120 The Moravians

Wilts Malmesbury 1770 ZC 1827-40, B 1826-40. East Tytherton, parish of Bremhill, 1748 ZC 1748-1840. B 1749-1840.

Yorks Baildon 1815 ZC 1815-1837, B 1816-1837. Fulneck, parish of Calverley, 1742 ZC 1742-1837, B 1749-1783. Mirfield, Wellhouse Chapel 1755 ZC 1805-37, B 1794-1837. uthor gratefully acknowledges the assistance of Revd. Frank Wyke, parish of Birstal! 1755 ZCB 1800-1837. Baker, Revd. Dr. a.A. Becker legge, flevd. T. Sha~ flevd. J.C. Bowmer (Archivist, Archives and Research Centre) C.E. Welch and Mrs. M.A. I'ales Johnson. Haverfordwest St. Thomas Green, 1763 ZC 1763-1837, 13. 1764.1837. A. HI STORY The origins of go back to a small group of members of the Church of England nt Oxford who, between 1729 and 1735 under the leadership of , an ordained clergyman and his brother Char les met together for spiritual fellowship. Prominent among the members was ~orge Whitefield. later also ordained. They were known derisively as The lloly Club or as the Methodists and the latter tem was later applied in the same spirit to their followers. Both Wesley and Whitefield however adopted it in the fonn the peop Ie ca ned Methodists. In 1735 John Wesley was sent by the Socie.ty for the Propagation of the Gospel as a missionary to' Georgia. Both on the voyage and in Georgia he was considerably influenced by the Moravian missionaries1 and in Savannah in 1736 he founded a small society of 30 or 40 serious members of his congregation. On his return in 1738 " he maintained contact with the Moravians and the sallie year there took

place his celebrated "conversion II when he obtained an intense con­ viction of his O\ffi personal salvation through Christ. The remainder of that year was spent in visiting the Moravian settlement at Herrnhut, J preaching in churches, speaking at religious societies and visiting prisons. The following year \fuitefield began preaching at Bristol in the open air. and Wesley followed his example. Soon, extensive preach­ ing was undertaken and the hearers who were moved by the preaching were gathered into small societies, modelled on those already existing in London, and meeting in members' homes. As early as 1738 the societies were subdivided into classes - or groups for the sharill~ of spirittlnl oxperionce, each unclor Il l oncl or.

1 See 'nle Maravians D.099. 724 '!he Methodists Calvinistic Methodists 725.

Thus from the work of Whitefield in Gloucestershire eventuallY sprang Methodists. Although mainly confined to Wales and the Welsh Border a .number of independent churches - the tabernacles of Bristol, counties (Herefordshire, Shropshire, ,and Cheshire), it also has Kingswood, Rodborough, Dursley, Wotton .. under-Edge, . North Nibley, " churches in many of .the large centres of population in England. e Frampton-on-Severn, stonehouse and RU6cowbe. 5 In 1805 the Calvinistic Methodist SOcieties in London entered Annlnlan Methodists' into a union for mutual co-operat1on and .the first meeting of the As has been pointed out, in contrast to the 18th century usage Associate COngregations was held in the Surrey chapel in 1806. How­ the term Methodist is normally used today only of the various denomina­ ever, there is no further trace of the Union, and the societies which tions derived from Wesley's followers. Until 1742 Wesley's work was still survive have been re-organized on the Congregational model. confined chiefly to London and Bristol, but the remainder of his life With the transformation of the Calvinistic Methodist Societies into _ he died in 1791 - was spent in constant itineries not only allover churches, the term M thodist to describe them fell into disuse. How­ England, but also in Wales, Scotland and Ireland. Wesley was assisted ever, it iaJ flt always be remembered that in the 18th century Methodist by a devoted band of preachers and Methodism rapidly made extraordinary '.Go6 a wider meaning than today. progress. In 1744 the Circuits for the travelling preachers were est­ ablished and the first Conference was held. As the connexion expanded The Countess of Huntingdon's Connexion circuits were continually divided to make new ones. The Anglican While the Whitefieldian societies gradually became Congregational­ clergy progressively refused to allow Methodist preachers in their ist churches, the chapels founded by the Countess remained nominally pulpits and began to deny Methodists the other sacraments also. The Anglican. However, increasing difficulties with the bishops led in decisive break came in 1784 when Wesley ordained Dr. Coke to administer 1779 to a break with the Church of England and the formation of a the sacraments to American Methodist Societies. This was followed by church of the Presbyterian type. Some 37 churches are now governed by the ordination of many of the travelling preachers. By 1790 although nine trustees assisted by an annual conference of ministers and chapel meetings were still being held on weekdays as heretofore, they delegates. ~e Connexion is no,t now strictlY a Methodi at one, but is were increasingly being also held on Sundays. In some areas they were closely associated with the Congregational Union of England and Wales moved from hours which did not conflict with Anglican worship to hours and the churches are listed in the Congregational Year-Do which implied a rival institution, although in others, Methodists n e oun ess of Hunting on oun e a theological College continued to attend both their own preaching' se.rvices on Sundays and near 's Settlement at Trevecca, Breconshire. This is now the more formal Anglican worship. By 1800 except in a few areas mainly Cheshunt College, Cambridge, which is not strictly a denominational in the south, Methodists' children were no long·er as a matter of college and is run by a separate body of trustees. course, baptized and registered in the parish church. By this time, to secure protection from persecution Methodist Welsh Calvinistic Methodists (called later Welsh Presbyterians or preachers and the worshippers in Methodist Preaching Houses finally The Presbyterian Church of Wales) agreed to invoke the Toleration Act, thus classing themselves as The Calvinistic Methodists were much stronger in Wales than Dissenters. However, the congregations of many meeting places which were licensed described themselves not as Methodists but as Protestants England because of the efforts of such local preachers as Howell 8 Harris, Howell Daviep and Daniel Rowlands. The break between Harris or Independents often making identification difficult. This separation and Whitefield in 1751 was followed shortly afterwards by Harris's from the Anglicans and the formation of a "church" which Wesley withdrawal from the movement, the leadership of which passed to never desired, was hastened by the early splitting up of his followers, Rowlands. Despite the strength of Welsh Calvinistic Methodism and constant discussion about separation from 1743 onwards, it remained part of the Anglican church until 1811 - much later than the other e For more information on the denomination and its registers, see Vol. 13, Welsh Nonconformists 7 The term has been used 1n this heading to differentiate from tta Calvinistic 5 The greater part of the material on Calvini·stic Methodism to this point Methodists the denominations springing from Wesley's work. The name was . has been taken from C.E. Watson "Whitefieldand Congregationalism" Trans. later used for a small church which was absorbed into the United MethodlS t Congo Hist. Soc. Vo1.8 PP.178-9, 245. Free Churches. s See below p.730. 726 'nle Methodists Armlnlan Methodists 727

