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|caption =John Wesley by [[George Romney (painter)|George Romney]], 1789 |
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|birth_date = {{OldStyleDate|28 June|1703|17 June}} |
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|birth_place = [[Epworth, England|Epworth]], [[Lincolnshire]], England |
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|death_date = {{Death date and age|1791|3|2|1703|6|17|df=y}} |
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|nationality = [[Kingdom of Great Britain|British]] |
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|known_for = Founder of the [[Methodism|Methodist movement]] |
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|education = [[Charterhouse School]]<br />[[Christ Church, Oxford]] |
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|employer = |
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|occupation = [[Preacher]] and [[theologian]] |
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|networth = about 30 current [[USD]] at time of death |
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|religion = [[Christian]] ([[Anglican]] and [[Methodist]]) |
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|spouse = Mary Wesley ([[née]] Vazeille) |
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|children = |
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|parents = [[Samuel Wesley (poet)|Samuel]] & [[Susanna Wesley]] |
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|signature = Appletons' Wesley John signature.jpg |
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'''John Wesley''' ({{pron-en|ˈwɛslɪ}}) ({{OldStyleDate|28 June|1703|17 June}} – 2 March 1791) was an [[Anglican]] [[cleric]] and [[Christian]] [[Christian theologian|theologian]]. Wesley is largely credited, along with his brother [[Charles Wesley]], as founding the [[Methodism|Methodist movement]] which began when he took to [[open-air preaching]] in a similar manner to [[George Whitefield]]. In contrast to George Whitefield's [[Calvinism]], Wesley embraced the [[Arminian]] doctrines that were dominant in the 18th-century Church of England. Methodism in both forms was a highly successful [[evangelicalism|evangelical]] movement in the [[United Kingdom]], which encouraged people to experience [[Jesus Christ]] personally. |
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Wesley's writing and preachings provided the seeds for both the modern Methodist movement and the [[Holiness movement]], which encompass numerous denominations across the world. In addition, he refined Arminanism with a strong evangelical emphasis on the Reformed doctrine of justification by faith. |
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==Overview== |
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Wesley helped to organize and form societies of Christians throughout [[England]], [[Scotland]], [[Wales]] and [[Ireland]] as small groups that developed intensive, personal accountability, [[discipleship]] and religious instruction among members. His great contribution was to appoint itinerant, unordained preachers who travelled widely to [[evangelism|evangelise]] and care for people in the societies. Young men who acted as their assistants were called "exhorters" who functioned in a similar fashion to the twelve [[Apostle (Christian)|apostles]] after [[The Ascension|the ascension of Jesus]].{{Citation needed|date=May 2009}} |
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Under Wesley's direction, Methodists became leaders in many social issues of the day, including the [[prison reform]] and [[abolitionism]] movements. Wesley's contribution as a theologian was to propose a system of opposing theological stances. His greatest theological achievement was his promotion of what he termed "[[Christian Perfection]]", or holiness of heart and life. Wesley held that, in this life, Christians could come to a state in which the love of God, or perfect love, reigned supreme in their hearts. His evangelical theology, especially his understanding of Christian perfection, was firmly grounded in his sacramental theology. He continually insisted on the general use of the means of grace ([[prayer]], [[scripture]], [[meditation]], [[Holy Communion]], etc.) as the means by which God [[Sanctification|sanctifies]] and transforms the believer. |
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John Wesley was among the first to preach for slaves rights, attracting significant opposition.<ref>S. R. Valentine, John Bennet & the Origins of Methodism and the Evangelical revival in England, Scarecrow Press, Lanham, 1997.</ref><ref>Carey, Brycchan. “John Wesley (1703-1791).” The British Abolitionists. Brycchan Carey, July 11, 2008. October 5, 2009. [http://www.brycchancarey.com/abolition/index.htm]</ref>,<ref>Wesley John, “Thoughts Upon Slavery,” John Wesley: Holiness of Heart and Life. Charles Yrigoyen, 1996. October 5, 2009. [http://gbgm-umc.org/umw/wesley/thoughtsuponslavery.stm]</ref> |
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Throughout his life, Wesley remained within the [[Church of England]] and insisted that his movement was well within the bounds of the Anglican tradition.<ref>{{cite book | title = The Wesleyan Quadrilateral | last = Thorsen | first = Don | year = 2005 | publisher = Emeth Press | pages = 97 | isbn = 1-59731-043-3}}</ref> His maverick use of church policy put him at odds with many within the Church of England, though toward the end of his life he was widely respected and referred to as "the best loved man in England". <ref> Lectionary - John and Charles Wesley[http://satucket.com/lectionary/Wesley.htm]</ref> |
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==Youth== |
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[[Image:Remember John Wesley, Wroot.jpg|thumb|left|200px|''"Remembering John Wesley"'', Wroot, near [[Epworth, England|Epworth]]]] |
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John Wesley was born in 1703 in [[Epworth, England|Epworth]], 23 miles (37 km) northwest of [[Lincoln, England]], the fifteenth child of [[Samuel Wesley (poet)|Samuel Wesley]] and his wife Susanna Annesley. His father was a graduate of the [[University of Oxford]] and a [[Church of England]] rector. In 1689 Samuel had married [[Susanna Wesley|Susanna Annesley]], twenty-fifth child of Dr. [[Samuel Annesley]], a [[Dissenter]] pastor. Wesley's parents had both become members of the [[Established Church]] (Church of England) early in adulthood. Susanna bore Samuel Wesley nineteen children, but only seven lived. In 1696 Wesley's father was appointed the rector of Epworth. |
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At the age of five, Wesley was rescued from the burning rectory. This escape made a deep impression on his mind, and he regarded himself as providentially set apart, as a "brand plucked from the burning" quoting Zechariah 3:2.<ref>Wallace, Charles Jr (1997) ''Susanna Wesley : the complete writings'', New York : Oxford University Press, p. 67, ISBN 0-19-507437-8</ref> As in many families at the time, Wesley's parents gave their children their early education. Each child, including the girls, was taught to read as soon as they could walk and talk. In 1714, at age 11, Wesley was sent to the [[Charterhouse School]] in London (under the mastership of [[John King (clergyman)|John King]] from 1715), where he lived the studious, methodical and—for a while—religious life in which he had been trained at home. |
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During Wesley's early adult years he was greatly influenced by the classic books: [[Jeremy Taylor|Jeremy Taylor's]] ''Holy Living and Holy Dying'', [[Thomas a Kempis|Thomas a Kempis']] ''The Imitation of Christ'', and [[William Law|William Law's]] two books ''Christian Perfection'' and ''A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life''. |
