Wesley and the God of Love
The front page of the Thanet Advertiser for Tuesday 28 November 1939 contains the brief account entitled 'Complete Exemption for Solicitors Pacific Clerk'.
It explains that "John Basil Wesley, a solicitor’s clerk, aged 21, of Rancorn-road Margate, was registered a conscientious objector without restrictions at the South East Local Tribunal on Friday. Questioned by members of the Tribunal Wesley said he had been a Jehovah's Witness for five years and had devoted all his spare time to work of the Society. All armies were the devil's organisation, so he could not belong to any army that was contrary to the Gospel. God was the God of Love, so did not need armies.
Wesley is the first Thanet conscientious objector who has not been ordered to take up agricultural or forestry work in lieu of military service."
Wesley appears to have benefitted from two factors that were in his favour:
1. Being an early applicant claiming conscientious objection it was before the press and Tribunals had got their teeth into COs, JWs in particular.
2. Though the account made no mention of the fact, it surely didn't escape the attention of the Tribunal, that Basil, as he preferred to be called, was "a descendant of the famous Methodist Wesley family." (Per Tony Byatt's Reminiscences Toward a History of Jehovah's Witnesses in London - 1881 to 1977 p68). Byatt records that Basil later served for many years at the London JW Bethel headquarters, a fact verified by my colleague Bill Wilson, who knew Basil during the 1960s. Apparently Basil was a great great great grandson of Charles Wesley.
My friend, who is a wizard on Ancestry, has traced the descent as follows:
John Basil Wesley (1918-1986)
son of John Samuel Wesley (1882-1935) and Beatrice Alice Mitchel (1886-1946)
son of John Wesley (1855-1882) and Phoebe Smith (1857-1914)
son of John Wesley (1825-1888) and Susanna Alexander (1827-1911)
son of Samuel Wesley (1766-1837) and Sarah Suter (1793-1863) common law
son of Charles Wesley (1707-88) and Sarah Gwynne (1726-1822)
Can you add anything to this history? If so, please read, comment & contribute
It explains that "John Basil Wesley, a solicitor’s clerk, aged 21, of Rancorn-road Margate, was registered a conscientious objector without restrictions at the South East Local Tribunal on Friday. Questioned by members of the Tribunal Wesley said he had been a Jehovah's Witness for five years and had devoted all his spare time to work of the Society. All armies were the devil's organisation, so he could not belong to any army that was contrary to the Gospel. God was the God of Love, so did not need armies.
Wesley is the first Thanet conscientious objector who has not been ordered to take up agricultural or forestry work in lieu of military service."
Wesley appears to have benefitted from two factors that were in his favour:
1. Being an early applicant claiming conscientious objection it was before the press and Tribunals had got their teeth into COs, JWs in particular.
2. Though the account made no mention of the fact, it surely didn't escape the attention of the Tribunal, that Basil, as he preferred to be called, was "a descendant of the famous Methodist Wesley family." (Per Tony Byatt's Reminiscences Toward a History of Jehovah's Witnesses in London - 1881 to 1977 p68). Byatt records that Basil later served for many years at the London JW Bethel headquarters, a fact verified by my colleague Bill Wilson, who knew Basil during the 1960s. Apparently Basil was a great great great grandson of Charles Wesley.
My friend, who is a wizard on Ancestry, has traced the descent as follows:
John Basil Wesley (1918-1986)
son of John Samuel Wesley (1882-1935) and Beatrice Alice Mitchel (1886-1946)
son of John Wesley (1855-1882) and Phoebe Smith (1857-1914)
son of John Wesley (1825-1888) and Susanna Alexander (1827-1911)
son of Samuel Wesley (1766-1837) and Sarah Suter (1793-1863) common law
son of Charles Wesley (1707-88) and Sarah Gwynne (1726-1822)
Can you add anything to this history? If so, please read, comment & contribute
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