John Wesley (1703 –1791)

Afterwards I met the society, and explained to them at large the original design of the Methodists, viz., not to be a distinct party, but to stir up all parties, Christians or Heathens, to worship God in spirit and in truth; but the Church of England in particular; to which they belonged from the beginning. With this view, I have uniformly gone on for fifty years, never varying from the doctrine of the Church at all; nor from her discipline, of choice, but of necessity: So, in a course of years, necessity was laid upon me, (as I have proved elsewhere,)

1.     To preach in the open air.
2.     To pray extempore.
3.     To form societies.
4.     To accept of the assistance of Lay Preachers:

And, in a few other instances, to use such means as occurred, to prevent or remove evils that we either felt or feared.

—  Journal: April 12, 1789.

Tags: John Wesley | Methodism | Methodist | Methodist movment