,illustration3 ,eng4 by ,a4 ,r4 ,ritchie4 yours affectionately ,henry ,boehm b4 ,june #h1 #agge--;d4 #ahge4 ,,the ,,patriarch ,,of ,,one ,,hundred ,,years2 ,,being ,,reminiscences1 ,,historical ,,and ,,biographical1 ,,of ,,rev4 ,,henry ,,boehm4 ,,by ,,rev4 ,j4 ,b4 ,,wakeley1 ,d4,d4 ,illustration ,with several additional chapters1 containing an ,account of the ,exercises on his ,one ,hundredth ,birthday2 his ,sermon before the ,newark ,conference and the ,addresses then delivered2 his ,centennial ,sermons in ,trinity ,church1 ,jersey ,city1 and in ,john-street ,church1 ,new ,york1 and ,the ,addresses made on those occasions1 ,,phonographically ,,reported4 ,illustration ,,new ,,york3 ,,nelson ,,phillips4 ,,cincinnati3 ,,hitchcock ,,walden4 #ahge4 ,entered according to ,act of ,congress1 in the year #ahfe1 by ,,carlton ,,porter1 in the ,clerk's ,office of the ,district ,court of the ,united ,states for the ,southern ,district of ,new ,york4 ,,to ,,thomas ,a4 ,,morris1 ,d4,d41 ,,and ,,his ,,colleagues1 ,,the ,,bishops ,,of ,,the ,,methodist ,,episcopal ,,church1 ,,the ,,worthy ,,successors ,,of ,,the ,,apostolic ,,asbury1 ,,is ,,this ,,volume ,,most ,,affectionately ,,inscribed ,,by ,,henry ,,boehm4 ,,preface4 ,for many years1 and by many persons1 including bishops1 editors1 and others1 ,i have been importuned to publish the substance of my records and recollections of the ,methodism of my day4 ,it was judged that my great age1 my intimate relations with ,bishop ,asbury1 and my acquaintance with other pioneers and fathers of the ,church1 would enable me thus to preserve much desirable information which would otherwise soon be forgotten4 ,in #ahdg the ,new ,jersey ,conference took action on the subject1 and appointed a committee to confer with me in respect to my journals and other papers1 and aid in preparing them for publication4 ,the committee was a very competent one1 but the members were too widely separated for any effectual result4 ,i had concluded to abandon the design1 and this volume would probably never have seen the light had not the ,rev4 ,j4 ,b4 ,wakeley come to my help4 ,for the materials of the work ,i had a manuscript journal of two thousand pages4 ,this we went over together1 reviewing all my fields of labor1 and drawing additional particulars from the storehouse of memory1 ,brother ,wakeley performing the work of transcribing1 arranging1 and revising4 ,thus the journal furnished the warp and recollection the filling of what is before the reader in the shape of a book4 ,in this way we were employed1 at different times1 during a period of twelve years1 so that if the work has been poorly done it has not been through undue haste or the sparing of labor or pains4 ,next year is the centenary of ,american ,methodism1 and this volume is a connecting link between the present and the origin of our ,church1 for ,i have heard ,robert ,strawbridge1 who laid the foundation of ,methodism in ,maryland nearly a hundred years ago4 ,from it the reader may get a good idea of primitive ,methodism1 and learn how our fathers toiled and 8endured hardness as good soldiers10 and some1 ,i trust1 will catch their spirit of labor and self-denial for ,christ and the ,church4 ,,contents4 ,,chapter ,,page ,i4 ,,my ,,ancestors ,,and ,,my ,,early ,,days #i ,,ii4 ,,sketches ,,of ,,early ,,preachers #ai ,,iii4 ,,boehm',s ,,chapel #cj ,,iv4 ,,general ,,conference ,,of #ahjj #ce ,v4 ,,philadelphia ,,conference--,,great ,,revivals--,,barratt',s ,,chapel #dd ,,vi4 ,,my ,,first ,,circuit1 ,,dorchester #eg ,,vii4 ,,my ,,second ,,circuit1 ,,annamessex1 #ahjb #fe ,,viii4 ,,kent1 ,,bristol1 ,,and ,,northampton ,,circuits #ge ,,ix4 ,,philadelphia ,,conference1 #ahjc--;,,bristol ,,circuit #hh ,x4 ,,short ,,tour ,,with ,,bishop ,,asbury1 #ahjc #ajj ,,xi4 ,,dauphin ,,circuit1 #ahjc-d #ajf ,,xii4 ,,baltimore ,,and ,,philadelphia ,,conferences1 #ahje--,,st4 ,,martin',s ,,circuit #aah ,,xiii4 ,,first ,,camp-,,meeting ,,on ,,the ,,peninsula1 #ahje #abh ,,xiv4 ,,dover ,,circuit1 #ahjf--,,sickness ,,and ,,death ,,of ,,bishop ,,whatcoat #acg ,,xv4 ,,dover ,,circuit--,,great ,,camp-,,meetings #adg ,,xvi4 ,,missionaries1 #ahjg #afa ,,xvii4 ,,doctor ,,romer ,,and ,,the ,,german ,,methodist ,,discipline #agc ,,xviii4 ,,general ,,conference ,,of #ahjh #ahj ,,xix4 ,,first ,,annual ,,tour ,,with ,,bishop ,,asbury1 #ahjh #ahf ,,xx4 ,,first ,,visit ,,to ,,the ,,south #bji ,,xxi4 ,,northern ,,tour--,,virginia ,,and ,,baltimore ,,conferences #bbj ,,xxii4 ,,first ,,visit ,,to ,,new ,,york ,,city--,,new ,,york ,,and ,,new ,,england ,,conferences #bcd ,,xxiii4 ,,second ,,annual ,,tour--,,western ,,and ,,southern ,,conferences #bed ,,xxiv4 ,,tour ,,to ,,virginia1 ,,baltimore1 ,,and ,,philadelphia ,,conferences #bgc ,,xxv4 ,,new ,,england ,,and ,,genesee ,,conferences ,,of #ahaj #bhi ,,xxvi4 ,,annual ,,tour1 #ahaj--,,western ,,conference #caj ,,xxvii4 ,,tour ,,to ,,south ,,carolina ,,conference #cbb ,,xxviii4 ,,virginia1 ,,baltimore1 ,,philadelphia1 ,,and ,,new ,,england ,,conferences #ccc ,,xxix4 ,,bishop ,,asbury',s ,,first ,,visit ,,to ,,canada #cdh ,,xxx4 ,,fourth ,,western ,,and ,,southern ,,tour--,,conferences ,,of #ahaa #cfc ,,xxxi4 ,,death1 ,,funeral1 ,,and ,,character ,,of ,,rev4 ,,martin ,,boehm #cgb ,,xxxii4 ,,the ,,united ,,brethren ,,in ,,christ--,,sketch ,,of ,,otterbein1 ,,etc4 #chg ,,xxxiii4 ,,philadelphia ,,and ,,general ,,conference ,,of #ahab #cid ,,xxxiv4 ,,new ,,york1 ,,new ,,england1 ,,and ,,genesee ,,conferences #cii ,,xxxv4 ,,my ,,last ,,tour ,,with ,,bishop ,,asbury #dje ,,xxxvi4 ,,schuylkill ,,district1 #ahac-ad #daf ,,xxxvii4 ,,chesapeake ,,district--,,governor ,,bassett',s ,,death ,,and ,,character #dbd ,,xxxviii4 ,,general ,,conference--,,asbury',s ,,funeral1 ,,etc4 #dcj ,,xxxix4 ,,bishop ,,asbury--,,character ,,and ,,habits #dch ,,xl4 ,,death ,,of ,,jesse ,,lee--,,his ,,character #dfj ,,xli4 ,,chesapeake ,,district--,,tours ,,with ,,bishops ,,george ,,and ,m',,kendree #dff ,,xlii4 ,,delaware ,,district1 #ahai-ba--,,thomas ,,and ,,edward ,,white--,,joshua ,,thomas--,,circuits #dgb ,,xliii4 ,,last ,,visit ,,to ,,my ,,native ,,place--,,western ,,tour #dha ,,reminiscences ,,of ,,rev4 ,,henry ,,boehm4 ,illustration ,,chapter ,i4 ,,my ,,ancestors ,,and ,,my ,,early ,,days4 ,my forefathers were from ,switzerland4 ,there is romance in their history as well as in the land of their birth4 ,jacob ,boehm1 my great-great-grandfather1 was a ,presbyterian4 ,his son ,jacob learned a trade4 ,it was a custom in ,switzerland for all who completed their apprenticeship to travel three years through the country as itinerant journeymen4 ,the design was to make them finished workmen2 and no man could enter into business for himself1 no matter how well qualified1 until he pursued this course4 ,in his wanderings ,jacob fell in with a people called ,pietists4 ,in many respects they resembled the ,puritans4 ,he was converted among them4 ,the change was so great when he returned home1 his language so strange1 that his friends could not understand him4 8,the natural man receiveth not the things of the ,spirit of ,god40 ,his singular experience1 his exposure of formal religion1 his boldness in reproving sin1 raised a storm of persecution4 ,the minister withstood him1 and denounced him as a heretic4 ,his answers were so pertinent that his father gave him a severe reprimand1 inquiring1 8,boy1 do you answer a minister in that way80 ,the ,church exercised civil as well as ecclesiastical authority1 and young ,boehm was convicted of heresy1 and sentenced to prison4 ,an elder brother was appointed to conduct him to the prison-house4 ,he did not watch his brother very closely1 and as they were near the line that separated ,switzerland from ,france the prisoner crossed over1 and was forever free from his domestic and priestly persecutors4 ,he journeyed along the banks of the ,rhine till he entered the ,dukedom of ,pfaltz4 ,this was the ,palatinate bordering on ,belgium4 ,from this region were the ancestors of ,philip ,embury4 ,there young ,jacob became acquainted with a people called ,mennonites4 ,they took their name from ,menno ,simon1 who was cotemporary with ,luther4 ,they were a simple-hearted people1 and he united with them1 and became a lay elder4 ,he had several children1 of whom ,jacob1 the third1 was my grandfather4 ,he was born in #afic1 and emigrated to this country in #agae4 ,many of the ,mennonites emigrated from ,switzerland and ,germany4 ,my grandfather was induced to come to ,america from the glowing description given of this country by ,martin ,kendig1 one of the seven families who had settled in what is now ,lancaster ,county1 ,pa4 ,he landed in ,philadelphia1 from thence went to ,germantown1 then to ,lancaster1 and finally settled in ,pequea1 ,conestoga ,township4 ,soon afterward he married a ,miss ,kendig4 ,my grandfather was a lay elder in the ,mennonite ,society4 ,soon after his arrival he bought a farm and built him a house4 ,he was also a blacksmith1 the first in all that region4 ,his wife was very industrious1 and when necessary1 she would leave her work and blow and strike for him4 ,i recollect him well4 ,when ,i was five years old he walked over the fields showing me various things1 and trying to entertain me4 ,not knowing anything about the infirmities of age1 ,i wondered why he did not walk faster4 ,he died in #aghj1 aged eighty-seven4 ,my grandmother was an excellent woman1 particularly fond of me because ,i was the youngest grandchild4 ,they had a number of sons and daughters4 ,my father1 ,martin ,boehm1 was the youngest4 ,he was born ,november #cj1 #agbe1 and married in #agec to ,eve ,steiner1 who was born on ,christmas day1 #agcd4 ,her ancestors were from ,switzerland1 and settled near my grandfather's4 ,my father inherited my grandfather's beautiful farm1 and in #agej built him a house1 in which his children were all born1 and where many have been born again4 ,he was a short1 stout man1 with a vigorous constitution1 an intellectual countenance1 and a fine flowing beard1 which gave him a patriarchal appearance4 ,he had strong common sense1 and well understood the science of family government4 ,the order and discipline of the family attracted the attention of the apostolic ,asbury1 and he made mention of it in preaching my father's funeral sermon4 ,martin ,boehm was first a ,mennonite preacher1 for he embraced the religion of his fathers4 ,he was made so by lot in #agef1 for such was the custom of this singular people4 ,for some time he preached without a knowledge of sins forgiven2 but in #agfa he found redemption in the blood of the ,lamb1 and then he became a flame of fire1 and preached with the ,holy ,ghost sent down from heaven4 ,his success was wonderful1 and the seals to his ministry were numerous4 ,then the ,mennonites expelled him for being too evangelical4 ,he then joined the ,united ,brethren1 and afterward became a member of the ,methodist ,episcopal ,church4 ,my mother was a noble woman1 and to my parents ,i am1 under ,god1 indebted for what ,i am on earth1 and all ,i hope to be in heaven4 ,,my ,,early ,,days4 ,i was born in the old homestead1 in the township of ,conestoga1#a ,lancaster ,county1 ,pa41 on the #hth of ,june1 #agge4 ,this was immediately after the battle of ,lexington1 and one year before the ,declaration of ,independence4 ,thus ,i saw the birth of our nation1 and have lived under the first ,president1 ,george ,washington1 and sixteen of his successors1 to ,andrew ,johnson4 ,i was born nine years before the ,methodist ,episcopal ,church was organized1 and have known all its bishops1 from ,thomas ,coke1 the first1 to ,calvin ,kingsley1 the last elected4 ,my memory goes back over eighty years4 ,i recollect when they traveled out ,west to ,fort ,pitt1 now ,pittsburgh1 on 8pack horses40 ,the roads1 if we may call them roads1 for they were mere paths through the wilderness1 were so rough that they could not be traveled any other way4 ,like my father1 ,i was the youngest child4 ,there were seven older than myself1 and four of them had grown up to manhood before ,i was born4 ,i had a common school education4 ,the old school-house and my schoolmaster1 ,henry ,rosman1 ,i well remember4 ,he went from house to house1 and it was a great occasion when he came to my father's to board4 ,he was quite a character1 a perfect original4 ,he came from ,hesse ,cassel1 and was one of the ,hessian soldiers taken prisoner at ,trenton1 ,n4 ,j41 when ,washington and his noble band crossed the frozen ,delaware and surprised ,colonel ,ralle and his troops and took them prisoners1 while their commander was slain4 ,many of the ,hessians had come to this country contrary to their own will to fight against ,america1 and they preferred remaining here to returning to ,europe4 ,a number of them were sent to ,lancaster ,county1 and among the rest my old schoolmaster4 ,he possessed many rare qualifications for an instructor4 ,he was a thorough ,german scholar1 and had mastered the ,english language4 ,his school was kept in perfect order2 every scholar knew his place1 and was obliged to keep it4 ,the teacher prayed in school1 and taught the children short prayers4 ,like ,ichabod ,crane1 he sung psalms and hymns1 and we learned to sing them4 ,some of the ,german hymns which he taught me to sing over eighty years ago ,i still remember well4 ,to him ,i am indebted for my accurate knowledge of the ,german language1 which ,i learned before the ,english4 ,germans have often admired my correct pronunciation of their vernacular4 ,they said it was pure1 and not mixed with other dialects1 like the ,pennsylvania ,german4 ,in after years it was a great benefit to me when ,i preached in ,german4 ,i was one of the first among the ,methodists that preached in that language4 ,this ,i have done in fourteen different states4 ,some things which ,i wrote in ,german over sixty years ago ,i have preserved1 and am surprised to find them so correct4 ,i was a great favorite with ,mr4 ,rosman1 and he took delight in giving me instruction4 ,the little old school-house still remains1 but where are the scholars and the teachers8 ,when1 after an absence of many years1 ,i paid a visit to my native town in #ahef1 ,i inquired for my old schoolfellows1 hoping to find one with whom ,i could converse about by-gone days4 ,i inquired in vain4 ,they were all gone1 and ,i found myself alone and lonely4 ,dilworth's spelling-book1 from which ,i learned ,english1 and the knife and fork ,i used when a very little boy1 ,i have preserved as relics of my childhood4 ,once in my early days ,i went to the theater in ,philadelphia4 ,i had heard much of the theater1 and ,i wanted to see what it was4 ,i got along very well until mimic thunder and lightning was brought in to illustrate the play4 ,when ,i saw and heard this ,i was shocked4 ,it seemed to me so irreverent and presumptuous that ,i thought the ,almighty in his displeasure would send real thunder and lightning to terrify those imitators4 ,i expected to hear the deep-toned thunder1 and to see the vivid lightning flash over my guilty head4 ,i prayed1 and promised ,god1 if he would only spare me to get out of the house and return safely home1 ,i would never enter such a place again4 ,that was my first and last visit to the theater4 ,,religious ,,exercises4 ,my early advantages for religious instruction were great4 ,i was 8brought up in the nurture and admonition of the ,lord40 ,morning and evening the old family ,bible was read1 and prayer was offered4 ,my father's voice still echoes in my ears4 ,my mother1 too1 had much to do in moulding my character and shaping my destiny4 ,one evening as ,i returned home ,i heard a familiar voice engaged in prayer4 ,i listened3 it was my mother4 ,among other things1 she prayed for her children1 and mentioned ,henry1 her youngest son4 ,the mention of my name broke my heart1 and melted me into contrition4 ,tears rolled down my cheeks1 and ,i felt the importance of complying with the command of ,god3 8,my son1 give me thine heart40 ,there lived in my father's family a wicked man who had a peculiar hatred against the ,methodists1 and he prejudiced me against them by his misrepresentations4 ,this had a soul-withering influence on me4 ,i lost my tender feelings1 and neglected the means of grace4 8,one sinner destroyeth much good40 ,sinners enticed me to sin and ,i consented4 ,in the year #agij1 when ,i was about fifteen1 ,i went to learn the milling business1 and worked in a grist mill4 ,there ,i had no religious counsel or example4 ,what a critical period it is when a young man leaves home6 ,i went into bad company1 supposing my father would not hear of it2 but ,i was mistaken4 ,he did hear of my conduct1 and came to see me4 ,when ,i saw him ,i suspected his errand4 ,a guilty conscience needs no accuser4 ,the plain1 solemn1 and affecting reproof he gave me at that time had a wonderful effect upon me4 ,his quivering lip1 tearful eye1 and tremulous voice showed how deeply he felt for me4 ,shame crimsoned my cheeks4 ,his counsel was not lost1 but it terminated in deep conviction for sin4 ,my soul was burdened1 and1 almost in despair1 ,i prayed1 8,show pity1 ,lord1 ,o ,lord1 forgive2 ,let a repenting rebel live4 ,are not thy mercies large and free8 ,may not a sinner trust in thee80 ,when my father left ,i went into the upper loft of the mill1 and on my knees1 in an agony of deep distress1 ,i cried1 8,god be merciful to me a sinner40 8,jesus1 thou ,son of ,david1 have mercy on me40 ,i had a view of the atonement of the ,son of ,god4 ,by faith ,i realized my interest in it1 and in a moment ,i felt my heart strangely warmed4 ,my conscience was assured of its part in the atoning blood1 and ,god sent forth the spirit of his ,son into my heart crying1 8,abba1 ,father40 ,this was in ,february1 #agic4 ,i lived near the ,lord1 and enjoyed a great deal of comfort for some time2 but ,i fell into a sad error4 ,as ,i was converted alone away from the ,church the enemy suggested that ,i could get along without uniting with ,god's people4 ,i yielded1 and this error was like to have ruined me4 ,i enlarge here because many have yielded to a similar temptation and been lost to the ,church and lost to heaven4 ,the lambs of the flock cannot too soon enter the fold4 ,in apostolic times converts did not first try the experiment whether they could get along without uniting with the ,church4 ,on the day of ,pentecost the three thousand who were 8pricked in their hearts0 under the preaching of ,peter were baptized and united with the ,church that day4 ,so with the jailer2 he was converted1 baptized1 and united with the ,church that very night in ,philippi1 when ,paul and ,silas prayed1 and sang praises to ,god4 ,this was the course pursued in the days of the apostles4 ,i would advise young persons not to imitate my example4 ,never try to see if you can get along without the ,church4 ,the ,church can get along without you1 but you cannot get along without the ,church4 ,place yourself under her care as soon as possible4 ,confess ,christ before men1 and he will confess you before his ,father and the holy angels4 ,the consequence of my error was that ,i lost my spiritual enjoyment4 ,my course was zig-zag4 ,i ran forward1 then stood still1 then went backward4 ,i was not a member of the ,church1 therefore was not under her watch-care1 and ,i had no opportunity to improve the talents ,god had given me4 ,i told no one ,i was converted4 ,instead of letting my light shine before men ,i resolved to hide it4 ,sad mistake6 ,thus ,i continued five long years4 ,these were lost years3 lost to myself1 lost to the ,church1 and lost to the world4 ,there is nothing in my early history ,i regret so much as the loss of these five years2 a loss that tears and prayers cannot recall1 for time once lost is gone forever4 ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,sketches ,,of ,,early ,,preachers4 ,the ,methodist fathers were self-sacrificing men1 who possessed great virtues1 and performed heroic deeds4 ,many of them are now unknown except by their names4 ,those who knew them personally are nearly all numbered among the dead4 ,i knew most of them1 and will give a sketch of a few of those who found their way into the rural districts of ,lancaster ,county1 ,pa4 ,,robert ,,strawbridge1 the apostle of ,methodism in ,maryland1 is a name prominent in the early annals of ,american ,methodism4 ,we are indebted to ,ireland for ,robert ,strawbridge as well as for ,philip ,embury4 ,i heard ,strawbridge preach at my father's house in #agha1 and am the only man now living that has a personal recollection of him4 ,though ,i was then quite small1 his image is still before me4 ,he was a stout1 heavy man1 and looked as if he was built for service4 ,my father was much pleased with him and his preaching4 ,he was agreeable company1 full of interesting anecdotes4 ,many times ,i have been to the old log meeting-house he erected in ,maryland1 concerning which so much has been said and written1 and around which so many interests cluster4 ,he died in ,august of the same year ,i heard him1 and his spiritual son1 ,richard ,owings1#b preached his funeral sermon from ,rev4 xiv1 #ac4 ,no monument marks the place where his dust is sleeping4 ,i hope this will not be said after the celebration of the first centenary of ,american ,methodism1 for his name will be prominently connected with it4 ,another of these pioneers was ,,benjamin ,,abbott1 who early visited my father's house4 ,he was indeed a son of thunder1 and preached with exceeding power4 ,this was the only ministerial tour he made through ,pennsylvania1 and he went like a flame of fire4 ,my father had a very exalted opinion of ,mr4 ,abbott1 and felt it an honor to entertain him as his guest and listen to his powerful sermons4 ,mr4 ,abbott wrote his life1 and in it he describes his visit to my father's1 his preaching1 and the wonderful results that followed4 ,i prefer he should give it in his own peculiar style4 8,at ,boehm's we found a large congregation4 ,when ,i came to my application the power of the ,lord came in such a manner that the people fell all about the house1 and their cries might be heard afar off4 ,this alarmed the wicked1 who sprang for the doors in such haste that they fell over one another in heaps4 ,the cry of mourners was so great that ,i thought to give out a hymn to drown the noise1 and desired one of our ,english friends to raise it2 but as soon as he began to sing the power of the ,lord struck him1 and he pitched under the table1 and there lay like a dead man4 ,i gave it out again1 and asked another to raise it4 ,as soon as he attempted he fell also4 ,i then made the third attempt1 and the power of ,god came upon me in such a manner that ,i cried out and was amazed4 ,i then saw that ,i was fighting against ,god1 and did not attempt to sing again4 8,mr4 ,boehm1 the owner of the house1 and a preacher among the ,germans1 cried out1 #8,i never saw ,god in this way before4' ,i replied1 #8,this is a pentecost1 father4' #8,yes1 be sure1' said he1 clapping his hands1 #8a pentecost1 be sure4' ,prayer was all through the house1 up stairs and down4 ,i desired ,mr4 ,boehm to go to prayer4 ,he did so1 and five or six of us did the same4 8,a watch-night having been appointed for that evening1 and seeing no prospect of this meeting being over1 although it had begun at eleven o'clock1 ,i told ,mr4 ,boehm we had best quietly withdraw from the meeting-house4 ,when we had got out of the door a young man came out and laid hold upon the fence to support himself from falling1 and there cried amain for ,god to have mercy upon him4 #8,to be sure1' said ,mr4 ,boehm1 #8,i never saw ,god in this way before4' ,we exhorted him to look to ,god1 and not to give up the struggle1 and ,god would bless him before he left the place4 8,i took the old gentleman by the arm1 and we went quietly to the house to get some dinner4 ,about five o'clock a messenger came from the preaching-house requesting that ,i would go there immediately1 for there was a person dying4 ,we went without delay4 ,i went up stairs1 and there lay several about the floor in like manner4 ,i then went to see the person said to be dying4 ,she lay gasping4 ,i kneeled down to pray1 but it was instantly given me that ,god had converted her soul1 and therefore1 instead of praying for her deliverance1 ,i gave ,god thanks that he had delivered her1 and immediately she arose and praised ,god for what he had done for her soul4 ,a young ,german came to me and clasped me in his arms1 but could not speak ,english that ,i could understand4 8,i then retired to the house and consulted with ,mr4 ,boehm who should preach in the evening1 for ,i thought it would be best for one of the ,german preachers to speak first1 there being several of them present4 ,the rumor having run through the neighborhood of the power of ,god through the day1 we had a very large congregation in the evening1 to whom one of the ,german preachers preached4 ,it appeared to me he spoke with life4 ,then ,mr4 ,boehm gave an exhortation in the ,german language1 and after him a young man gave a warm exhortation in the same tongue4 ,then ,i arose and hardly knew how to speak1 there had been so much said1 and it was now growing late4 ,however ,i spoke1 and the ,lord laid to his helping hand as he had done in the day time4 ,divers fled1 and made their way out of the house1 and then it appeared as if there were none left but what were earnestly engaged in prayer2 some praising ,god1 and others crying for mercy4 ,i told ,mr4 ,boehm that ,i should not be fit for the duties of the ensuing day if ,i did not retire1 so we went to the house about twelve o'clock and took some refreshment and went to bed4 ,in the morning ,i found the people were still engaged1 and had been all night4 ,i went to the house about sun an hour high1 where ,i found about one dozen still engaged in prayer4 ,i told them we ought to begin to prepare for the other meeting1 so they broke up4 8,we set out with about forty friends to the next appointment4 ,the people being gathered1 after singing and prayer ,i began to preach1 and ,god laid to his helping hand4 ,many cried aloud for mercy4 ,one young man being powerfully wrought upon retired up stairs1 and then thumped about on the floor1 so that ,mr4 ,boehm was afraid that he would be injured in body4 #8,to be sure1' said he1 #8,i never saw ,god work in this way before4' ,i told him there was no danger1 he was in the hands of a merciful ,god4 ,in a few minutes after1 in attempting to come down stairs1 he fell from the top to the bottom1 and hallooed aloud1 #8,the devil is in the chamber6 the devil is in the chamber6' which greatly alarmed all the people4 ,this brought a great damp over my spirits1 for ,i thought if ,i had raised the devil ,i might as well go home again4 ,however1 after a little space1 ,i bid some of the good people go up stairs and see if the devil was there4 ,several went up to see what the matter was1 and there they found a man rolling1 groaning1 and crying to ,god for mercy4 ,they returned and told us how the matter stood4 ,when ,i dismissed the people many wept around me2 some said they had found peace1 some were truly awakened1 and others deeply convicted40#c ,such is ,mr4 ,abbott's description of the scenes that occurred in the old house where my grandfather used to live4 ,i heard him1 and beheld the strange scenes he relates4 ,it was more like pentecost than anything else ,i ever saw4 ,the influence of that meeting was tremendous1 and for years it made a great deal of talk in my father's neighborhood4 ,,richard ,,webster was the second ,methodist preacher raised up in ,america4 ,he joined at the second ,conference1 #aggd1 with ,philip ,gatch1 when there were only twenty ,methodist preachers in ,america and two thousand members4 ,he was appointed to ,baltimore ,circuit with the excellent ,george ,shadford and ,edward ,dromgoole4 ,he used to preach in my father's barn long before the ,chapel was built1 and ,i listened to him with great delight4 ,he was a fine specimen of the early ,methodist ministers4 ,he was a perfect ,christian gentleman1 a son of consolation2 the ,gospel flowed sweetly from his lips4 ,mr4 ,webster was the first ,methodist minister that ,freeborn ,garrettson heard1 and he greatly admired him4 ,i heard him preach in after years1 as the shadows of the evening were gathering around him4 ,,sylvester ,,hutchinson was a thundering preacher1 who alarmed the careless ones4 ,in #agij he preached at my father's1 and a glorious revival followed4 ,,richard ,,whatcoat was the ,elder in #agij1d and ,i heard him preach4 ,he was then stationed in ,philadelphia1 and the only ,methodist preacher in that city4 ,his text was1 8,there shall be a handful of corn in the earth on the top of the mountains10 etc4 ,i well remember the preacher and his illustrations1 and the mighty effect produced by the sermon1 although it is now over seventy years ago4 ,,william ,,thomas was a good minister of ,jesus2 ,i heard him on the witness of the spirit4 ,our fathers were great in preaching experimental ,christianity1 especially the knowledge of sins forgiven4 ,,john ,,jarrell ,i heard in #agic4 ,he was lively and energetic4 ,his discourse was against ,winchester's doctrine of ,universal ,restoration4 8,see the wicked10 said he1 8coming up from the furnace of fire4 ,what will they sing in heaven8 #8,unto ,him who hath loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood be glory for ever8' ,no4 ,they cannot sing any such song2 but #8,unto hell fire that hath purified us and made us meet for heaven1 be glory for evermore4' ,this is the only song they can sing4 ,will any such song be heard in heaven80 ,thus he used irony in exposing and refuting error4 ,mr4 ,jarrell was a fine-looking man1 with a splendid voice1 which he knew how to use to purpose4 ,he was very popular and successful4 ,he entered the traveling connection in #aghf1 and1 after having traveled ten years1 died in ,wilmington1 ,delaware4 ,,valentine ,,cook was over six feet high1 with dark complexion1 long arms1 very black hair1 coarse and bushy1 and dark piercing eyes4 ,he had a fine cultivated intellect and a powerful voice4 ,he was an extraordinary preacher1 and ,i listened to him with great delight4 ,in after years ,i heard of his fame when traveling with ,bishop ,asbury in the ,west4 ,,joseph ,,everett was a soldier of the ,revolution1 and a standard-bearer in the ranks of ,methodism4 ,he preached in ,boehm's neighborhood in #agic4 ,he abhorred slavery1 and preached against it with all his might1 denouncing it in no measured terms4 ,sometimes he would refuse to eat with slaveholders till they had freed their slaves4 ,i spent weeks with him at ,dr4 ,white's in ,cambridge after he had retired from the regular work1 and could only ask1 8,how goes the battle80 ,mr4 ,everett was six feet high1 well proportioned1 of a commanding appearance1 very agreeable in conversation1 and full of anecdotes and reminiscences of olden times4 ,,simon ,,miller was a native of ,lancaster ,county4 ,he possessed much of this world's goods1 but he was ready to make any sacrifice to preach the ,gospel4 ,he was a man of deep piety and remarkable gifts4 ,he was the spiritual father of ,jacob ,gruber4 ,i recollect with gratitude the efforts he made for my salvation1 how earnestly he labored1 what sympathy he manifested4 ,he was a ,german1 and preached in his vernacular4 ,he received him into society in #agib1 when he was but a school-boy4 ,his ministerial career was brief but brilliant2 his end triumphant4 ,he joined the traveling connection in #agia1 and died1 deeply lamented1 in #agie4 ,he left no children4 ,thomas ,ware married his widow4 ,,william ,,jessop was a tall man1 with a prominent nose and a very grave countenance4 ,i knew him intimately1 and heard him preach often4 ,he joined the traveling connection in #aghd1 the year in which the ,methodist ,episcopal ,church was organized4 ,mr4 ,jessop occupied prominent appointments4 ,in #agij he was stationed in ,new ,york1 and the next year volunteered to go to ,nova ,scotia4 ,he died of consumption in the latter part of #agie1 and was buried in the graveyard connected with ,boehm's ,chapel4 ,his last sermon was on the sufferings of ,christ1 and was one of the most melting ,i ever heard4 ,he was reduced almost to a skeleton2 his face was pale1 his eye sunken and glassy1 his voice sepulchral1 his countenance grave1 and his manner solemn as eternity4 ,the preacher and his auditors felt that his days were numbered4 ,a few days after he died in triumph1 exclaiming1 8,my work is done6 ,glory1 glory60 ,he expired at ,strasburg1 at the house of ,john ,miller1 who was a brother of ,simon the preacher4 ,this family were great friends of the preachers4 ,they nursed them when sick1 and when dying they smoothed their pillow4 ,john and ,simon ,miller helped to give character and stability to ,methodism in that region4 ,mr4 ,jessop1 knowing he could not survive long1 sent to ,bishop ,asbury requesting him to preach his funeral sermon4 ,the bishop complied1 and preached it at ,boehm's ,chapel4 ,he says in his journal3 8,i had my difficulties in speaking of a man so well known and so much beloved4 ,he was always solemn1 and few such holy1 steady men have we found among us40 ,,michael ,h4 ,r4 ,,wilson visited ,lancaster ,county1 and fell at his post while the dew of his youth was upon him4 ,he was from ,maryland1 and only twenty-eight years old when he died1 on ,april #bd1 #agih4 ,he finished his course with joy at ,john ,miller's1 in ,strasburg1 in the same room where ,william ,jessop had expired three years before1 and they were both interred in the same ground4 ,but time would fail to tell of ,caleb ,boyer1 ,john ,bloodgood1 ,john ,m',claskey1 ,joseph ,cromwell1 ,john ,haggerty1 and others1 from whom ,i heard the ,gospel1 and to whom ,i am indebted for my ,methodism4 ,these were the pioneers in the great work of introducing ,methodism into ,lancaster ,county4 ,bishop ,asbury early visited my father's house4 ,in ,july1 #agii1 he came there with ,jesse ,lee1 who was then his traveling companion4 ,they both preached at ,boehm's ,chapel2 the bishop from ,heb4 vi1 #ab1 ,mr4 ,lee from ,isa4 xxx1 #ca4 ,the latter wandered among the tombs1 and stood by the grave of ,william ,jessop1 whom he greatly loved1 and wept there1 and then rejoiced for his triumphant death and the consoling thought that 8them that sleep in ,jesus will ,god bring with him40 ,reluctantly turning away from the grave with his eyes moist with tears1 he offered the prayer that has been repeated a thousand times3 8,let me die the death of the righteous1 and let my last end be like his40 ,mr4 ,lee gives a description of my father1 of his conversion1 his personal appearance1 his long white beard1 his call to the ministry1 and his praying in ,german in the family after ,bishop ,asbury had prayed in ,english4#e ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,,boehm',s ,,chapel4 ,great interests cluster around the early ,methodist chapels4 ,boehm's ,chapel is distinguished for its antiquity4 ,it was the first ,methodist house of worship built in ,lancaster ,county1 now studded with ,methodist temples4 ,the plan of the edifice was furnished in #agij by ,richard ,whatcoat1 afterward bishop4 ,he was elder at the time1 and came there to administer the ordinances4 ,years before the erection of this building1 as early as #agge1 the year ,i was born1 a class was formed at my father's house4 ,my mother was one of the first who joined1 and therefore belonged to the first race of ,methodists in ,america4 ,until the chapel was built my grandfather's house was used as the preaching place1 except on great occasions1 when it was too small2 then they used the barn4 ,boehm's ,chapel was erected in #agia1 the year in which ,shadrach ,bostwick1 ,joshua ,taylor1 and other strong men of our ,israel were received on trial4 ,the house was built on a hill1 from which there is a fine view of the neighborhood country1 and was surrounded by trees1 which still remain1 adding to the beauty of the scene4 ,the house was built of limestone2 was forty feet deep and thirty-two wide1 and had galleries4 ,it was called 8,boehm's ,chapel10 because it was built upon ,boehm's land in ,boehm's neighborhood1 and because the different families of ,boehms did much toward its erection1 and were regular attendants there4 ,in the same way 8,barratt's ,chapel10 8,gatch's ,chapel10 8,watters's ,chapel10 and others1 obtained their names4 ,my brother ,jacob gave the land for the house and the burying-ground4 ,in this ground my honored parents were buried4 ,there were wonderful gatherings at ,boehm's ,chapel4 ,the bishops and the great men of ,methodism found their way there1 and preached the word4 ,at quarterly meetings the people came from ,philadelphia and the ,eastern ,shore of ,maryland and the ,western ,shore from ,watters's neighborhood4 ,boehm's ,chapel was a great center of influence4 ,it is difficult now to estimate the position it once occupied in ,methodism4 ,my father was 8given to hospitality10 and at great meetings fifty and even one hundred have been entertained at his house4 ,several itinerant ministers were raised up and went out from the neighborhood of ,boehm's ,chapel to preach the ,gospel4 ,ten ,i now think of1 and there may be others3 ,joseph ,jewell1 who was ,nathan ,bangs's first presiding elder in ,canada2 ,simon ,miller1 ,richard ,sneath1 ,william and ,james ,hunter1 ,james and ,william ,mitchell1 ,thomas and ,robert ,burch1 and ,henry ,boehm4 ,david ,best and ,james ,aiken were from the circuit4 ,it is singular they were all from ,ireland except ,jewell1 ,miller1 and myself4 ,great quarterly meetings were held in this house4 ,i will notice one held in #agih4 ,thomas ,ware was the presiding elder1 ,william ,colbert and ,william ,p4 ,chandler the circuit preachers4 ,the meeting began on ,saturday1 and while the presiding elder was praying the ,holy ,ghost filled the house where they had assembled4 ,the work of revival commenced1 and such were the cries of distress1 the prayers for mercy heard all over the house1 in the gallery as well as the lower part1 that it was impossible for ,mr4 ,ware to preach4 ,he came down from the pulpit1 and the brethren went to the penitent ones1 as they found them in different parts of the house1 and pointed them to ,jesus1 and prayed with them4 ,they were assembled in different groups praying for the broken-hearted1 and one after another found redemption in the blood of the ,lamb4 ,it was impossible to close the meeting1 so it continued all day and most of the night4 ,sunday morning came1 and they attempted to hold a regular love-feast1 but all in vain4 ,the cries of mourners1 the prayers for mercy1 and shout after shout as one after another passed from death unto life1 made it impossible to proceed4 ,on ,saturday1 when ,i beheld my niece ,nancy ,keaggy kneeling near me in an agony of prayer asking for mercy1 the comparatively innocent child so intent on forgiveness1 my heart was melted1 my eyes were filled with tears1 and again ,i knelt down and there 8gave my wanderings o'er by giving ,god my heart40 ,there ,god restored to me the joy of his salvation4 ,then ,i united with the ,church1 a duty ,i ought to have performed years before4 ,i was admitted by ,thomas ,ware4 ,a few months before my probation expired they appointed me class-leader at ,soudersburg4 ,the brethren knew what ,i had lost by refusing to bear the yoke in my youth1 and they were determined to put it on me and make me wear it4 ,i begged1 but there was no excuse4 ,they threw the responsibility on me1 and said1 8,on such a day1 ,henry1 do you go and meet that class40 ,i was living at my brother ,jacob's1 near where the class met4 ,on ,saturday ,i took my horse and rode to my father's1 eight miles4 ,my object was to have a good excuse for not meeting the class4 ,my father was absent preaching4 ,the devotional exercises of the family devolved on me1 and ,i attended family prayer4 ,the power of ,god came down1 and my beloved mother and a relative were so overwhelmed they fell to the floor1 and the room was filled with glory4 ,that ,saturday night ,i retired to rest1 but not to sleep4 ,in the morning ,i rode nine miles and met the class4 ,we had a refreshing season4 ,i dared not stay away4 ,i took the manifestations of power the evening before as an indication that ,i should obey the preachers in taking charge of the class4 ,i continued to meet that class for over two years1 till ,i became an itinerant minister4 ,to the class-meeting ,i am greatly indebted4 ,there ,i was 8strengthened10 8stablished10 8settled40 ,a great revival followed that quarterly meeting4 ,my father's children and grandchildren shared largely in it4 ,some moved to ,canada1 some to ,ohio1 and other parts of the ,west4 ,they are nearly all now in heaven4 ,the revival spread to the ,peninsula1 from that to ,baltimore in #ahjj1 and the influence was felt all over the country4 ,bishop ,asbury mentions my brother ,jacob1 and says1 8,god has begun to work in the children of this family4 ,the parents have followed us for the space of twenty years40 ,on ,august #ca1 #agii1 he says3 8,i had a comfortable time at ,boehm's church4 ,here lieth the dust of ,william ,jessop and ,michael ,r4 ,wilson4444 ,martin ,boehm is upon wings and springs since the ,lord has blessed his grandchildren4 ,his son ,henry is greatly led out in public exercises40 ,this is the mention the bishop makes of my boyish performances4 ,honorable mention ,i might make of the ministers who were engaged in this revival3 ,thomas ,ware1 ,william ,colbert1 and ,william ,penn ,chandler4 ,the latter was my spiritual father4 ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,,general ,,conference ,,of #ahjj4 ,the ,general ,conference of #ahjj was one of the most remarkable in the history of our ,church4 ,the revival at that time was the greatest that has ever occurred during the session of any ,general ,conference4 ,i was a visitor1 and had peculiar opportunities to witness the wonderful scenes that created joy on earth and in heaven4 ,all the accounts we have had are extremely meager4 ,as ,i have been preserved1 while all who were actors in those scenes are gone1 ,i will describe what ,i heard and saw at that time4 ,is it not generally known that the greatest displays of divine power and the most numerous conversions were in private houses1 in prayer-meetings8 ,and yet the preaching was highly honored of ,god1 for the ministers were endued with power from on high4 ,i kept in my journal a particular account of their texts and themes4 ,the ,general ,conference commenced its session on ,tuesday1 ,may #f1 in ,light-street1 ,baltimore4 ,all the ,general ,conferences1 from the famous ,christmas conference to the first delegated conference1 were held in ,baltimore4 ,baltimore was a small place to what it is now4 ,we then called it ,baltimore town4 ,the ,methodists had two church edifices1 one in ,light-street1 the other in ,oldtown1 which was in the suburbs4 ,this was the first time ,i had ever seen a body of ,methodist preachers2 only now and then one who wended his way to my father's neighborhood4 ,the conference was then composed of all the traveling elders4 ,the strong men of ,methodism were there1 and such a noble class of men ,i had never beheld4 ,there were ,philip ,bruce1 ,jesse ,lee1 ,george ,roberts1 ,john ,bloodgood1 ,william ,p4 ,chandler1 ,john ,m',claskey1 ,ezekiel ,cooper1 ,nicholas ,snethen1 ,thomas ,morrell1 ,joseph ,totten1 ,lawrence ,m',combs1 ,thomas ,f4 ,sargent1 ,william ,burke1 ,william ,m',kendree1 and other prominent men4 ,these were representative men who laid the broad foundations of ,methodism east1 west1 north1 and south4 ,what a privilege to hear them debate1 and listen to their sermons6 ,such was the health of ,bishop ,asbury he thought of resigning2 but the conference1 in order to relieve him1 authorized him to take an elder as a traveling companion4 ,this the bishop did during the remainder of life4 ,they elected ,richard ,whatcoat bishop1 he having a majority of four votes over ,jesse ,lee4 ,i witnessed the excitement attending the different ballotings4 ,the first1 no election2 the second1 a tie2 the third1 ,richard ,whatcoat was elected4 ,i will now make some extracts from my journal1 written sixty-five years ago4 8,sabbath morning1 ,may #aa1 #ahjj4--;,i heard ,bishop ,asbury preach in ,light-street ,church on the perfect law of liberty4 ,he had great liberty in preaching1 and multitudes as well as myself were blessed under the word4 ,in the afternoon ,rev4 ,thomas ,lyell1 on making our calling and election sure4 ,there was preaching at four o'clock in two places on the streets1 and several were converted4 ,in the evening we had a prayer-meeting at ,brother ,william ,bruff's4 ,after we began to sing and pray the people crowded in till the house was filled1 and the awakening and converting power of ,god was displayed4 ,after the prayer-meeting was over we went to ,oldtown meeting-house1 singing the praises of ,god along the streets4 ,this greatly surprised the people1 and hundreds came running out of their houses and followed us till we reached the house of ,god4 ,there were wonderful exhibitions of power as we went through the streets1 and we entered the house singing and shouting the praises of ,god4 ,five were converted that evening4 ,it was heaven in my soul and glory all around4 ,on ,monday evening we went to ,john ,chalmers's to prayer-meeting4 ,it was a powerful meeting4 ,god's people prayed that sinners might be awakened and converted4 ,heaven heard their petitions1 and twenty-four were converted to ,god that night4 ,the meeting lasted till two o'clock the next morning4 ,god was converting the people in three different rooms at the same time4 ,i never saw such a night4 ,glory6 glory6 8,tuesday1 ,may #ac4 ,numbers stayed at ,brother ,bruff's over night1 and the work of revival soon began4 ,in the morning1 ,philip ,bruce came to us and went to prayer1 and the ,lord answered and came in our midst4 ,some were crying for mercy1 while others were leaping for joy4 ,we then came down to ,brother ,price's and began to sing1 and some of the neighbors came in and we went to prayer4 ,the ,lord was there of a truth4 ,several were converted1 and one who was in the class yesterday4 ,this is a day of feasting4 ,the ,lord is at work in all parts of the town4 ,there were six converted last night at the ,point4 ,brother ,chalmers preached a sermon at six o'clock at ,brother ,bruff's1 and two more were converted4 ,in the evening went to ,oldtown meeting1 and ,god's power was there1 and several more were converted4 8,wednesday1 #ad4 ,in the evening ,brother ,smith preached at ,brother ,bruff's2 many rejoiced in the ,god of their salvation4 ,after that we went to ,oldtown meeting1 where ,rev4 ,john ,m',claskey preached a powerful sermon4 ,the ,lord blessed his word3 there were six converted4 ,the children of darkness were very mad4 8,thursday1 #ae4 ,felt very weak1 being up every night till after twelve o'clock2 but it is in a good cause4 ,rested to-day at ,brother ,martin's4 ,in the evening went to ,brother ,bruff's4 ,at #e o'clock ,rev4 ,lawrence ,m',combs preached4 ,he impressed holiness upon the people4 ,many saw a great beauty in it4 ,while he was preaching1 one was converted2 before the meeting broke up1 two more were set at liberty4 ,old and young were leaping for joy4 ,my soul1 praise the ,lord6 8,friday1 #af4 ,spent the day in the ,conference4 ,the ,lord is with the preachers of a truth4 ,in the evening went to meeting again at ,brother ,bruff's4 ,christopher ,sprye preached a powerful sermon4 ,after preaching the ,lord began to work1 and eighteen were converted that night4 #8,christ the ,lord is come to reign4' 8,saturday1 #ag4 ,stayed last night at ,brother ,chalmers's1 at the ,point4 ,heard ,dr4 ,thomas ,f4 ,sargent preach from #b ,cor4 vi1 #a1 #8,we then1 as workers together with him1' etc4 ,he spoke with great liberty4 ,some were crying for mercy4 ,this evening1 at ,brother ,bruff's1 three were converted4 8,sunday1 the #ahth1 was a great day in ,baltimore among the ,methodists4 ,the ordination sermon was preached by ,rev4 ,thomas ,coke1 ,,ll4,d41 in ,light-street ,church4 ,crowds at an early hour thronged the temple4 ,the doctor preached from ,rev4 ii1 #h1 #8,and unto the angel of the ,church at ,smyrna write2 ,these things saith the ,first and the ,last1 which was dead and is alive1' etc4 ,after the sermon1 which was adapted to the occasion1 ,richard ,whatcoat was ordained a ,bishop in the ,church of ,god by the imposition of the hands of ,dr4 ,coke and ,bishop ,asbury1 assisted by several elders4 ,never were holy hands laid upon a holier head4 ,in those days we went #8out into the highways and hedges and compelled them to come in4' ,that afternoon ,jesse ,lee preached in the market-house on ,howard's ,hill1 from ,john xvii1 #c1 #8,and this is life eternal1 that they might know thee the only true ,god and ,jesus ,christ1 whom thou hast sent4' ,the ,lord was there in a powerful manner4 ,several were converted2 one in the evening at ,brother ,bruff's40 ,jesse ,lee makes the following record in his ,journal3 8,the power of the ,lord came down upon us while ,i was preaching1 and the people wept and roared aloud and prayed most earnestly4 ,joseph ,totten exhorted with life4 ,afterward several prayed with those who were under conviction40 8,on ,monday1 the #aith1 ,richard ,sneath preached in the evening4 ,many came to hear the word of the ,lord and were affected4 ,after preaching we went to ,john ,chalmers's4 ,we had a glorious time4 ,eight were converted1 and about that number received the second blessing4 ,the meeting was going on in three rooms2 sinners were crying for mercy in each1 and the glory of ,god filled the room as one after another passed from death unto life4 ,this was a never-to-be-forgotten night4 ,a shout of victory in one room inspired them in another4 ,the meeting was continued with unabated interest until three o'clock the next morning4 8,on ,tuesday1 the #bjth1 ,i heard the ,rev4 ,jesse ,lee preach at ,brother ,bruff's4 ,many were powerfully wrought upon under the word4 ,in those days he preached with unusual power and success4 ,several of the old fathers and mothers stayed here after preaching1 and while they were talking about the goodness of ,god such a melting power came down that almost all who were present were melted into tears4 8,wednesday1 #ba4 ,yesterday ,conference adjourned1 and the preachers have parted and are going to different parts of the continent1 having got a fresh spring from heaven4 ,about five in the evening the young converts met together at ,brother ,bruff's4 ,brother ,james ,moore and several of the preachers were with us4 ,we sung and prayed with them4 ,the ,lord was with us of a truth4 ,some of the sisters related their experience1 which was rendered a great blessing to all who were present4 ,it filled me with joy to see so many young people happy in ,god2 some of them were strangers to ,god only a few days ago4 ,at night we went to the ,point2 the power of ,god was among the people2 many were crying for mercy1 and four were converted to ,god4 ,after meeting ,i went home with ,brother ,haskins4 8,thursday1 ,may #bb4 ,came up to ,oldtown this morning4 ,i am told there were seven souls converted last night at the upper end of the town in a prayer-meeting4 ,the devil can't stand the prayers of the faithful ones4 ,it seems there was the most good done in the prayer-meetings4 ,the ,lord loves simplicity40 ,bishop ,asbury writes only fifteen lines concerning this wonderful ,conference4 ,he says1 8,the unction that attended the word was great2 more than one hundred souls professed conversion during the sitting of the ,conference40 ,bishop ,whatcoat is still more brief4 ,in nine lines he tells the story4 8,we had a most blessed time and much preaching1 fervent prayers and strong exhortations through the city1 while the high praises of a gracious ,god reverberated from street to street and from house to house4 ,it was thought that not less than two hundred were converted during the ,conference40--,journal1 p4 #bi4 ,jesse ,lee's account is also short3 8,such a time of refreshing from the presence of the ,lord has not been felt in that town for some years40--,lee's ,history1 p4 #bga4 ,during this ,conference ,i became acquainted with many choice spirits1 both among the ministry and laity2 among the rest1 ,dr4 ,thomas ,coke4 ,i not only had the pleasure of hearing the doctor preach and make motions and speeches in the ,conference1 but also of dining with him and ,bishop ,asbury4 ,the doctor was a short man1 and rather corpulent4 ,he had a beautiful face1 and it was full of expression1 a sweet smile often playing over his features4 ,his eyes were dark and his look very piercing4 ,his voice was soft and full of melody1 unless raised to a very high pitch1 and then it was harsh1 discordant1 and squeaking4 ,his conversational powers were great4 ,he was very entertaining4 ,he did a noble work for ,american ,methodism1 and should ever be remembered with the liveliest sentiments of gratitude4 ,he sleeps in the ,indian ,ocean1 8till the sea give up its dead40 ,brother ,bruff1 at whose house such glorious meetings were held1 and where so many souls were converted1 was a most excellent man4 ,he had married ,catharine1 sister of ,harry ,ennalls1 of ,dorchester2 she was instrumental in introducing ,methodism into that county4 ,she was a sister to ,governor ,bassett's first wife4 ,mrs4 ,bruff was a very superior woman2 her ,christian virtues shone with transcendent luster4 ,she was very useful in that revival1 as well as many other holy women whose names are in the ,book of ,life4 ,it will be seen that ,john ,chalmers did a noble work4 ,he joined the ,conference in #aghh1 but had located4 ,years after1 side by side1 ,i fought with this veteran the battles of the ,lord4 ,i never knew a more courageous soldier1 one that used sharper arrows1 or had more splendid victories4 ,we shall see more of him before we are through with this narrative4 ,,chapter ,v4 ,,philadelphia ,,conference--,,great ,,revivals--,,barratt',s ,,chapel4 ,we reluctantly bade adieu to our kind friends in ,baltimore on ,saturday1 ,may #bd1 #ahjj1 and started for ,duck ,creek 7now called ,smyrna7 ,cross ,roads1 the seat of the ,philadelphia ,conference1 in company with ,dr4 ,chandler1 ,l4 ,m',combs1 ,samuel ,coate1 ,john ,chalmers1 and ,shadrach ,bostwick4 ,we went in a packet to ,georgetown ,cross ,roads1 and arrived just in time for a love-feast4 ,some of those present had been to ,baltimore and beheld the wonderful works of ,god1 and returned home full of the holy fire1 and the revival extended to that place4 ,on ,monday ,dr4 ,chandler and ,i went to ,duck ,creek ,cross ,roads1 and were entertained at ,brother ,george ,kennard's4 ,the revival at the ,philadelphia ,conference is a matter of history as one of the most remarkable that has taken place on this continent1 and yet we have had few particulars4 ,all the bishops and preachers who were there are dead1 and ,i alone am left to give an account4 ,fortunately ,i kept a record of what took place every day4 ,it was written with the utmost simplicity1 and ,i transcribe it because every scrap of the history of that period is valuable4 ,it shows the simplicity of the times1 and how our fathers did in days of old4 8,we had preaching on the evening of ,may #bg4 ,the power of ,god was among the people4 ,some were convicted of sin4 ,on ,thursday evening a prayer-meeting was held4 ,god's people were blessed1 and went singing and shouting on their way home4 8,on ,friday1 the #cjth1 ,brother ,chandler and ,i went to meet ,bishops ,asbury and ,whatcoat4 ,bishop ,whatcoat arrived1 and preached from #8,come out from among them1 and be ye separate1' etc4 ,it was a season of refreshing from the presence of the ,lord4 ,bishop ,asbury had gone to ,dover1 and did not come till ,sunday4 ,on ,saturday evening ,brother ,john ,chalmers preached4 ,there was considerable of a move4 ,the expectations of the people were greatly raised4 ,some were powerfully convicted1 and others shouted aloud the praise of ,god4 8,on ,sunday1 ,june #a1 a prayer-meeting was held at sunrise4 ,at eleven o'clock ,father ,whatcoat preached from ,rev4 xi1 #ah3 #8,and the nations were angry1 and thy wrath is come1 and the time of the dead1' etc4 ,he preached with great liberty2 the word was powerful2 many were convicted of sin1 and others rejoiced in the ,god of their salvation4 ,i never felt happier in my life4 ,after preaching a love-feast was held1 in which one was converted4 ,there was preaching in the afternoon and evening1 and great power among the people4 8,on ,monday morning1 ,june #b1 the conference commenced its session4 ,at sunrise ,anning ,owen preached on ,christian perfection2 it was a theme he loved4 ,quite a number were present at this early hour4 ,i never saw such a beauty in holiness before4 ,there were sixty-six preachers present at the conference4 ,the conference was held at a private house2 the meeting-house was used for religious services4 ,tuesday was a great day4 ,the work began in the morning1 and went on all day and the greater part of the night1 and numbers were converted4 8,on ,wednesday1 about sunrise1 there was a sermon preached1 and the power came down upon the people4 ,the work then went on all day and until three o'clock the next morning1 and many were brought to rejoice in ,god their ,saviour4 ,i never saw such a glorious time2 it exceeds what we have just witnessed in ,baltimore4 ,sinners are flocking home2 the people of ,god are getting happier and happier4 ,i feel thankful that ,i ever came to ,duck ,creek ,cross ,roads4 8,thursday1 #e4 ,this morning we had a glorious love-feast4 ,the power of ,god was among the people1 and many rejoiced with exceeding great joy4 ,the work of revival continued2 sinners were crying for mercy1 and many obtained pardon4 ,many were converted at ,brother ,kennard's house4 ,the work of ,god continued all this day and most of the night4 ,great numbers were converted4 ,in the evening a sermon was preached1 followed by an exhortation2 both delivered with great power4 ,god was among the people4 ,such a night ,i never beheld1 such a shout ,i never heard4 ,i think there were upward of two hundred people who shouted at one time4 ,it was glory all over the house1 and ,i hope it will be remembered throughout all eternity40 ,bishop ,asbury mentions the revival in his journal1 and says1 8,over one hundred souls were converted to ,god40 ,jesse ,lee says 8one hundred and fifty40 ,they both made too low an estimate4 ,there were great revivalists at this conference3 ,w4 ,p4 ,chandler1 ,john ,chalmers1 ,jesse ,lee1 each a host in himself1 and many others1 who entered heartily into the work4 ,it was not confined to them2 the preachers and people all had a mind to work4 ,this conference will ever be memorable as the most fruitful in saving souls of any ever held in ,america4 ,those who were not present can form but a faint idea of the nature of the work4 ,meetings were held day and night with rarely any intermission4 ,one meeting in the church continued forty-five hours without cessation4 ,many were converted in private houses and at family prayer as well as in the house of the ,lord4 ,this revival did immense good2 the preachers returned to their work like flames of fire4 ,as the ,philadelphia ,conference held its session six hours each day1 the members were obliged to be present2 but as ,i was not a member ,i had nothing to interrupt me or to call off my attention from the revival1 but devoted every moment to the blessed work4 ,for several nights ,i did not take off my clothes1 but lay down upon the sofa and rested a little while1 and then up and right into the thickest of the battle4 ,thus was ,i employed for days and nights1 and was an eye and ear witness to the joyful scenes that were occurring4 ,this was my second visit to ,duck ,creek4 ,i was there in #agih with ,dr4 ,william ,p4 ,chandler1 and then we put up at ,brother ,george ,kennard's4 ,this was my home at the conference in #ahjj1 and there we had the company of ,bishops ,asbury and ,whatcoat4 ,brother ,kennard was a gentleman1 a merchant1 a great business man1 and a thorough ,methodist4 ,he used to correspond with ,bishop ,asbury4 ,his house was one of the choice ,methodist homes in that day1 and there in after years ,i was made very welcome4 ,the scenes which ,i witnessed in the revival at ,baltimore during the ,general ,conference1 and then so soon after in the one at ,duck ,creek ,cross ,roads1 come up freshly before me after over threescore years1 and ,i still feel the sacred flame4 ,and yet a kind of melancholy comes over me when ,i remember ,i am the sole survivor that took an active part in the scenes that angels must have contemplated with delight4 ,like an aged oak1 ,i remain while all the trees have fallen around me4 ,at this conference ,richard ,whatcoat first presided as bishop4 ,a number of young men were received1 who occupied prominent stations and made their mark in after years3 ,learner ,blackman1 ,jacob ,gruber1 well known for his virtues and eccentricities1 ,william ,williams1 and others4 ,this remarkable conference closed on the #fth of ,june1 at nine o'clock1 and ,i started for my father's house1 walking sixty miles to the rural district of ,lancaster2 having seen more1 heard more1 enjoyed more1 since ,i left home1 than in all my lifetime before4 ,it was an ever-memorable period in my history4 ,twice before ,i had been down the ,peninsula with ,dr4 ,chandler1 and witnessed wonderful displays of the power of ,god2 the first in #agih1 the second in #agii1 when there was a great revival on ,cecil ,circuit1 the flame of which spread to ,baltimore4 ,i was permitted again to accompany him4 ,the reason was1 my health had suddenly failed4 ,i was mowing in my brother's meadow in ,august2 the day was excessively hot1 and ,i perspired most freely2 while in this state ,i walked through cold spring water1 and it checked perspiration and affected my whole system4 ,i was so ill that ,i was obliged to leave the meadow and return home4 ,when ,i reached the house ,i found ,dr4 ,chandler1 the circuit preacher1 had just arrived4 ,he was a physician and minister1 and could attend to bodies as well as souls4 ,his arrival seemed to be providential1 and may have saved my life4 ,he saw the critical state ,i was in1 and that there was no time to be lost4 ,he immediately bled me1 which afforded instant relief4 ,and yet ,i continued very weak and unable to work1 therefore the doctor proposed that ,i should go with him to ,cape ,henlopen1 where ,i could be benefited by sea-bathing4 ,with great joy ,i accepted the invitation1 and we soon were ready for our journey4 ,better company no one could have1 and ,i had this to comfort me1 my medical adviser was with me4 ,i believe that tour not only benefited my health1 but had a great influence in shaping my destiny in after years4 ,on our way we stopped at a quarterly meeting at 8,barratt's ,chapel40 ,this chapel was twelve miles below ,dover1 in ,delaware1 between ,dover and ,milford4 ,it was built of brick1 on land belonging to ,philip ,barratt1 who rendered much assistance1 and therefore it was called 8,barratt's ,chapel40 ,francis ,asbury encouraged its erection4 ,he visited this place on ,march #bj1 #aghj1 and had an interview with ,philip ,barratt and ,waitman ,scipple1 and he says1 they 8determined to go about the chapel40 ,they then fixed the site1 concluding 8to set it near the drawbridge40 ,such was the origin of this chapel4 ,mr4 ,asbury1 we see1 was the prime mover4 ,he also helped raise means to erect it1 for on ,november #h1 #aghj1 at ,perdin's1 after lecturing1 he 8engaged the friends to subscribe seven hundred weight of pork toward the meeting-house at ,barratt's40--,journal1 vol4 i1 p4 #daj4 ,philip ,barratt was a noble man1 and he and ,francis ,asbury were great friends4 ,i did not know him1 he was gone before my time1 but ,i knew his children4 ,he had three sons3 ,andrew was a judge1 and a man of talents4 ,he lived near the church1 and we put up with him4 ,doctor ,barratt was a practicing physician4 ,caleb was the only son who was a member of our ,church2 the others were friendly4 ,how would the spirit of ,philip ,barratt 7as well as that of ,asbury7 rejoice to know that he had a great-grandson a foreign missionary4 ,the ,rev4 ,william ,prettyman1 formerly of the ,philadelphia1 then of the ,baltimore ,conference1 married a daughter of ,doctor ,barratt1 and his son1 ,doctor ,william ,prettyman1 is the ,superintendent of our ,methodist ,mission in ,bulgaria1 ,turkey4 ,the ,methodist seed among the descendants of ,philip ,barratt has not run out4 ,this is the famous chapel where ,doctor ,coke and ,asbury met for the first time and embraced each other4 ,famous meeting6 of great hearts and kindred spirits who have met long since in a far more glorious temple1 8,where perfect love and friendship reign ,to all eternity40 ,here the plan was formed for the meeting of the ,methodist ,minister's ,conference in ,baltimore1 by which the ,methodist ,episcopal ,church was organized in #aghd4 ,in the love-feast at this quarterly meeting ,i made a covenant with ,god1 that if he would restore me to health ,i would dedicate myself wholly to him1 and would do the work of an evangelist to the best of my ability4 ,i here made the promise1 and the covenant ,i have always kept in mind2 and ,i have not only taken 8the cup of salvation and called upon the name of the ,lord10 but have been enabled 8to pay my vows in the presence of his people40 ,i traveled that circuit some years after1 and was presiding elder of the district1 and often preached at this heaven-honored chapel2 but never did ,i enter it without peculiar feelings1 remembering the love-feast and my self-consecration to the work of the ministry4 ,sunday being over1 ,dr4 ,chandler and myself started for ,lewistown and ,cape ,henlopen4 ,we put up at ,caleb ,rodney's4 ,the light-house was kept by a local preacher named ,j4 ,r4 ,hargus4 ,i stayed with him at the light-house and bathed in the salt water4 ,i had never seen the ocean before4 ,i was so weak that when ,i walked down upon the shore the breezes from the ocean almost deprived me of my breath4 ,i went in to bathe at one time and the waves came rolling in from the ocean and threw me down1 and ,i was greatly frightened4 ,i did not know but the returning waves would carry me out where ,i could not get back4 ,the fright and being thrown down set my blood circulating1 roused it to action1 and did me much good4 ,dr4 ,chandler1 when he saw me thrown down by the undertow1 and witnessed my fright1 laughed1 and said1 8that was just what he wanted2 he was glad of it2 it would benefit me more than all the medicine ,i could take40 ,the doctor was right4 ,in less than a week ,i had greatly improved2 and there was prospect of soon recovering my strength4 ,in a little time ,i was as well as ever3 a happy soul in a sound body4 ,the next ,sabbath1 on our return1 we attended a quarterly meeting at ,milford4 ,the place of worship was too small to hold the vast multitudes1 and they were obliged to go in a grove to preach the word4 ,there was a mighty outpouring of the ,spirit of ,god1 and many exclaimed1 8,men and brethren1 what shall we do80 ,during the exercises1 one man--a person of standing and influence--was so affected that he tried to hold himself up as he stood trembling by a sapling1 but he could not stand4 ,he got down on the ground and cried for mercy1 and there he experienced religion4 ,he united with the ,methodist ,church and became a very useful member4 ,the ,rev4 ,william ,mills1 of ,philadelphia ,conference1 preached4 ,his text was novel and his explanations original4 ,it was #a ,sam4 xxx1 #bd3 8,but as his part is that goeth down to the battle1 so shall his part be that tarrieth by the stuff3 they shall part alike40 ,he said the itinerant preachers were the ones that went to battle for ,god and truth--standard-bearers in the ,christian army1 achieving victory after victory over the king's enemies2 but they must not think they were to receive all the reward--as if they accomplished all that was done4 ,he showed that it was as necessary for some to stay by the stuff as it was for others to go into the battle2 both were doing the work of the ,lord4 ,the local preachers and exhorters and class-leaders and private members that stay by the stuff should not lose their reward1 but their part shall be equal to those that went to battle4 ,this is the order of ,heaven1 and nothing could be more just and proper than this law1 that those who stay at home to defend house and property have equal right to the spoils of victory as those who go forth to battle4 ,the next day ,i returned to my father's house a healthier1 wiser1 and better man than when ,i left4 ,the scenes ,i witnessed on the tour are very vivid before me after the lapse of over threescore years4 ,dr4 ,chandler's kindness to me was unparalleled4 ,he lives in my affections1 and ,i look back upon him as one of the finest specimens of a ,christian gentleman with whom it has been my good fortune to be associated4 ,when ,i arrived at home my father was about to take a ministerial tour through ,pennsylvania1 ,maryland1 and the great valley of ,virginia1 or what was known as 8,new ,virginia40 ,he wished me to accompany him1 and ,i did so4 ,we were absent from home about a month4 ,it was in ,september and ,october4 ,i kept a diary in the ,german language1 written every day1 of where we were and what we were doing4 ,it is still carefully preserved4 ,my father was a ,german preacher1 then holding some connection with the 8,united ,brethren40 ,the ,rev4 ,william ,otterbein was with the same people4 ,we traveled every day1 and my father preached in ,german1 and ,i exhorted after him1 sometimes in ,german and sometimes in ,english4 ,he preached with great life1 power1 and success1 and had many seals to his ministry4 ,we went as far as ,winchester1 ,va41 where he preached in the ,methodist church1 and under the sermon one was awakened1 namely1 ,simon ,lauck1 who afterward became a traveling preacher and a member of the ,baltimore ,conference4 ,my father also preached at the ,rev4 ,henry ,smith's father's4 ,i remember his text and sermon well4 ,i had an opportunity of getting more particularly acquainted with the distinguished ministers connected with the ,united ,brethren4 ,they held great meetings that were often attended with power4 ,their annual meeting was held ,september #be1 at ,peter ,kemp's1 in ,frederick ,county1 ,maryland4 ,this was important in many respects4 ,first1 they resolved to call themselves 8,the ,church of the ,united ,brethren in ,christ40 ,second1 they elected bishops for the first time4 ,william ,otterbein and ,martin ,boehm 7my father7 were unanimously chosen4 ,here were assembled their great men3 ,gueting1 ,newcomer1 ,draksel1 and the two brothers ,crums4 ,the meeting was full of interest4 ,reports were given from different parts of the work1 and each minister gave an account of the progress of the work of ,god in his own soul4 ,they had at that time but little order and discipline1 and what ,i had seen of the order and discipline of the ,methodists at the ,general ,conference in ,baltimore and at the ,philadelphia ,conference showed me the vast superiority of the latter1 and ,i made up my mind to enter their itinerant ministry4 ,,chapter ,,vi4 ,,my ,,first ,,circuit1 ,,dorchester4 ,in ,january1 #ahjj1 ,i began my regular itinerant life4 ,it was on ,dorchester ,circuit1 on the ,eastern ,shore of ,maryland1 in ,philadelphia ,conference4 ,the peninsula that lies between the ,delaware and ,chesapeake ,bays1 though not considered very healthy1 was the garden of ,methodism in ,america4 ,methodism was early introduced there1 and for a time the ministers were greatly persecuted2 but they achieved a glorious success4 ,the heroic ,garrettson was persecuted2 ,caleb ,b4 ,pedicord1 the sweet singer of our ,israel1 received scars which he carried with him to the grave2 ,joseph ,hartley was imprisoned1 and through the grates of his prison preached deliverance to the captive2 and ,thomas ,s4 ,chew took the sheriff prisoner who had taken him captive4 ,dorchester ,circuit was formed in #aghj4 ,it was a large circuit1 embracing not only ,dorchester ,county1 but ,taylor's and ,hooper's ,island in the ,chesapeake ,bay4 ,the introduction of ,methodism into ,dorchester can be traced to the conversion of a young woman1 ,miss ,catharine1 sister of ,harry ,ennalls4 ,she was afterward ,mrs4 ,bruff of ,baltimore1 who was so useful in the revival at the ,general ,conference of #ahjj4 ,through her influence her sister ,mary1 and her husband1 the ,hon4 ,richard ,bassett of ,delaware1 were converted2 also ,henry ,airey1 ,esq4 ,it was at ,squire ,airey's house that ,freeborn ,garrettson preached the first ,methodist sermon in ,dorchester ,county1 and from that house he was taken to the jail at ,cambridge4 ,the squire threw over ,mr4 ,garrettson the mantle of his protection as far as he was able4 ,i learned while traveling there that all the ringleaders in that mob died a violent death1 except ,batt ,ennalls1 who was converted1 and joined the ,church4 ,i knew him very well1 and preached at his house when on that circuit4 ,the sad end of these persecutors was considered a special judgment from ,god4 ,i was employed by ,rev4 ,thomas ,ware to preach on this circuit because ,john ,leach was sick and unable to travel4 ,he was an excellent young man1 with a shattered constitution1 who lingered a year or two1 and then entered into rest4 ,i bade farewell to the scenes of my childhood and started to go among strangers4 ,my mother's sweet kiss and my aged father's blessing ,i still remember4 ,the tears rolled down my cheek as ,i looked back upon the home of my childhood1 the old family mansion1 endeared to me by so many tender associations4 ,with weakness1 fear1 and much trembling1 ,i entered upon my new field of labor and began to cultivate ,immanuel's land4 ,the arrival of a new preacher1 a ,german youth from ,pennsylvania1 was soon noised abroad1 and this called out many to see and hear4 ,i was reluctant to go to a circuit and preach in the ,english tongue4 ,had it been in the ,german language ,i should not have been so embarrassed4 ,for two months ,i suffered powerful temptation to abandon my work and return home4 ,i went to ,brother ,harry ,ennalls's4 ,he lived near the ,choptank ,river1 one of the largest streams on the ,peninsula4 ,his house was a preaching-place and a home for the preachers4 ,this family did not belong to the class who were 8afraid they would be eaten out of house and home40 ,harry ,ennalls was a man of wealth1 and he used this world as not abusing it4 ,his money gave him power and influence1 which were used to advance the great interest of the ,redeemer's kingdom4 ,he was a holy1 zealous ,christian1 and a devout ,methodist4 ,one of our preachers1 ,thomas ,smith1 met him and the late ,hon4 ,james ,a4 ,bayard1 senator in ,congress from ,delaware1 at ,governor ,bassett's4 ,harry ,ennalls prayed with great power and unction1 talking with ,god as if he was used to conversing with him4 ,he did not forget the honorable statesman in his prayer1 but fervently invoked the blessing of ,god upon him4 ,when he had finished praying1 and the family had risen from their knees1 ,mr4 ,bayard was observed walking the floor very rapidly1 much agitated2 then turning to ,mr4 ,ennalls1 he said1 8,henry1 what did you mean by shaking your brimstone bag over me80 8,to save you from hell1 sir10 replied ,mr4 ,ennalls4 ,governor ,bassett's first wife was ,harry ,ennalls's sister4 ,harry ,ennalls's wife was one of the best of women4 ,she was a ,goldsbury1 related to ,governor ,goldsbury4 ,this was one of the great families of the ,peninsula4 ,they had no children1 and always made the preachers very welcome1 and considered the younger as their children4 ,mrs4 ,ennalls1 who was a person of discernment1 saw ,i was suffering under deep depression of spirits4 ,i was fearful ,i had mistaken my calling4 ,ingenuously she asked me a great many questions1 till she drew from me the real state of my mind4 ,when she found out that ,i was discouraged1 and about to give up my work in despair and return home1 she gave me such a reproof as ,i shall never forget4 8,my young brother10 she said1 8your eternal salvation may depend upon the course you are about to take4 ,you may lose your soul by such an unwise1 hasty step40 ,then she exhorted me in the most earnest and emphatic manner not to abandon my work1 but to keep on4 ,i resolved in the strength of my ,master to try again1 and though over threescore years have gone into eternity since 8having obtained help from ,god1 ,i continue unto this day40 ,well ,i remember that hospitable mansion2 and the room in which we were1 the attitude of the woman1 her anxious countenance1 her piercing eye1 the tone of her voice1 are all before me just as if it were yesterday4 ,her wise counsel has had an influence upon me all my days2 it shaped my destiny for life4 ,she has been in the grave for many years1 and ,i remember her still with a heart overflowing with gratitude4#f ,i then went to that famous house where the first sermon was preached in ,dorchester ,county by ,freeborn ,garrettson1 where the widow of ,squire ,airey resided4 ,the old squire was dead and gone4 ,by his position and character he was enabled to do noble service for ,methodism1 and he deserves a conspicuous place in the gallery of portraits of the distinguished laymen of the early ,methodist ,church in ,america4 ,his widow still lived in the old homestead1 and the itinerant ministers were made as welcome as when he was alive4 ,she lived but a short distance from ,mr4 ,ennalls4 ,in family prayer we had a gracious time4 ,the ,holy ,ghost descended in copious effusions1 and the widow was so baptized she shouted aloud for joy and was greatly strengthened and encouraged4 ,i retired to my couch feeling that my soul was resting in ,god4 ,it was in the month of ,march1 and the snow had mantled the earth with its sheet of white4 ,i went to sleep sweetly and had a most singular dream4 ,i have never attached much importance to dreams1 but this was so strange that ,i will relate it2 it will do no harm if it does no good4 ,i dreamed of seeing a large field of wheat1 ripe1 waving before the wind1 ready for the sickle1 and the reapers were cutting it down and binding up the golden sheaves4 ,and there was a large field of green wheat1 so extensive ,i saw no end4 ,this beautiful dream was a benefit to me2 the idea of such scenery at that time of the year1 when the snow was on the ground1 caused me to rejoice1 and the rejoicing to awake1 and lo1 it was but a dream4 ,i concluded this dream could not have come from an evil source1 otherwise ,i could not have been in such a happy state of mind2 and if it was from a good source1 it was for some good purpose1 and accordingly ,i thanked ,god and took courage1 and 8went forth weeping1 bearing precious seed10 not doubting that ,i should 8come again with rejoicing1 bringing my sheaves with me40 ,we had a number of appointments on ,dorchester circuit4 ,i have preserved the names of all the classes and of all the members1 both colored and white1 and of those who died during the year1 and of those who married out of the society1 and all who were expelled4 ,the record is singular2 it would be still more so if we knew the destiny of each of the persons whose name is recorded2 but they are all written in ,god's book4 ,most of them1 no doubt1 are in their graves4 ,a prominent appointment was ,cambridge4 ,it was here that the noble ,garrettson was imprisoned4 ,but the days of persecution were passed1 and ,methodism was respected4 ,here resided ,dr4 ,edward ,white1 who helped give tone and character to ,methodism4 ,among the names ,i find on the class-book in ,cambridge are ,dr4 ,edward ,white1 ,mary ,ann ,white1 his wife1 and ,eliza ,white1 ,sarah ,white1 and ,mary ,white1 his three daughters4 ,religion did wonders for the colored people on this circuit1 and hundreds of them were converted4 ,they sometimes took the name of their masters4 ,i copy from the ,african class at ,cambridge3 ,edward1 ,lina1 ,jacob1 ,alice1 ,ralph1 ,lua1 ,david1 ,rhoda1 ,adam1 ,esther1 ,rachel1 ,harrie1 ,isaac1 ,minta1 ,primus1 ,philus1 ,ned1 ,den1 ,john1 ,drape1 ,rive1 ,robert1 ,tom1 ,jacob1 ,david1 ,adam1 ,esther4 ,i preached at ,ennalls's meeting-house4 ,there was also a class at ,harry ,ennalls's3 on the book are the names of ,harry ,ennalls1 leader2 ,sarah1 his wife1 and ,eliza ,airey1 the widow of ,squire ,airey4 ,there are other honorable names that ,i have not space to transcribe--they are in the book of life4 ,there were two colored classes that met at ,ennalls's3 one had twenty members1 the other twenty-five4 ,among their names are ,pompey1 ,dido1 ,moses1 and others4 ,we not only had separate classes for the colored people1 but separate love-feasts2 they were generally held in the morning previous to the love-feasts for the whites1 and were seasons of great interest4 ,religion in its simplicity and power was exhibited by them4 ,we preached also at ,airey's ,chapel4 ,this was not far from where ,squire ,airey lived and died1 and it was called after him2 there was a class or society here2 there were forty-four names belonging to one class4 ,william ,pitt was the leader1 and among the members were a number of ,aireys4 ,,chapter ,,vii4 ,,my ,,second ,,circuit1 ,,annamessex1 #ahjb4 ,bishops ,asbury and ,whatcoat visited my circuit previous to the ,conference of #ahja1 which was held in ,philadelphia4 ,we had then but two houses of worship in that city1 ,st4 ,george's and ,ebenezer4 ,there was great political excitement at the time4 ,federalism and ,democracy ran high1 and ,jefferson and ,adams were talked about everywhere4 ,such was the excitement that it separated families and friends and members of the ,church4 ,i was urged on every side to identify myself with one political party or the other1 or to express an opinion4 ,i felt sad to see what influence this state of feeling was producing in the ,church4 ,i consulted ,bishop ,whatcoat1 who said that our different political sentiments should never affect our ,christian fellowship and affections2 that each had a right to his own peculiar views1 and we should make no man an offender because his views of politics were different from ours4 ,at this ,conference ,i was not received on trial1 because my recommendation from ,dorchester circuit1 by some mistake1 was not brought to the ,conference4 ,i was received virtually1 but not formally4 ,the next year1 to the question in the ,minutes1 8,who remain on trial80 the answer is1 8,henry ,boehm20 and at the end of the following year ,i was admitted into full connection and ordained4 ,the ,minutes and ,dr4 ,bangs's ,history make me one year younger in the traveling ministry than ,i am4 ,i date from #ahja1 the same year as ,dr4 ,bangs and ,bishop ,hedding4 ,at the ,conference of #ahja1 ,william ,colbert was appointed to ,annamessex ,circuit1 and ,thomas ,ware1 the presiding elder1 employed me to labor with him4 ,mr4 ,colbert had charge also of ,somerset ,circuit1 on which ,daniel ,ryan and ,edward ,larkins traveled4 ,the introduction of ,methodism into this circuit was providential1 and in it we can see the hand of ,god4 ,a ,methodist preacher1 whose name ,i have forgotten1 was on his way from the ,line ,chapel to ,accomac1 ,virginia4 7,it was so called because on the line between ,delaware and ,maryland47 ,the preacher being a stranger1 inquired the best way to ,accomac4 ,he was directed into the ,cypress ,swamp1 which extended for many miles4 ,supposing it was the direct route1 the unsuspecting stranger entered1 to learn1 by sad experience1 that he had been deceived4 ,after wandering about for a long time in the mud1 bogs1 and water1 where he was in danger of sinking1 he came out of the swamp near the house of ,jepthah ,bowen1 on the east side of the ,pocomoke ,river4 ,his preservation was very singular1 equally so that he should have come out at the right place4 ,mr4 ,bowen took the stranger in and gave him a hearty welcome4 ,he was a member of the ,church of ,england1 and learning his guest was a minister1 proposed prayer4 ,the preacher prayed with so much power that he was invited to preach at ,mr4 ,bowen's house4 ,on his return from ,virginia he did so1 and the people were so pleased with his sermon that ,mr4 ,bowen's house became a regular preaching place4 ,thus ,methodism was singularly introduced in that section of the country4 ,jepthah ,bowen was converted and many others1 and a society was early formed at his house4 ,he lived long enough to see the frame of a new house of worship erected that bore his name1 ,bowen's ,chapel4 ,this led to the formation of several societies in that region1 and to the conversion of multitudes4 ,mr4 ,bowen's was the first house opened for ,methodist preaching in ,worcester ,county4 ,in after years ,i was entertained by his aged widow at the old homestead4 ,his children and children's children were blessed1 being the descendants of those who entertained the ,lord's prophets4 ,the ,rev4 ,freeborn ,garrettson was lost in this swamp in #aggi4 ,after wandering for a long time1 night overtook him4 ,it was quite dark1 and to add to the gloom1 the rain descended in torrents4 ,he was about to take lodgings upon the cold1 wet ground1 when1 to his great joy1 he discovered a light at a distance1 and following it1 he found a house where he was kindly entertained4 ,the man with whom he stayed thought his guest was an angel1 and he surveyed him from head to foot1 and then inquired1 8,what are you1 and who are you8 for ,i am sure ,i never saw such a man as you appear to be40 ,mr4 ,garrettson answered1 8,i am a follower of our blessed ,saviour40 ,the woman of the house had been peculiarly afflicted for sixteen days2 she had neither eaten nor drunk4 ,there were many who went to see her die1 when she suddenly rose in the bed and exclaimed1 8,you thought mine a disorder of the body1 but it was not2 now ,i know my ,maker loves me40 ,she was very happy1 and said she knew ,mr4 ,garrettson was a man of ,god1 one whom the ,lord had sent to reform the world4 ,his visit to the family at that time was a great blessing4 ,another anecdote related by ,mr4 ,garrettson will illustrate the ignorance of some of the people4 ,he met a man in the region of the ,cypress ,swamp1 and asked him if he was acquainted with ,jesus ,christ4 8,sir10 said he1 8,i know not where the gentleman lives40 ,mr4 ,garrettson1 supposing the man misunderstood him1 repeated his question1 and to the astonishment of ,mr4 ,g4 he replied1 8,i don't know the man40 ,i was glad to travel with my friend ,william ,colbert1 who had been so often at my father's house4 ,he was an eminent revivalist4 ,our circuit was nearly two hundred miles round4 ,there were several houses of worship3 ,bowen's ,chapel1 ,miles's ,chapel1 ,curtis's ,chapel1 ,st4 ,martin's ,chapel1 and ,sound ,meeting-house4 ,i have a record of all the members4 ,nathaniel ,bowen1 a descendant of ,jepthah1 had thirty-one members in his class1 five by the name of ,bowen4 ,we preached against slavery1 and persuaded our brethren and those who were converted to liberate their slaves1 and we were often successful4 ,there was a revival both among the white and colored4 ,many slaves were made 8free0 by 8the ,son10 and they enjoyed the liberty of the soul4 ,we preached at ,snow ,hill4 ,it was formerly a wretched place where the traffic in negroes was carried on4 ,the ,georgia traders in human flesh came there and bought slaves1 and then took them south and sold them4 ,methodism made a mighty change here and destroyed this inhuman traffic4 ,snow ,hill for years has been a prominent place for ,methodism4 ,people often fell under the word4 ,george ,ward1 a local preacher1 who married ,harry ,ennalls's sister1 resided here4 ,when ,i was preaching at his house ,sister ,ward fell under the power4 ,she was a woman of fine intellect1 therefore ,i name it because some think that none but persons of weak minds are thus affected4 ,at ,brother ,ward's house we used to preach1 and there we formed the first class at ,snow ,hill4 ,henry ,white1 so long an honored member of the ,philadelphia ,conference1 frequently a delegate to the ,general ,conference1 ,i had the honor of taking into the ,church while on this circuit4 ,i also knew his father1 ,southy ,white4 ,he was a good man1 and an excellent local preacher4 ,i preached at his house1 and was his guest4 ,he died the year ,i was on that circuit4 ,i knew many of the fathers in the ,methodist ministry1 and have lived not only to bury the fathers1 but many of their sons4 ,john ,phbus's at ,quantico ,neck was another of our preaching places4 ,he was the brother of ,dr4 ,william ,phbus1 so long known in ,new ,york for his talents and his eccentricities4 ,the doctor went out into the ministry from that section of the country4 ,we preached also at ,brother ,lazarus ,maddox's1 at ,potato ,neck4 ,his house was an excellent home for a wayworn itinerant4 ,on ,february #ad1 while preaching at his house1 the power of ,god came down and ,brother ,maddox was struck to the floor1 and lay for some time under the divine influence4 ,thrilling were the scenes we witnessed4 ,indeed the whole circuit had a wall of fire around about it and a glory in the midst4 ,the people got so happy and shouted so loud they drowned my voice1 and leaped for joy1 and sometimes they would fall1 lose their strength1 and lie for hours in this condition1 and then come to praising the ,lord4 ,at several funerals many were awakened1 and in several instances loud shouts were heard at the grave4 ,this was something entirely new to me4 ,we also preached at ,devil's ,island1 as it was called4 ,deil's it should be named4 ,the first time ,i visited it ,i preached from 8,prepare to meet thy ,god40 ,i had spoken but a few words when twelve were struck under conviction4 ,i was so pleased ,i wrote1 8,the devil will have to give up his island40 ,there was one general revival2 the circuit was in a flame4 ,in every appointment sinners were converted4 ,the ,peninsula seemed like the garden of ,god4 ,scenes took place that gladdened the eyes of angels and thrilled the heart of the ,saviour4 ,the ,gospel had wonderful power1 and the results were glorious1 as the records of eternity will reveal4 ,to show that ,i have not over-estimated the work1 and to record the wonderful works of ,god in those days1 ,i make a few extracts from letters written by men of ,god long since in ,abraham's bosom4 ,the first was from ,thomas ,ware to ,dr4 ,coke1 dated ,duck ,creek1 ,delaware1 ,september #ab1 #ahjb1 and published in the ,arminian ,magazine for #ahjc3 8,,rev4 ,,sir1--,in the year #ahjj ,i was appointed to preside on the ,peninsula4 ,from the time of my entering on that important charge to the ,annual ,conference in ,philadelphia1 ,may1 #ahjb1 above six thousand souls were added to the ,church1 most of whom1 ,i trust1 are added to the ,lord4444 ,in ,milford ,circuit have been added one thousand six hundred members1 in ,talbot about one thousand1 in ,somerset and ,annamessex one thousand1 and the prospect continues equally pleasing in that favored country40 ,ezekiel ,cooper1 in a letter to ,dr4 ,coke dated ,philadelphia1 ,september #g1 #ahja1 says3 8,i have just now received a letter from ,brother ,colbert1 one of our preachers in ,annamessex ,circuit4 ,he wrote3 #8,good news from ,pocomoke4 ,the kingdom of hell is falling1 the borders of ,zion are enlarging1 and glory to ,god1 the prospect of a greater work than we had last year lies before us4 ,in both circuits1 ,somerset and ,annamessex1 the ,lord is powerfully at work2 our preaching places or houses are too small for the congregations1 and1 two or three places excepted1 too small even for our love-feasts4 ,i believe the ,peninsula has never known such a time as heaven now favors us with4 ,glory to ,jesus on high6 we have what is the most inviting among us1 namely1 the ,lord in power converting sinners1 and the saints feel as if they were sunning in the beams of redeeming love1 overwhelmed with the glorious billows4 ,some fall motionless1 and lie for some minutes1 others for hours1 and some for a great part of the night without the use of their limbs or speech1 and then they spring up with heaven in their eyes and music on their tongues1 overwhelmed with love divine4 ,o1 glory to ,god6 this work makes ,pocomoke swamps like a blooming paradise to my soul4 ,if the ,lord spares us1 ,i trust that we shall return to the ,north giving him glory for another thousand members4 ,one thousand joined last year4 ,by grace there is a good beginning4 ,to ,god be all the praise4'0 ,such is the account ,brother ,colbert gave of the work of ,god that year ,i traveled with him4 ,john ,scott's was one of our preaching places4 ,he lived near ,poplartown1 ,worcester ,county4 ,he was an active and liberal man4 ,he was also very shrewd2 knew how to answer a fool according to his folly4 ,as he entertained the ,methodist preachers and their horses some of his neighbors predicted that he would be 8eaten out of house and home40 ,it was a very dry season1 and things were parched up4 ,he was a farmer1 and had planted one hundred acres of corn4 ,the crop was likely to be cut off4 ,on a certain day a cloud came up from the west and the refreshing rain descended on his fields1 but extended no further4 ,his fields were fresh and green1 while those of his neighbors were dry4 ,in the fall when they were gathering the crops his neighbors expressed astonishment that his corn should be so much more valuable than theirs4 ,they did not know how to account for it4 ,he replied that he 8had fed the ,methodist preachers' horses40 ,he left his neighbors to infer that this was one cause of his prosperity4 ,i have often noticed those families who were not given to hospitality1 and those who have welcomed the messengers of ,god to their houses1 and the latter have prospered far more than the former4 ,a noble man was ,brother ,john ,scott4 ,when ,i was on ,hooper's ,island ,i put up with a ,widow ,ruack1 who was a member of our ,church1 and entertained ,methodist preachers4 ,she related to me the following anecdote3 8,joseph ,everett traveled and preach there4 ,one day she looked out of her window and saw ,mr4 ,everett coming4 ,she rejoiced to see the preacher1 but was exceedingly mortified that she had nothing in the house to cook for his dinner1 and living on the island1 it was not convenient to get anything1 for stores and markets were scarce4 ,she went out into the door-yard for some wood to make a fire to boil the tea-kettle4 ,just that moment something fell at her feet4 ,it was a large fresh bass that weighed several pounds4 ,she looked up and saw a large hawk flying over1 which had dropped the fish4 ,he had just taken the fish out of the bay1 and finding it heavy1 had dropped it in the right place4 ,she immediately dressed and cooked it for the preacher's dinner1 and he praised it exceedingly1 not having enjoyed such a meal in a long time40 ,,chapter ,,viii4 ,,kent1 ,,bristol1 ,,and ,,northampton ,,circuits4 ,during the interval between the ,baltimore and the ,philadelphia ,conference ,bishops ,asbury and ,whatcoat spent some time on the ,peninsula4 ,they visited my circuit1 and ,i had the honor of going with them to the conference which met in ,philadelphia on ,saturday1 ,may #a1 #ahjb4 ,sunday was a high day in ,zion4 ,in the morning1 at ,st4 ,george's1 the ,rev4 ,george ,roberts preached a sermon of rare excellence on salvation by grace through faith4 ,in the afternoon ,john ,m',claskey preached from ,exod4 xv1 #af1 on ,israel's separation from the world1 and how it might be known that ,god was with his people2 not by the descent of manna1 but the pillar and cloud day and night4 ,he showed great ingenuity1 and while he was preaching the baptism of fire descended4 ,in the evening ,rev4 ,william ,colbert discoursed on the advantages of an itinerant ministry from 8,many shall run to and fro1 and knowledge shall be increased40 ,it was delivered with great unction4 ,colbert was a great little man in the days of his glory4 ,this pleasant conference closed the next ,friday1 and ,i was appointed to ,kent ,circuit with ,christopher ,sprye4 ,he was a noble colleague1 one of the pioneers of ,methodism in ,new ,england4 ,this was the oldest circuit on the ,peninsula1 being formed in #aggd4 ,there were many things on this circuit of peculiar interest to me4 ,i had the honor of preaching in ,kent's ,meeting-house1 the first ,methodist house of worship erected on the ,eastern ,shore of ,maryland4 ,it was built in #aggd1 one year after the first conference was held in ,america4 ,this was four miles below ,chestertown4 ,the old chapel years ago gave way to a better structure1 now called ,hynson's ,chapel1 from the name of a family who resided near it4 ,the burying-ground connected with this chapel is also a place of interest1 not only because of the old families of ,methodism who were sleeping there1 but from its being the last resting-place of ministers who have fallen at their post4 ,the renowned ,william ,gill1 one of our early preachers1 was buried there4 ,he was a man of surpassing genius1 of philosophic mind4 ,dr4 ,rush greatly admired him1 and pronounced him the greatest divine he had ever heard4 ,this is no mean praise coming from such a source4 ,in #aggg he joined the traveling connection1 and died in #aghi2 a short but brilliant career4 ,with his own hands he closed his eyes1 and laid his body down in sure and certain hope of a glorious resurrection4 ,in this circuit ,i formed the acquaintance of ,rev4 ,,john ,,smith1 one of our old preachers1 who possessed much of the spirit of the beloved ,john1 whose name he bore4 ,he was at the famous ,christmas ,conference of #aghd4 ,he lived in ,chestertown1 and his house was my home4 ,he was a very genial old man1 and his conversation was agreeable and profitable4 ,i heard him preach from ,psalm xxiv1 #c1 #d3 8,who shall ascend into the hill of the ,lord80 etc4 ,it was a profitable discourse1 and much good was done4 ,he died triumphantly in #ahab1 exclaiming1 8,come1 ,lord ,jesus1 come quickly2 take my enraptured soul away4 ,i am not afraid to die4 ,i long to be dissolved and see the face of ,god without a dimming vail between3 death has lost his sting40 ,he was buried beside the grave of ,william ,gill4 ,the father of ,,shadrach ,,bostwick resided on this circuit4 ,shadrach ,bostwick was one of the mighty men of our ,israel4 ,i wonder not that ,bishop ,hedding called him a 8glorious man20 we have had but few such men4 ,i first saw and heard him at the ,general ,conference in ,baltimore in #ahjj4 ,the same spring ,i went with him to ,georgetown1 when he was on his way to see his aged father for the last time4 ,dr4 ,bostwick was born near the head of ,chester1 in ,kent ,county1 ,maryland4 ,in ,delaware1 ,maryland1 ,new ,jersey1 ,new ,england1 and ,ohio he did noble service for ,methodism1 and was everywhere esteemed as 8a prince and a great man40 ,he emigrated to ,ohio1 and was a pioneer in more senses than one4 ,long since he fell asleep1 leaving behind him a name distinguished for its purity and luster4 ,his father's house was one of my regular preaching places on this circuit4 ,in the old homestead where he was born and spent his early days1 and where he was born again1 ,i preached over sixty years ago the glorious ,gospel of the blessed ,god4 ,his father was among the oldest ,methodists on the ,peninsula1 and when his son joined the conference1 in #agia1 he was 8in age and feebleness extreme40 ,he died while ,i was on the circuit4 ,i wrote thus in my ,journal3 8,june #bc1 #ahjb1 ,i rode to ,father ,bostwick's2 ,i found him in a low state of health2 but the way to the celestial country appeared bright before him2 this enables him to rejoice in the midst of pain4 ,i preached at his house from #8,blessed are the pure in heart1 for they shall see ,god4' ,this was a theme adapted to his character and condition4 ,the old man got happy under the word in the prospect of seeing ,god4 8,july #bb4 ,i rode to the aged ,father ,bostwick's4 ,when within a quarter of a mile of the place ,i met the people returning1 who informed me that the old man lay at the point of death1 and1 therefore1 there could be no preaching at his house that night4 ,i told them we would have a meeting in the road where we were4 ,i gave them an exhortation1 followed by prayer4 ,we all knelt down in the street and had a precious time40 ,i name this to show the early ,methodist ministers lost then no opportunity of doing good4 ,it was the uniform custom to be 8instant in season and out of season40 ,i then went to his house and found the old pilgrim near 8,the narrow stream of death40 ,the next day1 as he had somewhat revived1 ,i preached in his orchard from 8,ye know the grace10 etc4 ,i then spent some time with the dying father4 ,the scene was beautiful1 the room full of glory2 the old saint was triumphant4 ,i prayed with him1 and then bade him farewell till we meet in the pilgrim's home4 ,before ,i came round again he was in ,paradise4 ,the peninsula produced some of the strongest men of ,methodism3 ,shadrach ,bostwick1 ,caleb ,boyer1 ,william ,beauchamp1 ,ezekiel ,cooper1 ,hope ,hull1 ,dr4 ,william ,phbus1 ,stephen ,martindale1 ,lawrence ,mc,combs1 ,lawrence ,lawrenson1 ,bishop ,emory1 and many others4 ,frequent changes were made at that time in the ministry during the conference year4 ,i traveled ,kent ,circuit1 with ,christopher ,sprye1 till ,august1 then my presiding elder removed me to ,northampton ,circuit1 formerly a part of ,bristol4 ,it embraced several counties besides ,northampton1 ,montgomery1 ,berks1 and others4 ,an exchange was made between ,johnson ,dunham and myself4 ,so ,i went from the low to the high lands4 ,the contrast was wonderful3 the former low1 level1 and unhealthy2 you might travel a whole day without seeing a hill2 the latter1 hills1 mountains1 and valleys4 ,the change had a fine effect on my health and spirits4 ,i entered upon my new field of labor with delight4 ,the country was new1 the circuit large and rough4 ,bristol ,circuit was traveled by ,thomas ,everard and ,t4 ,jones4 ,james ,lattomas was stationed in ,wilmington4 ,he was a superior preacher1 and in his day a man of considerable note4 ,he was taken sick1 and ,brother ,t4 ,jones was sent to fill his place4 ,a relative of ,thomas ,everard died in ,philadelphia of yellow fever1 so he left the circuit1 and ,bristol and ,northampton were blended into one1 and ,i alone left to travel them4 ,i found ,i had enough to do to go round this large territory in three weeks4 ,i had no time for 8rest week10 no time to rust out2 but it was happy toil1 and the best of all1 ,god was with me1 strengthening me with his ,spirit1 and cheering me with his presence4 ,jacob ,gruber's birthplace was on this circuit1 and ,i used to stay with his parents1 who lived in ,springfield township4 ,i was there in #agih with my father1 who was on a ministerial tour4 ,jacob's father belonged to the ,united ,brethren2 his mother1 and brother ,peter1 and sister were ,methodists4 ,i knew the family well4 ,they were exceedingly industrious and economical4 ,jacob was converted1 as we have seen1 under ,simon ,miller1 and from this place he went out to travel4 ,he was highly esteemed in his neighborhood1 but met with great opposition from his father when he joined the ,methodists4 ,he had a very ready utterance1 with quite a ,german accent4 ,i shall say more about him hereafter1 as he was my colleague4 ,there was a house of worship in the neighborhood called ,bryan's ,meeting-house1 named after ,brother ,bryan1 who was a man of standing and influence4 ,he was formerly a deist1 but was converted under the labors of ,dr4 ,william ,p4 ,chandler4 ,i preached in ,stroudsburg1 now the county seat of ,monroe4 ,it took its name from ,colonel ,jacob ,stroud1 who was the first settler1 and owned four thousand acres of land4 ,he was colonel in the ,revolutionary army1 and commanded at ,fort ,penn1 which stood where the village of ,stroudsburgh is now4 ,this was the first settlement reached by the unfortunate fugitives from ,wyoming after the terrible slaughter of ,july1 #aggh4 ,i knew ,colonel ,stroud well1 for he kept a public-house1 and ,i often put up with him1 and his house was a regular preaching place4 ,we preached there on ,sunday mornings4 ,the colonel was a short1 thick-set man1 and much of a gentleman1 and a thorough business man4 ,his wife was an excellent woman1 and a member of our ,church4 ,the colonel was very friendly1 very courteous1 but not religious4 ,i went to his house to preach one ,sabbath morning1 and arriving before the hour of service1 ,i was kindly invited into a private room4 ,the colonel came in1 and1 after wishing me