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LIFE AND TIMES OF NATHAN BANGS
By Abel Stevens
Author of
The History of the Religious Movement
of the Eighteenth Century called Methodism
New York:
Published By Carlton & Porter
200 Mulberry-Street
1863
Entered Recording to Act of Congress,
In the year 1863, by N. D. Bangs
And E. K. Bangs, Executors,
In the Clerk's Office of the
District Court of the United States
For the Southern District of New York.
* * * * * * *
Digital Edition 05/07/96
By Holiness Data Ministry
* * * * * * *
ABBREVIATED TABLE OF CONTENTS
Abbreviated Table of Contents
Detailed Table of Contents
Concerning Nathan Bangs' Conversion And Sanctification
Preface
01 -- Importance Of His Services To The Church
02 -- Early Emigration
03 -- Life In Canada
04 -- New Scenes And Studies
05 -- The Itinerant Ministry
06 -- Methodism -- Its Origin
07 -- Ministerial Life In Canada -- (a)
08 -- Answers To Prayer
09 -- Bay Of Quinte Circuit
10 -- Itinerant Life In Canada
11 -- Ministerial Life In Canada -- (b)
12 -- Home Again
13 -- Itinerant Life In The United States
14 -- Ministerial Life In The United States
15 -- New York Conference, 1817
16 -- Services In The General Conference Of 1820
17 -- General Conference Of 1824
18 -- General Conference Of 1828
19 -- Editorial Labors
20 -- Prosperity Of New York Conference
21 -- General Conference Of 1836
22 -- Services In The General Conference Of 1840
23 -- Mature Christian Life
24 -- He Revisits Canada
25 -- The Garrettson Homestead
26 -- General Conference Of 1852
27 -- Peace In Sufferings
28 -- Last Days
Endnotes
* * * * * * *
DETAILED TABLE OF CONTENTS
Abbreviated Table of Contents
Detailed Table of Contents
Concerning Nathan Bangs' Conversion And Sanctification
Preface
01 -- IMPORTANCE OF HIS SERVICES TO THE CHURCH
Importance of his Services to the Church -- Growth of Methodism during his Public Life --
His Puritan Ancestry -- His Father, Lemuel Bangs -- Character of his Mother -- Household Life --
The Village "Parson" -- The Baptist Pastor -- Jesse Lee's Itinerant Adventures in Connecticut --
Emigration of the Family -- New England Life and Character
* * *
02 -- EARLY EMIGRATION
Early Emigration -- A Home in the Wilderness -- The Mother and Child lost in the Woods
-- School Teaching -- Studies and Amusements -- The Methodist Itinerants -- He Satirizes them --
His Conscience awakened -- Frontier Dancing -- Dram Drinking -- Mental Struggles -- Emigrates
Further Westward -- The City of Buffalo in 1799 -- Niagara Falls at the end of tho last Century
* * *
03 -- LIFE IN CANADA
Life on the Frontier -- Effect of Scenery -- Mental Aspirations and Struggles -- Doctrinal
Sophism -- Missionaries -- A Clerical Card Player -- Calvinism -- Conversation with a Methodist
-- An Itinerant in the Wilderness -- James Coleman -- Continued Struggles -- A Frontier Love
Feast -- Joseph Sawyer -- His Counsels to the Young Inquirer -- A Sister's Usefulness -- Anecdote
of John Bangs -- A Religious Life openly begun -- Persecutions -- Doffs his Cue and Ruffles and
becomes a Methodist -- Increased Struggles -- Deliverance
* * *
04 -- NEW SCENES AND STUDIES
A new Home -- Studies Methodist Authors -- Begins Public Labors -- Diffidence and
Defeats -- Joseph Sawyer -- Christian Warner -- Sanctification -- Its Importance in Christian
Theology -- Wesley's Opinions respecting it -- A Churchman's Opinion (Note) -- Experience of it
-- Call to Preach
* * *
05 -- THE ITINERANT MINISTRY
The Methodist Itinerancy -- A Dream about Wesley -- Joseph Sawyer -- Attempts to
Preach -- A Successful Trial -- Accompanies Sawyer on a Circuit -- Success -- Defeat -- Attempts
to retreat, but is prevented -- Is licensed to Preach -- Buys a Horse and begins to Itinerate
* * *
06 -- METHODISM -- ITS ORIGIN
Origin of Methodism -- Voltaire's Prediction -- Oxford Holy Club -- Methodism and
Education -- The True Historical Standpoint of Methodism -- The Lay Ministry -- Its Origin -- Its
Providential Adaptation to the New World -- Introduction of Methodism into America --
