MEMORIALS OF THE iTRODUCTION OF METHODISM IJSTO THE EASTERN STATES: MPRISIXG BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES OF ITS EARLY PREACHERS, 'SKETCHES OF ITS FIRST CHURCHES, AND REMINISCENCES OF ITS EARLY STRUGGLES AND SUCCESSES. BY REV A. STEVENS, A.M. BOSTON: CHARLES H, . PEIECE, BINNEY & OTHEMAN. NEW YORK: LANE & TIPPETT. CINCINNATI: SWORMSTEDT & MITCHELL. 4848. Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1847, By CHARLES H. PEIRCE, In the Clerk' Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts. Stereotyped and Printed By George C. Rand and Company, No. 3 Cornhill, Boston. PREFACE. The present work will not, the author trusts, be subjected to the wonted rigor of criticism. Its pretensions are necessarily of the most unostentatious character. It claims not the dignity of History, nor even that of Annals, being not sufficiently consecu- tive and minute for the latter title, nor sufficiently general and elaborate for the former. It is simply what its title imports, " Memorials," not of the progress of Methodism in the eastern States, but of its introduction into them. Under this convenient title, the writer has attempted to give what biographical reminis- cences are still extant respecting the early preachers of Meth- odism in those States, together with historical sketches of its earliest churches, accounts of its Conferences, Circuits, strug- gles and successes, the whole arranged, as far as practicable, in chronological order, and presenting the materials of its history in New England, down to the nineteenth century. The recorded data for such a work are very slight — and the author has had to depend largely on, the correspondence of aged members and preachers of the denomination, a necessity which has involved exceeding labor and perplexity. He found, in many instances, that his inquiries were too late, the earliest records of important churches having, in numerous cases, been lost, and their first members gone to the grave. He has been conscious through the whole of his task, that it has been too long delayed. Anx- ious to save from utter loss, many evanescing reminiscences, he may have recorded some things which the reader will not deem worthy of the trouble. If so, several considerations must be 3 4 PREFACE. compila borne in mind : First, that the volume is designed as a tion of data, rather than a digested history conformed severe!) to the critical rules of historical composition ; secondly, thai many of these data are derived by correspondence from sources which will soon cease to exist, or from publications out of print, and therefore, if not now recorded, may soon be lost foi ever ; thirdly, that their insertion may lead to further researches and discoveries. Some account is given of every Methodist preacher who was regularly appointed to New England during the first five years of our history. Several of these biographical notices are neces- sarily very slight ; they are nevertheless inserted, that ampler in- formation may be obtained, if possible. If some of them are deemed insignificant, it must be borne in mind that they occupy but a proportionately insignificant amount of room. As many important facts in the work have been derived from original sources, and publications out of print, the author has chosen to let his authorities speak for themselves, to a consider- able extent. And as he is the first who has written, largely, on the local history of Methodism in New England, he has given abundant marginal references, both to verify his statements and to aid further researches, should they hereafter be undertaken. In a subsequent volume, he hopes to continue the narrative through periods of more varied and more interesting events. Note Several of the faces in the Frontispiece are real portraits ; Timothy Merritt stands in the pulpit, George Pickering sits behind him, Dr. Fisk is addressing the Confer- ence at the foot of the pulpit stairs ; on his left sits Bishop Hedding, presiding, and Dan- iel Fillmore at the table, as Secretary ; at the left of the latter are, first, John Brodhead; second, Enoch Mudge ; and third, Asa Kent — all three within the altar. In about the centre of the pews Joseph A. Merrill will be recognized, with his face towards the specta- tor on his ; left is Ebenezer F. Newell ; behind the latter and in the adjacent right hand pew is Thomas C. Peirce to the left of Mr. P., slightly ; and behind him, is Abraham D. Merrill, while at his right sits Epaphras Kibby and Isaac Bonney. Near the latter Ed- ward T. Taylor stands, with folded arms, in the aisle behind ; Mr. T. sits David'Kil- burn, and before him, Phineas Crandall. The likenesses are as accurate as tl e 1 oi dimensions would admit. CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. PAGI Jesse Lee. — Lee on Boston Common — His early Life — Conversion — Com- mencement of his Public Labors — Is drafted into the Army — Scenes in the Camp — Enters the Itinerancy — Illustrations of his Ministry — Is appointed to New England. If CHAPTER II. Introduction of Methodism into New England. — Lee's Appointment — Pre- vious progress of Methodism — State of Religion in New England — Points of contrast between the Theology of Methodism and the Theology of New Eng- land — Arminianism — Reaction of Calvinism — Effects of Methodism. 