USA > Delaware > Methodism of the peninsula, or, Sketches of notable characters and events in the history of Methodism in the Maryland and Delaware peninsula > Part 17
USA > Maryland > Methodism of the peninsula, or, Sketches of notable characters and events in the history of Methodism in the Maryland and Delaware peninsula > Part 17
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"THE QUART'LY CONF'RENCE,"
Paul Picturemaker described in one of his character- istic productions, was probably held by Elder Jones, or by one of his cotemporaries. The reader will possibly recognize, in the description, some delineations near akin to scenes he may have witnessed in Quarterly Conferences of much more recent date. It is not impossible some modern official, by looking closely, may discover some faint traces of personal resemblance. If so, it is hoped he will not fail to recognize the likeness; or, like a cer- tain New Testament character, "go his way and forthwith forget what manner of man he is." The description appeared some years since, in the Christian Advocate, and may bear repetition here. It is as follows :
"Please come to order," our good Elder said ; Then called to prayer, and reverently led In our devotions. Loudly did he call
On Heaven to bless the Church, the Pastor-all; And to his invocations, twelve chief laymen Gave fit response in one united 'Amen !'
"The Pastor listened gladly. Recently He'd come to Frogtown; fixed up decently ; Gone round the circuit preaching to the people- In Frogtown Church 'twas said he shook the steeple- Not Boanerges could have louder thundered ; And saint and sinner oped their eyes and wondered How W- Conf'rence could retain such men, When Bishop timber was so scarce, and when
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Great men were needed for the high positions Of Editors, and other such fruitions.
" But here he was, with wife, and children nine, To tug and toil, and spend his precious time In striving for the good of saint and sinner ; To do God's work and trust God for his dinner. As when Elijah by the brook was fed ;- The raven bringing daily meat and bread- Though he were neither epicure nor glutton, Must oft have wondered whether beef or mutton Would be the next invoice the good bird brought him ; So, this itinerant sat there and thought him Of hungry mouths-of breakfast, dinner, supper, And cyphered mentally of bread and butter.
"'Any complaints ?- Appeals ?' the Elder said- ' Reports ?' Then the good pastor raised his head ; And, drawing forth his foolscap, written o'er With kind and hopeful utt'rance, took the floor, And read his first report ; while wink and nod, 'Twixt high officials, told the man of God, More plain than words could tell the cheering story, That Frogtown Circuit was next door to glory ! With saints so gen'rous-so appreciative ; In whom all noble impulses were native, He'd feast on chicken broiled, and lamb and peas, And dream of Heav'n 'on flowery beds of ease !' "Scarce was he seated, when old Brother Jones Rose to his feet, and said in nasal tones : ' I, Mister President, do make the motion
De De d
ter- or
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That that 'ere paper's 'zactly to our notion. Frogtown's ne'er had so good and great a teacher ; And, for my part, I say, God bless our preacher !' 'Amen ! Amen !' resounded from all quarters. 'God bless him, and his wife, and sons and daughters !' Again the pastor thought, 'Such hearty praying Can only be the twin to gen'rous paying.'
"The rev'rend Elder, glancing toward the gallery, Said : 'Now we'll hear report on Pastor's salary. Be lib'ral, brethren; let your preacher see That you appreciate his ministry.'
"With long-drawn sigh-with sanctimonious mien, Well suited to a solemn funeral scene,
The Chairman of the Stewards, Brother Leecher, Made their report on how they'd feed the preacher. 'The times is hard,' he said, 'and gittin' tougher; But Frogtown ne'er will let her preacher suffer. We've calkerlated things down to a fraction, And vote four hundred by unan'mous action. Our figgers was three hundred sev'nty-seven ; But we've resolved to make the hundreds even. The twenty-three that's over, Brother Sower Can use to aid our school and help the poor.
We've counted up, and made the sal'ry ample So Brother Sower might set a lib'ral 'zample.' 'Amen ! Amen !' arose from sev'ral voices ; 'In generosity Frogtown rejoices !'
