Our earth we now lament to see

Our earth we now lament to see. Charles Wesley* (1707-1788).                                  This was ‘Hymn II’ in Hymns of Intercession for All Mankind (1758). It was entitled ‘For Peace’. The hymns are an extraordinary demonstration of Methodist loyalty in time of war, with Hymn X entitled ‘For His Majesty King George’, Hymn XI ‘For the Prince of Wales’, followed by no fewer than four hymns ‘For the King of Prussia’. Others are ‘For the Magistrates’, ‘For the Parliament’, ‘For the Army’, ‘For the Fleet’. They reflect the context of Britain embroiled in the Seven Years’ War against France and her allies (1756–63), with Frederick the Great, the King of Prussia, emerging as the crucial...

If you have a valid subscription to Dictionary of Hymnology, please log in to view this content. If you require a subscription, please click here.

Cite this article