Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-06-27
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Perhaps the most notable celebration in
the history of Washington Methodism will
take place tomorrow, in the observance of
the two hundredth anniversary Of the birth
of John Wesley, the father of the denomi-
nation of Methodists. which numbers in
the United States alone over 1000. 600 men,
bers, and which is regarded as one Of the
strongest churches insthe world. Not only
in the national capital, but throughout the
United States and in all foreign countries
this bi-centennial anniversary Of the found
er Of MethodIsm will be celebrated with
appropriate exercises. including addresses
by the most prominent ciergymen and dis
tinguished speakers of the denomination
on the life and work of the famous preach
er and organizer Of the eighteenth century
and the singing Of hymns written by and
favorites with the first Methodist.
In all the Methodist churches Of the city
the morning preaching hour will be de-
voted to sermons eulogfstic of John Wesley,
and in the evening special exercises charac-
teristic of the anniversary occasion will be
held by the younger Methodfsts of Wash
ington, represented in the Epworth Leagues
auxiliary to the churches. The principal
event of the day of celebration, however,
will be the big mass meeting to be held in
the afternoon, beginning at 3 o'clock, in the
Mount Vernon Place Methodist Episcopal
Church South This mass meeting will be
participated in by the members of the
three branches of Methodism in the city
the Methodist Episcopal Church, the Meth
odist Episcopal Church South and the
Methodist Protestant Church.
The committee In charge of the arrange
ments for this commemorative service Sc
lected from among the members of the
three branches of Methodism, has provided
an elaborate program for the occasion
- Alt ~
McCabe representing the M. e. Church;
Major E. w. Halford Of the Methodist
Episcopal Church South and Rev. Dr. F. T.
Tagg of the Methodist Protestant Church
Rev DR.. Henry r. Naylor, presiding elder
of Washington district, M. E. Church will
prayer will be offered by Rev. DR.. Frank
M. Bristol, pastor of Metropolitan Church;
Rev. A. Norman Ward, pastor Of North
Carolina Avenue M. P. Church. will read
the Scripture lesson, and Rev. Forrest ].
Prettyman, pastor of the Mount Vernon
Place M. E. Church South, will pronounce
the benedictfon.
The music for the occasion will be fur
nished by union chorus Of more than 100
voices, composed of members Of the various
Methodist choirs throughout the CITY, Mr.
Page L. Zimmerman, chorister of Mount
Vernon Place Church, will direct the sing
ing, and Miss Florence Ball will preside
at the organ. The choir and congregation
old Wesley hymns
Among the most notable of the celebra-
tons In other cities will be that held in Sa-
vannah, Ca, where John Wesley was pas
tor of church from March Z 1886 until
the early part of 1913, during the period
Oglethorpe was governor of that colony
John Wesley was born at Epworth, Eng
land, June II, 1908, the fifteenth son Of
Samuel and Susanna Wesley. His father
was rector of lEpworth parish, and the
young Wesley received his early education
from his mother. He later graduated from
Oxford at which institution he began his
work which led to the organization of the
Methodist Church. For more than fifty
years he preached from fifteen to twenty
sermons a week, mostly in the open air,
and during his lifetime he delivered not
less than 400 sermons, in addition to
making vast number of addresses. In ad-
dition to these labors he wrote and pub
lished grammars of the Hebrew, Greek,
Latin. French and English languages; was
for many years editor Of the Arminian
Magazine; wrote, abridged and revised
the Christian library of, fifty volumes;
abridged "Mosheim's Ecclesiastical His
tory in four volumes; abridged a four-vol-
ume History of England" compiled a
five volume Compendium of Natural Phi
losophy;" wrote and published common
tary in four large volumes the Bible;
compiled complete dictionary of the Eng
lsh language; compiled a history of Rome;
prepared and published three medical
works for the common people; compiled
and published six volumes of church music,
and published in connection with his
brother Charles not less than forty vol
umes Of poetry, all of which he edited and
much of which he wrote. Wesley's works,
including TRANSACTIONS and abridgments,
amounted to more than two hundred vol
umeS.
The secret of Wesley's great power is at
tributed to his wonderful faculties for or
ganization. While he is considered as
among the foremost preachers. yet his
great success is attributed rather to his
ability to organize and keep together his
bands of converts
In personal appearance Wesley was short,
wry, muscular and strong. His face was
remarkably fine, even in old age. A clear,
smooth forehead and aquilfne nose, an eye
bright and piercing. and black hair made
him a striking and interesting figure. He
was a great wit, good swimmer, great
walker and an expert horseback rider.
In his domestic affairs John Wesley was
not altogether happy. He did not marry
until his forty-eighth year. when he mar
ried the widow of London merchant 1t
Is said that she endeavored to interfere
with his plans and otherwise hinder him in
his work, and finally left him.
Nearly all the prominent men of the
country have paid glowing tributes to the
in terms of high praise of his work.
President Roosevelt in a letter to David
D. Thompson, editor of the Northwestern
Christian Advocate, writes of the John
ITO Americans the 20Oth anniversary Of
the birth Of John Wesley must have Pc
culiar interest, for 1t is in our own country
that the great church which he founded
has reached it's largest development, and
the wonderful growth of Methodism has
taken place during the very period covered
by our national life. The Methodist con-
gregations played peculiar part in the
pioneer history of our country, and it
would be hard to overestimate what we
owe to the early circuit riders, no less than
to their successors"
In connection with the bi-centennial cele-
bration of Wesleys birthday the women of
Methodism in Washington have arranged to
hold a public meeting tomorrow night at
Metropolitan M. E. Church. Rev. DR.. Frank
M. Bristol, the pastor, will preside over the
exercises, and Mrs. c, l.. Roach will con-
duct the devotional exercises. Two ad-
dresses will be delivered as follows: 1.-The
Activities of Methodist Women by Mrs.
c. w. Gallagher, and "Methodism and Edu-
cation, by Mrs ]. Ellen Foster.
The choir of Metropolitan Church has pre-
pared special program of music for this
occasion.
Mr.. Pela Penick. a converted native of
Pavcrojah. West Central Africa will have
charge of the Peoples Congregational
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