""That they might take it in, That wonderful redemption, G.o.d"s remedy for sin."
He told them the story simply:
"As to a little child, For they were weak and weary, And helpless and defi"ed."
He told them the story softly:
"With earnest tones and grave, For were they not the sinners Whom Jesus came to save?""
When the preacher finished, the people stood as if spell-bound, then they all crowded and pressed round him, full of love and kindness towards the man who had brought them such good news. They nearly trampled him down in their eagerness to speak to him, and he had to slip round a back way in order to escape. When he got to the inn where he was staying, he found some of the people had got there before him; they had come to beg and pray him to stay among them. No, he could not.
"Stay a few days," said one. No, he could not do that.
"Just one day more," they begged.
Poor Mr. Wesley was very loth to leave these eager hearers, but he had promised to be in Bristol on the Tuesday, and this was Sunday night, and it would take him all the time to get to his appointment, and he was a man that could not break his word. So he was sadly obliged to refuse.
Before very long, however, Mr. Charles Wesley went to Newcastle, and after a time, Mr. Wesley himself paid a second visit.
It was a plan of the Methodists always to go to the poorest and most uncared-for people. These they generally found among the colliers.
Wherever there were coal mines, the district round them was sure to be the abode of dirt, ignorance, and sin. You remember what a dreadful place Kingswood was when the Methodists first went? Because they found Newcastle just as bad, they called it "The Kingswood of the North."
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CHAPTER XXIII.
A magic mirror.--And the picture it shows us.--Billy and Polly again.--Hurrah for Newcastle!--John and Charles Wesley put their heads together.--The result.--Strict Rules.--Circuits in Methodism.
HAVE you ever heard of the Magic Mirror? It is a mirror I would like to have. You just think of something you would very much like to see; something either in the past, the present, or the future, peep into the mirror and there it is.
Let us imagine that we have this mirror, and that we want to look at a particular part of Newcastle in the year 1742.
What do we see?
A big unfinished building with all the walls standing, but no roof, no doors, and no windows. It is a cold winter"s day; but in spite of the biting wind and the frosty air there are hundreds of people crowding inside and outside the walls. Right in the middle stands the gentleman with the long hair and the beautiful face.
It is Mr. Wesley opening the first meeting-house in Newcastle. Oh, how hard those poor colliers and their wives, yes, and the children too, worked to get money to build their chapel. On this opening day they were so proud and happy they could not keep still. They kept shouting "Hallelujah!" all the time Mr. Wesley was preaching. Three or four times he had to stop in the middle of his sermon on purpose to let them praise G.o.d.
Bob, and Billy, and Polly were at that opening; they loved Mr. Wesley, and always tried to get as near to him as they could. They were not ragged now, for their fathers and mothers were converted, and their money was no longer spent in drink. The children, too, had learnt to love Jesus, and were trying to be like Him, and no cursing or swearing was ever heard.
Scores of men and women in Newcastle that day, thanked G.o.d they had got out of bed that Sunday morning in May, and heard Mr. Wesley sing at the top of Sandgate.
The Methodists had now chapels or meeting-houses in Bristol, London, Kingswood, and Newcastle, and societies were being formed in a great many other places. When Mr. Wesley found the work was spreading so fast, he saw it was necessary to draw up some general rules for all the members to follow.
His brother Charles helped him in this difficult task. These are some of the rules which together they drew up, and which all who joined the Methodists had to promise to obey.
Members of society must not swear.
Must keep the Sabbath Day holy.
Must not buy or sell intoxicating liquor.
Must not drink intoxicating liquor, except as medicine.
Must not fight.
Must not quarrel.
Must return good for evil.
Must not speak evil of any one.
Must do to others as we would have them do to us.
Must not wear a great deal of jewellery or expensive clothes.
Must not go to any place of amus.e.m.e.nt where they would not like to meet Jesus.
Must not sing songs or read books that will not help them to love G.o.d more.
Must not buy anything unless they are quite sure they will be able to pay for it.
Must be kind to everybody, and give help to all, as far as they are able;
By feeding the hungry; Clothing the naked; Visiting the sick and those in prison; By "running with patience the race that is set before them;"
By denying themselves and taking up their cross daily.
They must go to chapel regularly.
Must take the Sacrament.
And, lastly, have family and private prayer every day.
Were not these strict rules? But the people were so much in earnest, and had such trust in their leader, Mr. Wesley, that they were quite willing to agree to them.
The next thing Mr. Wesley did was to send out his helpers, generally two together, to certain districts where they usually remained for a year.
They had to preach in all the places round about, and each particular district or tract of country was called a "circuit." This was the beginning of the "circuits" which we have in Methodism to-day. I dare say you have often heard father or mother say, "Oh, Mr. So and So has gone to another circuit;" or, "Mr. So and So is in our circuit now."
London and Bristol always remained the chief circuits; but before very long Newcastle became the next in importance.