Taking Heaven by Storm: Methodism and the Rise of Popular Christianity in
America. By John H. Wigger. (New York: Oxford University Press, 1998. pp.
xi, 269 $55.00) reviewed by Leo Hirrel, DuFour Law Library, The Catholic University of America
One of the most exciting developments in American religious history with
the last decade or so has been the expansion of interest to include
religious groups previously neglected. While not diminishing the importance
of New England Calvinism to American history, the new trends in religious
historiography provide a welcome added perspective on the myriad of
denominations that flourished during the early republic. In this important
book John H. Wigger, a student of Nathan Hatch, has provided a much needed
study of Methodists during the early years of this nation.
"Wigger ably chronicles the story of the rise of Methodism, using a
combination of published and unpublished primary source material."
Between the American Revolution and the death
of Francis Asbury in 1816
the Methodists literally exploded from a handful of dissenters within the
established Anglican church to over 250,000 members plus even more
occasionally worshipers. Indeed it had become one of the largest
Protestant denominations within the United States. This remarkable growth
was attributable to a number of factors. Methodists deliberately appealed
to working classes who may have been overlooked by other religions. They
were particularly noted for their willingness to accept African-Americans
into their communion. The leaders created a system well adapted to the
unsettled conditions with the United States. Using circuit riders,
supplemented with organized meetings (called classes) the Methodists
reached a remarkably large number of souls. All of these activities filled
a void within the American religious. In time, however, its very success
transformed the nature of American Methodism, as it developed a closer
resemblance to the dominant religions, especially with larger numbers
settled ministers and church buildings.
Wigger ably chronicles the story of the rise of Methodism, using a
combination of published and unpublished primary source material.
This work places the colorful camp meeting within their proper perspective,
and demonstrates how the organizational structure played the critical role
in shaping American Methodism. He stresses the dedicated circuit riders and
the supporting system of lay members. Class meetings, in which small
members of the Methodist community met regularly in the absence of a
preacher, provided the necessary stability and continuity for the community.
Wigger's discussion of African Americans within the early Methodist
community is especially welcome. During their early years Methodist
leaders welcomed both free Blacks and slaves into their community.
Indeed Methodism achieved a reputations as the denomination most critical
of slavery. In time, however, the interest in African Americans diminished
as the church attained respectability within the South.
In all writing of religious history, the historian must confront the problem
of evaluating his sources. The problem is especially acute when reviewing
sources from within the denomination studied. Within the competitive
environment of early nineteenth century religion, each denomination
tended to boast of its own accomplishments. It is not clear from Wigger's
writing that he has been sufficiently skeptical of primary source accounts.
He accepts the figures for church membership as given with the
justification that class meetings exercised strict oversight of their
members behavior. Intuitively one would suspect that some classes (and some
circuit riders) exercised stricter standards than others. The book
conveys a sense of uniformity throughout the extensive Methodist
community. If such is the case Wigger might have explained how he reached this conclusion.
These reservations notwithstanding, Wigger has made a significant
contribution to our understanding of the history of American religion.
Let us hope that he will produce another volume to carry the story through
the antebellum period.