[It is not exactly clear to what circuit the bishop alludes in the preceding paragraphs. It appears from the general minutes that he was received on trial, into the itinerant connexion, in the year 1790. For that year he was appointed to Pamlico circuit, in North Carolina, as the colleague of Henry Ledbetter,-Thomas Anderson being "elder" of the district. It seems, consequently, to have been in 1789, the year preceding, that he commenced travelling with Philip Cox, who, for that year, was a travelling "book steward." John Dickins was then the general "book steward," and stationed in Philadelphia; for at that period, the business being small, the general book steward was stationed as other preachers. In 1789, Daniel Asbury was appointed to the circuit then called “Yadkin,” with instructions, as appears, to form a new circuit on the head waters of the Catawba and Broad rivers, along or toward which, it is presumed, the Yadkin circuit extended, from the head waters of the Yadkin river. For in those days circuits embraced regions more extensive than some modern districts. And if we consider also the rugged mountains and strange people, the opposing doctrines and strong prejudices, among which this "beardless boy" was sent by Bishop Asbury, to aid Daniel Asbury in forming a new circuit, in such a new country, it will not be surprising that the youth, three hundred miles from home, was "staggered" at difficulties and toils which might have appalled even a veteran. Such were the schools in which "our fathers" were trained. The firm but affectionate course of his colleague rallied and confirmed him in the path of laborious duty, from which he never after indulged the thought of swerving, while health and strength endured. The first regular circuit to which Bishop George, in his own memoir, mentions his having been appointed, was Caswell, which appears from the minutes to have been in 1791.]

LETTERS ON METHODIST HISTORY.

(To be continued.)

[FOR the following very interesting letters, the Rev. James O. Andrew is entitled to our hearty thanks. They were furnished in good time, and without expense. Will none of our brethren take up the subject similarly, in other places? The theme is full of profitable interest, and the materials must be abundant. If the present generation be permitted to pass away without collecting them, our posterity will not only regret it, when too late to be remedied, but will reproach our supineness. The best defence of ourselves and of our work, is true and impartial history. The personal witnesses of early events and scenes among us, are almost wholly gone, and the remnant is fast melting away. If we do not seize the facts from their lips, and impress them on some durable record, the opportunity will speedily be lost, and the future historian will be able to do nothing more than to gather up detached, meagre, and uncertain incidents, supplying the vacuum by more uncertain

conjecture, when his documents and facts, by a little timely pains, might otherwise have been clear, full, and authentic.]

LETTER I.

Rise and progress of Methodism in Charleston, South Carolina.
By the Rev. James Osgood Andrew.

To trace the rise and progress of the work of God in any portion of his vineyard, must be instructive and pleasant to such as love the prosperity of Zion, and may afford both pleasure and profit to those who come after us. I have long believed that a history of the rise and progress of Methodism in the different sections of our country, would be peculiarly important to us, and to our children after us. It has therefore afforded me much satisfaction to see the subject recommended to our preachers, and to notice the promptness with which many of them have acted on the recommendation; and I trust that the pages of our Magazine, and of the Advocate and Journal, will be often enriched with articles of this character. Of the following account of the rise and progress of Methodism in the city of Charleston, I have only to say, it is quite too imperfect; but I believe that, under existing circumstances, I cannot improve it. Many of the worthies who witnessed the planting of this branch of Christ's church in this city, are gone to their rest, or have removed to distant places; and the very few who yet remain, are worn down by age, so that their recollection of many incidents which would be important in such a sketch, is necessarily defective. I have, however, consulted every source of information within my reach, and have endeavoured to arrange the different materials in the best way I could, and if what I have written shall prove in any degree profitable, I shall be content.

Mr. Wesley had preached here in 1736, and the Rev. J. Pilmoor in 1773; but there was no effort made to establish Methodism in Charleston till the year 1785, when Bishop Asbury, in company with the Rev. Jesse Lee, came from Georgetown, and spent a few days in the city. In Georgetown they had lodged with a Mr. Wayne, who recommended them to Mr. Edgar Wells, a respectable merchant of this city, who received them courteously, and kindly entertained them during their stay. Mr. Wells was then a man of the world, and it is said that in the evening when the Methodist bishop and his companion came to his house, he was making ready to attend the theatre. The visit of the bishop however deranged his plans; the contemplated amusement was abandoned, and family worship was the order of the evening. With this evening commenced a new era in the life of Mr. Wells. From this time he began to seek after God; nor did he seek in vain. In the course

of a few days he obtained the witness of his adoption, and was enabled to rejoice in God his Redeemer. He united himself to the Methodist Church, aud continued to walk worthy of his high vocation, till a peaceful death finished with him the struggles of

mortality. After remaining in Charleston a few days, the bishop and Mr. Lee departed, leaving behind them the Rev. Henry Willis, who was charged with the work of making a regular Methodist establishment in the principal city of the south. A happier selection could scarcely have been made. Deep piety, amiable manners, general intelligence, an entire devotion to the work, and the most inflexible perseverance, in accomplishing the important object of his mission,-all these rendered this man of God eminently fit for the great work to which he had been designated. Mr. Willis entered upon his duties under many discouragements; but he laboured, trusting in God, and his labour was not in vain. He succeeded in forming a small society, and the work was so far prosperous, that when Bishop Asbury visited Charleston the following year, he found the congregation large, and the little flock encouraged to undertake the building of a house of worship. This undertaking appears to have been prosecuted with considerable spirit; and when the bishop visited them the following year, he found a commodious house of worship for the Methodist Episcopal Church. This was the house in Cumberland-street, which will long be remembered with affection as the birth place of many scores of precious souls, who there received awakening and converting grace. Hitherto our friends had laboured under serious disadvantages, in consequence of having no suitable place in which to worship God. They had at first preached in an old Baptist church which was unoccupied; but they were not permitted long to enjoy this deserted temple. They were informed they must preach there no more. In this exigency a Mrs. Stoll kindly opened her house to receive the word of God. And here for a season they worshipped. But the increase of the congregation soon rendered this place too small, and they cast about to find a larger place. A friend offered to them the use of a new house which was enclosed, but not finished; and here they continued to worship till the completion of the house in Cumberland-street opened to them a commodious chapel, in which they could meet and worship without inconvenience. The opening of this house was of vast importance to the interests of Methodism; it not only relieved the congregation from great inconvenience; but gave to them an established and permanent character. It was a public declaration that we had driven down our stake and intended to hold on.

