A homily for our times, preached on November 9, 2004, (Feast of Charles Simeon) at the weekly Eucharist of the Route 72 Coalition of Episcopal Churches, by the Rev. Roger Alling.  Alling, President of the Episcopal Preaching Foundation and a member of the Steering Committee of Southwest Florida Via Media Episcopalians, also assists at St. Boniface Church in Sarasota, Florida.

Charles Simeon:  Priest and Missionary

In the familiar gospel story for today, Peter comes to a breakfast meal with Jesus, is questioned three times about his love for Jesus, and three times is told in the most emphatic terms to feed the sheep of Jesus.

It is an experience that many have had in the centuries since.  Today’s holy man, Charles Simeon was one of these. Here, briefly, is part of his story:

·        Cambridge Experience- mandatory annual reception of Holy Communion & subsequent conversion, served as chaplain at Holy Trinity for 55 years until his death in 1836

·        Was very influential to many students, notably Henry Martyn, chief Anglican missionary to India, and William Wilberforce who was influential in abolishing slavery.

·        His strong preaching of the gospel did not make him popular with many of the Cambridge students under his pastoral charge, who resisted their forced participation in the religious life of the college.  When asked how he coped with this, he remarked that it was a slight thing compared with the sufferings of Christ and other saints.

·        Because of his long tenure he had a strong and continuing influence on many of the younger clergy who had once been in his pastoral charge.  Some of what he had to say in a letter of advice to one of these ministers is instructive to us today as we deal with the recent divisions in our own church.

 This illustration comes from a letter which Simeon wrote to a fellow cleric about a division which had arisen in his diocese.

 “Two ships were aground at London Bridge.  The proprietors of one sent for a hundred horses; and pulled it to pieces.  The proprietors of the other waited for the tide and with sails and rudders directed it as they pleased.”