O Lord, enlarge our scanty thought

Translator: John Wesley

John Wesley, the son of Samuel, and brother of Charles Wesley, was born at Epworth, June 17, 1703. He was educated at the Charterhouse, London, and at Christ Church, Oxford. He became a Fellow of Lincoln College, Oxford, and graduated M.A. in 1726. At Oxford, he was one of the small band consisting of George Whitefield, Hames Hervey, Charles Wesley, and a few others, who were even then known for their piety; they were deridingly called "Methodists." After his ordination he went, in 1735, on a mission to Georgia. The mission was not successful, and he returned to England in 1738. From that time, his life was one of great labour, preaching the Gospel, and publishing his commentaries and other theological works. He died in London, in 17… Go to person page >

Author (v. 1): Nicolaus Ludwig von Zinzendorf

Zinzendorf, Count Nicolaus Ludwig, the founder of the religious community of Herrnhut and the apostle of the United Brethren, was born at Dresden May 26, 1700. It is not often that noble blood and worldly wealth are allied with true piety and missionary zeal. Such, however, was the case with Count Zinzendorf. In 1731 Zinzendorf resigned all public duties and devoted himself to missionary work. He traveled extensively on the Continent, in Great Britain, and in America, preaching "Christ, and him crucified," and organizing societies of Moravian brethren. John Wesley is said to have been under obligation to Zinzendorf for some ideas on singing, organization of classes, and Church government. Zinzendorf was the author of some two thousand hymn… Go to person page >

Author (vv. 2-4): Johann Nitschmann

Nitschmann, Johann, brother of Anna Nitschmann, was born Sept. 25, 1712, at Kunewald, and came to Herrnhut in 1725. In 1726 the Count von Promnitz took him into the Orphanage at Sorau, and in 1728 sent him to study theology at Halle. In 1731 he became a tutor in the Orphanage at Herrnhut, in 1732 went to Halle to study medicine, but returned to Herrnhut in 1733, and spent a year as private secretary to Count Zinzendorf. Thereafter up to 1745 he was principally engaged in mission work in Swedish Lapland, and in forming communities in Livonia. He was then appointed, in 1745, diaconus and Gemeinhelfer at Herrnhaag in Wetteravia, and in 1750 to the same position at Herrnhut. Consecrated Bishop of the Brethren's Unity in 1758, he took in 1761 t… Go to person page >

Author (v. 5): Anna Nitschmann

Nitschmann, Anna, daughter of David Nitschmann, cartwright, at Kunewald, near Fulnek, Moravia, was born at Kunewald, Nov. 24, 1715. Her cousin, David Nitschmann (the first Bishop, 1735, of the renewed Brethren's Unity) while on a visit to Kunewald in the beginning of 1725, persuaded her father to remove to Herrnhut, where the family arrived on Feb. 25, 1725. On March 17, 1730, Anna was appointed Unity-Elder, with the care of the unmarried sisters; on May 4, 1730, joined with Anna Dober in founding the Jungfrauenbund (see p. 304, ii.); and in 1733 entered the unmarried sisters' house at Herrnhut. In 1735 she became companion to Zinzendorf s daughter, the Countess Benigna, and accompanied her, in 1737, to England. During the summer of 1740 sh… Go to person page >