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John Wesley (1703 - 1791)is famous as one of the chief agents of what came to be known as the Wesleyan revival in England. Together with John Whitfield he preached to vast crowds in the open air, since the Church of England pulpits were closed to him. God honored his obedience and brought revival to many parts of England. Wesley rode many thousands of miles on horseback and is credited with the saying 'the world is my parish.'

Wesley, who was the second surviving son of Rector Samuel Wesley and Suzanna, who raised their family in a disciplined and pious manner. He later referred to himself as a 'brand plucked from the burning', as at age five the Rectory was burnt and he was forgotten until finally rescued.

As time went on, he organized what came to be known as the Methodist Church, so named after the nickname given to him and his brother Charles who together with others practiced a particular type of devotion to God and religious practice, which in Wesley's well-organized way was very methodical, hence the name. He was largely responsible for organizing the growing Methodist church and training and ordaining preachers who assisted him in spreading the Gospel.

For most of his long life Wesley enjoyed good health, which, as recorded in his Journal he attributed to:" (1) the power of God, which fitted him for his calling; (2) traveling 4-5,000 miles a year; (3) the ability to sleep at command, by either day or night; (4)having risen at 4 in the morning for over 60 years; (5) having preached at 5 in the morning for over fifty years; (6) lastly evenness of temper - I feel and grieve but by the grace of God I fret at nothing."

This latter quality was frequently called for, especially in the early days of the Methodist revival, as Wesley often became the brunt of the force of angry mobs, which he made a habit of calmly meeting and, upon talking calmly with the ringleaders often won them around. On more than one occasion, he calmly faced a violent death unperturbed.

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17y ago

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