USA > New York > The earliest churches of New York and its vicinity > Part 15
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But the most extraordinary fact connected with this German Palatine colony in Ireland, and evangelized by the Methodist itinerants, was not conceived at the time by Mr. Wesley ; it was destined to introduce Methodism into the New World. During his visit to these Pala- tines, in 1752, he licensed Philip Embury, one of these converted German Irishmen. as a "local preacher" among them ; and fourteen years afterwards this young man emigrated to New York. Here he opened his own hired house, a humble one-story building, for divine
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services ; preaching, and forming the first Methodist society in America. In two years more he dedicated the first Methodist chapel in America. Thus was founded American Methodism, a church, as many assert, the predominant Protestant belief of the New World, from Newfoundland to California.
Embury has left the record of his conversion, written with his own hand, in this evangelical language :
"On Christmas Day, being Monday, the 23th December, in the year 1752, the Lord shone into my soul by a glimpse of Ilis redeeming love, being an earnest of my redemption in Christ Jesus, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen."
PHILIP EMBURY."
He married Margaret Switzer, an Irish Palatine, emi- grating to America in 1760, with his wife, two or three brothers, and their families. Paul Heck, wife and family, Valer Fetle, Peter Switzer (Mrs. Embury's brother), Philip Morgan, and a family of the Dulmages. He delivered his last sermon in Ireland from the side of the ship in which he embarked for America, to a large con- course, some of whom came sixteen miles to hear him. With tears and uplifted, praying hands, he bade them farewell, arriving at New York August 10, 1760.
During the year 1765, another vessel reached New York from Ireland, with Paul Ruckle and family, Luke Rose, Jacob Heck. Peter Barkman, and Henry Williams, with their families. These were all Palatines, but only a few of them "Wesleyans."-the emigrants intimate with each other. Embury preached his first sermon in .his own house, to a company of sia persons, besides his own family.
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CHAPTER XXI.
METHODIST CHURCH, CONTINUED-CAPTAIN WEBB APPEARS-RIGGING- LOFT OBTAINED FOR RELIGIOUS MEETINGS-JOIIN STREET CHURCH BUILT, 1768, THE FIRST METHODIST CHURCHI IN AMERICA-SUBSCRIP- TIONS TO BUILD THE CHURCH FROM THE VESTRY AND RECTORS OF TRINITY AND OTHERS-CAPTAIN WEBB'S LIFE-BOARDMAN AND PIL- MORE, THE FIRST WESLEYAN PREACHERS TO AMERICA, 1768-AS- BURY AND WRIGHT FOLLOWED, 1771-EMBURY'S DEATH -- STRANGE SCENE IN JOHN STREET CHURCH ON A WATCH-NIGHT-AN ENGLISHI COLONEL THE CAUSE OF IT-APOLOGY-METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH IN THE UNITED STATES ORGANIZED, 1784-5-RAPID AD- VANCE SINCE-OLD JOHN STREET TAKEN DOWN AND A NEW CHURCH BUILT IN ITS PLACE-CHURCH LIBRARY-SUMMERFIELD'S CENOTAPII-THIRD CHURCHI ERECTED ON THE SPOT IN 1841- FATIIERS OF METHODISM IN NEW YORK --- MR. LUPTON AND HIS DESCENDANTS.
ABOUT this time, a singular event brought this little Christian band into more notoriety. At one of their re- ligious meetings a military officer, in full uniform, made his appearance, and had come to unite in their devotions. This was Captain Thomas Webb, of the British army, who had, some years before, embraced Christianity under John Wesley's preaching, in Bristol, England, and was licensed by him as a "local preacher." now became one of the principal agents to establish Methodism in America. A rigging-loft on William street, No. 120, near John, next was the room for the meetings of the infant Methodist Society. In this humble place, Philip Embutry and Captain Webb
THE OLD RIGGING-LOFT. First place of Methodist worship in New York.
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preached, to increasing hearers, Christ and Him cruci- fied. In the changes of our busy city, this venerable building, so identified with earliest Methodism in Amer- ica, remained until about the year 1855.
"Old John Street Church," as it was called, or "Wes- ley Chapel," was next built and consecrated, October 30th, 1768; Mr. Embury, the Palatine, selecting for his text on the occasion, " Sow to yourselves in right- eousness ; reap in mercy ; break up your fallow ground, for it is time to seek the Lord, till he come and rain righteousness upon you." Like Paul, the tent-maker, "with his own hands" did Mr. Embury work as a car- penter on this sacred edifice. He was also a trustee and the treasurer of the new church.
