Smyrna times., 1873-07-16
Local Religious statistics.

pairing an essay relative to the formation of
the first conferences held on the Peninsula, to
be read at the Conference Centennial now in
session in Philadelphia, many interesting local
"reminiscences were brought out, with which
he made his congregation acquainted. Think
ing the facts might prove interesting to most
OF our readers, we noted the more important
events.
The first Methodist Meeting in this town,
then called Duck Greek Cross Roads, was in
! l119, IN Revolutionary times. The following
year, 1850, Bishop Asbury preached his first
sermon, to about 800 persons, his text being
Matth 37-l0. The first Conference held in
this vicinity, and on the Peninsula, was in
lH9. and was designated as the "Choptank
Conference, State OF Delaware" 1t was held
at the residence of Judge Thos White, at
Choptank Bridge, now the present town Of
Greensborough, Md. The title of the Confer.
ence was rather misnomer, it would seem.
from its geographical position Meetings con-
tlnued to De held here with marked success
In 1S2 great meeting is mentioned as having
been held between Duck Creek and Duck
Creek Cross Roads, in an apple orchard. it is
said, where Benz. Abbott preached and his
father exhorted. This is described as a re-
markable "out pouring" Great opposition
began to be manifested towards the denomIna-
tlon at this period, and at visit of Bisbop
AsDury, subsequently, he was warned, by a
man named Bishop, not to hold meeting lest
Il disturbance be created The meeting was
held, however The next year, 1888, Bishops
Coke and Whatcoat speak of preaching here
without opposition at the inn, the andady
entertaining them gratis. In 1856 the first
house OF worship was erected lin the old grave
yardl which Bishop Asbury says cost about
POO pOunds-$l ,000-and seated about 200
persons. Great revivals" are mentioned at
various times during these years, the most re-
markable OF which was in 1900 when it is
recorded that 100 persons were converted in
lout days.
For several years consecutvely the annual
Conferences were held here, then called District
Conterencesl commencing with 1870, when
the hrst one was held in what is now the resi-
dence of DIR. VIM. Cummins. In 1875 the
Conference was to have been held in philadel-
phla, but IN consequence Of the yellow fever
there it was held here, in the Friends meet
ing house, now Smyrna Seminary. In several
OF these Conferences the number of ministers in
attendance Is designated at from Is to 100
The sessions were held with closed doors. In
all there have been ten Conferences held in
the town, the first one, as above stated, being
in 1890, and the last one in 1851.
Until 1904 Smyrna was included in Dover
circuit, when It was divided, and in 1906 our
town dropped its cross roads appelation and
assumed its present name.
The first camp meeting held in the State which
was among the first in the country, was at Far.
son 5 Hill two miles from this town. on the
road to kentOn. Although the first. there
nave been but few to excel it in point of
interest, IN the years that have followed.
letter from an English gentleman who was
present at the meeting was read from the
original manuscript in which it is said thai
there were POO tents, an audience of from
5000 to 10000 people, and at least !, 600 car
nages. The meeting lasted four days. during
which time from 300 to 400 conversions were
recorded. Twenty-Five ministers and thirty.
i've local preachers were present In reference
to the good order that prevailed, the letter SAYS
there were present seven justices of the peace
seven conStablcs and two sheriffs. AmonC
the prominent persons named as taking part
IN the meeting are Hon. Richard Baslett,
Alex kldgeiy, brother of the then Chancelor)
and others. The description of the CLOSING
exercises, when the vast cancourse separated
Tor there homes, is described as most touchinp
| lSevcra old citizens remember this camn.
anu have treasured up a number of verbal
traditions relative to its marvellous events
1t is stated that, in the genuine religious zeal
that was manifested there was much Of that
peculiar excitement which marked the Western
camps IN later years, as described bv Peter
Cartwright and others. Though no mention OF
sucn physical contOrtlOnS as the Jerks is
made, yet there were demonstrations but Gttlc
removed from these. Ladies with an over
abundance of lace or jewelry were excluded
from the love'teasts and other more spiritual
meetings, and the ministers were as strictlv
uniformed IN shad-bellied coats as if tbey had
been Quakers of the most orthodox schonl
The collection of carriages and other vehicles
Is described as a marvel to behold The inn
mense throng came from all parts of the
Peninsula, and from Pennsylvania. tdistance
then being no greater obstacle than nOwl
and as there was no other means of con
veyance, it doubtless did form a large and
motley collection. Another item of record i
that OF the unbounded hospitality of the peo
pie Alter the visitors absorbed the provi
SONS they brought with them, (the interest in
the camp being to great tor them TO think of
leavlng) they quartered on the community
and notwithstanding the thrOng, the supply of
both generosity and provisions seemed to stand
the test, and but few if any were turned away
empty. "'
The following list of ministers that have
been pastors of Smyrna circuit from its forma.
tlon (lSO4) to the preSert was read, as follows.
1904 Thos Everace and ThoS Sutton; lso, las u.,..
and Caleb Morris 1905 Richard aud VIM % Scey HeTsSn i
Thos walker srmon sds snTy WSo SHARP harp ~
s sG syyes,sr ,s H VIM Williams ISL Thos smith Ssm
walker Ryder %% Rydsr DAVID S% BbsdSE bs,
SnIn SIn u Lewis; 1871 Thos. Miller Edw Stout; isIs Jos
' Euwara stout; 1912 Nv Bishop. r. E.) VIM Wiams
Sam 5e trace 1870 VIM Williams. VIM To6ut sai- . WnS
IueI, goseph OsO3rne 1923 s. Grace, Hoiirh 1901
y"si smith ol Del Ed Stephenson 1926 Jas smith Waller
ZONES sz6 Sol Higgins Jas. Long 1927 g. John S,i,b
% S1Seph In; o. fhonPon 1923 30 solomon sharp Henry g.
nlhR mlien ConneIeY; 1881 r. NJ Greenbank WIN o.
s@eey @ 'is Nichols 1893 sharp Anderson Jo Osborne
Cup" b behs0n; sJ36 T. Reed, r. Garkett Allan. sp,
Mm, Alien Vincent Shepherd 1898 Joshua Hamphries'
mahh W. y Thomas lsiO Jas. b. Ayers VIM q TboTn,S -
- L. uS9ston: 1928 j. L. Houston Henry Suten John I.
nun Isai, Jno Lednum JnO. Bell: 1915, VIM w FonL"i
"a. & e. Msrsdh si56 Smyrna made Staan Jos MSson
~ McCarter 1850 So JnO A. KOche 1851 o II N s
iS4 T. o. Murphsy 1855 W. c. Robinson isi7s o " N
BrlSOane s596O g. Hill; lS6l-2. Bshon: Issa ~
Cook ls667S. $. l. Gracey 1869 TO- A. Ds
J. +. Clymer. " " '''e"uouSe' lSIl-7s'
In reading over the list when Mr.. p. came
to the name of Richard Lyon. (iSO61 be 30
ferred to him in no envable light. Lvon
seems to have been second Richard, the
Lion -hearted"-a lion in sleeps clothing. He
kept. the church in hot water and the com.
mntnnlty at daggars points, and he was finally
the next year, suspended from the ministry
A letter in the original manuscript, written 10
the church authorities in PHILADELPHIA. rela.