After this the work continued to advance with various success. Our doctrines became more widely disseminated, and the knowledge of our principles and practice enlisted many in the ranks of our friends, who had formerly opposed, or stood aloof; and it was evident that although Methodism did not appear to be winning its way very rapidly, yet it was taking deep root. In almost every place where it has been established, it has had to contend with opposition. Some have opposed because they knew nothing of its character, and many others because, in its doctrines and economy, it

came in direct contact with the deep-rooted prejudices of their youth. Opposition may also have been sometimes induced by the imprudence of persons not well informed, though pious and well meaning, who have not only indulged in extravagances, but have been disposed to identify such things with religion. The true source of the opposition, however, although other things may have been pretended as a justification of its violence, may be found in that stern and unbending resistance which the human heart every where shows to the gospel of Jesus Christ. An opposition springing from this source, will of course be always most violent when it comes in contact with a system of doctrines and discipline that shows least mercy to carnality of heart, and worldliness of practice. Charleston Methodism has had its share of difficulty from another cause, which is not peculiar to any latitude, viz. the direful apostasy of high-soaring professors of godliness. Perhaps scarcely any thing of this kind has been productive of more injury to the cause of religion, than the fall of the celebrated B******* A****. This man had acquired an almost unparalleled degree of popularity as a preacher. He had married into a very respectable family, and stood before the community in a very elevated point of view. Yet from this lofty elevation he fell, and his fall inflicted an injury on our cause from which it has not till this day fully recovered. To the above difficulties may be superadded what may be found every where in the southern, or slave-holding states, viz. that jealousy which is ever wakeful on every subject which may even remotely affect the condition of the slave population. This jealousy could easily construe every effort which piety might make to lead the negro from the sensualizing darkness that surrounded him into the light of the gospel, into an intention to teach him insubordination and idleness. The assembling them together for the purposes of religious instruction, was considered hazardous to the public peace, and, in the estimation of many, the devoted minister who dared to pray with, and instruct them in the things of God, was an incendiary whose object was to scatter firebrands, arrows, and death. In a community thus circumstanced, it is not strange that the early Methodist preachers should have been viewed with a suspicious eye. Those who have read the biography of Doctor Coke by Mr. Drew, will recollect that his mistaken zeal on the subject of slavery, involved him in considerable difficulties. But his personal risks, however serious, were of small account compared with the unfavourable influence which his opinions and course, on this subject, were destined to exert on the future religious prosperity of the very people whom he wished to serve. The standing of Dr. Coke in the Methodist Church was known, and his opinions were supposed to give tone to the opinions and feelings of the great body of Methodist preachers in this matter; and the very fact that so many of the blacks embraced our doctrines, and came under the regulations of our discipline, tended to strengthen the suspicion that our

ministrations were inimical to the peace and well being of society. Nothing of particular note occurred in our history till the year 1791, when a very serious division took place in the society in Charleston, which, for a season, threatened almost the ruin of our congregations. At the head of the separatists was the Rev. Wm. Hamett, a man whose pulpit performances had acquired for him almost unrivalled popularity, and whose influence in this community was such as enabled him speedily to build a large and convenient house of worship in Hasell-street, with a parsonage house and a convenient lot connected with it. This house he called Trinity church; and the seceders called themselves primitive Methodists. This body continued a distinct connexion till after the death of their leader. Into all the minute circumstances connected with this unhappy division, I have neither time nor inclination to enter, and have only to say that those who seceded urged the same objections to Episcopal Methodism, which have formed the burden of a swarm of modern essays, which have been ushered into the world with all the confidence of originality; and that their inflammatory declamations, and incessant philippics, urged with no small ingenuity and zeal, produced, as above noted, some effect, and numbers fled from the spectres which had been conjured up before them, and took shelter under the wings of "primitive Methodism." But, alas! man is born to trouble as the sparks fly upwards. And these good people found that ecclesiastical difficulties followed them even into their "primitive" asylum. And it is believed that their highly talented leader found that he had undertaken a task to which he was not adequate-the task of arranging and binding together the discordant materials which he had gathered from the church, and from the world. Suffice it to say that before he went hence he had his troubles among his flock. Many of them returned to the fold where they had been formerly fed, some went to other churches, and not a few went back to the world. After the death of Mr. Hamett, the congregation was served by a Mr. Brazier, who had formerly been a missionary in the West Indies. This gentleman after ministering to them a short time concluded that his temporal interest might be better served by selling the church. He accordingly_bargained it away to a Protestant Episcopalian clergyman. The Protestant Episcopalians took possession of the church, built pews in it, and had it dedicated according to their forms. But the original trustees were not disposed to submit tamely to these proceedings. A lawsuit was the consequence, which resulted favourably to the trustees; the church was restored to them, and the congregation was served sometimes by one, and sometimes by another, until at length they remembered the days of old, and invited the Methodist preachers to occupy the pulpit; which at first they did only a part of the time. But finally an amicable arrangement was made by which they became identified with the Methodist Episcopal Church; and the union so happily formed has been most graciously