This property was obtained from Mrs. Barclay, the widow of the Rev. Henry Barclay, the second rector of Trinity Church. I have before me a copy of the origi- nal subscribers to the new building. They are two hundred and fifty in number, and the list is a great curiosity. Captain Webb's is the first and largest sub- scription, thirty pounds; the next, William Lupton, twenty pounds, which he increased to thirty afterwards. "Mr. Wesley's Prayer-Book." as it was called, was early used in this Methodist Chapel. It has his auto- graph, and the book now belongs to the Rev. Dr. John- son, the rector of the Episcopal Church, Jamaica, Long Island, a relative of Mr. Lupton, and whose name he also bears, William L.
The clergy and vestry of Trinity Church also liberally aided the new undertaking, Dr. Auchmuty and the Rev. Messrs. Ogilvie and Inglis, its rectors, all making bono-
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factions. Indeed, the most conspicuous citizens seem to have shared in the pious work, for among them we notice Philip and Peter Livingston, Theodore Van Wyck, John II. Cruger, James Duane (Judge), Peter Van Shaick, LL. D., Frederick De Peyster, Andrew Hamersley, James De Lancey, Lieutenant-Governor Ed- ward Laight, David Clarkson, Gabriel Ludlow, Joseph Reade, Nicholas Stuyvesant, Mary Ten Eyck, Mrs. Lispenard, &c., &c. There are other "honorable women," not a few, on the subscription list; and a "Rachel"' gave nine shillings, and "Margaret," seven shillings-unknown on earth, their names doubtless are written in the heavenly books. They were likely " col- ored girls" or servants, giving their mite, which was probably the most liberal of the whole.
The memory of Captain Webb should be preserved and honored, for his character and exertions, with those of Mr. Embury, form some most important recollections of earliest Methodism in the United States.
In the campaign of 1758, and before his conversion, Captain Webb served under General Wolfe. He was present at the memorable battle on the Plains of Abra- ham, when his gallant leader lost his life, and he himself received two wounds, one in his right arm, and another which deprived him of his right eye. Afterward he returned to England, professed religion, becoming a fol- lower of Mr. Wesley. He was soon appointed barrack- master at Albany, and came again to America. When he heard of the newly formed Wesleyan Society in New York, he hastened to their assistance. In his par- sonal appearance, Captain Webb united a portly figure
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with a fine commanding countenance, wearing over his forehead a strip of black ribbon and a blind, to conceal his wounded eye. This description is in perfect keep- ing with a finely engraved portrait of him, published in London in 1797, a copy of which is in possession of the writer. In this engraving, his right hand is placed on his breast, whilst the left points to a Bible, from which he appears to be discoursing, as it lies with his sword and cap before him. At the botton of the likeness is the coat of arms of his family, with this motto: "I have fought a good fight." From all accounts, he was a plain and very energetic speaker, performing his reli- gious duties without the fear of man. Nor were his pious labors, with those of Mr. Embury, unsuccessful. The people attended in crowds to hear them, until the Wes- leyans were compelled a second time to look out for a larger place of worship. They succeeded in obtaining a more commodious building, about sixty feet long and eighteen feet broad, which had been erected for a rig- ging-house.
The cut is a very correct exterior view of "Old John Street." as the first church was called. Its length was sixty feet, its breadth forty-two, and the walls were built of stone, the face covered over with a blue plaster, ex- hibiting an appearance of durability, simplicity, and plainness. Entrances to the galleries were subsequently added on each side of the door. The interior was equal- ly plain, and remained many years in an unfinished state. There were at first no stairs or breastwork to the galleries, a en heaters ascended by a ladder, and listened 1, cher from a platform. For a long
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1 while, even the seats on the lower floor had no backs. At that period in our colonial history, no public religious services could be performed in churches except such as were established by law. Dissenters were therefore compelled to accommodate their places of worship in some way to meet this legal difficulty, which was avoid- ed by attaching a fireplace and chimney to the internal arrangements of Wesley Chapel, as it was thus con- sidered a private dwelling. A small building of the antique Dutch style stood partly in front of the church, and became, after a while, the parsonage. The sextons used to reside in its basement. Peter Williams, a col- ored man, and one of the oldest members of the Church, served in this office. While a slave, for slavery then existed in New York, he purchased his freedom from his own industry, and then amassed a respectable property by diligent labor. He lived to see his children well educated, and one son was for years a useful pastor of a Protestant Episcopal Church in this city. The old doorkeeper in the house of the Lord has long since left his post, and entered into that holy temple not made with hands, to go in and out no more forever.