first on points of church government and later on the broadening of influence into Rutland, Lincolnshire and Norfolk, and ultimately to the teachings to bring in the depressed masses of the Industrial Hull which became the fourth circuit. The first Conference was held Revolution. ny 1837 there were about nine Methodist Denominations in g at Hull in June 1819, and during the next five Years. the Hull England. cirCUit, through its Yorkshir~ Western, North-Western and Northern MiSSiOns carried on a vi gorous campai- gn with great success, particu- Wesleyan Methodists farly among the miners of Durhal11 and Northumberland._ The Tunstall This was the original body and by far the largest of the divisions. circuit meanwhile spread i ts influence first throughout the Black In 1837 there were 321 Wesleyan Circuits jn England and 20 in Wales, Country, then to Liverpool and Manchester on the one side, and South -and the members r etained connections with the Anglicans longer than Shropshire on the other, and finally to Herefordshire, Glamorganshire ~~ . most. and Wiltshire. Mob violence and persecution from the authorities, ~ especially the rural clergy and magistrates was considerable and Methodist New Connexion sustained. Many were imprisoned and local preachers r eceived notice This was founded in 1797 with particular emphasis on sharing the to quit their holdings. The labourers suffered most, being often dis­ missed and evicted from their cottages. Thus, although Primitive lovernment of the church between ministers and laity. !!!. 1837, the f!~ Methodism became strong in some rural areas, such as ' Ucdfordshire, it .---were 30....Q.ircui ts mainly in the Industrial areas of the. north of En gland and the Midlands, and 6 in Ireland. One reglster was normally was strongest in the towns of the North, and on the whole was an ~sed for the entire circuit, although in the catalogue of surrendered industrial rather than a rural conununity. In 1837 there were 150 circuits regi sters it is usually listedl under one church only. covering most of the country except for the South East, though they were also relatively weak in the South West. Primitive Methodists Between 1342 and 1853 the movement became much more strongly organised along.connexional line~ and the headquarters was moved Primitive Methodism had its origins in the evangeiical work of to London. Nevertheless, the exclusiveness of Conference 10 strengthened Hugh Bourne, a Stoke-on-Trent millwright, among the miners around Mow the power of the districts which emphasized different aspects of the Cop, on the borders of Cheshire and Staffordshire. In spite of lack work, such as chapel building, foreign missions, the education of of co-operation from the Burslem Circuit, he and his followers in ministers or schools. In spite of some falli~g away between 1853 and 1801 began building a chapel at Harriseh.ead which they conveyed to 1860, in the latter year there were 675 ministers, 11,384 local 18 trustees, thus bringing it under the authority of the Wesleyan preachers, 132,114 members and 2,267 chapels. Conference and into the Burslem Circuit. In 1807, Bourne and his as­ Registers were usually for a complete circuit rather than for sociate William Clowes began a drive to reach the poorer rural folk individual chapels. through Camp meetings, the first of which was held on Mow Cop. Both Conference and the Superintendent of the Burslem Circuit were Independent Methodists hostile and further camp meetings were forbidden. Bourne persisted and in 1808 was expelled from the Circuit. A chapel built at Tunstall From about 1806 a small group also known as the Ouaker Methodists became the nucleus of a circuit, Clowes and James Crawfoot, an ex­ split off from the main body as they did not believe in a ~epar ~ed Wesleyan local preacher, were set apart as ministers, and in 1812 the ministry. Most of them returned later to the older foundations or name Primitive Methodist was adopted. joined other divisions, though some still exist, chiefly in Lancashire. 1833, The new movement rapidly expanded between 1811 and 1843. ~ They changed their title to the United Churches of Christ in £he became the second circuit in 1816. and in the same year a large camp United Free Gospel Churches in 1841 and back to the Independent meeting was held in N_ottingham. It also became strong in Leicestershire Methodist Churches in 1898. where I.oughborough beC9:ine the third circuit, soon extending its Rible Christians (or Q' Dryani tes) TIlese were founded in 1815 by William O' Bryan, a of Luxulyan, Cornwall and were so called because the church's o A detailed account of the r easons for all secessions i s given in Rcvd. O. A. noc\w l'lcftP:O (llI l tet! Me th() di st fre t: Churches (Rllwor t h 11)57). 10 TIlOHt' o l1 f{ lhlC' wo r o: Ilrrllc:h o n; who h ad t.l'lIvd l ocl In YC!LLI'S lind stlllc rJnLrndC'e! for 1 :~: In.. vlIIl'lI who hlle! h""11 111 1'1111"" '1\ I :.! .V'· llI'" ILiIIi o rrlellll " for to. 722 The Methodists Calvinistic Methodists 723

The original aim of both Wesley and ~litefield was simply to Brethren. About the same time Selina, Countess of Huntingdon. came revive among Anglicans what the Church of England had lost - spiritual ~nto active association with the Calvinistic "Methodists, apd in 1751 holiness and through that a personal inward religion whtch should Whitefield was appointed her chaplain. The Whitefieldian societies substain a mWl in his struggles with life. A~ 10A6 as Anglioan. pormit­ refused to accept the Countess of Huntingdon as their head, and ~t, Methodists also attended tho pariah church on SundAY' And bereft of Whitefield elected to retain Howell Harris. Rivalry between were ba.g!.ized, married and buried by tho Anglioan p~raon, Thus the Whitefield and Harris droYe the Welsh societies into two camps. In first chapels - called by Wesley preaching houses and by \vh1 tetield' s 1751 the death of the Prince of Wales ended \Vhi tefield' s dream of a followers tabernacles were intended only as supplementary to the bishopric, and Howell Harris who had hoped for ordination withdrew parish churches. They were normally large buildings established from Calvinistic Methodtsm. In 1753 a larget tabernacle was opened at primarily for the purpose of holding preaching services. Classes how­ Moorfields and another erected at Bristol. In 1756 the Tottenham Court ever frequently met there, thoUgh they also continued to meet in Chapel was erected, and placed under the protection of Lady IIuntingdon as a private chapel to be served by Anglican clergy only. people's homes. Between ~and 1741 disagreement among the followers of John and and those of led to a No dissenter or layman ministered there for nine years. From her personal fortune and gifts received by her, she erected many other split, IVhitefield maintain~ng the Calvinistic doctrine of Predestina­ chapels and, as a peeress, appointed many other "chaplains" to tion and Wesley t~ (j: .• 11'!:nlan view stressing Justification by faith. Near lVesl qy' s church, Whitefield's friends built for him the officiate ill them. Whitefield meanwhile re-assumed the headship of \~itefieldian th~ k' . . >.·fields Tabernacle and from then on, although cordial personal the societies. However, Tabernacle connexion was relations between the two men continued right 'up to Whitefield's never re-organized 011 the old plan, but the societies were gathered death in 1770, separate Arminian (Wesleyan) and Calvinist Meeting into geographical 'groups. Though the Anglican church was hostile and Houses were established. In England, only the former are now known ~ Nonconformists generally held aloof, 4.1he Countess of Huntingdon's as Methodist Churches, the latter being largely Congregational. chapels were technIcally Anglican and most of the members of the societies in England and Wales still attended their parish churches. However, in 1763 Andrew Kinsman, a preacher at Plymouth who built CalvinistiC Methodists the tabernacle at Devenport formed this society into an Independent As with those founded by Wesley, the Calvinist communities were church and was ordained at Broadmead Chapel Bristol by a number of organized into societies, which were sub-divided into bands and ministers, some Baptist and some Congregationalist. The Whitefieldian classes. The preachers - both clerical and lay - met in monthly and societies were thus the first of the Methodist gr.oups to break with quarterly associat ions. These associations embraced not only the t~Anglican church. Whitefield acquiesced and soon after aPPOinted Whitefieldian societies in England, but the more numerous societies Kinsman to oIficiate at the London chapels. In 1764 both Moorfields in Wales. At the first general association, held at Watford (near Tabernacle and the Tottenhnm Court Chapel were registered as Independ- ; Caerphilly) in 1743 there were present three Anglican clergy, one ent. Nonconformist minister and eight lay preachers, exactly half the total When \~itefield died in 1770 he bequeathed the leadership of preaching strength. Whitefield was appointed Moderator and Howell the Calvinistic Methodists in England and Wales to the Countess of Harris was made Superintendent. over Wales and Whitefield's deputy Huntingdon. However, the Whitefieldian societies had continued to whenever the latter went to America. Both Whitefield and Harris were drift into Congregationalism and a breach between them and the strong opponents of Separatism. Countess was inevitable. In 1774 a tabernacle was built at In 1747 there were 31 Whitefieldian Societies in England including Haverfordwest. Lady Huntingdon insisted that the Gloucester Association 2 three in London and four in Gloucestershire. 3 Th~ following year, should surrender the chapel to the Calvinistic Methodist Association however, there was a split between Whitefield and the Moravian of Wales. Rowland Hill and his friends.in both Gloucester and Pembroke­ shire refused. In 1778 the Rodborough Society was constituted an independent church and the Dursley Society followed six years later.

