Memoir of the Rev. Jesse Lee. With extracts from his journals

Front matter

3*trt*fotr

OF THE

REV. JESSE LEE.

Preface

VOLUMES of Biography of late have flowed upon the public, so that Lord Bacon's complaint, as to the deficiency in the biographical department of literature in his day, is by no means applicable to the present times. Indeed frequent complaints are now made of the great number of books continually emitted from the press, entitled Memoirs, Journals, Travels, Tours, Experiences, Sketches, &c. These complaints, however, more frequently proceed from a certain fastidiousness of disposition than from any real or solid objections against the matter or method of those publications. To please all would require super-human abilities.

The Compiler of the following sheets, without ever feeling a wish to have his name affixed to the titlepage of a book, has, from very different motives to that of ambition, or an expectation of worldly emoluments, been induced to make an attempt at writing the Memoir of the Rev. Jesse Lee. The trust confided to him by his brethren he has endeavoured to fulfil, to the best of his abilities.

IV PREFACE.

That there are many imperfections cleaving to the performance, he will not attempt to deny; but he trusts that the candid reader will throw a veil over those faults which may be presented, and endeavour to profit by the excellencies, if any, which it may possess.

Where the subject of this Memoir was personally known, the Compiler trusts that this work will be read with interest. For it cannot be supposed that Jesse Lee will soon be forgotten by the thousands who have been benefitted by his labours. A remembrance of his successful efforts among them, will doubtless cause them to pay some respect to this simple monument raised to his memory,

Mr. Lee was a faithful servant of the Church of Christ for many years. During his ministry he saw that branch of the Church to which he belonged rise from obscurity into notice, and spread from state to state through this continent, with a rapidity encouraging to its friends, and appaling to its enemies.

That the cause may still prosper among us as a people, and that it may be blessed with a holy, zealous, and living ministry, is the fervent prayer of the

COMPILER.

CONTENTS,

Chapter I

Preliminary remarks — His birth — Education — First religious impressions — Conversion of his parents — His Conversion — A revival — Seeks a deeper work of grace — The Methodist Preachers visit his neighbourhood — He joins Society.

Chapter II

A great revival in 1775 — Obtains a deeper work of grace —

Removes to North Carolina — Becomes an Exhorter and Class

Leader — Extracts respecting the separation at Broken Back

Church, and the happy union which followed. Page 15

Chapter III

He serves a tour of duty in the army — Is put under guard — Released by the Colonel — Preaches to the army — Is appointed wagoner — Appointed Sergeant of the Pioneers — A tory hung — Apprehends an attack from the Enemy — Gets a discharge from the army, and returns home — Reflections.

Chapter VII

Attends conference at Ellis' — Is appointed to Salisbury — His Labours are blessed — Has a narrow escape with his life — Visits his Friends in Virginia — Returns to his Circuit — Meets with Mr. Asbury — Accompanies him to Charleston — Returns to Salisbury — Has a sorrowful parting with his Friends.

Page 63 CHAPTER VIII.

Leaves Salisbury Circuit — Attends Conference at Green Hills- Meets with Doctor Coke — Some unpleasant feelings, between the Doctor and himself — A reconciliation — Attends Conference at Mason's — Is appointed to travel Carolina Circuit — His exercises there — Attends conference at Law's — From thence to Abingdon in Maryland — Is appointed to travel Kent Circuit. Page 76

Chapter IX

Attends Conference in Baltimore — Appointed to Baltimore City Circuit — Preaches on the Commons in Baltimore — A great Revival of Religion in Virginia — The flame spreads to Maryland — Makes a visit to Virginia — 1788, attends Conference at Baltimore and Philadelphia — Refuses Ordination- Appointed to Flanders — Visits Virginia again. Page 91

