A Heart Set Free

Charles Wesley (1707-88) was born into a family of Church of England clergymen. While at Oxford, Charles and his brother John organized a group called the “Holy Club,” known for its methodical habits of study and devotion, which earned them the sobriquet “methodists”—a label that stuck. Charles was an ordained Church of England minister who followed his brother John on a missionary expedition to America, and after returning to England experienced a profound conversion, ultimately launching a unique ministry that preached salvation by faith alone to all who would listen—including society's outcasts—often in an outdoor setting where he attracted thousands. Incorporating music into the services, Charles began writing hymns for instruction, eventually producing some 13 volumes of verse, set to music by various composers. Known as the “Sweet Bard of Methodism” and “Father of English Hymns,” Charles Wesley's long and influential life is beautifully documented in T.N. Mohan's A Heart Set Free, which combines scholarly interviews together with works of art, archival manuscripts, and other primary sources to offer a fully-realized portrait of an important figure in religious history. More detailed than Charles Wesley: Hymns of Praise (VL-7/04), this is highly recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (J. Reed)