2 Moorfields. Deptford and Bird street. 3 Gloucester, Minchinhampton, The Roadway, near Randwick and Standcombe. 4 There were of course many exceptions. Moorfields Tabernacle itself was built by Nonconformists. · . 730 The Methodists circuits and Churches 731

,lBl1-37 (a church which is now in the Wath-upon-Dearne Circuit) are accept no certificate of registration Imich narrowed the tel~ to to be found ~n the safe of the Rotherham CircuAt; and the early 19th Protestant Dissenters or Which stated the place of worship to be fot century Baptisms at 110 lbeach. Lincs. (now itself head of a. circuit) " any specific denomination of Protestants. Thus as has been pointed are in the Circuit safe nt Spalding. 12 Howover, tile problem 18 out many chapels were registered as Protestant or Independent and lessened by the fact that the bl~oa to seRrch 1~ or neC@811ty an their identification as Methodist thus not infrequently depends on adjacent circuit. corrobatory evidence. 14 Where details of registrations have not already In rocont yenrs, n llumbOl' ot oircuits have dOllg 6itQ{\ thoir rocords boen published <.Iuo to the very conaidornble rosoo.rch invol vod it tins in the locnl record offices, IUld tli16 number 1s likely to arow con .. not nlways beon possible to abstract this infonnation in time for siderably. It must also be bomo in mind that, since the Union of inclusion in the volumes of the National Index of Parish flegisters. 1932, the previously Wesleyan cirouit superintendents may have to.l{en Local histories are the other main source in locating chapels. over the records of former Primitive Methodist or United Methodist The Methodist Archives and Research Centre has a considerable col- circuits covering areas different from the Wesleyan ones. All circuits lect· om this source is being compiled. J existing in 1837 for the main connexions are lis e ounty United Methodist 14inisters and their Circuits contains all accessible prefaces, and also the present Me odist circuits. Often, however, it information concerning Ministers and circuits of all the sections of ( J r has not been possible to give the searcher much guidance as to which Methodism which, uniting in 1907 formed the .1~ ) present circuit safe is J '.! dy to hold records of former circuits, Wherever possible information on churches taken from th'ese though suI'': ~. , !fonnation has been included whereve+ available. A con­ been included in the National Index, but this is far from <:;i. ~-aj)le proportion of the archives of the Primitille ,'rfethodi;;:;;-­ Methodist New Connexion and Bible Christians seem to have been ~ c£e.f1-~ . irretrievably lost. Thus no documents at all have been traced of the c. old Bible Christian Circuit of Mevagissex, Cornwall. An effort has been made to 'trace to which circuits churches All superintendents of circuits have been circularised, and from belonged at various times and this information has been included where­ the returned questionnaires, it appears that, although about 856 ever possible in the National Index. A Society of Cirplanologists has volumes of registers of the three majn Methodist connexions were sur­ recently been formed to compile a register of existing circuit plans rendered, a higher proportion of Methodist registers escaped surrender dating before 1860. In 1961 they published a register of pre-1B60 than is the case with Baptists and Congregationalists. No previous plans and since then have issued two supplements in 1963 and 1965. survey has been undertaken to list these unsurrendered registers, These plans list all the chapels extant at the time, but it must although the Methodist Archives and flesearch Centre. which was be remembered that some of the places on the plans are not chapels, established in 1960 has plans for an eventual survey Qf~4e tbodist but preaching places, in early plans often private houses. A list of Records. When registers have been located as still in church hands, 18 Archives Centre chapels with dates of erection was included in the fourth edition ~ they have been noted in the county prefaces. The itself holds no pre-1837 registers, with the exception of a Baptismal ./ illiam ~ les's Chronological History Q People e'alled Methodists, but this is far from complete. As chapels had to be registered either register for Bideford, Devon, which begins in 1836. . with the Bishop or Archdeacon 13 it should in theory be possible to Records (including registers) of individual churches were often prepare a complete list. Some of these registrations have been pub­ kept at the local church and not in the circuit safe. On the other lished. The Cornish entries are being published serially in the hand, the catalogue of surrendered registers frequently lists a reg­ Cornish Methodist Historical Association Journal. A source of dif­ ister as for one place, whereas, in fact it is the register for a ficulty is that after the passing of the Act of 1811 which repealed the Five Mile Act and the Conventicle Act, Methodists were officially 14 Wesley F. Swift. How to write a Local History of Me thodi Sill Proc. Wes . . reminded that the Act mentioned only Protestants and were advised to 15 Hist. ~c. Vol.xx~x pt. 5 (1954) p.107. Frank Baker, op.cit. p.143. The Untted Methodtst Free Churches, the Methodist New Connexion and the ~i ble Christians. See ·above, page 728. ~:~e names an~ addresses of all C~rcuit Superintendents will be found in 12 Rev. T. Shaw 'Genealogy in Methodist Repositories. Gen. Mag. Vol.XI. the Annual Mtnutes of the Methodtst Conference and Methodist Church Year No.5 (March 1952). 13 For more information on this subject see p.580. Book. (SeotIon XXVII '~'4 738 'l1le Methodists