Whitefield -- Philip Embury -- Francis Asbury -- His extraordinary Character and Success --
Introduction of Methodism into Canada -- Notices of Dr. Bangs's Fellow-laborers in Canada --
Coleman -- Wooster -- Anecdotes -- Powerful Preaching -- Anson -- Crowell and others -- Early
Hardships of the Itinerancy in Canada
* * *
07 -- MINISTERIAL LIFE IN CANADA -- (A)
His first Circuit -- Niagara -- Forms a new Circuit, Long Point -- Condition of the Country
-- Is discouraged -- Attempts again to Retreat -- A Striking Dream -- Singular Conversions -- A
Man Converted on Horseback -- Revivals -- Anecdote (Note) -- Opposition -- Lackington's
Memoirs -- Slanders against John Wesley -- A Severe Trial -- A Startling Dream -- A Curious
Coincidence -- Joy in the Wilderness -- A Brave Rebuke -- A Humorist Confounded and
Converted -- Fate of a Persecutor
* * *
08 -- ANSWERS TO PRAYER
Removal -- Niagara Circuit -- Remarkable Answers to Prayer -- Sets off for the Bay of
Quinte Circuit -- Is detained at Toronto -- Loses his horse -- Yonge Street Settlement -- Quaker
"Testimony" -- Visiting from House to House on a large scale -- An enraged High Churchman --
Fallacy of "Impressions" -- Frontier Life and Manners -- Characteristic Preaching -- Contest with
a Fiddler -- With Ruffians on the Highway -- Remarkable Escape -- Hardships -- Adventures
among the Quakers -- Preaching in their Meetinghouse -- "Hirelings" -- A Frontier Dancing Scene
-- Interview with an Indian Chief -- Indian Theory of the Origin of their Race -- Extraordinary
Reconciliation of a Discordant Church -- Change of Circuits
* * *
09 -- BAY OF QUINTE CIRCUIT
Bay of Quinte Circuit -- Hezekiah Calvin Wooster -- Sanctification -- Lorenzo Dow -- A
Powerful Whisper -- Anecdotes -- Darias Dunham -- Elijah Woolsey -- "Canada Fire" -- Attack of
Typhus Fever -- Singular Cure -- His "Double Voice" -- What caused it -- Sufferings of the Early
Itinerants -- Locations -- He Visits his Parents -- The Garrettson Homestead -- First Attendance at
Conference -- First Impressions of Asbury -- Ordination -- New York Conference in 1804 --
Appointed to the River Thames
* * *
10 -- ITINERANT LIFE IN CANADA
Extent of his Travels -- A Missionary to the River Thames -- The Journey -- A Moravian
Mission -- Opens his Mission -- Salutations -- Visits a Jail -- A Capital Criminal -- Detroit in
1804 -- A Family Reconciliation -- A Pestilential Climate -- Gamblers fleeing before him -- Perils
by Flood -- A Narrow Escape -- A Winter Retreat -- A Night in the Woods -- Sudden Death of a
Scorner -- Camp Meetings -- The "Jerks" -- Description of the first Camp Meeting in Canada --
Extraordinary Scenes -- His Marriage
* * *
11 -- MINISTERIAL LIFE IN CANADA -- (B)
Attends the Conference -- Offers himself as a Missionary to Lower Canada -- Taken Sick
on the Way -- John B. Matthias -- Joseph Sawyer -- Descends the St. Lawrence -- First Sight of
Quebec -- First Success -- Defeat -- Pecuniary Embarrassments -- Providential Relief -- Goes to
Montreal -- Financial Account of the Year -- Services in Canada -- Founder of Methodism in
Quebec
* * *
12 -- HOME AGAIN
Visits the States -- The home of his Father -- Appointed to Delaware Circuit -- The
Primitive Methodist Ministry -- He attends the General Conference -- Negro worship -- Personnel
of the Conference -- The Old Western Conference -- McKendree -- His Sermon before the
Conference -- He is elected Bishop -- Formation of the "Delegated" General Conference -- The
"Restrictive Rules" -- Diocesan Episcopacy proposed -- Returns to Delaware Circuit -- Character
as a Preacher
* * *
13 -- ITINERANT LIFE IN THE UNITED STATES
New York Conference of 1809 -- Appointed to Albany Circuit -- Influence of Calvinistic
Opinions -- Their Successful Counteraction -- A Public Controversy -- His first Appearance as an
Author -- "Christianism" -- Conference of 1810 -- Its Division -- Its Districts -- Appointed to New
York City -- Its Methodist Statistics at the Time and at his Death -- Extravagances in Revivals --
