Banner of Truth Conference 2026 Day Two Morning

A good morning here in Yarnfield Park. We began with a short prayer meeting and then heard two papers on past revivals and theirblessons. First, American missionary to France, David Vaughn, spoke on the East African Revival and then, secondly, Brian Edwards spoke on Primitive Methodists. Both very interesting and rather forgotten. Between those we heard from, John Rawlinson gave a farewell speech, reminiscing and urging us not to build a legacy but to be faithful to the Lord. I was interested to hear that he was at a Banner Youth Conference in 1980 in Clovelly Hall, a conference which I believe I was also at.

John Wesley on the Radio

I enjoyed listening yesterday to a recent edition of Melvyn Bragg's In our time on Radio 4. It was on  John Wesley and Methodism and can be accessed here. The approach is pretty secular but it spotlights some interesting and important matters.

John Cennick

John Wesley’s House & The Museum of Methodism

This is a post-dated blog post. In the business of things I omitted just to mention that on Monday lunch time I was at the Evangelical Library lecturing on John Cennick. We had a decent turn out and several were happy to hear more about a rather forgotten hero from Church history.

I simply gave the life story as I understand it. I concluded with these closing observations

Cennick left some 40 sermons and 750 hymns of varying quality. The main lessons to learn from his life are perhaps in the areas of how hard Christian unity is, holiness and evangelistic zeal.

1. How hard Christian unity is. Cennick was driven out by the Wesleyans and there was not much he could have done to prevent it. When he left for the Moravians, however, no-one forced him and the Moravians did little to encourage him to join them. He was obviously convinced that it was the right thing to do, however. It did nothing to increase unity.

2. Holiness. In his biography of Wesley, Luke Tyerman wrote

Cennick had his weaknesses; but, in deadness to the world, communion with God, Christian courage and cheerful patience, he had few superiors.

J E Hutton wrote that

Of all the great preachers of the eighteenth century, not one was superior to him in beauty of character. He was inferior to John Wesley in organising skill, and inferior to Whitefield in dramatic power; but in devotion, in simplicity, and in command over his audience he was equal to either.

3. Evangelistic zeal. Cennick probably preached some eight or nine thousand times between 1739 and 1755, often to huge crowds. He was often persecuted and yet his zeal knew no respite. Here is a brief passage from a late sermon preached in Ireland. It is quite Moravian in style but shows the passion with which he preached

Behold him behold the Lamb of God! Those open arms are extended to embrace you; that pained breast was made bare, that you might lean there and be comforted; that cross of his was raised up to screen and shelter you, like a great tree, from the burning heat of the wrath of Almighty God; those wounds are the cities of refuge, set open that you might turn in and be safe; that reverend head was bowed down to listen to your complaint and sighs, and those dear lips stooped to kiss you, the blood which runs down from all parts, from head to foot, hastened to make a river of life, that you might drink and live for ever, that you might wash and be clean. O go to him, venture near him, spread your hands and hearts towards this temple, make your prayers towards this gate of heaven, and apply fearless and with trust, to him who was lifted up and slain, and you shall find help.

How we need such preaching today.

Doddridge's book and an unconsummated marriage

One of many books I am reading at present is a Book of London Stories which includes a piece by one James Lackington. It begins with an interestiing reference to a book by Philip Doddridge.

A Friend of mine, of whose veracity I entertain the highest opinion, has favoured me with an account of a lady, who has to the full as much, indeed more of the spirit, but without the good nature of Nancy Lackington. The fact is as follows: "'Tis true 'tis pity: and pity 'tis it's true." Mr. R—t, a genteel tradesman with whom I am acquainted, having lost his second wife early in 1790, courted and married one of the holy sisters a few months afterwards. They had lived together about six months, when Mr. R—t, one Sunday, being a sober religious man, took down Doddridge's Lectures, and began to read them to his wife and family. But this holy sister found fault with her husband for reading such learned rational discourses, which savoured too much of human reason and vain philosophy, and wished he would read something more spiritual and edifying. He attempted to convince her that Dr. Doddridge was not only a good rational divine, but to the full as spiritual as any divine ought to be; and that to be more spiritual he must be less rational, and of course become fanatical and visionary. But these observations of the husband so displeased his spiritual wife, that she retired to bed, and left her husband to read Doddridge's Lectures as long as he chose to his children by a former wife. The next morning while Mr. R—t was out on business, this holy sister, without saying one syllable to any person, packed up all her clothes, crammed them into a hackney coach, and away she went. Mr. R—t, poor soul! on coming home discovered his immense loss, and in an almost frantic state, spent the first fortnight in fruitless attempts to discover her retreat.

