On Monday I preached again from Matt. xi, 28, 29. On Tuesday I heard Philip Bruce from Matt. v, 8, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” A sweet sermon on Christian purity. He was a charming man as well as a charming preacher. He went through Virginia and Carolina like a flame of fire and of love. We had a cold uncomfortable ride from Tarboro’ to Harrisonburg, Va., the seat of the Baltimore Conference. We reached Norfolk on Saturday. Methodism was early introduced into this place by Robert Williams; indeed he was the Apostle of Methodism in Virginia. He arrived in this country before Richard Boardman and Joseph Pilmoor. Mr. Pilmoor also did early service in this place to the cause of truth. On Tuesday we reached Petersburgh and stayed with Edward Lee, a brother of Jesse Lee, and father of Rev. Leroy M. Lee of the Virginia Conference. We also stayed one night with a man by the name of Bradly, who had just been converted. There was something very singular about his conversion. He was home alone one Sabbath reading his prayer-book, when as sudden as lightning he was awakened, dropped his prayer-book, and fell on his knees and prayed without a book for the Lord to have mercy on his soul. Heaven heard his prayer and forgave him. He had a number of race-horses when converted. These he parted with at once, for old things had passed away and all things become new. On Saturday we reached Richmond and stayed over the Sabbath, preaching there and at Manchester. We were glad to see our early friend, Archibald Foster, who had been a traveling preacher for several years. He was originally from Ireland. He married the daughter of old Mr. Hynson, the founder of Hynson’s Chapel, in Kent County, Maryland. I formed his acquaintance in 1802. His family was given to hospitality. Methodism had to struggle hard for an existence in Richmond. It was long an up-hill business. The first society was formed in 1793. They early preached in the court-house, but were turned out on account of their noise. Then a noble woman by the name of Parrott fitted up a large room for preaching in her barn or stable. Here Asbury and M’Kendrick preached at an early day. Thomas Lyell was stationed here in 1799, and he was unboundedly popular, and succeeded in building a church. This is the house in which Mr. Asbury preached his last sermon.