Samuel Dunn (minister)
Encyclopedia
Samuel Dunn was a Free Church Methodist minister and religious journalist
.
Dunn, an expelled Wesleyan Methodist minister, was born at Mevagissey
in Cornwall
, 13 February 1798. His father, James Dunn, the master of a small trading vessel, made the acquaintance of the John Wesley
in 1768, and became a class leader; with his crew he protected Adam Clarke
from the fury of a mob in Guernsey
in 1786, and he died at Mevagissey, 8 August 1842, aged 88.
The son Samuel received his education at Truro
, under Edward Budd, who was afterwards the editor of the West Briton
. In 1819 he was admitted a Wesleyan Methodist minister, and after passing the usual three years of probation, was received as a full minister, and volunteered for service in the Shetland Islands
, where, in conjunction with the John Raby, he was the first minister of his denomination, and suffered many hardships. While here he wrote an interesting series of articles descriptive of the Orkney
and Shetland islands (Wesleyan Methodist Magazine, 1822–5).
Dunn was afterwards stationed at Newcastle, Rochdale, Manchester, Sheffield, Tadcaster, Edinburgh, Camborne, Dudley, Halifax, and Nottingham successively, and at all these places proved a most acceptable preacher.
, popery, Socinianism
and unitarianism
, and in defence of Methodism. His best works are, 'A Dictionary of the Gospels, with maps, tables, and lessons, published in 1846, which went to a fourth edition in the same year, and Memoirs of seventy-five eminent Divines whose Discourses form the Morning Exercises at Cripplegate, St. Giles-in-the-Fields, and Southwark, which appeared in 1844. He was also a contributor to many theological magazines and reviews.
and the Rev. William Griffith, Jun., taken part in the publication of the 'Fly Sheets.
The pamphlets so called advocated reforms in the Wesleyan governing body, reflected on the proceedings of the conference and its committees in unmeasured terms, and complained of the personal ambition of Jabez Bunting
and Robert Newton, two of the past presidents of the association. What part the three ministers had taken, if any, in the Fly Sheets has never been discovered, as on being questioned with others on the matter they declined to reply. It is certain, however, that in 1849 Dunn started publishing a monthly magazine called the Wesley Banner and Revival Record, which, following the example set by the ‘Fly Sheets,’ continuously pointed out the errors of Methodism and suggested reforms. At the conference held at Manchester in 1849 the three ministers were desired to discontinue the Wesley Banner, and to give up attacking Methodism. They, however, refused to make any promises and were expelled on 25 July. Their expulsion gave them a wide popularity. Many meetings of sympathy with them were held, more particularly one in Exeter Hall
on 31 August 1849. These expulsions were very damaging to the Wesleyan Methodist connexion, as between 1850 and 1855 upwards of a hundred thousand members were lost, and it was not until 1855 that it began to recover from this disruption.
The literature connected with these events is very extensive, and the interest taken in the matter was so general that in a short time twenty thousand copies were sold of a small pamphlet entitled Remarks on the Expulsion of the Messrs. Everett, Dunn, and Griffith. By the William Horton. From this time forward Dunn led a very peaceful life; for some time he itinerated and preached in the pulpits of various denominations. From 1855 to 1864 he lived at Camborne in Cornwall, where he ministered to the Free Church Methodists.
Having written very numerous articles in many American publications he was in course of time created a D.D.
degree of one of the United States universities, and after that event called himself minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church
of America.
He died at 2 St. James's Road, St. Mary Usk, Hastings
, 24 January 1882.
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
.
Dunn, an expelled Wesleyan Methodist minister, was born at Mevagissey
Mevagissey
Mevagissey is a village, fishing port and civil parish in Cornwall, United Kingdom. The village is situated approximately five miles south of St Austell....
in Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
, 13 February 1798. His father, James Dunn, the master of a small trading vessel, made the acquaintance of the John Wesley
John Wesley
John Wesley was a Church of England cleric and Christian theologian. Wesley is largely credited, along with his brother Charles Wesley, as founding the Methodist movement which began when he took to open-air preaching in a similar manner to George Whitefield...
in 1768, and became a class leader; with his crew he protected Adam Clarke
Adam Clarke
Adam Clarke was a British Methodist theologian and Biblical scholar, born in the townland of Moybeg Kirley near Tobermore in Ireland...
from the fury of a mob in Guernsey
Guernsey
Guernsey, officially the Bailiwick of Guernsey is a British Crown dependency in the English Channel off the coast of Normandy.The Bailiwick, as a governing entity, embraces not only all 10 parishes on the Island of Guernsey, but also the islands of Herm, Jethou, Burhou, and Lihou and their islet...
in 1786, and he died at Mevagissey, 8 August 1842, aged 88.
The son Samuel received his education at Truro
Truro
Truro is a city and civil parish in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. The city is the centre for administration, leisure and retail in Cornwall, with a population recorded in the 2001 census of 17,431. Truro urban statistical area, which includes parts of surrounding parishes, has a 2001 census...
, under Edward Budd, who was afterwards the editor of the West Briton
The West Briton
The West Briton is a local weekly newspaper published every Thursday. It serves different areas of Cornwall, United Kingdom with four separate editions—Truro and Mid-Cornwall, Falmouth and Penryn, Redruth Camborne and Hayle, and Helston and The Lizard. It was established in 1810 and is part...
