Salem Methodist Church, Watley's End, Winterbourne, (Bristol)

Last Thursday the staff of the Bristol and South Gloucestershire Methodist Circuit had a quiet day at Salem Methodist Church led by Rev Carrie Seaton. It was good to be together after the news of the death of our colleague Rev Michael Etheridge two days earlier.

Most of Winterbourne consists of post-WWII suburban development but the core settlement of Watley's End, built after 1770 on the old Common around the hatting industry, has a character which is visually distinct. Salem Chapel is one of the oldest Methodist Churches in the Bristol Methodist District. Salem was the first Wesleyan Chapel built in villages around Bristol in 1787 by hatters using local quarried pennant stone. The hatters were keen Methodists, and wherever they established a large community there was a Chapel.  John Wesley recorded in his Journal for September 17th 1787 that he preached on the foundation of a new preaching house. His entry for the day reads:

“Leaving this (Bath) Society in a better state than it has been for many years, I went to Bristol, where my brother has been for some weeks. By the way I preached at Winterbourne on the foundation of a new preaching-house. There was much rain before I began, and a violent wind all the time I was preaching; yet some of these I trust, did come to the marriage. I had now two or three days to answer my letters. Every evening our room (Bristol) was well filled with attentive hearers”

John Wesley had visited Winterbourne to preach on September 6th 1750, November 2nd 1752 and October 15th 1761 (details from his Sermon Register), so it took some years for the folk who heard Wesley preach to come to a point at which they could think of building a preaching house. The land was purchased by Robert Curtis, a hatmaker of Winterbourne, for 10 guineas, from Mr George Rolf of Thornbury. The condition of the sale was the preaching house has to be built within year, or the land reverted to its original owner.

In 1792 a further purchase of land took place. For one guinea, the land on which the present vestry, upstairs schoolroom and the area which is now the toilets, was purchased. Later that same year, Chapel House, including out-buildings, shops and small orchard was also purchased. This was transferred to a body of trustees in 1840, and later used as a ministers house, and later again by caretakers.

A certificate dated January 15th 1796 was sent to the Bishop of Gloucester stating that:

“Some of His majesty’s dissenting subjects have set apart for the service of God a room or building called the Methodists’ Chapel in the Parish of Winterbourne, which they desire may be registered in the Bishop’s Court according to an Act of Parliament of William and Mary”

(Extract from Salem Website)

The Chapel is still an important centre of religious and social life in Watley's End.

For an interesting guide around some of the Nonconformist Churches in the Bristol area click:  Here to download a map and tour guide produced by South Gloucestershire Council. 

Samuel Wesley's 250th Birthday Celebrations in Bristol

Events happing in the New Room 

Celebrating Samuel Wesley's Birthday.

Samuel son of Charles Wesley, the family lived in their family home in Charles Street Bristol where he showed his musical talent early in life. As a boy, he was recognised as a child prodigy by the  musical establishment;

He was full eight years old when Dr [William] Boyce came to see us and accosted me with, 'Sir, I hear you have an English Mozart in your house'. I called Sam to answer for himself. He had by this time scrawled down his Oratorio of Ruth. The Doctor looked it over very carefully and seemed highly pleased with the performance. Some of his words were, 'These airs are some of the prettiest I have seen. This boy writes by nature as true a bass as I can do by rule and study'

(The Musical Wesleys. London: Herbert Jenkins)

Wesley worked as a conductor  as well as a music teacher and lecturer. He seems to have been one of the pioneers of the British organ recital. His ability on the organ was so highly regarded that he was introduced to, and played for Mendelssohn. Many of his best-known compositions were written for the church; they include the motet In exitu Israel.

Wesley was a contemporary of Mozart (1756–1791) and was called by some "the English Mozart".

In 1784, Wesley privately converted to Roman Catholicism, to the dismay of his uncle John Wesley. His hymn-writer father Charles, expressed his opinion in the following words:

While ready and resolved is he to plunge into the dark abyss

And cast his soul away

That poison of the Romish sect

O let not his soul infect

 Samuel died in 1837 and was buried in St Marylebone Parish Church London.

