wfn.org | At the Roots of Methodism: 'You've got mail' ... from JWesley

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May 15, 2002  News media contact: Tim Tanton7(615)742-54707Nashville, Tenn.
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NOTE: "At the Roots of Methodism" is a regular feature by John Singleton
prepared especially for distribution by United Methodist News Service. An
artist's rendering of John Wesley and a photograph of Singleton are
available.
 
A UMNS Feature
By John Singleton*

It is interesting to speculate how, if they had been at his disposal in the
18th century, Methodism's founder might have taken advantage of today's
communication techniques. 

John Wesley's skills as a speaker and conversationalist could have marked
him out as a TV or radio broadcaster; his engaging in public debate through
the newspapers of his day and the diligence with which he wrote his journal
are evidence of how the world of journalism might have been at his feet;
while his aptitude for writing and distributing books would surely have put
him in the forefront of contemporary religious publishing. 

But there is another area of communication in which both John and Charles
Wesley excelled: letter writing. The e-mail would surely be flying around
because the two brothers wrote thousands of letters during their lifetimes.

They wrote quite a few to each other, but John in particular was a prolific
correspondent with people in all walks of life. Using his letters as a vital
medium of communication, Wesley was quick to admonish local leaders and
preachers in the burgeoning Methodist movement if he felt they were
departing from the rules or were in danger of going their own way in matters
of organization or doctrine. 

Conversely, he was always quick to praise and encourage, especially when he
knew that local Methodists were struggling under difficult circumstances.
His pastoral letters reveal a loving empathy rooted in his personal
knowledge of people and of the persecution they often endured.

Many of Wesley's letters offer a strong defense against criticism of the
movement and of him personally. Whether concerning doctrine, his
relationship with the Church of England, the appeal of the Methodist
movement to working-class people, or the disposition of early Methodist
preachers to evangelize in the open air, he always seemed to take the time
and the trouble to make a careful - and often lengthy - reply to those who
wrote to him. Some of his letters now seem tedious in the extreme, but many
are fascinating, and some express a tenderness and love that many may find
surprising.

Fortunately, many of the letters survive and, thanks to Methodist scholars
and compilers, provide us insight into Wesley's mind and motives.

Being a member of Wesley's family did not necessarily shield one from his
trenchant criticism. "Alas! my brother!" he wrote to his Anglican
brother-in-law, the Rev. Westley Hall, in August 1743, "Who will tell you
the plain truth? You are a weak, injudicious, fickle, irresolute man, deeply
enthusiastic, and highly opinionated of yourself, and therefore a fit tool
for those who apply to your weak side, vanity." There was more to it of
course, but one of the hapless Hall's ill-advised actions had been to "jilt"
one of Wesley's sisters and marry another. Despite the harsh tone, Wesley
still signed himself "your true friend and affectionate brother."

Wesley and other early Methodists often experienced harassment, which
sometimes led to physical violence. Usually they accepted it patiently, but
from time to time Wesley believed it was necessary to offer lawful
resistance. 

A particular incident in Newcastle in 1745 led to the following brief
letter, addressed to a Robert Young: "I expect to see you, between this and
Friday, and to hear from you that you are sensible of your fault. Otherwise,
in pity to your soul, I shall be obliged to inform the magistrates of your
assaulting me yesterday in the street. I am your real friend, John Wesley."
Young did in fact meet with Wesley and promised him "a quite different
behavior." 

Wesley's advice to Methodist preachers was always careful and concerned. "My
dear brother, [i]n public preaching, speak not one word against opinions of
any kind," he wrote in November 1747. "We are not fighting against notions,
but sins. Least of all should I advise you once to open your lips against
predestination. It would do more mischief than you are aware of. Keep to our
one point, present inward salvation by faith, by the divine evidence of sins
forgiven." 

Sound advice was also offered to another preacher, Thomas Capiter, in
February 1753: "It is a constant rule with us that no preacher should preach
above twice a day, unless on Sunday or on some extraordinary time; and then
he may preach three times," wrote Wesley. "We know nature cannot long bear
the preaching oftener than this, and therefore to do it is a degree of
self-murder." He went on to advise preachers not speak for more than an hour
at a time (including prayer) and not to speak louder than the number of
hearers required. 

Evidence of the advantage of rising early to preach was given in a letter to
his brother, Charles, from Dublin in April 1748. "I began expounding the
Acts of the Apostles at five in the morning," he wrote. "The room was pretty
well filled today, but they increase continually. I see more and more of the
folly of giving place to the devil. Our preachers put off preaching till six
in the morning, that more people might come. And now four times (more) come
at five than ever came at six."

We know how Wesley's marriage to Mary Vazeille came to a sad end, but it saw
happy days too. "My dear love," he wrote from Newcastle in May 1752. "Your
name is precious among this people. They talk of you much, and know not how
to commend you enough, even for those little things, your plainness of
dress, your sitting among the poor at preaching, your using sage tea, and
not being delicate in your food. Their way of mentioning you often brings
tears into my eyes."

Many of Wesley's letters (and those written to him) are available today in
collected volumes that have been edited over the years, particularly those
by Frank Baker. The letters reflect Wesley's gifts as a great communicator.
Above all, they reveal a depth of pastoral concern, a skill as an advocate
for the Gospel, a genius for organization and a wonderful attention to
detail. 

# # #

*Singleton is a writer with the weekly Methodist Recorder newspaper in
London. He is currently administrator for the Methodist churches and
projects in Tower Hamlets, East London. His e-mail address is
john@towerhamlets.org.

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United Methodist News Service
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