Beckerlegge. The Rev. C. A. Uni ted Methodist Ministers and their Circuits. (1968). Beckerlegge. The Rev. C. A. Uni ted Methodist Fr6' Church" (1957 ). Beckerlegge. The Rev. C.A. Fret Me thodism in COrnwall (C.M.H. A. 1961). APPENDIX II - RECORD REPOSITORIES & SOCIETIES Methodist New Connexion Record Reposi tories and Libraries (see also General Libraries Packer. G. The centena~ of the Methodist New COnnexion 1797-1897 (1897). on p.597). Parkes. IV. 17lOmas Bryant. Independent Methodist: An Examination The following list is taken from "Archives and Manuscripts in of the histo~ of the foundation of the Scotland Street Church. Nonconformist Libraries" by C.F-. Welch - Journal of the SOciety of Sheffield "ma the rise of the Methodist New Connexion (1965). Archivists Vol. VI, No.32 (Oct. 1964) - by kind permission of the Rose , E. A. "The Origins of the Methodist New Connexion: Unpub­ author and publishers. Except for the Archives and Research Centre, lished Manuscripts", Proc. Wes. Hist. SOc., xxxv (Dec. 1965) these contain no registers and very 11 ttle genealogical material. In ' pp.94-97. many cases, not even an amateur custodian is in charge of the records, and so little can be done to help readers who cannot visit the Rose, E.A. II The First Methodist New Connexion Chnpels", Proc. Wes. lIist. Soc. xxxvi (Feb. 1967), pp.16-21. library. Salt, W. Memorial of the Methodist New Connexion (1832)., The Methodist Church Trinder, B.S. The Methodist New Connexion in Dawley and Made ley (Wesley Hist. Soc. West Midlands Branch, 1968). (A local Methodist Archives and Research Centre. 25 City Road, London, E . ~.1. study with important general implications]. Archivist. Printed minutes and manuscript journals of all Methodlst ' conferences registers of closed churches (post-1837) collections of The Methodist New Connexion Centenary Almanac (1897). Methodist m~uscriPts and printed material. C~talogue in progress. Bible Christians See Proceedings of Wesley Historical Society . .xxxiii p.79. Photocopy­ ing possible. Beckerlegge, The Rev. C.A. II The Bibliography of the Bible Christians" Proc. Wes. Hist. Soc. xxxv (1965-6), Pp.45-50, Wesley Historical Society Library, c/o Epworth Bookshop, 25, City 74-75, 100-104, 128-129, xxxvii (1969) Pp.48-49. Road, London, E.C.l. Printed material for all the Methodis~ churches Bourne, The Rev. F.W. The Bible Christians (1905). with some manuscripts and congregational archives. Class tlckets and circuit plans (for latter see publications of Society of Michell, W.J. Erief Biographical Sketches of Bible Christian Cirp lano logists). Ministers and Laymen. 2 vols. (Jersey, 1906). Pyke, R. The Golden Chain: The Story of the Dible Christian Didsbury Co llege, Westbury- on-Trym, Bristo l. College archives Methodists from 1815 to 1907 (1915). (incomplete) from 1842 and a few manuscript letters. Photo-copying possible. Shaw. The Rev. T. The Dible Christians (1965). Handsworth College, Friary Road, Birmingham. 20. A few modern college Countess of Huntingdon's Connexion archives only. There is no history, but see: Hart ley Victoria College, A lexandra Road South, Manchester 1. 6. Seymour, A.C.H. Life and Times of Selina, Countess of lTuntingdon College Minute and Account Books from 1870. Journals of Jame s Everett, (2 vols. London 1839). This is an uncritical biography. An and other Free Me thodist s, ru ld Hugh Bo urn e (Pr i m. Math.) Free index is published in Proc. IYes. !list. Soc. Vol. 5 (1906). Methodi st Church Minute Books. Photocopying possible. Bretherton, F.F. The Countess of Huntingdon (1940). Independent Methodists

