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

After sermon, Brother Hickson read the General Rules, and requested all who wished to join to
follow him up stairs. Robin Davis, his brother, their wives, the widow woman, and Rhoda Laws
followed him. The preacher spoke to each of the six. When he spoke to Rhoda she said she had not
considered herself a sinner; but if dancing was a sin, as he had said, she must admit that she was a
sinner; and she began to weep. Five had their names written on the class paper. Rhoda was asked if
she would have her name enrolled? A question was raised as to the propriety of consulting her father
first. Mr. Davis replied that her father was a man of moderation, and would use no violence towards
his daughter. Before the preacher wrote her name he lifted up his eyes, hands, and soul to God, and
prayed that her name might be written in heaven and never erased. She returned home, fearing to tell
her father what had taken place. Early next morning her brother Elijah, who was settled in the
neighborhood, was seen riding with great speed to his father's house. The father stood in his porch
and wondered why his son was coming with such speed, so early in the morning. Arriving at the
house, the son hastily threw the reins of his horses bridle over his head on the pales, and seemed as
anxious to speak as his father was to hear, saying, "What do you think? Yesterday Rhoda joined that
new preacher; and now she must give up gay dress, dancing, and worldly amusement. She is ruined;
and she cannot be gotten away." The father listened to this tale, and after a moment replied, "Well,
if the Methodists disown people for dancing they will soon be clear of Rhoda, as she will dance the
first opportunity she has." The next Sabbath her parents went to church; and Rhoda asked permission
to visit the widow of her acquaintance, with whom, leaving her superfluous apparel behind, she went
to meet her class. Not long afterwards Mr. Garrettson came to Mr. Laws, one Saturday afternoon.
No one knew who he was but Rhoda. He asked the favor of a night's lodging. Squire Laws bade him
alight, as he never turned strangers from his doors. The guest was soon known. He held family
worship both night and morning. When about to start for his appointment, which was at Vincent's,
what has since been called the Line Chapel, he gave a word of advice to each member of the family,
blacks as well as whites. To Rhoda he said, "Your mourning cannot purchase pardon. Ask God, in
faith, to forgive you, for Christ's sake." The preacher started for his appointment, and Rhoda to her
father's barn to reduce to practice the advice she had just received. She knelt down to pray, but
hearing a rustling noise in the fodder, she feared the devil was there, and in affright she arose and
went to the back of the orchard and fell upon her knees behind an apple tree, and earnestly implored
God to forgive her sins, on account of what Christ had suffered for her. Suddenly, by faith, she saw
her bleeding Saviour pass before her, and felt that she was freely forgiven, while her soul was filled
with melting joy. While she was under conviction her father had taken her from school, thinking that
he could not make a scholar of her on account of her sadness; but now she was happy and cheerful.
One Sunday she returned from her meeting and found the Church minister and Captain Steward, one
of the vestry, at her father's. At dinner the conversation turned on the presumption of the Methodists
professing to know their sins forgiven. Captain Steward said, "No one on earth could know his sins
forgiven." The youthful Rhoda replied, under an impulse that seemed to come by inspiration, "That
is not so." Shocked at her unpremeditated reply to such a gentleman, who was her father's guest, she
arose in haste to leave the room; though the captain desired her to remain and tell all she knew about
it: she went out. It was not long before a ball was gotten up at Mr. Laws' for the purpose of trying
Rhoda's religion. The young people commenced dancing, but she was with her father in another
room. Her father requested her to go into the company. She arose and went into the entry, and a
young man laid hold of her to drag her on the floor for his partner. She pulled way from him and
went into the kitchen and read the Bible to the cook, a colored woman. After awhile she returned to
the room where her father was, who asked, "Where have you been, Rhoda?" she replied, "Reading