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==Mission in Georgia== |
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[[Image:JohnWesleySavannah.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Statue of John Wesley, [[Savannah, Georgia]]]] |
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On 14 October 1735, Wesley and his brother Charles sailed on "The Simmonds" from [[Gravesend, Kent]] for [[Savannah, Georgia|Savannah]] in the [[Province of Georgia]] in the [[British America|American colonies]] at the request of Governor [[James Oglethorpe]]. Oglethorpe wanted Wesley to be the minister of the newly formed Savannah parish. |
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It was on the voyage to the colonies that the Wesleys first came into contact with [[Moravian Church|Moravian]] settlers. Wesley was influenced by their deep faith and spirituality rooted in [[pietism]]. At one point in the voyage a storm came up and broke the mast off the ship. While the English panicked, the Moravians calmly sang hymns and prayed. This experience led Wesley to believe that the Moravians possessed an inner strength which he lacked.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.sip.armstrong.edu/Methodism/wesley.html | title = John Wesley and Savannah | last = Ross | first = Kathy W. | coauthors = Stacey, Rosemary | accessdate = 2007-09-18}}</ref> The deeply personal religion that the Moravian pietists practiced heavily influenced Wesley's theology of Methodism.<ref>[http://www.sip.armstrong.edu/Methodism/wesley.html Armstrong Atlantic State University]</ref> |
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They reached Savannah on 8 February 1736, where Wesley saw Oglethorpe's offer as an opportunity to spread [[Christianity]] to the [[Native Americans in the United States|Native Americans]] in the colony. Wesley's mission, however, was unsuccessful, and he and his brother Charles were constantly beset by troubles in the colonies. |
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On top of his struggles with teaching, Wesley found disaster in his relations with Sophia Hopkey, a woman who had journeyed across the Atlantic on the same ship as Wesley. Wesley and Hopkey became romantically involved, but Wesley abruptly broke off the relationship on the advice of a Moravian minister in whom he confided. Hopkey contended that Wesley had promised to marry her and therefore had gone back on his word in breaking off the relationship. Wesley's problems came to a head when he refused Hopkey communion. She and her new husband, William Williamson, filed suit against Wesley. |
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Wesley stood trial and faced the accusations made by Hopkey. The proceedings ended in a mistrial, but Wesley's reputation had already been tarnished too greatly, and he made it known that he intended to return to England. Williamson again tried to raise charges against Wesley to prevent him from leaving the colony, but he managed to escape back to England. He was left exhausted by the whole experience. His mission to Georgia contributed to a life-long struggle with self-doubt. |
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{{Citation needed|date=December 2009}} |
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==Moravian influence== |
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[[Image:Shoreditch john wesleys house 1.jpg|thumb|150px|left|John Wesley's house on [[City Road]], London. (January 2006)]] |
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Wesley returned to England depressed and beaten. It was at this point that he turned to the [[Moravian Church|Moravians]]. Both he and Charles received counsel from the young Moravian missionary [[Peter Boehler]], who was temporarily in England awaiting permission to depart for Georgia himself. John's famous "Aldersgate experience" of 24 May 1738, at a Moravian meeting in [[A1 road (London)#Aldersgate Street|Aldersgate Street]], London, in which he heard a reading of [[Martin Luther]]'s preface to the [[Epistle to the Romans]], and penned the now famous lines "I felt my heart strangely warmed",<ref>{{cite book | title = The Genesis of Methodism | last = Dreyer | first = Frederick A. | pages = 27 | isbn = 0-934223-56-4 | year = 1999 | publisher = Lehigh University Press}}</ref> revolutionised the character and method of his ministry.<ref>{{cite book | title = John Wesley the Methodist | last = Hurst | first = J. F. | pages = 102–103 | publisher = Kessinger Publishing | year = 2003 | isbn = 0766154467}}</ref> The previous week he had been highly impressed by the sermon of [[John Heylyn|Dr. John Heylyn]], whom he was assisting in the service at [[St Mary-le-Strand]], an occasion followed immediately by news of the death of his brother Samuel.<ref>''Journal of the Rev. John Wesley''</ref> A few weeks later, Wesley preached a remarkable sermon on the doctrine of personal salvation by faith, which was followed by another, on God's grace "free in all, and free for all." |
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[[Image:Johnwesleystatue.jpg|thumb|right|Wesley Statue at [[Indiana Wesleyan University]]]] |
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Though his understanding of both justification and the assurance varied throughout his life, Wesley never stopped preaching the importance of faith for salvation and the witness of God's Spirit with the belief that one was, indeed, a child of God. |
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Wesley allied himself with the Moravian society in Fetter Lane. In 1738 he went to [[Herrnhut]], the Moravian headquarters in Germany, to study. On his return to England, Wesley drew up rules for the "bands" into which the [[Fetter Lane Society]] was divided and published a collection of [[hymn]]s for them. He met frequently with this and other religious societies in London but did not preach often in 1738, because most of the [[parish church]]es were closed to him. |
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Wesley's Oxford friend, the evangelist [[George Whitefield]], was also excluded from the churches of [[Bristol]] upon his return from America. Going to the neighbouring village of [[Kingswood, South Gloucestershire|Kingswood]], in February 1739, Whitefield preached in the open air to a company of miners. Later he preached in [[Whitefield's Tabernacle, Kingswood|Whitefield's Tabernacle]]. Wesley hesitated to accept Whitefield's call to copy this bold step. Overcoming his scruples, he preached the first time at Whitefield's invitation [[Open-air preaching|sermon in the open air]], near Bristol, in April 1739. |
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Wesley was unhappy about the idea of field preaching as he believed the Anglican Church had much to offer in its practice. Earlier in his life he would have thought that such a method of saving souls was "almost a sin."<ref>{{cite book | title = John Wesley: A Biography | last = Tomkins | first = Stephen | publisher = Eerdmans | year = 2003 | pages = 69 | isbn = 1-8028-2499-4}}</ref> Wesley recognised the open-air services were successful in reaching men and women who would not enter most churches. From then on he took the opportunities to preach wherever an assembly could be brought together, more than once using his father's [[tomb stone|tombstone]] at Epworth as a [[pulpit]]. Wesley continued for fifty years — entering churches when he was invited, and taking his stand in the fields, in halls, cottages, and chapels, when the churches would not receive him. |
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Late in 1739 Wesley broke with the Moravians in London. Wesley had helped them organise the [[Fetter Lane Society]], and those converted by his preaching and that of his brother and Whitefield had become members of their bands. But he believed they fell into [[heresy]] by supporting [[Quietism (Christian philosophy)|quietism]], so he decided to form his own followers into a separate society. "Thus," he wrote, "without any previous plan, began the Methodist Society in England." He soon formed similar societies in Bristol and Kingswood, and wherever Wesley and his friends made converts. |