Very numerous audiences were soon attracted to Wesley Chapel, "to hear the word." In two years after its dedication, the congregation, which had com- meneed, three years before, with six hearers, had in- creased to a thousand and over, at times filling the open area in front of the church. Such was the progress of the society, that Mr. Wesley was strongly solicited to send an able and experienced preacher to their assist- ance. In the letter sent to England with the request,
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the members used the following strong and remarkable language : " With respect to the payment of the preach- er's passage over, if they could not procure it, we would sell our coats and shirts to procure it for them." In answer to these earnest desires, Messrs. Boardman and Pilmore volunteered to be the first Methodist missionaries to this country. They arrived in 1769, and were the earliest itinerant Wesleyan preachers in America. They brought with them fifty pounds, " as a token of brotherly love," to the new church. In addition to these two missionaries. the Rev. Messrs. Asbury and Wright came over in 1771. Captain Webb returned in the mean time to England. and settled at Bristol, where he died at the age of seventy-two years, leaving this last and delightful testimony: "I know I am happy in the Lord, and shall be with Him, and that is all-sufficient." Thus true faith has her erown as well as her cross.
His fellow-laborer in the field of carly American Methodism, Mr. Embury, retired into the interior, where he closed his useful life in the spring of 1775, without a stone to tell where he lay. His grave was found in 1833. when his bones were removed to a neigh- boring burying-ground at Ash-grove, and here they were again recommitted to their mother earth, with suit- able religious ceremonies. A plain marble tablet has been placed over his remains, with this inscription :
PHILIP EMBURY,
THE EARLIEST AMERICAN MINISTER OF THE M. E. CHURCH, HERE FOUND HIS LAST EARTHLY RESTING-PLACE.
"Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints"
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Born in Ireland, an emigrant to New York, Embury was the first to gather a little class in that city, and co set in motion a train of measures which resulted in the founding of the John Street Church, the cradle of American Methodism, and the introduction of a system which has beautified the earth with salvation, and increased the joys of heaven.
During the War of the American Revolution, most of the churches in this city were occupied as military pris- ons or hospitals. The Middle Dutch Church, now the Post-office, was a prison and charnel-house to hundreds. No less than three thousand Americans wore confined in that ancient temple of the Almighty. Six and eight dead bodies might be seen of a morning conveyed from this sorrowful abode. Its pews were consumed for fuel, and the place was finally occupied as a riding- school for the British cavalry. Two thousand rebel prisoners, so called, were incarcerated in the North Dutch Church, William street. The Quaker meeting- house, formerly on Pearl street, was converted into a hospital. Wesley Chapel shared a similar fate, a regi- ment of Americans being confined here for several weeks. The small-pox broke out among them with dreadful fatality, and the whole corps. in consequence, soon after vacated the building. An old Dutch clergy- man, known as Dominic Sampson, occasionally preached in the chapel to the German refugees.
Religions meetings at night were then generally for- bidden, but allowed in the Methodist church, as the British imagined, or rather desired, that the followers of Wesley should favor their cause. Still, the services were sometimes interrupted and disturbed by the rude conduet of men belonging to the army. They would often stand in the aisles with their caps on during divine
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233 :
worship, careless and inattentive. On one occasion, before the congregation was dismissed, they sang the national song, "God save the King." At the conclu- sion, the society immediately began and sang to the same air those beautiful lines of Charles Wesley :
"Come, thou Almighty King,
Help us thy name to sing, Help us to praise !
Father all-glorious,
O'er all victorious,
Come and reign over us, Ancient of Days!
"Jesus, our Lord, arise,
Scatter our enemies,
And make them fall !
Let Thine almighty aid
Our sure defence be made, Our souls on Thee be stayed. Lord, hear our call," &c.
