A common theme oin Wesley's journals, and in Early Methodist writing generally, is "dying well.". To be a Methodist meant no fear of death because not only did they believe in Jesus, but they had the witness of the Spirit. They knew they were saved, they did not have any doubt about that. Ann Beauchamp, a young woman who was dying, left a great account of herself. When a friend asked her how she was doing, she said, "I am quite happy. I know that my redeemer lives, and has taken away all my sins. An my heart is comforted by the presence of God. I long to die that I may be with Him."
To a friend she said, "O seek Od, and He will supply all your wants... Find time for this, whatever goes undone. My neighbors used to wonder how I found time and thought me foolish for spending it so, but now I know it was not fooolish. Soon I shall receive an exceeding great reward."
And then to her friends and neighbors who had not accepted Christ, she said, "Perhaps some of you will say, 'I have not been called.' Then remember, I call you now. I exhort everyone of you to seek the Lord while He may be found."
And as she died, she cried out the words of the great hymn,
"Bold I approach the eternal throne
And claim the crown through Christ my own!"
Monday, February 28, 2011
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Wesley Retrospective, part 5
Feb 8, 1753: "in the afternoon, I visited many of the sick, but such scenes, who could see unmoved? There are none such to be found in a pagan country. If any of the Indians in Gerogia were sick (which indeed exceedingly rarely happened until they learned gluttony and drunkenness from the Christians) those that were near them gave him whatever he wanted. O who will convert the English into honest heathens!"
___________
Feb 9 and 10, 1753
I visited as many more as I could. I found some in their rooms underground; others in their attic rooms, half-starved with both cold and hunger, added to weakness and pain. But I found not one of them unemployed, who was not able crawl about the room. So wickedly, so devilishly false is that common objection, "They are poor, only because they are idle.". If you saw these things with your own eyes, could you spend money on ornaments or unnecessary things?"
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___________
Feb 9 and 10, 1753
I visited as many more as I could. I found some in their rooms underground; others in their attic rooms, half-starved with both cold and hunger, added to weakness and pain. But I found not one of them unemployed, who was not able crawl about the room. So wickedly, so devilishly false is that common objection, "They are poor, only because they are idle.". If you saw these things with your own eyes, could you spend money on ornaments or unnecessary things?"
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Friday, February 25, 2011
Wesley Retrospective, part 4
July 6, 1746. "After talking with both the men and the women Leaders, we agreed it would prevent great expense--of both health and money-- if the poorer people of our society could be persuaded to leave off drinking tea. We resolved ourselves to begin and set the example. I expected some difficulty in breaking off a habit of 26 years"
Wesley talks about this elsewhere; I remember him talking about the caffeine headache... Some of you perhaps remember my sermon on Cloaca, the Roman goddess of the sewer, my contention that since crap flows downstream, and the poor are always housed where it comes out, they suffer the most from the vices of those better off. There are no strip bars on the Southside of Lexington. They're over here, because first, it's only our girls that should do such things, and second, if you can afford to live away from where the crap comes out, you will. So, following brother Wesley's example, what can we give up that will improve the lot of the poor? What costs them their time, health, and money that we can lay aside? What can we take out of the sewer so it won't flow down there?
________________
January 17, 1748
"I made a public collection towards some money to be available to lend to the poor. Our rule is to lend only 20 shillings at any given time, which is repaid weekly, over three months. I began this about a year and half ago: thirty pound sixteen shillings were collected; and out of this, no less than 255 persons have been helped."
Here, too, something that speaks to the present day. The Church has abdicated her role as protector and sustainer of the poor. We think the government is the one to do it. How has that been working out the past 50 years?
And then, the Check Exchange places must go. They oppress the poor thoroughly. How I wish the Methodists had the funds--nay, the love-- to set up a place where we could help the poor so they would not go to the places that only seek to drag them further down.
Wesley talks about this elsewhere; I remember him talking about the caffeine headache... Some of you perhaps remember my sermon on Cloaca, the Roman goddess of the sewer, my contention that since crap flows downstream, and the poor are always housed where it comes out, they suffer the most from the vices of those better off. There are no strip bars on the Southside of Lexington. They're over here, because first, it's only our girls that should do such things, and second, if you can afford to live away from where the crap comes out, you will. So, following brother Wesley's example, what can we give up that will improve the lot of the poor? What costs them their time, health, and money that we can lay aside? What can we take out of the sewer so it won't flow down there?
