Читать книгу Radical Grace - S T Kimbrough - Страница 9

A month after his conversion on May 21, 1738, Charles recorded in the MSJ1 a theological perspective that is formative for his attitude toward the poor and shapes his action on their behalf.

Thursday, June 22 [1738]. Comforted Hetty2 under a strong temptation, because she was not in all points affected like other believers, especially the poor, who have generally a much larger degree of confidence than the rich and learned. I had a proof of this today after Mrs Searl’s, where meeting a poor woman, and convincing her of unbelief, I used a prayer for her that God who hath chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith, would now impart to her his unspeakable gift. In the midst of the prayer she received it; avowed it openly and increased visibly therein.3

Though it could not have been a popular position in eighteenth-century England, Charles believed most sincerely that “the poor . . . have generally a much larger degree of confidence than the rich and learned.” This view is central to a theology of radical grace. The society was controlled in large measure by the landed gentry, to whom the Church of England had innumerable ties. Given the wealth and the extensive land and property holdings of the aristocracy, education was essentially limited to its members. Illiteracy was rampant, children were exploited by emerging industries, and the living conditions of the city workhouses were abominable. Yet, in this context Charles avers that the people who may be illiterate and who live in squalor have a “larger degree of confidence than the rich and learned.” Of course, Charles’s journal was not published in his own day, so that his posture in this matter had to emerge in other ways.

In these words from Charles’s MSJ, one discovers a fundamental view of the psyche of the poor—in spite of their adverse living and labor conditions and their lack of education, they are imbued with more confidence than the wealthy and well educated. David Lowes Watson maintains: “The truth of the matter is that God’s deepest truths are grasped most readily by the poor, because they are the ones whose eyes God chooses to open. They are the ones who, lacking most worldly riches, are blessed with spiritual wealth.”4 Could this be the reason why Charles calls the poor his best friends?

In the year 1745, Charles gives an account of an accident he had while fleeing a mob at Shepton Mallet on August 10.5

Preached at Shepton Mallet, where a great door is opening, and there are many adversaries. One of the devil’s drunken champions attempted to disturb us, but my voice prevailed.

They desired me to meet their little Society at an unusual place, to disappoint the mob. I walked forward toward the town, then turned back over the field, to drop the people, and, springing up a rising ground, sprained or broke my leg. I knew not which, but I fell down when I offered to set my foot to the ground. The brethren carried me to an hut, which was quickly filled with the poor people. It was soon noised about the town that I had broke my leg—some said my neck—and that it was a judgment upon me. The principal man of the place, Mr. P., sent me a kind message, and his bath-chair to bring me to his house. I thanked him, but declined his offer, on account of my pain, which unfitted me for any company except that of my best friends—the poor. With these I continued praying, singing, and rejoicing for two hours. Their love quite delighted me. Happiest they that could come near to do anything for me. When my strength was exhausted, they laid me on their bed, the best they had. But I could not sleep for pain.

In this incident Charles reveals that he declined the assistance of a man of means and chose to stay with the poor people who had assisted him and were caring for him, for he considered them to be his “best friends.” This was very early in his ministry, just seven years after his conversion, and, although he certainly made friends among the wealthy and well educated, he does not seem to have changed his posture of claiming the poor as his best friends.

Friendship with the poor and marginalized is foundational for any relationship with them. It is much easier, however, to be a beneficent giver to the poor than it is to establish friendships. If one simply provides resources for the less fortunate, one can keep them at a distance. Friendship means getting involved with others, their emotions and their behavior, and the creation of mutual trust. Charles Wesley understood the value of friendship as fundamental in his outreach to the poor.

An Advocate for the Poor

The MSJ provides an account that reveals that Wesley was more than just a friend to the poor. He was an advocate for them with civil authority at Worcester after a mob attack.

