LIFE AND TIMES OF WILLIAM McKENDREE

Bishop McKendree was the first native American Bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He served it long, faithfully, and efficiently. His ministerial life began with the early history of the Church, extended through the period of its greatest trials, and closed after its perfect development as a great ecclesiastical organization. The time when he ceased "at once to work and live" was marked by unusual prosperity and peace in our communion. While Bishop Asbury was preeminent in founding and spreading Methodism in America, to Bishop McKendree may be justly awarded the distinction of carrying forward the work and securing its permanency and success by his remarkable legislative and administrative abilities. He combined in a high degree the prescience and strong common sense required in a legislator and evinced also the highest ecclesiastical statesmanship in his administrative acts; and then his unshrinking submission to all the sacrifices and labors which the system of government exacted of him and his profound and uniform piety gave great moral force to the cause which he adorned and beautified by his life and labors. He loved the Church, the whole Church. He lived and labored for it and for nothing else, and his name and character are the common heritage of Methodism, especially of American Methodism.
It is from this standpoint the author has attempted to write his "Life and Times." He was painfully aware of the difficulties of his task, and as he has not been able fully to satisfy himself, he cannot hope to satisfy others. He has, however, endeavored honestly and impartially to do his duty to all concerned. He trusts that this attempt to perpetuate the memory and the influence of a great and good man and of his colaborers may contribute to a more perfect history of our fathers and promote zeal and primitive Methodistic devotion in the ministry and membership of the Church.
Bishop McKendree has been dead thirty-four years [prior to 1869, having died in 1835 -- DVM]. His biography ought to have been published long since. At his death he bequeathed "all his papers of every description to Bishop Soule, to be used at his discretion, under the advice of the Rev. T. L. Douglass;" but neither of them wrote a line as his biographer.
At the General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, in 1854, Bishop Soule called attention to this subject and stated that owing to his afflictions and the want of leisure he had not been able to write the biography of his venerated and departed friend, and despaired of ever being able to do so, and, thinking it ought to be done, he desired to turn over the task to another. At the concurrent request of the Bishop and the General Conference, the writer reluctantly consented to undertake the work.
The work is sent forth with an earnest wish that it may contribute to the glory of God and the cause of pure religion.
Aberdeen, Miss., July 28, 1869