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Joseph
Sawyer, Thomas Madden, and Nathan Bangs had all worked
along the Bay of Quinte
circuit in 1803 when it numbered 520 Methodist members.
Although membership had fallen slightly by 1805, Bangs
would certainly have known most of the circuit’s
Methodists to whom he here refers as “brethren.” Henry
Ryan and the famous William Case were circuit riders on
the Bay of Quinte circuit in 1805. It is worth noting that by
1806 the circuit reported an increase in membership of
146 for a total to 656 (Cornish 168).
Although Carroll suggest that the credit is due
primarily to the efforts of William Case, the Hay Bay camp meeting
organized by Bangs
in September 1805 doubtless played a key role in the
increase.
It is unclear what Bangs was doing in the Niagara
region during this time since that circuit was very far removed
from Bangs's own charge in Oswegatchie. In 1805 the
assigned circuit rider for Niagara was Gershom
Pearce (assisted by Andrew Prindel).
Finally, although Case's
own reputation only grew with the passage of time, Ryan is
remembered chiefly for the schism that resulted in a
separate branch of Methodism whose adherents came to be
called "Ryanites" before merging with the New
Connexion Methodists after Ryan's death. See Ryerson's account
in right-hand pane. |