Friday, July 5. Between six and seven set out with Sarah Perrin, my wife, and sister Becky, and honest Francis Walker. Coming to Worcester in the afternoon, we heard the rioters had been at the room on Monday evening, in expectation of me, and made great disturbance. I doubted all along whether I had any business here at this time. Yet, at the desire of the poor people, went to their room at seven. Almost as soon as I began the mob interrupted. But in spite of their lewd, hellish language, I preached the gospel, though with much contention. They had no power to strike the people as usual, neither did any molest us in our way home.

Saturday, July 6. We were hardly met, when the sons of Belial6 poured in upon us, some with their faces blacked, some without shirts, all in rags. They began to “stand up for the Church,” by cursing and swearing, by singing and talking lewdly, and throwing dust and dirt all over us; with which they had filled their pockets, such as had any to fill. I was soon covered from head to foot, and almost blinded. Finding it impossible to be heard, I only told them I should apply to the magistrates for redress, and walked up stairs. They pressed after me, but Mr Walker and the brethren blocked up the stairs, and kept them down. I waited a quarter of an hour, then walked through the midst of them to my lodgings, and thence to the mayor’s.

I spent an hour with him, pleading the poor people’s cause. He said he had never before heard of their being so treated—that is pelted, beat, and wounded, their house battered, and windows, partitions, locks broke; that none had applied to him for justice, or he should have granted it; that he was well assured of the great mischief the Methodists had done throughout the nation, and the great riches Mr Whitefield and their other teachers had acquired; that their societies were quite unnecessary, since the Church was sufficient; that he was for having neither Methodists nor Dissenters.

I easily answered all his objections. He treated me with civility and freedom, and promised, at parting, to do our people justice. Whether he does or not, I have satisfied my own conscience.7

This is a very different view of Charles Wesley than is often found in the MSJ. Here he is in the midst of a mob attack, covered from head to foot with the dust and dirt that has been thrown at the poor people. Ironic, indeed, is the comment that the mob began “to ‘stand up for the Church,’ by cursing and swearing, by singing and talking lewdly, and throwing dust and dirt all over us.” While he does not say this was a Society meeting, it was no doubt a group of poor people who were affiliated in some manner with the Methodist movement. Charles spoke up and announced that he would appeal to the local magistrates for redress. Though the mob pressed upon him when he started up the stairs, he was protected by some of the poor people, who blocked the mob’s way. After a brief period, Charles mustered the courage simply to “walk through the midst of them” to his lodgings, and then proceeded to the mayor’s.

Charles then pled the cause of the poor people before the mayor, who said that he had never heard of such behavior toward the poor. Though he was opposed to the Methodists, he promised that he would see that they were treated with justice. The account in the MSJ reveals that civil disobedience evoked a significant exercise of civil responsibility from Charles Wesley, who advocated on behalf of the poor before the local mayor because of the unjust attack on them.

Relating to the Poor and Marginalized

There are a variety of clues in the MSJ as to how Charles related to the poor: (a) conversation, (b) worship, (c) prayer, (d) preaching, (e) invitation, and (f) Holy Communion. In addition, he reveals how his relationships with the poor impact his own life: (g) Charles Wesley’s well-being, and (h) Charles Wesley’s creativity.

Before addressing these aspects of Charles’s life among the poor and marginalized, it is important to consider the encounter with “Justice Cr—, the most forward of our adversaries,” as Charles records in the MSJ. This particular incident provides insight into the breadth of Charles’s concern for the transformation of the life of the poor and its impact on the individual, family, and society.

Sunday, September 20 [1741]. Most of the Society were at St James’s sacrament.

I carried Mr Jones to Kingswood where the Lord was mightily present in his own ordinance. At Baptist Mills I expounded the bloody issue. Great disturbance was made behind me, till I turned upon the disturbers, and by the law first, and then the gospel, entirely silenced them.

It was a glorious time at the Society, when God called forth his witnesses. Our guest was filled with consolation and acknowledged that God was with us of a truth.

