  but  devoted 
 himself  to  the  promotion  of  Church  work  in  some  of  its  higher 
 branches.  He  died  at  Horkesley  House,  near  Leominster,  12th 
 February,  1877,  aged  fifty-six  years,  and  was  succeeded  in  the 
 title  by  his  cousin.  Sir  Sherston  Baker.  The  name  of  Sir  Henry 
 will  long  be  remembered  in  the  Church  for  the  prominent  part 
 he  took  in  preparing  that  extensively  popular  book,  "  Hymns, 
 Ancient   and   Modern,"  which  has   obtained  a  circulation   of 
 
374  METHODIST  HYMN  EOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  635. 
 
 unparalleled  extent  both  in  England  and  America.  It  is  used 
 in  more  churches  than  any  other  collection.  To  preserve  the 
 memory  of  Sir  Henry  fresh,  in  January,  1879,  a  lich-gate  of 
 oak  and  a  stained-glass  window  were  opened  at  Monklands  by 
 a  special  service,  in  which  the  deceased  Baronet's  hymns  were 
 used,  and  an  address  given  by  his  old  friend,  the  Rev.  W.  H. 
 Lambert.  This  is  the  only  hymn  by  Sir  Henry  in  the  Methodist 
 Collection,  As  a  hymn  of  praise  for  temporal  mercies,  some 
 may  admire  it ;  but  a  little  more  of  Christ  in  its  phraseology 
 would  be  an  improvement. 
 
 Hymn  632. — "  In  all  my  vast  concerns  with  Thee."— G"^^ /j 
 cve7yiJuhe7'e. 
 
 Dr.  Watts'  version  of  Psalm  cxxxix.,  part  i.  The  original  has 
 ten  verses,  the  last  five  being  omitted.  This  was  No.  590  in  the 
 former  Supplement. 
 
 Hymn  633. — "  WTiither  shall  a  creature  run." — Psalm  cxxxix. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's  version  of  the  same  Psalm,  verse  7, 
 "Whither  shall  I  go  from  thy  Spirit,"  (S:c.  It  forms  No.  79  of 
 the  author's  "Hymns  on  the  Trinity,"  first  published  in  1767. 
 Charles  Wesley  wrote  these  hymns  to  try  to  stem  the  spread 
 of  Arianism.  They  are  based  on  a  work  entitled,  "  The  Catholic 
 Doctrine  of  the  Trinity,"  by  W.  Jones,  M.A.,  published  in  1754. 
 The  poet  wrote  one  hymn  on  each  text  chosen  by  Mr.  Jones  on 
 which  to  base  his  arguments.  It  will  be  found  in  "  Poetical 
 Works,"  vol.  vii.,  page  261.  Charles  Wesley  has  another 
 version  of  this  Psalm  in  his  "  Poetical  Version,"  page  266, 
 commencing  with  "Thou,  Lord,  by  strictest  search  hast  known," 
 which  extends  to  fourteen  verses,  and  in  which  the  poet  has 
 borrowed  some  lines  from  Dr.  Watts. 
 
 Hymn  634.— "In  deep  distress,  to  Ood^P— Psalm  cxlii. 
 
 Brady  and  Tate's  version,  revised  by  Edward  Osier,  who  has 
 preserved  as  much  of  the  language  as  was  consistent  with  an 
 improved  rendering. 
 
 Hymn  635.—"  Hear  Thou  my  prayer,  O  Lord."— /'j^/;;/  cxliii. 
 
 From  the  "  Psalter  of  English  Verse,"  by  the  Rev.  Benjamin 
 Hall  Kennedy,  D.D.  It  is  a  decided  improvement  on  some 
 of  the  Psalm  renderings  by  other  clergymen. 
 
HYMN  637.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  375 
 
 Hymn  636. — "Far  as  creation's  bounds  extend." — The  Goodness 
 of  God  Acknowledged. — Psabn  cxlv. 
 
 James  Merrick's  paraphrase  of  part  of  Psalm  cxlv.,  and  first 
 published  in  1765.  Only  a  small  portion  of  the  original  is 
 given. 
 
 James  Merrick,  A.M.,  was  educated  for  the  ministry  at  Trinity 
 College,  Oxford  ;  but  his  health  failing  him,  he  was  not  ordained. 
 He  translated  or  paraphrased  the  Psalms  in  English  verse,  and 
 published  the  work  in  1765,  but  it  did  not  secure  royal  favour, 
 and  so  rests  simply  on  its  intrinsic  merits.  Mr.  Merrick  was  a 
 contemporary  poet  with  the  Wesleys,  and  was  born  at  Reading 
 in  1720,  entered  Trinity  College,  Cambridge,  1736,  and  was 
 elected  a  fellow  of  the  same  in  1744.  He  published  several 
 works,  chiefly  of  sacred  poetry  and  theology,  which  caused 
 Bishop  Lowth  to  say  of  him,  "  he  was  one  of  the  best  of  men 
 and  most  eminent  of  scholars."  His  paraphrase  of  the  Psalms 
 of  David  was  held  in  high  esteem,  but  more  modern  versions 
 have  displaced  it.  Dr.  W.  B.  Collyer  thought  so  highly  of 
 Merrick's  version,  that  he  included  over  fifty  of  his  psalms  and 
 hymns  in  his  collection.  He  died  at  Reading,  in  January,  1769, 
 aged  fifty  years.    This  was  Hymn  585  in  the  former  Supplement. 
 
 Hymn  6yj. — "  Sweet  is  the  Memory  of  Thy  Grace."— 
 Psalm  cxlv. 
 
 Dr.  Watts'  version  of  the  same  Psalm  as  the  preceding  one. 
 It  was  in  the  former  Supplement  as  two  hymns  (Nos.  589  and 
 587) ;  here  the  two  parts  are  placed  in  their  proper  order.  The 
 third  verse  of  the  original  is  altered,  and  the  fourth  left  out, 
 The  two  parts,  as  here  brought  together,  make  eleven  verses. 
 
 Early  conversion  to  God,  and  devotion  to  His  service,  was 
 the  privilege  of  William  Naylor.  Commencing  his  career  of 
 religious  usefulness  soon  after  the  death  of  Mr.  Wesley,  he  was 
 acceptable  as  a  local  preacher,  and  at  the  age  of  twenty  he 
 commenced  to  travel  as  a  Methodist  preacher.  For  sixty  years 
 he  laboured  with  zeal  and  diligence  in  the  arduous  and  respon- 
 sible duties  of  the  ministry,  filling  posts  of  honour,  and  occupying 
 the  more  important  circuits  of  the  Connexion.  He  was  a 
 painstaking  and  earnest  preacher  of  the  doctrine  of  universal 
 redemption,  and  a  diligent  pastor.  He  was  a  man  of  prayer, 
 and  his  ministry  was  one  of  power.  He  took  part  in  founding 
 the  Wesleyan  Missionary  Society,  and -was  privileged  to  preach 
 
37^  METHODIST  HYMN  UOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  638. 
 
 one  of  the  jubilee  celebration  sermons.  For  six  years  he  was 
 dilii^ently  helping  forward  the  work  of  God  as  a  supernumerary; 
 and  in  his  eighty-fifth  year,  bcinj;  then  the  oldest  minister  in  the 
 Connexion,  he  calmly  entered  into  rest.  During  a  short  illness 
 which  preceded  his  death,  it  was  his  custom  to  sing  through, 
 before  retiring  to  rest,  Hymn  227,  commencing — 
 
 "  How  do  Thy  mercies  close  me  round." 
 
 Those  privileged  to  hear  him  will  never  forget  the  fulness  of 
 feeling  with  which  he  sang  it.  Words  fail  to  convey  the  depth 
 of  humility,  the  clinging  trustfulness  and  utter  reliance  of  faith, 
 that  were  expressed  in  the  tones  of  his  voice  as  he  sung,  with 
 a  power  as  of  early  days — 
 
 "  Thou  never,  never  will  forsake 
 
 A  helpless  worm  that  trusts  in  Thee." 
 
 When  at  last  confined  to  bed,  he  would  delight  in  singing  "  Rock 
 of  Ages,"  and  "Jesu,  lover  of  my  soul,"  both  of  which  have  so 
 often  thrown  the  radiancy  of  heaven  into  the  opening  tomb. 
 The  last  interviews  he  had  with  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Mills  and  Mrs.  H. 
 Banks  were  closed  by  his  singing  through  the  last-named  hymn. 
 Thus  the  very  footsteps  of  death  beat  time  to  the  songs  of 
 triumphant  joy.  There  was  in  his  last  days  a  depth  of  humility, 
 and  a  marvellous  sweetness  of  spirit  shining  forth,  which  indicated 
 in  him  "heaven  begun  below."  He  also  delighted,  at  the  last, 
 in  singing  the  Psalm  commencing — 
 
 **  Sweet  is  the  memory  of  Thy  grace, 
 My  God,  my  heavenly  King,"  &c. ; 
 
 and  particularly  the  closing  lines — 
 
 **  But  we,  who  taste  Thy  richer  grace, 
 Delight  to  bless  Thy  name." 
 
 His  happy  spirit  scarcely  touched  the  rolling  flood,  for  the 
 heavenly  chariot  flashed  suddenly  through  that  sacred  room, 
 and  conveyed  him  to  the  mansions  on  high.  He  died  loth  July, 
 1868,  aged  eighty-five  years. 
 
 Hymn  638.—"  My  soul,  inspired  with  sacred  love." — 
 Psalm  cxhi. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's  paraphrase  of  Psalm  cxlvi.  with  two  verses, 
 the  3rd  and  7th  omitted.     It  was  printed  first  in  the  Armmian 
 
HYMN  640.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  377 
 
 Magazine^  and  is  also  inserted  in  Mr.  Fish's  edition  of  Charles 
 Wesley's  Psalms,  and  in  "  Poetical  Works,"  vol.  viii.,  page  261. 
 There  is  a  similarity  in  some  of  the  lines  to  portions  of  Addison's 
 hymn  commencing  "When  all  Thy  mercies,  O  my  God" — 
 (Hymn  657). 
 
 Under  the  ministry  of  the  Rev.  Joseph  Hollingworth,  at 
 Barwick  and  Yarm,  John  Mowbray  Pearson  was  convinced  of 
 sin  ;  and  while  attending  a  prayer  meeting  in  the  Wesleyan 
 Chapel,  Yarm,  he  believed  on  Christ,  and  obtained  the  blessing 
 of  pardon  and  the  spirit  of  adoption,  when  in  his  seventeenth 
 year.  He  soon  became  a  prayer-leader  and  local  preacher,  and 
 in  1832  was  received  into  the  itinerant  ministry,  covenanting 
 with  God  to  use  every  opportunity  for  improvement  in  the 
 Church  and  in  bringing  glory  to  God.  Illness  set  in,  which  cut 
 short  his  career  of  usefulness ;  but  at  the  commencement  of  it 
 he  had  the  clearest  assurance  of  his  acceptance  with  God.  A 
 short  time  before  his  death,  he  requested  a  friend  to  read  to 
 him — 
 
 "  My  soul,  inspired  with  sacred  love, 
 
 The  Lord  thy  God  delight  to  praise  ; 
 His  gifts,  I  will  for  Him  improve, 
 
 To  Him  devote  my  happy  days ; 
 To  Him  my  thanks  and  praises  give, 
 
 And  only  for  His  glory  live." 
 
 Clasping  his  hands,  he  exclaimed,  "Thank  God,  this  hymn 
 contains  my  experience,  my  principles,  and  my  determination." 
 Waving  his  hand  in  token  of  victory,  he  said,  with  his  expiring 
 breath,  "Come,  Lord  Jesus,  come  quickly;"  and  he  fell  asleep 
 in  Jesus,  19th  July,  1850,  aged  forty-one  years. 
 
 Hymn  639. — "  You  who  dwell  above  the  skies." — Psalm  cxlviii. 
 
 Was  written  by  George  Sandys,  of  York,  and  first  published 
 in  1636.  The  knowledge  he  gained  by  his  extensive  foreign 
 travels  gave  him  many  advantages  in  rendering  such  a  Psalm 
 as  this  into  English  verse. 
 
 Hymn  640. — "  Praise  the  Lord  !  ye  heavens,  adore  Him." — 
 Psabn  cxlviii. ;  should  be  Psalm  cl. 
 
 This  Psalm  has  found  its  way  into  many  collections,  but  of 
 its  author  little  or  nothing  was  known  for  half-a-century.  The 
 late  Mr.  Daniel  Sedgwick  traced  its  authorship  to  the  Rev. 
 
37S  METHODIST  HVMN  P.OOK  NOTES.  HYMN  642. 
 
 John  Kempthornc,  B.D.,  who,  in  18 10,  published  for  the  use  of 
 the  Church  of  England  "Select  Portions  of  Psalms  and 
 Hymns,"  in  which  are  several  original  compositions.  Four  of 
 the  latter  Mr.  Sedgwick  had  bound  in  a  4to  volume  of  engraved 
 music  entitled,  "  Psalms,  Hymns,  and  Anthems  for  the  Found- 
 ling Chapel,  1809,  by  the  Rev.  W.  Russell."  They  form  part 
 of  the  additional  hymns  to  the  collection.  The  four  of  Mr. 
 Kempthorne's  hymns  found  in  that  work  commence  as  follows — 
 
 "  Forgive,  O  Lord,  our  frailties  past." 
 
 "  Great  God,  to  Thee  our  song  we  raise." 
 
 "  Praise  the  Lord  !  ye  heavens  adore  him." 
 
 "  While  health,  and  strength,  and  youth  remain." 
 
 These  are  identified  as  by  the  same  author  by  the  repeat  in  the 
 last  couplet  of  each  verse.  The  Rev.  John  Kempthorne  was 
 born  at  Plymouth,  24th  June,  1775,  and  was  the  son  of  Admiral 
 James  Kempthorne.  He  was  educated  at  St.  John's  College, 
 Cambridge,  of  which  he  became  a  Fellow.  After  his  ordination 
 he  was  appointed  rector  of  St.  Michael's,  Gloucester,  which  he 
 held  for  many  years.  He  was  also  for  some  time  examining 
 chaplain  to  Dr.  Ryder,  Bishop  of  Lichfield  and  Coventry'.  He 
 died  at  the  rectory  of  St.  Michael's,  Gloucester,  6th  November, 
 1838,  aged  sixty-three  years.  Hymn  640  is  printed  as  a  version 
 of  Psalm  cxlviii.,  which  is  an  error.  It  is  a  rendering  of  the 
 last  of  the  Psalms,  and  as  such  it  is  printed  in  the  author's  own 
 book  and  in  other  collections.  Mr.  Osier  adopted  several  of 
 Mr.  Kempthorne's  compositions  in  the  collection  which  he 
 edited  for  the  Rev.  W.  J.  Hall. 
 
 Hymn  641. — "  Praise  the  Lord  who  reigns  above." — Psalm  cl. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's  version  of  Psalm  cl.,  and  is  the  last  of  his 
 Select  Psalms,  "  Poetical  Works,"  vol.  viii.,  page  262,  and  in 
 *' Poetical  Version."  It  is  given  unabridged.  This  closes  the 
 section  of  the  new  Hymn  Book  devoted  to  the  Psalms.  The 
 remaining  portion  consists  of  hymns  by  various  authors,  chiefly 
 by  Charles  Wesley. 
 
 Hymn  642. — "  Hail,  Father,  whose  creating  call."— ^  Hyjnn 
 to  God  the  Father. 
 
 This  was  written  by  Samuel  Wesley,  jun.,  and  forms  the  first 
 hymn  in  his  volume  of  "  Poems  on  Several  Occasions,"  second 
 
HYMN  643.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  379 
 
 edition,  1743,  and  reprinted  in  1862.    It  is  the  first  of  the  hymns 
 of  adoration. 
 
 There  are  three  of  these  hymns  addressed  to  the  Trinity, 
 the  second  being  addressed  to  God  the  Son,  which  commences 
 the  second  section  of  the  Supplement,  No.  665  ;  and  the 
 third  addressed  to  God  the  Holy  Spirit,  which  commences 
 the  third  section,  Hymn  750.  These  were  not  printed  in 
 the  original  4to  edition  of  the  Rev.  Samuel  Wesley's  poems, 
 published  in  1736,  during  the  author's  lifetime,  but  his 
 brother  John  printed  all  three  in  the  collection  of  Psalms  and 
 Hymns  issued  by  him  in  America  in  1737.  They  appear  also 
 in  the  second  and  enlarged  edition  of  Samuel  Wesley's  Poems, 
 i2mo,  1743,  with  a  portrait,  the  finest  which  has  ever  appeared 
 of  the  author.  Samuel  Wesley,  the  elder  brother  of  John  and 
 Charles,  was  born  in  London,  loth  February,  1690.  As  a  child 
 he  showed  a  taste  for  poetry.  He  was  educated  at  Westminster 
 School  and  Christ  Church,  Oxford,  whence  he  returned,  after 
 taking  his  M.A.  degree,  to  be  one  of  the  ushers  of  Westminster 
 School,  where  he  had  his  brothers  for  some  time  under  his 
 care.  While  residing  there  he  became  one  of  the  founders  and 
 principal  promoters  of  the  Westminster  Hospital,  a  work  of 
 charity  and  benevolence  in  which  he  took  special  pleasure. 
 After  residing  in  Westminster  cloisters  for  twenty  years,  he  was 
 appointed  head-master  of  the  Grammar  School,  Tiverton,  in 
 1732.  He  there  issued  the  first  edition  of  his  poems  in  1736, 
 and  died  6th  November,  1739,  ^^  the  early  age  of  forty-nine. 
 He  was  not  friendly  to  the  religious  views  of  his  brothers,  but 
 died  before  the  Methodist  Societies  were  really  founded.  There 
 are  five  of  his  hymns  in  the  Collection.  They  are  Nos.  46, 
 642,  665,  750,  and  950.  The  following  lines  originally  formed 
 the  fourth  verse  of  Hymn  642 — 
 
 **  Pleased  to  behold  Thine  image  bright 
 With  rays  co-equal  shine  ; 
 Begotten,  uncreated  Light, 
 As  infinite  as  Thine." 
 
 He  died,  and  was  buried  at  Tiverton. 
 
 Hymn  643. — "  Hail,  co-essential  Three." — The  Trinity  in  Unity. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  on  the  Trinity,"  1767,  page 
 107.    Was  No.  562  in  the  former  Supplement. 
 
380  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.         HYMN  646. 
 
 Hymn  644. — "Wc  give  immortal  praise." 
 
 A  well-known  hymn  by  Dr.  Watts,  and  has  a  place  in  many 
 collections. 
 
 Hymn  645.— "  Father,  live,  by  all  things  feared."— T^  the 
 Trinity. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1740, 
 page  loi.  It  is  also  in  the  same  author's  hymns  entitled  "Gloria 
 Patri,"  1746.     It  was  No.  745  in  the  former  Supplement. 
 
 Hymn  646.— "Holy,  Holy,  holy.  Lord  God  Almighty  !" 
 
 This  is  from  the  pen  of  Bishop  Heber,  and  is  one  of  the  most 
 glorious  ascriptions  of  praise  to  the  Trinity  in  the  English 
 language.  Its  author  the  Rev.  Reginald  Heber,  bishop,  was  born 
 at  Malpas,  Cheshire,  in  April,  1783.  He  entered  Brasenose 
 College,  Oxford,  in  1799,  and  in  1800  he  took  the  University 
 prize  for  Latin  hexameters.  In  1801  his  poem  entitled 
 "  Palestine,"  secured  the  gold  medal  prize.  In  1808  he  took  his 
 M.A.  degree  and  was  elected  Fellow  of  All  Souls  College.  For 
 some  years  he  was  vicar  of  Hodnet,  and  in  1822  became 
 preacher  at  Lincoln's  Inn,  with  an  addition  oii  £600  a-year  to 
 his  income.  In  1823  he  was  chosen  Bishop  of  Calcutta,  and 
 in  India  he  made  for  himself  imperishable  fame.  He  died 
 suddenly,  of  apoplexy,  in  his  bath  in  India,  in  April,  1826,  aged 
 forty-two  years.  He  published  several  works,  and  was  a 
 contributor  to  the  Quarterly  Review.  In  1827  he  joined  the 
 Rev.  Henry  Hart  Milman  in  publishing  a  thin  octavo  volume 
 of  original  hymns  and  lyrics,  from  which  his  contributions  to 
 Church  psalmody  are  obtained.  Two  or  three  of  his  composi- 
 tions will  live  through  all  the  ages  ;  there  are  seven  of  them  in 
 this  Collection,  the  numbers  being  646,  692,  697,  747,  767,  797, 
 and  906. 
 
 This  grand  hymn  has  been  sung  into  great  popularity 
 amongst  churchmen  whose  music  is  in  keeping  with  their 
 ritual ;  but  the  spiritless  level  of  their  monotonous  chant  has 
 been  utterly  unsuited  to  the  words  themselves.  Sung  on 
 Sabbath  morning  as  an  anthem  as  it  now  is  every  Sunday  in 
 some  Methodist  churches,  to  the  tune  of  "Trinity,"  by  A.  Stone, 
 it  goes  with  exhilarating  force,  the  words  and  music  harmonising, 
 raise  the  singer  to  the  highest  point  of  hallowed  praise  ;  it  thus 
 becomes  a  kindling  and  exultant  melody. 
 
HYMN  652.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES,  381 
 
 Hymns  647.—"  Infinite  God,  to  Thee  we  raise." 
 „       648. — "  Messiah,  joy  of  every  heart." 
 „       649. — "  Saviour,  we  now  rejoice  in  hope." 
 Te  Deum  latidamus. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  forming  the  first  portion  of  his  elegant 
 poetical  paraphrase  of  that  sublime  devotional  hymn  known  as 
 the  "Te  Deum."  It  is  found  in  that  poet's  "  Hymns  for  those 
 that  seek  Redemption,"  1747.  It  there  appears  in  fourteen 
 stanzas  ;  but  in  the  Hymn  Book  it  is  divided  so  as  to  make 
 three  hymns.  There  is  a  sublimity  in  the  language  and 
 character  of  the  Te  Deum^  which  the  poet  has  admirably  caught 
 and  embodied  in  his  masterly  rendering  of  the  same.  Who, 
 for  instance,  can  repeat  the  solemn  truth,  "  We  believe  that 
 thou  shalt  come  to  be  our  Judge,"  without  deep  emotion,  or  sing 
 the  same  in  the  strain  of  the  Methodist  poet — 
 
 **  And  Thou,  with  judgment  clad,  shalt  come, 
 To  seal  our  everlasting  doom." 
 
 This  paraphrase  has  been  very  generally  ascribed  to  the  poet 
 Dryden,  but  erroneously.  He  has  published  a  version  of  this 
 fine  hymn ;  but  it  is  much  inferior  to  this  one  by  Charles 
 Wesley.  His  is  in  the  decasyllabic  verse,  and  commences 
 thus — 
 
 **  Thee,  sovereign  God,  our  grateful  accents  praise. 
 We  own  Thee  Lord,  and  bless  Thy  wondrous  ways." 
 
 Hymn  650.— "The  Lord  Jehovah  reigns."— 77z^  Divine 
 
 Perfections. 
 
 Dr.  Watts'  version   of  Psalm   cxlviii.     It  is  found   in  John 
 
 Wesley's    "Psalms    and     Hymns,"     1738,     and     considerably 
 
 improved  by  John  Wesley's  alterations.     It  was  No.  569  in  the 
 
 former  Supplement. 
 
 Hymn  651. — "  God  is  a  name  my  soul  adores." 
 By  Dr.  Watts,  from  "  Horas  Lyrica,"  page  13,  with  the  title 
 "The   Creator  and   His  Creatures."     It  was  No.   568  in  the 
 former  Supplement. 
 
 Hymn  652.—"  O  God,  at  Thy  command  we  rise." 
 Charles  Wesley's,  "  Short  Scripture  Hymns,"  vol.  i..  No.  706. 
 Date  1762,  based  on   Nehemiah  ix.    5.      "Poetical  Works," 
 vol.  ix.,  page  225. 
 
382  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  656. 
 
 Hymn  653. — "  Father  of  Earth  and  Sky." — The  Lorifs  Prayer. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's  metrical  rendering  of  St.  Matthew,  vi.  8-13, 
 from  "Short  Scripture  Hymns,"  vol.  ii.,  Nos.  60  to  66.  It  was 
 No.  594  in  the  former  Supplement. 
 
 Hymn  654. — "  Being  of  beings,  God  of  love  !  "—Grace  before 
 Meat. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "  Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1739, 
 page  35.  It  breathes  a  spirit  of  grateful  adoring  love,  but  some 
 of  its  expressions  are  not  suited  for  indiscriminate  use.  It  was 
 No.  543  in  the  former  Supplement. 
 
 Hymn  655.— "Eternal  Depth  of  love  Divine."—"  God  with  us:^ 
 
 John  Wesley's  translation  from  the  German  of  Count  Zinzen- 
 dorf.  It  is  found  in  "  Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1739,  P^ge 
 195.  The  original  is  in  four  double  stanzas,  eight  lines  of  which 
 are  omitted.  It  was  No.  586  in  the  former  Supplement.  The 
 omitted  lines,  forming  half  the  third  and  fourth  verses,  are  as 
 follows — 
 
 "  Still  on  Thee,  Father,  may  we  rest ! 
 Still  may  we  pant  Thy  son  to  know  ! 
 Thy  Spirit  still  breathe  into  our  breast, 
 
 Fountain  of  peace  and  joy  below  ! 
 Oft  have  we  seen  Thy  mighty  power, 
 
 Since  from  the  world  Thou  mad'st  us  free ; 
 Still  may  we  praise  Thee  more  and  more, 
 Our  hearts  more  firmly  knit  to  Thee." 
 
 These  lines  have  a  direct  personal  bearing  on  the  experience 
 of  Mr.  Wesley  during  the  first  year  after  his  conversion,  and  as 
 such  are  more  interesting. 
 
 Hymn  656.—"  Great  God  of  wonders  !  all  Thy  ways."— Title, 
 A  Pa7-doiiiiig  God  {Micah  vii.  18). 
 
 This  hymn  was  written  in  America  by  Samuel  Davies.  He 
 was  born  at  Newcastle,  Delaware,  3rd  November,  1724;  was 
 early  converted  to  God,  and  became  a  successful  Presbyterian 
 minister.  After  preaching  the  Gospel  to  a  sparse  population, 
 with  great  acceptance,  he  was  in  1759,  at  the  age  of  thirty-five, 
 appointed  President  of  New  Jersey  College,  from  which  office 
 he  has  been  since  known  as  President  Davies.     He  died  at  the 
 
HYMN  657.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  383 
 
 early  age  of  thirty-seven  years,  4th  February,  1761,  retaining 
 his  office  only  two  years.  The  hymns  which  he  wrote  were 
 brought  to  this  country,  and  published  in  1769  under  the 
 editorship  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  T.  Gibbons.  This  is  the  only  one  of 
 his  hymns  which  has  claimed  particular  attention,  and  it  is 
 found  in  many  English  collections ;  but  it  has  no  place  in  the 
 standard  Methodist  Hymn  Book  of  America,  nor  yet  in  Ward 
 Beecher's  Collection.  The  original  has  five  verses,  the  third  of 
 which  is  omitted.     The  following  is  a  copy — 
 
 **  Angels  and  men,  resign  your  claim 
 To  pity,  mercy,  love,  and  grace  ; 
 These  glories  crown  Jehovah's  name 
 
 With  an  incomparable  blaze  ! 
 Who  is  a  pardoning  God  like  Thee  ? 
 Or  who  has  grace  so  rich  and  free  ?  " 
 
 The  plan  of  repeating  the  last  two  lines  at  the  end  of  each  verse 
 is  a  peculiarity  which  Charles  Wesley  occasionally  adopted. 
 
 To  realise  fully  the  necessity  for  such  sentiments  as  are 
 embodied  in  the  second  verse,  one  must  become  acquainted 
 with  the  career  of  some  of  the  cannibals  of  the  South  Seas,  the 
 wild  Indians  of  America,  or  even  some  of  the  converted 
 transports  on  our  own  foreign  penal  settlements,  where  there 
 have  been  fiends  in  the  form  of  men,  such  as  have  become  men, 
 women,  and  children  slayers  in  open  day ;  but  the  Gospel 
 preached  through  Methodist  and  other  missionaries  has  reached 
 them,  and,  when  converted,  how  earnestly  and  feelingly  would 
 they  unite  in  singing — 
 
 "  Crimes  of  such  horror  to  forgive, 
 
 Such  guilty,  daring  worms  to  spare — 
 
 This  is  Thy  grand  prerogative. 
 
 And  none  may  in  this  honour  share. 
 
 Who  is  a  pardoning  God  like  Thee  ? 
 
 Or  who  has  grace  so  rich  and  free?" 
 
 Hymn  657.— "When  all  Thy  mercies,  O  my  God."— 
 Thanksgiving  for  a  Particiclar  Providence. 
 
 Joseph  Addison's,  from  No.  453  of  the  Spectator.  This  was 
 inserted  by  Mr.  Wesley  in  his  collection  of  "Psalms  and  Hymns," 
 enlarged  edition,  1743.  The  original  has  thirteen  stanzas,  five 
 of  which  are  omitted.  Mr.  Wesley  chose  the  title.  It  was  No. 
 592  in  the  former  Supplement. 
 
384  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  657. 
 
 In  connection  with  this  hymn,  the  author  obsen'es,  in  the 
 spectator:  "  If  gratitude  is  due  from  man  to  man,  how  much 
 more  from  man  to  his  Maker?  The  Supreme  Being  does  not 
 only  confer  upon  us  those  bounties  which  proceed  more  imme- 
 diately from  His  hand,  but  even  those  benefits  which  are 
 conveyed  to  us  by  others.  Any  blessing  we  enjoy,  by  what 
 means  soever  derived,  is  the  gift  of  Him  who  is  the  great  Author 
 of  good,  and  the  Father  of  mercies." 
 
 First,  as  the  teacher  of  the  preachers'  sons  in  Old  Kingwood 
 School,  and  finally  as  the  classical  tutor  of  the  "  Sons  of  the 
 Prophets"  at  Didsbur}',  as  well  as  during  a  useful  intermediate 
 ministry  in  Methodism,  in  both  England  and  India,  the  Rev. 
 Jonathan  Crowther  served  his  generation  with  energy  and 
 fidelity.  In  his  life  he  was  a  bright  example  of  Christian  piety 
 and  simplicity,  of  sanctified  learning,  and  of  untiring  diligence 
 in  the  discharge  of  his  duties.  During  a  visit  to  his  friend, 
 the  Rev.  W.  Willan,  at  Leeds,  he  was  seized  with  the  illness 
 which  soon  afterwards  closed  his  earthly  career.  Just  before 
 consciousness  departed,  a  friend  repeated,  "  Who  shall  separate 
 us  from  the  love  of  Christ.'"'  He  took  up  the  passage  and 
 continued  it  to  the  end  of  the  verse  ;  and  then,  with  peculiar 
 emphasis  said — 
 
 "  When  all  Thy  mercies,  O  my  God, 
 My  rising  soul  surveys, 
 Transported  with  the  view,  I  'm  lost 
 In  wonder,  love,  and  praise." 
 
 He  then  repeated,  "  He  maketh  me  to  lie  down  in  green 
 pastures.  He  leadeth  me  beside  the  still  waters."  His  last 
 utterance  was,  "I  am  thankful."  He  died  i6th  January,  1856, 
 aged  sixty-one. 
 
 For  more  than  fifty  years  William  Stephens,  of  Duncannon, 
 Wexford,  Ireland,  maintained  an  unblemished  Christian  charac- 
 ter as  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Society.  During  many  years 
 he  provided,  rent-free,  a  preaching-place  for  his  neighbours  to 
 hear  the  Word  of  God.  His  character  was  marked  by  faithfulness, 
 truth,  and  integrity.  He  bore  a  long  and  painful  illness  with 
 patience,  and  just  before  closing  his  earthly  career  he  repeated 
 
 the  verse — 
 
 "  Through  all  eternity  to  Thee 
 A  grateful  song  I  '11  raise  ; 
 But  oh,  eternity 's  too  short 
 To  utter  all  Thy  praise  !  " 
 
HYMN  658.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  385 
 
 Addison  uses  a  poet's  license  when  he  limits  the  extent  of  the 
 word  eternity  ;  eternity  cannot  be  "too  short."  His  meaning  is 
 plain,  but  it  is  incorrectly  expressed.  As  the  rhythm  is  not 
 preserved  in  the  verse,  perhaps  the  following  couplet  more 
 correctly  expresses  the  poet's  meaning — 
 *'  Eternity  will  but  suffice 
 
 To  utter  all  Thy  praise  !  " 
 
 Hymn  658. — "  God  of  my  life,  through  all  my  days." — Praisins^ 
 God  through  the  whole  of  our  Exist e7tce. 
 
 Dr.  Doddridge's,  being  No.  71  of  his  hymns,  founded  on 
 Psalm  cxlvi.  2.  Like  some  few  other  special  favourites,  this 
 hymn  has  had  so  many  admirers,  that  nearly  every  line  of  it 
 has  been  used  in  connection  with  the  experience  of  some  of 
 the  Lord's  people.     It  was  formerly  Hymn  714. 
 
 It  was  the  privilege  of  John  Jeffs  and  his  estimable  father  to 
 introduce  Methodism  into  Stoke  Newington,  in  the  year  18 14. 
 In  early  life  the  son  was  converted  to  God,  and  from  the 
 commencement  to  the  close  of  his  religious  course  was 
 extensively  useful  and  deservedly  esteemed.  For  many  years 
 he  was  a  useful  leader,  and  conducted  the  singing  in  the  chapel 
 to  the  satisfaction  of  the  whole  Church.  The  last  time  he 
 conducted  his  class,  he  gave  out  the  whole  of  this  hymn,  and  he 
 read  and  sang  the  hymn,  deeply  impressing  all  present.  The  same 
 feeling  was  again  manifested  at  the  leaders'  meeting  the  same 
 evening.  He  closed  the  meeting  with  a  very  earnest  prayer. 
 He  died  26th  November,  1849,  aged  fifty-nine  years. 
 
 Early  in  life  Mrs.  Laws,  of  Sunderland,  was  favoured  with 
 many  godly  advantages.     Her  father,  the  Rev.  William  Sander- 
 son, sent  her  to  school  under  the  paternal  care  of  the  Rev. 
 Joseph  Benson,  who  placed  her  as  a  member  of  Society  in  Miss 
 Ritchie's  class.     She  afterwards  resided  some  years  with  the 
 Rev.  Joseph  Sanderson,  her  uncle,  most  of  whose  gifts  and 
 excellences  she  inherited.     For  fifty-seven  years  she  was  an 
 attached  and  useful  member  of  the  Methodist  Society.     She 
 kept  up  close  and  constant  intercourse  with  God,  and  for  some 
 time   prior  to  her  decease,  20th  April,    1846,   she   triumphed 
 over  the  fear  of  death.     Some  of  her  last  words  were — 
 "  But  O  when  this  last  conflict's  o'er, 
 And  I  am  chain 'd  to  earth  no  more, 
 With  what  glad  accents  shall  I  rise 
 To  join  the  music  of  the  skies  !" 
 
 2  B 
 
386  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  658. 
 
 When  the  Rev.  John  Kemp  entered  the  Wesleyan  ministry, 
 the  salary  of  a  preacher  would  not  enable  him  to  ride  to  his 
 appointments,  and  he  also  found  it  needful  to  walk  from  Wales 
 to  Aberdeen  at  the  charge  of  his  circuit.  His  love  for  the  work 
 and  for  perishing  souls  enabled  him  to  endure  hardship  and 
 privation,  such  as  is  unknown  at  the  present  time.  He  suffered 
 much  in  his  eyes  for  some  years,  but  he  murmured  not.  When 
 more  than  fourscore  winters  had  passed  over  him,  he  was 
 favoured  with  a  beatific  view  of  the  heavenly  Jerusalem  ;  and 
 though  his  pains  were  intense,  his  joy  was  transporting,  and  a 
 heavenly  smile  lighted  up  his  face  :  this  rapture  lasted  two  days  : 
 he  declared  his  joy  to  be  so  great  he  could  not  describe  it.  One 
 evening,  just  before  he  died,  he  cried  out — 
 
 "  But  O  when  that  last  conflict 's  o'er, 
 And  I  am  chain'd  to  earth  no  more, 
 With  what  glad  accents  shall  I  rise 
 To  claim  my  mansion  in  the  skies  !" 
 
 He  gradually  sank,  till  his  released  spirit  fled  to  the  paradise  of 
 God,  4th  May,  1861,  aged  eighty-four  years. 
 
 Miss  Jane  Gill,  of  Modbur>',  Kingsbridge,  was  converted  to 
 God  at  the  age  of  seventeen,  and  five  years  afterwards  she 
 exchanged  mortality  for  life.  Three  years  of  suffering  through 
 which  she  passed  proved  only  to  be  the  process  of  her  ripening 
 for  glor>'.  As  her  bodily  strength  decayed,  her  spiritual  joy 
 increased,  and  often  she  repeated  the  lines — 
 
 •*  Soon  shall  I  learn  the  exalted  strains 
 Which  echo  through  the  heavenly  plains  ; 
 And  emulate,  with  joy  unknown, 
 The  glowing  seraphs  round  the  throne." 
 
 She  fell  asleep  in  Jesus,  6th  February,  1842,  aged  twenty-four. 
 
 Mrs.  Poles,  of  Masborough,  Rotherham,  on  the  Sabbath 
 preceding  her  death,  requested  her  husband  to  read  her  a 
 hymn.  He  selected  No.  658,  by  Dr.  Watts,  and  having  read 
 the  first  and  second  verses,  was  proceeding  to  read  the  third, 
 when  she  began  it  herself — 
 
 ••  When  death  o'er  nature  shall  prevail. 
 And  all  the  powers  of  language  fail, 
 Joy  through  my  streaming  eyes  shall  break. 
 And  mean  the  thanks  I  cannot  speak." 
 
HYMN  660.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  387 
 
 She  died  in  great  peace,  March,  1861 ;  her  last  words  being— 
 "  I  am  going  to  heaven  ;  I  am  very  happy." 
 
 Hymn  659. — "Begin,  my  soul,  some  heavenly  theme." — The 
 Faithfulness  of  God  itt  the  Projmses. 
 
 Dr.  Watts',  Hymn  69,  book  ii.  Several  lines  are  altered.  It 
 was  No.  599  in  the  former  Supplement. 
 
 Ann,  the  wife  of  William  Walkington,  of  Grantham,  feared  the 
 Lord  from  her  youth,  and  in  early  life  united  herself  with  the 
 Methodist  Society.  Her  life  was  one  of  cheerful,  consistent 
 piety,  and  her  benevolence  greatly  benefited  the  poor  and  the 
 cause  of  God.  Through  much  severe  suffering  her  confidence 
 in  God  was  unshaken.  One  of  the  ministers  visiting  her 
 repeated  that  the  Lord  would  "  never  leave  nor  forsake "  her ; 
 to  which  she  promptly  and  meekly  replied,  "  No  ;  He  never 
 will ;"  and  added — 
 
 "  I  trust  the  all-creating  voice, 
 And  faith  desires  no  more.'* 
 
 She  peacefully  breathed  her  spirit  into  the  hands  of  God,  24th 
 January,  1857,  aged  fifty-five. 
 
 Hymn  660.—"  This,  this  is  the  God  we  adore." — God  our  Trust. 
 Joseph  Hart's,  from  "  Hymns  Composed  on  Various  Occa- 
 sions," 1759.  The  original  consists  of  seven  stanzas,  the  last 
 only  of  which  is  here  given.  It  forms  No.  73  in  the  author's 
 own  book,  the  first  line  being — 
 
 **  No  prophet  or  dreamer  of  dreams." 
 
 It  was  formerly  No.  588. 
 
 Joseph  Hart  was  born  in  London  in  17 12.  In  early  life  he 
 attended  Whitefield's  Tabernacle,  Moorfields.  He  was  a  sound 
 classical  scholar,  and  became  a  teacher  of  languages.  He  was 
 converted  under  the  preaching  of  Whitefield,  and  himself  became 
 a  preacher.  The  Rev.  J.  Towers,  of  Barbican  Chapel,  describes 
 his  preaching  and  hymns  as  "  a  treasury  of  practical,  doctrinal, 
 and  experimental  divinity."  He  died  in  London,  24th  May, 
 1768,  and  is  interred  in  Bunhill  Fields.  One  of  his  sons  became 
 a  barrister  and  Lord  High  Chancellor  of  Ireland,  although  the 
 father  left  his  family  in  destitute  circumstances  when  he  died. 
 A  further  account  of  Mr.  Hart  will  be  found  under  Hymn  791. 
 There  is  scarcely  a  verse  in  the  Hymn  Book  which  has  met  with 
 
388  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.         HYMN  660. 
 
 more  acceptance,  or  which  has  been  more  frequently  repeated 
 on  death-beds. 
 
 The  mother  of  the  Rev.  Samuel  Lucas  was  first  convinced  of 
 sin  under  the  ministry  of  the  Rev.  J.  A.  James,  and  found  peace 
 through  believing  on  Jesus  from  attending  the  preaching  of  the 
 Methodists  in  Birmingham.  For  twenty  years  she  held  fast  her 
 faith  in  God.  During  a  long  affliction  she  was  preserved  in 
 patience  and  resignation.  Nearly  her  last  words  were  expressive 
 of  her  confidence  and  thankfulness,  and  were  in  the  lines  of 
 Hart's  hymn,  which  she  had  often  sung  in  health — 
 
 "  'Tis  Jesus,  the  first  and  the  last, 
 
 Whose  Spirit  shall  guide  me  safe  home  ; 
 I'll  praise  Him  for  all  that  is  past, 
 And  trust  Him  for  all  that's  to  come." 
 
 She  fell  asleep  in  Jesus,  19th  February,  1842,  aged  sixty-seven. 
 John  Lomas,  a  truly  pious  and  benevolent  Methodist  of  Hulme, 
 Manchester,  was  a  man  of  singularly  cheerful  and  attractive 
 deportment,  and  always  ready  to  advise  and  assist  the  poor. 
 He  generously  supported  Methodism,  and  left  legacies  to  the 
 Missionary  Society  and  Worn-out  Preachers'  Fund.  As  he  lay 
 dying,  he  sang  aloud  for  joy,  repeating  with  devout  earnest- 
 ness— 
 
 '*  Jesu,  lover  of  my  soul, 
 Let  me  to  Thy  bosom  fly," 
 
 going  through  the  hymn,  which  was  followed  by  a  calm  medita- 
 tion and  resignation,  after  which,  gathering  up  his  little  remaining 
 strength,  just  before  the  spirit  fled,  he  exclaimed — 
 
 "*Tis  Jesus,  the  first  and  the  last, 
 
 Whose  Spirit  shall  guide  me  safe  home  ; 
 I'll  praise  Him  for  all  that  is  past, 
 And  trust  Him  for  all  that's  to  come." 
 
 In  early  life  the  Rev.  Daniel  West  was  brought  to  a  saving 
 knowledge  of  the  truth  mainly  through  the  instrumentality  of  the 
 Rev.  John  M'Lean.  He  soon  became  a  useful  local  preacher, 
 was  admitted  into  the  Methodist  ministry,  and  left  blessed  fruit 
 of  his  labours  in  the  circuits  in  which  he  travelled.  At  the 
 request  of  Conference,  he  went  to  visit  the  mission-stations  on 
 the  Gold  Coast  of  Africa,  and  there  his  work  was  cut  short  in 
 righteousness.  He  was  taken  suddenly  ill  at  the  Gambia.  The 
 night  before  he  died  he  said  to  a  missionary,  "  I  have  never 
 
HYMN  660.         METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  389 
 
 forsaken  God,  and  He  has  not  forsaken  me."    With  his  fast- 
 departing  breath,  only  in  a  whisper,  he  repeated  the  lines— 
 
 "Tis  Jesus,  the  first  and  the  last, 
 
 Whose  Spirit  shall  guide  me  safe  home ; " 
 
 and  then  entered  on  his  eternal  rest,  24th  February,  1857,  aged 
 forty-one  years,  saying  as  the  spirit  fled — 
 
 **  I  will  trust  Him  to  the  end." 
 
 The  mother  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Jobson  was  made  instrumental  in 
 bringing  her  brother,  Mr.  James  Caborn,  of  Beverley,  to  a  know- 
 ledge of  the  truth  through  faith  in  Jesus  Christ.  He  was  forty- 
 nine  when  this  happy  change  took  place,  and  for  thirty-six  years 
 afterwards,  he  adorned  the  doctrine  which  he  so  ardently 
 believed,  devoting  his  mind,  his  energies,  and  his  substance  to 
 the  furtherance  of  the  Gospel,  and  in  helping  the  neglected  and 
 poor.  His  testimony  to  the  inward  witness  of  the  Spirit  was 
 clear,  and  his  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost  often  abounded.  In  his 
 last  illness  he  was  staying  with  Dr.  Jobson  at  Bradford.  He 
 expressed  his  confidence  in  God  in  numerous  verses  from  the 
 Scriptures  and  the  Hymn  Book,  at  intervals  of  his  severe 
 sufferings,  and  up  to  the  end  of  his  earthly  pilgrimage  of  eighty- 
 five  years,  he  spoke  to  himself  in  psalms  and  hymns  and 
 spiritual  songs.     His  last  quotation  was  from  Hymn  660 — 
 
 "This,  this  is  the  God  we  adore, 
 
 Our  faithful  unchangeable  friend  ; 
 Whose  love  is  as  great  as  His  power, 
 And  neither  knows  measure  nor  end. 
 
 "  'Tis  Jesus,  the  first  and  the  last, 
 
 Whose  Spirit  shall  guide  us  safe  home  j 
 We'll  praise  Him  for  all  that  is  past, 
 And  trust  Him  for  all  that's  to  come." 
 
 In  this  tranquil,  resigned,  and  peaceful  frame  of  mind  he  entered 
 the  heavenly  Jerusalem,  4th  October,  1857,  aged  eighty-five. 
 
 At  the  Leeds  Conference  of  1797,  a  singular  circumstance 
 occurred,  which  is  thus  related  by  Dr.  Adam  Clarke.  Uneasy 
 apprehensions  were  felt,  owing  to  the  expulsion  of  Mr.  Kelham. 
 Some  feared  the  finances  would  be  short  for  carrying  on  the 
 work  of  God.  The  tributary  streams  poured  in  from  all 
 quarters,  and  when  the  money  was  counted  up  and  laid  on  the 
 conference    table,   it   exceeded    the    usual  well-doing    of   the 
 
390  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.         HYMN  663. 
 
 Methodists.  The  result  was  a  simultaneous  ascription  of  praise 
 from  the  preachers  to  God,  whose  are  the  silver  and  gold.  Mr. 
 John  Allen,  with  a  heart  full  of  gratitude,  with  upraised  eyes,  and 
 hands  spread  over  the  table  containing  the  money,  gave  out — 
 
 "This,  this  is  the  God  we  adore, 
 
 Our  faithful  unchangeable  Friend." 
 
 This  was  too  much  for  the  gravity  of  the  preachers,  who  looked 
 at  each  other  ;  the  sense  of  the  ludicrous  was  irrepressible.  All 
 unconscious  of  the  feeling  he  had  awakened,  Brother  Allen  sang 
 the  lines,  but  finding  the  exercise  was  little  better  than  a  solo, 
 he  looked  round  the  conference.  Mr.  Bradburn  whispered  in 
 his  ear  the  cause  of  the  mirth,  and  the  good  man  could  not  help 
 joining  in  the  innocent  excitement  he  had  raised. 
 
 Hymn  66i. — "Far  off  we  need  not  move." 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  based  on  the  words,  "  In  Him  we  live  and 
 move,"  &c.— Acts  xvii.  27,  28.  See  "  Poetical  Works,"  vol.  xii., 
 page  342. 
 
 Hymn  662. — "  There  is  a  book,  who  runs  may  read." 
 
 This  was  written  by  the  Rev.  John  Keble,  and  first  published 
 by  him  in  1827  in  his  "Christian  Year,"  where  it  represents 
 Septuagesima  Sunday,  being  based  on  Rom.  i.  20.  The  original 
 has  twelve  verses  ;  the  first  two  and  the  last  two  being  used  to 
 form  this  hymn,  the  third  to  the  ninth  verses  of  the  original  are 
 omitted. 
 
 Hymn  662. — "The  strain  upraise  of  joy  and  praise." — "A/l 
 Thy  works  praise  Thee,  O  Lord.^'' 
 
 One  thousand  and  twelve  years  ago,  a.d.  870,  there  died  one 
 of  the  early  Latin  Fathers  named  Godescalcus,  who  wrote  some 
 calm  Scriptural  hymns  called  Sequences.  This  is  one  of  them, 
 translated  by  Dr.  J.  M.  Neale,  for  his  volume  of  "Mediaeval 
 Hymns."  This  is  a  hymn  which  would  have  found  no  favour 
 from  John  Wesley,  and  his  followers  are  not  likely  to  show  it 
 much  more  patronage.  Of  course  it  can  be  sung,  but  how 
 often  will  it  be  sung;  and  to  what  amount  of  spiritual  edification? 
 Some  prudent  editor  will  one  day  displace  it. 
 
HYMN  667.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  39I 
 
 Hymn  664. — "  O  God  of  Bethel,  by  whose  hand." — 
 
 Getiesis  xxviii.  20-22. 
 Written  by  Dr.  Doddridge.  The  pious  and  devoted  North- 
 ampton pastor,  it  is  said,  spent  Monday  in  retirement  with  God, 
 pleading  for  his  congregation  as  well  as  for  himself,  and  thereby 
 he  obtained  light  to  guide,  and  felt  the  transforming  results  of 
 close  communion  with  God.  Hence  the  appropriateness  of 
 this  hymn — 
 
 "  O  God  of  Bethel,  by  whose  hand 
 
 Thy  people  still  are  fed  ; 
 ***** 
 •*  God  of  our  fathers  be  the  God 
 Of  their  succeeding  race." 
 
 Hymn  665.—"  Hail,  God  the  Son,  in  glory  crowned." 
 It  was  written  by  Samuel  Wesley,  jun.,  as  "A  Hymn  to  God 
 the  Son."  It  is  the  first  hymn  in  the  third  section  of  the  New 
 Supplement,  containing  hymns  "On  the  person,  offices,  and 
 work  of  Christ."  The  fourth  verse  of  the  original  is  omitted. 
 It  was  in  the  former  Supplement,  as  Hymn  601. 
 
 Hymn  666.—"  O  God  of  God,  in  whom  combine."— "  6*^^  ^/ 
 God,  Light  of  light:' 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  and  published  in  the  first  Hymn  Book  used 
 by  the  Methodists,  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1739  \  "  Poetical 
 Works,"  vol.  i.,  page  163.  The  first  line  is  very  emphatic  as  the 
 author  has  written  it. 
 
 Hymn  667.—"  Ere  God  had  built  the  mountains." 
 Written  by  William  Cowper,  and  taken  from  "Olney  Hymns." 
 It  is  based  on  Proverbs  viii.  22-31. 
 
 William  Cowper  was  bom  at  Berkhamsted,  Herts,  26th 
 November,  1731.  He  was  educated  at  Westminster  School,  but 
 his  naturally  frail  constitution,  and  his  very  susceptible  nature, 
 were  crushed  under  the  tyranny  of  older  scholars  ;  this  induced 
 a  shrinking  timidity  which  unfitted  him  for  active  public  life. 
 In  1754,  he  was  called  to  the  Bar,  with  but  little  practice, 
 although  his  family  was  well  connected,  he  being  the  son  of  Dr. 
 Cowper,  chaplain  to  George  II.,  and  nephew  to  Lord  Chancellor 
 Cowper.  Through  family  influence  he  was  appointed  clerk  of 
 the  journals  of  the  House  of  Lords,  but  nervousness,  accom- 
 panied by  mental  alienation,  prevented  him  performing  the 
 
392  METHODIST  HVMN  BOOK  NOTES.         HYMN  67 1. 
 
 duties.  At  length,  in  1794,  he  obtained  a  Civil  List  pension  of 
 £300  a-year,  which  enabled  him  to  retire  into  the  country,  and 
 devote  himself  to  writing  poetry,  and  some  of  the  choicest 
 letters  in  the  English  language.  His  name  ranks  high  amongst 
 British  poets.  He  joined  his  friend,  the  Rev.  John  Newton,  in 
 writing  the  Olney  Hymns,  sixty-eight  of  them  being  by  Cowper. 
 He  had  an  intense  love  of  home  and  his  mother.  He  died 
 peacefully  at  East  Dereham,  Norfolk,  on  25th  April,  1800,  aged 
 sixty-nine  years.  To  all  lovers  of  sacred  song,  the  name  of 
 William  Cowper  will  ever  be  cherished  with  holy  reverence. 
 His  monument  in  Berkhamsted  church,  where  his  father 
 preached,  tells  the  reader — 
 
 "  His  highest  honours  to  the  heart  belong, 
 His  virtues  formed  the  magic  of  his  song." 
 
 Hymn  668. — "  Jesus,  the  infinite  I  Am." 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "  Hymns  on  the  Gospels,"  based  on 
 St.  Matthew  xi.  27  ;  "  Poetical  Works,"  vol.  x.,  page  252. 
 
 Hymn  669.—"  His  name  is  Jesus  Christ  the  just." 
 Charles  Wesley's  "  Hymns  on  the  Gospels,"  a  paraphrase  of 
 Matthew  xii.  21  ;  "Poetical  Works,"  vol.  x.,  page  261. 
 
 Hymn  670. — '' Jehovah's  fellow,  and  His  Son." 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  paraphrase  of  Luke  ii.  34  ;  "  Poetical 
 Works,"  vol.  xi.,  page  121. 
 
 Hymn  671. — "  Thou  art  the  Way  ;  by  Thee  alone."— "/ «;;/  M^ 
 IVay,  the  Truth,  afid  the  Life." 
 
 This  was  written  by  the  Rev.  George  Washington  Doane, 
 D.D.  He  was  born  at  Trenton,  New  Jersey,  America,  in  May, 
 1799.  He  graduated  at  Union  College,  Shenectady,  was 
 ordained  in  1821,  and  was  for  three  years  pastor  of  Trinity 
 Church,  New  York.  In  1824  he  was  chosen  Professor  of  Belles 
 Lettres  in  Trinity  College,  Hartfield,  which  he  resigned  in  1828, 
 and  was  elected  Rector  of  Trinity  College,  Boston.  In  1832  he 
 was  consecrated  Protestant  Bishop  of  New  Jersey,  and  took  a 
 lively  interest  in  promoting  female  education.  He  published  a 
 large  volume  of  sermons  and  charges,  and  wrote  poetry  for  the 
 festivals  of  the  Church.  He  died,  aged  sixty,  at  Burlington, 
 New  Jersey,  27th  April,  1859.     His  son  published  his  father's 
 
HYMN  674.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  393 
 
 Memoirs,  Poetical  Works,  and  Sermons  in  five  vols,  in  i860. 
 This  hymn  is  in  the  American  Methodist  Collection,  and  that 
 may  be  one  reason  why  it  has  a  place  here.  Judged  only  by  its 
 merits,  its  absence  would  not  have  been  a  loss,  as  there  are 
 many  better  English  hymns,  which  are  omitted. 
 
 Hymn  672. — "  Christ,  of  all  my  hopes  the  ground." — 
 Philippimis  i.  21. 
 This  hymn  was  written  by  the  Rev.  Ralph  Wardlaw,  D.D.,  an 
 eminent  Scotch  Nonconformist  minister.  He  was  born  at 
 Dalkeith,  in  December,  1779.  He  entered  the  University  of 
 Glasgow  at  the  age  of  twelve,  and  afterwards  became  a  member 
 of  the  Secession  Church.  In  1803  he  joined  the  Congregation- 
 alists,  with  the  Brothers  Haldane,  and  was  ordained  pastor  of 
 the  Albion  Street  Chapel,  Glasgow.  In  181 1  he  was  chosen 
 Professor  of  Divinity  in  the  Theological  Academy  of  Glasgow, 
 which  office  he  held  about  forty  years.  He  preached  in  Blooms- 
 bury  Chapel,  London,  a  short  time  before  his  death,  which  event 
 took  place  in  Glasgow,  17th  December,  1853.  He  edited  a 
 collection  of  hymns  for  the  use  of  the  Scottish  Congregation- 
 alists,  in  which  a  few  of  his  own  compositions  were  printed  ; 
 these  were  inserted  in  his  Life,  written  by  the  Rev.  W.  Lindsay 
 Alexander,  D.D.  This  hymn  is  in  two  parts,  the  second  part 
 being  without  a  number.  The  hymn  might  have  been  written 
 as  part  of  his  own  personal  religious  experience.  He  inherited 
 goodness  through  his  mother,  who  belonged  to  the  Erskines, 
 and  his  own  nature  was  beautifully  unselfish  ;  hence  he  declined 
 the  Presidency  of  Hoxton  Academy,  and  Spring  Hill  College, 
 clinging  rather  to  his  Glasgow  flock,  in  the  midst  of  whom  he 
 lived  to  celebrate  the  jubilee  of  his  pastorate. 
 
 Hymn  673. — "  We  know,  by  faith  we  surely  know." 
 
 One  of  Charles  Wesley's  "  Short  Scripture  Hymns,"  based  on 
 I  John  v.  20,  and  is  No.  3422  in  his  "  Poetical  Works,"  vol. 
 xiii.,  page  211.  It  is  one  of  those  strongly  expressed  hymns  of 
 assurance  by  faith  which  is  so  marked  a  feature  in  Charles 
 Wesley's  poetry. 
 
 Hymn  674.— "Jesus  the  first  and  last." 
 
 Charles  Wesley's  "  Scripture  Hymns,"  from  the  same  volume 
 of  his  "Works,"  No.  3445,  and  is  a  rendering  of  Rev.  i.  11, 
 embodying  the  blessed  experience  of  "  perfect  love." 
 
394  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  677. 
 
 Hymn  675. — "Join  all  the  glorious  names." — The  Offices  of 
 Christ. 
 
 Dr.  Watts'  Hymn,  book  i.,  No.  150.  It  is  founded  on  several 
 passages  of  Scripture.  The  seventh  and  ninth  verses  are  left 
 out,  and  three  others  are  a  little  altered,  in  eight  of  the  lines. 
 It  is  a  long  hymn,  and  was  probably  so  written  to  suit  the  times 
 when  first  issued.     It  was  formerly  No.  641. 
 
 Thomas  Holmes,  of  Bilston,  Leeds,  had  the  advantage  of 
 godly  Methodist  parents.  He  began  to  meet  in  class  whilst 
 a  teacher  in  Mr.  Sigston's  school,  Leeds  ;  and  at  the  prayer 
 meeting,  held  on  the  Methodist  quarterly  fast-day,  his  convictions 
 for  sin  were  so  deepened,  that  he  rested  not  till  he  found  peace. 
 Removing  to  Bradford,  under  the  direction  of  the  Rev.  John 
 Gaulter,  he,  with  his  young  friend  the  Rev.  Joseph  Fowler, 
 was  received  as  a  local  preacher.  During  a  life  of  more  than 
 seventy  years,  he  devoted  his  best  energies  to  the  furtherance  of 
 religion  in  his  family  and  neighbourhood.  When  illness  set  in 
 he  had  no  fear  of  death.  He  found  much  consolation  in  reading 
 hymns,  and  especially  the  verse — 
 
 "  Jesus,  my  great  High  Priest, 
 
 Offer'd  His  blood  and  died  ; 
 My  guilty  conscience  seeks 
 
 No  sacrifice  beside  ; 
 His  powerful  blood  did  once  atone, 
 And  now  it  pleads  before  the  throne." 
 
 The  last  words  he  was  heard  to  utter  were,  "Precious  promises." 
 He  died  i6th  August,  1862,  aged  seventy-two. 
 
 Hymn  676.— "Christ,  the  true  anointed  Seer." 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "  Hymns  on  the  Gospels,"  based  on 
 St.  Matthew  i.  16.  The  fourth  verse  is  omitted;  "Poetical 
 Works,"  vol.  X.,  page  139. 
 
 Hymn  677. — "Jesus,  Thou  everlasting  King." — The  Coronation 
 of  Christ  a?id  Espousals  of  the  Church. 
 
 Dr.  Walts',  Hymn  72,  book  i.,  founded  on  Solomon's  Song 
 iii.  2.  The  last  verse  of  the  original  is  left  out,  and  five  lines 
 are  altered.     It  was  No.  600  in  the  former  Supplement. 
 
HYMN  678.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  395 
 
 Hymn  678. — "  Come,  let  us  join  our  cheerful  songs." — Christ 
 Jesus,  the  Lainb  of  God,  Worshipped  by  all  the  Creation. 
 
 Dr.  Watts',  from  book  ii.,  No.  62.     In  the  former  Supplement, 
 it  was  No.  640. 
 
 The  child  of  many  prayers  and  religious  advantages,  Miss 
 Hannah   Sophia   Corderoy,  of  Lambeth,  at  the   early  age  of 
 thirteen,  was  convinced  of  sin,  and  soon  afterwards  obtained 
 pardon  under  a  sermon  preached  by  the  Rev.  Richard  Felvus. 
 The  peace  which  she  then  received  remained  with  her  during 
 her  brief  earthly  pilgrimage.     In  the  Sunday  school,  and  in 
 visiting  the  sick  poor,  she  became  very  useful.     Illness,  short 
 and  severe,  resulted  in  her  early  death  ;   but  she  was  quite 
 happy,  and  her  mind  was  sweetly  stayed  on  Jesus.     Once,  after 
 a  severe  attack  of  pain,  she  exhorted  her  sister  and  others  to 
 give  their  hearts  fully  to  God,  and  she  began  to  sing — 
 **  Come,  let  us  join  our  cheerful  songs 
 With  angels  round  the  throne  ; 
 Ten  thousand  thousand  are  their  tongues, 
 But  all  their  joys  are  one." 
 
 Urged  to  try  and  get  some  sleep,  she  said,  "  How  can  I  sleep  ? 
 I  must  praise  God  with  my  latest  breath."  Again  she  tried  to 
 sing,  but  was  not  able.  As  the  end  drew  nigh,  she  had  inter- 
 course with  the  heavenly  world.  She  said,  "  I  see  Jesus  ! 
 Blessed  Jesus  !  He  has  come  for  me.  Oh,  what  music  is  that  "i 
 it  is  heavenly  music  !  What  light  is  that  I  see  ?  How  bright  ! 
 My  Saviour,  my  Saviour  !  what  a  mercy  that  such  a  sinner  as  I 
 have  been  should  enter  heaven  !  I  am  not  fit  for  heaven ;  but 
 Jesus,  my  blessed  Saviour,  died  for  me."  In  this  truly  happy 
 frame,  in  the  quietness  of  sleep,  she  entered  the  gates  of  the 
 New  Jerusalem,  loth  February,  1856,  aged  twenty-six  years. 
 
 A  sailor  at  the  approach  of  death  was  aroused  at  the  prospect 
 before  him.  He  was  ill,  had  no  Bible,  nor  even  the  power 
 to  read  one.  He  thought  of  the  Sunday  school,  but  its  lessons 
 seemed  lost  upon  him.  In  this  mental  darkness  he  remembered 
 two  verses  of  Watts'  hymn  commencing — 
 
 "  Come,  let  us  join  our  cheerful  songs," 
 and — 
 
 "  Worthy  the  Lamb  that  died,  they  cry." 
 
 On  completing  the  second  verse,  the  words  "  slain  for  us  "  rung 
 in  his  ears,  and  he  repeated  them  over  and  over  till  light  broke 
 in  on  his  mind.     He  caught  a  glimpse  of  the  plan  of  salvation  ; 
 
39^  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  679. 
 
 the  verse  brought  to  his  mind  a  teacher's  instruction  ;  and, 
 believing  in  Christ's  finished  work,  he  found  pardon  and  peace, 
 and  died  happy. 
 
 Susannah  Harrison,  a  very  poor  orphan  girl  of  Ipswich,  was 
 called  to  lead  a  desolate  and  suffering  life.  She  solaced  herself 
 by  writing  "Songs  in  the  Night,"  in  which  are  manifest  a 
 reverent  cheerfulness  and  a  placid  resignation.  In  her  last 
 hours  she  sang  softly  with  her  friends  one  of  Dr.  Watts*  hymns  ; 
 then,  after  a  pause,  she  added,  "  Let  us  sing  again — 
 **  Come,  let  us  join  our  cheerful  songs 
 With  angels  round  the  throne,"  &c. 
 
 The  scene  was  affecting  ;  no  one  seemed  able  to  sing  with  her. 
 Her  voice  for  the  time  seemed  more  than  human,  and  she 
 waved  her  hand  exultingly  as  she  sang.  "  You  do  not  sing 
 with  me,"  she  said  ;  "  I  cannot  forbear."  She  continued  through 
 the  night  warbling  softly  the  lines  of  this  hymn.  Her  last  night 
 was  full  of  song,  and  as  she  took  her  upward  flight  she  pointed 
 heavenward,  and  said,  "I   cannot  talk,  but  I  shall  soon  sing 
 
 THERE." 
 
 At  a  very  early  period  of  life,  the  Rev.  Walter  Oke  Croggan 
 became  the  subject  of  deep  religious  impressions  ;  and  at  the 
 age  of  nineteen  he  found  redemption  in  the  blood  of  Jesus,  the 
 forgiveness  of  sins.  "  I  felt,"  he  said,  "  as  if  I  received  heaven 
 into  my  heart."  He  retained  his  confidence  in  God,  and 
 throughout  a  happy  and  useful  course  as  a  Wesleyan  minister 
 walked  in  the  light  of  God's  countenance.  He  travelled  and 
 preached  in  France,  Greece,  Ireland,  and  England,  with  blessed 
 results  ;  and  with  his  pen  he  delighted  the  young  in  the  pages 
 of  the  "Youth's  Instructor."  His  life  and  its  end  were  one 
 uniform  testimony  to  the  power  of  divine  grace.  Standing  on 
 the  verge  of  eternity,  he  anticipated  the  songs  of  the  blessed 
 in  the  lines  w^hich  he  quoted  a  little  before  he  breathed  his  last — 
 **  The  whole  creation  join  in  one, 
 
 To  bless  the  sacred  name 
 Of  Him  that  sits  upon  the  throne, 
 
 And  to  adore  the  Lamb." 
 He  died  30th  Januar}',  1854,  aged  sixty-one  years. 
 
 Hymn  679. — "  How  sweet  the  name  of  Jesus  sounds  !" 
 This  is  a  popular  hymn  by  the  Rev.  John  Newton,  from  the 
 Olney  Collection.     It  has  a  place  in  the  American  Methodist 
 
HYMN  680.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  397 
 
 Hymn  Book,  with  one  verse  omitted.     The  original  has  seven 
 verses.    The  fourth  is  omitted  ;  it  is  as  follows— 
 
 *'  By  Thee  my  prayers  acceptance  gain, 
 Although  with  sin  defiled ; 
 Satan  accuses  me  in  vain, 
 And  I  am  owned  a  child." 
 
 Thomas  Pratt,  a  deacon  in  the  Independent  Church  at 
 Mitcham — who  died  in  1854,  aged  fourscore  years — delighted 
 much  in  singing ;  and  shortly  before  his  death  he  led  the  tune, 
 and,  with  his  friends,  sang  the  hymn — 
 
 **  How  sweet  the  name  of  Jesus  sounds 
 In  a  believer's  ear  ! 
 It  soothes  his  sorrows,  heals  his  wounds, 
 And  drives  away  his  fear." 
 
 Hymn  680.— "Jesus,  the  very  thought  of  Thee  "—"  T/iy  name 
 
 is  as  oint?ne?it  poured forthy 
 This  hymn  was  written  by  St.  Bernard,  of  Clairvaux,  a  monk, 
 who  was  born  A.D.  1091,  and  died  20th  August,  11 53,  leaving  a 
 reputation  for  piety,  learning,  and  influence  which  has  never 
 been  surpassed.  He  left  no  less  than  160  monasteries  of  his 
 order,  which  were  founded  more  by  volunteers  than  from  any 
 such  influences  as  are  in  exercise  in  our  day.  He  was  one  of 
 the  most  powerful  preachers  for  a  crusade  to  the  Holy  Land, 
 and  hosts  of  men  volunteered  in  that  enterprise  in  answer  to 
 his  appeals.  He  would  have  passed  his  life  away  in  solitude 
 had  the  world  suffered  him ;  but  he  was  forced  into  popularity 
 by  his  powers  of  persuasion,  and  was  made  the  unconscious 
 arbiter  and  director  of  his  age.  He  wrote  against  the  Immacu- 
 late Conception  of  the  Virgin  Mary.  His  published  works  are 
 in  five  folio  volumes,  in  French.  His  "  Sacred  Songs  of  Praise" 
 have  been  long  the  admiration  of  the  Church.  The  Brethren 
 in  Germany  translated  the  best  of  them,  and  this  hymn  is  one 
 of  their  renderings  of  the  hymn  with  the  title,  "Thy  name  is  as 
 ointment  poured  forth."  Dante  places  St.  Bernard  in  one  of 
 the  highest  places  in  paradise.  Some  hymns  have  so  much 
 divine  inspiration  in  them  that  the  world  will  not  let  them  die. 
 This  hymn  has  been  like  a  charm  in  the  Church  for  eight 
 hundred  years,  and  its  music  is  as  fresh  as  ever.  Luther  drank 
 deeply  into  the  works  and  spirit  of  St.  Bernard,  whom  he 
 described  as  the  best  monk  that  ever  lived,  and  the  glow  of  his 
 
39^  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  68 1. 
 
 "  Songs  of  Praise  "  was  rekindled  in  those  of  Luther.  This  is 
 only  a  fragment  of  the  original. 
 
 In  the  Church  of  Rome  there  have  been  men  of  eminent 
 piety  and  usefulness.  One  of  these  was  the  Rev.  Thomas 
 Canon  Sing.  Born  in  August,  1808,  he  devoted  himself  when 
 young  to  the  priesthood  of  that  Church  ;  and  at  St.  Mary's 
 Church,  Derby,  made  for  himself  a  name  and  reputation  which 
 will  long  survive.  The  Pope  conferred  on  him  the  title  of 
 Monsignor,  and  in  1875  his  bishop  made  him  Vicar-General  of 
 his  diocese.  His  last  appointment  was  the  charge  of  St.  Mary's 
 Mission,  Grantham,  where  his  genial  and  kind  manners  secured 
 for  him  esteem  and  affection.  His  health  broke  down  soon 
 after  he  reached  seventy  ;  but  he  continued  his  pastoral  duties, 
 with  the  aid  of  an  assistant  priest,  to  within  a  few  days  of  his 
 death.  He  said  mass  at  the  church  on  Sunday,  22nd  October, 
 1882,  was  seriously  ill  the  next  day,  and  received  extreme 
 unction.  On  Tuesday,  the  24th,  he  was  calmly  waiting  the 
 Master's  call ;  and,  a  quarter  of  an  hour  before  his  death, 
 Pastor  Sabela,  his  assistant,  repeated  to  him  the  words  of  his 
 favourite  hymn — 
 
 *  *  Jesu,  the  very  thought  of  Thee 
 With  sweetness  fills  my  breast ; 
 But  sweeter  far  Thy  face  to  see, 
 And  in  Thy  presence  rest." 
 
 The  dying  man  followed  each  line  with  ardent  earnestness,  and 
 at  the  end  breathed  out  a  fervent  Amen.  He  peacefully  expired, 
 24th  October,  1882,  aged  seventy-four  years. 
 
 Hymn  68i.— "  All  hail  the  power  of  Jesu's  name."— "6>;/  His 
 head  were  many  crozu?is.''^ 
 
 This  is  one  of  the  most  popular  hymns  in  the  English 
 language,  and  was  written  by  the  Rev.  Edward  Perronet,  son  of 
 the  Rev.  Vincent  Perronet,  Vicar  of  Shoreham,  whom  Charles 
 Wesley  called  "  our  archbishop."  In  early  life  Edward  Perronet 
 was  associated  with  Mr.  Wesley,  but  his  opinions  concerning 
 the  Church  differed  so  widely  from  those  held  by  the  Wesleys, 
 that  he  left  them,  and  for  some  time  laboured  in  the 
 denomination  which  bears  the  name  of  Lady  Huntingdon.  His 
 Nonconfonnist  views  led  him  to  leave  that  body,  after  he  had 
 served  the  chapels  in  Canterbury  and  Norwich.  He  became  a 
 Nonconformist  pastor,  dying   in    Canterbury    in    1792.       The 
 
HYMN  682.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  399 
 
 alienation  between  him  and  the  Wesleys  was  so  complete  that 
 the  latter  refused  the  admission  of  his  hymn  into  the  Methodist 
 Collection.  In  1785  he  published  a  small  volume  of  "  Occasional 
 Verses  ;  Social  and  Moral,"  which  is  very  rare.  His  suppressed 
 poem  of  "  The  Miter"  is  still  more  rare  ;  it  was  the  latter  work 
 which  set  John  Wesley  so  decidedly  against  Mr.  Perronet.  The 
 hymn  has  been  attributed  to  other  authors,  and  in  some 
 collections  it  appears  with  two  verses  which  are  not  in  the 
 Methodist  New  Supplement.  It  was  first  published  in  the 
 Gospel  Magazi7ie  for  1780,  anonymously.  In  the  American 
 Methodist  Collection  it  is  printed  in  an  abridged  form,  side  by 
 side  on  the  first  page  with  the  first  hymn,  "  O  for  a  thousand 
 tongues  to  sing."  The  well-known  tune,  "  Miles'  Lane,"  was 
 written  expressly  for  the  hymn,  in  the  organ  gallery  of 
 Canterbury  Cathedral,  in  the  last  century,  by  William 
 Shrubsole,  who  was  the  organist  of  Spa-fields  Chapel,  London, 
 at  the  time  he  wrote  it. 
 
 Hymn  682.—"  Thou  Great  Redeemer,  dying  Lamb." 
 This  hymn  was  written  by  John  Cennick,  a  man  of  mark  and 
 influence  in  the  early  days  of  Methodism.  He  was  born  at 
 Reading  in  17 17,  and  was  converted  at  the  age  of  seventeen. 
 He  was  one  of  Mr.  Wesley's  early  lay  helpers,  but  left  him 
 after  he  had  been  a  short  time  the  teacher  of  Mr.  Wesley's 
 School  at  Kingswood.  Doctrinal  differences  caused  the 
 separation,  and  whilst  those  points  were  under  consideration, 
 Mr.  Cennick,  not  being  permitted  to  teach,  spent  his  time  in 
 evangelistic  work  and  writing  hymns.  But  for  that  suspension 
 in  his  educational  duties  we  might  never  have  had  from  his  pen 
 those  two  well-known  graces  before  and  after  meat,  commencing 
 "  Be  present  at  our  table,  Lord  ;"  and  "  We  thank  Thee,  Lord, 
 for  this  our  food."  On  John  Wesley's  large  family  teapot,  still 
 preserved  at  City  Road,  these  two  graces  are  printed  in  large 
 letters.  It  was  at  the  same  period,  1742,  that  he  wrote  another 
 of  his  well-known  hymns,  found  in  many  collections, 
 commencing,  "  Children  of  the  heavenly  King."  Adopting 
 Calvinistic  views,  he  joined  Mr.  Whitefield,  but  in  1745  he  left 
 his  party  and  united  himself  with  the  jVToravians,  and  visited 
 Germany,  so  that  he  might  learn  thoroughly  their  doctrines  and 
 discipline.  He  afterwards  travelled  in  Ireland  as  one  of  their 
 ministers.  In  1741-44  he  pubHshed  his  first  Hymn  Book, 
 entitled  "  Sacred   Hymns  for  the   Children  of  God  ;"  and  in 
 
400  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  683. 
 
 1743-44  another  portion  appeared  with  the  title  "  Sacred  Hymns 
 for  the  use  of  Rehgious  Societies."  In  1754  he  pubhshed  a 
 volume  of  Hymns  for  Children,  of  which  only  a  few  copies  are 
 thought  to  have  been  sold,  owing  to  his  death  following  so  soon 
 afterwards  ;  not  more  than  one  copy  is  known  to  exist.  He 
 was  the  author  of  the  first  Judgment  Hymn,  commencing — 
 
 "  Lo  !  He  comes  with  clouds  descending," 
 
 which  Charles  Wesley  revised  some  years  afterwards  ;  and  in 
 that  form  it  has  since  been  used  by  the  Methodist  people. 
 \Vhilst  on  a  visit  to  London,  Cennick  died  in  one  of  the  rooms 
 at  the  Fetter  Lane  Moravian  Chapel,  London,  4th  July,  1755,  and 
 was  interred  in  the  Moravian  Cemetery,  Chelsea.  Two  fine 
 mezzotint  portraits  of  Mr.  Cennick  were  published  in  the  last 
 centur)^  The  only  one  of  his  hymns  in  the  Methodist  Collection 
 is  No.  682,  based  on  Hebrews  vi.  20.  The  original  is  written  in 
 the  first  person  singular ;  it  is  altered  to  the  plural  in  the  New 
 Hymn  Book.     The  second  verse  in  the  original  commences — 
 
 "  O  let  me  ever  hear  Thy  voice," 
 which  is  altered  to 
 
 "  O  may  we  ever  hear  Thy  voice," 
 and  it  finishes  with — 
 
 **  And  Christ  shall  be  my  song." 
 
 Hymn  683. — "  Hark,  the  herald  angels  sing." — For  Christ?nas. 
 
 This  hymn  has  a  singular  history.  Written  by  Charles  Wesley 
 and  first  published  in  1739,  i^  appeared  again  in  1743,  revised. 
 This  was  in  the  first  Hymn  Book  used  by  the  Methodist  people, 
 and  has  obtained  the  widest  popularity.  About  1760  Martin 
 Madan  altered  the  first  line  and  otherwise  mutilated  it,  and 
 published  it  with  three  verses  from  the  original  left  out.  In  this 
 abridged  form  it  has  found  its  way  into  scores  of  collections. 
 The  original  has  ten  four-line  verses ;  the  second,  eighth, 
 and  tenth  are  omitted.  The  first  line  of  the  original 
 reads  thus — 
 
 "  Hark  how  all  the  welkin  rings." 
 
 It  is  the  only  one  of  Charles  Wesley's  hymns  which  has  found 
 its  way  into  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer.  By  whose  authority 
 it  was  placed  there  has  never  been  ascertained  ;  the  belief  is 
 that  the  University  printer,  in  the  last  centur)',  inserted  it  as  a 
 
HYMN  689.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  40I 
 
 Festival  Hymn  after  the  Psalms,  to  fill  up  a  blank  space, 
 without  any  authorisation,  and  there  it  has  since  remained, 
 having  thus  reached  hundreds  of  thousands  of  readers  who 
 would  not  otherwise  have  heard  of  it.  Some  efforts  have  been 
 made  by  Ritualistic  clergymen  to  get  the  hymn  excluded  from  the 
 Prayer  Book,  but  hitherto  in  vain  :  no  one  knows  how  it  got 
 there,  and  no  one  has  authority  to  exclude  it.  It  is  sung  in  ten 
 thousand  congregations  every  Christmas  time,  and  is,  in  fact, 
 almost  a  universal  favourite. 
 
 Hymn  684.—"  Glory  be  to  God  on  high." 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  being  No.  4  of  his  "  Hymns  on  the 
 Nativity,"  and  was  No.  607  in  the  former  Supplement. 
 
 Hymn  685. — "  Let  earth  and  heaven  combine." 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  No.  5  of  "  Nativity  Hymns,"  the  third  and 
 fifth  verses  being  left  out.  It  was  No.  609  in  the  former 
 Supplement ;  "  Poetical  Works,"  vol.  iv.,  page  no. 
 
 Hymn  686. — "  Stupendous  height  of  heavenly  love." — Christ 
 the  Light  of  the  World. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  being  one  of  his  "  Scripture  Hymns,"  left 
 in  manuscript,  to  be  published  after  his  death.  It  forms  one 
 of  his  "Hymns  on  the  Gospels,"  No.  11 66;  "Poetical  Works," 
 vol,  xi.,  page  114  ;  in  former  Supplement  as  No.  608. 
 
 Hymn  687. — "Light  of  those  whose  dreary  dwelling." — Christ 
 the  Light  of  the  Gentiles. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  forming  No.  1 1  of  his  "  Hymns  for  the 
 Nativity  of  our  Lord."     It  was  No.  606  in  former  Supplement. 
 
 Hymn  688. — "  Come,  thou  long  expected  Jesus." 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "  Nativity  Hymns."  "  Poetical 
 Works,"  vol.  iv.,  page  116. 
 
 Hymn  689.— "To  us  a  Child  of  royal  birth." — The  Incarnation 
 of  Christ. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  founded  on  Luke  ii.  11,  and  left  in 
 manuscript  for  publication.  It  is  No.  11 76  in  "  Short  Scripture 
 Hymns  ;"  and  in  "  Poetical  Works,"  vol.  ii.,  page  117. 
 
 2  c 
 
402  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  69 1. 
 
 Hymn  690. — "O  come,  O  come,  Immanuel." 
 
 This  is  a  translation  from  the  Latin,  by  the  Rev.  J.  Tvl.  Neale, 
 D.D.  The  author  is  not  known,  but  he  is  said  to  have  lived  in 
 the  twelfth  century,  the  Latin  original  being  taken  from  the 
 Mozarabic  Breviar)'.  It  is  made  up  of  versified  antiphones  known 
 amongst  ecclesiastics  as  "  the  O's,"  because  each  verse  com- 
 mences with  "  O  come."  It  is  based  on  "  The  Redeemer  shall 
 come  to  Zion.'- — Isaiah  lix.  20.  It  has  served  to  cheer  the 
 Church  for  seven  centuries. 
 
 Hymn  691. — "  Christians,  awake,  salute  the  happy  morn." — 
 The  Nativity. — Luke  ii.  8-17. 
 
 This  hymn  was  written  by  Dr.  John  Byrom,  and  has  attained  a 
 popularity  as  a  Christmas  hymn  nearly  as  wide  as  that  by 
 Charles  Wesley  previously  noticed.  John  Byrom  was  born  in 
 Manchester  in  1691,  and  belonged  to  an  old  Lancashire  family. 
 He  was  educated  at  Trinity  College,  Cambridge,  1708,  and 
 became  a  Fellow  in  17 14.  After  taking  his  M.A.  degree  he 
 studied  medicine  in  ]\Iontpelier,  but  he  soon  abandoned  the 
 medical  profession  and  settled  in  London  as  a  teacher  of  short- 
 hand, having  John  and  Charles  Wesley  for  two  of  his  pupils, 
 through  whom  he  obtained  much  encouragement.  In  1724  he 
 was  chosen  Fellow  of  the  Royal  Society,  and  settled  himself  on 
 the  family  estate  in  Lancashire,  where  he  died  in  September, 
 1763,  aged  seventy-two  years.  He  wrote  verses  for  recreation, 
 and  his  poems  were  first  published  in  1773,  in  two  volumes. 
 For  want  of  proper  revision  by  the  author  some  errors  appear  in 
 them.  A  new  edition  was  issued  in  18 14,  corrected,  with  a 
 remarkable  portrait  of  the  author.  His  Nativity  Hymn  has  kept 
 his  name  alive  in  the  Churches  of  the  land.  It  was  during  the 
 last  half  of  the  eighteenth  century^,  and  the  first  half  of  the 
 present  century,  one  of  the  most  popular  carols  sung  at  Christ- 
 mas time,  in  private  homes,  and  as  an  out-door  exercise,  as  well 
 as  in  the  Churches.  John  Wesley  introduced  his  name  into  his 
 Journal,  Immediately  Byrom's  poems  were  published  Mr. 
 Wesley  obtained  a  copy  and  lost  no  time  in  its  perusal. 
 Under  date  of  12th  July,  1773,  he  wrote  as  follows  :  "In  my 
 journey  from  Liverpool  to  Birmingham  I  read  Dr.  Byrom's 
 Poems.  He  has  all  the  wit  and  humour  of  Dean  Swift,  together 
 with  much  more  learning,  a  deep  and  strong  understanding,  and, 
 above  all,  a  serious  vein  of  piety."     He  further  describes  his 
 
HYMN  694.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  403 
 
 verses  as  containing  "  some  of  the  finest  sentiments  that  ever 
 appeared  in  the  EngHsh  tongue ;  some  of  the  noblest  truths, 
 expressed  with  the  utmost  energ}^  of  language ;  and  the  strongest 
 colours  of  poetr)^"  Greater  praise  no  man  could  give.  In  his 
 note  further  on  he  commends  the  opinion  of  Dr.  Byrom  that 
 the  real  patron  of  England  is  not  St.  George,  as  is  commonly 
 reported,  no  such  Saint  is  known  to  have  existed ;  for  Georgius 
 read  Gregorius,  and  St.  Gregoiy  displaces  St.  George. 
 
 Hymn  692.—"  O  Saviour,  whom  this  holy  morn." 
 This  is  one  of  Bishop  Heber's  Christmas  carols,  a  composition 
 worthy  of  the  man,  but  not  so   suitable   as   a   companion  to 
 Byrom's  stirring  verses  as  is  another  of  Heber's  carols  which 
 commences — 
 
 "  Brightest  and  best  of  the  sons  of  the  morning." 
 
 The  second  verse  does  not  commend  itself  to  the  judgment  of 
 a  poet,  the  concluding  couplet  is  awkwardly  expressed — 
 ' '  Who  lived  to  yield  our  ills  relief, 
 And  to  redeem  us  died." 
 
 Hy'MN  693. — "Jesus,  Thee  Thy  works  proclaim." 
 Charles  Wesley's,  one  of  his  "  Short  Gospel  Hymns,"  based 
 on  St.  Matthew  iv.  23  ;  "  Poetical  Works,"  vol.  x.,  page  160. 
 It  will  be  observed  how  faithfully  the  poet  embodies  the  words 
 of  the  evangehst  and  the  teaching  of  Jesus. 
 
 Hymn  694.--"  Lord,  we  sit  and  cry  to  Thee." 
 This  short  hymn  was  first  published  in  1837  in  "A  Selection 
 of  Psalms  and  Hymns  for  the  use  of  St.  Margaret's,  West- 
 minster," by  the  Rev.  Henry  Hart  Milman,  D.D.  It  indicates 
 the  devout  spirit  of  the  learned  author,  and  is  based  on  St. 
 Luke  xviii.  38-42.  Dr.  Milman  was  born  in  London,  loth 
 February,  1791.  His  father  was  Sir  Francis  Milman,  Bart., 
 physician  to  George  III.  He  was  educated  at  Eton  and 
 Oxford,  took  orders  in  1817,  and  became  Vicar  of  Reading.  In 
 1 82 1  he  was  chosen  Professor  of  Poetr}^  in  the  University  of 
 Oxford.  He  was  afterwards  promoted  to  the  rectory  of  St. 
 Margaret's,  Westminster,  and  in  November,  1849,  he  became 
 Dean  of  St.  Paul's  Cathedral,  where  his  son  and  namesake  is 
 one  of  the  minor  canons.  He  died  in  September,  1868,  aged 
 seventy-seven  years.    Dean  Milman  was  an  extensive  contributor 
 
404  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HVxMN  698. 
 
 to  the  Quartc7-ly  RcT'iew,  but  he  is  best  known  by  his  "  History 
 of  Latin  Christianity,"  and  his  "  History  of  the  Jews."  He  did 
 not  excel  in  poetic  genius,  but  he  understood  experimental 
 religion,  and  his  hymns  testify  to  his  faith  in  Christ  and  his  love 
 of  the  Saviour.  Three  of  his  hymns  are  in  this  collection,  the 
 others  being  Nos.  696  and  711. 
 
 Hymn  695. — "  What  means  this  eager,  anxious  throng?''  — 
 "  This  is  Jestis^  the  Prophet  of  NasaretJi.'''' 
 
 This  comes  to  us  from  the  United  States,  and  many  million 
 copies  of  it  were  put  into  circulation  in  less  than  one  year,  1875, 
 it  being  one  of  the  favourite  hymns  sung  by  Mr.  Sankey.  It 
 was  first  published  in  1869  in  a  volume  called  "  Sabbath  Songs," 
 but  its  pious  author  Miss  Campbell,  of  Newark,  New  Jersey, 
 America,  wrote  the  hymn  in  1864.  It  is  one  of  those  hymns 
 which  at  once  took  a  deep  hold  on  the  public  mind,  and  its  use- 
 fulness in  the  revival  services  of  Messrs.  Moody  and  Sankey  has 
 been  subsidised  by  wandering  minstrels  in  the  streets.  The 
 singing  of  that  hymn  on  a  Saturday  night  has  not  only  been  the 
 means  of  preaching  Jesus  to  heedless  multitudes  crowding  our 
 thoroughfares,  but  its  tenderly  touching  appeal  has  earned  for 
 the  minstrels  many  a  Sunday  dinner — Jesus  is  still  the  name, 
 in  every  clime — "  high  over  all." 
 
 Hymn  696. — "  O,  help  us,  Lord  !  each  hour  of  need." 
 This  is  one  of  Dean  Milman's,  and  is  based  on  Matthew  xv. 
 25.     Its  pleading  petitions  will  secure  for  it  many  admirers,  and 
 as  a  hymn  for  use  in  the  closet  it  will  be  much  prized. 
 
 Hymn  697. — "  The  winds  were  howling  o'er  the  deep." — Christ 
 171  the  Storm. 
 A  successful  effort  of  Bishop  Heber's  to  embody  the  account 
 given  by  St.  Mark  iv.  ■^^d-,  v.  19,  of  Christ  in  the  storm  on  the 
 Sea  of  Galilee,  and  it  prayerfully  turns  the  miracles  of  Jesus  into 
 supplications  for  present  blessings.  The  pious  bishop  was  in 
 full  sympathy  with  the  Saviour,  and  his  rendering  will  bear 
 frequent  perusal. 
 
 Hymn  698. — "  Lord  !  it  is  good  for  us  to  be." — The  Trajisjigura- 
 
 tio7t. — Matt.  xvii.  4. 
 
 This  appears  in  a  corrected  form  from  that  in  which  it  was 
 
 first  issued  in  1875  fo^"  ^^e  approval  of  the  Methodists.     Its 
 
 author  is  the  Rev.  Arthur  Penrhyn  Stanley,  D.D.,  son  of  Dr. 
 
HYMN  699.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  405 
 
 Stanley,  Bishop  of  Norwich,  himself  eminent  as  a  dignitary'  of 
 the  Church  of  England,  a  Court  favourite,  distinguished  as  an 
 antiquar}',  historian,  and  traveller,  and  known  especially  to 
 Methodists  as  the  generous  Dean  of  Westminster  Abbey,  who 
 personally  superintended  the  erection  and  unveiling  of  the  monu- 
 ment in  that  edifice  to  the  memory  of  John  and  Charles  Wesley. 
 He  was  born  in  December,  181 5,  educated  at  Rugby  under  Dr. 
 Arnold,  and  graduated  at  Oxford  in  1838.  He  was  made  one 
 of  the  canons  of  Canterbury  in  1851,  and  Regius  Professor  of 
 History  in  the  University  of  Oxford,  in  1856.  He  became  the 
 biographer  of  Dr.  Arnold,  and  of  his  learned  father  Bishop 
 Stanley.  He  died  at  the  Deanery,  i8th  July,  1881,  aged  sixty-six 
 years,  and  was  interred  in  Westminster  Abbey  amidst  almost 
 national  tokens  of  sorrow.  Amongst  his  numerous  and  valuable 
 works  are  his  "Historical  Memorials  of  Canterbury,  and  of 
 Westminster  Abbey."  The  only  hymn  from  his  pen  offered  for 
 use  by  the  Methodists  is  one  which  has  about  it  a  fascination 
 of  thought  and  expression,  but  it  is  the  charm  of  marble  rather 
 than  of  life.  There  is  a  beauty  about  it,  but  it  is  of  fancy  rather 
 than  of  faith.  The  deep  spiritual  lessons  of  the  transfiguration, 
 the  Christian  characteristics  of  such  a  theme  are  not  there. 
 Warmth,  adoration,  and  love  are  not  so  apparent  as  one  would 
 expect  to  find  them  in  dealing  with  so  sublime  and  remarkable 
 an  incident.  The  Dean  was  pleased  to  find  himself  represented 
 in  the  Methodist  Hymn  Book  ;  it  was  just  the  fitting  compliment 
 to  the  generous  kindness  he  manifested  in  promoting  the  erection 
 of  the  monument  to  the  two  Wesleys  in  Westminster  Abbey. 
 He  had  a  mind  favourable  to  the  Wesleyans,  he  longed  to 
 preach  in  Wesley's  chapel,  in  the  City  Road ;  he  did  one 
 Saturday  afternoon  stand  in  Wesley's  pulpit  there,  and  read  a 
 portion  of  Scripture  to  an  audience  of  half-a-dozen  who  were 
 present,  including  a  Government  Minister.  Failing  to  preach 
 amongst  the  Methodists,  he  has  secured  the  privilege  of  being 
 sung  in  Methodist  congregations,  but  the  classic  coldness  of  the 
 language  will  limit  the  popularity  of  the  hymn. 
 
 Hymn  699. — "  Plunged  in  a  gulf  of  dark  despair." — Praise  to 
 the  Redeemer. 
 
 Dr.  Watts'  hymn,  book  ii..  No.  79,  with  three  verses  omitted. 
 By  this  omission  the  harmony  of  the  hymn  is  broken,  but  not  its 
 usefulness.     It  was  formerly  No.  595. 
 
406  METHODIST  HVMN  BOOK  NOTES.  IIVMX  70O. 
 
 In  early  life  Lancelot  Thurlow  entered  into  the  liberty  of  the 
 children  of  God,  and  was  for  thirty-five  years  an  earnest  and 
 faithful  Methodist  local  preacher.  The  last  days  of  his  pilgrim- 
 age were  cheerful  and  bright,  from  the  indwelling  presence  of 
 God.  The  night  preceding  his  death  he  was  greatly  comforted 
 by  meditating  on  passages  of  Scripture,  and  portions  of  hymns, 
 and  several  times  he  repeated  the  verse,  referring  to  the  great 
 love  of  God — 
 
 "  O  for  this  love  let  rocks  and  hills 
 Their  lasting  silence  break, 
 And  all  harmonious  human  tongues 
 The  Saviour's  praises  speak  !" 
 
 He  was  exceedingly  happy  ;  and  just  as  his  spirit  fled  away,  24th 
 February,  i860,  as  if  he  heard  the  music  of  heaven,  he  shouted, 
 "  Hark  !  "  and  he  went  to  join  in  the  anthem  he  doubtless  heard. 
 Jane  Vaudeveer  was  a  member  of  the  Summerfield  Methodist 
 Church,  Brooklyn,  America,  who  fell  on  sleep,  6th  March,  1882, 
 aged  ninety-three  years.  She  was  for  seventy-five  years  a 
 member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  Converted  at  the 
 age  of  eighteen,  with  a  change  of  heart  came  a  change  of  life, 
 which  for  three  quarters  of  a  century  proved  the  genuineness 
 of  the  religion  she  professed.  She  went  to  reside  at  Brooklyn 
 when  it  was  a  small  village,  with  only  two  churches.  Her  house 
 was  the  minister's  home,  her  hands  were  ever  open  to  supply 
 the  needs  of  the  Church  and  the  wants  of  the  poor.  She  lived 
 in  the  affections  of  all  who  knew  her,  and  as  the  close  drew  near, 
 victory  and  confidence  were  perfected.  Full  of  joy  at  the  thought 
 of  the  great  love  of  Jesus,  and  at  the  prospect  of  meeting  so 
 many  loved  ones  she  had  known  on  earth,  who  had  passed 
 before  her  to  heaven,  her  own  gentle  spirit  escaped  to  rest 
 whilst  she  was  whispering — 
 
 "Angels,  assist  our  mighty  joys  ! 
 Strike  all  your  harps  of  gold  : 
 But  when  you  raise  your  highest  notes, 
 His  love  can  ne'er  be  told." 
 
 Hymn  700. — "  When  I  survey  the  wondrous  cross." — CruciJixio7i 
 to  the  World  by  the  Cross  of  Christ. 
 
 Dr.  Watts',  from  book  iii.,  No.  7  ;  a  ver}'  popular  hymn, 
 founded  on  Gal.  vi.  14.  The  fourth  verse  is  left  out.  It  was 
 formerly  No.  623. 
 
HYMN  700.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  4^7 
 
 "George  Eliot"  (Mrs.  Cross),  the  very  popular  English 
 authoress,  was  in  her  early  life  associated  with  godly  Methodists 
 in  Derbyshire,  and  one  of  the  characters  she  has  portrayed  in 
 "Adam  Bede"  was  Dinah  Bede— Mrs.  Evans— who  was  a 
 female  preacher  at  Crich,  near  Matlock.  She  lived  to  a  great 
 age,  and  in  her  last  illness,  peace  and  happiness  were  abundantly 
 manifested.  One  night,  full  of  pain,  sitting  by  the  bedside  she 
 said,  "  How  good  the  Lord  is  ;  Praise  His  holy  name."  Not 
 able  to  lie  down,  a  friend  supported  her.  All  at  once  she 
 exclaimed — 
 
 "  See,  from  His  head,  His  hands,  His  feet, 
 Sorrow  and  love  flow  mingled  down  ; 
 Did  e'er  such  love  and  sorrow  meet, 
 Or  thorns  compose  so  rich  a  crown  ?" 
 
 After  a  short  pause,  her  familiarity  with  the  Hymn  Book  was 
 manifested  by  quoting  the  last  verse  of  the  previous  hymn — 
 
 "  Angels,  assist  our  mighty  joys, 
 Strike  all  your  harps  of  gold  ; 
 But  when  you  raise  your  highest  notes 
 His  love  can  ne'er  be  told." 
 
