What is often overlooked about this great religious thinker, however, is his unshakeable belief in the concept of communication between the living and the dead.

Today, many Christians frown on spiritualism, some even believing it is a demonic practice encouraged by the Devil himself.

Wesley had no such misgivings. He often wrote down his thoughts on the matter, and more than once commented on the abilities of the acclaimed Sunderland medium Elizabeth Hobson.

Hobson experienced strange "visitations" from childhood onwards.
She regularly claimed to hear "angelic music", the source of which could not be rationally explained.

In later years, she was contacted by the spirits of those who had passed on, many of them sailors drowned at sea.

Such experiences were, of course, sad. Death, although an integral part of the human condition, is nevertheless unpleasant, particularly for those left behind to grieve for loved ones.

But even today, people take comfort from the fact that the dead can return to this earthly plane and reassure their friends and relatives that they are still "living", albeit in the spirit world.

Hobson never denied the reality of her visions, and her sincerity captivated Wesley.

As her competence at mediumship grew, Hobson started to receive visitations from the spirit of a deceased grandfather, who, it seems, had not been a particularly nice person before his demise.

He had been cruel, callous and short-tempered, but he chose to visit Hobson and discuss all manner of legal affairs with her, including the disposal of property.

Perhaps his spirit was troubled by guilt about his previous behaviour – who knows?

In May 1768, Hobson began to experience a different kind of vision.

Whereas previously she had predominantly been contacted by the dead, she then also started to see apparitions of the living.

In every case, the person she saw died shortly afterwards. They would appear to Hobson surrounded by a glowing light.

Wesley, who lived from 1793 to 1791, was, in many respects, an eccentric character, and not only because of his views on spirit communication.

He was extremely superstitious, believing that thunderclaps were attacks by the Devil and that laughter was bad for the soul.

Still, we mustn't throw the baby out with the bath water, as they say.

The 18th century was a far more superstitious time than our own, and Wesley's eccentricities should not detract from his appraisal of Hobson's mediumship.

I finish this column confident in the knowledge that both Wesley and Hobson will read it in the afterlife.

If they want to pop over from the other side and let me know what they think, they'll be truly welcome.

* Got a spooky story to tell? Send it to Mike Hallowell at wraithscape@ mikehallowell.com

You can visit the WraithScape via this link.