good morning1 ,i inquired after the state of his health4 ,he answered1 8,as hearty as a buck1 but ,i do not like this dying4 ,i believe ,god made man to live forever40 ,i replied1 8,i believe that too1 but sin entered into the world1 and death by sin2 and now it is appointed unto all men once to die40 ,he looked thoughtful1 but made no reply1 and left the room4 ,a few minutes after ,i began the service1 and the colonel was one of my auditors1 for he was always present at the preaching1 and a very attentive hearer4 ,he was then an old man1 and yet he did not like to think of death4 ,he died three years after1 in #ahjf4 ,my excellent friend and brother1 ,william ,colbert1 in ,november1 #ahjd1 married ,colonel ,stroud's daughter ,elizabeth4 ,as ,i was so well acquainted in the family1 and he and myself such intimate friends1 he consulted me concerning the step he was about to take4 ,i knew how deeply he was in love1 and said ,i could give him no better advice than ,i saw in the almanac3 8,if you marry1 you will be sorry2 if you do not1 you will be sorry40 ,he smiled1 and said1 8,you have now fixed me40 ,a few months after he was married1 and ,i never heard he was sorry4 ,she made him an excellent helpmate1 and ,william and ,elizabeth 8walked in all the commandments and ordinances of the ,lord blameless10 till death separated them1 in #ahcc4 ,then ,elizabeth was left a widow1 and ,william went up to receive his crown4 ,another of my preaching places was at ,father ,broadhead's1 in ,smithfield1 ,northampton ,county4 ,there was a place called 8,broadhead ,settlement10 and there is a stream called 8,broadhead ,creek10 ,they probably were so called from ,general ,broadhead1 who distinguished himself first in the ,indian wars1 and afterward in the ,revolution4 ,here the ,rev4 ,john ,broadhead1 a descendant of his1 was born and converted1 and began to preach1 and from this place entered the traveling connection4 ,it was at his uncle's ,i preached1 and there were a number of his relatives in the neighborhood4 ,he entered the traveling connection in #agid1 and after having accomplished a noble work1 died with his armor on1 ,april #g1 #ahch4 ,no name in the annals of ,new ,england ,methodism shines brighter than ,john ,broadhead's2 none will be more enduring4 ,he was a man of imposing appearance1 a dignified ,christian minister1 and a model preacher4 ,in #ahjj ,i became acquainted with him1 and in after years1 when at the ,new ,england ,conferences1 ,i saw him and heard him preach4 ,i preached also at ,bristol1 a beautiful place on the banks of the ,delaware1 twenty miles from ,philadelphia4 ,we had a small class there1 and ,i preached in the old ,episcopal church4 ,the ,episcopalians had no minister and no preaching1 therefore they permitted us to occupy it4 ,this was the case then almost everywhere in that part of the country1 but it is very different now4 ,our people some years before had begun to erect a brick edifice in ,bristol4 ,the walls were up1 but the roof was not on4 ,they began to build1 but were not able to finish2 so it stood for several years4 ,we circulated a subscription1 raised the money1 and completed the edifice1 and ,i had the honor of dedicating it on ,march #ab1 #ahjc4 ,my text was #a ,peter iii1 #ab4 ,i made this record3 8,i preached to one hundred and seventy1 who appeared remarkably attentive4 ,the ,lord truly let us feel the evidence of his approbation40 ,i see by the last ,minutes that we now have in ,bristol #bjd members and #aia probationers1 and a church edifice worth #aj1jjj4 ,there is a great change since ,i was there in #ahjc4 ,then ,i went to ,germantown1 and ,john ,m',claskey preached for me4 ,his text was #b ,kings v1 #ad3 8,then he went down and dipped himself seven times in ,jordan10 etc4 ,his sermon was original and full of interest4 ,a great preacher was ,john ,m',claskey in the days of his strength4 ,he was one of the noblest looking men in the pulpit ,i ever saw4 ,his commanding appearance1 beautiful flowing locks1 and magnificent voice made him quite an object of attraction4 ,on ,july #a ,i went to ,philadelphia and preached at ,zoar1 and lodged with ,brother ,d4 ,doughty4 ,the next evening ,i heard ,thomas ,f4 ,sargent preach at the ,bethel on 8the stone which the builders rejected40 ,his sermon showed him to be a workman that needeth not to be ashamed4 ,near the close of this conference year ,i received a letter from ,william ,colbert requesting me to take a tour with him through the ,peninsula previous to the session of our conference4 ,i could not have been better pleased than at the opportunity to revisit with such a man the scenes of our former labors and triumphs4 ,on ,april #g we started for ,annamessex and ,st4 ,martin's ,circuits4 ,again we witnessed the mighty displays of the mercy and power of ,god4 ,multitudes were converted2 among them many ,africans4 ,brother ,colbert preached at that time with great efficiency4 ,he moved the masses as the wind does the wheat in summer4 ,i have a list of all his texts and themes4 ,he showed great wisdom in their selection4 ,at every place we were hailed with delight4 ,after many days of traveling1 on ,april #cj we reached ,dover1 and were the guests of the ,hon4 ,richard ,bassett4 ,bishop ,asbury being sick1 and not able to fill his appointment1 ,ezekiel ,cooper held forth1 and then ,brother ,colbert gave a narrative of the work of ,god on ,albany ,district1 over which he had presided during the year1 and of the hundreds who were flocking to ,jesus in the north1 and while he was so doing the holy fire began to kindle on the altar of many hearts4 ,joseph ,jewell from ,canada gave an account of the work of ,god on his district1 which was like good news from a far country1 and the people were much refreshed4 ,we had no periodicals then1 and this is the way religious intelligence was communicated4 ,what a different age we live in now1 when we have so many 8,advocates0 and other religious journals4 ,the reader will get an idea of the extent of the work when he learns that in what was then the ,albany ,district there are now several annual conferences4 ,this district and ,canada then belonged to the ,philadelphia ,conference4 ,bishop ,whatcoat arrived and preached at four o'clock one of his rich sermons1 on all things working for good to them that love ,god4 ,richard ,sneath exhorted4 ,in the evening ,james ,moore preached from ,rom4 viii1 #ah3 8,i reckon the sufferings of the present time10 etc4 ,there was a general move in the congregation1 and some professed to be converted4 ,on ,sunday1 ,may #a1 ,bishop ,whatcoat preached from #a ,peter iii1 #e1 on being 8clothed with humility40 ,it was a melting time4 ,few men could move and melt an audience like ,bishop ,whatcoat4 ,his own heart was made of tenderness1 and no wonder those felt who listened to him4 ,i never saw a more general move in a congregation under the word than on that day4 ,many were awakened1 and we spent hours with those in distress4 ,several were converted1 and the shouts of joy and songs of triumph were heard afar off4 ,the meeting continued from nine in the morning till three in the afternoon without intermission4 ,the recollection of such days of power and glory is enough to make an old man renew his youth4 ,,chapter ,,ix4 ,,philadelphia ,,conference1 #ahjc--;,,bristol ,,circuit4 ,the ,philadelphia ,conference met at ,duck ,creek ,cross ,roads1 now ,smyrna1 in ,may1 #ahjc1 in the meeting-house of the ,friends1 so that we could have our own to preach in4 ,this we did several times a day4 ,methodism was introduced into this place in #aggi4 ,among the early ,methodists here was ,joseph ,wyatt1 who joined the conference in #agha1 and located in #aghh4 ,his house was the preaching place till the church was built4 ,also1 ,alexander ,m',lane1 who gave the site on which the church was built2 he and his wife were excellent members4 ,he was an old ,revolutionary soldier under ,washington1 as well as a valiant soldier under the great ,captain of our salvation4 ,he was father of the ,hon4 ,louis ,m',lane1 a member of ,general ,jackson's cabinet and minister to ,england1 and of ,robert ,m',lane1 minister to ,mexico1 both of whom were baptized by ,bishop ,asbury4 ,i was well acquainted with this family4 ,near their farm lived ,sarah1 daughter of ,thomas ,white1 ,bishop ,asbury's early friend4 ,she married ,dr4 ,cook1 who became a prominent ,methodist4 ,george ,kennard was also a pillar in the infant ,church1 and his house was my home during conference4 ,at ,brother ,kennard's ,i met my dear aged father1 who had come to attend the conference4 ,i made this record3 8,glory to ,god that we are brought to see each others' faces in the land of hope40 ,on ,monday1 ,may #b1 the conference commenced its session4 ,in the evening ,brother ,richard ,swain#g preached from1 8,to-day shalt thou be with me in ,paradise40 ,a glorious time3 my soul1 magnify thou the ,lord4 ,we had a powerful prayer-meeting at six in the morning4 ,it was the custom in those days to have a prayer meeting early in the morning during conference1 and they were refreshing seasons4 ,preachers and people were in the habit of rising earlier than they do now2 they had not learned to turn midnight into noon4 ,i heard1 during the session1 a number of admirable sermons3 one from ,richard ,sneath1 on ,matt1 vi1 #aj1 8,thy kingdom come20 another by ,thomas ,foster1 from ,isaiah xlv1 #ah1 a profitable and pointed discourse2 the power of ,god rested on the congregation4 ,i also heard 8,black ,harry10 who traveled with ,bishop ,asbury and ,freeborn ,garrettson4 ,he was a perfect character2 could neither read nor write1 and yet was very eloquent4 ,his text was1 8,man goeth to his long home20 his sermon was one of great eloquence and power4 ,the preachers listened to this son of ,ham with great wonder1 attention1 and profit4 ,i shall say something more concerning him4 ,i made this record in my journal3 8,throughout the whole this was a comfortable and profitable conference2 the business was done in love and harmony4 ,the conference continued four days4 ,there were about one hundred preachers4 ,bishops ,asbury and ,whatcoat were both present4 ,twenty-four were ordained3 twelve deacons and twelve elders40 ,bishop ,whatcoat preached from #a ,peter v1 #aj3 8,but the ,god of all grace1 who hath called us to his eternal glory10 etc4 ,the sermon was most powerful4 ,it was one of the most melting times ,i ever witnessed2 the theme suited him4 ,i was ordained a deacon at this conference1 and took the solemn vows of ,god upon me4 ,i was in the regular succession1 for ,i was ordained by ,richard ,whatcoat1 who was ordained by ,wesley4 ,of the twenty-four who were ordained at the conference1 and the venerated bishops who presided1 not one remains but myself2 the rest sleep in honored sepulchers4 ,,black ,,harry4 ,having heard this ,african preach1 ,i have been asked a great many questions concerning him4 ,the preaching of a colored man was1 in those days1 a novelty4 ,harry traveled with ,bishop ,asbury as early as #aghb2 also with ,dr4 ,coke1 ,bishop ,whatcoat1 and ,freeborn ,garrettson4 ,crowds flocked to hear him1 not only because he was a colored man1 but because he was eloquent4 ,mr4 ,asbury wished him to travel with him for the benefit of the colored people4 ,some inquire whether he was really black1 or whether ,anglo-,saxon blood was not mixed in his veins8 ,harry was very black1 an ,african of the ,africans4 ,he was so illiterate he could not read a word4 ,he would repeat the hymn as if reading it1 and quote his text with great accuracy4 ,his voice was musical1 and his tongue as the pen of a ready writer4 ,he was unboundedly popular1 and many would rather hear him than the bishops4 ,in #agij he traveled with ,mr4 ,garrettson through ,new ,england and a part of ,new ,york4 ,in ,hudson ,mr4 ,garrettson says3 8,i found the people curious to hear ,harry4 ,i therefore declined1 that their curiosity might be satisfied4 ,the different denominations heard him with much admiration1 and the ,quakers thought1 as he was unlearned1 he must speak by immediate inspiration40 ,another time he says3 8,harry exhorted after me to the admiration of the people40 ,again1 near ,gen4 ,van ,courtland's1 he says3 8,the people of this circuit are amazingly fond of hearing ,harry40 ,in ,canaan1 ,conn41 ,mr4 ,garrettson preached1 and says3 8,harry preached after me with much applause40 ,the same afternoon ,mr4 ,garrettson preached in ,salisbury1 and adds3 8,i have never seen so tender a meeting in this town before1 for a general weeping ran through the congregation1 especially when ,harry gave an exhortation40 ,dr4 ,rush heard him and admired his eloquence4 ,dr4 ,coke heard him preach1 soon after his arrival in ,america1 on the ,peninsula1 and said1 8,i am well pleased with ,harry's preaching40 ',tis painful to mar a picture so beautiful4 ,gladly ,i will leave it as it is4 ,but1 alas6 poor ,harry was so petted and made so much of that he became lifted up4 ,falling under the influence of strong drink1 he made shipwreck of the faith1 and for years he remained in this condition4 ,he was afterward reclaimed1 and died in peace in ,philadelphia in #ahaj1 and was buried in ,kensington4 ,,bristol ,,circuit ,,in #ahjc4 ,i was appointed this year to ,bristol ,circuit2 ,john ,bethel was my colleague4 ,i rode home to ,lancaster with my venerable father4 ,we were accompanied by several preachers3 ,jacob ,gruber1 ,james ,ridgeway1 ,j4 ,dunham1 ,gideon ,draper1 and ,benjamin ,bidlack1 the latter so graphically described by ,dr4 ,peck4 ,we had preaching every night4 ,before ,i returned to my circuit ,i took a tour with my father4 ,we went to ,new ,holland and tarried with ,john ,davis4 ,on ,sunday my father preached1 as he always did1 in ,german1 from 8,the ,spirit and the ,bride say1 ,come10 etc4 ,after the sermon the ,lord's ,supper was administered1 and ,jesus was made known to us in the breaking of bread4 ,on ,may #ah1 after these seasons of refreshing1 ,i started for my circuit full of the spirit of my ,master4 ,i went to ,germantown1 then to ,tullytown4 ,i preached there on the #bhth on 8,acquaint now thyself with ,god10 etc4 ,at the conclusion of the sermon a man who was intoxicated reeled into the school-house with a tumbler full of strong drink1 and offered it to me4 ,the tavern was opposite the school-house1 and a number of 8lewd fellows of the baser sort0 had gathered there4 ,they could have had no idea that ,i would drink of their fire-water4 ,they wanted some fun with a ,methodist preacher1 or to discourage him so that he would not come again4 ,i preached also in ,germantown4 ,this place is within ten years as old as ,philadelphia4 ,it was called ,germantown because it was founded by ,germans4 ,they were from the ,palatinate4 ,germantown was the birthplace of ,david ,rittenhouse the astronomer4 ,often have ,i seen the old house where he was born1 and the mill where he studied his first lessons4 ,his father was a paper manufacturer4 ,my father preached in ,germantown for many years1 and was well acquainted with the ,rittenhouses4 ,the old people were ,mennonites1 and hence their acquaintance with my father1 who was a ,mennonite preacher4 ,in #ahjb-c the ,methodists had had scarcely a foothold in ,germantown4 ,there was a small class1 but the members were poor and of but little influence4 ,they had preached in the school-house1 but were now excluded from it4 ,this was from prejudice against 8a sect everywhere spoken against40 ,i concluded we ought to have a church of our own there where we could preach the ,gospel without the fear of the doors being closed against us4 ,it was in my parish1 and ,i felt the importance of cultivating this part of ,immanuel's land4 ,brother ,ezekiel ,cooper was book agent in ,philadelphia4 ,i went and informed him of the state of things1 and he advised me to circulate a subscription to build a church4 ,he wrote a subscription1 and ,i circulated it4 ,i do not wish to boast1 but simply to state a fact3 the preacher in charge had a salary of eighty dollars1 and he headed the subscription with forty dollars4 ,in my journal1 ,february #i1 #ahjc1 ,i wrote3 8,in ,germantown ,i tried to get a meeting-house started4 ,we got upward of one hundred dollars on subscription in part of one day4 ,if we had only one or two leading men the work1 ,i believe1 would go on40 ,i even prayed for them1 for this follows3 8,o ,lord1 the hearts of all men are in thy hands2 do thou look in mercy upon us40 ,has not this prayer1 offered fifty-nine years ago1 been answered8 ,several hundred dollars were soon after subscribed1 and we immediately secured a site and prepared for the erection of a small house4 ,we appointed a committee to superintend the erection of the building4 ,it consisted of five persons3 two members of the ,church1 and three who were not members4 ,the appointment of a majority of outsiders on the committee showed two things3 #a4 ,the scarcity of ,methodist timber for material4 #b4 ,the friendly feeling of others toward this new enterprise4 ,i made a short visit to ,philadelphia1 and on my return ,i jotted down the following3 8,i came back to ,germantown1 where ,i met the committee4 ,they all seemed to be in good spirits about the meeting-house4 ,o may the ,lord prosper his blessed work in this town60 ,in circulating the subscription among the ,germans it greatly aided me when they learned ,i was a son of 8,elder ,boehm40 ,my father had preached there years before1 and they were pleased with him1 and many of them gave me a ten-dollar subscription for our new church4 ,soon after some influential families were converted1 which gave character and stability to ,methodism in this place4 ,such was the origin of the first ,methodist house of worship in ,germantown4 ,it is now a large place1 and an arm of ,philadelphia4 ,the ,methodists have there two churches3 #dhc members1 and #aaf probationers2 in all1 #eji1 and ,church property worth #cf1jjj4 ,what a mighty change since the school-house was closed against us1 and we1 like ,noah's dove1 found no rest for the sole of our foot6 ,to ,god be all the glory4 ,some striking incidents occurred on this circuit4 ,near ,bristol there was a wild1 fast young man1 who was awakened under very singular circumstances4 ,he wished to frighten some of the neighbors on their way from meeting2 so one night he fastened some horns on his head1 and covered himself with the skin of a beast with the hair on1 and said he was the devil2 but instead of frightening others1 he frightened himself1 and resolved to leave the service of the devil and become a servant of ,god4 ,i preached at ,mr4 ,heath's1 a little below ,morrisville4 ,there were two brothers1 who were mechanics1 and in partnership1 working in a shop about forty yards from the preaching place4 ,one got ready for meeting1 and asked his brother if he would not go4 ,he said he could not spare the time1 and added1 8,you had better stick to your work also40 ,he replied1 8,i am determined to go to meeting1 let the consequences be as they may40 ,after he was gone the brother who stayed home with a determination to work was suddenly taken sick with a violent fever1 and instead of working1 he was not able to help himself even to a drink of water1 and he was in perfect misery all the time his brother was gone4 ,as soon as his brother returned the fever left him1 and he was able to join his brother in work4 ,when ,i came round on the circuit the same thing occurred over again1 that made it still more strange4 ,at the next appointment for preaching both the brothers went to hear the word1 and we were invited to make their shop a regular preaching-place1 which we did1 as it was much more convenient than the other4 ,near ,morristown1 on this circuit1 a house of worship had been erected by the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,demer1 who also built the ,forrest ,chapel in ,berks ,county4 ,he was a ,swedish minister4 ,when he first heard the ,rev4 ,joseph ,pilmoor1 one of ,mr4 ,wesley's missionaries1 preach in ,philadelphia1 he welcomed him as a minister of ,god preaching the truth as it was in ,jesus1 and after a time his ,church property and the society were transferred to the ,methodists4 ,my colleague and myself used to preach there4 ,there was a serious difficulty among some of the most prominent members and families which threatened the destruction of the society4 ,various attempts had been made to settle it1 but all to no purpose2 the storm still raged4 ,my colleague1 ,thomas ,everhard1 tried1 but it was labor in vain4 ,i resolved1 as the charge then devolved on me1 in the name of the ,god of peace to try and settle the affair4 ,i knew that if we did not it would destroy that ,church root and branch1 and that 8,ichabod0 would soon be written upon the deserted wall of their sanctuary4 ,when ,i came round ,i found the society all at logger-heads4 ,it was a perfect ,babel4 ,i was young in the ministry1 and greatly exercised to know how to restore peace4 ,i preached1 and the society came together afterward1 and each opened his budget of grievances4 ,and after searching into the origin of the difficulty1 ,i found it was much ado about nothing4 ,it commenced with evil surmising1 and this led to evil words4 ,my impression was it could never be settled in the ordinary way1 for there was nothing definite2 there were no tangible points4 ,i then told them ,i had a plan for disposing of the whole matter at once4 ,i told them my plan was that all should agree to settle the difficulty at once and forever by burying it very deep4 ,both parties with tears agreed to it4 ,we dug its grave deep1 we buried it1 and then prayed that it might never have a resurrection4 ,there was not a single mourner at the funeral1 but a general rejoicing4 ,i invited all who were in favor of burying it and living hereafter in ,christian fellowship to rise4 ,they all stood up2 tears flowed freely2 they embraced and forgave each other4 ,best of all1 it stayed settled4 ,they did not in burying the hatchet leave the handle sticking out so that they could get hold of it and renew the war1 but buried handle and all4 ,the old people have been gathered to their fathers4 ,they lived and died in peace and harmony1 and to this day their children and children's children bless me4 ,i saw one of the sons years after1 and he spoke with gratitude of the day when that old difficulty was buried1 and when ,zion became a quiet habitation4 ,this was at ,supplee's ,chapel1 the oldest ,methodist house of worship in ,pennsylvania except ,st4 ,george's4 ,joseph ,pilmoor early preached here4 ,the ,supplees also heard ,captain ,webb4 ,abraham ,supplee was a local preacher4 ,i was often his guest4 ,this chapel was used as a hospital for our sick and wounded soldiers after the battle of ,germantown1 and a number of the soldiers died and were buried here4 ,several of the officers made ,abraham ,supplee's house their home4 ,washington was often there1 having his headquarters in the neighborhood4 ,it was an old stone chapel1 and was afterward called ,bethel4 ,many of our early chapels were built of stone1 which was abundant1 cheap1 and durable4 ,indeed1 the first ,methodist chapel in ,america was built of stone1 namely1 ,wesley ,chapel in ,new ,york4 ,,chapter ,x4 ,,short ,,tour ,,with ,,bishop ,,asbury1 #ahjc4 ,bishops ,asbury and ,whatcoat visited my circuit on the #ahth of ,july4 ,bishop ,whatcoat preached in ,bristol1 and ,bishop ,asbury in ,burlington2 after which ,i rode with the bishops to ,philadelphia1 in company with ,thomas ,f4 ,sargent and ,oliver ,beale4 ,bishop ,asbury said he wished me to travel with him1 so ,i left all1 for in that day the bishop said 8go1 and he goeth2 come1 and he cometh40 ,i heard the bishop1 ,george ,roberts1 and ,t4 ,f4 ,sargent preach before ,i left ,philadelphia4 ,the bishops moved on in advance of me1 and ,i overtook them at ,soudersburg4 ,here ,bishop ,asbury preached from ,psalm li1 #i-ab1 on 8a clean heart and a right spirit40 ,bishop ,whatcoat exhorted after him4 ,bishop ,whatcoat had designed to go the western route1 but he became so feeble that ,asbury was obliged to proceed without him4 ,we went first to ,columbia1 then to ,little ,york1 then to ,hollow ,pence's1 a little distance from ,york4 ,the bishop preached in every place4 ,at ,brother ,pence's1 ,brother ,wilson ,lee met us4 ,after the bishop's sermon he exhorted with great effect1 and there was a shaking among the dry bones4 ,from thence we had his company for some days4 ,he was the presiding elder1 and when the bishop entered a district the elder generally accompanied him4 ,next we went to ,carlisle1 to quarterly meeting4 ,on ,saturday ,bishop ,asbury preached at eleven1 from ,col4 iii1 #ab1 #ac2 at night ,wilson ,lee1 from ,joshua iii1 #e1 8,sanctify yourselves1 for to-morrow the ,lord will do wonders among you40 ,this was indeed a preparation sermon for the wonders of the morrow4 ,on ,sunday morning we had a prayer-meeting at sunrise4 ,it was a joyful season4 ,at eight o'clock ,james ,smith preached from ,acts xiii1 #bf2 at eleven1 ,bishop ,asbury preached with life and power from #b ,cor4 iv1 #b1 8,but have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty10 etc4 ,at four1 ,wilson ,lee preached from #b ,cor4 x1 #c-i1 on the weapons of our warfare4 ,brother ,fidler preached in the evening4 ,we had four sermons1 besides a prayer-meeting at sunrise4 ,that was a great day in ,carlisle2 crowds attended to hear the word4 ,the next day we went to ,david ,snyder's1 where the bishop preached from #b ,tim4 iv1 #g1 #h1 8,i have fought a good fight40 ,wilson ,lee exhorted4 ,i wrote1 8,glory to ,god1 this was a comfortable season40 ,in the afternoon we went to ,shippensburgh1 where the bishop preached in the evening from #a ,peter iii1 #ae1 #af1 on the 8reason of the hope0 within you4 ,i wrote thus3 8,it is remarkable to see what labors our father in the ,gospel undergoes4 ,i think there is not a traveling preacher in the connection that goes through more fatigue4 ,his extreme toil and labor eclipses the most zealous among us40 ,on ,wednesday ,brother ,lee left us1 and ,i went on with the bishop over the mountains and rocks till we reached ,bedford ,county1 ,pennsylvania4 ,we then went over the ,dry ,ridge and the ,alleghany ,hills singing the praises of the ,most ,high4 ,we stopped in ,berlin1 ,somerset ,county1 on the top of the mountains4 ,i preached in ,german1 and the bishop exhorted4 ,here1 on the top of the ,alleghany ,mountains1 ,i parted with the bishop1 on the #eth of ,august1 having been with him fourteen days1 and heard him preach eight times4 ,he always loved the ,germans1 and as ,i could preach in that language1 and few at that time could1 he said to me1 8,henry1 you had better return and preach to the ,germans1 and ,i will pursue my journey alone40 ,he did not send me back to ,bristol1 but to ,dauphin1 there being more ,germans on that circuit4 ,the bishop gave me his blessing1 and with tears ,i bade him adieu1 and he turned his face westward and ,i went eastward4 ,years after ,i crossed the ,alleghanies several times with the bishop2 ,i did something more than go to the top and look over at the mighty ,west4 ,the bishop1 when ,i parted with him1 was feeble in body1 but in a blessed state of mind1 as will be seen by an entry in his journal the next ,tuesday after we separated4 ,he says3 8,although much afflicted1 ,i felt wholly given up to do or suffer the will of ,god2 to be sick or well1 and to live or die1 at any time and in any place--the fields1 the woods1 the house1 or the wilderness3 glory be to ,god for such resignation6 ,i have but little to leave except a journey of five thousand miles a year1 the care of more than a hundred thousand souls1 and the arrangement of about four hundred preachers yearly1 to which ,i may add the murmurs and discontent of ministers and people4 ,who wants this legacy8 ,those who do are welcome to it for me60 ,many might covet the honor1 but few the toils and the sacrifices4 ,the office of bishop was no sinecure in those days4 ,at the time frequent changes in the ministry were made by the bishops during the interval of conference1 but they did not always appear in the ,minutes4 ,most of the preachers were single men1 and could move without much trouble4 ,my name in the ,minutes that year does not stand connected with ,bristol ,circuit1 but ,dauphin4 ,thus3 8,dauphin1 ,jacob ,gruber1 ,henry ,boehm40 ,on ,sunday1 ,august #g1 ,i went to a quarterly meeting held at ,fort ,littleton by ,wilson ,lee1 presiding elder of ,baltimore district4 ,there was an excellent love-feast at nine o'clock1 at which ,brother ,lee presided4 ,it was the only time ,i was in a love-feast with that heavenly-minded man4 ,brother ,lee was very ill1 and urged me to preach4 ,in the name and fear of my ,lord ,i undertook it4 ,my text was #a ,peter iii1 #ab3 8,for the eyes of the ,lord are over the righteous10 etc4 ,i was blessed with great liberty4 ,god's power was felt in the sanctuary2 the house echoed with songs of joy and shouts of triumph all through the sermon1 but the ,lord gave me strength to keep my voice above the rest4 ,there was not only a shout of the king in the camp1 but the power of ,god so rested upon the people that many of them fell both speechless and helpless4 ,it reminded me of the exhibitions of power ,i had seen in the ,peninsula4 ,four souls were converted during this meeting4 ,on ,tuesday1 the #ith1 we came to ,shippensburgh4 ,here ,brother ,lee and ,i bade each other farewell4 ,the refreshing seasons we had together ,i have not forgotten1 and his image for over half a century has been before me4 ,i had heard him preach in ,philadelphia1 in #agig1 at ,st4 ,george's1 when he was stationed there4 ,he was a tall1 slender man1 had a musical voice1 and his delivery was very agreeable4 ,he was one of the great men of ,methodism1 and a great favorite of ,mr4 ,asbury4 ,bishop ,asbury saw him but once after this1 and that was on the #bgth of ,april1 #ahjd1 on his return from the south4 ,he says3 8,we came to ,georgetown1 and ,i visited ,wilson ,lee1 ill with a bleeding of the lungs40 ,mr4 ,lee lingered till autumn1 and on the #dth of ,october he died at ,walter ,worthington's1 in ,anne ,arundel ,county1 ,maryland1 in the forty-third year of his age4 ,,chapter ,,xi4 ,,dauphin ,,circuit1 #ahjc-d4 ,this circuit was very large1 and the people were mostly ,germans4 ,we had thirty appointments1 and at twenty of them we preached in ,german4 ,under the first sermon ,i preached in ,german one was converted4 ,after a time it was as easy to preach in the one language as the other4 ,jacob ,gruber was my colleague1 and we both preached in our vernacular4 ,we held union1 or what were called 8friendly meetings10 where the ,methodists and the 8,united ,brethren in ,christ0 met in harmony1 and the ministers took turns in preaching4 ,these were meetings of great interest to the ,methodists4 ,it gave them access to many they could not otherwise have reached4 ,we held one of these meetings in ,columbia in ,august4 ,multitudes were present4 ,james ,thomas preached the first sermon2#h then my father preached in ,german from ,gal4 vi1 #ae1 #af2 then ,i preached in ,english from ,isa4 liv1 #ac4 ,thus we had three sermons in the forenoon without any intermission4 ,in the afternoon three of the ,united ,brethren held forth3 ,smith1 ,hershy1 and ,shaefer4 ,to show how we worked at that day ,i will give an account of a few days with ,jacob ,gruber4 ,at ,johnstown1 on ,sunday1 ,august #bh1 ,brother ,gruber preached at eight o'clock in ,german on ,christ and him crucified4 ,at twelve he preached again on 8the ,lord openeth the eyes of the blind40 ,i exhorted both times1 and at four o'clock preached at ,millerstown in ,english from ,acts x1 #ce4 ,brother ,gruber exhorted in ,german4 ,we lodged at ,henry ,myers's4 ,on ,monday evening ,brother ,gruber preached in ,german on the way of life and the way of death1 and ,i exhorted in ,english4 ,on ,tuesday we went to ,harrisburgh1 but on our way there ,i preached at ,brother ,neiding's1 one of the ministers of the ,united ,brethren1 in ,german1 from ,psalm xix1 #aa3 8,and in keeping of them there is great reward40 ,brother ,gruber exhorted4 ,this was a melting time4 ,at night ,brother ,gruber preached in ,harrisburgh on ,felix trembling1 a sermon full of alarm to delayers4 ,he preached in ,german1 and ,i exhorted in ,english4 ,it was necessary that we should do so1 for we had a mixed congregation4 ,i sometimes preached in ,german1 and then interpreted it in ,english2 at other times ,i would preach in ,english1 and then give the same sermon in ,german4 ,on ,monday1 ,september #e1 ,i wrote3 8,i begin to feel as if ,i should be able to give the devil some heavy blows in my mother tongue before all is over40 ,i was greatly encouraged among the ,germans1 as will be seen by another extract4 8,september #ad4 ,the prospect is good in almost every preaching place4 ,i feel as if the ,lord was about doing a great work among the ,germans4 ,glory to ,god1 the fields are blossoming1 and ,i begin to feel more liberty in preaching in my mother tongue40 ,in ,october ,i attended a meeting of the ,united ,brethren at ,george ,zoeler's1 west of ,reading4 ,i heard some of their great preachers3 ,father ,tracksel1 ,newcomer1 ,kemp1 and ,gueting4 ,i greatly profited by their preaching2 it was a fine school for me4 ,on ,october #bb the yearly meeting of the ,united ,brethren was held at my father's4 ,quite a number were converted during the meeting1 and others were filled with the wine of the kingdom4 ,their meetings generally lasted three days1 and were seasons of great interest4 ,i had made an appointment to preach in the court-house at ,reading1 but the commissioner refused to give up the key1 so a large number who had assembled were disappointed4 ,there was in this town a deep-rooted prejudice against the ,methodists1 which continued for years4 ,when ,i passed through ,reading in #ahaj with ,bishop ,asbury the boys laughed at us1 and said1 8,there go the ,methodist preachers40 ,they knew us by our garb1 and perhaps thought it no harm to ridicule us4 ,in #ahbb1 when on ,lancaster ,circuit1 ,i succeeded in planting ,methodism in ,reading1 and formed the first class there1 where ,i had been shut out a score of years before4 ,this ,i considered quite a triumph4 ,we then put up at a public-house1 for there was no family to entertain us4 ,some young men rented the school-house for us to preach in1 but we still met with much opposition and ridicule4 ,there was a shop in the neighborhood of the school-house where some men used to meet together4 ,one of the company1 a young man1 undertook to mimic the ,methodists4 ,he went on to show how they acted in their meetings4 ,he shouted1 clapped his hands1 and then said he would show how they fell down4 7,the ,methodists in that day would sometimes fall and lose their strength47 ,he then threw himself down on the floor1 and lay there as if asleep4 ,his companions enjoyed the sport2 but after he had lain for some time they wondered why he did not get up4 ,they shook him in order to awake him4 ,when they saw he did not breathe they turned pale1 and sent for a physician1 who examined the man and pronounced him dead4 ,this awful incident did two things for us4 #a4 ,it stopped ridicule and persecution4 ,sinners were afraid1 and no marvel3 8,behold1 ye despisers1 and wonder1 and perish10 etc4 #b4 ,it also gave us favor in the sight of the people4 ,they believed that ,god was for us1 and if he would thus vindicate us we must be the people of ,god4 ,little do the present ,methodists of ,reading know of our early struggles and difficulties4 ,now they have two churches1 ,ebenezer and ,st4 ,paul's1 and ,reading is the head of a district1 which is not larger than my circuit in #ahjc4 ,harrisburgh was another of our preaching places4 ,i was in the neighborhood of where ,harrisburgh now is in #agic4 ,it was then called 8,harris's ,ferry10 from ,john ,harris1 its founder1 whose grave is there4 ,in #ahjc it was a small place1 and ,lancaster was then the capital of ,pennsylvania4 ,we had very hard work to get a foothold in ,harrisburgh4 ,we preached mostly in ,german1 and had only a small class in #ahjc4 ,in my journal ,i wrote most discouragingly1 as will be seen by the following extracts3 8,friday1 ,november #aa1 #ahjc1 ,i preached to a few from ,gal4 vi1 #i4 ,hard work in this town rowing against wind and tide2 but ,i trust in the ,captain of my salvation40 ,again3 8,friday1 ,april #f1 ,i preached in ,harrisburgh4 ,the people in this town are the next thing to inaccessible40 ,harrisburgh was then a small village2 it did not become a borough till five years after ,i was there4 ,we did not then cross the ,susquehanna on a bridge that cost #aej1jjj1 but in an old scow4 ,horse-boats were not then in existence4 ,most of the inhabitants were ,germans4 ,we were kindly entertained at ,friend ,zollinger's1 a very fine family1 who afterward became ,methodists4 ,what has ,god wrought8 ,now we have in ,harrisburgh five hundred members and forty-eight probationers1 and a beautiful church edifice worth nineteen thousand dollars4 ,columbia was another of our preaching places4 ,i was at this spot in #agia1 when it was called 8,wright's ,ferry10 from ,john ,wright1 a ,quaker preacher1 who came from ,england1 and was the original land proprietor4 ,methodism was introduced here near the close of the last century4 ,in #ahjc-d we had a small society of very lively members1 among whom were ,john ,mitchell1 brother of ,william and ,james ,mitchell1 traveling preachers1 ,brother ,gough1 an ,englishman1 and others4 ,in ,columbia we have now a fine house of worship worth #aa1jjj1 a parsonage worth #a1hjj1 and a membership of two hundred and fifty4 ,my presiding elder was ,james ,smith1 a native of ,ireland1 and a man of large frame4 ,there being several of that name in the conference1 we used to call him 8,big ,jimmy10 to distinguish him from 8,baltimore ,james0 and 8,delaware ,james40 ,in the days of his glory and strength he was quite a preacher4 ,i took a tour with him for several days4 ,he preached in ,english1 and ,i immediately translated his sermons into ,german4 ,there was no other way by which he could get access to the people or be understood by them1 for many of them had never heard a sermon in ,english4 ,german was the pioneer language1 and prepared the way for the ,english4 ,i could have accomplished but little there if ,i had not been able to preach in ,german4 ,we were all the time breaking up new ground1 entering new fields1 stretching ourselves beyond ourselves4 ,it was pioneer work4 ,my colleague1 ,jacob ,gruber1 soon went to another field of labor1 and ,i was left alone on this large circuit4 ,he was a fine intelligent looking man1 and his countenance often expressed a thing before his tongue uttered it4 ,he had a ,german face and a ,german tongue1 and often looked quizzical4 ,he wore a drab hat1 and a suit of gray cut in ,quaker style4 ,with a rough exterior1 but a kind heart1 it was necessary to know him in order to appreciate him4 ,a more honest man never lived1 a bolder soldier of the cross never wielded 8the sword of the spirit40 ,as a preacher he was original and eccentric4 ,his powers of irony1 sarcasm1 and ridicule were tremendous1 and woe to the poor fellow who got into his hands2 he would wish himself somewhere else4 ,i heard him preach scores of times1 and always admired him2 not only for his originality1 but at all times there was a marvelous unction attending his word4 ,he had many spiritual children1 some of whom entered the ministry2 among others1 ,alfred ,brunson of the ,wisconsin ,conference4 ,i do not mean to justify his eccentricities2 but we should remember religion does not alter our natural constitution4 ,i might relate many anecdotes respecting him1 but have not space4 ,the ,philadelphia ,conference of #ahjd was held at ,soudersburg1 commencing on ,may #bh4 ,at the adjournment of the ,general ,conference1 in ,baltimore1 ,bishop ,asbury hastened on to my father's1 and on ,sabbath preached in ,boehm's ,chapel4 ,the place was called ,soudersburg from ,benjamin and ,jacob ,souders1 the proprietors4 ,they were both ,methodists1 ,benjamin being a local preacher4 ,methodism was introduced here in #agia1 and a house of worship was built in #ahja4 ,the conference was held in a private room1 at the house of ,benjamin ,souders1 that the meeting-house might be used for preaching1 which was done three times a day1 except on the first day4 ,there were one hundred and twenty preachers present1 and the utmost order and harmony prevailed4 ,my soul exulted at the idea of a ,methodist ,conference in my native county2 it was an era in the history of ,methodism in that region4 ,bishop ,asbury preached twice during the session4 ,the influence of the conference was beneficial in all that region4 ,there were strong men at the conference1 and some very powerful preaching4 ,i was appointed to ,dauphin ,circuit4 ,my colleague was ,anning ,owen1 who had charge of the circuit1 greatly to my relief4 ,william ,colbert was my presiding elder4 ,this1 as has been seen1 was a large and laborious circuit2 it included ,boehm's ,chapel and ,lancaster1 as well as many other places4 ,we had hard work to get a foothold in ,lancaster1 and met with powerful opposition4 ,having no church there1 we preached in the market1 and those of the baser sort annoyed my colleague and myself exceedingly4 ,once while ,i was preaching1 and there was some disturbance1 ,i saw a man coming toward me from the tavern4 ,he seemed to be full of wrath1 and pressed through the crowd toward my pulpit1 which was a butcher's block1 as if he intended violence4 ,i kept on preaching1 throwing out some hot shots1 when suddenly he stopped1 his countenance changed1 and the lion became a lamb1 and ,i was preserved from the harm he no doubt intended ,i should suffer4 ,brother ,owen had tried to preach there several times1 and once they so interrupted him1 and even threatened him1 that he bade them farewell1 after telling them his skirts were clear from their blood1 and he literally shook off the dust of his feet as a testimony against them4 ,then we abandoned the place1 and for three years after no ,methodist preachers visited it4 ,it was not till #ahjg ,i formed a class there1 as will be seen in a following chapter4 ,there was a small class earlier1 but it soon died away4 ,one of our preaching places was ,david ,musselmen's4 ,he lived about seven miles from ,lancaster1 between that and ,marietta4 ,it was a fine family1 and their house one of the choice homes the early ministers loved to find4 ,there was something very peculiar about his conversion4 ,he was a ,pharisee2 thought himself good enough1 a little better than most men1 and looked on experimental religion as fanaticism4 ,one day he was in his field at work1 in the summer of #ahjj1 when a storm suddenly gathered1 and the clouds were dark and lowering4 ,his little boy was with him4 ,he saw they would not have time to reach the house before the rain fell1 so they went under a large walnut tree that stood by the roadside4 ,the rain fell in torrents2 there was a flash of lightning1 and quick as thought a loud peal of thunder followed4 ,the tree was struck1 and father and son fell to the ground1 both senseless4 ,when the father recovered he heard louder thunder--the thunder of ,mount ,sinai2 all his sins were set in order before him2 his guilty soul trembled4 ,he had hoped that his darling boy was1 like himself1 only stunned2 but1 alas6 he found he was dead4 ,his self-righteousness was now all gone1 and he cried out1 8,o ,lord1 ,i thank thee that thou hast taken the innocent and spared the guilty40 ,there under the tree1 beside his dead son1 he knelt down and sought the ,lord with prayer and tears1 and the ,lord heard and answered4 ,he united with the ,methodist ,church1 and was a most excellent member4 ,his house was the pilgrim's rest1 indeed it was a sanctuary1 8for there the ,lord commanded the blessing1 even life for evermore40 ,my father1 ,thomas ,burch1 myself1 and many others1 have preached under his roof 8the glorious ,gospel of the blessed ,god40 ,he lived faithful many years1 and then died happy in the ,lord4 ,,thomas and ,,robert ,,burch were among my early associates in the ,church4 ,their mother lived in the neighborhood of my father's1 and belonged to the society at ,boehm's ,chapel1 and so did her sons4 ,she had a daughter who married a preacher4 ,the mother was a woman of intelligence and decision of character4 ,years after she lived in ,columbia1 and ,i used to put up with her with ,bishop ,asbury when ,i traveled with him4 ,it affords me pleasure1 now she and her sons sleep in the grave1 to make a record of her virtues4 ,they were from ,ireland2 emigrated to this country in ,june1 #ahjj1 and settled in the neighborhood of my father's4 ,she was a widow1 having lost her husband several years before4 ,they had been converted under the ministry of ,ireland's great missionary1 ,gideon ,ouseley1 of whom they often spoke in the most exalted terms4 ,thomas1 the oldest son1 was my father's and mother's class-leader4 ,the class met at my father's house2 it was an old class1 formed before ,i was born4 ,i heard some of his earliest efforts at exhortation and at preaching4 ,i encouraged him and his brother ,robert to enter the ministry4 ,robert joined the ,philadelphia ,conference in #ahjd1 and ,thomas in #ahje4 ,i have rode hundreds of miles with them1 attended a great many meetings1 and heard them preach scores of times4 ,they soon occupied some of our most important stations with honor to themselves and usefulness to the ,church4 ,thomas had a voice remarkably soft and musical1 yet strong4 ,he was one of the most eloquent and popular preachers of the day4 ,in #ahaj1 when he had been only four years in the ministry1 he was stationed in ,philadelphia4 ,his mother at that time resided with him1 and she was delighted with her clerical sons4 ,to a person who was eulogizing the preaching of ,thomas she inquired1 8,do you think that is great8 wait till you hear my ,robert40 ,thomas ,burch died in ,brooklyn on ,august #bb1 #ahdi1 aged seventy1 having been forty-four years in the ministry4 ,he left a son1 ,thomas ,h4 ,burch1 who is a member of the ,new ,york ,east ,conference4 ,robert ,burch was a member of ,philadelphia1 ,baltimore1 and ,genesee ,conferences4 ,he traveled for a while with ,bishop ,asbury4 ,he was a man of fine talent1 great simplicity of character1 and honest integrity4 ,he died ,july #a1 #ahee1 aged seventy-seven4 ,,chapter ,,xii4 ,,baltimore ,,and ,,philadelphia ,,conferences1 #ahje--,,st4 ,,martin',s ,,circuit4 ,having a little ecclesiastical business1 ,i attended the ,baltimore ,conference in ,winchester1 ,va41 on ,april #a1 #ahje4 ,i was at ,winchester in #ahjj with my father1 and in #ahje ,i was the guest of ,simon ,lauk1 ,jun41 who was converted under my father's labors in #ahjj4 ,mine host gave me a most cordial welcome1 and my former colleague1 ,jacob ,gruber1 also was entertained there4 ,he had been transferred to the ,baltimore ,conference1 where he spent the remainder of his days4 ,methodism was early introduced into ,winchester4 ,they had a house of worship there in #ahjj4 ,joseph and ,christopher ,frye were from this place4 ,they were ,germans1 but not preaching in that language1 soon lost the use of their native tongue4 ,on ,sunday ,i heard four sermons3 ,brother ,william ,page at eight in the morning1 ,bishop ,asbury at eleven1 ,bishop ,whatcoat at three in the afternoon1 and ,james ,hunter in the evening4 ,the preaching was powerful1 and the results were great4 ,this was the first time ,i was permitted to look upon the noble body of men that composed the ,baltimore ,conference4 ,there were seventy-four preachers present4 ,the conference was held in an upper room in the private house of ,brother ,george ,reed4 ,the reason for this was that the ,methodist church was occupied for preaching three times a day4 ,there was quite a revival during the conference1 and a number passed from death unto life4 ,all but two or three of the preachers that were present have long since been in their sepulchers4#i ,here ,i had the privilege of seeing for the first time the ,rev4 ,william ,watters4 ,he was the first ,american ,methodist traveling preacher4 ,i was not only privileged to see him but to hear him preach4 ,i still remember his appearance and his theme4 ,he preached on the 8,christian armor10 and ,i was perfectly delighted while he described1 as ,i never heard before1 the various parts of that armor and their uses4 ,he showed that the armor was not only defensive but offensive2 that we must carry the war into the enemies' camp4 ,the sermon was delivered with great unction1 and many resolved under it to be valiant for the truth2 to conquer1 and then share in the rewards of victory4 ,at this conference ,i first saw and heard ,robert ,r4 ,roberts1 afterward one of our bishops4 ,he was then a homespun looking man1 plainly and coarsely dressed1 and yet his personal appearance and preaching attracted considerable attention4 ,he had not then graduated to elder's orders4 ,i heard him preach from #a ,cor4 i1 #ca3 8,he that glorieth let him glory in the ,lord40 ,the sermon was able and eloquent1 showing great pulpit power4 ,this was ,mr4 ,roberts's first sermon at an annual conference4 ,bishop ,asbury heard it with great admiration1 and he determined to bring the young preacher forward and give him a more prominent appointment4 ,in #ahji he was appointed to ,baltimore1 and then to ,philadelphia1 and so he rose step by step until he reached the episcopal office4 ,most honorable mention ,i make in my journal of this conference1 of its peace and harmony1 of the largeness of the congregations1 of the faithfulness of the preaching1 and of the souls converted4 ,in returning from this conference ,i had the company of ,james ,hunter and ,henry ,smith4 ,where we stayed over night we went into the woods1 and there we wrestled and prayed together for a deeper baptism of love4 ,heaven met us in the grove1 and we felt it none other than ,god's own house and heaven's gate4 ,after riding together three days we separated4 ,i knew ,henry ,smith's father4 ,he resided not far from ,winchester4 ,i was at his house in #ahjj with my father4 ,mr4 ,smith1 the aged1 belonged to the ,united ,brethren1 having been converted at one of ,mr4 ,otterbein's meetings at ,antietam previous to #aghi4 ,both the ,methodists and the ,united ,brethren used to preach at his house4 ,the ,philadelphia ,conference met on ,may #a1 #ahje1 in ,chestertown1 ,md41 in the court-house1 that we might occupy the meeting-house for preaching4 ,my father and ,brother ,thomas ,burch accompanied me to conference4 ,on our way we attended a quarterly meeting at ,north ,east4 ,on ,saturday ,brother ,colbert preached in the morning1 and ,anning ,owen in the evening4 ,freeborn ,garrettson preached on ,sunday morning a most profitable discourse1 and he again preached at ,elkton at five o'clock4 ,this was the first time ,i heard him4 ,the next day we reached ,chestertown1 and ,brother ,thomas ,burch and ,i were kindly entertained at ,friend ,pope's4 ,my father having been present when ,i was ordained deacon1 was desirous to see me invested with full ministerial powers4 ,bishops ,asbury and ,whatcoat were both present4 ,alas1 it was the last time we ever beheld the venerable form of ,richard ,whatcoat presiding in the ,philadelphia ,conference4 ,bishop ,whatcoat ordained seven deacons1 and after an impressive sermon from ,bishop ,asbury from ,luke iii1 #d1 #f1 8,all flesh shall see the salvation of ,god10 six of us were ordained elders in the ,church of ,god3 ,james ,aikins1 ,james ,polhemus1 ,john ,wiltbank1 ,asa ,smith1 ,benjamin ,iliff1 and ,henry ,boehm4 ,i can almost feel the hands of the sainted ,asbury as well as of the elders still resting on my head1 and hear the echoes of his voice saying1 8,the ,lord pour upon thee the ,holy ,ghost for the office and work of an elder in the ,church of ,god1 now committed unto thee by the imposition of our hands10 etc4 ,my parchments ,i have preserved as carefully as if diamonds1 the first bearing the signature of ,richard ,whatcoat1 the other of ,francis ,asbury4 ,i was ordained a deacon on ,may #d1 #ahjc1 at ,cross ,roads1 and an elder on ,may #e1 #ahje4 ,i was licensed to preach in ,pennsylvania1 ordained a deacon in ,delaware1 and an elder in ,maryland4 ,except myself1 those who were ordained at this conference have long since gone to rest4 ,benjamin ,iliff was the first that fell at his post4 ,i used to preach at his father's house in ,bucks ,county1 below ,easton1 when on ,bristol ,circuit4 ,with ,benjamin ,i took sweet counsel1 and together we walked to the house of ,god in company4 ,i little thought as we stood at the altar taking the vows of ,god upon us that my friend and brother would die before he reached his appointment4 ,twenty-four days from that ,sabbath he rested from his labors4 ,he was a good man and a good preacher4 ,his last words were3 8,i have lost sight of the world2 come1 ,lord ,jesus1 come quickly40 ,,james ,,polhemus was a pious man1 and died in #ahbg1 and was interred at ,woodrow ,chapel on ,staten ,island1 where ,joseph ,totten is sleeping1 and where ,i expect to myself4 ,,james ,,aikins was an ,irishman4 ,he came to this country in #agib1 and was converted in ,pennsylvania4 ,he died of cancer at ,haverstraw in #ahbc4 ,he was aware that he was dying1 and said to the family with which he was staying1 8,i shall die here4 ,god called me into the ministry1 and he has called me out of it4 ,medical aid cannot save me40 ,,john ,,wiltbank was a man of moderate talents4 ,he located in #ahac1 and died many years ago1 and was buried at ,dover4 ,,asa ,,smith was useful1 but he was very boisterous in preaching1 sometimes forgetting that bodily exercise profiteth but little4 ,he died in ,new ,jersey several years ago4 ,i was appointed to ,st4 ,martin's ,circuit with ,james ,ridgeway4 ,i left the mountains and hills of ,dauphin to travel again on the ,peninsula4 ,this was a part of ,annamessex ,circuit that ,i had previously traveled4 ,after visiting my native place ,i entered upon my interesting field of labor4 ,returning ,i attended a quarterly meeting in ,barratt's ,chapel4 ,william ,p4 ,chandler was the presiding elder1 and our quarterly and camp-meetings were great occasions4 ,the first meeting was held at ,snow ,hill4 ,samuel ,porter1 father of ,rev4 ,john ,s4 ,porter1 ,d4,d41 was a most prominent man on the circuit4 ,he was a steward and class-leader1 and his house a preaching place4 ,mr4 ,asbury greatly admired him1 and makes most honorable mention of him in his journal4 ,arthur and ,ezekiel ,williams were brothers1 and both local preachers4 ,they lived near the head of the ,sound4 ,the ,sound ,meeting-house was built in #aghe4 ,freeborn ,garrettson introduced ,methodism here1 and through him the ,williamses were converted4 ,arthur was one of the best local preachers ,i ever knew4 ,he was a sound divine1 an evangelical preacher1 a thorough ,methodist4 ,he was wise in counsel4 ,when ,i obtained his advice in a critical or difficult case ,i felt secure4 ,i loved to throw myself under his wing4 ,arthur ,williams had several children1 and his wife began to be seriously exercised about their salvation4 ,they were moral and amiable2 but1 alas6 they had no religion4 ,while ,mr4 ,williams was attending an appointment some distance off she prayed with the family1 as was her custom when he was away4 ,while she was wrestling with the angel of the covenant on behalf of her children1 their hearts were melted into tenderness as they saw the anxiety of their mother on their behalf4 ,some began to sigh1 and others to cry and pray for mercy4 ,several were converted that night1 and when the father came home there was wonderful rejoicing4 ,in a little while they were all converted4 ,i received a letter from ,bishop ,asbury requesting me to meet him at my father's4 ,i did so4 ,on ,sunday he preached at ,boehm's ,chapel from #b ,thess4 i1 #b-aj1 on the second coming of ,christ4 ,the unction of the ,holy ,one rested on him4 ,the sermon was delivered with great life and power1 and there was a melting time under the word4 ,joseph ,crawford traveled with him then4 ,the next day they started for the ,western ,conference1 and ,i for my circuit4 ,on ,friday we went to the ,bethel1 where ,lorenzo ,dow had an appointment4 ,he took no text1 but discoursed on 8,the ,character of a ,gentleman40 ,he gave the deists no quarters4 ,then he spoke clearly and feelingly upon justification by faith and sanctification4 ,we then accompanied him to the 8,union ,meeting-,house10 on ,duck ,creek ,circuit1 where he preached from 8,watchman1 what of the night10 etc4 ,his theme was the signs of the times4 ,it was a time of great power2 there were a thousand people present4 ,dow had traveled all night1 and until ten o'clock the next morning1 before he reached ,bethel4 ,as soon as he had finished his sermon he jumped out of the window1 back of the pulpit1 and mounting his horse rode seventeen miles to 8,union20 then to ,duck ,creek ,cross ,roads1 where he preached from 8,many are called1 but few are chosen40 ,his powers of endurance must have been great1 for he rode eighty miles and had five meetings without sleep4 ,dow was then an ,evangelist4 ,he was irregular1 eccentric1 and yet powerful4 ,he had acquired the title of 8,crazy ,dow40 ,the preachers were divided in opinion concerning him4 ,some gave out his appointments1 and others would not4 ,john ,m',claskey absolutely refused2 he said1 8,i give out no appointments for him1 for ,i have nothing to do with ,lorenzo ,dow40 ,i heard him preach several years after in ,camden1 ,n4 ,j41 and came to the conclusion that the ,lorenzo ,dow ,i heard then was not the ,lorenzo ,dow ,i heard in #ahje4 ,he was like the sun under an eclipse1 or like ,samson after he lost the locks of his strength4 ,previous to the session of the ,philadelphia ,conference in #ahjf1 ,bishops ,asbury and ,whatcoat made a short tour through the ,peninsula4 ,i had the privilege of accompanying them1 and heard them preach4 ,the fifth of ,april we met them at ,snow ,hill1 which was on my circuit4 ,i felt a thrill of delight in seeing them again4 ,they went a journey of five hundred and fifty miles to visit the ,churches and preach after they left ,baltimore4 ,bishop ,asbury preached at ,snow ,hill1 from ,heb4 iii1 #ab1 #ac3 the caution 8not to depart from the living ,god10 and the duty to 8exhort one another daily40 ,notwithstanding the rain fell in torrents1 crowds came to listen4 ,thence we went to ,broadkilltown1 ,delaware1 where the bishop preached on ,christian steadfastness1 from #a ,cor4 xv1 #f-h2 then to ,milford1 where he held forth on the form and power of godliness3 #b ,tim4 iii1 #e4 ,thence we hurried on to ,dover with the afflicted ,bishop ,whatcoat4 ,he was taken with a severe fit of the gravel1 and suffered most intense agony4 ,we did not know but he would die on the road4 ,bishop ,whatcoat remained at the house of ,hon4 ,richard ,bassett1 while ,bishop ,asbury went on to meet the ,philadelphia ,conference4 ,here these great-hearted1 noble-souled1 true yoke-fellows1 who had known each other in ,england1 met in class together when boys1 who had traveled all over the mountains and valleys of this country in pursuit of the lost sheep of the ,house of ,israel1 looked upon each other's faces for the last time4 ,how touching the scene of the separation of those patriarchs1 whose hearts had beat responsive to the other for so many years6 ,,chapter ,,xiii4 ,,first ,,camp-,,meeting ,,on ,,the ,,peninsula1 #ahje4 ,the introduction of camp-meetings into the ,peninsula formed a new era in ,methodism in that section of country4 ,worshiping in the groves1 ,god's first temples1 was a novelty1 and called out the people by thousands4 ,the ministers preached with unusual power1 for crowds inspired them1 and converts were multiplied as the drops of the morning4 ,i attended all these meetings and kept a record of them4 ,camp-meetings had their origin in ,tennessee1 in #agii4 ,two brothers1 named ,magee1 one a ,methodist the other a ,presbyterian minister1 had the high honor of originating them4 ,with ,john ,magee1 the ,methodist1 ,i was acquainted for several years2 ,i traveled with him many miles1 and heard him in preach4 ,he was the father-in-law of the ,rev4 ,thomas ,l4 ,douglas4 ,jesse ,lee introduced camp-meetings into ,virginia and ,maryland1 and then to ,delaware4 ,but the first camp-meeting in the ,east was held by the ,rev4 ,william ,thatcher1 in ,carmel1 ,new ,york1 in #ahjd4 ,the meeting of which ,i now speak was the first held on the ,peninsula1 and the beginning of a series that were greatly honored of ,god and a blessing to thousands4 ,it was held in a beautiful grove three miles south of ,duck ,creek ,cross ,roads1 7now ,smyrna17 and commenced on the #beth of ,july1 #ahje4 ,there were multitudes of tents1 and thousands came to the feast of tabernacles4 ,worshiping in nature's magnificent temple1 the preachers and the people got new inspiration4 ,a notice of the ministers who preached1 and their texts1 may seem dry to some1 but by others the record will be read with interest1 for all who preached on that ground at that camp-meeting have long since been in ,paradise4 ,the opening sermon was by ,jesse ,lee1 who had attended many camp-meetings4 ,he was then in his palmy days1 and was a host in himself4 ,his text was ,isaiah xxxiii1 #ab3 8,and the people shall be as the burnings of lime1 as thorns shall they be burned in the fire40 ,this was a singular text4 ,the sermon was terrific1 showing the awful end of the wicked4 ,jesse ,lee was occasionally a 8son of thunder40 ,his texts were often novel1 and therefore attracted attention4 ,john ,chalmers1 the old hero1 preached in the afternoon from ,numbers x1 #a-i4 ,if the reader will turn to it he will see it was a most ingenious text for a camp-meeting1 and the sermon was equally ingenious4 ,a minister's skill and wisdom are exhibited as much in the selection of his texts as in expounding them4 ,adaptation is the great secret of success4 ,john ,chalmers knew as well as any other man how to adapt his subject to the occasion4 ,in his text we read of 8camps10 of 8trumpets0 that were blown1 of the 8assembly10 8congregation10 of 8priests10 of 8solemn days0 and 8days of gladness10 all reminding us of modern camp-meetings4 ,joseph ,totten preached in the evening from ,hab4 iii1 #b1 8,o ,lord1 revive thy work40 ,my journal says3 8,this was a time of power to many souls2 about twenty-two professed to find converting grace to-day40 ,such was the first day's work of the first camp-meeting held on the eastern shore of ,maryland4 ,on ,friday ,thomas ,ware preached at eight o'clock1 from #a ,john v1 #d1 on faith and its victories4 ,the word was conveyed by the ,spirit to the hearts of many4 ,at three o'clock ,john ,chalmers preached from ,john xiv1 #ab1 on faith and works4 ,james ,aikins1 at eight in the evening1 from ,matt4 xi1 #bh1 on the rest for those who labor and are heavy laden4 ,the result of the second day was glorious3 sixty were converted and a number sanctified4 ,the meeting continued all night2 some were crying for mercy1 others praying1 singing1 shouting--there was indeed a shout of a king in the camp4 ,we had a glorious time at sunrise4 ,on ,saturday morning ,jesse ,lee preached at eight1 from ,john xvi1 #bj1 on weeping and lamentation being turned into joy4 ,that was verily a time of weeping4 ,richard ,lyon preached at three o'clock1 from ,isaiah i1 #ah3 8,come and let us reason together40 ,william ,bishop preached at night4 ,about one hundred were converted during the day and last night4 ,wonderful are thy works1 ,o ,lord ,almighty6 ,on ,sunday1 at eight o'clock1 ,alvard ,white preached1 from ,psalm cvii1 #h1 on praising the ,lord for his wonderful works4 ,ephraim ,chambers preached in the afternoon1 and ,richard ,sneath in the evening4 ,this was a high day in ,zion4 ,it was supposed there were more converted to-day than yesterday4 ,on ,monday our camp-meeting closed1 after a most affectionate parting4 ,jesse ,lee says1 concerning this meeting3 8,thousands of people attended1 and ,i suppose two hundred were converted among the white people1 and many among the blacks4 ,i think it exceeded anything that ,i ever saw for the conversion of souls1 and for the quickening influences of the ,holy ,ghost upon the hearts of believers4 ,i took an account of sixty-eight ,methodist preachers who were at that meeting4 ,the work went on beautifully and powerfully4 ,it was said the noise occasioned by the cries of the distressed and the shouts of the saints was heard at the distance of three miles4 ,from that meeting the work of the ,lord spread greatly on the eastern shore1 both in ,maryland and ,delaware states2 and hundreds were converted and added to the society in the course of a few months after that meeting40 ,i make this long quotation because it confirms all ,i have said by one who was a prominent actor4 ,this camp-meeting was under the charge of ,william ,p4 ,chandler1 who was a mighty leader of the 8sacramental host10 and just the man to command such a wing of the ,christian army4 ,of the sixty-eight preachers who were present ,i alone survive4 ,william ,p4 ,chandler1 who presided1 has been dead forty-three years2 ,jesse ,lee1 forty-nine years2 and ,john ,chalmers1 thirty years4 ,i went with ,dr4 ,chandler to the camp-meeting in ,accomac ,county1 ,va4 ,we arrived there on ,monday1 ,august #bf1 and worked hard in clearing the ground and fixing the seats4 ,we were entertained at ,major ,kerr's1 a man of wealth1 who stood high in the community1 and had built him a splendid mansion4 ,he was one of ,dr4 ,chandler's spiritual children1 and had recently joined the society4 ,his conversion was quite singular4 ,brother ,chandler preached in the neighborhood1 and was entertained by the major1 who had respect for the ,gospel and its ministers1 though he was then emphatically a man of the world4 ,one day while walking with him in his fine parlor1 and amid his splendid furniture1 the doctor said1 8,well1 major1 this mansion is too beautiful to leave behind you1 and yet you will soon have to leave it and go to that narrow house appointed for all living40 ,it was a word 8fitly spoken10 a 8nail fastened in a sure place40 ,it led the major to reflection1 which resulted in his conviction and conversion4 ,the major identified himself with ,methodism1 and became very useful4 ,a great multitude attended this camp-meeting4 ,the ministers preached with 8the ,holy ,ghost sent down from heaven10 and the 8arrows were very sharp in the hearts of the king's enemies40 ,on ,thursday sixty were converted1 on ,friday one hundred and fifty1 on ,saturday and ,sunday over a hundred each day4 ,it was the opinion of the preachers1 and others who took pains to ascertain1 that four hundred whites and over one hundred and fifty blacks were converted4 ,the work went on day and night without intermission from ,thursday till ,monday4 ,besides ,dr4 ,chandler there were present ,henry ,white1 ,thomas ,birch1 ,james ,ridgeway1 and ,john ,chalmers4 ,there was a skeptic at the meeting who made some disturbance4 ,he was very fluent1 and crowds gathered around him as he argued against the divinity of ,jesus1 and ridiculed his mysterious birth4 ,at last ,john ,chalmers encountered him1 and he was just the man4 ,he inquired of the skeptic1 8,do you believe that ,god created the universe80 ,he answered1 8,i do40 8,do you believe ,god formed man out of the dust of the earth80 ,he said1 8,yes40 ,another question3 8,do you believe that ,god formed the woman out of the man80 8,yes40 ,then came the crowning question3 8,do you think it more difficult for ,god to create a man out of a woman than a woman out of a man80 ,the question struck at the foundation of his skepticism4 ,he was confounded2 he trembled and wept1 and in a little while was on his knees at the mourners' bench imploring pardon4 ,and he found that the blood of the incarnate ,jesus could wash all his guilty stains away4 ,he became an ornament to the ,church4 ,years afterward ,i saw him with a face that looked toward heaven1 declaring1 8,i seek a better country40 ,there has been some discussion in our periodicals as to the time when mourners were first invited to the altar for prayers1 and with whom the custom originated4 ,as this practice made a new era in the ,church1 and has been so highly honored of ,god1 the question is one of interest4 ,dr4 ,bangs1 in his ,history of ,methodism1 vol4 iii1 p4 #cgd1 speaks of the revival in the city of ,new ,york in #ahjf1 and says3 8,it was during this powerful revival the practice of inviting penitent sinners to the altar was first introduced4 ,the honor of doing this1 if ,i am rightly informed1 belongs to ,brother ,aaron ,hunt1 who resorted to it to prevent the confusion arising from praying in different parts of the house40 ,this has been for years stereotyped1 and is interwoven into history4 ,the doctor expressed himself cautiously1 for he said1 8,if ,i am rightly informed40 ,the truth is1 he was not correctly informed4 ,aaron ,hunt was no doubt the one who first introduced its practice in ,new ,york1 but it existed previously in other places4 ,the ,rev4 ,henry ,smith of ,baltimore ,conference wrote a letter to ,dr4 ,bangs when he was editor of the ,advocate asking that this error in his history might be corrected4 ,in it he stated he had invited mourners to the altar as early as #ahjc1 and adds1 8,it was not a solitary case or a new thing1 but often practiced with success40 ,i know the practice commenced much earlier than #ahjf4 ,as early as #agii1 when in company with that eminent revivalist1 ,rev4 ,w4 ,p4 ,chandler1 on ,cecil ,circuit1 at ,back ,creek1 after preaching1 the doctor invited mourners to the altar4 ,nearly a score came forward1 and twelve men experienced the forgiveness of sins that day1 and among them ,lawrence ,laurenson1 who became one of the most popular and useful preachers in the ,philadelphia ,conference4 ,that was the first time ,i ever saw or heard of mourners being invited to the altar4 ,during the revivals on the ,peninsula in #ahja1 and the two following years1 as well as at the camp-meeting in #ahje1 it was the invariable practice to invite mourners to come forward4 ,the ,rev4 ,richard ,sneath1 one of the best of ministers1 with whom ,i fought side by side the battles of the ,lord1 has thrown light on this subject4 ,in a letter to ,dr4 ,coke1 dated ,milford1 ,october #e1 #ahjb1 he says3 8,on ,january #be1 #ahja1 at ,st4 ,george's1 ,philadelphia1 after ,mr4 ,cooper had been preaching1 ,i invited all the mourners to come to the communion-table that we might pray particularly for them4 ,this ,i found to be useful1 as it removed that shame which often hinders souls from coming to ,christ1 and excited them to the exercise of faith4 ,about thirty professed to be converted1 and twenty-six joined the society40 ,mr4 ,sneath says also3 8,in #ahjj and #ahja ,i added on ,milford ,circuit upward of three thousand members40#aj ,so mightily grew the word of ,god and prevailed4 ,the scenes were pentecostal4 ,it is difficult to realize them now4 ,,chapter ,,xiv4 ,,dover ,,circuit1 #ahjf--,,sickness ,,and ,,death ,,of ,,bishop ,,whatcoat4 ,on ,saturday1 ,august #ab1 ,i went with ,bishop ,asbury to ,philadelphia4 ,he preached twice on ,sabbath4 ,in the morning at ,st4 ,george's1 from #b ,peter i1 #ab-ad4 ,if the reader will turn to the passage he will see how touching and how appropriate it was4 ,the bishop had just left his dying colleague1 ,bishop ,whatcoat4 ,he was himself pressed down with many infirmities2 his tabernacle was shaken1 some of the pins were being taken out4 ,he preached also at the ,academy from ,james v1 #g1 #h1 on patiently waiting for results1 like the husbandman4 ,the conference commenced on ,monday the #adth4 ,there were sixty-three preachers present1 and the session was one of great peace and harmony4 ,bishop ,asbury preached on ,wednesday from #a ,tim4 iv1 #ab1 #ac3 8,let no man despise thy youth20 after which he ordained seven elders4 ,on ,thursday ,i heard ,ezekiel ,cooper preach in the ,bethel from ,haggai ii1 #i3 8,the glory of the latter house shall be greater than the former10 etc4 ,this was a sermon of superior excellence4 ,ezekiel ,cooper was then in his palmy days1 powerful in the pulpit1 powerful on the conference floor4 ,the influence he wielded in the ,philadelphia ,conference was wonderful4 ,he was the master-mind1 the leading spirit4 ,on ,monday the #bast this pleasant and profitable conference adjourned4 ,the bishop in his journal says1 8,i hope many souls will be converted in consequence of the coming together of this conference1 having had great peace in the societies1 and sound1 sure preaching three times a day40 ,i was appointed to ,dover ,circuit with ,james ,bateman4 ,it was a pleasant circuit1 and he was a pleasant colleague4 ,he was a young man1 belonging to one of the first families on the ,peninsula1 and this was his first circuit4 ,william ,p4 ,chandler was the presiding elder4 ,on my arrival ,i was heartily welcomed in the name of my ,master4 ,my home was the house of the ,hon4 ,richard ,bassett4 ,on the #bfth ,i wrote3 8,here in this hospitable mansion the venerated ,richard ,whatcoat is confined with dangerous illness2 but ,i rejoice to find him better1 and that there is hope of his recovery40 ,alas1 it was a false hope1 raised only to settle in despair4 ,on ,sunday morning1 with the assistance of several class-leaders1 ,i met two hundred colored members4 ,their black faces shone with holy joy1 and their songs were fervent and exhilarating4 ,religion does wonders for the children of ,ham4 ,on ,tuesday ,i went with ,dr4 ,chandler to ,james ,purnell's1 where our quarterly meeting was to be held in a grove4 ,this was the custom in that day4 ,they were miniature camp-meetings4 ,the people came in crowds1 so the churches could not hold them4 ,we spent a day or two in clearing the ground and removing the underbrush1 and prepared seats for twelve hundred persons4 ,on ,friday there were several tents on the ground1 and a number of people4 ,dr4 ,chandler preached the opening sermon from ,hab4 iii1 #b3 8,o ,lord1 revive thy work10 etc4 ,great success attended the word4 ,brother ,richard ,lyon exhorted4 ,i closed with prayer1 and then ,brother ,lyon invited the mourners to the front of the preachers' stand4 ,i preached in the afternoon1 from #a ,peter iii1 #i2 and at night ,james ,bateman1 from ,acts iii1 #ai1 on the times of refreshing from the presence of the ,lord4 ,we had not only the gentle dew1 but the refreshing shower2 a number of mourners came to the altar2 sinners were pricked to the heart1 and some who came to mock1 remained to pray4 ,sunday was a day of mighty power2 we had three sermons4 ,i never witnessed a more melting time4 ,the work of justifying and sanctifying grace went on with sweetness and power4 ,during the meeting one hundred and sixty were converted1 and thirty-four professed to be sanctified1 and were witnesses that the blood of ,jesus ,christ cleanseth from all sin4 ,i do not wish to make any invidious comparisons1 and all my brethren know that ,i never belonged to the family of croakers2 but ,i will ask this question3 ,what would we think if we could witness such a scene at a modern quarterly meeting8 ,there was a power among the fathers1 both in the ministry and laity1 that we do not possess4 ,the ministers moved the masses as the wind does a field of wheat1 and they mowed them down as the scythe does the grass4 ,after spending several days in attending the different appointments1 ,i returned to ,dover on ,monday the #abth4 ,i wrote in my journal thus3 8,father ,whatcoat is still very dangerous40 ,tuesday1 8,to-day ,i shaved the dear saint of ,god4 ,i also had great satisfaction in conversing with him2 he is much resigned to the will of ,god40 ,never shall ,i forget the days and hours ,i spent with the dying bishop4 ,the place was hallowed1 and the room seemed filled with the glory of ,god4 ,i took another tour1 and then returned and spent more time with the excellent bishop1 whose days were closing1 and the shadows of a long evening were gathering around him4 ,on the #ahth ,i preached at ,barratt's ,chapel4 ,i also preached at ,frederica and at ,banning's ,chapel4 ,much of the power of ,god was felt in many of these meetings2 several lay speechless and helpless4 ,on ,may #bf ,i made this record3 8,this evening ,i had the pleasure of conversing with dear ,father ,whatcoat1 who is in a very low state of bodily health2 but what is infinitely superior1 he has peace of mind1 which the world1 together with health1 cannot give40 ,the next day ,i had another conversation with the aged pilgrim4 8,o6 may the loving wholesome advice he gave me never be erased from my mind4 ,may ,i1 agreeably to his wish1 continue in the field of battle should ,i live fifty years from now and have health and strength4 ,lord1 thou knowest ,i want to be wholly thine while ,i live1 thine in the article of death1 thine in ,paradise1 thine in the morning of the resurrection40 ,such is the record ,i made fifty-nine years ago1 after an interview with one of the holiest men earth ever saw4 ,he was exceedingly happy2 he shouted aloud the praises of ,jesus1 and gave a glorious testimony to the power of religion to sustain in adversity4 ,he talked sweetly of heaven1 and of the numerous friends in ,america and in ,england that he expected to meet in heaven4 ,i have ever esteemed it one of the most exalted privileges of my life to enjoy the interviews ,i did with the dying bishop1 and to be favored with his benediction4 ,on the #eth of ,july1 #ahjf1 the good bishop gave his soul to ,god and his body to the dust4 ,seldom has the ,church lost a brighter ornament1 seldom heaven received a purer spirit4 ,dr4 ,chandler delivered an address at his funeral to an immense crowd1 and the remains were deposited under the altar of the church1 in ,dover1 ,delaware4 ,,portraiture ,,of ,,bishop ,,whatcoat4 ,with ,bishop ,whatcoat ,i was personally acquainted for sixteen years4 ,i had seen him at my father's house long before he was elected bishop4 ,i was present at his election and ordination1 and ,i was myself ordained by him a deacon4 ,i have heard him preach often2 have traveled with him hundreds of miles2 have been with him in many families2 enjoyed his friendship1 and had the benefit of his wise counsels4 ,i presume there is no one living that has as many personal recollections of ,bishop ,whatcoat as ,i have4 ,in regard to his personal appearance1 ,bishop ,whatcoat was not very tall2 he was stout1 though not corpulent4 ,he had a fine intellectual face2 his mouth was small2 his eyes not very dark1 but expressive4 ,his dress was very plain1 in ,methodist minister style3 the shad-belly coat1 and vest buttoned snug up to his neck4 ,a few years before his death he lost all his hair1 so he was entirely bald4 ,some time after1 to his great astonishment1 it began to grow1 and his hair came out thick and beautiful1 so that when he died he had a fine head of dark hair1 not even sprinkled with gray4 ,he combed it down straight over his forehead1 the ,methodist fashion in those days4 ,it would have been considered out of order to have worn it so as to exhibit a noble forehead4 ,his face1 like that of ,bishop ,asbury1 was bronzed or tanned by exposure to many summer's suns and winter winds and storms4 ,his likeness in the 8,arminian ,magazine0 resembles him1 though it is younger than when ,i saw him4 ,as a man he was most remarkable1 for in him was blended a dignity that commanded reverence1 and a humility and sweetness that inspired affection4 ,the benignity that shone in his countenance revealed the character of the inner man4 ,he loved everybody1 and all loved him in return4 ,as a bishop he was a safe counselor1 for he was wise in judgment4 ,he was a good presiding officer4 ,he governed by the law of kindness1 and the preachers all venerated him4 ,in the pulpit he excelled4 ,he could melt and mould an audience as few men ever did4 ,the holy anointing rested on him1 and a peculiar unction attended his words4 ,several of his sermons ,i can never forget4 ,one ,i heard from him in #agij1 seventy-five years ago1 ,i distinctly remember3 8,the handful of corn10 and 8the fruit shaking like ,lebanon40 ,also the one at ,duck ,creek ,cross ,roads1 in #ahjc1 on 8suffering a while10 etc4 ,he professed purity of heart1 and no one that knew him doubted his being in possession of it4 ,a holier man has not lived since the days of the seraphic ,fletcher1 whom in some respects he strikingly resembled4 ,he walked in the light as ,god was in the light4 ,he was a man of one book1 the ,bible2 and such was his knowledge of the ,scriptures that he was called 8a concordance40 ,he was peculiarly solemn4 ,he always appeared to act as if he heard a voice saying1 8,occupy till ,i come10 or as if the judgment trump was sounding in his ears summoning him to 8give an account of his stewardship40 ,it was my privilege on ,september #bc to hear ,dr4 ,chandler in ,dover preach the funeral sermon of ,bishop ,whatcoat from ,john i1 #dg3 8,behold an ,israelite indeed1 in whom there is no guile40 ,was there ever a more appropriate text8 ,no man was ever more free from guile than ,bishop ,whatcoat4 ,dr4 ,chandler did justice to the subject4 ,he had known the bishop intimately for years1 and was a great admirer of his many virtues4 ,i wrote thus in my journal3 8,this was truly a solemn and profitable discourse4 ,my heart was affected on reflecting on what wholesome instructions ,i have heard from the lips of our father in the ,lord both in private and public4 ,i am encouraged to be more faithful1 that ,i may not become a castaway1 and be separated from those who have gone before40 ,bishop ,asbury hastened back after his ,new ,england tour to see his friend and 8true yoke-fellow10 but he was too late4 8,at ,kingston10 he says1 8,i found a letter from ,dr4 ,chandler declaring the death of ,bishop ,whatcoat1 that father in ,israel1 and my faithful friend for forty years2 a man of solid parts2 a self-denying man of ,god4 ,who ever heard him speak an idle word8 ,when was guile found in his mouth8 ,he had been thirty-eight years in the ministry3 sixteen years in ,england1 ,wales1 and ,ireland1 and twenty-two in ,america2 twelve years as presiding elder2 four of this time he was stationed in the cities1 or traveling with me1 and six years in the superintendency4 ,a man so uniformly good ,i have not known in ,europe or ,america4444 ,at his taking leave of the ,south ,carolina ,conference ,i thought his time was short4 ,i changed my route to visit him1 but only reached within a hundred and thirty miles2 death was too quick for me40 ,the next spring1 when ,bishop ,asbury was returning from his annual southern tour1 he came to ,dover4 ,on ,april #bg1 #ahjg1 in ,wesley ,chapel1 standing over the remains of ,bishop ,whatcoat1 he preached the funeral sermon of his late colleague from #b ,tim4 iii1 #aj3 8,but thou hast fully known my doctrine1 manner of life1 purpose1 faith1 longsuffering1 charity1 patience40#aa ,governor ,bassett was present1 and many others who loved ,bishop ,whatcoat in life1 and mourned the loss they sustained in his death4 ,it was a portraiture of ,bishop ,whatcoat sketched and painted by a master workman who was well acquainted with his subject2 and so accurate was the likeness1 with its lights and shades1 that there was no difficulty in recognizing the original4 ,on the walls of the church in ,dover was placed a neat marble slab1 on which the following was inscribed3 8,in memory of the ,,rev4 ,,richard ,,whatcoat1 one of the bishops of the ,methodist ,episcopal ,church1 who was born ,march1 #agcf1 in ,gloucestershire1 ,england1 and died in ,dover ,july #e1 #ahjf1 aged seventy years40 ,,chapter ,,xv4 ,,dover ,,circuit--,,great ,,camp-,,meetings4 ,it is now almost impossible to realize what great times we had at our early camp-meetings4 ,they did much in breaking up the strongholds of the devil1 and almost revolutionized the ,peninsula4 ,they made1 as ,bishop ,asbury said1 8our harvest seasons40 ,among the ,methodists no gentlemen and ladies attended for leisure1 pleasure1 or pure air2 but they went to work to save souls from death1 and acted as if they had no other business4 ,on ,june #aa we held a camp-meeting on ,dover ,circuit4 ,there were two hundred tents on the ground4 ,brother ,alward ,white preached the first sermon from ,neh4 iv1 #aj1 on removing the rubbish so we shall be able to build the wall4 ,on the first day forty-seven were converted and thirty-nine sanctified4 ,this is the way they looked for things in those days3 while penitents were pardoned the saints were purified4 ,friday morning ,richard ,lyon preached from ,matt4 xx1 #f1 to idlers in ,god's vineyard4 ,then mourners were invited to the altar4 ,many came1 and the work of ,god went on till three o'clock1 when ,james ,aikins preached from ,luke xiv1 #ag1 on the ,gospel feast4 ,the work went on gloriously1 and at sunset they reported one hundred converted and seventy-five sanctified4 ,in the evening ,george ,woolley preached from ,isaiah xxviii1 #ag1 on sweeping away the refuge of lies4 ,the last refuge of the sinner seemed to be swept away4 ,the next morning they reported sixty-two converted and fifty-three sanctified4 ,thomas ,boring preached on ,saturday at eight o'clock from ,rev4 iii1 #bj3 8,behold1 ,i stand at the door and knock10 etc42 ,w4 ,b4 ,lacy at three from ,deut4 xxxii1 #aa1 about 8,the eagle stirreth up her nest10 etc42 ,thomas ,dunn in the evening from ,psalm cxlv1 #ai4 ,there were one hundred and forty-six converted and seventy-six sanctified during the day4 ,the next morning they reported one hundred and fifty-six converted and one hundred and sixteen sanctified during the night4 ,sabbath was a great day in ,israel4 ,dr4 ,chandler preached in the morning at ten from ,isaiah xi1 #i3 8,for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the ,lord10 etc4 ,he could move the masses as the wind stirs the leaves on the trees4 ,james ,ridgeway at three in the afternoon1 from #a ,peter iv1 #ag3 8,what shall the end be of them that obey not the ,gospel40 ,he was a powerful man at camp-meetings4 ,at sunset they reported three hundred and thirty-nine conversions and one hundred and twenty-two sanctifications4 ,what a ,sabbath6 ,peter ,vannest preached at eight o'clock4 ,eighty-one converted that evening and sixty-eight sanctified4 ,on ,monday morning ,william ,hardisty preached from ,psalm xxxiv1 #e2 in the afternoon ,brother ,jackson from ,acts iii1 #ai1 #bj1 on times of refreshing from the presence of the ,lord2 and ,james ,herron preached in the evening4 ,there were this day two hundred and sixty-four conversions and fifty sanctifications4 ,on ,tuesday morning the ,lord's supper was administered4 ,there was a most melting time4 ,i have given this record just as it was written in #ahjf4 ,i added3 8,o how the power and love of ,god unites the hearts of his people4 ,glory to my ,god and ,saviour that ,i have lived to see such times of the outpouring of his ,spirit6 ,agreeable to the report of those who were most active in the work1 there were eleven hundred conversions and six hundred sanctifications40 ,this may seem an exaggeration1 but the record was made at the time1 and there could be no object to state anything but the truth1 for it was written simply for myself1 and not for others4 ,july #ae the camp-meeting began near ,dover4 ,for several days we had been preparing seats for six thousand persons4 ,the people came in crowds4 ,there were four hundred tents1 wagons1 and carts within the inclosure4 ,some slept in wagons1 others in carts4 ,on ,thursday ,john ,chalmers1 an old warrior1 opened the campaign from ,exod4 xiv1 #ae3 8,speak unto the children of ,israel that they go forward40 ,they did go forward with banners flying1 and a shout was heard along the ranks of our ,israel4 ,the work of revival commenced in a powerful manner under the first sermon1 and continued through the night4 ,there were sixty-eight converted and twenty-nine sanctified4 ,glory to the ,highest6 ,on ,friday at eight o'clock ,lawrence ,m',combs preached on #b ,cor4 iv1 #e4 ,he had a powerful voice1 and was an admirable man to preach at camp-meetings4 ,brother ,kendall preached in the afternoon4 ,on ,saturday morning ,daniel ,chambers1 a local preacher from ,baltimore1 preached on 8,the ,lord preserveth all them that love him1 but all the wicked will he destroy40 ,joshua ,wells preached in the afternoon from ,psalm lxxxvii1 #c3 8,glorious things are spoken of thee10 etc42 and ,william ,b4 ,lacy at night from ,isaiah xxxiii1 #af4 ,the work went on all night4 ,will the reader be surprised that ,i added1 8,glory6 glory60 ,sabbath was a high day in ,zion4 ,there were about ten thousand people on the ground4 ,in the morning ,samuel ,coate preached on ,john iii1 #ag2 ,john ,chalmers preached in the afternoon2 and ,brother ,ridgeway at night4 ,one hundred and ninety-eight were converted and one hundred and sixty sanctified4 ,halleluiah6 ,this was during the day4 ,the work continued all night1 and one hundred and twenty-seven were converted and one hundred sanctified before the sun rose in the east4 ,on ,monday morning ,peter ,vannest preached on ,luke xv1 #b3 8,this man receiveth sinners and eateth with them40 ,he did receive them cordially into his arms1 into his family2 he was receiving them when my brother was preaching4 ,samuel ,coate preached again on being instant in season and out of season4 ,he was there to raise money for a church in ,montreal1 ,canada1 and was very successful4 ,i preached at night from ,luke xiv1 #bb1 #bc3 8,and yet there is room40 ,the work went on gloriously all night4 ,during the meeting there were reported one thousand three hundred and twenty conversions and nine hundred and sixteen sanctifications4 ,this is wonderful4 ,i give the figures just as ,i wrote them in my journal in ,july1 #ahjf4 ,shall these eyes1 before they are closed in death1 ever witness such scenes again8 ,shall these ears ever hear such cries of distress1 such shouts of joy1 such songs of victory8 ,shall this aged heart ever feel such shocks of divine power as ,i felt on that consecrated ground8 ,governor ,bassett was full of faith and the ,holy ,ghost4 ,he obtained a wonderful baptism1 and gave in his testimony before listening thousands4 ,bishop ,whatcoat had died a short time before at his house1 and his patience in suffering and his triumphant death was a great benefit to the governor1 who witnessed the agony and the triumph of that holy man4 ,allen ,m',lane1 father of ,hon4 ,louis ,m',lane1 was there on his knees wrestling with the ,angel of the ,covenant1 with tears rolling down his cheeks1 for a clean heart1 and he was made pure in heart and enabled to see ,god4 ,methodism received a mighty impetus from this meeting4 ,on the #cast of ,july ,i left home for a camp-meeting in ,virginia4 ,on the way ,i attended quarterly meeting1 with ,dr4 ,chandler1 in the grove near ,samuel ,porter's1 at ,snow ,hill4 ,two hundred and forty were converted and many sanctified4 ,on ,sunday1 at midnight1 ,i started with the doctor1 ,brothers ,r4 ,lyons1 ,t4 ,burch1 ,aikins1 and others1 for the camp-meeting at ,accomac4 ,we reached ,onancock1 and put up with ,major ,kerr1 whom ,i have described4 ,on ,thursday morning our camp-meeting commenced1 and the work of ,god broke out in the several tents before a single sermon was preached4 ,in the evening ,alward ,white preached from ,psalm xlii1 #c3 8,my tears have been my meat day and night10 etc4 ,the work went on nearly all night1 and the next morning they reported one hundred and twenty-two converted and eighty-four sanctified4 ,the preachers and subjects during the rest of the meeting were as follows3 ,friday--,john ,chalmers1 ,eccles4 iii1 #c2 ,matthew ,greentree1 ,col4 iii1 #c1 #d2 ,peter ,vannest1 ,rev4 xii1 #a1 8,and there appeared a great wonder in heaven10 etc42 a wonderful text1 and there was a wonderful time4 ,saturday--,james ,aikins1 ,zech4 ix1 #ab2 ,richard ,lyon1 ,luke xii1 #eg2 ,john ,chambers1 ,matt4 i1 #ba4 ,on this day the sons of ,belial made a great stir1 and for a time somewhat hindered the progress of the work2 yet there were two hundred and sixty-three conversions and one hundred and twenty-three reported to have been sanctified during the day and night4 ,sunday--,john ,chalmers1 ,rev4 xx1 #a-c2 ,henry ,white1 ,rev4 xxi1 #bg2 he struck with the hammer of ,god's word and broke the hearts of stone1 and the work went on during the whole night4 ,on ,monday ,i held forth1 from ,gal4 vi1 #i1 on not being weary in well-doing4 ,on ,tuesday morning the ,lord's supper was administered2 after which we had our ,christian parting1 which was truly affecting1 for many of us parted to meet no more till we pitch our tent in the groves of ,paradise4 ,a number of friends were there from ,baltimore4 ,the preachers and the people who were there have gone most of them the way whence they will not return4 ,the number of conversions reported in the course of the meeting was over nine hundred4 ,brother ,chalmers went with me to ,snow ,hill1 where he preached4 ,i was taken very ill4 ,i lodged with ,samuel ,porter4 ,i read a part of a chapter and fainted1 and ,brother ,porter prayed4 ,i fainted also in preaching that day4 ,i was kindly cared for at ,g4 ,ward's1 a local preacher4 ,here ,i was dangerously ill for several days under the doctor's care4 ,i then went with ,brother ,ridgeway to the ,line quarterly meeting to see ,dr4 ,chandler1 to get some advice from him concerning my health4 ,the chapel could not hold the people1 so the preaching was out of doors1 and the preachers lodged in the meeting-house4 ,there were one hundred and twenty converted at this meeting4 ,dr4 ,chandler advised me to go with him to ,dr4 ,edward ,white's1 in ,cambridge4 ,i was so weak ,i could not have gone had not ,doctor ,chandler kindly permitted me to ride in his carriage4 ,for five weeks ,i was under the care of ,dr4 ,white1 who was a skillful physician as well as ,christian gentleman4 ,and here slowly ,i began to recover4 ,the doctor and his family were very kind to me4 ,during these days ,i enjoyed the society of ,joseph ,everett1 who was then worn out4 ,it was a privilege to hear the old warrior talk of bygone days1 of battles fought and victories won4 ,on the #cjth of ,october ,i took my leave of ,dr4 ,white1 and recorded this prayer3 8,may the ,lord bless this kind family4 ,i trust ,i shall never forget the kindness they have shown to me40 ,i never can4 ,they have gone to their reward1 but my heart throbs with gratitude when ,i recall their peculiar kindness to me over fifty years ago4 ,i went to our quarterly meeting1 not far from ,snow ,hill1 and found ,brother ,chandler and the preachers clearing the ground and preparing the seats4 ,the people went with their tents to quarterly meeting as they do now to camp-meeting4 ,there were many tents on the ground4 ,on ,saturday there was a great awakening1 and though it rained1 the work went on all night4 ,on ,sunday morning1 ,dr4 ,chandler preached from ,john vii1 #ag1 8,if any man shall do his will he shall know of the doctrine10 etc4 ,then he called the mourners forward1 and many came and the work went on till three o'clock1 when ,ezekiel ,williams preached from #a ,cor4 i1 #cj4 ,dr4 ,chandler immediately followed1 and took for his theme the ten lepers4 ,at the conclusion of the discourse he called the mourners forward2 a great number accepted of the invitation1 and the cries of the mourners and the shouts of those who were happy continued until morning1 when we separated1 and it was a time of weeping and of shouting4 ,there were sixty souls converted and fifty sanctified during the meeting4 ,my soul1 praise the ,lord6 ,i have dwelt here to show the reader what kind of times we had at our quarterly meetings in those days4 ,i returned to my circuit1 and there was one general revival4 ,in ,september ,i preached the funeral sermon of ,edward ,callahan1 who resided near ,banning's ,chapel4 ,he died of cancer1 after long and excruciating sufferings4 ,it commenced with his under lip1 and spread so that it eat off the side of his face and his tongue1 yet such was the power of grace that he was enabled to triumph over pain1 and glorified ,god in the fires4 ,like his ,master1 he was made perfect through suffering4 ,his was a peculiar case4 ,before his conversion he was a confirmed stammerer2 indeed such was the impediment in his speech that often he could not express what he wanted to say in language1 and was obliged to resort to writing2 but the moment he passed from death unto life a physical as well as moral miracle was wrought1 his tongue was unloosed1 and he became a very useful local preacher4 ,he preached for over twenty-five years4 ,i could fill a volume with what occurred on ,dover ,circuit2 it was one of the most glorious years of my life4 ,at ,dover1 ,barratt's ,chapel1 ,milford1 ,banning's ,chapel1 and many other places1 we saw the wonderful works of ,god4 ,i was happy in my colleague1 ,james ,bateman1 a ,christian gentleman1 and a brother beloved4 ,i was happy in my presiding elder1 ,doctor ,chandler4 ,i was happy in my home1 the house of the ,hon4 ,richard ,bassett1 for though ,i had many good stopping places on the circuit1 his house was my home1 and there could be no better one for a ,methodist preacher4 ,i was happy among the colored people2 we paid special attention to them1 and witnessed the power of the ,gospel upon their hearts4 ,the whole year was one scene of revival4 ,,rev4 ,,william ,p4 ,,chandler1 ,m4,d4 ,i rode with ,dr4 ,chandler1 in his wagon1 to ,philadelphia1 to attend the conference4 ,as this is the last of my traveling with him ,i will give a sketch of him4 ,i do this with pleasure1 as ,i think too little has been said concerning him4 ,he was among the great men of ,methodism in that day1 and his name deserves to be held in everlasting remembrance4 ,i was intimately acquainted with him for years4 ,no man did ,i venerate more1 none had ,i greater reason to love4 ,he was my spiritual father1 my early counselor and friend1 and it was by him ,i was first encouraged to enter the work of the ministry4 ,he was born in ,maryland on ,june #bb1 #agfd1 and in #agij was converted in ,st4 ,george's1 ,philadelphia4 ,in #agig he was admitted into the ,philadelphia ,conference1 and appointed to ,strasburg ,circuit4 ,this included ,boehm's ,chapel4 ,this was the first year ,i saw and heard ,dr4 ,chandler4 ,he was called doctor because he had studied medicine with the famous ,dr4 ,rush1 one of the signers of the ,declaration of ,independence4 ,thomas ,ware brought him out into the work1 and had for him a great admiration4 ,he did most efficient service for several years1 until his health failed1 and he located in #ahac4 ,anxious to die with his name enrolled with his brethren1 he was received into the ,philadelphia ,conference as a superannuated preacher in #ahbb1 the very year he died4 ,dr4 ,chandler was emphatically a great man3 great physically1 for he had a noble body2 great mentally1 for he had a noble mind2 great morally1 for he had a noble soul4 ,as presiding elder1 he magnified his office4 ,his quarterly meetings were seasons of great interest and power4 ,he was great at camp-meetings4 ,he inaugurated the camp-meetings that were first held on the ,peninsula1 where thousands were converted4 ,the great revival at the ,general ,conference in #ahjj was the result of a revival previously commenced on ,cecil ,circuit1 and the flame spread to ,baltimore1 from that to ,duck ,creek1 throughout the ,peninsula1 and almost all over our entire work4 ,dr4 ,chandler was the leading spirit1 the pioneer in that glorious work which is now a part of the history of the ,church4 ,he was pre-eminently a revivalist4 ,powerful scenes were often witnessed under his preaching4 ,scores would be awakened under a single sermon4 ,sinners seized with trembling would fall to the ground like dead men1 while the shout of victory from the redeemed could be heard afar off4 ,i saw him on an ordinary occasion take twelve into society who were converted at a meeting one ,sabbath day1 and two of them1 ,lawrence ,laurenson#ab and ,thomas ,curran1 became preachers4 ,dr4 ,chandler was great in faith and prayer4 ,at the first camp-meeting a dark1 thick cloud gathered over the encampment1 and there was a prospect of a tremendous shower4 ,the people showed symptoms of alarm1 and began to disperse4 ,the doctor requested them to be seated1 expressing the utmost confidence there would be no rain4 ,then he said1 8,let us pray40 ,and he prayed that ,god would fold up the clouds1 and that the rain might not descend upon the encampment4 ,he that heard ,elijah's prayer listened to ,dr4 ,chandler's4 ,the clouds parted when right over the camp1 and it rained on either side1 but no sprinkling on the camp-ground4 ,i make no comment1 but simply state the fact1 of which ,i was an eye-witness4 ,i heard him preach over fifty times sermons of such power as ,i have seldom heard in a long life of over fourscore years4 ,down on the ,peninsula such was his power that the wicked used to say1 8,if ,dr4 ,chandler was placed on one end of a stand at camp-meeting and ,solomon ,sharp on the other they could preach the devil out of hell40 ,this rough expression shows what they thought of his power4 ,the doctor suffered from paralysis4 ,he went to the ,west ,indies1 but returned home worse than when he went4 ,his death was such a triumph that angels must have contemplated it with delight4 ,a friend being on the way to meeting stopped to inquire how he was4 ,the doctor asked 8,what day is it80 ,on being told it was ,sunday1 8,sunday80 said the doctor2 8go then to meeting and tell them ,i am dying shouting the praises of ,god40 ,then turning to his wife he said1 8,my dear ,mary1 open the window and let me proclaim to the people in the streets the goodness of ,god40 ,thus passed away one of the most powerful ministers that ever wielded the sword of the ,spirit4 ,such was the last hour of my lifetime friend and spiritual father4 ,he died on ,december #h1 #ahbb1 aged fifty-eight4 ,,chapter ,,xvi4 ,,missionaries1 #ahjg4 ,bishop ,asbury preached the funeral sermon of ,bishop ,whatcoat ,april #bi1 #ahjg1 and the same evening in ,dover ,i preached my farewell sermon4 ,my heart was deeply affected on parting with my dear brethren and friends1 with whom ,i have had so many gracious seasons4 ,can it be wondered at that ,i wrote1 8,i hope to meet them in a better country80 ,most of them are already there1 and ,i am on my way4 ,the session of the ,philadelphia ,conference was a harmonious one4 ,it was held in ,philadelphia1 commencing on ,april #b4 ,on ,sunday morning ,bishop ,asbury preached from ,rev4 ii1 #aj1 8,be thou faithful unto death1 and ,i will give thee a crown of life40 ,in the afternoon ,i went with ,william ,colbert to the debtor's prison1 where he preached4 ,many of the prisoners appeared very serious4 ,in those days we took great pains to preach in poor-houses1 jails1 penitentiaries1 and state-prisons4 ,we visited prisoners1 and particularly those who were under sentence of death4 ,the ,wesleys did the same in the infancy of ,methodism4 ,my appointment was strange1 as it appears in the ,minutes3 8,pennsylvania1 ,william ,hunter1 ,henry ,boehm40 ,we had not1 however1 the whole 8,keystone ,state0 as our field of labor1 but only that part which lies between the ,delaware and ,susquehanna ,rivers4 ,we were to break up new ground1 8stretch ourselves beyond ourselves40 ,this was what ,bishop ,asbury was ever trying to do himself1 and wished others to imitate him4 ,i was appointed to that field because ,i understood the ,german language4 ,my ,german sword had become a little rusty1 for ,i had had but little occasion to use it on ,dover ,circuit2 but ,i had now to take it out of its scabbard and polish it1 and try its temper4 ,thomas ,burch and ,i put up with ,mr4 ,rolph1 who was the keeper of the debtor's prison4 ,people were in those days imprisoned for debt1 and as there were many in debt1 so there were many prisoners4 ,,robert ,,morris1 a signer of the ,declaration of ,independence1 the intimate friend of ,washington1 one of the framers of the ,federal ,constitution1 and the great financier of the ,revolution1 whose credit for a time was better than his country's1 lost all his property and became bankrupt1 and was confined in this very prison for debt for a long time1 to the shame of the city of brotherly love and to the shame of his country4 ,but the year before ,i was there death came to his relief1 on ,may #f1 #ahjf4 ,he died in poverty at the age of seventy-three4 ,this law of imprisonment for debt is now abolished1 thanks to