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The Origins, Development and Significance of The The Origins, Development and Significance of the Circuit in Wesleyan and Primitive Methodism in England 1740 -1914 Christine Margaret Pocock, MA Thesis submitted to the University of Nottingham for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy July 2015 List of Contents Abbreviations List of Plates pages Introduction 1 - 11 Chapter One The Origins of the Circuit - in Itinerancy 12 - 41 1.1 Introduction 12 1.2 John Wesley’s adoption of itinerant ministry 13 1.3 Help in the work 16 1.4 The first lay assistants 18 1.5 Itinerancy on a round or circuit 21 1.5.1 Those that travelled the early circuits 1.5.2 The role of local leadership 1.5.3 The first official reference to circuits 1.6 Itinerancy from circuit to circuit 28 1.6.1 Drawbacks to itinerancy between circuits 1.7 Rationales for circuit to circuit itinerancy 31 1.8 Other models of itinerant ministry 33 1.9 Evolution of the use of the term ‘circuit’ 38 1.10 Conclusion 40 Chapter Two The Connexional context of the Circuit 42 - 71 2.1 Introduction 42 2.2 The Connexion 43 2.3 Connexional structure in Wesleyan Methodism 45 2.3.1 The societies 2.3.2 The circuits 2.3.3 The districts 2.3.4 The conference 2.3.5 The system in practice in Wesleyan Methodism 2.4 Connexional structure in Primitive Methodism 56 2.4.1 The societies 2.4.2 The circuits 2.4.3 The districts 2.4.4 The conference 2.5 Connexionalism 61 2.5.1 Connexionalism in Wesleyan Methodism 2.5.2 Connexionalism in Primitive Methodism 2.6 Theories on the choice of a connexional polity 66 2.7 Conclusion 70 i Chapter Three The Development of Circuits 72-103 3.1 Introduction 72 3.2 Circuit development in Wesleyan Methodism 72 3.2.1 Initial developments 3.2.2 Circuit boundaries 3.2.3 Mapping the circuits 3.2.4 The size, form and shape of circuits 3.2.5 Measurement of circuit size 3.2.6 Circuit division 3.2.7 Circuit amalgamation 3.3 Circuit development in Primitive Methodism 94 3.3.1 Circuit expansion 3.3.2 Circuit division 3.4 Conclusion 102 Chapter Four The Circuit Quarterly Meeting 104-137 4.1 Introduction 104 4.2 Origins 104 4.3 The purpose and nature of a quarterly meeting 108 4.4 Wesleyan quarterly meetings 113 4.4.1 Constitutions 4.4.2 Agenda 4.5 Primitive Methodist quarterly meetings 120 4.5.1 Constitutions 4.5.2 Agenda 4.6 Quarterly meetings and agitations over power 125 4.6.1 In eighteenth-century Wesleyan Methodism 4.6.2 In nineteenth-century Wesleyan Methodism 4.6.3 Were external political agitations an influence? 4.7 A note on Primitive Methodism and internal agitations 135 4.8 Conclusion 136 Chapter Five Temporal Affairs 138-169 5.1 Introduction 138 5.2 Wesleyan Methodist circuit expenditure 139 5.2.1 Preachers’ stipends 5.2.2 Preachers’ allowances 5.2.3 Wives, children and servants 5.2.4 Preachers’ houses 5.2.5 Circuit transport 5.2.6 Circuit use of the Wesleyan Contingency Fund 5.3 Primitive Methodist circuit expenditure 155 5.3.1 Preachers’ stipends 5.3.2 Preachers’ allowances 5.3.3 Wives, children and servants 5.3.4 Preachers’ houses 5.3.5 Circuit transport 5.3.6 The Primitive Methodist Contingency Fund 5.4 Chapel building – Wesleyan and Primitive Methodist 162 5.4.1 Motivation for chapel building 5.5 Conclusion 169 ii Chapter Six The Assistant / Superintendent 170-201 6.1 Introduction 170 6.2 Origins - The assistant 170 6.2.1 Being an assistant 6.2.2 The status of the assistant 6.3 The term ‘superintendent’ 178 6.3.1 The Lichfield proposals 6.4 Superintendency in Wesleyan Methodism 188 6.5 Superintendency in Primitive Methodism 197 6.6 Conclusion 200 Chapter Seven Local Preachers, the Local Preachers’ Meeting 202-234 and the Circuit Preaching Plan 7.1 Introduction 202 7.2 Local preachers 202 7.2.1 Origins 7.2.2 Other factors 7.2.3 The place and status of local preachers 7.3 The local preachers’ meeting 213 7.3.1 Origins 7.3.2 Meeting times 7.3.3 Agenda and constitution 7.3.4 Discipline 7.3.5 Authorisation 7.3.6 Use of terms 7.3.7 Local preacher training 7.4 The circuit preaching plan 228 7.4.1 The significance of the plan to local preachers 7.5 Conclusion 233 Chapter Eight The Circuit and Wesleyan Home Missions 235-265 8.1 Introduction 235 8.2 Early 19th century Wesleyan home mission initiatives 236 8.3 Other early 19th century home mission initiatives 239 8.4 Late 19th century Wesleyan home mission initiatives 241 8.4.1 The method employed 8.4.2 The role of the home mission and contingency fund 8.4.3 Wesleyan Methodist London missions 8.4.4 The inner city missions at work 8.5 The matter of itinerancy and inner city missions 256 8.6 The suitability of the circuit system for inner city work 259 8.7 Conclusion 263 Conclusion 266-275 Bibliography 276-292 iii Abstract This thesis