Wesley's Preaching

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Apr 3, 1879

Wesley's Preaching.

It was, I believe, in October, 1790, and not long before his death, that I heard John Wesley in the great round meeting-house at Colchester. He stood in a wide pulpit, and on each side stood a minister, and the two held him up, having their hands under his armpits. His feeble voice was barely audible. But his reverend countenance, especially his long white locks, formed a picture never to be forgotten. There was a vast crowd of lovers and admirers. It was, for the most part, pantomime, but the pantomime went to the heart. Of the kind, I never saw anything comparable to it in after-life. At another time, and not knowing the man, I should almost have ridiculed his figure. Far from it now. I looked upon him with a respect bordering on enthusiasm.

After the people had sung one verse of a hymn, he rose and said: “It gives me great pleasure to find that you have not lost your singing. Neither men nor women—you have not forgotten a single note. And I hope by the assistance of the same God that enables you to sing well, you may do all other things well.”

A universal “Amen” followed. At the end of every head or division of his discourse, he finished by a kind of prayer, a momentary wish, as it were, not consisting of more than three or four words, which was always followed by a universal buzz. His discourse was short, the text I could not hear. After the last prayer he rose up and addressed the people upon liberality of sentiment, and spoke much against refusing to join with any congregation on account of difference of opinion. He said, “If they do but fear God, working righteousness, and keep his commandments, we have nothing to object to.”—Diary of Henry Crabb Robinson.