THE NEW ENGLAND CONFERENCE JAMES MUDGE CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY Goodkind Book Fund In Memory of MARTIN H. GOODKIND Class of 1887 Cornell University Library BX8381.N4M94 History of the New England Conference of (f 3 1924 009 113 048 Cornell University Library The original of tliis book is in tine Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31 9240091 1 3048 mm. -vi; 0^«?= »J*^ n HISTORY " ^ AUt^: OF THE NEW ENGLAND CONFERENCE OF THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH 1796 _ 1910 BY JAMES MUDGE SECRETARY PUBLISHED BY THE CONFERENCE 36 BROMFIELD STREET BOSTON 1910 PUBLISHING COMMITTEE GEORGE S. CHADBOURNE SETH C. GARY GEORGE WHITAKER WILLIAM H. MEREDITH ALFRED NOON 3t DEDICATED TO THE FATHERS WHOSE LABORS AND CHARACTERS THESE PAGES SO INADEQUATELY DESCRIBE AND COMMEMORATE. — — And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: God having provided isome hetter thing for us that they, without us, should not be made per- fect.—Heh. vi. 39, 40. Our fathers trusted in Thee, they trusted in Thee, and Thou didst deliver them.- Pb. xxii. 4. O God, our fathers have told us of the work Thou didst in their days, in the times of old.—Ps. xliv. 1. The Lord our God be with us as He was with our fathers. —I. Kings viii. 57. The little one shall become a thousand and the small one a strong nation: I, the Lord, will accomplish it in his time. Isaiah Ix. 22. Walk about Zion, go round about her, tell the towers there- of, mark ye well her bulwarks, consider her palaces, that ye may tell it to the generation following.—^Ps. xlviii. 12. One generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts.—Ps. cxlv. 4. PREFACE All previous Conference histories, we are told on good authority, have been attended with financial loss. The New England Conference now adds to the many special triumphs and signal distinctions recorded in the follow- ing pages this, that it publishes a history at a considera- ble profit. Before this work was fully entered upon enough subscriptions for it had been easily secured to pay all expenses ; which is as it should be. It is not the first time that a similar effort has been set on foot. As early as 1846 a committee of five—John W. Merrill, Z. A. Mudge, T. H. Mudge, B. K. Peirce and Amos Binney—^were appointed "for the purpose of col- lecting materials for a history of the church, pursuant to the order of the last General Conference." We presume but little came of it. In 1887 the Conference requested Daniel Dorchester, so eminently qualified by his long attention to the subject, to prepare a history of the Conference. And the same request was made, in 1890, of David Sherman, another very competent his- toriographer. But in neither case was any arrangement made for the publication, and, of course, there was no resTilt. In both 1908 and 1909 the Conference asked its secretary to do this long-needed work; and at the latter session such steps were taken, through the appointment of a publishing committee, named on a previous page, 6 PREFACE as to make it plain that the business part would have competent attention. Hence this favorable outcome. The author designated found on taking up the subject that there was, as he had expected, a superabundance of materials within reach. His chief task has been that of selection, condensation, and the due proportioning of the various parts of the work. His main sources of information have been, first, the official journals and papers of the Conference, preserved without break from 1800 to the present time; second, the writings of Abel Stevens, invaluable for the earlier years; third, the treasures in the New England Methodist Historical Society, freely put at his disposal. It would serve no useful purpose to attempt a complete list of the many hundreds of books, pamphlets, and manuscripts which have been consulted and studied. Nor has it been deemed best to encumber the pages with footnote refer- ences to authorities. It may be said here, once for aU, that great pains has been taken to verify all the state- ments. It can hardly be hoped, however, that there will be a total absence of error. Absolute inerrancy amid such a vast multitude of facts and figures, names and dates, some of them obscure from lapse of time, is not possible, especially as good authorities are found to differ on some points. Corrections will be welcomed. There is much here about individuals. It is inevitable. Without individuals there can be no history. They make history. History is "the essence of innumerable biographies," the record of those persons who have been appointed by God for the forwarding of his work in the world. "We have avoided, so far as possible, placing