Wesley Corpus

Watchnight Hymns (1750)1 Baker list, 188 Editorial Introduction: One of the distinctive practices that emerged in early Methodism was observing "watchnights." These were nights when Methodists gathered to devote themselves to prayer, somber reflection, and mutual encouragement to the holy life. The practice was not a creation of the Wesley brothers. It appears to have been birthed among converted coal miners at Kingswood, likely as an alternative to previous attendance at revelries. The earliest mention we find of the practice in Charles Wesley's MS Journal is when he attended a meeting at Kingswood on April 24, 1741. The following month John joined his brother at a night devoted to watching and prayer at Kingswood (see Charles's MS Journal for May 22, 1741). Impressed by the benefits of the gathering for the miners, the Wesley brothers began recommending monthly celebrations throughout the Methodist connexion. Over time the pattern shifted to quarterly watchnights. Ultimately, watchnight service became a New Year's Eve tradition which culminated in the typical joyous service early on New Year's Day cf. the introduction to New Year's Hymns (1749). Two hymns that Charles Wesley wrote in response to his initial experience of watchnight were published under the title of "Midnight Hymn" in HSP (1742), 131-34. These were soon sung regularly at watchnight services, encouraging Charles to write additional hymns. He collected nineteen of these additional hymns in HSP (1749), vol. 2. Then, in December 1750, Charles (or possibly John) had William Strahan print a pamphlet collection of Hymns for the Watch-night that contained eleven hymns selected from these earlier publications (original sources given in blue font in the Table of Contents below). This pamphlet was reprinted often to meet the need for this standard Methodist practice. Editions: Charles Wesley. Hymns for the Watch-night. London: Strahan, 1750. There were several other printings, most listing neither publisher or date. No significant variant readings occur in these reprints. Table of Contents Hymn I HSP (1742), 133-34 Hymn II HSP (1749), 2:118-19 Hymn III HSP (1749), 2:123-24 Hymn IV HSP (1749), 2:122-23 Hymn V HSP (1749), 2:132-33 Hymn VI HSP (1749), 2:133-34 Hymn VII HSP (1749), 2:136 Hymn VIII HSP (1749), 2:136-37 Hymn IX HSP (1749), 2:140-41 Hymn X HSP (1749), 2:142-43 Hymn XI HSP (1749), 2:138