DID WESLEY FOUND A CHURCH?

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 469, 30 March 1909, Page 7

DID WESLEY FOUND A CHURCH?

Sir,—ln his address to the Methodist Conference the Her. Mr Slado described John Wesley as tho founder of the church This could not be so, for Wesley lived and died m tho church founded long 'Before his day. What ho did found was the Methodist Society. Ho had to contend with men who thought that becauso ■ tho Methodist Society was a religious institution it should be called a church. But ho steadily resisted the temptation and warned the society against heinc led astray by such men. Ono of tho very first rules of his society was, "They that leave the church leave us." The church was one thing, tho society another. At Deptford ho got into a "den of lions," and ended the controversy with the words, "If you are resolved; you may have your service in church hours;,,but remember that from that time you "shall see my face no more." Consistently lie insisted that his preachers were not to bo called "ministers," but '.'Methodist preachers" or "lay preachers," his houses not even "meeting houses" but "preaching houses." Soon aftor his death some of the preachers wanted to take the title of "reverend," but consistently, in 1794, conferenco forbade them. But in 1818 some actually adopted the title. Ordinations of a new character followed in 1836. Chapels and ministers then quickly appeared, and were retained down to our own times. I well remember reading a discourse by the Rot. Mr. Oliver whero he urged that a "chapel" meant "cloak-room," and was therefore most unsuitable. So tho "chapels" became "churches," and to correspond the ministers disappeared and were succeeded by parsons and clergymen, and conferences became synods. Doubtless the future lias other developments in store. But none of these would Wesley have tolerated in his Methodist Society.. How then can he bo called tho founder of the Methodist Church? Wo may ask another question, What is a church, and at what stage did the Methodist Society become substituted by a church? When, in other words, was tho Methodist Church founded ? _ Mr. Slade would also find it extremely difficult' to tell me how entrance or admission into tho Methodist Church is gained. A dilemma would await him at once. But to John Wesley there would he no dilemma whatever, for ho stood on more solid ground. The ground ho has been put upon was not that he over actually occupied. Not those who followed Wesley but those who opposed his principles fashioned tho history of the Methodist Society.—l am, etc., AN ADMIRER OF WESLEY. March 10, 1909. [This letter has been delayed in publication.]