Illinois News Index

Wilmette Life (Wilmette, Illinois), 16 Dec 1937, p. 42

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JOHN. WESLEY A Gtiesi Hditorial Ry tihe Rev. Amos rhor.itr, pastor (iof Wilmctt(c Parsh Methodst Episco pal Chuirch (Editor>. Note: During the .veatr 1.438 the Methépdist church wiII be celebratinz Its 200tb annivers'ary, anId the most ,ignlficant event in the exp~efCene f Its founider. Berause nt the Importanfce of the celehrRLtion and the Intere,.t It b'ldq for the p)ublie. Rev. Thorn- burg waft requeted to write the following editortal..), Two hundred years -ago on Xednesday, Ifay 24,. 1738, the M.Nethodist Movement within Christianity was. born. Rlgiu and secular historians gener- illy. trace its, heginnings to a religious experience which occ-rred, in the mind. and heart of John Wesléy, an Anglican vriest. on the evening of, that day at a meeting in Aldersgàte Street. London. During tbe coming %:ear tht 12.000000 MNetho- itiit4ough8wthe wdo4d willenter uponthe third century of their historv. 'This 'movement arose in Erigland. Ireland. and Wales during the middle years of the l8th century. and was an English phase «, the so-called "Evangelical Revival." John Wesley tiraced the history of the M.\etboidist organizatiofi to the famous "holy club" which was *nicknamied "methodist" by cynical contemporaries i the student body. Ertering Christ college, Ox- ford, when he was 17, Wesley, immediately hecame kIonin campus activities.. Tht "holy: cli ib" . con- the world: to discover what he shouRi <do. i-e vas the son oif the rector of the establisbed cburch in Epworth.. Withouit mucb enthusiasm for bis choice. he finally became a nriest in the Church (!JFEngland. stili trying to satisfy bis inner longitng;, lhe came to America witb ('eneral James Oglethorpe to act as chaplain for the inewly establisbed colnny oni 1 738 to this task because of the assurances which camne with his heart warming experience. New mneaning came into his life, He went forth preaching a vital experi ence of religion, nlot a new t heology. Ris followers -were flot proclaimers of a doctrine, -but-- of a kind of life; flot a svstern of theology, but a revival of religion. Wesley himself was always L faithful niember of the established church. This emphasis upon the heart warming experience has been the 'Methodist tradition. The -various de- partments of the church are seeking to lift, this historical tradition out of its factual background a mi bring 'it inte vital ineaning for the life of its coi.stituency.. 1To this end many significant meet- ings will be held under the direction of the Wo rld Sertvic*e Commission and the Comhmission on Evan-, gelism. The Unification of the three larger branches (,f 'Methudlism in America seetns a real possibility' as a part od this commernorative celebration. HISTORICAL SOCIETY An article appearimng in Wu METTF. LI. iZîSlle Of November 25. gives information that '*0Id Town Folks of! Wilmnette," an organizatiohn rfficially estab-. lished in 18.93. bias been serving thiro-tigblr the vears as an historical society.. and bas, already accumulateui niuch valuable data, articles etc., and would wel- corne others. bring to lîght al urpknown facts relating tri early residents, events the particulars o! which sbould, he preserved. and sucb articles as will fit iùti' a museum exhihit. And promp~t steps shoid be taken to provide safe housiîîg for everything <îtained. Original sources of information relating to pioneer days are fast dîsappearing. T1hereffore ni, timev should he lrist bv "01ld Town Folks of Wilnettc- in organizinfz an aggressive canipaiRIl to s'ectre. for one buck. Doggoi his trade though! that feller doesn't kt' > A, keen reader of the. dàiIy ýpapers retnarked that' it appeared as though japan's apologies for the~ sinkiing o! the American gun-boat Pàia3ay Were c their way before 'the boat. was b ombed. Lkv Th(jse Japsare forehan(ded. Every normal hleart in Anierica is pouring 41ut sympatby for that Illinois farmer. Glennt Largeé. who made superbuman effortsto save his wife anif five children from dcath in 'thée farm home, fire- and failed. Awakened in~ the ni.ght by the fire. h.' fousnd the stairwav to the first firior and safetv ablaie. Climbi'nig throxigli a. winulow to the rib- o! a porcb, lie instructed bis wvife to band tllw. chiluirenl to him. Mheni fate intervened. The r(, , wvas ice-coate(l. anid lie slipped and feil 15 feet t- the~ grôünd. Dept e fforts iro regain the rnoi were without success and lie did the onlly thi11e_ left to do--raui for bielp,. rettiîriuing tri finri bis wli and five babies, ranging ini age frin 213to r 8, lw- vond the need of aid. \Vhat inutisb avé heen i th feelings o! that 31-yvear-ojld fatiier as lie Stood (1, feated hefore the fierce fire that rolib ini o! Lii- entire family and. inflicted severc laurîîý 111)1,11h11W s-elf? Prohablv. no one but himsel f will éver 1kn, ý If a lumpii cornes into yriur thiroat as' in rî'ad il'- akin tri the onie. in ours as we write. Secretary of State Cordell iîll is cyn I~ for a rebirth of the Golden Rule ini interjiathînalý' .relationsbips as the surest way ti wrrldt peace, Mi- I-uil lhas'hit thtetiail squarely on the hevad. But mwliexcinde national, state, coinmnity and iiidividii.il relatiottships? H state.d that civilization i., thrcat of conver- TUBx PHA NtoitREPOitREtR.

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