USA > Delaware > New Castle County > Wilmington > Centennial services of Asbury Methodist Episcopal Church, Wilmington, Delaware, October 13-20, 1889 > Part 28
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Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28
This statement allows the conclusion that no visible effects followed the preaching that day. However the word preached was seed sown. The barrenness of soil was more apparent than zeal. Conversions followed, and in 1820, a society was organized. The membership was twenty, and were led in class by Thomas Challenger.
By this reckoning it was forty-eight years after Bishop Asbury's first sermon in New Castle, before an organization of twenty, guaran- teeing permanence could be effected. This slow movement in religious matters is conspiciously characteristic of all ages, but not ordinarily o of any movement in America. I doubt if Methodisin has so long knocked at the door of any other town. Immediately after organizing. the society began active preparations for building a meeting house; and one was dedicated to Almighty God in the year 1821. The progress
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of Methodism was slow. New Castle was in the keeping of other churches. The names of the Methodists were not well suited to the religious taste of people delighted with the ball room and race-course. The itinerant preacher was too little in sympathy with the devil, or any of his works, to gloss iniquity, embellish trifles, or make an unholy life palatable. The theology of the horsebacker was too near the fountain, too freshly drawn from the Bible to distinguish between hades and hell, or allow the preacher to ramble for an hour about the prairie lying between literal and material fire. These men knew the gospel of the Son of God to be the power of God.
This glorious fact was burned into their souls by a literal flame. This they could preach and this they did preach. In the Bible they read about heaven, hell, the resurrection and the judgment. By the wayside they halted to read a chapter, and lighting on Daniel in the den, Noah in the ark, John on the island, Paul in prison, or Jesus on the cross, they mounted their fleet-footed friend, and bounded away to the nearest village to tell the story, and shout over personal deliver- ance by simple faith in Jesus. The strong points of their sermons were wedged apart by righteously indignant denunciations of all worldli- uess. Particularly declaring against the great common vices of that day, as this, to which the people were given, and of which professing christians were guilty. New Castle has never loved to have the Bible looking-glass held too near to their eyes. The unsavoury reputation of the little city to-day is not a libel. In the wicked sons can be scen the sires. The same difficulty encountered by the eariy Methodists would have met any reforming effort.
Does the rose emit no fragrance when blooming in the forest ? Or will there be no luscious grape on the uninhabited mountain side ! So acceptance of the gospel by those to whom it is presented is not all there is of it.
Though the people would not hear and receive generally, there were a few who arose from bowing before Baal.
To these the word was precious, and they neither left the town nor left off shouting because their neighbors pelted them with mock- ery. God sets tables in the wilderness for His people and loads theni with the edibles that. make angels' mouths water. In the life of the few Methodists of New Castle there was peace and power, and God added to the Church one after another until the membership in New Castle and elsewhere, and in heaven, are a great company.
The building of 1821 gave way to a larger one, but before it gave way it was all over written with the hieroglyphics of Him who writes invisibly, and can now only be interpreted by a few holy persons, yet
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lingering about the shining way awaiting their turn to step into the chariot. Of these I will relate but one. Brother John D. Cannon was the companion of a few godly young men, who were accustomed to meet after dark, week days and in the afternoon Sabbath days, for seasons of prayer and praise, adding to their number such godly dis- posed young men as they could influence. The little church boasted no sexton nor fire and no light to spare, so this little band would enter the building by a window and hold their service in the dark. After one of the afternoon meetings where Brother Cannon had been a mourner, on his way home he stopped at a pump to get a drink ; as he lifted the pump handle and saw the clear stream flowing from the spout his thirsty soul said, "O Lord, give me drink," and instantly looking up there came into his heart such a refreshing that he dropped the pump handle and tin cup, shouting "glory " with all his might. In this way he went through the streets. Jehovah had turned the flood of salvation on him and has never turned it off. Brother Cannon is now an old man, but a veritable saint of God.
In 1860 the main building of the present edifice was erected. It was a great triumph. Perhaps its necessity and possibility were due to the iron works being in the hands of that staunch Methodist, Thos. Tasker, who took great interest in the church. It is a single story building, seats five hundred persons, with tower front and mag- nificent acoustic properties. It has a carpeted floor, hard wood pews, stained glass windows of a most exquisitely beautiful pattern, and a handsome pipe organ.
It has a membership of over two hundred, weekly meets all expenses and moves with increasing excellence and influence in the community The officials are in number, twenty-one, who work without a jar, who vote on all questions, submitting to the majority and fellowship in all undertakings. In 1876 a building for class and Sunday-school pur- poses was erected across the rear of the main building, two stories high. This building is also handsomely frescoed and carpeted.
Besides this double building there is across the street a three story brick building, elegant in all directions, where the Bishop could now find a resting place without disturbing and distressing either the hotel or its guests. In this home the Methodists of New Castle comfortably shelter their pastor.
