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Men of Faith
John Wesley
A brief, well-written account of the life of the apostle of holiness. A Men of Faith biography.
140 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1943
11 people are currently reading
90 people want to read
About the author
Basil Miller
351 books12 followersBasil William Miller was born in Laconia, Indiana, February 26, 1897. He moved with his family to Indian Territory (now Oklahoma) in 1905, and nine years later entered a small Christian college in Greenville, Texas, to earn A.B. and B.D. degrees.
After pastoring churches in Oklahoma, he was called to teach at Pasadena College in California. He married Esther Kirk and they had four children. He earned a master’s degree at the University of Southern California and five more graduate degrees—the M.A., S.T.M., Th.M., S.T.D., and Ph.D.—were earned while he was holding pastorates in San Diego, Pittsburgh, New York City, San Antonio, and Pasadena.
In 1939, Dr. Miller was involved in a serious car accident and suffered a severe concussion which kept him bedridden for a year and partially incapacitated for the next four. Then, in 1947, he suffered a heart attack. During his convalescence he began his writing career and, over a period of 35 years, produced 200 books and thousands of articles for Christian publications.
Two wartime biographies caused a publishing sensation. Martin Niemoeller: Hero of the Concentration Camp appeared in 1942 while the German pastor was still confined in Dachau. The other bookk was Generalissimo and Madame Chiang Kai-shek. The Chinese leaders were at the height of their popularity and the book generated more prepublication orders than any previous Zondervan title. Some 950,000 Basil Miller books were in print by mid-1951. He had published 136 titles by 1955 and his final count probably tops 150.
Until his death on May 7, 1978, at the age of 81, he was “driven almost beyond endurance with the knowledge that there is so much to do, and so little that I can accomplish.”
After pastoring churches in Oklahoma, he was called to teach at Pasadena College in California. He married Esther Kirk and they had four children. He earned a master’s degree at the University of Southern California and five more graduate degrees—the M.A., S.T.M., Th.M., S.T.D., and Ph.D.—were earned while he was holding pastorates in San Diego, Pittsburgh, New York City, San Antonio, and Pasadena.
In 1939, Dr. Miller was involved in a serious car accident and suffered a severe concussion which kept him bedridden for a year and partially incapacitated for the next four. Then, in 1947, he suffered a heart attack. During his convalescence he began his writing career and, over a period of 35 years, produced 200 books and thousands of articles for Christian publications.
Two wartime biographies caused a publishing sensation. Martin Niemoeller: Hero of the Concentration Camp appeared in 1942 while the German pastor was still confined in Dachau. The other bookk was Generalissimo and Madame Chiang Kai-shek. The Chinese leaders were at the height of their popularity and the book generated more prepublication orders than any previous Zondervan title. Some 950,000 Basil Miller books were in print by mid-1951. He had published 136 titles by 1955 and his final count probably tops 150.
Until his death on May 7, 1978, at the age of 81, he was “driven almost beyond endurance with the knowledge that there is so much to do, and so little that I can accomplish.”
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
June 24, 2017
I didn't particularly enjoy this book as I found it to be too dragging. It was a small book but I took a long time to finish this book.I am not sure whether it was the way the author told the story or the person the book was about which made it really uninteresting.Either way, I found it to be too boring. The author jumped from one scenario to another without giving any hint.
There was no continuation as to where the story was going. To speak of the person as to which the book was about, there was nothing interesting happening in his life. I found him to be too disciplined which made this book seem less realistic.i know there are many other authors who have written books about him. Hopefully, I will get to know him better by reading from a different author's perspective
There was no continuation as to where the story was going. To speak of the person as to which the book was about, there was nothing interesting happening in his life. I found him to be too disciplined which made this book seem less realistic.i know there are many other authors who have written books about him. Hopefully, I will get to know him better by reading from a different author's perspective
January 2, 2022
This book was written in such a convoluted way it was hard to follow. I liked reading about Wesley’s life and learned new things about him I didn’t know before. However, I ended up not liking John Wesley much as a person as I read it. I think he did great things to bring others to Christ, but his dictatorial way of doing things turned me off.
