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

upon which, the people in all their tents begin to sing, and then pray, either in their tents, or at the
door of them, as is most convenient. At the rising of the sun a sermon is preached, after which we
eat breakfast. We have preaching again at 10 o'clock, and dine about one. We preach again at 3
o'clock, eat supper about the setting of the sun, and have preaching again at candle light. We
generally begin these meetings on Fridays, and continue them until the Monday following about the
middle of the day. I have known these meetings to continue without any intermission for two nights
and a day, or longer. The people being continually engaged in singing, praying, preaching, or
exhorting without any cessation.
But these meetings are varied, both with regard to the form and duration, according to the
judgment of the preachers who attend them. I have known some Camp Meetings to continue eight
or ten days. Indeed these meetings have never been authorized by the Methodists, either at their
general or annual conferences. They have been allowed of; but we, as a body of people, have never
made any rules or regulations about them; we allow our presiding elders and traveling preachers to
appoint them when and where they please, and to conduct them in what manner they think fit. Of
course the form of a Camp meeting, as given above, is not the form of all the meetings of the kind,
but of such as I myself have regulated or attended.
In this History there is such a collection of facts, and such a clear, plain, and full account of the
Methodists, that he that runs may read, and he that reads may understand that the Lord has done great
things for us, whereof we are glad. -- It will here be seen, that from a very small beginning, we have
grown to be a numerous people. In 1771 we had only 316 members in society; in 1780 we had 8504;
in 1790 we had 57,621; in 1800 we had 64,894; and in 1809 we have 163,038.
In 1809 bishop Asbury collected the names of all the Local Preachers in connection with the
Methodists; and, according to his account, there were 1610 local preachers in the United States.
I wish that we may increase in grace, as fast as we have in numbers.