Vocation and Resilience of
the First Preacher Authorized to Preach by the Methodist Conference
Sarah Mallet was encouraged by Wesley and the Conference of 1787
authorized her to preach
Odilon
Massolar Chaves
Copyright © 2026, Odilon Massolar Chaves
All rights reserved to the author.
It is allowed to read, copy and share for
free.
Article 184 of the Penal Code and Law 96710
of February 19, 1998.
Books published in the Wesleyan Digital
Library: 810
Books published by the author: 850
Address: https://bibliotecawesleyana.blogspot.com
Cover:
https://es.pinterest.com/pin/295126581804138831/
Odilon Massolar Chaves is a retired Methodist
pastor, with a doctorate in Theology and History from the Methodist University
of São Paulo.
Son of Rev. Adherico Ribeiro Chaves and Roza
Massolar Chaves.
He is married to RoseMary.
He has two daughters: Liliana and Luciana.
His thesis dealt with the Methodist revival
in England in the eighteenth century and its contribution as a paradigm for our
days.
Table of
Contents
· Introduction
· Who was
Sarah Mallet
· No weapon formed against you will prosper if you keep away from
excessive affections
· But they can't hurt you as your heart clings to God
· No wonder you came across crosses
· He, by His Spirit, will open a way for you to escape
· Be careful in all your actions
· And tell me any manifestations of the ever-blessed Trinity that you find
· You should not judge by your own feelings
· Nothing is more profitable for us than cutting off a right hand or
gouging out a right eye
· If you exhort others to serve Him, then expect a wave of temptation
============================
Introduction
"Vocation and Resilience of the First Preacher Authorized to Preach
by the Methodist Conference" is a 21-page book based especially on
Wesley's letters to Sarah Mallet.
"The trajectory of Sarah
Mallet (later Sarah Boyce,
1764–1846) is one of the most striking testimonies of spiritual vocation and
resilience in the history of early Methodism. At a time when public space and
the pulpit were strictly male, she defied convention to fulfill what she understood
to be a divine calling."[1]
Wesley affectionately called her "Dear Sally," "Miss
Sally." Sarah Mallet" or
simply "Dear Sarah Mallet".
Mallet believed she had the call to preaching, and Wesley, basing
himself on the "extraordinary call" to Methodism, wisely indicated
it, and the Methodist Conference of 1787 authorized her to preach. The Methodist Conference decided that it had no
objection to her preaching, "so long as she continues to preach the
Methodist Doctrine and attends to our Discipline." [2]
One of Wesley's counsels said: "I am not surprised that you should
have judgments: you can expect them from all sides. You step daily in dangers,
traps and death. But they can't hurt you while your heart clings to God. Beware
of pride! Beware of sycophants! Beware of discouragement! But above all, beware
of excessive affection."
And for 55 years, Sarah Mallet even preached while on tour.
"Sarah Mallet has not abandoned her vocation. Even under censorship
and severe restrictions, she continued to preach for more than 40 years after
the institutional banishment"[3] in 1803.
It was not officially reported when he passed away, at the age of 82. It
was forgotten.
His vocation and resilience, however, were not in vain. Although
belated, in 1918, "the Methodist Conference in England definitively
revoked the restrictions, formally allowing women to act as local preachers
with full rights". [4]
A story of vocation,
pioneering and resilience.
The Author
============================
Who was Sarah Mallet
"Sarah was born in
1764 to a working-class family in the village of Loddon in Norfolk, England.
Sarah and her siblings worked with their father and uncle in the family
tailoring business. From a note she wrote in a letter to Wesley, it appears
that the family did not produce clothes for rich people, but mainly for poor
people or people of modest means."[5]
Your adolescence
Sarah had depression and
crises as a teenager.
Hence, his initial
enthusiasm for religion waned.
"At the age of 16, he
went to live with his uncle William, a Methodist class leader. There, she
experienced God, but became seriously ill and had to return home. Health
problems plagued her throughout her life, but she continued to feel a strong
call to speak publicly about God." [6]
Sarah was introduced to
Wesleyan preaching in "the mid-1770s, amid the expansion of Methodist
societies in the interior of East Anglia, where itinerant preachers established
circuits that included field preaching and social gatherings accessible to
working-class audiences. Their family's tailoring business in the village
positioned them within this emerging network, as the Methodist organization
emphasized disciplined class meetings and band societies to foster personal
piety, contrasting with the perception of unbridled enthusiasm on the part of
critics who saw such meetings as prone to emotional excess."[7]
God's call and crises
In 1785, Sarah felt the
call to preach.