"The pastor stared around with startled seeming, Like one too soon awaked from reckless dreaming;
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And, at the Elder's question : "Has the pastor A word or two to say?"-he popped up faster Than hare from .humble, homestead brush-heap kicked out,
And said : "Dear Brethren; I'm completely whipped out! Do you suppose three hundred sev'nty-seven Is going to feed, and clothe and school eleven? And keep a horse and buggy, and pay car fare While I am striking for you in this warfare ? Let's see ;- thirty to each-a fraction over, Counting the old mare one. The sacred clover Grows very short, my brethren: we can't live on't, Much less adopt your plans and give on't. It ill consists with good propriety To tease your preacher with anxiety ; And keep him all the season wond'ring whether He'll able be to bring both ends together. To what extent your narrow paying pinches Your pastor, sirs; be sure so many inches, Mentally, will drop off from your teaching : Starvation paying makes starvation preaching! This verbum sapienti my speech closes ; And, if you're wise, you'll look beyond your noses.' "'I call the man to order !' quoth a brother. ' Our preacher, Mister Elder, nor no other, Hain't got no right to git up and abuse us For what the facts, in these hard times, excuse us. We're ' verdant sapheads,' are we? Guess we'll show him We see beyant our noses where we go in !
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I tell you, sir, we've done the best we can In our report; and now let every man Make calkerlation of his own expenses, And see if 'tis not time to put up fences, To keep his charity on proper grounds, sir, As well as keep its object in good bounds, sir. To keep our preachers poor will keep 'em humble, And save 'em, sir, from many a dangerous tumble.'
"' I think so, too,' said worthy brother Farmer, And ' said his piece,' each moment growing warmer. His dozen farms, he said, were so expensive, His charity henceforth must be defensive. His store-bill, yearly, was not quite three hundred ; And at the preacher's wastefulness he wondered. With salary, and presents oft received, He said, with him it couldn't be believed
But that the preacher fared as well as any,
And he would vote him not another penny ! "Then brother Bondholder arose, and said :
' To vote big salaries I'm sore afraid. My state and county taxes are so heavy,
That, when you add the Church and preacher levy, I've little money left to lay away, In surplus bonds, to cheer the 'rainy day.' Besides all this, the working men all live, And get along, and have a bit to give, Receiving by the day one dollar fifty ; And, if the preacher and his wife are shifty, And pinch along, I think they'll come out even
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Quite easy on three hundred seventy-seven. Men who dependent are on Christian charity, Should eat roast turkey only for a rarity : To often fast, or eat not to satiety, *
Is good for health, and ministers to piety. In olden times, when preachers were not greedy, But shared the hardships of the poor and needy, They preached for souls, and therein was their pay That sent them oft rejoicing on their way. If Brother Sower would be good and wise, sir, Let him win souls, and he will win the prize, sir.' " Again the pastor rose. His weary heart
Was wounded deeply by the cruel dart Thrust at him ; and again he warmly spoke : The great Apostle to the Gentiles wrote,- ' The laborer is worthy of his wages;' But, by the verdict of our modern sages, He should have said unworthy. Now I ask, How can a preacher execute his task, And keep up with the age, in all its capers, Unless he read the latest books and papers ? Why, on four hundred, it is plain to see The brains or stomach must fare scantily ; But as the stomach makes the louder claims, It gobbles all, and leaves nought for the brains. The miracle of making bread of stones, Or savory soup of old, dry, barren bones, Is forced upon your preacher; so, no wonder The people leave, as well as come in hunger.
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These extra needs, sirs-how am I to meet them ? I 'preach for souls'; but, bless you, I can't eat them. But could I thus my table spread with dinners, I'd much prefer a fatter class of sinners !"
'Order !' the Elder cried; 'I'll put the motion : All who're in favor of the Steward's notion, Say aye.' And, forthwith, without hesitation, They voted 'aye' for mutual starvation ! * * * *
*
Truth often stranger is than fib or fiction :- The Conf'rence closed with Sower's benediction !"
A CENTENNIAL SERVICE,
Commemorative of the one hundredth anniversary of the organization of the Methodist Episcopal Church, was held in August, 1884, at the Woodlawn camp-meet- ing in Cecil county, Md., at which the author delivered the following commemorative poem :
1784. EPISCOPAL METHODIST CENTENARY. 1884.
In Southern Wales, in Sev'nteen forty-seven, An infant voice floats on the breath of even, Which Destiny Divine ordains shall tell the story Of free salvation and Messiah's glory To eager multitudes in many lands ; Till ocean, breaking on her nether strands, Shall sound the requiem, 'long time's vast billow, Of him who sleeps upon her coral pillow.
