USA > New York > Ulster County > Marlborough > History of the town of Marlborough, Ulster County, New York, from its earliest discovery > Part 27
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He was succeeded by Rev. J. H. Myers, who came in April, 1868, and remained until 1872. Rev. B. F. Wile commenced preaching in 1872, and after his pastorate was ended, in 1876, was succeeded by Rev. Duncan C. Niven who remained until the spring of 1884. He was a preacher of much force and character, perfectly fearless and independent, entire master of his own conduct, decided in his views, in religion and politics. In debate he asked no quarter and gave none. He had the courage of his own convictions and ex- pressed his own opinions fearlessly. He was loved by some and feared by others, but thought to be honest in his convictions, in general. He is now blind, and living at Monticello, N. Y., at an advanced age. His wife is said to be a lineal descendant of Wolvert Ecker, the old patriot. From 1884 until 1892 the pul- pit was supplied by Rev. Wm. G. Westervelt. He was succeeded by Rev. J. Napier Husted, who remained two years. The Rev. George Allan was installed De- cember 18, 1895, and remained until April 28, 1901. He is now pastor of the Highland Presbyterian church. Everyone liked Mr. Allan. and nothing but good can be said of him. Rev. Raymond Hubbard and William H. Tower have preached since that time. In 1907 the Rev. Ivan G. Martin took charge of the church. He is an eloquent preacher and destined to do much good for the church.
The Elders of the church since its organization have been as follows: Summner Coleman, Enos Van Sick- lem, Luther Pratt, Nathaniel Clark, James Ransley, Robert Herdman, Abram Miller, Jacob P. Townsend, E. W. Watson, R. S. Armstrong, Charles F. Ordway, Albert Pattison, J. Oscar Clarke, A. B. Clarke, W. H.
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Townsend, William A. Goehringer, George P. DuBois, C. S. Brown, E. Y. Jenkins, Wm. H. Townsend, Jr. The present trustees are: Geo. P. DuBois, chairman, A. B. Clarke, E. Y. Jenkins, A. C. Jenkins, Edward Young, and W. A. Goehringer. The former house of worship cost about $3,000. The present edifice was built near the old site in 1900 at an expense of about $7,000. The church, though small, is in a prosperous condition and free from debt.
CHAPTER XIV.
METHODISM IN THE TOWN OF MARLBOROUGH.
The first Methodist meeting held in the county and the first class meeting was held in the town of Marl- borough; and the Milton M. E. church was the first Methodist church of the county.
The Methodists organized in England in 1729. The founders were John Wesley, Charles Wesley, Morgan and Kirkman; they formed what they called a " Holy Club." In 1736 the Wesleys visited America upon the invitation of the Governor of Georgia, with a view to the conversion of the Indians and others, but little progress was made and they afterward returned to England. In 1766 a company of Irish emigrants, of which Philip Embury was one, organized the society in New York; and in 1768 they erected in that city the first Methodist church in America. About that time an Irishman, Robert Strowbridge, organized a society and built a log meeting house at Pipe Creek, Mary- land; other emigrants founded a society and church in Philadelphia.
Encouraged by the progress of the sect in America, Mr. Wesley sent over two additional laborers in 1769, viz .: Richard Boardman and Joseph Pilmore, the former being stationed at New York. In 1771 Francis Asbury and Richard Wright were added to the work. The first conference ever held in this country was held at Philadelphia, July 4, 1773. The society spread rapidly in the Southern States. After the War of the Revolution Wesley issued instructions to his followers in the United States that they should make an organi- zation independent of the society in England. This was done in 1785, and the title of the " Methodist Episcopal church " was adopted to designate the new
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society. Philip Asbury and Thomas Coke were ap- pointed bishops, and the society was divided into dis- triets over which "elders " were stationed, under whose charge two or more preachers were placed. The preachers were styled "assistants," and the fields in which they labored were called "circuits." The itinerant principle was then adopted; in this way the work was zealously carried on, amid extreme pri- vations, hardships and dangers.
