Jesus, lover of my soul (Aberystwyth)

There are a number of stories that suggest what might have prompted Charles Wesley to write the hymn “Jesus, lover of my soul“. But it seems that no one really knows the circumstances under which he wrote it. Apparently written about the age of 30, not long after Wesley had truly embraced Christianity for himself, it became one of the greatest and most loved of all the thousands of his hymns, and it is especially known for the way in which it expresses Jesus’ love for us.

One story about the hymn’s origin includes a bird that flew into Wesley‘s room for safety during a rainstorm, another about an incident where Charles hid under a hedge with his brother John after being attacked by an angry mob, opposed to their preaching in Ireland. However, it does not perhaps reflect three significant experiences in his early life: The near sinking of a ship during a storm on the ocean when returning to England from ministering in the colony of Georgia in 1736; his great spiritual awakening and change in 1738; and his ministry to inmates in prison.

Wesley praises Jesus throughout this hymn as a source of refuge, guidance, salvation, and times of uncertainty and grief. This classic hymn describes the intimacy that Jesus offers us in our relationship with Him.

One interesting story associated with this hymn is as follows: Decades after the war, at a gathering of veterans of the Civil War, a former confederate recalled, that late one evening during the war, he was on patrol and came upon a Yankee sentry, he aimed his gun with a clear shot, and just as he was ready to pull the trigger, the sentry broke into singing, “Jesus, lover of my soul, let me to Thy bosom fly…. ” The gunman froze and listened. As the union guard continued to sing, “Cover my defenseless head, with the shadow of Thy wing, ” the soldier lowered his gun crept away. “I couldn’t kill the man though he were ten times my enemy, ” he recalled. Then a Union veteran spoke up, “was that in the battle of Atlanta in 1864? “ “Indeed, it was … I was that sentry! ” The Union veteran exclaimed. He spoke of his fear of battle, the sense of hopelessness he felt that night on patrol, and the peace and comfort brought by singing the hymn. (L. Codington)

Great Hymn

Thou, O Christ, art all I want;
More than all in Thee I find;
Raise the fallen, cheer the faint,
Heal the sick and lead the blind.
Just and holy is Thy name,
I am all unrighteousness;
Vile and full of sin I am,
Thou art full of truth and grace.

During the American Civil War the opposing armies of the Federalists (union) and the Confederates on a certain occasion were facing each other. One night a confederate sentry was on duty when he heard the sound of singing coming from the federal lines. He proceeded cautiously in the direction and observed an enemy sentry pacing up and down singing “Jesus lover of my soul. ” Bringing the gun to his shoulder he was about to shoot when the singer came to the words “cover my defenseless head with the shadow of Thy wings. ” This was too much for the confederate soldier and he lowered his weapon and allowed his would-be victim to go unharmed. Many years passed and the confederate was now a private gentleman on board an excursion steamer on the Potomac when he heard an evangelist singing this hymn. He thought he recognized the voice and made his way to the singer and in conversation found out that the evangelist was the sentry he had nearly shot. There was mutual joy when he revealed to the singer the peril from where he had been saved that night long ago. When on duty the sentry got divine protection by singing the hymn by Charles Wesley, ”Jesus lover of my soul. ”

Another story concerning this hymn is during battle of the Chickamaugua a drummer boy dreamt that he had gone home and was greeted by his mother and sister. He awoke sad because both mother and sister were dead, and he had no home. He told the story to the chaplain before he went into battle. He was sent on the field with the dead and dying and in the quiet of the night his voice was heard singing, “Jesus lover of my soul. ” There was no one around to go to him when he realized he was singing:

Leave, oh, leave me not alone,

Still support and comfort me.

His voice grew silent and the next day his body was found leaning against a stump beside his drum. He had indeed gone home to his mother and sister.

Thank you for adding this tune. It is the one I know and love.