Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1856-04-17
Gboite M(istfllmp,
MIR. MILLBURN'S LECTURE.

ON THE EARLY PREACHERS IN THE WEST.
I'VE copy the following sketch of lecture
by Rev. Mr.. Millburn, the blind preacher, an,
Chaplain of the House of Representatives.
1t consisted mainly of an eloquent pane
gyric upon the zeal and devotion of the earl,
Methodist preachers in the West, with anec
dotes illustrative of some striking peculiari
ties by which they were characterized. W.
confne our report mainly to these anecdotes
promising that it must be taken merely as {
sketch of the lighter and more amusing portion
of the lecture.
After fitting mention of the early Moraviar
Baptist and Presbyterian Missionaries to the
West and full account of the famous Gum
berland Revival characterized by the stran
gest physical manifestations of the power
and still more by the great beneficial effect:
that undeniably resulted from it, the lecturer
passed glowing eulogium upon Francis As
bury.
To my mind, said Mr.. Millburn, with al
due regard to the great divines of New Eng
land-Edwards, and Dwight and Claiming
Francis Asbury is the most notable name in
the ecclesiastical history of this continent
He had the care of all the churches of his or
der; he travelled for forty years from Maine
to Georgia, from the Atlantic to the limits o.
population in the West and Southwest, bort
upon his shoulders the weight of the affairs o
what is now the most numerous of the Prot
estant bodies in the country; was instant IL
season and out of season, warning, and en-
couraging, and stimulating; and yet his nam'
is not recorded by single historian of th'
United States, and many well-reading mel
are not even aware of its existence.
Asbury had some striking peculiarities.-
Among other things, he was never married
Indeed, like many of the early Methodist pio
ueers, he was decided advocate of the celib
acy of the clergy. One of the three rule
laid down for the guidance of the young prea
chers was TO the effect that they must be yer.
"sparing in their conversation with women.
Considering the itinerant life they were t
lead, and the scanty amount of their salar.
which in those days was fixed at a maxim
um of sixty-four dollars year, all present
they might receive included-celibacy seem
ed in manner strange to them. Indeed
was generally, understood when. a young broth
er.was SO unfortunate as to link himself wit
a female companion, he must leave the rank
of the itinerants, and 'locate,' preaching whe
he could, but deserving no sustenance fror
the Church. Asbury himself said that h
could form no ties that would interfere wit
the prosecution of his duties, and he ha
found no woman who would be content wit
the society of her husband for but a singl
week in the year, and if he should find sue
an one he would not marry her. Still h
maintained it to be the duty Of every man t
support woman; and he, accordingly, devo
ted large share of his scanty income to tn
maintenance of kinswoman in England, an
when she at length died he bestowed it upo
another.
These early Methodist preachers were no
learned men. Their libraries not seldom con
listed of but two books-the Bible and tn
trmn Book; but the contents of these the
Mastered, as well as the great book of huma
lature. Far out upon the lovely prairie
Hhere they had passed the night with til
Iarth for mattress, and the broad sky for
lowering, and their saddle for pillow, whe
they awoke in the early morning, cold an
hungry, their first duty was to read, upon thei
knees, few chapters from their little pocke
Bible often bedewing the pages with thei
tears; and then commencing themselves I
the care of their Heavenly Father, they woul
saddle their horses, and proceed on their sol
tary way.
4 Their Hymn Book was their great armory-
Furnished, they believed, with every neede
: --spaitual weapon. They were, almost to