Wesley Corpus

Last updated: Oct. 12, 2008. Gloria Patri (1746)1 Baker list, 126 Editorial Introduction: In October 1746 Charles Wesley issued another pamphlet collection of hymns, titled Gloria Patri; or Hymns to the Trinity. Recalling that he had just issued a series of such pamphlets for celebrating Christmas, Easter, Ascension and Pentecost, it is possible that he intended this collection for the celebration of Trinity Sunday (the first Sunday after Pentecost). However, he does not make this connection explicit, nor did he publish the collection immediately prior to the festival as in the other cases. It is more likely that Wesley intended this collection to resource Methodist worship throughout the year. He had already included a set of short hymns of praise to the Trinity in HSP (1740), 100-104; and a second set, under the subheading "Gloria Patri," in Hymns on God's Everlasting Love (1742), 54-60. Citations in Wesley's MS Journal make clear that these short hymns were sung frequently both in public services and at home. Such everyday use would fit with the second printing of this new collection being combined with a collection of hymns for meals that was published the same year Graces (1746). Charles appears to have guided this collection to publication and is the author of most, if not all, of the verse included. Of the twenty-four short hymns, eight were drawn from the earlier sets mentioned above (and are indicated in blue font in the Table of Contents below). One of these eight (5) is an adaptation of a verse from a hymn by Samuel Wesley Sr., Charles's father. The collection went through nine British printings during Charles Wesley's life, with very minimal revisions. It appears to have fallen into disuse in later years as the selected collections of hymns edited by John Wesley became the standards of Methodist worship. Over 1,000 copies of the last printing of Gloria Patri remained in the inventory at John Wesley's house, London, in 1791. Editions: Charles Wesley. Gloria Patri; or Hymns to the Trinity. London: Strahan, 1746. Dublin: Powell, 1747. as pp. 15-23 of Graces (1746) 2nd Bristol: Farley, 1749. 3rd London: Cock, 1753. 4th London, 1757. 5th London, 1757. 4th Bristol: Pine, 1764. 5th Bristol: Pine, 1771. 6th London: Hawes, 1775. Table of Contents V. Samuel Wesley Sr. HSP (1740), 102 XXII. Hymns on God's Everlasting Love (1742), 56