Page images
PDF
EPUB

of Durkee, where she was entertained on the best they had. The Lord blessed her visit to the conversion of the man and his wife; glory be to his holy name. She went about twenty miles to a place called Adams, to keep school; but whether she ever went home again or not, I can not tell.

"At that place they employed a young man from Williamstown college to drive the Methodists out of the place. He was a large young man, wearing a morning gown and his head powdered. When I had done speaking the people kept their seats, and he rose and commenced asking me questions. We agreed so well in all points of doctrine, that, instead of destroying Methodism, he helped to establish it! Sometimes the devil over-shoots the mark."

In 1799, B. Hibbard and H. Ryan were on Cambridge circuit. They traveled about five hundred miles and filled sixty-three appointments every four weeks. This, however, they found to be too much for them, and some appointments were attached to another circuit. Mr. Hibbard says, "On Cambridge circuit the Lord wrought wonders. About three hundred, I believe, were awakened and converted, though the net increase was not quite two hundred." His residence was at Bethlehem, about forty-five miles from Ashgrove, the centre of his extensive circuit.

Of the early history of Methodism in Bethlehem, he says, "When I was first acquainted with this class about a year before, there were only eight members. We lived with them two years, and when we moved away the number in class was eighty-four." A single incident from his memoirs may serve to show the bitter persecutions to which the early Methodists were subjected in many places.

"The persecution in Thurman's Patent* was truly grievous. Many young people that experienced religion were turned out of doors by their parents. Some of them were whipped cruelly; two young women were so whipped by their father that the blood ran down to their feet, and he then turned them out of doors, and they walked fifteen miles to a Methodist society." That father was a church member. Two younger brothers having been converted, were often severely beaten for attending Methodist meetings. "It astonished me," says Mr. Hibbard, "that the father of ten children, eight of whom had experienced religion, should drive six of them from his house, and whip these two boys for no other crime, in reality, than that of worshiping God with the Methodists." That father did not whip religion nor Methodism out of his children, for some of their descendants are now among our wealthy, influential and devoted members.

66

Thus from year to year the work spread and new societies were organized. Feeble, indeed, they were, and remote from each other; yet the Lord was with them. Before the close of the last century, Essex and Plattsburgh circuits were formed, and a noble band of men,

* Some of our readers may not recognize Thurman's Patent by that name. The territory now embraced in Warren county was at that time called Thurman's Patent. In that region, as we have seen, Mr. Jacobs found a watery grave, in 1796. The first society there was organized about that time, by Mr. Ryan, and consisted of seven members, the particular locality of which is not known to the writer. (See T. Spicer's Life, p. 34.) About the same time, Mr. Noble, who died so suddenly at Ashgrove, went to reside in Johnsburgh and thus introduced Methodism there. Our cause, however, gained but little permanent hold in that region until some years later, when it was known as Thurman's circuit, and at a later period as Warren circuit; it is now divided into Warrensburgh and Chester, Schroon, Johnsburgh and Luzerne circuits.

who subsequently did glorious things under God, had been raised up and thrust out into this part of the field. Among them were James Covel, Sen., John Crawford, Daniel Bromley, Robert Green, Joseph Mitchell, Elijah Wolsey, Ebenezer Stevens, Ezekiel Canfield, John Finnegan, Billy Hibbard, Shadrack Bostwick, and Elijah Hedding. These men of God traveled circuits larger than our present presiding elders' districts, endured privation and performed labors that would seem incredible were they not well authenticated, and which were worthy of the apostolic age. Amid obloquy and persecution, they laid the broad foundations of that work which has since progressed so marvelously. Many of them were not highly favored as to literary training, but their souls were fired and expanded by the love of God. They were men of good natural abilities, and their constant contact with the world gave them a knowledge of human nature, in all its phases, that has rarely been surpassed. "There were giants in those days." The Herculean tasks to which the pioneer min. istry of the M. E. Church were called, could not fail, either to drive them from the field, or to develop the noblest traits of character. Nothing was more common than for them to be interrupted in the midst of their discourses by objections to their strange doctrines, and they were compelled to engage in almost daily controversy. By this means, these despised "circuit riders” acquired a skill in the use of the scriptures, and a power in debate that enabled them to put to confusion many of the "regularly educated ministry."

Pittstown, Fort Ann, Schroon, Broadalbin, Mayfield, and Bethlehem, were among the places in which Methodism gained more or less foothold before the close of the last century.

CHAPTER II.

FROM 1800 TO THE ORGANIZATION OF THE TROY CONFERENCE IN 1832.

In November, 1799, Lorenzo Dow left his appointment on Essex circuit, and Elijah Hedding began his itinerant labors by supplying it, under the sanction of the presiding elder. He labored there about three months, and being at the time but an exhorter he did not take a text. In April or May, of 1800, he was licensed to preach, and in November of the same year was sent to Plattsburgh circuit. There the first fruits of his labors were gathered. The circuit was reported to be "all on fire," and "the scene of singular displays of God's converting and sanctifying power." He spent about six weeks there, and then was removed to Cambridge circuit, to supply the place of a preacher who was taken sick. An humble cottage on the west side of Cumberland Head, about two miles from the village of Plattsburgh, has been pointed out to the writer as the place where this distinguished servant of God preached his first The minutes give no account of members on Plattsburgh circuit, until 1800, when one hundred and seven were reported.

sermon.

In September of 1800, Rev. Jesse Lee, the apostle of Methodism in New England, in one of those extensive tours which these men were accustomed to make, passed through a part of our territory. On Sunday, the 21st, after holding a love-feast and preaching twice on the other side of the Canada line, he says in his journal,

I then took leave of Canada and rode back to Vermont, and down to Church's in St. Albans, and at night preached on Titus ii, 12. I had a sweet time, preaching to the strange people, and they were remarkably attentive, and heard as though it had been for their

lives. Then brother Peter Vannest exhorted with some life. We had a crowded house." "Saturday 27th," continues his journal, "we rode through Pawlet, and Rupert, and into the state of New York. I had been in Vermont eighteen days, and preached twenty-three sermons. We then rode through Salem, to Peter Sweetzer's. On that plantation Philip Embury died." He pursued his journey preaching at Cambridge, Troy, and New Lebanon, and so passed out of our bounds into Massachusetts. (See Stevens' Memorials, series ii, p. 57.)

During the conference year of 1800-1, Peter Vannest endured great trials and sufferings on Essex, afterwards called Fletcher circuit, Vt.; but God was with him, and he says, "I baptized, by sprinkling, pouring, and immersion, about four hundred persons." With my reader's permission I will introduce him to one or two scenes that occured in the winter of that year. "My work required me to cross Missisque river. When winter came, I was unable to get my horse over the river on account of the boat being sunk; I therefore left him with a friend to bring to St. Albans, a distance of about seventeen miles. I got over the river myself in a canoe, at double ferriage, an account of the drift ice. I traveled about one hundred miles on foot, and most of the way through the woods and deep snow, without a track, sometimes stepping into spring-holes up to my knees in mud and water; the snow would wear off the mud, but not dry my feet. On one occasion, in going sixteen miles through the woods, when I came to a house, they told me that one of my ears was frozen. I went out of the house, and held snow to it, in order to draw out the frost; but it continued sore until the skin all peeled off. Some part of my way was on the ice, which at that season covered Missisque bay, where I found the water three or four inches deep, and being compelled to travel

« PreviousContinue »