CHAPTER XXVI. ANNUAL TOUR, 1810—WESTERN CONFERENCE.

After an absence of months I remained at home one day and two nights, and the bishop said, “Henry, we must move.” My father and sister and many others went with us to Lancaster, where, on the fifth of August, we had a great day. The bishop even felt an interest in this place, where we had such a hard time to obtain a foothold. He preached morning and evening, James Smith at three, and I immediately after him in German. The bishop rejoiced to see such a comfortable house of worship here, and wrote: “After forty years’ labor we have a neat little chapel of our own.”

“Good-by,” I said to my friends, and at noon on Monday we were at Columbia, where the bishop preached. I was lame, and the lameness was increasing; but I did not name it to my parents lest they should urge me to stay home, or worry about me when I was gone; therefore I bore my sufferings in silence. From Columbia we went to York. Methodism was introduced here in 1781 by Freeborn Garrettson. On Wednesday to Carlisle, where the bishop drew up a plan for a new meeting-house, and answered twenty letters.

The bishop preached in Shippensburgh from Gal. vi, 9, then we went to Chambersburgh. We had there a neat little chapel in the town, but the bishop preached in the court-house, as it would hold more people. Bishop Asbury made but two visits to this place, and I was with him on both occasions, the one in 1810, the other in 1811.

The next day our ride was terrible over three lofty mountains, and we were under the rays of an August sun, and I suffering almost martyrdom with my lame leg. James Hunter kindly escorted us to Fort Littleton, and took us to his own house, and treated us as if we were angels. The bishop says, “On Sunday, August 12, at Littleton Chapel, I preached, and we administered the sacrament; but as my aid was lame the labor fell on me. Though wearied and sore with traveling I enjoyed a gracious season.”

I was so lame and in such misery that I was advised to remain at home; but lame or not lame, bright and early the next morning we were on our journey to Bloody Run, and though it rained, we reached it at three o’clock. After having changed our wet garments the bishop preached at four from Luke xiii, 12, and as soon as he had done I preached in German from John iii, 19, and at night I preached again in English from Acts x, 35, and Joshua Monroe exhorted. It was a time of power, and we had a shout in the camp.

We preached at Bomerdollar’s tavern. There were seven of his family who professed to belong to the household of faith. It is not often there is as much salt in a public house. There is generally no room for the Saviour at the inn.

The roads next day were intolerable. The bishop said, “I enter my protest, as I have yearly for forty years, against this road.” In the evening we reached Connellsville, in Fayette County, one hundred and thirty-four miles from Chambersburgh. It was so called from Zachariah Connell, who laid it out seventy years ago. Mr. Asbury must have felt a little sad when he wrote, “O what a life is this! My aid is lame, and I am obliged to drive.” It will also be seen how the bishop employed his time, and how deeply he felt for the Germans, for he adds: “People call me by my name as they pass me on the road, and I hand them a religious tract in German or in English, or I call at a door for a glass of water, and leave a little pamphlet. How can I be useful? I am old and feeble and sick, and can do but little; and the poor Germans! they are as sheep without a shepherd.”

On Saturday we reached Brownsville. This is where the old Redstone fort was. We then went to Pike Run camp-meeting, on Jacob Gruber’s district, in Washington County. This county was the hotbed of the famous “Whisky Rebellion.” There were one hundred tents and four or five hundred people encamped on the ground. Sunday was a high day. There were three thousand people in the grove. I opened the campaign in the morning by preaching from Acts x, 35 at eleven, and in the evening Bishop Asbury preached, and in the afternoon Jacob Gruber.

In reference to this meeting Bishop Asbury says, “There were very wicked people there, I learned, who desperately libeled Brother M’Kendree and the preachers, and committed other abominable offenses. On Monday I was called upon to preach in the morning. I took occasion to give a solemn warning to certain sons of Belial that they would be watched, and their names published. I felt much, but God was in the word.” He was very pointed, and it had a good effect upon the sons of Belial.

Friday, August 26, brought us to Pittsburgh. Bishop Asbury visited this town as early as July, 1789. The population in 1786 was only five hundred. It was a little settlement when Mr. Asbury first visited it, and when we were there in 1810 there were only five thousand inhabitants. On his first visit he wrote: “I preached in the evening to a serious audience. This is a day of very small things. What can we hope? yet what can we fear? I felt great love to the people, and hope God will arise to help and bless them.” He remained in Pittsburgh several days on that visit. He preached on Monday, and says the people were attentive; “but, alas! they are far from God, and too near the savages in situation and manners.” This must have been the introduction of Methodism in Pittsburgh.

