USA > Delaware > New Castle County > Wilmington > Centennial services of Asbury Methodist Episcopal Church, Wilmington, Delaware, October 13-20, 1889 > Part 15
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venting it, but leave it to the wisdom of those who have the care over us, and hope they will dictate a system of finance calculated to pre- vent in future as much as possible the thing complained of, by acting in aid of former establishments to give present relief to those who otherwise may be under necessity to recede from their labors.
"From these considerations, (though we are as but the drop to the ocean both in number and circumstances), we feel willing to contribute our mite in promoting any plan which may in the wisdom of conference be adopted. This address Dr. Coke took with him to the General Con- ference of 1800."
Asbury has always been decidedly in favor of free seats, and in the early days of her history, while nearly all other churches inade a stranger feel that he received a seat only as a personal favor, Asbury opened wide her doors to all, and gave to all men an equal right to a place in the church during Divine worship. There is no prospect to-day that this policy will be changed. What the sentiment of the early church authorities was, may be inferred from the action of the trustees, on June 21, 1809. It reads thus:
"WHEREAS, It is contrary to the order and rules of our church to erect pews, or place other obstructions to entering the seats in the said church; and
"WHEREAS, An obstruction has been placed by some unknown person at the entrance of a seat in the gallery; therefore,
"Resolved, That the sexton be hereby authorized and required to remove as soon as convenient the said obstruction, and suffer no more such obstructions to be placed to the entrance of seats in the said church during his continuance to be sexton."
It is said that this proceeding of the trustees was occasioned by a number of singers determining they would sit together and lead the singing. They erected doors to one of the seats to exclude all others. This wise action of our fathers in making the seating free to all, has doubtless, been one cause why such vast crowds attended .Asbury to-day and for years past, while many other churches are rarely filled.
In the year 1802 the church was incorporated, and on the 25th of May of that year, the first corporate trustees were elected. They were Henry Colesbury, Isaac Hews, Samuel Wood, Henry Metz, George Jones, Maurice Williams and Caleb Kendall.
At the very first meeting that they held, on June 17th, 1802, steps were taken to build a dwelling-house for the preachers. It was built during that year on the southwest corner of the church lot, very near
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the southwest corner of the church. This building was a small. two- story, frame structure, very well remembered by many of our older imembers of the present day. In its erection a debt was contracted that the small society could not pay, and, on June 21, 1809, it was sur- rendered to the mortgagee, Edward Worrell, in satisfaction of his claim, on condition that it should be removed at once. It was renov- ed to the other side of the church, on the southeast corner of Walnut and Third streets. In 1823 the trustees bought it and the lot on which it stood, as we have already seen, and until 1853 the building was used as a sexton's house. In that year Chas. Moore was authorized to sell it for $60. This he did, and it was removed to Seventh and Church streets where it still may be seen. In 1826 another effort was made to build a parsonage, but it was not successful. A house for the preacher was rented in different parts of the city for many years. At one time the parsonage was on High street, (Sixth) between King and French, at another time on the corner of Walnut and High. In 1843 the church owned two houses, one on Market street occupied by the preacher, the other on Shipley which had been the parsonage. On March 10, 1843, the house on Shipley was exchanged for a three-story brick building on King street, above Seventh. This was sold to Allen Vane in 1846 when the present parsonage was erected. The stewards paid to the trustees $150 annual rent for this house for several years.
Though considerable repairs were made in 1818, in consequence of damages from a great storm, the second improvement on the church, in which the walls were changed for the enlargement of the building, was in 1828, when Thomas Young, Richard Williams, John Guyer, James Simpson, and Edward Worrell, constituted the building com- mittee. It is probable that a great revival blessed the church in the first pastorate of J. Rustling, 1819-21. In his first year he reported 215 white members, and in his second 305. A subscription paper was put in circulation to build a school-lionse, but it failed. Enough money, however, had been collected to repair and paint the church. In 1828, during the pastorate of Solomon Higgins, in consequence of another great revival, which increased the white membership to 344, the work of enlargement could be no longer delayed. On March II, 1828, therefore, it was determined to extend the north wall 30 feet toward Third street. At a subsequent meeting this was reconsidered, and it was decided to enlarge 15 feet toward Third street and 15 feet eastward. This was accordingly done and the church, which was originally 35 feet square, was, in 1828, 50 feet by 70 feet with galleries on the south, west and north sides, but was still a one-story building.
