Guild of Divine Service, Wesleyan

The Guild published its manifesto, Methodist Worship: a plea for toleration, in 1905 after several preparatory years. Its supporters included T.B. Stephenson, Hugh Price Hughes, James H. Rigg, H.B. Workman, J. Ernest Rattenbury, ??? and H.H. Fowler. Its aims included the hope that Wesleyans would adopt 'a friendly attitude to liturgical worship'. It supported the Prayer Book tradition for Wesleyan morning services, pleaded for reverence in worship, kneeling for public prayer, standing for singing, reverent administration of the sacraments, use of the lectionary, the receiving of the collection at the Lord's Table, better observance of the Christian Year, a greater frequency of Holy Communion and less sensationalism in the advertising of church events. With its overlap in membership and aims it was in many ways a precursor of the Methodist Sacramental Fellowship.

See also Public worship

Sources
  • James Johnson, Methodist Worship: a plea for tolerance (1905)
  • Daniel Hone, Corrupted Methodist Worship (1914)
  • Martin Wellings, From 'The Soul of Dominic Wildthorne' to the Wesleyan Guild of Divine Service: Some Methodist Responses to Anglo-Catholicism in Victorian and Edwardian England (2011), pp.20-23
  • Norman Wallwork, The Gospel Church Secure: the official history of the Methodist Sacramental Fellowship (2013) pp. 8-9

See also

Entry written by: CNRW
Category: Organisation
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