Although the New York Conference was not organized until fourteen years after the Pekin Convention at which the Discipline was adopted and the denomination formed; and although in chronological order the Michigan Conference preceded it by eight years, and the Minnesota and Northern Iowa by two years; yet because of its having been so long a part of the Susquehanna Conference, and because of its first society having been raised up by a minister of the Genesee Conference, this has been deemed the logical place to sketch its origin and progress.

     In the early part of 1861, the Rev. Loren Stiles, Jr., at the urgent and repeated request of many devout souls who had suffered like treatment from the Methodist Church to that of those excommunicated in Western New York and Northern Illinois, went to White Haven, Pennsylvania, and spent some time preaching the Gospel of full salvation. The condition in which he found matters, and the results of his labors, are set forth in the following letter which he sent for publication in the April number of the Earnest Christian:
 

     BROTHER ROBERTS: I am in White Haven, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, about forty miles from the New Jersey line, encouraging the hearts and strengthening the hands of God’s little ones here. On arriving here I found a noble little band of earnest Christians, who had been for years, while yet in the M. B. Church, earnestly contending for the faith once delivered to the saints. Such, however, has been the oppressive policy of the powers that be, that for the glory of God and the salvation of souls, they were forced to the choice of either giving up their convictions of duty, and tamely submitting to a relinquishment of their rights as Methodists and Christians, or to establish separate meetings where they could labor and pray for souls, and follow their convictions of duty. They chose the latter course, and by their request I have organized thirty-six of them into a Free Methodist Church; and a few others, enough to increase their number to between forty and fifty, will soon give in their names. Relatively to their number, I think I have not found anywhere more clear and distinct witnesses for entire holiness than among these brethren, who have grown up here by themselves in this wild mountain region, all alone, with no ministerial help, living by faith, and working for God in the real old-fashioned Methodist way.

     Had I come here blindfolded, and gone into their meetings, and heard them talk, and pray, and sing, and shout, I might easily have Imagined myself on the Genesee battle-ground, surrounded by some of our best, tried, and most skilful veterans of Western New York, in this glorious war. Some of them are slightly scarred by Baltimore Regency weapons. Two have suffered expulsion on like frivolous charges, and by similar sham-like trials to those that have characterized Genesee Conference administration, and rendered it immortal in infamy. About twenty joined us from the M. E. Church.

     They have for weeks been holding their prayer and exhortation meetings in private houses, where souls have been converted and sanctified. This Friday evening, the last evening of my labors with them, eleven went forward for prayers, seeking the pardoning favor of God.

     Since I have been among them our Presbyterian brethren have very kindly granted us the use of their Church, where I have preached several times to large and attentive congregations. Our Free Methodists here are erecting a Church edifice for themselves, and expect soon to ask us to supply them with a preacher. So very like are these earnest Christians of Eastern Pennsylvania to our Free Methodists in Western New York, and so similar is the opposition with which they have met, and so very like is the path in which they have been led, that I can account for it in no other way than that they have the same Lord and the same devil here that we have there.

L. STILES, JR.

     This work was ultimately taken under the charge of the Susquehanna Conference, and at the session held in New York, in September, 1863, A. B. Burdick was sent to White Haven, Pennsylvania, as preacher in charge. In 1864 another circuit had been raised up, and two preachers were sent into that region. The work in these parts continued to grow, and in 1865 there were six preachers appointed to circuits in this territory. In 1867 a lay membership of 175, including probationers, was reported from this section of country, and the number of circuits remained the same. By 1879, however, the membership had increased to about 300, and nine preachers were required to supply this work. There continued to be a steady, healthy growth until, in 1874, it was judged best to organize the work into a separate Conference.

     The Susquehanna Conference of 1873 having voted to request it, and the Executive Committee having acted favorably on the request, General Superintendent Roberts called a session for the organization of the New York Conference, to be held in Brooklyn, New York, September 2-6, 1874. When the Superintendent took the chair and had conducted devotional exercises, he “announced that all preachers who had charge of circuits within the afore-said bounds [prescribed as the territory of the New York Conference] would be considered as members of the new Conference, unless they wished to retain their membership in the Susquehanna Conference; and that any other members of the Susquehanna Conference would be considered members of the new Conference if they [so] desired, and stated their desire to this Conference. The president read the names of preachers who had labored within the said bounds,—each responded, and his name was placed upon the new Conference roll.”

     The ministers who became charter members of this body numbered sixteen in all—thirteen of whom had been members of the Susquehanna Conference in full connection, and one of whom had been in full connection in the Genesee Conference. The following are their names: A. 0. Terry, William Jonas, William Gould, James Mathews, M. N. Downing, M. D. McDougall, W. M. Parry, S. H. Bronson, John Glen, G. E. Ferrin, W. W. Warner, R. Coons, 0. V. Ketels, F. J. Ewell. In addition to these H. Hendrickson, George Eakins and J. E. Bristol were continued on probation, and Andrew Ahgreen was received on probation.

