Stephens City star. (Stephens City, Va.) 1881-1883, 1883-03-31
The Stephens City Star.
Early Methodism in the Valley.

-oiiy thStAOOiSiiA AZ IaN amy
For the Star
Rev. Robert Strawbridge, from the
town of Sligo, Ireland, settled in the
western part Of Maryland, and opened
his house for preaching in 100. His
work was recognized by the Great
Head of the Church, and resulted in
he formation of his first class meeting
in his own dwelling. When the in
FAINT church had grown to some twelve
or fifteen members, these, with other
influential members, built the Log
Meeting House at Sans Creek, Fred
r,cH county, Mary land, III l764.-
mccess crowned the lahors of these
zen of God. Richard Owings and
ator Stevenson united with Straw
bri lpn rs lav helpers and nude other
appointments at other places, and here
,a1an that system of evangenzttIon
which has continued to thu present
lay.
Rev. Richard Owings, the first
American Methodist minister. was AVA
liened and converted to God under the
ministry of Strawbridge, and with
him labored with great zeal and sue
cess in planting Methodism in Mary
land and Virginia He often prepared
'lans and led the way for enlarging
he old and forming new circuits
We will now follow him across the
Potomac, where, IN company with
Iohn Haggrrty, he planted Method
SIN in the Valley of Virginia The
following account of their arr val in
Newtown is from Kercheval's History
Of the Wiley,
"A bout he year IT'S two strangers
called at the residence OF Maj Lewis
Stephens, the proprietor and founder
of the town called Stephensburg, and
inquired if they could obtain quarters
for the night Mr.. Stephens being
from home. Mrs. Stephens informed
them that they could be accommoda-
ted. One of them informed her that
they were preachers, and tomorrow
being the Sabbath they would have tc
remain over until Monday, as they die
not like to travel on the Sabbath, tC
which the old lady replied. If yor
are preachers, yon are he more wei
come. Richard Owings and John Ha
gerty were the names of these preach
ers. The next morning notice wa
sent through the town, and tn stran
gers delivered their Gospel sermons
This was doubtless the first Methods
preaching ever heard in the Vallt y
The people were much pleased, anc
they soon got up a small church a
the place The late John Hite, Jr
his sister, Mrs. Elizabeth Hughes
John Taylor and wife; Lewis Stephens
! ST., and wife; Lewis Stephens, Jr.
and wife, ana several others joined the
church.
Where the little church held its ser
vices is not stated. We have fu.
account of the first preaching places
in Winchester, but nothing about New.
town. The first Methodist church
| here, as We learn through Father
Walls, was not vet completed in 1883
thirteen years after the organization
of the church. II any one possesses
any information about tins interval
we would be glad to have it. In ITS
the Lower Valley first appeared in the
Minutes of the Baltimore Conference
under the name of "Birkley," to which
Rev. Edward Baly was appointed
Richard Owings, several years be-
fore his death, gave himself wholly tc
the work of the ministry. His last
field of labor was Fairfax Circuit.-
For more than half this year he labor.
ed with success, and then fell at his
post like true soldier. Leesburg is
the place from which the spirit of the
first Met hodist preacher took its flight
to heaven. PIONEER. >