In 1786, New York and New Jersey were divided into two "elder districts," one of which embraced the East Jersey, Newark, New York city, and Long Island, " circuits," and formed the extreme northern limit of the society in the United States at that time. The East Jersey "circuit " bordered on Orange county, and had stationed on it as " assistants, " John McClaskey and Ezekiel Cooper. While Mr. Cooper was on this circuit (1786) one of his public services was attended by Col. David MeCamley, who invited him to preach at his residence in the town of War- wick. Mrs. Arthur Smith, a sister of Col. MeCamley, was visiting her brother at the time of the service there. and at her solicitation Mr. Cooper accompanied her to her residence in Middlehope, where he held the first Methodist service in the town of Newburgh. The date at which it was held cannot now be ascer- tained, but it was probably in October, 1786. Mr. Cooper, accompanied by Samuel Purdy, also visited at this time John Woolsey, near Milton, and having established here an outpost for missionary labor far beyond the bounds of his circuit, he returned to New Jersey. This was the first Methodist meeting held in Ulster county. Six weeks later John McClaskey and John Cooper passed over the same route, and extended the new circuit to the Paltz, where they held services at the residenes of Hendrick Deyo and An- dries DuBois. They also stopped in the village of
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Newburgh and preached at the house of Elnathan Foster, where a " class " was soon after formed. In January Ezekiel Cooper again visited the district and held services at the house of Samuel Fowler in Middlehope, which was henceforth a regular preach- ing station until 1813. From 1813 to 1822 the meet- ings were held in a barn owned by Daniel Holmes in the summer and in Mr. Fowler's house in the winter.
Ezekiel Cooper was born February 22, 1763, in Caroline county, Maryland. His name first appears in the conference minutes in 1785, though he was pre- viously employed by Bishop Asbury. He was the first " editor and general book steward " of the society, having received that appointment in 1800. Sixty-four years of his life was spent in the ministry, and he was long regarded as one of the brightest lights of the American pulpit. He died on the 21st of February, 1847, at the age of 84 years.
The success which attended the efforts of Mr. Cooper and his associates led to the organization in 1788 of the Flanders (N. J.) circuit, which embraced this section of country. The preachers on this cir- cuit were Jesse Lee, Aaron Hutchinson and John Lee, and it had 543 members. In 1789 it was again divided and the Newburgh circuit established, its preachers being Nathaniel B. Mills and Andrew Harpending. It embraced 261 of the membership of the Flanders cir- cuit and was divided into the following " classes " or informal societies, viz. :
Saml. Fowler's Class. at Middlehope. Elnathan Foster's class, at Newburgh. Munson Ward's Class, at Fostertown. Geo. Stanton's Class, at Gardnertown. Daniel Hohnes' Class, at Middlehope. Jacob Dayton's Class, near Lattintown. Lattintown Class, at Lattintown. Samuel Wyatt's Class, at Keytown. Schultz's Class, at Dolsentown.
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Widow Ellison's Class, at Pockuck.
Warwick Class, at Warwiek.
John Ellison's Class, at New Windsor.
Luff Smith's Class, near Marlborough.
David Ostrander's Class, at Plattekill.
David Stephens' Class, in the Clove.
Richard Garrison's Class, in the Clove.
Saml. Keteham's Class, near Sugar Loaf.
Arter's Class. Barton's Class.
John McWhorter's Class, Long Pond Class.
These classes continued to be visited by the cir- cuit preachers until they ripened into societies of suf- ficient strength to support located ministers, or until that end was attained by the union of two or more classes in a short circuit.
At this time the Presbyterians, Baptists, and Quakers were holding public worship in the town; but many joined with the Methodists and became zeal- ous in the faith. They held frequent services at the houses of the members and their interest became so great that these meetings were often kept up all night. One of those who attended those meetings has transmitted the following circumstance :
I will now relate a circumstance which shows the peculiar care of God over an infant child. My cousin had but one child, an infant of six or seven months old. The mother, wishing to go to meeting the night above mentioned, said "I will give this child to God until I return from meeting." Accordingly, she put the child to bed, and locked up the house, leaving no person whatever in the house with the child. We did not return from meeting that night until the rising of the sun. I went in with the parents to see how it was with the child, and it appeared to lie just as it did when the mother left it the preceding night. The mother said at the meeting that she had given the child into the care of the Lord until she returned, for it seemed to her that it was the will of God that she should be at the meeting that night. She has since said that she could not leave a child so again, unless under similar or some very peculiar circumstances.
