First published in 1972, this volume shows the potency, and the limitations of Nonconformity in shaping the beginning of modern Britain. It draws upon a wide range of sources including the writings and discussions of Nonconformists themselves, their critics, and contemporary commentators. The extracts and the extensive introduction set Nonconformity in the broader context of social and political history, and address the ‘life’ of the free Churches: their conflicts, internal and externals, their organization and spread, and their theology. The collection demonstrates the variety and diversity of Nonconformity as well as the controversies and debates of the period. This book will be an excellent reference for students of History, English and Theology, and will provide a starting point for those who wish to explore Nonconformist history.

"This volume, constituted on the same lines as its predecessor, consists of substantial essays on those features of Methodism in Great Britain, from the death of Wesley to the middle of the nineteenth century, which seem to us to be the most significant for its own history and the most important from an ecumenical standpoint." -- From the Preface