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I m \ . :x ■ PREFACE. • I ■ 1< Soon after the Lord pardoned my sins, and shed His Love abroad in my heart, I began to retrospect my past life, as I had never done before, and in view of tho thrilling circumstances connected therewith, there was an impression made on my mind, that it would be right for me (while the whole scene was fresh in my memory) to narrate the wonders thereof, both with respect to the Gracious Providence of God, exercised in my behalf, and what the Power of His grace had wrought in my soul, — also that, in all future time with me to commit to writing, in some Way, those tilings which might be comiected with my life ; which ^3'%:t i jiidged, if published, might be for the glory of God, * and the good of man. Accordingly, I wrote what is contained in the firsi. six Chapter? hi A. D. 1825, and although I kept in some way, tho igh very imperfectly, by diary, scraps, or notes, so that a history of my hfe might be written therefrom ; yet I did not intend, until about a year , ago, to have it placed before the world until after my \ K death, and not even then unless in the judgment of y those that would have to do with my papers it would be ^ deemed proper. But being advised to the contrary ol my former purpose, I now offer it to the public with all its imperfections with respect to Orthography, Grammar, Style, and Punctuation. Judguig that, if the readers of these Chapters will be benefited thereby the sooner it is placed in their hand the better. Anoth- er consideration is, which I will not conceal, I am ' in i ir ntTACi. rery indigent circumstances and 72 years old; **l CM, not dig, to beg I am ashamed ** and while the readers of this utile book, I tmst, will be benefitted Spiritoally ; •t the same time I may be somewhat benefitted tempor« bUj, bv the proceeds of the sale thereof, and I now write aown the fact, that I have not intentionally made a wrong statement, nor giren a colouring to any inci« dent to mislead the r^ers of this Blotch ; nor for display, yet notwithstanding, it would be egotism in me to suppose that the work is free from imperfection, nererthelass I hope that those who may purchase this well intended sketch may have it to say when they hare given it a careM perusal it was worth the money thev gave for it And now in conclusion of this introduction, I ask forgiveness of God for aU the errors of my past Ufe ; and feeling conscious that I have striven to do my duty toward Grod and man in preparing this work ; I pray that the blessing of the Most H%h may so attend ii» that it may bring fflory to His Great Name, and be made a blessing to my kIIow men ; and that the readers of this book, and uie unworthy author thereof ma)ff meet in Heaven to praise God iorever'-Amen. d; **Ic«tt le readers piritoally; id temper- id I now illy made >any incio i; nor for egotinn in iperfection, chase thus vhen they the money tion, I ask ' past life; lo my duty k; 1 pray i attend it» dbe made readers of may* meet CONTENTS. OHAPTEB I.— Hit Father, Mother. Berolationmij war. Hi» Father joins the British standard. Emigrates to the wilderness of Canada. His birth. Early training. Hardshipi. Christian ednca- tion. First influence of the Holy Spirit on his heart. Betoming from a ball room. Promises to lead a new liie. CHAPTEB II.— Enliste in the British serrice. 1812. U. S. A. proclaims war against great Britain. An Expedition. ; A marine. Bnffered a great calamity. Marched to Three BiTers: To Qneter. To Prcscott. Battle of Ogdensbnrgh. Wounded. A thrilling ind* dent. A ball extracted. Horrors of war. Anuuing Froridence. The redeemed|in Hearen. CHAPTER III. — A march to the seat of war. Sufferings. Sick, ness. Bush Huts. Wonderful Proridence. Great Hospitality; Health restored. March to Kingston. Mental derangement. Passe, a medical Board. Unfit for Service. In a state of intoxication about 50. days in succession. Preliminaries of Peace. Discbaiged CHAPTEB IV. — ^Yows io Ood. In Matrimony, Mercy. Good> ness. Long sufferings and focbeazance of God. A gracious ProTi- dence. CHAPTER V.-.8ettled on Seeking Pardon. Obtained it. tion. The war. Ministers, the County of Prince Edward. a fkrm. Deep couTiction for sin. Unspeakable happiness. Explana- Distinction in Beligion. Removed to Joins the Church. CHAPTEB YI.-«First temptation after conversion. Walking by faith. Call to the Ministry. A dream. Bemoved to the County ci Lennox. Bev. Isaac Puffer. Attempts to preach. tGreat revivals Persecutions, Doubts his call to the ministry. CHAPTER YIl.^Death of little Mary. A double alBictias. Convinced of his call to the Ministry. Preaches again. Success in the Ministry. First License from man. Bevd's. P. Smith, S. Wsl- dren, Joel Ems. Great Bevivals. Teaching School. Troubles in the Church. Bevd-s. Henry Byan and David Breakenridge. A, •eparation sought from the M. E. Church U. S. A, and obtained. VI CONTEXTS. WithdrawAl of Henry Bjan. A now body of MethodliU formed in Cnnnda. GrcAt rcvivAln in tho M. E. Church. Mr Aider. The Ryorflons. Tho so called union. i:i,000. Qod with the M. U. Church. CHAPTEU VIII.— Didciplino. Approbation of God. Work llko Apogtlo I'aul, Tho ark of tho covenant. Tho M. E. Church in Canada sufTenng great Persecution. Tho Lord pouring out the Holy Spirit upon her. CHAPTER IX.— First Annual Cocferonco of tho M. E. Church in Canada after the ro called union. Ilcceivcd into the Travulinp: Connection. Appointed to the Waterloo Circuit. Great persecution A Local Preacher. Extended Labors. 32 Congregations. CHAPTER X.— Annual Conference of tho M. E. Church in Canada 1835. Ordained. A Misffiou below Kingston. General Conference. Bishop Elected. Ordained. Removed to the County of (ircnvillo. Fire. Flame. Persecution. Rev. Benson Smith. His efficient Service. Revd. Joseph Gatcholl, and James Powley. Great revival in Mallorytown, 70 accessions to tho M. E. Church. CHAPTER XI. — Annual Conference 183G. Appointed to the Elixttbethtown Circuit. Revd. H. H. Johnson. 4 days mooting in^'armersvillc. Glorious revival. Power of God displayed. A thrilling incident. A lame Bacriflce: Shouts of Pralso. A Quaker Preacher. Many added to tho Church. An interftrenco of God. A remarkable Providence, God the inheritance of His people. Tho King in his Beauty. • CHAPTER XII.— Annual Conference 1837. Rovds. James Rich- ardson and Philander Smith. Death A. C. Seavcr. Appointed to Hallowell Circuit, Rev. John Sills. A revivalist. Wondurlul lavi- vals. The rebellion in Canrda. Great Persecution. Interview with Col. Cubit. A Roman Catholic Bishop. Recognized as minister by Military Authorities, Rebel Meetings. Mr. Glen. Death of Sarah. CHAPTER XIII.— Annual Conferenco 18S8. Death of Rev. Jamca Powley. Returned to Hallowell Circuit. A thrilling circumstauco. Murder of 5 females. A confession on the Gallows. CHAPTER XlV:— Annual Conference 1830. Appointed to Brigh- ton Circuit. Centenary of Methodism. An Arian Pr jacher put to flight. A long meeting, glorious revivals. Travel through a great snow storm. Suffered great affliction. CHAPTER XV.— Annual Conference 1840. By debility rendered unfit to travel. A protracted meeting. Great power displayed. Many Conversions. A brand plucked out of tho Fire. By ExcossIvq labor. Thrown into a convalescent state, f^ugoged in a .SchooU '« CONTENTS. vu )rfnod in loi. Tho m U. E. 'ork liko luircli in the Holy CHAPTEH XVI.—Annnal C'onteronco 1841. Call to a miisioii Ono praying man. A m-st of UniTerBalltt Drunkards. ▲ temper* unco meeting. A blasphemer. An awful Death. A great roformo- t(on without Preaching. Uproar and fight. Qodient. Tho Devil sent. A gcert prayer mooting. CHAPTER XVI r.— Annual Conference 1842. Appointed to Long Island Mission. Perils by Ito and water. Tho river St. Lawrence. Iindortho Ice. A cowardly man. An outpouring ot tho iSplrit. Tho Church revived. Sinners converted. church in .'ravclinp; I'socutiou 1 Canada iifercnce. renvilh'. efficient ; revival I to tho mooting ycd. A Quaker of God. Ic. Tho ta Eich- ntcd to till vavi- o\v with istor by Sarah. . Jamca istauco. ) Brigh- put to a great mdered played. cessivQ QOU CHAPTER XVIII. — Annual Conference 184.1. Appointed to Leeds Circuit. Onuanoquo. General Conference. Tho work in Canada divided into two Conferences. A Paralytic Stroke. Lifo di? paired of. The Gananoquo waters. Travelling on foot. Xoroad. niazod trees. A plunge over a dam. A wonderful providence. CHAPTER XIX.— Annual Conference 1844; Appointed to Eh'za- bcthtown Circuit. Kevd's. \V. E. Norman and John F. Wilson. Alono on the Circuit. Favour with God. Without purse or scrip. Faithfulness of God. Paying of vows. Living God with all tho heart. CHAPTER XX.— Annual Conference 1845. A great disappoint- ment. Appointed to Tyondinacja Circuit. Sailing dangerous. Get- ting on Shipboard at raidniglit. Delay at Kingston. In great peril. A dreadful storm Two Seas met. A Hhocking Crash. Wonderful Providence. This voyage described by King David. Favourable reception by tho Steward. CHAPTER XXI.— Annual Conference 1846. Appointed to Rldcau Circuit. 120 miles. Courteous reception. A right kindof Stewar ' i ; '' TUi CONTENTS. .^ ) CkAPTEft XXIV.— Appointed to Cmwsbj Circuit. Ber. Saman ' LtUbieit. Severe trials. A great meettog. Sixtf accessions to the . ^luch. Hard labor. Health impaired. Kind dealings ot God. Ad- S^istering Babtism by sprinkling. Attacked by a Baptist, bold,load| iiaacy, rociferous. CHAPTER XXY.— Annnal C^onference 1850. Health impured. Snperannnated. Bcmoved to the County of Ontario. Engaged in meppantile bosiness. An extcnslrely nlcerated leg healed miracn- looflly. Wonder of kc. Health improved. A call by the Bishop. Went to the Markham Circnit 1854. Traveled to the end of Confer- ence year. Health improved. Sinners brought to God. Freed from wrils. Great Persecution. Well remunerated for labor. CH 4PTEB XXVI.— AnnvlNl Conference 1851. Annual Conference 1852. Annual Conference |853. Annual Conference 1854. Annual CiHiference 1855. CHAPTEB XXVn.— Ajnncal Conference 1856. Appointed to Per- cy and Seymour Circuit, ^v. J. A. Bodgers. Dissatisfaction. Moral courage. Satisfaction restored. Glorious revival. Local preachers worthy of their office. The cholera. Escaped from a snare. CHAPTEB XXVin.—Annual Conference 1857. Betumed to Per- cy Circuit. Bev. J. A. Bogers. A Camp Meeting. Success. Tribu- lation. Triumphant death of William. B«dly hurt. Contact with a doctor. Lying among the pots. CHAPTEB XXIX.— Annual Conference 1858. Appointed to the Pope Circuit. Wm. Snider. A good people. A Camp Meeting. De- votions of Aboriginees. Conversions among the Indians. A glorious levivaL The powerof God. The conversion and triumphant death cf Stephen. CHAPTEB XXX.— Annual Conference 1859; Betumed to Pope CSrcnit. James M. Simpson. A pleasant and prosperous year. Many sools gathered into the fold of Christ. A Baptist preacher.- liOiies his congregation. Baptists become Methodists. A great con- test. Entire victocy. CHAPTEB XXXI.r— Annual Conference 1860. Appointed to Sey- moor Mmlon. £ S Howard. God In onr assemblies. Mission en- laiged. Work for three preachers. John Lewis, Wesleyan Metho- dist. Orangemen. Mr Buck. No preaching In eight years. 14 converted at one assembly. A back settlement. An astonishing cir- cmnatanoe. The game was in. A wonderftil Providence. Tho xe* ligion o€ the Bible the wme now as in the days of 8t Paul, ■ • . V %-i H^ ^ KKfiOLJbCakMMMMWMx \ V, Snman ms to the tod. Ad- K>ld,loiid, impaired. «aged in I miracn- i Bishop, f Gonfer- reedfrom . Great inference Annual Hi to Per. n. Moral preachers dtoPer- Tribn- act with d to the ig. De- glorioua t death Pope year, !her.- it con* ItoSejo ion en. [etho- 14 |ng cf r^ \9 Xf^ CONTENTS. IX CHAPTER XXXII.— Annual Conference 1861. Appointed to Mel- irille Gircoit. A Anderson. One ot the test Camp Meetings I ever Attended. Twelve days and nights in the woods. Revival spread. As it should be. CHAPTER XXXIII.— Annual Conference 1862. Returned to Mel. ▼ille Circuit John Lewis. His service. A Camp Meeting* Gener- al Conference. Our work in Canada. Three Conferences. CHAPTER|XXXIV.— Annual Conference 1863. Superanuated. Homeless. 3 farms. No regret for course taken in the Ministry. A Journey to Whitby. 25 cents in debt No meat in the barrel. No bread in the cupboard. The next meal. Bankrupts. Roguery. Trust in God. Your heavenly father knoweth tuat ye have need of theso things. Providence of God. A half acre. A smalt^ouse. CHAPTERXXXV.— Annual Conference 1864. Relief fund. Dis- appointment Great loss. I B. Evil. A friend that sticketh clos- er than a brother. Shannonville. Melleville. Singing billows. Discouragements. Hardships. A record. Hope of salvation. Cbrist'ii second coming. The Trump of God. The Redeemed in Heaven. Of good works. CHAPTER XXXVI. — Annual Conference. A great bereavement. The 50th anniversary of maniage. Revd's JQ Adums a«id G Sbep- ard. State of family. CHAPTER XXXVII.— Christian communion. The Lord's Sapper* Ministerial Communion. The Apostles. Early Reformers. Calvin. Granmer. Rowland Hill. Owen. Kofr, Usher. Rutherford. Bax- ter. Dead Minister. Dead Sinners. Iron foot of Despotism. The* Church a widow. CHAPTER XXXVIII. — A relation of circumstances and anecdotes not tound in the foregoing chapters. The conclusion. CHAPLER XXXIX.— Acquaintance with E L. A narration. Hi 4 firm belief in the doctrine of saactification. A Camp Meeting, A D 1825. Grert power displayed. Holy life. Godly conversation. Tri- umphant death. CHAPTER XL.— Acquaintance with E W. nmphant death. Entering a sick room. P 0. God. Will he take me to Glory so soon 7 Holy life. TrI. Two years serving ■'...ir •;:« .:t =1*1 '2f.-it-'j^u>^^jLii 4 * ■J ^1 i tii • :■;:« .'. .;? CHAPTEP. I. My father, William Lewis, and mother, Elizabeth Babcock, were born near New York, at that time one of the Colonies of G-reat Britain, it being before the Eevolutionary "War which broke out in the yeai' of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy-four. — At this time my father, being about twenty years okl, Joined the British standard in Mew York, and bore arms in favor of Great Britain. Sometime during the Re- beUion my father and mother w^ere united in matrimo- ny. My father being firmly attached to the British Government, at the close of the war emigTated with ' his family to the wilderness of Ui^per Canada, lie ar- rived at Cataraqui, the place where the city of Kingston now stands, in the Summer of the y>ar of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty-three. Soon after his arrival ui Canada he settled with his family in the township ot Camden East, in the County of Lennox and Addington, twenty-live miles northwest of King- ston, in wliich township he resided, and bore the hard- ships and toils of life wliich attend the settlement of a HOW country, and departed this life in the ninety-iburth *< » *SAA r 12 AUTOBIOORAFHY OF year of his age, I trust in the'hope of a glorious immor- tality. My mother was wedded to my father in the eeventoenth year of her age, and in the 80th year of her age was called to her reward in Heaven. From the above statement it will be seen that my father and mother lived sixty three years together in this lile, and I have no doubt but they will Uvejtogether eternally in Heaven. In the year one thousand seven hundred and nine- ty-three I was bom, on the bank of the Napanee Elv- er, live miles above where the town of Napanee now stands. I believe there was not a town or village in Upper Canada when I was bom, but it was indeed one wide spread and dense wilderness, except here and there a hut, cabin or log house with a Httle cleared around them, or beginning to be cleared. In my ear- ly boyhood there were Bears, "Wolves and Deer in this country in great abundance, and there were Lynx, Wild Cats, Beavers and Foxes in every direction around us ; also, Martins, Mink and "Weasels beyond our cal- culation. In all of our streams of water, such as might be called creeks or rivers, as well as in our bays and lakes there were abundant quantities of fish. Not- withstanding these advantages in this new country, our hardships and privations were many and severe, but I have great reason to thank God that I had christian par- TIUDDfitrs LEWIS. 18 entd ; my father and mother were members of the An* topado or close-communion Baptist Church ; my father held the office of a Deacon in that Church, and was very strict in the way and maimer of bringing up his chil* dren, hence, by the example and precept of my par* ents I obtained a Christian Education. I remember my parents' apparent fervent devotion at the family al- tar, and when but very young how my heart was al* footed on these solemn occasions. Early in my boyhood I felt the drawing emotions, and the enlightening influ- ences of the Holy Spirit on my young heart even be- fore I could fully understand ^*'hat these influences were. I remember that at an early period of my life my mother took great pains to teach me the state of man's innocence when he came forth from the hand of his Creator, the nature, circumstances and consequences of the fall, also redemption by our Lord l^sus Christ and the heinousness of sin, the doctrine of repentance and faith, the necessity of pardon, the nature of the n^w birth, that it was appointed unto all men once to die (consequently I must die) and come to Judgement, the punishment that awaited me if I lived and died m my sins, and the incalculable loss of Heaven. These things, from time to time, were brought to befitr with ponderous weight upon my mind, eapec- 14 AtrroBioaRAPHY op ially when I was alone, or when some sorrowful cir- cumstance would occur, such as the loss of a friend.— I remember when I was about fourteen years of age my oldest sister died. She appeared very happy when dying, and said she was going to be with Jesus in glo- ry. Some of the people that %^itnessed her death said she was gone to Heaven, and when she was let down into that deep gTave I thought I would rather die with her than be parted from her. But just then I was shown by the Holy S]3irit my unfitness for that holy place to which her spirit had taken its (light. I returned home with my friends, feehng sorrowful indeed : 1st Because I should see my sister no more ; ;. and 2nd, because I felt myself to be so great a sinner against G od. At this time I formed a resolution to lead a better life, and I remember that one day 1 went into j the standing Corn to pray, and while on my knees, not li', thinkmg that any one saw me but God, my brother old- :/4 cr than I came stealthily behind me and threw clods ©f clay on my back ; this iiightened me very much and I sprang to my feet and ran to the house ; then 1 thought it useless to try to be a Christian until I grew older and had more courage to endure such things without being- afraid. So I gave up prayuig and in consequence was led to simiing, and became ringleader m mischief; but not without the lashes of a guilty conscience. As I Y^ 'rr;. ' THADDEUS LEWIS. 15 grew on toward manhood the ball room became my favorite place, dbncing and merriment my chief amuse* ment. I remember one morning when returning from the ball room home the spirit of G-od aiTested me, and set my sins in battle array against me ; I arrived at home and went to my bed in great fear ; nor dare I go to sleep lest I should die and awake in Hell. At this time I was brought to promise G-od that I Would engage in his service if he would spare my life, accorduigly with a sad heart and a guilty conscience I tried to pray and break oft from my sins. But all my young associates, male and female, were going on in their follies and pastimes, and I dare not let anybody laiow the state of my mind, for up to that time of my life I had not known any young unmarried person that made a profession of religion* The enemy of my soul brought all these things up before me, and my resolu- tion to serve God, being made in my own strength, be* came enfeebled, and as I had not obtained pardon and peace through our Lord Jesus Christ, I had no enjoy- ment in that state ; I broke the promise I had made to the blessed God and postponed the day in which I would engage in his service, and then my first ap- proaches to sin were with shame and confusion. But I joined my young componions in their glee and mer- riment, and I soon found myself rmining with the gid- -.i^vftL. i i»i ^ w» w i i wwwi^ir»» iiii jiuM i i ^ ,«m, i i i | i u i n WWIIIWWWI|ll H| ll ll| l» » > 16 AUTOBIOORAPHT OF dy multitade in almost every speoies of wickednesSi and in a great degree against light and knowledge, for God by his Holy Spirit followed vie from time to time, which often caused my conscience to roar against me, and caused me to think of the awful consequences ,of living and dying in sin. I was assured in my mind that if I lived and died unpardoned, and unrenewed by the Holy Ghost, I must bid a final farewell to all the joys of Heaven and there Would be an eternal separation between me and my parents. Under these considerations I was brought at different times to promise God that if he would spare my life to such or such a time, yet in the future, I would set out in the way of religion and truth, and serve Inm the remainder of my life. And when these set times would come I was no more ready than before, and so I would set another time. Oh ! the unspeakable goodness and mercy of God, as exercised in my behalf, had I the tongue of an Angel or the pen of a ready writer, and should I conmience now and with every fleetmg breath use every possibld exertion, my tongue and pen must &]1 to express the unspeakable goodness of Gh>d to unworthy me. Bat glory be to God and the Lamb forehrer, I am out of Hell. Hallelujah ! I am not now soJEering the veo^ goance of eternal fire which I so justly deserved ^ . I TH1DDEU8 LEWIS. 17 CHAPTER IL In the nineteenth year of my age I enlisted for a sol- dier in the Glengary regiment of Fencibles, in the Brit- ish service, this being the twelvth day of March, in the year of our Lord 1812, in which year the United States of America proclaimed War with His Britannic Maj- esty, G-eorge the 3rd. When I enlisted I had not the slightest knowledge of the War which so soon commenced. Now I was brought to experience new things, and pass through scenes which I never dreamed of. As there was a great number of recruits enlisted in the neighborhoods abjacent to Kingston, we wore gathered to that post first, and as soon as sailing was practicable on Lake On- tario, there being a lack of sailors, I, with fifteen more of my fellow-recruits, was put on board a ship of War as marines, for an expedition to Fort George at the mouth oi the Niagara River. Nothing worth inserting occurred on this voyage, only the merciful handof G-od as in time past was still over me, and we safely return- ed to Kin jjpston. w& 18 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF Soon after our return the body of recruits at King- ston, and elsewhere in the Province of Upper Canada received orders to march to a place called Three llivers, a distance of about three hundred miles from Kingston. But before we marched I took the measles, and now^ I l^assqi). through a severe calamity, for the ravages of that cruel disorder seized me in every part of my sys- tem, that was subject thereto, and what added to my suffering was that the -most of my fellows marched aw^ay, leaving me and a few more of my fellows that were in like circumstances with me, and we had very lit- tle attendance, and I and some others could not get a place in the hospi+al, it being so crowded with the sick. Now I was brought to think upon my past life, but blessed be the Lord, He was merciful and gracious to me and did not cut me off* at this time, but restored me to a state of good health. About the first of May of the same year, w^e hanng recovered from the measles, were ordered on board of batteaux, and w^e rolled down the River St Lawrence, to Three Kivers, in Lower Canada, where we joined the regiment, after a safe arrival, by means of a T^vell direc- ted Providence over us. But Ah ! what a wretch was I, that I could be the racipient of the goodness and mercy of Grod ; and not one expression of gratitude to Him proceeded from my •heart or tongue. . ^ ^uii.^v^i^ THADDEUS LEWIS. 19 " Now I was brought again lo experience something new to me, we were immediately put to drill and gar* rison duty, and these things proved too hard for such a constitution as mine, and I soon fell sick with a fever, and was carried to the Hospital, where I lay in much distress of both body and mind, for the space of about one month, this was a thinking time for me, and I took a retrospective view of much of my past Hie. O, how clearly did I call to mind the benefit of my Father's house ; also the care and kindness of a livmg and ten- der mother, and the instruction I received in the time of my childhood and youth, this brought me again to see my wretched condition before God, as a sinner ; I saw too his amazing goodness and mercy in that he had not cut me ofi', and hurried my poor soul down the steeps of irremediable woe. Then I made a promise to lead a better life, and the good Lord in mercy raised me from a bed of languish- ing once more, and I soon became so strong that I re- turned to duty as a soldier. Being now in health and among my fellow soldiers, none of whom made a profession of religion, I soon found myself running with them to the same excess of wickedness as before. , . ,J 10 i. -CT- ' 0,how did that blood that speaketh better things jUiau the blood of Abel speak in my behalf. Truly I 20 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF have experienced that God does not delight in the deatji oi the sinner, but rathor that he would rr >nt and Uve. In the beginning of Autumn of the same year 1812, we marched to Quebec, and altcfut two months after we arrived in that city, we were again ordered to march to Upper Canada. This was a matter of joy to me because I anticipated the happiness of seeing my parents once more, together with ihe resi oi uiy dear and loving friends. But this march dealt destruction and death to many of our fellow soldiers. For we set out with a great num- ber of batteaux laden very heavy with ordinance stores and we had with us two gun boats. The River St Lawrence being very rapid we were obli^rod to march sometimes from morning till night in the river, and a great share of the time we were wet to the loins, (like ais stated by the Prophet Ezekiel) drawing the heavy laden boats against the stream. "We began this march in the month of November and arrived at Prescott in the first part of December, and from this the reader will understand that the water was very cold, as well ap tlu r. rather. We took our winter quarters at Prescott, and in the process of that winter we buried twenty-four of tlie front rank of the right flank company to which ^ beo longed, all of whom died of sickness, and no douot in sici wh str{ owl THjlDDEUS LEWIS. ' 21 consequence o&that march ^and the hardflhips connected therewith. I too was brought very low and weak by a severe sickness, and although I was carried to an old log house which they called the Hospital where I had only soma straw thrown down for mo to lay on, and only my own blanket to cover me, notwithstanding all this it pleased God in his mercy and goodness toprecsorve my life and to restore me so that I was permitted to return to my quarters as a convalescent. About this time my father heard of our arrival at Prescott ; and came about eighty miles distance from home to pay us a visit, this was a matter of great con- solation to me, I was not fit for duty but remained a convalescent till in the month of January 1813 at which time my father came to visit us again and brought my mother along wich him, and in consequence of my not being able to do any duty, I obtained leave by furi lough to go home with them. ! what an amazing providence was here spread around me, for I do believe that the Lord here inter- fered in my behalf. . Had I have stayed there in that state of weakness^ to which I was reduced, taking into account the nour- ishment and care that a soldier receives in such cases, it is not probable that I could have long existed in 22 * AUTOBIOORAPHY OF mortal life, and had I have died then, I fiould not hare expected anything but eternal banishment from the presence of G-od, but mercy prevailed ni my behalf. Grlory be to Grod most High. I returned agreeable to the limit of my furlough, and joined my company again at Prescott about the lirst of February, and was restored to such health and strength that I immediately went to my duty as a soldier once more. On the twenty-second day of the same month, w^e were ordered to cross the river St Lawrence on the ice and to attack the enemies fort at Ogdensburgh, by storm. We undertook the expedition very early in the morn- ing and a horrid scene w^as before me. 1^ do not feel adequate to discribe in full the particulars connected therewith, but the battle joined hard iipon us, they being, as was afterw^ards understood three to one. Here were my fellow^s falling on my right and on my left, some dead and some w^ounded. Just before we reached the shore on the enemies side of the river, I received a shot a little below my ancle joint, w^hich brought me down on the ice. We were ordered to charge a battery with eleven great guns mounted on it, from w^hich they were deal- ing out destruction and death to as, and we were at the charge when I fell, and whUe ou,r troops were THADDEUS LEWIS. * 2-5 furiously engai^ed in charging them from the battery, five or six rifle men run out from behind a large stone building and took me prisoner and they took my rifle from me but left my accoutrements on me, and they put me into a large stone building which they nsed for a barracks where their wounded were, two Doctors were there and some women, mean time v'>ur troops had taken possession of, and manned their batteries, and in a short time there came a flag of truce from the Bri- tish Commandent informing the IT. S. Commandant he must give up the fort wath all its contents without delay, or he would put every man to the point of the bayonet. He replied that he could not (this I heard) give up the fort without more lighting. The British truce having left, the U. S. Commandent ordered his troops to make their way to a given point, ten miles ofl' and not one to wait for another, and wait there till further orders. - The enemy at this appeared to be in a state of great confusion some ran into the buildins: w-here I was to get their knapsacks,and by this means left some beauti- ful rifles and I took possession of one of them. No sooner than the mteUigence reached the British Commandant, that there must be more lighting before the Yankees would surrender, he ordered the Bri- tish forces to load, and fire from every Battery, and 24 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF erery gun that was manageable, and direct their fire to that spot where we were and in less than ten min- utes I was apparently in greater danger than ever before, for according to orders our troops leyeled all the artillery in the Town, and from the Batteries on that spot where I was balls and shot, of all discrip- tion, from sixty four pounds down, chain shot.grape and canister, came pouring in upon us, sweeping the street and shattering the buildings to pieces, and this fearful scene lasted about fifteen minutes. In the time of the firing I had taken my stand in the Barrack room door supporting myself with one h*and against the door post, and the other hand seized around the muzzle of the rifle, with the brick on the threshold J and as soon as the firing ceased, the staff" adjutant came down on the double quick march leading the division under his command, and seeing me in British uniform and having an instrument of war in my hand which belonged to the enemy, he supposed 1 had been fight- ting against the British, therefore he without any hesitation or inquiry, as soon as he got near enough seized me by the belts of my accoutrements where they crossed my breast, with his left hand and was that instant about to pierce my body with the sword he had in his right hand, but Grod in his providence delivered me by the only man m that di\dsion that knew me, who Btood next to him caught his arm 3ries on THADDEUS LEWIS. 