METHODISTS CELEBRATE

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 204, 26 May 1938, Page 15

METHODISTS CELEBRATE

Bicentenary Service At

Lower Hutt

In continuation of the services held at the Lower Hutt Methodist Church last Sunday in celebration of the bicentenary of John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist Church, a tea-meeting was held in Wesley Hall on Tuesday evening. After the meeting an adjournment was made to the church, where the congregation, led by the choir, with Mr. R. Horman at the organ, sang hymns, many of them composed by John Wesley and his brother Charles.' Afterward a service was held, the Rev. IL T. Peat and the Rev. Mr. Sylvester occupying the pulpit. Mr. Peat referred to the incident which proved to be the turning point in Wesley’s life. Peter Bolder, a Moravian minister, had started a society in_Aldersgate Street, London, on May 1, 1737. John Wesley attended a meeting of this society, and this day proved to be a redletter day in his spiritual experience, said Mr. Peat. Something happened in that quiet room that changed the course of the history ci the world. With a warmed heart Wesley gained a great compassion for the souls of men, and his eyes were opened to the terrible need of the millions who were without God and without hope in the world. To these he became the flaming messenger of hope and new power. Wesley set out on a crusade to rouse the soul of England and preached the Gospel to countless thousiinus. lie rode thousands of miles yearly from villa"e to village. The result was a revival which spread throughout the length and breadth of the country. And so the church, which now bore the name of Methodist, was born. . At the conclusion of the service Holy Communion was celebrated.