The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1868-11-17
NEW YORK CORRESPONDENCE.
CENTENARY DEDICATION

A hundred years ago, q handful of
men and women, followers of John Wes-
ley, assembled in John street to dedicate
chapel they had reared for worship.
The building was of wood, unpainted
and unfinished. The minister and his
people builded his church with their
ewn hands. The seats were without
backs; the gallery was without front;
and when occupied, men and women
climbed up to it by a ladder. 1t was
contrary to law to build place of wor-
ship at that time, except for the Dutch
or Churchmen. The Dutch were very
lenient and would not have disturbed
the Methodists if they had built dozen
chapels. The Methodists were consci-
entious, and applied to the Dutch au
thorities to know how they could erect
their house of worship and not violate
law. The sturdy Dutchmen told them
to put q chimney and mantlepiece into
the house, and it would be dwelling,
and not chapel. So the first Method
ist church in America sprang into being.
The site of this first chapel is retained
to this day. On it stands plain, un-
pretending looking brick building known
as John Street Church. 1t was densely
crowded on the 25th of October, the an
niversary of the dedication of the first
church one hundred years ago. Bishop
James presided. A love feast, a sermon
by the Bishop, free conference meet
ing, and q collection of $4,000 to meet
the repairs of the church, marked the
occasion. The property is worth not
less than 100000. 1t is now owned
by the denomination, and the trustees
are elected by the General Conference,
which meets once in four years. A tab
let was unveiled, erected to the memory
Of Philip Embury, the first pastor, who
built tue pulpit with his own hands, and
to Barbara Heck, who broke up a con-
clave of card playing Methodists by her
severe rebukes, drove them to prayer.
and Embury to the pulpit. The Bible
that Embury preached the first sermon
Iom, bearing date 1911, was used by
Bishop james on this occasion. The
Methodists of to-day. with their many
altars girdling the earth, on which the
sun does not set; with their colleges,
educational and theological institutions;
with countless church edifices of marbl
and stone, am ong the most costly in the
land; with an unnumbered mem bership,
embracing orators, poets, scholars and
statesman; with its mighty centenary
donations embracing individual gifts
from 81 900 to $3.50, ,OOO-form a mark
ed contrast to the little company, who,
in their weakness and poverty reared
the first chapel on the site Of the John
street Church.
'.JoHN ALIEN" OF WATER STREET.
There is quite lull in matters on Wa
ter street. John Allen has subsidized His
rooms are closed. for the police will not
hired close to his den and meetings are
held daily aed nightly. The day meet
ing do not amount, to much. In the
evening the attendance is very good.
and made up Of the dwellers in Water
street. 1t seems marvellous that sensi-
BILE men could have been deceived in
John Allen. A sensation writer, pom
dering the morbid and prurient tastes
of our low populace, sounding the
depths of depraved New York, by night
ly visits, ran upon the den Of John Al
len. He is an ignorant, coarse, shrewd.
tonguey; depraved fellow. His father
is plain farmer in the centre Of the
State of New York. He has two broth
ers who are preachers. In the centre
of his vile den, where he had made some
money, he took the rank Of Satan in
Pandemomium. A gassy, conceited
man, ordering round the poor creatures
who look to him for bread. He was
fond of talking with his visitors about
his grand relations. He was making no
money, but losing it, and was looking
round for chance to sell out, when he
found himself lifted into notoriety By
being described as the most depraved
m An in the city. He was drunk 'ery
day openly and notoriously drunk, yet
he found religious people to take him
by the hand and lionize him. His den,
for which he gave 81. 200 year, he rent
Ell for $3.50 month. Foul mouthed,
obscene and profans beyond descrip
ton, he was allowed to be master Of
ceremonies at the religious meetings in
his rooms, and hold levee after the
service when he was often so drunk
that he could scarcely stand. He tried
to talk several times in religious
meetings, but his incoherent ramblings
we're shut off by the leader. One day