I sing of Thomas Coke, the noble son- Wealthy and cultured-who the prize had won
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Of worldly ease and fame; but who, like Moses, Forsook the sweetness of Egyptian roses For Sinai's thorns :- who like his loving Lord, Obedient to his holy will and word, Gave labor, wealth, and life itself, to win To Heaven trophies from the field of sin. Ordained in his young manhood, faithfully and well He offered Heaven and forwarned of Hell: Proclaimed a Saviour whom he had not known; Till, as he one day preached him, Heav'n's light shone In his dark heart; and then exultant faith,
Leaving the tedious, torturous mountain path, Soared up to heights where manuscript was lost, And words leaped from his heart; and Heaven's host Was present, witnessing the truth, till men Grew penitent and turned from sin; and then, For Christly faithfulness his Bishop hurled Him forth to the cathedral of the world. His tongue of fire, unquenched by tyrant flood,
Flamed on in burning words. The cleansing blood He still proclaimed, till popular demand Reversed the edict; and the sexton's hand That rang the bells of Petherton, to tell Of Coke's disgrace, once more rang loud and well And joyously, to call him home again To preach salvation in the Saviour's name.
But Coke had tasted liberty. The stale, Dry bread of formalism, did thenceforth fail
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To feed his noble soul. The narrow bounds Of legal parish; and the stated rounds Of parish work, reined in his panting heart; Till, breaking churchly bit, he made the start For diocesan empire, wide as earth; And, in his apostolic life, gave birth To our Episcopacy, universal, Honored, victorious and without reversal.
Four years, o'er England's darkened fields, he flew- A fiery herald. Then he plumed anew His Gospel pinions for our waiting wild; And, at his coming, freedom's empire smiled Him welcome. Like the trained ambassador, Charged with a mission fraught with vast import; or A shepherd with good news to sheep, untended In the wilderness ; with haste Coke wended His way from great New York, over the hills And valleys ; through the towns and villages ; by mills, And through the cities full ;- resting alone The Holy Day,-till gladly he should come To that dear spot of which his ears had heard As Israel heard of Horeb, and the Word Who said to Moses :- " Be thy shoes unbound ; The place whereon thou stand'st is holy ground !"
Favored Peninsula ! When He who made The earth and sea, finished his work, and said ""Tis very good ;" turning away, his last,
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Best smile upon thy sleeping face was cast, And there has ever lingered. And so, when, In later years, our Saviour smiled again On our sad world, it brought forth Methodism- The rainbow glory of the Gospel prism ! And thou, sweet spot ! of all the world most favored, Hast most of Methodism ; nor hast thou wavered In thy allegiance. A hundred years Of toil and struggle-heroism and tears But makes thy glory brighter ; and thy fame, Like that of Eden, 'lumines with its flame The wide, wide world of Methodistic name.
Hither the Heav'n-appointed Bishop sped ; And, by this rising morning star, is led Unto the holy place where Barratt's altar Glows with the sacred fire. No legal halter Hampers the great commission of his Lord :- " Go ye in all the world, and preach the Word"_ But free as mountain stream, the message flows From tongues set free by sturdy freemen's blows
In revolutionary strife. And here, That day, the multitudes from far and near Were gathered. 'Twas a holy Sabbath morn In Indian summer. Fields of ripened corn Waited the reapers-symbol of the day Of God's great harvest, where extended lay. The whitened fields, awaiting Heaven's reapers :- Where scattered flocks were bleating for their keepers.
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Now the glad day had come. The shepherd chief Entered the waiting fold. Turning a leaf In the great Book, he read the blessed Psalm- "The Lord my shepherd is ;" and holy calm, Still as the breath of eve, came o'er the place : And throbbing hearts grew still; and peace, and grace And holy joy came on the gathered saints Who graced the Love-feast. As the artist paints Alternate lights and shades, in beauty blending; So in this scene, the Holy Ghost descending, Inspired and led the service, blending song And prayer and utterance; until along Each heart's warm current flowed the glad emotion Of Love Divine in saintly, warm devotion.
And then the unbarred doors were opened wide, And the great throng poured in, a surging tide That overflowed the house, and gathered near Each open door and window, glad to hear, E'en from the outer courts, the joyful news That came that day, alike to Greeks and Jews, And unnamed wanderers of every nation- The joyful news of full and free salvation !
Opening again the Book, the preacher read Where his great prototype, St. Paul, had said :- "Christ Jesus; who, to us, is made of God Our wisdom and redemption, cleansing blood And righteousness." With logic like the granite,
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He broad foundation laid, deep in the planet Of conscious verities. Then, on this base He placed a sculptured stone, on every face Of which stood out, in startling, bold relief Some chiseled form of human woe or grief: A captive bound-a wand'rer lost-a soul Exposed to Sinai's bolt-a leper foul Wailing " Unclean ! unclean !"-true symbols all Of human helplessness-that threw the pall Of hopeless night o'er many a waking heart: That, as at Philippi, caused men to start From quaking hell beneath; and, anxious, cry " What must I do?" The preacher's eagle eye The scene surveyed. He saw the time had come To ope the darkened skies, and let the Sun Of Hope shine down. And, as the welcome light Came in, there stood, revealed to human sight- Crowning the monument the preacher builded- A form Divine, with God's own glory gilded. "See ! see !" he cried; "Behold the man who frees us !"_ They oped their tearful eyes, and looked on Jesus.
