Elijah Hedding
Encyclopedia
Elijah Hedding was an American
bishop
of the Methodist Episcopal Church
, elected in 1824.
, in Dutchess County, New York
to parents of English
origin. He was trained in prayer
by his mother, who was brought into the church under Circuit Preacher
Benjamin Abbot. Indeed, it is said that when Elijah was but three years old, his mother taught him the first principles of the Christian faith, and he felt the fear of God
. For several years he practiced secret prayer.
When Rev. Abbott began preaching in the neighborhood, his ministry was blessed in the conversion not only of Elijah's mother, but his grandmother and other relatives, as well, all of whom joined the M.E. Church. Elijah attended public worship with his mother, and remained with her in class-meeting after the preaching.
Bishop Matthew Simpson related one occasion in Elijah Hedding's young life of faith:
When Elijah was about ten years old his parents moved to Vermont
. When he was about fifteen or sixteen, a Methodist family from Connecticut
moved into the neighborhood and began holding meetings in their home. There was singing and praying, and young Elijah, being a good reader, was appointed to read one of John Wesley
's sermons, or a portion of Baxter's Call. These meetings were kept up regularly until 1798, when this home became a Methodist preaching-place on a regular circuit.
The lady of the house, reportedly a Mrs. Bushnell, used to frequently talk with young Hedding privately on the subject of the Christian religion. Elijah Hedding is reported to have said about those conversations (quoted by Bishop Simpson):
About six weeks after this, Elijah remained in class-meeting after preaching, when the preacher and brethren seeing his distress, kneeled in interecessing for him. During the meeting he received spiritual comfort and gave his name as a probationer in the M.E. Church. This was 27 December 1798.
, who had left his circuit. In 1801 the Rev. Hedding was admitted on probation in the Newark Annual Conference. He was ordained, both Deacon and Elder, by Bishop Richard Whatcoat
.
The Rev. Mr. Hedding served a variety of appointments thereafter, as a pioneer Circuit Preacher or a city
Pastor
. In 1807 he was appointed Presiding Elder of the New Hampshire
district. In 1811 he was stationed in Boston. In 1817 he was again Presiding Elder, this time on the Portland
district. He was subsequently appointed to Lynn Common, to Boston, and then the Boston district. "Father Taylor," the famous sailor preacher, was converted under Hedding at the Bromfield Street M.E. Church in Boston
.
and consecrated a Bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church at the General Conference which met in Baltimore, May, 1824. Thereafter, for nearly twenty-eight years, he performed the duties of his office with great ability.
Bishop Matthew Simpson offered this assessment of Elijah Hedding's episcopacy:
. He became seriously ill in 1848, but continued to work. He said, "I hope for, and expect to receive, salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ."
His last illness was protracted and severe. Nevertheless, his mental powers were preserved clear and vigorous to the last. About ten days before his death he said (once more, quoted by Bishop Simpson):
After a protracted illness, he died 9 April 1852 in Poughkeepsie
, New York
. He was buried in a rural cemetery on the east side of the Hudson, below Poughkeepsie.
In 1862, a decade after his death, a Methodist Campmeeting ground in Epping, NH was named in his honor. http://heddingcampground.com/
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
of the Methodist Episcopal Church
Methodist Episcopal Church
The Methodist Episcopal Church, sometimes referred to as the M.E. Church, was a development of the first expression of Methodism in the United States. It officially began at the Baltimore Christmas Conference in 1784, with Francis Asbury and Thomas Coke as the first bishops. Through a series of...
, elected in 1824.
Birth and Rebirth
Elijah was born near Pine PlainsPine Plains (town), New York
Pine Plains is a town in Dutchess County, New York, USA. The population was 2,569 at the 2000 census. The name is derived from the geographic character of the region.The Hamlet of Pine Plains is on the north border of the county.-History:...
, in Dutchess County, New York
Dutchess County, New York
Dutchess County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York, in the state's Mid-Hudson Region of the Hudson Valley. The 2010 census lists the population as 297,488...
to parents of English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
origin. He was trained in prayer
Prayer
Prayer is a form of religious practice that seeks to activate a volitional rapport to a deity through deliberate practice. Prayer may be either individual or communal and take place in public or in private. It may involve the use of words or song. When language is used, prayer may take the form of...
by his mother, who was brought into the church under Circuit Preacher
Circuit rider (Religious)
Circuit rider is a popular term referring to clergy in the earliest years of the United States who were assigned to travel around specific geographic territories to minister to settlers and organize congregations...
Benjamin Abbot. Indeed, it is said that when Elijah was but three years old, his mother taught him the first principles of the Christian faith, and he felt the fear of God
Fear of God (religion)
The fear of God or fear of the is an attitude to religious practice advocated primarily in the Abrahamic religions. Since the term "of God" is singular, rather than plural "of the gods," the term implies monotheism.-Judaism:...
. For several years he practiced secret prayer.