"As he struggled with
this calling, he began to have 'crises,' preaching seemingly unconscious or in
a trance. The 'hits' continued for several weeks, the news spread and more and
more people came to hear her speak. A crowd of about 200 people gathered to
hear her on one occasion. These episodes clarified God's call on her life and
convinced her of God's desire for her to preach. When the episodes subsided and
she regained her health, her uncle asked her to speak at his Methodist
preaching home. She spoke there every week and began to receive invitations to
preach in nearby villages. [8]
What were your crises?
The
seizures (originally called "fits" or
convulsions/attacks) suffered by Sarah Mallet (1764–1846), "were
peculiar medical and spiritual episodes that mixed severe physical symptoms
with preaching in a trance state.
These
episodes began around December 1785, shortly after she went through a period of
depression and a severe physical illness that almost led to her death."[9]
Sarah, initially, resisted
the call, as she was not "a friend of women's preaching", as she
herself said.
But while
"recuperating at her uncle's house in Long Stratton, she was seized by a
series of 'crises' during which she preached consistently from various passages
of scripture. Soon, large crowds gathered to hear Mallett preach, and by 1786
she was able to preach without going into a trance." [10]
"In
the view of Sarah and the Methodist community at the time, these crises were
interpreted as a physical sign of the
divine call to ministry, which she initially struggled with internally
(since female preaching was not accepted).
The
crises ceased altogether about 1786, shortly after Sarah relented and cried out
in prayer, "Lord, I will obey thee; I will call sinners to
repentance." From the moment she agreed to preach publicly of her own
free will and consciously, the attacks never returned, beginning a career of
more than 55 years as a preacher." [11]
Conference Approval
Wesley met Sarah in late
1786. He had heard of a young woman who had convulsions and had begun to
preach.
Wesley visited Mallet in
1786 and was impressed by his spiritual experience and his calling to preach.
"Less than a year
later, Sarah received a letter stating that, by order of John Wesley, the
Methodist Conference of 1787 had no objection to her preaching, 'so long as she
continues to preach Methodist Doctrine and attends to our Discipline.'" [12]
Despite the opposition of some male preachers,
Wesley authorized Sarah Mallet to preach.[13]
The Methodists were still
officially following the Church of England against women's preaching, but
Wesley believed that Mallet had an 'extraordinary calling' and, with his
support, the Manchester Conference of 1787 granted him a licence to preach.
The license itself read:
"We give the right hand of communion to Sarah Mallet, and we have no
objection to her being a preacher in our connection, so long as she preaches
Methodist doctrines and attends to our discipline." This written approval
was highly unique and, in fact, allowed Mallett to continue preaching long
after Wesley's death, and indeed even after the Conference of 1803 had
officially banned women's preaching." [14]
Sarah Mallet practiced
itinerant preaching throughout England after her authorization by John Wesley
after the Methodist Conference of 1787.
"Initially centred on
Norfolk circuits, including Loddon, nearby villages and Lowestoft. His
activities extended to London and Birmingham, involving travel through central
England, often in Methodist preaching houses, barns, or wagons when formal
access was not available." [15]
After Wesley's death in
1791, Sarah Mallet married in 1793 to Thomas Boyce, a local Methodist preacher
and class leader.
Marriage limited her participation in
preaching and itinerant ministry to her to focus on family responsibilities,
including raising children.
After her husband's death
in 1813, Sarah returned to the itinerant ministry.
She resumed itinerant
ministry from then on, partnering with Martha Grigson, another exhorter, to
conduct services in East Anglia, London, and Birmingham, despite the 1803
Wesleyan Conference's ban on women preaching publicly. Mallett adapted to the
ban by calling for private exhortations in homes, barns, and wagons when
chapels denied them access, relying on the support of sympathetic local
Methodist societies rather than the formal endorsement of the
conference. In the 1810s and 1820s, she and Grigson undertook extended
travels, including a six-month tour of central England that ended with
conducting services at all six Birmingham chapels, where Mallett visited the
aging Mary Tooth, a former associate of Methodist leader Mary
Bosanquet. His efforts contributed to modest growth in local societies,
such as in North Lopham, Norfolk, where membership reached 101 in 1813, during
his regular visits. However, institutional opposition has intensified,
limiting its scope to informal and regional activities rather than the broader
circuits of its pre-prohibition years." [16]
Wesley's Advice
Thinking of protecting
Mallet from prejudice, Wesley gave him some lessons.
