EVERY KINDRED

Yes, this hymn has a violin connection in its history. Read to the end.

Most folks have heard of Charles and John Wesley, the preachers and hymnists of the early Methodist movement. But they had an associate whose name is often overlooked, and that is Edward Perronet.  Some have called his hymn, “All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name,” the “National Anthem of Christendom.”  It was first published in 1779 in a gospel magazine edited by Augustus Toplady, a composer known for his hymn “Rock of Ages.” It would eventually be translated into languages all over the world for the way it communicates the human spiritual need.

So who was this man? Born in England in 1726, Perronet’s family roots included French Huguenots who fled to Switzerland and later England to escape religious persecution in France. His father was a pastor in England’s state church but sympathized with the evangelical movements of the Wesleys and George Whitfield. Son Edward grew up to be an Anglican minister but was critical of things the church believed and did. Once he wrote: “I was born and I am likely to die in the tottering communion of the Church of England, but I despise her nonsense.”

Not surprisingly, sometime after that he broke away from the church and got deeply involved with the Wesleys and their endeavors. This took courage as the Wesleys were not popular, suffering even violence from those who disagreed with them. In his diary, John Wesley noted this of one preaching time:

From Rockdale we went to Bolton, and soon found that the Rockdale lions were lambs in comparison with those of Bolton. Edward Perronet was thrown down and rolled in mud and mire.  Stones were hurled and windows broken.

Perronet was 18 years younger than John Wesley and had always refused to preach in the elder evangelist’s presence. That posed a problem one day when Wesley announced to the congregation that Perronet would preach at the next service. When that time came, Perronet mounted the pulpit, said he hadn’t consented to preach, but would deliver the greatest sermon ever preached. With that, he opened his Bible and read Jesus’ “Sermon on the Mount.” Then he sat down without comment.

Eventually Perronet and the Wesleys parted ways, a big issue being their disagreement over whether evangelists could administer the sacraments. Perronet went on to become the pastor of an independent church in Canterbury, and that is where he wrote this hymn

Perronet would write many hymns and sacred poems, but they were published anonymously, and this is the only one to survive.  It has been matched to several hymn tunes, one composed by an English layman and another a Massachusetts carpenter, self-taught musician and respected singing-school teacher.

Perronet’s last words at his death in 1792 were reported to be these:
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.

Over the years, some amazing stories were told in connection with this hymn. One concerned a pioneer missionary to India who one day encountered a band of tribesman closing in on him with spears. He had a violin in his baggage and took it out, then began playing and singing this hymn. When he came to the third stanza that begins, “Let every kindred, every tribe,” he saw them lower their spears. Many were also crying. The missionary spent the next two years ministering God’s love and redemption to this tribe.

Ready to sing? Try these inspiring YouTube videos.

An a capella arrangement with words and scenic backgrounds:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyPT3lVSpmo



A more contemporary arrangement with the Maranatha! Singers:

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=%22All+Hail+the+Power+of+Jesus+Name%22+You+tube&docid=608030870662021285&mid=50B7EFF3CC54ECC1AC7B50B7EFF3CC54ECC1AC7B&view=detail&FORM=VIRE