DOCSLIB.ORG

Butler Wesley & Whitefield in Scotland 1899

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Butler Wesley & Whitefield in Scotland 1899 This is a reproduction of a library book that was digitized by Google as part of an ongoing effort to preserve the information in books and make it universally accessible. https://books.google.com John Wesley and George Whitefield in Scotland "the best of all is, god is with us." "i look upon all the world as my parish." "god buries his workmen, but carries on his work." — Wesley. "ASTRA PETAMUS." — Motto on IVhiteJield's seal, .with device of wings out spread for Jlight. j John Wesley and George Whitefield in Scotland or, The Influence of the Oxford Methodists on Scottish Religion BY THE REV. D. BUTLER, M.A. ABERNETHY NEW YORK FUNK AND WAGNALLS COMPANY 30 LAFAYETTE PLACE 1899 All Rights reserved 6 rf?. <r 3 PREFACE. In the following pages an endeavour has heen made to write a short history of the visits made to Scotland last century by two of the most outstanding men of the period — the Eev. John Wesley and the Eev. George Whitefield. Although the visits were but a very small fraction of their vast work, they are of great interest to the historical student, and to every one that takes an interest in a most remark able revival of religion, the results of which are still felt in the life and work of the modem Church. Wesley and Whitefield influenced Scottish Eeligion most profoundly, and the movement of which they were the outstanding leaders became to a consider able extent a religious movement within the Scottish Church, moulding both life and work ever since. The outstanding feature of the great Methodist Eevival is that its indirect influence was as im vi PREFACE. portant as its direct influence. The literature it created, the hymns it inspired, the work it called forth, the spiritual atmosphere it created by the organisation of a great religious communion, acted upon all the Churches, and left no Church after wards the same. Spiritual force cannot be limited in its area of direct action, and the great Methodist Eevival of Eeligion, while it is visibly embodied in the Scottish Churches that still bear Wesley's honoured name, cannot be measured in extent by them. The general movement has assimilated itself into the life and work of all sections of the Scottish Church, and has acted as an expansive force on re ligion and on religious work. Whitefield brought it by his preaching, which affected the Scottish towns as Savonarola's did Florence of old : Hervey expressed it in the religious literature which was widely read in Scotland : Charles Wesley has sung it into the Scottish devotional life by his hymns : John Wesley brought it by his literature, his hymns, his apostolic labours ; by the direct and indirect in fluence of organised Methodism, and the religious life it has inspired. The literature connected with the general move ment is vast, but the interest connected with the Scottish work is distinctive, and an endeavour has PREFACE. vii been made to give it a treatment which, while narrating the particular facts, yet connects it with the general movement. The letters and journals of Wesley and Whitefield are the original sources from which the information has been acquired, but other literature relating to the period has also been helpful. The letters and journals (especially Wesley's) are not only valuable as a record of the movement, but are also of historical value in cast ing light upon Scottish Church life in last century — an interest, too, which will increase with the years. It is to be observed that the movement was also indebted to Scotland, for a Scottish book — Scougal's 'Life of God in the Soul of Man' — had an epoch-making influence over Whitefield's religious development (pp. 5 to 11), and was well known to both Charles and John Wesley (p. 7 and pp. 67, 68). D. BUTLER. The Manse, Abernethy, Perthshire, November 18, 1898. CONTENTS. PAOE object and influence of methodism . 1 whitefield's life, work, influence, and scot tish visits . .4 wesley's life, work, influence, and Scottish visits . 07 Wesley's narrative of his Scottish visits . 