John Wesley is the founding father of Methodism (of which West is proudly a part).
John Wesley was an influential figure in Christian history, particularly known for founding the Methodist movement. Born on June 28, 1703, in Epworth, England, Wesley was the fifteenth child of Samuel Wesley, a rector, and his wife Susanna. He was educated at Oxford University, where he later taught, and was ordained as an Anglican priest.
Wesley’s life took a significant turn after a spiritual experience in 1738, leading him to emphasize a personal experience of faith. This was a vital aspect of the Methodist movement, which focused on personal holiness, a methodical approach to religious life, and a strong emphasis on social justice and helping the less fortunate.
Wesley kept journals and wrote sermons, and today’s meditation is taken from his Primitive Physic: An Easy and Natural Method of Curing Most Diseases, first edition 1747; 23rd edition, 1791
**Remember, this was written in the mid-1700s, so our knowledge of science and health is clearly much deeper now. But his points in #1 and #5 clearly have relevance in our lives today.
As we talk about our “chimp brain,” – we learn to keep our emotions within their proper boundaries, as Wesley says.
Unspeakable joy. Perfect calm. Serenity. Tranquility.
What if those are our aims today?
From Wesley – – –
Emotions and Health
- Emotions have a more significant influence on health than most people realize.
- All violent or sudden emotions open the door to or actually throw people into, acute diseases.
- Slow, lasting emotions, such as grief or hopeless love, bring on chronic diseases.
- Until the emotion that causes the disease gets calm, medicine will not help.
- The love of God is the sovereign remedy for all miseries. It effectively prevents bodily disorders the emotions introduce by keeping emotions within their proper boundaries. And by the unspeakable joy, perfect calm, serenity, and tranquility Love gives the mind, it becomes the most powerful of all the means to health and long life.
Grace and Peace,
Andrea