Jabez Bunting

Who was Jabez Bunting?

Jabez Bunting, English Wesleyan divine, was born of humble parentage at Manchester. He was educated at Manchester Grammar School, and at the age of nineteen began to preach, being received into full Connexion in 1803. He continued to minister for upwards of fifty-seven years in Manchester, Sheffield, Leeds, Liverpool, London and elsewhere.

In 1835 he was appointed president of the first Wesleyan theological college, and in this position he succeeded in materially raising the standard of education among Wesleyan ministers. He was four times chosen to be President of the Conference, was repeatedly secretary of the Legal Hundred, and for eighteen years was secretary to the Wesleyan Missionary Society. Under him Methodism ceased to be a society based upon Anglican foundation, and became a distinct church. He favored the extension of lay power in committees, and was particularly zealous in the cause of foreign missions. Politically, he was conservative: for example, as President of the Conference, he supported the transportation of the Tolpuddle martyrs despite the fact that they were closely linked to Methodism, their leaders being local preachers.