1. The Methodist Class Meeting - It’s Past

Transcription of article in the Primitive Methodist Magazine by R. Newman Wycherley

THE origin of the Class Meeting was providential. This historic institution of Methodism appeared at the nick of time and furnished the organisation which the Revival Movement urgently required. Wesley did not devise the Class Meeting. It was not the creation of his imaginative mind. He merely waited upon events and followed the lead of their unfolding, until he found himself in possession of the very thing he had long desired. He as firmly believed that the Class Meeting was of God as that Methodism generally sprang out of the wonderful workings of the Holy Ghost. He frankly admitted this in his “Plain Account of the People called Methodists.”

From the first Wesley ardently supported the Class Meeting. He hailed its establishment with unbounded delight, for his keen eye saw it was perfectly adapted to the needs of the moment and also capable of rendering immense service to the wider usefulness of Methodism. He formed classes at the various places where he preached and made them the centre of the best life and work of the societies. He also insisted upon the regular attendance of all the members at this means of grace and refused to acknowledge those who wilfully neglected it.

Wesley’s successors emulated his example in this respect. No suggestion to ignore the Class Meeting was ever raised by them. They accepted it as an essential part of Methodism. They believed its ministry in the development of the work was unique and that on no account could it be allowed to fall into disuse. They carefully watched the interests of the institution and re-emphasised the instructions to leaders which Wesley originally drafted. Wherever Methodism.extended. its borders and prosecuted its evangelism, the Class Meeting soon appeared. The first result of successful Evangelism was the establishment of a vigorous Class Meeting. And in many cases, it became the outpost whence other excursions were planned and successfully carried through. Whether in England or America, in Ireland or the Antipodes, whether among the circuits of the parent body or those of the numerous offspring, Methodism and the Class Meeting were one.

And in spite of appearances, it is the differentiating mark of world-wide Methodism to-day. No other church has adopted this form of Christian fellowship. The Class Meeting is the monopoly of Methodism. And every society of this Church possesses its quota, in name at least.

The value of the Class Meeting to Methodism is evident. He who runs may read. Throughout all the years of its existence it has faithfully served the best interests of this church. It is the place where the most potential forces for life and work have gathered and then issued into channels of greatest usefulness. Here converts have received valuable instruction and become strengthened in the faith; here the divine life in the soul has been carefully cultured; here that spirit of Methodist brotherhood, which is at once the admiration and envy of other Christian communities, has grown to surprising proportions; here the ranks of vicarious toilers have found their most reliable recruits; and here finally, those principles of finance have been matured, which have enabled a church whose membership includes many of the poor, to meet the financial responsibilities of a vast and intricate system and to venture upon daring schemes of evangelistic enterprise. 

There is no other institution of Methodism that has such a splendid record. The band-meeting, the love-feast, and even the society can each point to good work done, but the laurel belongs easily to the class meeting. It is scarcely too much to say it has, by the grace of God, made Methodism.

References

Primitive Methodist Magazine 1909/153