Quotes from Circuit Riding Preacher Peter Cartwright

Describing Methodists in 1804

We had no pewed churches, no choirs, no organs; in a word, we had no instrumental music in our churches anywhere.
The Methodists in that early day dressed very plain; attended their meetings faithfully, especially preaching, prayer and class meetings; they wore no jewellery, no ruffles; they would frequently walk three or four miles to class-meetings and home again, on Sunday; they would go thirty or forty miles to their quarterly meetings, and think it a glorious privilege to meet their presiding elder, and the rest of the preachers.
They could, nearly every soul of them, sing our hymns and spiritual songs. They religiously kept the Sabbath day... (Primitive Methodism)

Presiding Elder's Office

I can safely say the presiding elder's office has had no special charms for me; and I will remark, that I have often wondered at the aspirations of many, very many Methodist preachers for the office of presiding elder; and have frequently said, if I were a bishop, that such aspirants should always go without office under my administration.
I look upon this position as the out-cropping of fallen and unsanctified human nature, and whenever this spirit, in a large degree, gets into a preacher, he seldom ever does much good afterward. (Slavery in the Church)

Nothing but the principles of the Bible

Nothing but the principles of the Bible can save our happy nation or the world... (Formation of Early Circuits in the West)

Wholly abandoned the social glass

I had wholly abandoned the social glass, for according to my best conviction, it was a bad and dangerous habit... this drinking gentleman ... invited me to drink with him. I declined. He urged me. I refused. I told him I had wholly given up the practice. Nothing would satisfy him; he said, if I did not drink with him, I was no friend of his, or his family, and he would never hear me preach again. I told him that it was all in vain to urge me; my principles were fixed, and that I would not violate my principles for the friendship of any man or mortal. (The Mountain Preacher)

Wealth

...sanctified wealth will always prove a blessing to the Church of God; but unsanctified wealth though poured into the Church by the million, never fails to corrupt and curse the Church. (Sermon on Baptism at Camp-Meeting)

The organization of all Christian Churches

The organization of all Christian Churches is the voluntary association of individuals, under the accredited supervision of a Divinely-appointed ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ... (Methodist Episcopal Church in Canada)