Analysis of Hymn XVI: Happy the Souls That First Believed

Charles Wesley 1707 (Epworth, Lincolnshire) – 1788 (London)



Happy the souls that first believed,
To Jesus and each other cleaved,
Joined by the unction from above
In mystic fellowship of love.

Meek, simple followers of the Lamb,
They lived, and spake, and thought the same;
They joyfully conspired to raise
Their ceaseless sacrifice of praise.

With grace abundantly endued,
A pure, believing multitude,
They all were of one heart and soul,
And only love inspired the whole.

O what an age of golden days!
O what a choice, peculiar race!
Washed in the Lamb's all-cleansing blood,
Anointed kings and priests to God!

Ye different sects, who all declare,
'Lo, here is Christ! ' or, 'Christ is here!'
Your stronger proofs divinely give,
And show me where the Christians live.

The gates of hell cannot prevail;
The church on earth can never fail;
Ah, join me to thy secret ones!
Ah, gather all thy living stones!

Scattered o'er all the earth they lie,
Till thou collect them with thine eye,
Draw by the music of thy name,
And charm into a beauteous frame.

For this the pleading Spirit groans,
And cries in all thy banished ones;
Greatest of gifts, thy love impart,
And make us of one mind and heart.

Join every soul that looks to thee
In bonds of perfect charity;
Now, Lord, the glorious fullness give,
And all in all for ever live!


Scheme AABB XCDD EEFF DXXX XXGH IIJK LLCC KJMM NNGH
Poetic Form Quatrain  (33%)
Metre 10011101 11001101 1101101 0101011 110100101 11010101 110001011 1101011 11010001 0101010 11011101 010101001 11111101 11010101 10011101 01010111 110011101 11111111 11010101 01110101 01111001 01111101 11111101 11011101 101010111 11011111 11010111 0101011 11010101 01011101 10111101 01111101 110011111 01101100 110100101 01011101
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 1,246
Words 229
Sentences 15
Stanzas 9
Stanza Lengths 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4
Lines Amount 36
Letters per line (avg) 27
Words per line (avg) 6
Letters per stanza (avg) 110
Words per stanza (avg) 25
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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

1:08 min read
56

Charles Wesley

Charles Wesley was an English leader of the Methodist movement, son of Anglican clergyman and poet Samuel Wesley, the younger brother of Methodist founder John Wesley and Anglican clergyman Samuel Wesley the Younger. more…

All Charles Wesley poems | Charles Wesley Books

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