Though the labors of the conference, detailed in the former chapter, were great, and the subjects of deliberation elicited very considerable. O that his removal may be sanctified to my good, and the good of the family.
AN ACCOUNT OF THE GENERAL CONFERENCE OF 1796
- He must receive a license, after being examined and approved, from the quarterly meeting conference, provided he be recommended by the class to
- After improving his gifts acceptably for four years, by being suitably recommended to an annual conference, he was to be eligible to the office
- Whenever a local preacher filled the place of a traveling preacher, if the latter were unable from sickness or other unavoidable means to fill his own
- But if the local preacher were distressed in his circumstances, in consequence of his services in the Church, by applying to the quarterly
- A rule was made for the trial of a local preacher before his peers, differing but little from the one now in existence, which, as the regulations
It is provided and declared, that the name, style, and title of this corporation shall be, ‘The Trustees of the Fund for the Relief and Support of the itinerant superannuated, and worn-out Ministers and. It is provided and declared, that in case of the death, resignation, or expulsion from membership (according to the rules and discipline from time to time adopted by the itinerant ministers and preachers of the said Church, in their General Conference assembled) of any one or more of the members of the said corporation, or their.
FROM THE CLOSE OF THE GENERAL CONFERENCE IN 1796, TO THE
CONFERENCE IN 1800
In the Western Reserve, Methodism is about co-eval [contemporary] with the earliest settlement of the country. We have already seen something of his character in the notice we have taken of the work of God in Upper Canada.
AN ACCOUNT OF THE GENERAL CONFERENCE OF 1800
Asbury has signified his intention of resigning his official station in our Church on account of his weakness of body, what is the sense of the conference on this occasion. Asbury for a continuation of his services as one of the general superintendents of the Methodist Episcopal Church as far as his strength will permit.”. But the statement you have laid before us in your address, of the success of the West India missions under his.
Signed by order and in the behalf of the General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church in the United States of America,. The views, however, of those prevailed who thought he should be every way equal in power with his senior in office, both as respected presiding in the conferences, ordaining and stationing the preachers, and the general superintendency of the work. At the age of twenty-two he was made a partaker of the witness, and immediately brought forth the fruits of the Holy Spirit.
FROM THE CLOSE OF THE GENERAL CONFERENCE OF 1800, TO THE END
OF THE YEAR 1803
That as to the facts themselves, they are indubitable — that is, there can be no room to doubt that such meetings were held as above narrated, and
It is admitted that in such vast multitudes, assembled in the open air,under circumstances of such peculiar excitement, and many of them not.
It is admitted that in such vast multitudes, assembled in the open air, under circumstances of such peculiar excitement, and many of them not
When we look into the book of God, we find some instances on record of persons having been affected in a similar way, who were manifestly
In examining the history of the work of God in his church at differentperiods, we find similar instances of mental and bodily exercises on record.
In examining the history of the work of God in his church at different periods, we find similar instances of mental and bodily exercises on record
The instances were very few in which we had reason to think these affections were produced by visionary or sensible representations, or by any other images than such as the Scripture itself presents unto us. And here we think it not amiss, to declare, that in dealing with these persons, we have been careful to inform them, that the nature of conversion does not consist in these passionate feelings; and to warn them not to look upon their state as safe, because they have passed out of deep distress into high joys, unless they experienced a renovation of nature, followed with a change of life, and a course of vital holiness. Nor have we gone into such an opinion of the bodily effects with which this work has been attended in some of its subjects, as to judge them any signs that persons who have been so affected were then under a saving work of the Spirit of God.
Yet we do not think them inconsistent with a work of God upon the soul at that very time; but judge that those inward impressions which come from the Spirit of God, those terrors and consolations of which he is the author, may, according to the natural frame and constitution which some persons are of, occasion such bodily effects; — and therefore that those extraordinary outward symptoms are not an argument that the work is delusive, or from the influence and agency of the evil spirit.”. This document is said to have been signed by no less than sixty-eight ministers, all of whom concurred in the views therein expressed, while only fifteen refused their assent to an article in the same report which accorded to the practice, at that time a novelty in New England, of itinerating from place to place to preach the gospel — a practice introduced by Mr.
With these facts and examples before us, are we not justified in
Will it be denied by any believer in divine revelation, or even by a deist, that God can, and often does, so work upon the mind of man, as to make
As the mind and body are so intimately connected that the one acts upon the other, is there, after all, any thing so very extraordinary in the
Those therefore who address themselves to the understanding only, as if men were merely intellectual beings, avail themselves of not one half of the motives with which the gospel furnishes its servants, to induce sinners to repent and believe in Christ, and to encourage believers to persevere in the path of duty. These things being so, is it any matter of wonder that, when the awfullysublime and truly affecting subjects of Christianity are presented to the.
These things being so, is it any matter of wonder that, when the awfully sublime and truly affecting subjects of Christianity are presented to the
Having so fully narrated the progress of the work of God in the western country under date of 1800, it is not necessary to add any thing in respect to it here. Nor should the labors and privations, the prayers and sufferings in the cause of Christ of that faithful servant of God, the Rev. Sawyer in the Niagara circuit fc3 and though not distinguished for shining talents as a preacher, he was beloved by the people of God for his fidelity in the work of the ministry, and for his deep devotion to their spiritual interests, evinced by his faithful attention to the arduous duties of his circuit.