229 INDEX 313 WESLEY AND WHITEFIELD IN SCOTLAND. Wesley [says Mr Leslie Stephen] founded a body which eighty years after his death could boast of twelve million adherents : and its reaction upon other bodies was perhaps as important as its direct influence.1 The Methodists themselves [says the late Mr Green] were the least result of the Methodist revival. A yet nobler result was the steady attempt, which has never ceased from that day to this, to remedy the guilt, the ignorance, the physical suffering, the social degra dation of the profligate and the poor. It was not till the Wesleyan impulse had done its work that this phil anthropic impulse began.2 Although the career of the elder Pitt [says Mr Lecky] and the splendid victories by land and sea that were won during his Ministry form unquestionably the most dazzling episodes in the reign of George II., they must yield, I think, in real importance to that religious 1 History of English Thought in the Eighteenth Century, vol. ii. p. 409. 5 A Short History of the English People, vol. iv. pp. 1618, 1619. A 2 WESLEY AND WHITEFIELD IN SCOTLAND. revolution which shortly before had been begun in England by the preaching of the Wesleys and of Whitefield. The creation of a large, powerful, and active sect, extending over both hemispheres, and numbering many millions of souls, was but one of its consequences. It also exercised a profound and lasting influence upon the spirit of the Established Church, upon the amount and distribution of the moral forces of the nation, and even upon the course of its political history.1 Such are the opinions of three modern historians regarding this remarkable and unique religious revival, and Mr Tyerman holds the bold statement to be strictly true — that " Methodism is the greatest fact in the history of the Church of Christ." 2 The present study deals with the historical facts regard ing the introduction of Methodism into Scotland ; with the influence it wielded, the opposition it had to contend with, and the spiritual force it brought within the Church itself. The area for inquiry is circumscribed, yet the movement within Scotland was real and pervasive, and what it lost in extent it gained in intensive power. Methodism was in Scot land, as in England, a purely religious movement, as spiritual as anything on this side of time can be ; it had as its marching-order and inspiring force a great object, fraught with good to the Churches of the country — viz., religion " not as the bare saying over 1 History of England in the Eighteenth Century, vol. ii. p. 521. ! The Life and TimeB of John Wesley, vol. i. p. 12. OBJECT OF METHODISM. 3 so many prayers, morning and evening, in public or in private ; not anything superadded now and then to a careless or worldly life ; but a constant ruling habit of the soul ; a renewal of our minds in the image of God ; a recovery of the divine likeness ; a still increasing conformity of heart and life to the pattern of our most holy Eedeemer."1 These words of John Wesley, written in 1734, embody and express the aim of the great revival of last century, and it cannot but be of interest to trace its development in Scotland. The Scottish movement chiefly centres around the names of John Wesley and George Whitefield, who both visited the country; and in order to understand John Wesley's work, it will be neces sary to begin with George Whitefield, as he was the pioneer of Methodism in Scotland, and influ enced the Church of Scotland most profoundly. 1 Tyeriuan's Oxford Methodists, p. 19. 4 THE REV. GEORGE WHITEFIELD. George Whitefifld was born in the Bell Inn, Gloucester, on 16th December 1714. When eighteen years of age he entered as servitor Pem broke College, Oxford, where he spent four years, from 1732 to 1736. Twelve years before, John Wesley had been admitted to Christ Church College, and during the interval had been elected Fellow of Lincoln College, had taken his degree, and been ordained deacon and priest. Charles Wesley had been six years at Christ Church, and had taken the Bachelor of Arts degree, and had become a college tutor. William Morgan, one of the first of the Oxford Methodists, died a few weeks before Whitefield entered Pembroke College. For three years past Clayton had been at Brasenose. Ingham had already spent two years at Queen's. In 1726 Gambold had been ad mitted as servitor in Christ Church, and in 1733 was ordained by Bishop Potter. Hervey, born in the same year as Whitefield, had in 1731 become undergraduate in Lincoln College, where Wesley was tutor. Broughton was in Exeter College. Kinchin was a Fellow of Corpus OXFOED "HOLY CLUB." 5 Christi. For twelve years Hutohina had been Fellow of