[Part 9 of Mrs Chapman's "Story of Manx Methodism"]

Unusual items of interest

Cholera epidemic⁽¹⁾, 1832, and. successive outbreaks of smallpox in 1833 brought folk 'fearful of death ' to repentance. Fast days and Prayer meetings were organised throughout the island'.
1836 May 15th. A thin attendance at chapels as everyone sat at home to watch a Polar ( Solar?) eclipse, when they were told. the sun would vanish
The Rev. Samuel Broadbent, father⁽²⁾ of the founder of the. I.O.M..Examiner, left the Island this year.
Nov 1836 Children urged to put their Hollantide collections in Missionary boxes. Some did, but particularly girls!
1848 During repairs to St George's Church, Douglas, a 'low comfortable pulpit ' was bought by John Cowel who was Parish Clerk-at St. George's and. also a Methodist local preacher. This was put in Victoria Street large room for Saturday evening Manx preaching.
1894. A hopefu1 sign of Methodist Union. The Wesleyan Record begins to print P .M. reports
Hillberry, 1907 Collections. for Missions up again £9 more. Editor asked 'Where does the money come from, for this is equal to many weeks wages of the members.
1905 Douglas. Members fought proposals for cable cars to run up Victoria Street in service time on Sunday. Chapel keepers duties are defined as 'preventing any noise from entering chapel' - what would they think of motor bikes and. jet planes today?
April 20th 1893 Valedictory service for fishermen going to Ireland for the Kinsale fishing. They were encouraged to attend Protestant worship while away, and several - ' who were local preachers' - offered to run services
1875 Minister's comment: Visitors' attendance at church pleasing, but 'local members wrap their souls in tissue paper till winter'. He took little account of the fact that many had to stay home to care for the visitors who wore filling his chapels.

1873 Census of Methodist sittings; Stewards to measure all seats and allow 18" per person in their reports.

1893 report that they were glad of a wet Sunday as people attended worship instead of 'holding picnics at Kirk Braddan, running over the graves while pretending to worship' Scathing comments of touts for waggonettes etc, for Kirk Braddan services.
1894. Suggestion to District Meeting that Conference; be invited to the Island. Methodist Times has a letter from Thomas Kelly Mona 's Herald. editor agrees that it would 'publicise the island', and the supporters of the idea say they could. find 450 homes and £:600 for expenses. The Methodist Recorder comment was that it would be a pleasant trip but surely all hotels etc would be full at this time.
1903. Douglas plan of 1813 reprinted. for interest and sold. at 3d a copy 'frame this as an heirloom' they suggested. There were then 72 local preachers in Douglas circuit. (copy in Manx Museum)

Glen Helen, (Wesleyan Record 1915 ) opened. as Temperance pleasure resort by John Clague who was a great fighter for Education and social conditions

SSA sermons for upkeep, of schools etc. Current saying "As the swallow to the summer so is Sulby to the sermons season":
[Gibson, shipbuilder, North Shore services, Ramsey, N.C.H.O..(Ramsey Ragged School) to be followed. up - see Methodist Recorder February 19th 1903]
Lonan Although local tradition reports John Wesley's visits, and a stone records this, 'Wesley makes no mention of it himself. .About 1872 Thos. W Kerruish, a seaman living in thatched cottage Lonan, had bedstead and table reputed to be used by Wesley. The then current Chairman of District (Humphrey Jutsum) wanted them but 'not for love nor money' could they be had. .where are they now? .any information welcomed..
There is also reputed to be a chair in a house at Narradale; tree at Glen Tramman, which the archivist would like to have identified.

Unusual names of societies on the plan: where were they? Please tell me if you know. Ballashamrock, Cloven Stones, Brundle, Cold Clay. Clopts. Strandhall. Friary (this latter may be very badly written) Ballakilmerton

1902 Wesleyan Record. We appreciate visitors, but it is very nice to have the island to ourselves again.

Wesley Guild outings 1890 up to beginning of war, of interest special trains, large numbers of members from places now closed ,eg. Mount Rule and Baldwin. Wesley Guild and Christian Endeavour were training ground's for young speakers, and the subjects were varied: 1908 J. Qualtrough 'Brighten our services' strikes a very modern note 'What is love?' The comment was that the paper was so long no one could ask questions."What makes a gentleman? " by a lady "What makes a lady" by a gentleman. "Should women work for a living" ( a debate)
R.B. Moore the late Attorney General spoke on the principles of the Liberal party 'Should religion and politics mix?" and one I would dearly love to have heard; "People we know and wish we didn't!"
The Methodist Cricket League was very active at this time too.
The Archivist will be glad! to have any other items of interest similar to the above which readers may have.

Manx Local Preachers.

We are very fortunate that the Local Preachers Minute Books have been preserved, and from these, and other sources, we have items of interest about preachers in the island.

1900 A minister who had been accused of wasting his time (or so it seems) presented the following accounts Preached 88 times in one quarter. Committee meetings 51, Prayer meetings 33; Class meetings 52, Funerals, weddings etc 13 and social meetings 12.

