Christian Cyclopedia

(1707[08?]–88). Brother of J. Wesley*; father of S. Wesley*; b. Epworth, Eng.; 18th child and youngest son in the family; educ. Oxford; coll. tutor; helped form Holy* Club; ordained 1735; to Georgia as secy. of James Edward Oglethorpe (1696–1785; b. London, Eng.; mem. parliament; founder of Georgia) 1735 (arrived February 1736); returned to Eng. 1736; influenced by Moravians; nonconformist; itinerant preacher 1739–56. Wrote perhaps more than 6,000 hymns, including “Oh, for a Thousand Tongues to Sing”; “Jesus, Lover of My Soul.” See also Methodist Churches, 1.