He corrects them -- A Significant Dream -- Examples of Pastoral Discipline -- Asbury --
Introduces Catechetical Instruction -- Ministerial Studies -- The Greek Language -- McKnight --
Adam Clarke -- Prosperity of the City Churches -- The first Delegated General Conference -- Its
Leading Members -- Asbury -- McKendree -- Condition of the Church -- Coke -- Election of
Presiding Elders -- Sketch of the Controversy on the Question -- Disapproves the Ordination of
Local Preachers -- Historical Importance of the Local Ministry -- His Services in the General
Conference
* * *
14 -- MINISTERIAL LIFE IN THE UNITED STATES
Appointed to Lower Canada -- The War interferes -- Sickness -- Failure of the Canada
Appointments -- Presiding Elder of Rhinebeck District -- His Success -- Effects important
Reforms -- Combats with Calvinism -- Great Improvement of the District -- His Preaching at this
Period -- Publication of his "Errors of Hopkinsianism" -- Its large Sale -- His Theological Studies
and Rank -- Abolition of the Union of Church and State in Connecticut -- Visits his Native Village
-- Reflections in its Graveyard -- General Conference of 1816 -- State of the Church -- His
Services in the Conference -- Ministerial Support -- Course of Study -- Founder of the Periodical
Literature -- of American Methodism -- Bishop Coke's Death and Character -- Bishop Asbury's
Death and Character -- Dr. Bangs's Animadversions on Asbury -- His Opinions on the Ministerial
Vocation -- and on Ministerial Support
* * *
15 -- NEW YORK CONFERENCE, 1817
New York Conference of 1817 -- Appointed to New York City -- Studies -- Authorship --
"Predestination Examined" -- The "Reformer Reformed" -- Revises the Methodist Hymn Book --
Revives Catechetical Instruction -- Preaching -- Success -- "Downtown" and "Uptown" -- John
Street Chapel rebuilt -- The Methodist Missionary Society founded -- His Agency in its
Organization -- Great Results witnessed by him -- He aids in reviving Educational Institutions in
the Church -- The Wesleyan Seminary -- Sketch of Methodist Education -- Becomes Presiding
Elder of New York District -- A Schism -- The "Stillwellites"
* * *
16 -- SERVICES IN THE GENERAL CONFERENCE OF 1820
General Conference of 1820 -- Dr. Bangs's Services during the Session -- Is nominated for
the Office of Bishop -- Initiates the Cause of Education in the General Conference -- Elected Book
Agent and Editor -- His Account of the Opposition to Education -- Missions -- His Improvements
of the Book Concern -- Sketch of its History -- Remarkable Success of the Christian Advocate and
Journal -- His early Embarrassments in the Concern -- Dr. Emory's Services in it -- Its Destruction
by Fire -- Its re-erection and great success -- "Vindication of Methodist Episcopacy" -- The
"Reformers" -- Dr. Bangs's disapproval of their Course -- His own Course
* * *
17 -- GENERAL CONFERENCE OF 1824
General Conference of 1824 -- State of the Church -- Dr. Bangs's Services in the
Conference -- Education -- Prosperity of the Book Concern -- Re-elected Editor and Agent -- His
great Labors -- He visits Canada -- At the Grave of his Father -- Revisits Canada -- One of the
Founders of the Methodist Sunday School Union -- Methodism and Sunday Schools -- Great
Growth of the "Union" -- Results of his Book Agency
* * *
18 -- GENERAL CONFERENCE OF 1828
Dr. Bangs's Services in the General Conference of 1828 -- The "Radical Controversy" --
Methodism in Canada -- He declines an Offer of the Episcopal Office in Canada -- Prosperity of
the Church -- Elected Editor of the Christian Advocate
* * *
19 -- EDITORIAL LABORS
His numerous Labors -- Editorship of the Advocate -- His son, William McKendree Bangs,
enters the Itinerancy -- Recovery from Sickness -- "Life of Garrettson" -- History of Methodist
Missions -- "Defense of the Church" -- The "Christian Spectator" -- General Conference of 1832 --
Services at the Session -- Ministerial Support -- Ministerial Improvement -- Conference "Course
