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SEMI-CENTENNIAL SERMON,

DELIVERED at the bequest op and befoee

THE NEW-YORK EAST CONFERENCE,

JUNE 12, 1852.

BY NATHAN BANGS, D.D.

puilia^iJr is ffirJto ai ft* (Conixttittt.

J^td-Uork:
PUBLISHED BY CARLTON & PHILLIPS,
200 MUlBEJtRY-STREET. ^1852.

SERMON,

" A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation : I the
Lord will hasten it in his time." Isa. Ix, 22.
" Great oaks from little acorns grow," is a homely proverb,
the truth of which we see exemplified in everything around
us. And the same truth is asserted in our text — a little
one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong na
tion. See that mighty river issuing from a small spring in
the mountain. It is a little rivulet at first, hut as it flows
along it receives tributary streams, and gradually swells its
volume, until its mighty torrent disembogues itself into the
immense ocean. See the lofty oak of the forest, growing
up from the small seed in the earth until it waves its top
high in the air. Look at the mighty man of renown : from
helpless infancy in his mother's arms, he gradually develops
his bodily and mental powers, until he astonishes the world
with the coruscations of his genius. And so of every thing
in nature : it has its seed-time and harvest, its growth
from infancy to manhood, and then gradually decays — its
parts separate, and mingle again with their native elements.
It is so also with communities and nations — with cities
and villages. They all have their beginnings, their growth,
and their maturity; and many which once flourished in
opulence and grandeur, have already become extinct. God
alone is immutable. Amid all the mutations of time, the

perpetual changes which are taking place in the earth, the
rise and fall of nations, he alone remains immutably the
same, yesterday, to-day, and forever.
The same may be said of the Church of God. Trace its
history from Abraham, the father of the faithful, down to
the present day, and we shall find, though never becoming
extinct, yet it has had its ups and downs, its growth and
expansion, so far as it respects its spirituality, and then its
decay. Look at the little Church in Jerusalem, struggling
for existence amid persecutions of various sorts, until it
finally extended over the greater portion of the world, com
prehending in its bosom an innumerable multitude of men
and women. See also the seeds of Protestantism sown in
the convent of Luther, depositing themselves in his cor
rupt heart, where they took root, sprang up, and finally
bore fruit a hundred fold, so that not less than seventy
million birds of the air now lodge in its branches, besides
the innumerable multitudes that have flown to the regions
of the just.
And what shall be said of Methodism, of which I am
called more particularly to speak ? Wesley commenced his
society with but ten or twelve members in the city of Lon
don, in the year 1739,' and now there are not less than
2,000,000 included within this single fold. American Meth
odism commenced in the city of New- York in 1766, with
only five emigrants from Ireland, and these had become so
spiritually dead that it required the warning voice of a pious
female to arouse them from their lethargy. From this small
beginning it has multiplied its converts so fast, that during
the eighty-six years of its existence it has increased to about
1,200,000, including the North and South. So greatly has
the Lord prospered the work of our hands, that the little
one has become a thousand; and if we go on as we have
begun, the small one will become a strong nation. How
has this been accomplished? The Lord has hastened it in

5

his own time and way. " Not by might, nor by power, but
by my Spirit, saith the Lord."
But as this is designed for my semi-centennial discourse,
it is expected, I suppose, that I should confine my remarks
chiefly to the fifty years in which I have been engaged in
the itinerant ministry. When I entered this field in the
month of September, in the year 1801, there were 72,874
members in the Church; now, as before said, there are
upwards of 1,200,000 ; and all this has been achieved
without any state patronage, without the aids of much
human learning or influence, but in the midst of opposition,
obloquy, and contempt poured upon us from priests and
Levites, from the pulpit and the press, as well as from the
ignorant rabble. Surely, unless the Lord had been with us
to hasten thg^vork, this little one would never have become
a thousand.. From these small scattered groups, through
the several states and territories, and in the Canadas, has
arisen that mighty army; composing the ranks of our Israel,
now going on from conquering to conquest.
In mentioning Canada, my 'mind is carried back to the
time when the Lord " took my feet out of the horrible pit
and miry clay," and "put a new gong into my mouth," in
the month of May, 1800. From this happy period of my
life, God has dealt very mercifully with, me, in leading me
in a way I had not before known. In the month of Septem
ber, 1801, 1 was induced, through much fear and trembling,
to enter upon the travelling ministry, under the presiding
eldership of the Rev. Joseph Jewel, and as a colleague with
my spiritual father, the Rev. Joseph Sawyer.
It is not my intention, however, to trace the history of my
unprofitable life from that time to the present, but rather to
mention some of the agencies by which Methodism has been
so far advanced. It has depended too little- upon my influ
ence for its prosperity and rapid progress, to make it worth
while to incorporate my individual history into an account

