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Bramwell’s Faithful PRAYERS Guaranteed Success

[ABOVE: William Bramwell, from frontpiece in Memoir of the Life and Ministry of the Rev. William Bramwell....by Members of his Family. London: Simpkin, Marshall, and Co., 1848.]


WILLIAM BRAMWELL was the kind of person whose character is fixed at a young age. Take a snapshot of him at almost any day in his adult life, you would find pretty much the same picture. You’d find him up early in fervent prayer, followed by Bible study, visitation, and preaching. 

He had struggled to find salvation as a youth. Peace came one day when he took Communion in the Anglican Church that he and his parents attended. Thereafter he sought fellowship with likeminded souls. He did not find it among the local Anglicans. A friend urged him to visit the Wesleyan Methodists. At first he refused because his father considered the Methodists heretics. 

Bramwell found himself drifting from Christ. He became concerned enough with his soul’s state that he decided to give the Wesleyans a hearing. Immediately he knew he had found the people who suited him. After some uncertainty as to his course, he became a Wesleyan preacher. 

“Strive to save souls in every sermon,” he said. “They are the best preachers who bring souls to God.” Wherever he was appointed, he spent long hours in prayer, preached fervently, and made certain to visit everyone under his care. He rejected all gossip, lived frugally, and sacrificed his own comforts—including not seeing his wife and children for a month to six weeks at a time when he was appointed at some distance from them. However, revival followed wherever he went. Thousands were added to the ranks of the Wesleyan Methodists and thousands more developed deeper faith.

A man of integrity, Bramwell seemed able to recognize hypocrisy in others. Associates told of instances when he saw through pretense and called it out. Walking close to God, he was sometimes able, after prayer, to assure others their prayers were heard.

In one extraordinary instance, the Nottingham Society was in great need of land to build a church. Intense search had shown that property simply was not available. On this day, 28 May 1798, Bramwell arrived in Nottingham. Learning from “Brother” Tathum the next morning of the “impossible” situation, Bramwell went to prayer. After some time on his knees, conviction of success came upon him. “Lord! I believe thou wilt find them a piece of land this day.” Knowing their long search, Tathum found it hard to believe. He was called away to tend some business.

When he returned one of Bramwell’s companions reported he had found an ideal location. Through a mix-up, he spoke to the wrong man, who sold him adjacent land. Bramwell’s prayer was answered the same day it was made.

Bramwell broke with the Wesleyans briefly in the early part of the nineteenth century. Under new leadership, the church was becoming more formal and considered Bramwell’s revival preaching too enthusiastic. However, Bramwell soon rejoined the Wesleyans and spent the remainder of his life with them, dying of stroke in 1818 at just 59 years of age. Although the date of his memorial service was not published, word of mouth prompted over 10,000 people to show up for his burial.

—Dan Graves

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