When Rev. Abbott began preaching in the neighborhood, his ministry was blessed in the conversion not only of Elijah's mother, but his grandmother and other relatives, as well, all of whom joined the M.E. Church. Elijah attended public worship with his mother, and remained with her in class-meeting after the preaching.
Bishop Matthew Simpson related one occasion in Elijah Hedding's young life of faith:
- after Mr. Abbott had spoken to the class, he went to little Elijah and said, "Well, my boy, do you think you are a sinner?" He replied, "Yes, sir." Mr. Abbott then, with vehemence and loud voice, said, "There's many a boy in hell not as old as you are," and most impressively exhorted him to seek religion. Bishop Hedding says of this event "It not only frightened me but produced real religious concern, as I doubt not it was accompanied by the operation of God's Holy Spirit."
When Elijah was about ten years old his parents moved to Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
. When he was about fifteen or sixteen, a Methodist family from Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
moved into the neighborhood and began holding meetings in their home. There was singing and praying, and young Elijah, being a good reader, was appointed to read one of John Wesley
John Wesley
John Wesley was a Church of England cleric and Christian theologian. Wesley is largely credited, along with his brother Charles Wesley, as founding the Methodist movement which began when he took to open-air preaching in a similar manner to George Whitefield...
's sermons, or a portion of Baxter's Call. These meetings were kept up regularly until 1798, when this home became a Methodist preaching-place on a regular circuit.
The lady of the house, reportedly a Mrs. Bushnell, used to frequently talk with young Hedding privately on the subject of the Christian religion. Elijah Hedding is reported to have said about those conversations (quoted by Bishop Simpson):
- Her conversation, more than anything else, was the means of my seeking religion. After one of these conversations, on my way home I turned into a grove and kneeled by the side of a great tree and covenanted with God to part with all my idols and seek salvation with all my heart.
About six weeks after this, Elijah remained in class-meeting after preaching, when the preacher and brethren seeing his distress, kneeled in interecessing for him. During the meeting he received spiritual comfort and gave his name as a probationer in the M.E. Church. This was 27 December 1798.
Conversion to Christ
The story of Bishop Hedding's early Christian life is testament to the sometimes slow and steady moving of the Holy Spirit in Christian conversion. For, though at the time of his awakening (shared above) Elijah received some comfort, he had not yet a clear consciousness of his acceptance and conversion. He says of this (again quoted by Bishop Simpson):- About six weeks after this, while conversing with a brother about the Witness of the Spirit, the light of the Spirit broke in upon my mind as clear and perceptible as the sun when it comes from behind a cloud, testifying that I was born of God, and that it was done at the time before named, when my guiltGuiltGuilt is the state of being responsible for the commission of an offense. It is also a cognitive or an emotional experience that occurs when a person realizes or believes—accurately or not—that he or she has violated a moral standard, and bears significant responsibility for that...
was removed and I found peace in believing.
Circuit Riding and Ordained Ministry
Though only licensed as an Exhorter, in 1799 Elijah Hedding supplied the place of Lorenzo DowLorenzo Dow
Lorenzo Dow was an eccentric itinerant American preacher, said to have preached to more people than any other preacher of his era. He was an important figure in the Second Great Awakening. He was also a successful writer...
, who had left his circuit. In 1801 the Rev. Hedding was admitted on probation in the Newark Annual Conference. He was ordained, both Deacon and Elder, by Bishop Richard Whatcoat
Richard Whatcoat
Richard Whatcoat , was the third Bishop of the American Methodist Episcopal Church.-History:Whatcoat was born in Gloucestershire, England and, although reared in the Church of England, became a Methodist at age 22...
.
The Rev. Mr. Hedding served a variety of appointments thereafter, as a pioneer Circuit Preacher or a city
City
A city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S...
Pastor
Pastor
The word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
. In 1807 he was appointed Presiding Elder of the New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
district. In 1811 he was stationed in Boston. In 1817 he was again Presiding Elder, this time on the Portland
Portland, Maine
Portland is the largest city in Maine and is the county seat of Cumberland County. The 2010 city population was 66,194, growing 3 percent since the census of 2000...
district. He was subsequently appointed to Lynn Common, to Boston, and then the Boston district. "Father Taylor," the famous sailor preacher, was converted under Hedding at the Bromfield Street M.E. Church in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
.
Episcopal Ministry
The Rev. Elijah Hedding was electedElected
Elected is the latest EP by Dutch Progressive metal project Ayreon. It was released on April 25, 2008 in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, and on April 28 in the rest of Europe...
and consecrated a Bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church at the General Conference which met in Baltimore, May, 1824. Thereafter, for nearly twenty-eight years, he performed the duties of his office with great ability.
Bishop Matthew Simpson offered this assessment of Elijah Hedding's episcopacy:
- He was remarkable for promptness in duty, wisdomWisdomWisdom is a deep understanding and realization of people, things, events or situations, resulting in the ability to apply perceptions, judgements and actions in keeping with this understanding. It often requires control of one's emotional reactions so that universal principles, reason and...
in council, strict integrityIntegrityIntegrity is a concept of consistency of actions, values, methods, measures, principles, expectations, and outcomes. In ethics, integrity is regarded as the honesty and truthfulness or accuracy of one's actions...
