An Intrepid Preacher

Recently I have been perusing the condensed one-volume edition of John Wesley's Journal which tells in his own words the story of the life and work of an amazing man. (The standard edition runs into eight volumes!) Wesley's life (1703-1791) almost spanned the 18th century. The Journal begins in 1735 and the last entry is dated October 24,1790 - four months before his death. After many conflicts and misconceptions of God's way of salvation he found peace in his thirty-fifth year. He records his conversion under date May 24, 1738, with this entry in his Journal:

"In the evening I went very unwillingly to a society in Aldergate Street, where one was reading Luther's preface to the Epistle to the Romans. About a quarter before nine, while he was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone, for salvation: and an assurance was given me, that He had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death."

Almost at once Wesley began an itinerant ministry which went on, day in and day out, year by year, until his death fifty-three years later. During these years he travelled some 250,000 miles, much of it on horseback, and preached over 40,000 sermons. It was his custom to rise at four in the morning and to begin preaching at five, often in the open air. Whatever assessment is made of

Wesley's impact on his generation, and on this there is almost a library of books, his industry and singleness of purpose were monumental. One cannot read his Journal without a sense of reproof at such untiring zeal. Whatever his faults, and he had many, Wesley was a man with one consuming passion - the preaching of the Word. In this respect he is a shining example to those called to this lofty service.

In 1753, when at the height of his powers, after a warning from his doctor, Wesley thought that his end was near. With characteristic artlessness he made this comment in his Journal under the date November26 of that year:

"In the evening (not knowing how it might please God to dispose of me), to prevent vile panegyric, I wrote as follows:

HERE LIETH THE BODY of JOHN WESLEY

A brand plucked out of the burning

who died of consumption in the

fifty-first year of his age,

not leaving, after his debts are

paid, ten pounds behind him:

praying,

God be merciful to me, an

unprofitable servant!

(He ordered, that this, if any inscription, should be placed on his

tombstone.)"

But it was not to be! Within a few weeks the intrepid preacher was in the saddle again, throwing himself into the work with renewed vigour. In spite of strenuous opposition and prolonged persecution, and enduring almost incredible hardships, he noted in his Journal under date June 28,1786:

"I entered into the eighty-third year of my age. I am a wonder to myself. It is now twelve years since I have felt any such sensation as weariness. I am never tired (such is the goodness of God!), either with writing, preaching or travelling. One natural cause is undoubtedly in my continual exercise and change of air. How the latter contributes to health I know not; but certainly it does."

Truly, "Man is immortal till his work is done"!

unknown | Jul 1976
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