A Street Preacher

'A street preacher' outside St. Martin's-in-the-Field, signed and dated. Outdoor preaching was not an accepted practice in the Church of England. However, Methodists, Congregationalists, Baptists and other dissenting sects favoured it as a means of bringing the Christian message to the people. Many Londoners welcomed such a direct approach and non-conformist chapels were established throughout the metropolis without the help of government funds. The percentage of adult churchgoers in London at this period was remarkably high by modern standards. The 1851 census suggested that roughly a third of all Londoners attended a place of worship.