The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1889-02-02
GAINESVILLE, Nd, Jan. %, 1889.

| DGI vi al llCISS VII NulAOuo tOpANo va @
local and personal character, but
nothing has yet been written about
the early churches of this part of the
county-a subject that ought to in
terest church people, and not be all
unwelcome to the laity. 1t is to be
regretted that ample data and means
are not at hand to prepare for a
cleverer paper on a subject the writer
deems an important one. The good
old people with their stores of pre-
cious knowledge are all gone ; how
few there are to appreciate them and
the loss in their deaths. We cannot
reach back to their times, can only
here and there pick up grain of ira.
dition, but such is an important ele-
ment in all history, even sacred.
The first organized congregation in
this part of the county was the M. E..
Church at "Old Grantsville" can't
give the date, but their little hewed
log church on the Braddock Road,
half mile West of the present town OF
that name, was built about the year
1918. 1t was primitive in all Its
features, with an ancient pulpit high
up in the air, about the size of sugar
hogshead, and of course with an
opening barely sufficient for entrance
and amply high to hide the whole
of the dominic except his intellectual
parts. There was also a gallery where
the more ung0dly would gather, and
where there were usually more whis-
pering and giggIng than worship.
This sacred edifice served its day
well, but was torn down about the
year 1850, and rebuilt into dwell
ing indeed, it was first intended for
hotel. Ii is believed there are now
none living who can say they re-
celved conversion in the old church.
The old-time leaders, such as the
Thisttles, Bruises, WiIands, Bakers,
Veasts, Laymans, Richards and
others are gone.
One Of the truly good men of these
days was VIM. WiIand, the old can.
Ger doctor, with a family remedy
now at least 100 years old. Joel,
son, being the present custodian ard
practitioner of the secret. The good
old christian was always where duty
required. Once the minister failed
to appear, but the old ciass-l leader un-
dertook to supply his place in his
plain meek manner. The season was
one of great drOuth. The heavens
were ''as brass" for the want of rain.
The devOut man prayed feryentIv for
the needed showers, though there
was not cloud to be seen as large as
the petitioners invoking hand. In
the audience was bevy of young
girls in their starchy white dresses.
They laughed at the simple prayer,
but before they reached their homes
rain came, as Archy Carry once said,
not in torrents but columns. They
became believers in the efficacy of
prayer after their drenching.
At that early day the Methodists
were generally known as Wesleyites,
in honor of their great founder. Old
Grantsville with its three houses and
blacksmithshop must have gone in
to "inOcuOus desuetude" about the
year 1920, when the National Road
supplanted old Braddock. The church
and graveyard were lonely compan-
ions for many years the latter to this
day continues to receive a patronage
that never fails or shrinks. Though
great many Cody things were done
here in the good old way, yet there
were some things Of !aughable ma
ture, especially to the young. On
one occasion a daughter of very
strict sister committed some youthful
indiscretion under the sound of the
word, WhereupOn at the end of the
service the lively daughter received
a switching in front of the church, by
the pious mother. This was old-time
discipline. In these days this congre-
cation belonged to the Baltimore
Conference, then to Pittsburg, and of
later years to West Virginia, where
it still rests,
About 1910 New Grantsville, then
consisting Of four dwellings, one
hotel. one shop, (no postoffice) in
connection with the people in the
neighborhood. built large log house
in the lane leading TO Salisbury, in
tended for church and school pur-
poses. This remained place for
worship for about seven years for all
denominations. "a powerful re-
vival" took place in 1916, under the
administration of Rev. r. Laughlin,
ii strong, earnest and untiring man
from the hills of West Virginia. He
lacked education, but seemed to pride
in it more than regret what most
people consider a misfortune. He