The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-06-21

by frigid deism, which lost sight OF
Christ the Redeemer, to a renewed Chris
tan life" THE Oxford movement" de-
clares William Palmer, was the supple
ment of Wesley's great revival Canon
Overton, whose knowledge of Wesley and
his work IS both comprehensive and
minute, is equally emphatic.
They are strangely ignorant Of the
breadth of his mind and the variety of
his numerous enterprises who imagine that
John Wesley was absorbed wholly in the
religious aspect of society. He is indeed
bold preacher who follows him even
now in his efforts to Chrstianze every
form of human activity. The revival was
not only what Frederick Maurice termed
it, "a religious revolution; but to quote
the words of John Richard Green. it
changed in few years the whole tenn
per of English society; it purified our lit
erature and our manners. A new phil
anthropy reformed our prisons, infused
elemency and wisdom into our penal laws,
abolished the slave trade and gave the
first impulse to popular education
Nevertheless, John Wesley preached in
the churchyard rather than in the church.
1t is the founder of Methodism, not the
transformer of the Church of England.
that fills the Imagination. Strangely
enough he originated nothing. The idea
OF the Methodist societies and bands he
took from the Moravians; his classes were
suggested to him as debt raising device;
Whitefield lie 4nim to outdoor preaching;
Maxfield began lay preaching; not even
the Holy Club started with him, and the
itineraoy was as old as Wyclif and older
John Wesleys organizing genius was
adaptive and adaptive, rather than IN.
yentive; his inclination was against in
novation; yet so eager was he for results
that wherever these appeared, his preju-
dces crumbled. Directly his reason ruled
he developed with amazing rapidity the
possibilities of each new scheme.
1t was Wesley's mother who persuaded
him to listen to lay preaching before COM
ing to a decision. Upon that decision de-
PENDED great issues For it is impossible
to consider the Protestant world of today
without considering Wesley's lay helpers.
They were a mighty company in spite OF
manifold defects and defections. Witness
their deeds, their converse and their de-
scendants, among whom are some OF the
best and ablest OF modern Englishn1en and
Americans They were, to be sure, Hit
crate, as Mr.. Moody, for instance, was
illiterate. But Wesley himself became
their teacher and it was no idle boast
that they were better prepared for their
work than the average clergyman. Their
great captains religious fervor never
dulled his intellect or injured his line
ethical temper. To him Methodism was
an organized science, rather than an or
ganized rapture. He taught his people
as well as his preachers. His helpers dis
tributed his numerous publications. These
covered a wide range of topics and were
as cheap as they were good.
Il wish the people of England to know
their history" said John Richard Green
to his publishers, when they were fixing
the price OF his splendid book; it was a
noble echo of John Wesley's preface to his
History of England; they sought, both
OF them, better rewards than revenue.
Yet Wesley desired far more than a
clever people He wished to bring science
and literature into the service OF love.
knowledge was to HIM practically what it
was to Bacon theoretically mean for the
betterment of mans estate. But the
ethical and the spiritual were supreme'
Hence he administered discipline with un-
flnching courage; his frank severity OF
speech seems even harsh, if one forgets
the kindly humor and the unfailing af-
lection which tempered every rebuke.
Macaulay and Buckle and. Leslie Stephen
have lauded Wesley's genius for organiza-
ticn and administration.
stephen alone of these has fully appre-
ciated the personal force of the man
whose conversion delighted Samuel john
son, whose quiet preaching felled strong
| men, whose authority was at once unlim-
/ tied and unselfish and whose dealing with
| his societies were as severe as they were
/ successful. This required far more than
executive ability. 1t required that indie.
| scribable personal supremacy which is ex
ercised for veal or woe by characters sc
Unlike as Paul and Caesar and Wesley
and Napoleon; which in Napoleon mer
called daemonc but which in Wesley We
may rightly call divine. For no subse
ouent revelations have stained for pos
terity the pure radiance in which his COM
panions renewed their strength
True. his personal Dominion had III
limits; ard these were reached when the
societies in America and in England ella
mored for independence. For though
they accepted his commands and IN
theology, they refused to be merged ant
submerged in the establishment iron
which their ruler would not separate.
is mark of Wesley's greatness that N
sacrificed his wishes to his work; that n
sanctioned and furthered the independence
he could not prevent. In this he take
rank with the greatest of statesmen t
whom the salvation of the people IS al
ways the supreme law, and this neon
sistency has continued him for all tim
as the informing spirit of Methodlsm
whose indirect influence is direct as II
organized activity. And this IS an ines
Unable boon. For just as the America
people can always turn to Washington
for inspiration to nobler progress, so cal
the Methodists of England and Amerlc
, return to Wesley and find him grapplin
with every difficulty that they are nov
confronting. He never reduced Chris
tianity to frame of mind or a scheme {
doctrine, or string of precepts or eve
to spotless negative morality. He IN
sisted upon a perfect Christianity
upon perfection in love. TheI
| is at once ignorance and arrogance in tn
claim of newness for ideas about presen
salvation and the kingdom of God her
upon earth which were to John Wesle