CALDERSGATE SUNDAY
On Sunday
it is Aldersgate day. Each year at this time, I have at this date, or he Sunday
closest to24May. preached to remember the two brothers John and Charles Wesley.
On 21 May,
1738, Charles was being spiritually encouraged by his sister when he read
Martin Luther’s commentary on Galatians, when he had a profound spiritual
awakening. He wrote the first of his 6,000 hymns, ‘where shall my wandering soul begin’.
Three days
later on 24 May 1738 that John attended a service in a Chapel at Aldersgate,
London, and heard a discourse of Martin Luther on Romans, when his spirit was
strangely moved. He then learned that forgive ness of sin and acceptance by
God, was a free gift from God, and there is nothing we can contribute on our
own, as God accomplished through the death of Jesus on the Cross.
From this
point onward, John at the age of 35 viewed his mission in life, as one of
proclaiming the good news of salvation by faith.
The
congregations of the Church of England however, closed its doors to him because
of his enthusiasm.
Charles
wrote a hymn, which has been treasured through the ages after John’s
experience, which has been the favorite of so many peop;e, including Billy
Graham, ‘And Can it be’. This described the feelings of Charles with the words,
‘my chains fell of, my heart was free, I rose got up and followed thee’. Exactly a year, later he wrote the hymn which
for many years until 1938, was always the first hymn in the Methodist Hymn
book, ‘O for a thousand tongues to sing’
Charles
life was transformed. and he became a Curate in the Church of England at St.
Mary’s Church in London, but his style of preaching upset the wardens who
persuaded the Vicar to make him leave.
The two
brothers, together wuth George Whitfield, who had been a priest in the Church
of England but was expelled, began open air preaching, which attracted large
crowds. This offended clergy, who
wouldn’t let them preach in their churches.
In 1745,
when he was at the age of 40, Charles went to Wales to preach, and there he met
the daughter of the local Squire, Sally Gwynne, with whom he had a happy
marriage.
In 1756,
he gave up itinerant ministry and settled in Bristol, with the Methodist
Societies. And fifteen years later resumed preaching in London.
John was
persuaded by an oxford friend John Burton and Janes Oglethorpe, the governor of
Georgia, in North America, to go to America.
There he met Moravian emigrants, who he thought had spiritual peace, and
he served them faithfully. He was not the sort of man who appealed to the
natives.
He took to
and attached to the niece of the chief magistrate, Sophia Hopkey, but she
married another man, which upset John, so he barred her from Holy Communion. He
fled from Georgia as persecution faced him, and returned to England.
In London,
John met a Moravian named Peter Bohler, who told him he simply needed faith,
and he also after reading Galatians
discovered the scriptural doctrine of justification by grace, through
faith, He followed this by visiting
Aldersgate.
Whilst
they were close to each other, differences occurred, and Charles was the
stronger character. When John stated he was going to marry Grace Murray,
Charles thought that too bad an idea and rode out to York from London, to
prevent the marriage taking place.
He
displayed his mind an showed dislike, when he wrote. ‘such a preacher I have
never heard, and hope I shall never again. It was beyond description, I cannot say he preached
false doctrine, or any doctrine at all. (What would Charles say now?}
On another
occasion, he said John has made a preacher out of a tailor, but I shall make
him a tailor again.
Charles
and John were still Anglican priests, and wanted to remain so. But there was
too much opposition, and few sided with them for fear of consequences from the
Church. More lay preachers were made,
and Charles felt they offered little depth.
Charles
did not like the Methodist movement proposing to have an ordained ministry
outside of the Anglican structure. Which was opposite to John’s views. They
differed over fees, Charles felt he should be paid for preaching, but John
disagreed.
Soon after
his death, something he always feared
happened, when Methodists separated from the Church of England.
Charles
died on 29 March 1788 but before his death, he sent for the Rector of the
Church of Marylebone John Harley, and said, ’sir, whatever the world nay say of
me, I have lived and I die a members of the Church of England. I pray you bury me in your Churchyard. He was
buried there against his brothers wishes, with eight clergymen of the Church of
England as pallbearers. A memorial stone
stands close by in Marylebone High Street.
