The Protestant Methodists were a small Methodist church

Church Body

A local church is a Christian religious organization that meets in a particular location. Many are formally organized, with constitutions and by-laws, maintain offices, are served by pastors or lay leaders, and, in nations where this is permissible, often seek seek non-profit corporate status...

 based in Leeds

Leeds

Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...

. They left the Methodist conference in 1827 in protest at the installation of an organ in Brunswick Chapel in Leeds

Leeds

Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...

. This grew into a wider dispute around the style of government of the conference, though it continued to be known as the Leeds Organ Dispute. The Protestant Methodists constituted themselves as a separate body in 1828. In 1836, the group joined the Wesleyan Association

Wesleyan Association

The Wesleyan Association, or the Wesleyan Methodist Association, was a Christian denomination in the United Kingdom that was formed in 1836, largely by Protestant Methodists. Their place of worship was the Wesleyan Association Chapel. They sent several missionaries to Jamaica and Australia.Robert...

, by which time they consisted of several thousand members.