ABSTRACT
Mission was the life-blood of Evangelical Nonconformists during the nineteenth century, and its pulse was also felt in other Dissenting denominations. Individual activities in the chapels were designed to spread the gospel and its influence in the vicinity and there were innumerable agencies for achieving the same goals on a broader scale. The evangelistic efforts at home were at their most vigorous in the early years of the century. The Missionary Society, eager to follow the leadings of providence, organised efforts on the continent as well as in distant parts of the globe. The vision of the Independents for gospel work in Lancashire, the most industrialised county, illustrates the enterprising spirit stemming from the Evangelical Revival of the previous century. New methods were frequently adopted to reach the working people: lectures to mass audiences.
