Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1889-10-16

on me Ihird street side. The audit orlum
had gallery II feet @ inches wide on
the south and north sides, aud over the
vesnDule on the west the pews were
placed In two blocks with a four-foot
aisle In the centre aud three foot aisle
ut each side Of the church. Doors open.
Ing into the yestibule were placed at the
end OF each aisle, and two small windows
were put In over the pulpit. The build
Ing committee consisted of the Rev.
Anthony Atwood, pastor, Richard VIII
iiams, Cbas. Moore ard George Magee.
From this time the Sabbath school occu.
pied the lecture room, aud the school
holiie was soon after renewed.
1n 1889, one hundred years after
Methodism was organzed In England by
Mr.. Wesley, aud Just lfty years after the
dedication of Asbury, Interesting CEN
tenary services were held In this church.
A collection was then taken Tor
th fund, when 158 persons gave 1851. 81.
On Sunday, Octeber 25, the religious OBJ
servabee OF the centenary were observed.
A large congregation met at @ In the
morning and held general prayer
meeting, which was characterized by the
most devotional feelings and sentiments.
At 10 O'Clock the pastor, Rev. Joseph
Lybrand, delivered a discourse based on
/. Samuel Tag. Then Samuel took a
stone, and set 1t between 1Mezzeh and
Sheu, and called the uamc of IL Eeben-
ezeri saying; Hitherto hath the Lord
helped u.s." The sermon was admirably
calculated to excite feelings of pious
gratitude to God for hls wonderful pres
ervation.
1t was in the centenary year, 1899,
that the trustees first selected u secretary
to keep a record OF their proceedings, ard
thus relieve the president OF the board.
Charles Moore, now In his 8Sd year, was
chosen for this position.
The nth general rtpir OF the church
was In 1872, while key. Enoch Stubs
was pastor. Improvements wefe put
upon the interior costing Si2,0 0. The
church was rededicated on January 10,
1873.
There are Indications in oil the records
OF the church that tho cause of temper
ance had always occupied warm place
iu the affections Of this church.
Thus was our church far ahead. The
interest In tempe anco work continues.
On May 4, 1866, the trustees appointed
| q committee to raiEe the money for an
instrument OF music, and In the fall of
that year the organ was introduced into
the church, with Mr. q. Wells, at a
salary OF 500, as organist and Ashley
Shippers leader OF the choir.
During tho pastorate Of the Rev. W.
l.. 8. Murray the sixth and last improve
ment was made upon the church. In
this improvement the lecture room wac
extended TO the building line on Third
street, the church being thus converted
into an L shaped building; and the Auor,
In order to give greater height to the
lecture room, was lowered two feet. THIS
improvement made room for an ample
library aud large vesibule on the
ground floor. On the second floor 1t
provided a room, now occupied by the
iufant department., aud on the third
floor, on level with the gallery, is
another room of the same dimensions
used as a church parlor.
On November s. 1885, when this much
needed improvement had -teen com
ple'ed, the church was re-opened with
spproprlat, services, including a cOllec-
tioD. The Rev Mr.. Simms, d. ID. LII.
D., Chancellor of the Syracuse Univer-
sity, preached In the morning, Bishop
Fl. w. Warren, ID. d. LII. D., In the
afternoon, and Richard Boyle, ID. d.. OF
Grace Church, Wilmington, at night. IRE
day was very inclemUnt Yet NJ arly $5, 600
of the $40 900 he .dcd was rlisel In cash
subscription. During the plstorate of
the Rev. ). 10. Bryan, whose ndeiatiga.
BILE efforts to complete the payment of
this debt will long be remembered, the
debt was nearly cancelled, the last dollar
being paid during the present pasturate,
Oct. 6, 1880.
OF the old church only a small rart
remain. On the south side about 50
feet from the cast end, 10 ieet from the
west, aud ~ feet from the caves. aud on
the west side, In the partition that d.
vides tho vestibuie from the rest of the
church, part Of the original wal! still re-
mains.
The church to-day has upon her
record $40 full members and 81 proba-
TONERS st. Pau!'a, Union, Brandy wine,
Mt. Salem, silveibrook, as will be seen
from the papers read here from these
churches, have gone directly from this
fold, and many more have sons and
daughters of old Asbury departed with
the mothers blessing upon them to
work for Christ in other fields. But to
change the figure, the old Ii w Is still
full. Though swarm after swarm las gone
out In search OF q hive Of its own, there
have always been hundrcds more to take
Its place, and the old hive seems in a
kboh ObbuitiOh ~ bnhfth uhatus VIZ btRIh
| our Eecoud century with bright outlook.
Our lecturej room, on Friday evening is
usually we'll filled with earnest solls
verifying the promise of Christ to meet
with them, as they renew their VOWS OF
fidelity 10 God. Revivals alter the priml-
tive type arc frequent; nothing better
than a Methodist altar for Il sinner TO
seek Christ Is wanted, aud cries Of peni-
tepce iningle! with the shouts OF rejuic-
ing OF the converte and the songs OF The
saints are often heard. At the ordinary
| Sunday services often hundreds rre
turned away who would gladly worship
with us, and we are we'll assured that
God Is IN our midst,
The wo.k OF the church is varied. A
Sunday school doing valuable work; a
Ladies' Mite Society caring Tor The com
fort OF the parsonage inmaas and lh,
beautilying OF the church; II Women .
Foreign Missionary Society aud Murray
Band OF Joy Ladies', sending the gospel
to the benighted corners OF The East n
| W. ii. NJ. Society, attending TO tie work
at home; Kings Daughters Society, ever
ready to assist in any good work; Chit
tian Endeavor Society, tic; 20 CLASSES
meeting weekly for testimony aud prayer.
These represent some OF the energies OF
| tile cnurcn, whlie trustees, icaueT5 anu
stewards, faithful men Of God, watch aud
iorwa d every interest OF ou' III II.
| In the 100 years of our history 90 men
have oiliciaied Gs pastor. OF these, one
did willie pastor. Rev. Geo. Quigley, in
1866, 6 served two pastoral terms, viz ;
John NJ. McCoskey, Ezekiel Cooper, Jo-
St phi Rustliug, John Kennedy Joseph
| Leybrand and Robert Gerry, and to Chas.
Hill belongs the honor OF having occu'
pied this pastcrate three times. or the
/ 90 pastors one Is now q minister In the