Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1882-07-05
NetlOdism in Montpelier.
By REV. q. Y. BARTLETT.

By REV. =. Y BARTLETT.
The history OF the Methodist church in
Montpelier extends TO the earlies. associa.
lions Of Methodism in Vermont.
/ Various accounts have been given OF the
introduction of Methodism into Vermont.
some Of which are only matters OF tradi-
ton, and probably incorrect. L is now
known that the first Methodist preacher
| sent 10 Vermont BY the authorized voice
of the Methodist Episcopal church, and
who accepted and worked under the ap.
pointment, was Nicholas Snethen, who at
be conference held at Thompson, Conn,
convened September %, 1896 was read
of as the appointee TO "Nershire circuit. y
I This was an entirely new field for Meth,
odistic preaching, and Mr.. Snethen prob.
ably went to his appointment with no
definite knowledge Of the existence Of any
Methodist families in Vermont except one
I in Vershre, one 10 Bradford, aud perhaps
few others in the extended territory
which comprised the "circuit."
"Vershi.e circuit reached. as the
records state, from the towns near the
Connecticut river TO Montpelier" These
1 boundaries are somewhat indefinite. but
| were rs accurate. perhaps, as any in the
early days of Metbodism, when bounding
he parish OF Methodist preacher.
Jesse Lee, the pioneer Of Methodism in
New England, was presiding elder. and in
bis Journal makes reference to Yershire
circuit in these words: MANY ef the
places where We preached in that circuit
were quite new settlements; the house,
we're very small and but scattered hrough
he country. The preachers had to en-
counter many difficulties and to endure
many hardships But one thing which
made up for all the difficulties was this
the people were fond OF attending meeting
/ by day or by night, and were very kind to
the preachers; and best of all was, sinners
were awakened, and In 4 little time some
Of them became the happy subjects OF the
/. favor Of God, and were zealously engaged
in trying to help forward the work Of the
Lord as far as they could. Since then we
have prospered considerably in this new
part Of the country
The fragmentary records which are the
only means Of information now extant,
/ give conclusive evidence that Montpelier
wss thus visited by the early itinerant
preachers, and that it Immediately became
an appointment. for stated and regular
preaching. It is probable. however, that
such preaching was only at intervals of
considerable extent in point of time, and
tha. the meetings were small as regards
The number in attendance, being held iu
dwellings or possibly in school houses
where they could be obtained for the pur-
pose. Arminian theology was then re.
garded as an inter,oper. and met with It's
opposing creeds Of Calvinis'ie docmas on
the one baud and extreme Liberalism on
the other. as is vital and nn.irinr disn1.
tan.s.
/ d. p. Thompson's History of MontDelier
speaks of A great public meeting for a
doctrinal debate" held in Montpelier dur.
ing the summer ofl790, in which a Rev.
Mr. Mitchell Of some other part of the
state" appeared ION the part of the
Methodist" Doubtless this was joseph
Mitchell. the preacher Gu the "Vergennes
circuit that wear. Mr.. Mitchell was
never an appointee ia anv circuit which
included MONTPELIER. bu: was man OF
uutirinr energy, great intellectual power
and unceasiuS labors in his callipG "a q
preacher, and il is recorded Of him tba,
be travelled A. the rate of nearly Il CO..
miles wear while on the Vercsnnes
circuit. His anpearance in MontreIier a,
this time wouii seem To indicate either
that he was an occasional visitor and
preacher here. although not on his s,ttei
circuiI. or that be was bronqht forward If
chsmnion the doctrines of The Na,hodist
Episcopal church BIZ the friends of tht
SANE.
Il is no, improbable that Montpelie,
NAV have been occasionally Visited bv IN,
: preachers OF Vergennes circuit, as we'll a
by those of Vershire circuit. of which /
was part, for the early Methods
preacber had habit of MAKING himsnl
heard. and of feeling yerv much al hom,
r wherever and under whatever circnm
/ stances he could find a CONGREGATION. an,
in view of the common sympathy nm,
purpose among the early preachers. es
leciallv. il is presumable that NO exclnsiv
e right Of territory was thought of bv an
= circuit preacher.
Lorenzo Dow, famed for his ecceu,rici
, ties of life aud speech, and au able thougl
Irregular worker in the early itinerancy
is also known to have been an occasions
Q preacher at MONTPELIER, but was never Al
!, appointee on any circui. which includes
the town in its Jurisdiction. So Of other
whose names are not in the list of Meth
odst preachers included in this sketch
e but who may be remembered, or perhap
recorded, as having engaged in the wor
TO greater or less extent.
:. The preachers who succeeded Nj
Il snethen upon Vershire circuit while Mont
y pelier continued within its bounds, were
g in 1877, Ralph WIilisou; in 1898. Josep
# Crawford; in 1893, Mr.. Crawford agair