Archive: Vital Methodism and the fire of God

While recently discussing the preliminary findings of a four-year study of United Methodism and American culture, the Rev. Dennis M. Campbell, dean of the Duke University Divinity School, touched upon the theme of our denominational identity crisis. He believes that the answer to our lack of theological identity is not to turn back to some imagined earlier time of doctrinal agreement.

“Our research shows that no such time ever existed in Methodism,” he reported. “It is simply not the case that growth and vitality were the result of uniform thinking and practice.”

So, how did growth and vitality occur within Methodism? Readers of early Methodist history will know that the denomination exploded because the countryside was covered with young circuit riding preachers who pursued their calling with dogged zeal and enthusiasm. They were filled with the fire of the Holy Spirit and anointed to preach the gospel with passion. One of them referred to it as an irresistible “Holy ‘knock-em-down’ power.”

While itinerating in the 1780s, Benjamin Abbott discovered that some feared to sit too near him, “having been informed that the people on the circuit fell like dead men” when he preached. When one man in Delaware invited Thomas Smith to preach at his home on New Year’s day 1801, this is what followed: “At the very commencement of the meeting the Spirit of the Lord came as a rushing, mighty wind—the people fell before it, and lay in heaps all over the floor. The work continued all night, nor did it stop in the morning, but continued for thirteen days and nights without interruption; some coming, some going, so that the meeting was kept up day and night.”

Growth and vitality occurred because the Spirit of the Lord fell on Methodist meetings. Furthermore, we expected God’s mighty presence.

“Between 1770 and 1820, American Methodists achieved a virtual miracle of growth,” reports historian John H. Wigger, “rising from fewer than 1,000 members to more than 250,000.” Methodism blazed through American society. “In 1775, fewer than one out of every 800 Americans was a Methodist; by 1812, Methodists numbered one out of every 36 Americans,” says Wigger.

The key to this explosion was the faith and spirit of the circuit riders. They were willing to go anywhere and do anything for the God who so graciously loved and redeemed them. These early Methodists were radically saved.

Peter Cartwright (1785-1872) sought the Lord with diligence and fervor. He attended a meeting where the “power of God was wonderfully displayed” and “Christians shouted aloud for joy.” He wrote: “To this meeting I repaired—a guilty, wretched sinner. On the Saturday evening, I went with weeping multitudes and bowed before the stand and earnestly prayed for mercy. In the midst of a solemn struggle of soul, an impression was made on my mind, as though a voice said to me, ‘Thy sins are all forgiven thee.’ Divine light flashed all around me, unspeakable joy sprung up in my soul.

“I rose to my feet, opened my eyes, and it really seemed as if I was in heaven—the trees, the leaves on them, and everything, I really thought, were praising God. My mother raised the shout, my Christian friends crowded around me and joined me in praising God. And though I have been since then, in many instances, unfaithful, yet I have never, for one moment, doubted that the Lord did, then and there, forgive my sins and give me religion.”

His religion was complete redemption.

Early Methodism was also shouting Methodism. We used to be a noisy bunch, interrupting our preachers with “Praise the Lord,” “Hallelujah,” and “Amen.” One observer of early Methodist camp meetings reported that the “periodical Amens dispossess demons, storm heaven, shut the gates of hell, and drive Satan from the camp.”

We used to be excited about our faith in the Lord. Today, we are under the mistaken impression that somberness is next to godliness. Too often we all prefer the stiff-upper-lip version of worship to the extravagant praise that David offered as he danced before the Lord. Our legitimate fear of emotionalism has too often quenched our ability to allow the Spirit of the Lord to genuinely touch our emotions. We don’t need hype, but we do need more of the Holy Spirit. Our services need not be rodeos, but they should be celebrations.

One thing is for certain, the early Methodist explosion cannot be attributed to the rise of theological liberalism, Boston Personalism, process theology, or any other religious fad. The growth and vitality of Methodism occurred because our preachers were radically saved, the Spirit of God fell on our meetings, and we were filled with Holy Spirit excitement about Jesus. A contemporary revival of all three factors would do wonders for our identity crisis.

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