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Charles Wesley

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
English Methodist and hymn writer (1707–1788)
For other uses, seeCharles Wesley (disambiguation).

Charles Wesley
Portrait byJohn Russell
Born(1707-12-18)18 December 1707
Died29 March 1788(1788-03-29) (aged 80)
London, England
EducationWestminster School andChrist Church, Oxford
Occupation(s)Cleric,hymnist, poet
SpouseSarah Wesley (née Gwynne)
Children8, includingSamuel Wesley[1]
Parent(s)Samuel andSusanna Wesley
RelativesSamuel Wesley (brother),Mehetabel Wesley Wright (sister),John Wesley (brother)
ChurchChurch of England
Congregations served
New Room, Bristol

Charles Wesley (18 December 1707 – 29 March 1788) was an EnglishAnglicancleric and a principal leader of theMethodist movement. Wesley was a prolific hymnwriter who wrote over 6,500hymns during his lifetime.[2] His works include "And Can It Be", "O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing", "Christ the Lord Is Risen Today", "Love Divine, All Loves Excelling", the carol "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing", and "Lo! He Comes With Clouds Descending".

Wesley was born inEpworth, Lincolnshire, the son ofAnglican cleric and poetSamuel Wesley and his wifeSusanna. He was a younger brother of Methodist founderJohn Wesley and Anglican clericSamuel Wesley the Younger. He was the father of musicianSamuel Wesley and the grandfather of musicianSamuel Sebastian Wesley.

He was educated atOxford University, where his brothers had also studied, and he formed the "Holy Club" among his fellow students in 1729. John Wesley later joined this group, as didGeorge Whitefield. Charles followed his father and brother intoministry in 1735, and he travelled with John toGeorgia in America, returning a year later. Following theirevangelical conversions in 1738, the Wesley brothers travelled throughout Britain, converting followers to the Methodist revival through preaching and hymn singing. In 1749, he marriedSarah Gwynne, the daughter of a Welsh gentleman who had been converted to Methodism byHowell Harris. From 1756 his ministry became more static and he ministered inBristol, and laterLondon.

Despite their closeness, Charles and John did not always agree on questions relating to their beliefs. In particular, Charles was strongly opposed to the idea of a breach with theChurch of England in which they had beenordained.[3]

Biography

[edit]
The 'Lily Portrait' of a young Wesley in theNew Room, Bristol[4]

Early life

[edit]

Charles Wesley was the 18th child ofSusanna Wesley andSamuel Wesley. He was born inEpworth, Lincolnshire, England, where his father wasrector.[3] In 1716, at the age of eight, he enteredWestminster School, where his brother Samuel was usher. He was selected asKing's Scholar in 1721 and head boy in 1725–26, before matriculating atChrist Church, Oxford.[4]

At Oxford, Wesley formed a prayer group among his fellow students in 1727; his elder brother, John, joined in 1729, soon becoming its leader and moulding it in line with his own convictions. They focused on studying the Bible and living a holy life. Other students mocked them, saying they were the "Holy Club", "Sacramentarians", and "theMethodists", being methodical and exceptionally detailed in their Bible study, opinions and disciplined lifestyle.[3] The Wesleys' future colleague,George Whitefield. joined the group. Wesley tutored while studying; he graduated in 1732 with a master's degree in classical languages and literature. He followed his father and brothers intoAnglican orders, being ordained as apriest in September 1735.[4] That same year his father died.

Voyage to America

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On 14 October 1735, Wesley and his brother John sailed onThe Simmonds fromGravesend, Kent, forSavannah in theGeorgia colony ofBritish America at the request of the governor,James Oglethorpe. Wesley was appointed Secretary of Indian Affairs and while John remained in Savannah, Wesley went as chaplain to the garrison and colony at nearbyFort Frederica,St. Simon's Island, arriving there on 9 March 1736 according to his journal entry.[5] Matters did not turn out well, and he was largely rejected by the settlers. In July 1736, Wesley was commissioned to England as the bearer of dispatches to the trustees of the colony. On 16 August 1736, he sailed fromCharleston, South Carolina, never to return to the Georgia colony.

