| Rev. Dr. Frances "Toni" Draper PASTOR |
Biography
Wesley was the acknowledged leader of a small group of friends at Oxford that had begun meeting together in order to encourage
and assist each other to fulfill the expectations of the University statutes. Oxford had been founded in part to combat heresy; the
Statutes expected scholarly diligence and religious orthodoxy of the students. The group began to bring notice upon itself when its
activities went beyond the private bounds of scholarly study and extended into the public realm of social action. Regular attendance
at Holy Communion had brought upon them the title “Sacamentarians,” but only when they began visiting the prisoners, the poor,
the widows, and the orphans in town did the real weight of ridicule come down upon their heads. Content with these developments,
they were given the name, “Holy Club.” Other epithets followed and prevailed in turn, and finally the name, “Methodist.”
Wesley’s emergence into the public eye was slower than one might suppose, in spite of his leadership among the controversial
group at Oxford. His two year sojourn in Georgia, for instance, removed him from the English scene and the prying curiosity of
cynics and critics. During that period, Wesley did, however, maintain contact with his friends in England, who continued the work he
had promoted.
John Wesley’s experience of assurance in May 1738 came not only in the midst of rather constant pressure from his Moravian
friends to hope and pray for such an event, but also in the immediate aftermath of his brother Charles’ experience of “true” belief in
the Moravian pattern. Some of Wesley’s friends at first thought him daft for thinking he was now for the first time a Christian. On the
other hand, the Moravians came to have doubts about the validity of his faith because of his continuing bouts of doubt and despair.
Wesley’s theological writings were subject to misinterpretation for several reasons. His own theology shifted in some areas down
through the years; he changed his mind on some topics as a result of continued study and reflection, and he often sharpened his
ideas and emphasis in the midst of controversies.
The question of the role of “faith” and works” in the process of salvation was an issue upon which Wesley confused many people.
He was always inclined to hold these two elements together as both theologically and practically necessary to a full understanding
and appropriation of salvation and the Christian life. However, his emphasis did occasionally shift from one side of the balance to
the other. Wesley’s concern for the future of Methodism was constantly on his mind during the last two decades of his life. The
differences of opinion that occasionally surfaced among his followers during those years erupted into convulsive divisions after his
death.
Wesley died on March 2, 1791. His body lay in state at City Road Chapel the day before his funeral a week later. He was indeed a
venerable man of God.
and assist each other to fulfill the expectations of the University statutes. Oxford had been founded in part to combat heresy; the
Statutes expected scholarly diligence and religious orthodoxy of the students. The group began to bring notice upon itself when its
activities went beyond the private bounds of scholarly study and extended into the public realm of social action. Regular attendance
at Holy Communion had brought upon them the title “Sacamentarians,” but only when they began visiting the prisoners, the poor,
the widows, and the orphans in town did the real weight of ridicule come down upon their heads. Content with these developments,
they were given the name, “Holy Club.” Other epithets followed and prevailed in turn, and finally the name, “Methodist.”
Wesley’s emergence into the public eye was slower than one might suppose, in spite of his leadership among the controversial
group at Oxford. His two year sojourn in Georgia, for instance, removed him from the English scene and the prying curiosity of
cynics and critics. During that period, Wesley did, however, maintain contact with his friends in England, who continued the work he
had promoted.
John Wesley’s experience of assurance in May 1738 came not only in the midst of rather constant pressure from his Moravian
friends to hope and pray for such an event, but also in the immediate aftermath of his brother Charles’ experience of “true” belief in
the Moravian pattern. Some of Wesley’s friends at first thought him daft for thinking he was now for the first time a Christian. On the
other hand, the Moravians came to have doubts about the validity of his faith because of his continuing bouts of doubt and despair.
Wesley’s theological writings were subject to misinterpretation for several reasons. His own theology shifted in some areas down
through the years; he changed his mind on some topics as a result of continued study and reflection, and he often sharpened his
ideas and emphasis in the midst of controversies.
The question of the role of “faith” and works” in the process of salvation was an issue upon which Wesley confused many people.
He was always inclined to hold these two elements together as both theologically and practically necessary to a full understanding
and appropriation of salvation and the Christian life. However, his emphasis did occasionally shift from one side of the balance to
the other. Wesley’s concern for the future of Methodism was constantly on his mind during the last two decades of his life. The
differences of opinion that occasionally surfaced among his followers during those years erupted into convulsive divisions after his
death.
Wesley died on March 2, 1791. His body lay in state at City Road Chapel the day before his funeral a week later. He was indeed a
venerable man of God.
| BIOGRAPHY OF JOHN WESLEY "Founder of the Methodist Movement" |
John Wesley was born into a large household of children, most of whom were female. His older
brother, Samuel, had gone to London to attend school the year after John was born, and his
younger brother, Charles, was four and one-half years his junior. Thus during much of John’s
childhood, he was at home in the rectory of Epworth with his parents and six sisters (eventually
numbering seven). He admired his parents and loved his siblings. There was a good bit of candor
among family members, even at the expense of harmony and personal feelings. When tensions
arose in the family, John often sided with his sisters, even against his father. This resulted in a
close bond between John and his sisters which lasted well beyond his years in the Epworth
rectory.
brother, Samuel, had gone to London to attend school the year after John was born, and his
younger brother, Charles, was four and one-half years his junior. Thus during much of John’s
childhood, he was at home in the rectory of Epworth with his parents and six sisters (eventually
numbering seven). He admired his parents and loved his siblings. There was a good bit of candor
among family members, even at the expense of harmony and personal feelings. When tensions
arose in the family, John often sided with his sisters, even against his father. This resulted in a
close bond between John and his sisters which lasted well beyond his years in the Epworth
rectory.
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