WESLEY. 432 WESLEY. earnestness for the next seventeen years. He ■was of a more cautious and conservative tem- perament than John, and looked with distrust upon the gradual development of a tendency in the Methodist societies to separate from the Church of England, and upon his brother's views of perfection, which he thought must be at- tained by K gradual process. He died in Lon- don, after a period of failing health, and was buried in Jlarylebone churchyard. He is kno^vn chieriy for liis liymns. of which he wrote over six thousand, many of them still in constant use. The poetical works of the brothers were pub- lished in thirteen volumes by the Rev. G. Os- borne (1868-72). For the biography of Charles, apart from what appears in the Lives of his brother, consult .Jackson (London, 1849) and Telford ( ib., 1800). WESLEY, -John (1703-91). An English clergyman, generally known as the foiuider of Methodism. He was born at Epwortli, in Lin- colnshire, the fifteenth child of the Rev. Samuel Wesley, and of a famih' which had been known as nonconformists, though Samuel had taken orders in the Church of England. At ten he was sent to Charterhouse School, where for a time he suffered from the persecutions of the older boj's, but finally won a place in the esteem of all. In 1720 he matriculated at Christ Church, O.vford. He took his degree in 1724, and not long after began to think about following his father's profession. He was ordained deacon in 1725. and in the next year elected a fellow of Lincoln College. Ordained priest in 1728, for a while he acted as curate to his father at Epworth, but was recalled to Oxford by the college regulations. Finding his brother Charles and some other undergraduates associated in what was called liy unsympathetic outsiders the 'Holy Club,' he naturally saw much of them, and became practically their director. On his father's death he was urged to accept the living of Ep- worth, but thought his place was at Oxford. It was not long, however, before he changed his mind, and was persuaded to go with General Oglethorpe as a missionary to Georgia. His mis- sion was not altogether a success: he was re- garded as too strict, and some of the points on which he insisted were not thought to be in harmony with Protestantism. His sojourn in Georgia was not, however, without fruit, and his departure was regarded as a real loss to the colony. On his voyage to Savannah, he met for the first time some of the Moraviiin Brethren, whose simple evangelical piety made a deep im- pression on him. On his return to London, he sought them out, and from Peter Bi'ihler. one nf their preachers, inibilicd the doctrine of 'saving faith,' and broke away from the influence of William I^aw, which had been strong in his earlier life. In the summer of 17.38 he went aliroad to visit their leaders, and spent some time at Herrn- hut and with Zinzendorf at Marienliorn. He corresponded with Zinzendorf for some time, and his letters are still preserved at Ilerrnliut. His new experiences made a vital difference in him. He associated with Moravians in England, and with other societies interested in the growth of the spiritual life. Early in 17.39 he took more definite steps in the direction he was afterwards to follow. His friend George Whit«held invited him to Bristol. When he saw Wliitetield preaching in the open air, his High Church principles were at tirst oU'ended, but on April 2d he preached his first open-air sermon, and thus began what was really his life work. His success in the neigh- borhood of Bristol was so great that a special place had to be built in which to care for the converts. A still more important step was taken on July 20, 1740, when he formed the first so- ciety under his direction. They met in a build- ing called the Foundry, formerl_ Government property, but long disused, near Finsbury Square in London, which for many years was the head- quarters of Methodism. The success of his preaching soon called him so much away from his societies that he was unable to give them proper care. In 1742 one of his followers proposed that the members should be divided into bands of twelve, with a leader over each. The plan was adopted and worked well. The leaders reported to Wesley the conduct of the members and the receipt of money. The class-meetings thus originated con- tributed greatly to the success of the move- ment. Wesley now preached frequently all about London and Bristol. But the fervor and en- thusiasm of his converts was looked upon with suspicion by the clergy in general, accustomed to an orderly and 'respectable' conduct of reli- gious matters. He began to develop his organi- zation by the appointment of lay preachers, who were to be communicants of the Church of Eng- land, and not to conflict in their preaching with the church services. Among the early preachers of til is sort were John Cennick and Thomas Maxficld. In 1744 the first conference of his principal helpers was held. As a result of the Arminian tendencies of Wes- ley and his friends, Whitefield and Cennick with- drew from relations with them and formed the Calvinistic Methodists. The success of Wesley's work was, however, unabated. In five years from the preaching of the Bristol sermon forty-five preachers were laboring with him. and there were two thousand members in London alone. There is no question that the religious life of England was in need of some stirring and vivifying infli- C7ice; and this the burning words, the ardent faitli of Wesley brought it. His labors were prodigious. His evangelistic labors extended to all parts of the British Isles. He preached from twice to four times daily, and traveled (on horse- back until advancing age compelled him to use a carriage) about 4.500 miles a year. He met the societies, classes, and bo.ards. and inquired minutely into their affairs. He saw to the erec- tion of chapels, and collected money to defray the expense. He found time for an aniiizing variety of literary work, selecting, condensing, .•iliridging. and writing on all kinds of subjects wlint he thought wotild be most useful for his followers. He joined in every movement for the improvement of humanity. Sunday-schools, the abolition of slavery, education, the circula- tion of tracts, and charitable associations of all kinds interested him and enlisted his coopera- tion. By 1790 he found himself at the head of ,511 iprcachcrs and 120.000 members, while at least four times that niuuber were in attendance with the Methodist Comrregations. He died March
