Wesley's Chapel, City Road, London On April 21, 1777, John Wesley preached a sermon on a very special occasion , the laying of the foundation of the New Chapel near the City-Road in London. The New Chapel would become the de facto headquarters of Methodism, which by this time had become a global movement. Wesley lived his last twelve years in the house next door, which was completed in 1779, and died there in 1791. In the sermon he delivered onsite in 1777, Wesley rehearsed Methodism's success -- the reach of the revival, he remarked immodestly, was matched only by "the purity of the religion which has extended itself so swiftly and deeply" -- but he also addressed concerns that had arisen from it. The spread of Methodism, and the enthusiasm of its adherents, had led many to conclude that the movement represented an intrinsic threat to the unity of the established Church. Wesley's defense, while ingenious and heartfelt, laid bare Methodism's true fou...
Life & Death, Faith & Doubt, Here & There