Nathan W. Bingham

But it was one of the charges brought against some in the Great Awakening that it was too emotional, that there was too much reaction. Whitefield was not troubled by that, but he waited. He believed that people were being awakened, but he waited to see, are they really being soundly converted? Now, It was not just Whitefield, of course, who was the preacher of this awakening.

The awakening, we can say, roughly lasted from about 1739, when the general awakening began to manifest itself, down to about 1744. So for about... Five years, rather intensively, awakening was taking place all over the American colonies. There were things going on in Scotland and England as well, but we're concentrating a little more in the colonies. didn't stay the whole time.

The awakening, we can say, roughly lasted from about 1739, when the general awakening began to manifest itself, down to about 1744. So for about... Five years, rather intensively, awakening was taking place all over the American colonies. There were things going on in Scotland and England as well, but we're concentrating a little more in the colonies. didn't stay the whole time.

He left and returned to England in 1741 and thought he ought to return and help Wesley with some of what he was doing there in England because Wesley was seeing great fruit to his labors there. And it was a very... difficult and sad return for Whitfield because one of the flaws of Wesley manifested itself when Whitfield returned.

He left and returned to England in 1741 and thought he ought to return and help Wesley with some of what he was doing there in England because Wesley was seeing great fruit to his labors there. And it was a very... difficult and sad return for Whitfield because one of the flaws of Wesley manifested itself when Whitfield returned.

And that flaw was Wesley really could not cooperate with people very well. He was great at running the show. He was great at being in charge. But he was not good at cooperation. And when Whitefield returned and wanted to go back to preach in some of the coal mining regions where he had started the work, Wesley told the people there not to listen to Whitefield.

And that flaw was Wesley really could not cooperate with people very well. He was great at running the show. He was great at being in charge. But he was not good at cooperation. And when Whitefield returned and wanted to go back to preach in some of the coal mining regions where he had started the work, Wesley told the people there not to listen to Whitefield.

Now, the excuse offered, maybe more than excuse, maybe that's a little hard on Wesley, but the excuse offered, I don't mind being a little hard on Wesley, the excuse offered was that Whitefield had become too much of a Calvinist in New England. And it's fairly certain that the influence of Edwards and others in New England had clarified Whitefield's theology in a more Calvinistic direction.

Now, the excuse offered, maybe more than excuse, maybe that's a little hard on Wesley, but the excuse offered, I don't mind being a little hard on Wesley, the excuse offered was that Whitefield had become too much of a Calvinist in New England. And it's fairly certain that the influence of Edwards and others in New England had clarified Whitefield's theology in a more Calvinistic direction.

But it's also true, I think, that Wesley was very contented to use that theological difference to justify his refusal to cooperate as equals with Whitefield. And it's really from that time Wesley became much more self-consciously an Arminian.

But it's also true, I think, that Wesley was very contented to use that theological difference to justify his refusal to cooperate as equals with Whitefield. And it's really from that time Wesley became much more self-consciously an Arminian.

I don't think Wesley cared overly about theology, but what we do see is that from that time on, one of the root concerns of Wesley came ever more to the fore, and that was a concern for holiness. Now, a concern for holiness is a good thing, but Wesley's theology was

I don't think Wesley cared overly about theology, but what we do see is that from that time on, one of the root concerns of Wesley came ever more to the fore, and that was a concern for holiness. Now, a concern for holiness is a good thing, but Wesley's theology was

flexible enough, thin enough, that he had trouble, I think, balancing a sound Protestant doctrine of justification with a sound concern for holiness. And sometimes when he talked about holiness, he seemed to do that almost in a way that compromised his commitment to justification by faith alone. And then, too, as his life went on, he developed this strange notion of Christian perfection.

flexible enough, thin enough, that he had trouble, I think, balancing a sound Protestant doctrine of justification with a sound concern for holiness. And sometimes when he talked about holiness, he seemed to do that almost in a way that compromised his commitment to justification by faith alone. And then, too, as his life went on, he developed this strange notion of Christian perfection.

He believed it was possible by faith for Christians to become perfect. And not everyone was persuaded that Wesley had made it. But this stress upon holiness did seem to be somewhat linked to aspects of Arminian theology and did serve to alienate Wesley from Whitefield. Wesley went on to be very successful as an organizer. He had great organizational abilities.

He believed it was possible by faith for Christians to become perfect. And not everyone was persuaded that Wesley had made it. But this stress upon holiness did seem to be somewhat linked to aspects of Arminian theology and did serve to alienate Wesley from Whitefield. Wesley went on to be very successful as an organizer. He had great organizational abilities.

And he established all over England Methodist societies. He didn't call them churches. He was still in the Church of England. To the day he died, he remained a minister in the Church of England. He established societies that met...

And he established all over England Methodist societies. He didn't call them churches. He was still in the Church of England. To the day he died, he remained a minister in the Church of England. He established societies that met...

uh... it looked a lot like worship but he said it wasn't worship because they did not compete with the church of england the societies never met at the same time as the church of england but he was setting up really kind of a church within the church and uh... even more importantly he established what were called classes class meetings where ten fifteen methodists would gather together regularly to study to pray