Chapter X

Attends the Conference in New-York — Appointed to Stanford — Commences his labours in Connecticut — Cool reception in Norwalk — Mr. Davenport, a New-Light — Opposed in Stratfield — Inscription on Robert Sandeman's Tomb — Gets among the Free-Will Baptists in Rhode-Island — The woman's account of an Arminian — Some fruits of his labours in Reading — Preaches at Hartford — Undergoes an examination at New-Windsor — Visited Mr. Whitefield's Tomb — Concluding Remarks. Page 10-

CONTENTS. VII

Chapter XI

He attends the Conference at New- York — Receives Ordination. — Is appointed to Boston — Hears of the death of his mother — The affliction which his mind sustained on receiving this melancholy intelligence. — Receives a friendly letter from Lynn. — Difficulties in Boston. — His finances get low. — Raises a Society in Lynn. Page 161

Chapter XII

Attends Conference in New-York — Is appointed Elder of the New-England District— 1792, Conference in Lynn — General Conference in Baltimore — James O'Kelly withdrew — Conference in Alexandria — Visits his friends in Virginia — Makes Collections for building a meeting house in Boston — Returns to Lynn. Page 173

Chapter XIII

Attends the Conference in Lynn — Appointed to the Province of Maine — Good prospects on the Penobscot river — Forms a Circuit on the west side of the Kennebeck, called Readfield — M. Cazier's Lecture — Visits Canada — Preaches a Dedication Sermon in a new meeting-house, built by the Methodists, in Readfield. Page 189

Chapter XIV

Conference in New-London — Goes to Boston, and assists in laying the corner stone of the first Methodist meeting-house in that place — Singular conduct of some ill-disposed persons in Province town— Visits Mount Desert— Receives a letter from bishop Asbury — Attends Conference at Wilbraham — Meets with Mr. Asbury, and goes to Charleston — Pleasing change in that place — Travels through Georgia — The manner in which Mrs. Van Nest was awakened — Conference in Readfield — Goes to the south. Page 221

CHAPTER XV: Reflections at the commencement of the year — Conference at Charleston — Commencement of a revival at Lockwood's Folly, related by Mr. Belvieu — Conference in Baltimore- Conference in Philadelphia — Do. in New- York — An earthquake — An account of Martin Boehm's conversion, and call to the ministry — Goes to the south — Forms Oconee circuit.

Vlll CONTENTS.

in Georgia — Views the ruins of Mr. WhitefielcTs Orphan

Asylum Returns to Virginia — Conference at Blunt 's, in

Isle of Wight-*-- Goes to Maryland — Conference at Stone Chapel. Page 245

Chapter XVI

Retrospection — Attends General Conference in Baltimore — Very near being elected Bishop — False reports cleared up — Goes to the north as far as Lower Canada — Returns to New- York — Remarks at the close of the year. Page 263

Chapter XVII

Progress of Methodism in New-York — Leaves New- York to return to Virginia — Remarks on Fredricksburg — Attends Conference at Drumgoole's — Appointed to the southern district — 1802, Conference at Salem — 1803, Drumgoole's Remarks upon Camp-meetings. Page 281 CHAPTER XVIII.

His journey from the south to Petersburg — Attends the Conference in Lynchburg — Is appointed to Cumberland — Attends the General Conference — Much ceremony at a camp-meeting — continues his journey to the north — Not pleased with some of the Methodist churches which had pews — Enjoys the company of his old friends — Sets his face towards the south— Returns to Virginia. w Page 309

CHAPTER XIX. Purchases a small farm — Attends the Conference in Tarbo

r0U o-h Appointed to Amelia — Offers, and is elected Chaplain

to Congress — Motives for wishing that office — Issues a prospectus for the publication of the History of the Methodists — Receives a fall, and a wound — 1810, his history comes out — 1811, attends Conference in Petersburg — Appointed to the Meherrin district — Re-elected Chaplain to Congress — Attends the Conference in Raleigh — 1812, attends the Conference in Richmond — Stationed in that city — Elected Chaplain 1813, Appointed to Brunswick — 1814, Cumberland,

chosen chaplain to the Senate — 1815, Fredricksburg — 1816, Annapolis, his last sickness and death — Conclusion. Page 325

A Sketch of his Character. Page 343

Appendix. Page 355

MEMOIR

OF THE

REV. JESSE LEE.

