Smyrna times. [volume] (Smyrna, Del.) 1854-1987, 1880-01-14
For the Smyrna Times.
Methodist History on the Peninsula.

"ln l779 Mr.. Freedom Garrettson was
invited toy gentleman at Lewistown, Del
to come and preach for them. He went.
and commenced preaching at the aforesaid
gentleman house, when the brother of
his host, came in with qm and dram and
after beating his drum, he seemed to be
pointing to shoot the preacher. Tue female
part OF the congregation was alarmed, and
Mr. Garrettson stopped preaching. Soon
the magistrate arrived and ordered the
prosecutor to retire under threat of i'm
prlsonment, and the preacher was allowed to
finish his discourse. The court house beinc
offered, he went there to preach a second
sermon, but was followed by the same man.
backed by Others, who made up great fires
to drive the people away by heat. Failing
IN tins, he rang bell through the court.
house to drown the speakers voice
large private room being offered, the con.
gregatlon retired to it, and the discourse
was finished there. But Notwithstanding
this opposition from the wicked; society
was raised up there that still continues. 1t
was more than twenty strong in number,
In about one years time
While travelling in Sussex he went to
All appointment where the wicked threaten
ed to drown him, but no one molested him.
Golng to another appointment be was over.
taken by man in soldiers dress, armed
with club, who said he had come twenty
miles to defend him, and declared his
readiness to go with him a thousand miles
to protect him. 1t was in 1879 that he
performed that successful Sabbath DAVIS
labor recorded on the 9lst page of his life
! He preached in Dover a little after sunrise .
at nine, to hundreds who stood and sat
ut fl,,,
where Gods power was greatly DISPLAYED
at one o'clock, to a listening multitude
under the trees in Murderkill. His fourth
sermon was preached in Mispilion, where
he seemed to have greater liberty than at
either OF the other places. He spoke six
hours In delivering the four sermons. and
scarcely felt any fatigue, though he had
taken only little milk and water for
nourlshment. 1t seemed that thousands
were hocking to Jesus. The late Judge
DAVIS OF this place heard these four dis
! courses
| Mr.. GArrettson was strong man pbysi.
cally, and capable Of enduring great hard.
ships tie was a Christian hero. that could
not be Inundated by the ungodly when dis
charging his ministerial functions. He had
the power to convince his intelligent persecu.
| tors and hold them as friends When his
person was in possession of the rabble at
night leading HIM to prison, flash Of
lightning from the angry clouds burst upon
them and frightened them away. He was
man Of strong faith, and immediate
answer to PRAYER was sometimes the result.
lie was at Broad Creek in Sussex when
the vegetable kingdom was droopins and
whitening for lack of rain, and was led to
! pray iervpntiy before the people for the
Lord to water the earth. BY the time he
! had finished his discourse and dismissed
the assembly, the heavens were black with
! clouds and abuRdance of rain fell. This
greatly surprised and convinced the people "
They compared him to Elijah the prophet.
In some parts of the Peninsula, the
! people had no religion at all. Mr.. Garrett.
son informs us that he met with man in
tn" region OF the Cypress Swamp, and ask ed
hlm 1t he was acquainted with Jesus Christ.
SIT, said he, / know not where the
gentleman lives Lest he should have
misunderstood me, | repeated my question.
and he answered, know not the man.
In these very regions, where there was the
greatest restitution of religion, the people
were the readiest to receive the Saviour
when the Methodsts came among them
and these moral waste were soon filed with
their Jealous followers. Mr.. Garrettson
established several preaching places in this
region. SPIN
SMYRNA, Jan. 5th, 1880.