Lackington was a bookseller. Here his target is an unrealistic and overdone spirituality. He is not happy either with the other extreme. which also existed among the late 18th century Methodists.

A great blessing to me

This book by Canadian Grant Gordon explores the relationship between John Newton (1725-1807) and George Whitefield (1714-1770). I can't remember reading a book exactly like this but it certainly works well in that it sheds light both on Newton and Whitefield and is very stimulating to thought. I suppose when you read a single biography you identify or fail to identify and there can be no easy way to apply the lessons learned. This format means that you are forced to stand back and consider two pretty different men - not even exact contemporaries (they only knew each other the last 15 years of Whitefield's life) - and so the danger of over identifying is not really there in the same way,

The approach is to briefly give the two men's lives up to 1754 then in five chapters look t the life of Newton and his interactions with Whitefield. Closing chapters consider Whitefield's impact on the younger man and how they compare and contrast with a final page or two on Newton's final tribute to Whitefield. If you know the story of Newton and Whitefield you will enjoy the way they are delineated that much more sharply by this book.

Dr Grant intimated that he intends a similar book on Newton and Wesley which would be very welcome. This present volume is enhanced by several visual items, an index, etc. It is a pity it is not in hardback.

10 men who preached sermons marking Whitefield's death

This is a selection of the many preached when George Whitefield died on September 30, 1770. Luke Tyerman says there were 17 such sermons, seven of them being published.

1. Jonathan Parsons, Newbury Port, Phil 1:21, Sep 30

2. Ebenezer Pemberton, Boston, Heaven the residence of saints, Oct 11

3. James Sprout, Philadelphia, Oct 14

4. Edward Ellington, Savannah, Reproach of Christ the Christian's treasure

(and John Joachim Zubly, The wise shining as the brightness of the firmament, Nov 11)

5. David Edwards, London, Hebrews 11:4 (two sermons), Nov 11

6. John Wesley, London, No 23:10, Nov 11 and 23

7. John Newton, Olney, John 5:3, Nov 11

8. Henry Venn, Bath, Isa 8:18, Nov 18

9. William Romaine, London

10. John Berridge, Everton in Bedfordshire,

SBHS Lecture 2016 on Benjamin Ingham

It was good to be there with just under 30 others last night in Bethesda, Kensington, for the annual lecture of the Strict Baptist Historical Society. Kevin Price from Kendal gave an excellent overview of the life of Benjamin Ingham, the Oxford Methodist and inadvertent founder of his own denomination (Inghamites). The lecture was well informed and well paced as we looked at Ingham's Methodism, his Calvinism, his relations with the Moravians and the eventual embracing of Sandemanianism. Fascinating. The mystery is why a man with such an emphasis on the experimental should be taken in by the Glasite error. The paper finished with William Romaine's comment on the Inghamites "If ever there was a Church of Christ upon earth, that was one. I paid them a visit, and had a great mind to join them. There was a blessed work of God among that people, till that horrid blast from the north came upon them and destroyed all!"

Retro Album "of the week" 47 - Sing lustily and with good courage

I was first aware of Maddy Prior as a youngster when Steeleye Span would occasionally breach the British charts. Later on a friend of mine saw them in concert and was thrown an artificial flower by the aforesaid Maddy. People offered him ridiculous amounts for it which he later wished he had taken. Anyway a few years later and I'm in Alan Davey's car and he is playing on the tape deck a wonderful set of hymns sung in an approximation of the 18th century Methodists. On enquiry I got hold of the details and was able to track it down somewhere on cassette. I'm not sure if I ever got it on CD. I now have it on the old iTunes (along with some few similar albums) and still enjoy although that initial impact has become a little muted. The album is By Maddy and the Carnival Band and the title refers to something John Wesley once urged on his followers.

