Harry "Black Harry" Hosier was one of the most popular preachers--black or white-- in early Methodism. He was a faithful traveling companion to Bishops Coke and Asbury.
Bishop Coke said of Harry, " I have now had the pleasure of hearing Harry preach several times. I sometimes give notice that immediateley after preaching, that in a little time Harry will preach to the blacks; but the whites always stay to hear him... I really believe he is one of the best preachers in the world, there is such an amazing power attends his preaching, though he cannot read; and he is one of the humblest creatures I ever saw" (quoted in Norwood's The Story of American Methodism 168).
We don't know a lot about Harry Hosier. But we do know that from the beginning African Americans were part of the work and worship of Methodism in America. They met with varying degrees of acceptance, relating to the country's mood. In some places, they were able to worship with whites, but generally, segregation took root everywhere, and African American Methodists generally had to seek their own Methodist structure.
Some of those groups are well known-- The African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME), African Methodist Episcopal Church, Zion (AME Zion) and Christian Methodist Episcopal Church (CME).
Monday, September 27, 2010
Friday, September 24, 2010
Top 10 Thoughts on Perfection
The following is from a Methodist pamphlet, published in 1769; reproduced in Wesley's Standard Sermons, Sermon 43:
1. There is such a thing as Christian perfection, for it is mentioned again and again in Scripture
2. It follows justification, for we go on to perfection (Hebrew 6:1)
3. It is not at or after death, for Paul speaks of living people as perfect (Philippians 3:15)
4. It is not absolute. Neither angels or men are absolutely perfect, absolute perfection belongs only to God
5. It does not make us infallible. No one is infallible as long as we are in the body
6. It is perfect love. 1 John 4:18. Its properties and fruit are rejoicing evermore, praying without ceasing, and in everything giving thanks-- 1 Thesalonians 5:16
7. It is improvable. The one perfected in love may grow in grace more quickly than before
8. It is capable of being lost
9. It is preceded and followed by a gradual work [note: this is to say we should be coming closer and closer to God's perfect love. And when we have it, we keep growing in that love]
10. In some it is an instantaneous work; in others it is hard to tell when it came about in them.
1. There is such a thing as Christian perfection, for it is mentioned again and again in Scripture
2. It follows justification, for we go on to perfection (Hebrew 6:1)
3. It is not at or after death, for Paul speaks of living people as perfect (Philippians 3:15)
4. It is not absolute. Neither angels or men are absolutely perfect, absolute perfection belongs only to God
5. It does not make us infallible. No one is infallible as long as we are in the body
6. It is perfect love. 1 John 4:18. Its properties and fruit are rejoicing evermore, praying without ceasing, and in everything giving thanks-- 1 Thesalonians 5:16
7. It is improvable. The one perfected in love may grow in grace more quickly than before
8. It is capable of being lost
9. It is preceded and followed by a gradual work [note: this is to say we should be coming closer and closer to God's perfect love. And when we have it, we keep growing in that love]
10. In some it is an instantaneous work; in others it is hard to tell when it came about in them.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Those Who Hunger and Thirst After Righteousness
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness.”
The following quotations are from John Wesley’s Sermon 22. And may I say again, these sermons are, along with his Notes on the New Testament, our doctrinal standards. How different our churches would be if we held ourselves to this doctrine!
“righteousness is the image of God, the mind that was in Christ... it [springs] from as well as [terminates] in the love of God as our Father and Redeemer.”
“Hunger and thirst are the strongest of our bodily appetites. In like manner this hunger of the soul, this thirst after the image of God, is the strongest of all our spiritual appetites.”
“From the time we begin to hunger and thirst, these appetites do not cease, but are more and more craving and incessant until we either eat and drink or die. And even so from the time that we begin to hunger and thirst for the whole mind that was in Christ, these spiritual appetites do not cease, but cry after their food with more and more importunity; nor can they possibly cease, until they are satisfied.”
Wesley notes that it is impossible to satuisfy those who hunger and thrist after righteousness with what the world calls religion. While the religion of the world is good and beneficial, meaning essentially that we do no harm, but do good, and go to church and worship God. Do these things, and you are “religious.”