humanity4 ,the keeper of this prison and his wife were awakened1 and shortly after converted4 ,it was a very fine family1 and in after years ,i used to be entertained by them4 ,in the conference our brethren were filled with much of the divine presence4 ,the work of ,god went on in the congregations1 and many were converted4 ,fifteen were admitted on trial at this conference1 among them ,peter ,p4 ,sandford1 long known as one of the strong men of the ,new ,york ,conference4 ,solomon ,sharp was my presiding elder4 ,our first quarterly meeting was held in a grove near ,cornwall ,furnace4 ,brother ,sharp preached on #a ,peter iv1 #g1 8,but the end of all things is at hand10 etc41 a sermon full of power2 and again on ,sunday from ,eccles4 ix1 #aa4 ,on ,monday the sacrament was administered1 and ,solomon ,sharp preached a very profitable sermon from ,gal4 v1 #ag1 8,ye did run well2 who did hinder you80 etc4 ,there were a few converted1 and both ministry and the laity got a wonderful baptism of love at our first quarterly meeting in the grove4 ,we had about twenty tents and wagons1 in which the people lodged4 ,the last of ,may a camp-meeting was held in the neighborhood of what is called 8the ,forrest ,chapel40 ,this was an old chapel in the forest1 built by ,mr4 ,demer1 whom ,i have already noticed4 ,brothers ,sharp1 ,hunter1 ,ireland1 and others preached1 and also myself4 ,solomon ,sharp preached four very impressive sermons4 ,he was a mighty man in the tented grove1 and had great power over the masses4 ,one of his sermons was on the worth of the soul1 and the danger of its loss4 ,sinners trembled1 and who can wonder8 ,another was the contrast between the ,law and the ,gospel1 ,john i1 #ag2 another on the danger of looking back after having put his hand to the ,gospel plow4 ,upward of twenty were converted1 many shouted for joy1 and over ten were sanctified4 ,meetings of this kind were new in this part of the country1 and crowds came to attend them4 ,an incident occurred here worthy of note4 ,some of the sinners of a baser sort were disposed to interrupt the service4 ,when the disturbance threatened to be serious1 the ,hon4 ,george ,clymer1 a signer of the ,declaration of ,independence1 then a lawyer1 residing in ,reading1 arose in the congregation and addressed the assembly4 ,he spoke of the struggles of the ,revolution1 of what our liberties cost1 and the right our glorious ,constitution gives to all to worship under their own vine and fig-tree4 ,then he said1 8,in vain have patriots bled and martyrs died to procure freedom if we cannot worship the ,god of our fathers according to our own conscience40 ,his address had a most happy effect in restoring order4 ,it was whispered round1 8,who is that80 8,the ,hon4 ,george ,clymer10 was the answer4 ,it was the only time ,i ever saw him or heard him4 ,his conduct was so noble1 for then we were a 8sect everywhere spoken against10 and no great honor could be obtained by defending us4 ,mr4 ,clymer was a tall1 fine-looking man1 with a dark1 expressive eye1 a grave countenance1 and hair of a kind of iron gray4 ,he was a great financier1 associated with ,robert ,morris in establishing a bank for the relief of his country4 ,he was a member of ,congress1 and president of the ,philadelphia ,bank and of the ,academy of ,fine ,arts4 ,he was one of the great men of ,pennsylvania1 and of the nation1 and for such a man to defend the ,methodists under circumstances that ,i have described certainly was a noble act4 ,the name of ,george ,clymer has in my mind ever been associated with the ,forrest camp-meeting4 ,six years after he died1 aged seventy-three years1 just as old as his friend and compatriot ,robert ,morris was when he bid adieu to earth4 ,,camp-,,meeting ,,at ,,wye4 ,in ,july ,bishop ,asbury and ,daniel ,hitt made us a brief visit1 as they were on their tour ,west4 ,on ,sunday1 ,july #bf1 the bishop preached1 under the shade of some locust trees1 near ,columbia1 on the east bank of the ,susquehanna1 from #b ,cor4 v1 #ad1 on the death of ,jesus1 and why he died for all4 ,daniel ,hitt preached from #b ,cor4 vi1 #ag1 #ah1 on coming out from the world1 etc4 ,the next day ,i accompanied ,bishop ,asbury to ,little ,york1 and then bade him adieu1 little thinking that the next year ,i would be his traveling companion4 ,on ,wednesday ,i went with ,brother ,sharp and several friends to ,wye camp-meeting1 ,queen ,anne ,county1 ,maryland4 ,on ,friday night the campaign was opened by ,solomon ,sharp1 from ,mal4 iii1 #af-ah1 8,then they that feared the ,lord spake one to another10 etc41 an admirable introduction4 ,i preached on ,jer4 vi1 #af1 and ,john ,chalmers on ,matt4 vi1 #aj1 8,thy kingdom come40 ,it did come1 not in word only1 but in power4 ,the work of revival went on all night4 ,many were converted1 and the grove echoed with loud halleluiahs4 ,sunday was a great day4 ,great crowds1 great singing1 great preaching1 and great power under the word4 ,solomon ,sharp preached in the morning from ,jer4 ix1 #a1 8,o that my head were waters10 etc42 ,brother ,ridgeway in the afternoon1 on #a ,cor4 xv1 #cd1 8,awake to righteousness1 and sin not10 etc41 a very awakening sermon2 and ,william ,b4 ,lacy in the evening1 on ,luke xiv1 #ag4 ,the slain of the ,lord were many4 ,on ,monday there was a novel scene4 ,in the morning1 ,john ,chalmers preached with great effect4 ,he was followed by his son1 ,john ,chalmers1 ,jr41 who preached from ,dan4 vii1 #ah1 8,but the saints of the ,most ,high shall take the kingdom1 and possess the kingdom forever1 even for ever and ever10 a sermon full of encouragement4 ,the preacher was a noble son of a noble father4 ,his youth then attracted great attention4 ,he was called 8little ,jackey ,chalmers40 ,many souls found the ,lord this day4 ,on ,tuesday morning ,leonard ,castle1 of ,baltimore1 preached from #b ,cor4 iv1 #e1 8,for we preach not ourselves10 etc41 a sermon of uncommon beauty1 eloquence1 and power4 ,solomon ,sharp followed1 on ,luke xxii1 #bf4 ,great unction attended the word2 convictions and conversions were greatly multiplied4 ,a brother was appointed to preach in the evening2 but the work broke out so under the prayer offered at the stand1 and such were the cries of distress1 the shouts of triumph1 that the preaching had to be dispensed with4 ,but the work went on gloriously4 ,on ,wednesday ,leonard ,castle preached again from ,ezek4 xxxiii1 #e4 ,this was a sermon full of alarm4 ,sinai's thunder could be heard1 its lightnings seen4 ,the people were awe-struck1 and listened as if they were hearing an angel from heaven4 ,i wrote3 8,praise the ,lord that mine eyes have ever been permitted to witness such displays of the power of ,god as ,i have seen this day40 ,the work went on all night4 ,on ,thursday morning a love-feast was held4 ,the testimonies were clear4 ,god spread his banner over us1 and it was love4 ,at three o'clock ,brother ,leonard ,castle preached from ,i ,tim4 iv1 #h1 on the profitableness of godliness for two lives and two worlds4 ,he was surpassingly eloquent1 and the ,lord worked powerfully4 ,on ,friday ,solomon ,sharp and ,e4 ,larkins preached4 ,the work went on with such power that it was concluded1 to the joy of many1 to continue the meeting over another ,sabbath4 ,on ,saturday ,leonard ,castle1 ,henry ,boehm1 and ,henry ,white preached4 ,it was a great day of the converting and sanctifying power of ,god4 ,the work went on during the night4 ,sunday was a day of wonders4 ,eight thousand people were on the ground4 ,brothers ,sharp1 ,castle1 and ,alward ,white preached4 ,leonard ,castle's text was3 8,except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and ,pharisees1 ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven40 ,the sermon was one of the most eloquent and impressive ,i have ever heard4 ,the multitude on the ground looked astonished2 it was visible in their countenances4 ,if we would know the number of conversions and sanctifications we must wait till we are permitted to search the records of heaven4 ,but they were many4 ,on ,monday morning we separated with tears and regrets4 ,i wrote3 8,this was the greatest meeting ,i have ever attended4 ,almost every sinner on the ground was awed to reverence40 ,over twenty sermons were preached by men who knew how to wield the sword of the ,spirit4 ,solomon ,sharp preached five sermons of rare power and excellence4 ,the youthful and captivating ,leonard ,castle preached five times on the grandest themes that ever engaged the powers of a minister or the attention of a congregation4 ,his sermons on that camp ground for years were subjects of profound admiration4#ac ,the old hero1 ,john ,chalmers1 twice held forth2 and ,jackey1 a counterpart of himself1 once4 ,we tried to break into new ground4 ,about ten miles from ,wilmington was ,sharpless's rolling mill4 ,we got a foothold1 and formed a society1 and a church was afterward built in the neighborhood4 ,when we first preached there some tried to mob us4 ,they gathered around the door and tried to rush in and seize us4 ,i was preaching1 and ,brother ,hunter was with me4 ,there was a strong man who stood at the door with a stone in his hand and took sides with us1 and threatened to knock down the first man who touched us4 ,so he frightened the rowdies1 and we preached on unmolested4 ,he was a large ,irishman1 and one reason he interested himself so much on our behalf was that ,brother ,hunter was an ,irishman1 and he was determined that his countryman should not be abused4 ,when on this circuit several years after ,i became acquainted with ,abram ,sharpless1 the owner of the works4 ,he was an orthodox ,quaker1 a man of wealth and great business talent4 ,we put up with his foreman1 and ,mr4 ,sharpless furnished plenty of food for our horses4 ,mr4 ,sharpless when eighty years of age spoke to me of the great change that had taken place among his workmen4 ,of their sobriety and industry since the ,gospel had been introduced among them he said that previous to the preaching there on seventh day his hands would be dissipated1 and no better on first day4 ,on second day he would have to send after them to get them to work1 and then they were not worth much4 ,he said it was very different now4 ,all he had to do was to tell his people what he wanted done1 and how1 and it was accomplished4 ,i then asked him if we might not conclude that the influence of the ,gospel had produced this great change4 ,he heartily assented4 ,this was acknowledging a great deal for an old ,quaker4 ,in #agij my old schoolmaster left ,lancaster1 and ,i did not know where he had gone4 ,one ,sabbath in ,july this year1 while preaching in ,german in a barn in ,likens's ,valley1 ,i saw an intelligent-looking man viewing me intently through his spectacles4 ,i wondered who it was1 and where ,i had seen him4 ,behold1 it was my old schoolmaster1 that ,i had not seen since ,i was his pupil eighteen years before4 ,we greeted each other with tears1 and talked of bygone days and scenes4 ,he was a ,lutheran1 and used to read the burial service at funerals when the minister was absent4 ,he became a minister1 and was pastor of a church west of the ,susquehanna4 ,i never saw him afterward1 but ,i never can forget ,henry ,rossman1 my old schoolmaster1 to whom ,i am so deeply indebted1 especially for my knowledge of the ,german language4 ,it was not till #ahjg we got a permanent foothold in ,lancaster4 ,it was very hard soil for ,methodism4 ,twice we made a beginning1 but failed1 and for several years the place was abandoned4 ,we had no preaching there1 only an occasional sermon4 ,the introduction of ,methodism into ,lancaster was providential4 ,the translation of the ,methodist ,discipline into ,german had something to do with it4 ,in #ahjg ,i went to ,lancaster to read the proof-sheets of this translation at the printer's4 ,after ,i had read them1 and was about to return home1 it commenced raining hard1 and ,i put up at a public house where ,i had often stopped4 ,the ,lutherans were there in great numbers to draw a lottery1 the proceeds of which were to finish a church steeple4#ad ,a crowd had come together to see who was fortunate enough to obtain a prize4 ,feeling no interest in the result of the drawing1 and annoyed by the noise and confusion of the people1 ,i left the public house and took a walk through ,lancaster to while away the time4 ,while going along the street ,i met with a woman who had been a member of the ,methodist ,church in ,germantown4 ,she told me there was a man by the name of ,philip ,benedict in ,lancaster who had been awakened at a camp-meeting1 and he and his wife were seeking the ,lord1 and she advised me to call and see them1 telling me where they lived4 ,i went to their house1 pointed them to ,jesus1 and prayed with them4 ,as ,i was about leaving they said1 8,o that we could have ,methodist preaching in ,lancaster60 ,i told them they could have it4 ,so ,i left an appointment to preach at his house4 ,it became a permanent preaching place4 ,in a little while ,i formed a class of six members3 ,philip ,benedict and his wife1 and four others4 ,this was the nucleus of the society which remained permanent4 ,i am thankful that ,i had the honor of planting the tree of ,methodism in that city4 ,behold how many links there are in this singular chain2 how many small causes to bring about such large results6 ,,chapter ,,xvii4 ,,doctor ,,romer ,,and ,,the ,,german ,,methodist ,,discipline4 ,there are but few who know that the ,methodist ,discipline was translated into ,german fifty-seven years ago1 and ,i am the only man living who knows all about it3 by whom it was translated1 who brought it through the press1 etc4 ,in ,asbury's ,journal we find1 under date of ,friday1 ,august #cj1 #ahaj1 8,at ,middletown1 ,penn4 ,we here broke bread with ,dr4 ,romer1 a ,german1 who has translated our ,discipline for his countrymen40 ,this brief record is all4 ,there is not a historian of our ,church that names the fact so full of historic interest4 ,mr4 ,asbury ever felt the deepest interest in the welfare of the ,germans4 ,when ,i commenced traveling with him in #ahjc1 and went as far as ,berlin1 on the top of the ,alleghany ,mountains1 the reader will remember he sent me back to ,dauphin to preach to the ,germans4 ,the ,rev4 ,john ,lednum in his recent work1 8,rise of ,methodism in ,america10 p4 #bda1 has fallen into an error4 ,in speaking of ,peter ,albright1#ae and the ,albright ,methodists1 he says3 8,dr4 ,romer of ,middletown translated the ,discipline into ,german for their use40 ,this is a great mistake4 ,the ,albrights were not regularly organized into a conference till #ahjg4 ,the same year the ,methodist ,discipline was translated into ,german4 ,their whole membership at that time was only two hundred and twenty4 ,it is not likely they would have had the ,methodist ,discipline translated for that small number4 ,furthermore1 at their ,conference of #ahjg those associated with him requested ,mr4 ,albright to draw up some 8articles of faith and a discipline for the association1 in conformity with the ,scriptures40 ,would they have made any such request if they had adopted the ,methodist ,discipline8 ,mr4 ,albright died six months after the conference1 and therefore was unable to comply with their request4 ,the association had not the name of 8,albrights0 until #ahji1 and in that year the ,rev4 ,j4 ,miller drew up the articles of faith and discipline for them4 ,our ,discipline was translated into ,german two years before1 but not at their request1 or for their use2 they had no hand in it4 ,the facts are these3 ,at the request of ,bishop ,asbury and the ,philadelphia ,conference ,i had the ,methodist ,discipline translated into ,german in #ahjg4 ,i employed ,dr4 ,romer1 and aided him in the translation4 ,we frequently compared notes1 and consulted about certain terms4 ,i also employed the printers and paid them1 and examined all the proof-sheets1 and attended to the distribution of the books after they were printed4 ,i made a number of entries in my journal at that time which throw light on the subject3 8,june #cj1 #ahjg1 ,i rode to ,middletown and came to ,dr4 ,romer's about sundown4 ,the doctor has now translated our form of ,discipline into the ,german language1 which ,i expect soon will be published40 ,this was in ,june1 and some time was spent afterward in revising it1 for it was not until ,september it went into the hands of the printer1 as will be seen from the following extracts from my journal3 8,september #a1 ,i rode to ,lancaster1 and agreed with ,henry and ,benjamin ,grimler1 printers1 to print fifteen hundred copies of our form of ,discipline in ,german1 then returned home to my parents in the afternoon40 ,again3 8,monday1 ,september #g1 went to ,lancaster1 and saw the first proof-sheets of the ,discipline40 ,october #ad ,i was again in ,lancaster1 and the record says1 8,i stopped a while with the printers2 the ,discipline is about half done40 ,from these extracts and others ,i might make1 it will be seen what kind of a hand ,i had in publishing the first ,german ,methodist ,discipline in the new world4 ,the ,germans had an idea that the ,methodists had no ,discipline1 and this was widely circulated to our injury1 for it was extensively believed4 ,this translation corrected the error4 ,then there was a prospect of a union between the ,methodists and the ,united ,brethren1 and it was well to have the ,discipline in their own language1 so that they could understand our doctrines and our mode of ,church government4 ,it was also necessary for the ,germans who were connected with our ,church4 ,the translation was an admirable one1 and was very useful1 correcting the errors that had been circulated about us1 and enabling the ,germans to read in their mother tongue our excellent ,discipline4 ,i sent several hundreds of them in a box to ,cincinnati1 to be distributed gratuitously among the ,germans in the ,west2 others were circulated about ,pennsylvania4 ,bishop ,asbury had some of them4 ,i footed the bill1 and the publication caused me some pecuniary loss4 ,it might not have been so if ,i had continued to travel in ,pennsylvania2 but the following spring ,i commenced traveling with ,bishop ,asbury1 and so could not well attend to the sale of the books4 ,i do not complain1 but ,i rejoice that ,i was permitted to do anything toward the translation of the ,discipline into ,german at that early day4 8,i cast my bread upon the waters0 expecting to 8find it after many days10 and ,i have not been disappointed4 ,i found it long ago4 ,the reader would no doubt like to know more of the translator4 ,i was intimately acquainted with ,,dr4 ,,romer for years1 having been often at his house1 and often preached there4 ,i was there in #ahjb1 and in after years4 ,he was a physician1 and resided in ,middletown1 ,penn41 ten miles south-east of ,harrisburgh1 and situated near the junction of ,swatara 7sweet arrow7 and ,susquehanna ,rivers4 ,middletown was built upon the site of an ancient ,indian village1 and derived its name from being half way between ,lancaster and ,carlisle4 ,dr4 ,romer was a native of ,switzerland4 ,he was educated for a ,roman priest1 but he became so disgusted with the conduct of a corrupt priesthood that instead of entering the sacred office he became skeptical4 ,he acknowledged the existence of a ,god1 but denied the authenticity of the ,scriptures4 ,he emigrated to this country and married here4 ,the doctor was awakened1 not by reading the arguments of able champions of revelation1 nor by the eloquence of able ministers of the ,gospel1 but by that most powerful argument in favor of ,christianity1 a holy life4 ,the great ,teacher said1 8,let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your ,father which is in heaven40 ,it was the holy life and correct deportment of a widow lady by the name of ,flanagan1 who was a neighbor of ,dr4 ,romer1 which shook the foundations of his skepticism1 and the whole superstructure fell to the ground4 ,he had no argument against a holy life4 ,her example led him to abandon his skepticism1 led him to ,calvary1 to the cross1 to the ,church1 to heaven4 ,i was well acquainted with ,mrs4 ,flanagan4 ,she was a good woman1 possessed a strong mind1 and was keen and shrewd4 ,she not only lived religion before the doctor1 but was able 8to give a reason for the hope that was in her with meekness and fear40 ,being convinced of the truth of the ,christian religion1 he sought and found the pearl of great price1 and rejoiced with joy unspeakable and full of glory4 ,he joined the ,methodist ,episcopal ,church1 whose doctrines he cordially believed1 and whose discipline he approved and loved4 ,this was about the year #ahjj4 ,he was ever after the preachers' friend2 his house was their home1 and also one of our regular preaching places on the circuit4 ,i made his house my home when on the ,schuylkill ,district in #ahad4 ,he was a man of sterling integrity1 and greatly esteemed for his many virtues4 ,he was a profound ,latin as well as ,german scholar2 indeed he had a superior education in all respects2 was eminent as an astronomer1 and a good ,english scholar1 though he always retained something of the ,german accent4 ,dr4 ,romer did immense service for ,methodism by his translation of the ,discipline4 ,up to that time but little had been done by the ,methodists for the ,germans2 but ,o what wonders since6 ,the doctor wrote an admirable preface to the ,german ,discipline1 in which he gave a condensed view of our history1 doctrines1 and discipline4 ,all honor to the man who did such noble service for the ,germans2 a work and labor of love1 for he would not take a farthing for his labor4 ,dr4 ,romer held fast his integrity until the end1 and died a few years ago at ,lewistown on the ,juniata4 ,,chapter ,,xviii4 ,,general ,,conference ,,of #ahjh4 ,the ,philadelphia ,conference met this year in the city of brotherly love1 on ,march #bj4 ,it was like one great love-feast from beginning to end4 ,the preaching was of a high order1 and many were converted4 ,twelve preachers were received on trial1 among others ,thomas ,neal1 long one of the honored fathers of the ,new ,jersey ,conference4 ,five were admitted into full connection2 one of them was ,charles ,giles1 so useful in ,western ,new ,york4 ,bishop ,asbury was constantly in favor of breaking up new ground4 ,the success of the previous year encouraged him to appoint an additional laborer to the field we had tried to cultivate4 ,the bishop read the appointment thus3 8,pennsylvania1 ,william ,hunter1 ,william ,colbert1 and ,henry ,boehm40 ,on the #bfth of ,april1 with ,brothers ,william ,hunter and ,william ,colbert1 ,i started for ,baltimore to attend the ,general ,conference4 ,we rode on horseback1 as was the custom in those days4 ,on the #cjth we arrived in ,baltimore1 and were appointed to ,john ,fisher's at ,oldtown4 ,the conference began the #ast of ,may4 ,bishop ,asbury alone presided1 as ,dr4 ,coke was in ,europe1 and ,bishop ,whatcoat was dead4 ,this was in many respects the most important ,methodist ecclesiastical body that had ever assembled in ,america4 ,previous to the session of this conference the ,church had been like our nation under the articles of confederation2 but subsequently we were like it after our constitution was formed4 ,there were one hundred and twenty-nine members representing seven conferences4 ,all the elders were entitled to a seat in the conference1 but many of them did not attend4 ,the funeral of ,harry ,dorsey ,gough was attended at seven o'clock the #fth of ,may4 ,mr4 ,gough resided in ,baltimore in the winter1 and at his splendid country residence1 ,perry ,hall1 in the summer4 ,when his corpse was removed1 to be taken into the country1 ,bishop ,asbury and many members of the ,general ,conference walked in the procession to the end of the city4 ,the multitude was so great few of them got into the house4 ,bishop ,asbury's prayer1 before the body was removed1 was one of the most powerful ,i had ever heard4 ,during the session of the conference there was much eloquent and powerful preaching4 ,on ,sunday1 the #hth1 ,george ,pickering preached in the market-house1 and three preachers exhorted after him1 ,joseph ,totten1 ,francis ,ward1 and ,s4 ,budd4 ,there was a mighty shaking among the people4 ,this was early in the morning4 ,at half past ten ,i heard ,william ,m',kendree from1 8,is there no balm in ,gilead10 etc4 ,this was the eloquent sermon that made him bishop4 ,the late ,dr4 ,bangs gives a graphic description of it4 ,slow in his commencement1 he rose with his subject1 till his audience were melted like wax before the fire4 ,in the afternoon ,rev4 ,stith ,mead1 from ,virginia1 preached at ,oldtown4 ,bishop ,asbury preached1 in ,eutaw-street1 the opening sermon of the new chapel1 from #b ,cor4 iii1 #ab1 8,seeing then we have such hope1 we use great plainness of speech40 ,the crowd was immense and the sermon characteristic4 ,there was not only preaching on ,sunday1 but three times every day in the ,light-street ,church1 and every evening in the four other churches1 namely3 ,the ,point1 ,oldtown1 ,african1 and the ,new ,church1 7,eutaw47 ,several were converted during the week1 but we saw no such scenes as occurred during the ,general ,conference of #ahjj4 ,the ,conference elected ,william ,m',kendree bishop4 ,there was great unanimity in regard to the choice1 for on the first ballot he received ninety-five out of one hundred and twenty-eight votes4 ,sunday the #aeth was a great day4 ,william ,m',kendree1 bishop elect1 preached at seven o'clock in the ,marsh market4 ,my record says3 8,this was an awful time of the power and presence of the ,lord40 ,at ten o'clock ,bishop ,asbury1 in ,light-street ,church1 and the sheep were gloriously fed by the under shepherd4 ,in the afternoon ,jacob ,gruber preached in ,german1 at three o'clock1 in ,father ,otterbein's church2 ,brother ,m',kendree again at five1 in the ,new ,church2 and ,john ,m',claskey at ,light-street in the evening4 ,on ,wednesday1 the #ahth1 ,william ,m',kendree was consecrated to the office and work of a bishop4 ,previous to the ordination ,bishop ,asbury preached from #a ,tim4 iv1 #af1 8,take heed unto thyself10 etc4 ,freeborn ,garrettson1 ,philip ,bruce1 ,jesse ,lee1 and ,thomas ,ware assisted ,bishop ,asbury in the ordination service1 they being the oldest ministers present4 ,the future life of ,bishop ,m',kendree1 his efficient services for years1 show the wisdom of the choice4 ,sunday the #bb;d was a great day in ,baltimore4 ,george ,pickering preached in the new church at six in the morning from ,col4 i1 #bh2 at ten1 ,samuel ,coates1 in ,oldtown1 from ,gen4 xxiii1 #ad2 at three1 ,jacob ,gruber1 at the ,african ,church1 from ,psalm xxxiv1 #f2 at five1 ,ezekiel ,cooper preached in ,eutaw-street ,church1 from ,matt4 iii1 #g1 8,o generation of vipers1 who hath warned you to flee the wrath to come80 ,he dwelt not only upon wrath--divine wrath--but particularly 8wrath to come20 taking the sinner onward and showing that to all eternity it would be wrath to come6 future wrath1 increasing wrath1 ,jesse ,lee preached in the evening at ,light-street1 from ,john v1 #dj4 ,thus ended this day of privileges1 the last ,sabbath of the ,general ,conference in ,baltimore in #ahjh4 ,i have given a description of the preaching1 for this had not been done4 ,others have dwelt upon the doings of the ,general ,conference during the week1 and have said but little of what was done on ,sunday4 ,but to hear giants in the pulpit1 these master workmen1 was a privilege that afforded me consolation in after years4 ,it will be seen they preached early in the morning1 and had five services a day4 ,there was a great deal more preaching during the ,general ,conference4 ,i have simply named the men ,i heard4 ,the business of the conference was done in great harmony4 ,there were masterly debates on the great questions of ,church polity that came before them1 but all was done in love4 ,the members seemed to possess much of that 8charity that thinketh no evil40 ,they not only elected a superintendent1 but made provision for a delegated ,general ,conference1 a measure that was much needed4 ,bishop ,asbury requested me to travel with him4 ,on ,monday1 ,may #bc1 ,william ,hunter1 ,william ,colbert1 and myself1 obtained leave of absence4 ,it was necessary for me to go home to get ready to travel with ,bishop ,asbury1 and ,i was to meet him at ,perry ,hall4 ,after my return home ,i went to ,lancaster1 and agreed with ,messrs4 ,grimlers to print a pamphlet on the ,characteristics of a true ,methodist or ,christian1 and a sermon on1 8,awake thou that sleepest10 etc41 in the ,german language4 ,bishop ,asbury was anxious ,i should travel with him1 especially on account of the ,germans4 ,he was so well pleased with the ,german discipline that ,i went to the same printers to get the ,german tracts printed4 ,these we took with us and distributed them1 as will be seen by ,asbury's journal4 ,these tracts did immense good2 they often went where the preacher could not go4 ,these were the first ,methodist tracts that were published in the ,german language2 now they are abundant4 ,i shall not be accused of egotism for thus showing that over half a century ago ,i was a humble pioneer in this blessed work4 ,as ,i part with my excellent colleagues1 ,william ,hunter and ,william ,colbert1 ,i would like to give an outline of them4 ,brother ,hunter1 a noble-hearted man and an able minister1 was born in ,ireland in #agee1 and came to this country in #agij4 ,he was intimately acquainted with the venerated ,wesley1 often heard him preach1 and traveled extensively with him when he visited ,ireland4 ,after he left the ,pennsylvania ,mission he was presiding elder of ,schuylkill ,district four years4 ,he died in #ahcc4 ,william ,colbert was a small man4 ,he was a genuine ,methodist1 a sound divine1 and a great revivalist4 ,hundreds will rise up and call him blessed4 ,he had a heart formed for friendship4 ,he and my friend ,william ,hunter died the same year4 ,,chapter ,,xix4 ,,first ,,annual ,,tour ,,with ,,bishop ,,asbury1 #ahjh4 ,bishop ,asbury had a number of traveling companions3 ,edward ,bailey1 ,hope ,hull1 ,nicholas ,snethen1 ,sylvester ,hutchinson1 ,thomas ,morrell1 ,jesse ,lee1 ,daniel ,hitt1 ,joseph ,crawford1 and others4 ,some were among our ablest men4 ,snethen ,mr4 ,asbury called his 8silver trumpet20 ,hope ,hull was a prince among orators2 ,morrell was dignified1 wise in counsel2 ,hutchinson a son of thunder2 ,jesse ,lee shrewd1 ever knowing how and when to answer a fool according to his folly2 but ,i have no space to notice the characteristics of each4 ,after my term of service expired he had two others travel with him3 ,john ,c4 ,french1 and ,john ,w4 ,bond1 brother to the late ,thomas ,e4 ,bond1 ,m4,d41 so well known as the editor of the ,christian ,advocate and ,journal4 ,the ,general ,conference of #ahjj1 on motion of ,thomas ,morrell1 resolved 8that ,mr4 ,asbury be authorized to take with him an elder through any part or all his travels40 ,mr4 ,morrell had been the traveling companion of ,mr4 ,asbury1 and he knew how much the venerable patriarch needed one4 ,previously elders had traveled with him at his own request1 but from that time it was done by the authority of the ,general ,conference4 ,this year was an era in my ministerial life4 ,i was no longer confined to a small circuit1 but traveled with the bishop around his large diocese4 ,though my name in the ,minutes for #ahjh stands as ,pennsylvania missionary1 ,i was there only a few weeks previous to the ,general ,conference2 the rest of the year ,i was traveling with ,bishop ,asbury4 ,my new field of labor was a splendid school for a young minister1 and he must have been a dull scholar that did not learn important lessons4 ,it enlarged my knowledge of the country1 of the ,church1 and of her ministers4 ,the venerable ,asbury was sixty-three years old when ,i began to travel with him4 ,having been greatly exposed1 he was feeble1 and suffered from many infirmities4 ,i traveled with him much longer than any of his other companions1 and have survived them all many years4 ,john ,wesley ,bond1 who traveled with him last1 has been dead forty-seven and ,bishop ,asbury fifty years4 ,by agreement ,i was to meet the bishop at ,perry ,hall1 ,md41 on ,june #e1 where he was to preach the funeral sermon of ,harry ,dorsey ,gough1 and then we were to proceed on our western tour4 ,i took leave of my aged mother with tears1 and my father accompanied me for some distance4 ,on our way we came to a camp-meeting that commenced on ,june #c1 near ,salem ,chapel1 under the care of ,dr4 ,chandler4 ,jesse ,lee was at this camp-meeting in all his glory1 and preached three powerful sermons4 ,on ,monday morning ,i had a most affecting parting with my father4 ,he loved me as ,jacob did ,joseph1 for ,i was the son of his old age4 ,i did not reach ,perry ,hall till ,june #g1 two days later than ,i was expected1 having lingered at the camp-meeting4 ,i found ,mrs4 ,gough in all the loneliness of widowhood4 ,she treated me very kindly4 ,as ,i was not there at the time1 ,i supposed the bishop would wait till ,i arrived2 but when ,i reached ,perry ,hall ,i found he had left the day before4 ,he never waited for any man1 and he wanted no man to wait for him4 ,his motto was1 8,the king's business requires haste40 ,perry ,hall was the most splendid mansion ,i had ever seen4 ,there was beauty1 elegance1 and magnificence4 ,it contrasted strangely with the little cottages and uncomfortable places where ,i had sometimes put up4 ,mr4 ,gough had inherited a large estate from ,england1 and he built ,perry ,hall for his residence in the summer4 ,it was twelve miles from ,baltimore1 on the ,bel ,air ,road4 ,mr4 ,gough was fortunate in his marriage4 ,his wife1 ,prudence1 was a sister of ,general ,ridgeley1 who was afterward governor of ,maryland4 ,she was rightly named1 for she was a very prudent woman4 ,mrs4 ,gough was first awakened by hearing the ,methodists preach1 and her proud husband forbid her hearing them again4 ,however1 he went to hear ,mr4 ,asbury more out of curiosity than anything else4 ,the sword of the ,spirit was very sharp that evening1 and the proud sinner was cut to the heart4 ,on the way home one said1 8,what a heap of nonsense we have heard to-night60 ,to his astonishment ,mr4 ,gough replied1 8,no2 we have heard the truth as it is in ,jesus40 ,he hastened home and said to his beloved ,prudence1 8,my dear1 ,i shall never hinder you again from hearing the ,methodists40 ,this was joyful intelligence for her4 ,they were both converted under ,bishop ,asbury1 were his lifetime friends1 lived holy lives1 and died triumphant deaths4 ,the ,rev4 ,thomas ,b4 ,sargent1 ,d4,d41 married a descendant of this family4 ,the next day ,i overtook ,bishop ,asbury at ,james ,m',cannon's at ,pipe ,creek4#af ,we also went to visit the widow of ,rev4 ,henry ,willis1 and his aged mother4 ,the bishop kissed and encircled in his arms the six orphan children of his departed friend1 and blessed them in the name of the ,lord1 and prayed with them4 ,henry ,willis had died but a few weeks before1 and this was ,bishop ,asbury's first visit to the lonely family after their bereavement4 ,the bishop went out and wept at the new-made grave of his friend4 ,henry ,willis was one of the noblest men of ,methodism4 ,he was universally beloved and universally lamented4#ag ,while at ,pipe ,creek ,i saw the old log meeting house built by ,robert ,strawbridge1 the first ,methodist preaching house erected in ,maryland4 ,it was then in a dilapidated state1 and used for a barn4 ,what wonderful interests cluster around this humble edifice6 ,we commenced our tour westward4 ,the roads were rough1 the weather excessively hot1 and the bishop very feeble1 and yet on he would go1 and at almost every stopping-place would preach4 ,it was his element1 his life2 he could not live long without4 ,he makes this mournful record3 8,i begin to fail40 ,dear old man6 ,he had endured enough to kill many strong men1 and now he makes the discovery that he has begun to fail4 ,old men are not generally willing to admit this2 gray hairs are upon them1 and they do not know it4 ,what an era it is in a man's history when he is conscious he is failing6 ,after visiting a number of places and preaching every day we began to climb the ,alleghany ,mountains4 ,it was a most tedious ride1 especially for the aged and infirm bishop4 ,can we wonder he wrote thus3 8,i have suffered much4 ,i am pained and sore1 and poor ,jane stumbled so often2 but my limbs and my soul are safe4 ,glory6 glory60 ,we were thirty-nine hours crossing the mountains4 ,five years before ,i went with ,mr4 ,asbury to the top of the ,alleghanies1 and then returned to preach to the ,germans2 but now ,i have crossed this nature's monument4 ,it was seventy miles over the mountains by the crooked paths we had to travel4 ,i wrote thus in my journal3 8,there were few houses1 plenty of stones1 rocks1 and hills1 and springs of water and brooks2 but the best of all1 the rock which cheered the ,israelites in the wilderness was with us while traveling under the rays of the scorching sun4 ,my soul1 praise ,jesus60 ,we passed over several mountain ridges of stupendous magnitude4 ,the grandeur of the natural scenery was indeed a subject of admiration4 ,on the other side of the mountain we rested in the hospitable mansion of ,jacob ,murphy4 ,on ,sunday ,mr4 ,asbury preached at ,uniontown1 ,pa41 on 8,converting a sinner from the error of his way40 ,this is said to be the place where the first conference was held west of the ,alleghanies4 ,here also ,i preached at our host's from ,prov4 x1 #bh4 ,the first ordination among the ,methodists west of the mountains took place here4 ,the next day was the ,fourth of ,july1 and although the bishop and ,i were both patriotic1 and lovers of freedom1 we spent1 as he expresses it1 8a solitary ,fourth of ,july0 at ,widow ,henthorn's4 ,the bishop always planned his work far ahead1 and when he came to a conference he had but to carry out his plan4 ,that day he drafted conference plans as far as ,baltimore1 and the next day1 besides reading ,thomas ,kempis1 he copied off a list of preachers for the western and southern conferences4 ,it was method that enabled the great ,asbury to accomplish so much4 ,the bishop writes3 8,brother ,boehm spoke to the people in ,english and ,german40 ,rheumatism troubled the old gentleman1 and the incessant rain for four days kept him a prisoner1 and he found the confinement irksome4 ,here we saw ,edward ,dromgoole1 one of the early preachers4 ,he joined at the third conference1 #agge4 ,he was now returning from the ,west1 and he gave a flaming description of the camp-meetings that had been held there4 ,we journeyed on to ,connellsville4 ,here we had a new house of worship1 or rather a part of one4 ,the bishop preached and dedicated the walls of the church1 for at that time it was roofless4 ,i held forth in ,german4 ,this ,i did in almost every place4 ,the next day we went to the splendid mansion of ,colonel ,mason1 and were entertained like princes4 ,during this route the bishop suffered all but martyrdom4 ,he was exceedingly lame1 his feet being greatly inflamed1 and he had been blistered2 and yet he would press on amid the intense heat of ,july1 that almost overcame him4 ,we met ,asa ,shinn1 author of 8,shinn on ,salvation40 ,he was a man of splendid talents2 an excellent metaphysician4 ,the bishop conversed with him about being removed to ,baltimore4 ,mr4 ,shinn finally went off with the ,reformers1 and died deranged in an asylum4 ,it is supposed his deep studying had much to do with unbalancing his mind2 but at one time he was a mighty man in our ,israel4 ,it was pitiful to see the old bishop hobbling on his crutches into church at ,brownsville on ,sabbath ,july #ag4 ,there1 like his ,master1 he sat down and preached4 ,his subject was ,god's design in sending his ,son into the world4 ,the next day we rode to ,john ,brightwell's4 ,the bishop says3 8,i had an awfully severe ride4 ,i am fairly arrested in my course4 ,my knees and feet are so disabled that ,i am lifted to bed4 ,i can neither ride1 stand1 nor walk40 ,what a painful record6 ,and what does the reader think of his companion1 who had to lift the bishop out of bed1 bathe his limbs1 dress his blisters1 and nurse him like a child4 ,i left him for a while and went to fill his appointments1 while the family kindly took care of him4 ,for a week there is no record made in his journal4 ,he was unable to write a line4 ,but ,i kept an account of each day4 ,after filling several appointments during the week1 ,i went to ,pittsburgh to fill the appointment of the bishop there4 ,i lodged at ,brother ,wrenshall's1 a local preacher4 ,he was an ,englishman1 of excellent education and fine mind4 ,he preached a great deal1 and preached well1 and helped give tone and character to ,methodism in that section4 ,there were few ,methodists in ,pittsburgh1 and they had no house of worship1 so ,i preached in the ,court-house to about a thousand people who had come out to hear the bishop and saw but a plain ,german youth from their own ,state4 ,they listened with attention while ,i expounded ,matt4 v1 #bj4 ,in the afternoon ,i preached in the jury-room1 in ,german1 to one hundred hearers1 from ,acts x1 #ce4 ,some felt the weight of truth4 ,thus for the benefit of the ,germans in ,pittsburgh ,i preached the ,gospel in their own vernacular fifty-seven years ago4 ,then1 at six o'clock1 in ,brother ,wrenshall's door-yard1 ,i preached 8deliverance to the captives40 ,this was my first visit to ,pittsburgh1 a place so full of historic interest4 ,and here1 for the first time1 ,i beheld the ,ohio4 ,in after years ,i became very familiar with it by crossing it so frequently with the pioneer bishop4 ,leaving ,pittsburgh1 ,i returned to see how the bishop was getting on4 ,i was accompanied by ,betsy ,farley and her son-in-law4 ,she was the daughter of ,edward ,bailey1 an excellent man1 and one of ,bishop ,asbury's traveling companions4 ,he died in ,october #aghj1 when on a tour with the bishop1 and here1 eighteen years afterward1 was one of his daughters traveling many miles to see the bishop to converse with him about her father4 ,on ,tuesday we reached ,brother ,brightwell's1 the bishop's host1 and to our great joy we found him much better4 ,mr4 ,asbury makes this entry3 8,how am ,i honored6 ,thornton ,fleming paid me a visit1 and with him came ,mrs4 ,hebert and a daughter of ,edward ,bailey of ,amherst1 ,virginia4 ,these dear souls came sixty miles to see me4 ,i suppose ,i must get a four-wheeled carriage4 ,wednesday was a serious day1 but prepare to move we must2 pain and death are nothing when opposed to duty40 ,this is a noble sentiment of a noble man4 ,i wrote thus in my journal3 8,thursday1 #bh1 past human expectation we started for ,west ,liberty1 crossed the ,monongahela at ,freeport1 then to ,mr4 ,thomas ,m',faddin's1 ,washington1 a little before night1 very wet on my part and very full of pain on the part of ,father ,asbury4 ,the family were exceeding kind40 ,is it not marvelous that the old sick man should travel in the rain under such circumstances8 ,what but love for the ,church and for souls could have induced him8 ,on ,friday we reached ,john ,beck's4 ,this was one of the homes that ,bishop ,asbury prized very highly4 ,there was quite a society here1 and ,john ,beck was the class-leader4 ,he has long since gone to ,paradise1 but his descendants are ,methodists1 and they have preserved the old chair in which ,bishop ,asbury used to sit1 and the old chest on which ,james ,quinn sat when he was converted2 for this was his spiritual birthplace4 ,it was a famous place in ,methodism2 one of its early strongholds in this part of the country4 ,mr4 ,beck was from ,kent ,county1 ,maryland4 ,we left ,john ,beck's and were entertained at ,major ,samuel ,m',colloch's4 ,he and his brother ,john were celebrated in the annals of ,indian warfare4 ,he it was who1 when pursued by the ,indians1 made that terrible leap of three hundred feet down a precipice with his horse into the river1 and thus mercifully escaped out of their murderous hands4 ,the leap of ,general ,putnam at ,horseneck was nothing compared with this4 ,he was an excellent member of the ,methodist ,church1 and his house was one of the choice homes where the bishop and other preachers were made welcome4 ,his father was originally from ,new ,jersey1 and one of the early pioneers of the ,west4 ,at ,wheeling ,bishop ,asbury preached in the ,court-house from ,heb4 ii1 #b1 #c1 on the great salvation and the danger of neglecting it4 ,we had no house of worship there at that time4 ,we were kindly entertained by ,colonel ,ebenezer ,zane1 one of the earliest settlers in the ,west4 ,i was highly delighted1 as well as the bishop1 to hear ,mr4 ,zane and his wife 7who was a sister of ,samuel and ,john ,m',colloch7 relate the thrilling scenes through which they had passed1 and their hair-breadth escapes from wild beasts and from the murderous savages4 ,she told us about the siege of the fort1 and how she was engaged in running bullets which the men fired at the ,indians who were thirsting for their blood4 ,mr4 ,zane was a great hunter1 a man of noble deeds and noble daring1 and his history1 if fully written1 would be equal to that of ,daniel ,boone of ,kentucky4 ,zanesville1 ,ohio1 was named after ,colonel ,zane4 ,he was not a ,methodist1 but a great friend to our people4 ,mrs4 ,zane joined the ,methodists in #aghe1 under ,wilson ,lee4 ,her cabin was early opened for preaching1 and she made the ministers very welcome4 ,she was a ,christian heroine1 an honor to her sex and to the ,church4 ,we left ,wheeling and the ,zane family1 and entered ,ohio4 ,that ,state1 so rich and flourishing now1 was then in its infancy1 being a child only six years old4 ,to my great joy ,bishop ,asbury's health was improving1 and we rode one hundred and thirteen miles to a camp-meeting at ,rush ,creek4 ,camp-meetings were numerous then1 and attended with great success4 ,they were not merely for visiting or pastime1 but to save souls4 ,their character in some parts of the county has greatly changed4 ,we had four sermons a day4 ,on ,sunday ,john ,sale1 then in his palmy days1 preached early in the morning2 ,bishop ,asbury followed at eleven2 and ,i1 at three o'clock1 gave a sermon in ,english1 and concluded in ,german4 ,there was considerable of a move1 many convicted crying for mercy4 ,we then went to ,chilicothe1 and were the guests of ,dr4 ,edward ,tiffin4 ,on ,thursday1 ,august #aa1 in compliance with an invitation1 we visited ,general ,thomas ,worthington1 one of the candidates for governor4 ,dr4 ,tiffin married his sister ,mary1 a woman of remarkable sweetness and loveliness4 ,the general was a very fine man1 and was elected to the governorship4 ,he resided in a splendid mansion called ,mount ,prospect ,hall4 ,mr4 ,asbury felt keenly the loss of the general's sister4 ,he went to her grave and sighed there1 and made the following record3 8,within sight of this beautiful mansion lies the precious dust of ,mary ,tiffin4 ,it was as much as ,i could do to forbear weeping as ,i mused over her speaking grave4 ,how mutely eloquent6 ,ah1 the world knows little of my sorrows2 little know how dear to me are my many friends1 and how deeply ,i feel their loss2 but they all die in the ,lord1 and this shall comfort me4 ,i delivered my soul here4 ,may this dear family feel an answer to ,mary ,tiffin's prayers40 ,on our tour in #ahaa we visited ,governor ,worthington1 and he requested the bishop to write an appropriate inscription for the tombstone of his sister4 ,he took his pen and wrote this3 8,and ,mary hath chosen that good part that shall not be taken away from her40 ,these words are upon the tombstone of that excellent woman4 ,who would not exclaim1 8,o that ,i could forever sit ,with ,mary at the ,master's feet6 ,be this my happy choice10 etc4 ,on ,friday1 #abth1 we attended a camp-meeting at ,deer ,creek4 ,there were twenty-three preachers1 traveling and local1 and about two thousand people on the ground1 and a multitude of tents2 and some people put up in their covered wagons4 ,this camp-meeting was near ,white ,brown's1 and we were entertained by him4 ,he was a noble man1 a sterling ,methodist4 ,he was a nephew of ,thomas ,white of ,delaware4 ,asbury used to preach at ,white ,brown's on the ,peninsula in ,maryland as early as #aggi4 ,he emigrated to ,ohio in the early part of this century4 ,mr4 ,asbury delighted to put up with his old friend1 whom he had known in the ,east1 and with whom he had had an unbroken friendship for nearly forty years4 ,several sermons of great pathos and power were preached on the ground4 ,one of the most remarkable was by ,dr4 ,tiffin1 ex-governor of ,ohio1 from 8,what is a man profited10 etc4 ,the doctor threw his whole soul into it as he dwelt upon the soul's immense value and its amazing loss1 and the fact that nothing can compensate for such a loss4 ,his appeals to the heart and conscience were almost irresistible4 ,his voice was musical1 his gestures were rapid1 and his countenance expressed all his tongue uttered4 ,there was a mighty work among the people during the day1 and it continued all night4 ,on ,sunday morning ,john ,sale1 presiding elder of the ,ohio ,district1 preached from ,psalm xlv1 #ac4 ,he was an able preacher and a good disciplinarian4 ,he had much natural dignity1 and was remarkably courteous4 ,he had a fine form1 intelligent countenance1 and a dark eye that was very expressive4 ,the bishop preached at eleven o'clock1 and ,dr4 ,monnett gave an eloquent discourse immediately after from ,psalm cxviii1 #ae1 #af1 8,the voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tabernacles of the righteous10 etc4 ,in the evening ,benjamin ,lakin preached on ,christian purity from #b ,cor4 vii1 #a4 ,over forty were converted beside the witnesses of perfect love4 ,deer ,creek was the first circuit traveled by ,henry ,b4 ,bascom when he was a stripling4 ,on ,tuesday the #afth we journeyed twenty-three miles to the edge of the prairies4 ,we tarried at the 8,new ,purchase0 with a hospitable family named ,wood1 who had emigrated from ,pennsylvania4#ah ,the next morning at six o'clock we were on our journey1 and rode eighteen miles through the prairies4 ,the bishop and ,i must have been talking about the prairies1 for in our journals on that day we both make a similar record4 ,he says3 8,the prairies have once been1 ,i suppose1 lakes of water2 they furnish grand and beautiful views still40 ,i wrote3 8,we rode through the prairies1 which1 from their appearance1 must have been covered with large lakes or ponds2 now they furnish extensive ranges for stock40 ,on ,wednesday we passed through ,xenia to ,frederick ,bonner's1 at ,little ,miami4 ,this was one of the great families of ,methodism in the ,west1 one of the bishop's excellent homes1 and they looked for his annual visit as they would for an angel's4 ,here we rested one day4 ,brother ,bonner was an early friend of ,rev1 ,freeborn ,garrettson1 and knew him from the time he began to preach4 ,he was a ,methodist in ,maryland before he emigrated to ,ohio4 ,john ,sale married a daughter of ,frederick ,bonner4 ,the bishop was satisfied that he crossed the ,alleghany ,mountains at the wrong time of the year4 ,he not only talked about it1 but made this singular record3 8,i have more than once put the wrong foot foremost in my journeys to the ,west3 the spring will not do because of wet and deep and dismal roads2 the summer's extreme heat1 and the small green flies1 make disagreeable traveling4 ,i make a decree1 but not of the ,medes and ,persians1 never in future to cross the mountains before the first of ,september1 nor leave ,carlisle before the first of ,october40 ,on ,friday we were the guests of ,rev4 ,john ,sale1 who at one time had almost the whole state of ,ohio for his district4 ,on ,sunday the bishop preached at ,xenia ,court-house on ,col4 i1 #bh1 8,whom we preach40 ,there were about five hundred to hear him4 ,i tried to clinch the nail the bishop had been driving4 ,we went to ,peter ,pelham's1 another of the bishop's choice homes1 where he delighted to rest his weary head4 ,this was a most respectable family4 ,they had emigrated to ,ohio from ,old ,virginia4 ,this night we were very unfortunate1 for our horses were lost and in the morning could not be found4 ,our appointments were out in advance1 and the people must not be disappointed1 so we borrowed horses and on we went to ,samuel ,hitt's1 7brother of ,daniel17 and then to ,widow ,smith's1 where the bishop preached4 ,by the time he had finished his discourse our horses were there4 ,brothers ,sale and ,pelham had gone in pursuit of them1 found them1 and then brought them to us4 ,on the #bfth we went to the house of ,rev4 ,philip ,gatch1 one of the bishop's famous homes4 ,a camp-meeting was held there1 and the bishop was delighted to greet many of his old friends whose society he greatly enjoyed4 ,the meeting was attended by the mighty power of ,god1 and over fifty were converted2 but ,i was suffering so with inflammation in my eyes that ,i did not attend till ,sabbath4 ,i spoke to the crowd in ,german4 ,i must have looked comical enough1 for ,i had a blister behind each ear1 and a bandage around my head and over my eyes4 ,immediately after my exhortation the bishop preached to two thousand people4 ,on ,monday evening ,i preached in ,german at ,brother ,gatch's house4 ,the family were very kind to me1 and ,i parted invoking the blessing of ,god to rest upon them4 ,these noble families ,i have mentioned emigrated from ,virginia and ,maryland1 which were slave states1 to ,ohio1 a free state4 ,they abominated slavery and slave soil1 and they emancipated their slaves before they left for ,ohio4 ,this ,i had from their own lips4 ,all honor to their memory for their noble deeds6 ,at that day we preached against holding human beings in bondage4 ,i did it early on the ,peninsula1 as my journal will show4 ,on ,friday1 ,september #b1 we reached ,cincinnati1 and were the guests of ,brother ,lines4 ,this is a family given to hospitality1 and therefore deserving of grateful remembrance4 ,cincinnati was first settled by emigrants from ,new ,england and ,new ,jersey4 ,at the time of our visit it was a small village of less than two thousand inhabitants4 ,the first ,methodist sermon in ,cincinnati was preached in an upper room to twelve hearers1 in #ahjd1 by ,rev4 ,john ,collins4 ,the next who preached there was ,john ,sale1 who organized a society of eight persons1 just as many as were in the ark4 ,the first ,methodist chapel was erected in #ahjf1 and was built of stone4 ,in this church the bishop and ,i both preached4 ,he gave an admirable sermon in the morning from #b ,cor4 v1 #ad1 8,for the love of ,christ constraineth us10 etc41 and then called on me to preach immediately after in the ,german language4 ,i did so from ,john i1 #aa1 #ab1 8,he came unto his own and his own received him not40 ,this is believed to be the first sermon preached in ,cincinnati in the ,german language2 certainly it was the first ,methodist sermon in that tongue4 ,in the afternoon ,brother ,lakin preached from ,luke xvi1 #h2 and ,i again in the evening1 in ,english4 ,i made this record in my journal3 8,the house was crowded both day and night2 there is a good prospect in this town for a revival of religion40 ,this record was made fifty-seven years ago4 ,was it prophetic8 ,how strange it sounds now to speak of 8the ,queen ,city of the ,west0 as 8this town40 ,bishop ,asbury advised the society to enlarge their house of worship1 and to invite the ,western ,conference to hold its next session there4 ,they did so1 and the invitation was accepted4 ,on ,tuesday we left ,cincinnati1 accompanied by ,brother and ,sister ,lakin4 ,we put up in ,lawrenceburgh1 in the ,indiana territory1 with ,elijah ,sparks4 ,he had moved from ,maryland1 and was a brother of ,robert ,sparks4 ,elijah was a local preacher and a lawyer4 ,the ,indiana territory was then one vast wilderness4 ,the bishop said3 8,in this wild there may be twenty thousand souls already4 ,i feel for them40 ,how would his great soul rejoice if he could return to that territory and see a rich populous state teeming with inhabitants and four flourishing annual conferences6 ,in what ,mr4 ,asbury called 8that wild0 there are now one million three hundred and fifty thousand inhabitants4 ,in traveling the ,indiana territory the next day1 in thirty-three miles we passed only six houses4 ,this will give an idea of the sparseness of the population at that time4 8,the wilderness and the solitary place has been made glad1 and the desert has rejoiced and blossomed as the rose40 ,we crossed the ,ohio at the mouth of the ,licking ,river in what ,mr4 ,asbury most appropriately called a 8crazy flat40 ,with great difficulty we reached the other side4 ,it was leaking1 and like to have sunk with the bishop and all on board2 but we were mercifully preserved4 ,,the ,,western ,,conference4 ,we had but seven conferences at that time4 ,the ,western ,conference included all the vast tract of country lying west of the ,alleghanies as far as it was settled with whites1 with the exception of ,monongahela ,district1 which belonged to ,baltimore ,conference4 ,it was a field that was widening and expanding every day4 ,the conference met on ,october #a at ,liberty ,hill1 ,tenn41 at ,rev4 ,green ,hill's4 ,he was a local preacher1 had emigrated from ,north ,carolina1 where ,bishop ,asbury had been well acquainted with him4 ,a conference was held at his house in ,north ,carolina as early as #aghe1 and ,dr4 ,coke and ,asbury were both there4 ,another conference was held there in #agib1 at which ,bishop ,asbury presided4 ,he and his family emigrated to ,tennessee when all was a wilderness1 and they had to make their way through a cane-brake to the place where their house was located4 ,liberty ,hill was twelve miles west of ,nashville1 and ,nashville was then but a very small village4 ,this was the first conference ,i attended with ,bishop ,asbury as his aid1 and all ,i saw and heard were full of interest4 ,it was the first conference ,william ,m',kendree attended as bishop4 ,i saw him when he filled the episcopal chair for the first time1 and so ,i did ,bishop ,whatcoat4 ,m',kendree had left ,baltimore at the close of the ,general ,conference and gone ,west by the most direct route4 ,he was one of the fathers of the ,western ,conference1 where his influence was unbounded4 ,the preachers gave the new bishop as well as the old one a hearty welcome4 ,there was a camp-meeting connected with the conference1 and the preachers ate and slept in their tents4 ,there were eighty ministers present1 and there had been an increase of twenty-five hundred members during the year4 ,it was a most pleasant conference1 and the discussions were interesting4 ,there were noble men belonging to the conference3 ,learner ,blackman1 ,william ,burke1 ,john ,sale1 ,jacob ,young1 and ,james ,ward4 ,these were the presiding elders1 and they were on districts that were large enough for conferences4 ,there were present also ,jesse ,walker1 the pioneer of ,missouri4 ,he was a young man then1 only six years in the ministry4 ,samuel ,parker1 the ,cicero of the ,west4 ,he was a deacon4 ,peter ,cartwright1 young1 strong1 courageous2 but he had not graduated to elders' orders4 ,twelve were admitted on trial1 six ordained deacons1 and ten elders1 among whom was the eccentric ,james ,axley4 ,the names of the districts now appear strange3 ,ohio ,district1 ,john ,sale1 ,presiding ,elder2 ,kentucky ,district1 ,william ,burke2 ,mississippi ,district1 ,jacob ,young4 ,some of the appointments also sound still more strangely to our ears3 ,illinois1 ,john ,clingan2 ,missouri1 ,jesse ,walker4 ,what a foundation they were laying for the opening future6 ,noble1 self-sacrificing men as earth ever saw or the ,church was ever blessed with were these pioneers of the ,west4 ,with a single exception1 ,i believe they are now passed away4 8,our fathers1 where are they8 and the prophets1 do they live forever80 ,,chapter ,,xx4 ,,first ,,visit ,,to ,,the ,,south4 ,the next day after the ,western ,conference adjourned the two bishops and myself started for the ,south ,carolina ,conference1 which was to meet in ,liberty ,chapel1 ,green ,county1 ,georgia1 on ,december #f1 #ahjh4 ,there was a novelty and variety about my present large field of labor which made it peculiarly interesting4 ,i had been to what was then the ,west1 7it would be difficult to tell where it is now17 and ,i was highly delighted1 and now ,i was on my way to the sunny ,south4 ,and ,i had the wisest and best companions in the world4 ,this was the first tour which ,m',kendree made with ,bishop ,asbury after his ordination to the episcopal office4 ,everywhere the old and the new bishop were objects of interest1 and their appearance hailed with joy4 ,on ,monday we reached ,dr4 ,henry ,tooley's4 ,this was a family of note1 and their house one of the best of homes4 ,here we rested and refitted1 and prepared to climb the mountains and to penetrate the wilderness1 for all this must be done before we could reach ,georgia4 ,on we went1 preaching every evening1 till on ,saturday we fell in with a camp-meeting at ,ohaver's4 ,on ,sunday morning ,brother ,learner ,blackman1 ,presiding ,elder of ,holston ,district1 preached at sunrise1 ,i preached at ten o'clock1 and then ,bishop ,m',kendree gave one of his overwhelming discourses1 after which ,i preached again in the ,german language4 ,bishop ,asbury then preached with great liberty4 ,we were at it five hours without intermission1 during which time the people heard four sermons in ,english and one in ,german1 and yet we were not through1 for in the evening ,john ,henninger preached1 and ,nathan ,barnes exhorted4 ,thus ended this memorable day4 ,it was a time of uncommon power1 and many were converted4 ,what would people think now of listening to six sermons in one day8 ,how would they get along who can hardly endure one8 ,the next morning the bishops preached again3 ,bishop ,asbury first1 and ,bishop ,m',kendree immediately after him4 ,i have written1 8,it was a solemn1 searching time40 ,to benefit the ,germans ,i took a little tour by myself1 while the bishops went forward4 ,bishop ,asbury makes this entry in his journal3 8,henry ,boehm has gone to ,pigeon ,river to preach to the ,dutch40 ,i preached six times1 and then rode on to overtake the bishops4 ,after riding twenty miles ,i learned they were still far in the advance of me1 and had gone on to ,buncombe4 ,on ,thursday ,i hastened on to overtake them4 ,i went over the lofty hills and mountains and solitary valleys along the banks of the ,french ,broad4 ,this is an astonishing river in its meanderings through beautiful valleys and mountain gorges1 with overhanging rocks4 ,here nature is seen in her beauty and grandeur1 and ,i wonderfully admired that day the works of nature as one scene after another broke on my delighted vision4 ,that night ,i lodged at ,barnett's ,station4#ai ,this was a public house1 partly over the mountain1 where multitudes of travelers put up4 ,we carried our religion wherever we went1 and always hoisted our colors4 ,bishop ,asbury taught us1 both by precept and example1 to be valiant for the truth4 ,so the travelers were called together1 and ,i gave them an exhortation1 and prayed with the family4 ,all were civil1 respectful1 and attentive to what was said4 ,on ,friday ,i rode to ,buncombe1 expecting to find the bishops there4 ,buncombe ,county is in the western part of ,north ,carolina1 joining ,tennessee4 ,it was nine days before ,i overtook them4 ,on ,monday1 ,november #b1 ,i found them at ,samuel ,edney's1#bj one of the bishop's choice homes4 ,we were overjoyed to see each other4 ,it was a tremendous task to descend from the lofty mountain4 ,the ascent was rough and fatiguing1 but the descent still more difficult4 ,on we went1 the bishop preaching every day and several times on the ,sabbath till we reached ,waxhaw1 ,south ,carolina1 famous for being the birthplace of ,andrew ,jackson4 ,here at this time ,bishop ,asbury ordained ,robert ,hancock1 who was a respectable local preacher4 ,there were many private ordinations of that kind in those days4 ,we arrived at ,camden and put up with ,samuel ,matthis4 ,on ,sabbath morning ,bishop ,asbury preached from ,ephes4 v1 #h1 on walking as children of the light4 ,at three ,i held forth from ,john i1 #i1 and in the evening ,bishop ,m',kendree preached from 8worship ,god40 ,immediately after the first sermon ,brother ,jackson1 who was the preacher1 met the colored people1 about three hundred in number1 to whom ,i preached from ,luke ix1 #fb1 on putting the hand to the plow and looking back4 ,the colored people are fond of figures2 such a text suited them4 ,i told them if a man was plowing and he should look back1 he would make a very crooked furrow4 ,a circle of smiles passed over their black faces when they heard this4 ,a colored brother in a love-feast said1 8,i have put my hand to the ,gospel plow1 and ,i am determined to plow my furrow clean up to glory40 ,another1 in relating his experience1 said1 8,bredren1 ,i cannot exactly tell it1 but when ,i was converted two suns rose dat morning sartin40 ,this was a beautiful figure4 ,he was converted just as the natural sun was rising1 and that moment the ,sun of ,righteousness arose with healing in its wings and shone into his dark soul1 and he was all light in the ,lord4 ,the next day we went to ,james ,rembert's4 ,camp-meeting began here on ,wednesday1 ,november #bc4 ,bishop ,m',kendree opened the campaign by preaching at seven o'clock from #a ,cor4 xv1 #dh1 8,therefore1 my beloved brethren1 be ye steadfast10 etc4 ,a mighty man was ,bishop ,m',kendree on great occasions3 they woke up the giant1 and he put forth all his strength4 ,in the afternoon ,bishop ,asbury preached one of his massive sermons from 8,go through1 go through the gates1 prepare ye the way of the people10 etc4 ,the next day there was preaching by ,james ,jenkins1 ,morris ,mathis1 ,bishop ,m',kendree1 and myself4 ,i wrote in my journal3 8,the ,lord was in his word through the day and evening4 ,a general shout in the camp this evening2 some powerfully converted40 ,on ,friday there were five sermons1 the preachers being ,lovick ,pierce1 ,bishop ,asbury1 ,henry ,boehm1 ,james ,jenkins1 and ,i again at night4 ,there were forty tents and cabins4 ,it being very late in the season they had fireplaces in the tents1 so the people kept very comfortable4 ,the meeting was held late in the year1 not only because the people were in the spirit of camp-meetings1 but also to have the presence of two bishops4 ,there was a cabin neatly fitted up with its chimney and fireplace for the bishops4 ,in regard to the result of this meeting ,bishop ,asbury says3 8,there was a powerful work among white saints and sinners1 and the poor oppressed1 neglected ,africans40 ,and ,bishop ,capers says3 8,the camp-meeting was one of the best ,i have ever known40 ,i had attended four camp-meetings in the ,west1 and this was the first in the ,south4 ,it was here ,i first saw the ,southern preachers1 and for the first time that beautiful and amiable youth1 ,william ,capers4 ,he1 as my readers know1 became one of the strong men of the ,south4 ,at this time he had not been licensed to preach2 he had traveled as an exhorter1 and at a quarterly conference held at this camp-meeting he was licensed to preach and also recommended to the ,annual ,conference4 ,two of ,william ,capers's brothers1 ,john and ,gabriel1 were here converted1 and his father was reconciled with ,bishop ,asbury4 ,mr4 ,asbury used to preach at his father's house years before1 but ,mr4 ,hammett had prejudiced his mind against the bishop1 and for seventeen years he had been estranged from him4 ,but ,i prefer that ,william ,capers tell his own story4 8,at this camp-meeting ,i first saw ,bishop ,asbury4 ,i was introduced to him immediately on his first coming to the camp-meeting1 as ,i happened to be in the preachers' tent at the time of his arrival4 ,i approached him timidly1 and with a feeling of veneration2 but1 #8,ah1' said he1 #8this is the baby2 come and let me hug you1' meaning that ,i was the baby when he was last at my father's house4 ,on my father's entering the tent1 he rose hastily from his seat and met him with his arms extended1 and they embraced each other with mutual emotion4 ,it had been seventeen years since they had seen each other1 and yet the bishop asked after ,sally and ,gabriel1 as if it had been but a few months1 and repeated1 gleefully1 #8,i have got the baby6' ,it was evident no common friendship had subsisted between them2 and how much happier had those years of estrangement been to my honored father if they had been passed in the fellowship he had been seduced to leave40 ,mr4 ,capers well adds the following1 worthy to be written in a conspicuous place3 8,i hate schism2 ,i abhor it as the very track and trail of him who1 as a roaring lion1 walketh about seeking whom he may devour40#ba ,all the preachers who were at that camp-meeting in #ahjh have gone the way whence they will not return1 except ,lovick ,pierce and myself4 ,james ,rembert1 with whom we were staying1 was a large man in body1 and equally large in soul4 ,he was very wealthy and very benevolent4 ,he lived in a place called ,rembert's ,settlement2 there was a church called ,rembert's ,chapel1 and ,james ,rembert was the honored patriarch4 ,bishop ,asbury had been here to ,rembert's ,hall several times before1 and always had a hearty welcome4 ,on ,monday the #bhth we left ,rembert's ,hall and started for ,charleston4 ,on our arrival we were the guests of ,dr4 ,william ,phbus1 who was the stationed preacher4 ,in former years ,i preached at his brother ,john's1 on the eastern shore of ,maryland4 ,the doctor was a most eccentric genius4 ,there was dignity about him1 and yet he was peculiarly odd4 ,he was1 however1 quite a philosopher1 and did noble service for ,methodism4 ,we remained in ,charleston for several days1 and both bishops preached almost daily4 ,i also preached there several times4 ,never was ,i more delighted than with my visit to ,charleston and the ,charleston ,methodists4 ,there was a zeal and warmth among them ,i much admired4 ,they not only lived in a warm climate1 but had warm hearts4 ,i wrote thus in my journal3 8,the ,lord has a kind and loving people in this city4 ,the prospects of ,zion are very promising in this place40 ,wonders has ,god done for the ,methodists in ,charleston since ,i made this record4 ,but alas1 what a change has come over the city6 ,how has the fine gold become dim6 ,it was a sad day for them when secession was born1 and they fired upon ,fort ,sumter and the old time-honored flag4 ,we were several days in reaching the seat of the ,south ,carolina ,conference1 and crossed several rivers on the way4 ,on ,wednesday the #aeth ,bishop ,m',kendree preached a very ingenious sermon on #a ,peter i1 #ac1 8,wherefore gird up the loins of your mind10 etc4 ,he was perfectly original in his mode of illustration4 ,he said the loins were the weakest part of the body1 and therefore the necessity of strengthening them4 ,we were to gird the weak places4 ,he applied to diligent attention1 watchfulness1 etc4 ,it was a striking discourse1 impressive both in matter and manner4 ,on ,saturday we reached ,augusta in ,georgia4 ,this day we dined in the woods4 ,it was nothing new2 and the bishops were just as grateful over their dry morsel1 and would ask a blessing as fervently over it as over some of the sumptuous dinners of the wealthy4 ,bishop ,asbury preached in ,augusta in the morning1 ,m',kendree in the afternoon1 and ,i in the evening4 ,mr4 ,asbury makes this mournful record3 8,sunday1 #ah1 my flesh sinks under labor4 ,we are riding in a poor thirty-dollar chaise1 in partnership2 two bishops of us1 but it must be confessed it tallies well with the weight of our purse3 what bishops6 ,well1 but we have great views1 and we have great times1 and the ,western1 ,southern1 and ,virginia ,conferences will have one thousand souls truly converted to ,god2 and is this not an equivalent for a light purse8 ,and are we not well paid for starving and for toil8 ,yes4 ,glory to ,god60 ,this record is characteristic of the sainted ,asbury4 ,the bishops rode in a carriage1 and ,i on horseback1 a kind of body-guard4 ,on ,saturday the #bdth we reached ,liberty ,chapel1 near ,milledgeville1 the seat of the conference4 ,it was held in the house where the bishops were entertained1 commencing on ,monday1 ,december #bf1 #ahjh4 ,the day before being ,christmas1 ,bishop ,asbury preached a sermon from ,john iii1 #ag1 on the design of ,god in sending his ,son into the world4 ,at the opening of the conference ,bishop ,asbury1 in a very appropriate manner1 introduced the new bishop to them4 ,the preachers received him joyfully4 ,every member1 one after another1 went forward and gave the bishop his right hand1 and bade him welcome4 ,the scene was beautiful1 and to ,bishop ,m',kendree it was as refreshing as the dews of heaven4 ,sixteen were received on trial1 among others the excellent and eloquent ,william ,capers4 ,they are all dead4 ,nine deacons were ordained and six elders4 ,there were nearly seventy preachers1 and the sweetest spirit prevailed4 ,in connection with the conference they held a camp-meeting4 ,i had never thought of attending a camp-meeting between ,christmas and ,new ,year's4 ,i wrote thus3 8,my heart feels united to my southern brethren in the bonds of a peaceful ,gospel40 ,peace and harmony continued throughout the progress of the conference2 preaching1 praying1 exhortation1 shouting1 crying1 rejoicing4 ,there were about forty or fifty converted4 ,there were quite a number of tents and fifteen cabins1 and about a thousand people attended every day4 ,on the last day of the year a love-feast was held1 and it was a precious time both with preachers and people4 ,bishop ,asbury preached at noon from #a ,peter i1 #aj-ab1 8,of which salvation the prophets have inquired10 etc4 ,it was a masterly sermon1 delivered to three thousand people4 ,we had the sacrament in the evening4 ,there was over three thousand increase in the ,south ,carolina ,conference during the year4 ,it was a glorious year for the ,south4 ,there was a noble class of men in this conference who helped lay the foundation for the future prosperity of ,methodism in the ,south1 ,james ,jenkins1 ,hilliard ,judge1 ,lewis ,myers1 ,daniel ,asbury1 and many others that we might name4 ,,chapter ,,xxi4 ,,northern ,,tour--,,virginia ,,and ,,baltimore ,,conferences4 ,on ,monday1 ,january #b1 #ahji1 we left for the ,virginia ,conference4 ,in crossing ,cashaway ,ferry we just escaped drowning4 ,it was most providential4 ,we were oft in perils on the land and on the water4 ,part of our journey was on a muddy road1 through a forlorn-looking tract of marshy country4 ,no wonder ,bishop ,asbury said in reference to it1 8,my limbs1 my patience1 and my faith have been put to a severe trial40 ,fayetteville was one hundred and thirty miles from ,camden1 the route we took4 8,we had a cold1 fatiguing ride1 especially for ,father ,asbury1 who certainly is astonishingly supported under almost incredible toil for a man upward of sixty-three1 amid perpetual exertion of body and mind and constant affliction40 ,so ,i wrote fifty-five years ago1 when ,i witnessed him in labors more abundant1 and his martyr sufferings which he bore with a martyr spirit4 ,the ,virginia ,conference for #ahji met in ,tarborough on ,february #a4 ,this was my introduction to the ,virginia ,methodist preachers1 and a fine body of men they were2 and it was ,bishop ,m',kendree's first visit to them as superintendent4 ,virginia was dear to him as his native state and his spiritual birthplace1 and the scenes of his early itinerant labors4 ,there were eighty-four preachers present1 and only three of them married4 ,it was properly called the 8,bachelor0 ,conference4 ,we also had bachelor bishops4 ,bishop ,asbury was delighted with the appearance of the men4 ,he said1 8,many of them are the most elegant young men ,i have ever seen in features1 body1 and mind2 they are manly1 and yet meek40 ,i had an opportunity of hearing their great preachers1 and seeing how they transacted business4 ,indeed1 ,i was honored with preaching the first sermon at eleven o'clock the day the conference commenced4 ,my text was ,prov4 xviii1 #aj4 ,i felt as if ,i was talking before giants4 ,hilliard ,judge1 a visitor from ,south ,carolina ,conference1 preached from ,job xxi1 #ae1 8,what is the ,almighty10 etc4 ,jesse ,lee followed with a powerful exhortation4 ,the work of ,god revived1 and souls were converted4 ,on ,friday afternoon at three o'clock we enjoyed a rich treat4 ,bishop ,m',kendree preached an ordination sermon from #b ,tim4 ii1 #ae1 8,study to show thyself approved unto ,god10 etc4 ,it was attended with great unction4 ,thirteen deacons were ordained1 among them ,john ,early1 now one of the bishops of the ,southern ,methodist ,episcopal ,church4 ,jesse ,lee preached on ,sunday in the court-house one of his ingenious sermons from ,deut4 xxix1 #bi1 8,the secret things belong unto the ,lord our ,god10 etc4 ,he said if the ,lord has been so kind as to intrust his secrets to any1 those who revealed them treated the ,lord unkindly4 ,he left the 8secret things0 with ,god1 where they belonged4 ,then he dwelt largely and forcibly upon 8revealed0 things3 the subject of redemption as revealed to us by the prophets of the ,old ,testament and the evangelists and apostles of the new1 and showed they belong to us with all their benefits1 and are not confined to us1 but extend to our children4 ,there was a melting time under this sermon4 ,in the afternoon ,jesse ,lee preached again from ,heb4 vii1 #ab1 8,for the priesthood being changed1 there is made of necessity a change of the law40 ,he gave us some fine thoughts on the necessity of the change of priesthood1 and the necessity there was of a change in the ceremonial law1 and the advantages of such a change4 ,he was plain1 practical1 and powerful4 ,there was a great stir among the people1 and a number sought and found the ,lord4 ,in the evening ,thomas ,l4 ,douglass preached a great sermon on the value of the human soul and the danger of its loss4 ,he was one of the great men of ,methodism1 and at that time one of the pillars of the ,virginia ,conference4 ,on ,monday ,i preached again from ,matt4 xi1 #bh1 #bi4 ,on ,tuesday ,i heard ,philip ,bruce from ,matt4 v1 #h1 8,blessed are the pure in heart1 for they shall see ,god40 ,a sweet sermon on ,christian purity4 ,he was a charming man as well as a charming preacher4 ,he went through ,virginia and ,carolina like a flame of fire and of love4 ,we had a cold uncomfortable ride from ,tarboro' to ,harrisonburg1 ,va41 the seat of the ,baltimore ,conference4 ,we reached ,norfolk on ,saturday4 ,methodism was early introduced into this place by ,robert ,williams2 indeed he was the ,apostle of ,methodism in ,virginia4 ,he arrived in this country before ,richard ,boardman and ,joseph ,pilmoor4 ,mr4 ,pilmoor also did early service in this place to the cause of truth4 ,on ,tuesday we reached ,petersburgh and stayed with ,edward ,lee1 a brother of ,jesse ,lee1 and father of ,rev4 ,leroy ,m4 ,lee of the ,virginia ,conference4 ,we also stayed one night with a man by the name of ,bradly1 who had just been converted4 ,there was something very singular about his conversion4 ,he was home alone one ,sabbath reading his prayer-book1 when as sudden as lightning he was awakened1 dropped his prayer-book1 and fell on his knees and prayed without a book for the ,lord to have mercy on his soul4 ,heaven heard his prayer and forgave him4 ,he had a number of race-horses when converted4 ,these he parted with at once1 for old things had passed away and all things become new4 ,on ,saturday we reached ,richmond and stayed over the ,sabbath1 preaching there and at ,manchester4 ,we were glad to see our early friend1 ,archibald ,foster1 who had been a traveling preacher for several years4 ,he was originally from ,ireland4 ,he married the daughter of old ,mr4 ,hynson1 the founder of ,hynson's ,chapel1 in ,kent ,county1 ,maryland4 ,i formed his acquaintance in #ahjb4 ,his family was given to hospitality4 ,methodism had to struggle hard for an existence in ,richmond4 ,it was long an up-hill business4 ,the first society was formed in #agic4 ,they early preached in the court-house1 but were turned out on account of their noise4 ,then a noble woman by the name of ,parrott fitted up a large room for preaching in her barn or stable4 ,here ,asbury and ,m',kendrick preached at an early day4 ,thomas ,lyell was stationed here in #agii1 and he was unboundedly popular1 and succeeded in building a church4 ,this is the house in which ,mr4 ,asbury preached his last sermon4 ,stith ,mead was stationed at ,richmond4 ,he was one of the purest and most zealous men in our connection2 a man full of faith and the ,holy ,ghost4 ,he preached to the prisoners in the ,penitentiary1 and the word of ,god was quick and powerful2 and there was a great revival1 and he formed classes of the converted prisoners4 ,they used to pray in their rooms and sing1 and make the old walls ring with their shouts of praise4 ,i went with him to the prison and we held divine service there4 ,i was well pleased with the devotional appearance of the prisoners4 ,one young man1 after he professed religion1 was pardoned by the ,governor4 ,much good ,mr4 ,mead did among the poor friendless prisoners2 and no doubt ,jesus will say to him1 8,i was sick and in prison1 and ye visited me40 ,we left ,richmond and pursued our journey1 having the company of ,bishop ,m',kendree4 ,on ,tuesday we had a peculiar day3 #ast4 ,we rode forty-five miles without food for ourselves or our horses--both man and beast fasted4 #b;d4 ,twice on that day we got lost in the woods1 and wandered round and round to find our way out4 ,bishop ,m',kendree preached in the evening4 ,on ,friday we passed within sight of ,monticello1 the famous seat of ,thomas ,jefferson4 ,it occupied a lofty eminence1 from which there was a most extensive prospect4 ,we crossed the ,blue ,ridge to ,harrisonburgh4 ,the roads were in a sad condition1 and the snow was deep in crossing the mountain4 ,i ruined a valuable horse on this route1 and parted with him for a trifle when ,i reached ,philadelphia4 ,this county was early settled by ,germans4 ,it was this region my father visited in #agfa1 where he obtained new light1 which he scattered with holy zeal4 ,i traveled here with him in #ahjj4 ,the ,baltimore ,conference commenced its session on ,thursday1 ,march #b4 ,besides the business of the conference1 which was done in great harmony1 there was preaching three times a day2 ,i preached in ,german4 ,there were ten young men received on probation2 among them was ,beverly ,waugh1 a handsome young man1 afterward book-agent and bishop2 ,joseph ,frye1 brother of ,christopher2#bb and ,simon ,lauck1 one of my father's spiritual sons2 he was awakened in #ahjj under a sermon my father preached in the ,methodist church in ,winchester4 ,we hastened on through ,winchester and ,harper's ,ferry to ,baltimore4 ,this was always a favorite place with the bishop2 it was the scene of his early labors1 and the people were always kind to him4 ,on ,sunday he preached morning and evening in ,light-street4 ,the next day we attended a camp-meeting near ,perry ,hall4 ,bishop ,asbury not being very well1 preached in the camp-meeting chapel on 8,work out your own salvation with fear and trembling10 etc4 ,he was deeply affected as he passed the grave of his late friend1 ,harry ,gough1 and said1 8his image came up before him40 ,onward we went to ,delaware4 ,march #bg found us at ,barratt's ,chapel4 ,father ,asbury always thought much of the children of the earliest ,methodists4 ,we see it in regard to the children of ,thomas ,white and ,philip ,barratt1 the founder of ,barratt's ,chapel4 ,at this time he said1 8,i have powerful feelings of sympathy for the children and the grand-children of that holy man in life and death1 ,philip ,barratt40 ,he then had the pleasure of baptizing some of his descendants4 ,he was much rejoiced also to meet here his dear friends1 ,governor ,bassett and his excellent wife1 who went forty miles to see him4 ,how strong the friendship that subsisted between them6 ,we had a cold uncomfortable ride for many days1 and no wonder the old man of ,god wrote in such a melancholy strain3 8,i have suffered incredibly by the cold in the last one hundred and thirty miles3 souls and their ,saviour can reward me1 and nothing else6 ,lord1 remember ,francis ,asbury in all his labors and afflictions40 ,friday was a joyful day to me1 and not to me only1 but to others1 as will be seen by the following record made by ,asbury3 8,i preached at ,keagy's4 ,brother ,m',kendree and ,father ,boehm met me once more1 and we greatly rejoiced in ,god together40 ,abraham ,keagy had married my only sister1 ,barbara4 ,bishop ,asbury and my father never met without a thrill of delight4 ,i had not seen my loved father for ten months1 a longer time than ,i had ever been absent from him before1 and he embraced me in his arms4 ,the third of ,april1 #ahji1 the ,philadelphia ,conference met in ,st4 ,george's1 ,philadelphia4 ,bishops ,m',kendree and ,asbury were both present4 ,it was a privilege to see my brethren1 8true yoke-fellows10 after the absence of a year4 ,there were eighty-four preachers present4 ,fourteen were received on trial1 some of whom have since filled prominent stations in the ,church1 among whom were ,stephen ,martindale and ,loring ,grant4 ,fourteen were ordained deacons1 one of whom was ,peter ,p4 ,sandford4 ,my early friend1 ,thomas ,burch1 was ordained elder1 and also ,george ,lane1 long our book agent1 a man of uncommon purity1 and seven others4 ,it may be asked to whom ,i was amenable when ,i traveled with ,bishop ,asbury4 ,i answer1 ,to the ,philadelphia ,conference4 ,it may be asked who represented me1 as ,i had no presiding elder4 ,i answer1 ,bishop ,asbury4 ,when the question was asked1 8,is there anything against ,henry ,boehm80 the bishop was the only person who could answer it1 for he was the only one who knew how ,i spent the year1 and he would answer1 with great gravity1 8,nothing against ,brother ,boehm40 ,it may be asked how ,i was supported while ,i traveled with the bishop4 ,i answer1 ,i received it from the different conferences1 just as the bishops did theirs4 ,my salary was one hundred dollars4 ,at the adjournment of the conference ,bishop ,m',kendree went direct to ,elizabethtown4 ,bishop ,asbury and myself made a tour of twenty days through the lower and eastern part of ,new ,jersey4 ,he was everywhere hailed as an apostle4 ,he had not been over this route in twenty-five years4 ,we started to go to ,brother ,blackman's1 father of ,learner ,blackman4 ,we were to have been there at three o'clock4 ,charles ,reed was to have piloted us1 but he did not come4 ,we got lost in the pines1 and we went round and round without making much progress4 ,we arrived there two hours after the time1 and found ,charles ,reed preaching4 ,he ceased on our arrival1 and the bishop commenced2 but our long1 tedious ride had perfectly unfitted him for preaching1 and after saying a few words he suddenly stopped1 and called out1 8,henry1 you must preach1 for ,i cannot40 ,quick as thought these words came in my mind1 8,and all thy children shall be taught of the ,lord1 and great shall be the peace of thy children40 ,i had extraordinary liberty1 and all got happy1 and among the rest the bishop1 who then rose and gave a discourse of great power4 ,here was the natural and spiritual birthplace of that distinguished minister of the ,western ,conference1 ,learner ,blackman4 ,the bishop made this record3 8,learner ,blackman has been raised up from small appearances possibly to very great consequences40 ,there can be no doubt of this if he had not been drowned in the ,ohio ,river4 ,space would fail to tell of ,absecom1 ,tuckerton1 ,waretown1 ,polhemus's ,chapel1 ,squam ,river1 and ,shark ,river1 where also the bishop preached4 ,at the last place1 as the men were fishing1 and his congregation composed of women1 he preached on ,martha and ,mary1 ,luke x1 #da1 #db1 and adds1 8,ah1 how many ,marthas are there1 and how few ,marys60 ,i might inquire1 ,what kind of a world would we have if all the women were ,marys8 ,has not injustice often been done to ,martha8 ,do we not need a union of both ,martha's zeal and ,mary's love8 ,sunday1 ,april #cj1 we spent at ,long ,branch4 ,mr4 ,asbury preached1 from ,acts iii1 #bf1 a sermon of great strength4 ,this has become a famous watering-place4 ,hundreds resort here from ,philadelphia and ,new ,york to spend the summer4 ,here the broad ,atlantic ,ocean is seen in her glory4 ,methodism has greatly prospered here4 ,we then went to ,staten ,island and put up with ,rev4 ,joseph ,totten4 ,he was presiding elder of ,jersey ,district1 which included the whole of ,new ,jersey and ,staten ,island4 ,methodism was early introduced on this beautiful island by ,francis ,asbury4 ,it was always a favorite place with him4 ,he preached here before he did in the city of ,new ,york4 ,as he was on his way from ,burlington to ,new ,york he came across a gentleman by the name of ,p4 ,vanpelt1 who had heard him preach in ,philadelphia1 and he invited ,mr4 ,asbury to go with him to ,staten ,island4 ,on ,saturday1 ,may #f1 we went to ,elizabethtown4 ,in crossing the ,narrows we saw for the first time a vessel moving without sails1 and to us it was a great curiosity1 neither ,bishop ,asbury nor myself ever having seen a steamboat before4 ,we gazed upon it with wonderful interest1 as the following extracts from our journals will show4 ,the bishop wrote1 8,my attention was strongly excited by the steamboat4 ,this is1 indeed1 a great invention40 ,my record reads thus3 8,at ,elizabeth ,point we saw a packet which goes by steam1 a wheel on each side like a flutter wheel4 ,the vessel is about eighty feet long1 and travels one mile against wind and tide in about eighteen minutes40 ,all this must sound strange to the reader who is familiar with steamboats1 floating palaces1 and steamships that plow the ocean1 and bring continents into one neighborhood4 ,at ,elizabethtown we stopped with ,rev4 ,thomas ,morrell1 who lived there in a fine mansion4 ,the bishop and ,mr4 ,morrell were very intimate4 ,they loved each other as brothers1 and often corresponded4 ,he considered ,mr4 ,morrell wise in counsel4 ,mr4 ,morrell had been an officer under ,washington during the ,revolutionary ,war1 and had been wounded in battle4 ,he was also a bold soldier of the cross1 and filled some very important appointments4 ,he was then in deep mourning1 having lost his excellent wife1 the mother of the amiable and beloved ,francis ,asbury ,morrell of the ,new ,jersey ,conference4 ,methodism was introduced here as early as #aghe by ,john ,haggarty4 ,here ,rev4 ,george ,g4 ,cookman made his earliest efforts in this country4 ,joseph ,holdich in the early part of his ministry preached here1 and here he found his excellent wife4 ,in the old ,episcopal church ,samuel ,spaggs was rector4 ,he preached in ,john-street ,church1 ,new ,york1 during the whole of the ,revolutionary ,war1 being then a minister in our ,church4 ,he died here1 and had a tablet in the old church4 ,at ,elizabethtown we met ,bishop ,m',kendree4 ,he preached in the morning1 and ,bishop ,asbury in the evening4 ,bishop ,m',kendree and ,i went to ,newark1 where he preached from ,prov4 i1 #bc1 8,turn you at my reproof10 etc4 ,here we saw the ,rev4 ,john ,dow1 and at his request ,i accompanied him to ,belleville1 four miles from ,newark1 a pretty little village on the ,passaic1 where ,i preached in the evening from #a ,john i1 #i4 ,methodism was introduced in ,belleville much earlier than in ,newark1 and a stone church built4 ,john ,dow was a local elder1 a man of fine talent and sterling integrity4 ,he was several times a member of the ,legislature4 ,the ,rev4 ,isaac ,n4 ,felch of the ,new ,jersey ,conference married his daughter4 ,here the eloquent ,nicholas ,snethen used to tend a mill2 here he was converted1 and commenced his first public exercises4 ,here ,peter ,p4 ,sandford was converted and went out into the itinerant work4 ,this is enough to give this place a ,methodistic celebrity4 ,in ,newark we stopped at ,richard ,leycraft's4 ,this was for some time the only home for ,methodist itinerants in ,newark4 ,there was a very small class here1 only three years old1 and a little edifice was erected in ,halsey-street4 ,this is a mother of a numerous and thriving family4 ,what a contrast between #ahji and the present1 when we have ten churches in ,newark1 some of them the most beautiful in the country1 among which are ,central and ,broad-street ,churches4 ,i little thought then that we should ever have a ,newark ,conference1 and that ,i should be a member of it4 ,the ,methodists in ,newark are among the most liberal and enterprising in ,america4 ,newark is a place of uncommon beauty1 with splendid parks and lofty elms1 and ,broad-street is one of the finest in ,america4 ,,chapter ,,xxii4 ,,first ,,visit ,,to ,,new ,,york ,,city--,,new ,,york ,,and ,,new ,,england ,,conferences4 ,on ,monday1 ,may #g1 #ahji1 we left ,newark for ,new ,york4 ,crossing the beautiful ,passaic river1 and then the ,hackensack1 we passed a singular elevation called ,snake ,hill1 and then through ,bergen1 an old ,dutch town almost as old as ,new ,york4 ,from ,bergen ,hill we had a magnificent view of the beautiful bay of ,new ,york and of the city4 ,for the first time ,i beheld the noble ,hudson4 ,at ,powles ,hook we crossed the river4 ,there was no ,jersey ,city then4 ,the spot where that city now is appeared to be a kind of island of sand4 ,there were scarcely any houses4 ,jersey ,city was not incorporated till #ahbj2 now it has thirty thousand inhabitants1 and we have four beautiful ,methodist churches there4 ,our place of entertainment in ,new ,york was ,john ,mills's1 near the corner of ,fulton-street and ,broadway4 ,he was an excellent man1 an elder in the 8,brick0 ,presbyterian church1 7,dr4 ,spring's47 ,his wife was a charming woman1 and belonged to the ,john-street ,methodist church4 ,they were wealthy1 and left much property to their descendants4 ,they both possessed catholic spirits1 and theirs was a home for all ,christian ministers4 ,in the evening ,i went for the first time to the old church in ,john-street1 built by ,philip ,embury1 called 8,wesley ,chapel10 the first in the world named after ,mr4 ,wesley4 ,what thoughts crowded my mind as ,i entered this cradle of ,methodism6 ,what rich and hallowed associations cluster around this original home of ,methodism on this continent6 ,i heard a sermon from ,james i1 #bg1 on pure religion4 ,the next evening1 in the ,bowery ,church1 ,i heard ,samuel ,cochrane preach from ,rom4 v1 #a1 on justification by faith4 ,he had a powerful voice and was not afraid to use it4 ,on ,tuesday morning at four o'clock we were alarmed with the cry of 8,fire1 fire1 fire60 ,it was no false alarm2 about thirty houses were burned4 ,it was truly affecting to see parents and children and the aged and helpless turned out into the street1 not knowing where to go4 ,it was the first large fire ,i had ever witnessed4 ,may #aj4 ,the ,new ,york ,conference commenced its session in ,john-street4 ,this was the first time ,i ever beheld the men that composed this conference4 ,this was ,bishop ,m',kendree's first visit as superintendent1 and most heartily they welcomed him4 ,there was great love and unanimity among the brethren4 ,on ,friday ,bishop ,m',kendree preached an ordination sermon that was much admired4 ,his text was #b ,cor4 v1 #bj1 8,now then we are embassadors for ,christ10 etc4 ,after the sermon ,bishop ,asbury ordained twelve deacons1 among whom were ,william ,swayze1 a most blessed man1 who did noble execution afterward in ,ohio2 ,lewis ,pease1 distinguished for his zeal and eloquence2 and ,phineas ,rice4 ,when the case of the latter came up the conference voted that he was 8too funny10 and passed the resolution that ,bishop ,m',kendree should reprove him4 ,the bishop did so4 ,years after ,mr4 ,rice said1 that as he had never been to conference before he supposed that this was the regular process that all young ministers went through1 and therefore did not feel at all unpleasant4 ,at that time our conferences were held with closed doors1 and local preachers and probationers were not permitted to be present until they were received into full membership4 ,five were ordained elders2 ten were received on trial1 among others the excellent ,coles ,carpenter1 ,robert ,hibbard1 who was drowned in the ,st4 ,lawrence1 ,isaac ,puffer1 who was known as the traveling concordance1 and the amiable ,marvin ,richardson4 ,he is the only survivor1 enjoying a green old age1 as straight as he was fifty years ago4 ,he resides at ,poughkeepsie1 greatly esteemed4 ,on ,sabbath there was a great love-feast in the ,hudson ,church1 now ,duane4 ,there were fourteen hundred guests at the feast4 ,i wrote in my journal3 8,it was a blessed time2 ,o my soul1 never forget the gracious visitation this morning6 ,many cups were made to run over in loud acclamations to ,god and the ,lamb40 ,bishop ,asbury preached in the morning1 in ,john-street1 from ,mark x1 #bc1 and in ,hudson ,church in the afternoon1 from ,rev4 ii1 #aj4 ,on ,monday evening1 by special request1 ,i preached in ,german1 in the ,english ,lutheran ,church1 from ,luke xix1 #aj1 8,for the ,son of man is come to seek and to save that which is lost40 ,great attention and great solemnity4 ,twice more ,i preached during the week in the ,bowery ,church1 7now ,forsyth-street17 and in the ,english ,lutheran school-house4 ,here ,i saw for the first time the excellent but eccentric ,billy ,hibbard4 ,when the roll was called the secretary read the name 8,william ,hibbard40 ,there was no response1 and ,bishop ,m',kendree said1 8,brother ,hibbard1 why don't you answer to your name and not keep the conference waiting80 8,i will10 said ,mr4 ,hibbard1 8when he calls my name40 8,is not your name ,william80 8,no1 sir40 8,what is it80 said the bishop4 8,billy10 was the answer4 8,billy60 said the bishop1 with great emphasis2 8that is a little boy's name40 8,i know it10 said ,mr4 ,hibbard2 8,i was a very little boy when my father gave it me40 ,then the conference was convulsed with laughter4 ,when his character was examined it was objected that he was practicing medicine4 ,bishop ,m',kendree inquired1 8,brother ,hibbard1 are you a physician80 8,i am not10 he replied2 8,i simply give advice in critical cases40 8,what do you mean by that80 asked the bishop4 8,in critical cases10 said ,mr4 ,hibbard1 8,i always advise them to send for a physician40 ,there were one hundred and twenty preachers belonging to this conference4 ,it began in peace and fellowship1 which seemed to increase toward the close1 and then a gracious shower of blessings descended on the preachers4 ,the trustees of the ,methodist ,church in ,new ,york were ever kind to ,bishops ,asbury and ,m',kendree1 and they took good care of their horses4 ,as a part of the history of the times1 and as a curiosity1 and to show the generosity of the trustees1 ,i transcribe an old bill that has been carefully preserved in good order fifty-five years3 #ahji4 ,,bishop ,,asbury1 ,,to ,,peter ,,alexander ,,allaire1 ,dr4 #bjth ,may4 ,to keeping #c horses from #hth of ,may1 on hay1 at #ds #g #d #j ,to #i quarts oats per horse1 per day for each horse1 say #bg quarts per day1 #cbd quarts1 at #d;d #e #h #j ,to keeping #a horse from #hth of ,may1 on hay1 at #ds #b #h #j ,to #gh quarts of oats1 at #d;d #a #f #j ,to bleeding bishop's horse1 phisick1 fetching1 etc4 #j #af #j -------- #ag #b #j -------- #db #ge ,received payment from ,,mr4 ,,abraham ,,russel1 ,,peter ,,alex',r ,,allaire4 ,abraham ,russel was a noble man2 he was indeed a pillar in the ,methodist temple4 ,the three horses1 one was ,bishop ,asbury's1 the other ,bishop ,m',kendree's1 the other mine4 ,the bill was made out to ,bishop ,asbury4 ,at another time ,bishop ,m',kendree paid for his horse-keeping4 ,when the trustees heard of it they sent him an apology and refunded the money4 ,on ,saturday we went to ,tuckahoe1 and were kindly entertained at one of the bishop's choicest homes1 ,bishop ,sherwood's4 ,pages might be written concerning this most excellent family4 ,nowhere did the bishop find warmer hearts or meet with a kinder reception than in the ,sherwood cottage4 ,on ,sabbath the bishop preached in the morning at ,sherwood's ,chapel4 ,this old chapel still remains in all its glory1 and has been a little improved4 ,the site was given by the ,sherwoods2 the ground was staked out by ,bishop ,asbury1 and the plan of the church given by him4 ,it is in a valley at the foot of a hill1 and surrounded by beautiful locust trees4 ,there is a burying-ground connected with it1 where the early ,methodists sleep4 ,in the afternoon we went to ,new ,rochelle1 and were the guests of ,peter ,bonnets1 one of the oldest ,methodists in that place4 ,he was a descendant of the ,huguenots1 formerly an ,episcopalian1 and one of the first trustees of the ,methodist ,church in that place1 which was organized in #agia4 ,crossing the ,byram ,river1 which is the dividing line between ,new ,york and ,connecticut1 ,i found myself in the land of steady habits4 ,we reached ,norwalk1 a place famous in the history of our country4 ,it was burned in #aggi by ,governor ,tryon4 ,it has an important position in the history of ,methodism1 for here in #aghi ,jesse ,lee first planted the tree of ,methodism in ,new ,england1 and now one hundred thousand ,methodists in the ,new ,england states sit under its shade and partake of its fruit with delight4 ,here resided ,absalom ,day4 ,he was a potter4 ,he lived at what was called the 8,old ,well40 ,in this 7,fairfield7 county the first class was formed in ,new ,england1 and the first ,methodist house of worship built1 and called 8,lee's ,chapel10 in honor of ,jesse ,lee4 ,the bishop preached that evening at ,brother ,day's1 from ,rom4 xvi1 #bd1 the apostolic benediction1 8,the grace of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ be with you all4 ,amen40 ,the ,methodists had no house of worship then in ,norwalk4 ,many strong ,methodist ministers were born in this county3 ,nathan ,bangs1 ,d4,d41 ,heman ,bangs1 ,william ,thacher1 and many others4 ,we passed on through ,fairfield and ,bridgeport to ,stratford1 where we stayed at ,thaddeus ,peck's1 one of the bishop's old homes1 then through ,milford1 one of the oldest towns in the state1 to ,new ,haven1 the ,city of ,elms1 no doubt the most beautiful city in ,america2 and here is ,yale ,college1 one of the oldest in the land4 ,we were entertained here at ,pember ,jocelin's4 ,we journeyed on through beautiful towns to ,saybrook1 on the ,connecticut4 ,this received its name from ,lords ,say and ,brook1 who procured a large patent of land1 of which this was a part4 ,here the famous 8confession of faith0 was drawn up in #agjh known as the 8,saybrook ,platform40 ,there was much all along this route that was enchanting3 riding most of the time in view of ,long ,island ,sound1 then crossing the rivers and beholding the harbors1 then through neat and beautiful villages4 ,it was the last of ,may1 and the peach and other trees were in blossom4 ,everything looked beautiful3 flowers blooming1 birds singing1 nature having put on her loveliest robes1 and the air perfumed as if with sweet incense4 ,the bishop rode in a carriage and ,i on horseback4 ,the weather or something else had such an effect upon the bishop's horse that day that twice he started to run away1 and it was as much as he could do to hold him1 so he took ,henry's horse and rode on his back1 and ,henry rode in the chaise1 and had no difficulty in managing the bishop's horse4 ,in the evening we reached ,new ,london1 and put up with ,mr4 ,douglass4 ,the bishop preached at night to two hundred hearers from #a ,john ii1 #e2 ,i preached next morning1 at the early hour of five1 to one hundred hearers1 from ,matt4 v1 #f2 then we crossed the ,thames in a flat-bottomed sail-boat4 ,the wind being fair we were soon over4 ,journeying on1 we entered ,rhode ,island1 and crossed the beautiful ,narraganset ,bay to ,newport4 ,here we were the guests of ,samuel ,merwin1 the stationed minister4 ,he was a noble man1 then young and in his glory4 ,he was all courtesy and attention2 a ,christian gentleman4 ,the bishop preached at ,newport on ,sabbath morning and afternoon1 and ,i in the evening4 ,on ,monday we visited ,fort ,wolcott4 ,here the bishop preached to the soldiers from ,isaiah lv1 #f1 #g4 ,then we went to the school and the hospital1 talking and praying with the