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== Persecutions; lay preaching == |
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From 1739 onward, Wesley and the Methodists were persecuted by clergymen and magistrates because they preached without being ordained or licensed by the Anglican Church. This was seen as a social threat that disregarded institutions. Ministers attacked them in sermons and in print, and at times mobs attacked them. Wesley and his followers continued to work among the neglected and needy. They were denounced as promulgators of strange doctrines, fomenters of religious disturbances; as blind fanatics, leading people astray, claiming miraculous gifts, attacking the clergy of the Church of England, and trying to re-establish [[Roman Catholic Church|Catholicism]]. |
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Wesley felt that the church failed to call sinners to repentance, that many of the clergymen were corrupt, and that people were perishing in their sins. He believed he was commissioned by God to bring about revival in the church; and no opposition, persecution, or obstacles could prevail against the divine urgency and authority of this commission. The prejudices of his high-church training, his strict notions of the methods and proprieties of public worship, his views of the apostolic succession and the prerogatives of the priest, even his most cherished convictions, were not allowed to stand in the way. |
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Unwilling that people should perish in their sins and unable to reach them from church pulpits, following the example set by George Whitefield, Wesley began field preaching. Seeing that he and the few clergymen cooperating with him could not do the work that needed to be done, he was led, as early as 1739, to approve local preachers. He evaluated and approved men who were not ordained by the Anglican Church to preach and do pastoral work. This expansion of lay preachers was one of the keys of the growth of Methodism. |
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[[File:Wood1b.png|90px|right|''John Wesley 300: Pioneers, Preachers and Practitioners'', 2003.]] |
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Further examples of this persecution took place in the early developments of Methodism in the Caribbean. In 1760 when the planter, lawyer and Speaker of the Antiguan House of Assembly - '''Nathaniel Gilbert III''' (1719 ca.—1774) returned to his sugar estate to being prayer meetings with his slaves in Antigua after having met the preacher John Wesley in his Wandsworth drawing room in England on 15th of January 1759.<ref name="blackman_300">Blackman, Francis 'Woodie', (2003), ''John Wesley 300: Pioneers, Preachers and Practitioners'' (Barbados: Dalkeith Methodist Church, 89 pp, ISBN 9768080612)</ref> Throughout these early time the lay preachers were often tormented by local magistrate rulings that prevented meetings and singing from taking place, Gilbert struggled against this until his death in 1774. John Baxter, a Methodist preacher and skilled shipwright from Chatham in England tried to continue Gilbert's work and by 1783 he managed to get the first Methodist Chapel built in Antigua. |
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In 1785, a year before the missionary endeavour in the Caribbean was officially recognised by the Conference in England, '''William Turton''' (1761—1817), a Barbadian son of a planter, met John Baxter in Antigua and later as lay-preacher assisted in the Methodist work in the then Swedish colony of St. Bartholomew from 1796 and himself had to overcome many persecutions, it was in his favour that Swedish law at that time practised religious tolerance.<ref name="blackman_300"/>,<ref>Cook, Thomas, (1811), ''A History of the West Indies'', Vol. III, 80/82, (Liverpool, England: Fisher & Dixon)</ref> |
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In Jamaica '''Edward Fraser''' (1798—Aft.1850) a privileged Barbadian slave, who in 1818 moved to Bermuda and subsequently met the Nova Scotia Methodist minister James Dunbar, who noted young Fraser's sincerity and commitment to his congregation and encouraged him by appointing him as assistant. By 1827 Fraser assisted in building a new chapel, was later freed, admitted to the Methodist Ministry to serve in Antigua and Jamaica.<ref name="blackman_300"/> |
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The best example of this struggle against persecution is in Barbados where '''[[Sarah Ann Gill|Ann Gill]]''' (1779—1866), a free-born coloured woman of reasonable comfort who, following Rev. William J. Shrewsbury's 1820's preachings used Civil Disobedience in an attempt to thwart magistrate rulings that prevented parishioners holding prayer meetings, to the point of paying and extraordinary £1700.00 in hopes to build a new chapel and having militia appointed by the Governor to protect her home from demolition.<ref name="blackman_gill">[[Woodie Blackman|Blackman, Francis]], (1998), ''National heroine of Barbados: Sarah Ann Gill'' (Barbados: Methodist Church, 27 pp)</ref> |
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==Chapels and organizations== |
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As his societies needed houses to worship in, Wesley began to provide chapels, first in Bristol at the [[New Room, Bristol|New Room]], then in London and elsewhere. The Bristol chapel (1739) was at first in the hands of trustees. A large debt was contracted, and Wesley's friends urged him to keep it under his own control, so the deed was cancelled, and he became sole trustee. Following this precedent, all Methodist chapels were committed in trust to him until by a "deed of declaration", all his interests in them were transferred to a body of preachers called the "Legal Hundred." |
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When disorder arose among some members of the societies, Wesley adopted giving tickets to members, with their names written by his own hand. These were renewed every three months. Those deemed unworthy did not receive new tickets and dropped out of the society without disturbance. The tickets were regarded as commendatory letters. |
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When the debt on a chapel became a burden, it was proposed that one in twelve members should collect offerings regularly from the eleven allotted to him. Out of this grew the Methodist class-meeting system in 1742. In order to keep the disorderly out of the societies, Wesley established a probationary system. He undertook to visit each society regularly in what became the quarterly visitation, or conference. As the number of societies increased, Wesley could not keep personal contact, so in 1743 he drew up a set of "General Rules" for the "United Societies." These were the nucleus of the Methodist ''Discipline'', still the basis. |
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'''General Rules:''' ''It is therefore expected of all who continue therein that they should continue to evidence their desire of salvation,'' |
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''First: By doing no harm, by avoiding evil of every kind . . . ;'' |
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''Secondly: By . . . doing good of every possible sort, and, as far as possible, to all . . . ;'' |
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''Thirdly: By attending upon all the ordinances of God'' |
