USA > Delaware > Historical and biographical encyclopaedia of Delaware. V 1 > Part 24
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OTHER MISSIONARY CHURCHES.
January 25, 1852, the Dover Church was formed with eight members, and the same day their new house of worship was dedicated. It was mainly through the efforts of Rev. J. P. Walter who became their first pastor, that the church was organized and the house built. The pastors, after Mr. Walter, were: Rev. D. A. Nichols ; Rev. E. R. Hera ; Rev. C. J. Hopkins ; Rev. H. C. Putnam ; Rev. D. B. Purington ; Rev. O. F. Flippo ; Rev. C. Harris ; Rev. J. J. Reeder; Rev. B. G. Parker, who came in 1876.
The First German Church, Wilmington, was organized April 17, 1856, with 13 members through the efforts of Jeremias Grimmel, and Rev. C. Fleichman. Their church edifice is on the corner of Fifth and Walnut streets.
The pastors of the church have been : Rev. F. A. Bauer ; Rev. J. C. Haselhuhn ; Rev. H. Trumpp ; Rev. R. Piepgras ; Rev. J. Fellmann ; Rev. J. M. Hoefflin ; and Rev. Henry W. Geil, called in 1881 but took charge in 1882. In the meantime Rev. G A. Guenther supplied the pulpit. The membership in 1879 was 77.
The Delaware Avenue Church, Wilmington, was constituted May, 1865, with fifteen mem- bers, dismissed, by request, from the Second Church. Rev. G. W. Folwell became pastor, April 1, 1866, and resigned October 1, 1874, the church numbering 246 when he left them. Also during his pastorate the substantial house of worship of the church was erected. on the corner of Delaware Avenue and West street. He was succeeded by Rev. I. M. Haldeman,
The coming of Rev. O. F. Flippo into the State in 1868 was followed by an awakening that led to the increase of Baptist member- ship and churches. The church at Dover, of which he then became pastor, had no baptism or accession for nearly two years, and the church doors had been closed. Through his labors nearly 100 believers were baptized and added to the church. He was instrumental in the formation of several new churches, one of which, the Zion, Rev. R. H. Merriken, pastor, came over to the Baptist from another denomi - nation, pastor and all. He was also the means of purchasing for the Baptists the Wyoming Institute, of which he was the first president. Mr. Flippo became General Missionary of the "American Baptist Home Mission Society" for the State of Delaware, in September, 1870, which position he held till his removal from the State, in March, 1873. He was aided in his work by Rev. Dr. Isaac Cole, Rev. George Bradford and Rev. N. C. Naylor. Mr. Flippo also ably conducted the "Baptist Visitor," a monthly religious paper, of which he was both editor and proprietor. The churches organized through his instrumentality besides the Zion, at Vernon, in 1871, were the Wyoming, wor- shiping in the Chapel of the Institute, in 1872, and the Magnolia, in 1873.
The Plymouth Church, which was formed in 1867, through the labors of Rev. O. B. Puring- ton and others, disbanded to unite with the Magnolia. Rev. M. Heath and Rev. J. M. Hope served as co-pastors for a while, both the Magnolia and Wyoming Churches at once. The Zion and the Wyoming Churches were both served by Rev. George Bradford, assisted at the latter place by students from Crozer Seminary. The Zion has a neat Gothic Chapel as a place of worship. The Rev. J. M. Hope is the present pastor of Zion and Magnolia Churches, and the Rev. Joseph Perry pastor at Wyoming. The latter church has lately dedicated a neat chapel at Camden, costing about $3,000, and the gift of George Parris, of Dover. The Milford Church was organized June 14, 1873, and its house of worship dedicated 1875. The church at Lincoln, formed in 1869, Rev. W. H. Spencer, pastor, disbanded to unite with the new interests. The pastors at Mil-
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HISTORY OF DELAWARE.
ford have been Rev. H. H. Leamy, Rev. I .. Thorne, Rev. W. H. Young, Rev. A. S. Bas- tian and Rev. W. H. Eldredge. In 1873 was also formed the Elm Street Church, Wilming- ton. It had but two pastors during its exist- ence, Rev. N. C. Naylor and Rev. R. E. Bartlett. The first African Baptist Church in Dela- ware-the Shiloh-was formed in Wilmington in the Centennial year, 1876, with 21 members. It numbers now 80, with Rev. B. T. Moore as pastor. They have a lot on which they are building.
September 30, 1876, the New Castle Church. composed of 14 members, was recognized. This church was collected in the Court House through the labors of Rev. B. MacMackin and Rev. W. H. Young, then students at the Crozer Theological Seminary at Chester, Pa. Mr. MacMackin became pastor of the church upon its organization in 1877, and has since been instrumental in building a handsome chapel for them, costing over $6.000, and which was dedicated. free of debt, December 19, 1879.
