Bates, Lewis

Bates, Lewis an American Methodist minister, died in Taunton, Mass., March 24,1865, aged 85 years. He was a descendant in the seventh generation of John Rogers, the martyr. At the age of thirteen he was converted, and in 1801 he, with two others, joined the Methodist Episcopal Church in Springfield, Vt., thus originating the church in that place, and on December 5, 1802, he consecrated himself to the ministry, In 1804 he was admitted on trial in the New York Conference; in 1806 he was admitted into full connection in the New England Conference, and ordained deacon by Bishop Asbury, and appointed to Tuftonborough, which was set off from the New York Conference., In 1807 he was at Scarborough and Livermore, Me.; in 1808, ordained elder, and stationed for the third time at Tuftonborough; in 1809, Pembroke; 1810, Barnard, Vt.; 1811, 1812, Salisbury and Greenland Circuit. In 1813 he located. In 1817 he was readmitted to the New England Conference, and sent to Vershire Circuit, Vt.; 1818, 1819, Landaff, N. H.; 1820, New London Circuit. In 1821 he was appointed to Norwich; 1822, Warwick, R. 1.; 1823, 1824, Barnstable, Mass.; 1825, 1826, Wellfleet; 1827, 1828, Salem, N. H.; 1829, Easton and Stoughton; 1830, Easton and Bridgewater; 1831, Bristol, R. I.; 1832, Mansfield; 1833, 1834, East Weymouth; 1835, Saugus; 1836, 1837, Pembroke; 1838, 1839, Scituate Harbor; 1840, N. W. Bridgewater, etc.; 1841, Taunton First Church; 1842, Nantucket; 1843, Falmouth; 1844, S. Dartmouth; 1845, Pembroke; 1846, 1847, West Sandwich; 1848, Hull and Cohasset; 1849, Chilmark, Martha's Vineyard. This was his last appointment from the Conference. In 1850 he asked a superannuated relation, and located in Taunton, where he remained till his death, beloved and respected by all who knew him. His ministry was every where effective, and many were converted to God through his labors; among them several who became preachers of the Gospel. He was sixty- one years a preacher, forty-two of which were spent as an itinerant, moving almost yearly, most of the time with a large family. During the years he was superannuated, whenever his health would admit he was active in visiting the churches, preaching, and attending prayer and class- meetings. — Christian Advocate, May 18,1865; Minutes, 1865, p. 43.