26 Facts About Sarah Crosby

Sarah Crosby was an English Methodist preacher, and is considered to be the first woman to hold this title.

Scholars such as Paul Wesley Chilcote consider Sarah Crosby to be the busiest female Methodist preacher, as she preached up until the day she died.

Sarah Crosby was renowned for being skilled at prayer, which at the time was seen as a sort of religious art form.

Sarah Crosby did not become interested in religion until she began to attend Anglican services when she was 14 years old.

Sarah Crosby started to develop a fear of death, which became pronounced when she was 17, perhaps because of a bout of illness.

Some speculate that Mr Sarah Crosby was not a Methodist and discouraged her from practicing her religion.

Mr Sarah Crosby's religion remains unknown, as do most details about him.

Sarah Crosby held negative views of Wesley and Methodism, which were common at the time.

Sarah Crosby began to lead her own Methodist classes in 1752.

Shortly after becoming a class leader, Sarah Crosby experienced a vision of Jesus whilst praying.

Sarah Crosby had somewhat of a conflict with Wesley's wife, Mary "Molly" Vazeille.

In 1758, Sarah Crosby wrote to Wesley and, in her letter, made harsh comments about Vazeille.

Bosanquet and Sarah Crosby were so successful that The Cedars became a centre of Methodism in Leytonstone.

Sarah Crosby followed Bosanquet and Ryan when they moved their orphanage to Cross Hall farm in Yorkshire in 1768.

Sarah Crosby went to the town on a missionary quest and was instructed to lead classes.

Usually, in a class setting, Sarah Crosby would have given individualized advice to a small group of less than 50; however, since there was such a large crowd, she could not do so and decided to preach instead.

Sarah Crosby's preaching consisted of reading a hymn, praying, and telling a story of how God had impacted her life.

Sarah Crosby wrote to Wesley to tell him of what she had done and to get his advice.

In 1769, Wesley wrote to Sarah Crosby, permitting her to give pieces of spiritual advice, or exhortations, in her preaching.

Apparently, Sarah Crosby was quite popular, and often spoke to hundreds at her sermons.

Sarah Crosby's preaching was not welcome everywhere and her preaching at Cross Hall was not the only instance in which her work was opposed.

Sarah Crosby had recently been to a nearby church in Huddersfield, but had only led a class there and did not preach.

Up until she died, Sarah Crosby was still active in the Methodist Connexion.

Sarah Crosby led classes, went to meetings, and preached during the week before her death.

On 24 October 1804, at the age of 75, Sarah Crosby died in Leeds.

Sarah Crosby was buried in a shared grave at Leeds Parish Churchyard with her colleagues Sarah Ryan, and later, Ann Tripp.