Charles Wesley
The passionate poet of the Methodist revival, whose thousands of hymns gave everyday people a soaring, emotional vocabulary for their faith.
1707–1788 (age 81)·English Methodist and hymn writer·Birthday: December 18
Biography
While his older brother John organized the Methodist movement, Charles Wesley provided its heartbeat and its soundtrack. Born in 1707, he was a gifted poet and a somewhat reluctant evangelist, finding his true calling not in pulpit rhetoric but in verse. During a life of constant travel and preaching, he turned theological concepts into intimate, singable poetry, composing hymns often in the saddle or in moments of quiet reflection. His output was staggering—over 6,500 hymns—and his work democratized worship. Songs like 'Hark! The Herald Angels Sing' and 'Christ the Lord Is Risen Today' embedded complex doctrine into the communal memory of congregations. Wesley didn't just write about grace; he crafted melodies that allowed millions to feel it, making him perhaps the most widely published poet in the English language.
#1 When Charles Was Born
The biggest hits of 1707
Charles's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1707Born
1712Started school
1720Became a teenager
1723Could drive
1725Could vote
1728Turned 21
1737Turned 30
1747Turned 40
1757Turned 50
1767Turned 60
1777Turned 70
1787Turned 80
1788Died at 81
Key Achievements
- Authored an estimated 6,500 hymns, many of which remain staples of Christian worship worldwide.
- Wrote some of the most famous Christmas carols, including 'Hark! The Herald Angels Sing.'
- His hymn 'Love Divine, All Loves Excelling' is considered a masterpiece of English hymnody.
- Played a crucial role as a preacher and organizer in the early Methodist movement alongside his brother John.
Did You Know?
He wrote his famous hymn 'Hark! The Herald Angels Sing' after hearing the bells of a London church on Christmas Day.
He was married to Sarah Gwynne, and their son Samuel became a noted musician and composer.
He was a staunch abolitionist and wrote poems condemning the slave trade.
He experienced a profound evangelical conversion on May 21, 1738, three days before his brother John's famous Aldersgate experience.
“Songs of praise the angels sang, Heaven with alleluias rang.”
