Three significant theories have been advanced to explain the development of 19th century Canadian Church history: frontierism, metropolitanism and the church-sect typology. Consequently, the conclusion is that revivalism in Central Canada began to decline with the disappearance of the frontier from about 1820 or with the emergence of a complex society. For example, S. D. Clark suggested that the British Methodist organization had a profound influence on the Canadian Wesleyan Methodists, thereby resulting in the development of a sophisticated Methodist organization in Central Canada after 1832 and the decline of revivals. / No detailed studies of revivalism in Central Canada have been made for the period from 1830 to 1860. By studying the Wesleyan Methodist Church during the period delineated, this thesis demonstrates that the revival movement in Central Canada survived until at least 1860. Its success was determined more by Methodist preaching, programmes and doctrine than by any external factors.

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