History of the M.E. Church, Vol. IV - Media Sabda Org

preacher, with the means of doing the little good I have done, than be the President of the United
States."
Robert R. Roberts, whom we have heretofore found in the ultramontane woods of Pennsylvania,
became prominent laborer among these evangelists in 1808. He made his way this year to the
General Conference at Baltimore, traveling on horseback, with but one dollar in his pocket for the
journey, and carrying with him oats for his horse, and bread and cheese for himself. He had but five
cents when he arrived at the session. His clothes were so worn out that an unknown Methodist of the
city, after hearing him preach, sent a tailor to his lodgings, and had him reclothed from head to foot.
His preaching produced such an impression that he was appointed to the Light Street Church
immediately after the Conference, and remained there, and at Alexandria and Georgetown, till 1813,
a powerful and successful laborer. After three more years, spent in Philadelphia, and on its district,
his superior character and capacity commanded such general regard that he was elected to the
episcopate, and commenced his travels over all the United States. As the period draws to its close,
names familiar and dear to us all nearly half a century later, begin to multiply, such as Tucker, Beard,
Hamilton, Tippett, and others; within our present chronological limits they were graduating toward
the orders of elders -- modest young evangelists, trying their strength on hard circuits, but full of
promise, and destined to afford the historian hereafter some of his choicest examples of events and
characters.
Such are a few, and but a few, of the itinerants of the South in our present period -- the second
generation of Methodist itinerants worthy recruits of the elder corps, which was still mighty in the
field, led by Lee, Bruce, Roberts, Wells, Everett, Daniel Asbury, George, Reed, Snethen, Shinn,
Henry Smith, Roszell, Christopher Sprye, Gassoway, Douglass, Mills, and similar men. Many others
of equal note, but of scantier record, might be mentioned, some of whom will be noticed at more
apposite points of our narrative.
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