soldiers who were sick4 ,i addressed a number of ,german soldiers by themselves1 then ,i gave them the ,methodist ,german tracts1 a pamphlet on 8,the ,character of a ,methodist10 and the tract on 8,awake ,thou that ,sleepest10 etc4 ,among them was a young man named ,shellenbuerger1 a native of ,switzerland1 who had been taken from his friends at eleven years of age by ,napoleon ,bonaparte1 and then by the ,british2 afterward he came to ,america1 where he enlisted4 ,he was very serious1 and thankfully received the tracts4 ,captain ,beal had charge of the fort4 ,he was a fine man1 a ,christian gentleman1 a ,methodist4 ,the bishop greatly admired the order and discipline at the fort2 indeed1 he was an admirer of discipline everywhere1 in the family and in the ,church4 ,on we rode through various towns and villages1 preaching ,jesus1 till ,saturday1 when we reached ,boston1 and were there entertained by ,widow ,lewis4 ,we had but two chapels then in ,boston1 the 8,old0 and the 8,new40 ,the bishop preached in both1 and so did ,i4 ,elijah ,r4 ,sabin and ,philip ,munger were the stationed preachers in ,boston1 both good men and true4 ,the next day we went to ,waltham1 and were entertained by ,abram ,bemis4 ,he possessed much of the spirit of ,abram of old1 who was given to hospitality1 and who entertained strangers and sometimes angels4 ,george ,pickering married into this family4 ,there were four generations living in that house3 the great-grandfather1 ,abram ,bemis1 was in his ninety-second year2 and the oldest grandson1 ,asbury ,pickering1 was about twelve4 ,this was one of the leading families of ,methodism in ,new ,england4 ,the bishop preached here from #b ,peter iii1 #ad4 ,the next day found us at ,lynn1 the cradle of ,methodism in ,massachusetts4 ,the first ,methodist chapel was built here2 the first ,new ,england ,conference was held here2 and ,enoch ,mudge1 the first native preacher in ,new ,england1 was born here4 ,we put up with ,benjamin ,johnson4 ,the bishop preached on ,thursday from ,hab4 ii1 #c2 and ,i the next morning at five o'clock from ,psalm xxxiv1 #h1 8,o taste and see10 etc4 ,i have had the honor of preaching in the oldest house of worship in ,massachusetts1 as well as the oldest on the ,peninsula1 and the oldest in ,america4 ,we passed through many important places3 ,marblehead1 ,salem1 ,newburyport1 etc41 to ,portsmouth1 ,new ,hampshire4 ,this was my first introduction to the old ,granite ,state4 ,we put up at ,friend ,hutchins's1 and stayed over the ,sabbath1 the bishop preaching twice and ,i once4 ,on ,monday we started for ,monmouth1 in the ,province of ,maine4 7,maine was then attached to ,massachusetts1 and was not admitted into the ,union till #ahbj47 ,we fell in with ,john ,broadhead1 ,george ,pickering1 and ,elijah ,metcalf1 who were on their way to conference4 ,they were most excellent company4 ,we went as far as ,saco ,falls1 and as ,methodist homes were scarce we went on our own hook and put up at ,moody's tavern4 ,the day we reached ,monmouth we stopped at a tavern1 and the following scene is described by the ,rev4 ,ebenezer ,f4 ,newell3 8,after we had rested half an hour ,bishop ,asbury said1 #8,we must have prayers before we leave2 ,i will go and give notice to the landlord1 and some of you must pray4' ,i followed him to the bar-room to learn his way of proceeding in such a case4 ,he said1 #8,landlord1 we are going to have prayers in our room1 and if you or any of your family wish to attend we should be happy to have you4' #8,thank you1 sir1' he replied2 #8please wait until ,i speak not only to my family1 but my neighbors4' ,soon they flocked in2 we sung and prayed1 and melting mercy moved our hearts4 ,when our bill was called for we were told there was no demand against us1 and were requested to call again40#bc ,the course of the bishop surprised ,brother ,newell1 but to me it was almost an every-day occurrence in traveling4 ,it was ,asbury's invariable custom4 ,even the night before1 where we put up at the tavern1 the bishop proposed having prayers2 they objected1 but he insisted upon it1 so we had prayers both evening and morning4 ,on ,thursday1 ,june #af1 #ahji1 the ,new ,england ,conference commenced its session4 ,both ,asbury and ,m',kendree were present4 ,this was ,bishop ,m',kendree's first visit to ,new ,england as superintendent1 and everywhere he was regarded with peculiar interest4 ,we put up with a ,brother ,derbin4 ,there was peace and good order throughout the session from beginning to end4 ,there was a camp-meeting held in connection with the conference4 ,i preached on the camp-ground to about eight hundred on ,friday1 from ,matt4 xi1 #bh1 #bi4 ,doctor ,stevens in his ,memorials says3 8,m',kendree was present1 but we have no notice of the part he took in the proceedings40 ,perhaps ,i alone am left to supply the deficiency4 ,first1 he presided1 with dignity1 a part of the time4 ,secondly1 he preached two never-to-be-forgotten sermons3 the first on ,saturday at noon1 from ,rom4 vi1 #bb1 8,but now being made free from sin1 ye become servants to ,god1 and have your fruit unto holiness1 and the end everlasting life40 ,the dignity1 freedom1 fruit1 and end of a ,christian were dwelt upon1 after which ,bishop ,asbury ordained twenty-two deacons4 ,at three o'clock ,john ,broadhead preached from ,john iii1 #a1 8,behold what manner of love10 etc4 ,adopting love was his glorious theme1 which he handled in a workmanlike manner4 ,sunday was a high day in ,monmouth2 we had five sermons4 ,at six in the morning ,bishop ,m',kendree preached from ,rev4 ii1 #aj1 on fidelity unto death1 and its reward4 ,at ten ,bishop ,asbury preached in the grove to three thousand people1 from ,isaiah xliv1 #bc1 8,sing1 ,o ye heavens2 for the ,lord hath done it10 etc4 ,he regarded it as an 8open season40 ,my impression is that ,bishop ,m',kendree ordained the elders after this discourse4 ,this was their custom3 one ordained the deacons1 the other the elders4 ,then ,george ,pickering preached from ,luke xix1 #e1 on the talents given1 and man's responsibility4 ,at half past two ,martin ,ruter preached from ,job xix1 #be1 #bf1 8,for ,i know that my ,redeemer liveth10 etc4 ,job's knowledge of a living ,redeemer and the resurrection of the body at the last day was his theme4 ,these sermons were preached on the camp-ground to crowds4 ,there was great attention and solemnity1 and much good was done4 ,several professed to be converted4 ,at five o'clock ,i preached in the meeting-house from ,prov4 xviii1 #aj4 ,thus ended this memorable ,sabbath4 ,there were noble men at this conference3 two future bishops1 ,joshua ,soule and ,elijah ,hedding2 also ,john ,broadhead1 ,thomas ,branch1 ,elijah ,sabin1 and many others4 ,eighteen were received on trial1 among whom were ,george ,gary1 then a boy of fifteen1 but he was a boy with a man's head2 ,john ,lindsay1 whose praise is in the ,church2 and ,edward ,hyde of blessed memory4 ,joshua ,taylor was at this conference1 though ,i think he then held a local relation4 ,here ,bishops ,asbury and ,m',kendree separated for a season1 taking different routes1 expecting to meet at the ,western ,conference1 if not before4 ,thence we went to ,danville in ,vermont4 ,this was my introduction to the ,green ,mountain ,state4 ,on ,friday we accompanied ,solomon ,sias to the house of his mother1 an excellent woman4 ,i wrote1 8,we are weary1 but not forsaken40 ,we spent the ,sabbath and preached in that neighborhood4 ,in the evening ,i preached at ,widow ,sias's1 and ,john ,w4 ,hardy and ,solomon ,sias exhorted4 ,on ,tuesday the bishop preached in the meeting-house in ,danville1 while seated in a pew4 ,no wonder the bishop admired the scenery during our late route1 and wrote3 8,we have passed many a fertile hill1 and saw many fruitful vales1 through which flowed noble rivers40 ,on ,thursday we were at ,montpelier1 the capital of the state4 ,the bishop admired the fine state-house1 and said 8it was worthy of the seat of government of ,vermont20 and the splendid hotel1 which he said 8was an appropriate appendage to the state-house40 ,on ,friday the bishop preached at ,mr4 ,fuller's on ,lake ,champlain4 ,here he ordained ,joseph ,sampson an elder1 and sent him as a missionary to his countrymen in ,quebec4 ,sampson was a ,canadian ,frenchman1 and talked broken ,english4 ,in speaking of the ,lamb of ,god he could not think of the word1 so he said 8,god's mouton10 the ,french word for sheep4 ,he did not succeed in ,canada1 and afterward was a member of the ,philadelphia ,conference1 and on my district4 ,he was not a ,samson physically or mentally or theologically4 ,becoming unsound in doctrine1 and denying the divinity of ,christ1 he was expelled4 ,he appealed to the ,general ,conference1 and the decision of the ,philadelphia ,conference was confirmed4 ,on ,saturday we had the company of ,william ,anson1 presiding elder of ,ashgrove ,district1 who went with us through ,vergennes to ,bridport4 ,i found ,brother ,anson a most genial man4 ,he told me the ,congregationalists were the 8standing order0 of ministers in ,vermont1 and all were taxed to support them4 ,the ,methodists having to support their own ministry thought it was not fair1 so they petitioned the ,legislature to have the law repealed4 ,their petitions were treated with contempt1 and the inquiry was sneeringly made1 8,who are the ,methodists80 affecting to be ignorant of the existence of such a people4 ,the ,methodists in the state concluded that if this was the kind of treatment they were to receive it was time to show who they were2 so they and their friends had an understanding1 and at the election the next year there was1 to the astonishment of many1 a general turning over4 ,the new governor and ,legislature found out who the ,methodists were1 and the obnoxious law was repealed4 ,we tarried on ,sunday night with ,luther ,chamberlin1 who1 ,i believe1 was a relative of ,pamerly ,chamberlin1 late of the ,new ,york ,conference4 ,here we rested near the ruins of ,fort ,ticonderoga1 which was taken in #agge by ,colonel ,ethan ,allen of ,vermont 8in the name of the great ,jehovah and the ,continental ,congress40 ,this was the first fortress captured in the war of the ,revolution4 ,on ,tuesday we traveled along ,burgoyne's ,road to ,fort ,edward4 ,this was called ,burgoyne's ,road because he made it through the wilderness for the use of his army4 ,here the bishop preached in the store of ,dr4 ,lawrence to a large and attentive congregation4 ,he preached the next day at ,m',cready's barn from ,rom4 viii1 #a4 ,here were the ruins of an old fort built in #agee4 ,near here ,jane ,m',crea met with her tragical end1 being cruelly butchered by the ,indians4 ,here ,burgoyne's army waited six weeks for provisions1 and thus lost the best part of the season1 which seemed to be the beginning of his blunders4 ,we have now at ,fort ,edward a splendid literary institute4 ,the next day we rode by ,saratoga ,lake to ,ballston4 ,here the bishop preached in the bar-room of the tavern kept by ,general ,clark1 and he says 8had life and liberty40 ,it was not every minister that could adapt himself to every place in preaching like the bishop4 ,on ,saturday we visited the springs at ,ballston1 very celebrated then for the medicinal qualities of the waters4 ,the same day we rode forty miles to ,kingsbury4 ,here at a quarterly meeting we met ,bishop ,m',kendree with several preachers4 ,on ,sunday ,bishop ,asbury preached in a grove to a thousand people from ,matt4 xvii1 #e4 ,i preached immediately after from #a ,john i1 #i4 ,the bishop says in his journal1 8,brother ,boehm closed a meeting of three hours' continuance40 ,the next morning we started with the two bishops for ,cayuga ,lake4 ,for several days we traveled together4 ,bishop ,asbury preached1 ,bishop ,m',kendree exhorted1 and ,i closed with prayer4 ,we passed ,utica and reached ,cazenovia1 where ,bishop ,m',kendree parted with us to go to ,pittsburgh by ,lake ,erie1 and we took another route1 expecting to meet at the ,western ,conference4 ,we went to ,manlius ,square and to ,auburn4 ,the bishop wrote1 8,no food or rest to-day40 ,we had quite a variety the next day3 rain and mud and mud and rain4 ,we rode six miles to ,asa ,cummins's cabin1 a humble place twelve feet square1 but a warm reception within4 ,the next day found us on one of the head branches of the ,susquehanna1 which was greatly swollen with heavy rains1 so it was considered reckless to attempt to cross4 ,no wonder the bishop wrote1 8,we had an awful time on ,thursday in the woods among rocks and trees1 living and dead1 prostrate1 barring our way4 ,when we thought the bitterness of death was passed1 behold the back-water had covered the causeway40 ,this was about two miles below ,owego4 ,we worked our passage round the ,narrows with the utmost difficulty4 ,however1 we got safely through1 to the astonishment of the people1 particularly concerning our carriage4 ,a gentleman by the name of ,hathaway was very kind1 and rendered us much assistance4 ,on ,friday we rode to ,tioga ,point1 ,pennsylvania1 to ,dr4 ,hopkins's4 ,the ,susquehanna was so high we could not cross1 so the bishop preached in the academy from 8,seek ye the ,lord10 etc4 ,here he made this wonderful record1 and who can read it without deep emotion8 8,such roads1 such rains1 and such lodgings6 ,why should ,i stay in this land8 ,i have no possessions or babes to bind me to the soil4 ,what are called the comforts of life ,i rarely enjoy4 ,the wish to live an hour such a life as this would be strange to so suffering1 so toil-worn a wretch2 but ,god is with me1 and souls are my reward4 ,i might fill pages with this week's wonder40 ,dr4 ,stevens1 in his 8,memorials10 says1 8,it is a pity he didn't40 ,is it not wonderful that he recorded as much as he did under the circumstances8 ,i hope my journal will supply in some measure the deficiency4 ,i was not merely a spectator of the wonderful scenes he hints at1 but an actor4 ,in the daily sacrifices and toils and sufferings ,i shared4 ,to the bishop's every-day martyr-like sufferings ,i was a witness1 and it brings tears to my eyes now when ,i think of them4 ,our appointments were generally sent forward1 and here1 in consequence of heavy rains1 swollen rivers1 and muddy roads1 we were eighty miles behind our ,sabbath appointments4 ,on ,saturday1 as the waters had abated1 we crossed the ,susquehanna1 and rode to the mouth of ,wyoming ,creek1 and put up at ,stevens's tavern4 ,on ,sunday we attempted to reach the place where ,george ,lane was preaching1 but we missed it4 ,we met with an accident4 ,the bishop says1 8,brother ,boehm upset the sulky and broke the shaft40 ,the only wonder is we did not upset twenty times where we did once4 ,it was well ,i was in the sulky instead of the old bishop1 or he might have fared hard4 ,he might have had something worse than a 8broken shaft30 a broken limb or a broken neck4 ,this happened on ,sunday2 but we were traveling from necessity1 not from choice4 ,on ,monday we went through the ,narrows on the east side1 not without considerable danger2 then we crossed to the west side1 dined at our friend ,sutton's1 and came to ,widow ,dennison's at ,kingston4 ,this is the place where ,methodism was first introduced into ,wyoming4 ,my old colleague1 ,anning ,owen1 had the distinguished honor of being the pioneer4 ,this valley is far famed for its beauty4 ,campbell has immortalized it in song1 and it is embalmed in history4 ,at ,kingston we have now a splendid seminary4 ,the next morning we crossed to ,wilkesbarre1 a very fine place1 the seat of justice for ,luzerne ,county4 ,we have now a ,wyoming ,conference4 ,it did not look much like it then4 ,this region is now the garden of ,methodism4#bd ,,chapter ,,xxiii4 ,,second ,,annual ,,tour--,,western ,,and ,,southern ,,conference4 ,the relation of my first annual tour with ,asbury has convinced the reader that the office of a bishop was then no sinecure1 and that his traveling companion had something more to do than play the gentleman4 ,it indeed was toil1 intense toil1 as much so as soul and body could bear4 ,during the tour ,i visited all the conferences1 and preached the ,gospel in fifteen states1 and became acquainted with the great men of ,methodism in the ministry and laity1 ,east1 ,west1 ,north1 and ,south4 ,never was a mariner1 after a perilous voyage1 more rejoiced to get into harbor than we were to reach the old family mansion of my father4 ,we arrived there on ,friday1 ,july #bh1 #ahji1 but both my parents were from home1 therefore ,mr4 ,asbury concluded he would go right on1 and ,i got a friend to go with him a distance1 while ,i went to see my parents4 ,i could not bear the thought of being gone ten months without having an interview with them before ,i left4 ,they were infirm and ,i might never see them again4 ,i went to a camp-meeting near ,morgantown1 where ,i met my parents1 and they embraced me with joy4 ,i had been in seven different states besides the ,province of ,maine since ,i saw them4 ,mr4 ,asbury wrote3 8,on ,friday a thirty mile ride brought us to ,martin ,boehm's4 ,delightful rest6 but it may not be so40 ,the next morning found him on his way to ,lancaster4 ,at the camp-meeting ,i heard my father preach from ,luke on the ,gospel ,supper4 ,he preached in ,german2 ,i immediately after in ,english4 ,sabbath was a great day4 ,james ,smith preached in the morning on the peculiar doctrines of ,methodism1 in opposition to antinomianism2 ,i at noon from ,isaiah xxxii1 #ag2 then ,thomas ,burch4 ,the next day ,i went home with my parents1 remained a few hours1 and then bade them farewell till the next spring4 ,my next business was to overtake ,mr4 ,asbury1 who had gone on1 waiting for no one4 ,i did not overtake him till the third of ,august at ,james ,hunter's1 ,fort ,littleton4 ,i found him in a sad plight4 ,he was not able to stand1 preach1 kneel1 or pray4 ,he had needed both a traveling companion and a nurse4 ,suffering from rheumatism1 he had applied several blisters to relieve him4 ,he had put them on too strong1 and the remedy was worse than the disease4 ,camp-meetings he still zealously engaged in1 and said1 8,we must attend to them2 they make our harvest times40 ,in crossing the ,alleghanies we were in great danger1 and came near being dashed in pieces1 but were providentially preserved4 ,mr4 ,asbury wrote3 8,the hand of ,god was manifested to-day in saving man and horse from wreck2 the danger appeared exceeding great40 ,at ,berlin the ,german ,presbyterian minister caused the church-bell to be rung1 and ,mr4 ,asbury says3 8,brother ,boehm preached to them in high ,dutch40 ,on ,tuesday the #hth we rode thirty miles in a heavy mountain rain1 and were dripping wet4 ,we put up with a ,german4 ,mr4 ,asbury says3 8,we called a meeting1 and our exercises were in ,german4 ,we gave away religious tracts1 ,german and ,english4 ,we have disposed of many thousands of these2 it is our duty to do good in every possible way40 ,we were pioneers in circulating tracts4 ,the ,german tracts were those ,i had published in ,lancaster4 ,i preached in the ,german language every day1 and often in ,german and ,english at the same time4 ,on ,saturday we reached ,pike ,run camp-meeting4 ,here to our great joy we met ,bishop ,m',kendree4 ,on ,sunday morning ,i preached at eight o'clock on the profitableness of godliness4 ,bishop ,asbury preached at eleven1 from #b ,cor4 v1 #bj1 on the dignity and employment of the embassadors of ,christ4 ,the grove rang with his deep-toned voice4 ,bishop ,m',kendree preached at two o'clock from ,deut4 xxx1 #ai1 8,i call heaven and earth to record10 etc4 ,i wrote3 8,the work of ,god is progressing mightily among sinners1 mourners1 backsliders1 and believers40 ,the work went on until after midnight4 ,it then began to rain1 and continued until next day about noon1 when ,i preached on ,matt4 xi1 #bh1 #bi1 to the weary and heavy laden1 for there were many such on the ground4 ,at three o'clock ,bishop ,m',kendree preached again from #a ,cor4 xiii1 #ac1 on faith1 hope1 and charity4 ,such a time of power has seldom been witnessed4 ,i wrote3 8,the cries of mourners1 prayers1 shouting1 rejoicing1 etc41 were the uninterrupted exercises until after midnight4 ,some that were the companions of drunkards and persecutors in the first part of the meeting now swelled the number of mourners4 ,glory ,halleluiah6 ,the ,lord's supper was administered on ,tuesday1 after which ,bishop ,asbury delivered a profitable lecture40 ,he wrote3 8,it appears the bishops will hold a camp-meeting in every district4 ,we are encouraged so to do4 ,great power was manifested here1 and much good was done4 ,i will not say how ,i felt or how near heaven40 ,bishop ,m',kendree preached four times at this meeting4 ,on ,wednesday the #fth to ,brightwell's1 ,philip ,smith's1 and then en route for ,pittsburgh4 ,on ,thursday the cross-bar of that old sulky broke and brought us up all standing4 ,i do not wonder ,jacob ,gruber could not bear a sulky4 ,he thought they were sulky enough4 ,on ,friday evening we reached ,pittsburgh1 and stopped at ,brother ,john ,wrenshall's4 ,i preached at ,thomas ,cooper's on ,friday and ,saturday evenings4 ,on ,sunday ,bishop ,asbury preached at ,brother ,cooper's at eight o'clock from ,titus ii1 #aa-ad4 ,at twelve ,i preached in ,german in the same house from ,rom4 x1 #ab4 ,some felt the force and spirituality of the word4 ,i closed by giving the substance of the discourse in ,english4 ,my heart was much enlarged4 ,bishop ,asbury being invited to preach in the elegant ,presbyterian church1 did so at three o'clock from #b ,cor4 v1 #aa1 8,knowing therefore the terror of the ,lord we persuade men10 etc4 ,five hundred listened to his solemn persuasions4 ,at six ,i preached in ,brother ,wrenshall's yard to about three hundred attentive hearers from ,heb4 ii1 #a4 ,on we journeyed to ,zanesville1 where ,i preached in the ,court-house1 as we had no house of worship there then4 ,in ,new ,lancaster ,i preached in ,german1 and ,robert ,cloud exhorted after me4 ,this is the man who was so useful in the ,east1 and who was once under a cloud2 but he was doing better1 and the sun was once more shining upon him4 ,he had a son1 ,caleb ,w4 ,cloud1 a very good preacher1 a member of the ,western ,conference4 ,we went to ,chillicothe1 and were made welcome at ,dr4 ,edward ,tiffin's2 then to ,deer ,creek1 at ,white ,brown's4 ,here ,i saw ,stephen ,simmons1 who used to travel our circuit in ,lancaster ,county4 ,he had located and married the daughter of ,white ,brown4 ,on ,wednesday we reached ,peter ,pelham's4 ,i preached in ,german almost every day through this part of ,ohio4 ,on ,saturday1 ,september #bc1 we reached one of ,bishop ,asbury's best homes1 that of one of his dearest friends1 ,philip ,gatch4 ,while the bishop rested there ,i took a tour among the ,germans4 ,some of them had not heard preaching in their own tongue since they left their native land4 ,tears flowed from many eyes1 and they heard with delight the word of life4 ,what has ,god wrought since among the ,germans6#be ,on the #bhth we reached ,cincinnati1 the seat of the ,western ,conference4 ,,first ,,conference ,,in ,,cincinnati4 ,on ,saturday1 ,september #cj1 #ahji1 the ,western ,conference commenced its session in ,cincinnati4 ,this was the first conference held in what has since become the ,queen ,city of the ,west4 ,we were kindly entertained by ,oliver ,spencer1 ,esq4 ,when a boy he was taken captive by the ,indians1 and his early history is full of wild romance and sober truth4 ,there were some splendid men at this conference1 who were destined1 under ,god1 to lay the foundations of ,methodism in what is now the mighty ,west4 ,i heard some excellent preaching here4 ,the evening before conference began ,i heard ,miles ,harper on 8,set thine house in order10 etc4 ,he was one of their strong men4 ,i preached on ,saturday from ,john i1 #aa1 #ab1 and ,brother ,lakin exhorted4 ,the ,lord was eminently nigh4 ,several souls professed to find the ,lord in the pardon of their sins4 ,the ,lord's day was a high day in ,zion4 ,we had four sermons4 ,the first from ,learner ,blackman on ,judges iii1 #bj1 8,i have a message from ,god unto thee40 ,it was a message of light and truth and power4 ,at noon ,bishop ,m',kendree preached on a favorite subject1 ,prov4 i1 #bc1 8,turn you at my reproof10 etc4 ,at three ,william ,burke on #a ,john i1 #i1 8,if we confess our sins10 etc4 ,a mighty preacher was ,william ,burke in his palmy days4 ,he wielded a tremendous power in the pulpit1 and in the conference he was then the master-spirit4 ,in the evening ,caleb ,w4 ,cloud preached from the same text ,i had taken the evening before4 ,this was a day of feasting for my soul and many others4 ,on ,monday ,james ,quinn preached at noon from ,heb4 xxiv1 #bf on ,moses's choice and ,moses's reward4 ,a wonderful man was ,james ,quinn when he got the baptism of power4 ,i wrote1 8,the ,lord is with us both in the conference and the congregation40 ,on ,tuesday at noon ,bishop ,asbury preached an ordination sermon from ,titus ii1 #g1 #h1 8,in all things showing thyself a pattern of good works40 ,it was a most impressive discourse1 and was owned of ,god4 ,at noon on ,wednesday ,bishop ,m',kendree preached on faith1 hope1 and charity4 ,our souls were richly fed with celestial manna4 ,at night ,daniel ,hitt1 the book agent1 preached on 8,pray for us1 that the word of ,god may have free course10 etc4 ,on ,thursday ,i preached at noon from ,matt4 v1 #bj2 on ,friday ,william ,burke preached from ,isaiah xl1 #a1 8,comfort ye1 comfort ye my people1 saith your ,god20 a sermon full of consolation4 ,james ,quinn preached at night4 ,on ,saturday ,samuel ,parker preached at noon from #a ,john i1 #c1 8,that which we have seen and heard declare we unto you10 etc4 ,this was an eloquent discourse1 delivered in the sweetest spirit1 making a powerful impression4 ,he presented some fine thoughts on our union with the ,father and the ,son1 and that all the divine attributes are engaged for our good2 also the blessed effects of fellowship with the people of ,god4 ,on ,sunday1 the #hth1 ,bishop ,asbury preached in the morning at nine1 ,learner ,blackman in the afternoon at three1 and ,samuel ,parker in the evening4 ,the sermons were all good1 but ,samuel ,parker's excelled4 ,his text was ,phil4 iii1 #aj1 8,that ,i may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings1 being made conformable unto his death40 ,over fifty years have passed away since ,i heard him1 and yet the image of the eloquent ,parker is before me1 and ,i remember with what overwhelming pathos he dwelt on the 8fellowship of his sufferings40 ,the word ran through the audience like electricity1 tears flowed1 and shouts were heard4 ,it was a most appropriate sermon for the last before the conference adjourned4 ,it prepared the ministers for the work of suffering with their ,lord if they would reign with him4 ,bishop ,asbury then delivered to the ,methodists in ,cincinnati a farewell address1 which was not only able and ingenious1 but truly affecting4 ,we had spent two ,sabbaths there1 and on the morrow were to take our departure4 ,i heard fifteen sermons at this conference from the master minds of the ,west1 men who were giving tone and character to ,methodism through all that vast region4 ,the bishop does not name a text or theme that any of the ministers used at that conference2 mine may be the only record there is4 ,to the ,methodists in ,cincinnati1 where so many conferences have since been held1 it may be of interest to know the ministers who preached at the first conference there1 and the texts they used on the occasion4 ,seventeen were admitted on trial at this conference1 among whom were ,moses ,crume and ,william ,winans4 ,the latter became a giant in the south and south-west4 ,eight elders were ordained1 among others ,samuel ,parker1 ,john ,collins1 ,miles ,harper1 and ,peter ,cartwright4 ,these were mighty men4 ,peter ,cartwright is the only one living4 ,three of the prominent ministers in this conference were from ,new ,jersey3 ,parker1 ,blackman1 and ,collins4 ,john ,collins did wonders for ,methodism in the ,west4 ,his life1 abounding with thrilling incidents1 has been written by the late ,judge ,m',lean1 to which ,i refer the reader4 ,,samuel ,,parker has been called the ,cicero of the ,west4 ,he was born in #aggd1 and early learned the business of a cabinet-maker4 ,at the age of fourteen he gave his heart to the ,saviour4 ,in #ahje he joined the itinerancy1 and after being in the work fifteen years1 fell at his post4 ,he volunteered to go to ,mississippi1 and died there of consumption in ,december1 #ahai1 and was buried near ,washington in that ,state4 ,his name at the ,west will ever be fragrant4 ,william ,winans was deeply indebted to him1 loving him as a father1 for ,mr4 ,parker was his counselor and friend1 and gave him his first license to preach4 ,there was nothing prepossessing in his appearance2 his face was very thin1 and his countenance dull1 till he became animated with the truths he preached4 ,his voice was uncommonly melodious2 it was soft1 rich1 sweet4 ,he was a very superior singer2 but it was as a pulpit orator he excelled1 and will long be remembered4 ,,episcopal ,,tour ,,from ,,cincinnati ,,to ,,south ,,carolina ,,conference4 ,with regret we bade farewell to our kind friends in ,cincinnati and started for the ,south ,carolina ,conference1 several of the preachers with us4 ,we entered ,kentucky on ,tuesday1 and at midnight the bishop called us up1 and we traveled twenty-five miles to ,mount ,gerizim1 where he had an appointment4 ,bishop ,m',kendree here preached a sweet sermon from 8,is it well with thee80 ,he used to inquire of his dying sister1 ,frances ,moore1 whom ,i knew very well1 8,is it well with thee80 and when he was himself on his deathbed he exclaimed1 8,all is well40 ,bishop ,asbury preached from 8,suffer the word of exhortation10 and then ordained a person4 ,on ,thursday we reached ,martin's meeting-house1 called so from ,major ,martin1 with whom we stayed2 sometimes it was called 8,ebenezer40 ,bishop ,asbury preached from ,psalm lxxxv1 #a-i4 ,the reader will recollect what ,i have said about the bishop liking a long text4 ,there had been considerable excitement among the local preachers in this part of the country on the subject of ordination4 ,the bishops had a number of them convened here by previous appointment1 and they held what ,bishop ,asbury called a 8,conciliatory ,conference40 ,the next day1 at the same place1 ,bishop ,m',kendree preached a characteristic sermon from 8,he that endureth to the end20 then ,i held forth1 then ,daniel ,hitt1 then ,bishop ,asbury4 ,he says1 8,i embraced various subjects in my exhortation40 ,it was a very able address on the qualifications and duties of ministers4 ,we rode a number of miles the next morning before breakfast1 and there ,bishop ,m',kendree left us for ,cumberland1 accompanied by ,thomas ,lasley1 who was his traveling companion4#bf ,we forded the ,kentucky and came to ,john ,bennett's1 a very fine man and family1 having a meeting-house called after him4 ,on ,sabbath the bishop preached at ,bennett's meeting-house on ,john iii1 #ai1 #bj4 ,we left ,kentucky and entered ,tennessee1 crossing rivers and climbing mountains4 ,can we wonder the bishop wrote3 8,my mind and body have had no small exercise in bringing my stiff-jointed horse over the rocks and rough and deep roads40 ,crossing the ,french ,broad1 we reached ,barnett's ,tavern4 ,the old landlord was very sick and like to die4 ,the bishop1 who was a physician when necessary1 always carrying medicine with him1 gave ,mr4 ,barnett a dose that almost instantly relieved him1 and he fell asleep4 ,he was so thankful he would receive nothing for our entertainment4 ,the bishop writes3 8,eight times within nine years have ,i crossed these ,alps40 ,well might he call those high mountains the ,alps4 ,never can ,i forget the toils over those mountains1 rocks1 hills1 stumps1 trees1 streams1 awful roads1 and dangerous passes4 ,we crossed to ,buncombe1 ,north ,carolina1 preaching every day4 ,in ,south ,carolina we attended a number of quarterly meetings with that excellent man of ,god1 long since gone to his rest1 ,lewis ,myers4 ,there were glorious revivals through the ,south this year1 and the bishop's soul greatly rejoiced4 ,he wrote3 8,great news1 great times in ,georgia2 rich and poor coming to ,christ40 ,again3 8,the ,methodists have great success on ,camden ,district2 surely there must be some good done2 all are on fire1 and ,i feel the flame6 ,god is with preachers and people40 ,on ,tuesday1 ,november #ba1 we stayed with ,william ,gassoway1 a noble old preacher1 universally esteemed4 ,he joined as early as #aghh4 ,he was ,william ,capers's first colleague4 ,we had a very severe snow-storm4 ,it was cold and chilly1 and we reached ,waxsaw and put up with ,robert ,hancock4 ,almost every prominent ,methodist man had a meeting-house named after him3 so we had a 8,hancock ,chapel40 ,on ,saturday ,i preached in this chapel on ,john xiii1 #ce1 and ,brother ,william ,capers followed with a charming exhortation4 ,the bishop preached the next day in the chapel4 8,the next day on the south side of the ,catawba river1 piloted by ,brother ,william ,capers1 who is a promising young man about twenty40 ,so ,i wrote over fifty years ago4 ,we had a delightful interview with ,capers at ,robert ,hancock's1 as well as the privilege of traveling with him many days4 ,william ,capers1 in his ,autobiography1 7pp4 #aac-aae17 has described what took place at ,robert ,hancock's1 and made such honorable mention of ,bishop ,asbury and his traveling companion that ,i transcribe it for my work now the writer is in his grave3 8,at the close of the year #ahji ,bishop ,asbury passed through my circuit on his way to conference1 and it was arranged for me to meet him at ,waxsaw1 7,general ,jackson's birthplace17 and attend him along a somewhat circuitous route to ,camden4 ,i met him at the house of that most estimable man and worthy local preacher1 ,robert ,hancock1 who had been more than a friend to me1 even a father1 from the beginning4 ,the bishop was then accompanied by the ,rev4 ,henry ,boehm as his traveling companion1 so long afterward known in the ,philadelphia ,conference as one of the purest and best of ,methodist ministers1 and whose society ,i found to be as #8the dew of ,hermon4' ,this was the last of my itinerant year on the ,wateree ,circuit2 and as ,i have had quite enough of the disagreeable in my account of it1 ,i will end the chapter 7perhaps more to your liking7 with an anecdote of my first night and last night on the trip with the bishop4 ,i met him when a heavy snow had just fallen1 and the north-west wind blowing hard made it extremely cold4 ,the snow had not been expected1 and our host was out of wood1 so that we had to use what had been picked up from under the snow1 and was damp and incombustible4 ,our bed-room was aloft1 with a fireplace in it1 and plenty of wood2 but how to make the wood burn was the question4 ,i had been at work blowing and blowing long before bed-time1 till1 to my mortification1 the aged bishop came up1 and there was still no fire to warm him4 #8,o ,billy1 sugar1' said he as he approached the fireplace1 #8never mind it2 give it up2 we will get warm in bed4' ,and then stepping to his bed as if to ascertain the certainty of it1 and lifting the bed-clothes1 he continued1 #8yes1 yes1 give it up1 sugar2 blankets are plenty4' ,so ,i gave it up1 thinking the play of my pretty strong lungs might disturb his devotions1 for he was instantly on his knees4 8,well1 thought ,i1 this is too bad4 ,but how for the morning8 ,bishop ,asbury rises at four--two hours before day--and what shall ,i do for a fire then8 ,no light wood1 and nothing dry4 ,but it occurred to me that the coals put in the midst of the simmering wood might dry it sufficiently to keep fire and prepare it for kindling in the morning2 so ,i gave it up4 ,but then how might ,i be sure of waking early enough to kindle a fire at four o'clock8 ,my usual hour had been six4 ,and to meet this difficulty ,i concluded to wrap myself in my overcoat1 and lie on the bed without using the bed-clothes4 ,in this predicament ,i was not likely to over sleep myself on so cold a night2 but there might be danger of my not knowing what hour it was when ,i happened to awake4 ,nap after nap was dreamed away as ,i lay shivering in the cold1 till ,i thought it must be four o'clock2 and then creeping softly to the chimney1 and applying the breath of my live bellows1 ,i held my watch to the reluctant coals to see the hour4 ,i had just made it out1 when the same soft accents saluted me3 #8,go to bed1 sugar1 it is hardly three o'clock yet4' 8,this may do for the first night1 and the last was as follows3 ,it had rained heavily through the night1 and we slept near enough to the shingles for the benefit of the composing power of its pattering upon them4 ,it was past four o'clock and the bishop was awake1 but #8,billy sugar' lay fast asleep2 so he whispered to ,brother ,boehm not to disturb me1 and the fire was made4 ,they were dressed1 had had their devotions1 and were at their books before ,i was awake4 ,this seemed shockingly out of order1 and my confusion was complete as1 waking and springing out of bed1 ,i saw them sitting before a blazing fire4 ,i could scarcely say good-morning1 and the bishop1 as if he might have been offended at my neglect1 affected not to hear it4 ,boehm1 who knew him better1 smiled pleasantly as ,i whispered in his ear1 #8,why didn't you wake me8' ,the bishop seemed to hear this1 and closing his book and turning to me with a look of downright mischief1 had an anecdote for me4 #8,i was traveling1' said he1 #8quite lately1 and came to a circuit where we had one of our good boys4 ,o1 he was so good6 and the weather was as cold as it was the other night at ,brother ,hancock's1 and as ,i was ,bishop ,asbury1 he got up in the bitter cold at three o'clock to make a fire for me2 and what do you think8 ,he slept last night till six4' ,and he tickled at it as if he might have been a boy himself4 ,and this was that ,bishop ,asbury whom ,i have heard called austere1 a man confessedly who never shed tears1 and who seldom laughed1 but whose sympathies were1 nevertheless1 as soft as a sanctified spirit might possess40 ,we next went to ,camden and stayed with ,james ,jenkins4 ,bishop ,asbury baptized his daughter1 ,elizabeth ,asbury ,jenkins1 perpetuating not only the bishop's name1 but his mother's also4 ,on ,sunday at eleven ,bishop ,asbury preached at ,camden from ,rev4 xxii1 #ad1 on the blessedness of doing his commandment4 ,i preached at three on ,acts v1 #b1 after which the bishop addressed himself to the people of color4 ,he was a great friend of the colored race1 whom he called his 8black sheep40 ,i held forth in the evening from #a ,peter iv1 #g4 ,it was a day of marrow and fat things4 ,on ,tuesday we went to ,father ,rembert's on ,black ,river4 ,on ,wednesday the bishop preached to the negroes of ,henry ,young1 who were called together to hear him4 ,we then had free access both to the master and the slave4 ,on ,sunday there was a quarterly meeting at ,rembert's for the ,santee ,circuit4 ,i preached on ,saturday1 and ,john and ,james ,capers exhorted4 ,on ,sunday the bishop preached from ,matt4 xiv1 #ce1 then ,joseph ,tarpley and ,lewis ,hobbs exhorted4 ,the meeting lasted five hours4 ,at night ,i held forth on ,heb4 ii1 #a4 ,on ,monday we started for ,charleston4 ,the roads were muddy in the extreme1 the rivers high1 and we had swamps to go through2 but ,wednesday evening brought us to the goodly city4 ,on ,tuesday of next week ,bishop ,m',kendree arrived with his traveling companion1 ,thomas ,lasley4 ,we had preaching nearly every night4 ,the ,south ,carolina ,conference commenced on ,saturday1 ,december #bc4 ,it was a very pleasant session4 ,preaching three times a day on ,sunday1 and in all the churches in the evening1 and in the ,bethel ,church every morning at eleven4 ,on ,monday1 being ,christmas1 ,i preached in ,cumberland ,church to a large audience on ,luke ii1 #ae4 ,thomas ,lasley exhorted4 ,it was a time of refreshing from the presence of the ,lord4 ,there were several conversions during the conference4 ,the closing scene was peculiarly affecting4 ,on ,friday1 just before adjournment1 the ,lord's supper was administered4 ,it was a most melting time4 ,no wonder ,i wrote1 8,o my soul1 never forget this melting1 soul-animating time of the power of ,god40 ,the excellent ,william ,capers1 with fifteen others1 was received on trial2 ,joseph ,travis1 with a number of others1 was ordained deacon2 ,lovick ,pierce and his brother ,reddick1 and ,james ,russell1 with three more1 were ordained elders4 ,,chapter ,,xxiv4 ,,tour ,,to ,,virginia1 ,,baltimore1 ,,and ,,philadelphia ,,conferences4 ,again we turn our faces toward the ,north4 ,the first night we were the guests of a brother of ,bishop ,m',kendree1 who was overjoyed to see us1 and treated us in a friendly manner4 ,we went to ,newbern1 ,n4 ,c41 and on ,sunday had four sermons3 ,thomas ,lasley preached at sunrise from ,gen4 xlix1 #aj1 8,the scepter shall not depart10 etc42 ,bishop ,asbury at eleven from ,heb4 xii1 #a1 #b4 ,the race1 the witnesses1 the judge1 and the prize1 were the topics he dwelt upon4 ,at three ,bishop ,m',kendree from ,jer4 iv1 #ad1 8,o ,jerusalem10 etc4 ,brother ,merritt at night from #a ,tim4 ii1 #bb1 8,flee youthful lusts10 etc4 ,on ,friday ,bishop ,m',kendree left us to go direct to ,norfolk1 and ,bishop ,asbury and ,i went out of our direct route to ,edenton4 ,we borrowed two horses1 that our tired animals might rest1 and arrived at ,edenton after dark4 ,well might ,mr4 ,asbury inquire1 8,are we riding for life80 ,it was exceedingly cold1 and ,i suffered severely4 ,we stayed at ,william ,hankins's4 ,in the evening ,i walked to the church and preached1 and in returning took a cold that had like to have cost me my life4 ,on ,sabbath there was a tremendous snow-storm4 ,so after all our pains the bishop preached to only six men and twelve women4 ,in the evening ,i preached to the ,africans4 ,we never forgot these sable children4 ,during this route ,i suffered more than the martyrs4 ,for a fortnight ,i had high fevers every night2 and then riding all day in the cold1 my sufferings were intolerable4 ,i became so weak that ,i had to be helped on to my horse1 and then1 though ,i could hardly sit upon him1 rode thirty and forty miles a day1 with cold winds beating upon me4 ,bishop ,asbury describes our route3 8,my flesh complains of cold riding and the labor of preaching4 ,may ,i be made perfect through sufferings6 ,saturday brought us through rain and snow1 without eating or prayer1 to ,william ,birdsong's4 ,on ,monday1 ,february #e1 we wrought our solitary way through the woods to ,allen's bridge4 ,the ,widow ,pennington received us4 ,her husband is dead1 she is sick1 her children irreligious4 ,o misery6 ,o mercy6444 ,we have passed like a mail through ,south and ,north ,carolina4 ,i solemnly sympathize with my dear ,brother ,boehm4 ,he has suffered greatly in his journey2 an awful cough and fevers4 ,lord1 what is life80 ,from this ,i think the bishop doubted my recovery4 ,my sufferings can never be told4 ,the day we rode to ,petersburgh we stopped to rest in the woods1 and ,i lay down upon a log1 for ,i was too weak to sit up4 ,the time came to start1 and ,i told the bishops 7,bishop ,m',kendree had now rejoined us7 to go on and leave me there4 ,i felt as if ,i would rather die on that log than go on4 ,they were all attention and full of sympathy4 ,bishop ,m',kendree prepared me a little medicine1 and ,i drank it1 and then ate a little4 ,they lifted me from the log on to my horse1 and in this plight ,i rode to ,petersburgh4 ,when we arrived there1 about sundown1 ,i was so weak they had to lift me from my horse and carry me into the house4 ,the ride was most tedious and painful4 ,at ,petersburgh we found a kind home at ,sister ,harden's4 ,the ,virginia ,conference commenced its session in ,petersburgh on ,thursday1 ,february #h1 #ahaj2 but ,i was so sick that it was six days before ,i could go to the conference room4 ,on ,friday ,bishop ,m',kendree1 seeing how ill ,i was1 took me into his room1 and was my nurse and physician4 ,he administered medicine to me1 and watched over me with all the kindness of a father4 ,if ,i had been his only son he could not have treated me more tenderly4 ,when he was under the necessity of being absent1 his traveling companion1 ,thomas ,lasley1 continued with me1 and was very attentive and kind4 ,the family we put up with were all kindness and affection4 ,what a debt of gratitude ,i owe them6 8,i was a stranger1 and they took me in40 ,under ,god ,i owe the preservation of my life to ,bishop ,m',kendree4 ,blessed man6 ,i had often waited on him1 for he was frequently an invalid4 ,on his first episcopal tour he was afflicted with asthma1 and needed much attention1 and it afforded me great pleasure when ,i could do anything to relieve him4 ,sometimes he could not lie down1 and suffered exceedingly4 ,and yet ,i have often thought his continental tours were a great benefit to him1 and prolonged his life4 ,the open air and the exercise on horseback did him good4 ,on ,wednesday1 the #adth1 ,i was able to go to the conference room4 ,then ,i heard ,bishop ,asbury preach an ordination sermon from 8,lo1 ,i am with you alway10 etc4 ,it was full of instruction and encouragement to ,christian ministers4 ,immediately after the sermon ,bishop ,m',kendree ordained the elders4 ,in the afternoon ,i heard a profitable sermon from ,edward ,dromgoole4 ,the next day at noon the conference adjourned1 and immediately ,bishop ,asbury and ,i started for ,richmond4 ,i left ,petersburgh with a heart overwhelmed with gratitude4 ,i wrote1 8,the ,lord made use of ,bishop ,m',kendree in saving my life4 ,may the ,lord abundantly bless him2 also this kind family40 ,forward we went to ,richmond1 then to ,fredericksburgh1 through heavy rain and deep mud1 not the best weather for an invalid4 ,here the bishop preached4 ,onward through ,dumfries1 one of the oldest places in ,virginia4 ,mud1 mud1 mud6 deeper1 and still deeper1 till we were in danger of being stuck4 ,at ,alexandria the bishop preached from1 8,if any man speak10 etc4 ,we went thence to ,georgetown to ,henry ,foxall's4 ,speaking of ,washington city1 the bishop exclaimed1 8,o what a world of bustle and show we have here60 ,if he thought so in #ahaj1 what would he think if he could revisit ,washington city in #ahfe8 ,jesse ,lee was then chaplain to the ,house of ,representatives4 ,i went with him to the capitol4 ,he first prayed in the ,house of ,representatives1 and then we went to the ,senate1 and there he offered prayer4 ,he and the chaplain to the ,senate took turns1 praying alternate weeks in both houses4 ,lee was much respected as chaplain4 ,his prayers at that time were short1 fervent1 and patriotic4 ,in coming north with ,bishop ,asbury in #ahaj1 at the south of ,washington we met ,john ,randolph1 that peculiar genius and unequaled orator of ,roanoke4 ,he was riding1 and had his dogs with him in the carriage4 ,he always thought much of his dogs1 and took them with him to ,washington4 ,his complexion was very dark1 and his eyes were black4 ,on ,saturday1 ,february #bd1 we reached ,baltimore1 and put up with ,sister ,dickins4 ,then ,i went to see my father1 and he went with me to the ,baltimore ,conference4 ,he loved to attend the conference1 and wished another interview with his life-time friends1 ,bishops ,asbury and ,otterbein4 ,on ,lord's day ,i heard my aged father preach in ,otterbein's ,church from #a ,cor4 iv1 #bj1 8,for the kingdom of ,god is not in word10 etc4 ,of course it was in ,german4 ,at three o'clock my colleague1 ,jacob ,gruber1 preached in ,otterbein's ,church1 from ,john v1 #be1 on the spiritual resurrection4 ,it was a lovely sight to behold the venerable ,otterbein1 my aged father1 and ,newcomber1 all together worshiping in such delightful harmony4 ,on ,wednesday evening ,i preached at ,otterbein's ,church1 on ,matt4 xi1 #bh1 #bi1 in my mother tongue4 ,my father concluded with an impressive exhortation and prayer4 ,this was my father's last visit to ,baltimore1 his last interview with ,otterbein1 and the last time he ever attended an annual conference4 ,twelve were received on trial at this conference2 among them ,john ,davis1 long an ornament to the ,baltimore ,conference and a pillar in the temple of ,methodism2 and ,john ,w4 ,bond1 the last traveling companion of ,bishop ,asbury4 ,among the elders ordained were ,gerard ,morgan1 7father of ,n4 ,j4 ,b4 and ,l4 ,f4 ,morgan17 ,job ,guest1 and ,alfred ,griffith1 who has recently retired from the work4 ,the bishop wrote thus3 8,if we want plenty of good eating and new suits of clothes1 let us come to ,baltimore2 but we want souls40#bg ,this will give an idea of our entertainment in ,baltimore4 ,the conference adjourned on ,saturday1 ,march #ag1 and ,bishops ,asbury and ,m',kendree1 and my father and ,thomas ,lasley1 immediately left for ,perry ,hall1 where ,sister ,gough treated us with the usual kindness4 ,on ,monday we rode to ,henry ,watters's at ,deer ,creek4 ,he was seventy-two years old when we were there4 ,he was a brother of ,william ,watters1 and in this house ,william was born and converted4 ,one of the earliest ,methodist churches in ,maryland was erected on the farm of ,henry ,watters4 ,it was in this chapel the famous conference was held in #aggg1bh when the ,english preachers1 with the exception of ,mr4 ,asbury1 gave up the field1 and returned to their native country4 ,the old homestead is still in possession of the family of ,henry ,watters1 ,esq41 the oldest son4 ,he is a class-leader in the ,church4 ,what imperishable memories cluster around the sweet rural mansion where ,pilmoor and ,boardman1 ,coke and ,asbury1 so often lodged and prayed6#bi ,this was ,bishop ,asbury's last visit to ,deer ,creek and to the ,watters family4 ,he was here the year after he arrived in ,america1 namely1 #aggb1 and often afterward1 and had witnessed thrilling scenes4 ,he wrote mournfully1 in his journal1 8,i parted at ,deer ,creek 7ah1 when to meet again67 with aged ,father ,boehm and my ancient friend1 ,henry ,watters40 ,it was his last interview with his friend ,watters4 ,my father and the bishop met but once more4 ,i accompanied the bishop through the ,peninsula before the session of the ,philadelphia ,conference4 ,on ,thursday1 at ,elkton1 ,i heard ,bishop ,m',kendree and ,george ,pickering preach4 ,the latter was raising money for a church in ,boston1 so he came to the ,peninsula1 the garden of ,methodism1 for sympathy and funds4 ,he found both1 as the sequel will show4 ,this was ,bishop ,m',kendree's first tour through the ,peninsula4 ,we went to ,bohemia ,manor1 where there was preaching1 and we were entertained by ,richard ,bassett4 ,we continued traveling and preaching every day4 ,on ,saturday at ,friendship meeting-house4 ,sunday1 at ,smyrna1 ,bishop ,asbury preached from #b ,chron4 xxxii1 #be1 #bf1 8,but ,hezekiah rendered not again according to the benefit done unto him10 etc4 ,george ,pickering spoke afterward1 and then a noble collection was taken for the ,boston ,chapel4 ,here ,bishop ,asbury wandered among the tombs1 and his heart was affected as he looked at the graves of those he loved1 and with whom he had worshiped years before4 ,on ,monday we were at ,dover1 and the bishop preached in the chapel4 ,mournfully he wrote3 8,most of my old friends in this quarter have fallen asleep40 ,we went to ,barratt's ,chapel1 where ,george ,pickering preached on 8,by whom shall ,jacob arise10 etc42 then ,bishop ,asbury1 on ,heb4 x1 #ch4 ,we stayed with ,andrew ,barratt1 ,esq41 son of ,philip ,barratt4 ,onward we went till we reached the ,sound ,chapel1 and after the bishop preached we stopped with my old friend1 ,arthur ,williams4 ,we had ridden fourteen hundred and sixty-six miles on horseback since we left ,charleston4 ,we went to ,snow ,hill4 ,the bishop wrote3 8,lodged at ,samuel ,porter's1 the steward of the circuit2 he is a solemn man in his appearance1 as an official character ought to be40 ,on ,tuesday bishop ,m',kendree preached at eleven at ,captain ,downing's1 and ,bishop ,asbury at night4 ,on ,wednesday1 ,april #aa1 at ,curtiss's ,chapel1 and then went to ,francis ,waters1 ,esq41 at ,potato ,neck4 ,he was a sterling man and a sterling ,methodist4 ,he was the father of ,francis ,waters1 ,d4,d41 and of the wife of ,freeborn ,garrettson1 ,esq41 of ,rhinebeck1 ,n4 ,y4 ,the bishop here wrote3 8,i rode to ,francis ,waters's at ,potato ,neck4 ,they kept me busy3 ,i must preach2 ,i am senior2 ,i have been long absent2 some never expected to hear me again2 possibly ,i may never come again4 ,i am reminded that such and such ,i dandled in my lap4 ,the rich1 too1 thirty years ago1 would not let me approach them2 now ,i visit and preach to them4 ,and the ,africans1 dear affectionate souls1 bond and free1 ,i must preach to them40 ,next day we preached at ,potato ,neck1 and lodged with ,lazarus ,maddox4 ,he was one of the best men ,i ever met with4 ,on ,monday ,bishop ,asbury preached at ,ennalls's ,chapel1 and we dined with my early friend1 the widow of ,harry ,ennalls4 ,i have given but a part of this memorable tour through the ,peninsula4 ,everywhere the bishops were hailed as holy apostles1 everywhere they preached with power4 ,on ,thursday1 ,april #ah1 the ,philadelphia ,conference commenced its session in ,easton1 ,maryland4 ,here the early ,methodist ministers were persecuted4 ,joseph ,hartly was imprisoned1 but he felt the 8word of ,god was not bound10 and through the grates of his jail he 8preached deliverance to the captives10 and many were converted1 and the persecutors liberated the prisoner for fear he would convert the whole county4 ,there was a camp-meeting connected with the conference4 ,there was much feeling under a sermon preached by ,bishop ,asbury from #a ,peter ii1 #ba-bc1 on the example of ,jesus4 ,a number were converted on the camp-ground4 ,john ,emory1 afterward bishop1 and ,laurence ,laurenson1 were received on trial with others4 ,this was one of the most harmonious conferences ,i have ever attended4 ,bishop ,asbury was delighted1 as will appear by the following3 8,what a grand and glorious time we have had6 how kind and affectionate the people60 ,on ,friday the conference adjourned4 ,my appointment was read off thus3 8,henry ,boehm travels with ,bishop ,asbury40 ,on ,saturday we went to ,henry ,down's at ,tuckahoe4 ,bishop ,asbury and he were bosom friends4 ,we rode fifty miles this day to ,dover1 and ,bishop ,m',kendree preached in the evening4 ,we stayed at ,richard ,bassett's4 ,bishop ,m',kendree preached at ,dover on ,sunday1 the #bb;d1 at eleven1 and ,asbury immediately after4 ,then ,i went to ,smyrna1 and ,bishop ,m',kendree preached there4 ,have such laborious bishops been seen since the days of the apostles8 ,we went to ,chester1 where ,bishop ,asbury preached the funeral sermon of ,mary ,withey4 ,chester is the most ancient town and county seat in ,pennsylvania4 ,very early ,william ,penn was here1 and ,whitefield preached in this place to thousands4 ,here lived ,mary ,withey4 ,she was a woman of superior talents1 and kept one of the best public houses in ,america4 ,as early as #agih ,i was her guest with ,dr4 ,chandler1 and was often at her house in after years4 ,her husband during the ,revolutionary ,war was for ,king ,george2 she was for ,america1 a decided ,whig4 ,washington was often her guest1 and she took great pains to entertain him well1 ,mr4 ,asbury early became acquainted with her1 and in #ahjj was at her house with ,bishop ,whatcoat1 and he wrote thus3 8,on ,saturday we dined with ,mary ,withey1 now raised above her doubts1 and rejoicing in ,god4 ,through her instrumentality a small society is raised up in ,chester1 and she hath fed the ,lord's prophets twenty-eight or more years40 ,what a splendid eulogy upon ,mary6 ,now we have there a membership of over three hundred1 a very pleasant station4 ,what would the old landlady say if she could revisit ,chester and contrast the present with the past8 ,mr4 ,asbury went eighteen miles out of his way to preach the funeral sermon of ,mary ,withey4 ,this he did in the ,chester ,church ,may #e1 #ahaj4 ,he makes the following interesting record3 8,she was awakened to a deep inquiry respecting the salvation of her soul while ,i officiated at her house in family prayer4 ,this was in #aggb1 on my first journey to ,maryland4 ,she had lived twelve years a wife1 forty-four years a widow1 and for the last thirty years kept one of the best houses of entertainment on the continent4 ,in her household management she had ,martha's anxieties1 to which she added the spirit and humility of ,mary4 ,her religious experience has been checkered by doubts and happy confidence4 ,she slept in ,jesus40 ,,northern ,,tour ,,to ,,pittsfield1 ,,new ,,york ,,conference4 ,we made a visit to ,burlington1 ,n4 ,j41 to ,james ,sterling's4 ,a whole volume might be written concerning this estimable man and his family4 ,it is difficult now to appreciate the position they once occupied4 ,james ,sterling was a prince in our ,israel4 ,having the company of ,george ,pickering we went to ,new ,brunswick1 where ,bishop ,asbury preached in the court-house to three hundred people4 ,we had no house of worship1 and there was but one family that entertained ,methodist preachers4 ,it was a family by the name of ,poole1 who made us very welcome4 ,it was years after before we got much of a foothold in this beautiful place4 ,the ,rev4 ,charles ,pitman was the first stationed preacher1 and he was favored with a glorious revival4 ,he was then in his prime1 and he helped to give character and stability to ,methodism in ,new ,brunswick4 ,now we have three flourishing ,churches there4 ,the next day we went to ,new ,york and stayed with ,john ,mills1 ,esq4 ,bishop ,asbury preached in old ,john-street4 ,he made this record in his journal3 8,we are in ,new ,york4 ,great times here4 ,two new houses within the year4#cj ,i preached in old ,john-street4 ,this is the thirty-ninth year ,i have officiated within the walls4 ,this house must come down1 and something larger and better occupy its place40 ,it did not come down1 however1 till the venerable bishop was in his grave4 ,it was not till ,may #ac1 #ahag1 the old walls were demolished after an appropriate address by ,rev4 ,daniel ,ostrander4 ,then it was not done without powerful opposition2 but the energetic ,william ,thacher succeeded in raising the necessary funds for the new edifice4 ,now the third church edifice occupies the site4 ,on ,saturday we left ,new ,york and went to ,sherwood ,vale1 the next morning to ,white ,plains1 and the bishop preached from ,heb4 vi1 #i1 #aj4 ,methodism was early introduced into ,white ,plains1 which is the county town of ,westchester4 ,indeed this has been one of its strongholds4 ,here a memorable battle was fought during the ,revolution1 and here is 8,washington's headquarters20 and in the very room ,washington occupied the first ,methodist sermon in the town was preached1 and the first ,methodist class formed4#ca ,on ,monday we left for ,pittsfield1 ,mass4 ,we reached ,amenia1 and put up with ,father ,ingraham4 ,amenia has been a stronghold for ,methodism many years1 and we have here an excellent seminary4 ,two annual conferences have been held here4 ,the ,ingrahams1 the ,hunts1 and others have been strong pillars of ,methodism in this place4 ,we passed on to ,lenox1 ,mass41 which is indeed a gem among the mountains1 and then to ,pittsfield4 ,we put up during the conference at ,john ,ward's4 ,we have ridden from ,charleston more than two thousand miles4 ,this would be but little by railroad or steamboat1 but much to perform on horseback1 as any one would find out by trying it4 ,here lived the excellent ,robert ,green1 who was a ,methodist preacher of the old stamp and brother of ,lemuel4 ,methodism was introduced into ,pittsfield in #agij4 ,the first ,methodist sermon was preached by ,freeborn ,garrettson4 ,the ,rev4 ,robert ,green formed the first society in this place4 ,he was the main pillar of the society and ornament to the ,church1 and an honor to ,methodism4 ,both ,bishop ,asbury and ,m',kendree were at the conference4 ,on ,saturday evening ,i heard ,francis ,ward preach4 ,he was an excellent brother1 a fine penman1 and for several years secretary of the ,new ,york ,conference4 ,on ,sabbath morning ,bishop ,asbury preached from ,phil4 iii1 #ag-ba2 ,bishop ,m',kendree in the afternoon4 ,bishop ,m',kendree presided at the conference most of the time4 ,the brethren were not as familiar with his method as ,bishop ,asbury's1 and at first it did not go very smoothly4 ,he was more systematic2 but they soon got used to his ways1 and most highly esteemed him4 ,the conference lamented the loss of one of its brightest ornaments1 the ,rev4 ,john ,wilson4 ,he was a very pure spirit4 ,he was book agent1 and ,i used to do business with him and also correspond with him1 as ,i attended to the interest of the ,book ,room4 ,he was a ,christian gentleman1 an able preacher1 a superior scholar1 a good penman and accountant1 and an able businessman4 ,he died suddenly of asthma in ,new ,york city1 ,january #bh1 #ahaj4 ,his brethren say such were his excellences that even envy itself must be turned into praise1 and malice and hatred into veneration4 ,half a century has made a great change in the members of the ,new ,york ,conference4 ,of the eighty-four who were present in #ahaj but two remain1 ,laban ,clark and ,marvin ,richardson4 ,fourteen were received on trial1 among others ,arnold ,scolefield and ,tobias ,spicer4 ,the conference adjourned on ,saturday1 but the bishops and several of the ministers remained over ,sabbath4 ,we were the guests of the venerable ,robert ,green4 ,on ,sabbath ,daniel ,hitt preached from 8,we have not received the spirit of bondage10 etc42 and ,bishop ,m',kendree1 in the ,congregational ,church1 in the afternoon1 from ,john viii1 #ca1 #cb1 on ,christian ,freedom4 ,,chapter ,,xxv4 ,,new ,,england ,,and ,,genesee ,,conferences ,,of #ahaj4 ,on ,monday we left ,pittsfield 7the most beautiful inland town in the ,united ,states7 for ,winchester1 ,new ,hampshire1 the seat of the ,new ,england ,conference4 ,we went over the perpetual hills and descended beautiful valleys1 crossing the ,connecticut ,river1 and on ,thursday reached ,winchester1 and were the welcome guests of ,caleb ,alexander4 ,there was but one ,methodist family in the village4 ,he was a large-hearted man1 and had petitioned to have the conference hold its session there1 pledging himself they should be well entertained4 ,his own house and his neighbors' were filled1 and he paid the board of others4 ,he was a noble-hearted man1 and the preachers were delighted with him and their entertainment4 ,bishops ,asbury and ,m',kendree were both present1 and presided alternately at the conference4 ,there was a general fast held by several of the conferences on ,friday1 and we religiously observed it till six o'clock in the evening4 ,bishop ,asbury regularly observed his fasts whether ordered by conferences or not4 ,it was his practice to abstain every ,friday4 ,on ,sunday1 ,june #c1 the bishop preached in the morning and ,i in the evening4 ,he says3 8,i think my words pierced the hearts of some like a sword4 ,i neither spared myself nor my hearers40 ,on ,wednesday1 ,june #f1 the ,new ,england ,conference for #ahaj commenced in the ,congregational meeting-house4 ,there was a camp-meeting held in connection with it1 about three miles distant1 and they had preaching there three times a day during its session4 ,on ,sunday the #ajth ,bishop ,asbury preached with life and energy2 after which six deacons and twelve elders were ordained4 ,there were about fifteen hundred persons present4 ,six sermons were preached that day4 ,on ,monday morning1 after the bishops had delivered their valedictory addresses1 which were distinguished for appropriateness and pathos1 ,bishop ,asbury read off the appointments of eighty-seven preachers1 who all went cheerfully to their work in the spirit of their ,master4 ,we left ,winchester and went to ,waltham1 and on the #afth ,bishop ,asbury1 ,george ,pickering1 and myself went to ,boston1 and were the guests of the ,rev4 ,elijah ,sabin1 the stationed preacher4 ,the new chapel was greatly in debt1 and ,brother ,pickering had been south soliciting funds2 and yet1 such were the pressing wants of the ,church1 that while we were in ,boston ,bishop ,asbury wrote five letters supplicating a collection for the new chapel1 namely1 to ,baltimore1 ,georgetown1 ,alexandria1 ,norfolk1 and ,charleston1 and ,i believe they all responded4 ,we visited ,newport1 and in the afternoon ,i went with ,brother ,daniel ,webb 7now the oldest effective preacher in the world7 to ,fort ,wolcott4 ,on ,sunday the #bdth we had preaching three times4 ,the bishop preached to the soldiers at the fort4 ,on ,monday we crossed the ,narraganset ,bay1 and then went to ,stonington1 ,conn4 ,i do not wonder at its name1 for the ground is literally covered with stones4 ,we crossed the ,thames4 ,we found a home at friend ,douglass's1 and the bishop preached in the evening4 ,here for the first time ,bishop ,asbury saw a copy of ,jesse ,lee's ,history of ,methodism4 ,it made the bishop nervous1 as will be seen by the record he made at the time in his journal3 8,it is better than ,i expected4 ,he has not always presented me under the most honorable aspect4 ,we are all liable to mistakes1 and ,i am unmoved by his4 ,i correct him in one fact4 ,my compelled seclusion in the beginning of the war in the ,state of ,delaware was in no wise a season of inactivity4 ,on the contrary1 except about two months of retirement from the direst necessity1 it was the most active1 the most useful1 the most afflictive part of my life4 ,if ,i spent a few dumb ,sabbaths1 if ,i did not for a short time steal after dark1 or through the gloom of the woods1 as was my wont1 from house to house to enforce that truth ,i1 an only child1 had left father and mother to proclaim1 ,i shall not be blamed1 ,i hope1 when it is known my patron1 good and respectable ,thomas ,white1 who promised me security and secresy1 was himself taken into custody by the light horse patrol4 ,if such things happened to him what might ,i expect1 a fugitive and an ,englishman8 ,in these many years we added eighteen hundred members to society1 and laid a broad and deep foundation for the wonderful success ,methodism has met with in that quarter4 ,the children and the children's children of those who witnessed my labor and my sufferings in that day of peril and affliction now rise up by hundreds to bless me4 ,where are the witnesses themselves8 ,alas6 there remain not five perhaps whom ,i could summon to attest the truth of this statement40 ,i do not think ,mr4 ,lee meant to censure the bishop1#cb but others have1 and ,i am thankful we have the bishop's explanations and his admirable defense4 ,one who has recently written says1 8,it was a question painfully revolved in the mind of ,mr4 ,asbury whether or not he ought to have thus concealed himself from his enemies4 ,it is certain that in this he was not imitating the ,saviour1 who went forth to meet ,judas and his band in the garden2 neither was he following the example of the apostles1 who went forward in their work1 although forbidden by the ,jewish ,council2 nor did he exhibit the courage of ,wesley in the days of mob violence in ,england1 nor yet that of ,abbott1 ,garrettson1 and ,hartley1 who dared to meet their worst foes4 ,it seems that his prudence prevailed over his faith40#cc ,does my friend ,lednum mean to accuse ,francis ,asbury of cowardice8 ,if he does1 the bishop's explanation is a defense against all attacks until the end of time4 ,we left ,new ,london on ,wednesday1 ,june #bg1 and went to ,hebron1 riding six hours in the rain4 ,the bishop seldom stopped for rain1 even if it came in torrents4 ,he preached in the evening4 ,the next day we rode to ,east ,glastenbury1 and put up with ,jeremiah ,stocking4 ,he was one of the oldest and most distinguished local preachers in ,new ,england4 ,his ministry extended over a period of sixty years4 ,he was the first to open his doors in that part of the country to receive the ,methodist preachers2 he was the father of the ,methodist society in the town4 ,he died in holy joy ,march #bc1 #ahec1 aged eighty-five1 his wife and eight children following on in the path made smooth by his feet and wet by his tears4 ,brother ,stocking wrote many interesting articles while ,dr4 ,bond was editor1 entitled 8,sketches of my ,life10 and dated 8,pilgrim's ,tent1 on the ,banks of ,jordan40 ,saturday we rode through ,hartford to ,middletown amid a heavy thunder-storm4 ,at ,hartford we were like ,noah's dove3 had no place for the sole of our foot1 and it was the day of small things at ,middletown4 ,we rode one hundred and eighty-six miles this week4 ,we spent the ,sabbath in ,middletown1 and were entertained at ,brother ,eggleston's4 ,the bishop preached in the morning from #a ,cor4 xv1 #e-h2 ,i preached at three o'clock from ,acts iii1 #ai2 the bishop again at six from 8,behold1 now is the accepted time10 etc4 ,there was a small congregation both morning and afternoon2 but who hath despised the day of small things8 ,could the bishop have foreseen the growth of the ,church in ,hartford and ,middletown1 and especially that noble institution1 the ,wesleyan ,university1 which has been such a blessing to our ,church1 how would his great soul have thanked ,god and taken courage6 ,its first president1 the seraphic ,fisk1 who sleeps in the beautiful cemetery on the hill1 was then a youth of eighteen1 and was not licensed to preach till eight years after2 and ,stephen ,olin1 of blessed memory1 was then a lad in his father's house in ,vermont1 and it was not till twelve years after our visit to ,middletown he became a ,methodist minister4 ,the bishop had been at ,middletown several times before4 ,he was there as early as ,june1 #agia4 ,he preached in the meeting-house belonging to the ,standing ,order1 and then after preaching rode a mile out of town to get lodging4 ,bishop ,whatcoat was with him there in the month of ,may1 #ahjc1 and preached at five o'clock on ,sunday in 8the ,separate ,meeting-house40 ,when he had finished his sermon the old women controverted his doctrine of sanctification4 ,on ,monday we went to ,burlington4 ,the bishop preached1 and he shaved very close4 ,on through ,goshen1 next to ,sharon1 where we were the guests of ,alpheus ,jewett1 a wealthy farmer4 ,he was a large man1 with much native dignity4 ,he was the father of the late ,rev4 ,william ,jewett4 ,bishop ,asbury preached at ,brother ,jewett's from ,heb4 iv1 #aa-af4 ,our meeting-house was a mile from the village1 among a huge pile of rocks4 ,our fathers were not ,solomons in regard to the sites of their churches4 ,now we have a neat brick church in the village4 ,thursday1 ,july #e1 brought us to ,amenia1 and to ,thomas ,ingraham's1 just where we were ,may #ag2 and think what a round we had taken in the intervening six weeks4 ,one would have thought that the bishop might have rested a little from his incessant toil after he had attended the conference in ,winchester2 but no1 he never thought of resting till he rested in ,abraham's bosom1 or of locating till in the neighborhood of the throne of ,god4 ,the next day he preached at ,john ,row's meeting-house in ,milan4 ,the old man still lives1 and has consecrated his money to ,god by building a church and parsonage4#cd ,here we met ,freeborn ,garrettson and ,daniel ,hitt1 and went with them to ,rhinebeck4 ,on ,monday1 ,july #af1 ,bishop ,asbury1 ,daniel ,hitt1 ,william ,jewett1 and ,i started for the ,genesee ,conference4 ,william ,jewett was then a youth of uncommon beauty and promise4 ,we crossed the ,hudson1 passed through ,kingston1 7formerly ,esopus1 originally settled by the ,huguenots17 then to ,durham1 over the mountains1 to ,new ,sharon1 to a camp-meeting under the charge of ,henry ,stead4 ,on ,thursday we fired three guns in quick succession4 ,bishop ,asbury preached first2 then ,daniel ,hitt1 without any intermission2 and as soon as he sat down ,i preached in ,german4 ,there was a good number of ,germans present 7many of them ,lutherans7 who were permitted to sit near the stand and hear in their own tongue the wonderful works of ,god4 ,they were delighted4 ,they had supposed the difference in the effect of ,methodist preaching from that of their own ministers was in the language4 ,they thought the ,english expressed the ,gospel better4 ,but when the power of ,god came upon the people1 and tears flowed down many cheeks under ,german preaching1 they were convinced the difference was not in the language1 but in the manner of communication2 the one formal1 the other spiritual4 ,quite a revival followed1 and a number of preachers were raised up4 ,this meeting was held near ,cherry ,valley4 ,we spent the ,sabbath at ,cazenovia4 ,bishop ,asbury1 ,brother ,hitt1 and ,i1 preached1 and ,william ,jewett exhorted4 ,the services were held in ,silas ,blass's barn4 ,it would have been a glorious vision of the future could ,bishop ,asbury have foreseen the future prosperity of ,methodism in ,cazenovia and the noble seminary of learning erected there4 ,on ,monday we reached ,daniel ,dorsey's1 at ,lyons1 about sunset4 ,we had rode two hundred and sixty-one miles from ,rhinebeck4 ,daniel ,dorsey1 a ,methodist of the old stamp1 was originally from ,maryland1 and a ,methodist there4 ,he had a large farm and a large heart4 ,his house was a home where the weary itinerant delighted to rest4 ,he was steward of the circuit and a local preacher4 ,,formation ,,of ,,genesee ,,conference4 ,as ,bishop ,asbury was severely censured for organizing this conference1 and as it produced much agitation at the time1 so that several annual conferences and the ,general ,conference of #ahab took action upon it1 ,i will give a brief sketch of it1 showing that what ,bishop ,asbury did was worthy of all praise1 and that1 like ,mr4 ,wesley1 he was far-seeing1 and could plan for the future4 ,previous to its formation1 the preachers on the ,susquehanna ,district1 in ,western ,new ,york1 7eighteen in number17 belonged to the ,philadelphia ,conference1 and it was a long distance to go to conference on horseback1 which was then their usual mode of traveling2 so also the preachers in ,canada and ,cayuga ,district1 who belonged to ,new ,york ,conference4 ,mr4 ,asbury believed there was a more excellent way for both preachers and people4 ,much time was lost1 and the work on circuits suffered by the long absence of the preachers4 ,bishop ,asbury1 with almost a prophet's eye1 foresaw the growth and prosperity of ,western ,new ,york2 that it would be the garden of the ,empire ,state1 and the garden of ,methodism4 ,in #ahji1 while the bishop and ,i were passing through the ,genesee country1 as we were riding along he said to me1 8,henry1 things do not go right here4 ,there must be a ,genesee ,conference20 and then he went on to assign his reasons4 ,the bishop then planned the conference and its boundaries in his own mind1 and proceeded afterward to carry his purpose into effect4 ,the new conference was composed of four districts1 namely1 ,susquehanna1 ,cayuga1 and ,upper and ,lower ,canada1 and it was to hold its first session in ,lyons1 ,ontario ,county1 ,july #bj1 #ahaj4 ,this act of the bishop gave great dissatisfaction to many of the preachers1 not of the ,genesee1 but of other conferences4 ,james ,smith and ,jesse ,lee were greatly displeased4 ,the former said 8it gave evidence of the increasing infirmities of age in ,bishop ,asbury2 that he was in his dotage10 etc42 others considered it an unauthorized assumption of power2 and some said 8it was cruel1 setting off these preachers to starve40 ,i justified him1 and said 8,i thought it one of the best official acts of the bishop1 and that in a few years ,genesee ,conference would be one of the richest in the ,union40 ,how far ,i was right may be easily seen4 ,it certainly was the best thing that could have been done for the ,methodists in ,western ,new ,york4 ,the plan originated with ,bishop ,asbury1 who was better acquainted with the state of things in that part of the country than his colleague2 but ,bishop ,m',kendree concurred in it1 and therefore received his share of the censure4 ,but very nobly some of the conferences vindicated the bishops1 for most of them took action upon it4 ,that the bishops were perfectly justifiable is evident from the fact that in #agif a proviso had been inserted in the ,discipline in these words3 8,provided that the bishops shall have authority to appoint other yearly conferences in the interval of the ,general ,conference1 if a sufficiency of new circuits be anywhere formed for that purpose40 ,this was re-enacted at each succeeding conference1 with a slight change1 until #ahcb2 therefore the bishop's act was constitutional1 and there was no reason to complain of 8assumed powers10 etc4 ,at the ,virginia ,conference of #ahaj this important question was asked3 8,whether the bishops had a right to form the eighth1 or ,genesee ,conference80 ,the bishop had no difficulty in answering this question in the affirmative4 ,it will be seen1 however1 that the 8right0 was questioned4 ,bishop ,asbury1 after the first session of the ,genesee ,conference1 makes the following record3 8,if the cry of #8want of order' came from ,god1 the appointment of the ,genesee ,conference was one of the most judicious acts of the episcopacy4 ,we stationed sixty-three preachers1 and cured some till then incurable cases40 ,the ,new ,york ,conference took action on the subject and nobly vindicated the bishops4 ,i cannot withhold their preamble and resolutions1 which do them so much honor1 especially as they never have been published3 8,whereas1 doubts have been entertained in the minds of some of our brethren respecting the constitutionality and necessity of the ,genesee ,conference4 ,our opinion being requested on the subject1 after mature deliberation1 we are of opinion that the constituting of that conference is perfectly conformable to the spirit and letter of our form of discipline1 and calculated to facilitate the work of ,god1 and spread the ,redeemer's kingdom1 in the convincing1 conviction1 conversion1 and establishing immortal souls in the precious truths of the blessed ,gospel2 and also we are of opinion that our venerable superintendents have acted judiciously therein1 and entirely under the authority our discipline has vested in them1 and therefore recommend the adoption of the following resolutions3 8,resolved1 #a1 ,that we consider the appointment of the ,genesee ,conference to be perfectly consistent with the spirit and letter of our form of discipline2 and that the superintendents have assumed no illegitimate power1 or forfeited any of the confidence reposed in them40 ,carried4 8,resolved1 #b1 ,that1 considering the extent of the ,philadelphia and ,new ,york ,conferences1 and the great increase of circuits since the bounds thereof were defined by the ,general ,conference in #ahjj1 which is about or fully double the number1 we consider the appointment of the ,genesee ,conference proper and necessary for the good of the connection40 ,carried4 8,resolved1 #c1 ,that we therefore recommend or advise the continuation of that conference1 and that we do pledge our mutual support to our bishops and superintendents therein40 ,carried4 ,at the ,general ,conference of #ahab an address of several preachers of the ,genesee ,conference on the subject was presented by ,bishop ,m',kendree on the #fth of ,may4 ,a committee of eight was appointed1 one from each conference4 ,ezekiel ,cooper was chairman4 ,the next day1 ,may the #gth1 the chairman presented the following resolution3 8,moved1 that this ,general ,conference do consider that the ,genesee ,annual ,conference is a legally constituted and organized conference40 ,it was carried unanimously4 ,the organization of the ,genesee ,conference was an era in the history of ,methodism in ,western ,new ,york4 ,the first conference began on ,friday4 ,both ,bishops ,asbury and ,m',kendree were present4 ,there was a camp-meeting held in connection with the conference4 ,we had no meeting-house in ,lyons then1 and the conference was held in ,captain ,dorsey's granary4 ,there were sixty-three preachers present1 among them some noble men3 ,anning ,owen1 my old colleague1 ,benjamin ,bidlack1 and ,gideon ,draper4 ,william ,case1 ,ebenezer ,white1 ,seth ,mattison1 and others were indeed pillars in our ,church4 ,a more harmonious conference ,i never attended4 ,everything augured well for the future prosperity of our ,zion4 ,on ,sunday ,bishops ,asbury and ,m',kendree preached on the camp-ground4 ,the word was quick and powerful4 ,on ,wednesday about two o'clock the conference adjourned1 and the preachers1 after shaking hands and exchanging plans1 separated for their various fields of labor1 to preach1 to suffer1 or to die4 ,most of them are now resting in ,abraham's bosom4 ,after dinner ,bishop ,asbury and ,i started on our journey4 ,it was not his custom to tarry after conference adjourned4 ,he moved right on1 and often his horse was at the door and he was ready to commence his journey as soon as the benediction was pronounced4 ,he thus avoided importunity1 and no one could have his appointment changed if he desired to1 for no one knew where to find the bishop4 ,we commenced our southern and ,western tour4 ,such a doleful1 fearful ride few bishops ever had1 and it was one calculated to make the traveler rejoice when at the end of his journey4 ,asbury at that time1 in consequence of infirmities1 rode in a sulky and ,i on horseback4 ,sometimes ,i would ride before him and then in the rear4 ,we would occasionally change when he was tired1 or the roads very rough4 ,the first part of our journey was very pleasant4 ,we had the company of ,anning ,owen1 the apostle of ,methodism in ,wyoming1 who was not only good company but a good guide4 ,he went with us to ,tioga ,point1 and then we parted with him reluctantly4 ,brother ,owen went to ,wyoming1 and we took the route for ,northumberland4 ,we soon got lost in the wilderness1 and needed a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night to guide us4 ,then a fine gentleman1 by the name of ,coles1 piloted us five miles1 and helped us out of our difficulty4 ,we had been accustomed to muddy roads1 rocks1 hills1 mountains1 gulfs1 rapids1 dangerous streams1 but this route excelled them all for difficulty and danger4 ,we traveled several hours in the rain and gained nine miles4 ,we came to ,elder's ,inn1 where1 though not a very desirable place1 we were glad to put up4 ,it poured all night4 ,the next morning we proceeded through the solitary woods1 that had been the abode of ,indians1 and where the wild beast still found a home1 through deep mud1 over huge rocks and lofty hills1 down deep gulleys1 to where two branches of the ,elk waters formed a junction4 ,the current being so rapid we thought it not safe to venture over2 but we soon perceived that the water was falling1 and in about an hour and a half we passed over in safety4 ,of this journey ,bishop ,asbury makes the following mournful record3 8,we must needs come the ,northumberland road2 it is an awful wilderness4 ,alas6 ,read and prayed in the woods4 ,i leave the rest to ,god4 ,in the last three days and a half we have ridden one hundred and forty miles4 ,what mountains1 hills1 rocks1 roots6 ,brother ,boehm was thrown from the sulky1 but providentially not a bone broken40 ,this record needs no comment4 ,it makes me weep when ,i look back and remember how patiently he suffered4 ,i was suddenly thrown from the sulky and might have been killed1 but as the bishop said ,i was providentially preserved1 or ,i might have found a grave in the wilderness and left the poor infirm old man to have pursued his journey alone4 ,the road was so rough that ,father ,asbury could not ride in the sulky2 it jolted and hurt him1 so he and ,i exchanged1 and he rode my horse and ,i in his vehicle4 ,if he had been thrown out as ,i was he probably would have been killed4 ,no bone of mine was broken1 and yet the flesh was torn from my left leg so that ,i was a cripple for months4 ,i suffered more than if it had been broken4 ,riding on horseback with that poor leg1 no language can describe my suffering4 ,we will resume our narrative1 for we are not yet out of the woods4 ,when we reached the other side of the stream we fell in with a man by the name of ,john ,brown4 ,as it was dangerous for us to proceed1 ,mr4 ,brown kindly invited us to his cabin4 ,no endangered mariner was ever more glad to get into harbor than we were to find a shelter1 for houses in that wilderness were very 8few and far between40 ,but the reader must not suppose ,mr4 ,brown's cabin was close at hand1 and that all we had to do was to enter it4 ,we had to cross the creek twice1 and that with great difficulty and danger1 and then tug our way up an exceedingly high mountain in the heart of the wilderness before we reached his cottage4 ,when we arrived there we found he had no wife1 nor children1 nor housekeeper4 ,he did his own cooking and washing4 ,john ,brown was a hermit4 ,he was an ,englishman who1 for some reason1 had chosen this secluded spot where he lived1 four miles from any other dwelling4 ,his cabin was pleasant1 and he most cheerfully divided his coarse fare with us4 ,we felt much at home1 and the after part of this day we were employed in reading1 meditation1 and prayer4 ,we spent the ,sabbath very differently from what we had generally done4 ,it was what ,mr4 ,asbury used to call a 8dumb ,sabbath40 ,what added to the gloom1 it rained all the day and night4 ,by the fall out of the carriage the day before ,i was more injured than ,i thought for at first2 my left leg was bruised and torn and much inflamed1 and ,i was very lame4 ,but onward we must move4 ,so on ,monday1 ,july #cj1 we began to descend the mountain1 and our kind friend ,john ,brown accompanied us to the shore of the creek1 which we found considerably higher than the day before1 being swollen by the rain4 ,as it was dangerous to attempt to cross1 we took the back track1 our host inviting us to return to his cabin and stay till it was safe to proceed on our journey4 ,he did everything he could to make us comfortable and happy4 ,i have put up in palaces1 but never felt more comfortable and grateful than in the humble cabin of ,john ,brown4 ,as the storm had abated the next morning we bade a final adieu to our pleasant home in the wilderness1 and began to descend the mountain2 but our kind friend and benefactor would not permit us to go alone4 ,he went with us five miles1 in which distance we crossed the waters of the ,elk seven times4 ,john ,brown's hospitality was worthy of patriarchal times4 ,to us it was a heaven-send1 for if we had been obliged to remain at a tavern during that time we stayed with him we should have been bankrupt1 for ,bishop ,asbury and myself had only two dollars4 ,i know1 for ,i carried the purse4 ,with grateful hearts we bade adieu to the hermit1 and proceeded on our perilous journey4 ,after dining at ,hill's ,inn we crossed the stream1 which was full of drift logs4 ,the wheels were taken from our carriage1 and they and the body placed in a canoe1 in which we also got1 and were rowed over by two men1 while our horses were obliged to swim across4 ,the stream was swollen and the waters rapid1 but fortunately we all reached in safety the other shore2 then we had to put on our wheels to get our sulky in order to prepare for our journey4 ,i was lame and the bishop feeble4 ,to add to the gloom1 clouds gathered over us dark and heavy4 ,it thundered and lightened1 and the rain fell in torrents1 and when we were over the stream to begin our journey we had to ascend a rough1 high1 craggy mountain2 but as ,mr4 ,asbury wrote1 8,god brought us in safety to ,muddy ,creek4 ,deep roads and swollen streams we had enough on our route to ,northumberland on ,wednesday40 ,northumberland is a pleasant1 quiet1 romantic place on the ,susquehanna4 ,the distinguished ,dr4 ,joseph ,priestley spent the evening of life here1 and died in #ahjd1 aged seventy4 ,he was a splendid scholar1 and a great man2 but how different his life1 labors1 and influence from that of the apostolic ,asbury4 ,they both were adopted citizens of ,america2 both died at the age of seventy4 ,on ,friday1 after an unparalleled week of toil and suffering1 we reached ,middletown1 ,pa41 and took dinner with our old friend ,dr4 ,romer4 ,a number of the neighbors heard of the bishop's arrival and came to see him1 and urged him to preach2 but he had only time to pray with them1 and say 8farewell40 ,but it was very refreshing1 after having for so long put up at miserable taverns1 and been among strangers1 and through such perils1 to meet with so many familiar faces and kind friends4 ,in the afternoon we journeyed on to my father's4 ,my aged parents embraced me with joy1 while ,i felt 8there is no place like home40 ,bishop ,asbury and my father gave to each other the kiss of affection1 and mutually encircled each other in their arms4 ,that day we rode fifty miles4 ,from ,charleston to my father's house we had traveled two thousand two hundred and twenty-five miles4 ,the bishop preached on ,saturday evening at 8,boehm's ,chapel40 ,his letters were generally sent to the care of my father1 and at his house he answered them1 so he was generally busy with his pen after our arrival home4 ,he found fifteen letters waiting this time1 and he answered them all on ,saturday4 ,,chapter ,,xxvi4 ,,annual ,,tour1 #ahaj--,,western ,,conference4 ,after an absence of months ,i remained at home one day and two nights1 and the bishop said1 8,henry1 we must move40 ,my father and sister and many others went with us to ,lancaster1 where1 on the fifth of ,august1 we had a great day4 ,the bishop even felt an interest in this place1 where we had such a hard time to obtain a foothold4 ,he preached morning and evening1 ,james ,smith at three1 and ,i immediately after him in ,german4 ,the bishop rejoiced to see such a comfortable house of worship here1 and wrote3 8,after forty years' labor we have a neat little chapel of our own40 8,good-by10 ,i said to my friends1 and at noon on ,monday we were at ,columbia1 where the bishop preached4 ,i was lame1 and the lameness was increasing2 but ,i did not name it to my parents lest they should urge me to stay home1 or worry about me when ,i was gone2 therefore ,i bore my sufferings in silence4 ,from ,columbia we went to ,york4 ,methodism was introduced here in #agha by ,freeborn ,garrettson4 ,on ,wednesday to ,carlisle1 where the bishop drew up a plan for a new meeting-house1 and answered twenty letters4 ,the bishop preached in ,shippensburgh from ,gal4 vi1 #i1 then we went to ,chambersburgh4 ,we had there a neat little chapel in the town1 but the bishop preached in the court-house1 as it would hold more people4 ,bishop ,asbury made but two visits to this place1 and ,i was with him on both occasions1 the one in #ahaj1 the other in #ahaa4 ,the next day our ride was terrible over three lofty mountains1 and we were under the rays of an ,august sun1 and ,i suffering almost martyrdom with my lame leg4 ,james ,hunter kindly escorted us to ,fort ,littleton1 and took us to his own house1 and treated us as if we were angels4 ,the bishop says1 8,on ,sunday1 ,august #ab1 at ,littleton ,chapel1 ,i preached1 and we administered the sacrament2 but as my aid was lame the labor fell on me4 ,though wearied and sore with traveling ,i enjoyed a gracious season40 ,i was so lame and in such misery that ,i was advised to remain at home2 but lame or not lame1 bright and early the next morning we were on our journey to ,bloody ,run1 and though it rained1 we reached it at three o'clock4 ,after having changed our wet garments the bishop preached at four from ,luke xiii1 #ab1 and as soon as he had done ,i preached in ,german from ,john iii1 #ai1 and at night ,i preached again in ,english from ,acts x1 #ce1 and ,joshua ,monroe exhorted4 ,it was a time of power1 and we had a shout in the camp4 ,we preached at ,bomerdollar's tavern4 ,there were seven of his family who professed to belong to the household of faith4 ,it is not often there is as much salt in a public house4 ,there is generally no room for the ,saviour at the inn4 ,the roads next day were intolerable4 ,the bishop said1 8,i enter my protest1 as ,i have yearly for forty years1 against this road40 ,in the evening we reached ,connellsville1 in ,fayette ,county1 one hundred and thirty-four miles from ,chambersburgh4 ,it was so called from ,zachariah ,connell1 who laid it out seventy years ago4 ,mr4 ,asbury must have felt a little sad when he wrote1 8,o what a life is this6 ,my aid is lame1 and ,i am obliged to drive40 ,it will also be seen how the bishop employed his time1 and how deeply he felt for the ,germans1 for he adds3 8,people call me by my name as they pass me on the road1 and ,i hand them a religious tract in ,german or in ,english1 or ,i call at a door for a glass of water1 and leave a little pamphlet4 ,how can ,i be useful8 ,i am old and feeble and sick1 and can do but little2 and the poor ,germans6 they are as sheep without a shepherd40 ,on ,saturday we reached ,brownsville4 ,this is where the old ,redstone fort was4 ,we then went to ,pike ,run camp-meeting1 on ,jacob ,gruber's district1 in ,washington ,county4 ,this county was the hotbed of the famous 8,whisky ,rebellion40 ,there were one hundred tents and four or five hundred people encamped on the ground4 ,sunday was a high day4 ,there were three thousand people in the grove4 ,i opened the campaign in the morning by preaching from ,acts x1 #ce at eleven1 and in the evening ,bishop ,asbury preached1 and in the afternoon ,jacob ,gruber4 ,in reference to this meeting ,bishop ,asbury says1 8,there were very wicked people there1 ,i learned1 who desperately libeled ,brother ,m',kendree and the preachers1 and committed other abominable offenses4 ,on ,monday ,i was called upon to preach in the morning4 ,i took occasion to give a solemn warning to certain sons of ,belial that they would be watched1 and their names published4 ,i felt much1 but ,god was in the word40 ,he was very pointed1 and it had a good effect upon the sons of ,belial4 ,friday1 ,august #bf1 brought us to ,pittsburgh4 ,bishop ,asbury visited this town as early as ,july1 #aghi4 ,the population in #aghf was only five hundred4 ,it was a little settlement when ,mr4 ,asbury first visited it1 and when we were there in #ahaj there were only five thousand inhabitants4 ,on his first visit he wrote3 8,i preached in the evening to a serious audience4 ,this is a day of very small things4 ,what can we hope8 yet what can we fear8 ,i felt great love to the people1 and hope ,god will arise to help and bless them40 ,he remained in ,pittsburgh several days on that visit4 ,he preached on ,monday1 and says the people were attentive2 8but1 alas6 they are far from ,god1 and too near the savages in situation and manners40 ,this must have been the introduction of ,methodism in ,pittsburgh4 ,more than a dozen years rolled away before ,asbury visited ,pittsburgh again2 that was in ,august1 #ahjc1 the year ,i traveled with him almost to this place1 and then returned4 ,on ,sunday1 ,august #bg1 #ahjc1 the bishop preached in the court-house in the morning from #a ,chron4 vii1 #ad to about four hundred people4 ,he says1 8,i would have preached again1 but the ,episcopalians occupied the house4 ,i come once in twelve years1 but they could not consent to give way for me4 ,it is time we had a house of our own4 ,i think ,i have seen a lot which will answer to build upon40 ,we put up with ,john ,wrenshall4 ,on ,sunday the bishop preached on the foundation of the new meeting-house at nine o'clock to about five hundred hearers4 ,text1 ,mark xi1 #ag1 8,my house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer10 etc4 ,i exhorted4 ,at two o'clock ,i preached at ,brother ,cooper's house from #a ,john iii1 #a1 8,behold what manner10 etc4 ,at five ,asbury preached again on the foundation of our ,church to a thousand people4 ,the bishop adds3 8,the society here is lively and increasing in numbers1 and the prospect still is good in this borough40 ,on ,monday morning we left ,pittsburgh1 piloted for a few miles by ,john ,wrenshall4 ,the next day we reached ,john ,beck's4 ,there ,i carved my name on a tree1 with the date of our being there4 ,the old tree may still be standing to witness that ,henry ,boehm was there the #cjth of ,august1 #ahaj1 over fifty years ago2 but where is our host1 his family1 and his guests8 ,they have fallen2 ,i am left alone4 ,on we traveled to a camp-meeting at ,little ,kanawha4 ,james ,quin was presiding elder of the district where it was held4 ,we were the guests of ,richard ,lee1 brother of ,rev4 ,wilson ,lee4 ,on ,sabbath morning1 at eight o'clock1 ,i preached from ,prov4 xviii1 #aj4 ,bishop ,asbury at eleven1 from #a ,tim4 iv1 #af1 8,take heed unto thyself1 and unto the doctrine10 etc42 after which he ordained ,john ,holmes to the office of an elder4 ,there were a great many such ordinations wherever the bishop traveled4 ,it accommodated those who could not go far to conference4 ,at three ,james ,quin gave us a powerful sermon from #b ,thess4 i1 #g-aj1 on the second coming of ,jesus4 ,i preached again in the evening4 ,on ,monday morning the ,lord's supper was administered2 after which the bishop preached a profitable discourse on #a ,peter v1 #g-i4 ,we left the encampment1 and ,i preached at ,brother ,wolf's1 in ,german1 from ,acts viii1 #ce4 ,i had great liberty in speaking to a people who had not heard the ,gospel in their mother tongue in ten or twelve years4 ,bishop ,asbury held forth in ,english immediately after4 ,james ,quin continued with us several days1 and he was most excellent company4 ,on ,wednesday the bishop preached in the school-house on a bluff opposite ,blennerhassett's ,island4 ,i saw the beautiful island where ,harman ,blennerhassett and his beautiful wife dwelt in most surpassing loveliness1 till a blight came over this terrestrial ,eden and destroyed it4 ,the reader must be familiar with the melancholy history of this most unfortunate family4 ,on ,tuesday we crossed the ,ohio into ,belpre1 and put up at ,mr4 ,browning's4 ,the lady of the house1 who was from ,old ,connecticut1 was delighted in entertaining a ,methodist bishop4 ,she conversed with him readily1 and lamented the destitution of the ,west in regard to able preachers1 and spoke of the elegant meeting-houses1 pews1 organs1 singing1 and the charming preachers of the ,east4 8,o bishop10 said she1 8you can't tell60 ,the bishop1 delighted with her enthusiastic descriptions1 exclaimed1 8,o yes1 yes1 ,old ,connecticut for all the world6 8,a fine house and a high steeple1 ,a learned priest and a gay people40 ,after considerable further conversation she inquired1 8,bishop1 where do you live80 ,with the utmost solemnity1 and with a countenance and tone that showed the deep emotion of his soul1 he replied1 8,no foot of land do ,i possess1 ,no cottage in the wilderness1 ,a poor wayfaring man40 ,the bishop preached in ,belpre school-house from ,luke xix1 #aj4 ,colonel ,putnam1 son of ,israel ,putnam1 who bearded the wolf in his den1 and who also bearded the ,british lion1 invited the bishop1 ,brother ,quin1 and myself to the house of ,mr4 ,waldo1 grandson of the old veteran4 ,we had a hearty welcome and were treated like princes4 ,in the evening six or eight gentlemen1 revolutionary officers1 with their ladies1 were invited in1 and we spent a most agreeable evening4 ,the conversation was very entertaining and instructing1 and the bishop took a very active part in it4 ,but he would often manage to give the conversation a religious turn1 to which the company would bow assent4 ,the bishop prayed before the company retired4 ,we lodged that night in a splendid ball-room4 8,here10 said the bishop1 as he kneeled down1 8they used to worship the devil2 let us worship ,god40 ,early next morning we bade adieu to our polite host and were on our way to ,athens1 and on ,thursday we arrived at the camp-meeting near that town4 ,we had now traveled five hundred and forty-two miles since we left my father's1 and three thousand four hundred and sixty-seven miles since we left ,charleston4 ,much good was done at this camp-meeting4 ,we had four sermons on ,sunday1 ,bishop ,asbury preaching twice4 ,i preached in ,german4 ,traveling on and preaching every night we reached ,chillicothe1 and put up with ,dr4 ,tiffin4 ,the bishop says1 8,i am happy to find him no longer in public life1 but a private citizen1 respectable and respected1 and the work of ,god revived in his soul4 ,i have preached to many souls in the late camp-meetings4 ,lord1 give thy word success4 ,my own soul is humbled and purified4 ,glory be to ,god60 ,the bishop preached in the evening from ,rev4 xvi1 #ae4 ,on ,sunday ,bishop ,asbury preached in ,chillicothe1 and baptized a whole family of ,quaker descent4 ,he dwelt upon the nature of the ordinance of baptism1 and the duty it imposes upon parents4 ,it was a rare thing for birthright ,quakers to be brought over to the faith1 for they are generally as unyielding as the oak2 but we have noticed when they are really converted they make most excellent ,methodists4 ,this was the case with that bright and shining light1 ,john ,collins4 ,on ,thursday we reached ,cincinnati1 and were entertained at ,oliver ,spencer's4 ,on ,friday evening ,i preached in ,german from ,john viii1 #cf on being free indeed1 and ,bishop ,asbury exhorted4 ,the bishop was very happy in his remarks4 ,he was always present when it was practicable to hear me preach in ,german4 ,he had a great love for the ,germans1 and an imperfect knowledge of the ,german language4 ,on ,sabbath the bishop preached morning and evening1 and ,i in the afternoon4 ,it was a day of great consolation to many4 ,on ,monday we visited several families1 and prayed with them1 and then in the evening ,father ,asbury met the society and gave them a pastoral address4 ,it was his custom to meet classes and to meet the societies1 and give them good advice and wise suggestions1 and in these family gatherings and family lectures the bishop often excelled himself4 ,having spent four days in this goodly city we prepared for our departure4 ,the bishop felt a peculiar affection for the people in ,cincinnati1 as may be seen from the following extract from his journal3 8,sunday1 #cj1 ,i preached morning and evening4 ,it was a season of deep seriousness with the congregations4 ,i felt an intimate communion with ,god1 and a great love to the people1 saints and poor sinners4 ,monday1 met the society2 ,tuesday1 we bade farewell to our affectionate friends in ,cincinnati4 ,the great river was covered with mist until nine o'clock1 when the airy curtain rose slowly from the waters1 gliding along in expanded and silent majesty40 ,we traveled in ,kentucky1 preaching every day4 ,the bishop makes this singular record3 8,the ,methodists are all for camp-meetings1 the ,baptists are for public baptizings4 ,i am afraid this dipping with many is the ne plus ultra of ,christian experience40 ,on ,saturday we reached ,joseph ,ferguson's1 and on ,sunday spent the day at ,ferguson's ,chapel4 ,here ,bishop ,m',kendree1 ,learner ,blackman1 ,james ,gwin1 and ,peter ,cartwright overtook us1 and our spirits were much refreshed4 ,we had not seen ,bishop ,m',kendree since we parted with him at ,lyons at the close of the ,genesee ,conference4 ,he had returned by another route4 ,now the two bishops and the preachers started in company for the seat of the ,western ,conference4 ,bishop ,asbury's soul was delighted to hear of the enlargement of the borders of ,zion1 and he wrote in ecstasy3 8,we have an open door set wide to us in ,mississippi4 ,the preachers there sent but one messenger to conference2 they could not spare more4 ,they keep their ground like soldiers of ,christ4 ,good news from the south4 ,great prospects within the bounds of the ,south ,carolina ,conference40 ,the ,western ,conference was held in the new chapel1 ,shelby ,county1 ,ky41 commencing on ,november #a1 #ahaj4 ,the two bishops were present1 and nearly a hundred preachers from their various fields of toil4 ,the conference began1 continued1 and ended in peace4 ,i preached on ,saturday1 at early candle-light1 from ,matt4 xi1 #bh1 #bi4 ,on ,sabbath ,bishop ,m',kendree preached one of his mighty sermons1 and ,bishop ,asbury exhorted with wonderful power4 ,then the elders and deacons were ordained4 ,fourteen were admitted into full membership and ordained deacons1 among whom were ,william ,winans and ,james ,gwin4 ,the latter was also ordained elder at this