The Fetter Lane Society was the first flowering of the Moravian church in the UK, and an important as a precursor to Methodism. This page is about the Moravian Church globally For information about the church in a particular geographic area use the links at Organisation below Methodism is a movement within Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations A short time before the great Methodist revival of the 18th Century in England, Moravians were avidly ministering throughout London. Methodism is a movement within Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. Peter Böhler, the London Moravian leader, and his followers established the Fetter Lane Society in May 1738 for the purpose of discipleship and accountability. Peter Böhler or Peter Boehler ( December 31, 1712 – April 27, 1775) was a German -born Moravian missionary Fetter Lane is a street in the ward of Farringdon Without in London England.
They began with the purpose of meeting once a week for prayer and fellowship. Most of their members consisted of Anglicans, most prominently John Wesley, Charles Wesley, and George Whitefield. John Wesley (ˈwɛslɪ ( – March 2, 1791) was an Anglican cleric and Christian theologian who was the founder of the (Evangelical Biography Charles Wesley was the son of Susanna Wesley and Samuel Wesley. Early life He was born at the Bell Inn Southgate Street Gloucester, England. John Wesley records in his journal for 1 January 1739:
"Mr. Hall, Hinching, Ingham, Whitefield, Hutching, and my brother Charles were present at our love feast in Fetter Lane with about 60 of our brethren. About three in the morning, as we were continuing instant in prayer, the power of God came mightily upon us insomuch that many cried out for exceeding joy and many fell to the ground. As soon as we were recovered a little from that awe and amazement at the presence of His majesty, we broke out with one voice, 'We praise Thee, O God, we acknowledge Thee to be the Lord. '". [1]
The Moravians in London believed strongly that full assurance was inextricably tied to salvation. They didn't believe in degrees of faith, but rather a complete faith, clothed in confident assurance, unfettered by sin, fear, and doubt. Fear and doubt for the Moravians were endemic of a lack of faith and thus pointed to a need for salvation. [2]
John Wesley had a radical conversion experience at a meeting house at Aldersgate Street on May 24, 1738 after hearing a reading of Martin Luther’s preface to the book of Romans. Aldersgate was a gate in the London Wall in the City of London, which has given its name to a ward and Aldersgate Street a road leading north from the Events 1218 - The Fifth Crusade leaves Acre for Egypt. 1276 - Magnus Ladulås is crowned Year 1738 ( MDCCXXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or Martin Luther (November 10 1483 February 18 1546 was a German Monk, theologian, university professor Father of Protestantism, and church reformer The Epistle of St Paul the Apostle to the Romans is one of the letters of the New Testament canon of the Christian Bible. Wesley, however, would come to disagree with the London Moravian insistence that justification had to be accompanied by instantaneous full assurance and that the means of grace had to be withheld from those who did not have that full assurance.
Regarding this issue, he collided with Philip Henry Molther and other Moravians at the Fetter Lane Society in 1739-1740. Molther told participants they had to abstain from doing good works and partaking in communion until they had full assurance. Molther insisted the way to acquire faith was to wait upon God and not employ any means of grace, such as worship, prayer, partaking communion or even good works because the fruits of the Spirit could not be bestowed upon those who did not have it. [3]
After challenging these assertions in two messages in June 1740, Wesley was no longer welcome at the Fetter Lane Society. Along with about 50 others, he formed the Foundery Society, in the old cannon foundery at Moorfields whose lease he had purchased in November 1739. The Fetter Lane Society, however, had helped serve as an inspirational model to future societies that would help establish the Methodist Church.
Footnotes
- ^ Telford, John (1947). The Life of John Wesley. London: The Epworth Press, 394. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. ISBN 0880193204. pp117
- ^ Heitzenrater, Richard P (1995). Wesley and the People Called Methodists. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 338. ISBN 0687443113. pp77
- ^ Collins, Kenneth (2003). John Wesley A Theological Journey. Nashville: Abbington Press, 355. ISBN 0687027888. pp110