Two of the sons of John Woolsey, Elijah and
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Thomas became circuit preachers, Elijah, who was a native of this town and resided here a greater part of his life, has left the following narrative of some of his experiences, which will show some of the hard- ships that the early preachers had to encounter :
I now began to exhort sinners to turn to God; and it was not long before I felt an impression on my mind that it was my duty to preach. I was much troubled on that account ; and my trouble increased until I ventured to make a cove- nant with the Lord that I would preach if I might tarry at home. This eased my mind a little, and I began with great weekness and fear. And I have often been astonished to think how the people could be content to sit and hear me. The way I first came to take a text was this: I sent an appoint- ment for meeting to a place about ten miles off, and when I came there, the man of the house said that I must preach, for it had been given out that there would be preaching, and that the people expected it. I said to myself, " By the grace of God I'll try, and if He has not called me to the work, I hope He will shut my mouth." So I opened my Testament on these words, "Come, for all things are ready," and had consider- able liberty in my own mind while discoursing thereon. My next text was, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock," and the liberty with which I was favored greatly exceeded the former time. This encouraged me much, and I began to arrange my appointments from this time somewhat in the form of a circuit. My next appointment was at the house of a Baptist, and my text was, "Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig-tree, and find none." I had a good time in declaring the word of the Lord, and when I had done a Baptist woman came to me and said, " You have preached * the greatest Methodist sermon I ever heard in my life." * *
My brother Thomas received license to preach a little be- fore I did; mine was sent to me from the quarterly confer- ence. At this time my father had a large farm, and I and my brother used to assist him in the cultivation of it. But there seemed to be a call for one of us at least to take eireuit. So my brother joined the conference, and was appointed to a circuit in the north part of the state of New York. This was in the year 1192. When my brother returned from the conference, father was not willing he should go to the circuit, he being under age, and I being older than he, took his place, and the next day started for my appointment. Father G. was
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presiding elder, and brother K. was my colleague. I had not traveled six months before the charms of " sweet home " al- most overcame me; for our family was a very happy one. We were very happy in each other's company then together, and though I had cheerfully left them, I cast "many a longing look behind." One day I had three appointments, and nearly forty miles to ride. When I came to my evening's appointment, the man of the house met me at the gate, and informed me that my brother Thomas was in the house. I was so ever- come with joy that I did not attempt to preach that night, neither could I sleep after I had gone to bed. My brother, however, supplied my place in preaching : so there was no loss to the people. The next morning my brother agreed to supply my place on the circuit for six weeks, and let me go home. I accepted of his kindness, and visited my relations, who greatly rejoiced at my return. But strange to tell. I had not been long at home before I felt as great an anxiety to return to- my circuit as I did to leave it, in order to visit my friends. So before six weeks had elapsed I went to my work again, and in a short time was appointed to another circuit, leaving my brother in the first appointment.
In my new circuit I met with hard fare, and many trials. The country was thinly inhabited. In some places there were no regular roads. We followed marked trees for eight or nine miles together. Provisions were scarce, and of the home- liest kind. In some instances our greatest luxuries were roasted potatoes. But thank God. we did not stay long at each place. Our appointments for preaching were numerons, and the distance between them very considerable. "Sponging " was not the "besetting sin" of those days, nor "large sala- ries " our greatest snare. Sometimes I had no bed to lie on, nor blanket to cover me in the coldest weather. My saddle- bags were my pillow. and my great coat my "comfortable." The consequence was. repeated and violent colds, which laid the foundation for those infirmities which have for the last two years made me " a supernumerary." Could we have had wherewith to purchase a buffalo robe, and convenience for carrying it, we might have escaped some of the "shadows of itinerancy." Nothwithstanding, however, the hard toils and the hard fare of my first winter's appointment, I saw good times in another respect, and formed some new classes within the bounds of the circuit, and added to the church eighty-eight hopeful members.