February 1, 2020
Perhaps the only bright light of this book is that the author draws out a plethora of facts and incidents in Wesley's life that I was previously unaware of.
Other than this, the book was not written well. The facts about Wesley's life were scattered, not chronological and I found myself often confused about people like Whitfield who had already "died" in the book being brought up again and still interacting with John.
Aside from the poor writing style, the author writes with a clear bias in favor of Wesley. In reading many other accounts of Wesley, there are many sins that were not mentioned or brushed over, and he was painted in this book to be a sort of infallible spiritual leader.
The author's bias for Wesley clearly is demonstrated anytime he mentions George Whitefield. He crushes Whitfield and makes him out to be the antagonist in the relationship, when it was, in fact, Whitfield who wanted and sought reconciliation. John's firey personality left many bridges burned and his passion for order over doctrine is clear in how methodism has turned out even to this day. The author does not highlight any of Whitfields successes and makes John appear to be the only figure leading the spiritual awakening. Even if one views Wesley as more favorable than Whitfield, surely a more unbiased view could have been attempted to be coveyed in a book, giving facts of both sides, like Dillamores masterpiece on Whitfield.
At least it was a mercifully short read. If it was the length of the Whitfield biography, I could not have muscled through it.
Other than this, the book was not written well. The facts about Wesley's life were scattered, not chronological and I found myself often confused about people like Whitfield who had already "died" in the book being brought up again and still interacting with John.
Aside from the poor writing style, the author writes with a clear bias in favor of Wesley. In reading many other accounts of Wesley, there are many sins that were not mentioned or brushed over, and he was painted in this book to be a sort of infallible spiritual leader.
The author's bias for Wesley clearly is demonstrated anytime he mentions George Whitefield. He crushes Whitfield and makes him out to be the antagonist in the relationship, when it was, in fact, Whitfield who wanted and sought reconciliation. John's firey personality left many bridges burned and his passion for order over doctrine is clear in how methodism has turned out even to this day. The author does not highlight any of Whitfields successes and makes John appear to be the only figure leading the spiritual awakening. Even if one views Wesley as more favorable than Whitfield, surely a more unbiased view could have been attempted to be coveyed in a book, giving facts of both sides, like Dillamores masterpiece on Whitfield.
At least it was a mercifully short read. If it was the length of the Whitfield biography, I could not have muscled through it.
April 5, 2022
The bottom line is I LOVE the Christian Heroes: Then and Now series. I don’t feel the same way about the Men of Faith series which this book is a part of.
John Wesley was not a large man, so physically, he was not threatening. I could not get over the talk of violence and mobs. “Often they stoned Wesley; gangs set upon him and, dragging him into alleys, would leave him for dead” (95-96). 😳
It was very important to John Wesley that he be in control. “Wesley recognized that his word must be final…when John once spoke there was no appeal” (100).
He also practiced what he preached. “John made vast sums of money from his writings and the sale of books.
All of this, however, went back into the propagation of his work” (101).
Some pages would jump around from one date to the next, and the feel was just disjointed to me. On page 108, 1752 is mentioned, then 1769, then 1774 then way back to 1748 then back to 1747. Whitefield’s death is written of, then Whitefield reappears on page 113 as being someone who is coaxing John. I don’t like constantly jumping around from time to time.
While the book’s style is not to my liking, John Wesley is. “He preached forty-two thousand sermons and when the total of his books is summed they come to more than two hundred” (123).
John Wesley lived to an old age. At the age of 80, he felt like he was 25. One of the causes he attributes to his lack of worry. He said, “I fret at nothing” (133). He very much brings Jimmy Carter to mind who has taught Sunday School to many people over the years in his later years and has been an active person contributing to his fellow human beings his whole life.