More than a dozen years rolled away before Asbury visited Pittsburgh again; that was in August, 1803, the year I traveled with him almost to this place, and then returned. On Sunday, August 27, 1803, the bishop preached in the court-house in the morning from 1 Chron. vii, 14 to about four hundred people. He says, “I would have preached again, but the Episcopalians occupied the house. I come once in twelve years, but they could not consent to give way for me. It is time we had a house of our own. I think I have seen a lot which will answer to build upon.”

We put up with John Wrenshall. On Sunday the bishop preached on the foundation of the new meeting-house at nine o’clock to about five hundred hearers. Text, Mark xi, 17, “My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer,” etc. I exhorted. At two o’clock I preached at Brother Cooper’s house from 1 John iii, 1, “Behold what manner,” etc. At five Asbury preached again on the foundation of our Church to a thousand people. The bishop adds: “The society here is lively and increasing in numbers, and the prospect still is good in this borough.”

On Monday morning we left Pittsburgh, piloted for a few miles by John Wrenshall.

The next day we reached John Beck’s. There I carved my name on a tree, with the date of our being there. The old tree may still be standing to witness that Henry Boehm was there the 30th of August, 1810, over fifty years ago; but where is our host, his family, and his guests? They have fallen; I am left alone. On we traveled to a camp-meeting at Little Kanawha. James Quin was presiding elder of the district where it was held. We were the guests of Richard Lee, brother of Rev. Wilson Lee.

On Sabbath morning, at eight o’clock, I preached from Prov. xviii, 10. Bishop Asbury at eleven, from 1 Tim. iv, 16, “Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine,” etc.; after which he ordained John Holmes to the office of an elder. There were a great many such ordinations wherever the bishop traveled. It accommodated those who could not go far to conference. At three James Quin gave us a powerful sermon from 2 Thess. i, 7-10, on the second coming of Jesus. I preached again in the evening.

On Monday morning the Lord’s supper was administered; after which the bishop preached a profitable discourse on 1 Peter v, 7-9.

We left the encampment, and I preached at Brother Wolf’s, in German, from Acts viii, 35. I had great liberty in speaking to a people who had not heard the Gospel in their mother tongue in ten or twelve years. Bishop Asbury held forth in English immediately after. James Quin continued with us several days, and he was most excellent company.

On Wednesday the bishop preached in the school-house on a bluff opposite Blennerhassett’s Island. I saw the beautiful island where Harman Blennerhassett and his beautiful wife dwelt in most surpassing loveliness, till a blight came over this terrestrial Eden and destroyed it. The reader must be familiar with the melancholy history of this most unfortunate family.

On Tuesday we crossed the Ohio into Belpre, and put up at Mr. Browning’s. The lady of the house, who was from Old Connecticut, was delighted in entertaining a Methodist bishop. She conversed with him readily, and lamented the destitution of the West in regard to able preachers, and spoke of the elegant meeting-houses, pews, organs, singing, and the charming preachers of the East. “O bishop,” said she, “you can’t tell!” The bishop, delighted with her enthusiastic descriptions, exclaimed, “O yes, yes, Old Connecticut for all the world!

After considerable further conversation she inquired, “Bishop, where do you live?” With the utmost solemnity, and with a countenance and tone that showed the deep emotion of his soul, he replied,

The bishop preached in Belpre school-house from Luke xix, 10.

Colonel Putnam, son of Israel Putnam, who bearded the wolf in his den, and who also bearded the British lion, invited the bishop, Brother Quin, and myself to the house of Mr. Waldo, grandson of the old veteran. We had a hearty welcome and were treated like princes. In the evening six or eight gentlemen, revolutionary officers, with their ladies, were invited in, and we spent a most agreeable evening. The conversation was very entertaining and instructing, and the bishop took a very active part in it. But he would often manage to give the conversation a religious turn, to which the company would bow assent. The bishop prayed before the company retired. We lodged that night in a splendid ball-room. “Here,” said the bishop, as he kneeled down, “they used to worship the devil; let us worship God.”

