CHAPTER XXXI.

The first Methodist Preachers—The army—Capt. Webb—Tuffey—George Neal—Lyons—School-teacher—Exhorter—McCarty—Persecution—Bigotry— Vagabonds—McCarty arrested—Trial—At Kingston—Banished—“A martyr”—Doubtful—Losee, first Methodist missionary, 1790—A minister—A loyalist—Where he first preached—“A curiosity”— Earnest pioneer Methodist—Class-meetings—Suitable for all classes—Losee’s class-meetings—Determines to build a meeting-house—Built in Adolphustown—Its size—The subscribers— Members, amount—Embury—Those who subscribed for first church in New York—Same names—The centenary of Methodism—New York Methodists driven away—American Methodist forgetful—Embury and Heck refugees—Ashgrove—No credit given to British officers— Embury’s brother—The rigging loft, N. Y.—Barbara Heck—Settling in Augusta—First Methodist Church in America—Subscribers—“Lost Chapters”—The Author’s silence—What is acknowledged—“Severe threats”—Mr. Mann—To Nova Scotia—Mr. Wakely “admires piety”—Not “loyalty”—Second chapel, N. Y.—Adolphustown subscribers—Conrad VanDusen—Eliz. Roblin—Huff—Ruttan—The second Methodist chapel— The subscribers—Commenced May, 1795—Carpenter’s wages—Members Cataraqui Circuit—Going to Conference—Returns—Darias Dunham— Physician—First quarterly meeting—Anecdotes—Bringing a “dish cloth”—“Clean up”—The new made squire—Asses—Unclean spirits— Losee discontinues preaching—Cause—Disappointment—Return to New York—Dunham useful—Settles—Preachers travelling—Saddle-bags— Methodism among loyalists—Camp-meetings—Where first held in Canada—Worshipping in the woods—Breaking up—Killing the Devil— First Canadian preacher—Journey from New York 285

CHAPTER XXXIa.

Henry Ryan—Ryanites—He comes to Canada—His associate, Case—At Kingston—A singer—Preaching in the market-place—Their treatment— In office—His circuit—1000 miles—What he received—Elder— Superseded—Probable cause—A British subject—During the war of 1812—President of Conference—“High-minded”—Useful—Acceptable to the people—Desired independence by the Canadians—How he was treated—His labors—Brave—Witty—“Fatherless children”—“Impudent scoundrel”—Muscular—“Methodists’ bull”—“Magistrate’s goat”—Ryan seeks separation—Breckenridge—Conduct of the American Conference—Ryan’s agitation—Effect upon the Bishops—First Canada Conference—At Hallowell—Desire for independence—Reasons, cogent— Fruit of Ryan’s doings—The way the Conference treated Ryan— Withdraws—No faith in the United States Conference—Ryan sincere— “Canadian Wesleyans”—The motives of the United States Conference questionable—The wrong done Ryan—Second Canada Conference—Case, first Superintendent—Visit of Bishop Asbury—Account by Henry Bœhm—Asbury an Englishman—During the rebellion—A Bishop—His journey to Canada—Crossing the St. Lawrence—Traveling in Canada— An upset—“A decent people”—His opinion of the country—The Bishop ill—At Kingston—Bœhm at Embury’s—A field meeting—Riding all night—Crossing to Sackett’s harbor—Nearly wrecked 295