Unwearied Earnestness

Representative Text

1 Father, I stretch my hands to Thee;
No other help I know.
If Thou withdraw Thyself from me,
Oh! whither shall I go?

2 What did Thine only Son endure,
Before I drew my breath!
What pain, what labor to secure
My soul from endless death!

3 Surely Thou canst not let me die;
Oh, speak and I shall live;
And here I will unwearied lie,
Till Thou Thy Spirit give.

4 Author of faith! to Thee I lift
My weary, longing eyes;
Oh, let me now receive that gift!
My soul without it dies.


Source: One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism: an African American ecumenical hymnal #133

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 >

Text Information

Notes

Father, I stretch my hands to Thee. C. Wesley. [Faith desired.] From Psalms & Hymns, 1741, in 6 stanzas of 4 lines, and entitled "A Prayer for Faith" (Poetical Works, 1868-72, vol. ii. p. 13). In 1760 M. Madan included 3 stanzas in his Collection, and thus introduced it into the Church of England. The altered text in the Wesleyan Hymn Book was given in the Supplement of that hymnal in 1830. Our authority for ascribing this hymn to C. Wesley with an expression of doubt is the following note by Dr. Osborn in the Poetical Works, 1868-72, vol. ii. p. 8.

“The reader will observe that of the 160 hymns contained in this volume as originally published [Psalms & Hymns, 1741], more than 130 may be traced (by reference given above in brackets) to previous publications by other authors; and were merely selected, arranged, and more or less altered by Wesley. Only three of those which have been so treated have been reprinted here; viz. ‘Resignation,' ‘Submission,' and the first ‘Hymn to Christ.' The second with that title, together with ‘A Thought in Affliction,' ‘A Player for the Light of Life,' ‘A Prayer of Faith' [the above hymn], and ‘God's Love and Power,' are also reprinted, because they have not been identified in other collections, and may possibly be Wesley's."

The hymn is in several modem collections both in Great Britain and America.

--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)

Timeline

Media

The Cyber Hymnal #1479
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Instances

Instances (201 - 300 of 535)
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Hymns selected from various authors #248

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Hymns We Love #212

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Imperial Songs #217

In His Name #d30

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International Song Service #64

Jesus Only, Songs and Hymns #d31

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Joy to the World #220

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Kingdom of Song for the Sunday School #85

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Lead Me, Guide Me (2nd ed.) #563

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Lead Me, Guide Me (2nd ed.) #564

Life and Light No.2 #d27

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Life and Service Hymns #244

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Life-Time Hymns #213b

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Light and Life Songs No. 2 #236

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Light and Life #129

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Light in the Valley #101

Living Songs for the Sunday School, the Epworth League, Prayer Meetings, Revivals #d29

Living Songs for the Sunday School, the Epworth League, Prayer Meetings, Revivals ... #d29

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Lutherförbundets Sångbok #E29

Manly's Choice #d48

Melodies of Salvation #d41

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Melodies of Salvation #70

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Melodies of Salvation #70

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Melodies of Zion #301

Methodist Hymn and Tune Book #d179

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Methodist Hymn-Book #282

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Methodist Social Hymn Book #103

Missionary Hymns #d26

Musica Sacra; or Springfield and Utica Collections United #d30

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National Tidings of Joy #89

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New Baptist Hymnal #58

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New Hymn and Tune book #67e

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New Hymn and Tune Book #67e

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New Life No. 2 #65

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New Soul Winning Songs #259

New Spiritual Songs #199e

New Standard Singer #d57

New Standard Singer, Pt. 1-7 #d58

Notes of Joy, for the Sabbath School #d31

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Notes of Triumph #58

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Notes of Triumph #58

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Notes of Victory for Sunday Schools #84

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Ocean Grove Christian Songs #102

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Ocean Grove Christian Songs #102

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On Wings of Song #55

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One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism #133

Our Church and Revival Songs #d25

Our Cumberland Presbyterian Hymnal #d67

Our Favorite Hymnal #d60

Pearls of Paradise #94

Pearls of Paradise. Abridged ed. #d29

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Pentecostal Hymns No. 1 #224

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Perfect Praise #131

Pilgrim's Hymnal, a Book of Choice Songs for the Home and All the Services of the Churches #d38

Pocket Hymn Book of the Methodist Episcopal Church #d70

Pocket Hymn Book, Designed as a Constant Companion. 25th ed. #d69

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Praise #49

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Praise and Promise #91

Praise Ye #219

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Prayer and Praise #270

Prayerful Praises. 5th ed. #d27

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Precious Hymns #316

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Precious Hymns No. 2 #147

Primitive Baptist Hymnal #d72

Psalms and Hymns for the Worship of God #d192

Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs #d64

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Public, Parlour, and Cottage Hymns. A New Selection #I.31

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Pure Songs for Sunday-Schools #146

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Purest Gems #255

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Rescue Songs #65

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Rescue Songs #79.5

Resurrected Songs prepared for the Church #d48

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Revival Gems No. 2 #46

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Revival Gems No. 3 #46

Revival Hymns #d19

Revival Hymns ... with a Supplement. 2nd ed. #d74

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Revival Hymns (Rev. ed.) #77

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Revival Melodies #115

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Riches of Grace #228

Sabbath Carols #d19

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Sacred Hymns and Tunes #176

Sacred Melodies #d35

Sacred Melodies #d32

Sacred Melodies (Revised) #d62

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Sacred Praise #139

Sacred Songking, a New Song Book for Revivals #d47

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Sacred Songs & Solos #382

Sacred Songs and Solos #382

Sacred Songs for Church and Home #d113

Select New and Old Hymns #d47

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Select Revival Hymns #135

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Service Hymnal #258

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Seventh-day Adventist Hymnal #486

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Sifted Wheat #224

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Social Hymns, and Spiritual Songs #488

Song Land Melodies #d45

Song Service and Revival #d30

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Song-Land Messenger Complete #165

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Song-Land Messenger Complete #165

Pages

Exclude 514 pre-1979 instances
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