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..•..•..«..•..•..I GREAT REVIVALS and EVANGELISTS VI. JOHN WESLEY (Concluded) By the Late JOHN CHARLES RYLE, D. D. Bishop of Liverpool □
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Note. —The following masterly appreciation of the great founder of the Methodist church appears in Bishop Ryle’s book entitled “ Christian Leaders of England in the Eighteenth Century.” We are using it because of the weight which its authorship gives it, Bishop Ryle having been one of the greatest evangelical leaders of the Church of England, during the century succeeding Wesley.— John H. Hunter.
left my native country, in order to teach the Georgian Indians the nature o f Chris tianity; but what have I learned o f myself in the meantime? Why, what I least sus pected, that I, who went to America to convert others, was myself never con verted to G od! I am not mad, though I thus speak; but I speak the words o f truth and soberness. “ If it be said that I have faith— for many such things have I heard from miserable comforters—I answer, so have the devils a sort o f faith; but they are still stran gers to the covenant o f promise. . .The faith I want is a sure trust and confidence in God that through the merits of Christ my sins are forgiven, and I reconciled to the favor o f God. I want that faith which St. Paul recommends to all the world, especially in his Epistle to the Romans; that faith which makes everyone that hath it to cry, ‘I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith o f the Son o f God; who loved me, and gave himself for me.’ I want that faith which none can have with out knowing that he hath it.” IM PORTANT RECORDS Records like these are deeply instructive. They teach that important lesson which man is so slow to learn—that we may have a great deal o f earnestness and religious ness without any true soul-saving and soul- comforting religion—that we may be dili gent in the use of fasting, prayers, forms, ordinances, and theN sacrament o f the Lord’s Supper, without knowing anything
ESLEY’ S own accounts of his spiritual experience dur ing these two years o f his life are deeply interesting. I will transcribe one or two of them.
On February the 7th, 1736, he records: “ On landing in Georgia I asked the advice o f Mr,. Spangenberg, one o f the German pastors, with regard to my own conduct. He said in reply, ‘My brother, I must first ask you one or two questions. Have you the witness within yourself? Does the Spirit o f God bear witness with your spirit that you are a child of God?’ I was surprised, and knew not what to answer. He observed it, and asked, ‘Do you know Jesus Christ?’ I paused, and said, ‘I know He is the Savior of the world.’ ‘True,’ replied he, ‘but do you know He has saved you?’ I answered, ‘I hope He has died to save me.’ He only added, ‘Do you know yourself?’ I said, ‘I do.’ But I fear they were vain words.” • On January 24, 1738, on board ship on his homeward voyage, he makes the fol lowing record: “I went to America to convert the Indians; but oh, who shall convert me? Who, what is he (hat will deliver me from this evil heart o f unbelief? I have a fair-summer religion; I can talk w ell; nay, and believe myself, while no danger is near. But let death look me in the face, and my spirit is troubled, nor can I say to die is gain.” On February 1, 1738, the day that he landed- in England, he says : “ It is now two years and almost four months since I
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