BCMS was founded on 27 October 1922 as a result of a split in the Church Missionary Society (CMS). A number of CMS missionaries and supporters had become unhappy at its drift towards theological liberalism. BCMS was intended as a continuation of CMS's original theological and missionary principles. The Society was quickly established under the forceful leadership of Daniel Bartlett, who dominated its first 25 years. Another significant early supporter was Dean Wace. While the parting was less than amicable, Bartlett ruled that all BCMS missionaries should transfer to areas where the CMS had not previously operated, in an attempt to restore charitable relations. Another priority was the establishment of a training college (1925) in line with BCMS's theology, which later became Trinity College, Bristol.