Upon a Christmas eve, when the members had assem- bled to celebrate the advent of the world's Redeemer, a party of British officers, masked, marched into the house of God. One, very properly personifying their master, appeared with cloven feet and a long, forked tail. The devotions of course ceased, and the chief devil, proceeding up the aisle, entered the altar. As he was ascending the stairs of the pulpit, a gentleman pres- ent, with his cane, knocked off His Satanic Majesty's mask, when, lo! there stood a well-known British colo- nel. He was immediately seized, and detained until the city guard was sent to take charge of the offender. The congregation retired, and the entrances of the church were locked upon the prisoner for additional security.
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His companions outside then commenced an attack upon the doors and windows, but the arrival of the guard put an end to these disgraceful proceedings, and the prisoner was delivered into their custody. This attempt to dis- turb the services originated at the play-house, which at that time occupied a spot not far from the chapel, where Thorburn's seed-store now stands. The British officers were often actors, and doubtless obtained their masks and grotesque dresses from this theatrical wardrobe. There was, however, redeeming virtue enough in the British authorities to rebuke the rioters, and the devil- colonel made a public apology for his offence. To atone for what had been done, a guard of soldiers was regu- larly stationed, for a long time afterward, at the door of the chapel, to preserve order.
A state of war is always inimical to the advancement of morals and religion ; and during the seven years while the foreign foe had possession of New York, it was a season of sorrow and trial to the Wesleyan So- ciety. All the preachers from England. except Mr. As- bury, were obliged to return home, on account of favor- ing the British king and cause. Many of the society removed into the country, and those who remained in the city, now destitute of their own ministers, would repair to St. Paul's Church, on Broadway, to receive the sacraments from the hands of an Episcopalian clergy- man.
The glorious termination of the severe Revolutionary struggle introduced a brighter day to the Church of Christ. Until now, Methodism in America had been the same as Methodism in England. In its objeets, doc-
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trines, and moral discipline, it remains so until this hour ; but Mr. Wesley's powers over the American So- cieties ceased when the United States became indepen- dent of the political and ceclesiastical authority of the mother country. Accordingly, in the year 1784-5, the Methodist Episcopal Church in the United States was organized.
From that period, the march of Methodism has been rapid. Previous to the year 1817, six Methodist Epis- copal Churches had been erected in New York. Still more room was needed, especially for the members in the lower part of the city, and it was determined to erect a new and large church upon the spot where Wesley Chapel stood. The old walls were accordingly demolished on the 13th of May, 1817, the Rev. Daniel Ostrander making a suitable address at the time, and on the first Sabbath of the new year, January 4, 1818, the new church was dedicated to the service of God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Immense congregations attended on the occasion, by estimation not less than two thousand. The Rev. Dr. Bangs, Samuel Merwin, and Joshua Soule, now bishop, delivered the dedicatory sermons, distinguished for most impressive eloquence, and attended with unusual pathos.
The new church was one of the most commodious and beautiful in the city, and served as a model for many throughout the country. Its walls were of grau- ite, partly built from the materials of the old chapel, and the dimensions were sixty-two by eighty-seven feet. The cost was about thirty thousand dollars. It had a large lecture-room, and here was deposited a
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valuable library for the use of the congregation. To the credit of these early Methodists it should be men- tioned, that this collection of books commenced in the year 1702, and was formerly located in the old parson- age. The example is worthy the imitation of all reli- gious societies. HIere, too, was placed the old clock of Wesley Chapel, which still tells the hours of the sanctuary, as it has also marked the flight of so many annual rounds upon that consecrated spot.
There was a beautiful cenotaph to the memory of the Rev. John Summerfield placed in the front and out- side wall of the church. He was President of the Young Men's Missionary Society, and its managers erected this memorial to commemorate his virtues, elo- quence, piety, and devotion to the holy cause. The monument is made of finely polished black marble, in the shape of a cone. An urn is fixed upon a pedestal at the base, with a few volumes of books on either side ; and drapery hangs in graceful folds from one part of the urn, while to the right of it there is a scroll half un- rolled. The following tribute, from the pen of Bishop Soule, is inscribed upon the tablet in the centre of the cenotaph :
SACRED To the Memory of THE REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD, A. M. " A burning and a shining light." He commenced his ministerial labors in the Connection Of the Wesleyan Methodists in Ireland ; But employed the last four years of his life In the itinerant ministry Of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in the United States.
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His mind was stored with the treasures of science ;
From a child he knew the Holy Scriptures.