The technical term for this is gallery songs or West Gallery music. This is sacred music (often metrical psalms but hymns and anthems too) sung and played in English parish churches and nonconformist chapels c 1700 to 1850 until church organs took over. The term comes from the wooden galleries constructed at the west end of churches during the 18th century upon which the choir would perform. Victorians did not like these Georgian galleries, and most were removed in the 19th century.

The best known precedent for this is apparently The Waterson's "Sound, Sound Your Instruments of Joy" (1977). This album has 16 items that were all known to me before. Indeed, these were my favourite hymns as a nonconformist teenager. As pants the hart (N Tate) and Watts's Rejoice ye shining worlds and Lord in the morning are pretty much psalms and O worship the king a more developed psalm. Monkland is an instrumental most often used to Milton's version of Psalm 136 (played here with the music to the 19th century hymn All things bright). Nearly half the hymns are by the gifted Charles Wesley (O Thou who camest from above, Lo He comes with clouds descending, O for a thousand tongues to sing, Light of the World, Away with our sorrow and care, Christ the Lord is ris'n today and And can it be?). There is also Thomas Oliver's wonderfully Jewish God of Abraham praise. As for the Baptists, there is Bunyan's Who would true valour and How firm a foundation which they attribute to Richard Keen. Also, All hail the power by Perronet and Rippon.
The album makes few pretensions to authenticity or spirituality but it is a very enjoyable album well worth a listen.

Devauden

I recently travelled from Aberystwyth to Chepstow and back and on my journey I came to the little village of Devauden (Dyfawden). It has a lovely green with a bilingual noticeboard and a bust of John Wesley explaining that this was the first place where Wesley preached in October 1739. The relevant entry in the published journal says

 

Monday, 15.—Upon a pressing invitation, some time since received, I set out for Wales. About four in the afternoon I preached on a little green at the foot of the Devauden (a high hill, two or three miles beyond Chepstow) to three or four hundred plain people on "Christ our wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption." After sermon, one who I trust is an old disciple of Christ, willingly received us into his house: whither many following, I showed them their need of a Saviour from these words, "Blessed are the poor in spirit."

16. In the morning I described more fully the way to salvation—"Believe in the Lord Jesus, and thou shalt be saved"; and then, taking leave of my friendly host, before two came to Abergavenny. ...

18. When we were at Devauden on Monday, a poor woman who lived six miles off, came thither in great heaviness. She was deeply convinced of sin, and weary of it; but found no way to escape from it . She walked from thence to Abergavenny on Tuesday, and on Wednesday from Abergavenny to Usk. Thence in the afternoon she came to Ponty-pool; where between twelve and one in the morning, after a sharp contest in her soul, our Lord got unto himself the victory: and the love of God was shed abroad in her heart, testifying that her sins were forgiven her. She went on her way rejoicing to Cardiff, whither I came in the afternoon.

The noticeboard reveals that this woman was Ann Lewis (nee Rosser) who with her husband set up a Methodist Society in their cottage. This led to the establishing of the small Earlswood Methodist Chapel in 1754, one of the earliest purpose-built chapels to survive in Monmouthshire. They say the chapel was built with stone from the nearby quarry some being carried by owmen in their aprons! It is claimed to be the oldest Methodist chapel in Wales. Ann travelled widely on foot to raise funds, including many visits to Bristol via the ferry from Black Rock at Portskewett.

CYSK 15 J Hudson Taylor

Unknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

[James] Hudson Taylor (Chinese: 戴德生) (1832–1905) was a British Protestant missionary to China and founder of the China Inland Mission (CIM) (now OMF International). He spent 51 years in China. CIM was responsible for bringing over 800 missionaries to the country who were used to bring some 18,000 to faith, as well as establishing more than 300 stations of work with more than 500 local helpers in all 18 provinces and beginning 125 schools. He was known for his sensitivity to Chinese culture and zeal for evangelism. He adopted wearing native Chinese clothing, rare among missionaries of the time. Under his leadership, CIM was singularly non-denominational in practice and accepted all sorts of people. Primarily because CIM's campaign against the Opium trade, Taylor has been referred to as one of the most significant Europeans to visit China in the 19th Century. Historian Ruth Tucker summarises the theme of his life: No other missionary in the nineteen centuries since the Apostle Paul has had a wider vision and has carried out a more systematised plan of evangelising a broad geographical area than Hudson Taylor. Taylor was able to preach in several varieties of Chinese, including Mandarin, Chaozhou and the Wu dialects of Shanghai and Ningbo. The last of these he knew well enough to help prepare a colloquial edition of the New Testament written in it. He was from a Methodist background but after being converted at 17 he espoused many principles of The Brethren.