Lincoln, where also for some time past Whitelamb and Westley Hall had been studying, to the content of Wesley.1 At Oxford Whitefield was brought into contact with the earnest company of students known as the Methodists, and was profoundly helped and in fluenced by them. The " Holy Club " before long perceived the earnestness of the Pembroke servitor, and admitted him into their fellowship. It is in teresting to record that a religious book, written by a Scottish professor, was one extensively used by all of them, and had no small influence in shaping their religious development. It is a book now much forgotten, but one that ought to be better known — ' The Life of God in the Soul of Man.' A subjoined footnote gives a narrative of the life of its author, Henry Scougal (1650-1678), and an an alysis of his religious teaching.2 Those acquainted 1 Tyerman's Life of George Whitefield, vol.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Stephen J. Wellum 3 the Life and Legacy of George Whitefield (1714-1770)
    Volume 18 · Number 2 Summer 2014 George Whitefield Editorial: Stephen J. Wellum 3 The Life and Legacy of George Whitefield (1714-1770) Michael A. G. Haykin 7 The Christian Life in the Thought of George Whitefield Digby L. James 23 Who is the Greatest Preacher? The Life and Legacy of George Whitefield Jeongmo Yoo 43 George Whitefield’s Doctrine of Christ Lee Gatiss 71 George Whitefield — The Angelican Evangelist Introduced and Edited by Michael A. G. Haykin 83 Writing to George Whitefield: A letter from Anne Dutton on Sinless Perfection Introduced and Edited by Michael A. G. Haykin 89 George Whitefield Sermon: “The Indwelling of the Spirit the Common Privilege of all Believers” Introduced and Edited by Michael A. G. Haykin 103 George Whitefield Sermon: “Christ, the Believer’s Wisdom, Righteousness, Satification and Redemption” The SBJT Forum 119 Book Reviews 131 Editor-in-Chief: R. Albert Mohler, Jr. • Editor: Stephen J. Wellum • Associate Editor: Brian Vickers • Book Review Editor: Gregory A. Wills • Assistant Editor: Brent E. Parker • Editorial Board: Ran- dy L. Stinson, Daniel S. Dumas, Gregory A. Wills, Adam W. Greenway, Dan DeWitt, Timothy Paul Jones, Jeff K. Walters, Steve Watters, James A. Smith, Sr.•Typographer: Brittany Loop•Editorial Office: SBTS Box 832, 2825 Lexington Rd., Louisville, KY 40280, (800) 626-5525, x 4413 • Editorial E-Mail: [email protected] Editorial: The Life and Legacy of George Whitefield (1714- 1770) Stephen J. Wellum Stephen J. Wellum is Professor of Christian Theology at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and editor ofSouthern Baptist Journal of Theology. He received his Ph.D.
    [Show full text]
  • Paper for the Oxford Institute of Methodist Theological Studies, August 2007 History of Methodism Working Group
    Paper for the Oxford Institute of Methodist Theological Studies, August 2007 History of Methodism Working Group A Calling to Fulfill: Women in 19th Century American Methodism Janie S. Noble In Luke’s account of the resurrection, it is women, Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women who take the message of the empty tomb to the apostles (24:10).1 The Old and New Testaments provide other witnesses to women’s involvement in a variety of ministries; the roles for women in the church through time have been equally as varied. Regardless of the official position of the church regarding their roles, women have remained integral to continuation of our faith. Historical restrictions on the involvement of women have been justified both scripturally and theologically; arguments supporting their involvement find the same bases. Even women who stand out in history often did not challenge the practices of their times that confined women to home, family, or the convent. For example, Hildegard of Bingen is considered a model of piety and while she demonstrated courage in her refusal to bend to the demands of clergy, she was not an advocate of change or of elevation of women’s authority in the church. Patristic attitudes have deep roots in the Judeo-Christian traditions and continue to affect contemporary avenues of ministry available to women. Barriers for women in America began falling in the nineteenth century as women moved to increasingly visible activities outside the home. However, women’s ascent into leadership roles in the church that matched the roles of men was much slower than in secular areas.