     The stationing committee unanimously recommended the dividing of the Conference territory into three districts—the New York, Wilkes-Barre, and Philadelphia—. and that the two former be under a traveling Chairmanship and the latter be supervised by a stationed Chairman. The Conference approved the recommendation, and William Gould was elected Chairman of the New York and Wilkes-Barre districts, and James Mathews was stationed at Philadelphia and elected Chairman of the Philadelphia district.

     The statistical record shows the lay membership at this time to have been 617, including ninety probationers, and the value of Church property to have been $57,035.

     At the time of its organization the New York Conference embraced “all parts of the States of New York and Pennsylvania not included in the Genesee and Susquehanna Conferences, and all that territory lying due east.” Later it was made to “embrace all parts of the States of New York and Pennsylvania not included in the Genesee, Oil City and Susquehanna Conferences, and the States of New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware and Virginia.” Among its present appointments are Newark, Dover, Phillipsburg, Flemington and Vineland, in the State of New Jersey; at Baltimore, Hampstead, Alesia, Fairmount, Spencerville, Rockville, Avery, Lay Hill, etc., in the State of Maryland; and at Alexandria, Virginia. The work in Maryland has nearly all of it been raised up within recent years, and is very promising. The work at Alexandria, Virginia, was started much earlier, as was also that at most of the points in New Jersey.

     The work in the New York Conference has ever been favored with some of the best ministerial talent of the denomination. In its early period it was blessed with the services of such men as William Gould, James Mathews, M. N. Downing, John Glen, Joseph Travis, T. S. LaDue, A. F. Curry, William Jones, M. D. McDougall, W. M. Parry, S. H. Bronson, J. E. Bristol—men of strong ability, deep piety, unconquerable courage, and holy aggressiveness, and whose influence for good still survives. Later such men as A. G. Miller and J. T. Michael came to the front. Both were men of marked ability. When Mr. Michael was received into full connection in the Newark Methodist Conference a number spoke in his favor. An ex-presiding elder, M. E. Ellison, spoke very highly of his work on the circuit, and Dr. Hurst, then President of Drew Theological Seminary (afterward bishop), said that Bishop Foster had stated that Mr. Michael had the best mind of any student who had attended the seminary during his (Foster’s) presidency; Dr. Hurst added that “he [Brother Michael] was the second Watson.” George Eakins, J. P. Logan and W. B. Rose should also be mentioned among the foregoing list, the latter two of whom have for a number of years past served the Church as General Conference officers—Mr. Logan as editor of the Free Methodist, and Mr. Rose as denominational Publishing Agent.

     Free Methodism in the New York Conference has experienced more than the ordinary amount of testing and sifting, and at times it has seemed as though in some of the more important centers it would be wholly destroyed; nevertheless, it has kept its head above the billows, and seems destined still to survive and be a blessing to the world. At the present time (1914) it has thirty-two preachers in full membership, with five on trial; lay members numbering 1,338, inclusive of 219 probationers; Church property valued at $118,500, and parsonage property to the amount of $28,750.

     The early growth and progress of the work in the New York Conference owed much to the devotion, integrity, wisdom, and liberality of such laymen as W. B. Bertels, of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, a manufacturer of tinware; C. O. Schantz, of Allentown, Pennsylvania, who was engaged in the banking business; Joseph Mackey, of New York City, editor and publisher of a railroad Guide, and of “The United States Economist and Dry Goods Reporter ;“ James Gray, also of New York City, a general printer; James Dickson, of Philadelphia, a hardware merchant; his wife, Mrs. Emily Dickson, a woman gifted with rare abilities, who preached frequently with great acceptability, and who chiefly raised up the work at West Philadelphia; John Gray, an ordained local preacher of general acceptability; Lucien Woodruff, Justice of the Peace, a very devoted and influential man of God; and Noah Patrick, another influential man of God, whose memory is precious to all who knew him.

     Also there were several other women deserving of special mention among the laity prominently identified with early Free Methodism in the New York Conference: Mrs. Maria Rose, who was gifted with evangelistic ability, and who assisted in raising up the society at Dover, New Jersey, and labored effectively in other fields; Mrs. Jane Dunning, for many years Superintendent of Providence Mission, New York, raised up and maintained by Dr. Sabine; and Mrs. Calista Fairchild, a talented evangelist, identified with the origin of the work at Alexandria, Virginia, and Washington, D. C., and who is still living within the bounds of the Conference. To these, and to other “elect ladies” whose names can not be mentioned in this connection but are in the book of life, the progress and prosperity of the work in the New York Conference territory was largely indebted in its primitive days.

     Some of the laymen named in the foregoing list also finally became prominently identified with the more general work of the Free Methodist Church. Joseph Mackey was for a time editor and proprietor of the Free Methodist; this of course before the Church had assumed proprietorship of the paper. C. O. Schantz served for two quadrenniums as denominational Auditor, and that with remarkable efficiency. His final resignation was because of failing health. W. B. Bertels, though a layman, is an ordained local Elder, and has repeatedly represented his Annual Conference as delegate to the General Conference, in which he has ever acquitted himself with much wisdom, dignity, and spirituality. James Dickson, who with his wife gave generous aid to the Church in Philadelphia, West Philadelphia and Brooklyn. it is seldom that any Conference is favored with a nobler and more intelligent and devoted class of laymen than have generally graced the New York Conference.