conference4 ,he had been a local preacher years before he entered the traveling connection4 ,john ,crane and a number of others were ordained at the same time4 ,twenty-six were received on trial1 among whom were ,john ,strange and ,michael ,ellis1 and other pure and noble spirits4 ,j4 ,b4 ,finley was continued on trial4 ,there had been an increase of four thousand members in the ,western ,conference this year4 ,the bishops assigned fields of labor to ninety-five preachers1 and then we parted to cultivate ,immanuel's land4 ,,chapter ,,xxvii4 ,,tour ,,to ,,south ,,carolina ,,conference4 ,on ,tuesday1 ,october #i1 we rode to ,winchester1 capital of ,clarke ,county1 ,ky41 and were the guests of ,leroy ,cole4 ,the history of this brother is a peculiar one4 ,he became a traveling preacher as early as #aggg4 ,his first appointment was to ,north ,carolina with ,john ,dickins and ,john ,king1 one of the pioneers in that state4 ,he was in ,kent1 ,delaware1 and on the ,peninsula1 ,maryland1 with ,gill and ,tunnell1 and did noble service4 ,in #aghd he was in ,philadelphia4 ,he was a member of the famous ,christmas ,conference in ,baltimore1 where the ,methodist ,episcopal ,church was organized in #aghd4 ,in #aghe we find in the ,minutes the question1 8,who is laid aside8 ,answer1 ,leroy ,cole40 ,this is all the light we have on the subject1 and this is enough to make darkness visible4 ,there might have been injustice done him1 for soon after he was restored1 and he was a traveling or local preacher for over fifty years4 ,he early emigrated to the ,west1 and settled near ,lexington1 ,ky41 where he was a farmer1 beloved and respected4 ,mr4 ,asbury's visiting him and the friendship he exhibited shows he had confidence in him4 ,he was a ,virginian1 born in #agdi1 converted in #aggg1 and the same year licensed to preach and entered the traveling ministry4 ,he sustained a local relation when we visited him4 ,he was afterward a member of the ,kentucky ,conference4 ,he died in triumph ,february #f1 #ahcj1 aged eighty-one4 ,we remained two days at ,leroy ,coles's1 and the bishop preached on ,thursday evening4 ,on ,saturday he preached at ,abraham ,cassell's1 brother to ,rev4 ,leonard ,cassell of the ,baltimore ,conference1 who died in #ahjh4 ,abraham had emigrated from ,pipe ,creek1 ,md4 ,on ,sunday1 at ,nicholasville1 the bishop preached1 and ,i in the evening at ,brother ,cassell's on ,matt4 v1 #bj1 and then gave them another discourse in ,german4 ,at ,brother ,cassell's the bishop heard sad intelligence of the death of ,benjamin ,swope4 ,he had died the winter before4 ,the bishop says1 8,my old acquaintance was a man of more than common mind and gifts1 and might have been much more useful than ,i fear he was40 ,mr4 ,swope was a minister among 8,the ,united ,brethren40 ,mr4 ,asbury became acquainted with him in #agga1 and through him with the great ,otterbein4 ,on ,monday we visited an old minister1 one of the pioneers of the ,west1 and the bishop makes this melancholy record4 ,i never read it without pain3 8,this has been an awful day to me4 ,i visited ,francis ,poythress4 #8,if thou be he2 but ,o how fallen6'0 ,perhaps no record in his journals has been so little understood as this1 and none more liable to be misinterpreted4 ,some have supposed that he had fallen like wretched apostates1 who have made shipwreck of the faith2 but it was not so1 and the bishop would not willingly or knowingly have done the unfortunate brother injustice4 ,my journal reads thus3 8,monday #ae1 we went with ,brother ,harris to see ,francis ,poythress1 one of our old preachers4 ,he has been for ten years in a state of insanity1 and is still in a distressed state of mind4 ,we then returned to ,brother ,harris's40 ,this is the record ,i made over fifty years ago1 and it was italicised as the reader now sees it4 ,francis ,poythress was one of the leaders in our ,israel4 ,he was admitted into the traveling connection at the third conference1 held in #aggf1 with ,freeborn ,garrettson1 ,joseph ,hartley1 ,nicholas ,watters1 and others4 ,he was a pioneer of the ,west4 ,in #agij1 ,john ,tunnel dying1 ,francis ,poythress was appointed elder at the ,west1 having five large circuits on his district1 and on them were ,wilson ,lee1 ,james ,haw1 and ,barnabas ,m',henry4 ,we have not space to trace his history4 ,his excessive labors shattered his system1 and his body and intellect were both injured4 ,about the year #ahjj he became deranged1 and a gloom settled down upon him not to be removed4 ,when ,asbury saw him he was shocked1 contrasting his former look with his appearance then4 ,he was then living with his sister1 twelve miles below ,lexington4 ,bishop ,asbury never saw him more2 death soon came to the relief of poor ,francis ,poythress1 and none who knew him doubt but he is among the clear unclouded intellects of the upper and better world4 ,on ,friday ,bishops ,asbury and ,m',kendree1 ,james ,gwin1 and myself started for ,cumberland1 ,tennessee4 ,before we left an event occurred that pleased me much4 ,bishop ,asbury sold our sulky and bought a horse4 ,his object was to get through the wilderness to ,georgia easier4 ,the bishop remarked1 8,the reward of my toils is not to be found in this world40 ,no1 thou venerable man of ,god1 but thou art finding it in the other1 8for if we suffer with him we shall also reign with him40 ,at ,springfield ,hills ,bishop ,m',kendree preached an excellent sermon in the morning2 ,i exhorted4 ,in the afternoon the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,m',clelland preached from 8,the time is short40 ,bishop ,asbury followed right after from 8,now is the accepted time10 and ,james ,gwin exhorted after him4 ,on ,thursday we reached the residence of ,james ,gwin1 near ,fountain ,head4 ,here we found a comfortable home4 ,mr4 ,gwin was one of the early pioneers in ,tennessee1 and with ,andrew ,jackson he fought the ,cherokee ,indians4 ,general ,jackson greatly admired him4 ,he was chaplain in ,jackson's army at the time of the battle of ,new ,orleans4 ,he was a noble man1 and did noble service in the ,western and ,tennessee ,conferences4 ,bishop ,m',kendree and ,james ,gwin were long intimate friends1 and the latter named his son after the bishop4#ce ,there was a chapel not far from his house called 8,gwin's ,chapel40 ,on ,friday ,i went to see ,bishop ,m',kendree's father2 he was a venerable looking man of eighty-six years1 and was like a patriarch in the family1 greatly beloved4 ,also ,james ,m',kendree1 brother of the bishop1 and his sister ,frances4 ,the family emigrated from ,virginia4 ,james was a sterling man4 ,frances was converted under ,john ,easter as well as the bishop4 ,frances married ,rev4 ,nathaniel ,moore in #ahae1 and she died in peace ,january #a1 #ahbe4 ,the venerated father of the bishop died in holy joy in #ahae4 ,and here in ,tennessee1 many years after1 at the house of his brother ,james1 the bishop fell at his post1 loaded with honors and covered with scars1 shouting1 8,all is well40 ,here he was buried4 ,on ,saturday and ,sunday night ,i lodged with ,bishop ,asbury at ,james ,m',kendree's4 ,on ,sunday morning ,bishop ,asbury preached at ,gwin's ,chapel1 and the other part of the day at ,fountain ,head meeting-house4 ,this was near where ,james ,m',kendree lived4 ,bishop ,asbury seemed to be delighted to be rid of his sulky and on horseback again2 for he says1 8,since ,i am on horseback my fetters are gone2 ,i meditate much more at ease40 ,the advantages of being on horseback he thus designates3 8#a4 ,that ,i can better turn aside and visit the poor4 #b4 ,i shall save money to give away to the needy4 #c4 ,i can get along more difficult and intricate roads4 ,and lastly1 ,i can be more tender to my poor faithful beast40 ,surely these were weighty reasons4 ,on ,monday the #aith the two bishops and myself started for ,south ,carolina by way of ,buncombe4 ,we reached ,john ,m',gee's1 7father-in-law of ,thomas ,l4 ,douglas17 about thirty-five miles from ,fountain ,head4 ,we have rode one thousand one hundred and fifty-three miles since ,i left my father's1 and four thousand one hundred and seventy-eight miles from ,charleston4 ,tuesday brought us to ,dr4 ,tooley's4 ,on ,wednesday we started for the ,holston settlements with ,brother ,john ,m',gee1 crossing ,cumberland ,river at ,walton's ,ferry4 ,after days of hard toiling1 on ,saturday evening we reached ,brother ,winton's4 ,on ,sunday the #beth ,bishop ,m',kendree preached in the meeting house on ,matt4 v1 #c1 8,blessed are the poor in spirit10 etc4 ,john ,m',gee and ,i exhorted4 ,bishop ,asbury preached at ,brother ,winton's in the evening4 ,for days we toiled on1 and on ,friday we took a new route over the mountains4 ,we started about seven o'clock and crossed ,big ,creek with some difficulty1 and not without danger1 the water being deep and rapid and the bottom very rocky4 ,after crossing we had to toil several hours over high mountains1 and then came to ,catahouche ,creek2 here on its banks in the woods we took a little bread and gave our horses some oats4 ,the venerable bishops asked a blessing over our humble meal1 and were as thankful as if seated at a well spread table in a parlor4 ,this was a deep and rapid stream4 ,after we had refreshed both man and beast we prepared to cross4 ,there was no bridge4 ,brother ,m',gee rode through and we drove our horses after him1 then the bishops and myself walked over the rapid stream on a tree1 and were thankful to get across in safety4 ,the next thing was to climb the ,catoluche ,mountain4 ,no wonder the bishop wrote1 8,but ,o1 the mountain1 height after height1 and five miles over20 and to add to our troubles1 we got lost in the wilderness and crossed other streams1 wandering hour after hour in the home of wild beasts4 ,seventeen miles we went through a dreary wilderness4 ,we came to a gate which we entered and passed through the settlements on ,jonathan's and ,richland ,creeks1 and came in at ,brother ,jacob ,shuck's at nine o'clock in the evening1 long after dark1 weary1 cold1 and hungry2 but my soul was stayed on the ,lord4 ,bishop ,asbury characterizes this as 8an awful day40 ,bishop ,m',kendree and ,brother ,magee went a few miles to attend a two days' meeting at ,rev4 ,samuel ,edney's1 and we spent the ,sabbath in ,buncombe4 ,bishop ,asbury preached for the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,newton1 a ,presbyterian minister1 whom he loved exceedingly1 not only for his catholic spirit1 but his strong resemblance to ,bishop ,whatcoat both in regard to placidity and solemnity4 ,after crossing mountains and streams1 a week from ,monday #ajth brought us to ,rev4 ,james ,jenkins's4 ,he had located some years before1 and the bishop was delighted that he was going to re-enter the traveling connection4 ,the bishop here received from the ,north the sad news of the death of his old friends ,jesse ,hollingsworth1 ,peter ,hoffman1 and ,john ,bloodgood4 ,the next day ,brother ,jenkins rode with us to ,camden4 ,father ,asbury met a class at night in ,brother ,mathis's room4 ,in regard to our late route ,mr4 ,asbury wrote thus3 8,great fatigue1 my lame horse1 and unknown roads where we lose ourselves1 are small trials2 but #8as thy days so shall thy strength be4'0 ,he then wrote what is very complimentary to the inhabitants of ,carolina1 and contrasts strangely with some who would take the bishop's last cent for a little refreshment3 8,we are not1 nor have we been lately1 much among our own people2 but it has made little difference in the article of expense4 ,the generous ,carolinians are polite and kind1 and will not take our money40 ,on ,friday the #adth we left ,camden and rode to ,father ,rembert's4 ,brother ,william ,m4 ,kenneday1 ,brother ,gilman1 myself1 and several others fixed the seats in the new meeting-house4 ,we spent the ,sabbath there4 ,father ,asbury preached in the morning1 and ,william ,m4 ,kenneday followed him4 ,i preached in the evening1 and ,william ,capers exhorted4 ,bishop ,asbury was very much indisposed here for several days4 ,on ,thursday we rode with quite a number of preachers to ,columbia1 the seat of the ,south ,carolina ,conference4 ,it was held in the private mansion of ,colonel ,thomas ,taylor1 ,united ,states senator4 ,he was not a ,methodist1 but was very friendly4 ,he and his family were at ,washington1 and he gave up his whole house for the conference to be held there1 and the preachers to remain in it4 ,he gave two brethren1 ,wyth and ,williamson1 the privilege of moving into his house and entertaining the preachers4 ,the conference commenced on ,saturday1 ,december #bb4 ,after singing and prayer1 ,bishop ,asbury addressed the conference in a most parental and affectionate manner1 stating1 among other things1 that he was in the fiftieth year of his ministerial service and his fortieth in ,america1 and that he could not endure such labors much longer4 ,the brethren were deeply affected4 ,the conference commenced and progressed in great harmony4 ,on ,sunday morning at eight o'clock we had a social meeting1 composed of traveling and local preachers1 in the conference room4 ,several spoke of the dealing of ,god to their souls4 ,it was a blessed privilege to listen to these warm-hearted southern brethren as they talked of ,jesus and his love4 ,surely we sat together in a heavenly place in ,christ ,jesus4 ,to crown the whole1 we had a pastoral address from ,bishops ,asbury and ,m',kendree4 ,it was a moving and a memorable time4 ,at eleven ,bishop ,asbury preached from #b ,cor4 iii1 #ab4 ,plainness of speech was dwelt upon with great effect4 ,the congregation was immense1 and there was great seriousness4 ,at three ,bishop ,m',kendree preached from #b ,cor4 v1 #bj1 8,now1 then1 we are embassadors for ,christ10 etc4 ,the sermon was masterly4 ,no wonder ,i added1 8,the ,lord was with us4 ,glory to the ,saviour that such an unworthy creature as ,i am permitted to enjoy such a refreshing season from the presence of the ,lord6 ,glorious ,sabbath1 never to be forgotten in time or eternity40 ,on ,monday at eleven ,i preached from ,john i1 #aa1 #ab4 ,the ,lord made the word a blessing to some souls4 ,tuesday was ,christmas day4 ,in the morning ,james ,russell preached at five o'clock from ,mark i1 #ae4 ,it was a great privilege to hear that original genius preach4 ,i added under the sermon1 8,there was a shout in the camp4 ,glory6 halleluiah60 ,the preachers in those days were up in the morning2 they were not caught napping4 ,early as it was1 long before the sun got out of bed1 there were over three hundred hearers4 ,at eleven o'clock ,bishop ,asbury ordained eleven promising men to the office of deacon1 after which ,jonathan ,jackson preached on ,rev4 xiv1 #f1 #g4 ,love and harmony seems to increase in our conference4 ,twenty preachers were admitted on trial1 and there was about two thousand five hundred increase of members4 ,the elders were ordained on ,friday1 the last day of the session1 after ,bishop ,asbury had preached a sermon admirably adapted to the occasion from ,heb4 iii1 #ab1 #ad4 ,,chapter ,,xxviii4 ,,virginia1 ,,baltimore1 ,,philadelphia1 ,,and ,,new ,,england ,,conferences4 ,we left ,columbia for ,charleston on ,saturday1 ,december #cj1 accompanied by that noble man of ,god1 ,lewis ,myers4 ,we reached ,general ,rumph's1 on the ,orangeburgh ,district1 where we spent the ,sabbath4 ,he was a man of mark1 a general of the ,revolution1 and a noble soldier in the ,christian army4 ,the general had two sons1 ,christian and ,jacob ,rumph1 who were excellent men and superior preachers4 ,jacob was in the work only five years4 ,he joined in #ahjh1 and died in ,charleston in #ahac4 ,his father was wealthy1 and ,jacob might have richly enjoyed the good things of this life1 but he chose to endure the hardships of an itinerant ministry4 ,his career was short1 but brilliant2 his end triumphant4 ,i have noticed for a long lifetime that those families that early entertained the ,lord's prophets were greatly blessed4 ,the ,lord put the broad seal of his approbation upon them1 and this is strikingly illustrated in the family of ,general ,rumph4 ,the general was one of the first that welcomed ,methodist ministers in that part of ,south ,carolina4 ,bishop ,asbury makes the following honorable record3 8,god has repaid this family for its kindness to the poor followers of the ,lord ,jesus4 ,there are four sons and three daughters1 gracious souls4 ,two of the sons1 ,jacob and ,christian1 are preachers of the ,gospel40 ,this was the bishop's last interview with ,general ,rumph4 ,before his next annual round the general was in the sepulcher4 ,we reached ,charleston ,january #b1 #ahaa1 and spent several days there4 ,the bishop preached several times4 ,i attended to some important business for the ,book ,room1 procuring drafts1 etc4 ,after several days' riding and preaching1 on ,monday #bh we crossed ,cape ,fear ,river at ,governor ,smith's ,ferry4 ,the bishop was oft in perils on the land1 on the water1 on the mountains1 and in the woods4 ,of these he makes but little mention in his journal4 ,one of the most fearful perils he had while ,i was with him was at this ferry4 ,we started to cross with one ferryman instead of two4 ,i was holding the bridles of our horses1 standing between their heads4 ,another ferryman came up with a canoe4 ,i warned him not to let it strike our boat2 but he did not heed the caution1 and his canoe struck our scow1 which so frightened one horse that he sprang against the other and both went overboard4 ,the bishop and myself were also in danger of being knocked overboard and drowned1 as the water was very deep4 ,the bishop was seated at the end of the scow with his staff in his hand4 ,one of the horses struck the staff and broke it1 and a little more and it might have broke his leg or knocked the feeble old man overboard4 ,i held on to the reins of one1 and he swam along the side of the scow2 the other began to swim toward the shore1 but seeing which way the other horse was swimming he turned round and passed us1 and reached the opposite shore before we did4 ,there he sunk in the mud1 and his exertions to escape only sunk him deeper1 and his case became more hopeless4 ,the bishop looked very sad as he saw his favorite animal floundering in the mud4 ,just then an old colored woman1 a slave1 made her appearance1 and she was full of sympathy4 8,o10 said the bishop1 8my horse is mired1 and ,i am afraid we shall never be able to get him out40 8,o yes1 massa10 said she1 8you will1 for we will call the colored people down from their quarters1 and they will lift him out bodily40 ,at this the bishop laughed most heartily4 ,but previous to sending for help ,i thought ,i would try what could be done4 ,so ,i got a rail and put it under the horse's haunches1 and he gave a spring and was soon out1 to the bishop's great joy as well as my own4 ,the bishop's saddle-bags were fastened to his saddle1 mine were not1 and they floated down the stream4 ,i felt much anxiety until ,i recovered them1 as ,i had many dollars in them belonging to the ,book ,room4 ,our clothes1 books1 and manuscripts were all well soaked4 ,we spent hours in drying them1 and then started on our journey4 ,bishop ,asbury was much alarmed1 far more so than ,i had ever seen him4 ,our preservation and that of the horses was providential1 and we had special cause for thanksgiving4#cf ,the ,virginia ,conference commenced its session in ,raleigh1 ,n4 ,c41 on ,february #g1 #ahaa4 ,in #ahaj the conference was held in ,newbern1 and the citizens of ,raleigh sent an invitation to have the next session there1 pledging themselves to entertain the preachers and their horses4 ,we had a very small society at ,raleigh1 and the brethren considered the invitation providential1 and accepted it4 ,i know of no particular account of this memorable conference anywhere4 ,it was held in the state-house1 in the senate chamber1 and we preached in the hall of the ,house of ,representatives4 ,there was preaching three times a day4 ,c4 ,h4 ,hines and ,jesse ,lee preached the first day4 ,on ,friday ,bishop ,m',kendree preached at eleven o'clock1 and ,i at three4 ,the work of conviction was going on1 and a number were converted in the evening4 ,saturday was a day of the ,lord's power4 ,the work not only continued during the day1 but till midnight4 ,on ,sunday ,bishop ,asbury preached in the morning to a thousand people1 and ,thomas ,l4 ,douglass at three o'clock4 ,many embraced religion1 and the interest continued to increase to the last4 ,this was the greatest time ,i had seen for years at any conference for the display of saving power4 ,over fifty were converted and united with us1 among whom were the ,secretary of ,state and some of his family4 ,this revival gave such an impetus to ,methodism in ,raleigh that they proceeded to build a church that year1 and ,methodism had a character and permanency that remains to this day4 ,we put up with a kind family named ,mears1 who kept a public house4 ,they shared in the blessings of the ,gospel1 for some of them experienced religion during the conference4 ,for three nights ,bishop ,asbury1 ,thomas ,l4 ,douglass1 and myself lodged with our aged friend1 ,rev4 ,william ,glendenning1 who came and insisted that we should put up with him4 ,he was a ,scotchman1 a man of rather large stature1 and had something of a brogue4 ,he was one of our earliest preachers1 having been received at the conference held in #aggf1 when there were only nineteen ,methodist preachers in ,america4 ,this made him to me an object of great interest4 ,his first appointment was ,brunswick1 ,virginia1 with ,george ,shadford1 ,edward ,drumgoole1 and ,robert ,williams4 ,mr4 ,glendenning was remarkably eccentric1 if not a little 8cracked40 ,i knew him very early1 having seen him at my father's house and heard him preach4 ,he withdrew in #aghe4 ,he afterward joined the 8,republican ,methodists0 under ,james ,o',kelley1 and preached among them2 then he became a ,unitarian1 and built a church in ,raleigh4 ,we had a very pleasant time at his house4 ,he attended our conference and the preaching1 and appeared interested in the revival scenes2 but he would exclaim1 8,i do not like the government40 ,there seemed to be a conflict in his own mind3 he believed the work to be of ,god--that souls were really converted2 and yet he was so strongly prejudiced against our ,church government that he could not see how heaven had set its seal of approbation upon such measures4 ,at this time he was an old man4 ,he ended his days in ,raleigh4 ,in #ahad ,bishop ,asbury visited ,raleigh again1 and writes3 8,after all allowance for drawbacks1 we cannot tell all the good that was done by our conference in ,raleigh in #ahaa40 ,i have noticed the conversion of the ,secretary of ,state4 ,his name was ,william ,hill4 ,he immediately joined the ,methodist ,church1 and was baptized by ,bishop ,asbury4 ,such was the purity of his character that amid all the changes of party he held the office of ,secretary of ,state from #ahaa till his death in #aheg1 a period of forty-six years4 ,this is unparalleled4 ,he was a class-leader and steward for many years4 ,he was eighty-four when he died4 ,on the #bhth of ,february we rode to ,william ,watters's4 ,he retired from the regular work in #ahjf1 but his heart was always in it4 ,he was now living in dignified retirement on his farm on the ,virginia side of the ,potomac1 opposite ,georgetown4 ,he was the first traveling preacher raised up in ,america4 ,philip ,gatch commenced nearly the same time4 ,they were intimate1 and in their declining years corresponded with each other4 ,mr4 ,watters was a stout man1 of medium height1 of very venerable and solemn appearance4 ,bishop ,asbury and he were life-time friends4 ,the bishop was acquainted with him before he was licensed to preach1 and used to call him familiarly1 8,billy ,watters40 ,when these aged men met on this occasion they embraced and saluted each other with 8a holy kiss20 and the bishop1 writing of this visit in his journal1 speaks of him as 8my dear old friend1 ,william ,watters40 ,he was distinguished for humility1 simplicity1 and purity4 ,few holier ministers has the ,methodist ,church ever had than ,william ,watters4 ,i rejoice that ,i was permitted to hear him preach and to be his guest2 to eat at his table1 to sit at his fireside1 to enjoy his friendship and hospitality4 ,his house was for years a regular preaching-place on the circuit4 ,in #ahcc1 at the age of eighty-two1 he died in holy triumph4 ,his name will go down to the end of time bearing the honored title of ,the ,first ,american ,methodist ,traveling ,preacher4 ,william ,watters rode with us about four miles1 and then we went to ,georgetown to ,henry ,foxall's4 ,on ,sunday the bishop preached in ,washington city1 in the new chapel1 and at ,georgetown4 ,on the next ,saturday ,hamilton ,jefferson1 ,dr4 ,hall1 and ,james ,smith overtook us1 and we journeyed on together4 ,on ,wednesday we reached ,pipe ,creek1 and ,bishop ,asbury preached next day at the ,pipe ,creek ,chapel4 ,i held forth at night on ,acts x1 #cc4 ,thence we proceeded to ,baltimore4 ,on ,wednesday1 ,march #aa1 #ahaa1 the ,baltimore ,conference commenced its session in ,light-street ,church4 ,the first evening ,i heard ,gill ,watt preach on 8,the preparation of the heart10 etc42 ,thursday1 at eleven1 ,benedict ,reynolds on 8,who then can be saved80 ,there was a good work in the evening in ,light-street ,church--sinners awakened and mourners comforted4 ,on ,sunday morning ,i heard ,jacob ,gruber preach in ,german in ,father ,otterbein's ,church4 ,in the afternoon ,i preached also in ,german in the same place1 from ,gal4 vi1 #i2 my dear old friend ,newcomber exhorted4 ,the revival continued during the conference4 ,such a work during the session of a conference is delightful1 and should always be expected4 ,at this conference ,beverly ,waugh1 ,joseph ,frye1 ,james ,m4 ,hanson1 and four others were admitted into full connection and ordained deacons4 ,on ,thursday the conference adjourned1 and ,i went with ,bishop ,asbury to see ,mr4 ,otterbein4 ,the interview between these ancient friends was most delightful4 ,then we went to ,gatch's meeting-house1 and the bishop preached from ,heb4 xii1 #ae4 ,the reader can see what a laborious man the bishop was when he remembers that after many days' close sitting in conference1 and stationing so many men1 instead of retiring for rest1 that very day he preaches at ,gatch's ,chapel4 ,he was the most laborious man ,i ever knew4 ,we had in company with us ,brother ,james ,paynter1 ,sister ,gough1 and ,sister ,dickins1 both widows indeed4 ,we went with them to ,perry ,hall4 ,on ,friday the bishop preached in the camp-meeting chapel and ,i exhorted4 ,we returned to ,perry ,hall4 ,on ,saturday we rode to the ,fork ,chapel1 where the bishop preached and ,i exhorted4 ,here we parted with three widows1 ,gough1 ,dickins1 and ,cassell4 ,the last was the widow of the eloquent ,leonard ,cassell1 who fell asleep three years before4 ,i left the bishop and hastened to my father's1 whom ,i had not seen since the summer before4 ,to my great joy ,i found there ,bishop ,m',kendree and ,robert ,burch4 ,on ,friday1 ,april #e1 ,bishop ,m',kendree preached in ,boehm's ,chapel on ,luke xii1 #cb4 ,on ,sunday ,bishop ,m',kendree1 ,robert ,burch1 and ,i preached in ,lancaster4 ,on ,monday ,i rode with ,bishop ,m',kendree to ,strasburgh1 where he preached1 and we tarried with my old friend ,thomas ,ware2 thence to ,souderburgh1 where the bishop preached from ,prov4 xxiv1 #cj-cd4 ,i returned with him to ,strasburgh4 ,having rejoined ,bishop ,asbury1 we went to ,philadelphia1 and put up with ,alexander ,cook4 ,this was a very fine family4 ,their house was then a little out of town1 but the city has now grown out to them4 ,he was the father-in-law of ,rev4 ,john ,p4 ,durbin1 ,d4,d4 ,on ,saturday the ,philadelphia ,conference commenced its session in ,st4 ,george's ,church4 ,on ,sunday ,i heard three sermons from ,bishop ,m',kendree1 ,stephen ,g4 ,roszell1 and ,bishop ,asbury1 all in ,st4 ,george's4 ,thomas ,burch and ,i lodged with my early friend1 ,dr4 ,chandler4 ,on ,saturday #bg ,bishop ,m',kendree1 having appointments for preaching ahead1 left ,bishop ,asbury to finish the work of the conference4 ,ten preachers were admitted on trial1 among whom were ,joseph ,lybrand4 ,the conference adjourned on ,monday4 ,i wrote1 8,it seems the voice of ,providence that ,i should keep on with ,bishop ,asbury40 ,on ,wednesday we went to ,germantown1 and ,bishop ,asbury preached in the evening4 ,here he was visited by those distinguished physicians1 ,drs4 ,rush and ,physic4 ,it was my privilege to be present at the interview4 ,dr4 ,benjamin ,rush1 as a man1 a patriot1 a physician1 and a scholar1 occupied the first rank4 ,he was one of the signers of the ,declaration of ,independence4 ,bishop ,asbury was delighted with their attentions1 as will appear from the following entry in his journal3 8,wednesday1 ,may #a1 ,i preached in ,germantown4 ,drs4 ,rush and ,physic paid me a visit4 ,how consoling it is to know that these great characters are men fearing ,god6 ,i was much gratified1 as ,i ever am1 by their attentions1 kindness1 and charming conversation2 indeed they have been of eminent use to me1 and ,i acknowledge their services with gratitude40 ,the bishop had had several interviews with them before1 but ,i believe this was the last4 ,in less than two years ,dr4 ,rush was in his grave4 ,he died in ,philadelphia1 ,april #ai1 #ahac1 aged sixty-seven4 ,bishop ,asbury lived only five years after4 ,dr4 ,physic1 who was much younger than either1 died in #ahcg1 aged sixty-nine4 ,it was at this interview1 as they were separating1 the bishop inquired what he should pay for their professional services4 ,they answered1 8,nothing2 only an interest in your prayers40 ,said ,bishop ,asbury1 8,as ,i do not like to be in debt we will pray now20 and he knelt down and offered a most impressive prayer that ,god would bless and reward them for their kindness to him4 ,we were next to visit the ,new ,york ,conference4 ,on ,may #ah we came to ,powles ,hook1 and had to wait two hours for wind to cross the ,hudson ,river4 ,we went over then in sail-boats1 and there was not wind enough to fill the sails4 ,in this go-ahead1 rushing age1 when every one is in a hurry1 what would a person think of being delayed at a ferry two hours8 ,now you cross every three minutes1 as regular as clock-work4 ,we put up in ,new ,york at ,sister ,grice's4 ,she was a widow1 from ,annapolis4 ,she had a daughter who was also a widow1 ,mrs4 ,ann ,tucker4 ,they were milliners1 and lived in ,william-street1 and their house was an excellent home4 ,our old friend1 ,mrs4 ,john ,mills1 where we put up last year1 was dead4 ,the conference commenced its session in ,new ,york ,may #bj1 #ahaa4 ,both the bishops were present4 ,there was nothing special except the election of delegates to the ,general ,conference in #ahab4 ,the ,new ,york ,conference was the first that elected its delegates4 ,there was considerable excitement1 and some electioneering4 ,they elected thirteen4 ,freeborn ,garrettson headed the delegation1 and was followed by ,daniel ,ostrander1 ,aaron ,hunt1 ,william ,phbus1 ,william ,anson1 ,nathan ,bangs1 ,laban ,clark1 ,truman ,bishop1 ,eben ,smith1 ,henry ,stead1 ,billy ,hibbard1 ,seth ,crowell1 and ,samuel ,merwin4 ,they are all gone years ago1 except the venerable ,laban ,clark4 ,on ,friday1 ,may #ca1 the bishop preached at the 8two-mile stone10 as it was called1 or 8,bowery ,village40 ,it was considered out of the city4 ,he preached in an academy in what is now ,st4 ,mark's ,place4 ,the society there was early organized4 ,john and ,gilbert ,coutant were among the early members4 ,this was the germ of what is now the ,seventh-street ,church1 one of the most flourishing in ,new ,york4 ,we put up with ,george ,suckley1 ,esq41 a wealthy gentleman of the old school1 who came over to ,america with ,dr4 ,coke4 ,we had the company of ,rev4 ,ezekiel ,cooper1 ,freeborn ,garrettson1 and ,daniel ,hitt4 ,brother ,garrettson and ,brother ,suckley were intimate friends1 and in #ahbg ,mr4 ,garrettson died at the house of his friend in ,new ,york4 ,onward to ,sherwood ,yale1 and spent the ,sabbath there and at ,new ,rochelle4 ,here ,thomas ,paine was buried1 and has a monument4 ,on ,monday to ,croton to ,general ,van ,cortland's4 ,the governor was ninety-one years old1 with clear mental faculties1 and1 best of all1 happy in ,god his ,saviour4 ,the bishop preached at three o'clock on the prodigal's return4 ,on ,friday1 ,june #g1 we reached ,george ,ingraham's in ,amenia4 ,on ,saturday ,i wrote thus3 8,this day ,i am thirty-six years old1 and it is twelve years since ,i joined the ,methodist connection4 ,my much esteemed senior1 ,thomas ,ware1 asked me if ,i had #8a desire to join society4' ,i answered1 #8,if the society could venture on their part1 ,i was willing to make the trial4' ,he then set down my name4 ,it is ten years last ,january since ,i left my dear father and mother and relations1 with small gifts and little ,christian experience1 and less in the ministry1 not knowing much of men and things1 and but little knowledge of the ,english tongue2 and yet the people have generally received me in the character of an itinerant minister in different parts of our continent4 ,this is indeed marvelous4 ,it is the ,lord's doing4 ,my soul feels deeply humbled in love and gratitude before the ,lord4 ,halleluiah6 ,the sun shines bright1 the meadows and fields are clothed with grass1 wheat1 etc42 all nature smiles4 ,o for a trumpet's voice and the power of the ,spirit6 that ,henry might successfully call souls to ,god40 ,i have transcribed this from my journal that the reader might see the scrap of history it contains1 and also the frame of mind ,i was in at that time when ,i was a houseless wanderer4 ,after spending the ,sabbath at ,amenia1 we traveled through ,hillsdale1 ,lenox1 ,pittsfield1 ,pownal1 and ,bennington1 to ,ashgrove4 ,we stopped at ,brother ,john ,armitage's1 and here we met ,bishop ,m',kendree and ,elijah ,chichester1 who accompanied him to the ,new ,england ,conference4 ,ashgrove1 as the reader well knows1 is ,methodist classic ground4 ,on ,wednesday we reached ,barnard1 ,vermont1 the seat of the ,new ,england ,conference4 ,we put up with ,andrew ,stevens4 ,on ,thursday1 ,june #bj1 the session commenced4 ,they had preaching every day4 ,elijah ,hedding preached at eleven o'clock from ,isaiah xl1 #a1 #b4 ,it was a sermon full of consolation4 ,on ,friday there was a general fast that was observed by six conferences1 and ,bishop ,asbury preached and ordained the deacons4 ,it was a gracious time4 ,the elders were ordained on ,sunday afternoon after a sermon by ,bishop ,m',kendree4 ,on ,tuesday1 after a pleasant session1 the ,conference adjourned1 and the preachers repaired with cheerfulness to their different fields of labor4 ,here also ,i witnessed the first election by this conference of delegates to the ,general ,conference4 ,nine were chosen3 ,george ,pickering1 ,oliver ,beale1 ,elijah ,hedding1 ,joshua ,soule1 ,william ,stevens1 ,asa ,kent1 ,solomon ,sias1 ,joel ,winch1 and ,daniel ,webb4 ,they have been gone years ago1 except ,daniel ,webb1 who entered the traveling ministry sixty-seven years ago1 and ,joshua ,soule4 ,,chapter ,,xxix4 ,,bishop ,,asbury',s ,,visit ,,to ,,canada4 ,for many years ,bishop ,asbury had an ardent desire to visit ,canada4 ,i was with the bishop in ,july1 #ahji1 near ,lake ,champlain1 where he ordained 8,joseph ,sampson1 a native of ,canada1 and sent him to be a missionary to his countrymen40 ,he adds1 8,the day of small things will be great2 but the day is not yet come1 rather it is still afar off4 ,patience1 my soul6 ,do ,i not feel for the lost sheep8 ,yea1 verily40 ,we had at that time two districts in ,canada1 and a little over two thousand members4 ,the next year ,joseph ,sampson was presiding elder of ,lower ,canada ,district4 ,mr4 ,asbury believed a bishop should travel through every part of his diocese1 and as far as possible acquaint himself with every part of his work4 ,when we were in ,kentucky1 in ,october1 #ahji1 he wrote3 8,if spared1 ,i shall see ,canada before ,i die40 ,the foundation of a great work had been laid there by ,william ,lozee1 ,james ,coleman1 ,darius ,dunham1 ,joseph ,sawyer1 ,hezekiah ,c4 ,wooster1 ,samuel ,coate1 ,joseph ,jewell1 ,elijah ,woolsey1 ,nathan ,bangs1 and others1 to whom the ,methodists in ,canada owe a debt of gratitude4 ,annually the bishop had heard of the state of the work there since he appointed ,william ,lozee the first missionary in #agia4 ,mr4 ,asbury selected the interval between the session of the ,new ,england and ,genesee ,conferences for his visit to ,canada4 ,had he not gone then he would never have made the journey1 for the war which commenced the next year between ,great ,britain and the ,united ,states would have prevented1 and by the time war was over the bishop would have been too feeble to have undertaken it4 ,according to his usual custom the plan was laid beforehand1 his guide selected1 and his appointments sent forward4 ,at ,barnard1 ,vt41 ,bishop ,m',kendree and he separated1 to meet at ,paris1 ,n4 ,y41 the seat of the ,genesee ,conference1 and he and ,i started for ,canada4 ,an ordinary man would have sought an interval of rest2 but the laborious ,asbury1 though old and infirm1 never thought of repose till the heavenly land should unfold its boundless loveliness and welcome him to its rest and refreshment forever4 ,our guide was the ,rev4 ,bela ,smith1 then preaching in ,canada1 on the ,cornwall ,circuit4 ,we had a very severe time on our journey4 ,we crossed ,lake ,champlain1 and ,mr4 ,asbury preached in a bar-room in ,plattsburgh4 ,the heat was intolerable4 ,the roads through the woods1 over rocks1 down gulleys1 over stumps1 and through the mud1 were indescribable4 ,they were enough to jolt a hale bishop to death1 let alone a poor infirm old man near the grave4 ,we crossed the ,chateaugay and ,salmon ,rivers1 and on ,monday1 ,july #a1 reached a large ,indian village called ,st4 ,regis4 ,the ,st4 ,regis ,river1 a beautiful stream1 here enters the grand old ,st4 ,lawrence4 ,these ,indians1 and there were some thousands of them1 were a nation composed of the fragments of several once powerful tribes1 who had been gathered many years before by a ,roman ,catholic priest4 ,a part of the ,indians belonged to the ,united ,states and the rest to ,canada4 ,the ,st4 ,lawrence ,river is not the line that here separates the two countries4 ,the ,indians belonging to ,canada live one side of the line1 those belonging to the ,united ,states on the other4 ,they were chiefly ,roman ,catholics1 and had a large church1 with its steeple and bell1 and a parsonage1 in which the priest lived1 near the bank of the ,st4 ,lawrence4 ,the church was built about the beginning of #agjj4 ,they are known as the ,st4 ,regis ,indians4 ,in entering the village1 as ,mr4 ,asbury was leading his horse across a bridge made of poles1 the animal got his feet between them and sunk into the mud and water4 ,away went the saddle-bags2 the books and clothes were wet1 and the horse was fast4 ,we got a pole under him to pry him out2 at the same time the horse made a leap and came out safe and sound4 ,the ,french have intermarried with these ,indians4 ,since our visit we have had1 and still have1 a mission among them and a little church4 ,but we have had no great success4 ,the beads1 crosses1 etc41 suit the ,indians best1 for they strike their senses4 ,we crossed the ,st4 ,lawrence in romantic style4 ,we hired four ,indians to paddle us over4 ,they lashed three canoes together and put our horses in them1 their fore feet in one canoe1 their hind feet in another4 ,it was a singular load3 three canoes1 three passengers1 7the bishop1 ,bela ,smith1 and myself17 three horses1 and four ,indians4 ,they were to take us over for three dollars4 ,it was nearly three miles across to where we landed4 ,it was late in the afternoon when we started1 and we were a long time crossing1 for some part was rough1 especially the rapids1 so we did not reach the other side till late in the evening4 ,then the ,indians claimed an additional dollar4 ,they said1 8four men four dollar10 intimating that three dollars could not be so easily divided among four4 ,we cheerfully paid the additional dollar1 and were full of gratitude for our crossing in safety4 ,we might have shared the fate of ,robert ,hibbard1 a preacher in ,canada1 who was drowned ,october #aj1 #ahab1 in the ,st4 ,lawrence1 in crossing the ferry some distance below ,montreal4 ,his body was never found4 ,we arrived in ,canada on ,july #a1 #ahaa1 landing at ,cornwall1 and about midnight we reached the hospitable dwelling of ,evan ,roy1 who hailed the bishop's arrival with joy1 and gave him and his companions a welcome worthy of patriarchal times4 ,we found it warm in ,canada1 and the bishop suffered greatly4 ,here ,henry ,ryan1 presiding elder of ,upper ,canada1 met us4 ,the next day ,bishop ,asbury preached1 and ,brother ,ryan and ,i exhorted4 ,the day after there was a love-feast1 and the ,lord's supper was administered1 and the bishop preached4 ,after meeting we rode up to the banks of the river1 dined at ,stephen ,bailey's1 and then went to ,brother ,glassford's4 ,the bishop rode in ,brother ,glassford's small close carriage1 which he called a 8calash10 and he inquired how they were to get out if they should upset4 ,he had hardly asked the question before over went the carriage1 and again the venerable bishop was upset2 but fortunately no bones were broken2 the saplings alongside of the road broke the fall1 and he escaped uninjured4 ,on ,thursday1 ,july #d1 we heard the firing on the other side of the river1 celebrating the day4 ,the war spirit was waking up in ,canada as well as in the ,united ,states1 and the people there answered by firing popguns by way of contempt4 ,this woke up my patriotism1 for ,i had always regarded the ,fourth of ,july as the birthday of liberty1 the ,sabbath day of freedom4 ,on ,friday the bishop preached in ,matilda ,chapel1 in what was called the 8,german ,settlement20 ,i followed him1 preaching in ,german4 ,we had a good time1 and from appearances good was done4 ,the bishop was delighted with the people4 ,he wrote thus3 8,i was weak in body1 yet greatly helped in speaking4 ,here is a decent1 loving people4 ,my soul is much united to them4 ,i called upon ,father ,dulmage1 and on ,brother ,hicks1 a branch of an old ,irish stock of ,methodists in ,new ,york40 ,we tarried over night with ,david ,breckenridge4 ,he was a local deacon4 ,he married and baptized a great many people1 and attended many funerals4 ,in #ahjd he preached the funeral sermon of ,mrs4 ,heck1 who died suddenly4 ,she is said to have been a most estimable woman4 ,she was the wife of ,paul ,heck1 who was one of the first trustees of old ,john-street1 and it is said she claimed to be the woman who stirred up ,philip ,embury to preach the ,gospel4#cg ,on ,saturday we rode twelve miles before breakfast to ,brother ,boyce's1 where we attended a quarterly meeting4 ,the meeting was at ,elizabethtown4 ,i preached at noon on #a ,peter iii1 #ab4 ,william ,mitchel and ,bela ,smith exhorted4 ,it was a time of power2 many of ,god's people rejoiced1 and some mourners found converting grace4 ,on ,sunday we had a glorious time in love-feast and at the ,lord's supper4 ,bishop ,asbury preached a thrilling sermon from ,titus ii1 #aa1 #ab4 ,this was about sixty miles from ,cornwall4 ,the bishop greatly admired the country through which we rode4 ,he says3 8,our ride has brought us through one of the finest countries ,i have ever seen4 ,the timber is of a noble size1 the cattle are well shaped and well looking1 the crops are abundant on a most fruitful soil4 ,surely this is a land that ,god the ,lord hath blessed40 ,this extract not only shows the estimate the bishop formed of that part of ,canada1 but his habits of observation1 extending not merely to the inhabitants1 but to the soil1 the crops1 the timber1 the cattle1 both to their shape as well as size4 ,the bishop passed through this world with his eyes open4 ,on ,monday we proceeded with ,henry ,ryan and ,e4 ,cooper1 a young man from ,ireland1 to ,cannoughway ,falls to ,colonel ,stone's4 ,father ,asbury was very lame in his left foot with inflammatory rheumatism4 ,he suffered like a martyr4 ,on ,tuesday we reached ,brother ,elias ,dulmage's1 a very kind family1 and ,bishop ,asbury preached in the first town church on ,heb4 x1 #ch1 #ci2 ,brother ,cooper and ,i exhorted4 ,the bishop was so poorly he could not proceed on his journey1 and was obliged to lie by and rest1 that he might be able to attend the ,genesee ,conference at ,paris4 ,he remained at ,brother ,dulmage's1 where he found a very kind home1 and ,i went with ,henry ,ryan to his quarterly meeting in ,fourth or ,adolphus ,town1 by ,bay of ,quinte4 ,we dined at ,father ,miller's1 a native of ,germany4 ,on ,friday we rode to ,brother ,john ,embury's1 by ,hay ,bay4 ,he was a nephew of ,philip ,embury1 the apostle of ,american ,methodism4 ,he was awakened at the age of sixteen under his uncle's preaching in ,new ,york4 ,the next day1 ,saturday1 ,ezekiel ,cooper preached at eleven o'clock1 and ,henry ,ryan and ,i exhorted4 ,on the ,lord's day we had a glorious love-feast1 and at the ,lord's supper ,jesus was made known to us in the breaking of bread4 ,in a beautiful grove1 under the shade of trees planted by ,god's own hand1 ,i preached to two thousand people from ,luke xix1 #aj1 ,john ,reynolds and ,henry ,ryan exhorted4 ,the sparks flew and the fire fell4 ,henry ,ryan was from ,ireland4 ,he was a powerful man in that day4 ,in order to get to the conference ,brother ,ryan and ,i were obliged1 after this day of toil1 to ride all night to meet the bishop4 ,about eleven o'clock we reached ,brother ,miller's1 where we were refreshed4 ,we slept for a while1 and when it was time to start ,i had hard work to awake ,brother ,ryan1 he was sleeping so soundly4 ,at length he awoke1 and we started1 and wended our way through the dark1 and just as the morning light made its appearance we reached ,brother ,dulmage's4 ,the distance we rode that night was thirty-five miles4 ,to our great joy we found ,father ,asbury better4 ,we found also that notwithstanding his lameness and indisposition the ruling passion was so strong that he could not keep quiet2 but he had sent round and got a congregation1 to whom he preached in the chapel4 ,he also met the society and baptized two children4 ,we were in ,canada just a fortnight1 during which time we visited a number of important places3 ,cornwall1 ,matilda1 ,augusta1 ,kingston1 and ,elizabethtown4 ,everywhere the bishop was treated as the angel of the ,churches4 ,i was also in ,adolphustown1 ,hay ,bay ,shore1 and ,bay of ,quinte4 ,in ,adolphustown the first regularly organized class was formed in ,canada1 and at ,hay ,bay the first ,methodist church in ,canada was erected4 ,the bishop preached six times in ,canada1 besides numerous lectures which he delivered to societies4 ,bela ,smith piloted ,mr4 ,asbury and myself in crossing ,chateaugay woods from ,plattsburgh to ,st4 ,regis1 and crossed with us into ,canada4 ,in the woods there was a log across the road1 and it was very muddy4 ,i rolled the log out of the road so we could pass4 ,bela ,smith said1 8,i believe you can do anything40 8,o yes10 ,i said1 8anything that is necessary to be done40 ,forty years afterward ,i met him in ,forsyth-street ,church at the ,new ,york ,conference1 and ,i asked him if he remembered ,chateaugay woods4 ,he said yes4 ,and while we talked over the dangers we encountered in that perilous journey1 and the sacrifices of the past1 a young man listened to us1 and with a significant look he tossed his head and said1 8,it is all ,greek to me40 ,i have no doubt but he would have thought so if he had had as much difficulty in translating it as some of us had2 but a brighter day has dawned upon the ,church1 and ,i rejoice that the young men are now called to make no such sacrifices1 and to bear no such burdens4 ,mr4 ,smith was an excellent man4 ,after suffering much he died in holy triumph1 and was buried in ,durham1 ,n4 ,y4 ,his excellent wife1 whose name was ,merwin1 a relative of ,rev4 ,samuel ,merwin1 sleeps beside him4 ,he had two sons1 ,thomas ,b4 and ,j4 ,w41 who have caught his falling mantle1 and are members of the ,new ,york ,conference4 ,the bishop being anxious to get to the conference at ,paris1 left ,kingston on ,monday to cross ,lake ,ontario for ,sackett's ,harbor in an open sail-boat1 dignified by the name of 8packet40 ,we commenced our voyage with a very heavy head wind1 and were obliged to beat all the way4 ,we could have crossed in a few hours if the wind had been fair4 ,a tremendous storm overtook us2 the wind blew like a hurricane1 and it was so dark the captain did not know where he was4 ,he intended to have anchored at a harbor in ,grenadier ,island1 but we passed it without knowing it4 ,the captain swore and cursed the wind when he found he could not reach the island before dark1 and then ,i thought we were in danger4 ,a female passenger reproved him1 and inquired if he was not ashamed to swear so4 ,he made no reply1 but he swore no more that night4 ,after we passed the island we looked back1 and beheld a large raft with a fire upon it4 ,when we saw the light we hailed those on the raft1 and learned from them that we were near to some dangerous rocks4 ,we should no doubt have found a watery grave if we had not seen the light on that raft4 ,they had come to anchor in consequence of the storm4 ,we turned our old scow round and came to anchor alongside of the raft on the north side of ,fox ,island1 ,henry ,ryan and the rest of our company left the vessel and went on to the island1 where there was a house of entertainment4 ,bishop ,asbury and ,i remained on the boat till morning4 ,there was no cabin2 it was an open boat1 and the wind was howling and the storm beating upon us4 ,in order to make the bishop as comfortable as possible ,i made him a bed1 covered him with the blankets we carried with us1 and fixed the canvas over him like a tent1 to keep off the wind and the rain4 ,then ,i laid down in the bottom of the boat1 on some stones placed there for ballast1 which ,i covered with some hay ,i procured at ,kingston for our horses4 ,at midnight a sudden squall struck our frail bark2 the canvas flapped and awoke and alarmed the bishop4 ,he cried out1 8,henry1 ,henry1 the horses are going overboard40 ,i quieted his fears by telling him that all was safe1 that it was merely the flapping of the sail in the midnight winds4 ,he then lay down again and was quiet till morning4 ,the reader will remember that ,i had no sleep the night before1 but traveled nearly forty miles2 and on the lake it was difficult to sleep under the circumstances ,i have described4 ,no shipwrecked mariner who had endured the darkness of a stormy night on the ocean was ever more rejoiced to see the light of the morning than ourselves4 8,truly light is sweet1 and a pleasant thing it is to behold the sun40 ,in the morning we went on to ,fox ,island and took our breakfast1 which tasted good1 as we lay down the night before supperless4 ,then we set sail for ,sackett's ,harbor1 and arrived there about two in the afternoon in safety1 after the perilous storm and tedious night1 and we were never more glad to set our feet on terra firma4 ,we dined at ,sackett's ,harbor1 and then set out in a thunder-shower toward the seat of conference4 ,it was singular to see the feeble old bishop1 who had such a rough passage across the lake1 moving forward in a heavy rain1 amid lightning and thunder1 showing that in his estimation 8the king's business required haste40 ,in his journal he speaks of his sufferings3 8,my foot swelled1 and was very painful40 8,i have passed a night in great pain and disquietude40 ,friday1 8,sore1 lame1 and weary40 ,on ,friday we reached ,paris1 where we met with ,bishop ,m',kendree1 and the old veterans were overjoyed to meet each other4 ,bishop ,asbury wrote3 8,my spirit rejoiced with dear ,bishop ,m',kendree2 he nursed me as if ,i had been his own babe10 ,we were kindly entertained at ,brother ,elijah ,davis's4 ,it was a very pleasant and harmonious conference4 ,on ,thursday evening it adjourned1 to meet the next ,july at ,niagara1 ,canada4 ,loring ,grant1 who still lives1 an old veteran1 and ,isaac ,puffer1 known as chapter and verse1 or as a traveling concordance1 were ordained deacons4 ,the latter has fallen asleep4 ,charles ,giles1 ,george ,harman1 and others were ordained elders4 ,they elected their first delegates to ,general ,conference1 ,william ,b4 ,lacy1 ,anning ,owen1 ,timothy ,lee1 ,james ,kelsey1 ,elijah ,batchelor1 and ,william ,snow4 ,it is singular they did not send one of their presiding elders1 ,gideon ,draper1 ,william ,case1 or ,henry ,ryan4 ,the next day ,bishops ,asbury and ,m',kendree and myself set out for ,wilkesbarre1 accompanied by ,gideon ,draper1 who was then a young man4 ,bishop ,asbury carried his crutches with him1 and his leg pained him so we were obliged to stop at a house and get some vinegar with which to alleviate his misery by bathing it4 ,we reached ,kingston and put up with ,elijah ,shomakers4 ,on ,sunday morning the ,methodists in ,kingston had a rich treat3 ,bishop ,asbury preached a sermon on the ,pharisee and the publican in his own peculiar style2 ,bishop ,m',kendree preached immediately after from #a ,cor4 i1 #bc1 #bd1 on preaching ,christ crucified1 and the effects of such preaching upon different hearers4 ,at five o'clock ,bishop ,asbury preached at ,wilkesbarre from #b ,cor4 vi1 #a1 #b1 8,we then as workers together10 etc4 ,bishop ,asbury thus notices the labors of this ,sabbath3 8,sabbath1 ,august #d1 #ahaa4--,preached in the ,methodistico-,presbyterian ,church at ,kingston4 ,it was a time of freedom1 and words were given me to speak1 which were felt by preachers and people4 ,i preached at ,wilkesbarre and had a liberal season40 ,we were invited to ,judge ,fell's1 and were treated kindly4 ,on ,friday1 after intense suffering on the part of ,bishop ,asbury1 we reached my father's4 ,no wonder the bishop wrote3 8,my flesh is ready to think it something for a man of sixty-six1 with a highly inflamed and painful foot1 to ride nearly four hundred miles on a stumbling1 starting horse1 slipping or blundering over desperate roads1 from ,paris to this place1 in twelve days40 ,we tarried here longer than usual1 from the #ith to the #bjth4 ,thus ,i had a fine opportunity for a final visit with my much loved father4 ,on ,sunday ,bishop ,asbury preached at ,boehm's ,chapel from ,rom4 viii1 #aa-ah4 ,it was the last time my father ever heard ,bishop ,asbury preach4 ,i preached in the afternoon from #a ,john i1 #i2 the last time my father ever heard his son ,henry4 ,,chapter ,,xxx4 ,,fourth ,,western ,,and ,,southern ,,tour--,,conferences ,,of #ahaa4 ,on ,tuesday1 ,august #bj1 we took out solemn leave of my dear aged parents and friends4 ,o how my heart was pierced with hearing my father say1 as the tears ran down his furrowed cheeks1 8,we shall not see each other again40 ,how ,i gazed upon his patriarchal form1 and wept as he embraced me1 when ,i thought those arms will embrace me no more4 ,bishop ,asbury said1 8,we hope to meet in glory40 ,this was a word in season1 and proved a cordial to my soul4 ,my father's words were prophetic4 ,before we came round again the sun shone on his grave1 and his spirit had returned to ,god4 ,we started ,west1 and the tour was full of incident4 ,we crossed again the rugged ,alleghanies1 and spent a ,sabbath in ,pittsburgh4 ,we attended several camp-meetings4 ,the first was in ,ohio1 fourteen miles above ,zanesville1 beginning on ,september #b4 ,bishops ,asbury and ,m',kendree preached1 and some others4 ,there were thirteen hundred people1 and a number were converted4 ,the second camp-meeting we attended was on the #aeth1 one mile from ,xenia4 ,bishop ,asbury preached on ,sunday1 and after half an hour's intermission ,bishop ,m',kendree followed4 ,on the #bast we visited ,rev4 ,philip ,gatch4 ,i wrote3 8,but dear ,mother ,gatch is gone to a better country1 that is1 a heavenly40 ,she was a blessed woman4 ,on ,friday we reached ,cincinnati1 where we spent three ,sabbaths1 and stopped at ,oliver ,m4 ,spencer's4 ,on ,sunday the #bith ,bishop ,asbury and ,learner ,blackman preached4 ,on ,tuesday1 ,october #a1 the ,western ,conference commenced its session4 ,there was much weighty and critical business1 but it was attended to with order1 dispatch1 and good feeling4 ,on ,sunday1 ,october #f1 ,bishops ,asbury and ,m',kendree again preached4 ,the conference lasted ten days1 and one hundred ministers were appointed to fields of labor4 ,the work was so widening and spreading that there were not workmen enough to supply the work3 twenty-two additional laborers were needed4 ,the following ,sabbath the bishop delivered what he called 8a farewell warning to preachers20 after which he met the society and then visited the sick4 ,at this session they made their first election of delegates to the ,general ,conference4 ,learner ,blackman1 who was very popular1 headed the list4 ,he was brother-in-law of ,john ,collins4 ,i had known him since #ahjj1 and was present when he was received at the ,philadelphia ,conference that year4 ,he traveled with ,bishop ,asbury and myself many hundred miles on his way to ,general ,conference4 ,he met with a sad end4 ,he was drowned in the ,ohio in crossing a ferry in #ahae4 ,the other delegates were ,benjamin ,lakin1 ,james ,quinn1 ,frederick ,stier1 ,john ,sale1 ,william ,pattison1 ,isaac ,quinn1 ,william ,houston1 ,john ,collins1 ,samuel ,parker1 ,james ,axley1 ,david ,young1 ,thomas ,stilwell4 ,on ,october #ad we started for the ,south ,carolina ,conference4 ,we passed through ,kentucky1 everywhere preaching the word4 ,the bishop wrote1 8,what a field is opened and opening daily in this new world60 ,i will give a specimen of the lights and shadows of the itinerancy4 ,friday1 about half an hour after dark1 we came to ,rock ,castle ,bridge1 and wished for entertainment over night4 ,the answer was1 8,all full40 ,the bishop1 sick and feeble as he was1 and ,i1 had to grope our way seven miles before there was another place at which we could put up4 ,we both rejoiced when we reached1 as we supposed1 the end of our journey for that toilsome day4 ,we inquired if they could entertain us4 ,the answer was1 8,no admittance40 ,on we went a mile further1 and wished to tarry over night4 ,the answer was1 8,no room40 ,we began to despair4 ,the hour was late4 ,then we came across a person who kindly conducted us through the dark woods amid stumps and stones for several miles to the house of a kind friend1 who exhibited a hospitality worthy of patriarchal times4 ,we rode forty-seven miles that day4 ,it was eleven at night when we arrived4 ,we had had no dinner or supper1 so they gave us a delicious meal that answered for both4 ,this was at ,waynesborough1 and the family that so kindly entertained us was ,colonel ,milton's4 ,we did not retire till midnight1 and next morning at five o'clock we were again on our journey1 and traveled on till on ,friday1 the #hth1 we reached ,athens1 ,ga41 where we were kindly received by ,hope ,hull4 ,on ,tuesday ,bishop ,asbury preached at ,bethel ,chapel1 and ,hope ,hull and ,i exhorted4 ,,hope ,,hull was born on the ,eastern ,shore of ,maryland4 ,his name is one that will long live in the annals of ,methodism as one of the pioneers of our ,church in ,new ,england and the ,south4 ,he had a fine intellectual face1 and features that expressed determination4 ,his hair1 originally black1 was then sprinkled with gray4 ,he had a melodious voice1 was a very superior preacher1 and in eloquence few equaled him4 ,in #agid he traveled with ,bishop ,asbury1 who greatly admired him as a man1 as a preacher1 and as an orator4 ,he was a pioneer in the cause of education4 ,he resided in ,athens1 ,ga41 and had much to do with the origin and prosperity of the ,university of ,georgia1 and was for a time president4 ,he was born in #agfc1 entered the traveling ministry in #aghe1 and died ,october #d1 #ahah4 ,one inquired concerning his spiritual state when he was dying4 ,he heroically replied1 8,god has laid me under marching orders1 and ,i am ready to obey40 ,everywhere in the ,south the bishop's visit was hailed with joy1 and he preached almost every day4 ,the bishop and ,i went to ,savannah and ,augusta1 and ,i preached in both places4 ,i preached in ,german as well as ,english4 ,here ,i saw peach-trees in bloom1 a great curiosity for ,december4 ,on the morning of ,december #af1 about three o'clock1 the house where we were was awfully shaken by an earthquake4 ,this was repeated at eight o'clock as we were at our family devotions4 ,many people were much alarmed4 ,the shock was felt very seriously in ,columbia1 so that some of the citizens ran out into the streets1 supposing the houses would fall down4 ,we arrived at ,camden1 the seat of the conference1 and were entertained by ,samuel ,mathis4 ,the conference commenced on the twenty-first4 ,bishops ,asbury and ,m',kendree were present1 and we had good tidings from almost every part of the work4 ,on ,sunday morning ,bishop ,m',kendree preached from ,john iii1 #ah1 #ai1 8,he that believeth on him is not condemned10 etc4 ,in the afternoon ,bishop ,asbury preached from #b ,chron4 xiv1 #g4 ,on ,thursday morning ,learner ,blackman preached from ,james v1 #af4 ,on ,friday evening the conference adjourned4 ,such peace and love ,i have hardly ever seen in any conference4 ,a goodly number were converted during the session4 ,there was a great increase during the year--three thousand three hundred and eighty4 ,the bishops were in fine spirits1 full of hope in regard to the future4 ,twelve were received into full connection and ordained deacons4 ,they elected the following to the first delegated ,general ,conference3 ,lewis ,myers1 ,lovick ,pierce1 ,joseph ,tarpley1 ,daniel ,asbury1 ,william ,m4 ,kennedy1 ,samuel ,dunwoody1 ,james ,e4 ,glenn1 ,hilliard ,judge1 and ,joseph ,travis4 ,leaving ,camden we went to ,charleston1 thence to ,georgetown1 where we stopped with ,william ,wayne1 nephew of ,general ,anthony ,wayne4 ,he was born in ,wilmington in #agcf4 ,he was awakened by reading the writings of ,john ,wesley1 and was converted in his forty-seventh year under a sermon preached by ,bishop ,asbury in ,georgetown4 ,he and his wife joined in ,august1 #aghd1 and this was the nucleus of the ,methodist society in ,georgetown4 ,the ,virginia ,conference was held in ,richmond on ,february #bj1 #ahab4 ,this was the first time the conference had been held at the capital4 ,on ,sunday ,bishop ,m',kendree preached in the morning1 and ,dr4 ,jennings in the afternoon4 ,on ,wednesday ,bishop ,asbury preached from #b ,tim4 ii1 #a-g1 on the faithfulness of ministers1 their ability1 their disentanglement from the world1 their power of endurance1 and their reward4 ,afterward he ordained the elders1 and while he was performing the office in his solemn and impressive manner the work of revival broke out in the gallery1 and quite a number were converted4 ,i never before witnessed just such a scene in conference4 ,i wrote3 8,o my soul1 never forget the blessing received on this occasion40 ,the conference made its first election for delegates to the ,general ,conference1 choosing ,jesse ,lee1 ,philip ,bruce1 ,john ,buxton1 ,thomas ,l4 ,douglass1 ,james ,boyd1 ,richard ,lattimore1 ,charles ,callaway1 ,c4 ,h4 ,hines1 ,william ,jean1 and ,john ,early4 ,while at ,richmond ,i visited the ruins of the theater that was burned the night of ,december #aa1 #ahaa4 ,just before the conclusion of the play the scenery caught fire1 and the whole building was almost instantly wrapped in flames4 ,i saw the staircase where the people crowded down the steps to escape1 and falling one upon another1 perished in a heap4 ,there was a general gloom in the city1 and the people were clad in mourning4 ,on the site of the theater they erected a house of worship1 which they called 8,monumental ,church40 ,indeed it was a monument of one of the saddest events that has occurred on our continent4 ,it was an ,episcopal church1 and ,bishop ,moore was the rector4 ,the remains of the unfortunate victims who perished were deposited in a marble urn1 which stands in the front portico of the church1 and therefore its name4 ,in the interval between the session of the ,virginia and ,baltimore ,conferences1 the bishop made a tour through the most interesting part of old ,virginia4 ,we went to ,james ,city1 and he preached there2 then to ,williamsburgh1 and on the #c;d of ,march he preached in the venerable old ,state-house or capitol1 in the afternoon1 to a crowded audience2 and ,i had the honor of holding forth in the evening from ,heb4 ii1 #c1 8,how shall we escape10 etc4 ,we lodged at ,brother ,ratcliff's4 ,this was the capital of ,virginia before ,richmond1 and it is the oldest incorporated town in the state4 ,the old walls of the ,state-house in which we preached had echoed with the eloquence of ,virginia's greatest men4 ,here ,patrick ,henry made his first grand speech2 and in this old house ,henry exclaimed1 in tones of thunder1 8,cesar had his ,brutus1 ,charles the ,first his ,cromwell1 and ,george the ,third--0 78,treason60 cried the ,speaker2 8treason1 treason60 echoed from every part of the house7--,henry exclaimed1 8may profit by his example4 ,if this be treason1 make the most of it40 ,it was in this edifice they returned thanks to ,george ,washington for his services in the ,french and ,indian war1 and he rose to reply1 and was so embarrassed he could say nothing2 then the ,speaker1 ,robinson1 said1 8,sit down1 ,mr4 ,washington2 your modesty is equal to your valor1 and that surpasses the power of any language that ,i possess40 ,we then went to ,elizabeth ,city ,county and preached at ,hampton1 the county seat1 ninety-six miles from ,richmond4 ,hampton is distinguished for its antiquity2 its site was visited by ,captain ,john ,smith previous to the settlement in ,jamestown4 ,old ,point ,comfort1 on which ,fortress ,monroe stands1 is two miles and a half from ,hampton4 ,the bishop preached every day1 going miles out of our direct route1 visiting and confirming the ,churches during the interval between the ,virginia and ,baltimore ,conferences4 ,on ,friday1 ,march #bj1 the ,baltimore ,conference commenced its session in ,leesburgh1 ,virginia4 ,there were twelve ordained deacons1 among others ,beverly ,waugh1 afterward book agent1 then bishop2 ,joseph ,frye1 of blessed memory1 and ,james ,m4 ,hanson4 ,they also elected their delegates to the first delegated conference1 fifteen in number3 ,nelson ,reed1 ,joseph ,toy1 ,joshua ,wells1 ,nicholas ,snethen1 ,enoch ,george1 ,asa ,shinn1 ,hamilton ,jefferson1 ,jacob ,gruber1 ,robert ,r4 ,roberts1 ,william ,ryland1 ,christopher ,frye1 ,james ,smith1 ,robert ,burch1 ,henry ,smith1 ,andrew ,hemphill4 ,these were all men of mark2 two afterward became bishops4 ,on ,sabbath both ,bishops ,asbury and ,m',kendree preached4 ,bishop ,asbury ordained the deacons on ,sunday1 and the elders were ordained the next ,wednesday1 after an able sermon from ,nicholas ,snethen4 ,,chapter ,,xxxi4 ,,death1 ,,funeral1 ,,and ,,character ,,of ,,rev4 ,,martin ,,boehm4 ,a short time before the conference closed at ,leesburgh ,bishop ,asbury said to me1 8,henry1 as soon as conference adjourns you must have the horses ready and we must go right to your father's40 ,i reminded him of appointments he had sent on to ,baltimore and through the eastern shore of ,maryland4 ,he said1 8,never mind1 we can get them filled2 ,i tell you we must go right to your father's40 ,we were then one hundred miles distant4 ,the reason of the sudden change in his plans ,i believed to be1 the bishop had a presentiment or an impression that my father was dead4 ,how else could we account for his abandoning a long list of appointments1 changing his entire route1 and hastening on to my father's8 ,when we reached ,samuel ,brinkley's1 who lived about a mile from our old homestead1 the mystery was solved2 there we heard my father was dead4 ,the aged ,asbury wept1 and ,i felt sad at the thought ,i should see him no more4 ,i learned that he was taken sick the #agth of ,march1 and on ,monday the #bc;d he departed this life in great peace and triumph1 so his mournful words proved true that 8we should never see each other again40 ,the bishop makes this record3 8,friday1 a cold disagreeable ride brought us across the country to ,samuel ,brinkley's2 here ,i received the first intelligence of the death of my dear old friend1 ,martin ,boehm40 ,the next day1 ,saturday1 we passed by his new-made grave to the old homestead1 where ,i found my mother in all the sorrows of widowhood4 ,the bishop writes thus3 8,sabbath1 ,april #e1 ,i preached at ,boehm's ,chapel the funeral sermon of ,martin ,boehm1 and gave my audience some very interesting particulars of his life40 ,his text was1 8,behold an ,israelite indeed1 in whom there is no guile40 ,immense was the crowd2 and the occasion was one of mournful interest4 ,the bishop drew the character of his lifetime friend with great exactness1 and also that of many of his cotemporaries1 particularly ,william ,otterbein4 8,martin ,boehm10 he said1 8was plain in dress and manners4 ,when age had stamped its impress of reverence upon him he filled the mind with the noble idea of a patriarch4 ,at the head of a family1 a father1 a neighbor1 a friend1 a companion1 the prominent feature of his character was goodness2 you felt that he was good4 ,his mind was strong1 and well stored with the learning necessary for one whose aim is to preach ,christ with apostolic zeal and simplicity4 8,martin ,boehm had frequent and severe conflicts in his own mind1 produced by the necessity he felt himself under of offending his ,mennonist brethren by the zeal and doctrines of his ministry4 ,some he gained1 but most of them opposed him4 ,he had difficulties also with #8,the ,united ,brethren4' ,it was late in life that he joined the ,methodists1 to whom long before his wife and children had attached themselves4 ,the head of the house had two societies to pass through to arrive at the ,methodists1 and his meek and quiet spirit kept him back4 8,in his ministry he did not make the ,gospel a charge to any one2 his reward was souls and glory4 8,the virtue of hospitality was practiced by his family as a matter of course1 and in following the impulses of their own generous natures the members of his household obeyed the oft-repeated charge of their head to open his doors to the homeless1 that the weary might be solaced and the hungry fed4 ,and what a family was here presented to an observant visitor6 ,here was order1 quiet1 occupation4 ,the father1 if not absent on a journey of five hundred miles in cold1 hunger1 and privation1 proclaiming the glad tidings of salvation to his dispersed ,german brethren1 might1 by his conduct under his own roof1 explain to a careful looker on the secret of a parent's success in rearing a family to the duties of piety1 to the diligent and useful occupation of time1 and to the uninterrupted exhibition of reflected and reciprocal love1 esteem1 and kindness in word and deed4 8,if it is true1 as generally believed1 that the mother does much toward forming the character of her children1 it will be readily allowed that ,martin ,boehm had an able help-meet in his pious wife4 ,the offspring of this noble pair have done them honor4 ,the son ,jacob1 immediately upon his marriage1 took upon himself the management of the farm1 that his excellent father might1 #8without carefulness1' extend his labors more far and wide4 8,a younger son1 ,henry1 is a useful minister of the ,methodist connection1 having the advantage of being able to preach in ,english and ,german4 ,we are willing to hope that the children of ,martin ,boehm1 and his children's children to the third1 fourth1 and last generations1 will have cause to thank ,god that his house for fifty years has been a house for the welcome reception of ,gospel ministers1 and one in which the worship of ,god has been uninterruptedly preserved and practiced4 ,o ye children and grandchildren6 ,o rising generation1 who have so often heard the prayers of this man of ,god in the houses of your fathers6 ,o ye ,germans to whom he has long preached the word of truth6 ,martin ,boehm being dead yet speaketh4 ,o hear his voice from the grave exhorting you to repent1 to believe1 to obey60#ch ,after the bishop had finished his impressive discourse1 which was listened to with tears and sighs by a numerous auditory1 he called on me to speak4 ,i endeavored to do so1 but when ,i stood in the pulpit where ,i had so often beheld my father1 in the church that bore his name1 with my venerable mother before me1 tottering over the grave1 my relatives all around me1 where ,i could look out of the window into the burying-ground and see the new-made grave of my father1 my eyes filled with tears1 and ,i was so overcome that ,i could only utter1 8,let silence speak40 ,the people were deeply affected all over the house4 ,there was weeping from many eyes4 ,my father was greatly beloved in life1 and deeply lamented in death4 ,i had heard the venerable ,asbury often when he was great1 and he was peculiarly great on funeral occasions1 but then he far transcended himself4 ,he called upon ,thomas ,ware to make some observations4 ,he had long known and loved my father1 and his remarks were very touching and appropriate4 ,the bishop then called upon ,abram ,keaggy1 who had married my sister2 but his feelings overcame him1 and he sat down and wept1 and thus we all wept together4#ci ,a spectator might have said1 8,behold how they loved him40 ,my father was in his eighty-seventh year when he died1 and had preached the ,gospel fifty-five years4 ,it is a matter of deep regret that ,i am under the necessity of noticing a grave attack upon the character of my father and of the ,methodist ,episcopal ,church1 made by the historians of the 8,united ,brethren in ,christ40#dj ,the attack was first made thirty-nine years after my father was in the grave1 and was repeated eleven years later4 ,so half a century after my father's death ,i1 an old man in my ninety-first year1 am obliged to vindicate his character from those who profess to revere his memory1 who eulogize him1 who place him next to the great ,otterbein4 ,beautiful garlands they bring with which to adorn their victim4 ,these historians say3 ,in justice to his memory1 to the ,church in whose origin he was so intimately concerned1 and to the truth of history1 we must pause at the grave of this venerable patriarch to review an account of ,william ,otterbein and ,martin ,boehm1 which first appeared in the ,methodist ,magazine1 volume vi1 pp4 #baj-bdi4 ,the sketch purports to have been furnished to ,bishop ,asbury a short time previous to his death1 by his friend1 ,f4 ,hollingsworth1 the transcriber of the bishop's journal2 it has also been embodied in the history of the ,methodist ,episcopal ,church1 by ,dr4 ,bangs1 and may be found in volume ii1 pp4 #cfe-cgf4 ,here is the matter referred to3 8,martin ,boehm1 of whom we desire to speak1 was born in ,november1 #agbe4 ,as a professor of religion and minister of ,christ1 the labors and experience of his life may be pretty justly estimated by what we learn from himself1 communicated in answers to certain questions propounded to him by his son ,jacob1 which we transcribe4 8,ques4 ,father1 when were you put into the ministry8 8,ans4 ,my ministerial labors began about the year #agef4 ,three years afterward1 by nomination to the lot1 ,i received full pastoral orders4 8,q4 ,what was your religious experience during that time8 8,a4 ,i was sincere and strict in the religious duties of prayer in my family1 in the congregation1 and in the closet4 ,i lived and preached according to the light ,i had3 ,i was a servant and not a son2 nor did ,i know any one1 at that time1 who would claim the birthright by adoption but ,nancy ,keaggy1 my mother's sister2 she was a woman of great piety and singular devotion to ,god4 8,q4 ,by what means did you discover the nature and necessity of a real change of heart8 8,a4 ,by deep meditation upon the doctrine which ,i myself preached1 of the fall of man1 his sinful estate1 and utter helplessness2 ,i discovered and felt the want of ,christ within1 etc41 etc4 8,q4 ,were your labors owned of the ,lord in the awakening and conversion of souls8 8,a4 ,yes2 many were brought to the knowledge of the truth4 ,but it was a strange work2 and some of the ,mennonist meeting-houses were closed against me4 ,nevertheless1 ,i was received in other places4 ,i now preached the ,gospel spiritually and powerfully4 ,some years afterward ,i was excommunicated from the ,mennonist church1 on a charge truly enough advanced1 of holding fellowship with other societies of a different language4 ,i had invited the ,methodists to my house1 and they soon formed the society in my neighborhood1 which exists to this day4 ,my beloved wife1 ,eve1 my children1 and my cousin ,keaggy's family1 were among the first of its members4 ,for myself1 ,i felt my heart more greatly enlarged toward all religious persons and all denominations of ,christians4 ,upward of thirty years ago ,i became acquainted with my greatly beloved brother1 ,william ,otterbein1 and several other ministers1 who about this time had been ejected from their churches as ,i had been from mine1 because of their zeal1 which was looked upon as an irregularity4 ,we held many large meetings in ,pennsylvania1 ,maryland1 and ,new ,virginia1 which generally lasted three days4 ,at these meetings hundreds were made the subjects of penitence and pardon4 ,being convinced of the necessity of order and discipline in the ,church of ,god1 and having no wish to be at the head of a separate body1 ,i advised serious persons to join the ,methodists1 whose doctrine1 discipline1 and zeal suited1 as ,i thought1 an unlearned1 sincere1 and simple-hearted people4 ,several of the ministers with whom ,i labored continued to meet in a conference of the ,german ,united ,brethren2 but we felt difficulties arising from the want of that which the ,methodists possessed4 ,age having overtaken me with some of its accompanying infirmities1 ,i could not travel as ,i had formerly done4 ,in #ahjb ,i enrolled my name on a ,methodist class-book1 and ,i have found great comfort in meeting with my brethren4 ,i can truly say my last days are my best days4 ,my beloved ,eve is traveling with me the same road1 ,zionward2 my children1 and most of my grandchildren1 are made the partakers of the same grace4 ,i am1 this #abth of ,april1 #ahaa1 in my eighty-sixth year4 ,through the boundless goodness of ,god ,i am still able to visit the sick1 and occasionally to preach in the neighborhood3 to ,his name be all the glory in ,christ ,jesus40 ,after giving this quotation1 ,mr4 ,spayth observes3 ,the first remark we make on the foregoing is that1 as ,father ,boehm spoke but little ,english at best1 the foregoing questions and answers were neither written or spoken by him in ,english4 ,it is true that he went to ,virginia in #agfa1 but not as ,jacob would have it understood1 before he had experienced a change of heart1 but after that event4 ,as to the statement we have given of the cause of his going to ,virginia1 we are safe to vouchsafe for its correctness1 for we had it from his own lips4 ,for some reason1 or by some means1 the statement given by ,jacob may be warped in the ,english version4 ,the second exception we take is to the idea conveyed in the statement that his name was enrolled on a ,methodist class-book in #ahjb4 ,that his name was placed on the class-book referred to is true1 but the circumstances were as follows3 ,a meeting-house had been built on his land principally by his aid and that of his ,german brethren4 ,at this meeting-house the ,methodists had formed a class previous to the year #ahjb1 under the liberal construction of their rules1 and hence with the free assent of ,bother ,boehm2 but this liberality was some time after withdrawn1 and the restrictive rule relating to class-meetings and love-feasts was insisted on1 and even the venerable ,boehm was not excepted4 ,here was a dilemma4 ,to admit ,brother ,boehm1 the preachers said1 was in violation of an express disciplinary rule1 and to deny him the privilege in his own meeting-house was hard2 but the law is imperative and binding4 ,now comes the gist of the matter4 ,brother ,boehm was entreated1 for form's sake1 at least1 to allow his name to go on the class1 nominally1 as a private member1 and all would be right4 ,to this1 for peace's sake1 he consented1 and nothing more4 ,how far the law of kindness1 of ,christian friendship1 and hospitality1 and of pure love had to stand aside in this case we leave to every one to say4 ,as it was it did not give the ,brethren a moment's concern1 nor would we here have taken any notice of it at all had not the ,methodist historian made it a subject of record4 ,in concluding this topic we remark that ,brother ,boehm's relation to the ,brethren ,church was unbroken from first to last1 as has already been seen4 ,this our annual conference proceedings sufficiently show4 ,thus in #ahjj1 in connection with ,otterbein1 he was elected bishop4 ,he was prevented by sickness from attending the conference of #ahja2 attended conference in ,maryland in #ahjb1 was re-elected bishop in #ahje1 and attended the conference of #ahji1 which was the last this devoted servant of the ,lord enjoyed with his brethren in the ,church on earth4 ,from this time to the time of his death1 great age1 with its accompanying infirmities1 prevented him from attending an annual conference4 ,it is a duty ,i owe to my venerated father1 to the memory of ,bishop ,asbury1 and to the ministers that were in charge of the ,church at ,boehm's ,chapel in #ahjb1 that ,i should correct the misrepresentations contained in the history of the 8,united ,brethren in ,christ40 ,there was a mistake in the account in the ,methodist ,magazine1 and copied in ,bangs's history and the 8,history of the ,united ,brethren40 ,it says the questions were asked by ,martin ,boehm's son ,jacob4 ,it should have been ,henry4 ,i asked the questions1 and wrote the answers4 ,this was fifty-three years ago last ,march4 ,i have the original copy with my father's signature1 and the reader can see a fac-simile of his autograph4 ,i asked the questions1 and took down the answers at the request of ,bishop ,asbury1 who wished the history of my father4 ,the bishop had taken down from the lips of ,otterbein the answers giving his history4 ,it was at my father's house where the questions were asked and the answers given4 ,to the animadversions that have been made to my statement ,i make the following replies3 #a4 ,it is objected that my father did not understand ,english1 and that he wrote neither the questions nor answers4 ,he did understand ,english very well4 ,he conversed very readily in ,english1 and had quite a library of ,english works1 which he read with great pleasure and profit2 among others1 ,wesley's ,sermons and ,fletcher's ,checks4 ,these were great favorites with him4 ,as my father was aged and infirm ,i wrote the questions and answers4 ,he fully understood them both1 and it was voluntary on his part1 and not the least influence was exerted over him4 ,i carefully wrote every word of the answers from his mouth1 and then read them over to him1 and he pronounced them correct1 and then deliberately affixed his signature to them4 ,my father was not one who would sign a document when he was ignorant of its contents1 or that he knew to be untrue4 ,at that time neither ,bishop ,asbury or myself supposed it would ever be a matter of controversy4 ,it was not obtained for any such object1 or to prove my father was a ,methodist1 but simply to obtain his history correctly4 #b4 ,another error is this3 that his son had warped the statement4 ,this is both uncharitable and unjust4 ,it was not enough to hint that ,i took advantage of my father's ignorance of the ,english language1 but now ,i am accused of warping what he said4 ,i would as soon have cut off my right hand4 ,if ,i had been guilty of an act so mean1 so unjust to my father1 and so false to others1 ,i should have despised myself all the rest of my life4 ,the insinuation has not the semblance of truth4 ,those answers were not warped2 there was no false coloring1 but sober truth4 ,i took them down from his lips as he answered in honest simplicity1 and in the same spirit ,i wrote them down4 #c4 ,this historian speaks of ,boehm's ,chapel being built on ,martin ,boehm's land1 principally by him and his ,german brethren1 and then the ,methodists denying him the privilege of his own meeting-house1 etc4 ,now all this is a mistake4 ,it was not built upon my father's land1 but upon that of my brother ,jacob1 who gave the site for the church4 ,nor was it built principally by my father and 8the ,german ,brethren40 ,i suppose he means by this the ,united ,brethren4 ,as a body they had nothing to do with it4 ,my father gave something1 and so might some of them2 but it was built for the ,methodists1 and principally by the ,methodists4 ,it was not my father's church any more than it was mine1 and it is sheer nonsense to talk of the cruelty of shutting him out of his own church4 ,no such thing ever did or could take place1 simply from the fact that he never owned any church1 and therefore the thing was impossible4 ,it was built for a ,methodist church1 the plan was furnished by a ,methodist minister1 and it was deeded to the ,methodist ,episcopal ,church4 ,after the lapse of seventy years it is still a ,methodist ,episcopal ,church1 and their ministers still preach in it4 #d4 ,another error is accusing the ,methodists at ,boehm's ,chapel of double dealing4 ,in the first place 8forming a class under a liberal construction of their rules10 so that ,father ,boehm1 not a member1 could attend a class1 and then 8withdrawing such liberal construction10 and bringing it to bear on ,father ,boehm1 so he was excluded from the class-meeting and love-feast4 ,any one acquainted with the ,methodist ,discipline knows that no such thing could take place4 ,no individual ,methodist society makes and unmakes terms of membership4 ,we have a ,discipline1 and the terms are fixed by the ,general ,conference4 ,we are not independent bodies to make rules for ourselves4 ,furthermore1 ,i was there at the time1 and know that no such thing ever took place4 ,william ,hunter then had charge of the circuit1 an honest man as ever came from the land of ,erin4 ,he was an outspoken man1 open as the light of day1 and incapable of duplicity4 ,but to 8the gist of the matter40 ,father ,boehm1 says this writer1 was entreated1 8for form's sake10 to have his name go on to the class-book nominally4 ,so1 according to this statement1 he never joined the ,methodists1 he was only a 8nominal member40 ,here the ,methodists are accused of deception1 and my aged father of complicity with them3 they pretending that he was a member1 and he allowing his name to be entered as a member1 all the while knowing that he was not one4 ,my father would never have stooped to such meanness4 ,he did not consider himself a nominal1 but a real member of the ,methodist ,church4 ,he was not only a member of the class1 and used to meet in it1 but he was a member of the ,quarterly ,conference2 he used to meet and take a part there1 by virtue of his office1 as a local preacher of the ,methodist ,episcopal ,church4 ,he was an ordained minister and used to administer the ordinances1 ,baptism and the ,lord's ,supper4 ,but it is said 8he was entreated to do this for peace' sake40 ,for whose peace8 ,my father was not so easily persuaded to do a wrong action for the sake of peace4 ,he always preferred purity to peace3 8,first pure1 then peaceable40 ,,chapter ,,xxxii4 ,,the ,,united ,,brethren ,,in ,,christ--,,sketch ,,of ,,otterbein1 ,,etc4 8,the ,united ,brethren in ,christ0 have often been confounded with the ,moravians4 ,they had gone by the name of 8,united ,brethren0 ever since ,mr4 ,otterbein took my father in his arms and exclaimed1 8,we are brethren20 and at the conference in #ahjj they added the words1 8in ,christ40 ,there was a great effort made to unite the ,methodists and the ,united ,brethren1 who were often called 8,german ,methodists40 ,the ,baltimore and ,philadelphia ,conferences not only corresponded with them1 but delegates from both ,churches were ordered to devise a plan of union4 ,this was kept up for years4 ,in #ahac ,william ,hunter and myself were appointed delegates to them4 ,this was the last of fraternal letters or fraternal delegates4 ,terms of union were agreed upon1 and it promised well for a time1 but before long there was dissatisfaction on both sides4 ,so the ,united ,brethren took their course and we ours1 each doing our own work in our own way4 ,the ,united ,brethren had class-meetings1 but did not1 like the ,methodists1 make them a test of membership4 ,they had love-feasts also1 but lacked discipline4 ,william ,otterbein recommended their adopting the ,methodist discipline4 ,they had at that time no regular organization1 but were composed of persons belonging to different denominations4 ,they recorded the name of their ministers but not of the membership4 ,at their conference in #ahjb a proposal to record the names of members as well as ministers was voted down4 ,when they began to 8number ,israel0 ,i cannot say4 ,in their ,minutes for #ahjj they named ,henry ,boehm one of their ministers2 but ,i did not belong to them1 and at that time had no license to preach4 ,it was not till #ahae they had a regular discipline4 ,their doctrines are the same as the ,methodists'1 but they differ in practice4 ,they wash each other's feet2 they are opposed to masonry and all secret societies2 they always abominated slavery and would never tolerate it4 ,they have bishops1 ,annual and ,general ,conferences1 traveling and local preachers4 ,they have a large publishing house in ,dayton1 ,ohio1 and print two newspapers1 one in ,german1 the other in ,english4 ,at their ,general ,conference in ,may1 #ahfa1 they reported #e1aff preaching places1 #c1ijj classes1 #id1ddc members1 #dii itinerant and #dag local preachers1 and #ae1acj ,sabbath scholars4 ,,rev4 ,,william ,p4 ,,otterbein4 ,the relation of ,mr4 ,otterbein to ,bishop ,asbury and my father was such as to require more than a passing notice4 ,they were united by a threefold cord stronger than death1 and lasting as their existence4 ,they never met without complying with the apostolic injunction3 8,salute one another with a holy kiss40 ,mr4 ,otterbein was one of the fathers of the 8,united ,brethren in ,christ40 ,he assisted in ordaining ,francis ,asbury bishop1 and was ever a friend of the ,methodists4 ,there are but few living who knew him4 ,i heard him preach frequently1 have seen him at my father's and at great meetings1 have been his guest1 and preached for him in ,baltimore4 ,he was born in ,nassau1 ,prussia1 ,june #d1 #agbf4 ,his education was of a superior order4 ,in #ageb he emigrated to this country1 and settled in ,lancaster4 ,mr4 ,asbury and he became acquainted through ,benjamin ,swope1 one of the ,german preachers1 the year the apostle of ,methodism came to ,america4 ,mr4 ,asbury wrote to ,mr4 ,otterbein urging him to come to ,baltimore1 and he did so in #aggd1 and organized the 8,evangelical ,reformed ,church0 out of the ruins of another completely demoralized4 ,in sentiment they were like the ,methodists1 and somewhat in practice4 ,their constitution read thus3 8,no preacher can stay among us who teacheth the doctrines of predestination or the impossibility of falling from grace1 or who holdeth them as doctrinal points40 ,they were genuine ,arminians4 ,no preacher could remain who did not strictly attend class-meetings4 ,mr4 ,otterbein's church was built on ,howard's ,hill4 ,my father and he first met at ,isaac ,long's1 a few miles from ,lancaster4 ,various denominations had been invited to meet there1 and my father preached the first sermon1 which was attended with peculiar unction1 and when he had finished1 ,mr4 ,otterbein arose and encircled him in his arms1 and exclaimed1 8,we are brethren40 ,shout after shout went up1 and tears flowed freely from many eyes1 the scene was so pentecostal4 ,such was the origin of the ,united ,brethren4 ,mr4 ,otterbein used to itinerate1 and hold great union meetings generally in groves1 barns1 or church-yards1 for houses of worship were generally closed against him4 ,i first saw ,mr4 ,otterbein and heard him preach in #agih4 ,it was at my father's1 where a three days' meeting was held4 ,i heard him in #ahjj at their conference1 from ,rev4 iii1 #g4 ,it was a masterly sermon1 and the effect was overwhelming4 ,his sermons were scripturally rich1 and were delivered with unusual energy4 ,he was a great expounder of the word1 giving the meaning of the inspired writer4 ,his voice had lost its musical notes1 and was harsh and husky4 ,bishop ,asbury speaks of him as the 8great ,otterbein40 ,there was no man for whom he had a higher regard1 none whose death he lamented more deeply4 ,in person he was tall1 being six feet high1 with a noble frame and a commanding appearance4 ,he had a thoughtful1 open countenance1 full of benignity1 a dark-bluish eye that was very expressive4 ,in reading the lessons he used spectacles1 which he would take off and hold in his left hand while speaking4 ,he had a high forehead1 a double chin1 with a beautiful dimple in the center4 ,his locks were gray1 his dress parsonic4 ,he married the sister of the distinguished ,dr4 ,handall1 a man of profound learning and deep piety4 ,i was at his house the last evening ,mr4 ,asbury and he ever spent together4 ,this was ,april #bb1 #ahac4 ,the bishop says1 8,i gave an evening to the great ,otterbein40 ,mr4 ,otterbein was one year younger than my father1 and nineteen years older than ,mr4 ,asbury4 ,mr4 ,otterbein was useful in life1 and triumphant in death4 ,his last words were1 8,the conflict is over2 lay me down upon the pillow1 and be still40 ,his friends complied with his request4 ,during that stillness angels whispered1 8,sister spirit1 come away40 ,gladly he obeyed the summons1 and entered into the joy of his ,lord4 ,on ,thursday1 ,april #bd1 #ahad1 in ,mr4 ,otterbein's chapel1 ,bishop ,asbury preached his funeral discourse4 ,he says1 8,solemnity marked the silent meeting in the ,german church1 where were assembled the members of our conference1 and many of the clergy of the city4 ,forty years have ,i known this retiring1 modest man of ,god1 towering majestically above his fellows in learning1 wisdom1 and grace1 yet seeking to be known only of ,god and the people of ,god4 ,he had been sixty years a minister1 fifty years a converted one40 ,he was buried in the ground connected with his church4 ,i knew others of the fathers of the ,united ,brethren ,church4 ,george ,adam ,guething was the most eloquent4 ,he was truly an ,apollos4 ,he was born in ,germany1 and emigrated to this country when he was seventeen4 ,he taught school in winter1 and quarried stone and dug wells in summer4 ,he became a splendid preacher4 ,i heard him at my father's1 and at other places4 ,in #ahjj ,i was his guest with my father4 ,he lived in ,washington ,county1 ,md4 ,over sixty years ago ,i heard him preach from ,jer4 xvii1 #g1 #h1 8,blessed is the man that trusteth in the ,lord10 etc4 ,this beautiful text1 which reminds us of the first psalm1 just suited the genius of ,guething1 who preached a sermon of rare beauty and excellence4 ,he was the spiritual father of the ,rev4 ,henry ,smith1 late of the ,baltimore ,conference1 who was converted under a powerful sermon which he preached at ,antietam4 ,mr4 ,guething died in #ahab1 the same year as my father4 ,he made a visit to ,father ,otterbein1 was taken sick1 started for home1 and died before he reached it4 ,his death was one of exceeding triumph4 ,he was very quiet for a while1 when he suddenly exclaimed1 8,i feel as though my end had come4 ,hark6 hark6 who spoke8 whose voice is that ,i hear8 ,light1 light1 what golden light6 ,now all is dark again4 ,please help me out of bed40 ,he said1 8,let us sing1 #8,come1 thou long-expected moment1'0 etc4 ,he knelt and offered prayer4 ,he was helped into bed1 folded his hands across his bosom1 and in fifteen minutes the angel of death had done his work4 ,thus triumphantly died my father's friend1 the most splendid orator among the ,united ,brethren in ,christ1 aged seventy-two years1 of which he had spent forty in the ministry4 ,,chapter ,,xxxiii4 ,,philadelphia ,,and ,,general ,,conference ,,of #ahab4 ,i will now resume my narrative4 ,notwithstanding the recent death of my father1 and the loneliness of my widowed mother1 three days was all the time we could spend at the old homestead after months of absence4 ,as for rest we knew not what it meant1 unless it was on horseback4 ,mr4 ,asbury acted as if a voice was ringing in his ear1 constantly saying1 8,arise ye and depart1 for this is not your rest40 ,his motto was1 8,labor here1 rest hereafter40 ,the next ,sabbath ,mr4 ,asbury preached near ,valley ,forge at ,isaac ,anderson's1 ,esq4 ,he had been a ,methodist for over thirty years1 was several times a member of the ,state ,legislature1 and was honored with a seat in ,congress4 ,the ,philadelphia ,conference began on ,saturday1 ,april #ah4 ,bishop ,asbury1 feeble as he was1 preached four times during the session1 namely1 at ,st4 ,george's1 ,st4 ,thomas's1 ,union ,chapel1 and ,ebenezer4 ,the deacons were ordained on ,wednesday1 and the elders on ,thursday by ,bishop ,asbury1 ,bishop ,m',kendree being sick4 ,this was the first time this conference elected delegates to the ,general ,conference4 ,they sent fourteen3 ,ezekiel ,cooper1 ,john ,m',claskey1 ,thomas ,f4 ,sargent1 ,stephen ,g4 ,roszel1 ,thomas ,ware1 ,richard ,sneath1 ,thomas ,boring1 ,david ,bartine1 ,john ,walker1 ,george ,wolley1 ,james ,bateman1 ,thomas ,burch1 ,michael ,coate1 and ,asa ,smith4 ,several of them1 like ,m',claskey1 ,sargent1 and ,roszel1 were physically as well as mentally great men4 ,long since they have all been gathered to their fathers4 ,the conference adjourned on the #bfth after a very peaceful and profitable session4 ,,general ,,conference ,,of #ahab4 ,on ,friday1 ,may #a1 #ahab1 in the city of ,new ,york1 there was a great gathering in 8,wesley ,chapel10 ,john-street4 ,the cradle of ,american ,methodism was an appropriate place in which to hold the 8first delegated ,general ,conference0 of the ,methodist ,episcopal ,church4 ,bishops ,asbury and ,m',kendree were there1 and ninety representatives from eight ,annual ,conferences4 ,it was the first ,bishop ,m',kendree attended after his election to the episcopacy1 and the last at which the venerable ,bishop ,asbury was present4 ,before the next session he was in ,abraham's bosom4 ,no account has hitherto been published of the opening services of this conference1 nor is there any record in the journal4 ,the first day was observed as a day of fasting and prayer4 ,bishop ,asbury preached at eleven o'clock from ,matt4 xvii1 #ai-ba1 a text admirably adapted to the occasion4 ,no man ever understood adaptation in preaching better than ,francis ,asbury4 ,fasting was regularly observed by the ,wesley's and by our fathers in the ministry4 ,alas1 though enjoined in our general rules1 it is now almost obsolete4 ,on ,sunday ,bishop ,asbury preached in the morning at the ,bowery 7now ,forsyth-street7 ,church1 in the evening in the ,fourth-street 7now ,allen-street7 ,church4 ,the ,spirit of ,god accompanied the word to many souls4 ,on ,monday the #dth it not only rained1 but snowed3 rather late in the season for snow-storms4 ,on ,tuesday night ,i preached in ,hudson 7now ,duane7 ,church on ,john i1 #aa1 #ab4 ,on next ,sunday1 the #ajth1 ,bishop ,asbury preached in the morning in the ,african ,church4 ,the colored people had a great time under the word4 ,the bishop was always a great friend to colored people1 and they always had the highest regard for him4 ,in the evening he preached in the ,hudson ,church4 ,a good and gracious time in both places4 ,on ,thursday evening ,i preached in ,john-street1 from ,matt4 xi1 #bh1 with some comfort4 ,on ,sunday the #agth ,i heard ,bishop ,asbury preach in ,sands-street1 ,brooklyn1 from ,isaiah lii1 #a1 8,awake1 awake1 put on thy strength ,o ,zion10 etc4 ,i wrote in my journal1 8,a solemn1 awful time40 ,the bishop said it was an 8elegant house40 ,what would he say now to our elegant houses if he could revisit our churches8 ,in the afternoon ,i heard ,joshua ,marsden in ,john-street1 on 8wisdom40 ,he was a member of the ,english ,wesleyan ,conference1 and had been for some years in ,nova ,scotia4 ,he had come to ,new ,york to return to ,england1 but the breaking out of the war between ,england and ,america prevented him1 and therefore he was employed to preach in ,new ,york4 ,he was a good preacher1 a great admirer of ,bishop ,asbury1 and has given one of the best descriptions of the bishop's personal appearance and character ,i ever read4 ,he had also no common gift as a poet4 ,some of his pieces1 especially a sonnet1 8,what is ,time10 are much admired4#da ,i need not give an account of the doings of the ,general ,conference1 which the reader can find in the printed journals4 ,i have dwelt on things hitherto unrecorded4 ,the presiding elder question was debated1 whether they should be appointed by the bishop or elected by the conference2 also the ordination of local preachers4 ,asa ,shinn and ,jesse ,lee were here opposed to each other1 and it was like the wrestling of giants4 ,lee contended the local preachers could not perform their ordination vows while in a local condition4 ,mr4 ,shinn shrewdly replied that the same form of ordination required an 8elder to rule well his own family20 that ,brother ,lee had promised to perform this duty twenty years before1 and yet he had never done it--he was a delinquent1 and should keep his own vows1 etc4 ,this retort was effective4 ,the conference was perfectly convulsed with laughter at the expense of the old bachelor1 who sat down shaking his great sides and enjoying it as well as others4 ,from that time he gave up his opposition4 ,on the #bb;d the conference adjourned1 to meet in ,baltimore ,may #a1 #ahaf4 ,where are now those delegates that met in ,new ,york in ,may1 #ahab8 ,of the ninety strong men who were there eighty-four are dead1 and six only survive3 ,laban ,clark1 ,joshua ,soule1 ,daniel ,webb1 ,lovick ,pierce1 ,joseph ,travis1 and ,john ,early4 ,,chapter ,,xxxiv4 ,,new ,,york1 ,,new ,,england1 ,,and ,,genesee ,,conferences4 ,at the close of the ,general ,conference ,mr4 ,asbury and ,i left for ,albany4 ,on the way we made ,governor ,van ,cortland a visit at ,croton4 ,i wrote3 8,we found the aged father in the possession of his faculties1 and he loves to hear of the prosperity of ,zion40 ,he resided in the old ,manor-house1 near the mouth of the ,croton ,river4 ,the governor was very rich1 having inherited a large part of ,cortland ,manor4 ,the house was famous for its antiquity1 and for the distinguished guests that had been entertained there1 among whom were ,washington1 ,lafayette1 ,franklin1 and ,whitefield1 who preached from the piazza to the multitudes who thronged to hear him4 ,it was a stopping place of ,bishop ,asbury1 ,garrettson1 ,moriarty1 ,hibbard1 ,hutchinson1 and others of the early ,methodist fathers4 ,governor ,pierre ,van ,cortland was the first lieutenant-governor of ,new ,york1 and was re-elected eighteen times4 ,he was the president of the convention that formed and adopted the constitution of the ,state of ,new ,york4 ,in the ,city ,hall in ,new ,york is a fine marble bust of him4 ,he was very tall1 and of a commanding appearance4 ,he wore breeches1 and silver shoe-buckles4 ,the governor was a ,methodist1 and gave the land for a church and burying-ground4 ,it was erected upon a hill1 and commands a splendid view of the ,hudson4 ,the old building remains1 a relic of former days4 ,he married ,joanna ,livingston4 ,they were both pure spirits4 ,their daughter1 ,mrs4 ,van ,wick1 was a gifted woman1 a shouting ,methodist1 who would exhort with great effect4 ,his daughter1 ,mrs4 ,gerard ,beekman1 was also a ,methodist1 and her son1 ,dr4 ,stephen ,beekman1 at whose house the ,rev4 ,john ,summerfield died in ,new ,york on ,june #cj1 #ahbe4 ,bishop ,asbury greatly admired the old governor1 and said he resembled ,general ,russel of ,kentucky1 who married the sister of ,patrick ,henry4 ,the governor1 full of years and of honors1 died on ,may #a1 #ahad1 in the ninety-fourth year of his age4 ,the next year1 on ,may #ac1 the bishop in making his last tour through his diocese went to the old mansion1 and found its inhabitant