Saturday, April 30, 2011
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Robert Wilkinson, Methodist Preacher
Wilkinson has a short entry in vol. 5 of Wesley's Veterans
Wilkinson was a school teacher, and he tells a story much like many of the preachers, much like many of the converts: his conscience somehow awakened to sin, he found he could no longer take pleasure in the worldly pursuits he had engaged in. He retreated to prayer, but after s season was back to tricks.
It so happened that where he was teaching there was also Methodist preaching, and he heard them often. He was still stuck in worldliness, unfortunately. First Sunday in Lent, 1767, he heard, as usual, Methodist preaching. During the sermon there was nothing remarkable going on in his soul, but that night he had no rest, fearing that he must person eternally if the Gospel be true. He found a strong desire that the Methodists would pray for him, especially a man named Stephen Watson.
In his conviction, Wilkinson admitted what we must all admit, "I am the chief of sinners." And he also labored under an accusation from the ddevil that he had committed a sin that God would not forgive.
Friends helped him remain focused in prayer. But he felt lost. But under a Methodist preacher he found forgiveness of sins-- he had broken through.
About a year later, in 1768, Wilkninson was appointed as a Methodist preacher.
I suppose Wilkinson's biographical entry is short because he is reticent. He says of his work that the Lord "delivered me out of the hands of all my enemies, and a gave me several seals to my ministry."
George Shadford, another early Methodist preacher who labored in the vineyards with Wilkinson said that Wilkinson had an amazing power of prayer. Shadford remembers that when Wilkinson was ill with the disease that killed him, he hurried home to be with his wife and children, "earnestly entreating God to protect them in this troublesome world, and to supply all that they need."
I want to make sure to give as much of Shadford's account of Wilkinson's funeral. I think we have lost the power of funerals. Let us look at an account of a deep and moving time of worship.
Shadford: "I have often taken notice how the Lord makes the triumphant death of good men a special blessing to His children who are left behind: so it was at this time. The people of God were remarkably blessed in hearing the testimony of their dying friend. The worldly people and the backsliders were cut to the heart.
"At the conclusion of the sermon, I dropped these words: 'earth has lost, and heaven gained a child of God. Let us pray the Lord to add another to the church militant.' We did so, and the Lord answered our prayer, by setting a young man's soul at liberty...
The people sang a hymn at the church,
Thee we adore, eternal Name
And humbly own to Thee
How feeble is our mortal frame
What dying worms we be!
"When the minster read these words, 'not to be sorry as men without hope,' Mrs. Wilkinson, who hung upon my arm with her two little babes, was so overwhelmed with the presence of God that she could not refrain from crying out, 'Sorry, no! Glory be to God! Glory be to God! Glory, and praise and blessing be ascribed unto God for ever and ever!' Her spirit seemed as if it was ready to launch into the eternal world, to be with Jesus and her happy husband. A remarkable power fell on all that could hear her, so that that the people were melted into tears, some of sorrow, others of joy."
What Methodists! What Christians!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Wilkinson was a school teacher, and he tells a story much like many of the preachers, much like many of the converts: his conscience somehow awakened to sin, he found he could no longer take pleasure in the worldly pursuits he had engaged in. He retreated to prayer, but after s season was back to tricks.
It so happened that where he was teaching there was also Methodist preaching, and he heard them often. He was still stuck in worldliness, unfortunately. First Sunday in Lent, 1767, he heard, as usual, Methodist preaching. During the sermon there was nothing remarkable going on in his soul, but that night he had no rest, fearing that he must person eternally if the Gospel be true. He found a strong desire that the Methodists would pray for him, especially a man named Stephen Watson.
In his conviction, Wilkinson admitted what we must all admit, "I am the chief of sinners." And he also labored under an accusation from the ddevil that he had committed a sin that God would not forgive.
Friends helped him remain focused in prayer. But he felt lost. But under a Methodist preacher he found forgiveness of sins-- he had broken through.
About a year later, in 1768, Wilkninson was appointed as a Methodist preacher.
I suppose Wilkinson's biographical entry is short because he is reticent. He says of his work that the Lord "delivered me out of the hands of all my enemies, and a gave me several seals to my ministry."
George Shadford, another early Methodist preacher who labored in the vineyards with Wilkinson said that Wilkinson had an amazing power of prayer. Shadford remembers that when Wilkinson was ill with the disease that killed him, he hurried home to be with his wife and children, "earnestly entreating God to protect them in this troublesome world, and to supply all that they need."
I want to make sure to give as much of Shadford's account of Wilkinson's funeral. I think we have lost the power of funerals. Let us look at an account of a deep and moving time of worship.
Shadford: "I have often taken notice how the Lord makes the triumphant death of good men a special blessing to His children who are left behind: so it was at this time. The people of God were remarkably blessed in hearing the testimony of their dying friend. The worldly people and the backsliders were cut to the heart.
"At the conclusion of the sermon, I dropped these words: 'earth has lost, and heaven gained a child of God. Let us pray the Lord to add another to the church militant.' We did so, and the Lord answered our prayer, by setting a young man's soul at liberty...
The people sang a hymn at the church,
Thee we adore, eternal Name
And humbly own to Thee
How feeble is our mortal frame
What dying worms we be!
"When the minster read these words, 'not to be sorry as men without hope,' Mrs. Wilkinson, who hung upon my arm with her two little babes, was so overwhelmed with the presence of God that she could not refrain from crying out, 'Sorry, no! Glory be to God! Glory be to God! Glory, and praise and blessing be ascribed unto God for ever and ever!' Her spirit seemed as if it was ready to launch into the eternal world, to be with Jesus and her happy husband. A remarkable power fell on all that could hear her, so that that the people were melted into tears, some of sorrow, others of joy."
What Methodists! What Christians!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Friday, April 1, 2011
More from Wesley's Journal
In June of 1760, while Wesley was organizing and preaching in Ireland, two instances:
"About two we were unawares encompassed with a multitude of Papists, coming out of their mass-house. One of them, knowing me, alerted the rest who set up a hideous roar, and drew up in a battle-line. But we galloped through them..."
And then, inviting a clergyman sympathetic to the Methodists to the early morning preaching, Wesley notes, "[he] did not fail to be there, though it seemed strange to him at first to preach at 5 in the morning."
I wonder what it would be like if you could start the morning with a church service? What accounts for the difference in dedication between then and now? We barely meet for Bible study unless it is somehow "convenient."
"About two we were unawares encompassed with a multitude of Papists, coming out of their mass-house. One of them, knowing me, alerted the rest who set up a hideous roar, and drew up in a battle-line. But we galloped through them..."
And then, inviting a clergyman sympathetic to the Methodists to the early morning preaching, Wesley notes, "[he] did not fail to be there, though it seemed strange to him at first to preach at 5 in the morning."
I wonder what it would be like if you could start the morning with a church service? What accounts for the difference in dedication between then and now? We barely meet for Bible study unless it is somehow "convenient."
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Classic Brother Wesley!
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.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
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.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
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."
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