Ok, so I have to get to work, but I need to share this with you! I just read this in Wesley's Journal, Tues, June 10, 1760:
At noon, William Ley, James Glassbrook and I rode to Carrick-upon-Shannon. In less than an hour, an Esquire and Justice of the Peace came down with a drum, and what mob he could gather. I went into the garden with the congregation while he made a speech to his followers. He then attacked William Ley who stood at the door... having made his way through the house, he was stopped by James Glassbrook barring the door. While he was trying to force the door open, someone told him I was preaching in the garden... he ran around the house and climbed the wall with some of his retinue, and with a whole volley of oaths and curses, declared, "You shall not preach here today!" I told him, "Sir, I do not intend to, for I have already preached [here today]" This made him ready to tear the ground. Finding he was not to be reasoned with, I entered the house. Soon after he revenged himself on James Glassbrook (by breaking the truncheon of his halbert on his arm) and on my hat, which he beat valiantly..."
Wow. I guess my preaching is just not pointed enough! I've had people yell at me. A few weeks ago, my neighbors stood on the porch cussing me while I worked on my sermon. That's about it.
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Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Monday, March 28, 2011
A Scene From The Life of Thomas Walsh, Methodist Preacher
Walsh's biography in is vol 5 of Wesley's Veterans. It's a long one, and I have no way of summarizing it... Walsh is the name that crops up most in the other biographies of the Veterans, as one who worked with them, or whose preaching was so powerful that many were converted.
Two interesting encounters jumped out at me as I was reading this morning.
"I talked with one today who was sorely tempted to kill me, and for no other reason than because she was awakened under my preaching to feel herself a miserable sinner."
"After preaching a young woman came to me and said that some time before she had brought a knife with her to preaching, intending to kill me... The Devil suggested that if she killed me, the burden she felt under my preaching would disappear."
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Two interesting encounters jumped out at me as I was reading this morning.
"I talked with one today who was sorely tempted to kill me, and for no other reason than because she was awakened under my preaching to feel herself a miserable sinner."
"After preaching a young woman came to me and said that some time before she had brought a knife with her to preaching, intending to kill me... The Devil suggested that if she killed me, the burden she felt under my preaching would disappear."
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Robert Roberts, Methodist Preacher
Roberts was born in Chester in 1831, to a farming family, but his parents died when he was young, and he was apprenticed to a wheelwright. Roberts says he was a member of the Established Church [Church of England] but he did not understand the prayers, preaching, scripture, or homilies [standard sermons forming the doctrine of the Churhc of England]. Nonetheless, he believed, felt that it was a good thing to be regular in church, to the extent that even though he had not saving faith, he was considered to be a good man, even "better than others." He was conscious, however, of sin, of the normal state of mankind as wicked, with a deceitful heart.
In his early 20s, he heard some Methodist preaching here and there, but he was afraid of being persecuted or having people laugh at him for being with the Methodists. He also worried though, about the way people spoke of the Methodists, for he knew them to be serious people. And because of the general disapproval of the Methodists, he would not join them as long as he was in his own hometown. He said that his work might take him to London, where no one would know him and then he could be a Methodist!
Nonetheless, he did venture to hear a Methodist preacher, and his soul was awakened to his need for God and the possibility that the divine, saving grace might be his. He asked to be admitted to a society. He was examined by a preacher as to "the state of my mind, my motives, etc..." [What! Standards for membership! Now I daresay most pastors would balk at not only examining anyone for membership, but also what such examination implies: some people must be denied membership. I have yet to hear a credible defense as to why we have drifted so far from our roots.]
"And now I met with what I expected, namely, persecutions from relatives, friends and neighbors; and wherever I went, some railed and others cursed me and one said it would no more be a sin to kill me than it would to kill a mad dog. Sometime in August of 1754, Roberts found peace with God. But he also experienced a deeper knowledge that even after coming to Christ for salvation, he still had need of Christ. That is, forgiveness of sin is one thing, but power over sin's continuing influence is another. Roberts began to earnestly seek this "second blessing."
He was eventually placed as a class leader, and was a fellow who would fill in if a preacher could not get to the area. While his spiritual life improved, and he was a fruitful lay leader, his temporal affairs suffered as, "the people [in town] agreed not to employ me [as a wheelwright] because I was a Methodist."
