John Wesley (1703–91) was an English evangelical clergyman, preacher, and writer. He cofounded of Methodism, one of the denominations of Protestant Christianity.
Born in Lincolnshire, England, Wesley was ordained in the Church of England. In 1729, he founded the Holy Club at Oxford with his brother Charles Wesley, the composer of numerous well-known church hymns. The Wesleys’ troupe of devout Christians were designated “methodists” because they meticulously followed the method of study and practice laid down in the church’s edicts.
In 1738, John Wesley experienced a transformative personal and religious event during a missionary trip to Georgia. Afterward, for over 50 years, Wesley travelled all over Britain on horseback, averaging 5,000 miles every year, preaching thousands of sermons. His particular emphasis on morality, self-discipline, and thrift won over many working-class converts who felt out of touch with the Anglican Church. Wesley’s Journal (1735–90) gives an account of his itinerant preaching.
Despite pervasive support of the Anglican clergy and Wesley’s wish for Methodism to continue within the Church of England, his custom of ordaining his missionaries himself was met with increasing hostility from the Anglican establishment. Eventually, when Wesley was officially restricted from ordaining clergy, the Methodists formally separated from the Church of England in 1791.
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When I was young I was sure of everything; in a few years, having been mistaken a thousand times, I was not half so sure of most things as I was before; at present, I am hardly sure of anything but what God has revealed.
—John Wesley
Topics: Experience, Doubt, Uncertainty
Act as if the whole election depended on your single vote.
—John Wesley
Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, as long as ever you can.
—John Wesley
My cool judgement is, that if all the other doctrines of devils which have been committed to writing since letters were in the world were collected together in one volume, it would fall short of this; and that, should a Prince form himself by this book, so calmly recommending hypocrisy, treachery, lying, robbery, oppression, adultery, whoredom, and murder of all kinds, Domitian or Nero would be an angel of light compared to that man.
—John Wesley
Make all you can, save all you can, give all you can.
—John Wesley
Topics: Wealth, Money
Though I am always in haste, I am never in a hurry.
—John Wesley
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 ever you can.
—John Wesley
Topics: Kindness, Time Management, Happiness, Action, Helpfulness, Goodness, Value of Time
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