The preacher paused, but lingered, looking o'er The weeping multitude; when, through the door, Pushed in a manly form, whose saintly face Was calm and thoughtful-radiant with the grace That came of deep communion with his God. It was Coke's Aaron-bearer of the rod Of Israel's guidance through the wilderness
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Of early struggle, tow'rd the hoped-for place Of Churchly empire Prophecy foretold ; Where deserts smile-where Heaven's flowers unfold Their beauty, and exhale their sweetness o'er The goodly land. Till that hour, ne'er before Had these men met, save as they met in spirit, Around the common altar, where the merit Of Jesus' blood unites in one all stations, And makes one family of all earth's nations. Thus Francis Asbury first looked on Coke. For thirteen years, while revolution's smoke Obscured the sun of peace, this son of peace Had published the good news, that Righteousness And Peace had met, embraced and kissed each other :--- Each looked in other's face, and each said, " Brother !"
As these two stranger brethren met, the flow Of love fraternal came. The tender glow Of mutual sacrifice for human weal, As if by holy instinct, fixed the seal Of spirit brotherhood ; and, in that place, With loving kiss-with brotherhood's embrace- Two Christly hearts were joined in wedlock holy, To nobly dare and perish for the lowly.
Three other manly forms the tableau grace : One born near Havre, Maryland ;- the place Of Christian Freedom's birth-and "born again" On horseback, while a boy, amid the flame
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Of sev'nteen sev'nty-five, making the wildwood Ring back the echoes of his joyous childhood, Made free and innocent :- who, when he came To manhood's heritage, bearing the name Of slaveholder-he who had been redeemed- Heard, whispering in his soul a voice that seemed To say : "My son; let the oppressed go free!" And, pausing in the fam'ly prayer, he said : "Lord; the oppressed shall go!" Then, while he prayed, A world of slaves to sin before him stood; And o'er him bended low the Son of God, And said: "Whom shall I send, and who will go To bear my message 'mid this scene of woe?" Then Freeborn Garrettson-God's son, born free- Joined Heav'n's own unrestricted embassy ; And, ere he gave to Methodism his hand, Had gathered thirty converts to her band.
With humble, rev'rent mien, there stood near by A man untutored, but with rich supply Of inborn eloquence :- a white-souled man, Done up in colored envelope,-who ran On Asbury's errands; listened to his teaching ; Polished his boots; and, sometimes, beat him preaching !
Whatcoat was there; and, seven other preachers Of name unknown,-but whose fair fame as teachers Is writ in Heaven,-were gathered there that day To lift the cross, and swell the joyful lay.
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The tableau, thus complete, let us still carry- Coke, Garrettson, Whatcoat, Asbury, Harry- To widow Barratt's home, where willing hands And loving hearts attended the demands Of tired and hungry nature. There, that day, The Bishop's council met. Before it lay The whole, broad land. King George's Bishops, moved By hate of liberty, and lucre-loved Better than they loved souls-forsook their sheep, And left to Methodism the watch to keep, While battle-storms, in fury, rent the fold ; And Judases their God and country sold !
No Church Episcopal then set up claim To being or authority. The name- " Episcopal"-was captured by our sires, And held as contraband, till altar fires Should be enkindled, that would burn on fanes Of Christian liberty. And then, the names Of Asbury and Coke, on the first page Of the great history, of the great age Of our great Church, Episcopal, were writ Ere other name, Episcopal, the lip Of priest had passed, in all our new domain Conquered for freedom. Thus, in freedom's name Our Mother Church, first coming to baptism, "Episcopal" affixed to Methodism.
Well, that day Coke his council called at Barratt ; And, after prayer, it was determined thereat,
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To call, at Baltimore, a conference Of ministers, on Christmas Eve. And thence They sent forth Garrettson, like the swift arrow, The glad, good news from north to south to carry ; And call the heralds forth, from vale and mountain, To Lovely Lane, to ope the churchly fountain Of governmental rule, and power and rod; To vanquish Hell, and take the world for God !