CLICK HERE 

to listen to Samuel Wesley'sSymphony in E flat Major Allegro

New Room Development Project

Asbury Celebrations Birmingham 9th April2016

2016 marks the 200th anniversary of the death of Bishop Francis Asbury, who sailed from the port of Pill, Bristol in 1771 after being ordained by John Wesley. Asbury became the first Joint Superintendent Methodist minister in America.

Asbury became a local lay preacher for Methodist meetings at age 18. At age 22, John Wesley appointed him as a travelling preacher. His home still stands and is open as a museum in West Bromwich, England. 

In 1771 he volunteered to travel to America. Within the first 17 days of being in the colonies, Asbury had preached in Philadelphia and New York. During the first year he was Wesley’s assistant and preached in 25 different settlements. When the American War of Independence broke out in 1776, he and James Dempster were the only Methodist ministers to remain in America.

In 1813, Asbury wrote his will. This was a time when “the greatest membership gain in the history of the church” was achieved. In 1814 his health started to fail and he became ill. In 1816 he started to regain strength and continued his preaching journey. He “preached his last Sermon in Richmond, Virginia” on March 24, “and dies at the home of George Arnold near Fredericksburg” on March 31

In partnership with the Black Country Living Museum, The Methodist Church are celebrating Asbury’s early years as a local apprentice metal worker, and the impact of Methodism on the industrialised Midlands of the nineteenth century.
There will be an opportunity to visit his childhood home in a vintage bus, experience a Victorian Sunday School and other activities, including a special visit of Burslem's Gospel Car.

Gospel Car 'No 11 Ebenezer' at Swan Bank Methodist Mission

The Wesleyan and Primitive Methodists and Church Army all used 'Gospel cars' in the nineteenth and early twentieth century. They toured Markets, Fairs,and rural locations. Within Methodism, horsedrawn wagons were partly replaced by hand-pushed 'trek carts' in the inter-war years, and finally by deaconess' caravans in the 1950s.

Burslem is in the heart of the Potteries. John Wesley visited many times and it was the birthplace and early home of Primitive Methodist leader,William Clowes.
This faithful reproduction of Car No 11 was built in 2011, and is normally housed at Burslem's Swan Bank Mission between visits to schools and churches, when visitors can listen to '78s' on the gramophone, try the loud hailer, beds and harmonium, and watch a magic lantern slide show.

The Bristol & South Gloucestershire Circuit have a 21st century version - our VW converted Camper Vans known as Vincent & Wilfred!

Our Van also comes with built in projection - Flat screen TV, kitchen, tables and sofa's,

and will touring around the County Shows, and various other venues throughout 2016.

Anne and I have booked for the event at the Black Country Museum on Saturday 9th April at an early bird price of £9 per person. We will be staying overnight at the Premier Inn at Longbridge (£35). If you want to join us.

Click HERE for more information and tickets

Click  HERE to take the Asbury Quiz

Asbury’s boyhood home and now a small museum – is being opened between 11am and 4pm on Thursday 31 March, the actual anniversary of his death.

Exeter

Today I found myself on a trip to meet colleagues in Exeter, Devon. I received first class hospitality from the Chair of the Plymouth and Exeter District, Graham Thompson who provided lunch as we discussed the nature of Probation and pre ordination training.

Arriving early I took the opportunity to visit Exeter Cathedral and walk around the city.

Exeter Cathedral

John and Charles Wesley first came to Exeter in September 1739 when John preached at the morning service in St. Mary Major Church (rebuilt in 1800's). He was not allowed to preach again in the afternoon.  In the foyer of “The Mint” Church Exeter there is a portrait of John Wesley and an oak drop leaf table on which he stood, while preaching in Southernhay.

 In 1749 Bishop Lavington of Exeter, compared Methodists to Papists, Wesley described his task to refute this with a sigh. “Heavy work, such as I should never choose; but sometimes it must be done.” and as was his custom sent a private letter to the writer, pointing out the error of his ways. The controversy with Dr. Lavington, Bishop of Exeter, was one of the most painful Wesley ever had and lasted until 175.