 She  wept  for  some  time  with  joy,  and    after   recovering  her 
 emotion,  she  shouted — 
 
 '* '  Worthy  the  Lamb  that  died,'  they  cry 
 
 *  To  be  exalted  thus  ! ' 
 
 *  Worthy  the  Lamb,'  our  hearts  reply  ; 
 
 *  For  He  was  slain  for  us.' " 
 
 In  that  spirit  of  holy  triumph,  she  closed  her  pilgrimage  on  earth, 
 8th  December,  1858,  aged  eighty-one  years. 
 
 Mr.  J.  Cramp,  a  local  preacher  at  Longford,  Staffordshire,  had 
 preached  three  times  on  the  Sabbath,  and  at  the  close  of  the 
 evening  he  observed,  "  It  is  all  over  with  me  ;  my  work  is  done." 
 This  was  his  last  Sabbath  ;  he  lingered  on  for  a  few  days,  and 
 on  9th  July,  i860,  he  tranquilly  resigned  his  spirit  into  the  hands 
 of  his  Saviour,  nearly  his  last  words  being — 
 
 "  When  I  survey  the  wondrous  cross 
 On  which  the  Prince  of  glory  died, 
 My  richest  gain  I  count  but  loss, 
 
 And  pour  contempt  on  all  my  pride." 
 
4o8  MKTHODIST  IIVMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN   70O. 
 
 From  very  tender  years  the  mind  of  Miss  Jordan,  of  Norwich, 
 was  impressed  with  divine  things,  and  whilst  yet  a  child,  during 
 a  thunder-storm,  she  earnestly  entreated  the  Lord  to  pardon 
 her  sins.  These  impressions  wore  away  for  a  time,  under  the 
 teachings  of  a  Calvinistic  minister.  In  1790,  the  Rev.  John 
 Hickling  was  appointed  to  the  Norwich  circuit,  and  as  Miss 
 Jordan  had  commenced  to  attend  the  ministry  of  the  Methodists, 
 she  soon  discovered  the  errors  she  had  been  taught,  and,  under 
 the  preaching  of  Mr.  Hickling,  she  learned  the  way  of  salvation  ; 
 and  at  a  prayer  meeting  in  the  chapel  she  found  peace  in 
 believing  on  Jesus.  Two  years  afterwards  she  was  married  to 
 Mr.  Hickling,  and  for  twenty  years  they  were  helps-meet  for 
 each  other.  She  was  a  true  Methodist,  and  a  sincere  Christian, 
 taking  especial  interest  in  those  young  preachers  who  were  from 
 time  to  time  located  with  them.  Her  last  illness  was  short,  but 
 severe  ;  she  had  gone  to  visit  some  friends  at  Beverley,  was 
 suddenly  seized  with  fatal  symptoms,  and  in  a  few  days  exchanged 
 mortality  for  life.  The  last  time  she  attended  her  class,  her 
 leader  asked  her  to  give  out  a  verse  and  pray.     She  gave  out — 
 
 "  Were  the  whole  realm  of  nature  mine, 
 That  were  a  present  far  too  small ; 
 Love,  so  amazing,  so  divine, 
 
 Demands  my  soul,  my  life,  my  all." 
 
 This  verse  gave  her  comfort  in  her  latest  hours  ;  she  repeated  it 
 with  her  dying  breath,  and  in  great  peace  her  happy  spirit  fled 
 to  the  realms  of  glory,  i8th  July,  181 2,  aged  forty-five  years. 
 
 Dr.  Hall  tells  the  story  of  a  Scotchman  who  sang  most 
 piously  the  hymn — 
 
 "Were  the  whole  realm  of  nature  mine, 
 That  were  a  present  far  too  small," 
 
 and  all  through  the  singing  was  fumbling  in  his  pocket  to  make 
 sure  of  the  smallest  piece  of  silver  for  the  contribution  box.  Father 
 Ignatius  was  preaching  some  time  in  the  church  of  St.  Edmund- 
 the-King,  Lombard  Street,  London.  One  morning  a  popular 
 hymn  of  Dr.  Watts'  was  sung  before  the  sermon,  and  when  it 
 ended  the  preacher  slowly  repeated  the  last  line,  "  Demands 
 my  soul,  my  life,  my  all,"  adding,  "  Well,  I  am  surprised  to  hear 
 you  sing  that.  Do  you  know  that  altogether  you  only  put 
 fifteen  shillings  into  the  bag  this  morning.? " 
 
 The  following  Latin  version  of  this  hymn  may  be  interesting 
 
HYMN  703.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  409 
 
 to  many  readers.    It  appeared  in  the  Irish  Ecclesiastical  Gazette^ 
 and  is  the  translation  by  Judge  Lawson — 
 
 "  Vos  vana  mundi  gaudia  cedite, 
 Absisque  inanis  mente  superbia,  , 
 
 Dum  mira  crux,  de  qua  pependit 
 Emoriens  Dominus,  videtur. 
 
 *'  Nil  gloriari  fas,  nisi  sanguine 
 Christi  profuso  sacrifera  cruce, 
 Quoscunque  vana  olim  juvabant 
 Sanguineas  pereant  ad  aras. 
 
 "  En  !  mors  amori  nupta.  videtur,  at 
 Amor  dolores  exsuperat  necis. 
 An  clavus  hos  transfixit  artus, 
 Spinave  tale  caput  coronat  ? 
 
 "  Si  regna  mundi  deveniant  mihi, 
 Pudebit  aris  ista  reponere, 
 
 Tu,  munus  impar,  cor  refractum 
 Accipias,  animanque  votam. 
 
 "J.  A.  Lawson." 
 
 Hymn  701. — "  God  of  unexampled  grace." — The  Lord's  Supper 
 a  Memorial  of  the  Death  of  Christ. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  being  No.  21  in  "Hymns  on  the  Lord's 
 Supper."  The  original  has  nine  verses  ;  those  omitted  here 
 formed  Hymn  552  in  the  old  Supplement,  but  they  are  now 
 left  out  of  the  collection.  This  was  No.  621  in  the  former 
 Hymn  Book. 
 
 HvMN  702.— "O  Thou,  whose  offering  on  the  tree." — The  Holy 
 Eucharist  as  it  implies  a  Sacrifice. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  forming  No.  123  of  "Hymns  on  the  Lord's 
 Supper."  The  last  verse  of  the  original  is  left  out.  This  was 
 formerly  Hymn  619. 
 
 Hymn  703. — "Not  all  the  blood  of  beasts." — Faith  i?t  Christy 
 our  Sac7'ifice. 
 
 Dr.  Watts',  Hymn  142,  book  ii.,  the  third  and  fourth  verses 
 of  the  original  being  left  out.  It  was  No.  615  in  the  former 
 Supplement. 
 
41 0  METHODIST  HVMX  HOOK  NOTKS.  IIV.MN   703. 
 
 One  of  these  omitted  verses  is  very  characteristic  of  the 
 doubting  faith  of  its  author,  when  contrasted  with  the  bold 
 confiding  faith  of  Charles  Wesley — 
 
 "  My  soul  looks  back  to  see 
 
 The  burdens  Thou  didst  bear, 
 ^Vhen  hanging  on  the  cursed  tree, 
 And  hopes  her  guilt  was  there." 
 
 Some  have  doubted  whether  the  teaching  in  the  first  verse  is  in 
 accordance  with  that  of  Holy  Scripture  (see  Matthew  vii.  28  ; 
 ix.  13  ;  and  Leviticus  xvi.  15,  &.C.).  The  Jew,  when  he  had 
 offered  his  sacrifice  and  fulfilled  the  ceremonial  law,  certainly 
 must  have  felt  his  guilty  conscience  at  peace,  and  his  sins 
 washed  away,  although  the  sacrifices  in  themselves  had  no 
 inherent  value ;  yet  they  were  of  divine  appointment  to 
 accomplish  that  end.  The  Jewish  sacrifices,  no  doubt,  received 
 their  value  in  association  with  the  death  of  Christ. 
 
 There  are  several  instances  on  record  of  the  value  of  this 
 particular  hymn.  One  of  the  Bible  Society's  colporteurs  was 
 one  day  offering  Bibles  for  sale  in  the  Jews'  quarter,  at  the  east 
 end  of  London,  when  a  Jewess  informed  him,  if  any  of  their 
 people  bought  a  Bible,  read  it,  and  became  converts  to  Christi- 
 anity, they  would  certainly  return  to  their  former  belief,  and  die 
 in  the  faith  of  Abraham.  The  Bible-man  replied  that  when  he 
 was  a  city  missionary  he  had  been  induced  to  call  upon  a  dying 
 Jewess.  "  She  had  been  brought  from  affluence  to  abject 
 poverty  for  the  faith  of  Christ :  at  one  time  she  had  kept  her 
 own  carriage.  One  day  her  eye  rested  on  the  leaf  of  a  hymn 
 book,  which  had  come  into  the  house  covering  some  butter,  and 
 she  read  upon  it  these  words — 
 
 "  '  Not  all  the  blood  of  beasts, 
 On  Jewish  altars  slain, 
 Could  give  the  guilty  conscience  peace, 
 Or  wash  away  the  stain.' 
 
 The  verse  haunted  her;  she  could  not  dismiss  it  or  forget  it. 
 After  a  time  she  went  to  a  box  where  she  remembered  she  had 
 a  copy  of  the  Bible,  and  induced  by  that  verse,  she  began  to 
 read  it,  and  she  read  on  till  she  found  Jesus  Christ,  '  the  Lamb 
 slain  from  before  the  foundation  of  the  world.'  She  became 
 openly  a  convert  to  Christianity.  This  caused  her  Jewish 
 husband  to  divorce  her.     He  went  to  India,  where  he  married 
 
HYMN  703.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  4II 
 
 again,  and  died.  She  lived  in  much  poverty  with  two  of  her 
 nation,  Jewish  sisters,  who  had  also  become  Christians.  All  this," 
 said  the  Bible-man,  "  I  knew ;  and  as  I  stood  by  her  bedside, 
 she  did  not  renounce  her  faith  in  her  crucified  Lord,  but  died 
 triumphing  in  Him  as  her  rock,  her  shield,  and  her  exceeding 
 great  reward." 
 
 The  religious  course  of  Mrs.  Harriet  Hirst,  of  Bedford  Place, 
 Leeds,  commenced  in  early  life,  and  her  membership  as  a 
 Methodist  continued  nearly  sixty  years.  She  ever  took  delight 
 in  the  means  of  grace,  especially  in  the  class-meeting  and  love- 
 feasts.  During  the  trials  of  a  long  widowhood,  as  well  as  in 
 old  age,  her  reliance  on  Christ  was  unshaken.  Again  and 
 again  she  expressed  her  confidence  in  God  in  the  words  of  Dr. 
 Watts— 
 
 "But  Christ,  the  heavenly  Lamb, 
 Takes  all  our  sins  away  ; 
 A  sacrifice  of  nobler  name, 
 And  richer  blood  than  they." 
 
 She  fell  asleep  in  Jesus,  20th  October,  1864,  aged  seventy-eight 
 A  chequered  course  was  the  lot  of  John  Henr^^  Cassell.  At 
 the  early  age  of  nine  years  the  godly  instructions  of  his  good 
 Moravian  mother  led  him  to  the  Saviour,  and  he  rejoiced  in  the 
 knowledge  of  sins  forgiven.  But  the  severe  trials  arising  from 
 the  evils  of  the  war  with  France  deprived  him  of  his  religion, 
 and  his  parents  of  all  their  earthly  substance.  Coming  to 
 London,  they  had  to  commence  life  again,  without  money 
 or  friends.  A  seafaring  life  for  both  father  and  son,  for 
 some  years,  revealed  to  them  such  a  condition  of  wickedness 
 and  profanity,  that  they  relinquished  it  for  fear  of  impending 
 judgments.  The  son,  of  whom  we  write,  settled  down  at 
 Poplar,  sought  again  the  favour  of  God,  realised  afresh  his 
 adoption  into  His  family,  joined  the  Community,  in  which  he 
 was  for  nearly  a  quarter-of-a-century  a  preacher,  and  as  a  class- 
 leader  greatly  aided  a  rising  Methodist  Society  at  Poplar.  He 
 opened  his  house  for  preaching,  and  rejoiced  to  see  many  sinners 
 there  brought  to  know  their  sins  forgiven.  His  love  of  prayer 
 and  of  the  means  of  grace  were  marked  characteristics  of  his 
 life.  The  Rev.  John  Farrar  gave  him  and  his  family  the 
 sacrament  of  the  Lord's  Supper,  and  a  more  solemn  celebration 
 has  seldom  been  held.  Shortly  after,  on  another  visit  of  Mr. 
 Farrar's,  the  dying  man  said,  "  I  feel  my  account  is  made  up  : 
 
412  METHODIST  HYMN  DOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  707. 
 
 I  know  whom  I  have  trusted:  I  know  the  power  of  Jesus  ;  I  feel 
 His  love.  I  am  the  Lord's  and  He  is  mine.  Yesterday," 
 during  the  sacrament,  "  I  seemed  to  be  in  heaven  :  surely  I 
 could  not  be  happier  if  there.  How  much  the  hymn  we  sang 
 at  the  sacrament  has  been  on  my  mind.  Read  it."  It  was 
 read  ;  and,  taking  up  the  last  verse  with  energy  of  voice,  he 
 exclaimed — 
 
 **  *  Believing,  I  rejoice 
 
 To  feel  the  curse  remove  ; 
 I  bless  the  Lamb  with  cheerful  voice, 
 
 And  trust  His  bleeding  love.' 
 That  is  my  experience,"  he  added;  "the  curse  is  gone;  His 
 blood  cleanseth  me  from  all  sin,  Christ  is  all  and  in  all."     Thus 
 triumphantly  he  entered  into  rest,  5th  March,  1837,  aged  forty- 
 nine  years. 
 
 Hymn  704.—"  Thou  very  Paschal  Lamb."— 77/^  Lord's  Supper 
 as  a  Sign  ajid  Means  of  Grace. — TuNE,  Brentford,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  being  No.  51  of  "Hymns  on  the  Lord's 
 Supper."  It  also  forms  No.  11  in  John  Wesley's  "Select 
 Hymns,  with  Tunes  Annext,"  1761.  This  was  No.  617  in  the 
 former  Supplement. 
 
 Hymn  705.— "This,  this  is  He  that  came."— 77/^  Lord's  Supper 
 as  a  Sign  and  Means  of  Grace. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  forming  No.  74  of  "  Hymns  on  the  Lord's 
 Supper,"  and  was  No.  618  in  the  former  Supplement. 
 
 Hymn  706.— "'Tis  finish'd  !  The  Messias  dies."—"//  is 
 finished.^^ 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  forming  one  of  his  "  Scripture  Hymns," 
 enlarged  and  left  in  manuscript.  The  first  verse  only  forms 
 part  of  No.  387  of  his  "  Short  Scripture  Hymns,"  vol.  ii.,  founded 
 on  John  xix.  30 ;  but  it  is  placed  among  the  hymns  under 
 the  heading  "St.  Luke."  This  was  No.  614  in  the  former 
 Supplement. 
 
 Hymn  707. — "All  ye  that  pass  by." — Invitatio7i  to  Sitiners. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  forming  No.  42  of  "  Hymns  and  Sacred 
 Poems,"  1749,  ^'ol.  i.     Was  No.  616  in  the  former  Supplement. 
 
HYMN  707.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  413 
 
 A  copy  of  Wesley's  Hymns  was  lent  to  the  father  of  the 
 present  Earl  of  Derby,  and  when  it  was  returned  the  word 
 "  anger  '^  in  the  second  verse  was  altered  to  "  mercy,"  thus  :^ 
 "  The  Lord  in  the  day  of  his  mercy  did  lay,"  &c.  The  alteration 
 is  an  improvement. 
 
 The  father  of  Mrs.  Hatton  of  Birmingham,  was  descended 
 from  the  old  Puritans,  and  preserved  the  principles  of  their  stern 
 and  primitive  piety.  He  was  a  strong  churchman,  not  free  from 
 bigotry,  and  was  induced  to  ride  over  from  Ilkeston  to 
 Nottingham  to  hear  Mr.  Whitefield  preach  at  the  market-cross. 
 As  he  drew  near  the  outer  circle  of  the  crowd,  the  preacher  was 
 giving  out  with  much  earnestness  Mr.  Wesley's  lines — 
 
 "  All  ye  that  pass  by, 
 To  Jesus  draw  nigh  ; 
 To  you  is  it  nothing  that  Jesus  should  die? " 
 
 The  words  deeply  impressed  his  mind,  the  last  line  in  particular 
 which  he  received  as  a  direct  appeal  to  himself.  From  that 
 hour  his  heart  and  manner  of  life  were  both  changed  ;  he 
 became  a  new  creature  in  Christ  Jesus,  and  all^  his  family 
 commenced  soon  afterwards  to  follow  in  his  footsteps. 
 
 Mary  Ann  Squires,  of  Leegrave  IMarsh,  Dunstable,  died  7th 
 August,  1855,  aged  twenty-four  years.  She  attended  the  watch- 
 night  service  of  1848,  when  she  was  convinced  of  sin,  and  a  few 
 days  after  at  a  prayer  meeting  she  found  peace.  She  had  a  clear 
 sense  of  her  adoption,  which  kept  her  ever  rejoicing  in  God. 
 She  loved  the  means  of  grace,  especially  the  class  meeting,  was 
 a  devoted  Sunday-school  teacher  and  collector  for  the  missions, 
 and  was  a  member  of  the  chapel  choir.  As  she  lay  dying, 
 among  many  verses  she  sung,  this  one  she  loved  most,  making 
 it  more  personal  by  changing  the  first  word  "your"  into  "my," — 
 
 *'  My  ransom  and  peace, 
 My  Surety  He  is  ; 
 Come,  see  if  there  ever  was  sorrow  like  His." 
 
 Then  added,  "Jesus  is  precious!"  "Happy!  happy!  all  is 
 well."  "  I  shall  soon  be  home  in  my  Father's  house."  Thus 
 she  entered  into  rest. 
 
 The  guardian  care  of  an  elder  sister  produced  those  deep 
 religious  impressions  on  the  mind  of  Betsy  Surr,  which  led  to  her 
 ultimately  finding  pardon  through  faith  in  Christ,  whilst  reading 
 the  "  Life  of  Carvosso."     Her  after-life  was  a  clear  testimony  to 
 
414  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  708. 
 
 the  change  divine  grace  had  wrought.  She  cheerfully  gave  up 
 home  and  friends  to  leave  England  for  Jamaica  as  the  wife  of 
 the  Rev.  Wilson  Lofthouse.  Here,  during  her  brief  sojourn,  her 
 piety  was  matured  by  earnest  and  almost  incessant  prayer,  but 
 her  feebleness  of  body  greatly  hindered  her  joy.  Sometimes  she 
 would  become  plaintive  in  her  supplications  for  more  of  the 
 mind  of  Christ  ;  and  she  would  arouse  herself  from  a  sorrowful 
 tone  by  singing  the  verse — 
 
 "  For  you  and  for  me 
 
 He  died  on  the  tree  : 
 His  death  was  accepted,  the  sinner  is  free  ! 
 
 That  sinner  am  I 
 
 Who  on  Jesus  rely, 
 And  come  for  the  pardon  God  cannot  deny." 
 
 This  was  her  last  testimony  for  God.  She  bore  much  suffering 
 with  extreme  submission,  and  peacefully  entered  into  rest.  The 
 evening  of  the  day  on  which  she  died,  17th  November,  1837,  her 
 remains  were  deposited,  with  those  of  her  infant,  in  a  grave 
 beside  those  of  the  Rev.  Valentine  Ward,  at  Montego  Bay, 
 West  Indies. 
 
 In  the  Wesley  an  AIagazt7ie  we  read  of  the  death  of  Holrody 
 Walker,  of  Leeds,  who  in  his  eighteenth  year  was  dangerously 
 ill,  was  very  anxious  about  his  soul,  and  earnestly  sought  salva- 
 tion. After  suffering  much  distress  of  mind,  he  obtained  a 
 sense  of  God's  pardoning  mercy  whilst  reading  and  thinking 
 over  the  sixth  verse  of  this  hymn — 
 
 *'  My  pardon  I  claim  ; 
 For  a  sinner  I  am  : 
 A  sinner  believing  in  Jesus's  name, 
 He  purchased  the  grace 
 Which  now  I  embrace  ? 
 O  Father,  Thou  know'st  He  hath  died  in  my  place." 
 
 He  believed  in  the  atonement  of  Christ,  and  rejoiced  in  God 
 as  his  reconciled  Father,  He  lived  two  years  afterwards  ;  but 
 just  before  he  died  he  said,  "  I  have  a  sweet  assurance  that  my 
 sins  are  forgiven,  and  that  I  am  accepted  in  the  Beloved." 
 
 Hymn  708. — "  O  Thou  eternal  Victim,  slain." — A  Memorial  of 
 the  Death  of  Christ. 
 
 This  forms  No.  5  of  Charles  Wesley's  "  Hymns  on  the  Lord's 
 Supper,"  1745.     The  full  title  is,  "The  Lord's  Supper  as  it  is  a 
 
HYMN  709.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  415 
 
 memorial  of  the  sufferings  and  death  of  Christ."  The  sacra- 
 mental hymns  of  Charles  Wesley  are,  to  a  large  extent,  based  on 
 the  sentiments  recorded  by  Dr.  Brevint  in  his  treatise  on  that 
 subject,  which  is  usually  prefixed  to  the  hymns.  A  thoughtful 
 reader  of  both  will  readily  discover  the  sentiments  both  of  Dr. 
 Brevint  and  Thomas  k  Kempis ;  but  these  are  embellished  by 
 Charles  Wesley  with  all  the  charm  of  sacred  poetry.  This 
 hymn  was  No.  545  in  the  former  Supplement. 
 
 Hymn  709. — "  Rock  of  Ages  cleft  for  me.'" — A  Living  a7id  Dyifig 
 Prayer  for  the  Holiest  Believers  in  the  World. 
 
 Augustus  Montague  Toplady's,  and  first  published  in  the 
 Gospel  Magazine  for  March,  1776,  of  which  he  was  then  the 
 editor.     It  was  formerly  Hymn  624. 
 
 It  is  printed  at  the  end  of  an  article  in  prose,  signed  J.  F. 
 The  allusion  in  the  title  to  the  "  Holiest  Behever  in  the  World," 
 is  believed  to  refer  to  the  Rev.  John  Wesley,  who  had  a  short 
 time  previously  published  a  tract  entitled  "  Predestination 
 Calmly  Considered,"  which  is  thought  to  have  been  a  reply  to 
 the  opinions  published  by  Mr.  Toplady  on  that  much  disputed 
 doctrine.  The  term,  "holiest  behever"  can  only  be  designed 
 by  Mr.  Toplady  as  a  sneer  at  the  doctrine  of  entire  holiness, 
 which  both  the  Wesleys  so  strongly  enforced  in  their  preaching 
 and  hymns.  The  original  is  in  four  stanzas,  and  it  was  uniformly 
 so  printed  till  Mr.  Montgomer)'  and  the  Rev.  T.  Cotterill 
 prepared  the  Sheffield  Hymn  Book  in  18 19.  In  that  collection 
 Toplady's  Hymn  was  printed  with  considerable  alteration,  and 
 abridged  so  as  to  make  only  three  stanzas  instead  of  four.  In 
 the  altered  form  there  published,  the  hymn  has  heen  copied  into 
 the  Methodist  and  some  other  Collections.  The  alteration  is 
 manifestly  an  injustice  to  the  author;  hence,  in  most  modern 
 hymnals,  it  is  given  in  its  original  integrity.  From  the  import- 
 ance which  now  attaches  to  this  hymn  throughout  the  world,  it 
 may  be  desirable  to  give  the  exact  reprint  of  it.  This  hymn 
 gave  consolation  to  the  late  Prince  Consort  in  his  dying  hours  ; 
 and  Dr.  Pomeroy  relates,  that  when  he  was  visiting  an  Armenian 
 church  in  Constantinople,  he  saw  many  in  tears  whilst  they  were 
 offering  praise,  and  on  inquiry,  found  that  they  were  singing  a 
 Turkish  translation  of  this  hymn  of  Toplady's — 
 
 *'  Rock  of  Ages,  deft  for  me, 
 Let  me  hide  myself  in  Thee  ; 
 
4l6  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN   709. 
 
 Let  the  water  and  the  blond, 
 From  Thy  riven  side  which  flow'd, 
 Be  of  sin  the  double  cure, 
 Cleanse  me  from  its  guilt  and  power. 
 
 *'  Not  the  labours  of  my  hands, 
 Can  fulfd  Thy  law's  demands  ; 
 Could  my  zeal  no  respite  know, 
 Could  my  tears  for  ever  flow, 
 All  for  sin  could  not  atone  ; 
 Thou  must  save,  and  Thou  alone. 
 
 "  Nothing  in  my  hand  I  bring, 
 Simply  to  Thy  cross  I  cling  ; 
 Naked,  come  to  Thee  for  dress ; 
 Helpless,  look  to  Thee  for  grace  ; 
 Foul,  I  to  the  Fountain  fly  ; 
 Wash  me,  Saviour,  or  I  die  ! 
 
 "While  I  draw  this  fleeting  breath, 
 When  my  eyestrings  break  in  death, 
 W'hen  I  soar  through  tracts  unknown, 
 See  Thee  on  Thy  judgment  throne  ; 
 Rock  of  Ages,  cleft  for  me. 
 Let  me  hide  myself  in  Thee  !  " 
 
 Its  first  appearance  in  the  Wesleyan  Collection  was  in  the 
 Supplement  issued  in  1830;  and  in  1832  the  Rev.  Richard 
 Watson,  in  a  letter  to  the  Wesleyan  Magazine^  erroneously 
 attributes  its  authorship  to  the  Rev.  Charles  Wesley.  If  the 
 reader  will  turn  to  the  preface  on  the  "Christian  Sacrament  and 
 Sacrifice,"  by  Dr.  Brevint,  which  usually  precedes  the  editions 
 of  Charles  Wesley's  "  Hymns  on  the  Lord's  Supper,"  on  page  8 
 he  will  find  all  the  thoughts  which  are  with  so  much  force  and 
 elegance  embodied  in  the  hymn.  It  was  translated  into  elegant 
 Latin  verse  by  the  Right  Hon.  W.  E.  Gladstone,  M.P.,  in  which 
 form  it  was  copied  into  many  of  the  newspapers  of  England,  the 
 Continent,  and  America,  and  so  became  a  subject  of  general 
 inquiry  and  remark.  The  Premier  has  since  translated  the 
 same  hymn  into  Greek. 
 
 Augustus  Montague  Toplady  was  the  son  of  Major  Toplady, 
 and  was  born  at  Farnham,  Surrey,  4th  November,  1740. 
 Educated  at  Westminster  School,  he  yet  owed  more  to  the 
 training  of  his  pious  mother  than  to  schools.  At  fifteen  he  was 
 convinced  of  sin,  and  at  sixteen,  he  was  converted  under  the 
 
HYMN  709.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  417 
 
 preaching  of  a  layman  in  a  barn  in  Ireland.  In  1758,  whilst 
 reading  Manton's  sermons,  he  adopted  Calvinistic  tenets,  and 
 held  them  firmly  to  the  end  of  life.  He  began  to  write  hymns 
 and  poetry  at  twenty  ;  and  in  1762,  was  ordained,  and  obtained 
 the  living  of  Blagdon,  Somerset,  afterwards  that  of  New  Ottery ; 
 then  in  1768,  was  vicar  of  Broad  Hembury,  Devon.  With 
 weak  lungs,  and  a  feeble  frame,  he  came  to  London  in  1775, 
 and  for  over  two  years,  he  preached  with  the  solemnity  of 
 heaven  on  his  lips,  in  the  French  Church,  Orange  Street,  Leicester 
 Square.  In  1775,  he  became  the  editor  of  the  Gospel  Magazine^ 
 in  which  some  of  his  hymns  first  appeared.  In  1776  he  pub- 
 lished a  Collection  of  419  Hymns,  including  his  own.  His  poems 
 were  pubhshed  without  his  name,  in  Dublin,  in  1759.  The 
 spirit  of  controversy  led  him  to  say  bitter  things,  and  during  a 
 long  interview  he  had  with  Thomas  Olivers,  at  Mr.  Wesley's 
 Foundry,  words  ran  high  on  both  sides,  but  neither  were 
 convinced  that  the  other  was  right.  Toplady  led  a  holy  and 
 sanctified  life,  and  his  hymns  breathe  a  pure  ethereal  spirit, 
 embodying  joy,  praise,  prayer,  and  the  triumph  of  faith.  He 
 had  a  happy  and  triumphant  passage  to  heaven.  He  died  at 
 Knightsbridge,  nth  August,  1778,  aged  thirty-seven,  and  was 
 interred  in  Tottenham  Court  Road  Chapel,  when  Rowland  Hill 
 delivered  a  spontaneous  oration  to  his  memory.  Mr.  D.  Sedg- 
 wick published  his  133  Hymns  in  one  vol.,  with  Memoir,  in  i860, 
 a  choice  and  valued  work. 
 
 General  Stuart,  of  the  Confederate  Army  of  America,  died  at 
 Richmond,  of  wounds  received  in  a  cavalry  charge.  Just  before 
 he  died,  he  turned  to  the  Rev.  Mr.  Peterkin,  of  the  Episcopal 
 Church,  of  which  the  General  was  an  exemplary  member,  and 
 asked  him  to  sing  the  hymn  commencing — 
 "  Rock  of  Ages,  cleft  for  me, 
 Let  me  hide  myself  in  Thee  !  " — 
 
 the  General  singing  with  all  the  voice  and  strength  he  could 
 command.  He  then  joined  in  a  prayer  with  the  minister.  To 
 the  doctor,  who  was  standing  by,  he  said,  "  I  am  going  fast, 
 now  :  I  am  resigned  :  God's  will  be  done  ;  "  and  then  he  died. 
 
 The  incidents  which  cluster  around  this  hymn  are  sufficiently 
 numerous  and  interesting  to  make  a  lengthy  chapter.  A  few 
 only  can  be  noticed. 
 
 The  Rev.  Theophilus  Lessey  was  converted  to  God  at  the  age 
 of  seventeen,  and  dedicated  to  His  service  in  baptism  by  the 
 
 2  D 
 
4lS  METHODIST  HYMN  DOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  709. 
 
 venerable  Jolin  Wesley.  In  early  life  his  delicate  constitution 
 made  it  very  doubtful  whether  he  would  reach  manhood  ;  but 
 his  education  and  training  at  Kingswood  School  prepared  him 
 for  the  distinguished  sphere  in  which  he  afterwards  moved. 
 First  as  a  local  preacher,  and  then  as  one  of  the  foremost 
 preachers  in  the  Wesleyan  ministry,  and  as  president  of  the 
 Conference  in  the  Centenary  year,  he  was  "a  burning  and  a 
 shining  light."  Soon  after  the  close  of  his  Conference  year,  he 
 was  seized  with  that  illness  which,  after  two  years'  suffering, 
 closed  his  career  of  great  public  usefulness.  When  he  was 
 nearing  the  eternal  shore,  he  was  reminded  of  the  prevalent 
 intercession  of  Christ,  and  of  His  sympathy  with  our  sufferings 
 and  infirmities,  when  he  replied  with  affecting  emotion,  "  Yes, 
 Christ  is  my  only  hope  ;  on  His  atonement  I  rest.  His  precious 
 atonement ; "  and,  in  the  words  of  Toplady,  he  added— 
 
 "  In  my  hand  no  price  I  bring, 
 Simply  to  Thy  cross  I  cling." 
 
 Several  portions  of  this  expressive  hymn  were  often  on  his  lips, 
 and  he  tried  to  sing  the  hymn  through,  his  family  joining  ; 
 when  unequal  to  that  effort,  he  would  repeat  a  line,  and  raise 
 his  hand  as  an  act  of  devotion.  He  died  suddenly  at  last,  loth 
 June,  1 84 1,  aged  fifty-four,  from  the  rupture  of  a  blood-vessel, 
 and  was  buried  in  the  graveyard  behind  the  City  Road  Chapel. 
 Under  the  ministry  of  the  Rev.  Robert  Cover,  Jane,  the 
 beloved  wife  of  the  Rev.  Samuel  H.  Wardley,  was  convinced  of 
 sin  in  early  life,  and  at  a  prayer  meeting  soon  afterwards,  she 
 obtained  peace  in  believing  on  Jesus  Christ.  She  retained  the 
 evidence  of  her  acceptance  with  God  through  life,  and  mani- 
 fested it  by  her  love  to  the  people  of  God,  and  to  the  means  of 
 grace.  Consumption  cut  short  her  earthly  course,  but  shortly 
 before  she  died,  8th  June,  1842,  she  found  much  comfort  in 
 the  hymn  "Rock  of  Ages,"  w^hich  was  so  expressive  of  her 
 inmost  feelings.  Her  last  words  were,  "Jesus  is  gloriously 
 precious." 
 
 The  Rev.  David  Edgar,  at  the  early  age  of  sixteen,  found  peace 
 through  believing  in  Jesus,  and  soon  afterwards  began  to  call 
 sinners  to  repentance.  For  fourteen  years  he  laboured  with 
 fidelity  and  success  in  the  Wesleyan  ministry.  He  suffered 
 much  affliction  for  several  years  previous  to  his  death,  but  his 
 soul  was  kept  in  peace.  A  few  days  before  he  died,  he  repeated 
 the  hymn  commencing — 
 
HYMN  709.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  419 
 
 "  Rock  of  Ages,  cleft  for  me, 
 Let  me  hide  myself  in  Thee  ! " 
 
 and  on  ending  it  he  said,  "  It  is  there  I  am  resting  :  None  but 
 Christ !  none  but  Christ  !"     He  died,  12th  August,  1853. 
 
 The  parents  of  the  Rev.  John  Nesbett  were  Irish  Presbyterians, 
 and  he  was  by  his  parents  designed  for  the  ministry  of  that 
 body  ;  but  his  conversion  to  God  through  the  Methodists  in 
 that  country  determined  his  future  course  ;  and  for  fifty-seven 
 years  he  laboured  with  untiring  zeal  and  energy  in  the  Methodist 
 ministry,  and  had  the  satisfaction  of  seeing  hundreds  of  his 
 countrymen  converted  to  God  as  the  fruit  of  his  hallowed  and 
 successful  toil.  During  the  four  years'  illness  which  pre- 
 ceded his  death,  he  read  the  Bible  four  times  through,  with 
 Mr.  Wesley's,  Mr.  Sutcliffe's,  and  Dr.  Adam  Clarke's  comments 
 thereon.  A  few  days  before  he  died,  he  forwarded  ^50  to  the 
 mission  fund  and  ^50  to  the  Preachers'  Annuitant  Society  as  a 
 token  of  his  love  and  gratitude  to  Methodism.  On  his  last 
 Sabbath  on  earth,  after  the  usual  reading  of  the  Scriptures,  and 
 the  reading  of  some  hymns,  on  coming  to  the  lines — 
 
 In  my  hand  no  price  I  bring, 
 Simply  to  Thy  cross  I  cling," — 
 
 he  cried  out,  "  That  is  my  experience  !  my  feet  are  upon  the 
 Rock  :  that  Rock  is  Christ :  Christ  is  all  in  all ! "  In  this  frame 
 of  mind  he  breathed  out  his  soul  into  the  hands  of  God,  i8th 
 January,  1858,  aged  eighty-two  years. 
 
 "  The  Lord  Sent  Him." — One  Sabbath  a  poor  drunken  man 
 walked  into  a  church  with  a  fashionable  congregation,  and 
 seated  himself  near  the  pulpit,  at  the  close  of  the  first  hymn ;  his 
 shabby  appearance  attracted  general  observation.  The  minister 
 had  scarcely  commenced  preaching  when  the  stranger  had  sunk 
 into  a  deep  sleep  and  snored  aloud,  when  one  of  the  officers  of 
 the  church  approached  to  lead  him  out.  "  Let  him  remain," 
 said  the  minister ;  "  he  does  not  disturb  me.  Try  and  bear 
 with  him.  I  hope  he  may  hear  some  word  before  he  leaves 
 which  will  persuade  him  to  lead  a  new  life.  The  man  is  not  in 
 his  senses  ;  there  is  some  influence  which  we  do  not  perceive 
 which  has  led  him  here.  I  believe  the  Lord  sent  him."  He 
 continued  to  sleep  on,  but  more  quietly.  The  pealing  of  the 
 organ  and  the  singing  of  the  choir  at  last  roused  him.  He 
 started  to  his  feet,  and  gazed  in  bewilderment  around.     It  was 
 
420  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  709. 
 
 the  old  hymn,  "  Rock  of  Ages,"  which  tliey  were  singing.  He 
 sat  down,  buried  his  face  in  his  hands,  and  Hstened  to  the 
 prayer  which  followed.  The  next  Sabbath  he  was  again  in 
 church,  and  soon  afterwards,  in  a  prayer  meeting,  he  arose  and 
 said  he  hoped  he  had  become  a  Christian.  On  the  Sabbath 
 when  he  first  entered  the  church  he  had  heard  the  singing,  and 
 a  voice  seemed  to  bid  him  enter.  He  thought  it  might  be  the 
 voice  of  God  speaking  to  him  for  the  last  time.  Half  overcome 
 with  drink  and  almost  in  rags,  he  entered  the  church.  He  heard 
 part  of  the  hymn,  "Rock  of  Ages,"  the  hymn  sung  by  his  mother 
 upon  her  deathbed.  The  prayer  which  followed  seemed  meant 
 for  him.  He  resolved  to  leave  off  his  old  habit,  and  by  the 
 grace  of  God  he  had  kept  his  resolution.  He  became  a  member 
 of  the  church,  and  subsequently  a  deacon.  "  I  do  not  know," 
 said  his  pastor,  "a  man  more  earnest,  or  more  successful  in 
 doing  good  than  he." 
 
 "Albert  the  Good,"  England's  royal  prince,  breathed  out  his 
 happy  spirit  in  this  couplet — 
 
 **  Rock  of  Ages,  cleft  for  me, 
 Let  me  hide  myself  in  Thee  !  " 
 Windsor  Castle  never  had  a  purer  spirit  as  its  chief  tenant,  and 
 never  was  witnessed  there  a  more  hopeful  dying. 
 
 A  poor  African  girl,  who  had  found  Christ,  was  dying.     She 
 
 suffered  much,  and  at  intervals  of  rest  she  repeated  hymns  she 
 
 had  learned  at  school.     Just  before  she  expired,  she  repeated 
 
 twice — 
 
 "  Rock  of  Ages,  cleft  for  me. 
 
 Let  me  hide  myself  in  Thee  !  " 
 Shortly  afterwards  she  cried  aloud  "  Heaven  is  ready  :  I  am 
 ready — happy,  peace — Do  you  not  see  the  angels  that  surround 
 me  ? "     They  bore  her  happy  spirit  home. 
 
 The  ship  Lo7ido7i^  lost  in  the  Bay  of  Biscay,  had  on  board  the 
 Rev.  D.  J.  Draper  and  his  wife,  who  were  bound  for  Australia. 
 The  last  man  that  left  the  ship  was  asked  what  the  passengers 
 were  doing, — he  replied,  the  last  sounds  he  heard  were  the  voices 
 of  as  many  as  could  do  so,  singing— 
 
 **  Rock  of  Ages,  cleft  for  me, 
 
 Let  me  hide  myself  in  Thee  !  " 
 
 That  terrible  calamity  was  on  nth  January',  1866. 
 
 The  Rev.  Dudley  Tyng,  a  pious  young  minister  of  America, 
 was  called  to  his  reward  soon  after  entering  on  his  sacred  duties. 
 
HYMN  709.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  42 1 
 
 His  last  message  to  his  church  was,  "Stand  up  for  Jesus  ;  let  us 
 all  stand  in  Christ  Jesus  !  "  Just  before  he  expired,  though 
 very  feeble,  he  suddenly  aroused  himself  and  said,  "  Sing,  sing, 
 can  you  not  sing  ? "  Seeing  his  utter  weakness,  his  friends 
 hesitated,  when  he  struck  up — 
 
 "  Rock  of  Ages,  cleft  for  me,"  &c. 
 
 they  sang  two  verses,  then  paused,  and  as  the  words  died  away, 
 his  spirit  escaped  to  the  rest  of  heaven. 
 
 A  Quaker  lady,  who  for  three  years  had  visited  camps  and 
 hospitals  to  help  and  cheer  the  sick,  wounded,  and  dying  during 
 the  American  war,  relates  the  case  of  a  little  drummer-boy,  who 
 had  recognised  no  one  since  his  fall,  and  had  given  little  evidence 
 of  consciousness  ;  he  was  very  near  his  end  ;  and  she  whispered 
 in  his  ear — 
 
 *'  Rock  of  Ages,  cleft  for  me, 
 Let  me  hide  myself  in  Thee  !  " 
 
 when  the  countenance  of  the  brave  youth  brightened  up,  and  he 
 followed  with  the  second  stanza  of  this  immortal  song,  saying 
 his  mother  had  taught  him  that  hymn,  and  he  had  often  sung  it 
 in  Sunday  school,  and  after  a  few  minutes'  conversation  he 
 expressed  a  hope  in  the  Saviour,  and  fell  asleep  to  wake  no 
 more  to  earthly  scenes. 
 
 The  Honourable  John  Lowe,  a  member  of  the  Legislative 
 Council,  Melbourne,  Australia,  was  born  in  Cheshire,  in  18 13. 
 He  settled  in  Melbourne,  where  he  died  in  1867.  After 
 a  very  hot  day  disease  set  in  on  his  face,  and  rapidly  proved 
 fatal.  His  affliction  was  exceedingly  painful,  but,  amid  all  his 
 sufferings — and  those  who  witnessed  the  mighty  man  laid  low, 
 writhing  with  pain,  will  never  forget  it — there  was  not  a  word  of 
 murmuring  or  complaint.  His  words — they  were  not  many, 
 only  falling  at  intervals — were  not  about  business  or  politics,  but 
 chiefly  about  Jesus  and  the  blessedness  of  the  righteous  after 
 death.     On  more  than  one  occasion  he  was  heard  to  say — 
 
 *'  O,  where  is  that  radiant  shore, 
 Shall  we  not  seek  it,  and  part  no  more  ?  " 
 
 On  the  Monday  night  before  he  died  there  was  a  change  in 
 the  weather ;  the  rain  was  falling  fast  and  the  thunder  was 
 heard  reverberating  through  the  sky,  when  he  quoted  the  words 
 of  the  Apostle,  "  The  heavens  and  the  earth  shall  pass  away, 
 and  the  elements  shall  melt  with  fervent  heat."     His  hopes  were 
 
42  2  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  710. 
 
 centred  in  Christ ;  he  said  Christ  was  "  precious  :  "  referred  to 
 the  truth  that  He  was  "  made  perfect  through  suffering,"  and 
 quoted,  though  with  a  faltering  voice,  the  verse — 
 
 "  Rock  of  Ages,  cleft  for  me, 
 Let  me  hide  myself  in  Thee  !  " 
 
 which  he  designated  the  Prince  Consort's  hymn.  Towards  the 
 termination  of  his  illness  the  powers  of  language  failed  him  and 
 he  gradually  became  weaker  and  weaker  till  he  breathed  his 
 last.  By  his  death  the  Methodist  Church  in  Australia  lost 
 one  of  her  brightest  members. 
 
 Mary  Beynon  (born  1803),  and  her  husband,  George  Beynon, 
 both  joined  the  Methodist  Society  in  Februar}',  1827.  They 
 showed  their  love  to  the  cause  by  providing  a  home  for  the 
 preachers,  and  their  kitchen  was  the  preaching  place  for  the 
 Methodists.  Mr.  Beynon  was  for  thirty  years  a  class-leader  in 
 the  Gower  district.  Mrs.  Beynon  was  a  sincere  Christian,  and 
 for  her  catholicity,  was  beloved  by  all  who  knew  her.  In  old 
 age  her  frank,  cheerful,  loving  spirit  endeared  her  to  all  who 
 visited  her.  In  her  last  illness,  she  had  no  fear,  but  a  fulness  of 
 peace  and  joy.     When  her  strength  failed  she  began  to  sing — 
 
 "  In  my  hand  no  price  I  bring, 
 Simply  to  Thy  cross  I  cling." 
 
 Shortly  afterwards  she  repeated — 
 
 "  I  will  never  leave  Thee,  nor  forsake  Thee." 
 
 Just  as  she  was  dying  she  sang — 
 
 "  Hide  me,  O  my  Saviour,  hide, 
 Till  the  storm  of  hfe  be  past." 
 
 Her  strength  failed  her,  and  rallying  after  a  few  moments,  she 
 again  tried  to  sing — 
 
 **  I'll  praise  my  Maker  while  I've  breath, 
 And  when  my  voice  is  lost  in  death." 
 
 Her  song  ceased — the  voice  was  silent — her  spirit  had  passed 
 through  death  triumphant  home.  She  died  at  Burry's  Green, 
 Gower,  15th  February,  1883,  aged  eighty  years. 
 
 Hymn  710. — "  Saviour,  when  in  dust  to  Thee." 
 
 Written  by  Sir  Robert  Grant,  of  whom  a  notice  will  be  found 
 under   Hymn   611.        It    is   a   hymn   which   embraces   various 
 
HYMN  712.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  423 
 
 incidents  in  the  life  of  Jesus,  thereby  teaching  much  Scriptural 
 truth,  but  it  will  probably  find  more  favour  in  churches  than  in 
 Methodist  congregations. 
 
 Hymn  711. — "When  our  heads  are  bowed  with  woe," 
 
 One  of  three  hymns  in  the  Collection  by  Dean  Milman, 
 based  on  the  words  "  Surely  He  hath  borne  our  griefs  and 
 carried  our  sorrows"  (Isaiah  liii.  4).  It  is  a  solemn  and  plaintive 
 ode,  very  different  in  character  to  the  cheerful  and  vigorous 
 verses  of  Charles  Wesley,  but  it  will  find  many  admirers.  It  is 
 in  the  strain  of  a  Romish  hymn  to  the  Virgin  Mary. 
 
 Hymn  712. — "He  dies  !  the  Friend  of  sinners  dies  !" — Chrisfs 
 Dyings  Rzshig^  and  Reignmg. 
 
 Dr.  Watts',  from  "Hor^  Lyricae,"  1705.  It  was  No.  553  in  the 
 former  Supplement. 
 
 This  hymn  is  as  much  improved  by  John  Wesley's  judicious 
 alterations  as  is  the  same  author's  version  of  the  Hundredth 
 Psalm.     Dr.  Watts  wrote  thus — 
 
 **  He  dies  !  The  heavenly  Lover  dies  ! 
 The  tidings  strike  a  doleful  sound 
 On  my  poor  heart-strings  :  deep  he  lies 
 In  the  cold  caverns  of  the  ground." 
 
 We  need  not  stay  to  point  out  the  weakness  of  this  ;  let  John 
 Wesley's  amended  lines  make  their  own  appeal — 
 
 **  He  dies  !  the  Friend  of  sinners  dies  ! 
 
 Lo  !  Salem's  daughters  weep  around  ! 
 A  solemn  darkness  veils  the  skies, 
 
 A  sudden  trembling  shakes  the  ground." 
 
 This  hymn,  as  altered  by  Mr.  Wesley,  has  been  very  popular, 
 but  it  has  marked  imperfections.  We  are  nowhere  in  Scripture 
 called  to  mourn  for  the  death  of  Jesus.  Even  the  daughters  of 
 Jerusalem — "Salem's  daughters" — were  not  encouraged  by 
 Jesus  to  weep  for  Him,  but  rather  to  weep  for  themselves. 
 Take  another  couplet  from  the  original  and  see  Mr.  Wesley's 
 improvement — 
 
 *'  Come,  Saints,  and  drop  a  tear  or  two 
 On  the  dear  bosom  of  your  God." 
 
 Could  they  do  so  if  they  wished  ? 
 
424  METHODIST  HYMN  HOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  715. 
 
 In  Mr.  Wesley's  "Select  Hymns  for  the  use  of  Christians  of 
 all  Denominations,"  he  has  printed  this  hymn  in  its  unaltered 
 form  ;  thus  showing  that  he  took  special  pains  in  preparing 
 the  Hymn  Book  designed  "For  the  Use  of  the  People  called 
 Methodists." 
 
 Hymn  713. — "Ye  humble  souls,  that  seek  the  Lord." — 
 The  KesurfcctioH  of  Christ. 
 
 Dr.  Doddridge  being  No.  196  in  his  Hymns,  founded  on 
 Matthew  xxviii.  5,  6.  The  third  verse  is  left  out.  This  was 
 No.  628  in  the  former  Supplement.  It  is  a  jubilant  hymn  on 
 the  Resurrection  of  Christ. 
 
 Hymn  714. — "  In  the  bonds  of  Death  He  lay." 
 
 A  vigorous  inspiration  from  the  pen  of  Martin  Luther,  the 
 reading  of  whose  preface  to  the  Romans  was  made  the  means 
 of  salvation  to  John  Wesley.  By  the  aid  of  Miss  Winkworth, 
 Mr.  Wesley's  followers  may  unitedly  join  at  Easter-time  in 
 singing  Luther's  Hallelujah  to  God  for  the  resurrection  of 
 Christ.  "  Luther  did  as  much  for  the  Reformation  by  his 
 hymns  as  by  his  translation  of  the  Bible."  His  hymns  may  not 
 have  the  refined  taste  and  polish  of  modern  poets,  but  their 
 rugged  simplicity,  their  natural  beauty  and  strong  common 
 sense,  indicate  real  genius,  and  the  fact  that  they  live  and  meet 
 with  a  welcome  in  Christian  congregations,  after  three  centuries 
 of  experience,  will  go  far  to  perpetuate  their  popularity. 
 
 Hymn  715. — "The  foe  behind,  the  Deep  before." 
 
 This  is  one  of  the  strangest  productions  in  the  book.  It  was 
 written  by  the  Rev.  John  Mason  Neale,  D.D.,  one  of  the  most 
 advanced  of  the  High  Church  clergy  ;  but  it  appears  here  with 
 variations  from  the  original,  of  which  the  last  six  stanzas  are 
 omitted.  Almost  every  verse  has  a  different  meter,  and  it  is 
 evidently  intended  for  the  congregation  to  sit  and  listen  to  the 
 choir  when  it  is  performed.  It  is  true  that  in  the  New  Tune 
 Book  music  has  been  provided,  which  has  lent  a  little  charm  to 
 the  words,  and  hence  it  has,  with  careful  practice,  been 
 occasionally  sung,  or  "  performed,"  even  as  a  Sunday  School 
 anniversary  hymn.  After  a  few  years,  plain  Methodist  people 
 will  be  glad  to  have  it  changed. 
 
HYMN  716.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  425 
 
 Dr.  John  Mason  Neale  was  born  in  18 18,  and  educated  at 
 Trinity  College,  Cambridge,  where  he  graduated  in  1840,  and 
 was  soon  after  elected  warden  of  Sackville  College,  East 
 Grinstead,  which  office  he  continued  to  hold  until  his  decease. 
 He  obtained  many  prizes  at  the  University,  and  wrote  numerous 
 works  for  children,  very  interesting  in  their  style,  with 
 captivating  titles,  but  they  have  all  pointed  towards  Rome.  He 
 even  went  so  far  as  to  print  a  mutilated  edition  of  Bunyan's 
 "  Pilgrim's  Progress,"  in  which  Baptismal  Regeneration,  and 
 such  like  figments  of  Popery,  are  taught.  His  two  "  Histories 
 of  the  Eastern  Church"  are  works  of  value.  He  died  8th  August, 
 1866.  There  are  two  others  of  his  hymns  in  the  Collection, 
 Nos.  793  and  992,  which  will  be  more  cordially  welcomed  by 
 the  Methodist  people. 
 
 Hymn  716. — "  Christ,  the  Lord,  is  risen  to-day." — For 
 Easter  Day. — TuNE,  Georgia. 
 
 From  Charles  Wesley's  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1739, 
 page  209.  It  contrasts  strongly  and  favourably  with  the  one 
 preceding.  The  original  has  eleven  verses,  five  of  which  are 
 omitted.  This  hymn  is  universally  adopted  in  the  psalmody  of 
 the  Church  of  England,  a  tune  called  Georgia  being  used  to  it, 
 being  an  adaptation  of  the  one  by  Handel,  "  See  the  Conquer- 
 ing Hero."     It  was  No.  629  in  former  Supplement. 
 
 When  about  twenty-five  years  of  age,  Thomas  Lacy  was 
 brought  to  the  enjoyment  of  a  conscious  sense  of  God's  pardoning 
 love,  under  the  ministry  of  the  Rev.  Charles  Atmore.  He  had 
 previously  been  favoured  by  attending  the  ministry  of  the  Rev. 
 John  Crosse,  vicar  of  Bradford.  He  joined  the  Methodist 
 Society,  and  ever  afterwards  was  one  of  its  brightest  ornaments. 
 He  filled  the  office  of  leader  and  steward  with  satisfaction  to 
 his  brethren,  and  was  a  liberal  supporter  of  its  funds.  He  was 
 ill  for  some  time  before  his  death.  On  Easter  Day  he  repeated 
 to  his  sister,  with  a  faltering  voice — 
 
 "  Christ,  the  Lord,  is  risen  to-day, 
 Sons  of  men  and  angels  say  ; 
 Raise  your  joys  and  triumphs  high  ; 
 Sing,  ye  heavens  ;  thou,  earth,  reply." 
 
 His  medical  man  announced  his  end  was  near.  He  said,  "I 
 have  a  pleasant  prospect  before  me  ;"  and  after  a  few  words  he 
 gently  fell  asleep  in  Jesus,  i8th  May,  1821,  aged  sixty  years. 
 
426  METHODIST  HVMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  7 20. 
 
 Hymn  717. — "  Father,  God,  \vc  glorify." — On  the  Resurrection 
 of  our  Lord. 
 Charles  Wesley's,  forming    No.   9   of  his    "  Hymns  for  our 
 Lord's    Resurrection,"   1746.      It  was   No.  632   in   the  former 
 Supplement. 
 
 Hymn  718. — "  Hail  the  day  that  sees  Him  rise." — For 
 Asce?ision  Day. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1739, 
 page  211.     It  was  No.  630  in  the  former  Supplement. 
 
 The  poet  had  a  great  liking  to  the  word  "  pomp,"  if  we  may 
 judge  from  the  frequency  of  its  occurrence  in  his  hymns.  He 
 takes  care,  however,  not  to  use  it  in  a  loose,  indiscriminate 
 manner,  but  seems  ever  to  have  his  eye  upon  the  original 
 import.  It  was  a  religious  word  among  the  Greeks,  and  was 
 used  by  them  to  denote  a  religious  procession.  Accordingly, 
 the  poet,  in  verse  two  of  this  hymn,  says,  "  There  the  pompous 
 triumph  waits;"  and  in  other  places,  "And  lead  the  pompous 
 triumph  on,"  "  By  the  pomp  of  thine  ascending,"  iSic.  The  word 
 is  not  peculiar  to  Charles  Wesley,  as  it  is  found  in  all  the  best 
 English  writers. 
 
 Hymn  719. — "  God  is  gone  up  on  high." — Christ  Glorified. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  being  the  second  of  his  "  Hymns  for 
 Ascension  Day."  It  was  formerly  Hymn  635.  The  repetition 
 of  the  last  two  lines  adds  emphasis  to  the  hymn. 
 
 Hymn  720. — "  See  the  Conqueror  mounts  in  triumph." — "//"<? 
 was  taken  up;  and  a  cloud  7'eceived  hini.^'' — Acts  i.  9. 
 
 A  hymn  in  two  parts,  extending  to  nine  verses  of  eight  lines 
 each,  and  is  one  of  only  two  hymns  in  the  book  from  the  pen 
 of  a  living  bishop  of  the  Church  of  England.  Its  author  is 
 Christopher  Wordsworth,  D.D.,  who  presides  over  the  diocese 
 of  Lincoln,  the  home  of  the  Wesleys  of  the  past  century.  He 
 is  a  nephew  of  the  Lake  poet,  William  Wordsworth,  and  the 
 son  of  a  clerg)^man  of  distinction  in  the  early  part  of  this 
 century.  Bishop  Wordsworth  was  born  in  1807,  was  educated 
 at  Winchester  and  Trinity  College,  Cambridge,  of  which  he  was 
 elected  a  Fellow,  and  became  the  Public  Orator  of  the  Univer- 
 
HYMN  721.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  427 
 
 sity.  In  1836  he  became  Head-Master  of  Harrow  School,  from 
 which  he  was  promoted  in  1844  to  a  canonry  in  Westminster 
 Abbey,  where  he  became  popular  as  a  preacher.  From  West- 
 minster he  was  elevated  to  the  episcopal  throne  at  Lincoln,  in 
 which  diocese  he  has  earned  for  himself  a  painful  notoriety  by 
 his  unwise  conduct  towards  the  Methodists.  He  is  distinguished 
 as  an  able  and  thoughtful  author  when  he  avoids  controversy. 
 His  published  works  are  varied  and  valuable,  and  amongst 
 them  is  one  entitled  "  Hymns  for  Sundays  and  Holy-days,"  in 
 which  are  some  compositions  which  will  live  longer  than  his 
 more  elaborate  writings.  His  hymns  for  Morning,  the  Harvest, 
 for  Children,  and  for  Sunday  are  attracting  attention  ;  but  the 
 hymn  on  the  Ascension  of  Christ  will  not  bear  comparison  with 
 those  of  the  Lincolnshire  poet,  Charles  Wesley,  of  Epworth,  nor 
 yet  with  that  of  John  Bakewell,  the  Methodist  layman,  which 
 follows  that  of  the  Bishop.  It  was  an  act  of  courteous  kindness 
 and  generosity  on  the  part  of  the  Committee  of  Selection  to  put 
 this  hymn  in  the  Collection,  just  at  the  time  when  a  very  strong 
 feeling  of  antagonism  to  the  Bishop  existed  in  Methodist  circles, 
 owing  to  his  unjust  and  unkind  attempt  to  prevent  Methodist 
 preachers  using  the  title  Reverend.  The  controversy  cost  a 
 considerable  outlay  in  money  ;  but  more  good  came  out  of  it 
 than  the  Bishop  expected,  from  the  Ouston  Ferry  case.  The 
 village  of  Ouston  Ferry  can  be  seen  from  Epworth  churchyard. 
 
 Hymn  721. — "  Sinners,  rejoice  !  your  peace  is  made." — Christ 
 seen  of  A)igels. — TuNE,  Sheffield,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  being  one  of  his  "  Hymns  for  Ascension 
 Day,"  1746.     It  was  No.  625  in  the  former  Supplement. 
 
 It  is  a  masterly  composition.  There  is  a  bold  and  striking 
 passage  in  the  fifth  verse — 
 
 *'  The  wounds,  the  blood  !  they  heard  the  voice, 
 And  heighten'd  all  their  highest  joys." 
 
 For  ascribing  a  voice  to  the  blood  of  Christ,  the  poet  has  the 
 authority  of  the  Apostle  Paul  in  Heb.  xii.  24.  The  fine  hyper- 
 bole in  the  next  line  may  remind  the  reader  of  some  lines  in 
 Milton,  who  represents  Satan  as  saying — 
 
 "  And  in  the  lowest  deep,  a  lower  deep, 
 
 Still  threatening  to  devour  me,  opens  wide." 
 
428  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  722. 
 
 At  the  close  of  this  admirable  lay,  the  poet,  after  speaking  of 
 "the  unutterable  happiness"  of  the  angels,  adds — 
 
 *'  Ikit  all  your  heaven,  ye  glorious  powers, 
 And  all  your  God,  is  doubly  ours." 
 
 Part  of  this  lay  forms  one  of  the  "  Select  Hymns,  with  Tunes 
 Annext;"  and  in  the  "Sacred  Melody,"  1 761,  the  tune  is  Sheffield. 
 The  sixth  verse  of  the  original  is  omitted. 
 
 Hymn  722. — "  Hail,  Thou  once  despised  Jesus." — Our  Lord's 
 
 Resurrection. 
 This  hymn  was  written  by  John  Bakewell,  one  of  the  earliest 
 of  Mr.  Wesley's  lay  preachers.  There  is  much  that  is  interesting 
 belonging  to  this  hymn  and  its  venerable  author,  which  Mr. 
 Stelfox  has  embodied  in  a  short  article  in  the  Wcsleyan 
 Magazitie.  The  author  was  born  in  1721,  and  died  i8th  March, 
 1 8 19.  He  was  a  lay  preacher  among  the  Methodists  from  1749 
 to  the  end  of  his  life.  He  composed  many  hymns,  which 
 remain  in  manuscript,  beautifully  written.  The  one  commencing, 
 "Hail,  Thou  once  despised  Jesus,"  appeared  in  part  in  "A 
 Collection  of  Hymns  addressed  to  the  Holy  Holy,  Holy  Triune 
 God,  in  the  person  of  Jesus  Christ,  our  Mediator  and  Advocate," 
 1757.  It  is  also  found  in  Madan's  Collection,  1760,  and  in 
 Toplady's  "  Psalms  and  Hymns,"  1776,  with  an  additional  verse. 
 In  its  altered  form  it  was  added  to  the  Methodist  Collection  as 
 revised  in  1797,  as  Hymn  103*,  but  was  omitted  again  in  1808. 
 When  the  Supplement  was  added  in  1830,  it  was  again  inserted, 
 Toplady's  version  being  adopted  in  the  first,  second,  and  fourth 
 verses,  and  Madan's  version  in  the  third  verse.  The  fifth  verse 
 is  omitted.  The  author  was  on  intimate  terms  with  John  and 
 Charles  Wesley,  Toplady,  Madan,  and  other  good  men.  He 
 was  present  at  the  ordination  of  the  Rev.  John  Fletcher  in  1757. 
 He  resided  successively  in  Derbyshire,  London,  Bedford,  Kent, 
 and  Staffordshire,  closing  his  career  at  Lewisham,  in  18 19.  He 
 introduced  Methodism  into  Greenwich.  The  first  regular  class 
 met  in  his  house,  and  there  the  Rev.  Thomas  Rutherford  died. 
 At  an  earlier  date  Mr.  Bakewell  resided  at  Westminster,  where 
 Thomas  Olivers  spent  some  time  on  a  visit,  and  in  whose  house 
 he  wrote  his  grand  hymn,  "  To  the  God  of  Abraham."  The 
 Rev.  William  Moulton  and  the  Rev.  James  Rosser  married  two 
 of  his  grand-daughters.  The  Rev.  W.  F.  Moulton,  D.D.,  of  the 
 Leys,  Cambridge,  is  the  son  of  one  of  those  ladies.    His  remains 
 
HYMN  722.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  429 
 
 are  interred  near  to  those  of  John  Wesley,  behind  City  Road 
 Chapel,  where  a  tomb  marks  his  resting-place,  on  which  is  the 
 following  inscription  : — "  Sacred  to  the  memory  of  John  Bake- 
 well,  of  Greenwich,  who  departed  this  life  i8th  March,  181 9, 
 aged  ninety-eight.  He  adorned  the  doctrine  of  God  our  Saviour 
 eighty  years,  and  preached  His  glorious  Gospel  about  seventy 
 years."  The  Rev.  James  Creighton  buried  his  old  friend,  and  a 
 few  days  afterwards  Mr.  Creighton  finished  his  own  earthly 
 course.  He  was  an  eminent,  benevolent,  intelligent,  pious, 
 humble  follower  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 
 
 This  hymn  was  included  in  the  new  Hymn  Book  recently 
 published  by  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  in  America. 
 During  the  time  the  selection  was  being  made,  a  lengthened 
 controversy  arose,  and  was  carried  on  in  several  of  the  Church 
 papers,  on  one  word  in  the  second  line — "  Galilean,"  as  applied 
 to  Christ.  "  Hail  !  Thou  Galilean  King  ! "  It  is  not  desirable 
 here  to  do  more  than  allude  to  the  circumstance,  but  people  in 
 England  who  read  the  American  papers  containing  the  contro- 
 versy often  remarked — "  Behold,  how  great  a  matter  a  little  fire 
 kindleth  ! "     The  hymn  was  printed  in  its  integrity. 
 
 A  pleasant  story  is  told,  in  "  The  Epworth  Singers,"  about 
 this  hymn — 
 
 *'  Hail !  Thou  once  despised  Jesus, 
 Hail !  Thou  Galilean  King  !  " 
 
 which,  in  some  books,  begins  with  the  third  stanza  of  the 
 original — 
 
 "  Jesus  hail !  enthroned  in  glory, 
 There  for  ever  to  abide." 
 
 A  Christian  woman,  who  was  a  confirmed  invalid,  reclining 
 on  her  couch,  had  been  softly  singing  to  herself  different  verses 
 of  this  hymn,  when,  breaking  off"  her  singing,  she  said  to  a 
 friend  who  was  in  the  room,  "Whose  hymn  is  that.-*  It  is  a 
 precious  one  to  me.  It  keeps  me  the  whole  day  sometimes, 
 and  through  wakeful  hours  at  night  too,  in  communion  with  my 
 glorified  Saviour.  Who  wrote  it  ?"  Her  visitor  replied  that  its 
 author  was  John  Bakewell,  one  of  the  early  friends  of  the 
 Wesleys.  The  name  arrested  the  ear  of  the  sick  woman,  and, 
 repeating  it  over  as  something  familiar,  she  asked  her  attendant 
 to  look  into  an  old  volume  of  a  Methodist  Magazme  on  the  shelf, 
 and  see  if  it  was  the  same  as  that  of  the  writer  of  a  Letter  on 
 Christian  Brotherly  Love,  which  also  had  given  the  sufferer 
 
430  METHODIST  HYMN  ROOK  NOTES.  HYMN  723. 
 
 great  enjoyment.  The  letter  was  found,  and  parts  of  it  were 
 read  at  her  suggestion,  thus  :  "  I  took  the  liberty  of  giving  you 
 my  thoughts  on  brotherly  love,  and  the  unity  which  ought  to 
 subsist  between  the  children  of  God.  I  have  been  confirmed  in 
 my  opinions  on  these  subjects  by  reading  the  fourth  chapter  of 
 the  Epistle  to  the  Ephesians.  This  one  point,  the  unity  of  the 
 spirit,  he  presses  with  seven  arguments  : — If  the  Church,  your 
 mother,  be  but  one  ;  God,  your  Father,  one  ;  Christ,  your  Lord, 
 one  ;  the  Holy  Ghost,  your  Comforter,  one  ;  if  there  be  but  one 
 hope,  one  faith,  and  one  baptism,  it  is  certainly  your  bounden 
 duty  to  live  together  in  love  as  one."  "  And  is  the  man  who 
 wrote  that,"  said  the  invalid,  "  the  man  who  wrote  my  hymn  ? 
 I'm  glad  to  know  it ;  for  it  is  just  what  he  has  put  into  this 
 
 stanza  of  it — 
 
 ** '  Soon  we  shall  with  those  in  glory 
 His  transcendent  grace  relate  ; 
 Gladly  sing  the  amazing  story 
 Of  His  dying  love  so  great ; 
 In  that  blessed  contemplation 
 
 We  for  evermore  shall  dwell, 
 
 Crown 'd  with  bliss  and  consolation 
 
 Such  as  none  below  can  tell.' 
 
 Now  read,"  she  added,  "the  prayer  with  which  the  letter 
 closes."  "May  God,  of  His  infinite  goodness,  grant  that  we 
 and  all  serious  Christians  of  every  denomination,  may  labour 
 for  a  perfect  union  of  love,  and  to  have  our  hearts  knit  together 
 with  the  bond  of  peace,  that  following  after  those  essential 
 truths  in  which  we  all  agree,  we  may  all  have  the  same  spiritual 
 experience,  and  hereafter  attain  one  and  the  same  kingdom  of 
 glory."  "  Oh,  how  that  seems  to  agree  with  the  feeling  which 
 this  hymn  gives  me  !"  said  the  sick  woman.  She  found  comfort 
 in  knowing  who  and  what  the  author  was. 
 
 Hymn  723. — "Jesus  to  Thee  we  fly." — TJic  Living  Way  Opened, 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  being  No.  7  of  "  Hymns  for  Ascension  Day," 
 1746.     It  was  No.  626  in  the  former  Supplement. 
 
 The  title  of  this  hymn  was  literally  realised  by  one  of  the 
 most  zealous,  loving,  and  laborious  ministers  in  the  Wesleyan 
 body.  To  thousands,  especially  amongst  the  young  in  Method- 
 ism, the  name  of  Nehemiah  Curnock  is  cherished  as  a  house- 
 hold  treasure,  as  "  the    children's    preacher."     With  apt   and 
 
HYMN  725.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  43 1 
 
 abundant  illustrations,  and  extraordinary  vigour,  he  conducted 
 services  for  their  benefit.  Born  at  Bristol,  in  18 10,  he  made 
 religion  his  choice  in  early  life,  and  at  the  age  of  thirteen  he 
 gave  his  heart  to  the  Lord,  and  joined  the  Methodist  Society. 
 Immediately  he  started  on  that  career  of  untiring  usefulness  in 
 the  service  of  God  which  terminated  only  with  his  life.  As 
 a  Sunday-school  teacher,  prayer-leader,  exhorter,  and  local 
 preacher,  he  was  distinguished  for  his  activity  whilst  yet  a  mere 
 youth.  He  entered  the  Wesleyan  ministry',  in  1834,  and  his 
 whole  pastoral  career  was  eminently  practical,  faithful,  and 
 earnest,  and  attended  with  many  blessed  evidences  of  the  Divine 
 favour  in  leading  sinners  to  Jesus.  In  February,  1869,  through 
 visiting  a  bereaved  friend  at  Bayswater,  he  took  the  illness 
 which  ended  in  his  death.  He  suffered  much,  but  endured  all 
 with  patience.  Up  to  within  a  week  of  his  departure,  he 
 anticipated  becoming  a  supernumerary  ;  but  on  Monday,  26th 
 July,  1869,  he  "found  the  living  way  opened"  to  paradise,  and 
 entered  the  rest  we  toil  to  find,  with  almost  his  last  breath 
 altering  the  first  word  from  "  our  "  to  "  my,"  and  repeating — 
 
 *  *  My  anchor  sure  and  fast 
 Within  the  veil  is  cast." 
 
 Hymn  724. — "  Trusting  in  our  Lord  alone." 
 
 From  Charles  Wesley's  "  Short  Scripture  Hymns,"  No.  3287 ; 
 "  Poetical  Works,"  vol.  xiii.,  page  137,  based  on  Hebrew  iv.  14, 
 but  so  much  altered  as  to  have  lost  most  of  its  identity  with 
 the  original,  which  commences  thus — 
 
 "All  that  desperate  sinners  want 
 In  our  High  Priest  we  have." 
 
 Hymn  725. — "With  joy  we  meditate  the  grace." — Chrisfs 
 Compassion  to  the  Weak  and  Tempted. 
 
 Dr.  Watts',  forming  No.  125,  book  i.  The  third  verse  is  left 
 out.  It  is  founded  on  three  various  passages  of  Scripture,  and 
 was  first  selected  by  John  Wesley  for  the  enlarged  edition  of  his 
 "Psalms  and  Hymns,"  1743.  It  was  No.  646  in  the  former 
 Supplement. 
 
 The  parents  of  the  Rev.  John  Aikenhead  were  members  of 
 the  Scotch  Church,  and  he  often  attributed  to  his  mother's 
 fervent  prayers  his  conversion  in  early  life.     The  Rev.  William 
 
432  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  727. 
 
 Atherton  records  the  fact  that  the  ministry  of  the  Rev.  Robert 
 Johnston  and  the  Rev.  John  Doncaster  was  made  useful  to  him 
 at  the  time  of  his  conversion.  His  piety  was  of  the  most  decided 
 character,  and  his  dihgence  in  his  holy  vocation  great.  He  was 
 made  a  leader  and  local  preacher  in  early  life,  and  when  twenty- 
 eight  he  was  admitted  into  the  Methodist  ministry,  in  which  he 
 laboured  with  fidelity,  zeal,  and  success,  for  nearly  forty  years. 
 On  the  Sabbath  before  he  died,  he  had  read  to  him  St.  John  xi., 
 after  which  he  slept ;  and  on  awaking  said,  "  Sleep  in  Jesus  ! 
 I  have  been  thinking  on  that  expression  ;  as  if  He  were  the 
 repository  of  even  the  bodies  of  the  saints."  During  the  night, 
 he  said,  "  It  will  soon  be  over ;"  and  repeated  the  hymn — 
 
 **  With  joy  we  meditate  the  grace 
 Of  our  High  Priest  above  ; 
 His  heart  is  made  of  tenderness, 
 His  bowels  yearn  with  love." 
 
 On  the  two  last  lines  he  laid  particular  emphasis— 
 
 **  I  shall  obtain  delivering  grace, 
 In  the  distressing  hour." 
 
 He  found  God  faithful  to  His  promises.  His  last  utterance  was 
 "  Lord,  still  smile  upon  me,  and  take  me  to  heaven."  He  quietly 
 breathed  his  last,  12th  March,  1835,  aged  sixty-one. 
 
 The  Rev.  John  Fletcher,  during  a  visit  he  paid  to  Switzerland, 
 in  1 78 1,  before  his  marriage,  had  Mr.  William  Perronet  as  one 
 of  his  companions,  who,  in  a  letter,  says  of  Mr.  Fletcher,  "  Every 
 night  after  praying  with  me,  he  sings  this  verse  at  parting — 
 "  Then  let  our  humble  faith  address 
 His  mercy  and  His  power, 
 We  shall  obtain  delivering  grace 
 In  the  distressing  hour." 
 
 Hymn  726. — "  Enter'd  the  holy  place  above." — Priesthood  oj 
 Christ. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  being  No.  701  of  "  Short  Scripture  Hymns," 
 vol.  ii.,  founded  on  Hebrew  ix.  24.     It  was  formerly  No.  627. 
 
 Hymn  727. — "  Jesu,  my  God  and  King." — Hynm  to  Christ  the 
 King. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1739, 
 page  171.     The  original  has  eleven  verses,  the  last  four  of  which 
 
HYMN  730.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  433 
 
 are  omitted.  In  the  ninth  verse,  the  poet  describes  the  expulsion 
 of  Lucifer  from  heaven  in  these  emphatic  words — 
 
 *'  Lucifer  as  lightning  fell, 
 
 Far  from  heaven,  from  glory  far, 
 Headlong  hurl'd  to  deepest  hell ! " 
 
 There  is  a  finish  and  a  power  in  the  last  line  almost  inimitable. 
 This  hymn  commences  a  new  section  of  the  Supplement, 
 with  the  title,  "  The  Kingdom  of  Christ :  its  Extension  and 
 Triumphs."     It  was  No.  689  in  the  former  Supplement. 
 
 Hymn  728.— "Earth,  rejoice,  our  Lord  is  King  V'—To  be  stmg 
 171  a  Ttnmilt. 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1740, 
 page  115.     The  original  has  fourteen  verses,  eight  of  which  are 
 omitted.     Its  former  No.  was  690. 
 
 This  hymn  is  a  joyous  triumph  of  Christ's  kingdom  over  that 
 of  the  kingdom  of  darkness.  Twice  the  poet  boldly  apostro- 
 phises Satan  and  the  infernal  hosts,  defying  them  in  the  name 
 of  the  Lord,  and  bidding  them  fear  and  tremble  in  the  presence 
 of  Christ — 
 
 "  Every  knee  to  Him  shall  bow  ; 
 Satan,  hear,  and  tremble  now." 
 And  again — 
 
 * '  God  with  us,  we  cannot  fear  ; 
 Fear,  ye  fiends,  for  Christ  is  here," 
 
 What  a  sublime  and  dignified  attitude  is  thus  claimed  for  the 
 Christian  believer  !  The  security  of  the  child  of  God  is  stated 
 in  forcible  language  in  another  couplet — 
 
 "  Hell  is  nigh,  but  God  is  nigher, 
 Circling  us  with  hosts  of  fire." 
 
 Hymn  729.—"  Rejoice,  the  Lord  is  King." 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  "Hymns  for  the  Resurrection  ;"  "Poetical 
 Works,"  vol.  iii.,  p.  140,  and  appears  as  a  new  hymn.  It  is 
 given  entire  in  the  American  Methodist  Collection.  Mr.  Wesley^ 
 printed  it  in  his  "Moral  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1744. 
 
 Hymn  730. — "Saviour,  whom  our  hearts  adore." — For  the 
 
 Nation. 
 Charles  Wesley's,  being  No.  11  in  "  Hymns  for  the  Nation."" 
 1782.     It  was  written  at  the  time  of  the  war  between  England 
 
 2  E 
 
434  MKTUODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  734. 
 
 and  America,  the  latter  country  being  then  an  English  colony. 
 The  second  verse  is  left  out.     Its  former  number  was  703. 
 
 Hymn  731. — "My  heart  and  voice  I  raise." 
 "Jerusalem  divine." 
 The  Ki7tgdoin  of  Christ. 
 
 Written  by  Benjamin  Rhodes,  one  of  the  second  race  of 
 Methodist  preachers,  who  began  to  travel  in  1766.  These  two 
 hymns  form  the  first  and  second  of  four  parts  of  a  poem  on  the 
 Messiah.  Mr.  Rhodes  was  born  at  Rexborough,  Yorkshire,  in 
 1743,  and  died  at  Margate  in  18 15,  aged  seventy-two  years. 
 His  portrait  appears  in  the  Ar?nimafi  Magazine  ior  1779  and 
 1797.  Others  of  Mr.  Rhodes'  hymns  will  be  found  in  a  volume 
 of  "  Hymns  for  Children  and  Young  Persons,"  issued  by  the 
 Rev.  Joseph  Benson,  in  1806.  Mr.  Rhodes  was  eminently  a 
 man  of  God.  Converted  at  the  age  of  eleven,  he  gave  himself 
 to  Methodism.  Mr.  Wesley  sent  him  out  to  preach,  and  for 
 forty  years  he  was  a  laborious,  devoted,  and  successful  itinerant. 
 He  was  a  man  of  reverend  appearance,  gentle  manners,  and 
 cultivated  mind ;  being  the  son  of  a  schoolmaster,  he  had  the 
 advantage  of  a  good  intellectual  start  in  life. 
 
 This  formerly  made  two  hymns,  numbered  637,  638. 
 
 Hymn  732. — "  Saviour,  we  know  Thou  art." — "  The  Lord  added 
 to  the  Churchy  daily^''  Szc. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  one  of  his  manuscript  "  Scripture  Hymns," 
 founded  on  Acts  ii.  47.  Its  former  number  was  707,  and  it  is  in 
 "Poetical  Works,"  vol.  xii.,  page  157.  Two  verses  of  the 
 original  are  left  out. 
 
 Hymn  733.—"  Lord  of  hosts,  our  God  and  Lord."— "Z^r^ 
 thou  art  God^^  &c. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  one  of  his  "  Short  Scripture  Hymns,"  based 
 on  Acts  iv.  24-31.  It  is  made  up  of  three  short  hymns  ;  see  in 
 "  Poetical  Works,"  vol.  xii.,  Nos.  2436-2438. 
 
 Hymn  734. — "  Lord,  if  at  Thy  command." — ^^  Ajid  the  hand  0/ 
 the  Lord  was  with  thetn.^^ 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  one  of  his  manuscript  "  Scripture  Hymns," 
 founded  on  Acts  xi.  21.  Its  former  number  was  708.  It  is  in 
 "  Poetical  Works,"  vol.  xii.,  No.  2613. 
 
HYMN  737.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  435 
 
 Hymn  735. — "  Thy  messengers  make  known." 
 
 Another  of  Charles  Wesley's  "  Scripture  Hymns,"  from  Acts 
 xiv.  27  ;  "  Works,"  vol.  xii.,  page  294,  but  altered  ;  the  first  line 
 of  the  original  reads,  "When  ministers  make  known."  This 
 is  one  of  the  new  hymns. 
 
 Hymn  72>^.—^''  Omnipotent  Redeemer." 
 
 A  new  hymn  of  Charles  Wesley's,  based  on  Acts  xxi.  20,  from 
 "  Poetical  Works,"  vol.  iv.,  page  237.  There  is  a  jubilant  tone 
 pervading  it,  which  is  favoured  by  the  meter.  The  editors  have 
 altered  the  line  "  of  practical  believers"  to  "of  justified  believers." 
 In  the  last  verse  Mr.  Wesley  wrote — 
 
 "  And  myriads  more 
 Take  into  Thine  embraces." 
 
 which  last  line  is  altered  to — 
 
 *'  Endue  with  heavenly  graces." 
 
 Hymn  72)7- — "Thou,  Jesus,  art  our  King.'' — The  Saviour 
 glorified  by  all. 
 
 One  of  John  Wesley's  translations  from  the  German,  first 
 published  in  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1738;  "Poetical 
 Works,"  vol.  i.,  page  156.  The  tenth  verse  of  the  original  is 
 omitted.  This  excellent  composition  was  one  of  the  earliest  of 
 the  German  hymns  which  arrested  the  attention  of  John  Wesley 
 after  his  conversion.  It  is  No.  68  in  the  Hernhuth  Collection, 
 and  in  its  English  dress  was  published  in  London  before  the 
 first  Methodist  Society  was  formed.  Its  author  was  John 
 Scheffler,  who  afterwards  changed  his  name  to  Angelus  of 
 Silesius,  on  account  of  his  birth  at  Breslau  in  Silesia,  in  1624. 
 He  became  a  close  follower  of  Jacob  Boehme.  He  studied 
 medicine  and  took  his  M.D.  degree.  Dissatisfied  with  the 
 Lutheran  orthodoxy,  he  joined  the  Romish  Church  in  1653, 
 and  attached  himself  to  the  Mystics,  about  which  period 
 he  wrote  his  hymns,  and  published  them  in  1657  in  a  volume 
 entitled  "  Holy  Delight  of  the  Soul ;  or  Spiritual  Hymns  of  a 
 Soul  Enraptured  by  Love  to  Jesus."  It  contained  206  hymns. 
 The  Roman  Catholics  have  rejected,  but  the  Protestants 
 thankfully  adopt  them.  John  Wesley  translated  another  of 
 his  hymns,  commencing,  "  Thee  will  I  love,  my  Strength,  my 
 Tower,"  Hymn  210.     Scheffler  died  at  Breslau,  9th  July,  1677. 
 
436  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  740. 
 
 Hymn  738. — Blow  ye  the  trumpet,  blow." — The  year  of 
 
 Jubilee. 
 
 This  bold  and  characteristic  composition   is  No.  3  of  Charles 
 
 Wesley's  *'Hymns  for  the  New  Year,"  1750.     It  is  inserted  also 
 
 in  Toplady's  Collection,  1776.     It  is  based  on  Leviticus  xxv.  25. 
 
 Its  former  number  was  645. 
 
 Hymn  739. — "Sow  in  the  morn  thy  seed." 
 
 James  Montgomery's  rendering  of  Ecclesiastes  xi.  6.  Deeply 
 interested  as  the  Sheffield  bard  always  was  in  the  spiritual  as 
 well  as  the  moral  and  social  welfare  of  the  young,  he  wrote  a  new 
 hymn  for  each  Whit-Monday  gathering  of  the  Sunday  schools  of 
 the  town  during  a  quarter  of  a  centur}',  and  his  hymn  usually 
 was  the  first  on  the  broadsheet  annually.  As  many  as  twenty 
 thousand  children  have  joined  at  one  service  there  to  sing  the 
 praises  of  God  in  the  words  of  their  honoured  townsman. 
 This  hymn  admirably  exhibits  both  the  duty  and  the  reward  of 
 the  teacher  in  the  grand  work  of  early  religious  teaching.  So 
 greatly  was  Montgomery  esteemed  by  the  Methodists  that  he 
 was  introduced  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  Hannah  to  the  Conference  in 
 Sheffield  with  these  commendatory  words  :  "We  feel  under  great 
 obligation  to  yourself  and  to  the  religious  body  to  which  you 
 belong,  and  beg  to  assure  you  of  the  kindest  affection  of  the 
 Conference."  The  poet,  in  reply,  pronounced  the  patriarchal 
 benediction  on  the  Conference  ;  and  now  the  whole  Connexion 
 finds  in  its  "Book  of  Praise"  fourteen  of  his  compositions. 
 
 Hymn  740. — "Behold  !  the  mountain  of  the  Lord."—"  The 
 Lord's  house  shall  be  established.^'' 
 
 This  is  one  of  the  too  few  compositions  of  that  devout  young 
 Scotchman,  Michael  Bruce,  who  has  been  dead  to  this  world 
 more  than  a  century  of  years,  but  whose  memory  is  as  sacred  and 
 fresh  to-day  as  it  ever  was,  whilst  that  of  his  mercenary  literary 
 associate,  John  Logan,  is  execrated.  Mr.  Bruce  was  born  at 
 Kinneswood,  Kinross-shire,  in  1746,  and  finished  his  education 
 at  Edinburgh  under  circumstances  of  a  deeply  trying  nature. 
 His  genius  and  piety  shone  through  his  poverty,  but  disease, 
 accelerated  by  hardships  and  want  of  nourishment,  closed  his 
 brief  but  bright  earthly  pilgrimage  on  4th  July,  1767,  just  as  he 
 reached  maturity.  John  Logan,  a  heartless  literary  robber,  a 
 minister,  obtained  from  young  Bruce's  father  all  his  manuscripts, 
 
HYMN  742.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  437 
 
 and  published  part  of  them  for  the  benefit  of  his  poor  parents, 
 but  his  "  Gospel  Paraphrases"  he  kept  back,  and  long  afterwards 
 published  them  as  his  own.  Years  of  investigation  have  been 
 required  to  clear  up  the  mystery  attending  the  disappearance  of 
 the  hymns  which  it  was  known  Bruce  wrote.  Logan  became  a 
 God-disowned  minister,  whilst  Bruce  is  held  in  highest  honour. 
 This  is  a  very  literal  paraphrase  of  Isaiah  ii.  1-5,  and  though 
 faulty  in  rhyme  has  poetic  beauties  which  have  secured  for  it  a 
 place  in  the  leading  hymnals  of  the  Church,  and  in  Sir  Roundell 
 Palmer's  ''  Book  of  Praise."     Hymn  924  is  also  by  Bruce. 
 
 Hymn  741. — "How  beauteous  are  their  feet." — The  Blessedness 
 of  Gospel  Lines. 
 Dr.  Watts',  Hymn  10,  book  i.,  founded  on   Isaiah  Hi.  7,  and 
 Matthew  xiii.    16,    17.     In   the   second  verse,    "charming"  is 
 changed  for  "  cheering."     It  was  formerly  No.  701. 
 
 Hymn  742. — "  Salvation  !  O  the  joyful  sound  !" — Salvation. 
 
 Dr.  Watts',  Hymn  88,  book  ii.  The  third  verse  of  this 
 popular  hymn  is  found  in  Lady  Huntingdon's  Collection,  but  its 
 author  is  unknown  ;  so  also  is  the  author  of  the  chorus  of  this 
 hymn  unknown.  The  Rev.  Walter  Shirley,  one  of  the  chaplains 
 to  the  Countess,  was  probably  the  author  of  both.    Formerly  702. 
 
 The  ministry  of  the  Rev.  John  de  Quetteville,  of  Guernsey, 
 was  the  means  of  bringing  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Arriv^  to  a  knowledge 
 of  the  truth,  when  Methodism  was  in  its  infancy  in  the  Channel 
 Islands ;  and  shortly  afterwards  the  ministry  of  Dr.  Adam 
 Clarke,  then  a  very  young  man,  was  made  the  means  of  the 
 conversion  of  her  husband.  Mrs.  Arrivd  derived  much  good 
 from  the  conversation  of  Mr.  Wesley  and  Dr.  Coke  during  their 
 visit  to  the  Island  in  1787.  From  that  time  onward  she  was  the 
 leader  of  three  classes,  and  devoted  her  best  energies  to  promote 
 the  kingdom  of  God  in  the  world.  For  many  years  she  proved 
 the  main-stay  and  support  of  Methodism  in  Guernsey,  and  a 
 great  comfort  to  the  ministers  during  their  repeated  and  severe 
 trials  and  persecutions.  In  her  last  illness  she  was  very  happy, 
 and  often  broke  out  in  exalted  strains  of  praise  and  adoration. 
 On  one  occasion  she  exclaimed — 
 
 "  '  Salvation  !  O  the  joyful  sound  ! 
 'Tis  music  in  our  ears  ! 
 A  sovereign  balm  for  every  wound, 
 A  cordial  for  our  fears. ' 
 
43S  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  743. 
 
 "  This,"  she  said,  "  is  my  experience  now  ; "  and  added,  "  All 
 fear  is  gone  from  me  :  I  am  so  weak  I  cannot  say  much  ;  but 
 all  fear  is  gone."  In  this  peaceful  frame  of  mind  she 
 continued  till  the  wear)'  wheels  of  life  stpod  still,  and  she 
 entered  into  rest  26lh  August,  1818,  aged  sixty-nine  years. 
 
 Early  in  life,  Charlotte  Whittingham,  wife  of  the  Rev.  J.  B. 
 Whittingham,  entered  into  the  liberty  of  the  children  of  God, 
 and,  during  life,  adorned  her  profession  of  godliness.  A  short 
 time  before  her  death,  she  exclaimed  with  much  energ)' — 
 
 "  Glory,  honour,  praise,  and  power, 
 Be  unto  the  Lamb  for  ever." 
 
 Her  death  was  rather  sudden,  but  it  was  a  peaceful  entry  into 
 the  "  Father's  house  above,"  9th  September,  1840,  aged  forty-five. 
 Mrs.  Dale,  of  Watchett,  who  died  in  1844,  when  in  great 
 feebleness,  and  shortly  before  her  death,  sang  with  a  tremulous 
 voice — 
 
 "  Salvation  !  O  the  joyful  sound  ! 
 What  pleasure  to  our  ears  ! 
 A  sovereign  balm  for  every  wound, 
 A  cordial  for  our  fears." 
 
 She  then  repeated  several  times,  "  O  the  precious  blood  of 
 Jesus."  Her  last  words  were,  "  I  shall  wake  up  in  Thy 
 likeness." 
 
 Hymn  743. — "  Saviour,  sprinkle  many  nations." — "  5^  shall 
 He  sprinkle ^^  &c. — Isaiah  Hi.  15. 
 
 This  hymn  claims  a  place  in  the  Methodist  Collection  from  its 
 missionary  character.  Its  author  is  the  Rev.  Arthur  Cleveland 
 Coxe,  D.D.,  son  of  Dr.  S.  H.  Coxe,  of  Brooklyn,  America.  He 
 was  born  at  Mendham,  New  Jersey,  loth  May,  1818,  studied  at 
 New  York  University,  and  in  early  life  wrote  some  poems  of 
 merit.  He  took  his  M.A.  degree  in  1841,  and  became  Rector 
 of  St.  Ann's,  Morrisiana,  then  Rector  of  St.  John's,  Hartford,  and 
 in  1854  was  appointed  to  Grace  Church,  Baltimore.  In  1840 
 he  published  "  Christian  Ballads,"  which  reached  a  fifth  edition, 
 1855.  tl^  is  an  able  writer,  and  published  various  works,  one 
 of  which  is  entitled,  "  Impressions  of  England."  In  1864  he  was 
 made  Episcopal  bishop  of  the  western  diocese  of  New  York. 
 This  is  the  only  one  of  his  hymns  in  the  collection,  and  is  based 
 on  Isaiah  Hi.  15.    It  is  in  the  American  Collection. 
 
HYMN  747.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  439 
 
 Hymn  744. — "  Jesu,  Thy  wandering  sheep  behold  !" 
 One  of  Charles  Wesley's  "  Hymns  on  the  Gospels,"  based  on 
 St.  Matthew  ix.  36.  "  Poetical  Works,"  vol.  ii.,  page  343.  The 
 original  has  eleven  verses,  five  of  which  are  omitted,  and  those 
 which  are  given  are  considerably  altered  to  suit  the  more  refined 
 taste  of  the  age.  The  American  Methodist  Collection  has  five 
 of  the  verses  with  the  text  unaltered. 
 
 Hymn  745. — "Lord  of  the  harvest,  hear." — A  Prayer  for 
 Labourers. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1742, 
 page  282,  and  is  based  on  St.  Matthew  ix.  38.  The  author  has 
 another  rendering  of  the  same  passage.  It  was  in  the  former 
 Supplement  No.  700. 
 
 Hymn  746. — "  The  heathen  perish  day  by  day." — Christian 
 Responsibility. 
 
 One  of  James  Montgomery's  missionary  hymns,  with  the 
 title,  "Christian  Responsibility." 
 
 Hymn  747. — "  From  Greenland's  icy  mountains." — Acts  xvi.  9. 
 
 This  is  one  of  the  most  thoroughly  missionary  hymns  ever 
 written.  Its  author,  the  Rev.  Reginald  Heber,  was  one  of  the 
 most  eminent  missionary  bishops  of  the  English  Church,  and 
 now  the  missionary  people  in  the  world  have  adopted  this 
 animating  and  inspiring  hymn.  It  has  a  history  extremely 
 interesting,  but  only  a  brief  notice  of  it  can  be  given  here.  On  Whit- 
 sunday, 1 81 9,  a  sermon  was  to  be  preached  in  Wrexham  Church, 
 Wales,  for  the  S.P.G.  Society,  and  the  first  of  a  series  of  evening 
 lectures  was  to  be  given  the  same  day  in  the  same  church.  The 
 vicar,  Dr.  Shipley,  Dean  of  St.  Asaph,  had  invited  his  son-in-law, 
 the  Rev.  R.  Heber,  Rector  of  Hodnet,  to  deliver  the  first  lecture. 
 On  the  Saturday  the  Dean  requested  Heber  to  "write  something 
 new  for  them  to  sing  in  the  morning."  After  dinner  Heber  read 
 the  first  three  verses  he  had  written,  and  the  Dean  was  delighted 
 with  them,  saying,  "  They  would  do  very  well."  To  which 
 Heber  replied,  "  No,  no — the  sense  is  not  complete."  Reluc- 
 tantly the  Dean  consented  to  the  addition  proposed,  and  when 
 the  fourth  verse  was  read,  commencing — 
 
 **  Waft,  waft,  ye  winds,  His  story," 
 
440  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN   748. 
 
 even  the  critical  Dean,  with  some  friends  who  were  present, 
 acknowledged  the  appropriateness  of  the  finish  that  verse  gave 
 to  the  hymn,  and  the  Wrexham  congregation  was  the  first  to 
 sing  that  noble  hymn,  which  has  since  been  chanted  by  millions 
 of  the  Lord's  people,  scattered  over  the  Christian  world.  As 
 a  literary  curiosity,  the  Welsh  printer  who  first  set  the  hymn 
 in  type  found  and  exhibited  Heber's  original  manuscript  of  the 
 hymn,  which  is  now  highly  prized.  The  printer  is  still  living 
 who  first  started  it  on  its  glorious  career  of  usefulness. 
 
 In  1852  two  missionaries  were  sent  out  byBishop  James  Osgood 
 Andrew,  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  South  America, 
 to  represent  the  South  Carolina  Conference  on  the  Pacific  Coast, 
 where  there  was  a  grand  rally  of  the  natives,  a  polyglottal 
 gathering  of  people  of  every  realm  and  of  every  tongue.  It  was 
 a  fine  opportunity  for  American  Methodism  to  plant  itself  where 
 such  a  wide  and  effectual  door  was  opened.  One  of  those 
 missionaries  wrote  home  to  report  progress,  and  said  how  great 
 was  his  joy  one  Sunday  afternoon  in  1853,  in  the  Santa  Clara 
 Valley,  to  hear  a  man  and  his  wife  from  South  Carolina  sing  in 
 front  of  a  tent — 
 
 "  Waft,  waft,  ye  winds,  His  story, 
 
 And  you,  ye  waters,  roll, 
 Till,  like  a  sea  of  glory, 
 
 It  spreads  from  pole  to  pole  : 
 Till  o'er  our  ransomed  nature, 
 
 The  Lamb  for  sinners  slain, 
 Redeemer,  King,  Creator, 
 
 In  bliss  returns  to  reign." 
 
 There  was  melody  in  that  song.  It  came  so  unexpectedly,  the 
 missionaries  had  seen  the  hills  and  valleys  in  all  their  natural 
 luxuriance  of  flowers  and  foliage  for  several  months,  but  that 
 song  echoing  on  the  air  was  like  new  life  to  cheer  the  preachers 
 in  their  toils. 
 
 Hymn  748. — "  Come,  Thou  Conqueror  of  the  nations." — ^^  King 
 of  ki7igs^  and  Lord  of  lords i!"* 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  being  the  eighth  of  his  "  Hymns  for  the 
 Expected  Invasion"  [of  England  by  the  French],  1759,  founded 
 on  Rev,  xix.  1 1.  The  fifth  verse  is  omitted.  It  was  formerly 
 No.  691. 
 
HYMN  751-  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  441 
 
 Hymn  749.—"  Head  of  Thy  Church,  whose  Spirit  fills." — 
 Hymn  of  Intercession. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "  Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1749, 
 vol.  ii.,  No.  61.  Three  verses  of  the  original  are  left  out.  It 
 was  formerly  No.  693.  This  hymn  closes  jhe  third  section  of 
 the  Supplement. 
 
 Hymn  750.—"  Hail,  Holy  Ghost,  Jehovah,  Third."— ^  Hymn 
 to  God  the  Holy  Ghost. 
 