Was it because the mother of Wilmington Methodism named her children in the city Scott, Union, Brandywine, St. Paul's, Grace, Silverbrook, Madeley, Epworth, Kingswood, Mt. Salem, Cookman and Wesley, that her child left five miles down stream should be named Nazareth ? Was this an attempt to read the character of New
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Castle into the title of the Methodist Church? As the men of other times ignorantly mocked the city in which was born our Saviour, so may this have been. Nazareth and Methodism! What two names were ever mentioned more contemptuously ? Think of it; the text for the dedicatory sermon of the church first erected in New Castle was this, "Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth ? Come and see." How hopeless a case when the Methodists of New Castle named their church Nazareth. These were men of faith and experience, men believing that great good would come.
When Lawrence Laurenson and John Henry were joint pastors of Asbury, New Castle was one of their regular appointments.
In 1837 New Castle was made a station with Pennel Combs pastor. A great revival blessed the year's work. making the church strong enough to attempt to go alone.
For a long while the congregation struggled. Never were men inore heroic in the effort to be self-supporting. Only those quite familiar with the real situation understood the genuine liberality of the people.
It has not been the lack of disposition to give. This is one of there most commendable characteristics; their lack is in the ability to give. The church is composed to-day, entirely of people earning their living. But they are salt, fire and light. To-day the Nazareth Meth- odist Episcopal Church of New Castle is one great, glorious, estab)- lished fact; a living fact in the city and factor in her moral life.
Remove this church and the darkness resulting would amaze an infidel. Asbury need not be ashamed of her child Nazareth. She may not be so deep toned and big around, but she is in tune and wears no corsets. She may not have so wide a reputation as the mother, but she successfully enters every opportunity. She may not have so many attentive auditors each Sunday, but she has no untaken seats. She may not have so wide a brow as her mother, but it is as high and encircled by pearls made in the same shop. She may not have so elo- quent and zealous a domine, but she is fired by the same steam, lighted by the same fluid, and led by the same hand. Her singers may not say so many hallelujahs, but they can pronounce as many musical shibboleths. And as you have no need to be ashamed of us because we track you so closely, so we beg that you will not be jealous of us because of our extreme beauty and pardonable pride; for we beg to assure our mother that no bedeckment will cause us to lag in the war, and, mother, when we look at your bronzed, but unwrinkled brow; your deep set, but undimmed eye; your powerfully developed, but ungouty physique; when we note your age and see no decay, we are reminded of the eternal fireside, and the blessed elixir of life.
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Since the organization of the church the following have served as pastors: 1821, Joseph Rustling, Ezekiel Cooper and James Smith; 1822. Lawrence Laurenson and John Henry; 1823. Henry G. King. 1824. Joseph Holdridge ; 1825, John Goforth and Edward Page ; 1825-37. Solomon Sharp, George M. Yard, John Inskip and James B. Ayers; 1837-38, Pennel Coombs; 1839-40, James McFarland; 1841-42, John D. Long; 1843, J. T. Taft; 1844. Nicholas Ridgely; 1845, Samuel G. Hare: 1846, Authur W. Milby ; 1847, Thomas Miller; 1848, Peter Hallowell and John D. Long; 1849, Andrew Manship; 1850, J. H. Wythes; 1852, William B. Walton; 1854, J. N. King: 1355. J. S. Lane; 1856, William J. Paxson; 1858, Joseph O'Niell; 1859-60, Jolin W. Pierson; 1861-62. Thomas Montgomery; 1863-64, M. H. Sisty; 1865-66, S. N. Chew: 1867, Daniel George; 1868-69, Leonides Dobson ; 1870-71, William B. Walton ; 1872-73, Henry Colclazer; 1874-76, J. B. Mann ; 1877-78, George R. Bristor; 1879, David C. Ridgeway; 1880, Madison A. Richardson; 1881, George R. Bristor; 1882-84, N. M. Browne; r885-86, Thomas E. Terry; 1887 until, I don't know when, E. L. Hubbard.
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History of the Edgemoor Methodist Episcopal Church.
BY THE REV. J. T. VAN BURKALOW, PASTOR.
The Edgemoor Methodist Episcopal Church is the granddaughter of the Asbury Church in Wilmington.
Like many other churches erected in the nineteenth century, it had its origin in a Sunday-school.
Edgemoor is a little proprietary village on the land of, and belonging to the Edgemoor Iron Company, built for, and rented solely to their workmen.
On the 29th of January 1871, there being about eighty inhabitants, a number of them belonging to several different religious denomina- tions, organized a Sunday-school in the gate-house, and elected Mr. George Morrison, superintendent.
Revs. Marks, Smith, Shaw and Moore, and Mr. James Morrow, took an interest in it, and encouraged and aided the workers.
But in consequence of removals, it was closed after being in operation about a year. It was re-opened about two years and eight months afterward, in September, 1874, in Mr. Morrison's residence, and was kept in operation till October 1875, thirteen months, when it was closed again.