    [Show full text]
  • By Flichard William Evans
    Thn Elrhteanth Contury Walsh AwnIcaninR With Its Relationships To Tho Contemporary English EynnirelicalI Revtval by flichard William Evans A Thesis submitted to the ]Faculty of Divinity of the University of Edinburgh In partial fulfilment of the roquirements for tho Doctor of Philosophy degree. t41v 19.96 HELEN FY, Annwyl BrIod, Am ol aerch all chofronaoth "The linos are fallen unto me In pleasant places; yen# I have-a goodly heritage. " Psalm M6 "One of the most discreditable and discourteous things in life is contompt for that which we once loved. " Adam C. Welch. CONTENTS Chapter Pace Prefaco Introduction A Sketchi Religion In Wales Before The Methodist Awakening 24 .......... Beginnings Of An Epoch 42' Part 1 ..... Part 2 54 ..... o.,. o ... III. Early Relationships ................ 72 IV. Orpanising Against Porils. 102 e. oo.... ......... o V., Lower-Lovel Relationships.. 130 o. oo ........ ooo*o V1. The Separation 170 ......... ..... VII. The 197 APPRIMICES A Deciding Upqn A Name 22.5 ................. ******* The Groat B Association ...................... 226 John Jones 227 C .................................. D An Indirect Influence 20,28 ...................... E Trovecka Family Side-Lights 230 P Harris's Varied Interests 233 Contemporary Opinions 235 0 H The Two Trevacka Colleges 236 ............ Bibliography 23a ....... MAP Places Connected With the 18th Century Awakening Prontlapiece in Wales II. (Tho brokon lino indicates my route through the country of the revivalists) LIST OF ILLUSTRATICTIS Following page A Papo from tho Diary of Howell Harris 13 Tho Wolsh Revivalists 53 lowornois" 61 "Pantycelyn" 64 The Trovacka'Buildings (1042) 199 The map and illustrations have been made available through the courtosy of the National Library of Wales.
    [Show full text]
  • The Presentation of the Susanna Wesley Award of Excellence
    The presentation of the Susanna Wesley Award of Excellence Pastor or leader: Members of the household of God, we gather today to honor a woman who has given faithful service to the church and has lead others into a deeper understanding of the faith and service to Jesus Christ. The award we present this morning is called the Susanna Wesley Award of Excellence, named for the mother of John and Charles Wesley, the founders of the Methodist movement. Susanna married 26-year-old Samuel Wesley at age 19 and the couple had 19 children, nine of whom died in infancy. Susanna’s rectory home was burned down twice and Samuel once left her and the children for over a year because of a minor dispute. On two occasions, Samuel spent time in jail due to his inability to pay his bills. The lack of money was a continual struggle for Susanna. Yet, Susanna made certain her children were well educated and trained in the classics and the faith. At one point, while her husband was in London, some 250 people attended her afternoon Sunday school class. Susanna was a remarkable woman. The woman we honor this morning possesses many of the same characteristics of Susanna Wesley. She has a distinctive intellect, a nurturing sprit, unwavering devotion and perseverance in the faith. She has served Jesus Christ and the United Methodist Church in a manner similar to the mother of Methodism. <Name>, would you please come forward. <Name> on behalf of your friends and family and the entire congregation, I present you the Susanna Wesley Award of Excellence.
