Charles Wesley

Charles Wesley was born on 18 December 1707, the third surviving son and eighteenth child of Samuel and Susanna Wesley. He was almost fifteen months old when the old Rectory at Epworth was totally destroyed by fire. Charles, along with his older and more famous brother John, were rescued from the inferno.

In 1729, after his brother John briefly returned to Epworth to assist his father, Charles became deeply exercised about spiritual matters, and gathered together a close group of friends who shared his new religious seriousness. It became the ‘Holiness Club’, whose members soon received the nickname of ‘Methodist’ because they ‘methodically sought to fulfil the commands of scripture’.

In 1732, George Whitefield joined the group, and a close bond of friendship developed between himself and Charles Wesley, who was now a College tutor. The Holy Spirit was clearly working in the lives of all these young men. Even before they were delivered from the legalism of their sincere but lifeless religion there were signs of life. Whitefield was the first to find assurance of salvation in May 1735.

Later in 1735, Charles accompanied his brother John on a mission to the new American colony of Georgia, serving as secretary to the Governor, but the venture was a huge failure. He felt betrayed and returned to England while John remained in Georgia. Nevertheless, the adventure made Charles famous and he was suddenly mixing with gentry: he even preached before King George II, but he remained deeply uncertain about his eternal destiny and was very unhappy.

In May 1738, both Wesley brothers were in London. Charles was recovering from a recurring illness (probably pleurisy) and was convalescing in the home of friends. They were Moravians. Charles was deeply moved by their humble concern and sincere Christian testimonies. One evening he opened his Bible at Isaiah 40:1 and felt that the ‘light of salvation’ it described was actually shining directly on him. His Journal entry for 21 May reads:

I now found myself at peace with God, and rejoiced in hope of
loving Christ … I saw that by faith I stood, by the continual support of faith …
I went to bed still sensible of my own weakness …
yet confident of Christ’s protection.

Charles’ strength began to return straightaway. He also started what proved to be the first of his nearly 6,000 hymns. The next day—24 May—his brother John found assurance of salvation during a meeting in nearby Aldersgate Street in London. And exactly a year later, Charles wrote his famous hymn, ‘O for a thousand tongues’ which he recommended for singing ‘on the anniversary of one’s conversion’.

Charles married Sarah Gwynne (known as ‘Sally’) in April 1749. They remained deeply in love throughout their long marriage. They had eight children, of whom only three survived. Both sons were musical prodigies: Samuel’s skill was compared with Mozart. And all this time, Methodism was becoming a nationwide phenomenon.

The Wesleys moved to London in 1771, thereby giving Charles effective oversight of the London Methodists. He preached, wrote, and travelled tirelessly which helped transform them from being a small and localised ‘church plant’ to become an international powerhouse.

Charles died on 29 March 1788 aged 80. At his own request, he was buried in the churchyard of Marylebone Parish Church. In context, he always considered himself a member of the Church of England and and became unhappy when the Methodist movement moved away from its Anglican roots.

Charles Wesley’s legacy was a vast, vibrant spiritual movement with a strong social conscience and based on a theology of ‘salvation to the uttermost’. Part of its success was the way so many of his poems were set to good
music which helped teach the theology of Methodism; and a great many continue to inspire and teach to this day.

For more information:

https://www.wholesomewords.org/biography/bwesley13.html 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/christianity/people/charleswesley_1.shtml