of Study" -- Progress of Education in the Church -- Missionary Progress -- Foreign Missions
projected -- Declines Nomination for the Episcopate -- Methodist Quarterly Review started --
Appointed as its Editor -- "Letters to a Young Preacher" -- Controversy with Bishop Emory --
Defends Theological Education
* * *
20 -- PROSPERITY OF NEW YORK CONFERENCE
Great Growth of the Church -- Revivals -- Success of Domestic Missions -- Foreign
Missions begun -- The Flathead Indians -- South American Mission -- Invigoration of the Church --
Death and Character of Bishop McKendree -- Death and Character of Bishop Emory -- Destruction
of the Book Concern by Fire
* * *
21 -- GENERAL CONFERENCE OF 1836
The General Conference of 1836 -- Dr. Bangs' Services -- Prosperity of the Church --
Increase of Members -- Educational Institutions -- Periodicals -- Missions -- Dr. Bangs elected
Missionary Secretary -- Remarkable Success of the German Methodist Missions -- Travels of the
Secretary -- Animnadversions on the Ministry -- Revisits Canada -- Old Scenes -- Reflections --
Journey Southward -- Meets one of his Brothers -- Seafaring Adventures -- Bishop Moore of
Virginia -- Dr. Sewall -- Slavery -- Bishop Hedding -- Dr. Bangs under Charges before his
Conference -- The Anti-Slavery Controversy -- Missionary Tours -- Dangerous Sickness --
Literary Labors -- "Original Church of Christ" -- "History of the Methodist Episcopal Church" -- A
severe Literary Trial -- Centenary of Methodism -- Extraordinary Growth of the Denomination --
Results of the first four Years -- of the Missionary Secretaryship
* * *
22 -- SERVICES IN THE GENERAL CONFERENCE OF 1840
Dr. Bangs at the General Conference of 1840 -- Robert Newton -- Growth of the Church --
Re-elected Missionary Secretary -- Elected President of the Wesleyan -- University at
Middletown, Conn. -- Resignation of the Presidency -- Trials -- Appointed Pastor of Second Street
Church, New York -- Sickness -- Success -- Reflections -- General Conference of 1844 --
Division of the Church -- Its Statistical Growth -- Disturbances of the Times -- Dr. Bangs's Course
respecting them
* * *
23 -- MATURE CHRISTIAN LIFE
Old Age -- Ripening Piety and Happiness -- Sands Street Church -- Trials in the Pulpit --
Fails of Election to the General Conference of 1848 -- Reappointed to Sands Street with an
Assistant -- Ill Health -- Division of the New York Conference -- Dr. Bangs preaches on the
Occasion -- Further Remarks on his Trials in the Pulpit -- Presiding Elder of New York East
District -- Sanctification -- Visit to Mamaroneck -- Spiritual Enjoyment -- Joseph Sawyer again --
The "Present State and Prospects of the M. E. Church" -- Seventy-two Years of Age -- Phoebe
Palmer
* * *
24 -- HE REVISITS CANADA
Representative to the Wesleyan Canada Conference -- Joseph Sawyer -- Scenes on the
Route -- William Case -- Great Changes -- Scenes in the Conference -- Reminiscences -- Changes
-- Recollections of Toronto -- Dr. Ryerson -- Return Home -- Illness -- The Fear of Death
conquered -- Constitutional Cause of that Infirmity -- Catholic Sentiments -- Scene in the Christian
Alliance -- Communion of Saints -- Enjoyment of Natural Scenery -- Improved Health -- Physical
Habits -- Religious Enjoyment
* * *
25 -- THE GARRETTSON HOMESTEAD
A Visit to Garrettson's Homestead at Rhinebeck -- Meetings for the Promotion of Holiness
-- Christian Experience -- Death of Dr. Olin -- Comfort in Trial -- Addresses Kossuth in behalf of
the Methodist Clergy -- Interesting Conversation with Kossuth -- Death of Susan O. Bangs
* * *
26 -- GENERAL CONFERENCE OF 1852
Delegate to the General Conference of 1852 -- The Session -- Methodist Press -- Takes a
"Superannuated Relation" to his Conference -- Retrospect of his Appointments -- Tranquil Old
Age -- Death of William McKendree Bangs -- The "cleansing from all Sin" -- Happy Old Age --
Seventy-fifth Birthday Reflections -- Religious Comfort -- Letter from Rev. William Case -- Old
Scenes in Canada -- Descendants of Embury -- "Golden Wedding" -- Death of Nathan Bangs, Jr.