6
of its onward march, and its present elevated standing. It is
true, that I have watched its progress, not with the eye of
an indifferent spectator, but with not a little solicitude for
the purity of its character, and have laboured sincerely for its
support and prosperity ; yet what little I have done to aid
in its career of usefulness, though done with the utmost
sincerity and the purest intentions, has been accompanied
with so many infirmities, that instead of boasting of my
good deeds, I have reason to say, God be merciful to me a
sinner, and to thank his people in general, and my brethren
in the ministry in particular, for bearing with my many
weaknesses. All that I have done appears but like a
speck in the balance, and is hardly worthy of record in a
sermon like this. I shall only observe, therefore, that after
travelling about seven years in Canada, durinayhich time I
visited nearly every English settlement from Quebec to
Detroit, traversing the wildernesses, spmetimes sleeping in
the woods, swimming my horse across the rivers, preaching
in log-huts, in barns, and school-hoilses, or in the groves, in
doing which I had the pleasure of seeing many sinners con
verted to God, and ..believers sanctified, I removed to the
United States in 1808&and was stationed on the Delaware
circuit In -this countrylLhave continued to the present
time, filling various stations in the cities and circuits, on
districts, as Book Agent, Corresponding Secretary of the
Missionary Society, and by the help of God I have been
spared until this fiftieth year of my ministry, a monument
of the amazing mercy of God in Christ Jesus, and I cannot
but praise him for all his acts of loving-kindness vouchsafed
to me a sinner. During this period, I have seen the Meth
odist Episcopal Church increase, as before said, from 72,874
to upwards of 1,200,000. Surely I may say, What hath
God wrought !
This leads me to notice the agencies, by which this great
work has been accomplished. I speak not now of the

Church organization, though this has doubtless contributed
its full share in effecting the work — nor of its doctrines,
though without these nothing to purpose could have been
done — nor yet of its itinerancy, nor any other of its out
ward appliances, all of which have been brought into requi
sition, in their due place and order, in producing the blessed
effect. These are mere external means used for the attain
ment of an end. They are the body, but not the living
soul. What can an instrument do without a hand to use
it ? What is the use of a sword without some one to wield
it ? And what the use of implements of agriculture without
a hand to use them ? The life and soul of Methodism is the
spirit by which it has been actuated.
John Wesley preached faithfully, and preached the truth,
too, as far as he went, for several years before he saw any
fruit of his labours. It was not until after his conversion to
God that his ministry was effective. From this happy
period of his life, by which he was brought to "live by faith
in the Son of God," his labour^ were sanctioned of God — sin
ners were awakened and converted. This new life, this
spiritual union with God through faith in Christ Jesus, im
parted new energies to his soul, so much so tha£ he poured
out a torrent of holy eloquence -which bore awataall before
it, tore off the flimsy garments by which mere rormal pro
fessors of religion attempted to cover themselves, and brought
them naked to the foot of the cross for life and salvation.
By this same Spirit — the Spirit of God which dwelt in
them — his sons in the gospel were actuated. This brought
them to this country. This thrust them out in every
direction to preach the gospel to perishing sinners.
• But they were not content with the bare experience of
justification by faith in Jesus Christ. They sought after,
and many of them obtained sanctification through the blood
of the everlasting covenant. This became the theme of
their preaching. They preached it, not only because they

