A history of Methodism in the neighbourhood and city of Lincoln [microform] : including a sketch of early Methodism in the county of Lincoln ...

Preface

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Either the subject of the following

pages is important or not ; if the latter, then some hundreds and thousands of persons in the County of Lincoln have acted unwisely in lavishing their time and bestowing so much property upon it during a considerable number of years : But if it is important, the time, talents, and property, bestowed in establishing and promoting it, have been wisely employed, and a faithful record thereof will be read with interest by every person who is strongly and from principle attached to the Wesleyan cause.

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My principal reason for writing upon it is as follows : The subject itself is of an interesting nature, and calculated to suggest lessons of importance, in matters of religion, and to warm the hearts of the pious with gratitude and love to God. It appears also, if I rightly understand some portion of the Scriptures, (see Psalm Ixxviii. 5,) to be the duty of the Churches of Christ to preserve some memorials of the works of God , done in their own days ; and such memorials as may be handed down to their children, * that the generations may know them , even the children which shall be born ; who shall/ in like manner, * arise and declare them to their children /’ so that I cannot conceive how this can be omitted without sin.

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In drawing up the following narrative, I have endeavoured to make it a History of Methodism, rather than of Methodists ; and for this reason 1 have generally avoided the names of persons

Ill who have been concerned in the work, except such as are dead, and gone i their reward.

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HISTORY ©F METHODISM, See.

CHAPTER I. Early Methodism, in Lincolnshire

When the venerable Wesley, and those holy men who came forward to help him in preaching the Gospel, had laboured ten years in various parts in the three kingdoms, that is, from A. D. 1739, when the first Methodist Society was formed in London, to A. D. 1749, they had twenty Circuits in England, seven in Ireland, two in Scotland, and two in the Principality of Wales.

At that period all Lincolnshire, and part of Nottinghamshire, were one of those Circuits ; and, it seems probable, not more than two travelling preachers, at the same time, were appointed to cultivate that wide and barren spot of ground.

Hence it will appear, that the number of Methodist sermons and means of grace must have been small, and widely scattered among the people : It is not, therefore, surprising to learn, that, in some instances, members of the society were known to walk regularly fourteen or fifteen miles a week in order to meet in class. Yet scanty as the supply of

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preaching , and the other means of grace, was, good had already been effected in various places in Lincolnshire ; so that when Mr. Thomas Mitchell, in 1751, was appointed to the Lincolnshire Circuit, he found ‘a serious people, and a door open for the word of life.’

Methodism in Lincolnshire had many adversaries in those days. If I record one circumstance only, it will be sufficient for my purpose ; which is to furnish some idea of the spirit which opposed itself to Methodism in those early times. It took place on Sunday the seventh day of August, 1751, and Wrangle, near Boston, was the scene of the affray.

Mr. Thomas Mitchell, named above, begun preaching about 5 o’clock that morning, and about six the constables came at the head of a large mob, who violently broke into the place, and, pulling down the preacher, put an end to their devotions. Then, dragging Mr. Mitchell to the. public house, they kept him in custody till four o’clock in the afternoon, when one of the constables, seeming to relent, said, He would go to the Minister, and see if they might then release him. But, returning with directions not to let him go yet , they took him out to the mob, who hurried him to a pool, deep enough to take him to the neck, and threw him right in. Several times he attempted to get out of his perilous situation ; but they as often pitched him in again, and so rendered his efforts vain. They insisted on his wading through the pool seven times ; and, seeing no alternative, he complied with the request. They now permitted him to come out. But as soon as he had done so, a ruffian, standing ready with a pot of white paint, and a brush, painted him over from head to foot. In

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fhis state he was conducted to the public house again, and made prisoner a second time, where we shall leave him for a moment to muse on his fate. - . T

In the mean while the mob proceeded to abuse Mr. Mitchell’s friends, beating them shamefully, and greatly damaging their goods. They more. avSr seized on five of them, and dragging them away, threw them also into the pool, and so returned to Mr. Mitchell again.

In or near the place was a great pond of water, ten or twelve feet deep, and railed in on every side. To the side of this pit, wet and weary as he was, they dragged the preacher, and four of them seizing his legs and arms, began to swing him to and fro, in order to throw him in. * And now,' says he, * my flesh, for a moment, shrunk at the thought of that instant death which seemed to await me.' But while in this critical situation, his tremulous feelings instantly left him ! and he felt he could say, * The will of the Lord be done.’ At that instant they precipitated him in as far as theyco^dd.

