American Methodism

After the Revolutionary War it became necessary for John Wesley to provide the leadership for the American Methodists.  No longer would the people be looking to the Church of England for spiritual nurture and no longer would the Holy Sacraments be available to them through its priest.  Wesley broke with the Church of England which maintained that apostolic succession could only be transmitted through the Bishops of the Church.   He ordained men for the American work according to his belief that presbyters, or priests, could also ordain men for the ministry.    

The American frontier became the ministry field of men like Francis Asbury, Thomas Coke, and others who rode horseback across the new nation.  They rode long routes called circuits and when the Methodist preacher arrived in a community, services would be held, the Sacraments provided, and weddings were performed.  Without becoming settled in one place, the Methodist circuit riding preacher would stay long enough to finish the work and then move on to another place.  As the frontier was pushed westward so went the Methodist preachers.    

The church is certainly different than it was in those early days.  It is a more affluent church.  Preachers tend to stay put in one place though there are those in some places who still serve several small churches which are still known as circuits.  And, of course, the Methodist preacher is still considered an itinerant preacher as he or she is assigned by a Bishop to a place of service for a year at a time.  In the early days of American Methodism the church was known as an evangelistic church.  Saving souls for Christ was its primary business.  It seems that today's church has taken as its primary business building bigger buildings and raising money which has proven to be a disastrous trade-off.