446 Wesley, John (1703–1791) and Charles (1707–1788) Charles and John Wesley (above) started the Methodist Church through study and questioning of their faith struggling to understand salvation and was confusing the two A few years later, in 1735, after much anguish over the decision to enter Holy Orders, Charles yielded and was ordained a deacon by Reverend Dr John Potter, Bishop of Oxford On the following Sunday, he was ordained a priest by Reverend Dr Edmund Gibson, bishop of London Still searching for that assurance of faith, Charles decided to accompany his brother John to the new colony of Georgia to serve as secretary to General Oglethorpe This Georgia interlude has been referred to as the second rise of Methodism After a short sixmonth stay in Frederica, Georgia, Charles would return to England in 1736 still seeking rest for his soul In 1737 Charles found considerable help in his spiritual formation; through the influence of the Moravians, and most notably, Count Nicholas Ludwig von Zinzendorf, Peter Bohler and Mr Bray, he was finally able to stop trusting in his own self-righteousness On John’s return to England in 1738—often referred to as the third rise of Methodism—John was painfully aware of his failure as a missionary in Georgia and was sorely depressed over the state of his own soul As providence would have it, John would find similar help and counsel from Peter Bohler as his brother Charles Three days after Charles’s assurance of salvation, John would have his own assurance of faith John went reluctantly to a society in Aldersgate Street, where he heard Martin Luther’s preface to Romans Wesley would later say, “I felt my heart strangely warmed I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone for salvation, and an assurance was given me that He had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death.” After years of ministry with his brother John, as an itinerant and field preacher, Charles was married to Sarah Gwynne on April 8, 1749, with his brother officiating at the wedding Sarah was 23 and Charles was 40 when they married Unlike John’s marriage to Mary Vazeille that would end up in separation and without children, Charles’s marriage was happy Eight children were born to the couple; only three of the youngest survived infancy: Charles, Sarah, and Samuel While every member of this family was musical, the two sons were considered musical prodigies Charles Wesley, the poet of Methodism, was undoubtedly one of the greatest poets the church has ever known The Poetical Works of John and Charles Wesley fills 13 volumes of approximately 9,000 poems that would eventually be set to music for the hymns that not only shaped Methodism but continue to be sung today Some of the more well-known songs include “Jesus, Lover of My Soul,” “Oh for a Thousand Tongues to Sing,” “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing,” “And Can It Be That I Should Gain,” “Lo, He Comes with Clouds Descending,” “Love Divine, All Loves Excelling,” and “Christ the Lord Is Risen Today.” Increasingly, John Wesley found that he was no longer welcome in his own Church of England; he established the Methodist Society in England As the Methodists in close-knit groups of fellowship and mutual accountability would “watch over one another in love,” in prayer, singing of hymns, Scripture reading, exhortation, encouragement, and confession, they were able to zealously “give out” God’s love in “works of mercy” and “works of piety.” Both brothers have left a rich legacy of “faith filled with the energy of love,” not only in their poetry and hymns, preaching and leadership, but by their own lives of faith Further reading: Collins, Kenneth J John Wesley: A Theological Journey Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 2003; Heitzenrater, Richard P The Elusive Mr Wesley Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 2003 K Steve McCormick