This new circuit was traveled by John Robinson and Caleb Morris, and they returned forty-five members in the Church. But in the midst of these labors and privations, they seemed to be abundantly compensated in beholding the blessed effects of their. On his return to America, in 1763, he was settled in the parish of Bath, Dinwiddie county, Virginia, and became a zealous and evangelical minister of Jesus Christ, by which means he incurred the displeasure of the.
Because I think it due to him as an active, zealous, and successful minister of Jesus Christ, whose friendship for the Methodists when they
Because his posthumous letters have been referred to as an evidence of his regret that he had contributed so much to subserve the cause of
This good work continued in various parts of the country, particularly in the west, by the instrumentality of camp-meetings, and also in some of the southern states. While in Baltimore, I received an account of the death of my mother, which I fear is true. There were seven annual conferences this year, the New England conference being held for the first time in Boston, and the New York in Ashgrove, in the northerly part of the state of New York.
There was an enlargement of the work of God this year in almost every direction, and “many people were added to the Lord.” The camp-meetings which had commenced in the west under such favorable auspices,. This year the work extended in the western part of the state of New York, and Otsego, Black River, Westmoreland, Pompey, and Ontario were added to the list of circuits in that part of the country. But the camp meetings were among the most efficient means of awakening the attention of the people to the things of eternity.
THE GENERAL CONFERENCE OF 1804,
AND OF THE ANNUAL CONFERENCES OF 1804-7
The New England conference shall include the district of Maine, the Boston, New London, and Vermont districts
The New York conference comprehends the New York, Pittsfield, Albany, and Upper Canada districts
The Philadelphia conference shall include the remainder of the state of New York, all New Jersey, that part of Pennsylvania which lies on the east
The Baltimore conference shall include the remainder of Pennsylvania, the Western Shore of Maryland, the Northern Neck of Virginia, and the
The Virginia conference shall include all that part of Virginia which lies on the south side of the Rappahannock River and east of the Blue Ridge,
The South Carolina conference shall include the remainder of North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia
The Western conference shall include the states of Tennessee, Kentucky, and Ohio, and that part of Virginia which lies west of the great river
They all agreed, however, to pray for an outpouring of the Spirit upon that place. The missionaries and the Indians treated him with great respect and affection, and seemed to rejoice in the prospect of having the gospel preached to the white settlements on the banks of the river below. He was succeeded the next year by William Case, who was instrumental of great good to the souls of the people.
He could therefore say more in truth than most of the pretended successors of St. Though the population was sparse, the roads bad, and the people generally averse to the self-denying truths of the gospel, Mr. At the end of the year he returned twelve members, five whites and seven colored, as the reward of his labors.
THE GENERAL CONFERENCE OF 1808
COKE.”
- It seems that Dr. Coke himself designed his letter only as preparatory to an interview on the subject with Bishop White, should the proposition be
Coke, at the request of the British Conference, and by consent of our General Conference, resides in Europe; he is not to exercise the office of superintendent among us, in the United States, until he be recalled by the General Conference or by all the annual conferences. McKendree to the office of a bishop or superintendent, and he has entered upon the duties of the office. The delegates shall he chosen by ballot without debate, in the annual conferences respectively, in the last meeting of conference previous to the sitting of the General Conference.
One of the general superintendents shall preside in the General Conference; but in case no general superintendent be present, the General Conference shall choose a president pro tem. One of the general superintendents shall preside in the General Conference; but in case no general superintendent be present, the General Conference shall choose a president pro tempore. Coke, at the request of the British Conference, and by consent of our General Conference, resides in Europe.
FROM THE CLOSE OF THE GENERAL CONFERENCE OF 1808, TO THE
CONFERENCE OF 1812
The intermediate time between preaching is occupied in prayer meetings, singing, and exhortation
In time of worship persons are prohibited from walking to and fro, talking, smoking, or otherwise disturbing the solemnities of the meeting
At 6 o’clock, A M., they are required to take their breakfast, before which family prayer is attended in each tent occupied by a family
In time of preaching all are required to attend, except one to take care of the tent
That these rules may be observed, they are published from the stand, and a committee appointed to enforce them
A watch is generally appointed to superintend the encampment at night, to keep order, to see that no strangers are on the ground, and to detect any
In some places there are large tents provided, at the expense of the society to which they belong, for the purpose of holding prayer meetings,
In the city of New York the entire arrangement and preparation of the meeting, providing tents, putting them up and taking them down, is under
In time of worship persons are prohibited from walking to and fro,talking, smoking, or otherwise disturbing the solemnities of the meeting. Let all things be done decently and in order” at camp-meetings, and they shall still be rendered a blessing, as they have heretofore been, to the souls of the people. The word of the Lord which was delivered, was received by the people with apparent eagerness and delight.
According to the order of the meeting, the people this night retired to rest at ten o’clock. The departure of the sun under the western horizon indicated the time to have arrived for the intelligent creation to lose themselves once more in. Neither did they labor in vain; for some of these mourning penitents entered into the liberties of the gospel.
