Durham E-Theses Methodism in Gibraltar and its mission in Spain, 1769-1842 Jackson, Susan Irene How to cite: Jackson, Susan Irene (2000) Methodism in Gibraltar and its mission in Spain, 1769-1842, Durham theses, Durham University. Available at Durham E-Theses Online: http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/4242/ Use policy The full-text may be used and/or reproduced, and given to third parties in any format or medium, without prior permission or charge, for personal research or study, educational, or not-for-prot purposes provided that: • a full bibliographic reference is made to the original source • a link is made to the metadata record in Durham E-Theses • the full-text is not changed in any way The full-text must not be sold in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holders. Please consult the full Durham E-Theses policy for further details. Academic Support Oce, Durham University, University Oce, Old Elvet, Durham DH1 3HP e-mail: [email protected] Tel: +44 0191 334 6107 http://etheses.dur.ac.uk METHODISM IN GIBRALTAR AND ITS MISSION IN SPAIN, 1769-1842 SUSAN IRENE JACKSON In the context of Gibraltar's own history a description is given of how Methodism was taken to Gibraltar by soldiers who met together in small groups and founded the first Methodist Society there in 1769. After meeting with considerable opposition and persecution from the Established Church and others, the Methodist Conference decided to support the work by providing missionary ministers. The early work of building a chapel, fighting for their rights and gaining a degree of official sanction and protection is part of the story. The purpose of the church was always evangelism and a ministry to soldiers was justified because the soldiers and sailors travelled around the world and took the gospel message with them. Links with the British and Foreign Bible Society were established in 1807 as Bible distribution was seen to be an important goal and a useful means of evangelism. There was always an interest too in converting the local inhabitants of Gibraltar and this aim was furthered by the appointment of William Barber in 1824, as a second missionary, solely to work with them. This work was later developed by William Harris Rule who founded the first Mission schools in Gibraltar, which led to considerable opposition from the Roman Catholic population. In the 1830's Rule also attempted to establish Missions in Spain itself. This was the time when George Borrow and James Graydon were also working in Spain for the Bible Society. A brief account is given of the work of all three, in the context of the political and religious situation in Spain, thus exploring the reasons why they were all eventually forced to leave the country and why a permanent Protestant foothold was not established in Spain at this time. I METHODISM IN GIBRALTAR AND ITS MISSION IN SPAIN, 1769-1842 SUSAN IRENE JACKSON The copyright of this thesis rests with the author. No quotation from it should be published without the written consent of the author and information derived from it should be acknowledged. Thesis submitted for the degree of PhD University of Durham - Department of Theology Submitted 2000 t 4 NOV 2000 2 CONTENTS Pages Preface i-xvi Introduction BACKGROUND INFORMATION (Upto 1769) 7-16 Chapter One FOUNDATIONS AND BEGINNINGS - Soldier 17-38 Preachers and Lay Leaders (1769-1804) Chapter Two MINISTERIAL OVERSIGHT - The Building of 39-54 Providence Chapel (1804-1811) Chapter Three GROWTH AND CONSOLIDATION - Tension and 55-83 Division (1812-1821) Chapter Four EVANGELISATION - A Mission to the Spanish on the 84-112 Rock (1821-1828) Chapter Five THE FEVER EPIDEMIC OF 1828 AND ITS 113-126 AFTERMATH - A New Missionary is Sent (1828-1832) Chapter Six THE MINISTRY OF WILLIAM HARRIS RULE (1) 127-155 EXPANSION - A System of Education, Forays into Spain (1832-1836) Chapter Seven THE MINISTRY OF WILLIAM HARRIS RULE (2) 156-190 CADIZ - The First Spanish Methodist Society (1836-1839) Chapter Eight THE MINISTRY OF WILLIAM HARRIS RULE (3) 191-228 BACK TO GIBRALTAR - More Rights for Soldiers, Mission Premises at the South (1839-1842) Chapter Nine THE END OF HOPES FOR SPAIN - A New Emphasis 229-239 Instead (1842 Onwards) Conclusion 240-244 Appendix A MAPS - Bay of Gibraltar, Area around Gibraltar, Map of 245-247 Gibraltar, Town Plan. Appendix B METHODIST TERMINOLOGY 248-253 References 254-283 Bibliography and Source Material 284-287 Illustrations Views of Gibraltar 6 Portrait of William Harris Rule After 126 3 DECLARATION None of the material in this thesis has previously been submitted for a degree in this or any other university. STATEMENT OF COPYRIGHT The copyright of this thesis rests with the author. No quotation from it should be published without their prior written consent and information derived from it should be acknowledged. 