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

your souls converted as it were?" The judges were taken by surprise, and, being unprepared to
answer the question affirmatively, could only murmur "What does the man mean?" He reiterated:
"I say, were ever your souls converted as it were?" The judges reply was: "Surely the man is insane!"
He ended by saying, emphatically: "I say, unless your souls are converted as it were, you will go to
hell with all your pretty white locks!" The judges ordered him to be taken out of court as a demented
person, and he was permitted to enjoy his estate to a good old age. He used to say he could exhort
right well, only his "exhortation all turned to prayer as it were!"
The most remarkable conversion that took place in 1772 in Jersey, or in America, and perhaps we
might say in the world, was Benjamin Abbott's. He was awakened under the preaching of Abraham
Whitworth in September, and, on the morning of the 12th of October of this year found peace. We
say his was a remarkable conversion, because he had been a great sinner, and became a great
Christian, and his labors, as a preacher, produced a most singular effect in Jersey, and in other places.
In 1773, a society was raised up near Pittsgrove, in Salem county, N. J. Mr. Abbott was made
leader over it. About the month of February of this year, he united with the Methodists, after he had
been fighting against God for several months, trying to join either the Baptists, or Presbyterians, but
could not subscribe to their creed. In the course of this year, his wife was awakened under Philip
Gatch's preaching and soon after, six of their children were converted.
This family, with John Murphy and some others, formed the society.
Mrs. Susan Ayars was the first that received the "Lord's prophets" in the town of Pittsgrove: she
joined about the time, and her children followed her example. Not far from Pittsgrove lived Mr.
Early, who became a Methodist at this time. His son William Early was a traveling preacher; and his
descendants have generally cleaved to the Methodists. She died in 1828, at the age of ninety years.
In 1773 Methodist preaching was introduced into Mount Holly and Lumberton. It was some time
after, when a small society was united together in Mount Holly; and, it appears to have been an age
before there was a Methodist meeting house in the place. The preachers sometimes had the use of
the Presbyterian church, in which Mr. John Brainerd, brother to the devoted David Brainerd, the
Indian missionary, preached. At other times they preached in the Baptist meeting house, but most
generally in private houses. We cannot say when a Methodist society was formed in Lumberton.
After forty years labor, the Methodists had a house for worship in this place.
At this time the Methodists preached at Trenton, Burlington, New Mills, Mount Holly,
Lumberton, Jesse Chew's, Thomas Taper's, Joseph Thorne's, at Haddonfield, Gloucester Point, Mr.
Turner's (Robert Turner, as we shall see, became a local preacher), at Mr. Price's, Isaac Jenkins', near
Mantua Creek, Benjamin Abbott's, Pittsgrove, Greenwich, and Deerfield. There may have been a few
more preaching places which we cannot name.
Mr. Hugh Smith joined the society of which Mr. Abbott was leader, about 1775 or 1776. After
some years spent in serving God in Jersey among the Methodists, he came to Philadelphia, where
he ended his days. He was a leading man at St. George's. Bishop Scott's wife is a granddaughter of
his.