John Wesley said of his brother Charles that “his least praise was his talent for poetry.” This statement seems ironic in light of the fact that Charles Wesley is remembered primarily through the continued relevance of his poems and hymns. As a hymn writer, Charles gave a voice and a theological base for Methodism that is still a vital part of the movement. However, many forget his other, and possibly more important, contributions to Methodism.
Charles Wesley was born on December 18, 1707 at Epworth in Lincolnshire. He was the eighteenth child of Samuel and Susanna Wesley and one of ten to reach adulthood. He studied at Westminster School in London from 1716-1726 after which he was awarded a studentship at Christ Church in Oxford. It is here in 1729 that Charles founded the ‘Holy Club’ that became the Methodist movement. In 1732 Charles befriended George Whitefield and introduced him to the ‘Holy Club.’ In 1733 Wesley received his Master’s degree and in 1735 he was ordained in the Church of England. For expediency’s sake he was ordained deacon and a week later priest, just two weeks before departing for the North American mission field.
In 1749 Charles married Sally Gwynne. They had eight children together, three of which reached adulthood: Charles, Jr., Sarah, and Samuel. Charles Wesley died peacefully on March 29, 1788, just a few years before his older brother John.
Quoting Gary Martin Best, “It was Charles who provided the warmth of character which kept many loyal to his more autocratic and severe brother. It was Charles and not John who was often judged the most effective preacher in Methodism whenever Whitefield was absent in America…. He constantly supported his brother, even when they disagreed, and by becoming the hymn writer of the movement, he embodied its message far more effectively in his verse than John was ever able to achieve through his prose.”
Sources:
Best, Gary Martin.
Tabraham, Barrie W.
Mitchell, T. Crichton.
This manuscript collection consists of thirty-four folders of personal and professional correspondence, music, and poetry associated with co-founder of Methodism Charles Wesley, his wife, their three children, and one grandson. Materials in the collection, dating from the mid-1700s to the late 1800s, provide insights into the creative, business, and family life of three generations of Wesleys.
The collection is organized into two series:
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[Identification of item,] Collection on the Charles Wesley family, Bridwell Library, Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University.
Acquired, 1957 - ongoing
During processing, modern documents related to the provenance and use of the collection that were previous stored with the collection were placed in the
Collection arranged and described by Timothy S. G. Binkley, 2012. Biographical note written by Rachel Tillay.
Ada Negraru, 2012.
The first series begins with two poems by Charles Wesley and ends with fifteen letters written by Wesley or jointly with his wife, Sarah (Sally) Gwynne Wesley. Dates in square brackets have been supplied or estimated by Bridwell Library staff members.
Digital images of all the letters in this series are available for viewing at
The second series contains fourteen pieces of correspondence and three other manuscript documents written by or sent to these Wesley family members: Sarah (Sally) Gwynne Wesley (1726-1822), wife of Charles Wesley; their first son, Charles Wesley, Jr. (1757-1834); their daughter, Sarah Wesley (1759-1828); their second son, Samuel Wesley (1766-1837); and Samuel Wesley’s son, Samuel Sebastian Wesley (1810-1876). Dates in square brackets have been supplied or estimated by Bridwell Library staff members. The phrase “double letter” is used to denote the presence of two letters on one sheet of paper.