USA > Maine > History of Methodism in Maine, 1793-1886 > Part 9
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Norridgewock, Joseph Baker and Ebenezer Easty.
Falmouth, Alfred Metcalf and Dan Perry. Poland, Joel Wicker.
Penobscot, Philip Munger and Samuel Thompson.
Bethel, David Stimpson.
Union River, Asa Pattie and Daniel Dudley.
Readfield, Joseph Snelling and Thomas Perry.
Bristol, Comfort C. Smith.
Hallowell, . Aaron Humphrey and Samuel Hillman.
Union, Daniel Ricker.
Bowdoinham, True Glidden.
One district ; eleven circuits ; eighteen preachers, of whom six were members on trial. Members in Maine, 1,748; increase, 334. Members in the Methodist Episcopal church, 104,070; increase, 17,336. Preachers in the Methodist Episcopal church, 383 ; increase, 25.
69
CONFERENCE IN BALTIMORE.
CHAPTER VII.
1804-1808. GENERAL CONFERENCE IN BALTIMORE. GREAT DISPARITY OF REPRESENTATION. CHANGE IN TERMS OF ADMISSION TO SEATS IN GENERAL CONFERENCE. PUBLISHING BUSINESS REMOVED TO NEW YORK. ASBURY GOES NORTH. CONFERENCE AT BUXTON, MAINE, JULY 14, 1804. REMARKABLE WORK OF GOD. APPOINTMENTS FOR MAINE. 1805. NEW ENGLAND CON- FERENCE AT LYNN, JULY 12. ASBURY RECEIVES A LETTER FROM DR. COKE. VIEWS OF THE MARRIAGE OF MINISTERS. APPOINTMENTS FOR MAINE. STATISTICS. 1806. ASBURY'S JOURNEY INTO MAINE. CAMP-MEETING AT BUXTON. CONFERENCE AT CANAAN, NEW HAMPSHIRE, JUNE 12. BISHOP WHATCOAT'S FAILING HEALTH. LAST SERMON. SICKNESS AND DEATH. WILLISTON AND SMITH WITHDRAWN. 1807. ASBURY'S JOURNEY IN FEEBLE HEALTH, FROM THE SOUTH, THROUGH VERMONT, NEW HAMPSHIRE AND MAINE. THEN RETURNED TO BOSTON, THE SEAT OF THE CONFERENCE, JUNE 1. PREACHING FIVE TIMES A DAY. ASBURY PREACHED TWICE. APPOINTMENTS FOR MAINE. GENEROUS GIFTS FROM BALTIMORE. 1808. NEW ENGLAND CONFERENCE AT NEW LONDON, APRIL. 18. APPOINTMENTS FOR MAINE.
1804. The General Conference met at Baltimore, Monday, May 7th, Bishop Asbury, presiding. The following brief extract from his journal plainly indicates that the discussions of the Conference were not entirely pleasant to himself : "What was done, the revised form of the Discipline will show. There were attempts made upon the Presiding Eldership. ' I talked but little upon any subject, and was kept in peace. I preached twice."
The Conference consisted of one hundred and eight members from the different Conferences as follows : Western Conference, three ; South Carolina, five; New England, four; New York, twelve; Virginia, seventeen ; Baltimore, thirty ; Philadelphia, thirty-seven. Showing a very dangerous disproportion between the representatives from the different Conferences. The Baltimore and Philadelphia Conferences had nearly two-thirds of the whole body.
These two Conferences do not seem to have taken any advantage of their numerical superiority in the Conference. But the fact was noticed, and, according to Mr. Lee's statement, a different arrangement was attempted. Heretofore, ministers of two years' standing were allowed to sit as members; but thenceforward four years in the itinerancy were required to entitle to a seat. The Conference proceeded, according to the example of previous General Conferences,
70
CONFERENCE IN BUXTON.
to read, revise, alter and correct the entire spiritnal and temporal laws of the church.
