Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1891-03-18
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BROWNS IRON BITTERS
Rev. JOhn Wesley.

The Centenary of the death of Rev. John
Wesley was observed in the Methodist
churches on March 1st. Rev. s. W.
Haddaway, pastor of Central M. E. Church
South, Edmondson avenue aud Striker
street, Baltimore, spoke at night from the
text, "He was good man and full of the
Holy Ghost and faith" 'John Wesley"
said Mr.. Haddaway, twas as much son OF
consolation as was the maa OF whom these
words are predicated. Che personal life
and character of Wesley ara replete With
interest. His life is full of tbs thrilling, OF
| the tragic, his character is Respondent with
purity, and the extent and effect OF his Ia
bors will never be properly understood.
While there is an inherent interest in what
he was and what he did, still much of the
personal interest is the result Of his rela-
| ton to tho wonderful revival of the eigh.
| tenth century, possibly as far'reaching in
| it's effects as the revival of the Sixteenth
| century under Luther, the lion Of the Re-
| formation.
'tWesley's character began and develop
| cd very early in life. At the age of eight
he was allowed to take the sacrament. He
was gay and sprghtly in his temper with a
turn for art and humor. But by the advice
of his mother he read such works as THE
Christian Fathers by Thomas Kempis,
and Bishop Taylor's Rules of Hely Living
and Dying His brother, Charles Wesley,
was the first modern Methodist.
"John Wesley was man of broad eul
ture, of great learning. His natural and &C.
uuired abilities were both of the highest
| rank. By the most thorough selfgovern-
ment he was capable of governing others.
He was the friend of learning, the advoca e
of the highest mental culture, of the high
est scientific development and the patron
of the arts. As writer he was almost
| Addisonian in style, the peer in the accu-
racy and perspicuity of his diction Of the
| best English writers. He has built for him
self name that will outlast all time.
"What was the philosophy of Method
ism? The only explanation of it is that it
was child of Providence. 1t was born Ct
God. 1t was not the product of the times,
of the schools, either ecclesiastical, political
or secular. The dynamic force that brought
it into being was from above-not from
beneath. The providentisl origin may be
seen in the character of its more prominent
pastor, the son of an humble rector, with
out influence from church Or STATE, q mar
who had no prestige save that which came
Hull l1ChFCu is bAi uob w SttA O ua3iOu-
has stirred the world.
'Methodism gave birth to many Of tht
modern forms Of aggressive aud evangelist
ic religious work. she was first in the fele
with missionary societies, tract societies
and Sunday schools
"What were the grounds of it's success
First, the polity, simple, flexible aud ad
tjustibe to varying conditions, the accept
ance of the theory that no system of churcl
government de .jure is divine is indicated
By the New Testament, but must change
with varying conditions. Second, it
spirit 1t was born in revival, and it ha
sought to keep revival fires burning on it
affairs. It's spirit has been broad, catholic
free from churchisn, sscsarianism, blgotry
It's spirit has been aggressive. L. ha
belted the world. We have had q glorious
heritage left US. Are we keeping it pur'
for our children, and are handing it do~r
as fFae from corruption and completely
with the world as Wa received it?"