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Editorial Annotations |
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In May 1805 Bangs and Sylvanus
Keeler were appointed by the New York Conference to the Oswegatchie
circuit east of Kingston on the St. Lawrence. Although
Keeler was the more experienced of the two, having first
worked as an itinerant in 1795, the fact that Bangs
(apart from the Hay Bay camp meeting minutes) never
mentions Keeler by name suggests that the two worked
independently of one another. The Oswegatchie circuit was
first established by William Losee in 1792 and had the
distinction of being the second circuit formed
in Canada. Thirteen
years later it had grown into a key circuit with 457 members
or some 25% of the Church's total in the province. Additional statistical data for
Methodists in Upper Canada is available on the
Chronology page.
There is an error in Cornish's
"Alphabetical Arrangement of all the Circuits, Stations,
and Missions of Canadian Methodism, 1791 to 1874" concerning
Nathan Bangs's location in 1805. Thomas Madden is
mistakenly listed as the Oswegatchie circuit rider for
1805 (Cornish 272) while Bangs is listed as riding this circuit
in 1806. Cornish's information, however, is correct in his "Names of Ministers &
Probationers for the Ministry [...] 1790 to 1832" where
he lists Bangs as serving Oswegatchie in 1805 and Quebec
and Montreal in 1806 (Cornish 38). See also Playter
84, 86 and Bangs's manuscript autobiography 186. |
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Monday July 1st 1805
Yesterday I preached twice with freedom
and power, thanks be unto God for his kindness. My love to
God increases. I feel more strongly attached to this work
than ever. There is a strange thing happened here. A man
bereft of his reason has been remarkably waked and continues
so yet, and yet nevertheless he takes up the cause of
Religion boldly by bearing testimony to the truth in our
Public assemblies when he is markedly regular. But the most
unhappy consideration is he makes himself almost equal with
God, which is a demonstration, to me at least, that an high
opinion of himself has brought on these Delusions. O what a
blessing it is to have the use of our reason. O Lord forbid that
my sins should provoke this to deprive me of this gift of
Providence for Christ's sake. O sweet Jesus how lovely thou
art.
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