VicltorR, .J.. flistory of Independent Hethodism (1920). 734 The Methodists other sources 735 of 50 such magazines with their various changes of title is given in Min i sters an appendix to The Rook Room (Epworth Press 1956) by Dr. Frank Cumbers. The Conferences of the various denominations published Minutes The most important were which included biographies of ministers. "Ministers and Probationers of the Methodist Church" (formerly known as "lIill's Arrangement ") Wes leyans (latest edition 1963) contains a list of all the present ministers Arminian Magazine 1778-1797 with their circuits and a list at the end of all who "died in their work. II This gives the date of death, so that the obituary would appear Methodist Magazine 1798-1821 either in the same year or next year's Minutes and the list is there­ fore in effect an index to these obituaries. As mentioned above, lYesleyart Methodist Magazine 1822-1932 United Methodist Ministers and their Circuits by Revd. Dr. O. Primitive Methodists Beckerlegge contains all accessible information concerning the ministers and circuits of all the sections of Methodism which, uniting Primitive Methodist Magazine 1819-1932 in 1907. formed the United Methodist Church. Methodist New Connexion Newspapers Methodist New Connexion Magazine 1797-1907 The Metl10dist newspapers, the Watchman (l835-63), the Methodist Dible Christians Recorder (l861-date), the Methodist Times (1885-1937)0 and the Primitive Uethodist Leader (1905-1932) contained obituaries of Arminian Magazine 1822-1827 (excessively rare. For some years only 1 Ministers and the Methodist Recorder also included births, marriages copy known)" and deaths. An index to the historical notices in the Watchman and /4ethodist Recorder was compiled by the late Wesley F. Swift. Bible Christian Magazine 1832-1907 Wesleyan Protestant Methodists Trust Deeds W.P.M. Magazine 1829-1834 A list of copies of Trust Deeds at the Public Record Office ap­ Wesleyan Association peared in the 32nd Annual Report of the Deputy Keeper of the Public Records (1871). The procedure for consulting these has been des­ W.A. Magazine 1838-1857 cribed by N.J. Dunstan. iS United Methodist Free Churches U.M.F.C. Magazine 1858-1891 The Methodist Monthly 1892-1907 United Methodist Church U.M. Magazine 1908-1932 An index to biographies and local references iri the first three 17RR-1R39 was published by the Wesley Historical Society in 1909. A master Index to the non-Wesleyan magazines is in preparation at the Methodist Archives and Research Centre, 23-35, City Road, London, E. C. 1. Biographies of Missionaries will be found in various Methodist Missionary MngazineR. H) N.J. Duns tan, " Met hodist Enrolled Deeds a t the Public Record Office". {','oe . II'C,L fli st. Soc. , vol . xxxvli (.1 I1ne l P70), pp. 151-3. 732 lhe Methodists Registers 733 whole circuit. Thus the register described as Freckleto~ Parish of to the registry where the Registrar entered the particulars in one of Kirkham Wes Zeyan Chape l has written on the fly':'leaf Freck leton - the large folios, adding to the forms a certificate of the date of Wesleyan Chapel in the parish of Kirkh~ at Longton in the parish , such registration, with the number and folio of the volume in which of P~n!IJortham, lit LeyZand (n th~ pa1'j"h of Leyland aM, Prutan, all he had made the entry. One of the duplicate parchments was then re­ in th~ QbUAiy o! Laneaster.~7 ~e determining factor was the size of turned to the parents, the other being filed at the office. The forms the church. Where the other churches in the circuit were small employed were very carefully and lengthily worded, and they recall v~llages, the register was, and still is, kept at the Manse, so that by their scrupulous exactness the registers of the Society of Friends. it was available when wanted at any place. The Metropolitan registration of tho Wosloyn.ns wus not dos 11) 1\0<1 to ~1th a few isolated exceptions the earliest Methodist registers supersede their congregational registration. Both the old and !lew ~ate only from the 1790's. The greater number begin 'between about systems proceeded together until the year 1837, when the institution 1810 and 1820. Th~~~ity Qf registers are of baptisms only. As the of Civil Registration obviated the necessity for any further denomina­ invocation of the Tbleration Act made the Methodists legally dis­ tional efforts of the kind. senters, by the provisions of the Hardwicke Act of 1753 no marriages could be performed in Methodist churches until after 1837 and for D. OTHER SOURCES the next sixty years such marriage registers as exist contain only subslduary copies of the official entries made by the Superintendent A comprehensive survey of the main sources of information on Methodists and their location is given in Rev. Frank Baker's article Registrar. Not until the Marriage Act of 189B did Methodist "authorised persons" both conduct and register marriages. Since "Methodist Archives". 18The most important for the genealogist are:- early in this century most larger Methodist churches have taken advantage of this act and the registers are usually held by the Min u te Book s <" minister. Many, especially from closed churches are held by the These were kept for the Circuit Quarterly Meetings, the local Archives and Research Centre. Leader's Meeting, the Society meeting and the Trustees'Meeting. They Burial registers are ~ometjme~ found, but are relatively rare. will generally be found in the circuit safe. Metropolitan Wesleyan Registry Membership Rolls Up to the commencement of the 19th Century, no effort was made amongst Methodists to begin a system of general registration. In the These are of two kinds. Membership of the church from the beginning year 1B18, however, the Wesleyan Methodists instituted a Metropolitan involved being enrolled on the class list of a leader who was respons­ Office in Paternoster Row, London for the registration of the Births ible for about a dozen members. Many of these have survived, but are and Baptisms occurring amongst the different congregations of their scattered in miscellaneous collections. A society or church might ' adherents. The registers from this office were accompanied by certifi­ consist of one or many classes. The Assistant of the circuit (i.e. cates on parchment which were signed by the parents of the child registered, Assi~tant to Wesley) now known as the Superintendent Minister WOUl ~. complle a Membership Roll for the whole circuit. Some 18th century by witnesses present at the birth and by the Minister who performed the Baptismal ceremony. Both registers and certificates were surrendered membership rolls are still available in circuit safes, though many and are now at the Public Record Office. They comprise three enormous have been lost or destroyed or have strayed into various collections. volumes which contain together the births and baptisms of 10,291 More recent membership records are in the custody of the local minister. children. The Metrolopolitan Wesleyan Registry was kept with an elaborateness and precision characteristic of the Society. The Magazines Registrar furnished the Ministers on the various circuits with dupli­ The various monthly magazines of the denominations united in cate printed forms on parchment, both of which Were signed by the 1932 often contain information on Births, Marriages and Deaths. A list various persons mentioned above. These forms were then transmitted

Amateur ITistorian 17 18 Vol.3 No.4 Summer 1957. Since the establishment of the D.E. Gardner & F. smith Genealogical Research in England and Wales Vol.! Archives and Research Centre the location' of records maY well be out of Il.243. date. BibliographY 737

-Social and Political Context of Methodism Andrews, s. Methodism and Society (1971). Hal~vy, E. The lJirth of Methodism in England (1906. English trans­ APPEHDI~ I BISLIOGRAPHY lation, 1971). Hobsbawm, E.J. Labouring Men (1964). General and Wesleyans Hobsbawm, E.J. "Methodism and the Threat of Revolution", History Atmore, r.harles. The Methodist Uemorial (1801). . Today (Feb. 1957). Baker, The Rev. F. A Charge to Keep - an Introduction to the Hobsbawm, R.J. Primitive Rebels (1959). People called Methodists (1947). Thompson, E.J. The Making of the English Working Class (1963). Baker, The Rev. F. JOM /Yes ley and the Church of England (1970). Wearmouth, R.F. Methodism and the Working-Class Movements of Church, L.F. The Early Methodist People (1948). England 1800-1850 (1937). Church, L.F. More About the Early Methodist People (1949). 'Wearmouth, R.F. Methodism and the Common People of the Eighteenth Century (1945). CUrrie, Robert. Methodism Divided: A Study in the Sociology of Ecumenicalism (1968). Wearmouth, R.F. Methodism and the Trade Unions (1959). CUrrie. Robert. itA Micro Theory of Methodist Growth". Proc. r.~s. Hist. SOc. xxxvi (Oct. 1967). pp.80-85. Archives

Gregory, J. Robinson. Student's lIistory of Methodism 2 Vols. (1911). Baker, The Rev. F. II Methodist Archives", Amateur Historian Vol. Hall, Joseph (ed. Hartley, T.G.). Circuits and Ministers 1765- 3 No.4 (Summer 1957).

1912 with Supplement 1913-23 (1925). Shaw, The Rev. T. II Genealogy in Methodist Repositories ". Gen­ Methodist Church. The Uethodist Church: its Origins, Divisions and ealogists' !,fagaz ine Vol. 2 No.5 (March 1952).

