Simple Rules

Leviticus 19: 17-18

Galatians 5: 15-16

Mark 12: 28-34

Simple Rules

John Wesley, and his brother Charles unintentionally founded Methodism, a movement which swept England in the 18^th century and moved to North America at the same time and was responsible for a movement of faith across this country which has never been matched since. At one time there was a new Methodist Church being opened in this country every day. Still, today, every county in the United States has at least one United Methodist Church. No other denomination comes close to that. That is our heritage. A heritage of powerful faith, coupled with social action.

It was because of  John Wesley’s influence that England was spared a horrific revolution like that which occurred in France. It was written that the Methodist evangelical movement with its emphasis on helping those in need in England,  “was the chief influence that prevented our country from starting along the path of revolutionary violence…”

In his book, ENGLAND BEFORE AND AFTER WESLEY: THE EVANGELICAL REVIVAL AND SOCIAL REFORM which documents this period of England’s history, the author Bready described, and I quote, “the deep savagery of much of the 18^th century”, which was characterized by “the wanton torture of animals for sport, the bestial drunkenness of the populace, the inhuman traffic in African Negroes, the kidnapping of fellow-countrymen for exportation and sale as slaves, the mortality of parish children, the universal gambling obsession, the savagery of the prison system and penal code, the welter of immorality, the prostitution of the theatre, the growing prevalence of lawlessness, superstition and lewdness; the political bribery and corruption, the ecclesiastical arrogance and truculence, the shallow pretensions of Deism, the insincerity and debasement rampant in Church and State – such manifestations suggest that the British people were then perhaps as deeply degraded and debauched as any people in Christendom.”

But then things began to change because of Wesley and Methodism: Slavery and the slave trade were abolished, the prison system was humanized, conditions in factory and mine were improved, education became available to the poor, trades unions began, and a middle class developed and grew.

John Wesley was a man who valued social justice, and was involved deeply in all the social issues of his day. He had taken courses at Oxford University in medicine and first aid, and was an accomplished botanist who knew all the medicinal plants and their uses.  Even as a student studying for the priesthood, Wesley proceeded to venture into London during much of his free time and work with the poor, providing medical aid where he could. 

Wesley and his Methodists worked hard to raise the money to provide food and clothing for the poor.  One idea that Wesley introduced interest-free loans to the poor in London, “rescuing them from lenders demanding extortionate interest that would have compounded their distress.” That practice has been revived with great success in India and parts of Africa. In addition, Wesley’s Methodists devoted themselves to helping the poor to find jobs. In a time and place in which many viewed poverty and sickness as an indicator of how worthless a person was, Wesley preached God’s love for all mankind and expected those who listened to him to practice unrestricted love for one’s neighbor.

The impact of Wesley upon England’s slave system had much to do with it being abolished. Long before the Quakers introduced anti-slavery legislation to Parliament, Wesley was convinced that slavery was a terrible blot upon mankind.  In 1774, Wesley wrote Thoughts upon Slavery, an essay widely published that presented his case for abolition.  Wesley’s opposition to slavery heavily influenced abolitionist members of Parliament such as William Wilberforce.  In addition, several Christian slaveholders, in direct response to Wesley, emancipated their slaves..

Wesley laid out his view of stewardship of  in his “Sermon # 50: The Use of Money.”  In what quickly became known as the maxim: ”earn all you can, save all you can, give all you can,” Wesley expected  his followers that they be good stewards of their wealth. Wesley himself had earned quite a bit of money from his published writings, and yet lived and died in poverty. Wesley never allowed himself to become wealthy.

Wesley’s rules for his followers were simple. First, Do no harm. Second, Do good.  And, third, Love God.  We could of course expound on each of these, and in coming weeks we will. But intuitively, each of us, if we are prayerful people who truly want to do God’s will, knows what each of those simple rules mean. They are not easy rules. They lead to some difficult decisions a times. But their deeper meanings can be found in the gospels, in the words and actions of Jesus. If we were to obey them, we would find the world becoming a better place, as did England in the 18^th century.

Although times have changed, human nature has not, and the overall circumstances of human life today in this country closely resemble that of Wesley’s time. We would do well to look at the roots of Wesley’s faith and his understanding of what Jesus calls us to do, because I believe Wesley’s approach to living out his faith would do much for our community and our nation today.