The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1909-06-10

~ Books like those OF
~ Fielding give
glimpse into a so.
ciety which was
rotten TO the core. The archbishop of
Canterbury wrote: christianity is
ridiculed with very little reserve and
the teachers of It with none at all"
Southey declared that the clergy had
lost all authority and respect Arch.
bishop leighton pronounced the church
fair carcass" Voltaire In France
was rldiculing the ecclesiastics and
making the world laugh at the Bible.
Frederick In the very home OF Luther
was leading all Prussia into rational.
ism. Methodism was a sunrise OF
evangelical truth. II was the projec.
ton Of the German Reformation. with
greater spiritual life than Luther gave
g. into the thought and hearts OF the
English-speaking people. And It is In.
teresting to note the intimate connec-
ton between Luther and Wesley. IL
was while listening TO the reading OF
one OF Luther's essays on salvation
by Faith and Its Fruits" that Wesley
said: Il felt my heart strangely
warmed"
The five cardinal points OF Metho-
dism we're Repentance. Faith. Justi-
fication. Sanctification and the Wit.
ness OF the Spirit
Repentance meant turning from
sin In heart and life TO Christ. II was
taking Gods side against sin. To the
II.
reality. and. therefore. Christ as a
Saviour from II was a glorious per.
sonality. They believed in the guilt.
pollution and power OF sin I'm this
world and the next Wesley's sermons
on hell made no attempt TO soften or
modify the words OF Christ concern.
ing the worm that dieth not and the
fire that Is not quenched. To him sin
brought as the Bible teaches. ever.
lasting retribution. and the one es-
cape from Il was through Jesus Christ.
There was a bottomless pit OF degrade.
ton from which the sinner might be
saved 20 the topless height OF glorih.
cation.
Faith was not simply the assent OF
the mind. but the consent OF the heart
II was not a cold intellectually which
held a creed but a loving reception Of
Jesus Christ as Saviour from all sin.
Justification was the act OF God by
which the sinner was pronounced Just
on the merit OF Jesus Christ Though
Methodism insisted on works as the
fruits OF conversion. e believed In sal.
walton only by grace. Character did
not bring salvation. but salvation
made character.
Sanctihcation meant a holy life in
the service OF Christ. The witness OF
the Spirit brought assurance OF sal.
walton
The pioneer Methodists. led by Wes-
ley and Whitefeld. believed In In.
Simultaneous conversion. Theirs was
gospel with power enough 20 bring
down Saul OF Tarsus in his prosecuting
zeal and make him like a little child
sitting at the feet OF Christ. A lieu
tenant In the English army. hearing
that humble Methodist preacher had
an appointment at certain place.
went there with the intention of lead.
ing the mob and breaking up the meet.
ing Unable 10 stir the mob as he
thought he could against the preacher,
he decided 10 listen for awhile and
learn what he had TO say. The result
was that before the meeting closed
he was weeping. broken hearted. made
a confession OF faith and Joined the
Methodist society. Methodism was not
only evangelical. but evangelistic.
Long before p. p. Bliss wrote Hold
the Fort for Am Coming" the Metho-
dist preachers. In heart IL not in word,
taught the church to sing. storm the
Fort for God II Leading" They
obeyed the command OF Christ and
went to the multitude In the open air.
Methodism has given TO the world a
long list OF heroes John Wesley was
himself a hero OF courage. Industry
and patience. More than once was he
dragged through the streets by the
hair OF his head. More than once he
preached on the blood OF Christ while
the blood was trickling down his face.
the result OF an attack by the mob.
John Nelson. the stone mason. was a
/ Christian hero. When arrested as
vagrant, though he was making an
honest living. and pressed into the
English army. he kept faithful to
Christ. His wife appearing before the
Jail window and saying to him. John.
be true; God will take care Of me and
the children" shows that there was a
heroine in the family.
The world owes to Methodism the
demonstration of the fact that there
need be no divorce between faith and
learning. Methodism had its rise in
the University of Oxford The Holy
club. with John Wesley at its head.
met for the study of the Greek New
Testament.
And so with other great religious
movements. There is no more conflict