Charles Wesley: Orpheus to the Christian Church
Among the many legends that come from the Greek myths is the story of Orpheus. He was so blessed by the gods with the gift of song that nothing could withstand the power of his beautiful singing. The story of Orpheus is of course a myth, but the Christian Church has a real "Orpheus." His name is Charles Wesley.
Charles Wesley was born nearly 300 years ago, in December 1707. For the last 250 years, Christians around the world have been singing the hymns he composed. This "Orpheus" was the 18th child of Samuel and Susanna Wesley and younger brother of John Wesley. He left his home in Epworth, Lincolnshire, in east England, to study at the prestigious Westminster School in London. Later, his education continued at Christchurch College in Oxford University, where he and a small number of fellow students regularly met to pray and study the Bible and devotional books. This was the beginning of what was later known as the "Holy Club," and later still as "Methodists." The world's first Methodist was Charles Wesley.
In October 1735, Charles, with his brother John and two friends, sailed for America. Charles was to be employed as secretary to the governor of Georgia and John was to serve as a minister to the English colonists and missionary to the Native Americans. When Charles returned to England a year later, he had a moving conversion on Sunday morning May 21, 1738, Pentecost Sunday. Three days later, his brother, John, experienced his own spiritual renewal at a meeting on Aldersgate Street. Later that evening, John visited the home where Charles was recovering from an illness. The brothers, along with friends, sang a hymn Charles had just written. That hymn was the first of an output of hymns and spiritual songs that appeared nonstop for the next 50 years.
More has been written about John Wesley than Charles, but Charles is better known and more popularly remembered around the world today. On any given Sunday, tens of thousands will sing his hymns in English and in scores of other languages. By comparison, the number who will read John's sermons or theological treatises is small indeed!
Why have Charles Wesley's hymns endured so well? In spite of all the new hymns, songs, and choruses that continue to be written, Charles' hymns still have an enduring place for many Christians. They are particularly special to Wesleyan Holiness people everywhere.
Charles Wesley filled his hymns with great doctrines of Scripture. When we sing a Wesley hymn, we sing the truths of the Bible. That is exactly what Wesley intended. He wrote his hymns so the Methodist converts would learn the doctrines of the Bible. Many converts in the Wesleyan Revival in 18th-century Britain were illiterate. They could not read the Bible for themselves but as they learned Charles' hymns, they learned Scripture.
Charles wrote many hymns about Christ's first Advent, including the ever-popular "Hark! the Herald Angels Sing."
Hark! the herald angels sing, 'Glory to the new-born King!'
In three lines that repeat the word born, he emphasizes that Jesus came to be our Savior. Born that man no more may die, Born to raise the sons of earth, Born to give them second birth.
Christ's atoning death on the cross for the sins of the world is a theme in hundreds of these hymns, such as the popular "And Can It Be?"
And can it be that I should gain An int'rest in the Saviour's blood? Died He for me, who caused His pain? For me who Him to death pursued? Amazing love! how can it be That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
Christ's resurrection is likewise expressed in the hymn "Christ the Lord Is Risen Today."
Christ the Lord is ris'n today . . . Sons of men and angels say . . . Lives again our glorious King . . . Where, O death, is now thy sting? Dying once, He all doth save . . . Where thy victory, O grave?
"Arise My Soul, Arise" assures us that we can know our sins are forgiven because we have the witness of both the Holy Spirit and the blood of atonement.
His Spirit answers to the blood, And tells me I am born of God.
Charles Wesley gave special attention to the doctrine of scriptural holiness, commonly known in Holiness churches as "full salvation," "entire sanctification," "the second blessing," and "perfect love." Among Charles' output of more than 8,000 hymns are scores of hymns on this doctrine. His understanding of Christian holiness was expressed in his great prayer hymn "O for a Heart to Praise My God."
O for a heart to praise my God, A heart from sin set free, A heart that always feels Thy blood So freely shed for me.
Holiness means that our hearts are cleansed from inner sin and filled with the love of God.
A heart in ev'ry thought renewed And full of love divine, Perfect and right and pure and good— A copy, Lord, of Thine.
God will give this great blessing of a "clean heart" to His people when He comes in the fullness of His Spirit and imparts His own holy nature to us.
Thy nature, gracious Lord, impart Come quickly from above Write Thy new name upon my heart, Thy new, best name of Love.
So in the 300th anniversary year of Charles Wesley's birth, we thank the Lord for this "Orpheus" of the Church, and we continue to learn scriptural doctrines as we sing his hymns.
Herbert McGonigle is senior lecturer in Historical Theology and Wesley Studies at Nazarene Theological College in Manchester, England.
Please note: All facts, figures, and titles were accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time of original publication but may have since changed.
