Forsaith turned to the oft-overlooked Trevecca College (established in 1768 by the Countess of Huntingdon, but deeply influenced by Wesley’s ally George Whitefield and later by Wesleyan Methodists). Trevecca was radical for its time: it admitted working-class young men, required rigorous study of Greek, Hebrew, and logic, and insisted on daily bands and class meetings. Forsaith argued that Trevecca became the unconscious model for later Methodist theological colleges (Richmond, Didsbury, Headingley). The paper shed light on the tension between charismatic preaching and learned ministry—a tension that the 2002 conference showed was never fully resolved.
The year was 2002, and the air in the lecture hall carried the scent of old parchment and fresh tea. Scholars, ministers, and history buffs had gathered for the Wesley Historical Society conference, all drawn by a single, rhythmic phrase: "Vital Piety and Learning." The paper shed light on the tension between