Nathan Bangs · 68 of 73

Chapter 2. From 1787 to 1791 inclusive. · Part 1

Three conferences were held this year; one in Salisbury, in North Carolina, on the 17th of March; another at Rough Creek Church, in Virginia, April 19th; and the third in Baltimore on the first day of May. Ten new circuits were added, namely, one in Georgia, the old circuit being divided, the two new ones being called Burke and Augusta: Cainhoy and Edisto, in South Carolina; Greenbrier, Bath, and Ohio, in Virginia; Clarksburgh, Nollechuckie, and Cumberland; and New Rochelle in New York.

Dr. Coke arrived on the continent just in time to attend the first conference in North Carolina, whence he traveled extensively through different parts of the country, preaching to large congregations, and was very useful in his labors. It seems, however, that when he came to the conference in Baltimore, some dissatisfaction was manifested toward him, because, while in Europe, he had, as was contended, so far transcended his powers as to alter the time and place for the conference to meet after they had been fixed by the conference itself. This, with some other complaints of a trifling character, drew from Dr. Coke, with a view to allay all apprehensions of his American brethren hereafter, the following certificate: —

The Certificate of Dr. Coke to the Conference.

“I do solemnly engage by this instrument that I never will, by virtue of my office, as superintendent of the Methodist Church, during my absence from the United States of America, exercise any government whatever in 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 laws already existing or hereafter to be made in said Church, and that of presiding when present in conference, and lastly that of traveling at large. Given under my hand the second day of May in the year 1787.

“Thomas Coke.

“Witnesses: “John Tunnel, “John Hagerty, “Nelson Reed.”

And with a view to guard, as much as possible, against similar infringements of their rights in future, the following question and answer were entered on the minutes: —

Question Who are the superintendents of our Church in these United States?

“Answers Thomas Coke (when present in the States) and Francis Asbury.”

These things are recorded because they belong to the history of the times, and show the vigilance with which the conference watched over their rights. They show likewise the Christian spirit by which Dr. Coke was actuated in his intercourse with his American brethren; the respect he entertained for Bishop Asbury, his junior in office, in yielding to him, on account of his more intimate acquaintance with the preachers and people, the power of stationing the preachers; as well as his readiness to conciliate all by a frank acknowledgment of his error in the assumption of power which did not belong to him — an act which was certainly more meritorious as it involved a greater sacrifice of feeling than that of the conference in passing a decree of oblivion for what had passed. Dr. Coke was, like all other men, too fallible not to err, and too good to persist in an error after being made sensible of it.

At this conference it was proposed that Mr. Freeborn Garrettson be elected and ordained a superintendent for the societies in Nova Scotia and the West Indies. This was done in compliance with the express wishes of Mr. Wesley and Dr. Coke, as well as those of many of the preachers in Nova Scotia. To this, however, Mr. Garrettson objected, until he might go and visit the brethren for one year, and then, if there should be a general wish for him to take the oversight of them in the character of a superintendent, he would comply. With this proposition Dr. Coke expressed his satisfaction, and there the business ended; for, on account of some unexplained reason, Mr. Garrettson, contrary to his expectations, was appointed a presiding elder in the peninsula, on the eastern shore of Maryland.

Mr. Wesley also signified his wish to have Mr. Richard Whatcoat ordained a joint superintendent with Bishop Asbury; but to this the conference objected, assigning, among other reasons, that they feared, should he be elected and consecrated, Mr. Wesley would call Bishop Asbury home; which shows the high estimation in which he was held by his brethren.

This was the year in which the title of bishop, instead of superintendent, was used in the new edition of the Discipline, and has ever since been in use to designate that highest officer in the Church. Seeing that this change of name, perfectly innocent in itself, has given rise to so much controversy, by the fastidiousness of disaffected individuals, and those who have sought a pretext to impugn the motives of our first bishops and others, it were almost to be wished that it had never been taken. The fact, however, may have its use, as it has been the occasion of furnishing the friends of the Church with arguments in its defense, of which they might otherwise have never availed themselves.

But as many specious objections have been preferred against our Church organization, arising partly from this circumstance, and partly from an opinion which has been expressed by malignant individuals, that fraudulent means were resorted to in order to effect it, I shall here state some of these objections, together with such answers as may be considered necessary to obviate them.

As to the name itself, it is descriptive, when rightly understood, of the same official work as that of superintendent, the latter being derived from the Latin super and intendere, to oversee, and the former from the German, bishop, and both of the same signification with the Greek Episcopos, an overseer. The simple name, therefore, is perfectly harmless.

