The founder of Methodism, John Wesley, visited our town on Monday, 15th April, 1745. This was some three years after his first visit to Newcastle. The weather on this occasion was very severe. He arrived in the North on 23rd February in the midst of a severe snowstorm, the Gateshead Fell, he described as a "pathless waste of white". "Many a rough journey have I had before", he says "but one like this I never had".

Owing to the frost the roads were like glass, the horses frequently fell down, and Wesley and his companions had several times to lead them.

Wesley stayed in the district some two months, during which he visited the Societies in the towns and villages in the neighbourhood, calling at Chester-le-Street on his homeward journey. He writes:-

"At eight I preached in the Street at Chester to a large and quiet congregation".

It was not until seven years later that Wesley was again in our town, although in the interval he was several times in the District. In the year 1752 Wesley called at Chester-le-Street on his way to Barnard Castle, but there is no information concerning his stay on this occasion.

On his third visit to our town, Wesley was unfortunate enough to contract a severe cold through preaching in a heated house and "riding afterwards in the keen north wind". It was not allowed to interfere with his work, for he says:-

"Saturday 24th May, 1755. I made a shift to preach at Chester, and then went to Sunderland".

His text on this occasion was: "I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance". (Luke chapter 15, verse 7).

In 1757 Wesley was again in the North, and again honoured our town with his presence, arriving in the evening and staying until the following morning. The following quaint entry in his journal refers to this occasion:-

"Wed. 22nd June. In the evening and the following morning I preached at Chester-on-the-Strate. Observing some very fine but not very modest pictures in the parlour where we supped, I desired my companion, when the company was gone, to put them where they could do no hurt. He piled them on a heap in the corner of the room, and they have not appeared since".

The texts of the two sermons preached on this occasion were: "Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee". (Job chapter 22 verse 21) and "I beseech you therefore bretheren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service". (Romans chapter 12 verse 1).

That Wesley had a very high regard for our "honest and lively colliers" of the North country is evidenced by many kindly references throughout his journal. The following are worth recalling. He had just been preaching to "an earnest, loving congregation" at Plessey Square and he writes:-

"After preaching I rode on to Newcastle. Certainly if I did not believe there was another world, I should spend all my summer here, as I know no place in Great Britain comparable to it for pleasantness. But I seek another country, and therefore am content to be a wanderer upon earth".

"Wed. 6th June 1759. I preached at Gateshead Fell to a numerous congregation. In earnestness the colliers of Gateshead utterly shame the colliers of Kingswood; scarce thirty of whom think it worthwhile to hear the word of God on a week-day! Not even when I preach; and here the house will scarce contain the week-day congregation of a Local Preacher!".

Surely, this is liberal praise indeed!

His last recorded visit to Chester-le-Street was paid at this time, 1759. On the Wednesday and Thursday, 13th and 14th June, he preached in the town and expresses himself in these words:-

"After preaching at the Fell, I rode to Chester. The congregation was deeply serious, both in the evening and at five in the morning".

It is, of course, quite possible that Wesley did pay further visits to the town, as it is known that he continued his journeys to the North until the year before his death, but no accounts of any have been preserved. His itinerary would extend and his responsibilities increase with the passing of the years, and his opportunities of calling at the smaller places would tend to become fewer. Moreover by this time Methodism was becoming more organised, and these places would receive regular visitation from Wesley’s helpers stationed in the various districts.

Even if Wesley did not ever again visit Chester-le-Street he certainly left behind him an imperishable record in the form of a company of earnest believers who zealously carried on his work.