Wesley advised Mallett,
"Never continue the service for more than an hour at a time, singing,
preaching, praying, and all. You should not judge by your own feelings, but by
God's word. Never scream. Never speak above the natural tone of your voice; it
is repugnant to the hearers. It gives them pain, not pleasure." Clearly,
Wesley was concerned about how Mallett would be received in a culture so
prejudiced against women's preaching, even though she was a powerful and
effective preacher throughout her life." [17]
Supported by the Conference
and the Methodist leader for having an "extraordinary calling," Sarah
Mallet (1764–1846) was one of the few women authorized by John Wesley to preach
in early Methodism. Sarah defied the restrictions of the time and maintained a
traveling ministry of at least 55 years.
Sarah Mallet's relationship
and trajectory in the movement stand out for:
Exclusive License: In 1787,
the Manchester Conference issued a formal license that allowed Mallet to preach
as long as he maintained Methodist doctrine and discipline.
Relationship with Wesley:
She maintained regular correspondence with the founder of Methodism, who
affectionately called her "My dear Sally." Wesley visited her
personally in 1786 and was impressed by her spiritual experience.
Enduring Ministry: Even
after Wesley's death and the subsequent banishment of women preachers by the
Wesleyan Methodist Church in 1803, she married (becoming Sarah Boyce) and
continued preaching for another 40 years." [18]
Your wedding
"In 1793, Mallett
married Thomas Boyce, a local Methodist tailor and preacher. Together, they had
four daughters (three of whom died) and two sons. After her husband's death,
she teamed up with another preacher named Martha Grigson and the two traveled
the country preaching in Methodist chapels for the rest of their long lives.
Mallett also maintained frequent contact with Mary Tooth – Mary Bonsanquet
Fletcher's companion at Madeley – again illustrating the importance of these
women's communities to early Methodism. Sarah Mallett Boyce died in 1843 at the
age of 82, having preached the gospel for much of her adult life."[19]
Wesley's letters to Sarah
Mallet reveal all the care, respect and encouragement:
No weapon formed against you will prosper if
you keep away from excessive affections
It seems to me that no
weapon formed against you will prosper if you keep away from excessive
affections. Oh, guard your heart with all diligence! Mark the first highs of
desire. Turn yourself (as David says) about the Lord, and He is and always will
be your sufficient portion
To Sarah Mallet
BRISTOL, October 6, 1787.
MY DEAR SISTER, -- Ever
since I saw you, I have felt a great love for you and a desire to see you
again. When I come to Harwich, I hope you will find means to be there; then I
will probably visit her in Long Stratton. I'm glad you did. Recently I saw a young
woman [Miss Helena] Bisson, from St. Heller. See the August 4 and December 17
letters to her. Compare those of July 4, 1787 and August 8, 1788 with Lady
Maxwell.] on the Island of Jersey, whose experience is as extraordinary as
yours; in one thing seems to be clearer than his—namely, in her communion with
the Holy Trinity, with God the Father, and God the Son, and God the Holy
Spirit.
On Monday I must return to
London. Whenever you have time, write freely to, my dear Sally,
With
affection. [20]
But they can't hurt you as
your heart clings to God
To
Sarah Mallet
BATH, March 11, 1788.
MY DEAR SISTER, -- I should
have been exceedingly glad to see you; for I have a tender affection for you,
and shall always be very pleased to hear from you, and to know how your soul
prospers.
You won't take it wrong if
I ask you another question. I know that neither your father nor your uncle are
rich; And as you travel up and down, you'll want a little cash. Aren't you
cramped sometimes? Just let me know, and there will be nothing that is within
the reach of, my dear Sally,
With affection.
No wonder you came across
crosses
I do not doubt that you
have given God your heart, and desire in all things to do His holy and
acceptable will. But if so, it is no wonder that you would come across crosses,
both from the devil and from his children, especially since you believe you are
called by God to give a public testimony against Him.
To Sarah Mallet
LONDON, August 2, 1788.
