Elijah Hedding

Elijah Hedding (7 June 1780 – 9 April 1852) was an American bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church, elected in 1824.

Hedding was born near Pine Plains in Dutchess County, New York to parents of English origin. He was trained in prayer by his mother, who was brought into the church under circuit preacher Benjamin Abbot. It is said that when he was only three years old, his mother taught him the first principles of the Christian faith and he felt the fear of God. For several years he practiced secret prayer.

When Abbott began preaching in the neighborhood, his ministry resulted in the conversion not only of Hedding's mother, but his grandmother and other relatives as well, all of whom joined the Methodist Episcopal Church. Hedding attended public worship with his mother and remained with her in class-meeting after the preaching.

Bishop Matthew Simpson related one occasion in Hedding's young life of Christian faith:

When he was about 10 years old, Hedding's parents moved to Vermont. When he was about 15 or 16, a Methodist family from Connecticut moved into the neighborhood and began holding meetings in their home. There was singing and praying, and Hedding, being a good reader, was appointed to read one of John Wesley's sermons or a portion of Baxter's Call. These meetings were kept up regularly until 1798, when this home became a Methodist preaching place on a regular circuit.

The woman of the house, reportedly a Mrs. Bushnell, used to frequently talk with young Hedding privately on the subject of the Christian religion. He is reported to have said about those conversations (quoted by Bishop Simpson):

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