John died on
2 March 1791
Whenever
people talk about Methodism. They invariably refer to John as leader, but facts
show Charles was the leader of a group at Oxford, who used to go into the
community to minister to people there, and such was their methodical ways, were
called Methodists. John joined and led
the group later as it grew.
John has
been seen as the natural leader by virtue of his sound biblical preaching,
Charles has been viewed more as a hymn writer.
People
need to research to find John’s sermons, but the hymns of Charles still inspire
and delight all who hear them. I have seen Ministers insist on choosing only
Chares hymns. They shared the spread of Christianity together, and led the only
revival in England. Indeed, Methodism has spread across the world, especially
in the United States of America.
No one can deny
that the Wesley’s, and the Methodist Movement, had an effect on Britain at this
time. Historians generally agree that the evangelical revival had a profound
effect on stemming a revolutionary tide in the country. Conditions were
improved by changing the hearts of the people; many of the wealthy became more
caring towards the workers, and the artisan working classes acted more
respectfully and civilised. On one occasion in Wales a group of theatrical
people protested that Methodist preaching was proving too much of an attraction
and was threatening their business.
As we look
at Methodism to-day, we see a marked decline in attendances. This applies to
all Churches in the Western Hemisphere, but the decision to allow same sex
marriage in Churches has added
unnecessary depletion. This is distinctly contrary to the Word of God, it is
false doctrine. What two or one people do is a personal issue, and should not
be interfered with, but the Church is disobeying God, Jesus and the Apostles by
giving it approval. I can only think John and Charles would be heart-broken if
they knew how modern Methodism has been the subject of unworthy action.
A survey
was carried out to all members of the Church seeking opinion as to whether such
marriages be approved, and there was a clear answer—NO. It had to be accepted, but it was stated by the
leadership to hold a second vote after two years. This time the members were
not asked, it was passed at Conference
In May 1738 John
preached a sermons on Romans Chapter 1. Here are some words from that sermon
They are all the words of John Wesley, not mine.
Verse
23to Adam in a
vision, when he was asleep, that this lovely creature, is now bone of my
bones - Probably it was revealed to him, was a piece of himself and was to be
his companion, and the wife of his covenant - In
token of his acceptance of her, he gave her a name, not peculiar to her, but
common to her sex; she shall be called woman, Isha, a She- man, differing from
man in sex only, not in nature; made of man,
and joined to man. Verse 24. The sabbath and marriage were two ordinances
instituted in innocence, the former for the preservation of the church, the
latter for the preservation of mankind. It appears by Matt. xix, 4, 5,
that it was God himself who
said here, a man must leave all his relations to cleave to his
wife; It should seem they are the words of Adam in God's name, laying
down this law to all his
posterity. All John Wesley’s words
In the Methodist Worship Book, the introduction to the Marriage service, it is
stated;
A marriage ceremony is a formal occasion when a solemn, legal contract is made
between a man and a woman. In a Christian context, it is also an act of worship
in which marriage is celebrated as a gift from God and the joy of the couple is
shared and their commitment to ach other I witnessed by family and friends. The
Marriage Service’s themes of love, hope, faithfulness, sacrifice and trust are
the heart of the Christian gospel
When people join an organisation, they are agreeing to observe all the ruling and policies of that body, and if they feel unable to do so they should leave.
I cannot
understand how any man or woman, who has the
privilege of preaching in a Church, can so flagrantly disobey the
teaching of the Bible. It is gross
hypocrisy.
It had been my original intention to be a Methodist Minister, when my first start in ministry was at a small Methodist Church in Chehire but circumstances directed otherwise, and I was invited to join the Church of England.
For eleven
years, being in an a Anglican/Methodist partnership, I took services in all
Methodist Churches. I found the people most friendly, and indeed made friends,
and the loss when the partnership broke up was a sad one. It was obvious then,
that the older people were totally against the leadership giving priority to
society, rather than to God.
Methodism was a
great evangelical Church, now it is sadly looked upon as a Church which has lot
its way and its people.
I close with
words of John Wesley
May the Name of God be praised and glorified.
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