The Pledge that Saved Methodism

by Chris Ritter

Next month marks the 200th Anniversary of a turn-around pledge that helped save Methodism from collapse in the land that gave it birth. It sparked an eighty-year expansion of Methodist faith and triggered missionary activity around the world. Most Methodists have never heard of the pledge (called “The Liverpool Minutes” by successive generations), but this bicentennial year is an ideal time to rediscover how Methodism renews itself using its own DNA.

The 1820 Methodist Conference in Liverpool recorded the first-ever decrease in membership… a loss of 4,688 (a percent or two). John Wesley had been dead thirty years and it was not at all clear that the movement was effectively transitioning to an effective institution.  Under the presidential leadership of Jabez Bunting, the conference set aside significant time for serious soul-searching. They did not blame societal factors because these had always worked against Methodism. The clergy realized the solution lay in their own hearts and actions. They developed a series of thirty-one pastoral resolutions in response to their decline. They also pledged to commit anew to these “Liverpool Minutes” each year and to have them read and studied on the district and local levels.

The next three years would witness a remarkable turnaround that would eventually lead to the tripling of the movement over the following eighty years (interrupted only by a denominational split in 1850).  Mathematician John Hayward has chronicled the 19^th Century growth of British Methodism and notes admiringly that the vast majority of the expansion was due to new conversions as opposed to population growth.  The growth of the movement coincided with a veritable Golden Age of overseas Christian mission activity.

When you read the Liverpool Minutes, you can see that it took considerable dedication for clergy to read them aloud each year (the over 2600 words takes the better part of 30 minutes to recite). But that is what they did for the next sixty-five annual conferences until the Liverpool Minutes were replaced by shorter and more general “Resolutions on Pastoral Work.” But the Minutes served to bring the movement back to the elements of the Methodist DNA that would create a fruitful future. The prominent themes are:

• Recommitment to personal and family piety on the part of the preachers.
• Plain, zealous preaching on the grand evangelical doctrines… in every sermon.
• Rededication to the diligent work of ministry, the saving of souls, and the spiritual development of the people.
• Reclaiming outdoor preaching and starting ministries in new places. Pastors were to restyle themselves as home missionaries.
• Delegating the work of shepherding so that new people could be reached with the Gospel.
• Restore prayer meetings and quarterly days of fasting.
• Elimination of small-minded debates and party spirit.
• New energy toward ministries with children and youth.

Would It Work Again?

The longer decline goes unchecked, the harder a habit it is to break. British Methodism, for instance, is now smaller than it was in 1820. Some friends in England, inspired by an earlier post on the 1820 Turnaround, scheduled an event in Liverpool to recapture the spirit of renewal once sparked there. COVID-19 caused this meeting to be delayed until the spring of 2021. My hope is that Methodists around the globe might be inspired by the good work done by our forbears to renew the church.

I could think of worse ways to spend our time at annual conference clergy sessions than reading aloud, in unison, the Liverpool Minutes. I offer them below in their entirety. Some of the language might be antiquated, but this is how Methodism renews itself.

