Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1888-11-05
EARLY mn1HODIsna.


From the Poninsu Ar Methodist.
The centennial celebration 20 be held
tn Newark, the 25ih and Ash Of NoVsm-
Der, very BRturAlly tuEDS our thouaht IL
10 the eAtly dsys Of the Church,
Whletaeld was sthe first Metz odlst
eVhngelisi 10 these regions. BE had
heea on Bjhemia Manor as esrvns
tl40. He Landed 10 Phiia ielphla from
his second v0y age from England, Nov
ombeF, 1885, and proceeded northvzkrt
Dul returned the next year 10 this city /;
having 10 tbs meantime visited hit
special work ia 6AvannAb, as. The
folloVlng year he TotuEued 10 Epalan1,
and wa sspAEstea from Mr.. Wealey, be-
oiuse they found themselves unable 10
harmonic their o0ctribal views. H.
returned TO America IN 174&, and made
extended tours through the country,
obrlus for his OrphAnage, and preach
Ing TO Immense crowds OF people Ehsr
ever be made q halt.
Twas daring these travels TO the
north and south be tnAde such frequent
vislts 10 Bohemia Manor, and different
parts OF New Gait o county. In the
Presbyterian churches he usually
preached, and among this people there
was awakeneu much religious interest
~ his visit he preGched in North
Feat, December 3rd, 1889, TO oongre-
lahon OF 1000 psrtons,
Mr. Asb1Ty saya IN his journal. April
6'hi 1915, "BohemiA MAJOR Vas form
eIly tho field In which the Whlteasld
Methodists called New Lights, laborsd
vita nuccespi the WtHleysn Methodisis
are helTa 10 these according 10 tho Got.
pei. We called = meeting OF Richard
BAsEe;t's, and took oounslon TO speak Of
the work Of God, in the days OF the
New Lights, sixty years past"
Ohpt, Webb came 10 the Upper PENN
sulA Just thirty years after WhItefeld's
hrsI visit About two years after the
death OF WhlteAOld, and probably four
yeaTS after Webb's first Vlsit, Ahbury
came.
AsburY Church 10 Wilmington waa
dediosted By Bishop Asbufy 10 1859;
upon this he sRys: "ThuB far have NJ
come, after the labor OF twenty years
begun by webb. Oue Of the most in ;
ursstlng facts la the history OF oar
ehREoh, IN these parts, Ia that the wiz
dom and plety OF the best men OF early
Methodiam were the important factors
As the beginning
Webb, FILLMORE, Asbury, Coke,
Wright, whEtcoat, GArte,tson, Les and
others wero on the ground to start the
movement. The Intelligent piAty Which
marked every effort, together with .
conAuminR EtHl, drew 10 them and en-
listed In the oauae Glars of lAymeu
whose names Esre . tower OF strength
The beneficial effect OF the lAborB Of
taese Influential laymen, has been felt
In every successive eriod OF our history
As q church.
Richard Basgett was prominent in
Bohemia, 81 we'll rs in Dover aud vii
mington. Hts public life hs q member
OF the Convention Of 1887, whioh
formed the constitution Of the Uulttd
States. as q Congressman and Judge
OF the U. s. District Court for Della
ware, did not prevent him from actlve
work In ths early church. At
q quarterly conference for Oeoil
Circuit, held June 9Th, 1911,
Richard BaBsett, LaateuoB MoOombs,
and Brothers Thomson and Bryan were
appointed D committee 10 prepare the
camp nesting ground, Tor q meeting 10
be held that year. BaEgett had served
on similar committee previous to this
time. Himself and wife were wonder
fully enthused over these open afr ser
vices, and contributed largely to thelr
support.
William Howell Of North nAst, q
man Of large business interests, welded
a strong influence In favor OF Metho.
dlsm, in this early days of her existence
Tho Thompsons on the Manor and at
Bethel were foremost In every move.
ment to plant the church.
John BigRa, the father OF this present
Governor Of Delaware, WAS active an
zsRious In the cause, aud y steward and
alas5 leader rs Bethel.
The Herssys, Tysong, Fords, john
Nicholas Chambers, Rich
ard Updegrovs, RobsTt Hart, JOHN Car
mRu, James and Nicholas Manly,
Arthur Beatty, AbTam KtAgY, FrRnols
Go,tier, Shippers, Thomas Fredus Aid
ridge, ZshulOn Kankey, Biddlts, John
HARany, Daniel sherediue, the Miller
brothers and scores OF others, who Ike
God and Gld-motheru, looked
with grateful pride upon the early
growth and prosperity OF the church on
old Cecil circuit. The fruitAge Of to-day
is no doubt largely dus 10 the careful
seed-gowinR Of these noble laymsn, leo
by the ministerial foresight OF the men
whom God had sent TO this country TO
begin she great work.