HODGES, JOHN (1700? - 1777), cleric

An entry in Cardiff MS. 4877 states that John Hodges, later rector of Wenvoe, Glamorganshire, was born in 1700. However, the following entry in Alumni Oxonienses probably relates to him: 'Hodges, John s. Thomas, of Abbey, co. Monmouth, pleb. Jesus Coll., matric. 6 April 1720, aged 18; B.A. 1723, M.A. 1726.' If this identification is correct, his date of birth must be placed in 1701 or 1702. He was ordained deacon on 20 November 1724, by the bishop of Oxford, and priest on 11 July 1825, by the bishop of Bristol; on 1 July 1725, Sir Edmond Thomas, Bt., presented him to the rectory of Wenvoe, to which he was admitted on 16 July following. From at least 1740 on, Hodges also held the donative of S. Andrews Minor. The Methodist Revival evoked a sympathetic response in Hodges, who invited both the brothers Wesley in turn to preach in Wenvoe church, Charles in 1740 and John in July 1745. Hodges was present at the first three Methodist conferences held respectively in London in June 1744, at Bristol in August 1745, and again at Bristol in May 1746. When the countess of Huntingdon entertained the members of the first Methodist conference at her London house, and John Wesley preached the sermon, Hodges assisted with the service. As a result of his increasing devotion to mysticism, Hodges ' enthusiasm for the Wesleys gradually waned. In 1758 he criticized John Wesley for the tartness of some of his controversial writings; Wesley published his letter in the Arminian Magazine. When John Wesley again preached in Wenvoe church on 28 August 1763, he found that Hodges's fervour had entirely disappeared. Hodges died at the age of 77 years (according to Cardiff MS. 4877) and was buried at Wenvoe on 5 April 1777. He is sometimes confused with John Hodges, incumbent of Clifton, who was also a friend of the Wesleys and is mentioned in their Journals.

Author

• Hywel David Emanuel, (1921 - 1970)

Sources

• The journal of the Rev. John Wesley, enlarged from original mss., with notes from unpublished diaries, annotations, maps, and illustrations (1938) (ed. Curnock) (indexed)
• Luke Tyerman, The life and times of the Rev. Samuel Wesley, M.A. rector of Epworth and father of the Revs. John and Charles Wesley, the founders of the Methodists (London 1866, 1890), i, 442
• Proceedings of the Wesley Historical Society, ii, 69-71
• Foster, Alumni Oxonienses: the members of the University of Oxford
• The Records of the Church in Wales at the National Library of Wales (N.L.W.)
• Cardiff Manuscript 4877

Additional Links

• Wikidata: Q20733446

Published date: 1959

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