It is objected that Mr. Wesley was opposed to the thing, and reproved Bishop Asbury for assuming the title of bishop. To the assumption of the title simply, I allow Mr. Wesley was opposed, but not to the thing signified by it; for, He ordained Dr. Coke to this very office; and, He sent him with a prayer-book prepared by himself, and with orders to consecrate Mr. Asbury to this office, with power to ordain others, and exercise functions which appertained not to a simple presbyter.

3. A surreptitious taking of this title is not, in truth, chargeable upon either Dr. Coke or Bishop Asbury; for though they affixed it to their names in the edition of the Discipline without a formal vote of the conference, in 1786, Mr. Lee says, that at the ensuing conference, when the subject was submitted to them, a majority of them approved of the act, and it was accordingly inserted in the minutes for 1787, in the following words: —

“We have constituted ourselves into an Episcopal Church, under the direction of bishops, elders, deacons, and preachers, according to the form of ordination annexed to our prayer-book, and the regulations laid down in this form of discipline.” Hence we find in the minutes for 1788 this question and answer: —

Question Who are the bishops for our Church in the United States?

“Answers Thomas Coke, Francis Asbury.”

Here, therefore, was an open avowal of the whole business in the official document of the Church, which all could read and understand. There was, therefore, neither secrecy, collusion, nor underhandedness of any sort in this transaction.

The following questions and answers show the deep interest felt for the colored population, and for the rising generation: —

Question 17. What directions shall we give for the promotion of the spiritual welfare of the colored people?

Answers We conjure all our ministers and preachers by the love of God, and the salvation of souls, and do require them, by all the authority that is invested in us, to leave nothing undone for the spiritual benefit and salvation of them, within their respective circuits or districts; and for this purpose to embrace every opportunity of inquiring into the state of their souls, and to unite in society those who appear to have a real desire of fleeing from the wrath to come, to meet such in class, and to exercise the whole Methodist discipline among them.

Question 19. Shall any directions be given concerning the register-books?

Answers Let register-books be provided by all the societies that the elders and deacons may enter the marriages and baptisms regularly in them; and let every such register book be kept in the hands of the steward or any other proper person of each society respectively. Let one general register-book be also kept in the hands of the general steward of every circuit, in which the contents of all the private register-books in the circuit may be inserted at convenient times.

Question 20. What can we do for the rising generation?

Answers Let the elders, deacons, and helpers class the children of our friends in proper classes, as far as it is practicable, meet them as often as possible, and commit them, during their absence, to the care of proper persons, who may meet them at least weekly; and if any of them be truly awakened, let them be admitted into society.

Hitherto there had been no conference held north of Philadelphia, and, since the commencement of the Revolutionary War, north of Baltimore; but this year we find Bishop Asbury, in pursuance of his grand design of spreading the gospel over these lands, in company with Dr. Coke, coming to New York, where he says “the doctor preached with great energy and acceptance.” He then says, “I rode twenty miles on Long Island, to Hempstead harbor, and preached with some liberty in the evening. I am now out of the city, and have time to reflect: my soul returns to its rest, and to its labor for souls, in which I can live more by rule.”

This, indeed, seemed to be the element of his soul, to be in prayer, in which he was mighty, and in calling sinners to repentance; and having, as above related, visited this part of the country, he turned his face toward the south, traversing all the middle states, and everywhere sowing the “good seed of the kingdom.” In Virginia he passed through the east end of the “Dismal Swamp,” and thence into North Carolina, where he says, “I found we had to go twelve miles by water, and send the horses another way. O what a world of swamps, and rivers, and islands, we live in here!"

This year was distinguished by a remarkable revival of religion, particularly in the southern parts of Virginia. As Mr. Lee has given a very particular account of this revival, the reader will be pleased to read it in his own words. It is as follows: —

“There was a remarkable revival of religion in the town of Petersburgh, and many of the inhabitants were savingly converted; and the old Christians greatly revived. That town never witnessed before or since such wonderful displays of the presence and love of God in the salvation of immortal souls. Prayer meetings were frequently held both in the town and in the country, and souls were frequently converted at those meetings, even when there was no preacher present; for the prayers and exhortations of the members were greatly owned of the Lord.

“The most remarkable work of all was in Sussex and Brunswick circuits, where the meetings would frequently continue five or six hours together, and sometimes all night.