25 that instant in which he held the sword and stopped its force before it penetrated my body, and yet he tried agani and again, to thrust the sword through me and at different times struck my body but my friend steady to his purpose kept a firm grip of the Adjutant arm until he drew my assailant and me out near the middle of the street, at last my firiend cried out " my Grod will you kiUthe Colonel's Orderly." and immediate. ly on hearing this he let me go. I was already very weak with the loss of blood. Thus the Lord dehvered me from death temporal and eternal, at this time, G-lory be to Grod for his boundless mercy, at that time I saw the interfer- ence of Almighty God in my behalf, and while think- ing of my wonderful diUverance I was laid on a can- non carriage on the top of several dead men and taken across the river again to our own side, and from thence to the Hospital. | Here I had thinking time, I pondered with awful and yet pleasmg deUght on the goodness and mercy of God in spreading a kind shield over me in the hour of the greatest danger, and I thought too of my base ingrati- tude to God, and my continued disobedience to His commands, and the more I thought, the more terrible my former sins appeared unto me and considering the many dangers that God had delivered me from, and especially the one I had last escaped, I waa filled with ■^lC>..*. t JUt-aM>» 26 AUTOBIOQEAPHY OF astonishment at the amazing mercy and goodness of God, in sparing such a wretch as I, when in justice he might have cut me ofi* long before, and appointed my portion where hope could never come. Indeed it seemed as if God by the Holy Ghost conversed with me by night and day. "When I was awake the ter- rors of the Law were pronounced agamst me. Now I promised the Lord to change my course of life, to ] )Teak oft' from sin by righteousness. I wrote a ioi tor at this time to my parents informing them of my deliverence irbm so great danger, and also of my resolution to serve the Lord and while I wrote I wept much, and in my imagination I roamed back to the place where my tender heart had received its earliest instruction. Twenty days after the engagement the ball that I had received was extracted from my flesh, it lay in very deep. Under this operation I suflered much, notwithstanding in a few days I was dismissed from the Hospital and returned to my company as a con- valesant. I still felt resolved that I would not run into wicked- ness again, that I would shun such company as would lead me astray. But alas! when I returned to my old companions again, they set upon me to amuse them with smging of songs, which I refused to do, but the enemy of my §oul l?dd ^ snare for me, \yhen they saw THADDEUS LEWI3. 27 that I was serious minded they plead with me only to sing one civil song, and they would ask no more* adding that it would be no more than civil conversa- tion, I compHed with their request, and no sooner than I had finished the song than they turned their argu- ment and told me that it was of no use to try to be sarious there, and my conscience smote me for what I had done, to give them an ascendency over me, I lost my confidence before God and man, and I concluded it was of no use to try to be a Christian w^hile I was a soldier, for the devil told me it was impossible to be a christian there. At this time and under these circumstances it is im- possible for me to describe the feehngs of my heart, to give latitude to do enl as I had done, I dare not, without having something done, and what that something was I did not know. However in this disordered state of mind ; neither communion with God, nor fellowship with man, I came to the conclusion to promise God, that if He would spare my life until I was discharged, I would spend the rest of my days in his service and no sooner had 1 done this than the spirit of God left me to myself, and away I went again in sin and re belHon against that God that had given me deUverence in the most critical hour of danger. 28 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF Oh ! the awful state of man by nature and alas ! dread- ful was my own state at that time ; for had the almighty have cut the brittle thread of my hfe, and thundered me down to hail those infernal spirits that are now rattling their chains in black sst night, I must have owned the sentence just. But how amazingly was the mercy, goodness and long suffering of the blessed G-od manifested toward me. what is this that strikes my sense while 1 write these things. No wonder the redeemed sing a new song in Heaven, saymg, " great and marvelous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways Thou King of Saints, who shall not fear thee Lord and glorify thy name." Rev. xv. Chap. 3, 4, verse. My con\'ictions having left me I tliink I ran more greedily into sin than I had ever done before. 4i»r^ THADDEUS LEWIS* 29 CHAPTER in. In the month of May 1813, we with the rest of His Majesty's Forces in Canada were ordered to take the field ; and encamp against the enemy. "We marched to Kingston and from thence to the seat of war where our grand army lay at the cross road, about two miles distance from Fort G-eorge, which Fort was then occu- pied by the enemy who had taken it from the British a few days previous to our arrival at that place. , *, V/e had suffered much on this long, and te marchj'from Prescott to Queenston Heights, a chance of more than 300 miles,'^© travelled on foot" cteying our ar^s, accoutrements and ammunition, together with (^ur great coat, blanket, and knapsack two can teens foiid oiie havresack, with our prov^gions and kett., the roads narrbwand muddy, and part of the way no road, but through wilderness, and on that march we were three days in succession, without any provisions. Our constitutions being over-taxed with fatigue some of our fellows fell sick, and I was among the numbei? of them, and having being examined by the Doctor, 4 80 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF tvas thought best to send us to the rear to a place cal- led Burlington Bay at the head of lake Ontario, about forty three miles in rear of the grand army. "When we came to take up our quarters at this place we were astonished; for we were sent there as a place, of clemency and safety ; and on the contrary found the floor of our hospital to consist only of the cold ground and its roof to be the canopy of heaven. Weary and sick as we were there was no other alternative than to work, and make us huts of bushes in which situation I suffered much. The ague, and fever seemingly to the extent Oi its ravages, settled upon me. After I had lain in the bush house with this dis- ease for more than a month, and had became very weak, and without the aid of a physician or any at- tendance although I was a sinner against Grod yet he remembered me in mercy. The officer that had the charge of us^ himself being very ill at this time, hearing of my situation ordered that I should be taken to Ancaster to an Hospital, or if I could get a place in some farmer's house on the way I might with his consent be quartered there the latter of which I chose, and which Providence also gave me to enjoy. About one mile from the camp a man and his wife living near the road, readily and with apparent affec- ioH) accepted me into thdr house, here I found sucb^ THADDKUS LEWIS. ai Hospitality and tender care as I had never found since I left my Father's house, and my sincere, and' earnest Prayer is tha. orod will reward them. In about three weeks after I came to live ysdth this hospitable family, the disease left me and having suitable* nourishment, and i:)roper care, I gained strength very fast. I will just remark here that through all this scene of sickness, my mind seemed calloused to all spiritual things. I thought but little about the state that my soul would be in should I drop into eternity. The comfort and care, afforded me in the kind family above spoken of did not be of long contmuence ; my health was restored, and I was ordered to duty again. There was stiU greater affliction awaiting me, for when the weather began to grow cold, so as to cause the armies to make their retreat from the field to winter quarters, we had to experience a voyage in batteaux. on the open lake to Little York, no^vvr Toronto and from thence to Kingston, where we took up our winter quarters. We arrived there about the middle of December in the year of our Lord 1813 now I was about thirty miles from my father's house, and I had a great desire to see my friends once more, and especially my parents accordingly I obtained a furlough limited tp five dayS) this was on the last day of Pecembor, of 82 AUTOBIOORAPHY OF the last mentioned year, but the suffering that I "Was about to pass through was hid from my eyes. When my pass was signed I was in good health, as far as I kjiew, but in ten minutes after I was taken so ill that I coiiid scarcely stand on my feet. But being anxious to go home I pursued my journey and in the distance of the first half mile I do beUeve that I fell down forty times, so rapid was my whole system disordered, there I got an opportunity to be taken with a sleigh five miles on my way, and there I was taken into a house in an insensible state, and in that state remained until tlie second day of January^ A. D. 1814, which was one day and two nights. On the second day of January my reason returned for a short time in which time, I gave the men of the house to tvnderstand who I was and where I wish- ed to go, and requested him to embrace the first oppor- tunity to send me on about eight miles further towards home to a Mr. C's, which he accomplished that day. Here at Mr. C's, I met with great sympathy, ten- derness, care and hospitality. The next morning a sleigh was prepared with beds, pillows, blankets and sheets, in which I was tenderly laid, and brought home to my father's that day. On the third day of January I was carried into my UPAD^ETi LEWIS. 33 father's house in a ae of i sentdl ity one asi. ijdess as an infant, although my mother ister$> .nd fuMids were attending me constantly, yet had m any know- ledge thereof, for several days. In this situation, under the ravages of the typhus fever I lay twenty-two days, at which time the fever turned I began to recover, but was not able to leave my bed long at a time, until about the middle of March. While I lay sick as stated above, the Captain of the company to which I belonged had made repeated threats to send the soldiers after me. For this reason I was obliged to leave my father's house and my mother's care, w^hen I was only able to stand the journey lying in a bed ; this was a severe trial for a tender mother ; and also for me it was cruel and severe, in the state of weakness I was in, "When we arrived at Kingston I was carried into Block-house No. 3, my father and mother, having performed their duty toward me, they returned home ; leaving me in one sense in the hands of the hardened, and merciless ; yet, no doubt, not without recommend- ing me to the protection of Almighty God. My parents being gone, I was immediately ser', the general hospital, and I had but very little jcpecta- tion of ever coming out from there, until ae flame of mortal life should be extinct. But t^lory be to ^ living and true God, " for his ;^^rcy enduretjj^;^. ever," he strengthened me ^^^-^in body Mja:-i in. >i": :.';t:J i.JiiJJ? l-i.^^ I!'*' ,f /;:r't ■,"r! 38 ^UTOBIOOBAPHT 07 \ . I CHAPTER IV. Now being at liberty from the army, I returned home and embraced my friends with great joy. In a short time after I was discharged the Lord ar- rested me once more and brought to my recollection the promises I had made at Prescott, which were, if God would spare my life until I would be discharged from the army I would serve him the remainder of my life. This promise rolled on my mind with great weight and sometimes I was like king Agrippa " almost per- suaded to be a christian," at other times the enemy of my soul would suggest that my young companions would hold me in derision and shun my company, and then I would be as a special bird in the forest. But had I have known what it was to be justified by faith, the sanctifying of the holy ghost, all these suggestions of the devil I think would not have hinder- ed me from that enjoyment. Another consideration arose iu my mind which was that in a short time I intended to be married to the per sou before-spoken of, and until that should take place I THJLDDEI7«t LEWIS. 89 ^uld not think of becoming so singular, I therefore promised; yea, I made a solemn vow to the most High God that if he would spare my lite, and suffer me to marry the weman on whom my affections were placed, then against every opposition I \rould devote the rest of my days to his service. ! the unspeakable goodness of the blessed God as truly manifested in my case, for the Lord did spare my life, while in one sense I was wilfully sinning against him. On the 24th day of July, 1815, 1 was married. But four days previous to the wedding I was going to visit my intended wife ; as I was riding through a piece of woods it^appeaxed to me as if I was overawed by some ^supernatural power or spirit, and the thought struck my mind that the condition in the last promise that I had made to God, on his part, in all probabihty would shortly be fulfilled. I paused for a moment, absorbed in thought; the long-suffering and mercy of God, as manifested in my life, appeared before me in a moment of time, I stopped my horse on that spot and took a ret- rospective view of my past life, and I discovered the goodness and mercy of God in sparing me while in dis- obedience io his commands, I saw plainly that he had ifipread A shield over me in times of imminent dang^« ' Bhry he to God, he had preserved my life in the field 40 AUTOBIOGBAPHY OF of blood and carnage, and thereby saved me from eter- nal damnation. The instruction I had received in the days of my youth pressed upon my mind, the many times that God's spirit had striven with me, and also the many vows I had made to him, and had broken them all, except the last vow I had made, and it remained whether I would pay that vow or no. What was now to be done, was the all absorbing thought; I was indeed unwilling to break the sacred vow, for at that very mo- ment I was deeply impressed in mind that if I should at this time reject the call of my long off'ended Lord and gracious benefactor, the door of mercy would be forev- er closed against me. Notwithstanding all these views which ought to have been sufficient to have driven out every objection to my giving myself to God, without reserve, yet one objection arose which made its way to my heart, viz ; my intended wife at this time had no knowledge of the religion of our Lord Jesus Chnb< ; as yet none of her family had ever made a profession of religion. The adversary threw this before me to pre- vent me from resolving on the spot that I wouJd fulfil- the vow I had made to God last of all. But glory be to God Most High, he gave strength while I yet remain- ed on that spot to resist the tempter, and to make th(3 full resolve once for all, and I resolved then and there that I would make known my determination to my in- I % : THADDEUS LEWIS. 41 tended wife that very night, which accordingly I did and, bless the Lord, it met her approbation.-' '* " • I had practised, and was then in the habit of pro- fane swearing, even in the most trifling conversation, and the words that compose the 8rd Commandment, " Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that fcaketh his name in vain." cut their way to my heart, and I made the resolve if Grod would assist me, I would break off from that God provoking and soul destroying habit ; and, blessed be the Lord, from that very hour I do not remember that ever one word of profane language was utterered by my voice. The day arrived when the nuptials were to be sol- emnized, and accordingly were p(jrformed to the satis- faction of all parties concerned therein. ! what a wonder of mercy, what long-suffering, what loving- kindness and forbearance had been exercised and man- ifested in my behalf, and that too when by the demerit of my crimes I was calling for vengeance to i'all upon me. Glory be to God, hitherto mercy hath prevailed in my bex alf. Truly his well directed providence has been over me in the slippery paths of youth, and when I came to riper years he did not leave me, even in the field of blood and carnage he was my defence, and gt^ve me deliverance from the sword of the enemy. n^ m :): 42 JlUTobioorapht of ** Bless the Lord, my soul, and all that is within me praise his holy name.,' :'* ; . ;.; j «; ; /?; When I survey my life that^s past, ^ ' And see how it has run to waste ; j::.i What hand is this my soul doth say, That spared me till the present day. In answer to this question, Though not so easy of digestion ; I hear the God of mercy say, Its me, that spared you till to-day. Bless the lord 0, my soul, and all that is within me, praise His Holy name. ill h'ni'i; ■ I i .' ■ ;•.: jjf ; • - K .' ■'• \ '-n ; ' ; i >■" / • > ^iM'^i i I. '■pa ; t'?^*^5 i THADDETJS LEWIS. 43 ime 'iU- ),i-,i * CHAPTER V. me. I now settled with riy youthfulcompanion on a small farm which my father gave me, and I found myself un der circumstances very different from those of a few months before. I thought myself in very pleas'iig cir- cumstances with respect to temporal matters, I breath- ed the air of freedom, in one sense, yet I experienced daily that I was not free from my sins. Conviction rolled heavily upon me ; I viewed my condition as a sinner against G-od, and repented that ever I had sinned against him, and especially because I had rejected the Holy Spirit that had followed me, reproving of sin, of righteousness and of a judgement to come. And when I called to mind the many promises I had made that I would break off from my sins and sers^e the Lord, I was brought almost to beUeve that it was impossible for a G-od of justice to have mercy on such a wretch as I saw myself to be. . : ., f... ■ Thoughts of the above kind caused me many a grevious hour, I mourned, as it were like a dove, tmd chattered like a sparrow. I looked abroad into the 15 44 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF world as far as I understood it, among all the objects that struck my sight, I could not find any that could ease me from the intolerable burden that lay upon my heart. ! no, for I was still under condemnation, un- converted, unforgiven, and had but very little expecta- tion of finding mercy, sometimes, I hardly dare get on my knees, before the Lord, to ask his forgiveness, for my multipiled transgressions arose like mountains between me and the Holy God. Then 1 went about to keep the law, but th3 nearer I approached the holy mount, the more it poured its curses on my soul and by it was all my filthiness made manifest, I was brought to see clearly my inability to do anything that would merit salvation for me. The latter part of the summer and the fore part of autum passed away in this manner, at times my con- viction was not so severe as at other times, yet I can say in truth that from the time that I resolved (on the 20thof July as above stated) to forsake my sins, God preserved me from the least desire of returning to them agam. In the latter part of autumn, I went ro work by the day, where I got great wages, but this could not give me comfort nor ease my troubled heart, ! no, for at different times I have left my home on Monday morn- ing with the impression on my mind that I should not return again dive. i>lV. THADDKUS LEWIS. 45 ! who can point or describe the stings of a guilty conscience, you that have felt it can say with me my tongue must fail to describe it, and my pen cannot give others an understanding thereof. " A wounded spirit, who can bear." In the follow- ing winter, A. D. 1816 I went with a particular friend of mine, about fifteen miles from home and took a job to get out timber for a steam boat, where we worked the greatest part of the winter, and made great wages, but the man proved roguish and cheated us out of part of our pay. Through the course of that winter my convictions, in some degree, wore away, but not so much so but that I feared to sin, and was determined never to prac- tice it again. In the same winter I had received a giant for one hundred acres of land, which lay in an excellent part of the country, about s^xty-five miles from where I then lived, and this land w^as subject to settling duties, and accordingly I removed with my family iji the month of May, A. D. 1816, to the land, and was well pleased with it. Now we had a prospect of domg weU, in temp- oral things, for I drew a years provisions, and a full im- plement of husbandry ; also, nails, glass, putty, hinges, locks &c., to build with, and it was not far distant to the King's store, where I received them. But, alas ! all this could not give me comfort, so long as I was desti- 46 AUTOBIOORAPHT OT tate of the pardoning love of God. About this timer my leg, in*o which the fever fell, of which I have spo* ken before, broke out and became a running sore, and my convictions becoming more intense, my pathway was shadowed over with gloom and darkness, and my heart filled with bitter grief. I wept and prayed fre* quently, by day and night, but I did not experience that faith which would bring the desired blessing. On the contrary, my imbelief and almost despair was the cause of the blessing being delayed. How true it is " without faith it is impossible to please GrodL" Here I will explain : there was a spiritual dearth in Canada at this time. Prior to the war, from the year A, D. 1791,. missionaries were sent to Canada, from ^e New York Conference of the M. E. Church, who had labored with a good degree of success from year to* year, down to A. D. 1812, in which year the war commenced. In the month of July of that year the war was proclaimed by the U. S. A. pgainst Great Britain, and at this time all the preachers, in common with others in Canada, were- required by the Canadian authorities to take the Oath of Allegiance. Accordingly many who were not of British extraction went back to tiieif own country, leaving their flocks and fields of labor behind them. Consequently, there wa» very little said, or done, of * i a religious character, from that time, to> the year A. D. THIDDETTS LKWIS. 4T 1816 at which time the preachers from the aforesaid Conference, resumed their labonrs again in Cait^da. ' Those who professed religioii before the war, had drank in the war spirit and the spirit of the God of peace had in a great measure if not altogether, departed from them. From the reasons found in my explanation above, the reader can readily discover, that I had not the bene- fit of the means of grace or of religious Council, save what I received from the written word of God, and the ever blessed spirit. In the autumn of A. D. 1816, a man by the name of Nathaniel Keader, was sent to Hallowell Circuit, and came to preach at W» M*» about five miles distant fiom where I lived. At that time I was sometimes hoping to find pardon, and sometimes driven nearly into entire despair. In the latter condition of mind I was when the news reached me, that there would be preaching at two o'clock that day at the place aloresaid. It was then about one o'clock, and no sooner did the news reach me than I hastened to the place, as a hun- gry man would hasten to his meal. I listened to the sermon with attention, but it only served as a mirror^ in which I could see more clearly my condition, as an unpardoned siimer. The congregation being dismis- sed, the preacher announced a class meeting for all the serious minded. I had never beeu in a class meeting, 4ft AUTOBIOGKAPHY 07 and I had heard much said against such meetings, and those who attended them, however, as soon as the an- nouncement was made (though with trembling) I de* tjrmined to stay with the preacher and people who re- mained ibr class, whatever the consequences might be. There were but very few that remained for class, but who can describe my feelings, when the door was closed, and the exercises began, 1 sat trembling like a leaf in the wind, while two or three were speaking the state of their minds, and then the preacher came to me, and asked me the state of my mind, others had risen to their feet when they spoke. But I trembled to that degree that I did not attempt to stand up, I told as best I could that I was a repenting sinner, and had de- t jrmined to sin against Grod no more and had wept,Jand prayed often, by day and night, for more than a year, my guilt lay upon me I had not obtained pardon, I added that I felt myself a sinner and was almost led to believe that I had sinned away the day of grace and consequently there was no mercy for me. He replied I will tell you why you have not obtained pardon, answer me one question. Did you ever get on your knees to pray, and believe that God would pardon you t'ww, for the sake of Christ. I paused a moment, and I answered no. for I knew I never had done so. He replied this is no doubt the roason you are not pardoned. i, and 3 an- Ide* 10 re- it be. s, but was ike a ? the risen >that •Id as d de- mand year, on, I ed to and plied don, jrour you id I He ned. numVOB UTRTIB. 49 Ton migfat have rooeiv^d liie bl««iing oC ptrdon the fizat time yon cried tc Qod in niwerity for mercy if yoa had exercised fiuth in Christ for the blessing then. He added, do not donbt the mercy of Gk>d, resolve now to pray and never cease nntil you receive the evidence that you are a child of God. Have faith in Christ, cast yoursell wholly on his merits and you will hi created anew in Christ Jesus, you will be made to rejoice in hope of the Glory of God. His instruction found a lodgement in my heart, he seemed as if inspired by the Holy Ghost. I resolved and acted according to the instruction given me and glory be to God, that night my soul was set at perfect liberty. I was enabled to cast my faith, believ- ing that God would give me the pardon then, and ac- cording to my faith it was done. While I was crying to God for deliverance from the burden of my guilt, the life giving word was spoken to my heart, my sorrow was turned into joy, yea, into exstacy of joy. I cried glory to God in the highest, I sprang to my leet, and bounded like a hart, the Son had made me free, and surely I was free mdeed. I did not sleep that night, for I spent the fbrst part of the night in agonizing prayer, and the latter part in shouting and praising God with a loud voice and this was the happiest morning that had ever broken upon me.^ A. 50 AUTOBIOOEAPHt OP Now I was shown tiiat it was my dtity to have ftni- ily pitayer which notwiihstanding all my weakness, and ignorance, I commenced doing that yery moming, G-lory be to Qx)d, I had a clear evidence of my aooep* tance with him. ; liS , ' " Jesus all the day long, (■" • , # Was my joy and my song ; i » ' . 01 that all, his salvation might see, > . He hath loved me I cried ; He hath suffered and died, To redeem such a rebel as me." For many days I went on without sorrow, or temp- tation, " not a cloud did arise, to darken my skies, or hide for one hour my lord from my eyes.' :■ ■m:>^ .) .'. mM- . j^y and mp- , or 51 THADDBVS LEWIS' Vulil .•:.:.!': 'I -^ ! } .h ■!.-. f V/ivviO v:t /;■:•• • ;:j '.