kansas methodism  Family Album, Vol. I (Circuit Riders)
	An illustration by Lynd Ward, found in Endless Line of Splendor, Copyright, 1975, by the Joint Committee on Communications of The United Methodist Church and used by permission.

   

John Wesley, founder of Methodism, spent most of his life on a horse. He started the "Circuit Riding" tradition for Methodist Preachers. His affection for his mount and his advice to his preachers was expressed in this rule: "Be merciful to your beast. Not only ride moderately, but see with your own eyes, that your

 

horse be rubbed, fed, and bedded."  In over 50 years he travelled, mostly on horseback, more than 225,000 miles and preached 40,000 sermons. Many days he covered 70 or 80 miles, once doing 90 miles in 20 hours. This illustration captures well his demeanor on horseback. Notice the Bible in his hand. The Circuit Riders used their riding time to read their Bibles and study Greek, Hebrew and Classic Philosophies. Some were even able to write while riding!
 

Circuit Rider Graphics  (main page)

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This site is maintained by Linda Morgan Clark, MTh., a United Methodist ministerial member of First United Methodist Church, Muskogee, Oklahoma, Oklahoma Conference of The United Methodist Church. Your suggestions for additions to this site are welcomed. If you find information here that is erroneous, the author welcomes your comments. Also, please report any links that aren't working.