Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-09-01

at the Georgia life Of the founder
of Methodism. but as have
recently been requested to preface
a lecture on Mr. Wesley have had
occasion to more carefully study the
interesting chapter of his life in the
new colony, and the results following,
and think perhaps a paper concern
ing him and them may interest some
of the readers of The Journal as 1t
has interested me.
Mr.. Wesley never had a break in
his religious life from his childhood to
his death He changed his views, but
he never changed his intentions. At
8 years old ne took the communion
from his father, an Episcopal rector.
He began to pray as soon as he could
talk, and the Bible was the first book
he ever read. His life in childhood
and boyhood was wonderfully pure.
He was, however, while a college
boy, not specially serious, on the
contrary he was full of viyacity and
sprightliness, but as he was about
to be ordained he was led by reading
a book written by Catholic monk to
decide on a very strict and ascetic
life. He pursued this life for ten
years. He was fellow Of Lincoln Inn
college, where he had a good income
and nothing to do but teach few
bows. read, study and visit the sick
and those in prison. He had decided
never to marry and never to leave
the seclusion of his chambers when
he received an urgent appeal to go
to Georgia. There were thousands or
duslxy savages in those wilds who
were ready to be civilized and Chris
tanned, and there he might found
great mission, which should save s.
continent. He might be the Las Cas-
as of Professionalism. His young brother
Charles, was willing to go with him,
and so was 1ngham and Delamotte,
two of his religious associates in
Oxford He consented to come and
he came. He was not enthusiastically
a Roman Catholic. He held no al
legiance to the pope Of Rome, but
religiously he was a follower Of the
early fathers of that church. He was
a stanch high churchman of the
Church of England, with the addi-
ton Of holding the ascetic views OF
a Kempis, and of the medieval mys-
tics of the Roman Catholic church.
On his voyage across the sea he was
brought into contact with twenty-six
Moravians going to the colony to
found a mission. They were Episco-
palians who still had bishops. They
used a liturgy. They were not dis
senters from the Holy Catholic
Church. and the young Anglican was
drawn to them. He was a fine Latin,
Greek, Hebrew and French scholar,
but had never studied German, and
during this near three months
voyage he decided to study with his
German associates that language.
He became very intimate with
Spangenberg, whose religious charac-
ter greatly interested him. There was
in the, German a satisfactory assur-
ance of Gods favor which Mr.. Wesley
saw manifest on many occasions, to
which the learned Anglican was a
stranger. He saw the serenity and
sweetness Of character which the
Moravians manifested, and became
very anxious for the same experience,
and asked Spangenberg to tell him
how to secure IL. To his surprise the
German asked If HE had faith IN
Christi" Mr.. Wesley said II hope He
has died for me-" Mr.. Spangenberg
said: do you know it? Have you
the witness in yourself?" He said:
Yes" but he added afterwards,
these were vain words" At Savan-
nah his predecessor, Mr.. Quincy, was
still in the little three-rOOmed parson-
age, which was built in the woods,
now Lincoln street, in Savannah, and
Mr.. Wesley haU his home for some
DAYS with the Moravians. He observed
them closely as they did him, and mu-
tual affection resulted.
Mr.. Wesley was now for the first
time a pastor. There were not 500 peo-
pie in his parish, but they were OF
great variety. There were few peo-
pie of some education, but he and his
companions were the only men eX-
cept the Germans who could claim
anything like culture. They were
Scotch, Welsh, English and German
Protestants. They were Baptists and
Presbyterians beside the Church peo-
pie. They were all of them poor, and
only a few independent. He was Tor
the time being, the rector and he were
delighted 1T the prdsDect Of building