History Of Methodist Reform, Volume I - Media Sabda Org

urst out, and one Daniel Shubetham declared, almost prophetically, "You shall have a meeting upon
Mow, some Sunday, and have a whole day's praying, and then you'll be satisfied." And so it proved,
as already discovered.
The meeting was held May 31, 1807, by Hugh Bourne and his associates. Four preaching stands
were surrounded by thousands of hearers. Two other such meetings were held, and in August one
at Norton-in-the-Moors. Between the first and the fourth meeting the Wesleyan Conference met and
decided against the camp-meetings. At the Norton meeting neither Shubotham nor Clowes appeared
— they bowed their heads to the storm of ecclesiastical authority. Even Hugh Bourne wavered, but
rose to the occasion, and the meeting was held. His expulsion followed within a year without notice
of charge or trial. He paid up his class money and retired peacefully. Three years later, William
Clewes was denied his ticket of membership because he attended the camp-meetings and would not
promise to desist. The excluded had formed no idea of a new Church, they were simply intent upon
saving the souls of the people. Ten such converts, at a place called Stanley, met in fellowship and
were offered as a class to the Methodist circuit, but were rejected because connected with the
Bournes. It was of the first importance that nursery provision should be made for those who were
thus converted. In May, 1810, that class organized in March became the nucleus of a new
organization. In 1812 the first preachers' plan was issued, the name Primitive Methodists adopted,
and a separate existence and work were fairly begun. It did net set out as did the New Connection
Methodists, with any considerable secessions from the old societies. "Many long years of pioneering
followed. Men like John Oxtoby, John Flesher, William Harland, Thomas Dawson, John Petty, W.
G. Belham, John Ride, Thomas Russell, Joseph Spoor, and a host of others went forth with meager,
often empty, purses, but hearts full of enthusiasm for Christ; and this new electric force exerted its
transforming power over the moral and spiritual life of the nation, from the miners of
Northumberland to those of Cornwall. There are many chapters of heroism in this long period of
pioneer labor; not a few have been told, but many are unrecorded, for the workers were mostly
modest men who praised not themselves." They soon felt the need of a Book Room and a literature
of their own. The second Annual Assembly, which was in 1821, established a Book Room at
Bemersley, under the management of the two brothers, Hugh and James Bourne. Twenty years
afterward it was removed to London, and for many years has done a flourishing business. In 1890
it issued 102,580 copies of its magazines, and 1813 of its Quarter Review. For ten years past it has
made an annual grant to the Superannuated Preachers' Fund, varying from 3200 to 4400, with grants
of smaller sums for other connectional interests.
In 1825 a General Missionary Committee was formed, but did not become effective until 1843.
It has done much in fostering struggling interests in the rural districts of England, in Canada,
Australia, and New Zealand. Missions were established in various parts of Africa, the laborers
enduring much suffering, imprisonment, and death. The large cities and towns of England were more
recently brought under the Missionary Committee, and fresh ground broken. The work of alleviating
the distressed and gathering in the poor is one of the brightest chapters in the denominational history.
The revenue at the disposal of the Missionary Committee in 1890 was 18,456. In Great Britain and
Ireland it employs 72 missionaries, with a church membership of 6538; in the Australian colonies,
41, and 2184 members; in Africa, 7 European missionaries, 2 native assistants, 4 native teachers, and
1 native artisan assistant, with 44 white and 486 colored members. A college for training young
ministers was opened at Sunderland in 1868, under Rev. W. Antliff, D.D., and after serving a good