The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-06-21

upon the beautiful character of his
mother, Susannah Wesley; a woman
who was painted by celebrated artist,
Sir Peter Seby, as one of the most
beautiful women of her day in Eng
lond which portrait was awarded the
decision by a committee of artists over
OF good birth and of great piety. AL
though compelled to struggle with pow
eFty all of her life. she found time to
teach her children until they were
htted for college and to inspire within
them love of truth and OF the Bible.
IT. was her custom each day to take
one of her children to an upper cham
Der and talk to them of life and its
duties and responsibilities for an hour
His father was a quiet, studious man,
with no practical knowledge of the
his books, leaving the training of the
children almost entirely with the moth
err. When John reached the age of 10
years he was ready for college, but the
limited income of his father could not
meet the additional expense. His
mother then gathered together all her
family jewels and sold them and gave
the money TO John, saying to him,
my son, / had rather wear the plain
est clothing and never have an orna-
ment the rest Of my, lifc Il by so doing
! can ciothe you with intellectual train
Ing and brilliancy and moral worth ="
He then traced the life of Wesley
at Oxford College, his struggle with
atheism and victory. his doubts of the
CdlNaniSIlC doctrines OF the Cnurch or
England. and Church in Scotland, and
how he went to his mother and talked
and prayed until the great Methodistic
doctrine of the freedom of the will and
universal salvation was firmly fixed
in his mind. The work of Wesley as
missionary in Savannah and other
portions of America was discussed. and
his association with Whitfield and final
separation from him on doctrinal diff
ferences was discussed. The speaker
called attention to the fact that while
t.. l. 60.
Sunday School. While It is true that
Robert Raikes elaborated the idea and
began the movement which gives US our
present system of Sunday Schools, Wes-
ley originated the idea and founded the
first Sunday School. Upon his return
from America Wesley met a Moravian
preacher who asked him the question,
Rave you over been converted?' This
started a train of thought which con-
WINGED him that although he had been
preaching for years he had never been
praying with this preacher for some
time Wesley was converted and short
ly began his open-air and street preach
tng: From this time on he preached
sometimes as many as six times.
The immense amount and varied
character of work done by. Wesley was
any man who had ever lived before
him and more than, any man who has
ever lived since. He wrote upon al
most all SUBJECTS, ITehLlSe upon a
branch of medicine and legal briefs
being named to show the diversity of
his work. He earned by his writings
some 100000, and yet died poor man,
having expended in charity and benev-
client works all this sum except such
as suficed for a meagre living.
In summing UP the life of wesley,
the speaker emphasized three things
as being most remarkable:
His clear experience of religious life,
the reality of his faith, and his passion
for saving souls.
The sermon presented a clear, con-
else and life-like picture of the founder
of Methodism, and was listened to with
close attention by the large eongrega-
ton.