Being More Vile

items featuring early Methodist preacher Mary Bosanquet Fletcher
World Methodist Museum, Lake Junaluska, NC

For the past 3 years, I have felt like I have a book inside me just waiting to be born.  Going on the Wesley Pilgrimage in 2016 with Discipleship Ministries, spending my sabbatical in the UK and doing research in the Methodist Archives, reading masses of early Methodist writings at home, and of course, writing this blog and running my Travels With Wesley Facebook page have all been part of the process.  I feel like I have been gathering momentum so that I could actually sit down and commit something to ... the computer, if not actually to paper yet.

But the two things that really pushed me over the edge and made me sit down and get going happened fairly recently.  First, while I was in the UK this summer, going through the process to become Recognised and Regarded in the Methodist Church in Britain and preaching in the Hebrides, I was asked to write a short devotional piece for an email ministry called Encouragements that is just getting started in my Annual Conference.  The result was a short bit of writing using the words of Mary Bosanquet Fletcher as a way of supporting women in ministry.

Because I'm on transition leave but want to be available for preaching or making presentations on the Wesleys, I had posted about it on Facebook, whereupon a clergywoman at Lake Junaluska asked if I'd be interested in helping with a project at the World Methodist Museum.  The museum is redesigning some of its exhibits, so she felt my interest in all things Wesley would be useful.  If you read my last post, you know that I spent several days up there to get a feel for what small contribution I might make, so I won't repeat all that.  But you can see the stealthy convergence of opportunities beginning to draw me in, can't you?  I cannot believe that it is mere coincidence; I believe the time is now for me to make a real beginning on this book.

Susanna Annesley Wesley, Mother of Methodism

The museum is filled with wondrous items -- and they have even more that can't be displayed because of lack of space.  It was quickly apparent to me that I would have to make a decision about what I could actually assist with, so not surprisingly, my focus is on Susanna Wesley and early Methodist women like Mary Bosanquet Fletcher.  As a result, I sat down yesterday and all day today, using that short devotional piece as a model and busied myself with writing and writing and then writing some more.

There is something unutterably precious about reading the words these women wrote.  In the midst of a rapidly changing world in the 18th century and with the challenges and limitations placed on them as women, they exercised agency, not for themselves alone but for the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Mary Bosanquet Fletcher, in writing of her unusual preaching ministry, echoed the words made famous by John Wesley when speaking of his foray into the unpredictable and unconventional world of field preaching.  Wesley is remembered for saying that he "submitted to be more vile" as he ventured into outdoor preaching; similarly, Mary wrote:

I am conscious how ridiculous I must appear in the eyes of many for so doing. Therefore, if some persons consider me an impudent woman, and represent me as such, I cannot blame them... Besides, I do nothing but what Mr. Wesley approves; and as to reproach thrown by some on me, what have I to do with it, but quietly go forward saying, I will be still more vile, if my Lord requires it.

She also wrote:

If I have a word to speak from [God], he will make my way. If not, the door will be shut. I am only to shew the meekness of wisdom, and leave all to God. 

Not a bad attitude!  And so, with Mary I will commit myself to be still more vile and will leave it up to God to either open or close the door on this venture.  May I be given the same measure of both determination and meekness of wisdom that she exemplified!