290 History of Methodism 



I can truly say that the more I am acquainted with 

 the devices of Satan, the more I detest the spirit of 

 schism. Our society of blacks in the city are, in gen- 

 eral, very much alive to God. They now amount to 

 about five hundred. The Lord has raised up a zealous 

 man in Mr. McFarlan, a merchant, and partner with 

 the late Mr. Wells. He amply supplies the place of 

 his valuable deceased partner. His weekly exhorta- 

 tions to the blacks are rendered very profitable. It 

 is common for the proprietors of slaves to name their 

 blacks after the heathen gods and goddesses. The 

 most lively leader among our negroes in this place has 

 no other name but Jupiter: he has a blessed gift in 

 prayer, but it appears to me extremely odd to hear 

 the preacher cry out, ' Jupiter, will you pray?' A lady 

 of the name of Hopeton lives in this city, a woman of 

 large fortune, and between seventy and eighty years 

 of age. Mr. Wesley dined with her, as he was return- 

 ing home from Georgia. When she heard of Mr. 

 Hammett's introducing Methodism on Mr. Wesley's 

 original plan, she sent him an invitation to her house ; 

 and when he entered her parlor, she took him by the 

 hand and informed him of the honor she had received 

 in the company of Mr. Wesley, and that she was happy 

 to show respect to one who so highly revered his mem- 

 ory and trod in his steps. But alas! he has so sick- 

 ened her of the gospel that I have no hopes that she 

 ever will again attend a gospel ministry. In this city, 

 which contains only about twenty thousand inhabit- 

 ants, they have two public theaters, and the people 

 in general are much more devoted to pleasure than in 

 any part of Great Britain or Ireland. From all the 

 observations I have been able to make, I can perceive 

 that the inhabitants of the United States are verging 



