Smyrna times., 1884-07-16
Smyrna M, E. Church and Solo
mon Sharp, and Henry
6. King, in 1929.
BY REV. DIR. JOHN 4. ROCHE.

EY REV. DIR. JOHN a. ROCHE.
In 1899 there was 10 station in the
Philadelphia Conference below Elkton.
This was then filed by the rising
Francis Hodgson. Dover, though the
capital Of the State, was in circuit
and its headquarters, Smyrna, had the
same relation in another charge. In
this small village was Methodist
society which for the period, in the
Judgment Of the writer, was, in intelli-
gence, in social position, and in deep
picty, equal to amy charge Of the same
size that he has ever known.
At the time named solomon Sharp
and Henry G. King were the preachers
of this circuit Colleges were un-
known, as preparations for our work.
! Theological Seminaries did not exist in
! even the strongest denominations.
/ When spoken of as institutions of the
" Old World, il was with derisioa. as
Manufactures Of Preachers" The
Methodist ministers were supposed to
be "God-made." We were known as
graduates Of Brush College" The
country was sparsely settled. Villages
were small Towns were few, and far
between The fields and the forests.
the swamp and wilderness constituted
much Of the ground we travelled.
Thence came many Of the people to
whom we preached the Word.
But let no one think that the
graduates of Brush College were men
Of uaftraiahcd MINDS. We had our
text books, the Bible, the Hymn Book,
the Discipline, Wcsley's Sermons-his
Notes on the New Testament" his
Christian Perfection" "Fletcher's
Appeal to Matter of Fact and Common
Sense" " glorious book Our c,nricu-
ium was respected. There were
giants in those days" George G..
Goodman said, - Methodist preacher
could drive Il rousiug business, on a
small capital" but, with such re-
sources, the world saw mighty men.
Under such circumstances, an expe-
rienccd preacher could be Of great help
to an inexperienced one.
Solomon Sharp was one Of the honor
ed fathers Of the former century
Henry G. King was Il preacher of nine
years, but had already made for him
self Il name. \ greater c0ntrasf, in
some of their characteristics could
hardly be imagined than that which
existed between Sharp and King. As
a preacher on circuit, and as q
Presiding Elder in District. Solomon
Sharp had been the means Of wonder
ful revivals. They were, however
both Of them, men of mark and might
. Any one seeing Solomon Sharp would
t take him to be u remarkable man
: His person was large, his step majestic
+ his hair was white, ample and flowing
II falling even to his shoulders-his eye;
We're large and lustrOus-his feature.
were intellectual and his countenancC
was full Of benignity. His preaching
g was largely eXpository. As Matthew
e Il: 7-15-" What went We out into tn,
wilderness to see? A reed shaker
with the wind and for an hour anC
half, the people would hang on hi
lips. lisa. 6: 1-12, "In the year King
Uzziah died, | saw also the Lord, sit
ting upon throne, high and lifted up
v and his train filled the temple" Th,
rapture that this discourse produced
lies like yesterday in the memory o
the writer. lie believed in the Millen
mum, and preached round the circui
on Revelation 90: i" And I saw NJ
ic angel come down from heaven, havin;
the key of the bOttomlees pit, and
great chain in his hand.n The peopl
heard as if the great white throne
was before them. lie selected tn
sublimest themes for his subjects, an,
an awe rested upon the congregation
This was one reason of his great power
He was not classic. He Uas
k. DjCiRe. lie was an oracle. His man
foo ner in the pulpit was colloquia
Ephraim jefferson, local preache
a. and an excellent judge said che is tn
best every day preacher | ever heard.
Bishop Asbury said he had the bes
voice Of any preacher on the Peninsul;
1t was as if given for public speaking
H. 1t was not Il turbulent, fretted, no
n an interrupted, but u steady silver
stream. 1t flowed out like water fror
the fountain. There was nothin
forced, and it had great compass. A
with his voice, SO with his matter, as
rule, when he "opened wide h
d, mouth God did fill it, and he spok
as easily as the eagle moves when full
on the wing. Flowers do not MOI
), readily give their pefume, than i
preached under the convictions ofdut,
/, the impulses Of holy passion, and ii
inspirations of the Spirit of Go,
i, Under the Divine amounting, trut
" came from his lips rs music flies fror
the string when touched by the han
of the skillful artist.
But no one fully knew Solomo
Us Sharp that did not know him in pra,
nd. er. lie walked with God, and Ii
to prayers showed they were n,
! T. strangers. Some would say he W,
for so familiar with the Almighty, that I
YES took great liberties with him. 1t WI
wn not irrererence-it was holy boldnes
OF Piner Mansfield was given up to di
Sharp entered his chamber, knelt, an
said, "Lord, you can do without hir
/. Thou hast many about thy throne