Then joyous Christmas came, and brought three-score Itinerants. Weary, unkempt and sore With the campaign, and long and wintry tramp, They file down Light Street, to the place of camp. Each soldier counts his trophies-tells his story ; And each to Jesus gives the praise and glory. The vet'ran with white locks, the stripling youth, The middle-aged-all champions for the Truth- Gathered about their leaders ; heard and spoke, Debated, counselled, pending the great vote That stamped with favor Bishop Wesley's plans :- That unchained Methodism-that broke her bands, And turned her legions loose upon the field Of the wide world, the sword of God to wield; Till watchman on to watchman shouts the song The earth around-her hills and vales along :- "'One Methodism o'erspreads the world's vast plains; All hallelujah ! Christ Messiah reigns!"
The century now rolls away. The story Of Methodism's exploits, misfortunes, glory
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Is written in earth's archives-in the Heaven- In angel memories-in all the leaven Of modern progress-through all her sister churches- Through all the fields where science makes researches; And, hand in hand, with God and all good men, She marches tow'rd the blessed era, when ; With all her saintly sisters, of all names And climes-with angel band that flames About the Throne ;- she and they all shall come Around the grave where death shall find his doom, And bury all contentions with their foe. Then, from the ransomed host, shall ever flow The glad, sweet song :- " To Him who us hath loved ; And, in his precious blood, all stains removed, And made us Kings and Priests unto our God; To Him be wisdom, power, dominion's rod And glory, through the happy, endless day, when All tribes and worlds shall shout eternal 'Amen !'"
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CHAPTER XI.
RECORD AND STATUS OF PENINSULA METHODISM.
T is not impossible that, amid the smiles excited by the amusing episodes herein related, some of my readers, having forgotten the explanatory and pre- cautionary statements made in the opening chapter, may have been influenced either to undervalue and discount the record and status of Peninsular Methodism, or to cherish a measure of resentment against the author for having placed their and his Church in a false light before the world.
It was not the author's purpose to write a history of Methodism in the Peninsula; but to make an humble contribution to that history, along a line not usually pursued-the curious and amusing; and, at the same time, present such incidental pictures of the old-time Eastern Shore life and customs, as would, at least in a measure, preserve for the instruction of generations to come those weird scenes and colorings that, having now waxed old, are ready to vanish away.
Doubtless the annals of every Peninsular Church would furnish abundant materials for similar sketches. Through all the gradations, from the stately High- Churchman to the plain, and unpretending Quaker,
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numerous and most amusing examples of lusi naturæ are encountered by the investigator .. If Methodism has furnished more illustrations in this line than any other Church within this territory, it must be remembered that she is much more numerous than any other; or, in fact, than all of them together. But it must not be inferred that the majority of Methodists have been either exceptionally eccentric, or below the popular average in intelligence.
When, in the year 1769, Captain Webb introduced Methodism into that part of the Peninsula about Wil- mington and New Castle, the older denominations had occupied the ground for at least three generations. The Church of England, with the prestige of her history and the pride of her royal lineage, had preempted the whole territory ; partitioned off the field into as many parishes as there were saints in the ecclesiastical calendar for whom to name them; imposed and collected her tithes by mandate of Parliament, and had steadily declined to concede the divine right of any dissenting body to intrude within these legally guarded boundaries.
But while a charter for most of this territory, issued to a Catholic lord by a Protestant king, had carefully guarded this legal status of the English Church, it had also extended protection to the Church of which Lord Baltimore was a distinguished member. The reflex result of this mutual legal forbearance-less perhaps because he preferred it than because he could not well avoid it-induced the renowned nobleman to tolerate in
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Maryland all creeds and forms of worship. In Dela- ware, originally included in Pennsylvania, the Quakers under Penn, and the Swedes and Finns, with their dissenting creeds and forms, had planted themselves and their chapels, thus, from the very first, dividing religious jurisdiction with the Established Church. By these circumstances almost the entire Peninsula was, in a measure, divorced from its ecclesiastical bonds, and became, perhaps, the scene of the earliest and best example of religious toleration in America.
Not until the era of the Revolution was there any legal interference with this freedom of conscience and action ; and then only because Methodist ministers, being mostly Englishmen, were suspected of sympathy with the cause of their king. Laws were therefore then enacted requiring oaths of allegiance to the revolu- tionary governments, represented within the Peninsula, on the part of all ministers and preachers of the Gospel. And those of them who hesitated, or who, having taken such an oath in one state, neglected it on passing the boundaries into another, became the subjects of arrest and sometimes of cruel maltreatment. There was, however, no original purpose of religious persecution, and in fact nothing improper, in these legally proposed tests of loyalty to American freedom ; nevertheless, in many cases, officers were unnecessarily rough and violent in the application of them to Methodist preachers, especially when these officers, as was generally the case, were religious opponents. And there were some cases
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