Early next morning we bade adieu to our polite host and were on our way to Athens, and on Thursday we arrived at the camp-meeting near that town. We had now traveled five hundred and forty-two miles since we left my father’s, and three thousand four hundred and sixty-seven miles since we left Charleston.

Much good was done at this camp-meeting. We had four sermons on Sunday, Bishop Asbury preaching twice. I preached in German.

Traveling on and preaching every night we reached Chillicothe, and put up with Dr. Tiffin. The bishop says, “I am happy to find him no longer in public life, but a private citizen, respectable and respected, and the work of God revived in his soul. I have preached to many souls in the late camp-meetings. Lord, give thy word success. My own soul is humbled and purified. Glory be to God!” The bishop preached in the evening from Rev. xvi, 15.

On Sunday Bishop Asbury preached in Chillicothe, and baptized a whole family of Quaker descent. He dwelt upon the nature of the ordinance of baptism, and the duty it imposes upon parents. It was a rare thing for birthright Quakers to be brought over to the faith, for they are generally as unyielding as the oak; but we have noticed when they are really converted they make most excellent Methodists. This was the case with that bright and shining light, John Collins.

On Thursday we reached Cincinnati, and were entertained at Oliver Spencer’s. On Friday evening I preached in German from John viii, 36 on being free indeed, and Bishop Asbury exhorted. The bishop was very happy in his remarks. He was always present when it was practicable to hear me preach in German. He had a great love for the Germans, and an imperfect knowledge of the German language. On Sabbath the bishop preached morning and evening, and I in the afternoon. It was a day of great consolation to many.

On Monday we visited several families, and prayed with them, and then in the evening Father Asbury met the society and gave them a pastoral address. It was his custom to meet classes and to meet the societies, and give them good advice and wise suggestions, and in these family gatherings and family lectures the bishop often excelled himself.

Having spent four days in this goodly city we prepared for our departure. The bishop felt a peculiar affection for the people in Cincinnati, as may be seen from the following extract from his journal: “Sunday, 30, I preached morning and evening. It was a season of deep seriousness with the congregations. I felt an intimate communion with God, and a great love to the people, saints and poor sinners. Monday, met the society; Tuesday, we bade farewell to our affectionate friends in Cincinnati. The great river was covered with mist until nine o’clock, when the airy curtain rose slowly from the waters, gliding along in expanded and silent majesty.”

We traveled in Kentucky, preaching every day. The bishop makes this singular record: “The Methodists are all for camp-meetings, the Baptists are for public baptizings. I am afraid this dipping with many is the ne plus ultra of Christian experience.”

On Saturday we reached Joseph Ferguson’s, and on Sunday spent the day at Ferguson’s Chapel. Here Bishop M’Kendree, Learner Blackman, James Gwin, and Peter Cartwright overtook us, and our spirits were much refreshed. We had not seen Bishop M’Kendree since we parted with him at Lyons at the close of the Genesee Conference. He had returned by another route. Now the two bishops and the preachers started in company for the seat of the Western Conference.

Bishop Asbury’s soul was delighted to hear of the enlargement of the borders of Zion, and he wrote in ecstasy: “We have an open door set wide to us in Mississippi. The preachers there sent but one messenger to conference; they could not spare more. They keep their ground like soldiers of Christ. Good news from the south. Great prospects within the bounds of the South Carolina Conference.”

The Western Conference was held in the new chapel, Shelby County, Ky., commencing on November 1, 1810. The two bishops were present, and nearly a hundred preachers from their various fields of toil. The conference began, continued, and ended in peace.

I preached on Saturday, at early candle-light, from Matt. xi, 28, 29.

On Sabbath Bishop M’Kendree preached one of his mighty sermons, and Bishop Asbury exhorted with wonderful power. Then the elders and deacons were ordained. Fourteen were admitted into full membership and ordained deacons, among whom were William Winans and James Gwin. The latter was also ordained elder at this conference. He had been a local preacher years before he entered the traveling connection. John Crane and a number of others were ordained at the same time. Twenty-six were received on trial, among whom were John Strange and Michael Ellis, and other pure and noble spirits. J. B. Finley was continued on trial. There had been an increase of four thousand members in the Western Conference this year.

The bishops assigned fields of labor to ninety-five preachers, and then we parted to cultivate Immanuel’s land.