Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1878-02-08
CHURCH HISTORY.
Religious Denominations Of
Wood County
METHODIST EPISCOPAL cHURcH

HISTORY.
This branch Of the Church Of Christ
was organized IN Baltimore, Maryland, or
the 25th day Of December, 1884. Tn,
year 1929 will ever be remembered for tn,
first appearance OF that wonderful system
denominated Methodism, as il was abou
this time that the Rev. John Wesley, A
NJ, Fellow Of Lincoln College, in the Uni
versity Of Oxford, England, being led ia
deplore the general state Of religious apa
thy in the Church Of England, Of which
he was regularly ordSined Minister, nsss
eiated With himself few Of his more seri.
ously disposed college friends, and with
them met every Thursday evening for the
purpose of prayer, and religious edi6oa
ton. Their number was soon enlarged by
the addition OF other serious persons, who
obtained permission 10 meet with them
Shortly after it had become known that
the little band met thus, and they being
remarkably strict and Aelhodical in theil
department, either out of compliment oil
derisicn, the name Methodist" was aP.
piled to them, by which name they have
been known ever since.
From England, Methodism spread into
ireland and Scotland, aud inths year 1866
was introduced into America, by a eompa-
ny OF Irish cinigrants, who landed at New
York, and composed the first Methodist SO.
ciety in the New world, under the super.
vision Oi Phillip Embury, = local preacher
who accompanied the above emigration
from Ireland.
Mr.. Embury's first sermon in America
was delivered to a congregation of Eve
persons. The congregation, however, he
gan to enlarge by ethers who had heard Of
the strange doctrines taught by Embery'
which induced the feeble society to rent a
room as a place for worship.
They we're soon after favored by the as
sistOnce Of another local preacher, in the
person Of Captain Webb, OF the British
Army, who being stationed at Albany, and
being anxious 10 encourage them, went to
their place Of worship, and making him
self known, preached to them in his regi.
mental uniform, with his sword laying on
the table before him.
The society were soon under the neces-
sity of securing still larger place,
wherein to accommodate the concOurse,
and accordingly hired large rigging loft,
which they fitted up as place for worship.
But it soon became apparent that Church
edi6ce was needed to accommodate the
constantly increasing congregation, and al
though the society was small and feeble,
they succeeded in erecting building capa-
ble Of seating 100 persons. The first sur.
mon was preached in this chapel by Mr.
Embury, on the 30th Of October, 176S.
About one year after the opening Of this
Chapel in New York, two missionaries
sent over by Mr.. WesIey-Richard Board
man and Joseph Pillmor-arrived in
America. The former took charge of the
Church in New York, and thelatter repair
ed to Philadelphia. Great numbers at
tended the preaching of these missionaries,
and while they were laboring in connec'
tien with E injury and Webb in the North
Rob't Strawbridge, a local preacher from
Ireland was busiy planting Methodism
in Maryland. Two years after the arrival
of the above two named missionaries, Mr.
Wesley sent 10 America Francis Asbury
and Richard Wright, the former us super
intendant Of all the societies in America
From this time the work of Generating
went on successfully, until all the Allan
tic portions Of the territory were visited
more or less.
After the acknowledgement Of the
American Independence in 1874, Mr.. Yves.
ley provided form Of discipline and
church service, for his associates in Amer.
lea. lie also set apart Thomas Coke, L
L. D., presbyter in the church Of Eng
land, as superintendent or Bishop OF the
church that was soon 10 be organized al
such.
Upon Mr. Coke's arrival in America, he
met the conference in Baltimore. where
on the 25th day OF December, 1874, the
Methodist Episcopal Church in the United
States was duly organized, and he elected
as Bishop Of the same. Soon after the or
ganization of the church, it became incon
venient for all the preachers to meet il
one body; hence, several Conferences were
formed, and in 1892 the first General Con
ference, composed of all the travelling ell
ders was held.
This Church, like many others, has suf
fered by seeessions which has given rise tc
various other sects of Methodists in thu
land. But the original church has beer
under Cod, instrumental in raissng up I
numerous people, redeemed, sanctifed
saved, and intelligent people prosperous
grateful and happy, and in members ag
gregating more largely than any other OF
thodox religion in the United States.
ITS DOCTRINES.
The doctrines Of the NJ. Z. Church ar
partly embraced in the Twenty-Five Arti
cles OF Religion found in their book OF dis
cipline. These articles were nearly all sc
leeted frOm among the thirty-nine Article
Of the Church Of England, and embraC
most Of the fundamental points Of Meth
odist TheOl Ogy.
They teach the Being of God and hi
Projections; the authenticity Of the ScriI
lures the divinity Of Jesus Christ tn
Trinity in Unity the vicariOus nature c
his atonement; the doctrine Of endless re
wards and punishmenIs.
In reference to the atonement, they r'
tain the Arminian ground, believing th'
Jesus Christ tasted death for every man,
and all the human race may be saved
they will. They teach the necessity Of
change OF heart, and in life il obsdienc
to the divine commands.
They teach the divine witness Of til
spirit TO those who are born from abov
They belieye in the nossibility OF tot;