158 History of Methodism 



Pedee Circuit was made to embrace the territory on 

 either side of the river, and to extend from Georgetown 

 in South Carolina to within ten miles of Salisbury in 

 North Carolina, and contained a membership of two 

 hundred and eighty-five whites and ten colored. In 

 like manner, by the active labors of Mr. Tunnell and 

 Mr. Willis, the Santee Circuit was formed, and, begin- 

 ning near Charleston, was made to include the territory 

 on either side of the Santee and Wateree rivers from 

 Nelson's Ferry to Providence, within ten miles of 

 Charlotte, in North Carolina, and had a membership 

 of seventy-five whites; and the Broad Eiver Circuit, 

 which commenced in the Dutch Fork above Columbia, 

 and extended north as far as the Pacolet Springs, em- 

 bracing parts of Newberry, Fairfield, Chester, Union, 

 and Spartanburg districts, and which contained a 

 membership of two hundred whites and ten colored. 

 In this work of forming the circuits they were greatly 

 aided by the Rev . James Fo ster, a native of Virginia, 

 who was received on trial in 1776, but injured his con- 

 stitution by excessive fasting and preaching in the open 

 air, and was compelled to locate at the expiration of 

 two years. He removed to South Carolina, and formed 

 a circuit among some Methodist emigrants from Vir- 

 ginia, and supplied them with preaching. Thus in 

 distant loneliness from his brethren in the ministry, and 

 in much affliction, he became providentially honored 

 as one of the founders of Methodism in the State. 

 He reentered the itinerancy in 1786, and the Broad 

 River Circuit was included in his appointment. In 

 his last years his intellect gave way under his in- 

 firmities, and in his mental prostration he used to 

 wander about among Methodist families, exhibiting 

 the amiableness of disposition and maintaining the 