tie-union (1932). Smith. Janet. II Archi ves and Methodism '.', Proc. lVes. Hist. Soc. Myles, William. Chrono logical llistory of the Peop le called xxxviii (May 1971), pp.3-7. Methodists (1799). Swift, The Rev. Wesley F. "How to write a local history of Parkinson, G.A. The People called Methodists: A Short SUrvey of Methodism". Proc. lVes. Hist. Soc . xxxix p.103. Reproduced as the History of the Methodist Church (1937). a separate booklet. 1964. This gives a comprehensive account Rupp, G. and ,Davies, R. (ed.). A llistory of the Methodist Church of the nature and whereabouts of Methodist archives. in Great Britain Vol.1 (1966). Welch. C.E. "The Early Methodists and their Records", Journ. Shaw. The Rev. T. A History of COrnish Methodism (1967). Soc. Archivists Vol. 4 No.3 (April 1971), pp.200-211. Smith, Henry, Swallow, J.Ft. and Tre ffry , W. (ed.). Story of the Uni ted Methodist Church (1932). . Primitive Methodists Spencer, Harold and Finch, Edwin (ed.). The COnstitutional Prac­ Brown, Leonard. "The Origins of Primitive Methodism". Proc. lYes. tice and Discipline of the Methodist (JlUrch (1951). Townsend, William J., F.ayrs, G. and Workman, H. B. A New History of fTist . Soc. Vol. xxxiv parts 4 and 5. Methodism 2 vols. (1909). . Farndale, W.E. The Secret of Mow Cop. A New Appraisal of the Warren Samuel. Chronicles of Wesley on Methodism (1827). Origins of Primitive Methodism (1950). Wesley, John. Journal ed. by Nehemiah Cur~ock. Indexed 8 vols Kendall, H. B. flistory of the Primi tive nethodist Church (London (London 1909-16) Letters ed. Qy John Telford (8 Vols. Indexed) (London 1919). (London 1931). United Methodist Free Churches Wilson. D. D. Many Waters Cannot Quench: A Study of Sufferings of Eighteenth-century f.fethodism (1969). Askew. The Rev. Edwin. Free Me thodist Manual (a handbook) 1877, /.finutes of the Methodist Conference Published annually. 1389, 1809 (3 editi.ons ). Th i s lis t s 0.11 the Uni t ed ~Ietho d i s t 736 Prcc Ch ur ch chape l s . o " ", " ,'. ,". ~~~~X~. p~~~~. ~~~SY~'~ '~~A J&~.:..wW~ . ~ Among the surrendered registers at the Public Record Office, London, are a number fr METHODISTS ). kJ1lY .IbM;;' i" j'~' ;fl:;f4:~!!~;1 v·;; .. ~ . ~~ .. ., ;.. , ' . Ih~ smaller denominations. There are some rather scrappy registers of the Inghamites, so '; .'. "", ~,..r, .., ; i ft',:: •. 7J.fJ) -1.1,'1. ':\"" l..·.I'.:·'·.:-'l~".r ;."i"'~';;:"k'" ,.' '1, 'I"~ I ~l~ ters of the New Jerusalem Church (excellently kep~ on a ce~trally directed c~ l , Me'thodist societies were ,founded' b'y .Jollfl "and.'Charles!'WesleY;"'George Whiteficld ! litem) and a few 19th Century registers of the CatholIc ApostolIc Church. The.re IS others from ~he 1740s: However, Methodists ' were' not at first separatists, and most 1 fI" . ~\s tcr of a Universalist Church. Century ~aptIsms, marrIages and burials will be found in the parish registers;'This may we ll t the. case Into the 19th Century~ even though some entries may also appear in the Mcthodu, OTHER SOURCES reglSters. From 1770 onwards, dIsagreement between th~ followers of John and Charlcs WN! ~~d those ,?f George. ~itefiel~ about Calvinism led to a split, and separate Aml l ~ Nonconformist registers must be used in close conjunction with other sources, These ( Wesley~ ) and CalVInIst .meetmg houses were established. Only the former are now kIlO .." ~ to sLx main groups - Entries in Parish Registers, Monumental, Inscription ~ , 0 as MethodIst churches. However, it should always be remembered that in the 18th C t .' onc onformist Records, Other Church of England Records, Civil Records and what we Methodist had a wider meaning than today. . ... J en w )' :\1 \ (or want of a better name "Records of general genealogical importance." .... : I· The Calvinistic Methodists are still strong in Wales where they are "also known l\; lht £''iTlUES IN PARISH REGISTERS Presbyterian Church in Wales. In England, although ~ost of their ' churches nrc .. Co~gregationalist, they are still represented by the Countess of Huntingdon's Connexion. t ~ regIsters of which were surrendered. In the early 19th Century, numerous splintC'r !:1OU I broke a:-v ay from the W~sleyan Methodist Connexion, the most important being the Prim if*,<, Until the Restoration, the majority of Nonconformist births will be found in the Pa:( Me~hocllstS, the Methodist New Connexion and. the Bible Christians, all ' of which surrcnd fflt . ~ l c rs. The conspicuous exception is, of course, the Roman Catholics. To circumvent j regIsters. They were re-united with the parent body in 1932. ,. ,,' ' ,\ct ot 1606, Catholics often made the plea that the child was in danger of death and ,1 I " , ' nts or midwife baptized. Such cases may be recorded in the parish registe'r as privi . Methodist Churches are grouped together in circuits of v~Ying size; 'At the head or ~ r l ' ~ ms or without any comment. If parish clergy could not be persuaded to accept this, CIrcuit is the Circuit Church containing the Circuit safe in which all registers, deeds, n co un1 Catholic authorities reluctantly permitted a second baptism at the parish church, or the bribi books etc are normally lodged in the custody of the superintendent minister. The conLcn ts 11 " f ft minister to enter the children's names in his parish register, and to falsely declare that va!u.e of these archives differ according to the age of the Circuit and how record consciolL't r t t b::t ptizcd them. Here again the register may not reveal that the parents were Cathor milllSters were. In some cases documents have been retained locally and not deposited with t.hr J:" con in the 18th Century, some very faithful Catholics seem to have had their childI Circuit records. ' .' 111.ro in Church. Nevertheless, the Catholic baptisms which appear in the Angli can par , .,. f r \ ~ l', '1, INS must represent only a small fraction of the total. For many strongly recusant fami Although, the majority of Methodist registers were surrendered in 1840, many orls: tru \U h entries occur at all. and some COPIeS of surrendered registers are still held in Circuit safes'. Owing to altcrt\Uotu mad~ from time to time in the boundaries of a Circuit, it often' happens that docum ('f'l , tn 1695 and 1706, Acts of Parliament ordered that births of Dissenters had to relatmg to' a particular church may be found in the safe of the Circuit in which it was includ ncd to the vicar and entered in his registers or other special books. Whilst the acts seem at the time the documents were deposited and not in the safe of its present' Circuit. F , ~ been widely ignored, some did keep such a register. Thus, the parish registers of example, the recor of apbsms a oyland, Yorks, 1811-37, a church which is now in l ~ lrc w·s. Plymouth and St. Martin's Leicester (now the Cathedral) contain ' lists Wath-on-Dearne Circuit are to be found in the safe' of the Rotherham Circuit; and th c' ('3;1 , I')(ron(ormist births and baptisms. The vicar of St. Oswald's, Durham City carefully kept i 19th century baptisms at Holbeaeh, Lines., now itself the head of a Circuit, may be Cou n.d in .U'I>' >'cnrs a special register for the births of all Dissenters (including Roman Catholics. ) the Circuit safe at Spalding. ! I', " tuol)$tcnd Norris, Berkshire, the vicar not only started a special register of births, }j .' ru cd in it the marriages and burials of Dissenters. In the register of Foxton, Leicestershi . In 1~18, the Methodists began keeping their own "Metropolitan Methodist Regi5try" "lall or three pages are headed "Register of Dissenters begun in 1697" Alwin t bIrths on roughly the same lines as the register kept at Dr. Williams's Library. From UH.'n Ullt , hum hcrland has lists of Dissenters for 1719-1723 and from 1765-1804. In the par! 1837, 10,291 births were recorded. The register, which is in ,three massive volum ~, "J;l 'tcr of Barnoldswick, Yorkshire, there 'is a special register of "Anabaptists" fro surrendered, and is now at the Public Record Office, London. \' /-1752. Many of these registers owed their existence less to the Acts of Parliamen t than " xp~ wish of the I~cal Dissenters. In the register of Netherwitton, Northumberlal iii.

