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

themselves with the Methodist Episcopal Church. Brooklyn also, where were stationed Ezekiel
Cooper and Samuel Thomas shared largely in the refreshing from the presence of the Lord. Many
were added to the Church, and out of the number two became preachers, namely, Josiah Bowen and
myself. These were indeed happy and joyous days, sweetened as they were by the delights of
Christian fellowship. We were truly of one heart and of one mind." [4]
In 1808 Ostrander announced him ["him" -- who? -- Abel Stevens seems here, and in several
succeeding paragraphs, to refer to Josiah Bowen, or someone other than himself -- DVM] to preach
in Brooklyn without his knowledge. With great diffidence and agitation he thus began, when but
nineteen years old, his long and successful itinerant life. The same year he was called out by his
presiding elder to the Croton Circuit. Thomas Thorn, later a useful preacher, was one of the fruits
of his first sermon on this circuit; yet such was the self-distrust of the young evangelist, that he
determined to give up preaching, and return home; when Woolsey met him, and by urgent and
fatherly admonitions forced him back to the circuit. A second time he attempted to retreat, but his
colleague, Isaac Candee, met him on his homeward route, and again turned him back. He was
received into the Conference in 1809, and sent three hundred miles to Charlotte Circuit in Vermont,
along the shores of Lake Champlain. He went to it on horseback, carrying his clothing and books,
all that he possessed, in his portmanteau. He had formidable labors on his circuit, but was sustained
by a "powerful revival in Middlebury, Vt.," which so strengthened the Church there as to enable it
to become a "station." Two hundred souls were added to the membership of the circuit.
During the remainder of these years he was appointed to Granville, Mass., Buckland, Mass.,
Dutchess, N. Y., New Haven, Conn., New York city, Jamaica, L. I., Middletown, Conn., New
Rochelle, N. Y. On some of his circuits he suffered severely, receiving but little salary, sometimes
hardly enough to buy clothing for the year, having poor fare, impaired health, and terrible exposures
in winter, with "face, hands, and feet frozen;" but he was faithful to his charge, and, as his future
appointments will show, became one of the representative men of the New York Conference. He was
called the "finest looking" member of that body -- in person well-proportioned and dignified, with
an expressive face, simple but most courteous manners, of few words, extreme modesty, great
prudence in counsel, and a tranquil uniformity of temper and life -- the perfect Christian gentleman,
and unblemished Christian minister. "The oldest member of the New York Conference," says one
of his brethren, "he has attended fifty-eight of its annual sessions, having never failed of one of them,
and being forty-two years 'effective.' For the last sixteen years he has been superannuated. He is now
seventy eight years old, but is still remarkable for his noble personal appearance, agreeable manners,
sweetness of spirit, and firmness of character. He has held a place in the front rank of his
Conference, and in the regards of the people."
In 1808 Nathan Bangs returned from Canada, and was appointed to Delaware Circuit, N.Y.,
where, among many other fruitful incidents of his ministry, was the reception into the Church of his
brother, Heman Bangs, whose faithful and vigorous services in the itinerancy have continued to our
own day. "He was esteemed," writes the latter, "a powerful preacher. I remember that at a quarterly
meeting; after the presiding elder had preached, he rose and began to exhort. In a few minutes the
power of his word was like an electrical shock, and the whole assembly rose simultaneously to their
feet. He had a notion that it was my duty to preach, and wrote me a long letter about it, especially
cautioning me not to marry, as that would interfere with the itinerant work. I was fearful myself that