The Wesleyan Methodist Church Connection - Timeline Event
Founder
Methodist abolitionists
Time Period
1843
Description
The Wesleyan Methodist Connection formed as a result of a schism in the Methodist Episcopal Church. Disagreements mainly arose over slavery and church governance. Abolitionists, like the church’s eventual leader Orange Scott, left after Methodist bishops tried to silence their concerns. Approximately 6,000 members and 22 ministers left as a result. The group also felt that the hierarchy of the Methodist Episcopal Church was abusive and desired more lay involvement in church governance.
The Wesleyan Connection officially formed at a conference in Utica, New York in 1843, two years before the Methodist Episcopal Church would split in southern and northern divisions over the same issue -- slavery.
It would later merge with the Pilgrim Holiness Church to form the Wesleyan Church in 1968.
The Wesleyan Connection officially formed at a conference in Utica, New York in 1843, two years before the Methodist Episcopal Church would split in southern and northern divisions over the same issue -- slavery.
It would later merge with the Pilgrim Holiness Church to form the Wesleyan Church in 1968.
Interactive Timeline(s)
Browse Related Timeline Entries
Religious Groups
Methodist/Pietist Family: Other ARDA LinksMethodist/Pietist Family: Religious Family Tree
Related Dictionary Terms
Methodist-Pietist FamilyPhotographs
Orange Scott portrait- Hathi Trust- from The Life of Rev. Orange Scott by Lucius C. Matlack
Wesleyan Methodist Publishing House- Hathi Trust- from History of the Wesleyan Methodist Church of America by Ira Ford McLeister
Luther Lee portrait- Hathi Trust- from History of the Wesleyan Methodist Church of America by Ira Ford McLeister
Wesleyan Methodist Church, Syracuse, NY- Library of Congress, HABS NY,34-SYRA,31--1
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Wesleyan Methodist Church, Hosford FL- Wikimedia Commons- photo by Ebyabe (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Book/Journal Source(s)
Reid, Daniel, Robert Linder, Bruce Shelley, and Harry Stout, 1990. Dictionary of Christianity in America Downers Grove, IL.Hill, Samuel S., 1984. Encyclopedia of Religion in the South Macon, GA: Mercer University Press.
Web Page Contributor
Benjamin T. GurrentzAffliated with: Pennsylvania State University, Ph.D. in Sociology