Up to that time, the publishing business of the church had been conducted in Philadelphia. It was determined to transfer this establishment to New York. Ezekiel Cooper was re-appointed to its superintendency, and Reverend J. Wilson as his colleague. There was little or no religions quiekening at this Conference. This was a great grief, especially to Mr. Lec.1
Asbury left Baltimore May 24th, on his northcrly tour. On Wednesday, July 11th, he reached Epping, New Hampshire, and preached from Acts 26 :18-19. He had an "open time." Thursday, he passed on' through Lee, Dover and Berwick, to Alfred. On Thursday, July 13th, he passed on to Buxton, the seat of the Conference, which commenced on Saturday, Asbury presiding ; Reuben Hubbard, Secretary. Nine deacons and two elders were elected. There was preaching on Friday and Saturday. The meeting on the Sabbath, July 15th, was opened by prayer and exhortations at eight o'clock. The ordination was held in a grove, where the Bishop preached from a hay-cart for a pulpit, and he describes the occasion as an "open time." The sermon was wonderfully effectual ; a great sensation spread among the multitude, and before the session closed it was estimated that fifty persons were converted. Reverend Mr. Snelling says there was a greater display of divine power at this Conference than any he ever attended. "Many were wrought upon in a very powerful manner ; but, as is generally the case, there was some opposition. At one meeting, a man appearing to be in a violent passion came in and called for his wife, bidding her leave immediately. She urged him to stay a little longer ; he refused and started to go, but paused a few moments ; then turned back, fell upon his knees and prayed for mercy as earnestly as any. The preachers were placed in different parts of the grove, praying and exhorting, similar to what we call praying circles at camp-meeting. In the circle which I was in there were eleven persons who professed to be brought from darkness to light, besides many others who were inquiring what they must do to be saved."2 Joshua Taylor declared this to be the greatest time that he had ever seen in New England. Eighty-one preachers were appointed to six districts and fifty-two circuits. On Tuesday, July 17, the business of the Conference was concluded, and the next session of the Conference was appointed at Lynn, July 12, 1805.
1 Stevens' History of M. E. Church.
2 Ibid.
71
APPOINTMENTS IN MAINE. CONFERENCE IN LYNN.
Fifty persons were said to have been converted at this Conference, the work continuing till the last evening.
Wednesday morning, July 18th, Mr. Asbury and others with him took their departure to Limington, crossed Saco river, dined at Doctor Cochran's, and passed on into New Hampshire.
The appointments to Maine were as follows :
Maine District, Joshua Soule, Hallowell, Aaron Humphrey
Presiding Elder. and Dan Perry.
Portland, Joshua Taylor.
Norridgewock, Daniel Ricker.
Falmouth, Philip Munger.
Penobscot, William Goodhue.
Poland, True Glidden.
Union River, Thomas Perry.
Scarborough, Asa Heath. Bristol, Samuel Hillman.
Readfield, Joseph Baker.
Union, David Stimson.
Bethel, Allen H. Cobb. Bowdoinham, Daniel Dudley.
One district; thirteen circuits ; fifteen preachers. Members in Maine, 2,102 ; increase, 354. Members in the Methodist Episcopal church. 113,134 ; increase this year, 9,064. Traveling preachers, 400.
1805. The New England Conference was held this year at Lynn, Massachusetts, July 12th, Bishop Asbury presiding ; Joshua Taylor, Secretary. While on his way to Lynn, on receiving a letter from Dr. Coke announcing his marriage, Bishop Asbury records his views of the marriage of itinerant ministers. "Marriage is honorable in all,-but to me, it is a ceremony awful as death. Well may it be so, when I calculate we have lost the traveling labors of two hundred of the best men in America or the world, by marriage and consequent location."
Lynn, July 12, 1805, writes Mr. Asbury, we had a full Conference. Preaching at five, at eleven, and at eight o'clock ; sitting of Conference from half past eight o'clock until eleven in the forenoon, and from two until six o'eloek in the afternoon. We had great order and harmony, and striet discipline withal. Sixteen deacons and eight elders were ordained.
Sabbath, July 14, we held our meeting in a grove, a beautiful sequestered spot. There were many exhortations and much prayer; some were converted.
On Monday, July 15, the labors of the Conference and publie religious exereises were continued. On Tuesday evening Conference rose in great peace. On Wednesday I gave them a sermon, and immediately set out for Waltham.3
The appointments for Maine were as follows :
Maine District, Joshua Soule, Hallowell, Thomas Perry.
Presiding Elder. Norridgewock, Joseplı Farrar.