estimates upon those still in the field, but this rule could not be followed in all cases without marring the picture that was being presented or doing grave injustice to PREFACE worthy workers. If these slight sketches, in which severe condensation has had to be used (a volume put in a paragraph or a sentence), these hurried references to the most important and interesting personages, shall lead our readers to further study along the lines indi- cated, such as is afforded by the large works of Stevens and Hurst, and by the many biographies easily accessi- ble, one of the objects of the book will have been accom- plished. William R. Clark, in an address given, 1885, before the New England Methodist Historical Society, presented three reasons why we should recount the history of Methodism. They were these: as a moral tonic, a stimulant to loyalty for the church and its cause; as a verification of great principles, those which Methodism has from the beginning made prominent; as a prelude to its future, a help to its avoidance of effete conservatism and reckless latitudinarianism. It is hoped that all these results may come to those who peruse the pages that follow. Particular attention is called to the illustrations, on which much time has been spent, and which, it is be- lieved, will greatly add to the value of the book. Full explanation of them will be found in the appendix, along with many other matters of importance. It was planned at first to have a series of maps, shovdng the changes in the Conference boundaries from time to time; but it was discovered that the cost, if they were well made, would far outweigh their value to the reader. So we have reluctantly concluded to omit this feature. Special acknowledgments should, perhaps, be rendered to the very many who have supplied help in various ways. But the number is great who have aided, and we fear to mention any lest some should be omitted. They all have our sincere thanks. PREFACE It is expected that the profits of the book will be assigned by the Conference to the Veteran Preachers' Fund. Hence the sooner the entire edition is sold the better it will be for this most worthy cause. And we urge those who read these lines to promote such sale. Applications for copies at $1.50 net (ten cents addi- tional for postage) should be made to the Rev. Greorge "Whitaker, D. D., Room 4, No. 36 Bromfield St., Boston. The author may be addressed at Maiden, Mass. CONTENTS CHAPTER ONE. BEGINNINGS OF METHODISM IN NEW ENGLAND. Ciarles Wesley Lee's strenuous labors George WUtefield Conference of 1792 Riohiard Boardman Boston beginnings William Black Needham circuit Cornelius Oook Conference of 1793 Freeborn Garrettsion Ezekiel Cooper Jesae Lee George Roberts His early life Enoch Mudge He enters New EIngland George Pickering His first circuit Lee goes to Maine The first class Conference of 1794 He reaches Boston First church in Boston Confereace of 1790 Conferences of 1795 and 1796 Opening at Lynn Results so far Conference of 1791 John Brodhead First church in Massachusetts Timothy Merritt Bishop Asbury Review of the period CHAPTER TWO THE ORIGINAL NEW ENGLAND CONFERENCE. The first Annual Conference Granville circuit Boundaries changing Epaphras Klbbe Lee travels with Asbury Daniel Webb First session of Conference Billy Hibbard Bishop Goke visits here Lorenzo Dow Wilbraham Conference, 1797 Joshua Soule ]0 CONTENTS Tlie 'Conistitution Joseph A. Merrill Elijah. Hedding Lewis Bates Conference of 1799 Joel ISteele Conference of 1800 Solomon Sias Spicy comments John Lindsay Early allowances for support Charles Virgin Scanty pickinge Daniel Dorchester Encouraging gains Aalron D. Sargeant Lee's last visit to us General advances Asbury's hopes for us Methodist Alley Martin Buter Bromfleld Lane Wilbur Fisk Pickering leads Edward T. Taylor The nine who fell first CHAPTER THREE. IN A LESSENING AREA. Beginnings in Maine Ralph W. Allen The Maine Conference William Gordon Reduced dimensions Abel Stevens Disorder deplored David Patten Uniformity of dress Miner Raymond Reading isermonis Mark Trafton Free Masonry Opening of the doors Taylor rebuked Fasting and prayer Melville B. Cox Pews in churches Orange Scott Ministerial support Abraham D. Merrill Asa[ Kent John N. Maflatt Various persecutions A good growth Many misrepresentations. Change of boundaries Physical abuse New Hampshire Conference Severe sufferings James Porter Hedding's toils and pains Jefferson Hascall Forced locations Jason Lee Early deaths Charles K. True Summing up of the period CONTENTS 11 CHAPTER POUR. ON THE MODERN TERRITORY. Our excellent field William Butler Its area and numbers^ Amos B. Kendig What it is that confronts us Williatm N.