________________
January 17, 1748
"I made a public collection towards some money to be available to lend to the poor. Our rule is to lend only 20 shillings at any given time, which is repaid weekly, over three months. I began this about a year and half ago: thirty pound sixteen shillings were collected; and out of this, no less than 255 persons have been helped."
Here, too, something that speaks to the present day. The Church has abdicated her role as protector and sustainer of the poor. We think the government is the one to do it. How has that been working out the past 50 years?
And then, the Check Exchange places must go. They oppress the poor thoroughly. How I wish the Methodists had the funds--nay, the love-- to set up a place where we could help the poor so they would not go to the places that only seek to drag them further down.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Wesley Retrospective, part 3
October 20, 1743, Wesley was staying with a friend, doing some writing and encouraging the faithful when a mob surrounded the house he was in. The people inside the house began to pray and the mob dispersed, but Wesley suspected they would be back. They did come back.
Wesley had some of the folks inside the house bring the leader of the mob in and talked to him, calming him down, and then brought in two of the angriest members of the mob "who were ready to swallow the ground in rage, but in two minutes they were calm as he." Wesley then thought it might be safe to go out, but alas. The mob demanded to take him to the Justice. The complaint of the mob before the first Justice (who was asleep) was, "They sing psalms all day and make folks rise at five in the morning!" The Justice sent word that he didn't care and they should go home.
They then sought out another Justice, with pretty much the same result.
Wesley writes after the mob's disappointment, "to attempt speaking was in vain, for the noise on every side was like the roaring of the sea. So they dragged me along till we came to the town; where seeing the door of a large house open, I attempted to go in; but a man catching me by the hair (Wesley had long hair), pulled me back into the middle of the mob... At the west end of the town, seeing a door half open, I made toward it and would have gone in, but a gentleman in shop would not let me, saying the mob would pull the house down to the ground." Wesley tried to reason with the mob. Then he prayed and 3 or 4 men in the mob changed their minds and decided to protect Wesley. A butcher in town dragged away a few of the most agitated mob members. Then things settled down and Wesley was being escorted out of town by some of the very ones who had clamored to dash his brains out. But the mob reformed on the bridge at the edge of town.
A woman, formerly in the mob also decided to defend Wesley, and knocked down three or four men, but was herself overpowered. Wesley noted that three men held her down and were beating her with all their might until a man called them out by name.
Wesley remarked a number of interesting events. Someone kept trying to hit him with a large oak stick, but could never quite get him. Another ran up to him to throw him to the ground, but when he grabbed Welsey's hair, all he could do was say, "what fine hair he has..." And Wesley notes he was hit very hard twice, once on the chest and once in the mouth, "which caused the blood to gush out immediately," but he did not feel either.
This is hard core. We back off preaching the unadorned truth of the Gospel because someone might complain about our sermons and leave. Or put less money in the offering plate. Maybe if were getting our butts whipped for preaching, we would not care who came or left, or what they thought.
Wesley had some of the folks inside the house bring the leader of the mob in and talked to him, calming him down, and then brought in two of the angriest members of the mob "who were ready to swallow the ground in rage, but in two minutes they were calm as he." Wesley then thought it might be safe to go out, but alas. The mob demanded to take him to the Justice. The complaint of the mob before the first Justice (who was asleep) was, "They sing psalms all day and make folks rise at five in the morning!" The Justice sent word that he didn't care and they should go home.
They then sought out another Justice, with pretty much the same result.
Wesley writes after the mob's disappointment, "to attempt speaking was in vain, for the noise on every side was like the roaring of the sea. So they dragged me along till we came to the town; where seeing the door of a large house open, I attempted to go in; but a man catching me by the hair (Wesley had long hair), pulled me back into the middle of the mob... At the west end of the town, seeing a door half open, I made toward it and would have gone in, but a gentleman in shop would not let me, saying the mob would pull the house down to the ground." Wesley tried to reason with the mob. Then he prayed and 3 or 4 men in the mob changed their minds and decided to protect Wesley. A butcher in town dragged away a few of the most agitated mob members. Then things settled down and Wesley was being escorted out of town by some of the very ones who had clamored to dash his brains out. But the mob reformed on the bridge at the edge of town.