33 CHAPTER III. Lee in New England. — Lee enters New England — Preaches on the highway at Norwalk — Rev Cornelius Cook — Scenes at Fairfield — New Haven — Redding — Stratfield — Stratford — Vexatious Trials — Visit to Rhode Island — Cheering Reception — Preaches in the Court House at New London — Returns to his Con- necticut Circuit — Formation of the first Class in New England — Singular Treatment — Second Society formed — Reflections — Third Class — New Her- alds enter the Field. 46 CHAPTER IV Lee and his Co-Laborers in New England. — The first New England Methodist Ministry — Jacob Brush — Sketch of his History — His Death — Daniel Smith — His Character — Description of his Preaching — Farewell Sermon at Lynn — Dr. George Roberts — Outline of his History — Anecdotes — His Character — Tri- umphant Death. gg CHAPTER V Lee Itinerating in New England. — Excursion to Weathersfield — Labors at Hart- ford — Visits Farmington — Interest for " Principles " — Forms the New Haven Circuit — Excursions — Passes through Rhode Island — Unexpected meeting with Garrettson — Tour of the latter — Lee arrives in Boston — Preaches at Salem, Newburyport, Portsmouth, Marblehead — Returns to Boston — Departs for the Conference — Reflections. 80 CHAPTER VI. Lee and his Co-Laborers, 1790-1.— Lee returns to the Conference — His Success in the East — Plan of Labor for the ensuing year — Old Circuits — Dr. Roberts — John Bloodgood — John Lee — Nathaniel B. Mills — Samuel Wigton — Henry Christie — Lee's return to New England — Boston — Trials — Departs for New York— Formation of the first Methodist Society in Massachusetts — Erection of first the Chapel — Lee returns to the Conference at New York — Results. 9fi CONTENTS. CHAPTER VII. PAC Lee s Co-Laborers in New England in 1791-2. — Plan of Labors — Matthias Swaiin — James Covel — Aaron Hunt. — religious condition of New England — John Allen — Lemuel Smith — Menzies Rainor — Robert Greene — Locations. • • 1] CHAPTER VIII. Lee and Asbury in New England, in 1791-2. — Lee returns to the East — Preaches at Marblehead — Ipswich — Lynn — Excursion into New Hampshire — Preaches in Portsmouth — Newburyport — Windham — Needham — Excursion to Rhode Island — Excursion to Western New England — View of his Labors — Asbury enters New England — His incessant Preaching — Scenes at Stepney — Stratford — New Haven — Middle town — Newport — Providence — Boston — Lynn — His return Westward — Results of the Year. 1£ CHAPTER IX. Laborers and Labors op the Ecclesiastical tear 1792-3. — Session of the first New England Conference — Asbury — His Character — Lee — Hope Hull — Ser- vices at the Conference — Appointments — Membership — Jeremiah Cosden — Joshua Taylor — His Christian Experience and Ministry — Smith Weeks — Philip Wager — James Coleman — Richard Swain — Hope Hull — Fredus Aldridge — David Kendall — Robert Dillon — Jordan Rexford — Lee Itinerating — Asbury re-enters New England — Methodism prevails — Results of the Year. 14 CHAPTER X. Ecclesiastical tear 1793-4. — Conference at Lynn — At Tolland — Asbury leaves New England — Appointments for the year — Sketches of Ezekiel Cooper — Enoch Mudge — New London Circuit — Methodism in Maine — Trials. 11 CHAPTER XI. Further Sketches of the Ministry of 1793-4. — George Pickering — His Life — Character — Death — Daniel Ostrander — His Labors — Hezekiah Calvin Woorster — Power of his Ministry — Zadock Priest — Joshua Hali — Amos G. Thompson Benjamin •* — Fisler — John Hill — Joseph Lovell — Jason Perkins. • • 1£ CHAPTER XII. Incidents of 1793-4. —New Circuits — Province of Maine —Formation of the first Circuit The first — Society — Success elsewhere — Vexatious Trials — Anecdotes Thomas — Ware — First Printed Attack on Methodism in New England — Devo- tion and Usefulness of the Itinerant Ministry — Asbury again in the East — Results of the Year. 22 CHAPTER XIII. Early Methodist Churches in New England. The first — Society formed by Lee in New England — Trials — The oldest Methodist Layman of New England and his Family — First Methodist Chapel in New England — Lee's Visit to Eas- ton — Norwalk. 24 CONTENTS. CHAPTER XIV PAGE Early Methodist Churches in New England, continued. — Original Vigor of Methodism — Lee's Visit to Hartford, Conn. — Formation of the first Methodist Society there — Its Extinction — Its Renovation — Lee's first Visit to Warren — Mr. Martin Luther — Erection of the first Methodist Chapel in Rhode Island — Overthrow of the Society — Its remarkable Resuscitation — The Church in Bristol. 253 CHAPTER XV First Methodist Episcopal Church in Massachusetts. — Lee's Visit to Lynn — Mr. Benjamin Johnson, Sen. — Remarkable Incident — Erection of the first Methodist Chapel in Massachusetts — Signal honors of Lynn. 267 CHAPTER XVI. Methodism in Boston. — Mr. Black's Labors in Boston — Lee on the Common — Difficulties — Formation of a Class — Erection of the first Chapel — Colonel Bin- ney — Multiplication of Churches in the City. 276 CHAPTER XVII.