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

continued to do this, he was sure of heaven. The peace and joy which Mr. Carnan failed to find in
attending to the Church service, he found in believing in Christ. Soon as the parson heard the news
of peace between England and the United States, which was in the early part of 1782, he hastened
to communicate it to Mr. Carnan, as he was a chief citizen, and also a leading member of his church.
When they were seated at the dinner table, the parson availed himself of that time, and said, "Mr.
Carnan, have you heard the glorious news of peace?" Mr. C. replied, "No; but I have found peace
with God to my soul; and you don't know anything about this, for you told me so." This was such
a withering declaration, that it destroyed the poor parson's zest for dinner. Soon as the news of
Robert's conversion reached his mother, she sent her son Charles Carnan to reclaim him from the
Methodists, if such a thing could be done. When Charles arrived, he found the house shut up, for
Brother and Sister Carnan had gone to Methodist meeting. Charles waited until they returned; the
brothers met in the yard; Robert exclaimed, "O, brother Charles, I never was so glad to see you in
all my life!" and throwing his arms around his neck, wept for joy, telling how the Lord had blessed
him. This melted Charles, and quite reconciled him to the religion of Robert. He returned home, and
when his anxious mother inquired of him of the result of his mission, he replied, "O ma, Bob is
right."
Mr. Carnan joined the Methodists, and soon began to pray in public, and exhort his neighbors to
serve God. From a sense of duty, he liberated his slaves. After Mrs. Carnan had enjoyed the
happiness of experimental religion for twenty years, she made a blessed end, leaving a shining
example to posterity; she died in 1802. Mr. Carnan married, for his second wife, a widow Ennalls,
of Dorchester county, Md., -- one of the early and devoted Methodists of the county -- a witness of
perfect love. Mr. Carnan survived his second wife. His only daughter, Elizabeth, was converted in
early life. She was an intelligent and lively Christian -- never married -- and died before her father.
Mr. Carnan was the chief man in founding the Stone Chapel on Baltimore Circuit. After he had
served the Methodist church efficiently as a class leader, steward, and exhorter, for about fifty years,
wept the loss of an only daughter and two wives, he followed them to glory at an advanced age.
About the same time that Mr. Carnan united with the Methodists, Mr. Caleb Bosley, of the same
region, joined. He was also, a zealous supporter of Methodism. Mr. David Gorsuch and Mr.
Cornelius Howard afterwards became members at the Stone Chapel. They have been gathered home.
The Stone Chapel was one of the strongholds of Methodism: in 1800 the Baltimore Conference was
held at this place. See "Recollections of an Old Itinerant," pp. 179, 185.
About this time there were some remarkable conversions and acquisitions among the Methodists
of Queen Anne's county, Md. One of these was Mr. Chair, near Centerville, who had a passion for
fox-hunting. In religion he found such happiness that he no longer sought pleasure in the chase.
When he ceased to employ his hounds in running foxes, though he took the same care of them, they
left him one by one, until, in the course of two months, they were all gone from him: he was too
pious for them, and they sought employment elsewhere. Mr. Chair was a zealous class leader. Col.
Hopper also became a Methodist, and his house a preaching place. Mr. Boardly was brought in about
this time. The Wright family, of this county, on account of wealth and position, was one of the great
families. Mr. Robert Wright was governor of Maryland at one time. Contrary to the general feeling
which pervaded this family, his son Thomas inclined to follow the Methodists. The father
peremptorily forbid him. The son reasoned with his father thus: "Why may I not hear them? -- these