into those parts, and they united and held their class meetings regularly, and the Lord made it a blessing to some of their neighbours: they then petitioned our conference to send them some travelling preachers; which at last we did, and by. taking in the places where the local preacher used to preach, and adding a few more new places, there was a good circuit formed at once. In 1786, we had three conferences. The seventeenth conference was held at Salisbury in North-Carolina, on the 21st of February. The eighteenth conference was held in Virginia, at Laine's chapel, on the 10th day of April. The nineteenth conference was held at Baltimore on the 8th day of May. At these conferences we took in five new eircuits. Two in South-Carolina, Santee, and Bee Dee: one in North-Carolina, Newbern: one in New-Jersey, called Newark: and one in Kentucky, called after the state, Kentucky. We admitted on trial twenty-three young preachers. Seven hundred and ninety-one members were added to the society this year. Jeremiah Lambert died this year, who was an Elder, and had been travelling six years. The year before he died, he was sent to Antigua, in the West Indies; but finding himself declining, he returned to Maryland, where he died. His character is thus stated in the minutes," A man of sound judgment, clear understanding, good gifts, genuine piety, and very useful, humble and holy diligent in life, and resigned in death; much esteemed in the connection, and justly lamented. James Thomas, a young man, died also: he was a pious man, of good gifts; blameless in his life, and much resigned in his death. William Glendenning, (according to the mi. nutes) desisted from travelling this year. By some means he lost his reason; which his own words will prove. As his case was rather extraordinary, I will give some account of his stopping, &c. in his own words; taken from a book written by himself, and published in Philadelphia in 1795, entitled, !| "The life of William Glendenning." He says in page 11 and 12, "In 1784, I travelled in Brunswick, in the state of Virginia, where my mind got more and more darkened, and I lost sight of my reconciled God, and all spiritual comforts departed from me." Page 13, at the christmas conference this year, "They wanted me to go as a missionary to Nova Sco tia; which I refused with warmth." However, he was proposed for the elder's office, and he says page 14, "I was rejected from the eldership. The reason assigned was, that I wanted gifts." Afterwards, "While Mr. Asbury was at prayer, I felt all light of divine mercy, as in a moment, take it's flight from me. My soul then sunk into the depths of misery and despair." Page 15, "I stopped travelling in the month of June 1785." Page 16, "I staid first at the house of Robert Jones in Sussex county, Virginia." Page 18, "About the last of November the same year, I was removed to Leonard Smith's, in North-Carolina ;" page 19, "and in about six weeks I was removed to John Hargrove's." Page 21,"When I would be in the fields, I would for hours together be blaspheming in the most horrid manner." He wrote to the general conference in 1792, wishing to be united with us, &c. The confe rence believed him to be beside himself at that time, and would not receive him. We had fifty-six circuits this year; and one hundred and sixteen travelling preachers, which was a good supply of labourers. This year we sent preachers to Kentucky for the first time; James Haw, and Benjamin Ogdon went to that new settled country, and laboured with great success, and were prospered in their endeavours to build up the redeemer's kingdom. They collected a good many societies together in the course of that year; and many people in the Western country will have cause to bless God for the coming of those preachers into that part of the world. At the conference at Laine's meeting in Virginia, there was a proposal made for preachers to go to Georgia, and if any one felt freedom to offer themselves as missionaries for that service, they were requested to speak: several persons offered, more than could be spared. It was concluded that two only should go, and Thomas Humphris, and John Major were accepted. They went forth in the name of the Lord, and were made a blessing to many of the inhabitants of Georgia. They formed a circuit up and down the Savannah river and round by Little river, and the town of Washington, and in the course of that year they collected together and joined into society four hundred and fifty members. Mr. Major continued in Georgia about two years, and died in peace. This was a prosperous year with our societies; many were added to us, and joined among us; and the work of the Lord revived in general where we laboured, and in some places, souls were gathered in by scores. Many of the old christians took a fresh start, and the holy fire kindled and spread from heart to heart. " CHAPTER VI. From the begining of 1787, to the end of 1791, the year in which Mr. John Wesley died. In 1787, we had three conferences. The twen tieth conference was held at Salisbury in NorthCarolina on the 17th day of March. The twenty-first conference was held at Rough Creek church in Virginia, on the 19th day of April. The twenty-second conference was held at Bal. timore on the 1st day of May. At these conferences we took in ten new cireuits one in Georgia; the old circuit being divided, and the name changed, the divisions were now called Burk and Augusta. We took in two in SouthCarolina, Cainhoy and Edisto. In Virginia we took in Greenbrier, Bath and Ohio. We also took in Clarksburg, Nolachuckie and Cumberland. In New York state, we took in New Rochelle. We admitted on trial thirty-four young preachers; and added to the society 7082 members, according to the minutes; but strictly speaking, we had an increase of 8592 members. In our mi nutes for the past year we had taken in the numbers from Nova Scotia and Antigua; but this year we left them off, and did not take them into the numbers; and they amounted to 1510. This year for the first time the numbers in society were taken in each state separately. We had now sixty-five circuits in the United States, and 131 travelling preachers. At the Baltimore conference the preachers complained of Dr. Coke, because he had taken upon himself a right which they never gave him, of altering the time and place of holding our con ferences, after it had been settled and fixed on at the previous conference. Another complaint was brought against him for writing improper letters to some of our preachers, such as were calculated to stir up strife and contention among them. At that time the Dr. saw that the preachers were pretty generally united against him; he acknowledged his faults, begged pardon, and promised not to meddle with our affairs again when he was out of the United States. He then gave in writing a certificate to the same purpose, which is as follows: "The certificate of Dr. Coke to the confer ence. "I do solemnly engage by this instrument, that I never will, by virtue of my office, as superintendant of the Methodist church, during my absence from the United States of America, exercise any government whatever in the said Methodist church during my absence from the United States. And I do also engage, that I will exercise no privilege in the said church when present in the United States, except that of ordaining according to the regulations and law, al ready existing or hereafter to be made in the said church, and that of presiding when present in conference, and lastly that of travelling at large. Given under my hand the second day of May in the year 1787. Witnesses, John Tunnil, THOMAS COKE." The preachers then agreed to forgive what was past, provided this condition should be expressed in the minutes; which was done thus : Q." Who are the superintendants of our church for the United States ?" |