CHAPTER XV. DOVER CIRCUIT—GREAT CAMP-MEETINGS.

It is now almost impossible to realize what great times we had at our early camp-meetings. They did much in breaking up the strongholds of the devil, and almost revolutionized the Peninsula. They made, as Bishop Asbury said, “our harvest seasons.” Among the Methodists no gentlemen and ladies attended for leisure, pleasure, or pure air; but they went to work to save souls from death, and acted as if they had no other business. On June 11 we held a camp-meeting on Dover Circuit. There were two hundred tents on the ground. Brother Alward White preached the first sermon from Neh. iv, 10, on removing the rubbish so we shall be able to build the wall. On the first day forty-seven were converted and thirty-nine sanctified. This is the way they looked for things in those days: while penitents were pardoned the saints were purified. Friday morning Richard Lyon preached from Matt. xx, 6, to idlers in God’s vineyard. Then mourners were invited to the altar. Many came, and the work of God went on till three o’clock, when James Aikins preached from Luke xiv, 17, on the Gospel feast. The work went on gloriously, and at sunset they reported one hundred converted and seventy-five sanctified. In the evening George Woolley preached from Isaiah xxviii, 17, on sweeping away the refuge of lies. The last refuge of the sinner seemed to be swept away. The next morning they reported sixty-two converted and fifty-three sanctified.

Thomas Boring preached on Saturday at eight o’clock from Rev. iii, 20: “Behold, I stand at the door and knock,” etc.; W. B. Lacy at three from Deut. xxxii, 11, about “The eagle stirreth up her nest,” etc.; Thomas Dunn in the evening from Psalm cxlv, 19. There were one hundred and forty-six converted and seventy-six sanctified during the day. The next morning they reported one hundred and fifty-six converted and one hundred and sixteen sanctified during the night.

Sabbath was a great day in Israel. Dr. Chandler preached in the morning at ten from Isaiah xi, 9: “For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord,” etc. He could move the masses as the wind stirs the leaves on the trees. James Ridgeway at three in the afternoon, from 1 Peter iv, 17: “What shall the end be of them that obey not the Gospel.” He was a powerful man at camp-meetings. At sunset they reported three hundred and thirty-nine conversions and one hundred and twenty-two sanctifications. What a Sabbath! Peter Vannest preached at eight o’clock. Eighty-one converted that evening and sixty-eight sanctified.

On Monday morning William Hardisty preached from Psalm xxxiv, 5; in the afternoon Brother Jackson from Acts iii, 19, 20, on times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord; and James Herron preached in the evening. There were this day two hundred and sixty-four conversions and fifty sanctifications.

On Tuesday morning the Lord’s supper was administered. There was a most melting time. I have given this record just as it was written in 1806. I added: “O how the power and love of God unites the hearts of his people. Glory to my God and Saviour that I have lived to see such times of the outpouring of his Spirit! Agreeable to the report of those who were most active in the work, there were eleven hundred conversions and six hundred sanctifications.” This may seem an exaggeration, but the record was made at the time, and there could be no object to state anything but the truth, for it was written simply for myself, and not for others.

July 15 the camp-meeting began near Dover. For several days we had been preparing seats for six thousand persons. The people came in crowds. There were four hundred tents, wagons, and carts within the inclosure. Some slept in wagons, others in carts.

On Thursday John Chalmers, an old warrior, opened the campaign from Exod. xiv, 15: “Speak unto the children of Israel that they go forward.” They did go forward with banners flying, and a shout was heard along the ranks of our Israel. The work of revival commenced in a powerful manner under the first sermon, and continued through the night. There were sixty-eight converted and twenty-nine sanctified. Glory to the Highest!

On Friday at eight o’clock Lawrence M’Combs preached on 2 Cor. iv, 5. He had a powerful voice, and was an admirable man to preach at camp-meetings. Brother Kendall preached in the afternoon. On Saturday morning Daniel Chambers, a local preacher from Baltimore, preached on “The Lord preserveth all them that love him, but all the wicked will he destroy.” Joshua Wells preached in the afternoon from Psalm lxxxvii, 3: “Glorious things are spoken of thee,” etc.; and William B. Lacy at night from Isaiah xxxiii, 16. The work went on all night. Will the reader be surprised that I added, “Glory! glory!”

Sabbath was a high day in Zion. There were about ten thousand people on the ground. In the morning Samuel Coate preached on John iii, 17; John Chalmers preached in the afternoon; and Brother Ridgeway at night. One hundred and ninety-eight were converted and one hundred and sixty sanctified. Halleluiah! This was during the day. The work continued all night, and one hundred and twenty-seven were converted and one hundred sanctified before the sun rose in the east.

On Monday morning Peter Vannest preached on Luke xv, 2: “This man receiveth sinners and eateth with them.” He did receive them cordially into his arms, into his family; he was receiving them when my brother was preaching. Samuel Coate preached again on being instant in season and out of season. He was there to raise money for a church in Montreal, Canada, and was very successful. I preached at night from Luke xiv, 22, 23: “And yet there is room.” The work went on gloriously all night. During the meeting there were reported one thousand three hundred and twenty conversions and nine hundred and sixteen sanctifications.

