EV. JAMES HAW entered the ministry in 1781, and was present at the Baltimore Conference in 1784. This year (1784), he and Benjamin Ogden were sent to Kentucky, and their labors were blessed in this new [48] country. Two years later they were commissioned for the wide circuit of "Kentucky." In 1787, Kentucky District was divided into two circuits, one of which still bore the name of Kentucky and embraced the whole state of Kentucky except the part embraced in the Cumberland circuit. The Kentucky circuit was in charge of Rev. James Haw as Elder. He did faithful and heroic service. In 1790 he was sent to the Cumberland circuit and was also very successful. It is said, "The citizens of Sumner county made him a present of a section of land (640 acres), that he might fix his home among them." After having embraced the views of and sided with the Rev. James O'Kelly, he by his influence and address "evil-affected a few itinerants," and won over to his views all the local preachers but one in the county in which he had located. He was located in 1791, or "desisted from traveling" as the usual phrase expressed it. Of course, this "evil-affecting" and winning over to his views was after O'Kelly withdrew in 1792. An unpublished history quoted in Redford's History says, "In the revival among the Presbyterians and Methodists about the year 1800, Haw joined the Presbyterians. At that time the Presbyterians were friendly with the Methodists; Methodists and Presbyterians preached and communed together; but when Haw joined the Presbyterians, as he had said many things disrespectful of Bishop Asbury and of the form of discipline, the existing union was likely to be broken. . . . . Mr. Haw made acknowledgments, full and satisfactory. . . . . He continued with "the Presbyterians while he lived." Now, this unpublished history quoted to Mr. Haw's detriment is offset by the fact recorded in the published history by William Guirey. He records Mr. Haw as a member of the Christian Church; his history was published after 1800. What success attended his labors after this time, and what course he pursued, we are unable to state. A [49] sentence from the unpublished history is given thus, "After this Mr. Haw seemed to rise in the esteem of the people, and gain some influence as a preacher." The evil spoken of the man is balanced by a complimentary closing. He lived to a good old age, and continued to labor for what he conceived to be the right to the end.

[LCM 48-50]