The historian Veronica Wedgwood said of Lavington: that he “deserves to be coupled with the men who flung dead cats and rotten eggs at the Methodists, not with those who assailed their tenets with arguments, or even serious rebuke.” Wesley clearly pointed this out to Lavington: “Any scribbler with a middling share of low wit, not encumbered with good-nature or modesty, may raise a laugh on those whom he cannot confute, and run them down whom he dares not look in the face. By this means, even a comparer of Methodists and Papists may blaspheme the great work of God, not only without blame, but with applause, at least from readers of his own stamp. But it is high time, sir, you should leave your skulking place. Come out, and let us look each other in the face.”

Complicating matter further, Wesley declines a discussion of the whole matter of Christian perfection with the Bishop, “till you have learned a little heaven honesty”

To be fair to Bishop Lavington’s concern over the “Enthusiasm” that Wesley and the early Methodist had was the memory that in Europe such “Enthusiasm” had led to civil war and regicide.

Although the controversy continued for two years, in August, 1762, a fortnight before the Bishop’s death, Wesley was at Exeter Cathedral. “I was well pleased,” he wrote in his journal, “to partake of the Lord’s Supper with my old opponent, Bishop Lavington. Oh, may we sit down together in the kingdom of our Father!”

His journal also records, “At the cathedral we had a useful sermon, and the whole service was performed with great seriousness and decency. Such an organ I never saw or heard before, so large, beautiful, and so finely toned; and the music of “Glory be to God iin the highest,” I think exceeded the Messiah itself”. – In fact there are only three places recorded in his journal in which he expresses appreciation for the organ in worship, albeit grudgingly!

Again on 18^th August 1782, Wesley attended worship at the cathedral, and was invited afterwards by the Bishop to have dinner at the Bishops palace – He describes the meal as ‘sufficent but not redundant; plain and good, but not delicate’.

Bath

Saturday 26th September

Hips & Haws out side Bath Abbey

Today we join "Hips & Haws" for a dance out in Bath. As we approach the end of September the weather was kind to us although there was a nip in the air first thing by tea time it was tee-shirt weather. This was the first opportunity to have some real time off since my welcome service at the beginning of the month, but also to upload on to the blog information about Wesley influence on the city. I wonder what he would have made of the Morris & Clog dancers performing in the Abbey courtyard? - compared to some of the street performers of Bath, Morris Dancing is probably quite tame! It was also a chance to catch up with friends Peter and Truda Uglow from Chippenham. 

Baths golden era began in the 18th century with two royal visits in 1734 & 1738, it quickly became a pilgrimage ( using the old Roman Road from London to Cornwall) for the upper classes both for those wishing to "take the waters" but also for the amusements (including dancing) the city provided by the city  "Master of Ceremonies", Richard 'Beau' Nash who was proclaimed "King of Bath" by popular vote! Wesley records in his journal for Tuesday 5th June 1739:

"There was great expectation at Bath  of what a noted man was to do with me there; I was much entreated not to preach, because no-one knew what might happen.... When there Champion appeared, and coming close to me, asked by what authority I did these things. I replied, "By the authority of Jesus Christ, conveyed to me by the Archbishop of Canterbury, when he laid hands on me... Sir did you ever hear me preach?, "No" How then can you judge of what you have never heard? "Sir, by common report" .. Common report is not enough, Sir, is not your name Nash? "My name is Naish." Sir, I dare not judge of you by common report!" - "Sir, leave him to me: let an old woman answer him. You, Mr Naish, take care of your body; we take care of our souls; for the food of our souls we come here," He replied not a word, but walked away."

When he returned to London he left a considerable number of enthusiastic Christians behind. By 1755 the earlier opposition to preaching seems to have fallen away, indeed the wealthy were interested in meeting Wesley, such that, in 1755, he could write ‘I dined with some serious persons in a large stately house standing on the brow of a delightful hill. In this paradise they live in ease, in honour and in elegant abundance. And this they call retiring from the world!’ Whilst there is no evidence, this possibly could well have been Ralph Allen’s mansion at Prior Park. In 1759 records show that the Bath Society was one of twelve within the Bristol Circuit as Circuits were large and preachers few, membership 35, 15 of these lived in Avon Street, which had a reputation as a place of ill repute. However the Bath Society decided to move out of its rented room in Corn St into a preaching house in Avon St, helped by its transfer into the "Wiltshire" Circuit. Wesley records. " The Chapel in the midst of sinners where I never heard an immodest word, but prayers and blessings in abundance." Unfortunately the move led to a further decline and by 1769 membership was eleven. 

