The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-07-22


bareheaded. uniquely CARRIED timer
ant preacher. who has attracted much
attention since his appearance in this
city. was written by a Richmond man.
| who, in critical mood, made the
preachers acquaintance and wrote
this study Of the man.
The mans unique appearance is
interesting to anyone. Few Richmond
people VINO have walked along broad
street after In the evening or
through tne parhs In the lime,
have failed to be curious if not in
terested In the long haired. white
clothed man with his bare feet pro-
tected only by sandals. Some com
ment upon his appearance. because
OF his resemblance 10 the Christ, as
bla sphemous. others intimate toler-
antly that he is harmless hut decid-
eddy of" The writer has listened
Attentively to Wesley's prea ching, In
critical mood. and was interested to
the point OF making his acquaintance.
The man seems to me-thouKh
shockingly extraordinary 10 creatures
! OF modern day civilization, TO be the
lmost radical Christian, the most con-
Isstent liver and preacher ! have ever
met. lie is wandering messenger
OF what he believes to be The truth
OF God. He is a deep student os the
Bible, and wonderfully familiar with
the old and New Testaments, from
which he garners his conception of
Deity as being life, truth and love.
but his most notably cherished attri-
butte of the Father is Nature The
Messenger" believes that the reading
and studying of the Bible. and par
ticularly the sayings OF Jesus. are
TO be taken in conjunction with pc
RODS of solitary communion IN the
open" with nature. away from the
creations or men" He speaks of 'hs
cities as the "congested Babylonian
jungies. and when not preaching
on the street corners he is out in the
woods, alone with nature" earn
estiy seeking more light
| sought an interview with this
strange man. and he granted II with
his transcendant smile Of gentleness
and welcome. saying quietly that he
found IL most helpful 10 talk prl-
yateiy in the woods, alone with the
great god of nature. He made an
appointment Ia meet mas. In the woods
near "A suburban park. and there
found him at the appointed time,
alone by stream. Frankly, was
most agreeably disappointed. He had
seemed TO me the nigh before to be
Just "A little too good 30 he true. and
/ I could find no flaws / spent the
day with him and the night AID the
/ next day in the woods. four miles
| from the city. sleping. as ne slept, on
the ground. with no covering save
the azure Of the skies His sleep was
as peaceful and sound as that of
child. and he arose the next morn
tfyc xzsis ~
The man liVes life absolutely free
from what people Of his Intelligence
generally deem necessary TO their ex-
istence. He eats sparingiy and only
when his system demands food He
waits hunger and is never fooled by
appetite. To my certain knowledge he
took no food for period OF eigh-
teen hours, and he said 1t had been
twenty-four Wesley is splendid
walker Il fine swimmer a most lucid
expounder Of the Bible. though NOT
eloquent in mis- teaching. and the most
peaceful the most gentle companion
! | have ever been thrown with
In our communings with nature he
said Why, have nothing 10 worry
ABOUT; / have given up all the things
that cause humanity anxiety care and
worry. | trust God absolutely to pro-
| vide my necessities and he has never
| failed me in the four years since
became a messenger ! desire no more
| than my bare necessities-~Oh the
/ peace, the JOY. the quiet. the hope
that know II ali my conrad IS
I could only know il with me"
/ asked him what would become OF
the worlds work If everyone beca me
a messenger. and he replied Never
fear. Everyone will not become a
/ messenger. but the seed of the truth
must be sown as Jesus sowed tout
side the steepIe houses. by the way
side and to the poor. who will not
respond to the call of the collection
/ box"
! Wesley asks no aims. takes up no
collection, and hiss rot" where Il, la =
| his head. lie does not believe that
he Is the Christ. but simply a child
| learning only as the God OF nature
teaches him. He travels entirely on
foot. washing his own white clothes
! of which he has few. His Household"
/ effects consists entirely OF one alumni
mum spoon. When no one offers him
| food-~-he never asks for the eats
! berries or ANYTHING edible that he
! finds by the roadside.
/ lie has no orga nixation. person or
group of persons. and no money back
/ OF him. His inexpensive necessities
have seen urged upon him by breao
! winners. and often~~when he was not
/ in hunger have seen him refuse
even these
T When ne leaves Richmond. Wesley
proposes to walk to Atlanta. Ca
/ his former home-and thence on TO
| Florida. These are his prospects--he
has no plans, In the few years since
| he left his home, an invalid, he has
travelled through the Holy Land and
much OF the continent of Europe. So
journing also for time In Egypt
and ali this without visible means OF
| support but n the definition OF the
"wealthiesi msn~~that man whose
needs are least. is true. Wesley is the
| wealthiest man | know.