Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1881-07-06

try. In the United states we have l,7O0,-
800 members. l,795 travelling preachers,
with l3 bishops. We have 1880 local
preachers-all this after having lost by the
separation and organization of the church
south 462,428 members. In that branch
of the church they now have 80 confer
ences. 1881 travelling preachers, 1892
local preachers, and S22, 476 members. III
t. these we were TO aud the statistics of the
various branches of Metbodism iE the
United States we should have a grand total
of 3,437, 100 members. In view of Stats.
tics like these we may well exclaim. what
has God wrought
Let us now look at our own conference.
In 1881 when Joined the conference, then
known rs the New Hampshire and Yer
mont conference, there were 81 appoint
ments-33 in New Hampshire and "a in
Vermont, OF this number IS were stations,
80 circuits; 6 of these stations were in
Vermont, viz, Putney, Morelown, Chelsea,
Cabot, Sutton and Danvllle The confer
ence was manned with Ill ministers. so in
Vermont, 61 in New Hampshire. There
were 1850 members; 6,460 of these were
in New Hampshire, 6,100 in Vermont; 4
districts, two in New Hampshire and two
in Vermont. OF the ministers then in the
conference, two only are now members in
Vermont. viz. n. w Scott and Dennis
Wells, and but Of the class of II that
joined that year. wiz. A. .Bullard, D. Field
e. B, Houston and w. j. Kidder. There
are now on the territory, then in the con-
ference in Vermont, 9,S99 members gain
of 3799; in New Hampshire 1880, an
increase of los on the territory. There
are on the same territory in Vermont sc
preachers doing effective work-a gain of
sc. Our circuits in those days were large,
some of them embracing a number of
towns. My second appointment numbered
thirteen towns. Two of USE. A. Rice
were sent to cultivate this large field. Our
custom was to follow each other round
the circuit, giving out each others ap
pointments, preach three times on the
Sabbath and nearly every day in the week,
and hold class meeting after the public
service; so we were constantly on the
move but God was with US and confirm
ed His word with signs following. The
preachers were called circuit riders( though
| believe most of them rode horses) carry
ing their library and their wardrobe in
their saddle bags,and their umbrella strap
ped to the hind part of their saddle. Thus
equipped, with their pocket Bible, hymn
book and discipline they vent round their
circuits studying their sermons as they
went, often lifting their hearts to God in
humble, fcrvent prayer for His blessing
upon their own souls and upon their fields
of labor.
Let me give you little of the experience
of one of those early preachers. Having
received his appointment he started on
horseback for his new field of labor, feeling
that he never could meet his people with
out new baptism of the Spirit. He
lhought when he came to a suitable place
he would hitch horse. and retire to the
woods and there, wrestle Jacob, like with
the angel OF the Lord until he should re-
ceive a fresh amounting from on high. He
rode on, looking on both sides of the way,
but no suitable place presented itself. AL
length he thought why can not be blessed
on my horse as well as in the woods. He
lifted his heart to God in faith when there
came upon him such an overwhelming
sense of the presence of God, that for the
time he was lost to all on EARTH When he
came to a sense of things around him, be
found he had thrown his reins upon his
horses neck, his horse was going at the
top of his speed, and himself standing up
| Ill HIS SllllupS Will UOln obtCIOhCh
out and shouting with all his strength
glory! glory!! glory!!! have sometimes
thought If more of us would go to our fields
of labor in some such way we should ace
complish more for the Master.
To these large circuits were usually ap-
pointed two or three preachers, one of them
having charge of the work. The circuits
being so large and having but four quar-
- h..
members of the church We're under the
necessity of going great distance to
attend them some of them twenty or
twenty. five miles. These quarterly meet.
ings were great occasions-thought almost
rs much of as camp meeting is now.
They were uniformly held on Saturday
afternoon and Sunday; sermon on
Saturday afternoon by the presiding elder
followed usually by several powerful ex-
hortatlons, when the preacher in charge
announced that those from distance
wishing places of entertainment would
stop after the meeting was dismissed; also
those that would entertain them. recol-
ect on one OF my appointments there was
Il large number stopped. | felt in doubt
how we should accommodate them all. |
asked the richest man among US how
many he wanted or would take care of.
He replied he was not particular about
having any body Said he-et the rest OF
, the brethren have all they want, and send
the remainder to my house,no matter how
! few or how many. After supplying the
rest we had fifty left. All of us went to this
, brother and spent the night. and were well
taken care of. Our Saturday evening
| prayer meetings we're seasons OF great and
q special interest, as those present from the
y different parts of the circuit were usually
:, the most earnest and Jealous OF our breth
a rem and sisters.
Our love feasts were held with closed
doors, so that all, whether minister or lay
y man, that were not present at given time
=, we're not permitted to go in. l remember
:, the first love feast that | ever ATTEMPTED
= to attend. After going some ten miles tC
. attend it, found myself five minutes toe
= late. The door was shut. | could bu
" pray that | might not find the door shu
, against me at the last.
:, None were permitted to attend thes'
= meetings more than twice or thrice with
II out becoming members; neither Were
a those permitted to go in who were clad il
gay apparel or as the discipline had it
:, give tickets to none who wear high heads
enormous bonnets, rutfles or rings. pre-
Il sumo the size of the bonnet would shut nom
= out at the present day, and if none of ou
h h sisters were to go in who wore ruffles o
!, rings there would be few present. 1 wa
X sometimes put in trust of the importan
70 duty of keeping the door. and felt it wa
~ better to be door keeper in the house O
:, the Lord than to dwell in the tents O
\ wickedness" l recollect sister belong
n ing TO another branch of the church, win
- - liked our love feast and always contrive
o Nc some way to be present made her appear
- = ance at the door for admission. She wa
: asked if she was a member of our church
> She said no. Have you ever attended
, love feast? I have. How many times
=, Keep your own count, and in she went.
10 think if this custom Of guarding the doc
~ of our love feast was ever necessary, tn
is necessity has passed away.
of A great change in our quarterly meet
Is ings has taken place Our work is nov
Id cut up into stations. Our presiding elder
H. are now Obliged often time to divide tn