Roberts labored for 40 years in the Lord's Vineyard, 20 years in, he wrote to Wesley, "If it were my right to choose any line of work, I would rather be a Methodist precher than anything else."
"Ever since I began to preach, I have been convinced of the extent of the Atonement, believing that Christ tasted death for every man, and that there is a day of grace for all of Adam's descendants, a door of salvation, and that if they knock, it will be opened to them."
Roberts' biography is found in vol. 4 of Wesley's Veterans.
In his early 20s, he heard some Methodist preaching here and there, but he was afraid of being persecuted or having people laugh at him for being with the Methodists. He also worried though, about the way people spoke of the Methodists, for he knew them to be serious people. And because of the general disapproval of the Methodists, he would not join them as long as he was in his own hometown. He said that his work might take him to London, where no one would know him and then he could be a Methodist!
Nonetheless, he did venture to hear a Methodist preacher, and his soul was awakened to his need for God and the possibility that the divine, saving grace might be his. He asked to be admitted to a society. He was examined by a preacher as to "the state of my mind, my motives, etc..." [What! Standards for membership! Now I daresay most pastors would balk at not only examining anyone for membership, but also what such examination implies: some people must be denied membership. I have yet to hear a credible defense as to why we have drifted so far from our roots.]
"And now I met with what I expected, namely, persecutions from relatives, friends and neighbors; and wherever I went, some railed and others cursed me and one said it would no more be a sin to kill me than it would to kill a mad dog. Sometime in August of 1754, Roberts found peace with God. But he also experienced a deeper knowledge that even after coming to Christ for salvation, he still had need of Christ. That is, forgiveness of sin is one thing, but power over sin's continuing influence is another. Roberts began to earnestly seek this "second blessing."
He was eventually placed as a class leader, and was a fellow who would fill in if a preacher could not get to the area. While his spiritual life improved, and he was a fruitful lay leader, his temporal affairs suffered as, "the people [in town] agreed not to employ me [as a wheelwright] because I was a Methodist."
Roberts labored for 40 years in the Lord's Vineyard, 20 years in, he wrote to Wesley, "If it were my right to choose any line of work, I would rather be a Methodist precher than anything else."
"Ever since I began to preach, I have been convinced of the extent of the Atonement, believing that Christ tasted death for every man, and that there is a day of grace for all of Adam's descendants, a door of salvation, and that if they knock, it will be opened to them."
Roberts' biography is found in vol. 4 of Wesley's Veterans.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Thomas Hanson, Methodist Preacher
Hanson was born in Yorkshire in 1733. In his early teens he heard some Methodist preaching, but in his early twenties, apprenticeship and work took him to a place where there was none.
Hanson was much devoted to books and study, but in 1756, feeling deep need of Christ, and determined to seek Him until he found Him, Hanson sold all of his books and devoted himself to the ways of God. He notes that, "I now added fasting to all the other means of grace. Soon after this the tempter told me, 'You are good enough.' But a sermon by honest Brother Ash, on Galatians 2:21, and the words of my dear mother, who said, 'Though I gave birth to you, if you do not come to Christ stripped of all, you will never be saved,' tore away all my self-righteousness."
Hanson talks about something common in the early Methodist literature of conversion, of the great weight of misery and conscience of sin that comes before conversion. He said he knew God was calling to him, to expect the great forgiveness of Christ at any moment. "Just before I found pardon, I was miserable beyond description."
And then: "On July 16, 1757, at night, under my brother Joseph's prayer, I yielded, sunk, and as it were died away. My heart with a kind, sweet struggle melted into the hands of God. I was for some hours lost in wonder, by the astonishing joy which flowed into my heart like a loive and joy which flowed into my heart like a might torrent.... From this night, I could not hold my tongue from speaking the things of God."
After some wrestling, he finally gave in to that old Methodist call, the spend and be spent for God. Looking back on his ministry, he said, "I have been in dangers by snow-frifts, by flood, by falls from my horse, and by persecution. I have been in sickness, cold, pain, weakness and weariness.
