Our Heritage

Benjamin Titus Roberts and the “Free Methodists” (1860)

Nearly a century after the Methodist revival took hold in England, and over 70 years after the movement was organized officially as the “Methodist Episcopal Church”, John Wesley’s message of salvation and his method of field preaching and small cell discipleship had given way to a “more civilized” and somewhat impotent institution. The causes of this downfall are attributed to five things:

• A neglect of the Biblical message of salvation and cleansing of heart and life by faith
• The death of lay-led small cell discipleship and the return to a”spectator” faith where the Christian life was completely contained within the church pew.
• A money-making system of church pew rental to families of influence that put the church (and the gospel) beyond the reach the poor.
• A refusal among the church to formally condemn slavery
• An increasing web of church politics that were under the control of powerful clergy who were also members of the Masonic Lodge and other secret orders.

Not all of the leadership in the western New York area of The Methodist Conference were content with the way things were. The Genessee Conference of the Methodist Church had among its members a young, devout, and articulate minister in Benjamin Titus Roberts. His publication of an article in 1857, entitled, “New School Methodism” sharply criticized most of the developments mentioned above. Roberts’ name quickly became wrongly associated with fanaticism and discontent. For the next four years he would fight an increasing number of accusations and trumped up charges from the conference. His courageous attempts to reform his own Methodist Episcopal Church failed. In 1861 he, along with several others, were finally expelled without a license to preach. A number of sympathizers joined them. They had no recourse but to organize themselves as a separate body.

Wishing to continue in the spirit of authentic Methodism, the reformers issued a call for a convention in Pekin, NY to meet at the close of a campmeeting there in August.

Wishing to continue in the spirit of authentic Methodism, the reformers issued a call for a convention in Pekin, NY to meet at the close of a campmeeting there in August. The ad was given through a new publication edited by Roberts, The Earnest Christian. On August 23rd, 15 preachers and 45 laymen organized as a church and took a name for themselves that was already in use by a like-minded group from St. Louis, Missouri.

They became a new order called “Free” Methodist based on the following principles:

Follow the doctrine of primitive Methodism, such as the witness of the Holy Spirit, entire sanctification as a state of grace distinct from justification, attainable instantaneously by faith. Free seats, no slaveholding, no connection with secret and oath-bound societies, congregational singing, without instrumental music in all cases; plainness of dress. An equal representation of ministers and members in all the councils of the church.

The Free Methodist Story (1871-2005)