No 1

(Charles Wesley)

This is a new category in which we will look at the biographies of Bible-believing authors, commentators and preachers who, through the years and centuries, have written countless Godly hymns and books. These will be brief studies but I trust that they will give us a feel for how God used men and women to advance His Work on earth; they will not be in any particular order – we begin with Charles Wesley.

Charles Wesley (1707-1788) was an English hymn writer, poet, and preacher who wrote over 5,500 hymns including “And Can It Be That I Should Gain?” and “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing.” He married Sarah Gwynne Wesley on April 8, 1749. They had eight children of whom only the youngest three – Charles, Jr., Sarah , and Samuel survived infancy; in 1771, they moved to London. Sarah Wesley was a constant support throughout her husband's ministry. She died in London, December 28, 1822, and is buried near her husband in Marylebone Chapel Cemetery.

Charles Wesley was educated at Westminster School in London under his brother Samuel at St. Peter's College, Westminster, London and at Christ Church, Oxford with his brother John and one or two others; he received the nickname of "Methodist" in consequence of the method they employed in prayer and daily life. He was one of the founders of the Methodist Church and went with John Wesley to Georgia, returning in 1736. On May 21, 1738, he "experienced the witness of adoption" and at once joined his brother's evangelistic work, traveling much, and preaching with great zeal and success. His legacy lives up to the Scripture that says “And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.” (2 Tim 2:2)