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

The next Quarterly Meeting for the same circuit was held on the 30th day of March following,
when several questions were proposed, which tended to unite the traveling preachers together. I will
mention five of them.
Q. 1. Does not dram drinking too much prevail among our people?
Q. 2. Do none contract debts without due care to pay them?
Q. 3. Are the band meetings kept up?
Q. 4. Is there nothing immoral in any of our preachers?
Q. 5. What preachers travel now, and where are they stationed?
It was then urged that none must break our rules under the penalty of being excluded from our
connection. All was settled in the most amicable manner.
At that time it was customary to have the Quarterly Meeting on Tuesday, and to preach, settle
their business and hold a love-feast, and some times a watch night. After a while it became a custom
in country places for the Quarterly Meeting to continue for two days together. After further trial, it
was thought best to have the Quarterly Meetings on Saturday and Sunday; which is now the constant
practice in most places. One weighty reason for this last plan was, that many of the slaves could not
attend these meetings, except on the Lord's day; another reason was, that many of the wealthy people
would come to hear us on the Sabbath, at such meetings, who would not be at the trouble of coming
to meeting on any other day: and lastly, many of the poor people, especially those of our own society,
could not spare time, or procure horses to come to such meetings unless they were on the Sabbath.
1773. In the beginning of this year, Robert Williams came to Petersburg in Virginia, and began
to preach first in the town, and then through various parts of the country. He was the first Methodist
preacher that ever came into that part of Virginia. He was a plain, artless, indefatigable preacher of
the gospel, and often proved the goodness of his doctrine, by his tears in public, and by his life and
conduct in private. His manner of preaching was well calculated to awaken careless sinners, and to
encourage penitent mourners. He spared no pains in order to do good. He has frequently went to
church to hear the established clergy, and as soon as divine service has ended, he has went out of the
Church, and standing on a stump, block, or log, has begun to sing, pray, and then preach to hundreds
of people. It was common with him after preaching to ask most of the people that he spoke with,
some question about the welfare of their souls; and to encourage them to serve God. Soon after he
began to preach through the country from Petersburg into the north part of North Carolina, the fruit
of his labors began to appear, and souls were awakened and brought to the knowledge of God. And
the name of Robert Williams, still lives in the minds of many of his spiritual children.
Previous to the coming of Mr. Williams into that part of Virginia, there had been a gracious
revival of religion by the means of Mr. Jarratt's preaching; who was a clergyman of the church of
England, so called at that time. In the year 1770, and 1771, there was a considerable out-pouring of
the spirit, at a place called White Oak. It was there that Mr. Jarratt first formed the people into a