"The the chief subjects of my preaching has been the lost state of man, depraved, guilty, and miserable by nature; his justification through Christ alone, together with the witness and fruits thereof; the new birth-- the necessity, fruits and benefits of it, in all inward and outward holiness."
Hanson was much devoted to books and study, but in 1756, feeling deep need of Christ, and determined to seek Him until he found Him, Hanson sold all of his books and devoted himself to the ways of God. He notes that, "I now added fasting to all the other means of grace. Soon after this the tempter told me, 'You are good enough.' But a sermon by honest Brother Ash, on Galatians 2:21, and the words of my dear mother, who said, 'Though I gave birth to you, if you do not come to Christ stripped of all, you will never be saved,' tore away all my self-righteousness."
Hanson talks about something common in the early Methodist literature of conversion, of the great weight of misery and conscience of sin that comes before conversion. He said he knew God was calling to him, to expect the great forgiveness of Christ at any moment. "Just before I found pardon, I was miserable beyond description."
And then: "On July 16, 1757, at night, under my brother Joseph's prayer, I yielded, sunk, and as it were died away. My heart with a kind, sweet struggle melted into the hands of God. I was for some hours lost in wonder, by the astonishing joy which flowed into my heart like a loive and joy which flowed into my heart like a might torrent.... From this night, I could not hold my tongue from speaking the things of God."
After some wrestling, he finally gave in to that old Methodist call, the spend and be spent for God. Looking back on his ministry, he said, "I have been in dangers by snow-frifts, by flood, by falls from my horse, and by persecution. I have been in sickness, cold, pain, weakness and weariness.
"The the chief subjects of my preaching has been the lost state of man, depraved, guilty, and miserable by nature; his justification through Christ alone, together with the witness and fruits thereof; the new birth-- the necessity, fruits and benefits of it, in all inward and outward holiness."
Friday, March 4, 2011
Richard Rodda, Methodist Preacher
Richard Rodda is a name that crops up in a number of other early Methodist preachers’ biographies, as one who encouraged them in their ministries.
Rodda was born in Cornwall in 1743. His introduction to the Methodist came through his older sister. His parents had heard rumors that Methodists were enemies of both Church and State, and so stayed away. But his sister went to hear, and the change in her was so visible, their mother went to hear as well, and accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
At the age of 13, Rodda desired to flee the wrath to come, so he applied to Peter Jaco to be admitted into a Methodist Society. Two years later, Rodda found the peace he was looking for in the Lord. [I wonder how many of us would seek that long? Or would know that perhaps, we had been seeking that long? We remember the instant we found peace in Christ-- what about the looking and longing for Him?]
Rodda found himself delivered from disaster and difficulty a number of times-- from falling rocks in a quarry, from near certain death from a horse-fall in group of riders, and from being pressed into the Navy.
Rodda began to preach here and there, and in 1768 became a “traveling preacher,” largely in Cornwall. He experienced the usual mobs it seems Methodist preachers encountered-- throwing rocks and roof tiles; one time having the “dirt” from a kennel smeared in his face; one group brought gunpowder to blow up the preaching-house.
In a letter to John Wesley, as the conclusion to the biography he wrote, he stated:
1. I believe God made the first man holy, harmless and undefiled but... he yielded to the Tempter and and this stripped him of the moral image of God. I believe, also, that all sinned and fell in him.
2. I believe all mankind were in Adam when God gave him the promise of a Savior, and that promise was not only to him, but to his children
3. I believe, with the Church of England, that Christ made on the Cross a perfect and sufficient sacrifice, satisfaction and oblation for all the sins of the whole world, whether original or actual. And that by virtue of this, all men may be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth: that God rejects none but those who reject the Spirit of grace.
4. I believe that in order to be saved from the guilt and power of sin, men must repent and believe in Christ
5. I believe repentance to consist in a consciousness of sin, a godly sorrow for it, and turning from it to God. I also believe faith to be the gift of God but the act of man. God gives the power, man uses it.
6. I believe that in order to achieve final salvation, our faith must be productive of good works; that without complete, personal holiness, no man shall see the Lord. This is so fully asserted in the word of God that I am persuaded all the craft of men and all the rage of devils cannot overthrow it.