The Violence of the fall, and the water together, soon took his senses away from him, so that while in the water he was conscious of nothing ; and, it can only be attributed to the special Providence of God, controlling the minds of some of these men, that he escaped alive from that terrible place.

Several of the persecutors became unwilling to see him die in the water ; and so, watching until he rose to the surface, caught hold of his clothes with a long pole, pulled him out, and left him lying on the beach. After some time he came to himself a . little, and found only two men standing by

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[PART him. One of these, very kindly, began to assist him, lifting him tip, and desiring him to go with him ; and so, leading him to a cottage, treated him in a hospitable manner, and put him to bed.

But, repenting of their clemency, the niob pursued him to this hospitable retreat ; and, as there were none who could effectually resist, dragged him again, exhausted as he was, out of bed into the street, swearing they would take one of his limbs, except he would promise never to visit that place again. But, though the body of this man of God was in the hands of his enemies, his mind was beyond their dominion and controll. He had waded the pool at their instance, because he could do it without sin ; but, to promise what now was demanded, was a concern of a different nature ; and his soul was too manly, and too Christian, to eomply. Another person, however, who had hold of Mr. Mitchell, clinging to him to help him, promised for him ; and the mob, pretending to be satisfied, let him go, and the man, who had treated him so kindly before, took him, and put him to bed again.

But some of the mob now repaired to the Minister again, (who is said to have sat in the steeple, witnessing the scene,) for further direction and advice ; and, returning with orders to ‘ take him out of the Parish,’ they pulled him again from the bed, wrapped him in an old coat, his own being wet and covered with paint, and, taking him about a mile from the place, selected a hill ; upon which when they had set him, they gave three cheers, as if they had gained some notable victory ; and, at each of the cheers, cried out, ‘ God save the King, and the Devil take the preacher.’ And

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thus they left him, without a penny in his pocket, and without a friend, none daring to come near him. If the reader wish to see a more ample account of this affair, he may consult the Journal of the Rev. John Wesley, vol. iii. p. 97, 8vo. edition, printed in 1809 ; and also vols. iii. and xxv. of the Armiuian or Methodist Magazine; articles, Mr. Mitchell, and John Gilbert, of Wrangle.

Another affair of the like nature, and not much inferior to the preceding, took place at Boston, when Mr. Mather travelled in Lincolnshire, in those early days of Methodism. But as I only propose a sketch of the beginnings of Methodism in these parts, the particulars of it must be withheld. Suffice it to say, that, in many places, the heathen raged, and compassed the rising cause like bees ; and to the lovers of Methodism, it is matter of pleasing reminiscence, that they could not accomplish the object of their will.

Notwithstanding the storms that then blew, and the chilling aspect of things. Societies were raised in different parts of the County, as the following statement will sufficiently shew.

In 1758, seven years after the affair at Wrangle, Mr. Thomas Lee was appointed for Lincolnshire, whose plan of labour was this: — He spent two months on the eastern side of the County, preaching in different places, and superintending the affairs of the little Societies ; and then two months, in like manner, on the west. He says nothing of any helper or colleague in these labours, though, it is probable, he had one ; and the manner of his changing from east to west every two months, appears to prove, he had no more. His labours, on this extensive field, were successful; and the testimony he has left of the Societies, does equal credit to him and to them. They were ‘loving and teachable,* says he; and, qb a proof that in all other respects they gave him entire satisfaction, he says, ‘ I know not if I shall ever love a people better on this side eternity.* See Arminian Magazine, vol. iii. p. 141.

The reader must here recollect, that this testimony relates, not to one Society or people, in some one particular place; but to all the Societies, as they were then scattered over the face of the County at large, and from which the numerous Societies now in extence throughout Lincolnshire have regularly sprung. Whether the branches maintain the same character as the stems out which they have grown, those readers who know them best, will be best able to judge, and shall be left to the free, unbiassed, exercise of their own minds.

CHAPTER II. Societies at Newton, North S carle, Besthorpe and

Girton,

Several places in this Circuit received Methodism a considerable time before the City of Lincoln itself. -

The Socie-y at Newton was in existence before the year 1750, about which period they held their Meetings in the house of a person of the name first]

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of Skelton, a respectable resident in the place,

S 'f whom the mob treated severely for harbouring

the Methodists under his roof. They broke all the windows in 'his house to shivers. Next they went to the stable, and, cutting the mane and the tail off the preacher’s horse, proceeded to tar and cover it with feathers. — Of the spiritual state of the Newton Society at that time, I have been able to collect no particular account, save that the good lady of the house, Mrs. Skelton, while the mob were breaking their windows, remained calm in her own room, singing hymns of praiseto God. This gracious woman, * of whom the world was not worthy,* finished her life in the most happy way. When on the point of dying, though weak and feeble, she lifted her arms, and, clasping her hands in each other, exultingly exclaimed, ‘I am going to be with Jesus ! — glory ! glory ! glory 1’ — and so yielded up the ghost.