found it declared in the sacred Scriptures, but because they
felt it in their inmost souls, by the sealing influence of the
Holy Spirit. This then was the secret of their success.
Being called of God, and consecrated to this work by the
Holy Ghost, they went forth in the power of the Highest,
"preaching Jesus and the resurrection," urging upon all
who came within the hearing of their voice, high and low,
rich and poor, bond and free, the necessity and possibility
of an experimental knowledge of the sanctifying grace of God
by faith in Jesus Christ, and God wrought wonders by their
instrumentality. That they were actuated by a pure motive, is most evi
dent by their manner of life. Could the love of money have
moved them ? Alas for them ! they received scarcely enough
to keep soul and body together. The love of fame ? These
were the least likely to acquire fame, for they were desti
tute of human learning, eloquence, or worldly enterprise.
Nor could the love of ease, or self-aggrandizement have
prompted them to action, for they led a life of labour, and
made a sacrifice of every worldly good for the cause in
which they were engaged. No, indeed! None of these
things mov,ed them to action. Their lives, their doctrine,
and theirj^tonishing success in turning sinners from darkness
to light, M declared that they were actuated by a pure de
sire to do good to the souls and bodies of their fellow-men.
Now, being endowed with this divine spirit, actuated by
this holy motive, they were prepared to wield the sword of
the Spirit, which is the word of God, with powerful effect.
They took hold of this divine sword with the strong hand of
faith, pointed it at the sinner's heart, and, under the prompt
ings of divine love, pierced it to its centre, and brought
him, all bleeding under his wounds, to be healed by the
blood of Christ. This sword was not wielded, by the feeble
hand of a formal, lukewarm soldier of the cross, who was
indifferent to the sinner's welfare, but was in the hands of a

man whose heart beat high with an intense desire for his
salvation — a man armed with the whole panoply of God,
who marched up to the citadel of Satan with a full deter
mination to conquer or die.
These were the men who entered the itinerant field in
this country. And though I may not speak much of my
self, I may without reserve speak of others who were in
Christ before me, as well as of some of my more immediate
contemporaries, who were foremost in the work, and who
contributed much to build up the cause of Methodism in
this country. I may speak of Asbury, whose stern integ
rity, resolute determination, deep devotion, indefatigable
labours in the ministry, evinced by travelling from one end of
the United States to another, yearly, preaching once, twice,
and three times almost daily, meeting the societies, leading
classes, presiding in the conferences, ordaining and station
ing the preachers, with his heart deeply imbued with sanc
tifying power, exerted an extensive influence in the com
munity, and made him felt for good wherever he moved : —
Of Whateoat, whose meek deportment, strong faith in God,
and self-denying life, joined with the divine unction, en
kindled in his heart by perfect love, with which he spoke
in the name of his heavenly Master, softened the heart of
many a sinner, and won his affection to the Lord Jesus
Christ: — Of Garrett son, whose spotless mind, sanctified heart,
and innocence of conduct, gave point and weight to the
words of his lips ; and whose extensive travels through the
country, preaching the gospel of the kingdom to thousands
of immortal souls, made him instrumental of enlarging the
boundaries of the Church on every hand : — Of Abbott, whose
coarse but thundering eloquence pierced the sinner's con
science, and brought him all trembling to the Saviour's feet,
while his example and pleas for perfect love filled the be
liever with that invaluable blessing.: — Of Zee, that pioneer
labourer in New-England and other places, who, characterized

10
by a soft and easy flow of words, insinuated himself almost
imperceptibly into the understanding of the hearer, and
won his affections to Jesus Christ — he contributed mightily
to the extension of the work : — Of Cooper, whose acuteness
of intellect enabled him to pierce through the sophistries of
error, and whose comprehensive mind qualified him to un
fold the peculiar truths of the gospel in all their loveliness,
while he moved around in the circle of his acquaintance
with all the urbanities of the Christian gentleman : — Of
M'Kendree, whose sprightliness of mind, deep devotion to
the cause of God, and marvellous success in the gospel-field in
the western wilds, designated him for the superintendency,
as the successor of the lamented Whateoat, and whose gen
eral deportment in that high office won for him the confi
dence, respect, and affection of his brethren — all these things
made a salutary impression upon the minds of all with whom
he associated : — Of George, who, though less dignified than
M'Kendree, was equally devout, searching in his appeals to
the conscience, pouring forth a torrent of holy eloquence
into the ears of the multitude who attended his ministry ^ and
calling forth shouts of praise from the happy believer — -he has
left the savour of a good name behind him : — Of Roberts,
the colleague of George in the superintendency, whose plain-
spoken words of truth and soberness, as well as his meek
and modest deportment, impressed all who saw him with his
deep sincerity and uniform devotion to God — he of course
exerted a hallowed influence all around him : — Of Wooster,
whose holy soul, fired with a zeal which flamed out in fer
vent prayers, and accents of love, kindled up in his own
and the hearts of others the flames of perfect love, so inex
tinguishable that many waters have not been able to quench
it — his influence is still felt in the Church : — Of Pickering,
whose meek and quiet spirit, and steady perseverance in the
cause of God, together with his pointed appeals to the un
derstanding and conscience of his hearers, made them feel

