The Immortal Wesleys

A writer m a recent issue of the Cleveland Leader, revlewing the hlslory of the two fireat 1'. hiimIits of Methodisin, Charles and John Wesley relates the-se instances : From 1738 to 1788, Cliarles Wealey, assisted by his brothcr, pobUtbed tliirtynine different booksof hymns and poetry. Charles is said to have written over 7,000 hymns, inore than 3,000 of which have been printed. The total number of hymns written by I)r. Watts number only G'J7. Many of the hymns of Charles Wesley are of the highest order of excellence, and wlll be sung as long as the English language U spoken. Of course the larger part of his sacred lyrics are necessarlly forgotten. liut those which by common consent have kept their place for 100 yeara In the songs of the sanetuary have been treasured as ninong the clioicest cxpresslons of rullgious fervor and devotion. At all evcnts aside from the English Protestant church throughout the worlil, where the hymns of Charley Wesley hold prominent place, theyare most warnily cherishcd by the inllüons of Metliodlsts who regard lm memory with such affectlonate admiratlon. Hls first hymn was written when he was twenty-Bcven years old. Whlle midalght sliades the earth o'ersprend." Two years later the brotlier published a volume entitled "Hymne and Hacred Poems," fltty of which were written by Charles. Among these are the familiar hymns beginning:- "ClirlBt the Lord han rlsen to-dey.1' " Hall the dy that ees Hlm rlie." ¦¦ Hark ! the herald angels alog.'' The followlng year the two brothers with a friend were holding one of their twillght moetlngs upon the common, when they were assailed by a mob. They were pelted with stones and other miesiles and compelled to flee for their live?. After nightfall they hid themselves in a spring liouse, wliere they waahed, struck a lijrlit, and drank froin the cooliiig waters bubbling around them. Charles took a pcncll from h8 pocket and in thc excitetuent of the occasion, overflowiiig with gratiiude for thcir deliverance frora danser and secure refuge, wrote that matcliless liymn wliich bus mude bis fume lmmortal :- Jesust lover of my soul. Let me to thy bosom íly ; While the billowB near me roll. Whlle the tempest Btill is hlgh, Illde me, O my Huvlour hlde, Tlll tbe storm of Ufe Is past, Safe lnto'.the haven gulde, Oh, recelve my soul at last. Probably no sacrod lyric had a wkkr popularlty or elicited more unqualilied praise than tliis. For more than a century it has been sung in cottage and palace, in the modest meetinjr-ltouse and lofty c;ilhedral, in white-winged ships on distant oceans, by mlllions of dying beds, at the íarnily tireside, aud i mission lands, always bringing rest and consolation. lts exquisite sentiment, pure devotion, absorbitig trust, chlld-likc faith, and glowing love, breathes in every line. Clirist as a refuge is the primal tliouglit : Other refuge have I none, Haugg my helptess soul oo Thee; Leave, Ah ! lea ve me uot alone, Still support and comfort me. All my trust on Thee Is stayed ; All my help from Thee I bring; Cover my deleuseless head, Wlth the shadow of Thy wlng. Mrs. Stowe says the last indication lier father, Dr. Lyman Beecher, gave of life th day he died, was a mute re&ponse to bis wife wbo recited this hymn. Henry Ward Beeeber said be would rather be thc authnr nf tbat hymn than to bold the weallh of the licliest m:in in the worhl. " For he will die, bis nioney be dlvided, and lie forgotten. Hut tbis hymn will ge on -íiil'Íhl' uiltil the l:i-l tromp brings (ortb the anjrrl band; and then I tliink it will mount np nn soine lip to the veiT presence of t!od."