Author of life divine

Representative Text

1 Author of life divine,
who hast a table spread,
furnished with mystic wine
and everlasting bread,
preserve the life Thyself hast giv'n,
preserve the life Thyself hast given,
and feed and train us up for heav'n.

2 Our needy souls sustain
with fresh supplies of love,
till all Thy life we gain
and all Thy fullness prove,
and strengthened by Thy perfect grace,
and strengthened by Thy perfect grace,
behold without a veil Thy face.


Source: Psalms and Hymns to the Living God #383

Author: Charles Wesley

Charles Wesley, M.A. was the great hymn-writer of the Wesley family, perhaps, taking quantity and quality into consideration, the great hymn-writer of all ages. Charles Wesley was the youngest son and 18th child of Samuel and Susanna Wesley, and was born at Epworth Rectory, Dec. 18, 1707. In 1716 he went to Westminster School, being provided with a home and board by his elder brother Samuel, then usher at the school, until 1721, when he was elected King's Scholar, and as such received his board and education free. In 1726 Charles Wesley was elected to a Westminster studentship at Christ Church, Oxford, where he took his degree in 1729, and became a college tutor. In the early part of the same year his religious impressions were much deepene… Go to person page >

Notes

Author of life divine. [Holy Communion.] This hymn for the Holy Communion is from J. & C. Wesley's Hymns on the Lord's Supper, first published in 1745, No. 40, in 2 stanzas of 6 lines. In 1875 it was included without alteration in the revised edition of Hymns Ancient & Modern, and attributed to John Wesley. There is, however, no evidence that it was the composition of John as distinct from Charles Wesley. In the absence of positive evidence either way the probabilities are in favour of Charles, rather than his elder brother. It is also in common use in America. Original text in Hymns Ancient & Modern and Poetical Works, 1868-72, vol. iii. p. 244.

-- John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)

Tune

RHOSYMEDRE

John David Edwards (b. Penderlwyngoch, Cardiganshire, Wales, 1805; d. Llanddoget, Denbighshire, North Wales, 1885) was educated at Jesus College, Oxford, England, and ordained an Anglican priest in 1833. He served parishes in Rhosymedre and Llanddoget and published a collection of hymn tunes, Origin…

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DOLGELLY


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Timeline

Media

The Cyber Hymnal #305
  • Adobe Acrobat image (PDF)
  • Noteworthy Composer score (NWC)
  • XML score (XML)
Small Church Music #7010
  • PDF Score (PDF)

Instances

Instances (1 - 21 of 21)
Text

Ancient and Modern #424

Anglican Hymns Old and New (Rev. and Enl.) #55a

Anglican Hymns Old and New (Rev. and Enl.) #55b

TextPage Scan

Common Praise (1998) #64

TextPage Scan

Common Praise #281

TextPage Scan

Complete Anglican Hymns Old and New #56

TextPage Scan

CPWI Hymnal #596

Hymnal #467

Hymns Ancient and Modern, New Standard Edition #258

Hymns and Psalms #596

Hymns for Today's Church (2nd ed.) #395

Hymns Old and New #48

TextPage Scan

Hymns to the Living God #285

TextPage Scan

Psalms and Hymns to the Living God #383

Singing the Faith #572a

Singing the Faith #572b

Audio

Small Church Music #7010

TextScoreAudio

The Cyber Hymnal #305

TextPage Scan

The New English Hymnal #274

Text

Together in Song #506

Text

Worship and Song #3166

Include 36 pre-1979 instances
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