WESLEY BI-CENTENARY

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22411, 26 May 1938, Page 9

WESLEY 81-CENTENARY

to tum iDiTom or rn nass. Sir,— Referring to the letter of Mr R Midgely, there is in my possession one of the medals struck in 1839 to celebrate the centenary of Methodism. (It was my father’s, and he wore it as a lad of under 18 years when marching in a procession of young Methodists in Taunton.) On one side of this medal is a bust of the Rev. John Wesley, and around the margin: “John Wesley, M.A. Born at Epworth June 17th, 1703. Died in London March 2nd, 1791.” On the reverse is the facade of the “Centenary Hall and Mission House, London.” Round the margin we read: “Centenary of Wesleyan Methodism, 1839.” “The world is my parish.” According to the minutes of the British Methodist Conference, 1837, a committee was appointed to arrange for the centenary in 1839 "in commemoration of the first formation of the Methodist United Society in the year 1739.” This was also the year in which Wesley first preached in the open air, and the year in which was built, in Bristol, the first Methodist Chapel. Moreover, it was in 1739 that Mr Wesley first preached in the Foundery, the London Headquarters of Methodism, for nearly 40 years, until City Road Chapel was opened. So much for 1939 as our bi-centenary year. But the British Methodist Conference has decided upon 1938, because 200 years ago on this day (May 24) John Wesley’s heart was “so strangely warmed that from that Divine fire came all the vest—open air preaching, formation of societies, chapel building, and all the other activities of a great Church. Oh that all might catch the flame. Yours, etc, A c May 24, 1938.