John Wesley was not a large man, so physically, he was not threatening. I could not get over the talk of violence and mobs. “Often they stoned Wesley; gangs set upon him and, dragging him into alleys, would leave him for dead” (95-96). 😳
It was very important to John Wesley that he be in control. “Wesley recognized that his word must be final…when John once spoke there was no appeal” (100).
He also practiced what he preached. “John made vast sums of money from his writings and the sale of books.
All of this, however, went back into the propagation of his work” (101).
Some pages would jump around from one date to the next, and the feel was just disjointed to me. On page 108, 1752 is mentioned, then 1769, then 1774 then way back to 1748 then back to 1747. Whitefield’s death is written of, then Whitefield reappears on page 113 as being someone who is coaxing John. I don’t like constantly jumping around from time to time.
While the book’s style is not to my liking, John Wesley is. “He preached forty-two thousand sermons and when the total of his books is summed they come to more than two hundred” (123).
John Wesley lived to an old age. At the age of 80, he felt like he was 25. One of the causes he attributes to his lack of worry. He said, “I fret at nothing” (133). He very much brings Jimmy Carter to mind who has taught Sunday School to many people over the years in his later years and has been an active person contributing to his fellow human beings his whole life.
June 5, 2025
(2.5)
For such an interesting and influential figure in church history, this biography was presented in a very boring manner.
For such an interesting and influential figure in church history, this biography was presented in a very boring manner.
March 22, 2019
I didn’t know John Wesley was put out to preach in the fields by the Church of England. I had not realised it was his mother’s strict but nurturing upbringing that gave him the structure he needed when it came to organising his parish in the world. ‘Agree to disagree’ came from him. George Whitefield enjoyed God’s Power and blessing as an evangelist but John gave his converts a form of the sacred life to follow. I have newfound admiration for this humble horseback preacher who chose to spend most of his fruitful years saving the lost. England truly owes a great debt to this group of ‘Methodists’.
December 10, 2020
This book was written in circular fasion and not linear, making it very difficult to follow John's Life.
It was also very heavily factual and loaded with dates and quotations.
This book did not flow well and it was difficult to know if you where reading an account of the end of John's Life at the middle as it kept circling back. The vocabulary and sentence structure didn't help either.
However, I learnt more about this man then I knew before. I found it insightful and very well researched. It's a good brief overview of Wesley's life.
It was also very heavily factual and loaded with dates and quotations.
This book did not flow well and it was difficult to know if you where reading an account of the end of John's Life at the middle as it kept circling back. The vocabulary and sentence structure didn't help either.
However, I learnt more about this man then I knew before. I found it insightful and very well researched. It's a good brief overview of Wesley's life.
May 29, 2018
dry. very dry
May 21, 2020
Read this for school, and I enjoyed it.
January 14, 2022
Prácticamente es una biografía de Juan Wesley, pero si que deja muchas enseñanzas!!
November 25, 2014
This was an interesting, abbreviated biography of the life of John Wesley and the denomination he founded. He was a disciplined and dedicated man with an unshakeable faith. The biographer seems to be a big Wesley fan and perhaps glosses over some contentious points or it may simply have been because of the brevity of the book. It made me want to read more about Wesley and to read some of Wesley's many publications.
March 19, 2008
A brief introduction to Wesley's life but not the best biography. It was my first biography I read of his amazing walk with God, and also acted as a model for how much a person can really get accomplished in this life for God and others.
August 11, 2013
Interesting book if one is trying to learn from those in the past who have followed Jesus' footsteps. Definitely don't agree with everything Wesley believed, but we are united through our faith in Jesus. God worked mightily through this main, and I pray that He worrks mightily through me as well...
September 26, 2010
A bit hagiographical, but a solid book about the life and work of Wesley, and I learned a lot about him from reading it.
July 6, 2015
Seemed kind of sycophantic.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews