The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-04-23
Sketch Of the Man-Flrst Mcth0dst Preacher
n Amelca-Tho Refinement h Weed
land Cemetery-Obsequles 1t the
Graye-Addresses Of Bishop James
and Rev. 8. D. Brown,
Of New York.

has kfo"u W al nBbfoBhse uuuho0iou W nun
dreds Of thousands scattered over the whole Of North
America; and the first conference OF l77s with Its
preachers, las multiplied to sixty conferences, with
6,s2I itinaant and 8,2O5 s1ocal preachers." II
Is not wonderful, then, with these facts 10
stimulate memory, that In this, Its centennial
year. conference Of the Methodist Church,
In that where for nearly ninety years the
bones Of him who set up Its foundation stone In the New
World have moudered in obscurty shoad carefully gar
ner up these relics OF the memorable dead and with ht
ting ceremonies entomb them in urn better calcu
lated impress the future with the memory and worth
Of the man Among Methodists in America the name Of
Philip Embuy held in scarcely less esteem than that
Of the grea expounder Of the Methodist creed II
directed time ago that during the present session Of
the Troy Methodist Episcopal Conference tho remains Of
Embury should be transferred from the obscure
location where they have lain and deposited
in the new Woodland Cemetery recently opened
in the town Of Cambridge Washington county. Last Fri
day afternoon witnessed this ceremony and two hun
dred ministers In attendance at the conference,
with very large number Of villagers, followed 70 a
grave the relics Of their great pioneer and with solemn
rites recommitted them TO mother earth As Embury
one whose history Is unfamiliar to his own follow
ers sketch Of his life may not be inopportune In con-
nection with record Of his third obsequies-hs body
having been before removed after its nst burial
PHILIP EMBURY
born In Limerick county, Ireland, September q,
1928, among the German Irshmen, Palatnes, the
people called who then inhabited that country they
having driven from Palanate the Rhine by the
troops OF Louis XIV Embury first heard Wesley preach
in 1882 and becoming convert Of tho Methodist faith
licensed after ''locai preacher" He al
ready possessed fair education having studied under
both English and German teachers though previous to
his conversion he had followed the trade OF carpenter
He came 10 America IN 1890. arriving the 10th Of
August and took up his residence in New York His
wife and number OF others accompanied him In this
country be attempted to keep his society together and
observe tho forms Of worship But tho novelties and
temptations Of life In the New World stronger than
his influence One BY one his followers fell away and
he, becoming discouraged abandoned all preaching until
the year i1o8 when he prompted 10 renew
his efforts by the influence Of Mrs Barbara Heck
jealous woman who had accompanied him to coun-
try II was then that he commenced preaching In his
own house. located upon Barrack street, New York. now
Park place and there the first Methodist society In Amer
lea formed. In this connection the name OF Cap
tam Thomas Webb, the British soldier who joined HIM
at this tme, will he readily recalled Together Embury
and Webb preached and worked until his small house
was totally inadequate To accommodate tho crowds
which assembled 'riaeing loft" sixty feet by
tho two preached twice q week. chapel became
sary, and In 176s the pioneer Methodist church
erected on the site Of the John street church Nsw
York 1t this time had population Of twenty thousand
Embury continued 10 servo the church In this chapel
gratuousy until the arrival Of the nrst missionaries sent
out by John Wesley In 1859, when he surrendered tho
charge and with party Of fellow Aethodists emgraied
Washington county He there continued his sbors
ocui preacher and formed society chiefly Of his
xn countrymcn at Ashgrove, ,hs nr.t Methods,
ganzaon within the bounds OF the present Troy Confer
ence, now numbering twenty Ave thou.and commun
cants and than two hundred travelling preachers
Embury died suddenly in IT'S in consequence OF IN &C
cidep, by which he injured himself while moving He
named feter switrer amcnied as he bad been beloved
by all the villagers For MY seven years his remains
slumbered In this solitary spot without monument
add In fact their resting place not known by the
church he had founded In 1892 they disnterred and
entombed In tho Ashgrovc Cemetery, adjoining the
Irish orator John Mat, father OF the rebel naval
captain Of that name, pronounced eulogy upon the
man The rema renamed here until the ceremonial
chronicled In this sketch
AsHGRovE CEMETERY,
they wsTs :fsh upon ms Scasioh, os;sgrs .po,
The cemetery and church were named Asns'ovs In
honor OF family long resident In the vicinity In
corner Of the lot Is small house, venerable with age
and associations II built for Embury and was the
monument at tbis grave was a plan slab
Of MARBLE with the following inscription
E%eary the earliest American n m minister ,ss o. ,hs
resting Blessed In the sight Of the Lord the death
OF his saints Born In Ireland emgrsntt 10 New York
Embury the first 10 gather little class In that city
and 10 set In motion train which rcsted
In the founding Of the John Street Church. the cradle Of
Methodism and the introduction OF q system which has
beautined the earth with salvation and increased the
Joys OF heaven"
THE PROCESSION.
the Mcthodst church at two o'clock Friday afternoon.
Hss % ss 4 81
the grave the new rough box in which had
teen placed the fragments Of the conn and
skeleton va placed across the opening destined
% receive II and tru opened probably now Tor The last
une The entire procession passed BY and viewed the
mortal remnants Of Philp Embury The skeleton "a IN
became momentary lred upon the shell animated
with crusaders zeal the past and present seemed TO
an. ffuii i million Of converts dashed through each
mind The upon the coffin was that OF tho master
spirit who had reared ~ this bis own and noe.si monu
church Cambridge, conducted the exercises at the
gave which consisted Of singing the hymn
There s a land OF pure delight
followed by a fcrvent prayer from Rev. John Pogs Of
caseton, " The conn was carried to e place BY Rev
A. A. Fau, Rev. " l. starks, Mr. y A Hnds, OF
Albany and Rev. Arthur Moony, Of Troy.
BISHOP JAMES.
of New York introduced, and spoke zoe half
an hour IN singuariy appropriate and inssres,
address but solemn expression q feeling such
~ only the could arouse The ons mode
spired him Of exultaon In view OF the wonderful work
accomplished o. the results Of patient earnest toll and
reauremeuts OF duty in an humble position The diGer
manifested by our people Of 70 day IN Tcfernns
pleasant and chceru sbodes for the dead instead o. the
gloomy Of othr days received appropriate pa-s
Ing attention The former like the religion they be-
oved a. contras,ed with the blind theories 81 nhdels
and beaibens The speaker sad tho present occasion
was not gloomy one; there no sadness IN the A.
s1ciatons awakened There vas nothing "a the past
in connection with the history oi the man whom hey
ommittng 10 the earth ~ regret nothing 10 the
present This rather Occason Of thank.
falne.sL The occasion suggestive 0 important
PRINCIPLES that the righteous are held IN everlasting
remembrance the memory of the just u blessed vhie
the u the wicked shall rot aud be blptied out OF
memory. II siso illustrates "a the young that 70 DC
bed IN remembrance alone not honor o. fame for 10
be remembered for simple decd 81 daring, where The
good OF others be sought IL not glortonf The
Church should learn from the sugge-tons u the OCCASION
that The progress o. Christianity 10 not 70 be carried on
by pomp or shov or pride aud - far A. The Church
follows these she wilt fail Tue Bishop closed bis re-
him 10 patiently do their duty 10 whatever sphere they
found themselves called W move
REV. =. %. BnowS,
81 Nss York followed In few eloquent remarks ssn
~. ,ho.sh,s s..s~nef bv the Bishop Ne said thai he