“At one quarterly meeting held at Mabry’s Chapel in Brunswick circuit, on the 25th and 26th of July, the power of God was among the people in an extraordinary manner: some hundreds were awakened; and it was supposed that above one hundred souls were converted at that meeting, which continued for two days, i. e., on Thursday and Friday. Some thousands of people attended meeting at that place on that occasion.

“The next quarterly meeting was held at Jones’s Chapel, in Sussex county, on Saturday and Sunday, the 27th and 28th of July. This meeting was favored with more of the divine presence than any other that had been known before. The sight of the mourners was enough to penetrate the most careless heart. The divine power was felt among the people before the preachers came together. Many of the young converts from the quarterly meeting that had been held two days before at Mabry’s, had come together, and uniting with other Christians in singing and praying, the heavenly fire began to kindle, and the flame of love and holy zeal was spreading among the people, which caused them to break out in loud praises to God. Some when they met would hang on each other, or embrace each other in their arms, and weep aloud, and praise the Lord with all their might. The sight of those who were thus overwhelmed with the love and presence of God, would cause sinners to weep and tremble before the Lord.

“By the time the preachers came within half a mile of the chapel, they heard the people shouting and praising God. When they came up they found numbers weeping, both in the chapel and in the open air. Some were on the ground crying for mercy, and others in ecstasies of joy.

“The preachers went among the mourners and encouraged them and prayed with them. The private Christians did the same. Some were lying and struggling as if they were in the agonies of death; others lay as if they were dead. Hundreds of the believers were so overcome with the power of God that they fell down, and lay helpless on the floor, or on the ground; and some of them continued in that helpless condition for a considerable time, and were happy in God beyond description. When they came to themselves, it was generally with loud praises to God, and with tears and expressions enough to melt the hardest heart. The oldest saints had never before seen such a time of love, and such displays of the power of God.

“The next day the society met early, in order to receive the Lord’s supper.

“While the society was collected in the house, some of the preachers went into the woods to preach; and while they were preaching, the power of the Lord was felt among the people in such a manner that they roared and screamed so loud that the preacher could not be heard, and he was compelled to stop. Many scores of both white and black people fell to the earth; and some lay in the deepest distress until the evening. Many of the wealthy people, both men and women, were seen lying in the dust, sweating and rolling on the ground, in their fine broadcloths or silks, crying for mercy.

As night drew on the mourners were collected together. and many of them were in the most awful distress, and uttered such doleful lamentations that it was frightful to behold them, and enough to affect the most stubborn-hearted sinner. But many of these were filled with the peace and love of God in a moment, and rising up, would clap their hands and praise God aloud. It was then as pleasing as it had before been awful to behold them.

“Many of these people who were happily converted, left their houses and came to the meeting with great opposition to the work of God; but were struck down in an unexpected manner, and converted in a few hours. So mightily did the Lord work, that a great change was wrought in a little time.

“Soon after this, some of the same preachers who had been at the quarterly meetings mentioned above, held a meeting at Mr. F. Bonner’s, ten miles from Petersburgh, where a large concourse of people were assembled; and the Lord wrought wonders among them on that day. As many as fifty persons professed to get converted at that time before the meeting closed. The cries of distressed sinners under conviction, and the shouts of happy Christians, were heard afar off. Some that were careless spectators in the beginning of the meeting were happily converted before the meeting ended, and went home rejoicing in God, knowing that he had forgiven their sins.

“They had another meeting at Jones’ Hole Church, about twelve miles from Petersburgh; many people assembled. They began to sing and exhort each other before the preachers came, and the Lord wrought among them, and many were crying for mercy. The preacher began to preach, but it was with difficulty that he could keep the people quiet enough to hear him at all. The old Christians were all alive to God, and the young converts were so happy that they could not well hold their peace, but were ready to break out in loud praises to God. They kept in for a while; but toward the close of the sermon some of them broke out into strains of praise the flame spread immediately through the whole house, and hundreds were deeply affected. Some prayed as if they were going to take the kingdom by violence: others cried for mercy as if they were dropping into eternal misery; and some praised God with all their strength, till they dropped down helpless on the floor.

The poor awakened sinners were wrestling with the Lord for mercy in every direction, some on their knees, others lying in the arms of their friends, and others stretched on the floor not able to stand, and some were convulsed, with every limb as stiff as a stick. In the midst of this work several sleepers of the house broke down at once, which made a very loud noise; and the floor sank down considerably; but the people paid but little or no attention to it, and many of them knew nothing of it, for no one was hurt. On that day many souls were brought into the liberty of God’s children. Sinners were struck with amazement at seeing so many of their relations and neighbors converted, and few of them were left without some good desires to be converted themselves.