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As the number of preachers and preaching-places increased, doctrinal and administrative matters needed to be discussed; so John and Charles Wesley, along with four other clergymen and four lay preachers, met for consultation in London in 1744. This was the first Methodist conference; subsequently, the conference (with Wesley as its president) became the ruling body of the Methodist movement. Two years later, to help preachers work more systematically and societies receive services more regularly, Wesley appointed "helpers" to definitive circuits. Each circuit included at least thirty appointments a month. Believing that the preacher's efficiency was promoted by his being changed from one circuit to another every year or two, Wesley established the "itinerancy", and insisted that his preachers submit to its rules. When, in 1788, some objected to the frequent changes, Wesley wrote, "For fifty years God has been pleased to bless the itinerant plan, the last year most of all. It must not be altered til I am removed, and I hope it will remain til our Lord comes to reign on earth." |
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==Ordination of ministers== |
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[[Image:Wesley at asbury.jpg|right|thumb|240px|Life-size statue at [[Asbury Theological Seminary]] in Wilmore, Kentucky]] |
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As the societies multiplied, they adopted the elements of an ecclesiastical system. The divide between Wesley and the Church of England widened. The question of division from the Church of England was urged by some of his preachers and societies, but most strenuously opposed by his brother Charles. Wesley refused to leave the Church of England, believing that Anglicanism was "with all her blemishes, [...] nearer the Scriptural plans than any other in Europe".<ref>Thorsen 2005, p. 97.</ref> In 1745 Wesley wrote that he would make any concession which his conscience permitted, in order to live in peace with the clergy. He could not give up the doctrine of an inward and present salvation by faith by itself. He would not stop preaching, nor dissolve the societies, nor end preaching by lay members. As a clergyman within the established church he had no plans to go further. "We dare not", he said, "administer [[baptism]] or the [[Eucharist|Lord's Supper]] without a commission from a bishop in the [[apostolic succession]]." |
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When in 1746 Wesley read Lord King on the primitive church, he became convinced that the concept of apostolic succession in Anglicanism was a "fable".<ref>H. W. Holden: ''John Wesley in company with high churchmen'', READ BOOKS, 1870, ISBN 9781408606612, p. 51</ref> He wrote that he was "a scriptural ''episkopos'' as much as many men in England." Many years later [[Edward Stillingfleet]]'s ''Irenicon'' led him to decide that [[Holy Orders|ordination]] could be valid when performed by a [[presbyter]] rather than a bishop. Nevertheless, many believe that Wesley was consecrated a bishop in 1763 by [[Erasmus of Arcadia]],<ref name="Wesleyan-Methodist magazine - Consecration of Rev. John Wesley">{{cite web|url = http://books.google.com/books?id=STVAAAAAYAAJ&q=erasmus+arcadia+wesley+bishop+dare&dq=erasmus+arcadia+wesley+bishop+dare&lr=&cd=18|title= Wesleyan-Methodist magazine: being a continuation of the Arminian or Methodist magazine first publ. by John Wesley |
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|quote= Mr. Wesley thus became a Bishop, and consecrated Dr. Coke, who united himself with ... who gave it under his own hand that Erasmus was Bishop of Arcadia, ...|publisher = [[Wesleyan Methodist Magazine]]|accessdate = 2007-12-31}}</ref><ref name="David Lyle Jeffrey - Bishop">{{cite web|url = http://books.google.com/books?id=yhqzG-kOic4C&pg=PA205&dq=erasmus+arcadia+wesley+bishop&lr=&cd=22#v=onepage&q=erasmus%20arcadia%20wesley%20bishop&f=false|title= English Spirituality in the Age of Wesley|quote= By 1763, Wesley was desperate to obtain ordination for some of his lay preachers and when bishop after bishop refused, he took the dubious expedient -against the council of all his close friends and associates-of asking one Easmus, who claimed to be bishop of Arcadia in Crete, to do the job. Erasmus knew no English, but agreed.|publisher = Regent College Publishing|accessdate = 2007-12-31}}</ref> and that Wesley could not openly announce his episcopal consecration without incurring the penalty of the [[Praemunire|Præmunire Act]].<ref name="Richard Joseph Cooke">{{cite web|url = http://books.google.com/books?id=mVVIAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA145&dq=erasmus+arcadia+wesley+bishop&cd=5#v=onepage&q=erasmus%20arcadia%20wesley%20bishop&f=false|title= The historic episcopate: a study of Anglican claims and Methodist orders |quote= Dr. Peters was present at the interview, and went with and introduced Dr. Seabury to Mr. Wesley, who was so far satisfied that he would have been willingly consecrated by him in Mr. Wesley would have signed his letter of orders as bishop, which Mr. Wesley could not do without incurring the penalty of the ''Præmunire'' Act.|publisher =Eaton & Mains|accessdate = 2007-12-31}}</ref> |
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In 1784 Wesley ordained preachers for Scotland, England and America, with authority to administer the [[sacraments]]. He believed he had waited long enough for the [[Bishop of London]] to ordain a minister for the American Methodists, who were without the sacraments after the [[American Revolutionary War]]. The Church of England had been disestablished in the United States, where it had been the state church in most of the southern colonies. The Church of England had not yet appointed a United States bishop to what would become the [[Episcopal Church (United States)|Protestant Episcopal Church]] in America. Wesley ordained [[Thomas Coke (Bishop)|Thomas Coke]] by the laying on of hands although Coke was already a priest in the Church of England. Wesley appointed him to be superintendent of Methodists in the United States. He also ordained Richard Whatcoat and Thomas Vasey as presbyters. Wesley intended that Coke and Asbury (whom Coke ordained) should ordain others in the newly founded [[Methodist Episcopal Church]] in the United States. |
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His brother Charles grew alarmed and begged Wesley to stop before he had "quite broken down the bridge" and not embitter his [Charles'] last moments on earth, nor "leave an indelible blot on our memory." Wesley replied that he had not separated from the church, nor did he intend to, but he must and would save as many souls as he could while alive, "without being careful about what may possibly be when I die." Although Wesley rejoiced that the Methodists in America were free, he advised his English followers to remain in the established church, and he himself died within it. |
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==Advocacy of Arminianism== |
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{{Arminianism}} |
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Wesley entered controversies as he tried to enlarge church practice. The most notable of his controversies was that on [[Calvinism]]. His father was of the [[Arminianism|Arminian]] school in the church. Wesley came to his own conclusions while in college and expressed himself strongly against the doctrines of Calvinistic election and reprobation. |
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Whitefield inclined to Calvinism. In his first tour in America, he embraced the views of the New England School of Calvinism. When in 1739 Wesley preached a sermon on ''Freedom Of Grace'', attacking the Calvinistic understanding of [[predestination]] as blasphemous, as it represented "God as worse than the devil," Whitefield asked him not to repeat or publish the discourse, as he did not want a dispute. |