Chapter I

Preliminary remarks — His birth — Education — First religious impressions — Conversion of his parents — His Conversion — A revival — Seeks a deeper work of grace — The Methodist Preachers visit his neighbourhood — He joins Society.

J_ () preserve the remembrance of men of worth, seems to have been the care of many in different ages of the world.

Men of science, or those who have acquired celebrity in arts, or arms, have not been left in total forgetfulness. Those too, who have borne a distinguished part in reforming the world, either by enacting or enforcing wise laws, have had historians to record their merits, and hand their names down to posterity.

Those who have been famous for piety and mental accomplishments, and have zealously devoted their lives to the advancement of religion, and have beea eminently successful in a cause of such vital importance to the happiness of the world, deserve to be ranked amongst the benefactors of mankind. Neither their names, nor deeds, should be suffered to sink in oblivion, but should be held up as models for future generations.

In perusing the pages of profane history, we are often made to turn away in disgust from the description 0/ those scenes of injustice, of wars and murders, practised by that race of human beings known by the name of kings, courtiers, and heroes ; who, from time immemorial, have claimed for themselves a kind of superiority over the rest of mankind ; and have exerted their strength in desolating the earth by their barbarous deeds. It affords us some relief to turn away from the contemplation of such characters, whose crimes, associated with their names, will render them odious to the latest generations, and mark the progress of those whose Christian virtues have procured for them the veneration of the wise and good.

The man who pursues that course which his own conscience approves, and which meets with the assent of good men, holds a dignified station in society, particularly when society has been greatly benefitted by his labours. In proportion as he has exercised his talents in doing good, and made personal sacrifices for the benefit of others, he should be admired and esteemed. The circumstance of his being removed from this sublunary abode, will only tend to extinguish the remembrance of his foibles, and set his virtues in the most agreeable point of view.

The individual whom we are now about to introduce to the notice of the public, was one, who, with respect to his acquirements in literature, we do not pretend to rank with some of his predecessors in the ministry.-— But so far from doing him any injustice, or

REV. JESSE LEE. O

underrating his character by giving precedence to others in this respect, we intend to show in the following sheets, that he has been greatly useful to the church, and to society generally, without attaining to that eminence in human science which has adorned the brow of some, or of suffering imprisonment or death for the testimony of Jesus. Judging from what he did do and suffer, and from his acknowledged attachment to the cause of Christ, we may safely presume, that, had he been called, in the order of God's providence, to make greater sacrifices for his Divine Master, he would have done it with all cheerfulness.

Jesse Lee was born in the year of our Lord 1758, in Prince George County, Va. He was the second son of Nathaniel and Elizabeth Lee, whose forefathers came over from England soon after the first settlement of Virginia. His parents were respectable and moral ; and being members of the English Episcopal Church, dedicated their children to God according to its ceremonies.

It will not, it is presumed, be essential to record every circumstance relative to the education and early impressions of the subject of these memoirs ; some incidents of his early life shall, however, be noticed, and in doing this, reference will be had to manuscript journals, which were left in his own hand writing ; extracts from which we shall have occasion frequently to make in the following pages.

When he arrived to the proper age, he was put to a school in the neighbourhood, and as soon as he was capable of reading tolerably well, his teacher directed him to procure a prayer book, with a strict injunction to carry it to church every Sabbath, and out of which he was taught the catechism ; and the teacher,

4 MEMOIR OF %IIE

prompted with a laudable ambition of improving the morals of his pupils, had the morning service regularly performed in his school every Wednesday and Friday. This custom had a tendency to familiarize his mind to devotion, and to make the dut} r pleasant ; for when summoned to church on Sunday, he would seat himself in his pew, with his prayer book in his hand, and repeat the service in a manner which did credit to one of his age.

