s Second, both remaining during two years. In 1903
the Rev. Robert B. Hauley succeeded, with Rev. J. Cousin as assistant,
both remaining two years. In 1905 (July) the former left for Kirkby
Stephen, Westmoreland, the latter for a circuit in Shropshire. They were
followed by the Rev. E. Allport, from Skegness, as Superintendent, Sept.
1905; and Rev. E. J. Hancox from Doncaster. In June of that year the
annual Conference was held at Scarborough.

We will now put together a few details of the origin of this society.
Hugh Bourne was born at Stoke-upon-Trent, April 3, 1772. {73} Although
his family was said to be ancient, his ancestors having come to England
at the Norman Conquest, he belonged to a humble rank in life, living at
Ford Hays Farm. He was in early life educated by his mother, a godly
woman, and while very young he learnt by heart the Te Deum, the Litany,
and much of the prayers of the Church of England. He worked for his
father, and an uncle who was a millwright, but found time to study
hydrostatics, pneumatics, natural philosophy, as well as Hebrew, Greek
and Latin. His mother's influence had given him a serious bent of mind,
and he early acquired strong religious convictions. His biographer says
of him "He tells, in child-like simplicity, how, when only four or five
years old, he pondered over thoughts of heaven and hell, the last
judgment, and other solemn subjects. During the next 20 years his inner
life was one of hopes and fears, doubt and faith, conflict and victory."

His mother, going to Burslem on business, borrowed of a Wesleyan friend,
some religious books, among them being Baxter's _Call to the
Unconverted_, Allen's _Alarm_, and a sermon by Wesley on _The Trinity_.
Her son Hugh naturally read these, and Wesley's sermon made a great
impression upon him. One Sunday morning he was sitting in his room,
reading Fletcher's Letters on _The Spiritual Manifestation of the Son of
God_, when he declares that he was led "to believe with his heart unto
righteousness, and with his mouth to make confession unto salvation."
This was in his 27th year, A.D. 1799. He joined the Wesleyan society in
June of that year, the special occasion being a love feast at Burslem, to
which he was taken by an aged neighbour, a farmer near Bemersley, named
Birchenough, at whose house services were conducted, who offered him a
ticket which constituted him a member, and thus in his own words I was
"made a member without kno