Introduced him to the leaders of the colliers with whom he had sweet fellowship. Met the bands and strongly urged them to press toward the mark. Read them a letter full of threatenings to take our house by violence. Immediately the power came down and we laughed all our enemies to scorn. Faith saw the mountain full of horsemen and chariots of fire. Our brother from Wales was compelled to bear his testimony and declare before all, what God had done for his soul. “At that time, when the power of the Holy Ghost so overshadowed him,” (he assured them) “all bodily sufferings would have been as nothing. Neither would they feel them, if made partakers of the Holy Ghost in the same measure.”

He warned us to prepare for the storm, which would surely fall upon us, if the work of God went on. His artless words were greatly blessed to us all, and our hearts were bowed and warmed by the Spirit of love, as the heart of one man.

Tuesday, September 22. He would have carried me to some great friends of his in the city, and particularly to a Counselor, about the threatened seizure. I feared nothing but helping myself and trusting to an arm of flesh. Our safety is to sit still. However, at his importunity I went with him a little way, but stopped and turned him back, and at last agreed to accompany him to Justice Cr—, the most forward of our adversaries.

He received us cautiously. I said, “I came to wait upon him, in respect to his office, having heard his name mentioned among some, who were offended at the good we did to the poor colliers, that I should be sorry to give any just cause of complaint and willing to know from himself, if such had been given, that many vile reports were spread, as if he should countenance the violence of those who had seized Mr C’s house and now threatened to take away the collier’s school.

I caught up an expression he dropped, that it would make a good workhouse, and said,

[Wesley]: “It is a workhouse already.”

[Justice]: “Aye, but what work is done there?”

[Wesley]: “We work the works of God, which man cannot hinder.”

[Justice]: “But you occasion the increase of our poor.”

[Wesley]: “Sir, you are misinformed. The reverse of that is true. None of our Society is chargeable to you, even those who were so before they heard us, or who spent all their wages at the alehouse, now never go there at all, but keep their money to maintain their families, and have to give to those that want. Notorious swearers have now only the praise of God in their mouths. The good done among them is indisputable. Our worst enemies cannot deny it. None who hears us continues either to swear or drink.”

[Justice]: “If I thought so,” he hastily replied (in eodem luto haesitans8), “I would come and hear you myself.”

I desired he would, said, the grace of God was as sufficient for him as for our colliers, and who knew but he might be converted among us!9

It is generally known that there was opposition to the Wesleyan movement within the Church of England10 and among certain institutional structures and government officials. On this occasion, Charles tells the justice that he has “heard his name mentioned among some, who were offended at the good we did to the poor colliers.” He is curious whether the justice would sanction the seizure of Mr. Cennick’s house and the taking away of the school for coal miners’ children.

The justice maintains that the work the Wesleys and their followers are doing increases the poor. Charles then explains that precisely the reverse is occurring. He enumerates the changes that have transpired among the poor: (1) they no longer spend all of their wages at the alehouse; (2) they use their money to sustain their families; (3) they give to others in need; (4) they no longer swear but instead praise God; and (5) they abstain from drinking. Wesley casts this work in a theological framework when he says to the justice, “We work the works of God, which man cannot hinder.” In this conversation, however, the emphasis is not on the evangelical thrust of the Wesleyan movement, but rather its personal and societal impact. While the end result may be that the poor rise above the poverty line by using their meager resources for the sustenance of life and family and for others in need, this was not the primary goal as such of Wesleyan outreach. As will become obvious later in this study, in terms of Charles’s fulfillment of the mandate to preach the gospel to the poor, he is fully convinced that by committing one’s life to Christ and following in his way, not only will an individual life be transformed, but there will be a definitive impact on society. Charles’s concern is for changed life and changed lives. Self-indulgence is transformed into caring concern for family and others.

Conversation

Charles Wesley understood that if you wish to establish a relationship with others, you must be willing to spend time conversing with them. As a well-educated graduate of Westminster School (London) and Christ Church College, Oxford University, how could he possibly build close relationships with persons who were poor and illiterate? He had read the great Latin and Greek poets; the uneducated would probably not even know who they were. He was a cleric of the Church of England, and many of the poor had perhaps never been inside a parish church. Charles knew that he had to spend time simply talking with those who were less fortunate than he was, if he wanted to relate to them.

