Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

man in that neighborhood was George Taylor. With his assistance, I immediately formed a society there, which flourished all the time I remained on the circuit.

"Next day I had a long ride through a dreary country. Late in the evening I came to a little logcabin, standing in the woods, with no stable or outbuildings of any kind. Seeing a woman in the door, I rode up and asked if I could stay all night. She seemed to think not. I paused a few moments, thinking what to do. I was afraid to go any farther, lest I should have to lie out all night. That I was afraid to do, as the weather was very cold, and there were always a great many ravenous wolves in the barrens. My life would be in danger, and there was nothing to encourage me to stay at this place. I knew I would have to tie my hungry, tired horse to a tree, without any shelter or food. The cabin looked very dreary, and the woman was unwilling to let me stay. She was not entirely alone, but had several children, and one daughter partly grown, which inclined me to think I could stay with safety. I finally concluded to let her know who I was, and what business I was on. I said to her, 'I am a Methodist preacher, sent by Bishop Asbury to try to form a circuit.'

"This information appeared to electrify her. Her countenance changed, and her eyes fairly sparkled. She stood for some time without speaking, and then exclaimed, 'La, me! has a Methodist preacher come at last? Yes, brother, you shall stay all night. Mr. Carson is not at home, but

we will do the best we can for you with a glad heart.""

Thus he passed on from place to place, occasionally finding small classes that had been formed by pious local preachers who had settled in the country-sometimes receiving a cordial welcome, at others meeting with repulses-until he had formed a full four-weeks' circuit.

During the year, his labors were greatly blessed. Revivals of religion, under his ministry, animated his heart, and made him say, "These are great and glorious days."

Not yet an ordained minister, Lewis Garrett, who had charge of the Danville Circuit, exchanged a round of appointments with him, "regulated the classes that had been formed, baptized all who wished to be baptized-adults and childrenpreached many sermons on baptism, and answered all the Baptist arguments to the general satisfaction." Having closed his year's labors, he says: "I was now leaving my new circuit, while, as yet, I had given it no name; and, as I would have to report it at Conference, it must, of necessity, have a name. I called it Wayne Circuit, after Gen. Anthony Wayne. I had taken three hundred and one members into Church this year."

Up to this period, Methodism had not extended its influence into the counties in the western portion of the State. In these counties were to be found "a good many scattering members" of the Church, but without any organization. Amongst those who had professed religion in the Red River Circuit, was

Peter Cartwright, whose father, about this time, removed from Logan to Livingston county. Previous to his leaving Logan county, Mr. Cartwright was licensed by Jesse Walker to exhort, and invested by John Page, the Presiding Elder, with authority "to travel through all that destitute region, hold meetings, organize classes, and, in a word, to form a circuit, and meet him the next fall, at the fourth quarterly meeting of the Red River Circuit, with a plan of the new circuit, number of members, names of preachers, if any, exhorters, class-leaders, etc.” *

Mr. Cartwright was successful, and in the fall of 1803, reported to Messrs. Page and Walker the Livingston Circuit, with about one hundred members, to which Mr. Walker was appointed the following year.

At the close of the year, we find an increase of five hundred and eighty-four members.

* Autobiography of Peter Cartwright, p. 59.

CHAPTER XIV.

FROM THE CONFERENCE OF 1803 TO THE CONFERENCE OF 1808.

-

Learner

Conference meets at Mount Gerizim-Bishop Asbury presentAnthony Houston-John McClure - Adjet McGuire - Fletcher Sullivan Louther Taylor John A. Granade Blackman - Increase of membership-The Conference of 1804 - Abdel Coleman-Joshua Barnes-Joshua Riggin - William J. Thompson-Edmund Wilcox-James Axley-Peter Cartwright -Asa Shinn-Benjamin Edge-Miles Harper-George AskinsSamuel Parker-Death of Wilson Lee-Livingston and Hartford Circuit Churches organized in Ohio county-Church organized at Thomas Stith's, in Breckinridge county-Thomas Taylor-Margaret Taylor-Licking Circuit-Increase of membership-The Conference of 1805-Bishop Asbury present-Thomas HellumsHenry Fisher-Samuel Sellers-David Young-Moses Ashworth— William Ellington-Richard Browning-William HoustonJoshua Oglesby-A small class in Louisville-Increase in membership-Conference of 1806-Bishop Asbury present-Abbot Goddard-Hector Sandford-Joseph Bennett-Frederick Hood-Zadoc B. Thaxton-Abraham Amos-Joseph Williams-John Thompson —William Hitt-Joseph Oglesby-The first deed of ground, on which to build a church, in Mason county-Increase of membership -The Conference of 1807-Bishop Asbury present-Thomas Stillwell-Mynus Layton-Josiah Crawford-John Craig-William Lewis-Jacob Turman-Henry Mallory-James King-Sela Paine-Milton Ladd― Joseph Hays-Elisha W. Bowman - The Silver Creek Circuit, in Indiana Territory, formed-Kennerly Chapel-Pond Meeting-house-Increase in membership-Causes of locations-Our Review.

THE Western Conference for 1803, met at Mount

Gerizim, in Harrison county, on the 2d of October. Bishop Asbury presided. On his way to the Conference, he passed through Ohio, to look after the interests of the Church in that Territory; and on the 28th of September, "crossed the Ohio River into the State of Kentucky, Fleming county, stopping at Salathiel Fitch's."

On the following day, he passed "through Bourbon county," and "rode thirty-three miles to Benjamin Coleman's, at Mount Gerizim, the place appointed for the Conference." On the Sabbath preceding the Conference, he "had to preach from a stand in the woods to about two thousand people." On Monday, he says, "We entered fully upon our Conference work; but I had to preach, nevertheless. We had preaching every day; and the people continued singing and prayer, night and day, with little intermission. On Wednesday the meeting closed. We hope there were twenty souls converted to God, besides five who are reported to have been converted at a family meeting. Our Conference ended on Thursday, the 6th. I had taken cold, but rode twelve miles to Smith's, and was driven by illness early to bed. Next day I rose unwell, and continued my route through Paris. The day was excessively warm, but I made twenty miles to Dr. Hinde's, in Clarke county. Brothers McKendree, Garrett, Douthet, and Granade were with me."*

Anthony Houston, John McClure, Adjet McGuire, and Fletcher Sullivan, were admitted on trial, and

*Asbury's Journal, Vol. III., pp. 130, 131.

« ZurückWeiter »