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

Massachusetts; and Vermont, in the state of Vermont. The circuit in Upper Canada was divided -one
part was called Upper Circuit, and the other Lower Circuit.
We admitted on trial forty young preachers. But we lost in the number of our members 2135. This
was the first time that our number had decreased for fourteen years.
We lost nearly as many preachers out of the traveling connection this year as were admitted into
it. According to the Minutes of the Conference, we had 29 located; two left the Methodists, Jeremiah
Cosden and Jethro Johnson; four were dismissed for improper conduct, Simon Carlisle, David
Richardson, James Johnson, and David Valleau; and four died, Philip Cox, Henry Birchett, James
Wilson, and John Wynn.
Philip Cox was a native of Britain. He had been a traveling preacher about fourteen years, in
which time he had traveled through several of the United States. He was a very small man. -- He
said, at one time he felt so poorly, that he thought he must quit traveling; but when he had himself
weighed, he found that he weighed a hundred pounds. He then said, "It shall never be said that I have
quit traveling while I weigh an hundred weight." He was a man of great spirit, quick apprehension,
sound judgment, and a lover of union. He often prayed and preached to the admiration of many, and
with considerable success. He married when he was upwards of fifty years old; but continued to
travel until he died. In the time of his sickness, he observed on Sunday the first of September, 1793,
that it was such a day of peace and comfort to his soul, as he had seldom felt. The next Sunday he
departed in peace.
Henry Birchett was from Brunswick county, in Virginia; he had been traveling between five and
six years, and was a gracious, happy, useful man. He freely offered himself for four years, on the
dangerous stations of Kentucky and Cumberland. At the conference in 1793, he had a pain in his
breast, and a discharge of blood from the lungs; yet, after asking the consent of the bishop and
conference, he ventured to take his station, where he was exposed to danger from the Indians, and
the small pox, which was prevailing at that time. It was said that he departed this life in much peace
at Cumberland, on the western waters, in February 1794.
He was one among the worthies who freely left safety, ease and prosperity, to seek after and suffer
for souls. His meekness, love, labours, prayers, tears, sermons and exhortations will not soon be
forgotten.
James Wilson, was a native of the Eastern Shore of Maryland. He had been a professor of religion
about fifteen years, and had been a traveling preacher near six years. His piety, prayers, and
exhortations were very great. He told several of his friends a little before his death, that he found
great consolation in his own soul. He departed this life at Church Hill, on the Eastern Shore of
Maryland, in October 1793. We have reason to hope he died in peace.
John Wynn, was a native of Sussex county, Virginia; he had traveled near four years. He was a
man of address and natural elocution. He was a son of affliction; but was upright in life, and willing
to labour to the last. When he was unable to travel at large, he had a station in Winchester, and was