Methodism

==Lifestyle==
{{Further|Outward holiness}}
Early Methodists wore [[plain dress]], with Methodist clergy condemning "high headdresses, ruffles, laces, gold, and 'costly apparel' in general".<ref name="Lyerly1998">{{cite book|last=Lyerly|first=Cynthia Lynn|title=Methodism and the Southern Mind, 1770–1810|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JRiddXHU584C&pg=PA39|access-date=19 June 2017|date=1998|publisher=Oxford University Press|language=en|isbn=978-0195354249|page=39}}</ref> John Wesley recommended that Methodists annually read his thoughts ''On Dress'';<ref>Journals of Wesley, Nehemiah Curnock, ed., London, England: Epworth Press 1938, p. 468.</ref> in that sermon, Wesley expressed his desire for Methodists: "Let me see, before I die, a Methodist congregation, full as plain dressed as a [[Quaker]] congregation."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://wesley.nnu.edu/john-wesley/the-sermons-of-john-wesley-1872-edition/sermon-88-on-dress/|title=The Wesley Center Online: Sermon 88 – On Dress|last=Wesley|first=John|year=1999|publisher=Wesley Center for Applied Theology|language=en|access-date=19 June 2017}}</ref> The 1858 Discipline of the [[Wesleyan Methodist Church (United States)|Wesleyan Methodist Connection]] thus stated that "we would ... enjoin on all who fear God plain dress."<ref name="America1858">{{cite book|title=The Discipline of the Wesleyan Methodist Connection, of America|year=1858|publisher=Wesleyan Methodist Connection of America|language=en |page=85}}</ref> [[Peter Cartwright (revivalist)|Peter Cartwright]], a Methodist [[Christian revival|revivalist]], stated that in addition to wearing plain dress, the early Methodists distinguished themselves from other members of society by [[Fasting#Methodism|fasting]] once a week, [[teetotalism|abstaining from alcohol]] (teetotalism), and devoutly [[Sabbatarianism#Sunday Sabbatarians|observing the Sabbath]].<ref name="Cartwright1857">{{cite book|last=Cartwright|first=Peter|title=Autobiography of Peter Cartwright: The Backwoods Preacher|url=https://archive.org/details/autobiographyofp0000unse|url-access=limited|year=1857|publisher=Carlton & Porter|language=en |page=[https://archive.org/details/autobiographyofp0000unse/page/74 74]}}</ref> Methodist [[Circuit rider (religious)|circuit riders]] were known for practicing the [[Spiritual practice#Christianity|spiritual discipline]] of [[Mortification of the flesh#Methodism|mortifying the flesh]] as they "arose well before dawn for solitary prayer; they remained on their knees [[Fasting#Methodism|without food or drink]] or physical comforts sometimes for hours on end."<ref name="Bratt2012">{{cite book|last=Bratt|first=James D.|title=By the Vision of Another World: Worship in American History|year=2012|publisher=Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing|language=en |isbn=978-0802867100|page=44|quote=Methodist preachers, in particular, may have been tempted to take the elevation of the spirit and concomitant mortification of the body to extremes. Early circuit riders often arose well before dawn for solitary prayer; they remained on their knees without food or drink or physical comforts sometimes for hours on end.}}</ref> The early Methodists did not participate in, and condemned, "worldly habits" including "playing cards, racing horses, gambling, attending the theater, dancing (both in frolics and balls), and cockfighting."<ref name="Lyerly1998"/>

