Taylor, David

Taylor, David one of Wesley's early helpers, began to preach the Gospel in Cheshire and Derbyshire about the time that Wesley began his public labors. Many were saved through his instrumentality, among whom was John Bennett. He lived for a time in the family of lady Huntingdon (q.v.). On one occasion he was waylaid, with Charles Wesley, and severely wounded. He eventually erred with respect to marriage, not submitting to the mode prescribed by law, and his usefulness became neutralized thereby. He united with the Moravians, but soon left them and attended the meetings of the Quakers. He afterwards returned to his old friends the Methodists, and attempted to preach once more; "but, alas!" says Atmore, "his gifts were gone." He died, in obscurity, about 1780. See Atmore, Meth. Memorial, s.v.; Smith, Hist. Wesl. Methodism, 1, 182, 191-196, 201.