^ '-<:m s.i irjc : ; :i" > "Vf"- t'l. CHAPTER YI. I 1:1' W In those days of joy and happiness, it appeared to me that I would never have any more sorrow or trou- ble, but in this I was mistaken, for one day I had been from home on bu£d:^ess, on my return my mind having been drawn away from spiritual things, and engrossed with things of the world, so when T came to myself as it were and found that moment I didnot feel such a floVC^ of love and joy as I had done, immediately the enemy came and confronted me at once, and tried to make me beheve that I never was converted, that all that I had taken for rehgion was a matter of imagination. But altliougb " he came in like a ilood the Lord raised up a standard against him," I was enabled by the help of the Lord to resist the devil and he fled from me, many portions of scripture were brought to my mindm quick succession, to comfort and strengthen my faith, and I became very happy. I knew that I had receiv- ed Christ Jesus the Lord by faith, and now I began to see that I must walk by faith if I "vi^ould walk m him, I must fight it if I would reign, T must watch ! i 52 AVlpmoQJ^snY ov . and pray, leit I shuqUi enter iato temptation, and bles- sed be Qod I returned home happy in him, being 110- sared that I was acoepted of Him. From the time of my conversion I had ^ strong, and increasing desire ior the salvation of sinners, and it was not long until I was pressed with thoughts and feelings that I must preach the gospel, and these impressions led me into very great trials and conflicts of n[und. I strove and prayed to get rid of such thought^ as I could not see any fitness in me for so important a work, and I reasoned thus, God is all wise, and he, knows I have no ability for the work of preaching the gospel, these leehngs therefore cannot cor^e firom so good a beii^, he would not mock me, ar > tried to believe it was a temptation of the devil, and with this I tried to content myself but all in vain I could not shake the idea from my mind. The more I strove to stifle these convictions, the more heavfly they bore ux)on me, by night and by day. One night I dreamed I was in a boat, with others passing down a river, and when we came to the land- ing place there was a beautiful grove on the shore and in the grove a great concourse of people young and old, male and female, and as I stepped on the shore, a bean- tifol looking man met me and gave me a bible, and with au impressive voice told me I must preach tc that idble«- ^ingae- ig, and I it was eelings essions nd. I tb, as I rtauta nd bB GLg the 3 from tried with could strove ^ bore others land- re and id old, beau- e, and c thai BSf^mbl j, I teplied, t am not a jpteacher, sir, vni cannoi preach. He said you must preach. He then left me, and I saw him no more. When he was gone, I felt that his command must be obeyed and here in my sleep I preached my first sermon, so far as till my wife awoke me ; after I was awake it seemed like a reality, bnt it was a dream notwithstanding there was some reabty in it for I was very happy from a sense of the love of Q-od being shed abroad in my heart. Although I had not told any body that I had such exercises of mind it was not long until I was called upon to officiate at a frmeral, and at this HanB I had a severe struggle with the enemy, for although I felt that it was my duty to say something to the i>eople to lead them to Christ yet I did not attempt to do it, the enemy helped me to raise my old objection, vit : my unfitness for so great a work, however I was so pressed in spirit that I must do something, thereloTe to quiet my conscience, to still Qm storm that was rag^ ing in my bosom, I tried to pray ii^ith the people, and read the funeral service at the grave. However I felt thfilashesofa guilty conscienot afterwatds, fcir tay deriliction of duty . A httle more ttian two yiatt jtimi ^ij bdbre I g€Vo up tatf objeetions to mj pnmMag, idflioiigll I \ \ 64 AUTOBIOOBAPHY QF had maSiy plain evidence? that I was diyinely called toa,.orkmthemii>istry. . . .,.' ,- - ,„, In the year A. D. 1819 I removed with my family to thQ .Township of Camden East, within the bounds of ihe Qujinte Circuit, and at this time the Rev. Isaac Puffer, that man of precious memory, was appointed to travel that circuit and preached in my house, and the work of ihe Lord broke out among the people, convictions were multiplied and a goodly number were hopefully converted and joined iiA class, and I was selected for. leader, I declined and objected, but in vain. I was appointed, and I bless God that I was so appointed, for I was shown the great responsibility attached to that officej rand it caused me to perform my duty, such as secret, /. ■ nr-j ;»**•■-! *•■■' , 'Ml,; •:'a <■. 1. ■:■■'*.'■' .t:ui .j;-! ^u'.'il i": it OKI >'■• • ■' .' "■■ .5>':; .: •:. ::i «i l^iui,'*^ ■ i.'.!'. r y li\'.) i^ii :■ < .VHt'-'fJ (fiii ufihl'^ii' '■; ni -nvl (U'>^ "IT- ffix io.iJt>d won I mm \ \ 56 AIITOBIOCnAMt OF ^7i . CHAPTER VII. Now it appears to me that the Lord detemuned to bring me to my duty in the mmistry, and to show me how great things I should suffer for His name. Accordingly one morning I sat down a small kettle of hot water by the door^ inside of the house, and be- fore 1 had gone five steps from it, my dear little Mary who \V9S 2 years and 5 months old, fell with her little bottom into the kettle, and it caused her death in less than twenty-four hours. The moment I heard her shriek I knew that it was for my disobedience, and it seemed to me as if God spoke to me from hearen, and said 2 will afflict you unto death unless you preach the Goeqpel. This was a double afflictiim, I was bereaved of my dear little daughter, and it seemed to me that by my disobedience I had as it were compelled the good Lord to take her fr<»n me. I now betook myself to my duty in preadung thill gospel again, although there was a greTioUi obstacle in the way the Lord remored it out of the way, and ItyrererGtlorybdtohisHolyiuuau. • ? ^ I { I ; ^*( ) . me r I 1 \ i^ pa Fi^m thit time fbrih A. D. 1820 1 went on making my own meetings, preaching, dassmeeting and watch ni^ts, no man forbidding me, although I was not Heensed by man. Glory be to the most High, I saw many tamed from darkness to light, and from the pow- er of Satan unto Q-od. Not a few of them have gone to their reward in heaven. In A. D. 1823, the Rev. Philander Smith, (now Bishop Smith) travelled the Bay of Quinte Circuit which then embraced Kingston. Solomon Waldron and Joel Ems were fellow labourers with him, this was a year of great revival of reUgion on that Giifcait, and indeed throughout aU the work in* Canada, and this year I was Licensed to improve my gifts in ihe ohurch by the aforesaid Rev. P. Smith, who was the Preacher in charge of said Circuit. At this time I was teaching a common school in Elmes- town» and here I take Hberty to state I taught school for more than ten years, principally m Camden East, and Emestown. While in this capacity I was at dif* fi»rent times solicited by the Preachers to allow myself to be offered for travelling, but I revised. In A. D. 18S4, our troubles began in the church; Store was an uneasiness got up by certoto parties, to •Quid extent among both preachers and members, to liaaet apart from under the jurisdiotion of the genaial .* t:::: 68 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF conference of the M. E. Qhurch in ihe United States of America, at this time I beHeve there was but a minority of the Methodists in Canada who were in favour of this measure. David Breckenridge senr. a local elder and Henry llyan an elder of the travelHng comiection, (sdlf-sent) appeared before the general conference in Baltimore, for the purpose of getting the above stated measure carried into effect, but in this they failed at that tui?«?. But at the next general Conference A. D. 1828, we were allowed amicably to be separated or set apart an independent Methodist Episcopal Church in Canada, in friendly relation with the Methodist Epis- copal Church, in the Umted States of America. In the same year, and not long after the separation afore- said, the Kev. Henry Eyan withdrew from the Church, in consequence of a difficulty and bickerings existing between him and the Ryersons, and drew away follow- ers after him, dividing the Church to some extent, and formed a new society of Methodists in Canada by the name of Canadian "Wesley an, these of course gave the Methodist Episcopal Church in Canada some trouble and hardship. But she, soon overcome that shock, for the Lord poured out the Holy G-host upon her in, su^ch copious effusion, that revivals spread in every nook and cor»er, in all her borders sinners were converted, to G-od, in aU directions and ahnost in every meeting; i .1 THADDEUS LEWIS. 59 the I overwhelming power of God was displayed among the people, praise to God, and shouts of triumph were heard all along her martialed ranks from flank to centre. Truly there was a very great ingathering of souls into the Methodist Episcopal Church in Canada, in these days. Thus the great head of the Church owned the labors of his ministers and people, for they were co-workera together. ! these were golden days for the M. E. Church in Canada. Thus the Church prospered till the annual conference A. D. 1832, at ^Yhich time an offer was made by the "Wesleyan Conference in England, to the Conference of the M. E. Church in Canada to form a union, as they called it, between the two bodies of Methodists and to secure the so called union the AY. M. Conference offered the M. E. Conference iJlOOO, a year, this golden bait concealed the hook, the M. E. Conference or a majority of them were caught, and without consulting the mem bers of the church in Canada the union was consumma ted in the faU of A. D. 1833 by which the M. E. Con- ference abohshed Episcopacy, reduced three orders of ministers into one, viz : doing away with Bishops and Deacons, giving up (at least in part) their independence as a church, doing away with the disciphne of 1829, by which the M. E. Church was to be governed in her independant state, and framing and adopting one very rr\ \ 1 00 AUTOBIOOIUFHt Ol^ different in many respects from the discipline of the M. K Church in Oanada, so that by it, privileges in the new charch (or the so called union church) were not what they were in the old or M. E. Church in Canada. This caused great dissatis&ction to many of the preachers, and members of the church in Canada. Now trouble and sorrow came on, for I with others both of the-ministers, and member? of the M. £. Church could not conscientiously submit to such high hand(?d measures or leave the old land-marks, which our Fath- ers had planted so agreeably to the scriptures and handed down to us in our excellent form of discipline. ^tr*f . *'' . c \ "* *.^ : » TBADDlUa Mwn. 61 u • T CHAPTER VIII. Tine form of discipline spoken of in the foregoing Chapter, was the constitation by which the M. K Church had been governed for half a century, and God had shown his divine approbation from the establishment of the church in America and also the church in her independent state in Canada, as has been shown in the foregoing chapter. Under this form of Government God had clothed her ministers with salvation, in their different orders and offices, pouring the Holy Ghost upcm ihem,so that they accomplished the same work that Paul the Apostle was appointed of God to perform, viz; to open the eyes of the spiritually blind, to turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God. Thus spread- ing scriptural Holiness over these lands. With these facts before us and having good reason to beUeve that the .£1000 offered to the Canada Con- ference was the grand object and moving cause of the (so called) union being acceded to by the Conference of the M. E. Church in Canada. For the reasons assigned aboTje many of the M. K. Church in Canada, both preachers and people, refused to be led away from the Church of their cheice, ol i ^ AtTTOBIOORAPHY OP which many of them had been members for many years. They did not wish to be coerced or forced into an other churches and receive an unordained man (from four thousand miles distance) to preside over the Church in her new relation. *' ■ ' Under these circumstances that part of the M. E. Church in Canada that were not given to change, kept on our way in the " old path " as best wc could, ad- hering to the M. E.- discipline of 1829 as much so as the emergency of the case would admit, meeting to- gether for prayer, and class meetings and the preachers who were determined to remain in the M. E. Church " took uj) tht ark of tlic covenant and went before the people" calling solemn assembli(^s, preaching the word of life, extending their labours East and "West, North and South to the different localities around them. Discouraging as things miah^ have aj^pearcd other- wise, the great head of the Church owned and blessed their feeble labours, pouring out the Holy G-host upon both preachers and people in all their assemblies. The Church at this time was not in a proper state of organization and persecution was ]ooured out after us like a flood, and many opprobrious epithets were used to make us appear vile and mean in the sight of the people. .J Notwithstanding all that was said and done to l^crush us and to destroy the M. E. Church in Canada, J the Lord helped, encouraged, [and 'Strengthened our hearts. ' ^ ■1^ I t 1 .'■r THlDDEirS LEWIS. es Ur»i!£ f<;lf ^r..,' ,• -,'1 ,'.• yWA .-. •'.^•'•S 't.jri VT/V • (•♦ u .• » ' '1: '•• I l' M').i .n.v ( M. .,;// CHAPTER IX. ' ' ^t ' ' . I It had been usual for the Conference of the M. E Church to meet in June, accordingly in the month of June A D. 1834, the Ministers and Preachers (or tlio majority of them) that continued in the M. E. Church, assembled at Y.ngo Street at Cummer's Chapel and held a conference for (tansaction of business for the M. E. Church in Cmada. At this Conlorence I was received into the travellinff connection, and I did boUeve then and do still, that God held me in reserve for that very purpose. There vrere not any printed minutes issued of that Conference. This year I travelled the old Waterloo Circuit, which emb;i^ed the following Townships, viz: Kingston, East and West Loboro', Portland, Ernestown, Camden East, Fredericksburgh and Adolphustow^n. Through- out this extensive Circuit I travelled every four weeks and filled more than thirty appointments each^t^mej passed around the Circuit. , , , , From the time that I was appointed to this field un- til the tenth day of January, A. D. 1835 1 labored on 64 AUTOBIOOBlPSr 09 H^with great enoouragement, though penecnted in a very great degree,', boih by Freachem and msu^ bers of the Unionists that had left us. Theyeaak oat my name as evil, stigmatized my character, by many opprobrious epithets. It appeared fortunate to me that I was appointed to travel first, where I was best known; for instance, one of the Wesleyan preachers told the class that I was a liar, and he was told imme- diately that he need not come to them any more &r they knew me better than they did him, and they would send for me, which thay did the next day, and in that place 16 ofiered them>^elves to the M. B. Church and were received. Notwithstanding all the persecution, and slander that was heaped upon me, the liord was pleased to own and bless my feeble labours and efforts to build up the old waste places of our Zion and by the tenth day of January aforesaid, we had more than two hun- dred members properly organized into classes on that "" Circuit. Up till this time, from the consummation of the (so called) union there was no other but myself (by the name of a M. E. Minister) travelling, in all that re^on of Country, from Toronto to Montreal ex- cept that the Eev, Joseph Gatchell visited us twice, but the Lord was with us; there were several preaiebeT» of the M. E. Church travelling west of Toronto. as ^i, ' I .J. i Lina syeaol many to me IS best iiruxte- ore&r I they jT, and ;hxiich dandei sed to > build (tenth J hnn- n that Lof the myself , in all "eal ex- { twice, eaiebers THADDEUS LEWIS. Cjo By this time the Macedonian cry was extended to our preachers and ministers from almost every part of the country, and desiring to extend my labours as far as poi^sible for ihe glory of God, and. the good of the Church, with the consent of the P. E. and brethren on the Waterloo Circuit, I engaged a Local Preacher to take my place on that Circuit, and I repaired to Belleville, where I arrived safe on the 15th day of Jan- uary A. D. 1885, visited Bro. John Reynolds, who af- terwards became the first Bishop of the M. E. Church in Csuiada, was hospitably entertained by him and his excellent lady. On January 16th I left R*8, travelled and visited through eight Townships, viz : Tyendinaga, Thurlow, Huntingdon, Madoc, Marmora, Bawden, Murray and Sidney, preached to thirty two Congregations, organi- zed classes, which numbered in all about two hundred and fifty members: But the storm of persecution was raging all the time, and everything was being said and done, that men and devils saw fit to invent, to hinder our progress as a church. But surely the Lord of Hosts was with us, and poured out the spirit upon all our assemblies, sinners were awakened and converted, Glory be to God. Having the Belleville Circuit properly formed, an4 a plan of it drawn up, I wrote to the Local preacher AUTOBIOGRAPHY OB*" whom I left on the "Waterloo Circuit, to come iolAe to ' Belleville, and having introduced him to some of the leading brethren there, it was thought 'best by all par- ties concerned that he should remain and labour on t'lat Circuit, and that I should return to the Waterloo Circuit, and to my family. Accordingly I returned home in safety, found 'my family well and the brethren - on the Circuit in good spirits. Glory be to God most High; here I continued to labour until our next annual Conference. CHAPTER X. The' 'annual Conference of the M. E. Church in Canada was held at Trafalgar, June 1885. We then numbered 21 Stationed or Travelling Preachers, 20 Local Preachers and 1243 members in Society. At this Conference I was ordained Deacon, and appointed to a Mission below Kingston. By this annual Conference there was a call made for a General Conference, which accordingly assembled. That General Conference was composed of regularly ordained Elders, having been so ordained by the pro- per authorities of the Methodist Episcopal Church in the TJ. S. A. these Elders were not all travelling at the _ time the (so sailed) union was consomnusted but they had all travelled more than four years. ixsIct u th Bi sul I .vrfs'a' Jt-ii^j-. ■1'! \ TfeADDEUS I^WIS. 7T They were five in number and being assembled, they elected one oT their number to the office of a Bishop, viz: John Eeyiiolds, and the remaining four' subsequently ordained aiid set him apart to that office'. I returned from this Conference and according to ap- pointment' 1 removed with my family?' to the Town- ship of Augusta about sixty live miles below Kingston, and this Conference year (amidst the fire and flame of persecution that raged) by the help of God, the great head of the Church, I was enabled to form a Circuit, - embracing the following Townships, viz : Leeds, Lands- down, Escot and Yonge, Elizabethtown, Augusta, Wol- " ford and Elmsly, North and Sotith Croby and Bas- ' tard. Some time in the winter of this Conference year the Eev. Benson Smith (who had been travelling for the Wesleyans, after said union) came back to the M. E. Church, and travelled wtth me on tiiat^ charge, the remaining part of that Conference year, and rendered the church very efficient service. > * • This year tho Lord sustained, comforted aiid prosper* ed me in the work that was assigned me, and here I will state that not long after brother Smith began to tfavel with me, an unusual revival of refigion took place in Mahorytown, we had a quarterly meeting iu that Yillage, and on 3«ctiirday th^ Eey. Jo^ph'Gatt^hitt' "'-'J AtTTOBIOdBlPUT OF preached, on Sabbath the E«v James Potvley preached and on Sabbath evening it was my turn, Gatchel, Pow- ley and I ascended the pulpit in the presence of a very crowded congregation, I aske ^ Brother Powley to open the meeting by singing and prayer, we sang and bowed in prayer, and in live minutes the people were crying x^.ato God for mercy with loud voices in every direction and when we (in the pulpit) arose from our knees the people paid no attention to us, there was not any preaching by us thatnightj we went down and the time was spent in prayar until midnight, and there were at the close of that evening's meeting thirty that bore testimony that God for Christ's sake had pardon- ed their sins, and seven more lay on the floor over- Whelmed. Benson Smith came next day into the place and by my request carried on the meeting for one fortnight, and the result was that at the close of that meeting thete was at least seventy accessions to the church in that place* At the next annual Conference I returned to the Blizabethtown Circuit with 209 members. • V , ( .'- / •'-".■ft rr/" )«rf* . ( LL ilU.. ' M-VKy the ->]rr THADDEU8 LBWtSt (S9 CHAPTER XII. The Annnal Gonferenbe of the M. E. Church teas held at Belleville, June 2l8i A. D. 1886, at this Confer* ence seven Preachers were admitted on trial, viz: Benson Smith, W. E. Norman, L. D. Salsbury, Michael Davy, Jesse Owen, Francis Bird, and Joseph H. Leo* nard. At this Conference we numbered 80 Travelling Preachers, 26 Local Preachers, total including the membership 2890. At this Conference 1 was appoint ted to the Elizabethtown Circuit, and one to be sup-> plied, and in the fell of the year Henry H. Johnston', was engaged by the P. E. and sent to me, and he travel*, led and laboured with me to the end of that Confer- ence year. Immediately after Bro. Johnson arrival at the Circuit) we formed the appointments so that e4oh of us. could preach at each appointment once m lour weeks, and were soon regularly and assiduously in our work. There were thirty-two appomtments on the Circuit, (vnd we had about three hundred and twenty miles to < ide in making our revolution round it, on this arrange- ment we each had four kisure days in four weekc, } IS 'I I •;70 AUTOBIOaUAPHY OF . wid then my colleague and I could )>o together 'foui days every time we went around the Cirouit. The first four days (which we^called leisure) we spent in a meeting at a small viUag© called* Farmersville, and the Lord laid to his liaiid, the Roly Ghost accompanied the word, and was 3mu od out i) > m the people, and many were brought irom daikuest* to Hght, and froipL tTie ipower of Satan unto God, thirty of whom joined the M. E. Church at the close of ihe meeting. This was the first four days meeting I h^d ever held or at- •_ tended. There was a tliriliiiig ciicumstance took place .at the closing of that meeting, which I will here relate. After we had made the last prayer, and risen from our knees, a young Lady who had been converted in that meeting (whose father was a preacher among the Orthodox Quakers and her mother was an ]^der of that ^ order) arose on her feet and crued out with a loud voice, I want to join with these dear people, as much so, as any that have joined, but 1 thought I would tejl ^,the preacher aside, to take my name, and then I would not expose myself before the congregation. But God would not accept such a lame sacrifice ; and now I am willing to ofier myself to the Church, if they will ,receive me. I answered we will receive you according ^to our form of discipline, you are so re<;eiyed. At this jshouta of praise, Halleluj^^h, and Glory tp» .iilffs^^r -i "4J'=f *•)■ i^XV'V •^- ler 'foux t. The ent in a He, and Qpanied le, and id froip joined This ior at- )k place e relate. 11 froin jrted in mg the of that a loud much uld tell would it aod w I am By will jording ,v ,,■■'. ory tp J . . . * iU0-i THADDEUS LEWIS. 71 'God reverberated through the congregation in a won derful manner. This was the fifth one of that family that had been hopefully converted at that meeting and had joined the M. E. Church. When the shouts ceased, the lather of the young lady bemg present, he arose bathed in tears and said. Friend Lewis I do not begrudge thee my children, all I want of thee is for thee to nurse my chil- dren, and if ever I get any of thine I will nurse them. Thus the meeting broke up in .Holy. triumph* Glory be to the Lord most High he spread.. a halo of Glory over that meeting from the beginning to, the end. Blessed be the name of the Lord forevev, he was pleased to bless our feeble efforts which we put forth for ,His Glory, and not a few, but many, were added to the Church this year. Before I close up the cccurreiices of this year with respect to ihe dealings of God with me, I W.iU here record two or three particulars, which I call an .jjiterference of God, by a special Providence. \Which was as follows: — 1st. At a certain time when I was going on a tour from home, and to leave a supply of provisions for my family while I was absent from home, I purchased eight shillings worth of butter of our .merchant, and. not having the cash to pay, I gave ^- 72 AXJTOBiOOBAPHY OV him a promise that when I had preached iu such a number of places as I then named to him I would come by his shop again, and at that time I would pay him for the butter. Although it was usual for me to get a little cash in passing through those appointments yet this time when t had passed them all but two, I had not re- ceived a cent, and my mind became troubled about * my promise,. I had not mentioned the circumstance to anybody, and after preaching at the last appoint- ment but one, there came a man from the rear oi the congregation to shake hands with rie, and in doing so he pressed a dollar into my hand, this was but fire shillings of the eight which I owed, and therefore I did not think it an interposition of the providence of God, but the next day after preaching at the last ap- pointment, before the money was to be paid, a woman standing just out side the door reached out her hand to shake hai\ds with me, and in doing so she pressed a three shilling piece into my hand, and when adding the five shillings, and three shillings together it was just the amount I had promised for the butter, not a farthing more or less, if I had then seen an angel descen- ding from heaven and he had came even to me, and gave me the money saying that Grod had sent him to do so, I could not have more firmly believed that it was a Godsend than I did then, or than I do now. ^ i >i ^- If < t ( i I THADDEUS LSWIfl. H 2nd. At another time I promised a oertain amount of money for supplies for my family which I was to pay cm my return through a tour. This time I did not re^ oeiye a farthing from any one} male or female, and I returned home in trouble about my promise, however I thought I would borrow the money, and thereby not fidl to fulfil my promise, but just as I Was about to gt) to borrow it, one of the children who Was looking in my portmanteau for apples, ibund in it just the amount of money that I had borrowed, and it was not till a « number of months had passed away when I was given to understand where the money came from. Srd. At another time when leaving home to sfo on (as we called it) the back route oi the Circuit which lay along the Rideau Canal, I told my wife that I would engage the Steward to bring supplies for my family, but there being a little delay on the part of the Steward, and on a certain night my family having eaten up all the provisions they had (except a few potatoes) retired to rest with deep thoughts and strange foreboding with respect to what they would eat on the morrow. My wifu told one of the largest of the children who seemed to be in trouble lest they should come to starvation, that the Lord would provide. That very night (when deep sleep falleth upon man) ' two men and their wives (living about a mile apart) •74 AtTTOBlOOnAPHT OF were so troubled about my family that they couM not sleep, although they lived about sixteen miles fwm my family and knew nothing of their circumstances as aforesaid to use their own words " they were so deep, ly pressed with the idea that my family was in want that they could not sleep," so Bro. P. and his wife arose from their bed at about a midnight hour, and felt an ^ impression made on. their minds^hat they should go to Bro. C's..and inform him and his wife of their trouble ^ .and the supposed cause thereof, which they did the . same night. .•,... •.' When they arrived at Bro. C's, they found him and his wife sitting by the fire troubled in like manner with , themselves, arriving from the same cause. The result was they believed their feelings were based on realities, and that he that feeds the ravens had made Imown this thing to thorn so plainly that there need not be any doubt. Therefore they put up a good supply of provisions of the different kinds necessary and Bro. P, took his team and wagon and was at the Parsonage at an earl} hour, and found it even as it had been made known unto them. Glory be to Grod he is the inheritance of his people. .forever. Blessed be the name of the Lord if we W4lk jin the path of duty we shall find it the path of safety, , our bread shall be given us, our water shall be sure we shall see the king in his beauty, and the land^tb^t^^ .,yery ,far ofi'. '■O'HADDICS UCWIS. •t» CHAPTER XII. The next Annual Conference yy^s held at Yonge ' Street 28th June A. D. 1837, at »;his Conference I re- turned 347 members from the Elizabeth town Circuit. The past was a year of great prosperity throughout all our work. The preachers camo to the Conference i|i g;ood spirits, ginning Gloiy to God. Seven preachers were received on trial by this Con- ference, viz : "Wm Bird, Christopher Thompson, David Perry, Barnabas Brown, Andrew B. Shorts, John Sills and Henry H. Johnson. ^•• At this time and place the Revds. James Richardson and Philander Smith, (who are now the Bishops of the M. E. Church in Canada) were restored to mem- bership in this Conference. These Revds. were elders in the M. E Church years before the Church received her independent state in 1828 and: continued in that jielation to the Church until the (so called) union was consummated, were opposed to the change, but were in the minority and when the deed was don^, -^Wjith vOthers, they thought it bcM:; to submit. Bui it did . t 7(8 AUTOBIOOUAPHY OP not take thotu long to tli^over that the new arrange* meat which they had cuter* i into, did not work any better if as well as they expectcii. Therefore while some of the preachers who were dissatisfied with the union (so-called) went to other Churches and some elsewhere, these two above named elders took their It'tters from the WcJeyan Canada Conference, and re- turned to the M. E. Church in Canada, and cast in their lot again however few and dispised her number, or iee!)le in her operations Total number in society this year 8522, increase this year 1132. * At this Coiiferenco 1 was appointed to the llallowell Circuit, and John Sills was appointed to travel With me. I had one hundred miles to remove my family to get to my new field of labor and the greatest part of the journey we had to go by water, but a kind pro- vidence was over us and we arrived safely on the Circuit. This being done Brother J. Sills met me in good spirits, and we proceeded to our work. Bro. S. was what we sometimes call a revivalist and had a tact for, and a delight in protracted meetings, and we had not gone half way around the Circuit when he went into > & protracted meeting, and the Lord bless 3d his labors, sinners were brought to the knowledge of the truth by I THADDBUS LEWIS 77 BOores, and added to tho church. I think I am snlb In Baying that at least one half of that Confcrcnco year was speht by him in revival meetings, and vo>-y many sonls were added to tho church. While he was thus engaged I was trying to keep up tho appointments, and blessed be the Lord I did not labor in vain. But we were not without trials and persecution on every hand. It will bo remembered that this was the first year of the Rebellion in Canada, and tho Wesleyan Ministers and some of the members of that churchy brand%d me and my colleague with disloyalty to the British Government, although both my colleague and I were sons of U. E. Loyalist's, both born in Canada and, therefore, British born subjects. I had been a sol- dier in the British army, and had fought and bled in defence of His Brittanic Majesty's person, Crown and dignity, also an out Pensioner of Chelsea Hospital (during my natural life) on the British Government The report was preposterous, and yet it gained some ground among thode that were under the influence o^ the Wesleyan Ministers. *> . / About the time the report was going the rounds, the Commanding Officer at Kingston, issued a proclama- tion for all pensioners within the bounds of his Com- mand, (which included several districts) to appear at the office, at the foot of Cataroque b\i^e, 9JjeSU Inrol 78 AUTOBIOGRAPHY ' OF their names/- I was out from home in my ministerial ' Work, when the order came to Picton, and did not' know that any such order was issued until I returned home on Friday, late in the night. I then received information from my wife that such an order was is- sued, and that several men (members of the Wesley an Ghurch,) had been there, threatening that ii I did not go down to Kingston immediately, they would take me down a prisoner. Although a woman of great fortitude, my wife became discomforted, and advised TEte to go to Kingston the next day. But to this 1 did f riot consent for I had an appointment for a Quarterly Meeting about fourteen miles off, west of the place where we Hved, and I thought it my duty to attend that meeting first and trust in Grod for the result. Ac- cordmgly I left before day the next morning for the meeting, the people were assembled at the time ap- pointed, and the Lord of hosts was among them, and we had a time of refreshing coming down from the presence of the Lord, praised be His name forevfer, - and let all the people praise Him. The aforesaid meeting was held on the 26th, aiid 26th, of December, and on the 26th, I returned home from the meeting late at nij|ht, and was prepared b^r,^^ day:btea)pxigon;th6 27th, to go to Kingston to enter v^ xi^y tiuiiei 6n the roll wit&^my fellow Pensioii0r»,4^^ ^rf»''* 1 ••** THADDEUS LEWIS. . 