USA > Maryland > Centenary pictorial album, being contributions of the early history of Methodism in the state of Maryland > Part 7
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7
"I see a world of spirits bright, Who taste the pleasures there ; They all are robed in spotless white, And conqu'ring palms they bear."
At one time he called his son George and said, "My dear George, give my dying love to my classes. Tell them I find religion is not a cunningly devised fable. Tell them to be faithful and they will find it so, and find, with me, that
'Jesus can make a dying bed Feel soft as downy pillows are, While on His breast I lean my head, And breathe my life out sweetly there.""
104
REV. GEORGE ROBERTS, M. D.
To two persons, who frequented the theatre and ball-room, he said, "My dear friends, if you dont quit it you will never get to heaven ; they will lead you down to hell." To his daughter-in-law, he said, "My dear Eliza, if you die as you are you cannot enter hea- ven; give your heart to God; go home to your closet; get your bible, and that will lead you to heaven. It may be the means of bringing in your parents, and brothers, and sis- ters, and it will enable you to bring up your children properly." To the servant he said, "Louisa, remember Christ ; He shed as much blood for you as for me, and if you do not lead a different life-quit lying and running about-you will never get to heaven." One or two days before his death he underwent a great conflict. Satan tempted him to believe religion was a delusion. This conflict was very severe ; in speaking of it, he would exclaim, with great fervor,
'And shall I therefore let Him go, And to the tempter basely yield; No! in the strength of Jesus, no! I never will give up my shield.'
Precious Jesus ! Precious Saviour! Oh! how good the Lord is." Often he exclaimed,
"His name yields the richest perfume, And sweeter than music His voice ; His presence disperses my gloom, And makes all within me rejoice."
At one time, he was asked if a barber should be sent to shave him. He repeated in answer the following lines :
"Arrayed in glorions grace, Shall these vile bodies shine ; And every shape, and every face Be heavenly and divine."
One said to him, "Doctor, I consider it a great privilege to be with you." He answered, "The chamber where the good man meets his fate is privileged beyond the common walk of
105
REV. GEORGE ROBERTS, M. D.
virtuous life, quite in the verge of heaven. But I am not worthy the appellation of a good man."
"My dear Dr. Shane, I thank you for your kindness to me; I cannot repay you; but be faithful, and heaven will amply reward you. I shall soon be in heaven, and I expect to see your dear mother there ; she died in the triumphs of faith. Be obedient to your honor- ed father; walk in his footsteps; be faithful. I shall have a good account to give of you when I get there. Oh! meet me in heaven."
One of his feet being burned very much, Dr. Baer remarked, it would be very sore, and he would not be able to use it for some time. He replied, "Doctor, I shall not need them long; I shall soon get to heaven, where I shall have a new pair." To Dr. Baker he said, "My dear Dr. Baker, I shall soon get home. I shall there see your dear wife, and our good friend Bro. Dickens; what a meeting we shall have." He several times exclaim- ed, "I shall soon meet my dear Amelia in heaven, who met with a watery grave. [She died at sea the 2d of August, 1827, on her passage home to see her father, just four months before he entered his rest. He died December 2d, 1827.] And shall I know her ? Yes, oh! yes; she will rise again, and I shall see her and know her." Some time before he expired, when he had just recovered from a very severe paroxysm, he said, "Precious Saviour!" and shortly after, when speech was failing, he waved his hand and attempted to say, victory ! A very short time before he expired, he put out his hand and shook heartily the hands of those around him. Indeed, it was astonishing, as his paroxysms grew more frequent and severe, his mind was more concentrated and vigorous. The scene ean never be properly depicted, because it will want the manner, the circumstances, the peculiar em- phasis and holy unction, that attended his expressions. Like the painting of a cataract. it will want the sound to make it perfect. It can only be properly appreciated by those who saw and heard his exhortations.
About midnight, his son said to him, "My dear father, do not speak so loud, but whisper." He answered, "Whisper! whisper! my dear George; let angels and arch- angels whisper; but had I the voice of seven thunders, I would awaken all the citizens of Baltimore ; yea, all the world, and tell them the joys of redeeming love." His last con- flict with Satan was very severe. He often, during that time, said that Satan disputed every inch of the ground, and tempted him to believe all was a delusion; and, as often ro- peated with emphatic energy-
"But shall I therefore let Him go, And basely to the tempter yield ? No! in the strength of Jesus, no! I never will give up my shield."
27
106
REV. GEORGE ROBERTS, M. D.
After he obtained the victory in this conflict, he frequently said, "That was a great and powerful conflict, but the Lord has given me the victory. Oh! how good the Lord is to me! Precious Jesus! Precious Saviour!" He remarked to Col. Berry, "We have spent many a happy hour together, and I hope we shall soon meet in heaven, where we shall spend a happy eternity."
At one time he observed to his son, "Oh! what a dreadful conflict this is. I am almost worn out for want of sleep, yet I am afraid to close my eyes for fear of a paroxysm. Take hold of my hand and watch me while I try to sleep." And after about half an hour's sleep, he awoke and said, "Oh! my dear Dr., what a great pleasure it is to feel clearly our path to heaven in the trying hour of death." On his son George asking him if he should bring a light in the room, he replied, "A light! a light! my son; this room is full of light! A light ! a light! we dont want any more light; the room is filled with light of heavenly brightness !" Frequently did he exclaim, ---
"Oh! glorious hope of perfect love, It lifts me up to things above ; It bears on eagles' wing. It gives my ravished soul to taste, And makes me for some moments feast, With Jesus, Priest and King."
.
0
------
1
'T. C. Ruckle.
