Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-8ctnn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-23T04:39:48.906Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Religious Societies: Methodist and Evangelical 1738–1800

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 March 2016

John Walsh
John Walsh*
Affiliation:
Jesus College, Oxford
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Extract

One does not have to believe in free trade to recognize that in religion as well as economic life the erosion of a monopoly can provoke an uprush of private enterprise. It must be more than coincidental that two modern ‘church in danger’ crises which accompanied an erosion of Anglican hegemony - the Revolution of 1688 and the constitutional crises of 1828–32 – were followed by bursts of voluntary activity. Clusters of private societies were formed to fill up part of the space vacated by the state, as it withdrew itself further from active support of the establishment. After the Toleration Act perceptive churchmen felt even more acutely the realities of religious pluralism and competition. Anglicanism was now approaching what looked uncomfortably like a market situation; needing to be promoted; actively sold. Despite the political and social advantages still enjoyed by the Church, the confessional state in its plenitude of power had gone, and Anglican pre-eminence had to be preserved by other means. One means was through voluntary societies. The Society for the Reformation of Manners hoped by private prosecutions to exert some of the social controls once more properly exercised by the Church courts. The S.P.G. sought to encourage Anglican piety in the plantations and the S.P.C.K. to extend it at home by promoting charity schools and disseminating godly tracts. It was a task of voluntarism to reassert, as far as possible, what authority remained to a church which, because it could not effectively coerce, had to persuade.

Type
Research Article
Information
Studies in Church History , Volume 23: Voluntary Religion , 1986 , pp. 279 - 302
Copyright
Copyright © Ecclesiastical History Society 1986

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1 See Gilbert, A.D., Religion and Society in Industrial England (London 1976) pp. 8–12.Google Scholar

2 See Bennett, G.V., ‘Conflict in the Church’ in Holmes, G.S. ed Britain after the Glorious Revolution (London 1980) p. 165; Bennett, G.V., The Tory Crisis in Church and State (Oxford 1975) pp. 20–1.Google Scholar

3 For the religious societies see Portus, G.V., Caritas Anglicana (London 1912); Simon, J.S., John Wesley and the Religious Societies (London 1921); Bahlman, D.W.R., The Moral Revolution of 1688 (New Haven 1957); Bullock, F.W.B., Voluntary. Religious Societies, 1520-1799 (St. Leonard’s-on-Sea 1966).Google Scholar

4 J. Woodward, An Account of the Rise and Progress of the Religious Societies in the City of London (5 ed 1724) p. 32. A 7th ed appeared in 1800.

5 Wesley, S., A Letter concerning the Religious Societies (London 1724) pp. 51–2, quoting ch 20 of The Whole Duty of Man. The Letter was first published as a 16 page Appendix to Wesley’s The Pious Communicant Rightly Prepar’d (London 1700)Google Scholar

6 See Duffy, E.A., ‘Primitive Christianity revived; religious Renewal in Augustan England’, SCH 14 (Oxford 1977) pp. 287–300.Google Scholar

7 Wesley, S., Letter pp. 37–9. Wesley was not alone in his nostalgia for the religious communities of the past; see Legg, J.W., English Church Life from the Restoration to the Tractarian Movement (London 1914) pp. 281–6.Google Scholar

8 Wesley, S., Letter pp. 39–45; Allen, W.O.B. and McClure, E., Two Hundred Years: the History of the S.P.C.K. (London 1898) pp. 89–93.Google Scholar

9 Duffy, , ‘Primitive Christianity’ pp. 292–7; Isaacs, T., ‘The Anglican Hierarchy and the Reformation of Manners; 1688-1738’,JEH 33 (Cambridge 1982) pp. 408–11.Google Scholar

10 Woodward, Account pp. 82-3.

11 Bahlman, , Moral Revolution p. 72; Nelson, R., A Companion for the Festivals and Fasts of the Church of England (3 ed London 1705 Google Scholar) Preface p. x.

