The Methodist Movement

The Methodist Movement was founded by John Wesley (1703-1791). The Methodist Movement’s main protagonist was John Wesley. 

John visited Devon and Cornwall on may occassion between 1739 and 1789 preaching his version of religion. His beliefs took a foothold in the South West and a growth in the number of chapels across the region.

Within North Devon and Cornwall support for Wesleyan Methodist varied which led to the imergence of an off-shoot Movement known as the Chistian Bible Movement. Both had an influence of the East and West Worlington community. 

He had influential skills and talents as a preacher and orator. 

Wesley travelled the countryside, preaching to the poor and labouring folk out in the fields where they worked.

Wesley’s sermons would pull huge crowds from the surrounding towns and villages. Local people were eager to take part in this new form of worship.

His journals clearly evidenced that he frequent travelled and preached in Devon, particularly between 1739 and 1789, visited North Devon on many occasions. He had close ties with North Devon as his brother Samuel Wesley Jr. was headmaster of Blundell’s School Tiverton from 1732 until his death in 1739.

Early Methodist preachers used the technique of Field Preaching as a way to connect with people and reaching a wide audience. This style was very effective in communicating with poorer people and people who may not usually attend church services.

The first North Devon circuit was established in 1750, five years after his first visit. Methodism quickly flourished across the region and became core to local religious identity. Many of the chapels opened as a result of the surgence during this period of time, and Method Circuits were established. have over the following decades closed.

Following John Wesley’s death in 1791 several strands broke away from Wesleyan Methodism, each with a charismatic leader.

In Cornwall and Devon there was growth in Christian Bible Movement intially led by Wiliam O’Bryan . He protrayed himself as an evangilist but his style was persistently autocratic which  was not well recieved by many. One of Wiliam’s asistants was James Thorne, a traditionalist, and when William O’Bryan withdrew from the Society as a result of adminstrative differnces, James Thorne was in an ideal position to take on the leadership of the Christian Bible Movement. James spoke up agaisnt slavery and supported temperance and Sunday Schools.,

Wiliam O’Bryan 

James Thorne

The Christian Bible Movement certainly influenced residents of Worlington and in 1849 Sharon Chapel was built .