CHAPTER XXXIV. NEW YORK, NEW ENGLAND, AND GENESEE CONFERENCES.

At the close of the General Conference Mr. Asbury and I left for Albany. On the way we made Governor Van Cortland a visit at Croton. I wrote: “We found the aged father in the possession of his faculties, and he loves to hear of the prosperity of Zion.” He resided in the old Manor-house, near the mouth of the Croton River. The governor was very rich, having inherited a large part of Cortland Manor. The house was famous for its antiquity, and for the distinguished guests that had been entertained there, among whom were Washington, Lafayette, Franklin, and Whitefield, who preached from the piazza to the multitudes who thronged to hear him. It was a stopping place of Bishop Asbury, Garrettson, Moriarty, Hibbard, Hutchinson, and others of the early Methodist fathers.

Governor Pierre Van Cortland was the first lieutenant-governor of New York, and was re-elected eighteen times. He was the president of the convention that formed and adopted the constitution of the State of New York. In the City Hall in New York is a fine marble bust of him. He was very tall, and of a commanding appearance. He wore breeches, and silver shoe-buckles.

The governor was a Methodist, and gave the land for a church and burying-ground. It was erected upon a hill, and commands a splendid view of the Hudson. The old building remains, a relic of former days. He married Joanna Livingston. They were both pure spirits. Their daughter, Mrs. Van Wick, was a gifted woman, a shouting Methodist, who would exhort with great effect. His daughter, Mrs. Gerard Beekman, was also a Methodist, and her son, Dr. Stephen Beekman, at whose house the Rev. John Summerfield died in New York on June 30, 1825.

Bishop Asbury greatly admired the old governor, and said he resembled General Russel of Kentucky, who married the sister of Patrick Henry. The governor, full of years and of honors, died on May 1, 1814, in the ninety-fourth year of his age.

The next year, on May 13, the bishop in making his last tour through his diocese went to the old mansion, and found its inhabitant gone. He mournfully wrote: “The dear, aged man, Governor Van Cortland, has gone to his rest, having attained his ninetieth year and upward.” He was buried in his family cemetery, on a beautiful elevation a short distance from the old Manor-house. On his marble tomb his portrait is drawn in full. It concludes thus: “The simplicity of his private life was that of an ancient patriarch. He died a bright witness of that perfect love which casteth out the fear of death,” etc.

His son Philip was an illustrious man. He was brigadier-general during the Revolutionary War, and distinguished himself in several battles, and especially at Yorktown, where the crowning battle of the Revolution was fought. He was the intimate friend of Lafayette, whom it is said he strikingly resembled, and he made the tour of the country with him in 1824. He was very friendly to the Methodists, and attended their meetings; and when the minister failed to come, he would read a chapter from the Bible. Great camp-meetings were held upon his land, and multitudes were converted there. He died in 1831, and Noble W. Thomas preached his funeral sermon.

From Croton we went to Rev. Freeborn Garrettson’s at Rhinebeck. The bishop delighted to visit that model household. Fifty years later, long after the death of Father Garrettson and his amiable wife, I went to the old homestead. It stood as in the days when Bishop Asbury and I were there, but where were its inmates? Melancholy reflections came over me when I thought of the changes that had taken place; but I was kindly entertained by their daughter Mary, as well as their nephew, Freeborn Garrettson, Esq., whose friends I knew and those of his wife when I traveled on the Peninsula half a century ago.

We tarried a short time at Poughkeepsie, where Methodism was then very feeble. In the winter of 1861 I spent several weeks there, and was glad to find three flourishing Churches, besides a German Church. In the latter I was permitted to preach in my own vernacular, which I had not done for years.

On Thursday, June 4, 1812, the New York Conference commenced its session in Albany. Eleven were received on trial, among them William Ross, Tobias Spicer, and Theodosius Clark. Mr. Clark is the only one remaining. Fourteen remained on trial, including J. B. Matthias, Benjamin Griffen, John B. Stratten, and Samuel Luckey. The latter is the only one living, except Hawley Sanford, who located years ago. He is the father of Rev. A. K. Sanford of the New York Conference. This was my last visit to the noble New York Conference with Bishop Asbury. I attended its session at Poughkeepsie in 1861, and looked in vain for the men I saw in 1812. But four remained: Marvin Richardson, Phineas Rice, Benjamin Griffen, and Theodosius Clark. Rice and Griffen have since departed.

Leaving Albany, we rode on horseback to Boston, and were the guests of our old friend Otheman, father of Rev. B. Otheman, of New England Conference, and grandfather of Rev. E. B. Otheman, of New York Conference, and of the late Mrs. Stevens, wife of Rev. Abel Stevens, LL.D.

On June 20, 1812, the New England Conference began in Lynn. Both Asbury and M’Kendree were present. On Sunday I preached at five in the morning, Bishop M’Kendree at ten, and Bishop Asbury at three in the afternoon. The session was exceedingly harmonious. The announcement that war was declared by the United States against Great Britain produced the most intense excitement. Of the eighty-four preachers present all are gone except Joshua Soule and Daniel Webb.

Leaving Lynn, the bishop went to the Genesee Conference. We stopped in Troy, and Bishop Asbury held forth from “If any man speak,” etc. We heard Nathan Bangs on “Being made free from sin,” etc. It was the first time I ever heard him. Samuel Merwin, then stationed in Albany, accompanied us for a little distance. He was a noble looking man.

The Genesee Conference was to have been held in Niagara, Upper Canada, but the war prevented, and it was changed to Lyons.

The 28th of July it commenced in Daniel Dorsey’s store-house or granary. Here the ordinations were performed. I am told the venerable old building is still standing. There was a camp-meeting held in connection with the conference. I preached in German from Isaiah iii, 10, 11.

We missed the preachers from Canada. There was an increase of six hundred on two districts. We could not hear from Canada. This was my last visit to the Genesee Conference. What has God done for Methodism in Western New York since that day!

We left for my mother’s, passing through the valley of Wyoming, and arrived at the old mansion the 11th of August. Bishop Asbury wept for his old friend, and I for my father.