John Wesley

1. John Wesley 1703-1791 The year 2003 marks the 300th anniversary of John Wesley’s birth.

2. John Wesley was born on June 17, 1703 to Rev. Samuel and Susanna Wesley. He was one of their 19 children, though only half lived past infancy. An important event happened in 1709, when Wesley was barely rescued from a fire that burned down their home. He was considered a “brand plucked from the burning,” and believed his life had a special calling.

3. He went to school in London at age 11, and then went to Oxford for college where he received his B.A. in 1724. He was ordained a deacon in 1725 and then a priest in 1727 after getting his M.A.. As a Fellow of Oxford, he joined his brother Charles’ Holy Club in 1729. These were a group of men that maintained strict rules of study, prayer, and service. The were also called Bible Moths and Methodists. The Holy Club

4. In 1736, John and his brother Charles volunteered to go to the newly formed colony of Georgia in America. They envisioned themselves as evangelists to the noble native people. Instead, they found themselves working as secretaries; and their strict attitudes made their dealings with the colonists difficult. Charles returned home after only a few months. John stayed two years, but was plagued by troubles. Although he felt that he had not accomplished his goal, his interaction with the Moravians would help him to find the inner peace that was missing in his life. Coastal Georgia

5. Upon his return, he continued to learn from Moravians, including Peter Böhler. Because of his views, churches began to refuse him permission to preach from their pulpits. On May 24, 1738, an important change occurred while visiting a service on Aldersgate Street. He later related his experience as follows. “About a quarter before nine, while he was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone, for salvation; and an assurance was given me that he had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death.”

6. The next significant change occurred when John traveled to Bristol in 1739. He was taking over from George Whitefield, who was heading for Georgia. Following Whitefield’s example, he began preaching outdoors. He preached a simple message to average people, and the crowds increased steadily. He soon started work on a meeting place, which was completed in 1745. It is known as the New Room. The New Room

7. As people gathered to hear him, they would form themselves into societies. These societies would further be divided into bands and classes for discussion and support. In 1744, the first Methodist Conference was held. They discussed doctrine and rules. Our General and Annual Conferences are the modern descendants of this first Conference.

8. Wesley was a prolific writer … producing 400 works. Many of them were related to the Bible and Christianity. They included 23 collections of hymns, sermons, a magazine, and many others. He kept a journal from 1735 to 1790 which details the trials and tribulations of his interesting life. He also wrote some non-religious books, such as his Primitive Physic … a guide to cures for a variety of medical conditions from baldness to cancer. His books were always sold cheaply, so that even the poor could buy them.

9. Over the coming decades, Wesley would travel thousands of miles preaching the Word. Methodist societies sprang up across the United Kingdom and in other areas that Wesley visited. By the end of his life in 1791, there were over 70,000 Wesleyan Methodists in England … and thousands more in America.

10. In 1751, Wesley married a widow, Mary Vazeille. His experience with women had been difficult. From his college days, to Sophia Hopkey in Georgia, to Grace Murray … he struggled with the idea that his ministry came before marriage. He finally changed his mind, and thought that he should get married. But the marriage wasn’t a happy one. Although Mary pledged to allow him to continue his preaching and traveling, it wasn’t long before she had changed her mind. She objected to his way of life, and was jealous of attention given to other women … even if it was only in the Christian spirit. They separated and she moved away in 1771. Mary Vazeille Wesley

11. In the 1760s, Methodist preaching began in America under the leadership of lay persons. In 1769, Wesley started sending ministers to the New World. But when the Revolution began, all but Francis Asbury returned to England. Still, under Asbury’s leadership and lay preachers, the number of Methodist followers had tripled by the end of the war. In 1784, the Methodist Episcopal Church was formed in the United States. At the Christmas Conference that year, they approved Wesley’s Articles of Religion and started sending circuit riders to the ends of civilization and beyond. Francis Asbury

12. Following the example of Wesley in England, American Methodist pastors were sent out to cover circuits … several charges in different locations. Their usual mode of transportation was the horse, and they became known as Circuit Riders. The first Methodist society in Louisiana was formed in 1806 in the Opelousas area. By the mid-19th century, the Methodist Episcopal Church was the largest Protestant denomination in the U.S. with over four million members. The Circuit Rider

13. John Benjamin Wesley passed away on March 2, 1791. As his friends gathered around him, he lifted his arms and said, “Best of all God is with us.” The next morning he passed away. He was buried next door in the cemetery behind City Road Chapel. City Road Chapel, London

14. Wesley’s Main Concerns • Justification by faith • Free will • Authority of the Scriptures • Helping those in need

15. John Wesley never intended to start a new denomination. He remained a priest in the Church of England and considered himself an Anglican. His followers in England had to wait until his death to start the Methodist Church in that country. Just as Christ came to “fix” the Jewish faith, Wesley wanted to “fix” the Church of England. In both cases, the differences were so great that new denominations formed.

16. John Wesley’s influence has touched the world for the past three centuries. Today, there are millions of people in denominations based on his work. In the U.S. the largest group is The United Methodist Church, with over 8 million members in over 35,000 churches. Numerous Methodist organizations help the world through education, health care, and mission work.

17. For more information on John Wesley, his life, and Methodism, check out our Conference Archives & History website at: www.iscuo.org This presentation created by Tim Hebert, Chair, Commission on Archives & History, Louisiana Conference, UMC. Feel free to use it and share it with others.