History of Methodism. 325 



took a superannuated relation. After Conference, he 

 returned on a visit to his early friends in the Fork, 

 and was warmly greeted and kindly cared for by them. 

 While spending a few days with Mr. T. Kails, the wife 

 of the latter suddenly died, and Mr. Dougherty at- 

 tended the funeral, and, as the last public act of his 

 life, addressed the congregation. It was resolved, as 

 a last resort, that Mr. Dougherty should try the effect 

 of a voyage to the West Indies. He accordingly set 

 out for Wilmington, in North Carolina, whence the 

 ship was expected to sail, and on his arrival at that 

 place, finding that the ship was likely to be detained 

 for several days, he went to stay with a family, who 

 regarded it a privilege to do every thing they could to 

 minister to his relief and comfort. Captain Bingley, 

 who had kindly offered him a free passage, called 

 frequently to see him, fully intending to make the 

 proposed voyage as comfortable to him as possible. 

 But it soon became manifest that his disease (con- 

 sumption) had made such rapid progress as to render 

 it unsafe even to attempt to remove him to the vessel. 

 He spoke of death and eternity with an engaging feel- 

 ing and sweet composure, and manifested an inde- 

 scribable union of confidence, love, and hope, while he 

 said, " The goodness and love of God to me are great 

 and marvelous as I go down the dreadful declivity of 

 death." He died on the 23d of March, 1807, and was 

 buried in the African Church in Wilmington, by the 

 side of William Meredith, by whom the church had 

 been founded. 



Mr. Dougherty carried with him into the South Car- 

 olina Conference an unquenchable thirst for knowl- 

 edge. To learn all that could be learned that would 

 subserve his work as a minister of Jesus Christ Ava? 



