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"Thelyphthora; Or, a Treatise on Female Ruin,
Its Causes, Effects, Consequences, Prevention, and Remedy"
Written by the famous 18th century evangelist Martin Madan
Is Now Available to Read!

Click Here for Thelyphthora! - Volume I

  Click Here for Thelyphthora! Volume II

 Click Here for Thelyphthora! Volume III

   Martin Madan, was a famous preacher during the 18th century and his hymns are with us still today.22 Like others who have achieved great fame, the Reverend Martin Madan was no longer called by his name but was known simply as the Counsellor.43 This referred to his ability to present the gospel in the same way that he had presented his cases before a jury. However these jurors were made up of the many truth seekers who attended his grand revivals and it was they who were on trial. Madan effectively presented the case that if they would but plead guilty and throw themselves upon the mercy of the Judge, yea, at the feet of Jehovah Himself, then Jehovah's Own Son, Jesus the Savior, who'd died in their stead, would pardon them.44 In this way, many a juror among those listening was convicted, found guilty, and pardoned. Those who were lost now walked in fellowship with the Lord, forgiven of their sins, cleansed by the blood of Jesus!45 The reason that we've heard so little of the once famous Reverend Martin Madan is because of the Great Methodist Cover-up. The cover-up did not begin until after the death of the final polygamist in a string of polygamists associated with the Wesleys. The most famous of those being:

The Reverend Martin Madan - polygamist in beliefs only, having written three theological volumes on the subject.

The Reverend Westley Hall - brother-in-law to Charles and John Wesley by his marriage to Martha. He was an outspoken polygamist both in theory and in practice. He held many preaching positions during his lifetime and had children by Martha as well as by his other wives.

Samuel Wesley - Son of Charles Wesley. Outspoken polygamist in theory and in practice and father to Samuel Sebastian Wesley, composer of the still famous hymn - "The Church's One Foundation." Samuel Sebastian Wesley was the son of Samuel through his second wife, Sarah Suter Wesley.

   Part of the "remedy" for female ruin that the Reverend Madan gave in his book was polygamy. He put forth in his book that the ban on polygamy that was originally put in force by the Roman Catholic popes had been the cause of widespread prostitution and fornication. He roundly criticized the banning of taking more than one wife, an activity that Jesus used in metaphor without criticism.
   [Jesus praised the five brides in the story of the ten virgins for keeping plenty of oil in their lamps while they waited for their polygamous husband.]
   In addition to his talents in preaching and writing, the Reverend Martin Madan was a great musical arranger as well as a hymnist and lyricist. The following words to a famous hymn were written by the Reverend Martin Madan:

"With th' Angelic Hosts proclaim,
"Christ is born in Bethlehem!"

   It was in 1760 that Martin Madan introduced those two lines as they are sung to this day in the hymn, "Hark! the Herald Angels Sing." The rest of the words to that hymn were primarily written by Charles Wesley whose own sister married the polygamist, Westley Hall.
   Martin Madan also wrote the words and music to "Now Begin the Heav'nly Theme" which is more often known by the name "Redeeming love" and which was clearly inspired by his charitable ministry to those who had escaped the bonds of prostitution. I have not included a link to the music since I haven't been able to find a rendering that does it justice. It is a simple tune (unlike most of Madan's work) and great skill is required to perform simple tunes eloquently. Read the words of my favorite stanza from Redeeming Love which appealed then as they do now to the lost, that they would accept God's grace and "taste redeeming love." AMEN!

'Ye, alas! who long have been
Willing slaves to death and sin,
Now from bliss no longer rove,
Stop and taste redeeming love.'"

   The Reverend Martin Madan's musical score to Jesus, Lover of My Soul is a joyous composition with four unique parts written for the base, alto, tenor, and soprano. It can be sung a cappella or with accompaniment. Too complex for most modern choirs, it is seldom sung today. The more commonly sung tunes used to accompany the words to Jesus, Lover of My Soul penned by Charles Wesley are just that, common. They make the tune sound sad while Charles Wesley wanted it to be a joyous and upbeat celebration of our Lord's love for us. The Reverend Martin Madan surely produced the joyous tune that Charles Wesley had wanted in his, first, in his original; Jesus, Lover of My Soul. It is one of the most delightful pieces of music I have ever heard and if you're a musician like me, there is no doubt you'll agree.

   You can listen to the Reverend Martin Madan's composition for Jesus, Lover of my Soul by clicking here: Jesus, Lover of My Soul Listen and be blessed, I was.

   You can read the words and view the musical score to Jesus, Lover of My Soul by Clicking Here. It is beautiful to hear but extremely difficult to sing. I still can't master the base and can only admire anyone who can sing any of the other parts.

   Another example of Madan's ornate style of composition is Before Jehovah's Awful Throne. With his composition Madan calls us to be joyously in awe of our LORD. To listen to the composition, "Before Jehovah's Awful Throne" Click Here.

   To read the words and view the musical score to Before Jehovah's Awful Throne Click Here.

