If  any  one  can  point  to  the  seals  of  his  ministry  and  Bay,
"These  are  my  epistles,  known  and  read  of  all  men,"  who
shall  gainsay  his  claims  to  the  ministerial  functions?

When  William  M.  Kennedy  applied  for  admission  into  the
South  Carolina  Conference,  he  came  as  an  humble  Christian
man.  The  general  lack  of  facilities  for  intellectual  culture
had  been  felt  hy  him.  He  had  not  even  a  complete  academic
education.  Still,  he  had  a  good  constitution,  a  mind  full  of
vigor,  and  susceptible  of  improvement;  and  he  was  anxious
to  improve.  He  had  been  genuinely  converted  ;  and  the
"love  of  Christ  constrained"  him  to  offer  himself  to  the
Church,  feeling  that  whatever  disposition  she  might  make  of
his  case,  he  would  be  resigned.  lie  exhibited  ever}*  charac-
teristic of  a  Christian  man  called  of  God  to  the  ministry,
lie  felt  the  movings  of  the  Tloly  Ghost ;  souls  were  converted


WILLIAM    M.     KENNEDY.  139

through,  his  labors  Loth  as  a  class-leader  and  as  a  licentiate ;
and  although  very  imperfect  in  his  early  mental  training,  still
he  gave  ample  proof  of  having  a  "  sound  mind."  He  had  an
excellent  voice,  and  a  commanding  personal  appearance.
With  this  combination  of  encouraging  characteristics,  he
placed  himself  at  the  disposal  of  the  Church  of  his  choice.
She  received  him  "as  a  son  in  the  gospel."

It  was  the  fortune  of  this  estimable  minister  to  serve  the
Church  in  almost  all  the  relations  which  the  Methodist  econo-
my recognizes  as  proper,  primarily,  for  her  ministers  to  hold.
He  wras  placed  on  a  Circuit  three  years.  His  appointment  for
1806  was  the  Broad  River  Circuit,  in  the  State  of  Georgia.