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Wesley published his sermon anyway. Whitefield was one of many who responded. The two men separated their practice in 1741. Wesley wrote that those who held to unlimited atonement did not desire separation, but "those who held 'particular redemption' would not hear of any accommodation."<ref>{{cite book | title = The History of the Religious Movement of the Eighteenth Century, called Methodism: Volume I | last = Stevens | first = Abel | publisher = Carlton & Porter | year = 1858 | pages = 155}}</ref> |
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Whitefield, [[Howell Harris|Harris]], [[John Cennick|Cennick]], and others, became the founders of [[Presbyterian Church of Wales|Calvinistic Methodism]]. Whitefield and Wesley, however, were soon back on friendly terms, and their friendship remained unbroken although they travelled different paths. |
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In 1770 the controversy broke out anew with violence and bitterness, as people's view of God related to their views of men and their possibilities. [[Augustus Montague Toplady]], [[Daniel Rowland|Rowland]], [[Richard Hill]], and others were engaged on the one side, and Wesley and Fletcher on the other. Toplady was editor of ''[[The Gospel Magazine]]'', which had articles covering the controversy. |
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In 1778 Wesley began the publication of ''The Arminian Magazine'', not, he said, to convince Calvinists, but to preserve Methodists. He wanted to teach the truth that "God willeth all men to be saved." A "lasting peace" could be secured in no other way. |
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==Doctrines and theology== |
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20th century Wesley scholar [[Albert Outler]] argued in his introduction to the 1964 collection ''John Wesley'' that Wesley developed his theology by using a method that Outler termed the [[Wesleyan Quadrilateral]]. In this method, Wesley believed that the living core of the Christian faith was revealed in Scripture; and the Bible was the sole foundational source of theological or doctrinal development. The centrality of Scripture was so important for Wesley that he called himself "a man of one book"—meaning the Bible—although he was well-read for his day. However, he believed that doctrine had to be in keeping with Christian orthodox tradition. So, tradition was considered the second aspect of the Quadrilateral. |
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Wesley contended that a part of the theological method would involve experiential faith. In other words, truth would be vivified in personal experience of Christians (overall, not individually), if it were really truth. And every doctrine must be able to be defended rationally. He did not divorce faith from reason. Tradition, experience and reason, however, were subject always to Scripture, Wesley argued, because only there is the Word of God revealed 'so far as it is necessary for our salvation.'<ref>United Methodist Church (1984) ''[[The Book of Discipline of the United Methodist Church]], 1984'', Nashville, TN : United Methodist Publ. House, p. 77, ISBN 0-687-03702-6.</ref> |
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The doctrines which Wesley emphasised in his sermons and writings are [[Prevenient Grace|prevenient grace]], present personal salvation by faith, the witness of the Spirit, and sanctification. Prevenient grace was the theological underpinning of his belief that all persons were capable of being saved by faith in Christ. Unlike the Calvinists of his day, Wesley did not believe in [[pre-destination]], that is, that some persons had been elected by God for salvation and others for damnation. He understood that Christian orthodoxy insisted that salvation was only possible by the sovereign grace of God. He expressed his understanding of humanity's relationship to God as utter dependence upon God's grace. God was at work to enable all people to be capable of coming to faith by empowering humans to have actual existential freedom of response to God. |
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Wesley defined the witness of the Spirit as: "an inward impression on the soul of believers, whereby the Spirit of God directly testifies to their spirit that they are the children of God." He based this doctrine upon certain Biblical passages (see Romans 8:15-16 as an example). This doctrine was closely related to his belief that salvation had to be "personal." In his view, a person must ultimately believe the Good News for himself or herself; no one could be in relation |
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[[Sanctification]] he described in 1790 as the "grand ''depositum'' which God has lodged with the people called `Methodists'." Wesley taught that sanctification was obtainable after justification by faith, between justification and death. He did not contend for "sinless perfection"; rather, he contended that a Christian could be made "perfect in love". (Wesley studied [[Eastern Orthodox Church|Eastern Orthodoxy]] and particularly the doctrine of [[Theosis]]). This love would mean, first of all, that a believer's motives, rather than being self-centred, would be guided by the deep desire to please God. One would be able to keep from committing what Wesley called, "sin rightly so-called." By this he meant a conscious or intentional breach of God's will or laws. A person could still be able to sin, but intentional or willful sin could be avoided. |
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Secondly, to be made perfect in love meant, for Wesley, that a Christian could live with a primary guiding regard for others and their welfare. He based this on Christ's quote that the second great command is "to love your neighbor as you love yourself." In his view, this orientation would cause a person to avoid any number of sins against his neighbour. This love, plus the love for God that could be the central focus of a person's faith, would be what Wesley referred to as "a fulfillment of the law of Christ." |
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Wesley believed that this doctrine should be constantly preached, especially among the people called Methodists. In fact, he contended that the purpose of the Methodist movement was to "spread scriptural holiness across [[England]]." His system of thought has become known as Wesleyan Arminianism, the foundations of which were laid by Wesley and Fletcher. |
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==Personality and activities== |
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[[Image:Shoreditch john wesley statue 1.jpg|thumb|250px|left|Statue of John Wesley at [[Wesley's Chapel]] [[City Road]], London. (January 2006)]] |
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Wesley travelled generally on horseback, preaching two or three times each day. Stephen Tomkins writes that he "rode 250,000 miles, gave away 30,000 pounds, . . . and preached more than 40,000 sermons[.]"<ref>John Wesley: A Biography, by Edward T. Oakes, Copyright (c) 2004 First Things (December 2004). |
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</ref> |
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He formed societies, opened chapels, examined and commissioned preachers, administered aid charities, prescribed for the sick, helped to pioneer the use of [[electroconvulsive therapy|electric shock]] for the treatment of illness,<ref>{{cite book | title = Users and Abusers of Psychiatry: A Critical Look at Psychiatric Practice | last = Johnstone | first = Lucy | pages = 152 | publisher = Routledge | isbn = 0-415-21155-7 | year = 2000}}</ref> superintended schools and [[orphanage]]s, and received at least £20,000 for his publications but used little of it for himself. |
