Methodist vs. Free Methodist

[Ellesar]

I'm sorry if there's already a thread based on this, but I was wondering what the difference between the Methodists and the Free Methodists are? I attend a school that was founded by the Free Methodists, so I guess that I could always look it up, but I was wondering what you all thought about that question.

 

[Hediru]

United Methodists and the Free Methodists come from the same roots, for the most part have the same thoughts, and worship styles are similar. The only real difference is that when the Methodist Episcopal Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Churches merged in the 1960's (I think that's the correct date. somewhere around there) to make the United Methodist Church, there were a few Methodist churches that did not want to participate in the merger and "freed" themselves from the United Methodist church, therby calling themselves the Free Methodists.

 

[MethodMan]

United Methodists and the Free Methodists come from the same roots, for the most part have the same thoughts, and worship styles are similar. The only real difference is that when the Methodist Episcopal Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Churches merged in the 1960's (I think that's the correct date. somewhere around there) to make the United Methodist Church, there were a few Methodist churches that did not want to participate in the merger and "freed" themselves from the United Methodist church, therby calling themselves the Free Methodists.

More accurately - The Free Methodists broke off when the Methodist Conventions took a neutral stance on Slavery in the 1860's. The Free Methodist Movement sprung up from 1000 or so followers in upstate New York.

 

[Linnis]

Yes, Free-Methodism came to be way back in the 1860s, not only on the stance of slavary but about the practise of renting pews and demanding tithes to be allowed to worship. I now believe the UMC no longer demands tithes but after so long I think the FMC and the UMF have different worship styles etc which is why they stay seperate but I'm not sure since I've never been to a UMC before.

 

[Ellesar]

ok. thanks for the information.