In the early history of the society there was great opposition to.
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the holding of a Sabbatlı-school in the church. Some of the officials said they did not so much mind the girls coming in, but the boys were rude and unruly, and cut the benches with their knives. Still the Sabbath-school was popular and continued to grow. In 1822 it was decided to provide suitable quarters for the children and a school building, about 18 feet by 25 feet, was erected next the church at the southwest corner of the lot. In this building several who are still among us attended Sabbath-school. A day-school was conducted here, the building being rented from the trustees for this purpose, and a Young Men's Beneficial Club debated great and weighty matters within its walls. It stood here till 1846, when better arrangements were inade for the comfort of the Sabbath-school.
By members of Asbury, Sabbath-schools have been organized in various parts of the city. Some of these were apparently not success- ful ; others have developed into strong churches. The infant depart- ment of the school purchased a lot on Shipley street on which they erected a two-story brick building in which to conduct a school. At first they met with great success but reverses came, and because of a mortgage of Sooo they were compelled to surrender their property to the trustees of the church, on condition that the trustees would assume the debt. The property accordingly was taken by the trustees in 1832 and the building was so altered as to make it a comfortable par- sonage.
Other schools were commenced by Asbury Church which have developed into independent societies. Seventh street school became Scott Church, rivaling in earnestness and fidelity her mother. A school in Brandywine village grew until to-day we have the flourish- ing Brandywine Church. Mt. Salemi school is now but one of the many enterprises of Mt. Salem Church. Madeley began in Sabbath- school work by Asbury toilers, who surrendered when Grace was will- ing to provide according to their usual liberality for the infant society. Wesley, Silverbrook, and Cookman of a later day, date their incipiency from the labors of Sunday-school workers from the old Asbury hive.
In all institutions supported by the voluntary contributions of the members, there are always a number who shirk all financial responsi- bility, and are perfectly satisfied to let some one else pay what they themselves know to be their due. In most churches to-day, one-half to two-thirds of the members bear these burdens, and the remainder thank God for a free gospel. It was so at Asbury in 1826, but our fathers decided that every one must pay, or they should not enjoy the privileges of the society. One of the rules of the church was that all persons not members of Asbury must pay for graves in the churchyard,
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but to members graves for their own family were free. In 1826 it was enacted by the trustees that no members who could not show by the books that his quarterage accounts were square for the preceding three months, should have the privilege of interring his dead free; but, since he did not support the church, he must pay for his grave like one who was not a member. According to this resolution, a member was refused by the grave-yard committee permission to bury one of his family. On August 14, 1830, he appealed to the board of trustees, but they unanimously sustained the committee. As late as 1841 these resolutions were read and explained from the pulpit by Robert Gerry, and their enforcement pledged. Many a church financier has bothered his brain to concoct a plan by which church delinquents might be compelled honorably to take their share of church burdens, but it was for an earlier age to use such determined efforts.
For us who stand in the full blaze of the modern electric light, it is hard to conceive the day when this church was lighted by nothing better than the flickering and dim candle light. Yet 65 years ago all the light that illuminated this building when the sunlight had disap- peared was the tallow candle. They hung from the walls in little brackets high enough to be out of the reach of the heads of the people. About every fifteen minutes the sexton had to pass all around the church and snuff them. This operation, especially when the sexton was a short man, was a delicate piece of work, and afforded great amusement at times to the young and ungodly part of the congrega- tions, while even the saints could not forbear to sinile, when the little sexton, losing his uncertain equilibrium, snuffed the candle out. On December 2, 1824, after mature deliberation, Lewis Ashton, Miller Dunott, Richard Williams and Henry J. Pepper were appointed a com - mittee to take into consideration the comparative merits and expense of candles and oil. At the succeeding meeting of the trustees, their report having been heard and maturely considered, and as it demon- strated the superiority and cheapness of oil, it was decided to procure lamps, and a barrel of the best sperm oil was purchased. It took five years to discuss the next change, from oil to gas, and it was not till 1851, when John A. Roche was pastor, that gas was introduced into the church.
