Along the Way 4-30-10 | Along the Way

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Along the Way 4-30-10

Carl Price wrote a slender volume in 1938 entitled One Hundred and One Methodist Stories. The following account illustrates the determination of the early American Methodists to preach and spread the gospel:

JESS LEE ESTABLISHES NEW ENGLAND METHODISM

The Methodist Conference in New York in May, 1789, decided to establish Methodist work in New England, and appointed Jesse Lee to the task. Alone and against persistent opposition, he achieved marvelous results. First he went to Norwalk, CT. Denied the use of any houses for his meeting, he preached under an apple tree beside the road, taking as his text, “Ye must be born again.” Next day he preached in the Fairfield courthouse; the following Sunday in the New Haven courthouse, the president of Yale being present.

At Stratfield he formed his first class meeting, at Reading his second. Thus alone through that region he worked until Societies sprang up, which later developed into strong churches. The next winter he was joined by three other preachers and the following spring and summer extended his tours to Rhode Island, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts. At his entrance into Boston in July, 1790, he preached to over two thousand on the Common at six o’clock in the evening under the Old Elm Tree, beginning with singing the hymn, “Come, sinners, to the gospel feast.”

He constantly met opposition. Scoffers twitted him on his meager education. Some Congregational ministers addressed him in Latin. He replied in Dutch, which they thought was Hebrew. Many Calvinists stormed against him, but for a long time few would accept his message. In 1793 he added Maine to his conquests, though enduring much hardship through the winter snows and because of his poverty. But by this difficult and persistent pioneering he established Methodism in New England, adding large numbers to the membership, building many churches and necessitating the sending of many Methodist preachers to that region.

Though we don’t endure much winter snow down this way, other obstacles abound; nevertheless you, spiritual offspring of that hardy Jesse Lee, remain warm and fervent in your faith and God is doing a mighty work at Wesley Monumental.

This Sunday morning we celebrate the Lord’s Supper together; I will preach from John 13: 31-35 on the challenging privilege of loving one another. Later Sunday afternoon Tom Purviance will fill our sanctuary with the music of Chopin. I’ll see you this Sabbath!