WESLEY, John, English clergyman, founder of Methodism: b. Epworth, Lincoln shire, 17 June 1703; d. London. 2 March 1791. He was a younger son of the Rev. Samuel Wesley (q.v.). and was educated at Charter house, and at Christ Church, Oxford. He took his degree in 1724, was ordained deacon in 1725 and became a Fellow of Lincoln College. in which he was appointed Greek lecturer and moderator. He was of a serious and religious turn of mind, and books which impressed him werfully were the 'Imitatio Christi' and Taylor's ifloly Living and Holy Dying) . He todcpnest's orders in 1778, and about the close of 1729 was called from acting as his father's curate to perform the duties of his fellowship in person. At Oxford be found an association of students of which his brother Charles was a member. It was known by various nicknames, among which were the Holy Club the Bible Moths, the Sacramentarians and the Methodists. It appears that all the association did at this time to earn these opprobrious epithets was to meet on Sunday evenings to read the Scrip tures, and on other evenings to read secular literature, John Wesley joined this society. which gradually became exclusively religious in its object, and highly ascetic in its tone. Its members fasted twice and communicated once a week, visited prisons and the sick, and engaged frequently in prayer, meditation and self-examination. Among the mem bers were Hervey and Whitefield. At the time John Wesley joined it the society num bered very few members, but it gradually in creased, though it never became a large body. This induced him to decline his father s living at Epworth, that he might continue to exercise his influence at the university. During his residence at the university he became ac quainted with Law, author of the
preaching near Bristol in the following Feb ruary and his example was soon followed by Wesley. On 11 Nov. 1739 Wesley first preached at the Foundry, a disused structure, formerly employed by the government for casting brass ordnance. This he enlarged and repaired and until 1778 it remained the Methodist head quarters in London. Somewhat later he founded the 'United Society,* for week-day meetings. From the beginning of this society the incep tion of Methodism is generally dated.
In July 1740 Wesley separated from the Mo revisits on account of doctrinal differences. He soon afterward separated from Whitefield. but without a permanent personal breach. Wesley had now sole control of the religious body which adhered to him and be devoted his entire life without intermission to the work of its organization, in which he showed much practical skill and admirable method. His labors as an itinerant preacher were incessant He had no permanent residence and never inter mitted his journeys on account of the weather. He would ride from 40 to 60 miles in a day, read or wrote during his journeys and often preached four or five times a day. He married In 1750 Mrs. Vazeille, a widow with four chil dren, but his habits of life, which he did not attempt to accommodate to his wife, produced an alienation, and they finally separated. Wes ley held strongly to the principle of episcopacy, though not a believer in the apostolic succes sion; and he never fo separated from the Church of England. His collected works were published by himself in 1771-74 in 32 volumes. But in these only a part of his it erary output was included his publications being of the most miscellaneous character. including grammars, an English dictionary, biographies, manuals of history, logic. medicine, which together brought him in large sums of money. In 1780 be commenced a monthly, the Arminian Magazine, which he edited daring his life, and which after his death was merged in the Methodist Magazine.
Against pre-Revolutionary troubles in Amer ica he directed (A Calm Address to our Ameri can Colonies' (1775). 'A Calm Address to the Inhabitants of England' (1777) and 'A Serious Address' (1778). He also wrote many hymns, which are included in the 'Poetical Works of John and Charles Wesley' (1868-72). A John Wesley bicentenary was celebrated in June 1903. Consult the biographies hy Hampson (1791): Coke and Moore (1792); Whitehead (1791-93); Moore (1824-25) ; Southey (1820), with 'Notes' by Coleridge and 'Remarks by Knox. in 1816: Watson (1831) ; Tyerman (1870-71) ; Rigg (1675); Green (1881); and Overton (1891); Wesley's 'Journals' and 'Correspondence,' parts of which are to be found in the various editions of his collected works, first published under his own editorship in 1771-74; Taylor's 'Wesley and Methodism (1151); 'Wes ky's Place in Church History' (1870); a bibli ography by Green (1896); Leger, A., 'La Jeun ease de 11 inky' (Paris 1910); Eayes, G.. 'Let ten of John Wesley' (1916) and standard his tories of Methodism. See also METHODIST CHURCHES Or THE WORLD.