I attended the conference in 1193, and arrived at the place
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METHODISM IN THE TOWN OF MARLBOROUGH.
in the evening, and was appointed to preach the next day; but the cross of having to preach before the preachers was so great. that I slept none that night, but prayed and wept con- tinually. As I went to the meeting-house my knees smote one against the other, and when I was in the pulpit, I trembled so much that I could not hold the hymn-book steady enough to see to read the hymn, without laying it on the pulpit and placing my hand on it. I then thought I should not live long, if such were to be my trials. After prayer, however, I gave out my text, and my fears were soon gone, and by help of the Lord I preached for once, if I ever preached in my life. I had brought no written recommendation with me to the conference, but my presiding elder spoke to Bishop Asbury, who wished me to relate my experience and call to the work of the ministry. the bishop and conference seemed satisfied. I was received on trial into the travelling connection, and was appointed six months to one circuit, and six months to another, for the succeeding year. During the latter part of the year I had some exercises of mind respecting offering myself as a mis- sionary for Canada, for at that time it was customary to send to Canada only such as volunteered to go.
At the conference in 1794. D. Dunham came from Canada, and asked me if I would go with him to the province. I consented ; and though I had not had a regular appointment more than one year, the conference accepted of my two years' service, such as it was, and I was ordained a deacon in the church of God, and I was now going out of the states, I was ordained elder the next day. J. Coleman was appointed to go with us. So after conference we set out for Canada. But the parting with my relatives and near friends was a great trial to me, and I was glad when I was out of sight of the house. We went by the way of Albany and Schenectady. At Albany we laid in our provisions for the journey. When we came to Schenectady we found that the company with whom we had intended to go had taken their departure. So we tarried a week, and provided ourselves with a boat. Two men had engaged to go with us, and to work their passage up the Mohawk. but an enemy to the Methodist persuaded them to relinquish their engagement with us, which they did, and went with him. We were then left alone, and had to work our own passage. When we came to the first rapids, which by the Dutch people are called " knock 'em stiff," we had our difficul- ties. I had never used the setting pole in my life, and my colleague, J. C., was not a very good waterman. When we
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had almost ascended the rapids, the boat turned round, and down the stream she went, much more rapidly then she went up. We tried again, and when we had almost conquered the difficulty, the boat turned again. I then jumped overboard, thinking to save the boat from going down stream; but the water was over my head. So away went the boat, with my companions in it, and I swam to shore. The next time we " doubled the cape," and that day made a voyage of ten miles. At night we brought up the boat, and made her fast to a tree. We then kindled a fire, put on the tea-kettle and the cooking- pot, boiled our potatoes, made our tea, and ate our supper with a good appetite and a clear conscience, and after smoking our pipes and chatting a while, we sung and prayed, and then laid ourselves down among the sand and pebbles on the bank of the river to rest; but I was so wearied with the toils of the day that I could not sleep much that night.
Next morning, about daybreak, a man and his son hailed us from the other side of the river, and wished to know if they might work their passage to Rome, a distance of about eighty miles from the spot where we were. Brother Dunham told them if they were civil men, and behave accordingly, they might, and we would find them provisions. So we soon started, but had not gone far before one of them began to swear pro- fanely. We told him if he did not cease swearing we would set them ashore. Not long after this, some things did not please him, and he began swearing again as before. Brother D., being at the helm, steered the boat toward the shore, and gave him his bundle, and told him to go, saying that he would not have a swearer on board. So we parted, and found that wes got along better without them; and that day, by the set- ting of the sun, we rowed up stream about forty miles. We put ashore, as on the preceding night, collected the leaves together, and made our couch as comfortable as we could, for we had no other place for that time whereon to lay our heads, being in some sense like the patriarch of old, when he was on his way to Padan-aram. Our toil by day made repose welcome at night, so that when the morning light appeared we were rather loath to leave our humble beds. The weather, however, warned us to depart. It became stormy by day, and much more so by night. We had rain and snow fifteen days out of nineteen during that journey. When we were going down the Oswego river, two men hailed us from the shore, and desired to work their passage about twenty miles. It was very stormy. I was very weary, and glad to rest a little; so we took them