gone4 ,he mournfully wrote3 8,the dear1 aged man1 ,governor ,van ,cortland1 has gone to his rest1 having attained his ninetieth year and upward40 ,he was buried in his family cemetery1 on a beautiful elevation a short distance from the old ,manor-house4 ,on his marble tomb his portrait is drawn in full4 ,it concludes thus3 8,the simplicity of his private life was that of an ancient patriarch4 ,he died a bright witness of that perfect love which casteth out the fear of death10 etc4 ,his son ,philip was an illustrious man4 ,he was brigadier-general during the ,revolutionary ,war1 and distinguished himself in several battles1 and especially at ,yorktown1 where the crowning battle of the ,revolution was fought4 ,he was the intimate friend of ,lafayette1 whom it is said he strikingly resembled1 and he made the tour of the country with him in #ahbd4 ,he was very friendly to the ,methodists1 and attended their meetings2 and when the minister failed to come1 he would read a chapter from the ,bible4 ,great camp-meetings were held upon his land1 and multitudes were converted there4 ,he died in #ahca1 and ,noble ,w4 ,thomas preached his funeral sermon4 ,from ,croton we went to ,rev4 ,freeborn ,garrettson's at ,rhinebeck4 ,the bishop delighted to visit that model household4 ,fifty years later1 long after the death of ,father ,garrettson and his amiable wife1 ,i went to the old homestead4 ,it stood as in the days when ,bishop ,asbury and ,i were there1 but where were its inmates8 ,melancholy reflections came over me when ,i thought of the changes that had taken place2 but ,i was kindly entertained by their daughter ,mary1 as well as their nephew1 ,freeborn ,garrettson1 ,esq41 whose friends ,i knew and those of his wife when ,i traveled on the ,peninsula half a century ago4 ,we tarried a short time at ,poughkeepsie1 where ,methodism was then very feeble4 ,in the winter of #ahfa ,i spent several weeks there1 and was glad to find three flourishing ,churches1 besides a ,german ,church4 ,in the latter ,i was permitted to preach in my own vernacular1 which ,i had not done for years4 ,on ,thursday1 ,june #d1 #ahab1 the ,new ,york ,conference commenced its session in ,albany4 ,eleven were received on trial1 among them ,william ,ross1 ,tobias ,spicer1 and ,theodosius ,clark4 ,mr4 ,clark is the only one remaining4 ,fourteen remained on trial1 including ,j4 ,b4 ,matthias1 ,benjamin ,griffen1 ,john ,b4 ,stratten1 and ,samuel ,luckey4 ,the latter is the only one living1 except ,hawley ,sanford1 who located years ago4 ,he is the father of ,rev4 ,a4 ,k4 ,sanford of the ,new ,york ,conference4 ,this was my last visit to the noble ,new ,york ,conference with ,bishop ,asbury4 ,i attended its session at ,poughkeepsie in #ahfa1 and looked in vain for the men ,i saw in #ahab4 ,but four remained3 ,marvin ,richardson1 ,phineas ,rice1 ,benjamin ,griffen1 and ,theodosius ,clark4 ,rice and ,griffen have since departed4 ,leaving ,albany1 we rode on horseback to ,boston1 and were the guests of our old friend ,otheman1 father of ,rev4 ,b4 ,otheman1 of ,new ,england ,conference1 and grandfather of ,rev4 ,e4 ,b4 ,otheman1 of ,new ,york ,conference1 and of the late ,mrs4 ,stevens1 wife of ,rev4 ,abel ,stevens1 ,,ll4,d4 ,on ,june #bj1 #ahab1 the ,new ,england ,conference began in ,lynn4 ,both ,asbury and ,m',kendree were present4 ,on ,sunday ,i preached at five in the morning1 ,bishop ,m',kendree at ten1 and ,bishop ,asbury at three in the afternoon4 ,the session was exceedingly harmonious4 ,the announcement that war was declared by the ,united ,states against ,great ,britain produced the most intense excitement4 ,of the eighty-four preachers present all are gone except ,joshua ,soule and ,daniel ,webb4 ,leaving ,lynn1 the bishop went to the ,genesee ,conference4 ,we stopped in ,troy1 and ,bishop ,asbury held forth from 8,if any man speak10 etc4 ,we heard ,nathan ,bangs on 8,being made free from sin10 etc4 ,it was the first time ,i ever heard him4 ,samuel ,merwin1 then stationed in ,albany1 accompanied us for a little distance4 ,he was a noble looking man4 ,the ,genesee ,conference was to have been held in ,niagara1 ,upper ,canada1 but the war prevented1 and it was changed to ,lyons4 ,the #bhth of ,july it commenced in ,daniel ,dorsey's store-house or granary4 ,here the ordinations were performed4 ,i am told the venerable old building is still standing4 ,there was a camp-meeting held in connection with the conference4 ,i preached in ,german from ,isaiah iii1 #aj1 #aa4 ,we missed the preachers from ,canada4 ,there was an increase of six hundred on two districts4 ,we could not hear from ,canada4 ,this was my last visit to the ,genesee ,conference4 ,what has ,god done for ,methodism in ,western ,new ,york since that day6 ,we left for my mother's1 passing through the valley of ,wyoming1 and arrived at the old mansion the #aath of ,august4 ,bishop ,asbury wept for his old friend1 and ,i for my father4 ,,chapter ,,xxxv4 ,,my ,,last ,,tour ,,with ,,bishop ,,asbury4 ,on ,monday1 ,august #ag1 we started on the last tour ,i made with the bishop4 ,the next ,monday we went to ,pipe ,creek and attended a camp-meeting there4 ,then we started ,west1 and the bishop remarked1 8,there was a strange medley of preachers1 drovers1 beasts on four legs1 and beasts made by whisky on two1 traveling on the turnpike at one time40 ,in eight months we had traveled six thousand miles and attended nine conferences and ten camp-meetings4 ,on ,friday1 ,september #ah1 we went to ,rush ,creek camp-meeting4 ,we tarried with ,edward ,teel1 a ,methodist of the old stamp1 nearly eighty years old4 ,mr4 ,asbury and he had been friends over forty years4 ,he was the father-in-law of ,rev4 ,james ,quin4 ,the bishop at this time was very feeble1 and required much care and constant nursing4 ,we reached ,chillicothe1 and were the guests of ,rev4 ,thomas ,s4 ,hines1 a local preacher4 ,he was a good writer1 and capital at sketching4 ,he wrote those sketches on ,western ,methodism that appeared in the ,methodist ,magazine and in the ,christian ,advocate1 over the signature of ,theophilus ,arminius4 ,he was the intimate friend of ,rev4 ,william ,beauchamp1 and wrote his memoir4 ,he was the son of ,dr4 ,s4 ,hines1 whom ,bishop ,asbury mentions1 who put a blister plaster on the back of his wife's head to draw her ,methodism out of her4 ,she bore it with such meekness and patience that it led to the awakening and conversion of her husband4 ,i was acquainted with the old doctor1 who was a very singular but interesting man4 ,he related the circumstance of his trying to extract his wife's ,methodism by so harsh a remedy to the bishop and myself1 and he cried1 and said1 8what a fool ,i was to do so40 ,the doctor was a surgeon in the ,british army under ,general ,wolfe1 and was present at the ,plains of ,abraham where ,wolfe fell at ,quebec1 and ,captain ,webb lost an eye4 ,the doctor and his family emigrated from ,virginia to ,kentucky when it was one vast wilderness4 ,he was formerly a deist1 but became a ,methodist4 ,he and his estimable wife were pillars in the temple of ,western ,methodism4 ,she was a noble woman1 and had a superior mind4 ,she gave a reason of the hope within her1 silenced infidels1 and carried the war into the enemy's camp4 ,the ,western ,conference began at ,chillicothe ,october #a1 #ahab4 ,friday was a day of fasting4 ,at eleven ,bishop ,asbury preached from ,acts xiii1 #a1 #b1 8,and they ministered to the ,lord1 and fasted10 etc4 ,the bishop preached three times1 and labored with apostolic zeal4 ,he ordained twelve deacons and twelve elders4 ,he made this entry in his journal3 8,upon the last day my strength failed4 ,i want sleep1 sleep1 sleep2 for three hours ,i lay undisturbed in bed1 to which ,i had stolen on ,wednesday1 but they called me up to read off the stations4 ,i have considerable fever1 but we must move40 ,the bishop and ,i went to ,cincinnati1 where we spent the ,sabbath1 and both preached4 ,this was my last visit to this place till forty-seven years after4 ,thence we traveled to ,kentucky4 ,at ,lexington the bishop heard a local preacher1 at whose father's house he had preached in #aghj4 ,at ,frankfort he preached in the chamber of the ,house of ,representatives1 and found among his hearers a man who was his companion through the wilderness twenty-three years before4 ,at ,nashville1 ,tennessee1 we saw a daughter of ,general ,russel1 ,widow ,bowen and her three daughters1 who were all ,methodists4 ,we lodged with the jailor1 but he kindly let us out4 ,the bishop pleasantly said we were 8prisoners of hope40 ,he preached in the new church on the ,sabbath1 and wrote1 8,this is a pentecostal day to my soul4 ,hail1 all hail1 eternal glory60 ,the ,tennessee ,conference met near ,james ,quin's at ,fountain ,head1 ,november #i1 #ahab4 ,it was held at ,brother ,house's1 that we might have the meeting-house to preach in4 ,both the bishops preached1 and ,i had the privilege also4 ,forty deacons and ten elders were ordained1 and there was an increase of eight thousand within its bounds4 ,this was the first session of the ,tennessee ,conference4 ,up to that time we had had in the ,west only the grand old ,western ,conference4 ,the formation of the ,tennessee ,conference was a new era in ,western ,methodism1 and paved the way for the formation of future conferences4 ,bishop ,asbury was anxious to form a ,mississippi ,conference1 and makes this record3 8,we shall have gone entirely round the ,united ,states in forty years2 but there will be other states6 ,god will raise up men to make and meet conferences in them also1 if we remain faithful as a people40 ,how true his predictions concerning other states and other conferences3 states have been more than doubled1 and conferences have multiplied till1 ,north and ,south1 we have nearly a hundred4 ,and ,god has raised up the men and furnished the means to carry on this glorious work4 ,during conference ,i was the honored guest of ,james ,m',kendree1 father of the bishop4 ,he was happy in ,god and bound for heaven4 ,this was my last visit to the venerated patriarch4 ,a number of preachers started with the bishops on our ,southern tour4 ,the eccentric ,james ,axley was with us1 and he was most excellent company4 ,at night we were entertained by ,rev4 ,john ,magee1 the father of camp-meetings in ,america and the father-in-law of ,rev4 ,thomas ,l4 ,douglass4 ,on ,wednesday ,bishop ,asbury baptized six children4 ,then we crossed the ,french ,broad and forded the ,big ,pigeon4 ,it was nothing for us to ford rivers4 ,on ,sunday ,bishop ,m',kendree preached a characteristic sermon1 ,james ,axley exhorted1 and ,i followed4 ,in those days we gave them sermon upon sermon1 exhortation upon exhortation4 ,on ,december #ag we reached ,charleston1 and our bishops were received as angels from ,god4 ,during the route over the mountains ,bishop ,asbury suffered exceedingly from cold4 ,we had to ford deep streams1 and dined frequently in the woods4 ,we stopped at one place where a gentleman offered ,bishop ,asbury brandy and the ,bible4 ,he took the ,bible1 and let the brandy alone4 ,in his journal he says3 8,i cannot easily describe the pain under which ,i shrink and writhe4 ,the weather is cold1 and ,i have constant pleuritic twinges in the side4 ,in cold1 in hunger1 and in want of clothing1 mine are apostolic sufferings40 ,i witnessed his intense suffering1 and in a measure shared them4 ,how ,i rejoice that the mountains are crossed for the last time1 but never can ,i forget the toils1 the struggles1 the privations the bishop endured for the ,church of ,god4 ,the conference was pleasant1 and lasted one week4 ,my visits to ,charleston were always refreshing4 ,the southern preachers ,i ardently loved1 and the ,charleston ,methodists4 ,what a bond of union then bound the ,north and the ,south together6 ,o for the return of those days of peace and union and confidence6 then my old heart would rejoice1 and ,i would say1 8,lord1 lettest now thy servant depart in peace1 for mine eyes have seen thy salvation40 ,our northern route was exceedingly irksome and tedious1 not merely on account of the weather1 which was very raw and cold1 but of the severe illness of ,bishop ,asbury4 ,never was he more feeble1 never less able to travel1 and yet he would go on4 ,there was only one thing that could stop him--the pale horse and his rider4 ,we left ,charleston the last day of #ahab4 ,father ,asbury having lost the use of one of his feet by rheumatism1 ,i had to carry him in my arms and place him in his sulky1 and then to take him out and carry him into a church or private dwelling1 and he would sit and preach4 ,at ,fayetteville ,i carried him into the church1 and he preached from ,zech4 ix1 #ab1 8the stronghold40 ,after the sermon he ordained three persons4 ,he had one blister on him1 and ,i carried him to our host and he put on three more4 ,he traveled in great misery4 ,on the twenty-fourth1 at ,wilmington1 ,i carried him into church1 and he preached in the morning1 and then met the society2 and that not being enough for a sick1 old1 infirm bishop1 he would preach again in the evening4 ,after that he was in such misery that a poultice was applied to mitigate his pain4 ,the next day we rode twenty-four miles4 ,the bishop's feet were so swollen he could not wear a shoe4 ,almost any other man would have been in bed1 but he loved his work better than his life4 ,his record on that day is1 8,i have a fever and swelled feet40 ,the next day1 8,i suffer violent pain in my right foot20 and yet he says1 8,i have filled all my appointments1 and answered the letters received40 ,who else would have thus persevered amid pain and anguish1 dying by inches to accomplish so much work8 ,on ,february #d the bishop was as tickled as a little child4 ,why8 ,because he was able once more to put on his leather shoes4 ,and he exclaimed1 8,o the sufferings ,i have endured1 patiently ,i hope60 ,he did suffer most excruciatingly1 but patience in him had its perfect work4 ,on our way to ,newbern the bishop preached every day1 sometimes at considerable length4 ,one service1 ordination and all1 lasted two hours4 ,the bishop said1 8,i gained a fever and a clear conscience by my labors40 ,i would rather have had the clear conscience without the fever2 but he often forgot himself in his anxiety to benefit others4 ,on ,monday1 ,february #h1 we reached ,newbern1 ,n4 ,c4 ,the bishop writes1 8,i am in ,newbern on crutches40 ,the ,virginia ,conference was held in a school-room4 ,both ,asbury and ,m',kendree were present4 ,there was some excellent preaching from ,stith ,mead1 ,thomas ,l4 ,douglass1 and the two bishops4 ,jesse ,lee preached from ,acts xvii1 #f1 8,these that have turned the world upside down10 etc4 ,his propositions were1 #a4 ,that originally the moral world was right side up4 #b4 ,sin had turned it wrong side up4 #c4 ,it was the design of the ,gospel and the business of the ministry to restore it to its original position4 ,the next morning nearly everything about the town looked ridiculous1 being upside down4 ,wagons1 boats1 signs1 gates1 almost everything was bottom side upward4 ,some of the inhabitants were vexed1 and some laughed2 while the authors of the mischief enjoyed the fun1 and laid it to the preacher1 who they said had come to turn the town over that it might be right side up4 ,of the conference ,bishop ,asbury says3 8,we had great order1 great union1 and dispatch in business4 ,the increase here in membership this year is seven hundred2 but ah1 deaths and locations60 ,there were in the ,virginia ,conference this year no less than thirteen locations4 ,no wonder the bishop groaned over such defections4 ,we reached ,georgetown and were the guests of ,henry ,foxall4#db ,here the bishop received an invitation from the ,british ,conference to visit them1 and promising to meet the expenses of his journey1 which was very gratifying to him4 ,he also had a call from the ,rev4 ,william ,watters1 now aged and feeble4 ,this was the last time ,i ever saw him4 ,we went to ,annapolis and thence to ,baltimore4 ,we tarried all night with our aged friend1 ,father ,otterbein4 ,bishop ,asbury says1 8,i gave an evening to the great ,otterbein4 ,i found him placid and happy in ,god40 ,that was an evening ,i shall ever remember2 two noble souls met1 and their conversation was rich and full of instruction4 ,they had met frequently before2 this was their last interview on earth--long ago they met in heaven4 ,baltimore ,conference commenced on the #bdth4 ,jacob ,gruber and ,i preached1 in ,german1 on ,sunday in ,otterbein's ,church4 ,bishop ,asbury preached twice4 ,at this conference ,beverly ,waugh1 ,james ,m4 ,hanson1 and others were ordained elders4 ,on leaving ,baltimore we took a tour through a part of the ,peninsula4 ,the ,philadelphia ,conference assembled in ,philadelphia on ,april #bd1 #ahac4 ,both bishops were present4 ,bishop ,m',kendree preached at the ,union from ,james iv1 #aj2 ,bishop ,asbury in ,st4 ,george's from ,rom4 i1 #af4 ,at the conference in #ahac ,i ceased to travel with ,bishop ,asbury as his 8help-meet40 ,i had been with ,bishop ,asbury since #ahjh4 ,he thought ,i was needed among the ,germans1 and that ,i ought to be near my mother1 who was living within the bounds of ,schuylkill ,district1 to which he appointed me4 ,when my character was examined the question was asked1 8,is there anything against ,henry ,boehm80 8,nothing10 said the bishop1 8against ,brother ,boehm40 ,he then rose and said1 in his nervous and emphatic manner1 8,for five years he has been my constant companion4 ,he served me as a son2 he served me as a brother2 he served me as a servant2 he served me as a slave40 ,his earnest1 emphatic manner caused some to smile and many to weep4 ,dr4 ,thomas ,f4 ,sargent laughed and said1 8,the bishop has given you quite a character40 ,without egotism1 ,i may say ,i always retained the bishop's confidence4 ,this is evident from the fact that six weeks after we parted he appointed me one of the executors of his last will and testament4 ,while with ,mr4 ,asbury ,i attended to the financial affairs of the ,book ,room at conferences4 ,this was during the war1 when there was great trouble in remitting funds4 ,john ,wilson1 book agent1 died in #ahaj1 and ,daniel ,hitt1 the other agent1 had to attend to the business at home4 ,it was a greater task to attend to such complex business1 to collect funds and remit drafts1 than many would suppose4 ,this brought me into a more intimate acquaintance with all the preachers ,north and ,south1 ,east and ,west4 ,on the journals of the ,general ,conference of #ahab the reader will find the following3 8,l4 ,myers moved that this conference express their gratitude to ,brother ,henry ,boehm for his services to the connection in collecting and remitting moneys belonging thereunto1 and that they vote him some compensation as an acknowledgement of their gratitude40 ,their 8thanks0 were voted1 but no 8compensation40 ,thanks are cheap4 ,i saved the ,book ,room thousands of dollars4 ,i was sub-agent4 ,daniel ,hitt could not go1 and to have sent a special agent would have involved much expense4 ,i have never received any compensation1 and never desired any4 ,,chapter ,,xxxvi4 ,,schuylkill ,,district1 #ahac-ad4 ,the office of presiding elder was new to me1 and ,i felt my responsibility4 ,philadelphia1 ,wilmington1 and seven circuits composed my district4 ,several of the circuits ,i had previously traveled1 and my old friends hailed me with joy4 ,it included my native place and ,boehm's ,chapel1 and ,i was near my old mother1 who was bending under the infirmities of age4 ,several of the preachers had been my colleagues1 and were my personal friends1 and ,i could not but feel at home with them4 ,there were noble men on my district1 among them two future bishops1 ,robert ,r4 ,roberts and ,john ,emory4 ,the other presiding elders were ,peter ,vannest1 ,michael ,coate1 and ,john ,m',claskey4 ,peter ,vannest had heard ,john ,wesley1 and he used to say1 8,brethren1 remain by the old landmarks4 ,these very eyes have seen ,john ,wesley1 and these hands have handled him40 ,while the others died early he lived to an extreme old age1 beloved by all who knew him1 and died in holy triumph in ,pemberton1 ,new ,jersey4 ,my home on the district was with ,robert ,r4 ,roberts1 in ,philadelphia4 ,i was a single man1 and he had no children4 ,he invited me to make his house my home4 ,on the #cast of ,july ,bishop ,asbury and ,john ,c4 ,french1 who traveled with him1 came to the old homestead while ,i was there4 ,the bishop spent the ,sabbath and preached in ,boehm's ,chapel in the morning from ,titus ii1 #b-aj4 ,the text was a sermon in itself3 advice to 8aged men10 to 8aged women10 to 8young women10 to 8young men10 to 8servants10 etc4 ,the bishop says in his journal1 8,happily we met ,h4 ,boehm1 who had appointed a meeting at ,boehm's ,chapel40 ,he had been on his northern and eastern tour1 and he was exceedingly fatigued1 and he wrote1 8,rest man and beast40 ,they both needed it4 ,for three days he was employed in answering letters4 ,he also wrote on my father's old desk a valedictory to the ,church1 to be read by ,bishop ,m',kendree to the ,general ,conference when he was gathered to his fathers4 ,it contained his views of the primitive ,church government and ordination1 and abounded in wise counsels and suggestions4 ,he knew he could not live much longer1 and he left his thoughts on these weighty subjects for the benefit of others when he rested from his labors4 ,soon after ,i held a camp-meeting on the banks of the ,sweet ,arrow1 in ,dauphin ,county4 ,many were converted at this meeting2 among others the daughter of the distinguished ,joseph ,priestley4 ,the ,schuylkill ,district was about one hundred miles square1 and yet1 after traveling with ,bishop ,asbury around his large diocese1 such is the power of habit1 ,i felt as if ,i was confined to a small space2 therefore ,i sometimes left my district and visited other fields of labor4 ,i attended a camp-meeting on the ,chesapeake ,district1 on land that belonged to ,thomas ,white1 ,bishop ,asbury's early friend4 ,on ,tuesday1 ,april #e1 #ahad1 ,i went to ,philadelphia1 and met our aged and venerable ,bishops ,asbury and ,m',kendree4 ,on ,wednesday our conference commenced its session4 ,all went on harmoniously4 ,bishop ,m',kendree preached at ,st4 ,george's a most melting sermon4 ,bishop ,asbury preached in the morning at the ,union1 on 8,will ye also go away80 etc42 in the afternoon at ,st4 ,george's1 from ,rom4 ii1 #ba4 ,on ,wednesday ,bishop ,m',kendree preached an ordination sermon from #b ,cor4 v1 #bj1 and then he ordained eleven to the office of elder4 ,this was a gracious conference4 ,bishop ,asbury says in his journal3 8,the ,philadelphia ,conference progressed in great peace and ,gospel order4 ,we had crowded houses day and night4 ,we doubt not but that souls have been convinced1 converted1 comforted1 and sanctified by the ministration of the word40 ,there was but little change on my district among the preachers2 but1 alas6 there was a change in the presiding elderships before the year was out4 ,two of them were transferred to heaven4 ,john ,m',claskey1 of ,chesapeake ,district1 fell at his post1 covered with scars and loaded with honors1 on ,september #b1 #ahad4 ,i have had occasion to speak of him several times4 ,he was the spiritual son of 8,daddy ,abbott10 and preached his funeral sermon by his particular request4 ,he was a noble presiding officer4 ,his strong constitution suffered from yellow fever in ,new ,york in #ahjj1 and then the death of his only son1 who was going to be married1 and who died from a mistake his physician made in giving him medicine1 almost crushed his heart4 ,his end was triumphant4 ,michael ,coate1 of ,west ,jersey ,district1 died the first of ,august4 ,i had known him for years1 as well as his brother ,samuel4 ,he was distinguished for strength of mind and soundness of judgment1 and especially for the meek and quiet spirit which1 in the sight of ,god1 is of great price4 ,the last time he preached was on the multitude ,john saw before the throne1 ,rev4 viii1 #i1 and soon he went to join them4 ,he was born in #agfg1 and converted1 died1 and was buried in ,burlington ,county1 ,n4 ,j4 ,the death of two such men in one year was a great loss to our conference and the ,church4 ,immediately after the adjournment of conference ,i made a very pleasant tour with ,bishop ,m',kendree4 ,we first went to ,germantown1 and he preached there4 ,on ,sunday he preached at the new church in ,holmesburgh1 from ,rom4 i1 #af4 ,then we rode to ,trenton and went with ,peter ,vannest to the ,bethel1 where the bishop preached2 then to ,hopewell1 now called ,pennington4 ,the bishop preached there1 and we put up with an old ,methodist by the name of ,bunn4 ,his descendants are numerous1 and they are all ,methodists4 ,methodism was introduced here early by ,captain ,webb4 ,we have now there a noble seminary and a flourishing ,church4 ,thence went to ,asbury1 and ,bishop ,m',kendree preached in the morning on the parable of the 8,unjust steward10 and in the afternoon from ,isaiah xxxii1 #ag4 ,on ,monday we parted with the bishop1 he going on to attend the ,new ,york ,conference1 and ,i returning to my district4 ,on reaching home ,i heard that ,bishop ,asbury was sick at ,brother ,sale ,coate's1 a brother of ,michael and ,samuel ,coate1 at ,lumberton1 ,new ,jersey4 ,on the #c;d of ,may ,i went there and found him so very low he was scarcely able to breathe4 ,the next day he appeared a little better4 ,on ,friday and ,saturday his difficulty of breathing was so great that we frequently looked for his departure4 ,on ,sunday ,i wrote1 8,bishop ,asbury is very low1 but expectorates freely2 no material change1 only that he gradually decreases in strength40 ,on ,monday1 about one o'clock ,a4,m41 there appeared an evident change for the better4 ,in answer to prayer1 he was remarkably comforted with the presence and power of the ,lord4 ,he continued in a convalescent state until ,friday morning1 when we thought he would have expired2 his hands and feet were cold4 ,through the whole of his affliction his conversation was about the great and deep things of ,god2 the ,church of ,god on earth1 and the many glorified saints who are reaping the rewards of the heavenly world4 ,for ten nights in succession ,i sat up and watched with him2 the last night he seemed to be carried out of himself3 all of his conversation was relative to ,god1 ,christ1 and the great work of redemption4 ,on the #ahth ,i wrote3 8,bishop ,asbury seems to be much better1 so that he can now lie upon his pillow and sleep1 which he had not been able to do in three weeks1 except a few minutes at a time4 ,the prospect of his recovering is somewhat flattering40 ,such is the record ,i made fifty years ago4 ,john ,w4 ,bond was then the bishop's traveling companion1 and was all kindness and attention1 but he had been with the bishop but a few weeks4 ,there was enough for two or three of us to do at ,brother ,coate's while the bishop was so dangerously ill4 ,the family were exceedingly kind1 and did all in their power to make him comfortable4 ,i remained with them sixteen days and nights in succession4 ,he never fully recovered from that sickness1 and he was physically unfit to go round his diocese again4 ,it was a living death1 a perpetual martyrdom4 ,for three months the dear old man kept no record in his journal4 ,on resuming it he wrote3 8,i return to my journal after an interval of twelve weeks4 ,i have been ill indeed2 but medicine1 nursing1 and kindness1 under ,god1 have been so far effectual1 that ,i have recovered strength enough to sit in my little covered wagon1 into which they lift me4 ,i have clambered over the rude mountains1 passing through ,york and ,chambersburgh to ,greensburgh4 ,tuesday1 ,july #ai1 ,i would not be loved to death1 and so came down from my sick room and took the road1 weak enough4 ,attention constant1 and kindness unceasing1 have pursued me to this place1 and my strength increases daily4 ,i look back upon a martyr's life of toil and privation and pain1 and ,i am ready for a martyr's death4 ,the purity of my intentions2 my diligence in the labors to which ,god has been pleased to call me2 the unknown sufferings ,i have endured2 what are all these8 ,the merit1 atonement1 and righteousness of ,christ alone make my plea4 ,my friends in ,philadelphia gave me a little light four-wheel carriage2 but ,god and the ,baltimore ,conference gave me a richer present--they gave me ,john ,wesley ,bond for a traveling companion2 has he his equal on earth for excellences of every kind as an aid8 ,i groan one minute with pain1 and shout glory the next40 ,in ,august ,i had a delightful interview at ,middletown with my friend ,dr4 ,romer1 who translated the ,methodist ,discipline into ,german4 ,on the #cast of ,march ,i went with ,john ,emory to visit the sick and pray with them4 ,he was not only a superior man and preacher1 but an excellent pastor4 ,though a great student1 it did not prevent his attending to his pastoral work4 ,he was very popular4 ,i had often visited his father1 ,judge ,emory1 and ,i knew his spiritual father1 ,john ,chalmers4 ,john ,emory was afterward book agent1 a clear-headed business man1 a delegate to the ,wesleyan ,conference2 elected bishop in #ahcb1 and was thrown from his carriage and killed ,december #f1 #ahce4 ,i baptized his son1 ,robert ,emory4 ,he was a beautiful infant when ,i laid on his head the consecrated waters of baptism4 ,when he grew up to manhood1 and was president of ,dickinson ,college1 ,i looked upon him and thought of his excellent father and mother1 and of the time ,i baptized him in the name of the ,trinity4 ,he1 too1 has fallen asleep4 ,on ,april #ab1 to my great joy1 ,i met ,bishop ,m',kendree at ,radner's4 ,on the next day1 which was appointed by the general government for public thanksgiving for the restoration of peace1 he preached a most appropriate sermon4 ,the bishop was full of patriotism1 and with a national subject he was perfectly at home4 ,he was the intimate friend and a great admirer of ,general ,jackson1 and related many characteristic anecdotes concerning him4 ,,chapter ,,xxxvii4 ,,chesapeake ,,district--,,governor ,,bassett',s ,,death ,,and ,,character4 ,the conference met in ,philadelphia on ,april #bj1 #ahae4 ,bishop ,asbury was so exceedingly ill that the laboring oar fell upon ,bishop ,m',kendree4 ,bishop ,asbury visited the conference room once only and then was obliged to retire4 ,alas6 when he departed his venerable form and whitened locks disappeared1 to be seen in that body no more4 ,he always had a high regard for the ,philadelphia ,conference4 ,it was in ,philadelphia he preached his first sermon in ,america1 and was 8received as an angel from ,god40 ,he was at the first conference in ,philadelphia in #aggc1 when there were ten traveling preachers in ,america1 and he had attended it for thirty-two years4 ,on ,friday ,i went with ,bishop ,m',kendree to visit ,bishop ,asbury4 ,he was feeble in body but strong in ,god1 and his wrinkled countenance brightened at the prospect of soon seeing 8the ,king in his beauty40 ,m',kendree prayed with his venerable colleague1 who was hovering between two worlds4 ,i was appointed to ,chesapeake ,district4 ,it may appear strange ,i did not remain on the ,schuylkill ,district4 ,john ,m',claskey1 who was on the ,chesapeake ,district1 died the preceding year2 it was proposed to appoint ,robert ,r4 ,roberts1 but he feared that going down on the ,peninsula would injure his health4 ,i had spent some years there and got acclimated1 and it was thought ,i could stand it better1 and therefore he was appointed to the ,schuylkill ,district and ,i to the ,chesapeake4 ,being a single man1 it was not much trouble for me to move1 and ,i was glad to accommodate my excellent friend1 who had furnished me with a kind home for two years in ,philadelphia4 ,i entered upon my pleasant field of labor with joy4 ,over much of the ground ,i had traveled before1 and there were many old friends to welcome me4 ,my district was a noble one1 including some of the best circuits on the ,peninsula4 ,on the #afth of ,may1 in company with ,robert ,r4 ,roberts and ,ezekiel ,cooper1 ,i went to visit ,governor ,bassett at ,bohemia ,manor4 ,he was ill in body1 but happy in ,god4 ,we had a delightful interview1 and found him ripening for the other world4 ,how beautiful is religion in old age6 8,the hoary head0 is indeed a crown of glory1 being found in 8the way of righteousness40 ,the #cast of ,june ,i was at ,father ,henry ,downs's4 ,he it was that imprisoned ,thomas ,s4 ,chew1 and was converted by his prisoner4 ,i mingled with the fathers1 who were familiar with ,methodism almost from its origin in ,america1 both ministers and laymen4 ,such laymen as ,father ,downs1 whose history has all the charms of romance and all the power of truth1 did much toward establishing ,methodism in its infancy in the ,peninsula4 ,on the ,fourth of ,july ,i visited my mother at the old family mansion4 ,i had not been home more than fifteen minutes when1 to my great joy1 ,bishop ,asbury unexpectedly arrived4 ,he came from the ,new ,england and other ,conferences with ,rev4 ,j4 ,w4 ,bond1 and was much better than when ,i saw him last4 ,the bishop was glad to see me1 as will appear by the following extract from his journal3 8,happy at ,mother ,boehm's4 ,a pleasing ,providence1 according to my wishes1 had brought ,henry in a few moments before40 ,he remained two days4 ,he had visited that old home for the pilgrim for thirty-five years1 and received hearty welcomes from my father when alive1 and from my mother in her widowhood4 ,he had completed his last episcopal tour1 and my aged mother and the bishop bade one another adieu for the last time4 ,i went with him to ,lancaster1 and then was reluctant to leave him1 and so ,i went a little further1 for ,i had an impression ,i should see his face no more4 ,he gave me much excellent advice1 and cautioned me to take good care of my health1 as ,i was then traveling in a region of country not considered very healthy4 ,he then embraced me in his arms1 pressed me to his bosom1 gave me his last kiss and his benediction4 ,he rode on while ,i lingered and gazed till his venerable form was beyond my vision4 ,i felt a veneration for ,bishop ,asbury ,i never had for any other human being1 and loved him as ,i loved my own dear father4 ,,governor ,,bassett4 ,governor ,bassett died in the summer of #ahae4 ,he should ever have a prominent place in the annals of early ,american ,methodism4 ,at this remote period it is almost impossible to have a correct idea of the position he once occupied1 and the influence he exerted in favor of ,methodism4 ,some have entertained the idea that ,methodism was adapted only to the low and the ignorant1 for the common people2 but this is a mistake4 ,in its early days in ,america some of the loftiest families embraced it with joy4 ,among the most distinguished was ,richard ,bassett4 ,he was an eminent lawyer1 a judge1 ,governor of ,delaware1 a member of the old ,congress in #aghg1 and a senator under the new constitution4 ,he was a delegate from ,delaware to the convention that formed the ,constitution of the ,united ,states1 and his name is enrolled on that account with those of ,george ,washington1 ,alexander ,hamilton1 ,benjamin ,franklin1 ,robert ,morris1 and other distinguished patriots and statesmen4 ,mr4 ,bassett was rich4 ,he inherited six thousand acres of land1 much of it near the ,bohemia ,river4 ,he had three homes1 residing part of the time in ,dover1 and then in ,bohemia and ,wilmington4 ,i have been entertained at them all4 ,before he was converted he was a very fashionable man1 and moved in the highest circles in society4 ,he had his good things in this life4 ,but when converted he was as humble and teachable as a little child4 ,in person he was a stout-built man1 of medium height1 and looked as if he was made for service4 ,his countenance was full of benignity1 and his eye was very expressive4 ,he was a man of superior judgment1 a safe counselor4 ,i used to ask his advice1 and he gave it most cheerfully1 and ,i always found it judicious4 ,his voice was very strong and musical1 and at camp and quarterly meetings he thrilled the people4 ,he was distinguished for benevolence1 and given to hospitality4 ,he has entertained over a hundred at one time4 ,his heart was as large as his mansion4 ,his first wife did not live long4 ,she left an amiable daughter1 who was married to the ,hon4 ,james ,a4 ,bayard1 who was a commissioner to form a treaty of peace with ,england4 ,with her father ,i visited ,mrs4 ,bayard while her husband was absent in ,europe4 ,the governor was a ,methodist of the old stamp4 ,he admired all its peculiarities2 loved to worship in the groves1 and had several camp-meetings on his own grounds4 ,he was one of the sweet singers of our ,israel4 ,he delighted to hear the colored people sing2 there was no sweeter music to him4 ,he held fast his integrity to the end4 ,i often saw him in age and feebleness extreme4 ,though princely rich1 he lived plainly1 without display or extravagance4 ,his large possessions were in ,bohemia1 ,cecil ,county1 ,maryland4 ,it was called ,bohemia from ,augustus ,hermon1 a ,bohemian1 who obtained a grant for eighteen thousand acres of land4 ,richard ,bassett became heir to a part of this immense estate4 ,he died in #ahae1 and his life-time friend1 ,ezekiel ,cooper1 preached his funeral sermon4 ,he was buried in a vault he had prepared in a beautiful locust grove on the banks of the ,bohemia ,river4 ,there sleep his family and the ,bayards4 ,the venerable old mansion1 distinguished for its antiquity1 for the splendid paintings that adorned its walls1 for the hospitality that reigned there1 and as the home of ,bishop ,asbury and the old pioneers of ,methodism1 was burned down a few years ago1 and1 like the owner1 has passed away4 ,,chapter ,,xxxviii4 ,,general ,,conference--,,asbury',s ,,funeral1 ,,etc4 ,the conference which was held in ,philadelphia ,april #ah1 #ahaf1 was a gloomy one4 ,there was no bishop to preside1 ,asbury being dead1 and ,m',kendree sick4 ,during this conference ,ezekiel ,cooper preached a sermon on the life and character of ,bishop ,asbury1 that afterward made a book called 8,cooper on ,asbury40 ,rev4 ,r4 ,r4 ,roberts was elected president4 ,he filled the office with ease and dignity1 and we passed harmoniously through the business of the session4 ,several delegates from the eastern conferences1 who were on their way to attend the ,general ,conference at ,baltimore1 were present1 and admired the manner in which ,brother ,roberts conducted the business of the conference1 and this led to his nomination and election as bishop4 ,no ordination took place at this conference in consequence of the absence of the bishop4 ,the delegates elected to the ,general ,conference were ,r4 ,r4 ,roberts1 ,l4 ,m',combs1 ,s4 ,sharp1 ,j4 ,totten1 ,j4 ,walker1 ,s4 ,hill1 ,s4 ,martindale1 ,a4 ,smith1 ,h4 ,boehm1 ,j4 ,emory1 ,w4 ,bishop1 and ,j4 ,sharpley4 ,i was reappointed presiding elder of ,chesapeake ,district4 ,the second delegated ,general ,conference met in the ,light-street ,church1 ,baltimore1 ,may #a1 #ahaf4 ,there was a feeling of sadness caused by the absence of ,bishop ,asbury4 ,bishop ,m',kendree was present1 but very feeble4 ,after the organization1 on the first day an address was presented from the male members of the ,church in ,baltimore asking the privilege of removing the remains of ,bishop ,asbury from the place where they had been buried to ,baltimore4 ,their request was granted1 and ,rev4 ,john ,w4 ,bond was desired to superintend their removal4 ,five members of the ,general ,conference were appointed to act in concert with the ,baltimore brethren3 ,philip ,bruce1 ,nelson ,reed1 ,freeborn ,garrettson1 ,lewis ,myers1 and ,george ,pickering4 ,the conference passed a vote of thanks to ,george ,arnold of ,spottsylvania1 at whose house the bishop died1 for his attention to our venerable father during his illness1 and requesting permission to have the bishop's remains removed from his family burying-ground to ,baltimore4 ,mr4 ,arnold granted the request1 and on the #ith of ,may the body arrived1 and was placed at the house of ,william ,hawkins4 ,the fact being announced to the conference by ,stephen ,g4 ,roszel1 they resolved to attend his funeral the next morning1 and appointed ,henry ,stead1 ,william ,case1 ,seth ,mattison1 and myself to sit up with the corpse during the night4 ,never shall ,i forget that night2 thought was busy in reviewing the past2 the whole life of ,bishop ,asbury1 particularly the five years ,i was with him1 passed before me in review like a panorama4 ,five times that night1 in imagination1 ,i went with the bishop around his large diocese1 over the mountains and valleys4 ,i thought of his self-denial1 his deadness to the world2 of his intense labors1 his enlarged benevolence1 his sympathy for the suffering1 of the hundreds of sermons ,i had heard him preach1 the prayers ,i had heard him offer2 the many times ,i had slept with him2 how often ,i had carried him in my arms4 ,where are the great and good men that watched with me that night8 ,long ago they have met the bishop 8where they can die no more1 but are equal to the angels of ,god40 ,at ten o'clock next morning the funeral services took place4 ,there was an immense gathering at ,light-street1 where the bishop's remains had been placed4 ,they were removed in solemn procession to the ,eutaw ,church4 ,at the head of this procession were ,bishop ,m',kendree and ,william ,black of ,nova ,scotia4 ,bishop ,asbury having no relatives in this country1 ,john ,w4 ,bond and myself1 his surviving traveling companions1 were selected to follow his remains as chief mourners4 ,indeed we both felt to exclaim1 8,my father1 my father1 the chariots of ,israel and the horsemen thereof40 ,the members of the conference followed1 with several ministers of other denominations and a vast throng of citizens4 ,bishop ,m',kendree pronounced a funeral oration full of melting pathos1 and the remains of the deceased1 embalmed by the tears of multitudes1 were deposited in a vault under the recess of the pulpit of the ,eutaw-street ,church4 ,upon beautiful marble was inscribed an appropriate epitaph1 to tell the stranger where the dust of the noble ,asbury sleeps4 ,on the ,sunday following the obsequies of ,bishop ,asbury1 funeral sermons were preached in all our churches in ,baltimore4 ,i was appointed to preach in the late ,father ,otterbein's church4 ,my text was ,rev4 xiv1 #ac4 ,i gave a sketch of the bishop's life1 character1 labors1 and success1 and his peaceful end2 of the relation that subsisted between their late venerated pastor1 ,william ,otterbein1 ,bishop ,asbury1 and ,martin ,boehm1 and how they were reunited in the bright world above4 ,bishop ,asbury1 at the request of ,bishop ,m',kendree and the ,genesee ,conference1 wrote a valedictory to be read after he was gone4 ,this he left among his papers4 ,that important document was written at my mother's1 on my father's old desk1 the first week in ,august1 #ahac4 ,i was present when he wrote it1 and he talked with me on various points4 ,on the second day of ,may this valedictory address was read to the ,general ,conference after some introductory remarks by ,bishop ,m',kendree4 ,it was the last message of the lamented ,asbury1 the final counsel of a father to his children1 and it was listened to with breathless attention4 ,it was replete with wise sayings and appropriate suggestions4 ,it advocated a divine call to the ministry and opposed men-made ministers2 cautioned against the tendency to locality1 and dwelt upon the importance of the itinerancy2 directed them to guard against two orders of ministers1 one for the country the other for cities4 ,among other counsels was this1 worthy to be written in letters of gold1 8,preserve a noble independence on all occasions2 be the willing servants of slaves1 but slaves to none40 ,two months after ,i left ,mr4 ,asbury as his traveling companion he made his will in ,winchester1 ,new ,hampshire1 as the following record in his journal will show3 8,june #f1 #ahac4 ,knowing the uncertainty of the tenure of life ,i have made my will1 appointing ,bishop ,m',kendree1 ,daniel ,hitt1 and ,henry ,boehm my executors4 ,if ,i do not in the mean time spend it1 ,i shall leave when ,i die an estate of two thousand dollars1 ,i believe4 ,i give it all to the ,book ,room4 ,this money1 and somewhat more1 ,i have inherited from dear departed ,methodist friends in the state of ,maryland1 who died childless2 besides some legacies ,i have never taken4 ,let all return and continue to aid the cause of piety40 ,the bishop's will was recorded in ,baltimore2 and during the ,general ,conference in #ahaf1 ,bishop ,m',kendree1 ,daniel ,hitt1 and ,i went to the proper authorities and were qualified to act as executors4 ,in regard to the money1 a lady in ,baltimore had given him near two thousand dollars1 and ,i advised him to put it out upon interest4 ,he did so1 or he would have got rid of it4 ,he was very uneasy when he had money until it was gone4 ,it seemed to burn in his pocket until he was relieved4 ,he left a ,bible to every child that had been named after him4 ,he left eighty dollars a year to ,mrs4 ,elizabeth ,dickins1 widow of our first book agent4 ,her name was ,yancey1 and she was from ,north ,carolina4 ,she was a charming woman1 worthy to have been the wife of that great and good man1 ,john ,dickins4 ,she continued to receive this annuity till her death in #ahce4 ,most of the business of distributing the ,bibles fell on me1 and ,i gave more than four hundred to children that had been named ,francis ,asbury4 ,there were probably a thousand children named after him at the time1 but many of the parents would know nothing of the will1 for we had then no ,methodist papers to give the information4 ,his will gave a ,bible to all the children who had been named after him up to his death4#dc ,i made a final settlement with ,rev4 ,john ,emory when he was book agent4 ,daniel ,hitt died in #ahbe1 ,bishop ,m',kendree in #ahce4 ,i have survived ,daniel ,hitt forty years1 ,bishop ,m',kendree thirty years1 and ,bishop ,asbury forty-nine years4 ,there was a vast amount of business done at the ,general ,conference of #ahaf1 and it was more methodical than formerly4 ,john ,emory1 for the first time1 was a member of the ,general ,conference1 and he distinguished himself at once by his clear head and capacity for business4 ,i was placed on two important committees1 8,temporal ,economy0 and 8,slavery40 ,the other members of that on slavery were ,william ,phbus1 ,charles ,virgin1 ,abner ,chase1 ,charles ,holliday1 ,samuel ,sellers1 ,daniel ,asbury1 ,c4 ,h4 ,hines1 and ,beverly ,waugh4 ,we were directed 8to examine into the subject of slavery and report40 ,on this question1 which has vexed ecclesiastical and national councils from the beginning1 the committee brought in a report1 of which the following is a part3 8,after mature deliberation1 they are of the opinion that1 under the present existing circumstances in relation to slavery little can be done to abolish a practice so contrary to the principles of moral justice4 ,they are sorry to say that the evil appears to be past remedy1 and they are led to deplore the destructive consequences which have already accrued and are yet likely to result therefrom40 ,they recommended the insertion of the following clause in the ,discipline3 8,therefore no slaveholder shall be eligible to any official station in our ,church hereafter where the laws of the state in which he lives will admit of emancipation1 and permit the liberated slave to enjoy freedom40 ,the report was adopted by the conference4 ,on ,tuesday1 the #adth1 the conferences elected two bishops1 ,enoch ,george and ,robert ,r4 ,roberts1 the former having fifty-seven and the latter fifty-five votes out of one hundred and six that were cast4 ,on ,friday they were ordained1 after ,bishop ,m',kendree had preached an admirable sermon on 8,the great commission10 from ,mark xvi1 #ae1 #af4 ,in the ordination he was assisted by ,philip ,bruce of ,virginia1 ,dr4 ,phbus of ,new ,york1 and ,nelson ,reed of ,baltimore1 they being the three oldest elders present4 ,i was present at the ordination of ,bishops ,whatcoat1 ,coke1 and ,asbury1 in #ahjj2 at the ordination of ,m',kendree in #ahjh1 and that of ,george and ,roberts in #ahaf4 ,i had the honor of voting for the last three1 and never had cause to regret it4 ,these ordinations were all held in the same church1 namely1 ,light-street1 ,baltimore4 ,after the adjournment of the conference ,i returned to my district1 and was diligent in cultivating ,immanuel's land4 ,,chapter ,,xxxix4 ,,bishop ,,asbury--,,character ,,and ,,habits4 ,as ,i traveled with ,bishop ,asbury longer than any other man1 and knew him more intimately than any who survive1 it will be expected that ,i notice his character and habits more fully than in the preceding chapters4 ,hundreds of questions have been asked me respecting his appearance1 size1 dress1 personal character1 etc4 ,bishop ,asbury was five feet nine inches high1 weighed one hundred and fifty-one pounds1 erect in person1 and of a very commanding appearance4 ,his features were rugged1 but his countenance was intelligent1 though time and care had furrowed it deep with wrinkles4 ,his nose was prominent1 his mouth large1 as if made on purpose to talk1 and his eyes of a blueish cast1 and so keen that it seemed as if he could look right through a person4 ,he had a fine forehead1 indicative of no ordinary brain1 and beautiful white locks1 which hung about his brow and shoulders1 and added to his venerable appearance4 ,there was as much native dignity about him as any man ,i ever knew4 ,he seemed born to sway others4 ,there was an austerity about his looks that was forbidding to those who were unacquainted with him4 ,in dress he was a pattern of neatness and plainness4 ,he could have passed for a quaker had it not been for the color of his garments1 which were black when ,i traveled with him4 ,he formerly wore gray clothes4 ,he wore a low-crowned1 broad-brimmed hat1 a frock coat1 which was generally buttoned up to the neck1 with straight collar4 ,he wore breeches or small clothes1 with leggings4 ,sometimes he wore shoe-buckles4 ,indeed all the preachers1 and ,i among the number1 wore breeches and leggings till #ahaj1 and then several left them off1 which ,bishop ,asbury heartily disapproved4 ,bishop ,asbury had great administrative ability4 ,he was wise and far-seeing1 and kept his work planned and mapped out beforehand4 ,the mass of the appointments were arranged before conference1 so that but few changes needed to be made4 ,he often talked to me freely about the appointments of the preachers1 and sometimes consulted me4 ,i used to transcribe them for him before they were read out4 ,the preachers tormented me to know where they were going2 but ,i was silent1 for secret things belonged to the bishop1 revealed things to the preachers4 ,he had an almost intuitive knowledge of men4 ,he would sit in conference and look from under his dark and heavy eyebrows1 reading the countenances and studying the character and constitution of the preachers4 ,he also kept a record of his observations upon men for his own private use4 ,the bishop not only read men for the sake of the ,church1 but for their own sakes4 ,he would say to me1 8,henry1 ,brother ,a or ,b has been too long in the rice plantation1 or on the ,peninsula2 he looks pale1 health begins to decline2 he must go up to the high lands40 ,the preacher would be removed and know not the cause1 and the next year come to conference with health improved and constitution invigorated1 and not know to whom he was indebted for the change2 for the bishop assigned few reasons1 and made but few explanations for his conduct4 ,it has been supposed that he was an inferior preacher1 though superior as a governor4 ,but this is a mistake4 ,i have heard him over fifteen hundred times4 ,his sermons were scripturally rich4 ,he was a well-instructed scribe1 8bringing out of his treasury things new and old40 ,he was a good expounder of the word of ,god1 giving the meaning of the writer1 the mind of the ,spirit4 ,he was wise in his selection of texts4 ,there was a rich variety in his sermons4 ,no tedious sameness2 no repeating old stale truths4 ,he could be a son of thunder or consolation4 ,there was variety both in matter and manner4 ,he was great at camp-meetings1 on funeral occasions1 and at ordinations4 ,i have heard him preach fifty ordination sermons1 and they were among the most impressive ,i have ever heard4 ,in preaching he depended1 like the fathers1 much on the divine influence4 ,he knew it was 8not by might or power1 but by the ,spirit of the ,lord40 ,he once took hold of the arm of ,rev4 ,samuel ,thomas1 when he rose in the pulpit to preach1 and whispered to him1 8,feel for the power1 feel for the power1 brother40 ,he often felt for the power himself1 and when he obtained it he was a kind of moral ,samson4 ,when he did not he was like ,samson shorn of his strength4 ,speaking of his preaching in his journal1 he characterized it according to the influence that accompanied the word4 ,he would say 8he was much assisted20 at another time1 8had some life20 again1 8found himself much shut up10 8had some liberty in speaking10 8,i was assisted in preaching10 8had enlargement of heart10 8,i had the presence of ,god in speaking10 8had an open time10 8a flat time10 8but little liberty10 8,i had not freedom10 8had a feeling time10 8,i had great assistance10 8,i had some light in preaching10 8had but little life in speaking10 8had a melting time40 ,i am a witness to the struggles1 the sighs1 the tears1 the prayers of ,bishop ,asbury for divine influence1 that he might wield with success the sword of the ,spirit4 ,the bishop was peculiar in adapting his subjects to times and circumstances4 ,when with him in ,kentucky in #ahaj there was a great drouth1 and ,father ,asbury preached from1 8,if the ,lord shut up the heavens that it rain not10 etc4 ,again1 when showers were descending1 he preached from1 8,as the rain cometh down from heaven10 etc4 ,to a company of women1 he preached on the 8duties of women professing godliness10 or 8,mary has chosen that good part40 ,to soldiers1 8,and the soldiers came and inquired1 ,and what shall we do80 etc4 ,preaching in a court-house1 where there were lawyers and judges1 and where one man had just been sentenced to death1 he dwelt upon the solemnities of the final judgment--the court from which there was no appeal--from 8knowing therefore the terror of the ,lord1 we persuade men10 etc4 ,at a certain place where he was expected they announced him in the newspapers to preach on a special subject4 ,he knew nothing of it before his arrival1 and that was just before the service commenced4 ,to their astonishment he read this text1 8,i speak not by commandment1 but by reason of the forwardness of others1 and to prove the sincerity of your love40 ,i was often startled1 when ,i heard him read his text and announce his theme1 at his power of adaptation4 ,the bishop's lectures in families were full of instruction4 ,he would dwell upon the domestic relations1 that of husband and wife1 parents and children1 and the duties they owed to each other2 on their deportment to each other and to their neighbors1 and duty of exemplifying the ,christian character throughout2 on family prayer1 order1 and cleanliness2 which he always recommended as 8next to godliness40 ,indeed the bishop was 8instant in season and out of season40 ,like his ,master1 he 8went about doing good10 and lost no opportunity to benefit his race4 ,i am sure he will get one blessing if no other3 8,blessed are they that sow beside all waters40 ,in his public exercises--in preaching1 in administering the ordinances1 in ordaining--there was a peculiar solemnity4 ,those who heard him never forgot it4 ,but sometimes in private circles he would unbend1 and relate amusing incidents and laugh most heartily4 ,he said 8if he was as grave as ,bishop ,m',kendree he should live but a short time40 ,he would often indulge in a vein of innocent pleasantry4 ,when engaged in business or study1 however1 he did not like to be interrupted1 and he would sometimes appear a little short2 and we cannot wonder when we remember the many interruptions to which he was subject4 ,he was fond of singing4 ,he had a full base or organ-like voice1 and would often set the tune in public worship1 for choristers and choirs were scarce in those days2 but if the people did not sing scientifically they sang in the spirit4 ,the bishop sang as he walked the floor1 and this he often did when in deep meditation4 ,he was a great admirer of ,charles ,wesley's hymns1 and not only loved to sing them1 but esteemed them highly as a body of divinity4 ,he diligently read the ,bible4 ,he was in the practice of reading on the ,sabbath the message to the seven ,churches of ,asia4 ,he said it was revealed and written on the ,lord's day1 and it gave excellent counsel to the ,churches4 ,stimulated by his example1 ,i have been in the practice of doing the same thing for over fifty years4 ,he was one of the best readers of the ,scriptures ,i ever heard4 ,there was solemnity and dignity in his manner1 and correctness in his emphasis and accents4 ,he was often very laconic in his replies4 ,in #ahjh1 while traveling with him1 in company with ,john ,sale1 in ,ohio1 we were just entering the prairies when we met a gentleman who abruptly inquired of the bishop1 8,where are you from80 ,mr4 ,asbury replied1 8,from ,boston1 ,new ,york1 ,philadelphia1 ,baltimore1 or almost any place you please40 ,this was literally true4 ,the man looked astonished and rode on1 while ,brother ,sale and ,i smiled1 but neither spoke1 and the bishop was silent1 and onward we pursued our journey4 ,he was a great redeemer of time4 ,he knew its value1 its brevity1 its relation to eternity1 therefore he kept that rule in the ,discipline1 8,be diligent2 never be triflingly employed40 ,he was a great scholar considering he was a self-taught man4 ,he read ,hebrew1 and his ,hebrew ,bible was his constant companion4 ,the bishop read a great many books while ,i was with him4 ,the moment we were in the house1 after having laid aside his saddle-bags and greeted the family1 then he began to read and write4 ,asbury studied medicine1 which was a necessity both for his own benefit and that of others4 ,he traveled in unsettled parts of the country1 where the people were often sick1 and medical aid at a great distance4 ,he was often very successful in removing pain and healing diseases2 sometimes he would doctor the landlords where we were entertained1 for which he received many thanks4 ,he was remarkable for his temperate habits4 ,one day a lady set a brandy bottle on the table1 and he gave her a gentle reproof4 ,said she1 8,bishop1 it is good in its place40 ,he removed it from the table and placed it in an old-fashioned cupboard1 and closing the door1 said1 8,now it is in its place2 let it remain there40 ,although a man of great courage1 there were1 he said1 8two classes of men that he was afraid of3 crazy men and drunken ones40 ,as we traveled on horseback we had to be careful not to be overburdened4 ,the bishop used to say that the equipment of a ,methodist minister consisted of a horse1 saddle and bridle1 one suit of clothes1 a watch1 a pocket ,bible1 and a hymn book4 ,anything else would be an incumbrance4 ,i assure the reader our saddle-bags were stuffed full of clothing1 medicine1 books1 journal1 etc42 it was astonishing how much we could crowd into them4 ,he used to say1 8,henry1 we must study what we can do without40 ,my old saddle-bags1 on which ,i rode so many thousand miles with the bishop1 ,i have carefully preserved4 ,i think as much of them as the returned soldier does of his arms1 which he has no more use for1 but which remind him of former battles and victories4 ,it used to be said that 8,methodist ministers kept house in their saddle-bags40 ,mr4 ,asbury's powers of endurance were great4 ,if they had not been he would have fallen long before he did4 ,winter's cold and summer's heat he could endure4 ,he was not afraid to set out in a storm1 but would say1 8,let us journey on1 we are neither sugar nor salt2 there is no danger of our melting40 ,and yet ,i have no doubt but these exposures did his feeble constitution a vast injury4 ,he married a great many4 ,multitudes were baptized by him4 ,in #ahaa1 when traveling with him near ,xenia1 ,ohio1 we were kindly entertained by a family named ,simpson1 and ,bishop ,asbury baptized a little infant and called him ,matthew4 ,i little thought that infant1 when grown to manhood1 would become a bishop4 ,his fame is now world-wide1 and his praise in all our ,churches4 ,he dedicated many churches4 ,some were completed1 some half done1 and some had not the roof on4 ,some of them were called after his name4 ,he did not approve of this1 and called it folly2 neither did ,mr4 ,wesley like to have any building named after him4 ,he drew up many plans for houses of worship1 and in some instances secured sites for them4 ,he was ever intent on good1 and very solicitous that we should 8stretch ourselves beyond ourselves40 ,the bishop was very fond of children1 and they of him4 ,they would run to meet him and then receive his blessing2 they gathered around his knees and listened to his conversation4 ,he would sometimes place them on his knee1 and teach them the following lesson3 8,learn to read1 and learn to pray2 ,learn to work1 and learn to obey40 ,then he would show the benefit of learning these lessons4 8,learn to read1 to make you wise2 learn to pray1 to make you good2 learn to work1 to get your living2 learn to obey1 that you may be obeyed40 ,one day we were approaching a house1 and a little boy saw us coming4 ,he ran in and said1 8,mother1 ,i want my face washed and a clean apron on1 for ,bishop ,asbury is coming1 and ,i am sure he will hug me up40 ,the bishop loved to hug the children to his heart1 which always beat with such pure affection toward them4 ,in this respect he strikingly resembled his ,master1 and was a fine model for ministers to follow4 ,his conversational powers were great4 ,he was full of interesting anecdotes1 and could entertain people for hours4 ,he could make himself at home in a splendid mansion or in the humblest cottage4 ,his powers of observation were great2 nothing escaped the notice of his piercing eye4 ,he would refer to incidents that occurred when he passed through certain places such a year1 and the changes that had taken place during his absence4 ,at times he appeared unsociable1 for his mind was engrossed with his work4 ,when traveling from ,wilmington1 ,north ,carolina1 in #ahji1 we came near a pond4 ,as we rode along nothing had been said for some time by either of us4 ,the frogs were croaking1 but as they heard the sound of our horses' feet they were still4 ,i said1 8,mr4 ,asbury1 you see the very frogs respect us1 for they manifest it by their silence40 ,mr4 ,asbury laughed1 and said1 8,o ,henry1 you are full of pleasantry40 ,and the reverie being broken1 he was very sociable as we rode along1 and his conversation was full of interest4 ,my object was to break the spell1 and ,i succeeded4 ,he was very fond of horses1 which he generally petted1 and had names for them4 ,one he sold to ,bishop ,whatcoat he called 8,brunswick40 ,another was 8,jane20 she was as fleet as a deer4 ,another was 8,fox20 he was as cunning as his namesake1 and a most beautiful animal4 ,he took the bishop over the ground with great ease and rapidity2 but he had one prominent failing1 he would get frightened occasionally and start and run1 and as the bishop did not consider him safe he disposed of him4 ,the horses frequently broke down by such extensive traveling1 and the bishop parted with them with a sigh1 and sometimes with a tear4 ,when we parted with one in ,wyoming the bishop said1 8,he whickered after us2 it went right through my heart40 ,the bishop was a good rider1 and he looked well on horseback4 ,when we remember how many thousands of miles he traveled on horseback annually we cannot wonder at this1 if there is any truth in that old adage1 8practice makes perfect40 ,he always preferred riding on horseback1 but there were times when he was so infirm he was obliged to ride in a buggy4 ,bishop ,asbury had his favorite stopping places where he felt the most at home3 among others1 at ,governor ,bassett's1 of ,dover1 ,delaware2 ,mrs4 ,dickins's1 ,baltimore2 ,harry ,gough's1 ,perry ,hall2 ,mrs4 ,mills's1 ,widow ,grice's1 and ,george ,suckley's1 ,new ,york ,city2 ,bishop ,sherwood's1 ,governor ,van ,cortland's1 ,freeborn ,garrettson's1 ,rhinebeck2 ,father ,bemis's1 at ,waltham2 ,father and ,mother ,boehm's2 ,john ,renshall's and ,thomas ,cooper's1 ,pittsburgh2 further west1 ,dr4 ,tiffin's1 ,governor ,worthington's1 ,philip ,gatch's1 ,peter ,pelham's1 ,white ,brown's2 in the ,south1 ,general ,rumph's1 ,james ,rembert's1 and others4 ,many others might be named1 but space fails4 ,these homes were indeed the pilgrim's rest4 ,they were like an oasis in the desert4 ,what hearty greetings and welcomes have ,i seen the bishop receive4 ,but the reader must not infer he always put up in palaces4 ,cottages1 log-houses1 huts1 dirt1 filth1 fleas1 bed-bugs1 hard beds1 hard fare1 these the bishop was familiar with1 and so was his traveling companion4 ,the bishop was often in perils3 perils on the land1 perils on the water1 perils among false brethren4 ,i have often wondered that he was not suddenly removed when ,i think of the many hairbreadth escapes he had4 ,we often rode at night over rough stony roads and stumps1 where it was exceedingly dangerous2 sometimes on the side of a mountain near a river1 under such circumstances that a few feet1 or even a few inches1 would have been sudden destruction2 sometimes when it was so dark ,i had to go before to feel the way and lead the horse4 ,several times he was in danger by his horses running away1 or by their sudden starting1 then by the upsetting of his carriage4 ,this happened several times and in dangerous places1 and yet he was almost miraculously preserved2 not a bone was broken4 ,he was often in danger in crossing the rivers and streams1 to say nothing of swimming horses or crossing over on logs and trees1 where1 if he fell off1 he would be greatly injured1 but particularly in crossing the ferries4 ,he often crossed in 8old flats10 and 8scows10 and canoes1 with horses1 and sometimes wagons4 ,many of these boats were old and leaky1 and sometimes poorly manned1 and at other times unmanageable4 ,we often waited for hours1 and even days1 at a ferry4 ,the streams would be swollen and dangerous1 and we had to wait till the water fell4 ,when we remember that the bishop crossed the highest mountains1 the widest and most rapid rivers1 at all seasons of the year1 we can estimate the danger to which he was exposed4 ,twice he was in great danger of being drowned4 ,but he hardly mentions the perils to which he was exposed4 ,none of these things moved him1 neither counted he his life dear unto him1 so that he might finish his course with joy1 and the ministry which he had received of the ,lord ,jesus to testify the ,gospel of the grace of ,god4 ,bishop ,asbury has been represented as rough1 unfeeling1 harsh1 and stoical4 ,those who make such assertions are entirely ignorant of his character1 and do great injustice to one of the noblest men that ever blessed the ,church or the world4 ,i grant he had rather a rough exterior1 that he was sometimes stern2 but under that roughness and sternness of manner beat a heart as feeling as ever dwelt in human bosom4 ,the bishop was 8born to command10 and he had a commanding way with him2 but he was as far from being a tyrant as possible1 and yet ,i have heard him accused of tyranny by those who never knew him4 ,if he injured the feelings of a brother he would encircle him in his arms and ask his forgiveness4 ,here was true manliness1 genuine greatness1 real dignity4 ,this ,i have known him to do to a brother when convinced he was in error4 ,bishop ,asbury stoical6 ,see his sympathy for the suffering4 ,look at him with his mite subscription--always heading it himself--to raise money for necessitous cases among the preachers2 see him wandering among the tombs and weeping at the graves of his friends2 visiting the widow and the fatherless and weeping with them1 and commending the one to the widow's husband1 the other to the orphan's father4 ,he used frequently to mention his mother1 and as he did so the tear would fill his blue eye4 ,at one time he thought of her coming to ,america1 but concluded it would not be best4 ,his correspondence with her was very frequent4 ,out of his small salary he sent money to supply the wants of his parents before his father died1 and then afterward to his mother when she was left a widow4 ,in a letter to his mother he says1 8,my salary is #ad #ajs4 sterling1 sixty-four dollars4 ,i have sold my watch and library1 and would sell my shirt before you should want40 ,he added1 8,the contents of a small saddle-bag will do for me1 and one coat a year40 ,he also made arrangement with ,richard ,whatcoat that if he died first ,mr4 ,whatcoat was to see the wants of ,mrs4 ,asbury supplied4 ,what an example of filial regard6 ,there are many reasons why he did not marry2 he has assigned them in his journal2 but he always believed every man should support one woman4 ,he maintained his mother while she lived1 and then the widow of ,john ,dickins4 ,he not only supported ,mrs4 ,dickins while he lived1 but left provision in his will that she be paid eighty dollars a year till her death4 ,this sum ,i paid her annually1 as his executor1 till she died4 ,it is needless to say that ,bishop ,asbury was a true patriot4 ,though he loved the land of his birth1 yet he loved most ardently the land of his adoption4 ,he showed this by remaining here when the other ,english preachers returned home4 ,he loved ,washington and the constitution of this country4 ,when ,i was with him in ,canada he said to me1 8,england always had the wrong foot foremost in regard to ,america40 ,this country is under great obligations to ,francis ,asbury3 he accomplished for her a mighty work1 and yet not one of our historians name him4 ,the bishop was well known on most of the great thoroughfares in the country1 and to most of the landlords and public houses4 ,they seemed to reverence his age1 his office1 and his character4 ,on one of his western tours we came to a small tavern where there was quite a gathering4 ,the company were noisy and profane1 and it seemed as if we should get no sleep that night4 ,when the hour came at which the bishop wished to retire1 he went to the landlord and proposed having prayer4 ,the landlord said1 8,my house is at your service1 sir40 ,then the bishop said1 8,gentlemen1 we are going to have prayer1 and should be happy if you would join us40 ,his manner1 as well as his patriarchal appearance1 pleased them2 and after prayer they soon retired1 and left us to sleep sweetly till morning undisturbed4 ,this had a better effect than severe reproof4 ,indeed it was reproof of the most effectual kind4 ,the bishop was a man of universal philanthropy4 ,wherever there was a door open for doing good he entered it4 ,passing through ,ohio1 we came to a place where the cow of a widow woman was about to be sold for debt4 ,the bishop's heart was touched1 and he was determined the widow's cow should not be sold4 ,he said1 8,it must not be20 and giving something himself1 he solicited money from others who were present1 till in a few minutes sufficient was raised to satisfy the claim against her4 ,the widow expressed her gratitude not only with words but tears as she started to drive her cow home4 ,i have named this to show what kind of a heart beat in his bosom2 that1 like his ,master1 he went about doing good4 ,his benevolence was unbounded2 selfishness had no place in his soul4 ,he would divide his last dollar with a ,methodist preacher4 ,he had considerable money given him4 ,brother ,rembert1 at ,black ,river settlement1 ,south ,carolina1 frequently gave him one hundred dollars1 and others gave him considerable sums4 ,he was restless till it was gone1 so anxious was he to do good with it4 ,i was the treasurer4 ,he would give most of it away at the next conference for the most necessitous cases1 reserving only enough for our traveling expenses4 ,bishop ,asbury felt a deep interest in the welfare of the preachers1 many of whom in those days received but a miserable pittance for their support4 ,while ,i was with him he started the 8mite subscription40 ,for this he collected during his tours and carried the money to the conference1 to be distributed among the most necessitous cases4 ,his last 8mite subscription0 list is now before me4 ,the preface1 which is printed1 sets forth that 8some of the annual conferences pay but thirty-one dollars to the unmarried and sixty-two to the married preachers1 and the children are generally excluded from receiving anything in the settlement40 ,can we wonder that under such circumstances so many of our early preachers located1 and their services were in great measure lost to the ,church8 ,this document is dated ,april #a1 #ahae1 and signed ,francis ,asbury4 ,his name and that of his last traveling companion are found in the list of subscribers1 which contains the autographs of some of the prominent men and women of ,methodism in that day1 as well as many persons who were not connected with our ,church4 ,among others are those of ,richard ,channing ,moore1 bishop of the ,protestant ,episcopal ,church in ,virginia2 ,general ,pierre ,van ,cortlandt1 of ,new ,york2 ,governors ,worthington and ,tiffin1 of ,ohio4 ,the latest names on the list were from ,richmond1 ,virginia1 where the bishop preached his last sermon4#dd ,of the moneys he collected that year he paid to the ,new ,york ,conference #ace #ii1 and the receipt is in the book of the conference stewards1 signed ,samuel ,merwin1 ,phineas ,rice1 and ,thomas ,drummond4 ,the receipt of #ej #bg from the mite subscription1 and the donation of one hundred dollars1 which was paid over by ,j4 ,w4 ,bond1 is acknowledged by ,daniel ,filmore1 ,john ,lindsay1 and ,jacob ,sanborn1 stewards of the ,new ,england ,conference1 on ,june #b1 #ahae4 ,a note is added1 that the ,new ,england ,conference 8not being able to raise the salaries of the preachers10 paid 8only thirty-one dollars to the single and sixty-two to the married preachers1 and children in proportion40 ,marcus ,lindsey1 ,john ,dew1 and ,thomas ,d4 ,porter1 of the ,ohio ,conference1 acknowledged the receipt of #aib from the mite subscription this year4 ,they also record 8that all the children of the married traveling preachers who received nothing from the districts or circuits1 received ten dollars apiece from ,bishop ,asbury's ,mite ,subscription40 ,the salaries in this conference were better than in the ,east1 for the single preachers received sixty-nine dollars and the married one hundred and thirty-eight4 ,the stewards of ,tennessee ,conference gave1 on ,october #bg1 their receipt for #bfg #jf 8from the mite subscription10 and added that the married preachers received one hundred and ten dollars and the single fifty-five2 and that the mite subscription for the benefit of the children1 being one hundred dollars1 enabled them to give ten dollars to each child4 ,according to this1 all the children of ,methodist preachers in the ,tennessee ,conference in #ahae numbered but ten4 ,the last receipt is that of the ,virginia ,conference1 for the sum of #ie #ca4 ,this conference met in ,january1 #ahaf1 and was the last that ,bishop ,asbury attended4 ,he was then reduced almost to a skeleton1 and in about two months after he ended both his labor and his life4 ,thank ,god1 a brighter day has since dawned on the ,church2 and though our ministers have even now no superabundance of this world's goods1 it is at least no longer needful that our bishops should beg from house to house to collect 8mites0 that the preachers might be able to keep soul and body together4 ,the bishop had commenced his 8mite subscription0 for the next year with enlarged views4 ,the prelude1 which is dated ,january #a1 #ahaf1 and signed ,francis ,asbury1 sets forth that the design was not only to equalize the salaries of the preachers1 to relieve the most necessitous1 and to provide for the children1 but also 8to enable us to send out ,german1 ,french1 and ,spanish missionaries40 ,this was years before the formation of our ,missionary ,society4 ,like ,john ,wesley1 ,bishop ,asbury was constantly in advance of his age4 ,for five years ,i not only traveled with the venerable ,asbury1 but slept with him4#de ,when he was quite ill ,i would wrap myself in my blanket and lie down on the floor beside the bed and watch till ,i heard him call 8,henry10 and then ,i would rise and minister to his wants4 ,being so feeble he needed a great deal of attention4 ,many times have ,i taken him from his horse and carried him in my arms into private houses and meeting-houses1 where he would sit down1 and expound the word of life to the astonishment of all who heard him4 ,i also carried him from the houses and placed him upon his horse4 ,he often preached sitting down1 not so much in imitation of his ,lord1 but because he was unable to stand up4 ,bishop ,asbury possessed more deadness to the world1 more of a self-sacrificing spirit1 more of the spirit of prayer1#df of ,christian enterprise1 of labor1 and of benevolence1 than any other man ,i ever knew4 ,he was the most unselfish being ,i was ever acquainted with4 ,bishop ,whatcoat ,i loved1 ,bishop ,m',kendree ,i admired1 ,bishop ,asbury ,i venerated4 ,,chapter ,,xl4 ,,death ,,of ,,jesse ,,lee--,,his ,,character4 ,during the summer of #ahaf ,i held several camp-meetings that were greatly honored of ,god4 ,the fourth was in ,hillsborough1 ,maryland4 ,it commenced the #bb;d of ,august4 ,jesse ,lee preached the second sermon from #a ,peter ii1 #e1 on the lively stones and the spiritual house4 ,i wrote3 8,he preached with life and power1 and many of the people were much refreshed and built up in the faith of the ,gospel40 ,some of his illustrations were very quaint4 ,he said1 8,if you cannot be a stone in the building you may be a nail to hold on a shingle40 ,he preached again on 8,grow in grace40 ,in announcing his subject he said1 8,in the last verse of the last chapter of the last ,epistle of ,peter you may find my text1 and this may be my last sermon40 ,and so it proved4 ,that voice which had rung through so many groves1 offering salvation to the lost1 was then heard for the last time4 ,he who introduced camp-meetings into the ,east fell at one of them sword in hand4 ,he had been taken sick the day before1 and he suffered much while delivering this his last message4 ,after preaching he was removed to the house of ,brother ,henry ,d4 ,sellers1 brother-in-law of ,bishop ,emory4#dg ,brother ,sellers and his wife were at this time summoned to ,baltimore to see a son who was very sick4 ,they reluctantly left home when ,brother ,lee was so ill1 but yielded to the prior claims of a dying son4 ,they left word to have everything possible done for the comfort of the sick man4 ,while absent they buried their son1 and when they returned home found ,jesse ,lee in his grave4 ,the camp-meeting was one of great power and interest4 ,god honored his word1 and a great number believed and turned to the ,lord4 ,on ,tuesday we parted till we pitch our tents in the groves of ,paradise4 ,then ,i went to attend to our beloved ,brother ,lee4 ,before he left ,annapolis ,mr4 ,lee knocked off a little skin from his leg4 ,he thought nothing of it at the time1 but it became inflamed1 and he had quite a fever4 ,he grew worse and worse till mortification took place1 and death came to his relief4 ,on ,tuesday1 at #aj o'clock1 while we were praying with him1 the room was filled with glory4 ,he was graciously visited by the ,lord1 and broke out in ecstacies1 8,glory1 ,glory1 ,jesus reigns6 heaven is just before me60 ,the next day he was 8filled with the ,spirit10 so that he shouted the praises of ,god4 ,he had said but little during the early part of his sickness2 but now heaven was opened and glory revealed4 ,all present were deeply affected1 and felt it a hallowed place4 ,he suffered intensely1 but grace triumphed over pain of body4 ,on ,wednesday strong symptoms of dissolution appeared1 and the doctor was frank and told him he might not live twelve hours4 ,this did not at all alarm him4 ,he shouted aloud the praises of ,god1 and deliberately set his house in order4 ,he wished me to write to his brother ,ned1 and tell him he 8died happy40 ,he also said1 8,give my respects to ,bishop ,m',kendree2 tell him that ,i die in love with all the preachers1 and that he lives in my heart40 ,then he bade all present farewell and requested us to pray4 ,we did so4 ,it was a solemn hour and place4 ,on ,thursday he lost the power of speech1 but retained his reason and gave signs that all was well4 ,in the evening1 at half past seven1 the great and good man fell asleep4 ,i watched over him nearly two weeks2 he would not allow me to leave him4 ,i went down stairs to shave one day1 and he was very uneasy1 and sent two or three messengers for me before ,i could finish4 ,he had an idea that no other person could do as well for him1 therefore he constantly looked for me4 ,i hardly took off my clothes day or night for nearly two weeks1 he needed such constant attention4 ,the family being absent1 the great care fell upon me4 ,he said to me1 8,brother ,boehm1 when ,i die ,i wish you to close my eyes40 ,i did so4 ,i placed the muffler about his face and laid him out1 and put his shroud upon him4 ,i helped place him in his coffin1 then committed his remains to the grave1 and performed the funeral service4 ,we buried him in the family burying-ground of ,father ,henry ,downs4 ,two days after1 while ,i was absent1 some brethren came from ,baltimore and disinterred the remains and removed them to that city1 and laid him to rest in the old ,methodist burying-ground4 ,he was taken sick the #bdth of ,august1 and died the #abth of ,september1 #ahaf4 ,i complied with his dying request1 sending his final messages to those he loved4 ,i wrote to his brother ,edward1 7father of ,rev4 ,leroy ,m4 ,lee17 who lived at ,petersburgh1 and gave him the particulars of ,jesse's illness and death4 ,i also wrote to ,bishop ,m',kendree1 giving him the message of the dying minister as well as the particulars of his last sickness and death4 ,this account was given in ,jesse ,lee's obituary in the ,minutes1 with my name connected with it4 ,in ,dr4 ,bangs's ,history of ,methodism1 and ,leroy ,m4 ,lee's life of his uncle1 my name is omitted4 ,they could have had no correct description of his last days and hours unless ,i had furnished it4 ,i must conclude this chapter by noticing his character4 ,my own opinion is that injustice has been done to the name and fame of ,jesse ,lee4 ,i was acquainted with him for many years4 ,he was at my father's in #agii4 ,i saw him at the ,general ,conference of #ahjj1 #ahjh1 and #ahab2 also at the ,annual ,conferences and at camp-meetings4 ,mr4 ,lee was one of the most efficient and useful men we ever had4 ,like ,paul1 he was 8in labors more abundant40 ,he was shrewd1 witty1 and ready at repartee4 ,there are those who think he was nothing but a bundle of fun2 that this was the element in which he moved2 and that he considered a rich joke a means of grace4 ,such have altogether mistaken his character4 ,mr4 ,lee had a rich vein of spiritual wit1 he had a keen sense of the ludicrous1 he knew how to answer a fool according to his folly2 but he made his wit subservient to the cause of truth and to silence cavilers4 ,he had 8higher excellences than wit1 holier instincts than mirth40 ,he made great sacrifices1 and devoted his life to the promotion of the cause of truth4 ,jesse ,lee was an excellent preacher4 ,i must have heard him thirty times4 ,he exhibited great wisdom in the selection of his texts4 ,in ,general and ,annual ,conferences he was a prominent man4 ,he was an able debater1 and those who encountered him found they were grappling with a giant4 ,at the ,general ,conference of #ahjj he came near being elected bishop4 ,he was worthy of the episcopal office1 and doubtless would have filled it with honor to himself and benefit to the ,church4 ,some one told him he would have been elected if he had been sufficiently grave4 ,said he1 8,would it not have been premature to assume the gravity of the office previous to my election80 ,as the apostle of ,methodism in the ,east he can never be forgotten4 ,he was the pioneer of a noble army of ,methodist preachers who have revolutionized ,new ,england and ,new ,england theology4 ,all over its hills and valleys he has written his name in characters that will be read by succeeding generations until the end of time4 ,as the first historian of ,american ,methodism he will ever be remembered4 ,his work is valuable as a repository of facts to which his successors have all been largely indebted4 ,he achieved many triumphs1 but the greatest of all was his victory over 8the last enemy40 8,servant of ,god1 well done6 ,thy glorious warfare's past2 ,the battle's fought1 the race is won1 ,and thou art crowned at last40 ,,chapter ,,xli4 ,,chesapeake ,,district--,,tours ,,with ,,bishops ,,george ,,and ,m',,kendree4 ,at the conference held in ,philadelphia in ,april1 #ahag1 ,i was appointed presiding elder of ,chesapeake ,district4 ,it was my privilege to take short tours with other bishops besides ,asbury4 ,bishop ,m',kendree was always a great friend of mine1 and at his request ,i went with him several times to visit the ,churches4 ,on the #cjth of ,june we went to ,wilmington1 ,delaware2 from that to ,chestertown1 where he preached on ,sunday from ,jer4 v1 #be4 ,at ,centerville he preached from ,isaiah lxvi1 #c-e1 8,he that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man10 etc4 ,it was a most singular text1 but he showed himself a workman in its exposition4 ,he dwelt upon man's agency and his responsibility1 thus clearing the eternal throne and justifying the ways of ,god to man4 ,both ,asbury and ,m',kendree frequently took long texts4 ,their preaching was generally of the expository kind2 they never took a text for a motto4 ,from thence we went to ,baltimore1 and visited the ,churches1 and ,i heard him preach in ,light-street1 ,oldtown1 and ,eutaw4 ,after spending fifteen days with the bishop1 ,i returned to my district and held several camp-meetings4 ,the first was in ,camden1 in ,july4 ,the converts were numerous1 and at the close of the meeting ,i baptized one hundred4 ,in those days we not only cut down the grain1 but we shocked up immediately4 ,three meetings at other places followed in quick succession1 so that we held four camp-meetings in less than a month4 ,in ,october1 at the request of ,bishop ,george1 ,i took a ministerial tour with him4 ,he preached on ,thursday at ,salem from ,isaiah xl1 #ca1 on waiting on the ,lord and its advantages2 a theme that well suited him4 ,on ,friday he preached at ,asbury ,chapel1 and on ,saturday at ,union1 from ,psalm xxxiv1 #ai1 on the afflictions of the righteous and their deliverance4 ,it was a sermon full of consolation4 ,on ,sunday he preached from ,matt4 xxv1 #bi1 on the measure of man's responsibility1 and the next day on watching1 from ,luke xxi1 #cf2 on ,tuesday in ,wesley ,chapel1 ,dover1 from ,john ii1 #ag2 on ,wednesday at ,barratt's ,chapel1 from #a ,peter i1 #e2 on ,thursday at ,milford1 from #a ,peter iii1 #ae2 on ,sunday at ,johnstown1 from #a ,cor4 vi1 #ai1 #bj2 on ,monday at ,concord1 from ,john xii1 #bf2 and on ,tuesday at the ,line ,chapel1 from #b ,cor4 vi1 #b4 ,then we went to ,snow ,hill and were the guests of ,samuel ,porter1 father of ,john ,s4 ,porter1 ,d4,d4 ,bishop ,george preached here on ,sunday from ,eph4 iii1 #bj1 #ba1 8,now unto ,him that is able to do exceeding abundantly10 etc4 ,this glorious doxology he expounded in a manner delightfully sweet4 ,thence we went to ,potato ,neck and put up with ,francis ,waters1 father of ,dr4 ,waters1 and ,mrs4 ,freeborn ,garrettson1 of ,rhinebeck4 ,at ,princess ,anne the bishop preached on 8patient continuance in well doing20 and on ,sunday1 at ,salisbury1 from #a ,john v1 #d1 on ,faith and its victories4 ,thence we went to ,cambridge1 where we both preached1 and were kindly entertained by ,dr4 ,edward ,white4 ,at ,easton1 the bishop preached on 8the fear of the ,lord is the beginning of wisdom10 and next day1 at the ,trappe1 from #a ,thess4 v1 #f1 8,therefore let us not sleep10 etc4 ,on ,saturday and ,sunday we held a quarterly meeting at ,st4 ,michael's4 ,we had a charming love-feast1 after which the bishop preached from ,john v1 #f1 8,wilt thou be made whole80 ,on ,tuesday he preached at ,centreville from ,john v1 #cf4 ,next ,saturday we held a quarterly meeting at ,hynson's ,chapel4 ,there was a serious difficulty between some of the official men and the society about temporal matters4 ,there had been a trial before a committee1 which resulted very unsatisfactorily1 and they had appealed to the ,quarterly ,conference1 and if its decision did not please them they threatened to go to law4 ,the bishop1 who was a great peacemaker1 got the parties together and reasoned with them4 ,he wept1 and so did they4 ,there were mutual confessions1 and they asked forgiveness of each other4 ,the difficulty from which we had so much to fear was settled honorably and forever4 ,his visit to that part of the ,peninsula was made a great blessing1 for 8,zion became a quiet habitation40 ,on ,sunday morning we had a love-feast indeed1 after which the bishop preached from ,hosea xiv1 #i1 8,who is wise1 and he shall understand these things10 etc4 ,reluctantly ,i parted with the much-loved superintendent after spending six weeks with him1 enjoying his society every day and listening to twenty sermons from him1 besides exhortations and lectures in societies and families4 ,i traveled with him through the heart of the ,peninsula1 and was with him from the #beth of ,october till the #eth of ,december4 ,it was his first tour through the ,peninsula1 and everywhere he was hailed with joy as a worthy successor of the apostolic ,asbury4 ,bishop ,george was a short1 stout man4 ,his chest was large1 and this enabled him to speak so easily4 ,his face was bronzed1 owing to exposure2 but it was intelligent1 and expressive of benignity4 ,his dress was plain and careless1 and his hair was coarse and thick and parted in the middle4 ,he had quite a patriarchal appearance4 ,his voice was peculiar for strength and melody4 ,as a preacher1 he was surpassingly eloquent4 ,he had unusual power over his audience1 and he took them captive at his will4 ,at times he was perfectly irresistible4 ,he was well acquainted with the springs of the human heart1 and knew how to touch them4 ,i must have heard him preach fifty times4 ,it is probable there is not a man living who has heard him as often as myself4 ,as a presiding officer he did not excel4 ,he had not the administrative talents of ,asbury1 ,m',kendree1 or ,roberts4 ,he was a good companion where he was well acquainted1 full of anecdotes2 but he was diffident and avoided company1 and had a perfect abhorrence of being questioned4 ,he was very powerful in prayer4 ,he would rise in the night1 and putting his cloak around him1 spend whole hours on his knees wrestling with the angel of the covenant4 ,he would never permit any to take his likeness2 he said 8he did not like to have his image sold for three cents when he was dead and gone40 ,he died suddenly at ,staunton1 ,virginia1 ,august #bc1 #ahbh4 ,it is as true of him as of the patriarch1 whose name he bore1 he 8walked with ,god1 and was not1 for ,god took him40 ,this year1 #ahah1 was in many respects the most memorable year of my life4 ,not believing in the celibacy of the clergy1 on the #aeth of ,january ,i was married to ,sarah ,hill1 the step-daughter of ,thomas ,dodson4 ,he resided in ,kent ,county1 ,maryland1 below ,chestertown4 ,he had been a traveling preacher for some years1 but had located4 ,she was a most estimable woman1 and ,i found her a helpmeet indeed4 ,we had four children1 who are all living4 ,my wife died in holy triumph the #bfth of ,august1 #ahec1 and was buried in the church-yard at ,woodrow1 ,staten ,island1 where ,i expect soon to sleep myself4 ,her memoir was written by the ,rev4 ,joseph ,holdich1 who had been well acquainted with her from the time he entered the traveling connection in #ahbb to the close of her pilgrimage4 ,on the #bb;d of ,april1 #ahah1 our conference was held in ,philadelphia4 ,bishops ,george and ,roberts were both present4 ,i was reappointed to the ,chesapeake ,district4 ,it was a year of great prosperity4 ,i have a record of every day4 ,we had powerful camp and quarterly meetings1 which were greatly honored of ,god1 and multitudes were converted4 ,i traveled this year two thousand six hundred miles to preach the glorious ,gospel of the blessed ,god4 ,,chapter ,,xlii4 ,,delaware ,,district1 #ahai-ba--,,thomas ,,and ,,edward ,,white--,,joshua ,,thomas--,,circuits4 ,in #ahai our conference commenced its session in ,philadelphia on the #aith of ,april4 ,bishop ,roberts presided4 ,bishop ,m',kendree was too ill to attend4 ,during the session ,bishop ,roberts dedicated the ,ebenezer ,church4 ,i was appointed to the ,delaware ,district4 ,william ,bishop was my predecessor4 ,he was an odd1 eccentric man1 the ,billy ,hibbard of the ,philadelphia ,conference4 ,when he rose to speak in conference the brethren would smile in advance1 expecting some strokes of wit or shrewd expression4 ,in representing a brother on his district he said1 8,he appears to be tired of everything but rest40 ,the character of the brother was so well known1 and the hit so capital1 that the whole conference was convulsed with laughter4 ,however1 he was a good preacher1 and1 notwithstanding his eccentricities1 had the confidence of his superintendents and of his brethren in the ministry4 ,delaware ,district included much of the ground ,i had traveled years before4 ,many camp-meetings were held this year4 ,i can name but one4 ,it was held on the ,tangier ,islands the last week of ,august4 ,i went with ,francis ,watters in his boat4 ,we preached one sermon1 and then we had the most awful storm ,i ever beheld4 ,the island was bleak1 the waves dashed against it1 and the winds blew over it4 ,the tents were blown down and trees were prostrated2 the water rose to a prodigious height1 and we feared the island would be submerged4 ,notwithstanding the storm1 many were converted to ,god4 ,in #ahbj our conference was held in ,smyrna1 ,delaware1 commencing on ,april #ab4 ,bishop ,george presided4 ,on ,sunday he preached an ordination sermon from ,phil4 iii1 #ac1 #ad1 on the course ,paul pursued to obtain the prize4 ,the unction of the mighty one rested on him and his audience4 ,four were received into full connection3 ,charles ,pitman1 ,james ,long1 ,samuel ,grace1 and ,william ,wright4 ,brother ,long was a simple-hearted ,irishman1 who preached the pure ,gospel4 ,charles ,pitman had a noble frame1 a massive brow1 an expressive eye1 and a voice as deep-toned as an organ4 ,no man ever did more for ,methodism in ,new ,jersey than he4 ,bishop ,hedding1 no mean judge1 considered him the greatest pulpit orator he had ever heard4 ,we held several camp-meetings this year4 ,one was at the ,tangier ,islands4 ,the weather was fine1 contrasting agreeably with the terrible storm we had the year before4 ,in ,april1 #ahba1 our conference met in ,milford1 ,delaware1 where ,i was residing4 ,bishop ,george1 ,freeborn ,garrettson1 and ,ezekiel ,cooper were my guests4 ,when dining one day ,mr4 ,garrettson inquired1 8,where did you find this little woman80 speaking of ,mrs4 ,boehm4 ,i answered1 8,on the ,eastern ,shore of ,maryland40 ,he smiled and seemed to be much pleased1 as it was the scene of his early trials and triumphs4 ,i was reappointed to the ,delaware ,district4 ,we this year held another camp-meeting on the ,tangier ,islands1 which was even more successful than the preceding ones4 ,thomas and ,edward ,white are names very dear to ,american ,methodists4 ,thomas has a conspicuous place in the early annals of our ,church1 while ,edward's name is scarcely known1 and yet he was in ,christ before his uncle1 and was the cause of his uniting with the ,methodists4 ,dr4 ,,edward ,,white formerly lived in ,kent ,county1 ,maryland1 near his ,uncle ,thomas1 but he removed to ,cambridge1 ,maryland1 in #agii4 ,i became acquainted with in #ahjj1 and for years his house was my home4 ,he was my physician in sickness1 my counselor in perplexity1 my faithful friend4 ,bishop ,asbury loved him tenderly1 called him 8,dear ,edward ,white10 and says 8he had known and followed the ,methodists since #aggh40 ,he was much beloved and esteemed1 a pillar in our ,church1 and his house was a home for all the bishops and all the ministers of ,jesus4 ,he was a large fleshy man1 with a good understanding and an intelligent countenance4 ,his wife was a most estimable woman4 ,he was the means of leading ,joseph ,everett to the ,methodists4 ,everett joined the ,philadelphia ,conference in #agha1 and was a mighty man in our ,israel4 ,he went from ,dr4 ,white's to travel1 and when he broke down he returned to the doctor's to spend the evening of life and to die4 ,there ,i used to see the old soldier and hear him talk of former conflicts and triumphs4 ,his first circuit was ,dorchester1 and in ,dorchester he died4 ,the last time ,i was at ,dr4 ,white's was in #ahbb4 ,he was then 8in age and feebleness extreme40 ,the strong man was bowing himself4 ,he went years ago to join ,asbury and ,everett and his ,uncle ,thomas1 8where no friend goes out or enemy comes in40 ,,joshua ,,thomas resided on one of the ,tangier ,islands1 7a group in ,chesapeake ,bay17 and was called 8,the ,parson of the ,islands40 ,he was a local preacher1 a man of great notoriety and influence1 especially among the ,islanders4 ,i was acquainted with him several years1 having been to his island home and sailed with him in his boat1 which he called 8,the ,methodist40 ,i often met him at camp and quarterly meetings1 and heard him preach and exhort and relate his ,christian experience with great effect4 ,he was perfectly artless1 a child of nature4 ,he never tried to be anybody but ,joshua ,thomas4 ,during the war with ,england1 in #ahab1 twelve thousand ,british soldiers encamped on ,joshua's island4 ,both the officers and men admired him1 and called him 8,parson ,thomas40 ,he raised vegetables on the ,island and fished in the waters of the ,chesapeake4 ,he had an impediment in his speech4 ,he told me that when the ,british fleet lay in the ,bay the officers sent for him on board the admiral's ship4 ,they had heard he stuttered when talking on worldly business and not when he was preaching1 and they did not believe this could be possible4 ,he did not know why they had sent for him1 but he obeyed the summons and was taken on board the admiral's ship and into the cabin1 where he saw the officers of several ships4 ,they said they wished him to preach to them4 ,he was perfectly astonished1 but believing it his duty to be 8instant in season and out of season10 he took his text and commenced his discourse4 ,he was a little embarrassed at first1 and stated that he was unlearned and they were men of cultivated minds2 but as he proceeded he gathered confidence and strength1 and preached to them just as he would have done to the sinners on the islands4 ,he showed them that notwithstanding their learning1 talents1 and position1 if they neglected the condition of salvation they would be lost and damned with common sinners1 and find one common hell4 ,he did not stutter once while he delivered his faithful message1 and the officers listened to him with great attention4 ,at the conclusion of the discourse one of the officers inquired1 8,parson ,thomas1 can you tell us for what reason ,president ,madison declared war against ,england80 ,then he stuttered exceedingly1 and it was some time before he could get the answer out4 ,he began1 8,tut--tut--tut--tut--tut-tut-tut10 and after various efforts said1 8,i was not in his cabinet1 and therefore ,i cannot answer40 ,the following incidents will still further illustrate his influence with the ,british officers4 ,some of the soldiers were cutting down some large pine trees which furnished a beautiful shade1 under which large camp-meetings had been held4 ,parson ,thomas went to the commanding officer1 told him what the soldiers were doing1 and expostulated against it4 ,he said that grove was their house of worship1 and to destroy the trees was to destroy ,god's house4 ,his appeal was irresistible4 ,the trees were spared1 and for years the grove continued to be a place of worship4 ,just before the ,british made their attack on ,baltimore1 ,parson ,thomas1 at their request1 preached to them on the island4 ,he was as true a patriot as ,joshua of old1 whose name he bore4 ,he gave the following account of the sermon he preached3 ,the old camp-ground was the center of the ,british camp4 ,the soldiers were drawn up in solid column under the pine trees4 ,mr4 ,thomas occupied a stand2 all the soldiers were before him1 and on his right and left were the ,british officers4 ,he determined to clear his skirts of their blood2 if they wished to hear him they should have a faithful warning4 ,he did not know but his plainness might give offense and cause him to fall a sacrifice4 ,singing and prayer1 however1 quieted his fears1 and put his soul in frame for the occasion4 ,he faithfully warned the ,british of the unholiness of their cause1 of the wickedness of killing their fellow-men4 ,he told them he had heard they were going to ,baltimore to take that city2 but1 said he1 8you cannot take ,baltimore2 if you attempt to you will not succeed2 and you had better prepare to die40 ,both officers and soldiers were very attentive4 ,they admired his patriotism1 his honesty1 his simplicity4 ,soon after that memorable meeting the ,british made their attack on ,baltimore1 and ,parson ,thomas's prediction was fulfilled to the letter4 ,as he saw the ,british returning1 ,parson ,thomas went down to the shore to meet them1 and the first inquiry he made of the officers was1 8,have you taken ,baltimore80 ,they mournfully answered1 8,no4 ,it turned out just as you told us the ,sunday before we left4 ,the battle was bloody4 ,hundreds of our men were slain1 our general also2 and all the time we were fighting in the field we thought of what you told us1 #8,you cannot take ,baltimore4'0 ,here we see the true character of the man4 ,though he did not possess the talents1 he had the boldness of ,luther or ,john ,knox2 and such was his good common sense and his simplicity of character that he retained the confidence of the ,british while they continued on the island4 ,i must abridge my narrative or it will swell to volumes4 ,in #ahbc ,i was on ,lancaster ,circuit4 ,joseph ,holdich was my colleague4 ,it was his first circuit4 ,he was young but studious1 and then gave promise of the future man4 ,my mother died in ,november of that year1 and was buried beside my father4 ,i was returned to the circuit the following year4 ,in #ahbd-e ,i was upon old ,chester ,circuit2 in #ahbf-g1 ,strasburgh2 in #ahbh-i1 ,burlington ,circuit1 ,n4 ,j4 ,rev4 ,charles ,pitman was my presiding elder4 ,he was then in the days of his glory4 ,in #ahcj-ca ,i was at ,pemberton2 in #ahcb1 at ,bargaintown2 in #ahcc1 at ,tuckerton2 in #ahcd1 ,new ,egypt2 in #ahce-f ,i had the whole of ,staten ,island for my circuit4 ,for fourteen years ,i was on circuits after ,i left the districts4 ,i have a full record of men1 and thrilling scenes1 and glorious revivals1 but have not space even to name my colleagues or their characteristics4 ,methodism was introduced into ,staten ,island very early by ,francis ,asbury1 before he preached in ,new ,york4 ,i was with him on the island in #ahji4 ,when ,i was stationed on ,staten ,island there were two hundred and seventy-eight members2 now there are one thousand one hundred and forty-nine1 and instead of one preacher we have seven4 ,having been many years in the work1 at the close of the two years on ,staten ,island ,i took a supernumerary relation4 ,i bought me a little place on the island1 where ,i lived for many years1 till death invaded my dwelling and laid my loved one low4 ,in #ahcg the ,philadelphia ,conference was divided and ,i fell into the ,new ,jersey1 and then by a subsequent division into the ,newark ,conference4 ,i have preached in all parts of the island2 have married many1 and buried many of the dead4 ,in great harmony ,i