JOHN WESLEY.

Waikato Times, Volume 119, Issue 19890, 20 May 1936, Page 8

JOHN WESLEY.

A GREAT CHURCHMAN. LEADING FIGURE IN HISTORY. An interesting picture of England in the early days of Methodism was given by Dr. T. Perrier Hulme, when addressing a gathering in St. Paul’s Church, Hamilton, last evening. In those days depravity was rife, said the speaker, and it was the indifference shown by those who professed religion, that fired John Wesley and John Whitley to found the non-con-formist Methodist faith. The need of the time was evangelism and John Wesley died the breach. It was notable, however, that he was regarded, during his lifetime, as a fanatic, but had since been recognised as a leading figure in the history of the nation. He was proclaimed by one noted historian as the greatest man of his age. Mr Augustine Birrell, who was recognised as a great literary authority and churchman, regarded Wesley’s journal as the most revealing work of the time. Man of Human Traits. Dr. Hulme traced the vicissitudes of Wesley’s life, illustrating the very human traits which permeated the great preacher’s character; he was a wonderful evangelist, but, none the less, a man. Despite the inaccessibility of inland towns Wesley had been undaunted and had carried his mission to hamlets and villages which often entailed arduous journeys on horse-back and on more than one occasion he had lost, his mount, to carry on, on foot. The spirit that urged the great leader onward was fittingly illustrated toy his own words, “ God buries His workmen but He carries on His work.” Dr. Hulme. stated that the first Church, which Wesley had caused to be erected, in Bristol, was still standing and even the clock which had been going in Wesley’s day was still ticking on the chapel wall. The church had been preserved to perpetuate the memory of the founder of Methodism. More recently a wonderful bronze statute of Wesley on horseback, had been erected before the edifice. It was a magnificent representation, typical in attitude of the man and the preacher.