С 8068. Зо HARVARD COLLEGE LIBRARY THE BEQUEST OF 1918 ****** L. S. DISTRICT OF CONNECTICUT, ss. BE IT REMEMBERED, That on the eighth day of July, in the fifty fifth year of the Independence of the United States of America, A. DAGGETT & Co. of the said District, have deposited in this office, the title of a Book, the right whereof they claim as proprietors, in the words following, to wit: ********* "A History of the most interesting events in the rise and progress of Methodism, in Europe and America. Compiled by Rev. James Youngs, A. M. Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.— Dan. xii. 4." In conformity to the Act of Congress of the United States, entitled, "An Act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of Maps, Charts and Books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies, during the times therein mentioned." And also to the Act, entitled, "An Act supplementary to an Act, entitled, An Act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of Maps, Charts and Books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies during the times therein mentioned,' and extending the benefits thereof to the arts of designing, engraving and etching historical and other prints." CHA'S A. INGERSOLL, Clerk of the District of Connecticut. A true copy of Record, examined and sealed by me, CHA'S A. INGERSOLL, Clerk of the District of Connecticut. as ? ? ( DEDICATION. To the Bishops of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and members of the several annual Conferences. FATHERS AND BRETHREN.-The following work is dedicated to you, in consideration, that you are the honored successors, of Mr. Wesley and his compeers, spreading SCRIPTURAL HOLINESS among men, and evangelizing the world by the itinerant system, which those holy men, providentially commenced, and you, under God, are successfully carrying forward. May the Great Head of the Church, and Shepherd and Bishop of souls, guide you in your councils, support you in your labors, and crown them with abundant success, and fill the world with his Salvation, and bring us all to "glory and immortality." With Christian affection, Your brother in Christ. New Haven, July 1, 1830. THE COMPILER. PREFACE. THE history of the rise and progress of Methodism, is scattered through many volumes, which are written, mostly, on other subjects, and only introduce this history accidentally or in detached parts. This circumstance makes many books necessary to obtain a regular history of Methodism, and it requires much time, when books are at hand, to find some particular circumstance, to which we wish to refer: some have not all the books to obtain a thorough knowledge of this history, others, if they had the books, have not time to do it; therefore many, even of the members of the church, to this day, know but little of the history of our church. Many have desired to see a regular concise history of Methodism, at least of the most important events in its history. The present work is designed to meet this desire, and to give every one an opportunity, with little expense of money or time, to acquire a correct knowledge of the most important facts in the history of Methodism. In compiling this work I have gleaned matter from the approved authors, and standard works of the Methodist Episcopal church. I have preserved chronological order, as far as circumstances would permit. There is but little variation from chronological order, with this exception; to prevent confusion, I have followed the history in Europe to the death of Mr. Wesley, before I commenced it in America, though Methodism commenced in this country before that period. I have found the work of compiling more difficult than I expected. It is no easy matter to select from a number of authors, and preserve the thread of history, in chronological order, unbroken, without some chasm or repetition; from these I have endeavored to keep this work as free as possible. With the exception of the principal part of the first chapter, and a few sentences, this work is all extracted from our most approved authors. To save time, labor and paper, I thought it best to make this general acknowledgment once for all. New Haven, July 1, 1830. THE COMPILER. |