Nottage Nonconformity

I read that Nottage was one of the earliest centres of Nonconformist activities in Wales. John Myles (1621-1683) a trier under Cromwell and the founder of Wales's first Baptist Church in Ilston, 1649, who went on to found Swansea, Massachusetts, preached in Nottage in 1657. After the Declaration of Indulgence, 1662, two licences were issued in 1672 by Charles II allowing Walter Cradock (1606-1659) the founder with William Wroth (1576-1642) of Wales's first Independent Church in Llanfaches, 1638, and a supporter of Cromwell and Howell Thomas (in William Andrews' house), a Baptist, to preach. Howell Harris (1714-1773) in 1743 formed a Methodist 'Society' in Nottage. Baptists leased a cottage on the site of the present chapel and were received into the Association by 1789. Differences over doctrine divided the Baptists, and the church became Unitarian.

(I'll be putting a similar version of this on my Great Ejection blogsite).

John Langford

I recently came across a name unknown to me before - that of an 18th century minister called John Langford. He was apparently connected with the early Methodists but afterwards joined the Baptist Church in Eagle Street, London, under the pastorate of Dr Andrew Gifford. From 1766 he was pastor of several London churches, especially Blackfields in Southwark. He died about 1790. He preached a sermon on the death of Whitefield (1770) that was printed. It was called The exalted state of the faithful ministers of Christ, after death, described and considered. He also published a hymn collection (1776), which included his own hymns (A collection of hymns and spiritual songs). He was long remembered as a man of great spirituality and Christian meekness.

DMLJ 14 Williams Experience Meeting

The Experience Meeting by William Williams (Translated by Bethan Lloyd-Jones in 1973)

INTRODUCTION

The Methodist or Evangelical Awakening of the 18th century began in Wales some two years before that in England, and was quite independent of it for a number of years. That they were part of the same movement of the Spirit of God is shown clearly by the many features that were common to both.

There was the same inspired, fervent, warm preaching, with great emphasis on repentance, justification, regeneration and assurance of salvation, the same itinerant ministry outside the bounds of the particular parishes of the preachers, and the open-air or field-preaching which attracted the masses who never attended the churches.

However, in many ways the most striking similarity was the way in which, independently of each other, the leaders were led to gather together the converts into little groups or societies for further teaching and nurturing in the Faith. These men of God had a great concern for the souls of the people and realising that the parish churches were so spiritually dead that they could provide neither the fellowship nor the teaching that was necessary for these raw converts, they developed the idea of 'religious societies' where such people could meet together regularly every week.

The object of the societies was primarily to provide a fellowship in which the new spiritual life and experience of the people could be safe-guarded and developed. The great emphasis was primarily on experience and the experimental knowledge of God and his love and His ways. Each member gave an account of God's dealings with him or her and reported on any remarkable experience and also their sins and lapses and so doing compared notes with one another in these respects. The societies were not ‘bible study’ groups or meetings for the discussion of theology. Of course great stress was laid on reading the Bible as well as prayer, but the more intellectual aspects of the Faith were dealt with in the preaching services and not in the societies. Here, the emphasis was on daily life and living, the fight against the world, the flesh and the devil and the problems that arise inevitably in the Christian's pilgrimage through this world of sin. At first the preachers themselves were able to conduct these societies but as the numbers soon greatly multiplied it became necessary to appoint lay leaders to conduct the various local societies. The preachers now became superintendents of a number of local societies which they visited periodically for the purpose of examination and giving advice.

Of these preachers and leaders the Rev. William Williams, the great hymn-writer and poet, though second to Howell Harris in organising ability, soon became the outstanding and recognised leader and authority in this respect. The task of conducting these 'experience-meetings' obviously called for great wisdom, spiritual insight, tact, and discretion. They could easily degenerate into exhibitionism on the part of extroverts and lead to scandal, as very private matters were related involving others. It was in order to obviate such troubles and disasters and to instruct the leaders in this most important work, that the Rev. William Williams wrote this little book now translated into English for the first time.