 By  Samuel  Wesley,  jun.,  being  one  of  his  three  hymns  to  the 
 Trinity,  and  published  in  his  "  Poems  on  Several  Occasions," 
 1743.  It  also  appears  in  the  enlarged  edition  of  John  Wesley's 
 "  Collection  of  Psalms  and  Hymns,"  1743  ;  in  the  "  Moral  and 
 Sacred  Poems,"  3  vols.,  1744;  and  in  "Nichol's  Revised  Edition 
 of  Samuel  Wesley's  Poems,"  1862,  page  367.  This  hymn  is  the 
 first  in  the  fourth  section  of  the  Supplement,  with  the  title,  "On 
 the  Holy  Spirit."     It  was  No.  649  in  the  former  Supplement. 
 
 Hymn  751.—  "  Come,  Holy  Ghost,  our  souls  inspire." — 
 Veni  Creator. 
 This  has  long  been  a  favourite  in  many  Church  hymnals,  the 
 more  so  because  it  usually  forms  part  of  the  Ordination  Service 
 in  the  Established  Church.  It  is  of  very  ancient  origin,  and  has 
 been  attributed  to  St.  Ambrose,  Gregory  the  Great,  and  others, 
 but  it  is  really  not  known  who  composed  the  original  Latin. 
 The  translation  here  used  was  made  by  John  Cosin,  and  was 
 first  published  in  his  "  Book  of  Private  Devotions,"  1627,  but 
 that  was  founded  on  an  earlier  translation,  about  1560.  John 
 Cosin  was  born  at  Norwich,  30th  November,  1594,  and  was 
 educated  in  that  City,  and  at  Caius  College,  Cambridge,  of 
 which  he  became  a  fellow.  He  was  appointed  librarian  to 
 Bishop  Overall,  and  chaplain  to  the  Bishop  of  Durham,  of 
 which  place  he  became  a  prebendary,  and  took  his  degree  of 
 D.D.  in  1628.  In  1634  he  was  made  Master  of  Peterhouse, 
 Cambridge,  and  in  1640  he  was  chosen  Vice-Chancellor  of  that 
 University.  King  Charles  I.  made  him  one  of  his  chaplains 
 and  Dean  of  Peterborough.  For  favouring  the  King  more  than 
 was  deemed  wise  he  had  to  leave  England,  and  during  his  stay 
 in  Paris  was  deprived  of  his  offices  in  the  Church.  He  returned 
 to  England  in  1660,  and  was  made  first  Dean  then  Bishop  of 
 Durham.     He  published  some  important  works  on  the  Church, 
 
442  METHODIST  HYMN  HOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  753. 
 
 and  died  at  Westminster,    I5lh  January,    1672,  aged  seventy- 
 eight  years. 
 
 Hymn  752.—"  Creator,  Spirit,  by  whose  aid."— F^;//  Creator 
 Spifiius. 
 
 The  renown  of  this  hymn  extends  over  some  fifteen  hundred 
 years.  It  has  been  generally  attributed  to  Charlemagne,  but 
 some  scholars  doubt  this,  and  give  their  reasons  ;  others  affix 
 the  name  of  Ambrose,  Bishop  of  Milan  in  the  fourth  century,  as 
 the  writer  of  the  original  Latin  hymn.  It  is  of  very  early  date  ; 
 and  the  Church  has  recognised  its  claim  to  superiority  over  all 
 others,  by  retaining  it  in  the  offices  for  the  ordering  of  priests, 
 the  consecration  of  bishops,  the  coronation  of  kings,  the  cele- 
 bration of  synods,  the  creation  of  popes,  and  on  other  like  great 
 occasions.  The  translation  at  present  in  use  was  made  from 
 the  Latin  by  John  Dryden,  a  celebrated  English  poet,  towards 
 the  end  of  his  life,  and  after  he  had  joined  the  Church  of  Rome, 
 to  try,  by  such  a  religious  life  as  that  Church  appointed,  to 
 amend  some  of  the  errors  of  his  former  life.  Dryden  was  born 
 in  163 1,  and  educated  at  Westminster  and  Trinity  College, 
 Cambridge.  He  was  a  man  of  letters  from  his  youth,  and  is 
 one  of  the  most  distinguished  of  England's  poets.  He  died  in 
 1700,  and  is  buried  in  Westminster  Abbey.  The  translation 
 from  which  this  hymn  is  selected,  consists  of  thirty-nine  lines, 
 nine  of  which  are  omitted.  Mr.  Wesley  first  inserted  this  hymn 
 in  his  Collection  of"  Psalms  and  Hymns,"  1738,  and  it  was  also 
 included  in  subsequent  editions.     It  was  formerly  No.  654. 
 
 Hymn  753. — "Holy  Ghost,  my  Comforter." — Vefil 
 Sa?icte  Spiritiis. 
 This  hymn  comes  from  a  royal  source,  having  been  written 
 by  Robert  II.  of  France,  son  of  Hugh  Capet.  The  translation 
 here  used  was  made  by  Miss  Catherine  Wink  worth,  who  has 
 rendered  the  hymn  in  the  triplet  form  of  verse,  like  the  original, 
 of  which  there  are  but  few  examples  in  use  in  Church  psalmody. 
 There  are  other  English  translations  of  this  hymn  more 
 suitable  for  congregational  singing  than  this  one,  and  equally 
 musical.  The  original  possesses  a  simplicity,  conciseness,  and 
 charm  not  easily  to  be  rendered  in  English.  Its  author,  Robert 
 Capet,  was  born  a.d.  970,  ascended  the  throne  of  France,  997, 
 when  the  Church  and  nation  were  in  fierce  contention.  He 
 was  too  gentle  and  too  feeble  for  the  evil  times  in  which  he 
 
HYMN  759.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  443 
 
 lived,  and  permitted  the  monks  to  deprive  him  of  his  wife, 
 because  they  said  she  was  too  near  of  kin  to  him.  He  devoted 
 much  of  his  time  to  Church  music,  and  in  the  church  of  St. 
 Denis  he  is  said  to  have  directed  the  choir  in  their  service  of 
 song.  The  sorrows  of  his  later  life  were  increased  by  his  self- 
 willed  sons.  He  died,  20th  July,  A.D.  103 1,  and  is  buried  in  the 
 church  where  he  taught  the  monks  to  sing  his  own  hymns. 
 
 Hymn  754. — "Jesus,  we  on  the  word  depend." — For 
 Whit- Sunday. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  forming  No.  12  of  "  Hymns  of  Petition  and 
 Thanksgiving  for  the  Promise  of  the  Father,"  1746,  founded  on 
 John  xiv.  26,  27.     It  was  formerly  No.  655. 
 
 Hymn  755. — "Father,  glorify  Thy  Son." — For  Whit-Sunday. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  being  No.  9  of  "  Hymns  of  Petition  and 
 Thanksgiving,"  &:c.,  founded  on  John  xiv.  16,  17.  The  second 
 and  fourth  verses  are  omitted,  and  several  lines  are  altered, 
 the  last  line  reads  thus — 
 
 "  Jesus  said,  it  shall  be  so." 
 
 It  was  formerly  No.  658. 
 
 Hymn  756. — "Branch  of  Jesse's  stem,  arise." — Prayer  for  the 
 Holy  Spirit. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  forming  Nos.  983,  984,  and  985  of  "  Short 
 Scripture  Hymns,"  vol.  i.,  based  on  Isa.  xi.  1-3.  Formerly  it 
 was  No.  650. 
 
 Hymn  757. — "  Thou  art  gone  up  on  high." — "//"<?  received 
 gifts  for  7ne?i.''^ 
 
 This  is  one  of  the  new  hymns  by  Charles  Wesley,  from  his 
 "Scripture  Hymns,"  No.  3171 ;  "Works,"  vol.  xiii.,  page  72,  based 
 on  Ephesians  iv.  8. 
 
 Hymn  758. — "Granted  is  the  Saviour's  prayer." 
 One  of  Charles  Wesley's  hymns,  now  first  introduced  from 
 "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1739,  in  "Poetical  Works,"  vol.  i., 
 page  188.     The  last  four  verses  of  the  original  are  omitted. 
 
 Hymn  759. — "Our  Jesus  is  gone  up  on  high." — Pentecost. 
 
 This  was  first  printed  as  "  A  Hymn  for  the  Day  of  Pentecost " 
 in  1742,  in  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  by  J.  and  C.  Wesley. 
 
444  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  760. 
 
 It  was  in  the  former  Supplement  as  No.  653,  where  it  began 
 with,  "Come,  Holy  Spirit,  raise  our  songs."  The  first  three 
 verses  of  that  hymn  were  written  by  Robert  Carr  Brakenbury, 
 a  wealthy  and  faithful  friend  of  the  Wesleys,  The  hymn  now 
 appears  as  Charles  Wesley  wrote  it,  without  Mr.  Brackenbury's 
 prefixed  verses  ;  only  the  first  and  last  three  verses  of  the 
 original  are  omitted,  and  the  seventh  verse  has  been  amended. 
 It  is  in  "  Poetical  Works,"  vol.  ii.,  page  228,  where  it  commences 
 with,  "  Rejoice,  rejoice,  ye  fallen  race." 
 
 Hymn  760. — "Away  with  our  fears."—"  They  ivere  all 
 filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost P 
 
 A  spirited  hymn  by  Charles  Wesley,  from  his  "  Redemption 
 Hymns;"  "  Poetical  Works,"  vol.  iv.,  page  203,  and  appears  now 
 for  the  first  time  in  the  Collection. 
 
 A  Wesleyan  supernumerary  minister  has  published  the 
 following  record  of  this  hymn: — "About  fifty  years  ago 
 a  few  prayerful  young  men  in  a  small  town  on  the  southern 
 coast,  uncultured  as  some  would  say,  but  so  mature  in  divine 
 learning  as  to  have  unquestioning  faith  in  '  the  promise  of  the 
 Father,'  pleaded  that  promise  in  secret  for  some  months,  at  the 
 same  hour  every  day,  by  agreement.  Their  confidence  deepened, 
 until,  at  last,  thinking  that  there  might  be  some  evil  hindrance 
 to  the  Spirit's  work,  to  be  removed  only  by  'prayer  and  fasting,' 
 they  determined  that  they  would  unitedly  give  themselves  to 
 these,  and  wrestle  through  an  entire  night  for  an  abundant 
 answer  to  their  prayers.  They  met,  and  cried  till  the  dawning 
 of  the  day.  On  the  following  evening  they  went  on  home 
 missionary  work  to  a  village  a  few  miles  off;  and  there,  while 
 engaged  in  the  service,  in  the  little  rural  chapel,  the  Holy 
 Ghost  came  upon  them  and  upon  the  assembled  people.  There 
 were  cries  for  salvation  ;  and  songs  from  the  newly-born,  night 
 after  night,  until  hundreds  of  sinners  in  the  neighbourhood  were 
 saved,  and  added  to  the  Church.  One  night,  as  the  little 
 company  were  returning  under  the  light  of  the  full  moon,  full  of 
 joy,  one  of  them  struck  up  a  song,  an  old  favourite  of  his  grand- 
 father's " — Charles  Wesley's  spirited  hymn — 
 
 "  Away  with  our  fears, 
 Our  troubles  and  tears  ! 
 The  Spirit  is  come, 
 The  witness  of  Jesus  returned  to  His  home  ; 
 
HYMN  761.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  445 
 
 The  pledge  of  our  Lord 
 To  his  heaven  restored 
 Is  sent  from  the  sky, 
 And  tells  us  our  Head  is  exalted  on  high. 
 
 One  of  the  company  said,  "  Oh,  how  blessed  it  would  be  always 
 to  have  these  joys  in  the  Holy  Ghost!"  The  response  was 
 another  verse  of  the  song — 
 
 *'  Our  heavenly  Guide 
 
 With  us  shall  abide, 
 
 His  comforts  impart, 
 And  set  up  His  kingdom  of  love  in  the  heart. 
 
 The  heart  that  believes 
 
 His  kingdom  receives, 
 
 His  power,  and  His  peace, 
 His  life,  and  His  joys  everlasting  increase." 
 
 At  this  moment,  a  good  but  quaint  man  from  a  distance 
 joined  them,  and  said,  "  I  have  come  over  to  the  meeting  here 
 to  light  my  stick,  and  I  hope  to  carry  the  fire  back  to  our 
 people."     "  Yes,"  was  the  reply,  and  they  broke  out  again — 
 
 "  The  presence  divine 
 Doth  inwardly  shine, 
 "  The  Shekinah  shall  rest 
 
 On  all  our  assemblies,  and  glow  in  our  breast." 
 
 The  strain  was  kept  up  till  they  were  nearly  home,  that  their 
 neighbours  and  friends  might  catch  the  inspiration  as  the  sounds 
 floated  on  the  calm  evening  air — 
 
 "  Then  let  us  rejoice 
 
 In  heart  and  in  voice  ; 
 
 Our  Leader  pursue, 
 And  shout  as  we  travel  the  wilderness  through  ; 
 
 With  the  Spirit  remove 
 
 To  the  Zion  above, 
 
 Triumphant  arise 
 And  walk  with  our  God,  till  we  fly  to  the  skies." 
 
 Hymn  761. — "Sinners,  lift  up  your  hearts." — The  Holy  Ghost 
 to  man  is  given. 
 
 This  is  another  new  hymn  of  Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Petitions 
 and  Thanksgiving  ;  "  "  Works,"  vol.  iv.,  page  169.  It  is  in  the 
 American  Methodist  Collection. 
 
44^  METHODIST  HVMN  HOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  765. 
 
 IIVMN  762. — "Eternal  Spirit,  come." — For  Whit-Sunday. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  being  No.  3  of  "  Hymns  of  Petition  and 
 Thanksgiving,"  (Sec.  The  third  and  fourth  verses  of  the  original 
 are  omitted.     It  was  formerly  No.  657,  having  three  verses. 
 
 Hymn  763. — "Come,  Holy  Spirit,  heavenly  Dove." — Breathing 
 after  the  Holy  Spirit. 
 
 Dr.  Watts',  No.  34,  book  ii.  The  second  verse  is  left  out. 
 Mr.  Wesley  printed  it  in  his  "  Collection  of  Psalms  and  Hymns," 
 enlarged  edition,  1743.     It  was  formerly  No.  652. 
 
 Another  instance  of  the  value  and  influence  of  hymns  is 
 furnished  by  the  following  incident  : — "A  young  man  who  had 
 been  the  leader  of  gaiety  amongst  the  middle  ranks  of  the  place 
 in  which  he  dwelt,  went  to  a  Scripture-reading  at  the  persuasion 
 of  a  friend  ;  and  the  Word  of  God  went  like  an  arrow  to  his  heart. 
 To  stifle  his  convictions,  he  went  to  a  neighbouring  public-house 
 where  several  young  men  spent  their  evenings  in  revelry.  His 
 talent  for  singing  made  him  doubly  welcome  amongst  them.  In 
 the  midst  of  singing  a  song,  the  words  vanished  from  his  mind  ; 
 he  tried  in  vain  to  recall  them ;  the  only  lines  he  could  remem- 
 ber were  these,  by  Dr.  Watts — 
 
 "  '  Come,  Holy  Spirit,  heavenly  Dove, 
 With  all  Thy  quickening  powers  ; 
 Come,  shed  abroad  a  Saviour's  love, 
 And  that  shall  kindle  ours.' 
 
 He  left  the  house  deeply  wounded  in  spirit,  his  pride  humbled  ; 
 and,  seeking  earnestly  for  pardon  till  he  found  it,  he  spent  the 
 rest  of  his  life  in  the  service  of  God." 
 
 Hymn  764. — "  Sovereign  of  all  the  worlds  on  high." — A  Filial 
 Temper  the  Work  of  the  Spirit^  and  a  P7'oof  of  Adoption. 
 Dr.  Doddridge's,  forming  No.  281  of  his  "Hymns,"  founded 
 on  Galatians  iv.  6.     'Every  verse  is  altered,  and  the  fifth  verse  is 
 omitted.     It  was  formerly  No.  651. 
 
 Hymn  765.— "Why  should  the  children  of  a  king." — T/ie 
 Witnessing  a7id  Sealing  Spirit. 
 Dr.  Watts',  being  No.  144,  book  i. 
 
 It  will  be  found  in  John  Wesley's  "Collection  of  Psalms  and 
 Hymns,"  second  edition,  1741.  It  was  No.  656  in  the  former 
 Supplement. 
 
HYMN  768.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  447 
 
 Over  one  hundred  years  ago,  on  one  of  Mr.  Wesley's  visits  to 
 Chesterfield,  he  had  commenced  an  out-door  service  in  the 
 market-place.  During  the  first  prayer,  the  constable  came  and 
 demanded  his  presence  before  a  magistrate.  The  prayer  ended, 
 the  man  of  authority  marched  off  with  the  preacher  ;  but  before 
 doing  so,  the  man  of  prayer  showed  his  faith  by  saying  to  his 
 hearers,  "  Friends,  sing  a  hymn  whilst  I  am  gone, — I  shall  soon 
 be  back  ; "  and  he  gave  out  the  couplet — 
 
 "  Why  should  the  children  of  a  king 
 Go  mourning  all  their  days  ?  " 
 
 Mr.  .Wesley  returned  and  preached  before  the  hymn  had  been 
 sung  through  a  second  time. 
 
 Hymn  766.— ''Pure  baptismal  fire  divine." — '-'•  He  shall 
 baptise  yoti  with  the  Holy  Ghost. ^^ 
 
 This  is  from  Charles  Wesley's  "  Hymns  on  the  Four  Gospels," 
 based  on  Matt.  iii.  11  ;  "Poetical  Works,"  vol.  x.,  pp.  147, 
 
 Hymn  767.—"  Spirit  of  Truth  !  on  this  Thy  day." 
 
 This  hymn  has  a  calm  dignity  about  it  indicating  the  character 
 of  its  author.  Bishop  Heber.  Unlike  some  of  his  successors  in 
 the  Church  in  claiming  apostolic  authority  and  power,  the  writer 
 in  this  hymn  gives  a  standing  rebuke  to  all  such  assumptions ; 
 the  devout  Bishop  rejoices  in  the  privilege  of  spreading  the 
 Gospel  simply  as  a  man  called  of  God. 
 
 Hymn  768.—"  Holy  Spirit !  pity  me." 
 
 This  is  the  first  of  nine  hymns  added  to  the  Collection,  written 
 by  the  Rev.  William  M.  Bunting.  This  hymn  will  meet  with 
 many  admirers,  opening  as  it  does  the  inmost  recesses  of  the 
 evil  heart,  and  the  hidden  sources  of  sin,  whilst  as  the  hymn 
 expands,  the  reader  will  be  able  to  realise  the  healing  virtues 
 which  come  by  faith  in  the  Crucified  One  ;  thus  the  mind  opens 
 to  perceive  those  virtues  by  the  diffused  light  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 
 It  is  a  hymn  of  great  simplicity  and  beauty. 
 
 William  Maclardie  Bunting  was  the  eldest  son  of  the  Rev. 
 Jabez  Bunting,  D.D,,  and  Sarah  Maclardie.  He  was  born  in 
 Manchester  in  November,  1805,  and  was  specially  dedicated  to 
 God  from  his  birth.  He  was  educated  at  Woodhouse  Grove 
 School,  at  Kingswood,  and  finally  at  St.  Saviour's  Grammar 
 
448  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  771. 
 
 School,  Soulhwark,  His  conversion  is  traced  to  his  meditation 
 on  the  words,  "  Him  that  cometh  unto  Me  I  will  in  no  wise 
 cast  out,"  whilst  passing  over  Old  London  Bridge,  in  his 
 seventeenth  year.  In  his  nineteenth  year  he  entered  the 
 Wesleyan  ministry,  and  for  a  quarter  of  a  century  he  occupied 
 a  most  distinguished  place  in  the  body.  For  many  years  he 
 was  the  last  surviving  and  only  living  author  of  the  hymns  in 
 the  Methodist  Hymn  Book.  Between  the  years  1820  and  1840, 
 many  of  his  poetical  compositions  appeared  in  the  IVesieya^t 
 Magazine.  He  was  a  man  of  high  intellectual  and  moral  worth, 
 of  deep,  sincere,  and  unassuming  piety,  and  of  fine  catholic 
 spirit.  The  writer  had  the  privilege  of  his  personal  friendship, 
 and  knew,  from  delightful  intercourse,  something  of  his  high 
 moral  and  spiritual  worth.  He  died  somewhat  suddenly  at 
 Highgate  Rise,  13th  November,  1866,  aged  sixty-one  years,  and 
 is  interred  in  Highgate  Cemetery.  A  "  Memoir  of  his  Life,  with 
 Selections  from  his  Hymns  and  Poems,"  published  soon  after 
 his  death,  will  preserve  his  memory  in  the  Connexion. 
 
 Hymn  769. — "  Gracious  Spirit,  dwell  with  me  !" 
 This  hymn  was  written  by  the  Rev.  Thomas  Toke  Lynch,  a 
 man  of  kindred  spirit  to  W.  M.  Bunting,  and  a  contemporary 
 and  neighbour  of  his.  He  was  a  man  of  singular  culture,  piety, 
 and  gentleness.  Born  in  18 18,  he  became  a  Congregational 
 minister,  and  commenced  his  duties  in  1848  in  Grafton  Street, 
 Fitzroy  Square,  removing  to  Mornington  Congregational  Church, 
 Hampstead  Road.  He  was  an  independent  thinker  and  writer, 
 and  in  1855  published  a  small  volume  entitled  "The  Rivulet: 
 a  Contribution  to  Sacred  Song,"  which  reached  a  second  edition 
 in  1856,  and  a  third  in  1868.  This  work  aroused  a  fierce 
 controversy,  which  raged  for  some  years,  and  will  long  be 
 remembered  as  "  The  Rivulet  Controversy  ;  or.  Negative  Theo- 
 logy."    Mr.  Lynch  died  in  1871,  aged  fifty-two  years. 
 
 Hymn  770. — "Blest  Spirit,  from  the  Eternal  Sire  !" 
 From  the  pen  of  the  accomplished  Rev.  W.  M.  Bunting. 
 
 Hymn  771. — "  Spirit  Divine,  attend  our  prayers," 
 
 Was  written  by  the  Rev.  Andrew  Reed,  D.D.,  one  of  the  most 
 remarkable  and  most  useful  men  of  the  present  century.  He 
 was  born  in  London,  27th  November,  1787.     In  early  life  he 
 
HYMN  774.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  449 
 
 was  a  watchmaker,  but  his  love  to  God  and  lost  sinners  induced 
 him  to  study  for  the  ministry  in  Hackney  College,  and  he  was 
 ordained  in  181 1,  on  his  birthday.  For  half-a-century  he  was 
 a  Congregational  minister  in  the  East-end  of  London,  where 
 his  memory  is  still  precious.  He  was  the  founder  of  five  large 
 and  important  public  asylums  for  infants,  orphans,  idiots,  and 
 incurables — charities  of  inestimable  blessing  to  mankind,  mark- 
 ing him  as  one  of  the  greatest  benefactors  of  his  race.  He  was 
 the  author  of  some  valuable  works  ;  and  his  "  No  Fiction " 
 obtained  a  popularity  almost  unparalleled.  In  1834  he  went  to 
 America,  as  a  deputation  to  the  Churches ;  and  he  brought 
 back  with  him  the  spirit  of  revival  which  was  then  pervading 
 that  country,  and  it  proved  a  great  blessing  to  his  own  Church. 
 In  1 84 1  he  published  a  collection  of  hymns,  in  which  were 
 about  forty  written  by  himself  and  his  excellent  wife.  The 
 character  of  this  hymn  affords  some  evidence  that  their  hymns 
 are  likely  to  live  in  the  psalmody  of  the  Church.  His  son,  the 
 late  Sir  Charles  Reed,  was  one  of  the  Judges  at  the  American 
 Centennial  Exhibition  in  1876.  Dr.  Reed  died  25th  February, 
 1862,  aged  seventy-five  years.  This  hymn  ends  the  fourth 
 section. 
 
 Hymn  772. — "  O  Thou  who  hast  redeem'd  of  old." — Desiring 
 to  Love. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  being  No.  24  in  "Hymns  and  Sacred 
 Poems,"  1749,  vol.  i.,  with  four  verses  omitted.  Formerly  it  was 
 No.  661. 
 
 Hymn  'j'J'}^. — "  Regardless  now  of  things  below." — "  Lookifig 
 unto  Jesus P 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1740, 
 page  21,  and  is  one  of  his  earliest  hymns.  Its  former  number 
 was  662. 
 
 Hymn  774. — "  O  Thou  that  hangedst  on  the  tree." 
 
 "  Canst  Thou  reject  our  dying  prayer?" 
 Hytnnfor  Co?idem7ied  Malefactors. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  forming  together  No.  100  in  "Hymns  and 
 Sacred  Poems,"  1749,  vol.  i. ;  founded  on  Psalm  Ixxix.  11.  The 
 original  is  in  fourteen  stanzas  ;  the  second  and  third  are  left  out 
 in  the  first  part ;  the  second  part  commences  with  the  eighth 
 
 2  F 
 
450  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  778. 
 
 verse,  and  ihc  three  last  are  left  out.  The  unceasing  labours  of 
 the  brothers  Wesley  in  trying  to  benefit  the  wretched  beings  in 
 our  prisons  is  manifested  in  the  hymns  and  prayers  which  the 
 poet  of  Methodism  wrote  for  those  outcasts  of  men.  Yet  for 
 these  even  Charles  Wesley  has  left  evidence  of  the  rescue  of 
 many;  and  in  this  hymn  the  great  cardinal  doctrine  of  our  holy 
 religion,  F'aith,  is  clearly  stated  and  strongly  enforced. 
 
 Mr.  Bunting  has  appended  several  notes  to  this  hymn.  The 
 third  verse  he  emended  as  follows ;  the  italics  mark  the 
 corrections — 
 
 "  Save  us  by  grace,  through  faith  alone, 
 A  faith  Thou  wilt  Thyself  impart ; 
 The  faith  that  by  its  frtiit  is  known. 
 The  faith  that  purifies  the  heart." 
 
 The  fourth  verse  is  entirely  marked  out,  as  marring  the  harmony 
 of  the  hymn.     It  was  formerly  Nos.  759,  760. 
 
 Hymn  775. — "  By  secret  influence  from  above." — "  Thou 
 triest  man  every  vwmefitJ^ 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  a  "  Scripture  Hymn,"  founded  on  Job  vii. 
 17,  18,  and  left  in  manuscript  when  the  author  died  ;  "Poetical 
 Works,"  vol.  ix.,  page  236. 
 
 Hymn  ^76. — "The  harvest  of  my  joys  is  passed." 
 
 Another  of  Charles  Wesley's  "  Scripture  Hymns,"  based  on 
 Jeremiah  viii.  20,  from  "  Poetical  Works,"  vol.  x.,  page  17.  It  is 
 one  of  those  hymns  which  the  Divine  Spirit  has  used  in  bringing 
 dying  sinners  to  the  Saviour. 
 
 Hymn  yjj. — "Ah  !  why  am  I  left  to  complain?" 
 
 Like  the  former,  a  new  one,  written  by  Charles  Wesley, 
 No.  1316  of  his  "  Scripture  Hymns  ;"  "Works,"  vol.  x.,  page  26, 
 based  on  Jeremiah  xv.  18. 
 
 Hymn  778. — "  Thou  bidd'st  me  ask,  and  with  the  word." — 
 ''''Ask,  and  it  shall  be  give?t  you." 
 
 Forms  No.  144  of  Charles  Wesley's  "Hymns  on  the  Four 
 Gospels  ;"  "  Poetical  Works,"  vol.  x.,  page  195.  The  original  has 
 five  verses,  the  fourth  of  which  is  omitted,  and  the  text  of  the 
 others  is  altered,  perhaps  improved. 
 
HYMN  785.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  45 1 
 
 Hymn  779. — "Unclean,  of  life  and  heart  unclean."—"  Thy  faith 
 hath  i?iade  thee  whole^ — Matthew  ix.  20-22. 
 Another  new  hymn  by  Charles  Wesley,  No.  216,  from  the 
 "  Four  Gospels  ;  "  "  Poetical  Works,"  vol.  x.,  page  22. 
 
 Hymn  780. — "  Lord,  I  believe  Thou  wilt  forgive." 
 Charles  Wesley's  Hymns  on  the  "  Four  Gospels,"  based  on 
 St.  Mark  ix.  24.     The  original  has  five  verses,  of  which  the  first 
 and  second  only  are  given  ;  "  Poetical  Works,"  vol.  xi.,  page  25. 
 
 Hymn  781. — "  Long  have  I  lived  in  grief  and  pain." 
 This  was  written  by  Charles  Wesley,  with   the   title  "  The 
 bloody  issue  cured,"  which  of  course  is  omitted.     The  original 
 extends  to  seventeen  verses,  ten  are  left  out ;  "  Poetical  Works," 
 vol.  iv.,  page  452.     It  is  based  on  Mark  v.  24-34. 
 
 Hymn  782. — "Why  should  I  till  to-morrow  stay?" — 
 
 '•''Now  is  the  day  of  salvatio7iP 
 
 Forms  No.  3133  of  Charles  Wesley's  "Scripture   Hymns," 
 
 based  on  2  Corinthians  vi.  2 ;  "  Works,"  vol.  xiii.,  page  51.    The 
 
 original  has  six  verses,  the  third  and  sixth  of  which  are  omitted. 
 
 Hymn  783. — "  To-day,  while  it  is  called  to-day." — "  To-day^  if  ye 
 will  hear  His  voiced — Hebrews  iii.  15. 
 Written  by    Charles  Wesley,   and  first  published  in    1749. 
 "Works,"  vol.  iv.,  page  393.     It  is  one  of  the  new  hymns. 
 
 Hymn  784.—"  Father,  I  stretch  my  hands  to  Thee." 
 
 — A  Prayer  for  Faith. 
 
 This  is  by  Charles  Wesley,  and  first  appeared  in  "  Psalms  and 
 
 Hymns,"  1743,  with  the  title  "A  Prayer  for  Faith."     The  text 
 
 of  two  of  the  verses  is  altered.    It  is  in  the  American  Methodist 
 
 Collection  with  a  new  heading.     It  was  formerly  No.  666. 
 
 Hymn  785. — "  O  Sun  of  Righteousness,  arise." — A  Prayer  for 
 the  Light  of  Life. 
 
 This  hymn  has  been  attributed  to  both  John  and  Charles 
 Wesley ;  its  defective  rhythm  may  show  that  it  is  John's 
 composition  ;  for  although  he  had  marvellous  skill  in  transform- 
 ing and  improving  the  hymns  of  others,  yet  he  had  to  depend 
 on  his  brother  Charles  to  polish  his  own  original  poetical  efforts. 
 This  will  be  found  in  his  "  Collection  of  Psalms  and  Hymns," 
 
452  METHODIST  IIVMN  I300K  NOTES.  HYMN  786. 
 
 enlarged  edition,    1743,  page  43;     "Poetical  Works,"  vol.  ii., 
 page  12.     It  was  formerly  No.  647. 
 
 Hymn  786. — "  How  sad  our  state  by  nature  is  !" — Faith  i?i 
 Christ  for  Pardon  aftd  Sancti/ication. 
 
 Dr.  Watts',  Hymn  90,  book  ii.  The  fifth  verse  is  omitted.  It 
 was  formerly  No.  660. 
 
 Methodism  in  York  had  true  and  sincere  friends  in  Robert 
 Spence  and  his  wife,  Mrs.  Spence  was  convinced  of  sin  under 
 the  preaching  of  two  godly  clergymen  ;  but  by  their  teaching 
 she  proceeded  no  further  in  the  spiritual  life.  Under  deep 
 convictions  for  sin,  she  went  to  hear  the  Methodists  in  Yorkshire, 
 when  it  was  thought  to  be  a  reproach  to  be  even  associated  with 
 them.  She  was  led  to  cast  in  her  lot  amongst  them,  and  her 
 decision  soon  led  to  her  finding  pardon.  Her  usefulness  in  the 
 Church  commenced  at  once.  Not  content  with  the  blessings 
 she  had  received,  she  read  what  books  she  could  obtain  on  entire 
 sanctification,  and  gave  herself  no  rest  till  that  great  blessing 
 was  her  own  happy  experience  ;  and  in  its  enjoyment  she  lived 
 to  the  end  of  her  life.  When  on  the  threshold  of  eternity,  she 
 acknowledged  her  indebtedness  to  grace  alone  for  salvation. 
 "This,"  she  said,  "will  never  fail"— 
 
 "To  the  blest  fountain  of  Thy  blood, 
 Incarnate  God,  I  fly. " 
 
 She  continued  to  praise  God  till  her  happy  spirit  escaped  to 
 paradise,  14th  January,  181 5,  aged  sixty-two. 
 
 The  Rev.  Charles  Wesley  took  deep  interest  in  seeking  the 
 salvation  of  poor  criminals.  Within  three  months  after  his 
 conversion,  he  was  spending  days  and  nights  with  condemned 
 malefactors  in  Newgate,  several  of  whom  w^ere  soundly  converted. 
 In  his  Journal,  19th  July,  1738,  he  records  accompanying  them  to 
 Tyburn  for  execution  ;  after  praying  with  them  on  the  scaffold, 
 they  sang  several  hymns  ;  they  were  all  happy  together.  "  I 
 never  saw  such  calm  triumph,  such  incredible  indifference  to 
 dying,  so  we  concluded  with  a  hymn  on  '  Faith  in  Christ,'  and 
 closed  with — 
 
 "  '  A  guilty,  weak,  and  helpless  worm, 
 Into  Thy  hands  I  fall ; 
 Be  Thou  my  strength  and  righteousness, 
 My  Saviour,  and  my  all.'" 
 
 — "  Charles  Wesley's  Life,"  vol.  i.,  page  164. 
 
HYMN  786.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  453 
 
 Dr.  Spencer,  in  his  "  Pastor's  Sketches,"  gives  a  touching 
 account  of  a  young  woman  who  suddenly  obtained  peace  by 
 faith  in  Christ  after  a  long  period  of  gloom  : — 
 
 "  One  evening,  on  his  way  to  church,  he  called  at  her  house. 
 He  found  her  just  where  she  had  been  for  many  weeks.  On 
 leaving  her  he  said  : 
 
 " '  I  would  aid  you  most  willingly,  if  I  could,  but  I  can  do  you 
 no  good.' 
 
 " '  I  do  not  think  you  can,'  said  she  calmly,  '  but  I  hope  you 
 will  still  come  to  see  me.' 
 
 " '  Yes,  I  will,'  said  he,  '  but  all  I  can  say  is,  I  know  there  is 
 salvation  for  you ;  but  you  must  repent,  and  you  must  flee  to 
 Christ.' 
 
 "  On  reaching  the  church,  he  gave  out  the  hymn  closing  with 
 the  stanza — 
 
 "  *  A  guilty,  weak,  and  helpless  worm.' 
 
 "  The  next  day  she  came  to  see  him,  to  tell  him  she  had  made 
 a  new  discovery,  and  on  his  asking  her  what  it  was,  she  said  : 
 
 " '  Why,  sir,  the  way  of  salvation  all  seems  to  me  perfectly 
 plain.  My  darkness  is  all  gone.  I  see  now  what  I  never  saw 
 before. — All  is  light  to  me.  I  see  my  way  clear ;  and  I  am  not 
 burdened  and  troubled  as  I  was. — I  do  not  know  how  it  is,  or 
 what  has  brought  me  to  it.  But  when  you  were  reading  that 
 hymn  last  night  I  saw  the  whole  way  of  salvation  for  sinners 
 perfectly  plain,  and  wondered  that  I  had  never  seen  it  before. 
 I  saw  that  I  had  nothing  to  do  but  trust  in  Christ — 
 
 **  *  A  guilty,  weak,  and  helpless  worm, 
 Into  Thy  hands  I  fall.' 
 
 " '  I  sat  all  the  evening  just  looking  at  that  hymn.  I  did  not 
 hear  your  prayer.  I  did  not  hear  a  word  of  your  sermon.  I  do 
 not  know  your  text.  I  thought  of  nothing  but  that  hymn,  and  I 
 have  been  thinking  of  it  ever  since.  It  is  so  light,  and  makes 
 me  so  contented.  Why,  sir,  don't  you  think  that  the  reason  we 
 don't  get  out  of  darkness  sooner,  is  that  we  don't  believe?'" 
 
 Simple  faith  in  Christ  will  always  bring  peace  to  the  soul. 
 
 The  Rev,  William  Robinson,  a  Hertfordshire  Independent 
 minister,  who  died  in  August,  1854,  told  a  member  of  his  church, 
 that  he  never  failed  to  repeat  once  or  twice  daily  the  verse 
 beginning — 
 
 "  A  guilty,  weak,  and  helpless  worm  ;  " 
 
454  MKTHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  786. 
 
 and  if  he  might  choose,  he  should  like  to  die  with  the  words  of 
 that  verse  on  his  lips. 
 
 Professor  Hope,  of  Princeton,  U.S.  America,  as  he  lay  dying, 
 just  before  he  breathed  his  last,  said  :  "  My  work  is  done  ;  the 
 pins  of  the  tabernacle  are  taken  out ;  I  have  only  to  add — 
 
 "  A  guilty,  weak,  and  helpless  worm, 
 Into  Thy  arms  I  fall"— 
 
 Here     utterence     failed     him,     but     his    wife,    standing    by, 
 finished  the  verse — 
 
 "  Be  Thou  my  strength  and  righteousness, 
 My  Saviour,  and  my  all." 
 
 "Say  Jesus,  not  Saviour,"  said  the   expiring   saint,  and  with 
 these  words,  he  went  to  see  Jesus. 
 
 A  godly  ancestry  was  the  happy  privilege  of  Mary  Elizabeth 
 Rowe,  wife  of  the  Rev.  Thomas  Rowe.  Her  maternal 
 grandfather  was  Dr.  James  Hamilton,  who  was  so  long  and 
 continuously  associated  with  Mr.  Wesley,  who  once  preached 
 before  the  Conference  by  his  desire,  and  whose  portrait,  with 
 that  of  Mr.  Cole,  form  a  trio,  so  often  engraved,  representing 
 Mr.  Wesley  walking  with  his  two  friends  in  Edinburgh.  The 
 sudden  death  of  a  sister  induced  Mrs.  Rowe  to  join  the 
 Methodist  Society,  and  soon  afterwards  she  was  made  a 
 partaker  of  the  pardoning  love  of  God.  Her  after-life  was  in 
 accordance  with  this  godly  beginning  ;  and  when  laid  aside  by 
 illness,  she  had  an  impression  on  her  mind  that  her  end  was 
 near,  but  retained  her  unshaken  trust  in  Christ.  A  few  hours 
 before  she  expired,  she  exclaimed  with  great  fervour — 
 
 "  A  guilty,  weak,  and  helpless  worm, 
 Into  Thy  hands  I  fall ; 
 Be  Thou  my  strength  and  righteousness, 
 My  Saviour,  and  my  all." 
 
 In  this  resigned,  happy  frame  she  soon  afterwards  entered  into 
 rest,  28th  January,  1847,  aged  twenty-seven  years. 
 
 The  Rev.  George  Marsden  records  of  one  of  his  interviews 
 with  the  Rev.  Richard  Watson,  during  his  last  illness,  with 
 what  pleasure  the  suffering  divine  spoke  on  the  subject  of 
 Christ  crucified.  He  dwelt  for  some  time  on  its  infinite 
 importance,    as    the    only    foundation    on  which    to   rest    for 
 
HYMN  786.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  455 
 
 pardon,  acceptance  with  God,  and  eternal  life.  He  then  spoke 
 of  his  own  unworthiness,  and  of  his  firm  reliance  on  the 
 atonement,  and  repeated  with  solemn  and  deep  feeling  this 
 verse — 
 
 "A  guilty,  weak,  and  helpless  worm, 
 Into  Thy  hands  I  fall ; 
 Be  Thou  my  strength  and  righteousness, 
 My  Saviour,  and  my  all." 
 
 He  died  in  London,  8th  January,  1833,  aged  fifty-one  years. 
 
 For  more  than  fifty  years.  Walker  B.  Benson,  of  Liverpool, 
 was  a  useful  member  and  officer  of  the  Methodist  Church. 
 After  a  short  seafaring  life,  he  settled  down  to  business  in 
 Leeds,  where,  at  the  age  of  twenty,  a  dangerous  illness  was 
 blessed  to  his  conversion.  A  consistent  and  holy  walk  marked 
 his  future  life.  As  a  class-leader  he  was  useful  and  diligent,  in 
 Leeds,  in  Canada,  and  at  Mount  Pleasant,  Liverpool.  His  last 
 illness  was  brief,  but  his  confidence  in  God  was  unshaken,  and 
 his  last  testimony  was  expressed  with  peculiar  emphasis  in  the 
 words — 
 
 "  A  guilty,  weak,  and  helpless  worm, 
 
 Into  Thy  hands  I  fall ; 
 Be  Thou  my  strength  and  righteousness, 
 
 My  Saviour,  and  my  all." 
 
 He  died  24th  February,  1864,  aged  seventy  years. 
 
 As  early  in  life  as  her  eleventh  year,  Eliza  Neilson,  third 
 daughter  of  the  Rev.  William  Burt,  was  truly  converted  to  God, 
 and  she  left  the  marks  of  her  godlikeness  on  the  society  in 
 which  she  moved  ever  afterwards,  and  enjoyed  for  some  years 
 before  her  death  the  inestimable  blessing  of  perfect  love.  Her 
 last  illness  was  brief  and  unexpected,  but  every  word  of  her 
 conversation  "  had  respect  to  her  love  to  Christ,  her  happy  state, 
 and  her  hope  of  heaven."  When  dying,  Mr.  Neilson  asked, 
 "  Are  you  going  to  leave  us  ? "  Instead  of  replying,  she 
 exclaimed — 
 
 "A  guilty,  weak,  and  helpless  worm, 
 
 Into  Thy  hands  I  fall ; 
 Be  thou  my  strength  and  righteousness, 
 
 My  Saviour  and  my  all." 
 
 And  after  adding,  "All  is  well!"  she  entered  the  heavenly 
 Jerusalem,  15th  February,  1865,  aged  thirty-one  years. 
 
456  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  787. 
 
 Hymn  787. — "  O  for  a  closer  walk  with  God." — Walking  with 
 
 God. 
 
 William  Cowper's,  forming  No.  3  in  the  "  Olney  Collection," 
 written  in  1779,  and  founded  on  Genesis  v.  24.  In  the  former 
 Supplement  it  was  No.  663. 
 
 Considering  the  depressing  circumstances  under  which 
 Cowper  wrote  many  of  his  hymns,  there  are  few  which 
 indicate  more  spiritual  hopefulness  from  under  a  cloud  than 
 this  earnestly-expressed  hymn  of  supplication,  desire,  and 
 self-sacrifice.  Those  of  his  hymns  are  the  most  pathetic 
 which  give  expression  to  his  own  inward  fears  and  conflicts. 
 Toplady  added  two  verses  to  this  hymn  in  1776. 
 
 Mrs.  Mathison  and  the  Rev.  John  Anderson  were  children 
 together  in  the  same  school,  and  they  remained  friends  of  each 
 other,  and  friends  of  Methodism,  during  life.  In  1812  the  first 
 Methodist  sermon  heard  by  Mrs.  Mathison  was  preached  by  the 
 Rev.  Joseph  Benson  in  Great  Queen  Street  Chapel.  The 
 word  came  with  power  to  her  heart  ;  she  joined  the  Society, 
 and  received  her  note  of  admission  at  the  hands  of  the  Rev. 
 John  Barber,  and  her  first  ticket  from  the  Rev.  Dr.  Adam 
 Clarke.  She  became  a  useful  class-leader  both  in  London 
 and  Liverpool.  She  was  called  to  pass  through  both 
 prosperous  and  adverse  circumstances,  but  her  faith  and  piety 
 changed  not.  When  the  end  drew  nigh  she  said,  "  I  have 
 given  all  into  the  hands  of  Jesus,  and  repeated  the  lines— 
 
 "  O  for  a  closer  walk  with  God, 
 A  calm  and  heavenly  frame  ; 
 A  light  to  shine  upon  the  road 
 That  leads  me  to  the  Lamb  ! " 
 
 After  only  a  few  minutes  life  gently  ebbed  out,  and  the 
 redeemed  spirit  entered  the  paradise  of  God,  5th  September, 
 1840. 
 
 Many  men  have  commenced  a  long  career  of  prosperity 
 in  London  \v\ih.  but  small  beginnings.  Mr.  Robert  Middleton 
 came  from  Durham  to  the  metropolis  in  the  last  century,  an 
 entire  stranger.  Divine  providence  guided  his  steps  ;  at  the 
 age  of  thirty  he  heard  a  sermon  by  a  Methodist  preacher, 
 believed  to  have  been  the  Rev.  John  Pawson,  under  which  he 
 became  thoroughly  convinced  of  sin,  and  in  the  solitude  of 
 his    closet    that    night    he    found  that   peace    which    passeth 
 
HYMN  787.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  457 
 
 understanding,  and  which  for  sixty  years  afterwards  enabled 
 him  to  render  important  and  cheerful  service  to  the  cause  of 
 Methodism  in  London.  For  half-a-century  the  principal 
 preachers  of  the  body  found  a  welcome  home  under  his  roof, 
 and  the  funds  of  the  Connexion  were  greatly  aided  by  his 
 munificence.  Nor  were  the  poor  of  the  Lord's  people  less 
 noticed,  or  less  benefited  by  his  benevolence.  Up  to  the 
 age  of  ninety  he  had  witnessed  a  good  confession  ;  his  last 
 days  found  him  enfeebled  and  speechless,  yet  his  desire  for 
 a  closer  communion  with  God  was  expressed,  just  before 
 he  lost  the  power  of  speech,  in  the  lines  of  Cowper's 
 hymn — 
 
 "O  for  a  closer  walk  with  God, 
 A  calm  and  heavenly  frame." 
 
 Shortly  afterwards  he  was  permitted  to  walk  with  Him  in  white, 
 in  the  better  land  above,  9th  November,  1856. 
 
 The  following  Latin  version  will  be  welcome  to  some  readers, 
 from  the  pen  of  the  Irish  Judge  Lawson — 
 
 •*0  quam  beatus  !  si,  propior  Deo, 
 Consorte  vita  perfioiar  intime, 
 A  Viamque  ad  Agnum  nie  ferentem 
 
 Lumine  conspiciam  sereno  : 
 
 "  Heu  !  quo  recedunt  gaudia  pristina, 
 Dulcesque  amoris  primitiae  Tui, 
 Quo  verba  Jesu,  quae  valebant 
 Hanc  animam  recreare  fessam? 
 
 "  Glim  licebat  degere  tempora 
 Vitse  beatse,  nunc  viduum  Tui 
 Cor  languet,  et  mundi  caduca 
 Gaudia  me  nequeunt  replere  ; 
 
 **Veni,  Creator  Spiritus,  incola 
 Optate,  pacis  nuntius  hue  redi, 
 Peccata  ploro,  quae  nocenti 
 Pectore  Te  pepulere  maestum  : 
 
 "  Idola  in  imo  corde  latentia, 
 Dilecta  quamvis,  ejicias,  precor, 
 Et  pectus  expurges,  ut  unum 
 Te  Dominum  accipiens  adorem. 
 
458  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  790 
 
 **  Dei  propinquo  numinc  sic  fruar, 
 Vitcc  sercncc  pax  aderit  mihi, 
 
 Viamque  ad  Agnum  me  fercntem 
 Luminc  candidiorc  ccrnam. 
 
 "J.  A.  L." 
 
 Hymn  788.— "Infinite  Power,  eternal  Lord."— T/te  Comparison 
 and  Complaint. 
 
 Dr.  Watts',  from  "  Hora^  Lyricx,"  1705.  The  fifth  and  tenth, 
 and  two  other  verses  left  out.  It  is  published  in  John  Wesley's 
 "Psalms  and  Hymns,"  second  edition,  1743.  It  was  in  the 
 former  Supplement  as  No.  664,  with  an  additional  verse  about 
 wheels  and  springs. 
 
 Hymn  789.— "Long  have  I  sat  beneath  the  sound.'' —Unfruit- 
 fjilness,  Ignorance^  and  Unsanctijied  Affections. 
 
 Dr.  Watts',  No.  165,  book  ii.  The  second  verse  is  omitted, 
 and  the  fifth  line  is  altered  from  "  My  dear  Almighty  and  my 
 God,"  and  improved  by  the  change.     Its  former  No.  was  665. 
 
 Hymn  790. — "Lord,  I  hear  of  showers  of  blessing." 
 
 Written  by  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Codner,  the  wife  of  a  clergyman, 
 and  was  first  printed  in  1861  as  a  leaflet.  The  author  resides  at 
 Canonbury  Park  South,  Islington,  and  devotes  herself  to  the 
 work  carried  on  at  the  Mildmay  Park  Conference  Hall.  She  is 
 the  editor  of  a  very  useful  Monthly  Magazine,  entitled  "Woman's 
 Work  in  the  great  Harvest  Field,"  and  is  the  author  also  of  two 
 excellent  tracts,  "The  Bible  in  the  School  Room,"  and  "The 
 Bible  in  the  Kitchen."  The  hymn  has  such  a  remarkable 
 history,  that  it  is  here  given  in  the  author's  own  words.  : — 
 
 "Aparty  of  young  friends  over  whom  I  was  watching  with  anxious 
 hope,  attended  a  meeting  in  which  details  were  given  of  revival 
 work  in  Ireland.  They  came  back  greatly  impressed.  My  fear 
 was  lest  they  should  be  satisfied  to  let  their  own  fleece  remain 
 dry ;  and  I  pressed  upon  them  the  privilege  and  responsibility 
 of  getting  a  share  in  the  outpoured  blessing.  On  the  Sunday 
 following,  not  being  well  enough  to  get  out,  I  had  a  time  of 
 quiet  communion.  Those  children  were  still  on  my  heart,  and 
 I  longed  to  press  upon  them  an  earnest  individual  appeal. 
 Without  effort,  w^ords  seemed  to  be  given  to  me,  and  they  took 
 the  form  of  a  hymn.     I  had  no  thought  of  sending  it  beyond  the 
 
HYMN  790.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  459 
 
 limits  of  my  own  circle,  but,  passing  it  on  to  one  and  another, 
 it  became  a  word  of  power,  and  I  then  published  it  as  a  leaflet. 
 Of  its  future  histoiy,  I  can  only  say,  the  Lord  took  it  quite  out 
 of  my  own  hands.  It  was  read  from  pulpits,  circulated  by  tens 
 of  thousands,  and  blessed  in  a  remarkable  degree.  Every  now 
 and  then  some  sweet  token  was  sent  to  cheer  me  in  a  somewhat 
 isolated  life,  of  its  influence  upon  souls.  Now,  it  would  be 
 tidings  from  afar  of  a  young  officer  dying  in  India,  and  sending 
 home  his  Bible  with  the  hymn  pasted  on  the  fly-leaf,  as  the 
 precious  memorial  of  that  which  brought  him  to  the  Lord. 
 Then  came  the  story  of  a  poor  outcast  gathered  into  the  fold  by 
 the  same  means.  Then  came  to  me  a  letter,  given  me  by  Mr. 
 E.  P.  Hammond,  which  he  had  received,  and  in  which  were  the 
 words — '  Thank  you  for  singing  that  hymn — Even  me  ;  for  it  was 
 the  singing  of  that  hymn  that  saved  me.  I  was  a  lost  woman,  a 
 wicked  mother.  I  have  stolen,  and  lied,  and  been  so  bad  to  my  dear 
 innocent  children.  Friendless,  I  attended  your  inquiry  meeting, 
 but  no  one  came  to  me  because  of  the  crowd.  But  on  Saturday 
 afternoon,  at  the  First  Presbyterian  Church,  when  they  all  sang 
 that  hymn  together,  those  beautiful  words,  "  Let  some  drops 
 now  fall  on  me,"  and  also  those,  "Blessing  others,  O  bless  me," 
 it  seemed  to  reach  my  very  soul.  I  thought  Jesus  can  accept 
 me — "  Even  me,"  and  it  brought  me  to  His  feet,  and  I  feel  the 
 burden  of  sin  removed.  Can  you  wonder  that  I  love  those 
 words,  and  I  love  to  hear  them  sung  ?  ' 
 
 "The  original  rendering  has  in  a  variety  of  instances  been 
 departed  from ;  to  some  alterations  I  have  consented,  but 
 always  prefer  that  the  words  remain  unchanged  from  the  form 
 in  which  at  first  God  so  richly  blessed  them.  The  point  of  the 
 hymn  in  its  close  individual  application  is  in  the  even  me  at 
 the  end  of  the  verses.  I  thankfully  commit  them  to  whoever 
 desires  to  use  them  in  the  services  of  our  blessed  Master." 
 
 The  hymn  is  complete  in  six  verses,  the  last  of  which  has 
 frequently  been  made  a  blessing,  but  it  is  left  out  of  the 
 Methodist  Collection.     It  is  as  follows — 
 
 "  Pass  me  not  !  Thy  lost  one  bringing ; 
 Bind  my  heart,  O  Lord,  to  Thee  ; 
 "While  the  streams  of  life  are  springing, 
 Blessing  others,  O  bless  me — Even  me." 
 
 The  Rev.  William  E.  Stuart,  was  a  young  minister  in  the 
 Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  South,  in  America.    His  colleague, 
 
460  METHODIST  HVMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  79O. 
 
 Rev.  B.  E.  H.  Warren,  wrote  thus  of  him  after  his  early  death 
 in  the  year  1881 : — 
 
 "  No  nobler,  truer-hearted  boy  ever  espoused  the  cause  of 
 Christ  and  Methodism  than  he.  He  loved  the  church  with  all 
 his  noble  big  heart.  His  zeal  was  unbounded,  his  greatest  aim 
 being,  as  he  often  expressed  it,  to  'preach  Him  to  all  and  cry 
 in  death.  Behold,  behold  the  Lamb  ! '  He  read  the  Bible  much, 
 and  was  faithful  to  his  private  devotions.  His  idea  of  a  true 
 Christian  life  was  a  'perfect'  life,  swallowed  up  in  Christ. 
 Often  when  talking  of  the  ministry,  its  trials,  &c.,  he  would 
 praise  God  for  afflictions,  and  said  they  made  him  more  patient, 
 and  a  better  man.  Where  others  would  falter  and  shrink,  he 
 would  find  the  'strong  arm  of  Jehovah,'  and  'lean  upon  it,' 
 and  shout  'victory  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.'  Being 
 pure-hearted  himself,  and  incapable  of  penuriousness  and  incon- 
 sistency, he  could  not  tolerate  either.  When  he  saw  wrong  in 
 the  church  or  people  whom  he  served,  his  trumpet  gave  no 
 uncertain  sound.  He  was  Pauline  when  the  people  did  not  do 
 right ;  '  reprove,  rebuke,'  was  part  of  the  Gospel. 
 
 "  We  held  a  number  of  protracted  meetings  together,  and  he 
 was  a  noble  'yoke-fellow;'  his  choice  theme  was  the  crucifixion. 
 Such  texts  as  the  following  suited  him  best  :  '  It  is  finished,' 
 '  God  so  loved  the  world,'  &c.,  '  I  am  the  resurrection  and  the 
 life,'  and  'This  God  is  our  God  for  ever  and  ever.'  While 
 preaching  upon  the  cross,  he  would  mount  up  and  soar  away  to 
 the  throne  in  his  imagination,  and  picture  Christ  in  all  his 
 holiness,  and  cr^^  '  and  this  blessed  Jesus  is  my  elder  brother, 
 glory  to  God.'  His  conversion  was  very  bright ;  he  kept  the 
 '  lamp  trimmed  and  burning,'  and  was  ready.  He  died  '  with 
 his  whole  armour  on  ; '  he  died  at  his  post.  Just  before  he 
 died  he  sang  out — 
 
 **  'Pass  me  not,  O  gracious  Saviour." 
 
 He  did  not  murmur,  but  bore  up  nobly  under  the  hand  of  afflic- 
 tion, he  calmly  awaited  the  end,  which  was  peace  and  victory." 
 The  singing  leader  in  an  American  Sunday  school,  was  a  man 
 of  sceptical  tendencies — moral  and  upright,  though  far  from 
 being  a  Christian.  One  Sunday  this  hymn  was  commenced  as 
 usual,  but  when  the  leader  came  to  the  passage — 
 
 "  Pass  me  not,  O  gracious  Saviour, 
 Let  me  live  and  cling  to  Thee," 
 
HYMN  791.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  46 1 
 
 his  voice  quivered,  his  frame  shook,  and  in  anguish  he  cried  out, 
 "  Pray  for  me  ! "  It  was  a  scene  of  thrilHng  interest,  and  earnest 
 prayers  then  went  up  from  teachers  and  scholars,  that  he  who 
 had  so  long  sung  the  sweet  songs  of  Zion  without  feeling  their 
 power,  might  now  sing  with  the  spirit  and  the  understanding. 
 He  was  happily  converted  and  is  now  a  faithful  Christian. 
 
 One  of  Mrs.  Codner's  hymns  will  be  found  in  the  Collection  of 
 the  Rev.  E.  P.  Hammond,  of  America ;  and  another,  entitled, 
 "Instead  of  Me,"  she  has  published  separately  as  a  leaflet. 
 This  latter  was  suggested  by  the  words  of  a  little  child  uttered 
 in  prayer,  "  I  thank  you,  O  Jesus,  that  you  was  punished  instead 
 of  me." 
 
 Hymn  791. — "Come,  ye  sinners,  poor  and  wretched." 
 
 This  hymn  has  for  more  than  a  century  found  admirers 
 among  the  Lord's  people.  Its  author  was  Joseph  Hart.  He 
 was  forty-two  years  in  bondage  to  sin,  and  when  he  was 
 awakened  he  threw  himself  into  the  delusion  of  Antinomianism. 
 The  week  before  Easter  of  1757,  he  had  an  amazing  view  of  the 
 sufferings  of  Christ,  and  he  became  as  zealous  as  a  preacher  and 
 a  worker  for  Christ  as  he  had  before  been  foremost  in  rebellion 
 against  Him.  A  sermon  of  Mr.  Whitefield's  led  to  his  soul's 
 emancipation.  In  1759  he  began  to  preach  in  a  low-roofed 
 chapel  in  Jewin  Street,  in  the  city  of  London,  where  the 
 Methodist  Chapel  stood  till  1878,  and  there  he  laboured  till 
 1768,  when  he  ceased  preaching  and  hymn-making  to  join  the 
 great  choral  company  of  the  redeemed  before  the  throne  of  God. 
 Although  more  than  a  century  has  passed  since  twenty  thousand 
 persons  attended  his  funeral  in  Bunhill-fields,  his  name  is 
 remembered  and  loved.  In  1875  a  handsome  and  costly  obelisk 
 was  erected  over  his  remains.  The  original  hymn  has  seven 
 verses,  of  which  the  fifth  and  seventh  are  left  out,  and  two  lines 
 are  altered.     In  the  fourth  verse  the  author  wrote — 
 
 "Bruised  and  broken  by  the  fall," 
 
 which  is  altered  to — 
 
 "  Bruised  and  mangled  by  the  fall." 
 
 Such  "mangling"  would  have  been  better  left  undone.     The 
 whole  hymn  is  printed  in  the  American  Methodist  Collection. 
 The  venerable  Thomas  Scott,  the  commentator,  born  1746, 
 
462  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  792. 
 
 died  1821.  Shortly  before  he  expired,  he  said,  "I  know  I  am 
 dying ;  I  feel  the  immense  importance  of  the  crisis.  Lord 
 Jesus,  receive  my  spirit.     Thou  art  all  I  want — 
 
 "  None  but  Jesus 
 Can  do  helpless  sinners  good." 
 
 rdessed  be  God  there  is  one  Saviour,  though  but  one  in  the 
 whole  universe,  and 
 
 **  His  love  is  as  great  as  His  power, 
 
 And  neither  knows  measure  nor  end." 
 
 In  that  calm  spirit  of  resignation  passed  away  one  of  the  promi- 
 nent theologians  of  the  Church  of  England. 
 
 Hymn  792.—"  Return,  O  wanderer,  to  thy  home  !  "— 
 "  /  will  arise^  and  go  to  my  Fat  her. ^^ 
 
 This  hymn  comes  to  us  from  America,  and  was  written  by 
 Thomas  Hastings,  a  doctor  of  music.  It  is  worthy  of  note  that 
 the  author  obtained  celebrity  both  for  his  hymns  and  tunes. 
 Bom,  15th  October,  1784,  at  Washington,  Lichfield  County, 
 Conn.,  the  son  of  a  physician,  in  early  life  he  manifested  a 
 natural  taste  for  music.  He  began  to  teach  church  choirs  and 
 to  publish  books  of  musical  instruction  at  the  age  of  twenty-one. 
 In  1824  he  established  and  edited  a  religious  journal,  in  which 
 he  advocated  improvements  in  church  psalmody  ;  and  in  1830 
 he  published  "  The  Union  Minstrel  for  Sabbath  Schools."  In 
 1832  the  churches  in  New  York  invited  him  to  their  city  to 
 remodel  their  psalmody,  and  there  he  resided  till  1872,  when  he 
 died  at  the  venerable  age  of  eighty-eight.  In  1832  he  published 
 *'  Spiritual  Songs  ;"  followed  in  1836  by  "The  Christian  Psalm- 
 ist," and  in  1849  by  "  The  Mother's  Hymn  Book."  "Devotional 
 Hymns  and  Religious  Poems"  appeared  in  1850,  in  which  this 
 hymn  was  printed,  but  it  was  first  issued  in  1834.  He  published 
 "Church  Melodies  "  in  1864,  with  some  additional  hymns  of  his 
 own.  The  Rev.  Dr.  W.  B.  Collyer,  of  Peckham,  wrote  a  hymn 
 which  some  think  to  be  an  imitation  of  this,  as  it  commences  in 
 the  same  words. 
 
 Dr.  Hastings,  when  he  died,  left  all  his  musical  papers, 
 including  500  original  hymns  and  about  1000  original  tunes,  to 
 Mr.  Philip  Phillips,  the  singing  pilgrim,  who  purposes  publish- 
 ing them. 
 
HYMN  794.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  463 
 
 Hymn  793. — "  Art  thou  weary,  art  thou  languid  ?" — "  Come 
 
 unto  me  all  ye  that  labour''' — Matt.  xi.  28. 
 This  is  a  translation  by  the  Rev.  John  Mason  Neale,  taken 
 from  his  "Hymns  of  the  Eastern  Church."  It  was  written  by 
 a  monk  named  St  Stephen,  of  St.  Sabas,  who  lived  from  A.D. 
 725  to  A.D.  794.  He  adopted  a  monkish  Hfe  when  only  ten 
 years  old.  His  uncle,  St.  John  Damascene,  is  renowned  for 
 having  restored  images  in  churches.  Stephen  probably  owes  his 
 poetic  taste  to  St.  Cosmas,  monk  and  poet,  of  Jerusalem.  The 
 translation  fairly  embodies  the  penitential  spirit  of  the  original. 
 This  hymn  has  attracted  the  classical  eye  of  the  Hon.  W.  E. 
 Gladstone,  who  has  translated  it  into  Latin. 
 
 The  seventh  verse  of  the  original  is  left  out,  although  required 
 to  complete  the  design  and  plan  of  the  author.  It  is  omitted 
 for  fear  some  readers  should  object  to  the  third  line.  The 
 verse  is  as  follows — 
 
 "Finding,  following,  keeping,  struggling, 
 Is  he  sure  of  bliss  ? 
 Angels,  martyrs,  prophets,  virgins, 
 Answer,  Yes  !  " 
 
 Some  have  altered  the  closing  lines  thus — 
 
 **  Saints,  apostles,  prophets,  martyrs, 
 Answer,  Yes  !  " 
 Richard  B.  Potts  was  born  at  Buxton  in  1816  ;  at  twenty-one 
 he  was  converted,  and  joined  the  Methodist  Society;  at  twenty- 
 three    he   was   made   a   class-leader,   in   which  office  he   was 
 remarkably  successful    for  forty  years.      At   twenty-seven  he 
 became  a  local  preacher,  and  hundreds  of  souls  were  brought 
 to    God  by  his   ministry.      Throughout   his  life   he   laboured 
 zealously  in  the  cause  of  God.     In  1877  failing  health  lessened 
 his  labours,  but  not  his  love  for  the  work,  and  though  he  had  to 
 pass  through  severe  trials,  he  was  able  to  look  down  on  them 
 with  calm  dignity.     As  the  end  of  life  drew  near,  when  asked  if 
 he  had  peace,  he  rephed,"0  yes,  I  am  going  home  to  glory !  Jesus 
 is  very  near  me."     To  a  relative  he  said,  "  I  shall  soon  be  with 
 my  blessed  Jesus."  He  then  whispered,  as  he  was  passing  away — 
 '*  If  I  ask  Him  to  receive  me, 
 Will  He  say  me  Nay  ? 
 Not  till  earth,  and  not  till  heaven 
 Pass  away." 
 In  this  peace  he  entered  into  rest,  i6th  December,  1879. 
 
464  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTKS.  HYMN   796. 
 
 Hymn  794. — "Weary  of  earth,  and  laden  with  my  sin." 
 
 This  was  written  by  a  younL,^  clergyman  of  Dalston,  London, 
 the  Rev.  Samuel  John  Stone,  M.A.,  who  published  a  volume  of 
 hymns  in  1S66,  entitled  "Lyra  Fidelium."  He  is  the  son  of 
 the  Rev.  W.  Stone,  vicar  of  St.  Paul's  Church,  Broke  Road, 
 Dalston.  When  the  public  thanksgiving  service  was  held  in  St. 
 Paul's  Cathedral  for  the  recovery  of  the  Prince  of  Wales,  a  hymn 
 of  praise  and  thanksgiving,  written  by  the  same  author,  was  sung 
 at  the  service,  which  at  once  placed  Mr.  Stone  in  a  foremost 
 place  amongst  modern  hymn  writers.  He  was  his  father's 
 curate. 
 
 Hymn  795. — "With  broken  heart  and  contrite  sigh." — "  God 
 be  mercificl  to  me  a  sin7ierr — Ltike  x\iii.  13. 
 
 It  came  to  the  author  as  an  inspiration,  w^hilst  holding  a  series 
 of  revival  services  in  the  Baptist  Chapel,  Bury  St.  Edmunds,  in 
 January,  1852.  The  people  sang  it,  and  it  became  popular;  but 
 its  author  appears  never  again  to  have  had  the  spirit  of  poetry 
 resting  upon  him.  It  was  written  by  Cornelius  Elven,  a  native 
 of  Bury  St.  Edmunds,  in  which  town  he  ministered  most 
 usefully  to  one  congregation  of  Baptists  for  fifty  years.  He 
 was  a  true  and  devoted  friend  of  Pastor  C.  H.  Spurgeon,  who 
 wrote  a  sketch  of  him  when  he  died  in  July,  1873,  ^.nd  says  that 
 he  was  a  man  of  homely  attainments,  pre-eminently  practical 
 as  a  pastor  and  preacher,  and  full  of  faith  and  the  Holy  Ghost. 
 The  bulk  of  his  body  was  stupendous,  but  his  heart  was  as  large 
 in  proportion  as  his  body,  and  it  was  full  of  kindness.  He 
 preached  occasionally  for  Mr.  Spurgeon,  who  loved  him. 
 
 Hymn  796. — "Just  as  I  am,  without  one  plea." 
 
 This  hymn  has  been  so  long  a  favourite  in  Christian  families 
 and  the  Church  that  it  has  made  for  its  pious  author,  Charlotte 
 Elliott,  undying  fame  as  a  hymn  waiter.  Her  father,  Charles 
 Elliott,  of  Clapham  and  Brighton,  and  her  mother,  a  grand- 
 daughter of  the  Rev.  Henry  Venn  (a  friend  of  JohnWesley's)  were 
 both  eminent  Christians.  Her  brothers,  the  Rev.  W^nxy  Venn 
 Elliott  and  the  Rev.  Edward  Bishop  Elliott,  author  of  "  Horae 
 Apocalypticae,"  were  distinguished  evangelical  clergymen. 
 Charlotte  was  born  i8th  March,  1789,  and  brought  up  tenderly 
 and  religiously.     Highly   accomplished,    with   a   lively  imagi- 
 
HYMN  796.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  465 
 
 nation,  elegant  taste,  a  good  voice,  and  pleasing  manners,  yet 
 her  strong  will  kept  her  out  of  the  enjoyment  of  personal 
 religion  till  9th  May,  1822,  when  through  conversation  with  the 
 sainted  Dr.  Csesar  Malan,  of  Geneva,  who  was  visiting  at  her 
 father's  house,  she  gave  her  heart  to  God.  For  nearly  fifty 
 years  afterwards  she  observed  her  spiritual  birthday  as  a  holy 
 festival,  and  kept  up  a  hallowed  correspondence  with  Dr.  Malan 
 for  forty  years.  She  published  "  Morning  and  Evening  Hymns, 
 by  a  Lady,"  and  "  Hours  of  Sorrow  Cheered  and  Comforted," 
 and  "Poems  by  C.  E."  in  1863.  For  many  years  she  published 
 a  small  annual  entitled  "  The  Christian  Remembrancer."  Her 
 hymns,  about  120  in  number,  were  contributed  by  her  to  "The 
 Invalid's  Hymn  Book,"  the  last  edition  of  which  she  edited 
 herself.  She  died  peacefully  22nd  September,  1871,  aged  eighty- 
 two  years.  No.  841  is  another  of  her  hymns,  equally  popular 
 with  this  one,  and  No.  829  was  also  written  by  her. 
 
 In  February,  1882,  Mr.  W.  Mitchell,  one  of  the  Students  in 
 Mr.  Spurgeon's  Pastors'  College,  left  England  to  labour  in  the 
 Bethel  Santhal  Mission,  Bengal.  Mr.  Mitchell  is  a  Scotchman, 
 twenty-five  years  of  age.  At  the  age  of  fifteen  he  was  appren- 
 ticed as  a  grocer  in  Dundee.  One  evening,  shortly  after  his 
 arrival  there,  while  taking  a  quiet  walk  in  the  street,  a  deep 
 impression  was  made  upon  his  mind  by  an  open-air  preacher, 
 which  soon  led  him  to  the  Lamb  whose  blood  cleanseth  from  all 
 sin.     The  hymn — 
 
 "Just  as  I  am,  Thou  wilt  receive, 
 Wilt  welcome,  pardon,  cleanse,  relieve, 
 Because  Thy  promise  I  believe, 
 O  Lamb  of  God,  I  come  !  " 
 
 encouraged  him  to  trust  in  Jesus,  and  he  found  by  personal 
 experience  that  our  Saviour  receives  all  who  come  to  Him,  and 
 will  in  no  wise  cast  them  out.  Young  Mitchell  began  to  work 
 for  the  Lord,  and  had  soon  the  joy  of  leading  one  of  his  fellow- 
 clerks  to  "  that  fountain  which  washes  from  sin  and  unclean- 
 ness."  From  that  time  forward  the  two  worked  successfully 
 together  for  the  same  Master,  and  often  when  Mitchell  was 
 cast  down  and  sad,  his  companion  cheered  him  with  the  words 
 of  life.  In  1879  he  was  admitted  to  the  Pastors'  College.  After 
 two  and  a-half  years'  residence  there,  Mr.  Spurgeon  wrote  of 
 him, — "A  good,  earnest,  sincere  brother,  in  whom  I  have 
 great  confidence." 
 
 2  G 
 
466  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  796. 
 
 Mr.  Francis  Lewis  Mackenzie,  son  of  Lord  Mackenzie,  judge 
 of  tlie  Supreme  Court  of  Scotland,  born  in  1833,  entered  Trinity 
 Colle<;e,  Cambridge,  1852,  joined  the  Jesus  Lane  Sunday  School, 
 and  became  a  visiting  teacher  in  1854.  He  carried  off  several 
 college  prizes,  but  an  attack  of  rheumatic  fever  cut  short  his 
 earthly  career  at  the  age  of  twenty-one.  During  his  illness  he 
 found  much  comfort  in  Richard  Baxter's  hymn — 
 
 *'  Lord,  it  belongs  not  to  my  care, 
 \Vhether  I  live  or  die." 
 
 The  "  Invalid's  Hymn  Book"  was  one  of  his  constant  companions, 
 and  shortly  before  he  died  he  read  Miss  Elliott's  hymn — 
 
 "Just  as  I  am,  without  one  plea, 
 But  that  Thy  blood  was  shed  for  me, 
 And  that  Thou  bidd'st  me  come  to  Thee, 
 O  Lamb  of  God,  I  come  !  " 
 
 He  had  no  sooner  finished  it,  than  he  desired  that  it  might 
 again  be  read  to  him  ;  he  asked  for  that  favour  repeatedly 
 whilst  consciousness  remained,  and  in  the  spirit  of  that  hymn 
 he  passed  happily  to  the  rest  which  remaineth  for  the  people  of 
 God. 
 
 In  one  of  the  refuges  for  poor  fallen  women,  one  was  admitted 
 who  had  been  brought  up  a  Roman  Catholic,  but  she  was  most 
 anxious  to  conceal  that  fact  lest  it  might  lead  to  her  exclusion, 
 for  she  had  neither  home  nor  friends.  Her  conscience  was 
 callous  and  her  prejudices  intense  ;  but  through  the  influence 
 of  this  hymn,  she  became  a  humble  and  penitent  believer  in  the 
 Lord  Jesus  Christ.  It  was  brought  about  in  this  way.  There 
 was  a  short  service  every  week  in  the  chapel  of  the  institution 
 for  the  inmates  ;  a  hymn  was  sung  and  prayer  offered.  On  one 
 occasion  the  minister  gave  out  that  touching  hymn — 
 
 *' Just  as  I  am,  without  one  plea," 
 
 and,  contrary  to  his  custom,  read  it  through,  each  verse  ending, 
 
 "  O  Lamb  of  God,  I  come  !  " 
 
 These  last  words  reached  her  heart,  the  stone  was  taken  away, 
 the  unspeakable  love  of  Jesus,  which  she  had  so  long  resisted, 
 softened  her  into  tenderness  and  deep  contrition,  and  the 
 language  of  her  inmost  soul  was,   "  May  I,  so  vile  a  sinner, 
 
HYMN  798.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  467 
 
 come  ?  Does  Jesus  bid  me  come  ?  Will  He  wash  my  every 
 sin  away  in  His  blood?"  She  doubted  no  more,  but  believed. 
 She  could  only  cry,  "  O  Lamb  of  God,  I  come  ! "  She  felt  His 
 love,  she  heard  His  voice,  "  Thy  sins  are  forgiven  thee." 
 
 After  her  change  she  opened  her  mind  fully  to  one  of  the 
 ladies  who  visited  the  institution,  and  related  to  her  the  facts 
 regarding  herself.  Her  harsh  manners  disappeared,  her  preju- 
 dices gave  way,  and  by  her  humility  and  consistency,  manifested 
 how  great  was  the  change  which  the  grace  of  God  had  wrought 
 within  her. 
 
 Hymn  797.—"  O  Lord,  turn  not  Thy  face  away." 
 
 This  is  a  modernised  version  by  Bishop  Heber,  of  an  old 
 hymn  written  by  John  Mardley,  who  wrote  poetry  in  the  reign 
 of  Queen  Elizabeth,  and  who  was  one  of  the  contributors  to 
 Sternhold  and  Hopkins'  old  version  of  the  Psalms.  It  is  a  great 
 favourite  during  the  Lenten  services  in  hundreds  of  churches, 
 and  has  a  place  in  most  of  the  Church  hymnals. 
 
 Mardley's  contributions  to  the  old  version  are  marked  M. 
 Two  verses  of  the  original  are  here  given,  so  that  the  reader 
 may  see  how  gracefully  Bishop  Heber  has  rehabilitated  the  old 
 verses — 
 
 **  And  call  me  not  to  strict  account 
 How  I  have  sojourned  here, 
 For  then  my  guilty  conscience  knows 
 How  vile  I  must  appear. 
 
 *'  Mercy,  good  Lord,  mercy  I  ask, 
 This  is  my  humble  prayer  ; 
 For  mercy.  Lord,  is  all  my  suit, 
 Oh  let  Thy  mercy  spare." 
 
 Hymn  798.—"  There  is  a  fountain  filled  with  blood." 
 
 This  was  written  by  William  Cowper,  and  was  first  published 
 in  1779.  For  over  a  hundred  years  awakened  voices  have  sung 
 this  hymn,  till  the  heart  has  been  renewed  and  washed  in  the 
 blood  of  Jesus,  and  the  penitent  has  found  peace.  This  hymn 
 is  in  the  American  Collection.  It  was  the  favourite  hymn  of 
 Dr.  John  Mason  Good,  an  eminent  physician.  He  was  so 
 passionately  fond  of  it  that  he  frequently  repeated  it  whilst 
 walking  along  the  street,  and  when  death  was  near,  his  youngest 
 
468  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  798. 
 
 child  whilst  rubbing  his  cold  hands  cheered  his  passage  to  the 
 better  land  by  reciting — 
 
 "  There  is  a  fountain  filled  with  l)lood, 
 Drawn  from  Immanuel's  veins." 
 
 Thomas  Smith  of  Bristol  was  converted  to  God  whilst  singing 
 
 "  There  is  a  fountain  filled  with  blood." 
 
 He  often  said  afterwards  that  he  should  never  forget  the  happy 
 hour  when  first  he  believed  in  the  efficacy  of  the  blood.  He 
 opened  a  room  in  that  city  and  preached  to  the  poor.  He  knelt 
 among  them,  prayed  with  them,  and  then  tried  to  teach  them 
 the  hymn  he  so  much  loved.  He  sung  it  again  and  again  until 
 they  all,  young  and  old,  knew  it  and  sung  it  with  him.  He  fell 
 ill,  and  died  saying — "Jesus  is  precious,  precious." 
 
 In  the  Life  of  Colonel  S.  Wheeler,  of  the  American  army,  we 
 read  of  his  visit  to  a  dying  soldier  who  had  not  to  seek  religion 
 when  on  his  death-bed.  He  thanked  the  colonel  for  his  visit  and 
 kind  words,  and  in  token  of  his  faith  and  confidence,  shortly 
 before  he  expired,  he  began  to  sing — 
 
 "There  is  a  fountain  filled  with  blood." 
 
 After  he  had  finished  the  hymn,  he  said  aloud,  "Colonel  Wheeler, 
 angels  are  coming  ;  yes,  look,  how  bright  and  beautiful  !  cannot 
 you  hear  them  sing?  I  never  heard  anything  like  it.  Oh,  it  is 
 glorious  ! "  Then,  after  a  pause,  he  gave  a  sigh,  and  the  angels 
 bore  him  away. 
 
 Lieutenant   G ,  an  officer  of  the  Federal  army,  having 
 
 received  his  death-wound  in  a  gallant  charge  at  the  head  of  his 
 regiment,  was  visited  in  the  hospital  tent  by  the  chaplain,  who 
 inquired  how  he  felt.  He  said  he  had  always  been  cheerful, 
 and  was  now  ready  to  meet  God  in  peace.  He  thus  pro- 
 ceeded : — "  Chaplain,  I  was  once  passing  through  the  streets  of 
 New  York  one  Sunday,  and  heard  singing.  I  went  in  and  saw 
 a  company  of  poor  people.  They  were  singing— 
 " '  There  is  a  fountain  filled  with  blood.' 
 
 I  was  overpowered  with  the  impression  the  hymn  made  upon 
 me,  and  I  gave  my  heart  to  God.  Since  then  I  have  loved 
 Jesus,  and  I  love  Him  now."  That  was  his  last  speech.  As 
 the  chaplain  listened,  the  voice  faltered,  and  the  minister  said, 
 "Trust  Jesus."  The  officer  whispered,  "I  do  trust  Jesus,"  and 
 then  expired. 
 
HYMN  798.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  469 
 
 Catherine  Harris  was  a  foundling  residing  near  the  city  of 
 Canterbury.  At  the  age  of  twelve,  through  exposure,  she 
 became  consumptive.  When  her  pastor  visited  her,  he  expressed 
 a  hope  that  she  found  comfort  by  reading  the  Bible.  She  replied 
 that  nothing  else  would  now  give  her  comfort,  excepting  that 
 one  hymn  she  loved  so  much — 
 
 '*  There  is  a  fountain  filled  with  blood." 
 
 She  said  death  had  lost  its  sting,  and  the  morning  afterwards 
 she  entered  into  rest. 
 
 During  the  last  revival  in  Ireland,  Belfast  had  a  large  share 
 in  its  blessing.  Soon  after  it  began,  the  curate  of  the  parish 
 visited  one  of  the  factories  in  which  two  hundred  girls  were 
 employed.  On  his  entering  the  building  with  the  manager,  a 
 young  woman  near  the  door,  seeing  her  minister,  began  to  sing 
 with  a  very  sweet  voice — 
 
 "There  is  a  fountain  filled  with  blood," 
 
 to  the  touching  and  well-known  tune.  The  girl  next  to  her 
 took  it  up,  and  so  onwards  it  ran  down  the  mill,  till  all  the  girls 
 joined  with  deep  and  heart-felt  fervency.  Great  as  was  the 
 noise  of  the  looms,  the  tender  and  subduing  voice  of  praise  rose 
 above  the  din  and  clatter  of  the  machinery.  They  wanted  no 
 books  to  sing  through  that  hymn,  it  was  well-known  to  nearly 
 all  there.  The  manager,  a  Manchester  man,  and  an  infidel,  and 
 ever  on  the  watch  to  make  ridicule  of  religion,  was  so  completely 
 overcome  by  that  outburst  of  psalmody  that  he  ran  out  of  the 
 mill.  Meeting  the  curate  afterwards,  he  said,  "  I  was  never  so 
 hard  put  to  it  as  this  morning  ;  it  nearly  broke  me  down."  How 
 the  author,  Cowper,  would  have  been  cheered  to  have  heard 
 that  chorus. 
 
 Rev.  William  Knibb,  the  well-known  Jamaica  missionary, 
 born  at  Kettering  in  1803,  and  whose  life-work  it  was  to  preach 
 salvation  by  faith  in  Jesus,  was  one  day  out  visiting  an  ancient 
 ruin,  and  on  coming  to  the  spot  where  superstitious  rites  had 
 been  performed  long  centuries  before,  and  human  sacrifices 
 offered,  Mr.  Knibb  stood  gazing  and  meditating  for  some  time, 
 then  broke  out  into  singing — 
 
 "  There  is  a  fountain  filled  with  blood, 
 
 Drawn  from  Immanuel's  veins, 
 And  sinners  plunged  beneath   that  flood, 
 
 Lose  all  their  guilty  stains  : 
 
470  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.         HYMN  8oO. 
 
 O  dying  Lamb,  Thy  precious  blood 
 
 Shall  never  lose  its  power, 
 Till  all  the  ransomed  Church  of  God, 
 
 Be  saved  to  sin  no  more." 
 
 One  of  our  English  soldiers,  a  Wesleyan,  after  a  life  of  much 
 service,  when  laid  up  in  the  Hillsea  Hospital,  was  heard  singing, 
 during  the  delirium  of  fever,  the  well-known  lines — 
 
 '*  The  dying  thief  rejoiced  to  see 
 That  fountain  in  his  day  ; 
 And  there  may  I,  though  vile  as  he 
 Wash  all  my  sins  away." 
 
 With  that  testimony  he  entered  into  rest. 
 
 Hymn  799.—"  O  blessed,  blessed  sounds  of  grace." 
 
 This  is  one  of  those  graceful  compositions  from  the  pen  of  the 
 accomplished  William  M.  Bunting,  with  the  title,  "  Hymn  after 
 Sermon  on  Sunday  Evening."  How  often  that  devout  man  of 
 God  relieved  his  mind  on  the  Sabbath,  when  the  heart  was  full 
 of  the  love  of  God,  by  writing  a  hymn  !  One  verse  of  the 
 original  is  omitted  ;  it  is  as  follows — 
 
 "  But,  Saviour,  can'st  Thoti  say  farewell, 
 Or,  Holy  Spirit,  Thou? 
 Or  must  I  leave  Thy  house  for  hell  ? 
 O  save  me,  save  me  now  !  " 
 
 The  last  two  verses  of  the  original  are  also  omitted.      This 
 hymn  closes  the  fifth  section. 
 
 Hymn  800. — "The  God  of  Abraham  praise."— T"*?  the  God  of 
 Abraham. 
 
 This  hymn  was  written  by  Thomas  Olivers,  and  published  by 
 him  in  1772.  Whilst  the  author  was  on  a  friendly  visit  to  John 
 Bakewell,  of  Westminster  (one  of  the  very  early  Methodist  lay 
 preachers),  he  visited  the  Jews'  Synagogue,  where  he  heard  a 
 celebrated  air  sung  by  the  priest  Signor  Leoni.  Olivers  was  so 
 captivated  with  the  singing  and  the  air,  that  he  resolved  at 
 once  to  write  a  Christian  hymn  to  suit  the  air,  so  that  the  Metho- 
 dists might  sing  it,  and  in  Mr.  Bakewell's  hospitable  dwelling 
 that  truly  magnificent  hymn  was  written.  It  was  received 
 with  such  enthusiasm  by  the  Methodists,  that  in  the  second 
 year  eight  editions  were  demanded.      The  original  is  in  three 
 
HYMN  800.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  47 1 
 
 parts  ;  it  is  based  on  several  passages  in  the  Old  Testament. 
 Mr.  Olivers  was  a  remarkable  man.  Born  in  1725,  at  Tregynon, 
 Wales,  he  led  a  very  profligate  life  as  a  shoemaker,  till  converted 
 under  the  ministry  of  Mr.  Whitefield,  and  in  1753  Mr.  Wesley 
 accepted  him  as  a  preacher  of  the  Gospel,  and  in  his  later  years 
 he  employed  him  as  corrector  of  the  press.  He  died  in  March, 
 1799,  and  is  interred  in  the  same  vault  with  Mr.  Wesley,  in  City 
 Road  Chapel  Yard.  Olivers  wrote  two  or  three  other  hymns  of 
 considerable  merit,  and  some  fierce  controversial  works.  James 
 Montgomery  says  of  this  hymn,  "There  is  not  in  our  language  a 
 lyric  of  more  majestic  style,  more  elevated  thought  or  more 
 glorious  imagery.  Its  structure,  indeed,  is  unattractive  on 
 account  of  the  short  lines,  but  like  a  stately  pile  of  architecture 
 severe  and  simple  in  design,  it  strikes  less  on  the  first  view  than 
 after  deliberate  examination."  This  hymn  commences  the  fifth 
 section  of  the  Supplement  with  the  title,  "  The  Experience  and 
 Privileges  of  Believers." 
 
 In  the  lVesleya?t  Magasine  several  instances  of  the  usefulness 
 of  this  hymn  have  been  recorded.  Mrs.  Booth,  of  Huddersfield, 
 who  died  17th  September,  1856,  a  few  days  before  her  death 
 asked  that  the  hymn  to  "  The  God  of  Abraham,"  might  be  read 
 to  her.     After  listening  to  the  third  verse  — 
 
 "  He  calls  a  worm  His  friend, 
 He  calls  Himself  my  God  ; 
 And  He  shall  save  me  to  the  end, 
 Through  Jesu's  blood," — 
 
 she  exclaimed,  "It  will  be  so,  and  that  very  soon  :  read  it  again 
 and  the  whole  hymn  ;  it  is  just  my  experience  at  present.  Oh, 
 how  I  long  to  be  with  Jesus  !  "  She  fell  asleep  in  Jesus,  saying, 
 "Jesus  is  precious." 
 
 The  uncertainty  of  life  was  marked  by  a  sentence  written  by 
 the  Rev.  J.  Relf  in  1854  in  reference  to  one  of  his  college  friends  :— 
 "Of  the  candidates  for  the  ministry  who  entered  the  Wesleyan 
 Theological  Institution  at  Hoxton,  in  1837,  nearly  one-half  have 
 already  died  ! "  The  name  of  the  Rev.  John  Smart  was  then 
 added  to  the  number.  In  early  life  he  was  converted  to  God, 
 and  whilst  yet  a  youth,  was  appointed  the  leader  of  a  class,  and 
 was  found  a  diligent  labourer  in  the  Sunday  School,  the 
 Benevolent  Society,  the  Tract  Society,  and  in  other  spheres  of 
 usefulness.  He  had  a  short  but  glorious  career  as  a  Methodist 
 preacher.     When  illness  prostrated  his  body,  his  faith  continued 
 
472  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  8oO. 
 
 Strong.  The  clay  but  one  before  he  died,  he  exclaimed,  with 
 holy  joy  and  triumphant  faith,  "  Christ  is  mine  !  heaven  is 
 mine  !  "     During  the  following  night  he  repeated — 
 
 '*  He  by  Himself  hatli  sworn, 
 I  on  His  oath  depend  ; 
 I  shall,  on  eagles'  wings  upborne, 
 To  heaven  ascend." 
 
 A  friend,  standing  by,  repeated  the  remainder  of  the  verse — 
 
 "  I  shall  behold  His  face,"  &c., 
 
 to  which  he  immediately  referred,  observing  to  his  wife  what 
 a  happy  effect  had  been  produced  on  his  mind  nearly  two  years 
 before  by  the  appropriate  quotation  of  that  verse  by  a  lady  in  a 
 love  feast  at  Barnsley.  After  urging  his  daughter  to  begin  to 
 love  God,  he  entered  into  rest,  12th  November,  1854. 
 
 The  ministrations  of  the  Rev.  L.  Hargreaves  and  the  Rev.  R. 
 Needham  were,  through  the  blessing  of  God,  instrumental  in 
 bringing  several  members  of  the  Fishwick  family  to  a  knowledge 
 of  sins  forgiven.  Mr.  William  Fishwick,  of  Longholme,  seeing 
 the  good  work  in  the  family,  went  himself  to  hear  the  Methodists 
 and  his  prejudices  against  them  at  once  gave  way.  The  Rev. 
 Jabez  Bunting's  sermon  on  "Justification  by  Faith,"  which  he 
 read,  pointed  out  to  him  the  way  of  salvation,  and  at  the  age  of 
 twenty-two  he  received  his  first  ticket  of  membership  from  the 
 Rev.  Isaac  Keeling,  and  soon  afterwards  found  the  Lord,  to  the 
 joy  of  his  heart.  He  retained  to  the  end  of  his  life  a  clear 
 assurance  of  his  acceptance  with  God.  As  the  employer  of 
 several  hundreds  of  persons,  he  was  a  friend  to  those  he  employed, 
 to  the  poor  around  him,  and  to  the  cause  of  God  generally.  He 
 laid  the  foundation  stone  of  the  large  Wesleyan  Chapel  at 
 Burnley,  in  1839,  and  contributed  liberally  to  its  funds.  His 
 last  illness  was  short  and  severe  ;  but  he  enjoyed  the  presence 
 of  his  Master.  His  last  strength  was  spent  in  a  prayer  for  his 
 children  ;  and  being  exhausted,  he  lay  still  for  a  time,  and  then 
 said — 
 
 "  I  shall  behold  His  face  ; 
 I  shall  His  power  adore." 
 
 Seeming  unable  to  proceed,  Miss  Kaye,  his  sister,  repeated  the 
 line — 
 
 "  And  sing  the  wonders  of  His  grace." 
 
 He  instantly  took  it  up,  and  added,  "For  evermore,  for  ever- 
 
HYMN  800.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  473 
 
 more,  for  evermore  ! "  Repeating  these  words  as  long  as  his 
 strength  lasted  ;  and  with  a  parting  prayer  for  God's  blessing, 
 he  peacefully  fell  asleep  in  Jesus,  26th  December,  1839. 
 
 The  ministry  and  holy  conversation  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Adam 
 Clarke  were  the  means  of  the  conversion,  in  early  life,  of  Eliza- 
 beth Geake,  of  Frogwell,  Cornwall.  As  Miss  Lingmaid,  she 
 frequently  rode  on  her  pony  to  various  Methodist  preaching- 
 places,  as  she  was  a  good  singer,  and  she  had  special  pleasure  in 
 aiding  the  psalmody.  When  upwards  of  eighty  years  of  age  she 
 said, "  My  voice  is  weak,  but  I  can  still  sing;  I  sing  here,"  pointing 
 to  her  heart.  A  friend  asked  her  to  give  her  a  morning-song. 
 "  I  think  I  can,"  she  replied,  and  with  a  thin  tremulous  voice  she 
 chanted  some  sweet  lines,  which,  she  said  Dr.  Adam  Clarke  taught 
 her  when  she  was  a  girl,  and  he  used  to  preach  in  her  father's 
 parlour.  The  lines  were  Olivers'  hymn,  "  The  God  of  Abraham," 
 sung  to  Leoni.  She  could  repeat  the  whole  hymn  verbatim. 
 Shortly  before  her  death  she  observed  to  a  friend,  "  I  can  look 
 at  the  mattock,  the  shovel,  and  the  grave  without  dread."  She 
 closed  her  lengthened  earthly  pilgrimage  by  repeating  this  fine 
 hymn,  25th  January,  1844,  aged  eighty-one  years. 
 
 The  Rev.  William  Worth,  Wesleyan  minister,  when  closing 
 his  earthly  course,   said,    "  Yes,   precious    Saviour !    Thou  art 
 
 mine — 
 
 *«  '  I  shall  behold  His  face, 
 I  shall  His  power  adore  ; 
 And  sing  the  wonders  of  His  grace 
 For  evermore.'  " 
 
 The  eminently  pious  Richard  Watson,  when  near  the  end  of 
 his  last  illness,  one  night,  moved  by  a  sudden  impulse,  as  he  lay 
 in  bed,  exclaimed,  with  tears  flowing  down  his  languid  counte- 
 nance, "  I  am  a  worm,  a  poor,  vile  worm,  not  worthy  to  lift  its 
 head ;  but  then  the  worm  is  permitted  to  crawl  out  of  the  earth 
 into  the  garden  of  the  Lord,  and  there,  among  the  flowers  and 
 fruits,  if  it  can,  to  speculate  on  the  palace  and  ivory  throne  of 
 
 Solomon — 
 
 "  *  I  shall  behold  His  face, 
 I  shall  His  power  adore  ; 
 And  sing  the  wonders  of  His  grace 
 For  evermore.'  " 
 
 It  was  remarked,  "No  doubt  you  will  see  His  face."  "Yes," 
 he  rejoined,  "  there  is  doubt  of  everything  but  the  great,  deep, 
 infinite  mercy  of  God  ;  that  is  sure."     And,  again,  just  before 
 
474  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  8oO. 
 
 final  unconsciousness  set  in,  he  said,  "  I  long  to  quit  this  little 
 abode,  gain  the  wide  expanse  of  the  skies,  rise  to  nobler  joys, 
 and  see  God.     He  closed  this  last  conversation  by  repeating — 
 
 "I  shall  behold  His  face,"  &.c. 
 
 He  died  in  Myddelton  Square,  London,  January,  1833,  aged 
 fifty-one  years. 
 
 Good  Richard  Pattison,  after  a  ministry  of  nearly  fifty  years 
 in  Methodism,  when  nearing  the  harbour  of  refuge  above, 
 speaking  of  the  confidence  we  ought  to  place  in  the  faithfulness 
 of  God,  said,  "  Many  times,  in  storms  on  the  ocean,  or  crossing 
 from  one  island  to  another  in  small  vessels" — during  his  seven 
 years  of  missionary  life  in  the  West  Indies — "  I  have  held  by  a 
 
 rope,  and  sang — 
 
 "  '  The  watery  deep  I  pass, 
 With  Jesus  in  my  view  ; 
 And  through  the  howling  wilderness 
 My  way  pursue  ; ' 
 
 and  I  have  felt  my  faith  in  God  wonderfully  strengthened."  He 
 was  greatly  attached  to  the  Hymn  Book,  and  found  great 
 comfort  in  the  frequent  repetition  of  some  of  the  hymns  in  all 
 the  circumstances  of  life,  and  even  with  his  latest  breath.  He 
 died  29th  December,  1839,  aged  sixty-nine. 
 
 In  his  twentieth  year,  Joseph  Simpson,  at  a  Methodist 
 watch-night  service  in  1844,  gave  his  heart  to  the  Lord,  and 
 entered  into  the  liberty  of  the  children  of  God  in  the  Februar>' 
 following.  He  made  considerable  progress  in  classical  and 
 other  studies  in  youth,  and  afterwards  became  one  of  the  tutors 
 in  Kingswood  School.  In  1849  he  was  sent  as  a  supply  to  the 
 Gwennap  Circuit,  and  from  thence  he  was  appointed  to  the 
 Ely  Circuit,  in  both  w^hich  he  laboured  with  untiring  zeal  for 
 the  salvation  of  sinners.  Consumption  cut  short  his  work  in 
 righteousness  ;  but  his  peace  with  God  was  unshaken,  and 
 when  all  hope  of  recovery  was  gone,  he  expressed  his  confidence 
 in  God  in  some  of  the  hymns  he  loved  so  much.  Once  his  sister 
 proposed  to  read  a  few  verses,  when  he  selected  Olivers'  hymn 
 to  the  God  of  Abraham.  When  the  first  part  was  finished,  he 
 repeated  the  lines — 
 
 "  I  shall  behold  His  face, 
 I  shall  His  power  adore  ; 
 And  sing  the  wonders  of  His  grace 
 For  evermore." 
 
HYMN  802.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  475 
 
 His  sister  then  proceeded  with  the  reading  of  the  second  and 
 third  parts,  and  at  the  close  he  repHed  again  with  deep  feeling — 
 "  Hail,  Abraham's  God  and  mine  ! 
 (I  join  the  heavenly  lays) 
 All  might  and  majesty  are  Thine, 
 And  endless  praise." 
 In  this  happy  spirit  he  found  the  dark  valley  of  death  illumined 
 from  heaven,  and  in  this  glorious  light  he  entered  the  realms  of 
 the  blessed,  12th  April,  1852,  aged'twenty-seven. 
 
