Journeymen for Jesus

Journeymen for Jesus, Volume 1, examines the intersection of faith and labor in early nineteenth century America. This history focuses on the artisan community in Baltimore during the Jacksonian era, where rapid industrialization and the rise of factory work threatened the status of skilled craftsmen. As technology shifted the economic landscape, these workers faced significant dislocation and the deskilling of their traditional crafts.

The text analyzes how evangelical Methodism provided a populist spirituality that empowered artisans to resist the negative effects of capitalism. Rather than acting as a tool for social control, this form of Protestantism supported the producer tradition and trade union goals. By exploring the religious life and class tensions of Baltimore, Journeymen for Jesus offers a detailed study of how religious aspects influenced the anticapitalist sentiments of the American working class.