In July, 1868, a few persons withdrew from the Delaware Avenue and other Wilmington churches, and were admitted as members into the old First Church, which was re-admitted into the Philadelphia Association in 1870. They maintained a Sunday School and con- tributed to various Baptist benevolent socie- ties, while the arrangement lasted. The pas- tors during this period were Rev. E. E. Mary- ott and Rev. Thomas M. Eastwood. In De- cember, 1876, the new members of the resus- citated church removed from King street to Elm Street Chapel, and there disbanded, as did also the Elm Street Church, the members of the two mostly uniting in the formation of the Bethany, which was recognized January 2nd, 1879, with Rev. T. M. Eastwood as pas- tor. Some of the old members of the First Church remained in the King street house, where they still maintain an organization, which has resumed its connection with the Delaware Association.
A CITY MISSION SOCIETY.
A Baptist City Mission was formed among the churches in Wilmington on the Newark (N. J.) plan in 1870, which bought a lot on Elm street, built thereon a chapel, and deeded the whole to the Bethany Church upon its or- ganization. Its officers are Washington Jones, President, and Wm. H. Gregg, Treasurer.
In 1869 the Baptists purchased the Wyoming Institute, at Wyoming. A new and liberal charter was obtained in 1875, since which time the Institute has had its annual graduating classes. There are two departments: the Preparatory for common branches, and the Seminary course of 3 years for graduation. For several years past it has enjoyed a high degree of prosperity, at times reaching its ut- most limits of accommodation. The Rev. M. Heath, A. M., who held the position of princi- pal for eight years, is a native of New Jersey, and a graduate of Madison University. For the past fifteen years he has been successfully connected with educational interests. The present principal is Rev. Joseph Persey, who is well qualified every way for the place.
In 1874 was formed "The Delaware Baptist Missionary Union" of churches within the State only. It was merged or expanded into the following organization.
THE DELAWARE BAPTIST UNION.
In 1878, the "Delaware Baptist Union" was formed in the Second Church, Wilmington, and is composed of eight churches in Dela- ware County, Penna., and eleven in Delaware State, with a membership of 3,000. The objects of the "Union" are, the promotion of fraternity among the churches, and the evan- gelization of the field. Its meetings are held semi-annually, in May and November. The churches connected with this organization retain their connection with the Philadelphia Association. The first officers of the body are Rev. Thomas M. Eastwood, Moderator ; Rev. H. B. Harper, Secretary ; and George Parris, Treasurer. There has been but one change. Rev. A G. Thomas, moderator, in place of Mr. Eastwood, who has removed to New Jersey. The meetings of this youthful organization have been well attended and of a profitable and pleasant character. Among those ministers and laymen who have partici - pated in the deliberations of the Union, beside those already mentioned are : President H. G. Watson D. D., of Crozer Theological Semi- nary ; Professor George D. B. Pepper, D. D., Rev. A. G. Thomas ; Rev. Professor J. R. Downer ; Wm H. Gregg, Esq. ; Samuel M. Crozer, Esq. ; Wm. Cathcart, D. D .; J. M. Pendleton, D D. ; Rev. C. J. W. Bishop ; Rev. C. M. Deitz ; Rev. John Brooks ; Washington
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HISTORY OF DELAWARE.
Two Missionaries appointed by the Ameri- can Baptist Publication Society, No. 1420, Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, are laboring within the bounds of "The Delaware Baptist Union," and for the most part in Delaware State, and under the direction of the "Union;" one among the colored population, and the other among the whites: Rev. J. T. Craig, and Rev. Henry C. Jones, (colored). Their salaries are paid by the churches of the "Union," and by the Baptist Publication Society. Their work is among such Baptists as are in the State, and among the destitute and perishing. They expect to co-operate with other Christians in State Evangelization.
The ladies of the churches have not been inactive, but have organized for work among women. In the short time of the existence of these societies-One Foreign and another Home Mission ; over $1,000, have been raised for the work at home and abroad.
GROWTH OF THE MISSIONARY BAPTIST.
