METHODISM

Radio Record, 20 May 1938, Page 20

METHODISM

SERIES OF TALKS ON ° "JOHN "WESEEY MHE bi-centenary of the. found‘ing of Methodism . will be celebrated all over the Englisnspeaking world during the coming,week. The NBS will mark ‘the occasion with | special talks from:-the fouf main National stations. — | It was on May 24, 1788, that Methodism as history knows it, was born. On that evening,’ so Wesley wrote in his journals, a change ecame-over him. This change in his religious outlook led to the sweeping aside of ecclesiastic tradition,. the rejection of the doctrine of Apostolic Succession, and the ordination of the clergy at his own hands, and finally to the organisation of the Methodist Church. This had a tremendous effect on the England of those days, not only in religion, but on humanitarian movements for the betterment of the life of the people. — ae One authority says "it is difficult for us to ‘realise to-day the healthier condition. of England at the time Wesley took-this step, and no one can describe the. degradation of the mass. of the people. The improvement in the lives of the coming generations: was largely the result of Wesley’s evangelical work during 50 years." In those fifty years he _ travelled 250,000 miles, preached 40,000 sermous and got through a prodigious amount of literary and philanthropic work. The NBS is going to give a talk at each of its main stations and at Invercargill by prominent Methodist ministers, each talk so arranged that it deals with different aspects of Wesley’s career. From 2¥A on’ Monday, May 23, the Rey. Perey Paris will speak on John Wesley, His Life and Message. From 8YA, on May 24, the Rev. M. A. Rugby Pratt will speak early in the evening on John Wesley, the Man. From 1YA later in the same evening the Rev. F. Copeland will talk on John Wesley, His World Parish. From 4YA, on Muy 26, the Rey. L. B. Neale (‘Uncle Leslie," of the Radio Church of the Helping. Hand) will talk on ‘John Wesley the Social Reformer."