EARIvY METHODISM IN AND AROUND CHESTER — Among the many ancient cities in England which interest the traveller, and delight the antiquary, few, if any, can surpass Chester. Its walls, its bridges, its ruined priory, its many churches, its old houses, its almost unique " rows," all arrest and repay attention. The cathedral, though not one of the largest or most magnificent, recalls many names which deserve to be remembered The name of Matthew Henry sheds lustre on the city in which he spent fifteen years of his fruitful ministry ; and a monument has been most properly erected to his honour in one of the public thoroughfares, Methodists, too, equally with Churchmen and Dissenters, have reason to regard Chester with interest, and associate with it some of the most blessed names in their briefer history. ... By John Wesley made the head of a Circuit which reached from Warrington to Shrewsbury, it has the unique distinction of being the only Circuit which John Fletcher was ever appointed to superintend, with his curate and two other preachers to assist him. Probably no other Circuit in the Connexion has produced four preachers who have filled the chair of the Conference. But from Chester came Richard Reece, and John Gaulter, and the late Rev. John Bowers ; and a still greater orator than either, if not the most effective of all who have been raised up among us, Samuel Bradburn. (George Osborn, D.D. ; Mag., April, 1870.J Digitized by tine Internet Arciiive in 2007 with funding from IVIicrosoft Corporation littp://www.archive.org/details/earlymethodisminOObretiala Rev. Samuel Bradburn. Rev. Richard Reece. Rev. John Bowers. Rev. John Gaulter. earip WetDoaism In ana around CI)C$tCr* 1749-1812- BY Francis Fletcher Bretherton, b.a. (i.ond.) "With a Preface by REV. RICHARD GREEN, (Late Governor of Didsbury College.) Printed and Published for the Author by PHILLIPSON & GOLDER, Eastgate Row, Chester. 1903. — Our Church's heroes are its early evangeh"sts. The highest enthusiasm of old and young is kindled by the story of their travels and labours—how that in afflctions, in imprisonments, in necessities, in tumuks, in labours, in watchings, in fastings, in pureness, in knowledge, in long suffering, in the Holy Ghost, in love unfeigned, in the word of truth, in the power of God, they preached the word, and laid broad and deep the foundations of our Church, Many with pardonable pride trace their own descent from the grand old saints of former days, and lovingly relate how, through their prayer, or self sacrificing labour, or hospitality, or wit, Methodism was established in their own neighbourhood. But They who on glorious ancestry enlarge Produce their debt instead of their discharge. We confess that we are the sons of them who gave their substance and life that England might be saved ; therefore let us also, seeing that we are compassed about with so great a crowd of witnesses, lay aside every weight. (The Annual Address of the Conference of igoi to the Method- ist Societies in the Connexion established by the late Rev. John Wesley, M.A.J PREFACE HTHE History of Methodism is not receiving less attention in our time than it formerly did. To the histories already issued, a much larger one tha7i any of them has just been added, the product of the pen of Dr. f. Fletcher Hurst, a Bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church. This work, which is published in New York, comprises no less than ten large volumes ; thefirst three dealing with British Methodism, the others with Methodism in America and in its world wide extension. Great interest attaches to these extejisive surveys : but a ?iu?nber of stnaller works, more limited in their range, and far mote m.i7iute in their researches, have beeti, and are still being, given to the public. These are records of Methodism, within the limits of indi- vidual circuits. A list of more than i§o such local histories was published in the ''Proceedings of the Wesley Historical Society for March, iSgy.