On June 6, 1742, John Wesley had returned to his hometown of Epworth, the parish where his father had labored for thirty-eight years. Note this poignant “introduction” to the sermon he preached standing atop his father’s tombstone:
Read Full Article »“After the rector’s sermon against enthusiasm, John Taylor stood in the churchyard and gave notice to the people coming out, ‘Mr. Wesley, not being permitted to preach in the church, designs to preach here at six o’clock.’ Accordingly at six I came, and found such a congregation s I believe Epworth never saw before. I stood near the east end of the church, upon my father’s tombstone, and cried, ‘the Kingdom of heaven is not meats and drinks, but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.’”
