Classic Hymns and Their Stories
Puzzle 19 · The Wesleys and Methodist Song · Page 35 in print
The Oxford Holy Club
From early 1729, Charles Wesley met regularly with two friends, Robert Kirkham of Merton College and William Morgan of Christ Church. They read together and received Communion every week.
Jump to a word
The words
Almsgiving
Giving to the poor.
Bible Study
The group’s study of scripture.
Christ Church
Oxford college associated with the group’s beginning. College where Charles formed the group and received the Methodist nickname.
Communion
Weekly sacramental observance of the Oxford group.
Fasting
Going without food as a religious discipline.
Holy Club
Mocking nickname for the Wesleys’ Oxford devotional group.
Methodist Heritage: Wesley Memorial Church (opens a new tab)
Ingham
Benjamin Ingham, later member of the Oxford group.
James Hervey
Later member of the Oxford group.
John Clayton
Brasenose man admitted to the club in 1732.
Merton College
Robert Kirkham’s Oxford college.
Methodist Heritage: Wesley Memorial Church (opens a new tab)
Pembroke
Whitefield’s Oxford college. The college of a 1735 recruit.
Prisoners
People held in prison whom the club cared for.
Robert Kirkham
Merton College friend who met with Charles from 1729.
Methodist Heritage: Wesley Memorial Church (opens a new tab)
Whitefield
George Whitefield, a Holy Club member who later revised the opening of Wesley’s Christmas hymn in 1753.
Christian History Institute: Holy clubs (opens a new tab) · Hymnology Archive: Hark the Herald (opens a new tab)
William Morgan
Christ Church student and early Holy Club member.
Methodist Heritage: Wesley Memorial Church (opens a new tab) · Christian History Institute: Holy clubs (opens a new tab)
Sources
- John Wesley the Methodist, chapter V: The Holy ClubWesley Center Online, Northwest Nazarene University
- Holy clubs and Tuesday meetingsChristian History Institute
- Wesley Memorial Church, OxfordMethodist Heritage (Methodist Church in Britain)
- Hark the Herald AngelsHymnology Archive