- The Society at North Scarle is the next in point of time. Indeed the origin of this Society, as well as that of the preceding, is lost in obscurity and neglect. It existed, however, in 1759. A Society ticket of that date, now lying before me, and which belonged to William Storr, one of the early members at Scarle, is sufficient evidence of the fact. Mr. Storr was a good man, and an ornament to his religious profession, till, advanced far into life, and ripe for glory, he finished his mortal career in peace, and entered into rest. A person af the name of Arden, who had heard Mr. Wesley in Moor-fields, and gotten good, is supposed to have brought Methodism into this place.

Mr. Wesley visited this Society, and preached at Scarle, in 1759, when multitudes flocked to hear

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[PART him from the neighbouring places. But he complains, that though he spoke on the first principles of religion, and as plainly as he could, they understood as little as though he had spoken Greek. — See Wesley’s Journal, vol. iii. p. 401.

The existence of a Christian Society, however small, and of the preaching of the Gospel, in the midst of a dark neighbourhood, is an interesting object. Our Lord compares it to a ‘ city on a hill,’ which is seen from far; and, accordingly, Scarle was now visited by persons from Navenby, on the one hand, and, apparently, as far off as Newark, on the other: For it appears that Mr. Thomas Lee, when travelling in Lincolnshire a second time in 1761, was invited to visit Newark, and actually went from North Scarle, in company with Mr. and Mrs. Pool, who took in the preachers at Scarle, to preach in that town. On that occasion Mr. Lee was shamefully handled at Newark, and escaped but with his life. But, to give the circumstances of the case', comes not within the limits of my present design.

The Societies of Bestliorpe and Girton may be linked together. The villages are so contiguous, that it is not likely they would be separate in those early days. Their first formation seems forgotten or lost. And all I can certainly find out respecting them at that period, is this, that they had much to endure from the ungodly and profane, and were cradled in the storm. Beyond this 1 can only add, that, as it is likely, the distance not being great, that the members from these places would be at Newton on the 13th of July, 1770, when Mr. Wesley visited that village, it is probable they were included in his commendation of the people then at that place: ‘A people,’ says he, ‘more

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■ I loving, more artless, or more athirst for God, I i have seldom seen.’

It is hoped that this miniature of those former Societies, will lead the present Societies, as often as they look upon it, to imitate, and if possible, to excel them, in all these lovely qualities and dispositions of mind.

CHAPTER III. Societies at Scothorn and Nettleham. — Brief notices

of Messrs W. Mawer, sen. , Joseph Frith, and W, Flint ham* Locql Prmfars*

On the other side of Lincoln, Seothorn, and Nettleham, were visited by Methodism, before it obtained any place in the City itself.

Mary Daubney, a widow, with several children, and in humble circumstances, was the means, about the year 1779, of Scothorn being visited, by inviting the preachers to preach in her house. She had been led to hear the word, and, credible report says, at Lincoln, where Methodism is said to have made unavailing efforts about that time. She had got some good to her soul, and was anxious for more, and longed that her neighbours should be partakers of the same glorious grace ; so that when the ministers of the Lord Jesus visited that village in their regular rounds, she would go from house to house, amidst buffeting and scorn, inviting them to hear the messengers of God. Nor

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[PART were her pious labours in vain in the Lord. A Society was formed in her house, which, though small and feeble, continues to this day; and the first local preacher whom God raised up within the limits of what now forms the Lincoln Circuit, was raised in this place. This was Mr. Thomas Watson, long since deceased, and of whom I shall make mention again in a subsequent place.

Having resided a few years in Scothorn, Mary Daubney removed to Nettleham, about three miles from Lincoln, and introduced Methodism into that village also. Afterwards she removed to Scothorn again, where she ended her days in peace, in the year 1827, and in the 95th year of her age.

For more than half a century Mary Daubney was a member of the Methodist Society in the two villages above named; and her long aud steady nitaohiiieut to the causa of religion, and her inviting the preachers to preach there, fully entitle her to a place in this work.