Portland, Joshua Taylor. Penobscot, Levi Walker.
Falmouth, David Stimson. Union River, Joseph Baker.
3 Asbury's Journal.
72
ASBURY'S JOURNEY IN FEEBLE HEALTHI.
Poland, Daniel Dudley.
Scarborough, Asa Heath.
Bowdoinham, Allen HI. Cobb. Union, Samuel Hillman and
Pliny Brett.
Readfield, Aaron Humphrey, William Goodhue and Bristol, Daniel Ricker, John Williamson. Livermore, Samuel Thompson.
Bethel, Dan Perry.
Fourteen circuits ; eighteen travelling preachers. Members in Maine, 2,400 ; inerease, 298. Members in the Methodist Episcopal church, 119,945 ; inerease, 6,811. Traveling preachers, 433; inerease, 33.
1806. In the summer of this year, Bishop Asbury, though suffering much from feeble health, before the New England Conference, extended his journey to Maine.
Tuesday, June 3d, (he records in his journal,) we came through the dust to Enoch Sanbourn's, East Kingston, forty-five miles. We had a ride of about fifty miles to Old Wells, on Wednesday.
Maine, Thursday, 5. We came to Portland. Joseph Crawford preached.
Friday, 6. We went towards Buxton to attend the camp-meeting. At two o'clock we came on the ground. There were twenty preachers, traveling and local.
Saturday, June 7. I preached, and on Sunday also. Some judged there were about five thousand people on the ground. There were displays of divine power and some conversions.
Our journey into Maine has been through dust and heat; in toil of body, and in extraordinary temptation of soul; but I felt that our way was of God.
Monday, June 9. We journeyed on through Buxton, Limerick, Parsonsfield, Effingham, into New Hampshire, stopping at Sandwich to lodge with Dr. Webster.
New Hampshire, Canaan, Thursday, June 12. We opened the New England Conference and went through our business with haste and peace, sitting seven hours a day. We did not, (to my grief,) tell our experiences, nor make observations as to what we had known of the work of God; the members were impatient to be gone, particularly the married townsmen.
Sunday, June 15. I ordained eleven elders in the woods. At three o'clock I preached in the meeting-house; it was a season of power.
On Tuesday, Asbury passed through Enfield and Hanover and on through Vermont, preaching at various places on his route to New York and further south.
Members in Maine this year, 2,501; gain during the year, 101. Entire membership of the church, 119,945 ; inerease this year, 6,811. Preachers, 433. Appointments for Maine :
Portland District, Oliver Beale, Presiding Elder. and Caleb Fogg.
Bowdoinham, Daniel Ricker. Durham, Eleazer Wells. Portland, David Batchelder. Scarborough, Joseph Farrar.
Falmouth, Samuel Thompson
Poland, Soloman Sias. Bethel, Clement Parker.
Livermore, John Wilkinson
and David Stimson.
73
DEATH OF BISHOP WHATCOAT.
Kennebec District, Joshua Soule, Presiding Elder.
Readfield, Dyer Burge and
Benjamin F. Lambord.
Norridgewock, Luther Chamber- lain.
Hallowell, David Carr.
Vassalborough, John Williamson.
Bristol, Allen H. Cobb.
Union River, Ebenezer Fairbank.
Union, Samuel Hillman and
Jonas Weston.
Orrington, William Hunt.
Hampden, John Green.
Two districts ; seventeen circuits ; two Presiding Elders, and twenty-one traveling preachers.
Bishop Whatcoat, whose health for some time had been feeble, was obliged to confine his labors to the Conferences in the Middle States, and was this year compelled to desist from his labors. His last sermon was preached in Milford, Delaware, April 8, 1806. The next day, he succeeded in reaching Dover, Delaware, where he found a home with the Honorable Richard Basset, and received every attention which hospitality and kindness could render. He lingered for thirteen weeks, and died in peace July 5, 1806. A man greatly beloved for his deep piety and christian faithfulness.
Two preachers who had traveled several years in Maine, withdrew this year from the conference and from the church ; Ralph Williston, who joined the Reformed Dutch church, and afterwards the Episcopal church, and Comfort C. Smith, who was " unsettled in doctrine " and became a Universalist.
