Wesley Corpus

Last updated: Nov. 25, 2007. "Hymn for Mary Langson" (1770)1 cf. Baker list, 318 Editorial Introduction: In the last third of the eighteenth century it became increasingly common for the Wesley brothers and those in their movement to publish accounts of the "good death" of Methodist members. These accounts often opened with a summary of the conversion of the person involved, but focused on their last days and how they witnessed to a sense of peace as they neared the end of their life. Exhortations of others to find similar peace and pursue a holy life were also typical. In 1770 Thomas Olivers, one of John Wesley's assistants, drew together and published (under the sponsorship of John) such an account about the death of Mary Langson. At the end of his account there were two hymns. The first was a hymn Charles Wesley had published in HSP (1749) titled "For One Departing," which is identified as having been sung at the time of her departure. The second hymn is unknown in any other published setting to this time. Some later works that adopt this second hymn from Oliver's account have attributed the hymn to him. Oliver did publish a few hymns, but comparison will show that they are more ornate in style and never use the metre of this hymn. By contrast, the metre is a common one for Charles Wesley, as are phrases in the hymn. Since Wesley frequently contributed funeral hymns to such accounts published under the brothers' sponsorship, it seems much more likely that this second hymn was from his pen. Editions: Charles Wesley. "Hymn." In Thomas Olivers. A Short Account of the Death of Mary Langson, of Taxall, who died January 29th, 1769, 12. np 1770. np, 1771. Bristol: Pine, 1772. London: Hawes, 1775.