His genius, his spiritual understanding and what would now be described as psychological insight stand out everywhere and are truly astonishing.

The experimental or experiential aspect of the Christian life has been seriously neglected during the present century. Certain factors and tendencies have led to this unfortunate condition. Chief among these has been a superficial evangelism which has neglected real conviction of sin and repentance and encouraged an easy believism. Secondly, there has been a theory of sanctification, more psychological than spiritual and scriptural, which has discouraged self-examination and taught that we have only to ‘leave it to the Lord'. Thirdly. and more recently. has been an unbalanced emphasis on intellectual understanding of Truth, the social application of Truth and the manifestation of particular spiritual gifts. All this has greatly impoverished the spiritual life of both the individual Christian and the churches and led to coldness, barrenness, and loss of power. The greatest need of the hour is a return to the emphases of the Evangelical Awakening. It is in the belief that this classic of the spiritual life and warfare can greatly stimulate and hasten that return that I encouraged my Wife to translate it, and am now happy to commend it and to advise all Christians to read it. I would particularly urge ministers and pastors to read it, not only because it will prove to be an invaluable help in what is now called counselling of individuals, but also because I would press upon them the importance of introducing such meetings into the life of their churches. Much untold blessing would follow.

D. M. Lloyd-Jones.

DMLJ 03 Fletcher of Madeley

This is a rather obscure one but check here for the work. The introduction is by David Rushworth Smith, then a member of the Westminster Fellowship and one who had the Doctor's ear.


Christ Manifested
by John Fletcher

Foreword

It is most appropriate that the famous letters of the saintly John Fletcher should be re-published in 1968. For this year happens to be the 200th anniversary of the opening of the Countess of Huntingdon's College at Trevecca, for the training of preachers (later known as Cheshunt College). John Fletcher was the first president of the College, which was opened in 1768 by George Whitefield, who preached several sermons on that occasion.
Fletcher was one of that great and remarkable company of men raised up by God in the eighteenth century in connection with The Evangelical Awakening - a company which included George Whitefield, John and Charles Wesley, Daniel Rowlands, Howel Harris and John Cennick.
These men belonged to two main groups, determined chiefly by their views on the subject of Free Will and Sanctification. At times the controversy between them was acute and even bitter but at the first anniversary of the opening of the college at Trevecca in August 1769, the leaders of both parties were present and took part in the worship, the preaching and the partaking of the Lord's Supper at a great Communion Service.
What made this possible was their common experience of the grace of God, their doctrine of assurance, but above all their deep experimental knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is what made them the men they were and gave them their evangelistic zeal; and this accounts for the authority which was such a great characteristic of their preaching. This is what brought them together, in spite of their differences.
Nothing is more important than this; and it is the theme of these six letters on The Spiritual Manifestations of the Son of God.
They have been so long out of print, and almost impossible to obtain apart from the rare copies of the Complete Works of John Fletcher. It is particularly good to have them as a separate volume in this way.
I shall never forget my first reading of these letters and the benediction to my soul that they proved to be. They are undoubtedly a spiritual classic.
At a time like this, when many are preoccupied almost exclusively with questions of ecclesiastical organisation and realignment and others are in danger of falling into a Corinthian and fanatical interest in spiritual phenomena and the majority perhaps are just practising formal Christianity, nothing can be more salutary than the message of this book. It points us to the one thing that finally matters, and without which all else is more or less vain. It also points us to the highway to revival - both personal and general.
May God bless it and use it to that end.

D. MARTYN LLOYD-JONES
Westminster

January 1968

Ted Hughes Parson Grimshaw

Ted Hughes (1930-98), poet laureate from 1984 until his death, was brought up in the village of Mytholmroyd, near Haworth and the effect of Grimshaw’s ministry upon the whole area had also left a strong impression on him. Faith Cook notes that writing in Remains of Elmet in 1979, Hughes could say of Grimshaw:

To judge by the shock-wave that can still be felt … he struck the whole region like a planet … To a degree, he changed the very landscape. His heavenly fire, straight out of Blake’s Prophetic Books, shattered the terrain into biblical landmarks; quarries burst open like craters, and chapels – the bedrock transfigured – materialised, standing in them.