 Mrs.  Mary  Smith,  wife  of  George  Smith,  of  Coalville,  Leicester 
 (the  friend  of  the  gipsies  and  the  canal  children),  was  born  12th 
 March,  1828,  and  died  at  Coalville,  19th  January,  1866.  She 
 was  a  scholar  and  teacher  in  the  Wesleyan  Sunday  school  at 
 Tunstall.  Converted  at  sixteen,  during  a  service  by  the  Rev. 
 John  Kirk,  who  gave  out  the  second  part  of  the  hymn  by 
 Thomas  Olivers,  "  The  God  of  Abraham,"  whilst  the  congrega- 
 tion were  singing  the  words — 
 
 "  The  goodly  land  I  see. 
 
 With  peace  and  plenty  blest ; 
 A  land  of  sacred  liberty, 
 And  endless  rest" — 
 
 she  experienced  the  joy  of  believing,  and  she  realised  the  sweet 
 soul-rest  implied  by  the  hymn.  Her  whole  after-life  proved  the 
 genuineness  of  the  change  then  experienced.  She  possessed  a 
 meek  and  quiet  spirit,  left  the  mark  of  her  piety  on  her  house- 
 hold, and  her  children  rise  to  call  her  blessed.  Her  two  sons 
 sang  to  her  as  she  lay  dying  the  hymn  under  the  singing  of 
 which  she  was  converted. 
 
 Hymn  8oi.— "  Whom  Jesu's  blood  doth  sdiXiaify."— Confidence 
 in  Christ. 
 Charles  Wesley's,  being  one  of  his  "Scripture  Hymns"  left 
 unpublished  at  the  time  of  his  death,  and  founded  on  Deut. 
 xxxiii.  3.  It  is  shortened  by  the  omission  of  the  first  and  fourth 
 verses  of  the  original;  see  "Poetical  Works,"  vol.  ix.  page  12. 
 Its  former  number  was  622. 
 
 Hymn  802, — "Awake,  our  souls  !  away,  our  fears  !" — 
 The  Christian  Race. 
 Dr.  Watts',  No.  48,  book  i.,  founded  on  Isaiah  xlviii.  28,  &c., 
 and  was  inserted  by  Mr.  Wesley  in  "Psalms  and  Hymns," 
 enlarged  edition,  1743.     It  was  formerly  No.  672. 
 
47^  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  8o8. 
 
 Hymn  803.— "Away,  my  unbelieving  fear  !"— TUNE,  Handel's 
 March. 
 
 A  new  hymn  by  Charles  Wesley,  first  published  in  1742  ; 
 *'  Poetical  Works,"  vol.  ii.,  page  199.  It  was  better  known  in  the 
 last  century  than  now,  was  a  source  of  comfort  and  encourage- 
 ment to  many  of  the  early  Methodists,  and  was  at  times  quoted 
 in  band-meetings  and  love-feasts.  It  is  based  on  Hab.  iii.  16, 17. 
 It  is  in  "Select  Hymns  with  Tunes  Annext,"  1761. 
 
 Hymn  804. — "  Sometimes  a  light  surprises." 
 
 Was  written  by  William  Cowper,  and  it  indicates  the  character 
 of  the  author's  own  experience,  having  been  written  in  an  hour  of 
 spiritual  sunshine.  The  mind  of  Cowper  was  often  under  a 
 cloud,  but  he  sang  with  joyous  cheerfulness  when  divine  light 
 shone  upon  him. 
 
 Hymn  805.— "Author  of  Faith,  on  me  confer." 
 
 No.  448  of  Charles  Wesley's  "  Hymns  on  the  Four  Gospels," 
 based  on  Matt.  xvii.  20,  with  the  third  verse  left  out. 
 
 Hymn  806.—"  Though  God  in  Christ  reveal." 
 
 This  is  made  up  of  Nos.  1296  and  1297  of  Charles  Wesley's 
 "Hymns  on  the  Four  Gospels,"  based  on  Luke  viii.  18. 
 
 Hymn  807.—"  How  happy  are  they." 
 
 This  was  first  published  in  1749  by  Charles  Wesley,  and  is  part 
 of  a  long  hymn,  "For  one  fallen  from  grace."  Three  verses  of  the 
 original  are  left  out.  The  following  is  the  omitted  third  verse, 
 which  was  once  a  favourite  with  many — 
 
 "  'Twas  a  heaven  below 
 
 My  Saviour  to  know  ; 
 The  angel  could  do  nothing  more 
 
 Than  fall  at  His  feet, 
 
 And  the  story  repeat, 
 And  the  lover  of  sinners  adore." 
 
 Hymn  808.—"  O  God  of  all  grace."— >J  ^>^  <^^^- 
 
 Written  by  Charles  Wesley  in  1748.  It  is  in  "Poetical 
 Works,"  vol.  v.,  page  31,  based  on  Romans  v.  11.  It  is  printed 
 in  the  triplet  form,  whilst  some  of  his  other  hymns  in  the  same 
 
HYMN  809.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  477 
 
 meter  are  printed  in  six-line  verses.  Nearly  half  the  original  is 
 omitted  ;  it  has  twenty  verses.  It  was  written  at  the  same  time 
 and  belongs  to  the  same  series  as  Hymn  205,  "  My  God,  I  am 
 Thine." 
 
 Hymn  809. — "Vain,  delusive  world,  adieu." — "  I  am  determined 
 to  kftow  nothing  save  Jesus  Christ  a7td  Hi?n  crucijied.^* 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1742, 
 page  257  ;  five  verses  omitted.  This  hymn  has  been  a  source 
 of  encouragement  to  hundreds  of  new-born  souls,  who,  having 
 experienced  the  blessedness  of  those  who  have  passed  from  death 
 unto  life,  and  having  discovered  the  vanity  of  all  earthly  things, 
 have  joyfully  sung — 
 
 **  Vain,  delusive  world,  adieu, 
 With  all  of  creature-good  ! 
 Only  Jesus  I  pursue, 
 
 Who  bought  me  with  His  blood  : 
 All  thy  pleasures  I  forego, 
 I  trample  on  thy  wealth  and  pride  : 
 Only  Jesus  will  I  know. 
 And  Jesus  crucified." 
 
 This  volume  bears  ample  testimony  to  the  wisdom  of  the  choice 
 thus  made  by  such  persons. 
 
 Dr.  Adam  Clarke  was  a  young  man  of  twenty-three  when  Mr. 
 Wesley  sent  him  as  a  supply  in  1783  into  the  Trowbridge  Circuit. 
 At  Road,  a  country  village,  there  were  only  two  or  three 
 Methodists  in  the  place.  Adam's  first  visit  was  announced  as  a 
 boy  preacher,  and  all  the  young  men  and  women  resolved  to 
 hear  him.  They  crowded  the  preaching  room,  and  listened  to 
 the  sermon  with  profound  attention  ;  the  place  was  still  as  death. 
 At  the  close  he  gave  out  the  hymn — 
 
 **  Vain,  delusive  world,  adieu. 
 With  all  thy  creature-good  ! 
 Only  Jesus  I  pursue, 
 
 Who  bought  me  with  His  blood  : 
 All  thy  pleasures  I  forego, 
 I  trample  on  thy  wealth  and  pride  : 
 Only  Jesus  will  I  know, 
 And  Jesus  crucified." 
 
 The  fine  voices  of  the  young  people  produced  a  solemn  effect ; 
 the  last  two  lines  were  repeated  at  every  verse,  and  at  the  end 
 
478  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  814. 
 
 all  there  present  were  deeply  moved.  The  young  preacher 
 paused,  spoke  of  the  delij^duful  effect  of  the  singing,  but  arrested 
 their  attention  by  an  earnest  appeal  to  follow  out  the  teaching 
 of  the  hymn  by  taking  up  their  baptismal  vows  and  yielding 
 their  hearts  to  God  that  day.  The  appeal  was  so  earnest,  so 
 affectionate,  thirteen  young  persons  that  night  and  at  the  prayer 
 meeting  early  next  morning  gave  their  hearts  to  God.  Fifty 
 years  afterwards  one  of  those  young  persons  called  on  Dr. 
 Clarke  at  Frome,  where  he  preached  his  last  sermon  in  1832. 
 
 Hymn  8io. — "  I  know  in  whom  I  have  believed." — 
 2  Timothy  i.  12. 
 
 This  is  a  new  one  by  Charles  Wesley,  and  is  No.  3238  of  his 
 *'  Scripture  Hymns  ; "  "  Works,"  vol.  xiii.,  page  105. 
 
 Hymn  8ii. — "  I'm  not  ashamed  to  own  my  Lord." 
 
 One  of  Dr.  Watts'  "  Hymns  of  Experience  ; "  it  is  new  in  this 
 book,  but  has  long  been  in  the  American  Methodist  Collection. 
 
 Hymn  812. — "Jesus,  we  steadfastly  believe." — The  truth 
 dwelleth  in  us. 
 
 This  forms  the  second  only  of  two  verses  by  Charles  Wesley, 
 based  on  2  John  ii.,  and  is  No.  3424  of  his  "  Scripture  Hymns  ; " 
 "Works,"  vol.  xiii.,  page  212.  It  would  be  difficult  to  give  a 
 reason  why  the  first  verse  was  left  out.     It  is  as  follows — 
 
 *'  The  living  principle  of  grace, 
 The  faith  producing  holiness, 
 
 Now  in  our  hearts  doth  dwell, 
 And  still  it  shall  in  us  abide, 
 Till  saved,  and  fully  sanctified, 
 
 We  all  Thy  fulness  feel." 
 
 Hymn  813. — "  Lord,  I  believe  Thy  mercy's  power." — Able  to 
 keep  you  fro7n  fallijig. 
 
 This  is  Charles  Wesley's  paraphrase  of  Jude  24.  No.  3438 
 of  "  Scripture  Hymns  ; "  "  Works,"  vol.  xiii.,  page  217. 
 
 Hymn  814. — "To  God  the  only  wise." — Trust  in  God. 
 
 By  Dr.  Watts,  and  was  in  the  former  Supplement  as  No.  685, 
 but  it  is  printed  here  with  the  fifth  verse  omitted.     In  the  old 
 
HYMN  820.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  479 
 
 Supplement  there  was  another  hymn  by  Dr.  Watts,  a  companion 
 to  this,  which  commenced — 
 
 "  Happy  the  heart  where  graces  reign." 
 
 That  hymn  is  now  left  out,  and  many  will  regret  its  absence 
 from  the  Collection. 
 
 Hymn  815. — "O  Jesus,  full  of  truth  and  grace." — Waiting  for 
 
 the  Promise. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "  Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1742, 
 
 page  238.     Five  verses  are  omitted,  and  several  lines  altered. 
 
 The  third  line  in  verse  5  is  altered  from  "sinless  sinner"  to 
 
 "helpless  creature."     It  was  formerly  No.  685. 
 
 Hymn  816.— "That  health  of  soul  I  gasp  to  know."— Z/"^//  me^ 
 O  Lord. 
 
 This  is  formed  of  two  out  of  three  verses  by  Charles  Wesley, 
 as  a  paraphrase  of  Jer.  xvii.  14,  being  No.  1324  of  his  "  Scripture 
 Hymns,"  the  first  verse  of  the  original  being  left  out. 
 
 Hymn  817. — "Blessed  are  the  pure  in  heart." 
 
 This  is  a  sweetly  melodious  rendering  of  Matt.  v.  8,  by  the 
 devout  William  M.  Bunting.  The  original  has  ten  verses,  the 
 last  one  and  the  half  of  two  other  verses  are  left  out.  The 
 unity  of  the  hymn  is  broken  by  this  shortening. 
 
 Hymn  818. — "  From  trials  unexempted." — Matthew  vi.  13. 
 This  is  No.  109  of  C.  Wesley's  "  Hymns  on  the  Four  Gospels." 
 It  is  part  of  a  paraphrase  of  the  Lord's  Prayer,  and  extends 
 to  twenty  eight-line  verses,  this  hymn  being  made  out  of  the 
 13th,  14th,  1 6th,  and  17th  verses.  "Poetical  Works,"  vol.  x., 
 page  182. 
 
 Hymn  819. — "  Lead  me  not  into  temptation." — Matthew  v\.  13. 
 
 This  forms  No.  1 10  of  Charles  Wesley's  "  Gospel  Hymns,"  and 
 is  the  concluding  portion  of  the  Lord's  Prayer  paraphrased ; 
 "Works,"  vol.  X.,  page  184. 
 
 Hymn  820. — "  Vouchsafe  to  keep  me.  Lord,  this  day." — Deliver 
 tis  from  evil. 
 
 This  is  new,  from  Charles  Wesley's  "  Hymns  and  Sacred 
 Poems,"    1749,   vol.   i.,   being  the   third  of   his   hymns   "For 
 
480  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  823. 
 
 Believers,"  based  on  the  prayer,  "  Vouchsafe,  O  Lord,  to  keep 
 us  this  day  without  sin."  The  original  has  twenty  verses,  of 
 which  fourteen  are  omitted. 
 
 Hymn  821. — "  O  God,  who  dost  Thy  sovereign  might." — 
 I  Cori7ithians  ix.  24. 
 
 This  was  written  by  Josiah  Conder,  father  of  the  Rev.  Eustace 
 Conder.  Four  of  his  hymns  have  a  place  in  the  new  book. 
 This  one,  though  short,  is  a  little  gem.  Its  author  was  born  in 
 London,  27th  September,  1789.  He  occupied  a  prominent 
 place  in  the  city  as  an  editor  and  publisher  for  more  than  fifty 
 years.  The  Eclectic  Review  and  the  Patriot  newspaper  had  the 
 best  of  his  mental  energies  devoted  to  them.  He  also  wrote 
 thirty  volumes  of  descriptive  works  for  young  people.  In  1824 
 he  published  "  Sacred  Poems,"  and  "The  Poet  of  the  Sanctuary" 
 in  1851,  followed  by  "Hymns  of  Praise  "  in  1854.  After  a  life 
 of  immense  literary  industry  and  Christian  activity,  he  died  at 
 St.  John's  Wood,  27th  December,  1855.  He  prepared  for  pub- 
 lication "  Hymns  of  Prayer,  Praise,  and  Devout  Meditation," 
 which  was  given  to  the  public  after  his  death.  His  friends 
 included  most  of  the  literary  and  Christian  men  of  the  first  half 
 of  the  nineteenth  century.  His  other  hymns  are  826,  904,  and 
 945.     This  hymn  has  been  printed  as  two  four-line  verses. 
 
 Hymn  822. — "  Lord,  who  hast  taught  to  us  on  earth." — Prayer 
 for  Charity. 
 
 This  was  written  by  Richard  Massie,  Esq.,  of  Pulford  Hall, 
 Wrexham.  He  is  the  author  of  a  translation  of  Luther's 
 Hymns,  of  a  volume  of  "  Sonnets  and  Poems  ;  "  and  in  a  work 
 entitled  "  Lyra  Domestica ''  he  has  a  piece  of  nine  verses  on 
 Christian  brotherhood,  entitled  "  Prayer  for  Charity,"  based  on 
 I  Cor.  xiii.  Four  of  these  verses  are  chosen  to  form  this  hymn, 
 more  than  half  the  original  being  omitted. 
 
 Hymn  823, — "  Prayer  is  the  soul's  sincere  desire." — Prayer 
 described. 
 
 This  is  scarcely  a  hymn  in  the  sense  in  which  a  hymn  is 
 described  by  its  accomplished  author,  James  Montgomery.  It 
 is  rather  a  description  of  the  several  elements  in  which  prayer 
 consists  ;  but  it  is  closed  with  a  verse  which  finds  an  echo  in 
 
HYMN  825.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  48 1 
 
 the  heart  of  every  reader.  It  has  obtained  so  wide  a  popularity 
 that  it  now  has  a  place  in  many  hymnals,  and  also  in  Dr.  Adam 
 Clarke's  Commentary ;  it  has  been  reprinted  in  many  other 
 ways.  The  venerable  author,  in  one  of  his  letters  to  the  present 
 writer,  enclosed  a  copy  of  this  hymn  in  his  own  handwriting, 
 with  another  of  his  hymns  on  prayer,  more  than  thirty  years 
 ago.  Such  autographs  are  highly  valued  now  their  author  is 
 gone  to  his  reward. 
 
 Hymn  824. — "  Come,  my  soul,  thy  suit  prepare." 
 
 This  is  a  simple  but  very  attractive  plaintive  hymn  from  the 
 pen  of  John  Newton.  Much  of  the  devotion  of  both  the  authors 
 of  the  "  Olney  Hymns  "  is  owing  to  their  oft-repeated  meetings 
 for  prayer,  with  a  few  friends  in  a  social  manner,  and  one  who 
 had  heard  the  poet  Cowper  frequently  in  supplication  has 
 said,  "  Of  all  the  men  I  ever  heard  pray,  no  one  equalled 
 Mr.  Cowper."  The  pious  spirit  of  Cowper  doubtless  was  in 
 unison  with  that  of  Newton.  This  hymn  owes  much  of  its 
 present  popularity  to  the  fact  that  for  some  years  Pastor 
 C.  H.  Spurgeon  used  to  have  the  first,  or  second,  or  both  these 
 verses  plaintively  chanted.  Sabbath  after  Sabbath,  just  before 
 he  offered  the  prayer  with  his  congregation.  In  this  way  tens 
 of  thousands  of  persons  have  learned  it,  and  once  learned 
 it  is  not  likely  ever  to  be  forgotten.  It  is  a  favourite  prayer- 
 meeting  hymn. 
 
 Hymn  825. — "  From  every  stormy  wind  that  blows." — 
 The  Mercy  Seat. 
 
 This  was  written  by  one  of  the  noblest  sons  of  the  Church 
 of  England,  Rev.  Hugh  Stowell,  afterwards  known  as  Canon 
 Stowell,  of  Chester,  and  the  popular  minister  of  Christ  Church, 
 Salford.  Born  at  Douglas,  Isle  of  Man,  3rd  December,  1799, 
 and  the  son  of  a  clergyman,  he  began  life's  duties  just 
 twenty-eight  days  before  the  last  century  closed.  In  1818  he 
 entered  St.  Edmund's  Hall,  Oxford,  graduated  in  1822,  and 
 took  orders  in  1823.  First  as  a  curate  in  Yorkshire,  then  as 
 incumbent  of  St.  Stephen's  Church,  Salford,  he  gathered  such 
 crowds  to  hear  the  plain  truths  of  the  Gospel,  that  the  people 
 cheerfully  gave  their  money  to  erect  the  large  and  elegant 
 structure     of    Christ     Church,     Salford,    in    which    delighted 
 
 2  H 
 
4^2  METHODIST  HYMN  ROOK  NOTES.  HYMN  830. 
 
 tliousands  attended  his  ministry.  In  1845,  ^^  was  made  an 
 Honorary  Canon  of  Chester,  and  afterwards  Rural  Dean  of 
 Salford.  He  was  an  enemy  to  Tractarianism,  and  a  sound 
 Evangelical  Churchman.  In  1831  he  issued  "A  Collection  of 
 Psalms  and  Hymns,"  in  which  are  found  a  few  of  his  own 
 compositions.  He  also  wrote  the'  Jubilee  Hymn  for  the 
 British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society.  He  died  at  Salford,  8th 
 October,  1865,  and  his  works  of  love  and  mercy  follow  him. 
 This  hymn  has  five  verses  ;  the  last  is  as  follows — 
 "■  Oh  !  let  my  hand  forget  her  skill, 
 
 My  tongue  be  silent,  cold,  and  still. 
 
 This  throbbing  heart  forget  to  beat 
 
 If  I  forget  Thy  Mercy  Seat. " 
 
 Hymn  826.—  "  Grant,  O  Saviour,  to  our  prayers." 
 A  short  hymn  of  eight  lines,  by  Josiah  Conder. 
 
 Hymn  827. — "  A  widow,  poor,  forlorn,  oppressed." — ^^  And  shall 
 not  God  avenge  his  own  elect  f  " 
 
 One  of  Charles  Wesley's  new  hymns,  being  No.  1478  of 
 "  Hymns  on  the  Gospels,"  based  on  Luke  xviii.  7  ;  "  Poetical 
 Works,"  vol.  xi.,  page  255.  The  appeal  of  the  importunate 
 widow  is  admirably  used  by  the  poet  to  suit  the  circumstances 
 of  to-day. 
 
 Hymn  828. — "Master,  Thy  grace  vouchsafe  to  me." — ^^  I  say 
 unto  all.  Watch:' 
 
 This  is  another  new  hymn  of  Charles  Wesley's,  forming 
 No.  1065  of  "  Gospel  Hymns;"  "Works,"  vol.  xi.,  page  66, 
 with  the  first  and  second  verses  of  the  original  left  out,  and 
 the  others  a  little  altered. 
 
 Hymn  829. — "  Christian  !  seek  not  yet  repose." — "  Watch  and 
 Prayr 
 By  Charlotte  Elliott,  and  will  meet  with  a  cordial  welcome 
 in  Methodist  circles. 
 
 Hymn  830. — "  Forgive  my  foes,  it  cannot  be." — "  Forgive,  and 
 ye  shall  be  forgiven." 
 
 No.  1262  of  Charles  Wesley's  "  Gospel  Hymns  ;"  "Works," 
 vol.  xi.,  page  155,  based  on  Luke  vi.  2>7-  There  are  four  verses 
 in  the  original,  the  third  of  which  is  omitted. 
 
HYMN  831.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  483 
 
 Hymn  831. — "  Commit  thou  all  thy  griefs." — Trust  in 
 Providejice. 
 
 John  Wesley's  translation  from  the  German  by  Paul  Gerhardt, 
 founded  on  Psalm  xxvii.  5,  6.  There  are  twenty-four  of  his 
 translations  inserted  in  the  Collection,  all  of  which  are 
 named  together  on  another  page  ;  the  first,  Hymn  23,  was 
 written  by  Gerhardt,  and  this,  which  is  the  last  of  the  series, 
 is  by  the  same  author.  The  sixth  verse  of  the  original  is 
 left  out.  There  is  not  a  hymn  in  the  book  which  has 
 afforded  more  comfort  and  encouragement  than  this  one  to 
 the  Lord's  tried  people. 
 
 In  a  village  near  Warsaw  there  lived  a  pious  German 
 peasant  named  Dobry.  Without  remedy,  he  had  fallen  into 
 arrears  of  rent,  and  his  landlord  threatened  to  evict  him. 
 It  was  winter.  Thrice  he  appealed  for  a  respite,  but  in  vain. 
 It  was  evening,  and  the  next  day  his  family  were  to  be 
 turned  out  into  the  snow.  Dorby  kneeled  down  in  his  family. 
 After  prayer  they  sung — 
 
 "  Commit  thou  all  thy  griefs 
 And  ways  into  His  hands." 
 
 As  they  came  to  the  last  verse,  in  German,  of  Part  I. — 
 
 '^  When  Thou  wouldst  all  our  need  supply, 
 Who,  who  shall  stay  Thy  hand  ? " 
 
 there  was  a  knock  at  the  window  close  by  where  he  knelt, 
 and  opening  it  Dobry  was  met  by  a  raven,  one  which  his 
 grandfather  had  tamed  and  set  at  liberty.  In  its  bill  was  a 
 ring,  set  with  precious  stones.  This  he  took  to  his  minister, 
 who  said  at  once  that  it  belonged  to  the  King  Stanislaus,  to 
 whom  he  took  it,  and  related  the  story.  The  King  sent  for 
 Dobry,  and  rewarded  him,  so  that  he  had  no  need,  and  the 
 next  year  built  him  a  new  house,  and  gave  him  cattle  from  his 
 own  stall.  Over  the  house  door,  on  an  iron  tablet,  there  is 
 carved  a  raven  with  a  ring  in  its  beak,  and  underneath  this 
 address  to  Divine  Providence — 
 
 **  Thou  everywhere  hast  sway, 
 
 And  all  things  serve  Thy  might ; 
 Thy  every  act  pure  blessing  is, 
 Thy  path  unsullied  light. " 
 
484  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  831. 
 
 The  origin  of  this  hymn  is  itself  such  a  remarkable  proof  of  the 
 blessing  of  trusting  in  Providence  that  it  cannot  be  omitted  in 
 this  place.  Paul  Gerhardt  was  a  preacher  in  Brandenburg,  1659, 
 and  he  loved  to  preach  from  his  heart  what  he  believed.  The 
 Great  Elector  admonished  him,  and  threatened  his  banishment 
 if  he  did  not  preach  as  the  Elector  desired.  Gerhardt  returned 
 a  message  to  his  sovereign  that  it  would  be  hard  to  leave  his 
 home,  his  people,  his  country,  and  his  livelihood  ;  but  he  would 
 only  preach  what  he  found  in  the  Word  of  God.  So  into 
 banishment  he  was  sent  with  his  wife  and  children.  At  the  end 
 of  the  first  day's  journey,  they  rested  at  a  little  inn  for  the 
 night.  The  little  ones  were  crying  and  clinging  to  their  mother, 
 and  she  also,  overcome  with  fatigue,  could  not  restrain  her 
 tears.  The  sad  sight  gave  Gerhardt  a  very  heavy  heart, 
 so  he  went  alone  into  the  dark  wood  to  commend  the  whole 
 to  God.  Whilst  there  his  mind  was  comforted  with  the 
 text :  "  Commit  thy  way  unto  the  Lord  :  trust  also  in  Him, 
 and  He  will  bring  it  to  pass."  "  Yes,"  he  said,  "  though 
 banished  from  house  and  home,  and  not  knowing  where  to 
 take  my  wife  and  children  on  the  morrow,  yet  God  sees 
 me  in  the  dark  wood  ;  now  is  the  time  to  trust  Him."  He 
 was  so  happy  that  he  had  remembered  the  text,  and  so 
 thankful  to  God,  that  he  made  the  text,  in  connection  with  his 
 saddening  lot,  into  a  hymn,  as  he  paced  to  and  fro  amongst  the 
 trees.  Every  verse  begins  with  a  word  or  two  from  the  text, 
 so  that  if  you  read  the  first  words  of  each  verse  in  the  German, 
 you  just  read  the  text.  When  he  returned  into  the  house, 
 he  told  his  wife  about  the  text,  and  repeated  to  her  his 
 hymn.  She  soon  dried  up  her  tears  (the  children  having  gone 
 to  sleep),  and  became  as  hopeful  and  trustful  in  God  as  her 
 husband.  They  had  scarcely  retired  to  rest  when  a  loud 
 knocking  was  heard  at  the  door.  The  landlord,  on  opening  the 
 door,  found  a  messenger  on  horseback,  who  said  aloud,  "  I 
 come  from  Duke  Christian  of  Meresburg,  and  am  in  search  of 
 Paul  Gerhardt  ;  has  he  passed  this  way  ? "  "  Yes,"  said  the 
 landlord,  "  he  is  in  my  house."  "  Let  me  see  him  instantly,'"' 
 said  the  Duke's  messenger.  A  large  sealed  letter  was  at  once 
 handed  to  the  banished  pastor  from  the  good  Duke  Christian, 
 who  said  in  it,  "  Come  into  my  countr)',  Paul  Gerhardt,  and  you 
 shall  have  church,  people,  house,  home,  and  livelihood,  and 
 liberty  to  preach  the  Gospel  as  your  heart  may  prompt  you." 
 So  the  Lord  took  care  of  his  servant. 
 
HYMN  831.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  485 
 
 William  Dawson,  of  Barnbow,  Leeds,  the  farmer  Methodist 
 preacher,  after  a  useful  career  of  sixty-eight  years,  was  suddenly 
 seized  with  fatal  illness.     His  last  words  were  the  closing  lines 
 of  Paul  Gerhardt's  hymn  on  Providence — 
 "  Let  us  in  life,  in  death, 
 Thy  steadfast  truth  declare.'' 
 
 In  attempting  to  repeat  the  concluding  lines — 
 "  And  publish  with  our  latest  breath 
 Thy  love  and  guardian  care," 
 
 utterance  failed  him,  he  crossed  his  hands  upon  his  breast,  and 
 expired,  4th  July,  1841.  On  another  occasion  this  hymn  had 
 afforded  hope  and  encouragement  to  the  same  man  of  God. 
 Worldly  troubles  and  anxieties  about  his  farm  had  disturbed  his 
 peace  for  some  time,  and  one  day,  whilst  working  in  the  fields 
 on  the  brow  of  some  rising  ground  leading  to  the  farm-house, 
 he  paused,  and  to  divert  his  mind  took  from  his  pocket  sundry 
 notices  which  had  from  time  to  time  been  sent  to  him  in  the 
 pulpit  to  read.  After  reading  them,  to  awaken  more  cheering 
 thoughts  in  his  mind,  he  tore  them  up  into  small  pieces,  and 
 threw  the  handful  of  fragments  up  into  the  air,  the  wind 
 carrying  them  about  like  so  many  butterflies.  Instantly  the 
 verse  came  to  his  mind,  and  he  repeated  it  with  emphasis — 
 
 **  Give  to  the  winds  thy  fears  ; 
 Hope,  and  be  undismay'd  ; 
 God  hears  thy  sighs,  and  counts  thy  tears  ; 
 God  shall  lift  up  thy  head." 
 
 Mrs.  Chadwick,  of  Halifax,  was  mother  of  Mrs.  Atmore,  wife 
 of  the  Rev.  Charles  Atmore.  For  more  than  forty  years  she 
 was  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Society,  during  which  time  she 
 had  to  endure  many  hardships,  privations,  and  much  suffering, 
 but  her  faith  in  God  failed  not ;  when  more  than  four-score 
 years  old,  she  was  attacked  by  cholera,  from  which  she  did  not 
 recover.  In  the  midst  of  much  pain,  she  said  to  Mrs.  Atmore, 
 "  My  dear,  I  feel  my  mind  very  low  and  much  depressed,  but 
 that  verse  is  just  come  with  much  sweetness  to  my  soul — 
 
 **  Give  to  the  winds  thy  fears  ; 
 Hope,  and  be  undismay'd  ; 
 God  hears  thy  sighs,  and  counts  thy  tears  ; 
 God  shall  lift  up  thy  head." 
 
 Then  she  added,  "He  will  lift  up  my  head  for  ever!"     This 
 
486  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  83 1. 
 
 seemed  to  be  her  last  conflict,  and  shortly  afterwards  she  peace- 
 fully passed  away,  26th  September,  181 5,  aged  eighty-two. 
 
 In  accordance  with  Mr.  Wesley's  advice  and  custom,  Henry 
 Ridley,  even  when  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Society,  regularly 
 attended  the  Sunday-morning  service  in  the  Church  of  England. 
 For  nearly  sixty  years,  Wesleyan  ministers  were  welcomed 
 under  his  roof  for  their  Master's  sake,  and  for  thirty  years  he 
 faithfully  served  the  office  of  class-leader.  He  was  greatly 
 attached  to  the  means  of  grace,  and  in  his  later  years  was  a 
 most  diligent  reader  of  the  Word  of  God.  He  was  seized  with 
 illness  on  leaving  the  house  of  God  on  the  Sabbath,  and  though 
 called  to  pass  through  a  severe  but  short  illness,  he  murmured 
 not.  He  knew  that  he  was  dying,  and  shortly  before  the  end 
 came,  after  one  of  his  painful  attacks,  he  exclaimed,  "Jesus  is 
 my  Rock,  and  He    is    a   sure  foundation."     Several  times  he 
 
 repeated — 
 
 "  Let  us  in  life,  in  death, 
 
 Thy  steadfast  truth  declare, 
 And  publish  with  our  latest  breath 
 Thy  love  and  guardian  care." 
 
 His  ransomed  spirit  escaped  to  paradise,  27th  February,  1850, 
 aged  eighty-two,  shortly  after  he  had  breathed  the  prayer, 
 "  Lord  Jesus,  into  Thy  hands  I  commend  my  spirit,  soul, 
 and  body." 
 
 The  Rev.  Isaac  Bradnack,  Wesleyan  Missionary,  born  near 
 Birmingham,  in  1774,  was  early  converted  to  God,  joined  the 
 Methodist  Society,  and  became  a  useful  missionary'.  His  last 
 years  he  spent  in  England.  During  his  illness,  when  strength 
 had  failed  him,  he  saw  his  daughter  Elizabeth  by  his  bedside 
 weeping.  Suddenly  he  turned  to  her,  and  with  an  earnest  look 
 he  said,  "  My  dear  Betsy,  why  are  you  weeping  ? — 
 
 "  *  Give  to  the  winds  your  fears  ; 
 Hope,  and  be  undismay'd  ; 
 God  hears  thy  sighs,  and  counts  thy  tears ; 
 God  shall  lift  up  thy  head.'  " 
 
 He  then  conversed  on  sanctification,  emphasising  "purify  — 
 purify  ! "  then  with  energy  he  said — 
 
 **  The  fire  our  graces  shall  refine.'* 
 
 And  soon  afterwards,  at  Gravesend,  6th  October,  1833,  he 
 entered  into  rest,  aged  fifty-nine  years. 
 
HYMN  837.         METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  487 
 
 Hymn  832. — Away,  my  needless  fears." — In  Danger  of  Losing 
 his  Friends, 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  being  No.  225  in  "  Hymns  and  Sacred 
 Poems,"  1749,  vol.  ii.  The  original  is  in  ten  double  stanzas,  of 
 which  seven  are  left  out.     It  was  formerly  No.  675. 
 
 Hymn  833.—"  Unprofitable  all  and  vain." 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  written  as  a  rendering  of  Matthew  vi. 
 27-32,  but  is  so  much  disarranged  as  to  be  but  an  imperfect 
 representation  of  four  of  the  author's  Gospel  Hymns — namely. 
 No.  124,  the  second  half  of  125,  first  half  of  128,  and  the  first 
 half  of  126. 
 
 Hymn  834.—"  I  seek  Thy  kingdom  first." — Matthew  vi.  ^-^i. 
 
 New,  and  forms  Nos.  129,  130  of  Charles  Wesley's  "Gospel 
 Hymns  ; "  "  Works,"  vol.  x.,  p.  190. 
 
 Hymn  835. — "The  past  no  longer  in  my  power." — 
 Matthew  vi.  34. 
 Forms  Nos.  131,  132  of  Charles  Wesley's  "Gospel  Hymns  ;" 
 "Works,"  vol.  X.,  p.  191. 
 
 Hymn  836. — "  Feeble  in  body  and  in  mind." — In  U?icertainty. 
 Written  by  Charles  Wesley,  and  published  in  1749  with  the 
 title  "  In  Uncertainty."  Had  it  been  written  on  purpose  for  the 
 times  in  which  we  live,  it  could  not  more  appropriately  admonish 
 the  erring,  or  direct  wanderers  from  worldliness  to  the  true 
 source  of  righteousness  and  peace. 
 
 Hymn  837. — "  Thy  way,  not  mine,  O  Lord  ! " 
 This  hymn  we  owe  to  the  pen  of  the  Rev.  Horatius  Bonar, 
 D.D.,  one  of  the  most  eminent  religious  writers  of  Scotland. 
 He  was  born  at  Edinburgh  in  1808,  and  educated  in  that  city. 
 In  1837  he  was  ordained  in  the  Scotch  Church,  and  became  the 
 minister  at  Kelso,  where,  in  1839,  ^^  began  to  issue  the  Kelso 
 Tracts,  which  became  very  popular,  and  opened  his  way  to 
 other  spheres  of  much  greater  usefulness  by  his  pen.  His  larger 
 works  in  prose  are  "The  Night  of  Weeping,"  "The  Morning  of 
 Joy,"  "Prophetic  Landmarks,"  "Eternal  Day,"  "Man,"  "The 
 Story  of  Grace,"   "The   Land  of  Promise,"  "The  Desert  of 
 
488  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  839. 
 
 Sinai,"  "God's  Way  of  Peace,"  and  "God's  Way  of  Holiness," 
 and  indicate  something  of  the  useful  character  of  his  life.  His 
 earlier  poems  are  published  in  three  series  of  "  Hymns  of  Faith 
 and  Hope,"  1857-1861,  some  of  which  have  found  their  way  into 
 the  most  popular  hymnals  of  our  time.  Dr.  Bonar,  at  the  Dis- 
 ruption in  1843,  came  out  with  those  men  of  high  moral  dignity 
 who  formed  the  Free  Church  of  Scotland.  The  original  is  in 
 seven  four-line  verses  :  the  sixth  verse  is  omitted ;  it  is  as  follows — 
 "  Choose  Thou  for  me  my  friends, 
 
 My  sickness  or  my  health  ; 
 Choose  Thou  my  cares  for  me, 
 
 My  poverty  or  wealth." 
 
 Hymn  838.—"  Thou  doest  all  things  well." 
 
 This  is  a  vivid  life-picture  of  the  patient  sufferings  of  the  Rev. 
 W.  M.  Bunting.  During  his  last  visit  to  the  city,  on  a  cold, 
 dreary  November  day,  he  spent  two  hours  in  delightful  conver- 
 sation with  the  present  writer,  blending  with  many  joyous 
 utterances  the  sorrows  which  pain  and  feebleness  brought  with 
 them.  This  hymn  seems  to  embody  many  of  the  thoughts  he 
 then  uttered  with  deep  feeling. 
 
 Hymn  839.—"  Guide  me,  O  Thou  great  Jehovah." 
 
 This  is  a  stirring  genuine  Welsh  hymn,  written  in  that 
 language  by  William  Williams,  by  whom  it  was  translated  into 
 English,  although  some  say  the  translation  was  made  by  William 
 Evans.  The  Rev.  W.  Williams  was  born  in  17 17,  near  Llando- 
 very, Carmarthen,  and  in  early  life  he  studied  medicine,  which 
 he  soon  abandoned  for  theology.  He  took  deacon's  orders  in 
 the  Church  of  England  ;  but,  after  a  sermon  by  Howell  Harris 
 in  Tolgarth  churchyard,  he  gave  himself  to  the  work  of  an 
 ev^angelist  amongst  the  Calvinistic  Methodists  in  Wales.  For 
 half-a-centuiy  the  Welsh  people  gathered  round  him  in  or  out 
 of  doors  wherever  he  preached,  and  his  ministrations  were  made 
 a  blessing  to  thousands  of  his  countrymen.  He  wrote  many 
 hymns,  which  are  still  extensively  used  by  the  Welsh  people  in 
 the  several  books  he  published.  Those  which  have  been  trans- 
 lated into  English  have  been  collected  and  published  in  a  volume 
 by  Mr.  D.  Sedgwick.  Mr.  Williams  died  nth  January,  1791, 
 aged  seventy-four  years.  This  hymn  has  four  verses,  the  last  of 
 which  is  omitted.     It  is  as  follows — 
 
HYMN  839.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  489 
 
 "  Musing  on  my  habitation, 
 
 Musing  on  my  heavenly  home, 
 Fills  my  soul  with  holy  longing, 
 Come,  my  Jesus,  quickly  come. 
 Vanity  is  all  I  see  ; 
 Lord,  I  long  to  be  with  Thee  ! " 
 
 The  venerable  Richard  Knill,  the  missionary,  born  at  Braunton, 
 in  April,  1787,  was  converted  to  God  in  his  youth,  and  entered 
 the  ministry.  He  it  was  who  delivered  the  prophecy  to  the 
 youthful  C,  H.  Spurgeon  of  his  future  distinction  as  a  preacher. 
 Mr.  Knill  died  in  1857,  aged  seventy  years.  During  the  last 
 month  of  his  life,  he  frequently  said  to  his  daughter,  ''  I  cannot 
 sing  ;  sing  for  me  my  favourite  hymn — 
 
 "  '  Guide  me,  O  Thou  great  Jehovah.'  " 
 
 And  so,  seated  at  the  piano,  she  would  sing  the  hymn  through  to 
 the  tune  Rousseau's  Dream.     He  would  always  try  to  join  in 
 
 the  last  verse — 
 
 "  When  I  tread  the  verge  of  Jordan, 
 Bid  my  anxious  fears  subside  ;  " 
 
 and  when  he  was  too  feeble  to  get  through  the  whole,  he  never 
 missed  the  last  two  lines — 
 
 "  Songs  of  praises 
 I  will  ever  give  to  Thee." 
 
 In  his  delirium  he  said,  "  They  sent  me  to  preach  to  the  heathen 
 the  unsearchable  riches  of  Christ,  and  I  did  it."  His  last  words 
 were,  "  I  believe  my  Saviour  will  say  to  me — Well  done  ! " 
 
 Ann  Grieve  Fletcher,  born  at  Little  Lever,  Lancashire,  in  1822, 
 had  in  early  life  only  the  religious  advantages  of  the  Methodist 
 Sunday  school ;  her  parents  were  worldly.  She  gave  her  heart 
 to  God  in  her  youth,  and  maintained  a  consistent  Christian  pro- 
 fession to  the  end  of  her  days.  She  died  in  January,  1845,  aged 
 twenty-three  years.  At  the  last  class-meeting  but  one  which 
 she  attended,  she  was  called  on  to  close  the  meeting  with  prayer, 
 after  which  they  sang  the  hymn  which  was  the  record  of  her 
 experience — 
 
 "  Guide  me,  O  Thou  great  Jehovah, 
 Pilgrim  through  this  barren  land  ; 
 I  am  weak,  but  Thou  art  mighty, 
 Hold  me  with  Thy  powerful  hand ; 
 
 Bread  of  heaven, 
 Feed  me  till  I  want  no  more." 
 
490  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  839. 
 
 The  eccentric  Christmas  Evans  once  spoke  a  stirring  allegory, 
 in  which  he  makes  the  singing  of  this  hymn  the  means  of  spoil- 
 ing the  enemy  of  souls  of  his  prey. 
 
 Mrs.  Elizabeth  Amelia  Rennard  was  born  near  Truro,  9th 
 April,  1825.  She  was  a  child  of  godly  Methodist  parents.  Her 
 father,  Mr.  John  Michell,  was  an  acceptable  local  preacher  in  the 
 Truro  Circuit  for  nearly  fifty  years.  In  her  father's  house  the 
 ministers  and  local  preachers  found  a  welcome  home  for  forty 
 years.  All  the  surroundings  of  her  childhood  and  youth  were 
 of  a  religious  nature.  When  about  eighteen  years  of  age,  under 
 the  ministry  of  the  Rev.  Robert  Young,  Miss  Michell  was 
 brought  under  the  power  of  divine  grace.  Having  time  at  her 
 command,  and  possessed  of  some  means  of  doing  good,  she  was, 
 while  yet  young,  a  messenger  of  kindly  help  to  many  homes. 
 Her  visits  to  the  sick  and  aged  are  still  spoken  of  with  respectful 
 affection  in  the  neighbourhood  of  her  early  home.  In  the  year 
 1862  she  was  married  to  the  Rev.  Andrew  Rennard,  and  for 
 over  twenty  years  it  was  her  delight  to  render  help  both  in  the 
 family  and  to  the  cause  of  God.  Her  last  affliction  was  short 
 and  mysterious,  but  it  was  marked  by  submission  to  the  will  of 
 God.  During  her  illness  she  remarked,  "  I  am  not  afraid  to 
 die  ;  but,  if  it  pleases  our  Heavenly  Father,  I  should  like  to 
 have  greater  joy.  Pray  for  me  that  I  may  feel  veiy  happy."  A 
 verse  in  the  839th  Hymn  was  much  in  her  thoughts  the  last 
 three  days  and  nights.  It  had  been  sung  by  an  audience  a 
 little  while  before,  having  been  thrown  on  a  screen  at  a  magic 
 lantern  exhibition,  and  was  sung  from  the  screen — 
 
 "  When  I  tread  the  verge  of  Jordan, 
 Bid  my  anxious  fears  subside  ; 
 Death  of  death,  and  hell's  destruction, 
 Land  me  safe  on  Canaan's  side  ; 
 
 Songs  of  praises 
 I  will  ever  give  to  Thee." 
 
 She  died,  happy  in  the  Lord,  19th  Januaiy,  1883,  aged  fifty-seven 
 years.  Many  friends  accompanied  her  remains  to  the  Shepton 
 Mallet  Cemetery,  Canon  Pratt  facilitating  her  being  laid  in  the 
 exact  spot  she  had  chosen.  On  the  following  Sabbath,  the 
 Rev.  S.  Shrimpton  preached  her  funeral  sermon  to  a  large 
 congregation. 
 
HYMN  842.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  49 1 
 
 Hymn  840. — "  In  every  time  and  place." — "  Get  thee  out  of  thy 
 country." 
 A  new  hymn  by  Charles  Wesley,  based  on  Acts  vii.  3,  although 
 by  an  editorial  oversight  Gen.  xii.  i  is  placed  to  it.  The  text  is 
 the  same  in  both  verses,  but  in  the  author's  "  Poetical  Works," 
 vol.  xii.,  page  201,  the  hymn  is  printed  as  No.  2485  of  "  Hymns 
 on  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles." 
 
 Hymn  841. — "My  God,  my  Father  !  while  I  stray." — "  Thy  will 
 be  doneP 
 
 This  is  a  well-known  hymn  by  Charlotte  Elliott,  which  is 
 found  in  most  modern  hymnals.  The  pious  author,  during  her 
 long  life  of  more  than  fourscore  years,  outlived  most  of  her 
 friends.  Her  own  brother  Henr}',  she  had  hoped  would  have 
 survived  her,  and  ministered  to  her  in  her  last  hours,  but  when 
 in  1865  he  died  before  her,  her  gentle  spirit  quailed  under  the 
 bereavement.  She  often  said  his  removal  changed  the  aspect 
 of  her  life,  yet  she  meekly  submitted  to  the  heavy  stroke  from 
 her  loving  Father's  hand,  and  she  sang  in  the  language  of  the 
 two  omitted  verses  of  this  hymn  : — 
 
 "  What  though  in  lonely  grief  I  sigh 
 For  friends  beloved  no  longer  nigh, 
 Submissive  still  would  I  reply, 
 
 Thy  will  be  done. 
 Though  Thou  hast  called  me  to  resign 
 What  most  I  prized,  it  ne'er  was  mine, 
 I  have  but  yielded  what  was  Thine, 
 
 Thy  will  be  done." 
 
 It  was  not  justice  to  the  author  to  omit  these  verses. 
 
 Hymn  842. — "Father,  I  know  that  all  my  life." — The  life  of  love. 
 
 From  a  i2mo  vol.  of  "Hymns  and  Meditations,"  by  A.  L.  W., 
 published  in  1853.  The  initials  represent  Anna  Letitia  Waring, 
 whose  father  was  Elijah  Waring,  of  Neath,  Glamorganshire, 
 where  his  daughter  was  born,  and  where  she  continues  to  reside. 
 This  hymn  has  become  an  established  favourite,  and  has  a 
 place  in  Sir  Roundell  Palmer's  "  Book  of  Praise,"  and  other 
 hymnals.  There  is  the  charm  of  nature  and  of  simplicity  about 
 this  hymn  which  will  secure  for  it  many  admirers.  Her  uncle, 
 Samuel  Miller  Waring,  has  written  and  pubHshed  some  hymns. 
 
492  METHODIST  HVMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  845. 
 
 Hymn  843.— "  Father,  whatc'cr  of  earthly  bhss."— 77/^  Request. 
 
 The  second  of  four  of  Miss  Steele's  hymns  in  the  Collection. 
 The  ori*^inal  has  ten  verses,  with  the  title  "  Desiring  resignation 
 and  thankfulness."  The  first  seven  verses  are  omitted.  It 
 commences  with  "  When  I  survey  life's  varied  stream."  Mr.  D. 
 Sedgwick  published  the  best  collection  of  Miss  Steele's  hymns. 
 
 Hymn  844.—"  It  is  the  Lord  !  enthroned  in  light."—"  It  is  the 
 Lord''' — I  Sam.  iii.  18. 
 
 This  was  written  by  Mr.  Thomas  Green,  and  first  published 
 by  him  in  a  volume  of  "  Hymns  and  Poems  on  various  subjects, 
 chiefly  Sacred,"  ist  edition,  1780;  2nd  edition,  1802.  He  was 
 a  farmer  who  resided  at  Ware,  Herts,  and  belonged  to  the 
 Congregational  Church  in  that  place  in  1778,  when  its  members 
 were  divided  by  Arian  heresy.  Mr.  Green  seceded  with  those 
 who  held  Independent  doctrines;  %2,\^  £\oo  towards  building 
 a  new  chapel,  and  freely  supported  that  cause  whilst  he  lived. 
 His  verses  have  a  pleasing  smoothness  with  them,  and  have  but 
 little  other  merit.  There  are  many  better  hymns  which  would 
 have  well  supplied  its  place. 
 
 Hymn  845. — "  God  moves  in  a  mysterious  way." — Light 
 shining  in  Darkness. 
 
 Written  by  William  Cowper,  No.  15  in  "  Olney  Hymns," 
 book  iii.,  1779. 
 
 Few  hymns  have  been  so  frequently  used  as  this  in  times  of 
 trial  and  affliction,  and  few  have  been  so  much  used  as  a  means 
 of  comfort  and  consolation.  The  title  gives  the  summary  of 
 the  history  of  the  hymn.  James  Montgomery  describes  it  as  "a 
 lyric  of  high  tone  and  character,  and  rendered  awfully  interesting 
 by  the  circumstances  under  which  it  was  written — in  the  twilight 
 of  departing  reason."  They  may  be  thus  briefly  stated.  Partly 
 from  pecuniary  difficulty,  and  partly  from  deep  remorse  on 
 account  of  sin,  Cowper  had  to  be  placed  under  the  care  of  Dr. 
 Cotton  as  a  lunatic.  He  partially  recovered,  and  was  allowed 
 his  freedom.  Even  then  he  was  occasionally  so  much  depressed 
 as  to  be  a  source  of  anxiety  to  his  friends.  In  one  of  those 
 attacks  of  mental  derangement,  he  unhappily  believed  that  the 
 divine  will  was  that  he  should  drown  himself  in  the  river  Thames. 
 Then  only  thirty-one  years  old,  he  called  for  a  chaise,  and 
 ordered  the  driver  to  take  him  to  the  Tower  Wharf,  intending, 
 
HYMN  845.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  493 
 
 as  he  records,  "  to  throw  myself  into  the  river  from  the  Custom- 
 House  Quay.  I  left  the  coach  at  the  Tower  Wharf,  intending 
 never  to  return  to  it.  But  I  found  the  water  low,  and  a  porter 
 seated  on  some  goods,  as  if  intended  to  prevent  me.  This 
 passage  to  the  bottomless  pit  being  mercifully  shut  against  me, 
 I  returned  to  the  coach,  and  ordered  the  man  to  drive  me  back 
 to  the  Temple."  Thus  the  snare  was  broken.  Cowper  escaped 
 the  temptation,  and  immediately  he  sat  down  and  wrote  the 
 hymn,  which  was  to  him  in  reality  "  light  shining  out  of  dark- 
 ness." It  has  ministered  comfort  to  thousands,  and  will  yet 
 afford  consolation  to  thousands  of  others  for  many  generations. 
 A  few  writers  affirm  that  it  was  the  river  Ouse  in  which  he 
 proposed  to  drown  himself.  The  foregoing  account  is  believed 
 to  be  correct. 
 
 The  late  Rev.  Hugh  Stowell,  of  Manchester,  at  a  pubHc 
 meeting,  related  an  incident  which  very  touchingly  illustrates 
 this  hymn  of  Cowper's.  One  of  the  Lancashire  mill-owners, 
 who  had  struggled  long  to  keep  his  hands  employed  during  the 
 cotton  famine  arising  from  the  American  war,  1865,  at  last 
 found  it  impossible  to  proceed ;  and  calling  his  workpeople 
 together,  told  them  that  he  should  be  compelled,  after  the  usual 
 notice,  to  close  his  mills.  The  news  was  received  with  sadness 
 and  sympathy  ;  to  them  it  meant  privation  and  suffering,  to 
 him  it  might  be  ruin.  None  cared  to  speak  in  reply ;  when 
 suddenly  aros.e  the  voice  of  song  from  one  of  the  girls,  who 
 was  a  Sunday-school  teacher ;  she,  feeling  it  to  be  an  occasion 
 requiring  divine  help  and  guidance,  gave  out  the  verse  of 
 Cowper's  hymn — 
 
 "  Ye  fearful  saints,  fresh  courage  take, 
 The  clouds  ye  so  much  dread 
 Are  big  with  mercy,  and  shall  break 
 In  blessings  on  your  head." 
 
 All  the  mill-hands  joined   in   singing  the  verse  amidst  deep 
 emotion,  sympathy,  and  tears. 
 
 Few  persons  have  had  a  better  parentage,  a  better  training, 
 better  companions,  or  a  better  end  of  life,  than  the  Rev.  Joseph 
 Entwisle  the  second.  When  a  scholar  at  Kingswood  School, 
 at  the  age  of  ten,  he  became  the  subject  of  saving  grace,  and 
 maintained  his  piety  throughout  a  long  life.  At  the  age  of 
 twenty-five  he  was  received  into  the  Wesleyan  ministry,  having 
 been  preceded  by  a  father  of  the  same  name,  one  of  the  most 
 
494  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  845. 
 
 handsome,  holy,  useful,  and  venerable  of  men.  The  son,  like 
 his  sire,  carried  his  religion  into  everything,  and  lived  as  one 
 who  had  habitual  communion  with  God.  In  1864  he  was 
 travelling  in  the  Yeadon  Circuit,  and  one  Thursday  evening  he 
 was  preaching  at  Moorside.  He  had  just  given  out  the  second 
 two  lines  of  the  first  hymn  for  the  service — 
 
 "  God  moves  in  a  mysterious  way,"  Sec, 
 
 and  whilst  the  congregation  was  singing  the  fourth  line  of  the 
 
 verse — 
 
 "  And  rides  upon  the  storm," 
 
 the  preacher  quietly  sank  down  in  the  pulpit,  breathed  a  few 
 times,  and  then  his  meek  and  quiet  spirit  passed  away,  to  be  for 
 ever  with  Him  "who  rides  upon  the  storm,"  who  is  "His  own 
 interpreter,"  and  who  will  in  His  own  good  time  make  all  such 
 dispensations  "plain." 
 
 Thomas  Townsend  was  a  Methodist  trustee,  class-leader,  and 
 Sunday-school  superintendent  in  the  Birmingham  West  Circuit. 
 For  nearly  thirty  years  he  led  a  consistent  Christian  life.  The 
 last  time  he  met  his  class  he  spoke  much  of  the  uncertainty  of 
 life,  and  at  the  close  they  sang  together — 
 
 "  God  moves  in  a  mysterious  way, 
 His  wonders  to  perform,"  (Sec. 
 
 The  next  day,  by  an  accident,  his  leg  was  broken ;  and  after 
 much  suffering,  borne  with  great  patience,  he  entered  into  life 
 eternal.  A  great  concourse  of  Sunday-school  friends  and  the 
 members  of  his  class  followed  him  to  the  grave,  where  the 
 Rev.  George  Scott  delivered  an  impressive  address.  He  died 
 5th  October,  1855. 
 
 A  young  mother  lay  dying.  Beside  her  bed  a  girl  of  three, 
 and  her  only  son,  aged  two  years,  were  brought  to  kiss  mamma. 
 An  unconscious  babe  lay  on  the  bed  near  her.  Mary  Porter 
 was  a  pious  Methodist,  of  a  wealthy  family  in  Orange  County, 
 Virginia.  A  hymn  of  Cowper's,  which  had  been  her  favourite 
 in  health,  shed  inexpressible  comfort  around  her  dying  bed. 
 After  repeating  it  with  fervency,  she  prayed  that  her  only  son 
 might  become  a  useful  minister  in  the  Methodist  Church.  Then 
 with  perfect  confidence  she  repeated  these  two  lines — 
 "  God  moves  in  a  mysterious  way, 
 His  wonders  to  perform  ; " 
 
 and  before  she  could  proceed  further  her  spirit  was  borne  by 
 
HYMN  846.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  495 
 
 angels  to  heaven.  The  mystery  was  then  solved.  Twenty-five 
 years  afterwards,  a  young  Methodist  minister,  on  his  first  circuit, 
 was  sent  for  to  visit  an  aged  Christian  lady  who  had  witnessed 
 the  scene  at  his  mother's  death-bed.  She  longed  to  look  in 
 the  face  of  her  dear  friend's  infant  son,  and  see  the  fulfilment 
 of  the  promise  in  which  his  dying  mother  had  trusted.  God 
 had  indeed  moved  in  a  mysterious  way  to  bring  the  orphan  lad, 
 through  dangers  and  privations,  to  become  a  Methodist  minister. 
 Among  the  revered  names  on  Virginia's  and  Missouri's  roll  of 
 gifted  sons,  none  stands  higher  than  that  of  the  Rev.  William 
 Andrew  Smith,  D.D.,  President  and  Theological  Professor  at 
 Randolf-Macon  College.  He  was  born  in  1802,  entered  the 
 ministry  in  1825,  passed  forty-four  years  in  every  variety  of 
 labour  in  his  Church,  and  took  many  occasions  during  his 
 ministry  to  refer  with  tender  emotion  to  his  sainted  mother's 
 favourite  hymn,  and  her  trusting  faith  that  God  would 
 
 "  Treasure  up  His  bright  design, 
 And  work  His  sovereign  will." 
 
 Hymn  846. — "  Since  all  the  downward  tracks  of  time." 
 
 This  is  the  only  one  in  the  book  written  by  the  Rev.  James 
 Hervey,  A.M.,  and  was  first  published  about  the  year  1741  in 
 his  "  Meditations."  He  was  born  at  Hardingstone,  near 
 Collingtree,  Northampton,  in  February,  17 13,  at  which  place  his 
 father,  the  Rev.  William  Hervey,  was  the  rector.  James  com- 
 menced his  education  at  Northampton,  and  afterwards  entered 
 Lincoln  College,  Oxford,  about  1733,  and  had  the  Rev.  John 
 Wesley  for  his  tutor.  He  was  a  member  of  the  original  com- 
 pany of  Methodists  in  that  University.  He  left  Oxford  in  1736, 
 and  became  curate  at  Stoke  Abbey,  in  Devon,  for  two  and 
 a-half  years.  There  he  commenced  writing  his  "  Meditations 
 among  the  Tombs,"  and  his  "  Reflections  in  a  Flower  Garden," 
 which  he  published  about  1741.  These  works  have  found 
 admirers  and  readers  for  more  than  a  century,  and  by  that 
 means  this  hymn  has  become  known  to  thousands  of  people. 
 The  second  verse  especially  has  become  a  great  favourite  with 
 Christians  in  times  of  trial — 
 
 "  Good  when  He  gives,  supremely  good  ! 
 
 Nor  less  when  He  denies  : 
 Even  crosses  in  His  sovereign  hand 
 
 Are  blessings  in  disguise." 
 
496  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  847. 
 
 In  1740  Mr.  Hervcy  was  appointed  Curate  of  Bideford,  and 
 during  the  three  years  he  resided  there  he  experienced  a  change 
 of  heart.  His  ministerial  life  ever  after  gave  evidence  of  the 
 spiritual  vitality  of  his  mind.  At  this  period  consumption  set 
 in,  from  which  he  continued  to  suflfer  to  the  end  of  his  life.  In 
 1743  he  returned  to  his  native  air,  and  became  his  father's 
 curate  until  May,  1752,  when  his  father  died,  and  the  son  was 
 appointed  his  successor.  Failing  health  obliged  him  to  give  up 
 the  living  of  Collingtree,  and  confine  himself  to  the  rectory  of 
 Weston  Favel.  From  1750  to  1752  he  resided  in  London,  to 
 have  the  best  medical  attention.  He  resided  with  his  brother 
 in  Miles  Lane,  and  one  winter  he  spent  in  the  house  of  his 
 attached  friend  the  Rev.  George  Whitefield.  From  1752  he 
 lived  at  Weston  Favel,  where  his  piety,  benevolence,  and  zeal 
 made  his  ministry  a  blessing  to  multitudes.  He  continued  to 
 preach  till  extreme  feebleness  obliged  him  to  rest,  and  he 
 peacefully  expired  at  Weston,  25th  September,  1758,  aged  forty- 
 four  years.  Mr.  Hervey's  name  will  ever  be  associated  with 
 those  of  the  first  Methodists  at  Oxford. 
 
 Hymn  847. — "  Oft  in  danger,  oft  in  woe." — "  A  good  soldier  of 
 Jestis  Christ.^'' 
 
 This  has  become  familiar  to  most  English  readers,  without 
 their  knowing  that  its  author  was  the  gentle  and  accompHshed 
 Henry  Kirke  White,  whose  early  developed  genius  and  refined 
 taste  have  added  honour  to  his  native  town  of  Nottingham. 
 His  father  was  a  butcher,  who  had  a  small  shop,  at  the  end  of 
 the  market-place.  The  house  is  still  marked  by  the  portrait  of 
 the  poet  being  fixed  on  its  front.  He  was  born  21st  March, 
 1785.  As  a  boy  he  was  first  employed  as  a  stocking- weaver, 
 but  as  early  genius  was  developed,  he  was  taken  as  a  clerk  to 
 an  attorney.  At  the  age  of  eighteen  he  published  a  volume  of 
 his  poems  which  attracted  public  attention,  and  won  for  the 
 author  the  admiration  of  Robert  Southey.  The  Rev.  Charles 
 Simeon  secured  for  him  a  sizarship  in  St.  John  College,  Cam- 
 bridge, with  the  hope  of  his  entering  the  Church,  but  after  two 
 years'  study  his  feeble  constitution  gave  way,  and  he  died  19th 
 October,  1806,  in  his  twenty-first  year.  His  "Remains"  were 
 collected  and  edited  by  Dr.  Southey,  and  published  in  three 
 thin   octavo   vols.      This   hymn   was   commenced,    "  Much   in 
 
HYMN  848.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  497 
 
 sorrow,  oft  in  woe,"  but  it  was  left  in  an  unfinished  state,  and 
 Miss  Fanny  S.  F.  Maitland  completed  it,  and  published  it  in  a 
 selection  of  her  own  in  1827. 
 
 Lieut.-Colonel  Holcombe  entered  the  army  in  the  early  part 
 of  the  century,  when  religion  was  almost  unknown  in  military 
 circles.  He  became  converted,  and  exemplified  a  Christian 
 deportment  in  life.  During  his  last  illness  he  found  much 
 comfort  by  frequently  repeating  the  hymn — 
 
 '*  Oft  in  danger,  oft  in  woe, 
 Onward  Christians,  onward  go." 
 
 But  his  daily  prayer,  night  and  morning,  was  expressed  in 
 Charles  Wesley's  hymn — 
 
 *' Jesus,  lover  of  my  soul, 
 
 Let  me  to  Thy  bosom  fly." 
 
 Hymn  848.—"  Nearer,  my  God,  to  Thee!" 
 
 This  hymn  has  obtained  wide  popularity,  but  it  would  have 
 been  still  more  extensively  used  had  not  fear  been  awakened  in 
 many  minds  owing  to  Mrs.  Adams,  its  author,  being  a  Unitarian. 
 Sarah  Fuller  Flower  was  the  daughter  of  Benjamin  Flower,  an 
 eminent  politician,  editor  and  proprietor  of  the  Ca?nbridge 
 Intelligencer^  who,  being  early  left  a  widower,  himself  conducted 
 the  education  of  his  two  daughters,  of  whom  Sarah  was  the 
 younger,  born  22nd  Februar}',  1805.  In  early  life  she  manifested 
 a  taste  for  literature,  and  contributed  both  prose  and  verse  to 
 some  of  the  periodicals  of  the  day  during  her  whole  life.  In 
 1834,  when  residing  with  her  sister  at  Clapton,  she  became  the 
 wife  of  Mr.  William  Bridges  Adams,  an  eminent  engineer,  who 
 was  himself  a  contributor  to  the  press.  Naturally  of  a  delicate 
 constitution,  her  health  was  enfeebled  by  watching  over  her 
 sister,  who  died  of  consumption  in  1847.  From  the  shock  then 
 endured  she  never  recovered,  and  the  same  disease  carried  her 
 off  13th  August,  1849.  She  was  attached  to  the  Unitarians, 
 and  wrote  for  them  a  catechism  for  children  interspersed  with 
 hymns,  entitled  "The  Flock  at  the  Fountain."  In  a  volume  of 
 "  Hymns  and  Anthems,"  published  by  Mr.  Charles  Fox,  of 
 Paternoster  Row,  she  contributed  thirteen  pieces,  one  of  which 
 was  this  hymn.  It  contains  nothing  of  Christ,  but  to  those  who 
 have  Christ  in  their  hearts  it  has  many  times  been  made  a  bless- 
 ing.    The  editors  of  the  Baptist  Hymn  Book,  for  the  sake  of 
 
 2  I 
 
49^  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  848. 
 
 retaining  verses  so  beautiful  in  themselves,  added  to  it  a  sixth 
 verse,  which  was  written  by  the  Rev.  Arthur  Tozer  Russell,  and 
 is  as  follows — 
 
 "  Christ  alone  beareth  me, 
 Where  Thou  dost  shine  ; 
 Joint  heir  He  maketh  me 
 
 Of  the  divine. 
 In  Christ  my  soul  shall  be 
 Nearest,  my  God,  to  Thee, 
 Nearest  to  thee  !  " 
 
 The  close  of  the  life  of  Mrs.  Adams  is  thus  described  :  "She 
 wore  away,  almost  her  last  breath  bursting  into  unconscious 
 song  as  the  gentle  spirit  glided  from  its  beautiful  frame."  She 
 was  interred  in  the  Foster  Street  burial  ground,  near  Harlow, 
 Essex. 
 
 A  writer  in  the  Nashville  Christian  Advocate,  January,  1878, 
 relates  the  following  reminiscence  of  Bishop  Marvin  :  "  The 
 Bishop,  at  a  prayer  meeting  he  had  conducted,  stated  that  he 
 had  recently  been  travelling  in  the  wilds  of  Arkansas — his  mind 
 was  oppressed,  his  heart  sad.  He  had  been  driven  from  his 
 family  and  home  by  the  invading  foe,  and  could  not  hear  of 
 their  welfare,  and  it  seemed  to  him  that  clouds  and  darkness 
 had  completely  enveloped  him.  In  this  state  of  heart  he 
 approached  an  old  log-cabin  in  a  very  dilapidated  condition. 
 As  he  drew  nearer  he  distinguished  the  sound  of  some  female 
 singing— 
 
 ** '  Nearer,  my  God,  to  Thee.' 
 
 He  at  once  alighted  and  went  in,  for  the  sound  seemed  to  enter 
 his  very  soul.  He  there  found  the  singer,  a  poor  old  widow 
 woman,  in  the  midst  of  poverty,  but  who  was  happy  in  spite  of 
 her  loneliness  and  want.  He  felt  and  said  that  if  an  old  widow 
 in  such  want  could  sing  such  a  song  that  certainly  he  could. 
 He  gave  to  the  wind  his  fears — his  full  confidence  in  an  over- 
 ruling Providence  w^as  brought  into  lively  exercise,  and  from 
 that  day  he  went  on  singing — 
 
 "  '  Nearer,  my  God,  to  Thee.' 
 
 This  simple  personal  narrative  made  a  deeper  impression  on  my 
 mind  than  even  the  rich  sermons  he  preached,  and  with  which 
 I  was  delighted." 
 
 A  Christian  minister  in  the  north  of  England  was  asked  to 
 
HYMN  848.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  499 
 
 visit  a  lady  who  was  a  Unitarian.  The  lady  soon  made  known 
 her  anxiety  to  be  saved.  She  said  she  was  brought  up  to  take 
 the  Old  Testament  for  her  guide,  and  to  attend  Unitarian 
 worship.  "  But  looking  to  the  future  all  is  dark.  I  want  to  be 
 right  with  God.  I  want  to  speak  to  God  but  cannot.  I  am 
 like  Job  ;  '  I  go  forward,  but  He  is  not  there  ;  and  backward, 
 but  I  cannot  perceive  Him.'  I  think,  and  try  to  pray,  and  then 
 I  repeat  from  my  heart  a  hymn  I  learnt — 
 
 "  *  Nearer,  my  God,  to  Thee, 
 
 Nearer  to  Thee  ! 
 E'en  though  it  be  a  cross 
 
 That  raiseth  me  ! 
 Still  all  my  song  shall  be, 
 Nearer,  my  God,  to  Thee, 
 
 Nearer  to  Thee  !  " 
 
 What  shall  I  do  ?  "  She  was  advised  to  read  the  Gospel  by  St. 
 John,  and  to  read  with  prayer  and  expectation  that  her  way  to 
 God  would  be  made  plain.  At  the  next  visit  what  a  change 
 there  was  !  St.  John  had  introduced  her  to  Jesus.  "  Oh,  how 
 blessed  !  how  beautiful  !"  said  she  ;  "now  I  have  found  what  I 
 wanted — a  Saviour  !  a  Father  !  my  reconciled  God  through 
 Christ  Jesus  ! " 
 
 Euphemia  M.  Boyd,  of  River  Point,  Rhode  Island,  America, 
 died  1 2th  April,  1882,  aged  sixteen  years.  From  her  childhood 
 she  had  received  religious  instruction.  She  attended  the 
 Methodist  Sunday  School  at  Phenix,  and  meeting  the  minister 
 one  day,  said  she  was  trying  to  be  a  Christian,  and  should  like 
 to  join  the  Church.  Shortly  after  she  was  taken  ill,  and  for  a 
 few  weeks  was  a  great  sufferer,  but  bore  up  with  patience  and 
 resignation.  In  great  weakness,  shortly  before  her  death,  she 
 sang  alone  and  in  full  voice,  to  the  utter  astonishment  of  her 
 physician,  who  sat  by  her  side — 
 
 "  Nearer,  my  God,  to  Thee, 
 
 Nearer  to  Thee  ! 
 E'en  though  it  be  a  cross 
 
 That  raiseth  me  ! 
 Still  all  my  song  shall  be. 
 Nearer,  my  God,  to  Thee, 
 
 Nearer  to  Thee  !  " 
 
 All  fear  was  gone,  and  she  triumphed  in  death  through  the 
 crucified  Jesus.     She  had  not  time  to  join  the  Church  on  earth, 
 
500  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  848. 
 
 but  bade  a  happy  adieu  to  her  parents  and  friends,  and  went  to 
 join  the  Church  triumphant. 
 
 Caleb  C.  Spratt  was  born  at  Geneva,  Wisconsin,  America, 
 February,  1855,  and  died  at  La  Crosse,  Wisconsin,  31st 
 December,  1882.  From  infancy  he  was  familiar  with  Christian 
 duty  and  privileges,  and  was  brought  up  in  a  godly  home.  His 
 parents  and  sisters  were  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
 Church,  but  it  was  not  till  his  last  illness  that  Caleb  realised  a 
 sense  of  sins  forgiven.  After  his  conversion  his  joy  was  great 
 and  continuous.  He  had  especial  pleasure  in  talking  about  the 
 "Old,  old  Story,"  of  "Jesus  and  His  Love,"  and  had  bright 
 visions  of  "the  home  over  there."  Almost  daily  he  would  sing 
 the  hymn,  "  Nearer,  my  God,  to  Thee."  God  called  him  into 
 rest  with  the  closing  hours  of  the  year  1882,  at  the  age  of 
 twenty-seven,  and  it  was  cheering  to  hear  him  repeat  as  life 
 was  ebbing  out — 
 
 "  There  let  the  way  appear 
 Steps  unto  heaven  ; 
 All  that  Thou  send'st  to  me 
 
 In  mercy  given — 
 Angels  to  beckon  me 
 Nearer,  my  God,  to  Thee, 
 Nearer  to  Thee  ! 
 
 From  the  *^ North-Western  Christian  Advocate,  ChicagoP 
 
 Albert  T.  Matthews,  a  native  of  Brunswick  County,  Virginia, 
 born  28th  February,  1821,  converted  in  early  life,  joined  the 
 Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  South,  married  in  1849,  was  a  fine 
 example  of  a  generous  Christian  gentleman  ;  and  a  man  of 
 strong  faith,  who  never  doubted  the  promises  of  God,  and  in 
 prayer  seemed  always  to  be  holding  immediate  converse  with 
 God  ;  a  man  who  yearned  for  the  conversion  of  sinners.  When 
 death  came  he  was  prepared  for  the  summons,  and  shortly 
 before  his  spirit  departed,  his  friends  were  round  his  bed  ;  he 
 asked  them  to  sing,  and  as  the  hallowed  strains  went  up  to 
 heaven  from  sorrowing  hearts — 
 
 "  Nearer  my  God  to  Thee, 
 Nearer  to  Thee," 
 
 his  face  was  lighted  up  with  beaming  brightness,  as  if  he  had  a 
 view  of  the  heavenly  world,  and  in  the  twilight  of  two  worlds  he 
 joyously  passed  away,  saying,  "All  is  well.''  He  died  at  Ireka, 
 Massachusetts,  America,  loth  October,  1882,  aged  sixty-one. 
 
HYMN  850.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  50I 
 
 The    following    Latin  version   will  be  acceptable  to   some 
 readers — 
 
 "  Te,  Deus,  O  liceat  propius  sentire  precanti, 
 Ardua  crux  quamvis  monstret  in  astra  viam. 
 Te,  Deus,  agnoscam  propius,  sunt  verba  canoros 
 Talia  per  cantus  ingeminanda  mihi. 
 '*  Atque  licet,  quse  olim  profugum,  me  luce  peracta 
 Obducant  tenebrae,  nee  nisi  saxa  torus, 
 At,  Deus,  accedas  propius,  dum  membra  quiescunt, 
 Et  mihi  pertentant  somnia  visa  caput. 
 
 "  Ipsa  gradus,  coelum  quo  scandam,  semita  fiat, 
 Quseque  mihi  mittas  dona  benigna  vocem, 
 Ccelicolumque  instar,  qui  me  ad  coelestia  tollant, 
 Te  propius  semper  me  potiente,  Deus. 
 "  Laude  Tua  tum  surgentis  mea  corda  flagrabunt, 
 Atque  Bethel  condet  saxeus  ille  dolor. 
 Inveniam  quo  Te  propius,  moerore  ministro, 
 Vicinoque  magis  Te,  Deus,  usque  fruar. 
 Brighton.  Launcelot  D.  Dowdall. 
 
 Hymn  849. — "  When  gathering  clouds  around  I  view." 
 A  touching  and  devotional  hymn  by  Sir  Robert  Grant. 
 
 Hymn  850. — "  Thou  knowest,  Lord,  the  weariness  and  sorrow." 
 — "  Lord,  Thou  knowest  all  things^ 
 The  composition  of  an  accomplished  Christian  lady  of  Edin- 
 burgh, whose  retiring  spirit  has  kept  her  name  unknown  for  a 
 generation  past,  excepting  by  the  initials  "  H,  L.  L."  Aided  by 
 her  sister,  she  published  in  1854  "Hymns  from  the  Land  of 
 Luther,  translated  from  the  German,"  a  work  which  became 
 popular.  This  work  furnished  the  initials  by  which  she  was 
 known  in  literary  circles  for  many  years.  Her  name  is  Jane 
 Borthwick  ;  she  belongs  to  an  old  and  respectable  Scottish 
 family  ;  her  father,  we  believe,  was  connected  with  the  legal 
 profession.  Miss  Borthwick  contributed  for  many  years  articles 
 in  prose  and  poetry  to  The  Family  Treasury.  She  is  also  the 
 author  of  a  small  volume  of  "  Thoughts  for  Thoughtful  Hours," 
 published  in  1859,  which  has  passed  through  several  editions. 
 Some  have  expressed  doubt  whether  this  hymn  is  adapted  for 
 Methodist  congregations. 
 
502  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  855. 
 
 Hymn  851. — "  I  will  not  let  Thee  go,  thou  Help  in  time  of 
 need." 
 
 Miss  Winkworth's  translation  of  a  German  hymn  written  by 
 Wolfgang  Christopher  Deszler,  who  was  the  author  of  Hymn 
 133,  under  which  number  an  account  of  him  will  be  found. 
 
 Hymn  852. — "  Author  of  faith,  appear." — Looking  tmto  Jesus. 
 This   was    first   published   by    Charles  Wesley   in    1740   in 
 "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems."     It  is  based  on  Isaiah  xlv.  22. 
 The  first  five  verses  of  the  original  are  omitted. 
 
 Hymn  853.—"  Head  of  Thy  Church  triumphant."— -F^r  times 
 of  Trouble. 
 
 A  jubilant  hymn  by  Charles  Wesley,  being  the  last  of  his 
 "  Hymns  for  Times  of  Trouble"  (1745).  The  trouble  was  the 
 threatened  attack  on  England  by  the  Pretender.  A  national 
 fast  was  proclaimed  ;  the  Methodists  began  their  fast-day  service 
 at  the  Foundry  at  four  in  the  morning ;  four  services  they  held 
 that  day,  and  this  is  one  of  the  hymns  Charles  Wesley  wrote  to 
 inspire  courage  amongst  his  desponding  hearers.  It  is  in  the 
 American  Methodist  Collection. 
 
 In  the  last  days  of  Bishop  Heber  he  was  visited  by  the  Rev. 
 Thomas  Robinson,  Archdeacon  of  Madras.  Their  conversation 
 on  Church  matters  was  interrupted  by  the  Bishop  reciting  lines 
 of  old  favourite  hymns.  One  of  these  he  admired  exceedingly, 
 and  described  it  as  one  of  the  most  beautiful  in  our  language. 
 It  was  read  as  a  source  of  encouragement — 
 
 "  Head  of  the  Church  triumphant, 
 
 We  joyfully  adore  Thee  ; 
 
 Till  Thou  appear, 
 
 Thy  members  here 
 
 Shall  sing  like  those  in  glory." 
 
 So  they  did  sing  :  the  good  Bishop  had  melody  in  his  heart. 
 
 Hymn  854. — "  The  name  we  still  acknowledge." 
 This  is  No.  1435  of  Charles  Wesley's  "  Scripture  Hymns," 
 based  on  Hosea  ii.  15  ;  "Works,"  vol.  x.,  page  75. 
 
 Hymn  855.— "Safe  in  the  fiery  furnace." 
 A  soul-inspiring  hymn  by  Charles  Wesley,  the  second  of  his 
 "  Hymns  in  Times  of  Trouble,"  1745  ;  "Works,"  vol.  iv.,  page 
 
HYMN  860.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  503 
 
 87.  The  hymn  is  a  composite  one.  The  original  is  in  five  double 
 verses,  and  this  hymn  is  made  up  of  the  first  half  of  the  first, 
 third,  and  fourth,  and  the  last  half  of  the  fifth  verse  of  the 
 original. 
 
 Hymn  856.—"  A  safe  stronghold  our  God  is  still." 
 
 Thomas  Carlyle's  rendering  of  that  bold  and  vigorous  song 
 by  Martin  Luther,  of  which  Miss  Winkvvorth  says  :  "It  is  the 
 best  known  of  Luther's  hymns,  and  is  based  on  Psalm  xlvi.  He 
 is  said  to  have  written  it  on  his  way  to  the  Diet  of  Worms, 
 from  the  allusion  in  the  third  verse.  To  Spalatin,  who  tried  to 
 persuade  him  not  to  go,  he  replied  :  '  If  there  were  as  many 
 devils  in  Worms  as  there  are  tiles  on  the  roofs,  I  would  go,  and 
 would  not  be  afraid.' " 
 
 Hymn  857. — "Go,  labour  on  ;  spend,  and  be  spent." 
 
 A  vigorous  appeal  to  the  Christian  warrior,  from  the  pen  of 
 Dr.  Horatius  Bonar,  of  Edinburgh. 
 
 Hymn  858.—"  Their  earthly  task  who  fail  to  do."—"  Not 
 slothful  171  btcsiftess"  <S:c. 
 
 One  of  Charles  Wesley's,  being  No.  3061  of  "  Scripture 
 Hymns  ; "  "Works,"  vol.  xiii.,  page  17,  based  on  Romans  xii.  1 1. 
 This  hymn  ends  the  sixth  section. 
 
 Hymn  859. — "  Ye  servants  of  God,  your  Master  proclaim." 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "  Hymns  for  Times  of  Trouble,"  1744. 
 The  third  verse  of  the  original  is  left"  out.  In  the  former 
 Supplement  it  was  No.  557,  with  a  sixth  verse  added  from  the 
 "  Funeral  Hymns  ;  "  this  is  now  omitted.  It  is  the  first  hymn 
 in  the  seventh  section,  under  the  head  "  Christian  Ordinances 
 and  Institutions." 
 
 Hymn  860. — "  Who  Jesus  our  example  know." — The  Hour 
 of  Prayer. 
 
 One  of  Charles  Wesley's  Hymns  on  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles, 
 iii.  I,  forming  No.  2397;  "Works,"  vol.  xii.,  page  158.  The 
 original  has  three  verses,  the  second  of  which  is  omitted,  and 
 the  second  line  of  the  first  verse  is  altered.  It  was  No.  575  in 
 the  former  Supplement. 
 
504  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  865. 
 
 Hymn  86i. — "If  but  one  faithless  soul  be  here." — '■''  His  disciples 
 were  within^  and  Thomas.^^ 
 
 One  of  Charles  Wesley's  "  Hymns  on  the  Gospels,"  No.  2301  ; 
 "Works,"  vol.  xii.,  page  no,  based  on  John  xx.  26. 
 
 Hymn  862. — "  Two  or  three  in  Jesu's  name." — A?i  Open-Air 
 Service. 
 
 From  Charles  Wesley's  "  Hymns  on  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles," 
 No.  2868  ;  "  Works,"  vol.  xii.,  page  382. 
 
 Hymn  863.—"  Behold  us.  Lord,  a  little  space."— i^^r  a  Week- 
 Day  Service. 
 
 A  new  hymn,  by  an  author  whose  name  appears  here  for  the 
 first  time.  This  hymn  was  written  by  the  Rev.  John  Ellerton, 
 Rector  of  Henstock,  Market  Drayton,  Shropshire,  and  appeared 
 first  in  1871  in  Brown  Borthwick's  "Select  Hymns  for  Church 
 and  Home."  Mr.  Ellerton  was  born  in  London,  i6th  December, 
 1826.  His  first  contribution  to  the  service  of  song  was  a  hymn 
 inserted  in  the  "  Nantwich  Choral  Festival  Book,"  in  1866. 
 Two  others  of  his  hymns.  No.  962  and  No.  990,  will  be  found 
 near  the  end  of  the  book.  This  is  likely  to  become  a  useful 
 hymn  at  prayer  meetings. 
 
 Hymn  864. — "  Jesus,  where'er  Thy  people  meet." 
 
 William  Cowper's,  and  will  be  welcomed  in  prayer  meetings. 
 It  is  in  the  "  Olney  Hymns,"  under  the  title,  "On  opening  a 
 place  for  special  prayer."  Newton  and  Cowper  had  long 
 sustained  meetings  of  that  nature  at  Olney,  and  when  their  first 
 meeting-room  had  to  be  changed  for  a  larger,  in  1769,  Cowper 
 wrote  this  hymn  for  the  opening  service. 
 
 Hymn  865. — "Lord,  teach  us  how  to  pray  aright." — The 
 Preparation  of  the  Heart. 
 
 This  will  compare  favourably  with  another  on  the  same 
 subject  by  the  same  author,  James  Montgomery.  Hymn  823 
 describes  what  prayer  is  ;  this  hymn  presents  us  with  the 
 essential  parts  of  a  hymn — an  introduction,  the  subject  itself, 
 and  an  appropriate  conclusion.     The  writer  has  a  copy  of  this 
 
HYMN  S66.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  505 
 
 hymn  in  Mr.  Montgomery's  own  handwriting.     It  is  based  on 
 Proverbs  xvi.  i. 
 
 Hymn  866. — "  Come,  Thou  Fount  of  every  blessing." 
 
 This  is  a  hymn  with  a  history,  but  it  is  a  singularly  complex 
 one.  Mr.  Sedgwick  affirms  that  the  hymn  was  written  by  Lady 
 Huntingdon,  about  the  time  of  the  death  of  her  husband  and 
 her  son  (1749),  and  was  a  solace  to  her  own  mind.  Others  claim 
 the  hymn  for  Robert  Robinson,  the  clever,  eccentric,  and 
 heterodox  Baptist  minister  at  Cambridge  about  a  century  ago. 
 Against  this  opinion  there  exists  a  letter  of  Robinson's,  dated 
 3rd  December,  1766,  printed  in  his  recently  published  memoirs, 
 in  which  he  says  :  "  Who  could  tell  you  I  was  an  author.?  My 
 works  consist  of  eleven  hymns  which  Mr.  Whitefield  printed ; 
 besides  these  I  have  printed  nothing."  The  hymn  is  found  in 
 MS.  with  the  date  1759  ^o  it ;  therefore  it  had  been  known 
 seven  years  when  Robinson  wrote  that  letter.  It  is  not  one  of 
 the  eleven  hymns  printed  by  Mr.  Whitefield.  Some  say  it  was 
 first  printed  for  Robinson  by  Mr.  Wheatley,  of  Norwich  ;  this 
 is  not  supported  by  evidence,  and  no  copy  of  Wheatley's 
 leaflet  has  ever  been  found.  The  hymn  has  been  inserted  m  all 
 the  editions  of  Lady  Huntingdon's  Collection  ;  and  the  internal 
 evidence  supports  the  opinion  that  her  ladyship  wrote  the  hymn 
 and  Charles  Wesley  revised  it  for  her. 
 
 Selina,  Countess  of  Huntingdon,  daughter  of  Earl  Ferrers, 
 was  born  24th  August,  1707.  Was  converted  in  early  life,  and 
 took  deep  interest  in  the  work  of  the  Wesleys  and  Whitefield  ; 
 the  latter,  after  her  marriage,  she  made  her  chaplain.  Lord 
 Huntingdon  died  in  1746,  and  the  Countess  settled  in  London, 
 and  opened  her  house  for  preaching.  She  built  chapels,  and 
 bought  Trevecca  College  in  which  to  train  young  ministers, 
 having  John  Fletcher  and  Joseph  Benson  as  the  principals  at 
 first.  In  1772  she  sent  seven  missionaries  to  America,  and  for 
 these  things  she  was  much  opposed  by  the  clergy.  In  1764  she 
 published  a  Collection  of  Hymns  for  use  in  her  chapels  ;  it  was 
 compiled  by  Rev.  Walter  Shirley,  and  contained  the  hymn, 
 "  Come,  Thou  Fount,"  &c.  In  that  Collection  were  several 
 hymns  written  by  the  Countess,  but  the  list  of  them  is  lost. 
 Her  Ladyship  was  attached  to  the  Wesleys,  but  opposed  to 
 their  Arminian  doctrines,  on  which  she  had  quite  a  controversy 
 with  them  in   1770-71.     It  is  circumstantially  proved  that  the 
 
506  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  866. 
 
 Countess  wrote  Hymn  866,  but  opinions  differ.  At  the  ripe  age 
 of  eighty-four  years  Lady  Huntingdon  died  in  Spafields,  London, 
 17th  June,  1791  (three  months  after  John  Wesley),  and  was 
 interred  at  Ashby-de-la-Zouch. 
 
 There  is  a  story  in  print  about  Robinson  being  on  a  stage 
 coach  when  he  had  fallen  into  infidel  notions,  and  a  lady 
 addressed  him  to  express  her  great  admiration  of  this  hymn, 
 and  desiring  to  know  the  author,  when,  it  is  said,  Robinson, 
 with  deep  feelings  of  regret,  acknowledged  that  he  was  the 
 author.  If  not  a  fabrication  the  story  is  very  improbable.  A 
 copy  of  the  hymn  in  MS.  has  been  found,  and  which  the 
 writer  has  seen,  with  a  date  upon  it  which  corresponds  with 
 Robinson's  age  as  an  apprentice  boy  of  fourteen.  The  hymn 
 was  in  a  book  owned  by  a  friend  of  Lady  Huntingdon's. 
 Besides,  the  internal  evidence  of  the  hymn  is  all  in  favour  of 
 its  having  been  written  by  her  Ladyship,  and  it  has  appeared 
 in  all  the  editions  of  her  own  Hymn  Book,  and  they  are 
 many  now. 
 
 Amongst  the  Baltimore  Methodists  in  America  were  Mr.  and 
 Mrs.  Gough,  who  had  an  only  daughter,  Sophia,  a  young  lady 
 of  elegant  manners  and  accomplished  education.  Seated  one 
 day  at  the  piano,  she  played  and  sang  the  hymn — 
 
 "  Come,  Thou  Fount  of  every  blessing, 
 Tune  my  heart  to  sing  Thy  grace." 
 
 As  she  sung  the  words,  a  strange  feeHng  of  joy  took  possession 
 of  her,  and  she  ran  to  her  mother  to  say  she  had  found 
 Jesus.  Her  mother  wept  tears  of  joy,  and  her  father  shouted 
 aloud.  Writing  to  Freeborn  Garrettson,  Mr.  Gough  said  : 
 "I  am  filled  with  the  love  of  God;  and  Sophy,  my  dear  Sophy, 
 whom  you  call  the  child  of  my  affection,  has  a  living  faith  in 
 Christ ;  and  Perry  Hall  (their  residence)  is  like  a  little 
 heaven  below." 
 
 Travelling  by  coach,  the  Rev.  John  Whitridge,  of  Carlisle, 
 in  an  accident,  suffered  by  concussion  of  the  brain,  which 
 injured  his  mind.  He  was  always  fond  of  singing,  and  during 
 his  illness,  in  his  wakeful  hours  at  night,  he  was  greatly  soothed 
 by  singing  one  of  his  favourite  hymns,  especially  the  last  half  of 
 the  third  verse  which  he  would  repeat  again  and  again — 
 
 "  Prone  to  wander,  Lord,  I  feel  it, 
 Prone  to  leave  the  God  I  love  : 
 
HYMN  869.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  507 
 
 Take  my  heart,  O  take  and  seal  it, 
 Seal  it  from  Thy  courts  above." 
 
 One  evening  before  he  died,  he  had  been  looking  at  the  fire, 
 then  broke  out  rapturously — 
 
 "  O  the  delights,  the  heavenly  joys, 
 The  glories  of  the  place 
 Where  Jesus  sheds  the  brightest  beams 
 Of  His  o'erwhelming  grace." 
 
 In  that  spirit  he  entered  into  rest  in  1853. 
 
 Hymn  867.—"  Who  can  describe  the  joys  that  rise  ?  "— 
 Joy  in  Heaven  for  a  Repent mg  Sm?ier. 
 
 Dr.  Watts',  Hymn  lor,  book  i.,  founded  on  Luke  xv.  7. 
 It  has  been  sung  with  gladsome  voices  and  from  glowing  hearts 
 at  many  a  revival.  It  gives  recognition  to  all  three  persons  in 
 the  Trinity.     It  was  No.  596  in  the  former  Supplement. 
 
 Hymn  868.—"  The  Saviour,  when  to  Heaven  He  rose." — 
 The  Institution  of  a  Gospel  Mi7iistry  from  Christ. 
 
 Dr.  Doddridge's,  written  for  an  ordination  service,  and  forms 
 No.  289  of  his  Hymns,  founded  on  Ephesians  iv.  11,  12.  The 
 first  verse  of  the  original  is  left  out,  and  the  hymn  is  otherwise 
 altered.     It  was  formerly  No.  744. 
 
 Hymn  869. — "  Disposer  Supreme,  and  Judge  of  the  earth." 
 
 This  is  from  a  Romish  source,  and  was  written  by  a  monk  of 
 France  who  had  the  honour  of  singing  before  Louis  XIV.,  the 
 notorious  persecutor  of  Protestant  Christians,  and  the  man  who 
 revoked  the  Edict  of  Nantes.  This  monk,  Santolius  Victorinus, 
 or  Jean  Baptiste  de  Sauteul,  was  born  in  Paris,  12th  May,  1630. 
 Entering  the  priesthood,  he  obtained  favour  of  the  "Grand 
 Monarch,"  and  was  made  Canon  of  St.  Victor,  in  Paris.  He 
 became  a  great  hymn-writer  (as  was  his  brother  also).  The 
 author  died  at  Dijon,  5th  August,  1697,  aged  sixty-seven  years. 
 This  translation  was  made  by  the  Rev.  Isaac  Williams,  a 
 leading  Oxford  Tractarian  and  a  ripe  scholar,  but  who  died 
 on  I  St  May,  1865,  before  receiving  those  honours  from  the 
 Church  authorities  which  he  expected  for  his  zeal  in  the 
 service  of  his  party. 
 
5o8  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  872. 
 
 Hymn  870.—"  Thou  whose  Almighty  Word."— 
 ''  Let  there  be  light P 
 
 This  introduces  another  new  name  amongst  the  goodly 
 company  of  hymn-writers  :  its  author  was  John  Marriott,  but 
 this  is  the  only  one  of  his  hymns  in  this  Collection.  He 
 was  the  youngest  son  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Marriott,  and  was 
 born  at  Cottesbach,  near  Lutterworth,  in  1780.  He  was 
 educated  at  Rugby  and  Christ  Church,  Oxford,  and  took 
 honours  in  1802,  the  first  year  that  public  honours  were 
 awarded  in  that  University.  He  was  ordained  in  1803,  and 
 after  serving  several  curacies,  became  Rector  of  Church 
 Lawford,  Warwickshire.  He  had  previously  been  tutor  in  the 
 family  of  the  Duke  of  Buccleuch.  Family  affliction  necessitated 
 his  removal  to  the  genial  climate  of  Devonshire,  and  in  the 
 village  of  Broad  Clyst,  near  Exeter,  he  terminated  his  earthly 
 pilgrimage  in  the  year  1825.  This  hymn  is  founded  on 
 Genesis  i.  3.  It  was  first  published  in  Dr.  Raffles'  Collection 
 in  1816,  and  Dr.  Rogers  gives  the  hymn  in  "Lyra  Britannica," 
 from  the  author's  MS.,  supplied  by  his  son.  There  are  four 
 lines  altered  in  the  Methodist  Hymn  Book.  In  the  third 
 verse,  "  Bearing  the  lamp  of  grace  "  is  altered  to  "  Spreading 
 the  beams  of  grace  ;"  and  in  the  fourth  verse  "Wisdom,  love, 
 might "  is  altered  to  "  Grace,  love,  and  might."  This  hymn 
 recognises  the  Trinity,  but  not  Jesus  by  name,  therefore  the 
 Socinians  use  it  freely. 
 
 Hymn  871.—"  Searcher  of  Hearts,  'tis  Thine  alone."— 
 Show  whojn  Thou  hast  ChoseJt. 
 
 A  new  hymn  by  Charles  Wesley,  from  "  Hymns  on  the  Acts 
 of  the  Apostles,"  No.  2364;  "Works,"  vol.  xii.,  page  140. 
 The  fifth  line  of  the  original  is  entirely  altered. 
 
 Hymn  872. — "  Jesus,  Thy  servants  hless.'^— Preaching  the 
 Ki7igdo7n  of  God. 
 
 This  is  the  last  (No.  3035)  of  Charles  Wesley's  "  Hymns  on 
 the  Acts  of  the  Apostles;"  "Works,"  vol.  xii.,  page  456. 
 Three  lines  in  the  second  verse  are  altered.  Its  former  number 
 was  747. 
 
HYMN  878.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  509 
 
 Hymn  873.— "Bold  in  our  Almighty  Lord."—T/ie  Lord  gave 
 Testhnony  to  the  Word. 
 
 From  Charles  Wesley's  "  Hymns  on  the  Acts  of  the 
 Apostles,"  No.  2666;  "Works,"  vol.  xii.,  page  288.  The 
 first  verse  of  the  original  is  left  out. 
 
 Hymn  874.—"  Not  from  a  stock  of  ours,  but  Thine." 
 
 A  new  composite  hymn  by  Charles  Wesley,  made  up  of  three 
 of  his  "  Hymns  on  the  Gospels,"  Nos.  362,  363,  and  365  ; 
 "Works,"  vol.  X.,  page  280,  based  on  Matthew  xiv.  16-18. 
 
 Hymn  875. — "Jesus,  the  needy  sinner's  Friend." 
 
 Another  composite  Hymn  by  Charles  Wesley,  made  up  of 
 Nos.  366,  367,  and  368  of  his  "  Gospel  Hymns  ; "  "  Works,"  vol. 
 X.,  page  282,  based  on  Matt.  xiv.  19. 
 
 Hymn  876.— "When  Thou  hast  disposed  a  heart."— 7%^ 
 Preachi?tg  of  Philip. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's  version  of  Acts  viii.  35  ;  "Works,"  vol.  xii., 
 page  229.  The  original  has  five  verses,  of  which  two  are 
 omitted.  The  two  closing  lines  of  verse  three  are  left  out,  and 
 those  of  verse  four  are  supplied  for  them. 
 
 Hymn  877. — "The  holy  unconcern." — ^^  None  of  these  things 
 7nove  7ne." — Acts  xx.  24. 
 
 By  Charles  Wesley,  being  No.  2854  of  his  "  Hymns  on  the 
 Acts  of  the  Apostles  ;  "  "  Works,"  vol.  xii.,  page  375. 
 
 Hymn  878. — "  Speed  thy  servants.  Saviour,  speed  them." — 
 A  Prayer  for  Missionaries. 
 
