Mether. See Mithrite.
Methoar. See Remmox-jietiioar.
Methodism, as a distinctive form of Church life and polity, dates from the revival of religion in England under the labors of the brothers Wesley and of White- field. See these names respectively.
I. Oriffin. — in November, 1729, the Wesleys, White- field, and their associates— about a dozen young men, students at Oxford University — formed themselves into a society for purposes of mutual moral improvement. They had a sincere desire to please God ; and, by dili- gence, self-denial, and active bencvuUiicf, tliey sought to know and do his will. By instru( liiii; the <liildren of the neglected poor, by visiting the sick and ihc inmates of prisons and almshouses, by a strict observance of the fasts ordained by the Church, and by scrupulous exact- ness in their attendance upon public worship, they be- came objects of general notice. Many grave men thought them righteous overmuch, and attempted to dissuade them from an excess of piety; while profane wits treat- ed them with sarcasm and contempt. Nothing could save from ridicule men who in that age and in such a place professed to make religion the great business of life. Hence by their fellow-students they were called in turn, Sacramentarians, Bible-bigots, Bible-moths, The Godly Club. One, a student of Christ-Church College, with greater reverence than his fellows, and more learn- ing, observed, in reference to their methodical manner of life, that a new sect of Methodists had sprung up, alluding to the ancient school of physicians known by that name. The appellation obtained currency, and, al-
though the word is still sometimes used reproachfully as expressive of enthusiasm, or undue religious strict- ness, it has become the acknowledged name of one of the largest and most rapidly increasing evangelical Christian denominations (comp. Tyerman, The Oxford Methodists, N. Y., Harpers, 1873, 8vo).
From this time Methodism may be said to have started. In 1739 the first Methodist "meeting-house" in England was built at Kingswood. " Wesley's idea at this time, and for many years afterwards," says Skeats {Hist, of the Free Churches of England, p. 363), "was merely to revive the state of religion in the Church ; but he knew enough of the condition of society in Eng- land, and of human nature, to be aware that unless those who had been brought under the awakening influence of the Gospel met together, and assisted each other in keeping alive the fire which had been lit in their hearts, it must, in many instances, seriously diminish, if not al- together die out." Originally, therefore, it was no part of the design of Wesley and his associates to found a new religious sect, lie considered them all members of the Church of England — zealous for her welfare, and loyal to her legitimate authorities. For a fidl discussion of this point, see tlie article Wesley. They were all te- nacious of her order, and great sticklers for what they deemed decency and decorum. One of them tells us, "I should have thought the saving of souls almost a sin if it had not been done in a church ;" and such was the sentiment of John Weslej', when, to his horror, he first heard that his bosom friend, Whitefield, had at- tempted to preach the Gospel in the open air. This was in the year 1739, on Saturday, the 17th of February. The discourse was addressed to the colliers at Kingswood, near the city of Bristol. " I thought," said Whitefield, "that it might be doing the service of my Creator, who had a mountain for his pulpit, and the heavens for a sounding-board ; and who, when his Gospel was reject- ed by the Jews, sent his servants into the highways and hedges." In a little while John Wesley was in- duced to follow his example. Being providentially at Bristol, and a great assembly (estimated at 3000) hav- ing come together at a place called Race Green, "I submitted," he says, " to be more vile, and proclaimed in the highwaj^s the glad tidings of salvation." This was Wesley's first attempt in England. He had pre- viously preached in the open air while in this country as a missionary to the Indians in Georgia, but he had no intention of resuming the practice in England, till he was stimulated by the example and urgent advice of his friend. His brother Charles was even more opposed to this departure from Church usages, and this appar- ent breach of ecclesiastical order. He had confined himself to the usual labors of the ministry in such pul- pits as were opened to him, preaching the Gospel with earnestness and simplicity, more especially in London, where he also devoted much of his time to the felons in Newgate, not a few of whom were brought through his instrumentality to repentance and faith in Christ. Being strenuouslj' urged by Whitefield, he at length con- sented to make one effort. "I prayed," he says, "and went forth in the name of Jesus Christ. I found near a thousand heljiless sinners waiting for the Word in Moorfields. I invited them in my Master's -words, as well as name, ' Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I \vill give you rest.' The Lord w,as with me, even me, the meanest of his messengers, ac- cording to his promise. . . . My load was gone, and all my doubts and scruples. God shone on my path, and I knew this was his will concerning me." Thenceforth, in various parts of the kingdom, they continued to preach the Gospel in the open air as opportunity was afford- ed. Immense crowds thronged everywhere to hear the Word, and multitudes were converted from the error of their way. As a consequence of this violation of ecclesiastical order, and more especially because of the earnest and energetic style of the preachers, most of the pulpits of the Established Church were soon closed