Joshua Soule, an American clergyman, born in Bristol, Me., Aug, 1, 1781, died in Nashville, Tenn., March 6, 1867. He was licensed to preach in 1798, joined the Methodist conference in 1799, was ordained in 1802, and in 1804 appointed presiding elder of the Maine district, which embraced 13 circuits and one station. In 1808, at the general conference in Baltimore, he drew up the plan of a delegated general conference which now appears in the "Discipline." After presiding over various other districts in Maine and Massachusetts, he was elected in 1816 book agent and editor of the "Methodist Magazine." In 1820 he was stationed in the city of New York; in 1821 he was preacher in charge of the station in that city, and in 1822-3 of the Baltimore city station. In 1824 he was elected bishop. He was delegate from the general conference to the British Wesleyan Methodist conference in 1842; and afterward he travelled extensively in the British islands and in France. On the division of the church, Bishop Soule adhered to the southern portion, and removed from Lebanon, 0., to Nashville, Tenn. In 1853-4 he made an episcopal tour in California.