79 However, a little before I was ready to start, some! 61' the men above mentioned, were on the spot ready to takte me to Kingston at the Queen's expense. I told them that they need not be to that trouble, I was now ready to go without their aid, and that I intended to do all that was required by the order of the Commanding ^ Offioer. One of them replied : •' You are not going • there at all or you would not go dressed as you are, neither would you take your horse, and cutter, and other equipage which you have, unless you took some person along to brmg them back, for you will have to ' join the company of Pensioners on Point Henry, and do garrison duty, during this rebellion, you need not thiflk you will get back here again till the war is over, - we do not believe you are going to Kingston, for you wiU no^ have any place for your horse and other things." While thisconveroation was going on I was harncs«ingmy horse. To v; hat they had said I repli- ed : " All this ivS my business." and I jumped into my cutter arid drove double quick down on the ice, and took a straight course down the r»ay of Qumte for Kingston. I had not any expectation cf being overtaken by them, although I thought it very possible that in the h<^ of their spirit* they might follow m0, but my mare Was fleet, and well fed, the ioe wa$ ^ood and had nt> 80 AUTOBIOORAPItT OF snow upon it, the road was good and the day Was bright and clear ; best of all I was happy becaase Jesus had kindly and plainly said, Lo ! I am ever with you, to the end of the world. I arrived at Kingston about half past 11 o*clock A. M. put up my poney at a hotel ordered her to be fed, and watered at a proper time. I then went to the oflB.ce aforesaid and enrolled my name, this being dene I said to the man that kept the office, I suppose I have dene all that is required of me^ he replied no, wait a moment and I will give you a pass to go over the bridge toll free, I waited took the pass when written, and then I said, please tell me where the Commandant quarters, he replied never mind that, go over on the Point, and report yourself to Capt. Fitzgerald who has the command of the Pensioners, and then get liberty of him to see the commandant, I replied I am now at liberty to see him, if you will please tell me where he quarters. He then sternly and authoritatively bade me to cross the bridge I then stepped towards him and said, now Sir, this is a small favor I ask, just to be informed where the commandpnt quarters, he reqlied (angrily) he quarters in the Artillery Barracks. I then, thanked him, and away I went to the comman- dant'fe ofllce found him there, I then introduced myself as a^ Pensioner, he stepped towards me and said have I THADDkUS TJIWIS 31 you enrolled your name ? I have. Did you get a pass to go over the bridge toll free? I did. "Well, well, you have nothing to do but go over and join the Pensioners un- der the command of Capt. Fitzgerald. What did you want of me? he added. Taking my ordination parch- ments from my pocket, I said Sir, I wish you to read those papers, he turned away apparently in anger and con+empt and said to one of the officers present : Read those papers, read those papers, if it will do him any good. The officer took the parchments from my hand, and looked them over, and then exclaimed : My Grod ! this man is a minister of the gospel, regularly ordain- ed. The Commandant rephed hastily : What, what, read those papers. The officer read them aloud, the Commandant then turned pleasantly to me and said : What did you expect by the reading of these papers ? I replied ; Sir, I have always been taught that all Her Maje^y's ei Ejects, under hke circumstances, were sub- ject to like penalties, and like privilages, and I thought sir, you would tell me if that is correct or not, he then rephed promptly : Certainly that is correct. I replied: then I claim to be exempt from mihtary duty, for Ministers in this country are not called upon to do mih- tary duty, unless m case of general alarms. He then replied: That being the case you shall be free, and I^ was then and there recognized, by the military authori- ties, as a regularly ordained Minister of the Gospel ; I I 82 AUTOBIoaBAPHT OF aiid received a certificate confirming the same, also clearing me from aJl militarj' duty. This Command- ing Olficer was Colonel Cubit, he was a member of the Koman Catholic Church. My business being completed 1 was about to leave, when the Colonel said to me : Sir, I would like to in- troduce you to Bishop MacDonnell, before you leave if you have ho objections. To this courteous offer I repjied, I have no objections ^sir, accordingly I was so mtroduced, in a courteous, friendly and gentlemanlv manner, and the Colonel and Bishop expressed it as a world's w onder that a Minister of the Qospel was found among lh.e Pensioners. The Bishop then told me he was not igaorant of the difficulty and split among the Methodists in Canada, he also said they who remain steadfast in thv3 M. E. Church were right, and advised me to trust in God, be steadfast and cour- ageous in my work, to my astonishment he said many words of encour-Bgement to me. It was now about 2 o'clock P. M., when I took my leave of the Col. and Bishop. I then got my poney and started for home, and arrived saiely there befoie I slept. My speedy return gave my enemies saspicion that I was not acting honestly, nor would they beheve I had acted truly until I showed them my certificate of recognition as a Minister of the Gospel, and clearance ^ from military duty. Then they ceased to threaten m^ L-ed at a place called Vanwinkle Hill in the Township of I Cramho. * . ^ That which gave rise to ibis prolracled meeting was as follows : — A Cousin of mine who was a preacher, and who held Avjan Piinc pics, hud a largo sociely called Christians, on and about ihat hill; when my appoint- ment lor preaching v/as there, Ihe Preacher and his fol- lowers were present. The subject which I entertained that night led me to speak in favor of the divinity and humanity of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the next ftiorning I went on in my Circuit work, but (comparatively speaking) I had stirred up a nest of hornets, or yellow jackets to their utmost rage. When I returned to the Hill again, I was informed ,%, ^, > .v IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) />.^^!^ 1.0 1.1 I^|2j8 |25 ■^ Ui 12.2 :^ ufi 12.0 u& L25 1 1.4 B 1.6 < 6" — ^ Hi0tDgra(diic Sciences Corporalion 23 WIST MAIN STRUT WnSTIR.N.Y. MStO (716) •72-4503 ...4 4-' P 90 AUTOBIOORAPHT OT that to still the clamoar of his people, my Cousin the^ Ariau preacher had held a series of meetings in; that place, leveling all his artillery, (pop guns) at those heart cheering, and soul saving doctrines of the gospel^ which so £rmly and fully establish that G^od was man- ifest in the flesh. .|The time for meeting came, I. had a full congregation and my cousin present. I having an opportunity of pr^ching there the next evening, at the close of the service I told the people that I had been informed of the course that my cousin had taken in my absence and I a^iounced to the congregation that the next evening by the help of God I would try to prove to their satisfaction both the Divine and human nature of our Lord and Savour Jesus Christ, in the school house where we then were. The next evening the multitude came together, and after singing and prayer I gave the preliminaries of the ineeting (viz : — that I mtendedto speak just as long as I pleased, if it was till the breaking of the day, and that any person wishing to retire before the meeting was dismissed was at liberty to do so pro^dded they went out quietly.) 1 then proceeded to ^'indicate that great and glorious truth that Christ is very God and very man. But 0! I felt that great responsibiUty rested upon me, and that my help must come from God, and I believed then, and do now, that the master of assembhes did hd|» me. I stood three hours on my §1 ??1 'm.. « h- THiDDBVS IiBWIB. , 91 feet and talked 'with great freedom, there was very geed order in the congregation, and I do not think that any one left till the meeting was dismissed. The result was that at the request of the people I protracted the meeting twelve nights in succession and there were many souls converted to Grod, broke up that fraternity of Arians, most of whom joined the M. E. Church, and my Cousin had to ^o elsewhere for a congregation. . . .. . { - .jq'K; It was Saturday about twelve o'clock at night when the meeting broke up, and my appointment for Sabbath morning being in the village of Brighton, about 15 miles distant from the Hill. By the persuasion of a good Bro. I travelled on horseback about 10 miles towards my morning appointment through a great snow storm, and by this act of imprudence. I took an "extreme cold and in a few days I became so debihtated that I was not fit to continue m the work, and it was with difficulty that I reached home. This was about the middle of February and from that time until the last of April I underwent great affliction and debihty, but through.it all the Lord comforted and sustained me . However as the weather grew warmer, I gradually improved in health and strength, but at our next Amiual Conference I did not feel able to do the work of an itinerant, I therefore requested the Conference to leave me without an appointment, which was ^^mted. AUTOBIOOBAPHT 07 ';_'i,i'j'7 Vt'^'l' ij: -'■■'> ^J' .liiVfi.i , I i.}i' i- >''>'{: s 1 CHAPTER XV. The annual Conference of the M. E. Church in Canada, was held at Cummers' Chapel, Yonge Street, Sept. 2nd, 1840. By this Conference nine preachers were received on trial, viz : Wm. T. Carkright, Titus G-. Simmons, Miner Sumer, Wm. McKeebey, Elijah Harris, Joseph Daily, Alex. Wright, Andrew Burzee and Luman Hulbert. Four were admitted into full connection, viz : Christo- pher Thompson, Edwin S. Furman, Kichard Beal and * Thos. Webster. • ' ' . ^ Total in society at this Conference 6 125, increase this year 734. I returned from Con nee this year under an impression that my work as an itinerant was brought to a close. But not long after the Conference I began to recover my health and strength, and I be- gan to feel my mind strongly exercised, that God re- quired me to do something mbre by way of calling sinners to repentance, but the enemy of souls urged an excuse, I had no field to labor in, and it would be time enough to be ready by the next Comerence.— While these thoughts were revolving through my iw'i f HAt>l>ETyS LHWlfi. 93 mind, 1 received a warm invitation to hold a protract- ed meeting at a place called Black Creek. I laid all excuses aside, and in the name of the Lord I paid at- tention to the " Macedonian cry" assuredly gathermg, that the Lord would pour out His spirit, and sinners would be converted to God. Accordingly 1 told the man that came for me when the meeting would com- mence, he circulated the appointment. I commenced accordingly, the people ran together, and the Lord was present among them, and displayed his convicting and coaveriing power, so that during the three weeks that the meeting lasted many were brought from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God. Here I w^ill relate a circumstance that took place during that meetmg: There was an English gentleman living in the place, who was recently out from home with his wife and mother-in-law, who had been Baptised and confirmed in the Church of* England. In the process of this meeting the Lord awakened this gentieman and his wife, and showed them that neither rites, ceremonies, nor ordinances, however good they are in their place, could change the* rebellious and depraved heart of Hum* Althoi\gh ihey had heretofore believed them- selves to be-f. N '» '• ■ ■ , '■^ ■ ,, , '" ■ -6-t' % ■* '^imwmmm^vm r^m mm-^f'? imm-^^*i.M^. ' r^'T*^' TTT ■ ■ ' ' -ir- -^--rtf ' 7 THADDEUS LEWIS. 97 ^'n v., ....' * \ . -r .t \ '..' i l>.- »*.'4:- I ,-j -H , i » ; . . VJ^'l... :. i; CHAPTER XVI. 'lii^^'i) it The annual Conference of the M. E. Church in Canada, was held at Trafalgar, commencmg* the 1st of September, 1841. Six preachers were admitted on trial by this Conference, viz : Phihp "Waldron, James Degeer, "VYentworth D. Huston, Abram Eoy, Benjamni Lawrence and G eorge Taylor. Nine were admitted into full connection, viz : Emer- son Bristol, Ai)i)leton Jones, Barney Markle, Gideon Shepard, James Mitchell, Robert Lyman, J. N. D. "West, Henry Lane and Robert Earl. Total number in society this year 6049. This year 1 was left without an appointment at my own request, not feeling n.yself yet able to do the work of an itinerant. But not long after the Confer- ence I was restored to health and strength, and the Lord opened the way for me to go into the work oi' the ministry again. I was called by the P. E. the Rev. John Bailey, to go on a mission to the County of Leeds, to which call I immediately responded. 1 removed my family to the mission, and had to locate them in a neighborhood where there were but two praying per- 98 AUTOBIOGIIAPHY OF sons, a man and his wife, i. «. as iar as was publicly known. The neighborhood was thickly settled with a nest of Universalists, they had a leader who had a good education joined to a powerful intellect, he was well versed in the Scriptures, at least so far as a defence of the doctrines of Universalism is concerned, and boasted of himself as being able to put down aU argu- ments that could be brought against that doctrine. This neighborhood was given to drunkeness and dissi- pation in a far greater degree than any other that I was acquainted with. Having my family settled, I proceeded to visit from house to house among these debased people, not to per- suade thom to be christians, but to become temperate for the benefit of themselves and their families. I read in each family the Montreal Temperance Pledge^ setting, forth the dreadful consequences ot the drinking usage, getting as many as I could of both male and female to promise that they would attend a temperance meeting at the parsonage on a given night, and would sign the pledge. Having visited every family, or nearly so, two or three miles round, I thought the prospect quite flattering, but on the morning preceding the even- ing on which my temperance meeting was to take place, the prospect appeared dark, I assure you. The meeting was to be in the honse where my family lived If blicly with had a e was etence I, and argu- ctrine. dissi- ;I was ; from toper- perate I read etting, usage, lale to eetiag gnthe iy so, quite even- take The lived i > \ . (»• TIIADDbUB LEWIS and the man who I sjwke of as the leader among these people, lived just opposite to our house on the other side of the street. On my return home on Monday morning, after lilling my Sabbath appointments, com- ing in sight of this leader's house I saw a doleful sight, most of the people that I had expected would attend the temperance meeting that night, had assembled on the previous Saturday night at the aforesaid leader's shanty, and had been paying their devotions to King Alcohol from Saturday night until Monday about 11 o'clock, A. M. and at this time they presented an awful spectacle indeed, they were quarelling, roaring and fighting like tigers, however, when they saw me ride up they soon cleared the track, and I believe went to their respective places of abode I had not at this time any expectation of a meeting that night, but the time for the meeting arrived, and to my astonishment the most of the people in the neigh- borhood were present and appeared to be sober, except James, as I hereafter shall call him, he^was a brother's son of him I call the leader. This James telt the effects of grog just enough to make him bold and saucy. — .When I was making some remarks on Paul's reason- ing with Felix, James spoke out with an oath saying that I knew no more about Paul than he did, and through the process of the meeting he called his broth- er-in-law a d— d. fool for signing the pledge. Thirty- 100 AUTOBIO(»ilAPUY OF three signed the pledge and the iiieetimj: closed, I saI down, the Bible lay upon the table, Jumt's btopped up to it with an air of seli-coiifidenc i^ and LouiMKMiced ridiculing the Bible, saying : " Thuy (meaniui; the min- isters) can tune it up and play any tun.) npoii them they like," and talked so presumptioiusly that i arose and requested him to desist I'rom such convorsuiion. He replied: " O, you want to turn nio out (>i" doors." I said : " No, I wish to use you w cU, ii' you will bo civil you may stoi> with us all night, and wo will use you as well as wo can, but I cannot have such statements made before my children." lie was in a great rage and the congregation went away and James with them, on their way to his brother-in-law's he abused his wife for signing the pledge. ' ' * James and his Avife came from al)out 40 miles dis« tance the [Saturday previous, ho was a very healthy looking man about 25 years of age. James and his wife took tea at his brother-in-law's at a late hour of the night, and on going to bod at about one o'clock A. M. James s^id : " I never was so cold in my life." At first his wife did not give much, attention, but he continued to repeat the expression till she became alarmed, and called for help. Doctors Potter and McDonald, of G-ananoque, were speedily on hand, my wife and I were called, atid came to the alarming scene sj)eedily. ^ '• v^ -»»,*« ^ wt J. fe»*' dily. TIIADBEUS LEWIS. . 101 Bat all ill vain, both tho phyniciaus said it was death that seized him when tho first chill camo upon him. All the neighborhood was in a stat'3 of alarm, they ran together to the place of tho dyings, the fear of Ood or tho fear of death and hell got hold upon them as they camo to Witness tho awful condition of tho dying man, then^ai and wife who professed religion before, of whom I have spoken above, and my wife, these three were with that x-raying asseml>lagc, and engaged in their behulf. I was with the dying man from tlio time that 1 camo, which was about 2 o'clock, a. m. until he breathed his last, which was ab^ont 3 o'clock, P. M. — Such an awful ghastly death I never witnessed before nor since, and I have prayed, and do still, that I never luay see tho like again. At a certain stage of tho dy- ing scene (one of tho Doctors having left) the other still remaining in tho room with me and tho dying mail they fell upon their knees before God crying to Him lor mercy with loud voices, truly the cry was great, in-, deed, as the reader will easily imagine, when I say that the multitude became great, so much so that the rooms of a large house were filled with people, (except the one where the dying man was,) and there were many that could not get into the house who were out in front of the door, and all the people outside of the door and in every part of the house, were sending fotth I' strong crying and tears to Qed for mercy, except i ' 102 AUTOBiooEAPinr of the Doctor he said : " Sir, I camiot stay here, I have been in with the sick and dying in Scotland, Ireland and this country, and I have never seen the like of this, I cannot stay here," he repeated. I rephed : " Well Doctor, then you must leave but I shall not leave the man to die alone," and the Doctor left immediately. The time for Jie funeral to take place arrived, the multitude came together, as the reader may imagine. I tried to preach to the living as best I could, I said nothing about the deceased before me, neither good or bad. Service being ended I sat down, and the mo- ment I sat down, the man that was uncle to the deceas- ed, and whom I have called the leader, arose and said : {with great warmth,) " Almighty God sent this man (putting his hand on my shoulder) here for our salva- tion, and the Devil sent Jim here to prevent it, and God Almighty has streached out His hand and jerked him out of the way." These words had a powerful elFeot on the congregation. There was no need of my hold- ing a protracted meeting to get the people to repent and be converted, for the Lord had accomplished it all by this awful Providence. Glory be to His holy name forever. Many, while this scene was transpiring, sought and obtamed the pardon of their sms, and bore public testimony by their lives and conversation, that they were brought from the power of Satan unbd God* Lave land this, Wen the • , the jine. said )d or mo- iceas- # 5aid: man alva- God him effect lold- pent tall ame ring, bore that jlod. , THADDKUS LEWIS. 103 In a few days after the funeral we had a meeting, and I received a goodly number of these blood bought and I trust blood washed souls into the Church, accor* ding to our form of discipline, and the man that I have called the leader of the Universalists and drunkards, now became an efficient class leader in the M. E. Church in Canada. • Truly the Lord was with us to the end of this Con- ference year and blessed be his name forever — ^Amen. CHAPTER XVII. The Annual Coi»ierence of the M. E. Church in Canada, was held at Cumer's Chapel Yonge Street, commencing September 6th 1842. At this Confer- ence 10 Preachers were admitted on trial, viz : — ^James Nixon, Lewis P. Smith, "William Cope, George Harris, Jacob Patterson, George Jones, John Gibson, James Bailey, James Gardner and Daniel B. Furg^uson. Seven were admitted into full connection, viz : "Wm. McKeeby, Elijah Harris, Alexander "Wright Lnman Hulbert and Andrew Burze. We numbered 60 Tra- veling Preachers this year. Total number in Society this year, includmg the Preachers 7555, increase this year 1506« , This year I was appointed to the Long Island 1 104 AtJTbBIOQRiPHt OF Circuit. This Circuit embraced what is properly cal- led Wolf Island and How Island. "While travelling this year I was in perils both by ice and water, where to all human probability I must perish. That branch of the River St. Lawrence which divided the two Islands was four miles wide, and I had to cross this branch twice every fortnight on given days, which was once for every week in the year. Here I will relate a thrilling circumstance, it is as follows. One Sabbath morning I started on foot on the ice, with one of my neighbors to go to my morning appointment about two miles distance down the lUver. There had fallen a little snow the night before, which covered from sight a crack in the ice ; which was about two feet and a half wide, and the crack had a thin scum of ice frozen over it before the snow fell my neighbor stepped safely across the crack; I stepped into it, and fell to my arm-pits in the river; the current being- very strong it drew me in a moment under the ice and I only hung by my hands and arms which saved me from being carried down under the ice by the rolling current, but Ij^clung to the solid ice by my arms and hands, but the strength of the flowing stream stretched me out from head to foot under the ice except my^ hands, arms and face, and from this alarming condi- tion I had not power to extricate myself, and I was barely able to keep my face from sinking beneath the Al THADDEUS LEWIS. 105 ice uood. In this condition Ilay until the sleeves of my overcoat and mittens froze to the ice. All this time I was trying to persuade my neighbor to help me out but he was frightened, and the heart- less creature told me plainly, that I might better drown than for him to drown. Then I told him I must perish, if he did not help mc immodietely, that, in a few mfnutes it would be impossible for me to keep my head from sinking. lie then stepped forward and helped me out of the water. • ,' '"'' I thanked Grod for my deliverence and wet and cold as I was, I went forward to my appointment, andwith- out changing my clotho.«i, preachod with great liber- ty, and with demonstration of the Spirit. AYent across the Island and preached to another congregation, and went home to my family before I slept. Glory be to God, a revival of religion commenced that da}', that continued on gloriously during the remaining part of that winter, and many souls were hopefully converted to God, praised be his great and Holy name. ',Ci'i f-X, my )ndi- was the ■ m^y Wf^ ■iV'ti: i' >:v /,,( t \J '5 It V-,.' ^0':^ 106 AUTOBIoaRAPHY OF ■' \ CHAPTER XVI II. J The Annual Conference of the M. E. Church in Canada was held at White's Chapel Sidney, commen- cing Sept. 6th 1843. Twelve preachers by this Con- ference were admitted on trial, viz: Chester Eraser, Samuel Morrison, E. L. Coyle, John Pickering, John Wilson, Elijah Sutton, Thomas Robson, Scyler Steward, John Hill, John Anders, Wm. Brown and Wm. Woodard. Four were admitted into full connection. Total number in Society 8880. Increase this year 1825. ^ . Up till this year w^e had but^one Annual Conference but this year the General Conference divided our work into two Conferences viz: the Niagara and Bay of Quinte Conferences. By this Annual Conference I was appointed to the Leeds Circuit embracing the front half of the following Townships, viz: Leeds, Landsdown, Escott and Yonge. On this Circuit we had great revivals this vear, a good- ly number was added to the church but it was a year in which both my w^ife and I were greatly afflicted. We removed from the Island to the Circuit by water r urch in lommen- his Con- Fraser, g, John steward, d Wm. nection. lis year iference ir work Bay of 1 to the llowing* Youge. a good- a year fflicted. water THADDEUS LEWIS. 107 conveyance and I settled in the Town of Gananoque. Not long alter we were settled on the Circuit my wil'e received a paralytic stroke by which she was motionless and insensible for the space of twenty-four hours. The following winter I was suddenly taken with a disease which brought me so low that my Ufe was dispaired of. But my work was not yet done, blessed be the name of the Lord he raised me up again to health and strength ^ . The following summer I had a call from the people of a neighborhood that was surrounded by the Grananoque waters and five miles distance through the woods from any road or path. That I might find my way to them the people had blazed trees and looped bushes and fell trees across swamps, or flows so I had to leave my horse and go on foot, but the greatest diffl- culfcy was having to cross one of the largest branches of the steams of the aforesaid waters, in a very queer water craft made of three boards twelve feet long, and two short pieces, one of the long boards lor the bottom the other two for the sides and the 2 shori pieces com- posed the gunnel and stern. On my return from one of my appointments, when 1 came to the aforesaid waters (Brother Joh.^ A.Ro- gers being with me) we stepped intb the littlt craft shoved off from the shore and when we were aiout Jialf way across the stream we saw that the string 108 AUT0BT0O12APHY OF current was drawing us very fast towards a dam that was stretched across the stream just below us, where the headlong water were rolling over, and plunging down in front of the dam. i- . :u.i> It is easy for the reader to imagine that we exer- cised ourselves to tho utmost, to prevent as we thought our immediate dissolution, but all in vain, over we went and to our uttor astonishment when we got a little way from the plunge, our boat was right side up and we were still on board sale and sound. The current be- ing very strong we were carried some distance down the stream beibre wo could get to shore. vSo we went on our way to whore I had left my horse praising God lor our deiiverence from so great a danger. *^' O ! reader, in view of the kind shield that the Lord ol' Hosts has spread over me in times of danger ; I am ready to exclaim with David and call upon my soul and all that is within me to praise the name "ot' the Lord. — Hallellujah, Amen. •^■ 'J'V.f'H'^' ■■-' " Vt', ,; ':^i:-f irV t .r^ my J I ■! i '. ' li^^ X » 1 - •.. s ■ ;^-^'friii:%M r T1IADDEU8 LEWIS 100 \ 1 1,-. (JHAPTEU XIX. The first sitting of the Bay of Quiiite Annual Confer- ence was held at Farinersville, commencmg "W ednes- day September 4th 1844. At this Conference seven, preachers were admitted on trial, viz : Simon Terwil- legar Peter F. Laroy, Sheldon. Young, Ezra Orser, Daniel Brown, AYm. AYilhams and Creorge I). Grreen- leef. One was admitted into full connection, viz : James Gardner. "We numbered fortv Preachers this year in the Bay of Quinte Conference. Total number in Society in this conference, 4087. By this Conference I was ai)pointed to travel the EHzabethtown Circuit with TV. E. Norman and. J. F. Wilson. This Circuit was composed of the following- Townships, viz: EHzabethtown, Yonge, Escott, Bastard North and South Crosby and Bedford. Some time in the month of March of that year, W. E. Norman was sent to Brockville by the P. E. and John F. "Wil- son was sent to Mallory town by the same authority. , Now J was lelt alone, to travel through, and have the charge of the whole work that was assigned to three, by the conference. But although I was alone 110 AUTODIOOBAPHY OF yet I was not alone, for truly God was with me to, own and bless both ire, and my feeble labours, so that smners were hopefully converged to God, Backsliders were reclaimed and the Church built up. I tried to labour on at God's command and offer all my works to him. The Lord gave me favour too in the sight of the people, and in the sight of my Brethren so much so, that at the last Quarterly Conference (numbering about forty) got up, and unanimously signed a petition addressed to the Bishop and stationing committee to have me returned to the Circuit another year, but the petition was not granted, as will be seen in the next chapter. The Lord graciously preserved the health, and lives of all my family this year, and the people provided for us the necessaries of this life in abundance so that if the question had, have been asked "when I sent you without purse or scrip, lacketh thou anything" the answer would have been " nothing" glory be to God in the highest, let all the people praise Him, for he is good and his mercy endureth forever, and his faithM- ness to all generations. O ! let us pay our vows to him at all times and love him with all our heart. m^yi i:: ^ . - - - ■ * • • : i ■■ ' ^ -. • - / - ^ '■ ' ^f'% "'-■ *^-- * '. .