Meckness and humility
United with extraordinary intellectual powers Exhibited in his character a model Of Christian and ministerial excellence. Ilis perception of truth was clear and comprehensive ; His language pure, And his actions chaste and simple.
The learned and the illiterate attended his ministry With admiration, And felt that his preaching was In the demonstration of the Spirit and of power.
Distinguished by the patience of hope And the labor of love, He finished his course in peace and triumph. BORN IN PRESTON, ENGLAND, JANUARY 31ST, 1798. DIED IN THIS CITY, JUNE 13TH, 1823.
This monument was erected by the Young Men's Missionary Society, of which he was President.
This second church on the earliest spot of American Methodism, continued to be used for its sacred purposes for twenty-four years ; then it was taken down, and the third, which is the present edifice, was erected in 1841. When Wesley Chapel was finished, in the year 1768, the city of New York did not extend beyond the pres- ent Park. St. Paul's Church and the Brick Chapel were in the " fields," then so called. Its population did not quite reach twenty-two thousand, and three thou- sand of these were colored. Few cities of the world have increased more rapidly. In less than three-quar- ters of a century afterward, its inhabitants numbered three hundred thousand. The lower part of the city
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had become the business section, and residences were built far beyond this limit. Many new Methodist churches had been provided to meet the wants of this rapidly-growing population.
It was now resolved to erect a smaller chapel on the spot, with two four-story brick houses, one on each side, as a source of income. The ent is a very excellent view of the whole. in its external appearance, the church is simple, plain, and neat-the inside beautiful and commodious, with a pulpit in a semicircular recess : dimensions. forty-two feet by eighty. The basement is above ground; it is an admirable room for religious meetings, and here may be seen the only relics of old Jolin Street Church -- its venerable clock and library. There are two tablets in front, with these inscriptions :
THIS CHURCH, THE FIRST ERECTED BY THE METHODIST SOCIETY IN AMERICA, WAS BUILT, 1768. REBUILT, 1817. " According to this time it shall be said, What hath God wrought !" Numbers xxiii.
THE FIRST METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCHI, Rebuilt, A. D. 1811. " This is my rest forever ; here will I dwell."-Psalms.
It is a remarkable fact, and worth recording, that although, when Wesley Chapel was first founded, its members were compelled to solicit aid from Mr. Wesley to finish it, their successors own the present beautiful place of worship. Few spots have been thus more sig- nally blessed. As long as there are hearers of the Gos- pel in this great metropolis, may this consecrated ground
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be devoted to the preaching of a pure, earnest, and evangelical faith !
Perhaps something should be said about the fathers of Methodism in New York. Among the first trustees of Jolin Street Church we find Captain Thomas Webb, who was the largest subscriber to the building -- thirty pounds ; William Lupton, who gave twenty pounds, and afterwards added ten pounds more. He was a mer- chant prince. and adopted this motto : "The church first, and then my family." He was an Englishman by birth, a man of wealth and piety, and of great service to the infant society. He died in 1794, and was buried in his own vault beneath Old John Street Church. He came to America in 1753, a quartermaster under George II., and belonged to the same regiment with Captain Webb. American Methodism is much indebted to these commis- sioned pious officers of the British army. Mr. Lupton married a daughter of Brant Schuyler, and their eldest son became a minister in the Reformed Dutch Church. Mrs. Lupton dying in 1769, he then married Mrs. Elizabeth Roosevelt, whose first husband was Dominie Frelinghuysen, of Albany, and the second, Peter Roosevelt. He was a member of John Street Church, but removing to Long Island, where there was no so- ciety of this denomination, he became an Episcopalian. as his respectable descendants are now. Mr. Lupton's second wife was a daughter of Lancaster Syms, a vestry- man of Trinity Church. Dr. Ogilvie, the well-known rector of that parish, married another daughter of Mr. Syms.
Mr. Lupton's daughter, Elizabeth, married the Rev.
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John B. Johnson, of the Reformed Dutch Church ; and a daughter of hers. Maria, became the companion of the Rev. E. M. Johnson, Brooklyn. William Lupton John- , son, D. D., of Jamaica, Long Island, named after his grandfather, and his brother, the Rev. Samuel Roose- velt Jolmson, D. D., of the Protestant Episcopal Semi- nary, New York, are also children of Mrs. Elizabeth Johnson. How remarkably have the descendants of William Lupton, of old John Street Methodist Church, been blessed !
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