Ministry

[edit]

In 1738 the Wesley brothers, both dejected following their unsuccessful mission, hadreligious experiences: Charles experienced anevangelical conversion (or "renewal of faith"[6]) on 21 May and John had a similar experience inAldersgate Street just three days later. A City of Londonblue plaque at 13Little Britain, near the church ofSt Botolph, Aldersgate, offSt. Martin's Le Grand, marks the site of the former house of John Bray, reputed to be the scene of Wesley's evangelical conversion. It reads, "Adjoining this site stood the house of John Bray. Scene of Charles Wesley's evangelical conversion, May 21st 1738".[7] Wesley commemorated the first anniversary of his religious experience by composing an 18-stanza poem, with its seventh verse, beginning "O for a thousand tongues to sing", now serving as the opening of a shorter hymn.[6]

Wesley felt renewed strength to spreadthe gospel to ordinary people and it was around then that he began to write the poetic hymns for which he would become known. In January 1739, he was appointed ascurate to serve atSt Mary's Church, Islington, but was forced to resign when thechurchwardens objected to his evangelical preaching.[1] Later that same year, finding that they were unwelcome inside parish churches, the Wesley brothers took to preaching to crowds in open fields. They were influenced byGeorge Whitefield, whoseopen-air preaching was already reaching great numbers of Bristol colliers.[3] Charles Wesley wrote to Whitefield regularly and is mentioned in many of Whitefield's journal entries.Whitefield drew from many of Wesley's hymns and even had one written to him by Wesley.[8] From 1740, Charles and John were the joint leaders of theMethodist Revival andevangelised throughout Britain and Ireland.[9]: 91–92  They were opposed by many Anglican clergy, especially when their appointedlay preachers began to preach in parishes without seeking permission. InNewcastle upon Tyne, Wesley established its first Methodist society. He faced mob violence inWednesbury andSheffield in 1743 and atDevizes in 1747.[1][4]

Following a period of illness, after 1756 Wesley made no more journeys to distant parts of the country, mainly just moving between Bristol and London.[10]: 45–46  Increasingly in his later years, Wesley became the mouthpiece of the so-called "Church Methodists"—he was strongly opposed to a separation of Methodism from its Anglican roots.[10]: 344–345  In the 1780s, he was especially dismayed by his brother'sordination of Methodist ministers to serve in America (seeJohn Wesley § Ordination of ministers), which he criticised in a published poem.[11]

Marriage and children

[edit]
Plaque in Marylebone commemorating the site of Wesley's house (now a pub)

In April 1749, he married the much youngerSarah Gwynne (1726–1822), also known as Sally.[9]: 95–97  She was the daughter ofMarmaduke Gwynne, a wealthyWelsh magistrate who had been converted to Methodism byHowell Harris.[12] They moved into ahouse at 4 Charles Street in Bristol in September 1749.[4][9]: 95–97  Sarah accompanied the brothers on their journeys throughout Britain until at least 1753.

In 1771, Wesley 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 Great Chesterfield Street (now Wheatley Street),Marylebone,[12] where they remained until Wesley's death and on into the 19th century.[13] The house in Bristol still stands and has been restored,[9]: 95–97  however the London house was demolished in the mid 19th century.[13]

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, andSamuel Wesley (1766–1837).[14] 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 musicalchild prodigies and, like their father, becameorganists and composers. Charles junior spent most of his career as the personal organist of the Royal Family, and Samuel became one of the most accomplished musicians in the world and is often called "the English Mozart".[15] Samuel Wesley's son,Samuel Sebastian Wesley, was one of the foremost British composers of the 19th century.[14]

Death and burial

[edit]
Monument in St Marylebone Old Churchyard at the position of Wesley's original grave

On his deathbed, he sent for the rector ofSt Marylebone Parish Church, John Harley, and purportedly 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." At the age of 80, he died on 29 March 1788 in London.[16] His body was carried to the church by six clergy of the Church of England. A memorial stone to him stands in the gardens inMarylebone High Street, close to his place of burial. One of his sons, Samuel, became the organist at the church.[17]

Hymns and other works

[edit]

Wesley was a prolifichymnwriter. Among the collections (hymnals) of Wesley's hymns published in his lifetime wereHymns on God's Everlasting Love (1741, 1742),Hymns on theLord's Supper (1745), andShort Hymns on Select Passages of the Holy Scriptures (1762), together with others celebrating the major festivals of theChristian year.[4] His hymns are marked by their strong doctrinal content (notably theArminian insistence on theuniversality of God's love),[18] a richness of scriptural and literary allusion, and the variety of hismetrical and stanza forms. They are considered to have had a significant influence not only on Methodism but on Christian worship and modern theology as a whole.[4][18]

