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Written by Geoff Wilson
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God had His hand on John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist church, from earliest days. At the age of six he was initially overlooked as his family fled their burning cottage. As family and neighbours watched, young John appeared in an upper window. Forming a human ladder, some local farm hands risked their own lives to bring John to safety just moments before the home was utterly engulfed.
John’s father, the Rev Samuel Wesley, was a High Anglican by persuasion, though born to Puritan parents. John was one of nineteen children his mother Susan bore. She was a woman of great courage and strength, and ruled her family with firmness and love. Every day she set aside time with each of her children to teach them the Bible, Prayer Book and good character.
When challenged by his father to be ordained as a Minister, John felt himself unqualified because “true religion was seated in the heart.” He set about to find “inward holiness” through a religious lifestyle of daily prayer, Bible study and ‘good works.’
The name ‘Methodist’ was first used derogatively of John and his friends because they were determined to use every moment of every day profitably.
A short stint as a missionary in the newly formed colony of Georgia in America proved a failure. A diary entry from this time reads “I went to America to convert the Indians, but oh, who shall convert me?” But God was still working, and Wesley’s cry was about to be answered.
Never give up praying for people you love and care for. God will honour your faithfully crying to Him. You might just be interceding for another John Wesley. |
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Written by Geoff Wilson
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John Bunyan, famed writer of ‘Pilgrim’s Progress,’ paid a great price for his faith. Converted at the age of 25 in 1653, he found increasing success in preaching. Seven years later, the Church of England was declared the only true church in the nation and every Christian had to conform to its beliefs and worship style. Contrary to the law, John would share his faith wherever people would listen – in barns, homes or the open air. Within months he was arrested. The judge was willing to release him if he agreed not to preach. John refused and served six years in prison. Through the first year he was allowed brief times outside to see his family, but it was soon discovered that while out, he continued preaching, and this release was stopped. These first years in prison were used profitably in writing, with ‘Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners’ appearing the year he was released. Finally let out in 1666, he went back immediately to preaching. He was arrested within weeks, and again sentenced to six years. After five years of this term the king granted him special release. John became the pastor of the church he had first attended, while continuing to preach wherever invited. In London crowds exceeding 1200 turned out in the middle of winter at 7am to hear him. His four years as pastor were interrupted when he was again arrested. While serving another six months he wrote ‘Pilgrim’s Progress’ and ‘The Holy War,’ his most famous books. On release, Bunyan returned to his church which he continued to lead until his death at the age of 60. When his greatest foe, King Charles II, questioned John Owen, one of England’s greatest statesman, why he or anyone with intellect would even listen to John Bunyan, Owen replied “I would gladly give up all my learning for the tinker’s (Bunyan’s) power of reaching the heart.”
Always aim at the heart when you witness. And learn to use whatever God has given you, no matter how small or great, for Christ and His Kingdom. |
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Written by Geoff Wilson
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Peter Cartwright was an early Methodist circuit rider in the American Wild West in the 1800’s. He was known as a no-nonsense preacher, as the following story illustrates. Camp meetings drawing sometimes thousands of hungry souls were becoming popular. There could be as many as a dozen preachers all preaching at the same time to groups of the great crowds, with up to a thousand people listening to each. These gatherings began to gather whiskey sellers and others wanting to break up the meetings. A sheriff arrested a whiskey seller only to have a drunken mob attack him and release the offender. Peter Cartwright was called. He gathered a handful of trusted men and chased the mob. Catching them, he grappled his way into the middle and wrestled the whiskey seller to the ground. The whiskey seller drew a gun and threatened to shoot Cartwright and each of his followers. Without hesitation Peter Cartwright threw himself on the man. A shot was fired but missed. One of the mob (a drunken deputy sheriff) tried to arrest Cartwright but found himself overpowered by the big preacher With his friends holding the whiskey seller, and the drunk deputy sheriff knocked senseless, Cartwright had the only gun. The mob backed off. By this time the sheriff had arrived and took the whiskey seller, the drunk deputy sheriff and twelve other ring leaders into custody. Peter Cartwright then returned to doing what he did best – preaching. |
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Written by Geoff Wilson
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Most of us are familiar with “Pilgrim’s Progress” (first published in 1678), and some of us might even remember its author as John Bunyan. John’s father was a tinker – a mender of broken pots and kettles, and this became John’s trade. After a short stint in the army, and owning nothing more than his clothes, he married at the age of twenty. The young couple began life together without even a single dish or spoon. Her total dowry that she brought into the marriage consisted of two Christian books. Together they read and reread the books. Though still unconverted, John learnt from the books that a real relationship with God was possible. Another three turbulent years would pass before he experienced that relationship. Through that time both God and the devil earnestly contended for his soul. Each knew the potential within the man. One time he heard God’s clear voice “Will you leave your sins and go to heaven, or have your sins and go to hell?” The devil constantly buffeted John with temptation and condemnation. Overhearing a group of poor women discussing the new birth, he realized that all his attempts to be right with God were doomed to fail. Walking through a field soon after, the revelation that Christ alone was righteous, and that to be right with God meant he had to experience Christ’s righteousness, struck home. In that moment he felt as if chains that had held him all his life suddenly fell off. He was born again as he looked to Christ alone for his righteousness. Much more was to follow.
Never underestimate the power of God to use a book, your praying, or your faltering words to play some part in bringing another person to Christ. |
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Written by Geoff Wilson
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One of my favourite characters in the Unknown Christians Hall of Fame is a Methodist circuit-riding preacher who lived in the early 1800’s in America. His name was Peter Cartwright.
One time, after riding all day and not coming across a single person, he decided to seek shelter for the night. The one and only building he found as it was getting dark was a small overcrowded tavern with a party well underway. Peter tried to make himself inconspicuous in a corner. Before long an attractive young woman boldly asked him for a dance. As a Methodist, he had never danced in his life. But he got up, took the woman’s hand, and in everyone’s hearing told the crowd he never did anything of importance without asking God’s blessing on it first. Without wavering he fell to his knees (now holding the woman’s hand very firmly because he could feel her desperately trying to get away), and began to pour out his soul to God. He could hear some people leaving but wouldn’t stop until he knew everyone left had heard the gospel.
When he opened his eyes, the woman beside him was weeping as were many others in the room. So he kept praying. When he couldn’t pray any more he began to sing. Fifteen people confessed Christ that night. The next night the place was again full but the people were wanting to know about God. Again he prayed, sang and preached. Another seventeen souls professed faith in Christ. The tavern’s landlord was one of the thirty two new believers and the tavern became a church building. Peter had to leave the next morning. When a Methodist preacher finally looked in on the group some time later, he found a thriving assembly. A number of those converted over the two nights later became Methodist circuit riders. |
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