The above are the only places now in the Lincoln Circuit where Methodism had obtained and permanent footing up to the year 1780, or a little after that time : Which will appear somewhat surprising when we consider, that, at that time, it had been in the County nearly forty years. But the ablest ministers of die Gospel have not the power to command success, and convert sinners to God, where, and when thev will. There were Societies, however, at Broxholme and Sturton, two villages now in the Gainsborough Circuit ; and three local preachers had been raised up there, who visited the places we have been mentioning, and travelled, and laboured incessantly, to diffuse through the neghbourhood, where ever they found an open door, the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

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As these men were among the first to call sinners to repentance in this neighbourhood, at a time when sin abounded, and a deep sleep sat brooding on the Country at large, their names are entitled to a respectful situation in this Narrative, and shall, therefore, be recorded in this place. Mr. William Mawer, of Broxholme, father of the late Mr. Mawer, of Lincoln, of whom I shall have to speak hereafter, was one ; Mr. Joseph Frith, of the same village, was another ; and Mr. William Flintham, of Sturton, was the third.

It is not pretended that these worthy and zealous individuals were men of literary talent or acquirements. But then they did not pretend to teach literature to their hearers. They pretended not to teach any thing but the Gospel. And it has never yet been proved that the Gospel may not be understood and taught independent of what is generally styled literature, as well as astronomy, anatomy, or any other art or science whatsoever, or as well as one of these arts or sciences may be known and taught without any particular acquaintance with the rest. However pleasing and agreeable an acquaintance with general literature may make a minister of Christ to some of his hearers, or however useful in many respects it may be to him, yet it is not the Gospel, nor any part of the Gospel, nor any necessary appendage of the Gospel, and should therefore have a distinct and inferior place assigned to it in the Christian’s mind, suitable to what it is in itself. Neither is a man to be esteemed ignorant, as a minister of Christ, if he be thoroughly acquainted with those great facts and doctrines and promises, which constitute the Gospel of the Blessed God. As to teaching the Gospel to others. Bishop Burnet is of opinion, (see Pas-

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toral Care), that ‘ A man of a good soul, may, with a moderate share of knowledge, do great service in the church, especially if he be suited with an employment that is not above his talent.’ This was precisely the condition of the men of whom I am now speaking. That they were men of sound sense, good natural abilities, and sterling piety, who understood the gospel, and were able to edify their hearers by their discourses, I have no doubt, from the testimony of persons still living, who were in the habit of hearing them, and who venerate the remembrance of their names. I shall make no apology for inserting the following lines, taken from a larger piece composed by one of them, (Mr. Mawer,) and preserved among the papers of one of his friends. If they possess not that loftiness of style, and the elegance, which usually adorn the nobler productions of poetry, they have the richer merit of discovering a mind in communion with the Deity, and longing to see him in his temple above.

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‘ Come into my heart. And never depart.

Ah, leave me no more !

Thou know’st that I love thee ; Thy name I adore !

1 hope to remove To the mansions above.

On thy beauty to gaze.

And fall prostrate before thee In wonder and praise. How amaz’d shall I be When my Jesus I see In glory appear !

What a wonder of wonders If I should be there V

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Chapter I

Mr. Wesley preaches at Lincoln. — Country places noticed. — Methodist preaching established at Lincoln.— Re flections.

The first time that Mr. Wesley preached in Lincoln was on the 30th of June, 1780, after he had been fifty years without ever setting his foot in the place, as he informs us himself.

He came over to Lincoln from Newark, at the request of some gentleman of the former place, whose name I do not know. The City Cryer having been employed to announce his intention of preaching on the Castle Hill, a large crowd assembled at six in the evening, to whom, under the canopy of heaven, he preached the word of life. The day after, at ten in the morning, they were as quiet as on the preceding evening, while, on the same spot of ground, he addressed them again. On this occasion the following circumstance took place, which, though of no great importance in itself, may properly be related, as tending to illustrate the character and perseverance of the servant of God.

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About the middle of his sermon, a violent storm came on ; when Mr. Wood, the keeper, opening the door of the court-house, admitted the preacher and the whole congregation in ; and Mr. Wesley, taking his stand where the magistrates usually sat to administer justice, proceeded in preaching the gospel of God.

What effect these discourses produced, is uncertain. They would doubtless be a subject of conversation in the City ; but they led to no immediate establishment of preaching in it, no one incling to patronise the cause.

The year after Mr. Wesley visited Lincoln again, and preached on the Castle Hill, as before ; and, on some other occasions, he visited this City, and was treated, by the populous at large, with decorum and respect. But though his congregations were large and attentive, no Society was formed ; nor did any permanent good appear to be done.