MY DEAR SISTER, -- Let me know at any time
what books you wish to have, and I will order them to be sent to you. [See
letters of March 11 and December 26.] It is a pleasure for me if I can show in
something the respect I have for you, for I am firmly convinced that you have a
conscience void of offense against God and man. I do not doubt that you have
given God your heart, and desire in all things to do His holy and acceptable
will. But if so, it is no wonder that you would come across crosses, both from
the devil and from his children, especially since you believe you are called by
God to give a public testimony against Him. But you are much more in danger of
applause than of censure; And it's good for you that one balances the other.
But I trust that you will never get tired of doing well. Over time, it will
reap if it does not faint. Whoever praises or belittles, it is up to you to
move forward, speaking the truth with love. I do not require any of our
preachers to take leave either for themselves or for the places where they
preach. [For the act, see Tyerman'a Wesley, iii. In fact, a cheeky young man in
Northamptonshire caused himself some trouble by preaching in church time, so
close to the church that it upset both the minister and the congregation. But
this need not frighten any other of our preachers. They remain as safe as
before. Go, therefore, and fear nothing but sin. And let me know if there's
anything I can help you with, which will be a pleasure, dear Sally,
With affection. [21]
He, by His Spirit, will
open a way for you to escape
Go forward steadily and
silently on the path which Providence leads you, and in every temptation He, by
His Spirit, will open a way for you to escape.
To Sarah Mallet
LONDON, December 26, 1788.
MY DEAR SISTER, I answered your letter long
ago, and asked Mr. Whitfield to send my letter with the magazines he was
sending to Norwich, desiring also that the next preacher who went to Long
Stratton would deliver it to him. But for the future, whenever I write, I will
send the letter by mail, and I can easily offset the expense. [He gave it to
his book administrator to be forwarded, so that Miss S. Mallet was not
discharged, for he was poor. See letters of August 2, 1788 and February 21,
1789 to her.]
I'm very happy to find out that you have
consideration for me; Me too for you. And therefore it is a pleasure for me to
serve you in all that lies within my power. In fact, I could not so well send
the Notes on the Old Testament, since the edition is almost out of print, and
very few of them remain, which are reserved to compose complete sets. But any
other book is at your disposal. I want to transmit all useful knowledge, which
in fact is in a very restricted compass. You don't expect to live without crosses;
and some will fall on you for my sake; for I notice you may bring envy upon
you. But in your patience possess your soul. Please, God, and that's enough. Go
forward steadily and silently on the path which Providence leads you, and in
every temptation He, by His Spirit, will open a way for you to escape. If any
specific difficulties or adjustments arise, be sure to let me know. No one can
be more willing to help you than, my dear Sally, [22]
Be
careful in all your actions
As
your speech at Mr. Hunt's was not something premeditated, I see no harm in it,
and indeed you have been so surrounded by a coincidence of circumstances that I
do not know how I could have avoided it. Perhaps there was some end of Divine
Providence
To
Sarah Mallet
LONDON, February 21, 1789.
MY DEAR SISTER, -- As your
speech at Mr. Hunt's was not something premeditated, I see no harm in it, and
indeed you have been so surrounded by a coincidence of circumstances that I do
not know how I could have avoided it. Perhaps there was some end of Divine
Providence (unknown to us) to be answered by this. Therefore, I do not regret
the fact that it fell like this. But you should expect to be censored for it.
But I was a little
surprised a while ago when someone talking about you said, 'Sally Mallet isn't
as serious as Betty Reeve.' I found Sally Mallet to be as serious as any young
woman in Norfolk. Be careful in all your actions, and you will never want any
help that is within the reach of my dear Sally,
With affection. [23]
And tell me any
manifestations of the ever-blessed Trinity that you find
And tell me, on the other
hand, whatever manifestations of the ever-blessed Trinity you meet, and
whatever unusual degree of faith, hope, or love you may be favored with from
time to time
To Sarah Mallet
LEEDS, August 3, 1789.
DEAR SALLY, -- I have not received any
letters from you other than the one you wrote last month. You can be sure that
I will answer all the letters I receive from you, because I have a real respect
for you. I love you with tender affection. Therefore, you do well to open your
whole soul to me. You can tell me any trial you face, and that in all
simplicity. And tell me, on the other hand, any manifestations of the
ever-blessed Trinity that you encounter, and any unusual degree of faith, hope,
or love with which you are favored from time to time. I hope you will speak
freely with Mr. Tattershall. [See letter of December 15 to Miss Helena S.
