The Free Methodist Church is celebrating it’s 150th birthday this year. Here are some landmark dates from 1858-1861.
1858
February 3– John Wesley Redfield begins significant revival at Marengo, Illinois, leading eventually to the formation of a Free Methodist congregation. E.P. Hart deeply affected by the revival.
October 21– At age 35, Roberts is expelled from the Genesee Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church by a vote of 54 to 33 after a lengthy trial (his second) at Perry, New York, following a decade of fruitful pastoral ministry. He and Ellen begin a period of independent ministry.
December 1-2 - First Laymen’s Convention, Kingsland Hall, Albion, New York, about 200 attending. Convention agrees to provide some financial support for Methodist clergy who supported Roberts and Joseph McCreery and withhold financial support from Methodist Clergy who supported Roberts’ conviction.
1859
March 25 –Following up on John Wesley Redfield’s work, Roberts organizes a Free Methodist church in St. Louis, Missouri. Roberts later writes in the FM Discipline, “The first Free Methodist Church organized was in St. Louis, a slaveholding city, and at a time when slave-holders were freely admitted to the church generally. Yet they made nonslaveholding a test of membership.”
June 25- A Laymen’s Convention is held during the Bergen Camp Meeting, North Bergen, New York.
October 12-Genesee Conference (Methodist Episcopal) expels Loren Stiles and other preachers sympathetic with Roberts.
October 13-15– Congregational Free Methodist Church organized in Albion with Loren Stiles as pastor; soon has over 300 members.
November 1-2 - Second Annual Laymen’s Convention, Baptist Church Sanctuary, Albion, New York.
November - Roberts organizes first free Methodist church in Buffalo, later called Thirteenth St. Free Methodist Church.
1860
January - First monthly issue The Earnest Christian published by Roberts (Buffalo, New York).
February 1-2 - Third Annual Laymen’s Convention, Olean, New York. Calls on upcoming Methodist General Conference to redress Genesee Conference expulsions and ban slaveholding.
April - Roberts buys and renovates 800-seat Pearl Street Theater, downtown Buffalo; soon begins services; he and Ellen sell home to finance purchase.
May 1 - Methodist Episcopal General Conference convenes in Buffalo; fails to overturn expulsions of Roberts and others.
May 19 - New FM Church building at Albion dedicated.
June 23 - Laymen’s Convention held during the Bergen Camp Meeting advises organizing “Free Methodist Societies.”
July 2 - Laymen’s Convention at St. Charles, Illinois, organizes Free Methodist denomination in Illinois and St. Louis, Missouri; elects B.T. Roberts general superintendent.
August 23 - Free Methodist Church (denomination) founded, Chesbrough Farm, Pekin, New York. Adopts Discipline; elects B.T. Roberts general superintendent.
October - Second Free Methodist Church of Buffalo organized at Pearl St. Theater.
November 6 - John Wesley Redfield suffers debilitating stroke (Abraham Lincoln elected U.S. President the same day.)
November 8 - Genesee Conference is organized at Rushford with two districts.
1861
April 12 - Beginning of U.S. Civil War.
November - Roberts’ Earnest Christian editorial “Our Country,“ comments on Civil War.
The Free Methodist Church is celebrating it’s 150th birthday this year. Here are some landmark dates from 1858-1861.
1858
February 3– John Wesley Redfield begins significant revival at Marengo, Illinois, leading eventually to the formation of a Free Methodist congregation. E.P. Hart deeply affected by the revival.
October 21– At age 35, Roberts is expelled from the Genesee Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church by a vote of 54 to 33 after a lengthy trial (his second) at Perry, New York, following a decade of fruitful pastoral ministry. He and Ellen begin a period of independent ministry.
December 1-2 - First Laymen’s Convention, Kingsland Hall, Albion, New York, about 200 attending. Convention agrees to provide some financial support for Methodist clergy who supported Roberts and Joseph McCreery and withhold financial support from Methodist Clergy who supported Roberts’ conviction.
1859
March 25 –Following up on John Wesley Redfield’s work, Roberts organizes a Free Methodist church in St. Louis, Missouri. Roberts later writes in the FM Discipline, “The first Free Methodist Church organized was in St. Louis, a slaveholding city, and at a time when slave-holders were freely admitted to the church generally. Yet they made nonslaveholding a test of membership.”
June 25- A Laymen’s Convention is held during the Bergen Camp Meeting, North Bergen, New York.
October 12-Genesee Conference (Methodist Episcopal) expels Loren Stiles and other preachers sympathetic with Roberts.
October 13-15– Congregational Free Methodist Church organized in Albion with Loren Stiles as pastor; soon has over 300 members.
November 1-2 - Second Annual Laymen’s Convention, Baptist Church Sanctuary, Albion, New York.
November - Roberts organizes first free Methodist church in Buffalo, later called Thirteenth St. Free Methodist Church.
1860
January - First monthly issue The Earnest Christian published by Roberts (Buffalo, New York).
February 1-2 - Third Annual Laymen’s Convention, Olean, New York. Calls on upcoming Methodist General Conference to redress Genesee Conference expulsions and ban slaveholding.
April - Roberts buys and renovates 800-seat Pearl Street Theater, downtown Buffalo; soon begins services; he and Ellen sell home to finance purchase.
May 1 - Methodist Episcopal General Conference convenes in Buffalo; fails to overturn expulsions of Roberts and others.
May 19 - New FM Church building at Albion dedicated.
June 23 - Laymen’s Convention held during the Bergen Camp Meeting advises organizing “Free Methodist Societies.”
July 2 - Laymen’s Convention at St. Charles, Illinois, organizes Free Methodist denomination in Illinois and St. Louis, Missouri; elects B.T. Roberts general superintendent.
August 23 - Free Methodist Church (denomination) founded, Chesbrough Farm, Pekin, New York. Adopts Discipline; elects B.T. Roberts general superintendent.
October - Second Free Methodist Church of Buffalo organized at Pearl St. Theater.
November 6 - John Wesley Redfield suffers debilitating stroke (Abraham Lincoln elected U.S. President the same day.)
November 8 - Genesee Conference is organized at Rushford with two districts.
1861
April 12 - Beginning of U.S. Civil War.
November - Roberts’ Earnest Christian editorial “Our Country,“ comments on Civil War.