While Methodism was making these fruitless attempts in the City, the Country places were gradually improving. Meetings for prayer, and occasionally preaching, had been held in Spalford for four or five years, in the house of Thomas Torr. And at Ingham Mill, about the Spring of 1780, preaching, both by the local and travelling preachers, was numerously attended, and productive of God. Lancelot Harrison was then travelling on the Circuit. Also the local preachers preached at Fillingham ; but Sir Cicil Wray, who resided at Fillingham Castle, would not suffer the travelling preachers to preach at Fillingham; which is the more singular, as he did not interfere with them at Ingham Mill, though he had the same authority there as at Fillingham itself.

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Since Mr. Wesley first preached at Lincoln, about seven years had now elapsed, and yet there was not a single Methodist in the place. It has been said, that in the natural world the thickest darkness is observed immediately to precede the dawn of day. Whether this be uniformly the case in the moral world, I will not pretend to say. But that there was gross darkness in Lincoln, at that period, is beyoud a doubt. Bull-baiting was one of the annual amusements of the populous ; and the more respectable inhabitants of the City, either encouraged these brutal pastimes, or saw them with supineness and neglect. But an event was now upon the eve of taking place, which is exerting a moral influence npon a censiderable portion of the inhabitants of Lincoln to the present day, I mean the establishment of the Wesleyan ministry in this City ; the principal circumstances of which I shall proceed to relate.

Sarah Parrot, a poor woman, residing at Bracebridge, two miles from Lincoln, being a member of our Society, was in the habit of going to Sturton, six or seven miles from Bracebridge, to meet in class. Besides the weekly fatigue of this journey, she suffered other hardships for the sake of her religion. Nevertheless, her attachment to Methodism was such, that the only effect which these sufferings produced, was that of leading her often to pray, that Methodism might be established in the City of Lincoln, and that sinners might there be converted to God. One da^, when in company with her friends at Sturton, she was lamenting, as usual, the state of the City, as to morals and religion, and expressing the wishes of her heart ; when one of the party observed as follows : ‘ There is a pious Lady at Gunnerby, who has done much for Metho*

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* oism at that place ; if she would come and reside at Lincoln, and take in the preachers, so that there could be regular preaching there, it is probable, notwithstanding the failure of former attempts, that some good might be done.’

The mmd of Sarah Parrot was honest and simple ; free from disguise, and ready to undertake anything promising, in the most distant manner, to bring Methodism to this place ; and, under the influence of this Christian feeling, she took it into her head to visit Gunnerby on foot, (having no other means of conveyance,) and actually went thither in this way, (a distance of twenty seven miles,) to invite Mrs. Fisher, (for that was the Lady’s name,) to come and reside at Lincoln for the purpose alluded to above.

These two persons had not the least personal acquaintance with each other at that time. But when Sarah Parrot had found out Mrs. Fisher, the former was treated by the latter with kindness ; but it was not likely she should instantly make up her mind to comply with the request. Sarah Parrot came home disappointed. But, on telling the circumstances of her journey to her friends at Sturtqn, and to the preacher who came there at that time, it is said that he wrote to Mrs. Fisher on the subject ; after which the case of her coming to Lincoln was decided in the following way. She was with a few Christian friends in her own house, who had met together for social prayer. When opening her Hymn Book on these wjords, * God moves in a mysterious way. His wonders to perform,’ they were applied to her mind with peculiar and unusual energy, and with such apparent reference to the object of Sarah Parrot’s visit, that, taken in connexion w ith all the circumstances of the case, she

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concluded it to be a call from God. She, therefore, hired a chaise, without hesitation, and came over at once to Lincoln, for the express pnrpose of hiring' a house, and of making such other arrangements as might he needful to accomplish the object she now had in view. She soon found Sarah

Parrot, hut had more difficulty in procuring a suitable house. But, having done this, she returned to Gunnerhy, settled her affairs, and, coming immediately to Lincoln, invited the travelling preachers to take Lincoln regularly in their round.

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As the reader will perceive that Mrs. Fisher was considerably influenced in this affair by an impression made upon her mind, we may drop a word on that matter as we proceed.

That some inward impressions are from Satan, and ought to be despised and rejected, is as true as that others are from God, and ought to be’ respected and pursued: But no inward impression, which would lead us to do any thing at variance with the written word of God, is from God. This is a principle and rule of judgment with respect to impressions which should be deeply impressed on the mind. We shall then be prepared to admit that particular cases may, and, in fact, do frequently come before us while passing through life, respecting which some inward impression is the only thing which can assure us that it is our own duty to act, and to do this or that. The thing in question at the time, is a thing which may be done, because it is right in itself ; and it is a thing which ought to be done by some one, because it is necessary : So that the only question with me is, whether it be my duty to do it, and the word of Goh, which does not make mention of my name, nor of that particular circum-