The next day I overtook Bishop Asbury at James M’Cannon’s at Pipe Creek.[16] We also went to visit the widow of Rev. Henry Willis, and his aged mother. The bishop kissed and encircled in his arms the six orphan children of his departed friend, and blessed them in the name of the Lord, and prayed with them. Henry Willis had died but a few weeks before, and this was Bishop Asbury’s first visit to the lonely family after their bereavement. The bishop went out and wept at the new-made grave of his friend. Henry Willis was one of the noblest men of Methodism. He was universally beloved and universally lamented.[17] While at Pipe Creek I saw the old log meeting house built by Robert Strawbridge, the first Methodist preaching house erected in Maryland. It was then in a dilapidated state, and used for a barn. What wonderful interests cluster around this humble edifice! We commenced our tour westward. The roads were rough, the weather excessively hot, and the bishop very feeble, and yet on he would go, and at almost every stopping-place would preach. It was his element, his life; he could not live long without. He makes this mournful record: “I begin to fail.” Dear old man! He had endured enough to kill many strong men, and now he makes the discovery that he has _begun_ to fail. Old men are not generally willing to admit this; gray hairs are upon them, and they do not know it. What an era it is in a man’s history when he is conscious he is failing! After visiting a number of places and preaching every day we began to climb the Alleghany Mountains. It was a most tedious ride, especially for the aged and infirm bishop. Can we wonder he wrote thus: “I have suffered much. I am pained and sore, and poor Jane stumbled so often; but my limbs and my soul are safe. Glory! glory!” We were thirty-nine hours crossing the mountains. Five years before I went with Mr. Asbury to the top of the Alleghanies, and then returned to preach to the Germans; but now I have crossed this nature’s monument. It was seventy miles over the mountains by the crooked paths we had to travel. I wrote thus in my journal: “There were few houses, plenty of stones, rocks, and hills, and springs of water and brooks; but the best of all, the rock which cheered the Israelites in the wilderness was with us while traveling under the rays of the scorching sun. My soul, praise Jesus!” We passed over several mountain ridges of stupendous magnitude. The grandeur of the natural scenery was indeed a subject of admiration. On the other side of the mountain we rested in the hospitable mansion of Jacob Murphy. On Sunday Mr. Asbury preached at Uniontown, Pa., on “Converting a sinner from the error of his way.” This is said to be the place where the first conference was held west of the Alleghanies. Here also I preached at our host’s from Prov. x, 28. The first ordination among the Methodists west of the mountains took place here.