Smyrna times., 1880-03-10
Methodist History on the Peninsula


In my last sketch of Methodsm, prom
ised that | would include the various Chris
tian denominations that were in this
vicinity previous to its introduction.
As | was born here, and have always CON.
tinued to live among them, and associate
with them, | take pleasure IN thus recog
nizing my friends.
| propose to proceed in chronological
order AS | find thsm in various books that
have consulted. The next after the estab-
lIshed Church is the Society of Friends, who
had frame Meeting House in Duck Creek
Hear their Cemetery. remsmbsr to have
seen this building, long after its abandon
ment as a place of worship. | have not
found out the date of its erection, but as
early as I727 Samuel Bownas, an English
Friend and public speaker, visited Duck
Creek, Aurderkll and Lewis. This was
twelve wears before the Methodist Society
was formed in England. The Friends are
plain people, and prefer their houses Of
worship should be called Meeting houses,
instead of Churches.
Duck Creek Cross Roads was more
sligibly situated than Duck Creek, having
more extensive area, and sufficiently near
nayiSahle water to entitle it to become a
AL 70 COIA ulGIClhI anu manufacturing Town.
is population increased more rapidly than
Duck Creek, and as business enterprise
gained the ascendSncy, there was a disposi-
ton among the churches TO abandon their
former houses of worship, and follow the
people where they could do the most good.
The Friends erected a large substantial
brick meeting house at the Cross Roads, aAd
1t became the head quarters for their society
for ilAs e.,
this county. They also had fine Boarding
School for girls and boys, which occupied
the houses whore Mr. j. Mustard and Mr..
Sisco reside. 1t was called the Southern
Boarding School, and had more celebrity
abroad, than any other school that has ever
been here.
1t brought number Of young ladies and
| gentlemen from n distance, which made
quite an interesting spectacle in the streets,
| when they went to first day and fourth day
rasetings. 1t was removed from here in
| the early part of the present century 10
| Camden, so have been informed.
Among my earliest reminiscance Of child.
hood some of my Playmates were children
| from the Society Of Friends. And when
not with them, | took great pleasure in Wis
iting some of the old ladies of the same
| denomination. They are an industrious
frugal and plain people, and many of them
are wealthy, and | am inclined to think
they have no PaupSrs among them.
clipped FROM tho E0cry EUe1ing seme oil
the uttsrancss of the travelling Friends
lately at st. Paul's NJ. E. Church, Will
EingtoH. "The speaker said during the
$50 years Of their existence as a Society
there is no record of a Friend having faller
in battle: no friend has evsr mat violent
death in a street brawl and the names o.
Friends are net to be found upon the crimi
nal records" If any other religious Society
can say as much for themselves it is more
than thought of. am always pleased
whsa I read of a colony of Friends goins
from Philadelphia to settle in the far West
[ feel as if they would have salutary infiu
ence on the industries, finances, and mOral
of the community where they dwell.
S. P. NJ.
| SMYRNA, Feb 29th, 1880.