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

Immediately after the Wilbraham Conference, Lee, agreeably to the vote of that body and the
request of Asbury, hastened to New Rochelle, N.Y., where the bishop was awaiting him. Thence they
journeyed southward, as we have seen, through all the Atlantic states as far as Georgia. He returned
to New York, laboring night and day on the way, and on the 9th of July, 1798, left that city again for
New England. On his route, Asbury and Joshua Wells overtook him. They tarried together over
night, at New Rochelle, Asbury being still quite unwell. On the 13th they entered Connecticut. They
pressed forward, holding meetings almost daily, through Rhode Island and Massachusetts into the
heart of Maine. At Readfield they proposed to hold the first Conference in the province. The
ecclesiastical year, 1797-8, had been the most prosperous one recorded thus far in the history of
Eastern Methodism. Widespread revivals had prevailed, and the struggling cause had everywhere
advanced, augmenting its membership by more than one third. The circuits were not much increased
in number, but greatly extended, especially in Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine, the former of
which, though it had hitherto yielded no returns, now reported a considerable membership. Many
new societies had been organized in all the New England states, several chapels erected, and a large
band of local preachers formed and brought into effective co-operation with the traveling ministry.
The plans, which had hitherto been incipient, now began to develop their power and results. There
was a growing consciousness of stability and vigor, in the new communion, of no small importance
to its efficiency; and the doctrines of Methodism -- so liberal and yet so vital -- began to be more
generally approved, except by those who were officially interested in the maintenance of the
theology which had hitherto prevailed. The truth had advanced victoriously among the new
settlements in the wilderness of the Penobscot. The people welcomed the joyful sound, and more
than a hundred and fifty were received into the Church. The divine flame had also spread along the
banks of the Kennebec, and many had been turned from darkness to light. Great multitudes had been
awakened and converted on Cape Cod; and in Connecticut, especially, the excitement extended as
fire in stubble; Middletown, New London, Tolland, Reading, and Litchfield Circuits had made rapid
progress, not only in numbers, but in the provision of chapels.
Hibbard had been called out during the year from the local ministry, to assist the preachers on
Pittsfield and Litchfield Circuits. He has left us an account of the revivals there, in which he says:
"I think more than one hundred were awakened on these two circuits. Some joined the Presbyterians,
and some the Baptists, and some the Methodists. The work of God in convicting, and converting,
and sanctifying souls was very evident. Persecutions raged some on Litchfield Circuit, but the truth
was in power; sometimes they fell as one shot down in battle, and would lay without strength from
half an hour to two hours, when they would arise happy in God. Our Presbyterian brethren and others
were afraid it was a delusion. But the revival of religion, having these extraordinary signs attending
it, was highly necessary to confound dead formality. Some conversions were extraordinary. In one
place I preached in a private house, where the man and his wife and one neighbor made all the
congregation. The man and his wife professed religion, but their neighbor did not. However, before
I came again in four weeks, that person was converted, and had reported around by what means this
change was wrought; so that thereby many others came out, and I had about seventy to preach to,
instead of three; and before long many could testify that God for Christ's sake had made that
preaching, which some call foolishness, the happy power of salvation to their souls."
Peter Vannest arrived in New England this year. We have seen that on receiving his first
appointment in the Middle States, in 1796, he evaded it. He says: "They gave me an appointment,