JOHN WESLEY How ‘the most well-loved man in England’ founded Methodism from Lincolnshire.

How John Wesley became ‘THE BEST LOVED MAN IN ENGLAND’

Nobody knows who first described Lincolnshire’s John Wesley as ‘the best loved man in England’ but with religious devotion and a desire to bring health, well-being and faith to the whole of England, his legacy as the founder of Methodism endures...

OVER A FESTIVE SHERRY, with the Pride team, I managed to slip into conversation one of the lesser known facts about Lincolnshire and specifically about one of its most famous sons, John Wesley. He was in fact the author of the Christmas Carol Hark! The Herald Angel Sings, in his 1739 collection of Hymns & Sacred Poems. Conservative estimates suggest that Wesley wrote over 480 hymns during his years preaching, but some estimates put the number as high as 6,500. Wesley died in 1788 so it wasn’t until 1855 that Felix Mendelssohn’s Festgesang – The Gutenberg Concerto – was adapted by William Hayman Cummings to serve Wesley’s lyrics. Wesley wasn’t just a preacher or a man of hymns, either, he was also one of the earliest advocates of clean living, too. In 1747 he published Primitive Physick in which he advocated a healthy diet, ‘a due degree’ of exercise and giving up booze. Coffee and tea were considered ‘hurtful to people with weak nerves,’ water is wholesome and a vegetarian diet was considered desirable. In total, though, Wesley provided more than 800 prescriptions to cure 300 different medical disorder in his book, which was republished in 32 editions and reprinted at least until 1840. John Wesley was born to parents Samuel and Susanna, and was their fifteenth child. Samuel Wesley served as Church of England rector of Epworth with the nine children who survived beyond infancy.

Samuel and Susanna expected all of their children – including the girls – to be proficient in Latin and Greek, and to have committed portions of the New Testament to memory.

It was a loving but disciplined upbringing, albeit one that was dramatically interrupted in February 1709 when the five year old John Wesley had a brush with death as a fire blazed through the rectory at about 11pm.

A parishioner plucked Wesley to safety and the experience left an indelible mark in the preacher’s memory as a story of deliverance and the role of Christians in looking after one another. The scene was immortalised in a lithograph by Henry Parker in 1840.

The young John Wesley was educated at Charterhouse School and entered Christ Church in Oxford in 1720, ordained deacon in 1725 and Church of England Priest in 1728, briefly working with his ailing father in Epworth. >>

John Wesley preaching to native American Indians, Wellcome Library.

>> Favouring a call to ministry rather than academia, John Wesley returned to Christ Church, reading William Law’s Christian Perfection and a Serious Call which inspired him to seek religious truths and contemplate the changes which would proliferate throughout the C18th. John’s brother Charles would also enrol in Christ Church and would found Holy Club, which advocated a devout life. John would become the leader of the group upon his return to Oxford and in 1720 cultivated his list of General Questions which would dictate what daily activities and resolutions a committed Christian should follow.

John and Charles travelled to Georgia in October 1735 to practice ministry and whilst there, encountered Moravian settlers, with their deep faith and piety, inspiring John to travel to Germany and England to further his understanding of the Moravians. English churches were unconvinced by Wesley’s approaches, increasingly influenced by the Moravians and from 1739 began preaching in the open air rather than just churches. In 1739 John Wesley formerly broke with the Moravians and began his own Methodist movement, preaching form his father’s tombstone in Epworth, an in fields, halls, cottages and chapels for the next 40 years, often facing persecution from clergy and religious magistrates. Doubtless Wesley flouted many regulations of the Church of England concerning parish boundaries and accused some clergy of corruption, showing favour to lay preachers rather than just ordained ministers. The first Wesleyan chapels were established in Bristol, London and Manchester, and with the movement growing, created the General Rules for the United Societies in 1743, founding the movement in America from 1784 following its declaration of Independent from Great Britain in 1776. It was around the same time that Wesley called for the abolition of slavery. By the time of his death in 1791, John Wesley’s legacy was over 135,000 members and 541 itinerant preachers, as well as his 400 publication which, as well as religion, provided social commentary on music, marriage, politics, health and medicine. Right up until his death, John Wesley continued to travel and one claim is that he rode over 250,000 miles on horseback. His Calvinist sparring partner was George Whitefield, and it’s believed that Wesley invented the phrase agree to disagree after one of their passionate but mutually respectful discussions.

Today, there are over 75m Methodists worldwide in more than 130 countries, and in a BBC survey in 2002, John Wesley was declared the 50th greatest Briton as voted for in a public poll. John Wesley’s legacies – as well as that beloved Christmas carol – include the Grade I listed Old Rectory in Epworth. Rebuilt in 1709 and owned by the Church of England until 1954, it was later sold to the British Methodist Church and opened as a museum in 1957. n

JOHN WESLEY TIMELINE

1703 Born at Epworth, Lincolnshire, 15th child of Samuel and Susanna Wesley 1709 Fire at Epworth Rectory saw John Wesley rescued 1720 Entered Christ Church College, Oxford 1725 Ordained Deacon in the Church of England 1726 Elected Fellow of Lincoln College, Oxford 1728 Ordained Priest

1735 Embarked for Mission in Georgia 1738 Arrived back in Great Britain

1738 Conversion experience at Aldersgate 1739 Began preaching out of doors

1742 First ‘class-meetings’ organized, they became a ‘germ cell’ of the Methodist Society 1743 Published his General Rules for the Methodist Societies

1744 First Methodist Conference held

1747 Began first of several visits to Ireland

1748 Opened Kingswood School 1778 First Issue of Monthly, Arminian Magazine 1784 Legally incorporated Methodist Conference

1784 Ordained preachers for USA, led to formation of Methodist Episcopal Church the following Christmas. 1791 John Wesley dies in London, aged 87. n

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IN A LUXURIOUS NIGHT AWAY

Our beautiful, iconic 400-year-old Hotel, sits beside the River Nene in the idyllic surroundings of the conservation village of Wansford, in Cambridgeshire. Throughout its history the Hotel has hosted an incredible array of famous and Royal guests including Mary Queen of Scots, Queen Victoria, Princess Diana and many others. Having completed an extensive restoration, the Hotel has once again regained its reputation as one of the region’s finest. It now cleverly displays all its historic glory with luxuriously appointed rooms featuring painstakingly restored medieval fireplaces combined with all of the modern technology and conveniences we all enjoy. With two restaurants to choose from we know our ‘foodie’ guests will be fully satisfied! Fine dining can be enjoyed in our Michelin recognised, 3 rosette awarded ‘Prévost’ restaurant. This showcases a contemporary Tasting Menu by our Executive Head Chef, Lee Clarke and Head Chef Sam Nash, all paired with the eclectic wine choices from our Sommelier.

Relax and unwind in our Courtyard Bar and Lounge, smile at its unique playful décor, enjoy the music and the warm friendly atmosphere. Even outdoors, if the weather suits, in the historic courtyard setting warmed by our open firepit.