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

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Charles Wesley (18 December 1707 - 29 March 1788) was a leader of the Methodist movement, the younger brother of John Wesley. Despite their closeness, Charles and his brother 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 founded Wesley Chapel in the village of Brayton, which is just south of Selby. His house, located nearby, can still be visited today. is the 352nd day of the year (353rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events January 1 - John V is crowned King of Portugal March 26 - The Acts of Union becomes law, making the separate Kingdoms of England and Scotland into one country, the Kingdom of Great Britain. ... is the 88th day of the year (89th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1788 was a leap year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... The Methodist movement is a group of denominations of Protestant Christianity. ... For other persons named John Wesley, see John Wesley (disambiguation). ... The Church of England is the officially established Christian church[3] in England, the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion and the oldest among the communions thirty-eight independent national churches. ... For other uses, see Hymn (disambiguation). ... Brayton is a small village just south of the Town of Selby in North Yorkshire. ... , Selby is a town in North Yorkshire, England. ...

Biography

Charles Wesley was the son of Susanna Wesley and Samuel Wesley. Like his brother John, Charles Wesley was born in Epworth, Lincolnshire, England, where their father was rector. He was educated at Westminster School and Christ Church, Oxford, where his brother had also studied, 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. Charles followed his father and brother into the church in 1735, and travelled with John to the colony of Georgia in America in the entourage of the governor, James Oglethorpe, returning a year later. Susanna Wesley, born Susanna Annesley, was the daughter of Dr. Samuel Annesley and the mother of John and Charles Wesley. ... Samuel Wesley (1662 - 1735) is now known as the father of a great religious leader, John Wesley; in his own time he was known to many as a poet and a writer of controversial prose. ... Epworth is a town in Lincolnshire, England. ... For other places with the same name, see Lincolnshire (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Westminster School (disambiguation). ... and of the Christ Church College name Christ Church Latin name Ædes Christi Named after Jesus Christ Established 1546 Sister college Trinity College, Cambridge Dean The Very Revd Christopher Andrew Lewis JCR president Laura Ellis Undergraduates 426 GCR president Tim Benjamin Graduates 154 Location of Christ Church within central Oxford... Events July 30 - Baltimore, Maryland is founded. ... George Whitefield (December 16, 1714 - September 30, 1770), was a minister in the Church of England and one of the leaders of the Methodist movement. ... Events April 16 - The London premiere of Alcina by George Frideric Handel, his first the first Italian opera for the Royal Opera House at Covent Garden. ... North American redirects here. ... General James Oglethorpe James Oglethorpe (December 22 1696 – June 30, 1785) was a British general, a philanthropist, and was the founder of the colony of Georgia. ...

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 eight 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, was later organist of the present church.[1] // St Marylebone Parish Church is a church in London, from which Marylebone gets its name. ... John Harley (born October 9, 1964) is an English expert on international beers. ... The Church of England is the officially established Christian church[3] in England, the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion and the oldest among the communions thirty-eight independent national churches. ... Samuel Wesley (24 February 1766 – 11 October 1837) was an English organist and composer in the late Georgian period. ...

Marriage and issue

In 1749, he married the much younger Sarah Gwynne, daughter of Marmaduke Gwynne, a wealthy Welsh magistrate who had been converted to Methodism by Howell Harris. She accompanied the brothers on their evangelistic journeys throughout Britain, until Charles ceased to travel in 1765. Events While in debtors prison, John Cleland writes Fanny Hill (Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure). ... Howell Harris Howell Harris (1714-1773) was one of the main leaders of the Welsh Methodist revival in the 18th century, along with Daniel Rowland and William Williams Pantycelyn. ... Year 1765 (MDCCLXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Saturday of the 11-day slower Julian calendar). ...