But will this satisfy him who hungers and thirst after righteousness? No. Wesley goes on to note; “it is not food for his soul... True, he is careful to abstain from the appearance of evil; he is zealous of good works; he attends all the ordinances of God. But all this is not what he longs for. This is only the outside of that religion, which he insatiable hungers after.”
Those who hunger and thirst after righteousness seek the knowledge of God that is in Christ Jesus,
“The life that it is hid in Christ;”
Being “joined to the Lord in one Spirit;”
“Having fellowship with the Father and the Son;”
“Walking in the light as God is in the light;”
“being purified even as He is pure.”
Wesley gives us this great promise of God--let this stir your heart and Spirit:
Those who hunger and thirst after righteousness “shall be fiiled with the things they long for; even with righteousness and true holiness.”
And finally, Wesley desires, and I pray, “that this divine appetite may never cease!”
The following quotations are from John Wesley’s Sermon 22. And may I say again, these sermons are, along with his Notes on the New Testament, our doctrinal standards. How different our churches would be if we held ourselves to this doctrine!
“righteousness is the image of God, the mind that was in Christ... it [springs] from as well as [terminates] in the love of God as our Father and Redeemer.”
“Hunger and thirst are the strongest of our bodily appetites. In like manner this hunger of the soul, this thirst after the image of God, is the strongest of all our spiritual appetites.”
“From the time we begin to hunger and thirst, these appetites do not cease, but are more and more craving and incessant until we either eat and drink or die. And even so from the time that we begin to hunger and thirst for the whole mind that was in Christ, these spiritual appetites do not cease, but cry after their food with more and more importunity; nor can they possibly cease, until they are satisfied.”
Wesley notes that it is impossible to satuisfy those who hunger and thrist after righteousness with what the world calls religion. While the religion of the world is good and beneficial, meaning essentially that we do no harm, but do good, and go to church and worship God. Do these things, and you are “religious.”
But will this satisfy him who hungers and thirst after righteousness? No. Wesley goes on to note; “it is not food for his soul... True, he is careful to abstain from the appearance of evil; he is zealous of good works; he attends all the ordinances of God. But all this is not what he longs for. This is only the outside of that religion, which he insatiable hungers after.”
Those who hunger and thirst after righteousness seek the knowledge of God that is in Christ Jesus,
“The life that it is hid in Christ;”
Being “joined to the Lord in one Spirit;”
“Having fellowship with the Father and the Son;”
“Walking in the light as God is in the light;”
“being purified even as He is pure.”
Wesley gives us this great promise of God--let this stir your heart and Spirit:
Those who hunger and thirst after righteousness “shall be fiiled with the things they long for; even with righteousness and true holiness.”
And finally, Wesley desires, and I pray, “that this divine appetite may never cease!”
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Susannah Wesley, Mother of Methodism
John Wesley had interesting parents. They were products of the ferment of the 17th century. The English Civil War, between Parliament and the King, really bw Puritans and the Royals, was brutal and bloody. The King Charles II was beheaded. When the monarchy was restored, it was no longer hip to be a Puritan. Remember, John Milton, the greatest poet in the English language, was a Puritan, an influential member of the revolutionary government, and even he was in some deep trouble.
Wesley's grandfathers were important Puritan theologians, Dr. Wesley, and Dr. Annesley. But these Puritan Divines had children who went "the other way;" both John's father Samuel, and his mother Susannah Annesley, were convinced royalists. They were not Dissenters from the Church of England.
You can take the kids away from the Puritans, but you can take the Puritans out of the kids, or something like that. So while John and Charles Wesley (and notice the boys' names; the two least popular kings in English history, and Charles was so named to announce the Wesley's solidarity with the Royalist and Church causes.)
Samuel Wesley was the rector of Epworth. Susannah and he had 19 children, 9 of whom died in infancy. John was number 17, the baby so to speak.
Susannah is perhaps the model for Methodist womanhood. A great mother, but truly possessed of her own mind and with unbelievable intelligence.
She had a weekly conference with each of her children, to see how they were doing and to guide them in the ways of the Lord. With all the work of being the pastor's wife, having so many kids and running the household, she also found Sabbath in an important way. She would sit on a chair and pull her apron over her head. When the children saw her sit thus, they knew to be quiet and leave her alone. When she was rested, she would soon enough be back to her work as mother!
