WESLEYS IN CENTENARY.

Gisborne Times, Volume IX, Issue 916, 15 June 1903, Page 2

WESLEYS IN CENTENARY.

The services at Wesley Church yesterday were iu commemoration of the bicentenary of Wesley’s birth. There was a large and interested congregation. In the course of his sermon Rev. B. F. Rothwell said someone may ask 11 How did Wesley move the people ?” Tho reply of some would be “ O, he did it by drawing vivid pictures of hell, and by tho common rant of a cheap and vulgar evangelism.” You never made a greater mistake in your life. He had as keen a dislike to rantmg noise as any man that ever lived. He says that he prefers a sermon on 11 good temper ” to what is sometimes vulgarly called a

11 Gospel Bermon.” The term, he says,

“ has become a mere cant word ; I wish none of our society would use it. Let but a pert, self-sufficient animal who has neither sense nor grace bawl out something about Christ and ‘ the blood,' or justification by faith and people say ‘ what a fine Gospel sermon.’ ” . . Go where you will amongst the Churches today and where you find success and spiritual life you find John Wesley’s teaching and methods paramount. Rev. Jas. Lyall said in Christchurch that John Wesley had been “ a source of inspiration to his life such as no other man had ever been.” The pulpits that used to thunder forth the decrees of Calvinism are to-day the bubbling fountains of free grace. Where a few years back it was counted a sin of presumption to profess a knowledge of salvation, we find to-day the personal testimony of the class meeting, and nothing will pass muster but a definite witness to tbe power of the indwelling Christ. Tbe life of the 18th century revival is throbbing in every church to day. Tbe people who to-day speak contemptuously of anything as “Only a Wesleyan affair ” do not know what they are talking about. They either forget or else never knew that Wesley's followers form the largest Protestant church in the world. Wesley surely had a vision of this triumph when he sang ; “ O ! that the world might taste and see The richeß of His grace. The arms of love that compass me

Would all mankind embrace.”

Luther did a grand thing for the world when he unearthed from a chained Bible the truth “ The just shall live by faith,” and John Wesley rendered splendid service when he carried the same truth, revivified by the Spirit of God, tnroughout the United Kingdom on his jlttle pony. He was a man utterly at - the disposal of God, and prolonged his apostieship to a green old age. Practical lessons were then drawn from the life of the great evangelist. The introduction of a solo and chorus in the middle of tho address was much appreciated by the congregation. “ Will There be any Stars" was very impressively sung by Miss Golding,