more on 'Jesus, Lover of My Soul'

There are several accounts about the composition of this hymn.

The first is that Wesley was returning to England after serving Governor Oglethorpe in Georgia. A storm at sea threatened the ship with capsize. A frightened bird flew into Wesley's window and sought safety and protecton in Wesley's coat.

Another account says that the hymn was written when an angry mob drove Charles and John Wesley from the place they were preaching. Charles was beaten and composed the hymn while hiding under a hedge.

Another account is that the incident occurred in Ireland. Charles Wesley was preaching in the fields of Killyleagh, County Down, Ireland, when he was attacked by men who did not approve of his doctrines.

Wesley sought refuse in a house located on what was known as the Island Barn Farm. The farmer's wife told him to hide in the milkhouse, down in the garden. Soon the mob came and demanded the fugitive. She tried to quiet them by offering them refreshments. Going down to the milkhouse, she directed Mr. Wesley to get through the rear window and hide under the hedge, by which ran a little brook.

In that hiding-place, with the cries of his pursuers all about him, he wrote this immortal hymn.

Wesley is highly regarded in England and I saw the church where he experienced his conversion. There is a large plaque on the grounds of St. Paul's honoring him.

Since I am a Lutheran, I will mention a Lutheran link to Wesley. Wesley was a Church of England man. He read Luther's Commentary on Galatians and was moved to action. He felt that a Christian must live a life of faith and worked out a plan for this to be done methodically.

My understanding is that Wesley thought that one could achieve a sort of Christian level of achievement in this life through this methodism. Lutherans don't think that such a thing is possible in this life.

Lutherans today have many Wesley hymns in their hymnbooks and his contribution to the life of the church-at-large is great.