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

His twenty-eighth appointment was at Cloud's Meeting house. This is the earliest notice that we
have of this chapel, which was just opened for worship. After preaching, he held a prayer meeting
at night. "It was a powerful, melting shouting time. Several were lost in the ocean of love."
In Wilmington he preached his twenty-ninth sermon in an old storehouse on the wharf, "Some
people went through the town and said there was an old sailor cursing and swearing at a terrible rate;
this brought the people together from every quarter, and the house and wharf was crowded. Some
laughed, some mocked, and others wept; some were awakened, and inquired what they should do
to be saved. I told them to look to Jesus."
In this tour Mr. Abbott had traveled over all the ground that the Methodists then had under
cultivation in Pennsylvania, except Philadelphia, and Bethel, in Montgomery county, with
Germantown, -- the two last named appointments were rather occasional than regular ones. He had
spent about a month in going round the circuit, and had preached at least twenty-nine times, met ten
or twelve classes, held one watchnight, and four or five prayer meetings. He had heard more than
twenty declare that God had renewed them in love; and an equal number had testified that they had
found redemption in the blood of Christ, even the forgiveness of sins; besides the scores, if not
hundreds, that had been awakened under his thunder. Seldom do we meet with a month's tour, in the
records of Methodism, that abounds more with striking incidents, or in which there was more fervent
labor, and greater displays of divine power. At that day, and especially with Mr. Abbott, family
prayer was not an exercise of mere form; but the same faith in Christ was in exercise, and
expectation of a present salvation from Him was looked for as much as in meetings of preaching and
exhortation. Hence, in family worship, he had, seals in the conversion of souls, as well as in other
meetings; this was the case at Coventry, and in other instances of family worship.