Jones, Esq. ; Professor George R. Bliss, D.D. ; | numbered in the United States 384,926, Rev. Miller Jones ; Alfred Gawthrop, Esq. ; but numbered in 1881, 2,296,327. Then the Rev. G. W. Folwell ; H. L. Wayland, D. D. ; Rev. Dr. S. Dyer ; James Irving, Esq. ; Thomas Swain, D. D .; Professor J. C. Long, D. D. ; G. M. Spratt, D. D .; G. J. Johnson, D. D. ; Rev. R. W. Patton ; Harry Emmons, Esq. ; Benjamin Gartside, Sr. ; Dr. J. B. Weston ; Ward R. Bliss, Esq. societies, the agents of the churches, have great results to prove the wisdom of their foundation. In 1814 there were but two Mis- sionaries among the heathen supported by the American Baptists, and no converts. In 1879 one Baptist Foreign Missionary Society alone (the "Union") reports 160 missionaries, 990 native preachers, 904 churches, 80,864 mem- bers, all converted heathen, and 18,000 bap- tisms during the year.
The Home Mission Society of the Baptists for the North and West alone reports in 1882 as the result of a half century of work-2,700 missionaries employed ; 800,000 sermons preached ; 1,817,412 religious visits made ; 2,838 churches organized ; 87,056 converts bap- tized ; and hundreds of thousands of adults and children gathered into congregations and sun- day-schools, at a cost of nearly $2,000,000. In addition, $900,000 have been spent in edu- cational work among the colored people and the Indians ; and 425 churches have been assisted in building houses of worship. The total amount contributed, exclusive of income from investments, $3,898,687.53. And this in addition to Home Mission work exclusively South, and of state conventions, and individual churches.
Another Society, closely connected in its operations with Baptists in this State is the American Baptist Publication Society. For the year ending April 1, 1882, books, tracts and periodicals were issued by the Society equal to over 589,500,000 pages, 18mo. size, while the income of the business and benevo- lent departments has aggregated for the same period, $449,416.71.
The separation of the Second Church from the First Wilmington, the withdrawal of the missionary element from those who had be- come anti-mission, has been justified fully by the results. In 1835 there was but one Mis- sionary Baptist Church in the State, with thir- teen members ; whereas, now, (1882,) there are eleven churches with over two thousand mem- bers. Besides, the Missionary Baptists of Del- When we consider the growth and pros- aware belong to a great people-progressive perity of the Missionary Baptists of this and growing, at home and abroad. In 1832, about the time of the separation, the Baptists wrought !"
country, we exclaim : " What hath God August 17th, 1882.
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SOCIETY OF FRIENDS IN DELAWARE.
HIS body of Christians took its rise in and broad stones, very hazardous to us and England about the middle of the our horses. Thence we came to Christian seventeenth century, and rapidly River, where we swam over our horses, and found its way into other countries in went over ourselves in canoes ; but the sides Europe and into the English settlements in of this river were so bad and miry that some North America and also the West India Islands. They first called themselves Seekers, of the horses had like to have been laid up. Thence we came to New Castle, heretofore from their seeking the truth ; but after the called New Amsterdam, and being very weary society was formed they assumed the appella- tion of Friends. " George Fox is supposed to have been their first founder; but after the restoration, Penn and Barclay gave to their principles a more regular form." (Cyclopedia of Religious Knowledge.) Fox in his journal,; page 85, volume I, describes the circumstances under which they were first called Quakers. He was in prison at Derby for conscience sake, "and " says he, " the keeper was greatly enraged at me; but it pleased the Lord . one day to strike him so that he was in great trouble and under great terror of mind.
When the morning came he rose and went to the justices and told them 'that he and his house had been plagued for my sake,' and one of the justices replied (as he reported to me) that the plagues were on them too for keeping me. This was Justice Bennett, of Derby, who was the first that called us Quakers, because I bid them tremble at the word of the Lord. This was in the year 1650." It was a name given to them in derision, but one they have retained to the present day.
and inquiring in the town where we could buy some corn for our horses, the Governor came and invited me to his house ; and afterward desired me to lodge there, saying he had a bed for me and I should be welcome. So I stayed there, the other friends being taken care of also. This was on the seventh day of the week; [being the 1 3th of 7th month, 1672;] and he offering his house for a meeting, we had, the next day, a pretty large one, for most of the town were at it. There had never been a meeting here before, nor any within a great way of it; but this was a very precious one, many of the people were tender and confessed to the truth; and some received it ; blessed be the Lord forever!" (Journal of George Fox. p. 116.) The Friends who accompanied him on this journey were : Robert Widders, James Lancaster and George Pattison, ministers, who had come with him from England, and John Jay, a Friend from Barbadoes, and their Indian guides. They remained till the middle of the week when they continued their journey to Maryland, and soon after returned to Eng- land. Fox does not speak of finding any members of the Society in Delaware; he, how- ever, sowed the seed in New Castle, and, probably, some of his hearers joined . the that town, "for," he says, "many of the peo- ple were tender and confessed. the truth; and some received it."