4 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS A great many people have given me invaluable help with this research and my thanks go to them all. In Gibraltar these include: John Searl at the Garrison Library; Thomas Finlayson, Gibraltar's archivist; the staff at Land Property Services and ministers and members of the Methodist Church especially Mary and David Dolding, who have passed on numerous useful contacts to me, and Lucille Rodriguez for her translation of the Escalante papers. In England these include: Rosemary Seton at the School of Oriental and African Studies; Peter Nockles at John Rylands Library; Ingrid Roderick of the Bible Society for permission to use their archives and Alan Jesson and his colleagues at Cambridge University Library for their unfailing help in doing so; above all to Joy Fox, the Methodist Missionary Society Archivist, who has been outstandingly helpful and encouraging and without her help the work could not have been done. Thanks are also due to those who have been willing to share their own researches with me: Francisco Quirell for information on John Quirell; Arthur Langford and the family of J.W.V. Cumming for their researches on Henry Ince; Martin Eayrs for his research on Henry Nicholson. Family and friends too have been most helpful and supportive: my parents; particularly my sister Dorothy Carting, her husband Peter, who is an excellent proof reader, and also Emma, Ruth and Hannah for putting up with my many research visits; my friend, Joan Chilton, for her unwavering support and encouragement. Lastly, but not least, my supervisor Sheridan Gilley whose help and encouragement, particularly in the difficult times, has kept me going. 5 VIEWS OF GIBRALTAR VIEW OF GIBRALTAR FROM ACROSS THE BAY 1844 GIBRALTAR Rook from Spaniin Lino 4# • • i A LATER VIEW OF GIBRALTAR FROM THE SPANISH LINES showing the sheer North Front where Ince's Galleries were mined the Moorish Castle on the sky line and the north end of the town 6 PREFACE The Methodist Society formed in Gibraltar in 1769 was one of the earliest developments outside Britain, but because its members were largely British soldiers and it related to the British inhabitants on the Rock, there were similarities between the development of Methodism at home and in Gibraltar. However, there were also differences because this was a foreign station, and ministers sent there came under the authority of the Missionary Society after it was formed. When the work spread out to the Spanish speaking population, and into Spain itself, Gibraltar became for a time more of a mission station, but always continued the work with the soldiers which ultimately took precedence. The Methodist revival began with Wesley's open-air preaching in 1739. Wesley himself always hoped to live and die as an ordained Anglican priest, and wanted the Methodist movement to remain a part of the Established Church, but the seeds of separation were really sown at the beginning of the work. Wesley's open-air preaching, distinctive message, itinerant life-style, use of lay preachers, development of the class system and building of separate preaching houses were all innovative ways of working and likely to arouse suspicion, opposition and condemnation from more traditional Anglicans. Methodists were expected to attend Sunday worship at their parish church and receive the sacraments there, but even quite early on this did not always happen. Some Methodists were not happy to attend such services, and at times others were not admitted. However, Wesley continued to refuse to allow his preachers to administer the sacraments until 1784, when he made an exception by controversially ordaining two preachers for the work in America, and other ordinations followed. It is perhaps surprising that the Anglican Church did not expel him for his actions, but he died an Anglican priest as he had hoped. During the somewhat turbulent years after his death in 1791 the sacramental issue was hotly debated, along with the question of the leadership of the Methodist movement, its relationship with the Anglican Church and the involvement of the laity in decision-making, particularly at Conference which exclusively involved the preachers. i None of these issues was easy to resolve and it was not always possible to reach agreement, with the result that some splits and secessions did take place, over many years. Conference made some concessions and tried to unite the various parties through the Plan of Pacification of 1795 and the Form of Discipline of 1797. The former dealt largely with the sacramental issue, opening up the way for those Societies who desired it to be able to administer the sacrament. The latter endorsed Conference as the ruling authority of the Methodist connexion but laid down rules and structures for the connexion as a whole, through the district meeting, the work of the district chairman, the circuit superintendent, often described as "the key man in the Connexion", the travelling preachers, and the laity, particularly in the leaders' meeting where they had considerable local power.1 Thus, slowly but surely, Methodism moved towards complete separation from the Church of England, but the transition from Society to Church was not an easy one, both for Methodism itself and in its relationship with others, particularly the Established Church.