The Wesleyan Methodist Church of America emerged in response to the Methodist Episcopal Church's support of slavery and its centralized, authoritarian governance. In November 1842, leaders O. Scott, J. Horton, and L. R. Sunderland withdrew from the Methodist Episcopal Church and launched The True Wesleyan, a weekly publication explaining their reasons for separation. In December, Luther Lee and L. C. Matlack also withdrew, marking the formal beginning of the Wesleyan movement. Although earlier separations had occurred—particularly in Michigan, where a conference was established—these events laid the foundation for the official organization. The first church of the new denomination was founded in Providence, Rhode Island. In February 1843, a preliminary convention was held in Andover, Massachusetts, which led to a General Convention in Utica, New York, on May 31, 1843. There, the Wesleyan Methodist Church was officially organized and adopted a governing Discipline. The first General Conference convened in October 1844 to revise this Discipline, followed by a second in October 1848, which produced a more comprehensive and clearly organized version.
Merger between The Pilgrim Holiness Church and The Wesleyan Methodist Church of America was proposed at various times, and was voted upon by the General Conferences of the two bodies in 1958 and 1959, failing to pass in the Wesleyan Methodist General Conference by a margin of a single vote. In 1962, the General Conference of The Pilgrim Holiness Church took action expressing renewed interest in union with The Wesleyan Methodist Church. In 1963, the General Conference of The Wesleyan Methodist Church took like action, instructing its Committee on Church Union to pursue its work with all due diligence. On June 15, 1966, the Thirty-Second General Conference of The Wesleyan Methodist Church adopted The Basis for Merger and Constitution, and subsequently the annual conferences and local churches ratified the action. On June 16, 1966, the Twenty-Fifth International Conference of The Pilgrim Holiness Church also adopted The Basis for Merger and Constitution. Thus the formation of The Wesleyan Church was authorized. The General Board of The Pilgrim Holiness Church and the General Board of Administration of The Wesleyan Methodist Church cooperated in planning the uniting General Conference, and in preparing the new book of Discipline for its consideration. On June 26, 1968, The Pilgrim Holiness Church and The Wesleyan Methodist Church of America were united to form The Wesleyan Church.
The Missionary Bands of the World, initially known as the Pentecost Bands, were an evangelistic movement that emerged within the Free Methodist Church in the late 1880s. Founded by Vivan Dake, these bands focused on sending young, unmarried men and women to preach the gospel in various locations, including the American Midwest, West, and South. They played a significant role in the Holiness movement.
In 1882, Vivan Dake, a Free Methodist minister, organized the first Pentecost Band in Mankato, Minnesota. Three years later, in 1885, Dake formally established the Pentecost Bands in Parma, Michigan, marking a significant step in the movement’s development. In 1895, the Pentecost Bands separated from the Free Methodist Church, leading to the creation of a new organization known as the Missionary Bands of the World. This organization would officially adopt that name in 1925. Later, in 1958, the Missionary Bands of the World merged with the Wesleyan Methodist Church, bringing with them mission fields in India, Jamaica, and other international locations.
In 1880 a movement known as Holiness Bands originated in California under the leadership of Rev. J. W. Swing. This body was later known as The Holiness Church. These were a missionary people having work in Peru, and in Palestine. This church, led by its General Superintendent, Fred K. Wells, was received into membership of the Pilgrim Holiness Church during the General Conference of 1946.
The Alliance of the Reformed Baptist Church of Canada was formed in 1888, started by Baptist ministers in the Maritimes who had strong spiritual experiences. It was influenced by the Holiness Revival, which focused on living a holy life and spiritual renewal. The church grew quickly in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, expanding from 8 to 66 churches between 1888 and 1913, and growing from 540 to 1,899 members.
In its early years, the Alliance focused on evangelism and starting new churches. Many ministers were ordained to serve across the region. In 1901, Ella Hadassah Kinney Sanders became the first woman in Canada to be ordained by the church. However, the Alliance also faced criticism from traditional Baptist groups who disagreed with its teachings.
Although the Alliance grew at first, it later struggled to keep its momentum, especially as new churches like the Pentecostal Church of the Nazarene emerged. In 1966, the Alliance joined with The Wesleyan Methodist Church.
The origins of the Pilgrim Holiness Church trace back to 1897, when Rev. Martin Wells Knapp and Rev. Seth C. Rees founded the International Holiness Union and Prayer League in Cincinnati, Ohio. Their goal was to promote holiness and revivalism through literature, associations, and missions. In 1900, the organization changed its name to the International Apostolic Holiness Union to emphasize a return to apostolic Christianity.
From 1900 to 1913, the movement experienced rapid expansion. Revival efforts led to the establishment of missions, churches, rescue homes, and schools, with missionaries being sent around the world, including to Africa, India, Japan, the West Indies, and South America. In 1905, the name was changed again to the International Apostolic Holiness Union and Churches, reflecting its development into a denominational structure. By 1913, it became known as the International Apostolic Holiness Church.
Between 1919 and 1925, a series of significant mergers contributed to its growth. In 1919, the Holiness Christian Church, which had begun in Pennsylvania in 1882, merged with the International Apostolic Holiness Church to form the International Holiness Church. In 1922, both the Pentecostal Rescue Mission (founded in New York in 1897) and the Pilgrim Church (established in Pasadena in 1917) joined, prompting a name change to the Pilgrim Holiness Church. Further mergers followed with the Pentecostal Brethren in Christ (Ohio, 1924) and the People's Mission Church (Colorado Springs, 1899) in 1925.
Leadership and governance evolved significantly between 1926 and 1958. In 1926, Rev. Winfred R. Cox and Rev. Seth C. Rees were elected as superintendents. A single general superintendent model was introduced in 1930, later transitioning to a broader leadership structure with a General Board and multiple superintendents by 1958. Notable leaders during this period included Rev. Rees, Rev. W. L. Surbrook, Rev. L. W. Sturk, and Rev. William H. Neff.
Organizational development during the 1930s through the 1950s saw the establishment of offices for missions, Sunday schools, education, and publishing. In 1942, organizational terminology was updated, with “assemblies” renamed “conferences.” The church also introduced the Pilgrim Pension Plan and supported the growth of educational institutions like Owosso College.
From 1958 to 1966, the Pilgrim Holiness Church expanded its international presence and updated department names, such as changing “Foreign Missions” to “World Missions.” This era culminated in 1968, when the Pilgrim Holiness Church and the Wesleyan Methodist Church agreed to merge, forming what would become The Wesleyan Church.
The Apostolic Holiness Union was organized in 1897 at the home of Rev. Martin Wells Knapp in Cincinnati, Ohio, as a response to a growing concern that key doctrines such as divine healing, Christ’s return, and global evangelism were being neglected in the broader Holiness Movement. The founders felt called to form a more permanent organization to preserve and promote the Full Gospel. In 1905, the group was renamed the International Apostolic Holiness Union and Churches. Over time, it became clear that the Union's interdenominational model was no longer effective, and by 1913 there was consensus to move toward a more structured church identity. In 1919, the Holiness Christian Church united with the International Apostolic Holiness Church after much prayer and deliberation. The merger was finalized at the quadrennial assembly at God’s Bible School in Cincinnati, and the newly combined body adopted the name International Holiness Church, reflecting their shared mission to advance the Gospel.