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

I set out from Lynn in September 1793, for a strange part of the world, and was the first Methodist
preacher that ever went to that province to preach. The first Methodist sermon that was preached in
the Province of Maine, was on the 10th of September, at a little village called Saco. That place has
never been very famous for religion, either before or since that time.
I traveled through the greater part of that country, from September to the end of the year. I went
as far as Castine, at the mouth of Penobscot river, then up the river to the upper settlements, which
then was just below the Indian settlements called Old Town; from thence returned by the way of the
twenty-five mile pond, to Kennebec river, thence up to Sandy river, and back to Hallowell, and
thence through to Portland.
Although I was a perfect stranger to the people, and had to make my own appointments, I
preached almost every day, and had crowded assemblies to hear. After viewing the country, I thought
the most proper place to form a circuit would be on the west side of Kennebec river. The circuit was
accordingly formed, and called Readfield. This was the name of the first circuit that was formed by
the Methodists in that part of the country, which was about 200 miles beyond any other circuit that
we had in New England. It extended from Hallowell to Sandy River.It will, no doubt, afford some
satisfaction to the people to know the exact time when the Methodists first preached among them
in that circuit, and in the neighboring towns; I will therefore state the time when we first began to
preach in each town. On the 13th day of October, 1793, the first Methodist sermon was preached in
Hallowell; on the 15th in Farmington, on Sandy River; on the 17th in New Sharon; on the 18th, in
Mount Vernon; on the 19th, in Readfield; on the 21st, in Winthrop; and on the 22d in Monmouth.
These were all the towns in that circuit that we preached in, till the beginning of the ensuing year.
On the 29th of January, 1794, we preached for the first time in Sydney; on the 11th day of
February in Fayette; on the 12th in Livermore; on the 14th in Wayne; on the 21st in Chesterville; on
the 26th in Jay; on the 5th of March in Vassalborough; on the 7th in Harlem; on the 9th in Winslow;
on the 11th in Norridgwock; on the 12th in Canaan, and on the 12th in Clinton; on the 13th in
Fairfield; on the 6th day of April in Green; on the 2d day of June, in the New Vineyard; on the 16th
in Strong, and on the 17th in Avon; on the 3d of July in Leeds; on the 14th in Lewis Town. On the
third day of December we first preached in Starks, and on the 4th in Anson.
We had not preached long in this circuit before religion revived, and the people began to inquire
what they should do to be saved. After several persons had been converted by the instrumentality of
the Methodists, and many of the old professors had been greatly stirred up in their minds, we thought
it necessary to form some societies among them. The first class that we joined together, (and is was
the first that ever was formed in the Province of Maine), was in Monmouth, about the first of
November, 1794. The second class that was joined together, was in Readfield, a short time after that
in Monmouth. After that, there were several societies formed in different parts of the circuit.
The first meeting-house which was built in the Province of Maine for the Methodists, was that
in Readfield, which was begun in the fall of the year 1794, and was nearly covered in by the first of
December. The second was that in Monmouth, which was begun in 1795. The first time that we ever
administered the Lord's Supper in that part of the country, was in Readfield, on the 14th day of
December, 1794. The second time was in Monmouth, on the 25th day of the same month, which was