Brief History of the Methodist Movement

Methodism is the term used to describe (at first with a faintly pejorative connotation) a revivalist movement in 18th – century England by the brothers John Wesley and Charles Wesley who though ordained in the Anglican Church underwent a strong spiritual experience which truly ‘converted’ them into missionaries outside the pale of the Church of England on 24th May 1738. Their father was an Anglican clergyman, the Rev.Samuel Wesley.

Earlier as a student at Christ Church, Oxford University John Wesley became part of a group of students who studied the Bible together and prayed. This led them on to visit prisons and do other good works which caused the other students to nick name them the "Holy Club”. They set up a discipline for themselves which they strictly followed. They got up at 4:30 in the morning to read the Scriptures and pray together before they went to their classes in the University. Their methodical life lived according to a detailed timetable earned them the name "Methodists” an appellation which stuck to them when they started their great spiritual revival in England.

John the indefatigable preached who travelled eighty miles a day on horse-back on his preaching rounds and Charles the prolific poet who wrote innumerable hymns reached out to the poor uncared – for masses in the districts and set up a vast network of "meeting houses” which offered the only source of spiritual knowledge and enlightenment to thousands of poor people like mine-workers who would otherwise have led degraded and debased lives.

John Wesley in particular set up dispensaries, built orphanages, began adult education schools, started Strangers Friends Societies for helping those who were ill or desperately poor, himself visited and encouraged visits to prisons, constituted a "Lending-Stock” to offer interest-free temporary financial help to those in need and publicly supported the great reformer William Wilberforce who was campaigning against slavery in Britain. John Wesley declared "the world is my parish” and set forth the Methodist Rule of Conduct : "Do all the good you can, In all the ways you can, In all the places you can, At all times you can, As long as you ever can.” In consonance with this he ordained lay preachers and on of the characteristic features of Methodism worldwide is the immense contribution made by the laity to the work of the Methodist mission both from the pulpit as well in distant missionary fields translating the love of the Saviour into practical works which historians tell us prevented an English Revolution from taking place on the pattern of the French Revolution across the English channel.

Methodists in Madras

In 1813, 22 years after John Wesley’s death, the Methodist Foreign Missionary Society was formed in England. Dr. Coke, the moving spirit behind the great evangelical enterprise, set sail for India on New Year’s Day, 1814 at the age of 66. Five missionaries accompanied him. In mid-ocean Dr. Coke fell a victim to heat apoplexy and passed away. Of the five who set out with Dr. Coke, the Rev. James Lynch after passing through Jaffna, Nagapattinam and Tranquebar finally arrived in Madras in 1817. Lynch conducted the first service in a stable in Black Town (later renamed George Town) which had been altered for the purpose. Later he rented a godown in Black Town on the site of the present church. He used the 60’ x 10’ godown as a preaching hall living in a room at the rear of it. The Irishman found the heat intolerable in the ill-ventilated hall as he conducted meetings three to five times a week surrounded by the intruding noise of traffic, the attacks of mosquitos, and swirling dust. From December 1817 the membership rose from 12 to 105 by 1821. In June 1818 Lynch purchased a bunglow in Royapettah four miles away from the godown and on a site near it built the first Methodist Chapel in India. It was consecrated in 1819 and was used till 1847 when the present Royapettah Church was built. Work wsa also started at St. Thomas Mount, which was 9 miles from the town. In five years Lynch had laid the foundations of Methodist Missions throughout the whole of South India. Services and classes were held in English and Tamil. April 25th 1822 saw the opening of the Wesley Church in George Town (or Broadway as it is known today). Lynch was joined at the dedication service by Rev. Elijah Hoole and the Rev. Thomas H. Squance. Hoole describes the church as ‘a strong and neat building if two stories; the lower apartments are well adapted for a printing – office, should a press ever be connected with the mission at Madras, or for Schools. The upper storey which forms the chapel is a good room 50’ x 30’. 300 persons may well be accommodated.’ It was filled to capacity at the dedication and a great number of respectable people had to return without gaining admittance’, records Rev. Lynch who preached an impressive sermon on Mattew 18:20 ‘Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

In July 1824 the Rev. Lynch left for England, broken in health but rejoicing in the realization that he had established several Methodist chapels and educational institutions which served the Lord by satisfying the spiritual and intellectual needs of His people.

At the turn of the century it was felt necessary to build a church on the grounds of the Methodist Manse on Poonamallee High Road at Egmore to serve the growing Christian population in and around Vepery. Thanks to the efforts of the Rev. John Breeden who was in charge of the circuit at this time the foundation stone was laid on Monday 28th December 1903 by Prof. G. D. Findlay D.D. On Saturday 11th February 1905, in the opening ceremony of the new Church was conducted at 5:15 PM by the Revds. J. Cooling and W.H Findlay in the presence of a large congregation. The Church was dedicated on 11th February 1905