12 Burnet, G., History of his own Time 6 vols (Oxford 1833) 5 p. 18; see too Kidder, R., The Life of the Rev. A. Horneck (London 1698) p. 17; Bahlman, , Moral Revolution p. 90.Google Scholar

13 Stanhope, G., Advice to the Religious Societies (London 1730) p. 6, first published as The Duty of Rebuking; a Sermon …to which is added a Post-script to the Religious Societies (London 1703).Google Scholar

14 Woodward, Account ch 7, ‘The chief objections against them answered’.

15 Woodward, Account p. 133.

16 Stanhope, Advice pp. 88-9.

17 Orders belonging to a Religious Society (London 1724) p. 3; J.W. Legg, English Church Life p. 297.

18 For the crisis of the 1730s see N. Sykes, Edmund Gibson, Bishop of London 1669-1748 (London 1926) pp. 148-75; S. Taylor, ‘Sir Robert Walpole, the Church of England and the Quakers Tithe Bill of 1736’ HJ 28 (1985).

19 Whitefield, G., Works 6 vols (London 1771-2) 5 pp. 107–22, 159–69; Dallimore, A. A., George Whitefield 2 vols (London 1970, 1980) 1 p. 120. For the connection of Whitefield and Wesley with the SPCK see The Diary of Thomas Wilson ed Linnell, C.L.S. (London 1964) p. 173; Cowie, L.W., Henry Newman. An American in London (London 1956) pp. 237–9; Wesley, J., Journal ed N. Curnock, 8 vols (London 1909-16) 1 pp. 159, 322, 343; Simon, Wesley and Religious Societies p. 113.Google Scholar

20 Wesley, J., Letters ed J. Telford 8 vols (London 1931) 4 p. 119.Google Scholar

21 Wesley, J., Works 14 vols (London 1872) 13 p. 307.Google Scholar

22 Wesley, Journal 1 p. 475.

23 See Walsh, J.D., ‘Origins of the Evangelical Revival’ in Essays in Modern Englis Church History ed Bennett, G.V and Walsh, J.D. (London 1966) pp. 144–8 Google Scholar. In addition to some of those in London and Bristol, religious societies in Cardiff, Badsey, St. Ives (Cornwall), Colne;, Nottingham, Bunbury, Alpraham and Leominster seem to have been taken over by ‘Methodism’ in its various forms. Other examples can probably be disinterred.

24 Proceedings of the Wesley Historical Society 15 (Burnley 1926) p. 208; D. Benham, Memoirs of James Hutton (London 1856) p. 9.

25 Stebbing, H., A Caution against Religious Delusion (London 1739) pp. 18–19; Land, T., A Letter to the Rev. G. Whitefield. With a previous Letter addressed to the Religious Societies (London 1739) p. 20; Church, T., A Serious and Expostulatory Letter to the Rev. Mr. Whitefield (London 1744) pp. 38–9; [Gibson, E.], Observations upon the Conduct and Behaviour of a certain Sect (n d London) p. 8.Google Scholar

26 Berriman, W., A Sermon preached to the Religious Societies in London 3 ed (London 1739) pp. 21–2. For earlier defence of liturgical forms see Spurr, J., ‘Anglican Apologetic and the Restoration Church’ (unpub Oxford D.Phil, thesis 1985).Google Scholar

27 For the social implications of liturgical worship see Rhys Isaac, The Transformation of Virginia 1740-1790 (Chapel Hill 1982) pp. 64-5, 121-4.

28 [Gibson] Observations p. 8; Whitefield, Works 4 p. 31.

29 There were still 12 religious societies in the London area in 1759, listed in W. Dodd, Unity Recommended in a Sermon, preached before the Religious Societies in and about London (London 1759) Appendix p. 24. The society at St. Giles, Cripplegate lasted till 1762; J.W. Legg, English Church Life p. 313.

30 Tyerman, L., The Life of the Rev. J. Wesley, 3 vols (London 1870-1) 1 pp. 286–7.Google Scholar

31 Baker, F., John Wesley and the Church of England (London 1970) pp. 74–79. Compare Lawson, J., ‘The People called Methodist: our Discipline’ in Davies, R.E. and Rupp, E.G. ed, A History of the Methodist Church in Great Britain 3 vols (London 1965-85) 1 p. 196.Google Scholar

32 [Gibson] Observations p. 4.