    [Show full text]
  • 386 Gareth Lloyd, Charles Wesley and the Struggle for Methodist
    386 Book Reviews / Ecclesiology 5 (2009) 362–402 Gareth Lloyd, Charles Wesley and the Struggle for Methodist Identity (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2007), xiv + 258 pp. £51.00. ISBN 978-0-19- 929574-6 (hbk). In the struggle for Methodist identity, Charles Wesley led the losing side. Th e history of that struggle was written by the victors and their heirs, and he still lacks a full and fair biography. Th is well-written book, though based mainly on published sources and avowedly ‘not a conventional biography’, brings Charles out of his brother’s shadow, explains what he stood for and documents his contribution to Methodism, which went far beyond the hymns for which he is justly famous. It also corrects the widespread misconception that Charles’ loyalty to the Church of England made him an isolated fi gure among eight- eenth-century Methodists. Th e short account of Methodism’s earliest years is not entirely satisfactory. Th e London Foundery Society was formed by the Wesleys in 1739 in prepara- tion for their separation from the Moravian-infl uenced Fetter Lane Society; it was not an Anglican religious society that placed itself under their supervision (as suggested on p. 33). Lloyd’s claim that after 1740 Charles’ alienation from the Moravians ‘kept pace with that of his brother’ (p. 49) ignores evidence that for several months in 1741 he was drawn to them to the extent of considering reunion. For many years Charles breached church discipline just as much as John. To his life’s end he preached in parishes without the incumbent’s agreement (and, it might be added, celebrated Holy Communion in unconsecrated buildings).
    [Show full text]
  • The Evangelistic Piety of George Whitefield
    ON THE ERRANDS OF ANGELS SENT: THE EVANGELISTIC PIETY OF GEORGE WHITEFIELD __________________ A Paper Presented to Dr. Michael Haykin The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary __________________ In Partial Fulfillment Of the Requirements for 88910 __________________ by Matthew D. Haste 1010 Morehead Road, Bowling Green, KY 42101 May 23, 2011 ON THE ERRANDS OF ANGELS SENT: THE EVANGELISTIC PIETY OF GEORGE WHITEFIELD In his 19th-century poetic tribute entitled ―The Preacher,‖ John Greenleaf Whittier called George Whitefield ―a homeless pilgrim with dubious name / blown about by the winds of fame.‖1 This fame on both sides of the Atlantic provided Whitefield with a unique platform for preaching the Gospel in his day. He seemingly seized every opportunity, preaching over 18,000 sermons over the course of his life while traveling frequently between England, America, and Scotland. Whittier‘s poem, while recognizing that Whitefield was not without his faults, summarizes his ministry well with these words: ―Up and down the world he went / A John the Baptist crying, Repent!‖2 Beneath Whitefield‘s fiery passion and inexhaustible energy for the Great Commission was an evangelistic piety built upon Calvinistic theology and evangelical convictions about the nature of God and man. This paper will examine Whitefield‘s piety as it relates to his zeal for evangelism through the lens of his life and theology. The goal is to provide an evaluative summary of the spirituality of a man who lived, in Whittier‘s words, as if he were ―on the errands of angels sent.‖3 The Life of George Whitefield On December 16, 1714, the owners of the finest hotel in Gloucester welcomed their seventh child into the world.
    [Show full text]
  • W H at Every T E Acher Needs to Know a B O U T
    WETNK UM Church-03r 2/27/06 11:13 AM Page 1 W H AT EVERY T E ACHER NEEDS TO KNOW A B O U T Developed by the Christian Education Staff of The General Board of Discipleship of The United Methodist Church WETNK UM Church-03r 2/27/06 11:13 AM Page 2 This booklet was developed by the Christian Educa- tion Staff of The General Board of Discipleship of The United Methodist Church. It is one in a series of booklets designed to provide essential knowledge for teachers. Members of the staff who helped write and develop this series are Te rry Cart y, Bill Cre n s h a w, Donna Gaither, Contents Rick Gentzler, Mary Alice Gran, Susan Hay, Betsey H e a v n e r, Diana Hynson, Carol Krau, MaryJane Pierc e N o rton, Deb Smith, Julia Wallace, and Linda Whited. Reprinted 2002, 2003 Introduction . 5 Cover and booklet design by Joey McNair History . 7 Edited by Debra D. Smith and Heidi L. Hewitt Mission . 21 ISBN 0-88177-363-8 Quotations from the Book of Discipline are from The Book of Discipline of The Connectional Structure . 27 United Methodist Church—2000. Copyright © 2000 by The United Methodist Some Interesting Details . 35 Publishing House. Used by permission. The Cross and Flame . 35 Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are from the New Revised The Circuit Rider . 36 Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1989 by the Division of Christian Cokesbury . 36 Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA.
