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

he prepared for South Carolina, with the section and rule on slavery left out." By motion of Lee and
Ware, the word "salary" was struck out of the Discipline, and the word "allowance" inserted in its
place.
The Conference adjourned on the 26th of May, having sat twenty days. Boehm, who was present,
gives us a few glimpses of the exterior incidents of the session. He says there was much eloquent and
powerful preaching . "On Sunday, the 8th, George Pickering preached in the market-house, and three
preachers exhorted after him. There was a mighty shaking among the people. This was early in the
morning. At half past ten I heard William McKendree from 'Is there no balm in Gilead,' etc. This was
the eloquent sermon that made him bishop. Dr. Bangs gives a graphic description of it. Slow in his
commencement, he rose with his subject, till his audience were melted like wax before the fire.
In the afternoon Stith Mead, from Virginia, preached at Oldtown. Bishop Asbury preached, in
Eutaw Street, the opening sermon of the new chapel, from 2 Cor. iii. 12, 'Seeing then we have such
hope, we use great plainness of speech.' The crowd was immense and the sermon characteristic.
There was not only preaching on Sunday, but three times every day in the Light Street Church, and
every evening in the four other churches, namely: The Point, Oldtown, African, and Eutaw. Several
souls were converted during the week. Sunday, the 15th, was a great day. William McKendree,
bishop elect, preached at seven o'clock in the Marsh market. My record says: 'This was an awful time
of the power and presence of the Lord.' At ten o'clock Asbury preached in Light Street Church, and
the sheep were gloriously fed by the under shepherd; in the afternoon Jacob Gruber in German, at
three o'clock, in Otterbein's church; McKendree again at five in the Eutaw; and John McClaskey at
Light Street in the evening. On Wednesday, the 18th, William McKendree was consecrated to the
office and work of a bishop. Asbury preached from I Tim iv, 16, 'Take heed unto thyself;' etc.
Freeborn Garrettson, Philip Bruce, Jesse Lee, and Thomas Ware assisted Bishop Asbury in the
ordination service, they being the oldest ministers present. Sunday, the 22d, was a great day in
Baltimore. George Pickering preached in the new church at six in the morning; at ten, Samuel
Coates, in Oldtown; at three, Jacob Gruber, at the African Church; at five, Ezekiel Cooper in Eutaw
Street Church. Jesse Lee preached in the evening at Light Street, from John v, 40. Thus ended this
day of privileges, the last Sabbath of the General Conference in Baltimore in 1808. I have given a
statement of the preaching, for this has not been done. Others have dwelt upon the doings of the
General Conference during the week, and have said but little of what was done on Sunday. But to
hear these giants in the pulpit, these master workmen, was a privilege that afforded me consolation
in after years. It will be seen they preached early in the morning, and had five services a day. There
was a great deal more preaching during the General Conference. I have simply named the men I
heard. The business of the Conference was done in great harmony. There were masterly debates on
the great questions of Church polity that came before them, but all was done in love."
Nathan Bangs was at this Conference as a spectator. He had been laboring on Canada circuits, and
had hardly heard of McKendree, whose fame, nevertheless, now filled all the West. Bangs went, on
Sunday, to Light street Church, the center of interest, the cathedral of the occasion, and of the
denomination. He says, "It was filled to overflowing. The second gallery, at one end of the chapel,
was crowded with colored people. I saw the preacher of the morning enter the pulpit, sunburnt, and
dressed in very ordinary clothes, with a red flannel shirt, which showed a large space between his
vest and small clothes. He appeared more like a poor backwoodsman than a minister of the gospel.