1807. The death of Bishop Whatcoat left the entire burden of episcopal service upon Bishop Asbury, who was also burdened with serious and increasing bodily infirmities. Yet, in spite of great physical suffering, he pressed on in his travels, not only presiding at conferences, but visiting extensively in "regions beyond," preaching at almost every place in his routc.
On his way from the South to the New England Conference, held this year in Boston, he passed through Vermont, over the mountains, through New Hampshire into Maine, through Kennebunk, Saco, Scarborough, to Portland, where he was entertained by his "great friend," Major Ilsley.
The next day, Friday, May 22d, they took up their journey through Falmouth to North Yarmouth, then on to Monmouth, where he preached on Isaiah 35:3-6; then they returned through Gray, toward Boston, traveling forty miles a day, and sometimes being under the necessity of seeking entertainment in a "dram and sin infested tavern." Saturday, May 30th, he preached at Waltham. Monday, June 5th, came to Boston, the seat of the Conference at which he presided; Thomas Branch, Secretary. Conference opened Tuesday, ninety-two preachers being on the list.4
4 Asbury's Journal, Vol. III, p. 355.
74
CONFERENCE IN BOSTON. MAINE APPOINTMENTS.
This was the first session of the New England Conference held in Boston. The session eontinned through the week. There were, at this time, two Methodist churches in the city. There were more than a hundred ministers of the New England Conference, and about thirteen thousand members in the eastern states ; one thousand and two hundred gain the last year. The conference had preaching five times a day. The preachers meant business, and the people had more power of endurance than in these days. Fifty-nine candidates were ordained.
Baltimore again sends three hundred dollars, her Book Concern dividend, for the poorly paid itinerants of New England. This noble charity of the southern conferences, continued year after year, to New England, affording timely and much needed help. Asbury preached on Wednesday and on Thursday,-a needless amount of serviee for a siek man, in the presence of so many able ministers.
On Saturday, the business of the conference was concluded, and " an hour or two was spent in conversing on the state of the Lord's work among the people under our charge, and our own souls." The appointments were read and the preachers were soon on their way to their several fields of labor. The Bishop immediately departed for Lynn.
The appointments for Maine at this conference, were as follows :
Portland District, Oliver Beale, Presiding Elder.
Bowdoinham, John Wilkinson.
Portland, Joel Winch.
Durham, David Carr.
Scarborough, Lewis Bates.
Falmouth, Samuel Hillman and John Patten.
Poland, Jonathan Chaney and Enoch Jaques.
Bethel, Allen H. Cobb.
Livermore, Aaron Humphrey and Eli Howe.
Conway, William Hunt.
Kennebec District, Joshua Soule, Presiding Elder.
Readfield, David Batchelder and Henry Martin. Norridgewock, Ebenezer Fairbank. Hallowell, Caleb Fogg. Vassalborough, Joseph Baker.
Union, Samuel Baker.
Bristol, James Young.
Union River, Daniel Ricker.
Orrington, Philip Ayer.
Hampden, David Stimpson.
John Williamson, Missionary for the District of Maine.
Two distriets ; eighteen eireuits ; one mission ; twenty-two eireuit preachers ; two Presiding Elders ; one missionary ; total foree, twenty-five men. Members, 2,562; total membership in the church, 144,599 ; inerease this year, 14,020. Number of preachers, 516.
75
CONFERENCE AT NEW LONDON.
1808. Early in the spring of this year, Mr. Asbury, after a fatiguing journey in the South of more than three thousand miles during the year, returned North. He arrived, by forced rides, on the 15th of April, at New London, Connecticut, the seat of the conference. Sunday, April 17th, Mr. Asbury preached in the Baptist church, which was larger than the Methodist church, and the use of it generously tendered by the Baptists for the occasion.
The conference sat until Friday ; the business was done in good order, though with great haste. Seventeen deacons and nine elders were ordained in the Congregational church, in the presence of fifteen hundred or two thousand people. There was a work of grace going on during the sitting of conference.5
The conference left a deep impression upon the city ; a revival ensued which continued through most of the year, and spread over much of the district.
