The Virginia Conference for 1809 met in Tarborough on February 1. This was my introduction to the Virginia Methodist preachers, and a fine body of men they were; and it was Bishop M’Kendree’s first visit to them as superintendent. Virginia was dear to him as his native state and his spiritual birthplace, and the scenes of his early itinerant labors. There were eighty-four preachers present, and only three of them married. It was properly called the “Bachelor” Conference. We also had bachelor bishops. Bishop Asbury was delighted with the appearance of the men. He said, “Many of them are the most elegant young men I have ever seen in features, body, and mind; they are manly, and yet meek.” I had an opportunity of hearing their great preachers, and seeing how they transacted business. Indeed, I was honored with preaching the first sermon at eleven o’clock the day the conference commenced. My text was Prov. xviii, 10. I felt as if I was talking before giants. Hilliard Judge, a visitor from South Carolina Conference, preached from Job xxi, 15, “What is the Almighty,” etc. Jesse Lee followed with a powerful exhortation. The work of God revived, and souls were converted. On Friday afternoon at three o’clock we enjoyed a rich treat. Bishop M’Kendree preached an ordination sermon from 2 Tim. ii, 15, “Study to show thyself approved unto God,” etc. It was attended with great unction. Thirteen deacons were ordained, among them John Early, now one of the bishops of the Southern Methodist Episcopal Church. Jesse Lee preached on Sunday in the court-house one of his ingenious sermons from Deut. xxix, 29, “The secret things belong unto the Lord our God,” etc. He said if the Lord has been so kind as to intrust his secrets to any, those who revealed them treated the Lord unkindly. He left the “secret things” with God, where they belonged. Then he dwelt largely and forcibly upon “revealed” things: the subject of redemption as revealed to us by the prophets of the Old Testament and the evangelists and apostles of the new, and showed they belong to us with all their benefits, and are not confined to us, but extend to our children. There was a melting time under this sermon. In the afternoon Jesse Lee preached again from Heb. vii, 12, “For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change of the law.” He gave us some fine thoughts on the necessity of the change of priesthood, and the necessity there was of a change in the ceremonial law, and the advantages of such a change. He was plain, practical, and powerful. There was a great stir among the people, and a number sought and found the Lord. In the evening Thomas L. Douglass preached a great sermon on the value of the human soul and the danger of its loss. He was one of the great men of Methodism, and at that time one of the pillars of the Virginia Conference.