    [Show full text]
  • The First Great Awakening and the American Revolution
    No Lords, Spiritual or Temporal: The First Great Awakening and the American Revolution An Online Professional Development Seminar Timothy H. Breen National Humanities Center Fellow 1983-84; 1995-96 William Smith Mason Professor of American History Northwestern University We will begin promptly on the hour. The silence you hear is normal. If you do not hear anything when the images change, e-mail Caryn Koplik [email protected] for assistance. The First Great Awakening and the American Revolution GOALS To deepen understanding of the First Great Awakening and the role it played in the life of the American colonies To provide fresh primary resources and instructional approaches for use with students To enable you to make historical judgments about the Awakening‟s influence on the American Revolution americainclass.org 2 The First Great Awakening and the American Revolution FROM THE FORUM Challenges, Issues, Questions Topic is shortchanged in most American history textbooks. How did the ideas of the First Great Awakening influence the founders of the United States? What is the connection between the First Great Awakening and political activism? How did the First Great Awakening change the religious culture of the colonies, including the role of ministers? americainclass.org 3 The First Great Awakening and the American Revolution FROM THE FORUM Challenges, Issues, Questions How can we teach the First Great Awakening without raising God questions that are difficult, if not impossible, to address in class? What is
    [Show full text]
  • Proceedings Vol 4
    Jroreebiuss of W:lre ([lrarles ~esle\! ~orietu Volume 4 1997 S T Kimbrough, Jr. Charles A. Green Editor Assistant Editor PAPERS PRESENTED AT THE EIGHTH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE CHARLES WESLEY SOCIETY August 1997 Bristol. England Introduction . 3 S T Kimbrough. Jr. Charles Wesley's Bristol Hymns and Poems . 5 S T Kimbrough. ir. Charles Wesley, Ecumenical Hymnographer: "Names and Sects and Parties Fall" ........................... 31 John A. Newton Sarah Wesley: Woman of Her Times ............................. 41 Wilma J. Quantrille "Mon tres cher Ami" ............................ ............ 53 Peter S. Forsaith The Trinity in the Teaching of Charles Wesley: A Study in Eighteenth-Century Orthodoxy'? ..................... 69 A. M. Allchin Kenneth E. Rowe, President J. Richard Watson, Vice President Wilma J. Quantrille, Secretary Charles A. Green, Treasurer E. Alan Rose, Secretary-Treasurer for the United Kingdom 5 T Kimbrough, Jr., Director of Publications Board of Directors Paul W. Chilcote Tore Meistad Kenneth D. Shields A. Katherine Grieb Kenneth G. C. Newport John R. Tyson Timothy S. A-Macquiban Carlton R. Young Proceedings of The Charles Wesley Society 1997 Published in the United States by The Charles Wesley Society, 1999 Editor, S T Kimbrough, Jr. Assistant Editor, Charles A. Green Copyright © 1999 by The Charles Wesley Society. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of The Charles Wesley Society. The Charles Wesley Society Archives and History Center Drew University Madison, NJ 07940 Kenneth E. Rowe, President 1. Richard Watson, Vice President Wilma 1.
