letter

From 19 Rutland Street, Hampstead Road, [London] to [Jabez] Bunting at 30 Myddleton Square,Pentonville, [London]. Bunting is respectfully requested to meet a few of the brethren on Mondaymorning the 16th at ten, in the Board Room at City Road. The purpose of the meeting ‘is toconsult and advise on the embarassed pecuniary circumstances of Jon Williams’.

There appears to be a difference of opinion among the ministers in the Midland and Northerndistricts as to the importance of the decision of the last Conference with regard to inviting andemploying James Caughey . Dr [Robert] Newton who was here a few days ago, complained heavily of theannoyance and abuse which he is receiving almost daily from Caughey’s party. Newton andAtherton agree that a circular should be sent to the superintendents on the subject, to which he[Newton] gives authority to append his name. Atherton wishes that Bunting would propose something inhis own ‘clear, guarded manner’ for that purpose. If there is time, perhaps they candiscuss the matter on Monday morning.

Note

• James Caughey (c.1810-91) was born in Northern Ireland. Little isknown of his early life before he emigrated with his parents to the United States. In 1830, he wasworking in a flour mill in New York state and was converted there during a revival. Caughey enteredthe American Methodist ministry and worked within the Troy Conference in New York state and NewEngland. His reputation as a revivalist spread and he received invitations to preach as far afieldas Canada. In 1841 Caughey travelled to England and within a few years had established a reputationas the ‘King of the Revivalist Preachers’ in the industrial areas of the Midlands andthe North. His success sprang from forceful preaching and a commanding pulipt presence. Caughey wasnot a theologian but rather specialised in presenting the gospel in a simple but effective fashion.Caughey fell foul of the Wesleyan heirarchy led by Jabez Bunting and his supporters. By the timethat he returned to North America in 1847, he had left a trail of controversy behind him. Boosted bythe sale of publications concerning his ministry, Caughey was very much in demand in churches acrossNorth America. He returned to England in 1857 for a stay of two years and again in 1862. His healthbegan to give way and Caughey retired to New Jersey after a final visit to England in the mid-1860s.Source: Dictionary of Evangelical Biography,1739-1860 edited by Donald Lewis (1995)

Note

• James Caughey (c.1810-91) was born in Northern Ireland. Little isknown of his early life before he emigrated with his parents to the United States. In 1830, he wasworking in a flour mill in New York state and was converted there during a revival. Caughey enteredthe American Methodist ministry and worked within the Troy Conference in New York state and NewEngland. His reputation as a revivalist spread and he received invitations to preach as far afieldas Canada. In 1841 Caughey travelled to England and within a few years had established a reputationas the ‘King of the Revivalist Preachers’ in the industrial areas of the Midlands andthe North. His success sprang from forceful preaching and a commanding pulipt presence. Caughey wasnot a theologian but rather specialised in presenting the gospel in a simple but effective fashion.Caughey fell foul of the Wesleyan heirarchy led by Jabez Bunting and his supporters. By the timethat he returned to North America in 1847, he had left a trail of controversy behind him. Boosted bythe sale of publications concerning his ministry, Caughey was very much in demand in churches acrossNorth America. He returned to England in 1857 for a stay of two years and again in 1862. His healthbegan to give way and Caughey retired to New Jersey after a final visit to England in the mid-1860s.Source: Dictionary of Evangelical Biography,1739-1860 edited by Donald Lewis (1995)