Gordon Robertson has unearthed a Methodist take on Dickens’ famous tale of the supernatural
‘… the clock struck twelve … we were startled from our chairs … the knocking continued, accompanied by deep sepulchral groans … two figures, pale and ghastly and clothed in white entered the room … we heard a voice saying, “I am Wesley, and bring a message from God to you”; and another voice saying, “I am Whitfield, and what thou seest and hearest from us, write in a book, and send to the churches”!’
Well, that makes a change from the usual Christmas reading of Scrooge and his friendly visitors. This fascinating little booklet1 came out in 1846, 55 years after John Wesley had been forced to give up the reins (or was it a whip?) of the Methodist Church by being inconveniently mortal. So now he returns to harangue the Methodist Church for its backsliding. Nice to see his erstwhile antagonist George Whitfield2 reunited with him in the ghostly realms to reinforce the rebuke.
