Eighteenth-Cenhuy Newfoundland Methodism as a Revitalkation Movement. by Muy Angela Robinson A thesis submitted to the School of Graduate Studies in p d a i f aIfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts Department of Religious Shidies Mernorial University of Newfoundland December 1996 St. John's Newfoundland National Libtary 8WitMque nationale du Canada Acquisitions and Acquisitions et Bibliogiaphic Services services bibliographiques The author has granted a non- L'auteur a accordé une licence non exclusive licence allowing the exclusive permettant a la National Library of Canada to Bibliothèque nationale du Canada de reproduce, loan, distribute or selI reproduire, prêter, disûi'buer ou copies of this thesis in microform, vendre des copies de cette thèse sous paper or electronic formats. la forme de microfiche/nIm, de reproduction sur papier ou sur format électronique. The author retains ownership of the L'auteur consewe la propriété du copyright in this thesis. Neither the droit d'auteur qui protège cette thèse. thesis nor substantial extracts fkom it Ni la thèse ni des extraits substantieis may be printed or otherwise de celle-ci ne doivent être imprimés reproduced without the author's ou autrement reproduits sans son permission. autorisation. A bs trac t Because of the prevailing political and economic conditions, the interna1 problems inherited r€om Laurence Coughlan's ministry (1766-1773), and the inabilihr of Methodist leaders to tend to the Conception Bay societies properly, the development of early Newfoundland Methodism proved to be rife with complications. Coughlan's departure kom Newfoundland in 1773 ieft his Col lowers under the care of his lay preachers, whose attempts to keep the societies intact were effective in the short term, but a steady decline in the membership was evidenced over time. The fint oficial mission to New foundland (1785-1791), conducted by John McGeary, had its pro blems as well. McGeary's mission met with resistance from the Anglican church, and was further disadvantaged by personal and professional problems incurred by McGearv himself. As a result the progress of Methodism in Conception Bay in the late eighteenth-centuy was a formidable chalienge for those who attempted to maintain and ovenee it Anthony F. C. Wallace's Revitalkation theory offers a useful methodology that enables one to shidv this period and how early Newfoundland Methodism was prone to decline and almost certain collapse. Wallace's mode1 outlines a series of phases (processird striichrre) which determine how religious rnovements are initiated, developed and stabilized. According to ii Wallace, religious reform must corn plete the prima- stages of mazeway reformulation, communication, organization and adaptation before success can be realized. The foIIowing study applies Wallace's theory to the events and circumstances of early Newfoundland Methodism, and in doing so identifies several recurrent problems within the movement which help to explain the volatile nature of its early development iii The writing of this thesis from its inception to the fùushed product could no t have been completed without the support and encouragement offered by the following people. First I would like to thank the School of Graduate Studies and the Department of Religious Studies for theu generous financial support during the period of my graduate program. The staffs of the Centre for Newfoundland Stud ies and the Provincial Archives gave invaluab le and willing assis tance, for which I am grateful. I would also like to thank Dr. Dermot Kelly for reading the drafts of this thesis; Rubin Vineberg for the use of his cornputer; Kevin Keough for his endless patience and support; Ms. Mary Walsh for her kind and helpful assistance; Dr. Michael Shute for his Mendship and encouragement; Dr. Te- Murphy for his thoughthilness and advice. Thanks also to my family, especially my rnother, who has supported me in countless ways during my studies. Finally, but most im portintly, 1 offer a sincere thank-pu to my supervisor, mentor, and friend, Dr. Hans Rollmann, w ho offered direction, instilled confidence and encouraged me at al1 tirnes. TABLE OF CONTENTS - Chapter 1 The Eighteenth-Centary Background 1.1 tntrodtaction ................................................................................................... 1 1.2 "More than a fishery, less than a colony" .................................................. 2 1.3 The Late Eighteenth Centnry ....................................................................... 9 1.4 Social Progress in the Midst of Adversity ................................................. 11 ......................................................................................................... 1.5 snmmary 15 - Chapter 2 Methodism as a Revitalization h e s s 2.1 ..................................................................................................... Lntroduction 16 2.2 The Hope for Change ..................................................................................... 17 23 The Introduction of Methodism to Conception Bay .................................. 20 . Chapter 3 Coughlan's Newfotmdland Ministry 3.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................... 34 3.2 Coughlan's Early Period: "The rage of Arctos and etenid frost!" .............. 36 3.3 The Success of Coughlan's Mission: "the Atm of the Lord revealed" ...... QO 3.4 The Contribution of Methodism to Personal and Social Renewal ......a...4. 2 .......................e................................. 3.5 Methodisrn as a RevitaLizatioa Pnwress 45 ............................................................................................................ 3.6 Summary 56 Chapter 4 .C oughlan's Legacy 4.1 IntrodUcfion ....................................................................................................... 58 4.2 The Roblems with Leadership ....................................................................... 61 4.3 The Roblems with Organization ~.........m....m.............................................6..4.. .e 4.4 Methodism Under the Lay Preachers: 1773-1785 .......................................... 70 ................................................................................ 4.5 John McGeq's Ministry 78 ............................................................................................................ 4.6 Summary 83 . Chapter 5 William Black's Wevival" of 179î ...............................e.......................................a............................. 5.1 Introduction 85 ................................................................................................... 5.3 WLUiam Black 86 5.3 Blackrs Revivd: "A quickening tirne" .8 9 ........œ............oœ..L..oooo.......,,.....,....... ................................................................... 5.4 Black's Revivai as Revitalization 94 5.5 Summary .... .......................... 98 œ............,..œ....o..e....o.œ.....o........oœ.o..œo....................o. . . Chapter 6 William Thoresby's Mission: 17S1798 ............................e........................................................................ 6.1 introduction 101 6.2 Life in Late Eighteenth-Cen- Newfo~dland... ....................................1 04 6.3 Itineracy -... ...................................................................................................... 1M .. .......... ..... 6.4 William Thoresby: The Itinerant hacher of Conception Bay 108 6.5 The Post-Thoresby Period: 1798-1815 ............................................................ 119 6.6 Snmmary ........................................................................................................... 121 Conclusion .. ....................... ............................................................................ 124 Bibliography ........................................................................................................... 132 vii CNS Centre for Newfoundland Studies, Queen Eüzabeth II Library, Mernorial University of Newfoundland. DAB Dictions- of American Biography. DCB Dictionary of Canadian Biography. PANL Provincial Archives of Newfoundland and Labrador, Colonial Building, Military Rd., St John's,N ewfoundland. SPG Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts. v i i i Chapter 1 The Eighteenth-Centary Backpand 2.1 Introduction The progms of Methodism in Conception Bay during the eighteenth century is determined bv a series of events which suggest a history of inconsistent and unstable development. Early Newfoundland Methodism exhibits a series of "fits and starts" of which the most notable occurrences inchde the introduction of Method ism by Laurence Coughlan, William Black's "revival" in 1791, and, later, William Thoresbv's successhl mission- Aside from these periods of success there were times w hen Methodist support underwent serious dedine and the rnovement was in danger of king completely eradicated. For the purpose at hand the stages outlined in Anthonv F. C. Wallace's "Revitalization Theory"' have been applied to the shidy of early Newfoundland Methodism in order to better understand how the movement developed- As a methodology, WallaceJsm ode1 of religious reform helps to identify and explain the vanous stages of advancement and decline met with in the process of establishing Methodism on the island- Before the events and circumstances of Methodist development in 1T he particulars of Wallace's theory are explauied in detail in Chapter 2 of this thesis.