 Introduces  another  new  name,  which  is  now  extensively  known 
 throughout  Christendom,  that  of  the  Rev.  Thomas  Kelly,  son  of 
 Chief  Baron  Kelly  of  Ireland.  He  was  born  in  Dublin,  13th 
 July,  1769,  and  was  educated  for  the  legal  profession,  taking 
 honours  in  the  Dublin  University.  Whilst  studying  law  at  the 
 Temple  in  London,  he  was  converted  through  the  ministry  of  the 
 Rev.  W.  Romaine,  and  he  devoted  himself  to  the  work  of  an 
 evangelist,  being  ordained  in  1792.  He  assisted  in  founding 
 the  London  Missionary  Society;  and  the  spirit  which  prompted 
 
510  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  883. 
 
 that  action  led  him  afterwards  to  write  this  hymn,  "  To  be  sung 
 at  the  ordination  of  missionaries."  It  is  a  spirited  and  rever- 
 ential hymn,  pervaded  by  earnest  pleading.  He  wrote  several 
 prose  works,  but  as  a  hymn-writer  he  excels  many  of  his 
 contemporaries.  The  first  edition  of  his  Hymn  Book,  published 
 in  Dublin  in  1804,  contained  ninety-six  of  his  own  compositions. 
 The  seventh  edition,  issued  in  1853,  the  last  before  his  death, 
 contained  765  of  his  own  hymns.  In  the  same  year  (1853)  he 
 published  a  number  of  his  hymns,  set  to  music  by  himself.  He 
 died  in  Dublin,  14th  May,  1855,  aged  eighty-six  years.  The  last 
 line  has  been  altered  from — 
 
 "  Sing  a  Saviour's  grace  alone  !  " 
 Hymn  970  is  also  by  him. 
 
 Hymn  879. — "Let  everlasting  glories  crown." — The  excellency 
 of  Chrisfs  Religioji. 
 Dr.  Watts',  from  book  ii.     The  original  has  six  verses,  two 
 of  which  are  omitted.      It  was  in  the  former  Supplement  as 
 No.  648. 
 
 Hymn  880.— "Father  of  mercies,  in  Thy  Word."— 77^^ 
 Scriptures. 
 This  was  written  by  Miss  Ann  Steele,  in  twelve  verses,  seven 
 of  which  are  omitted.     It  is  usually  sung  before  reading  the 
 Scriptures.     Its  former  No.  was  745. 
 
 Hymn  881. — "Jesus  descended  from  the  sky." — "  The  words 
 that  I  speak  tmto  yotc  they  are  spirit.^'' 
 
 A  new  one  by  Charles  Wesley,  being  No.  1785  of  his  "  Hymns 
 on  the  Gospels,"  based  on  John  vi.  63  ;  "  Works,"  vol.  xi.,  page 
 392. 
 
 Hymn  882.—"  O,  how  blest  the  hour.  Lord  Jesus."—"  Thou  hast 
 the  words  of  eter7ial  life." 
 This  was  written  by  Charles  John  Philip  Spitta,  of  whom  an 
 account  is  given  under  Hymn  595.     It  is  based  on  John  vi.  68. 
 It  was  translated  by  Richard  Massie,  Esq. 
 
 Hymn  883.— "Jesus,  I  humbly  seek."—"  Of  whom  speaketh  the 
 Prophet  this?''— Acts  viii.  34. 
 By  Charles  Wesley,  being  No.  2546  of  his  "Hymns  on  the 
 Acts  of  the  Apostles  ;  "  "  Works,"  vol.  xii.,  page  228. 
 
HYMN  891.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  5II 
 
 Hymn  884.— "To  me,  Almighty  Saviour,  give."—"  Whose  heart 
 the  Lord  ope7ted" 
 
 From  Charles  Wesley's  "Hymns  on  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles," 
 chap.  xvi.  14,  No.  2723;   "Works,"  vol.  xii.,  page  315. 
 
 Hymn  885.— "Come,  Divine  Interpreter." — ^^  Blessed  are  those 
 that  hear^ — Luke  xi.  28. 
 
 This  is  No.  3440  of  Charles  Wesley's  "  Scripture  Hymns  ;  " 
 "Works,"  vol.  xiii.,  page  219,  based  on  Rev.  i.  3. 
 
 Hymn  886.—"  Lord,  with  open  heart  and  ear." — "  Blessed  are 
 those  that  hear^ 
 
 Charles  Wesley's  No.  241 1  of  "Hymns  on  the  Acts  of  the 
 Apostles  ; "  "Works,"  vol.  xii.,  page  166,  based  on  Acts  iii.  22. 
 
 Hymn  887.—"  Saviour,  I  still  to  Thee  apply."—"  Blessed  are 
 those  that  hear.^^ 
 
 One  of  Charles  Wesley's  new  "  Hymns  on  the  Gospels,"  No. 
 329  ;  "  Poetical  Works,"  vol.  x.,  page  269. 
 
 Hymn  888. — "How  large  the  promise,  how  divine." — Abraham^ s 
 Blesshig  071  the  Gefitiles. 
 Dr.  Watts',   Hymn    113,  book  i.,  founded  on   three  texts — 
 Gen.  xxii.  2  ;  Rom.  xv.  8  ;  Mark  x.  14.    It  is  used  at  the  baptism 
 of  infants.     It  was  No.  741  in  the  former  Supplement. 
 
 Hymn  889.—"  See  Israel's  gentle  Shepherd  stands."— Or/j/V 
 
 CondescendiTt^  Regard  to  Little  Children. 
 
 Dr.  Doddridge's,  No.  198  of  his  Hymns,  founded  on  Mark 
 
 X.  24,  with  two  verses  left  out.    It  is  generally  sung  in  Methodist 
 
 congregations  at  the  baptism  of  infants,  and  may  be  useful  as  a 
 
 family  hymn.    It  was  formerly  No.  743. 
 
 Hymn  890. — "  Lord  of  all,  with  pure  intent." — The  Presentation 
 iji  the  Temple. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  No.  1 178  of  "  Hymns  on  the  Four  Gospels," 
 based  on  St.  Luke  ii.  22  ;  "Works,"  vol.  xi.,  page  119. 
 
 Hymn  891. — "O  crucified,  triumphant  Lord." 
 This  was  written  by  the  Rev.  W.  M.  Bunting,  and  is  intended 
 for  use  at  a  baptismal  service. 
 
512  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  896. 
 
 Hymn  892. — "Father,  our  child  we  place." — For  Parefits. 
 A  parental  prayer  at  the  baptism  of  a  child,  also  by  Rev. 
 W.  M.  Bunting. 
 
 Hymn  893. — "Jesus  in  earth  and  heaven  the  same." 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  being  No.  478  of  "  Hymns  on  the  Four 
 Gospels  ; "  "  Works,"  vol.  x.,  page  322,  based  on  the  words, 
 "  There  were  brought  unto  Him  little  children,"  Matt.  xix.  13. 
 
 Hymn  894. — "The  great  redeeming  angel." — "  The  A?igel 
 which  redeoned  me^  bless  the  lads." 
 
 A  new  one  by  Charles  Wesley,  made  up  of  Nos.  98  and  99  of 
 "Short  Scripture  Hymns  ;  "  "Works,"  vol.  ix.,  page  31,  based  on 
 Genesis  xlviii.  16. 
 
 Hymn  895. — "Jesus,  Lord,  Thy  servant  see." 
 
 Introduces  another  new  name  from  Germany.  Its  author 
 was  Benjamin  Schmolke.  His  father  was  a  pastor  in  that 
 country,  and  Benjamin  was  born  at  Brauchitchdorf,  in  Silesia, 
 2 1st  December,  1672.  Poor  in  this  world's  goods,  he  had  to 
 write  poetry  to  earn  the  means  of  supplying  his  daily  wants, 
 even  after  he  had  been  ordained  and  was  pastor  of  the  church 
 at  Schweidnitz.  Pressed  often  by  his  needs  he  wrote  more  than 
 was  always  to  edification  :  no  less  than  11 88  poems  and  hymns 
 were  given  by  him  to  the  public.  Some  of  his  hymns  have 
 found  a  permanent  place  in  the  service  of  the  sanctuary  ;  the 
 chief  of  these  were  written  by  him  in  times  of  suffering  and 
 want.  This  hymn  is  a  paraphrase  of  Matt.  xix.  13,  14,  rendered 
 into  English  by  Miss  Cox.  Some  of  his  hymns  possess  con- 
 siderable merit,  and  in  some  features  are  not  unlike  Paul 
 Gerhardt's.  It  was  during  periods  of  personal  affliction  that  he 
 wrote  some  of  his  best  hymns,  whilst  others  were  written  in 
 memory  of  his  departed  friends,  even  when  he  was  himself  in 
 advanced  years.  After  enduring  many  and  severe  hardships,  he 
 peacefully  yielded  up  his  spirit,  12th  February',  1737,  aged  sixty- 
 five  years.     Fourteen  of  his  hymns  are  translated  into  English. 
 
 Hymn  896. — "God  of  that  glorious  gift  of  Grace." — ^^  I  have 
 lent  hwt  to  the  Lord.^^ — i  Saimiel  i.  28. 
 
 This  was  the  composition  of  a  distinguished  clergyman  of  the 
 Established  Church,  the  Rev.  John  Samuel  Bewley  Monsell, 
 
HYMN  898.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  513 
 
 LL.D.,  who  was  born  at  St.  Columb's,  Derry,  2nd  March,  181 1. 
 His  father  was  Archdeacon  of  Derry  and  Precentor  of  Christ 
 Church  Cathedral.  Educated  at  Trinity  College,  Dublin,  he 
 took  orders  in  1836,  and  became  examining  chaplain  to  Bishop 
 Mant.  In  1853  he  came  to  England,  on  being  made  Vicar  of 
 Egham,  Surrey,  and  rural  dean.  He  published  several  volumes  of 
 sacred  lyrics,  entitled  "Parish  Musings,"  "Spiritual  Songs," 
 "The  Beatitudes,"  "  Hymns  of  Love  and  Praise,"  &c.  He  died 
 suddenly  from  injury  received  during  the  building  of  a  new 
 church  at  Guildford,  9th  April,  1875,  aged  sixty-four  years.  This 
 hymn  was  published  in  1837.     It  is  in  the  "Book  of  Praise." 
 
 Hymn  897. — "  Come,  all  who  truly  bear." — A  Memorial  of  the 
 
 Death  of  Christ. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  forming  No.  13  of  "  Hymns  on  the  Lord's 
 
 Supper,"  1745.      This  is  the  first  of  fifteen  hymns  in  the  new 
 
 book  for  use  at  the  Lord's  Supper,  and  Renewing  the  Covenant. 
 
 Its  former  number  was  546. 
 
 Hymn  898. — "Let  all  who  truly  bear." — The  Lord's  Supper,  as 
 it  is  a  Memorial  of  the  Sufferings  and  Death  of  Christ. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  being  No.  4  of  his  "  Hymns  on  the  Lord's 
 Supper."  The  original  is  in  four  stanzas  of  eight  lines  each,  the 
 half  of  each  verse  being  left  out.     It  was  formerly  No.  753. 
 
 The  Rev.  Charles  Wesley  has  been  charged  recently  by  the 
 Ritualistic  party  in  the  Church  of  England  with  holding  and 
 teaching  in  many  of  his  Hymns  on  the  Lord's  Supper  the  doctrine 
 of  the  Real  Presence,  and  they  claim  him  as  one  of  their  best 
 advocates.  To  make  good  this  charge,  one  of  the  publishers 
 for  the  Ritualists  has  reproduced  some  of  Mr.  Wesley's  "Hymns 
 on  the  Lord's  Supper."  Those  writers  omit  to  state  that  Charles 
 Wesley  only  versified  the  sentiments  of  Dr.  Brevint,  whose 
 essay  on  the  Christian  Sacrament  is  printed  as  a  preface  to  the 
 "  Hymns  on  the  Lord's  Supper."  Charles  Wesley  neither 
 believed  nor  taught  the  doctrine  of  the  Real  Presence  after  his 
 conversion.  Charles  Wesley's  after-life,  teaching,  preaching, 
 and  poetry,  exhibit  the  opposite  of  all  this,  from  and  after  the 
 year  1745.  The  Rev.  Dr.  Rigg,  in  an  able  article  in  the  London 
 Quarterly,  July,  1868,  has  demonstrated  that  the  teaching, 
 preaching,  and  poetry  of  both  John  and  Charles  Wesley  were 
 thoroughly  Presbyterian,  evangelical,  and  spiritual  from  1745  to 
 the  end  of  their  lives. 
 
 2  K 
 
514  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  903. 
 
 Hymn  899. — "  Come,  Thou  everlasting  Spirit." — A  Memorial 
 of  the  Death  of  Christ. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  forming  No.  16  of  "  Hymns  on  the  Lord's 
 Supper."     It  was  No.  547  in  the  former  Supplement. 
 
 Hymn  9cx). — "  Lamb  of  God,  whose  bleeding  Love." — 
 A  Memorial  of  the  Death  of  Christ. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  forming  No.  20  of  "  Hymns  on  the  Lord's 
 Supper."     It  was  No.  548  in  the  former  Supplement. 
 
 Hymn  901. — "  Jesu,  at  whose  supreme  command." — Before  the 
 Sacra?nent. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1742, 
 page  28.  Line  three  of  the  second  verse  is  altered  from  "Affix 
 the  sacramental  seal."  The  original  is  printed  in  eight  four- 
 line  stanzas.  It  also  forms  No.  30  in  the  same  author's  "  Hymns 
 on  the  Lord's  Supper,"  1745.     It  was  formerly  No.  549. 
 
 Hymn  902. — "Victim  divine.  Thy  grace  we  claim." — The  holy 
 Eucharist  as  it  implies  a  Sacrifice. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  forming  No.  116  of  "  Hymns  on  the  Lord's 
 Supper."  Dr.  Brevint's  remarks  on  page  15  of  his  essay,  furnish 
 the  thoughts  on  which  this  hymn  is  founded.  Formerly 
 it  was  No.  551. 
 
 Hymn  903.— "The  promise  of  my  Father's  \o\^P—The  New 
 Testa7nent  in  the  Blood  of  Christ  is  the  New  Covenant  sealed. 
 
 Dr.  Watts',  Hymn  3,  book  iii.,  1707.  It  was  formerly 
 No.  751. 
 
 In  early  life  Charlotte  Cullen  (afterwards  Mrs.  Slater,  of 
 Sheffield,  and  sister-in-law  of  the  Rev.  Barnard  Slater)  found 
 her  chief  pleasure  in  the  ball-room  and  at  the  card-table  ;  but 
 under  a  sermon  preached  by  the  Rev.  Robert  Br)^ant,  at  Milden- 
 hall,  from  "  Prepare  to  meet  thy  God,  O  Israel,"  she  was  so 
 deeply  convinced  of  her  sinful  condition,  that  she  had  no  rest 
 till  she  found  it  in  sins  forgiven  ;  and  in  her  seventeenth  year 
 she  joined  the  Methodist  Society.  As  governess  in  the  family 
 of  the  Rev.  Thomas  Padman,  she  had  many  spiritual  advantages. 
 Afterwards  it  was  the  intense  joy  and  delight  of  her  heart  to 
 
HYMN  908.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  515 
 
 learn  that  her  mother,  sister,  and  other  members  of  the 
 family  obtained  the  blessing  of  justification  by  faith  in  Jesus 
 Christ.  She  herself  strove  long  till  she  obtained  the  blessing 
 of  entire  sanctification.  In  the  enjoyment  of  this  happy 
 experience  she  lived,  till,  at  the  age  of  forty,  she  exchanged 
 mortality  for  life  eternal.  During  her  last  affliction,  which  was 
 painfully  severe,  her  confidence  in  God  was  unwavering.  When 
 the  end  drew  nigh,  the  Rev.  John  Burton  administered  to  her 
 the  sacrament  of  the  Lord's  Supper,  after  which  she  desired 
 her  family  to  sing  what  had  long  been  her  favourite  hymn, 
 commencing — 
 
 ** '  The  promise  of  my  Father's  love 
 Shall  stand  for  ever  good,' 
 He  said ;  and  gave  His  soul  to  death, 
 And  seal'd  the  grace  with  blood." 
 
 With  peculiar  ardour  and  delight,  she  joined  in  singing  the 
 whole  hymn.  During  the  service,  she  was  filled  with  the 
 presence  of  God,  and  her  latest  moments  were  tranquil  and 
 happy.     She  died  20th  April,  1840,  aged  forty. 
 
 Hymn  904.— "  Bread  of  heaven  !  on  Thee  I  feed." 
 This  was  written  by  Josiah  Conder. 
 
 Hymn  905. — "Jesus,  Master  of  the  Feast." 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  No.  84  of  "  Hymns  on  the  Lord's  Supper." 
 The  original  is  in  four  verses,  the  first  and  second  of  which  are 
 omitted. 
 
 Hymn  906. — "  Bread  of  the  world,  in  mercy  broken." 
 A  short  Sacramental  hymn  by  Bishop  Heber,  1827. 
 
 Hymn  907. — "  In  memory  of  the  Saviour's  love." 
 
 This  was  written  by  the  Rev.  Thomas  Cotterill,  and  first 
 published  in  1819.  Sir  Roundell  Palmer  printed  the  hymn  in  his 
 "  Book  of  Praise,"  but  he  did  not  then  know  the  author.  The 
 text  has  been  altered. 
 
 Hymn  908.—"  Be  known  to  us  in  breaking  bread." 
 This  was  written  by  James  Montgomery,  of  Sheffield. 
 
5l6  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.         HYMN  909. 
 
 Hymn  909.— "O  God  !  how  often  hath  Thine  ^2it.^'—The 
 Covenant  with  God  Refiewed. 
 
 By  WilHam  Maclardie  Bunting.  It  was  written  when  the 
 author  was  a  youth  of  only  fifteen  years,  and  was  first  pubHshed 
 in  the  Methodist  Magazine  for  January,  1824,  page  72,  with  the 
 signature  of  "Juvenis."  This  is  the  only  one  of  many  hymns 
 from  the  pen  of  the  same  author  found  in  the  "Methodist 
 Hymn  Book,"  previous  to  1875  ;  and  this  was  inserted  by  the 
 desire  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Bunting,  and  almost  against  the  wishes 
 of  his  son,  who,  as  he  informed  the  writer  in  person,  thought  it 
 not  worthy  of  a  place  in  such  a  collection.  About  forty  of  Mr. 
 Bunting's  hymns  will  be  found  in  the  late  Rev.  Dr.  Leifchild's 
 collection  of  "  Original  Hymns,"  and  amongst  them  a  revised 
 copy  of  this  Covenant  Hymn.  A  copy  of  that  revision  of  the 
 hymn  will  also  be  found  in  the  Local  Preachers'  Magazine 
 for  January,  1869,  page  23.  In  the  year  1859,  a  few  years  before 
 the  author's  death,  he  revised  it  again,  and  the  alterations, 
 though  not  numerous,  are  important ;  this  being  the  final 
 revision,  we  are  permitted  to  give  the  hymn  as  last  corrected  by 
 its  accomplished,  devout  and  scholarly  author.  The  first  word 
 in  the  first  verse  is  changed  ;  a  comma  is  added  in  the  third 
 line  ;  the  third  word  in  the  third  verse  is  changed  from  "  of"  to 
 "  to "  ;  and  in  the  fourth  and  fifth  verses  several  important 
 emendations  will  be  found — 
 
 "  My  God  !  how  often  hath  Thine  ear 
 To  me  in  willing  mercy  bow'd  ! 
 "While  worshipping  Thine  altar  near, 
 
 Lowly  I  wept,  and  strongly  vow'd  : 
 But  ah  !  the  feebleness  of  man  ! 
 Have  I  not  vow'd  and  wept  in  vain  ? 
 "  Return,  O  Lord  of  hosts,  return  ! 
 Behold  Thy  servant  in  distress  ; 
 My  faithlessness  again  I  mourn ; 
 
 Again  forgive  my  faithlessness  ; 
 And  in  Thine  arms  my  spirit  take, 
 And  bless  me  for  the  Saviour's  sake. 
 "  In  pity  to  the  soul  Thou  lov'st, 
 
 Now  bid  the  sin  Thou  hat'st  expire  ; 
 Let  me  desire  what  Thou  approv'st, — 
 
 Thou  dost  approve  what  I  desire  ; 
 And  Thou  wilt  deign  to  call  me  Thine, 
 And  I  will  dare  to  call  Thee  mine. 
 
HYMN  911.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  517 
 
 "  This  day  Thy  covenant  I  sign, 
 
 The  bond  of  mercy,  grace  and  peace  ; 
 Nor  can  I  doubt  its  truth  divine, 
 
 Since  seal'd  with  Jesu's  blood  it  is  : 
 That  blood  I  plead,  that  blood  alone, 
 And  make  the  cov'nant  peace  mine  own. 
 
 "  Oh  that  my  love  no  more  may  know 
 Or  change,  or  interval,  or  end, — 
 Help  me  in  all  Thy  paths  to  go, 
 
 And  evermore  my  voice  attend. 
 And  gladden  me  with  answers  mild, 
 And  commune,  Father,  with  Thy  child  !  " 
 
 Every  alteration  will  be  its  own  commendation.  We  may, 
 however,  give  an  extract  from  a  letter  of  the  author's  respecting 
 this  hymn  from  the  Local  Preachers'  Magazine^  just  quoted, 
 which  is  interesting.  Writing  to  Mr.  Parker,  Mr.  Bunting  says : 
 — "  I  wrote  the  hymn  out  of  the  fulness  of  personal  feeling, 
 while  yet  a  youth  at  school  ;  and  I  was  so  ashamed  of  it  as  a 
 literary  production,  that  I  could  not  yield  it  up  to  my  father  for 
 publication  in  the  Magazine  under  my  then  recognised  sobri- 
 quet [Alec],  but  disguised  the  authorship  under  the  apologetic 
 signature  of  JuvENis.  When  Mr.  Watson,  with  whom  I  lived, 
 did  me  the  honour  to  consult  me  about  the  selection  of  hymns 
 for  the  Supplement,  and  decided  to  introduce  this  hymn,  it  was 
 entirely  on  his  own  responsibility,  and  against  7ny  strong  sense 
 of  its  unworthiness.  When  dear  Dr.  Leifchild  asked  me  for 
 a  hymn  on  dedication  to  God,  I  took  this  to  save  time  and 
 trouble,  and  from  sheer  dissatisfaction  with  what  I  thought 
 feebleness  in  one  place,  obscurity  in  another,  and  so  on, 
 reconstructed  it  as  it  appears  in  his  collection." 
 
 Hymn  910. — "God  of  truth,  and  power,  and  grace." 
 
 By  Charles  Wesley,  and  was  originally  published  by  him  in 
 a  four-page  tract,  having  ten  verses.  The  fifth  and  eighth 
 verses  are  omitted ;  "  Works,"  vol.  viii.,  page  442. 
 
 Hymn  911. — "  O  how  shall  a  sinner  perform." — In  Teinptatioft. 
 This  was  published  as  Hymn  3  in  Wesley's  "Hymns  and 
 Sacred  Poems,"  1749,  vol.  i.  Two  lines  are  altered.  There  it 
 has  the  title  "  In  Temptation."  Here  the  title  is  altered  to 
 "  After  the  Renewal  of  the  Covenant." 
 
5l8  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  9 1 2. 
 
 Hymn  912. — "O  happy  day  that  fixed  my  choice." — Self 
 Dedication. 
 
 This  is  No.  23  of  Hymns  by  Dr.  Doddridge,  with  the  title 
 "  Rejoicing  in  our  Covenant  Engagements  to  God."  This  is 
 now  altered.  The  hymn  is  very  popular,  and  is  one  of  those 
 most  frequently  sung  at  the  social  means  of  grace.  James 
 Montgomery  has  written  concerning  it  :  "  Blessed  is  the  man 
 that  can  take  the  words  of  this  hymn  and  make  them  his  own 
 from  similar  experience."  It  may  be  worth  while  to  note  that 
 at  the  confirmation  of  one  of  the  children  of  Queen  Victoria  this 
 hymn  was  sung.  One  of  the  London  correspondents  to  a 
 provincial  paper,  in  recording  the  fact,  said,  "  At  her  Majesty's 
 request  a  hymn  was  sung,  commencing  with — 
 
 "  '  O  happy  day  that  fixed  my  choice,'" 
 
 and  then  added  that  the  hymn  was  written  for  the  occasion  by 
 the  Poet  Laureate,  and  suggested  that  if  Tennyson  could  not 
 produce  a  better  thing  than  that  he  was  not  worthy  of  the  pay 
 he  received  from  Parliament !  This  hymn  closes  the  seventh 
 section. 
 
 The  late  Duncan  Matheson  has  related  that  on  one  of  his 
 evangelistic  visits  to  Dundee,  at  the  fair  held  there,  he  was 
 preaching  in  the  street,  when  two  young  women  stopped  to  hear 
 the  singing,  which  began  with — 
 
 "  O  happy  day  that  fixed  my  choice 
 
 On  Thee,  my  Saviour  and  my  God  ! 
 Well  may  this  glowing  heart  rejoice, 
 And  tell  its  raptures  all  abroad." 
 
 Said  one  of  the  girls  to  the  other,  "  Come  away,  we  shall  be  too 
 late  for  the  fair."  The  Spirit  of  God  had  already  arrested  the 
 other  girl  with  the  words  "happy  day ;  "and  she  replied,  "  I  dare 
 na'  gang."  The  flighty  one  fled  in  haste  and  was  not  saved  ; 
 the  other  remained,  and  that  day  gave  her  heart  to  God. 
 
 Elizabeth  Olive  became  a  scholar  in  the  Wesleyan  Sunday 
 school.  Great  Berkhamstead,  in  March,  1844,  and  began  to 
 meet  in  class  in  1846.  Attending  some  revival  services  at 
 Easter  that  year,  she  was  led  to  give  her  heart  to  God,  and 
 when  she  realised  the  blessing  of  sins  forgiven  she  sang  with 
 rapturous  delight — 
 
 "  How  happy  every  child  of  grace 
 Who  knows  his  sins  forgiven,"  &c. 
 
HYMN  912.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  519 
 
 She  delighted  in  the  means  of  grace  whilst  she  had  health,  but 
 her  life  was  cut  short  by  disease,  and  when  visited  by  some  of 
 her   school   companions,    she   shouted    "Victory   through    the 
 blood  of  the  Lamb  !  happy  !  hallelujah  !  "     "  Sing,"  she  said — 
 **  '  O  happy  day  that  fixed  my  choice 
 
 On  Thee,  my  Saviour  and  my  God  ! '" 
 
 They  were  overwhelmed  with  sorrow,  and  could  not  get  beyond 
 the  first  verse.  She  closed  her  eyes,  then  after  a  pause  she 
 said :  "  There  is  Jesus  and  His  holy  angels.  Do  you  not  see 
 Him,  mother?"  Soon  afterwards  she  added,  "All  is  well," 
 and  passed  away,  i8th  July,  1847,  aged  seventeen  years. 
 
 In  very  early  life  Hugh  Browne,  of  Donaghadee,  Ireland, 
 was  the  subject  of  deep  religious  impressions ;  but  it  was 
 during  a  revival  in  Belfast,  after  he  came  of  age,  that  he 
 found  peace  through  believing  in  Jesus.  The  death  of  his 
 father  seemed  to  hasten  his  own  ;  and  during  his  short  illness 
 he  found  that  Christ  was  the  Rock  of  his  salvation.  Whilst 
 exulting  in  a  clearly-manifested  pardon,  he  exclaimed — 
 
 "  O  happy  day  that  fixed  my  choice 
 On  Thee,  my  Saviour  and  my  God  ! 
 Well  may  this  glowing  heart  rejoice, 
 •  And  tell  its  raptures  all  abroad." 
 
 His  last  words  were  in  testimony  of  his  triumph  over  sin  by  the 
 blood  of  Jesus.  He  died  28th  November,  1848,  aged  twenty-«ix. 
 Under  the  preaching  of  Thomas  Riley,  sergeant-major  in  the 
 7th  Dragoon  Guards,  at  Colchester,  in  181 1,  William  Balls  was 
 enabled  to  believe  for  salvation.  The  witness  of  the  spirit  of 
 his  adoption  he  retained  through  life,  and  his  name  was  in  the 
 first  place  as  a  local  preacher  in  the  Colchester  Circuit.  Subse- 
 quently he  was  appointed  a  class-leader  and  circuit-steward. 
 His  piety  was  sincere,  enlightened,  and  elevated,  and  he  was  an 
 unwearied  labourer  in  the  Lord's  vineyard.  His  favourite 
 hymn  through  life  was,  "  For  ever  here  my  rest  shall  be,"  &:c. 
 During  the  night  before  his  death,  he  said,  "Behold,  God  is  my 
 salvation  !  Praise,  praise,  talk  of  Jesus  ! "  On  the  day  he  died, 
 27th  December,  1852,  aged  fifty-eight,  he  repeated,  with  deep 
 feeling — 
 
 "  He  drew  me,  and  I  followed  on, 
 
 Charm'd  to  confess  the  voice  divine." 
 
 His  last  testimony  was,  "Thanks  be  to  God,  who  giveth  me 
 the  victory." 
 
520  MKTIIODIST  HVMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  9I3. 
 
 Hymn  913. — "Tremendous  God,  with  humble  fear." — A  Hymn 
 0/  Preparation  for  Death. 
 Charles  Wesley's,  printed  first  in  the  Arminian  Magazine^ 
 vol.  ill.,  page  679.  Is  it  true,  as  the  poet  says  in  the  second 
 verse,  line  4,  that  man  is  born  "  only  to  lament  and  die "  ? 
 Surely  this  must  have  been  one  of  the  poet's  unrevised  hymns. 
 That  line  has  escaped  editorial  revision.  This  is  the  first  hymn 
 in  the  eighth  section,  "  On  Death  and  the  Future  Life."  It  was 
 No.  717  in  the  last  Supplement. 
 
 Blessed  with  a  truly  godly  mother,  the  Rev.  John  James  had 
 his  mind  fixed  on  heavenly  things  as  early  as  his  tenth  year,  and 
 when  he  was  fifteen  he  could  rejoice  in  God  as  his  reconciled 
 Father,  a  blessing  realised  under  the  preaching  of  the  Rev. 
 William  Jenkins.  A  small  company  of  God-fearing  young  men 
 was  formed  in  Liverpool,  where  he  resided,  to  cultivate  their 
 minds,  and  the  graces  of  the  Spirit.  Of  this  band  Mr.  James 
 writes  some  time  afterwards,  in  a  letter  to  one  of  his  band-mates, 
 the  Rev.  E.  Grindrod:  "One  is  gone  to  glory,  another  appointed 
 a  class-leader,  and  three  of  us  have  been  thrust  out  into  the 
 ministry."  At  the  age  of  twenty-one  he  was  accepted  as  a 
 preacher  on  trial,  and  laboured  with  a  zeal  and  success  which 
 distinctly  marked  the  attendant  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit  to  bless 
 the  Word.  His  mind  was  solemnly  impressed  by  that  terrible 
 coach  accident  on  his  way  to  the  Sheffield  Conference,  when  two 
 of  his  brethren,  Messrs.  Sargent  and  Lloyd,  were  fatally  injured, 
 whilst  he  was  spared.  In  1822  he  came  to  London;  and,  in  the 
 following  year,  was  made  one  of  the  General  Missionary  Secre- 
 taries ;  his  fitness  for  which  office  was  manifested  by  the  happy 
 results.  In  1831,  symptoms  of  apoplexy  appeared  ;  and,  in  the 
 following  year,  the  repetition  of  these  symptoms  cut  short  his 
 work.  On  the  last  Sabbath  he  spent  on  earth,  he  commenced 
 the  devotions  of  the  family  by  singing  Hymn  913,  little  thinking 
 that  it  was  to  be  his  closing  act  of  domestic  worship  on  earth. 
 The  third  and  fourth  verses  are  as  follows — 
 "  Submissive  to  Thy  just  decree, 
 
 We  all  shall  soon  from  earth  remove  ; 
 But  when  Thou  sendest,  Lord,  for  me, 
 
 Oh,  let  the  messenger  be  love  ! 
 Whisper  Thy  love  into  my  heart, 
 
 Warn  me  of  my  approaching  end, 
 And  then  I  joyfully  depart, 
 
 And  then  I  to  Thy  arms  ascend." 
 
HYMN  917.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  52 1 
 
 He  preached  that  evening  at  City  Road  Chapel,  but  was  unable 
 to  walk  home  after  service,  and  by  the  time  the  coach  had  con- 
 veyed him  home,  he  found  the  hour  of  death  was  approaching, 
 and  his  happy  spirit  escaped  to  heaven  on  the  following 
 Tuesday,  6th  November,  1832,  aged  forty-six  years. 
 
 Hymn  914. — "  Father,  Lord  of  earth  and  heaven." — Prayer  for  a 
 Dying  Child. 
 
 This  is  new  in  this  book,  and  is  one  of  Charles  Wesley's 
 Funeral  Hymns;  "Works,"  vol.  vi.,  page  252.  The  poet  had 
 a  deeply  painful  experience  in  the  early  death  of  several  of  his 
 children  during  his  residence  at  Bristol.  When  one  of  his 
 infants  was  dying  he  wrote  this  hymn.  It  has  since  proved  a 
 source  of  consolation  to  many  bereaved  parents. 
 
 Hymn  915.—"  O  Thou  faithful  God  of  love."— 77/^  Dying 
 Father^ s  Prayer, 
 
 One  of  the  new  hymns  by  Charles  Wesley,  from  "  Short 
 Scripture  Hymns,"  No.  1363  ;  "Works,"  vol.  x.,  page  45,  based 
 on  Jeremiah  xlix.  11.  Though  this  hymn  was  written  nearly 
 thirty  years  before  the  author  died,  yet  it  very  pointedly  expresses 
 his  earnest  prayer  for  the  protection  of  his  widow  and  children. 
 All  his  children  who  reached  mature  years  survived  their 
 father  forty  years,  and  his  widow  survived  him  thirty-four  years. 
 Read  in  the  light  of  the  family  history,  this  hymn  is  full  of 
 interest. 
 
 Hymn  916. — "  Jesu,  Thou  hast  to  hoary  hairs." — For  an  Aged 
 Christian. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  entitled  "  Preparation  for  Death,"  written 
 when  the  author  was  about  sixty-five.  As  relating  his  own 
 experience,  it  has  considerable  interest,  and  as  expressive  of  the 
 condition  of  all  "  aged  Christians,"  it  will  be  a  most  welcome 
 addition. 
 
 Hymn  917. — "  Justly,  Thou  might'st,  in  helpless  age." 
 
 This  was  written  by  Charles  Wesley,  and  was  left  by  him  in 
 manuscript  when  he  died.  The  allusion  to  his  own  "  helpless 
 age  "  indicates  that  it  was  written  in  his  last  days.  The  original 
 has  five  verses,  the  fourth  of  which  is  omitted. 
 
522  METHODIST  HYMN   TOOK  NOTKS.  HYMN  9 1 8. 
 
 Hymn  918. — "  In  age  and  feebleness  extreme." — A  Last  IVt'sh. 
 
 The  following  lines  were  the  last  poetic  utterance  of  Charles 
 Wesley,  in  March,  1788 — 
 
 "  In  age  and  feebleness  extreme, 
 Who  shall  a  sinful  worm  redeem  ? 
 Jesus,  my  only  hope  Thou  art, 
 Strength  of  my  failing  flesh  and  heart ; 
 Oh,  could  I  catch  a  smile  from  Thee, 
 And  drop  into  eternity  !  " 
 
 Charles  Wesley  was  born  at  Epworth,  i8th  December,  1707, 
 being  sixteen  years  younger  than  his  brother  Samuel,  and  five 
 years  younger  than  his  brother  John.  From  his  birth  to  the 
 termination  of  his  long  life  of  fourscore  years,  he  was  never 
 strong.  He  was  educated,  first  at  home  by  his  mother,  then 
 by  his  brother  Samuel  at  Westminster,  and  thence  he  went 
 to  Christ  Church  College,  Oxford.  Here  it  was  that  he  joined 
 his  brother  and  others  in  those  works  of  piety  and  self-sacrifice 
 which  caused  them  to  be  called  Methodists.  He  went  with  his 
 brother  to  America  as  a  missionary  in  1735,  ^^'^  both  brothers 
 returned  to  England  after  a  brief  sojourn  in  Georgia.  Charles 
 and  John  were  both  converted  to  God  in  the  month  of  May, 
 1738  ;  and  Charles,  who  had  begun  to  distinguish  himself  for  his 
 religious  poetry  even  before  that  period,  more  diligently  than 
 ever  devoted  his  mind  and  energies  to  preaching  the  Gospel  and 
 writing  hymns  ;  and  in  this  blessed  work  he  ceased  not  for 
 about  half-a-century.  His  attainments  as  a  scholar  were  worthy 
 of  the  advantages  which  he  enjoyed  in  his  early  life,  when  he 
 acquired  an  efficient  knowledge  of  the  Latin,  Greek,  Hebrew, 
 and  French  languages,  and  a  proficiency  in  writing  Byrom's 
 shorthand.  His  exact  and  critical  knowledge  of  the  Holy 
 Scriptures  was  strikingly  manifested  in  his  hymns  and  in  his 
 preaching.  As  a  writer  of  devotional  poetry,  Charles  Wesley 
 will  be  permanently  remembered,  and  his  name  will  live  in  the 
 annals  of  the  Church.  "  In  the  composition  of  hymns  adapted 
 to  Christian  worship  he  has  no  equal  in  the  English  language, 
 and  is,  perhaps,  superior,"  says  Mr.  Jackson,  "to  every  other 
 uninspired  man  that  ever  lived."  No  man  has  ever  written  so 
 many  hymns,  or  hymns  of  such  surpassing  excellence.  The 
 natural  weakness  of  his  constitution  caused  him  to  differ  often 
 from  his  brother  John,  with  whom  he  was  associated  during  the 
 
HYMN  918.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  523 
 
 whole  of  his  public  life.  The  points  of  diiference  between  the 
 two  brothers  are  thus  stated  by  Charles  :— ''With  my  brother  it 
 was  first  the  Methodists,  then  the  Church  ;  with  me  it  was  first 
 the  Church,  then  the  Methodists.  My  brother  is  all  hope  ;  I  am 
 all  fear."  Yet  Charles  Wesley  loved  the  Methodists  with  a 
 much  deeper  and  intenser  passion  than  he  ever  loved  the 
 Church.  The  trials  which  he  endured  throughout  his  whole 
 life  of  over  fourscore  years  were  something  marvellous,  until 
 at  times,  in  the  intensity  of  his  sorrow  and  trial,  he  prayed  from 
 the  depth  of  his  heart  that  the  Lord  would  take  him  to  heaven 
 to  get  away  from  his  troubles.  In  the  complete  edition  of  his 
 poetry,  this  desire  for  death  occurs  frequently,  and  the  anxieties 
 of  his  family,  as  well  as  the  care  of  the  Societies  which  fell  to 
 his  lot,  would  have  overwhelmed  thousands  with  less  faith  in 
 God.  Although  his  income  seldom  exceeded  ^100  per  annum, 
 yet  when  he  was  offered  a  living  in  the  Church  of  the  value  of 
 ;^5oo  a-year,  he  chose,  as  Mr,  Moore  informs  us,  Methodism 
 with  poverty  to  strict  churchmanship  and  wealth.  No  two 
 brothers  ever  worked  more  harmoniously  or  effectively  together 
 for  so  long  a  period  than  did  John  and  Charles  Wesley.  When 
 the  latter  was  within  a  few  days  of  the  end  of  life,  he  received 
 this  laconic  note  from  John  :  "  Dear  brother,  you  must  go  out 
 every  day,  or  die.  Do  not  die  to  save  charges.  You  certainly 
 need  not  want  anything  as  long  as  I  live."  Dr.  Whitehead 
 attended  him  in  his  last  days  ;  but  as  there  was  no  disease 
 to  cure,  the  only  medicine  he  could  give  was  sympathy  and 
 prayer  ;  and  the  doctor  says  he  always  found  him  influenced  by 
 "  unaffected  humility  and  holy  resignation  to  the  will  of  God  ; 
 his  mind  was  kept  in  perfect  peace."  His  body  was  reduced  to 
 the  most  extreme  state  of  weakness.  Mr.  Samuel  Bardsley, 
 one  of  the  London  preachers,  who  sat  up  with  him  during  the 
 last  night  but  one  of  his  life,  says  of  him  :  "  He  had  no  disorder 
 but  old  age ;  he  had  very  little  pain  ;  his  mind  was  as  calm  as 
 a  summer  evening.  Some  months  before  his  departure  he  said 
 he  should  die  in  March,  and  so  he  did."  While  he  remained  in 
 the  state  of  extreme  feebleness,  having  been  silent  for  some 
 time,  he  called  Mrs.  Wesley  to  him,  and  requested  her  to  write, 
 at  his  dictation,  the  lines  given  above.  "  Thus,  for  fifty  years, 
 Christ,  as  the  Redeemer  of  men,  had  been  the  subject  of  his 
 effective  ministry  and  of  his  loftiest  songs  ;  and  he  may  be  said 
 to  have  died  with  a  hymn  of  praise  upon  his  lips.  On  the  last 
 morning  of  his   life  he  was  unable  to  speak.      Mrs.  Wesley 
 
$24  METHODIST  IIVMN  IJOOK  NOTKS.  HYMN  9 1 8. 
 
 desired  him  to  press  her  hand  if  he  knew  her,  which  he  did. 
 His  last  audible  breathings  were,  "  Lord — my  heart— MY  God  !" 
 He  then  drew  his  breath  short,  and  at  last  so  gently  that  the 
 exact  moment  on  which  his  happy  spirit  fled  was  unknown. 
 The  postscript  of  a  letter  to  Henry  IVIoore,  in  the  handwriting 
 of  John  Wesley,  now  before  us,  reads  thus  :  "My  brother  fell 
 asleep  so  quietly  that  they  who  sat  by  him  did  not  know  when 
 he  died."  Pie  departed  29th  March,  1788,  aged  eighty  years 
 and  three  months.  He  was  interred  in  the  graveyard  of  Old 
 Mar>'lebone  Church,  which  has  long  been  closed  to  the  public. 
 
 At  the  early  age  of  eight  years,  William  Jones  was  impressed 
 with  views  of  the  dying  love  of  Jesus  ;  but  it  was  not  till  he  was 
 twenty  that  he  gave  his  heart  to  the  Lord.  After  several  years' 
 usefulness  as  a  local  preacher,  he  gave  himself  to  the  work  of 
 the  Methodist  itineracy,  and  for  twenty  years  he  was  an 
 acceptable  preacher ;  and  when  the  infirmities  of  age  overtook 
 him,  he  still  laboured  whilst  he  had  strength.  A  short  but 
 severe  affliction  found  him  ready  both  to  suffer  and  to  die.  Some 
 of  his  last  words  were — 
 
 "  In  age  and  feebleness  extreme, 
 Who  shall  a  sinful  worm  redeem?"  &c. 
 
 His  last  words  were,  "  I  have  strong  consolation  ;  my  anchor 
 is  cast  within  the  veil."  He  died  31st  January,  1842,  aged 
 seventy-seven. 
 
 The  conversion  of  a  school-fellow  was  the  chief  means,  in 
 the  hands  of  God,  in  the  conversion  of  Charles  Atmore.  Not 
 having  before  heard  of  the  people  called  Methodists,  when  he 
 became  acquainted  with  them  he  soon  formed  the  resolution — 
 "  This  people  shall  be  my  people,  and  their  God  my  God." 
 Under  a  sermon  by  the  Rev.  Joseph  Pilmoor,  his  convictions  for 
 sin  were  so  deepened  that  he  sought  earnestly  and  continuously 
 for  pardon  ;  and  whilst  he  was  following  the  plough,  like  Elisha, 
 and  meditating  on  the  sermon  he  had  heard,  the  verse  of  the 
 hymn  commencing — 
 
 "  Oh,  that  in  me  the  sacred  fire 
 
 Might  now  begin  to  glow  !  "  &c., 
 
 was  so  impressed  on  his  mind,  he  urged  his  plea  for  pardon  with 
 so  much  earnestness,  the  love  of  God  was  instantly  shed  abroad 
 in  his  heart,  his  joy  and  grace  were  boundless,  and  when  twenty 
 years  old,  he  joined  the  despised  Methodists.     He  began  to 
 
HYMN  918.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  525 
 
 exhort  and  to  preach  in  the  villages  around,  and  with  so  much 
 acceptance  that,  on  being  introduced  to  Mr.  Wesley  at  Loddon, 
 in  Norfolk,  in  February,  1781,  that  venerable  man  at  once 
 appointed  him  the  fourth  preacher  in  the  Norwich  Circuit.  The 
 variety,  extent,  and  value  of  his  labours  as  a  Methodist  preacher 
 are  recorded  in  a  most  interesting  memoir  of  his  life  in  the 
 Wesleyaft  Magazine  for  1845.  For  forty-five  years  he  preached 
 with  great  acceptance  in  many  parts  of  England.  His  last 
 service  was  to  preach  and  meet  classes  at  Stoke-Newington  in 
 December,  1825.  An  illness  of  several  months  followed,  in 
 which  he  suffered  much  from  the  inability  to  lie  down  ;  but 
 although  his  strength  failed,  his  inward  man  was  renewed  day 
 by  day.  As  the  end  approached,  Jesus  and  glory  were  his  only 
 themes,  and  he  frequently  repeated  the  memorable  lines — 
 
 "  In  age  and  feebleness  extreme, 
 Who  shall  a  sinful  worm  redeem  ?  "  &c. 
 
 Shortly  before  midnight  of  30th  June,  1826,  he  fell  into  a  soft 
 slumber,  to  which  he  had  been  an  entire  stranger  for  many 
 months  ;  and  in  that  slumber,  at  ten  minutes  past  midnight, 
 1st  July,  he  peacefully  entered  the  paradise  of  God.  For  many 
 years  it  is  believed  that  more  than  five  hundred  conversions 
 per  annum  resulted  from  Mr.  Atmore's  labours  as  a  Methodist 
 preacher.      He  was  sixty-six  years  old. 
 
 "A  mother  in  Israel"  was  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Gillings,  mother  of 
 the  Rev.  James  Gillings,  whom  we  remember  with  pleasure 
 about  the  time  when  her  son  entered  the  itinerancy.  At  about 
 the  age  of  twenty-five  she  was  converted  under  the  ministry  of 
 the  Rev.  Corbett  Cooke.  For  many  years  she  was  a  much- 
 esteemed  class-leader — an  office  for  which  she  was,  by  her  rich 
 and  clear  experience,  well  qualified.  During  a  severe  affliction 
 she  rejoiced  greatly  that  she  had  consented  to  her  son  becoming 
 a  missionary  to  the  heathen.  Her  heart  was  filled  with  gratitude 
 to  God,  and  all  she  spoke  was  praise.  When  dying,  she  said, 
 with  much  energy,  "I  know  that  my  Redeemer  liveth,"  and 
 repeated  Charles  Wesley's  lines  — 
 
 "  Oh,  let  me  catch  one  smile  from  Thee, 
 And  drop  into  eternity  !  " 
 
 Her  last  words  were,  "  I  shall  soon  be  with  my  Saviour  :  all  is 
 well  !"     She  died  26th  January,  1849,  aged  sixty  years. 
 
526  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  9 1 8. 
 
 The  mother  of  the  Rev.  William  Pennington  Burgess,  A.M., 
 Wesleyan  minister,  was  born  in  1766,  at  one  of  the  homes  of 
 the  early  Methodist  preachers,  in  Aldermanbur>',  London.  As 
 the  daughter  of  a  Methodist  preacher,  she  was  acquainted  with 
 religion  from  childhood.  At  the  age  of  fourteen  she  was  con- 
 verted to  God,  and  began  to  meet  in  class  ;  at  the  age  of  seventeen 
 she  heard  Mr.  Wesley  preach  in  Dublin,  and  was  much  blessed 
 by  his  ministry.  For  several  years  she  accompanied  her 
 husband  to  his  various  stations  whilst  he  followed  a  military 
 profession.  This  he  afterwards  abandoned,  and  became  a 
 preacher  of  the  Gospel,  and  during  an  itinerancy  of  forty-two 
 years  his  wife  was  really  a  help-meet  to  the  faithful  servant  of 
 God.  At  the  advanced  age  of  more  than  fourscore  years,  and 
 when  death  was  at  hand,  in  the  last  letter  she  wrote,  addressed 
 to  her  son,  she  concluded  thus,  "  I  often  find  Charles  Wesley's 
 dying  hymn — 
 
 "  In  age  and  feebleness  extreme, 
 Who  shall  a  helpless  worm  redeem  ?  "  (Sec, 
 
 very  sweet  to  me,  only  I  want  to  dwell  710^  under  a  constant 
 sense  of  my  Saviour's  smile,  and  then  to  catch  a  brighter  one  at 
 the  last."  In  her  eighty-second  year  she  died,  3rd  May,  1848, 
 leaving  as  her  dying  motto,  "  Love  !  thanks  !  blessing  !  " 
 
 Under  the  powerful  and  heart-searching  ministry  of  the  Rev. 
 Joseph  Benson,  in  Oldham  Street  Chapel,  Manchester,  James 
 Wood  was  convinced  of  sin,  sought  and  found  pardon,  and  in 
 1794  joined  the  Methodist  Society  there.  His  character 
 throughout  a  long  career  of  godliness  was  marked  by  every 
 Christian  virtue.  In  the  Sunday  school,  prayer  meetings,  as  a 
 visitor  of  the  Strangers'  Friend  Society,  he  exercised  the  talents 
 which  made  him  afterwards  an  acceptable  and  useful  class-leader 
 and  local  preacher.  His  high  moral  rectitude  in  business,  his 
 large-hearted  catholicity,  his  judicious  counsels  and  seasonable 
 liberality  in  connection  with  Methodism,  made  his  name  and 
 memory  precious  in  the  Society  where  he  worshipped.  He  was 
 accustomed,  when  a  youth,  to  accompany  Dr.  Coke  to  solicit 
 contributions  in  Manchester  for  the  missions,  and  one  of  the 
 last  acts  of  his  public  life  was  to  send  his  annual  subscription  of 
 ;^ioo  to  the  Wesleyan  missions,  some  months  before  it  was  due, 
 to  lessen  the  necessity  for  borrowing.  In  his  last  illness  he 
 endured  much  suffering  without  a  murmur.  As  the  end 
 approached,  he  desired  one  of  his  daughters  to  copy  for  him  the 
 
HYMN  918.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  527 
 
 last  lines  composed  by  Charles  Wesley,  which,  for  several  days, 
 were  continually  upon  his  lips — 
 
 **  In  age  and  feebleness  extreme, 
 Who  shall  a  sinful  worm  redeem  ?  "  &c. 
 
 His  last  words  were  those  of  triumph,   "  Glory  !  glory  ! "  and 
 *'  Hallelujah  !  "     He  died  in  April,  1849,  aged  seventy-two. 
 
 Joseph  Meek,  at  the  age  of  fifteen,  under  a  sermon  by  the 
 Rev.  Joseph  Pilmoor,  was  convinced  of  sin.  During  a  great 
 revival  in  Yorkshire,  in  1793,  after  hearing  the  Rev.  William 
 Perceval  preach  at  Easingwold,  he  yielded  a  cheerful  obedience 
 to  the  divine  call,  and  obtained  a  sense  of  pardon.  Soon  after 
 his  conversion  he  was  made  the  leader  of  a  class,  composed 
 principally  of  recent  converts,  which,  in  a  few  months,  numbered 
 forty  members.  On  Sunday  morning,  it  was  his  custom  to 
 accompany  his  religious  friends  four  miles  to  Easingwold,  to 
 attend  the  six  o'clock  prayer  meeting,  and  to  enjoy  the  other 
 ordinances  of  God's  house.  After  this  preaching  was  commenced 
 in  his  native  village,  and  in  1800  he  was  called  into  the  Methodist 
 itinerancy  by  the  Rev.  James  Wood  ;  and  for  fifty  years  he 
 laboured  with  diligence  and  acceptance,  winning  many  souls  for 
 Jesus.  In  1839  he  retired  from  the  full  ministry,  and  for  ten 
 years  spent  himself  and  his  time  in  doing  all  the  good  he  could, 
 especially  to  the  young.  He  bore  affliction  uncomplainingly  ; 
 asked  the  prayers  of  the  Lord's  people,  and  shortly  before  he 
 died,  7th  September,  1849,  aged  seventy-three,  he  frequently 
 repeated — 
 
 "  In  age  and  feebleness  extreme, 
 Who  shall  a  sinful  worm  redeem  ?  "  Sec. 
 
 His  last  prayer  to  God  was,  "  I  resign  my  soul,  my  body,  my 
 family,  my  all,  into  the  arms  of  Thy  mercy." 
 
 When  only  eleven  years  of  age,  Miss  Butterfield,  who  after- 
 wards became  the  wife  of  the  Rev.  Thomas  Raston,  began  to 
 meet  in  class,  but  she  did  not  realise  a  sense  of  pardon  till 
 death  a  second  time  visited  her  family.  She  embarked  for  Sierra 
 Leone  in  1847  3-s  the  wife  of  a  missionary — a  life,  the  trials, 
 privations,  and  afflictions  of  which,  experience  only  can  make 
 known.  She  at  once  became  the  leader  of  a  class  of  females 
 who  greatly  benefited  by  her  instructions.  Severe  affliction 
 soon  prostrated  her  strength,  and  baffled  medical  skill.  She 
 had  to  return  home  to  England,  where,  after  lingering  a  few 
 months,  she  became  fully  resigned  to  the  will  of  God.     For 
 
5  23  METHODIST  HYMN  IJOOK.  NOTES.  HYMN  9 1 8. 
 
 eighteen  months  health,  strength,  and  voice  were  all  but  gone, 
 so  that  she  spoke  but  in  faint  whispers  ;  but  just  at  the  close, 
 she  was  so  filled  with  divine  love,  her  strength  returned,  and 
 she  exclaimed,  "  O  the  glory  !  I  am  going  !  Jesus  is  here  !  O 
 praise  God  !  O  the  goodness  of  God  ! "  From  this  time  a 
 heavenly  smile  sat  upon  her  countenance.  She  lingered  in  pain 
 but  in  patience,  oft  repeating — 
 
 "  O  let  me  catch  a  smile  from  Thee, 
 And  drop  into  eternity  ! " 
 
 Her  last  words  to  her  husband,  on  his  leaving  her  bedside  to 
 attend  a  missionary  meeting  at  Manchester,  were,  "  Tell  the 
 people  they  will  never  repent  of  what  they  do  for  the  perishing 
 heathen."  She  breathed  out  her  happy  spirit,  28th  December, 
 185 1,  with  the  words  quivering  on  her  lips — 
 
 '*  O  let  me  catch  a  smile  from  Thee  !  " 
 
 One  of  the  converts  at  the  glorious  revival  in  Cornwall,  in 
 1795,  during  that  remarkable  preaching-tour  of  the  Rev.  Joseph 
 Benson,  was  Mary  Garland,  who  afterwards  became  the  wife  of 
 the  Rev.  James  Odgers.  At  an  early  period  of  life  she  found 
 the  blessing  of  entire  sanctification,  and  she  long  bore  a  faithful 
 testimony  to  the  efficacy  of  the  blood  which  cleanseth  from  all 
 sin.  The  Bible  was  her  daily  companion,  and  prayer  her 
 delight.  The  Lord  honoured  her  by  giving  her  happy  days,  and 
 a  triumphant  death.     Shortly  before  she  escaped  to  paradise, 
 
 she  said — 
 
 "  O  let  me  catch  a  smile  from  Thee, 
 And  drop  into  eternity  !" 
 
 Then,  lying  composedly,  she  added,  "  Farewell  !  I  am  near 
 home,"  and  expired,  ist  December,  185 1,  aged  fifty. 
 
 Hannah  Lacy  lived  till  she  was  twenty-one  years  old  without 
 religion.  In  1785,  a  great  revival  broke  out  at  Todmorden, 
 under  the  preaching  of  the  Rev.  Charles  Atmore  and  his 
 colleagues,  and  more  than  eight  hundred  members  were  added 
 to  the  Church  in  two  years,  one  of  whom  was  Hannah  Lacy. 
 David  Lacy,  Hannah's  father,  was  the  leader  of  a  class  at 
 Todmorden,  in  the  early  days  of  Methodism  ;  at  his  death,  his 
 son,  Henr>',  became  its  leader ;  and  at  his  death,  his  sister 
 undertook  the  duty.  Thus  was  one  class  kept  in  the  charge  of 
 one  family  for  nearly  eighty  years,  and  in  that  class  she  had 
 continuously  met  for  nearly  seventy  years.     There  was  spiritual 
 
HYMN  918.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  529 
 
 life  in  that  Methodist  class ;  there  were  many  such  at  that 
 period ;  would  there  were  many  more  now  !  The  religion  of 
 Hannah  Lucy  was  "  Glory  begun  below ; "  she  was  cheerful, 
 happy,  and  always  doing  something  for  God.  When  more  than 
 eighty  years  of  age,  she  continued  to  meet  her  class,  starting  the 
 tunes,  and  adding  life  to  the  service.  Even  at  that  age,  she 
 would  attend  the  service  at  the  chapel  three  times  on  the 
 Sabbath.  Her  last  illness  was  short ;  but  as  in  health,  so  in 
 sickness,  the  cause  of  God  lay  near  her  heart ;  all  her  glorying 
 was  in  Christ.  To  inquirers  about  her  health,  she  replied  in 
 Charles  Wesley's  words,  which  she  had  uttered  almost  daily  for 
 years — 
 
 "  In  age  and  feebleness  extreme, 
 
 Who  shall  a  sinful  worm  redeem  ? 
 
 ****** 
 
 O  could  I  catch  a  smile  from  Thee, 
 And  drop  into  eternity  !  " 
 
 She  spoke  with  great  confidence  of  the  future  glory  of  Method- 
 ism, and  in  her  eighty-ninth  year,  died  in  peace,  and  entered 
 heaven  in  triumph,  25th  November,  1852. 
 
 At  the  age  of  seventeen,  Sarah  Gibbs  gave  her  heart  to  the 
 Lord,  after  hearing  Mr.  R.  C.  Brackenbury  preach  in  the  Isle  of 
 Portland,  in  1793.  She  became  an  esteemed  class-leader  in 
 1 8 10,  welcomed  all  Methodist  preachers  to  her  cottage  and 
 hospitality,  and  was  a  fine  specimen  of  primitive  godliness,  an 
 Israelite  indeed.  When  eighty-five  years  were  passed,  and  the 
 weary  wheels  of  life  were  standing  still,  she  raised  her  head, 
 and  whispered  on  2nd  August,  1861 — 
 
 "  O  let  me  catch  a  smile  from  Thee, 
 And  drop  into  eternity  !  " 
 
 In  early  life,  Mrs.  Wightman,  of  Belfield  House,  Sheffield, 
 gave  her  heart  to  the  Lord  and  her  energies  to  Methodism. 
 She  attended  Carver  Street  Chapel,  from  the  time  of  its  opening 
 to  the  end  of  her  life.  She  was  a  member  of  Society  for  fifty- 
 seven  years,  and  during  that  time  had  an  unwavering  trust  in 
 God.  The  influence  of  her  godly  example  was  impressed  upon 
 all  around  her  ;  her  last  long  affliction  was  borne  with  exemplary 
 patience,  and  she  spoke  constantly  in  the  language  of  praise  and 
 prayer.  She  repeated  with  much  emphasis,  when  in  great 
 weakness  of  body,  Charles  Wesley's  verse — 
 
 "  In  age  and  feebleness  extreme,"  &c.  ; 
 
 2  L 
 
53°  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  919. 
 
 and  on  15th  June,  i860,  at  the  age  of  eighty-five,  she  entered 
 into  rest. 
 
 When  the  whole  county  of  Kent  formed  but  one  circuit  in 
 Methodism,  with  only  two  preachers  to  work  it,  under  a  sermon, 
 preached  at  five  o'clock  in  the  morning,  by  the  Rev.  John  Wesley, 
 Mr.  H.  Hilliard  was  convinced  of  sin,  sought  and  found  pardon, 
 and  joined  the  Society,  at  Chatham,  in  June,  1783.  He  had  the 
 privilege  of  hearing  John  Wesley  preach  nine  times,  and  his 
 brother,  the  Rev.  Charles  Wesley,  he  heard  once.  He  was  a 
 member  of  Society  more  than  eighty  years,  and  a  class-leader 
 more  than  seventy  years.  He  walked  before  his  family  and  the 
 world  with  a  perfect  heart.  When  death  was  before  him,  he 
 peacefully  said,  "  I  am  going  home  to  meet  all  my  friends  who 
 have  gone  before  me."  His  dying  testimony  was  in  these 
 words:  "My  meditation  of  Christ  and  of  His  atonement  is 
 sweet,  and  I  will  thank  Him.  And  now  I  have  but  one 
 desire — 
 
 **  'In  age  and  feebleness  extreme, 
 
 Who  shall  a  sinful  worm  redeem  ? 
 
 Jesus,  my  only  hope  Thou  art, 
 
 Strength  of  my  failing  flesh  and  heart ; 
 
 O  could  I  catch  a  smile  from  Thee, 
 
 And  drop  into  eternity  ! ' " 
 
 His  desire  was  granted;  a  few  hours  later,  on  loth  January-, 
 1864,  he  breathed  out  his  life,  as  gently  as  a  summer  wave  dies 
 on  the  shore,  in  his  ninety-sixth  year. 
 
 Hymn  919. — "Warned  of  my  dissolution  near." — Prayer  fc 
 grace  to  die  well. 
 
 or 
 
 This  forms  No.  24  of  Charles  Wesley's  "  Preparation  for 
 Death."  The  original  has  four  verses,  the  third  being  omitted. 
 It  commences  thus — 
 
 *'  Suffice  that  more  than  threescore  years 
 I  have  thine  indignation  borne," 
 
 which  indicates  the  age  of  the  author  when  it  was  written. 
 The  last  line  of  the  omitted  verse  had  its  prayer  fully  answered 
 — namely,  "  Let  hope  and  peace  be  in  my  end."  The  whole 
 hymn  expresses  the  personal  experience  of  the  author. 
 
HYMN  920.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  53 1 
 
 Hymn  920. — "Lord,  it  belongs  not  to  my  cdiXt.''^— Covenant  of 
 Faith. 
 
 This  was  written  by  the  learned  and  pious  Richard  Baxter, 
 author  of  the  "Saint's  Everlasting  Rest,"  &c,,  and  was  first 
 published  in  1681.  The  original  is  in  eight  verses  of  eight  lines 
 each,  and  has  the  title  of  "  The  Covenant  and  Confidence  of 
 Faith."  More  than  half  the  original  is  omitted.  It  commences 
 thus— 
 
 *'  jMy  whole,  though  broken  heart,  O  Lord, 
 From  henceforth  shall  be  Thine." 
 
 Instead  of  commencing,  "  Lord,  it  belongs,"  the  author  wrote 
 "  Now  it  belongs."  This  is  the  only  one  of  his  hymns  in  the 
 book.  Richard  Baxter  was  born  at  Rowton,  Shropshire,  12th 
 November,  161 5.  He  had  no  university  education  ;  but,  being 
 trained  in  the  school  of  Christ,  he  took  orders  in  the  Church, 
 and  was  appointed  to  the  parish  of  Kidderminster  in  1640. 
 Taking  sides  with  the  Puritans,  he  resigned  his  living, 
 and  from  1663  resided  in  retirement,  writing  books.  How  he 
 lived  at  Kidderminster  has  been  shown  by  the  public 
 monument,  a  Portrait  Statue,  erected  to  his  memory  in  that 
 town  in  1855.  Every  earnest  Christian  should  read  the  stirring 
 record  of  his  life.  His  collected  works  were  issued  in  1830  in 
 twenty-five  volumes.  He  died  in  holy  triumph  8th  December, 
 1 69 1,  aged  seventy-four  years.  His  "  Paraphrase  of  the 
 Psalms"  was  printed  in  1692.  Sir  Roundell  Palmer  prints  eight 
 verses  of  the  hymn  in  his  "  Book  of  Praise." 
 
 On  a  beautifully  bright  spring  day,  13th  March,  1882,  the 
 Wesleyan  Improvement  Class,  King  Street,  Derby,  went  out 
 for  an  excursion  to  several  places  of  historical  interest  in 
 Methodism.  They  reached  Breedon  church  on  the  summit  of 
 a  hill,  seen  for  twenty  miles  away.  At  the  church  the  company 
 was  received  in  the  kindest  manner  by  the  Vicar,  the  Rev.  S. 
 Ingle  (son  of  the  late  Rev.  Timothy  C.  Ingle,  Wesleyan 
 minister).  The  whole  of  the  party  from  Derby,  headed  by  the 
 circuit  ministers  (the  Revs.  P.  Featherstone  and  W.  Jeffries), 
 being  seated  in  the  church,  Mr.  Ingle  proceeded  to  explain 
 several  points  connected  with  that  ancient  and  unique  edifice. 
 The  place  is  known  to  Wesleyans  as  the  church  where  Walter 
 Sellon,  the  friend  of  Wesley  and  Fletcher,  laboured  successfully 
 120  years  ago.  The  company,  having  thanked  the  Vicar 
 for  his   courtesy,  descended  the  hill   on  the    eastern  side   of 
 
532  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  920, 
 
 the  church,  and  again  entered  their  carriages.  Before  them 
 lay  the  village  of  Tonge,  where  Sellon  had  resided,  but  time  did 
 not  permit  of  a  visit  to  the  house  where  he  and  Fletcher  had 
 been  wont  to  meet  as  friends,  and  for  worship.  We  hasten 
 back  to  Melbourne  in  order  to  avail  ourselves  of  the  courtesy 
 offered  by  Mr.  W.  D.  Fane,  of  Melbourne  Hall,  to  visit  the 
 attractive  gardens.  Melbourne  Hall,  which  in  modern  times 
 has  been  the  country  seat  of  two  of  her  ^Majesty's  Prime 
 l^Iinisters  (Viscount  Melbourne  and  Viscount  Palmerston), 
 afforded,  more  than  230  years  ago,  rest  and  quiet  to  Richard 
 Baxter,  who,  in  extreme  weakness,  came  here  on  the 
 invitation  of  Sir  John  Coke  to  recruit  his  health,  but,  as  the 
 invalid  himself  thought,  to  die.  Baxter  set  about  writing 
 "The  Saint's  Everlasting  Rest"  at  this  place,  but  his  health 
 was  restored,  and  more  than  forty  years  were  added  to  his 
 life.  After  partaking  of  an  excellent  tea,  an  agreeable  hour  was 
 spent  in  visiting  the  restored  Norman  Church  of  Melbourne 
 and  the  neat  modern  Wesleyan  chapel  opened  a  few  years  ago 
 by  the  late  Rev.  Luke  H.  Wiseman.  This  chapel  replaces  the 
 old  one  built  more  than  sixty  years  ago,  and  now  used  as  a 
 schoolroom.  Here  the  company  sang  Baxter's  beautiful  hymn 
 (No.  920) — 
 
 "  Lord,  it  belongs  not  to  my  care, 
 
 Whether  I  die  or  live  ; 
 To  love  and  serve  Thee  is  my  share, 
 
 And  this  Thy  grace  must  give." 
 
 The  whole  hymn  sung  out  of  doors  impressed  its  truths  much 
 more  deeply  on  the  mind  than  ever  before,  and  the  memor>'  of 
 that  song  will  be  long  cherished.  John  Wesley  records  six 
 occasions  in  his  Journals  when  he  visited  Melbourne  ;  all 
 between  1741  and  1762. 
 
 The  son  of  Lord  McKenzie,  Judge  of  the  Supreme  Court 
 of  Scotland,  was  taken  ill  whilst  an  undergraduate  at  Trinity 
 College,  Cambridge,  in  1855,  and  died  of  rheumatic  fever  at 
 the  early  age  of  twenty-two.  He  had  maintained  a  godly 
 life  at  the  College,  and  during  his  illness  he  delighted 
 his  friends  by  frequently  repeating  the  whole  hymn 
 commencing — 
 
 **  Lord,  it  belongs  not  to  my  care, 
 
 Whether  I  die  or  live  ; 
 To  love  and  serve  Thee  is  my  share, 
 
 And  this  Thy  grace  must  give." 
 
HYMN  922.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  533 
 
 The  hymn  had  been  the  more  permanently  impressed  on  his 
 youthful  mind  by  its  having  been  used  by  his  brother  when 
 he  was  dying,  as  indicating  his  full  submission  to  the  will  of 
 God.  "When  grace  has  well  refined  the  heart,"  rich  and 
 poor  alike  bow  to  the  stroke  of  a  divine  Father's  hand, 
 though  it  be  to  call  them  away  from  all  below. 
 
 Hymn  921. — "Deathless  principle,  arise." — The  Dying 
 Christian  encouraged. 
 This  is  the  second  of  two  hymns  in  the  book  by  the  immortal 
 Augustus  M.  Toplady.  The  original  is  in  six  eight-line  verses.  The 
 first  half  of  the  fifth  and  the  last  half  of  the  sixth  are  omitted ; 
 besides  which  four  of  the  lines  given  are  altered  without  being 
 improved.  When  Toplady's  end  was  near  the  doctor  informed 
 him  that  his  pulse  was  getting  weaker.  "  That  is  a  good  sign," 
 said  the  dying  man,  "  that  my  death  is  approaching  ;  and, 
 blessed  be  God,  my  heart  every  day  beats  stronger  and  stronger 
 for  glory.  It  will  not  be  long  before  God  takes  me,  for  no 
 mortal  man  can  live  after  the  glories  which  God  has  manifested 
 to  my  soul.''  Such  was  the  blissful  experience  of  Toplady  on 
 the  border-land  of  both  worlds,  and  such  the  spirit  of  the  man 
 when  he  wrote — 
 
 **  Deathless  principle,  arise, 
 
 Soar,  thou  native  of  the  skies  ! " 
 Why  were  the  following  lines  omitted  1 
 
 ''See,  the  haven  full  in  view ; 
 
 Love  divine  shall  bear  thee  through  ; 
 Trust  to  that  propitious  gale  ; 
 Weigh  thy  anchor,  spread  thy  sail." 
 
 The  omitted  closing  lines  are  as  follows,  taken  from  Mr. 
 Sedgwick's  admirable  reprint — 
 
 *'  Such  the  prospects  that  arise 
 To  the  dying  Christian's  eyes  ; 
 Such  the  glorious  vista  faith 
 Opens  through  the  shades  of  death  ! " 
 This  hymn  is  in  "  The  Book  of  Praise  "  and  in  the  American 
 Methodist  Collection. 
 
 Hymn  922. — "  Happy  soul,  thy  days  are  ended." — For  one 
 
 departing. 
 Charles  Wesley's,   being   No.    55   in   "Hymns   and   Sacred 
 Poems,"  1749,  vol.  ii.     Formerly  it  was  No.  725. 
 
534  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  923. 
 
 It  has  been  sung  in  the  death-chamber  of  many  departing 
 saints  amongst  the  Methodists,  and  not  a  few  have  entered 
 "Jerusalem  the  Golden"  with  the  music  of  the  words — 
 
 "  Go,  by  angel-guards  attended, 
 To  the  sight  of  Jesus  go  !  " 
 
 sounding  in  their  ears,  commingled  with  that  other  song, 
 "  Worthy  is  the  Lamb,"  sung  by  the  redeemed. 
 
 Mrs.  Smith,  daughter  of  the  Rev.  William  Sanderson,  and 
 mother  of  Mrs.  Hindson  and  Mrs.  Simon,  of  Inverness,  was  fifty 
 years  a  member  of  Society.  The  testimony  of  her  friends  is, 
 that  few  have  done  so  much  or  so  well  in  the  Church  and  in  the 
 world  for  the  glory  of  God.  When  near  death,  she  sweetly  sang 
 the  hymn  commencing — 
 
 "  Happy  soul,  thy  days  are  ended, 
 All  thy  mourning  days  below ; 
 Go,  by  angel-guards  attended, 
 To  the  sight  of  Jesus  go  ! 
 
 "  Waiting  to  receive  thy  spirit, 
 
 Lo  !  the  Saviour  stands  above  ; 
 Shows  the  purchase  of  His  merit. 
 Reaches  out  the  crown  of  love." 
 
 When  her  spirit  was  departing,  on  17th  July,  1844,  aged  sixty- 
 nine,  she  said,  "The  frail  bark  is  nearing  the  shore,  and  the 
 haven  of  glory  is  full  in  view." 
 
 Hymn  923. — "Mine  hour  appointed  is  at  hand." — The  Dying 
 Christia7i. 
 
 This  hymn  is  of  German  origin,  and  was  written  by  Nicholas 
 Hermann,  a  contemporary  of  Luther,  a  schoolmaster,  and 
 organist  at  the  church  of  Joachimsthal,  a  village  in  Bohemia, 
 over  which  Johann  Mathesius  was  pastor.  He  was  a  genial 
 man,  devoted  to  the  young  people,  for  whom  he  wrote  both 
 hymns  and  tunes,  which  he  taught  them,  and  which  became  very 
 popular.  They  were  first  published  in  1559.  In  his  old  age,  the 
 good  man  suffered  much  from  gout,  but  he  alleviated  his  pains 
 by  thoughts  of  heaven,  and  playing  the  songs  of  Zion  on  the 
 organ,  often  remarking  that  in  heaven  there  would  be  only  good 
 music  and  no  mistakes  in  practice.  His  own  dying  experience 
 is  embodied  in  this  hymn,  which  has  since  been  a  source  of  solace 
 alike  to  the  prince  and  the  peasant  in  their  last  hours.     Of 
 
HYMN  925.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  535 
 
 "Albert  the  Good"  it  is  said  that  he  found  pleasure  in  some  of 
 Hermann's  hymns,  which,  with  others  from  the  "  Fatherland," 
 he  designated  "  the  joyful  summoning  drum  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  at 
 whose  sound  many  Christians  have  happily  fallen  asleep."  The 
 fourth  and  fifth  verses  of  this  hymn,  in  an  English  translation, 
 were  sung  in  St.  George's  Chapel,  Windsor,  23rd  December, 
 1 86 1,  when  the  Prince  Consort  was  laid  in  his  grave.  No  one 
 knew  better  than  the  Queen  herself  the  greatness  of  the  loss 
 the  nation,  as  well  as  her  own  family,  had  sustained  by  that 
 unexpected  death  at  the  early  age  of  forty-two  ;  but  there  was 
 consolation  to  be  derived  from  the  chanting  of  those  lines,  as 
 the  music  echoed  through  the  royal  chapel — 
 
 "Lord,  Thou  hast  joined  my  soul  to  Thine, 
 
 In  bonds  no  power  can  sever  ; 
 Grafted  in  Thee,  the  living  Vine, 
 
 I  shall  be  Thine  for  ever  : 
 Lord,  when  I  die,  I  die  to  Thee  ; 
 Thy  precious  death  hath  won  for  me 
 
 A  hfe  that  never  endeth." 
 
 There  is  more  cheer  in  the  assurance  of  such  lines  than  in  the 
 most  gorgeous  and  costly  monuments. 
 
 The  version  here  given  was  prepared  by  Richard  Massie, 
 Esq. ;  the  original  includes  more  than  is  here  given.  It  has 
 attracted  the  pens  of  four  English  translators,  and  is  likely  to  be 
 welcomed  for  its  words  of  solace  by  many  dying  Methodists. 
 
 Hymn  924. — "The  hour  of  my  departure's  come." — Now^  Lo7'd^ 
 leitest  Thoti  Thy  servant  depart  in  peace. 
 
 This  contains  the  dying  experience  of  the  sainted  Michael 
 Bruce,  who  in  1767,  at  the  age  of  twenty,  exchanged  mortality  for 
 life,  exclaiming  at  the  end  of  his  short  pilgrimage — 
 
 "  Now,  O  my  God,  let  troubles  cease  : 
 Now  let  Thy  servant  die  in  peace  ! " 
 
 Hymn  925. — "Happy  who  in  Jesus  live." — I a7n  in  a  strait 
 betwixt  two. — Phil.  i.  23. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  being  No.  16  of  his  "Funeral  Hymns," 
 1744.     It  was  formerly  No.  723. 
 
 In  early  life,  William  AUwood,  of  Mansfield,  Woodburn, 
 served  his   country  in   the  militia.      On   returning  home,   the 
 
536  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  927. 
 
 godly  conversation  of  a  local  preacher,  and  the  conversion  of 
 his  eldest  daughter,  led  to  his  own  conversion.  From  that 
 time,  the  whole  course  of  his  life  was  changed.  He  was  made 
 a  class-leader,  and  laboured  with  exemplary  patience  in  the 
 Sabbath  school.  After  the  death  of  his  wife,  with  whom  he 
 had  lived  happily  for  fifty  years,  his  mellowing  experience 
 showed  the  ripening  of  his  own  spirit  for  glory.  After  this 
 bereavement,  he  commenced  his  first  class-meeting  by  singing 
 the  hymn — 
 
 ''  Happy  who  in  Jesus  live  ; 
 But  happier  still  are  they 
 Who  to  God  their  spirits  give, 
 And  'scape  from  earth  away. 
 Lord,  Thou  receiv'st  the  panting  heart, 
 Lord,  Thou  hear'st  the  praying  sigh  ; 
 Oh,  'tis  better  to  depart, 
 'Tis  better  far  to  die." 
 
 It  was  a  solemn  meeting,  remembered  by  all  his  members  ;  and 
 not  very  long  afterwards,  27th  February,  1852,  aged  seventy-one, 
 he  was  himself  called  to  rejoin  her  in  the  skies. 
 
 Hymn  926.—"  The  saints  who  die  of  Christ  possest."— "  They 
 rest  from  their  labours  ^"^  Szc. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  being  No.  857  of  "  Short  Scripture  Hymns," 
 founded  on  Revelation  xiv.  13;  No.  3476  "Poetical  Works," 
 vol.  xiii.,  p.  236.     It  was  in  the  former  Supplement  as  No.  732. 
 
 Hymn  927. — "  I  call  the  world's  Redeemer  mine." — ''^  I  know 
 that  my  Redeemer  liveth^''  Sec. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  being  No.  750  of  "  Short  Scripture  Hymns," 
 vol.  i.,  and  from  the  Arminian  Magazine^  vol.  iii.,  1780,  founded 
 on  Job  xix.  25-27.     Its  former  No.  was  718. 
 
 By  adopting  the  erroneous  translation  of  the  passage  put 
 forth  in  what  is  called  the  authorised  version  of  the  Scriptures, 
 Mr.  Wesley  has  fallen  into  the  generally-received  error, 
 "Though  after  my  skin  worms  destroy  this  body,"  &c.  The 
 poet  says — 
 
 "  And  though  the  worms  this  skin  devour  ;  " 
 
 and  again,  in  the  fourth  verse — 
 
 "  Then  let  the  worms  demand  their  prey. " 
 
HYMN  932.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  537 
 
 Dr.  Watts  has  the  same  idea  in  Hymn  930  ;  and  Joseph  Hart, 
 in  one  of  his  hymns,  embodies  the  same  opinion.  In  Hymn  928 
 the  same  idea  is  found ;  but  the  opinion  is  not  found  in  the 
 original  Scriptures,  nor  is  it  a  recognised  physical  fact  that 
 worms  destroy  our  bodies. 
 
 Hymn  928. — "  I  know  that  my  Redeemer  YwesP—Job  xix.  25. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1742. 
 It  was  formerly  No.  726. 
 
 Hymn  929. — "Why  do  we  mourn  departing  friends.?" — The 
 
 Death  a7id  Btirial  of  a  Saint, 
 Dr.  Watts',  Hymn  3,  book  ii.     The  second  and  third  verses 
 left  out.     It  was. formerly  No.  720. 
 
 Hymn  930.— "And  must  this  body  die?" — Triumph  over 
 Death  i?i  Hope  of  a  Resurrection. 
 Dr.     Watts',     Hymn     100,     book    ii.       A    hymn    of   much 
 sweetness  and  encouragement  to  Christians. 
 
 Hymn  931.—"  My  life  's  a  shade,  my  days."— /^<^  xix.  26. 
 This  hymn  introduces  a  new  name  amongst  the  authors 
 in  this  Collection.  It  was  written  by  the  Rev.  Samuel 
 Crossman,  B.D.,  a  prebendary  of  Bristol,  who  was  the  son 
 of  Samuel  Crossman,  of  Bradfield,  Monachorum,  Suffolk,  and 
 was  born  in  1624.  He  was  educated  at  Cambridge,  and  had 
 to  pass  through  all  the  ecclesiastical  troubles  of  the 
 Commonwealth  and  the  Restoration.  He  was  frequently 
 called  upon  to  preach  special  sermons,  which  were  printed. 
 He  also  published  in  1664  a  useful  manual  entitled,  "The 
 Young  Man's  Meditation  ;  or,  Some  Few  Sacred  Poems  upon 
 Select  Subjects  and  Scriptures,"  some  hymns  being  included. 
 It  will  be  noticed  how  the  chorus  is  repeated  in  each  verse, 
 which  is  the  case  also  with  Hymn  942,  also  by  him.  He 
 died  4th  Februar)^,  1683,  and  w^as  interred  in  the  south 
 aisle  of  Bristol  Cathedral.  This  hymn  is  in  "  The  Book  of 
 Praise." 
 
 Hmyn  932.— "Great  God  !  what  do  I  see  and  hear.?"— T/z^ 
 
 Last  fiidgmeiit. 
 This  hymn  had  its  origin  in  the  mind  of  a  German  Christian 
 named  Bartholomew  Ringwaldt,  who  was  born  at   Frankfort- 
 
SjS  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  933. 
 
 on-the-Oder  in  1530.  He  was  many  years  pastor  of  the 
 Lutheran  Church  at  Langfeld,  in  Prussia,  where  he  died  in 
 1598,  after  a  hfe  of  nearly  seventy  years,  in  which  trials  and 
 sufferings  from  pestilence,  famine,  floods,  fire,  and  other 
 calamities  were  blended.  He  comforted  himself  and  others 
 by  writing  hymns  of  great  simplicity  and  power,  which  are 
 much  like  those  written  by  Luther.  This  hymn  has  been 
 often  attributed  to  Luther,  which  is  an  error.  Ringwaldt 
 wrote  it  in  imitation  of  the  old  Latin  hymn  "  Dies  Irai" 
 The  original  has  six  verses,  and  was  first  published  in  1585. 
 The  first  verse  was  commonly  known  in  England  in  the 
 early  part  of  this  century,  when  the  Rev.  Dr.  William  Bengo* 
 Collyer,  F.A.S.,  met  with  it,  and  being  pleased  therewith,  he 
 said  :  "  I  was  obliged  to  lengthen  it  for  the  completion  of  the 
 subject,  and  am  responsible  for  the  verses  which  follow  the 
 first."  The  hymn  has  undergone  many  alterations.  Dr. 
 Collyer  was  a  native  of  Blackheath,  where  he  was  born, 
 14th  April,  1782,  and  was  educated  at  the  Homerton 
 Academy.  He  began  to  preach  at  the  age  of  eighteen, 
 gathered  a  congregation  of  Nonconformists  at  Peckham,  and 
 was  ordained  their  pastor  in  November,  1801.  For  fifty- 
 three  years  he  ministered  to  that  congregation,  wrote  and 
 published  many  books,  was  private  chaplain  to  the  Duke  of 
 Kent  (the  father  of  Queen  Victoria),  and  died  9th  January, 
 1854,  aged  seventy-two  years.  In  18 12  he  published  a  volume 
 of  "  Hymns,  Partly  Collected  and  Partly  Original."  Several 
 contemporary  authors  contributed  to  the  volume,  including  the 
 Rev.  W.  M.  Bunting.  The  well-known  tune  to  the  original 
 hymn,  composed  by  Luther,  is  said  to  have  been  the  first 
 tune  which  his  genius  produced. 
 
 Hymn  933. — "Day  of  wrath  !  O  day  of  mourning  !  " — T/ie 
 J7idg}nejit. 
 
 This  was  written  in  Latin  by  a  Franciscan  monk  of  the 
 thirteenth  centur)',  named  Thomas  of  Celano,  the  friend  and 
 pupil  of  Francis  of  Assisi,  the  leader  of  the  Franciscans.  By 
 request  of  Pope  Gregory  IX.,  he  wrote  the  life  of  his  great 
 patron.  As  an  author  he  is  known  by  three  hymns  designated 
 "  Sequences,"  one  of  which,  the  "Dies  Irae,  Dies  Ilia,"  has  for  six 
 hundred  years  been  one  of  the  best  known  hymns  in  the  Church 
 of  Christ.      Translated   again   and  again,   yet   the   grand  old 
 
HYMN  935.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  539 
 
 original  still  attracts  the  attention  of  scholars,  who  take  delight 
 in  catching  the  spirit  of  the  Latin  and  reproducing  it  in  English 
 meter.  The  translation  here  given  was  made  by  the  Rev.  Wm. 
 Joseph  Irons,  D.D.,  who  was  Vicar  of  Brompton  in  1842, 
 himself  the  son  of  the  once  famous  Joseph  Irons,  of  Grove 
 Chapel,  Camberwell,  one  of  the  most  eminent  Dissenters  in 
 London.  It  is  said  of  Dr.  Samuel  Johnson  that  his  feelings 
 always  overcame  him  when  he  read  this  grand  Judgment 
 hymn  by  Thomas  of  Celano.  Sir  Walter  Scott  gently  uttered 
 its  solemn  strains  in  his  last  hours.  Thomas  of  Celano  died 
 about  A.D.  1255. 
 
 Hymn  934. — "  The  day  of  wrath,  that  dreadful  day." — 
 The  Heavens  Departed — Rev.  vi.  14. 
 
 This  is  the  rendering  of  the  "Dies  Iras"  by  Sir  Walter 
 Scott.  The  original  so  deeply  impressed  his  mind  that  he 
 has  interwoven  these  solemn  verses  into  his  "  Lay  of  the 
 Last  Minstrel,"  and  now  the  great  novelist  is  made  one  of  the 
 contributors  to  the  Methodist  Hymn  Book.  The  opinion  of 
 that  famous  writer  respecting  this  hymn  is  worth  quoting  : 
 "To  my  Gothic  ear  this  old  hymn  is  more  solemn  and 
 affecting  than  fine  classical  poetry  ;  it  has  the  gloomy  dignity 
 of  the  Gothic  Church."  Sir  Walter  Scott,  Bart.,  was  born  ini77i 
 in  Edinburgh,  and  died  at  Abbotsford,  21st  September,  1832. 
 He  ranks  at  the  head  of  English  novelists  ;  he  wrote  more 
 books,  and  obtained  thereby  greater  popularity  and  better 
 compensation  than  any  man  who  preceded  him.  During 
 several  months  of  1826-27  he  reaHsed  by  his  pen  £-}>?>  P^^^  day, 
 so  that  one  work  he  published  in  1827  brought  him  ;i{^i 2,000. 
 Paralysis  closed  a  long,  useful,  and  laborious  life.  He  had 
 no  surviving  son  to  inherit  his  estates. 
 
 Hymn  935. — "This  is  the  field,  the  world  below." — 
 Harvest  Hyi7i7i — Matthew  xiii.  17,  &c. 
 
 For  nearly  a  century  this  hymn  has  been  in  use,  and  has 
 had  a  wide  share  of  popularity  in  Sunday-School  Hymn  Books, 
 without  its  being  known  who  wrote  it.  In  1876,  considerable 
 inquiry  and  investigation  was  made,  which  proved  that  the 
 hymn  had  a  history  of  its  own. 
 
 The  earliest  known  date  of  its  publication  is  the  year  1797,  but 
 the  tract  which  contains  it  has  "  fifth  edition  "  printed  on  the  title 
 
540  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  935. 
 
 page,  which  is  as  follows  :  "  Favourite  Hymns,  Odes,  and 
 Anthems,  as  sung  at  the  Methodist  chapels  in  the  Sheffield, 
 Rotherham,  Doncaster,  and  Nottingham  Circuits.  Fifth 
 Edition.  Improved  by  John  Wilde,  teacher  of  vocal  music  in 
 Sheffield.  1797."  Hymn  25  in  that  tract  is  the  same  as 
 Hymn  935  in  the  New  Supplement,  with  a  few  verbal  alterations. 
 Immediately  after  the  title  to  Hymn  25  are  the  words  "By  J. 
 Hinchsliffe,"  thus  placing  the  question  of  authorship  beyond 
 doubt.  Its  author  was  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Society  at 
 Norfolk  Street,  Sheffield,  and  a  member  of  the  choir  in  the 
 same  society.  The  Harvest  Hymn  soon  obtained  popularity.  It 
 is  printed  in  a  "Collection  of  Hymns  for  the  Use  of  all  Denomin- 
 ations. Second  Edition.  With  an  addition  of  many  choice  hymns. 
 Leeds  :  Printed  by  A.  Newsome,  bookseller.  1797-"  The  first 
 edition  of  this  collection  is  said  to  have  appeared  in  1795. 
 Having  a  place  in  two  separate  books  in  1797  indicates  that  it 
 existed  at  a  previous  date.  It  is  next  found  in  "A  Collection  of 
 Hymns  and  Sacred  Songs  Adapted  to  the  Principal  Festivals 
 of  the  Church,  and  to  the  Occasions  of  Private  Christians. 
 Fourth  edition.  Printed  by  J.  Clarke,  Stockport,  1803."  It 
 may  have  been  in  the  three  previous  editions.  It  has  a  place 
 also  in  "  Hymns  for  Prayer  Meetings,  and  a  Companion  for  the 
 Pious.  Leeds,  printed  by  G.  Wilson,  1806."  Also  in  "Hymns 
 for  the  Use  of  Sunday  Schools.  Selected  from  various  authors. 
 Sixth  edition.  Printed  by  W.  Major,  Bristol,  1812."  Also  in 
 another  Bristol  book  published  in  18 12.  It  appears  in  another 
 collection  published  in  Yorkshire,  with  a  preface  by  two 
 Methodist  preachers  (James  Buckley  and  Richard  Watson), 
 entitled,  "  Hymns  for  the  Use  of  Sunday  Schools.  Wakefield, 
 printed  by  Rowland  Hurst,  Northgate,  18 13."  It  is  also  in  a 
 collection  "  printed  at  Manchester  and  Salford  for  Children  of 
 all  Denominations,  1819."  Its  next  appearance  was  in  "A 
 Collection  of  Hymns  for  Camp-meetings  and  Revivals  for  the 
 Use  of  the  Primitive  Methodists,  1822." 
 
 Mr.  Wesley  has  recorded  in  his  Journal  the  intense  pleasure 
 he  had  in  hearing  the  Sunday-school  children  of  Bolton  sing 
 their  hymns,  and  it  is  said  by  Mr.  Smith  that  one  of  the  hymns 
 which  they  sang  in  his  hearing  in  1787-88  was  the  "Harvest 
 Hymn."  This  is  not  proved.  However,  there  is  a  Harvest 
 Hymn  in  five  verses  in  "A  Collection  of  Hymns  for  Social 
 Worship  ;  more  particularly  for  the  use  of  the  Methodist  Sunday 
 School,  Bolton.     Printed  by  H.  Swindells,  Deansgate,  Bolton. 
 
HYMN  935.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  541 
 
 1 8 16."    This  hymn  differs  in  nearly  every  line  from  the  original, 
 and  we  give  the  reader  the  opportunity  of  comparing  the  two— 
 
 "  The  Harvest  Home. 
 
 "  Though  in  the  outward  Church  below 
 The  tares  and  wheat  together  grow  ; 
 Jesus  ere  long  will  reap  the  crop, 
 And  pluck  the  tares  in  anger  up. 
 The  time  of  reaping  soon  will  come, 
 And  angels  shout  the  harvest  home  ! 
 
 "  We  seem  alike  when  thus  we  meet, 
 Strangers  would  think  we  all  are  wheat  ; 
 But  to  the  Lord's  all-searching  eyes 
 Each  heart  appears  without  disguise. 
 The  time  of  reaping  soon  will  come. 
 And  angels  shout  the  harvest  home  ! 
 
 "The  tares  are  spared  for  various  ends, 
 Some  for  the  sake  of  praying  friends  ; 
 In  harvest  when  He  claims  His  own, 
 *  The  tares  will  into  hell  be  thrown. 
 
 The  time  of  reaping  soon  will  come, 
 And  angels  shout  the  harvest  home  ! 
 
 *«  Will  this  relieve  their  sorrows  there, 
 To  think  how  grace  they  slighted  here  ? 
 How  much  they  heard,  how  much  they  knew, 
 How  long  amongst  the  wheat  they  grew  ! 
 
 The  time  of  reaping  soon  will  come. 
 
 The  angels  shout  the  harvest  home  ! 
 
 "  Nay  !  this  will  aggravate  their  case, 
 
 To  perish  in  the  means  of  grace  ; 
 
 With  them  the  means  of  life  and  faith 
 
 Become  the  instruments  of  death. 
 The  time  of  reaping  soon  will  come, 
 And  angels  shout  the  harvest  home  !" 
 
 The  thoughts  are  borrowed  throughout  from  the  hymn^  by 
 Joseph  Hinchsliffe,  but  the  phraseology  is  quite  different ;  it  is 
 in  fact  another  hymn. 
 
 The  author  of  Hymn  935,  Joseph  Hinchsliffe,  was  born  m  the 
 year  1760,  in  or  near  the  town  of  Sheffield.     In  early  hfe  he 
 
542  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  935. 
 
 gave  his  heart  to  God,  and  joined  the  Methodist  Society  at 
 Norfolk  Street  in  that  town,  and  having  a  good  voice  and  a 
 good  knowledge  of  music,  became  a  member  of  the  chapel 
 choir.  At  the  age  of  twenty,  in  the  year  1780,  Mr.  Hinchsliffe 
 married  Hannah  Walker,  of  Potshrigley,  near  Macclesfield. 
 Mrs.  Walker,  her  mother,  was  a  very  holy  woman,  a  Methodist 
 and  an  intimate  personal  friend  of  the  Rev.  David  Simpson, 
 and  a  communicant  at  his  church.  After  their  marriage  both 
 Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hinchsliffe  joined  the  Norfolk  Street  Society  in 
 Sheffield,  and  they  both  took  deep  interest  in  the  revivals  of 
 religion  in  that  place  which  accompanied  the  labours  of  William 
 Bramwell,  W.  E.  Miller,  and  others. 
 
 Mr.  Hinchsliffe  carried  on  business  as  a  silversmith  and  cutler 
 in  that  town.  His  health  being  very  delicate,  he  took  long 
 business  journeys,  hoping  thereby  to  increase  his  bodily  vigour. 
 Having  several  times  visited  Dumfries,  in  Scotland,  and  finding 
 the  air  there  to  agree  with  him,  he  removed  his  business  and 
 his  family  into  Scotland,  and  at  once  joined  the  Methodist 
 Society  there.  His  family,  by  their  delightful  singing,  soon 
 attracted  crowds  of  people  to  the  services  in  the  Methodist 
 Chapel  in  Queen  Street,  earnest,  hearty  singing  being  quite  new 
 in  that  part  of  Scotland.  He  had  a  numerous  family.  Joseph 
 Hinchsliffe  carried  on  a  prosperous  business  in  Dumfries  till 
 the  time  of  his  death,  which  took  place  in  1807.  An  upright 
 stone  in  St.  Michael's  churchyard,  contains  the  following 
 inscription  :  "  Sacred  to  the  memory  of  Joseph  Hinchsliffe, 
 jeweller,  of  Dumfries,  who  died  12th  August,  1807,  aged  forty- 
 seven  years."  His  last  surviving  son  died  in  the  same  place, 
 1 8th  October,  1865.  Mary  Ann  Walker,  one  of  his  nieces,  lived 
 for  about  ten  years  with  Mr.  Hinchsliffe,  her  uncle,  and  after- 
 wards, in  1821,  was  married  to  the  Rev.  Humphrey  Stevenson, 
 Methodist  preacher.  She  learned  the  Harvest  Hymn  from 
 the  author  himself,  and  she  often  told  her  daughter,  who  is 
 still  living  in  Shields,  that  the  hymn  entitled  "  Wheat  and  Tares  " 
 was  composed  by  her  uncle,  Joseph  Hinchsliffe.  At  the  time 
 of  his  death  he  left  a  number  of  musical  and  poetical  composi- 
 tions, all  of  which  were  preserved  in  his  family  for  half-a-century. 
 Unfortunately,  these  were  all  destroyed  a  few  years  ago,  there 
 being  not  one  direct  member  of  his  family  then  surviving. 
 Having  a  musical  taste,  also,  it  is  not  improbable  that  he  wrote 
 a  tune  to  suit  the  words,  or  his  friend  John  Wilde,  of  Sheffield, 
 may  have  done  so. 
 
HYMN  937.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  543 
 
 The  tune  usually  sung  to  this  hymn  in  Yorkshire,  says  Mr. 
 Hardcastle,  a  reliable  authority,  is  in  Booth's  Wesleyan  Psalmist, 
 entitled  "  Wheat  and  Tares." 
 
 Hymn  936.— "Lift  your  heads,  ye  friends  of  Jesus."— 77/^  Last 
 Jndgme7tt. 
 
 This  is  the  last  of  Charles  Wesley's  "  Hymns  of  Intercession," 
 first  published  in  1758,  with  the  title,  "Thy  kingdom  come." 
 The  original  has  eight  six-line  verses,  the  second  of  which  is 
 omitted.  This  hymn  was  No.  729  in  the  former  Supplement, 
 with  only  six  verses.  The  sixth  verse  is  now  added  to  the 
 hymn. 
 
 Hymn  937. — "  Come,  Desire  of  nations,  come  !" — Written  on 
 the  Earthquake  in  Londo?i,  1750. 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "  Hymns  occasioned  by  the  Earth- 
 quake, 8th  March,  1750,"  Part  H.,  No.  13.     Formerly  it  was 
 No.  555.     Title,  the  Second  Coming  of  Christ. 
 