When each child reached 5 years of age, she would sit with him or her, begin to teach them the alphabet, open to Genesis 1 and teach the children to read.
When her husband was away from the parish, and some of the parishioners complained of the dry morsels the curate preached in Samuel's absence, Susannah began to hold services, reading sermons, and preaching (she called it "exhorting" so that no one would complain of a woman preaching). Pretty soon the parsonage was full, and the people spilled onto the grounds to hear her clear and insightful words on Bible-living.
The curate complained and Samuel wrote back asking her to stop, but she refused. She was not doing it during church hours, and she could not leave the people with no sound guidance. Clearly, John Wesley learned something from his mother's example: be bold to preach in season and out of season, but also make sure not to take away from the Church of England-- do it in the off hours to strengthen the people to take their faith more seriously
Another thing he learned in the early years of the Methodist revival came from Susannah and her time of preaching in the parsonage yard. There was a young lay preacher, whom Wesley wanted to stop from preaching because he was not ordained. Susannah wrote to John saying that the man had as much right to preach as anyone, and it would be best for John to let God move. Thus began the use of lay preachers flung throughout the Kingdom who travelled and spread the Gospel. You know some of their names-- Thomas Coke, Francis Asbury...
John and Charles were formed in a home that valued Puritan piety as well as the ancient doctrine of the Church. They were taught to have their own minds, but submit the will to God. If you are a Methodist, or from one of the Holiness denominations, Susannah is your mother in Israel.
Wesley's grandfathers were important Puritan theologians, Dr. Wesley, and Dr. Annesley. But these Puritan Divines had children who went "the other way;" both John's father Samuel, and his mother Susannah Annesley, were convinced royalists. They were not Dissenters from the Church of England.
You can take the kids away from the Puritans, but you can take the Puritans out of the kids, or something like that. So while John and Charles Wesley (and notice the boys' names; the two least popular kings in English history, and Charles was so named to announce the Wesley's solidarity with the Royalist and Church causes.)
Samuel Wesley was the rector of Epworth. Susannah and he had 19 children, 9 of whom died in infancy. John was number 17, the baby so to speak.
Susannah is perhaps the model for Methodist womanhood. A great mother, but truly possessed of her own mind and with unbelievable intelligence.
She had a weekly conference with each of her children, to see how they were doing and to guide them in the ways of the Lord. With all the work of being the pastor's wife, having so many kids and running the household, she also found Sabbath in an important way. She would sit on a chair and pull her apron over her head. When the children saw her sit thus, they knew to be quiet and leave her alone. When she was rested, she would soon enough be back to her work as mother!
When each child reached 5 years of age, she would sit with him or her, begin to teach them the alphabet, open to Genesis 1 and teach the children to read.
When her husband was away from the parish, and some of the parishioners complained of the dry morsels the curate preached in Samuel's absence, Susannah began to hold services, reading sermons, and preaching (she called it "exhorting" so that no one would complain of a woman preaching). Pretty soon the parsonage was full, and the people spilled onto the grounds to hear her clear and insightful words on Bible-living.
The curate complained and Samuel wrote back asking her to stop, but she refused. She was not doing it during church hours, and she could not leave the people with no sound guidance. Clearly, John Wesley learned something from his mother's example: be bold to preach in season and out of season, but also make sure not to take away from the Church of England-- do it in the off hours to strengthen the people to take their faith more seriously
Another thing he learned in the early years of the Methodist revival came from Susannah and her time of preaching in the parsonage yard. There was a young lay preacher, whom Wesley wanted to stop from preaching because he was not ordained. Susannah wrote to John saying that the man had as much right to preach as anyone, and it would be best for John to let God move. Thus began the use of lay preachers flung throughout the Kingdom who travelled and spread the Gospel. You know some of their names-- Thomas Coke, Francis Asbury...
John and Charles were formed in a home that valued Puritan piety as well as the ancient doctrine of the Church. They were taught to have their own minds, but submit the will to God. If you are a Methodist, or from one of the Holiness denominations, Susannah is your mother in Israel.
Friday, September 17, 2010
Sanctify!