In March, 1876, the Edgemoor Iron Company consented for the school house to be used for religious purposes, and the Sunday-school was re-organized in it, with Mr. John T. Bradbury as superintendent, and it has been kept up ever since.
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Prayer meetings were, also, held in the school house from time to time, and Rev. Wm. B. Gregg, of Mt. Pleasant charge, and Rev. John Simmons, a local preacher, frequently preached there, and R. M. Biddle and others, occasionally exhorted.
At a little prayer meeting, to the glad surprise of the brethren, several persons presented themselves to the altar as penitents, and were converted. Then a regular revival meeting was held for some- time, and a considerable number made profession of faith.
Among the chief workers in the revival, were Bros. John Sim- mons, John T. Bradbury, James B. Coleman. Robert M. Biddle, and Sisters Abbie Biddle, and Lydia J. Rambo.
They all being Methodists, a class was formed, and Bro. James B. Coleman, was elected class-leader.
Rev. E. L. Hubbard, pastor of Brandywine M. E. Church, took hold of the work soon after the revival arose, and was so successful, and he so endeared himself to the people, that they requested him to take the society under his pastoral care.
Accordingly, after due legal notice being given, a meeting was held on the 28th of January, 1885, at which it was decided to ask for the society to be united with Brandywine M. E. Church, and a board of six trustees was elected.
At a meeting of the trustees eight days after, it was resolved to build a church, and soon subscription books were opened. On the 8th of March, 1886, after a thirteen months canvass for contributions, the society was incorporated as The Edge Moor Methodist Episcopal Church, the Edge Moor Iron Company having given a lot, 60x100 feet, on the corner of Second avenue and B street, for the church, for which the trustees received a deed, to be good and valid as long as the prop- erty is used for religious purposes, the size and style of the edifice to be erected thereon to meet with their approval.
After a further delay of over six months, on the 17th of August, 1886, ground was broken for the church, and the corner-stone was laid on the 18th of the following September, by Rev. J. E. Bryan. Nearly all the other Methodist pastors of Wilmington, and four local preachers being present and taking part, and the choir of Brandywine Church furnishing the music, both instrumental and vocal.
The superstructure was begun on the 16th of October and it was closed in by New Year's day, 1887, but the plastering, on account of the cold weather, was deferred till next spring. The plastering was commenced about the ist of April and in less than two months the church was ready for dedication.
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In the meantime, at the Nineteenth Session of the Wilmington Annual Conference at Crisfield, Md., the Edge Moor Society was sep- arated from the Brandywine Church and united to Mt. Pleasant, form- ing Mt. Pleasant and Edge Moor Charge, with Rev. Julius Dodd, as pastor. This union of the two churches was agreed to and requested by a committee of three from each, at a meeting at Edge Moor, on the 8th of March, 1887.
On the 29th of May, 1887, before the pulpit was made, the heater and carpet purchased, or the painting finished, the edifice was dedica- ted to the worship of Almighty God by Rev. W. L. S. Murray. Rev. Jacob Todd, D. D., preached in the morning, Rev. W. L. S. Murray, Pre- ยท siding Elder, in the afternoon, and Rev. E. L. Hubbard in the evening. Subscriptions to the amount of $500.00 were secured during the day, which together with those made before, left a debt of only $400.00 on the church when fully finished and furnished. Early in that year, Bro. J. B. Coleman resigned as class-leader, and Bro. R. M. Biddle was appointed in his stead.
During that autumn a number were converted and received on pro- bation, and the class was divided, Brother James A. Smith, a recent accession from Maryland, being made leader of the second class. Class number one, being thus depleted and not being sustained, Brother Biddle resigned the leadership in the spring and Brother A. W. Young was given the place, but he soon removed to Wilmington, and the class not having improved in attendance, it was disbanded and its members put into Brother Smith's, number two becoming number one. This was done by Rev. J. T. Van Burkalaw, who was appointed preacher in charge, in March, 1888. During that year alienations, arose among the members which paralyzed the work, and the society has been greatly reduced both in number and in moral and monetary power by removals.
The operatives of the Edge Moor Iron Works are mainly a floating population. But few remain long in the village and many are non- church-going and apathetic and indifferent to the cause of God, and others, who claim to be, at least, nominal Christians, evince no sym- pathy with the Methodist church ; hence, the status and strength of our little society there are very variable and uncertain, and at present, from these and other causes, the membership and attendance is very small.
There are now but four male members in the place and but seven anywhere. There are but sixteen members and two probationers in toto, some of whom live in Wilmington and Philadelphia, and but few of whom are earnest workers in the cause of God.
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In view of these facts, it may well be asked with the ancient Hebrew prophet, applying the interrogatory to Edgemoor Methodists, " How shall Jacob arise, for he is small?" But, " Who hath despised the day of small things?" Not the Lord. "God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty." He can cause "One to chase a thousand and two to put ten thousand to flight." The few Methodists of Edgemoor are getting nearer together, and are looking up in prayer for a revival, and it is hoped " The Lord will send showers of blessings."-" Amen and Amen."
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