The third improvement made upon the church by which the build- ing was enlarged, was in 1838, when, after a revival under Wm. A. Wiggins, the membership had increased to 420 white and 110 colored. Miller Dunott, John Flinn and Richard Williams were appointed the building committee, and John M. Turner did the work. The old brick wall that stood in front of the church was then removed and the church
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was extended ten feet westward to the building line. The old west wall of the church was not torn down, but the ten-foot space between the old wall and the new was used for a vestibule. In this vestibule the stairway ascended, and over it, in the back part of the gallery were two class rooms, the first the churchi possessed, in which some of these old men and women about me to-day met for years. The church was then 80 feet by 50, with a gallery on three sides, but still one-story.
Many of our fathers delighted in late meetings, and often the songs and shouts of the people were heard till midnight and beyond. There were some, however, who thought this was not letting all things be done in decency and order ; so on January 16, 1829, the trustees, after discussing the many evils arising from this dis- turbing practice, especially, as they state, the "unnecessary waste of fuel and the means of lighting the house," directed the sexton, "to extinguish the lamps at 10 o'clock, unless there are mourners in the house engaged in prayer, and some prospect of good being done.'
Previous to 1830 it would have been considered the grossest impropriety for men and women to enter by the same door into the church. One side of the church and one door were exclusively for men, the other for women, while, as we have already noted, down the center of the church was a high partition, running the whole length of the church where seats extended, and effectually barring off the one sex from the other. By 1832 this gave rise to many complaints. If a husband desired to escort his wife home, he must pass out his door, and out his gate in the brick fence, and around to the other gate and door in search of her, or else he must stand out on the pavement to meet her her upon her exit, not a pleasant duty if the weather were inclement. It is quaintly said in the trustees' record that this man's difficulties were made all the greater by the fact that one of the doors was usually surrounded by a crowd. Which door this was I leave to the judgment of our sisters, with the single suggestion that the mothers were just as fond of a little social chat at the close of the service as the daughters are to-day. On August 20, 1832, therefore, it was decided by the trustees, in order to silence these complaints and promote the comfort of the worshipers, that the men and women should enter by the same doors, the men to take seats on the left hand side of the aisles, and the women, on the right. The idea of promiscuous sitting even then would have aroused the indignation of the church. This custom was not introduced until 1845, when Chas. Moore moved to this effect in the trustees' meeting.
In 1835 and 1836, when J. Rustling was serving his second
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term at Asbury, he had a long spell of sickness, and was unable to perform the work of the charge. To assist him, junior preachers were employed, whose names do not appear on the usual list of Asbury preachers. During Mr. Rustling's first year Levi Storks was his assistant, and during his second William Urie occupied the posi- tion. Matthew Sorin followed Mr. Rustling, and, of course, need- ed no helper.
It is sometimes supposed that the custom of the church in inviting a special preacher to be their pastor, is of very late origin, and that our fathers would have been horrified at such a procedure. This is a mistake. The fathers were no less anxious to secure the man of their choice than the sons are to-day. After a general meeting of the society on December 30, 1835, to consider what steps should be taken to secure a desirable preacher, it was resolved that the trustees use all proper means to secure from the Philadelphia Conference, the appoint- inent of the Rev. Chas. Pitman as the pastor of Asbury for the next year, and Thomas Young, Miller Dunott, and Henry Hicks were appointed a committee to carry out the wishes of the church. Like many other committees, this one failed in securing their choice. Surely, however, they had no cause of complaint when the bishop read the name of Mattliew Sorin as their preacher.
