The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-02-21
I ".


six years.
The movement at Oxford. to which tho term
Method.st" was ultimately applied. began
during John wesley's absence at Epworth, and
Charles Wesley seems to have been Its origins-
tor. Ho attended tho weekly sacrament. and
induced two other students Ia associate with
him: later. George Whitefeld and thirteen 9TH
ers became affiliated with them. Tho extreme
strictncss OF their conduct excited rdicule their
frankncss In rebukinR sin developed personal
hostility; they were spoken of contem ptuously
n. the holy club" bible birots," bible
moths" tho "godly club" supcreroRation
men," "sncramentaiists." and "Methodists."
Or. then again. at times. they would DO dizniGed
with the name OF enthusiasts" or tho RE
form club" This BODY of devotees became
known in 1898 as Or ford Methodists. The nsme
" Methodist" seems to have occurred sporedi-
cally In secular history and In earlier Christian
ity. DR.. Buckley points out that an eItant
sermon preached In 1899 refers to certain con-
temporary q" Methodists." There seems to DO
no doubt that the state Of morals In Oxford
and elsewhere in England in wesley's young
manhood was lower than IL had ever been
before or than 1t has ever been since. The
Bishop OF LichHeld had said in 1924: THE
l.wdness, moro drunkenness. more quarrels and
murder. more sin 10 contrived and committed
on this day than on all the other days
Of tho week together. Sin in general
Is grown so hardened and rampant that immor-
alities are defended, yea, justified OH principle.
Every kind of sin has found n writer to preach
and vindicatc II, and a bookseller ana hawkor
TO dIvulge and spread It." Tho life Of John
Wesley was . protest against the moral evils
and religious laxity OF the time. He observed
Wednesday and Friday fasts, tasting no food
until 3 In the afternoon. Ho wake twenty
five miles n day In hot weather as well as in
cold, and frequently, with his brother. would
read as they walked. for a distance Of
ten or twelve miles In point of fact, no
and his colleagues carried ascoticism and devo-
tion to study so far as nearly to ruin their
health. He set apart an hour or two every day
for prayer. partook OF tho molly communion
weekly. visited prisons, gave away all the
money he could obtain. cut OF not only super
fuities. but many things deemed by others
necessities. until, by falling strength. and
especially by severe and frequent hemorrhages,
he was brought near to death.
Aftor the death OF his father on April 25,
1888, John Wesley was urged by DIR. John Bur-
ton Of Oxford to become q missionary In conncc-
ton with the projsct for tho colonization of
Georgia. II will be romen bered that tho motives
prom pting Gen. James Oglethorps to start that
colony wero romantic and philanthropic. The
original intention was to plant a new colony
south Of Carolina. to DO filled by British and
Irish laborers. without tho dangerous help of
In June, 1872. Georko III. granted
n charter for the purpose. and about six months
Oglethorpo embarked with one hun.
dred and twenty emigrants These were followed
in October. 1893, by n considerable body OF
to whom were added, before Wesley's
arrival. n number Of German Lutherans and
Scotch Highlanders. John and Charles wes-
leg accompanied oglethorpo on his second
voyage. when no took over a company OF
threo hundred omigrants. part OF whom
were Moravians Charles Wesley was to be
Secretary TO tho founder OF tho colony; John
hoped to become not only missionary to the
English but m apostle to the Indians. On the
voyage Wesley and thoso who sympathiZed
with him prayed privately from 4 to O'Clock
in the morning; from to 7 they read the Bible
together; nj : they breakfasted; At y had
public prayers and eIpounded the lesson
for tho day; from o To l2 John wos-
10y studied German and Charles wrote ser.
mons: at noon they mot for prayers; at !
they dined from dinner until 1. th~y read.
Or gave special instruction to those willing TO
receive II; at 4. they had evening prayer and
~ poundcd the lesson; the hour from 8 to o
they spent In private prayer. and. from to
:. each rend In his own cabin to detach-
nents OF tho English passengers; at :, wes-
ey Joined with tho MoravIans in their SER
vice; At \, the two brothers met In private
10 exhort each other. and betw cen o and
10, retired. A storm arose. during which tho
Mornvians Showed themselves go calm ind 40
ready To die that John Wesley concluded
hat lao had not tho faith which they pos |
'essed. The voyage consuming nearly four
months the emigrants were unable to effect n |
landing until Feb. 6, 1880. Wesley was |
greatly disappointed at not finding an op-
portunity OF preaching TO the Indians; not even |
The majority OF the colonists Themselves were
willing to near him. II il acknowledged by the |
author OF this book that no WAS unduly severe
md ncedlcssly provoked resistance; ho made n |
matter OF conscience OF many things not pre.
'crihod In the Bible. Every dAy he held early |
services and also services In tho forenoon; in |
,ulcatad fasting OF the severest kind; required |
scarcely to he distinguished from
Confession rs n preparation for communion;
tho Lords Supper weekly; refused |
I to all who had not been baptized; insisted |
IN the baptism, oven OF infants, by INNER. |
sion; rebHptized tho children OF Dlssenterr. |
NH absolutely refused TO bury those who |
had not received Episcopal baptism. Notwlth- |
'tanding his austerty, he paid attention, look |
ny toward matrimony, to young woman not |
1t all suited to him. Whether the engagement
vas actually formed, and. II 70. which OF Tn, |
wo broke 1t. are disputed questions. Sub |
however, 30 his attentions, and nftor |
he had become Mrs William Williamson, she |
I'D not. In his opinion. act consistently with n
'hriStian's professions but habituAily neglected
oinc Of the Instructions which Wesley gave to |
lie Church. In accordance with his uniform !
course. after reproving her privately by letter.
~ rebuke her In public. and eventually repealed |
Ter from tho Holy Communion. The result was |
hat n warrant was Issued for his arrest on tho |
'round OF defamation. and the grand jury found |
true bill against him. Convinced that he could
lot obtain justice in the colony, he determined
o 90 back to England and lay the matter before |
len. oElothorpe, who, meanwhile. had re-
urned TO the mother country. SO far did
Nesley's experience as n missionary fall
hort OF his hopes, that no considered his
'islt to Georgia failure; yet when George
arrived there some months after
departure no found reason 10 W rite In
lis journal: Tho good That Mr. John w..I.y