A Short History Of The Methodists... - Media Sabda Org

from being compelled by law to pay to the support of their settled congregational minister, whom
they did not like.
The society in Lynn then determined on building a Methodist meeting house; which they began
accordingly on the 14th of June, raised on the 21st, and dedicated it on the 26th, 1791. This was the
first regular permanent society that was formed in the state of Massachusetts; and the first meeting
house that was ever built for the Methodists in the state. From that time religion continued to prosper
in Lynn for many months without any declension.
In the course of 1791, there was a considerable awakening among the people in different places
not far from Lynn. The Methodists preached the first time in Manchester on the 11th day of January,
and on the 12th in Beverly, and in Cape Ann, or Gloucester, on the 15th of February; in Weston on
the 9th day of September; in Natick on the 10th; and in Needham on the 13th of the same month.
Before that time they had never had a Methodist preacher among them.
We preached a long time in Boston, before we formed a society, but on the 13th day of July, 1792,
we joined a few in society, and after a short time they began to increase in numbers. We met with
uncommon difficulties here from the beginning, for the want of a convenient house to preach in. We
began in private houses, and could seldom keep possession of them long. At last we obtained liberty
to hold meetings in a school house; but that too was soon denied us. We then rented a chamber in
the north end of the town, where we continued to meet a considerable time regularly. The society
then undertook to get them a meeting house, but being poor, and but few in number, they could do
but little. We begged money for them in Baltimore, on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, and in
Delaware state, in Philadelphia, and in New York, and by these exertions we were able to proceed,
and began the building. On the 28th day of August, 1795, the Corner Stone was laid of the first
Methodist meeting house in Boston, which was fixed at the north end and was built of wood 46 feet
by 36, with galleries in front, and in both sides of the house.
After we began to preach in the new meeting house, we had large congregations to hear us, when
we preached at night; but it was some time before we had the house filled with steady hearers on the
Sabbath day. Most of the people that were fond of hearing us, did not like to leave their own meeting
houses when their minister preached.
In 1791 we had thirteen conferences, as follows:
The fifty-fifth conference was held in Charleston, on the 22d of February.
The fifty-sixth in Georgia, on the 16th of February.
The fifty-seventh at Mc Knight's, North-Carolina, on the 2d of April.
The fifty-eighth at Petersburg, on the 20th of April.
The fifty-ninth in Hanover, on the 26th of April.