Wesley, John

(1703-1791). Under Wesley’s direction, Methodists became leaders in many social issues of the day, including the prison reform and abolitionism movements. John Wesley was among the first to preach for slaves rights, attracting significant opposition. The Methodist Church Great Britain gave a replica of the Bristol statue to the Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, in token of the friendship between the two nations and acknowledgement of the words of John Wesley, “The Methodists are one people in all the world.”