METHODIST BICENTENARY

Opotiki News, Volume I, Issue 35, 23 May 1938, Page 2

METHODIST BICENTENARY

CELEBRATION TO-MORP.OW LIFE OF ' THE FOUNDER SPECIAL OPOTIKI MEETING r • To-morrow, May 24, the Methodist Church throughout the world will celebrate in various ways, the bicentenary of the evangelical conversion of John Wesley.

An inspirational meeting will be held in the Opotiki Methodist Church tomorrow night at 7.45 o’clock, to be followed by a social hour in the school.

In New Zealand, the church conference recently held in Wellington, directed that on Sunday, Alay 22, special united services should lie held in various centres, and that the historic date, Alay 24, should be suitably celebrated.

In view of the outstanding character of this event, a sketch of the life and labours of the founder will ho one of interest to readers.

John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist. Church, was born on June 17, 1703, at Epworth, Lincolnshire, England, where hi s father, Samuel Wesley, was rector. John was the rifteenth of a family of 19 children. He was delicate and small of stature, but possessed an amazing amount of determination. When 11 years of age, lie entered Charterhouse School, where he remained six years and imbibed sound scholarship, which contributed largely to his influence in later days. In 1728 he was elected to Christ Church, Oxford, of which house his brother, Charles Wesley, was also a member.

Life’s Vocation Lt was while at Oxford that W osley began to think seriously about thv ministry as a life’s vocation. He became unusually conscientious regarding the use of time and opportunity. He was ordained a deacon of the Anglican Church in 1725, and three years later was admitted to priest’s orders. In 172 bho was unanimously elected fellow of Lincoln College and appointed Greek lecturer and moderator.

The illness of his father the following -year caused Wesley to leave Oxtord to assist him, and during his absence his brother Charles, and two or three other young men began to order their lives and studies on methodical lines, and on account- ol .this were dubbed “Methodists.” When Wesley returned to Oxford as'tutor in 1729, lie became tlie leader of this bandi of Methodists, and the little society was soon, named the “Holy Club.” In 1735 Wesley’s father died, and that year John relinquished his position at Oxford, to. undertake a mission to Georgia. At that time, he was a rigid high churchman, a strict- disciplinarian, and a convinced ascetic. But the mission to Georgia was largely a failure, and he returned to England early in 17'3S, a. disappointed man. Wesley’s Conversion During the voyage, he was greatly impressed by the behaviour ol some Moravian fellow passengers, whoso humility and devotion, and their fearlessness during the Atlantic gales, showed him the reality of their faith in Christ, and he became convinced that, (to use his own words) f‘l, who went to America to convert others, was never myself converted to God.” Then followed a definite periof - of heart-searching, prayer, and inquiry, especially from Peter Bolder, a Al.oravian missionary, which came to a climax on the historic Alay 24 of that year when, as described in his journal, Wesley writes: — “In the evening 1 went unwillingly to a society in Aldergate street, where one was reading 1.-uther s preface to the Epistle to the Romans. About a quarter before nine, while lie 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.’. . . .” Preached. With New Fervour. sav i n ceme to- C'haric.s^j^HHHflßHHHH| previously, and brothers began fervour and dice on the 11 ee< version did not, wit-1 i the ecclesiaMf , ‘ soon the elntn,

them. Hut no pile eoulcl rob these men of an. audience. In the fields, in the market phke, by the roadside, thousands gathered; many were convicted of sin and sought salvation. .England experienced a revival of religion unknown before. The time was ripe lor such a change. Socially /and industrially the country "/■?; m a sorry plight. Religion was held ih/eontempt. Jkrivlessnpss was openly practised Everywhere. Gin dr inlying had spread like an epidemic. Every sixth house idou was a grog shop. The state industrial classes throughout Entry was appalling.