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Christ the Lord is ris’n today. Alleluia! Sons of men and angels say: Alleluia! Raise your joys and triumphs high. Alleluia! Sing, ye heav’ns and earth, reply: Alleluia!

Lives again our glorious King. Alleluia! Where, O death, is now thy sting? Alleluia! Dying once, He all doth save. Alleluia! Where thy victory O grave? Alleluia!

Loves’s redeeming work is done. Alleluia! Fought the fight, the battle won. Alleluia! Death in vain forbids Him rise. Alleluia! Christ has opened paradise. Alleluia!

Soar we now where Christ has led. Alleluia! Foll’wing our exalted Head. Alleluia! Made like Him, like Him we rise. Alleluia! Ours the cross, the grave, the skies. Alleluia!

Charles Wesley was born prematurely on December 18, 1707, in England, to Samuel and Susannah Wesley, the 18th of 19 children.   Because he was born prematurely, he lay silent and lifeless, wrapped in a blanket for a few weeks after birth.  Nine of his siblings died before they reached adulthood. His mother taught him and his siblings 6 hours every day including: French, Greek and Latin.  When he was old enough, he attended Westminster School for 13 years, where the only acceptable language to speak in public was Latin.  He then attended Christ College Oxford University (CCOU) for 9 years.  While he was there, he and his brother John, met George Whitefield, and they formed the Oxford Holy Club.  The Club earned the named "Methodists" because they had regular discussions on religious practices and duties. In the beginning, the Methodists were part of the Church of England, but were eventually forced out, and they formed a separate organization.  Even though he helped his brother John, form the Methodist denomination, he remained Church of England all of his life.  In 1735, Charles was ordained as a priest in the Church of England but was not saved until later by his own admission.  In 1738, he suffered an illness and was afraid of death.  In his own words, “After they (John and friends) left, I prayed and drifted into a deep sleep and seemed to hear a voice say, 'In the name of Jesus of Nazareth, arise, and believe, and thou shalt be healed of all thine infirmities.'  I cried, 'I believe, I believe', and when I awoke, I yielded my heart to the Lord, promising to serve Him faithfully all the days of my life."  He was converted on Sunday, May 21, 1738.  Two days later, he began writing hymns celebrating his conversion. Known as the poet of Christianity, he wrote approximately 6500 hymns.  He wrote 2 hymns every week for 50 years between 1738 and 1788 when he died on March 29 from nervous exhaustion and severe depression at the age of 80.  Some of his most famous works include: “And Can It Be”, “Hark! the Herald Angels Sing”, and “Lo, He Comes with Clouds Descending”.