G. M. Best
(Toronto: Clements, 2013)
Trade Paper, 390 pp.

Widely acknowledged as one of the finest hymn-writers in the English language, Charles Wesley (1707–1788) was also one of the leading figures of the eighteenth-century Evangelical Revival. Yet, the impact of his life and work has often been obscured by that of his better-known brother John. In this, the first major biography of Charles Wesley for over a century and a half, G. M. Best uncovers Charles' significant role in early Methodism. This is not only the history of one man but of a movement, rich in characters, whose personal links with the man made for friendship account for some of the major developments of eighteenth-century Christian history and beyond.

It was Charles who founded the Oxford Holy Club. It was Charles who encouraged John Wesley to experience his heart ‘strangely warmed’ and become a major evangelical figure. For twenty years it was Charles who was John Wesley’s most constant travelling preacher, often going first to encourage the creation of new societies or going to those areas deemed most dangerous. It was Charles who acted not only as mentor to the early local preachers but also as the judge of their effectiveness. It was Charles who constantly supported his brother, even when they disagreed, and also was most committed to remaining within the Church of England.
 
It was Charles’ refusal to accept those decisions which eventually led to the separation of Methodism from the Church of England that led to his increasing unpopularity among Methodist preachers in the 1770s and 1780s. It was this later unpopularity which partially explains why his earlier contribution was mainly forgotten.

‘This is a welcome resource for commemorating Charles Wesley. Best draws on a broad range of resources to produce this thorough and engaging account of the younger Wesley’s life and his important contributions to the early Methodist movement. Readers will emerge with a much richer sense of Charles’s gifts and of the complex relationship between the Wesley brothers.’
—Randy L. Maddox, Professor of Theology and Wesley Studies, Duke Divinity School

'As we reach the milestone of the 300th year of Charles Wesley’s birth, what is needed is a fresh account of Charles’ life and one which does more than simply repeat the largely hagiographical accounts that have dominated the field heretofore. Here it is. Historians of Methodism, and indeed any who have an interest in the origins and ethos of the Methodist movement, will be indebted to Best for this readable and realistic account of a man who is as much an inspiration for Christians today as he was for those to whom he ministered in the eighteenth century.'
—Kenneth G.C. Newport, Professor of Christian Thought, Liverpool Hope University

‘Those who wish to know more about Charles Wesley as theologian, personality, and hymn-writer of the Methodist movement, should read this book. Well-written and carefully-researched, it includes insights into the controversies and major personalities of early Methodists and is a fitting tercentenary tribute to Charles Wesley.’
—Ralph Waller, Principal of Harris Manchester College, University of Oxford and Director of the Farmington Institute

G. M. Best is Warden of the New Room in Bristol, the oldest Methodist Chapel in the world (originally built in 1739) and the cradle of the early Methodist movement. For 21 years he was Headmaster of Kingswood School, which was founded by John Wesley. He has published a number of historical and fictional works.