“The great revival of religion in 1776, which spread extensively through the south part of Virginia, exceeded any thing of the kind that had ever been known before in that part of the country. But the revival this year far exceeded it.

“It was thought that in the course of that summer there were as many as sixteen hundred souls converted in Sussex circuit; in Brunswick circuit about eighteen hundred; and in Amelia circuit about eight hundred. In these three circuits we had the greatest revival of religion but in many other circuits there was a gracious work, and hundreds were brought to God in the course of that year. To give a full description of that remarkable outpouring of the Spirit would exceed the bounds of this history. I have only given a short sketch of a few meetings. There were many other meetings not much inferior to those I have noticed. But the work was not confined to meetings for preaching; at prayer meetings the work prospered and many souls were born again; and the meetings often continued all night, without intermission. In class meetings the Lord frequently set the mourning souls at liberty. It was common to hear of souls being brought to God while at work in their houses or in their fields. It was often the case that the people in their corn-fields, white people, or black, and sometimes both together, would begin to sing, and being affected would begin to pray, and others would join with them, and they would continue their cries till some of them would find peace to their souls. Some account of this work was published in the newspapers at different times, and by that means spread all through the United States.”

John Robertson and James Foster located this year.

Richard Owings had died. In the notice of his death, it is said that he was “one of the first local preachers on the continent.” Before he entered the traveling ministry, which he did about two years before his death, he labored much in the back settlements; and, being a plain, honest, and good man, was very useful. He died at Leesburgh, Virginia, and no doubt rested from his labors.

The success of this year’s labor may be seen in the following account of the Numbers in the Church.

Whites This Year, 21,949, Last Year, 18,791, Increase, 3,158; Colored This Year, 3,893, Last Year, 1,890, Increase, 1,003; Total This Year, 25,842, Last Year, 20,681, Increase 5,161; Preachers This Year, 133, Last Year, 117, Increase 16. 1788.

This year there were seven conferences, as follows: — Charleston, South Carolina, March the 12th; Georgia, on the 9th of April; in Holstein, on the 19th of May; Amelia county, Virginia, on the 17th of June; in Uniontown, on the 22d of July; in Baltimore, on the 10th of September; in Philadelphia, on the 25th of September.

By the division of some of the old circuits, and the addition of new ones, there were added to the list nineteen this year, making in all eighty-five; but as the names of the circuits were undergoing changes almost every year, and new ones added, it is thought not advisable to swell this history with every new name, noticing those only which were formed in new parts of the work. Two new circuits were added in North Carolina, called Seleuda and Waxsaws, and one in South Carolina, called Anson; French-Broad, and West River, in the back settlements, among the mountains of Virginia; Buckingham, Gloucester, and Rockingham, below the mountains. In Maryland, Annapolis, Harford, and Cecil were formed; Bristol and Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania; Dutchess, Shoreham, New City, Cambridge, and Lake Champlain, in New York conference.

This year was also distinguished by very extensive revivals of religion, some of the most remarkable of which will be noticed. As may be seen by the preceding chapters, the Lord had raised up a number of zealous young men, who had entered the field of itinerancy with hearts fired and filled with love to God and the souls of men. Several of these were placed under the charge of Mr. Garrettson, who was requested by Bishop Asbury to penetrate the country north of the city of New York, and form as many circuits as he could.

A great portion of this country was entirely destitute of religious instruction, more especially the northern and western parts of New York state, and the state of Vermont. There were, to be sure, some small scattered congregations of Lutherans, and Dutch Reformed, along the banks of the Hudson River, and some Congregationalists and Baptists in Vermont. It is manifest, however, that experimental and practical religion was at a very low ebb; and in most of the places, particularly in the new settlements on the west side of the Hudson River, where not even the forms of it were to be found. The following is Mr. Garrettson’s own account of the manner in which he was led in this holy enterprise: —

“I was very uneasy in my mind, being unacquainted with the country, an entire stranger to its inhabitants, there being no Methodist societies farther north than Westchester; but I gave myself to earnest prayer for direction. I knew that the Lord was with me. In the night season, in a dream, it seemed as if the whole country up the North River, as far as Lake Champlain, east and west was open to my view.