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After attending a performance in Bristol Cathedral in 1758, Wesley said: "I went to the cathedral to hear [[George Frideric Handel|Mr. Handel's]] ''[[Messiah (Handel)|Messiah]]''. I doubt if that congregation was ever so serious at a sermon as they were during this performance. In many places, especially several of the choruses, it exceeded my expectation."<ref>Byers, D. 2008. ''Handel'' in Ulster Orchestra programme Friday 12 & Saturday 2008. Belfast Waterfront.</ref> |
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He is described as below medium height, well proportioned, strong, with a bright eye, a clear complexion, and a saintly, intellectual face. Wesley married very unhappily at the age of forty-eight to a widow, Mary Vazeille, and had no children. Vazeille left him fifteen years later. |
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Despite his achievements, Wesley never quite overcame profound self-doubt. At age 63, he wrote to his brother, "I do not love God. I never did. Therefore I never believed, in the Christian sense of the word. Therefore I am only an honest heathen...And yet, to be so employed of God!"<ref>Eerdmans 2003, p. 168.; Letter to His Brother on 27 June 1766; cp. ''Journal'', 14 October 1738; 4 January 1739</ref> |
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In 1770, at the death of George Whitefield, Wesley wrote a memorial sermon which praised Whitefield's admirable qualities and acknowledged the two men's differences: "There are many doctrines of a less essential nature ... In these we may think and let think; we may '[[agree to disagree]].' But, meantime, let us hold fast the essentials..."<ref>Global Ministries, The United Methodist Church. Sermons. [http://new.gbgm-umc.org/umhistory/wesley/sermons/53/2/ ''On the Death of the Rev. Mr. George Whitefield'', page 2.] Retrieved on 20 April 2009.</ref> Wesley was the first to put the phrase 'agree to disagree' in print.<ref>The Phrase Finder. [http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/agree-to-disagree.html ''Agree to disagree''.] Retrieved on 20 April 2009.</ref> |
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Wesley died on 2 March 1791, in his eighty-seventh year. As he lay dying, his friends gathered around him, Wesley grasped their hands and said repeatedly, "Farewell, farewell." At the end, he said "The best of all is, God is with us", lifted his arms and raised his feeble voice again, repeating the words, "The best of all is, God is with us."<ref>Hurst 2003, p. 298.</ref> Because of his charitable nature he died poor, leaving as the result of his life's work 135,000 members and 541 itinerant preachers under the name "Methodist". It has been said that "when John Wesley was carried to his grave, he left behind him a good library of books, a well-worn clergyman's gown," and the Methodist Church.<ref>http://www.cavandoragh.org/f/docs/ChurchMediaFiles/document-5.doc.</ref><ref>http://74.125.113.132/search?q=cache:lQZqnOxWtswJ:www.cavandoragh.org/f/docs/ChurchMediaFiles/document-5.doc+wesley+died+and+left+behind+his+preachers+gown,+his+books+and+the+methodist+church&cd=6&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us</ref> |
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<!--not sure whether this extensive entry is warranted... |
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== On the use of hops in ale == |
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Wesley was not opposed to drinking beer, and in fact was a brewer himself. In September 7th 1789 he sent the following letter to the Printer of the 'Bristol Gazette': |
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"To the Printer of the 'Bristol Gazette' |
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BRISTOL, HORSEFAIR, September 7, 1789. |
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1. In the reign of King James I an Act of Parliament was made prohibiting the use of that poisonous herb called hops. It does not appear that this Act has ever been repealed. But in process of time it has been forgotten, and the poisonous weed introduced again. It has continued in use ever since; and that upon a general supposition, (1) that it was very wholesome, greatly promotive of health, and (2) that malt drink would not keep without it. |
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2. On these suppositions the use of it has not only continued, but much increased during the present century. 'I have lived in this town' (Whitechurch in Shropshire), said a gentleman to me sometime since, 'above forty years, and have all that time brewed much malt drink. I use just the same quantity of hops that I did forty years ago; but most of my neighbors use four times as much now as they did then.' |
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3. Nearly the same has been done in other counties, Yorkshire and Lincolnshire in particular. Forty years ago, I well remember, all the ale I tasted there had a soft, sweetish taste, such as the decoction of barley will always have if not adulterated by bitter herbs. So it had two or three thousand years ago, according to the account in Ovid, who, speaking of the manner wherein Baucis entertained Jupiter, says, Bibendure Dulce dedit, tosta quod coxerat ante polenta [Metamorphoses, v. 450; of the old woman and Ceres: 'She gave her something sweet to drink which she had prepared from parched malt.']; whereas all the ale in Yorkshire as well as in other counties is now quite harsh and bitter. |
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4. But may it not be asked 'whether this is not a change for the better, seeing hops are so exceeding wholesome a plant'? Are they so? Why, then, do physicians almost with one voice forbid their patients the use of malt drink, particularly all that are infected with the scurvy or any distemper related to it? Do not they know there is not a more powerful anti-scorbutic in the world than wort -- that is, unhopped decoction of malt? What a demonstration is this that it is the addition of hops which turns this excellent medicine into poison! And who does not know that wort, unhopped malt drink, is an excellent medicine both for the gout and stone? But will any physician in his senses recommend the common malt drink to one that is ill of or subject to those diseases? Why not? Because there is no drink that more directly tends to breed and increase both one and the other. |
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5. 'But whether hops are wholesome or no, are they not necessary to prevent malt drink from turning sour?' I never doubted of it for fourscore years. And there are very few that do doubt of it. It has passed for an incontestable truth ever since I was in the world. And yet it is as absolute palpable a falsehood as ever was palmed upon mankind. Any one may in a short time be convinced of this by his own senses. Make the experiment yourself. Brew any quantity of malt, add hops to one half of this, and none to the other half. Keep them in the same cellar three or six months, and the ale without hops will keep just as well as the other. I have made the experiment at London. One barrel had no hops, the other had. Both were brewed with the same malt, and exactly in the same manner. And after six months that without hops had kept just as well as the other. 'But what bitter did you infuse in the room of it?' No bitter at all. No bitter is necessary to preserve ale, any more than to preserve cider or wine. I look upon the matter of hops to be a mere humbug upon the-good people of England; indeed, as eminent an one on the whole nation as 'the man's getting into a quart bottle' was on the people of London. |