is a contribution to the organisational history of Methodism. It seeks to investigate and record the origins, development and significance of the circuit in the connexional structure of Methodism. This is in order to rectify what is an omission in Methodist histories and to inform future reflection on organisation. The field of research is Wesleyan and Primitive Methodism in England from c.1740 to 1914. Originally the travelling route of an itinerant preacher, the circuit soon became a ‘sub-regional’ unit of oversight, ministry and administration within a connexional structure. Itinerancy remained an essential element of the connexional system, and one of continuing significance throughout the period. After addressing circuit origins and the transition, this thesis proceeds to investigate its development, both internally and in the context of the Connexion. The main internal elements: the quarterly meeting, the local preachers’ meeting and the role of assistant (later superintendent) receive individual attention, as do the ‘temporal affairs’ of the circuit. In the case of the local preachers’ meeting, a significance previously underestimated is revealed. In addressing the circuit in organisational terms, the implications, benefits and tensions of being part of a Connexion are brought to light. This includes the relationship between the conference and the circuits, and the expectations and understandings of lay people (including local preachers) against those of the itinerants. The inheritance of Wesley’s disregard of existing ecclesiastical boundaries was flexibility in the size and shape of circuits. This flexibility is explored, and both influencing factors and opportunities afforded are investigated. The significant differences between Wesleyan and Primitive Methodist organisational practice, such as the Primitive Methodist circuit ‘branch’ system are identified. Examination of the suitability of the circuit and itinerant system for inner city work in the late nineteenth century shows its limitations in this specific respect. iv v Acknowledgements My thanks go to all those who have been a help to me and shown an interest in my research. Especial thanks are due to Dr. Frances Knight, my supervisor, for her patience, guidance and encouragement and also to my husband Peter, who has been my unfailing support. I am also grateful for the help I have received from Dr. Peter Forsaith at the Oxford Centre for Methodism and Church History, Oxford Brookes University and all those at the Methodist Archives and Research Centre, Manchester University. Thanks are due to the staff at the County Archives in Lincoln, Worcester and Shrewsbury, the Hallward Library at the University of Nottingham, the British Library, and also to Mariana von Benzon and Keith King. William Myles’ reason for writing his Chronological History of the People called Methodists [1799] was that: ‘I have been acquainted with the People from my infancy and have always loved them’.1 My incentive for embarking on this thesis was the same, and therefore I thank them. 1 Extract from the preface of A Chronological History of the People called Methodists [1799]. vi Abbreviations MARM Methodist Archives and Research Centre John Rylands Library, University of Manchester OCMCH Oxford Centre for Methodism and Church History Oxford Brookes University LINC Lincolnshire Archives, Lincoln SHROP Shropshire Archives, Shrewsbury WORC Worcestershire Archives, Worcester ECCO Eighteenth Century Collections Online PM Primitive Methodist UMFC United Methodist Free Churches vii List of Plates Following page 1 Methodist Circuits in 1749-50 in England and Wales 72 2 Plate 8 from Wesleyan Methodist Atlas (c1871) 78 3 Diagram showing Preston circuit division (c1866) 89 4 Coleby Wesleyan chapel exterior (1836) 167 5 “Primitive Methodists at Prayer” (1890’s) 168 6 Page of Brigg Primitive Methodist Local Preachers’ Meeting minute book (1836) 218 7 Scotter Primitive Methodist circuit preaching plan 228 (1821) 8 Stamford Wesleyan Methodist circuit preaching plan (1902) front 229 8a Stamford Wesleyan Methodist circuit preaching plan 230 (1902) reverse 9 Interior of the Central Hall, Manchester (1894) 252 viii Introduction Methodism emerged as a movement in the mid-eighteenth century in the context of the Evangelical Revival and as the practical outcome of John Wesley’s personal spiritual experience.1 A Church of England priest himself, he saw his mission as reviving the spiritual life of the Church of England and spreading ‘scriptural holiness’ across the nation. Despite travelling immense distances himself, he found that he was unable to achieve the task alone. In the 1740’s Wesley took on laymen as travelling preachers.
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