7. I believe that the Crown of all spiritual blessings is the gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
This was the substance of his preaching. Amen.
Rodda was born in Cornwall in 1743. His introduction to the Methodist came through his older sister. His parents had heard rumors that Methodists were enemies of both Church and State, and so stayed away. But his sister went to hear, and the change in her was so visible, their mother went to hear as well, and accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
At the age of 13, Rodda desired to flee the wrath to come, so he applied to Peter Jaco to be admitted into a Methodist Society. Two years later, Rodda found the peace he was looking for in the Lord. [I wonder how many of us would seek that long? Or would know that perhaps, we had been seeking that long? We remember the instant we found peace in Christ-- what about the looking and longing for Him?]
Rodda found himself delivered from disaster and difficulty a number of times-- from falling rocks in a quarry, from near certain death from a horse-fall in group of riders, and from being pressed into the Navy.
Rodda began to preach here and there, and in 1768 became a “traveling preacher,” largely in Cornwall. He experienced the usual mobs it seems Methodist preachers encountered-- throwing rocks and roof tiles; one time having the “dirt” from a kennel smeared in his face; one group brought gunpowder to blow up the preaching-house.
In a letter to John Wesley, as the conclusion to the biography he wrote, he stated:
1. I believe God made the first man holy, harmless and undefiled but... he yielded to the Tempter and and this stripped him of the moral image of God. I believe, also, that all sinned and fell in him.
2. I believe all mankind were in Adam when God gave him the promise of a Savior, and that promise was not only to him, but to his children
3. I believe, with the Church of England, that Christ made on the Cross a perfect and sufficient sacrifice, satisfaction and oblation for all the sins of the whole world, whether original or actual. And that by virtue of this, all men may be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth: that God rejects none but those who reject the Spirit of grace.
4. I believe that in order to be saved from the guilt and power of sin, men must repent and believe in Christ
5. I believe repentance to consist in a consciousness of sin, a godly sorrow for it, and turning from it to God. I also believe faith to be the gift of God but the act of man. God gives the power, man uses it.
6. I believe that in order to achieve final salvation, our faith must be productive of good works; that without complete, personal holiness, no man shall see the Lord. This is so fully asserted in the word of God that I am persuaded all the craft of men and all the rage of devils cannot overthrow it.
7. I believe that the Crown of all spiritual blessings is the gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
This was the substance of his preaching. Amen.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Wesley Retrospective, part 7 or, Are You Should Hank Woulda Done It This Way?
Ok, so the last thing I have marked up in the first two vols of Wesley's Journals reminds me of the part of the Discipline that we totally rejected quite some time ago:
"Let all our chapels be built plain and decent; but not more expensive than is absolutely unavoidable: otherwise the necessity of raising money will make rich men necessary to us. But if so, we must be dependent upon them, yea; and governed by them. And then farewell to the Methodist discipline, if not doctrine too."
Wed, Nov 23, 1757, Wesley's entry:
"I was shown Dr. Taylor's new meeting house, perhaps the most elegant one in Europe. It is eight-square, built of the finest brick, with sixteen sash windows below, as many above, and eight skylights in the dome, which are purely ornamental. The inside is finished in the highest taste, and is as clean as any nobleman's saloon. The communion table is fine mahogany, the latches of the pew-doors are polished brass. How can it be thought that the old, coarse Gospel should find admission here?"
I guess now I need to spend a couple years and read the next two volumes here and there.
"Let all our chapels be built plain and decent; but not more expensive than is absolutely unavoidable: otherwise the necessity of raising money will make rich men necessary to us. But if so, we must be dependent upon them, yea; and governed by them. And then farewell to the Methodist discipline, if not doctrine too."
Wed, Nov 23, 1757, Wesley's entry:
"I was shown Dr. Taylor's new meeting house, perhaps the most elegant one in Europe. It is eight-square, built of the finest brick, with sixteen sash windows below, as many above, and eight skylights in the dome, which are purely ornamental. The inside is finished in the highest taste, and is as clean as any nobleman's saloon. The communion table is fine mahogany, the latches of the pew-doors are polished brass. How can it be thought that the old, coarse Gospel should find admission here?"
I guess now I need to spend a couple years and read the next two volumes here and there.
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