It is the beginning of a new century. Many mainstream Anglicans are skeptical and critical of evangelicals who seem to be growing in number in the church. National and diocesan leaders continue to show an increased interest in moral and theological relativity, rather than stability and a commitment to the authority of scripture and the basic tenets of Anglicanism. In response, many evangelicals begin to leave the mainline church for new and break-away movements. Is it 1999? No, the year is 1799 in the birthplace of the Anglican Church, the United Kingdom.

At the turn of the 19^th century, many evangelical Anglicans were leaving for the new Methodist movement. They might all have left, and the church today might have moved to a tiny spot on the ecumenical map, were it not for one man, Charles Simeon of Cambridge. A contemporary of Simeon, Charles Smyth, wrote that Simeon, "more than any other, inspired and promoted the evangelical revival in the second and third generations of its course.

"More than any other single factor, the evangelical movement in the Church of England transformed the whole character of English society and imparted to the Victorian Age that moral earnestness which was its distinguishing characteristic," Smyth wrote.

What can modern church persons, and particularly evangelical Episcopalians, and even more particularly those tempted to split from the mainline church, learn from wise old Simeon? Much!

Born Sept. 24, 1758, the same year as his lifelong friend William Wilberforce, Simeon kept his relationship with the church at arms' length for the early part of his life. As a student at Eton, and King's College, Cambridge, Simeon showed no real interest in the church, and was well acquainted with the vices of his day. But when King's required that he attend communion, he felt obliged to read a little book titled Instruction for the Lord's Supper, by Bishop Thomas Wilson. The book, coupled with his own serious reflection on his earliest years, subsequent prayers, fasting and other acts of preparation, were his companions during Lent of 1779. By Holy Week, he was thoroughly convinced that there was more to Christianity than he had experienced, and thus, by Easter Day, April 4, he had experienced a deep and personal conversion to Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. He would later write that following that experience, "...peace flowed in rich abundance into my soul; and at the Lord's table in our chapel I had the sweetest access to God through my blessed Savior."

It was this conversion that led young Charles to give his life to the ministry and for 54 years, until the day of his death, he served as vicar of Holy Trinity Church, located in the heart of the business and education center of Cambridge University. Simeon's conversion was no flash in the pan, but a constant source of strength for a pastoral and preaching ministry that would change the lives of countless numbers of Christians and non-Christians alike, and eventually the face of the church itself. His energy and drive was grounded in a deep desire to bring others to a personal faith in Christ.

John Wesley, after meeting Simeon, wrote of his "fervour of spirit, and ... earnestness of his address." A contemporary of Simeon, Abner Brown, recalled sitting near a young girl in Trinity Church during one of Simeon's enthusiastic sermons. During the preaching, he tells that he saw the child turn to her mother and say, "O Mama, what is the gentleman in a passion about?"

It was this enthusiasm and fervor that brought Simeon his greatest challenges, but eventually his most meaningful rewards. There is a tale that somewhere in Cambridge a church bell bears the inscription, "Glory to God and damnation to enthusiasts." As in our own, there were many in Simeon's day who just as well wished that the enthusiastic evangelicals would keep quiet, move along or break away. Charles Simeon refused. Why? He felt called to carry out his ministry in the Anglican Communion. He loved the church in which his faith was birthed, nurtured and lived out.

His evangelical fervor made him no friends in his early days, particularly at Holy Trinity. Simeon wanted to serve Holy Trinity, but the parish preferred a former curate. The Bishop of Ely was not keen on parishes necessarily getting their way, and thus he somewhat forced the young Simeon into the resentful arms of Holy Trinity. The rumor was out that Simeon was badly tainted with "Methodism" and thus the cards were stacked against him. On his first day in the pulpit, the infuriated churchwardens locked the pews and encouraged members to stay away from the service. Those who wished to attend had to stand in the aisles. The opposition carried for nearly a decade. In time, however, Simeon not only won the loyalty of his congregation for himself as well as Christ, but he became an enduring influence on the entire city as well as nation. How? In four ways:

1. His preaching. Unlike many of the evangelicals in the late 1700s, Simeon was not excruciatingly earnest. He was described as a delightful, warm and good-humored man. In the 1820s, an article in the Christian Observer tried to account for Simeon's tremendous popularity. The author noted that Simeon did not mimic other evangelicals who preached in "a hard and unfeeling manner ... constantly overwhelming their people with a black and appalling catalogue of their transgressions..."

2. His work as a pastor. Simeon likely spent as much time in the pastoral care of his parishioners as he did in preparation for his well-known sermons. He was no introvert locked up in his study from dawn to dusk and was well known for his care for the impoverished and imprisoned. For instance, every Monday, he would ride out to the country on his horse to make certain the local bakers in the 24 villages on his list who had received a subsidy were selling their bread to the poor at half price as had been previously arranged. He cared equally, though, for the rich as well as the poor, showing no favoritism to one over the other.

3. His resistance of extremism. As an evangelical, Simeon was a remarkably balanced clergyman, purposely standing clear of the controversies that plagued the church. In fact, he would say, much to the frustration of the extremes in the church, that the truth on such matters was "not to be found in either extreme, but in both." Once, when arguing with John Wesley on matters related to the Arminian/Calvinist debates, Simeon concluded by saying, "... if you please, instead of searching out turns and phrases to be a ground of contention between us, we will cordially unite in those things wherein we agree."

4. His personal piety. In time, no doubt, Simeon won the respect of those he served because of his character, integrity, piety and humility. While he would admit, he looked on much of his early life with "shame and sorrow, he would account the grace of God for a life and ministry free of scandal. When once asked what advice he had for young clergy, he responded, "Three words ... Humility! Humility! Humility!" Despite his enormous popularity, it was a trait that was to follow him to his grave. Upon his death, he left instructions that there were to be no great monuments or markers, and to this day, his remains rest beneath the floor in the rear of King's College Chapel, with the simple inscription, "C.S. 1836."

Though despised in the early days of his ministry, Simeon was beloved by all on the day of his death, Nov. 13, 1836, at the age of 76. Nov. 19 was market day at Cambridge, and yet the city closed its shops for his funeral. The university suspended all lectures and the nave of King's Chapel held 800 members of Holy Trinity Church while another 800 overflowed into nearby College Hall. As Hopkins wrote, "The one who had often been spoken against as 'the arch-enemy of the church' ... was receiving a tribute the likes of which has not been recorded of anyone else's funeral in Cambridge before or since."

So, as the church steps into a new century, it is also marked by a period when virtually every denomination of mainline Christianity appears to be on the verge of schism. To this threat of disintegration, Simeon stands as an exemplary model for the influence of persevering within the communion in which one is called to serve. The Episcopal Church observes his feast day Nov. 12.

The legacy Simeon has left behind is one worth modeling for those who follow in the generations to come.

The Rev. Russell Levenson, Jr., is the rector of Church of the Ascension, Lafayette, La.