*.■ - / '■ "■■:'. '..'< '!:l^t^:^:P^^. I: ii:^-'hi &:■ <,^ I jr.. .:n:J2.' .. . « .' * * ^ (" THADDEU8 LEWIS. Ill CHAPTER XX. love 4 The s(icond Annual Session of the Bay of Quinte Conference, was held at Northport, commencing Sept 10th, 1848. By this Conference four Preacher's were received on trial, viz : Benjamin "W. Blanchard, Stall- ham "W. LaDu, Hiram Williams and David "Wilson. — Three were admitted into full connection, viz : John F. Wilson, John Andrews and Wm. Browne. Total number in society 3634 By this Conferance I was appointed to the Tyendi- naga Circuit. This was a great disappointment to me, in consequence of the petition for my return to the Elizabethtown Circuit. I had not made any prepara- tion for a removal, but it vv^as my duty to submit, although I had to remove my family at least 125 miles, and 100 miles of the aforesaid distance by water. Of course I was some time delayed in getting ready to go such a distance with my wife and six children, so we had to take our journey in that season when sailing is dangerous and the weather disagreeable. However, we went by land to Brockville expecting to meet the boat, and get on board by daylight, but the boat did ■■■1. 112 AUTOBIoaUAPHY OF not come up until about midnight, so we had to rout up in dead of night, and get on shipboard as best we could. , , The boat being very heavy laden, we had very poor a jcoininodtttion I assure you, however we worried through the night with our children as best we could, and moored at Kingston the next morning. Here we were delayed until the next day towards night, at which time we shipped lor Belleville, the night came on, and a dreudiul storm of wind and rain came with it, the storm raged to an astonishing and terrifying state and thick darkness covered us. and during that night we were in great peril, especially while passing through what is called the Upper Gap where two seas meet, there the boat was tossed and lifted up by the winds and waves and suddenly let down with a crash. At one time the boat being lifted up to such a height upon the waves and let down so suddenly, that in the great crash every creature on deck, except two, both man and beast, I think, tell to the deck, v; ; ut's,n; .j!.' - The storm continued to rage to a shockmg degree, and there was httle hope of our surviving until morn- ing, but blessed be the Lord Most High, He saved Peter when his faith failed, and He sustained and pre- served us amidst the raging elements, and we moored at Belleville the next day about 11 o'clock, A. M. Hei« oil this journey we had some experience of THAPDEUS LEWIS. 118 what David d^^cribes in the 107 Psahn : " They that go down to the sea in ships to do business in great waters; these seethe works oi the Lord and His won- ders in the deep, for He commandeth and riseth the stormy winds, which Ufteth up the waves thereof, they mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths, their soul is melted because of trouble, they reel to aud fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wit's end, then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and He brmgeth them out of all their distresses. He maketh the storm a calm, so that tho waves thereof are still, then are they glad because they be quiet, so He bringeth them to their desired haven. 0, that men would praise the Lord for His goodness and for His wonderful works to the children of men." Here I will return to my narrative : "We were met at the wharf by the Steward, our fur- niture and family were put onboard the wagons and taken out into the country to the Parsonage that day which was ten miles distant from Belleville. This was on the 30th day of November, and now I here state, that, notwithstanding the hardship, difficulty and dan ger that we endured in our removal to the circuit, it is my settled conviction that my appointment to that charge was of G-od, lor He gave me prosperity and peace during that Conferenoe^year and a great revival on >v 114 XVrOBJOQUkVUr 07 that circuit ; one circumitanco of revivals I will here reiaie • * ' . » '• •■••-« »fv*/ \»,. I had been preachmg in a neighbourhood foe several months where a largo congregation assembled, we had no class in this place, and bnt two persons that made a profession of religion in all the neighborhood. The Conference was drawing near and I became pressed in spirit, in a very unusual manner, for their salvation, HO much so that I could not take my rest in sleep a.s nPore- time, and I resolved to offer them my service m a pro- tractod meeting, and accordhigly when T came to that place on my next api^ointment there (although it was the beginning of harvest) I told the congregation what my feelings had been, and still were, concerning them, m a Protracted mooting. The moment that I had finished making the above proposal, the man of whom I have spoken above who made a profession of religion, arose and said, " Sir, it is no time now for a protracted meeting, do you not know that the people are at w^ork in the harvest and cannot attend meeting at night." Tie sat dow^n and I arose and said to the congregation, " That brother does not feel for you as I do, he would have me put off' the meoting three wrecks, and some of you might bo tU'Hd and damned before that time, and now I offer 3'ou my sei v'ice in the name of God, and I will begin to- • V . ' not and lid I Lher t off tbo |3'ou to- TUADniufl txmn lis morrow ni^rht.' Now (ut many of you as wish me to do so, and will atlond the meeting, stand up. At this annoT ncenieiil and loquest every one of the congre* j^mtion arose on their feet, except my opponent and his wife, my opponent then said I was beside myself, and I need not expect any help from him, for he would not attend the meeting. But trusting in the livmg God, I commenced the meeting the next evening,Jand the Lord poured out his spirit upon the people, and in a fortnight there were more than sixty souls hopefully converted to God and were joined to the M. E. Church Praise the Lord ! my soul, and let all that is with- in me praise his name, for it is holy. The meeting above described was held in what was then called the Yagar schov 1 house. The man who opposed me before commencement of that meeting came to me on the Sabbath of the meeting, and before a vast concourse of people confessed that he had done wrong in opposing me. ' ; J^^^^ '?■': ;»><.!.. use- took ^enty jttled reth- this tried and ours. iwere THADDEUS LEWIS. 117 aided to the Church, and I trust of such as should be saved. This year also the Steward furnished my fami- ly with an abundant support, to G-od be all the glory. Here I will relate a thrilling incident which was brought to a terminus this year. The circumstance was as follows : — Soon after my arrival on the Circuit, 1 was visited by a brother who was an exhorter, and while in conversation with him he told me that two of the members of that class were guilty of carnal intima- cy with each other, and Uke women spoken of in the scriptures "was taken in the very act' and not only once, but at different times, and seen by different \}ev- sons. He also stated firmly that it could be proved, and the circumstance wa« not a secret, that it was known all through the neighborhood, and was a com- mon topic of conversation. I said, brother sit down «nd write a charge against them and I will deal with them as the discipline directs. He prepared the charge no doubt fuUy confident that with all ease he could sustain it. The day was appointed for the trial, tha parties were notified on the day appointed, the most oi the people of the whole neighborhood came together, 1 told them as that which had called them together had publicity among them, they were welcome to sit down quietly and hear, and see ibr themselves how it was disposed of. wri »t#»5i.) 1 i . J. *,»•;■.• 'V" 4 V,' f • iA:ti"X(,jk W*** 118 AUTOBIOORAPIIT OF The jury was empanelled and all the evidences 6n the part of the prosecution was broug-ht forward and heard with close examination, and to the utter astonish- ment of all present, the man who preferred the charge could not sustain the least item thereof, no, there was not the least particle of evidence brought forward that could tarnish in the least degree the character of either of the parties charged. This caused great rejoicing in Hke Church, and among the people as far as it was known. I have written the above incident with a view to apprise the reader of the heuiiousiiess of circulating slanderous reports against any one, and that it is a righteous thing to hold every person innocent until they are proved guilty. There are many circumstances of a similar nature that I could relate wherein evil- minded persons assiduously have engaged to put and keep ri circulation, slanderous reports about their ueighbors, having no .more truth for their foundation than the circumstance related above, and here let me warn slanderous, evil-minded persons agauist tins cry- ing sin of the present age. -; The past year was one in which we suffered a pe- culiarly painful bereavement, I refer to the death of our beloved Bishop Alley, we thought he was just the man we required to superintend and lead on our U- THADDEUS LEWIS. 119 little branch of the Sacramental Host, but the Lord sees as man docs not see, and His ways are not like man's ways. Though our loss was deeply felt, yet we sorrowed not as those that have no hope. His afflic- tion was protracted, his pains acute, yet in passing^ through the valley and shadow of death he feared no exil, his soul being made strong and full of light by the * presence of the God of Jacob, and now we believe he shines forth in the kingdom of heaven, and shall for- ever and ever. CHAPTER XXII The fourth aimual session of the Bay of Quinte Con- ierence of the M. E. Church in Canada, was held aft Mallorytown, commencing Sept. 18th, 1847. By this Conference four were admitted on trial, viz : — Nathan H. Howard, Daniel Smith, Charles Manson and John G. Bull. Eight were admitted into full connec- tion, viz : — Stallman "W. LaDu, Benjamin W. Blanch- ard, Daniel Brown, Hiram "Williams, David "Wilson, Ezra Orser, Simon Terwillegar and Jolin Took. Total number in society, 3819. ^ y?., , .^v . ' By this Couference I was appohited Conference Agent, but in less than one month after the Conference, with my consent, I was released from that agency, and 120 AUTOBIOOEAPHY OF sent to the Ottawa mission in consequence of a fail- ure of the Preacher who was appointed to labor on that mission. Nothing but a sense of duty which I owed to Grod and the Church, could have caused me to have consented to go to that mission. My family was settled on my farm, and I was not prepared to take tliem with me, and if I could have , taken them with me there was not any place for them under circumstances then existing there. Hence there was no alternative, I must leave them and go the dis^ tance of about two hundred miles from home. Na- ture struggled hard for conquest, and the enemy ot souls suggested to my mind that the two preachers that "had been sent to that mission had both fjuled and disgraced the cause of the Episcopal Methodists in that place, so that there could be but very little chance far mo to succeed. But the promise of God was strongly applied to my heart, " My presence shall go with you, and I^will give you rest," and again, " Lo I am ever with you even unto the end of the world." Trusting in the hving God I left my home and iamily, not count- ing my life dear unto myself, that I might finish my course with joy. But although I had braced myself up with a determination to do my duty, yet I could not refrain from weeping nearly all the way, while I trav- elled the first fifteem miles of the journey. It seemed \ ■ THADDKUS LEWIS. 121 as if all my natural feelings (for home, "Wife, children and friends,) were in a perfect storm, and that the deep of my tenderest feelings were broken up. But God who comforteth His people, comforted me by the meet* ing with Bro. .lames Gardner, (my P. E.) who was t© be my company throughout the rest of my journey to the mission, he having an appchitment there for a Quar- terly Meeting. Truly I experienced the truth of that saying, " As iron sharpeneth iron, so doth the counte- nance of a man his friend. It was late in the fall of the year, so we went through pelting rain and sleet with cold fierce winds from the northwest. But though we went throuj^h wet and cold, through the protection of Almighty God we arrived at our journey's end safe and sound. Our Quarterly Meetmg came on, and praise le to the name of God, we had a refreshing and soul reviving time, and I began to feel like wielding the sword of the Spirit once more. Glory be to God most High. The Quarterly meeting being brought to a close, at the shanty door where we had our meeting Bro. Gard- n«T left me, and retamed homeward. Thi^ migsion was composed of Longueil, TredwelVs Seignory, East •nd West Hawksbury, Caladonia and Plantagaiiet. * Although my field of labour was extensive in territory at my commencing to labour there, on all that mission tK^re was only fotir families that received me into their^ 122 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OP houses with any degree of courtesy at all. And beyond these was a strong current rolling against nie, and I w^as told to my lace, by a man where I stopped to get lodging, one bitter cold night that he had been a iriend to the Episcoi>al Methodist Church, had welcomed and entertained the t\\ o preachers that had been sent to that mission before me. But (said he) two slices is enough off that loaf, I w^iiit no more, you cannot stay here ; but I urged the night was very co]d, and thart I Wius a stranger so Ids feeUngs appeared to be a little .•oftened and he said you can stay for this once ; so I stayed all night, After some little time had passed in conversation he appeared to be a little more friendly and asked me if I w^ould like some supper I replied 1 have been to supper. He permitted me to pray with his family. 'We sat up until late at night ; I found him to be a man having a good degree of information. The next morning he would not submit to my going away until after breakfast, he then told me I was wel- come to his house at any time, and from what followed I have reason to believe that he meant all he expressed I found hun to be my friend, ever while I remained on that mission. Soon after my entrance on my work I. held a protracted meeting at a place called Scotch River ni the Township of Plantagenet, and the Lord of Hosts, laid to a helping hand and the few members of tho t THADDEUS LEWIS. 123 church in that place were revived and encouraged ; sinnere were convicted of sin and hopefully converted to God, and were added to the church. The news of this revival being circulated through the length and breadth of the mission it caused tlic few scattering members of the church to lift up their heads, "to thank God and take courage" and hope for better days. Although plans were laid by the; wicked, for my downfall, yet the Lord preserved, pro- tected and kept me from the traps, sins and snares, ot the enemy of souls. Glory be to God for his deliver- ing grace. IjV the follov\'ini>' circumstance I will show how the Lord opened up, and cleared my way before me. In Longueil lived two of the families where I wa:5 received courteously and treated hospitably at all times when in that part of the \vork, and in that imme- diate neighborhood, there lived a nest of avowed Deists and these were of what the world calls the higher class they were rich in the good things of this world, and some ol them were Doctors of Physic and Surgery learned men of the old school. Of these I shall take the liberty to name one. Dr. David AVilcox, a celebra- ted Physician among the high rank of people; in the country, towns and villages around as far as he was kuQwn. He was in the seventy second y«ar of his age^i i 124 AUTOBIOOBAPHY OF What his motives were I do not know, but, as I made it my homo just across the way from his residence ; one morning he stepped over to see me. "We had, had some conversation on ordinary topics and he bade me good-byo. When I came again to that place, he visited me again, and spent some time in conversation with me, and beloro he left he gave me a pohte, and pressing in- vitation to come over and visit him and his family, to which I ronsonted, accordingly the day i>aving been appointod, when 1 came into that neighborhood again I went to i)ay the Doctor the visit I had promised. But I had a fixed determination that I would not be- tray my master, nor the trust He had committed to me. That I might act, and speak, as became a minister •f the Gospel of Christ, 1 had i)rayed heartily, and re- I)eatedly to God, to be pjesent and help me and give me efficient direction; and I had engaged two others to pray for the same thing. When I came to the door o4* the Doctor's dwelling ht met me, and welcomed me there, and introduced me to his Lady, by whom I was shown into the parlour. When we became seated, he introduced worldly cori- rersatio i of course, and as soon as I found it convenient I turned the conversation on spiritual things, and this was done several times ; he was a gentleman, and did not appear to be the least offended notwithstanding 1 ,*»-!f' v\ did THJLDDEU8 LEWIS 125 repeatedly thwarted him in conversation, but he frank- ly told me that he did not believe xaat Jesus Christ was the Son of Gk)d, or the Saviour of the world ; neither did he believe in the Holy Ghost. I asked him if he would patiently hear me relate my Eeligious or Christian experience ? He replied, very pleasantly ; ! yes sir, if it will be any gratification to you, it cannot hurt me ! (smiling) I began with my Mrst recollection of the operation of the Holy Spirit on my heart, and how I was led on according to the Scrip- lures to hate sin and I was brought to resolve that I would break off from my iniquity by turning to God, Ihat I felt my sins intolerable to be borne, that I prayed earnestly to God for the pardon of all my past sins, and made the name and merits of Christ my only plea, at a throne of Grace, for my justification and salvation, that while I was thus crying to God for mercy, in a moment I felt the change wrought within ; that I was justified by faith in Christ, and had peace with God, my guilt was removed, my sorrows were fled, and I was filled with unspeakable joy. At intervals (for I felt so much of the presence, and love of God, that I was unable to speak at difierent times) he would say, I believe you think so, ! I believe you are sincere, but it is easy to be mistaken. We were called to tea, Itud while we partook of the repast we had not much 126 ATJTOBIOORAPHY OF conversation. When it was noqrly time for me to leave I asked liberty to pray with his family ; he replied, 0! yes sir, if it will be pleasing to yon; it can't dome the least harm. The family was called in ; I prayed andthanked Gt)d, for the interview I had with that family. So I left with a warm invitation to visit them again. * ' <. . r An interchange of visiting was kept up between us for some time after my first visit, and on every such occasion I kept the subject before hirn, " opening, alleging that Christ must needs have suffered, ano risen again from the dead " and that this Jesus is the Son of God the Saviour of the "World. Reasoning there- on out of the Scriptures, and he as promptly held forth deism in all its hateful and blasphemous form. A1 length he fell sick with quick comsumption and thi^ disease hurried him on to eternity. I continued to visit him, he said to me one day, yes* terday I thought I was dying. I replied, well Doctor how did it appear to you when you thought you was passing into eternity. He said. Oh ! as to that, every thing looked dark before me, but I knew I was going to a just God. Not long after this I was at the brother's who lived just across the street, just opposite the Dr's, and we saw the gentleman and ladies from St Andrews, L'Original, and Vankleek Hill, driving up to the Dr's. in their cari to leave replied, i do mo prayed th that it them ctween I every penino*. 3d, ano s is the g there- Id forth m. ki id thi& yes. Doctor >u was every going ) lived vesaw iginal, ir cari riagos, and while we were mttiiu^ at diimer tl ns caiiH a messenger saying : " Mr. Lewis the Doctor > ^ mt« yr^n immediately, he is dying." I went over without delay, and found him in the parlor — ^ihe doors and windows open, and the ladies and gentlemen sitdng around. I stepped toward him, and said " Doctor what do you want of me," he said " 1 want you to pray lor me. I replied, doctor I cannot pray for you, because you deny the only name by which I can come to God, This, I believe, gave a shock to every one in the room. I add- ed, if you will believe on the Lord Jesus Christ as be- ing the Son of God and Saviour of the AYorld, then I will pray for you. He then gi'oaned out, as if in agony, " Oh, that I could believe on him. I said, you can be- lieve on him, there is a sure founda+ion for your faith in him ; the prophets testified of him beforehand, and all they said of him came to pass and centred at the foot of his cross. He then said. Oh, I want to believe on him. There was a death-Hke stillness in the place for a few moments, and he cryed out with a loud voice, " I do believe that Jesus Chris't is the Son of God the Saviour of the world.'' At the acknowledgement of this prime article of our Creed I was in an exstacy, and I cried glory to God, at the top of my voice ; then I said, jXQVf I will pray lor you, and turning to the pe( ml^ . w ■ present, I said, let us pray, and every one present drop- e ^- . l'2i AUTOBIOOBIPHT Of ped on their knees in a moment, and I believe that the presence of God wai? felt by every one in the house.— The doctor prayed, others prayed, and I prayed, and the Lamb of God was extolled — the name of Jesns was set forth with exultation — the great transaction was done — his sins which were many were all forgiven him — his soul was hopettiUy converted to God — he was a new creature in Christ Jesus : he praised God, and I praised God, with others, and we shouted aloud for joy. He then requested to be baptised and received into the church and also to have the sacrament of the Lord's Supper administered to him. The day was appointed for the performance of these things. The brethren, friends, and neighborhoods in general, by his consent were invited in to witness his confession of faith, and that any who wished to commune with him at tho Lord's table might do so. All this was done according to his wishes and he appeared comforted and steadfast in the laith. About one week afterwards the Doctor sent for me, I went in haste, but when I came, he was only able to make one reply. 1 said Doctor you are going, and in all probability it will not be long until I shall meet you in heaven. He appeared to make a great effort to speak, and said ; " I hope so," this was understood distinctly, and he fell asleep. ;• ' ^' THIBDSUB LSWM. 129 By request I was the officiating minister at his funeral, and this gave me another introduction to what the world calls the respectability of the Town, Villages and Country around. This not only brought me into notoriety but also into favour with the rich as well as tho poor, and gave favour and stability to our cause in that place. I only visited my family three times that year, but blessed be the Lord Ho preserved my life, and \x life of all that composed my family. Glory be to God that notwithstanding- the prejuri i- ces of the people against me and the cause that I re- presented, he cleared the way before me and made many friends for me, and the church, he also gave me souls for my hire. Hallelujah — Amen. «Qh CHAPTEE XXIII. The fifth Annual Session of the Bay of Quinte Con ference of the M. E. Church in Canada, was held at Napanee, commencing Sept 13th 1848. By this Con- ference one Preacher was admitted on trial, viz : John McMuUen. Two were admitted into full connec' tion, viz : Robert Perry and John A. llogers. Total number in the society 4022, — (i. e.) within the bounds of the Bay of Quinte Conference, i . ; « i m v - r r <» l:^ AUTOBI0ORAP>IY OF By this Conference I waa returned, by appointment, to the Ottawa Mission. I did not go alone this time to that mission. However, I left two of my sons at homo to take care oi the farm, stock and stuff, and I took my wife and three youngest children, and some articles of household furniture, and started for the Mission by the way of the Eideau Canal, as far as Ottawa City. Leav- ing the canal we shipped on board a steamboat on the great Ottawa River, and went sixty miles down the river to a place called L'Original ; there we went ashore, live miles from the place of my destiny where a house was provided for my family. This journey proved too severe for my daughter, who was at a very tender age, and she fell sick, but the good people did all they could to make us comfortable, and she soon recovered, and we had no more sickness in our family while we remained on that mission. Thanks be to God for the same. This year the mission w^as enlarged greatly by the additions to the Church, and also by extent of territory, for we had a call to cross the great OttaT\ a River, and extend our work twenty-five miles east of the Snicarty und north of the Lake of Two Mountains, ^r ^h^^J? Now my field of labour was lying east and west ab( ut fifty miles in length, and I.suff*ered great peril . ,1 west peril n tHADDEUS LEWIS. 181 that year in crossing the great river by ice and water, but blessed be the most High His hand was continual- ly stretched out to my help, and I was sustained and preierved, glory be to G-od forever. In this Conference year it pleased God to remove my eldest daughter from earth to heaven. She depar- ted this life the 23rd day of August in fuR and certain hope of a glorious immortahty. Praise God she passed away in the triumph of faith, She was the mother of four children. Although we severely felt our bereavement by the loss of the odmpany of so good a child, yet we did not mourn as those that have no hopes no, blessed be Grod^ we had the consolation of beheving that our two eldest daughters were gathered and numbered with the blood washed throng — ^Hallelujah. This Conference year Bro. Elexus Johnson died, he was a clads leader on this mission and a man of precious memory, strongly attached to the M. E. Church, and the cause of God in general. He vy;as about 84 or 85 years of age, he took the measles., and when they ap- peared fully out upon the surface of his body, some of his friends must and would have a Doctor, it was done the Doctor came, he was an inebriate and had been drinking to excess. He proposed bleeding the adck man — some who were present objected tp ble eding lo2 ▲rTOBIOOBAPHT Of but not regarding any thing that was said he bled the patient, he would and did, while the blood was yet running the pistulation sunk away, turned black and came out no more, and that night before the Doctor left Brother Johnson expired, but glory be to Grod brother Johnson died triumphant, he died in the tri- umph of faith. He shouted glory and praised God un- til his voice failed in death. CHAPTER XXIV. The rfixth annual session of the Bay of Quinte An- nual Conference of the M. E, Church in Canada was held at Farmersville, commencing Sept 12th, 1849. By this Conference three preachers were admitted on trial, viz ; Joshua H. Johnson, Henry Dockham and L. S. Church. Five preachers were admitted into full connection, viz ; N. H. Howard^ John "W. Sills, John Gr. Bull, WiUiam G-raham and Charles Manson. Total number in Society within the bounds of the Bay of Quinte Conference 4096. By this Conference I was ap- pointed to the Crosby Circuit, with Luman Kurlburt. During this year I had some severe trials to pass through, but the Lord delivered me out of them all and ^ preserved my '\milv from sickness and death. In the THADDKU» LEWIS. 