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6. 'However, are they not necessary on another account -- namely, to advance the public revenue? Does not the tax upon hops bring in two or three hundred-thousand pounds yearly into the Exchequer?' Perhaps it does. And yet it may be not an advantage but a loss to the nation. So it certainly is if it breeds and increases grievous and mortal diseases, and thereby destroys every year thousands of His Majesty's liege subjects. May not gold be bought too dear? Are not one hundred thousand lives worth more than two hundred thousand pounds? Each of these men, had this poison been kept out of his reach, had he lived out all his days, would probably have paid more yearly in other taxes than he paid for leave to put himself out of the world. |
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Oh that someone had the honesty and courage to inform His Majesty of this! Would the most benevolent Prince in Europe desire or consent to barter the lives of his subjects for money? Nay, but in fact, it is selling them for naught, and taking no money for them; seeing it is evident, upon the whole of the account, that nothing at all is gained thereby. For it is certain more money is lost by shortening the lives of so many men (seeing the dead pay no taxes) than all the hop tax through the nation amounts to. |
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7. 'But do not many physicians, most of whom are now alive, and some of them of considerable note, affirm hops to be exceeding wholesome? and that both in their conversations and writings?' They certainly do; but who can imagine that they believe themselves when they talk so? If they did, would they deny, would they not prescribe malt drink to their gouty or scorbutic patients? But they do not; because they know, however good wort might be for them, add hops to it and it commences poison. Deny this who dare. With what face, then, can any man of character affirm them to be wholesome? But, whether they are necessary for raising money or no, certainly they are not necessary for preserving drink. This will keep for six or twelve months just as well without hops as with them. |
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8. Yet we must not suppose that any arguments whatever, which ever were or can be used, will have any weight in this case with the planters or sellers of hops or those that are connected with them. They have a ready answer to the strongest reasons that can be advanced on this head (although they may not always see it expedient to speak out): 'Sir, by this means we get our wealth.' And is it not easy for them to procure ingenious men to plead for them when the craft is in danger? When, therefore, we make observations of this kind, all which can be expected is that a few sensible men, who are neither blinded by interests nor carried away by popular clamor, will attend to the voice of reason, and be persuaded to save their money and preserve the health of their families." |
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This letter and those of September 25 and October 3 show Wesley's concern for the health of the nation. His experiment in London bears witness to the pains that the veteran took to make good his position; and the spirit in which the controversy was conducted in the Bristol Gazette reflects credit on all parties. Wesley's letters on October 12 and 31 to Adam Clarke show what importance the old evangelist attached to the correspondence. We owe the copies of the three letters to the good offices of the Rev. Charles Feneley. |
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--> |
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==Literary work== |
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Wesley was a logical thinker and expressed himself clearly, concisely and forcefully in writing. His written sermons are characterised by spiritual earnestness and simplicity. They are doctrinal but not dogmatic. His ''Notes on the New Testament'' (1755) are enlightening. Both the ''Sermons'' (about 140) and the ''Notes'' are doctrinal standards. Wesley was a fluent, powerful and effective preacher. He usually preached spontaneously and briefly, though occasionally at great length. |
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As an organiser, a religious leader and a statesman, he was eminent. He knew how to lead and control men to achieve his purposes. He used his power, not to provoke rebellion, but to inspire love. His mission was to spread "Scriptural holiness"; his means and plans were such as Providence indicated. The course thus mapped out for him he pursued with a determination from which nothing could distract him. |
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Wesley's prose ''Works'' were first collected by himself (32 vols., Bristol, 1771–74, frequently reprinted in editions varying greatly in the number of volumes). His chief prose works are a standard publication in seven octavo volumes of the Methodist Book Concern, New York. The ''Poetical Works'' of John and Charles, ed. G. Osborn, appeared in 13 vols., London, 1868–72. |
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In addition to his ''Sermons'' and ''Notes'' are his ''Journals'' (originally published in 20 parts, London, 1740–89; new ed. by N. Curnock containing notes from unpublished diaries, 6 vols., vols. i.-ii., London and New York, 1909–11); ''The Doctrine of Original Sin'' (Bristol, 1757; in reply to Dr. [[John Taylor (1694-1761)|John Taylor]] of Norwich); "An Earnest Appeal to Men of Reason and Religion'' (originally published in three parts; 2d ed., Bristol, 1743), an elaborate defence of Methodism, describing the evils of the times in society and the church; a ''Plain Account of Christian Perfection'' (1766). |
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Wesley adapted the [[Book of Common Prayer]] for use by [[United Methodist Church|American Methodists]]. In his [[Watch Night]] service, he made use of a [[pietist]] prayer now generally known as the [[Wesley Covenant Prayer]], perhaps his most famous contribution to Christian [[liturgy]].He also was a noted hymn-writer ,translator and compiler of a hymnal<ref>''A Collection of Hymns for the Use of the People called Methodists'',(1779) |
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Abingdon Press,U.S.; New edition edition (30 Aug 1990) ISBN 978-0687462186</ref> |
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In spite of the proliferation of his literary output, Wesley was challenged for plagiarism for borrowing heavily from an essay by Samuel Johnson, publishing in March 1775. Initially denying the charge, Wesley later recanted and apologised officially.<ref>Abelove, H. 1997. John Wesley’s plagiarism of Samuel Johnson and its contemporary reception. The Huntington Library Quarterly, 59(1) pp.73–80</ref> |
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==Legacy== |
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[[Image:Wesleystatue.JPG|thumb|240px|right|Statue of John Wesley outside [[Wesley Church, Melbourne|Wesley Church]] in [[Melbourne]], Australia]] |
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Today, Wesley's influence as a teacher persists. He continues to be the primary theological interpreter for Methodists the world over; the largest bodies being the [[United Methodist Church]], the [[Methodist Church of Great Britain]] and the [[African Methodist Episcopal Church]]. The teachings of Wesley also serve as a basis for the [[holiness movement]], which includes denominations like the [[Wesleyan Church]], the [[Church of the Nazarene]], the [[Christian and Missionary Alliance]], and several smaller groups, and from which [[Pentecostalism]] and parts of the [[charismatic movement]] are offshoots. Wesley's call to personal and social holiness continues to challenge Christians who attempt to discern what it means to participate in the [[Kingdom of God]]. |
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He is commemorated in the [[Calendar of Saints (Lutheran)|Calendar of Saints]] of the [[Evangelical Lutheran Church in America]] on 2 March with his brother Charles. The Wesley brothers are also commemorated on 3 March in the [[Calendar of saints (Episcopal Church in the United States of America)|Calendar of Saints]] of the [[Episcopal Church in the United States of America|Episcopal Church]] and on 24 May in the [[Calendar of saints (Church of England)|Anglican calendar]]. |
