stance, which I delight to enjoy. It was here I felt the Lord gracious, and was enabled to shout aloud the wonders of redeeming love. All my anxieties were then at an end-all my hopes were realized-my happiness was complete. From this time I began to feel an increasing desire for the salvation of sinners; and in order, more effectually, to engage in this work, I returned to Wythe, and spent the ensuing year in going to school to WILLIAM HORNE, an amiable young man, and a fine scholar, who, poor fellow! has long since gone to his long home. My education was plain, though regular in those branches taught in common schools. And even now, though I have endeavored to study one science after another, and have been pouring over books, pamphlets, and periodicals of every description, by night and by day, for the last nine years, my pretensions are of the most humble kind. At the second regular session of the Holston Annual Conference, held in Abingdon, Va., under the superintendence of bishop Soule, in the fall of 1826, I was received into the travelling connexion on trial, and appointed to the Black mountain circuit, in North Carolina, under Goodson McDaniel. I had now to exchange the company of affectionate friends, for the society of persons with whom I had no acquaintance. This was a most affecting time, and will not soon be forgotten by the writer. I entered on the labors of this year with many painful apprehensions. There were not a few on this circuit, as I was previously informed, whose minds were very much prejudiced against the Methodists. And to my astonishment, upon arriving there, I found our most inveterate foes to be professors of christianity! They were the followers of an old man, who used to go about "preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand;"-and who had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins:" his "meat" being "locusts and wild honey;"-while the people flocked to him from "all the region round about Jordan, and were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins!" I allude to a denomination of people called Baptists. This was my first acquaintance with these people. I had no altercations with any of them, this year; nor did I attend their meetings, only when our appointments clashed at those union, or go-between meeting houses. One of those meetings, set apart for feet-washing, I never can forget. For, never did I, before or since, see as many big dirty feet, washed in one large pewter basin full of water! The Baptists are a people 1 whose theory is so narrow, and whose creed is so small, that, like their shoes, they seem to have been made for their exclusive use. They consider themselves deputed from heaven for the general reformation of men and manners, and would try all men at their bar. They are amazed to find that any one should doubt the accuracy of their system, because they are satisfied with it. Their judgment is biassed, and resembles a pair of scales of which the beam is forever awry. General society, and particular religious associations, formed by other denominations, are so imperfect, they cannot endure them; and in the investigation of their laws and rules, their aim is, not to enjoy that which is right, but to exult over that which is wrong. They survey creation through the medium of a contracted vision, and consequently forget that they are not the only persons, who have a claim upon the bounty of the skies. They pity all who differ from their persuasion, and wonder how it is that they can dream of being right. They revolve in a circle of which the centre is themselves. Those who are squeezed in with them are the lucky few: all without are dogs, if not something worse. Unused to much thinking, and too impatient to pursue it, petty purposes, and a kind of pin's head policy are all they compass! Still, they are struck with the degeneracy of all around them! In these sweeping censures they never suspect the prejudices of their own minds; though they produce a jaundiced yellowness on all they inspect. Of the truth of these things every body is sensible but themselves. Well, a little maggot in a nut shell might come to the same conclusions, and for a similar reason, because the little thing has a maggot's mind! The only misfortune which befel me this year, was that of having almost froze to death, on the 26th of December. Having led my nag over Cain river, on the ice, I proceeded to cross a spur of the Black Mountain, when, I suppose, I came as near freezing to death, as ever any poor fellow did, to escape. Indeed, upon arriving at a small cabin, on the opposite side of the mountain, I was so benumbed with the cold, that I was not only perfectly stupid, but extremely sleepy. Here I began to discover, that in exchanging the cold and salubrious atmosphere of my native uplands in Virginia, I had not gained any thing. However, there is no finer country in the summer season, than Western Carolina, or even the State of Buncombe, as it is sometimes called. There are few places in the world which can vie with the counties of Buncombe and Burke, in beauty and novelty of scenerythe extended hill-side fields, rich ridges, beautiful springs, mountain coves, high conical peaks, and astonishing verdure covering the soil, set off to the best advantage, the lofty Black mountain! In the mean time, the Table Rock is in the vicinity; and every season, the summer visiters add new and increasing interest, in their pursuit of deer, and other game. Although we did not enjoy the pleasure of seeing hundreds converted this year, yet, we had every reason to believe that some good had been effected, through our feeble instrumentality. In the latter part of the year, the professors seemed much revived, and appeared to be alive to God. Upon the whole, in taking my leave of the circuit, I felt safe, well, and happy in my soul. May the Lord bless the good people of that county! 1827.