* * *
27 -- PEACE IN SUFFERINGS
Illness -- Testimony on Sanctification and the Relations of Faith and the Witness of the
Spirit to it -- Character and Death of Mary Eliza Bangs -- Reflections -- Revivals -- Liberal
"Donation Visit" -- Birthday
* * *
28 -- LAST DAYS
Last Days -- Writings (Note) -- "Essay on Emancipation" -- Moral Beauty of his Old Age
-- The Last Scenes -- The Funeral -- The Burial -- Dr. Laban Clark -- Testimony of his Associates
in the Missionary Cause -- Of Francis Hall, Esq. -- His Writings -- His "History of the Methodist
Episcopal Church" -- His Character -- His Personal Appearance -- Conclusion
* * *
ENDNOTES
* * * * * * *
CONCERNING NATHAN BANGS' CONVERSION AND SANCTIFICATION
Following are excerpts from this book concerning Nathan Bangs' Conversion and his Entire
Sanctification, along with His Warning against a False Faith for, and Witness To, Sanctification.
* * *
In 1800, At Age 21, Shortly After His Conversion
A mind so profoundly imbibed with religious earnestness as that of young Bangs, could not
fail to seize on a truth like this. "From reading the holy Scriptures," he writes, "Mr. Wesley's Plain
Account of Christian Perfection, and Mr. Fletcher's writings on the subject, I clearly saw the
necessity of a deeper piety than I had yet attained; of being sanctified throughout, soul, body, and
spirit. As I went on in observance of Gods commands, divine light shone more brightly upon my
understanding, disclosing to me the remaining impurities of my nature. This gave me a more and
more acute sense of my native depravity than I had ever had, so much so, that doubts were
sometimes excited in my inexperienced mind whether I had indeed been justified. And yet on
mature reflection I could not question the reality of the change which the Spirit of God had wrought
in my heart, for I felt no condemnation for past sins, and I was often blessed with great peace and
joy in the holy Ghost. My experience verified St. Paul's description of the justified man: Being
justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. My conscience also was
extremely tender, so that I could not neglect any known duty, as fasting, secret prayer, social or
public worship in class-meetings or the congregation or exhorting others to flee the wrath to come,
in doing which I enjoyed much inward comfort, and rejoiced in hope of the glory of God. But
notwithstanding all this, I felt such an exquisite sense of normal defect that I was led, like Job, to
abhor myself as in dust and ashes. There was, however, a great difference between my present
distress and my former sense of condemnation. Formerly I was condemned as a guilty sinner, and
hardly dared to look up to God for mercy; now I felt reconciled to him, could pray in faith, and
enjoyed peace, while a sweet compunction weighed me down at the footstool of divine mercy. I
hated sin with a perfect hatred, and consequently felt an utter aversion to all its pleasures. Such
confidence had I in the Christian purity and influence of Mr. Warner, who professed the blessing of
sanctification, and, I doubt not, enjoyed it, that I loved his very presence, and in prayer-meetings I
wished to kneel close by his side.
"In this temper I went struggling on for some time, until, on the 6th of February, 1801, being
that evening on a visit to a pious family with some Christian friends, we conversed till quite late
on religious subjects, and then prayed, as was the Methodist custom; for Methodists in that day
seldom parted from even their casual interviews without prayer. When we knelt, I felt an unusually
earnest spirit of devotion. Mr. Warner first prayed, and, without rising, called upon me to pray.
When I commenced, my emotions deepened, my desire for a pure heart became intense, and my
faith grew stronger and stronger. My supplications were importunate, so that I know not how long I
continued to pray. When I ceased, I sank down into an inexpressible calmness, as lying passive at
the feet of God. I felt relieved and comforted, as though I had been cleansed from all filthiness of
the flesh and spirit. I had no extraordinary rapture, no more than I had often experienced before,
but such a sense of my own littleness that I thought, 'What a wonder is it that God condescends to
notice me at all! All my inward distress was gone. I could look up with a childlike composure and
trust, and behold God as my heavenly Father.
"We stayed all night, and the next morning in family prayer I seemed surrounded with the
divine glory. I certainly was filled at that time with the perfect love which casteth out fear, for I
had no fear of death or judgment. I could trust all things to my merciful God, through my infinitely
sufficient Redeemer. Such a sense of God's ineffable goodness pervaded my soul, that I seemed to
sink, confounded by his very love, into nothingness before him. I felt that I was the least of all
saints, but had an evidence bright as the noonday sun that all my sins were taken away, and that
without fear I could depart and be with Christ at any moment he should see fit to call me.
"I here simply relate the facts as they occurred. The change in my nature was as evident to
me as had been my justification. Whatever name others may attach to this gracious experience, I
believe I was then sanctified by the Spirit of God mercifully given unto me.
* * *
1848 -- At Age 70 -- While Presiding Elder of the New York, East Conference
"I believe the Lord sanctified my soul about six months after he justified me; but I did not
always retain an evidence of it, nor live in its enjoyment, though whenever I recurred to it, either in