Westminster Conference 02

The second day of conference was at least as good as if not better than the first day. Certainly the standard of discussion seemed a little better. Robert Oliver, Jeremy Walker and Robert Strivens chaired.

We kicked off with Westminster Seminary West President Robert Godfrey on tradition. Drawing on the work of Heiko Oberman (The Dawn of the Reformation) and one or two others he helpfully untangled the muddle of tradition using Oberman's three types and adding a fourth of his own. Oberman says

"Whereas in Tradition I truth is grasped and held through reflection on Holy Scripture and in Tradition II through reflection on Scripture and Tradition ... (in) Tradition III, truth is grasped and held by introspection and self-analysis on the part of the Church focused in the Teaching office".

So T1 is a school of interpretation such as the Reformed one; T2 involves an appeal to oral tradition as is common in Eastern Orthodoxy; T3 is tied up with J H Newman's idea of development of doctrine.

Godfrey's T4 includes ideas passed won that are a matter of prudence rather Scripture.

Having set this out at some length and illustrated it by reference to the controversy over images, Dr Godfrey went on to speak of the necessity of certain traditions and the usefulness of others. he closed by warning of the obvious dangers of traditions.

Of course, the difficulty is in disentangling what sort of traditions our traditions are.

In the second session Jonathan Watson tackled Thomas Brooks' excellent Precious remedies against Satan's devices. This sort of paper can be done badly but was done very well on this occasion. After a brief biography (there is not much to say as we have seen on this blog) we had a four point summary of how to deal with Satan's devices.

1. Know yourself

2. Know your enemy (his names, pervasiveness, hatred for us, great experience and his requiring a double leave to move - from God and then from you!)

3. Know your weapons

4. Helpful directions for Christian soldiers - there were 10 of these, to do with obeying the Word, not grieving the Spirit, seeking heavenly wisdom, resisting at the first moment, endeavouring to be Spirit filled, keeping humble, being on guard, keeping up communion with God, never relying on self and being much in prayer.

The book contains 38 devices and 189 remedies!

The final paper, given by Faith Cook, was on William Grimshaw. Much of this material was familiar to some of us but it was good to be reminded again of his example in this anniversary year.

On a personal note I have found the conference most heart warming. I especially appreciated the reminder of the Puritans commitment to godliness through disciplined highlighted in Brooks' gem of a work.

Stapleford, etc

On Monday we were meeting again at the Evangelical Library near Baker Street where we are still inching towards a sale of the property. Further developments look to be in the right direction. Watch this space!
Then I was out all day Tuesday. Bright and early Eleri took me to the London Gateway Services near the bottom of the M1 (did you know that the M1 has no Junction 3?) where I met up with Jeremy Walker (Maidenbower Baptist) to travel to Stapleford, just off the M1 between Derby and Nottingham. In a chapel there I was at my first full committee organising upcoming Westminster Conferences. It was good to be amongst august company. One of the EP directors was able to give me a first glimpse of my book on regeneration, which Jeremy told me he also had a copy of. I'm still yet to have one of my own.
The next Westminster Conference (2008) is all set. I have listed the subjects here. Speakers are to be Iain Murray (Lessons from the Puritans), John J Murray (Recovering the Reformed vision), Paul Brown (Kevan and law), American Professor Robert Godfrey (Tradition good and bad), Jonathan Watson of Banner (Thomas Brooks) and Faith Cook (Grimshaw).
The conference is becoming a little nomadic. Having begun in Westminster Chapel and been in the Friends House near Euston for a short while, this year's conference (December 9, 10) will be at the American Church in Tottenham Court Road.
As for 2009 (December 8, 9) things are shaping up well. We are hoping to have papers on Calvin (two of these), one on the 1859 Revival, one concerning Darwin and Darwinism, one on the Elizabethan settlement of 1559 and, to round off, one on the Moravians. It is shaping up to be a very good conference. Do come along.
The church kindly made us hot drinks and given us a light lunch. One of the ladies said that they had had a baptism last Sunday of the husband of a church member, a man they had been praying for, for some 32 years! Praise the Lord!

