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

of the Little Miami River. On Thursday, August 2, I preached at his house to a tolerable congregation
on Acts xvi, 9: 'And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: there stood a man of Macedonia and
prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia and help us.' It was a time of refreshing from the
presence of the Lord, who gave testimony to the word of his grace. The little band was much rejoiced
at my arrival among them, together with the prospect of having circuit preaching and all the
privileges and ordinances of our Church." After spending five days in and near Milford, Kobler and
McCormick started out on the first missionary circuit ever traced in the Miami country, if not the
entire Northwest Territory. They traveled up to the head-waters of the Miamis and Mad Rivers, to
the outskirts of the white population, and returned southward down the Great Miami to its mouth,
and thence eastwardly to Milford, the place of beginning. This circuit embraced about one half the
territory now included in the Cincinnati Conference.
After seeing Methodism well established on the north bank of the Little Miami, McCormick once
more changed his location, and settled in Hamilton County, about ten miles east of Cincinnati. "Here
again his ardent soul went out in prayer and ministerial effort for the conversion of his neighbors,
and again God set his seal of approbation to the labors of his devoted servant. A class was soon
formed, and the neighborhood supplied with regular circuit preaching, McCormick pushing out in
all directions to open the way for the itinerants. This class was the beginning of what has been long
and widely known as the 'Salem Society,' and in early times became identified with the old White
Oak Circuit, from the bounds of which nearly fifty preachers have been raised up for the regular
work of the Methodist ministry. Among this number were Winans, Light, Simmons, McClain, Eddy,
Raper, Christie, Baughman, Foster, holding in reserve a long list, having as honest, though perhaps
not so wide a fame. This class, the germ of the Salem society, was formed McCormick's new double
log-cabin. It cannot now be asserted who had the honor to pronounce the dedicatory address in this
primitive 'Church in the wilderness;' but we know that its pulpit, a space behind the chair upon the
white ash floor, was afterward occupied by such men as Bishops Whatcoat, Asbury, McKendree,
George, and Roberts, as well as by the chief lights of our early Western ministry. This cabin was one
of the principal land harbors into which those men put for shelter, provision, said repair. Here was
held many a bishop's council, for our local preacher was one of those wise said judicious men whom
a bishop might safely consult." [19]
Kobler labored and traveled night and day in the territory for about nine months. He wrote: "The
houses here are very small, often with only one room and fire place, around which the whole family,
children, dogs, and all, crowd, and seem to claim the same privileges, and possess equal rights.
Frequently I sit on one stool or bench, and eat off another, which serves as a table. This domestic
order I ever met with good humor, being taught by experience for years to 'know how to be abased,
and how to abound.' In all things and everywhere to be instructed 'both to be full and to be hungry.'
When we retire for private devotion, and approach a throne of grace, we kneel down by the side of
a tree in snow knee deep; yet even this is a gracious privilege. There are no candles to be had for
night reading and study. We take a parcel of clarified beeswax, while in a warm state, and roll out
a tube in the shape of a candle, one end of which is rolled into a coil, so as to set on the table, which
answers for a candlestick, the other end projects perpendicular, and gives the light. This construction
is very portable, and can be taken out in the saddle-bags. In the daytime we had recourse to the
woods for reading the Bible, and studying divinity. Thus, seated on an old log, many a sermon has