 When  all  London  was  in  a  state  of  violent  consternation,  the 
 inhabitants  fleeing  into  the  open  country,  foolishly  thinking  the 
 earthquake  might  not  there  reach  them,  and  supposing  that  the 
 apparent  threatenings  of  the  Almighty  were  against  the  buildings 
 and  not  against  the  citizens  of  London,  multitudes  giving  up 
 everything  from  fear,  and  crowding  round  the  Wesleys  and 
 Whitefield  in  their  homes,  at  the  Foundry,  and  in  Hyde  Park, 
 Moorfields,  and  Kennington,  then,  and  under  such  exciting 
 circumstances,  the  faith  of  Charles  Wesley  was  manifested  by 
 his  writing  and  printing  immediately  such  hymns  as  this — 
 
 "  Come,  Desire  of  nations,  come  ! 
 Hasten,  Lord,  the  general  doom  !  " 
 
 Thus  the  faith  of  the  Christian  poet  enabled  him  to  pray  for  that 
 which  the  affrighted  unbelieving  worldlings  so  much  dreaded  ! 
 This  hymn  is  also  printed  in  Mr.  Wesley's  "  Select  Hymns,  with 
 Tunes  annext,"  1761  ;  and  in  the  "Sacred  Melody"  has  the 
 tune  Plymouth  affixed.  Soon  after  writing  this  hymn,  the 
 author  wrote  a  letter  to  his  wife,  then  at  Bristol,  giving  her  an 
 account  of  the  consternation  which  had  taken  hold  of  the  entire 
 population  of  London.  In  the  midst  of  that  commotion 
 Charles  Wesley's  sister  Hetty — Mrs.  Wright— died  in  much 
 peace,  near  Soho  Square,  London. 
 
544  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  938. 
 
 Hymn  938. — "There  is  a  land  of  pure  delight." — A  Prospect  of 
 Heaven  makes  death  easy. 
 Dr.  Watts',  Hymn  66,  book  ii.  Watts  wrote  this  delightful 
 hymn  in  early  life,  at  his  native  home  in  Southampton,  while 
 sitting  at  the  window  of  a  parlour  which  overlooked  the  river 
 Itchen,  and  in  full  view  of  the  Isle  of  Wight.  The  landscape 
 there  is  very  beautiful,  and  forms  an  enchanting  model  for  a 
 poet  when  describing  the  paradise  above.  Tradition  points  out 
 the  place  where,  just  across  the  channel,  that  charming  island 
 presents  itself  to  the  enraptured  vision.  The  waters  before  him 
 suggested  to  the  mind  of  the  poet  the  final  passage  of  the  Christ- 
 ian over  the  dark  river,  so  gloriously  imaged  by  Bunyan,  as 
 described  in  his  "  Pilgrim's  Progress  " — 
 
 "Death,  like  a  narrow  sea,  divides 
 That  heavenly  land  from  ours." 
 
 The  second  and  third  verses  especially  are  descriptive  of  the 
 prospect  presented  to  the  eye  of  the  poet.  Dr.  Samuel  Stennett 
 probably  had  the  verse  commencing,  "  but  timorous  mortals  "  in 
 his  mind  when  he  wrote  the  following  stanza — 
 
 "  Fill'd  with  delight,  my  raptured  soul 
 Would  here  no  longer  stay  ; 
 Though  Jordan's  waves  around  me  roll, 
 Fearless  I'd  launch  away." 
 
 Watts,  in  this  hymn,  teaches  Christians  to  sing  with  mixed 
 emotions  of  desire,  hope,  and  doubt — 
 
 *'  Could  I  but  climb  where  Moses  stood." 
 
 Charles  Wesley,  on  the  contrary',  attained  the  desired  eminence, 
 and  wrote  in  triumphant  strains — 
 
 *'The  Promised  Land  from  Pisgah's  top 
 I  now  exult  to  see,"  «S:c. 
 
 Watts  was,  constitutionally,  more  feeble  than  Charles  Wesley, 
 though  the  latter  was  never  a  strong  man  physically ;  this 
 may  account  for  most  of  Watts'  hymns  being  both  less  spiritual 
 and  less  jubilant  than  Wesley's  are. 
 
 The  attraction  of  this  hymn  for  the  suffering  and  dying  has 
 centred  chiefly  in  the  opening  stanza,  connected  with  which  are 
 many  sacred  memories  of  departed  friends. 
 
 The  Rev.  Joseph  Wilson  was  taken,  at  the  age  of  thirteen,  to 
 
HYMN  938.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  545 
 
 a  Methodist  prayer  meeting  at  the  almshouses  in  his  native 
 village,  and  there  that  love  of  religion  was  awakened  which 
 resulted  in  a  career  of  godliness  extending  over  sixty  years. 
 The  Rev.  Willam  Bramwell  admitted  him  to  membership,  and 
 for  fifty-six  years  he  laboured  with  acceptance  and  success  as  a 
 Methodist  preacher.  His  illness  was  short,  and  his  last  act 
 of  worship  was  to  join  as  best  he  could  in  singing  the  hymn 
 commencing — 
 
 "There  is  a  land  of  pure  delight,"  &c. 
 
 At  its  close,  he  whispered,  "  I  cannot  sing  ;  I  cannot  pray  with 
 you;  but  the  Lord  knows  my  mind.''  He  died  peacefully,  15th 
 September,  i860,  aged  sixty-nine  years. 
 
 A  most  singular  coincidence  is  recorded  in  the  Wesleyan 
 Methodist  Magazme  ior  1841.  In  the  October  and  December 
 numbers  are  recorded  the  deaths  of  Miss  Harriet  Keith  and 
 Miss  Harriet  Reid,  both  of  whom  were  converted  to  God  in 
 early  life,  both  lost  sisters  at  the  age  of  seventeen,  both  died  in 
 the  town  of  Leicester  on  the  same  day,  20th  June,  1841,  both 
 were  aged  twenty  years,  and  both  died  repeating — 
 
 "  There  is  a  land  of  pure  delight, 
 *  Where  saints  immortal  reign  ; 
 
 Infinite  day  excludes  the  night, 
 And  pleasures  banish  pain." 
 
 In  her  eighteenth  year,  Mrs.  Stanley,  wife  of  the  Rev.  Thomas 
 Stanley,  was  convinced  of  sin,  under  a  sermon  she  heard 
 preached  by  her  uncle,  the  Rev.  Joseph  Entwisle ;  and  she 
 obtained  peace  through  believing  shortly  afterwards,  whilst  at 
 the  sacramental  table.  It  was  her  privilege  to  have  delightful 
 Christian  fellowship  with  such  pious  women  as  Mrs.  Pawson 
 and  Mrs.  Mather.  After  the  death  of  Mr.  Stanley,  she  removed 
 to  Deptford,  where  she  conducted  a  class  for  some  years.  She 
 died  at  Derby,  i8th  January,  1857,  aged  sixty-two.  On  the  last 
 Sabbath  she  spent  on  earth,  she  sang  the  hymn  through, 
 commencing — 
 
 "  There  is  a  land  of  pure  delight, 
 Where  saints  immortal  reign,"  &c. 
 
 Her  family,  knowing  her  extreme  weakness,  wished  her  to 
 repeat,  and  not  sing  the  hymn  ;  but  she  continued  it  to  the  end, 
 and  then  said,  "I'll  praise  Him  while  He  lends  me  breath." 
 
 2  M 
 
546  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  938. 
 
 During  thirty  years,  Ellen  Nelson  rejoiced  in  the  privilege  of 
 being  the  wife  of  the  Rev.  John  Nelson,  Wesleyan  minister, 
 herself  filling  the  office  of  class-leader  in  many  of  the  circuits  in 
 which  they  travelled,  and  often  manifested  her  fervent  joy  when 
 sinners  were  converted  and  joined  to  the  Church  of  Christ. 
 During  her  last  illness,  she  seemed  to  hold  special  communion 
 with  happy  spirits,  and  on  one  occasion  mentioned  Mr.  Henry 
 Longden,  of  Sheffield,  Mr.  Bramwell,  and  Mr.  Levick,  as  amongst 
 those  "ministering  spirits"  surrounding  her  bed.  After  she  had 
 made  the  remark,  "  I  shall  soon  be  with  you,"  a  friend  asked  to 
 whom  she  spoke.  She  replied,  "  It  is  my  dear  husband."  Filled 
 with  triumphant  joy,  she  exclaimed — 
 
 "Could  I  but  climb  where  Moses  stood, 
 And  view  the  landscape  o'er, 
 Not  Jordan's  stream,  nor  death's  cold  flood, 
 Should  fright  me  from  the  shore ! " 
 
 Next  day  she  was  reminded  of  her  happiness,  when  she  replied, 
 "  How  could  I  be  otherwise  ?  There  was  a  legion  of  happy 
 spirits  in  the  room."  With  that  glorious  convoy,  she  passed  in 
 triumph  to  the  skies,  3rd  January,  1830,  aged  eighty-one. 
 
 In  the  life  of  Fossey  Tackeberry  we  read,  "  My  little  Jemmy 
 this  morning  took  his  flight  to  heaven.  On  Sunday  he  asked 
 me  to  take  him  in  my  arms  and  carry  him  about  the  room.  I 
 did  so,  and  asked  if  I  should  sing  a  hymn  to  him,  his  reply  was, 
 "  Yes,  Papa,  sing — 
 
 "  '  There  is  a  land  of  pure  delight.* 
 
 After  singing  the  last  verse,  the  dear  boy  asked,  '  Papa,  is  the 
 River  Jordan  a  real  river, — is  there  water  in  it?'  I  told  him 
 Yes,  and  explained  to  him,  asking  if  he  understood  it.  Looking 
 at  me  with  animation,  he  replied,  '  I  do  understand,  Papa,  and  I 
 wish  I  was  crossing  Jordan  now.'  He  passed  safely  over  shortly 
 after." 
 
 Rev.  Dr.  Park  L.  Donelson,  was  born  17th  April,  1825,  in  the 
 State  of  Massachusetts,  America.  He  was  converted  at  the  age 
 of  ten,  and  joined  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  Drawn  by 
 the  Holy  Spirit  towards  the  ministry,  he  studied  theology  in  a 
 Presbyterian  seminary,  and  in  1851,  joined  the  Michigan 
 Methodists,  married  Miss  Dexter,  of  Dexter,  and  was  appointed 
 Professor  of  Ancient  Languages  at  Albion.  His  heart  turned  to 
 the  itinerancy  ;  but  his  friends,  believing  him  adapted  for  other 
 
HYMN  939.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  547 
 
 Church  work,  he  was  elected  President  of  the  Wesleyan  Female 
 College,  Delaware,  Ohio,  and  during  his  seventeen  years  labour, 
 raised  the  University  property  from  the  value  of  8000  dols.  to 
 100,000  dols.  He  was  a  delegate  to  the  Ecumenical  Conference, 
 London,  but  was  not  well,  and  returned  home,  after  visiting 
 Burslem  and  Hanley,  to  sicken  and  die.  When  near  dying,  at 
 Dexter,  he  said  he  was  willing  to  stay  and  pluck  the  flowers  in 
 Dexter  gardens,  or  go — 
 
 "Where  everlasting  spring  abides, 
 And  never-fading  flowers. " 
 
 He  died  6th  May,  1882,  aged  fifty-seven  years. 
 
 Elizabeth  Lotspiech,  of  Rose  Hill,  Johnson  County,  Mo., 
 in  South  America,  had  from  early  life  been  a  member  of  the 
 Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  She  was  for  many  years  a 
 sufferer  from  throat  and  lung  disease.  In  1880,  she  fell  on  the 
 ice  and  injured  her  hip,  so  that  she  was  never  able  to  walk 
 again,  but  patiently  remarked,  "  I  would  like  to  walk,  but  as  I 
 cannot,  I  thank  God  for  the  use  of  my  eyes  and  hands,  and  she 
 used  both  freely  in  the  service  of  God.  Overtaken  by  a  fever 
 from  which  recovery  was  hopeless,  in  the  midst  of  her  sufferings, 
 just  before  she  expired,  she  clasped  her  hands  and  exclaimed — 
 
 "  I'm  going  to  the  land  of  pure  delight, 
 Where  saints  immortal  reign ; 
 Infinite  day  excludes  the  night, 
 And  pleasures  banish  pain." 
 
 At  the  age  of  seventy-two  she  entered  into  rest,  6th  February, 
 1882,  at  her  home  in  Missouri. 
 
 Hymn  939. — "Jerusalem  !  my  happy  home  !  " — The  Heavenly 
 Jerusale7n. 
 
 This  is  an  adaptation  of  an  old  piece  known  as  the  "Jerusalem 
 Hymn  ; "  its  history  makes  a  small  quarto  volume.  The  verses 
 which  compose  this  hymn  are  traced  to  "A  Song  made  by 
 '  F.  B.  P.'  to  the  tune  Diana,''  which  is  found  in  the  library  of 
 the  British  Museum.  The  hymn  is  said  to  have  been  first 
 written  in  the  eighth  century.  The  initial  letters  just  quoted 
 are  believed  to  represent  Francis  Baker,  Priest.  The  six 
 verses   which   make   this  hymn  are  thought  by  Sir  Roundell 
 
548  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  940. 
 
 Palmer  to  be  a  translation  from  the  original,  made  about  the 
 year  1801. 
 
 The  original  is  contained  in  a  MS.  quarto  volume  No.  15,225, 
 in  the  British  Museum,  the  date  of  which  is  believed  to  be  about 
 1616.  That  MS.  is  the  true  English  source  of  all  the  "New 
 Jerusalem  Hymns  "  since  that  date.  It  is  printed  at  length  in 
 Dr.  Bonar's  preface  to  his  edition  of  "  David  Dickson's  New 
 Jerusalem,"  1852.  It  is  printed  in  the  American  Methodist 
 Collection  as  unknown. 
 
 Hymn  940. — "  Give  me  the  wings  of  faith  to  rise." — The 
 ExajHples  of  Christ  and  His  Sai?tts. 
 
 Dr.  Watts',  Hymn  140,  book  ii.,  1707.    Its  former  No.  was  730. 
 
 At  the  age  of  sixteen,  Ann  Sanderson  gave  her  heart  fully  to 
 God,  and  obtained  a  clear  sense  of  her  acceptance  with  God  as 
 His  child.  Though  often  assailed  with  doubts,  even  in  her 
 last  illness,  on  the  morning  of  her  last  Sabbath  on  earth,  while 
 a  friend  and  the  family  were  engaged  in  prayer  on  her  behalf, 
 she  seemed  inspired  with  the  full  assurance  of  faith,  and 
 requested  them  to  sing  her  favourite  hymn — 
 
 "  Give  me  the  wings  of  faith  to  rise 
 Within  the  veil,  and  see 
 The  saints  above,  how  great  their  joys, 
 How  bright  their  glories  be." 
 
 She  died  4th  May,  1847,  aged  thirty-one  years.     Her  last  words 
 were,  "  All  is  right,  all  is  well." 
 
 The  parents  of  William  Pike  had  the  joy  of  seeing  all  their 
 children  filling  useful  stations  in  society,  and  also  walking  in 
 the  law  of  the  Lord.  William,  when  a  boy,  joined  the  Methodist 
 Society  at  Oldham  Street,  Manchester,  and  was  for  forty-five 
 years  a  teacher  in  the  Sunday  school  in  that  circuit.  In  youth 
 he  joined  other  young  men  in  religious  and  mental  improvement 
 meetings  held  at  each  other's  houses  ;  and  many  delightful 
 memories  still  gather  round  those  times  of  happy  reunion. 
 His  mental  and  spiritual  gifts  he  devoted  to  the  service  of  the 
 young  in  the  Sabbath  school ;  and  to  this  department  he 
 remained  faithful,  when  urged  to  devote  his  energies  to  the 
 duties  of  the  ministry  of  the  Word.  Some  of  his  addresses  are 
 still  remembered  for  their  beauty,  simplicity,  earnestness,  and 
 power.  A  few  days  before  his  death,  he  pointed  to  the  Bible  as 
 the  only  book  in  which  he  could  trust,  and  Jesus  as  his  only 
 
HYMN  941.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  549 
 
 refuge.  To  the  friend  who  was  then  with  him,  alluding  to  those 
 members  of  his  family  who  had  gone  to  heaven  before  him, 
 pointing  to  their  portraits  he  added — 
 
 "  I  ask  them  whence  their  victory  came  ; 
 They,  with  united  breath, 
 Ascribe  their  conquest  to  the  Lamb, 
 Their  triumph  to  His  death." 
 
 All  around  was  holy  quiet,  and  he  peacefully  resigned  his  spirit, 
 nth  May,  1861,  aged  sixty-two  years. 
 
 Dr.  Doddridge,  in  one  of  his  letters  to  Dr.  Watts,  writes  :  "  I 
 was  preaching  in  a  barn  last  Wednesday,  to  a  company  of  plain 
 country  people.  After  a  sermon  from  Heb.  vi.  12,  we  sang  one 
 of  your  hymns,  commencing — 
 
 "  '  Give  me  the  wings  of  faith  to  rise.'  " 
 
 and  had  the  satisfaction  to  see  tears  in  the  eyes  of  several  of  the 
 auditory.  After  the  service,  some  of  them  told  me  they  were 
 not  able  to  sing,  so  deeply  were  their  minds  affected  with  it ; 
 and  the  clerk  in  particular  told  me  he  could  hardly  utter  the 
 words  of  it.  These  were  most  of  them  poor  people  who  work 
 for  their  living."     The  hymn  has  often  been  made  a  blessing. 
 
 Hymn  941. — "  W^here  shall  true  believers  go?" — Of  Heaven. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  being  No.  8  of  "  Hymns  for  Children."  It 
 was  No.  731  in  the  former  Supplement.  "Poetical  Works," 
 vol.  vi.,  page  379. 
 
 The  third  and  fourth  verses  are  very  similar  in  sentiment  to 
 a  verse  by  Dr.  Watts — 
 
 "There  we  shall  see  His  face. 
 And  never,  never  sin  ; 
 There,  from  the  rivers  of  His  grace, 
 Drink  endless  pleasures  in." 
 
 In  the  village  of  Middleton,  Cromford,  Francis  Buckley  was 
 led  to  choose  a  religious  life  through  the  death  of  his  brother. 
 He  became  earnest  in  the  service  of  God  as  a  teacher  in  the 
 Sunday  school,  as  a  class-leader,  and  local  preacher.  In  these 
 duties  he  was  blessed  himself,  and  made  a  blessing  to  others. 
 His  custom  was  to  rise  early  in  the  morning,  and  spend  nearly 
 an  hour  in  devotion  with  God.     In  his  last  illness,  he  said  he 
 
550  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  944. 
 
 had  a  bright  prospect  of  heaven,  and,  shortly  before  his  death, 
 he  desired  his  friends  to  sing  the  hymn  commencing — 
 "  Where  shall  true  believers  go, 
 When  from  the  flesh  they  fly  ? 
 Glorious  joys  ordain'd  to  know, 
 They  mount  above  the  sky,"  &c. 
 
 During  the  singing  he  was  enraptured  with  thoughts  of  heaven, 
 and  shouted  "Hallelujah!"  His  last  testimony  was,  "God  is 
 love."     He  died  4th  November,  1850,  aged  thirty-six  years. 
 
 Hymn  942. — "  Sweet  place  :  sweet  place  alone  ! " — "  When 
 shall  I  appear  before  God  ?  " 
 
 This  is  the  second  of  two  hymns  in  the  Collection  by  the  Rev. 
 Samuel  Grossman,  B.D.  The  second  part  of  this  hymn  is  an 
 excellent  rendering  of  the  old  Jerusalem  Hymn,''_forming  one 
 of  the  parts  of  the  next  hymn.  The  repeated  chorus  to  each 
 verse  is  made  to  suit  the  hymn  admirably. 
 
 Hymn  943. — "  Brief  life  is  here  our  portion." — "  Here  we  have 
 no  co7itinui7ig  cilyJ^ — Hebrews  xiii.  14. 
 
 This  is  only  a  very  small  portion  of  a  poem  written  seven 
 hundred  years  ago,  by  St.  Bernard,  monk  of  Gluny,  with  the 
 title,  "Z?^  Coiitemptu  Mtmdi^^  in  about  three  thousand  lines. 
 This  production  formed  a  bitter  satirical  picture  of  the  world 
 as  it  was  then  known.  Peter  the  Venerable,  himself  a  hymn- 
 writer,  was  at  the  head  of  the  monastery  (i  122 -i  156)  when 
 Bernard  was  one  of  its  most  celebrated  inmates.  He  was  born 
 of  English  parents  at  Morlaix,  in  Bretagne.  The  best-known 
 of  the  English  translations  of  this  poem  is  that  by  the  Rev. 
 John  Mason  Neale,  D.D.,  out  of  which  many  hymns  have 
 been  made.  Though  this  hymn  is  here  printed  in  four  parts, 
 it  contains  only  a  few  fragments  of  the  original ;  and  they 
 have  become  exceedingly  popular,  in  the  Ritualistic  churches 
 in  particular.  There  is  much  beauty  and  sweetness  in  the 
 fifteen  verses  which  make  up  the  four  parts  of  this  famous 
 hymn.     It  is  usually  known  as  "  Jerusalem  the  Golden." 
 
 Hymn  944. — "  For  ever  with  the  Lord." — "  So  shall  we  be 
 
 ever  with  the  Lord^'' — i  Thessalonia7is  iv.  17. 
 This  is  one  of  those  strains  of  sacred  thought,  which,  having 
 once  taken  hold  of  the  public  mind,  will  live  in  the  service  of 
 
HYMN  947.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  55 1 
 
 song  to  the  end  of  time.  It  was  first  printed  by  James 
 Montgomery  in  1827.  The  original  is  in  two  parts,  of  which 
 the  first  has  nine  verses,  and  the  second  thirteen.  The  hymn 
 as  here  printed  is  made  up  of  verses  one  to  four  in  the  first  part, 
 and  verses  five  to  eight  in  the  second  part.  In  1853  the  author 
 collected  all  his  hymns,  355  in  number,  and  issued  the  volume 
 with  the  title,  "Original  Hymns  by  James  Montgomer>\" 
 This  hymn  remained  unsung  and  unnoticed  for  a  quarter  of  a 
 century,  when  it  was  introduced  to  the  public  with  a  tune  which 
 was  so  well  fitted  to  exhibit  the  force  and  beauty  of  the  words 
 that  the  tune  has  recommended  the  words.  In  the  "  Book  of 
 Praise,"  nine  verses  are  given,  and  five  are  printed  in  the 
 American  Methodist  Collection  of  1878.  In  Yorkshire,  in 
 which  county  it  was  written,  the  hymn  is  a  great  favourite,  and 
 it  has  been  frequently  used  by  dying  Christians,  who  had  before 
 them  the  bright  reality  of  being — 
 
 "  For  ever  with  the  Lord." 
 At  one  of  the  Conferences  of  the  Methodist  Free  Churches  held 
 in  Leeds,  soon  after  the  hymn  was  first  introduced  to  Methodist 
 readers,  the  hymn  was  sung,  and  such  a  depth  of  spiritual 
 power  fell  upon  the  assembly,  that  the  Rev.  James  Everett,  then 
 an  octogenarian,  overwhelmed  with  emotion,  fell  prostrate  in 
 devout  adoration  as  the  singing  progressed.  That  was  witnessed 
 by  the  Conference,  and  the  members  knew  the  intense  affection 
 which  existed  between  Montgomery  and  Everett. 
 
 Hymn  945. — "  O  God,  to  whom  the  faithful  dead." —  Whose 
 
 Faith  follow. 
 One  of  the  new  hymns  by  Josiah  Conder. 
 
 Hymn  946. — "O  when  shall  we  sweetly  remove  ?  "—y^j/j-  of 
 Heaveft. 
 
 One  of  Charles  Wesley's  "  Funeral  Hymns ; "  "  Poetical 
 Works,"  vol.  vi.,  page  96.  In  this  hymn,  written  in  1758,  the  poet 
 does  not  conceal  his  own  longing  desire  to  depart — thirty  years 
 before  his  earthly  pilgrimage  ceased. 
 
 Hymn  947. — "  How  happy  every  child  of  grace  !" — The  Hope 
 of  Heave7i — A  Ftmeral  Hyimi. 
 Charles  Wesley's,  being  the  second  of  his  "  Funeral  Hymns," 
 1759.      It  was  considered  by  John  Wesley  to  be  one  of  his 
 brother's  finest  compositions.     It  was  formerly  No.  'j'})'^. 
 
552  METHODIST  HVMN  COOK  NOTES.  HYMN  947. 
 
 In  the  account  of  Susanna  Spencer,  in  John  Wesley's  Journal, 
 vol,  iv.,  page  32,  an  instance  is  recorded  of  the  use  of  this 
 hymn.  One  of  the  most  remarkable  incidents  on  record  of  the 
 effective  power  there  is  in  a  hymn  is  the  recital  of  this  one  in 
 open  court  in  Exeter  Castle  during  the  trial  of  a  prisoner.  A 
 good  young  woman  had  been  set  upon  by  a  rufifian,  on  her  way 
 from  Sunday  school,  and  she  was  left  for  dead  by  the  roadside. 
 On  being  discovered,  she  was  restored  to  consciousness  so  far 
 as  to  identify  her  murderer,  and  then  she  died,  lost  to  her  intense 
 bodily  suffering  in  the  sublime  joy  she  had  in  commending  her 
 spirit  to  God  in  the  words  of  Charles  Wesley's  hymn — 
 
 "  How  happy  every  child  of  grace, 
 
 Who  knows  his  sins  forgiven  ! 
 This  earth,  he  cries,  is  not  my  place, 
 
 I  seek  my  place  in  heaven  : 
 A  country  far  from  mortal  sight ; — 
 
 Yet,  O  !  by  faith  I  see 
 The  land  of  rest,  the  saints'  delight, 
 
 The  heaven  prepared  for  me." 
 
 The  counsel  for  the  prosecution,  in  his  appeal  to  the  jur)', 
 described  the  death-scene,  and  rehearsed  the  hymn,  a  part  of 
 which  the  dying  girl  had  sung  on  her  upward  flight.  The  judge, 
 the  jury,  all  but  the  prisoner,  wept.  Who  could  help  it  ?  To 
 hear  in  that  solemn  court,  just  before  passing  sentence  of  death 
 on  the  murderer,  the  youthful  martyr's  dying  song  of  glory  ! 
 And  such  a  song  ! 
 
 That  captivating  piece  of  biography  entitled  the  "  Successful 
 Merchant,"  from  the  pen  of  the  Rev.  William  Arthur,  M.A,,  has 
 made  the  name  and  memory  of  Mr.  Samuel  Budgett,  of  Kings- 
 wood,  known  and  esteemed  in  thousands  of  homes.  From  the 
 closing  scene  of  his  life  we  gather  these  particulars: — "After 
 the  sacramental  elements  had  been  administered  to  him,  he 
 asked  for  a  hymn  to  be  sung,  but  his  friends  fearing  the  effort 
 would  be  too  much  for  him,  he  exclaimed  "  Sing,  sing  !  "  The 
 Rev.  C.  Clay  then  gave  out  part  of  the  hymn,  'Behold  the 
 Saviour  of  mankind,'  which  was  sung,  whilst  Mr.  Budgett,  his 
 countenance  beaming  with  joy,  his  eyes  streaming,  his  lips 
 quivering,  and  his  hands  uplifted,  joined  heartily  in  the  song  of 
 praise.     He  appeared  quite  in  an  ecstasy  as  they  sang — 
 
 "  *  O  Lamb  of  God  !  was  ever  pain, 
 "Was  ever  love,  like  Thine  ! ' 
 
HYMN  947.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES  553 
 
 After  a  short  pause  he  asked  for  another  hymn,  on  which 
 Edwin's  favourite  was  chosen — 
 
 *' '  How  happy  every  child  of  grace, 
 Who  knows  his  sins  forgiven  ! 
 This  earth,  he  cries,  is  not  my  place, 
 I  seek  my  place  in  heaven,'  &c. 
 
 He  joined  heartily  in  the  singing  of  that  song  of  triumph. 
 Shortly  afterwards  he  tried  to  repeat  another  hymn,  'With 
 glorious  clouds  encompassed  round ; '  but  his  work  was  done, 
 and  his  happy  spirit  passed  away  to  the  skies,"  26th  April, 
 185 1,  aged  fifty-seven  years. 
 
 Mr.  Baker  Banks  was  convinced  of  sin  under  a  sermon 
 preached  by  the  Rev.  John  Byron,  in  Cornwall,  and  eleven  years 
 afterwards  he  by  faith  entered  into  the  liberty  of  the  children  of 
 God.  Having  tasted  that  the  Lord  is  gracious,  he  devoted 
 himself  to  the  service  of  God.  As  a  class-leader  he  was  most 
 watchful  over  the  spiritual  state  of  his  members,  himself  living 
 in  the  full  enjoyment  of  the  direct  witness  of  the  Spirit  to  his 
 adoption,  and  of  entire  sanctification.  He  was  a  true  friend  to 
 the  poor,  and  a  generous  supporter  of  Methodism.  During  his 
 last  affliction  he  bore  much  suffering  with  resignation,  and 
 desired  that  the  Hymns  947  and  948  might  be  read  to  him. 
 He  spoke  in  strong  terms  of  the  beauty  of  those  hymns,  and  of 
 their  suitability  to  his  experience.  After  a  pause  he  said,  with 
 an  emphasis  that  touched  every  heart — 
 
 "  The  heaven  prepared  for  me  ;  " 
 
 and  having  Hymn  947  again  repeated  to  him,  when  he  came  to 
 
 these  words — 
 
 "  But  oh,  the  bliss  to  which  I  tend 
 Eternally  shall  last !  " 
 
 he  lifted  up  his  eyes  and  hands,  and  exclaimed  aloud,  "Eternally, 
 eternally  !  Bless  the  Lord  !"  In  this  happy  frame  he  died  7th 
 February,  1840,  aged  seventy-three. 
 
 From  childhood  the  Rev.  George  Prior  Hester  sat  under  the 
 Wesleyan  ministry,  and  in  early  life  he  realised  a  sense  of  sins 
 forgiven.  In  the  Sabbath  school,  and  as  a  local  preacher,  he 
 was  a  punctual  and  diligent  toiler.  Passing  through  the 
 Theological  Institution  at  Didsbury  into  the  ministry,  he  devoted 
 the  remainder  of  his  short  life  to  God's  service.  His  health 
 failed  him  whilst  yet  young,  but  in  his  sufferings  he  found  Christ 
 
554  METHODIST  HV.MN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  947. 
 
 precious.  So  remarkably  was  the  love  of  God  manifested 
 towards  him  that  he  was  delivered  from  all  fear  of  death,  and 
 became  almost  impatient  to  depart.  As  if  in  soliloquy,  he 
 repeated — 
 
 *'  What  is  there  here  to  court  my  stay  ? 
 Or  hold  me  back  from  home, 
 While  angels  beckon  me  away, 
 And  Jesus  bids  me  come  ?  " 
 
 Then  turning  to  his  wife,  he  said,  "  Yes,  there  are  you  and  the 
 dear  children,  but  you  will  be  taken  care  of,  I  know  ;  and,  if 
 permitted,  I  shall  watch  you  till  we  meet  in  the  skies."  With 
 the  exclamation,  "Glory,  glory!  praise  God!"  he  "found  the 
 rest  we  toil  to  find,"  7th  September,  1862,  aged  thirty-six. 
 
 During  a  ministry  of  thirty-eight  years  in  Methodism,  the  Rev. 
 William  Vevers  faithfully  and  lovingly  performed  the  duties  of 
 his  high  calling.  Whilst  located  at  the  Collegiate  Institution, 
 Taunton,  his  earthly  course  was  terminated  ist  September,  1850, 
 aged  fifty-eight,  but  in  all  his  sufferings  his  mind  was  kept  in 
 calm  submission  to  the  will  of  God.  The  night  before  he  died, 
 he  said,  "The  Lord  will  be  the  strength  of  my  heart,  and  my 
 portion  for  ever,"  and  then  he  repeated — 
 
 **  What  is  there  here  to  court  my  stay, 
 Or  hold  me  back  from  home  ? 
 While  angels  beckon  me  away, 
 And  Jesus  bids  me  come  ?  " 
 
 His  last  words  were,  "  Come,  Lord  Jesus,  and  come  quickly." 
 
 The  biographies  in  the  Methodist  Magazines  were  made  a 
 great  blessing  to  Elizabeth  Batty  in  early  life.  A  sermon, 
 preached  by  the  Rev.  William  Warrener  in  1804,  led  her  to 
 decide  to  cast  in  her  lot  with  the  people  of  God,  and  at  a  love- 
 feast  held  the  same  day  she  was  enabled  to  believe  on  Christ 
 for  pardon.  Some  years  afterwards,  she  entered  in  her  diary, 
 "  I  am  longing  for  holiness  more  than  my  necessary  food."  In 
 this  frame  of  mind  she  tried  to  live  during  her  earthly  pilgrimage, 
 and  at  its  close,  when  eternity  was  near,  and  just  as  the  preacher 
 who  was  visiting  her  was  leaving  the  room,  she  whispered — 
 
 **  Oh  would  He  more  of  heaven  bestow, 
 And  let  the  vessel  break, 
 And  let  my  ransom'd  spirit  go 
 To  grasp  the  God  we  seek." 
 
 A  few  minutes  afterwards,  she  said,  "  Jesus  is  precious  ;  my 
 
HYMN  948.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  555 
 
 confidence  increases,  I  am  dying,"  and  immediately  her  spirit 
 returned  to  God  who  gave  it,  6th  November,  18 14,  aged  thirty. 
 
 At  the  age  of  twenty-one,  the  Rev.  WilHam  M'Cornock  was 
 called  out  to  preach  the  Gospel  in  connection  with  Methodism  ; 
 and  he  continued  his  labours  for  thirty-five  years.  When  by 
 illness  and  age  his  strength  had  decayed,  no  cloud  overshadowed 
 his  mind ;  he  was  happy  and  resigned.  He  longed  for  his 
 release,  and  frequently  said — 
 
 **  Oh  would  He  more  of  heaven  bestow, 
 And  let  the  vessel  break, 
 And  let  my  ransom'd  spirit  go 
 To  grasp  the  God  we  seek." 
 
 In  this  state  of  calm  resignation  his  redeemed  spirit  fled  to 
 heaven,  7th  January,  1834,  aged  sixty-seven  years. 
 
 Hymn  948.— "And  let  this  feeble  body  {sLiV'—T^omansviu.  18. 
 A  Funeral  Hymn. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  being  the  third  of  his  "  Funeral  Hymns," 
 1759,  founded  on  Romans  viii.  1%.  The  original  has  nine  verses, 
 two  of  which  are  left  out.     This  was  formerly  No.  734. 
 
 Thousands  of  pious  souls  have  been  cheered  by  the  words 
 of  this  hymn  while  passing  through  the  dark  valley.  There  is 
 not  a  verse  of  it  but  has  been  made  a  blessing  to  some  pilgrim. 
 
 From  the  age  of  seventeen,  when  he  entered  into  the  liberty 
 of  the  children  of  God,  the  path  of  the  Rev.  John  Lesson  was 
 "as  the  shining  light,  that  shineth  more  and  more  unto  the 
 perfect  day."  As  a  Methodist  preacher,  he  was  instant  in 
 season  and  out  of  season,  in  the  chapel  and  in  the  open  air.  On 
 one  occasion,  he  commenced  preaching  in  a  village  where 
 Tractarian  clergy  were  supreme.  The  constable  was  ordered 
 to  stop  the  preaching,  and  tried  to  do  so  ;  but,  as  there  was  no 
 breach  of  the  peace,  the  man  of  assumed  authority  yielded  to 
 the  decision  of  character  shown  by  the  preacher,  listened 
 attentively  to  the  sermon,  and  retired  from  the  service, 
 convinced  that  he  had  best  done  his  duty  by  letting  the 
 preacher  alone.  Disease  of  the  heart  put  a  sudden  termination 
 to  his  ministerial  career.  At  one  time,  with  unutterable  feeling, 
 he  exclaimed — 
 
 **  And  let  this  feeble  body  fail, 
 And  let  it  droop  and  die  ; 
 
55^  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.         HYMN  948. 
 
 My  soul  shall  quit  the  mournful  vale, 
 And  soar  to  worlds  on  high." 
 
 Sometimes,  when  thought  to  have  been  asleep,  he  would 
 suddenly  exclaim,  "  Bless  God  !  I  feel  His  presence.  How 
 good  the  Lord  is!  how  kind  to  me!"  In  this  state  he 
 exchanged  mortality  for  life,  9th  June,  1850,  aged  twenty- 
 seven  years. 
 
 Mary,  relict  of  the  Rev.  Peter  Prescott,  senior,  yielded  her 
 heart  to  God  at  the  age  of  fourteen,  and  at  once  became  a 
 member  of  the  Methodist  Society.  From  that  period  to  the 
 close  of  her  life,  her  decided  piety  was  manifest  in  the 
 devotedness  of  her  spirit  and  the  consistency  of  her  conduct. 
 Having  been  insensible  for  two  days,  she  recovered  con- 
 sciousness for  a  few  hours,  and  during  that  time  she  sang, 
 with  remarkable  energy  and  clearness,  these  lines  : — 
 
 "  I  see  a  world  of  spirits  bright, 
 Who  reap  the  pleasures  there  ; 
 They  all  are  robed  in  purest  white, 
 And  conquering  palms  they  bear  : 
 
 "  Adorn'd  by  their  Redeemer's  grace, 
 They  close  pursue  the  Lamb ; 
 And  every  shining  front  displays 
 Th'  unutterable  name. " 
 
 In  this  happy  and  exulting  state  she  passed  away  to  join  her 
 husband  in  the  skies,  15th  September,  1859,  aged  seventy-three. 
 The  Rev.  Corbett  Cook,  after  serving  God  in  the  Methodist 
 ministry  for  half-a-century,  retired  from  active  work  to  Guernsey, 
 where,  blind,  but  happy,  he  diligently  attended  to  the  duties  of 
 the  sanctuaiy,  till  called  to  his  reward  in  the  land  of  the  blessed. 
 In  his  last  hours  he  rejoiced  in  singing  this  verse — 
 
 *'  Oh,  what  hath  Jesus  bought  for  me  ! 
 Before  my  ravish 'd  eyes 
 Rivers  of  life  divine  I  see, 
 And  trees  of  paradise  !  " 
 
 He  died  rejoicing,  i6th  May,  1866,  aged  seventy-eight  years. 
 
 More  than  forty  years  ago,  a  pious  young  lady  in  ill  health 
 was  resting  on  her  couch,  and  by  her  side  sat  a  beloved 
 brother,  himself  scarcely  well,  and  utterly  without  a  feeling 
 of  love   to  God.     His    sister,   as  descriptive  of  the  emotions 
 
HYMN  948.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  557 
 
 of  her  soul,  repeated  to  him  with  remarkable  emphasis,  the 
 fourth  verse — 
 
 "  Oh,  what  hath  Jesus  bought  for  me  ! 
 
 Before  my  ravish'd  eyes 
 Rivers  of  love  divine  I  see, 
 
 And  trees  of  paradise  : 
 They  flourish  in  perpetual  bloom, 
 
 Fruit  every  month  they  give ; 
 And  to  the  healing  leaves  who  come 
 
 Eternally  shall  live." 
 
 Scarcely  had  she  uttered  these  words  before  he  began  to  think 
 seriously  on  the  state  of  his  soul,  and  asked  himself,  "Has  Jesus 
 bought  nothing  for  me?"  He  sought  and  found  pardon,  and 
 both  brother  and  sister,  with  another  brother,  not  long  after 
 the  happy  change,  departed  for  missionary  labour  in  Ceylon. 
 
 Elias  Gilbert  was  born  at  New  Haven,  Con.,  15th  December, 
 1788.  His  parents  belonged  to  one  of  the  best  families  of 
 the  New  Haven  colony.  His  first  ancestor  there  was  one  of  the 
 pillars  of  the  original  church  founded  there  in  1638.  The 
 family  was  Congregational,  but  their  house  was  ever  open  to  the 
 pioneers  of  Methodism.  Jesse  Lee  found  shelter  there  on  his 
 first  visit  to  New  Haven  in  1789.  In  his  Journal  he  spoke  well 
 and  kindly  of  the  family,  and  the  young  people  were  "the 
 children  of  many  prayers."  In  1808,  Elias  Gilbert  was 
 awakened  to  his  condition  before  God,  and  became  soundly 
 converted.  He  began  to  pray  at  the  cottage  of  Sister  Margaret 
 Dean,  and  having  at  length  obtained  his  father's  consent,  and 
 that  of  the  Congregational  pastor,  he  joined  the  Methodist 
 Church  in  Connecticut,  and  since  then  that  family  has  furnished 
 ministers,  wives  of  ministers,  and  many  influential  laymen  to 
 the  Methodist  Church.  Elias  sat  on  the  knee  of  the  first 
 Methodist  missionary  there  when  there  was  neither  church  nor 
 even  a  member  of  Society.  He  lived  to  see  Methodism  in 
 New  Haven  occupying  ten  churches,  and  having  nearly  two 
 thousand  members.  He  long  enjoyed  the  blessing  of  entire 
 sanctification,  and  his  whole  life  was  that  of  a  flaming,  loving 
 class-leader  and  evangelist.  Hundreds  were  converted  by  his 
 life  and  influence,  and  his  death  was  a  triumphant  one  ;  his 
 last  words  were — 
 
 *'  I  see  a  world  of  spirits  bright,  • 
 
 Who  taste  the  pleasures  there  ;  - 
 
558  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  948. 
 
 They  all  are  robed  in  spotless  white, 
 And  conquering  palms  they  bear." 
 
 He  closed  his  earthly  pilgrimage  17th  August,  1875,  i"  ^is 
 eightieth  year,  having  been  a  member  sixty-five  years. 
 
 Mrs.  Stevens,  wife  of  the  Rev.  John  Stevens,  in  early  life  had 
 to  endure  many  hardships  and  privations  ;  but  after  her  conver- 
 sion to  God,  she  always  laid  by  in  store  for  the  Lord's  cause 
 and  people  some  portion  of  their  weekly  income  ;  and  as  a 
 principal  agent  in  founding  the  Benevolent  Society,  Kingswood, 
 was  thereby  the  means  of  doing  very  much  good.  During  her 
 last  illness  she  often  engaged  in  singing  the  praises  of  God.  A 
 few  hours  before  dying,  she  said  with  a  glow  of  pleasure,  "Jesus 
 Christ  and  a  convoy  !  Oh,  what  delight !  The  thought  of  being 
 for  ever  with  Him  whom  my  heart  loveth,  how  delightful !"  and 
 then  she  exclaimed — 
 
 *'  Oh,  what  are  all  my  sufferings  here, 
 If,  Lord,  Thou  count  me  meet 
 With  that  enraptured  host  t'  appear, 
 And  worship  at  T  hy  feet !  " 
 
 She  then  attempted  to  sing,  but  her  voice  failed  her;  she  added 
 "Well,  never  mind,  I  shall  soon  sing  more  loud,  more  sweet, 
 and  Christ  shall  be  my  song ;  "  and  her  spirit  fled  to  the  realms 
 of  the  blessed,  in  March,  181 7,  aged  forty-seven. 
 
 The  same  verse  was  a  source  of  comfort  also  to  Mrs.  Mary  F. 
 West,  wife  of  the  Rev.  Francis  West,  and  mother  of  the  Rev. 
 Francis  A.  West.  She  would  sometimes  exclaim,  "What  a 
 miracle  of  grace  if  I  reach  heaven  ! "  After  much  suffering  she 
 gained  the  haven  of  rest,  27th  August,  1829,  aged  sixty. 
 
 Two  of  the  most  excellent  and  most  loved  women  of  Method- 
 ism were  two  sisters — one  was  the  second  wife  of  the  Rev. 
 Henry  Moore,  the  other  the  wife  of  the  estimable  Joseph 
 Entwisle.  Mrs.  Entwisle  was  eminently  holy;  her  delicate 
 frame  often  deprived  her  of  the  joy  she  experienced  in  the 
 worship  of  the  sanctuary,  but  her  privations  were  sources  of 
 spiritual  joy  to  her  at  home.  Her  simple  reliance  in  God  was 
 expressed  in  the  words  of  the  last  verse — 
 
 "  Oh,  what  are  all  my  sufferings  here, 
 If,  Lord,  Thou  count  me  meet,"  &c. 
 
 and,  without  a  struggle  or  even  a  sigh,  she  entered  into  rest, 
 l6th  October,  1834,  aged  sixty-nine  years. 
 
HYMN  948.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  559 
 
 More  than  ordinary  interest  attaches  to  the  memory  of  the 
 aged  and  venerable  Sarah  Snowden,  of  Hull,  who  was  for 
 eighty-four  years  an  exemplary  and  worthy  member  of  the 
 Methodist  Society.  She  joined  it  soon  after  the  first  was  formed 
 in  Hull,  in  1746,  and  continued  steadfast  in  the  faith  till  she 
 had  counted  nearly  the  circle  of  a  century  of  years.  She  was 
 converted  to  God  at  the  age  of  sixteen,  under  the  ministry  of 
 Mr.  Hetherington,  the  first  local  preacher  in  Hull.  The  record 
 of  her  life,  though  brief  comparatively,  is  one  of  the  most 
 instructive  articles  in  the  Wesleyan  Methodist  Magazine  for 
 1837.  For  many  years  she  had  the  privilege  of  entertaining  Mr. 
 Wesley,  John  Nelson,  Mr.  Fletcher,  Messrs.  Pawson,  Mather, 
 Benson,  Griffith,  and  most  of  the  eminent  ministers  of  the 
 Connexion,  and  this  she  esteemed  to  be  much  more  of  a 
 blessing  conferred  upon  her  than  any  obligation  on  those  whom 
 she  so  heartily  welcomed  to  her  hospitable  home.  In  her  last 
 affliction,  her  recollections  of  Mr.  Wesley's  kindness  and 
 urbanity,  as  well  as  of  his  luminous  sermons,  appeared  to 
 survive  all  intervening  events,  and  often  in  her  allusions  to  the 
 recognition  of  friends  in  heaven,  she  pictured  the  peculiar 
 gratification  of  finding  most  prominent  amongst  the  beatified 
 millions  that  man  of  God,  whom  she  revered  as  her  most 
 honoured  friend  and  spiritual  sire.  Her  son  Benjamin,  who 
 lived  with  his  mother  for  seventy  years,  says  of  her,  "  She  did 
 not  say  great  things ;  but  she  lived  them."  Amid  painful 
 suffering  and  languor,  she  had  strong  consolation  ;  but  her  pain 
 subsided  as  eternity  approached;  and  on  Good  Friday,  1835, 
 she  expressed  her  confidence  in  God  in  the  verse  she  had  so 
 often  quoted — 
 
 **  Oh,  what  are  all  my  sufferings  here, 
 If,  Lord,  Thou  count  me  meet 
 With  that  enraptured  host  t'  appear 
 And  worship  at  Thy  feet  !  " 
 
 and  a  few  hours  afterwards  the  mortal  strife  terminated,  7th 
 April,  1835,  i^  th^  o^^  hundredth  year  of  her  pilgrimage. 
 
 Mrs.  Mary  Moulton,  eldest  daughter  of  the  venerable  Thomas 
 H.  Squance,  was  born  at  Point  de  Galle,  Ceylon,  in  18 19,  her 
 father  being  then  a  missionary.  She  feared  the  Lord  all  her  life. 
 In  1848  she  was  married  to  Mr.  Joseph  Moulton,  who  had  a 
 father  and  two  brothers  in  the  Wesleyan  ministry.  Serving 
 God  in  every  sphere  of  life  in  which  she  moved,  her  last  home 
 
560  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  948. 
 
 was  at  Castle  Donington,  where  her  hterary  and  religious  efforts 
 were  crowned  with  success,  whilst  imparting  instruction  to 
 young  ladies  intrusted  to  her  care.  In  her  last  illness,  she  was 
 often  repeating  passages  of  Scripture  and  verses  of  hymns. 
 The  night  before  she  died,  she  said,  "  I  am  on  the  Rock."  She 
 was  reminded  of  the  joys  of  paradise,  when  she  replied — 
 
 "  Oh,  what  are  all  my  sufferings  here, 
 If,  Lord  " 
 
 but  she  was  unable  to  complete  the  verse.*  A  few  minutes  before 
 she  expired,  she  said,  "  Come,  Lord  Jesus,  come  quickly,"  and 
 immediately  added,  "  Not  my  will,  but  Thine  be  done,"  and  her 
 spirit  entered  heaven,  8th  March,  1861,  aged  forty-two. 
 
 The  godly  faithfulness  and  loving  heart  of  Mr.  Charles  Post, 
 a  bridge-master  of  Hull,  were  the  means  of  bringing  the  late 
 Mr.  John  Lidgett  to  a  knowledge  of  the  truth.  He  had  often 
 spoken  kindly  to  the  young  man,  and  at  length  secured  his 
 attendance  at  a  class-meeting;  but  the  ordeal  was  too  searching, 
 and  he  fled  from  the  room.  His  faithful  monitor  followed  him, 
 remonstrated,  and  they  returned  together.  From  that  night  his 
 connection  with  the  Methodist  Society  was  uninterrupted  till  he 
 went  to  join  the  Church  of  the  redeemed.  The  same  man  of 
 God  was  the  means  of  obtaining  for  Mr.  Lidgett  his  release  from 
 a  ship  just  on  the  point  of  sailing, — and  that  ship  was  never 
 heard  of  again!  At  twenty-seven  he  and  his  crew  suffered 
 shipwreck  in  Russia :  they  were  all  spared,  whilst  other  ships' 
 companies  in  that  storm  were  all  lost.  These  providences 
 awakened  in  Mr.  Lidgett's  mind  a  deep  sense  of  gratitude  to 
 God,  and  an  earnestness  in  His  service  which  knew  no  abate- 
 ment whilst  health  allowed  him  to  be  occupied.  The  poor, 
 the  neglected,  and  the  sailors,  were  his  especial  care.  When 
 apprised  that  he  could  not  live  long,  he  cheerfully  gave  up  the 
 world,  and  expressed  a  hope  that  he  might  enter  the  haven  in 
 full  sail.  He  had  sweet  foretastes  of  heaven  before  he  died,  and 
 heard  some  of  its  glories.  He  watched  the  sun  setting  on  his 
 last  day  on  earth,  and  then  joined  his  family  in  singing — 
 **  Oh,  what  are  all  my  sufferings  here, 
 
 If,  Lord,  Thou  count  me  meet 
 With  that  enraptured  host  t'  appear, 
 
 And  worship  at  Thy  feet !  " 
 
 He  then  said,  "  I  want  to  go."  He  spoke  no  more,  and  in  full 
 triumph  he  entered  paradise,  17th  June,  1861,  aged  sixty. 
 
HYMN  949.         METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  561 
 
 Richard  Trewavis,  an  earnest  godly  Cornish  Methodist,  born 
 at  Penzance  in  1750,  died  in  February,  1823,  said,  when  on 
 the  border-land  of  heaven,  "During  the  whole  of  my  Christian 
 course  I  took  care  to  support  the  Gospel,  and  now  in  my  old 
 age  and  affliction,  the  Gospel  supports  me."  He  then  added,  as 
 his  dying  testimony — "Precious  Gospel !     Precious  Gospel !" 
 
 "  Give  joy  or  grief,  give  ease  or  pain, 
 Take  life  or  friends  away  : 
 I  come,  to  meet  them  all  again 
 In  that  eternal  day." 
 
 Hymn  949.—"  Come,  let  us  join  our  friends  above." — "  Of  whom 
 the  whole  family  in  heaven  and  earth  is  na?ned" 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  being  No.  i  of  "Funeral  Hymns,"  1759, 
 Ephesians  iii.  15.     It  was  in  the  last  Hymn  Book,  No.  735. 
 
 This  and  the  two  preceding  hymns  are  sublime  compositions, 
 and  first  appeared  in  the  poet's  second  and  much  enlarged  tract 
 of  "  Funeral  Hymns."  They  embody  almost  every  legitimate 
 idea  which  the  human  mind  can  form  as  to  the  state,  employ- 
 ment, and  happiness  of  departed  saints,  and  they  are  clothed 
 in  language  glorious  yet  chaste,  elegant  yet  simple,  impassioned 
 yet  correct.  This  hymn  expands  the  idea  that  saints  above 
 and  saints  below,  the  Church  militant  on  earth,  and  the  Church 
 triumphant  in  heaven,  are  all  one — one  family,  one  army ;  that 
 even  now  the  intercourse  is  not  totally  suspended,  but  by  faith 
 we  hold  communion  with  those  who  are  gone  before.  Had 
 Charles  Wesley  composed  only  these  three  incomparable 
 hymns,  he  would  have  conferred  a  great  and  enduring  benefit 
 on  the  Church  of  God,  and  would  have  immortalised  his  name 
 as  a  Christian  poet. 
 
 A.  few  years  ago,  a  lo7ig  procession  passed  down  the 
 church  path  from  the  town  of  Redruth,  pressing  round  a  bier, 
 as  if  they  would  affectionately  guard  it  in  the  front,  flank,  and 
 rear,  and  singing  as  they  moved.  They  were  keeping  up  the 
 custom  of  their  Cornish  fathers  of  an  evening  funeral,  and 
 the  singing  of  a  burial-hymn  from  the  house  to  the  grave. 
 The  hymn  was — 
 
 "  Rejoice  for  a  brother  deceased." 
 
 After  the  solemn  service  in  the  church  and  at  the  grave,  as  the 
 benediction  was  pronounced,  the  devout  multitude  once  more 
 
 2  N 
 
562  METHODIST  HYMN  ROOK  NOTES.  HYMN  949. 
 
 lifted  up  its  full  and  mighty  voice,  and  pressing  round  the  open 
 grave,  uttered  in  impressive  tones  that  glowing  and  impassioned 
 hymn,  commencing — 
 
 '*  Come,  let  us  join  our  friends  above 
 That  have  obtain'd  the  prize, 
 And  on  the  eagle  wings  of  love 
 To  joys  celestial  rise." 
 
 The  swell  of  the  closing  appeal  of  the  hymn  was  thrilling. 
 Among  the  singers  was  one  young  man,  who  appeared  to  be 
 rapt  while  he  sang.  It  seemed  as  if  his  music  were  that  of 
 pure  spirit.  How  his  face  kindled  as  he  poured  forth  the 
 closing  notes  !  One  who  saw  him  there  under  the  calm  light 
 of  the  evening  sun  saw  indications  of  his  approaching  end. 
 Soon  afterwards  he  was  found  on  his  death-bed  ;  but  he  had 
 not  lost  the  spirit  of  that  triumphant  hymn.  To  the  friend 
 who  saw  him  at  the  grave,  he  said,  "I  am  going ;  I  am  going 
 early  ;  but  God  has  brightened  my  short  life  into  a  full  one  ! 
 Oh  !  those  hymns  !  they  have  taught  me  to  live  in  the  light  of 
 the  future  !  They  have  been  my  songs  in  the  house  of  my 
 pilgrimage.  How  often  when  I  have  sung  them  down  in  the 
 deep  mine  has  the  darkness  been  light  around  me  !  Never 
 since  I  learnt  to  praise  God  from  my  heart  have  I  begun  to 
 work  in  the  rock  for  blasting  without  stopping  to  ask.  If  the 
 hole  should  go  off  unawares,  am  I  ready  for  heaven  ?  Some- 
 times, sir,  there  has  been  a  shrinking  and  a  doubt,  but  I  have 
 dropped  on  my  knees  and  asked  God  to  bless  me  before  I  gave 
 another  stroke  ;  and  never  did  I  pray  in  vain  ;  my  prayer  has 
 always  passed  into  praise.  Those  blessed  hymns  have  gone 
 bursting  from  my  heart  and  lips  as  I  have  toiled  at  the  very 
 point  of  death  !  O  sir,  do  you  remember  our  singing  at  the 
 last  funeral.'"'  "Yes,"  was  the  reply  ;  "and  some  thought  then 
 that  you  would  never  sing  again  on  such  an  occasion  ! " 
 "  Never  sing  again,  sir  !  Why,  I  shall  sing  for  ever  !  Oh  ! 
 that  glorious  hymn  !  let  us  sing  it  now."  And  he  began  at 
 the  last  verse — 
 
 '•  O  that  we  now  might  grasp  our  Guide  ! 
 
 O  that  the  word  were  given  ! 
 Come,  Lord  of  hosts,  the  waves  divide, 
 
 And  land  us — land— me — now  in  " 
 
 *'  Heaven  ! "  he  would  have  sang,  but  ere  he  could  do  so  he 
 was  there — he  had  joined  another  choir  ! 
 
HYMN  949.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  563 
 
 The  Rev.  Aaron  Buzacott,  born  at  South  Mohon,  Devon, 
 4th  March,  1800,  was  early  converted  to  God,  and  became  an 
 earnest,  pious,  useful  missionary  at  Raratonga.  When  his 
 labours  on  earth  were  ended  and  death  was  near,  he  called 
 for  his  Hymn  Book,  and  said,  "  I  have  been  thinking  of  one 
 hymn  all  night,"  and  he  read — 
 
 "  Come,  let  us  join  our  friends  above 
 That  have  obtain 'd  the  prize." 
 
 When  he  had  read  that  hymn,  on  20th  September,  1864, 
 at  the  age  of  sixty-four  years,  his  ransomed  spirit  took  its  flight 
 to  the  land  of  light  and  rest. 
 
 The  conversion  of  a  relative  was  made  the  means  of 
 awakening  Thomas  Bateson,  of  Stockport,  to  a  sense  of  his 
 condition  as  a  sinner.  The  ministry  of  the  Rev.  H.  S. 
 Hopwood  was  made  useful  to  him  in  directing  his  mind  to  the 
 Saviour.  His  Christian  course  after  his  conversion  was  steady, 
 consistent,  and  enduring.  As  a  class-leader  he  walked  worthy 
 of  his  high  vocation.  His  last  sickness  was  protracted,  but  the 
 language  of  his  heart  was  continually,  "  Thy  will  be  done." 
 Perceiving  that  the  parting  scene  was  near,  his  wife  said — 
 
 "  Part  of  the  host  have  cross'd  the  flood, 
 And  part  are  crossing  now," 
 
 He  tried  to  finish  the  hymn,  but  his  strength  failed  ;  he  fell  into 
 sleep,  and  in  that  sleep  he  passed  from  a  suffering  to  a 
 triumphant  Church,  24th  May,  1840,  aged  forty. 
 
 Benjamin  Moss,  of  Selby,  was  born  at  Sevan  Grange  Farm, 
 near  Beverley.  He  was  first  a  Churchman  ;  and  the  clergyman 
 and  the  Methodist  preacher  dined  together  occasionally  at  his 
 father's  house.  At  the  age  of  twenty,  Benjamin  attended  the 
 ministry  of  the  Rev.  Peter  M'Owan,  at  Hull,  and  he  thereby 
 learned  the  way  of  salvation,  and  joined  the  Methodist  Society. 
 He  resided  at  Eton  in  1833,  and  met  some  godly  soldiers  in  the 
 Methodist  chapel  at  Windsor.  He  married  in  1849,  ^^<^  '^^ 
 185 1  he  removed  to  Selby,  where  he  located,  and  became  a 
 partner  in  the  firm  of  Morrison,  Foster,  &  Moss,  he  acting  as 
 traveller  for  the  firm  during  the  remainder  of  his  life.  All  his 
 spare  time,  on  week-days  and  Sunday,  was  spent  in  doing  good. 
 He  distributed  on  his  journeys,  and  in  the  towns  he  visited, 
 scores  of  thousands  of  tracts,  visiting  public-houses  for  that 
 purpose.     He  was  a  useful  and  acceptable  class-leader,  a  man 
 
564  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  950. 
 
 of  prayer,  constant  and  earnest.  He  was  a  diligent  student  of 
 the  Bible,  and  had  a  great  love  for  the  Methodist  Hymn  Book, 
 which  was  his  daily  companion,  and  the  hymns  were  to  him 
 daily  spiritual  food.  His  health  failed  him  in  July,  1881,  and 
 he  wrote  on  7th  July,  "One  object  I  keep  in  view  is,  living  or 
 dying,  to  glorify  God."  His  last  visit  to  his  class  was  a  time  of 
 joy  to  all  his  members,  as  well  as  himself,  but  life  was  nearly 
 ended,  and  shortly  before  his  release  from  earth  he  expressed 
 his  longing  desire  in  these  lines — 
 
 "  Our  spirits,  too,  shall  quickly  join, 
 
 Like  those  with  glory  crowned, 
 And  shout  to  see  our  Captain's  sign, 
 
 To  hear  His  trumpet  sound. 
 O  that  we  now  might  grasp  our  Guide  ! 
 
 O  that  the  word  were  given  ! 
 Come,  Lord  of  hosts,  the  waves  divide, 
 
 And  land  us  all  in  heaven." 
 
 He  entered  into  rest,  26th  September,  1881,  aged  seventy-one 
 years. 
 
 This  and  the  three  preceding  hymns  embody  almost  every 
 thought  which  the  human  mind  can  conceive  of  the  state, 
 employment,  and  varied  happiness  of  departed  Christians. 
 Many  pages  of  this  work  are  occupied  with  a  narration  of 
 affecting  and  happy  incidents  in  connection  with  the  use  of  these 
 hymns,  and  the  author  has  many  more  pages  of  similar 
 testimony  which  cannot  be  here  introduced.  This  hymn  closes 
 the  eighth  section. 
 
 Hymn  950. — "The  Lord  of  Sabbath  let  us  praise." — 
 Oti  the  Sabbath-Day. 
 
 This  was  written  by  Samuel  Wesley,  jun.,  and  appears  in  his 
 "Poems  on  Several  Occasions,"  1735;  also  in  John  Wesley's 
 "Collection  of  Sacred  Poems,"  vol.  iii.,  page  178,  as  four 
 verses  of  five  lines.  It  will  be  found  in  the  author's  works, 
 1862,  page  364.  It  was  No.  544  in  the  former  Supplement.  It 
 is  a  hymn  of  great  excellence  :  the  energy  of  the  thoughts  and 
 expressions  is  equal  to  that  found  in  the  hymns  of  his  two 
 brothers.  The  concluding  couplet  is  particularly  comprehensive 
 and  fine — 
 
 "  'Twas  great  to  speak  a  world  from  nought ; 
 'Twas  greater  to  redeem  !  " 
 
HYMN  950.         METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  565 
 
 The  mother  of  Dr.  Jobson  received  the  first  convictions  of 
 sin  in  her  own  heart  by  examining  the  ten  commandments, 
 with  her  father,  as  a  preparation  for  her  first  communion  at 
 the  Lord's  Supper,  in  the  Cathedral,  Lincoln.  Attending  that 
 service,  with  a  heart  softened  by  self-examination,  and  especially 
 whilst  partaking  of  the  memorials  of  the  Lord's  passion,  she 
 experienced  that  bruisedness  of  spirit  which  can  only  be 
 apprehended  by  a  sincere  penitent.  From  the  table  of  the  Lord 
 she  went  home  with  a  broken  and  contrite  heart  to  her  closet ; 
 and  there,  whilst  repeating  the  hymn  commencing — 
 
 "  Behold  the  Saviour  of  mankind, 
 Nailed  to  the  shameful  tree  ; 
 How  vast  the  love  that  Him  inclined 
 To  bleed  and  die  for  thee  !  " 
 
 she  was  enabled  to  appropriate  by  faith  to  her  own  case  the 
 merits  of  the  death  of  Christ,  and  her  soul  rose  into  the  light 
 and  liberty  of  the  children  of  God.  When  she  became 
 acquainted  with  the  nature  and  design  of  Methodist  class- 
 meetings,  she  at  once  became  a  member  of  Society,  and  soon 
 after  the  leader  of  a  class.  The  joyous  nature  of  her  religion 
 led  many  to  court  her  company  and  counsel ;  and  with  rich  and 
 poor  alike  she  was  faithful  in  discharging  her  duty  towards  their 
 souls  and  towards  her  Saviour.  When  she  visited  London, 
 the  prevailing  wickedness  almost  overpowered  her  sensitive 
 spirit ;  she  yearned  over  perishing  sinners,  and  prayed 
 earnestly  for  their  salvation.  She  spent  much  time  in  earnest 
 pleading  with  God,  and  her  life  was  one  of  great  peace, 
 usefulness,  and  activity  in  all  its  duties.  Several  months'  illness 
 preceded  her  death,  but  her  acceptance  with  God,  and  her 
 hope  of  heaven,  were  beyond  doubt.  On  Friday,  the  day  on 
 which  she  exchanged  mortality  for  life,  which  she  thought 
 was  the  Sabbath,  she  exclaimed,  "What  a  beautiful  Sunday 
 morning  is  this  ! "  and  immediately  commenced  singing^ — 
 "  The  Lord  of  Sabbath  let  us  praise, 
 
 In  concert  with  the  blest, 
 Who,  joyful,  in  harmonious  lays 
 
 Employ  an  endless  rest." 
 
 Her  speech  failed,  and  her  spirit  went  to  mingle  with  those 
 around  the  throne  of  God,  2nd  October,  1840,  aged  fifty-four. 
 
 This  hymn  is  the  first  of  the  ninth  section,  with  the  title,  "  For 
 the  Lord's  Day,  and  for  various  Seasons  and  Occasions." 
 
566  METHODIST  HYMN  EOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  956. 
 
 Hymn  951. — "  Dear  is  the  day  which  God  has  made."— 
 Sabbath  a  Sign. — Exodus  xxxi.  13. 
 
 A  delicately  finished  hymn  by  the  Rev.  William  M.  Bunting, 
 which  embodies  pensive  thoughts,  but  indicates  the  peace  of 
 mind  which  pervaded  the  soul  of  the  author  even  amidst  his 
 physical  sufferings.  The  third  line  of  the  second  verse  is 
 altered. 
 
 Hymn  952. — "  Saviour,  Thy  sacred  day."—"  The  Son  of  Man  is 
 Lord  ev 671  of  the  SabbathP 
 
 From  Charles  Wesley's  "  Hymns  on  the  Gospels,"  No.  279  ; 
 "  Works,"  vol.  X.,  page  257,  based  on  Matthew  xii.  8. 
 
 Hymn  953. — "  Come,  let  us  with  our  Lord  arise." — 
 For  the  Lord^s  Day. 
 
 Forms  No.  61  of  Charles  Wesley's  "Hymns  for  Children;" 
 "Works,"  vol.  vi.,  page  429.  It  is  admirably  adapted  as  an 
 opening  hymn  for  the  Sunday  school  or  morning  prayer  meeting. 
 
 Hymn  954. — "  Come,  let  us  join  with  one  accord." 
 No.  62  of  Charles  Wesley's  "  Hymns  for  Children."     The 
 love  of  singing  which  was  so  natural  to  the  Wesleys,  and  more 
 especially  to  Charles  and  his  family,  is  well  expressed  in  the 
 
 fourth  verse — 
 
 **  Not  one,  but  all  our  days  below 
 Let  us  in  hymns  employ." 
 
 How  many  millions  of  people  have  learned  to  sing  their  way  to 
 heaven  because  Charles  Wesley  wrote  suitable  hymns  for  them  I 
 
 Hymn  955. — "  Great  God  !  this  sacred  day  of  Thine."— 
 Sabbath  Mor7ting. 
 This  was  written  by  Miss  Anne  Steele,  and  is  the  last  of  four 
 of  her  hymns  in  the  Supplement. 
 
 Hymn  956. — "  Welcome,  sweet  day  of  rest !"—  The  Lord's  Day. 
 
 Dr.  Watts',  from  book  ii..  Hymn  14,  1709,  formerly  No.  581. 
 The  third  verse  has  one  line  altered. 
 
 In  conversion  and  on  death-beds  this  hymn  has  been  made  a 
 blessing  to  many.  John  Watson,  of  Baildon,  Yorkshire,  was 
 apprenticed  to  a  cloth-worker  at  the  age  of  nine  years,  to  remain 
 till  he  was  twenty.    During  that  time  he  was  allowed  one  shilling 
 
HYMN  956.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  567 
 
 per  year  for  pocket-money.  This  sum  he  preserved  for  five  years, 
 and,  after  much  reasoning,  he  purchased  a  Bible  and  Dr.  Watts' 
 Hymn  Book  with  his  five  shiUings.  He  was  much  elated  with 
 his  bargain,  although  he  could  not  read  them.  He  had  regularly 
 attended  the  Baptist  Chapel  at  Rawdon,  but  had  realised  nothing 
 beyond  serious  impressions.  It  was  the  practice  of  the  family 
 with  whom  he  resided  often  to  read  the  Scriptures,  and  to  sing 
 hymns  ;  and  on  one  of  these  occasions,  whilst  repeating  the 
 verse — 
 
 "  One  day  amidst  the  place 
 
 Where  my  dear  Lord  has  been 
 Is  better  than  ten  thousand  days 
 
 Of  pleasurable  sin," 
 
 he  felt  unutterable  joy.  He  withdrew,  and  took  a  walk  into 
 the  fields,  where  his  peace  in  communing  with  God  was  over- 
 flowing. He  was  impressed  to  go  and  hear  the  Methodists, 
 which  he  did  on  the  following  Sunday.  He  joined  the  Society, 
 and  remained  a  consistent  member  for  sixty  years,  a  class-leader 
 for  fifty  years,  and,  at  the  age  of  eighty,  died  in  peace,  i8th 
 April,  1824,  saying,  "  Christ  is  precious  ;  He  is  precious  indeed." 
 So  few  were  the  privileges  of  the  Gospel  in  some  parts  of 
 England  seventy  years  ago,  that,  in  order  to  attend  the  preaching 
 of  the  Methodists,  in  which  his  soul  felt  comfort  and  satisfaction, 
 John  Dixon,  of  Bassingham,  had  to  go  to  Newark,  nine  miles, 
 to  hear  a  sermon  on  the  Sabbath  morning,  and  to  Retford, 
 twenty  miles,  to  hear  another  sermon  on  the  Sabbath  evening. 
 In  1 801,  the  Rev.  John  Hickling  was  invited  to  preach  in  Mr. 
 Dixon's  house,  and  from  that  time  a  society  was  formed  in  the 
 village,  which  has  been  made  a  blessing  to  many  souls.  He 
 had  a  delicate  frame,  and  suffered  much  during  his  short  life ; 
 but  he  found  constant  consolation  in  religion.  When  the  last 
 summons  came,  he  was  asked  what  he  thought  of  religion  and 
 of  Methodism.  He  spoke  in  the  most  exalted  terms  of  religion, 
 and  added,  in  reply  to  the  other  question,  "  Defend  Methodism, 
 for  it  is  of  God ;  particularly  the  great  doctrines  of  the  witness 
 of  the  Spirit,  and  Christian  Perfection.  He  thought  highly  of 
 Watts'  Hymns,  and  often  quoted  from  them.  His  last  utterances 
 were — "  Precious,  precious  Jesus  ! — 
 
 "  '  My  soul  would  ever  stay 
 
 In  such  a  frame  as  this, 
 And  sit  and  sing  herself  away 
 
 To  everlasting  bliss.*  " 
 
568  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  958. 
 
 Almost   immediately  his   released   spirit   entered   the   port   of 
 heaven,  in  the  triumph  of  faith,  5th  December,  1814. 
 
 Hymn  957.—"  Sweet  is  the  sunlight  after  rain." — 
 Sabbath  Rest. 
 
 This  is  the  first  of  two  hymns  in  the  book  by  the  Rev. 
 William  Morley  Punshon,  LL.U.,  the  other  one  being  No.  961. 
 Dr.  Punshon  was  born  at  Doncaster,  29th  May,  1824.  In  early 
 life  he  was  converted  to  God,  under  the  ministry  of  the  late 
 Rev.  Samuel  Romilly  Hall.  He  began  to  preach,  when  only 
 eighteen  years  of  age,  at  Ellerby,  near  Hull,  and  in  1842  began 
 to  study  for  the  ministry  under  his  uncle,  the  Rev.  Benjamin 
 Clough.  In  1844  he  was  pastor  of  a  congregation  at  IMarden, 
 and  in  1845  ^^'^s  received  on  probation  into  the  Wesleyan 
 ministry',  having  Whitehaven  for  his  first  circuit.  He  was 
 ordained  in  1849,  ^^^  in  the  same  year  married  Miss  Vickers, 
 of  Gateshead.  In  1854  he  commenced  his  popular  career  as  a 
 lecturer,  and  in  that  department  of  service  he  delighted  vast 
 audiences  in  all  parts  of  England  and  America.  In  1859  he 
 was  elected  into  the  Legal  Hundred  of  Methodist  Preachers. 
 In  1868  he  went  to  Canada  as  President  of  the  Conference 
 there,  and  was  re-elected  four  times.  In  1873  Victoria  Univer- 
 sity, Cobourg,  Canada,  conferred  on  him  the  degree  of  LL.D. 
 At  the  Camborne  Conference,  1874,  Dr.  Punshon  was  elected 
 President  of  the  English  Conference,  and  in  1875  ^^^  ^^'^^ 
 appointed  one  of  the  General  Secretaries  of  the  Wesleyan 
 Missionary  Society.  His  somewhat  premature  death,  14th 
 April,  1881,  at  the  early  age  of  fifty-seven,  was  a  surprise  to  his 
 family  and  friends,  and  a  great  loss  to  the  Methodist  Church, 
 which  he  so  much  delighted  to  serve  and  honour.  He  was 
 interred  in  the  Norwood  Cemetery ;  but  no  one  takes  the 
 vacant  place  he  filled  so  wisely  and  well.  In  a  small  volume  of 
 poems,  called  "  Sabbath  Chimes,"  by  Dr.  Punshon,  are  several 
 hymns,  two  of  which  are  chosen  for  the  Methodist  Hymn  Book. 
 They  are  well  deserving  of  the  place  they  occupy,  and  have  been 
 already  frequently  sung.  This  one  is  in  great  favour  in  many 
 congregations  and  families. 
 
 Hymn  958.— "O  day  of  rest  and  gladness." 
 
 This  is  an  apostrophe  to  Sunday  morning  written  by  Dr. 
 Christopher  Wordsworth,  Bishop  of  Lincoln.     It  is  worthy  of 
 
HYMN  959.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  569 
 
 note  that  the  hymn  of  the  Bishop  should  follow  that  of  Dr. 
 Punshon.  The  Bishop  has  been  putting  forth  much  mistaken 
 zeal  in  trying  to  convince  the  Methodists  in  his  diocese  of  their 
 error  in  not  joining  the  Church  of  England.  In  a  speech  by 
 Dr.  Punshon,  in  1875,  he  said  the  Methodists  were  about  to 
 avenge  themselves  by  adopting  two  of  the  Bishop's  hymns  in 
 their  hymnal.  The  hymn  by  the  Methodist  doctor  precedes  that 
 by  the  Church  doctor,  and  it  is  likely  to  be  much  oftener  used, 
 though  the  Bishop's  hymn  is  sometimes  sung  as  an  anthem. 
 
 Hymn  959. — "  Lord  of  the  Sabbath,  hear  our  vows." — The 
 Eternal  Sabbath. 
 
 This  is  Dr.  Doddridge's  hymn,  written  to  illustrate  the  text, 
 Hebrews  iv.  9,  with  the  date  2nd  January,  1736-7,  in  the  author's 
 MS.     It  was  formerly  No.  582. 
 
 Dr.  Doddridge  wrote  his  hymn  to  be  sung  after  the  sermons 
 which  he  preached,  and  adapted  them  specially  to  the  texts 
 which  he  selected.  He  died  in  Lisbon,  in  175 1,  aged  forty-nine 
 years.  His  hymns  were  published,  in  1755,  by  his  friend  Job 
 Orton. 
 
 Philip  Doddridge,  born  in  London,  26th  June,  1702,  was  the 
 son  of  an  oilman.  He  received  a  good  education,  one  of  his 
 tutors  being  the  excellent  Samuel  Clark,  author  of  "  Scripture 
 Promises."  He  joined  the  Dissenters,  and  became  one  of  their 
 ministers,  although  the  Duchess  of  Bedford  offered  to  maintain 
 him  at  Cambridge  if  he  remained  in  the  Church.  At  the  early 
 age  of  twenty-seven,  entreated  by  his  friend  Dr.  Watts,  he 
 opened  an  academy — a  school  of  the  prophets — for  the  educa- 
 tion of  young  men  for  the  ministry.  In  1730,  he  removed  to 
 Northampton,  where  his  theological  college  was  carried  on  to 
 the  time  of  his  death  (from  consumption)  in  175 1.  Some  two 
 hundred  students  were  educated  by  him,  one  hundred  and  fifty 
 of  whom  entered  the  ministry.  Here  he  wrote  his  numerous 
 works,  was  the  minister  at  the  Castle  Hill  Meeting-house,  and 
 became  one  of  the  founders  of  the  Book  Society  for  providing 
 good  and  cheap  books  for  the  poor.  Lady  Francis  Gardiner, 
 wife  of  Colonel  Gardiner,  urged  Doddridge  to  publish  his  hymns, 
 but  he  had  been  dead  four  years  before  they  appeared.  They 
 are  three  hundred  and  sixty-four  in  number,  to  which  some 
 others  were  added  in  another  volume  of  hymns,  published  in 
 1838,  by  John  Doddridge  Humphryes.     J.  Montgomery  says  of 
 
570  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  959. 
 
 Doddridge's  Hymns, — ''They  shine  in  the  beauty  of  holiness; 
 and,  Hke  the  saints,  they  are  lovely  and  acceptable  for  fervid, 
 unaffected  love  to  God,  His  service,  and  His  people." 
 
 The  words  of  Hagar,  "  Thou,  God,  seest  me,"  so  rested  upon 
 the  mind  of  Anne  Hamer  in  early  life,  that  she  was  constrained 
 to  forsake  worldly  pleasures  ;  and  at  the  age  of  sixteen,  during 
 the  progress  of  a  revival  in  Shropshire,  she  found  the  Lord,  to 
 the  joy  of  her  heart.  Her  life  ever  afterwards  was  devoted  to 
 the  service  of  God  ;  in  the  Sabbath  school,  and  as  a  missionary 
 collector,  she  was  remarkably  useful.  Her  last  illness  was  brief, 
 but  her  peace  and  joy  were  unshaken.  When  the  midnight 
 preceding  her  departure  was  passed,  she  was  reminded  that  the 
 Sabbath  had  commenced.     She  immediately  replied — 
 
 "  Thine  earthly  Sabbaths,  Lord,  we  love  ; 
 But  there's  a  nobler  rest  above ; 
 To  that  our  lab'ring  souls  aspire, 
 With  ardent  pangs  of  strong  desire." 
 
 Adding,  "  I  shall  soon  be  before  the  throne  of  God  and  the 
 Lamb  ;  I  shall  hunger  no  more,  neither  thirst  any  more  ;  the 
 Lamb  shall  lead  me  to  fountains  of  living  waters,  and  God  shall 
 wipe  away  all  tears  from  my  eyes."  In  this  ecstasy  of  joy  and 
 praise  she  continued  for  some  time  ;  then,  turning  to  her 
 husband,  repeated,  "Farewell !  and  let  me  languish  into  life;" 
 and  so  she  passed  away,  15th  December,  1847,  aged  thirty-four. 
 Dr.  Doddridge's  description  of  heaven  in  this  hymn  would 
 scarcely  be  appreciated  by  Christians  dwelling  in  an  Eastern 
 clime,  where  the  "sun-cloud"  and  "midnight  shade"  are  the 
 very  paradise  of  life's  enjoyment.  A  noble  missionary,  who 
 spent  thirty  years  in  Jamaica  and  Old  Calabar,  remarks, — "  One 
 who  knows  what  it  is  to  be  exposed  to  the  sun  of  the  torrid  zone 
 shudders  to  read  the  dreadful  lines  in  a  hymn  by  Dr.  Doddridge, 
 describing  heaven — 
 
 " '  No  midnight  shade,  no  clouded  sun, 
 But  sacred,  high,  eternal  noon.' 
 
 The  idea  is  intolerable.  It  terrifies  one  to  think  of  it.  The  man 
 who  wrote  that  line  must  have  lived  far  north,  where  a  glimpse 
 of  the  sun  was  a  rare  favour,  and  his  highest  enjoyment  to  bask 
 in  its  rays  a  live-long  summer's  day.  I  met  once  in  Jamaica 
 with  a  black  boy,  under  the  shade  of  some  cocoa-nut  trees, 
 where  we  both  had  taken  shelter  from  the  glare  of  the  meridian 
 
HYMN  964.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  571 
 
 sun  and  the  dazzle  of  the  sea-side  sandy  road.  I  said,  *  Well, 
 my  boy,  did  you  ever  hear  of  heaven  ?'  '  Me  hear,  massa.'  '  And 
 what  sort  of  place  do  you  think  it  will  be  ?'  '  Massa,  it  must  be 
 very  cool  place.'  That  boy  knows  more  of  the  Bible  on  that 
 subject  than  some  hymn-writers." 
 
 Hymn  960.—"  May  I  throughout  this  day  of  T^hine." — "  /  was 
 
 in  the  Spirit  on  the  Lorcfs  Day.^'' 
 Charles  Wesley's,  No.  3444  of  "Short  Scripture  Hymns;" 
 "Works,"  vol.  xiii.,  page  221,  based  on  Rev.  i.  10. 
 
 Hymn  961. — "We  rose  to-day  with  anthems  sweet." — 
 Sunday  Evejiiftg. 
 This  is  the  second  of  Dr.  Punshon's  hymns  from  "  Sabbath 
 Chimes."     The  former  is  a  morning,  and  this  an  evening  hymn. 
 
 Hymn  962. — "  Saviour,  again  to  Thy  dear  name  we  raise." — 
 At  the  e?td  of  a  service. 
 
 The  second  of  three  hymns  by  the  Rev.  John  Ellerton. 
 
 Hymn  963. — "  Christ,  whose  glory  fills  the  skies." — A  Morning 
 Hym7i. 
 This  will  not  be  recognised  as  an  old  favourite  till  the  second 
 verse  is  reached.     It  was  formerly  No.  156,  and  commenced — 
 
 "  O  disclose  Thy  lovely  face." 
 
 That  verse  did  not  belong  to  the  hymn  ;  it  is  now  taken  away, 
 and  the  hymn  is  now  printed  as  Charles  Wesley  wrote  it.  It 
 will  be  readily  perceived  how  much  it  is  improved  by  this 
 restoration.  It  is  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1740, 
 page  24. 
 
 In  Toplady's  Works,  part  of  this  hymn  is  inserted  as  though 
 it  belonged  to  him  as  author,  which  is  a  misappropriation. 
 Similar  sentiments  are  found  in  a  hymn  by  Sir  Robert  Grant, 
 and  quoted  by  Dr.  Punshon  in  his  sermon  on  the  "  Christian 
 Inheritance." 
 
 Hymn  964. — "Awake,  my  soul,  and  with  the  sun." — A  Morning 
 Hymn. 
 
 Thomas  Ken,  D.D.,  Bishop  of  Bath  and  Wells.  The  three 
 compositions  by  this  eminent  man  of  God,  the  Morning,  Evening, 
 
572  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  964. 
 
 and  Midnight  Hymns,  were  first  published  in  1675  ^t  the  end 
 of  the  "  Manual  of  Prayers,"  written  for  the  use  of  the  boys  at 
 Winchester  School,  in  which  the  Bishop  himself  was  educated. 
 The  original  is  in  fourteen  stanzas,  nine  of  which  are  left  out. 
 This  morning  hymn  has  undergone  many  changes  by  many 
 hands  ;  some,  alas  !  who  could  but  little  enter  into  the  devout 
 spirit  of  the  pious  author.  Well  might  James  Montgomery  say 
 of  these  three  hymns,  "  Had  the  Bishop  endowed  three  hospitals, 
 he  might  have  been  less  a  benefactor  to  posterity." 
 
 Dr.  Ken  having  been  one  of  the  proscribed  seven  bishops, 
 but  little  was  known  of  him  for  many  years.  He  was  born 
 at  Little  Berkhamsted  in  July,  1657.  After  his  ordination,  he 
 was  made  successively  Chaplain  to  the  Princess  of  Orange 
 and  to  Charles  II.  He  was  consecrated  Bishop  of  Bath  and 
 Wells  in  1684.  James  II.  sent  him,  with  six  other  bishops,  to 
 the  Tower,  but  popular  feeling  secured  their  release  after  a 
 trial.  At  the  Revolution  he  declined  to  swear  allegiance  to 
 William  III.,  and  retired  into  private  life,  spending  his 
 remaining  days  in  the  magnificent  mansion  of  an  endeared 
 friend,  at  Longleat,  Wilts,  where  he  died  in  March,  17 10. 
 He  was  buried  in  Frome  Churchyard,  where  a  neat  tomb 
 covers  his  remains.  No  single  stanza  of  poetry  ever  written 
 has  attained  to  greater  popularity  than  the  last  verse  of  the 
 Morning- Hymn,  which  is  known  all  the  world  over  as 
 The  Doxology— 
 
 "Praise  God,  from  whom  all  blessings  flow." 
 
 "Bishop  Ken's  well-known  doxology,"  writes  James  Montgomery, 
 "  is  a  masterpiece  at  once  of  amplification  and  compression  : 
 amplification  on  the  burden,  'Praise  God,'  repeated  in  each 
 line ;  compression  by  exhibiting  God  as  the  object  of  praise  in 
 every  view  in  which  we  can  imagine  praise  due  to  Him — praise 
 for  all  His  blessings  ;  yea,  for  all  blessings,  none  coming  from 
 any  other  source  ;  praise  by  every  creature,  specifically  invoked, 
 'here  below,'  and  in  'heaven  above  ;'  praise  to  Him  in  each  of 
 the  characters  wherein  he  has  revealed  Himself  in  His  word — 
 '  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost.'  Yet  this  comprehensive  verse 
 is  sufficiently  simple,  that  by  it  'out  of  the  mouth  of  babes 
 and  sucklings'  praise  might  be  'perfected;'  and  it  appears  so 
 easy,  that  one  is  tempted  to  think  hundreds  of  the  sort  might 
 be  made  without  trouble.     The  reader  has  only  to  tr>^,  and  he 
 
HYMN  964.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  573 
 
 will  be   quickly  undeceived  ;  though  the  longer  he  tries   the 
 more  difficult  he  will  find  the  task  to  be." 
 
 This  glorious  doxology  has  afforded  comfort  to  many- 
 departing  saints,  so  also  it  has  fittingly  expressed  the  joy  of 
 the  Lord's  people  in  ten  thousand  instances  when  a  new-born 
 soul  has  entered  into  the  liberty  of  the  children  of  God.  One 
 instance,  of  which  we  have  a  distinct  personal  recollection,  is 
 worthy  of  note.  Bridgehouses  Wesleyan  Chapel,  Sheffield,  had 
 been  opened  (1835),  and  at  night  the  preacher  was  William 
 Dawson.  The  seed  sown  during  the  day  had  been  accompanied 
 by  many  earnest  and  faithful  prayers ;  and  after  the  evening 
 service  the  body  of  the  chapel  and  the  side  galleries  had  each 
 its  separate  prayer  meeting.  These  were  continued  till  near 
 ten  o'clock  at  night,  when  the  praying  souls  and  the  seeking 
 sinners  adjourned  to  the  schoolroom  under  the  chapel,  and 
 there  sat  William  Dawson,  wrapped  in  his  drab  greatcoat,  for 
 it  was  winter-time,  counting  and  recording  the  trophies  of  that 
 day's  spiritual  warfare.  Before  eleven  o'clock  that  Sabbath 
 evening,  the  doxology  had  been  repeated  in  earnest  joyful 
 song  thirty-five  times.  A  twelve  miles'  walk,  through  the 
 midnight  hours,  and  in  the  snow  of  a  cold  February,  did 
 not  dissipate  the  blessedness  of  the  memories  of  that  day, 
 and  they  are  fresh  and  fragrant  on  the  mind  of  the  writer 
 after  the  lapse  of  nearly  fifty  years. 
 
 An  early  religious  training  was  followed,  in  the  experience  of 
 Phillis  Downes,  of  Salford,  in  her  conversion  to  God  at  the  age 
 of  seventeen.  From  that  day,  and  for  forty  years,  she  had  not 
 a  doubt  of  her  acceptance  with  God.  In  181 1  she  experienced 
 a  deeper  work  of  grace,  and  to  the  end  of  life  testified  to  the 
 entire  sanctification  of  her  nature.  On  the  morning  of  her  last 
 day  on  earth,  12th  December,  1836,  she  said,  whilst  gasping  for 
 breath,  "  This  is  the  last  struggle.  I  have  often  sung,  and  now 
 it  is  the  language  of  my  heart — 
 
 " '  Let  it  not  my  Lord  displease. 
 
 That  I  would  die  to  be  His  guest ; 
 Jesus,  Master,  seal  my  peace, 
 
 And  take  me  to  Thy  breast.' " 
 
 Shortly  afterwards,  she  exclaimed — 
 
 "  Praise  God,  from  whom  all  blessings  flow." 
 
 These  were  the  last  words  she  uttered  distinctly  ;  but  "  praise  " 
 was  upon  her  lips  when  the  power  of  utterance  had  failed. 
 
574  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  964. 
 
 Where  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  is  there  is  hberty.  The  mind 
 of  EHzabeth  Hudson,  of  Hitchin,  was  awakened  to  a  sense  of 
 its  condition  before  God  at  the  age  of  sixteen,  but  it  was  not  till 
 she  was  twenty  years  old  that  she  found  the  Lord.  The 
 Methodists  worshipped  in  a  barn  ;  she  longed  to  join  them, 
 for  she  was  seeking  the  Lord  with  all  her  heart.  Her  friends 
 forbade  her ;  so  out  of  her  window  she  looked  at  the  lights 
 in  the  rude  barn  where  the  people  of  God  were  gathered  for 
 worship.  She  wept  and  prayed,  and  the  Lord  showed  her 
 His  mercy.  Her  heart  was  filled  with  love  to  God  and  to 
 all  around  her.  Soon  afterwards  she  heard  the  Methodist 
 preacher  at  another  village,  and  in  the  fulness  of  her  joy  invited 
 the  preacher  to  tea  at  her  father's  house.  She  made  it  a 
 matter  of  earnest  prayer  that  her  opposing  parents  might 
 receive  the  man  of  God.  He  came  and  was  kindly  welcomed. 
 After  tea,  the  parents  were  invited  to  the  preaching.  The 
 service  ended,  the  parents  invited  the  preacher  to  stay  all  night. 
 From  that  day  that  house  was  the  home  of  the  Methodist 
 preachers  at  Baldock,  and  from  that  day  Methodism  began 
 to  flourish  there.  A  Society  was  formed,  and  from  it  several 
 have  gone  to  preach  in  the  ranks  of  the  Methodist  ministry. 
 Mrs.  Hudson  became  a  class-leader,  and  her  husband  a  useful 
 local  preacher.  For  twenty  years  they  were  the  chief  support 
 of  Methodism  at  Baldock.  They  removed  to  Hitchin  ;  here 
 also  Mrs.  Hudson  was  the  principal  instrument  in  the 
 establishment  of  Methodism,  and  a  prosperous  Society  has 
 since  sprung  up  there  also.  Thus  one  devoted  godly  woman 
 founded  two  Societies  of  Methodists,  and  lived  to  see  them 
 enjoying  considerable  prosperity.  This  work  accomplished,  a 
 preacher's  house  built,  and  a  Wesleyan  minister  resident  in  the 
 town,  she  said  to  her  Christian  friends,  "Lord,  now  lettest 
 Thou  Thy  servant  depart  in  peace,  for  mine  eyes  have  seen 
 Thy  salvation."  Her  work  was  done.  Shortly  afterwards 
 typhus  fever  set  in,  and  when  she  found  out  the  fatal  nature 
 of  her  disease,  she  rejoiced  that  she  was  so  near  the  "fair 
 haven."  To  a  friend  who  inquired  if  she  was  happy,  she 
 said,  "  Oh,  yes  !  I  feel  more  than  I  can  express  ;"  and  in  the 
 evening,  waiving  her  hand,  she  exclaimed — 
 
 "  Praise  God,  from  whom  all  blessings  flow  ; 
 
 Praise  Him,  all  creatures  here  below  ; 
 
 Praise  Him  above,  ye  heavenly  host ; 
 
 Praise  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost." 
 
HYMN  964.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  575 
 
 Her  last  words  were,  "  Christ  is  precious,  and  I  long  to  be 
 with  Him;"  and  in  her  sixtieth  year  she  joined  the  Church 
 triumphant,  20th  September,  1834. 
 
 When  persecution  was  a  sure  attendant  on  becoming  a 
 Methodist,  John  West,  of  Mark,  Banwell,  was  converted,  and 
 at  once  joined  the  Society.  For  several  years  his  attendance 
 at  the  means  of  grace  was  so  regular,  that  it  was  a  common 
 saying  in  the  village,  "  If  there  is  no  one  else  at  the  chapel,  Mr. 
 West  will  be  there."  He  attended  the  house  of  God  till  1st 
 June,  1838,  and  he  was  favoured  with  a  peaceful  summons  to  his 
 Father's  house  above  at  the  age  of  seventy-seven.  Some  of  his 
 last  words  were,  "■  Glory  be  to  God,  I  am  come  to  the  mount  ! 
 I  am  filled  with  glory  and  with  God."  He  then  made  an  effort 
 to  sing — 
 
 "Praise  God,  from  whom  all  blessings  flow; 
 Praise  Him,  all  creatures  here  below,"  &c., 
 
 and  he  added,  "  Tell  the  friends,  Jesus  is  a  precious  Saviour." 
 
 For  more  than  thirty  years,  Letitia  Cakes,  of  Brompton, 
 Rochester,  adorned  her  Christian  profession  by  exemplary  love 
 to  the  means  of  grace,  and  to  the  ambassadors  of  Christ,  and 
 also  by  her  blameless  hfe  and  unwonted  liberality.  For  several 
 years  she  was  confined  to  her  room  by  extreme  feebleness,  but 
 her  cheerful  piety  testified  to  her  submission  to  her  heavenly 
 Father's  will.  Just  before  the  "  weary  wheels  of  life  stood  still," 
 she  said,  "  Not  a  wave  of  trouble  rolls  across  my  peaceful 
 breast,"  and,  without  apparent  suffering,  she  gradually  sunk, 
 dying  14th  September,  1848,  with  the  unfinished  accents  of^ 
 "  Praise  God,  from  whom  all  blessings  flow," 
 
 lingering  on  her  lips,  at  the  advanced  age  of  eighty-five  years. 
 
 How  a  little  girl  of  ten  years  old  saw  the  doxology,  is  thus 
 related.  In  company  with  her  father  and  some  friends,  she 
 rode  on  horseback  one  summer  day  to  the  top  of  Mount  Wash- 
 ington, in  America.  On  that  rugged  summit  nothing  grew  but 
 some  pale  green  moss ;  but  the  view  all  around  was  vast  and 
 impressive.  Below,  stretching  outwards  in  all  directions,  lay  a 
 deep,  silver  sea  of  clouds,  amid  which  lightnings  were  seen  to 
 part,  and  writhe  like  gilded  serpents,  whilst  the  roar  of  the 
 thunder  came  pealing  up  to  the  mountain-top.  The  rain  was 
 pouring  in  torrents  below,  but  above  the  sun  shone  in  cloudless 
 splendour.  The  eye  wandered  like  Noah's  dove,  but  there  was 
 no  resting-place  in  that  wide  space.     "Well,  Lucy,"  said  her 
 
576  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.         HYMN  966. 
 
 fcithcr,  "there  is  nothing  to  be  seen  here,  is  there?"  The  child 
 paused,  clasped  her  hands,  then  said  reverently — "  O  papa  !  I 
 see  the  doxology  ;  all  around  seems  to  say — 
 
 "  *  Praise  God,  from  whom  all  blessings  flow, 
 Praise  Him  all  creatures  here  below.'" 
 
 Pleased  with  his  child's  observation,  the  father  himself  caught  a 
 fresh  inspiration. 
 
 Hymn  965. — "Oh,  timely  happy,  timely  wise." 
 
 This  is  a  very  abrupt  beginning  of  a  hymn,  "New  Every 
 Morning,"  which  is  the  first  in  the  Rev.  John  Keble's  "Christian 
 Year,"  first  published  in  1827.  The  original  has  sixteen  verses, 
 the  first  four  of  which,  and  others,  are  omitted.  The  first  line 
 in  Keble's  hymn  is — 
 
 "Hues  of  the  rich  unfolding  mora," 
 
 and  the  omitted  lines  explain  the  author's  view  in  writing  it. 
 The  hymn  is  made  up  of  the  fifth,  ninth,  fourteenth,  and  six- 
 teenth verses.  This  is  the  third  of  five  hymns  in  the  new  book 
 by  Mr.  Keble. 
 
 Hymn  966. — "  Once  more  the  sun  is  beaming  bright." 
 
 This  is  new  to  the  Methodists,  but  has  been  sung  in  the 
 Eastern  and  Western  Churches  for  about  fifteen  hundred  years. 
 Its  author,  St.  Ambrose,  was  one  of  the  ablest  and  wisest  men 
 who  lived  in  the  fourth  centur}'.  He  was  bom  at  Treves,  in 
 France,  a.d.  340 ;  his  father  was  the  Prefect  of  Gaul.  He  was 
 educated  at  Rome  for  the  legal  profession,  and  was  appointed 
 Consular  Prefect  at  Milan.  In  the  year  374  a  great  strife  arose 
 against  the  Arian  heresy,  when  Ambrose  pleaded  for  peace 
 between  the  contending  parties,  and  whilst  he  was  pleading,  a 
 child,  it  is  said,  cried  out,  "Ambrose  the  Bishop  !"  The  people 
 took  up  the  strain,  and  against  his  own  remonstrance  Ambrose 
 was  made  bishop.  As  a  wise  ruler  and  able  writer  he  w^as  an 
 honour  to  the  age  in  which  he  lived  ;  to  the  Church  he  became 
 a  most  able  advocate,  though  not  free  from  some  of  the  errors  of 
 monkery.  He  greatly  promoted  the  welfare  of  the  Western 
 Church  by  writing  hymns  and  arranging  for  them  to  be  well  and 
 frequently  sung.  How  well  he  succeeded  in  promoting  the 
 service  of  song,  St.  Augustine  has  left  us  a  record.  He  says, 
 after  visiting  the   church   at   Milan,   "The  hymns   and  songs 
 
HYMN  969.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  577 
 
 moved  me  intensely ;  the  truth  was  distilled  by  them  into  my 
 heart ;  the  flame  of  piety  was  enkindled,  and  my  tears  flowed 
 for  joy.  This  practice  of  singing  at  Milan  began  about  the  year 
 when  Justinia  persecuted  Ambrose."  The  mother — that  famous 
 mother — of  Augustine  was  long  a  worshipper  in  that  church  at 
 Milan.  St.  Ambrose  died  a.d.  397,  and  was  buried  in  what  is 
 now  known  as  the  Basilica  Ambrosiana,  Milan.  The  translation 
 of  this  hymn  was  made  by  the  Rev.  John  Chandler,  vicar  of 
 Witley,  in  1837. 
 
