Primitive Methodist Church in the U.S.A.
Pres., Rev. Frank Hrabak
1122 Frosty Hollow Rd.
Langhorne, PA 19047-5719
United States
40.1449207, -74.890522
Hugh Bourne and William Clowes, local preachers in the Wesleyan Church in England, organized a daylong meeting at Mow Cop in Staffordshire on May 31, 1807, after Lorenzo Dow, an evangelist from America, told them of American camp meetings. Thousands attended and many were converted but the Methodist church, founded by the open-air preacher John Wesley, refused to accept the converts and reprimanded the preachers.
After waiting for two years for a favorable action by the Wesleyan Society, Bourne and Clowes established The Society of the Primitive Methodists. This was not a schism, Bourne said, for "we did not take one from them ... it now appeared to be the will of God that we ... should form classes and take upon us the care of churches in the fear of God." Primitive Methodist missionaries were sent to New York in 1829. An American conference was established in 1840.
Missionary efforts reach into Guatemala, Spain and other countries. The denomination joins in federation with the Evangelical Congregational Church, the United Brethren in Christ Church and the Southern Methodist Church and is a member of the National Association of Evangelicals.
The church believes the Bible is the only true rule of faith and practice, the inspired Word of God. It believes in one Triune God, the Deity of Jesus Christ, the Deity and personality of the Holy Spirit, the innocence of Adam and Eve, the Fall of the human race, the necessity of repentance, justification by faith of all who believe, regeneration witnessed by the Holy Spirit, sanctification by the Holy Spirit, the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, the resurrection of the dead and conscious future existence of all people and future judgments with eternal rewards and punishments.
Membership
Full Communicants | Average Attendance | Other Members | Total Inclusive Members | Total Churches | Membership Calculation Method | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1965 | 0 |
11,946 |
86 |
|||||
1961 | 12,805 |
90 |
||||||
1960 | 12,360 |
91 |
||||||
1959 | 14,613 |
90 |
||||||
1958 | 12,844 |
92 |
||||||
1957 | 12,571 |
80 |
||||||
1956 | 12,662 |
92 |
||||||
1955 | 12,166 |
92 |
||||||
1954 | 12,061 |
92 |
||||||
1953 | 12,217 |
90 |
||||||
1952 | 12,320 |
90 |
||||||
1951 | 12,295 |
91 |
||||||
1950 | 326 |
12,000 |
87 |
|||||
1946 | 11,995 |
89 |
||||||
1942 | 12,185 |
0 |
12,185 |
88 |
||||
1940 | 12,027 |
103 |
12,130 |
85 |
||||
1938 | 10,800 |
1,251 |
12,051 |
83 |
||||
1936 | 10,776 |
1,305 |
12,081 |
81 |
||||
1929 | 12,399 |
12,399 |
90 |
|||||
1925 | 11,905 |
11,905 |
87 |
|||||
1923 | 10,494 |
10,494 |
87 |
|||||
1922 | 9,986 |
9,986 |
86 |
|||||
1921 | 10,986 |
10,986 |
84 |
|||||
1919 | 9,190 |
9,190 |
86 |
|||||
1917 | 9,353 |
9,353 |
93 |
Clergy
Serving Churches | Retired | Other Service to the Church | Total Clergy | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1965 | 71 |
60 |
||||
1961 | 79 |
90 |
||||
1960 | 76 |
65 |
||||
1959 | 75 |
90 |
||||
1958 | 75 |
73 |
||||
1957 | 70 |
90 |
||||
1956 | 74 |
70 |
||||
1955 | 74 |
70 |
||||
1954 | 74 |
75 |
||||
1953 | 66 |
63 |
||||
1952 | 65 |
57 |
||||
1951 | 72 |
69 |
||||
1950 | 65 |
14 |
79 |
|||
1946 | 77 |
|||||
1942 | 77 |
|||||
1940 | 77 |
|||||
1938 | 77 |
|||||
1936 | 77 |
|||||
1929 | 85 |
|||||
1925 | 80 |
|||||
1923 | 80 |
|||||
1922 | 85 |
|||||
1921 | 79 |
|||||
1919 | 69 |
|||||
1917 | 74 |
Education
Total Schools | Staff | Pupils | Total Individuals | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1959 | 90 |
1,387 |
9,274 |
10,661 |
||
1958 | 92 |
1,387 |
9,368 |
10,755 |
||
1957 | 90 |
1,414 |
9,456 |
10,870 |
||
1956 | 92 |
1,355 |
9,886 |
11,241 |
||
1955 | 76 |
1,355 |
9,585 |
10,940 |
||
1954 | 94 |
1,362 |
9,119 |
10,481 |
||
1953 | 90 |
1,406 |
10,000 |
11,406 |
||
1952 | 90 |
1,346 |
9,698 |
11,044 |
||
1951 | 73 |
1,559 |
7,841 |
9,400 |
||
1950 | 84 |
1,362 |
9,538 |
10,900 |
||
1923 | 88 |
15,904 |
||||
1922 | 87 |
16,807 |
||||
1921 | 84 |
16,305 |
||||
1919 | 88 |
14,893 |
||||
1917 | 93 |
1,557 |
14,918 |
|||
1916 | 92 |
1,553 |
15,023 |
Finance
Total Benevolences | Total Financials | Total Giving | Local Expenses | Method | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1917 | $147,695 |