CONTENTS

BOOK I

From 1766 to 1773

CHAPTER 1

Sketch of Methodism in England; birth and education of Mr. Wesley; enters the ministry; first Methodist society; his visit to Georgia; results of this visit; ends in his conversion; visits Hernhuth, in Germany; his return and commencement of his preaching; general spread of the work; Mr. Wesley qualified for his work; it was the work of God; he was providentially led into it; with a view simply to do good.

CHAPTER 2

Introduction of Methodism into the city of New York providential; first society established by Philip Embury; moved to it by Mrs. Hick; attracted public notice; rented a larger room and were much assisted by Captain Webb; sinners awakened and converted; the rigging loft in William Street; plans for building a house of worship; greatly encouraged; Wesley Chapel built in John Street; letter of T. T. to Mr. Wesley, detailing their wants and asking for a preacher; Mr. Wesley sends them help; arrival of Messrs. Boardman and Pilmoor; commencement of Methodism in Maryland; preaching of Mr. Strawbridge; anecdote of him; result of these things.

CHAPTER 3

Missionaries enter upon their work; Mr. Pilmoor visits Virginia and North Carolina; his letter to Mr. Wesley; good effects of Captain Webb’s labors; Mr. Boardman comes to New York; interchange of preachers; letter to Mr. Wesley; others enter the itinerant field; arrival of Mr. Asbury; his birth and education; his conversion and call to the ministry; motives for coming to America; his voyage, views, and feelings; lands in Philadelphia, and his kind reception; enlarges the field of labor; Methodism planted in Kent county, Maryland; Mr. Pilmoor visits the south; R. Williams, in Norfolk, Virginia; Mr. Asbury appointed an assistant; minutes of a quarterly meeting conference; Rev. Mr. Jaratt’s labors and success; Robert Williams greatly blessed; Mr. Wesley thought of visiting America, but instead of that sent Messrs. Rankin and Shadford.

BOOK II

From 1773 to 1784

CHAPTER 1

First regular conference, and minutes of; stations of preachers; numbers; reason for a particular rule; Mr. Rankin sets himself to correcting abuses; labors of Mr. Asbury; Mr. Rankin in New York, and Mr. Asbury in Baltimore; Light Street church begun; second conference; minutes of; increase of members; Boardman and Pilmoor return to England; Mr. Asbury enlarges the sphere of his labors; others imitate him; the former sickens from excessive labor; third conference; Mr. Rankin takes too much authority; symptoms of war; Mr. Asbury goes south; great revival in Virginia; death of R. Williams; Mr. Jarratt’s account of this revival; corroborated by others; letter from Mr. Wesley; differences between Mr. Rankin and Mr. Asbury.

CHAPTER 2

Symptoms of hostilities; English preachers suspected; Deer Creek conference; disastrous results of war in some places, and revivals in others; English preachers consult about returning home; imprudent conduct; effects of Mr. Wesley’s pamphlet; Mr. Asbury left alone; Leesburgh conference; Mr. Asbury’s seclusion; sufferings of Mr. Garrettson; of Mr. Hartley; Mr. Asbury’s liberation; conference at Judge White’s; troubles on account of the ordinances; Fluvanna conference, and ordination of the preachers; causes a temporary division; minutes of conference; reason for one item; rule against the use of spiritous liquors; breach healed which had been occasioned by administering the ordinances; salutary effects of this adjustment; sad effects of the war; farther sufferings of Mr. Garrettson; Choptank conference; labors of Mr. Jarratt; capture of Lord Cornwallis; tenth conference, numbers, &c.; eleventh conference, numbers, &c., rules; peace proclaimed, and its effects; Mr. Wesley’s letter; end of an apostate; twelfth conference, numbers, &c.; revival; minutes not printed.

CHAPTER 3

Important period of Methodism; state of the societies in Europe and America; independence of the country; Mr. Wesley determines to grant them a church organization: the steps taken; his letter to Dr. Coke, &c.; credentials of Dr. Coke; his arrival in America; Mr. Asbury’s account of their meeting; Mr. Garrettson sent to call a conference; conference assembles in Baltimore, Dec. 25, 1784, when Mr. Asbury is elected and consecrated bishop; others elected and ordained elders; defense of these measures, 1. A call for those things; 2. Character of those who did them; 3. Presbyters and bishops the same order; 4. The doctrine of succession not defensible; 5. Mr. Wesley’s right; 8. He invaded the right of no one else; 7. He ordained ministers for the Methodists only; 9. He did not separate from either the English or Protestant Episcopal Church; 9. Form of church government not prescribed; 10. Proved; 11. Distinction between the power of ordination and jurisdiction; 12. Character of those who established the Methodist Episcopal Church; the people acquiesced in these measures; blessed results of these things; articles of religion; rules adopted; method of holding conference; constituting elders, and their duty; deacons; receiving preachers, and their duty; of making collections; class meetings; duty of preachers; necessity of union; manner of singing; rules for preaching; against Antinomianism; how to provide for circuits, &c.; of employing time, &c.; baptism; Lord’s supper; unlawful marriages; perfection; dress; privileges to nonprofessors; visiting from house to house; instruction of children; building churches; raising a general fund; for superannuated preachers, &c.; printing books; trial of disorderly persons; of immoral ministers; of stewards; general rules; rules on slavery.