11
the necessity of repentance towards God and faith in the
Lord Jesus Christ — he much extended the work of reforma
tion : — Of Emory, whose commanding talents, acuteness of
intellect, and urbanity of manners, proclaimed him a master
workman, and a finished Christian gentleman, and whose pre
mature death deprived the Church of his eminent services : —
Of Merwin, whose fervent eloquence in the pulpit won the
hearts of thousands to the Lord Jesus, and often extorted
the confession from the happy believer that Jesus Christ
spoke in and through him to the heart in all the sweetness
of redeeming love : — Of FisTt, whose deep piety, and com
manding eloquence in the pulpit, won for him a lasting fame,
and whose learning fitted him for the head of the Wesleyan
University, in which station he shone as a star of the first
magnitude, and whose departing rays still shine upon our
path : — Of Hedding, whose deep experience in the things of
God, thorough knowledge of theological truth, and uniform
devotion to the work of the itinerant ministry, pointed him
out as a fit person for the office of a superintendent in the
Church of his choice, and whose wise administration and
indefatigable labours, and meek deportment, won the confi
dence, respect, and affection of his brethren, and whose
recent death has deprived the Church of his services, while
it has introduced him into the assembly of the just — he has
left the brightness of his example for the edification of those
now living, or who shall come after him : — Of Olin, who,
though last in the catalogue of Worthies I shall name, is by
no means the least among " the sacramental host of God's
elect," but in some sense overtops them all in the power of
his intellect, in the brilliancy of his genius, in the strength
and perspicuity of his writings, in his stirring eloquence in
the pulpit, as well as the childlike simplicity of his piety, as
exemplified in his private circles of Christian intercourse.
These all, together with hundreds of others of less notoriety,
hut abundantly useful in their day and generation, have left

12
their mark upon society, have embalmed their memory in
the hearts of their surviving brethren, and contributed
mightily by their labours and sufferings, their prayers and
their preaching, and some of them by their writings, to build
up the cause of Methodism, or, which amounts to the same
thing, to promote pure Christianity in the world. Those,
indeed, were the " anointed ones, that stood by the Lord of
the whole earth," through which the " golden oil " of God's
grace was poured forth upon the souls of God's people, for
they spoke under the influence of that " holy unction " with
which God anoints those priests whom he calls and conse
crates to minister at his altars.
Being thus equipped for the warfare, how did those
primitive Methodist preachers use their weapons ? God
armed them for the fight, and he sent them into the field
with their armour on, and commanded them to pull down the
strongholds of Satan. Thus runs their commission, "Go
into all the world, and preach, the gospel to every creature ;"
and they were sustained by the promise, "Lo, I am with
you always, even to the end of the world." Those heralds
of the cross did not therefore settle down in snug parishes,
where they might have lounged away their time in reading
prayers and sermons, nor live in luxurious indolence upon
ample salaries; but they went "out into the highways and
hedges," and itinerated through the country, proclaiming to
all within the hearing of their voice, loud and distinctly, that
they must " repent, and give glory to God." Had they not
adopted this mode of preaching, the remote settlements in
our wildernesses could not have been reached by the word
of reconciliation. In addition, therefore, to preaching the
gospel of the kingdom in the cities and populous villages,
which they did with great success, they visited every nook
and corner of the land, not neglecting the remote settlers in
their log huts in the wilderness, in which they preached,
ate, and slept, all in the same room. Many a time have I,