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The Liverpool Minutes

1. We, on this solemn occasion, devote ourselves afresh to God; and resolve, in humble dependence on his grace, to be more than ever attentive to Personal Religion, and to the Christian Instruction and Government of our own families.
2. Let us endeavor, in our public ministry, to preach constantly all those leading and vital Doctrines of the Gospel, which peculiarly distinguished the original Methodist preachers, whose labors were so signally blessed by the Lord, and to preach them in our primitive method, — evangelically, experimentally, zealously, and with great plainness and simplicity; giving to them a decided prominence in every sermon, and laboring to apply them closely, affectionately, and energetically to the consciences of the different classes of our hearers.
3. Let us consecrate ourselves fully and entirely to our proper work, as servant of Christ and his Church, giving ourselves “wholly” to it, both in public and in private, and guarding against all occupations of our time and thoughts, which have no direct connection with our great calling, and which would injuriously divert our attention from the momentous task of saving souls, and taking care of the flock of Christ.
4. Let us “covet earnestly the best gifts,” to qualify us for an acceptable and useful ministry; let us seek them in prayer from Him who is the Father of Lights and the Fountain of Wisdom; let us “stir up,” and improve by study and diligent cultivation, “the gift that is in us,” and strive in every way to be “workers who need not be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth;” — taking care, however, that whatever other qualifications we may acquire and use, our Ministry shall, at least, by the Divine blessing, be always characterized by sound, evangelical doctrine, by plainness of speech, and by a spirit of tender affection and burning zeal.
5. Let us frequently read, and carefully study, Mr. Wesley’s Rules of a Helper, and other parts of the large Minutes which relate to the duties of a Preacher and Pastor.
6. In order to promote an increase of the congregations, and a revival of the work of God, let us have recourse, even in our old established circuits, to the practice of preaching out of doors; seeking, in order to save that which is lost.
7. In every Circuit, let us try to open places; let us try again places which have not been recently visited; let us be increasingly attentive to the supply and superintendence of the country places already on the Plan; let us not be satisfied until every town, village, and hamlet, in our respective neighborhoods, shall be blessed, as far as we can possibly accomplish it, with the means of grace and salvation; — In a word, let every Methodist Preacher consider themselves as called to be, in point of enterprise, zeal and diligence, a Home Missionary, and to enlarge and extend, as well as keep, the Circuit to which they are appointed.
8. Let us, wherever it shall appear to be practicable, especially in the old and large [congregations], employ some active and zealous persons, whose piety and general character shall be approved by the Leader’s Meetings, to attempt the formation of new classes, in suitable neighborhoods, where we may hope by that method to gather into the fold of Christ some persons who are “not far from the Kingdom of God,” but who need special invitation, and are not likely to “give themselves” fully “to the Lord and to us by the will of God” without more than ordinary labor and spiritual attention.
9. Let us speak plainly and pointedly in every place, both in those occasional meetings of the Society at which strangers are allowed to be present, and in our sermons, on the duty and advantage of Christian Communion; and exhort all who are seeking salvation, to avail themselves, without delay, of the help of our more private means of grace.
10. Let us encourage public Prayer Meetings, especially those which are help at times which do not interfere with our general worship, in the houses of our friends, in different parts of a town or neighborhood; such meetings having been long proved to be , when prudently conducted by persons of established peity and competent gifts, and duly superintended by Preachers, and by the Leaders Meetings, valuable nurseries for our Congregations and Societies, and means of salvation to many who could not have been reached at first by any other method.
11. In country places, where a fully supply of preaching cannot be obtained, either by Traveling or Local Preachers, let suitable persons, belonging to the nearest Societies, be encouraged to attend, under the direction of the Superintendent, for the the purpose of public Prayer and Exhortation, and occasionally be read to the congregation a short and plain Sermon on the First Principles of the Doctrine of Christ, until such places can be favored with other and more regular opportunities of instruction in righteousness.
12. Let us ourselves remember, and endeavor to impress on our people, that we, as a Body, do not exist for the purpose of party; and that we are especially bound, by the example of our Founder, by the original principle on which our Societies are formed, and by our constant profession before the world, to avoid a narrow, bigoted, and sectarian spirit, to abstain from needless and unprofitable disputes on minor subjects of theological controversy, and, as far as we innocently can, to “please all persons for their good until edification.” Let us, therefore, maintain toward all denominations of Christians, who “hold the head,” the kind and catholic spirit of primitive Methodism; and, according to the noble maxim of our Fathers in the Gospel, “be friends of all, and the enemies of none.”
13. Let us, at least in every large town, establish weekly meetings for the children of our friends, according to our ancient custom; and let us pay particular attention, in public and private, to the young people of our Societies and Congregations.
14. Let us meet our Societies regularly on the Lord’s day; and frequently on the week-day evenings, in country places, where we do not preach on the Lord’s day: — Let the members be accustomed, on such occasions, to show their Society Tickets; — and let us endeavor to make these meetings interesting and appropriate to our members, as such, — by giving to our addresses an immediate reference to the state of the people, to the circumstances of each Society, and to their peculiar duties: both personal and domestic, as professors of religion, and as Methodists, and be frequently explaining and enforcing our own Rules.
15. Let us revive, where it has been neglected, and promote in every place, the observance of those parts of our discipline, which refer to Watch-nights, Private and Public Bands, and Quarterly days for solemn Fasting and Prayer.
16. Let us, wherever we have access and opportunity, be diligent in pastoral visits to our people, at their own houses, especially to the sick, the careless, and the luke-warm.
17. But as such visits much, in many cases, from our plan of continual itinerancy and village preaching, and from the number of members in the larger Societies, be greatly limited, let us endeavor so to arrange in our several Circuits the Plans for the Quarterly Public Visitation of the Classes, as to allow full time for the more minute examination into the Christian knowledge, experience, and practice of the Members, and for the pastoral inquiries, instructions, and counsels, respecting personal and family religion.
