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The Works of John Wesley, Volume VIII (Addresses, Essays, Letters): The First Complete Unabridged Edition in Nearly 100 Years
Hardcover
Published January 1, 1958
About the author
John Wesley
2,909 books262 followersJohn Wesley is recognized as the founder of Methodism. An acclaimed preacher, Wesley travelled extensively on horseback and drew large crowds for his outdoor sermons. A contemporary of William Wilberforce, Wesley was a strong voice opposing slavery in England and the United States. His influence upon modern Christianity can be seen by the large number of Methodist organizations in the Wesleyan tradition all over the world.
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July 4, 2026
As a teacher of Wesleyan theology, I try to read at least one new-to-me book about John Wesley every year to keep my thinking sharp and my lectures fresh. My bedtime book for the last three months has been Volume 8 of his works (addresses, lectures and letters) published by Hendrickson Publishers in 1986.
There is no doubt that Wesley was a gifted organizer who knew how to utilize small groups for the spiritual growth of the early Methodists, but it was interesting to learn how the first “class meetings” were formed by happy accident. (p. 253-255)
One huge criticism directed toward Wesley was that he was maligning the Anglican church and was trying to form his own denomination, which he strongly denied. (It was only after his death, that the Methodists formed their own church.) When asked, “what was God’s design in raising up Methodist preachers”, he famously replied, “Not to form any new sect; but to reform the nation, particularly the Church; and to spread scriptural holiness over the land."
Much of this volume was repetitive since Wesley responded in long letters to people who were falsely accusing the Methodists of all sorts of evils. Nobody seemed to read his rebuttals, because the same accusations were made over and over! And he patiently addressed all the accusations again and again. I often giggled at his snappy rejoinders.
For Wesley fans, this book would be a delight (though, admittedly, an occasional slog). But to the uninitiated, it would likely be tedious.
There is no doubt that Wesley was a gifted organizer who knew how to utilize small groups for the spiritual growth of the early Methodists, but it was interesting to learn how the first “class meetings” were formed by happy accident. (p. 253-255)
One huge criticism directed toward Wesley was that he was maligning the Anglican church and was trying to form his own denomination, which he strongly denied. (It was only after his death, that the Methodists formed their own church.) When asked, “what was God’s design in raising up Methodist preachers”, he famously replied, “Not to form any new sect; but to reform the nation, particularly the Church; and to spread scriptural holiness over the land."
Much of this volume was repetitive since Wesley responded in long letters to people who were falsely accusing the Methodists of all sorts of evils. Nobody seemed to read his rebuttals, because the same accusations were made over and over! And he patiently addressed all the accusations again and again. I often giggled at his snappy rejoinders.
For Wesley fans, this book would be a delight (though, admittedly, an occasional slog). But to the uninitiated, it would likely be tedious.
Displaying 1 of 1 review