Strangely Warmed Hearts Day

John Wesley

It’s John and Charles Wesley Day in the CofE—Aldersgate Day for the Methodists. It was on this day in 1738 at about 845pm when a thoroughly discouraged and depressed Anglican Priest, John Wesley, reluctantly attended a meeting in Aldersgate, London, and heard someone reading from Luther's Preface to the Epistle to Romans whereupon, as he described it:

while he was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone for salvation; and an assurance was given me that He had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death.

That strangely Holy Spirit warmed heart propelled him on to great doings for The LORD and not a little criticism and opposition. For example, one Joseph Butler, Bishop of Durham, forbade Wesley from preaching in his diocese saying,

Sir, the pretending to extraordinary revelations and gifts of the Holy Ghost is a horrid thing — a very horrid thing.

I say more warmed hearts are what we need, and that right strange! The horrider, the better.

Gene+

It's Heart Strangely Warmed Day: May 24th

This is how John Wesley described the evening of May 24th, in the year 1738, in his journal:

In the evening I went very unwillingly to a society in Aldersgate Street, where one was reading Luther’s preface to the Epistle to the Romans. About a quarter before nine, while he was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone, for salvation; and an assurance was given me that He had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death.

To strangely warmed hearts! May there be many more.

John Wesley's Heart for His People

You ask, what I would do with them: I would make them virtuous and happy, easy in themselves and useful to others.

Whither would I lead them? To heaven; to God the Judge, the lover of all, and to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant.

What religion do I preach? The religion of love; the law of kindness brought to light by the Gospel.

What is this good for? To make all who receive it enjoy God and themselves: to make them like God; lovers of all; contented in their lives; and crying out at their death, in calm assurance, “O grave, where is they victory! Thanks be unto God, who giveth me the victory through my Lord Jesus Christ.”

Amen and Amen!