However The Countess of Huntingdon in her pursuit of Chapel building started to build a new Chapel

in The Paragon which opened in 1765 - this didn't help the Avon St Chapel as it was in direct competition for Methodist Souls. However both John and Charles offered to preach in the new Chapel in The Paragon as a gesture of friendship. However these offers were seen as a Calvanistic take over and led to a bitter dispute. Today the Countess of Huntingdon Chapel  is owned by the Bath Preservation Trust and open daily to visitors.

One Sunday in 1765 an Army Officer turned up in Avon St Chapel, thinking he might be the preacher, he was invited to preach. Capt Webb gave an inspiring account of his conversion that John Wesley appointed him a preacher on the basis of the account. When Capt Webb was station in America he had earned the title " American Methodism number one Layman" He returned to Bath in 1784 after suffering detention during the war of independence. He also was instrumental is setting up the Methodist Class System and collections within them to help the poor. By 1770's the Bath Society had grown and John Wesley Supported the building of a new Chapel in New Kings St. John officiated at the opening in 1779. He saw this a model of future Chapel buildings: “Let every square house be built after the model of Bath or Scarborough”. This included: “doors and windows enough ... no tub pulpit but a square projection with a seat behind ... no pews and no backs to seats ... seats parted in the middle by a rail running all along to divide the men from the women .... plain and decent ... no more expensive than is absolutely necessary.”

In 1790 at the age of 87 John made his final visit to Bath, preaching at 6am that day and again on 4th Match at 3.45  and in the evening. At the desire of John Wesley the conference following his death, the Bath Circuit was officially formed,

New King St Chapel c1830

As Methodism began to split after Wesley's death, The United Methodist Free Church built a Chapel Beechen Cliff and the Primitives had premises at 4 Westgate buildings. However the now Wesleyans of  New King St Chapel continued to grow, building a second Church in Walcot and in 1847 a new Gothic style Victoria Church opened  in New Kings St replacing the former Chapel.  Unfortunately during WWII Kings Street Church was completely destroyed. Today a plaque commemorates the spot the church once stood.

Walcot Methodist Church

A short walk from the Countess of Huntington Chapel in The Paragon is Walcot Methodist Church, known as "Nexus" Which opened in May  1816. It was one of the first Methodist building to have an organ which was installed in 1818 – when organs were not officially approved for Methodist churches!

I had fond memories of visiting Walcot when My brother lived in "Chapel House" next door during the early 1980's whilst studying for his PhD - one of his jobs was to turn on the boiler early morning every Sunday for Church Services - not an easy job for any student!

Chapel House next to "Nexus" Church, Walcot

Methodism in Bath is probably best known today for Kingwood School founded by John Wesley  in 1748 and as the name suggest was situated in Kingwood (Kings Wood) outside Bristol. Originally established originally for the children of local colliers. It is the world's oldest Methodist educational institution. The school moved to its present location on the northern slopes of Bath in 1851 to provide an education for the sons of Methodist clergymen. During World War II the Kingswood buildings were requisitioned by the government and used by the Admiralty for military planning purposes. The school was evacuated to Uppingham School and continued to function from there. The Mulberry harbours used on D-day for the landing on the Normandy beaches were designed at the school and for many years is was thought that they were named after the Mulberry tree that still exists outside the front of the school, unfortunately this isn't true as Mulberry was simply the next code word on a list. Every September the Bristol District Synod is hosted by the school.

Kingwood School, Landsdown

George White’s House was once a magnificent residence in the High Street Chippenham which was  demolished in 1932 to make way for a new Woolworth store that continued to stand on the site until Woolworth went out of business a few years ago, Costa and Poundland stand on the site today. The frontage was taken down brick by brick and numbered and rebuilt on Sion Hill as part of the 6th form complex.