Mallet.] He is an excellent man, and deeply acquainted with the things of God.
You can learn a lot from it, and even more because you are willing to learn;
You're glad to be instructed. Providing any service that is within my reach
will always be a pleasure, dear Sally,
With affection.
For Miss Helena. Sarah Mallet.
You should not judge by
your own feelings
Never continue the service
for more than an hour at a time, singing, preaching, praying, and all. You
should not judge by your own feelings, but by God's word. Never scream.
To Sarah Mallet
CANTERBURY, December 15, 1789.
MY DEAR SALLY, -- It is a pleasure
to know that prejudice disappears and our preachers behave in a friendly
manner. What is most important to regain your health you yourself clearly
perceive. Don't be listening to everyone's call. You might even cut that if you
went nowhere without Mr. Tattershall's advice. Never continue the service for
more than an hour at a time, singing, preaching, praying, and all. You should
not judge by your own feelings, but by God's word. Never scream. Never speak
above the natural tone of your voice; it is repugnant to the hearers. It gives
them pain, not pleasure. And that's destroying itself. It is to offer to God
murder for sacrifice. Just follow these three pieces of advice, and you'll have
a bigger share regarding, my dear Sally,
With affection. [24]
Nothing is more profitable
for us than cutting off a right hand or gouging out a right eye
To Sarah Mallet
BRISTOL, July 31, 1790.
DEAR SALLY, -- I don't remember receiving any
letter from you that I didn't answer. I should be afraid that my silence might
cause you pain; And that I wouldn't do at all. I'm glad you interrupted that
relationship that couldn't help but be a trap for you. Nothing is more
profitable for us than cutting off a right hand or gouging out a right eye. If
you continue in the work to which God has called you, you will often have
occasion to do so. You will have trials and more trials. But what then? Is His
grace not sufficient for you? And has He not opened in every temptation a way
for you to escape, that you may endure it? Don't let your hands hang down; God
is on your side. And if they are rebuked for His name's sake, happy are they;
and the spirit of glory and of God will rest upon you. If you want to have a
book, let me know, and I will give orders to the Assistant. [See letters of
December 15, 1789 and December 13, 1790.] It's good that you meet our sister
[Elizabeth Reeve. See the letters of February 21, 1789 and December 13, 1790.]
that it is also sometimes employed in the same labor of love; Providence has
marked you out as friends with each other, and there should be no reservations
between you. Pour all your thoughts, problems, and temptations into each other's
bosom. God will often comfort and strengthen you for one another! May his peace
remain continually with you both! -- I am, my dear Sally, [25]
If you exhort others to
serve Him, then expect a wave of temptation
Particularly, if you exhort others to serve Him, then expect a wave of temptation. That which you have mentioned is common to man; but when Satan attacks us so violently, he provokes us to jealousy
To Sarah Mallet
NEAR LONDON, DECEMBER 13, 1790.
DEAR SALLY,-- I'm glad you reminded me of the
books. Brother George Whitfield had already forgotten about them. I'm going to
refresh his memory. Tell me about anything you want, and I love you too well to
let you want it for too long. Some time ago, it seems that you let this word
slip from your mind: 'My son, if you serve the Lord, prepare your soul for
temptation.' Particularly, if you exhort others to serve Him, then expect a
wave of temptation. That which you have mentioned is common to man; but when Satan
attacks us so violently, he provokes to jealousy Someone stronger than himself.
I'm glad you've been in and on Diss, and that there's a good understanding
between you and your sister. [Elizabeth Reeve. See letter of July 31.] Let this
be the only contest between you, which will be the most zealous and humble. I
was very pleased, when together, to discover that you could speak to me without
reservation, as I hope you always will. For has not God given me to you as a
tender guard of your youth? And I believe you will find few who will care for
you more tenderly than, dear Sally,
With
affection. [26]
[1] Overview of Google's AI Mode
[2]
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[3] Overview of Google's AI Mode
[4] Overview of Google's AI Mode
[5]https://www.umc.org/en /content/ask-the-umc-pioneers-in-methodism-sarah-mallet
[6]https://www.umc.org/en
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[7]
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[8]https://www.umc.org/en
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[11] GToogle's AI Mode Overview
[12]
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[13]
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[15]
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[16]
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[17]
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[18] Overview of Google's AI Mode
[19]
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[20]
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[21]
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[22]
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[23]
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[24]
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[25]
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[26]
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