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

Mr. Everett says, "At the Conference of 1784, I was appointed to Fairfax Circuit, where I
continued to labor until the Christmas Conference, when the Methodists became a Church. From this
Conference I was stationed in Berkley Circuit, where many souls were awakened and converted."
The Conference business being over for this year, Mr. Asbury set out on his annual circuit.
Directing his course to the west, he, for the first time crossed the Allegheny Mountains, following
Braddock's Road. He came to the Redstone settlement, which was the western margin of Methodism
at this time. He remarks, "While I was at prayer, a large limb of a sycamore tree fell in the midst of
the congregation assembled at Strayder's. Some thought it was a trick of the devil; and so indeed it
might have been; perhaps he wanted to kill one (this may refer to Mr. Hezekiah Bonham, who was
traveling with him), who spoke after me with great power, yet, none received injury from it." As to
their accommodations he says, "Three thick on the floor, such is our lodging, but no matter, God is
with us." Turning his face to the east, he came through Maryland into Pennsylvania, attending
quarterly meeting in the Philadelphia Circuit, at the new stone chapel at the Valley. From here he
went into New Jersey. About this time, Methodism began to take root in the upper part of East
Jersey.
Mr. Asbury continued his journey to New York, where he found about a hundred Methodists,
much alive to God. It seems that the war had acted as a fan to purge the floor. They were not now
threatening to close the door of Wesley Chapel against the preachers, as it appears they did eleven
years before. He says, "To my mind they appear more like Methodists than I have ever seen them."
Returning through Jersey, he preached at Penny Hill, New Mills, Cresseys, Godfrey's, and
Haddonfield, where he found dearth among the few Methodists. Passing to the Peninsula, he
preached for the first time in Wesley Chapel in Dover. Going through Queen Anne's, he preached
for the first time on Kent Island, also at Colonel Hoppers. Here he found "The word of God had
greatly triumphed over the prejudices of the rich and poor. At Cambridge, he found George, a poor
Negro, in Methodist society, under sentence of death for theft committed before he was a Methodist.
He was much resigned to the will of God, -- he was reprieved under the gallows. A merchant who
cursed the Negro for praying, died in horror. While in Dorset, he paid is first visit to Taylor's Island.
Dorset was now in peace, the furies had spent their wrath. Going to the Eastern Shore of Virginia,
he says," Here there is abundance of the productions of the earth and sea. The people are
well-featured, good livers, generous, hospitable, social, and polished in their manners; but blind in
spiritual matters, and gay in life." Many of them afterwards became light in the Lord. At this time,
the Rev. Henry Willis was preaching for them, and there were about a hundred in society. Coming
to Snow Hill, the judge of the court, opened the court house for him, and he preached his first
sermon in the place, to a large congregation.
In 1784, Mr. Pedicord received his last appointment to the Baltimore Circuit.
The name of Mr. Thomas Ware appears in the Minutes of 1784, for the first time. Mr. Ware had
spent half of the preceding Conference year in the work. This year he was stationed on Kent Circuit,
in Maryland. He soon found that Kent, like Dover, was a field of labor where he could be happy and
useful. Here he found many in fellowship with the Methodists, who were connected with the first
families on the Peninsula. Labor was sweet to him, while he saw the cause of the Redeemer