After the committee those who wished were kindly invited to have a meal at the nearby home of a former committee member now retired. We had a lovely time chatting and enjoying hospitality there, sharing news and anecdotes, etc. This man has preached some 700 sermons since he retired 10 years ago, which shows that life is hardly over just because you retire.
We then headed home. I was back by 9 pm but Jeremy took another 2 hours to get through London. It was my suggestion to head through the city I hope that wasn't what made him so late.

Holy Club

John and Charles Wesley and a handful of other Oxford students devoted themselves to a rigorous search for holiness and service to others.
The Holy Club, the name given to John and Charles Wesley’s group by their fellow collegians in mockery of their emphasis on devotions, was the first sign of what later became Methodism. Begun by Charles and led by John after his return to Oxford University in 1729, the Holy Club members fasted until 3 pm on Wednesdays and Fridays, received Holy Communion once each week, studied and discussed the Greek New Testament and the Classics each evening in a member’s room, visited (after 1730) prisoners and the sick, and systematically brought all their lives under strict review. The Holy Club never exceeded 25 members, but many of those made significant contributions, in addition to those of Charles and John Wesley. Looking back from 1781 John Wesley saw in the Holy Club the “first rise” of Methodism.

1. George Whitefield, who joined the club just before the Wesleys departed for Georgia, was associated both with the Great Awakening in America and the Evangelical Revival in England. He was a powerful evangelist on both sides of the Atlantic.

2. Welshman John Gambold later became a Moravian bishop

3. Benjamin Ingham became a Yorkshire evangelist

4. James Hervey became a noted religious writer

5. Thomas Broughton became secretary of the SPCK

6. John Clayton became a distinguished Anglican churchman. He remained a high churchman

Others include

Co-founder Westley Hall, Charles Kinchin, Robert Kirkham, William Morgan, John Simpson, William Smith, etc.

Methodist

I knew that Methodist was a nickname and I knew it was to do with their methodical approach to godliness. What I'd not picked up is that the nickname Methodist refers back to a group of Roman physicians who were called Methodists because of their approach to health. This is mentioned on page 55 of the newly translated Calvinistic Methodist Fathers which I am very much enjoying. Apparently this explanation is found in (John) Wesley himself.

Wesley's Conversion

John Wesley (1703-1791), of course was a minister in the Church of England and 'the founder of Methodism' (at least the Arminian sort). Theologically, he emphasised free will along with predestination and faith along with works. Spiritually, he encouraged a life of prayer, Bible study and charity. Today, there are as many as 70 million Methodists worldwide. Methodism is not what it was but its roots are good. I'm glad people make a fuss about Wesley still. i just wish they remembered George Whitefield (1714-1770), his shorter lived Calvinistic counterpart. Down in the City yesterday I saw both the statue of Wesley in St Paul's churchyard and a bronze memorial Methodist Flame and plaque on Aldersgate Street put there in 1981 to commemorate his conversion experience (or was it something else?) on the site on May 24, 1738. It is at Nettleton Court, London EC2 on the first floor level of the Barbican complex, and is reached via stairways on either side of Aldersgate St, near the entrance to the Museum of London and can be seen at any time. Nearest tube: Barbican or Moorgate.
The plaque records sections from his journal entry for May 24, 1738:

What occurred on Wednesday, the 24th, I think best to relate at large, after premising what may make it the better understood. Let him that cannot receive it ask the Father of lights that he would give more light to him and me. ...

I think it was about five this morning that I opened my Testament on those words: δι ων τα μεγιστα ημιν και τιμια επαγγελματα δεδωρηται ινα δια τουτων γενησθε θειας κοινωνοι φυσεως αποφυγοντες της εν κοσμω εν επιθυμια φθορας - ‘There are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises, even that ye should be partakers of the divine nature.’ Just as I went out I opened it again on those words, ‘Thou art not far from the kingdom of the God.’
In the afternoon I was asked to go to St Paul’s [it's just around the corner]. The anthem was, "Out of the deep have I called unto thee, O Lord: Lord, hear my voice. O let thine ears consider well the voice of my complaint. If thou, Lord, wilt be extreme to mark what is done amiss, O Lord, who may abide it? But there is mercy with thee; therefore thou shalt be feared. O Israel, trust in the Lord: for with the Lord there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption. And he shall redeem Israel from all his sins."
14. In the evening I went very unwillingly to a society in Aldersgate 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.
For more see here.