Scripture Verse

The light of Israel shall be for a fire, and His Holy One for a flame. Isaiah 10:17

Introduction

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Edward J. Hopkins (1818–1901)

Words: Charles Wes­ley, Hymns and Sac­red Po­ems 1746.

Music: Cul­ford Ed­ward J. Hop­kins, in The Tem­ple Church’s Cho­ral Ser­vice, 1867 (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tune:

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Charles Wesley (1707–1788)

Jackson’s 1848 Mem­oirs of the Rev. Charles Wes­ley states the hymn was writ­ten …on the joy­ful oc­ca­sion of his min­is­ter­i­al suc­cess, and that of his fellow la­bour­ers, in New­cas­tle and vi­cin­i­ty. Pe­rhaps the im­age­ry was sug­gest­ed by the large fires con­nected with the col­lier­ies, which il­lum­in­ate the whole of that part of the coun­try in the dark­est nights.

Lyrics

See how great a flame aspires,
Kindled by a spark of grace!
Jesu’s love the nations fires,
Sets the kingdoms on a blaze:
To bring fire on earth He came;
Kindled in some hearts it is:
O that all might catch the flame,
All partake the glo­ri­ous bliss!

When He first the work begun,
Small and feeble was His day:
Now the Word doth swiftly run;
Now it wins its widening way:
More and more it spreads, and grows,
Ever mighty to prevail;
Sin’s strongholds it now o’erthrows,
Shakes the trembling gates of hell.

Sons of God, your Sav­ior praise!
He the door hath opened wide!
He hath giv’n the word of grace,
Jesus’ word is glorified;
Jesus mighty to redeem,
He alone the work hath wrought;
Worthy is the work of Him,
Him who spake a world from naught.

Saw ye not the cloud arise,
Little as a human hand?
Now it spreads along the skies,
Hangs o’er all the thirsty land!
Lo! the promise of a shower
Drops already from above;
But the Lord will shortly pour
All the spirit of His love.