Charles Wesley
Born	(1707-12-18)18 December 1707 Epworth, Lincolnshire, England
Died	29 March 1788(1788-03-29) (aged 80) London, England
Nationality	British
Education	Westminster School and Christ Church, Oxford
Religion	Christian (Anglican; and also Methodist)
Spouse(s)	Sarah Wesley (née Gwynne)
Parents	Samuel & Susanna Wesley

Charles Wesley (18 December 1707 – 29 March 1788) was an English leader of the Methodist movement, son of Anglican clergyman and poet Samuel Wesley, the younger brother of Anglican clergyman John Wesley and Anglican clergyman Samuel Wesley (the Younger), and father of musician Samuel Wesley, and grandfather of musician Samuel Sebastian Wesley. Despite their closeness, Charles and his brother John did not always agree on questions relating to their beliefs. In particular, Charles was strongly opposed to the idea of a breach with the Church of England into which they had been ordained. Charles Wesley is chiefly remembered for the many hymns he wrote. He ministered for part of his life in The New Room Chapel in Bristol. His house, located nearby, can still be visited today.^[1]

Biographical details [edit]

Charles Wesley was the son of Susanna Wesley and Samuel Wesley. He was born in Epworth, Lincolnshire, England, where his father was rector. He was educated at Westminster School and Christ Church, Oxford, and formed the "Oxford Methodist" group among his fellow students in 1727 which his elder brother, John joined in 1729 soon becoming its leader and moulding it to his own notions. George Whitefield also joined this group. After graduating with a Masters' in classical languages and literature, Charles followed his father and brother into the church in 1735. On 14 October 1735, Charles and his brother John sailed on The Simmonds from Gravesend, Kent for Savannah in the Georgia Colony in British America at the request of the governor, James Oglethorpe. Charles was appointed Secretary of Indian Affairs and while John remained in Savannah, Charles went as chaplain to the garrison and colony at near-by Fort Frederica, St. Simon's Island, arriving there Tuesday, 9 March 1736 according to his journal entry.^[2] However, matters did not turn out well, and he was largely rejected by the settlers. In July 1736, Charles was commissioned to England as the bearer of dispatches to the trustees of the colony. On 16 August 1736, he sailed from Charleston, South Carolina, never to return to the Georgia colony again.^[3]

Charles lived and worked in the area around St Marylebone Parish Church and so, just before his death, he sent for its rector John Harley and told him "Sir, whatever the world may say of me, I have lived, and I die, a member of the Church of England. I pray you to bury me in your churchyard." On his death, his body was carried to the church by six clergymen of the Church of England, and a memorial stone to him stands in the gardens in Marylebone High Street, close to his burial spot. One of his sons, Samuel, became organist of the church.^[4]

A City of London blue plaque at 13, Little Britain, near the church of St Botolph's-without-Alders, off St. Martin's Le Grand, marks the site of the former house of John Bray, reputed to be the scene of Wesley's evangelical conversion on 21 May 1738.^[5]

Marriage and children [edit]

In April 1749, he married the much younger Sarah Gwynne (1726–1822), also known as Sally.^[6] She was the daughter of Marmaduke Gwynne, a wealthy Welsh magistrate who had been converted to Methodism by Howell Harris.^[7] They moved into a house in Bristol in September 1749.^[6] Sarah accompanied the brothers on their evangelistic journeys throughout Britain, until at least 1753. After 1756 Charles made no more journeys to distant parts of the country, mainly just moving between Bristol and London.^[8]

In 1771 Charles obtained another house, in London, and moved into it that year with his elder son. By 1778 the whole family had transferred from Bristol to the London house, at 1 Chesterfield Street, Marylebone,^[7] where they remained until Charles' death and on into the 19th century.^[9] The house in Bristol still stands and has been restored,^[6] however the London house was demolished in the mid 19th century.^[9]

Only three of the couple's children survived infancy: Charles Wesley junior (1757–1834), Sarah Wesley (1759–1828), who like her mother was also known as Sally and Samuel Wesley (1766–1837) ^[10] Their other children, John, Martha Maria, Susannah, Selina and John James are all buried in Bristol having died between 1753 and 1768.{See monument in garden on north side of junction of Lewis Mead and The Haymarket, Bristol} Both Samuel and Charles junior were musical child prodigies and, like their father, became organists and composers. Charles junior spent most of his career as the personal organist of the English Royal family, and Samuel became one of the most accomplished musicians in the world and often called "the English Mozart." Furthermore, Samuel Wesley's son, Samuel Sebastian Wesley, was one of the foremost British composers of the 19th century.^[10]

Best-known hymns [edit]

Charles Wesley preaching by William Gush.^[11]

Wikisource has original works written by or about: Charles Wesley

In the course of his career, Charles Wesley published the words of over six thousand hymns, writing the words for a further two thousand, many of which are still popular. These include:

