"This third volume of A History of the Methodist Church in Great Britain, which began to be published in 1965, and took another step forward in 1978, brings the story of British Methodism to the event which was intended to conclude the whole work, that is, to the consummations of Methodist Union in 1932. Some chapters, however, advance beyond that event, since the description of some of the processes then in train could not be abruptly curtailed without historical injustice." -- From the Preface

First published in 2006. A listener to sermons, and even a reader of respectable history books, could easily think that during the nineteenth century the habit of attending religious worship was normal among the English working classes.

"With this volume the publication of A History of the Methodist Church in Great Britain comes to its appointed end. The project of writing it was initiated by the Methodist Conference of 1953, and the lapse of time since then has made it possible to include at appropriate points the results of the continuing research into the origins and nature of Methodism; but 'the chance and changes of this mortal life', which are bound to impinge on the progress of so complex an enterprise, together with the heavy involvement of all the contributors in ecclesiastical, ecumenical and academic affairs, have made this period much longer than the General Editors would have wished." -- From the Preface