circuit rider

Home > ... > Philosophy and Religion > Christianity > Protestant Christianity > ...

Essential reading Compare
side-by-side The Oxford Companion to American Literature The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition

circuit rider

circuit rider itinerant preacher of the Methodist denomination who served a "circuit" consisting usually of 20 to 40 "appointments." The circuit system, devised by John Wesley for his English societies in their formative period and developed in America by Francis Asbury, proved especially adapted to the conditions of the American frontier and came into its own in the trans-Allegheny region. Its success was a factor in establishing Methodism in America. The circuit rider, traveling usually on horseback because it was economical and suited to the forest pathways, preached nearly every day and twice on Sundays, thus covering his circuit every four or five weeks. His appointments were usually in pioneer cabins, schoolhouses, or tavern barrooms. The circuit rider often had a limited education, but he was usually an effective preacher and lived a very self-sacrificing life.

Bibliography: See E. K. Nottingham, Methodism and the Frontier (1941, repr. 1966); W. W. Sweet, The Methodists, 1783-1840 (1946, repr. 1964).

Create a link to this page

Copy and paste this link tag into your Web page or blog:

<a href="http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/.aspx#1E1-circuitr" title="Facts and information about circuit rider">circuit rider</a>

Give this article a thumbs-up on StumbleUpon

Cite this article
Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography.

MLA
Chicago
APA

"circuit rider." The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 6 Dec. 2009 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

"circuit rider." The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. (December 6, 2009). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-circuitr.html

"circuit rider." The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2008. Retrieved December 06, 2009 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-circuitr.html

Learn more about citation styles

Circuit Rider, The

The Oxford Companion to American Literature | 1995 | | Â© The Oxford Companion to American Literature 1995, originally published by Oxford University Press 1995. (Hide copyright information) Copyright

Circuit Rider, The, novel by Edward Eggleston.

Create a link to this page

Copy and paste this link tag into your Web page or blog:

<a href="http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/.aspx#1O123-CircuitRiderThe" title="Facts and information about circuit rider">circuit rider</a>

Cite this article
Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography.

MLA
Chicago
APA

James D. Hart and and Phillip W. Leininger. "Circuit Rider, The." The Oxford Companion to American Literature. Oxford University Press. 1995. Encyclopedia.com. 6 Dec. 2009 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

James D. Hart and and Phillip W. Leininger. "Circuit Rider, The." The Oxford Companion to American Literature. Oxford University Press. 1995. Encyclopedia.com. (December 6, 2009). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O123-CircuitRiderThe.html

James D. Hart and and Phillip W. Leininger. "Circuit Rider, The." The Oxford Companion to American Literature. Oxford University Press. 1995. Retrieved December 06, 2009 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O123-CircuitRiderThe.html

Learn more about citation styles

Related entries from encyclopedias, dictionaries and thesauruses

Rate these entries|See all related entries

Free newspaper and magazine articles

	The Circuit Riders: Let the Ride Begin.(Sound recording review)(Brief article) Magazine article from: Sing Out!; 6/22/2007
	USA: LINKING MINORITIES, COMMUNITIES, AND ELITES.(nonprofit circuit riders)(Brief Article) Newspaper article from: IPR Strategic Business Information Database; 3/18/2003
	New Jersey launches work-zone "Circuit Rider" program. (Public Information and Information Exchange).(Brief Article) Magazine article from: Public Roads; 1/1/2002

Facts and information from other sites

Related articles from newspapers, magazines, and more

	The Circuit Riders: Let the Ride Begin.(Sound recording review)(Brief article) Magazine article from: Sing Out!; 6/22/2007; ; 565 words ; THE CIRCUIT RIDERS Let the Ride Begin Pinecastle 1154 The Circuit Riders play their bluegrass crisp and bracing. From...of late was sold and paved into another mall. All 5 Circuit Riders are superb players: Greg Luck on guitar, Greg...
	State funds 'circuit riders' to aid small-business outreach. (Indiana's funding of small business development centers) Magazine article from: Indianapolis Business Journal; 12/16/1991; ; 700+ words ; In the near future, "circuit riding" counselors will fan...convenient locations. The circuit riders will stop at satellite offices...primarily to fund the circuit rider program. Small Business Development...will begin in January. The circuit riders will reach out on two fronts...
	Reverend Joseph Tarkington, Methodist Circuit Rider: From Frontier Evangelism to Refined Religion.(Review) (book reviews) Magazine article from: History: Review of New Books; 9/22/1998; ; 700+ words ; ...Reverend Joseph Tarkington, Methodist Circuit Rider: From Frontier Evangelism to Refined...Tarkington, Indiana Methodist circuit rider, the elder Tarkingtons' son and...serving as one of their pioneering circuit riders and then established pastor through...
	NATIONAL RURAL WATER ASSOCIATION PROVIDES CIRCUIT RIDER AID Magazine article from: Industrial Environment; 10/1/1994; 354 words ; ...Rural Water Association (RWA) is now providing circuit rider aid. Circuit riders provide free technical assistance to public water...and resources. Formal training is also offered. Circuit riders are hired by the state RWA and must be experienced...
	Circuit riders sprint among multiple churches in Western Pennsylvania Newspaper article from: Tribune-Review/Pittsburgh Tribune-Review; 8/9/2009; ; 700+ words ; ...clergy men and women are descendants of the nation's circuit riders of the 18th and 19th centuries who rode horses across...frontier and rural settings. But while the traditional circuit riders played integral roles establishing churches beyond...
	IT in the Community.(Circuit Riders North East) Magazine article from: Computing; 10/26/2006; ; 700+ words ; Byline: Jim Mortleman IT in the Community Circuit Riders North East -- IT support for voluntary sector in the North East z The Circuit Riders North East project was established in September 2005...
	USA: LINKING MINORITIES, COMMUNITIES, AND ELITES.(nonprofit circuit riders)(Brief Article) Newspaper article from: IPR Strategic Business Information Database; 3/18/2003; 646 words ; E-Riders (known in the United States as "circuit riders") assist nonprofit organizations...recruited a team of Romany e-Riders in Macedonia, Bulgaria, Romania...complete text of an article on e-Rider/NGO cooperation in educational...
	Circuit riders net title double; CYCLING.(Sport) Newspaper article from: Coventry Evening Telegraph (England); 9/7/2005; 536 words ; ...captured two titles at the British Cycling circuit time trial championships in South Yorkshire...Mitchell clocked 49-44 as local club riders filled the three podium places - John...handicap road race over a tough Berkswell circuit in use for the first time since 1991...
	Methodists to recall frontier days when circuit rider trots in.(Neighbor) Newspaper article from: Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, IL); 8/25/2001; 700+ words ; ...As Blackwell did in the beginning, and all of the circuit riders who followed, Stoner will be greeted by the church...hard time keeping out of the living past. Unlike the circuit riders of yore, Stoner will not continue on to Big Woods...
	LIKE CIRCUIT RIDERS OF THE OLD WEST, TODAY'S ITINERANT TEACHERS BLAZE NEW TRAILS WITH CELLULAR PHONE TECHNOLOGY PR Newswire; 4/22/1992; 700+ words ; LIKE CIRCUIT RIDERS OF THE OLD WEST, TODAY'S ITINERANT TEACHERS BLAZE NEW TRAILS WITH CELLULAR PHONE TECHNOLOGY DALLAS, April 22 /PRNewswire...