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

A SHORT HISTORY
OF THE
METHODISTS
By
Jesse Lee
CHAPTER 3
From the first Conference in 1773, to the Conference in 1779.
1773.-- In the spring of this year, Mr. Wesley sent two more preachers to America, viz., Thomas
Rankin, and George Shadford, who landed in Philadelphia, on the third day of June. Mr. Rankin had
been a traveling preacher for eleven years; and Mr. Shadford had traveled five years. Mr. Rankin
began to travel in 1762, and of course had traveled longer than any of the other preachers in the
United States. From that time Mr. Rankin had the superintendency of the Methodist connection in
America, and was styled the General Assistant.
Immediately after Mr. Rankin's arrival in Philadelphia he called the traveling preachers together,
and on the 14th of July, 1773, the first conference that was ever held in America, began in
Philadelphia. There were six or seven traveling preachers at it, most of whom were Europeans.
William Waters of the Western shore of Maryland began to travel this year; and he was the first
traveling preacher that was raised up among the Methodists in America.
The minutes of that conference were taken down in writing, as were the minutes of all the
succeeding conferences for several years after; and none of the annual minutes were published until
the year 1785. From that time our minutes have been published annually. However, in the year 1795
we had all the minutes from 1773 to that time published, and bound in one book. In the preface of
this book it is said, "Many of our traveling preachers have expressed a desire to have the minutes of
our yearly conferences published, in the order in which they have occurred; and are of opinion that
a book of this kind would be pleasing, and entertaining; especially to the traveling and local
preachers; wherein may be seen the growth of Methodism. This little publication contains in
substance, a brief history of the rise and progress of the traveling ministry, and the success of their
labors through the United States."
The minutes of this conference were introduced as follows.
"Minutes of some conversations between the preachers in connection with
The Revd. Mr. John Wesley."
The following queries were proposed to every preacher:
1. Ought not the authority of Mr. Wesley and the English conference, to extend to the preachers
and people in America, as well as in Great-Britain and Ireland?