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in. and I took the helm: but being warm with work, and then sitting still in the boat, I took a violent cold. Toward even- ing we saw a small log house, and went to it. We found the woman sick in bed, and the man in poor health. They had three children. and but very little to eat. Here we lodged all night. I laid me down on the stones of the floor, which were very hard and uneven, but we kept a good fire all night. and I got into a perspiration, which relieved me of my cold a little, so that in the morning I felt much better than on the preceding night. Brother D., being a physician, administered some medicine to the woman, which greatly relieved her. She appeared to be a pious woman, and had been a member of the Baptist church at Ridgefield, in Connecticut, but said she had never seen a Methodist before. We had a very pleasant and edifying interview with the family, that evening, in religious conversation. singing, and prayer. When we discovered that they were so destitute of provisions, we divided our little stock, and shared with them of all that we had. They appeared equally surprised and thankful :- surprised that Methodists (of whom they had heard strange things in their own country) could be both religious and kind, and thankful for the timely relief. They wished that we would tell any of our Methodist friends, who might have to travel that way, to be sure and call on them. They desired us also, if ever we came within forty miles of them, to be sure and go that distance at least out of our way to see them - telling us that we should be wel- come to any thing that the house or farm afforded. The ยท house, however, was not likely to afford much, and there was scarcely anything on the farm but forest trees. This was the only time, during our journey of nineteen days, that we found a house to shelter us : and it was good for that family that they entertained the strangers, for we were in truth as angels of mercy to them. They must have suffered greatly had we not called on them.
At night I have often hunted for a stone or a stick for a pillow, and in the morning when I took hold of the oar or set- ting pole I had to do it as gently as I could, by reason of the soreness of my hands, which were much blistered and bruised in rowing the boat. We attended to family worship both night and morning, although we slept in the woods, and the presence of the Lord was with us of a truth. When we arrived at the fort of Oswego. on lake Ontario, we were searched to see if we were not. " running goods," as they called it. This affair being adjusted without any difficulty - for we were neither spies nor
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smugglers - we were now ready to embark on the lake, but the wind blowing high, we were detained two days longer. At length there was a calm, and we ventured out on the broad lake; and when we had gone about twenty miles, the wind rose again, and blew right ahead, so that we had to change our course, and steer- for the Black river country. The wind was boisterous, and the waves dashed terrible against our little bark, and before we reached the shore we struck a rock, and split our boat - a circumstance which made sailing still more dangerous and un- pleasant. We had a quantity of books on board, which were con- siderably injured by being wet. When we came ashore we made a fire, and dried our clothes and the books. and mended our boat as well as we could. The next day we embarked again on the lake, but the wind was right ahead, which caused us to turn our course. We made for Salmon river, where we put in for that day : and early in the morning of the next day we started again, and pulled at the oars till daylight disappeared in the west. We went round Stony Point, and into Hungary bay, and landed on Grenadier island. When we struck the shore I sprang out of the boat and fell down on the beach, and thought I never knew rest to be so sweet before. But we were sensible that it would not do to sit still: therefore we kindled a fire. hung on the tea-kettle, cooked some vituals - ate our supper, attended family worship, and retired to rest. Our weariness invited repose, nor did the murmur of the waves dis- turb our slumbers: and besides. we had that very necessary requisite to sound sleep, recommended by Dr. Franklin, namely, a good conscience. On this island we found a fortification, and trees, which seemed to be at least one hundred years old, growing in the intrenchment. The island is in the mouth of Hungary bay, and is subject to high winds. Here we were detained until we were brought to an allowance of bread. having only one biscuit a day. I would have given considerable for a piece of bread as big as my hand, if I could have obtained it; but we were afraid of making too free with our little stock, lest it should not last us until we could get from the island. We ate our last biscuit about the middle of the day we left the island, and got into harbour on the main land about 11 o'clock at night, and glad enough we were when we landed. We put up that night at the house of our kind friend. Parrott, Esq. He and his wife were members of our church. and received us very kindly. We informed him how it had been with us respecting food. Sister Parrott hastened to make supper ready, but it was as much as I could do to keep my hands from the
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