Dear ChristTeen,
Well, yes, the Methodist Church has a grand history in the South, as you know.
There were two Methodist preachers who were martyred for being against slavery. One of these was thrown on top of a roof of a liquor store and children would play with his bones/relics!
John Wesley himself followed and instructed fasting according to the rules of the Book of Common Prayer.
He himself fasted until 3 o'clock every Wednesday and Friday!
And he observed strict fasting and abstinence throughout Lent especially.
He prayed one-three hours morning AND night. He also prayed at nine, noon and at three daily - the "Apostolic Hours."
Get yourself a rope and tie first a larger knot with a space and then ten smaller knots and then after another space, tie a larger knot. That is a Methodist prayer rope or rosary as used by John Wesley to recite shorter prayers throughout the day . . .
He also read Scripture AND the Fathers and attended Holy Communion as often as possible.
One Jesuit priest was among the crowd that thronged one of John Wesley's sermons. When a Calvinist heard him preach about the need for fasting, he yelled out, "Don't listen to him, he's a Papist!"
The Jesuit then spoke out, "He is not - although I wish he were!"
Alex
