Table Of ContentW H Library
ESLEYAN ERITAGE
M. E. Church History
A S H
HORT ISTORY
O T M ...
F HE ETHODISTS
By
Jesse Lee
“Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without
which no man shall see the Lord” Heb 12:14
Spreading Scriptural Holiness to the World
Wesleyan Heritage Publications
© 1998
A
SHORT HISTORY
OF THE
METHODISTS,
IN THE
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA;
BEGINNING IN 1766, AND CONTINUED TILL 1809.
TO WHICH IS PREFIXED,
A BRIEF ACCOUNT
OF
THEIR RISE IN ENGLAND,
IN THE YEAR 1729, &c.
BY JESSE LEE,
Author of LEE'S LIFE, and CHAPLAIN TO CONGRESS.
The LORD hath done great things for us, whereof we are glad Ps.126,3
Come thou with us, and we will do the good;
for the Lord hath spoken good concerning Israel. Numb 10, 3
We will go with you, for we have heard
that God is with you. Zech 8, 9
BALTIMORE,
PRINTED BY MAGILL AND CLIME, BOOK-SELLERS,
224, BALTIMORE STREET.
1810.
District of Maryland, to wit:
BE IT REMEMBERED, That on this fifteenth day of December, in the thirty-fourth year of the
Independence of the United States of America, JESSE LEE of the said district, hath deposited in this
office the Title of a Book the right whereof he claims as Author in the words following, To wit; "A
Short History of the Methodists in the United States of America; Beginning in 1766, and continued
till 1809. To which is prefixed a brief account of their rise in England in the year 1729, &c. By Jesse
Lee, author of Lee's Life, and Chaplain to Congress."
The Lord hath done great things for us, whereof we are glad. -- PSALM CXXVL. 3.
Come thou with us, and we will do thee good; for the Lord hath spoken good concerning Israel.
-- NUMB. x. 29.
We will go with you, for we have heard that God is with you. --ZECH. VIII. 23.
In conformity to the Act of the Congress of the United States, entitled, "An Act for the
encouragement of Learning by securing the copies of Maps, Charts and Books to the Authors and
Proprietors of such copies during the times therein mentioned." And also to the Act, entitled, "An
Act, supplementary to the Act, entitled, 'An Act for the encouragement of Learning, by securing the
copies of Maps, Charts and Books to the Authors and Proprietors of such copies during the times
therein mentioned,' and extending the benefits thereof to the Arts of Designing, Engraving and
Etching Historical and other Prints."
PHILIP MOORE, Clerk
of the District of Maryland.
A SHORT HISTORY
OF THE
METHODISTS
By
Jesse Lee
CONTENTS
CHAPTER 1
Of the rise of the Methodists in England in 1729,
and of the beginning of Methodism in the United States of America in 1766
CHAPTER 2
From the first society in New-York in 1776,
to the first conference which was held in America in 1773
CHAPTER 3
From the first conference in 1773,
to the conference in 1779.
CHAPTER 4
From the year 1779,
to the time of our being formed into a regular church in 1784
CHAPTER 5
From the first general conference in 1784,
to the end of the year 1786
CHAPTER 6
From the beginning of 1787,
to the end of 1791,
the year in which Mr. JOHN WESLEY died
CHAPTER 7
From the beginning of the year 1792,
in which the first regular general conference was held,
to the end of the year 1793
CHAPTER 8
From the beginning of the year 1794,
to the end of 1795.
CHAPTER 9
From the beginning of the year 1796,
including the second general conference,
to the end of 1799
CHAPTER 10
From the beginning of the year 1800,
including the third general conference,
to the end of 1803
CHAPTER 11
From the beginning of the year 1804,
including the fourth general conference,
to the end of the year 1806
CHAPTER 12
Containing a list of all the itinerant Methodist preachers.
CHAPTER 13
From the beginning of the year 1807,
to the end of 1809
CHAPTER 14
The conclusion
Appendix Sketch of the life of Rev. Jesse Lee
A SHORT HISTORY
OF THE
METHODISTS
By
Jesse Lee
PREFACE
MR. WESLEY, in a letter to a friend in America, which was written a few weeks before he died,
says, "I have given a distinct account of the work of God, which has been wrought in Britain and
Ireland, for more than half a century. We want some of you to give us a connected relation, of what
our Lord has been doing in America, from the time that Richard Boardman accepted the invitation,
and left his country to serve you."
In compliance with this request I have written the best account I could. Withal, it has long been
the wish of many of the Methodist preachers and people in America, that some account of the rise
and progress of the Methodists in these United States should be published, for the information of the
world in general, and of our own societies in particular. And I believe no preacher born in America
has had a better opportunity of being thoroughly acquainted with the Methodists than I have. When
I became a member of the Methodist Society early in the Spring of 1774, there were but 1160
members in the whole of the United States. I continued four years as a private member; and five
years more as a classleader, exhorter and local preacher; and have since been regularly traveling and
preaching for upwards of 26 years. I have also traveled extensively from St. Mary's River in Georgia,
to Passamaquoddy Bay in the District of Maine.
