The patriarch of one hundred years : $b being reminiscences, historical and biographical, of Rev. Henry BoehmBoehm, Henry
Religion
The patriarch of one hundred years : $b being reminiscences, historical and biographical, of Rev. Henry Boehm
Boehm, Henry
Boehm, Henry, 1775-1875; Methodism
Bishop Asbury mentions the revival in his journal, and says, “Over one
hundred souls were converted to God.” Jesse Lee says “one hundred and
fifty.” They both made too low an estimate.
There were great revivalists at this conference: W. P. Chandler, John
Chalmers, Jesse Lee, each a host in himself, and many others, who entered
heartily into the work. It was not confined to them; the preachers and
people all had a mind to work. This conference will ever be memorable
as the most fruitful in saving souls of any ever held in America. Those
who were not present can form but a faint idea of the nature of the
work. Meetings were held day and night with rarely any intermission. One
meeting in the church continued forty-five hours without cessation. Many
were converted in private houses and at family prayer as well as in the
house of the Lord. This revival did immense good; the preachers returned
to their work like flames of fire.
As the Philadelphia Conference held its session six hours each day, the
members were obliged to be present; but as I was not a member I had
nothing to interrupt me or to call off my attention from the revival,
but devoted every moment to the blessed work. For several nights I did
not take off my clothes, but lay down upon the sofa and rested a little
while, and then up and right into the thickest of the battle. Thus was
I employed for days and nights, and was an eye and ear witness to the
joyful scenes that were occurring.
This was my second visit to Duck Creek. I was there in 1798 with Dr.
William P. Chandler, and then we put up at Brother George Kennard’s. This
was my home at the conference in 1800, and there we had the company of
Bishops Asbury and Whatcoat. Brother Kennard was a gentleman, a merchant,
a great business man, and a thorough Methodist. He used to correspond
with Bishop Asbury. His house was one of the choice Methodist homes in
that day, and there in after years I was made very welcome.
The scenes which I witnessed in the revival at Baltimore during the
General Conference, and then so soon after in the one at Duck Creek Cross
Roads, come up freshly before me after over threescore years, and I still
feel the sacred flame. And yet a kind of melancholy comes over me when I
remember I am the sole survivor that took an active part in the scenes
that angels must have contemplated with delight. Like an aged oak, I
remain while all the trees have fallen around me.
At this conference Richard Whatcoat first presided as bishop. A number of
young men were received, who occupied prominent stations and made their
mark in after years: Learner Blackman, Jacob Gruber, well known for his
virtues and eccentricities, William Williams, and others.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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