13
while travelling in the wildernesses of Canada, when about
to visit some settlement so recently begun that there was
neither a stable nor provender for my horse, carried prov
ender with me, and tied him to a sapling through the night,
while I slept on the floor of the log hut, in the same room
in which I had preached and eaten. Far, however, from
murmuring at this hard fare, I rejoiced continually in God
my Saviour, who counted me worthy to be put into the
ministry, and sent me to the back woods of Canada to fulfil
it ; for he blessed my feeble efforts to the awakening and
salvation of many precious souls, and I look back upon the
seven years of apprenticeship in which I served my divine
Master in Canada, as the happiest and most blessed days
of my life. Not indeed that they were free from sufferings,
from privations, and cross-bearings, for I had my full share
of these ; but because God was with me, abundantly sus
taining and comforting my own soul, and making me an in
strument of good to others. Oftentimes, when I have laid
me down in a log hut, or in the barn, and sometimes in
the woods, have I looked up at the curling smoke ascending
from the smothered fire, kindled on the earth, without a stone
or brick hearth, or chimney to guide the climbing vapour, or
at the sparkling stars in the firmament over my head, and
praised God for the consolations of his Spirit, and after a re
freshing sleep have awoke with a heart filled with gratitude
to God for his watchful care over me. And we were abun
dantly compensated in seeing the fruit of our labours ; for
when the people became acquainted with us, and were blessed
under our ministry, they seemed to long for the day to come
when the preacher should make his appearance ; for often
the children would be upon the look-out, and when they
saw us coming, would clap their hands and cry out, " The
preacher is coming ! the preacher is coming !" Was not this
glory enough 1
It was this method of preaching the gospel which gave

14
it such a diffusive spread through the country ; and by col
lecting those that embraced the truth in little scattered
groups, they formed a nucleus around which others have
been gathered, so that now large societies with comfortable
church accommodations are found existing and flourishing
in those places above described. Though, therefore, it is not
the itinerancy itself that has done the work, yet having its
ranks filled with such men as have been mentioned, who
moved around under the direction of the Spirit of God, it
became a mighty agency in producing the happy change
which has been seen with so much delight and gratitude.
Like the atmosphere which surrounds the earth, which, by
its transparency, reflects the rays of the sun, and thereby
reveals the visible objects to our eyes, so the itinerancy,
surrounding our continent, being rendered luminous by those
" lights of the world," made, as they were, transparent by
the refining process of the Holy Spirit, has become the
reflector of the rays of the Sun of righteousness, and its
enlightening beams have fallen on all that have come within
their holy influence. Or, to change the figure, these stars
in the spiritual firmament, borrowing their light from the
" Sun of righteousness," have moved around in their respec
tive orbits, carrying with them the light Of truth and the
heat of love, wherever they went, and have attracted thou
sands of precious souls to Jesus Christ, the great centre of
attraction and repulsion. Thus there have been "wheels
within wheels," all moved around by the hand of Him
that moves the world.
And this itinerancy has been kept in motion by a regular
organization, and by a reciprocal action and reaction, without
which it must have fallen to pieces long since. Hence the
necessity of a living head and hand to give life and activity
to the complicated machinery. Were each itinerant left to
choose his own field of labour, what confusion would ensue '
Under such a state of things, and of course all peculiar to

15
it, it would soon be crushed by its own weight. They
would perpetually invade each other's rights, and interfere
with each other's labours by a number choosing the same
place, and consequently would jostle against one another,
until universal anarchy and confusion would prevail. It
would be equally fatal to the system, were the people to
claim the right of choosing their preachers for themselves.
Many would choose the same man, while some in all proba
bility would not be chosen at all; and hence the itinerancy
would not stand a moment, were the people to usurp the
privilege of choosing their own pastors, or the preachers that
of choosing for themselves. There is no other way, there
fore, to keep this system in operation than for the preachers
and people to make mutual sacrifices of their individual
rights for the sake of the good of the whole, by submitting
the arbitrament of their respective destinies, in this respect,
to a third person.
This third person, according to the economy of our Church,
is the bishop. To him the removing and stationing of the
preachers is committed. He, like the sun in the solar sys
tem, becomes the centre of attraction and repulsion, and each
preacher is moved around in his orbit, and so long as he
moves with a willing and obedient heart, the itinerancy is
kept in a peaceful and harmonious action. This, if not
essential to the continuance of the system, is certainly the
most simple and energetic mode of keeping the machinery
in motion. Other methods, I grant, might be devised, such
as lodging this power in the hands of a committee, or
investing the presiding elders with the power of stationing
the preachers ; but a moment's reflection will convince us
that either of these, so far from being an improvement,
would only retard the wheels of the itinerancy, by render
ing it very inconvenient, if not utterly impracticable, to
transfer preachers from one conference to another, or to sup
ply vacancies in the intervals of conferences. But without

