In 1773 the first ‘Mount Sion’ Chapel was conceived because of the teaching and preaching of John Wesley. Initially Methodists were a united group, but in the late 18th century they fragmented into several. One of these was known as the New Connexion or Kilhamite movement. Mount Zion became a Kilhamite chapel in 1798.
John Wesley and his brother Charles were the sons of an Anglican vicar from Epworth in Lincolnshire. Both went to Oxford University, John leaving as Charles started. Here they met a group of like-minded friends, who became known as the ‘The Holy Club’, who worshipped together and encouraged each other in ‘good’ works. Due to their methodical approach to religion, they were given the nickname ‘Methodists’ by their fellow students.
The brothers went as ordained Anglican priests to spend time in America. On their return to England John attended a prayer meeting in 1738, this was a breakthrough moment and one which changed his attitude to faith. He realised that religion and good works were not enough, that faith was about a relationship of trust in the risen Jesus, who he recognised had died for him. Wesley's life, and ministry were transformed; what had been a small group of ‘Methodists’ led by some serious-minded young men, developed into a movement which grew across the country. A more detailed account of the origins of Methodism may be found by following this link: Methodism and Christianity
This new movement was influential nationally in many ways. Methodists placed great emphasis on the importance of education. Ordinary people were taught how to read and write; they were encouraged to speak in public at Methodist meetings. Members increasingly used these skills to agitate for change and social justice. They were involved in campaigns for workers’ rights, trade unions, universal suffrage, against transatlantic slavery, for prison reform, for women’s rights and actively championed education for all.
Initially Methodist meetings were held alongside the established Anglican Church and people would attend both. As the years passed, more and more Methodist groups were seen as non-conformist or radical. They were excluded from many Anglican parish churches, and the movement gradually became a separate Christian denomination. John Wesley never accepted this separation; he remained an Anglican priest all his life. After his death in 1791, tensions intensified between those who wished to stay with the Anglicans and those who felt it right to be independent, leading to several separate Methodist denominations.
The New Connexion was essentially a northern Methodist movement and was inaugurated on the 9th August 1797 at the Ebenezer Chapel, Leeds, by Alexander Kilham, and William Thom (Superintendent of the Halifax Methodist Circuit), supported by two former Wesleyan Methodist local preachers and thirteen laymen. The existing Wesleyan Methodist Connexion focused on the management and organisation of local Methodist societies and members, as a body of Christians, coming together, as one.
Do not allow yourself one thought of separating from your brothers and sisters, whether their opinions agree with yours or not. (John Wesley)
However, the annual conference of Methodists excluded lay people. The New Connexion at the time was seen as a radical group. They argued for a more democratic structure within Methodism and member representation at conference. In 1796 and in 1797 the Wesleyan Conference refused to allow lay representation. Consequently 5,077 members (roughly five percent of Wesleyan Methodists) joined Alexander Kilham’s New Connexion. Some of them holding what at the time were seen as radical political and non-conformist religious views.
The main Kilhamite principles were that Methodist societies should have:
1. The right to hold public religious worship at convenient hours and not only as appointed by the established Church.
2. The right to receive Baptism and the Lord’s Supper from the hands of their own ministers (as opposed to just Anglican clergy) and in their own places of worship.
3. The right to be represented at District Meetings and Annual Conference and in all aspects of the government of the community.
4. The right to have a voice, in the acceptance and expulsion of members, the choice of local officers and in the ‘calling’ of the ministry.
(The Jubilee of the Methodist New Connexion 1848)
Every member of the Church is entitled to participate, either personally or representatively in every act of representation or government. (Alexander Kilham)
The first New Connexion Conference in 1798 adopted a constitution in which preachers and lay people had separate ‘rights’; subsequent Conferences were attended by equal numbers of preachers and laymen. By 1846 the Guardian Representatives (Trustees) were also made up of equal numbers of both. It was agreed that the constitution, its general character and principles could not be altered without majority concurrence across circuits.
This democratic approach had impact, not only on modern Christian democracy and Methodism, but on national political and social reform. Alexander Killham was accused of being influenced by English born political philosopher and writer Thomas Paine (one of America’s founding fathers), who supported revolutionary causes in America and Europe and was anti-religion. Today, Kilham’s reforms are viewed as less extreme, but by some as an obvious precursor to the modern political system in the United Kingdom.
New Connexion members came mainly from towns in the north and initially there were sixty societies, grouped into seven circuits. By 1812 there were forty-two circuit preachers (ministers) and two hundred and ten local preachers. The movement grew slowly, but steadily. However in terms of numbers the Kilhamites always remained smaller than the Wesleyans.
Two-thirds of New Connexion chapels were north of Stoke on Trent and distributed as far as Hull, located mainly in urban settings, where industrialisation was rapidly occurring. Mount Zion was one of the earliest, becoming Kilhamite in 1798. There were no chapels in Scotland, and a handful in north-east Wales. Methodist New Connexion, members were active in welfare reforms, universal suffrage, trade unions and education. The latter being seen as essential for everyone, no matter their financial means. The Kilhamites' work in the growing towns and cities was championed by William Booth, who was a Methodist New Connexion minister before setting up the Salvation Army.
In 1907 the New Connexion joined with the Bible Christians and United Methodist Free Churches to form the United Methodist Church. All Methodist groups came together again in 1932, when the present Methodist Church was formed; the Kilhamites' once radical views, becoming mainstream and accepted as common Methodist practice.
In line with New Connexion principles the Methodist Church continues to emphasise democracy, social justice and human rights. Methodism is inclusive, allowing plenty of room for interpretation, and a wide breadth of opinion and thinking. Methodists belong to local churches and a connected community, now known as the Connexion. In the UK this is made up of all the districts of Scotland, Wales and England, the Isle of Man, Channel Islands and Shetland.
Being connected as a Christian community involves being one body:
Just as a human body contains different limbs and organs that depend on each other, so we should be close and caring enough to feel each other's pain and delight, putting the good of the whole body before our own individual needs. (The Methodist Church 2024)
Influenced by Alexander Kilham’s ideas and democratic principles, Mount Zion became a ‘Kilhamite’ New Connexion chapel in 1798, making it one of the oldest in the country. The barn directly opposite the chapel, then had to serve as a meeting house for those who remained Wesleyan. Legend has it that there is a tunnel which connects the two!
At first glance Mount Zion’s setting is not typically Kilhamite in that it is rural but looks can be deceptive; behind the chapel is one of many local stone quarries, to the right of Ogden moor is Soil Hill, once famous for its small potteries. These existed because of rich clay deposits in the area, which in turn meant that mining for clay was a feature. There were also countless small coal mine in the surrounding area. Therefore the area was home to working people.
Education was always important at Mount Zion. Classes on a Sunday commenced for local children (and adults) in the Chapel in 1784. From the early nineteenth century Mount Zion also provided classes during the week. The first school was built in 1816. This emphasis on education was not unusual in Methodism but was high priority at Mount Zion. It has been claimed that the Kilhamite movement was most successful where people were well educated and where intellectualism was valued. Could this as well as a growing workforce, wanting more of a say in their life conditions and the expression of their faith have led to the acceptance of the New Connexion at Mount Zion? It is certainly a possibility and an area that ongoing archival research will hopefully clarify.