Jabez Bunting, sometimes called the second founder of Methodism, was admitted as a Wesleyan Methodist minister in 1799, and served at many centres (Oldham, Macclesfield, London, Manchester, Sheffield, Liverpool, Halifax, Leeds). From 1833 he was stationed at the connexion's London headquarters, as secretary for foreign missions and in 1835 became president of the Theological Institute for training prospective preachers. He served as president of the connexion in 1820, 1828, 1836 and 1844. Whereas in the Wesley period matters of religion were the central concern of the Methodist connexion, in the period of Bunting's ministry matters of structure and discipline took on greater prominence. It has been said that Bunting found the connexion a society and made it a church, completing its severance from Anglicanism. His correspondence is a key source for the history of Methodism in Britain in the first half of the 19th century. It strongly reflects his active involvement in the development of central administration and discipline, the doctrine of the ministry, ministerial training, liturgy, and relations between the churches.
W.R. Ward was Professor of Modern History at the University of Durham 1965-1985, author of numerous works on 19th century ecclesiastical history, and editor, with R.P. Heitzenrater, of the Journal and diaries of John Wesley (1988-).
From the guide to the Jabez Bunting Transcripts, ca. 1960-1976, (Durham University Library, Archives and Special Collections)
