The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-03-02
JOHN WESLEY'S FAME.
The One Hundredth Anniversary
of His Death.
An Interesting Sermon by Rev. DR.. Leech on
the Life and Works Of the Famous
Founder of Methodism.

Rev. S. V. Leech. pastor of the Howard
str eet NJ. Z. Church, preached yesterday on
John Wesley's Place in Ecclesiastical His
tory" the occasion being the one hundredth
anniversary Of the death of the founder of
Methodism. For his text he chose the thir-
ty-eighth verse of the third chapter Of Sec
ond Samuel, which reads: know We not
that a great man and prince has fallen
this day in Israeli"
In opening his address the minister re-
ferred at some length to the early years of
Wesley and to the fact that they gave PROM
Use Of future greatness. Briefly he outlined
the ancestry and history Of the famous
preacher, and stated, inferentially, that with
such a mother it was no wonder that John
and Charles Wesley became such leaders OF
religious thought and achieved such death
less honor in the service of God. Her men
tai and moral endowments were of lofty
character. Carefully and broadly she laid,
in her maternal Instructions, the massive
foundations of her children's success in lie.
HIS SCHOOL DAYS.
At SHOOT John Wesley won the honor of
standing at all times IN the front rank as a
student, and when he had completed his
course he was called TO Oxford as a tutor.
Here he remained until lie was % years Old,
when ne went as missionary 10 TIE COlD-
MES. He chose Ge0rgl as ms held OF labor
and accompanied Governor Ogethorpe TO
Savannah, his brother Charles acting as the
Governors private secretary.
After three years spent IN Savannah he
returned 10 London, at the age OF 80, still
High-churchman in his religious belief, but
in reading Luther's Introduction to the
EpiStles TO the Romans he began to expert
ence a change of opinion. For days he de-
hated the matter in his own mind, and then
! began preaching TO congregations outside
the established church. by the bishops
and rectors he was regarded AS fanatic,
and the established church was soon closed
against him. Nothing daunted, however,
this wonderful man went among the peo-
pie, preaching in public halls and In the
open air, and thousands flecked to hear
him. So great was the success of his minis
tration that in five years twenty-three lay
preachers were mlnlsterlng under his direc-
ton. Wesley travelled 5000 miles year and
preached weekly from fourteen to tive N.Y.
eight sermons, resting neither day nor
night. During the last fifty years of his life
he rode a quarter of a million miles on
horseback and preached 1900 times. Be-
fore he died he had 81 preachers in his en-
plOy and 100000 per, Ions acknowledged
membership i'll his societies. He founded
schools, edited a monthly magazine, presided
at conferences, decided ecclesiastical Ques-
tons and personally supervised all the de-
tails of the great work under his charge
AUOUR ulHtI lDlIBS It lOuHueu MANY Tree
schools, established publishing house and
collected money to release worthy men from
the debtors prisons.
wESLEY'S FAME.
He was" said DR.. Leeeh. "a wonderful
ecclesiastical statesman. His statesman
ship was displayed conspicuously in his
transfer of power at death TO the legal hun
dred.
"a nan of great benevolence, he gave
away about all he ever received. He gave
away the $4,000 received from his literary
publications. When the Tax Commission
ers demanded a catalogue of his possessions
he could name Only four silver teaspoons
and his library
intellectually, he was prince. He
grappled with the greatest questions Of his
time with rare discernment and power"
In conclusion, DR.. Luch said: John
Wesley's place in ecclesiastical history will
always be an exalted one. He will forever
occupy lofty position as a preacher, an
elevated niche as writer, sublime height
as an ecclesiastical statesman, organizer.
evangelist and man."