Eclectic Society (Christian) facts for kids
The Eclectic Society was a special group started in 1783. It was made up of Anglican church leaders and regular people. They met to talk about important religious ideas. This group was very important in helping to create the Church Missionary Society in 1799.
Who Started the Eclectic Society?
Some of the first members of the society were famous people. These included John Newton (1725-1807), a church leader and poet. He wrote many hymns, like "Amazing Grace." Another key member was John Venn (1759-1813). He was a church leader in Clapham and also helped start the Church Missionary Society.
Other important members were Thomas Scott and Richard Cecil. The Eclectic Society met every two weeks. They first met at the Castle and Falcon Inn. Later, they met in a room at St John's Chapel in London. When the society began, John Newton had been a church leader at St Mary Woolnorth for four years. The group grew bigger and more important over time.
Spreading the Word Around the World
The idea of sending missions to other countries was first talked about in 1786. They discussed it again in 1789 and 1791. The members realized how important it was to share the Christian message with people all over the world.
By 1796, other groups like the Baptist and London Missionary Societies had already started. But it took three more years for the Eclectic Society to take action.
In 1797, a church leader named Josiah Pratt joined the Eclectic Society. In February 1799, he asked a big question for the group to discuss. He wanted to know how a regular magazine or newspaper could help spread religious ideas. This discussion led to the creation of the Christian Observer magazine two years later. This magazine became very important for sharing Christian ideas for many years.
The next month, the group discussed how they could best share the Gospel with people who had not heard it. At this meeting, they decided to form a new society. In April, at a public meeting, the Church Missionary Society for Africa and the East was officially created.