The fourth improvement, and, perhaps, the most radical of all, was made in 1845, when Anthony Atwood was pastor. No change was made in the linear dimensions of the building, but the church at this time was transformed into a two-story structure. The floor was lowered two feet, and the walls were raised seven feet six inches, and, of course, a new roof was put on. In the basement, which was nine feet high in the clear, four class-rooms, two on each side of an eight- foot entry, were laid off at the Walnut street entrance, back of the vestibule. The rest of the basement was used for a lecture-roo11, fifty feet by thirty-eight, with the desk changed from the east to the south end, and a door on the Third street side. The auditorium had a gallery eleven feet six inches wide on the north and south sides, and over the vestibule on the west; the seats were placed in two blocks with a four-foot aisle in the center, and a three-foot aisle on each side of the church; doors opening into the vestibule were placed at the end of each aisle, and two small windows were put in over the pulpit. The building committee consisted of Anthony Atwood, pastor, Richard Williams, Chas. Moore, and George Magee. When this work was completed, for the first time, in many years, the congregation had accommodations for the varied work of the church. From this time the Sabbath-school occupied the lecture-room, and the school house
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was soon after removed. The next year, 1846, part of the roof of the church was blown off, but the repairs needed were soon made. Tlie membership a year before this improvement was made was eight hundred and eighty-four, the largest the church has ever had.
In 1839, one hundred years after Methodism was organized in England, and just fifty years after the dedication of Asbury, pursuant to a resolution passed by the Philadelphia Conference at its preceding session, interesting centenary services were held in this church. On September 2, 1839, the centenary committee met in its first session. The following members were present: Rev. Joseph Lybrand, preacher in charge, Rev. David Daily, Presiding Elder of the Chesapeake dis- trict which included this station, Richard Williams, Chas. Moore, Miller Dunott, Asa Poinsett, George Magee, John Flinn, and Thomas Young. Upon motion of Rev. David Daily, all the other official members were added to the committee. The following persons were thus added: John Hagany, local elder; Samuel Wood, local deacon; Solomon Pretty_ man, Samuel H. Higgins, and Wm. Kirkman, local preachers; James Thomas and Robert Thompson, exhorters; and James Lane, John M. Turner, John Guyer, Jarrett Magaw, John Quinby, Isaac M. Connell, Jacob M. Garrettson, and Barney Harris, class leaders. The committee appointed September 16th as the day for holding the general centenary services. When the day arrived, at 3 o'clock in the afternoon Joseph Lybrand took the chair, and explained the purposes of the meeting. after which the Revs. Jas. H. McFarland and John Kennaday delivered addresses. The secretaries of the meetings, Solomon Prettyman and Dr. S. H. Higgins, have left well-written and interesting minutes of the meeting. Of Mr. McFarland's address, the secretaries say: "He was introduced to the audience and proceeded to address the assembly in a very pertinent and forcible manner for the space of thirty minutes. Mr. Kunnaday followed with a short address which he intended should be very brief, in view of the fact that he had been appointed to address the meeting in the evening. He enlarged somewhat upon the views of the first speaker, and exhibited some interesting facts and some amusing occurrences illustrative of several interesting positions pre- viously stated, demonstrating the benefits of the Methodist itinerancy in stirring up and animating the zeal of other Christian communities." In the evening Joseph Lybrand was again in the chair.
After prayer by the Rev. Edward Kennard, Mr. Kennaday delivered a very interesting address, exhibiting the design of the centenary celebration in relation both to the temporal and spiritual prosperity of the church. "The matter of the address," says the secretary, "was well chosen, and the speaker was happy in the manner of its delivery.