The Bishop left immediately after the adjournment of the conference, on Tuesday, April 26th, and after a ride of thirty-eight miles in a rain storm, he arrived at New York city, with a sense of relief that he had completed his episcopal labors for the year. In addition to his extensive aud fatiguing travels, he had stationed five hundred and fifty-two preachers during the year, and had preached almost daily. No preacher under his care rendered more heroic service.
The appointments for Maine were as follows :
Portland District, Joshua Soule, Presiding Elder.
Durham, Warren Banister and Isaac Smith. Portland, Joel Winch.
Scarborough, Samuel Hillman.
Kennebec District, Oliver Beale, Presiding Elder.
Readfield, Ebenezer Fairbank and James Spaulding. Norridgewock, Caleb Fogg.
Hallowell, Henry Martin.
Vassalborough, Philip Ayer.
Falmouth, Enoch Jaques and Caleb Currier.
Conway, Philip Munger.
Bethel, Jonathan Chaney.
Livermore, Allen H. Cobb and Joshua Randall. Poland, John Wilkinson.
Union, John Williamson.
Bristol, Joel Steele.
Union River, David Kilburn.
Orrington, Daniel Ricker.
Hampden, Joseph Baker.
Palmyra, William Hinman.
5 From Asbury's Journal.
76
CONFERENCE AT BALTIMORE.
CHAPTER VIII.
1808-1816. GENERAL CONFERENCE AT BALTIMORE, MAY 6. DISPROPORTIONATE REPRESENTATION. DR. COKE'S OFFER OF EPISCOPAL SERVICE DECLINED. HIS CORRESPONDENCE WITHI BISHOP WHITE. DIFFERENT PLANS IN REGARD TO THE EPISCOPAL OFFICE. MCKENDREE'S WONDERFUL SERMON. PLAN OF A DELEGATED GENERAL CONFERENCE. ELECTION OF PRESIDING ELDERS. MCKENDREE ELECTED BISHOP. DISCIPLINE CHANGED FOR THE SOUTHI. LEE'S LAST VISIT, TO MAINE. 1809. CONFERENCE AT MONMONTII. ASBURY'S TRAVELS IN MAINE. NATIONAL TROUBLES. CONFERENCE AT WINCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE. CAMP-MEETING. 1811. CONFERENCE AT BARNARD, VERMONT. 1812. FIRST DELEGATED GENERAL CONFERENCE, NEW YORK, MAY 1. MCKENDREE'S ADDRESS. ORDINATION OF LOCAL PREACHERS. ACTION ON SLAVERY. ELECTION OF STEWARDS BY QUARTERLY CONFERENCES. TEMPERANCE MEASURES. ORDINATION OF LOCAL PREACHERS. ELECTION OF PRESIDING ELDERS. NEW ENGLAND CONFERENCE AT LYNN, JUNE 20, 1812. WAR DECLARED. 1813. CONFERENCE AT SALEM, CONNECTICUT. 1814. CONFERENCE AT DURHAM, MAINE. 1815. CONFERENCE AT UNITY, NEW HAMPSHIRE. 1816. ASBURY'S DEATH. LEE'S DEATH. GENERAL CONFERENCE AT BALTIMORE. BISHOPS GEORGE AND ROBERTS ELECTED. COURSE OF STUDY. PEWED CHURCHES. LICENSING EXHORTERS. METHODIST MAGAZINE. SLAVERY. BOOK DEPOSTORY AT PITTSBURG. CONFERENCE AT BRISTOL, RHODE ISLAND. NEWS OF PEACE. THE COLD SEASON.
1808. The General Conference was held this year at Baltimore, commencing the 6th and closing the 20th of May. Delegates from New England Conference from Maine, J. Soule and O. Beale. This was, in some respects, one of the most important sessions ever held. There were some principles of fundamental importance in the organization of the church that required to be settled. Previously all members of four years' standing in the Annual Conference, had a right to a seat in the General Conference. The rapid increase in the number of elders rendered a delegated General Conference an obvious necessity. The death of Bishop Whatcoat left Bishop Asbury, in feeble health, unable to discharge the increasingly onerous duties of this office.
The present General Conference was composed of one hundred and twenty-nine members, representing the seven conferences, in the following order : Philadelphia, thirty-two; Baltimore, thirty-one ; Virginia, eighteen ; South Carolina, eleven ; Western, eleven ; New York, nineteen, and New England, seven. Nearly one-half were from
77
DR. COKE AND THE GENERAL CONFERENCE.
two conferences. It was time to re-model the plan of General Conference representation.