We shall not doubt his testimony, when he assures us that he derived considerable benefit from this course of religious instruction. u In a thousand instances (says he,) when I felt an inclination to act or speak amiss, I have been stopped by the recollection of my catechism, some parts of which I did not understand ; yet it was good upon the whole that I learned it."*

He was also sent to a singing school in the neighbourhood : here it was he contracted a love for sacred melody, which gave him a disrelish for those vain songs which he had learned in his earlier days — by this means he was enabled to join with the congregation in singing the praises of God. These circumstances are noticed with a view of showing the necessity of occupying the mind of youth with religious instruction, so as to restrain the evil dispositions of the heart, and to furnish the mind with strength to overcome evil habits, which will always prevail, unless the faculties are employed in something good.

It would be easy for parents generally to restrain their children from the evil practices which prevail

* This circumstance evinces the importance and the utility of cai % fchetical instructions among the youth of the present age, were they with due diligence and perseverance, to instil into their minds early notions of piety. The mind is active ; it must have employment. Be it so ; and are there not ample opportunities afforded every parent, of furnishing the intellect with proper food ? By using that substantial nourishment which the bible so plentifully affords, and offering it in a way which will make it acceptable and pleasant, and easily digested, even by the most common capacity, is the most effectual method to guard youth against the contagion of vice. Young Lee was what may be called a moral youth. H I do not (says he) recollect that I ever swore in my life, except one night being in company with some wicked young people, I uttered some kind of oaths, for which I felt ashamed, and sorry all the next day ; and when alone, I felt that God was displeased with me for my bad conduct. I believe I never did any thing in my youth, that the people generally call wicked. I used, however, to indulge bad tempers, and use some vain words."

Although he had little inclination to indulge in the vices which often prove destructive to youth, yet in him as in all others, was realized the truth, so solemnly announced by the prophet — u The heart is deceitful and desperately wicked, who can know it ?" He was fond of amusement, whether it was the dance* or the jovial company, when each one endeavoured to display his talent in wit, to the best advantage ; and it but ill accorded with his own feelings when by parental authority he was restrained from those favourite scenes. We will quote his own words.

" When I was a little turned fourteen years of age, my father refused to go to any place of amusement ;

2* and withal, told his children they had better go no more. I thought, at times, that it was hard to be kept under such restrictions, inasmuch as I saw that other young people could go without being restrained; but it was not long before my father let us know that it was from religious motives that he Was led to act as he did. From that time, I felt willing to forego the vain amusements of life, and to conform to my father's will"

His ready compliance with his father's request, is sufficient to put to the blush many of the children even of Methodist parents, who, in despite of all remonstrance, and the force of example, manifest a strong predelection to conform to customs and maxims prevalent in a vitiated and corrupted age. This evil, which seems to spread with rapidity, is ominous of nothing favourable to the progress of piety in the world ; and if parents who profess the religion of Christ, neglect to bring their children to feel the influence of religious precepts, we shall not be astonished if the name of religion should perish in their families after their heads are laid in the dust. But we will now notice a new era in the family of the subject of these memoirs.

"In the latter part of the year 1772, my father became much more serious, and more engaged with Gud than formerly.

"One day, when his conviction was deep, and his distress very great, he went into the woods, and continued travelling about, and mourning for his sins, till at length he claimed the promises of God, and by faith beheld the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of world, and was justified freely by the blood of Jesus Christ, The joy he felt in his soul he could not describe with words. He had an inward evidence, that his sins were forgiven, and that he was born again. This was the beginning of religion in the family ; and my father's conversation about religion from that time astonished us all.

