James Caughey Leeds Meeting - Brunswick (1843)
On Sabbath morning, 4th of June, I opened my commission in the Brunswick Chapel, Leeds First Circuit. The Rev. William Kelk, Superintendent; his colleagues are the Rev. Francis A. West and George
T. Perks. Twenty souls were converted the first night. This is an elegant chapel and a very intelligent and influential congregation. My labours among them have been hitherto with great satisfaction and comfort to my own mind. We have not witnessed a single pause in the revival. Sinners are converted, and believers sanctified daily; but, on glancing at the secretary’s book a short time since I was amazed at the largeness of the list of members professing conversion; and my troubled heart has exclaimed again and again, Why is this? I should have told you, that to prevent exaggerated reports as well as to afford a clue to the residence of those who obtain salvation, we have a person appointed to convene immediately with those who profess conversion or sanctification. He has a book-lined off into columns and headed thus: Date, Name, Residence, Justification, Sanctification, in society, from the world, From other circuits, From other churches, Leader, Observations. By this sheet we know at the end of each week the exact state of the work, so far at least as the subjects of it have come before the leaders meeting, and arrangements made to visit those persons at their houses who have promised to meet in class, or who may have requested a few days for consideration. The plan is excellent, but I am not able to inform you, as yet, how far it has been carried out. It is certainly no small task; for instance, on Sabbath, 18th inst., one hundred persons professed justification, and forty-two sanctification; now, allowing the half of those justified to have been from the world, here is considerable labour immediately spread before the pastors and official members, as the result of one day. How great the responsibility! When men cry to God for a revival, they little think, if granted, the amount of care and labour it must bring in its train.
On Saturday night last, we concluded the “protracted meeting” in the Brunswick chapel. A few evenings previous, we had a meeting for the new converts, similar to those I have described in other letters. We had a most gracious season.
On Saturday night, in the band meeting, the Rev. Mr Kelk gave an account of the advancement of the work of God, during the last month of special services in Brunswick chapel. Documents were produced, from which it was ascertained, that during the above time, the total number professing to have obtained justification and sanctification were about six hundred. Two hundred and forty-four of these were cases of sanctification. One hundred and fifty-six members of society justified [Romans v. 1], and the remaining two hundred were sinners converted from the world. Upwards of fifty of the latter were from the country, and the rest distributed among the four circuits in town and other churches;
so that, comparatively, Brunswick will have but a small increase. My heart is greatly attached to the society and congregation of B. They are a lovely people, and showed me much respect and kindness, as did their excellent ministers. My homes, at the hospitable mansions of Mr Heigham, Mr Smith, and Mr Shaun, where I am at present, have been everything I could desire. You will see, therefore, that my stay on the circuit has been most agreeable. “O, to grace, how great a debtor!” I believe no chapel within the claim of Methodism could produce a greater number of talented and devoted leaders than those, which belong to the Brunswick Chapel, Leeds. My drooping soul was often enlivened and warmed by their life and glowing zeal during the conflict. I am sorry that they have received such a small increase, but the real good diffused throughout the entire society cannot be estimated by numbers. This revival was needed, and if they take the proper advantage of their present position, they shall see far greater things than these; at least, were the revival efforts to be begun now at Brunswick, I should expect a mighty and glorious work.
I preached farewell sermons in St. Peter’s, Brunswick, and Oxford place chapels, with much comfort to my own mind, and, I trust, profit to others. We have taken some pains to obtain statistics of the revival, with regard to conversions, and as correct as possible. We find that upwards of sixteen hundred persons have professed justification. This embraces the work carried forward in the chapels of the Leeds four circuits. In my letters to you and ***, I have classed the new converts, so that you could see what proportion were Wesleyan, and from other churches and circuits in the country, and from the world.
Taken from 'Methodism in Earnest' from www.revival-library.org