tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1244292116722597763.post644713864975022840..comments2008-06-21T21:34:26.719-06:00Sherry Whttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17428918256547725187noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1244292116722597763.post-1232027879792026242008-06-21T21:34:00.000-06:002008-06-21T21:34:00.000-06:00I was raised in the United Church of Canada, which was formed from the union of the Methodists with Presbyterians and Congregationalists. The first time I went to my current parish, several months before I became Catholic, I was pleasantly surprised that one of the hymns at Mass was a familiar favourite by none other than Charles Wesley. <BR/><BR/>If the Catholic Church ever starts canonizing separated brethren, I'll jump at the chance to promote the cause of John and Charles Wesley.The Sheepcathttp://thesheepfold.typepad.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1244292116722597763.post-87182955530587126802008-06-05T06:30:00.000-06:002008-06-05T06:30:00.000-06:00For more info, see <A HREF="http://thomasgwyndunbar.wordpress.com/2008/06/05/wesleyan-sinner-songs" REL="nofollow"/>.tdunbarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06692665750427668367noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1244292116722597763.post-58913877115460444682008-06-05T06:08:00.000-06:002008-06-05T06:08:00.000-06:00One of the things I most appreciate about the Wesley hymn tradition is the honest, compassionate call to "sinners" and really wrestling with one's approach to God (as in, for example, the wonderful "Wretched, helpless and distres't"<BR/><BR/>It is interesting to just search for "sinner" in the first line of the index to an old Methodist hymnal. For example, from an online 1889 hymnal, one finds:<BR/><BR/>1 COME, sinners, to the gospel feast,<BR/>1 SINNERS, turn, why will ye die?<BR/>1 SINNERS, obey the gospel-word!<BR/>1 COME, ye weary sinners, come,<BR/>1 SEE, sinners, in the gospel glass,<BR/>1 SINNERS, believe the gospel word,<BR/>1 WOULD Jesus have the sinner die?<BR/>1 SINNERS, your hearts lift up,<BR/>1 HOW can a sinner know<BR/>1 JESU, friend of sinners, hear,<BR/>1 JESU, the sinner's friend, to thee,<BR/>1 THEE, Jesu, thee, the sinner's friend,<BR/>1 LAMB of God, for sinners slain,<BR/>1 HOW shall a lost sinner in pain<BR/>1 YE ransomed sinners, hear,<BR/>1 HE dies! the friend of sinners dies!<BR/>1 SINNERS, rejoice: your peace is made;<BR/>1 SINNERS, lift vp your hearts,<BR/>1 COME, ye sinners, poor and wretched,<BR/>1 JESUS, the needy sinner's friend,<BR/>1 O HOW shall a sinner performtdunbarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06692665750427668367noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1244292116722597763.post-90164161094593056852008-06-04T22:42:00.000-06:002008-06-04T22:42:00.000-06:00I will always love Wesley for his hymns!LYLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09166172339269898930noreply@blogger.com