This is wonderful. I give the figures just as I wrote them in my journal in July, 1806. Shall these eyes, before they are closed in death, ever witness such scenes again? Shall these ears ever hear such cries of distress, such shouts of joy, such songs of victory? Shall this aged heart ever feel such shocks of divine power as I felt on that consecrated ground?

Governor Bassett was full of faith and the Holy Ghost. He obtained a wonderful baptism, and gave in his testimony before listening thousands. Bishop Whatcoat had died a short time before at his house, and his patience in suffering and his triumphant death was a great benefit to the governor, who witnessed the agony and the triumph of that holy man. Allen M’Lane, father of Hon. Louis M’Lane, was there on his knees wrestling with the Angel of the Covenant, with tears rolling down his cheeks, for a clean heart, and he was made pure in heart and enabled to see God. Methodism received a mighty impetus from this meeting.

On the 31st of July I left home for a camp-meeting in Virginia. On the way I attended quarterly meeting, with Dr. Chandler, in the grove near Samuel Porter’s, at Snow Hill. Two hundred and forty were converted and many sanctified. On Sunday, at midnight, I started with the doctor, Brothers R. Lyons, T. Burch, Aikins, and others, for the camp-meeting at Accomac. We reached Onancock, and put up with Major Kerr, whom I have described.

On Thursday morning our camp-meeting commenced, and the work of God broke out in the several tents before a single sermon was preached. In the evening Alward White preached from Psalm xlii, 3: “My tears have been my meat day and night,” etc. The work went on nearly all night, and the next morning they reported one hundred and twenty-two converted and eighty-four sanctified.

The preachers and subjects during the rest of the meeting were as follows: Friday—John Chalmers, Eccles. iii, 3; Matthew Greentree, Col. iii, 3, 4; Peter Vannest, Rev. xii, 1, “And there appeared a great wonder in heaven,” etc.; a wonderful text, and there was a wonderful time. Saturday—James Aikins, Zech. ix, 12; Richard Lyon, Luke xii, 57; John Chambers, Matt. i, 21. On this day the sons of Belial made a great stir, and for a time somewhat hindered the progress of the work; yet there were two hundred and sixty-three conversions and one hundred and twenty-three reported to have been sanctified during the day and night. Sunday—John Chalmers, Rev. xx, 1-3; Henry White, Rev. xxi, 27; he struck with the hammer of God’s word and broke the hearts of stone, and the work went on during the whole night. On Monday I held forth, from Gal. vi, 9, on not being weary in well-doing.

On Tuesday morning the Lord’s supper was administered; after which we had our Christian parting, which was truly affecting, for many of us parted to meet no more till we pitch our tent in the groves of Paradise. A number of friends were there from Baltimore. The preachers and the people who were there have gone most of them the way whence they will not return. The number of conversions reported in the course of the meeting was over nine hundred.

Brother Chalmers went with me to Snow Hill, where he preached. I was taken very ill. I lodged with Samuel Porter. I read a part of a chapter and fainted, and Brother Porter prayed. I fainted also in preaching that day. I was kindly cared for at G. Ward’s, a local preacher. Here I was dangerously ill for several days under the doctor’s care. I then went with Brother Ridgeway to the Line quarterly meeting to see Dr. Chandler, to get some advice from him concerning my health. The chapel could not hold the people, so the preaching was out of doors, and the preachers lodged in the meeting-house. There were one hundred and twenty converted at this meeting. Dr. Chandler advised me to go with him to Dr. Edward White’s, in Cambridge. I was so weak I could not have gone had not Doctor Chandler kindly permitted me to ride in his carriage. For five weeks I was under the care of Dr. White, who was a skillful physician as well as Christian gentleman. And here slowly I began to recover. The doctor and his family were very kind to me.

During these days I enjoyed the society of Joseph Everett, who was then worn out. It was a privilege to hear the old warrior talk of bygone days, of battles fought and victories won. On the 30th of October I took my leave of Dr. White, and recorded this prayer: “May the Lord bless this kind family. I trust I shall never forget the kindness they have shown to me.” I never can. They have gone to their reward, but my heart throbs with gratitude when I recall their peculiar kindness to me over fifty years ago.

I went to our quarterly meeting, not far from Snow Hill, and found Brother Chandler and the preachers clearing the ground and preparing the seats. The people went with their tents to quarterly meeting as they do now to camp-meeting. There were many tents on the ground. On Saturday there was a great awakening, and though it rained, the work went on all night.

On Sunday morning, Dr. Chandler preached from John vii, 17, “If any man shall do his will he shall know of the doctrine,” etc. Then he called the mourners forward, and many came and the work went on till three o’clock, when Ezekiel Williams preached from 1 Cor. i, 30. Dr. Chandler immediately followed, and took for his theme the ten lepers. At the conclusion of the discourse he called the mourners forward; a great number accepted of the invitation, and the cries of the mourners and the shouts of those who were happy continued until morning, when we separated, and it was a time of weeping and of shouting. There were sixty souls converted and fifty sanctified during the meeting. My soul, praise the Lord! I have dwelt here to show the reader what kind of times we had at our quarterly meetings in those days. I returned to my circuit, and there was one general revival.

