Edward Perronet (1726–1792)

Edward Perronet died on January 2, 1792, in Canterbury, Kent, England. Quietly departing this world, he left the church a hymn that still trains the heart to adore Christ: “All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name.” His passing marked the end of a pilgrim’s witness, but not the end of his voice. Through congregations, homes, and mission fields, his words continue to gather believers to the throne of grace and to the certainty of Christ’s reign.

Born into a family of French Protestant refugees, Perronet carried the memory of suffering for conscience and the gratitude of finding refuge. That heritage helped shape a steady courage: faith that endures without bitterness, and devotion that refuses to trade truth for ease. In a nation wrestling with spiritual coldness and religious formality, he was shaped by earnest gospel preaching and sought to awaken hearts to living trust in the Savior.

Canterbury and a Lasting Witness

Canterbury, long associated with England’s church life, became the place where Perronet’s earthly race finished. Yet the significance of his death is not the silence of the grave but the testimony he left behind—one that directs attention away from personalities and toward the King. Like many servants whose names fade, his labor endures because it points beyond itself to Christ.

“All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name” (“Coronation Hymn”)

Often called the “Coronation Hymn,” Perronet’s most famous work is a summons to joyful, humble surrender: “crown Him Lord of all.” It gathers every kind of person—saint, struggler, and sinner—under one truth: Jesus is worthy. The hymn’s heroism is not loud bravado but spiritual clarity: lifting eyes from earthly troubles to the reigning Savior, and calling the soul to worship when fear would rather rule.

Scripture echoes the hymn’s center. “Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name above all names.” (Philippians 2:9) And, “To Him who loves us and has released us from our sins by His blood… to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever!” (Revelation 1:5–6)

Perronet’s voice fell silent in Canterbury, but his testimony still summons worship—and strengthens faith by directing it where it belongs: on Christ, crowned Lord of all.