• "Arise my soul arise"
• "And Can It Be That I Should Gain?" (Lyrics)
• "Christ the Lord Is Risen Today" (Lyrics)
• "Christ, Whose Glory Fills the Skies" (Lyrics)
• "Come, O Thou Traveler Unknown" (Lyrics)
• "Come Thou Long Expected Jesus" (Lyrics)
• "Depth of Mercy, Can it Be" (Lyrics)
• "Father, I Stretch My Hands to Thee" (Lyrics)
• "Hail the Day that Sees Him Rise" (Lyrics)
• "Hark! the Herald Angels Sing" (Lyrics)
• "Jesus, Lover of My Soul" (Lyrics)
• "Jesus, The Name High Over All" (Lyrics)
• "Lo! He Comes with Clouds Descending" (Lyrics)
• "Love Divine, All Loves Excelling" (Lyrics)
• "O for a Heart to Praise My God" (Lyrics)
• "O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing" (Lyrics)
• "Rejoice, the Lord is King" (Lyrics)
• "Soldiers of Christ, Arise" (Lyrics)
• "Thou Hidden Source of Calm Repose" (Lyrics)
• "Ye Servants of God" (Lyrics)

The lyrics to many more of Charles Wesley's hymns can be found on Wikisource and "Hymns and Sacred Poems."^[12]

Some 150 of his hymns are in the Methodist hymn book Hymns and Psalms, including "Hark! the Herald Angels Sing, and "The Church Hymn Book" (In New York and Chicago, USA, 1872) where "Jesus, Lover of My Soul" is published.

Many of his hymns are translated into other languages, and form the foundation for Methodist hymnals, as the Swedish Metodist-Episkopal-Kyrkans Psalmbok printed in Stockholm in 1892.

Doctrine in Hymns [edit]

Wesley's conversion had a clear impact on his doctrine, especially the doctrine of the Holy Spirit. The change in doctrine can be seen in his sermons after 1738, but is most notable in his hymns written after 1738. From Charles published work “Hymns and Prayers to the Trinity” and in Hymn number 62 he writes “The Holy Ghost in part we know, For with us He resides, Our whole of good to Him we owe, Whom by His grace he guides, He doth our virtuous thoughts inspire, The evil he averts, And every seed of good desire, He planted in our hearts.” ^[13] Here in this one short verse we have several doctrinal truths taught to us. We have the personal indwelling of the Holy Spirit, the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit, the depravity of mankind, and our personal accountability to God. This was a vital contribution not only to Methodism, but to modern theology as a whole.^[14]

Legacy [edit]

Wesley is still remembered for his ministry while in St. Simon's Island, Georgia, by the South Georgia Conference of the United Methodist Church; in 1950, the conference opened a Christian retreat center on the island by the banks of the Frederica River, designating it Epworth by the Sea in honor of his and John's birthplace. He is commemorated in the Calendar of Saints of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America on 2 March with his brother John. The Wesley brothers are also commemorated on 3 March in the Calendar of Saints of the Episcopal Church^[15] and on 24 May in the Anglican calendar. Charles is commemorated on 29 March in the Calendar of Commemorations by The Order of Saint Luke; John is commemorated on 2 March; their parents are also commemorated.^[16]

As a result of his enduring hymnody, the Gospel Music Association recognized his musical contributions to the art of gospel music in 1995 by listing his name in the Gospel Music Hall of Fame.

Wesley wrote two of the so-called Great Four Anglican Hymns.

Tercentenary [edit]

24 May 2007 was celebrated as the tercentenary of Wesley's birth, with many celebratory events held throughout England, even though Wesley was in fact born in December 1707. The date of 24 May is known to Methodists as "Aldersgate Day" and commemorates the spiritual awakening of first Charles and then John Wesley in 1738. In particular, in the Village of Epworth, North Lincolnshire, at the Wesley Memorial Methodist Church, there was a flower festival, on 26 and 28 May, with flower arrangements representing some of Wesley’s hymns, such as O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing, And Can It Be, and O For a Trumpet Voice.

In November 2007, An Post, the Irish Post Office, issued a 78c stamp to commemorate the 300th anniversary of Wesley's birth.

In film [edit]

• Charles Wesley: Hymns of Praise – Comenius Foundation, 2005, in which Charles Wesley (portrayed by John Jackman) tells the stories behind the writing of many of his hymns
• A Heart Set Free – T. N. Mohan, 2007, a feature-length documentary on Charles Wesley's life and hymns
• Wesley – Foundery Pictures, 2009, starring Burgess Jenkins as John Wesley, R. Keith Harris as Charles Wesley, and featuring June Lockhart as Susanna Wesley and Kevin McCarthy as Bishop Ryder^[17]

See also [edit]

	Saints portal
	Methodism portal

• Methodism

References [edit]

External links [edit]

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Charles Wesley

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Charles Wesley

• Biography & works at the Cyber Hymnal
• Biography and articles about Charles Wesley
• The Journal of Charles Wesley
• Papers of Charles Wesley
• Charles Wesley Conference 2007 held at Liverpool Hope University
• 'Charles Wesley in Historical Perspective: Poet, Priest and Theologian', lecture delivered by Revd Professor Kenneth Newport, at Gresham College, 13 December 2007. (Available for download as MP3 and MP4).
• Charles Wesley's Journal 1736-56 on A Vision of Britain through Time, with links to the places visited.
• A Heart Set Free, 2007 Documentary
• Charles Wesley: Hymns of Praise, 2005 Drama
• "Charles Wesley, Sr". Find a Grave. Retrieved 28 August 2010. 
• Epworth By The Sea, St. Simon's Island, Georgia

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