At its financial peak in 1883, it had slightly over 400 paying members, but that it had declined to below 300 by 1897.
After 1900, its focus shifted from defending against external attacks to addressing doubts from within Christianity.
[2] Its original purpose was described by a contemporaneous source as "meeting, in fair argument, the current scepticism".
Its original methods were, in the words of this source:[3] Its membership consisted of evangelical and moderate churchmen, including Richard Whately, Archbishop of Dublin and Charles Dickison, Bishop of Meath, as well as prominent scientists, including John Hall Gladstone and William Henry Dallinger.
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