(son of Charles) Anglican (?)
Hymn #24,
This hymn is assigned in the Little Flock to an unidentified Wesley and indicated as having been written in 1799. The elder Samuel Wesley lived from 1662-1735, and his sons lived: Samuel, Jr. from 1691-1739, Charles 1708-1788, and John 1703-1791. Therefore if the hymn was written in 1799 it could not have been by any of these four Wesleys. But Charles Wesley had a son named Samuel who had musical ability and wrote poetry. Details as to his spiritual life and experience are lacking and we simply suggest that he is possibly the author of the hymn, as he lived from 1766 to 1837 and therefore was living in 1799 when the hymn was supposed to have been written. We pass this on to the reader for its worth.
How good the faith expressed in this hymn!
“Where shall our wondering souls begin?
How shall we all to heaven aspire?
As slaves redeemed from death and sin,
As brands plucked from eternal fire,
How shall we suited triumphs raise
Or sing our great Deliverer’s praise?
“Oh how shall we the goodness tell,
Father, which Thou to us has showed,
Children of wrath, and doomed to hell,
But children now redeemed to God?
On earth we know our sins forgiven,
Blest with this antepast of heaven.”