Wesley preaching byWilliam Gush[19]

Wesley's poetry includedepistles, elegies and political and satirical verse. A collected edition ofThe Poetical Works of John and Charles Wesley, edited byGeorge Osborn, was published in thirteen volumes in 1868–1872.[20] Osborn's collection has now been supplemented by the three volumes ofThe Unpublished Poetry of Charles Wesley.[21]

Jason E. Vickers states that Wesley's 'conversion experience' in 1738 had a clear impact on his doctrine, especially doctrine concerning the power of theHoly Spirit. The change was most prominent in his hymns written after the same year. From his published workHymns 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."[22] Charles communicates several doctrines: the personal indwelling of the Holy Spirit, thesanctifying work of the Spirit, thedepravity of mankind, and humanity's personal accountability to God.[18]

Hymnody

[edit]

In the course of his career, Wesley published the words of between 6,500 and 10,000hymns,[2][4] many of which are still popular. These include:

The words to many more of Charles Wesley's hymns can be found onWikisource,[23] and in his many publications.[24][25]

Some 150 of his hymns are in the Methodist hymn bookHymns and Psalms, including "Hark! the Herald Angels Sing", andThe Church Hymn Book (In New York and Chicago, US, 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 well as the SwedishMetodist-Episkopal-Kyrkans Psalmbok printed in Stockholm in 1892.

Psalms

[edit]

Wesley's hymns are notable as interpretations of Scripture.[26] He also produced paraphrases of thePsalms, contributing to the long tradition of Englishmetrical Psalmody. A notable feature of his Psalms is the introduction of Jesus into the Psalms, continuing a tradition of Christological readings of the Psalms evident in the translations of John Patrick andIsaac Watts.[27] The introduction of Jesus into the Psalms was often the source of controversy, even within Wesley's own family. Charles' brother Samuel Wesley wrote a poem against such practice.[26] Of particular importance is Wesley's manuscript Psalms, held in the archives of the Pitts Theology Library atEmory University.[28]

Legacy

[edit]
Wesley Oak historical marker, nearChrist Church, St. Simons, Georgia

Wesley is still remembered for his ministry while inSt. Simon's Island, Georgia, by the South Georgia Conference of theUnited Methodist Church; in 1950, the conference opened a Christian retreat centre on the island by the banks of theFrederica River, designating itEpworth by the Sea in honour of his and John's birthplace.

In the 19th century, Charles Wesley's legacy was downplayed by Methodist historians, largely because of his opposition to separating from the Church of England.[4] He isremembered (withhis brother) in the Church of England with aLesser Festival on24 May.[29]

He is commemorated in theCalendar of Saints of theEvangelical Lutheran Church in America on 2 March with his brother. The brothers are also commemorated on 3 March in theCalendar of Saints of theEpiscopal Church.[30] Charles is commemorated on 29 March in the Calendar of Commemorations by the MethodistOrder of Saint Luke; John is commemorated on 2 March; their parents are also commemorated.[31]

As a result of his enduring hymnody, theGospel Music Association recognised Wesley's musical contributions to the art of gospel music in 1995 by listing his name in theGospel Music Hall of Fame.[32]

Wesley's hymns are utilised in not only Methodist churches but other Protestant denominations, and have been adopted by the Roman Catholic Church.[33] Wesley wrote two of the so-calledGreat Four Anglican Hymns: "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" and "Lo! He Comes With Clouds Descending".[34]

Memorials

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.[35] The date of 24 May is known to Methodists asAldersgate Day and commemorates the spiritual awakening of first Charles and then John Wesley in 1738.[36]

In November 2007,An Post, the Irish Post Office, issued a 78-cent stamp to commemorate the 300th anniversary of Wesley's birth.[37]

In film

[edit]