A woman, formerly in the mob also decided to defend Wesley, and knocked down three or four men, but was herself overpowered. Wesley noted that three men held her down and were beating her with all their might until a man called them out by name.
Wesley remarked a number of interesting events. Someone kept trying to hit him with a large oak stick, but could never quite get him. Another ran up to him to throw him to the ground, but when he grabbed Welsey's hair, all he could do was say, "what fine hair he has..." And Wesley notes he was hit very hard twice, once on the chest and once in the mouth, "which caused the blood to gush out immediately," but he did not feel either.
This is hard core. We back off preaching the unadorned truth of the Gospel because someone might complain about our sermons and leave. Or put less money in the offering plate. Maybe if were getting our butts whipped for preaching, we would not care who came or left, or what they thought.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Wesley retrospective, part 2; or, So You Wanna Be A Methodist...
I wish when I was marking the stuff up, i had also noted what it was about the particular passage in the Journal that intrigued me. Some I know--the idea or sentiment has stuck with me. Others I am not so sure. For example, the next two I have marked deal with collecting donations for the Methodist building in Bristol, and how no one believed they could raise the money, but Wesley trusted God. Another dealt with a person who was brought back to life by prayer. I know GENERALLY why I marked them-- Providence, the power of prayer, but I wish I had noted what sepcifically struck me, because these entries in themselves are not unique in Wesley's Journals.
But then, I came to one that I did not note why I was impressed by it, but I know why. My first church in Winchester, as part of its history, kicked a man out who had sold a bum mule and would not refund the unfortunate buyer. This goes back to a question I constantly have about church discipline: why do we today believe that church is an open place, where anybody can do, say, and believe as they please, when that is clearly against the constant witness of not just Methodism, but the entire Christian church?
Wesly, In 1743, on his rounds through England, "examining the societies," near Newcastle found that some had left the Methodists voluntarily:
"14 (chiefly Dissenters-- that is, not members of the Church of England) said they left because their Ministers would not give them the sacrament [if they met with Methodists]
9 more because their spouses were not willing that they should stay
12 because their parents were not willing
5, because their master or mistress would not let them come
9, because they would not be laughed at
3, because they would lose the poor's allowance
3 more, because they could not spare time to come
2, because it was too far
1, because she was afraid of falling into fits [uh-oh, sounds like those Methodists were getting a Dose of the Ghost]
1, because people were so rude in the street [being mocked for going to Methodist preaching]
2, because Thomas Naisbit was in the society
1, because he would not turn his back on his baptism
1, because we were mere Church of England men
1, because there was time enough to serve God yet [the old I'll-accept-Christ-right-when-I-am-about-to-die]"
But then Wesley underwent the task of expelling people. "The number expelled was 64:
2, for cursing and swearing
2, for habitual Sabbath-breaking
17, for drunkenness
2, two for retailing spirituous liquors
3, for quarreling and brawling
1, for beating his wife
3, for habitual, willful lying
4, for railing and evil-speaking
1 for idleness and laziness
29, for lightness and carelessness"
But then, I came to one that I did not note why I was impressed by it, but I know why. My first church in Winchester, as part of its history, kicked a man out who had sold a bum mule and would not refund the unfortunate buyer. This goes back to a question I constantly have about church discipline: why do we today believe that church is an open place, where anybody can do, say, and believe as they please, when that is clearly against the constant witness of not just Methodism, but the entire Christian church?
