He attends the Conference at New-York-Receives Ordina- tion. Is appointed to Boston-Hears of the death of his mother-The affliction which his mind sustained on re- ceiving this melancholy intelligence.-Receives a friendly Attends Conference in New-York-Is appointed Elder of the New-England District-1792, Conference in Lynn-General Conference in Baltimore-James O'Kelly withdrew-Con- ference in Alexandria-Visits his friends in Virginia-Makes Attends the Conference in Lynn-Appointed to the Province of Maine--Good prospects on the Penobscot river-Forms a Cir- cuit on the west side of the Kennebeck, called Readfield- M. Cazier's Lecture-Visits Canada-Preaches a Dedication Conference in New-London-Goes to Boston, and assists in lay- ing the corner stone of the first Methodist meeting-house in that place-Singular conduct of some ill-disposed persons in Province town--Visits Mount Desert--Receives a letter from bishop Asbury-Attends Conference at Wilbraham--Meets with Mr. Asbury, and goes to Charleston-Pleasing change in that place-Travels through Georgia-The manner in in Georgia-Views the ruins of Mr. Whitefield's Orphan Asylum-Returns to Virginia-Conference at Blunt's, in Retrospection-Attends General Conference in Baltimore- Very near being elected Bishop-False reports cleared up- Progress of Methodism in New-York-Leaves New-York to return to Virginia-Remarks on Fredricksburg-Attends Conference at Drumgoole's-Appointed to the southern dis- His journey from the south to Petersburg-Attends the Con- ference in Lynchburg—Is appointed to Cumberland—Attends the General Conference-Much ceremony at a camp-meet- ing-continues his journey to the north-Not pleased with some of the Methodist churches which had pews-Enjoys Purchases a small farm-Attends the Conference in Tarbo- rough-Appointed to Amelia—Offers, and is elected Chaplain to Congress-Motives for wishing that office--Issues a pros- pectus for the publication of the History of the Methodists- Receives a fall, and a wound-1810, his history comes out- 1811, attends Conference in Petersburg-Appointed to the Meherrin district-Re-elected Chaplain to Congress-At- tends the Conference in Raleigh-1812, attends the Confe- rence in Richmond-Stationed in that city-Elected Chap- Jain---1813, Appointed to Brunswick-1814, Cumberland, chosen chaplain to the Senate-1815, Fredricksburg—1816, MEMOIR OF THE REV. JESSE LEE. CHAPTER I. Preliminary remarks-His birth-Education-First religious impressions-Conversion of his parents-His Conversion-A revival-Seeks a deeper work of grace-The Methodist Preachers visit his neighbourhood-He joins Society. To preserve the remembrance of men of worth, seems to have been the care of many in different ages of the world. Men of science, or those who have acquired celebrity in arts, or arms, have not been left in total forgetfulness. Those too, who have borne a distinguished part in reforming the world, either by enacting or enforcing wise laws, have had historians to record their merits, and hand their names down to posterity. Those who have been famous for piety and mental accomplishments, and have zealously devoted their lives to the advancement of religion, and have been eminently successful in a cause of such vital importance to the happiness of the world, deserve to be ranked amongst the benefactors of mankind. Neither their names, nor deeds, should be suffered to sink in oblivion, but should be held up as models for future generations. In perusing the pages of profane history, we are often made to turn away in disgust from the description of those scenes of injustice, of wars and murders, practised by that race of human beings known by the name of kings, courtiers, and heroes; who, from time immemorial, have claimed for themselves a kind of superiority over the rest of mankind; and have exerted their strength in desolating the earth by their barbarous deeds. It affords us some relief to turn away from the contemplation of such characters, whose crimes, associated with their names, will render them odious to the latest generations, and mark the progress of those whose Christian virtues have procured for them the veneration of the wise and good. The man who pursues that course which his own conscience approves, and which meets with the assent of good men, holds a dignified station in society, particularly when society has been greatly benefitted by his labours. In proportion as he has exercised his talents in doing good, and made personal sacrifices for the benefit of others, he should be admired and esteemed. The circumstance of his being removed from this sublunary abode, will only tend to extinguish the remembrance of his foibles, and set his virtues in the most agreeable point of view. The individual whom we are now about to introduce to the notice of the public, was one, who, with respect to his acquirements in literature, we do not pretend to rank with some of his predecessors in the ministry. But so far from doing him any injustice, or underrating his character by giving precedence to others in this respect, we intend to show in the following sheets, that he has been greatly useful to the church, and to society generally, without attaining to that eminence in human science which has adorned the brow of some, or of suffering imprisonment or death for the testimony of Jesus. Judging from what he did do and suffer, and from his acknowledged attachment to the cause of Christ, we may safely presume, that, had he been called, in the order of God's providence, to make greater sacrifices for his Divine Master, he would have done it with all cheerfulness. JESSE LEE was born in the year of our Lord 1758, in Prince George County, Va. He was the second son of Nathaniel and Elizabeth Lee, whose forefathers came over from England soon after the first settlement of Virginia. His parents were respectable and moral; and being members of the English Episcopal Church, dedicated their children to God according to its ceremonies. It will not, it is presumed, be essential to record every circumstance relative to the education and early impressions of the subject of these memoirs; some incidents of his early life shall, however, be noticed, and in doing this, reference will be had to manuscript journals, which were left in his own hand writing; extracts from which we shall have occasion frequently to make in the following pages. When he arrived to the proper age, he was put to a school in the neighbourhood, and as soon as he was capable of reading tolerably well, his teacher directed him to procure a prayer book, with a strict injunction to carry it to church every Sabbath, and out of which he was taught the catechism; and the teacher, |