18. Let us regularly meet the Class Leaders and examine their Class Papers in town and country and do all we can to engage both them and our respective Brethren the Local Preachers to co operate with us in their respective departments in promoting vital godliness among our people and extending the work of the Lord.
19. As much depends under the blessing of God on the piety knowledge zeal activity and Christian temper of our Leaders as well as on their firm attachment to the doctrines discipline and cause of Methodism let us never nominate a new Leader until we have conscientiously satisfied ourselves by previous inquiry and personal examination as to the character and qualifications of the person proposed and let us act uniformly on the Rule respecting the Public Examination of Leaders which is found in our Minutes of 1811.
20. Let us whenever a new Leader nominated by us and accepted by the Leaders Meeting shall be first introduced into the Meeting take that opportunity of stating the duties which belong to the office and of enforcing them on all present
21. Let us affectionately but firmly enforce on the Leaders as an essential article of our pastoral discipline and one which in consequence of our own constant itinerancy cannot be dispensed with the Rule of the Society in which it is stated to be the duty of a Leader to see every Member in his Class once in every week
22. Let us pay particular attention to Backsliders and endeavor in the spirit of meekness to restore them that have been overtaken in a fault and by private efforts as well as by our public ministrations to recover the fallen out of the snare of the devil.
23. Let us afresh enforce on all our people a conscientious attendance on the Lord’s Supper
24. Let us earnestly exhort our Societies to make the best and most religious use of the rest and leisure of the Lord’s Day let us admonish any individuals who shall be found to neglect our public worship under pretense of visiting the sick or other similar engagements let us show to our people the evils of wasting those portions of the Sabbath which are not spent in public worship in visits or in receiving company to the neglect of private prayer of the perusal of the Scriptures and of family duties and often to the serious spiritual injury of servants who are thus improperly employed and deprived of the public means of grace let us set an example in this matter by refusing for ourselves and for our families to spend in visits when there is no call of duty or necessity the sacred hours of the holy Sabbath and let us never allow the Lord’s Day to be secularized by meetings of mere business when such business refers only to the temporal affairs of the Church of God
25. With a view to promote in the families and schools of our connection the uniform and regular practice of catechetical instruction which especially in the present state of our body and of our country at large we deem to be of the highest importance we agree that a series of catechisms shall be prepared and recommended for general use among us and we earnestly request Mr Benson and Mr Watson to draw up such catechisms and to submit them to the examination of the next Conference
26. In conducting our leaders and quarterly meetings and all other official meetings amongst us let us affectionately and steadily discountenance the spirit of strife and debate and promote in the management of all our affairs both by our advice and example the temper and manner of men who are acting for God in the service of His Church Let the introduction of all topics of useless or irritating discussion not legitimately connected with the proper business of such meetings be prudently repressed Let us remember that in a large body the only way to live in peace and comfort is to walk by rule and to use the language of Mr Wesley not to mend our rules but to keep them for conscience sake And while we readily and cheerfully protect all our members in meetings in which we preside in the exercise of such functions as belong to them according to our laws and general usages let us not forget that we are under solemn obligations to conduct ourselves on such occasions not as the mere chairmen of public meetings but as the pastors of Christian societies put in trust by the ordinance of God and by their own voluntary association with us with the scriptural superintendence of their spiritual affairs and responsible to the Great Head of the Church for the faithful discharge of the duties of that trust
27. We affectionately exhort those of our own people who are laudably active in various benevolent institutions while they persevere in every good word and work to guard against the danger of expending all their leisure and influence to mere local and subordinate charities so as to neglect God’s own direct and immediate institutions such as the public preaching of the Gospel or to deprive themselves of the opportunity of regularly attending their classes and of private prayer and reading of the Holy Scriptures It should not be forgotten that the great spiritual work of God depends under the Divine blessing on the general and conscientious use of His institutions and that in the success of that work all other good undertakings among us had their origins and must ever have their principal support These things ought ye to have done and not to have left the other undone
28. In order that the state of the work may be constantly under the eye of the preachers we agree to revive uniformly the good old custom of keeping quarterly schedules in every circuit each of which shall contain a correct statement for the quarter to which it belongs of persons admitted on trial new members fully admitted into society after due probation removals into other circuits deaths backsliders conversions number in the bands and total number of members then in the Society The book steward shall prepare and furnish to every circuit a sufficient number of printed forms of such a schedule to be filled up by the preachers in reference to every distinct class during their quarterly visitations And from these each Superintendent shall draw up every quarter one general schedule containing an account of all the societies in his circuit in relation to the several particulars above mentioned These general circuit schedules each Superintendent is expected to produce whenever required so to do at the annual district meeting or at the Conference
29. Every Superintendent is required to leave for his successor in the circuit book not only a list of the town and circuit stewards and of the annual subscribers to our several funds &c but especially an exact list of the names of all the members in his circuit arranged in their several classes and societies as found at the preceding Midsummer visitation
30. But as we are deeply sensible that the great thing to be desired in order to a revival and extension of the work of God without which no resolutions or labors or regulations will avail is a new and more abundant effusion of the Holy Spirit on ourselves on our societies and on our congregations we solemnly agree to seek that blessing in humble and earnest prayer And we hereby appoint that the day of the next quarterly fast namely the Friday after Michaelmas Day October 6th shall be observed in all our circuits as a day of special fasting and prayer to Almighty God Let meetings for public supplication be held in as many places as possible in every circuit and let the preachers speak largely and particularly on the subject of their sermons on the preceding Lord’s Day
31. The various articles included in this Minute shall be read by every chairman at the next regular annual meeting of his district and shall then be made the subject of serious conversation among the brethren with a view to their particular bearing on the spiritual state and circumstances of each district respectively.