The Cecil Whig., 1886-05-22
METHODISM IN ELKTON, MD
BY REV. ]. P. OTIS.

I. | supposed when compiling this
sketch that it would, at the most, be
read before an anniversary audience at
Conference, and that was we'll out of
trouble when the motion was adopted
requesting that it be deposited in the
archives of the Historical Society
Somebody, however, added a motion
requesting that it be furnished to the
Peninsula Mcfh0dlst, and the editor
further added personal request so
there seems to be no escape for me.
The readers of the .1Lthod1f can easily
escape by skipping.
2. The principal sources from which
the data were drawn are the "History
of Cecil County," by Mr.. George John
ston, of Elkton sketch prepared and
inserted in the church record by DR..
| MatlaCk, when stationed in Elkton; a
sketch of the building of the present
church edifice prepared by F. a. Ellis,
| Esq, and the recollections of number
of the older members, especially Bros.
Thomas G. Crouch and Isaac Thomas
the latter was converted here, and has
! been a member of this church for the
last sixty years.
5. The early footprints of the Moth
odist revival of the eighteenth century
may be traced as far back as I74o,
when Whitfield visited the ''Head of
Elk" and preached under an oak, then
standing short distance west of Bow
street and about hundred yards from
the creek. The result was the organ
lzation of Presbyterian Church which,
however, did not prove permanent.
Methodism appears to have obtained
a sure foothold in the surrounding
country at quite an early date, for in
1855 an attempt to raise money for
the building Of Protestant Episcopal
Church in Elkton failed, in part on ac-
count of the prevalence of Methodlsm.
In 1857 Bishop Asbury visited Elkton,
and preached to large congregation.
He was entertained with great respect
by the Rudolph family, who were men,
bers of the Protestant Episcopal COM
munion and this interdenominational
hospitality has in nowise declined, as
the Wilmington Conference can testify,
after the lapse of a hundred years.
4. In 1888 Cecil Circuit makes its
appearance on the records, but, though
Elkton was in Its territory, eleven years
were to pass away before the organiza-
ton of any society in this Shire town.
The pastors during this period were
John Smith and George Wells 1888,
George Moore and Benjamin Roberts
1850, Emory Prior and Walter Foun-
tain 1890, Joseph Wyatt and John
Beard 1871, Robert Sparks and Joseph
Wilson 1892, Benjamin Abbott and
Frederick Carp I795-04, Isaac Robin
son and James Moore 1875, William
Hunter, G. kankey and ] Smith, Jr.,
1907, and William Hunter (no COL
league recorded) 1898. In explana-
ton of this (for Methodism) lengthy
pastorate, it should be remembered by
readers of Methodist history that there
was no fixed time until 1904.
5. In 1899 Thomas Jackson and
William P. Chandler were appointed to
Cecil Circuit, and it seems to have
been mainly by the evangelistlc labors
of the latter that the foundations of
Methodism were securely laid in Elk
ton. 1t is from his diary, l believe,
that the list of the first members Of the
society here was taken. He was not
only successful revivalist but an earn
est temperance worker while on the
circuit !; and it is not impossible that the
commanding position now held in Cecil
county by this great reform is in some
degree an inheritance from his efforts.
Those who love to trace the origin Of
popular movements will be interested
to remember that Chandler, before his
call to the ministry, studied medicine
with that eminent man, DIR. Rush. A
society was organized in 1899 at the
house Of Richard Updegrove, short
distance east of the town, on Red Hill.
The members were John Pennington,
Elizabeth Pennington, John Crouch,
Cornelia Crouch, Richard Updegrove,
Hannah Updegrove, Thomas Phillips
and Sarah Land; and the probationers
were Sarah Updegrove, John Hitch
cock and Rachel Coudor. Probably
about 1901 this society began to hold
its services in the town proper, but it
was rot until about 1873 that the per-
manency Of Methodism in Elkton was,
humanity speaking, assured by the pur-
chase of half-acre of ground on High
street for 500. Levi Tyson, Richard
Updegrove, Benjamin Pearce, Robert
Taylor and William Kilgore were the
trustees. They proceeded to build a
house of a worship, and Asbury records
in his journal that in 1915 he preached
in Elk Chapel. He was not, however
very sanguine as to the infant church
for he wrote of Elkton: at nav be
visited by the Lord in the /0H,h Oh
ffh generation.
This first edfice, though probably
sufficient at the time, was very small, a:
| ha h,t ha tJ. |,