Wesly, In 1743, on his rounds through England, "examining the societies," near Newcastle found that some had left the Methodists voluntarily:
"14 (chiefly Dissenters-- that is, not members of the Church of England) said they left because their Ministers would not give them the sacrament [if they met with Methodists]
9 more because their spouses were not willing that they should stay
12 because their parents were not willing
5, because their master or mistress would not let them come
9, because they would not be laughed at
3, because they would lose the poor's allowance
3 more, because they could not spare time to come
2, because it was too far
1, because she was afraid of falling into fits [uh-oh, sounds like those Methodists were getting a Dose of the Ghost]
1, because people were so rude in the street [being mocked for going to Methodist preaching]
2, because Thomas Naisbit was in the society
1, because he would not turn his back on his baptism
1, because we were mere Church of England men
1, because there was time enough to serve God yet [the old I'll-accept-Christ-right-when-I-am-about-to-die]"
But then Wesley underwent the task of expelling people. "The number expelled was 64:
2, for cursing and swearing
2, for habitual Sabbath-breaking
17, for drunkenness
2, two for retailing spirituous liquors
3, for quarreling and brawling
1, for beating his wife
3, for habitual, willful lying
4, for railing and evil-speaking
1 for idleness and laziness
29, for lightness and carelessness"
Monday, February 21, 2011
A Wesley Retrospective
About 7 or 8 years ago, the Board of Ordained Ministry gave the folks studying for ordination a little bit of money left over from the monies set aside for educational events. What they did not spend they divided among us. I guess they did that for three years; I was able to buy some book sets that have served me well: Owens' Analytical Key to the Old Testament; Ante- and Post-Nicene Fathers; and The Works of John Wesley.
Over about two years, I read the first two volumes of John Wesley, excerpts from his journals from 1735 to 1760. I had not looked at them in a while. I want share a few things from them that I marked up.
Jim Griffith, a church planter and consultant has been saying, as have many others, that the days are demanding apostolic leaders. Griffith said the eBay book on apostolic leadership is Wesley's Journals. He was an apostolic leader.
On his return voyage to England from America in 1738, Wesley had some soul-searching thoughts. On his voyage to America, he had total fear during some storms, and he was troubled that he was so afraid of dying. And in America, he had a really hard time. He hoped to convert the Indians, but had no success. He wondered who would convert him?
On the boat back to England, he wrote, "by the most infallible proofs, inward feeling, I am convinced,
1. Of unbelief; having no such faith in Christ as will prevent my heart from being troubled; which it could not be, if I believed in God
2. Of pride throughout my life past, inasmuch as I thought I had what I find I do not have
3. Of gross irrecollection; inasmuch as in a storm I cry to God every moment, but in calm, I do not
4. Of levity and luxuriance of spirit, recurring whenever the pressure is off, and appearing by my speaking words that do not edifying; but most by my manner of speaking of my enemies.
--------
On two occasions in February of 1738, Wesley was asked to preach. On Feb 4, he preached at St John the Evangelist's on "if any man be in Christ, he is a new creation." He comments, "I was afterward informed that many of the influential people in the church were so offended that I was not to preach there anymore."
On the 12th, he preached at St. Andrews on "if I give all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not love...". Wesley says, "here, too it seems, I am to preach no more."
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Over about two years, I read the first two volumes of John Wesley, excerpts from his journals from 1735 to 1760. I had not looked at them in a while. I want share a few things from them that I marked up.
Jim Griffith, a church planter and consultant has been saying, as have many others, that the days are demanding apostolic leaders. Griffith said the eBay book on apostolic leadership is Wesley's Journals. He was an apostolic leader.
On his return voyage to England from America in 1738, Wesley had some soul-searching thoughts. On his voyage to America, he had total fear during some storms, and he was troubled that he was so afraid of dying. And in America, he had a really hard time. He hoped to convert the Indians, but had no success. He wondered who would convert him?
On the boat back to England, he wrote, "by the most infallible proofs, inward feeling, I am convinced,
1. Of unbelief; having no such faith in Christ as will prevent my heart from being troubled; which it could not be, if I believed in God
2. Of pride throughout my life past, inasmuch as I thought I had what I find I do not have
3. Of gross irrecollection; inasmuch as in a storm I cry to God every moment, but in calm, I do not
4. Of levity and luxuriance of spirit, recurring whenever the pressure is off, and appearing by my speaking words that do not edifying; but most by my manner of speaking of my enemies.
--------
On two occasions in February of 1738, Wesley was asked to preach. On Feb 4, he preached at St John the Evangelist's on "if any man be in Christ, he is a new creation." He comments, "I was afterward informed that many of the influential people in the church were so offended that I was not to preach there anymore."
On the 12th, he preached at St. Andrews on "if I give all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not love...". Wesley says, "here, too it seems, I am to preach no more."
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
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