▁the ▁English ▁hierarchy . ▁ ▁The ▁First ▁Great ▁Aw ak ening ▁ ▁The ▁evangel ical ▁movement ▁inside ▁and ▁outside ▁the ▁Church ▁of ▁England ▁gained ▁strength ▁in ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 8 th ▁and ▁early ▁ 1 9 th ▁century . ▁The ▁movement ▁challenge ▁the ▁traditional ▁religious ▁sens ibility ▁that ▁emphas ized ▁a ▁code ▁of ▁honor ▁for ▁the ▁upper - class , ▁and ▁suitable ▁behaviour ▁for ▁everyone ▁else , ▁together ▁with ▁faithful ▁observ ances ▁of ▁rit uals . ▁John ▁Wes ley ▁( 1 7 0 3 ▁– ▁ 1 7 9 1 ) ▁and ▁his ▁follow ers ▁pre ached ▁rev ival ist ▁religion , ▁trying ▁to ▁convert ▁individuals ▁to ▁a ▁personal ▁relationship ▁with ▁Christ ▁through ▁Bible ▁reading , ▁regular ▁prayer , ▁and ▁especially ▁the ▁rev ival ▁experience . ▁Wes ley ▁himself ▁pre ached ▁ 5 2 , 0 0 0 ▁times , ▁calling ▁on ▁men ▁and ▁women ▁to ▁" re de em ▁the ▁time " ▁and ▁save ▁their ▁sou ls . ▁Wes ley ▁always ▁operated ▁inside ▁the ▁Church ▁of ▁England , ▁but ▁at ▁his ▁death , ▁it ▁set ▁up ▁outside ▁institutions ▁that ▁became ▁the ▁Method ist ▁Church . ▁ ▁It ▁stood ▁alongside ▁the ▁traditional ▁non con form ist ▁churches , ▁Pres by ter ians , ▁Cong reg ational ist , ▁Bapt ists , ▁Unit ari ans ▁and ▁Qu akers . ▁The ▁earlier ▁non con form ist ▁churches , ▁however , ▁were ▁less ▁influenced ▁by ▁rev ival ism . ▁ ▁The ▁Church ▁of ▁England ▁remained ▁dominant , ▁but ▁it ▁had ▁a ▁growing ▁evangel ical ,