The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-11-23

CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION.
rrna r,erteuuIaS Celebration sf Sc. Georges M.
m. Ghurch-Sketch Of It's Histery-Its Former
Pnssers-Programme for Te-niorrow.

acne fteuteungai Celebration ~ sc. Georges M
nj synuros-eketch Of it's Histery-1ts Former
Fnssorr-Proramme for Te-naorrOw.
et Georges N. u. Church, situated on Fourth
near New street, win celebrate tomorrow the one
nundredth anniversary OF its dedication. special
exercises of an interesting character viii take place
fn the church building, In the morning, afternoon,
st Georges is the oldest church Of its denomina-
ton In the city, and was among the rst In the coun-
s1ndred and twenty pastors about twenty Of whom
are now living. Many names noted in connection
with the history of Methodism I'm this country are
among the number, and also many Of the strongest
preachers and bishops Of the Church. 49,
The lrst meeting OF Methodlsts held in this city,
which was the nucleus from which the congregation
sprung, was class OF seven persons collected by
Captain Webb an ofiicer OF the British army, who
was also instrumental in introducing Methodism in
Long Island and in building it up in New York.
This class OF seven first met in loft which had
been obtained from a sail-maker named Croft. The
loft was situated near the draworidge which then
spanned Dock creek, at Front street, on the Dela-
ware river. The building now numbered 24s
and $50 s. Front street, which is still sall-loft,
The T1s Grs society which was formed from this class
consisted OF James Emerson and wife, Miles Pen
nington and wife, Robert Fitzgerald and wife, and
John Hood. James Emerson was the first Metho-
dist class-leader in Philadelphia ,
The building known as st. Georges M. 2. Church,
bers OF q German Reformed congregation, then at
the Of Fourth and sassafras streets intend
ing IL for their own place OF worship. They bought
the lot OF a DIR. Shppen, and erected building OF
about fiftyhve by eighy-llye feet dney were b not
became embarrassed, and 1t has been SAID tnat they
were imprisoned for the debts which tney nau con-
tracted IL is said of them that when their acqnalnt-
ances inquired OF them as they looked through the
prison windows, mFor what were you put In jail p
thew answered NFor building church." TO go to
Jail for the pous deed of building church became
proverb throughout the city. An act was passed by
the Of the church, and the payment OF its debts
on the 18Th OF June, 177O, the church was decided
TO william Branson Hockey, in consideration of
.e7o0. On the 14th OF June, 177o, Mr.: Hockey, by
deed, conveyed the property to Miles Pennington "a
.e650 Pennsylvania curreLcy. On the 11th OF Sep
tember, 1910, the said Miles Pennington, tallow
Boardman, Joseph Pilmoor, Thomas Webb, Edward
Evans, Daniel Montgomery, John bowers, Edmund
who at that time constituted all the male members
OF the congregation for e650. The building had
long been known by the name of st. Georges, but it
does not appear that it was baptized by this name
until $780, The FIRST time that the name is recorded
preaching house."
The building was fitted up in a very cheap style
for worship and the Methodsts left entirely, If they
had not done it before, the satolt of Mr.. Croft.
When Howe's army entered Philadelphia In 1I77,
this house was occupied by portion OF it, and
torn out. Other places of worship received similar
Tsy ses wSEe qSed bT be as s ae
peace was proclaimed the implements Of war
a 81 h es1g BE Of eSeg ST. eae ana BS
It a riding school for their cavalry, it is said
they showed regard to them pgTo6aGSy 1S on ac
test, which seems to have been the cause that led
them to favor Wesley Chapel and the Methodists of
New York;, by giving them the use OF the First Bap-
tist Church in Lagrange place, in Front street, to
worship in thus showing them little more favor
than was manifested to the Baptsts and Presby-
When the British army left Philadelphia the
leth0diss began to rally and to build up their shat
tered cause, which was in condition than it
years before. They made out to put a
I'd floor in the east end of their church,
%nle\ her half had its natural eartheD door.
The se1 !ere equally coarse and the pulpit was
square box in the north side, near the door, that
In the church before it was modernized.
In 1779 Mr.. Garretson was sent, by Bishop .Asbury,
from the quarterly meeting in Kent county, Della
ware, to preach for and reorganze the Philadelphia
brethren He continued with them two months
John Cooper and George MAR were appointed to the
Philadelphia Circuit and ever since there has been
In process of time the house was hoored from, ~
10 end, and more comely seats were put N with
new pulpit which is described as talIi, o1 VIZ ~
\ after the fashion OF the - The pulpit was
gh, it held but one perSSn and scarcely had room,
&M stnoSsaSt action in the speaker This second
*Snrn ASSeu in the centre of the east end OF the
The house not plastered until DR..
to America, and the Methodists were
Q6rihg the FIRST fifteen years that the Methodlsts
worshipped in st. Georges they sat under the minis
try of most of the Fathers that planted Methodism
Webb Williams, King, Asbury Wright Walters,
Rankin, and some two score and more of others.
There was church in the connection that Bishop
Asbury labored as much for as St Georges of Pha-
dephia- 1t was for nearly afty years the largest
Tica 1t in fact their cathedral. In l7l2 Bishop
Asbury was endeavoring to raise e160 to discharge
of S270 to relieve it of the incumbrance OF ground
rent In 1856 he was trying to discharge its debit
which then amounted to G5OO In 1883 he called a
meeting of the principal members to consult about
Incorporating II.
Nethodsts had owned 1t for more than twenty years.
In 1895, after preaching in it, Bishop Asbury re-
marked:-"To my surprise, l saw the galleries
filled - what he had not seen before In 1895 he held
last meeting with the trustees, to consult about
the church, when it resolved TO raise subscrip-
tion to complete it, This was the condition in which
the building was fifty years ago During the present
generation il has been improved by the addition of
basement story and other arrangements Those who
see now cannot imagine how 1t looked eighty years
ago. 1t has been repeatedly altered, and is now
ceiving new interior coat in honor of its birthday
Tomorrow.
s5St Georges was the mother OF most of the Metho-
dist churches in this city. Some thirtyf0ur churches
have at different times been founded by parties OF
Church, the Coored 'BethelEand "ZOar," were
contemporaries, though of later formation. The
first offspring OF St. Georges was formed 10y the
secession Of some fifty members who rented the
north end of MrWhteheld's IS Academy to worship in
and in 1901 they bought the south end which be-
came their church for more than thirty years. This
afterwards became the Union NJ. e. Church.
At the celebration tomorrow all the living minis
terB who have ever been connected with ST. Georges
are expected to be present, and take part in the
exercises An original hyIan has been written by
Miss Fanny O. Crosby, to be sung on the occasion.
The presence OF Father Boehm will be one of the
most Interesting features This patriarch is said to
be the Oldest living Methodist itinerant preacher.
He s now in his nnty-tfth year, and has been for
siXty-nine years an itlnerant.
There will be three sessions-at 10 A. NJ Q p. NJ,
and ~ p. M.-for which the following is the order
of EXERCISES
10 A. M.-Reunion Of former pastors, Bishop slmp
son in the chair.
nOfn