^' These, of course, vary greatly in their relative merits. ''Early Methodism in and around Chester,'' which Mr. Bretherton has prepared with m.uch care and patience, is an additioti to the best of them. The original part of this work was written m.any years ago by the Revere^id, 7iow the venerable, Benjamin Smith. The m.anuscript lay for a long time unpublished. It afterwards passed hito the hands of Mr. R. Thursfield Smith, f.P., of Whitchurch, who introduced it to my notice. VI The value of the work was at 07tce apparent to me, but, as much additional matter had been accumulated since its completion, and as the means of elucidati7ig many obscure periods of the story had been discovered, it was thozight desirable to revise the whole. This I began to do, btit the pressure of other work compelled me to lay it aside. About this time Mr. Bretherton was appointed to the Chester Circuit. His attention was soon arrested by the records of the planting of Methodism. i7i the city and neighbourhood, and his interest in them, deepened as his inquiries co7itinued. The opportu7ie moment for the completio7i of Mr. S77iitKs work seemed to have andved, and Mr. Bretherton was requested to undertake it. I have had the opportti7iity of watching Mr. Bretherton's work from its i7icepiio7i, a7id the pleasure of re7ideri7ig him such aid as it was in my Power to give. He has been favou7ed with the consta7it help of that most successful collector of Wesleya7ia, Mr. Ihursfield STnith, who has both laid his large store of books a7id manuscripts under tidbute, and by his wide knowledge and efft,cie7it counsel, has aided i7i securi7igfor the work the C07npleteness that disti7iguishes it. Many of the historians of local Methodism have been dependent mainly upon floati7ig traditio7is and the recollections of elderly people, for what additions could be made to the more general records. Mr. BrethcT^on, while availi7ig himself of so much of this ki7id of help as was within his reach, has avoided depe7idence upon it, maki7ig diligent quest for original documents, and testing accepted authorities. He has i7itroduced fresh a7id interesti7ig matter relati7ig to Wesley himself, and has searched the storehouse of the Magazines, a7id many comparatively rare papers and pamphlets, with many parts of the wide field of Methodist biography. Vll A specially interesting feature of this volume is to be found in the attention giveyi to the early period of Methodist history, the bulk of the work relating to events which transpired before the year 1800. This was the heroic age of Methodism, during which its essential principles found their most vivid illustration, —a period that deserves the thoughtful study of the Methodists of to-day. I earnestly hope Mr. Bretherton' s volume will promote that study. Without hesitation, Igive m,y hearty commendation to this work, trusti7ig it Tnay meet with a warm, reception, not only in the 7ieighbourhood of Chester itself, but in all parts of the country. RICHARD GREEN. Edgbaston, February, igoj. : TO THE READER. The genesis of this work has been so fully explained by Mr. Green, that only a few words on the point are necessary from me. The materials from various sources so increased upon my hands, that I found it necessary to rearrange and rewrite the whole of the original manuscript. The work of Rev. B. Smith was remarkably accurate, and without the foundation he laid, this volume would never have been undertaken. At the same time, I should say that all the authorities he used have been worked over anew, and there is hardly a statement in the book made without independent investigation. It is impossible to say here how much of this volume had a place in the Rev. B. Smith's manuscript but it may be said briefly that the references to books and pamphlets scattered up and down the volume have all been introduced by myself, and in most cases represent material not known to him ; that Chapters VII. and VIII. are almost entirely new ; that I have bestowed a great deal of labour upon the New Con- nexion controversy, in Chapter V. ; upon the family histories in Chapter VI. ; and upon the Appendices. The selection of the illustrations was made by me. — — IX For these reasons I am told by those who entrusted me with this task, that I am fully justified in calling myself the author of the book. Mr. Thursfield Smith's words at the outset were very definite on this point. Vo7i a?id you only must carry this work out. If you think well, Rev. B. Smith's name ayid mine may be m,entioned in the preface. (22/4/99). When other work had turned me aside from this history for six months, he wrote again : / have been a little a7ixious about the Chester History. Time rolls on. If the work is not carried through by you now, I fear it will never be done. I am 7j, and I thirik no one else ca7i give you such help as I can, having for years given so m.uch attention to the subject. I mtist say that I heartily approve of your plans. Of course the work must be yours. The few words relatifig to Rev. Benjamin Smith and m,yselfa?'e all that is desirable or necessary. In fact Mr. B. Smith has left the matter absolutely in my hands. You must be the " Master-builder. (24/1/00). No absolutely consistent system of arrangement has been practicable, owing to the unequal nature of the materials.