As no person has yet appeared willing to engage in this work, I have thought good, by the advice,
and with the consent of many of our preachers, to publish the following SHORT History; in which
I have been as careful as possible to state dates and facts, such as I think will be for the information
and consolation of pious people.
The materials from which I have chiefly compiled this work, are the Minutes of the Annual and
General Conferences. The Societies having been formed by the labors of the preachers, they have
also been preserved as one body, united by one spirit, by the blessing of God, by our rules and
regulations formed at those conferences. The origin, increase, and establishment of the Societies,
must therefore be sought for chiefly in these records.
I have inserted all the Minutes of importance. 1. Those which relate to Doctrines. 2. The rules by
which the preachers are called to, and directed in, the work of the Ministry. 3. Those which were
made at different times for the regulation, and well-ordering of the societies. And, 4. Those which
concern strangers, or persons not of our society. I have noticed these things at the times and places
when they occurred.
I have also taken notice of the increase and decrease of Methodism; and in some eases have
spoken of the places where the greatest revivals have been: and also of particular declensions, and
the causes which produced them.
I have consulted every author that I could find, which I thought would afford information on this
subject; especially Wesley's Journals, his Ecclesiastical History, and his Life, written by Dr. Coke
and Mr. Moore, and that by Dr. Whitehead. Also, the Methodist Memorial, published by Mr.
Atmore. Mr. William Myles's Chronological History of, and Mr. Joseph Benson's Apology for, the
people called Methodists. Mr. Francis Asbury's Journals, bound, and unbound. And the Magazines
published by the Methodists. Also, Mr. Freeborn Garrettson's Travels, and William Waters's Life,
published by himself. -- I have also read over more than 2000 pages of my own manuscript Journals,
and consulted many of the traveling and local preachers, in order to ascertain historical facts, and to
find out useful things which have never yet been published.
There has been, in general, very many errors and imperfections in the Minutes of the Annual
conferences; but I have used my utmost endeavors to avoid those errors, and to send into the world
the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. In order that every one may understand what the
principles, doctrines, and discipline of the Methodists are, and what is the economy and government
of their Church and Society. I also wish the Methodists to see what great things the Lord has done
for them, and for their fathers and friends before them.
I desire to show to all our societies and friends, that the doctrines which we held and preached in
the beginning, we have continued to support and maintain uniformly to the present day. We have
changed the economy and discipline of our church at times, as we judged for the benefit and
happiness of our preachers and people; and the Lord has wonderfully owned and prospered us. It may
be seen from the following account, how the Lord has, from very small beginnings, raised us up to
be a great and prosperous people. It is very certain, that the goodness of our doctrine and discipline,
our manner of receiving preachers, and of sending them into different circuits, and the frequent
changes among them from one circuit to another, not allowing them in general to stay more than one
year in a station or circuit, and in no case more than two years, has greatly contributed to the
promotion of religion, the increase of our societies, and the happiness of our preachers.
I have in some cases stated things which took place among us, that were not approved of by all
the preachers, and that were afterwards given up. I have likewise made mention of some of the errors
of the conferences and COUNCILS; and of the preachers who continued among us, as well as those
who separated from us: that it may be seen and understood, that I have not written with partiality,
and thereby kept back things necessary to be known.
I am sorry to say, that some of the preachers who separated from us, became bitter enemies to us,
and wrote and spoke many things against us which were not true: which things did no honor to the
inventors or retailers of them.
I have been particular in collecting the names of all the traveling preachers who have been
itinerants, and have been so entered on the annual minutes, with the dates when they began to travel,
and also when they stopped; showing at the same time, by certain marks, whether they were expelled
or located; or whether they died in the work, or left the connection.
Withal, I have set down in its proper place, an account of the number of members in society for
each year, with the increase or decrease of every year from the beginning of Methodism in the United
States to the present year, as far as I have been able to ascertain it.
Whatever defects are found in this history, (as there will likely be some) I hope will be considered
as owing to the want of better information; as some improper information may have been obtained
from some imperfect publications. I sincerely wish that it may be rendered a blessing to those who
read it, and to the Methodists in particular.
May the Lord redeem us from all iniquity, and make us meet to be partakers with the saints in
light for Christ's sake. Amen.
JESSE LEE.
Petersburg, Virginia.
October 28, 1809.
A SHORT HISTORY
OF THE
METHODISTS
By
Jesse Lee
CHAPTER 1
Of the rise of the Methodists in England in 1729,
to the beginning of Methodism in the United States of America, in 1766.
The Rev. John Wesley (by the grace of God the Father and Founder of Methodism, and second
son of the Rev. Samuel Wesley), was born June 17, old style, 1703. In the year 1720, he entered a
student in Christ Church College, Oxford, and soon after took his degree of bachelor of arts.
