Founder of the Methodist Church, evangelist John Wesley (1703–1791) was born on this day in Lincolnshire, England, the son of an Anglican minister. At age six, young John was rescued from a burning rectory—an experience that lit his soul with spiritual fire for the rest of his life.

“Catch on fire with enthusiasm and people will come for miles to watch you burn,” he once advised.

In 1735, devoted to God and immersed in the Scriptures, Wesley began a 55-year journal that captured his spiritual insights and reflections. The following year, he sailed to America as a missionary, spreading the word among Georgia colonists.

He once asked, “Do you know why that cow looks over the wall? She looks because she cannot see through it. That’s what you must do with your troubles: look over and above them.”

Back in England, Wesley became a passionate open-air preacher, sparking a movement rooted in the spirit of divine love and compassionate service.

“I look upon the whole world as my parish,” he said, traveling tirelessly throughout the country, often preaching to thousands and converting many in his lifetime.

Wesley said about wisdom, “When I was young I was sure of everything; in a few years, having been mistaken a thousand times, I was not half so sure of most things as I was before; at present, I am hardly sure of anything but what God has revealed to me.”

With a pause, the heart knows that humility is not weakness, but strength—and that a life of steady faith and service is its own quiet triumph.