Smyrna times., 1889-07-03

o1dCh1StUu nCGG1uS 4AOucCs
This place so celebrated in Methodist
history is not indebted to the family OF
that name for the assemblage that
gathered there to worship God, as it
was to the arduous labOrs and expense
of the writer's grandfather, Abraham
Parsons. He came from Kent county,
Maryland, and settled on his Wife's
property in Kent county, Delaware,
where there was neither a building to
worship in or a congregation to preach
to. Being filled with the strong faith
of the early Methodist he believed no.
thing was impossible with God, and
commenced raising a congregation in
his own house, where the Lord greatly
blessed his efforts.
At the beginning of the Revolution
ary war most of the Methodist ministers
that came from England returned to
their native soil. Francis Asbury
however, remained and secured himself
in the house of his friend Judge White
most of the time. Doctor McGaw,
however, was a native Delawarean,
and remained sustaining tho Methodist
by his efforts who at that time had not
separated from the Church of England.
They. were nicknamed Methodists on
account of the strictness of their lives,
and have since retained that name. He
met the people at Abraham Parson
and preached to them, and admins
tered the sacrament of baptism and the
Lords Supper. He not only encour-
aged them in this way but built them
a house to worship in not far from
Dover. This chapel was erected and
opened for worship in 1779 1t was
called the Forest Chapel" and was
the first meeting house that the Meth
odists had in the State of Delaware
1t was afterwards called Thomas
Chapel"
About two years after the introduc
ton of Methodism by the writer:
grandfather near Backiston's cross
roads, Blackiston's chapel was erected
| The plan of the house, which was forty
by sixty feet, was a number of wears
the largest Methodist chapel on th,
peninsula. Some large and powerful
meetings were held in it. Sometime
the religious feeling was so great tha
the meetings continued all day. Thr
multitude gathered here from an i'm
mense distance, and from other State
to quarterly meetings.
From the present year 1889 the write
can trace back one hundred and tel
years at least of her family being con
nected with the MethOdists.
In reviewing the traditional histor
OF Abraham Parsons, 1 find him fight
ing for liberty against King George
uspuratiOn, or at home striving t
plant MethOdism in a section tina
afterwards became renowned for havin
the largest chapel on the peninsula
His wife, the writer's grandmothe1
also contributed her part towards tn
erection of the chapel, and in supply
ing the wants of the preachers familie
whose salaries in that day were nc
adequate to their necessities. He
daughter Rachel, the writer's mothe
though child, rendered what assis
ance she could, and that was to rid
ON horseback to pilot the preachers I
the appointments. God prepared he
,, then for the work she was to accomplis
! in after life, to welcome the preacher
to her home for nearly half centur,
The great multitude that came
! hear the preaching and attend cla!
! meeting at the writer's grandparen
frequently remained to eat their meal
and in this way increased his expens,
: and financially injured him.
! During the powerful revivals th:
, occurred there, the writer's moth,
was admitted as a member of the So, /
= ty when she was. so young as 20 |
: held up in her fathers arms. I knn
from experience that very young Chi
dren are powerfully convicted at time
- and do not for a moment doubt Il
p probability of their conversion.
!. SARAH P. MASON.
g July 1st, 1889.