Wesleyan's After Wesley

Church History
“Wesleyan-Methodism”

Wesleyan Methodism in England

1. Gradually withdrew from the Anglican Church

2. Led by Coke, Clarke & Watson

3. Sects Emerge
---1797 Methodist New Connection (Kilham)
---1807 Primitive Methodist (Dow)
---1815 Bible Christians (O’Brien)
---1857 United Methodist Free Churches

4. Unity Restored
---1907 MNC, BC & UMFC unite as United Methodist’s
---1925 Only 3 Major Methodist Groups
------Wesleyan Methodists (500,000)
------Primitive Methodists (200,000)
------United Methodists (200,000)
---1932 All 3 united as the Methodist Church

5. Signed a covenant with Church of England in 2003

Wesleyan Methodism in America

1. Philip Embury & Barbara Heck
---1760 Emigrated from Ireland
---1766 Embury’s first sermon/meeting
---1768 Wesley Chapel erected in NYC
---1768 Thomas Webb & Others begin spreading Methodism

2. Francis Asbury & Thomas Coke
---1771 Asbury sent by Wesley to aid American Methoodism
---1773 First conference held in Philadelphia
---1784 Thomas Coke sent to be joint-superintendant

3. Christmas Conference (1784)
---Met in Baltimore on December 24
---Organized the Methodist Episcopal Church
---Asbury was architect of American Methodism
---Adopted Wesley’s 24 Articles of Religion
---New Church was characterized by doctrine of Christian Perfection
---By 1855, Methodism was the largest denomination in America


4. The Holiness Movement
---Eventually, the quest for ‘holiness’ faded in Methodism
---A revival began via a prayer meeting led by Phoebe Palmer
---The holiness revival spread outside Methodism

5. The Wesleyan Methodist Connection
---Seceded b/c ME leaders weren’t outspoken against slavery (1842)
---Orange Scott served as President of the 1st convention in Utica, NY
---The WMC began with about 6,000 members of various backgrounds
---From 1843-1867 the Church majored in social/political reform
---Many members returned to the ME church after slavery was abolished
---Those remaining made holiness their new purpose in 1867
---Remaining ministers pastured ‘circuits’ and met in homes
---Strong fellowships were able to build church buildings & hire pastors
---Once a quarter, the entire circuit would meet for a conference
---These churches & the denomination grew under Teter & Nicholson
---Small mergers took place, adding to the membership of the church

6. The Wesleyan Church
---1968 Wesleyan Methodist & Pilgrim Holiness churches merge
---1968 The group names itself ‘The Wesleyan Church’
---In North America there are about:
------2000 Wesleyan Churches
------200,000 Who worship in Wesleyan Churches

Burnt Over District
1. Jemima Wilkinson (early 1800’s)
2. Charles Finney (1830)
3. Mormonism (1830)
4. Millerites (1831)
5. Oneida Community (1840)
6. Fox Sisters, Lily Dale (1848)

Hess Road Wesleyan Church
1. Organized in Olcott on May 12, 1844
2. Moved to Hess Road in 1878
3. Building additions completed in 01, 26, 56, 66, 73, 92, 03