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He brought forward some interesting examples as well as arguments: to show that piety and benevolence go hand in hand, anticipated and answered many objections made by those who would excuse themselves when benevolent enterprises should call to action, and argued that the objects for which the centenary fund is designed are ever worthy and noble." A collection was then taken for the fund, when 156 persons gave $581.56. On Sunday, October 25, the religious observan es of the centenary took place. A large congregation met at 6 o'clock in the morning and held a general prayer meeting, which was character- ized by the most devotional feelings and sentiments. At 10 o'clock the pastor, Rev. Joseph Lybrand, delivered a discourse based on I Samuel, vii: 12 .- " Then Samuel took a stone and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Ebenezer, saying, Hith- erto hath the Lord helped us." The sermon was admirably calculated to excite feelings of pious gratitude to God for his wonderful preserva- tion of that form of Christianity, called Methodism, during the first century of her progress, and of the most lively hopes of the part she has yet to act in the conversion of the world to God.
It was in the centenary year, 1839, that the trustees first selected a secretary for the relief of the chairman of the board. Chas, Moore, now in his 83rd year, who still moves among us to prove the sustain- ing power of God in old age, was chosen for this position.
Considerable agitation was caused in Asbury Church by the action of the General Conference in 1844, and the formation of an indepen- dent church by our southern brethren. Discussion ran high, and some advocated joining the southern church, or at least suggested the pro- priety of such a course. But, as on many other occasions, the wisdom of the officials asserted itself, and the following action was entered upon the Quarterly Conference records for November 4, 1844 : "Some conversation took place in reference to the division of the church, and the proceedings of the General Conference in the case of Bishop Andrew. But it seemed to be the general opinion that, owing to our geographical position and the quiet that prevails throughout this con- gregation, it is prudent for us to take no action in the case."
The fifth general repair of the church was in 1872, when the Rev. Enoch Stubbs was pastor, Charles Wood, Jacob Webb, Charles Heald, J. J. McMullin and R. Heisler were the building committee. No change was made in the walls of the building except in a small recess to en- large the pulpit at the east end, but improvements were put upon the interior costing $12,000. The church was dedicated on January 19, 1873, when the dedicatory sermon was preached by the Rev. C. N. Simms, D. D. LL. D. of Syracuse, N. Y.
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There are indications in all the records that the cause of temperance has always occupied a warm place in the affections of this church. Often were the most noted temperance lecturers invited to speak from the pulpit at a time when temperance work was not popular. John B. Gough and other distinguished leaders have thrilled large audiences within these walls as they depicted the evils of the drink traffic, and laid upon the church its duty. As early as 1853 a resolution was intro duced into the Quarterly Conference that antedated more than twenty- five years similar action by the General Conference. After referring to the growing evils from the use of intoxicants, it was resolved by the Quarterly Conference "to advise our people to abstain from signing petitions for license to sell ardent spitits, and that the preacher, Robert Gerry, be requested to read this action from the pulpit." It was not till 1880 that the General Conference included under "Imprudent Con- duct" the signing of a license to sell intoxicating beverages. Thus was our church far ahead of the church generally, and this interest in temperance work continues to the present day.
In 1861 the division of our conference territory was agitated. The Philadelphia Conference referred the matter of division to the several Quarterly Conferences of the Peninsula. On October 5, 1861, the officials of this church, in Quarterly Conference assembled, decided that, as the country was so greatly excited by the civil war then in progress, it would not be wise to divide at that time. The wisdom of this action is apparent now, as a severing of our connection at that time from Philadelphia and the northern work would have greatly injured our standing on the Peninsula, and built up the other Metho- dist churches.
In 1866 Asbury had the misfortune to lose by death its much be- loved pastor, the Rev. George Quigley. He was a faithful man, a boanerges in the pulpit, constantly at work in his pastorate, full of the Holy Ghost. He was advised some weeks before he died to take a rest, but he replied that there were sick in his membership who needed pastoral care. He would not leave them. He was soon after stricken down with typhoid fever and died on June 25, 1866, at the Asbury parsonage, a victim of over work. He was the only minister that died while pastor of this church. His body lies in the Wilmington and Brandywine Cemetery, awaiting the resurrection of the just. I. Mast filled out the unexpired term.
Asbury has always been conservative, slow to introduce innova- tions upon established usages, devoted to the records of the past. Retaining many of the customs of earlier days, she looks upon it as no
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