The man who prevented a bloody revolution

John Wesley

Sunday morning.  The methodist church in Waiblingen in full.  90 minutes Diospi Suyana.  Two hours later on the autobahn Austria-bound my mind wanders to the Methodist’s founder.  He stands tall above 18th Century Britain.

Britain in Wesley’s day: suffering from extreme social injustice, brandy destroying families and encouraging prostitution, homeless children teaming on the dirty streets, the upper class earning millions through the mines and the booming slavery while the workers are being bled to the bone.  The revolution will come.  The question that remains is when!

In the midst of this social discord John Wesley steps onto Britain’s stage.  The pastor preachers in the open, since many congregations won’t let him into their churches.  He demands complete commitment to God.  An inner conversion to Christ is the first step, a changed mindset the second.   The individual and society need to act uprightly.  No one wants to hear such words.  The preacher is regularly beaten up by the mob.  But he perseveres.  He preaches 45,000 sermons during his life and rides 0.5 million kilometres on horseback.  His zeal has consequences.

A big awakening takes place.  Thousands upon thousands confess their sins and try to lead a life that is pleasing to God.  Their radical lifestyles lead to a change in society.  The Methodists, spearheaded by Wesley himself, fight for the abolition of slavery, against child-labour, exploitation and alcoholism.

The positive changes at all levels of society are so “life-changing” that the pressure escapes out of the “powder keg.”  ‘No revolution took place in Britain’, goes the opinion of many historians.

For 200 years now the Methodists, one of the biggest Protestant Churches worldwide, promote a faith in which piety and social work go hand in hand.  William Booth, the founder of the Salvation Army, and Nelson Mandela were Methodists.

And lest I forget, Wesley wrote 330 books.  God knows how and when he found time for that.  He died at the age of 88 as the most-loved man of Britain – and I quote from the annals of history./ KDJ

 

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