Page:The Methodist Hymn-Book Illustrated.djvu/467

 THE STORY OF THE HYMNS AND THEIR WRITERS 455

Hymn 895. God of uiy life, to Thee. CHARLES WESLEY (i).

Hymns and Sacred Poems, 1749 ; Works, v. 15. In the series For Believers,&quot; No. 10. On his birthday. Five verses are omitted. Ver. 4 reads

Eternally forgiven ; I wait Thy perfect will to prove, When sanctified by perfect love.

Ver. 5

Call home Thy favoured son At death s triumphant hour.

The closing lines are based on the Jewish tradition woven round the phrase in Deut. xxxiv. 5, that Moses died at the mouth of Jehovah. God bent over the face of Moses and kissed him. Then the soul leaped up in joy, and went with the kiss of God to Paradise. Dr. Watts uses the same tradition in his Death of Moses

Softly his fainting head he lay

Upon his Maker s breast ; His Maker kissed his soul away, And laid his flesh to rest.

F. W. H. Myers has the same thought

Moses on the Mount Died of the kisses of the lips of God.

Hymn 890. Away with our fears !

CHARLES WESLEY (i).

Jfymns and Sacred Poems, 1749 ; Works, \. 400. Verses 2 and 8 are omitted. One verse may be added, to complete the picture of the poet s mercies.

2. No grievous alloy

Shall diminish the joy I to-day from my Maker receive : Tis my duty to praise His unspeakable grace, And exulting in Jesus to live.

Wesley spent his birthday in 1788 at Epworth. His brother had died three months before. It was a day of many memories. He wonders at the strength of body and mind granted to him. Even now, though I find pain daily in my eye, or temple, or

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