16
stopping to state and obviate objections, for which I have
neither time nor inclination, I will only observe here, that
according to our present arrangement, the presiding elders
can give all the information and advice to the bishop that is
needed, to enable him to act intelligibly and safely in fixing
the appointments of the preachers. And as this method
has hitherto worked energetically and savingly, I think it
best to leave the power where it is, lest by removing it to
other hands we mar instead of improve the system. And
although this is peculiar to our Church economy, it is not
without a parallel in other departments of government.
Thus the heads of civil government choose, and our own
nominate, their foreign ministers, the officers of the army
and navy, and appoint them to their respective stations, and
prescribe to them their duties, under the general laws which
govern their several departments.
And are we not compared to soldiers ? And shall the
soldiers of an earthly ruler, whether prince or president,
submit to the dictates of one man, and shall not the soldiers
of the Lord Jesus, who are fighting in a much higher and
holier battle, consent to sacrifice their individual rights to
promote the present and everlasting welfare of immortal
souls ? I cannot but think that all those who wish well for
our Zion will answer this question in the affirmative.
A third agency which these men of God have used to
promote the cause of men's salvation, has been the enforce
ment of a scriptural discipline. This has been a means of
keeping the Church pure, by preventing improper persons
from insinuating themselves among us, or by removing
incorrigible offenders from the fellowship of the Church, as
well as of nursing the lambs of the flock, and of building up
" believers in their most holy faith." Had this been neg
lected, and the fold not been fenced around with a whole
some discipline, the flock would have been trodden down
and devoured by the wild beasts of an ungodly world.

17
Nor has the press been wanting in this noble work. Fol
lowing in the steps of Wesley, who, at an early period of his
ministry, employed this mighty agent to aid him in the dif
fusion of gospel truth, the Methodist Episcopal Church has
used the same means to aid her in the evangelical work,
and this has contributed its full share towards advancing a
knowledge of our doctrines and usages. Together with this,
the cause of education, the missionary work, both at home
and abroad, tract distribution, Sunday-schools, and a diligent
use of all the means of grace, have all contributed to ad
vance the work.
But what are all these, as before said, but external appli
ances, which can be rendered effective only by being used by
the hands of men full of faith and the Holy Ghost ? We
might have ridden through the country, and preached day
and night, and yet have produced no saving effect, had not
the truth of God been proclaimed in "the power and demon
stration of the Spirit." Had not the wheels of the itinerancy
been anointed with the oil of divine grace, they would have
worn out long since under their own friction. Had not
those who have been moved around by its motion been
filled with divine love, and their tongues spoken under its
holy promptings, they would have been nothing more than
"sounding brass and tinkling cymbals." And the whole
Church organization, including the entire machinery of
class-meetings, love-feasts, sacraments, missions, and educa
tion, would have been ineffective had it not been cemented
together by the uniting love of God, and moved forward by
his irresistible hand.
To reach this result, these men of God fixed their eye
upon the " mark of the prize of their high calling of God " —
holiness of heart was pressed upon the people as a subject
of experimental knowledge. This was a theme upon which
they dwelt with peculiar delight and marked emphasis.
Whatever doctrine they preached— whether repentance, feith
2

