Bunting, Jabez

BUNTING, JABEZ: The "second founder of Methodism"; b. at Manchester May 13, 1779; d. in London June 16, 1858. He received a good school education in Manchester, and began to preach at the age of nineteen; was stationed first in Manchester, then at Macclesfield (1801), London (1803), Manchester (1805), Sheffield (1807), Liverpool (1809); Halifax (1811), Leeds (1813), London (1815), Manchester (1824), Liverpool (1830); from 1833 he lived in London and filled the most important positions at the denominational headquarters. He was one of the founders of the Wesleyan Missionary Society and its secretary for eighteen years; was first president of the Wesleyan Missionary Institute in London, from 1835 till his death; was president of the conference in 1820, 1828, 1836, and 1844. He perfected the Methodist organization, and it was his influence which gave steadily increasing powers to laymen. He edited the seventh edition of Cruden's Concordance (Liverpool, 1815) and Memoirs of the Early 304Life of William Cowper (1816). Two volumes of sermons, edited by his eldest son, W. M. Bunting, appeared posthumously (1861–62).

Bibliography: His Life was written by T. P. Bunting (brother of W. M. Bunting, above), vol. i., London, 1859, vol. ii., completed by G. S. Rowe, 1887. Consult also DNB, vii. 273–275, where other literature is given.