George White House, Kingwood School

Day 47 - Sheffield

Memorial Plaque

Our last full day on our travels, as we need to return home tomorrow, as the day is overcast we set out for Sheffield, during the 18th century many people left their rural villages and went to the city to 

seek employment. John Wesley visited the town on 42 occasions, the first in June 1742, Charles came the following year. John's last visit was in July 1788, at the age of 85. It was on 15th July 1779 that John preached in the Georgian Paradise Square from the balcony of No 18, reached at the time by a flight of stone steps, making it an ideal place to preach after being "banned from the Parish Church". John records in his journal for that day that he 'preached to the largest congregation he ever saw on a weekday' today a wall plaque marks the spot.

Paradise Square

 A few yards from the square stands Sheffield Cathedral, which is Sheffield's oldest building, formerly Sheffield's Parish Church. It has its origins in the 12th century. Over the centuries the building has changed, notably in the 1960's and more recently in 2014. Wesley preached here in July 1780 are records, "there were afterwards 'such a number of communicants' as was never seen at the old church before."  We were keen to see the stained glass window recalling Wesley preaching in Paradise Square, which was to be found in the Chapter House which was not open to the general public.

However with the permission of the Verger we managed to sneak in and see it. In the same room the Cathedral also keeps a desk used by John Wesley to write his sermons whilst in Sheffield, however it seemed that someone had moved it to another place, as I commented to our guide, maybe the Dean was using it as inspiration for his sermons, - "could be" came the reply, "as they are always very good!"

Can you find John Wesley?

The Cathedral has another stained glass window showing John Wesley (bottom right panel) in the Chapel of the Holy Spirit which was part of an extension to the Cathedral complex in 1930's dedicated to the Te Deum. - We were grateful to the Cathedral guides for showing us these things.

 Is this liturgical Table Tennis? - saw this outside the Cathedral

Just a short walk from the Cathedral, though Chapel Walk is Victoria Hall Methodist Church found on Norfolk Street. We had coffee in the entrance area where they serving refreshments. The "Central Hall" style church is built on the site of a previous Norfolk Street Chapel, where John Wesley was the preacher at the official dedication/opening service in 1780. 

It was a busy building, but we only received a luke-warm welcome. The building cost £40,000 and could seat 2,350 in the main worship area. Upstairs there are 18 rooms which were originally all class rooms. In 1966 the building was refurbished at the cost of £80,000 twice the original when the Worship Area was reduced to 950 capacity by inserting a floor to create a lower hall. The glass ceiling is impressive!

The main Worship Area

Day 46 - Magna Carta, Lincoln, Prison!

I don't need to tell you that this year is the 800 anniversary of King John signing the first edition of the Magna Carta - signed not as the media has it at Runnymede but in Wraysbury - the other side of the river. To be fair the  Magna Carta Memorial is on the flood plains of Runnymede. I know this as I studied the area for both my History & Geography "O" levels back in the dark ages of the 1970's. Being close to where I grew up in the not so historic town of Egham and attending "Magna Carta School", I was keen to see an original 1215 copy of the Charter owned by Lincoln Cathedral and housed in Lincoln Castle. Although their were revisions of Magna Carta copies were given to each of the Cathedral Cities for safe keeping, only 4 exist today.

Lincoln Yard & Cathedral from the Castle walls

Victorian Prison

Stephen finds a friend!

This also fitted into our Wesley tour, as John and Charles Wesley father, Samuel was familiar also with the castle, as he too stayed there for "safe Keeping", when he was sent to the castle prison for a £30 debt. Whilst there he was allowed to preach to his fellow inmates!  His wife Susanna sent her rings to him in jail to cover the debt, he returned them and wrote to the Archbishop of York for help. The Archbishop a friend, paid of the debt!

Later John preached in both the Castle Yard and in the Prison Chapel, which was rebuilt in Victorian times. Wesley also admired the Gothic cathedral that stands opposite the castle, which he described as "being more elegant than York Minister" - I wonder what the Archbishop thought about that!

Lincoln Castle

The Prison chapel was interesting as prisoners attending were segregated into individual high box pew from where they could see the preacher but not each other - yet the preacher could see all of them!

Prison Chapel