W.B Godbey, a Kentucky Methodist pastor in the 1800s gives us this advice as to steps we take to be sanctified:
Throw away everything that is wrong or doubtful [that is, not of any clear value to the disciple]
Lay yourself with all your possessions, plans and aspirations, unreservedly on God's altar.
Believe "the altar sanctifies the gift." You are the gift, so it sanctifies you. If you have faith to be sanctified, you are sanctified. Just now trust Jesus to save you from all sin and trust Him to keep you pure.
Godbey, "On Christian Perfection."
This is reckless abandon! This is full trust and reliance--"trust Jesus to save you from all sin and keep you pure."
Not you, not your work, but just Jesus! He must do all! And it is by faith!
See how simple this faith in sanctification is: "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whosoever believes in HIm shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him." (John 3:16-17)
God's quarrel is not with us, His creation, but sin in us. If we are to be saved through Jesus, not condemned, then He has come not simply to forgive past sin, and to look over "new" sin. Rather, He has come to forgive past sin and deal decisively with sin's power in our lives.
"For the message of the Cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to those of us who are _being_ saved, it is the power of God" (1 Cor 1:18). Amen!
Throw away everything that is wrong or doubtful [that is, not of any clear value to the disciple]
Lay yourself with all your possessions, plans and aspirations, unreservedly on God's altar.
Believe "the altar sanctifies the gift." You are the gift, so it sanctifies you. If you have faith to be sanctified, you are sanctified. Just now trust Jesus to save you from all sin and trust Him to keep you pure.
Godbey, "On Christian Perfection."
This is reckless abandon! This is full trust and reliance--"trust Jesus to save you from all sin and keep you pure."
Not you, not your work, but just Jesus! He must do all! And it is by faith!
See how simple this faith in sanctification is: "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whosoever believes in HIm shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him." (John 3:16-17)
God's quarrel is not with us, His creation, but sin in us. If we are to be saved through Jesus, not condemned, then He has come not simply to forgive past sin, and to look over "new" sin. Rather, He has come to forgive past sin and deal decisively with sin's power in our lives.
"For the message of the Cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to those of us who are _being_ saved, it is the power of God" (1 Cor 1:18). Amen!
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Wesley on The Sermon on the Mount
Over the foreseeable Wednesdays, I intend to post from Wesley's sermons on Jesus' teaching in Matthew 5-7, in brief form. Part of the design is to build to chapter 7, especially the teaching on "Judge not, lest ye be judged," as it seems to me that very few people understand it. Christians especially use it to avoid being called to account for sin.
Who are the meek?
From Sermon 22 in the 52 Standard Sermons (which, by the way, form our doctrine...):
The meek are not those who have no reaction to suffering or evil, because they are ignorant of it.
Nor is meekness being without zeal.
Wesley says meekness is "resignation," by which he means, "a calm acquiescence in whatever is [God's] will for us."
Meekness actually has a long philosophical tradition; where we take it to mean being a doormat-- and be careful of anyone who exhorts you as a Christian to that kind of meekness! He is fixing to rob you blind!-- the philosophical tradition saw meekness as "balance," someone who did not react manically to whatever stimulus comes along.
The meek will inherit the earth because they are the ones being saved. Or perhaps I should say that meekness comes along in the process of sanctification. The meek are those who accept God's will for them, and do it. They spend, and are spent in the service of God.
Who are the meek?
From Sermon 22 in the 52 Standard Sermons (which, by the way, form our doctrine...):
The meek are not those who have no reaction to suffering or evil, because they are ignorant of it.
Nor is meekness being without zeal.
Wesley says meekness is "resignation," by which he means, "a calm acquiescence in whatever is [God's] will for us."
Meekness actually has a long philosophical tradition; where we take it to mean being a doormat-- and be careful of anyone who exhorts you as a Christian to that kind of meekness! He is fixing to rob you blind!-- the philosophical tradition saw meekness as "balance," someone who did not react manically to whatever stimulus comes along.
The meek will inherit the earth because they are the ones being saved. Or perhaps I should say that meekness comes along in the process of sanctification. The meek are those who accept God's will for them, and do it. They spend, and are spent in the service of God.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)