This three-volume account of the life of John Wesley (1703-1791) was published in the year of his death. Written by John Hampson (c.1753-1819), a Church of England clergyman and former Methodist preacher, the work also contains a thorough review of Wesley's writings and a history of Methodism. Hampson's excellent overview of contemporary assessments of the preacher is more balanced than John Whitehead's two-volume Life of the Rev. John Wesley (1793-1796), which has also been reissued in this series.
Volume 2 traces the growth of Methodism in both England and North America, covering Wesley's itinerant preaching, the death of his mother, and theological differences with his brother Charles. It also gives an account of Wesley's increased activity in ordaining priests for travel to America. Drawing on a wide range of sources, the work remains important for its informed appraisal of this religious movement and its founder.