“After conference adjourned, I requested the young men to meet me. Light seemed so reflected on my path that I gave them directions where to begin, and which way to form their circuits. I also appointed a time for each quarterly meeting, requested them to take up a collection in every place where they preached, and told them I should go up the North River to the extreme parts of the work, visiting the towns and cities in the way, and on my return, I should visit them all, and hold their quarterly meetings. I had no doubt but that the Lord would do wonders, for the young men were pious, zealous, and laborious.”

This plan, so wisely conceived, was carried into execution, and the result was as anticipated. Many houses and hearts were opened to these men of God; and although they suffered some persecution from those who understood not their character and motives, God wrought by their hands in a wonderful manner, so that in the minutes for the next year upward of six hundred were returned as members of the Church on those circuits.

As an instance of the infatuation under which some persons labored respecting the character and objects of the Methodist preachers in that day, take the following, which is related on the authority of Mr. Garrettson: — A gentleman from Vermont, on his way down the country, informed the people that these preachers were spread all over those parts through which he had come, and that some one had circulated a report, which many, it seems, believed, “that the king of England had sent them to disaffect the people toward their own government; and they doubted not but they would be instrumental of producing another war.” Others, however, not quite as sagacious in political science, but better versed, as they thought, in theology, gave it, as their opinion, that these itinerants were a flying army of the false prophets spoken of by our Saviour, who should come in the last days, and deceive, if it were possible, the very elect! And then, again, the settled clergy were alarmed by an apprehension that they would break up their congregations, and thus deprive them of their “livings.” These things, however, moved not those heralds of mercy from their steadfastness, nor turned them aside from their course.

This year Bishop Asbury crossed the Allegheny Mountains; and as it will give the reader a correct perception of the manner in which he performed his duties in those days, and the privations to which he and his companions were often subjected, as well as the reflections of a pious and observant mind, I will give his own account of this journey.

“Thursday 10. We had to cross the Allegheny Mountain again, at a bad passage. Our course lay over mountains and through valleys, and the mud and mire was such as might scarcely be expected in December. We came to an old forsaken habitation in Tygers’ Valley: here our horses grazed about while we boiled our meat: midnight brought us up at Jones’s, after riding forty, or perhaps fifty miles. The old man, our host, was kind enough to wake us up at four o’clock in the morning. We journeyed on through devious lonely wilds, where no food might he found, except what grew in the woods, or was carried with us. We met with two women who were going to see their friends, and to attend the quarterly meeting at Clarksburg. Near midnight we stopped at A’s, who hissed his dogs at us: but the women were determined to get to quarterly meeting, so we went in. Our supper was tea. Brothers Phoebus and Cook took to the woods; old gave up his bed to the women. I lay along the floor on a few deerskins with the fleas. That night our poor horses got no corn; and the next morning they had to swim across the Monongahela: after a twenty miles’ ride we came to Clarksburg, and man and beast were so outdone that it took us ten hours to accomplish it. I lodged with Col. Jackson. Our meeting was held in a long close room belonging to the Baptists: our use of the house, it seems, gave offense. There attended about seven hundred people, to whom I preached with freedom; and I believe the Lord’s power reached the hearts of some. After administering the sacrament, I was well satisfied to take my leave. We rode thirty miles to Father Haymond’s, after three o’clock, Sunday afternoon, and made it nearly eleven before we came in; about midnight we went to rest, and rose at five o’clock next morning. My mind has been severely tried under the great fatigue endured both by myself and horse. O, how glad should I be of a plain, clean plank to lie on, as preferable to most of the beds; and where the beds are in a bad state, the floors are worse. The gnats are almost as troublesome here as the mosquitoes in the lowlands of the seaboard. This country will require much work to make it tolerable. The people are, many of them, of the boldest cast of adventurers, and with some the decencies of civilized society are scarcely regarded, two instances of which I myself witnessed. The great landholders who are industrious will soon show the effects of the aristocracy of wealth, by lording it over their poorer neighbors, and by securing to themselves all the offices of profit or honor: on the one hand savage warfare teaches them to be cruel; and on the other the preaching of Antinomians poisons them with error in doctrine: good moralists they are not, and good Christians they cannot be, unless they are better taught.”

What has God wrought in those western wilds since that period! The above is given as a specimen of the labors of that great and good man. His Journal shows that this year, as usual, he penetrated almost every part of the country, old and new — the cities, towns, and villages, not neglecting the remote settlements of the woods; thus setting an example to the younger preachers, and to his successors in office, of the labors of a primitive evangelist. In all the conferences he presided jointly with Dr. Coke, when the latter was present; and then he was away, leading on “God’s sacramental hosts" to the grand work of saving the souls for whom Christ had died.