John Wesley Monument
John Wesley Monument
John Wesley Monument
John Wesley Monument
Savannah, GA 31401
The John Wesley Monument stands in the center of Reynolds Square near the place where Wesley’s parish house once stood. He was the founder of Methodism in 1703-1791. The a bronze statue of John Wesley depicts him as a young man wearing his Church of England vestments. According to the sculptor, "The monument is as he looks up from his Bible toward his congregation, about to speak and stretching out his right hand in love, invitation and exhortation. In contrast, the hand holding the Bible is intense and powerful-the point of contact with the Almighty."
John Wesley is known for two things: co-founding Methodism and his tremendous work ethic. In the 1700s, when land travel was by walking, horseback or carriage, Wesley logged more than 4,000 miles a year. During his lifetime he preached about 40,000 sermons.
He was a natural organizer and approached everything diligently, especially religion. It was at Oxford University in England that he and his brother Charles participated in a Christian club in such an orderly manner that critics called them Methodists. As priests in the Church of England, John and Charles Wesley traveled from Great Britain to Georgia in 1735. While John's desire had been to preach to the Indians, he was appointed pastor of the church in Savannah.
The strict discipline and relentless work ethic instilled early in his life served Wesley well as a preacher, evangelist, and church organizer. He was still preaching at age 88, just a few days before he died in 1791.
John Wesley met death singing hymns, quoting the Bible, and saying farewell to his family and friends. Some of his last words were, "The best of all is, God is with us."