 Hymn  967. — "  O  Lord,  who  by  Thy  presence  hast  made  light." 
 
 This  is  a  translation  of  a  fine  German  evening  hymn,  written 
 by  Charles  John  Philip  Spitta,  of  whom  an  account  will  be 
 found  under  Hymn  595.  This  translation  was  made  by  Richard 
 Massie,  Esq.,  and  published  in  "  Lyra  Domestica." 
 
 Hymn  968. — "  The  day  is  past  and  over." — For  Evenings 
 
 Introduces  another  new  name  to  the  list  of  authors  in  this 
 Collection.  It  was  written  by  Anatolius,  fourteen  hundred  years 
 ago,  and  this  translation  was  issued  in  "  Hymns  of  the  Eastern 
 Church,"  1862,  by  the  Rev.  John  M.  Neale,  D.D.  St.  Anatolius 
 was  a  bishop  of  the  Byzantine  Church,  and  he  lived  at  a  period 
 when  the  Church  was  in  fierce  antagonism  with  error.  He  had 
 strong  faith  in  the  power  of  sacred  song,  and  he  not  only  wrote 
 hymns,  but  strove  to  make  them  useful  in  his  Church.  "  Bishop 
 Ken's  Morning  and  Evening  Hymns  "  have  been  sung  in  nearly 
 every  town  and  village  in  England  for  more  than  a  century  :  in 
 like  manner  this  evening  hymn  by  Bishop  Anatolius  has  for 
 centuries  been  a  great  favourite  to  the  Christians  in  the  Churches 
 of  Asia  Minor  and  the  islands  of  Greece.  This  hymn  was  first 
 sung  A.D.  450 ;  its  author  died  in  peace  A.D.  458.  He  wrote  a 
 few  other  hymns,  which  are  full  of  life  and  beauty.  This  is  the 
 only  one  of  his  hymns  in  the  book,  but  its  melody  is  soothing 
 and  pleasant,  and  the  repeated  chorus  adds  to  its  forcefulness. 
 
 Hymn  969. — "At  even,  ere  the  sun  was  set." — For  Evejtmg, 
 
 This  is  a  thoughtful  and  comprehensive  evening  hymn  by  the 
 Rev.  Henry  Twells,  a  clergyman  of  the  Church  of  England,  who 
 was  born  at  Ashford,  near  Birmingham,  in  1823,  and  who  is  at 
 present  Rector  of  Walthamx,  Leicestershire.    This  hymn  was  first 
 
 2  O 
 
57S  METUDDIST  HYMN  r.OOK  NOTES.  HYMN  972. 
 
 printed  in  the  appendix  to  "Hymns  Ancient  and  Modern," 
 1868.  The  reader  will  notice  how  pleasantly  the  author  intro- 
 duces the  miracles  of  healing  performed  by  the  Saviour  at 
 eventide,  when  upon  earth.  This  hymn  will  long  live  in  the 
 service  of  sontr  in  the  Church. 
 
 Hymn  970. — "Through  the  day  Thy  love  has  spared  us." — 
 Evening  Prayer. 
 
 This  is  the  second  of  two  hymns  in  this  book  by  the  Rev. 
 Thomas  Kelley  (see  Hymn  878). 
 
 Hymn  971.—"  God  the  Father  !  be  Thou  nedix:'— Lighten  our 
 darkness^  ive  beseech  Thee^  O  Lord. 
 
 The  second  of  two  hymns  in  the  book  by  George  Rawson, 
 who  was  widely  known  for  many  years  as  "  A  Leeds  Layman." 
 It  is  a  hymn  to  the  Trinity  (see  Hymn  No.  606). 
 
 Hymn  972. — "Abide  with  me  !  fast  falls  the  eventide." — 
 Light  at  Eve7itide. 
 
 This  is  one  of  the  most  popular  of  the  evening  hymns  written 
 in  modern  times.  Its  author,  the  Rev.  Heniy  Francis  Lyte,  was 
 the  incumbent  of  Brixham,  Devonshire,  where,  in  1847,  in  his 
 last  sermon  to  a  loving  people,  he  spoke  feelingly  and  experi- 
 mentally whilst  he  urged  upon  each  hearer  the  advantages  of 
 personal  piety.  Closing  that  service  with  the  communion,  he 
 was  removed  to  the  parsonage  in  an  exhausted  condition,  but 
 strong  in  his  faith  in  Christ.  From  his  couch  he  sent  forth  this 
 hymn  on  its  mission  of  consoling  service.  How  appropriate, 
 too,  for  the  last  utterances  of  a  dying  servant  of  God — 
 
 "Abide  with  me  !  fast  falls  the  eventide." 
 
 With  him  it  was  "  light  at  eventide,"  and,  after  a  short  sojourn 
 on  the  Continent,  where  he  sought  in  vain  for  restored  health, 
 his  matured  faith  was  exchanged  for  "  a  sight  of  the  Crucified 
 One,"  in  the  "land  where  the  morning  shineth,"  and  where  there 
 is  no  night.  The  original  is  in  eight  verses,  three  of  which  are 
 omitted.  In  grateful  memory  of  his  labours,  the  church  of 
 Lower  Brixham,  Devon,  is  being  rebuilt  at  the  cost  of  his  friends 
 and  admirers. 
 
HYMN  974.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  579 
 
 Hymn  973. — "  Sun  of  my  soul,  Thou  Saviour  dear  V^^  Abide 
 with  tis,  the  day  is  far  spent. 
 
 This  is  made  up  of  six  out  of  fourteen  verses  of  the  saintly  John 
 Keble's  "  Hymns  to  Evening,"  being  the  second  in  his  "  Christian 
 Year,"  1827.  The  first  and  second  verses  are  omitted,  and  the 
 third  verse  is  here  made  the  first  of  the  hymn.  It  is  based  on 
 the  words  spoken  to  Jesus  at  Emmaus — "  Abide  with  us,  for  it 
 is  toward  evening,  and  the  day  is  far  spent"  (Luke  xxiv.  29). 
 
 Dr.  Arnold,  of  Rugby,  having  seen  some  of  John  Keble's 
 hymns  and  poems  in  manuscript,  afterwards  published  in  the 
 *'  Christian  Year,"  said,  in  a  letter  to  Sir  J.  T.  Coleridge  :  "  I 
 live  in  hopes  that  he  will  be  induced  to  publish  them,  and  it  is 
 my  firm  opinion  that  nothing  equal  to  them  exists  in  our 
 language.  The  wonderful  knowledge  of  Scripture,  the  purity  of 
 heart,  and  the  richness  of  poetry  which  they  exhibit  I  never 
 saw  paralleled."  "  It  might  be  said  truly  that  there  is  nothing 
 exactly  like  Keble's  hymns  in  the  English  language  ;  they  have 
 a  delicacy  of  taste,  a  child-like  spirit,  a  style  of  word-painting, 
 a  sweet  sympathy  with  nature,  and  a  refined,  if  not  over- 
 refined,  sentiment  and  tenderness  which  are  truly  their  own  ; 
 and  their  distinctive  character  is  evidenced  in  the  influence 
 they  command."  Keble's  opinions  as  a  Churchman  were  high 
 and  supreme,  and  their  predominance  crippled  his  genius  as  a 
 hymnist  so  often  that  Archbishop  Whately  likened  him  to  an 
 eagle  in  chains.  His  friends  who  have  survived  him  know  how 
 to  perpetuate  his  much -loved  memory.  Keble  College,  at 
 Oxford,  so  generously  enriched  with  every  advantage  to  place  it 
 amongst  the  foremost  in  its  facilities  for  usefulness,  is  a  noble 
 testimony  to  the  value  of  his  life-work,  which  will  survive  to  the 
 end  of  time,  as  will  also  his  hymns. 
 
 Hymn  974. — "  Glory  to  Thee,  my  God,  this  night." — Evening. 
 This  is  one  of  three  hymns,  of  world-wide  popularity,  by 
 Bishop  Thomas  Ken.  The  original  has  twelve  verses,  two  of 
 which  are  omitted.  Five  verses  were  in  the  former  Supplement 
 as  Hymn  758.  It  is  now  enlarged  to  ten  verses.  The  first  line 
 is  altered.     The  bishop  wrote  it  thus — 
 
 "All  praise  to  Thee,  my  God,  this  night." 
 The  third  verse  is  altered,  and  improved  thereby.     Bishop  Ken 
 was  a  sincere  and  upright  Christian.     Charles  II.  made  him  his 
 chaplain,  and  when  the  king  visited  Winchester,  where  Ken 
 
5S0  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  974. 
 
 resided,  the  king  chose  Ken's  house  as  the  abode  of  his  favourite, 
 Nell  G Wynne.  Ken  closed  his  door  against  her.  His  refusal, 
 instead  of  offending  the  king,  led  to  Ken's  being  made  a  bishop. 
 His  sincerity  as  a  friend,  and  his  faithfulness  as  a  preacher, 
 led  Dryden  to  take  him  as  his  model  of  the  "good  parson," 
 whom  he  thus  described — 
 
 "  Letting  down  the  golden  chain  from  high, 
 He  drew  his  audience  upward  to  the  sky  ; 
 And  oft  with  holy  hymns  he  charmed  the  ears, 
 A  music  more  melodious  than  the  spheres ; 
 For  David  left  him,  when  he  went  to  rest, 
 His  lyre — and  after  him  he  sang  the  best." 
 The  Evening  Hymn  was  first  printed  in  1695,  when  the  author 
 was  fifty-eight  years  old. 
 
 The  Rev.  Robert  Paine,  D.D.,  Senior  Bishop  of  the  Methodist 
 Episcopal  Church,  South  America,  was  born  in  Person  County, 
 North  Carolina,  12th  November,  1799.  Converted  in  early  life, 
 he  joined  the  Methodist  Church,  and  in  18 18  entered  the 
 ministry  of  the  Tennessee  Conference.  He  laboured  with  much 
 success  in  the  itinerancy  and  as  principal  of  a  college  till  1846, 
 when  he  was  elected  a  bishop  of  the  Church  ;  and  for  the  long 
 period  of  forty-six  years  he  served  that  high  office  in  a  manner 
 which  secured  for  him  the  deepest  affection  and  gratitude  of  the 
 Church.  At  the  age  of  over  four  score  years,  his  earthly  pil- 
 grimage ended,  and  the  purity  of  his  life  was  demonstrated  by 
 its  beautiful  and  transparent  close.  In  the  middle  of  the  night 
 previous  he  repeated — 
 
 **  Praise  God,  from  whom  all  blessings  flow; 
 Praise  Him,  all  creatures  here  below  ; 
 Praise  Him  above,  ye  heavenly  host ; 
 Praise  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost.' 
 The  last  notes  in  his  journal  were — "  I  would  be  a  Methodist 
 preacher  if  I  had  to  pass  my  life  over  again."     The  closing 
 entry  was,  "Almost  home,  thank  God!"     Those  last  words  he 
 repeated  twice   shortly  before  he   expired.      He   dreamed  of 
 heaven.     Night  and  day  his  thoughts  were  on  Jesus  who  had 
 saved  him.     Being  requested  to  mark  his  most-loved  hymns,  he 
 pointed  to  those  describing  heaven.    Thus  he  gently,  peacefully, 
 quietly  fell  asleep  in  Jesus,   19th  October,   1882,  aged  nearly 
 eighty-three. 
 
 Endeared  to  multitudes  of  Christians,  this  hymn  was  the 
 
HYMN  974.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  58 1 
 
 dying  song  of  Roger  Miller,  once  a  drunken  copperplate  printer 
 of  London,  afterwards  a  city  missionary  in  Broadwall,  Lambeth, 
 where  he  laboured  long  and  usefully  amongst  the  profligate 
 and  destitute.  On  the  death  of  his  mother,  in  1847,  Mr.  Miller 
 left  London  for  Manchester  to  attend  her  funeral.  It  was  near 
 midnight  when,  as  the  train  approached  Wolverton,  an  accident 
 occurred :  the  train  ran  off  the  lines,  and  several  were  killed. 
 Mr.  Miller  had  a  few  moments  before  united  with  the  other 
 passengers  in  singing  the  "Evening  Hymn,"  that  they  might 
 close  the  day  with  a  devotional  song.  The  praises  of  the  passen- 
 gers arose  amidst  the  noise  of  the  rushing  train,  but  most  seemed 
 heartily  to  join.     How  appropriate  the  words  ! — 
 
 "  Teach  me  to  live  that  I  may  dread 
 The  grave  as  little  as  my  bed  ; 
 Teach  me  to  die,  that  so  I  may 
 Rise  glorious  at  the  awful  day." 
 
 The  music  of  their  voices  became,  with  one,  at  the  least,  in  that 
 company,  blended  with  the  hallelujahs  of  the  redeemed  j  for 
 Roger  Miller  was  hurried  in  an  instant  to  glory. 
 
 Elizabeth  Southwold,  of  Taunton,  had  no  voice  for  singing, 
 but  on  the  occasion  of  her  conversion  she  was  so  happy  that  she 
 made  the  effort,  and  expressed  the  joy  of  her  heart  in  that 
 comprehensive  verse — 
 
 "  Praise  God,  from  whom  all  blessings  flow ; 
 
 Praise  Him,  all  creatures  here  below  ; 
 
 Praise  Him  above,  ye  heavenly  host ; 
 
 Praise  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost." 
 
 William  Carvossa,  after  he  had  served  God  and  Methodism 
 for  sixty-four  years,  when  conscious  that  his  end  drew  near, 
 gathered  his  family  around  him,  and  they  joined  with  him  in 
 prayer.  He  then  gave  each  his  benediction,  saying,  "  God  bless 
 you  all !"  Then,  with  his  usual  tone  and  manner  when  very 
 happy,  he  gave  out — 
 
 "  Praise  God,  from  whom  all  blessings  flow." 
 He  tried  to  raise  the  tune,  but  his  weakness  was  too  great.     He 
 got  through  the  first  line,  then  tried  the  second,  and  with — 
 **  Praise  Him  above,  ye  heavenly  host," 
 
 his  voice  was  literally  lost  in  death ;  and  breathing  out  those 
 words,  his  happy  released  spirit  joined  the  blood-washed  com- 
 pany in  heaven,  in  his  eighty-fifth  year. 
 
582  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  976. 
 
 Old  Hannah,  a  well-known  Methodist,  at  the  last  love-feast 
 she  attended,  related  her  experience,  which  was  so  original  and 
 remarkable,  that  it  attracted  much  notice.  She  closed  with 
 these  lines — 
 
 "  I  thank  Him  for  sickness,  for  sorrow,  for  care, 
 For  the  thorns  I  have  gathered,  the  anguish  I  bear  : 
 For  nights  of  anxiety,  watchings,  and  tears, 
 A  present  of  pain,  a  prospective  of  fears  : 
 I  praise  Him,  I  bless  Him,  my  King  and  my  God, 
 For  the  good  and  the  evil  His  hand  hath  bestowed," 
 
 Taken  ill  a  few  days  after,  her  pastor  called  at  her  humble  cot, 
 and  on  entering,  heard  her  singing — 
 
 **I'll  praise  my  Maker  while  I've  breath." 
 
 On  asking  if  she  had  any  fear,  being  on  the  brink  of  Jordan, 
 joy  sparkled  in  her  eyes ;  her  countenance  indicated  the 
 happiness  within.  She  raised  her  trembling  hand,  and  replied 
 — "  Fear !  what  have  I  to  fear  ?  God  has  forgiven  my  sins  ; 
 fear  is  gone."  For  twelve  successive  nights,  at  midnight,  the 
 hour  in  which  her  soul  was  set  at  liberty,  she  sang  with  a  full, 
 clear,  and  melodious  voice — 
 
 "  Praise  God  from  whom  all  blessings  flow ; 
 Praise  Him  all  creatures  here  below ; 
 Praise  Him  above,  ye  heavenly  host ; 
 Praise  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost." 
 
 This  song  of  praise  began  at  the  midnight  hour  whether  she 
 was  awake  or  asleep.  When  the  end  drew  near,  she  said,  "Oh, 
 why  are  you  not  all  happy  ?  Faith  is  all  you  need,  simple  faith 
 in  Jesus  Christ."     Her  last  words  were,  "  I  am  going  to  glory." 
 
 Hymn  975.—"  Safely  through  another  week."— 
 Saturday  Evening. 
 
 This  is  acceptable  as  a  hymn  for  the  preparation  for  the 
 Sabbath  ;  written  by  the  Rev.  John  Newton. 
 
 Hymn  976. — "Join,  all  ye  ransom'd  sons  of  grace." — For  the 
 Watchmght. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's  being  the  last  of  his  eleven  "  Hymns  for  the 
 Watchnight."     The  fourth  verse  is  left  out.     It  was  No.  767. 
 
HYMN  980.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  583 
 
 Hymn  977. — "  How  many  pass  the  guilty  night." — 
 A  Midnight  Hymn. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  being  the  first  of  his  "  Hymns  for  the 
 Watchnight,"  1742.  As  such  it  appears  in  "Hymns  and  Sacred 
 Poems,"  1742,  page  135  ;  where  the  first  line  reads  thus,  "Oft 
 have  we  pass'd  the  guilty  night."  The  fourth  verse  is  left  out. 
 It  was  formerly  No.  766. 
 
 Hymn  978. — "Eternal  source  of  every  joy." — The  Year 
 Crowned  with  the  Divine  Goodness, 
 
 Dr.  Doddridge's  Hymn  for  New  Year's  Day,  founded  on 
 Psalm  Ixv.  II.  The  second  verse  is  omitted.  Was  formerly 
 No.  711. 
 
 Hymn  979.— "Sing  to  the  Great  Jehovah's  praise  V^—For 
 New  Year's  Day. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  being  No.  7  of  "  Hymns  for  New  Year's 
 Day,"  1750.     It  was  formerly  No.  712. 
 
 Hymn  980. — "  Wisdom  ascribe,  and  might,  and  praise." — 
 For  New  Year's  Day. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  forming  No.  i  of  "  Hymns  for  New  Year's 
 Day,"  1750.     Three  verses  are  omitted. 
 
 There  are  few  more  beautifully  sublime  passages  in  Charles 
 Wesley's  hymns  than  the  fourth  stanza  of  this  one,  which  is 
 omitted.  The  idea  of  the  poet  is  that  of  a  sinner  weighed  in 
 the  "balance"  of  the  Gospel,  and  found  wanting:  the  beam 
 begins  to  preponderate,  a  soul  begins  to  topple  into  hell ;  but 
 hark  !  the  "remnant"  are  praying,  the  Holy  Ghost  is  groaning, 
 the  Son  interceding,  the  Father  becomes  propitious,  and  the 
 swift-winged  angel  of  mercy  executes  his  commission  by  touch- 
 ing the  quivering  scale,  and  lo  !  that  soul  is  saved — 
 
 "  Still  in  the  doubtful  balance  weigh 'd 
 We  trembled,  while  the  remnant  pray'd  ; 
 The  Father  heard  His  Spirit  groan, 
 And  answer'd  mild, — It  is  my  Son  ! 
 He  let  the  prayer  of  faith  prevail. 
 And  mercy  turn'd  the  lab'ring  scale  !  " 
 
 Those   who  remember  the   sermons  of  William   Dawson,  of 
 
5S4  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  984. 
 
 Barnbow,  Leeds,  will  recognise  in  the  foregoing  verse  and 
 description  the  outline  of  one  of  his  powerful  and  impressive 
 discourses,  "  The  Windlass.",. 
 
 Hymn  981.— "The  Lord  of  earth  and  sky:'— For 
 New  Year's  Day. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  being  No.  148  in  "Hymns  and  Sacred 
 Poems,"  1749,  vol.  i.  It  is  also  inserted  in  the  same  author's 
 "Hymns  for  New  Year's  Day,"  1750,  No.  6.  It  is  a  fine 
 paraphrase  of  our  Lord's  parable  of  the  barren  fig-tree  (Luke 
 xiii.  6).     It  was  formerly  No.  700. 
 
 Hymn  982. — "  Let  me  alone  another  year." — A  Hymn  of 
 Preparation  for  Death. 
 
 This  is  the  forty-third  of  Charles  Wesley's  "Hymns  of  Prepara- 
 tion for  Death;"  "Works,"  vol.  vii.  p.  396.  The  first  line  is 
 altered  from  "Let  me  alone  this  only  year." 
 
 Hymn  983. — "  Ye  worms  of  earth,  arise." 
 
 One  of  Charles  Wesley's  "Hymns  for  the  New  Year;" 
 "Works,"  vol.  vi.,  page  11.  The  original  has  twelve  verses, 
 five  of  which  are  omitted. 
 
 Hymn  984. — "A  few  more  years  shall  roll." 
 
 The  third  of  three  only  of  Dr.  Horatius  Bonar's  hymns  in 
 this  Collection.  It  is  a  simple  composition,  but  it  will  recom- 
 mend itself  to  many  readers,  and  the  repetition  of  the 
 phrase  "  a  few  more "  six  times  in  the  hymn  adds  to  its 
 attractiveness.  It  will  become  a  favourite  at  the  evening 
 prayer  meeting. 
 
 Mrs.  Mary  Kay,  widow  of  John  Robinson  Kay,  Esq.,  of  Bury, 
 Lancashire,  was  born  12th  May,  1802,  and  died  nth  January, 
 1883,  aged  eighty-one  years.  Converted  to  God  in  early  life, 
 she  joined  the  Methodist  Society,  and  during  her  prolonged 
 life,  her  wealth  and  her  energies  were  devoted  to  God  and 
 Methodism.  She  was  a  genuine  friend,  a  noble  benefactress, 
 a  generous  and  considerate  mistress,  and  a  mother  unique  even 
 among  the  best  of  her  sex.  Whilst  hundreds  of  both  local  and 
 itinerant  preachers  were  welcomed  to  her  cheerful  and  generous 
 hospitality,  many  hundreds  of  the  poor  shared  in  the  liberal 
 
HYMN  986.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  585 
 
 distribution  of  her  wealth.  Mercy  and  benevolence  were 
 blended  in  her  life,  and  from  youth  to  old  age,  humility, 
 simplicity,  and  generosity  were  her  prominent  characteristics. 
 She  had  a  special  mission  to  encourage  Christian  workers,  and 
 to  cheer  drooping  toilers  in  the  Lord's  vineyard.  In  the  vigour 
 of  life,  and  in  her  last  illness,  she  much  enjoyed  the  reading 
 and  singing  of  Dr.  Bonafs  hymn — 
 
 '*  A  few  more  years  shall  roll, 
 A  few  more  seasons  come ; 
 And  we  shall  be  wdth  those  that  rest 
 Asleep  within  the  tomb. 
 
 Then,  O  my  Lord,  prepare 
 
 My  soul  for  that  great  day  ; 
 O  wash  me  in  Thy  precious  blood, 
 
 And  take  my  sins  away." 
 
 This  hymn  was  sung  at  her  funeral,  which  took  place  17th 
 January,  in  the  family  vault  at  Summerseat  Wesleyan 
 Chapel,  near  Bury,  Lancashire. 
 
 Hymn  985.—"  Lord,  Thou  hast  bid  Thy  people  pray."— 
 For  the  King  and  Royal  Family. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  being  one  of  his  "  Hymns  written  for 
 Times  of  Trouble  and  Persecution,"  published  in  1744.  The 
 original  has  six  verses,  one  of  which  is  omitted.  It  was  in 
 the  former  Supplement  as  Hymn  755,  with  four  verses.  The 
 second  verse  is  new  as  now  printed.  It  is  a  prayer  for  King 
 George  II.,  who  by  his  army  defeated  the  French  at  Dettingen 
 in  June,  1743.     It  was  No.  755. 
 
 Hymn  986.—"  In  grief  and  fear  to  Thee,  O  Lord." — 
 hi  Time  of  Pestilefice. 
 
 This  introduces  another  new  name  to  the  list  of  authors 
 in  the  new  book.  Its  author  was  the  Rev.  William  Bullock, 
 D.D.,  who  was  for  some  years  a  missionary  belonging  to  the 
 S.P.G.  Society.  During  his  abode  in  an  eastern  clime  he 
 witnessed  many  scenes  such  as  are  indicated  in  this  hymn, 
 which  is  entitled,  "  In  Time  of  Pestilence."  Respecting  his 
 hymns  the  author  says :  "  They  were  written  amidst  the 
 various  scenes  of  missionary  life,  and  were  intended  for  the 
 private    and    domestic   use    of    Christians    in    new   countries, 
 
586  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  987. 
 
 deprived  of  the  means  of  public  worship."  His  missionary 
 labours  were  crowned  by  his  being  appointed  Dean  of  Nova 
 Scotia,  when  he  pubHshed  his  "  SongsTof  the  Church "  at 
 Hahfax,  in  1854.  He  is  the  author  of  a  volume  of  "Practical 
 Lectures  on  the  History  of  Joseph  and  his  Brethren."  This 
 hymn  is  printed  in  "Hymns  Ancient  and  Modern,"  for  the 
 Third  Sunday  in  Epiphany,  where  it  is  given  with  the  title, 
 "The  Church  in  Plague  or  Pestilence."  Pestilence  has 
 prevailed  in  Eastern  cities  since  it  was  written  ;  the  hymn 
 has  more  than  once  been  a  source  of  encouragement  and 
 consolation  to  afflicted  persons,  and  there  is  reason  to 
 believe  it  has  led  some  to  seek  the  Saviour  in  the  midst  of 
 their  sufferings. 
 
 Hymn  987. — "  Come,  ye  thankful  people,  come." — 
 Harvest  Ho7ne. 
 
 The  only  hymn  in  this  Collection  by  the  Rev.  Henry 
 Alford,  Dean  of  Canterbur}\  It  is  entitled  "  Harvest  Home." 
 Churchman  as  Dean  Alford  was,  yet  he  did  not  aim,  like  some 
 of  his  brethren,  at  trying  to  unchurch  Christians  of  other 
 denominations.  Once,  when  on  a  visit  to  a  village  in  the  south 
 of  England,  a  chapel  was  open,  and  a  clerg}'man  entered  and 
 joined  the  simple  worshippers  :  the  preacher  was  a  female  ; 
 she  took  the  opportunity  to  say,  "  Some  men  tell  us  they  are 
 the  only  authorised  dealers  in  truth,  when  they  themselves  have 
 never  understood  it ;  they  sing  their  prayers  and  chant  their 
 psalms,  while  they  have  no  more  of  the  spirit  of  either  than 
 the  organs  in  their  steeple-houses."  A  smile  passed  over  the 
 face  of  the  clerg^^man,  who  at  the  close  of  the  service,  went  and 
 told  his  friends  the  lesson  he  had  heard.  That  clergyman  was 
 the  author  of  this  hymn.  It  was  first  printed  in  1845,  ^"^^  ^s 
 included  in  the  "  Book  of  Praise." 
 
 Rev.  Henry  Alford  was  born  in  London,  7th  October,  18 10. 
 He  was  educated  at  Ilminster,  Somerset,  and  Trinity  College, 
 Cambridge.  In  1831  he  published  "Poems  and  Poetical 
 Fragments."  He  was  Wrangler  and  Bell's  Scholar;  took  his 
 B.A.  in  1832  ;  M.A.  in  1835  \  B.D.,  1849;  ^^'^s  ordained  in  1833. 
 In  1835  he  published  "  School  of  the  Heart."  In  1834  he  was 
 Fellow  of  Trinity;  in  1835  became  Vicar  of  Wymeswold, 
 Leicester.  In  1841  he  issued  "Chapters  on  the  Poets  of 
 Greece;"   in   1841-42    was    the    Hulsean    Lecturer,    and  was 
 
HYMN  989.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  587 
 
 Examiner  in  Logic,  &c.,  in  the  London  University.  He 
 annotated  the  Greek  Testament,  which  was  published  in  four 
 volumes,  1849-1861,  which  secured  him  reputation  as  a  profound 
 Biblical  scholar.  Lord  Palmerston  appointed  him  Dean  of 
 Canterbury  in  1857,  which  distinction  he  held  till  he  died.  He 
 was  previously  (1853-1857)  the  minister  of  Quebec  Street 
 Chapel,  London.  In  1844  he  issued  a  Collection  of  Psalms  and 
 Hymns,  in  which  were  thirty-seven  of  his  own  lyrics ;  this  was 
 enlarged  in  1867  to  326  hymns,  of  which  fifty-five  were  his 
 own  composition.  He  wrote  for  Good  Words  and  the  Sunday 
 Magazine,  and  was  for  some  years  editor  of  the  Conte7nporary 
 Review,  in  which  he  wrote  attractive  and  popular  articles.  He 
 died  in  the  year  1871,  aged  sixty-one  years. 
 
 Hymn  988.—"  We  plough  the  fields,  and  scatter." — 
 Meat  in  due  Season. — Psabn  cxlv.  15. 
 
 This  introduces  yet  one  more  new  name  to  the  list  of  authors. 
 It  was  written  by  Matthias  Claudius,  who  was  born  15th 
 August,  1743,  at  Reinfield,  Holstein ;  and  was  first  published 
 in  1782.  It  is  a  rendering  of  Psalm  cxlv.  15.  It  is  described 
 as  "  one  of  those  hymns  which  possess  true  beauty  and  fresh, 
 simple  charms  which  will  delight  people  of  any  nation."  Its 
 natural  loveliness  will  keep  it  in  the  service  of  the  sanctuary  to 
 the  end  of  time.  The  second  verse  is  full  of  simple,  pretty 
 pictures,  which  will  remind  the  reader  of  our  Lord's  Sermon  on 
 the  Mount.  This  translation  was  made  by  Miss  J.  M. 
 Campbell,  and  was  first  published  in  C.  S.  Bere's  "  Garland  of 
 Songs"  in  1861.  There  are  other  English  versions  of  this 
 hymn.  Its  author,  Matthias  Claudius,  closed  his  earthly 
 pilgrimage  21st  January,  181 5. 
 
 Hymn  989. — "  Thou,  who  hast  in  Zion  laid." — On  Laying 
 the  Foundation  of  a  Chapel. 
 
 Written  by  Mrs.  Agnes  Bulmer  in  1825.  This  was  formerly 
 No.  Tyj. 
 
 Mrs.  Bulmer  was  the  wife  of  Mr.  Joseph  Bulmer,  of  Watling 
 Street,  London.  The  hymn  was  written  whilst  the  author  was 
 on  a  journey  in  a  coach,  and  at  the  special  request  of  the  late 
 James  Wood,  Esq.,  of  Manchester,  with  whose  family  this 
 "elect  lady  of  Methodism"  had  been  on  a  visit.     It  was  first 
 
5S8  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  HYMN  992. 
 
 sung  at  the  laying  of  the  foundation-stone  of  the  Wesleyan 
 Chapel  in  Oxford  Road  and  Ancoat's  Lane,  Manchester,  on 
 nth  July,  1825  ;  and  since  that  period  it  has  been  used  on 
 many  similar  occasions.  Mrs.  Bulmer  (Miss  Collinson  before 
 marriage)  was  born  in  London,  in  the  month  of  August,  1775. 
 In  early  life  she  was  admitted  into  the  Society  by  Mr. 
 Wesley,  who  gave  her  her  first  ticket.  She  was  a  member 
 of  Mrs.  Hester  Ann  Roger's  class  ;  was  married  in  1793.  In 
 1795  she  became  acquainted  with  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Adam  Clarke, 
 which  friendship  ripened  into  love  for  life.  In  181 5  Mrs. 
 Bulmer  began  to  write  sacred  poetry,  and  for  twenty  years  the 
 IVesleyajt  Magazme  and  the  Youth's  histructor  abound  with 
 her  charming  contributions.  These  were  afterwards  collected, 
 and,  with  a  life  of  her  by  the  late  Rev.  W.  M.  Bunting,  were 
 published,  and  for  some  years  were  in  great  demand.  She 
 died  in  the  Isle  of  Wight,  30th  August,  1836,  aged  sixty-one 
 years,  and  was  buried  in  the  catacombs  underneath  City  Road 
 Chapel,  London. 
 
 Hymn  990. — "  In  the  name  which  earth  and  heaven." 
 
 This  is  the  third  of  three  in  this  Collection,  by  the  Rev.  John 
 Ellerton,  and  is  well  suited  for  the  occasion  for  which  it  was 
 written,  the  laying  the  foundation-stone  of  a  church  or 
 chapel. 
 
 Hymn  991. — "  Christ  is  our  corner-stone." — That  Thine  eyes 
 may  be  tipo7i  this  House  day  a?id  night. 
 
 The  Rev.  John  Chandler's  translation  of  an  old  Latin  hymn 
 of  the  eighth  century.  Its  author's  name  is  lost  in  the  thousand 
 years  which  have  passed  since  he  wrote  it.  It  is  a  hymn 
 which  the  Christian  Church  will  not  let  die,  now  that  it  has 
 obtained  a  place  in  our  English  hymnals. 
 
 Hymn  992.—"  O  Lord  of  Hosts,  Whose  glory  fills." 
 
 The  third  of  three  hymns,  new  to  Methodist  readers,  from  the 
 pen  of  the  Rev.  John  Mason  Neale,  D.D.  It  will  surprise 
 many  to  read  in  the  third  verse — 
 
 **  The  beauty  of  the  oak  and  pine. 
 The  gold  and  silver  make  them  thine." 
 
HYMN  996.  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  589 
 
 Hymn  993. — "  This  stone  to  Thee  in  faith  we  lay." — 
 A  Dedicatio7i. 
 
 The  last  of  fourteen  new  hymns  to  the  Methodist  people, 
 written  by  James  Montgomery.  As  a  contrast  to  the  one  which 
 precedes  it,  the  reader  will  perceive  that  the  cold  and  barren 
 thoughts  of  the  High  Churchman  are  very  feebleness  when 
 compared  with  the  glowing  aspirations  of  a  heart  attuned  by 
 the  Holy  Spirit.  Montgomery's  verses  embody  much  of  the 
 dedicatory  prayer  of  Solomon. 
 
 Hymn  994.—"  Great  God,  Thy  watchful  care  we  bless."— 
 Chapel  Opeimig. 
 
 A  hymn  by  Dr.  Doddridge,  entitled  "  On  Opening  a  Place  of 
 Worship." 
 
 Hymn  995. — *'  Saviour,  let  Thy  sanction  rest." — For  a 
 Wedding. 
 
 This  has  the  title  "  For  a  Wedding,"  and  is  the  only  one  in 
 the  Collection  from  the  pen  of  the  Rev.  Thomas  Raffles,  LL.D. 
 The  original  is  in  six  verses,  the  fifth  and  sixth  of  which  are  left 
 out.  Dr.  Raffles  was  born  in  London,  17th  May,  1788,  studied 
 at  Homerton  College,  was  a  preacher  in  the  Christian  Com- 
 munity early  in  this  century,  was  ordained  in  1809,  and  preached 
 for  three  years  at  Hammersmith.  In  1812  he  removed  to  Great 
 George  Street  Chapel,  Liverpool,  and  was  pastor  over  that 
 church  forty-nine  years.  He  died  at  Liverpool,  i8th  August, 
 1863,  aged  seventy-five  years.  He  published  a  "Tour  on  the 
 Continent,"  two  volumes  of  sermons,  some  poems,  and  a  volume 
 of  "  Hymns,  Original  and  Selected,  for  the  Use  of  his  Congrega- 
 tion." He  contributed  eight  hymns  to  Dr.  Collyer's  Collection 
 in  1 812,  and  four  hymns  to  the  new  "Congregational  Hymn 
 Book."  He  was  a  uniform  friend  to  Methodism  during  his  long 
 life.  This  hymn  was  written  on  the  marriage  of  the  Rev.  J.  F. 
 Guenett,  on  3rd  November,  1852,  and  it  will  becomingly  preserve 
 the  name  of  its  accomplished,  scholarly,  and  pious  author 
 amongst  the  "  People  called  Methodists." 
 
 Hymn  996. — "  The  voice  that  breathed  o'er  Eden." 
 A  marriage  hymn  by  the  saintly  John  Keble ;   it  is  the  last 
 of  his  five  hymns  in  the  new  Supplement.     It  is  on  record  that 
 
590  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.        HYMN  lOOO. 
 
 Keble  hastened  his  own  death  by  his  lender  care  and  loving 
 watchfulness  over  his  afflicted  wife.  He  died  31st  March,  1866. 
 His  devoted  wife  lay  dying  at  the  time,  and,  when  his  body  was 
 removed  to  Hursley  for  interment,  she  begged  that  the  grave 
 might  be  kept  open  for  her.  She  survived  him  only  six  weeks 
 in  great  feebleness,  and  on  nth  May,  1866,  she  rejoined  her 
 husband  in  their  "  Father's  house  above  " — 
 
 "To  cast  their  crowns  before  Thee, 
 In  perfect  sacrifice, 
 Till  to  the  house  of  gladness 
 With  Christ's  own  bride  they  rise  !  " 
 
 Such  is  the  closing  verse  of  Keble's  marriage  h^^mn. 
 
 Hymn  997.—"  Father  of  all,  Thy  care  we  bless." — 
 Family  Religio?i. 
 
 A  hymn  on  family  religion,  by  Dr.  Doddridge.  This  will  be 
 a  welcome  addition  for  family  worship. 
 
 Hymn  998. — "  Thou,  Lord,  hast  blest  by  going  ovX''— After  a 
 Jou7'7iey. — Tune,  Leeds,  1761. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1740, 
 page  128.  In  the  original,  three  hymns  follow  each  other — "  On 
 a  Journey,"  "  After  a  Journey,"  "At  Lying  Down."  This  is  the 
 second  of  the  three.  It  was  No.  331  in  the  old  book,  but  a  new 
 hymn  has  there  taken  its  place. 
 
 Hymn  999. — "  Lord,  whom  winds  and  seas  obey." — O71  Goi7ig 
 071  Shipboard. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  being  one  of  his  hymns  left  in  manuscript, 
 and  probably  wTitten  on  one  of  the  occasions  when  the  poet 
 was  leaving  Bristol  for  Wales,  or  London,  or  Cornwall.  See 
 "Poetical  Works,"  vol.  xiii.,  page  263.  The  MS.  of  this  hymn 
 is  in  the  College  Library  at  Richmond.  It  was  in  the  former 
 Supplement  as  Hymn  763. 
 
 Hymn  iooo. — "  Lord  of  earth,  and  air,  and  sea." 
 
 This  is  another  hymn  by  Charles  Wesley,  written  on  going  on 
 shipboard.  The  MS.  of  it  is  in  the  Richmond  College  Library. 
 See  "  Works,"  vol.  xiii.,  page  264.    The  former  number  was  764. 
 
HYMN  1003.       METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  591 
 
 The  author  generally  started  from  Bristol  for  his  sea  journeys 
 during  his  itinerating  years,  which  were  discontinued  after  he 
 located  in  London. 
 
 Hymn  ioqi. — "Lord  of  the  wide,  extensive  main." — To  be 
 Sung  at  Sea. 
 
 Charles  Wesley's,  from  "Hymns  and  Sacred  Poems,"  1740, 
 page  31  ;  it  is  one  of  the  earliest  of  his  now  numerous  poetical 
 compositions.  The  original  is  in  ten  verses,  and  not  divided. 
 It  is  here  printed  in  two  parts  ;  formerly  it  was  printed  as  two 
 hymns,  Nos.  761,  762.  It  was  probably  written  in  1735, 
 previously  to  the  poet  and  his  brother  John  sailing  to  America 
 with  General  Oglethorpe  and  the  Moravians.  This  seems  to 
 be  plainly  indicated  by  the  language  of  the  second  verse— 
 
 "  For  Thee  we  leave  our  native  shore 
 In  other  climes  Thy  works  explore." 
 
 Hymn  1002. — "  How  are  Thy  servants  blest,  O  Lord  !" — 
 A  Thaiiksgivi7ig for  Deliverajice  from  Iminiiient  Danger. 
 
 Joseph  Addison's,  and  originally  published  in  No.  489  of  the 
 Spectator.  Its  admission  into  the  Methodist  Collection  when 
 the  Supplement  was  added,  in  1831,  was  by  a  special  favour,  as 
 the  limping  of  the  rhyme  had  almost  caused  its  exclusion.  It 
 is  sometimes  called  "  The  Traveller's  Hymn."  It  was  originally 
 written  in  the  first  person  singular,  and  is  described  as  made 
 "  by  a  gentleman  at  the  conclusion  of  his  travels."  It  consists 
 of  ten  stanzas,  the  third,  fourth,  fifth,  and  sixth  being  left  out. 
 The  hymn  is  fine  in  sentiment,  and  elegant  in  language,  but 
 defective  in  Christianity ;  in  it  no  reference  is  made,  directly  or 
 indirectly,  to  the  Redeemer  of  mankind,  man's  only  hope  for 
 salvation,  and  the  source  of  all  our  deliverances  from  danger 
 and  harm.  In  this  respect  it  forms  a  strong  contrast  to  the  three 
 hymns  preceding  it,  by  Charles  Wesley. 
 
 Hymn  1003. — "While  lone  upon  the  furious  waves." — The 
 Traveller' s  Hymn. 
 
 This  introduces  the  last  additional  name  to  the  list  of  authors 
 whose  hymns  form  the  new  Supplement.  It  was  written  by  the 
 Rev.  Ebenezer  E.  Jenkins,  M.A.,  now  the  only  living  Wesleyan 
 minister  whose  hymns  have  been  added  to  the  new  Collection. 
 
592  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.       HYMN   IOO4. 
 
 It  is  a  Traveller's  Hymn,  and  fittingly  belongs  to  an  author 
 who  has  been  a  voyage  round  the  world  to  promote  the  great 
 missionary  enterprise.  Mr.  Jenkins  was  born  at  Exeter,  loth 
 May,  1820,  was  educated  at  the  Exeter  Grammar  School.  He 
 removed  to  Teignmouth,  from  which  place  he  entered  the 
 Wesleyan  ministry'  in  1845,  and  went  at  once  to  India,  spending 
 seventeen  years  at  Madras,  and  one  year  at  Negapatam.  He 
 returned  to  England  in  1863,  and  since  that  period  has  fulfilled 
 three  years'  appointments  at  Hackney,  Brixton,  Southport,  and 
 Highbury.  One  year  he  spent  in  a  tour  to  China  and  Japan, 
 partly  for  the  restoration  of  his  health,  and  partly  to  ascertain 
 what  prospect  exists  in  those  countries  for  the  extension  of 
 Methodism.  He  is  one  of  the  Secretaries  of  the  Wesleyan 
 Missionary  Society.  There  is  a  remarkable  abruptness  notice- 
 able between  the  third  and  fourth  verses  of  the  hymn,  which 
 indicates  something  wanting  to  complete  the  connection. 
 
 Hymn  1004. — "Eternal  Father  !  strong  to  save." — Prayer  for 
 those  at  Sea. 
 
 A  hymn  with  the  title  "  Intercession  for  those  at  Sea."  It 
 was  written  by  William  Whiting.  It  was  first  printed  in 
 "  Hymns  Ancient  and  Modern,"  where  it  soon  attracted 
 attention,  and  having  been  set  to  appropriate  music,  and 
 published  separately,  it  secured  a  much  larger  class  of  admirers 
 than  if  it  had  been  confined  to  the  Hymn  Book.  By  this  means 
 it  has  been  widely  circulated  in  seaport  towns,  and  has  been 
 an  especial  favourite  on  Sabbath  evening  at  the  close  of  the 
 services  of  the  day,  when  Christian  families  have  sung  it  as  a 
 prayer  for  absent  members  of  their  household  whose  calling  is 
 on  the  great  waters.  Its  author,  Mr.  William  Whiting,  was 
 born  at  Kensington,  in  1825,  and  was  educated  at  Clapham  and 
 Winchester.  At  the  college  in  the  latter  place  his  progress  was 
 so  satisfactory  that  he  was  elected  Master  of  the  Chorister's 
 School,  and  that  office  he  has  now  held  more  than  a  quarter  of 
 a  centur)^  He  began  to  contribute  articles  to  periodicals. 
 These  were  collected,  and,  with  others,  were  published  in  185 1, 
 under  the  title  "  Rural  Thoughts,  and  other  Poems."  In  1867, 
 he  published  "  Edgar  Thorpe ;  or,  the  Warfare  of  Life."  He 
 wrote  this  hymn  in  i860  for  "Hymns  Ancient  and  Modern,"  in 
 which  Collection  it  is  No.  222.  Six  lines  are  altered  in  the 
 verses  as  printed  in  the  Methodist  Collection. 
 
HYMN  1007.       METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  593 
 
 Hymn  1005. — "  The  grace  of  Jesus  Christ  the  Son." — 
 The  Benediction. 
 
 One  of  the  new  hymns  by  Charles  Wesley,  from  "Short 
 Hymns  on  Select  Passages,"  No.  315 1  ;  "Works,"  vol.  xiii., 
 p.  69,  based  on  the  Apostle  Paul's  benediction,  "  The  grace  of 
 our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,"  &c.  The  first  line  in  the  original  is 
 altered ;  it  reads  thus — 
 
 "The  merits  of  Jehovah's  Son." 
 The  alteration  many  will  think  an  improvement. 
 
 Hymn  1006. — "  May  the  grace  of  Christ  our  Saviour." — 
 Benediction. 
 A  benediction  in  a  single  verse,  by  the  Rev.  John  Newton, 
 v/hich  is  very  generally  used  in  churches  at  the  close  of  evening 
 service. 
 
 Hymn  1007. — "  Lord,  dismiss  us  with  Thy  blessing  ! 
 
 Bid  us  now  depart  in  peace." — Disfuission. 
 
 There  are  two  dismission  hymns  which  commence  with  the 
 same  first  line.  Both  have  been  in  use  in  the  Churches  for 
 about  a  century,  yet  the  authorship  of  both  has  hitherto 
 remained  unsettled.  The  Hon.  and  Rev.  Walter  Shirley  is  said 
 by  the  members  of  his  family  to  have  been  the  author  of  one  of 
 them,  but  recent  investigation  has  shown  that  this  claim  must 
 be  disallowed.  These  hymns  have  been  known  as  the  long  and 
 short  dismission  hymns.  The  short  one  is  here  printed  in  one 
 verse,  in  which  form  it  has  usually  appeared ;  but  in  Isaac 
 Nicholson's  Hymn  Book,  1808,  it  is  printed  with  an  additional 
 verse,  which,  with  the  chorus,  is  as  follows — 
 
 *'  Lord,  if  never  more  permitted 
 For  to  meet  on  earth  again, 
 Grant  that  we  may  meet  in  heaven, 
 There  with  Jesus  Christ  to  reign. 
 Then  farewell  to  persecution, 
 
 Farewell  sorrow,  farewell  pain  ; 
 You  shall  never  more  perplex  us, 
 For  with  Jesus  we  shall  reign. 
 Chorus — And  sing  hallelujah 
 
 To  God  and  the  Lamb, 
 For  ever  and  ever, 
 \^  Hallelujah!    Amen!" 
 
 i 
 
594  METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.       HYMN   IO08. 
 
 This  additional  verse  is  printed  in  other  Collections.  It  is 
 believed  that  they  are  not  both  by  the  same  author.  The 
 publication  of  the  first  verse  is  traced  to  and  claimed  for  Dr. 
 Robert  Hawker,  of  Plymouth,  who  issued  in  1794  a  small  volume 
 of  "  Psalms  and  Hymns,"  sung  by  the  children  of  the  Sunday 
 school  in  the  parish  church  of  Charles  the  Martyr,  Plymouth. 
 The  same  verse  is  printed  in  a  small  tract  published  at  Leeds 
 in  1795,  as  a  Supplement  to  the  "Methodist  Hymn  Book,"  but 
 no  author's  name  is  given.  It  has  been  stated  that  Dr. 
 Hawker's  grandson  found  fault  with  the  one  stanza  as  being 
 too  short ;  but  it  is  doubtful  who  added  the  second  verse. 
 Robert  Hawker  was  born  at  Exeter  in  1753.  He  was  an  only 
 child,  and  was  brought  up  as  a  surgeon.  At  the  age  of  nineteen 
 he  married.  Love  to  God  induced  him  to  give  up  his  profession. 
 In  1778  he  went  to  Oxford,  and  there  received  ordination, 
 became  a  curate,  and  in  May,  1784,  he  was  elected  minister  of 
 Charles  Church,  Plymouth,  where  he  continued  to  preach  till 
 his  death,  6th  April,  1827.  He  was  interred  on  Good  Friday  on 
 his  seventy-fourth  birthday,  and  thousands  of  persons  attended 
 his  funeral.  He  wrote  and  published  many  works,  and  edited 
 an  issue  of  the  Bible  in  penny  numbers.  A  copy  of  this  hymn 
 in  an  altered  form  is  found  in  "A  Collection  of  Hymns,  Psalms, 
 and  Anthems,  designed  for  the  Congregation  attending  St. 
 Clement's  Church,  Manchester,  by  the  Rev.  Edward  Smyth," 
 
 1793— 
 
 "  Lord,  dismiss  us  with  Thy  blessing  ! 
 
 Bid  us  all  depart  in  peace  ! 
 On  our  souls  Thy  Word  impressing, 
 
 May  we  daily  grow  in  grace  ! 
 Fill  each  breast  with  consolation  ! 
 
 Grateful,  we'll  our  voices  raise  : 
 When  we  reach  Thy  blissful  station, 
 
 Then  we'll  give  Thee  nobler  praise  ; 
 And  sing  hallelujah  to  God  and  the  Lamb, 
 For  ever  and  ever.     Amen." 
 
 Hymn  1008. — "  Lord,  dismiss  us  with  Thy  blessing  ! 
 Fill  our  hearts  with  joy  and  peace  !" 
 — A  Dismission. 
 The  first  appearance  of  this  hymn  in  print  is  traced  to  "  A 
 Collection  of  Hymns  for  Public  Worship,"  issued  by  the  Rev. 
 John  Harris,  of  Hull,  in  1774.    There  the  name  of  John  Fawcett 
 is  printed  at  the  end  of  it.     A  short  time  previously,  some  of 
 
 \ 
 
HYMN  1008.       METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  595 
 
 Fawcett's  hymns  had  appeared  separately,  and  had  met  with 
 public  favour,  some  of  them  being  added  to  Collections.  In 
 1782  Mr.  Fawcett  collected  his  compositions,  and  issued  from 
 Leeds  the  first  edition  of  "  Hymns  adapted  to  the  Circumstances 
 of  Public  Worship  and  Private  Devotion."  This  book  was 
 soon  out  of  print,  and  remained  so  more  than  thirty  years  ;  the 
 second  edition  was  issued  in  1817.  This  dismission  hymn  is 
 inserted  in  Dr.  Conyer's  Collection,  date  1774,  but  without  the 
 author's  name ;  and  in  Taylor's  Unitarian  Hymn  Book  (1777) 
 the  first  and  second  verses  are  printed  with  the  name  of 
 Fawcett  in  the  index.  For  half-a-century  his  hymns  were 
 popular  amongst  the  Dissenters. 
 
 John  Fawcett  was  born  at  Lidget  Green,  Bradford,  York- 
 shire, 18th  January,  1739.  He  heard  the  two  Wesleys, 
 Whitefield,  and  Grimshaw  preach  when  a  boy;  and  in  1755 
 he  was  converted  under  a  sermon  by  Mr.  Whitefield.  In 
 1758  he  joined  the  Baptists.  In  1763  he  began  to  preach, 
 and  in  1765  he  was  ordained  pastor  of  the  Baptist  church  at 
 Wainsgate.  In  1772  he  was  in  London  preaching  for  Dr.  Gill, 
 and  declined  the  request  to  become  his  successor.  In  1777  he 
 removed  to  Hebden  Bridge,  where  he  continued  to  labour  till 
 25th  July,  1 8 17,  when  he  died  in  peace,  aged  seventy-six  years. 
 It  should  be  recorded  that  Dr.  Fawcett  did  not  include  this 
 dismission  hymn  in  either  of  the  editions  of  his  own  collected 
 hymns,  and  he  also  excluded  other  hymns  which  he  had  printed 
 with  his  name  and  address  (several  in  the  Gospel  Magazine) 
 when  he  wrote  them.  There  is  a  hymn  book  in  the  College 
 Hbrary  at  Richmond,  published  in  1785,  in  which  this  hymn 
 appears  with  the  name  of  J.  Fawcett  to  it.  This  is  the  earliest 
 known  date  of  its  publication.  The  last  two  lines  of  the  second 
 verse  are  altered  from  the  original.  Two  verses  of  this  hymn, 
 with  dififerent  ending,  appear  on  the  same  page  of  "A  Collection 
 of  Hymns,  Anthems,  &c.,  used  in  St.  Clement's  Church,  Man- 
 chester," by  Rev.  Edward  Smyth,  1793.  No.  1008  is  also  in 
 Toplady's  "  Psalms  and  Hymns,"  1776,  ending  thus— 
 
 "  We  shall  surely 
 Reign  with  Christ  in  endless  day." 
 
 This  hymn  appears  in  "  A  Collection  of  Psalms  and  Hymns," 
 &c.,  by  the  Rev.  David  Simpson,  M.A.,  the  second  edition, 
 Macclesfield,  1780.  "A  New  Edition"  of  "  Select  Psalms  and 
 Hymns,"  Macclesfield,  1795,  contains  both  these  hymns. 
 
596  methodist  hymn  book  notes.     hymn  ioi7. 
 
 Graces  Before  and  After  Meat. 
 Hymn  1009. — "  Come,  then,  our  heavenly  Adam,  come." 
 This  is  the  first  of  eighteen  short  hymns  as  "  Graces  before 
 and  after  Meat,"  by  Charles  Wesley.     It  is  the  fifth  of  eight 
 verses  ;  "  Works,"  vol.  i.,  page  23- 
 
 Hymn  ioio.— "This  day  with  this  day's  bread." 
 
 From  No.  108  of  Charles  Wesley's  "  Gospel  Hymns,"  being 
 the  fourth  only  of  seven  verses  of  a  paraphrase  of  the  Lord's 
 Prayer;  "Works,"  vol.  x.,  page  178. 
 
 Hymn  ion. — "  Father  of  earth  and  heaven." 
 
 The  first  of  Charles  Wesley's  hymns,  "  Graces  before  and 
 after  Meat,"  first  published  in  1746  ;  "Works,"  vol.  iii.,  page  357. 
 
 Hymn  1012. — "Lord  of  all  Thy  creatures,  see." 
 The  third  of  Charles  Wesley's  "Graces;"  "Works,"  vol.  iii., 
 page  358. 
 
 Hymn  1013.— "O  Father  of  all,  who  fillest  with  good." 
 The  sixth  of  Charles  Wesley's  "  Graces  ;  "  "  Works,"  vol.  iii., 
 page  359- 
 
 Hymn  1014. — "  Life  of  the  world,  come  down." 
 
 The  eighth  of  Charles  Wesley's  "  Graces ; "  "  Works,"  vol.  iii., 
 page  360. 
 
 Hymn  1015. — "Jesus,  to  whom  alone  we  live." 
 
 The  second  of  Charles  Wesley's  "  Graces  ; "  "  Works,"  vol. 
 iii.,  page  357. 
 
 Hymn  1016. — "  O'erwhelmed  with  blessings  from  above." 
 
 No.  367  of  Charles  Wesley's  "  Hymns  on  the  Four  Gospels," 
 based  on  Matthew  xiv.  19  ;  "  Works,"  vol.  x.,  page  282. 
 
 Hymn  1017. — "Father,  'tis  Thine  each  day  to  yield." 
 
 This  forms  the  sixth  verse  of  eight  lines  in  Charles  Wesley's 
 paraphrase  of  the  Lord's  Prayer ;  "  Works,"  vol.  ii.,  page  336. 
 
HVMN  1026.       METHODIST  HYMN  BOOK  NOTES.  597 
 
 Hymn  ioi8. — "For  my  life,  and  clothes,  and  food." 
 
 This  is  the  second  verse  only  of  five  of  one  of  Charles 
 Wesley's  "  Hymns  for  Children."  The  whole  hymn  forms  No. 
 243,  in  five  verses. 
 
 Hmyn  1019. — "  Meet  and  right  it  is  to  praise." 
 
 This  forms  the  first  and  half  the  second  verse  of  No.  xi.  of 
 Charles  Wesley's  "  Hymns  for  a  Family  ;  "  "  Works,"  vol.  vii., 
 page  16,  where  the  hymn  is  in  five  eight-line  verses. 
 
 Hymn  1020. — "Being  of  beings,  God  of  love  !" 
 
 The  first  verse  only  of  Hymn  654,  by  Charles  Wesley,  where 
 the  whole  five  verses  are  given.  It  was  formerly  Hymn  543. 
 It  might  have  been  omitted  from  this  place. 
 
 Hymn  1021. — "Give  Him  then,  and  ever  give." 
 
 This  forms  the  third  of  three  verses  of  No.  18  of  Charles 
 Wesley's  "  Hymns  for  Children,"  and  the  third  verse  of  Hymn 
 No.  233,  with  the  first  line  altered  from  "always  "  to  "ever." 
 
 Hymn  1022. — "Father,  through  Thy  Son,  receive." 
 
 The  eighteenth  of  C.  Wesley's  "  Graces ; "  "  Works,"  vol.  iii., 
 page  368. 
 
 Hymn  1023. — "Blessing  to  God,  for  ever  blest." 
 
 The  twenty -first  of  Charles  Wesley's  "Graces  ;"  "Works," 
 vol.  iii.,  p.  369. 
 
 Hymn  1024. — "  Be  known  to  us  in  breaking  bread." 
 The  first  verse  only  of  Hymn  908,  by  James  Montgomery. 
 
 Hymn  1025. — "And  can  we  forbear,  in  tasting  our  food." 
 
 The  twenty-fifth  of  Charles  Wesley's  "  Graces  ; "  "  Works," 
 vol.  iii.,  page  371. 
 
 Hymn  1026. — "Away  with  all  our  trouble." 
 
 The  twenty-fourth  of  "  Charles  Wesley's  "Graces  ; "  "  Works," 
 vol.  iii.,  page  371. 
 
598 
 
 23  Extended  on  a  cursed  tree. — Paul  Gcrhardt. 
 26  I  thirst,  thou  wounded  Lamb  of  God. — Zinzendorf,  &.c. 
 39  O  God,  of  good  the  unfathomed  sea. — ^John  Angelus. 
 133  Jesus,  whose  glory's  streaming  rays. — W.  C.  Dessler. 
 
 189  Now  I  have  found  the  ground  wherein. — ^J.  A.  Rothe. 
 
 190  Jesu,  thy  blood  and  righteousness. — Zinzendorf. 
 196  Into  thy  gracious  hands  I  fall. — W.  C.  Dessler. 
 
 210  Thee  will  I  love,  my  strength,  my  tower. — John  Angelus. 
 
 240  O  God,  thou  bottomless  abyss  ! — Ernst  Lange. 
 
 241  Thou,  true  and  only  God,  lead'st  forth. — Ernst  Lange. 
 279  Shall  I,  for  fear  of  feeble  man. — John  Jos.  Winkler. 
 285  Come  Saviour,  Jesus,  from  above. — A.  Bourignon. 
 
 338  Thou  Lamb  of  God,  thou  Prince  of  Peace.— C.  F.  Richter. 
 
 339  O  thou  to  whose  all-searching  sight. — Zinzendorf. 
 
 344  Thou  hidden  love  of  God,  whose  height. — G.  Tersteegen. 
 
 350  Holy  Lamb,  who  thee  receive. — Anna  Dober. 
 
 353  O  Jesus,  source  of  calm  repose. — ^J.  A.  Freylinghausen. 
 
 373  Jesu,  thy  boundless  love  to  me. — Paul  Gerhardt. 
 
 431   O  God,  what  offering  shall  I  bring. — Ernst  Lange. 
 
 437  O  God,  my  God,  my  all  thou  art. — Spanish. 
 
 492  What  shall  we  offer  our  good  Lord. — A.  G.  Spangenberg. 
 
 494  Lo  !  God  is  here  !  let  us  adore. — Ger.  Tersteegen. 
 
 655  Eternal  depth  of  love  divine. — Zinzendorf. 
 
 737  Thou,  Jesu,  art  our  King. — John  Angelus. 
 
 831  Commit  thou  all  thy  griefs. — Paul  Gerhardt. 
 
 3o|)n  HEesleg's  ©rifitnal  f^gmns. 
 
 68  How  happy  is  the  pilgrim's  lot. 
 
 235) 
 
 236  (  Paraphrase  of  the  Lord's  Prayer. 
 
 237  ) 
 
 785  O  Sun  of  righteousness  arise. — ^John  or  Charles  Wesley. 
 
3[nDer  to  tfie  ^^mng. 
 
 FIRST  LINE. 
 
 A  charge  to  keep  I  have 
 
 A  few  more  years  shall  roll  ... 
 
 A  fountain  of  life  and  of  grace 
 
 A  nation  God  delights  to  bless 
 
 A  safe  stronghold  our  God  is  still 
 
 A  thousand  oracles  divine    ... 
 
 A  widow,  poor,  forlorn,  oppressed 
 
 Abide  with  me  !  fast  falls  the  eventide 
 
 Abraham,  when  severely  tried 
 
 Adam  descended  from  above 
 
 Afflicted  by  a  gracious  God ... 
 
 After  all  that  I  have  done    ... 
 
 Again  we  lift  our  voice 
 
 Ah  !  Lord,  with  trembling  I  confess 
 
 Ah  !  when  shall  I  awake 
 
 Ah  !  whither  should  I  go     ... 
 
 Ah  !  why  am  I  left  to  complain 
 
 All  glory  to  God  in  the  sky 
 
 All  glory  to  our  gracious  Lord 
 All  hail  the  power  of  Jesu's  name  ... 
 All  people  that  on  earth  do  dwell  . . . 
 All  praise  to  our  redeeming  Lord  ... 
 
 All  thanks  be  to  God  
 
 All  thanks  to  the  Lamb,  Who  gives  us  to  meet 
 
 All  things  are  possible  to  him         
 
 All  ye  that  pass  by 
 
 Almighty  God  of  love  
 
 Almighty  Maker  of  my  frame 
 And  am  I  born  to  die 
 
 And  am  I  only  born  to  die 
 
 And  are  we  yet  alive 
 
 And  can  it  be,  that  I  should  gain 
 
 And  can  we  forbear.  In  tasting  our  food   ... 
 
 And  let  our  bodies  part        
 
 And  let  this  feeble  body  fail 
 
 And  must  this  body  die        
 
 AUTHOR.  HYMN 
 
 C.  Wesley  ...  318 
 
 Dr.  Bonar  ...  984 
 
 C.  Wesley  ...  79 
 
 C.  Wesley  ...  466 
 
 Luther,  trans,  by  T.  Carlyle  856 
 
 C.  Wesley  ...  262 
 
 C.  Wesley  ...  827 
 
 H.  F.  Lyte  ...  972 
 
 C.  Wesley  ...  286 
 
 C.  Wesley  ...  129 
 
 C.  Wesley  ...  331 
 
 C.  Wesley  ...  185 
 
 C.  Wesley  ...  52 
 
 C.  Wesley  ...  317 
 
 C.  Wesley  ...  303 
 
 C.  Wesley  ...  152 
 
 C.  Wesley  ...  'JTJ 
 
 C.  Wesley  ...  220 
 
 C.  Wesley  ...  616 
 
 E.  Perronet  ...  681 
 
 W.  A'ethe  or  J.  Hopkins  607 
 
 C.  Wesley  ...  500 
 
 C.  Wesley  ...  219 
 
 C.  Wesley  ..  481 
 
 C.  Wesley  ...  401 
 
 C.  Wesley  ...  707 
 
 C.  Wesley  ...  452 
 
 Aftss  Steele  ...  564 
 
 C.  Wesley  ...  43 
 
 C.  Wesley  ...  44 
 
 C.  Wesley  ...  478 
 
 C.  Wesley  ...  201 
 
 C.   Wesley  ...  1025 
 
 C.  Wesley  ...  535 
 
 C.  Wesley  ...  948 
 
 Dr.  Watts  ...  930 
 599 
 
6oo 
 
 INDEX  TO  THE  HYMNS. 
 
 FIRST  LINE.  AUTHOR. 
 
 Angels  your  march  oppose  ...         ...         ...  C.  IVeslcy 
 
 Appointed  by  ihec,  We  meet  in  thy  name  C.  IVtsley 
 
 Are  there  not  in  the  labourer's  day  ...  C.  IVeslcy 
 
 Arise,  my  soul,  arise,  Shake  ...  ...  C.  Wesley 
 
 Arise,  my  soul,  arise.  Thy  Saviour  ...         ...  C.  IVesley 
 
 Arm  of  the  Lord,  awake,  awake  !  The  terrors  C.  IVeslcy 
 
 Arm  of  the  Lord,  awake,  awake  !  Thine  own  C.  Wesley 
 
 Art  thou  weary,  art  thou  languid    ...          ...  Dr.  Neale 
 
 As  pants  the  hart  for  cooling  streams         . . .  Tate  and  Brady 
 
 At  even,  ere  the  sun  was  set  ...         ...  //.  Tivells 
 
 Author  of  faith,  appear         ...         ...          ...  C.  Wesley 
 
 Author  of  faith,  eternal  Word         ...          ...  C.  Wesley 
 
 Author  of  faith,  on  mc  confer  ...         ...  C.  Wesley 
 
 Author  of  faith,  to  thee  I  cry  C.  Wesley 
 
 Author  of  faith,  we  seek  thy  face C.  Wesley 
 
 Awake,  my  soul,  and  with  the  sun  ...  Bp.  Ken 
 
 Awake,  our  souls  !  away,  our  fears  ...  Dr.  Watts 
 
 Away,  my  needless  fears       ...         ...         ...  C.  Wesley 
 
 Away,  my  unbelieving  fear  ...          ...         ...  C.  Wesley 
 
 Away  with  all  our  trouble    ...  ...  ...  C.  Wesley 
 
 Away  with  our  fears,  Our  troubles  ...  C.  Wesley 
 
 Away  with  our  fears  !  The  glad  morning  ...  C.  Wesley 
 
 Away  with  our  sorrow  and  fear       ...         ...  C.  Wesley 
 
 Be  it  according  to  thy  word  C.  Wesley 
 
 Be  it  my  only  wisdom  here  ...         ...  ...  C.  Wesley 
 
 Be  known  to  us  in  breaking  bread  ...          ...  J.  Montgomery 
 
 Before  Jehovah's  awful  throne         Dr.  Watts 
 
 Before  the  great  Three-One  T.  Olivers  {^i.  ^) 
 
 Begin,  my  soul,  some  heavenly  theme       ...  Dr.  Watts 
 
 Behold,  how  good^  thing C.  Wesley 
 
 Behold  !  the  mountain  of  the  Lord  ...  M.  Brtice 
 
 Behold  the  Saviour  of  mankind       S.  Wesley,  Sen. 
 
 Behold  the  Servant  of  the  Lord      ...         ...  C.  Wesley 
 
 Behold  the  sure  foundation  stone    ...          ...  Dr.  Watts 
 
 Behold  us.  Lord,  a  little  space        ...         ...  J.  Ellerton 
 
 Being  of  beings,  God  of  love  ...          ...  C.  Wesley 
 
 Bid  me  of  men  beware  ...         ...         ...  C.  Wesley 
 
 Blessed  are  the  pure  in  heart           IV.  Af.  Bunting- 
 Blessing,  honour,  thanks,  and  praise          ...  C.  Wesley 
 Blessing  to  God,  for  ever  blest        ...         ...  C.  Wesley 
 
 Blest  be  our  everlasting  Lord  ...         ...  C.  Wesley 
 
 Blest  be  the  dear  uniting  love  ...         ...  C.  Wesley 
 
 Blest  is  the  man,  supremely  blest    ...         ...  C.  Wesley 
 
INDEX  TO  THE  HYMNS. 
 
 6ci 
 
 FIRST    LINE. 
 
 Blest  Spirit !  from  the  eternal  Sire 
 
 Blow  ye  the  trumpet,  blow  ... 
 
 Bold  in  our  Almighty  Lord 
 
 Branch  of  Jesse's  stem,  arise 
 
 Bread  of  heaven  !  on  thee  I  feed    . . . 
 
 Bread  of  the  world,  in  mercy  broken 
 
 Brethren  in  Christ,  and  well-beloved 
 
 Brief  life  is  here  our  portion 
 
 But,  above  all,  lay  hold 
 
 But  can  it  be,  that  I  should  prove  . . . 
 
 But  who  sufficient  is  to  lead 
 
 By  faith  we  find  the  place  above     . . . 
 
 By  secret  influence  from  above 
 
 By  the  holy  hills  surrounded 
 
 W.  M.  Bunting  770 
 
 C.  Wesley        ...  738 
 
 C.  Wesley        ...  ^TZ 
 
 C.  Wesley        ...  756 
 
 /.  Conder        ...  904 
 
 Bp.  Heber        ...  906 
 
 C.  Wesley        ...  490 
 
 . . .    Bernard  of  Clugny  943 
 
 C.  Wesley        ...  267 
 
 C.  Wesley        ...  282 
 
 C.  Wesley        ...  475 
 
 C.  Wesley        ...  64 
 
 C.  Wesley        ...  775 
 
 Spttla,  trans,  by  R.  Massie  595 
 
 Call  Jehovah  thy  salvation... 
 Canst  thou  reject  our  dying  prayer 
 Captain  of  Israel's  host  and  guide  ... 
 Captain  of  our  salvation,  take 
 Cast  on  the  fidelity    ... 
 Center  of  our  hopes  thou  art 
 Christ,  from  whom  all  blessings  flow 
 Christ  is  our  corner-stone     ... 
 Christ,  of  all  my  hopes  the  ground 
 Christ,  our  Head,  gone  up  on  high 
 
 Christ,  the  Lord,  is  risen  to-day     
 
 Christ,  the  true  anointed  seer 
 
 Christ,  whose  glory  fills  the  skies,  Christ,  the 
 
 Christ,  whose  glory  fills  the  skies.  That  famous 
 
 Christian!  seek  not  yet  repose 
 
 Christians,  awake,  salute  the  happy  morn 
 
 Clap  your  hands,  ye  people  all 
 
 Come,  all  who  truly  bear 
 
 Come,  all  whoe'er  have  set 
 
 Come,  and  let  us  sweetly  join 
 
 Come  away  to  the  skies 
 
 Come,  Desire  of  nations,  come 
 
 Come,  Divine  Interpreter    ... 
 
 Come,  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  Honour 
 
 Come,  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  One 
 
 Come,  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  To  whom 
 
 Come,  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  Whom 
 
 Come,  holy,  celestial  Dove  ... 
 
 Come,  Holy  Ghost,  all  quickening  fire  !  Come, 
 
 J,  Montgomery 
 C.  Wesley 
 a  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 C.   Wesley 
 From  the  Latin 
 Dr.  Wardlaw 
 C.  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 C.   JVesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 Miss  Elliott    ... 
 Dr.  Byrom 
 C.  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 Wesley 
 Wesley 
 Wesley 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 597 
 774 
 326 
 
 474 
 335 
 512 
 518 
 991 
 672 
 
 517 
 716 
 
 676 
 963 
 531 
 829 
 691 
 571 
 897 
 497 
 519 
 491 
 
 937 
 885 
 476 
 252 
 
 473 
 261 
 165 
 374 
 
6o2 
 
 INDEX  TO  THE  HYMNS. 
 
 FIKST    LINE. 
 
 Come,  Holy  Ghost,  all  quickening  fire  !  Come, 
 
 Come,  Holy  Ghost,  our  hearts  inspire 
 
 Come,  Holy  Ghost,  our  souls  inspire 
 
 Come,  Holy  Spirit,  heavenly  Dove 
 
 Come,  let  us  anew  Our  journey  pursue,  Roll 
 
 Come,  let  us  anew  Our  journey  pursue,  With 
 
 Come,  let  us  arise     ... 
 
 Come,  let  us  ascend 
 
 Come,  let  us  join  our  cheerful  songs 
 
 Come,  let  us  join  our  friends  above 
 
 Come,  let  us  join  with  one  accord 
 
 Come,  let  us  use  the  grace  divine 
 
 Come,  let  us,  who  in  Christ  believe 
 
 Come,  let  us  with  our  Lord  arise   ... 
 
 Come,  my  soul,  thy  suit  prepare    ... 
 
 Come,  O  my  God,  the  promise  seal 
 
 Come,  O  thou  all-victorious  Lord  ... 
 
 Come,  O  thou  Prophet  of  the  Lord 
 
 Come,  O  thou  Traveller  unknown 
 
 Come  on,  my  partners  in  distress 
 
 Come,  Saviour,  Jesus,  from  above 
 
 Come,  sinners,  to  the  Gospel  feast 
 
 Come,  sound  his  praise  abroad 
 
 Come  then,  our  heavenly  Adam,  come 
 
 Come,  thou  all-inspiring  Spirit 
 
 Come,  thou  Conqueror  of  the  nations 
 
 Come,  thou  everlasting  Spirit 
 
 Come,  thou  fount  of  every  blessing 
 
 Come,  thou  high  and  lofty  Lord     ... 
 
 Come,  thou  long-expected  Jesus 
 
 Come,  thou  omniscient  Son  of  man 
 
 Come,  wisdom,  power,  and  grace  divine 
 
 Come,  ye  followers  of  the  Lord 
 
 Come,  ye  sinners,  poor  and  wretched 
 
 Come,  ye  thankful  people,  come    ... 
 
 Come,  ye  that  love  the  Lord 
 
 Come,  ye  weary  sinners,  come 
 
 Comfort,  ye  ministers  of  grace 
 
 Commit  thou  all  thy  griefs 
 
 Creator  Spirit,  by  whose  aid 
 
 C.  IVesley 
 C.  IVfshy 
 Ordin.  Service 
 Dr.  Watts 
 C.  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 Dr.  Watts 
 C.  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 y.  Newton 
 C.  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 Madame  Botirigjion 
 C.  Wesley 
 Dr.  Watts 
 C.  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 Lady  Huntingdon 
 C.  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 J.  Hart 
 Dean  Alford 
 
 Dr.  Watts 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 P.  Gerhardt,  trans,  by  J.  Wesley 
 From  the  Latin 
 
 Day  after  day  I  sought  the  Lord  ... 
 Day  of  Wrath  !  O  day  of  mourning 
 Dear  is  the  day  which  God  hath  made 
 
 Archd.  Hare    ...       566 
 
 Thomas  of  Celano      933 
 
 W.  M.  Bunting      951 
 
INDEX  TO  THE  HYMNS. 
 
 603 
 
 FIRST   LINE. 
 
 Deathless  principle,  arise A.  M.  Top  lady  921 
 
 Deepen  the  wound  thy  hands  have  made  ...  C.  Wesley       ...  370 
 
 Depth  of  mercy  !  can  there  be        C.  Wesley        ...  168 
 
 Disposer  Supreme,  And  Judge        ...         Santeul  {died  k.T).  id'^'])  869 
 
 Drooping  soul,  shake  off  thy  fears              ...  C.Wesley        ...  142 
 
 Earth,  rejoice,  our  Lord  is  King     C.Wesley        ...  728 
 
 Earth,  with  all  thy  thousand  voices           ...  Archd.  Churton  580 
 
 Enslaved  to  sense,  to  pleasure  prone         ...  C.  Wesley        ...  108 
 
 Entered  the  holy  place  above          C.  Wesley        ...  726 
 
 Equip  me  for  the  war           C.Wesley        ...  270 
 
 Ere  God  had  built  the  mountains W.  Cowper      ...  667 
 
 Eternal  Beam  of  light  divine           C.   Wesley        ...  337 
 
 Eternal  depth  of  love  divine            C  Wesley        ...  655 
 
 Eternal  Father  !  strong  to  save       W.  Whiting  ...  1004 
 
 Eternal  Lord  of  earth  and  skies      C.  Wesley        ...  448 
 
 Eternal  Power,  whose  high  abode              ...  Dr.  Walls       ...  316 
 
 Eternal  Source  of  every  joy             Dr.  Doddridge  978 
 
 Eternal  Spirit,  come              C.  Wesley        ...  762 
 
 Eternal,  Spotless  Lamb  of  God      J.Wesley         ...  237 
 
 Eternal  Wisdom !  Thee  we  praise              ...  Dr.  Watts       ...  226 
 
 Ever  fainting  with  desire     C.  Wesley        ...  354 
 
 Except  the  Lord  conduct  the  plan              ...  C.  li^esley        ...  526 
 
 Expand  thy  wings,  celestial  Dove               ...  C.  Wesley        ...  121 
 
 Extended  on  a  cursed  tree              F.  Gerhardt,  trans,  by  J.  Wesley  23 
 
 Fain  would  I  leave  the  world  below 
 Far  as  creation's  bounds  extend 
 
 Far  off  we  need  not  rove      
 
 Father  at  thy  footstool  see 
 
 Father,  glorify  thy  Son 
 
 Father,  God,  we  glorify        
 
 Father,  how  wide  thy  glory  shines 
 Father,  I  dare  believe 
 Father,  I  know  that  all  my  life 
 Father,  I  stretch  my  hands  to  thee 
 Father,  if  justly  still  we  claim 
 Father,  if  thou  must  reprove 
 Father,  in  the  name  I  pray 
 Father,  in  whom  we  live 
 Father,  into  thy  hands  alone 
 Father,  live,  by  all  things  feared 
 Father,  Lord  of  earth  and  heaven 
 Father  of  all,  by  whom  we  are 
 
 C.  Wesley  ...  154 
 
 J.  Merrick  ...  636 
 
 C.  Wesley  ...  661 
 
 C.  Wesley  ..  514 
 
 C.  Wesley  ...  755 
 
 C.  Wesley  ...  717 
 
 Dr.  Watts  ...  263 
 
 C.  Wesley  ...  410 
 
 Miss  Waring  842 
 
 C.   Wesley  ...  784 
 
 Altered  from  Dr.  H.  More  456 
 
 C.  Wesley  ...  179 
 
 C.  Wesley  ...  336 
 
 C.  Wesley  ...  253 
 
 C.  Wesley  ...  432 
 
 C.  Wesley  ...  645 
 
 C.  Wesley  ...  914 
 
 C.  Wesley  ...  467 
 
6o4 
 
 INDEX  TO  THE  HYMNS. 
 
 FIRST   LINE. 
 
 Father  of  all,  in  whom  alone 
 Father  of  all,  thy  care  we  bless 
 Father  of  all,  whose  powerful  voice 
 Father  of  boundless  grace 
 Father  of  earth  and  heaven 
 Father  of  earth  and  sky 
 Father  of  everlasting  grace  ... 
 Father  of  faithful  Abraham,  hear   ... 
 Father  of  Jesus  Christ,  my  Lord,  I 
 Father  of  Jesus  Christ,  my  Lord,  My 
 Father  of  Jesus  Christ  the  Just 
 Father  of  lights,  from  whom  proceeds 
 Father  of  lights,  thy  needful  aid     .. 
 Father  of  me,  and  all  mankind 
 Father  of  mercies,  in  thy  word 
 Father  of  omnipresent  grace 
 Father  of  our  dying  Lord     ... 
 Father,  our  child  we  place  ... 
 Father,  see  this  living  clod  ... 
 Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  In  .. 
 Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  One 
 Father,  Son,  and  Spirit,  hear 
 Father,  supply  my  every  need 
 Father,  through  thy  Son  receive     .. 
 Father,  'tis  thine  each  day  to  yield 
 Father,  to  thee  I  lift  mine  eyes 
 Father,  to  thee  my  soul  I  lift 
 Father,  whate'er  of  earthly  bliss     . . 
 Father,  whose  everlasting  love 
 Feeble  in  body  and  in  mind 
 Fondly  my  foolish  heart  essays 
 For  ever  here  my  rest  shall  be 
 For  ever  with  the  Lord 
 For  my  life,  and  clothes,  and  food . . 
 For  thee,  O  dear,  dear  country 
 Forgive  my  foes  ?  it  cannot  be 
 Forgive  us,  for  thy  mercies  sake     .. 
 Forth  in  thy  name,  O  Lord,  I  go  .. 
 Fountain  of  life  and  all  my  joy 
 From  all  that  dwell  below  the  skies 
 From  every  stormy  wind  that  blows 
 From  Greenland's  icy  mountains    .. 
 From  trials  unexempted 
 Full  of  providential  love 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 Dr.  Doddridge 
 J.  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 Miss  Steele 
 C.  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 W.  M.  Btintiug 
 C.  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 a  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 Miss  Steele 
 C.  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 J.  Montgomery 
 C.  Wesley 
 Bernard  of  Clugny 
 C.  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 Dr.  Watts 
 H.  Stowdl 
 Bp.  Heher 
 C.  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 
INDEX  TO  THE  HYMNS. 
 
 605 
 
 FIRST    LINE. 
 
 Give  Him  then,  and  ever  give 
 
 Give  me  the  enlarged  desire 
 
 Give  me  the  faith  which  can  remove 
 
 Give  me  the  wings  of  faith  to  rise  . . . 
 
 Give  to  the  winds  thy  fears  .. . 
 
 Glad  was  my  heart  to  hear  ... 
 
 Glory  be  to  God  above 
 
 Glory  be  to  God  on  high,  And  peace 
 
 Glory  be  to  God  on  high,  God  in  ... 
 
 Glory  be  to  God  on  high,  God  whose 
 
 Glory  to  God,  whose  sovereign  grace 
 
 Glory  to  thee,  my  God  this  night  ... 
 
 Glorious  God,  accept  a  heart 
 
 Glorious  Saviour  of  my  soul 
 
 Glorious  things  of  thee  are  spoken 
 
 Go  labour  on  ;  spend,  and  be  spent 
 
 God  is  a  name  my  soul  adores 
 
 God  is  gone  up  on  high 
 
 God  is  in  this  and  every  place 
 
 God  is  the  refuge  of  his  saints 
 
 God  moves  in  a  mysterious  way 
 
 God  of  all  consolation,  take 
 
 God  of  all  grace  and  majesty 
 
 God  of  all  power,  and  truth,  and  grace 
 
 God  of  all-redeeming  grace... 
 
 God  of  almighty  love 
 
 God  of  eternal  truth  and  grace 
 
 God  of  Israel's  faithful  three 
 
 God  of  love,  that  hear'st  the  prayer 
 
 God  of  mercy,  God  of  grace 
 
 God  of  my  childhood  and  my  youth 
 
 God  of  my  life,  through  all  my  days 
 
 God  of  my  life,  to  thee 
 
 God  of  my  life,  what  just  return     ... 
 
 God  of  my  life,  whose  gracious  power 
 
 God  of  my  salvation,  hear   ... 
 
 God  of  that  glorious  gift  of  grace    . . . 
 
 God  of  truth  and  power  and  grace... 
 
 God  of  unexampled  grace    ... 
 
 God  of  unspotted  purity 
 
 God  only  wise,  almighty,  good 
 
 God,  our  hope  and  strength  abiding 
 
 God  the  Father  !  be  thou  near 
 
 Ciod  the  Lord  is  King  ;  before  him 
 
 AUTHOR. 
 
 HYMN 
 
 C.  ' Wesley 
 
 .       I02I 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 •          372 
 
 a  Wesley 
 
 •       433 
 
 Dr.  Watts 
 
 •       940 
 
 P.  Gerhardt     . 
 
 .       831 
 
 J.  Montgo??iery 
 
 619 
 
 a  Wesley 
 
 .      480 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 .       684 
 
 a  Wesley 
 
 53 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 •      257 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 .      203 
 
 Bp.  Ken 
 
 •       974 
 
 a  Wesley 
 
 .      242 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 215 
 
 J.  Newton 
 
 •       594 
 
 Dr.  Bonar 
 
 ■       857 
 
 Dr.  Watts       . 
 
 .       651 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 .       719 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 .       117 
 
 Dr.  Watts 
 
 569 
 
 W.  Cowper .    . 
 
 .       845 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 •      537 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 •      307 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 •      391 
 
 C.   Wesley 
 
 .      427 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 •      323 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 •      342 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 •      359 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 .      508 
 
 H.F.Lyte       . 
 
 .      582 
 
 Dr.  Watts 
 
 •      584 
 
 Dr.  Doddridge 
 
 658 
 
 C.   Wesley 
 
 .      229 
 
 C.   Wesley 
 
 •       155 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 .      289 
 
 C.   Wesley 
 
 •       175 
 
 Dr.  Monsell    . 
 
 .      896 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 910 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 701 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 •       454 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 .       468 
 
 J.Keble 
 
 •       570 
 
 G.  Rawson 
 
 971 
 
 G.  Rawson 
 
 .       606 
 
6o6 
 
 INDEX  TO  THE  HYMNS. 
 
 FIRST    LINE. 
 
 God,  the  oncndcd  God  most  high  ... 
 God,  who  didst  so  dearly  buy 
 Good  thou  art,  and  good  thou  dost 
 Gracious  Redeemer,  shake  ... 
 Gracious  Spirit,  dwell  with  me 
 Grant,  O  Saviour,  to  our  prayers    ... 
 Granted  is  the  Saviour's  prayer 
 Great  God,  indulge  my  humble  claim 
 Great  God  of  wonders  !  all  thy  ways 
 Great  God,  this  sacred  day  of  thine 
 Great  God,  thy  watchful  care  we  bless 
 Great  God,  to  me  the  sight  afford  ... 
 Great  God,  what  do  I  see  and  hear 
 Great  God,  whose  universal  sway  ... 
 Great  is  our  redeeming  Lord 
 Great  is  the  Lord  our  God  ... 
 Guide  me,  O  thou  great  Jehovah  ... 
 
 Hail,  co-essential  Three 
 
 Hail,  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost 
 
 Hail,  Father,  Son,  and  Spirit  great 
 
 Hail,  Father,  whose  creating  call   ... 
 
 Hail,  God  the  Son,  in  glory  crowned 
 
 Hail,  Holy  Ghost,  Jehovah,  Third 
 
 Hail,  holy,  holy,  holy  Lord 
 
 Hail  the  day  that  sees  him  rise 
 
 Hail,  thou  once  depised  Jesus 
 
 Hail  to  the  Lord's  anointed 
 
 Happy  man  whom  God  doth  aid    ... 
 
 Happy  soul  that  free  from  harms    ... 
 
 Happy  soul,  thy  days  are  ended     ... 
 
 Happy  soul  who  sees  the  day 
 
 Happy  the  man  that  finds  the  grace 
 
 Happy  the  souls  that  first  believed... 
 
 Happy  the  souls  to  Jesus  joined 
 
 Happy  who  in  Jesus  live 
 
 Hark  !  a  voice  divides  the  sky 
 
 Hark  !  how  the  watchmen  cry 
 
 Hark  !  the  herald  angels  sing 
 
 He  comes  !  he  comes  !  the  Judge  severe 
 
 He  dies  !  the  friend  of  sinners  dies . . . 
 
 He  wills  that  I  should  holy  be 
 
 Head  of  thy  Church  triumphant 
 
 Head  of  Thy  Church  !  whose  spirit  fills 
 
 AUTHOR. 
 
 HYMN 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 II 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 411 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 245 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 30s 
 
 T.  T.  Lynch   ... 
 
 769 
 
 /.  Conder 
 
 826 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 758 
 
 Dr.  Walls 
 
 577 
 
 Pres.  Davies   ... 
 
 656 
 
 Miss  Steele       ... 
 
 955 
 
 Dr.  Doddridge 
 
 994 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 249 
 
 Ringivaldt  and  Colly er 
 
 932 
 
 Dr.  Watts       ... 
 
 585 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 572 
 
 Dr.  Watts 
 
 573 
 
 W.  Williams  ... 
 
 839 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 643 
 
 C.   Wesley 
 
 239 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 256 
 
 S.  Wesley,  Jiin. 
 
 642 
 
 S.  Wesley,  Jun. 
 
 665 
 
 S.  Wesley, /mi. 
 
 750 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 259 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 718 
 
 J.  Bakewell      ... 
 
 722 
 
 J.  Montgo77iery 
 
 586 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 233 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 13 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 922 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 197 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 14 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 16 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 15 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 925 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 51 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 314 
 
 a  Wesley 
 
 683 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 56 
 
 Dr.  Watts 
 
 712 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 408 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 853 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 749 
 
INDEX  TO  THE  HYMNS. 
 
 607 
 
 FIRST    LINE. 
 
 Hear  thou  my  prayer,  O  Lord 
 
 Hearken  to  the  solemn  voice 
 
 Heavenly  Father,  sovereign  Lord 
 
 Heavy  on  me,  O  Lord,  thy  judgments  lie 
 
 Help,  Lord  !  the  busy  foe    ... 
 
 Help,  Lord,  to  whom  for  help  I  fly 
 
 High  above  every  name 
 
 High  in  the  heavens,  eternal  God  ... 
 
 His  name  is  Jesus  Christ  the  Just  ... 
 
 Ho  !  every  one  that  thirsts,  draw^  nigh 
 
 Holy,  and  true,  and  righteous  Lord 
 
 Holy  as  thou,  O  Lord,  is  none 
 
 Holy  Ghost !  Illuminator     ... 
 
 Holy  Ghost !  my  Comforter 
 
 Holy,  holy,  holy.  Lord  God  Almighty 
 
 Holy,  holy,  holy.  Lord  God  the 
 
 Holy  Lamb,  vi^ho  thee  confess 
 
 Holy  Lamb,  who  thee  receive 
 
 Holy  Spirit !  pity  me 
 
 How  are  the  Gentiles  all  on  fire 
 
 How  are  thy  servants  blest,  O  Lord 
 
 How  beauteous  are  their  feet 
 
 How  blest  is  he  who  ne'er  consents 
 
 How  can  a  sinner  know 
 
 How  do  thy  mercies  close  me  round 
 
 How  good  and  pleasant  'tis  to  see 
 
 How  happy  are  the  little  flock 
 
 How  happy  are  they  Who  the  Saviour 
 
 How  happy  are  we  Who  in  Jesus  ... 
 
 How  happy  every  child  of  grace     . . . 
 
 How  happy,  gracious  Lord  !  are  we 
 
 How  happy  is  the  pilgrim's  lot 
 
 How  large  the  promise,  how  divine 
 
 How  long  wilt  thou  forget  me,  Lord 
 
 How  lovely  are  thy  tents,  O  Lord 
 
 How  many  pass  the  guilty  night     . . . 
 
 How  pleasant,  how  divinely  fair     ... 
 
 How  sad  our  state  by  nature  is 
 
 How  shall  a  lost  sinner  in  pain 
 
 How  shall  I  walk  my  God  to  please 
 
 How  sweet  the  name  of  Jesus  sounds 
 
 How  weak  the  thoughts,  and  vain 
 
 AUTHOR. 
 
 HYMN 
 
 Dr.  B.  H.  Kennedy  635 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 54 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 348 
 
 lie  ...         M.  Prior 
 
 596 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 296 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 309 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 195 
 
 Dr.  Watts 
 
 563 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 669 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 4 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 393 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 247 
 
 Bp.  Wordsworth  (pt.  2 
 
 720 
 
 King  Robert  of  France 
 
 753 
 
 Bp.  Heber 
 
 646 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 260 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 529 
 
 Dober,  trans,  by  J.  Wesley 
 
 '      350 
 
 W.  M.  Bunting 
 
 768 
 
 G.  Sandys^ 
 
 541 
 
 J.  Addison 
 
 1002 
 
 Dr.  Watts 
 
 741 
 
 Tate  and  Brady 
 
 540 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 96 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 227 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 489 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 62 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 807 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 488 
 
 a  Wesley 
 
 947 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 222 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 68 
 
 Dr.  Watts 
 
 888 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 547 
 
 a  Wesley 
 
 590 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 977 
 
 Dr.  Watts 
 
 592 
 
 Dr.  Watts 
 
 786 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 174 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 471 
 
 J.  A^ewton 
 
 679 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 67 
 
 I  and  my  house  will  serve  the  Lord 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 472 
 
6o8 
 
 INDEX  TO  THE  HYMNS. 
 
 FIRST   LINE. 
 
 AUTHOR. 
 
 HYMN 
 
 I  ask  the  gift  of  righteousness         
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 416 
 
 I  call  the  world's  Redeemer  mine 
 
 C.  IVesley 
 
 927 
 
 I  know  in  whom  I  have  believed 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 810 
 
 I  know  that  my  Redeemer  lives,  And  ever 
 
 C.  JVesley 
 
 384 
 
 I  know  that  my  Redeemer  lives,  He  lives 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 928 
 
 I  long  to  behold  Him  arrayed 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 70 
 
 I  praise  thee,  Lord,  who  o'er  my  foes 
 
 .  Dr.  B.  II.  Kennedy 
 
 559 
 
 I  seek  the  kingdom  first       
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 834 
 
 I  seem  desirous  to  repent 
 
 C.  JVesley 
 
 153 
 
 I  soon  shall  hear  thy  quickening  voice 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 366 
 
 I  the  good  fight  have  fought            
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 421 
 
 I  thirst,  thou  wounded  Lamb  of  God      Zinzendorf  and  Nitzchman     26 
 
 I  want  a  principle  within 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 308 
 
 I  want  the  Spirit  of  power  within 
 
 a  Wesley 
 
 376 
 
 I  will  hearken  what  the  Lord         
 
 a  Wesley 
 
 182 
 
 I  will  not  let  thee  go,  thou  help  in  time  of  need    W.  C.  Deszler 
 
 851 
 
 If  but  one  faithless  soul  be  here      
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 861 
 
 If  our  God  had  not  befriended        
 
 .  Dr.  B.  II.  Kennedy 
 
 621 
 
 I'll  praise  my  Maker  while  I've  breath 
 
 Dr.  Watts       ... 
 
 224 
 
 I'm  not  ashamed  to  own  my  Lord 
 
 Dr.  Watts       ... 
 
 811 
 
 In  age  and  feebleness  extreme         
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 918 
 
 In  all  my  vast  concerns  with  thee  ... 
 
 Dr.  Watts 
 
 632 
 
 In  deep  distress  to  God        
 
 Tate  and  E.  Osier 
 
 634 
 
 In  every  time  and  place 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 840 
 
 In  fellowship  alone 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 268 
 
 In  grief  and  fear  to  thee,  0  Lord 
 
 Dean  Bullock 
 
 986 
 
 In  memory  of  the  Saviour's  love     .. 
 
 T.  Cotterill     ... 
 
 907 
 
 In  the  bonds  of  death  he  lay            
 
 M.Luther 
 
 714 
 
 In  the  name  which  earth  and  heaven 
 
 J.  Ellerton      ... 
 
 990 
 
 In  time  of  tribulation            
 
 J.  Montgomery 
 
 587 
 
 In  vain  we  build  unless  the  Lord 
 
 .  Dr.  B.  II.  Kennedy 
 
 624 
 
 Infinite  God,  thy  greatness  spanned 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 lOOI 
 
 Infinite  God  to  thee  we  raise           
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 647 
 
 Infinite  power,  eternal  Lord            
 
 Dr.  Watts 
 
 788 
 
 Infinite,  unexhausted  Love  ... 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 216 
 
 Inspirer  of  the  ancient  seers            
 
 a  Wesley 
 
 89 
 
 Into  thy  gracious  hands  I  fall          
 
 W.  C.  Deszler... 
 
 196 
 
 It  is  the  Lord  !  enthroned  in  light ...      B. 
 
 Bcddome  or  T.  Greene 
 
 844 
 
 Jehovah,  God  the  Father,  bless      
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 258 
 
 Jehovah  reigns  on  high         
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 601 
 
 Jehovah's  Fellow,  and  his  Son        
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 670 
 
 Jerusalem  divine 
 
 B.  Rhodes  (pt.  2) 
 
 731 
 
 Jerusalem,  exulting , 
 
 .    Bernard  of  Clugny 
 
 943 
 
INDEX  TO  THE  HYMNS. 
 
 609 
 
 FIRST   LINE. 
 
 Jerusalem,  my  happy  home  ... 
 
 Jerusalem  on  high     
 
 Jerusalem  the  golden 
 
 Jesu,  at  whose  supreme  command  ... 
 
 Jesu,  friend  of  sinners,  hear 
 
 Jesu,  if  still  the  same  thou  art 
 
 Jesu,  if  still  thou  art  to-day 
 
 Jesu,  in  whom  the  weary  find 
 
 Jesu,  let  thy  pitying  eye 
 
 Jesu,  Lover  of  my  soul 
 
 Jesu,  my  Advocate  above    ... 
 
 Jesu,  my  God  and  King 
 
 Jesu,  my  Saviour,  Brother,  Friend 
 
 Jesu,  my  Truth,  my  Way     ... 
 
 Jesu,  Redeemer,  Saviour,  Lord 
 
 Jesu,  shall  I  never  be 
 
 Jesu,  Shepherd  of  the  sheep 
 
 Jesu,  take  my  sins  away 
 
 Jesu,  the  Life,  the  Truth,  the  Way 
 
 Jesu,  the  sinner's  friend,  to  thee     ... 
 