have lived with all the friends of ,jesus4 ,i was a member of the ,general ,conference in #ahcb1 and was present at the memorable conference in #ahdd when our ,church was divided4 ,i had much to do with laying the foundation of ,german ,methodism in ,new ,york4 ,by both preachers and the laity ,i have ever been treated with the utmost kindness4 ,many of them ,i should like to notice but have no space1 but their names are in the book of life4 ,,chapter ,,xliii4 ,,last ,,visit ,,to ,,my ,,native ,,place--,,western ,,tour4 ,many years had passed away since ,i had seen the home of my childhood1 and my advanced age admonish me that ,i must do so soon or never4 ,on ,february #ae1 #ahef1 ,i left my home on ,staten ,island and went to ,pemberton1 ,n4 ,j4 ,for four years ,pemberton was my residence4 ,i was glad to see my old friends1 and preached for them twice4 ,thence ,i went to ,mount ,holly1 a place of rare beauty4 ,here lived my old friend1 ,judge ,monroe1 father of ,rev4 ,samuel ,y4 ,monroe1 ,d4,d4 ,reaching ,camden1 ,i found it greatly changed since ,i first saw it4 ,then there was only a ferry-house1 now a large city with three flourishing ,methodist ,churches4 ,a few years ago ,i preached the half century sermon of the introduction of ,methodism in ,camden4 ,by request it was published4 ,i hastened on to ,lancaster1 where ,i was heartily welcomed by ,john ,boehm's widow4 ,he was my nephew1 and yet we were about the same age1 were converted at the same time1 and were life-time friends4 ,he did much for ,methodism in ,lancaster and ,lancaster ,county4 ,i spent several weeks in the vicinity visiting old friends and preaching the ,gospel4 ,there was quite a contrast to the state of things in #ahje1 when ,i preached there on a butcher's block in the market4 ,to my great joy ,i found ,philip ,benedict and his wife living4 ,it was in their house ,i formed the first class in #ahjg4 ,we talked over the early struggles and triumphs of ,methodism in ,lancaster4 ,he was eighty-four years old1 his wife about the same age4 ,the ,church in ,lancaster is greatly indebted to this old patriarch and his excellent wife4 ,i went to ,little ,britain1 twenty-two miles from ,lancaster1 celebrated as the birthplace of ,robert ,fulton4 ,the old homestead where he was born was still standing4 ,what gave it additional interest to me was1 that there1 in #ahad1 ,i formed the first ,methodist class in the town4 ,we have now a fine society and a beautiful church edifice4 ,i went to ,columbia1 and was the guest of ,abraham ,brunner1 son of ,owen4 ,here ,i met ,alfred ,cookman1 who had married into the family1 and his children are the fifth generation that ,i have preached to in this family4 ,i went to the old ,boehm's ,chapel and the old house where ,i was born4 ,my eye lighted upon the place in the gallery where in #agih ,i gave my heart to ,god4 ,well did ,i exclaim1 8,o happy day1 that fixed my choice ,on thee1 my ,saviour and my ,god10 etc4 ,what sermons had ,i heard in that chapel6 ,the venerable forms of ,asbury1 ,whatcoat1 ,m',kendree1 and others ,i had heard preach came up before me4 ,it was ,easter ,sabbath1 and ,i preached on the resurrection of ,jesus4 ,it was forty-four years that day since my father died4 ,from the window ,i could see his grave and those of my mother and the other loved ones4 ,my mind went forward to the time when the sleepers should awake at the sound of the trump and rise to life immortal4 ,my feelings well nigh overcame me4 ,the friends of my youth were gone4 ,there were none of my name remaining in that neighborhood4 ,generations had passed away1 new ones had risen that knew me not4 ,i wandered among the tombs in the old burying ground1 then bade adieu to the old grave-yard1 to the old chapel1 to the old homestead1 hallowed by so many pleasing recollections1 exclaiming1 8,farewell to the home of my birth1 ,to the scenes which ,i cannot but love1 ,to the nearest and dearest on earth1 ,till we meet in the mansions above40 ,on my return ,i visited the ,philadelphia ,conference1 then sitting in ,trinity ,church1 ,philadelphia4 ,i had not attended it for twenty years1 and had long desired to see it once more4 ,bishop ,waugh presided1 and at his request ,i made an address4 ,i contrasted the past with the present4 ,i told them not one remained who had belonged to the conference when ,i joined it4 ,i always loved the ,philadelphia ,conference3 within its bounds ,i was born1 converted1 licensed to preach1 and ordained2 with them ,i had spent my youth and the prime of my manhood2 here ,i had toiled the hardest and had the greatest success2 here were the scenes of my trials and triumphs1 and within its bounds ,i was married and my children born4 ,i never belonged to any other1 the ,new ,jersey and ,newark ,conferences being portions of the ,philadelphia ,conference when ,i joined it4 ,i bade farewell to the ,philadelphia brethren and returned to my island home after an absence of two months4 ,on my return home ,i attended the ,new ,jersey ,conference in ,broad-street ,chapel1 ,newark4 ,how strangely this magnificent edifice contrasted with ,boehm's ,chapel6 and what a change in ,newark since ,i visited it with ,bishop ,asbury in #ahji1 when we had no house of worship there1 and ,richard ,leaycraft1 who had moved from ,new ,york1 was the only one to entertain the itinerants6 ,having relatives in ,ohio whom ,i had not seen for nearly half a century1 ,i concluded1 though over fourscore1 to visit them4 ,in ,january1 #ahei1 ,i went to ,baltimore1 where ,i had not been for forty-two years4 ,we received a hearty welcome from ,dr4 ,roberts1 the distinguished ,methodist antiquarian and father of the ,methodist ,historical ,society4 ,multitudes are the relics he has preserved1 which will enrich the history of our ,church in future years4 ,most of my old friends in ,baltimore were dead2 only a few recognized me4 ,i went to ,mount ,olivet ,cemetery1 where sleep the remains of ,bishops ,asbury1 ,george1 ,emory1 and ,waugh4 ,standing by the grave of the first the image of the patriarch came up before me1 and ,i vainly attempted to keep back the tears that rolled down my cheeks4 ,the other bishops also ,i had known intimately4 ,two of them were much younger than myself1 and ,i was present when they were received into the conference4 ,my next visit was to 8,pilgrim's ,rest10 to see my old friend and brother1 the ,rev4 ,henry ,smith4 ,we had known each other half a century4 ,he was one of the purest and best men that ,i ever knew4 ,i had a charming visit with him1 and when reviewing the past we lived over a great many years in a few hours4 ,he was over ninety1 and had been in the ministry sixty-five years4 ,we prayed and wept together1 and then we parted to meet in the 8,pilgrim's ,rest0 on the other side of ,jordan4 ,he has since entered there4 ,leaving ,baltimore for ,ohio1 we crossed the ,potomac at ,harper's ,ferry and then went over the ,alleghanies4 ,rushing over in the cars was very different from the slow manner ,bishop ,asbury and ,i crawled over them forty-seven years before4 ,i could not help wondering what the bishop would think if he could return and go over them as we do now1 the contrast is so great in ease1 comfort1 and saving of time4 ,towns1 cities1 and states have been born since that time we went to ,zanesville4 ,cincinnati was so changed that ,i could scarcely recognize in the ,queen ,city of the ,west the little village ,i had visited nearly fifty years before2 but when ,i beheld the ,licking ,river everything came to my mind1 and ,i began to feel quite at home4 ,when with ,bishop ,asbury we put up with ,brother ,lines1 an excellent local preacher4 ,i was pleased to see two of his daughters1 ,mrs4 ,widow ,smith and the wife of ,doctor ,phillips4 ,edward ,sargent1 son of my old friend1 ,rev4 ,thomas ,f4 ,sargent1 ,m4,d41 married a daughter of ,widow ,smith4 ,in the society of these friends ,i took great delight4 ,not only had the city grown immensely1 but ,methodism also4 ,at the time of my former visit there was only one ,methodist church edifice1 8,the ,stone ,chapel20 that had given way to a noble structure1 8,wesley ,chapel10 and had become also the mother of a large and healthy family of children1 most of them named after bishops or other prominent ministers1 as ,asbury ,chapel1 ,m',kendree1 ,morris1 ,raper1 ,christie1 ,finlay1 etc4 ,then the large ,book ,concern with its ,western ,christian ,advocate1 ,ladies' ,repository1 and other widely circulated publications4 ,but what filled me with the greatest delight1 and made my old soul rejoice with exceeding joy1 was to behold what ,god had done for the ,germans4 ,i found four ,german ,methodist ,churches in ,cincinnati1 with several hundred members2 also a ,german newspaper1 the ,christian ,apologist1 one of the most able papers ,i have ever read1 and edited by that great and good man1 ,dr4 ,nast1 and a long list of books and tracts in the ,german language4 ,what a change since #ahjg1 when ,i had the ,methodist ,discipline translated into ,german1 and #ahjh1 when ,i preached the first ,methodist sermon in ,german in ,cincinnati1 and when ,bishop ,asbury and ,i had two tracts printed in the ,german language1 that we scattered over the mountains and valleys as we rode round his large diocese6 ,a ,german love-feast was held in order that ,i might hear in my mother tongue the wonderful work that ,god had wrought4 ,several hundred were present1 including members from all the ,german churches4 ,their testimonies were thrilling1 and their singing exquisite4 ,they sung as ,mr4 ,wesley said1 8lustily40 ,at the conclusion of a glorious love-feast1 ,dr4 ,nast said1 8,we will sing ,martin ,luther's ,hymn1 tune ,old ,hundred10 and then they sung as ,i never heard it before that good old doxology1 8,praise ,god1 from whom all blessings flow10 etc4 ,i had a delightful interview with ,judge ,m',lean1 one of our noblest men1 a spiritual son of ,john ,collins4 ,he remembered hearing me preach in ,lebanon in #ahaj4 ,it was with deep regret that ,i afterward heard of his death4 ,he left a pure record both as a man and a statesman4 ,i went to ,dayton1 which was a small place when ,i was there before1 but has now thirty thousand inhabitants4 ,the 8,united ,brethren in ,christ0 have a publishing house here4 ,when ,i entered their building and looked upon the wall ,i saw a portrait of my father4 ,i had not seen it in fifty years1 nor did ,i know it had been preserved1 or that there was an image of him in existence4 ,there he was with his ,german visage1 his gray locks and venerable beard4 ,it was a very good likeness1 painted by a ,german artist for my nephew1 ,martin ,boehm1 who carried it ,west when he removed to ,ohio4 ,at his death it was presented to 8,the ,united ,brethren in ,christ10 who were glad to get such a relic to adorn the walls of their publishing house4 ,here also ,i saw an excellent likeness of ,father ,otterbein4 ,i visited my relative1 ,samuel ,binkley1 who formerly lived near my father's4 ,here a cane was presented to me that ,i highly prize on account of its historic associations1 for it originally belonged to ,father ,otterbein1 who gave it to ,bishop ,asbury2 the bishop gave it to ,samuel ,binkley1 and he presented it to my daughter4 ,after my return home ,i again visited the ,west1 and spent a year in ,cincinnati4 ,i preached before the conference in ,xenia1 and was present at the marriage of ,general ,grant's sister in ,covington1 ,kentucky1 to a ,german preacher stationed in ,cincinnati4 ,in ,may1 #ahjj1 ,i was present at the ,general ,conference in ,baltimore2 in ,may1 #ahfd1 ,i attended the ,general ,conference in ,union ,church1 ,philadelphia4 ,with perhaps two exceptions1 ,drs4 ,c4 ,elliott and ,g4 ,peck1 all the delegates to the latter body were born during the intervening period2 and the senior bishop1 ,thomas ,a4 ,morris1 was1 in #ahjj1 a prattling boy of five years4 ,i rejoiced that ,god had raised up so many strong men to be pillars in the ,church4 ,some were from the further ,west1 ,california1 ,oregon1 and regions which in my early days were almost a terra incognita1 and were uninhabited except by wandering tribes of ,indians4 ,the bishops and members seemed to regard me as an old ,methodist patriarch1 and honored me with a seat on the platform4 ,the nation was then struggling for life1 having to contend both with open enemies and secret foes4 ,but a more loyal body than the men who represented the ,church in that conference never assembled4 ,what interested me most1 however1 was the fraternal interchange of delegates between our ,general ,conference and that of the ,african ,methodist ,episcopal ,church1 which was sitting in ,philadelphia at the same time4 ,the colored delegates were received by our conference on ,may #ac1 and delivered addresses that would have done honor to men of any land4 ,the utmost enthusiasm prevailed1 and the ,union ,church rang with shouts of applause4 ,at the conclusion of one of the most thrilling scenes ever witnessed ,i was honored with delivering an address1 of which the following report appeared in the ,daily ,advocate of ,may #ad3 8,mr4 ,president1 ,i thought it was but proper that ,i should express some of my feelings and recollections as appropriate to this occasion4 ,it fell to my lot to have charge of this district in #ahac and #ahad4 ,it was then called the ,schuylkill ,district1 and embraced the whole region between the ,delaware and the ,susquehanna ,rivers1 including ,wilmington1 and north by the mountains4 ,during that period ,robert ,r4 ,roberts1 afterward ,bishop ,roberts1 was stationed at ,st4 ,george's1 and ,john ,emory1 afterward ,bishop ,emory1 at this church4 ,during these two years1 in either #ahac or #ahad1 he would not be positive which1 the separation of the colored brethren took place4 ,there was some friction between the founder of the present ,african ,methodist ,episcopal ,church and us1 and they drew off4 ,but it was prudently managed1 and they passed quietly off4 ,we feared then that it was an unfortunate change2 but ,i confess to you that my heart has been touched4 ,i have been very much affected in hearing our colored brethren testify here1 and state their influence and progress4 ,i admire the providence of ,god in this instance4 ,we then considered it an unfortunate case2 but ,god has overruled it1 and ,i hope he will continue to overrule it and superintend it1 and that it will react and spread its evangelizing and saving influence south and south-west1 and all over the world4 ,god grant that this may be the case4 ,numerous responses of ,amen4 ,i thought it would be appropriate for me to express my feelings thus1 and ,i rejoice and give glory to ,god for his goodness and his power40 8,the venerable patriarch sat down with swimming eyes1 while many in the audience wept with sympathy and joy4 ,it is certainly a singular coincidence that the man who was the ,church officer charged with the administration of the ,discipline upon this district when the founders of the ,african ,methodist ,episcopal ,church withdrew from our connection1 previous to organizing their own1 should1 after a period of at least fifty years1 be present to witness the first fraternal reception of their official representatives by the ,general ,conference of the ,methodist ,episcopal ,church1 and that assembled in the ,union ,church1 ,philadelphia1 the very scene of the events of half a century ago40 ,i cannot refrain from referring to the amazing growth of our ,church since the period when ,i joined it4 ,we had then in ,america two hundred and sixty-six traveling preachers1 and sixty-five thousand nine hundred and eighty members4 ,church edifices were scarce1 and parsonages comparatively unknown4 ,we had no colleges or seminaries2 no ,biblical ,institutes1 no periodicals1 and were almost without a literature2 indeed wholly so1 except a ,hymn ,book1 ,discipline1 and a few tracts and other small publications4 ,now we have nearly seven thousand traveling preachers1 and more than nine hundred thousand church members1 7besides those in the ,south17 with over ten thousand church edifices1 and nearly three thousand parsonages4 ,our numerous colleges and other institutions of learning1 and the extended operations of our ,book ,concerns in the ,east and the ,west1 bear witness to the success with which we have labored in the cause of education and religious literature4 ,in some matters ,i cannot but think that1 as a ,church1 we have retrograded4 ,the people and preachers in that day were patterns of plainness2 we conform more to the world1 and have lost much of the spirit of self-denial they possessed4 ,our fathers paid great attention to ,church discipline1 and their preaching was more direct2 they aimed at the heart1 and looked for more immediate results than we of the present day4 ,but if there are some things to lament1 there is much that calls for gratitude4 ,if we remain true to ,methodism1 8walking by the same rule and minding the same things0 our fathers did1 then our future will be grand and glorious as the past1 and the result such as to meet the expectations of the most ardent among us4 ,and now1 having seen what great things ,god has done for us as a ,church1 and the salvation which he has wrought out for us as a nation in the overthrow of the great rebellion1 ,i feel like saying with ,simeon of old1 8,lord1 now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace40 ,on this side the river ,i patiently wait till the ,master shall bid me pass over ,jordan and rejoin the sainted ,asbury and other of my fellow-laborers and companions in tribulation who have preceded me to the climes of bliss4 8,my old companions in distress ,i haste again to see1 ,and eager long for my release ,and full felicity3 ,even now by faith ,i join my hands ,with those that went before1 ,and greet the blood-besprinkled bands ,on the eternal shore40 ,,the ,,end ,,chapter ,,xliv4 ,,history ,,and ,,nature ,,of ,,father ,,boehm',s ,,reminiscences--,,the ,,last ,,ten ,,years ,,of ,,his ,,life4 ,father ,boehm's valuable life has been marvelously prolonged to such a very old age that he is now regarded every-where1 in ,europe and ,america1 as the patriarch of ,methodism1 and so many interests cluster around the aged veteran that we add a few chapters to his ,reminiscences4 ,there are several classes of men4 ,there are those who live wholly in the past1 others live wholly in the present1 and others wholly in the future4 ,these are all in the wrong4 ,the man who lives with an eye on the past1 the present1 and the future2 who looks backward1 and forward1 and around him2 who makes the past tell on the present1 the present on the future--he is the live man2 he understands the true philosophy of life2 he will accomplish the most good1 and secure the greatest happiness4 ,the inspired penman says3 8,inquire1 ,i pray thee1 of the former age1 and prepare thyself to the search of their fathers3 7for we are but of yesterday1 and know nothing37 444 shall not they teach thee1 and tell thee1 and utter words out of their heart80 ,the reader will readily see why we add a few chapters to the original volume4 8,boehm's ,reminiscences1 ,historical and ,biographical10 is one of the richest volumes in ,methodist literature4 ,it is remarkable1 first1 for the antiquity of its contents1 taking us back to the origin of ,american ,methodism3 second1 for its originality2 the old gentleman drew upon his own resources2 there has never been any thing like it1 and it is doubtful whether there ever will be again2 in it he testifies what he has seen and heard1 and he has seen much1 for he has lived a great many years3 third1 for the description he gives of men and things1 and the simplicity of its style3 fourth1 for its facts2 he never gives wings to his imagination2 on the contrary1 he deals in sober history and truthful biography4 ,had it been written in another style it would not have been his1 for he is a plain1 matter-of-fact man2 he stated truth in its simplest form1 without any embellishment4 ,in his volume there are no false colorings1 no exaggerations2 it is true to nature and true to life4 ,all honor to the truthful veteran who introduces to us so many of the heroes of ,methodism1 whose names and fame are immortal6 ,he presents before his readers ,robert ,strawbridge1 the apostle of ,methodism in ,maryland2 ,dr4 ,thomas ,coke1 the founder of modern missions1 whose heart was large enough to hold four continents1 and who found a grave in the ,indian ,ocean2 what a graphic description he gives of ,jesse ,lee1 the apostle of ,methodism to ,new ,england1 and the first historian of ,american ,methodism6 ,we hear him preach his last sermons1 and these were delivered in ,god's great cathedral--nature's magnificent temple2 we are taken into the chamber of the dying saint2 we see ,father ,boehm wetting the parched lips of the dying hero1 smoothing his pillow of agony1 speaking words of cheer2 we see him kneel down by his bedside and commend the dying one to ,him who is 8the resurrection and the life20 we hear a shout of joy from the dying one2 we see him as his breath grows shorter and shorter1 till he heaves one long1 deep-drawn sigh1 and all is over2 we see ,boehm with his own hands close his eyes and put the muffler around his face2 we see the open grave1 and ,father ,boehm laying him quietly to rest4 ,sleepless nights1 restless days1 watching1 waiting1 trembling1 hoping1 till all was over4 ,what affection1 what care1 what solicitude1 what unwavering faith1 what ardent love6 ,he introduces us to ,bishop ,whatcoat1 that seraphic man4 ,we have a description of his person1 of his preaching1 of his last sickness1 and his triumphant death4 ,he gives the best description of ,bishop ,asbury ever written2 and no man ever knew him better1 for he was with him in the closest intimacy for five years4 ,we have a description of his person1 his dress4 ,we have ,asbury in the family1 ,asbury in the pulpit1 ,asbury in the conferences1 ,asbury among friends1 ,asbury among strangers1 ,asbury among the children4 ,he describes so vividly the bishop's sermons and exhortations we imagine we see and are listening to the great apostle of ,american ,methodism4 ,o how graphic is ,boehm's description of ,bishop ,asbury6 ,in regard to the volume1 let me say1 it was prepared with the greatest care4 ,for years we were employed on it at different intervals4 ,we took his own journals and read them carefully2 then we read ,asbury's journals to refresh his mind2 then we questioned him concerning men and places1 and in regard to ,general and ,annual ,conferences4 ,we took down1 from his 8own lips10 anecdotes and incidents till we were sure there was not one left4 ,the work was complete2 it was finished2 the stock was exhausted4 ,not an original idea but we had obtained1 not an anecdote but we have recorded it4 ,we never stopped pumping till the water was out of the well4 ,there is no chance to glean over the fields we passed over1 for we not only gathered the grain1 but we gleaned as we went along4 ,we never could get the old veteran to say what he did not distinctly remember4 ,we might ask him over and over again1 8,did not such a thing take place8 ,were you not there80 8,i do not remember10 was the emphatic answer4 ,after the chapters were written we read them over to him1 and he appended the following to each3-- 8,this chapter is correct4 ,,henry ,,boehm40 ,,note4--,each chapter was dated at the place where it was written4 ,some were written in ,new ,york1 others in ,harlem1 still others in ,yonkers1 ,poughkeepsie1 and other places4 ,it is ten years since the first edition of this volume was published4 ,since that time ,father ,boehm has enjoyed a peaceful old age4 ,he has visited an ,annual ,conference occasionally1 where he has been an object of great attention4 ,he visited his own ,conference1 ,philadelphia1 which he joined in #ahja1 and his visit was as welcome as if he had been an angel from heaven4 ,its members hung upon the lips of the old ,methodist patriarch in silent wonder as he described the fathers who had fallen asleep1 and the early days and scenes in which he was such a prominent actor1 and then drew a contrast between the past and present1 showing how ,methodism had advanced4 ,he was an object of great interest at the great ,centenary ,meeting in the city of ,new ,york1 at ,cooper ,institute1 in ,october #ahff1 ,daniel ,ross1 ,esq41 presiding4 ,rev4 ,thomas ,sewall1 ,d4,d41 delivered one of the most eloquent addresses ,i ever listened to4 ,the venerable ,boehm was on the platform1 and his appearance gave additional charm to the intensely interesting meeting4 ,in the midst of his address1 replete with beauty1 abounding in historical reminiscences1 the speaker turned to ,father ,boehm1 and delivered a personal address to him4 ,he said3 8,we thank you1 venerable father1 for lingering so long among us to cheer us by your presence1 your example1 and for giving us so many interesting reminiscences of the past4 ,thou art a representative of the former age of ,methodism--thou art a splendid representative of the fathers4 ,venerable man1 friend of ,coke and ,asbury1 ,whatcoat and ,m',kendree1 we thank you for your presence here2 you are the great link that connects the past with the present40 ,after invoking many blessings on his head1 and a glorious future1 he concluded his address of beauty1 eloquence1 and power1 one that will not soon be forgotten4 ,now his voice is silent in death4 ,father ,boehm has of late years led such a quiet life that there are few additional reminiscences1 or anecdotes to record4 ,he is a grand specimen of religion in old age4 ,his days glide on1 calm and peaceful as a summer evening4 ,the autumn of life is peculiarly beautiful in him4 ,it is charming to see grace thrive1 when nature decays2 while the outer man is perishing1 to see the inner man renewed day by day in vigor1 in knowledge1 and in joy4 ,it is delightful to see his fading eye brighten at the promise1 8,where ,i am1 there shall also my servant be20 to see his aged1 wrinkled countenance glow with seraphic beauty4 ,happy1 happy old man6 splendid specimen of the venerated fathers4 ,he has 8fought the good fight10 he has 8kept the faith10 and will soon 8finish his course40 ,the past1 the present1 and the future smile upon him4 ,it will soon be said concerning him3-- 8,servant of ,god1 well done6 ,thy glorious warfare's past2 ,the battle's fought1 the race is won1 ,and thou art crown'd at last40 ,,chapter ,,xlv4 ,,entrance ,,upon ,,his ,,one ,,hundredth ,,year4 ,the following description of the celebration of ,father ,boehm's entrance upon his one hundredth year appeared in the ,christian ,advocate1 and was copied into many religious journals1 not only in ,america but also in ,europe1 showing the intense interest that clusters around the hero of a hundred years and the hero of a hundred battles3-- ,father ,henry ,boehm1 the old ,methodist patriarch1 entered upon his one hundredth year ,june #h1 #ahgd1 and the wonderful event was celebrated on ,tuesday in ,jersey ,city1 at the residence of his son-in-law1 ,mr4 ,emley4 ,a number of friends honored him with their presence4 ,it was to the old patriarch quite a surprise4 ,a good supper was provided1 with abundance of the delicacies of the season4 ,there was a centenary cake1 having on it the figures #agge and #ahgd4 ,flowers of rare beauty and odor were presented to him1 and he made a most appropriate reply4 ,on one of the floral offerings1 beautifully inwrought in green1 were these figures1 8#ii40 ,the patriarch's wrinkled countenance was wreathed with smiles2 he looked as placid as a summer's evening1 and seemed to have 8renewed his youth like the eagle's40 ,dr4 ,j4 ,b4 ,wakeley was spokesman for the occasion1 and delivered the following congratulatory address4 ,he concluded by dwelling upon the character and labors of ,bishop ,asbury1 and surprised ,father ,boehm by presenting him with a beautiful likeness of the bishop4 ,father ,boehm took it1 looked at it1 and said1 8,well done60 and then he made a characteristic reply4 ,it was one of those rare occasions that seldom occur in one's life-time1 and can never be forgotten4 ,,address ,,to ,,father ,,boehm4 ,,venerable ,,patriarch3 ,this is an auspicious day and a joyful occasion that has summoned us together2 we have met to celebrate the almost one hundredth anniversary of your birthday4 ,ninety-nine years ago1 the eighth day of ,june1 in the town of ,conestoga1 ,lancaster ,county1 ,pennsylvania1 a child was born1 and they called him 8,henry40 ,few of those who then looked upon that little infant suspected that he would live to celebrate his one hundredth birthday4 ,venerable man6 with your whitened locks1 your wrinkled face1 you stand before us a representative of the past2 you connect us with ages and generations long since passed away4 ,we congratulate you on having been born in ,june1 not only the loveliest month of the year1 but also the birth-month of many distinguished statesmen and holy ministers of the ,gospel4 ,your father1 ,martin ,boehm1 the friend of ,bishop ,asbury and of the 8great ,otterbein10 was a noble man1 and your mother a noble woman4 ,what a eulogium did ,bishop ,asbury1 in preaching your father's funeral sermon1 pronounce on him6 ,we congratulate you on having been born so early4 ,you are older than our ,republic--even than the ,methodist ,episcopal ,church1 in its present organic form4 ,when you were born 8,the ,declaration of ,independence0 was not written4 ,george ,washington was then forty-three years old1 a man comparatively unknown to fame2 ,henry ,clay was not born till two years after2 and ,daniel ,webster and ,john ,c4 ,calhoun not till seven years after4 ,the year of your birth was fourteen years before that in which ,washington was inaugurated ,president of the ,united ,states1 nine years before the ,methodist ,episcopal ,church was organized1 sixteen years before the death of ,john ,wesley1 and thirteen years before that of ,charles ,wesley1 the sweet singer of our ,methodist ,israel4 ,then ,philadelphia1 ,new ,york1 ,baltimore1 and ,boston1 now imperial cities1 were the merest villages4 ,states as large as empires have been born during your life-time1 and kingly cities have sprung into existence4 8,the wilderness and the solitary place0 have been made glad1 and 8the desert0 has rejoiced and blossomed 8as the rose40 ,there were then no steamboats1 no railroads1 no telegraphs even on the land1 to say nothing of ocean telegraphs4 ,now we travel by steam1 do our correspondence by lightning1 and take life-like portraits by sunbeams4 ,we whisper here1 and they hear us in ,london1 and answer back2 and we cross the ,atlantic with the regularity of a ferry-boat4 ,how the world has moved since you came on the stage of action6 ,continents have been explored1 oceans and islands then unknown have been visited1 the source of the ,nile has been discovered1 ,egypt's hieroglyphics have been deciphered1 and ,nineveh has had a resurrection6 ,wonderfully has the world advanced in art1 in science1 in discoveries1 since you were born4 ,it has made more advancement during your life-time of ninety-nine years than in any thousand years previous4 ,the world moves2 on its lofty banner 8,progress0 is written in capital letters4 ,compare the world as you saw it first1 and as you behold it now1 and how wonderful the change6 ,the world has also made advances in morals and in religious enterprises4 ,you were born forty-four years before we had a ,missionary ,society1 7it not being organized till #ahai17 and thirty-one years before the ,american ,bible ,society had a being4 ,we congratulate you on having witnessed the growth1 not only of our country1 but also of that of ,american ,methodism1 until now it numbers its millions4 ,we congratulate you on having lived under all the ,presidents1 from ,washington to ,grant1 and on having lived and known all the ,bishops of the ,methodist ,episcopal ,church1 from the first down to the last4 ,we congratulate you on having known the pioneers and founders of ,american ,methodism3 ,robert ,strawbridge1 the apostle of ,methodism in ,maryland2 ,william ,watters1 the first native ,methodist preacher2 and ,philip ,gatch1 and ,benjamin ,abbott1 and ,bishop ,richard ,whatcoat1 who died on your circuit1 7,delaware17 where you heard his dying testimony4 ,you knew ,jesse ,lee1 the apostle of ,methodism in ,new ,england1 the first historian of ,american ,methodism4 ,you heard his last sermons at a camp-meeting1 where he was taken sick and died in #ahaf2 you heard his dying testimony1 closed his eyes1 and laid him quietly to rest4 ,we congratulate you on having heard the great orators and preachers of early ,methodism3 ,nicholas ,snethen1 ,asbury's 8silver trumpet20 ,hope ,hull1 the silver-tongued2 ,samuel ,parker1 the ,cicero of the ,west2 ,leonard ,castle1 the ,summerfield of the ,baltimore ,conference2 ,henry ,willis1 ,wilson ,lee1 and others4 ,we congratulate you on having been acquainted with the fathers of the fathers of ,american ,methodism4 ,strange as it may seem1 you knew the father of ,bishop ,m',kendree1 ,james ,m',kendree1 and have been his guest4 ,you were acquainted with the father of ,henry ,smith1 who for a while was the oldest ,methodist minister in the world4 ,you knew ,judge ,emory1 the father of ,bishop ,emory2 and the father of ,dr4 ,shadrick ,bostwick1 whom ,bishop ,hedding called a 8glorious man40 ,how this takes us back to the former age6 ,we congratulate you on having attended so many ,general and ,annual ,conferences1 where you became acquainted with the great preachers of early ,methodism4 ,you attended the ,general ,conference in ,baltimore in #ahjj1 where you dined with ,dr4 ,coke1 heard him preach1 witnessed the election and ordination of ,richard ,whatcoat1 and the wonderful revival of religion1 such as has never occurred at any other ,general ,conference2 then the one in #ahjh1 where you beheld the ordination of ,bishop ,m',kendree2 you were also at the first delegated ,general ,conference1 held in the city of ,new ,york in #ahab4 ,we congratulate you on attending so many camp-meetings in different ,states1 8for the groves were ,god's first temples10 and also on being acquainted with ,john ,m',gee1 the founder of camp-meetings in ,america4 ,what a privilege to attend these meetings1 and hear such sons of thunder as ,bishops ,asbury and ,m',kendree1 ,dr4 ,chandler1 ,john ,chalmers1 ,john ,m',claskey1 ,solomon ,sharp1 and hundreds of others1 immortal names that cannot die6 ,we congratulate you on being acquainted with the great laymen and women who helped to give character and stability to early ,methodism4 ,we congratulate you on preaching in so many of the early chapels of ,american ,methodism4 ,how those humble chapels contrast with the beautiful edifices that are now being erected all over the land6 ,we congratulate you on being the intimate friend and traveling companion of ,bishop ,asbury1 the great apostle of ,american ,methodism4 ,for five years you accompanied him around his large diocese2 you climbed the mountains with him2 you forded the rivers2 you nursed him when sick2 you carried him in your arms2 and such confidence did he repose in you that he made you one of the executors of his last will and testament4 ,we thank you for your 8,reminiscences1 ,historical and ,biographical10 which contain the purest history and the truest biography2 in which you give us the best portraiture of ,bishop ,asbury that has ever been given4 ,the ,church will thank you for those 8,reminiscences0 when the sun shines on your grave4 ,we congratulate you for being such an itinerant2 on having traveled over one hundred thousand miles on horseback to preach the ,gospel--more than sufficient to circumnavigate the globe four times4 ,we congratulate you on having been so happy in your domestic relations4 ,you had one of the best of wives2 8her children rise up and call her blessed1 her husband also1 and he praiseth her40 ,you have been blessed with kind children4 ,your daughter ,elizabeth has been remarkably affectionate and attentive1 which must have been a great consolation to you as time has shaken you by the hand1 and the shadows of the evening are gathering around you4 ,we congratulate you for having kept up with the times1 and for feeling an interest in every thing that is going on both in ,church and ,state2 for not only living1 but being a live man4 ,we rejoice that you have been no croaker2 that you made no invidious comparisons between the present and the former times4 ,you have never inquired1 8,why were the former times better than the present80 ,we thank you not only for living so long1 but for living so well4 ,your age is wonderful6 ,remember how much longer you have lived than many whom the world called old men4 ,washington was considered old when he died1 and you are thirty-two years older than was he4 ,john ,wesley is spoken of as aged1 but you are eleven years older than was ,john ,wesley4 ,charles ,wesley was also considered old1 but you are nineteen years older4 ,bishop ,asbury was considered old--you are twenty-eight years older than was ,bishop ,asbury1 thirty-two years older than was ,bishop ,m',kendree1 and forty-one years older than was ,jesse ,lee1 when they severally ended their lives4 ,we congratulate you on having been so long in the ministry--seventy-three years2 you are to-day the oldest ,methodist minister in ,america1 if not in the world4 ,sir1 all who were in the ministerial work when you commenced have yielded to the conqueror of conquerors6 8,the fathers1 where are they8 and the prophets1 do they live forever80 ,you can say as one of old1 8,and ,i only am left alone to tell thee40 ,you stand alone1 occupying a position no man ever has1 no man ever can4 ,you have seen what no other eyes can ever see2 you have heard what no other ears can ever hear4 ,yours has been a wonderful life1 as well as a long one2 you are a history in yourself2 you are a splendid representative of the former generation of ,methodist ministers4 ,we congratulate you on having kept your garments so clean4 ,for over seventy years they have asked in conference3 8,is there any thing against ,henry ,boehm80 ,the answer has always been1 8,nothing against ,henry ,boehm40 ,your hoary head is a crown of glory1 being found in the way of righteousness4 ,may your sun go down without a cloud1 to rise in fairer heavens1 and the twilight of your evening melt away into the twilight of the morning of an eternal day6 ,may you be found among the number who1 8having been wise10 and 8turned many to righteousness10 shall shine in brilliancy that is cloudless and eternal6 ,may you1 when the voyage of life is o'er1 meet ,wesley1 ,asbury1 ,m',kendree1 and the multitude who have gone before1 where 444 8all the ship's company meet1 ,who sailed with the ,saviour beneath2 ,with shouting each other they greet1 ,and triumph o'er sorrow and death40 ,,chapter ,,xlvi4 ,,interesting ,,public ,,service ,,at ,,the ,,newark ,,annual ,,conference--,,father ,,boehm',s ,,centennial ,,sermon4 ,although ,father ,boehm had not quite completed his one hundredth year at the time of the annual session of the ,newark ,conference1 in the spring of #ahge1 the members of the ,conference earnestly desired to hear him preach his centennial sermon4 ,accordingly a very interesting and unique religious service was held in the ,trinity ,methodist ,episcopal ,church1 ,jersey ,city1 on ,friday morning1 ,april #b4 ,at an early hour the church was crowded to its utmost capacity1 and hundreds of people vainly sought admission within its walls4 ,among those present were ,bishops ,janes1 ,ames1 ,bowman1 ,harris1 and ,wiley4 ,a great number of preachers from other neighboring ,conferences were also present4 ,after the regular order of business of the ,conference was finished1 ,bishop ,bowman requested ,bishop ,janes to preside at the centennial services4 ,the hymn commencing 8,a charge to keep ,i have0 was sung1 after which the ,rev4 ,j4 ,b4 ,wakeley1 ,d4,d41 offered prayer4 ,,opening ,,address ,,of ,,bishop ,,janes4 ,bishop ,janes said3-- ,it has already been intimated in the prayer that this is an unusual occasion4 ,it is one of those occurrences where extremes meet4 ,we have been paying our tribute to the character and memory of the youthful ministers who died in the service of the ,church and in the work of the pastorate4 ,we expect to hear from the oldest minister of our ,church4 ,i hope it may not be his final message4 ,i hope he may live to speak to us yet many times more before he shall close his glorious career on earth4 ,nevertheless1 ,i presume none of us have ever heard a centennial sermon1 and none of us1 in all probability1 will ever hear another one4 ,the occasion1 therefore1 is novel1 and ,i will add it is instructive and impressive4 ,i have seen the longest rivers1 the highest mountains1 and the grandest cataracts of our wonderful country1 but in all that ,i have seen of the beauty and grandeur of nature1 ,i have never looked upon a physical object with so much interest as ,i look upon this human form here this morning4 ,a human body so fearfully and wonderfully made1 with so many and such delicate connections1 performing so many offices1 subject to so much exposure1 to have been preserved for so many years in its healthfulness and in all its beauty1 is to me the most wonderful physical object ,i have ever beheld4 ,and then1 it has been all this while the tabernacle of a rational spirit1 the instrument by which that spirit has performed its wonderful works and secured its wonderful results4 ,well may we say with the poet this morning3 8,strange that a harp of thousand strings ,should keep in tune so long40 ,i have stood in the presence of kings and nobles1 of scholars and divines in other countries1 but ,i never have felt in all my experience such an interest and so profound a reverence as ,i feel in the presence of revered and beloved father in ,god1 this aged servant of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,i revere him for his personal worth1 his strictly moral youth4 ,converted to ,god in his early manhood1 his life has been one of strict consistency and of great purity from that time until the present4 ,it is forty-three years this month since ,i made his personal acquaintance2 and1 having been intimate with him from that time till now1 ,i say in this presence ,i have never known a fellow-man in whom there was so little moral infirmity even as in this our father before us to-day4 ,i venerate him for his associations4 ,he was associated with those names that are dearest to us in our ,church history--,asbury1 ,whatcoat1 ,m',kendree1 ,jesse ,lee1 ,freeborn ,garrettson1 and ,nathan ,bangs2 names that we hold in the highest regard2 they were his associates4 ,and then he has been associated with a great multitude of godly men and women who have composed our ,church from that early period until now4 ,what fellowships he has enjoyed6 ,and ,i revere him for his works4 ,he was in the early councils of the ,church4 ,he helped to form the polity of our ,church2 he has seen its wonderful workings until this hour1 and he has really witnessed the planting and growth of this branch of the ,church of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ until this present time4 ,his ministry has been one of great excellence and of great usefulness1 and his example one of great power and of great benefit4 ,we cannot any of us look upon him but with the highest regard and with the greatest reverence1 and even with awe4 ,considering the length of time when ,enoch walked with ,god1 which men then lived1 and the length of human life now1 he has walked with ,god as long as ,enoch walked with ,god4 ,and having been in these associations to which ,i have referred1 having been in this holy ministry all of the nineteenth century--for ,i believe that is the fact--and having been living all these years in fellowship with the divine and the spiritual and the eternal1 how sacred and grand and glorious is his character4 ,it will be an era in my history to hear from him this morning1 and ,i think it will be an incident in the life of everyone here which they will carry with them in rememberance to eternity4 ,i pray that ,god may aid him in this effort1 and that ,god may sanctify this occasion to the religious profiting of all of us who are permitted to enjoy it1 both in the laity and in the ministry4 ,before ,father ,boehm speaks to you1 the pastor of this ,church will read the credentials that he has received1 giving the dates of his offices4 ,the ,rev4 ,john ,atkinson read as follows3-- 8,to whom it may concern3 ,this is to authorize ,henry ,boehm to exercise the office of a preacher and travel ,dorchester ,circuit4 ,thomas ,ware4 ,january #e1 #ahjj40 ,the document is excellently preserved4 8,to whom it may concern3 ,this is to authorize ,henry ,boehm to exercise the office of exhorter in the ,methodist ,episcopal ,church4 ,given on the #afth of ,june1 #ahjj1 by ,thomas ,ware1 ,presiding ,elder40 ,brother ,atkinson then spoke as follows3-- ,he was authorized to preach on the presiding elder's own authority1 and sent to travel a circuit on ,january #e1 #ahjj2 and after the case came before the ,quarterly ,conference1 he was licensed to exhort and travel the circuit4 ,this showing the parchment is his ordination parchment of deacon4 ,it reads a little differently from our parchments of to-day1 though very little4 ,it is signed by ,richard ,whatcoat1 and is dated at ,dock ,creek1 ,del41 ,may #d1 #ahjc4 ,this showing the parchment is his parchment as elder1 and reads thus3 8,ordained elder by ,francis ,asbury on the #eth day of ,may1 in the year of our ,lord one thousand eight hundred and five4 ,done at the ,philadelphia ,conference1 held at ,chestertown4 ,,francis ,,asbury40 ,i have been requested by ,father ,boehm to state that two weeks ago he was very ill1 and it was feared that he would not recover4 ,i was sent for in haste on that day to see him4 ,i had great fears that he would not be able to be here4 ,god has raised him up1 and he is here to speak to us as he was requested to do at the last session of our ,conference4 ,the audience rose en masse in token of respect to the venerable apostle of ,methodism1 which added greatly to the impressiveness of the scene4 ,,father ,,boehm',s ,,sermon4 ,the ,rev4 ,henry ,boehm then proceeded1 amid profound silence1 to speak as follows3-- ,,my ,,dear ,,brethren3 ,i feel very dependent4 ,i hope you will offer me up in prayer before the ,lord that he may graciously assist me once more in proclaiming the precious truth4 ,the passage of ,scripture to which ,i invite your attention you will find recorded in ,nahum1 the first chapter and seventh verse3 8,the ,lord is good1 a stronghold in the day of trouble2 and he knoweth them that trust in him40 ,there is a little difference in the ,german in this text6 ,the beginning in the ,german reads1 8,der ,herr ist gietig10 the ,lord is munificent1 freely distributing his blessings and goodness4 ,now1 then1 to say that a person is munificent presupposes that he is good1 and goodness produces munificence4 ,o what a wonderful mercy-seat we have the privilege of approaching unto6 ,the ,lord is munificent in distributing his blessings1 in showering down his goodness and mercy upon us4 ,the ,lord1 then1 is good4 ,he is good in his mercy4 ,benevolence1 kindness1 long suffering1 tender mercy1 flow out through the mercy of ,god manifested to a fallen world4 ,yes1 brethren1 but for the goodness of the ,lord where should we be8 ,his goodness and mercy have spared us to the present period1 and we have the privilege now of approaching to the mercy-seat in the name of ,jesus ,christ4 ,the ,lord is a stronghold1 a strong tower1 a strong fortification4 ,he that entereth and dwelleth in this stronghold is safe in time of trouble1 in time of distress1 in time of need4 ,god is present and ready to supply our wants4 ,he is all-sufficient according to our need4 ,he knoweth them that trust in him4 ,he owns them4 ,he acknowledges them to be his subjects1 and to be influenced by his ,holy ,spirit4 ,yes1 brethren1 the ,lord knows them2 he dwells with them as such who trust in him1 who walk in the light of his countenance4 ,o blessed be the name of the ,lord that he knows the heart and he looks upon the mind1 the immortal mind6 ,if we sincerely look to him he owns and acknowledges us as his own4 ,he knoweth them that trust in him4 ,bless the ,lord6 ,o1 the goodness of ,god--his mercy and long suffering6 ,i bless ,god for his goodness that ,i realized in early life4 ,religion made my soul happy then4 ,it kept me from evil2 it directed me in the path of humble submission to the will of ,god1 and it now in old age makes me feel lively4 ,it supports and comforts me1 and when ,i look forward to death ,i do not stop there4 ,i look beyond it1 and then it is all light1 all peace1 and joy1 and triumph4 ,o1 glory be to ,god for his mercy and goodness in our privilege this day to meet together for his worship1 for his services1 and for his praise6 ,blessed be the name of the ,lord6 ,when ,i look at the changes--how population has extended1 how ,methodism has followed up--,i am astonished4 ,in #ahji ,i passed1 with ,bishop ,asbury1 through here from ,newark and crossed over to ,new ,york1 and there was no town here then at all--nothing but a ferry-house4 ,what a change6 ,now there are several thousand inhabitants1 and the best of all is the ,lord is among the people1 and many are happy in his salvation and rejoice in his gracious presence4 ,blessed be the name of the ,lord6 ,o what wonders hath ,god wrought6 ,newark was then a small town4 ,there were two rows of houses1 ,i think1 in ,newark in #ahji4 ,now it has spread out into a large town4 ,o may the ,gospel go on in its power and glory1 that multitudes may bow to the scepter of the ,redeemer6 and finally may we meet in heaven to rejoice in the ,lord for ever and ever6 ,amen4 ,the congregation united in singing1 8,my latest sun is sinking fast40 ,,remarks ,,of ,,bishop ,,janes4 ,,dear ,,friends3 ,you will all of you remember the text1 and the sermon and the preacher4 ,the text is one of the most sweet and precious in the ,holy ,bible2 the exposition of it has been clear and forcible1 though brief4 ,to my mind the sermon has two especial excellences3 one is1 it was preached1 and not read6 and the other is that it was brief1 and the preacher stopped when he got done--a beautiful example to us in those two respects1 and ,i propose to profit by them4 ,one of the most remarkable things in the character and history of our ,father ,boehm is that he has not reached his second childhood4 ,he is just as manly as he ever has been1 in any period of his past history1 and his mental powers are preserved to him in their strength1 in their harmony1 and in their adaptation to the office and work in which he has spent his long and holy life4 ,his physical strength is lessened4 ,the great probability is that we shall not have his presence at a conference where most of us will be gathered again in this world4 ,he may attend other annual conferences with us1 but the most of this congregation1 and probably some of these ministers1 will not be present2 and it seems to us fitting that he should now give us his benediction1 and a few farewell words4 ,in #ahcb ,bishop ,m',kendree came this side of the mountains for the last time4 ,he preached the sermon when ,i was ordained deacon4 ,bishop ,hedding ordained me1 but he preached the sermon4 ,he was then quite as feeble as ,brother ,boehm is now4 ,he went from the ,philadelphia ,conference at ,wilmington to the ,general ,conference which was held in ,philadelphia4 ,he assisted to some extent in the services of that session4 ,a little before its close1 feeling his infirmities and desiring to escape the excitement of the close of the conference1 he took occasion to bid the conference farewell4 ,he was assisted to the platform1 where the bishops1 secretaries1 and representatives of other conferences were sitting1 and he stood before them in all his patriarchal character1 lifted up his hands1 and simply said to that ,general ,conference of ministers1 8,little children1 love one another10 bowed1 and left the platform1 the conference rising as he retired1 went to his home in ,nashville1 and very soon died4 ,now if ,father ,boehm can say no more words than those1 let us have his benediction this morning4 ,,father ,,boehm',s ,,benediction4 ,father ,boehm responded thus3-- ,,my ,,beloved ,,brethren3 ,it is very probable this is the last time ,i shall be with you at an annual conference4 ,if it is1 ,i hope we shall meet up yonder when we go4 ,i now take my leave of you1 and ask the ,lord to bless you1 and bless you abundantly4 ,may this year be a great year in the ,newark ,conference1 as well as throughout the land and throughout the world6 ,the grace of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 the love of ,god1 and the communion of the ,holy ,ghost1 be with you all ever more4 ,amen4 ,the patriarch spoke distinctly throughout1 and was heard without difficulty in all parts of the church4 ,,address ,,of ,,dr4 ,,deems4 ,dr4 ,deems was introduced and spoke as follows3-- ,,mr4 ,,president1 ,,fathers ,,and ,,brethren1 ,,and ,,mothers ,,and ,,sisters3 ,i have come over to ,jersey ,city this morning on a little private anniversary of my own4 ,i am not a hundred years old by a good deal1 but ,i have always really expected and hoped for the last twenty-five years of my ministry to preach on my one hundredth birthday1 and ,i intend1 ,god willing1 to do it yet4 ,fathers and brethren1 it is just thirty-five years ago when you were good enough1 without seeing me1 to take me into this conference as a preacher4 ,it was a great peril1 but you took the risks4 ,i had preached on a circuit in ,new ,jersey one year before ,i ever saw this conference4 ,then ,i saw this body thirty-four years ago in the city of ,newark1 and saw it to love it4 ,at that time your ,bishop ,janes was ,secretary of the ,american ,bible ,society2 and somehow he seemed to have been born a bishop1 because1 ever since ,i knew any thing about him1 he has been sending men all about the world4 ,he picked me up off the hills of ,warren ,county1 and sent me down into ,north ,carolina as ,agent of the ,american ,bible ,society2 and ,i have never seen the ,newark ,conference since until to-day4 8,what troubles have we seen6 ,what conflicts have we pass'd6 ,fightings without1 and fears within1 ,since we assembled last6 ,but out of all the ,lord ,hath brought us by his love40 ,it is a peculiarly happy circumstance that after these thirty-five years of ministry1 in which ,i have been called to so many various positions in the ,church of ,god1 in the ,methodist ,church and elsewhere in the general work of ,christianity1 that ,i come back to meet your conference under the presidency of an old college-mate1 always beloved from the days of our youth until now1 beloved over the storm of war1 beloved over the field of blood2 and it is a happy thing that now ,i can be presented to you by ,bishop ,janes1 who1 having picked me up and sent me away1 ,i determined that day1 ,god willing1 to help to make bishop2 ,i fell to work among the southern delegations when they were going up to the ,general ,conference1 and when they came back they turned to me and said1 8,well1 we have made your friend bishop20 and the accounts were square4 ,now we owe nothing to one another1 bishop1 but to love one another1 and now we will see who will pray best1 quickest1 fastest1 richest1 and be like our ,lord1 who is munificent4 ,i thank ,god that ,i am a preacher of the ,gospel of the ,son of ,god4 ,i thank ,god that with my advancing years ,i do love the work of preaching and of the pastorate4 ,i do thank ,god that every week1 more and more1 without distinction of sect or nationality or other difference1 ,i do more and more deeply love all that call and profess themselves ,christians4 ,i have no right to detain you1 ,mr4 ,president1 fathers1 and brethren1 any further with remarks of my own4 ,father ,boehm hath seemed to come to say1 8farewell40 ,i have come to say1 ,hail1 brethren1 hail6 ,o1 my brethren1 life is full of these hails and farewells2 but1 blessed be ,god6 every time there is a 8farewell0 spoken it is followed by a 8hail40 ,as soon as ,father ,boehm shall say1 8,farewell1 farewell10 to all these bishops1 old and young1 on earth1 how quickly thereafter he will say1 8,all hail6 all hail60 to the blessed bishops that have gone before him into the skies6 ,when ,i started this morning ,i told my family why ,i was coming2 and it is a rare thing for me to leave my work4 ,i started with a sense of joyousness and pleasure1 but while ,i have been sitting at the foot of this pulpit ,i had a sense of awe and humiliation4 ,since ,i saw you last1 brethren1 ,i have had great opportunities1 ,i have had great positions of usefulness2 ,i have had troops of friends2 ,i have had all that heart in this world could wish2 ,i have had a perfect domestic circle2 ,i have two children in heaven--one about to enter the ministry and taken up above4 ,i have four children upon earth2 they are all communicants of the ,church of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 and two ,sundays ago one of them preached his first sermon4 ,i have had great opportunities1 but as ,i sat to-day at the foot of this pulpit ,i have felt so humiliated that ,i have done so little for the cause of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,brethren1 ,i have written much1 ,i have spoken much1 and ,i want to tell you now that as ,i sat on this solemn occasion in which ,father ,boehm was preaching this centenarian sermon that ,i have this morning profoundly regretted all the time and all the talent that ,i have spent in any department of literature1 or science1 or public life which did not more and more qualify me to preach ,jesus ,christ and him crucified4 ,i count it loss1 and1 by ,god's grace1 no more of my time shall be thus lost4 ,we have but one work--to save souls2 and ,i have no doubt that the hundred years looks very short to ,father ,boehm now4 ,brethren1 the time is short1 and we shall soon be in eternity4 ,god grant that all the atmosphere of our lives may be so spent in his service that we shall finish our course with joy1 and this ministry which we have received of the ,lord ,jesus4 ,then1 whatever else will be unfinished1 we shall have made a rounded and triumphant life4 ,i thank you for your great kindness4 ,,address ,,of ,,the ,,rev4 ,,dr4 ,,wakeley4 ,the ,rev4 ,j4 ,b4 ,wakeley1 ,d4,d41 was requested to address the conference1 and responded by saying3-- ,i indorse all that ,bishop ,janes said concerning our venerable and venerated father4 ,i honor every gray hair upon that head1 turning to ,father ,boehm1 and believe one of the purest spirits ever formed by the ,almighty dwells in that body4 ,i have spent years with him3 ,i am talking about what ,i know4 ,i have known his inner life2 and while ,i have been sitting here ,i have been thinking about that wonderful saying of the psalmist1 blessing the ,lord for forgiving our iniquities1 healing all our diseases1 keeping our eyes from tears and our feet from falling1 satisfying our mouth with good things1 and renewing our youth like the eagle's4 ,i heard an old lady say in love-feast one time1 8,i was left a poor widow with seven children2 ,i did not know what would become of them or me either4 ,god has been a husband to me and a father to my fatherless children4 ,they are all converted4 ,now look at me4 ,time has shaken me by the hand2 the strong man begins to bow himself2 those that look out of the windows are darkened2 the keepers of the house tremble2 the grinders are ceasing because they are few4 ,i have an old1 feeble body1 but1 glory to ,god6 ,i have a young soul40 ,here1 continued ,dr4 ,wakeley1 pointing to ,father ,boehm1 8is a young soul40 ,well1 now1 then1 just think1 just throw your mind back and remember you have heard a man preach that was born before the ,republic was born1 when we were colonies dependent on ,great ,britain1 long before ,washington was inaugurated ,president1 having lived under every ,president from ,washington down to ,grant4 ,here is a man who was born before the ,methodist ,episcopal ,church existed2 here is a man who heard ,robert ,strawbridge preach at his father's house1 who founded ,methodism in ,maryland1 and was very near contemporary with ,philip ,embury4 ,he heard ,benjamin ,abbott1 that son of thunder1 at his father's house2 and the people fell like dead men around him when the old man was preaching1 for he always called for power when he preached4 ,well1 just think that he was with ,bishop ,whatcoat when he was dying1 and in his last days and hours ministered to his wants4 ,just think that he was with ,jesse ,lee in #ahaf1 the first historian of ,methodism1 closed his eyes1 and laid him quietly at rest4 ,think of his traveling one hundred thousand miles on horseback to preach the glorious ,gospel of the blessed ,god4 ,think of his being five years the traveling companion of ,bishop ,asbury4 ,think of his living to see our ,republic growing1 till ,states have become as large as empires1 and conference after conference has multiplied until the ,atlantic speaks to the ,pacific1 and the ,pacific answers back--deep answers unto deep4 ,he has seen ,annual ,conferences established in ,india1 in ,china1 and in ,germany1 the land of ,luther and the ,reformation4 ,i want you to understand that ,father ,boehm is not an old man who is disgusted with life1 finding fault with the present age and comparing it invidiously with the former4 ,no2 he has kept up with the times2 he reads the newspapers and knows what is going on in the ,church and what is going on in the ,state4 ,he has been a live man until this hour4 ,i heard old ,uncle ,billy ,hibbard say1 8,i want you to understand that ,billy ,hibbard don't mean to die while he lives40 ,i assure you that you have listened to-day to the most marvelous man in the ,methodist ,episcopal ,church1 if not in the world's history4 ,o1 think of a hundred years past6 ,there were no railroads1 nor steamboats1 nor telegraphs1 nor any thing of that kind when ,father ,boehm was a boy4 ,turning to the patriarch1 ,did you cross in an old scow from ,jersey ,city to ,new ,york the first time8 ,,father ,,boehm4 ,yes4 ,,dr4 ,,wakeley4 ,there were no horse-boats or ferry-boats then8 ,,father ,,boehm4 ,no4 ,,dr4 ,,wakeley4 ,somebody1 a colored man1 ,i believe1 used to come down on the ,new ,york side and blow a horn1 telling them that the boat was going over4 ,that is the way they traveled then4 ,o1 how the world has moved since then6 ,where are those to whom he preached in the different ,states8 ,where are the bishops that he knew8 ,o how many have passed on to the other side of the river with whom our venerable father worshiped in the dwellings and in the churches6 ,i thought while ,i listened here to-day of that beautiful sentiment of ,charles ,wesley1 8,god buries his workmen1 but carries on his work40 ,voltaire said1 8,christianity is in its twilight40 ,he was correct1 but he mistook the time of day4 ,it was not the twilight of the evening that precedes the darkness of the night1 but the twilight of the morning that precedes the brilliancy of an eternal day4 ,father ,boehm may die1 but the work will go on1 and on1 and on until the last son and daughter of ,adam hears the story of the manger1 the garden1 and the ,cross4 ,i gave him a little advice fifteen years ago2 ,i hope he has profited by it4 ,i said1 8,father ,boehm1 make up your mind to live to be a hundred years old40 ,he said he would try4 8,you might as well do it10 said ,i4 ,well1 now1 then1 here he is1 born the eighth of ,june1 #agge4 ,think how the world has moved forward4 ,a hundred years past--a hundred years to come6 ,where will we be a hundred years to come8 ,long before that our venerable father will be on the other side of the river4 ,o that his last song on earth may be1 8,my heart and my flesh faileth1 but ,god is the strength of my heart and my portion forever60 ,he has given us his blessing1 and now we will give him our benediction4 ,may the blessing of him whose blessing maketh rich and addeth no sorrow rest upon him2 may ,god guide him a little longer by his counsel and afterward receive him to glory6 ,o1 how many you will meet up yonder that you knew here6 ,a hundred years to come and all these bishops will be with ,asbury1 ,m',kendree1 and ,george4 ,a hundred years to come and we will be walking with ,jesus in white4 ,a hundred years to come and we will be listening to the song of redemption before the throne4 ,good ,john ,bunyan described the white-robed multitude1 and he says3 8,which when ,i saw them1 ,i wished myself among them40 ,o1 we shall soon be there1 and ,i tell you it will be sweet to meet at ,jesus' feet those we love6 ,it is said that ,charles ,wesley1 when he met his old friends as we have met to-day1 would always give out those two verses of his3-- 8,there all the ship's company meet1 ,who sail'd with the ,saviour beneath2 ,with shouting each other they greet1 ,and triumph o'er sorrow and death3 ,the voyage of life's at an end2 ,the mortal affliction is past3 ,the age that in heaven they spend1 ,forever and ever shall last40 ,so may we meet where we can die no more4 ,i want to get to that world where they cannot die from disease1 for nobody is sick2 where they cannot die from old age1 for nobody grows old2 where they cannot die from care1 for there are no care-worn cheeks4 8,neither can they die any more10 says ,jesus4 ,they are under a divine restraint to live forever--immortal as ,gabriel1 immortal as the 8,king eternal1 immortal1 invisible40 ,they are equal to the angels of ,god in dignity1 in purity1 in felicity1 and in immortality4 ,there ,i hope to meet you1 old patriarch of ,methodism1 and all these people who are here1 where we can see with our own eyes the ,king in his beauty1 and we will crown him ,lord of all4 ,a ,,brother4 8,i want ,brother ,wakeley to advise ,father ,boehm to live a little longer1 to see the celebration of the birthday of the nation40 ,the meeting was brought to a close by ,bishop ,ames1 who pronounced the benediction4 ,,chapter ,,xlvii4 ,,one ,,hundred ,,years ,,old--,,special ,,centennial ,,service4 ,on ,tuesday1 ,june #h1 #ahge1 ,father ,boehm completed the one hundredth year of his age4 ,the event was publicly celebrated on that day in the ,trinity ,methodist ,episcopal ,church1 ,jersey ,city1 under the auspices of a committee of the ,newark ,conference1 to which the reverend centenarian belongs4 ,of course the church was crowded1 and1 as was the case at the preliminary service held in ,april1 the building could not accommodate all who sought admission4 ,among the ministers present were the venerable ,dr4 ,john ,s4 ,porter1 ,rev4 ,bartholomew ,weed1 ,rev4 ,father ,reynolds2 ,presiding ,elders ,vanhorne and ,brice1 of the ,newark ,conference2 ,president ,john ,f4 ,hurst1 ,d4,d41 ,prof4 ,john ,miley1 ,prof4 ,h4 ,a4 ,buttz1 and ,prof4 ,kidder1 of ,drew ,theological ,seminary2 ,rev4 ,jacob ,todd1 ,rev4 ,dr4 ,foss1 ,rev4 ,dr4 ,dashiell1 ,rev4 ,geo4 ,l4 ,taylor1 ,rev4 ,dr4 ,de ,puy1 ,rev4 ,dr4 ,bartine1 ,rev4 ,j4 ,m4 ,freeman1 ,rev4 ,john ,atkinson1 and other members of the ,newark1 ,new ,jersey1 ,philadelphia1 ,new ,york1 ,new ,york ,east1 and other ,conferences4 ,among the audience was the mother of ,president ,grant1 who had come to town expressly to attend the services4 ,a large and finely executed photographic portrait of ,father ,boehm hung in front of the pulpit4 ,the venerable patriarch himself entered the church1 attended by his physician1 ,dr4 ,walter ,hadden1 and took his place in the pulpit beside several of his ministerial brethren4 ,he was in excellent condition1 and remained throughout the service1 which was three and a half hours in duration1 without showing any signs of fatigue4 ,the ,rev4 ,r4 ,vanhorne presided4 ,the proceedings were opened by the quartet choir singing the following hymn1 written for the occasion by the ,rev4 ,thomas ,h4 ,smith3-- ,god of our patriarch friend1 ,we raise our hearts to thee ,whose love and mercy never end ,to all eternity4 ,thy kindly care appears2 ,it challenges our praise2 ,extending through a hundred years-- ,a hundred years of grace4 ,we praise thee for a life ,so useful1 ,christlike1 pure3 ,a life of manly ,christian strife ,thy glory to secure4 ,now crown his hoary age ,with blessings all divine2 ,and may his life through every page ,still bright and brighter shine4 ,and to his latest day ,be peace and honor given1 ,until he gently glides away ,to sing thy praise in heaven4 ,after a comprehensive and impressive prayer by ,rev4 ,bartholomew ,weed1 ,rev4 ,father ,reynolds read the ,twenty-third ,psalm4 ,then the choir sang the following hymn1 composed for the occasion by ,fanny ,crosby3-- ,thou ,rock on which our ,church is built1 ,and shall forever stand1 ,on him1 its oldest watchman1 now ,thy blessing1 ,lord1 command4 ,behold this vet'ran of the cross1 ,our aged pilgrim sire1 ,and let the ardor of the past ,once more his soul inspire4 ,well has he fought1 and long has trod ,the strait and narrow way2 ,the circle of his life completes ,a hundred years to-day4 ,dear ,saviour1 bear him in thine arms ,while he on earth shall stay2 ,and with his years may blessings come ,a hundredfold to-day4 ,so may we live1 that we at last ,may sing thy praise with him1 ,where hearts shall never fail with time1 ,nor eyes with age grow dim4 ,father ,boehm then arose1 and amid profound silence and in a clear voice1 which was heard distinctly throughout the church1 spoke as follows3-- ,,father ,,boehm',s ,,remarks4 ,i rejoice to meet you here to-day1 my brethren in the ,lord4 ,i rejoice that ,i am privileged to see the wonderful progress of the work of the ,lord through our land4 ,i rejoice that ,i am permitted to see such an assemblage here to-day4 ,the first time ,i passed through this place there was no town here4 ,that was in #ahji1 with the venerable ,bishop ,asbury4 ,there were sand-banks1 and so on1 here then1 but no houses--except the ferry-house1 ,i think4 ,blessed be ,god for his wonderful work throughout our land6 ,yes1 where we passed through wildernesses and solitary places1 they are now inhabited1 and churches have arisen1 where a numerous and enlightened people worship and praise the ,lord4 ,thanks be to his name6 ,i cannot speak very long4 ,i will commit the subject of my experience and travels to my 8venerable0 ,brother ,atkinson1 who will read you some facts appropriate to this occasion4 ,rev4 ,john ,atkinson1 on rising to read the autobiographical sketch1 referring to the mirth occasioned by the centenarian's jocose allusion1 said3 8,father ,boehm understands that this is a festive occasion1 and these good people like a little good cheer40 ,he then read the following ,,sketch ,,of ,,father ,,boehm',s ,,life4 ,i was born in ,lancaster ,county1 ,pennsylvania1 on ,june #h1 #agge1 one hundred years ago this day4 ,i was one year a subject of ,king ,george1 as it was not until ,i had attained that age that the ,american people renounced their allegiance to the ,british ,government by proclaiming the ,declaration of ,independence4 ,the noise of the battles of ,concord and ,lexington had scarcely died away when ,i drew my first breath1 so that my history includes nearly the whole of the period of the ,revolutionary ,war4 ,i was a contemporary of the fathers and founders of the ,republic1 and have lived under the administration of all the ,presidents of the ,united ,states4 ,i clearly remember the days of ,washington's presidency1 and ,i cast my first vote for his successor1 ,john ,adams1 in #agif4 ,i lived through almost a quarter of the last century1 and have lived thus far through the present one1 and ,i have witnessed with my own eyes the rise1 progress1 and present grand development of the ,united ,states of ,america4 ,the changes and progress of the country within my recollection have been so vast and overwhelming ,i scarcely know how to speak of them4 ,when ,i became a man there was only thirteen ,states4 ,early in this century ,ohio became a member of the ,federal ,union1 and then the star of our empire moved westward until it shone upon the waves of the ,pacific ,ocean4 ,i witnessed the system of slavery in the ,southern ,states1 and ,i have been permitted to see it swept from the land1 and the banner of impartial freedom waving triumphantly over every ,state4 ,bless the ,lord6 ,i well remember the days when the steamboat was unknown1 and the railroad unthought of4 ,the winds of heaven wafted our commerce1 and horses furnished our swiftest means of travel by land4 ,i1 myself1 have traveled over a hundred thousand miles on horseback4 ,i have witnessed the progress of the nation in population and wealth to a degree that seems incredible to have been attained in one man's life-time4 ,i have seen the increase of the oldest cities1 and the founding and wonderful growth of newer ones4 ,i have observed the advancement of our people from a comparatively rude and pioneer condition to their present high status of intelligence1 wealth1 and refinement4 ,when1 in #ahji1 ,i first stood upon the site of the city in which we are this day assembled1 ,i think there were no buildings upon it except the ferry-house and the barn-houses which here and there dotted it4 ,to-day its streets and buildings cover a territory many miles in circumference1 and its population exceeds one hundred thousand souls4 ,then the city of ,new ,york only reached to ,canal-street1 and ,brooklyn was a very small town4 ,cincinnati had then only commenced its history1 and ,chicago was yet to be4 ,i have seen wonderful progress in the religious world in my time4 ,i was born nine years after the introduction of ,methodism in ,new ,york by ,barbara ,heck and ,philip ,embury1 and nine years before the organization of the ,methodist ,episcopal ,church1 and the election of its first bishops1 ,coke and ,asbury4 ,when my life began there were1 probably1 scarcely a half score of ,methodist houses of worship on this continent1 and there were only #c1adh members and #ai traveling preachers4 ,when ,i commenced my public life ,methodism was small1 both numerically and financially4 ,there were very few commodious churches except in the large cities1 such as ,st4 ,george's1 in ,philadelphia1 ,light-street1 in ,baltimore1 and ,john-street1 in ,new ,york4 ,our best churches of that day were very inferior compared with those of the present4 ,our meetings were mostly held1 at the time ,i began to preach1 in private houses1 in barns1 and wherever we could obtain shelter4 ,there was much opposition shown toward us1 and ,i have had stones hurled at me while preaching4 ,i joined the ,methodist ,episcopal ,church in #agig1 in ,boehm's ,chapel1 being at that time twenty-two years of age4 ,my father1 ,martin ,boehm1 was many years a minister among the ,united ,brethren1 and was a bishop in that ,church4 ,he was for a long time a warm personal friend of ,bishop ,asbury1 and toward the close of his life he united with our ,church4 ,boehm's ,chapel is still standing in good condition1 and is now the church of the neighborhood where it stands4 ,my father's influence contributed much toward its erection4 ,bishop ,whatcoat furnished the plan of the edifice4 ,it was built in #agia1 was the first ,methodist church in ,lancaster ,county1 and it was one of the early fortresses of ,american ,methodism4 ,i was licensed to preach ,january #f1 #ahjj1 by ,rev4 ,thomas ,ware1 who was then presiding elder on the ,chesapeake ,district1 and who at the same time appointed me to travel ,dorchester ,circuit1 on the eastern shore of ,maryland4 ,therefore ,i was never a local preacher1 though ,i have been a witness of the great usefulness of that numerous and honored class of ,gospel heralds1 whose unremunerated and zealous labors have done so much for the evangelization of this nation4 ,in the days of my effective ministry the local ministry was an indispensable adjunct of our itinerant system4 ,about four months after ,i was licensed to preach ,i attended the ,general ,conference of #ahjj1 in ,baltimore4 ,i was present at ,richard ,whatcoat's ordination as bishop1 in the presence of that body1 in ,light-street ,church1 and heard ,dr4 ,coke's sermon on that occasion4 ,i also was a witness of1 and participant in1 the wonderful revival which prevailed in ,baltimore during that ,general ,conference4 ,people fell under the mighty influence that rested upon them as they walked the streets4 ,after the ,general ,conference closed ,i attended the ,philadelphia ,conference at ,smyrna1 7then ,duck ,creek17 where the revival work went forward with great power4 ,it extended1 in fact1 over the whole ,peninsula4 ,when ,i traveled ,annamessex ,circuit1 in #ahja1 with ,william ,colbert1 we received eight hundred persons into the ,church in that ,circuit alone4 ,methodism was very prosperous on the ,peninsula in that day1 and included among its members many of the first people of that section4 ,dr4 ,white1 ,harry ,ennalls1 ,governor ,bassett1 of ,delaware1 an eminent lawyer1 a judge1 and a member of ,congress in #aghg1 ,dr4 ,sellers1 and others1 gave influence and strength to the denomination in those early times4 ,the social position of our ,church has hardly been relatively higher anywhere in this country1 at any time in its history1 than it was in the ,peninsula in the beginning of this century4 ,that region furnished many of our best and most successful preachers in the days when there were giants among us1 for truly there were giants in those days4 ,among the great men of that period was ,dr4 ,chandler1 a man of commanding intellect1 of large executive capacity1 a powerful preacher1 a mighty evangelist1 greatly successful in winning souls4 ,jesse ,lee1 one of the ,church's noblest and brightest names1 was then in his ripe maturity1 and lost the bishopric by only one vote at the first ,general ,conference ,i attended4 ,i was with him in his last hours1 heard his rapturous and triumphant utterances as he met his final foe1 and1 at his own request1 ,i closed his eyes after the great soul departed4 ,william ,colbert1 one of my early colleagues was a man of low stature1 but of high usefulness1 indefatigable in labor1 and among the first in success4 ,that portion of my life in which ,i was the traveling companion of bishop ,asbury has probably the most public interest1 because ,i was in that capacity the representative of the denomination at large1 and was the most intimate and daily associate of a man1 the purity and greatness of whose character1 and the vastness and value of whose work1 must forever place him among the foremost servants of ,god and mankind4 ,bishop ,asbury chose me to be his traveling companion in the spring of #ahjh--which choice the ,philadelphia ,conference ratified--and ,i ceased traveling with him at the conference of #ahac1 when he appointed me presiding elder of the ,schuylkill ,district1 which comprised the whole territory from ,wilmington to ,stroudsburgh1 between the ,susquehanna and the ,delaware4 ,my first tour with ,bishop ,asbury was from a point between ,baltimore and ,fredericktown1 ,maryland--a spot historic in ,methodism1 where ,strawbridge built his log church2 thence westward4 ,we crossed the ,alleghany ,mountains on our way1 and the ascent occupied thirty-nine hours4 ,i have since crossed the ,alleghanies several times in express trains in a much shorter time4 ,i had previously accompanied ,asbury to the ,alleghanies in #ahjc1 where ,i left him to pursue his westward journey1 while ,i returned to my work4 ,having passed the mountains1 we made our way to ,wheeling2 thence through ,ohio1 ,kentucky1 ,tennessee2 thence pursued a southerly course1 visiting the conferences in the ,southern ,states4 ,during the western portion of this tour we visited the territory of ,indiana1 which was a vast wilderness4 ,we traveled in it thirty-six miles1 and saw in all that distance only six human habitations4 ,among the noted and worthy laymen whose acquaintance ,i formed1 and by whom ,i was entertained on this my first journey with ,bishop ,asbury1 were ,governor ,tiffin and ,governor ,worthington1 both of ,ohio1 who were exemplary and devoted members and representatives of our ,church4 ,during our progress through ,tennessee we were joined by ,bishop ,m',kendree1 who had just been elected a bishop at ,baltimore1 and who was on his first episcopal tour4 ,he accompanied us through the ,south1 presiding with ,asbury over the ,southern conferences4 ,i became acquainted with the ,southern ,methodist preachers at that time4 ,lovick ,pierce1 but a few years my junior1 was then conspicuous for the purity and beauty of his character1 and his popular talents as a preacher1 and he yet lingers1 with me1 behind our beloved early colaborers who have gone on before4 ,william ,capers1 beautiful in person and eloquent in speech1 was at that time received on trial by the conference4 ,he was afterward one of the most distinguished men in our connection1 and became a bishop of the ,church ,south after we were divided4 ,the ,southern ,methodists at that time were remarkable for their spiritual fervor1 and ,christian friendliness and hospitality4 ,there were among them many noble examples of the great virtues produced by our faith4 ,i learned to love the ,south1 and ,i have now fond memories of my friends whom ,i once cherished there4 ,i knew the ,south when there was but one ,methodism in ,america4 ,i wept when1 in #ahdd1 we were rent asunder1 and now1 as ,i stand amid the thronging memories of a century1 ,i plead and pray that ,methodism1 ,north and ,south1 may become one again4 ,i am1 in some sense1 at least1 a representative of the fathers of the ,church--of the preachers and bishops who toiled and sacrificed to lay strong the foundations of our beautiful ,zion1 and ,i am sure ,i do not misrepresent them when1 in their name1 and as almost their sole survivor1 ,i plead for a united ,methodism throughout this great land4 ,this desire and prayer leaps strong and warm out of my heart1 which1 after beating for a hundred years1 still beats as true and strong as ever for the welfare of the ,church to which its best love and zeal have been given4 ,during this first tour with ,bishop ,asbury ,i saw the ,virginia ,conference4 ,it was composed of a fine body of men4 ,there was one striking fact connected with it4 ,of the eighty-four members of the body1 the two bishops1 and the traveling companion of the bishops1 all were bachelors except three4 ,our early preachers were compelled to deny themselves largely of the pleasures and endearments of domestic life1 in order that they might do the work of evangelists and make full proof of their ministry4 ,at this time ,i made the acquaintance of1 and was entertained by1 ,edward ,lee1 at ,petersburgh1 ,va4 ,he was a brother of ,jesse ,lee1 and father of ,rev4 ,dr4 ,leroy ,m4 ,lee1 now1 and for a long time1 a distinguished representative of ,southern ,methodism4 ,from the ,virginia ,conference we proceeded over the ,blue ,ridge to ,harrisonburgh1 where we attended the ,baltimore ,conference2 thence to the ,philadelphia ,conference1 in ,st4 ,george's1 ,philadelphia1 ,bishops ,asbury and ,m',kendree alternately presiding4 ,though attending all the conferences1 ,i was a member of this conference1 and was home again with my brethren4 ,when my name was called in conference the brethren said3 8,none but the bishop can tell whether there is any thing against ,brother ,boehm40 ,the bishop rose and said1 with much gravity3 8,nothing against ,brother ,boehm40 ,this conference has given many noble and illustrious ministers and laymen to the ,church4 ,after the ,philadelphia ,conference1 we proceeded onward through ,new ,jersey1 which ,bishop ,asbury had not visited for twenty-five years1 and we missed our way in the ,pines1 and reaching a church where the bishop had an appointment to preach1 we found that1 as a result of our delay1 the services had been commenced by the preacher in charge of the circuit4 ,the house was crowded4 ,bishop ,asbury immediately entered the pulpit1 and1 after talking a brief time1 he stepped backward and said3 8,i cannot preach2 ,henry1 you must get up and preach40 ,i immediately arose1 and the passage came to my mind1 8,and all thy children shall be taught of the ,lord1 and great shall be the peace of thy children40 ,if the passage had not come to my mind ,i should have been dumb1 but as it was ,i preached from it1 and had a good time4 ,after ,i finished the bishop arose and delivered a warm exhortation4 ,this was in the coast region of ,south ,jersey in #ahji4 ,proceeding toward ,new ,york1 we were joined by bishop ,m',kendree again at ,elizabeth1 and at ,elizabethport we saw for the first time a steamboat4 ,it excited our curiosity4 ,we passed on to ,paulus' ,hook1 now ,jersey ,city4 ,here for the first time ,i saw the noble ,hudson1 and crossed it to ,new ,york1 where we met the conference in ,john-street ,church4 ,bishop ,m',kendree was then first introduced to the ,new ,york ,conference4 ,i traveled many hundreds of miles with ,m',kendree during my five years' sojournings with ,asbury1 and heard him preach1 probably1 at least a hundred times4 ,he was a very powerful preacher4 ,he often preached great sermons1 and seldom preached a poor one4 ,from the ,new ,york ,conference we proceeded to ,new ,england1 attending the only conference in that section1 after which we proceeded again on our western and southern tour4 ,but it is impossible for me on this occasion to recount the many scenes and events ,i witnessed during my long journeys with that great man1 whose memory is ever green in my heart4 ,it was my office to attend upon and minister to him for five years4 ,i frequently lifted him upon his horse1 and helped him to alight4 ,i gave him medicine when he was sick1 and watched with him at night4 ,it was my privilege to attend ,bishop ,whatcoat in his last illness1 at ,governor ,bassett's1 in ,delaware1 in #ahjf4 ,i have been personally acquainted with all our bishops1 from ,coke to ,peck1 but to none have ,i been so endeared as to ,bishop ,asbury4 ,i guarded him in his journeys when it was unsafe for him to be without a companion1 and ,i shared with him the perils of the wilderness4 ,in ,north ,carolina1 coming on from ,wilmington toward ,newbern1 ,bishop ,asbury's horse became frightened and ran away4 ,he was in the sulky1 and ,i was on horseback4 ,i suffered great apprehension of mind1 not knowing what to do4 ,i did not dare to pursue after him lest ,i should increase the horse's fright1 and so add to the bishop's peril4 ,i began to pray1 and if ever ,i prayed ,i prayed then1 that ,god would deliver the bishop from the destruction with which he was threatened4 ,suddenly the horse stopped1 and became quiet and docile1 and ,i rode up to the bishop1 and found him in much trepidation1 but safe and thankful4 8,the ,lord is good3 a stronghold in the day of trouble1 and he knoweth them that trust in him40 ,as ,i attended and guarded and nursed ,asbury1 so am ,i attended1 nursed1 and tenderly cared for by my beloved daughter in my weakness and age4 ,my hope is bright1 and ,i expect soon to meet my colaborers on high4 ,the last of my dear friends who have preceded me was ,rev4 ,dr4 ,wakeley1 my intimate associate for many years4 ,he was to me a true and loving friend4 ,he was with me on my last birthday1 and participated in the service when ,i preached my centennial sermon at the last session of the ,newark ,conference4 ,he then expected to be here to-day2 but he is not here--he has gone on before4 ,i shall see him soon1 and ,asbury1 and others dear to me1 8,where the saints of all ages in harmony meet1 ,their ,saviour and brethren transported to greet2 ,while anthems of rapture unceasingly roll1 ,and the smile of the ,lord is the feast of the soul40 ,rev4 ,j4 ,m4 ,freeman then read the following letter from ,bishop ,asbury to ,rev4 ,joseph ,totten1 ,new ,brunswick1 ,n4 ,j41 written in #ahaa1 to which were added a few lines by ,father ,boehm3-- ,,letter ,,from ,,bishop ,,asbury4 ,,martin ,,boehm',s1 ,aug4 #aj1 #ahaa4 ,,my ,,dear ,,brother3 ,we have need of great grace to make and keep us what we ought to be as ,christian men and ,gospel ministers4 ,alas for poor4444 ,they are well kept whom the ,lord keepeth1 and they only4 ,i have been looking many years for a general spread1 not only of ,methodism1 but religion1 in ,jersey4 ,there1 ,i fear1 we shall grow so like other societies that there will be but little difference4 ,i have this morning opened about a dozen letters from the ,south--growing prospects still2 living and dying witnesses2 camp-meetings moving on2 thirty or forty souls coming out1 boldly declaring what the ,lord hath done for them4 ,it is of consequence to have scaffolding--,i mean houses--for the service of ,god4 ,i have many times felt with ,eli for the ark of ,god in forty years when ,i view our prosperity--#bjj1jjj members2 two or three millions of annual hearers2 between #b1jjj and #c1jjj local and traveling preachers2 that we minute almost #gjj in eight conferences4 ,satan1 the world1 carnal ,churches--more so than ourselves--envy us1 and wish our fall2 but let us watch1 and fast1 and pray4 ,the ,lord will direct4 ,children and great grandchildren may forget old fathers4 ,i shall keep close to children whether the ship should be in storm1 or calm1 or fresh breeze2 near the helm1 if permitted1 or before the mast4 ,i cannot leave them or cast them off4 ,let my traveling so many thousand miles in pain1 in lameness1 in hunger1 in thirst1 in all seasons1 witness1 that ,i wish to stand clear of a party or policy4 ,i must speak and write as a plain1 open man1 as you have always found me4 ,your request to know the names of the delegates is what any one in your standing might reasonably wish1 and the names are on the cover of my ,characteristic ,book4 ,brother ,boehm knoweth the delegates2 he may give them in this letter4 ,i may be censured if ,i do it2 nothing is hid4 ,i conclude4 ,let us be plain1 peaceable1 praying men2 the ,lord will direct us all4 ,i hope for the best4 ,you will recollect how restless two young men were in the last ,general ,conference4 ,it was but a little while they had to feel the rod or staff of the bishops4 ,i am most affectionately1 as ever1 yours1 ,f4 ,,asbury4 ,following is ,father ,boehm's postscript to the above3-- ,,at ,,my ,,father',s1 ,aug4 #aa4 ,,dear ,,brother3 ,through a kind and gracious ,providence my life and peace are perpetuated to the present moment4 ,i desire to exercise greater confidence in the ,lord as regards myself and the ,church of ,god4 ,h4 ,,boehm4 ,rev4 ,abraham ,j4 ,palmer read some letters which had been received by the committee in charge of the centennial celebration1 among which were the following3-- ,,letter ,,from ,,bishop ,,janes4 ,,new ,,york1 ,may #h1 #ahge4 ,,rev4 ,a4 ,j4 ,,palmer1 ,,dear ,,sir3 ,i thank the committee for inviting me to be present at the one hundredth birthday of ,rev4 ,henry ,boehm4 ,i should regard it as a very high honor1 and it would be a very great pleasure1 to participate in the services of that very unusual occasion were it practicable for me to do so consistently with engagements made previous to the reception of your invitation4 ,my engagements in the ,west will not allow me to return in time to enjoy the occasion4 ,permit me1 through you1 to extend to ,father ,boehm my warm congratulations and affectionate greetings4 ,i am sure one who has lived so long and intimately with ,god on earth will live with him forever in heaven4 ,may all who unite in celebrating his centennial share with him his immortality6 ,yours in ,christian love1 ,e4 ,s4 ,,janes4 ,,letter ,,from ,,bishop ,,bowman4 ,,chicago1 ,june #a1 #ahge4 ,,dear ,,father ,,boehm3 ,as neither my colleagues nor myself can be present at your centennial anniversary1 we beg to assure you that our absence does not in the least indicate any loss of respect or affection for you4 ,your pure ,christian character and holy life1 as well as your long and valuable services to the ,church1 have given you a warm place in our hearts4 ,we are glad and thankful that a kind ,providence has spared you to us so long1 and that you are permitted to enjoy so comfortable and happy an old age4 ,it would give us great pleasure to be present on the occasion referred to1 and participate in the interesting and memorable services connected with it4 ,but as other duties will not allow this1 we hereby send our hearty congratulations and ,christian greetings1 and most devoutly pray that ,god's blessings may abound toward you1 and that1 when the end shall have come1 the light of your cheerful and beautiful life may1 without a cloud or a shadow1 melt away into the glory of heaven4 ,yours affectionately1 ,,thomas ,,bowman1 ,by order of the ,board of ,bishops4 ,,letter ,,from ,,bishop ,,simpson4 ,,philadelphia1 ,june #g1 #ahge4 ,,dear ,,brother ,,palmer3 ,i regret that ,i cannot be present at ,father ,boehm's anniversary4 ,at our recent meeting ,i was appointed to hold the ,german ,conference and to visit our missions in ,italy and ,scandinavia1 and ,i expect to sail this week4 ,please present to ,father ,boehm my sincere congratulations that ,god has spared him so long to the ,church and the world4 ,few men have seen their hundredth anniversary4 ,very few ministers have ever approximated such an age4 ,his experience1 too1 has been so rich and joyous4 ,he has seen the ,church of his youth rise from infancy to maturity4 ,he has witnessed the development of all its agencies1 and the enlargement of its borders4 ,we rejoice still to have his presence with us1 and his blessing upon us4 ,may his last days be unusually full of gracious enjoyments1 and may he finally be crowned in holy triumph in our ,father's kingdom4 ,with thanks to the committee for their courtesy1 and with regret at my unavoidable absence1 ,i am yours1 truly1 ,m4 ,,simpson4 ,,letter ,,from ,,samuel ,,pettit4 ,,piqua1 ,o41 ,june #e1 #ahge4 ,rev4 ,,henry ,,boehm3 ,,my ,,dear ,,brother3 ,i see by the 8,western ,advocate0 that you expect to celebrate your hundredth anniversary1 which will be next ,tuesday1 and ,i should be glad were it in my power to meet you on that occasion4 ,but as this cannot be1 ,i must praise the ,lord1 and shake hands with you in my heart4 ,in #ahbb ,i stopped at your house in ,lancaster1 ,pa41 on my way to ,reading1 where ,methodism was soon after planted in that wicked town1 which was on your circuit1 and where you were likely to be drowned by swimming the ,schuylkill to get to your appointment there1 and where your books and clothes were well soaked in the water1 and where ,i took you to my house and had you dried and comforted as best ,i could4 ,it was in #ahbb that you gave me my first license1 which ,i still have to look at4 ,it was also in #ahbb1 at ,churchtown camp-meeting1 that you took into ,society ,ellen ,righter1 who has been my wife over fifty years1 and who has never been too tired to rise up and make the preachers comfortable at our house1 and who is known to most of the preachers of the ,cincinnati ,conference1 and whose praise is in all the ,churches4 ,you will remember ,brother ,kimber1 who was my fellow-laborer at ,reading in the ,church1 and helped greatly in the work of the ,lord4 ,he still lives in ,urbana1 ,ohio1 and he and ,i are now both in our seventy-ninth year1 and1 by the grace of ,god1 walking by the same rule1 and minding the same thing4 ,i thank my ,god for my acquaintance with you1 and for the long life with which my heavenly ,father has favored you1 and pray that your sun may grow brighter and broader at its setting1 and bring a pleasing day in glory4 ,,samuel ,,pettit4 ,p4 ,s4--,if you ever feel like writing me a line ,i should be very happy to receive it4 ,you will remember that ,i met you about ten years ago at your friend's below ,dayton1 where we spent two or three days together4 ,i may write to you some day again1 if ,i know your post-office4 ,s4 ,p4 ,,letter ,,from ,,aaron ,,wood4 ,,williamsport1 ,,ind41 ,june #d1 #ahge4 ,a4 ,j4 ,,palmer1 ,,jersey ,,city1 ,n4 ,j43-- ,,dear ,,sir3 ,please read the following at your meeting on the #hth1 as my congratulating contribution for the occasion4 ,in #ahaa ,asbury and ,boehm came to my father's1 in the ,state of ,ohio4 7,see 8,asbury's ,journal10 vol4 iii1 page #cag47 ,i was then nine years old1 and received from the bishop a catechism4 ,boehm will remember the visit4 ,but there is a fact that ,i give of importance1 learned from my mother4 ,her maiden name was ,mary ,con1 of ,york1 ,pa41 and when a child1 under the preaching and teaching of ,martin ,boehm gave her heart to her ,saviour4 ,i am the oldest of five sons of that mother1 and am now seventy-three1 and in the fifty-third year of my itinerancy4 ,i have met ,h4 ,boehm in ,new ,york1 in ,xenia1 and ,philadelphia1 and he will remember ,yours1 respectfully1 ,,aaron ,,wood4 ,reflections on the extent of personal influence3-- #a4 ,martin ,boehm1 the ,mennonite from ,germany4 #b4 ,mary ,con ,wood1 the ,methodist mother of preachers4 #c4 ,a4 ,wood1 a young preacher in ,indiana1 preaching in a cabin in ,knox ,county4 #d4 ,isaac ,owen1 brought to ,christ1 and made missionary to ,california4 ,and who knows but four more would reach around the world8 ,if ,god leaves me here in this sound body twenty-seven years more1 ,i may learn the names of persons who1 from ,owen in ,china1 and so on around to ,bohemia or ,bulgaria1 carried the same ,gospel which has saved me4 ,glory be to ,god6 ,amen4 ,a4 ,w4 ,a communication from ,dwight ,williams1 of ,cazenovia1 ,n4 ,y41 inclosed the following letters from ,father ,boehm and ,bishop ,asbury to ,rev4 ,robert ,birch1 a member of the ,east ,genesee ,conference at the time of his death1 which occurred about twenty-two years ago4 ,both letters were originally written upon the same sheet of paper4 ,,father ,,boehm',s ,,letter4 ,,camden1 ,s4 ,c41 ,dec4 #bc1 #ahaa4 ,,my ,,very ,,dear ,,brother3 ,i received yours a few days ago1 and was made glad with its contents1 particularly on finding that you enjoyed good health of body1 and1 above all1 are warring a good warfare4 ,it is so3 great and good men may sometimes be at least the accidental cause of leading us into inexpedient steps1 and if such a step or steps should be of such a nature and relation that we cannot step backward for life1 it behooves us to consider well1 especially as itinerant ministers of the ever blessed ,gospel of ,jesus ,christ4 ,the rewards of grace and glory are suspended on self-denial and taking up the cross4 ,but1 my dear brother1 how liable we are to lose sight of the spiritual prize6 for it must be received by faith4 ,my mind is satisfied that nothing can reconcile a young man to move on as though he cared for nothing of a temporal or domestic nature but the power of grace1 and the perpetual exercise of the same4 ,no doubt you would be glad to hear some account of our tour4 ,we traveled extensively through the ,state of ,ohio previous to the ,western ,conference1 at which we had a good time1 both in conference and in the congregations4 ,some conversions4 ,things were very promising as to the perpetuation of peace1 order1 and discipline among preachers and people4 ,upward of three thousand increase4 ,one hundred and one preachers stationed4 ,from there we traveled rapidly to the west of ,georgia1 over into the ,new ,purchase1 down to ,savannah1 back to ,augusta1 ,columbia1 to this town--upward of eleven hundred miles since we left ,cincinnati4 ,there has been a gracious work of ,god1 in many parts1 within the bounds of this conference4 ,the increase1 in all probability1 will be considerable4 ,it would do you good to see the peace1 order1 and love which appear to be prominent features of this conference4 ,my health is as usual1 and ,i have reason to believe that my soul is advancing in humility and love4 ,o1 why is not my whole soul swallowed up in the goodness of ,god6 ,may the great ,head of the ,church be your wisdom1 comfort1 and strength6 ,father ,asbury has lately been considerably afflicted with a rheumatic touch in one of his knees1 but is at present nearly well4 ,i am1 dear brother1 yours1 etc41 ,h4 ,,boehm4 ,,bishop ,,asbury',s ,,letter4 ,,camden1 ,s4 ,c41 ,dec4 #bc1 #ahaa4 ,,my ,,dear ,,son3 ,o what graces and grace we need to conduct ourselves as sons of ,god1 without rebuke6 ,great grace we need to guide men of murmuring minds1 and called1 justified1 sanctified1 ministers of ,jesus4 ,this year with us is begun in the ,west and ,southern conferences4 ,the day of ,god1 the day of glory1 is begun4 ,near seven thousand added this year1 besides the numbers triumphantly gone to join the ,church above4 ,thus the wastage is more filled up4 ,these two conferences would be a great field for the poor supernumerary superintendent1 but we must wander through the new world4 ,we have recommended the first ,friday in ,may as a day of humiliation and fasting1 that if we must have some radical changes1 7as some say17 and the transfer of some of the appointing power to the principal officers in our ,church government1 the change may be of ,god1 and not of men1 who have partially for years been their own bishops4 ,pray2 watch2 flee youthful desires2 follow after every grace4 ,yours1 etc41 ,,francis ,,asbury4 ,,testimonial ,,to ,,father ,,boehm4 ,rev4 ,john ,s4 ,porter1 ,d4,d41 then came forward1 and turning to the patriarch1 said3-- ,i have great pleasure1 ,father ,boehm1 to meet you again in the presence of this large assembly4 ,i suppose there is no person present1 perhaps1 who has so continuous a recollection of you for so long a term of years as myself4 ,i do not recollect the time1 but ,i doubt not you do1 when in my infancy1 at the request of my now departed and sainted parents1 you baptized me in the name of the ,holy ,trinity4 ,when you came to the ,delaware ,district1 which1 ,i think1 was in #ahbj--'ai or '#bj-- ,,father ,,boehm--,thereabouts4 ,,dr4 ,,porter--,i was then a member of the ,church1 a lad about or nearly fifteen years of age1 and ,i recollect it was you who gave me the first book ,i ever felt sufficient interest in to read from the beginning to the end4 ,i suppose that book of religious letters is now out of print1 but ,i recollect my heart was warmed in reading those letters directed to ,bishop ,asbury1 ,i think chiefly from laborers in different parts of the field4 ,from that time it has been my privilege to know your personal history as to age and service in the ministry of the ,methodist ,episcopal ,church1 and ,i think what ,bishop ,asbury said when he was called upon to say whether there was any thing against ,henry ,boehm1 may well have been said from year to year from that time till now4 ,god be praised1 by whose grace you have been thus preserved6 ,your brethren1 sir1 desire to present to you some substantial token of their respect for you1 their interest in you1 and their affection for you in the evening of your life2 and although it was not so determined by the ,newark ,conference1 yet the ,newark ,conference was pleased to appoint a committee to take this matter in charge--the celebration of your centennial--and they have been pleased to issue circulars and to obtain from different quarters something of what ,kossuth1 ,i believe1 used to call 8material aid40 ,i have something from those who love you to present to you on this occasion1 and ,i am happy to say that one hundred and fifty dollars of this subscription comes from the ,philadelphia brethren4 ,i was present at their preachers' meeting1 and when ,i told them we were going to celebrate your centennial1 and suggested that they take the matter in hand1 7for ,i thought they would consider it a privilege to participate in this celebration17 they very cordially appointed a committee of three to represent them here1 and they also have collected that amount of money1 and those three brethren--,brothers ,todd1 ,chaplain1 and ,robinson1 together with ,brother ,fernley1 have come here to show their interest in this matter4 ,it is not possible for us to say1 ,father ,boehm1 how much the amount of this testimonial will yet be4 ,i have just been told1 however1 that a friend will make it up to the sum of five hundred dollars1 and ,i have no doubt there are other friends who desire to add to it1 and ,i hope it will not stop at that figure4 ,i know that other friends will be glad1 when the subject is presented to them1 to participate in the movement4 ,i hope1 so far as the 8material aid0 is concerned1 that it may be of comfort to you--not that the sum is so considerable1 but that you cannot1 ,i know you cannot1 but feel in your heart to rejoice that ,god raises up these friends for you4 ,with this substantial token of our regard for you handing ,father ,boehm a purse ,i close my remarks1 rejoicing that it is my privilege to sit at your