Watch Hymns of Praise: The Story of Hymnwriter Charles Wesley

Charles Wesley was one of the most prolific hymn writers of all time, having penned more than 6,500 hymns. Some of them are among the most beloved hymns of Christian history; hymns like "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" appear in the hymnals of every Christian denomination. Congregational hymn singing was a revolutionary idea in England at the time. Anglican churches had marvelous choirs, but the congregations rarely sang, and then only chanted Psalms to three or four simple tunes. When John and Charles Wesley met the Moravians on their way to Georgia, both were very taken with the German hymns that the group sang. The Moravian Church, or Unity of Brethren, published the first hymnal for congregational singing in 1501, so this was a long-standing tradition for them and a vital part of Moravian worship. John Wesley became quite fluent in German and translated many of the Moravian hymns he learned in Georgia. Following his conversion, Charles Wesley often wrote a hymn a day, and the brothers published numerous hymnals. Charles' poems were often sung to popular tunes of the day, tunes that everyone could sing easily. In some cases, he rewrote popular songs people already knew to give them a spiritual message. Charles' hymns speak clearly of the theology and belief of the early Methodist movement. Meet Charles Wesley in this dramatic impersonation as he tells the true stories of the early days of Methodism, the events that led up to his conversion and the "Aldersgate Experience" of his brother John, and the astonishing events as they first began to preach -- and sing -- in the fields of England.