Edward Perronet (1721 – 2 January 1792) was the son of an Anglican priest, who worked closely with Anglican priest John Wesley and his brother

Charles Wesley Charles Wesley (18 December 1707 – 29 March 1788) was an English leader of the Methodist movement. Wesley was a prolific hymnwriter who wrote over 6,500 hymns during his lifetime. His works include "And Can It Be", "Christ the Lord Is Risen ...

for many years in England's eighteenth century

Christian revival Christian revivalism is increased spiritual interest or renewal in the life of a church congregation or society, with a local, national or global effect. This should be distinguished from the use of the term "revival" to refer to an evangeli ...

. He is perhaps most famous for penning the

lyrics Lyrics are words that make up a song, usually consisting of verses and choruses. The writer of lyrics is a lyricist. The words to an extended musical composition such as an opera are, however, usually known as a "libretto" and their writer ...

to the well known

hymn A hymn is a type of song, and partially synonymous with devotional song, specifically written for the purpose of adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification. The word ''hymn ...

, "

All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name "All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name" is a Christian hymn. The hymn has been called the "National Anthem of Christendom". The lyrics, written by Edward Perronet, first appeared in the November, 1779 issue of the '' Gospel Magazine'', which was ed ...

Early life and education

Born in Sundridge, Kent, England, Perronet was the son of Vincent Perronet, and a descendant of a French

Huguenot The Huguenots ( , also , ) were a religious group of French Protestants who held to the Reformed, or Calvinist, tradition of Protestantism. The term, which may be derived from the name of a Swiss political leader, the Genevan burgomaster Bez ...

family which fled first to Switzerland and then to England to escape religious persecution.

Preaching

At the time, persecution of

Methodist Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a group of historically related Christian denomination, denominations of Protestantism, Protestant Christianity whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John W ...

s was common. John Wesley once noted in his diary that Edward himself "was thrown down and rolled in mud and mire" at

Bolton Bolton (, locally ) is a large town in Greater Manchester in North West England, formerly a part of Lancashire. A former mill town, Bolton has been a production centre for textiles since Flemish weavers settled in the area in the 14th ce ...

. Though considered a capable preacher, Perronet was uneasy about doing so in front of John Wesley, despite Wesley's persistent urging. After wearying of his requests, Wesley simply announced one day that Brother Perronet would speak. Edward cleverly managed to escape Wesley's intention by mounting the

pulpit A pulpit is a raised stand for preachers in a Christian church. The origin of the word is the Latin ''pulpitum'' (platform or staging). The traditional pulpit is raised well above the surrounding floor for audibility and visibility, access ...

, declaring he would deliver the greatest

sermon A sermon is a religious discourse or oration by a preacher, usually a member of clergy. Sermons address a scriptural, theological, or moral topic, usually expounding on a type of belief, law, or behavior within both past and present contexts. E ...

ever preached, and proceeding to read Christ's "

Sermon on the Mount The Sermon on the Mount (anglicized from the Matthean Vulgate Latin section title: ) is a collection of sayings attributed to Jesus of Nazareth found in the Gospel of Matthew (chapters 5, 6, and 7). that emphasizes his moral teachings. It is ...

"; after which, he immediately sat down. Following worsening relations with the Wesleys, Perronet published ''The Mitre'' in

1756 Events January–March * January 16 – The Treaty of Westminster is signed between Great Britain and Prussia, guaranteeing the neutrality of the Kingdom of Hanover, controlled by King George II of Great Britain. *February 7 ...

, a ferocious attack in verse on the

Church of England The Church of England (C of E) is the established Christian church in England and the mother church of the international Anglican Communion. It traces its history to the Christian church recorded as existing in the Roman province of Britai ...

and the notion that the

Eucharist The Eucharist (; from Greek , , ), also known as Holy Communion and the Lord's Supper, is a Christian rite that is considered a sacrament in most churches, and as an ordinance in others. According to the New Testament, the rite was institu ...

was a priestly rite only to be properly administered in England by Anglican priests. This provoked a schism with the Wesleys and Perronet's connection with organized Methodism came to an end. He preached in the

Countess of Huntingdon's Connexion The Countess of Huntingdon's Connexion is a small society of evangelical churches, founded in 1783 by Selina Hastings, Countess of Huntingdon, as a result of the Evangelical Revival. For many years it was strongly associated with the Calvini ...

until his open aversion to the established church led to his becoming the minister of an Independent congregation.

Writings

During his life, Edward published three volumes of Christian poems, including a poetic rendering of the

Scripture Religious texts, including scripture, are texts which various religions consider to be of central importance to their religious tradition. They differ from literature by being a compilation or discussion of beliefs, mythologies, ritual pract ...

s. Shortly before he died, 2 January 1792 in

Canterbury Canterbury (, ) is a cathedral city and UNESCO World Heritage Site, situated in the heart of the City of Canterbury local government district of Kent, England. It lies on the River Stour. The Archbishop of Canterbury is the primate of ...

, Kent, England, he uttered these last words: "Glory to God in the height of His divinity! Glory to God in the depth of his humanity! Glory to God in His all-sufficiency! Into His hands I commend my spirit."

Legacy

Perronet's legacy lives on as Christian communities continue to sing what has come to be known as the "National Anthem of Christianity" in churches around the world... "

". Several of his hymns are also preserved in the

Sacred Harp Sacred Harp singing is a tradition of sacred choral music that originated in New England and was later perpetuated and carried on in the American South. The name is derived from ''The Sacred Harp'', a ubiquitous and historically important tun ...

. His body is buried in Canterbury Cathedral, Kent, England.

Notes

External links

Hymns by Edward Perronet
{{DEFAULTSORT:Perronet, Edward 1726 births 1792 deaths English hymnwriters Christian hymnwriters British evangelicals English evangelists People from Sundridge, Kent English male poets Christian poets Musicians from Kent 18th-century Christians