JOHN WESLEY

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 58, Issue 188, 23 May 1938, Page 3

JOHN WESLEY

BICENTENARY CELEBRATED. METHODIST CHURCH SERVICES. OUTLINE OF WORK AND LIFE. Special services to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the conA r ersion of John Wesley, May 24, 1738, Avero conducted in the Baring Square Methodist Church yesterday in accordance with the plan Avhereby Methodists all over the Avorld celebrated the birth of Methodism, Avhich uoav claims between 40,000.000 and 50,000,000 members throughout the world. There were large congregations at the morning and evening services over which the Rev. Angus Mcßean presided, and a special order of service, as arranged by the Church in England, was followed. All the hymns Avere written by Charles "Wesley.

Giving an outline of the Avork and life of .John "Wesley, Mr Mcßean said it might be thought by some that Methodists were talking too much about John "Wesley, but there Avas ample cause for all that might ho said. There had been few men like Wesley, and it Avas not a Methodist, but a great historian, Lecky, Avho said, “It is scarcely an exaggeration to say that the scene that took place at that humble meeting in Aldersgate Street forms an epoch in English history.” It Avas at a meeting of humble Christian men that the conversion of Wesley took place, Avhen he felt his heart “strangely warmed.” Mr Lloyd George, Avhen making a. pilgrimage to "Wesley’s birthplace, had said that Wesley Avas undoubtedly the greatest religious leader the nation’had produced. A Many-Sided Life. Born in 1703, Wesley had a long life and a many-sided one. He lived through practically the Avhole of the eighteenth century, dying in 1791. There had been wonderful hereditary influences behind him, his family haA’ing heen known fqr their saintliness and scholarship. His father was a minister, as Avas his grandfather and greatgrandfather. His parents Avere the ReA r . Samuel Wesley and Susannah Wesley, avlio Avere a remarkable couple. No one would, suggest that any one of the family was Avithout a fiaAv; there had been only one such since the world began. Susannah Wesley had a great influence on the life of her son John, for she felt, folloAving his miraculous rescue from the burning of the Rectory, that she oAved him something. John Wesley always spoke of his mother in terms of ardent love, and he carried the most affectionate remembrance of her through his life. Those Avere the days of large families, and Susannah Wesley Avas the twenty-fifth in her family. She had 19 children in 21 years, but only 10 of them survived long enough to be educated. Religion Flouted. Speaking of the conditions in England at the time John Wesley Avas born, Mr Mcßean said that it seemed the light of the church had been turned into darkness; the cause of religion seemed to have expired. - A Frenchman AA’ho Ausited England at the time said that the mention of religion in intellectual circles Avas received Avitli laughter. There A\-ere, of course, many exceptions among individuals, as Avas shown by the fact that in that time more hymns Avere written than in any other time, and they survived as being among the most beautiful ever Avritten.

Those were the days of the public flogging of women and burning at the stake, and when the heads of criminals were displayed to the people. There was the tyranny of the whipping post and the debtors’ prisons. Some would say now that the world was becoming worse, hut when the conditions were considered it would he seen that the present was a much happier time A high church clergyman of the Church of England, AVesley was a Master of Arts of Oxford University and at 23 he was appointed a lecturer. Charles AVesley founded a club for young men and it was called by many names by outsiders, that which remained being “The Methodists,” a term given in derision, but it was one that had remained, like others that had been similarly bestowed, namely Puriton, Quaker, Protestant, and, greatest of them all, Christian. The leaders of the group were John and, Charles AVesley and George AVhitley, who at one time liad served beer over the bar of his father’s inn and who had a most unusual voice. AVhitley began, to preach in the open air. -His first meeting was attended by 200, the second by 2000 and the next by 4000, while at the fourth there were 20,000. A Remarkable Preacher, John AVesley began in the same way, but where AVhitley spoke and moved on, AVesley remained and organised his followers, and in the meantime Charles AVesley was writing hymns, thousands of them to suit every season of the .Christian year. John AVesley was in many respects a most remarkable- preacher. He travelled 250,000 miles, mostly on horseback, over rough roadsj preaching three times a day, and for •50 years he preached at 5 o’clock in the morning. Ho found that six hours sleep was sufficient for him and he was able to preach to large early morning congregations. He preached in the open because the churches were closed against him. Till then it had been held to be. sinful to preach outside the church premises. It was a common thing for him to speak to 30,000 people nt one time!. No one ever worked harder or endured more hardships than John AVesley, Air Mcßean continued, hut he never sought the easy way. He slept on hard hoards for three weeks at a time and slept in the frost ; he vent to Ireland and Scotland innumerable times. He was happy and radiant all his life. He never argued on religion, asking only that his hearers should love Die Lord, but when he was compelled to argue on a subject, lie did so to some purpose. His followers had grown till now there were between 40.000,000 and 50,00.000 members of the Church. The Alethodist Church was not cue of the greatest of the churches in the Dominion, hut it was perhaps the greatest in the world, and it had all grown out of AVesley’s faith.. The last letter he wrote was to AVilliam AVilberforce,

urging liim to carry on his work for the abolition of slavery. In his last moments he sang a hymn and repeated his famous saying, “The best of all is God is with us,”* and he died saying. ‘TIL praise There had been only one John Wesley, Mr Mcßean concluded, and it was uot likely that anyone living to-day would be like him, but if they put God where John Wesley put Him, God would do some great things through them, bringing great joy and love to others.

Just before the.sermon 'was delivered the congregation sang the hymn, ‘'Where shall my wondering soul begin? How shall I all to heaven aspire?” This was written by Charles Wesley on May 23, 1738, and the following evening, after the meeting in Aldersgate, Street, John Wesley went to his brother’s house where the hymn was sung. The anthem, “How Lovely are the Messengers,” was sung by the choir. The Morning Services. A special communion service was held at the church at 8 o’clock, when there was a. very good attendance. The morning service at the usual hour was largely attended and Mr McLean spoke to the children on ‘‘England as John Wesley knew it.” To the adults he spoke on “Before and after Aldersgate Street, a study in the experience of John Wesley.” During the afternoon, the combined Bible Classes were addressed by Mr C F. Horill, and the ./Sunday School superintendent (Mr, T. Wakelin) addressed the intermediate school.

A meeting will he held in the Baring Square schoolroom to-morrow evening when the actual bi-centenary date will be observed. Short, addresses on the life of John Weslay will he given.