Mr. ALEXANDER WARFIELD'S ISAOH CIO
Lith by A.lloen & Co. Balio.
Alexander Warfield's Old House.
'Twas here believers loved to come Their joys and griefs alike to share, Helping the strong, the weaker ones, Each others cross to bear.
Oft conversing, here they sat, Ere they parted knelt in prayer ;
Pure and blest devotion that, Earnest Christians breathed it there.
They rest now in the better land, The little faithful praying band, Who 'neath this humble roof once came, Asking for blessings in Christ's name.
.
Alexander Warfield's house.
THIS venerable dwelling is now in possession of Mr. Joshua Warfield, the son of Alex- ander Warfield. It has more latterly undergone some improvements, and has had some additions built to it by those who have come into the possession of it. Mr. Alexander Warfield, its original proprietor, opened it in the early days of Methodism, as a preaching place. After he was made Steward in. 1801, it appears on the records as a place for reg- ular public service, and it was continued as such for upwards of twenty years, until what was called the Old Bethel Church was built, which was dedicated to the service of Al- mighty God by the Rev. Alfred Griffith.
Mr. W- was twice married ; the first time, to Miss Elizabeth Woodward, on Dec. 30, 1788. By her he had four children. He remained a widower for some time after her decease, and then married Miss Jemima Drury, on the 16th of March, 1797. Bishop As- bury was accustomed to visit him, and preach at his house frequently. The last visit hie every made to this hallowed spot was in 1816, about two years prior to his death. On this occasion, he put his arms around young Joshua, and besought him to seek religion, and to resolve to become good. Such was the custom of this venerable servant of God. The children, wherever he went, called forth his earnest attention, and now he has gone to his rest, and they are grown up, these attentions are remembered by them with deep and abiding interest. Such was his love for them, that in his last will and testament he directs his executors to purchase bibles, and bestow them upon those he could find, who bore his name. This was scrupulously attended to by the venerable Father (Henry) Boehm. One of these ancient bibles has come into the possession of the Methodist Historical Society, and is religiously preserved by them. The proprietors of this house, to the present time, talk over those days, and the visits inade by the sainted Asbury, rejoicing that his hands were ever laid upon them, and they were ever made the subject of his apostolic prayers and benedictions.
Many interesting circumstances might be adduced to show the part this place bore in the early spread of Methodism in Maryland, but we forbear.
28
T. C. Ruckle.
ISAOH SNVAR NHOF
Lith - by A. Hoen & Co. Balto
Mr. Evans' Dla House.
"In the cottage were his children born, Long his happy home-that humble dwelling; There the fields of clover, wheat and corn, There the spring with limpid nectar swelling, There they heard of wisdom's pleasant ways- Bless the holy lesson ! but ah ! never Shall be heard again their songs of praise From those voices, silent now forever."
John Grans House.
THIS is a venerable house, located some two miles and a half from the spot where Strawbridge's log meeting house stood. It originally belonged to John Evans, who was one of Strawbridge's converts. He received his first religious impression from a conversa- tion held with him by Mrs. Strawbridge, at her table. Young Evans and several others had gone over to secure Mr. Strawbridge's crop for him, while he was out from home preaching the everlasting gospel. Mrs. Strawbridge seized upon this moment to speak to them of their soul's interest for time and eternity. Such was the spirit and habits of even the women, in those primitive days of Methodism, that no opportunity of speaking for Christ was suffered to pass unimproved. After Mr. Evans embraced religion, he opened his house for preaching, which was continued there, as appears from the old record book, as late as 1809, How mighty the results, finally,.of that simple conversation held at the table, which ended in the conversion of this young man. A habit it would be well for
the Methodists of the present day to follow scrupulously. A word solemnly spoken often terminates in the conversion of the soul. In the morning we should sow, and in the even- ing, for we know not which shall prosper. At this time, Mr. Evans and his wife being old, and very infirm, the preaching was removed to Mr. Benj. Bennett's, two miles and a half south of it. Mr. Evans, and the class at his house, was finally removed to Mr. Bennett's. When Mr. B- died, John Evans, David Evans, (his son,) and his wife, his son Samuel, his daugh- ter Eliza, (the children of David,) Lloyd Bennett and wife, and Mrs. Porter, all moved their membership to Bethel Church. A few years after, John Evans was taken to his reward in heaven. Mr. Joshua Warfield says of him, that he often met with him in class ; that he supposed him to be upwards of ninety years old, with hair as white as snow ; he also wore a white bandage over one of his eyes.
The house he built, which was the scene of so many victories, and where he lived and . died, is still standing. It was built of unhewn logs. It is one-and-a-half stories high, with a shed-room on the west side, and is very comfortable. At the death of Mr. John Evans, it fell into the hands of his son David, and, at his death, into those of his son, Mr. Samuel Evans.
29
114
JOHN EVANS HOUSE.
How thrilling it is, at this time, to walk about these ancient dwelling places of the dead, to converse freely with their present proprietors, and learn these interesting facts from their lips ; to speak of their kindred, and of the part they bore in establishing Methodism.
They call up those times, to those who now live and who feel an interest in them, with a vividness that
"No thought can reach, No tongue declare."
Long may they remain as heir-looms to their possessors, and long may they be visited by Methodist pilgrims in coming years. At these shrines, sacred to the memory of past sea- sons in our history as a people, may Methodists turn aside from the dusty footprints of time to come, to re-consecrate themselves to God at the altars their fathers builded. Here, too, may they learn not lightly to esteem the cause they have espoused, but resolve to live and die in promoting its interests.
1
IM
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.