" When my father informed my mother what the Lord had done for his soul, in the forgiveness of his sins, she believed it all, and began to weep ; and from that time she became a broken hearted penitent. She sought the Lord in earnest prayer for some months. Some time in the following winter, while she was reading in the New Testament, the Lord spoke peace to her troubled soul ; and there was, from that time, a visible alteration in her life and conversation. After the conversion of my father and mother, I frequently heard them talk about conversion, and being born again, of the comforts of religion, and the happiness they enjoyed, but nothing that I heard took hold of my mind for some time.

" One of my mother's relations came to my father's and stayed all night ; the topic of conversation was experimental religion. While engaged on this interesting subject, my father observed, * that if a man's sins .e forgiven, he would know it.' That sentence, ' if a man's sins were forgiven him, he would know it,' took hold of my mind, and I pondered it in my heart. The next day, when alone in the field, it kept running across my mind, ! if a man's sins are forgiven, he will know it.' I thought it over and over again, and concluded it must be so, for my father said so, and I believe it. At length I began to reason with myself thus: are my sins forgiven ? I hope so — but do I know it ? No ! no ! I have no assurance of it; immediately it was impressed upon my mind with

& MEMOIR OF TfiE

uncommon force, go and pray ! The impression was repeated, and I went off into a large branch, which was surrounded with thick bushes; then I stopped and looked to see if any person was near me, but eould see no one ; yet I thought some one might pass that way and see me, so 1 set off to another place where the bushes appeared to be 3'et thicker, but when I came there I was afraid of being seen ; I then went to another place with the same reasonings, and the same fears, but at length I ventured to kneel down, and began to pray that the Lord would forgive my sins.

" My distress of soul, at that time, w 7 as very great, and never wore off till my sins were forgiven.

" 1 would frequently, after that time, get by myself, and with many tears pray to God to have mercy upon my poor soul, and forgive my sins. Sometimes in the open fields I have fell on my knees, and prayed, and wept, till my heart was ready to break, At other times my heart was so hard that I could not shed a tear. It ivould occur to mind, * your day of grace is past, and God will never forgive your sins,' It appeared to me that of all sinners in the world I was the greatest ; my sins appeared to me greater in magnitude and multitude than the sins of any other person.

" All this time (says he) I kept my distress to myself, and carefully concealed it from all my friends. When in company, I would endeavour to be as cheerful as possible, to prevent any one from knowing my wretched state. There were no young people in the neighbourhood who were religious ; and I could not take courage to talk to aged people on the subject ; and withal ; I saw myself to be such a desperate siu-

UEV, JESSE LEE. 9

ner, that I did not want any body to know how bad I was.

" When I was in company where religious people were talking about religion, I would frequently get near enough to hear what was said, and pay the greatest attention to what 1 heard, and yet would try to prevent the people from knowing my anxiety to hear and gain instruction : sometimes I would be writing on the ground, and at other times looking a different way.

" Sometimes I felt a fear that there was no mercy for me ; but for the greater part of the time, I believed firmly that the Lord would in mercy forgive me. 1 relied on that promise, ' Seek, and ye shall iind ;' I was determined to seek as long as 1 lived.

" Thus I went on for about four weeks, in which time I never, for an hour, lost sight of my w r retched condition. The cry of my soul was, ' bow shall I escape the misery of hell ?' I cared little about the sufferings of this life, if I could but escape eternal misery. — I read, that some ' asked, and received not, because they asked amiss ;' the remembrance of this, made me, for a season, afraid to use many words* in prayer, for fear I should pray improperly, and, therefore, ' ask amiss.'

" One morning, being in deep distress, and fearing every moment I should drop into hell, and viewing myself as hanging over the pit, I was constrained to cry in earnest for mercy, and the Lord came to my relief, and delivered my soul from the burden and guilt of sin !