In Methodism, fasting is considered one of the [[works of piety]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://gbgm-umc.org/umw/wesley/disciple.stm |title=John Wesley and Spiritual Disciplines – The Works of Piety |year=2012 |publisher=The United Methodist Church |access-date=5 April 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141110150935/http://gbgm-umc.org/umw/wesley/disciple.stm |archive-date=10 November 2014 }}</ref> The Directions Given to Band Societies (25 December 1744) by John Wesley mandate fasting and abstinence from meat on [[Friday fast|all Fridays of the year]] (in remembrance of the crucifixion of Jesus).<ref name="McKnight2010">{{cite book |last1=McKnight |first1=Scot |title=Fasting: The Ancient Practices |date=2010 |publisher=Thomas Nelson |isbn=978-1418576134 |pages=88 |language=English|quote=John Wesley, in his ''Journal'', wrote on Friday, August 17, 1739, that "many of our society met, as we had appointed, at one in the afternoon and agreed that all members of our society should obey the Church to which we belong by observing 'all Fridays in the year' as 'days of fasting and abstinence.'}}</ref><ref name="Crowther1815">{{cite book|last=Crowther|first=Jonathan|title=A Portraiture of Methodism: Or, The History of the Wesleyan Methodists|year=1815|publisher=T. Blanshard|language=English|pages=251, 257}}</ref> Wesley himself also fasted before receiving Holy Communion "for the purpose of focusing his attention on God," and asked other Methodists to do the same.<ref name=Beard>{{cite journal|title=The spiritual discipline of fasting|last=Beard|first=Steve|date=30 January 2012|publisher=United Methodist Church|newspaper=Good News Magazine }}</ref>

Over time, many of these practices were relaxed in mainline Methodism, although practices such as teetotalism and fasting are still encouraged, in addition to the current prohibition of gambling.<ref name="Jones2002">{{cite book|last=Jones|first=Scott J.|title=United Methodist Doctrine: The Extreme Center|year=2002|publisher=Abingdon Press|language=en|isbn=978-0687034857|page=235}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Views of the Church |url=https://www.methodist.org.uk/about-us/the-methodist-church/views-of-the-church/ |website=www.methodist.org.uk |publisher=Methodist Church in Britain |access-date=16 March 2021 |language=en}}</ref> Denominations of the [[conservative holiness movement]], such as the [[Allegheny Wesleyan Methodist Connection]] and [[Evangelical Methodist Church Conference]], continue to reflect the spirit of the historic Methodist practice of wearing plain dress, with [[church membership|members]] abstaining from the "wearing of apparel which does not modestly and properly clothe the person" and "refraining from the wearing of jewelry" and "superfluous ornaments (including the wedding ring)".<ref>{{cite book|title=Discipline of the Allegheny Wesleyan Methodist Connection|publisher=[[Allegheny Wesleyan Methodist Connection]]|language=en|chapter=I. The Church|quote=Should we insist on plain and modest dress? Certainly. We should not on any account spend what the Lord has put into our hands as stewards, to be used for His glory, in expensive wearing apparel, when thousands are suffering for food and raiment, and millions are perishing for the Word of life. Let the dress of every member of every Allegheny Wesleyan Methodist Church be plain and modest. Let the strictest carefulness and economy be used in these respects.|pages=19, 31–32}}</ref><ref name="EMCC2017">{{cite book |title=Evangelical Methodist Church Discipline |date=15 July 2017 |publisher=[[Evangelical Methodist Church Conference]] |language=English}}</ref> The [[Fellowship of Independent Methodist Churches]], which continues to observe the [[ordinance (Christianity)|ordinance]] of [[Christian head covering|women's headcovering]], stipulates "renouncing all vain pomp and glory" and "adorning oneself with modest attire."<ref>{{cite web |title=Brief Description |url=http://fimc.org.uk/about_us.htm |publisher=[[Fellowship of Independent Methodist Churches]] |access-date=3 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220126234944/http://fimc.org.uk/about_us.htm |archive-date=26 January 2022 |language=English |date=26 January 2022}}</ref> The General Rules of the Methodist Church in America, which are among the doctrinal standards of many Methodist Churches, promote first-day Sabbatarianism as they require "attending upon all the ordinances of God" including "the public worship of God" and prohibit "profaning the day of the Lord, either by doing ordinary work therein or by buying or selling."<ref name="Tucker2011">{{cite book|last=Tucker|first=Karen B. Westerfield|title=American Methodist Worship|year=2011|publisher=Oxford University Press|language=en |isbn=978-0199774159|page=46}}</ref><ref name="AbrahamKirby2009">{{cite book|last1=Abraham|first1=William J.|last2=Kirby|first2=James E.|title=The Oxford Handbook of Methodist Studies|date=2009|publisher=[[Oxford University Press]]|language=en|isbn=978-0191607431|page=253}}</ref>