   The Reverend Martin Madan was a well accepted and much beloved Christian Evangelist of his time. Not only did he know the Wesley family intimately but he was God Father to Charles Wesley's son, Samuel, a gifted musician, and took him along with him to various social functions. Samuel Wesley became a polygamist in theory during the life of his God Father, the Reverend Martin Madan but only became one in practice, in so far as we know, decades later.
   In addition to being an extremely close friend of the Wesleys, the Reverend Martin Madan was a close friend to Handel, the famous composer of the masterpiece; "The Messiah." It was the Reverend Martin Madan who comforted Handel in his last days.
   It's clear that up to the moment he published Thelyphthora in 1780 that the Reverend Martin Madan was well respected. He founded the London Lock Hospital. In 1758, 22 years before he wrote that book, he was appointed the Chaplain. London Lock was the first voluntary hospital that treated venereal disease.28 In fact, an English word was coined because of the Reverend Martin Madan's work. A "Lock hospital," according to Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary copyright 1998 is "A hospital for the treatment of venereal diseases." To this day, the administrators of such hospitals can only pray that they'll have a fraction of the success that the Reverend Martin Madan had during his years at the Lock. It was during his ministerial duties there that he gained a great deal of first hand knowledge about the consequences of fornication and prostitution. Shortly after Madan's arrival, the institution opened a new building and it became known as "The Female Hospital." He built a chapel associated with the hospital which could seat up to 800 people and it received enough tithes to become a source of support for the hospital. Prior to the Reverend Martin Madan's ministry, there were virtually no English churches that sang hymns. They sang Old Testament Psalms set to music. That's much different from today where our hymns combine verses with biblical concepts that call us to repentance or worship. A hymn can be likened to a Bible study set to poetry and music. If one says there's no need for hymns then one must also say there's no need for Bible study leaders or for pastors. The hymn provides a way for biblical concepts to be presented in poetry set to music. Many lost souls that have been deaf to all other forms of preaching, have been converted by the hearing of a single hymn. It was at the Reverend Martin Madan's church, the Chapel at the Lock, that the singing of hymns first took hold as part of Christian worship in England.31 The members sang from a hymnal that Madan, himself, had published. He published the hymnal as a benefit to future generations as well as to raise money for the hospital.32 From the Chapel at the Lock, Hymn singing spread quickly through the English speaking world with Madan's hymnal the standard. His mastery of musical worship brought thousands to the Chapel at the Lock and his hymns have brought many more thousands to a saving knowledge of our Lord.32 In less than thirty short years from the first printing of Madan's hymnal, fully two thirds of the hymns sung, even in the parishes of the Church of England, had been arranged by Madan himself. His hymnal had become the core of the Church of England's hymnal.33 The Baptist's hymnal came out twenty five years after Madan's.34
   Sadly, the loving man who published the first and greatest English hymnal, the man who sparked the singing of hymns in the church; London's most brilliant preacher and England's most outspoken Christian critic of the decline in morality during the 18th century,22a, 22b, 22c the God Father of Charles Wesley's own son, was cast aside because of his pity for the women who came under the bondage of prostitution; for wanting the men who knew them only as their mistresses to take them as wives. That was his supposed "sin." Of course you and I know that's not sin but to preach righteousness as he did is a badge of honor. Wouldn't you love to have known that man? Well now you do - Martin Madan - Famous 18th century Evangelist and servant of God Most High.

Click Here! Read Thelyphthora!

A Partial List of Books written by the Reverend Martin Madan follows:

An Account Of The Death Of F. S Who Died April 1763, Aged Twenty-Six Years. In A Letter To A Friend.

Christian and critical remarks on a droll, or interlude, called The minor Now acting by a company of stage players in the Hay-market; and said to be acted by authority. In which the blasphemy, falsehood, and scurrility of that piece is properly considered, ... By a minister of the Church of Christ.

Every Man Our Neighbour A Sermon Preached At Opening Of The Chapel, Of The Lock-Hospital Near Hyde-Park

An exhortatory address to the brethren in the faith of Christ, occasioned by a remarkable letter from Mr. Foote to the Rev. author of Christian and critical remarks on the minor.

A funeral sermon on the much lamented death of the Rev. Mr. Thomas Jones, who departed this life June 6, 1762. in the thirty-fifth year of his age. To which is added, an elegy, and an hymn, sung at his funeral. By the Reverend Mr. Maden,

Justification by works, and not by faith only, stated, explained, and reconciled with justification by faith, without works. Being the substance of a sermon on James ii. 24. preached at St. Vedast's Church, Foster-Lane, February 8, 1761. By the Rev. Mr. Madan.

A letter to David Garrick, Esq; occasioned by the intended representation of The minor at the Theatre-Royal in Drury-Lane. By the Reverend Martin Madan

Letters to Joseph Priestley, LL.D. F.R.S. occasioned by his late controversial writings. By the Rev. M. Madan By the Reverend Martin Madan
Read this Great Work! Available Now - Click Here!

A new and literal translation of Juvenal and Persius; with copious explanatory notes, ... In two volumes. By the Reverend Martin Madan

Poemata partim reddita, partim scripta. By the Reverend Martin Madan

A Remarkable and surprising account of the abandoned life, happy conversion, and comfortable death of Fanny Sidney, a young gentlewoman, who died in London in April, 1763, aged 26 years. By the Reverend Martin Madan

A scriptural comment upon the thirty-nine Articles of the Church of England. By the Reverend Martin Madan to the Right Hon. Henry, Lord Apsley, Lord High Chancellor of Great-Britain, and to the Lock-Hospital, near Hyde Park Corner.

Thoughts on executive justice, with respect to our criminal laws, particularly on the circuits. Dedicated to the Judges of Assize; ... By a sincere well-wisher to the public. By the Reverend Martin Madan

A treatise on Christian faith, extracted and translated from the Latin of Hermannus Witsius. By the Reverend Martin Madan

Thelyphthora; Or, a Treatise on Female Ruin, Its Causes, Effects, Consequences, Prevention, and Remedy. By the Reverend Martin Madan
Click to read Thelyphthora! Available NOW!