Eventually became al.mo8t ebeorbed in (Independents) • (CODg%eg1ltlan&l.Lsta) -

17th c. Scae foxmer Presbyterian churches beca:me M.~na.It1U:. Barli.. t register at PRO beqins 1644.

16th C sect ~ix1ng_ -Moravianiam and l.'feth0c5ism. Eat.ellahe<1 by ~lie.t register et p~ begins 1753.

thJ.a broad heading a variety of groups are 1nc:l.uded. all IUCCM:lGICI £rem the ori9iaa1 group of fol.lDwers of the Wealey brothers felt the ~llieDCe oftheh' teac:h1ng.

group of Methodiet chapels c:anprise a circ:uit and the register for each chapol are wrually kept tl\Ue. No attempt hu been­ to cross-reference all of the Hethocll.st. chapels to their -'''t'W''I,''-iatc circuit. Fo~ a demo.'"1at::ation of this circuit proQlem Oenealoqis:aJ.Reaeareb in Engla~ _ and WAl.es. Volume l,pp 243-244. Methodi8ta attenc:lec! the Church of Engl..an4. Here is a break of variOWI Methoc.U.. t groupo.

<:alv1niatic JSetbodiSts - Earliest reqiater at PRO 1762- , Wesleyan ~1sts - Earliest reqiste~ at PRO 1753 '_'j{ 6 Hethodist Hett Ccnnexion (Kilhar'aj:~EtS) eataDlisbe& 179 / ~ ...... """'""" Prim.1tiVG Methodists e.tab1iahed 1807 %ncependcnt KethocSicts e:t&hllunc:c lSC.~. c.~~ed to U:Lited Churches of CbriR 1633, and to united Free Gospel Churches in 1841 _ -Bible Christiana (B~tes) established 1815 Protestant Hethodiata .atab11ahed 1827 Wealeyan Methodist AaltOCiaUon eat.hl; ahec1 1635 Unibd Hethoe1.ets

(UXdted Brethren) tr.ee their OX'i~in to John BuBO. R~~ by the ~liat -Parliament la a Protestant Epi.cop&l Church in. 1749~ EUlle_s~ ~i"ter _ t _ ~ ~ing8 1741. - ii. rollowin9 is A list of the denClainationa involved :In. this lla.t t.DS«~r with any abbreviations USed:

DENOMDlATION MBJmVl?'l'IOH ·· USED. Bapt. Bible Xna. c. Apes. C. of H. Xnd.

W. Math. p. Heth. c ...th. lin. Heth. KethOQiat HeW Connexion Keth. H. CClan. J6QravilUl ~ew Jerusa1emite Hew Jer. Preabyterian (Including Un1taran) Pre•• R.oman catholic: R. c. Scotch Church Swede:-J:)()rgian SWed. Uciveraaliat UU1v.

ID 1S40,23 the result of 3':ec:oaaencktions lade by a Royal Comm; saion ..t up in 1837. mi nieters and ethers having custody of reqie:ters .longing to nonccmformist cburc:hes were requeated to forward them to the effice of the RegiGtnlr General at Saaerset H~e ~ ~ re~e 'lea ' reaaon8bly good ex~t t..~~t few Raman catholic ~i5terB were ciefrQSittKl anci uono at all frcg Jews.

lite hack to the 17th c. 'there has been much tUvereity of bellef IDonq t.bem and no atte=pt baa been made in the list to split them into 'S*:ific: Baptist qroups. ~e earlieDt register &t ERa begins 1047. L.I!U.E CHlUS'l'IAL'S (or aryiuutea)

1 leet started by William Bryan in 1815, beccming detached from th. tlain body of Methodists. ~tBcLIC APOSrow;c (or Irvingites) ~tabliehed by F..dwa:d Irving, 1792 - 1834. on the basis of the 't ic:t observancct of ritualisti.c practice" • . EArliest . _. ._ register P.a.o. besina 1829. . ; LIST OF NOtlCOBFORMIST CHAPELS .' . ~ (DoN .., DO~ ? illcl.ude :> ~~ o or . S~1e~y :.. o~ ·. Frie~.) -" » : ..I ~. 'ol Of- " , ~ ., • .,. .;. , - •• - - ,'. ••

is an at~ti,'to lis t every known nonconfonaiat . chapel in that exi.~4d before 1838, both thoae with known registers thoae where the "ber-.bout8 of registers is ~~ :, known. ;of the J" ~ia ,~abown . on . thi8 list do not ha~ :- r~g~ter. li'sted. existence' ~f -:a '"'C:hapel 'does ·:Iiot necuaarily mean that registers kept. ' sc.a '~ :~.Qa~ aucla --.. ' the Wealeyans div~ded the country circuits', add ·tIIe circuit chapel may contain all details of !UI_xu.. s perfozmad ,.for : aeveral , chapela. , ''''1 . ,: "L • :J1 '\- '. ~ ,~".! ..1 '" _ - ...... -.•• 'WU conaid.red" ~:W1_ to list all of theae, however, until thia ia ~ •.__ tely known so that a res.~cher may be alerted to the po.aibility reqiatera beJ.Dg available 8aa.where. . , .;. . ,;: ,::.,"'. Il-..... ~ - .....

situation is ,further confused due to the fact that ft given 1 could be succ:.. aively preabyterian, Independent and Baptist, within aahort time. 'lbu., ~or a <]ivell place, detail. of ian registers may be listed but none fox an Independent ~,... reported to have exiated there, whereaa a careful study of the may shaw that the later registers are Independent. Further, congreqationa were small and where they had varying beliefs, apparently accepted ministera whose denominational beliefs were always tM ~~ .~,.,; .' ~:':'·.: ;;:' .-::' l;'.:!·z:d. :..': .~. _ .~~: ;:.J~ ..': ', '" ." ".) ...... "

