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James Bourne
James Bourne (February 8, 1781 – January 15, 1860) was an English preacher and Primitive Methodist leader whose calling from God helped establish a vibrant evangelical movement across the early 19th century. Born at Ford Hayes, Bucknall, Staffordshire, England, to Joseph Bourne, a farmer, and Ellen Steele, he was the youngest of eight children in a modest rural family. His formal education was limited to local schooling, but his spiritual awakening came in 1799 at age 18 when he joined the Methodist society at Ridgeway near Tunstall, embracing a faith that propelled him into ministry without formal theological training. Bourne’s calling from God unfolded alongside his brother Hugh, beginning with open-air preaching and support for the 1807 Mow Cop camp meetings, defying Methodist Conference bans to spread revivalist zeal. Ordained informally within the Primitive Methodist Connexion he co-founded in 1811–1812, he preached tirelessly, traveling miles—such as 20 miles to Tean in 1808 to form a society—and served as a local preacher in the first Primitive Methodist circuit at Tunstall. His sermons called for personal salvation and practical faith, notably supporting the construction of the first chapel at Tunstall and later managing the Connexion’s printing press at Bemersley Farm from 1821 as book steward. Married to Sarah Rowley in 1807, with whom he had five children, he faced business reverses in later years but attended the 1857 Jubilee Camp Meeting at Mow Cop in frail health, passing away at age 78 at Bemersley, Staffordshire, buried with Hugh at Englesea Brook.
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James Bourne shares a personal testimony of seeking God in times of distress, experiencing both His gracious presence and moments of fear, yet clinging closely to Him. He encourages his cousin to find comfort in the fact that Christ bore our reproach, learned obedience through suffering, and can empathize with our weaknesses and temptations. Bourne emphasizes the importance of prayer, obedience, and spiritual growth, drawing inspiration from Hebrews and the example of Christ's humility and endurance.
Letter 27
[To M. B.] Wiston Park, July 1828. Dear Cousin, I am with much pleasure able to inform you that I do not seek the face of God in vain. I have been in the deepest distress, but kept constantly crying to God; and though at times I find his gracious presence, at other times I tremble from head to foot with fear; but under all this cleave the more closely to him. O what happiness to find no reproof, no rebuke! but I am bid to look at all those that have gone before me in the path of tribulation, and learn that our reproach need not be borne single-handed; our sweet privilege is to believe that our reproach fell upon Christ. May you and I consider "that though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;" and may we by prayer and supplication make manifest the same in our life and conversation. Our blessed High Priest was "touched with the feeling of our infirmities," and "was in all points tempted like as we are." Such things as these are inconceivable supports [Heb. iv. 15, and v. 8]. Thus I am occupied here, and kept with a mighty hand. My spirit is much preserved, and my trouble too complicated and severe to allow me time to trifle, and too heavy to be borne by flesh and blood. This morning, reading the epistle to the Hebrews, I have had a sweet season; much enlargement of heart, liberty in prayer, and fresh assurances of God's lovingkindness and tender care; many accusations from the enemy, many lying predictions, and painful threatenings, which the Lord is graciously pleased to remove by some word or other on which he causes me to hope. How sweet were these words to me today (I believe spoken by the Spirit, and imprinted on my heart), "See that thou make all things according to the pattern showed thee in the mount" [Heb. viii. 5]. In this mount God has often put me lately (the mount of his presence), and the pattern I there saw was to be clothed with humility, long-suffering, patience, meekness, temperance, and spiritual mindedness; no murmuring at God's dispensations, no sparing the flesh, no contention in the soul; see that your profiting appears in all these things. O Lord, be pleased to grant that this spirit may grow and increase more and more, that we may really walk in the enjoyment of them, is the prayer of, Yours affectionately, J. B.
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James Bourne (February 8, 1781 – January 15, 1860) was an English preacher and Primitive Methodist leader whose calling from God helped establish a vibrant evangelical movement across the early 19th century. Born at Ford Hayes, Bucknall, Staffordshire, England, to Joseph Bourne, a farmer, and Ellen Steele, he was the youngest of eight children in a modest rural family. His formal education was limited to local schooling, but his spiritual awakening came in 1799 at age 18 when he joined the Methodist society at Ridgeway near Tunstall, embracing a faith that propelled him into ministry without formal theological training. Bourne’s calling from God unfolded alongside his brother Hugh, beginning with open-air preaching and support for the 1807 Mow Cop camp meetings, defying Methodist Conference bans to spread revivalist zeal. Ordained informally within the Primitive Methodist Connexion he co-founded in 1811–1812, he preached tirelessly, traveling miles—such as 20 miles to Tean in 1808 to form a society—and served as a local preacher in the first Primitive Methodist circuit at Tunstall. His sermons called for personal salvation and practical faith, notably supporting the construction of the first chapel at Tunstall and later managing the Connexion’s printing press at Bemersley Farm from 1821 as book steward. Married to Sarah Rowley in 1807, with whom he had five children, he faced business reverses in later years but attended the 1857 Jubilee Camp Meeting at Mow Cop in frail health, passing away at age 78 at Bemersley, Staffordshire, buried with Hugh at Englesea Brook.