Howell Harris
Howell Harris | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 23 January 1714 |
| Died | 21 July 1773 (aged 59) |
Resting place | Talgarth |
| Occupation | Preacher |
| Known for | Founder of the Calvinistic Methodist Church |
Howell Harris (Welsh: Howel Harris; 23 January 1714 – 21 July 1773) was a Calvinistic Methodist evangelist. He was one of the main leaders of the Welsh Methodist revival during The First Great Awakening in the 18th century, along with Daniel Rowland, William Williams Pantycelyn, and George Whitefield. Before he was ordained a minister he was not allowed to preach at a church and had to resort to preaching outdoors, becoming the first Methodist open-air preacher. He was with William Steward on a preaching tour in England when Seward was martyred by an angry mob, incited by members of the Anglican clergy. He was a close associate of prominent preachers in the Methodist revival movement, including John Wesley and George Whitefield. Harris accepted a commission to serve as an officer and a preacher in the British militia during the Seven Years' War.