 Jesu,  the  very  thought  of  thee 
 
 Jesu,  the  word  of  mercy  give 
 
 Jesu,  thou  great  redeeming  Lord    ... 
 
 Jesu,  thou  hast  to  hoary  hairs 
 
 Jesu,  thou  sovereign  Lord  of  all 
 
 Jesu,  thy  blood  and  righteousness  ... 
 
 Jesu,  thy  boundless  love  to  me 
 
 Jesu,  thy  far-extended  fame 
 
 Jesu,  thy  wandering  sheep  behold  ... 
 
 Jesu,  to  thee  our  hearts  we  lift 
 
 Jesu,  we  look  to  thee 
 
 Jesu,  whose  glory's  streaming  rays... 
 
 Jesus,  accept  the  praise 
 
 Jesus,  all-atoning  Lamb 
 
 Jesus  comes  with  all  his  grace 
 
 Jesus,  descended  from  the  sky 
 
 Jesus,  faithful  to  his  word    ... 
 
 Jesus,  from  thy  heavenly  place 
 
 Jesus,  from  whom  all  blessings  flow 
 
 Jesus,  great  Shepherd  of  the  Sheep 
 
 Jesus  hath  died  that  I  might  live    ... 
 
 Jesus,  I  believe  thee  near    ... 
 
 Jesus,  I  fain  would  find 
 
 Jesus,  I  humbly  seek 
 
 AUTHOR. 
 
 HYMN 
 
 ^.  Baker  or  D.  Dickson       939 
 
 S.  Grossman    .. 
 
 942 
 
 . .     Bernard  of  Chigny       943 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 901 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 IIO 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 134 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 135 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 114 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 106 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 143 
 
 a  Wesley 
 
 100 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 727 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 312 
 
 a  Wesley 
 
 436 
 
 C.  Wesley     '  .. 
 
 139 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 355 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 183 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 166 
 
 a  Wesley 
 
 573 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 132 
 
 Bernard  of  Clairva^l^ 
 
 c       680 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 446 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 525 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 916 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 294 
 
 .  Count  Zinzendorf . . 
 
 190 
 
 P.  Gerhardt     .. 
 
 373 
 
 G.  Wesley 
 
 .      397 
 
 G.  Wesley 
 
 744 
 
 G.   Wesley 
 
 483 
 
 G.  Wesley 
 
 485 
 
 G.  F.  Deszler  .. 
 
 133 
 
 G.  Wesley 
 
 536 
 
 G.  Wesley 
 
 434 
 
 G.  Wesley 
 
 400 
 
 G.   Wesley 
 
 881 
 
 G.  Wesley 
 
 58 
 
 G.  Wesley 
 
 464 
 
 G.  Wesley 
 
 17 
 
 G.  Wesley 
 
 501 
 
 G.  Wesley 
 
 415 
 
 G.  Wesley 
 
 ^73 
 
 G.  Wesley 
 
 300 
 
 G.  Wesley 
 
 883 
 
 2  Q 
 
INDEX  TO  THE  HYMNS. 
 
 FIRST  I.INE. 
 
 Jesus,  in  earth  and  heaven  the  same 
 Jesus  is  lifted  up  on  high     ... 
 Jesus  is  our  common  Lord  ... 
 
 Jesus,  Jehovah,  God 
 
 Jesus,  Lord,  thy  servants  see 
 Jesus,  Lord,  we  look  to  thee 
 Jesus,  Master  of  the  feast     . . . 
 Jesus,  my  King,  to  thee  I  bow 
 Jesus,  my  Life  !  thyself  apply 
 Jesus,  my  Lord,  I  cry  to  thee 
 Jesus,  my  Master,  and  my  Lord 
 Jesus,  my  strength,  my  hope 
 Jesus  shall  reign  where'er  the  sun 
 Jesus,  soft,  harmonious  name 
 Jesus,  the  all-restoring  Word 
 Jesus,  the  conqueror  reigns... 
 Jesus,  the  first  and  last 
 Jesus,  the  gift  divine  I  know 
 Jesus,  the  good  Shepherd  is 
 Jesus,  the  infinite  I  AM 
 Jesus,  the  name  high  over  all 
 Jesus,  the  needy  sinner's  friend 
 Jesus,  the  word  bestow 
 Jesus,  thee  thy  works  proclaim 
 Jesus,  thou  all  redeeming  Lord 
 Jesus,  thou  art  our  King 
 Jesus,  thou  everlasting  King 
 Jesus,  thou  hast  bid  us  pray... 
 Jesus  thou  knowest  my  sinfulness 
 Jesus,  thou  soul  of  all  our  joys 
 Jesus,  thy  servants  bless 
 Jesus,  to  thee  I  now  can  fly... 
 Jesus,  to  thee  we  fly  ... 
 Jesus,  to  whom  alone  we  live 
 Jesus,  united  by  thy  grace    ... 
 Jesus,  we  on  the  word  depend 
 Jesus,  we  stedfastly  believe... 
 Jesus,  where'er  thy  people  meet 
 Jesus,  with  kindest  pity  see... 
 Join  all  the  glorious  names  ... 
 Join,  all  ye  ransomed  sons  of  grace 
 Just  as  I  am,  without  one  plea 
 Justly  thou  mightst  in  helpless  age 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 a  IVesley 
 C.  IVesley 
 C.  IVesley 
 Schmolck  trans,  by  Miss  Cox 
 C.  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 C.  IVesley 
 C.  JVesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 C,  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 Dr.  Watts 
 C.  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 Dr.  Watts 
 C.  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 C.  JVesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 W.  Cowper 
 C.  Wesley 
 Dr.  Watts 
 C.  Wesley 
 Miss  Elliott 
 C.  Wesley 
 
INDEX  TO  THE  HYMNS. 
 
 6ii 
 
 FIRST   LINE. 
 
 Lamb  of  God,  for  sinners  slain 
 
 Lamb  of  God,  who  bear'st  away    . . . 
 
 Lamb  of  God,  whose  bleeding  love 
 
 Lay  to  thy  hand,  O  God  of  grace   . . . 
 
 Lead  me  not  into  temptation 
 
 Header  of  faithful  souls,  and  guide... 
 
 Let  all  men  rejoice,  By  Jesus  restored 
 
 Let  all  that  breathe  Jehovah  praise 
 
 Let  all  who  truly  bear 
 
 Let  earth  and  heaven  agree... 
 
 Let  earth  and  heaven  combine 
 
 Let  everlasting  glories  crown 
 
 Let  every  tongue  thy  goodness  speak 
 
 Let  God,  who  comforts  the  distrest 
 
 Let  Him  to  whom  we  now  belong... 
 
 Let  me  alon^  another  year  ... 
 
 Let  not  the  wise  his  wisdom  boast... 
 
 Let  the  beasts  their  breath  resign  ... 
 
 Let  the  redeemed  give  thanks  and  praise 
 
 Let  the  world  their  virtue  boast 
 
 Let  us  join,  ('tis  God  commands)   ... 
 
 Let  Zion  in  her  King  rejoice 
 
 Life  of  the  world,  come  down 
 
 Lift  up  your  hearts  to  things  above 
 
 Lift  your  eyes  of  faith,  and  see 
 
 Lift  your  heads,  ye  friends  of  Jesus 
 
 Light  of  life,  seraphic  fire    ... 
 
 Light  of  those  whose  dreary  dwelling 
 
 Lo  !  God  is  here  !  let  us  adore 
 
 Lo  !  He  comes  with  clouds  descending 
 
 Lo  !  I  come  with  joy  to  do  ... 
 
 Long  have  I  lived  in  grief  and  pain 
 
 Long  have  I  sat  beneath  the  sound 
 
 Long  have  I  seemed  to  serve  thee,  Lord 
 
 Lord,  and  is  thine  anger  gone 
 
 Lord,  dismiss  us  with  thy  blessing,  Bid 
 
 Lord,  dismiss  us  with  thy  blessing,  Fill 
 
 Lord,  I  adore  thy  gracious  will 
 
 Lord,  I  believe  a  rest  remains 
 
 Lord,  I  believe  thou  wilt  forgive 
 
 Lord,  I  believe  thy  every  word 
 
 Lord,  I  believe  thy  mercy's  power 
 
 Lord,  I  despair  myself  to  heal 
 
 Lord,  I  hear  of  showers  of  blessing 
 
 Mrs. 
 
 AUTHOR. 
 
 HYMN 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 ..            167 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 •           463 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 900 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 ••            159 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 ..           819 
 
 a  Wesley 
 
 71 
 
 a  Wesley 
 
 211 
 
 a  Wesley 
 
 •         234 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 .         898 
 
 a  Wesley 
 
 34 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 •      685 
 
 Dr.  Watts 
 
 .       879 
 
 Dr.  Watts 
 
 •      637 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 •       441 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 .       428 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 .       982 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 .      422 
 
 a  Wesley 
 
 7 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 ■       123 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 115 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 •      521 
 
 Dr.  Watts       . 
 
 •      569 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 .     1014 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 •       539 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 75 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 •      936 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 .       399 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 .       684 
 
 Ger.  Tersteegen 
 
 494 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 66 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 325 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 .       781 
 
 Dr.  Watts       . 
 
 .       789 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 91 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 188 
 
 Robert  Hawker 
 
 1007 
 
 John  Fawcett  . 
 
 .     1008 
 
 a  Wesley 
 
 •       334 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 •      403 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 .       780 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 .       356 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 .       813 
 
 a  Wesley 
 
 •       131 
 
 Elizabeth  Codne 
 
 r       790 
 
6l2 
 
 INDEX  TO  THE  HYMNS. 
 
 FIRST    LINE. 
 
 Lord,  if  at  thy  command 
 Lord,  if  thou  the  grace  impart 
 Lord,  in  the  strength  of  grace 
 Lord,  it  belongs  not  to  my  care 
 Lord  !  it  is  good  for  us  to  be  ... 
 
 Lord,  let  me  know  mine  end 
 Lord  of  all,  thy  creatures  see 
 Lord  of  all,  with  pure  intent 
 Lord  of  earth,  and  air,  and  sea 
 Lord  of  hosts,  our  God  and  Lord    ... 
 Lord  of  the  harvest,  hear 
 Lord  of  the  Sabbath,  hear  our  vows 
 Lord  of  the  wide,  extensive  main    . . . 
 Lord  of  the  worlds  above     ... 
 Lord  over  all,  if  thou  hast  made 
 Lord  regard  my  earnest  cry 
 Lord,  teach  us  how  to  pray  aright  ... 
 Lord,  that  I  may  learn  of  thee 
 Lord,  thou  hast  bid  thy  people  pray 
 Lord,  we  sit  and  cry  to  thee 
 Lord,  we  thy  will  obey 
 Lord,  who  hast  taught  to  us  on  earth 
 Lord,  whom  winds  and  seas  obey  ... 
 Lord,  with  open  heart  and  ear 
 Love  Divine,  all  loves  excelling 
 Lovers  of  pleasure  more  than  God  ... 
 
 Maker,  Saviour  of  mankind 
 
 Master,  I  own  thy  lawful  claim 
 
 Master  supreme,  I  look  to  thee 
 
 Master,  thy  grace  vouchsafe  to  me  ... 
 
 May  I  throughout  this  day  of  thine 
 
 May  the  grace  of  Christ  our  Saviour 
 
 Meet  and  right  it  is  to  praise 
 
 Meet  and  right  it  is  to  sing  ... 
 
 Mercy  and  judgment  will  I  sing 
 
 Messiah,  full  of  grace 
 
 Messiah,  joy  of  every  heart  ... 
 
 Messiah,  Prince  of  peace 
 
 Mine  hour  appointed  is  at  hand 
 
 My  brethren  beloved,  Your  calling  ye  see 
 
 My  Father,  My  God,  I  long  for  thy  love  . 
 
 My  God,  and  Father  !  while  I  stray 
 
 My  God,  I  am  thine  
 
 AUTHOR. 
 
 HYMN 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 734 
 
 C.  IVesley 
 
 628 
 
 C.  IVesley 
 
 426 
 
 A\  Baxter 
 
 920 
 
 Dean  Stanley  ... 
 
 698 
 
 J.  AFontgoniery 
 
 5^5 
 
 C.  IVesley 
 
 1012 
 
 C.  Wesley       ... 
 
 890 
 
 a   Wesley       ... 
 
 1000 
 
 C.  Wesley       ... 
 
 733 
 
 C.  Wesley       ... 
 
 745 
 
 Dr,  Doddridge 
 
 959 
 
 C.  Wesley       ... 
 
 lOOI 
 
 Dr.  Watts      ... 
 
 591 
 
 C.  Wesley       ... 
 
 444 
 
 C.  Wesley       ... 
 
 164 
 
 J.  Montgomery 
 
 865 
 
 C.  Wesley       ... 
 
 302 
 
 C.  Wesley       ... 
 
 985 
 
 Dean  Milman 
 
 694 
 
 C.   Wesley       ... 
 
 533 
 
 R.  Massie 
 
 822 
 
 C.  Wesley       ... 
 
 999 
 
 C.  Wesley       ... 
 
 886 
 
 C.  Wesley       ... 
 
 385 
 
 C.  Wesley       ... 
 
 36 
 
 C.  Wesley       ... 
 
 18 
 
 C.  Wesley       ... 
 
 332 
 
 a  Wesley       ... 
 
 470 
 
 C.  Wesley       ... 
 
 828 
 
 C.  Wesley       ... 
 
 960 
 
 J.  Newton 
 
 1006 
 
 C.  Wesley       ... 
 
 238 
 
 C.  Wesley       ... 
 
 221 
 
 .   Dr.   Watts  {altered) 
 
 609 
 
 C.  Wesley       ... 
 
 450 
 
 C.  Wesley       ... 
 
 648 
 
 C.  Wesley       ... 
 
 447 
 
 N.  Hermann  .. 
 
 923 
 
 C.  Wesley       ... 
 
 212 
 
 C.  Wesley       ... 
 
 200 
 
 Miss  Elliott    ... 
 
 841 
 
 C.  Wesley       ... 
 
 205 
 
INDEX  TO  THE  HYMNS. 
 
 613 
 
 FIRST  LINE. 
 
 My  God,  I  know,  I  feel  thee  mine  , . . 
 
 My  God,  if  I  may  call  thee  mine     ... 
 
 My  God,  my  God,  to  thee  I  cry 
 
 My  God,  the  spring  of  all  my  joys  ... 
 
 My  gracious,  loving  Lord     ... 
 
 My  heart  and  voice  I  raise  ... 
 
 My  heart  is  fixed,  O  God,  my  heart 
 
 My  heart  is  full  of  Christ,  and  longs 
 
 My  life  's  a  shade,  my  days  ... 
 
 My  shepherd  will  supply  my  need  ... 
 
 My  soul,  inspired  with  sacred  love 
 
 My  soul,  repeat  his  praise    ... 
 
 My  soul,  through  my  Redeemer's  care 
 
 My  spirit  on  thy  care 
 
 My  sufferings  all  to  thee  are  known 
 
 Nearer,  my  God,  to  thee 
 
 None  is  like  Jeshurun's  God 
 
 Not  all  the  blood  of  beasts   ... 
 
 Not  from  a  stock  of  ours  but  thine  ... 
 
 Now,  even  now,  I  yield,  I  yield 
 
 Now  I  have  found  the  ground  wherein 
 
 O  all-creating  God    ... 
 
 O  all  that  pass  by,  To  Jesus  draw  near 
 
 O  almighty  God  of  love 
 
 O  bless  the  Lord,  my  soul    ... 
 
 O  blessed,  blessed  sounds  of  grace 
 
 O  come,  and  dwell  in  me     ... 
 
 O  come,  O  come,  Immanuel 
 
 O  come,  thou  radiant  morning  star 
 
 O  crucified,  triumphant  Lord 
 
 O  day  of  rest  and  gladness  ... 
 
 O  disclose  thy  lovely  face 
 
 O  Father  of  all.  Who  fillest  with  good 
 
 O  filial  Deity 
 
 O  for  a  closer  walk  with  God 
 
 O  for  a  heart  to  praise  my  God 
 
 O  for  a  thousand  tongues  to  sing    ... 
 
 O  for  that  tenderness  of  heart 
 
 O  glorious  hope  of  perfect  love 
 
 O  God,  at  thy  command  we  rise     ... 
 
 O  God,  how  often  hath  thine  ear    ... 
 
 O  God,  if  thou  art  love  indeed 
 
 AUTHOR. 
 
 HYMN 
 
 C.  Wesley       ... 
 
 361 
 
 C.  Wesley       ... 
 
 290 
 
 C.  Wesley       ... 
 
 184 
 
 Dr.  Watts      ... 
 
 213 
 
 C.  Wesley       ... 
 
 93 
 
 B.  Rhodes 
 
 731 
 
 C.  Wesley       ... 
 
 576 
 
 C.  Wesley       ... 
 
 568 
 
 S.  Crossmann 
 
 931 
 
 Dr.   Watts      ... 
 
 555 
 
 C.   Wesley 
 
 638 
 
 Dr.  Watts      ... 
 
 610 
 
 C.  Wesley       ... 
 
 246 
 
 H.  F.  Lyte      ... 
 
 560 
 
 C.   Wesley        ... 
 
 157 
 
 Mrs  S.  F.  Adaitis 
 
 848 
 
 C.  Wesley       ... 
 
 407 
 
 Dr.   Watts       ... 
 
 703 
 
 C.  Wesley       ... 
 
 874 
 
 C.  Wesley       ... 
 
 414 
 
 J.  A.  Rot  he     ... 
 
 189 
 
 C.  Wesley        ... 
 
 264 
 
 C.  Wesley       ... 
 
 3 
 
 C.  Wesley       ... 
 
 271 
 
 Dr.  Watts      ... 
 
 610 
 
 W.  M.  Bunting 
 
 799 
 
 C.  Wesley        ... 
 
 367 
 
 From  the  Latin 
 
 690 
 
 C.  Wesley       ... 
 
 445 
 
 W.  M.  Biintmg 
 
 891 
 
 Bp.  Wordsworth 
 
 958 
 
 C.  Wesley        ... 
 
 156 
 
 C.  Wesley        ... 
 
 1013 
 
 C.  Wesley        ... 
 
 193 
 
 W.  Cowper     ... 
 
 787 
 
 C.  Wesley       ... 
 
 343 
 
 C.  Wesley       ... 
 
 ■  I 
 
 C.  Wesley       ... 
 
 104 
 
 C.  Wesley       ... 
 
 404 
 
 C.  Wesley       ... 
 
 652 
 
 W.  M.  Bunting 
 
 909 
 
 C.  Wesley       ... 
 
 171 
 
6i4 
 
 INDEX  TO  THE  HYMNS. 
 
 FIRST  LINE. 
 
 O  God,  most  merciful  and  true 
 
 O  God,  my  God,  my  all  thou  art    ... 
 
 O  God,  my  hope,  my  heavenly  rest 
 
 O  God,  my  strength  and  fortitude  ... 
 
 O  God  of  all  grace    ... 
 
 O  God  of  Bethel,  by  whose  hand    ... 
 
 O  God  of  God,  in  whom  combine  ... 
 
 O  God,  of  good  the  unfathomed  sea 
 
 O  God  of  my  salvation,  hear 
 
 O  God  of  our  forefathers,  hear 
 
 O  God  of  peace  and  pardoning  love 
 
 O  God,  our  help  in  ages  past 
 
 O  God,  the  help  of  all  thy  saints     ... 
 
 O  God,  thou  bottomless  abyss 
 
 O  God,  thy  faithfulness  I  plead 
 
 O  God,  thy  righteousness  we  own  ... 
 
 O  God,  to  whom,  in  flesh  revealed 
 
 O  God,  to  whom  the  faithful  dead  ... 
 
 O  God,  what  offering  shall  I  give  ... 
 
 O  God,  who  dost  thy  sovereign  might 
 
 O  great  mountain,  who  art  thou      . . . 
 
 O  happy  day  that  fixed  my  choice  ... 
 
 O  heavenly  King,  Look  down  from  above 
 
 O  help  us,  Lord  !  each  hour  of  need 
 
 O  how  blest  the  hour,  Lord  Jesus  ... 
 
 O  how  shall  a  sinner  perform 
 
 O  Jesu,  source  of  calm  repose 
 
 O  Jesus,  at  thy  feet  we  wait 
 
 O  Jesus,  full  of  truth  and  grace 
 
 O  Jesus  let  me  bless  thy  name 
 
 O  Jesus,  let  the  dying  cry     ... 
 
 O  Jesus  my  hope 
 
 O  joyful  sound  of  gospel  grace 
 
 O  let  the  prisoners'  mournful  cries  ... 
 
 O  let  us  our  own  works  forsake 
 
 O  Lord,  how  good,  how  great  art  thou 
 
 O  Lord,  how  long  shall  heathens  hold 
 
 O  Lord  of  hosts,  whose  glory  fills  ... 
 
 O.  Lord,  thy  faithful  servant  save   . . . 
 
 O  Lord,  turn  not  thy  face  away 
 
 O  Lord,  who  by  thy  presence  hast  made  light 
 
 O  Lord,  with  vengeance  clad 
 
 O  Love  divine  !  how  sweet  thou  art 
 
 O  Love  divine  !  what  hast  thou  done 
 
 AUTHOR. 
 
 HYMN 
 
 C.   U'cshy       ... 
 
 369 
 
 Spanish 
 
 437 
 
 a  Wesley       ... 
 
 283 
 
 T.  Sternhold  ... 
 
 551 
 
 C.  Wesley       ... 
 
 808 
 
 ...Dr.  Doddridge  {altered)  664 
 
 C.  Wesley       ... 
 
 666 
 
 /.  Scheffler      ... 
 
 38 
 
 a  Wesley       ... 
 
 365 
 
 C.  Wesley       ... 
 
 394 
 
 C.  Wesley        ... 
 
 438 
 
 Dr.  Watts 
 
 41 
 
 E.  Osier 
 
 546 
 
 J.  Lange 
 
 240 
 
 C.  Wesley        ... 
 
 288 
 
 C.   Wesley       ... 
 
 176 
 
 C.  Wesley        ... 
 
 395 
 
 /.  Conder 
 
 945 
 
 J.  Lange 
 
 431 
 
 J.  Conder 
 
 821 
 
 C.  Wesley       ... 
 
 382 
 
 Dr.  Doddridge 
 
 912 
 
 ove            C.  Wesley 
 
 199 
 
 Dean  Mihnati 
 
 696 
 
 C.J.P.Spitta 
 
 882 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 911 
 
 Freylinghatcsen 
 
 353 
 
 C.  Wesley       ... 
 
 389 
 
 C.  Wesley       ... 
 
 815 
 
 C.  Wesley       ... 
 
 145 
 
 C.  Wesley       ... 
 
 341 
 
 C.   Wesley       ... 
 
 160 
 
 C.   Wesley       ... 
 
 405 
 
 a  Wesley       ... 
 
 462 
 
 C.  Wesley        ... 
 
 455 
 
 H.F.Lyte      ... 
 
 544 
 
 W.H.Bathurst 
 
 588 
 
 Dr.  Neale 
 
 992 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 548 
 
 Bp.  Heber,  from  Mardley 
 
 797 
 
 le  light      C.J.P.Spitta 
 
 967 
 
 W.  H.  Bathurst 
 
 602 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 147 
 
 C,  Wesley 
 
 28 
 
INDEX  TO  THE  HYMNS. 
 
 615 
 
 FIRST  LINE. 
 
 O  Love,  I  languish  at  thy  stay 
 
 O  may  thy  powerful  word 
 
 O  might  I  this  moment  cease 
 
 O  my  God,  what  must  I  do 
 
 O  my  offended  God  ... 
 
 O  my  old,  my  bosom  foe     ... 
 
 O  render  thanks  to  God  above 
 
 O  Saviour,  cast  a  gracious  smile     ... 
 
 O  Saviour,  whom  this  holy  morn  ... 
 
 O  Sun  of  righteousness,  arise 
 
 O  that  I  could,  in  every  place 
 
 O  that  I  could  my  Lord  receive 
 
 O  that  I  could  repent  !  O  that 
 
 O  that  I  could  repent !  With  all    . . . 
 
 O  that  I  could  revere 
 
 O  that  I,  first  of  love  possessed 
 
 O  that  my  load  of  sin  were  gone    ... 
 
 O  that  thou  wouldst  the  heavens  rent 
 
 O  thou  eternal  Victim,  slain 
 
 O  thou  faithful  God  of  love 
 
 O  thou  God  who  hearest  prayer     ... 
 
 O  thou,  our  Husband,  Brother,  Friend    . 
 
 O  thou  that  hangedst  on  the  tree    ... 
 
 O  thou  that  hear'st  when  sinners  cry 
 
 O  thou  to  whose  all-searching  sight 
 
 O  thou  who  camest  from  above 
 
 O  thou  who  hast  our  sorrows  borne 
 
 O  thou  who  hast  redeemed  of  old  ... 
 
 O  thou  who,  when  I  did  complain 
 
 O  thou  whom  fain  my  soul  would  love 
 
 O  thou,  whom  once  they  flocked  to  hear  . 
 
 O  thou,  whose  offering  on  the  tree... 
 
 O  timely  happy,  timely  wise 
 
 O  'tis  enough,  my  God,  my  God     ... 
 
 O  unexhausted  grace 
 
 O  what  shall  I  do  my  Saviour  to  praise    . 
 
 O  when  shall  we  sweetly  remove    ... 
 
 O  wondrous  power  of  faithful  prayer 
 
 O  worship  the  King,  All  glorious  above  . 
 
 O'erwhelmed  with  blessings  from  above    . 
 
 Of  old,  O  God,  thine  own  right  hand 
 
 Oft  I  in  my  heart  have  said... 
 
 Oft  in  danger,  oft  in  woe     ...     Kirke  Wl 
 
 Omnipotent  Lord,  My  Saviour  and  King 
 
 AUTHOR. 
 
 HYMN 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 379 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 265 
 
 a  Wesley 
 
 402 
 
 a  Wesley 
 
 158 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 162 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 274 
 
 Tate  and  Brady 
 
 612 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 528 
 
 Bp.Heber 
 
 692 
 
 J.  or  C.  Wesley 
 
 78S 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 550 
 
 C.  Weshy 
 
 125 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 105 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 102 
 
 a  Wesley 
 
 103 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 124 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 388 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 138 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 708 
 
 a  Wesley 
 
 915 
 
 Dr.  B.  H.  Kennedy 
 
 597 
 
 C.   Wesley 
 
 523 
 
 a  Wesley 
 
 774 
 
 Dr.   Watts 
 
 574 
 
 Co7int  Zinzendorf . . . 
 
 339 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 327 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 122 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 772 
 
 S.  Wesley,  Sen. 
 
 614 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 "3 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 396 
 
 a  Wesley 
 
 702 
 
 J.Keble 
 
 965 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 170 
 
 a  Wesley 
 
 172 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 198 
 
 a  Wesley 
 
 946 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 298 
 
 Sir  K.  Grant  . . . 
 
 611 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 1016 
 
 J.  Montgomery 
 
 589 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 192 
 
 e  and  Miss  Maitland 
 
 847 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 273 
 
6i6 
 
 INDEX  TO  THE  HYMNS. 
 
 FIRST  LINE. 
 
 Omnipotent  Redeemer         
 
 Omnipresent  God  !  whose  aid 
 
 On  all  the  earth  thy  Spirit  shower  ... 
 
 On  thee,  O  God  of  purity 
 
 Once  more  the  sun  is  beaming  bright 
 Once  thou  didst  on  earth  appear    ... 
 One  thing  with  all  my  soul's  desire 
 Open,  Lord,  my  inward  ear... 
 Other  ground  can  no  man  lay 
 Our  earth  we  now  lament  to  see 
 Our  friendship  sanctify  and  guide  . . . 
 Our  Jesus  is  gone  up  on  high 
 Our  Lord  is  risen  from  the  dead     ... 
 Out  of  the  deep  I  cry 
 Out  of  the  depth  of  self-despair 
 Out  of  the  depths  I  cry  to  thee 
 
 C.  IVisIry  ...  736 
 
 C.  Wesley  ...  287 
 
 Altered Jrom  Dr.  II.  More  457 
 
 C.  Wesley  ...  543 
 
 St.  Ambrose  ...  966 
 
 C.  Wesley  ...  413 
 
 y.  Montgomery  558 
 
 C.  Wesley  ...  358 
 
 C.  Wesley  ...  516 
 
 C.  Wcsley  ...  442 
 
 C.  Wesley  ...  524 
 
 C.  Wesley  ...  759 
 
 C.  Wesley  ...  557 
 
 C.  Wesley  ...  151 
 
 C.  Wesley  ...  625 
 
 M.Luther  ...  626 
 
 Partners  of  a  glorious  hope C.  Wesley  ...  522 
 
 Pass  a  few  swiftly-fleeting  years      C.  Wesley  ...  48 
 
 Peace  be  on  this  house  bestowed    ...         ...  C.  Wesley  ...  479 
 
 Peace,  doubting  heart  !  my  God's  I  am    ...  C.  Wesley  ...  272 
 
 Pierce,  fill  me  with  an  humble  fear            ...  C.Wesley  ...  ,313 
 
 Pleasant  are  thy  courts  above          II.  F.  Lyte  . . .  593 
 
 Plunged  in  a  gulf  of  dark  despair   ...         ...  Dr.  Watts  . . .  699 
 
 Praise,  O  praise  our  God  and  King           ...  Sir  H.  W.  Baker  631 
 
 Praise  the  Lord  !  who  reigns  above           ...  C.  Wesley  ...  641 
 
 Praise  the  Lord  !  ye  heavens,  adore  him  ...  J.  Ke7npthorne  640 
 
 Praise  ye  the  Lord  !  'tis  good  to  raise       ...  Dr.  Watts  ...  225 
 
 Prayer  is  the  soul's  sincere  desire  ...          ...  I\Iontgomery  . . .  823 
 
 Prisoners  of  hope,  arise        C.  Wesley  ...  387 
 
 Prisoners  of  hope,  lift  up  your  heads          ...  C.  Wesley  . . .  380 
 
 Pure  baptismal  Fire  divine  ...         ...         ...  C.  Wesley  ...  766 
 
 Quickened  with  our  immortal  Head 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 419 
 
 Raise  the  psalm  ;  let  earth  adoring  ...  Archd.  Churton  604 
 
 Regardless  now  of  things  below      ...  ...  C.  Wesley        ...  773 
 
 Rejoice  evermore  With  angels  above  ...  C.  Wesley        ...  19 
 
 Rejoice  for  a  brother  deceased        ...  ...  C.  Wesley        ...  49 
 
 Rejoice,  the  Lord  is  King    ...         ...  ...  C.  Wesley        ...  729 
 
 Remember,  Lord,  the  pious  zeal    ...  ...  C.  Wesley        . . .  629 
 
 Return,  O  wanderer,  to  thy  home...  ...  Dr.  Hastings  ...  792 
 
 Righteous  God  !  whose  vengeful  phials  ...  C.  Wesley        ...  60 
 
 Rock  of  ages,  cleft  for  me    ...         ...  ...  A.M.  Toplady  709 
 
INDEX  TO  THE  HYMNS. 
 
 617 
 
 FIRST  LINE. 
 
 Safe  in  the  fiery  furnace       
 
 Safely  through  another  week 
 Salvation  !  O  the  joyful  sound 
 Save  me,  O  God  ;  for  thou  alone  , . . 
 Saviour,  again  to  thy  dear  name  we  raise 
 Saviour,  cast  a  pitying  eye  ... 
 Saviour  from  sin,  I  wait  to  prove  ... 
 Saviour,  I  now  with  shame  confess 
 Saviour,  I  still  to  thee  apply 
 Saviour,  if  thy  precious  love 
 Saviour,  let  thy  sanction  rest 
 Saviour  of  all,  to  thee  we  bow 
 Saviour  of  all,  what  hast  thou  done 
 Saviour  of  sinful  men 
 Saviour  of  the  sin-sick  soul  ... 
 Saviour,  on  me  the  grace  bestow    . . . 
 Saviour,  on  me  the  want  bestow     . . . 
 Saviour,  Prince  of  Israel's  race 
 Saviour,  sprinkle  many  nations 
 Saviour,  the  world's  and  mine 
 Saviour,  thy  sacred  day 
 Saviour,  to  thee  we  humbly  cry 
 Saviour,  we  know  thou  art  ... 
 Saviour,  we  now  rejoice  in  hope     ... 
 Saviour,  when  in  dust  to  thee 
 Saviour,  whom  our  hearts  adore     . . . 
 See  how  great  a  flame  aspires 
 See  Israel's  gentle  Shepherd  stand 
 See,  Jesu,  thy  disciples  see  ... 
 See,  sinners,  in  the  Gospel  glass     ... 
 See  the  Conqueror  mounts  in  triumph 
 Servant  of  all,  to  toil  for  man 
 Shall  I,  for  fear  of  feeble  man 
 Shepherd  divine,  our  wants  relieve 
 Shepherd  of  Israel,  hear 
 Shepherd  of  souls,  with  pitying  eye 
 Show  forth  thy  mercy,  gracious  Lord 
 Show  pity.  Lord  ;  O  Lord,  forgive 
 Shrinking  from  the  cold  hand  of  death 
 Since  all  the  downward  tracks  of  time 
 Since  the  Son  hath  made  me  free  ... 
 Sing  to  the  great  Jehovah's  praise  ... 
 Sing  we  to  our  conquering  Lord     ... 
 Sinners,  believe  the  gospel  word    ... 
 
 iltc 
 
 AUTHOR. 
 
 HYMN 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 855 
 
 J.  Newton 
 
 975 
 
 Dr.  Watts  (in  part) 
 
 742 
 
 Dr.  B.  H.  Kennedy 
 
 549 
 
 J.  Elkrton      ... 
 
 962 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 116 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 375 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 180 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 887 
 
 ^redfrom  G.  Herbert 
 
 24 
 
 Dr.  Raffles      ... 
 
 995 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 507 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 330 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 481 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 398 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 72 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 304 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 lOI 
 
 Dr.  A.  C.  Coxe 
 
 743 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 27 
 
 Q.  Wesley 
 
 952 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 461 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 732 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 649 
 
 Sir  R.  Grant  . . . 
 
 710 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 730 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 218 
 
 Dr.  Doddridge 
 
 889 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 486 
 
 C.  Wesley        ... 
 
 31 
 
 Bp.   Wordsworth 
 
 720 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 322 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 279 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 297 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 459 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 82 
 
 Archd.  Ha7'e   ... 
 
 566 
 
 Dr.   Watts       ... 
 
 574 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 45 
 
 J.  Hei'vey 
 
 846 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 390 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 979 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 605 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 32 
 
6i8 
 
 INDEX  TO  THE  HYMNS. 
 
 FIRST  LINE. 
 
 Sinners,  lift  up  your  hearts  ... 
 Sinners,  obey  the  Gospel-word 
 Sinners,  rejoice  ;  your  peace  is  made 
 Sinners,  turn,  why  will  ye  die 
 Sinners,  your  hearts  lift  up  ... 
 Soldiers  of  Christ,  arise 
 Sometimes  a  light  surprises... 
 Son  of  God,  if  thy  free  grace 
 Son  of  thy  Sire's  eternal  love 
 Sovereign  of  all  the  worlds  on  high 
 Sovereign  of  all !  whose  will  ordains 
 
 Sow  in  the  morn  thy  seed 
 
 Speed  thy  servants.  Saviour,  speed  them 
 
 Spirit  divine  !  attend  our  prayers 
 
 Spirit  of  faith,  come  down  ... 
 
 Spirit  of  truth,  essential  God 
 
 Spirit  of  truth  !  on  this  thy  day 
 
 Stand  the  omnipotent  decree 
 
 Stay,  thou  insulted  Spirit,  stay 
 
 Still  for  thy  lovingkindness,  Lord 
 
 Still,  Lord,  I  languish  for  thy  grace 
 
 Stupendous  height  of  heavenly  love 
 
 Stupendous  love  of  God  most  high 
 
 Summoned  my  labour  to  renew 
 
 Sun  of  my  soul  !  thou  Saviour  dear 
 
 Surrounded  by  a  host  of  foes 
 
 Sweet  is  the  memory  of  thy  grace  . . . 
 
 Sweet  is  the  sunlight  after  rain 
 
 Sweet  is  the  work,  my  God,  my  King 
 
 Sweet  place  ;  sweet  place  alone 
 
 Talk  with  us.  Lord,  thyself  reveal  ... 
 
 Teacher  of  hearts,  'tis  thine  alone  ... 
 
 Terrible  thought !  shall  I  alone 
 
 That  health  of  soul  I  gasp  to  know 
 
 The  Church  in  her  militant  state    ... 
 
 The  day  is  past  and  over 
 
 The  day  of  Christ,  the  day  of  God... 
 
 The  day  of  wrath,  that  dreadful  day 
 
 The  earth  is  the  Lord's,  And  all  it  contains 
 
 The  earth  with  all  her  fulness  owns 
 
 The  foe  behind,  the  deep  before      . . . 
 
 The  God  of  Abraham  praise 
 
 The  grace  of  Jesus  Christ  the  Son  ... 
 
 The  great  Archangel's  trump  shall  sound 
 
 AUTHOR. 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 C.  IVesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 W.  Cenoper 
 C.  Wesley 
 J.   Wesley 
 Dr.  Doddridge 
 C.  Wesley 
 J.  Montgomery 
 T.  Kelly 
 Dr.  A.  Reed 
 C.  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 Bp.  Heber 
 C.  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 /.  Keble 
 C.  Wesley 
 Dr.   Watts 
 Dr.  Piinshon 
 Dr.   Watts 
 S.  Crossman 
 C.  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 St.  Anatolius 
 C.  Wesley 
 Sir  W.  Scott 
 C.   Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 Dr.  Ncalc 
 T.  Olivers 
 C.  Wesley 
 a  Wesley 
 
INDEX  TO  THE  HYMNS. 
 
 619 
 
 FIRST  LINE, 
 
 The  great  redeeming  Angel,  thee   ... 
 
 The  harvest  of  my  joys  is  past 
 
 The  heathen  perish  ;  day  by  day    . . . 
 
 The  heavens  declare  thy  glory,  Lord 
 
 The  holy  unconcern  ... 
 
 The  hour  of  my  departure's  come  ... 
 
 The  Lord  is  King,  and  earth  submits 
 
 The  Lord  Jehovah  reigns     ... 
 
 The  Lord  of  earth  and  sky  ... 
 
 The  Lord  of  Sabbath  let  us  praise... 
 
 The  Lord  unto  my  Lord  hath  said... 
 
 The  Lord  unto  my  Lord  thus  said  ... 
 
 The  Lord  's  my  Shepherd,  I'll  not  want 
 
 The  men  who  slight  thy  faithful  word 
 
 The  morning  flowers  display  their  sweets 
 
 The  name  we  still  acknowledge 
 
 The  past  no  longer  in  my  power     . . . 
 
 The  people  that  in  darkness  lay 
 
 The  promise  of  my  Father's  love    ... 
 
 The  saints  who  die  of  Christ  possest 
 
 The  Saviour,  when  to  heaven  he  rose 
 
 The  spacious  firmament  on  high 
 
 The  Spirit  of  the  Lord  our  God 
 
 The  strain  upraise  of  joy  and  praise 
 
 The  thing  my  God  doth  hate 
 
 The  thirsty  are  called  to  their  Lord 
 
 The  voice  that  breathed  o'er  Eden... 
 
 The  voice  that  speaks  Jehovah  near 
 
 The  winds  were  howling  o'er  the  deep 
 
 Thee,  Jesu,  thee,  the  sinner's  friend 
 
 Thee,  Jesus,  full  of  truth  and  grace 
 
 Thee,  O  my  God  and  King  ... 
 
 Thee,  we  adore,  eternal  name 
 
 Thee  will  I  love,  my  strength,  my  tower 
 
 Thee  will  I  praise  with  all  my  heart 
 
 Their  earthly  task  who  fail  to  do    ... 
 
 There  is  a  book  who  runs  may  read 
 
 There  is  a  fountain  filled  with  blood 
 
 There  is  a  land  of  pure  delight 
 
 This  day  with  this  day's  bread 
 
 This  is  the  field,  the  world  below  ... 
 
 This  stone  to  thee  in  faith  we  lay   . . . 
 
 This,  this  is  he  that  came    ... 
 
 This,  this  is  the  God  we  adore 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 J.  Montgomery 
 Dr.  Watts 
 C.  Wesley 
 M.  Bruce 
 C.  Wesley 
 Dr.   Watts 
 C.  Wesley 
 S.   Wesley,  Jun, 
 C.  Wesley 
 A.  Tozer- Russell 
 Francis  Rous 
 C.  Wesley 
 S.  Wesley,  Jiin 
 C.  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 Dr.   Watts 
 C.  Wesley 
 Dr.  Doddridgi 
 J.  Addison 
 C.  Wesley 
 Godescalcus 
 a  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 J.  Keble 
 C.  Wesley 
 Bp.  Heber 
 C.  Wesley 
 a  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 Dr.  Watts 
 J.  Scheffler 
 C.  Wesley 
 C.  Wesley 
 J.  Keble 
 W.  Cowper 
 Dr.  Watts 
 C.  Wesley 
 Joseph  Hinchsliffe 
 J.  Montgomery 
 C.  Wesley 
 J.  Hart 
 
620 
 
 INDEX  TO  THE  HYMNS. 
 
 riKST   LINE. 
 
 Thou  art  gone  up  on  high    ... 
 Thou  art  my  hiding-jilacc  ;  in  tlicc 
 
 Thou  art  the  Way  ;  by  thee  alone 
 
 Thou  bidd'st  me  ask,  and  with  the  word  ... 
 
 Thou  doest  all  things  well 
 
 Thou  God  of  glorious  majesty 
 
 Thou  God  of  truth  and  love  
 
 Thou  God  that  answerest  by  fire    ... 
 Thou  God  unsearchable,  unknown 
 Thou  great  mysterious  God  unknown 
 Thou  great  Redeemer,  dying  Lamb 
 Thou  hidden  God,  for  whom  I  groan 
 Thou  hidden  love  of  God,  whose  height    . . . 
 Thou  hidden  source  of  calm  repose 
 
 Thou  Jesu,  art  our  King      
 
 Thou,  Jesu,  thou  my  breast  inspire 
 
 Thou  Judge  of  quick  and  dead       
 
 Thou  knowest,  Lord,  the  weariness  and  sorrow 
 Thou  Lamb  of  God,  thou  Prince  of  peace 
 
 Thou,  Lord,  art  a  shield  to  me       
 
 Thou,  Lord,  hast  blest  my  going  out 
 Thou,  Lord,  my  witness  art 
 Thou,  Lord,  on  whom  I  still  depend 
 Thou  Man  of  griefs,  remember  me 
 
 Thou,  my  God,  art  good  and  wise 
 
 Thou  Shepherd  of  Israel,  and  mine 
 Thou  Son  of  God,  whose  flaming  eyes 
 
 Thou,  the  great,  eternal  Lord         
 
 Thou,  true  and  only  God,  lead'st 
 
 Thou  very  Paschal  Lamb     
 
 Thou  who  art  enthroned  above      
 
 Thou,  who  hast  in  Zion  laid  
 
 Thou  whose  Almighty  Word  
 
 Though  God  in  Christ  reveal  
 
 Though  nature's  strength  decay 
 Through  all  the  changing  scenes  of  life     ... 
 Through  God  I  will  His  word  proclaim    ... 
 Through  the  day  thy  love  hath  spared  us  ... 
 Thus  saith  the  Lord  !  Who  seek  the  Lamb 
 
 Thy  ceaseless,  unexhausted  love     
 
 Thy  faithfulness,  Lord,  Each  moment  we  find 
 
 Thy  messengers  make  known  
 
 Thy  power  and  saving  truth  to  show 
 
 Thy  way,  not  mine,  O  Lord  
 
 AUTHOR. 
 
 HVM.N 
 
 C.  IVcshy 
 
 757 
 
 C.  IVcsUy 
 
 561 
 
 Bp.  G.  IV.  Doane   671 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 778 
 
 IK  M.  Buntino 
 
 838 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 59 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 510 
 
 C.  Wesley        ... 
 
 412 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 130 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 97 
 
 J.  Cenniek 
 
 6S2 
 
 C.   IVesley 
 
 150 
 
 Tersteegen 
 
 344 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 209 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 in 
 
 a  Wesley 
 
 440 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 55 
 
 Jane  Bortlmnck 
 
 850 
 
 C.  F.  Richter  ... 
 
 338 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 542 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 998 
 
 G.  Sandys 
 
 627 
 
 C.   Wesley 
 
 69 
 
 C.   Wesley 
 
 181 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 243 
 
 C.   Wesley 
 
 22S 
 
 C.   Wesley 
 
 83 
 
 C.   JFesley 
 
 244 
 
 J.  Lange 
 
 241 
 
 C.   Wesley 
 
 704 
 
 G.  Sandys 
 
 598 
 
 Mrs.  A.  Bulmer 
 
 989 
 
 J.  Marriott 
 
 870 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 806 
 
 T.  Olivers 
 
 Soo 
 
 Tate  and  Brady 
 
 562 
 
 C.   Wesley 
 
 575 
 
 F.  Kelly 
 
 970 
 
 a   Wesley 
 
 III 
 
 C.   Wesley 
 
 250 
 
 C.   Wesley 
 
 5 
 
 a   Wesley 
 
 735 
 
 a   Wesley 
 
 439 
 
 Dr.  Bojiar 
 
 ^n 
 
INDEX  TO  THE  HYMNS. 
 
 621 
 
 FIRST   LINE. 
 
 'Tis  finished  !  The  Messias  dies 
 
 To  bless  thy  chosen  race      
 
 To-day,  while  it  is  called  to-day     ... 
 
 To  God,  the  only  wise 
 
 To  me,  almighty  Saviour,  give 
 
 To  the  haven  of  thy  breast  ... 
 
 To  the  hills  I  lift  mine  eyes 
 
 To  thee,  great  God  of  Love  !  I  bow 
 
 To  us  a  child  of  royal  birth 
 
 Too  strong  I  was  to  conquer  sin     ... 
 
 Tremendous  God,  with  humble  fear 
 
 True  and  faithful  Witness,  thee 
 
 True  and  faithful  Witness,  thou 
 
 Trusting  in  our  Lord  alone 
 
 Try  us,  O  God,  and  search  the  ground 
 
 Two  are  better  far  than  one 
 
 Two  or  three  in  Jesu's  name 
 
 Unchangeable,  almighty  Lord 
 Unclean,  of  life  and  heart  unclean 
 Unprofitable  all  and  vain     ... 
 Unto  thee  I  lift  my  eyes 
 Upright,  both  in  heart  and  will 
 Us,  who  climb  thy  holy  hill 
 
 Vain,  delusive  world,  adieu 
 Victim  Divine,  thy  grace  we  claim 
 Vouchsafe  to  keep  me.  Lord,  this  day 
 
 Warned  of  my  dissolution  near 
 Watched  by  the  world's  malignant  eye 
 We  give  immortal  praise 
 We  know,  by  faith  we  know 
 We  know,  by  faith  we  surely  know 
 We  plough  the  fields,  and  scatter 
 We  rose  to-day  with  anthems  sweet 
 Weary  of  earth  and  laden  with  my  sin 
 Weary  of  wandering  from  my  God 
 Weary  souls,  that  wander  wide 
 Welcome,  sweet  day  of  rest 
 What  am  I,  O  thou  glorious  God  ... 
 What  are  these  arrayed  in  white     ... 
 What  could  your  Redeemer  do 
 What  is  our  calling's  glorious  hope 
 
 AUTHOR. 
 
 HYMN 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 706 
 
 Tate  and  Brady 
 
 581 
 
 C.   Wesley 
 
 783 
 
 Dr.  Watts 
 
 814 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 884 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 292 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 618 
 
 C.   Wesley 
 
 284 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 689 
 
 C.   Wesley 
 
 126 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 913 
 
 C.   Wesley 
 
 418 
 
 C.   Wesley 
 
 449 
 
 C.   Wesley 
 
 724 
 
 C.   Wesley 
 
 503 
 
 C.   Wesley 
 
 487 
 
 a  Wesley 
 
 862 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 505 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 779 
 
 C.   Wesley 
 
 833 
 
 H.  F.  Lyte       ... 
 
 620 
 
 C.   Wesley 
 
 98 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 424 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 809 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 902 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 820 
 
 C.   Wesley 
 
 919 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 319 
 
 Dr.   Watts       ... 
 
 644 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 74 
 
 C.   Wesley 
 
 673 
 
 M.  Claudius    ... 
 
 988 
 
 Dr.  Punshon  ... 
 
 961 
 
 /.  Stone 
 
 794 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 186 
 
 C.   Wesley 
 
 20 
 
 Dr.  Watts 
 
 956 
 
 C.   Wesley 
 
 206 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 76 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 8 
 
 C.  Wesley 
 
 406 
 
622 
 
 NHI.X  'lO  'J  ill'.   JIVMNS. 
 
 FIK'.T    1,1  NK. 
 
 What  means  lliin  ea^cr,  anxi'nis  lliron^j 
 What  !  never  K|>eak  <mc  evil  word 
 What  now  is  my  ohjcct  and  aim     ... 
 Wliat  shall  1  do  rny  Ood  1(;  love    ... 
 What  sJiall  I  render  to  my  (iod 
 What  shall  we  offer  our  ^or>d  l/>ri\ 
 When  all  thy  mercies,  O  my  God  ... 
 When'f^atherinf^  chnids  ar(;und  I  view 
 When,  jjraciouH  Lord,  when  shall  it  he 
 When  I  survey  the  wondrous  cross 
 When  Israel  out  of  Kj^ypt  came     ... 
 When,  my  Saviour,  shall  I  be 
 When  our  hea^ls  arc  howed  with  woe 
 When  our  rcfleemin^  Lord  ... 
 When  rjuiet  in  my  house  I  sit 
 When  shall  fhy  love  constrain 
 When  thou  hast  dispf)sed  a  lieart  ... 
 When,  willi  wasting  sickness  worn 
 Where  shall  my  wondering  soul  begin 
 Where  shall  true  believers  go 
 Where  the  ancient  dragfjn  lay 
 Wherewith,  O  (jod,  shall  I  draw  near 
 W})ile  dead  in  trespasses  I  lie 
 While  lone  upon  the  furious  waves 
 Whither  shall  a  r,r<;alure  run 
 Who  can  describe  tlie  joys  that  rise 
 Who  can  wortliily  commend 
 Whf>  hath  slighted  f^r  contenmed    ... 
 Who  in  the  Lord  confide     ... 
 Who  is  tliis  gigantic  foe 
 Who  Jesus  f;ur  example  know 
 Whom  Jesu's  blood  dotli  sanctify  ... 
 Why  do  wc  mourn  departing  friends 
 Why  not  now,  my  (Jod,  my  ('/<><]    ... 
 Why  should  I  till  to-morrow  stay  ... 
 Why  should  the  children  of  a  King 
 Wisdom  ascribe,  and  might,  and  j^raise 
 With  l^roken  heart  and  contrite  sigh 
 With  glory  clad,  with  strength  arraycl 
 With  glorious  clouds  encompassed  r«;un' 
 Witli  joy  we  meditate  the  grace 
 Wf>e  is  me  !  what  tongue  can  tell   ... 
 Woe  to  the  men  on  earth  wlio  dwell 
 Worslii]),  and  thanku,  and  blessing 
 
 AtrnioK. 
 
 MVMN 
 
 Mi\  1  (Mfti/>l>ell 
 
 (")S 
 
 C.   IVrs/cy 
 
 .3^'3 
 
 C.   IVrs/ry 
 
 .37 » 
 
 C.    IVn/ry 
 
 .37« 
 
 C.   IVn/ry 
 
 614 
 
 (J.  S/unii'/nlier^ 
 
 492 
 
 /.  A.hlium      ... 
 
 ^>57 
 
 Sir  A'.  (J rant  ... 
 
 849 
 
 C.    IVn/ry 
 
 163 
 
 J)r.  IVaKs 
 
 700 
 
 C.   Wesley 
 
 223 
 
 C.   Wnlcy 
 
 .3«i 
 
 Dean  Miltnan 
 
 711 
 
 C.    IVn/ry 
 
 623 
 
 ('.    IVrshy 
 
 328 
 
 <:.   Wis  ley 
 
 1.37 
 
 C.   Wesley 
 
 876 
 
 J)r.   Wardlaw 
 
 672 
 
 C.   Wesley 
 
 30 
 
 C.    Wesley 
 
 941 
 
 C.    Wesley 
 
 349 
 
 C.   Wesley 
 
 127 
 
 C.   Wesley 
 
 136 
 
 J'l.  /'..  Jenkins 
 
 \(X)2 
 
 C.   Wesley 
 
 (>?,3 
 
 J)r.   Walls 
 
 S67 
 
 C.    Wesley 
 
 423 
 
 C.   Wesley 
 
 2>^Z 
 
 C.   Wesley 
 
 622 
 
 C.   Wesley 
 
 278 
 
 C.   Wesley 
 
 860 
 
 C.   Wesley 
 
 801 
 
 J)r.   Watts 
 
 929 
 
 C.    Wesley 
 
 149 
 
 C.    Wesley 
 
 782 
 
 Dr.   Watts       ... 
 
 7^>5 
 
 C.    Wesley 
 
 ()^i 
 
 C.  /•:ivrn 
 
 795 
 
 'J 'ale  and  Ilrady 
 
 6{xj 
 
 C.   Wesley 
 
 128 
 
 J)r.   Watts 
 
 725 
 
 a.  Wesley        ... 
 
 112 
 
 a  Wesley        ... 
 
 63 
 
 C.  Wesley       ... 
 
 276 
 
INDEX  TO  THE  HYMNS. 
 
 623 
 
 FIRST    1,1  NR. 
 
 Would  Jesus  have  the  sinner  die 
 Wretched,  helpless,  and  distrest     ... 
 
 Ye  faithful  souls,  who  Jesus  know  ... 
 
 Ye  humble  souls,  that  seek  the  Lord 
 
 Ye  neighbours,  and  friends  Of  Jesus  draw  near 
 
 Ye  ransomed  sinners,  hear  ... 
 
 Ye  servants  of  God,  Your  Master  proclaim 
 
 Ye  simple  souls  that  stray 
 
 Ye  thirsty  for  God,  To  Jesus  give  ear 
 
 Ye  virgin  souls,  arise 
 
 Ye  worms  of  earth,  arise 
 
 Yes,  from  this  instant  now,  I  will  ... 
 
 Yield  to  me  now,  for  I  am  weak     . . 
 
 You,  who  dwell  above  the  skies 
 
 Young  men  and  maidens,  raise 
 
 AUTHOR. 
 
 HYMN 
 
 C.   Wesley 
 
 33 
 
 C.   Wesley        ... 
 
 109 
 
 C.  Wesley       ... 
 
 420 
 
 Dr.  Doddridge 
 
 713 
 
 C.   Wesley        ... 
 
 40 
 
 C.  Wesley       ... 
 
 345 
 
 C.   Wesley 
 
 859 
 
 C.   Wesley 
 
 21 
 
 C.   Wesley        ... 
 
 10 
 
 C.   Wesley        ... 
 
 65 
 
 C.   Wesley       ... 
 
 983 
 
 C.  Wesley       ... 
 
 178 
 
 C.   Wesley       ... 
 
 141 
 
 G.  Sandys 
 
 639 
 
 C.  Wesley       ... 
 
 232 
 
3[nDer  to  Bamts. 
 
 TJie  fi^^iires  refer  to  the  Hymns. 
 
 38  Angelus,  John,  210,  737. 
 
 44  Asbury,  Rev.  Bishop. 
 
 2  America,  28,  44,  45,  143,  144, 
 
 202,  224,  295,  373,  608,  695, 
 
 699*  709,  747,  786,  790,  792, 
 
 798,  S45,  848,  866,  938,  94S, 
 
 974- 
 
 47  Aberdeen,  Girl  in. 
 
 70  Atkinson,  Mrs. 
 168  Actress,  Conversion  of  an. 
 184  Atkinson,  John. 
 201  Arnett,  Mrs. 
 206  Agar,  Rev.  Joseph. 
 209  Ash,  Mary  Elizabeth. 
 301  Austen,  Ann. 
 346  Allen,  Mrs.  (Shetland). 
 371  Agar,  Mrs.  (York). 
 391  Antinomianism,  Errors  of. 
 408  Anderson,  Rev.  John. 
 552  Addison,  Joseph,  657,  1002. 
 591  Agar,  Benjamin. 
 633  Arianism  checked. 
 660  Allan,  John. 
 709  "  Albert  the  Good,"  923. 
 709  African  Girl. 
 718  Ascension  Hymn. 
 725  Aikenhead,  Rev.  John. 
 737  Angelus,  John. 
 742  Arrive,  Mrs.  Elizabeth. 
 747  Andrew,  Bishop  J.  Osgood. 
 752  Ambrose,  Bishop  of  Milan. 
 800  Abraham,  The  God  of. 
 848  Adams,  Sarah  Fuller. 
 918  Atmore,  Rev.  Charles. 
 925  Allwood,  William. 
 966  Ambrose,  St. 
 968  Anatolius,  Bishop. 
 972  Abide  with  me. 
 624 
 
 973  Arnold,  Dr.  Thomas  K. 
 987  Alford,  Dean. 
 
 I  Bray,  Thomas,  30. 
 
 I  Bohler,  Peter,  30. 
 
 1  Bentley,  Peter,  Helmsley. 
 
 2  Boston  Methodism. 
 
 2  Baker,  Sarah,  Culmstock. 
 9  Bradburn,  Samuel,  327. 
 
 12  Bissaker,  Mrs. 
 
 12  Bramwell,  Rev.  William. 
 
 12  Bottomley,  George. 
 
 37  Baker,  Elizabeth. 
 
 37  Bingham,  Miss  Mary  Helen. 
 
 42  Bellamy,  Rev.  George. 
 
 44  Belcher,  Joseph. 
 
 55  Burdsall,   Richard,    198,    205, 
 327,  618. 
 
 59  Bridge,  Luke. 
 
 59  Brown,  Mrs  Ann. 
 
 68  Bumby,  Mrs. 
 
 76  Butler,  Vertue. 
 
 96  Barton,  Rev.  William. 
 115  Bradford,  Rev.  Joseph,  224. 
 125  Belamy,  Solomon. 
 128  Bagshaw,  Thomas. 
 140  Burrall,  Solomon. 
 143  Beecher,  Rev,  Dr.  Lyman. 
 143  Boutwill,  Herbert. 
 143  Benson,  Rev.  Joseph,  787,  91S. 
 147  Bailey,  John. 
 157  Bennett,  JMrs. 
 175  Barton,  Rev.  William. 
 189  Bickersteth,  Rev.  Edward. 
 202  Braden,  Richard  A. 
 202  Buckley,  Rev.  James. 
 202  Barnsley,  Ann, 
 205  Budgett,  Henry. 
 
INDEX  TO  NAMES. 
 
 625 
 
 213  Bickerton,  Sarah. 
 
 213  Batho,  Mrs. 
 
 213  Butterworth,  Joseph,  M.P. 
 
 227  Bush,  Mrs.  (Bath). 
 
 244  Broad,  Sarah. 
 
 246  Barrett,  Mrs.  (Hull). 
 
 246  Bird,  Mrs. 
 
 285  Bourignon,  Antonia. 
 
 285  Byrom,  Dr.  John,  691. 
 
 316  Beaumont,  Rev.  Dr.  Joseph. 
 
 329  Barritt,  Mrs.  Mary. 
 
 335  Biddulph,  Sampson. 
 
 335  Bealey,  Mrs.  Richard. 
 
 336  Bailey,  Mary. 
 338  Bramwell,  John. 
 340  Blackmore,  Richard. 
 367  Blackett,  Rev.  James. 
 
 367  Brackenbury,    Robert     Carr, 
 
 380,  759,  918. 
 386  Benson,  Mrs.  Sarah. 
 386  Bunting,  Rev.  Dr.,  272,  510, 
 
 909. 
 389  Bond,  James. 
 434  Ballah,  Rebecca. 
 497  Beacham,  Francis. 
 499  Buttle,  Richard  (Hull). 
 537  Bywater,  Mrs. 
 540  Brady,  Nicholas. 
 588  Bathurst,  Rev.  Wm.  Hiley. 
 608  Bannister,  Rev.  Dr.  Henry. 
 631  Baker,  Rev.  Sir  Henry  L. 
 679  Bernard  of  Clairvaux. 
 691  Byrom,  Dr.  John,  285. 
 
 708  Brevint,  Dr.,  709,  902. 
 
 709  Beynon,  Mary. 
 
 722  Bakewell,  John,  800. 
 
 740  Bruce,  Michael. 
 
 768  Bunting,    Rev.  Wm.  M.,   770, 
 
 799,817,891,892,  909,  951. 
 786  Benson,  Walker  B. 
 798  Belfast  Factory  Girls. 
 800  Booth,  Mrs.  (Huddersfield). 
 831   Bradnack,  Rev.  Isaac. 
 837  Bonar,  Rev.  Dr.  Horatius,  857, 
 
 984. 
 
 850  Borthwick,  Jane. 
 
 912  Browne,  Hugh. 
 
 912  Balls,  William. 
 
 918  Burgess,  Mrs. 
 
 920  Baxter,  Rev.  Richard, 
 
 939  Baker,  Francis,  priest. 
 
 941  Buckley,  Francis. 
 
 943  Bernard,  St.,  of  Cluny. 
 
 947  Budgett,  Samuel. 
 
 947  Banks,  Mr.  Baker. 
 
 947  Batty,  Elizabeth. 
 
 949  Bateson,  Thomas. 
 
 949  Buzacott,  Rev.  Aaron. 
 
 963  Bridgehouse  Chapel,  Sheffield. 
 
 986  Bullock,  Rev.  William. 
 
 989  Bulmer,  Mrs.  Agnes. 
 
 I  Cargill,  Margaret. 
 
 I  Clarkson,  Mrs.  James. 
 12  Calvin,  Bartholomew. 
 22  City  Road  Chapel,  loi,  231, 
 343,  373,503,800,913,989. 
 22  Community,  503,  995. 
 34  Carvosso,  Alice. 
 37  Collier,  Mrs. 
 
 59  Clarke,   Dr.  Adam,  81,   143, 
 334,  464,  586,  809,  989. 
 
 69  Cocker,  Anna. 
 
 70  Cowley,  George. 
 74  Chapman,  Robert. 
 
 91   Cordeux,  Hannah,  333. 
 94  Candler,  Ann. 
 147  Carter,  Thomas. 
 202  Collinson,  James. 
 202  Cranswick,  Rev.  Matthew. 
 205  Chapman,  Christopher. 
 
 209  Coley,  Rev.  Samuel. 
 
 210  Cobden,  Richard,  M.P. 
 272  Cornish  Fishermen. 
 
 312  Coke,  Rev.  Dr.,  404,  494, 918. 
 329  Creamer,  David. 
 333  Cordeux,  Mrs. 
 337  Calvert,  Elizabeth. 
 343  Corderoy,  Mrs.  (Lambeth). 
 373  Chappel,  Benjamin. 
 2  R 
 
626 
 
 INDEX  TO  NAMES. 
 
 403  Charles,  Emma  Ann. 
 
 415  Cowper,  William,    667,    798, 
 
 804,  84 5. 
 482  Caws,  Mrs. 
 494  Clough,  Rev.  Benjamin. 
 494  Caudle,  W. 
 501  Copland,  Charles. 
 537  Clendinnen,  Rev.  John  C. 
 580  Churton,  Rev.  Dr.  Edward. 
 586  Clarke,  Dr.  Adam. 
 657  Crowther,  Rev.  Jonathan. 
 650  Caborn,  James. 
 678  Corderoy,  Hannah  Sophia. 
 678  Croggon,  Rev.  Walter  Oke. 
 
 682  Cennick,  Rev.  John.      [Book. 
 
 683  Christmas    Hymn   in    Prayer 
 691  Christmas  Carol. 
 
 695  Campbell,  Miss  (New  Jersey). 
 
 700  Cramp,  J. 
 
 703  Cassell,  John  Henry. 
 
 709  Cotterill,  Rev.  Thomas,  907. 
 
 722  Creighton,  Rev.  James. 
 
 723  Curnock,  Rev.  Nehemiah. 
 743  Coxe,  Rev.  Dr.  Arthur  C. 
 
 751  Cosin,  Rev.  Dr.  John. 
 
 752  Charlemagne's  Hymn. 
 
 753  Capet,  Robert  (King). 
 
 760  Cornish  Revival  Experience. 
 765  Chesterfield,  J.  Wesley's  Visit  to 
 790  Codner,  Mrs.  Elizabeth. 
 792  Collycr,  Rev.  Dr.  Bengo',  932, 
 821   Conder,  Josiah.  [995. 
 
 831  Chadwick,  Mrs.  (Halifax). 
 831  Church  of  England  Service. 
 895  Cox,  Miss  (translator). 
 909  Covenant  Hymn  (W.M.B.). 
 931  Crossman,  Rev.  Samuel,  942. 
 933  Celano,  Thomas  of. 
 948  Cooke,  Rev.  Corbett. 
 957  Clough,  Rev.  Benjamin. 
 966  Chandler,  Rev.  John,  991. 
 988  Claudius,  Matthias. 
 988  Campbell,  Miss  J.  M. 
 
 I  Day  of  Pentecost. 
 
 I  Day,  Mary  (London). 
 
 I   Dawson,  William,  147,  831. 
 
 12  Docking,  John. 
 
 22  Davis,  Rev.  Owen. 
 
 29  Dalby,  Matilda. 
 
 57  Deliverance  from  Death. 
 
 70  Daniell,  Bridget. 
 
 76  Dewhurst,  Sarah. 
 103  Damocles,  Story  of. 
 133  Dessler,  W.  C,  851. 
 157  Dunn,  Mrs.  Ann. 
 168  Dowsett,  Elizabeth. 
 198  Dickenson,  Margaret. 
 201  Dove,  Christopher. 
 
 201  Davis,  Mrs.  Charles. 
 
 202  Dracott,  George. 
 205  Douglas,  Mrs.  Agnes. 
 
 213  Dewhurst,  John. 
 
 214  Decker,  Rev.  G.  H. 
 273  Deane,  Elizabeth. 
 333  Dove,  Rev.  Thomas. 
 346  Dowling,  Rev.  William. 
 346  Dalby,  Frances. 
 
 350  Dober,  Anna. 
 
 373  Dickenson,  Eleanor. 
 
 482  Day,  Mrs.  Jane. 
 
 500  Day,  Mrs.  Isabella. 
 
 537  Drew,  Stephen. 
 
 608  Dempster,  Rev.  Dr. 
 
 656  Davies,  Rev.  Samuel. 
 
 671  Doane,  Dr.  G.  Washington. 
 
 703  Dying  Jewess. 
 
 707  Derby,  Lord. 
 
 709  Drummer  Boy. 
 
 709  Draper,  Rev.  Daniel  J. 
 
 742  Dale,  Mrs.  (Watchett). 
 
 752  Diyden,  John,  647. 
 
 831  Dobry,  the  German  Peasant. 
 
 831  Duke  Christian's  Letter. 
 
 831   Dawson,  William,  963. 
 
 938  Donelson,  Rev.  Dr.  Park  L. 
 
 956  Dixon,  John. 
 
 959  Doddridge,  Dr.  P.,  658,  664, 
 
 713,764,868,889,912,978, 
 
 997. 
 
INDEX  TO  NAMES. 
 
 627 
 
 963  Downes,  Phillis. 
 963  Doxology  in  Nature. 
 
 22  Epworth  Rectory  Burnt. 
 26  Entwisle,  Rev.  William. 
 37  Elliott,  Robert. 
 63  Earthquake  Hymn. 
 
 66  Edwards,  Sarah. 
 
 223  Everett,     Rev.     James,     cor- 
 rected. 
 261  Ellis,  Rev.  R.  Staunton. 
 316  Early,  John. 
 329  Elam,  Rev.  John. 
 700  Evans,  Mrs.  (Crich). 
 709  Edgar,  Rev.  David. 
 716  Easter  Hymn. 
 
 795  Elven,  Cornelius. 
 
 796  Elliott,  Charlotte. 
 839  Evans,  Christmas. 
 845  Entvi^isle,  Rev.  Joseph. 
 863  Ellerton,  Rev.  John. 
 944  Everett,  Rev.  James,  223. 
 948  Entwisle,  Mrs.  Joseph. 
 
 I  Fletcher,  Mary,  68,   371,  373, 
 
 391. 
 16  Fletcher,  Rev.  John,  47,  343, 
 
 372,  385,  386,  499,  725. 
 45  Fox,  Mrs.  W.  B. 
 47  Fletcher,  John,  and  the  Young 
 
 Ladies. 
 61  Fast-Day  Hymn. 
 
 67  Foundry,  50,  140,  224. 
 74  Fernley,  J.  D. 
 
 127  Fisher,  Rev.  John. 
 
 143  Finney,  President. 
 
 217  Fernley,  Mrs.  Maria. 
 
 220  Fowler,  George. 
 
 269  Fox,  Rev.  William. 
 
 353  Freylinghausen,  J.  A. 
 
 385  Fletcher,  Rev.  John. 
 
 386  Fletcher  and  Berridge. 
 498  Fison,  Mrs.  M.  M. 
 
 540  Fish,  Rev.  Henry,  M.A.,614. 
 700  Father  Ignatius. 
 
 800  Fishwick,  William. 
 839  Fletcher,  Ann  Grime. 
 944  For  Ever  with  the  Lord. 
 1008  Fawcett,  Rev.  Dr.  John. 
 
 I  Green,  Mrs.  Southport. 
 
 22  Good  Friday  Hymn. 
 
 23  Gerhardt,  Paul,  373,  831. 
 26  Goodacre,  William. 
 
 loi  Gabriel,  Mrs.  Thomas. 
 
 112  Good  Samaritan. 
 
 156  Gardner,  Mrs. 
 
 168  Glass,  Mrs. 
 
 190  German  Sunday  Scholar. 
 
 201  Gardner,  Mary  Ann. 
 
 205  Gibson,  George. 
 
 219  Gwennap  Pit. 
 
 243  Grace  before  Meat. 
 
 272  Gaulter,  Mrs. 
 
 337  Garrett,  Rev.  Philip. 
 
 373  Griffith,  Rev.  Walter. 
 
 434  Gladwin,  Georgiana. 
 
 534  Gough,  John  B. 
 
 585  George,  King  of  Fiji. 
 
 611  Grant,  Sir  Robert. 
 
 614  Great  Hallel  Hymn. 
 
 618  Gill,  Hugh. 
 
 658  Gill,  Miss  Jane. 
 
 663  Godescalcus. 
 
 700  George  Eliot  (Mrs.  Cross). 
 
 709  Gladstone,  W.  E.,  M.P. 
 
 742  Guernsey  Methodism. 
 
 747  ^'Greenland's  Icy  Mountains. 
 
 798  Good,  Dr.  John  Mason. 
 
 800  Geake,  Elizabeth. 
 
 831  Gerhardt's  Faith  Rewarded. 
 
 844  Green,  Thomas. 
 
 866  Gough,  Sophy  (Baltimore). 
 
 918  Gillings,  Mrs.  Elizabeth. 
 
 918  Garland,  Mary. 
 
 918  Gibbs,  Sarah. 
 
 948  Gilbert,  Elias,  NeW  Haven. 
 
 709  Gospel  Magazine,  1008. 
 
 12  Hazlehurst,  Thomas. 
 
628 
 
 INDEX  TO  NAMES. 
 
 12  Hope,  Samuel, 
 
 24  Herbert,  Rev.  George. 
 
 37  Hulse,  Helen. 
 
 47  Holy,  Mrs.  T. 
 
 47  Hobkinson,  Mrs. 
 
 47  Hayden,  Richard. 
 
 48  Henry,  Rev.  Matthew,  250. 
 
 49  Hall,  Martha. 
 
 49  Hindson,  William. 
 52  Hutchins,  Samuel. 
 
 65  Hick,  Samuel  (Blacksmith). 
 
 66  Howes,  Mrs.  S.  C. 
 68  Horton,  Mrs. 
 
 68  Hall,  Mrs.  Sarah. 
 
 68  Hamilton,  Rev.  William. 
 
 70  Henley,  Mrs. 
 
 70  Hodgson,  Mrs.  Ann. 
 
 74  Hunter,  James. 
 
 76  Holden,  Sarah. 
 
 95  Harper,  John. 
 140  Hare,  Rev.  Edward. 
 143  Home,  Rev.  Thomas  H. 
 157  Hardy,  Mrs.  Ann. 
 189  Haigh,  Rev.  John. 
 
 201  Hobill,  George. 
 
 202  Hiskins,  William. 
 205  Hawkes worth,  J.  P. 
 209  Harkness,  Sarah. 
 
 227  Hunter,  Mrs.  (Barton). 
 
 229  Hardy,  Mary. 
 
 243  Hardcastle,  C.  D. 
 
 246  Henwood,  Mrs. 
 
 272  Hoby,  James  (London). 
 
 272  Hincksman,  Mrs. 
 
 276  Honest  Munchin. 
 
 312  Hill,  Mrs.  Sarah. 
 
 327  Hill,  Eliza  (York). 
 
 343  Haigh,  John. 
 
 405  Hay,  Mrs.  (Louth). 
 
 421   Hall,  Mrs.  Agnes. 
 
 426  Hulme,  Rev.  Charles. 
 
 434  Horrill,  John. 
 
 499  Holland,  Miss  Nancy. 
 
 526  Hardy,  Richard. 
 
 537  Hansford,  Job. 
 
 566  Hare,  Archdeacon. 
 
 577  Harvest  Festival  Hymn. 
 
 618  Haldom,  Sarah. 
 
 646  Ileber,  Bishop  Reginald. 
 
 660  Hart,  Rev.  Joseph,  791. 
 
 675  Holmes,  Thomas. 
 
 678  Harrison,  Susanna. 
 
 700  Hickling,  Mrs.  John. 
 
 703  Hirst,  Mrs.  Harriet. 
 
 707  Halton,  Mr.  (Birmingham). 
 
 722  Hail,  Galilean  King. 
 
 739  Hannah,  Rev.  Dr.  John. 
 
 7S6  Hope,  Professor  (Princeton). 
 
 786  Hamilton,  Dr.  James. 
 
 792  Hastings,  Thomas. 
 
 798  Harris,  Catherine. 
 
 846  Hervey,  Rev.  James. 
 
 847  Plolcombe,  Lieut. -Colonel. 
 866  Huntingdon,  Lady. 
 
 923  Hermann,  Nicholas. 
 935  Hinchsliffe,  Joseph. 
 935  Harvest  Hymn. 
 947  Heston,  Rev.  George  Prior. 
 959  Hamer,  Ann. 
 959  Heaven,  A  Description  of. 
 963  Hudson,  Elizabeth  (Hitchin). 
 1007  Hawker,  Rev.  Robert. 
 
 5  Ince,  Mrs.  Ellen. 
 26  Isett,  James. 
 163  Isaac,  Mary. 
 295  Ivamy,  George. 
 920  Ingle,  Rev.  S. 
 933  Irons,  Rev.  Dr.  Wm.  Joseph. 
 
 12  Jackson,  Elizabeth. 
 
 22  Jobson,  Mrs.,  950. 
 
 24  Jackson,  Rev.  Thos.,  43,  48* 
 
 140,  439.  918. 
 34  Jeffs,  Mary. 
 39  Johnson,  John. 
 41  Jenkins,  Rev.  John. 
 45  Jones,  John. 
 71  Jottie,  John. 
 125  Jones,  Sarah. 
 
INDEX  TO  NAMES. 
 
 631 
 
 201  Obee,  Mrs.  Sarah. 
 
 336  Osborn,  George. 
 
 353  Orphan  House  at  Halle. 
 
 456  Osborn,  Rev.  Dr.  George. 
 
 545  Osier,  Edward. 
 
 594  Olney  Hymns. 
 
 751   Ordination  Hymn. 
 
 800  Olivers,  Rev.  Thomas. 
 
 912  Olive,  Elizabeth. 
 
 918  Odgers,  Mrs.  Mary. 
 
 963  Oakes,  Letitia. 
 
 974  Old  Hannah. 
 
 I  Perthes,  Madam. 
 
 12  Perronet,  Rev.  Vincent. 
 
 12  Perronet,  Rev.  Charles. 
 
 12  Parnell,  Mr. 
 
 18  Pearse,  Thomas. 
 
 24  Pembroke,  Earls  of. 
 
 26  Pritchard,  Mary. 
 
 37  Peck,  Rev.  Wilham  Rowland. 
 
 44  Paine,  Priscella. 
 
 52  Parkin,  William. 
 
 66  Pemberton,  Rev.  William. 
 
 68  Pilgrim's  Hymn. 
 
 71  Pratt,  Rev.  J.  C. 
 
 74  Pearson,  Thomas. 
 
 84  Portland,  The  Isle  of. 
 205  Proctor,  Bryan. 
 205  Pawson,  Rev.  John,  373. 
 
 213  Pawson,  Ttiomas. 
 
 214  Payson,  Rev.  Dr. 
 214  Pool,  Ann. 
 
 328  Potter,  Samuel. 
 
 367  Pennington,  Ann. 
 
 384  Pape,  Isaac. 
 
 404  Pearse,  Robert. 
 
 415  Pearson,  Sarah. 
 
 433  PoUok's  "  Course  of  Time." 
 
 499  Palmer,  Thomas. 
 
 542  "  Poetical  Version"  explained. 
 
 542  "  Poetical  Works  "  explained. 
 
 596  Prior,  Matthew. 
 
 638  Pearson,  John  Mowbray. 
 
 658  Poles,  Mrs.  (Rotherham). 
 
 679  Pratt,  Thomas. 
 
 681  Perronet,  Rev.  Edward. 
 
 683  Prayer  Book  Hymn. 
 
 709  Prince  Consort. 
 
 709  Pomeroy,  Dr. 
 
 725  Perronet  and  Fletcher. 
 
 763  Public  House  Conversion. 
 
 793  Potts,  Richard  B. 
 
 800  Pattison,  Rev.  Richard. 
 
 823  Prayer  Described,  865. 
 
 845  Providence  Hymn. 
 
 343  Pilm.ore,  Rev.  J.,  343/373.  9i8. 
 
 848  Pratt,  Caleb  C.  (America). 
 
 938  Promised  Land,  The. 
 
 940  Pike,  William. 
 
 948  Prescott,  Mary. 
 
 948  Post,  Mr.  Charles. 
 
 957  Punshon,  Dr.  W.  M.,  961. 
 
 974  Paine,  Bishop  Robert. 
 
 742  Quetteville,  Rev.  John  de. 
 923  Queen  Victoria,  932. 
 
 12  Rothesay  Castle  Steamer. 
 15  Ross,  Thomas. 
 22  Rhodes,  Rev.  Benjamin. 
 37  Ranson,  Rev.  Henry,  135. 
 37  Robarts,  Rev.  Richard. 
 37  Rushforth,  Rev.  Th.  C. 
 69  Roach,  William. 
 115  Ritchie,  Miss   Elizabeth,  224, 
 
 371- 
 135  Ranson,  Rev.  Henry. 
 168  Ravenscroft,  Ralph. 
 189  Rothe,  John  A. 
 198  Roberts,  Ann. 
 205  Robinson,  William, 
 205  Rogers,  Hester  Ann. 
 209  Reynolds,  Mary. 
 231  Rankin,  Rev.  Thomas. 
 243  Ramsgate  Methodists. 
 263  Rolstone,  George. 
 335  Rowe,  George. 
 338  Richter,  C.  F. 
 346  Reynolds,  Rev,  John. 
 360  Riles,  Mrs.  John. 
 
632 
 
 INDEX  TO  NAMES. 
 
 3S5  Rowbotham,  Mrs. 
 404  Rhodes,  Sarah. 
 406  Rowbotham,  Sarah. 
 436  Ripley,  John  (Leeds). 
 4S2  Richmond,  Rev.  Legh. 
 501   Ridgway,  John. 
 556  Rous,  Francis. 
 606  Rawson,  George. 
 613  Russell,  Rev.  Arthur  Tozer. 
 722  Rutherford,  Rev.  Thomas. 
 731   Rhodes,  Rev.  Benjamin. 
 753  Robert  II.,  King  of  Prance. 
 771   Reed,  Rev.  Dr.  Andrew. 
 7S6  Robinson,  Rev.  William. 
 786  Rowe,  Mrs.  Mary  Elizabeth. 
 796  Rescue  of  a   Fallen    Roman 
 
 Catholic. 
 S09  Road,  Revival  at. 
 831  Ridley,  Henry. 
 839  Rennard,  Elizabeth  Amelia. 
 853  Robinson,  Archdeacon. 
 866  Robinson,  Robert. 
 898  **  Real  Presence  "  Denied. 
 898  Rigg,  Rev.  Dr.  J.  H. 
 918  Raston,  Mrs.  Thomas. 
 932  Ringwaldt,  Bartholemew. 
 938  Reid,  Miss  Harriet. 
 949  Redruth,  A  Funeral  at. 
 995  Raffles,  Rev.  Dr.  Thomas. 
 
 2  Studley,  Dr.  W. 
 12  Smith,  Dr.  Gervase,  34. 
 28  Summers,  Rev.  Dr.  T.  O.,  45. 
 33  Smith,  Thomas. 
 33  Stokoe,  James. 
 38  Shipman,  Marian. 
 65  Scott,  Margaret. 
 
 67  Sims,  Mrs.  Elizabeth. 
 
 68  Stevenson,  John  G. 
 
 69  Swindelly,  Hannah. 
 73  Smith,  Martha. 
 
 103  Stennett,  Rev.  Joseph. 
 129  Sargent,  George. 
 132  Southey's  Life  of  Wesley. 
 138  SeUers,  Rev.  Samuel. 
 
 143  .Sunday-School  Party. 
 143  Stowc,  Harriet  Beccher. 
 157  SutclilTe,  J.  Clarkson. 
 160  Smith,  Dr.  George. 
 163  "  Samson  Agonistes." 
 190  Smetham,  James. 
 
 201  Stocks,  Mrs.  Joseph. 
 
 202  Strawe,  Rev.  John. 
 202  Stretlinius,  Samuel. 
 205  Shepherd,  Mrs.  Kezia. 
 
 205  Satterl^y,  Samuel. 
 
 206  Shrewsbury,  Rev,  J.  W. 
 224  Shadford,  Rev.  George. 
 227  Scholes,  Samuel. 
 
 340  Spanton,  Robert. 
 
 344  Southey,  Dr.,  corrected. 
 
 367  Shaw,  Ann. 
 
 386  Scott,  James. 
 
 391  Sanctification  set  Forth. 
 
 421  Smith,  Mrs.  Joseph. 
 
 426  Spence,  Robert. 
 
 429  Scriptural    character    of    the 
 
 Hymns. 
 437  Spanish  Hymn. 
 437  Stockdale,  Elizabeth. 
 492  Spangenberg,  A.  G. 
 498  Spencer,  Mrs.  (Slaidburn). 
 498  Smedley,  Matilda. 
 501  Simpson,  Samuel. 
 541  Sandys,  George. 
 551   Sternhold,  Thomas,  566. 
 564  Steele,  Anne,  843,  880,  955. 
 595  Spitta,  Charles  J.  P.,  967. 
 607  Stevenson,  Charles  John. 
 615  Severs,  John. 
 657  Spectator^  Hymn  from  the. 
 657  Stephens,  William. 
 678  Sailor's  Hymn,  A. 
 680  Sing,  Rev.  Thomas,  Canon. 
 698  Stanley,  Dean. 
 703  Surr,  Betsy. 
 703  Squires,  Mary  Ann. 
 709  Stuart,  General. 
 716  "See  the  Conquering  Hero." 
 Tyj  Scheffler,  John,  39,  210. 
 
INDEX  TO  NAMES. 
 
 633 
 
 739  Sheffield    Sunday-School 
 
 Hymn. 
 786  Spence,  Mrs.  Robert  (York). 
 790  Sceptical  Singing  Leader. 
 
 790  Stuart,  Rev.  William  E. 
 
 791  Scott,  Rev.  Thomas. 
 
 793  Stephen  of  St.  Sabas. 
 
 794  Stone,  Rev.  Samuel  John. 
 798  Smith,  Thomas  (Bristol) 
 800  Smart,  Rev.  John. 
 
 800  Simpson,  Joseph. 
 800  Smith,  Mrs.  Mary. 
 
 824  Spurgeon,  Pastor  C.  H,  795. 
 
 825  Stowell,  Rev.  Hugh. 
 
 839  Sedgwick,  Daniel,  843,  921. 
 845  Smith,  Dr.  W.  A.,  of  Virginia. 
 847  Southey,  Dr.  Robert. 
 869  Sauteul,  Jean  Baptiste. 
 895  Schmolke,  Benjamin. 
 903  Slater,  Mrs.  (Sheffield). 
 920  Sellon,  Rev.  Walter. 
 
 920  Sunday-School  Excursion. 
 
 921  Smith,  Mrs.  (Inverness). 
 934  Scott,  Sir  Walter. 
 
 938  Southampton  Water. 
 938  Stennett,  Rev.  Dr.  Samuel. 
 938  Stanley,  Mrs.  Thomas. 
 940  Sanderson,  Ann. 
 
 947  Spencer,  Susanna. 
 
 948  Stevens,  Mrs.  John. 
 948  Snowden,  Sarah. 
 
 974  Southwold,  Elizabeth. 
 1004  Sailor's  Hymn,  A. 
 1007  Shirley,  Rev.  Walter. 
 1007  Smyth,  Rev.  Edward. 
 
 I  Turner,  Mrs. 
 
 I  Treffit,  Anthony  (Stillingfleet). 
 
 I  Turner,  Rev.  Nathaniel,  227, 
 12  Topham,  Mrs.  [421. 
 
 26  Tasker,  John  (Skipton). 
 29  Thorley,  Joshua. 
 34  Thompson,  William. 
 34  Topham,  Miss. 
 37  Thompson,  Rev.  Thomas. 
 
 41  Thomason,  Rev.  Thomas  T. 
 
 59  Taylor,  Rev.  Thomas. 
 115  Tyrer,  John. 
 156  Toplady,    Rev.    A.    M.,   531, 
 
 709,  921. 
 198  Toase,  Elizabeth,  963, 
 202  Thorneloe,  Mary  H. 
 202  Turner,  Rev.  G.  T. 
 227  Turner,  Rev.  Nathaniel. 
 250  Thompson,  Thomas  (Bromp- 
 
 ton). 
 269  Treffiry,  Charles. 
 289  Taylor,  Rev.  Joseph. 
 328  Taylor,  Ann  Hill. 
 344  Tersteegen,  Gerhardt,  494. 
 421  Turner,  Rev.  Nathaniel. 
 428  Thomas,  Sally. 
 540  Tate,  Nahum. 
 647  Te  Deum  Paraphrased. 
 699  Thurlow,  Lancelot. 
 709  Toplady,  Rev.  A.  M. 
 709  Tyng,  Rev.  Dudley. 
 845  Townsend,  Thomas. 
 938  Tackeberry,  Fossey. 
 948  Trewavis,  Richard. 
 969  Twells,  Rev.  Henry. 
 1002  Traveller's  Hymn,  The. 
 
 848  Unitarian  Hymns,  870. 
 
 37  Vookes,  Robert. 
 143  Virginian  Infidel  Converted. 
 189  Volmerstein,  Count. 
 213  Vasey,  Sarah. 
 421  Vasey,  Margaret. 
 699  Vandever,  Jane. 
 923  Victoria  our  Queen,  932. 
 947  Vevers,  Rev.  William. 
 957  Vickers,  Miss. 
 
 12  West,  Dr.  Samuel's,  Church. 
 12  Ward,  Rev.  Valentine. 
 
 21  Whitehead,  Dr.  John,  918. 
 
 22  Wesley,  Rev.  Samuel,  Rector, 
 
 614. 
 22  Wight,  H.  (Plymouth). 
 
634 
 
 INDEX  TO  NAMES. 
 
 26  Walton,  William. 
 34  Wyvill,  Paulina. 
 38  Ward,  Benjamin. 
 44  Whitewood,  Thomas. 
 46  Wesley,    Rev.    Samuel,  Jun., 
 642,  665,  750. 
 
 49  Woolmer,  N.  F. 
 
 50  Wesley,  Susanna,  76. 
 
 51  Wayte,  Rev.  James  H. 
 
 67  Whitefield,  Rev.  George,  800, 
 
 846,  866,  1008. 
 
 68  Wilson,  Rev.  Maximilian 
 73  Wood,  Rev.  James. 
 
 97  Wood,  Mary. 
 115  Wesley,  Miss  Sarah. 
 115  Wolff,  George  (Balham). 
 135  Wrightson,  Francis. 
 140  Wrestling  Jacob. 
 143  Wilson,  Thomas. 
 200  Watson,  Stephen. 
 202  WTiite,  Theophilus. 
 205  Walker,  Richard. 
 205  Waterhouse,  Mrs.  Jane  B. 
 224  Woolmer,  Rev.  Samuel. 
 228  Wilson,  Mrs.  (Waterford). 
 263  Wright,  Eliza. 
 279  Winkler,  John  Joseph. 
 279  Winkworth,  Miss. 
 287  Wilson,  Mrs. 
 
 327  Wesley's  (John),  Experience. 
 
 328  Whisker,  Robert. 
 330  Webster,  John. 
 360  W^edgwood,  Fanny. 
 
 384  Warters,  John. 
 
 385  West,  Mrs.  Elizabeth. 
 388  Workman,  ISIrs.  Catherine. 
 407  Witty,  Mrs.  (Hull). 
 
 482  Wade,  Richard. 
 503  Wilkinson,  John. 
 537  Ward,  Michael. 
 537  Worth,  Mrs.  Mary. 
 
 553  Watts,  Dr.  Isaac,  940. 
 
 659  Walkington,  Mrs.  Ann. 
 
 660  West,  Rev.  Daniel. 
 
 672  Wardlaw,  Rev.  Dr.  Ralph. 
 
 698  Westminster  Abbey, 
 
 707  Walker,  Ilolroyd. 
 
 709  Wardlaw,  Jane. 
 
 720  Wordsworth,  Bishop,'958. 
 
 742  Whittingham,  Charlotte. 
 
 753  Winkworth,    Miss  Catherine, 
 
 279,  851,  856. 
 786  Watson,  Rev.  Richard,  800. 
 798  Wheeler,  Colonel  S. 
 800  Worth,  Rev.  William. 
 800  Watson,  Rev.  Richard,  786. 
 839  Williams,  Rev.  William. 
 842  Waring,  Ann  Letitia. 
 847  White,  Henry  Kirke. 
 866  ^\^litridge,  Rev.  John. 
 869  Williams,  Rev.  Isaac. 
 918  Wesley,  Rev.  Chas.,  Memoir. 
 918  Wood,  James  (Manchester). 
 918  Wightman,  Mrs. 
 920  Wiseman,  Rev.  Luke  H. 
 935  Walker,  Hannah. 
 
 937  Wright,  Mrs.  Hetty  (Wesley). 
 
 938  Wight,  Isle  of. 
 
 938  Wilson,  Rev.  Joseph. 
 948  West,  Mrs.  Mary  F. 
 956  Watson,  John. 
 963  West,  John  (Banwell). 
 980  Weighed  in  the  Balance. 
 995  Wedding  Hymn. 
 1004  W^hiting,  William. 
 
 244  Young,  Ann. 
 
 260  Young,  Dr.  Edward,  262,  323. 
 
 333  Young,  Ann  and  Isabella. 
 
 26  Zinzendorf,  Count,   190,  339, 
 492,  655. 
 
WORKS  BY  THE  SAME  AUTHOR. 
 
 Detny  8vo^  ^62  pages ,  cloth^  lettered^  12s.  j  Morocco^  i6s.. 
 with  Group  of  i^  Portraits. 
 
 MEMORIALS  OF  THE  WESLEY  FAMILY: 
 
 INCLUDING 
 
 BIOGRAPHICAL  AND  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES  OF  ALL 
 
 THE  MEMBERS  OF  THE  FAMILY  FOR  TWO 
 
 HUNDRED  AND  FIFTY  YEARS  ; 
 
 TOGETHER   WITH   A 
 
 GENEALOGICAL  TABLE  OF  THE  WESLEYS,  WITH 
 
 HISTORICAL  NOTES,  FOR  MORE  THAN 
 
 NINE  HUNDRED  YEARS. 
 
 By  GEORGE  J.  STEVENSON,  A.M., 
 
 Author  of^'  The  Methodist  Hymn  Book  and  its  Associations,^^  ^c. 
 
 NOTICES  OF  THE  PRESS. 
 
 "  Another  large  book  about  the  Wesleys  !  Yes ;  and  a 
 very  valuable  and  interesting  contribution  to  Methodist 
 literature  it  is.  The  pedigree  of  the  family  imparts  a  high 
 interest  to  the  volume." —  Wesley  an  Methodist  Magazine. 
 
 "  Mr.  Stevenson's  book  is  really  wonderfully  interesting. 
 He  must  have  taken  remarkable  pains  to  produce  such  a 
 volume,  and  he  deserves  to  be  rewarded  by  a  large  sale. 
 This  work  is  an  important  historical  document,  and  should 
 be  placed  in  all  complete  libraries." — C.  H.  Spurgeon  in 
 Sword  and  Trowel, 
 
 "  These  '  Memorials '  are  a  storehouse  of  information, 
 trustworthy  and  fresh.  No  one  can  study  these  pages 
 without  gaining  a  clear  conception  of  the  personality  of  those 
 who  formed  the  Wesley  Family." — City  Road  Magazine. 
 
 N.B. — A  Copy  of  the  above  Work  will  be  sent  by  the 
 Author  post  free  for  8s. 
 
 ADDRESS— Mr.  Stevenson,  Lanrick  Lodge,  Gore  Road, 
 South  Hackney,  London,  E. 
 
 LONDON  :  S.  W.  PARTRIDGE  &  CO.,  9  Paternoster  Row. 
 
///  one  large  Vol,  demy  Si'o,  624 pages,  12s.      With  Portraits 
 and  Engravings. 
 
 CITY  ROAD  CHAPEL, 
 
 LONDON, 
 
 AND    ITS    ASSOCIATIONS, 
 
 HISTORICAL,  BIOGRAPHICAL,  AND  MEMORIAL. 
 
 By  GEORGE  JOHN  STEVENSON,  M.A. 
 
 This  work  contains  a  History  of  the  Old  Foundry,  the 
 home  of  Methodism  for  nearly  forty  years.  Also  a  complete 
 History  of  the  New  Chapel,  with  notices  of  the  chief 
 Sermons  preached  there,  the  Conferences  held  there,  with 
 an  Account  of  the  Book  Room,  the  Editors  and  Book 
 Stewards.  It  includes  also  copies  of  all  the  Inscriptions  in 
 the  Chapel  and  Grave-yard.  With  Biographical  Sketches 
 of  all  the  Principal  Persons  interred  there. 
 
 PRESS  NOTICES. 
 
 "  To  London  Methodists  this  book  will  be  very  fascinat- 
 ing. Among  the  whole  Methodist  family  it  will  become  a 
 household  book." —  IVate/iman. 
 
 "  An  interesting  Memorial  of  a  most  interesting  place.  It 
 is  enriched  by  the  biography  of  many  of  the  saintly  early 
 Methodists. " — Methodist  Family. 
 
 "A  book  of  historical  interest  to  all  Methodists." — 
 Primitive  Alethodist. 
 
 N.B. — A  Copy  of  the  above  Work  wiil  be  sent  post  free  by 
 the  Author  for  8s. 
 
 ADDRESS — Mr.  Stevenson,  Lanrick  Lodge,  Gore  Road, 
 South  Hackney,  London,  E. 
 
Demy  8vo^  cloth,  lettered,  paper,  is.,  cloth,  2s.,  with  Portraits 
 aftd  Engravings. 
 
 LIFE  AND  WORK  OF  PASTOR  C.  H.  SPURGEON, 
 
 TO  HIS  FORTY-THIRD  BIRTHDAY. 
 By  GEORGE  J.  STEVENSON,  M.A. 
 
 From  Authentic  Documents. 
 
 The  first  edition  of  this  work  appeared  in  1856,  with  the 
 title  "  Sketch  of  the  Life  and  Ministry  of  C.  H.  Spurgeon," 
 of  which  7000  copies  were  sold  in  Httle  more  than  twelve 
 months.  It  remained  out  of  print  nearly  ten  years.  In 
 1867,  the  work  was  re-written,  and  issued  in  demy  8vo  to 
 bind  with  Mr.  Spurgeon's  Sermons,  its  title  "  The  Prince  of 
 Preachers  :  Pastor  C.  H.  Spurgeon."  Of  this  8000  copies 
 were  sold  in  little  more  than  a  year  :  and  it  was  out  of  print 
 ten  years.  It  was  then  enlarged,  and  issued  in  1878  with 
 the  title  given  above,  and  of  that  work  5000  copies  were 
 sold  on  the  day  of  publication. 
 
 HYfflS  AND  HYH  lEITERS  OF  EVERY  AGE  AND  NATION. 
 
 A  Series  of  260  articles  which  appeared  in  the  columns 
 of  the  Wesleyan  Times  between  the  years  1862  and  1866. 
 They  were  the  first  contributions  to  the  literature  of  Hymns, 
 in  England;  and  they  awakened  so  much  attention  and 
 interest,  that  nearly  all  the  leading  periodicals  have  since 
 added  something  to  our  knowledge  of  Hymns  and  their 
 authors.  These  have  not  yet  appeared  as  a  separate 
 publication,  but  the  articles  have  been  very  freely  copied 
 by  subsequent  writers,  without  acknowledgment. 
 
DATE  DUE