George Fox came to America in 1672, ten years before the arrival of William Penn. During that year he visited Delaware twice ; first in the early spring when going from Mary- Friends when a meeting was organized in land to New England, and the second time on his return to Maryland. We will give the account in his own words: "The next day we passed over a. desperate river [doubtless NEWARK MONTHLY MEETING .- We learn the Brandywine] which had in it many rocks from the records as quoted by Ezra Michener,
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HISTORY OF DELAWARE.
in his "Retrospect of Early Quakerism," that about the year 1682 several families of Friends arrived and settled on the east side of Brandy- wine, in New Castle county, and held meet- ings for worship at private houses till 1688, when Valentine Hollingsworth gave the ground for a Meeting House and grave-yard. This was known by the name of Newark (or New Ark) Meeting and lasted till 1754, when the members being better suited elsewhere, it was discon- tinued. This meeting house was a few miles north of Wilmington, in the neigh- borhood of the late Joseph Shipley's resi- dence, but the name Newark has long ceased to identify the locality. The Newark Monthly Meeting was held there regularly till 1704, when it was held alternately at Centre, and sometimes also at Kennett, beginning in 1721. The last monthly meeting held at Newark was in 1707, although it retained the name of New- ark Monthly Meeting till 1760, when it was changed to Kennett Monthly Meeting.
NEW CASTLE. In 1684 the Quarterly Meet ing at Philadelphia established a Meeting at New Castle. Friends being settled at or near that town held meetings at each others houses till 1705, when a house of wor- ship was built. This meeting ceased in 1758, its members attending at Wilmington. The house was sold by the Wilmington Monthly Meeting about the middle of the present century.
CENTRE MEETING .- George Harlan and others settled on west side of the Brandy- wine, and attended Newark Meeting till 1687, when they requested to have a meeting on the west side, during the Winter, on account of the "dangerousness of the Ford," which was granted, as it was also in the Winter of 1689. In 1690 the meeting was made a permanent one, and a house of worship built in 1708. This has been a Monthly Meeting for nearly two centuries. It is connected with the Western Quarterly Meeting of Chester County Pa .; in which also are included Kennett, Lon- Grove, New Garden, Penn's Grove and Fallow Field Monthly Meetings.
As early as 1762, and again in 1772 efforts were made to remove the Meeting to a more convenient locality. In 1783, by consent of the Quarterly Meeting, it was removed to Appoquinimink Bridge, now Odessa. This continued till 1830, when it was united with that of Duck Creek.
DUCK CREEK MONTHLY MEETING .- (For- mer name of Smyrna.) The record says : "The tenth month, 19th, 1705. This day was held the Monthly Meeting of Friends at Duck Creek ; it being the first Monthly Meeting, by approbation and order of the Quarterly Meet- ing of the people called Quakers at Chester, for the establishing and keeping up the good order of Truth." In 1830 the Monthly Meet- ings of Duck Creek and Motherkiln were united in one, under the name of Camden Monthly Meeting, and thenceforward held al- ternately at Camden and Little Creek.
CAMDEN AND LITTLE CREEK .- These meet- ings were established in the early part of the 18th century. Little Creek was organized in 1710, but the exact date of the first meetings for worship at Camden has not been obtained. They remained Preparative Meetings for many years, but afterwards the Camden Monthly Meeting was established, which held its meet- ings alternately at Camden and Little Creek, and in 1830 absorbed the Duck Creek Monthly Meeting. Southern Quarterly Meeting is held at Camden and Easton. Under its jurisdiction are the Camden, Third Haven, Cecil and North West Fork Monthly Meetings.
COLD SPRING .- On the application of Duck Creek Monthly Meeting to the Quarterly Meeting of Chester, in 1720, the Friends of Lewes, Cold Spring and vicinity, had their meeting established, although it is probable that a meeting was held at Lewes as early as 1712. After continuing nearly a century the meeting declined and finally ceased.
HOCKESSIN .- The earliest record of a meet- ing at this place was in 1730, when a week-day meeting was allowed at the house of William Cox. In 1737, Henry Dixon and other Friends being settled in Mill Creek Hundred, a meet-
APPOQUINIMINK MEETING .- The Friends of ing was established among them. It was known George's Creek applied to Kennett Monthly by the name of " Hockessin Meeting, so called from an Indian town that was formerly near that place." The following year a meeting- house was erected, and enlarged in 1745. In Meeting, in 1703, for the establishment of a meeting in their midst. This request was granted in 1707, and the meeting was joined to the Monthly Meeting of Duck Creek. 1785 the Preparative Meeting of Centre and
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HISTORY OF DELAWARE,
Hockessin was divided into two; one being "Mushmelon and Cedar Creek Friends held at each place. In ISOS, Kennett Monthly requested liberty to build a meeting-house." Meeting was divided, Kennett and Marlbor- ; After continuing seventy two years, the Mil- ough Meetings composing one, and Centre and ford Preparative Meeting was, in 1832, discon- tinued, and the members united to Camden Preparative meeting. Hockessin the other, which was called Centre Monthly Meeting, which is held alternately at the two houses in Centre and Hockessin. It belongs to Western Quarterly Meeting.