18
in the atoning merits of Christ, or justification; whether
they exhibited the judgment-day, the character of God,
or death and eternity — they made it subservient to the
attainment of this object of their ministry, namely, holiness
of heart and life. By making this the alpha and omega of
all their preaching and praying, their watching and fasting,
God blessed their labours abundantly, sinners were awakened
and converted, believers were sanctified, and the -Church was
enlarged on eVery hand. This it was that gave life and
animation to the whole machinery, and made it move on
with a rapid success.
Take away this doctrine from Methodism, and you strip
it of one of its most vital principles. Like the blood that
flows through the physical system, giving life and animation
to its material functions, so this principle of holiness, run
ning through the spiritual body, gives activity to all its
members, and makes them move in harmony one with the
other, producing an energy of action which effects the desired
result. Hence the great Head of the Church was with
them. His Holy Spirit gave life and strength, infused a
vigorous impulse into the heart and soul, by which those men
of God were propelled forward in their holy calling, and
were enabled to achieve the victories which they have won.
By this means Methodism has spread from Maine to Georgia,
from the Atlantic to the Pacific, to Africa, to China, and is
still extending its influence in every direction. Its banner
has been unfurled among the savages of our wildernesses,
among the slaves of the south, as well as among the white
population of the civilized communities. And this not in
name only, — it has aimed its truths directly at the heart, and
effected a reformation of the most radical character, convert
ing the drunkard to a sober man, the profane swearer to a
man of prayer, and the proud Pharisee to a meek and hum
ble follower of the Lord Jesus.
See what has been accomplished in fifty years ! This

19
body of Christians has increased, as has already been said,
from 72,874 to more than 1,200,000. May we not there
fore say, in the language of the text, " a little one has be
come a thousand ?" And have we not abundant cause of
thanksgiving to God for thus hastening the work in the
way and manner he has ?
When I look back and review the fifty years in which I
have laboured in this cause, I am filled with adoring grati
tude to God for what he has done, not for me only, whose
individuality is swallowed up in the great mass of preachers
and people that have been gathered into the fold, but for
his Church at large. How has religion, pure and undefiled,
spread its leavening influence, during that period, among
other denominations ! Instead of its being opposed, and even
ridiculed, both from the pulpit and the press, as I can well
remember it was heretofore, it is now very generally hailed
as a divine messenger, sent from heaven to bless mankind
with peace and salvation; instead of being fought as an
enemy, it is now embraced as a friend ; instead of being
hooted at by an ignorant rabble, many, yea, very many of
those very persons are now in the enjoyment of its bless
ings, and rejoicing in anticipation of its future rewards ; and
almost all sects and parties have not only laid aside their
opposition to the distinctive features of Methodism, but are
heartily enlisted in their favour, and are using their energies
to diffuse them among the people. Is not this a great vic
tory gained? and gained, too, without the use of carnal
weapons, but with the " sword of the Spirit, which is the
word of God," that has proved mighty to the pulling down
of the strongholds of sin and Satan.
But this victory has not been won without opposition.
We have had to contend, not only with enemies from with
out, but also from within — " from those of our own house
hold." From among ourselves men have risen up, " speak
ing perverse things," some wanting this alteration, others

20
that; some contending against a third order in the minis
try, whom we denominate bishops, others against presiding
elders; some contending for lay-delegation, while others
were uneasy because slavery was not more severely con
demned. These all, with divers others, have, at different
times, caused agitations, more or less violent, and some of
them have terminated in schisms and secessions. But in
the midst of all these fierce disputes and violent secessions,
the main body has remained unshaken, because founded
upon the Rock of ages. So far from weakening the cause,
they have tended only to add to its strength, to increase its
forces, and to test its solidity. Many who went out from
us dissatisfied, have returned weeping over their infirmities,
begging to be restored to the fellowship of their old friends.
I have not only seen many of these sore conflicts, but
have participated in them. At the time they were going
on, witnessing the virulence of spirit by which the adverse
partisans were actuated, I often trembled for the safety of
the ark ; but I thank God that I have lived to see it safely
outride those storms, and it is still steering its course to
wards the harbour of rest. With what gratitude do I review
the fifty years of my life, and call to mind the many severe
struggles through which I have passed, in conjunction with
the brethren with whom I was united, and view the con
quests which the *'¦ Captain of our salvation " enabled us to
win. I always indeed exerted my feeble powers in behalf
of what I considered truth and duty, and my brethren have
awarded to me much more than I deserve: I therefore
can look back and praise God that I can reflect upon my
general course with delightful satisfaction, bating somewhat
for my numerous infirmities and inadvertencies. I think
that I can praise God most sincerely that he has preserved
me from any impure motives, from unholy desires, however
much I may have erred from weakness of judgment. Through
all these things I can, through the abounding mercy of God