Wesley family tree
The family tree of the Wesleys, founders ofMethodism.[familytree 1][familytree 2][familytree 3][familytree 4][familytree 5]
Bartholomew Westley
b.1596		Anne Colley
?
a (daughter ofJohn White)		John
Westley
b.1638		Samuel Annesley
b.1620
Timothy Wesley
(born 1659)		Matthew WesleySamuel
Wesley
(b.1662)		Susanna
Wesley
(b.1669)
Samuel
(Sammy)
Wesley
(b.1690)		Emilia
(Emily)
Wesley (b.1692)		Mary
(Molly)
Wesley
(b.1696)		Anne
Wesley
(b.1702)		Martha
Wesley
(b.1706)		Kezia
Wesley
(b.1709)
Nine
other children
(deceased)		Susanna
Wesley
(b.1695)		Mehetabel
Wesley
(b.1697)		John
Wesley
(b.1703)		Mary
Vazeille		Charles
Wesley
(b.1707)		Sarah
Gwynne
Seven
other children
(deceased)		Charles Wesley (b.1757)Sarah (Sally) Wesley (b.1759)
Charlotte
Louise
Martin		Samuel Wesley (b.1766)Sarah
Suter
Three
children		Samuel Sebastian Wesley (b.1810)
Explanatory notes and reference sources
  1. ^Nystrom, Carolyn (1 January 2002).The Wesleys: Amazing Love. InterVarsity Press. p. 8.ISBN 978-0-8308-2087-0. Retrieved11 March 2025.
  2. ^Wesley, Jeff.Twelve Centuries of Wesley History: A Glimpse of the Family Tree.ISBN 979-8849516592.
  3. ^"Are you related to the Wesleys?".My Methodist History. Retrieved11 March 2025.
  4. ^Headley, Anthony J. (1 January 2010).Family Crucible: The Influence of Family Dynamics in the Life and Ministry of John Wesley. Wipf and Stock Publishers.ISBN 978-1-62189-457-5. Retrieved15 March 2025.
  5. ^Hitchborne, Dave (2004)."Interior of St Andrew, Epworth".geograph.org.uk. Retrieved11 March 2025.

