Glory to God, and praise and love. C. Wesley. [Praise for Salvation.] Written by C. Wesley on the first anniversary of the great spiritual change which he underwent on Sunday, May 21,1738, details of which are given under that date in his Journal. In 1740 it was included in Hymns and Sacred Poems, in 18 stanzas of 4 lines, and headed, "For the Anniversary Day of one's Conversion." (Poetical Works, 1868-72, vol. i. p. 299.) One of the first to make use of the hymn for congregational purposes was R. Conyers, who gave a cento therefrom in his Psalms & Hymns, 1767, beginning, "O for a thousand tongues to sing," and consisting of stanzas vii., ix.-xii. This was followed by other centos (all beginning with the same stanza), in the collections of De Courcy, 1775; Toplady, 1776; and many others. The most widely known cento is that by J. Wesley, in the Wesleyan Hymn Book, 1780, No. 1, in 10 stanzas, "O for a thousand tongues to sing." This is not only the opening hymn of the Wesleyan Hymn Book, but also of most collections of the Methodist bodies in all English-speaking countries. To this cause much of its popularity may be traced. Stevenson's annotations thereon in his Methodist Hymn Book Notes, 1883, are of more than usual interest. Another cento, "Look unto Christ, ye nations; own," is in the American Methodist Episcopal Hymns, 1849.
The opening line of the cento, "O for a thousand tongues to sing," is supposed to have had its origin in an expression of Peter Bohler, the Moravian, who, when consulted by C. Wesley about praising Christ, replied, "Had I a thousand tongues, I would praise Him with them all." The well-known line, "He breaks the power of cancelled sin," has given offence to a few, from the Taylor and Jones Psalms & Hymns, London, 1777, where it read, "He breaks the power of death and sin," to the American Manual of Praise, Oberlin, Ohio, 1880, where it reads, "He breaks the power of reigning sin." These changes, however, are limited in their use, the original text being usually retained.
--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)
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