feet1 and hoping to join you in the heavenly land4 ,father ,boehm was asked if he desired to reply in person1 and he said that instead of speaking himself he had selected ,professor ,buttz to represent him4 ,rev4 ,henry ,a4 ,buttz1 ,a4 ,m41 who then appeared in a double representative capacity--being called upon to speak for ,father ,boehm and also for the young men of the ,newark ,conference--spoke as follows3-- ,,address ,,of ,,prof4 ,,henry ,a4 ,,buttz4 ,,dr4 ,,porter3 ,little did ,father ,boehm suppose1 when he took you in his arms and baptized you in the name of the ,father1 ,son1 and ,holy ,ghost1 that you would greet him on the one hundredth anniversary of his birth with this token of the appreciation of his younger brethren4 ,i am requested by ,father ,boehm to return through you1 to all who have taken part in this occasion1 whether from the ,philadelphia1 ,new ,york1 or other conferences1 and particularly to the members of the ,newark ,conference1 with which he has been connected during these later years of his life1 his thanks for this renewed testimonial of affection4 ,all these brethren have a warm place in his heart4 ,he looks upon them not as his brethren only1 but with all the tenderness with which a father looks upon his sons1 and with a heart whose warmth a hundred years have not chilled he returns you his gratitude4 ,he receives this gift for the evidence it gives of your confidence and esteem4 ,father ,boehm gives thanks to ,god to-day that although he has been preaching the ,gospel since the year #ahjj with an average salary of less than two hundred dollars a year1 and in many instances he has given that to the ,church of ,christ1 yet now1 standing at the end of a century1 he can confirm by experience the truth of the ,divine promise to the righteous3 8,trust in the ,lord1 and do good2 so shalt thou dwell in the land1 and verily thou shalt be fed40 ,for one hundred years he has not wanted any good thing4 ,loving hearts have cared for him1 and gentle hands have ministered to him1 through all these years until this hour4 ,if it were proper1 it would be the wish of ,father ,boehm that ,i should express on this occasion1 to those of his own immediate circle who have cared for him so long1 his high appreciation of their love1 or1 to use his own words1 they have been to him 8better than good40 ,but this is a sacred precinct within which ,i dare not intrude4 ,let it suffice to say1 that although for many years he has had no son of his own1 ,providence has so arranged that he has not felt the lack1 and he has not wanted for the loving attentions either of son or daughter4 ,it is well known to those intimate with ,father ,boehm that he has always had a deep interest in young men1 especially in young ministers4 ,in the true spirit of the fathers he has hailed with joy every institution which proposed their improvement4 ,it is his desire that when he can no longer preach the ,gospel himself1 he may preach it through others1 so that he may still speak for ,christ on earth when he has passed to heaven4 ,i am commissioned by ,father ,boehm to say1 also1 that he gratefully receives this gift of his brethren2 that he will deposit it where it may be at hand in case of need2 and hoping1 as he does1 that he may never need it1 having always had his wants supplied in the past1 it is his purpose in that event1 and also that of those most intimately connected with him1 that this shall be employed as a fund to aid young men in preparing for the ministry in ,drew ,theological ,seminary4 ,again1 in ,father ,boehm's behalf1 ,i thank you1 and give to you1 in his name1 his centennial blessing1 in the language of the patriarch ,jacob to his son ,joseph3 8,god1 before whom my fathers ,abraham and ,isaac did walk1 the ,god which fed me all my life long unto this day1 the ,angel which redeemed me from all evil1 bless the lads2 and let my name be named on them1 and the name of my fathers ,abraham and ,isaac2 and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth40 ,but1 venerable father1 ,i have another mission besides the one with which you have so kindly honored me4 ,the purse is but an incident in the exercises of this occasion4 ,we are here also to greet you on this the one hundredth anniversary of your birth1 to assure you of our love and confidence1 to pray unitedly for the continuance of your health and strength1 and to hear from your lips such words as you may choose to speak1 and to receive your blessing4 ,i am asked to extend to you1 on this your centennial anniversary1 the cordial salutations of the younger members of the ,newark ,conference4 ,i despair of being able in any adequate sense to represent them4 ,their voices are so many1 and their sympathies with this occasion are so deep1 that ,i can scarcely attempt1 much less hope to accomplish1 such a task4 ,whatever the difference in the respective ages of those who are gathered here1 we are alike in this1 that by the side of you1 ,father ,boehm1 we are all young men to-day4 ,i seem to myself like a sapling addressing an oak that has withstood the storms of a century2 like a child1 scarcely able to speak1 addressing an ancestor whose life began so long ago as to make his history bear1 almost1 the aspect of mythology4 ,we congratulate you on having lived to be one hundred years old2 an age to which we young men can scarcely hope to attain4 ,i say hope to attain1 for we do not depreciate the grandeur and glory of old age1 especially when1 like yours1 it is found in the way of righteousness4 ,i have been informed that there is a statistician in ,england who denies that men live to be so old4 ,if he were here to-day we would point him to you1 and show that in ,america it does occur4 ,you have lived one hundred years--twelve hundred months--thirty-six thousand four hundred days--eight hundred and seventy-six thousand hours1 and minutes almost innumerable4 ,but time is rightly measured not so much by the minutes on the dial1 as by the work achieved and the events that have transpired4 ,it has been well said that many of the greatest events of modern times have taken place during your life4 ,your centennial comes in the midst of ,american centennials1 and no history of our country will be complete without your name4 ,it is not merely to the hundred years that you have lived that we pay our tribute to-day1 but to the fact that you have lived them so well4 ,we pay our homage to a century of character--to the ,christian virtues which have adorned your active life--a century in which1 neither by word or deed1 have you brought a stain upon the ,church with which you have been identified1 or upon the ,christ whose ,gospel you have proclaimed4 ,on the #cast of ,august1 #agii1 ,bishop ,asbury wrote in his journal3 8,i had a comfortable time at ,boehm's ,church4444 ,martin ,boehm is upon wings and springs since the ,lord has blessed his grandchildren4 ,his son ,henry is greatly led out in public exercises40 ,this was the bishop's earliest public testimonial to your ,christian character4 ,in the year #ahji1 in the ,philadelphia ,conference1 after you had been ,bishop ,asbury's traveling companion for one year1 the question was asked1 8,is there any thing against ,henry ,boehm80 and the bishop gravely answered1 8,nothing against ,brother ,boehm40 ,again1 in #ahac1 after five years' traveling with him1 the bishop returned the same answer to the same question1 and added1 referring to you1 8,for five years he has been my constant companion4 ,he served me as a son2 he served me as a brother2 he served me as a servant2 he served me as a slave40 ,at the last session of the ,newark ,conference1 in your hundredth year1 the same question was asked1 and the answer was1 8,nothing against ,father ,boehm40 ,i am sure1 sir1 if you should live a hundred years more the same answer would be given4 ,and when1 at last1 you shall be called to enter the better world1 the answer will still be1 8,nothing against ,henry ,boehm20 not because of any merit of your own1 but because you have been washed in the blood of the ,lamb1 and because you have 8fought the good fight1 you have finished your course1 you have kept the faith40 ,i have wondered that art has never paid that tribute to age to which it is entitled4 ,art has embalmed the human frame in its grandest physical vigor1 and it fairly revels in the flowers of youthful beauty4 ,even the muscles of ,hercules have been preserved by the sculptor's chisel or the painter's brush1 but so far as my own observation has gone1 7and ,i confess it has not been extensive17 ,i have seen but little of art in the embalmment of the proportions of old men4 ,but the men whom the world would recall from the past in hours of conflict are not the physically strong1 but the ripe1 intellectually noble old men4 ,it is not ,hercules1 but ,nestor4 ,you remember that the greatest of epics written by the greatest of poets opens with a quarrel between ,agamemnon and ,achilles1 the rival ,grecian chieftains1 in the midst of which an old man1 ,nestor by name1 who had lived through two generations1 and was now ruling over the third1 and whose words are described as 8sweeter than honey10 arose and demanded a hearing by the rival chiefs by declaring his age and contemporaries3-- 8,in times past ,i lived with men--and they despised me not-- ,abler in counsel1 greater than yourselves2 ,such men ,i never saw1 and ne'er shall see4444 ,the mightiest they among the sons of men3 ,the mightiest they1 and of the forest beasts ,strove with the mightiest1 and their rage subdued4 ,with them ,i played my part2 with them1 not one ,would dare to fight1 of mortals now on earth4 ,yet they my counsels heard1 my voice obeyed2 ,and hear ye also--for my words are wise40 ,and it is of the old man1 and not of the warrior1 that the poet adds3-- 8,o would the gods1 in love to ,greece1 decree ,but ten such sages as they grant in thee60 ,you1 sir1 are older than ,nestor of ,homeric fame4 ,three generations have fully passed while you have lived1 and you are now dwelling among the fourth4 ,you have seen the seventh generation in your own family4 ,how much more should your words be heard1 and your portrait preserved6 ,we take your portrait to-day1 not in verse1 not in marble1 not on canvas1 but on the tablets of our hearts1 and we will preserve it there while life and memory last1 as an inspiration and joy4 ,we congratulate you1 also1 because you have lived in the heroic age of the ,church to which we belong4 ,you have been an actor in the great religious movements which led to the firm establishment of our ,church4 ,you were born nine years after its introduction into ,america2 you have seen all our great institutions rise and flourish3 you have helped to fight the great battles of ,methodism4 ,you have had great contemporaries1 who will be more fully named by others4 ,it is a great thing to live in a great age with great men1 and to bear your part among them4 ,your history has been almost identical with ,american ,methodism4 ,i had almost said your history is ,american ,methodism4 ,you have seen our bishops ordained4 ,you yourself were ordained by ,whatcoat1 who was ordained by ,wesley1 and are in the true apostolic succession4 ,you have helped them in their work1 you have smoothed their passage to the tomb2 you helped to lay ,whatcoat in the grave4 ,on the #dth of ,july1 #ahae1 you went home to visit your mother4 ,bishop ,asbury1 referring to that visit1 wrote in his journal3 8,happy at ,mother ,boehm's4 ,a pleasing ,providence1 according to my wishes1 had brought ,henry in a few moments before40 ,after a two days' visit with him there in the old home1 where he had been a visitor for thirty years1 and when1 after his last episcopal tour1 he had bid your aged mother good-bye1 you accompanied him to ,lancaster1 when he embraced you in his arms1 pressed you to his bosom1 gave you his last kiss and benediction1 and you gazed on him till he was lost from your view4 ,the parting is not forever4 ,you shall see him again in the land where there are no separations4 ,you can now look upon a ,church whose missions encircle the globe1 founded not only on great institutions of benevolence and learning1 but on the foundation of the apostles and prophets1 ,jesus ,christ himself being the chief corner-stone--a sure pledge that her history and triumphs have but just begun4 ,i have no doubt it would be pleasing for you to know1 on this your centennial anniversary1 how the younger members of our ,conference feel on vital matters pertaining to the ,church of your and their choice1 and in which you have been a minister for three quarters of a century4 ,i think ,i may safely say that they are loyal to the great doctrines of the ,bible as maintained by the ,church during the hundred years you have lived4 ,they maintain the ,bible as the only infallible standard of ,christian faith and practice4 ,they believe and preach the doctrines of depravity1 atonement1 regeneration1 witness of the ,spirit1 adoption1 sanctification1 eternal salvation for the finally holy1 and eternal punishment for the finally impenitent4 ,while they hold with tenacity to the doctrines of their own ,church1 they are not narrow or bigoted1 but with broad ,christian hearts they repeat the ,apostle's ,creed with the whole ,church of ,christ1 and gladly co-operate with ,christians of every name for the salvation of men4 ,they hold fast to the great working forces of the ,church as they have inherited them from you and your colaborers4 ,they believe in revivals of religion having their inspiration in ,god's ,spirit1 the class and prayer meeting1 and the recognized instrumentalities of the ,church for carrying on her work4 ,if they criticise1 it is not to destroy1 but to maintain and upbuild the ,church of their choice4 ,they believe that the great mission of the ,church is the one announced by our fathers1 8,to spread scriptural holiness over these lands40 ,whatever differences may exist among them on definitions1 ,i believe they are one in carrying out the spirit of her early mission1 which1 ,i trust1 will continue to be her mission until the world shall be redeemed to ,god4 ,they do not fear1 but welcome1 the highest culture and the deepest1 broadest learning1 but they would make it all tributary to the spread of scriptural holiness4 ,they are loyal to the fathers of the ,church2 they reverence our old men2 they are proud of them2 they would as soon be seen striking a blow at their own earthly parents as at the fathers of ,methodism2 they hold them highly in esteem for their characters' sake1 for the work's sake1 for the ,church's sake to which they have given their best days and their noblest powers4 ,every gray hair on your head1 and every wrinkle on that time-scarred brow1 they love and reverence4 ,they are marks of beauty which they would not exchange for the brightest bloom of youth4 ,in the esteem they hold you1 they desire to express that which they hold toward all their fathers in the ministry4 ,but in your presence1 and in view of the exercises that are to follow1 ,i dare not detain you4 ,your example forbids me to speak longer4 ,to you may fitly be applied the epigrammatic eulogy once applied to the philosopher and patriot of ,america1 ,benjamin ,franklin3 8,he never spoke a word too soon1 he never spoke a word too late2 he never spoke a word too much1 he never failed to speak the right word at the right season40 ,and now1 venerable father1 accept again our heartiest congratulations4 ,we do not say to-day1 8,my father1 my father1 the chariot of ,israel1 and the horsemen thereof60 for our ,elijah is not yet going4 ,we trust the time is yet distant ere you depart for heaven4 ,though1 like ,paul1 to depart and be with ,christ is better for you1 yet for you to abide in the flesh is more needful for us4 ,when the time comes1 you will die grandly and serenely1 as an old man and a ,christian should die4 ,cicero1 the greatest of ,roman orators1 said3 8,young men seem to me to die just as when the violence of flame is extinguished by a flood of water2 whereas old men die as the exhausted fire goes out--spontaneously--without the exertion of any force3 and as fruits1 when they are green1 are plucked by force from the trees1 but when ripe or mellow drop off1 so violence takes away their lives from youths--maturity from old men2 a state which to me1 indeed1 is so delightful1 that the nearer ,i approach to death the more ,i seem1 as it were1 to be getting sight of land1 and at length1 after a long voyage1 to be coming into harbor40 ,but ,cicero lived but sixty-three years1 and old ,cato1 into whose mouth he put these words1 is represented as but eighty-four2 but1 sir1 they were boys by the side of you4 ,you have lived a hundred years6 ,you are a ,christian1 too1 and a bright vision is before you4 ,as the traveler in a region of mountains ascends a distant summit1 and when he has reached it finds another before him and ascends that1 and another1 and another1 and each time finds that the topmost point is still distant1 so you climbed to childhood1 then to youth1 then to manhood1 then to middle age1 then to old age1 and since then you have been climbing through steps for which our language has no single word1 until now you have reached an age when we can call you our centenarian1 and soon you will reach the summit1 when you will greet1 not the distant peaks of earth1 but the mountains of glory1 where you shall go on forever1 and1 with ,paul1 exclaim with rapture1 8,henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness1 which the ,lord1 the righteous judge1 shall give me at that day3 and not to me only1 but unto all them also that love his appearing40 ,rev4 ,jacob ,todd1 ,a4 ,m41 of the ,philadelphia ,conference1 delivered the following address3-- ,,dr4 ,,todd',s ,,address4 ,our venerable ,father ,boehm belongs to the whole ,methodist ,episcopal ,church1 and not to any particular locality4 ,we think of him as the friend and companion of ,asbury1 the apostle of ,american ,methodism1 and1 in consequence1 feel that the whole country can lay claim to him4 ,we could not localize him if we would1 and would not if we could4 ,i do not know that any particular credit attaches to a locality because a great and good man was born there1 for the simple reason that he could not help it4 ,the ,hibernian who was born in the country said he could have been born in the city just as well if he had desired1 but that he preferred the country4 ,perhaps if ,father ,boehm had been consulted he would have preferred the city4 ,but although the place of our birth is purely accidental1 there is a mystic cord which binds our hearts to our childhood home through life1 such as links us to no other spot on earth4 ,representing the ,philadelphia ,conference1 within whose bounds our venerated father was born1 ,i1 with my fellow-committeemen1 ,drs4 ,chaplain and ,robinson1 feel that our claim is not less1 if it be not more1 than that of any others present4 ,usually upon festive occasions the children come back from abroad to the paternal home to do honor to the parents4 ,that order is reversed to-day4 ,we come from the old homestead to seek out our ,father ,boehm1 who has gone abroad1 and offer him the congratulations of the ,philadelphia ,conference upon the one hundredth anniversary of his birthday4 ,there have been some changes at home since he left3 there are more farms in ,lancaster ,county now1 and less woods2 there are more villages1 towns1 and cities1 and less country4 ,those who were boys then are tottering upon staffs now4 ,there are many1 many more mounds in the grave-yard4 ,the little societies which met in barns and school-houses then1 and were called ,methodists in derision1 have since built themselves houses of worship1 and are now a strong and respected ,church in the community4 ,the old house1 around which in boyhood he played1 is gone2 but the springs sparkle just the same1 and the brooks bubble and flow on as of yore2 the sky stretches its big arch overhead1 and the stars twinkle1 and the sun's huge disk of burnished gold dazzles1 just the same as they did a hundred years ago4 ,the old ,german ,bibles are growing scarce1 but ,english ,bibles in greater numbers have taken their places1 and the precious truths of ,god's revelation remain the same through all languages4 ,the same doctrines are preached1 the same hymns are sung1 the same experiences are related1 and the same prayers are offered1 as when he in boyhood first attended a ,methodist meeting4 ,men and their works have all changed2 but ,god1 and nature1 and the religion of ,jesus1 are the same yesterday1 to-day1 and forever4 ,and ,father ,boehm has changed some1 too1 since he left home4 ,he is the youngest man for his years that ever ,i knew1 but still ,i notice that time has made some deep furrows in his cheeks1 and the frost has settled in his hair4 ,that stalwart form which1 in other years1 bore ,bishop ,asbury up many a hill and over many a stream1 is bent and feeble now2 and his voice1 which used to ring out loud and clear as he delivered his ,gospel message among the mountains of ,pennsylvania1 now shows signs of faltering and trembling4 ,but these changes are only on the outside2 time has not been able to alter him at the core4 ,his memory still is good2 his mind is clear2 his heart is just as warm1 and his faith as strong1 as they were in the days long past and gone4 ,the 8outward man0 may perish1 8yet the inward man is renewed day by day40 ,god's own image1 over which time has no control1 is stamped within him1 and there are no wrinkles in his soul4 ,a hundred years have rolled away since he first opened his eyes upon the light of a day in ,june4 ,it does not seem so long a time in this age of crowding events2 yet it takes us back to when the fever of the ,revolution was in the blood of our ancestors4 ,the musketry of ,concord and ,lexington was still echoing in the air when ,father ,boehm was born2 and he was in his cradle when the ,declaration of ,independence was signed4 ,his childhood heard the tramp of ,continental soldiers1 and the guns of ,valley ,forge and ,germantown sounded in his youthful ears4 ,american ,methodism was only a child of nine years old1 and was still unweaned from its mother1 when he was born4 ,why1 nineteen such men1 the one born upon the day on which the other died1 would take us back beyond the birth of ,christ6 ,this one life spans a continent of history1 arches over the graves of three generations1 and bridges a chasm of forgetfulness a hundred years wide2 so that over it the memories of long ago can travel down to us4 ,but a man's life cannot be measured by the number of seasons that come and go4 ,some men live more in ten years than others do in fifty4 ,our lives are measured not by clock-ticks1 but by heart-throbs4 ,the excitements of the times1 the rush of events1 and the activities of the mind1 determine a man's age more than the roll of years4 ,father ,boehm has lived longer than ,methuselah1 if we reckon time in this way4 ,within his life-time the application of steam to mechanical purposes has taken place4 ,instead of the clink on the anvil1 which he heard in boyhood1 now the heavy thud of the steam trip-hammer shakes the earth2 and the old ,conestoga wagons of earlier days have almost disappeared from the turnpike1 and1 instead1 the iron horse now tosses his smoky main1 and snorts and rushes like the wind through mountains1 over valleys1 and across the plain4 ,it had taken ,methuselah not less than a week--possibly a whole month--to come from ,philadelphia to ,new ,york4 ,father ,boehm has lived in an age when men breakfast in ,philadelphia1 dine in ,new ,york1 and sup again at home4 ,within the last century the lightning has been harnessed and made to do man's bidding4 ,by means of the telegraph men are talking across continents and under oceans with each other1 as though they stood face to face4 ,messages are sent and answers received in an hour1 which would have required months or years a century ago4 ,he has lived in an age of books and newspapers4 ,printing was known and practiced long before his time1 but never in the world's history has the press groaned beneath its burden of publications as it has during his life-time4 ,the newspaper has been born in this country--not in the sense of being created out of nothing1 but in the sense of being transformed and unfolded into new being4 ,it existed before1 but it was only a grub then4 ,it has taken on wings since1 and is a different thing altogether4 ,had the great fire in ,chicago occurred a hundred years ago1 the city would have been rebuilt before news of its destruction had reached the more remote sections of the country4 ,now1 men see in the morning newspaper1 before they get to business1 the world's photograph as it looked at sunset last night4 ,these wonderful facilities for intercommunication have quickened thought1 have aroused energy1 have stimulated activity4 ,every thing goes by express now2 haste6 is the watchword of this age4 ,in an old colonial paper published in ,connecticut there is a notice to this effect3 8,the vessel which was to have sailed from ,new ,london for ,england on next ,wednesday will postpone her departure for two weeks longer on account of one of the passengers not being able to get ready before40 ,now1 if he is two minutes late the plank is drawn1 and he is left behind4 ,if we would measure ,father ,boehm's life-time aright we must not forget that he has lived for a century in an age when men talk by lightning1 travel by steam1 write with a printing-press1 and move by the second4 ,he has lived through the best hundred years this world ever saw2 he has lived more than the man who was contemporary with both ,adam and ,noah2 there is more of history and religion crystallized in his memory than could have entered into any one experience in any age before4 ,the length of that life is wonderful--but its breadth amazes and overwhelms me6 ,but it is not so much ,father ,boehm's extreme age1 nor yet his wide and varied experience1 which calls forth our homage to-day4 ,old age is honorable1 and ,i always take off my hat before gray hairs4 ,i am no advocate for relic worship2 and yet there is something in a moss-covered building1 in an old mildewed book1 or in the ruins of an ancient city1 which irresistibly calls forth my veneration4 ,i cannot help uncovering my head and walking with muffled footsteps in the presence of hoary antiquity4 ,by just as much more as a man is greater and better than a book or a building1 do ,i venerate the face seamed and scarred1 and the head bleached white with many years4 ,but ,i have seen older men than ,father ,boehm4 ,it was my privilege not long ago to see a man die1 and afterward to bury him1 who was two years the senior of the patriarch of this occasion4 ,there are centenarians to-day living in almost every ,state in the ,union1 the return of whose birthday calls forth no such public expression of affection and honor4 ,father ,boehm's age would command our respect if he had no other claim upon our attention2 but that alone had never called this concourse of people together from so many and such distant places4 ,we cannot help paying deference to knowledge1 no matter whether it be acquired through books or experience1 or both together4 ,knowledge is power1 and it is a power which makes itself respected every-where4 ,the man who stands before us as a kind of mental reservoir1 into which the experiences1 observations1 and studies of a hundred years have poured their ceaseless streams1 is king by virtue of his knowledge2 he wears a crown which none will dispute1 and holds a scepter before which all will bow4 ,we look upon ,father ,boehm as an incarnate1 living volume of history2 his life is a cyclopedia of one nineteenth of the ,christian era2 he is the embodiment of all the precious memories of ,methodism4 ,we value1 cherish1 and honor him for his ripe experience and well-stored mind4 ,but not for his age and wisdom alone1 nor chiefly for these1 do the ,church and community value his life and treasure his memory4 ,goodness is better than age--is better than knowledge4 ,it is the sunshine which gilds the mountain of years1 and which ripens into sweetness the fruits of experience which grow on the sides of that mountain4 ,the ,church has sent her representatives here to-day to emphasize the proverb that 8the hoary head is a crown of glory1 if it be found in the way of righteousness40 ,we forget every thing else while we remember vividly that ,father ,boehm1 though a hundred years old1 has a moral character upon which suspicion has never dared to breathe1 and that beneath that wrinkled face the religion of ,jesus dwells in all the sweetness1 freshness1 innocence1 and simplicity of early childhood4 ,we have come together to-day to offer thanksgiving to ,god1 and congratulations to each other1 for this life of a hundred years without one spot or stain4 ,his moral and religious life stands out upon his ,christian profession like a white lily upon a field of snow4 ,my hand shall not attempt to paint so pure a picture4 8,to gild refined gold1 to paint the lily1 and throw perfume over the violet1 or seek with taper light the beauteous eye of heaven to garnish1 were wasteful and ridiculous excess40 ,were this whole world at ,father ,boehm's disposal1 with its wealth and its wisdom1 he could not from all its stores bestow a richer dowry upon the ,church of his love than the record of his own simple1 humble1 true and untarnished life4 ,rev4 ,george ,lansing ,taylor read the following original hexameter ode1 composed by him for ,father ,boehm's centennial4 ,before reading the poem he said1 in a good-humored way3-- 8,i ought to make a remark for the benefit of the least bookish of my hearers1 and ,i will do it in the form of a story4 ,i have heard the anecdote of a young lady fresh from boarding school1 who1 in a conversation on the subject of poetry1 sagely remarked that ,shakspeare was not poetry1 because it did not rhyme4 ,for the benefit of some members of the same family as that young lady who may yet be living ,i would insist that the world still continues to call ,shakspeare poetry in spite of the absence of rhyme2 and if my hearers will listen attentively to catch the swing of the long hexameter line they may find rhythm in what ,i have to read to them1 if not rhyme40 ,,the ,,heroic ,,age4 ,,an ,,hexameter ,,ode4 ,,by ,,rev4 ,,george ,,lansing ,,taylor1 ,m4,a4 ,,henry ,,boehm1 #agge-ahge4 ,exegi monumentum re perennius4--,horace1 ,odes ,,iii1 #hj1 #a4 ,where are our hero fathers2 the prophets1 do they live forever8-- ,where are the spirits and forms sublime in the ages departed1 ,forms that loom now1 gigantic1 as men seen through mists on the hill-tops1 ,loom through the vista of years1 majestic as gods in their stature1 ,towering above us in labors that shame our puny endeavors1 ,mighty in godlike virtues1 in sufferings like to the martyrs1 ,like them in poverty1 hardship1 loneliness1 exile1 and anguish2 ,like them in fortitude1 valiant as knights in the ages heroic2 ,lofty and ardent of soul as ,godfrey1 or ,bertrand1 or ,bayard3 ,glorying in toils apostolic1 in matchless intent and achievement2 ,flaming with ardor seraphic1 and scorning earth's honors for heaven's1 ,such were our hero fathers and founders1 the ,methodist preachers4 ,honor1 all honor to-day to the men1 and their labors and triumphs1 ,labors that shaped a new world1 and triumphs that echoed through heaven4 ,rude was the wild they traversed1 a continent virgin and pathless1 ,peopled by bold1 strong races1 and ,states new-rising from darkness2 ,an unformed chaos of men from the ends of the earth flung together1 ,cast on this shore untrodden like drift cast up by the sea-surf4 ,men of all lands1 all tongues1 all ranks1 all creeds and opinions1 ,mingled as quartz and feldspar and hornblende are mingled in granite2 ,mingled by fiery fusion to make the bed-rock of a nation4 ,fierce were the forces that fought in the furnace where freedom was molded4 ,tyranny kindled the flame1 but ,liberty fann'd it and fed it2 ,fed it with fire from the skies1 and fuel of hearts self-devoted1 ,till the rude mass1 undigested1 refractory1 stubborn1 chaotic1 ,blended at last in a ,union of hearts and of ,states in firm compact1 ,welded in blood and fire1 cemented for ages of ages4 ,not alone valor heroic1 or ,liberty's warm aspirations1 ,not alone wisdom and state-craft1 secured and cemented that union4 ,lo6 from the throne of ,jehovah1 and borne by the children of ,wesley1 ,came a new message divine to the dying faith of the people4 ,not in the outworn phrases of long-dead creeds and confessions1 ,not in the garb sacerdotal1 with lifeless liturgical echoes1 ,not in an unknown tongue1 with a wafer ,christ1 or his image1 ,came as an angel of light the new evangel of freedom4 ,free grace alike upon all1 and freedom in all to receive it1 ,pardon of sin1 and its witness inborn in the souls of ,god's children1 ,full salvation on earth1 and fitness for death and for heaven3 ,such was the glad new song the new evangel was singing2 ,such was the message from ,god that wrought1 while the forge-fires of freedom ,glowed1 and the hammers of war fell fast1 as on iron at welding-- ,wrought1 like the flux on the iron1 that purifies1 softens1 dissolves it1 ,melting the parts into one1 as the stroke of the hammer unites them4 ,so did the glad outpouring of grace blend the hearts of the people1 ,crying1 8,what ,god hath joined let not man's strifes put asunder60 ,so wrought the mighty revival1 and mighty men wrought in its labors1 ,giants on earth in those days1 and men of renown in the old-time1 ,deathless their memory still1 and deathless their toils and their triumphs4 ,where is that conquering host1 that thundering legion of heroes1 ,men girt with lightnings celestial1 and each one a match for a thousand2-- ,turning the world upside down1 and storming the gates of perdition-- ,where are they now1 with their preaching1 their praying1 and singing seraphic8 ,gone6 all gone from the earth1 swept on like an angel procession1 ,bursting awhile on men's eyes1 entrancing the earth with their splendor1 ,then1 through the white-cloud screen1 melting into the glory eternal4 ,so passeth one generation away1 pursued by another1 ,fading like leaves with the years1 while the earth abideth forever4 ,gone6 but not all2 for lo6 one lingers yet living among us1 ,one of that dauntless host that of old shook the earth with their thunder4 ,hail to the snow-crowned veteran1 comrade and partner with heroes6 ,hail to the patriarch hoary1 survivor of thousands and millions6 ,hail to the oak that has stood while the forest was crashing around it1 ,stood1 and still stands1 on the mountain whereerst as a sapling it flourished1 ,grappling the rocks with its roots and with gnarled arms baffling the tempests1 ,gray with a century's mosses that stream like the beard of a druid1 ,ghostly and bare at the top1 green below1 and sound to the heart-core6 ,hail to the hero revered1 whose long years stretch on1 and still onward1 ,passing the threescore and ten1 the limit appointed to mortals1 ,passing the frosty fourscore1 in vigor erect and unbroken1 ,shod as with iron and brass1 and marching with tramp adamantine ,on through the deserts of life1 where the bones of youth's caravans whiten1 ,on to the century's end1 to the year that begins a new hundred6 ,battled-scarred1 time-scarred1 and sere1 like a storm-beaten crag1 thunder-rifted1 ,still in our midst stands the hero1 like ,nestor of old1 sung by ,homer2 ,nestor1 the ,pylian sage1 who had ruled over three generations3 ,so stands ,boehm1 the revered1 to-day 'mid the children of ,wesley1 ,children and children's children of dead generations who loved him1 ,heard from his lips the glad tidings1 believed1 and passed shouting to glory6 ,heard him who stands here to-day1 last link of the ages departed6 ,backward1 roll backward1 ye years that have drifted like autumn leaves o'er him1 ,bear him in mem'ry once more to the home and the scenes of his childhood4 ,bear him once more to the farm of his sires in dear old ,conestoga1 ,nigh where the broad ,susquehanna rolls on to the bay and the ocean1 ,bid ,pennsylvania's mountains lift up their blue ridges around him1 ,laurel ,hill1 ,blue ,ridge1 ,blue ,mountains1 stern warders of virtue and freedom1 ,bid the far-known and far-honored old homestead fling wide its broad portal1 ,once more to welcome the feet that have journeyed so oft to that threshold4 ,rise from the dust where ye slumber1 ye forms that of yore thronged that mansion1 ,join the bright circle1 long broken1 and move once more1 living1 before us6 ,hail1 ,martin ,boehm1 sire and sage evangelist1 bishop1 and farmer1 ,honored in each and by all1 a prince among men stamped by nature4 ,born of the strong1 patient race of the ,alps and the old ,palatinate2-- ,calvinist1 ,pietist1 ,mennonite1 ,methodist last and completest2-- ,friend and copartner with ,otterbein1 ,asbury's helper and brother1 ,such was the patriarch sire of that home by the broad ,susquehanna4 ,oft there illustrious ,asbury rested from toils superhuman1 ,worn with the long1 long march that yearly encircled a continent1 ,worn yet flaming with zeal apostolic1 with love archangelic1 ,faith that grasped a new world1 and the ardor celestial that won it4 ,there was his heart's best home4 ,there oft great ,otterbein halted1 ,scholar1 apostle1 and saint1 by ,asbury loved as a brother2 ,sage in counsel1 and mighty in prayer as ,elijah on ,carmel2 ,founder and head of a people1 a godly1 fraternal communion4 ,hail1 ,boehm's ,chapel6 the temple of limestone1 strong and enduring4 ,sprung from the preaching of ,strawbridge1 the thundergust sermons of ,abbott2 ,planned by the hallowing hand of ,whatcoat1 the humble and holy2 ,still stands the relic of years and heroes departed forever6 ,where are the trumpet-like voices that pealed there the sound of salvation2 ,asbury1 ,otterbein1 ,boehm1 and ,goeting1 ,ware1 ,colbert1 and ,chandler1 ,garrettson1 ,lee1 and ,m',kendree1 and he who still living1 there heard them2 ,heard in his youth and believed1 and joined the great host of the preachers4 ,there1 too1 rose ,jewell and ,miller1 with ,sneath1 and the ,mitchells and ,hunters4 ,there rose the ,burches1 and ,best and ,aiken1 names honored and cherished4 ,there sleep the forms of the fallen1 whose spirits soared thence to their crowning4 ,lo6 youthful ,henry1 called forth by the ,church and the ,lord of the harvest-- ,called to proclaim the great message1 sublimest announcement to mortals-- ,speeds on his life-long way1 as a herald of mercy to thousands1 ,speeds with his mother's sweet kiss1 and his patriarch sire's benediction4 ,down on the old ,eastern shore 'twixt the broad ,chesapeake and the ocean1 ,where the ,peninsula's sands and the dark cypress swamps spread around him2 ,where the strange tongue of the red man still haunts all the lands and the waters2 ,where blind bigotry's rage in its rudeness had buffeted angels2 ,there1 in the year eighteen hundred1 in ,dorchester ,county and ,circuit1 ,rang forth a voice like ,john's in the wilderness preaching repentance4 ,not as one beating the air1 in an empty pulpit-gymnastic1 ,cried the young herald his message 'mid struggles and sorrows of spirit4 ,hundreds1 awaked at the story1 repented in anguish and mourning4 ,hundreds in new-found mercy exulted1 and shouted salvation4 ,bloomed then the desert1 a garden1 the dark cypress swamps1 like cathedrals1 ,rang with the praise of the ,lord till ocean in thunder responded1 ,hail the ,peninsula6 cradle and birthplace of prophets and heroes6 ,bostwick1 and ,bayer1 and ,beauchamp1 ,m',combs1 and ,cooper1 and ,phbus1 ,martindale1 silver-tongued ,hull1 sage ,lawrenson1 ,emory gifted1 ,leaders of ,israel's hosts1 and wise master-builders in ,zion4 ,up1 thence1 to old ,annamessex1 to ,kent1 and ,northampton1 and ,bristol1 ,up from the sands to the mountains1 from youth to the glory of manhood1 ,pressed the evangelist onward1 proclaiming free grace and salvation4 ,mighty the word in those days1 and mighty the ,spirit's outpourings1 ,falling on camp-meeting1 conference1 prophets and people together2 ,falling like pentecost whirlwinds on awe-struck thousands assembled2 ,sweeping from circuit to circuit till ,states were ablaze with its glory6 ,so o'er the prairie in autumn the fire-ocean dashes its surges2 ,so over pine-clad mountains roars onward the vast conflagration6 ,lo1 through the length of the land1 from ,maine to the ,gulf1 in his circuits1 ,asbury moves like a flame1 with ,boehm his companion and helper4 ,not as a servant but friend1 a counselor1 brother1 he journeyed1 ,true as ,achates renowned1 who of old voyaged with pious neas1 ,loyal as valiant ,patroclus1 beloved by the godlike ,achilles4 ,onward from circuit to circuit1 from city to city1 unresting1 ,toiled the great founder and builder1 the care of the ,churches upon him4 ,on through the rich cultured ,east1 the bright sunny ,south1 and the center1 ,o'er ,alleghanian wilds1 ,tennessee1 rough ,kentucky1 ,ohio2 ,rivers unbridged1 and mountains untraversed1 the home of the panther2 ,plunging through forest and flood1 nor halting for frost or for freshet2 ,heeding nor terror nor tempest1 all climates and seasons defying1 ,on1 as by heaven's inspiration1 the tramp of their marching resounded4 ,what was the strong lure that drew them with force unresisted1 undying1 ,stronger than sorrow or pain8 ,did golden dreams glitter before them8 ,empire8 or honors8 or fame1 whose trump thrills the world with its echoes8 ,nay6 ,none1 nor all1 of all these2 but a mightier spell1 and diviner1 ,bore them on wing and aflame1 as it bore the rapt seraphs from glory1 ,warbling o'er ,bethlehem's slumbers the gush of a rapture immortal6 ,souls1 souls of men1 of the poor1 the friendless1 the erring1 the outcast4 ,these were their hire and their treasure1 as erst of the ,master who taught them4 ,these1 won from death1 their reward1 and the joy of all heaven beholding2 ,these were their sheaves1 which the ,lord of the harvest with blessing accepted4 ,still grows the toil of that harvest1 and still swells the joy of its reaping1 ,reaped and resown evermore in endless perennial springing2 ,sown like a handful of corn1 but waving like ,lebanon's glory3-- ,sown with weeping1 but reaped 'mid anthems of rapture angelic1 ,while this hoar harvester leans on his staff1 and beholds1 and rejoices4 ,lo6 from the rock-bound shores of the ,east to the vast ,mississippi1 ,on over river1 and prairie1 and mountain1 and desert1 and snow range1 ,rolls in grandeur the march of a mighty and marvelous empire4 ,hark6 ,in its van1 and before it1 through solitudes ancient and boundless1 ,blown by a thousand heralds1 the trump of the new-born evangel ,wakens the wilds where nations extinct have pined for the dawning2 ,dawning of morn everlasting1 the sunburst for oncoming millions6 ,on over earth1 as it rolls1 in the golden sheen of the sunlight1 ,swells now the glad new song1 the harmonious anthem celestial4 ,where the winged caravan1 harnessed with fire and thunder1 is flying2 ,where1 at the magic of commerce1 old ocean shrinks to a ferry2 ,where thought whispers with lightning1 and belts the globe in a heart-beat2 ,where strange tongues babble on through continents old1 or untraversed2 ,where1 round the sea-girdled islands1 the waves dash music eternal2 ,where o'er all earth man wanders1 sorrowing1 sinning1 immortal-- ,there shines ,columbia's glory1 and their lies the parish of ,wesley2 ,there the great harvests of freedom and ,god wait the sower and reaper4 ,lo1 now1 the harvester1 bowed with the fierce1 long heat of the noonday1 ,weary with wielding the sickle1 and bent with the sheaves he has gathered1 ,walks through the low slant beams of the sunset1 and toils tow'rd the garner4 ,four times the distance that circles this planet those footsteps have measured1 ,through a long century's day1 but the twilight at last is descending4 ,shadows of sunset have faded4 ,through vistas of opal and amber1 ,gates beyond gates open upward1 of hyacinth1 sardine1 and jasper1 ,softly unbarred1 to the inmost1 the gate of one pearl1 like a rose-bud ,cleft through the core1 and turned outward on hinges of gold6 ,lo1 unfolding1 ,noiseless it swings1 like a curtain1 and rosy wings poise and sail earthward1 ,rosy hands reach toward the harvester1 tenderly lifting his burden1 ,tenderly lifting his feet till they thrill on threshold of glory1 ,till the bent form blooms and glows1 and the white head dazzles like ,hermon's1 ,crowned with his sun-smitten snows1--as this with the throne-flash eternal6 ,harvester1 ,farewell6 from earth--and ,hail6 from the elders of heaven6 ,rev4 ,cyrus ,d4 ,foss1 ,d4,d41 then responded to the request for some remarks4 ,,address ,,by ,,rev4 ,,dr4 ,,foss4 ,one of the most distinguished advocates in this country is said to have remarked concerning the almost interminable speech of the counsel on the other side3 8,my learned friend seems to have feared that it would be impossible for him to make his speech immortal without making it eternal40 ,now ,i am very sure that this meeting is in no such peril as that4 ,each particular part of these proceedings has been quite too short for its abundant merit1 and the meeting itself will be all too short to enable us to utter the feeling of all our hearts4 ,but we may be sure that the memory of this meeting will last1 and that three quarters of a century hence--and it may be even farther off than that--when there shall be fifteen millions of ,methodist communicants on this continent by the blessing of ,god1 this meeting may be remembered by some of the youth here to-day1 and it will go down in permanent form in the ,methodist records4 ,i will not extend the time of the meeting long1 lest ,i should impose upon your patience2 ,i will not occupy half the number of minutes that the chairman of the committee has requested me to speak4 ,we have been very eloquently told how grandly full of history this last century has been1 and how much more this honored life1 which in its earthly form shall soon pass away1 contains than the life of any man who has lived in any century before this4 ,i recall the sentiment of ,bishop ,kingsley1 who was asked early in the history of our civil war how old he was1 and he promptly answered1 8,one hundred and forty-six40 8,why10 said his questioner1 8how do you make that out80 8,well10 he replied1 8,i was forty-six years old when the war began1 and ,i have lived a hundred years since40 ,now reckoning upon that principle1 which is the just one1 our venerable ,father ,boehm might well claim to be a thousand years of age to-day4 ,you have heard in the eloquent address of our brother from ,philadelphia some account of the wonderful progress we have made within the last century4 ,he did not tell you what ,i will add1 namely1 that since this godly man began to preach the ,gospel there have been ten times as many copies of the word of ,god put into circulation as were circulated before in all the centuries since ,moses wrote the ,pentateuch2 and that within the same space of time there has been a great deal more done in extending the ,gospel into the regions beyond1 in obedience to that inspiring 8,go60 which the ,lord ,jesus put at the back of his apostles before he ascended into heaven1 than in all the other ages before4 ,what a century that makes of the one in which we live6 ,of this work1 by the blessing of ,god1 our honored guest is no small part3 and more1 that sublime temple1 in which he stands so tall and strong a column1 the temple of ,methodism1 is no small part4 ,my dear friends1 ,i stand here not to attempt what now would be impossible--any thing further in the line of the touching1 delicate1 and eloquent personalities which have been so fitly spoken here to-day1 and which have thrilled our hearts with delight4 ,i cannot pluck another flower from anywhere to adorn the wreath that these brethren have woven for this godly man4 ,i will say a few words concerning that grand system of religious revival and propagandism which he helped to build when it was weak1 and which gathers us here to-day4 ,and what is it--this great religious system1 so mighty for the world's evangelization1 by ,god's blessing8 ,if ,i had an hour to speak here on this occasion1 ,i would say that the secret of the wonderful success of ,methodism is to be sought1 in part1 in its doctrinal system1 in part in its ecclesiastical peculiarities1 and still more largely in its religious experience4 ,concerning the first of these points1 ,i could not summarize our doctrinal teachings1 speaking in this impromptu way1 half so well as they have just been stated in the poem4 ,of course our fathers adhered to all the great truths which the ,church had held through all time1 but they lopped away some of the errors1 and were commissioned by ,god not to add any new truth1 7for the truth was perfect when the canon of ,scripture was closed17 but to re-emphasize some of the old and forgotten verities2 and so when they went forth into regions in ,england and ,america where the dry rot of religious thinking1 which men call theology1 had misled the minds of the people and had dulled their sensibilities--when they went forth preaching to all men that they were really in peril of eternal death1 and that there was offered to them in the ,gospel1 by their lips1 salvation--a present salvation1 a conscious salvation1 a full salvation--no wonder they found a hearing4 ,that was the proclamation that these men every-where made2 and these important truths1 hidden in the creeds before1 or at least not brought out1 held up as flaming torches before the faces of men1 needed only to be so presented to light up the dull eye and warm the frozen heart of the world4 ,not only in the emphasis which they laid on these truths did our fathers do a grand work for the world4 ,we had also important ecclesiastical peculiarities4 ,the first of these that arrested the attention of men seventy-five years ago in ,america1 and one hundred and twenty-five years ago in ,england1 was our itinerant ministry4 ,the preacher did not stand still in one place and wait for the people to come to him1 but went to them with the offer of the ,gospel of the ,son of ,god1 because he felt within him the pressure of that almighty 8,go60 of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 which impelled him on to preach the word with power4 ,after a man's attention had been arrested by ,methodism1 the next thing was to invite him to the class-meeting4 ,the preacher1 seeing the tears streaming down his face1 and going to him after the sermon1 would ask him--not 8,do you believe the ,thirty-nine ,articles80 nor 8,are you willing to be damned for the glory of ,god80--but he would simply say1 8,do you desire to flee from the wrath to come1 and to be saved from your sins80 and if he said 8,yes10 he would be told1 8,here is ,brother ,jones1 a class leader1 go to his class next ,thursday night40 ,the people also found that a man who wielded the hammer on the anvil from ,monday to ,saturday went forth on ,sunday and preached the ,gospel4 ,so there was a lay ministry1 and that was another peculiarity of the ecclesiastical polity of our ,church4 ,concerning these and all the rest ,i will simply say1 that the grand peculiarity of all was1 that it was not a man-made system1 devised in the brain of ,john ,wesley or any body else1 but simply a leading forth1 under the providence of ,god1 and by the hand of ,god1 of godly men to bless and save the world4 ,there is not a single peculiarity of ,methodism that was not a child of ,providence4 ,john ,wesley never intended one of them4 ,so we are followers of ,wesley when we follow ,god4 ,to him who would follow the path in which ,john ,wesley trod1 if ,wesley were alive to-day he would say1 8,god is our leader1 follow him40 ,and yet in doing this ,i am persuaded that we should wisely heed the sentiments of that eloquent utterance of ,bishop ,asbury in the letter that has just now been read to us4 ,let us hope1 and pray1 and beseech1 clinging to the very horns of the altar1 that every change made in the policy of this grandly successful ,church may be manifestly 8made by ,god and not by men1 who have long been trying to be their own bishops40 ,after all1 as it seems to me1 the greatest thing in ,methodism1 from the beginning until now1 has been its religious experience4 ,why1 my dear sir1 ,god's way of making any great truth effective is not by writing it in the ,bible1 but on the fleshly tables of men's hearts4 ,there is not a single one of those old verities which are vital to our faith but has been in the world1 but has been in the ,book1 for almost nineteen centuries2 and yet the ,dark ,ages passed over the world for all that4 ,pardon of sin1 salvation through faith alone1 was already within the ,book of ,god2 but the people did not heed it until ,god put it in the heart of ,martin ,luther1 and when he told it the world believed him1 and hence the ,reformation4 ,and so in the time of the ,wesleys1 and in the time of their followers in ,england and ,america1 the power of ,god was made manifest through their experience4 ,it was not simply the ecclesiastical peculiarities that they held to1 it was not simply the doctrines they taught2 it was those doctrines set on fire in their hearts that made people learn the lesson1 and that alone4 ,my dear friends1 there is not a single truth of ,christianity which has not been in some age of the world buried1 and buried out of sight2 and every such truth1 when exhumed1 has been exhumed in this way3 ,god has taken it and put it into the living soul of a living man1 and it has possessed him1 and then he has gone forth and declared it1 and men have believed him4 ,look at the old truth of the universality of the offer of the ,gospel4 ,the great commission should have taught this to the ,apostle ,peter4 ,but long after that you find him hiding away from the ,gentiles1 not holding to their company1 until ,god set him right at last by a vision from heaven1 and he came forth and said what one would have thought his personal experience with ,jesus should have taught him long before3--,peter came forth and declared1 as though he had found something new1 8,i perceive that ,god is no respecter of persons40 ,and away down the ages1 until a century ago1 the ,church was possessed by the same ,jewish bigotry4 ,it is within the life-time not only of our venerable patriarch1 but of others here to-day1 that at a meeting of ministers the question1 8,will any young minister suggest to us a subject for discussion80 was asked1 and up rose ,william ,carey and said3 8,mr4 ,chairman1 ,i suggest for discussion this theme1 #8,the duty of the ,christian ,church to evangelize the heathen world1'0 and the old gray-haired moderator1 ,dr4 ,ryland1 said3 8,sit down1 young man1 sit down2 when ,god gets ready to convert the heathen he will do it without your help or mine40 ,but the great truth was hidden in the hearts of ,william ,carey1 ,adoniram ,judson1 and ,thomas ,coke1 and they went forth and proclaimed it1 and the world is beginning to believe it4 ,so with the knowledge of sins forgiven2 by the witness of the ,spirit ,methodism has done much to make this precious experience the common heritage of the ,evangelical ,church of to-day4 ,a century and a half ago ,i doubt if there were ten men in all ,england who dared to say they believed that doctrine4 ,when ,benjamin ,abbott was past thirty years of age1 he had never heard a man say he knew his sins forgiven2 and when he proclaimed it as his experience a deacon told him it was a dangerous heresy1 and every man who held it ought to be put to death4 ,and that within this century6 ,but1 my dear friends1 after fifteen years of such service of ,god as few men have ever rendered--after fifteen years of such apostolic zeal for the relief of the poor1 and the religious instruction of prisoners1 and the bringing to morality and decency of the lowest of the sinful1 as few men have ever passed through--a young man of ,lincoln ,college1 ,oxford1 at the age of thirty-three or thirty-four1 hearing a ,moravian read from one of ,luther's ,commentaries about justification by faith alone1 says that in that meeting1 about half past eight o'clock in the evening1 his heart was 8strangely warmed20 and then ,methodism was born4 ,if it had not been for that strange warming of ,john ,wesley's heart we would not be here to-day4 ,it was the vitalization1 in the experience of the ,methodists1 of the old1 forgotten doctrine that made them mighty1 and sent forth this 8great religious movement10 as ,stevens so well calls it1 8of the eighteenth century40 ,i must not multiply words1 sir4 ,it is my prayer that in all the changes of our ,church polity we may 8make haste slowly20 that in all matters of ,christian doctrine we may follow the word of ,god1 and may have the truth interpreted to us as it was to ,wesley1 by the illuminating light of the ,spirit1 and that the great power of ,methodism may ever be the power of its scriptural1 personal1 joyous experience4 ,rev4 ,david ,w4 ,bartine1 ,d4,d41 delivered the closing address4 ,,dr4 ,,bartine',s ,,address4 ,i feel weary at this moment with the journeyings of a hundred years--with the reasonings1 the preaching1 and the toil of a hundred years4 ,and ,i presume that this congregation is weary too--weary for once with perfect delight in the enjoyment of an entertainment that we shall never forget1 with a pleasure that will thrill our hearts till our feet touch the cold waters of ,jordan4 ,i am one of ,father ,boehm's boys1 and ,i delight in the privilege afforded me to-day1 at the closing moments of these profoundly interesting services1 to say so4 ,when ,i was a little babe1 7of course ,i don't remember the circumstance1 but my friends remember it17 ,father ,boehm1 in company with ,bishop ,asbury1 came to my father's house4 7,my father1 you know1 was one of the old pioneers1 a plain1 grand old man1 a hero through and through1 who met the heresies to which my brother referred awhile ago and helped to conquer them47 ,well1 they came to my father's house1 and the bishop baptized me1 as ,father ,boehm remembers and has often told me2 and that put me in the succession1 and ,i am as perfectly in the apostolic succession to-day as any man in ,america or in the world--not simply because the old bishop baptized me1 but1 my friends1 afterward ,god converted me in the old-fashioned ,methodist style4 ,i learned the great principles of this wondrous ,church in the company of such learned men as these1 7pointing to ,father ,boehm17 sitting at their feet1 listening to their words1 and being taught in the schools of which they were the prophets4 ,and ,i glory to-day that ,i feel like clinging to the good old-fashioned ,methodist style4 ,in the year #ahcb1 when ,i was a boy--and ,i suppose as we sometimes say1 in cant phrase1 somewhat 8green0--,i received a message from this venerable father inviting me to attend a camp-meeting2 and those meetings were real camp-meetings2 the people went there to pray all the time1 and to look for the baptism of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,i went1 trembling1 fearing1 feeling utterly disqualified for the work ,i had entered on1 and which ,i believe ,god called me to undertake2 and ,i shall never forget the kindly greeting this precious father gave me as ,i entered those grounds4 ,he took all the fear from my heart1 and greeted me with a cordiality ,i have never forgotten2 he said a few kindly1 loving1 simple words1 that strengthened my heart through and through1 and from that day to this ,i have been blessed and honored with the friendship of this venerable man of ,god4 ,if ,i had time to-day ,i should like to give a number of reminiscences which ,i could present1 but the time has passed so rapidly that the close of these interesting services is necessarily near at hand4 ,and before we separate this afternoon let us congratulate ourselves that we still have preserved among us such a grand specimen of the ,methodism of the olden time4 ,dr4 ,foss presented us with some very interesting thoughts upon this subject1 and that is one of the points ,i intended to present4 ,but every one who has spoken to-day has stolen some of my thunders1 so that ,i am compelled to manufacture thunder as ,i go along2 and ,i find that its manufacture is not so easy a matter when others have used your material so freely as have these brethren who preceded me to-day4 ,but let me say to you1 my friends1 that we are not to treat lightly an example such as we find in this venerable man4 ,concentrated in him is ,methodism in its simplest form1 in its purest characteristics--,methodism as ,i pray ,god it may go down to the ages of the future4 ,and ,i want it to be distinctly understood that ,i am not a believer in this modern idea that we are going easily to improve the system of ,methodism which this venerable man helped to found4 ,it may be tampered with1 its success might be interfered with2 but it is not a very easy thing to mend it4 ,i am willing to be led1 as my fathers were1 where ,god shall lead2 but ,i want to see the footprints of ,god where ,i put my feet1 ,i want to see divine providence indicating the way in all the wondrous march of this form of ,christianity4 ,there is one thing most assuredly a fact1 and that is1 that our system of itinerancy cannot well be improved4 ,i do not know what ,bishop ,asbury would say to-day upon this interesting subject3 whether it is the true philosophy to so change our ministerial arrangements as to continue a man in one or two appointments during a life-time1 and still call it an itinerancy4 ,i want to say1 that though ,i would not be an 8old fogy10 you will find it a hard thing to improve in this direction that system which has shaken the world4 ,and the question with me is1 whether1 with all the improvement that is claimed for it1 it is shaking the world to-day as it shook it when this venerable father1 with heroic purpose and earnest voice1 led on his combined forces on his grand old districts8 ,the world did shake then2 hell did shake then2 the powers of unbelief and heresy did shake then1 as the hosts of ,god marched on from battle to battle1 and from victory to victory4 ,a great many well-polished shafts were then hurled by these men of bluntest speech1 with both force and effect1 at the heart of the foe2 and it is a question worthy of consideration whether1 after all our advancement in learning and literature1 and every thing of that sort--after all our boasted improvement--there is that real1 old1 divine unction that shook the dead ,churches1 and awakened the sleeping multitudes to a realization of their need of the saving grace of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ8 ,i am reminded of all that1 and of the simple effort and simple prayer that took hold of the citadel of death and ,satan1 and through the high and hidden things of the ,gospel saved men by leading them to ,christ4 ,in ,father ,boehm's early and later days1 when persons would come to the altar to seek the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 and it was fashionable to kneel and to throw themselves prostrate upon their faces1 they would cry mightily to ,god and struggle hard for his mercy1 and earnest people gathered around them with tears1 and finally with songs of joy2 and it was not the fashion then to pass around the altar and say1 8,sister1 do you feel any better80 8,brother1 do you think you have found peace80 ,no2 that was not the way4 ,the common way was to pray on until the baptism of the ,holy ,ghost fell upon them1 and without prompting they declared what ,god had done for their souls4 ,now there are some little points like that which ,i don't think we can improve upon--some points which1 if we could retain them in all our efforts to do good1 would be better for the ,church and the world4 ,the very kind of testimony that this venerable patriarch and his compeers were in the habit of bearing to the world is what still needs to be borne4 ,we should never speak hesitatingly upon the one great subject1 8,that ,god for ,christ's sake has pardoned all my sins40 ,they called it heresy then1 they call it heresy now2 but it was and it is a blessed truth that ,jesus ,christ had then1 as he has now1 power on earth to forgive sins1 to change the heart1 and make a man to know it4 ,and then that other doctrine which has not been referred to3 it was a doctrine of ,methodism--,i have heard this venerable servant of ,god preach it1 7for ,i have heard him preach many a time1 heard sweet and precious words from his lips17 the fire of the ,holy ,ghost within him1 the divine unction resting upon him1 while he would tell us of the power of ,jesus ,christ to cleanse from all unrighteousness--it was a doctrine of ,methodism that the blood of ,jesus ,christ cleanseth from all sin4 ,and that precious truth still lives1 one of the most beautiful trees of ,god's garden4 ,the religion of ,jesus ,christ found man dead1 polluted1 corrupted1 and that tree has so grown that to-day multitudes are plucking from it the ripe and rich and luscious fruits of living ,christianity4 ,all hail to that patriarch who1 sitting in his tent door1 watches to see how the battle is going6 ,all hail to his heart as it fills to-day with the ancient fire1 and flames with the ancient divine patriotism6 ,i think there was something said about my closing these services4 ,i am very sorry ,bishop ,simpson is not here4 ,we had hoped to reach the climax of these services in the closing speech of the excellent bishop4 ,but following all the splendid oratory that has thundered in your ears to-day1 it is a difficult matter for a small piece of artillery like me to do much on such an occasion as the present4 ,i do honestly feel1 my brethren1 that ,i am in a very embarrassing position4 ,just look at it4 ,here is a man 7,dr4 ,foss7 whom they almost made a bishop at the last ,general ,conference2 here is a man 7,dr4 ,todd7 whom ,i found in the mountains of ,pennsylvania1 and sent him on his way as worthy to be one of the successors of this grand old patriarch2 and here is a distinguished ,professor1 7,prof4 ,buttz17 just fresh from college1 with his laurels thick upon him1 a man beloved by every one who knows him4 ,that these brethren have spoken1 and spoken so well1 only adds to my embarrassment4 ,as one of the brethren said1 we are not here to cry1 8,my father1 my father1 the chariot of ,israel1 and the horsemen thereof60 ,o no2 we are not even where ,joash was when he heard of ,elisha's illness1 and came down to weep over him and cry1 8,my father1 my father10 etc4 ,but ,i will tell you where we are4 ,you know it is ,christianity that sanctifies the soul1 the baptism of love which photographs the image of the ,eternal upon the human affections1 and extracts the sting from death4 ,now it seems to me when ,father ,boehm shall pass away there will not be any death in it4 ,he has been under the experience and power of this saving faith so long1 that every thing in that line comes as a matter of course1 and after a little while1 when his days are numbered1 it won't be dying1 but going up in a chariot of fire into heaven4 ,it has seemed to me all the morning as though we were taking the last three miles' walk that ,elijah and ,elisha took after they got over ,jordan4 ,you remember that last three miles' walk1 perhaps the most delightful incident in the history of the prophet ,elijah4 ,perhaps we are taking that walk this morning--that last three miles' walk4 ,you know ,elijah had said--and perhaps we may imagine ,father ,boehm saying the same this morning--8,tarry here1 ,i pray thee3 while ,i go over ,jordan10 and the answer was1 8,as the ,lord liveth1 and as thy soul liveth1 ,i will not leave thee40 ,no1 ,father ,boehm1 these hearts cling to you to-day with all the ardor of youth1 and they mean to cling to you until your spirit shall ascend to be forever at rest with ,god the ,saviour4 ,these last three miles--have they not been very pleasant to-day1 my brethren1 as we talked over the old patriarch's history1 as we talked over the glory that looms up in the future8 ,have we not rejoiced in it8 ,it has been glorious--this last three miles' walk6 ,and it may be 7though some of us may pass away before him1 as the sainted ,wakeley went from this pulpit and from the company of his brethren1 so unexpectedly and so gloriously to his eternal rest7 that many here may receive what ,elisha did1 a double portion of his spirit at the translation of our ,elijah4 8,ask10 said the prophet1 8what ,i shall do for thee before ,i be taken away from thee40 ,i know ,father ,boehm's heart would ask that question if he knew the day of his departure was near at hand2 and ,i know the response of each heart here would be like that of ,elisha1 8,let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me40 ,o ,god1 give us a double portion of the spirit of the fathers--their spirit of sacrifice1 their spirit of love1 their spirit of simplicity1 their spirit of holy earnestness in the pursuit of knowledge1 their spirit of consecration to their blessed work2 and that divine unction that shall make every minister in our ,church a power1 and every member of our ,church a power1 thus presenting the banded forces of our ,methodism moving on in one solid column against the hosts of this wicked world6 ,that is what we want4 ,may ,god grant the speedy dawning of that day6 ,meanwhile1 brothers and friends1 the old bark is approaching the haven2 the hoary head crowned with glory proclaims the beaming forth of the light of heaven2 that venerable countenance is illuminated to-day with a supernatural light2 as the bark approaches the haven he is striking his topmast and furling his sails1 and after a little while he will drop his anchor in the waters that are never troubled1 amid scenes and under skies that are never overcast with clouds4 ,the old pilgrim rests to-day on the top of his staff4 ,o1 ,i am so thankful that a beautiful1 calm twilight is shining softly upon his soul as he approaches 8that bourne whence no traveler returns0--to that river which1 as ,payson says1 has become a rivulet to him1 over which he shall step at any moment when ,god shall permit6 ,god grant that there may be no shadow on ,father ,boehm's life in this world1 and if it please ,god1 that he may be permitted to remain among us longer yet as a living example4 ,for we have a century of history1 of ecclesiastical policy1 and of preaching ,christ with saving power1 all concentrated in this venerable old man1 a monument that stands firm amid passing years1 and throws its light upon the traveler to the world of spirits1 and the home of the good and the pure4 ,the quartet choir then sang the closing centennial hymn1 written by ,fanny ,crosby3-- ,eternal1 ever-present ,lord1 ,we lift our grateful hearts to thee1 ,in praise for what our ears have heard1 ,and what our eyes this moment see4 ',tis by thy providential care ,that he1 whose name we all revere1 ,is with us in thy house of prayer1 ,and celebrates his hundredth year4 ,as thou on ,israel's tents of old ,didst bid the cloudy pillar shine1 ,to us1 thy chosen1 now unfold ,its light and majesty divine4 ,and as we leave this hallowed place ,thy benediction we implore ,to him1 our sire2 ,o grant thy grace1 ,and keep us all for evermore4 ,we may not meet again as now2 ,but when a few more days have passed1 ,in thine own kingdom may we bow1 ,and each receive a crown at last4 ,it was announced that1 by advice of his physician1 ,father ,boehm would have to dispense with all congratulatory hand-shaking1 a single exception1 however1 being made in favor of the mother of ,president ,grant4 ,the services were closed with the benediction1 pronounced by ,father ,boehm4 ,,evening ,,reception4 ,from eight o'clock till ten1 on the evening of the same day1 the parlors of ,father ,boehm's son-in-law and daughter1 ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,s4 ,c4 ,emley1 at #ei ,wayne-street1 ,jersey ,city1 were thronged with a goodly company of friends1 who came to spend the last hours of the day with the venerable centenarian4 ,among others1 there were present ,rev4 ,dr4 ,j4 ,s4 ,porter of ,burlington1 ,n4 ,j42 ,rev4 ,dr4 ,d4 ,w4 ,bartine and wife of ,morristown2 ,rev4 ,r4 ,vanhorne1 ,presiding ,elder of the ,jersey ,city ,district1 and wife2 ,rev4 ,john ,atkinson1 of the ,trinity ,church1 and wife2 ,rev4 ,j4 ,l4 ,g4 ,m',kown1 of the ,hedding ,church1 and wife and daughter2 ,rev4 ,a4 ,j4 ,palmer1 of the ,waverly ,church1 and wife2 ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,dusenbury1 ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,j4 ,o4 ,rouse1 ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,hopping1 ,prof4 ,martin1 ,david ,taylor1 ,esq41 ,h4 ,n4 ,ege1 ,esq41 ,s4 ,sterling1 ,esq41 and ,dr4 ,walter ,haddon1 ,father ,boehm's physician4 ,they were most delightful hours1 those two1 and they will live long in the memory of the happy people present4 ,the 8hero0 of the hour was happy as his guests1 and received their congratulations with thankfulness to ,god4 ,his strength seemed remarkable1 for he had participated in the prolonged services of the morning1 yet seemed in no way weary till a late hour at night4 ,after an hour's conversation presentations were the order1 and many beautiful mementos of the love of his friends were given to ,father ,boehm4 ,the gift of his son-in-law was a magnificent marble clock4 ,several superb bouquets and baskets of flowers were presented to him by other friends4 ,dr4 ,porter1 in behalf of his daughter1 handed him a huge cake1 elegantly frosted1 and lettered 8,one ,century10 saying that he 7,dr4 ,porter7 remembered that ,father ,boehm used to be fond of cake and cream when he was a visitor at his house many years ago4 ,then ,dr4 ,m',kown1 in a neat little speech1 presented him with a picture1 the 8,rock of ,ages10 from loving friends4 ,perhaps the most unique souvenir of all was a chest of tea1 containing four choice kinds of that commodity1 and bearing in printed letters the inscription1 8,father ,boehm's ,centennial ,tea10 which had been sent all the way from ,china as a present by ,rev4 ,s4 ,l4 ,baldwin4 ,rev4 ,a4 ,j4 ,palmer read a letter from ,brother ,baldwin1 which accompanied the tea1 in which the writer expressed his pleasure in having been united for years with ,father ,boehm in conference relations1 7both are members of the ,newark ,conference17 his congratulations1 and his gratitude to ,god for the long and pure life with which the venerable ,father had been blessed4 ,this token of love from the other side of the world was highly appreciated1 and a 8drawing0 of the tea was presented to each of the guests of the hour4 ,one year before that evening ,dr4 ,j4 ,b4 ,wakeley had presented ,father ,boehm with a picture of ,bishop ,asbury1 since which time the giver1 who was a dear friend of the recipient1 has 8fallen asleep in ,jesus40 ,so1 with great fitness1 ,rev4 ,j4 ,atkinson presented ,father ,boehm with an elegant portrait of ,dr4 ,wakeley1 which was received in silence1 but with appreciation4 ,thus with presents and congratulations the evening passed4 ,when it was ten o'clock ,father ,boehm rose1 and in a clear1 full voice1 sang a little ,german song which he had learned ninety-five years before from his ,german teacher1 a ,hessian soldier1 whom ,washington captured at ,trenton4 ,then1 last of all1 when the hour of parting came1 the venerable man of ,god pronounced the benediction upon the company ere they separated4 ,thus ended the exercises1 public and private1 on the one hundredth anniversary of the birthday of the ,rev4 ,henry ,boehm4 ,the words oftenest upon his lips throughout the day were echoed by all1 8,the ,lord be praised60 ,,chapter ,,xlviii4 ,,centennial ,,sermon ,,and ,,other ,,services ,,in ,,john-,,street ,,church1 ,,new ,,york4 ,on the morning of ,sunday1 ,june #bg1 #ahge1 ,father ,boehm preached his centennial sermon in the ,methodist ,episcopal ,church in ,john-street4 ,it was a notable event1 and among the congregation memory and imagination were both busy with the associations and thoughts suggested by it4 ,when he preached what was called his centennial sermon before the ,newark ,conference1 in the preceding ,april1 he had not quite completed his one hundred years2 but now he was a genuine centenarian1 and the interest of the occasion was heightened by the place in which he preached his real centennial sermon4 ,his first visit to the old church1 which stood on the present site in ,john-street1 was made in company with ,bishop ,asbury on the #gth of ,may1 #ahji1 of which he wrote3 8,what thoughts crowded my mind as ,i entered this cradle of ,methodism6 ,what rich and hallowed associations cluster around this original home of ,methodism on this continent60 ,but to those who were present at the services in question1 as well as to the venerable centenarian who revisited the place after so long a period1 the occasion was one of singular and peculiar interest4 ,here was the oldest ,methodist minister of the world preaching in the oldest ,methodist church--an event which may well be called unique1 an incident seldom seen1 even once in a century4 ,the church was crowded4 ,among the clergymen present were ,bishop ,janes2 ,rev4 ,n4 ,g4 ,cheney1 pastor of the church2 ,rev4 ,dr4 ,reid1 ,missionary ,secretary2 ,rev4 ,dr4 ,de ,puy1 ,rev4 ,dr4 ,holdich1 ,rev4 ,mr4 ,dikeman1 and ,rev4 ,dr4 ,dean1 of ,east ,tennessee4 ,after a voluntary on the organ the congregation joined in singing 8,from all that dwell below the skies40 ,dr4 ,holdich led in prayer4 ,during the preliminary devotional services ,father ,boehm1 accompanied by some of his most intimate friends1 entered the church and took a seat in the pulpit beside ,bishop ,janes4 ,our senior bishop looked to be in the bloom of youth beside the venerable centenarian4 ,the tender and affectionate manner in which the bishop assisted him in the service suggested the most touching attention of son to sire4 ,after singing the hymn commencing1 8,when all thy mercies1 ,o my ,god10 the whole congregation showed their respect for ,father ,boehm by rising as he came forward to begin his sermon4 ,opening the ,bible1 he announced his text1 and in a clear voice spoke fluently as follows1 amid the profoundest silence3-- ,,father ,,boehm',s ,,sermon4 8,behold1 ,i stand at the door1 and knock3 if any man hear my voice1 and open the door1 ,i will come in to him1 and will sup with him1 and he with me40--,,rev4 iii1 #bj4 ,we have set before us in this passage an astounding condescension4 ,the ,great ,being condescends to come and stand at the door of our hearts and knock1 and wait for an entrance4 ,this is indeed a wonderful condescension2 for here it is set before us that the blessed ,jesus1 who has all power in heaven and in earth1 condescends to come down to dependent1 sinful beings1 and wait at the door for voluntary entrance4 8,i stand at the door and knock40 ,this refers1 no doubt1 to the impression made upon the mind1 the sensibilities aroused with fear and with hope4 ,this sets before us the working of the gracious influences upon the heart of man1 and they wait for a voluntary entrance4 ,the ,lord condescends to knock1 and this knocking implies a call--8,if any man hear my voice1 and open the door40 ,jesus will not break the door2 he will not enter by forcible means4 ,there must be voluntary consent on the part of the subject1 who must invite the ,holy ,spirit to come in with his gracious influence and divine power4 8,behold1 ,i stand at the door and knock3 if any man hear my voice0--that is1 attentively hear my voice--8if any man hear my voice1 and open the door1 ,i will come in40 8,i will turn out all that is contrary to the divine influence4 ,i will sup with him4 ,i will1 in its gracious manifestations1 enjoy the divine favor2 and ,i will1 as it were1 partake of the blessings that ,i have provided40 ,what condescension6 8,i will sup with him as though he had prepared all the feast40 ,jesus provides all that is necessary1 and then he condescends to say1 8,i will sup with him1 and he with me40 ,glory to ,god in the highest for his manifestations1 for his goodness1 for his mercy and long-suffering1 extending unto us6 ,o1 the goodness of ,god in sparing us1 in giving us this opportunity for another call1 another gracious touch1 another divine influence6 ,o1 that our hearts may be opened1 and may this be a day long to be remembered1 a day of mercy and power in the salvation of many thousands of precious souls6 ,blessed be ,god for his divine mercy and goodness6 ,i rejoice that the enjoyment of the favor of ,god1 the love of ,god1 is something that does not get old4 ,it is ever new1 it is ever precious4 ,it is as precious to my soul this day as it was many years ago4 ,in the days of my youth the ,lord manifested himself unto my soul and led me to see the evil that ,i should shun1 and his grace was sufficient to lead me on2 and1 bless the ,lord6 now in advanced years it is the source of comfort1 the source of joy and hope to me4 ,yes6 ,look beyond and what do we see8 ,a bright and heavenly day1 a glorious day1 awaits us beyond this vale of tears4 ,may ,god in his infinite mercy add his blessing1 and may his name be glorified in the salvation of many precious souls6 ,o what a change has occurred since ,i was first at this place--not the same church edifice1 but a church was in this place--in #ahji with the venerable ,bishop ,asbury1 and many other brethren who have gone home to their reward6 ,bless the ,lord that he has still a people here to serve him6 ,o1 may their numbers increase many fold1 and may thy name1 ,o ,lord1 be glorified here in the salvation of hundreds of precious souls6 ,amen4 ,when ,father ,boehm had resumed his seat ,bishop ,janes added the following remarks3-- ,,bishop ,,janes' ,,address4 ,elderly people usually appreciate aged men and aged things4 ,they usually see in them interest1 and have for them veneration1 and perceive that there must be in them some strength1 some power1 some excellence which sustains them4 ,younger persons are more taken with new things1 and those that perhaps have more of show1 more that excites present admiration4 ,and this is not unphilosophical4 ,our experiences would naturally lead to this difference of feeling and of regard4 ,no one1 however1 can contemplate the spectacle that we have before us this morning without the conviction to which ,i have referred--that there must be something in the constitution and character and life of our dear father that has contributed to his great longevity4 ,the ,british fortress of ,gibraltar has stood through so many continental wars because of its great strength1 because it was impregnable to all the military powers and forces that were known and employed in those wars4 ,those very ancient cathedrals in the ,old ,world that have stood for centuries1 and to-day look as if they were likely to stand for centuries more1 convince us that they were built with great care and with great strength1 or they could not have stood so long the exposure to the elements and the influence of time4 ,if you go to the mountain side and look upon the oak that has stood there as long as our father has lived1 and that has battled all the storms of a century and is still strong1 and covered with foliage and beauty1 we know that there must have been perfect soundness in the tree1 and that there must have been great strength in its roots1 or it could not have thus lived1 and grown1 and still possessed such beauty in its old age4 ,if there had been the least defect in the tree that defect would have been seen in its increasing decay long before this4 ,and if you go into an orchard and look upon a tree that has given fruitage to two generations1 and perhaps is being covered with moss--some of its topmost boughs may be leafless1 and perhaps sapless--and you see it is still bearing fruit in its old age1 you know that tree was a sound one1 and had been cared for2 and because of its perfectness1 and because of the care it has received1 it has reached this great age1 has been so fruitful and has benefited so many1 and given pleasure to such multitudes4 ,the same is true of this individual who has lived one hundred years4 ,he must have inherited a good constitution1 and during his youth he must have avoided all excesses1 and during his manhood also he must have been1 in the language of ,scripture1 8temperate in all things40 ,there can have been indulged no consuming lust1 no excessive indulgence4 ,there can have been indulged no appetite to excess1 but all these bodily appetites1 and passions1 and lusts1 have been held in abeyance4 ,he has kept his body under4 ,he has governed himself in all his physical habits1 and in all his physical enjoyments and exercises2 otherwise this 8harp of a thousand strings0 would not have been kept in such perfect tune so long4 ,more than this3 his mind has been under government1 controlled by right principles and by proper motives4 ,there has been no consuming ambition1 no burning desire for wealth1 that consumes the vitality both of body and soul4 ,and when the secrets of human life are understood we shall find how many of those sudden deaths1 and of those suicides1 have resulted in consequence of this terrible ambition to be rich4 ,and equally corroding1 and consuming and destroying1 is the desire for honor4 ,i do not refer now merely to that extended fame after which the soldier and the statesman and the poet aspire4 ,those little ambitions which exist here among us1 in our families1 in our social circle--to excel one another in our condition and surroundings in life1 in the furniture of our houses1 and the style of our living--those petty ambitions in families are just as corroding and destroying as are those grander ambitions to which ,i have referred4 ,and1 in order to such a life as our father has lived1 and such an age as he has reached1 and such an evening as he enjoys1 a good conscience is an absolute prerequisite4 ,there is not one of us here to-day who believes if he had had a reproaching conscience1 one that disturbed his hours during the day1 and prevented rest at night1 that he would enjoy this tranquil1 serene1 beautiful old age4 ,one single cause of remorse would destroy all this beauty and blessing that crowns his life4 ,now ,i make these remarks in order that we may learn wisdom from his example1 that the youth who are here may see the importance of the strictest bodily habits--eating1 drinking1 sleeping1 all bodily exercises1 and especially the avoiding of all bodily excesses1 and all unlawful lusts1 and passions1 and appetites4 ,avoid them as you would death and hell1 for they are the cause of destruction both in this world and in the world to come4 ,we also call your attention to that source of strength and power which has so greatly influenced the character1 and governed the life1 and made perfect the experience1 of our venerable brother4 ,as he has told us1 he was converted to ,god in his youth4 ,he gave his heart to the ,saviour in his early manhood1 and he has had through all these years the peace of ,god1 a tranquil soul4 ,o what a treasure6 ,how rich a boon religion gives in this life6 ,how sweet the experience which grace imparts6 ,in this governing1 controlling1 harmonizing power of religion we have one of the greatest means of bodily comfort as well as sources of spiritual delight and joy4 ,and having lived in all good conscience--for ,i can say that of him2 ,i have been with him by day and by night2 in the sanctuary1 and on the camp ground1 and in almost all the varied circumstances in which itinerant ministers are placed2 ,i have been thrown intimately with him at times--and ,i am prepared to say that he has lived in all good conscience until this day4 ,he has its sure reward1 perfect peace1 now4 ,would ,god that were true of all6 ,o that these young people would appreciate the great blessing of a good conscience1 that gives us serenity1 tranquillity1 joy1 peace1 hope in all conditions1 and in all periods of life6 ,a good conscience6 ,o1 as you would be blessed living and blessed dying1 ,i charge you in no case1 under no temptations1 allow yourselves to do that which conscience condemns4 ,of all the terrors to be avoided in this world or the world to come remorse is the most terrible4 ,and ,i beseech you be so watchful1 so circumspect1 so guarded in all your ways1 in all your doings1 as to escape from this terrible calamity4 ,but if any one here to-day has this troubled conscience1 let me point him to the ,lamb of ,god that takes away the sin of the world4 ,there is forgiveness with ,god4 ,the blood of ,christ cleanseth from all sin4 ,here bring your guilty conscience1 here bring your sinful heart4 8,behold1 ,i stand at the door1 and knock30 saith the ,saviour3 8if any man0--a guilty man1 an unholy person--will 8open the door1 ,i will come in to him1 and will sup with him1 and he with me40 ,fellowship shall be restored between him and his ,god4 ,and let us who feel that we are the disciples of the ,saviour1 that we have the religion which has done so much for our brother1 and enabled him to do so much for his fellow-men--let us who stand1 take heed lest we fall4 ,o1 how many mighty have been slain6 ,what evidences have we of the frailty of men--even ,christian men--and how fitting and appropriate are the admonitions of ,christianity to watch and pray lest we enter into temptation2 and how much need have we to say daily to our heavenly ,father1 8,lead us not into temptation40 ,let not our providential circumstances be such as to afford temptation2 let not our spiritual adversaries approach so as to be permitted to make their foul suggestions that we fall from our steadfastness and into sin1 and bring reproach upon ,jesus1 and upon ourselves a gloomy and miserable old age--even though we should be saved 8as if by fire40 ,let us take the admonition1 and though we cannot live as long as our dear father1 let us live as long as we can1 and let us live to good purpose4 ,we might just as well be in our graves as above the ground1 provided we are not useful1 and useful to others4 ,the one great motive for earthly life is usefulness2 and ,i repeat1 we might as well be in the grave as above the ground if we are not living to a purpose1 if we are not glorifying ,god1 honoring our ,maker1 and doing good to our fellow-men4 ,now let us not only heed the very gracious language of the text this morning1 7and ,i am sure none of us will ever forget it1 or forget where we heard it preached from1 or by whom1 nor shall we forget the simple1 plain1 and touching sermon that was delivered to us from it17 but let us not only heed it and come to ,god for personal and present fellowship and fruition1 but let us take the lesson which his example furnishes us of temperance and carefulness in life1 of devotion to ,god1 of maintaining such a spirit as secures us peace1 that we may be enabled to do our duty with joy1 consolation1 and success1 and come down to the evening of life with a sweet spirit1 with a calm mind1 with a joyous heart1 and with a hope full of immortality4 ,may ,god give us all his blessing1 and whether we live shorter or longer upon earth1 grant that we may live for evermore in heaven1 with all the good and glorified through ,jesus ,christ4 ,amen4 ,dr4 ,j4 ,morrison ,reid1 ,missionary ,secretary1 had been requested to make some remarks1 but declined1 thinking it better not to prolong the services by delivering an address4 ,bishop ,janes1 after announcing that fact1 made merely a passing allusion to this happy meeting in sweet ,christian fellowship of the oldest ,methodist ,church ,society with the oldest ,methodist ,pastor in ,america1 and1 in conclusion1 pronounced this benediction on the people and the pastor3 8,may the presence of ,god always abide with this people4 ,and turning to ,father ,boehm may the presence of ,god always abide with you1 our dear father6 ,not only in life1 but when you come down to the valley of the shadow of death1 may you have our ,god with you1 his rod and his staff comforting you2 and when your eyes shall have closed upon the scenes of earth1 may you be translated to the beatitudes of heaven1 through ,jesus ,christ4 ,and through ,jesus ,christ1 with the help of the ,holy ,ghost1 we will meet you there1 and share with you that endless felicity in the presence and beatitudes of ,god40 ,the seventeenth ,hymn 78,before ,jehovah's awful throne07 was then sung by the congregation1 together with the doxology1 and ,father ,boehm pronounced the benediction4 ,the congregation1 by request1 remained seated until the venerable man of ,god had passed out of the church to return to his home in ,jersey ,city4 ,,the ,,end4 ,,footnotes #a ,this is an ,indian name1 and is so called from the ,conestoga ,creek1 a beautiful stream that empties into the ,susquehanna4 ,the ,conestoga ,indians were once numerous and powerful4 #b ,not ,owen1 as ,lednum and ,stevens say4 ,see ,minutes1 and ,quarterly ,review1 article by ,dr4 ,hamilton4 #c ,life of ,abbott1 p4 #ajj4 #d ,he was the elder who traveled through the district1 as well as stationed preacher4 #e ,see ,life and ,times of ,jesse ,lee1 p4 #cff4 #f ,after the death of ,harry ,ennalls his excellent widow married ,robert ,carmann at ,pipe ,creek1 and in after years ,i put up with them when ,i traveled with ,bishop ,asbury4 #g ,he joined the conference in #aghi1 and died in #ahjh4 ,bishop ,asbury loved him1 and deeply lamented his death4 #h ,he was an old preacher2 joined in #aghh1 and died in #ahbg4 #i ,since this was written my old friends ,joshua ,wells and ,henry ,smith have fallen asleep4 #aj ,see ,arminian ,magazine for #ahjh1 p4 #cgc4 #aa ,ten years later the funeral sermon of ,bishop ,asbury was preached from the same text by the ,rev4 ,ezekiel ,cooper1 in ,philadelphia4 #ab ,lawrence ,laurenson became one of the strong men of the ,philadelphia ,conference1 and all over the ,peninsula his name is as 8ointment poured forth40 #ac ,leonard ,castle was the ,summerfield of the ,baltimore ,conference4 ,he was converted in a prayer-meeting at ,pipe ,creek4 ,in after years ,i knew his relations there and his brother in ,tennessee4 ,his race was short but brilliant4 ,he was only eighteen when he entered the ministry1 and1 after traveling six years1 he died of yellow fever in ,baltimore on ,september #ba1 #ahjh4 ,he had a splendid intellect and great oratorical powers4 ,his brethren in the ,minutes speak of him 8as a happy model of pulpit simplicity1 eloquence1 and piety40 ,they also say1 8,this astonishing genius is gone from the thousands of our ,israel to the ,paradise of ,god40 ,he married the daughter of ,rev4 ,ephraim ,chambers4 ,i saw her in all the loneliness of early widowhood4 ,she was the friend of ,mrs4 ,gough1 and ,i used to meet her at ,perry ,hall4 #ad ,years ago various denominations built churches in this way1 and thought nothing of this religious gambling4 ,they said the end sanctified the means4 ,the state legislature would grant them the privilege4 #ae ,his name was not ,peter1 but ,jacob4 #af ,he formerly lived in ,baltimore4 ,he was a tailor1 and ,rev4 ,william ,thacher learned his trade of him4 #ag ,i was with the bishop at ,mrs4 ,willis's at other times4 ,when there in #ahaa the bishop exclaimed1 8,henry ,willis6 ,ah1 when shall ,i look upon thy like again80 ,behold how he loved him4 #ah ,at the ,cincinnati ,conference of #ahfc ,i saw the ,rev4 ,aaron ,wood of ,indiana ,conference4 ,he was converted a fortnight before the bishop and ,i were at his father's in #ahjh4 ,we talked over the scenes of the past1 and he remembered our visit4 ,he has been over forty years a traveling preacher4 ,the interview ,i had with him was most refreshing4 ,i also had the pleasure of seeing him at the ,general ,conference in ,philadelphia in ,may1 #ahfd4 ,he offered the concluding prayer when that body separated4 ,he married for his first wife the daughter of the celebrated ,william ,beauchamp4 #ai ,barnett kept a public house4 ,he was an early settler in the country4 ,he was quite a character4 ,famous as the first man in that part of the country who owned a vehicle with four wheels4 #bj ,samuel ,edney was a noble man1 a genuine ,methodist1 given to hospitality4 ,he joined the conference in #agia1 and located in #agid4 ,the bishop and he were great friends4 ,he has a son1 ,dr4 ,edney1 living in ,new ,york1 a member of the ,seventeenth-street ,methodist ,episcopal ,church4 #ba ,autobiography1 p4 #ij4 #bb ,the ,fryes were originally from ,winchester1 and were of ,german descent4 #bc ,stevens's ,memorials of ,methodism1 vol4 ii1 p4 #ddc4 #bd ,with great pleasure ,i call the attention of the reader to ,dr4 ,george ,peck's excellent works 8,wyoming0 and 8,early ,methodism0 for full information concerning this far-famed valley4 #be ,fifty-two years afterward1 when in this part of ,ohio1 ,i met with several ,germans who heard me preach in their language in #ahji4 #bf ,he was a good preacher and a pleasant man4 ,i traveled with him many miles4 ,he joined in #ahjd1 and located in #ahch4 #bg ,journal1 vol4 iii1 p4 #ccb4 #bh ,the reader will find an account of that memorable conference in ,asbury's ,journal1 vol4 i1 p4 #bdd4 #bi ,rev4 ,william ,hamilton1 in ,sprague's ,annals1 vol4 iii1 p4 #ccb4 #cj ,they were ,allen-street and ,greenwich ,village1 now ,bedford-street4 ,few churches have been more honored of ,god1 or a greater blessing to man1 than these two1 and they still enjoy great prosperity4 #ca ,the old house still remains1 with ,washington's table and chair which he used at the time of the ,revolution4 #cb ,see ,lee's ,history of ,methodism1 p4 #fd4 #cc ,lednum's ,rise of ,methodism in ,america1 p4 #baj4 #cd ,he has died since ,i made the record4 #ce ,he proved a degenerate son of his worthy sire1 being the ,william ,m4 ,gwin who was senator from ,california1 and afterward implicated with the southern rebels1 now seeking his fortune in ,mexico4 #cf ,the bishop1 in his journal1 fell into a little error in relating this scene2 but ,i have described it just as it occurred1 and though over half a century has passed since that morning we crossed ,cape ,fear ,river1 ,i recollect with minuteness all the circumstances as if they took place yesterday4 ,it was one of those occurrences not easily effaced from the memory4 #cg ,paul and ,hannah ,hick of ,new ,york informed ,dr4 ,bangs and others it was ,paul ,hick's mother in ,new ,york that stirred up ,philip ,embury to preach the ,gospel4 ,no one denied it for many years4 ,tho controversy is a singular one1 to say the least of it4 #ch ,this was found among the papers of ,bishop ,asbury by the transcriber of his journals1 ,francis ,hollingsworth1 and published in the ,methodist ,magazine of #ahbc4 ,dr4 ,bangs copied it in his history1 vol4 ii1 p4 #cfe4 #ci ,mr4 ,keaggy was an estimable man1 and his house was one of the bishop's homes4 ,he was a local preacher1 and very useful4 ,he was the father of ,dr4 ,john ,keaggy of ,philadelphia1 long and favorably known in the literary world4 #dj ,see 8,history of the ,united ,brethren in ,christ10 by ,rev4 ,h4 ,g4 ,spayth1 published in #ahea2 also 8,history of the ,church of the ,united ,brethren in ,christ10 by ,john ,lawrence1 where the same is copied from ,mr4 ,spayth's ,history4 ,concerning ,mr4 ,spayth's ,history1 ,mr4 ,lawrence says it 8is indispensable to a proper understanding of the rise of the ,united ,brethren in ,christ2 and the ,church in all time to come will be indebted to him for the most valuable contributions to her early history40--,vol4 i1 p4 #f4 #da ,bishop ,asbury notices him at the ,new ,york ,conference of #ahac4 ,he says1 8,bishop ,m',kendree preached4 ,it appeared as if a ray of divine glory rested upon him4 ,his subject was #8,great peace have they that love thy law1 and nothing shall offend them4' ,the appearance1 manner1 and preaching of ,bishop ,m',kendree produced a very powerful1 effect on ,joshua ,marsden1 a ,british missionary40 ,mr4 ,marsden returned to ,europe after the war1 did good service1 and died in holy triumph4 ,his end1 as described by his affectionate daughter who witnessed it1 was very triumphant4 #db ,henry ,foxall was an ,englishman1 and was well acquainted with ,bishop ,asbury's mother4 ,he was converted in ,ireland while there on business1 and soon afterward came to this country4 ,he had a foundry in ,philadelphia1 on the banks of the ,schuylkill1 near where the ,fairmount water works now are1 and another at ,georgetown4 ,i have been in both1 and at the latter saw them casting cannon for the government4 ,i was present when his only daughter was married by ,bishop ,asbury to a ,mr4 ,m',kenne4 ,i was well acquainted with ,mr4 ,foxall1 and the bishop and he were like two brothers4 ,he gave the site for1 and built1 the new church called 8,the ,foundry40 ,he gave it that name for two reasons3 first1 in remembrance of ,mr4 ,wesley's first chapel in ,london1 which was so called2 and second1 because his own business was that of a founder4 ,he possessed great business talent and acquired considerable wealth4 ,he was distinguished for humility1 liberality1 and hospitality4 ,he died while on a visit to ,england in #ahbc1 at the age of sixty-eight4 ,he left five thousand dollars to the ,wesleyan ,missionary ,society in ,england1 and five thousand to the 8,chartered ,fund0 for the relief of worn-out preachers1 of which he was one of the early trustees4 #dc ,there are many who supposed ,mr4 ,asbury had made provision to give a ,bible to all the children that should be named after him2 and therefore1 up to #ahfa1 forty-five years after the bishop was in his grave1 applications were made to the ,book ,room for ,bibles by parents whose children were named ,francis ,asbury4 #dd ,thinking it would gratify some of my readers1 ,i give the names of some of the subscribers in this list3 ,bishop ,m',kendree1 his father1 ,james ,m',kendree1 and his sister2 my mother1 ,eve ,boehm1 and my sister ,barbara1 wife of ,dr4 ,keaggy2 ,francis ,hollingsworth1 7the transcriber of ,asbury's ,journal17 and ,mary his wife2 ,revs4 ,w4 ,beauchamp1 ,samuel ,parker1 7spiritual father of ,rev4 ,w4 ,winans17 ,h4 ,b4 ,bascom1 7then but two years in the ministry and eighteen years old17 ,jacob ,young1 ,james ,b4 ,finley1 and ,john ,collins1 7the spiritual father of ,judge ,m',lean27 the ,revs4 ,james ,quinn1 ,john ,sale1 ,thomas ,s4 ,hinde1 7once well known as 8,theophilus ,arminius107 ,william ,burke1 7an eloquent preacher1 and one of the pioneers of ,methodism in the ,west17 ,james ,gwin1 ,james ,axley1 7noted for his eccentricities and excellences17 and their wives2 ,revs4 ,thomas ,l4 ,douglass1 7an intimate friend of ,m',kendree1 and who preached his funeral sermon17 ,john ,m',gee1 7father of camp-meetings in this country17 ,jesse ,walker1 7pioneer of ,methodism in ,missouri17 and ,peter ,cartwright4 ,these were chiefly from the ,west4 ,of southern preachers there were ,james ,jenkins1 ,daniel ,asbury1 ,william ,capers1 ,james ,b4 ,glenn1 ,s4 ,dunwoody1 ,lewis ,myers1 ,alexander ,talley1 ,w4 ,m4 ,kennedy1 ,hilliard ,judge1 and ,edward ,drumgoole1 with seven of his family4 ,among the subscribers north and east we find the names of ,freeborn ,garrettson1 his wife and daughter2 ,revs4 ,s4 ,merwin1 ,w4 ,phbus1 ,w4 ,ross1 ,w4 ,jewett1 ,w4 ,anson1 ,elijah ,woolsey1 ,heman ,bangs1 ,arnold ,schofield1 ,smith ,arnold1 ,philip ,munger1 ,asa ,kent1 ,george ,pickering1 ,solomon ,sias1 7first publisher of ,zion's ,herald17 ,daniel ,filmore1 ,martin ,ruter1 7who found a grave in ,texas17 ,joel ,ketchum1 and ,ebenezer ,newell4 ,of the laity in this region we find the names of ,john ,armitage1 ,john ,baker1 7in whose house the conference was held at ,ashgrove in #ahjc17 ,james ,sterling and his wife1 of ,burlington1 ,n4 ,j42 ,john ,paradise1 7the portrait painter17 ,w4 ,b4 ,skidmore1 ,j4 ,b4 ,oakley1 and ,grace ,shotwell4 ,the amounts subscribed would be thought very small nowadays4 ,some gave a dollar1 but most of them much less4 ,some of the distinguished preachers ,i have named gave but twenty-five cents4 ,it was as much as they were able to give1 so scanty were their means4 #de ,i traveled forty thousand miles with ,bishop ,asbury1 and since ,i entered the itinerancy ,i have traveled on horseback over one hundred thousand miles1 more than four times the circumference of the earth4 #df ,he was literally a man of prayer4 ,he prayed much in secret1 and this accounts for his power in prayer in public4 ,he was in the habit of presenting each conference and the preachers by name before the ,lord4 #dg ,he had married two sisters of ,john ,emory1 ,susan and ,margaret4 ,he married the youngest first4 ,they were very amiable4 ,i was well acquainted with them for years4 ,john ,emory married a sister of ,mr4 ,sellers4 ,she was his first wife and the mother of ,robert4 ,dr4 ,sellers removed to ,pittsburgh1 and recently died there4 ,he was a grandson of ,henry ,downs4