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

A. "At Cokesbury College, or Baltimore, on the first day of December, 1792."
There were thirty-one questions in these minutes, which I have stated in the same form, and order
in which they stood in the minutes of the council. I have also given a few of the answers. But the
answers being of little or no consequence to the people in general, I have omitted the greater part of
them; and only inserted such as might perhaps be satisfactory to the reader. I have thought proper
to publish all the questions, that it may be seen in future, in what manner the council proceeded.
This council determined to have another meeting two years from that time. But their proceedings
gave such dissatisfaction to our connection in general, and to some of the traveling preachers in
particular, that they were forced to abandon the plan. And there has never since been a meeting of
the kind.
When the first council met, I wrote them a letter, in which I stated my objections to their plan, and
pointed out the difficulties that it would produce, and contended for a general conference; which plan
was disapproved of by all the council.
The most violent opposer of the council among the traveling preachers was at first one of that
body, namely, James O'Kelly. While he was at the first council, he appeared to be united to the plan,
and to the members; but after he returned to Virginia, he exclaimed bitterly against the proceedings
and against what he himself had done in the business. He refused to have any thing at all to do with
the second council.
The supposition respecting this sudden change in the old man, and his hasty conduct in
condemning what he had just before sanctioned, was, that he went to the first council with some
expectation of being promoted in the church; but finding himself disappointed, he returned home
greatly mortified.
We have sufficient reason to believe that the establishment of the council was very injurious to
the Methodist connection. The plan produced such difficulties in the minds of the preachers and the
people, and brought on such opposition, that it was hard to reconcile them one to another. Nothing
would or could give satisfaction to the preachers but the calling together all the traveling preachers
in a general conference; to which after some time the bishop consented.
In 1790 we had fourteen conferences, at the following times and places:
The forty-first conference was held in Charleston, on the 15th of February.
The forty-second in Georgia, on the 3d of March.
The forty-third in Kentucky, on the 26th of April.
The forty-fourth at Holstein, on the 17th of May.
The forty-fifth in North Carolina, on the 24th of May.