The Emergence of American Methodism

Wigger, John H

doi:10.1093/oso/9780195104523.003.0001

Chapter

1 The Emergence of American Methodism

Get access

https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780195104523.003.0001

Pages

3–20

Published:

February 1998

Abstract

Between 1770 and 1820 American Methodists achieved a virtual miracle of growth, rising from fewer than 1 ,ooo members to more than 250,000. In 1775 fewer than one out of every 800 Americans was a Methodist; by 1812 Methodists numbered one out of every 36 Americans. By 1830 membership stood at nearly half a million. While other denominations expanded in absolute numbers, the Methodists gained an ever larger share of the religious market. In 1775 Methodists constituted only 2 percent of the total church membership in America. By 1850 their share had increased to more than 34 percent. This growth stunned the older denominations. At mid-century, American Methodism was nearly half again as large as any other Protestant body, and almost ten times the size of the Congregationalists, America’s largest denomination in 1776 These figures are even more impressive when one considers the movement’s wider influence. In the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, member ship requirements were relatively strict, and discipline, for the most part, was firmly adhered to. Methodists carefully watched over one anothers public and private lives, and all members were required to attend a weekly small-group gathering, called a class meeting. Here their spiritual lives and temporal dealings were open to examination by the class leader, and they might also be asked to pray in public. This, no doubt, was a threatening proposition for many.

You do not currently have access to this chapter.

Sign in with email/username & password
Get email alerts
Save searches
Purchase content
Activate your purchase/trial code
Add your ORCID iD

Get help with access

Institutional access

Access to content on Oxford Academic is often provided through institutional subscriptions and purchases. If you are a member of an institution with an active account, you may be able to access content in one of the following ways:

IP based access

Typically, access is provided across an institutional network to a range of IP addresses. This authentication occurs automatically, and it is not possible to sign out of an IP authenticated account.

Sign in through your institution

Choose this option to get remote access when outside your institution. Shibboleth/Open Athens technology is used to provide single sign-on between your institutionâ€™s website and Oxford Academic.

Click Sign in through your institution.
Select your institution from the list provided, which will take you to your institution's website to sign in.
When on the institution site, please use the credentials provided by your institution. Do not use an Oxford Academic personal account.
Following successful sign in, you will be returned to Oxford Academic.

If your institution is not listed or you cannot sign in to your institutionâ€™s website, please contact your librarian or administrator.

Sign in with a library card

Enter your library card number to sign in. If you cannot sign in, please contact your librarian.

Society Members

Society member access to a journal is achieved in one of the following ways:

Sign in through society site

Many societies offer single sign-on between the society website and Oxford Academic. If you see â€˜Sign in through society siteâ€™ in the sign in pane within a journal:

Click Sign in through society site.
When on the society site, please use the credentials provided by that society. Do not use an Oxford Academic personal account.
Following successful sign in, you will be returned to Oxford Academic.

If you do not have a society account or have forgotten your username or password, please contact your society.

Sign in using a personal account

Some societies use Oxford Academic personal accounts to provide access to their members. See below.

Personal account

A personal account can be used to get email alerts, save searches, purchase content, and activate subscriptions.

Some societies use Oxford Academic personal accounts to provide access to their members.

Viewing your signed in accounts

Click the account icon in the top right to:

View your signed in personal account and access account management features.
View the institutional accounts that are providing access.

Signed in but can't access content

Oxford Academic is home to a wide variety of products. The institutional subscription may not cover the content that you are trying to access. If you believe you should have access to that content, please contact your librarian.

Institutional account management

For librarians and administrators, your personal account also provides access to institutional account management. Here you will find options to view and activate subscriptions, manage institutional settings and access options, access usage statistics, and more.

Metrics

Total Views 3

2 Pageviews

1 PDF Downloads

Since 9/1/2024

Month:	Total Views:
September 2024	2
October 2024	1

Contents

1 The Emergence of American Methodism

Abstract

Email alerts

Contents

1 The Emergence of American Methodism

Abstract

Sign in

Personal account

Institutional access

Institutional account management

Get help with access

Institutional access

IP based access

Sign in through your institution

Sign in with a library card

Society Members

Sign in through society site

Sign in using a personal account

Personal account

Viewing your signed in accounts

Signed in but can't access content

Institutional account management

Purchase

Email alerts

This Feature Is Available To Subscribers Only