Methodism in Kentucky
95
Durbin, it will be remembered, was a native of Bourbon county, Kentucky, and began his, ministry in this State. While there were Sunday schools here and there throughout AmeriCian Methodism prior to 1824, it remained for this General Conference to make it the "duty of each traveling preacher in our connection to encourage the establishment and progress of Sunday schools." This made every traveling preacher an active agent in the promotion of this good work, land the number of Sunday schools grew with great rapidity. It is claimed that the first Sunday school in Kentucky was in Frankfort, in the home of Mrs. EJiza:beth Love, and under Presbyterian auspices, though patronized by other denominations. This was in 1819. * The only other lact of this General Conference that we shall note was the election of 'Joshua Soule and Elijah Hedding to the office of Bishop. Soule was one of the ablest men ever elevated to that high office. The following biographical sketch, taken from Simpson's Cyclopooila of Methodism, will suffice to inform the reader as to the general character and life of this great man, though we shall meet with him often as we chronicle the events of 'after years. Born at Bristol, Maine, August 1, 1781, and was licensed to preach at seventeen years of age. He was admitted on trial in 1799, and was appointed presiding elder of the Maine District in 1804. He was subsequently stationed in the city of New York; was a member of the General Conference of 1808, and was the author of the plan for a delegated General Conference. He was elected Book Agent in 1816, where he served for four years, during which time he eommenced the Methodist Magazine, and was its editor. In 1820, he was elected to the office of Bishop; *In 1815, Mrs. Lyle, the wife of the Presbyterian minister at Paris, Kentucky, was in the habit of sending Hubbard H. and Benjamin T. Kavanaugh out into the streets to invite boys to come to her home on Sunday morning, and here she taught them to read the Bible and to learn the Catechism. This was a Sunday School.