-In the fall of this year, our conference met in Knoxville, and the venerable Bishop Roberts presided, with his usual degree of cheerfulness and acceptability. Here, the recurrence of another anniversary occasion, in the history of our conference, called for the warmest expression of our gratitude to the great Head of the church, for having privileged us once more to mingle our praises and thanksgivings together. I will name one circumstance which occurred during the sitting of the conference in Knoxville. It was this: A young store keeper, a member of the Presbyterian church, drew up a subscription paper, and was, by way of burlesque, going about trying to raise money to have my likeness taken! I was called on to know if I would subscribe! I replied that 1 would subscribe liberally, if, when they had taken my likeness, they would deposite it in the East Tennessee College, or the Seminary at Maryville, for the inspection of Doctors Coffin and Anderson, and as a pattern for minister-making! This reply, in view of the fact that I looked bad, was indifferently dressed, and had on a very old fashioned hat, rather confused the young Presbyterian. At this conference I was appointed to French Broad circuit, lying mostly above Ashville, in North Carolina, under an excellent and agreeable little man, M. E. Kerr. We labored in this new appointment with increasing success till the ensuing spring, when I was taken by my presiding elder, W. S. Manson, to travel the Maryville circuit, in lieu of James Cumming, then absent to general conference. Here I could not avoid coming into contact with Anderson's young divinity-shoots; for the impetuous little bigots, would assail me in the streets, or pursue me into private houses, and commence an argument on natural ability, or moral inability, or the impossibility of falling from grace. I fought manful y, and did the very best I could, though they always reported that they had used me up. I remained on this circuit but three months. Among the many circumstances which occurred during my short stay on this circuit, I will only name the two following: My appointment in Maryville happened on the Sabbath of the Hopkinsian sacrament, held at their camp-ground near the village; and as I had previously arranged my appointment to be in the after part of the day, I attended theirs, and heard them preach two or more sermons. Well, an inflated little priest by the name of Minis, who talked pretty much through his nose, and whose head seemed buried between his shoulders, apparently to make way for the protuberances of his back, addressed the congregation from "I would that ye were either hot or cold," &c. In the elucidation of his subject, he went on to show that the Methodists were the lukewarm whom the Lord would vomit up, &c. &c. He also went on to speak of our fasting, secret prayers, secret meetings, and of our down looks, and manner of dress; and finally, he represented us as being more hideous monsters, than the Sphinx of Egypt! In describing the cut of a Methodist preacher's coat, and trying to round it off with his finger, he seemed so exceedingly awkward, that I arose from my seat, and held up one skirt of my coat saying, Sir, I presume this is the style you are aiming at! This confused the little man so, that it was some time before he got started again. Soon after this, myself and a Mr. Brown of the Hopkinsian order, happened to meet on Sabbath, in the vicinity of a little village called Louisville. Although Mr. Brown was as bad a looking man as I am, and not much more talented, yet, he affected to treat me with great contempt! When the congregation had assembled, he commenced reading his hymn, and as I thought a very appropriate one, to wit: "How sad our state by nature is, Our sin how deep it stains, &c." Having prayed a long dry prayer, he proceeded to address the people from these words, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son," &e. Well, having divided his subject into three parts, on he went, preaching to a mixed multitude, in the most lifeless manner imaginable. After the preacher closed, we had an intermission of about forty minutes, when I endeavored to address the people from the same subject. And as he had tried to poke his fun at me, I took the liberty to pay him back; and really, when I was closing my remarks, he looked to me, more like hard times abridged, than a preacher of righteousness! From that day to this, I could never get Brown to know me. About the first of July, I took my leave of Blount county, and returned to my former circuit. Here we had wars and rumors of wars, but it was among the Hopkinsians. During one single year, no fewer than five clergymen of this order, came to Buncombe county, in quest of a call. Three of them struggled and fought for more than twelve months. They carried their disputes so far as to indulge in the most low and vulgar personal abuse, disputing and quarrelling even about the money which was collected in hats at their sacramental meetings! One of them, Bradshaw, actually claimed, and kept the most of the money. Such strivings for the mastery, was never seen in that country before! The result was, a division took place among the congregations, some voting for one preacher, and some for another. And the final result was, that many of the people determined to have nothing more to do with any of them. And Hall, the most furious of them all, fled to the lower part of the State, and I am told, has never been in Buncombe since. Mooney, another one of the swarm, visited South Carolina, in quest of a call, and has chosen to remain there. How shocked must people have been to hear preachers incessantly crying out that their reign was not of this world, when their infirmities were such, that they could not forbear quarrelling about a little money! But, while these unfortunate men were thus disputing, we Methodists travelled up and down the country, and endeavored to persuade the people that religion was the one thing needful. Some experienced religion, and a goodly number were added to our church this year. There is no finer country, in the summer season, than that about the head waters of French Broad. There the clear streams glide with smooth serenity, along the vallies; and when amidst a calm summer's sunshine, they glitter to the distant view, like sheets of polished crystal, and soothe the attentive ear, with the softness of those aquatic murmurs so exhilirating to the fancy. But O the huge enormous mountains! the steep and dizzy precipices; the pendant horrors of the craggy promontories-how wild and awful they look of a rainy evening! "The hoary winter here conceals from sight |