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

A SHORT HISTORY
OF THE
METHODISTS
By
Jesse Lee
CHAPTER 4
From the year 1779,
to the time of our being formed into a regular church, in 1784.
1779. -- On the 18th day of May, the seventh conference was held at the Broken-back church in
Fluvanna county in Virginia. Previous to this conference, the preachers in the northern states held
a preparatory conference at Thomas White's, in Delaware state, in order that their sentiments might
be carried by brother William Waters, to the conference in Virginia: for it was judged to be improper
for brother Asbury to leave his solitary retreat, to go to Virginia. However the conference determined
that brother Asbury ought to act as general assistant in America.
At the preparatory conference (so called) the preachers concluded for every exhorter, and local
preacher, to go by the directions of the assistants, where, and only where they were appointed to
labor.
There were two new circuits taken in at this conference, namely, Matichen and Delaware. The
name of one circuit in Virginia was changed from Lunenburg to Mecklenburg; and some of the
circuits which had been left out of the minutes last year, were inserted in the minutes for this year,
viz. Philadelphia, Chester, and Frederick. James City circuit was left out of the annual minutes for
this year. We had twenty circuits in all; and forty-four preachers were sent to them, to travel and
preach among the people.
We had a large addition of members to the society this year. In the different circuits we added
2482 members. In some places the work of God spread rapidly, and bore down all before it. But in
many places the societies were thrown into great disorder and confusion, by reason of the war which
continued to rage through the land. Many of the men were drafted, and taken into the army, and
many people left their homes to keep out of the way of the enemy, and to save their property, by
carrying it with them.
The form of the annual minutes was changed this year in a few points: and the first question
stands thus:
"Who are admitted on trial?" the first question used to be, who are admitted into connection?
Another question was "what shall be done with the preachers who were upon trial last year?"
Answer. "Let them continue upon trial until next conference." Before this conference, it had been
a constant practice to take a preacher upon trial for one year only, and then admit him into full
connection. But from that time, it has been a constant practice even to the present day, to keep a