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Early Years with the Primitive Methodists
The Primitive Methodists were a new dynamic revivalist Methodist Church established in 1810 by Hugh Bourne splitting off from the more traditional Methodist Church established by John Wesley. Their method involved organising “revivalist camp meetings “attracting large crowds as well as undertaking itinerant open air preaching and long and fervent prayer meetings. (They were nicknamed “the Ranters” because of this.) From their original base in Tunstall, Staffordshire, the Primitive Methodists ranged all over the UK evangelising and planting new congregations spreading out into East Anglia, the Midlands, Yorkshire and the North East. The style of the church had a particular appeal to working class people and was particularly strong amongst industrial and remoter communities. (5) It grew dramatically - for example by 1832, it had 41,301 members,274 travelling preachers and 451 chapels. (6)
George Cosens presumably joined the Primitive Methodists in London where 3 congregations at Shoreditch, Shadwell and Westminster had been set up in 1823. (7) He then worked all over the country as an evangelist for the movement presumably after he completed his education. By 1832, he was working as an evangelist for the Sunderland and South Shields Circuit.
His first recorded exploit was being sent to undertaking mission work to plant Primitive Methodist mission Churches in Jersey and Guernsey in response to requests from believers in the islands. The Circuit had experienced a powerful revival in the North East and was in a position to send missionaries elsewhere. The account specifically refers to Cozens as "a West Indian and a coloured man". On 7th May 1832, he sailed (on a collier?) from Sunderland and arrived in Guernsey 4 days later. On the following Sunday, he preached to 400 on board the ship he had come on (called the Hebe). Later on in the day, he preached to 1000 in a park at St Peter Port and again in the evening on the Hebe with hundreds present. It is said that the crowd "listened with marked attention to the fluent and animated preacher and it was hoped that deep religious impressions were made on many minds". Following this, "the next night Mr Cosens preached on board again to a great concourse and with similar freedom and effect". On the Wednesday 16th May, he proceeded on to Jersey and preached on the 20th May preaching twice in the open air to crowds numbering on the first occasion 150 and the second 250. The result of this impact was that the mission by March 1833 numbered 100 in members with societies established on both islands and preaching rooms fitted up suitably.
The Guernsey mission was however “clouded in prospect” since an incident was occurred at the preaching room at St Peter Port. Some young people were misbehaving. George took them to task with vigour and the way he did it and the words he said resulted in him being taken to the Royal Court where he was found guilty and fined heavily for what was taken to be insulting language towards these men. The account indicates that the motives of those who took him to court were not very honourable and were prejudiced (This was a typical manifestation of opposition to the movement).It did, however, lead to the circuit withdrawing Cosens from the Islands. (8)
Cosens was then sent with a very experienced missionary called John Nelson to set up a society in Dorset. Initially, they took a theatre in Dorchester for a mission and encountered a mixed reception. First, their welcome was described as "flattering and the prospect of success cheering" then "they met with serious interruption; guns were fired, artificial thunder was produced near the theatre …and other noises were made to stop them from preaching ...on one occasion a bucket full of water was poured on the head of Mr Cosens and he was pelted with cabbages". After a while, this opposition subsided.
Subsequently, the two missionaries went and preached in Weymouth where they had no such opposition "many persons appeared to be convinced of sin to become anxious seekers of salvation". A large room was taken at Weymouth and a society established on the 16th May 1834. Unfortunatly, a division of the group developed. It is commented that "perhaps they had not made due allowance for the excitement and curiosity produced through Mr Cosens being a man of colour nor for other causes". The group therefore split siding either with Cosens or Nelson. The consequence was that Cosens "resigned his office as a preacher and withdrew from the society some of the members going with him and he shortly afterwards became a Baptist minister". (9) The damage done by this division however was not permanent since by 1839, the Primitive Methodist had established 4 circuits centred on Weymouth.
It is possible that George Cosens was baptized in the then well established Baptist Church in Weymouth.
NEXT: Aylesbury 1837
George Cosens presumably joined the Primitive Methodists in London where 3 congregations at Shoreditch, Shadwell and Westminster had been set up in 1823. (7) He then worked all over the country as an evangelist for the movement presumably after he completed his education. By 1832, he was working as an evangelist for the Sunderland and South Shields Circuit.
His first recorded exploit was being sent to undertaking mission work to plant Primitive Methodist mission Churches in Jersey and Guernsey in response to requests from believers in the islands. The Circuit had experienced a powerful revival in the North East and was in a position to send missionaries elsewhere. The account specifically refers to Cozens as "a West Indian and a coloured man". On 7th May 1832, he sailed (on a collier?) from Sunderland and arrived in Guernsey 4 days later. On the following Sunday, he preached to 400 on board the ship he had come on (called the Hebe). Later on in the day, he preached to 1000 in a park at St Peter Port and again in the evening on the Hebe with hundreds present. It is said that the crowd "listened with marked attention to the fluent and animated preacher and it was hoped that deep religious impressions were made on many minds". Following this, "the next night Mr Cosens preached on board again to a great concourse and with similar freedom and effect". On the Wednesday 16th May, he proceeded on to Jersey and preached on the 20th May preaching twice in the open air to crowds numbering on the first occasion 150 and the second 250. The result of this impact was that the mission by March 1833 numbered 100 in members with societies established on both islands and preaching rooms fitted up suitably.
The Guernsey mission was however “clouded in prospect” since an incident was occurred at the preaching room at St Peter Port. Some young people were misbehaving. George took them to task with vigour and the way he did it and the words he said resulted in him being taken to the Royal Court where he was found guilty and fined heavily for what was taken to be insulting language towards these men. The account indicates that the motives of those who took him to court were not very honourable and were prejudiced (This was a typical manifestation of opposition to the movement).It did, however, lead to the circuit withdrawing Cosens from the Islands. (8)
Cosens was then sent with a very experienced missionary called John Nelson to set up a society in Dorset. Initially, they took a theatre in Dorchester for a mission and encountered a mixed reception. First, their welcome was described as "flattering and the prospect of success cheering" then "they met with serious interruption; guns were fired, artificial thunder was produced near the theatre …and other noises were made to stop them from preaching ...on one occasion a bucket full of water was poured on the head of Mr Cosens and he was pelted with cabbages". After a while, this opposition subsided.
Subsequently, the two missionaries went and preached in Weymouth where they had no such opposition "many persons appeared to be convinced of sin to become anxious seekers of salvation". A large room was taken at Weymouth and a society established on the 16th May 1834. Unfortunatly, a division of the group developed. It is commented that "perhaps they had not made due allowance for the excitement and curiosity produced through Mr Cosens being a man of colour nor for other causes". The group therefore split siding either with Cosens or Nelson. The consequence was that Cosens "resigned his office as a preacher and withdrew from the society some of the members going with him and he shortly afterwards became a Baptist minister". (9) The damage done by this division however was not permanent since by 1839, the Primitive Methodist had established 4 circuits centred on Weymouth.
It is possible that George Cosens was baptized in the then well established Baptist Church in Weymouth.
NEXT: Aylesbury 1837
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