References

[edit]
  1. ^abc"Charles Wesley".My Wesleyan Methodists. Methodist Church. Retrieved26 February 2021.
  2. ^abHunton, William Lee (1917).Favorite Hymns: Stories of the Origin, Authorship, and Use of Hymns We Love. General Council Publication House. pp. 94–97.
  3. ^abcd"Charles Wesley". BBC. 6 August 2009. Retrieved19 November 2013.
  4. ^abcdefghiVickers, John A. (ed.)."Wesley, Charles".A Dictionary of Methodism in Britain and Ireland.
  5. ^Wesley, Charles; Jackson, Thomas (1980)."March 9 – August 30, 1736".The Journal of Charles Wesley (1707–1788) (1872). Kansas City, Mo: Beacon Hill’s.
  6. ^abNutter, Charles Summer, ed. (1900).An Illustrated and Annotated Edition of the Hymnal of the Methodist Episcopal Church. New York:Methodist Episcopal Church. pp. 49–50. Retrieved30 April 2024.
  7. ^"Plaque № 5300". openplaques.org. Retrieved4 March 2013.
  8. ^Hendry, Micah (19 July 2023)."Christians You Should Know: Charles Wesley".Enjoying the Journey. Retrieved16 May 2024.
  9. ^abcdCheetham, J. Keith (2003).On the trail of John Wesley. Edinburgh: Luath Press.ISBN 9781842820230.
  10. ^abRack, Henry D. (2007). Newport, Kenneth G.C.; Campbell, Ted A. (eds.).Charles Wesley: Life, Literature and Legacy. Peterborough: Epworth.ISBN 9780716206071.
  11. ^Tomkins, Stephen (2003).John Wesley: A Biography. Oxford: Lion. p. 186.ISBN 0-7459-5078-7.
  12. ^abBarry, Joseph (2010). Temperley, Nicholas; Banfield, Stephen (eds.).Music and the Wesleys. Urbana: University of Illinois Press. pp. 141–146.ISBN 978-0-252-07767-8.
  13. ^abForsaith, Peter S. (2010). Temperley, Nicholas; Banfield, Stephen (eds.).Music and the Wesleys. Urbana: University of Illinois Press. pp. 161–162.ISBN 978-0-252-07767-8.
  14. ^abTemperley, Nicholas (2010). Temperley, Nicholas; Banfield, Stephen (eds.).Music and the Wesleys. Urbana: University of Illinois Press. pp. ix–xv.ISBN 978-0-252-07767-8.
  15. ^Blain, Andrea; Young, Alison (22 February 2016)."Learning to Listen: Samuel Wesley, 'the English Mozart'".www.classicalmpr.org. Retrieved1 February 2021.
  16. ^Gordon, Alexander (1899)."Wesley, Charles (1707-1788)" . InLee, Sidney (ed.).Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 60. London: Smith, Elder & Co.
  17. ^"St. Marylebone Parish Church". Archived fromthe original on 30 April 2008. Retrieved3 April 2008.
  18. ^abcVickers, Jason E. (2007). "Charles Wesley and the Revival of the Doctrine of the Trinity: A Methodist Contribution To Modern Theology". In Newport, Kenneth G. C.; Campbell, Ted (eds.).Charles Wesley: life, literature and legacy. Peterborough: Epworth. pp. 278–298.ISBN 9780716206071.
  19. ^Swift, Wesley F. (1957)."Portraits and biographies of Charles Wesley"(PDF).Proceedings of the Wesley Historical Society.31 (4). Wesley Historical Society:86–89. See engraving of the portrait.
  20. ^Wesley, John (2012).A new and critical edition of George Osborn's The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley (1868–1872): with the addition of notes, annotations, biographical and background information. Vol. 10, part 1 and 2. Lewiston, NY: Edwin Mellen Press.ISBN 978-0773426658.
  21. ^Wesley, Charles (1988).The Unpublished Poetry of Charles Wesley. Vol. 2. Kingswood Books.ISBN 978-0-687-43311-7.
  22. ^Vickers, Jason E. (2008b)."'And We The Life of God Shall Know': Incarnation and the Trinity in Charles Wesley's Hymns".Anglican Theological Review.90 (2):329–344.
  23. ^Wikisource,Charles Wesley: Hymns, accessed 15 March 2023
  24. ^Wesley, John; Wesley, Charles (1743).Hymns and sacred poems (4th ed.). Bristol.
  25. ^Complete texts of Charles Wesley's Published Verse at Duke Divinity School
  26. ^abJoel M. LeMon: The Controversial Introduction of Jesus into the Psalms by John and Charles Wesley onYouTube
  27. ^Watson, J. R. (1997).The English Hymn. Oxford: Clarendon Press. pp. 230–251.ISBN 0198267622.
  28. ^"Pitts Theology Library Archives Finding Aid". Archived fromthe original on 15 January 2015. Retrieved28 January 2015.
  29. ^"The Calendar".The Church of England. Retrieved27 March 2021.
  30. ^The Book of Common Prayer and Administration of the Sacraments and Other Rites and Ceremonies of the Church: Together with the Psalter of David. Seabury. 1979. p. 23.
  31. ^Guthrie, Clifton F., ed. (1995).For All The Saints: A Calendar of Commemorations for United Methodists. Akron, Ohio: Order of St Luke. pp. 77–78,95–96.ISBN 1-878009-25-7.
  32. ^"Inductees Archive". Gospel Music Hall Of Fame. 14 February 2017. Archived fromthe original on 18 September 2021. Retrieved26 February 2021.
  33. ^Winter, Sean (9 August 2013).Immense Unfathomed Unconfined: The Grace of God in Creation, Church and Community: Essays in Honour of Norman Young. Wipf and Stock Publishers. p. 177.ISBN 978-1-62564-313-1. Retrieved11 August 2022.
  34. ^Breed, David (1934).The History And Use Hymns And Hymn-Tunes. Fleming H. Revell Company. p. 85.
  35. ^"Hymnal tour marks Wesley tercentenary".Romney Advertiser. 18 May 2007. Retrieved16 December 2020.
  36. ^"What is Aldersgate Day?".umc.org. The United Methodist Church. Retrieved21 May 2016.
  37. ^Knowles, Rebecca (22 November 2007)."Charles Wesley, hymn and carol composer, features on new stamp".The Irish Times. Retrieved16 December 2020.
  38. ^"A Heart Set Free", Washington County Cooperative Library Services
  39. ^"Methodist Man - Winston-Salem landmarks came in handy when the Rev. John Jackman was directing his latest film, Wesley. | JournalNow.com". 20 August 2012. Archived fromthe original on 20 August 2012.

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