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

New England, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Tennessee, and
Kentucky.
Mr. Lee was an attractive and interesting preacher wherever he labored. He commenced his
itinerant labors on the Allegheny Circuit. In 1787, he went to Kentucky -- following Haw and Ogden,
the first itinerants in that new country. Here he was followed by crowds of all classes of the people,
and his usefulness was equal to the interest he created among the heterogeneous mass of this crude
community. While preaching here, those singular events took place which Mr. Cartwright has put
down on p. 41 of his Life: A poor inebriate went to hear Mr. Lee preach. Having lost his rest the
previous night, he was drowsy and fell to nodding under the sermon; a pet lamb of the house that had
been taught to butt, regarded his nodding as a banter, and accepting the challenge ran up to him,
striking his head, and knocking him from his seat to the floor, which excited the risibilities of the
congregation, and well nigh upset the gravity of the preacher.
A Dutchman, less acquainted with the meaning of Scripture than the troubles of Socrates with his
Xantippe, had heard him preach on "Denying himself, and taking up his cross and following Christ."
Mr. Lee, on his way to his Sabbath afternoon appointment, overtook this man carrying his wife on
his back. Unable to imagine why a little man should bear a large woman on his shoulders unless she
was sick, he inquired into the cause of the conduct, and was answered "You told us today that we
must take up our cross and bear it, if we would go to heaven! My wife is the greatest cross I have,
and as I wish to get to heaven, therefore I take her up and bear her." Mr. Lee had to re-explain his
text to him on a log by the wayside.
In 1794, he labored in New England. Being invited, he went to Middle Haddam, and preached in
a stone house the ferry. Under the pungent discourse the people cried and wept, -- some fell to the
floor and cried for mercy, others fled out of the house in affright. Mr. Lee seeing the effect the
sermon had produced, stood and shouted, "Glory to God!" Those who had run away, went home
declaring, "That the devil was among the people in the stone house." (Stevens' Memorials, pp.
304-5.)
When Mr. Lee was about to leave New London, in Connecticut, to go to New York, a special
Providence directed him to Southold, on Long Island, where he introduced Methodism. He had put
his trunk on board a vessel to sail to his appointment in New York, but contrary winds prevented his
going for a night. A Mrs. Moore, who had become happy in religion, through Methodist preaching,
had moved to Southold, where, as yet, no Methodist preaching had been. Finding two females in
Southold of her own spirit, they agreed to meet every Monday evening, to pray that God would send
such ministers among them as would prove a blessing to them and others. For two evenings they met
for prayer at the house of P. Vail. On the third Monday evening of their meeting, Mr. Vail's
circumstances made it inconvenient for them to have their prayers in his house, -- this was the very
evening Mr. Lee's trunk was on board the vessel. On this evening the three women agreed to return
to their individual homes, and press the matter before God in prayer; on which occasion they had
uncommon freedom in prayer, especially Mrs. Moore, who continued in the exercise until near
midnight; and she felt an assurance that God had heard them, and would answer their prayers
speedily, and began to praise God for what she felt He would do. The same night, Mr. Lee, in New
London, felt an unusual struggle in his soul, attended with a continued impression to cross the Sound