    [Show full text]
  • Specific Name /Term / Historical Development – Think Proper Nouns)
    Answer the following questions. Make sure to have examples to prove each point (specific name /term / historical development – think proper nouns). MERCANTILISM 1) Describe the economic role of the English North American colonies in Atlantic trade. 2) How did England try to regulate the English North American colonies? 3) What was salutary neglect? The English Atlantic trade system shaped the North American colonies. New England farmers supplied the sugar islands with bread, lumber, fish, and meat. New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania farmers shipped wheat, corn, and bread to the Caribbean. The southern colonies bought slaves and sold tobacco and sugar to England. Merchants in booming cities like Newport, Charleston, Boston, New York and Philadelphia were based on the shipping industry’s varied jobs. To support the shipping industry, artisans, skilled workers, and lawyers developed in the towns. Believing they had to control trade with the colonies to reap their economic benefits, English ministers wanted agricultural goods and raw materials to be carried to English ports in English vessels. In reality, Dutch and French shippers were often buying sugar and other colonial products and taking them to market around the world. To counter this practice, the Navigation Act of 1651 required all goods to be carried on English ships. Navigation Acts in 1660 and 1663 strengthened the ban on foreign traders as colonists could export sugar and tobacco only through England and three quarters of the crew had to be English. In 1673, the Revenue Act imposed a tax on American exports of sugar and tobacco. The English government backed these policies with force and expanded their merchant fleet on both sides of the Atlantic.
    [Show full text]
  • The Welsh Hymn: Sacred Or Secular? Nathan Munday
    The Welsh Hymn: Sacred or Secular? Nathan Munday Cardiff University Abstract. Wales has long been stereotyped as a land of song. One of the reasons for this recurring image is its historic love for the hymn — a privileged entity within Wales’s unique choral tradition. Hymns are still sung in Wales; male voice choirs, rugby internationals, pubs, funerals, weddings, and the box-like chapels retain this ancient form like a spectral ghost dance. In light of this curious afterlife, we can ask: when does a hymn become secular and what can we learn from this process if it happens at all? This essay asks these questions by visiting three typical scenes from Welsh history. These imaginary vignettes show how the crucible of the hymn was also where they were sung as well. The first is the eighteenth-century Seiat or experience meeting; the second is a nineteenth-century North Walian square, where the Temperance Movement are singing one of their hymns; and the final destination is a large, early-twentieth-century Cymanfa Ganu (Singing Festival), where hundreds of people celebrate this kinetic form in a chapel. Arguably, Welsh hymns are no longer worship songs but cultural indicators; they are residues and echoes of a former spirituality to which only a small percentage in Wales now adhere. In an article on contemporary poetry and belief, Michael Symmons Roberts writes that a lexical ‘impoverishment’ has affected poets and readers in recent years.1 He recalls the Anglo-Welsh poet David Jones’s words when discussing dead, or dying, signs and symbols in the preface to The Anathemata.
    [Show full text]
  • Spirituality and Hymns of Charles Wesley
    331 TRADITIONS OF SPIRITUAL GUIDANCE Spirituality and the Hymns of Charles Wesley HARLES WESLEY WAS A SPIRITUAL leader, a preacher and theologian, C of considerable character. Even so, in comparison to his elder brother, there has been a relative dearth of scholarship and interest directed to the analysis of his genius. People tend to know that he wrote hymns like 'Love divine, all loves excelling', 'Hark, the herald angels sing', and 'O thou who tamest from above'. If pressed, most people would know little more. Charles Wesley (1707-1788) was four years younger than his brother John. It is likely that he, rather than John, began the 'Holy Club' at Oxford which attracted the nickname 'Methodist' for its detailed and organized approach to building the spiritual life. This was in 1729. The overriding objective of those who gathered for study and prayer was the pursuit of holiness. Both brothers spent a short time in Georgia, helping James Oglethorpe to found a colony there. Their endeavours were disastrous, but forced both John and Charles into a re-examination of their spiritual life. On 21 May 1738, a few days before his brother, Charles underwent a dramatic conversion. There was a vision, a calling from the scriptures ('He hath put a new song in my mouth, even a thanksgiving unto our God. Many shall see it, and fear, and shall put their trust in the Lord'), and the gift of deep peace. There began the outpouring of hymns and poems to express the rapture of Charles's mystical experience. Some of them were intensely personal: Tis Love, 'tis love! Thou died'st for me I hear thy whisper in my heartl The morning breaks, the shadows flee: Pure universal love thou art .
    [Show full text]