ABSTRACT
One of the myths about John Wesley’s conversion is that apart from the published journal only a meagre amount of sources remain. This chapter shows there are enough sources to ascertain Wesley’s interpretation in every period of his life. The sources include a full narrative of what transpired on 24 May 1738 in the Aldersgate Memorandum, plus numerous comments and remarks in his diaries, journals, letters, sermons, tracts, and other writings. The sources are examined to show what they contribute to our knowledge of Wesley’s interpretation.
Besides Wesley’s testimony, there are corroborating witnesses. These include three eyewitness accounts from the spring of 1738, plus numerous conversion accounts from fellow evangelical revivalists and early Methodists. There are also the Christian traditions that influenced Wesley’s religious development. These include Catholicism, Anglicanism, Puritanism, Pietism, and Martin Luther. Altogether, these witnesses not only corroborate Wesley’s testimony, they help to situate Wesley’s conversion in the context of the Evangelical Revival.
