Aldersgate Flame

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John Wesley’s Conversion Place Memorial, “Aldersgate Flame”, 1981
Nettleton Court, Aldersgate Street
London, October 2009

Just outside the Museum of London, in what was once Aldersgate, is a bronze memorial, commemorating the converstion of John Wesley, on May 24th 1738. John Wesley's evangelical conversion took place in a now-demolished Moravian Church believed to have been on this site. On the plaque is inscribed the passage from Wesley's diary that day.

Wednesday May 24, 1738.

What occur’d on Wedn. 24, I think best to relate at large, after premising what might make it the better understood. Let him that cannot receive it, ask of the Father of Lights, that he would give more Light both to him and to me.
I think it was about five this Morning, that I opened my Testament on those words, “There are given unto us exceeding great and precious Promises, even that ye should be partakers in the divine Nature.” 2 Pet. i. 4. Just as I went out, I open’d it again on those Words, “Thou art not far from the Kingdom of God.” In the Afternoon I was asked to go to St. Paul’s. The Anthem was, “Out of the Deep have I call’d unto thee, O Lord: Lord, hear my Voice. O let thine Ears consider well the Voice of my Complaint. If thou, Lord, wilt be extreme to mark what is done amiss, O Lord, who may abide it? But there is Mercy with thee; therefore thou shalt be feared. O Israel, trust in the Lord: For with the Lord there is Mercy, and with him is plenteous Redemption. And he shall redeem Israel from all his Sins.”
In the Evening I went very unwillingly to a Society in Aldersgate Street, where one was reading Luther’s Preface to the Epistle to the Romans. About a Quarter before nine. While he was describing the Change which God works in the Heart thro’ faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warm’d. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone for Salvation: And an Assurance was given me, That He had taken away my Sins, even mine, and saved me from the Law of Sin and Death.

- John Wesley

(John Wesley’s Conversion Place Memorial, Brethren Archive)