The Progress. (Shreveport, La.) 1892-1900, 1894-03-03

whose friendship never faltered.
Charles Wesley was fitted for his
mission by Inherited genius The
Wesley family, in point Of genius,
was perhaps the most remarkable
family Of modern times. No drop Of
blood in the whole Wesley family, in
all its generations was destitute OF
genius. For generations they were
poets, musicians, preachers and
scnOlaIN The full-hower Of this an
cestral genus at least as regards
versatility was found in Charles. His
thirst for knowledge was Unsuitable.
God gave him this sublime thirst for
| knowledge to make it possible for
Im to do his work for all ages.
Without his rich, elegant and exact
culture. he could not have been the
preacher he was. He was fitted for
/ his MISSION by God gwen pangs for
sin. He was to speak for all hearts
and ell times. 1t behooved him,
therefore. to suffer in all points like
his brethren. The Holy Spirit I'M
yelled the horrors Of sin to bis inner
vision. No man can sympatnIze
with heart paDgs until he has felt the
same. No man can express the hor-
rors Of conviction for sin until be
speaks from the depths of his own
experience. Charles Wesley was made
to feel all this that he might speak
to the consciousness after Of ages
He was fitted for his mission again,
BY an experience Of the joys of saliva
ton. To bis glad heart, fetterless
and free, rejoicing in the light Of
Gods reconCiled face. the bold
imagery OF prophet and psalmlst
was more than poetry. To his happy
sonl. The trees cIapped their hands"
and the ''hills were joyful together"
The triumph Of his soul over the
gnilt and gloom Of sin was complete
and ecstatic. It fitted him to sym
pathize with souls in their loftiest
heights and to speak their joys for
them. He conId never have spoken
50 snblimely Of the joys Of salvation
had he only read or heard Of them
He must first feel and then express
them. When his heart strings
culver with the melody of Heaven
his harp strings must sound respQu
sive]y He speaks because he mus,
speak. He speaks HIS the bird sings
for very JOY. He was fitted for bis
mission by fierce prosecution
Charles Wesley felt the cold steel Of
prosecution enter bis own heart. BIT
it only w3un led MS heart to cause If
like the spice tree. to shed sweetel
aroma. He was fitted for his mission
by wondrous knowledge Of Bible
truth and language. His oratory
was not inspired by any of the mas
tiers OF classical fame, it was intensely
and singularly scriptural in spirit,
language and metaphor. Ills soul
was filed and fired with scriDtural
truth fa
The attentive reader will wonder
how exactly Charles Wesly can con-
[ fine the rushing tide Of his emotions.
( in tho scripture chanDel, expressing
all things in the language and i'm
agery of scripture. In many Of his
sermons, period after period, is a
mosaic Of scripture gems. Appro-
pirate imagery blOssomed forth from
his soul as easily as blooms fall from
an orchard in spring-time.
The difference between Charles
Wesley and liz OILY competitor as p
writer Of sacred lyrics, Isaac Watts,
Is also the difference between Charles
Wesley as preacher and those who
lacked his glowing experience. Wesley
goes as far as Watts up the mount
of redeeming love- and then goes on
and M, until he ceases to climb. and
scars away to the skies. Watts sings
sweetly as the Gagged bird; Wesley
sings as the same bird free and wing
ing his flight Heavenward. Watts
was the poet Of aspiration; Wesley
was the poet Of inspiration. Watts
was the poet of hope; Wesley, Of
fruition. A single stanza from each
will reveal the contrast. Watts looks
toward the summit of Pts.
gah and sings:
Could We but climb where Moses |