WILMINGTON MONTHLY MEETING -We
find that in 1738 William Shipley and David established in 1781, by consent of Chester Ferris with others, requested liberty to have a meeting for worship settled among them at Wilmington. This was allowed and first held| at the house of William Shipley, a small, one- story brick dwelling at the corner of Fourth and Orange streets, and for a time at his new house corner of Fourth and Shipley ; but the same year, 1738, the Friends built a house of worship on the east side of West street, be- tween Fourth and Fifth. It was a one-story brick building, 24 feet square, and was used for a school house many years after the new meeting-house was erected in 1748. The new house was 48 feet square, and was built on West street opposite the first. " The form of the building," says Ferris, p. 299, "was very singular. The four sides being equal, the roof was a truncated .pyramid, the angle of ascent on each side being about the same as the great pyramid at Memphis. On the top of the pyra- mid was another house about six feet square, its roof also pyramidal, with a chimney rising out at the apex, and a window in each of its sides to light the garrett." It was replaced by the present large house in 1817.
In 1750 Wilmington was constituted a Monthly Meeting, and made a constituent part of Concord Quarterly Meeting, one ses- sion of which is now held at Wilmington each year.
In 1827, after the ministry of Elias Hicks, the society divided ; those known as Hick- sites being the more numerous, retained the old property, while the Orthodox Friends withdrew and built their house of worship at the north-easterly corner of Ninth and Tatnall streets. It is a wooden structure, enclosed within a high wall, and much retired from the noisy part of the town. This is the only or- ganized Meeting of those known as Orthodox Friends in the State.
STANTON (FORMERLY WHITE CLAY CREEK) MEETING .- A meeting for worship was allowed at Christiana Bridge in 1772, and Quarterly Meeting. In 1784 they were granted the privilege of holding a Preparative Meeting, and in 1803, the name of the meeting was changed from White Clay Creek to that of Stanton.
MOTHERKILL (FORMERLY MURDERKILL) MONTHLY MEETING,-Was established in 1760, and embraced the Motherkill and Tit- berry Meetings. A house of worship was built the same year near the stream of that name, and doubtless meetings had been pre- viously held in that locality in private houses. The meeting for worship was discontinued in 1828, and the Monthly Meeting was officially joined to that of Duck Creek in 1830, and the name changed to Camden Monthly Meeting as above stated. Michener, in his " Early Qua- kerism." quotes a letter from a friend in which the writer essays to explain the change from Murderkill to Motherkill, and refers to the fact, or legend, that a bloody battle was fought, by the Indians, on the banks of this stream, from which it received the name of Murderkill ; Kil being the Swedish name for creek. The letter continues, "The Friends, being a murder-hating, peace-loving and sim- ple-minded people, and not approving of the word murder, adopted in lieu thereof that of Mother as a prefix to kil, making the name Motherkil for their meeting. But the word kil is often, and I believe mostly, spelled kill, which in connection with mother makes it a very inappropriate name for a Friend's meet- ing, more objectionable than the one intended to be softened and improved. It is sometimes written Motherkiln, a name that conveys a totally different idea, and is not objectionable in itself."
MILL CREEK .- In 1838, James Thompson and thirty-two other Friends produced a writ- ten request to New Garden Monthly Meeting for the indulgence of a meeting for worship in
MILFORD MEETING .- (Mispillion, formerly Mushmelon.) The record says that in 1760 | Mill Creek Hundred, to be composed of mem-
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HISTORY OF DELAWARE.
bers of New Garden, Centre and Wilmington Centre Monthly Meeting, the meetings being Monthly Meetings, which was accorded them; held alternately at Hockessin and Centre Sta- the following committee making the favorable tion, 112 members ; Mill Creek Meeting, held report, viz : Sarah Michener, Sarah Wilson,
in the northern part of Mill Creek Hundred, Martha Hilles, Jonathan Lamborn, Ephraim near the State line, 69 members ; Camden Jackson and Benjamin Ferris. In 1841 a com- modious meeting house was built, and the meeting being the same year established, with the privilege of a Preparative Meeting, was removed thereto, having been previously held at the house of James Thompson.
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