Letter to Manx Sun: 1847. Country chapels need fresh air letting in during the week to stop, them getting musty. Also a glass of water should be provided, fresh, for each preacher

1893 quarterly meeting reports "Two resolutions passed last meeting have been quietly interred in Secretary's book and will be heard of no more!"
The Local Preachers Minutes begin in 1816, and there is an interesting attendance page at the front showing when the man began preach or from whence he came if not local. Also the final severance:"Died happy in the Lord", more sadly, "Gone to the Poor Institution", "Gone across the water" -(ie gone to England) and occasional, "Called out to travel" ie joined the full ministry.

The first LP Meeting was at Peel on March 24 17XX when John Crook met the preachers and catechised them on doctrine and conduct. New preachers on trial were recorded at nearly every meeting for fifty years, but they were not accepted lightly. 1835 at Castletown, "Bro. Q. is accepted, but Bro. B. is to 'stand over' for further investigation"

Nor, having been admited were they immune from criticism.
"April 1838, Bro. J.K. to report at next meeting re being seen intoxicated at a wedding"
March 1832. Bro. C. sold spirits, and another sold playing cards!
Sept. 1866 Bro. Q. of Union Mills, dropped from the plan on report of his moral character (presumably they mean his immoral character!)

1856 Bro. J.C. has broken the rule of Methodism and of Christianity "Be ye not unequally yoked with unbelievers" It was not clear whether this was marriage or business, but in 1849 one was reproved for paying addresses to an unconverted woman.

A regular feature of censure was missing appointments, and one punishment was being "sunk" that is they were dropped some places lower down the printed list, losing their seniority. Weather was no excuse and they were severely reprimanded for sending unaccredited substitutes. In 1854 H.Cowley excused his failure to preach because it interfered with his duties as churchwarden, but not even that was acceptable.

Bro. Bacon (?)in 1844 failed to arrive at Union Mills and was told he should personally make up the collection that would have been taken if he had been there! Horse hire collections to take preachers for long distance appointments contrast with the dictum that no preacher must use the railway on Sundays.

1890 The L.P.M.A. had by now become well established and they considered inviting over the Aggregate(Annual Conference of L.P.M.A.) to the island, but this was dropped with the rather disturbing comment "Those that come over now are not all of equal merit" But they evidently saw the need for helping poor and aged local preachers for the collections in the early 1900's were extremely good: Victoria Street £14, RoseMount £10 - higher figures that we give today in spite of the lessened value of money!

Exhorters or Helpers were not permitted to preach on Sundays - they were on "Y Phlan Beg" and several of these evening preaching plans can be seen at the Manx Museum.

Dec. 1887. Some minutes puzzle me in their incompleteness; "Bro. W. Kelly (Clypston) to act in conjunction with Bro. W. Kermode in the matter of Bro. C's pecuniary interests" Now why should Bro.C's financial problems come into the LP rneeting?

1906 The Local preachers were ahead of the societies in general in the matter of Methodist union. This year they decided to have interchange of Wesleyan, Primitive and New Connexion pulpits and a combined sermon-instruction class for local preachers of all denominations.

January 1905. Editor of Wesleyan Record. remarked that far too many preachers were in danger of becoming 'talking machines -a reference to the gramophone or phonograph just becoming popular
1892. Lonan reported as 'declining' so Local Preachers and. Lonan leaders began inn visitation on Sundays and congregations showed improvement.

They were not slow to criticise each other 'No remarks to be make before text is announced.' .
'Preach in plain language and on useful subjects only ' Bro. X did wrong in contradicting Bro. Y from the pulpit at the watchnight service" One wonders what lies behind this: " Local Preachers must not consult fortune tellers"

One brother is censured for being both too late and too long.
Bro. H to be asked to justify his remarks on Justification at the next quarterly Meeting.
6d a meal to be "allowed. for all preachers who go to B for dinner"
We object to taking collections for House of Industry³ when management is entirely in the hands of the clergy

Circuit Plans bore M (Manx) and E (English) for the sermon, and often had a special text or exhortation such as 'be ye not late for the Lord's business requires haste'
These brethren were 'characters' - sometime the Manx Methodist History society should get together the memories of these men before they are entirely lost; men like Billy Teare of Ballaslig, Braddan, who was extremely sound but very dogmatic. He is reputed to have begun a sermon on 'Pilgrimage ' by saying, The Bible says.... John Wesley says.... John Bunyan says... but I say to you brethren.......

The bound copies of Wesleyan Recorder (Manx; Museum) are well worth reading, and many items of history can be culled from them.

1892 It is reported in Methodist Recorder that there were two ladies in a York quarterly Meeting why don't we welcome our ladies?

1905 Chairman inadvertently said (of Prodigal Son) they put a ring on his feet and shoes on his hands ', but when criticised he said, ' All right, I made a mistake but a certain President of Conference said the Prodigal son came back naked with his hands in his empty pockets. "

1903. Drive for temperance⁴. Douglas has one public house for every 184 persons, Southport one for 229; Blackpool one for every 358.

Ministers often kept a list of boarding houses where no drink would be found, and Methodists from across wrote for approved lodgings

And a final one from very early days: From John Crook's diary "They have a delightful custom at Knocksharry. When I appear they hoist a sheet as a flag to toll others to come hear the preaching" (this would be weekday meetings as he travelled round the island and farmers and housewives left their work to come hear him ) The early Methodists tried to get a clause in the hiring of maids and farm workers that they should be given time off for preaching and class meetings.