principal objection against joining in a Methodist society, was the fear of being led thereby to dissent from the Church of England-the thought of which was very abhorrent from their sentiments. I (believing fully, that the Methodists were really sincere in their professions of attachment to the church) took much pains to remove that objection. For this purpose I rode many a mile, and endeavored to quiet the minds of the people, by shewing them that the Methodists were members of the church, and could not be otherwise, because, all who left the Church, left the Methodists.My endeavors, in this respect, were successful, and many societies were soon established, and preachers were appointed to take charge of them according to the rules of Methodism. I believe good was doneand the work spread and prospered for some time.

I have been the more circumstantial in this account, because I have been censured by some, for giving the countenance I did, to the Methodists, and to lay-preacherspersons, as many supposed, inimical to America, and whose professions of attachment to the church, were judged farcical and insincere. But from what I have said, it must appear to the impartial, that my

views were disinterested, and that what I did, was done in the simplicity of my heart, to promote the glory of God and the salvation of souls. If any of them were disaffected to the American cause, which at that time was depending, they did not let me know it-and if they were insincere in their profession of attachment to the church, it was more than I could possibly know. So that if I erred in giving them the countenance I did, it was an error founded in charity and good will to mankind. Humanum est errare is an old observation, and, perhaps, I have erred in the encouragement I gave to those people-nor dare I say, I have not-but they have sufficiently punished me for it, as will as will appear in the sequel.

In the year 1776, the established church, in Virginia, was put down, and all her ministers were deprived of their livings. The consequence of which was, that several parishes, one after another, became vacant of officiating priests, so that the ordinances of baptism and the Lord's supper, could not so conveniently be obtained, in some places, as formerly. To remedy this inconvenience, some of the lay preachers undertook to ordain themselves, and make priests of one another. This, I remember, they

called a step-but I considered it as a prodîgious stride a most unwarrantable usurpation, and a flagrant violation of all order. This long step was taken, I believe, in 1777 or 1778. I previously advised them against the step-but to no purpose-my advice was treated with contempt-the trump of war was blown against me, their old friend and benefactor: and, you may be sure, dirt and filth enough were thrown at me, by those self-created priests and their adherents. Your uncle, colonel Thomas Bedford, to whom I had been as dear as a parent, drew his pen against me, and laid about him stoutly. But I said nothing, and the good old man was soon ashamed of his unprovoked attack. All this time I kept myself within my old lines, went on in my old tract, and got little damage from the discharge of any of them. Though I was sorry my old friends should be so furious against me without a cause. But as yet I had no conception that the spirit, by which these were actuated, was but a specimen of the same spirit, which, as I now find, pervades the whole body.

Mr. Asbury was, at that time, cooped up in the small state of Delaware, suspected, with some more of his brethren, of being an enemy to the liberties of America.

However the report of the new-created priesthood reached him, in his retreat, and as he was a wonderful friend of the old church, seemed to touch him very sensibly. He had also heard the report of some of those deep throated engines which had been levelled at me, and it appeared that he supposed the fire had been well directed, and I had got no more than my deserts. On these double reports, he wrote me a long letter, in which he informed me, that his mind had been under some very undue, or unfavorable impressions respecting me, and, in an enigmatical way, asked, "Is it a time to receive vine-yards and olive-yards, and to receive money and garments, &c." I knew what he meant-but he had received a false report-for, in good truth, I know not that I had, for some time, received as much money as would buy me a shirt, much less vineyards, &c. &c. But I took it as from whence it originated and came, and cared little about the matter. He also expostulated with me concerning the step which had been taken, by the preachers, and asked me how I could stand by, and see those children act so extravagantly and foolishly, (or something similar) and charged me to exert all my powers

L

to reduce them to the church again, and to their former order. But I was sensible I could do nothing with them.

Some time after this letter was received, Mr. Asbury got liberty, and came down to Virginia, and by his influence and address, reclaimed several of the delinquents, and the step was retracted. Now was I again held in high esteem. No conference was held in this part of Virginia, but I must be at it; and instead of the bitter and rough letters I was wont to receive, during the defection, I had packets sweet and smooth as oil. They had accused me of inconstancy-but now they found that the accusation had been misapplied, and was applicable to themselves, and not to

me.

In order to remedy the complaint of the want of ordinances, and to render them steady to the church, in future, I took some long rides through several circuits, to baptize their children, administer the sacrament, &c. All which I did without fee or reward-and I continued so to do, as long as the Methodists stood to their profession.

I think it was in the spring, in the year 1784, that I was at a conference at Ellis's, in this state. At which conference, Mr.