John Wesley (1703 - 1791)

John Wesley anglican clergyman, evangelist, and cofounder of Methodism. The 15th child of a former Nonconformist minister, he graduated from Oxford Univ. and became a priest in the Church of England in 1728. From 1729 he participated in a religious study group in Oxford organized by his brother Charles (1707-1788), its members being dubbed the "Methodists" for their emphasis on methodical study and devotion.