. In 1819 he was admitted a Wesleyan Methodist minister, and after passing the usual three years of probation, was received as a full minister, and volunteered for service in the Shetland Islands
Shetland Islands
Shetland is a subarctic archipelago of Scotland that lies north and east of mainland Great Britain. The islands lie some to the northeast of Orkney and southeast of the Faroe Islands and form part of the division between the Atlantic Ocean to the west and the North Sea to the east. The total...
, where, in conjunction with the John Raby, he was the first minister of his denomination, and suffered many hardships. While here he wrote an interesting series of articles descriptive of the Orkney
Orkney Islands
Orkney also known as the Orkney Islands , is an archipelago in northern Scotland, situated north of the coast of Caithness...
and Shetland islands (Wesleyan Methodist Magazine, 1822–5).
Dunn was afterwards stationed at Newcastle, Rochdale, Manchester, Sheffield, Tadcaster, Edinburgh, Camborne, Dudley, Halifax, and Nottingham successively, and at all these places proved a most acceptable preacher.
Written work
His first work, entitled Subjects and Modes of Baptism, was printed at Pembroke in 1821; thenceforward, throughout a long life, his pen was never idle. Upwards of seventy books have his name on their title-pages, a full account of which is given in Boase and Courtney's Bibliotheca Cornubiensis, i. 124–7, iii. 1163. Dunn wrote against atheismAtheism
Atheism is, in a broad sense, the rejection of belief in the existence of deities. In a narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there are no deities...
, popery, Socinianism
Socinianism
Socinianism is a system of Christian doctrine named for Fausto Sozzini , which was developed among the Polish Brethren in the Minor Reformed Church of Poland during the 15th and 16th centuries and embraced also by the Unitarian Church of Transylvania during the same period...
and unitarianism
Unitarianism
Unitarianism is a Christian theological movement, named for its understanding of God as one person, in direct contrast to Trinitarianism which defines God as three persons coexisting consubstantially as one in being....
, and in defence of Methodism. His best works are, 'A Dictionary of the Gospels, with maps, tables, and lessons, published in 1846, which went to a fourth edition in the same year, and Memoirs of seventy-five eminent Divines whose Discourses form the Morning Exercises at Cripplegate, St. Giles-in-the-Fields, and Southwark, which appeared in 1844. He was also a contributor to many theological magazines and reviews.
Fly Sheets
Until 1847 he continued in harmony with the Wesleyan Methodists, but at that date he was accused of having, in conjunction with James EverettJames Everett
James Everett was an Irish politician. On leaving school Everett became an organiser with County Wicklow Agricultural Union, which later merged with the ITGWU. He was a member of Sinn Féin and served as a justice in the Republican courts for Kildare and Wicklow from 1919. He was first elected to...
and the Rev. William Griffith, Jun., taken part in the publication of the 'Fly Sheets.
The pamphlets so called advocated reforms in the Wesleyan governing body, reflected on the proceedings of the conference and its committees in unmeasured terms, and complained of the personal ambition of Jabez Bunting
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...
and Robert Newton, two of the past presidents of the association. What part the three ministers had taken, if any, in the Fly Sheets has never been discovered, as on being questioned with others on the matter they declined to reply. It is certain, however, that in 1849 Dunn started publishing a monthly magazine called the Wesley Banner and Revival Record, which, following the example set by the ‘Fly Sheets,’ continuously pointed out the errors of Methodism and suggested reforms. At the conference held at Manchester in 1849 the three ministers were desired to discontinue the Wesley Banner, and to give up attacking Methodism. They, however, refused to make any promises and were expelled on 25 July. Their expulsion gave them a wide popularity. Many meetings of sympathy with them were held, more particularly one in Exeter Hall
Exeter Hall
Exeter Hall was a hall on the north side of The Strand, London, England. It was erected between 1829 and 1831 on the site of Exeter Exchange, to designs by John Peter Gandy, the brother of the visionary architect Joseph Michael Gandy...
on 31 August 1849. These expulsions were very damaging to the Wesleyan Methodist connexion, as between 1850 and 1855 upwards of a hundred thousand members were lost, and it was not until 1855 that it began to recover from this disruption.
The literature connected with these events is very extensive, and the interest taken in the matter was so general that in a short time twenty thousand copies were sold of a small pamphlet entitled Remarks on the Expulsion of the Messrs. Everett, Dunn, and Griffith. By the William Horton. From this time forward Dunn led a very peaceful life; for some time he itinerated and preached in the pulpits of various denominations. From 1855 to 1864 he lived at Camborne in Cornwall, where he ministered to the Free Church Methodists.
Having written very numerous articles in many American publications he was in course of time created a D.D.
Doctor of Divinity
Doctor of Divinity is an advanced academic degree in divinity. Historically, it identified one who had been licensed by a university to teach Christian theology or related religious subjects....
degree of one of the United States universities, and after that event called himself minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church
Methodist Episcopal Church
The Methodist Episcopal Church, sometimes referred to as the M.E. Church, was a development of the first expression of Methodism in the United States. It officially began at the Baltimore Christmas Conference in 1784, with Francis Asbury and Thomas Coke as the first bishops. Through a series of...
of America.
He died at 2 St. James's Road, St. Mary Usk, Hastings
Hastings
Hastings is a town and borough in the county of East Sussex on the south coast of England. The town is located east of the county town of Lewes and south east of London, and has an estimated population of 86,900....
, 24 January 1882.