Johann Caspar Wetzel

Wetzel, Johann Caspar, son of Johann Michael Wetzel, shoemaker at Meiningen, was born at Meiningen, Feb. 22, 1691. He matriculated, at Easter, 1711, as a student of theology at the University of Jena, and afterwards went to Halle. After varied tutorial work, &c, he was appointed, in 1727, diaconus at Römhild, where he eventually became archidiaconus. While returning from a visit to the Bad Liebenstein he was unable to proceed further than Meiningen, where he died Aug. 6, 1755.

Wetzel claims notice here as the best of the earlier German hymnologists. His two most important works, in which he gives notices of more than 1100 hymn-writers; are (1) Hymnopooeograph, published at Herrnstadt, pt. i. 1719, ii. 1721, iii. 1724, iv. 1728; and (2) Analecta Hymnica, published at Gotha, vol. i. pts. 1-3 in 1751, pts. 4-6 in 1752; vol. ii. pt. 1 in 1753, pts. 2-4 in 1754, pts. 5, 6 in 1755. The style of these works is execrable, but they contain much useful matter, and still rank as standard authorities.

Of Wetzel's original hymns, 62 in all, the most important appeared as hisHeilige und dem Herrn gewid mete Andachts-Früchte, in 5 pts., each with 10 hymns, published at Coburg; i., ii. in 1718; iii., iv. in 1721; v. in 1722. One of these hymns has been translated viz.:—
Gott sorgt für mich, was soil ich sorge. Trust in God. First published in pt. v., Coburg, 1722 as above, as No. vii., entitled a "Devotional hymn on the Providence of God," and in 9 stanzas of 6 lines, each stanza beginning and ending with the words, "Gott sorgt für mich." in the Berlin Geistliche Lieder, ed. 1863, No. 61 erroneously ascribed to B. Schmolck. Translated as "God cares for me; why need I sorrow," by Miss Manington, 1863, p. 30. [Rev. James Mearns, M.A.]

-- John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)