‘Depth of Mercy’ (1740) pg. 355
Words by Charles Wesley (1707 - 1788)
Music by: Orlando Gibbons (1583 - 1625)
An actress in a town in England, while passing along the street, heard singing in a house. Out of curiosity she looked in through the open door and saw a number of people sitting together singing this hymn. She listened to the song, and afterwards she heard a simple but earnest prayer. When she finally left, the hymn had so impressed her that she procured a copy of a book containing it. Reading and re-reading the hymn led her to give her heart to God and she resolved to leave the stage. The manager of the theater pleaded with her to continue to take the leading part in a play which she had made famous in other cities, and finally he persuaded her to appear at the theater. As the curtain rose the orchestra began to play the accompaniment to the song which she was expected to sing. She stood like one lost in thought, and the band, supposing her embarrassed or lost, played the prelude over a second and a third time. Then with clasped hands she stepped forward and sang with deep emotion:
“Depth of mercy, can there be Mercy still reserved for me?”
This put a sudden stop to the performance; most were impressed, though many scoffed. The change in her life was as permanent as it was singular. Soon after she became the wife of a minister.
Meanwhile…1740…268 years ago…in the United States…
President: Obviously none - V.P.: Just as obviously none
Fort Niagara is in existence and known as “The Castle”
Mostly French trappers and Native Americans inhabit our region. France had control of the area as a colony. The English colonies along the eastern seaboard are still developing but are claiming all land due west of them, even across the mountains. As English trappers and traders move into the French territory and compete, tensions grow. The French try to convince the Native American tribes that the English will take away their hunting grounds and thereby make allies of most of them.
Ref. Library of Congress crosswinds Town of Hanover Bicentennial BuffaloHistory Tanbible
