TheLife of Rev John Murray provided insights into the development of an early Irish Methodist society. ‘The Methodists in this [Bandon], as in every other place where they sojourned, by degrees established a permanent residence. They first preached in the streets, practised much self-denial, and mortification, inveighed against the standing religion of the country, as impious and hypocritical, declaring the new birth only to be found among them.’ ‘They gained many proselytes; it became the fashion for multitudes to become religious; and it is in religion as in everything else, where once it is followed by a multitude, multitudes will follow. A meeting-house was speedily obtained, a society was formed, and classes of every description regularly arranged.’

‘Three classes [types] of the people were denominated Methodist: the congregation, who, as outer court worshippers, were only hearers and seekers; members of the society, who were classed; and members of the…