The Primitive Methodist Church is a body of evangelical Christians within the Methodist denomination, which began in England in the early 1800s, with the influence of American evangelist Lorenzo Dow (1777-1834).

In Great Britain

The leaders who originated Primitive Methodism were attempting to restore a spirit of revivalism as they felt was found in the ministry of John Wesley, with no intent of forming a new church. Hugh Bourne (1772-1852) and William Clowes (1780-1851), preachers in the Wesleyan Church, heard of the results of American camp meetings. They held a meeting on May 31, 1807, which resulted in many converts. But the Wesleyan Church refused to admit these converts to the church, and reprimanded Bourne and Clowes. Refusing to cease holding open-air meetings, they were dismissed from the church. After waiting two years for readmittance to the church, they founded the Primitive Methodists in the year of 1810, and in February of 1812 in Tunstall took the name The Society of the Primitive Methodists. The name is meant to indicate they were conducting themselves in the way of Wesley and the "original" Methodists (particularly in reference to open-air meetings). They are part of the denomination, yet originally made up of converts denied admittance into the church.

Primitive Methodist workers played an important role in the formative phase of the Trade Union movement in England.

In the United States

The first missionaries to America arrived in Brooklyn, New York in 1829. The societies founded in the United States were under the control of the British Primitive Methodist Conference until 1840, when the "American Primitive Methodist Church" was established on September 16th. A combining of various organizational structures occurred in May of 1975, and the current (2004) official name - The Primitive Methodist Church in the United States of America - was chosen.

The denomination holds an annual conference. A president, elected every four years, is the chief leader of the denomination and their headquarters are located in his home. In 2000 the American body had 79 congregations with 4502 members.

Sources

External links

• Englesea Brook Chapel and Museum of Primitive Methodism
• History of the Primitive Methodist Connexion by H. B. Kendall
• Hugh Bourne
• Primitive Methodist Church in the U.S.A.

References

• Handbook of Denominations in the United States, 11th Edition, Frank S. Mead, Samuel S. Hill & Craig D. Atwood ISBN 068706983
• Religious Congregations & Membership in the United States 2000, ASARB & Glenmary Research Center ISBN 091442226X