A key sentences reads "Regardless of current opinions in the church, remembering the posture of our founders is essential if we would bear the name Methodist."
Kimbrough is a retired NAC member of the North Alabama Conference and serves as a Research Fellow in the Center for Studies in the Wesleyan Tradition at Duke Divinity School
At the conclusion of John Wesley’s treatise Reasons Against Separation from the Church of England (1758) there is a rarely quoted paragraph written by his brother Charles Wesley. As one carefully considers issues related to dividing The United Methodist Church it behooves us to hear these words of one of the founders of the Methodist movement.
“I think myself bound in duty, to add my testimony to my brother’s.
His twelve reasons against our ever Separating from the Church of England,
are mine also. I subscribe to them with all my heart. Only with regard to the
first, I am quite clear, that it is neither expedient, nor lawful for me to
separate: and I never had the least inclination or temptation so to do. My
affection for the Church is as strong as ever; and I clearly see my calling;
which is, to live and to die in her communion. This therefore, I am determined
to do, the Lord being my helper.
I have subjoined the Hymns for the Lay-Preachers; still farther to secure
this end, to cut off all jealously and suspicion from our friends, or hope from
our enemies, of our having any design of ever separating from the Church.
I have no secret reserve, or distant thought of it. I never had. Would to God
all the Methodist preachers were, in this respect, like minded with
CHARLES WESLEY.”
Following this statement Charles included a series of hymns and poems pertinent to this theme. I quote only one of them here. Regardless of current opinions in the church, remembering the posture of our founders is essential if we would bear the name Methodist. As “God is love,” the Wesleys remind us that this is the central force of individual and corporate life together. Charles reminds us that God transcends the opinions of our hearts: thou art greater than our heart. And humble love is to be our ongoing mark as followers of Jesus. In the current turmoil in United Methodism the deep sense of humble love in the spirit of Charles Wesley’s text below, alone is worthy of the people called Methodists who claim to be followers of Christ.
O Lord, our strength and righteousness,
Our base, and head, and corner-stone,
Our peace with God, our mutual peace,
Unite, and keep thy servants one,
That while we speak in Jesus’ name,
We all may speak, and think the same.
That spirit of love to each impart,
That fervent mind, which was in thee,
So shall we all our strength exert,
In heart, and word, and deed agree
T’ advance the kingdom of thy grace,
And spread thine everlasting praise.
O never may the Fiend steal in,
Or one unstable soul deceive:
Assailed by our besetting sin,
And tempted ’fore the work to leave,
Preserve us, Lord, from self and pride,
And let nor life, nor death divide.
Pride, only pride, can cause divorce,
Can separate ’twixt our souls and thee:
Pride, only pride, is discord’s source,
The bane of peace and charity;
But us it never more shall part,
For thou art greater than our heart.
Wherefore to thine almighty hand
The keeping of our hearts we give,
Firm in one mind and spirit stand,
To thee, and to each other cleave,
Fixed on the Rock which cannot move,
And meekly safe in humble love.
S T Kimbrough, Jr., retired NAC member