33 J. Wesley, Letters 1 p. 229.

34 Trapp, J., The Nature, Folly, Sin and Danger of being Righteous overmuch 2 ed (London 1739) p. 57.Google Scholar

35 Baker, Wesley and the Church p. 117.

36 See F. Baker, ‘The People called Methodists: Polity’ in Davies and Rupp, Methodist Church 1 p. 242.

37 ‘Cursitor’, A Letter to the Lord Bishop of Lincoln, respecting the ‘Report from the Clergy of a District of the Diocese of Lincoln’ (London 1800) p. 20.

38 Wesley, J., Journal 4 p. 471. Little has been written on this subject save for Frank Baker’s useful pamphlet Methodism and the Love-Feast (London 1957).Google Scholar

39 The Arminian Magazine 4 (London 1781) p. 227.

40 J. Wesley, Journal 6 p. 353 and Works 8 p. 225-6. See too R.A. Knox Enthusiasm (Oxford 1950) p. 429; H.A. Snyder, The Radical Wesley (Downers Grove, [llinois 1980) pp. 54-63.

41 J. Wesley, Journal 3 p. 380.

42 J. Wesley, Works 13 p. 266, echoing his sermon on the ‘Catholic Spirit’ in Works 5 PP. 49-504.

43 Wesley, J., Journal 7 p. 486; Lewis, A.J., Zinzendorf the Ecumenical Pioneer (London 1962) pp. 98–160.Google Scholar

44 J. Wesley, Letters 2 p. 94.

45 J. Wesley, Letters 2 p. 97.

46 J. Wesley, Works 7 p. 277; Letters 5 p. 257.

47 J. Wesley, Letters 2 pp. 77-8.

48 J. Wesley, Letters 2 p. 137.

49 J. Wesley, Works 7 p. 278.

50 J. Wesley, Works 7 pp. 427-8.

51 J. Wesley, Works 6 pp. 465-6.

52 Isaac Watts, Works (7 vols Leeds n.d.) 7 p. 137.

53 See Outler, A., ‘Do Methodists have a Doctrine of the Church?’ in Dow Kirk patrick ed The Doctrine of the Church (London 1964) pp. 26–7.Google Scholar

54 Minutes of the Methodist Conferences 2 vols (London 1862) 1 p. 59.

55 Minutes 1 p. 59.

56 J. Wesley, Works 7 pp. 273-81, sermon on ‘The Ministerial Office’.

57 Arminian Magazine 13 (London 1790) pp. 288-9.

58 Sidney, E., The Life and Ministry of the Rev. S. Walker 2 ed (London 1838) pp. 201–7. The correspondence is brought together in Davies, G.C.B., The Early Cornish Evangelicals 1735-1760 (London 1951) pp. 88–129.Google Scholar

59 J. Wesley, Letters 3 pp. 192-6.

60 Wesley, J., Letters 3 pp. 221–6; 4 pp. 160-1, 216; Journal 4 p. 161; Pawson, J. An Affectionate Address (Liverpool? 1795) pp. 10–11.Google Scholar

61 J. Wesley, Letters 3 p. 144.

62 J. Wesley, Works 8 p. 230.

63 Whitehead, J., Life of the Rev. J. Wesley 2 Vols (London 1793, 1796) 2 p. 404.Google Scholar

64 Gregory, B., Sidelights on the Conflict of Methodism (London 1898) p. 161.Google Scholar

65 Eclectic Notes ed J.H. Pratt (London 1856) p. 186.

66 Newton, J., Works 6 vols (London 1816) 2 p. 103.Google Scholar

67 A Brief Memoir of the Rev. W. Richardson, 2 ed (London 1822) p. 25.

68 The Christian Observer 1 (London 1802) p. 565.

69 J. Hervey, A Collection of Letters 2 vols (London 1760) 1 pp. xxxi-xliii, 2 p. 198.

70 See Smyth, C., Simeon and Church Order (Cambridge 1940) pp. 25–7.Google Scholar

71 Arminian Magazine 1 (London 1778) p. 587; A. Watmough, History of Method ism in Lincoln (London 1829) pp. 60-2.

72 C.M.S. archives Venn MSS, Henry Venn (of C.M.S.) Diary of a Visit to Yorkshire in 1824; J. Venn, Life and Letters of the Rev. H. Venn ed H. Venn (ed 5 1837) p. 44; Memoirs of the Rev. J. Cockin 2 ed (London 1841) p. 24; J.G. Miall, Congregationalism in Yorkshire (London 1868) pp. 277-8;J. Horsfall Turner, Independency at Brighouse (Brighouse 1878) pp. 15-17.

