Stephens City star. (Stephens City, Va.) 1881-1883, 1883-05-05
The Stephens City Star.
Early Methodism in the Valley,
NUMBER TWO.
For the Star.l

" AhOhNt'oCh " oS hhos A'A"S' " %ASefa
odist preachers probably just before
the close of the revolutionary war
The first sermons were delivered from
the steps of the court house. The
first Methodist Westinghouse was
cabin; the second was the residence
of the grandfather of the Rev. j. Car
son Watson. Bishop Asbury, June
5, 1885, rode into Winchester and dis
coursed under some spreading trees on
hill, from Joshua "a 10. He adds,
ito many white and black people. =
The next mention he makes of Win
chester bears the date of June 6, '93.
He saws "We came to Winchester,
where they have built an excellent
house, and we have better times than
l expected. Here nothing would do
but I must preach, Notwithstanding
the lanes and streets Of our town were
so filled with mire, owing to the late
rains. The following year he again
visited Winchester, greatly indisposed
by exposure to the constant rain in that
month (May.) Again he refers to the
good meeting house, and says, |
had many to hear my very feeble tes-
timony on Romans, $40" ! have
understood that this church stood on
Market street, few doors north Of
the Second Methodist church, which
is now occupied by the Presbyterian
school. In 1902 Rev. Leonard Cas-
sell was sent to this Circuit, at which
tuna a great revival of religion oc-
Cured, which spread throughout the
Valley and across the mountains tc
the counties along the Potomac.
The Baltimore Conference met in
Winchester April l, 1905. Rev. Hen.
ry Beam was present, and writes: :
There were seventy-four preachers
! present, the Conference sitting five
| days. This was the first time 1 wal
permitted to look upon the noble body
of men who composed the Baltimore
| Conference, which was held in an up
per room in the private house of Bro
Geo. Reid The reason for this-th,
Methodist church was occupied TO-
preaching three times day. Their
was quite revival during Confer
ence, and number passed from dealt
unto life. On Sunday heard fou
sermons-Bro. William Page at 8 A
NJ; Bishop Asbury at il; Bishop
| Whatcoat at 8 P. NJ, and JAS lIunte
/ in the evening. The preaching wa
| powerful and the results great
1 Among those received on trial a
this Conference in 1905 was the Rev
| JOSEPH Carson, name which to thi
day fills an honorable place on tn
roll of the Conference. Father Car
sons recollections of Methodism il
Winchester (his native place) dat
back to l79l. He says my brothe
Bottles joined the church, and my
youthful mind was deeply impressed
Il !
from my distress at his cutting shor
his elegant suit of hair, which it wa
then fashionable to wear in queue
but there was not room for a man anC
queue in the Methodist church il
those days." George A. Reed, Jas
Walls and my brother were, / believe
the first male members in the town
(There were others-Richard Holiday
was one; the church was organized
:, with eleven members in I788-W.
my brother was the steward; Reit
" and Walls became local preachers
The first travelling preacher of whom
| have personal knowledge was VIM
Talbot. He was a faithful, daunt
less man of God, and feared not t.
deliver his Masters message Will,
stones and eggs were hurled at hi
head. | have heard it said that while
he was preaching the blood was trick
ling from gashes ON his face. He usec
sometimes to preach on my brother
lot, under tree. The houses of Mrs
Bowers and Bros. Walls and Reid
were also places of preaching ant
holding class and prayer meetings, the
latter meetings being often conducted
: by the wives of these brethren. TIL,
first time l ever saw Bishop Asbur,
he was standing on table, on tn
/, green, preaching They began
church, but were not able to finish i
for some time. Father Carson
8 memory seems to have reached bacl
5 beyond the beginning of Methodisr
o in Winchester.
o Among the local preachers in tn
E. Valley remember the names of Levi
' = Chastain, John B. Tilden, VIM. Ora
n vens, George A. Reid and Jas. Wal