BOOK III

From 1785 to 1792

CHAPTER 1

Effects of the recent organization; Mr. Garrettson goes to Nova Scotia: state of things there; Allenites oppose; sample of their doctrine; letter of Mr. Wesley; good effects of Mr. Garrettson’s labors; introduction of Methodism into Charleston, South Carolina; labors of Mr. Willis there, and the erection of a house of worship; fall of B. Allen, and its effects on the Church; William Hammett and his secession; Bishop Asbury enters upon his work; commencement of Cokesbury College; its plan; general rules; for the students; dedicated by Bishop Asbury; consumed by fire; rebuilt, and again burned; Dr. Coke returns to Europe; three conferences; revivals of religion; origin of the presiding elder’s office; short analysis of the entire economy of the Church; death of preachers; number; settlement of Kentucky; character of the settlers; first visited by the Baptists, and then by local preachers; first traveling preachers there; Methodism introduced into Georgia; labors of Bishop Asbury; death of preachers; who desisted from traveling: case of Glendenning; number in the Church.

CHAPTER 2

Conferences and circuits for 1787; Dr. Coke arrives; satisfies the conference; his conduct commended; Mr. Garrettson proposed for a Bishop; reason why not elected; title bishop, why assumed; its assumption vindicated; care for colored people and children; Bishop Asbury comes north; Mr. Lee’s account of the revival; death of preachers; numbers; conferences and circuits for 1788; Mr. Garrettson forms the New York district; general state of things in that part of the country; Bishop Asbury crosses the Allegheny Mountains; revivals of religion; deaths of preachers; numbers; conferences and circuits for 1789; minute respecting obedience to Mr. Wesley; constitution of the United States; address of the bishops to President Washington and his answer, together with vindicatory remarks; Methodism in New England; general state of things there; J. Lee in Norwalk, Conn.; disputations; first Methodist Societies and house of worship; opposition to Methodism; work of God in Baltimore; this work aided by the labors of Bishop Asbury; Philip Embury; the work extends in New York district, particularly on Long Island; remarkable answer to prayer; council; its authority; its defects and dissolution; Book Concern; deaths of preachers; numbers, conferences, and circuits; Sabbath schools; Bishop Asbury visits Kentucky; his return; Methodism in Boston. Mass.; in Lynn; other towns in Mass.; anecdotes of J. Lee; house of worship built in Boston; deaths and numbers; numbers, conferences, and circuits; Methodism in Canada; impostors; work of God in New England; Bishop Asbury visits that country; his judgment of the state of things there; death of John Wesley; Dr. Coke proposes to return to Europe; gives offense to his American brethren; the conference vindicated; Mr. Wesley’s letter to E. Cooper; Dr. Coke’s cold reception; is cheered by a letter from Bishop Asbury; the field of labor enlarges; numbers.

CHAPTER 3

Conferences and circuits; first settlements in Tennessee; Bishop Asbury in Tennessee; expulsion and deaths of preachers, and numbers in the Church; General Conference of 1792; its doings; O’Kelly’s resolution for an appeal rejected; Bishop Asbury’s letter; rules for election and trial of a bishop; of presiding elders; allowance for preachers’ wives, and rule respecting marriage fees; rules respecting deficiencies, to prevent impositions and the settlement of disputes; respecting immoral ministers, receiving presents, the worship of God, and supernumerary preachers; another General Conference ordered; rule on sowing dissensions; Mr. O’Kelly’s secession; reasons for it; takes the name of ”Republican Methodist”; societies formed; spread into North Carolina; disastrous results of the secession; name changed to “Christian Church”; dwindles away, and its leader with it; Bishop Asbury’s interview with him; hope in his death; influence of these things upon the public mind, from which it gradually recovers; Concluding remarks.

END OF VOLUME ONE