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

I felt mortified that such a looking man should have been appointed to preach on such an imposing
occasion. In his prayer he seemed to lack words, and even stammered. I became uneasy for the honor
of the Conference and the Church he gave out his text: 'For the hurt of the daughter of my people am
I hurt; I am black; astonishment hath taken hold on me. Is there no balm in Gilead? is there no
physician there? why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered?' As he advanced
in his discourse a mysterious magnetism seemed to emanate from him to all parts of the house. He
was absorbed in the interest of his subject; his voice rose gradually till it sounded like a trumpet; at
a climactic passage the effect was overwhelming. It thrilled through the assembly like an electric
shock; the house rang with irrepressible responses; many hearers fell prostrate to the floor. An
athletic man, sitting by my side, fell as if shot by a cannon-ball. I felt my own heart melting, and
feared that I should also fall from my seat. Such an astonishing effect, so sudden and overpowering,
I seldom or never saw before."
Bangs refers, again, in his History of the Church, to this sermon, and says he saw "a halo of glory
around the preacher's head." McKendree's general recognition as leader of western Methodism,
together with his evident fitness for the episcopal office, doubtless led to his nomination; but this
remarkable discourse placed his election beyond doubt. "That sermon," said Asbury, "will decide
his election." Asbury had formerly favored Lee's appointment to the episcopate; McKendree had
become endeared to him in the conflicts of the West, and he now saw reason to prefer him even to
Lee. The Church had become rich in great and eligible men.
On May l, 1812, the first delegated General Conference assembled in the "old John Street
Church," New York. Garrettson, Ostrander, Bangs, Clark; Merwin, and eight other members of New
York Conference were there; Pickering, Hedding, Soule, and six others from New England; Owen,
Batchelor, and four more from Genesee; Blackman, Lakin, Quinn, Sale, Collins, Parker, Axley, and
six more from the West; Myers, Pierce, Kenneday, Dunwody, and five others from South Carolina;
Lee, Bruce, Douglas, Early, and five more from Virginia; Reed, Wells, Snethen, George, Shinn,
Roberts, Ryland, and eight others from Baltimore; Cooper, McClaskey, Sargent, Ware, Roszell, and
nine others from Philadelphia; the whole number being ninety. No provision had been made in the
law of the Church for substitutes, to take the place of members who should fail to be present by death
or other cause. But New England had the forethought to provide three for such an exigency. The
"Conference took into consideration the propriety of the principle," says the journal, and approved
it, and the example has ever since prevailed.
McKendree submitted a written address or message to the Conference, the first example of the
kind. "Upon examination," he said, "you will find the work of the Lord is prospering in our hands.
Our important charge has greatly increased since the last General Conference; we have had an
increase of nearly forty thousand members. At present we have about one hundred and ninety
thousand members, upward of two thousand local, and about seven hundred traveling preachers in
our connection, and these widely scattered over seventeen states, besides the Canadas and several
of the territorial settlements."
He specified many interests of the denomination which needed the revision of the Conference.
His suggestions were referred to committees, after which Asbury addressed the assembly
extemporaneously on the history of the Church, its appropriate policy for the future, and particularly