The Wesleys In Cornwall 1743 1789

In nearly a half-century of missionary work throughout England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland, brothers John and Charles Wesley found the southwestern county of Cornwall to be among their most serious theological and social challenges. Eighteenth-century Cornwall lacked population centers, and small towns and villages were isolated by inadequate roads. The adult population consisted mainly of miners, fisherman and smugglers--men more interested in the bulk of their pocketbooks than in the status of their souls. And the clergy of the Church of England overwhelmingly opposed the Wesleys and their itinerant preachers, encouraging Anglicans to disrupt the Wesleys' outdoor services and to attack and burn Methodist preaching houses. Although the Wesleys made some evangelical progress in Cornwall, the question remained upon John Wesley's death in 1791: did the mission to Cornwall succeed or fail? This book considers the mission with a close reading of the Wesleys writings, and covers the overall history of 18th-century British Methodism and its contribution to the religious and social history of the British Empire.

This book will help the pilgrim understand more fully the 18th century environment, the life of John Wesley, his inspiration, and the roots of Methodism. It guides through parts of West Cornwall that were first visited by John Wesley between 1743 and 1789, a period of great change spanning nearly half a century. It includes maps for guided walks, a summative history of John Wesley and his time in Cornwall. It is primarily a walkers guide. Take a week out or use over a series of weekends to explore the Cornish countryside and walk in the steps of John Wesley.

This is the first full biography of Biblical scholar and theological seminary professor James Strong (1822-1894). It describes his upbringing, early and higher education, the schools and colleges where he taught, his academic colleagues, his contributions to the development of nineteenth-century American Methodism, and his numerous publications--particularly his Biblical Concordance (1894), which continues as a standard and essential reference work. It includes edited versions of selected sermons and letters never before published, as well as comments from his students, the details of his experience in the development of the early nineteenth-century American railroad system, and detailed obituaries and reactions to his death.

A comprehensive and concise guide. Authoritative entries on Methodist origins, history, theology, spirituality and polity, with a wealth of biographical information and definitions.