Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1936-03-26
IN THE STEPS OF THE
WESLEYS

ish Methodist church. This move
ment was consummated three years
ago, and is a strong hint to us in
America, wnere we are attempting
to unite three Methodist churches
within a few years, the Northern,
Southern and Methodist Protestant
churches.
Aldergate Street Moravian chapel,
London, was the place where John
Wesley was converted. Some would
say the most tremendous event,
since Pentecost, began here. lay
man was reading Luther's preface
to Romans. cat quarter Of nine,
felt my heart strangely warmed.
felt / did trust in Christ, Christ
alone, for salvation, and an assur-
ance was given me, that He had
taken away my sins, even mine, and
saved me from the law Of sin and
DEATH This was May "a, 1888,
200 years ago. A world wide cele-
bration will be held in 1888, prob
ably the whole year being in way
devoted in Methodism to the cele-
bration. The location, where Wes-
lev became "twice born" minister,
is in the heart of the Old London.
Not far away is Smithfeld street,
st. Pauls, Cheapside, Newgate
prison, London bank, and the tow
err which remain unchanged. But
vast changes have taken place, and
the immediate location is marked
now by two tablets, which tell the
passerby, of that eventful meeting.
Bristol is notorious as the place
where the movement first rooted It
self, and the first Methodist chapel
and the first societies or "bands,
| were here. The chapel was called
| 1.-The New Room but is really
good sized church, with many side
rooms, where the early preachers
lived, in the fashion of the ''Holy
| Club at Oxford and from whence
they went out to rouse the then
lethargic England. Here, at Bristol,
July, 1885, the four English church
es, now one,-met in annual con-
ference, which 1 had the pleasure OF
attending and addressing. A class
of "a young men were ordained. No
dearth Of young men to preach
here. Just to show how the state
church and the Methodist church
now work together, the amazing
thing happened that the dean OF
Bristol addressed the conference,
and the bishop of Bristol preached
on conference Sunday, at the large
Methodist church, and the president
of the conference preached at the
cathedral of the church OF England.
We are scarcely that far along here
| in America The bishop, dressed IN
white and crimson surpllce, Knelt
at the altar, during the early part
of the service, and rose at last wnen
the time arrived for the sermon
Methodists will understand the ap-
Dlication he made of the text, 1.-The
people that know their God shall be
strong 1t was all very impressive
and significant to say the least.
Walking down Kings highway, by
accident visited the center of the
West London Mission, started by
Hugh Price Hughes. Mrs. Hughes,
at so. still leads in the work. There
are seven institutional churches IN
London Methodism, where thou-
sands of men, women and children
are cared for, each Sunday. There
are hotels for young women, strand
ed and working girls. There are in
stitutes or clubs for both sexes,
where young people meet together,
and are guided in domestic enter
prises. Here on the roof was
creche for SO children, whose moth
ers work each day in Covent Car
den and other places, leaving the
babies here.
Another such surprise met me at
Central Methodist Hall, facing the
royal doors of Westminster Abbey.
Sir Robert Perks purchased this
valuable land and built here plant
costing million dollars, paid out
right from the goth Century Fund
raised in 1900. 1t is really mag
nificent church and business block,
with the largest dome, Saint Pauls
excepted, in England. Here preach
es, morning and evening to thou
sands of working men, and men OF
professions, and wealth too, DR..
Dinsdale T. Young, probably the out
standing preacher of British Meth
odism, a gigantic figure, combining
in one person the powers of Beech
er, Spurgeon and Wesley. City
Roads Chapel is called the mother
church of Methodism. Since it was
built. there have been built in the
world on an average two churches a
day, and there are now lO8,OOO
Methodist church buildings. 1t
might be compared to ST. Peters at
Rome, or to Canterbury cathedral,
as a great center and source of re-
ligious life. Built in a day when
all dissenting churches were built
in rude fashion, this structure has
beauty and simplicity.
Methodism in the British Isles is
vital, evangelistic, heartfelt, devot-
ed, missionary, exultant. Here is
life that is life indeed. "The old
time rapture is being recovered
and is inspiring all churches with
a new spirit. The churches here
are facing a new day of Christian
experience, of social achievement
and of Christian unity, and believe
there is soon to be new awaken
ing of worldwide signif1cance.-Dr.
Howard H. Scott.