138 d the IS yet : and )octor God le tri- )d un- te An- a was 9. ted on nd L. o full hn a. Total ay of asap- urt. pass Hand lu the winter of that conference year I held a protracted meet- ing above the head of the Kideau waters, in which meeting the Lord was pleased to pour out his Spirit upon the people, and thereby more than sixty souls were hopefully converted to G-od and added to the Church. To Grod be all the glory forever. My labor was very hard during the whole of that conference year, and more especially during that meet- ijig, and my health was injured by it, but I labored on to the end of the year, I had much for which to praise God that year ; his gracious providence over me and his kind dealings with me, were manifest with each re- volving day. Praised be his name forever. Before I close this chapter I will relate a circum- stance that took place during the protracted meetmg aforesaid, which was as tbllows : On the last sabbath of the meeting I was administer- ing the sacrement of baptism by sprinkling to adults, and children, and in the midst of my administration a man m the congregation cried out "that is no baptism at all," and he repeated the same again and again, to which I made no reply, but proceeded on in my work, however a school teacher present reminded him that he was interrupting a worshipping assembly, but this did not quiet him, he was bold and loud, making man)' - 134 AUTOBIOORAPHT OF strong assertions until he was told that he would have to leave the house if he did not be quiet. As soon as my work was done, and the congregation was dismiss- ed he confronted me, boldly, saucily and vociferously challenging me to a public debate. I told him that I did not think we would gain anything by arguing the question of baptism, for I knew I was right, and there ibre he could not convince me that I was wrong, and although he was positively wrong, yet his preconceiv- ed and settled opinion was so strong that there was no probabiHty of my convincing him of his error. At this he appeared to be inflamed with anger, and to pacify him I told him and the people that the next day 1 w^ould be in waiting at a place I then named, and from ten to three o'clock in the day I would explain all the pas- sages of Scripture that he, my opponent, might please to bring forward on the subject of baptism. Accord- ingly we met at the time and place appointed, and there were many spectators present ; so he brought forward all those passages of Scripture which the antopado Baptists take to prove immersion exclusively, and I having explained each passage separately, as he quoted them, he, notwithstanding all his clamor and vocifera* *tion on Sabbath, could but acknowledge that Baptism by immersion could not be so easily established by the Scriptures as he had supposed. All present seemed to Id have soon as iismiss- erously 1 that I ing the id there tig, and jonceiv- was no At this o pacify would om ten ho pas- : please Accord- id there or ward itopado and I quoted ocifera- aptism by the * med to i THADDEU* LEWIS 135 be w^l satisfied for the time they had spent, and we parted more pleasantly than on the Sabbath. CHAPTER XXV, The seventh Session of the Bay of Quinte Annual Conference of the M. E. Church in Canada was held at Northport commencing August Ith 1850. By this Conference two preachers were admitted on trial viz : George J. Betts and D. F. Hutchinson. One preacher was admitted into full co inection, viz : J. McMulleii. Total number in society within the bounds of the Bay of Quinte Annual Conference 4090. At this Conference, my health being impaired by incessant labour, also travelling through storms, wet and cold, by night and day, I thought I would be justi- fiable in asking a superanuated relation to the Confer- ence, which relation was granted me. On my return home from Conference I being enfea- bled in body and somewliat dejected in mind, I thought it necessary to settle my worldly concerns, as I had i rusted to my sons that carried on the farm for th? space of four years, to my surprise, I found myself six hundred and fifty dollars in debt, and there was no al- ternative (il I would do justly) than to sell my farm 116 AUTOBIOOBAPHY OF and make payment, which I did through the course of the following winter, and I believe to the satisfaction of all concerned. In May of the same Conference year, I removed my family and what of my substance I had left, to the Township of Whitby in the County of Ontario, and I settled my family in a small village called Newton, now Eaglan. Now my family must be sustained and to do this, I entered upon a small scale in the Mercantile Business and found it as profitable as I expected, in this situa- tion and employment I chiefly remained dtiring the five years that I remained superanuated. Here I will relate a thrilling circumstance that took place in A. D. 1854 my health was improving at this time but my leg was extensively and fearfully ulcerat- ed gave me great pain and I was immersed in business. At this time Bishop Smith came to my place and requested me to go to the Markham Circuit and travel there until the next Annual Conference, which would be a little more than three months. At first it appeared to me that to comply with the re- quest would ruin me in my business as I had only my wife and two Uttle boys to leave in charge of the whole, I therefore refused to go, the Bishop urged the »eccsai- THJLDDBUS LEWIS 137 sity, I said it is yet two weeks before I will be wanted and in that time try and get some one else and if you cannot succeed in getting another, then let me know and I will give you an answer. The Bishop left, and I began to re?.son with mysellV I shall be ruined if I go, but if Grod requires it I should go, though I should lose my property and my life also. But it cannot be that God requires me to go in such pain and misery with my leg. He is a good being, and all powerful, He could heal my leg in a moment, if he pleased and if he required me to go I believe He would do it. Thus I put to silence the struggle of my mind, but however strange and incredible as it may appear to readers about three days after my intervievf with the Bishop, I opened my leg to dress it and to my awful astonishment my leg was entirely healed up. It is utterly impossible for me to discribe my feelings in that awful moment, but this I can say that I felt in- deed as if Grod had spoken to me from heaven, and I said to my wife, now if I lose all the property we have I will go to the Markham Circuit,if 1 am called for. The Bishop came for me. I went leaving my wife m care of the whole concern at home ; and I do not be- lieve that I lost a dollar by it, but I had the pleasure of hearmg poor sinners crying for mercy, and again seeing and hearing them exult in a sin-pardoning Grod, the ,-r*--j- 138 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF church was refreshed and built up, and the power oi' rehgion was revived and increased in my own soul, praised be the name of the Lord, let all the people fear Jiefore him, for lie is a great king, let all nations tremble at his i^resence and give glory and honor unto him. Finding that my health was improving I resolved to cut loose from the world at all hazards and again take the lield with my brethren in the ithierant ranks ; ac- cordingly I set about the work, I sold my establishment and made a credit sale, by which I disposed of all my jaerchandize, and in but a little less than one year after 1 left the Markham Circuit 1 was prepared for the work of the ministry agaui, or in other words I had disen- tangled myself that I might please him that had called me to be a soldier. AVlien I was ready for the work it was yet four months until the conference, and I did not )<.now of any vacancy for me. Just at the time when 1 was pondering the matter in my heart, I received a message, stathig that I was wanted on the Markham Circuit again, and without delay I repaired to that held of labor, and was received courteously, and indeed gladly by the people. AVlien I arrived on the Circuit,! was accompanied by a Dr. to see the preacher in charge to make some ar- rangements with him concerning my hnances. and to get a plan of the Circuit, he oflered me a single man's salary, 1 declinc'd accepthig the ofter ; but I proposed 1 THADDKUS LEWIS. 189 to take what the peopled pleased to give me ; to this he agreed, I received the plan and entered into the work. Glory bu to God, I feel like a bird escaped from the «nare . The good and gracious God poured out his spirit on all our assemblies for worship, the Church was re- vived, strengthened, and built up, the lukewarm were aroused, backsliders were reclaimed, and sinners were, broight from the power of Satan unto God, and 1 felt my own soul greatly refreshed. However, during my stay on the Markham Circuit this time I suffered great persecution, but the Lord de- livered me out of it all ; by the time I had finished my work on that charge i)eople on that circuit had given me more than one hundred dollars. CHAPTER XXYI. The 8th session of the Bayof Quinte annual conference of the M. E. Church in Canada was held at the White Chapel, Township of Loborough, commmencing Sept. 10th 1851. V' By this Conference two preachers were admitted on trial, Henry D. Powers and Daniel Pomeroy. Three were admitted into full connection viz ; L. S. Church, J. H. Johnson and Henrv Dockum. J ^^- i^S^^mlJ 140 AI3T0BI0ORAPHT 07 Total numbers in society within the bounds of tbe 13ay of Quinte Annual Conference 3911. Decrease this year 170. . . The nhith session of the Bay of Quinte annual con- ference of the M. E. Church in Canada was held in the village of Percy, commencing Sept., 1st 1852. By this conference four preachers were admitted on trial viz : W. A. Sills, J. D. Bell, Josiah Sparrow, P. W. Hindmarsh. Three were admmited into full connection, viz : ^Gr. J. Betts, D. F. Hutchinson and Thomas Plato. Total number in society within the bound of the Bay of Qainto annual conference 3639, decrease this year 272. The tenth session of the Bay ot Quinte annual con- ference of the M. E. Church in Canada was held at Brockville, commencing Sept.. 7th 1853. By this conference four preachers were admitted on trial viz^ Eli AYoocock. Peter P. Pomeroy, D. N. Rob- ertson, Robt., Sanderson. One was admitted into full connection, viz : Daniel Pomeroy, ..;;,. . . ' -m Total numbers in society within the bounds, of -the Bay of Quinte annual conference 44(j4. > • Increase this year 825. The eleventh session, of the Bay of Quinte annual conferencq of the M. E. Church in Canada was held at Caniffs Mills commeuc* THADBEUS LEWIS. 141 ing June 14th, 1854. By this conference one preacher was admitted on trial viz : A. McLaren ; four were ad- mitted into full connection, viz : J. Sparrow, W. A. gills, J. D. Bell and George Bissle. P. W. Hindmarsh died this year. Total number in society within the bounds of the Bay of Quinte annual Conference 6013. The twelfth session of the Bay of Quinte annual con- fenice was held at Brighton commencing June 6th, 1855. By this conference eleven preachers admitted on trial viz : J. C, Pomeroy, J. E. Burnell, J.Rombough, J. Q. Adams, D. Smith, "VV. H. Graham, J. Smith, E. J. Tullord, I. B. Aylsworth, A. Hunt, and C. W. Lent. Four were admitted into full connection, viz ; Robt. San- derson, P. P. Pomery, E. Woodcock and D. N. Robinson. Total number in Society within the bounds of the Bay of Quinte amiual conference of the M. E. Church in Canada, 5417. , , r of E. CHAPTER XXYIL The thirteenth session of the Bay of Quinte Annual Conference of the M. E. Church in Canada was held in Earmersville, commencing June 4th, 1856. By this Conference six preachers were admitted on trial, viz ; John R. Phillips, Wm. H. Snider, David Aylsworth, Ja- red Brown, L. B. Caldwell and Henry Seymour. One ^ 142 AUTOBIOORJLPMT OF preacher was admitted into full connection, viz ; Alex- ander McLaren. Total number in Society within the bounds of the liay of Quinte Conference, 5987. At this Conference I was rendered effective and ap- pointed to the Percy and Seymour Circuit, and J. A. llogers was appointed to labor with me. My children were all grown up and were doing for themselves, con- sequently I had only my wife and myself to provide for. My only daughter that was living had very poor health, so 1 left my wife with her about one half of that Conference year, and went to the circuit alone ; in con- sequence of this Bro. Rogers moved his family into the Parsonage. "We had not more than got to our work when we found the officials on the Percy part of the charge were dissatished with being connected with the Semour part, they told me that they intended to be separate, and that they would not receive nor support but one preacher, and as my colleague was there occupy- ing the parsonage they would receive and support him, and reject me. I mustered what little moral courage I possessed, and told them that neither I nor they had power to divide that work, that the proper authoritieif) of the church had sent me there to take charge of Percy and Seymour, in connection with each other, and I in- tended to act accordingly. My colleague and I then made out our plan of appointments coyering the whole \M m- THADDEUS LEWIS. 1451 work, and proceeded to carry it out, and it was not long till the difficulty appeared to be settled to the sat- isfaction of all parties concerned. Q-lory be to God, we went forth unitedly, putting- forth our feeble eftbrts for the praise of him that had called us, and blessed be his holy name he accompanied oar labors by the unction of the Holy Ghost, so that the Church was revived greatly, conviction for sin was felt in the hearts of many, and they were led to cry un- to God for mercy, nor did they cry in vain, for ho in- clined his ear and took them out of the horrible pit, sir- n*rs were converted to God, backsliders were reclaim- ed, the lukewarm were stirred up, and many were added to the church on that circuit this conference year . I do not mean to be understood that Bro. Rogers and I were the only persons engaged as instruments in this glorious work of revival, no blessed be God forev- er, we had a staff of local preachers and exhorters on that charge that were worthy of their office; they went into the w^ork two and two, and held protracted meetings, and the Lord blessed their labors abundandy and gave them souls for their hire, and life and vigor in their own souls. My colleague and I labored hard that year, and the Lord paid us a hundred-fold, and the people made us '' comfortable financially, so that we were indeed blessed ■i#i fBiarL-~X"i' 144 JLUTOBIOGEIPHY OF tkat year, both temporally and spiritually. Praised be the Lord forever, we were had in remembrance by him. But although in the above I have shown the bright •side of the picture, I will now show two dark spots on the other side of the leaf. The first and great affliction was, I had the cholera that year, at which time my life was despaired of; but my work was not done — my passport was not sealed — I could not go home. The second dark spot was, I came well nigh being led into captivity by the world. I was persuaded by a man to go into the mercantile bushiess w ith him, which I did to a great extent. I saw my error, and escaped the snare by selling out the whole concern to him. Grlory be to God for my deli- Veren^e, Hallellujah ! 'ir CHAPTER XXVIII. The iburteenth annual session of the Bay of Quinte Conference, of the M. E. Church in Canada was held at Cobonrg, county of Northumberland, commencing June 3rd, 1857. -,-::y» x,,, ■■_ /- .-: -r/*rv i'*'a By this Conference nine preachers were admitted on trial, viz : J. Grraham, E. Werden, G. French, T. Gold- smith, F. B. Knowlton, T. Ferguson, A. T. Waite, A. Carman and R. Wollery. Eleven were admitted into boi THADDBTTfl LEWIS. 145 IVdl connection, viz : J. C. Pomeroy, J. C. Bumell, J. H. Kombough, J. Q. Adams, "W. H. Graham, E, J. Hul- ford, D. Smith, A Hunt, I. B. Ails worth, J. Smith, and C, W. Lent. Total members in Society within the bounds of the Bay of Quinte Conference 6561, By this Conference I was re-appointed to the Percy and Seymour Circuit, and J. A. Rogers was appointed to travel with me, the same as he did the year before. I was well pleased with my appointment, and collea- gue. "We returned to the ther Circuit aad were cordial- ly received by the Church on that charge. "We enter- ed upon our w^ork, and surely the great head of the Church showed us great favour that Conterence year, the church increased in spirituality. "We had d camp- meeting on this Circuit that year, which was made a blessing to the people of that charge, and sinners were brought from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, and were pdded to the chnrch. "We laboured for souls, and the Lord crowned our labour with success. Grlory and Honor be ascribed unto Him forever. But notwithstanding all the blessedness of which I have spoken above I exporienced that year, the truth of that saying ** in the world ye shall have tribulation," I had temptations which I but just escaped, had pain which was almost intolerable to be borne, and I had 146 AUTOB1O0BAPHT OV a great bereavement that year. In the month of May my eldest son died. But although his mother and I lelt our loss severely, yet we were comforted in that he departed this Ufe in the triumphs ot faith having hi& last enemy under his feet. C-lory be to God, we did not mourn as those that have no hope. In the month of March of the same year, I was at a mansion house, and passing thrcagh the area in the night huv ing a large book in one hand and a candle in the other, I had the misfortune to put out the light, and then it being very dark I mistook the cellar door for the one I intended to pass through, I opened the cellar door without the least thought of mistake, and stepped through^ and behold I fell from the top to the bottom of the cellar, and I found myself lying among the pots> kettles of soap and barrels of Pork. The crash was heard m some of the apartments of the mansion, and the people ran to the place of disaster and by their aid I was enabled to ascend the stairs I had never descen- ded. I did not leel that degree of injury at first, which 1 had received. I knew I was injured to some extent, but having an appointment to commence a protracted meeting the next evening, about ten miles distance from the mansion, and although the next morning after my fall, I found that I was injured more than I at first expected, yet I could not be persuaded by the good pec im plai <( people where I was» to desist from my purpose of go- ing to the meeting. ^' - - » - .-' -i -^.i. • i Accordingly, though sore and in pain I went to the place appointed for the meeting. I coAiimenced and > continued the meeting until 1 was not able to drive my horse home. I suffered great pain and distress while labouring in that meeting. "When I found that I could; do no more, a good brother drove my horse and took me carefuDy and safely home. By this time my case had become alarming, I found that my right arm was very badly hurt, and I was ad- vised by my friends to go immediately to the doctor, who lived but a little up street in the same village, and as my lower extremities were not injured, I walked up to his office, he examined my arm, and said it would be necessary to amputate it. To which I made some objections. Then he stepped towards me, and with an , authoritative voice, and menacing language, he said' " sir, it is not for you, nor any other man to object when the Surgeon sees it necessary to sever a limb to save Hie." I replied, " well sir, I shall see to'that," so I^bade him good morning and walked out, and I never con-. suited him agam on the subject. . , Now I was more particularly brought to think of him who healed all manner of diseases, and I committed myself more fully to his will, in that particular. Now * I gave myself to the care, and skill, of my wife, under '1 148 AUTOBIOaSAPHT Of the great physician. At this time my arm presented an awfnl aspect, being swollen in a dreadful manner, to my shoulder. However, the application prescribed by 'ny wife brorght the swelling down in a few days, a' then it plainly appeared that the place affected most by the fall, was the hinge joint, and there it had a fearful appearance. The same application was continued that took the swelling down, and in about a month I had the use of my arm as well as ever before, to the astonishment of as many as had seen it in its worst condition. Grlory be to God I have my arm yet, Hallelujah, Amen. CHAPTER XXIX. The Bay of Quinte Annual Conference of the M. E. phuich in Canada commenced its fifteenth Session in Napanee, County of Lennox, May 5th., 1868. By this Conference six preachers were admitted on trial, viz : James Hulen, L. A. Betts, Gr. Goldsmith, I. B. Smith, James Witcher and Adam Anderson. Five were admitted into full connection, viz : J. E. Phillips, W. H. Snider, D. "W. Aylesworth, L. B. Caldwell and H. Seymour. Total number in membership this year, r723. '""' By this Conference I was appointed to th« charge of I* ented inner, sribed days, Fected had a >k the use of it of as >ry be M.E. ion in ly this 1, viz: Imlth, were |s, W. id H. year, rgeof TH1DDXX7S LXWIl. 149 the Hope Circuit, in the County of Northumberland, and "W. H. Snider to labor with me. I was well pie ased with my appointment ; and I arrived with my family on that circuit the second day of June ; found there a good parsonage, a stable for my horse, a barn for my carriages, and as good a people as I expect to lind this side of Heaven. This circuit embraced a pa: fc of the following Town- ships, viz : Haldimand, Hamilton, Hope and Alnwick. We ertered upon our work according to the plan left me by my predecessor, and found enough to do to fiU the appointments, visits, and pray with the people ; but my strength was made equal to my day. We had a camp meeting this year on that charge, which was productive of much good ; the Church was quickened, sinners were brought to the knowledge of the truth as it is in Christ Jesus, wid backsUders were reclaimed. To show the uniform character of the religion of the Bible on all classes and nations, I will here relate a cir- cumstance that took place through the process of that meetinof. There was a number of Aborigines at this camp meeting who came from Alnwick Mission, the greater number of whom were converted to God, both male and female; they appeared to be very smcere and high toned in their devotion, they seemed to posscsa I 150 jLUTOBIOORitPHY OF ^eat fiftith in Ohrist, and the great atonement made by him. But there were others of that tribe that was in their bk od and m theii sins, strangers to God. Now, that part of them that had tasted that the Lord was graci ', appeared to be very anxious for the conver- sion o. nose that were unpardoned, and busily engaged themselves for the aecomplishment of this very thing. One night after I had been preachmg, the prayer meeting was commenced, and the Indians had a prayer meeting b^ themselves, and through the course of their devout exercises there were several conversions, among whom was one Indian of more than common size, who as soon as his guilt was removed, and his soul filled with the love of God, sprang to his leet, leaped, and praised God, and cried with a loud voice, " Where dat big man, where dat big man dat preach iiuss,'' and thus he continued to cry at the top of his voic*^ until I was shown to him. He then came leaping and praising God, through the congregation, until he came to where I was, andjhe seized me immediately m his iron grasp, drew me to his embrace, and kissed me on one cheek and then on the other a number of times, before he tv^ould let me go from his grasp. The reason why he had such peculiar love for me was, that he had been awakened by the word which I had preached. To the Most High be all the glory, honor and majei^y ascribed. '-^^.V' i^' THAi>DEU8 L1WI8. 151 ;,•< When the camp meeting was brought to a close, it was thought expedient to call a prayer meeting in the parsonage, (the school house was being occupied,) ac- cordingly we commenced, and continued these meetings every night lor two weeks, and the power of God was displayed in the conviction and conversion of sinners. One thing in particular in connection with these meetings swells my heart with gratitude to God, and gives me much joy, viz : My son Stephen W. who was with us and was fast passing away with consumption. He having been taken to the camp meeting, which was a short distance from the parsonage, was there broujjht to see and feel he was a smner, a rebel against that God who would shortly bring him to his eternal destiny. In one of these prayer meetings he received the evi- dence of his acceptance with God, through Our Lord Jesus Christ. He arose from his bed, and with great iirmness bore testimony that God, for Christ's sake, had pardoned all his sins. Oh, who can describe the blessings of that hour. Glory be to God. It was in some good degree like the day of Pentecost; the people that were present, with one accord were baptized with the Holy Ghost and with Fire. .fi[;!> (Iv -' After this my son Stephen W. appeared calm and serene^ happy in the prospect before him, and conld^ -■ --" '. '■'■'^' 152 AUTeBIOORAPHT O? speak of death as of a sleep, and looked to that glory that should be revealed in that eternal state of being, to which he was fast hastening. I believe he never doubted his being a child of God to the day of his death, which took place the 20th day of April, in the same Conference year. Like David, I called on my soul„and all that is within me, to praise the name of the Lord. CHAPTER XXX. The Bay of Quinte Annual Conference of the M. E. Church in Canada commenced its sixteenth Session in the city of Ottawa, county of Carleton, May 18th 1869. By this Conference, four were admitted on trial, yiz : James M. Simson, Hiram P. Shepard, Peter Empy aid A. A.Brown. Three were admitted intc full connection viz : J. Graham, J. Furguson, and E. "V foolery. Total number in society 7987. By this Conference I was re-appointed to the Hope Circuit, and James Simspson was appointed to travel with me, I was well pleased witi my appomtment, and equally so with my fellow lai^ourer when 1 "her came acquainted with him. We entered upon our work and I ihink I can say I never had a more pleasant nor prosperonB year, the I € ( 1 a h SI tl • 11 1 f V c t n r I a f . >* J yiz : a:id ction btal thft ^HADDBUS LXW18. 153 Lord gave us favour in the sight of the people, and it was a year of great revival on that circuit, many were hopefully converted, and added to the church. To him that has set his Glory above the heavens be ascrib- ed glory and dominion, for ever and ever. Notwithstanding I had some opposition, but it did not injure me, nor the cause of God, iu which I wivs engaged, and here I will relate the circumstance of opposition. After a revival meeting held in a certain neighbor- hood on the Circuit, where a goodly number had been added to the church, some of the young converts not having been Baptised, requested me to preach on the subject of Baptism. I consented, to do so, and told the congregation present, that at my next appointment in that place, 1 would give my views on water Baptism. The time arrived and when I came to the place, I found a very crowded assembly, and among them was an elder of the Baptist Church and pastor of the church in that neighborhood. While I was doing the best I could to explain my subject, he interrupted me a number of times, by speaking aloud, and telling me to read certain passages of Scripture that he would name. As I felt in a condescending mood I read them for him and explained them for the people. - . ,• ■ 154 AUTOBIOQKAPHT OP the people that the next Sabbath, in his Chapel, he would prove that immersion was the direct, and only mode of Baptism established by our Lord Jesus Christ. I said " sir, do I understand you right, that you will prove that." He replied " I will try to prove it." I replied, "O ! yes sir, you can try, and I will come and h?ar you try." \Vell I did not wish to have this thing done in a corner, thoreibre I circulated his appointment among our peoi)le, and told them they would do well t ) attend his meeting, that I intended to be there, and would not be at my mornhig appointment. The time arrived, and the Baptist Chapel was crow- ded to overflowing, so that all the people could not get ill. I got a st^at inside of the door intending to make the best use that 1 could of what I should hear. Alter singing and prayer in which he did not appear to take any part, he then arose and laid the open bible against his breast, and boasted of his love for it, he said he esteemed it above all other books, it was the book of books; and alter all his love and esteem for that book of books, before he got through with his discourse, he said that the bible was not to be depended upon, lie thanked God that he could read the Greek and Latin, for himself, and he knew that the Protestant bible was net translated right ; and he would show three rtasonB why it was not translated as it shoiddbe* i I TH1DDEU8 LEWIS. 155 Ist. King James was a sprinkler, and had given the outlines of translation to those to whom the work was assigned, and they dare not go contrary to his order, even if they were disposed to do so. ' find. They w ere all sprinlvlers themselves. 3rd.' The Language was so changed that it (the bible) was not to be depended upon. In a word he did not bring a passage of Scripture nor an argument other than the above to prove that Immersion was the mode, much less the only mode, of baptism established by our Lord Jesus Christ, as he had boasted he would do. Immediately after the meeting was brought to a close, I arose and told the people that I intended to reply to the Rev. Mr at my next appointment in our Chapel, in that neighborhood this was rumoured abroad, and and brought many people together on the day appoin- ted for my reply. When 1 came to the place I was well pleased to see such a concourse of people in attendance, both from town and country, composed of rresbyterians. Church- men, Baptists, Wesley an Methodists, Prmiitive Metho- dists, Episcopal Methodists and Nothingarians. Sever- al Clergymen were in attendance, and my opponent was also j)roBv3nt. ^ai^au, .1 took my place in the public feeling gieat responsi- i I 150 JLUTOBIOORAPHT Of bility, and yet trusting in God that he would cause his truth to shine. Alter singing and prayer, I stated the object of the meeting, and proceeded to expose some ol' the statements made by my opponent on the previ- ous tSttbbath. I told the people that 1 did not mean to say, or to be understood to say, that the llev. Mr. (giv- ing his name) was an inlidel, \mi held him as achristain brother ; but that, at least, he mistook his way on the doctrine of Baptism. But I do say, that I never met an infidel in my hie who strovetoiuA'alidate and render useless the Protestant Bible, so much as he did. To me, he did not appear to understand properly what he was saying or doing. He pressed the open bible to his breast and declared his intense love for it, said he esteemed it above any other book, that it was the Book of Books, and then turned short about and thanked God that he could read the Greek and Latin for him- seli,thereibre he would not believe any man, or any set of men, for he knew for himself the Protestant bible was not transh\ted right. He then proceeded to render reasons why the bible as it is, was not to be depend- ed on. '" Ist. King James was a sprinkler, and gave the out- lines of translation to those men to whom the work waa assigned. 2nd. They were all iprinklers. "^^I T^^^ ^^^t>t ^ sil d B ail ider md- TILLDDSXJS LIW10. 157 8rd. The language was so changed in so long a time that it (the bible) was not to be depended on. " ^ v. My oppouent then left, apparently in great confu. sion. I proceeded then to read and explain one hun- dred and three portions of scripture relating to Baptism. These 1 had taken from the bible, chapter and verse, and had thera in catalogue, for this purpose. When I had finished the explanation of the aforesaid scriptures, I had stood three hor^rs on my feet, and I told the congregation that at m^ next appointment in that place, I would treat the subject ^1 Infant Baptism. A gentleman present then a:< 1, " Rev. Sii, are you prepared to do it now ? ' I replied, " Yes, Sir." " Do it now," was heard from a number of voices in the congregation. 1 proceeded, and passed through the subject, and I believe there were not any that left the chapel until the meeting was closed, except my opponent, and two or three more that Wt o.1 out with him. The resjilt of this combat was that the Rev. Mr. left that part of the country, to find a congregation some- where else, and the major part of the Baptists in the neighborhood, I befieve, are members of the M. E. Church, and some went to other Churches. Glory be to Q-od Most High. His Fatherly care was manifest for me, and his saying grace to me during this year also. ■■''T"'?"