A History Of The Rise Of Methodism In America - Media Sabda Org

meetings), Mr. Boehm and five or six more engaged in prayer. A watchnight having been appointed
for the evening, as I and Mr. Boehm were quietly withdrawing from the house, a young man come
out and laid hold of the fence, and cried to God for mercy. To be sure, said Mr. Boehm, I never saw
God in this way before. I was called back to see a person die. I went to the preaching house; up stairs
some lay crying for mercy, while others were praising God. In the preaching room -- they lay in like
manner. The person said to be dying lay gasping. As I was about kneeling down to pray, it was
shown me that God had converted her, and I gave thanks to God, and she arose immediately, and
praised God for what He had done for her soul. Many came together to the watch meeting. After
much had been said in German and in English, I arose and spoke, and the Lord laid to his helping
hand as he had done in the daytime. Divers fled out of the house, leaving such as were crying for
mercy, and praising God, behind. I went to bed about midnight; and in the morning I found that the
people had been engaged all night: the meeting ended when the sun was about an hour high." It had
lasted about twenty hours.
About forty of the friends accompanied Mr. Abbott to his twelfth appointment on Mill Creek,
towards Lancaster. Here, "God laid to His helping hand, and many cried aloud for mercy. One young
man was powerfully wrought upon and retired upstairs, and thumped about on the floor until Mr.
Boehm was afraid that he would injure his body, and exclaimed, 'To be sure, I never saw God in this
way before.' This young man attempting to come down stairs, fell from top to bottom, and hallooed,
'The devil is in the chamber!' which alarmed the people, and brought a damp over my spirits; as I
thought if I had raised the devil I might as well go home. Some of the people went upstairs, and
instead of finding the devil, found a man rolling, groaning, and crying to God for mercy. When I
dismissed the people, many wept around me; some had found peace, and others were truly awakened,
and deeply convicted." This appointment was among the Germans, on ground that Mr. Boehm was
cultivating, at Mr. Rohrer's. His thirteenth and fourteenth appointments were near Lancaster: one of
them was, most likely, at Mr. Stoner's, which was an appointment where Mr. Boehm preached.
His fifteenth appointment we place in the bounds of Leacock Presbyterian congregation. He had
many to preach to; but they were metal that he could not melt; and he left them and went to his
sixteenth appointment, which seems to have been near New Holland; here lived Mr. Davis, father
of the Rev. Samuel Davis, who was a distinguished member of the Baltimore Conference, and who
died in 1822, in Washington City. Also, Mr. Isaac Davis, an old Methodist who died at a great age.
At this appointment he found a small congregation, and had exhortation and prayer meeting. Two
young men fell to the floor; and when they arose, they both professed sanctification. The next day
he preached at this place, and had a good meeting, both in preaching and in meeting class. At his
seventeenth preaching place the meeting was profitable, -- in meeting the class, three or four
professed sanctification.
His eighteenth appointment seems to have been in the bounds of the Upper Octorara Presbyterian
congregation. Here he met his friend James Sterling, of Burlington, N.J.; having written to him a few
days before, informing him how God was carrying on his work. The house was crowded. Some cried
for mercy, and others fell to the floor. Here an old Presbyterian gentleman told him that his meetings
of noise and confusion were not of the God of order, but of the devil. Mr. Abbott replied, "If this be
the work of the devil, these people, many of whom lay on the floor as if dead, when they revive, will
rage, curse, and swear like devils." His attention was soon called to listen to their notes of praise to