, and deep pietyPietyIn spiritual terminology, piety is a virtue that can mean religious devotion, spirituality, or a combination of both. A common element in most conceptions of piety is humility.- Etymology :...
. Anxious days and sleepless nights and strong intercessions with God showed his deep solicitude for the prosperityProsperityProsperity is the state of flourishing, thriving, good fortune and/or successful social status. Prosperity often encompasses wealth but also includes others factors which are independent of wealth to varying degrees, such as happiness and health....
of the churches. His pulpitPulpitPulpit is a speakers' stand in a church. In many Christian churches, there are two speakers' stands at the front of the church. Typically, the one on the left is called the pulpit...
power, his excellence as an officer, his administrative ability, gave him prominence in the affections and confidence of the M.E. Church.
Faith in the Face of Death
Elijah suffered in his early years from violent attacks of inflammatory rheumatismRheumatism
Rheumatism or rheumatic disorder is a non-specific term for medical problems affecting the joints and connective tissue. The study of, and therapeutic interventions in, such disorders is called rheumatology.-Terminology:...
. He became seriously ill in 1848, but continued to work. He said, "I hope for, and expect to receive, salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ."
His last illness was protracted and severe. Nevertheless, his mental powers were preserved clear and vigorous to the last. About ten days before his death he said (once more, quoted by Bishop Simpson):
- With the stroke God gave me wonderful grace, and it has been with me ever since. Not a day, not an hour, not a moment have I had any doubt or tormenting fear of death. I have been times so that it was doubtful whether I would live five minutes, but all was bright and glorious. But to-day I have been wonderfully blessed.
- I was reflecting upon the wonder of God's mercy,--how a just and infinite and holy God could take such vile creatures to dwell with Him in so holy a place; so unworthy, so sinful, so polluted. I thought of His great mercy to me,--how much He had done for me,--and I had such glorious views of the atonement of Christ,--His sufferings and the glory that should follow,--that my soul was filled in a wonderful manner.
- I have served God more than fifty years. I have generally had peace, but I never saw such glory before, such light, and such gloriousness, such beauty! Oh, I want to tell it to all the world! Oh, had I a trumpet voice,
After a protracted illness, he died 9 April 1852 in Poughkeepsie
Poughkeepsie (city), New York
Poughkeepsie is a city in the state of New York, United States, which serves as the county seat of Dutchess County. Poughkeepsie is located in the Hudson River Valley midway between New York City and Albany...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. He was buried in a rural cemetery on the east side of the Hudson, below Poughkeepsie.
In 1862, a decade after his death, a Methodist Campmeeting ground in Epping, NH was named in his honor. http://heddingcampground.com/
Selected writings
- Sermon: The Supreme Deity of Christ, New England Conference, Bath, Maine, 1822. (also as a 20 pp. pamphlet in 1829, and later published by the New York Conference, as well).
- Sermon in The Methodist Preacher, Ebenezer Ireson, Editor, 1831.
- Sermon: Self-Government, in The Methodist Preacher, S.W. Willson and Ebenezer Ireson, Editors, 1832. (previously published as a pamphlet in 1831).
- Address at Oneida and Genesee Conferences on the Duty of the President of an Annual Conference; on the Rights and Powers of Such a Conference and on the Principles and History of Said Church, on the Act of Holding Slaves; also Thoughts on Evil Speaking and a Report on Slavery of the Genesee Annual Conference, pamphlet, 28 pp., 1837; (also in Elliott, C., History of the Great Secession, Document 27, 1855.
- Discourse on the Administration of the Discipline, delivered in 1841 at Philadelphia, Newark, Providence, and Maine Conferences, and published in miniature book form by request of these bodies, 1842 and 1845.
- Sermon: Christ the Theme of the Prophets, in Clark, D.W., The Methodist Pulpit, 1848.
- Special Salvation, pamphlet, 29 pp., 1850.
- Sermon: Self-Government, in Sermons on Miscellaneous Subjects, Cincinnati, 1847; also in The Methodist Preacher, Augurn, 1852.
Biographies
- Stevens, A., Memorials of the Introduction of Methodism into the Eastern States, 1848.
- McClintock, John, Biographical Sketches, 1853.
- Clark, D.W., Life and Times of Rev. Elijah Hedding, D.D., (introd. by E.S. Janes), 1855.
- Hibbard, R.F., Startling Disclosures Concerning the Death of John N. Maffitt, a Review of Bishop Hedding's Decision, pamphlet, 1856.
- Ludlow, H.G. and Kilbourn, David, a sketch (with letters of Tobias Spicer) in Annals of the American Pulpit, W.B. Sprague, 1861.
- Pierce, B.K., a sketch in Lives of Methodist Bishops, Flood and Hamilton, 1882.