She dated her conversion to Methodism to 11 November 1774 after hearing Samuel Bardsley preach.

[3] Hester began a lifelong correspondence with the Methodist founder John Wesley after meeting him in 1776.

Five years later she met another Methodist preacher named James Rogers and his wife Ann.

His wife died in February 1784 after childbirth and in line with Ann's wishes James married Hester in the following August.

The sermon had been given by Bishop Thomas Coke at Spitalfields and it had been published with an appendix by her husband.