/';'''''"'-'^' ■" ' -■]■'■• .■■|'v''';iJK":! 158 '>f!iJ,1 AUTOBIOORjLPHY OF . M-^ CHAPTER XXXI. 'l<^' The Bay of Quinte Annual Conference of the M. E. Church in Canada commenced i+s seventeenth Session at Canifton, in the County of Hastings, May 28id., 1860. By this Conference eight preachers were ad- mitted on trial, viz : W. Gr. Hudgin«, Erastus S. How- ard, D. Crovvter, A. Maybee, H. Hasselgrav?, F. B. St/atton, G. S. "VYhite and Q-. French, (re-admitted.) Two were admitted into full connection, viz : A. J. Wait and A. Carman, M. A. By this Conference I was appointed to the Seymour Mission, and E. S. Hoy/ard was appointed to labour with me. This mission was composed of a very rough part of the country ; as rough a part of country, I think, as I have ever traveled. At this time I was sixty-seven years of age. I believe that my colleague and I were well received by the people generally. "We entered upon our work, though feeble, I think we had the glory of God, and the worth of souls at heart, and mercy drops began to fall, and sinners were brought from the power of Satan unto God, and the Macedonian cry was made, and we responded thereto aj THADDSUA LEWIS. 159 *■ and soon we had enlarged the work so that it required another preacher, for which I made application to my P. E. and at his call my son John, who was a local preacher, was brought into the work. Now I left my excellaut colleague, and my son, to fill the work already taken into our charge, and in compliance with another call I went to a village called Norwood. Now I was in a part of a country where our ministers had never labored since the (so called) union was consummated. The Wesley an Methodists had two chapels in this village. "\IVhy, it may be asked, did you go there, the people were al- ready supplied with preaching ? I answer, because there were some of the people of that village and of the surrounding country, that had been members of the M. E. Church in other parts, prior to their re- moval to this section of the country, and they were calhng, and anxiously waiting for ministers of the church of their choice, There was another chapel in the village belonging to the Congregationalists, which]was not occupied for any purpose. At my first coming to this place I could not have access to either of the chapels, and I met wuth . opposition. But the way was cleared before me. -ilito Although I was not an Orangeman, the Orangemen i opened their Hall for me to preach in. The Hall was ' < I 1 y I I 160 lUTOBIOGRlP^Y OF crowded with attentive hearers, and alter the service was ended a very influential man among the Wesleyan Methodst, and a trustee of both of their meeting houses, stepped forward and gave me a hearty shake of the hand, and said " sir you shall have one of our meeting houses to preach in." I thanked him for his kind oflfer although I knew I would not get liberty from their minister, w^ho possessed the sole power to open or shut the meeting houses on his charge at his will. The result was, when he had an interview with his minister, I heard no more about my preaching in their Chapel, and saw that gentleman no more in our con- gregations. However it was not long until my friends hired the Congregational meeting house for me, and the sole use of the M. E. Church for one year, and we commenced and carried on a protracted meeting, and the gracious Lord poured out the Holy Spirit upon the people, and siimers were hopefully converted to Grod, the people of God were quickened and established, and there was great joy in that village. I had not been long in that place, when I was in- formed that there was a neighbourhood about five or six miles distance from Norwood, v\rhich was destitute of the means of grace, but to get to them was very dif- ficult, but I immediately made up my mind to go to them, and tddmy mfbrmant so. ^ - 11 1 THADDEUS LEWIS. 161 Some person overhearing our conversation, told my intention to the Wesleyan preacher; although he had lived in Norwood pimost three years, he had never paid them a visit, although he must have known they had not the means of grace. Yet now on the same day that I went to that long neglected people, he (the "Wesley an preacher) came into the same neighborhood and to the same house where I was, but he was too late, for some persons were already circulating an ap- pointment for me to preach that evening. He not knowing this, oflfered his service to the man of the house, to give that community regular preaching. The man then introduced him to me, and informed him that my appointment was in circulation for that evening, he then appeared to be somewhat confused, and began to make excuses, saying it was only three days ago, since he had heard of this destitute people, r Then he was told that it appeared strange, that he could live nearly three years in Norwood, and had never heard of them before, and I had only been about one week in Norwood, and had came to their help, before him. This rebuff seemed to tiake him down' Then I arose, and kindly invited him to stay to the meeting, and let the people take their choice of us, and if he was chosen, I would retire without finding any fault. To this he would not agree, and \eft immediately* ■,«.1,V1l n :: i <) ! '^niv^ 162 ,,,, , ,j AUTOBroo»APHY or .,,.. The time for the meeting arrived, and the people* being congre^ted, while the singing, prrving and preaching were going on, blessed be the Lord of hostsj: his arm was ir ade bare, his spirit came down like the early and latti r r<'in, convictions were multiplied, and fourteen souk were hopefully converted to God, and joined society before the meeting broke up. Before I close this chapter I will relate another cir- circumstance to show that the Minister of the Gospel of Christ, should follow the emigration into the interior of our country, which was as follows : — The news of a M. E. Preacher being in that section of country began to be spread abroad, and a man came about 25 miles distance from Norwood, and from one of the back settlements. ^ This man hearing of me, came and requested me to come to the neighborhood where he lived telling me at the same time, that he had Uved there eight years, and there had never been a Gospel Sermon preached among them. He entreated me therefore with many wordis, and I consented to try to find: my way to his place. (It was winter.) Then he gave me a discrip- tion of the road £^ best he could. I must take such a road and it wQuld lead me to a lake : then I would. . find thetro a shanty toad, this road wouldl^admd roun<^;l through the wilderness to the north side of the lake, a l^nd there I woilild iiud three families that had recently ^oved into that wilderness. Some of them would di- rect me to anoth-er lake that I would have to cross, and then I would be able to find my way to his place by shanty men and shanty roads. Accordingly I started on the day appointed, very early in the morning, and I followed the direction I had received, as best I could, and I arrived at the place just as the suB^was setting behind the western hills. There were eight or nine protestant famihes in that settlement who had far removed from all tiiey once esteemed and loved, some of them had enjoyed reh^on prior to their emigration to this place, but they had backsliden^ and wer^e hving hke the world. The next day ai!ter my arrival in the neighborhood, according to appoin,tmen.t, the people came together to hear from God,, out of his word, and some shanty men assembled with them. The reHgious exercise commenced, and the children were not accustomed to such doing, and the time of singing and prayer^ the parents had enough to do to keep them in any kind of subjection or order.- But there was one little urchin about four or five yeajrs' old that was more disorderly than his fellows, he w(^ a loud> daring and almost an unconquerable fellow. I had some hymn Boo'ks with me for sale, and J had handed them abound among the people, thi^ tiiiey I fi \ lUTOBlOGKAPH-y OF might be better prepared to join in the siugins:. The parents of that bold, intrepid little fellow trying to quiet him, gave him a hymn book, and he linmediat^^ly be- gan tearing it to pieces, and before they con Id get it from him, it was very much injured. By this time he had become vt ly noisy and outrage- ous, and he seeing ray biblo and hymu book lym^ v n the table before me, in his Ts.ge he sprang to the table and seized one ol them, apparently with the courage of a British i^oldier ; however I was stronger than he and I recovered it without much damage. Now the game wa^ in, T iiad given out my text, and been trying to preach, but no sooner than the lad Vvas defeated in get- ing my book, than he seized a- chair and began drawing it after him as he ran around the stove in the vacancy, not filled up by the people, at the same time screaming as he went. By this time I came to the conclusion that there must he something done with him, or I must stoip preaching and dismiss the congregation. -^^ ^-'; ^- go when became around in his course opposite to me, and very near where I was standing, I stamped down my foot vigorously and screamed out to the top of my voice, and in an authorittaive manner sit down sir, he stopped and looked me m the face, I stamped and screamed out agam, sU down sir, he continued looMng laein tbe fi^ce, and moderately sat down in the chair -,-'r, THADDSU8 LEWIS. . ^ ^6$ ■j^-ri' .'.ij^Jr'jt •'•■;l*-i' '.1' -U! :.,iv)(JJi irir bt:n I 6mu where he was before me, and quietly remained, so that I had no farther annoyance that day. in r*" i /'' / 1 then proceeded through my subject, as best I could and blessed be the Lord most high, notwithstanding all the disorder and noise the Lord turned the battle in favour ol Israel and brought into the ranks of his mili- tant hosts, fifteen souls that were either hopefully re- claimed or converted to God before the meeting broke up and joined the Church. I visited these dear people once again towards the breaking up of the ice, and preached to them several times, saw others hopefully converted to God and into the church and there was great joy among that people. , ,> . ; ; 1 ' I have already stated that I had to cross a lake in going to and irom this neighborhood. Now on my return to Norwood, when I came to the lake it was 'vvith some difficulty that I got on the solid ice and Mhen I came to the other shore I could not get off, I nd the ice was getting poorer every hour, so I was rbliged to follow down the middle of the lake to the South end nine miles distance, beforo I could get ashore. ! how fully and plainly did I discover the Jdnd providence of God, and his special guidance in this matter, where I landed there stood a house on the shore, and about a mile from that was a large neigh- borhood, and a good school house where from that 106 AVTOBlOQUkTHr -... -m .i .f:--; When at my last appointment befetro Conference, on the Norwood part of the mission,^ I had to leave my horse about two miles hom the preaching place and go on £»ot, on account of the badness of the foada« when i was about to depart, to return no more the brethren ajid sisters wept sore, and accompanied me to where I got my horse, there we all kneeled down, and prayed, commending each other to God, and to the word of his grace, and so we parted hoping to meet in heaven. I have written of this circumstance to show that the rehgion of the blessed bible is the same now that it was in the 4ays of the apostles and not to boast. Glory be to God for free grace, glory be to God that I ever was brought to the enjoyment of the religion estab- lished by . ^ Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. fei I>i[^^ CHAPTER XXXn. < T»ii. I'heSay of Quinte Annual Conference of the M. E. Church in Canada, commenced its eighteenth Session atLyn, County of Leeds May 8th 1861. By this Con- ference seven preachers were admitted on trial, viz : S. G. Sone, A. Martin, W. E. Johnson, D. N. Peters, F. Chisholm, Thomas McAmon, and T. Powers. Thre© were admitted into full Connection^ viz ; A. A. Brown T. Hillin ^nd Lt, A. Betts. Ix.<"«!i /^ bar, ,h^-''s;{w^ tHADKCUS LKWIS. 167 IBy this Conference 5 S^ad appointed to the Melleville OircuUi in the County of Prince Edvrard, and Adam Anderson was my fellow labourer. Whether we were well received by the people or not, I must say, they -treated us with great respect and christian courtesy and I have reason to thank God that my lot was cast among them. We entered upon our work, I believe, having the Grlory of G-od and the salvation of sinners in view, and the ever blessed G-od gave us success in winning souls for him, and the church. The work of reviv al commenced on that charge, at a camp meeting which we held near Melleville, in tlie month of August, and although it was in the height of harvest, it was one of the best I ever attended, it lasted twelve days and .tw elve niff hts. j ; . , . , , There was one thing remarkable, while it rained co- piously on almost all tlie neighborhoods around, the encampment remained dry, except a httle sprinkling at one time, not enough to be called a shower, but the glorious Lord poured out the Holy Ghost upon the people on the enca'npment, like the early and latter rain upon the earth, we could sing " streaming mercy how it flows." ; ' . . Shouts of praise for God's free grace rang through the tented grove. Glory to God in the highest, sinners were awakened, the cry for mercy, the shouts of prinse and the son^-s of salvation were mingled . together . .tim tL ▲UTOBIOaiUFHT OF ,a Angels seemed at times to mix with the throng rejoic* ing over the repenting sinner. . . . r , , / It was a Methodist Episcopal camp meeting, bat there were united in this glorious work, New Connection Methodists, Wesleyan Methodist and Epis* copal Methodists preachers and people, all engaged in behalf of mnners, all anxious to turn the battle to the gate. The last day of the camp meeting was the Sab- bath of the Lord, and the first day of September, I was that day sixty eight years of age, and I here record it as one of the happiest days of my Ufe. Glory be to God in the highest ; Amen, Hallelujah. .a Thus the camp meeting ended, but the people went out from it spreading a holy influence broad cast where they went, and thus* the revival spread, and was carried on in the Circuit. This Conference year of this Circuit I beheve, was carried out as it should be, my colleague and I laboured (though in much weakness) and the people suppHed our temporal wants, and help- ed us by their prayers, they also responded to every call that was made for money, for every purpose of the church, and at the ensuing Annual Conference, 1 v^ras not ashamed to present my entire financial report. fj^,Q\ my so^l and. all that is within me praise the JjoM and let' all niatioris unite in adoring him. Am^n'and Amen. :.'f I' ' '* THADDIV« LlWIl. 169 m) > i i-'v I i CHAPTER XXXIII. The Bay of Quinte Annual Conference of the M. E. Church in Canada commenced its nineteenth Session at Sterling, June 4th 1862. By this Conference, eight preachers were admitted on trial viz : P. L. Sparrow* Zina B. Hitchcock, J. Hallowell, F. Ailward, A. V. Hulin, A. Youker, Tobias Meyers and Or. Bridcn. Twelve were admitted into full connection, viz : R. Sanderson, Peter Empy, J, M. Simpson, H, P. Shepard, J. B. Smith, A. Anderson, E. S. Howard, "W. D. Hud- gens, D. Crowter, F. B. Strattan, Gr. S. White and Gr. French. Total number in society 9611. By this Conference I was re-appointed to the Melle- "ville Circuit without a helper and there being work enough for two preachers, by the advice of my P. E. and others I took my son John on the Circuit to travel with me, who rendered both me and the church efiBL" cient service. We had a camp meeting this year, and there was some good done, we had some additions to the church of such, as I trust shall be saved. , ^ y^ In retrospecting thi3 Conference year, I have much 170 ]itIT01I00ttAJ»RT 09 for which I feolto t&ank (he tjorO, ^nu the people ott that charge. While I write my heart swells with love and gratitude to God, aiid I iam ready to speak of the multitude of his mercies, that has ever been exercised towards me, and I am ready to exclaim, " what shall I rouder unto him for all his benefits, confered on me and my family through our life to the end of this Con- ference year." Glory to G^ inlhe highest. i -r In the month of August this year, our General Cdn- ferenco was hiild at Coboufg in the County of Northum- berland. By this Conference our whole work in Ca- nada, was divided hito three Annual Conferences, viz : the Niagara, Ontario and Bay of Quinto Confeiences. CHArXEE XXXIY, 1 •*'{'• The Bay of Quinte Ammal Conference of the M. E. Church in Canada commenced its twentieth Session in Iroquois, County of Dnndas, June 3rd 1863. By this Conference three preachers were admitted on trial, viz: Abraham Traveler, D. Brill, and Ephraim Sherwood. Throe were admetted into full connection, viz : W. E Johnson, F. Chisholm and S. G. Stone. Total number m society 7044. > , ;\ ' ■•■■"■' "> .- ■= , :j, JxiSiJi.* . By this CoiilJ3,rence J \yas superannuated, I was at fthis heitl ''<^ sple ott ith love ; of the lercised t shall on mo 8 Con- i ;■ il Cdn- rthum- : in Ca- ss, viz : renccB. «. E. on in this viz: iTOOd. nber V ■' .i:^u tki fthis time in the 70th year of my age, and now I ha4 neither house, nor 4iome, I could say in trxn&L *' No foot of land do I possess, No Cottage in the wilderness " A poor way-faring man." Tin! i.li r. I thad sold thi^e small farms, one consisting of 50 ncres, one of 55 acres and one of 155 acres, to help sus* •tain my family while I was (travelling. . • ... I have not written the above tjtatemont with respect to sellinj^ my farm, because that I am in the least Horry that I have done so. No, so sure I am, that I was called of God to, appmbatod ol' him in the course that I have taken in .the ministry since the year A. D. 1833 when the (so called) union was consummated that with the same knowledge I now have, of all that I have had to endure, of persecution, privation and losses, together with the indigent circumstances that I am now placed in, when I am old, and " cannot dig, to beg I am ashamed" yet notwithstanding if I was placed back to the same age, and under the same circuiixstan- ces, as I was in 33 I would pursue the same course in ;the ministry again. ' ' ' ' ' ' ' Now bemg Superannuated I was without any charge, except my wife and a little grand daughter who had neither father nor mother, and we w ished to go to the Township of Whitby, where three of my childre^tl Uvedj whom their mother uor J had not seen for a. long k «-jf. '^V.Sf^/i* JUA- :' i. 172 . AUTOBIOOIUPHT OF time. Not haying money to pay the freight oi oar house- hold furniture on the cars, nor our own fare, therefore we left our furniture, and went with our horse and buggy the distance of one hundred miles, found our children all well and were a little comforted. Now it Was thought best to settle there to pass the remnant of of our days, until the blessed Master should call us to dwell in " a house not made with hands " and to in- habit a " City whose builder and maker is G-od." Having the amount of money sufficient to pay my fare on the cars, and an assurance of six dollars more when I arrived at Belleville, which amount I thought sufficient to pay 1 ho ireight of my furni+ure from Melle- ville to Whitby I went, and returned with the little fur- niture we had, and I lacked twenty five cents of having enough to release my boxes from the station, that I borrowed and took my goods. Now another consideration came up, viz : I had my- self, my wife (who was enfeebled with old age and inKrmity) and my little oiphan Grandaughter to pro- vide for, and I was twenty five cents in debt, and it was a time v/hen a great financial pressure was on that place, many in the mercantile business had be- come bankrupt, and left their endorsers to the banks' and elsewhere to pay vast amounts of money for which they had not received the least value, I could not get i ir house* herelore orse and md our Now it nant of ill us to i to in- d." pay my Ts more thought 31 Melle- ittle fur- i having I, that I tiad my- age and p to pro- , and it was on had be- banks' ' which aot get THADDKUS LEWIS. 173 into any business that I could do. To human proba- bility a sustenance was denied, both for me and mine, darkness seemed to spread its sable mantle over and about me, and yet through that darkness, shone a ray of light, from the promises of God, which I had learn- ed to trust, in the d.-rkest moments of my past life* Now the next meal was wanting, but it would not do to sit still and presume on the promises ol God, with- out an effort on my part, nor suppose that God would bring the meat in the pot or the bread m the cupboard; my mind was pondering on some of the promises of God, as I was going on the way up town in quest of some eatables, and while my mind was in great exer- cise, in a moment a thought struck my mind as forcibly as if some person had spoken to me with an audible voice " your Heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need oi those things." Ind in less than ten minutes af- terwards I met thf very man that 1 kn'^w in that place that was able to supply me with such things as my necessity required for a year. This he readily a^r^ed to do pud immediately gave ordew for me to be served then; and from to time with such things as 1 required. Dear reader you may call it fanaticism, or what you please, I did then, and do still, see the kind interference of God, m this matter, both in directing me to the man, and disposing him to help me. Soon after this I i. 1J iiC'll if L t IH AtTTOBlOORAPHY OF' thought best to purchase a small piece of land and build a small house thereon (as rent was very high) I bought one half of an acre, gave my note for fifty dol- lars, and thereby secured the deed. Then I gave my horse aad buggy to pay for building the house. Though small it was comfortable,, and decent, in which we lived about eight months ox until I returned, from our next Annual Co)iference.. Thanks be to God, we were held in. remembrance by him, this year ajso. CHAPTER XXXV. The'Bay of Quinie Annual Conference of Ihe^M. E^ Church iu" Canada commenced its twenth-first Session in the City of Ottawa, June 1st 1864. By this Confer- ence five preachers were admitted on trial, viz : Bid- well Jane, Henry Hesselgrave, James Wioher,. Fred- erick B. Knowlton and Asa S. May bee. Five were admitted into full Connection, viz : John Hallowell, Thomas MoAmon Alex. Youker, Zina B. Hitchoock, and Abraham Lawson. At this Conference I expected to receive one huiv dred and ten dollars from the preachers relief fund ; which according to the constitution was my allowance due, but I did not receive only the money which I 1(1 and 1 high) I E'ty dol- .ve my Chough 1 ich we 1 om our 1 ibrance B M. Ev Session 5onfer- i: Bid- . Fred- were owell, boock, hun- f and ; vance hichi THjLDDltJll L1W18. 175' paid into that fund, and my dividettd of tEie^ Super anuated fund, which in all did not amount to more than ninety dollars. The reason why I did not receive the money I ex- pected from the Preacher's reUef fund was, that at our General Conference held in Cobourg in the year A. D. 1863 our work was divided into three Conferences- whereas prior to that Conference there was but two. This division of the Conferences placed our preach- er's relief fund in a state of distortion, and crippled all it? energies, which I had not any knowledge of until I came to the Conference. There was not any one to blame lor the breaking up' of our preacher's relief fund, it^was right to divide the Conferences find the destruction of the preachers relief fund, grew out of it. However, in consequence of my not receiving what I had good reason to expect, I returned home minas of my liabilities. Well I paid out the money which I had as far as it would go towards paying my debts, and yet I owed forty dollars besides the price of the land For the forty dollars, I readily obtained a longer time for i>ayment. The price of the land had grown from iifty to fifty three dollars interest and principle, and the note was in the hand of a man, the initials of . whose name was J. B. who proved himself to be the hardest IBjCaCSdflBCSHfe! Z'i^tSU. ZJCSSUZ.li 170 JLUTOBIOGBiPHT OF case I have ever dealt with, "to satisfy him I was obli- ged to sell my house and lot, with all other improve- ments which I had made thereon, and was only in re- ceipt of ten dollars more than I gave for. the land. St. Paul said, '* Alexander the coppersmith, did hiin much evil," so I can say with equal truth, that J. B. did me much evil, but although I say this I do not feel in the least revengeful towards him, I am willing to let vengeance rest with whom it belongs. > Now I was again without house or home, or any thing else of this worlds goods, except our wearing apparel and our household stuff, and there appeared to be a little opening for me at Shannonville, I borrowed some money to pay freight and fare, and remo v-ed with my family to that village on the seventh day of July, A. D. 1864, the distance w^as about 100 miles. But not finding things as I expected at Shannonville, we only remained there one month, and on the eighth day of August, we removed to the village of Melleville, in the County cf Prince Edward, we are now sur- rounded with warm hearted friendsj old friends and tried friends. Above all, that friend is with us who sticketh closer than a brother, blessed be his name for- ever, in all our discouragements, hardships, disappoint- ments and poverty, he has been to us a covert from the stormy blast, from the wind and rain of adversity, and aur munitions of rocks. *« I ; : '.■-'.■ jxanu TIUDDEUS LEWIS. 177 as obli- iprove- ' in re- d. St. d hiin it J. B. Lot feel ling to )r any earing ired to rowed d with fJuly, But lie, we eighth leville, 7^ sur- [s and s who le for- )point- >m the y, and Grlory be to God, although we have been passing through deep waters of affliction, we are not drowned? he has kept our heads above the surging billows of the deep, we have never laeki-d bread to eat, nor raiment to put on, and now the nineteenth day of January A. D. 1865, I record the amazing goodness of the Almighty God, as manifested in my past lile. Surely I can say with the Psalmist " the Lord he is good and his mercy endure th forever," if the good Lord had have dealt with me according to my deservings, I could not have been as 1 am at this day, having hope towards Grod, through our Lord Jesus Christ. Glory be to God this hope 1 have " which is as an anchor to mv soul, both sure and steadfast, being cast hito that within the veil," and although I must sooa pass from this present state of being, to an eternal and an unchangeal^le state, and although I know that the time of my departure cannot be far distant, yet death has nothing very terriiic to me because the spirit of God bears witness with my spirit that I am a child of God. Glory to God I rejoice to know that "this same Jesus that ascended up into heaven, in like manner he shall come again, with power and great glory," the truth that the stars shall fall from heaven, that the moon shall turn to blood, that the sun shall be darkened, and that the earth and all the worlds that are therein shall be burned up, that the Lord J^sus fj m '•'■ ■^iSiSZil 178 ATJTOBIOGEIPHT OF Christ, shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty Angels taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, that the trump of God shall sound and all that are in the graves shall hear his voice and shall come forth, and the dead, both great and small shall stand before God. In all these things there is an avrful grandeur ; yet nothing frightful to me^ and why, because "I know that my redeemer liveth,'' and I shall stand with him, and because " he Hves I shall live also." Christ is all my dependence, all my plea, he is my hope, my salvation and my all. In him ten thousand beauties rise, they sing in heaven, " unto him that has redeemed us and washed us in His own blood," '^.o shall I, if I am so unspeakably happy as to inherit eternal life in heaven. But 1 would not be understood to speak lightly of good works, for I know that a proper faith will pro- duce good works, if we love God we should keep his cammandments, a faith that works by love will purify the heart, and our Lord Jesus Christ said " blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God," and the Apostle tells us that, " faith without works is dead," and when we are not drawn' and inclined to do good works we may, nay we ought to denounce our faith as not being of the proper kind. I mightjr w not Jesus hat are e forth, before ndeur ; use "I id with Christ pe, my •eauties Leemed if I am hfe ill :htly of 11 pro- eep his purify sed are \.postle when ks we i THlDDlUS LIWIS. 179 If we believe the word of Q-od as we should, we will try to act according to the instruction we receive there- from. Let us then " believe with a heart unto right- eousness, let us walk by faith, shunning the very ap- pearance of evil, let us go on to perfection, running with patience the race which is set before us, striving against sin, watching unto prayer. Do justly, love m?rcy, and walk humbly with God." Yea, " continuing in well doing, yet in all this, there is not anything that can merit salvation. When we have done ail that we can do, we are unprofitable ser vants, for we cannot do good works, only as we are aided by the Holy Spirit. Therefore it is our impera- tive duty, and our highest interest to pray for the in^ fiuences of the holy spirit to rest upon and abide with us, that we may be guided into all truth. Blessed be God we have abundant encouragements to ask God to send the holy spirit upon us, for he has said that, " if ye being evil know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your heavenly lather give the holy spirit to them that ask him." Amen, Hallalujah. 1 h '. being 180 .'■7 ■:> ;/i I , : AUTOBIOaRAPHY OF '\. 1 ClIArTEU XXXVl. The Bay of Quiiite Animal Conference of the M, E ' Church m Canada, commenced its twenty-second Ses- sion in Sydenham, May 31st 1865. By this Conference two preachers were admitted on trial, viz : Alexander Short, and John Brill. Three were admitted into full Connection, viz : Abraham Traveler, D. I3rill and : Ephraim Sherwood. Number of members this year \, ithm the bounds of the Bay of (Juinte Conference 6424. This Conference year we were called to suffer a very great bereavement, in the loss of our last Daughter who was the wife of Samuel Ilaniden, the mother of four children. Harriet (fortius was her name) was born the l.