Presented to John Bishop

Thomas Jackson.
The Centenary of Wesleyan Methodism.
London: John Mason, 1839. (AFF2907)

This copy of Jackson’s The Centenary of Wesleyan Methodism was bound for presentation to one John Bishop on April 2, 1840, “by the members of his class as a token of their affectionate Christian regard.” It is reasonable to identify this individual as John Bishop (1774–1847) of Carrickfergus, near Belfast, Ireland, whose obituary in The Wesleyan Methodist Association Magazine for 1848 mentioned that he had led class meetings in his home almost continuously over a period of forty years.

An added decorative feature of this copy is the painting on the fore-edge of the book, which becomes visible only when the pages are bent and slightly splayed. This painting offers a view of Oxford, including Christ Church and the oversized dome of the Radcliffe Camera. Thus, this centenary gift brought to memory the university setting where Methodism had its very beginnings, as described in The Centenary of Wesleyan Methodism.