I’d like to end with some wise words of John Wesley, compiled from his sermons.
John Wesley (1703-1791) was an English theologian and evangelist who travelled widely and often preached outdoors. He spoke out against the slave trade and for women preachers. Clergy attacked Wesley and his followers in sermons and in print, and at times mobs attacked them. Wesley and his followers continued to work among the neglected and needy. John Wesley wrote many hymns, including one of my favourites (see below).
In 2009, a Film, “Wesley – A Heart Transformed Can Change the World”, was directed by John Jackman and is available on Prime Video, Apple TV, etc. I hope to watch it this weekend.
I’ll give the summary first – 12 principles that have been compiled as a political manifesto for today, and then Wesley’s actual words with more detail.
- Reduce the gap between rich and poor
- Seek to ensure full employment
- Introduce measures to help the poorest, including a living wage
- Offer the best possible education
- Empower individuals to feel they can make a difference
- Promote tolerance
- Promote equal treatment for women
- Create a society based on values and not on profits and consumerism
- End all forms of enslavement
- Avoid engaging in wars
- Avoid narrow self-interest and promote a world view
- Care for the environment
- Be ye ready to distribute to every one, according to his necessity. (Sermon 28: Eighth Discourse on the Sermon on the Mount, 1747/8)
- Wickedly, devilishly false is that common objection, ‘They are poor only because they are idle…. Find them work…. They will then earn and eat their own bread.’
(First sentence: 8 Feb 1753 Journal; second sentence is from Thoughts on the Present Scarcity of Provisions 1773) - How many are there in this Christian country that toil, and labour, and sweat… but struggle with weariness and hunger together? Is it not worse for one, after a hard days labour, to come back to a poor, cold, dirty, uncomfortable lodging, and to find there not even the food which is needful to repair his wasted strength?
(Sermon 47: Heaviness Through Temptation 1754/1760) - Beware of that common, but accursed, way of making children parrots …. Regard not how much, but how well, to what good purpose, they read…. The end of education….[is to] help us discover every false judgement of our minds, and to subdue every wrong passion in our hearts… [and] to understand as much as we are able .’
(Lessons for Children 1746) - ‘Do all the good you can. By all the means you can. In all the ways you can. In all the places you can. At all the times you can. To all the people you can. As long as you ever can.’
(Attributed to Wesley but source unknown. Possibly written after his death as a summary of his teaching). - Though we cannot think alike, may we not love alike? May we not be of one heart, though we are not of one opinion?
(Sermon 39: On a Catholic Spirit 1749/50) - May not women as well as men bear an honourable part………yield not to the vile bondage any longer. You, as well as men, are rational creatures. You, like them, were made in the image of God.’
(Sermon 98: On Visiting the Sick 1786) - In seeking happiness from riches, you are only striving to drink out of empty cups. And let them be painted and gilded ever so finely, they are empty still’
(Sermon 126: Danger of Increasing Riches 1790) - Let none serve you but by his own act and deed, by his own voluntary action. Away with all whips, all chains, all compulsion!…. Do with everyone else as you would he should do to you..
(Thoughts on Slavery 1774) - War: What farther proof of do we need of the utter degeneracy of all nations from the plainest principles of reason and virtue? Of the absolute want, both of common sense and common humanity, which runs through the whole race of mankind?
(The Doctrine of Original Sin according to Scripture, Reason and Experience 1757) - I look upon the whole world as my parish
(Letter written to John Clayton March 1739) - Lead us beyond an exclusive concern for the well-being of other human beings to the broader concern for the well-being of the birds in our backyards, the fish in our rivers, and every living creature on the face of the earth.
(Sermon 60: The General Deliverance 1781)
© Gary Best, The New Room Bristol – please use this credit if you wish to share this list offline or online
AND CAN IT BE – by John Wesley
And can It be that I should gain
an interest in my Saviour’s blood?
Died he for me who caused his pain
For me who him to death pursued.
Amazing love! How can it be
that thou, my God, shouldst die for me.
I love the imagery of the 2nd verse:
’Tis mystery all! The Immortal dies!
Who can explore His strange design?
In vain the firstborn seraph tries
To sound the depths of love Divine!
’Tis mercy all! let earth adore,
Let angel minds inquire no more.
Here’s a recording of the song with more verses, although they, unfortunately, left out the 2nd verse: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzDes9IVdzg
He left His Father’s throne above,
So free, so infinite His grace;
Emptied Himself of all but love,
And bled for Adam’s helpless race:
’Tis mercy all, immense and free;
For, O my God, it found out me.
Long my imprisoned spirit lay
Fast bound in sin and nature’s night;
Thine eye diffused a quickening ray,
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee…
Who Would Dare Speak Truth to Trump?
On January 3, 2021, I wrote an urgent letter to Franklin Graham. My husband and I had met him and had supported his ministry, Samaritan’s Purse, for 20 years. We have a mutual friend who put me in contact with Franklin’s secretary, and she assured me he would receive my email. I tried to warn him about the impending danger with Trump’s lies about election fraud, supported by Graham.
In light of extremist groups and Christians believing these lies, I also expressed concern that this danger of violence may have been fed earlier by his Prayer March at the Capitol before the election in which he prayed fervently for Trump as if he was God’s anointed and absolutely must be reelected, because this was God’s will.
People were furious because they believed the conspiracy theory that Democrats had stolen the election right out of God’s hands.
I showed Franklin Graham the fact checks indicating there was no election fraud so he could set his followers straight on his Facebook page and elsewhere.
Franklin Graham never responded. He was probably too busy to even read my letter. And Graham was only one of many many religious leaders giving credence to Trump’s lies. It was unreasonable for me to think I could have any influence.
Still, my heart broke when, three days later, Trump’s angry mob attacked the Capitol, and Brian Sicknick was killed as a result.
Who would dare speak truth to Trump? He fires or persecutes anyone who opposes him.
I guess it’s up to the voters.
Respectfully submitted,
Sharon Krushel
“Let the words of my mouth (and keyboard) and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer” (Psalm 19:14).