Charles and Sarah had 8 children together. However only three of them survived infancy, Charles Wesley junior (1757-1834), Samuel Wesley (1766 – 1837), and their sister Sarah Wesley. Both Samuel and Charles junior were organists and composers; Samuel Wesley's son, Samuel Sebastian Wesley was one of the foremost British composers of the 19th century, and some of Charles junior's works are still available and played. Charles Wesley junior (Bristol, 11th December, 1757 - London, 23rd May 1834) was an English organist and composer. ... 1757 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... Year 1834 (MDCCCXXXIV) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian Calendar (or a common year starting on Monday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... Samuel Wesley (24 February 1766 – 11 October 1837) was an English organist and composer in the late Georgian period. ... 1766 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... Queen Victoria, Queen of the United Kingdom (1837 - 1901) 1837 (MDCCCXXXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... Organ in Katharinenkirche, Frankfurt am Main, Germany The organ is a keyboard instrument played using one or more manuals and a pedalboard. ... A composer is a person who writes music. ... Samuel Sebastian Wesley (14 August 1810 — 19 April 1876) was an English organist and composer. ...

Best-known hymns

In the course of his career, Charles Wesley published the words of over five and a half thousand hymns, writing the words for a further two thousand, many of which are still popular. These include: For other uses, see Hymn (disambiguation). ...

• "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)
• "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 Thousand Tongues to Sing" (Lyrics)
• "Rejoice, the Lord is King" (Lyrics)
• "Soldiers of Christ, Arise" (Lyrics)
• "Ye Servants of God" (Lyrics)

The lyrics to many more of Charles Wesley's hymns can be found on Wikisource. Christ the Lord Is Risen Today is a Christian hymn traditionally associated with Easter. ... Hark! The Herald Angels Sing is a Christmas hymn or carol written by Charles Wesley, the brother of John Wesley. ... Wikisource has original text related to this article: Love Divine, All Loves Excelling Love Divine, All Loves Excelling is a Christian hymn by Charles Wesley. ... O For A Thousand Tongues To Sing is a Christian hymn written by Charles Wesley. ... The original Wikisource logo. ...

Some 150 of his hymns are included in the Methodist hymn book Hymns and Psalms. Hymns and Psalms is the hymn book of the Methodist Church. ...

Legacy

He is commemorated in the Calendar of Saints of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America on March 2 with his brother John. The Lutheran Calendar of Saints is a listing which details the primary annual festivals and events that are celebrated liturgically by the Lutheran Church. ... The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) is a mainline Protestant denomination headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. ...

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. The Gospel Music Association (GMA) was founded in 1964 for the purpose of supporting and promoting the development of all forms of Gospel music. ... The Gospel Music Hall of Fame, created in 1971 by the Gospel Music Association, is a Hall of Fame dedicated exclusively to recognizing meaningful contributions by individuals in all forms of gospel music. ...

Tercentenary

On 24th May 2007, there was a tercentenary celebration to celebrate 300 years since the birth of Charles Wesley, and many celebrations were held throughout England. It was held on the 24th May, known to all Methodists as 'Wesley Day,' although Charles Wesley was not born until December 1707. The May date actually 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 fantastic flower festival, on the 26th 27th and 28th May, with some of the most astounding flower arrangements, representing some of Charles Wesley’s hymns, from ‘O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing,’ to ‘And Can It Be,’ and not forgetting ‘O For a Trumpet Voice,’ the name of the flower festival.

In November 2007, An Post, the Irish Post Office issued a 78c stamp to commemorate the 300th Anniversary of his birth. The An Post logo An Post (English literal translation: The Post, English official title: The Post Office) is the State-owned provider of postal services in Ireland. ...

References

• Abbey, Charles J. (1892) Religious thought in old English verse, London : Sampson Low, Marston, 456p., ISBN (?) 0-7905-4361-3
• Tyson, John R. (Ed.) (2000) Charles Wesley : a reader, Oxford : Oxford University Press, 519 p., ISBN 0-19-513485-0

External links

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to:

Charles Wesley

• Charles Wesley Hymn Festivals for 2007, Sermons from Goettingen [www.online-sermons.info]
• Free scores with lyrics by Charles Wesley in the Choral Public Domain Library (ChoralWiki)
• Free scores by Charles Wesley in the Werner Icking Music Archive (WIMA)
• Hymns by Charles Wesley
• The Journal 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, 13th December 2007. (Available for download as MP3 and MP4).