73 Herveiana; Sketches of the Life and Writings of the Rev. J. Hervey 2 pts (Scar borough 1822) 1 p. 43.

74 Sidney, E., Life of the Rev. S. Walker 1 ed (London 1835) pp. 63–8; Walker, S., Fifty-two Sermons on the Baptismal Covenant 2 vols (London 1763) 1 Preface p. xxix.Google Scholar

75 E. Sidney, Life of Walker 1 ed (1835) p. 63. See too pp. 63-8 for the smaller groups which Walker organized among his converts, resembling Wesley’s bands, to allow more freedom and intimacy in conversation.

76 Carus, W., Memoirs of the Rev. C. Simeon (Cambridge 1847) P 138.Google Scholar

77 Bridges, C., The Christian System (London 1830) p. 597; Eclectic Notes p. 188; Pearson, J., The Life of W. Hey 2 pts in 1 vol (London 1822) pt 2 pp. 73–7.Google Scholar

78 Eclectic Notes p. 186.

79 Eclectic Notes pp. 189, 191.

80 Carus, Simeon p. 138.

81 Carus, Simeon p. 139.

82 Eclectic Notes p. 185.

83 Eclectic Notes p. 187.

84 West Yorks C.R.O., Minutes of Elland Clerical Society, meeting of 1 March 1787.

85 Eclectic Notes p. 188.

86 Vaughan, E.T., Some Account of the Rev. T. Robinson (London 1815) pp. 85–8. See too Sidney, E., The Life of the Rev. R. Hill (London 1834) p. 147.Google Scholar

87 Scott, J., The Life of the Rev. T. Scott 6 ed (London 1824) pp. 503–4; Eclectic Notes p. 189.Google Scholar

88 Eclectic Notes p. 191.

89 Christian Observer 5 (1806) pp. 150-3. T.S. Grimshawe, A Memoir of the Rev. Legh Richmond 3 ed (London 1828) pp. 41-2 describes a society run on these lines.

90 Venn, H. (of C.M.S.) Diary of a Visit; An Account of the Rev. J. Fawcett (London 1818) p. 29.Google Scholar

91 For clerical education societies see F.W.B. Bullock, A History of Training for the Ministry of the Church of England from 1800 to 1874 (St. Leonard’s-on-sea 1959) p. 25; J.D. Walsh, ‘The Yorkshire Evangelicals in the Eighteenth Century’ (unpub Cambridge Ph.D. thesis 1956) pp. 233-73; A. Haig, The Victorian Clergy (London 1984) pp. 63-72.

92 Life of T. Scott p. 504; Eclectic Notes p. 188.

93 Sidney, Life of Walker 2 ed (1838) p. 216.

94 Walker, Fifty-two Sermons 2 p. 194. For the pastoral office in Methodism see W.R. Ward, ‘The Legacy of John Wesley: the Pastoral office in Britain and America’ in A. Whiteman, J.S. Bromley and P.G.M. Dickson eds Statesmen, Scholars and Merchants (Oxford 1973))pp. 323-50;J.S. Kent, The Age of Disunity (London 1966) pp. 44-85.

95 The Works of the Rev. R. Cecil 3 ed 2 vols (London 1827) 1 pp. 107-8, 2 p. 483.

96 Christian Observer 7 (1808) p. 317.

97 The fullest account of the Evangelical societies is that of F.K. Brown, Fathers of the Victorians (Cambridge 1961).

98 Christian Observer 7 (1808) pp. 739-40.

99 Useful recent studies of Evangelical family piety are E. Jay, The Religion of the Heart. Anglican Evangelicalism and the Nineteenth Century Novel (Oxford 1979) pp. 131-48 and C. Tolley, ‘The Legacy of Evangelicalism in the Lives and Writings of certain Descendants of the Clapham Sect’ (unpub Oxford D.Phil. thesis 1980).

100 Bridges, C., An Essay on Family Prayer (London 1847)p. 27.Google Scholar