British Online Archives

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This collection contains copies of the Methodist Recorder published during the period 1861-1919. Founded in 1861 with the mission 'to tell truth and love', the Methodist Recorder was edited and published by six Wesleyan ministers in London. While the six ministers responsible for creating the Recorder formed an ‘editorial council’, editorial control initially rested largely with Reverend William Morley Punshon, an influential minister in a prominent London circuit. The ministers were followers of John Wesley (1703-1791), an English cleric who led a revival movement within the Church of England known as Methodism.

Created as an independent weekly newspaper that scrutinised current affairs within the Methodist community, the Recorder was widely successful and has been published continuously for more than 150 years. The Recorder emerged as a more liberal rival to the first Methodist newspaper, The Watchman, which it later incorporated. Subjects covered were wide-ranging, from current events to the promotion of worthy charities and literary recommendations.

Although never an actual Methodist publication, the 'Recorder' became in many ways considered to be the denomination’s official mouthpiece, both by its readers and the church, but also to some extent its staff—who at times needed to assert their independence.

Dr. Peter Forsaith, Oxford Brookes University

Key Documents

Document

No.I, Vol.I of The Methodist Recorder, 1861

Document

Wesley Centenary Number, 1891

Document

Winter Supplement, 1900

Document

The Methodist Recorder during the Great War

The Methodist Recorder, 1861-1919: Collection Guide

Editorial Board

Dr. Peter Forsaith Research Fellow of the Oxford Centre for Methodism and Church History https://www.brookes.ac.uk/templates/pages/staff.aspx?uid=p0073114 Dr. Peter Forsaith is Research Fellow of the Oxford Centre for Methodism and Church History, Oxford Brookes University, which holds a series of Methodist-related collections. He is a historian of society, religion, and culture in eighteenth- and early nineteenth-century Britain and has lectured in Britain and the U.S.A.. He is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society.

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Insights

Support for the poor, sick, and infirm is one of the vital pillars of Methodist teaching. Throughout this collection, large illustrated pages encourage readers to give to charitable causes, including hospitals, orphanages, soup kitchens, and schools.

The 19th century saw a significant expansion of the printed word. Technological developments and higher literacy rates contributed to the growth of Methodism through print culture.

Methodism encouraged total abstinence from alcohol. Strong support for the temperance movement is evident throughout this collection, not only through lectures and sermons, but also advertisements for non-alcoholic wine, Bovril, and Cadburys cocoa.

'The Methodist Recorder' was a Wesleyan publication. Also prominent in England at the time were the Primitive Methodists, who were characterised by their plain chapels and a poorer social base compared to their more middle-class Wesleyan counterparts.

The document for the year 1891 features the illustrated Wesleyan Centenary Number, commemorating a hundred years since the death of John Wesley. This issue examines Wesley’s life and achievements.

'The Methodist Recorder' is still in print today.