The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1876-02-12
PORT DEPOSIT:
Forty Years Ago and Now.
LETTER NO. 8.

VI. Il.
MR.. EDITORIALS stated in my second
letter l rested at old Papaw to ruminate on
the incidents connected with the Academy
and NJ. E. Churches. And now, after sit
ting an hour on the wall of the "yard over
which Daniel Megredy and Capt. Danid
Gilmore threw many youths and strong
men, who thought it allowable, if not brave,
to be disorderly at Methodist meetings, l
will proceed with some "reminiscences.
The first floor of old Papaw is the Port
Deposit Academy, and the second the Hall
of the Odd Fellows. Education had not
received the attention given it in later
years. There was a district school and
some private rudimental school, but none of
advanced grade. Those who were able and
appreciated the Importance of educating
their sons, sent them to Nottingham Acad-
envy, Rev. DR.. Magraw, Principal. He
was succeeded in turn by Rev. DR.. Bur
rows, Rev. DR.. Hodges and Rev. DR.. Ga
ley. What young man, then school boy
in Port, does not remember Sanford, and
in their minds eye, now see him walking
the floor with his burly arm uplifted, flour
ishing his rattan and forewarning his trem-
bling pupils, that he would make the un-
! IL cky one, on whom his blow should fall,
"jump the store pipe'" How the little ras-
calls used to wear two pairs Of trowsers and
pad the seats of their breeches to deaden
the force Of his blows 1t was not San
| ford's creed to spare the rod and spoil the
child-"nary time" On one occasion the
boys turned the joke on him and stuffed
the store pipe. Sanford was smoked out that
day. Better teachers were afterwards pro-
cured in Short, Hawkins, Brakely, Buck
ingham, Heath, and others of later date.
John II. Brakely, while in Port, was
licensed to preach. He removed to New
Jersey, and is the principal of flourish
ing female college at Bordentown. Mr..
Buckingham married Miss Tabitha Abra-
hams, moved to Baltimore and established
a female school of high grade.
Cornelius Smith, though childless took a
lively interest in education and bequeathed
to the trustees of the NJ. f. Church, two
thousand dollars in trust, the interest of
which was to be annually applied to the
aid of the Port Deposit Academy. There
was defect in the wording of this legacy.
He did not say, as he manifestly intended
the trustees of the NJ. f. c., Of Port d.
post. OF course there is no such body as
the Trustees of the NJ. E. Church. But l
presume the Academy gets the benefit of
the legacy. The erection of new church
at cost of .tire thousand dollars was alarm
ing, and was evidence conclusive to many
of the growing pride of the Methodist that
would prove their downfall. But happy
incident occurred. Was it a special Provi-
dence, or did it just happen so' Query
Does not God always make his special
Providences just happen so, and at the right
time? Old Father James Thompson, of
Hopewell memory, with others, who had
misgivings, was induced to attend the dedi-
catory services. Under the preaching Of
the word, the gracious influences of the
Spirit brooded over the congregation, and
Father Thompson "getting happy" went
"leaping and praising Cod" declaring that
Goods blessing was the same in the new
church as it had been in the old" Hence
forth the prejudice against the new church
vanished To-day, by the liberality OF
Ports most prominent citizen, the " Tome
memorial NJ. f. Church, costing sirty- fre
thousand dollars, stands an ornament to
the town and monument to his memory,
alongside of the old Papaw and opposite
the church of 1899.
Eternity alone can reveal the associa.
tions that cluster around these three church
take it amiss if call up some recollections
of some who were not of Port, yet largely
identified with her religious history, and
whose memory live and are cherished by
many still living there.
First, then, of some of tho Presiding
Elders-Mathew Sorin, a Son of Thunder
Henry White, the Weeping Prophet; Dan,
iel Lambdin, Mild and Persuasive; James
+ Smith, the Sweet Singer in Israel, and
others whose names are familiar. AS ar
orator and logician, Sorn excelled. White
was rigid disciplinarian and austere in
manner and habit, yet he had tender
heart, and often when preaching, wept
freely. Who of the citizens of 1910 will
fail to remember that Fourth of July quar-,
terly meeting conducted by him. There
had been steamboat moonlight excursion
r down the bay on Saturday night. "Or
went the dance and joy was unconfned, .
and the steamer did not return until the
wee hours of morning Many church mem