author
John Summerfield
An English-born Methodist preacher whose short life made a remarkable impression in Britain and the United States, he was known for intense, emotional sermons that drew large crowds. His story was later preserved in memoirs and biographies that helped keep his name alive long after his death.
1 Audiobook
About the author
Born in Preston, England, on January 31, 1798, he became known as a gifted Methodist preacher while still very young. After a troubled youth in Dublin, he experienced a religious conversion and soon gained attention for the force and feeling of his preaching.
He later traveled to the United States, where his sermons attracted wide interest, especially in New York. Although his career was brief, his reputation spread quickly, and many listeners remembered him as an unusually powerful speaker.
He died in New York City on June 13, 1825, when he was only 27. Even with such a short life, he left a strong impression on 19th-century religious life, and accounts of his ministry continued to be published after his death.