John Wesley And The Religious Societies

“In writing this book, I have kept the Methodist Church in view. My eyes have been fixed on John Wesley and the England in which his greatest work was done. We can never understand the revival of religion which glorified the eighteenth century until we see Wesley as he was, and get rid of the false impressions created by writers who have had an imperfect acquaintance with him and his evangelistic work.” — From the Preface

Excerpt from John Wesley and the Religious Societies In writing this book, I have kept the Methodist Church in view. My eyes have been fixed on John Wesley and the England in which his greatest work was done. We can never understand the revival of religion which glorified the eighteenth century until we see Wesley as he was, and get rid of the false impressions created by writers who have had an imperfect acquaintance with him and his evangelistic work. It is impossible for me, in this place, to express my obliga tions to all those who have helped me to write this book. I am deeply in their debt. While acknowledging my indebted ness to those who have preceded me in the study of Methodist history, I must make special reference to the editor and the annotators of the Standard Edition of The journal of john Wesley. That book has been my constant guide. I am also indebted to my fellow-workers of the Wesley Historical Society for the kindly light they have shed on many difficulties. The Publications and the Proceedings of the Society have been invaluable. To Mr. Arthur Wallington, who has read the proofs, and to the Rev. John Elsworth, who has compiled the Index, my special thanks are due. J. S. S. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

Hendrickson Classic Biographies presents a one-volume abridgement of Wesley's multi-volume journals. The Heart of John Wesley's Journal presents a remarkable life, recorded and examined in real time by Wesley himself. Spanning some fifty-five years, John Wesley's journals recorded his daily experiences in studying, teaching, preaching, and traveling the throughout England and then America in the eighteenth century. These selections present an engrossing portrait of Wesley during the course of his travels and evangelistic activities, illuminating the preacher's views and opinions on a host of contemporary matters. Begun as a public vindication of his early spiritual and pastoral work in Oxford and America, Wesley's journal became a means of keeping far-flung outposts of Methodism in touch with one another, a device for administering encouragement and rebukes, and a textbook of the experiential religion Wesley spent his life proclaiming. Wesley's eclectic interests and passion for rational analysis also make his journal a rich source for any reader interested in observing the conditions and values of society--particularly those of the lower classes--through the eyes of a well-educated and intelligent gentleman of the time.

Want to know how to live the Christian life? Learn from one of the foremost authorities, John Wesley, in this single-volume library of journal selections, sermons, and other addresses, essays, and letters. Two and a half centuries ago, the great Methodist distinguished himself as one of the world’s greatest authorities on the committed Christian life. Now, his most powerful writings have been compiled under one cover, perfect for personal study, pastoral research, or Christian school use. Including sermons on conversion, growth in grace, and practical holiness; essays on theological questions; personal letters; even hymns written and translated by Wesley, this all-in-one resource has been lightly updated for ease of reading, featuring scripture from the New King James Version.