The Story of the people called Methodists

Part I. John Wesley and the first Methodists

The Methodist movement began in the mid-1700s in England. It occurred because of a variety of factors:

-The work of renewal of the Holy Spirit �Behold, I make all things new��

-The Church of England was not fully meeting the needs of human beings, especially in a time of society problems (alcoholism, child labor, debtor�s prisons). �The 18^th Century Church of England had fallen into decline because it had neglected the essential doctrines on which it was founded. Methodism did not advocate any new doctrines; Methodism�s purpose was simply to help the church recover its avowed message and mission.�*Ken Kinghorn�s

The Heritage of American Methodism, pg 13

John Wesley, son of an Anglican priest, felt the need for renewal in the Anglican Church. While at Oxford University, he led a band of men who were devoted to spiritual growth and social service.

But who was John Wesley?

His life in a snapshot:

• John Wesley was born in Epworth, England on June 17, 1703 to Rev. Samuel Wesley and Mrs. Susanna Wesley.

• As a child, he was rescued from a burning house. This event revealed to Susanna that God had something special in store for John.

• He attended Lincoln College and Oxford University where he formed the band that came to be known as �those Methodists.�

• John, and one of his brothers, Charles, went to Savannah, GA as missionaries. The mission failed, and both soon returned to England. John wrote in his journal: �Alas, I set forth for America to convert the Indians, but who shall convert me?�

• On the journey between England and America, a storm at sea made him confront the lack of his own faith. In his journal, he wrote: �I had the faith of a servant, but not of a son.�

• On May 24, 1738, upon hearing an exhortation on the Book of Romans, his �heart was strangely warmed.�

• He came to a personal understanding of the assurance-of-salvation principle, and incorporated it into his preaching and his theology.

• He soon organized classes, societies (the early fore-runner of today�s small groups) and circuits for the sole purpose of bringing people to Christ.

After a lifetime of valiant service, he died on March 2, 1791, and had these last words: �The best of all, God is with us!...Farewell!�

• Wesley Historian Ken Collins had this to say about him:

�

As for the Methodist movement-

Methodism became a reflection of John Wesley�s own spiritual life experience, his faith, and his surrendered life.

Methodism is about holding distinctive beliefs, and having a reasoning and a method for worshipping, for living as Christians, and for serving others.

The First Conference of Methodist Preachers took place in London on June 25, 1744.

On December 25, 1784, at the Christmas Conference, American Methodism became its own denomination within the universal Christian family.

There were several reasons why Methodism became a denomination separate of the Anglican Church:*

• The American Revolution had separated the U.S. from England, and what happened politically, happened within the church as well. It was felt that just as the government neglected and opposed the American States, so did the church.

• The English bishops did not consecrate a bishop for the American colonies, and thus showed no concern or caring for the spiritual well-being of the colonists.

• Wesley felt a responsibility for overseeing the Methodists, and also felt that the episcopacy (office of the bishop) was an office, and not an order. So in principle, as an Anglican priest, he had the authority to ordain preachers for the field.

Part II. The 19^th Century

• By 1800, there were 57, 594 members in the Methodist-Episcopal Church.*

• F

   

  rancis Asbury was ordained by John Wesley as the American Bishop. He loved the American people, and earned his title �Bishop of America.� In his ministry, he rode 270,000 miles on horseback, preached 16,000 times, ordained 4,000 ministers, and presided over 224 Annual Conference Sessions. The highest salary he ever received was $80/year. (pgs 49-50)*

Throughout the 19^th century, Methodist circuit-riders were deployed all over the explored regions of the United States. Wherever the people went, so did the circuit riders. It can be argued that these Methodist preachers were the most well-known characters on the frontier. It was a harsh life. Two-hundred of the seven-hundred circuit-riders who died before 1850, died before the age of 35. The majority of circuit riders were unmarried, not primarily because of celibacy principles, but for practical purposes.

• Camp meetings were established to share the Gospel with the masses, and to establish local small-groups as the primary means to help people grow spiritually, as well as find ways to serve the Kingdom of God.

• During the 19^th Century, Methodism became the largest and most influential denomination in the United States.

• Between 1850 and 1860, the Methodists built 6,603 new churches, more than all the other major denominations combined.*(pg 61). This brought the total number of Methodist worship houses in 1860 to 20,000. This was accomplished because the churches were basic meeting-houses built of log, wood, or sod in any location where settlers lived. The rationale was to not spend large sums of money on gigantic cathedral-churches, but instead put the money to supporting the poor.*

• There were still numerous splits from the main Methodist-Episcopal church, each occurred for a variety of reasons, but mainly over church issues.

• The biggest separation was when the Methodist-Episcopal Church split right down the Mason-Dixon Line in 1844 primarily over the issue of slavery. The issues debated within the church were an exact reflection of the issues being debated in the political arena.

• President Theodore Roosevelt had this to say about the 19^th century Methodists: �The whole country is under a debt of gratitude to the Methodist circuit riders, the Methodist pioneer preachers, whose movement kept a westward pace with the movement of the frontier� ministering to [the] frontiersman�s spiritual needs, and seeing that his pressing material cares, and the hard and grinding poverty of his life did not wholly extinguish the divine fire within his soul.� *Pg 57

• Methodist historian Ken Kinghorn had this to say about the overall impact of Methodism on 19^th Century America*:

�American Methodism was at this time the most influential church in America. As such, it helped shape the nation�s religious outlook and cultural values. Methodism�s remarkable achievements were possible because its message and methods brought so many millions of individuals to a personal encounter with Jesus Christ. The church�s structures equipped these people to serve God in their daily lives. The church lived out its doctrinal confession and provided significant leadership for the nation�s religious, educational, medical and social needs. Methodism was a connectional church consisting of a network of people and structures bound together by common theological and missional commitments. The structure of Methodism places all its members under the same discipline. Church membership vows call for participating faithfully in the church�s ministries by prayers, presence, gifts and service. To be sure, conflicts and differences nagged at the church and at times divided it. Still, despite setbacks, the church in fair measure demonstrated the proud claim of John Wesley that �the Methodists are one people.� Historic Methodism accomplished much because God gave favor to a people whose faith rested on him, whose hope rested in his divine promises, and whose love inspired their hearts and hands in service to God and neighbor. In less than a century, Methodism grew from humble beginnings to the most important force in the religious life of America, profoundly influencing the morals and mor�s of the nation.�

Part III. The 20^th Century