Page:Our Hymns.djvu/87

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THEIR AUTHORS AND ORIGIN. 67

living of Winterbourne Whitchurch, near Blandford, Dorset, by the Act of Uniformity, in 1662. Samuel Wesley was also further connected with nonconformists by his marriage to the youngest daughter of the Rev. Dr. Samuel Annesley, an eminent noncon formist minister. She was the mother of nineteen children, of whom Samuel, John, and Charles rose to eminence.

Samuel Wesley was the author of several prose works, of which the principal was a Latin Commentary on the book of Job. Some of his works in verse were the following: In 1693, " The Life of Christ," an heroic poem; in 1695, " Elegies on Queen Mary and Archbishop Tillotson ;" in 1701, " The History of the New Testament attempted in verse ;" in 1704, " The History of the Old Testament in verse ;" and in 1705, a poem on the Battle of Blenheim, for which the Duke of Marlborough made him chaplain to a regiment. His translation of the " Hymn to the Creator," by Eupolis, who flourished B.C. 420, is justly praised ; and he was the composer of the famous speech delivered before the House of Lords, by Dr. Sacheverel, in the reign of Queen Anne. In writing to Swift, Pope says of this Wesley, " I call him what he is, a learned man, and I. engage you will approve his prose more than you formerly did his poetry."

The dying words of this worthy father of greater sons were remarkably fulfilled in the time, and by the Christian labours of his family. " He often laid his hand upon my head," said Charles, and said, Be steady. The Christian faith will surely revive in this kingdom ; you shall see it, though I shall not. And to his daughter Emily, he said, " Do not be concerned at my death. God will then begin to manifest himself to my family."

There is one admirable hymn by him in the " New Congre gational Hymn Book"

" Behold the Saviour of mankind." No. 378.

This hymn was found upon a piece of music which was saved, though not without bearing marks of the flames, when its author s parsonage was consumed by fire the second time, August 24,

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