Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-09-14
METHODIST IN SAVANNAH
WHERE WESLEY PREACHED
HIS FIRST SERMON.

The Old Chapel on south Broad and
Lincoln Streets the MethOdists' First
Place of Work--Its Dedication by
Bishop Asbury-The First Ministers
Appointed in 1890 - Tho Present
Churches.
just l01 years ago last Thursday a
letter was addressed by John Wesley to
his followers in the United States, which
led to the separate organization Of the
Methodist Episcopal church soon after in
Georgia and the other States.
The oldest Methodist Episcopal con-
1 creation in Savannah now and the
direct descendent Of the first one, is Trim
ity. The records Of that church say that
! on Feb ), 1886, John " esley landed in
/ savannah, aud preached on the trust lot
/ fronting 81. James square opposite where
| Trinity church now stands. 1t is also
/ claimed that he first preached
on the present site OF Christ
church, on johnson square. One
of the old record books OF Trinity church
contains an interlineatiOn to the effect that
further research has convinced the
writer that the spot was where the United
States custom house now stands"
The first place of worship erected by the
MetnOdists was old Wesley chapel, on
South Broad street, corner Of Lincoln,
where the society wOrshiped for many
years. This building WAS not put up,
however, until 1872, nearly quarter OF
century after the first Methodist EpiscO-
pal minister, Hope Hull, was appointed
10 Savannah, 1890. In 1871 Hezekiah Ar
mold was appointed, and the next year
John Bonner, and in 1898 Hope Hull the
second time. From 1894 to 1907 the sOci-
ETY. had no minister here, with the eXcep-
ton Of John Garvin In 1900.
There were no members in Savannah
until Samuel DunwOOdy organized the
first Methodist congregation, with u
members, in 1907 In 1908 James H. Mel
lard was assigned here, and was sue
ceeded by John McNean in 1909 and Ur-
ban Cooper In 1911. James Russell was
pastor in 1872 and 1913, wnen Wesley
chapel was built. 1t was dedicated
by no less parsonage than
Bishop AsbUry, one of the early
fathers Of Methodism in this country.
The congregation numbered at that time
- members-27 white and % colOred.
From that year until 1850 the Methodists
worshiped in Wesley chapel. During
the 81 years they had y different pastors
James G. Roger, Whitman G. Hin, Henry
Bass, Solomon Bryan, William Capers,
John Howard, James o. Andrew, George
White, Il. J. Fitzgerald, Thomas l..
Wynn, George Hill, Charles Hardy,
Elijah Sinclair, Bond English, Benz.
Pope, /. A. Few, Geo. +. Pierce, Alex.
Spear, James Il. Evans, James Sewel.
NJ. ii. White, Edward Ii. Myers, j. b.
Jackson, Daniel Curry, Josiah Lewis,
Caleb Key, and A. L. Mann.
The most of these remained but one
year, being changed annually in keeping
with the principles of itineracV.
Reys. e. j. Fitzgerald and George Il.
Pierce were afterward elected bishops
IL was during the passionate OF Rev. A. 4.
Manu-, in lS4l-4S, that the congregation
decided to erect new building. Feb. IA,
lo4S, the cornerstone of Trinity church
was laid, and under the third pastOrate
OF Rev. j. 4. Evans, in lS49 and 1850, the
new church was completed, and the en-
tire membership moved to the new build
ing. In 1851 w. r. Brannon succeeded
to the pulpit, and in 1852 l.. Pierce.
The next pastor was w. NJ. Crumley,
and in 1854 Wesley church was revived,
and j. c. Paine was appointed TO the
charge, but he died during the yellow
fever epidemic Of that year.
ThOs. II. Jordan, j. 5. Key, w. II. Pot
ter and K. w. Speer filled the pulpit Of
Trinity until 1861, when Wesley was dis
continued aud Isle of Hope was made a
charge. Trlnity's pastors for the next
few years were j. II. Caldwell, A. NJ.
Wynn, r. j. Corley, and G. q. n. Nc
Donell. In 1868 the trustees purchased
building on the corner of Drayton and
Gordon street and organized congrega-
ton, calling the church Wesley, with d.
d. Cox as first pastor.
In 1870 Rev. }. e. Evans was reap
pointed for the fourth time to a charge in
savannah. Since 1873 Trinity pulpit has
been filled by II. II. Parks, e. II. Myers,
who died OF yellow fever in 1876, II. j.
| Corley, James O. Branch, aud Rev. Z. 4.
Christian, the present pastor.
The New Houston street church was
built in 1871. The first pastor was Rev.
j. w. Simmons, who had but 20 members
when he took charge. Now the member
ship is 200, while that of Wesley church
is 400 and Trinity 100. making total of
/ 1900. Since the first of 1884 the mem ber-
snip of Trinity has increased 70 per cent,
/ III members having been admitted in
| 1884, and 1873 in 1885.