Dr. Coke for the first time was absent from the General Conference. At the session in 1804, permission had been given him to return to England and remain till the present session, unless previously re-called by these Annual Conferences. In the meanwhile, he had written a circular letter to the Annual Conferences, proposing to return to America, on condition that the work should be divided, as nearly as possible, between him and Bishop Asbury. This was not agreed to. He addressed a letter to the General Conference, in which he proposes, if he may share the rights, powers and privileges of the episcopal office with Bishop Asbury, that he will return for life to America. Or if this should not accord with the views of the body, he suggested a mode by which his name might be retained in the minutes, and he continue to reside in Europe. This last proposition was accepted by the conference.
Dr. Coke had caused considerable dissatisfaction by his circular letter to the conference, and especially by a confidential letter written by him to Bishop White, of the Protestant Episcopal church, in 1791, suggesting a union of the Methodist with the Episcopal church. Whatever impropriety there may have been, on the part of Dr. Coke, in commencing such a correspondence with Bishop White, without authority, it was a greater impropriety in Bishop White to give publicity to a confidential letter.
Letters were received from Dr. Coke, at the beginning of the conference, explaining his intention in his correspondence with Bishop White, which to a great extent, removed from the minds of the brethren all suspicions of any purpose to encourage any plans of union with the Episcopal church which were disparaging to Methodism. The letters were referred to a committee, who prepared a respectful reply to Dr. Coke, expressing the affectionate regards of the conference, and their grateful remembrance of his valuable services ; but the conference did not wish him to act as Bishop. It was, therefore, decided that Dr. Coke's name should be retained in our minutes, after the names of our Bishops, with the following : "N. B. Dr. Coke, at the request of the British Conference, and with the consent of our General Conference, resides in Europe ; he is not to exercise the office of superintendent in the United States, until he be recalled by the General Conference, or by the Annual Conferences, respectively."1
1 From Life and Times of Jesse Lee.
78
DIVERSE OPINIONS. MCKENDREE'S REMARKABLE SERMON.
This was evidently the most prudent manner of disposing of this delicate subject. Dr. Coke was a most excellent man, but too much of a bishop to suit the temper of American preachers. Many of their number had been raised up who were well qualified for the highest office in the church. It was not good policy, in view of the disturbed relations of the American with the British government, to elect another Englishman to the episcopal office. There was a diversity of opinion as to the best method of strengthening the episcopal office. There were strong advocates of a Diocesan Episcopacy. Some were in favor of discontinuing the office of Presiding Elder, and appointing a Bishop for each Annual Conference, with Bishop Asbury as a kind of presiding Archbishop. Others thought two additional Bishops were needed. In the opinion of others, one additional Bishop would be sufficient for all the present necessities of the church. These different views were largely and ably discussed by the ablest men of the conference ; but except the last, they signally failed. Nearly a unanimous vote was given for electing one additional Bishop.
On Sunday, May 8th, at half past ten o'clock, William McKendree preached in Light Street church. Reverend Nathan Bangs, who was at this conference as a spectator, gives the following description of the occasion : "The house was filled to overflowing. I saw the preacher of the morning enter the pulpit, sunburnt, and dressed in very ordinary clothes. He appeared more like a poor back woodsman than a minister of the gospel. In prayer, he scemed to lack words, and even stammered. I became uneasy for the honor of the conference. He gave out his text, Jeremiah 8:21-22; ' Is there no balm in Gilead,' &c. As he advanced in his discourse, a mysterious magnetism seemed to emanate from him to all parts of the house. He was absorbed in the interest of his subject; his voice rose gradually till it sounded like a trumpet ; at a climactic passage, the effect was overwhelming. It thrilled the assembly like an electric shock. The house rang with irrepressible responses ; many hearers fell prostrate to the floor. An athletic man sitting by my side fell as if shot by a cannon ball. I felt my own heart melting, and found that I should also fall from my seat.""
With native preachers like Lee, Cooper, McKendree, Soule and Hedding, it was not strange that the conference should decline the overtures of Dr. Cokc. "That sermon," said Asbury, on the occasion, " will decide his election."
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