NUMBER OF MEMBERS IN THE SOCIETIES.

Wesleyan Methodists

The numbers are taken from Rosser (Letter 7)- covers years from 1783 to 1848

Notes

Circuits are covered elsewhere; until 1801 the Island was a single circuit (shown under Douglas in the figure) after which it split into Douglas/Castletwown and Ramsey/Peel. The rapid jump in membership in 1797/8 was possibly due to enthusiasm on the part of the missionaries (cf Mercer's letter), if the reported number is correct then about 1 in 3 of the adult population was a member! Numbers soon declined - even so at 3,000 in a total population of around 40,000 (of whom some 25,000 would be above 14) this meant that about 1 in 8 of the adult population was Methodist. An increase from 1808 through to 1811 may be due to the appointment of the popular George Holder for the third time. The numbers appeared to be fairly static through the 1820s - in fact the Douglas figures indicate a relative decline in an increasing town population. The Northern circuit was from the mid 1820's experiencing a population drain both to emigration and to the towns. Note the rapid jump in membership at the start of the Cholera epidemic in 1832/3.

An interesting gloss on these figure is provided by comments in a letter by John Mercer to Jabez Bunting, dated 14 March 1820 [John Rylands Library PLP 74-17-1]

Another part of Discipline has also been wonderfully neglected. I allude to the manner of giving Tickets to the Country Societies. About the year 1797 or 1898 [1798 sic] there was a great revival thro' the whole Island. Several hundreds joined the Society. And as the Preachers never visited them but on the weekdays, and were accustomed to hold their meetings till tweve or one o'clock in the morning; there was no time to give Tickets: consequently they were given to the Leaders to give to their respective Classes. This laid the foundation of one of the greatest evils which ever happened to Methodism in the Isle of Man. For tho' the Preachers one after another attempted to give Tickets to the Country Societies year after year, yet it was labour in vain, as not one in ten of them attended to receive them. And this was the case with many of the Leaders as well as the members. So that the Preachers, not knowing what to do, added to the evil by giving Tickets to the Leaders who were present for those Leaders who were absent, without either seeing their class papers, or knowing the number of members in their classes. By these means I may safely say that every part of Discipline, in the country Societies, fell to the ground. This caused a separation between the Preachers and the Societies, and hundreds of them knew not their Preacher from other men, unless they happened to meet them on the road, and guessed that they were English Preachers because they had saddle bags under then. The weekly and quarterly collections were very little attended to; and hundreds looked on the trvelling Preachers as a burden because they were now and then asked for something to support them. Most of the Preachers would complain of the existing evils; and if one now and then has resolutions enough to attempt to reform them, he was sure to be opposed by some or other of those who ought to have come forward to his help. When I came to Douglas Circuits in 1813 I found things in this deplorable State. And tho' good Mr Rawson had been labouring among them with all his might for one year, and had done some good; yet a great deal more wanted to be done. - We began to give tickets to all that we could get to attend for them, and took good care to give tickets to none of the Leaders but such as brought their Class Papers. By this means we cut off a great number of disorderly walkers. We also got a Book for every Society and met the Leaders at every place. By this means we increased the weekly collections a little: and by pursuing these methods the three years which I stayed, several things were got into a better State. Myself and Colleague pursued the same measures in Ramsey Circuit for the two first years. and in the course of last year we began to give Tickets to none but those who came for them, except in case of sickness or some other unavoidable necessity. we still continue the same plan. And tho we met with some oppoposition at first, the Societies are now pretty well satisfied and many highly approve of it. Much good hath already been done; and if the Preachers would only walk by the same route would once more lift up its head, in point of Discipline in this highly favoured Island. However I beg leave to make one remark in favour of the Preachers who travelled here for the last twenty years. Though I believe a great deal more might have been done, in point of discipline, than has been done, yet it it was impossible for them to attend to it in all its branches while only four Preachers were stationed on the whole Island. Their Sunday labours were always confined to the towns; and they had no opportunity of visiting the Country Societies but on the week night: so that even the Lovefeasts were given up to the Local Preachers. Since we got a fifth Preacher we have done little better. We are able to vist the principal Societies in the the Country on the Lords' Day once or twice a quarter. But still we want help. I do not believe that there is a circuit in Great Britain which stands in more need of an additional Preacher than we do. I verily believe if conference would appoint three Preachers to Douglas Circuit, and three to Ramsey, that in a a little time they would support six Preachers with more ese thn they now support five.

Primitive Methodists

Numbers for June of each year, were reported in Conference minutes from 1831 onwards (though for some reason 1846 figures appear to be missing). Figures from some earlier years are also available though conference stated that those in 1826 would not be published as no reliance could be placed on them. In the figure below I have extrapolated (following Curry's comments) those between 1825 and 1830. Some figures for March of each year are available for the 1830's.

Notes

The circuits are discussed elsewhere; until 1844 there was a single IoM circuit (shown as Douglas in the figure) which was then split between Douglas and Ramsey. Figures for a short lived Peel Branch were reported for some 10 years and a Castletown Branch split off from Douglas in 1852. In 1862 the four circuits shown were established. In 1875 Douglas split into two circuits (and lost some 50 members in this split).

1831/2 saw many problems - the aptly named Mr Mole was reported (anonymously) in conference minutes [1832 p388] as

we feel it necessary in speaking of our circuit, to glance little at the troubles we have been involved in during the last year: first from the improper conduct of the person who gave up traveling after the conference of 1831. Second from the proceedings of --, who was stationed to us at the conference of 1831; but who desisted from travelling, and induced some to leave us.

But we are thankful to say, that since he desisted, the Lord has appeared on our side, the circuit has risen into prosperity, and health and peace have been restored in the society; the congregations have increased; and, what is best of all, the spirit of God has been poured out in different parts of the circuit, in its convincing and converting power, and many precious souls have been saved by divine grace and the work of salvation is still going on amongst us

As for the Wesleyans the 1832/3 Cholera epidemic brought in many new members - most of whom did not remain members for long - as reported in the 1835 District Conference

The most common propensity in this island is drunkeness which have overturned a many who in the late sudden influx only flew to the arms of the church for safety from the threatening pestilential storm which raged which such fury amongst us (so as to make the stoutest heart to bend for a while) But the heart not being prepared by deep conviction it is to be feared at that time some hundreds rested short of an assured interest in Christ by pardon and adoption therefore in seasons of temptation they yielded to the intoxicating drought and renounced their religious proffession for want of root. Added to this is the many instances of persons who as sustained official characters (?) but as ben overcome by the sin of drunkeness and have brought the cause into disrepute in some of the places.

The 1843/4 rapid rise was due to a successfull mission - however it was a blip in the figures which quickly returned to the underlying trend of a slow rise until 1848 when numbers fell back.

A Henderson and Geddes revival, took place in 1867-8, judging from the membership figures this appeared to have little effect in Douglas but increased Peel figures.

Proportionally the Wesleyans were stronger in the northern part of the Island with approximately a 50:50 split North:South whereas the Primitives had a stronger base in the south with an approximate 40:60 North:South split.

Adding the figures together for the two communities there were approximately 4,500 Methodists out of an adult population of some 30,000 (i.e. 1 in 7) for much of the second half of the century.

Raw Figures