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Wesley's legacy is preserved in [[Kingswood School]], which he founded in 1748 in order to educate the children of the growing number of Methodist preachers. Also, one of the four form houses at the St Marylebone Church of England School, London, is named after John Wesley. |
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He was recently listed at 50 on the BBC's list of the [[100 Greatest Britons]]. |
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Wesley was a keen [[abolitionist]]. He spoke out and wrote against the [[slave trade]]. He published a pamphlet on slavery titled, "Thoughts Upon Slavery," (1774). To quote from one of his tracts against the [[slave trade]]: "Liberty is the right of every human creature, as soon as he breathes the vital air; and no human law can deprive him of that right which he derives from the law of nature.<ref>From the Collected Works of John Wesley Vol 11, "Thoughts on slavery"</ref>". Wesley was a friend of [[John Newton]] and [[William Wilberforce]] who were also influential in the abolition of slavery in Britain. |
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In 1831, [[Wesleyan University]] in [[Middletown, Connecticut]] was the first institution of higher education in the [[United States]] to be named after Wesley. The now-secular institution was founded as an all-male Methodist college. About twenty unrelated colleges and universities in the U.S. were subsequently named after him. |
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==In film== |
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In 1954 the Radio and Film Commission of the Methodist Church in cooperation with J. Arthur Rank produced the film John Wesley. The film was a live action re-telling of the story of the life of John Wesley, with Leonard Sachs as Wesley. |
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In 2009 a feature film, ''[[Wesley (film)|Wesley]]'', was released by Foundery Pictures, starring Burgess Jenkins (''[[Remember the Titans]]'', ''[[The Reaping]]'') as John Wesley, with [[June Lockhart]] (''[[Lassie]]'', ''[[Lost in Space]]'') as [[Susanna Wesley]], R. Kieth Harris (''[[Big Fish]]'', ''[[Junebug (film)|Junebug]]'') as Charles Wesley, and Golden Globe winner [[Kevin McCarthy (actor)|Kevin McCarthy]] (''[[Invasion of the Body Snatchers]]'', ''[[Death of a Salesman]]'') as Bishop Ryder. The movie was directed by award-winning filmmaker John Jackman.<ref>{{Cite web | title = Wesley (2009) | work = The Internet Movie Database | publisher = Amazon.com | url = http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1053946/ | accessdate = 24 May 2010}}</ref> |
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==See also== |
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{{Portal|Saints}} |
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* [[Alexander Knox (1757-1831)]] |
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* [[Wesleyan Church]] |
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* [[Wesleyanism]] |
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==References== |
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{{Reflist|2}} |
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==Further reading== |
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*Abraham, William J., ''Wesley for Armchair Theologians'', 2005 |
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*Blackman, Francis 'Woodie', "John Wesley 300: Pioneers, Preachers and Practitioners", 2003, ISBN 976-8080-61-2 |
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*Collins, Kenneth J., ''The Theology of John Wesley: Holy Love and the Shape of Grace'', 2007 |
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*Maddox, Randy L. and Vickers, Jason E. (Ed.), ''The Cambridge Companion to John Wesley'', 2010 |
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*Maddox, Randy L., ''Responsible Grace: John Wesley's Practical Theology'', 1994 |
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*Jennings, Daniel R., "The Supernatural Occurrences of John Wesley", 2005, Sean Multimedia. |
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*[[Thomas Oden|Oden, Thomas]], ''John Wesley's Scriptural Christianity: A Plain Exposition of His Teaching on Christian Doctrine'', 1994 |
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*Vickers, Jason E., ''Wesley: A Guide for the Perplexed'', 2009. |
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==External links== |
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{{wikiquote}} |
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{{Wikisource author}} |
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{{Commons category}} |
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* [http://www.ccel.org/w/wesley/ John Wesley] at the [[Christian Classics Ethereal Library]] |
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* Selected text from the [http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/text/contents_page.jsp?t_id=J_Wesley ''Journal of John Wesley''] on ''A Vision of Britain through Time'', with links to the places named. |
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* [http://gbgm-umc.org/UMHISTORY/Wesley/sermons/ Sermons by John Wesley] |
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* [http://www.brycchancarey.com/abolition/wesley.htm John Wesley] as a British abolitionist |
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* [http://gbgm-umc.org/umw/wesley/ John Wesley info] from the [[United Methodist Church]] |
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* [http://anglicanhistory.org/misc/taylor_wesley.html John Wesley and the Anglo-Catholic Revival, by G.W. Taylor] 1905 article. |
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* [http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/nge/Article.jsp?id=h-1623 John Wesley] in the Georgia Encyclopedia |
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* [http://bible.christianity.com/Commentaries/WesleysExplanatoryNotes/John Wesley's Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible] produced between 1754 and 1765 |
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*[http://www.bbc.co.uk/humber/content/articles/2007/09/18/john_wesley.shtml BBC Humber article on Wesley's life] |
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*[http://www.epworthbells.co.uk/local-history/History-of-the-Wesleys.4181390.jp Epworth Bells newspaper, History of the Wesleys] |
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* [http://www.library.manchester.ac.uk/specialcollections/exhibitions/web/johnwesley/ John Wesley (1703 - 1791): Life, Legend and Legacy], an online exhibition at the John Rylands Library, retrieved June 7, 2009. |
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* {{findagrave|grid=1937}} |
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*Carey, Brycchan. “[http://www.brycchancarey.com/abolition/wesley.htm John Wesley (1703-1791)].” [http://www.brycchancarey.com/abolition/index.htm The British Abolitionists]. Visited November 25, 2009. |
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*Wesley John, “[http://gbgm-umc.org/umw/wesley/thoughtsuponslavery.stm Thoughts Upon Slavery],” John Wesley: Holiness of Heart and Life. Charles Yrigoyen, 1996. Visited October 5, 2009. |
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* http://wesley.nnu.edu/john_wesley/letters/1789b.htm |
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* Official web site for feature film ''Wesley'': http://www.wesleythemovie.com |
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Revision as of 17:14, 15 September 2010
{{Infobox person |name = John Wesley |image = John Wesley by George Romney 1789.jpg