* How short, and how comprehensive was the prayer of the publican : u God be merciful to tne a sinner." This prayer is a proper model for all true penitents.

t

« My whole frame was in a tremor from head to foot, and my soul enjoyed sweet peace. The pleasure I then felt was indescribable. This happiness lasted about three days, during which time 1 never spoke to any person about my feelings. I anxiously wished for some one to talk to me on the subject, but no one did. I then began to doubt my conversion, and to fear that I was deceived — I finally concluded that if 1 were not converted, I would never rest without the blessing, and began to pray to the Lord to show me my lost condition, and let me feel my danger, as I had previously done ; but as I could not feel the burden of my sins, the enemy of my soul suggested to my mind that the Lord had forsaken me, and that I had sinned away my convictions, and deceived my own soul. Thus I was a prey to those doubts and perplexities for about six months, before I could assuredly believe that I was in the favour of God.

" One evening, travelling in company with a religious neighbour, he asked me if I was ever converted ? I told him 1 believed I had been. He then asked me several questions relative to the circumstances of the change, which I endeavoured to answer. He then said, 'you are surely converted.' I was much strengthened b}' that conversation, and so much encouraged, as to tell other people, when they asked me, what the Lord had done for my soul."

Soon after this he enjoyed such a manifestation of the presence and power of God, as completely to remove all his doubts, and enable him to say, " now I know in whom I believe." This blessed assurance he obtained by fervently besieging the throne of grace — he proved successful, and was abundantly blessed.

I

jN'othing nppears more evident than this, that those who have received the grace of justification, ought by no means to conceal it. — " Do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel ?" was asked by Christ, when enforcing the necessity of the following precept : "Let your light so shine before men, that they may behold your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."

The spirit of religious inquiry which was, at this time, wakened up in the minds of a few, was a favourable presage of what was about to follow ; the field was beginning to whiten for the harvest, and we are almost surprised, how the process of awakening, conviction and conversion, should be so regularly carried on at a time when those doctrines were so little understood, and but seldom enforced from the pulpit. But those who are acquainted with the history of religion in Virginia, will recollect that even in those days of moral darkness, there was a Jarret who did not fail to point sinners to the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sins of the world.

About this time, the Lord was raising up ministers, and thrusting them into his vineyard. The flame that had been kindled in England, under the ministry of Wesley, had already extended to America. It began in the city of New-York, and was gradually progressing towards the southern states.

Mr. Robert Williams was the first of the Wesleyan preachers who visited that part of Virginia where Jesse Lee resided. The doctrines of this minister of Christ, were just such as suited his state of mind ; he was comforted, and built up in faith and love. Hi? soul was more than ever given up to God.

t

In the spring of the year 1774, Mr. Williams began to form societies in the neighbourhood. It was then that Mr. Lee, being about sixteen years of age, united himself to the society of the Methodists, and was, perhaps, stimulated to it by the example of his father and mother, and an elder brother, At that time the number of Methodists, on the continent of America, amounted to little more than one thousand.

In the following summer, the first circuit in Virginia was formed, called Brunswick. His father freely offered his house as a regular preaching place, which was accepted ; and from that period to this,* continued a home for the preachers, and a house of worship. Like the house of Obed-Edom, the Lord blessed his, because the ark of the Lord rested there. This son often took sweet counsel with the preachers who visited his father's. They not only imparted instruction by the public ministration of the word, but in social conversation, they gave such advice as was suited to the particular case of each individual.

It pleased God about this time, to show him the necessity of a deeper work of grace than he had hitherto experienced ; for, although he enjoyed the blessed assurance of sin forgiven, he was at times agitated with fears, darkness, and heaviness of soul. Hearing the preacher speak of the evidences of the Holy Spirit, and sanctification of soul, body and spirit;

♦Since writing the above, the author has to record the death of this aged and long respected follower of Christ.

He died the 5th day of March, 1820, in the 90th year of his age. He was married three times, had twelve children, and at the time of his discease, there were 73 grand children and 66 great-grand children living. He had been a professor of religion 48 yea??, and acted the greater part of (hat time as a class leader. — He came down to his grave old and full of years.