"The world is my parish" : notes on the hymns used

prepared by Anne Goldthorpe

Charles Wesley (1707-1788) – the poet of Methodism.

All the hymns which we are singing this evening were written by Charles Wesley. He wrote over 6000, many of which are among the most well loved by Christians everywhere. It is said that Methodism was born in song – but this music is shared by all denominations. Some of the hymns are set to tunes written by his great grandson, Samuel Sebastian Wesley (1710- 1876O), who was at one time organist at Leeds Parish church

Christ, whose glory fills the skies From Hymns and Sacred Poems (1740)

All Charles Wesley’s hymns are full of biblical imagery and references. This one draws on images of the Sun of Righteousness, the Dayspring, the Daystar – all of which are used by the Old Testament prophets. There is also a clear reference to the Nunc Dimmittis, sung at Evensong –‘ the dayspring from on high, … to give light to them that sit in darkness……’.

The tune RATISBON is based on a German Chorale, probably dating from the early days of the German Reformation.

 

O Thou who camest from above From Short Hymns on Select Passages of Holy Scriptures (1762)

This is one of our most loved hymns, asking the Holy Spirit to kindle our hearts with the fire of love. Again, it is full of scriptural references and imagery. The verses from Leviticus which are attached to this hymn read - ‘The fire shall be ever be burning upon the altar; it shall never go out.’ It is a complex poem, full of allusions to other texts from the Bible, particularly the Epistles, and also to other 18th century poets. The words ‘Stir up’ recall also the Collect before Advent –‘Stir up, O Lord, the wills of thy faithful people……’.

The tune HEREFORD, by Samuel Sebastian Wesley, was written for this hymn, and called after the Cathedral in Hereford where he was organist from 1832-1835.

 

Come, O Thou Traveller unknown From Hymns and Sacred Poems (1740)

This powerful poem is based on the story of Jacob wrestling with the angel as told in Genesis, chap 32. In its original form it has fourteen verses. We are singing five verses only but they give an intense and dramatic portrayal of an encounter between a human soul and God and the desire to understand the nature of that meeting. The whole poem is full of Biblical imagery. The climax comes when the Traveller Unknown is revealed as the Saviour ‘Thy Nature and thy Name is Love’.

The tune WRESTLING JACOB, was composed by S. S. Wesley for this hymn, and set to it in the Methodist Hymn Book in 1904. It is rewarding to sing because it has some interesting harmonies and a great melody. (Other tunes are often set to these words, but this is our choice tonight!)

 

Jesu, Lover of my soul From Hymns and Sacred Poems (1740)

This is one of the most well known and loved of Wesley’s hymns, passionate and vivid in its evocation of tempest and storm. It was written shortly after Charles’ conversion on Whit Sunday, May 1738. .

The tune ABERYSTWYTH , is by Joseph Parry who was professor of Music at the College in Aberystwyth. Originally written for a Welsh hymn it one of the fine Welsh tunes that are found in most English hymn books.

 

O Love divine, how sweet thou art

This rapturous hymn is the only one we are singing that is not in the Methodist hymnbook Hymns and Psalms. To the writer of these notes it is reminiscent of that other lovely hymn Come down O Love Divine, (which dates from the 15th Century), and expresses the same desire and longing for God.

CORNWALL is another fine S.S. Wesley tune with rich harmonisation. It was originally set to Charles Wesley’s hymn Thou God of glorious majesty. It was put to these words in the edition of Hymns Ancient and Modern in 1911.

 

And can it be that I should gain From Hymns and Sacred Poems (1739)

This hymn ‘bears all the marks of Charles Wesley’s poetic force and impassioned imagery.’ (Companion to Hymns and Psalms p151) There is some suggestion that this was Charles’ conversion hymn, rather than ‘Where shall my wondering soul begin’, (which we are not singing tonight). The imagery in verse 4 may have come from Wesley’s experiences visiting prisoners in Newgate jail. The range of theology in the hymn is considerable: starting with posing five questions in the first verse, it explores the themes of the Fall and Redemption, the freeing of the soul from sin and the personal experience of salvation.

The tune SAGINA was published in 1825 in a collection called The Bouquet, in which all the hymns had names of flowers. Sagina is a genus of the pink family. The tune was set specifically to this hymn in the 1933 Methodist Hymn Book.

 

 

My heart is full of Christ and longs its glorious nature to declare From A Collection of Psalms and Hymns (1743)

This is a paraphrase of vs.1-4 of Psalm 45. Verse five of the original poem is a good summary of all that the Wesley’s preached –

Still let the word of truth prevail,

The gospel of Thy general grace,

Of mercy mild that ne’er shall fail,

Of everlasting righteousness,

Into the faithful soul brought in,

To root out all the seeds of sin.

 

We are singing this hymn to the tune COLCHESTER, by S. S. Wesley. This fine tune again shows his rich harmonisation and gift of melody in the writing for all the four parts.

 

O for a thousand tongues to sing my great Redeemers praise From Hymns and Sacred Poems (1740)

Entitled‘ For the Anniversary of One’s Conversion’, this originally had eighteen verses and was the first hymn in the first book of Hymns for the People called Methodists, which John Wesley published in 1780. It is a complex interweaving of passages from both Old and New Testaments.

The tune LYNGHAM first appeared in 1803, and is a ‘repeating’ tune, which were sometimes used for singing Christmas Carols – indeed it has been sung to ‘While shepherds watched’.

 

Ye servants of God, your Master proclaim From Hymns for Times of Trouble and Persecution (1744)

The references in this hymn are to Psalm 145 and Revelation 7:9-12. Originally a much longer hymn, it was placed in that section of a hymnbook of 1744 entitled ‘Hymns to be sung in a Tumult’. The background was a threat of rebellion and the persecution of the Methodists. Without those verses, however, it is a fine hymn of praise.

Tune PADERBORN: this tune is derived from a folksong noted in 1742. It was set to various words during the 19th and early 20th centuries, but its present form is due to Sydney Nicholson, the founder of the Royal School of Church Music. He arranged it to be included in Hymns Ancient and Modern in 1916, named it Paderborn and set to Charles Wesley’s words.

References: The greater part of these notes is taken from The Companion to Hymns and Psalms, Methodist Publishing House 1988.

 

The various collections of poems published by John and Charles Wesley are referred to after the hymn titles i.e. 1739, 1740, 1744. In 1780 John Wesley’s A Collection of Hymns for the use of the people called Methodists was published. In his Preface, John Wesley wrote, (among many other very salient comments) about poetry:-

 

"1. In these hymns there is no doggerel

2. Here is nothing turgid or bombast, on the one hand, nor low or creeping on the other

3. Here are no cant expressions, no words without meaning. We talk common sense, both in prose and verse,

4. Here are….. both the purity, strength and the elegance of the English language, and, at the same time, the utmost simplicity and plainness, suited to every capacity."

 

Many fine hymns, which both Methodists and Anglicans use today, have been composed since the days of John and Charles Wesley but those remarkable men have left a great legacy to us, and a benchmark by which to measure the spirituality and musicality of our present day hymnology.