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

time before his death, and in his last illness, an increasing sweetness in communion with God. His
last sickness was short and severe, but he gave great marks of patience, resignation and victory in
death, to them who attended him. He departed this life March 13th, 1803, in Freehold circuit,
Monmouth county, New Jersey.
We added 17,336 members to the society this year, which was a much larger number than we had
ever added in any one year. Our ministers and people, throughout the connection were uncommonly
devoted to God; and much engaged to promote his cause. CAMP MEETINGS were encouraged in
many places; and attended by many ministers, and by thousands of people in the lower parts of
Virginia and North Carolina; at which seasons the Lord was pleased to visit us in a remarkable
manner, both saints and sinners, old and young people; so that the mouths of many gainsayers were
stopped, and the hearts of many sinners were touched, and happily changed and renewed.
The first Camp-meeting that was ever held in the lower parts of Virginia, was in Brunswick
county, at a new meeting house, which was named CAMP-MEETING HOUSE, that it might be
remembered in future, the first Camp-meeting in that part of the world, was held at that place. The
meeting began on the 27th day of May 1803, and broke up on the 30th. During which time there
were upwards of 30 souls who professed a real change of heart.
The next camp-meeting which was held in that part of the country, was in the same county, at a
meeting-house called the Barn, which began on the 19th of August, in the same year, where we had
about an hundred souls converted.
To give a full account of the spread of the gospel, and of the revival of religion among us this
year, would exceed the bounds of a short history. Yet it may be profitable to mention a few
particulars, that the reader may see in what places the Lord was pleased to make known his
goodness, in the salvation of many souls.
In the latter part of the preceding year, in the month of October, there was a general camp-meeting
at a meeting house called Rehoboth, in Warren county in Georgia. The ground was opened in an
oblong form, having the meeting-house in the middle. On the second day, souls were converted to
God; and the work spread through the assembly. Toward the close of the meeting it was proposed,
that all who had been converted during that meeting, should rise up on their feet; when upwards of
fifty stood up. It was thought that as many as one hundred souls were converted at that meeting. The
Lord was pleased to favour the people in Georgia in 1803, with an uncommon prosperous time in
religion and many souls were brought to God at public and at private meetings.
Another account says, "At the quarterly meetings in Broad river, and in Appalachie circuits, there
were about thirty or forty converted at each place."
The quarterly meeting at Harris's chapel in Washington county was remarkably favoured with the
presence of the Lord. Conversions were clear and powerful; and not many short of one hundred
professed converting grace at that time.