Sept. 19, 1725, he was ordained a deacon, by Dr. Potter, at that time bishop of Oxford.
Shortly after he preached his first sermon, at South Leigh, within two miles of Witney in
Oxfordshire.
March 17, 1726, he was elected Fellow of Lincoln College, Oxford.
February 14, 1727, he took his degree of Master of Arts.
September 22, 1728, he was ordained Priest, by the same bishop.
Of the name of Methodist, as applied to Mr. Wesley and his followers, the following account is
given. Mr. John Wesley, and by his advice and example his brother Charles, when at Oxford had
become deeply serious. They received the sacrament weekly, and prevailed with two or three more
young men to do the same. These young men occasionally met together, for the purpose of assisting
and encouraging each other in their studies and religious duties; they also regulated their
employments by certain rules. This regularity procured them the distinguishing epithet of Methodists.
This title was given in the first instance to Mr. Charles Wesley, by a fellow of Merton College, in
allusion to an ancient college of physicians at Rome, who began to flourish about the time of Nero,
and continued several ages; they were remarkable for putting their patients under regimen, and were
therefore termed Methodists. This is the most accurate account; for when Mr. Wesley speaks of this
appellation, he mentions it only in very general terms, without attempting to state at what period of
the society it was first given. "The exact regularity of their lives, as well as studies," says he,
"occasioned a young gentleman of Christ's Church to say, 'There is a new set of Methodists sprung
up.' The name was new and quaint, so it took immediately, and the Methodists were known all over
the university." It would seem, then, from the above account, that the name was given to the young
gentleman in consequence of the remarks of the fellow of Merton College; and Mr. Wesley in his
Journal refers to it after the name had become pretty general. One thing is certain, the name was first
given at Oxford in the year 1729.
Thus the society began and continued, till Mr. John Wesley went to Epworth to assist his father
as his curate. In his absence, June 16, 1729, Mr. Charles Wesley, and one or two more, began again
to meet to assist each other. In Nov. 1729, when Mr. John Wesley returned from Epworth, the whole
management of the society devolved upon him. The society at that time consisted of the following
persons -- Mr. John Wesley, fellow of Lincoln college; Mr. Charles Wesley, student of Christ's
Church; Mr. Richard Morgan, commoner of Christ's church; and Mr. Kirkman, of Merton college.
The next year, two or three of Mr. John Wesley's pupils desired the liberty of meeting with them, and
afterwards one of Mr. Charles Wesley's pupils. In 1732, Mr. Benjamin Ingham, of Queen's college,
and Mr. Broughton, of Exeter, were added to their number. In April in the same year, Mr. Clayton,
of Brazen Nose college, with two or three of his pupils, were added. It was by his advice that they
began to observe the fasts of the ancient church, every Wednesday and Friday. About the same time
Mr. James Harvey, one of Mr. John Wesley's pupils, was added to the society. And in the year 1735,
Mr. George Whitefield, of Pembroke college, joined them. At that time they were fourteen or fifteen
in number, all of one heart and of one mind. They formed rules for the regulation of their time and
their studies; for reading the scriptures, and self-examination.-- They also visited the sick, and the
prisoners, and received the Lord's Supper once a week.
Mr. John Wesley gives the following account of the rise of Methodism. "In 1729, my brother and
I, by reading the Bible, saw inward and outward holiness therein; followed after it, and incited others
so to do. In 1737, we saw that this holiness comes by faith, and that men are justified before they are
sanctified -- but still holiness was our point."
In the beginning of the year 1735, Mr. Wesley for the first time preached extempore, which
practice is now followed by all the Methodist preachers. In the latter part of this year Mr. Wesley and
his brother Charles consented to leave their native country, and to come over to America as
missionaries to the Indians; and on the 14th day of October 1735, they set off. After a passage of
more than three months, they landed on the 6th of February 1736, over against Tybee, near
Savannah, in Georgia.
In April 1736, Mr. Wesley formed a society at his own house in Savannah, and instructed them
weekly in the things belonging to their peace. This he used to consider as the second rise of
Methodism. But in the end of the following year, Mr. Wesley left America, and sailed from
Charleston, in South-Carolina, for England on December 24th, 1737, and never more returned to
America; of course that society fell through, and there was no society of Methodists formed in that
town for seventy years afterwards. It was not until the year 1807 that a regular Methodist society was
formed in Savannah. Mr. Charles Wesley embarked for England in July 1736, about six months after
his arrival in Georgia.
May 1, 1738, Mr. Wesley and some Moravian brethren formed themselves into a religious society,
which met at Fetter-lane, in London. This he calls in his Ecclesiastical History, vol.4, page 175, the
third period of Methodism. Mr. Wesley, speaking of this society, says, "Our little society began in
London, when forty or fifty of us agreed to meet together every Wednesday evening, in order to a
free conversation, began and ended with singing and prayer."