^t day of May A. D. 1834. In the tenth year of her ago she attended a watchnight wh^^re I was the officiating minister. Through the process of that meet" ing I called for those who of the unconveited v^ere de- termined in future to dedicate their Hves to God to come forward to an anxious seat, where the people of G-od would engage in prayer with and for them. Eight I, /.. THIDDEUS LEWIS. 181 adults and littl^ Harriet presented themselves lor prayer and before the meeting broke up they were all ^opoi fully converted to G-od, and Harriet was as happy a creature as I ever beheld. Frequently after this I have seen her unspeakably happy, I beUeve her sincer ity was not doubted. In this good way she lived until about the 17th year of lier age, at which time she began to grov cold and indierent, and soon became 80 far backslidon that she made no profession of reli- gion. In this dreadful state she lived, (but not without the lashes of an injured conscience) until nearly two years before her deaths when in a protracted meeting held in Ivaglan, she was brought to God and it pleased him to restore lior to the joys of his salvation, and give her the evidence of her acceptance with hun. From the time of her restoration she appeared anxious to fill her place m the house of God, until she became so de- ' bilitated by consumption, that she could not attend the public means of grace. Under that dreadful disease she continued to sink from the month of September A. D-' 1864, to the sixth day of April A. D. 1865. She suffered much, but glory be to God she died triumphant, from what she told us when she was dying we have reason to infer and believe that a part of the songsters and harpers, of glory were sent to comfort and escort her . |p glory. ^ -*i*,^ 182 AUTOBIOGRIPHT OF ThoRevd's. T. Q. Adams audU-. Shepard oQiciated at her funeral The Lord has been pleased to spare my wife and I to see the ii .tieth anniversary o ^ our Marriage, he gave us twelve children, eight sons and four daughters. He has been pleased to take our four daughters and two of our sons, and we have good reason to believe they are all in paradise of G-od. Hence we can say " the Lord gave, and tiie Lord hath taken away, and blessed be the name of the Lord." Fiveof our six sons that are hving, we have reason to believe are trying to serve God, and make their way to heaven. Two of them are local preachers, and although I have one son, that is in a backshden state, I do believe the Lord will mcline his heart and he will turn to God, and live. Glory to G od I do believe we as a family, will be gathered, and numbered with the blood washed throng in Heaven, through our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be gldry with the Father, and the ever blessed spirit, world without end, Amen, :: •;.* •'/f '.i : ■ i *■■ ■ .1 V tV mmm TSTTTT^^^^^^B^^PP T1UDDEU8 LEWIS. 188 rTTiPTEll XXXVII. i;#. In this Cha^ ^ ^ 'sh to state simply, what i*]jpe;i)ix5> to me to be the .^^4 cural grounds of free ministerial communion amonj? all who are faithful ministers of the Lord .TeFus Christ by whatsoever name known among men. These views I have long held, they were main- tained by the early reformers, and by the church in her best days, and I bless God I believe it to be the principles of our beloved church. I am anxious to do this, because the question is one of great difficulty, re- quiring deeper thought than most have bestowed upon it, and it is of vast importance in this day of con- flicting opinions, to be firmly grounded on the Lord*s side. In order to clear the way in this subject, allow me to open up first, the subject of free communion among all private christians, and then to the free communion among christian ministers. 1st I believe it to be the mind of Christ, that all who are vitally united to him should love one another, daily communicate freely of their substance to one ^, IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (.MT-3) 1.0 I.I 11.25 US mm 2.2 2.0 <^ ^ V. ^>. ^ V Fho1iC)gFa{iiic Sciences Corporation ^ v 4^ '^ 4i ^.^' 23 WIST MAIN STMIT WIUTiR,N.Y. 145M (716)872-4503 o 4 ^ tci ._J^gffl^ ji' 184 AUTOBIOGilAPHY OV \ ; another when poor, praying with and for one another and communing together at the Lord's table. Each of these propositions may be proven by the word of God. It is quite true that we may be frequently deceived in deciding upon the real godliness of those with whom we are brought into contact. The apostles themselves were deceived, and we must not expect to do the work of the ministry with fewer difficulties than they had to encounter, still if I have good reason for regarding a man as a child of Grod, we are permitted and comman- ded to treat him as a brother, and as the sacred pledge fOf heavenly friendship to come freely together at the table of our common Lord, to eat bread, and drink wine together in remembrance of Christ. The reason of this rule is plain, if we have solid ground to believe that a fellow sinner has been by the holy spirit gralted into the true vine, then we have ground to believe thri we are vitally united to one another, the same blood has washed us, the same spirit has quickened us, we lean upon the same pierced breast, we love the same laWjWe are guided by the same i)owerfulhand,we are W'atched by the same sleepless eye, we are if faithful to stand before the same throne and ^e shall blend our voices eternally in singing the same song " worthy is the Lamb," is it not reasonable then, that we should ^p\yn and loye one anotjber on earth, as fellow travellers i ") 1 ... i Y)m TMADDEtJS LEWIS. 185 to our father's house, and fellow heirs to an incorrupti- ble crown ? Upon this I have always acted bbth in coming to the I^ord's table and in admitting others to that blessed privilege, in this way 1 always feel that I have sweet fellowship with Christ and with the brethren, and we ought to remember with calm joy the prayer of our Lord which ascended from the mount of Olives or one of its shady ravines al'ter the iirst Lords supper " neither pray I for these alone but for all tliem that shall believe on me through their word, that they all may be one," The table of the Lord is a iamily table spread in this wilderness, and none of the true children of God ought to be absent from it, nor prohi- bited from coming to it. ' *^" Once I was at a meeting when none but baptised adults vvere admitted to the sacrament, a Vv'oman who was a member of the Methodist Church, asked the favor oi' communing with them. The elder of the Church told her she could not be admitted to the table. The woman batlied in tears said,don't vou believe that I am a Christian? He replied I do believe that you are a Christian but you cannot commune with us, unless you promise to join our Church and will go no more amorg the Methodists. She replied, I cannot make such a promise;. He replied, then you cannot be admitted ta ,the table. At this the womau wept alo^daiid Sfv*'' I . I ■ { 186 AUTOBIOaBAPHT OF will go and tell my father that when the table was spread you would not let me eat. ' , I believe with Rowland Hill[that it is the Lord's table and all his children have an equal right thereto; thr, early reformers held the same view. Calvin wrote to Cranmer that he would cross ten seas to bring it about. Baxter, Owen, How and others, in a later gen- eration, pleaded for it, hi few but solemn words. "Saints by profession are bound to maintain a holy communion, and fellowship in the worship of God, which communion as God offereth opportunity, is to be extended to all those who in every place called upon the name of the Lord Jesus." 2nd. The second Scriptural Communior, Ministeral communion. Here also I believe it to be the mind of Christ, that all who are true servants of the Lord Jesus Christ, sound in the faith, called the ministry', and owned of God therein, should love one another, pray for one another God speed own one another as fellow labourers in the vineyard of the Lord, and so far as God offereth opportunity help one another in the work of the ministry, Each of these positions maybe proved by the word of God. I am aware that it is a point of far greater difficulty and delicaoy than the communion oi' private christians because I can own many a one as fellow christian and joyfully come with him to the / ■-/:; r- -~"rt~l — r tTi HJMM the '. :; TIIADDEUS LEWIS. 187 Lord's table, while I may think many of his views of divine truth defective and could not receive him as a divine teacher. But although caution tuid discretion are to be used in applying this or any other Scripture rule, yet the rule itself appears to be simple enough, that where any min- ister of any denomination holds the head, is sound in doctrine and blameless in life, preaches Christ as the only way of pardon, and only source of holiness, especially if he has been owned of God in the conver- sion of souls, and up building of the church, we are bound to hold Ministerial communion with him when- ever providence opens the way. What are we, that we should shut our pulpits against such a man, true he may have signed the 39 articles of the Church of Eng- land, giving the Queen the chief power in all causeF, whether ecclesiastical or civil, still if he be like a Berrigo or a Rowland Hill, he is an honoured servant of Christ. He may hold establishments to be unscriptural, still if he is a faithful servant of Christ, though he may have inconsistencies of mind which we cannot account for, he may have prejudices of sect and education, which may destroy much of our comfort in meeting him. Can we plead exemption from these? He may some- time have spoken rashly or uncharitably, I have done the same, still I cannot but own him a servant of i7' .Tr-T»,iiTtn;/ 188 HaTOBIOGUAPHY OT Christ. If tli3 mister owiu hina in his Work, slidl I the fellow servant disown him? True he may have much imperfection in Ins views, so had apostles. He may he to blame in some things and withstood to the face, so it was wdth Peter, he may have acted a cowardly part at one time, so did John Mark. Still I maintain, miless he has shown himself a Demas " a lover of this present world" or one of those that have the form of godliness, but denying the power thereof, we are not allowed to turn away from him, nor treat him as an adversary. ; ' ; .; ^ . . ;,.,.. ' Such were the principles of the reformers. The de- voted Usher preached in the pulpit of Samuel Iiuiherlbrd. Faithful ministers from all parts of the visible church arc to be recognized as ministers whom Christ has chosen. Such I believe to be according to the principles ol' God's w^ord. Baxter says nothing can be inoro indecent than to hear a dead preacher preaching to dead sinners the living truth of a living God. With such ministers I want no communion. ! my soul come not into their secret. If the church is to fall under the iron foot of despotism, God grant that she may fall reformed and purified. Pure in her doctrine, judgment, discipline and worship. Scriptxiral' in her spirit, missionary in her operations, and holy in ^erpraclice, ^fryiii^m} ^wc :Y0 that ey back, 1 a rage d crime, aes and to my ie knew yes. I t if you this he \rhat I g him 5. But» poor pt bit- me to ope in ne my id we THABDKUS LKWW. 191 When my appointment came in that neighborhood, in four weeks, it was a beautiful Sabbath morning. A large concourse was assembled, and my poor man and and his wife, and his father and mother were in the congregation, and my rich brother and his wife were there. I need not si^y that the power of God was dis- played. Before the service was ended the poor man's conscience lashed him to that degree that he wept aloud, and trembled like a leaf in the breeze. He and my rich brother were sitting on the same seat about eight or ten feet apart. The public congregation was dism^issed. It was a beautiful warm day, the wmdows were up, the door was open, the people were seemingly spell bound about the door and around the house ; and these were the people to whom my poor man had made this slanderous report. The class meeting commenced, The rich and the poor were brought together ; the poor man sat trembling and weeping aloud. "When I came to him he arose and tried to say something, but not the right thing, but he appeared not to have utterance, and nearly choked down. Then he cried out with a loud voice, ! God, I must tell the truth or die. There is a man in this congregation that I have lied about in the most shameful manner. I said he cheated me out of jBfty dollars, and instead of his cheating me, I cheated him out of fifty dollars. He then sprang to my rich : fe...,. ^i5- 192 AUTOBIOGnAPHY OF brother, and seized him under the arms and straight- ened him upon his feet, exclaimnig, this is the very ; man. Now, if you will be satisfied with me I will give you my oxen. I am satisfied. Well, but I want to pay you. I am paid. Thus they exchanged views in nearly the above language lor the space of four or five minutes, before my poor man would let my rich brother clear from his grasp. Thus peace and friendship were restored, and the truth came to light ; and, dear readei » it is impossible for me to describe the feelings I i^ad, much less the triumi)h of that hour among the peci)le, both saint and sinner. I have heard the shout of victory on the battle Held, but it did not exceed the shoitt and triumph of that hour, accorJing to their numbers. Now here is a proof of our most holy religion, and that the Holy Ghost is sent into the world to reprove the world of siji, of righteousness, and a judgment to come. Let the skeptic tell me, if he can, what else but the power of the Holy Ghost could have induced my poor man to tremble and weep aloud, and stand up be- fore his father and mother and all that concourse of people, among whom he had circulated this report, and acknowledge himself so base a liar, and logue or cheat. To G-od bo the glory both now and forever, Amen. Another circumstance I will relate to show the pow- er of our most holy rehgion. I MdHMHMMMiAWI straight- le very /fill give ivant to lews in I' or five brother ip were readei > I kacl, peci)le, t' victory )iTt and on, and reprove nent to Ise but jed my up be- Lirse of rt, and cheat. In. pow- ^ - u I THADDSU8 UBWM. 198 A ttlot]l•e^m•law and daughte^in-lAW were so at vw Tiance with each other, that they had not spoken togethi er I beheve, for the fall term of three years, although they lived under one roof. The mother-m-law was a member of the M. E. Church, and the daughter-m-law did not make a profession at all ; much had been done to bring about a reconciliation between them, but all in vain. However, one sabbath afternoon I called a prayer meeting to assemble in that part of the house where the father and mother Uved. The father was siok, The people being chiefly assembled, I arose, and read a hymn, we sang, and knelt to pray, but never did I iind myself so destitute of utterance, or ]^ower to pray in my life. I soon closed my attempt, land called on the brethren and sisters to pray, but all was silent, I urged but no voice was heard in prayer, although several strong men and women in Israel were there on their knees. There was silence in that assembly for the space of ten minutes at least, at this time my feelings were indescribable, I will say that it seemed to me, that the powers of darkness had rallied their forces in battle array against us. But just in time the Lord sent us a reinforcement, at the moment we were about to surrender, or in other words rise from our knees, a la4 >, came who had lecently been converted and he was fil- ^ led with the Holy Ghost, and without hesitancy he be f gan to pray and the power of God waa displayedi an4 *•■; 194 AUTOBIOORIPHT OF and every tongue was loosed. The armies of the aliens wer^ put to flight. The people of God fell from their knees under the overwhelming power, and a shout of victory mingled with praise, and thanksgiving arose in every part of the congregation. This great manifesta- tion of the power of Q-od and shout of triumph brought the sick man from his bed leaping and crying with a loud voice, glory to God, I am healed soul and body. The daughter-in-law apparently horror stricken, en- tered that part of the house where we were, and was smitten down to the floor by the power of God, where she lay apparently breathless lor the space of about twelve minutes, an4. when she began to breathe we heard in the soft whisper. Lord have mercy upon'me, and repeatedilouder and louder till she cried for mercy i^t the top of her voice. Again she was breathless for several minutes and again we heard her cry as aforesaid then she sank away into a deathlike state ; and then on her recovering again, her theme was glory, glory, glory to God, Hallalujah and such like language for at least the space of ten minutes in succession and then having gained strength she leaped and praised God until she came to her mother-in-law and dropping on her knees at the old lady's feet, she cried again and again ; O * mother won't you forgive me, ! do mother forgive me, the Lord has forgiven me. At this the mother seized her in her arms and cried I will iprgive you. From I 4 I* MIMM. •"f yjlft--" ^' J]- ffiti iilie&fli their ut of ose in it'esta- ought rith a body, n, en- l was where about le we >ii'me, mercy 3SS for resaid en on glory least [aving she lees o'- [rgive leized ^rom i THADDIUB LSWI8. 195 that glorioTW hour thru grevious difficulty was taken out of the way, and love and peace were restored to that amily. Thanks be to Q-od who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. A goodly number of souls were converted to Q-od, before the meeting broke up. Glory be to God, Forever. Once at a camp meeting I took a man in my grasp who was disturbing the meeting, and carried him up through the alley, and put him outside of the gate. And that man was hopefully converted to God, before the meeting broke up. At another camp meeting I was conducting a prayer meeting in the night, where there were many penitents* A mob of about twenty rowdies marched up, apparent- ly determined to break up the meeting. Their leader thrust the sentinel away that I had placed at the en- . trance into the prayer circle, I met him in his course and asked him kindly to leave the circle. He said " he would not go out for me." I said " you must go out or you wiU break up the meeting." The mob cried out "if he is allowed in, we will all come in." He said clapping his hand to my breast, " that neither I nor all my crew, could not put him out." Then I took him In custody with one of my hands on his throat and the .^ other on his breast, and in less than one niinute he ' iound himself lying on his back, eight or ten feet out- ■<7^w^s:"^. j 1^ ATJTPBXOjD^BAP^T 0?P sideffr beyond tibL.Qpr9.yer circle. By takinnf tbis cp^irv^ we lye^e not distobed any more while the meet^pg continued. Hpweyer my antagonist brought me be- fore a court consisting of iive Justices, and by that court I was exonerated, and my antagonist had the cost to pay, for which he ran away. I did beheye thb.i and do still, that I was justifiable in the sight of G-od, as well as Id the eye of the civil law, for what I did in both of the above given cases. And now in closing up this imperfect sketch I state that I am aware I have not written in a pleasing style, neither do I suppose it is free from Hterary defects. I do not by any means expect this work to take a place with those productions that come from the pen of the learned and wise, but thanks be to the Most High 1 have the comfort of knowing that I have striven to pre* sent the truth to the readers hereof, and have written in such a manner that it can be understood. Ai^d I here state that, " by the grace of God I em what I am," he h^ spared me to an old age, I have lived under the reign of three of the Kings of Great ^ Britain and one QueeU; viz : George 3rd George 1th Wilham 4th and Queen Victoria, God save the Queen . and royal family of Great Britain. ^ , ;; , •,^4,;v^ , r I do npjb know tb^at I have an enemy on the ea]:fh, of ^ the humap race. But I do know that I am not am eos^ 1 f I my to taij one of ihe family of Adam ; if at any time of ioy life I have injured any individual, or the church, I hereby ask their forgiveness, and I here declare that I have and do forgive any and all that may have done me harm m any way or at any time. And now my prayer to God is that the readers of this book and unworthy author, may be gathered with the blood washed millions in Heaven. And then we will praise God the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, world without end. Amen. CHAPTER XXXIX. 6^ Lave l^reat ^^ 1th leen ■• . , i f :■<• > % I became acquainted with E. L., the subject of this narration in the first part of the year of our Lord 1824. Nothing occured in this year, neither in his life nor conversation, that differed from that of other professing christians ; but in the A. D. 1825, when in conversation with him, he often acknowledged his firm belief in the doctrine of sanctification, and that he saw the great ne cessity of obtaining it that he might be enabled to glori- fy God with all his ransomed powers. In the summer of the last mentioned year the mmis-- ters of the M. E. Church held a camp-meeting in Adol- phustown, on the Bay of Quinte Circuit, Previous to ihe time appointed for the camp-meeting he cftencoDr 198 AUTOBIOOBAPHT 07 fessed that he felt the necessity of a deeper work of grace to be wrought in his soul, and became very anx- ious to go to the camp-meeting, which he did in com- pany with me and my wife. Alter his arrival at the camp he seemed to possess an incessant thirst for holi- ness of heart and blessed be the name of God, his holy arm was made bare, and his blessed word was verified, which sayeth, " Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst alter righteousness, for they shall be filled." On Sabbath evening the glory of God seemed to overshadow and fill the v'liole camp ; and while the convicting and converting grace of God prevailed among man}', others were overwhelmed by the sanc- tifying influence of the holy spirit. Among thsoe that professed to receive the blessing of sanetification, E. L. stood forth a living witness, " that it was the will of God, even our sanetification ;" and that " the blood of Christ cleanseth from all sin." From this time forward to the day of his death he truly seemed to have his treasure in Heaven. The lamp of grace was S3t on fire in his soul, and it was visible to all, both saint and sin« ner, with whom he had intercourse, " as a candle on a candlestick, or a city set on a hill." He seemed to pos- sess that faith which overcometh the world ; that joy which is unspeakable and full of glory ; that holiness SW! :.L. '^ THADDSU8 LSWI8. 199 without wliich no man shall see the Lord. In a word, jie seemed, as it were, with open face to behold, as in a glass, the glory of the Lord, and was changed into the same image, from glory to glory, as by the spirit of the Lord. Thus was he prepared, though not in a pubUc capacity, to give excellent instruction to all with whom he had intercourse, especially to those of his heavenly lather's household. * "When he visited any of his brethren it was manifest that he had not any intention to visit as many do w ho profess Christianity, only to talk about the affairs of this transitory life, or to feast on e. rthly goods, but he made it his business to introduce subjects of a heavenly na- ture, such as singing psalms and hymns, and spiritual songs, with prayer and heavenly conversation, which would have a tendency to enkindle a flame of sacred love in every waiting soul, and often terminated in a feast of spiritual marrow and fat things. AYitness ye children of the Most High who have been favored with his visits, prayers, exhortations and warnings to go on, to knoN the Lord until you should be called home to your ^heavenly father s kingdom. It appeared to be his delight to meet with the people of God to worship and adore the most high ; especially in love feasts, class meetings and prayer meetings. In class meetings he many times appeared to be ravished with mtmm yy^lWHlPWra^WW- •'^%f^>4r>4M 200 lUTOBIOOBiPHT OF the glory of the heavenly world, and has often been heard to express with glorious rapture, " ! my dear brethren I long to get home and be at rest, where I may see my blessed Jesus, and adore him to all eternity." Thus Uved this holy man, waiting the beck of his Lord to drop the tenement of clay, that his soul might enter into that inheritance which is incorruptable and undefiled, and that fadeth not away ; nor did he wait long nor in vain. I am instructed to say, that he had a particular place where he retired for secret prayer, and a few days be- fore his death he was observed to be much longer on his knees in devotion than usual, and after long retire- ment ho informed his wife that he was not to remain long with her, but that she might be prepared to bear their separation wiih resignation to the will of God, at the same time he did not wish to alarm her. He said he wished to settle his business and make his will, which he did to the satisfaction of all concerned. Saturday, July the 9th., I was informed that he was not well, therefore I visited him and found him sitting up ; he then told me that he had just been passing a scrutinizing examination on his spiritual condition, to know how the case stood between God and his soul ; a^d on retrospection he found that when he had been moiM; engaged in the serviceof God he had not been too ■ ^„.VS<.,. : / t was I ., THJLDDmUi LIWIS. 201 much engaged. But 1 know, said he, that many times I have been too cold and indifferent in the service of my blessed master. He paused, and then bnrst into a raptnre and said " G-lory to God, wherem I have come short, my blessed Lord has made it all up, so that there is now nothing lacking." * Sunday, 10th., he grew weaker, and was confined to his bed the greater part of the day, though calm and resigned to the wiU of his Heavenly Father. Monday, 11th., he still grew weaker in body, but strengthened in the inner man. On his being asked if he had an assurance of inheritance in glory, he an- swered with confidence and ardour, that his inheritance was indisputable. He then made m.ention of his exit, and said that he did not wish his friends to mourn foi him, but rather be thankful. Then he said to me, I want you, my brother, at my funeral to join with the rest of my brethren as you follow me to the grave, in singing the hymn to which this verse belongs. Then he repeated the verse. " Then brethren, sisters shouting come. My body follow to the tomb ; Then you below and I above, - - ■ We will shout and praise the God we love." On the evening of the same day he fell asleep in Jesus, viz : the 11th day of July, 1828, leaving behind him the clearest evidence of his having made his escape 202 JLUTOBIOOBAPHT OF into that blessed world where the wicked cease froxn troubling, and the weary are forever at rest. ^"^ ' "^ *- Let me live the life of the righteous, that my last end may be like his. Amen. An escape from danger. One beautiful afternoon in the summer of A. D. 1825, a youug man was standing in a door with a firelock in his hand and not supposing it was loaded, he seeing me about to pass through a gate with a horse, said to some bystanders, how easy I could shoot the matser, and as I put my hand on the latch to open the gate, he took aim at me, pulled the trigger, the gun discharged and the ball struck into the post of the gate opposite my breast. That young man would not have injured me by any means, unless it was by accident. ; ... *•, ,, i /* I have had a tedious journey, -• - , And tiresome its true ; *' But see how many dangers, >u /i The Lord has brought me through. ' i-'-.^j CHAPTEE XL. I became acquainted with E. W. nearly three years before her death and through all the time of my ac- quaintance with her, her life and conversation fully ap" peared to me unblameable, or what might be called with propriety the life, '\n^ conversation of a mode , • ears T ac- ' ap" Jled ode : ' ^ ' ^1 THADDBUB LSWIS. 208 Christian and with respect to her christian enjoyment it appeared of a very high order. The people in gen- eral throughout the neighborhood used to call her aunt Betsy, and I have heard the wicked say when finding fault with others professing Christianity, if they were hke Aunt Betsy we would not find fault with them, and we would believe they were Christians. She was so fervent and faithful in her devotions that I ha to fre- quently seen her lay under the overwhelming power as lifeless as Daniel when there was no life in him. Thus she lived, and when she was dying I was present with many others, and witnessed that glorious scene, when I came to her bedside she was shouting and praising God in sweetest strains, but soon after my ar rival the death rattles obstructed her speach and she said to me, brother will you raise me up, and I did according to her request and sat m behind her. Then when leaning against my breast, she sat in nearly an upright posture she could speak with greater ease, and more plainly, and she said to me don't lay me down till I am dead, and 1 will never stop praismg God for I will praise him while I have breath, and then I wir praise him in glory. Then she triumphed greatly, and praised God in a wonderful manner, and all at once she cried out " Jesus and the angels are come to convey my spirit to Glory." Then speaking to some one in the f?j}' 204 ADTOBIOaSAPHT OF room she stud " Don't you see them, there they are at the foot of the bed." Then she cried out in a rapturet ! I see my blessed Jesus, there he stands, I see his beauty, I see his lovely face. After this she paused for a moment and then said, I do not see him as plainly as I did, he veils his face a little. Then she cried out again in a great rapture Glory to Jesus the vail is taken away, I see his lovely face. I then said, " Sister do you want anything. She then raised her emaciated hands, and replied no, I do not want anything but to fall asleep in the arms of Jesus, and immediately her hands dropped, and she breathed no more. Thus she passed away withoui a struggle or a groan of sorrow in her dying moments. Glory to God. Death's no more than a black curtain, drawn to let the saints go in. In the month of August A. D. 1828 as I entered the sick room w^here P. 0. was dying, he said to me Brother do you think I am dying? I replied, yes P. (calling him by name) you are- going very fast, a few moments will carry you a great way, it will carry from earth' to Heaven. At this he extended his emaciated hands and arms upward, and in an ecstasy cried glory to God glory to God will he take me to heaven so soon, I have only been trying to serve him two years and wiU he take me to heaven so soon. Tlius he exulted, ^v- I •. fc ■Mi BBSBB / I THIDDIUS LIWIS. 205 ing glory to God until he breathed his last. Thanks be