21
in Christ Jesus, look forward to the termination of my pil
grimage with a bright anticipation of entering the land of
rest, to be forever with the Lord.
Brethren, " my heart's desire and prayer to God for Is
rael" — Methodists — " is, that they might be saved " — saved
from the strife of tongues, from unholy ambition, "from the
love of money, from lukewarmness in religion, from heresy
and schism — saved, in a word, from all sin here, and saved
with an everlasting salvation hereafter.
In the mean time, let us remember that there is a vast
field opened before us, into which we are called to enter.
That we may enter and cultivate it successfully, we have
only to follow on in the steps of our fathers. With new
theories in religion we have nothing to do; but must say,
" The old wine is better." We may indeed take advantage
of the openings of Divine Providence, and accommodate our
selves, in non-essentials, to the improvements of the age, in
education, and in the various departments of religious and
charitable institutions, all of which tend to develop the
attributes of God, and to unfold the capabilities of man,
selecting the most appropriate means for the attainment of
the end we have in view, namely, the securing the greatest
possible amount of human happiness ; but while we do this,
we must be careful not to touch the ark with unhallowed
hands, but follow on diligently in the path marked out for
us by the God of providence and grace, " minding the same
thing, walking by the same rule," which guided the course
of those who have gone before us, preach the same doctrine,
enforce the same moral discipline, and use the same means
of grace, making holiness of heart and life the constant ob
ject of all we say or do. Thus doing, we may expect the
blessing of God to accompany our labours, and may look for
ward with bright anticipation to a continual enlargement of
the work of God on earth, and finally expect an abundant
entrance into the everlasting kingdom of God. Yes, even

22
now we may by faith look down through the vista of time,
and see teeming millions, born and unborn, rising up under
the bright beams of the "Sun of righteousness," shining in
all the likeness of God.
I shall soon be removed from among you. This may be,
for aught I know, my last effort, either to warn or comfort
my brethren in the ministry. Let me say, however, that
this thought, so far from damping my joy, or dimming my
prospects, does but increase the one and brighten the other.
I see around me youngs men, in whom the word of God.
dwells, and who therefore are strong in the Lord of hosts,
and in the power of his might. These are the hope^of the
Church. If these shall go forward, as I trust they will,
fighting manfully the battles of the Lord, he will bless' the
labour of their hearts and hands, and they shall be instru
mental in raising up others of a like spirit, to take their
places on the walls of our Zion ; and so from generation to
generation successions of holy men shall be supplied to the
Church, to perpetuate the work until " the earth shall be full
of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea."
Let me say to my younger brethren in the ministry, Be
strong in the Lord, be courageous in the cause you have
espoused, let nothing dampen your zeal or turn you aside
from the path of holiness — holiness both for yourselves and
the people to whom you administer. Nothing short of this
will fit you for an acceptable service here, and for glory
hereafter. I said that I must soon depart. It will be so ; for when
I look around me, I cannot see a single preacher who en
tered the conference when I did, now among us. There
are, to be sure, some living who commenced before me, and
many who came in after me ; but among those of my class
there is not a single one left in this conference ; and if my
information be correct, there is but one — Asa Kent, now of
the Providence Conference — of that class now living. So

23
that I stand almost alone among my compeers in age in the
conference ; and I believe I am the oldest efficient minister
now belonging to the New- York East Conference. What a
miracle of mercy is this — to be spared for so many years,
and kept in so much health and strength as to be permitted
to. go in and out before the people, and to stand in my lot
before you this day ! For this, accompanied as my life has
been with so many unmerited mercies, I most devoutly
praise God ; and beg of you, my beloved brethren, to join
with me in ascribing "honour, and glory, and power, and
dominion, to God and the Lamb, forever." Amen.