MORGAN'S HISTORY OF THE NEW JERSEY CONFERENCE Page 5
WHILE serving as recording secretary of the conference, I was requested by the Rev. B. W. Arnett, financial secretary, to give certain information concerning conference matters, the collecting of which suggested the idea of preparing a short account of the doings of conference since its organization. But after commencing I found it a difficult matter to tell where to stop, so I continued gathering facts until I found myself at a loss to know what to do with them and almost concluded to give the thing up, as I had lost my original idea in the multiplicity of matter collected. In my perplexity I held a consultation with Editor B. T. Tanner, of the A. M. E. Review, who advised that I continue collecting and present it in book form to the Conference and Church, which I have attempted to do. At the commencement I had no idea of the difficulties awaiting me. I have found but one Church, organized prior to 1820, that could give a detailed account of its history from organization to date. That one is at Salem, N. J., and the information came through Bro. William Wilson, who is 86 years old, of good memory, and who had early become acquainted with its history, being one of its leading officers in the time of its great trials, together with sister Hannah Crosbey. In all cases nevertheless, we had to depend upon tradition, except as regards conference reports, and even these gave very meagre accounts and often conflicting. All of the history prior to 1872 depends upon the Philadelphia Conference records. I am under many obligations to financial secretary B. W. Arnett for suggestions and assistance; also to Editor B. T. Tanner and Bishop J. P. Campbell, both of whom gave me the privilege of using their valuable collection of Church notes for research, comparison and
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