. 4 ~ ~ _.; .~ J ; • • i " '" • . .." ,...... 4_.. .' " Y ~ " ,:: ' " ~. i '. '. 'f '1

this lis t there ¥ are' ,many chapela. with a foWldati:m . date· only • UnfortunatelY: the lIOurc.~, .frau which thia ·information \'Ias .'t.n,en!Q ' are often. ~eliable.. Furthermore, it was usual for tera to C .....llCe aeveral year. after the dau' of foundation...... ~ -' . ... .' attempt baa beeD ·.a. on thia Uat to keep the amall placea • nonconfoEmiat chapel exiated within the eccleaiastical ~aaJ~1 of Church of- England pariabea. The r ...OD ~or thia is' before 1838 genealogiats . axe ,conCentrating l.argely on. search•• Church of EDglaDcl pariah•• , and· _y miaa a nonconfo:r:mist chapel : Uatea 'UDder a place name they may not be familiar with. ·~ler the:- ~t:. : Cbapel: at Clayton in the parish of Bradford, ~-~~~~ ~ haa been plaCed under Bradford with a aecond place reference Claytob • ..The ; ~t:i~ '~ , ,..the, Baun Cathol1c:·, chapela,: whicb··.. : often l.istecL ..... beiDg.. 011. the eatate of a lanClowner. Moat of are preserVed em the liat inl atlform. .tv.

~~~~~~ -(Swe4enbo::qiAM) "lieat reg.iater at PRO beqina 1781. Although the same as e.z:!>C~gian3, they have been shown exactly a.a Iiated en the- PF.;O

U:i:.~~=-=--(Including UAitarianu)

17th C. -Em:llest registGr at PRO begin~ .in 1644. In leth c uoany Presbyterians bec;ame Unitarians, others became , ~I.oencJcnts •

. -Presbvterian Church hu kept its nmne, but iW~8 are - - - ian.-

the purpose of preparing this list, the two ~OUP8 have been AS Presbyterians. 'lheze vas obviously SCIlla looseness in !bing the•• chapelo,as one reference .ource would list a ch~l preilbyUtrian ana another source would Ust it as tJni tc-ian.

Penal Law in 1778, Roman Catholic ' 1•• bl perform.d ceremonies ~n9 believers. This is probably one on why so few catholic reqiatero reached the Registrar Genernl 1640. Many of the recorda of C&tbQlic mia.tOGa hsve been -_... as vel.l. as records of pz1vate chapels on landowners estate".

at t.'te PRO beqins in 1663.

Scottish version of the Presl:Tyterian Church. It was planned to -,.... ~,e these as Presbyterian units until it was obaerved that some ahes listed both. - earliest register at -the PRO begins 17411 :

(New Jerusal~ltes) _ of SWederJ>org (1688 - -1772). foundar- of the Church of the Jerusa~. ~e earliest register at the PRO begins 1787.

here a;~lltelv frail -the -New Jeruaalemites to con£oxm with the a:o liE ti..11.9. -" .. _ _ _ _ _

aodified Pre.~~!an1am founded nbout 1750. The earliest register the PRO begins 1.635. 728 . 'lbe Methodists Arminian Methodists 729 early preachers recognised the Bible as the only valid authority for The Hearers and Followers of the Apostles doctrine. Started at Shebbear, Devon, the movement spread along the This connexion was founded by William Cudworth, who, in 1744 was agricultural areas and fishing V111&ge~ ot North Devon and North minister of a small congregation in what had been the French church Cornwall. The first conference wna bold in 1810, b~ which time tba in Bla.ck and Grey Eagle Street, Spitalfields. In 1745, he left work had spread to South Cornw 11, and ahortly afterwArds thore were Whitefield and added to his original meeting the late French chapel congregations outside the South-Welt ot EnGlwnd. Intorn&\l controvers­ in Peter's Yard, Castle street, near Leicester Fields. Before 1748 ies over administration weakened the movement, but nevertheless there the French chapel in New Hermitage street, Wapping was also attached were 42 circuits in 1837. After tho departure of O/Bryan for Amer1ca to his connexion, and further chapels were later built. He differed in 1836, under the leadership of James Thorne the connexion was from both Whitefield and Wesley in holding an extreme view of Justifica­ placed on a sound administrative basis. Baptismal registers were care­ tion by Faith. lie died at Brewood, Staffordshire in 1763. His connex­ fully kept - certainly after 1825, and the majority seem to have been ion was dissolved before the end of the century. surrendered.

Protestant Method ists (Wesleyans) B. CIRCUITS AND CHURCHES Thesa branched off in 1827 and wanted more rights for ordinary The organisation of the Methodist church or Connexion centres on .uembers and trustees as against Conference. They amalgamated with the the Annual Methodist Conference. Individual churches are grouped into Wesleyan Methodist Association in 1837. circuits ~d from the earliest days ministers were appointed (or stat ioned) by the Conference in the circuits and not in the individual The Wes leyan Methodist Association formed in 1836, also wanted more churches. The circuits hold Quarterly Meetings and are grouped into rights of local churches as against conference. They had 41 circuits districts who hold synods twice yearly. There are at present about in 1837, plus 4 in Scotland. 1,100 circuits and 32 districts. These circuits are of ·varying size, <, . very occasionally consisting of only one church, usually large, but Wesleyan lWethodist'Reformers . normally having several relatively small churches. A town may have several Circuits or it may have only one, while a country Circuit may Founded in 1849 these also wanted changes in government and par­ stretch thirty or more miles in extent. In general, however, care is ticularly resented the domination of Conference by a small clique. In taken that wherever possible the circuit forms a topographical unit, 1857 each Reform congregation decided for or against a Union with the such as a country town and its satellite villages. 11 Wesleyan Methodist Association. The majority decided in favour of At the head of each circuit is the circuit Church containing the union and formed The Uni ted Me.thodist Free Churches. circuit safe - "the parish chest .. of Methodism - in which all Deeds relating to properties in the circuit. completed registers, account Wesleyan Reform Union ' books, etc. are theoretically lodged, in the custody of the Super­ Those congregations who decided against union formed the Wesleyan intendent Minister, though in practice the contents and value of these Reform Union which is still independent today. archives differ according to the age of the circuit and the regularity with which documents were deposited in the past. In some cases documents Subsequent Unions have been retained locally, instead of being deposited with the circuit In 1907 the Methodist New Connexion and the Bible Christians united records. Owing to alterations made from time to time in the boundaries themselves with the United Methodist Free Churches and became known of a circuit, documents relating to a particular church may often be as the United Methodist Church. . found, not in the safe of its present circuit, but in that of the In 1932, the Wesleyan Methodists, the Primitive Methodists and +.he circuit the church ·was at the date the documents ~ere deposited. For United Methodist Church finally combined to form The Methodist Church.1 example, the ",record of baptisms in Hoy land, Yorks for the period Thus .all British Methodists are now united, except the Calvinistic Methodists (The Presbyterian Church of Wales), the Countess of 11 Frank Baker Me thodi stArch i ves Amuteur Historian Vol. 3. No.4 Summer 1957 Huntingdon'S Connexio~ the very few still existing Independent P.115 Methodists and the Wes leyan neform Union.