On September 12, 1739, he wrote in the MSJ: “This conference abated my headache. Expounding at the Hall gave me more strength. After talking two hours with the poor people that came to me, and preaching at Baptist Mills, I was perfectly well.”11 Though there are a number of elements to be discussed in these three sentences, the focus here is on Charles’s conversing for two hours with the poor people who came to him. While attending a conference, expounding at the Hall, and preaching at Baptist Mills, he takes time to talk with the poor for two hours. We do not know what he discussed with them, but we know that enduring relationships often develop when persons take time to converse with one another. No matter how important one thinks the other elements of the evangelical movement of the Wesleys may be, especially in terms of outreach among the poor and marginalized, Charles exemplifies a seminal aspect of lasting relationships: conversation.

A similar reference occurs in the MSJ on May 12, 1740: “Employed three hours most profitably in conferring with the poor people; more of whom daily receive forgiveness, or the witness of the Spirit. Three or four were now set at liberty, in immediate answer to prayer.”12 Here Charles spent yet a longer period of time in conversation with the poor. Again, while we do not know what he discussed with them, apparently faith-related issues were involved since he speaks of those who received forgiveness and the witness of the Spirit and were “set at liberty.”

Regardless of the content of the conversation and the extent to which it was actually a dialogue between Charles and the poor, he sets an example for all who would minister among the poor: take time to converse with them.

Worshipping Together

Perhaps one of the least likely places to encounter the poor during the time of the Wesleys was the parish church, and among the least likely places to encounter priests of the Church of England were the workhouses, the hovels of the poor, and the hearths of Newcastle. In spite of the deep devotion of John and Charles Wesley to the Book of Common Prayer (BCP) and its liturgies, they understood that those least familiar with its words might better be introduced to the worship of God through singing, prayer, and preaching. They did not consider a less formal use of these elements of worship to be a substitute for the liturgies of the church, but they used them to engage the poor, illiterate, and others in the first steps of a journey toward a life in Christ and the church.

In the earliest stages of the Wesleys’ ministry after their return from America, Charles records in the MSJ (June 6, 1739): “Above sixty of the poor people had passed the night in Mr Delamotte’s barn, singing, and rejoicing. I sang and prayed with them before the door.”13

In the MSJ passage cited earlier in this study in which Charles speaks of the poor as his best friends, he says, “With these I continued praying, singing, and rejoicing for two hours.”14 These were indeed not times of formal worship in the sense of the liturgies of the BCP, though given the way in which the Wesleys’ worship, prayer, and devotional life were rooted in the BCP, no doubt its phraseology and theology were integral to their articulation of faith in such gatherings. Of course, Charles integrated them into his hymns as well.15

Prayer

Prayer is, of course, a vital part of worship and devotional life. Wesley notes in the MSJ instances in which he spent time in prayer with the poor and marginalized outside the context of either formal or informal worship.

The first entry in the MSJ in which Wesley states that he spent time in prayer with poor people is dated Monday, September 4, 1738, not quite four months after his conversion on May 21st: “Charles Kinchin, now my inseparable companion, accompanied me to Bexley and Blendon. I prayed, and was comforted with the poor people.” This experience brought solace to him. Presence among the poor and marginalized and prayer with them were a source of consolation. This would continue throughout Charles’s life and ministry.

On February 19, 1739, he records:

Prayed in the prison with Anne Dodd, well disposed, weary of sin, longing to break loose. Preached powerfully on the last day. Prayed after God for the poor harlots. Our sisters carried away one in triumph. I followed to Mrs Hanson’s, who took charge of the returning prodigal. Our hearts overflowed with pity for her. She seemed confounded, silent, testifying her joy and love by her tears only. We sang and prayed over her in great confidence.16

Charles says that in prison he prayed with Anne Dodd. He does not say she is a prisoner, but one assumes that she was. He prayed as well for the prostitutes, one of whom, according to his account, “seemed confounded” and bore witness to “her joy and love by her tears.” He goes on to say that they “sang and prayed over her in great confidence.”