The conference lamented the loss of one of its brightest ornaments, the Rev. John Wilson. He was a very pure spirit. He was book agent, and I used to do business with him and also correspond with him, as I attended to the interest of the Book Room. He was a Christian gentleman, an able preacher, a superior scholar, a good penman and accountant, and an able businessman. He died suddenly of asthma in New York city, January 28, 1810. His brethren say such were his excellences that even envy itself must be turned into praise, and malice and hatred into veneration. Half a century has made a great change in the members of the New York Conference. Of the eighty-four who were present in 1810 but two remain, Laban Clark and Marvin Richardson. Fourteen were received on trial, among others Arnold Scolefield and Tobias Spicer. The conference adjourned on Saturday, but the bishops and several of the ministers remained over Sabbath. We were the guests of the venerable Robert Green. On Sabbath Daniel Hitt preached from “We have not received the spirit of bondage,” etc.; and Bishop M’Kendree, in the Congregational Church, in the afternoon, from John viii, 31, 32, on Christian Freedom. CHAPTER XXV. NEW ENGLAND AND GENESEE CONFERENCES OF 1810. On Monday we left Pittsfield (the most beautiful inland town in the United States) for Winchester, New Hampshire, the seat of the New England Conference. We went over the perpetual hills and descended beautiful valleys, crossing the Connecticut River, and on Thursday reached Winchester, and were the welcome guests of Caleb Alexander. There was but one Methodist family in the village. He was a large-hearted man, and had petitioned to have the conference hold its session there, pledging himself they should be well entertained. His own house and his neighbors’ were filled, and he paid the board of others. He was a noble-hearted man, and the preachers were delighted with him and their entertainment. Bishops Asbury and M’Kendree were both present, and presided alternately at the conference. There was a general fast held by several of the conferences on Friday, and we religiously observed it till six o’clock in the evening. Bishop Asbury regularly observed his fasts whether ordered by conferences or not. It was his practice to abstain every Friday. On Sunday, June 3, the bishop preached in the morning and I in the evening. He says: “I think my words pierced the hearts of some like a sword. I neither spared myself nor my hearers.” On Wednesday, June 6, the New England Conference for 1810 commenced in the Congregational meeting-house. There was a camp-meeting held in connection with it, about three miles distant, and they had preaching there three times a day during its session. On Sunday the 10th Bishop Asbury preached with life and energy; after which six deacons and twelve elders were ordained. There were about fifteen hundred persons present. Six sermons were preached that day.