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 OrdinationAppointed to Flanders-Visits Virginia again.

THE Conference which Mr. Lee attended this year, and from which he received his appointment, was held in the city of Baltimore the 1st of May 1787. After the business of conference was over, he went to visit his friends in Kent, to whom he was much attached, and continued several days, preaching at various appointments.

It afforded him particular pleasure to visit one who, although lying upon a sick bed, was rejoicing in the love of God. As soon as he entered the room where she was laying, she began to weep and praise God, and to tell what the Lord had done for her soul. She said, addressing herself to Mr. Lee, "Last Sunday week, when I took my leave of you at the meeting house, you spoke to me about the welfare of my soul, and it had such weight with me that I promised the Lord that I would not eat, drink, or sleep, till he pardoned my sins; and all that night I did not sleep. The next day about 4 o'clock, the Lord set my soul at liberty, and I wanted to see you; I knew you would help me to praise the Lord.”

A word in season, how good it is! Those who remain unmoved under the most searching and energetic ministry of the word, are often awakened to a sense of their danger, and excited to seek the Lord, by a word addressed to them personally. Such appears to have been the case in the present instance. And this, with thousands of other instances of the. like nature, should teach us to be instant in season' and out of season, to exhort and rebuke with all authority and long-suffering. "In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thy hand; for thou knowest not which shall prosper, this or that."

From visiting his friends in Kent, he went to travel a circuit adjoining the city of Baltimore, where he laboured with good success, until the latter part of August, at which time he took his appointment in the city of Baltimore.

On this station, he diligently attended to the duties of a pastor; such as visiting the poor, instructing the children, preaching in public, teaching from house to house, and attending the sick, and meeting classes; besides the various other duties, requisite for a minister to attend to with constancy and punctuality. He not only performed the stated duties generally expected of a minister of Christ, but he sought for opportunities of doing good to all who were willing to be benefitted by his labours: knowing that in a large and populous city like Baltimore, there must necessarily be many who seldom, if ever, entered a Methodist meeting-house, he resolved to give all an opportunity of hearing, who would hear; and accordingly he made an appointment for preaching on the commons. The following extracts will show how much encouragement he had in this undertaking.

"Sunday August 26, on the Commons at 6 o'clock I preached on Isa. Iv. 7. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, and he will abundantly pardon. I was greatly comforted in speaking from first to last; and, glory be to God! it was a time of power. Toward the end of the meeting, it appeared to me that the Lord was about to visit every soul with his love.-It was a melting time, and many silent tears were droppedsome of the finely dressed people could not forbear weeping-we had an amazing large congregation, of all ranks, and of many persuasions.--When we broke up and parted, I was greatly pleased to see the company walk away so quietly. I came away rejoicing in the Lord, and praising God for his presence with us. It appeared to me that God was about to revive his work in the town."

After preaching on the commons for six or eight sabbaths, having in every instance, large and attentive congregations, he then went to the market on the point, and preached to a vast assembly. Among others who attended upon these occasions, there were numbers of sailors, who but for field and market preaching, might never have heard the gospel. All were serious and solemn, and uncovered their heads, as though they had entered a house of worship.

He also preached several times in the market on Howard's Hill, with such favourable appearances of success, that he could not doubt but that the fruits of his labours would be seen in days to come.

While he was labouring in Baltimore the Lord was pleased, in a good degree, to own and bless his efforts.

Monday, September 3d, he observes, "I met the class and was much comforted. I joined two in class, and both of them professed to have lately found the Lord. I have observed of late that the greater part of the stir has been among the young men and boys: several of them have been awakened and joined society."

This year was remarkable for a great and almost unprecedented revival of religion in Virginia. Mr. Lee frequently received letters from that quarter, informing him of the progress of the work. It seemed indeed like the commencement of the millenial reign of Christ gradually dispelling the darkness of the world. In March 1788, he resolved to visit his native place, as well to see his relations as to share in the glorious work still progressing in that part of the Lord's vineyard.

This visit was a source of more than ordinary plea sure, as the following extracts will show.

Petersburg. At 11 o'clock For what shall it profit a world, and lose his own

"Sunday, 30th of March. I preached on Mark viii. 36. man, if he shall gain the whole soul? I had a pretty large company, and felt great liberty in speaking, and the hearers were much affected; and from the beginning there were many silent tears shed-I felt my soul drawn out in love to God and man; and before I was done the power of God was manifested among us, One woman dropped down from her seat like a person struck dead; but in a little while she was enabled to rise and praise a sin pardoning God aloud, and many shouted for joy. I observed a woman finely dressed, just at my righthand, who trembled and shook as though she had an ague; at length she stood up, and I expected every moment to have seen her drop down in the place