Methodist Times

This was the title of the former Wesleyan Times from 1867 until it ceased publication in 1869.

Another newspaper with the same title, and sub-titled 'a Journal of Religious and Social Movement', was launched in 1885 by Hugh Price Hughes, with the encouragement of William F. Moulton. It was designed to be the mouthpiece of the Forward Movement, with a readership especially among the educated younger generation and the working classes. By 1900 the circulation had reached over 150,000. After Hughes' death in 1902, Sir Percy Bunting was editor until he was succeeded by J. Scott Lidgett, with the support of Henry J. Pope, from 1907 until 1918. The newspaper continued to be a mouthpiece of liberal and forward-looking Methodism and of the move towards Methodist Union. In 1925 it was bought by J. Arthur Rank. In 1932 it amalgamated with the (PM) Methodist Leader''. This in turn was amalgamated with the Methodist Recorder in 1937.

Quotations

' The Methodist Times had been founded by High Price Hughes in order to give impetus to a modern and aggressive spirit in Christian life and effort... In the autumn of 1906 I was approached... with a view to my undertaking the editorship. I hesitated, because popular journalism was not much in my line, nor had I any personal experience of it. Such pressure, however, was brought to bear upon me that eventually I consented and my editorship lasted from March 1907 until December 1918. During that period I furnished leading articles weekly, except on two occasions, contributing also the great bulk of the weekly notes on current events...

'During the whole of my editorship I sought, above all, to make The Methodist Times the organ of a steadfastly progressive policy - pronouncedly Methodist, yet aiming all the while at closer relations, not only with all the Evangelical Free Churches, but with the Anglican Church as well. Moreover, I strove for liberty of thought in Methodism during at least one serious controversy, so long as that liberty did not contravene the essential dostrines of which the Ecumenical Creeds are the depository and safeguard. When the first movement towards Methodist union were tentatively made in 1913, I wrote a series of leading articles, outlining the constitutional principles upon which it should be based, and I have had the satisfaction of seeing all these embodied in the Act and Scheme of Union.'

J.S. Lidgett, My Guided Life(1936) pp.162-3

Sources
  • WHS Proceedings28 p.37
  • John Scott Lidgett, My Guided Life (1936) pp.162-64
  • Christopher Oldstone-Moore, Hugh Price Hughes (1999), esp. pp.5-6, 120-27