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In 1887 an
energetic and talented young Welshman, Hugh Price Hughes, was appointed
the first Superintendent Minister of the West London Mission. Hughes
had been advocating a ‘new model of evangelism suited to the
masses of the city’ derived from his blend of evangelical theology
and socialist ethics and the Church released him from the normal pattern
of ministry to develop this work in the West End of London.
Hughes was one of the most powerful orators of his day and drew thousands
to services, which were held then in a variety of rented halls. He
held weekly public meetings on current affairs and actively engaged
in the debate over Home Rule for Ireland, and, later, the Boer War.
He sought a higher profile for the Non-Conformist Churches whilst
at the same encouraging steps towards Christian unity. Together with
his wife Katherine he developed practical programmes for the poor, ‘the largest and most complex mission to the urban masses of
any nonconformist church’. Katherine established ‘The Sisters
of the People’, an order of women serving the poor which was
a forerunner of the Wesley Deaconess Order. The Mission established
creches for working girls, one of Britain’s first Hospices for
the dying, and many other practical programmes.
In his evangelistic work Hughes was invaluably assisted by Revd. Mark
Guy Pearse, preacher, poet and artist, and by Josiah Nix, a lay evangelist.
Hughes took on a prodigious amount of work and his health suffered
in his later years. He died in 1902, aged 55. Just three months later
the other great figure of the West London Mission, Donald Soper, was
born. He was Superintendent from 1936 to 1978. When he retired the
Mission moved from its former base at Kingsway Hall to the buildings
and the church at Hinde Street.
Further reading:
On Hughes: ‘Hugh Price Hughes’ by Christopher Oldstone-Moore:
University of Wales Press. 1999
On the history of the West London Mission: ‘Outcast London, A
Christian Response’ by Philip Bagwell: Epworth Press 1987.
For further information on Hinde Street Church you can go to our website at:
www.hindestreet.org.uk
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