Monroe, Samuel Yorke.D.D., an emiiunt min- ister of the Methodist Ejiiscopal Church, was burn at
Mount Holly, New Jersey, July 1 , 1816. He enjoyed the advantages of a thorough English training, and after his conversion, which occurred in 1833, decided to devote himself to the work of the Christian ministrj'. He la- bored fur several years as a local preacher ; was admit- ted on trial into the New Jersey Conference in 1843, and quickly rose to distinction among his brethren. His tirst appointment does not appear in the minutes. In 1844 he travelled the Sweedsborough Circuit. At the Conference held in Mount Holly in 1845 he was ad- mitted into full connection, and stationed at Salem, N. J. He was returned to the same appointment in 1846. In 1847-48 he preached in Paterson ; in 1849-50, in New- ark; in 1851, at Princeton. He was next successively stationed at Newark, New Brunswick, Camden, Trenton, and Trinity Church, Newark (located in Newark Con- ference, to which he had been transferred). He served as presiding elder several years, first in the Bridgeton District, after he had preached at Camden ; and in the Camden District after he had labored in Trenton. He was a member of the (jeneral Conference in 1856, 1860, and 1864, at which last time he was prominently named for the episcopacj-. He was by this body then elect- ed a member of the General Missionary' Committee, and shortly afterwards was appointed by the bishops of the Church as recording secretary' of the newly organ- ized society for " Church extension." Upon this work he entered with his usual vigor and zeal, and was meet- ing with success beyond the highest expectation of the friends of tlie enterprise. On Sunday, the 27th of January', 1867, he had preached in St. Paul's Methodist Episcopal Church in New York Cit\', for the cause of " Church extension," and was on his way from Camden, New Jersey, to New York, with the intention of occupy- ing one of the city pulpits for the same object, when he was lost overboard a train, no one has ever found how, and was killed in the fall, Februarj' 9, 1867, as was de- clared by the verdict of a coroner's jury. Few men labored more earnestly for the Church than did Dr. IMon- roe. After his appointment to the secretaryship, be- sides attending to an extensive correspondence, he vis- ited and addressed some tifiy Conferences upon the subject of " Church extension ;" preached once or twice nearly every Sabbath ; organized his work almost over the whole Church ; and raised and disbursed about 660,000 during the lirst year of the society's existence. During this period his labors were undoubtedly exces- sive ; and, in the ojiinion of those who had the best op- portunity for knowing, were beginning sensibly to ira- I pair his health and vigor. " Dr. IMonroe," say the A «c- I ark Conference Minutes of 1867, "was in many respects a remarkable man. As a Christian, he was conscien- tious, without being morbidly sensitive ; fervent in spir- it, without being boisterous or fanatical; faithful, with- out being severe or censorious ; and spiritual and pure in heart, without a profession of extraordinary religious attainments. . . . His success in winning souls to Christ proved that wherever lie labored (iod was with him. As a preacher he was able, evangelical, and edi- fying; and as a pastor diligent, sympathetic, and faith- ful. But that which distinguished him more than any- thing else was his remarkably clear perception of the relations of things, his rapid mental comparisons and inductions, and his consequent seemingly intuitive and almost infallible jutlgment. In this respect he had prob- ably no superiors, if, indeed, he had many equals, in our Church. Kemarkably free from ]ireju(iicc and scllish- ness, and ever cool and conscientious, and with a mind that could grasp a question, view it in all its relations, and at once deduce the appropriate conclusion, lie was an eminently wise and safe counsellor in everything pertaining to the kingdom of (iod." The X. Y. Meth- odist (February l(i, 1867), commenting on his death, says: "Dr. Monroe was one of the leading representa- tives of the American Methodist Church. ... As secre- tary of the Church ICxtension Society, he displayed his characteristic good sense, rare executive ability, labo-
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riousness, and eminent pulpit power. In all these ele- ments of character he excelled." See also Ladies' Re- pository, March, 1868; Appleton's Annual, 18G7 ; N. Y. Christian Advocate, February 8, 1872 {MS. Sermons of the late Dr. Monroe). (J. H. W.)
Monroe, William, a minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church, was born in Alleghany County, Ind., Sept. 8, 1783. He was converted when but a youth ; was licensed to preach in 1809, and entered the Balti- more Conference in 1810. He was ordained deacon by bishop M'Kendree, and elder by bishop Asbury. His active ministerial life extended over a period of thirty- three years, during which time he labored on some of the most difficult circuits in the Baltimore Conference. Mr. Monroe was a man of Christian virtues and great piety, and his true devotion to Methodism has endeared him to the whole Church. His appointments were — Lyttleton Circuit, Huntington Circuit, Greenville Cir- cuit, Randolph Circuit, Georgetown, D.C., Redstone Cir- cuit, East Wheeling, Monongahela, Rockingham Cir- cuit, Va.; Alleghany, Va. ; Ebenezer, Washington, D.C. ; Chambersburg ; Winchester, Ya. ; Stafford, Va. ; Rock- ingham, Va. ; Staunton, Va. ; Berkeley, Va. ; Jefferson ; Berkeley, Va.; South Branch; and Hillsborough. After this for two years (1837 and 1838) he was supernume- rary. In 1839-40 he was stationed at Boonsborough, and in 1841 at Codorus Mission. In 1844 he was again supernumerary; in 1843-44, Mercersburg; and in 1845, Greencastle. This year closed his active service, and in 1846 he asked for and obtained a superannuated rela- tion, which he sustained until removed to the Church triumphant. He died in Washington County, Md., Mav 29, 1871. See General Minutes of the M. E. Church, 1872, p. 17.