In September I preached the funeral sermon of Edward Callahan, who resided near Banning’s Chapel. He died of cancer, after long and excruciating sufferings. It commenced with his under lip, and spread so that it eat off the side of his face and his tongue, yet such was the power of grace that he was enabled to triumph over pain, and glorified God in the fires. Like his Master, he was made perfect through suffering. His was a peculiar case. Before his conversion he was a confirmed stammerer; indeed such was the impediment in his speech that often he could not express what he wanted to say in language, and was obliged to resort to writing; but the moment he passed from death unto life a physical as well as moral miracle was wrought, his tongue was unloosed, and he became a very useful local preacher. He preached for over twenty-five years.

I could fill a volume with what occurred on Dover Circuit; it was one of the most glorious years of my life. At Dover, Barratt’s Chapel, Milford, Banning’s Chapel, and many other places, we saw the wonderful works of God. I was happy in my colleague, James Bateman, a Christian gentleman, and a brother beloved. I was happy in my presiding elder, Doctor Chandler. I was happy in my home, the house of the Hon. Richard Bassett, for though I had many good stopping places on the circuit, his house was my home, and there could be no better one for a Methodist preacher. I was happy among the colored people; we paid special attention to them, and witnessed the power of the Gospel upon their hearts. The whole year was one scene of revival.

REV. WILLIAM P. CHANDLER, M.D.

I rode with Dr. Chandler, in his wagon, to Philadelphia, to attend the conference. As this is the last of my traveling with him I will give a sketch of him. I do this with pleasure, as I think too little has been said concerning him. He was among the great men of Methodism in that day, and his name deserves to be held in everlasting remembrance. I was intimately acquainted with him for years. No man did I venerate more, none had I greater reason to love. He was my spiritual father, my early counselor and friend, and it was by him I was first encouraged to enter the work of the ministry.

He was born in Maryland on June 22, 1764, and in 1790 was converted in St. George’s, Philadelphia. In 1797 he was admitted into the Philadelphia Conference, and appointed to Strasburg Circuit. This included Boehm’s Chapel. This was the first year I saw and heard Dr. Chandler. He was called doctor because he had studied medicine with the famous Dr. Rush, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. Thomas Ware brought him out into the work, and had for him a great admiration.

He did most efficient service for several years, until his health failed, and he located in 1813. Anxious to die with his name enrolled with his brethren, he was received into the Philadelphia Conference as a superannuated preacher in 1822, the very year he died.

Dr. Chandler was emphatically a great man: great physically, for he had a noble body; great mentally, for he had a noble mind; great morally, for he had a noble soul. As presiding elder, he magnified his office. His quarterly meetings were seasons of great interest and power. He was great at camp-meetings. He inaugurated the camp-meetings that were first held on the Peninsula, where thousands were converted.

The great revival at the General Conference in 1800 was the result of a revival previously commenced on Cecil Circuit, and the flame spread to Baltimore, from that to Duck Creek, throughout the Peninsula, and almost all over our entire work. Dr. Chandler was the leading spirit, the pioneer in that glorious work which is now a part of the history of the Church.

He was pre-eminently a revivalist. Powerful scenes were often witnessed under his preaching. Scores would be awakened under a single sermon. Sinners seized with trembling would fall to the ground like dead men, while the shout of victory from the redeemed could be heard afar off. I saw him on an ordinary occasion take twelve into society who were converted at a meeting one Sabbath day, and two of them, Lawrence Laurenson⁠[12] and Thomas Curran, became preachers.

Dr. Chandler was great in faith and prayer. At the first camp-meeting a dark, thick cloud gathered over the encampment, and there was a prospect of a tremendous shower. The people showed symptoms of alarm, and began to disperse. The doctor requested them to be seated, expressing the utmost confidence there would be no rain. Then he said, “Let us pray.” And he prayed that God would fold up the clouds, and that the rain might not descend upon the encampment. He that heard Elijah’s prayer listened to Dr. Chandler’s. The clouds parted when right over the camp, and it rained on either side, but no sprinkling on the camp-ground. I make no comment, but simply state the fact, of which I was an eye-witness. I heard him preach over fifty times sermons of such power as I have seldom heard in a long life of over fourscore years. Down on the Peninsula such was his power that the wicked used to say, “If Dr. Chandler was placed on one end of a stand at camp-meeting and Solomon Sharp on the other they could preach the devil out of hell.” This rough expression shows what they thought of his power.

The doctor suffered from paralysis. He went to the West Indies, but returned home worse than when he went. His death was such a triumph that angels must have contemplated it with delight. A friend being on the way to meeting stopped to inquire how he was. The doctor asked “What day is it?” On being told it was Sunday, “Sunday?” said the doctor; “go then to meeting and tell them I am dying shouting the praises of God.” Then turning to his wife he said, “My dear Mary, open the window and let me proclaim to the people in the streets the goodness of God.” Thus passed away one of the most powerful ministers that ever wielded the sword of the Spirit. Such was the last hour of my lifetime friend and spiritual father. He died on December 8, 1822, aged fifty-eight.