Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1890-10-23
WORSHIP IN A MILL.
Cecil County One of the EARLY
Homes of Methodism.
Centenary of Bethel Church to he Oh
served ON Sunday--Its Historical Assoc
Citations.

Centenary of Bethel Church to he oh
served on Sunday--Its Historical Assoc
Citations.
4 Special to the baltimore American.
/ ELKToN, Oct. 19.-While it is generally
known that the Eastern Shore Of Mary
land is entitled to the honor of originating
the first Presbyterian church in the United
States, comparatively few people know
that that section of country is also the
early home of ATethDdisn. In the autumn
of I'll, the Rev. Richard Wright, who had
been received as II travelling preacher by
the Rev. John Wesley the year before, and
by him had been sent to proclaim the new
faith iii America, came to this country and
found his way to Bohemia Manor, in Cecil
county. Here at the house of Solomon
Hersey, Mr., Wright, soon after his arrival,
organized the first Methodist society in the
United States. 1t is true that Methodism
had been preached in New York City, and
Frederick county, Md, and perhaps in a
few other places, few years before, but
there is nothing To show that those who
preached it were recognized by Mr.. Wesley,
or ,llat he knew of their existence.
1t is singular coincidence that the first
Methodist society i'll the United States
should have been organized on the "Laba-
die Tract, " and within about mile of the
house in which that strange community
ilNci anu llIil4tlctu tllr letlllldr FltcS MiiVl
blended the alisterity Of the Quakers with
the cunning Of The Jesuit. Still closer to
the house in which the Methodist society
was organized stood the large brick man
sion then known as the Bayard House, in
which the Rev. George Whitfield had
preached the gospel III lIl0to Il crowd Of
1000 people, as he says in his journal.
solomon Jersey was a miller, and ran
the mill then known rs Sluyters Mill,
formerly known as Van Bibber's Mill,
which was the first mill erected in the
southern part of Cecil county. II was built
by the ancestors OF the distinguished fam
ily "f that name iii Baltimore Tradition
says the early Mcthodists wOrshiped in the
MILL
Tho mill has long since disappeared A
few broken mill-stones and the site of the
cellar alone remain TO tell where it stood.
tlose by the site of the mill, and stretching
across Il ravine, which is probably a hun
drcd yards wide, and down which flows the
gentle stream, the water of which turned
the mill wheel nearly two hundred years
age, still stands a prodigious bank of earth,
which formed the breast of the mill-dam.
The old Bayard mansion is still standing,
and though a little the worse for the wear
and tear of u century and three-quarters,
looks as if it might stand two centuries
longer. There is probably no better built
or more neatly finished house in Cecil
county To-day. The room III winch Whit
field lodged, when stopping with Mrs.
l}ayard, the hosptahe widow, who then
resided in the house, is still pointed out by
those to whom il was shown in their child
hood.
The congregation at Hersey's Mill, a few
years after its organization, seems to have
built Il log Westinghouse mile or two
west of that place, and about the
same time another part of it organized
what has since been called the Bethe
Church. This church was organized about
1870, and for some time worshiped IN
Thompson's school-house. 1t is the cen-
tennial of this church that the Methodists
The present Bethel Church stands within
"a few yards of the spot on which the
Broad Greek Presbyterian Church, which
had brief existence of about quarter Of
a century, and ceased to live in 1725, stood
A few ancient tombstones standing near
the Bethel Church mark the site of the
graveyard Of its predecessor.
Great preparations have been made TO
make the celebration interesting. The Rev.
+ Snowden Thomas, editor Of the PcttiJ,-
Wld ntthodiSt, will deliver ali address on
The Beginning of Methodism in Cecil
County, The Rev. W. i. 5. Murray, pre-
siding elder of the Wilmington district,
will read history of Bethel Church. Gov.
Benjamin I. Biggs will also deliver an ad-
dress.
The Rev. James A. Brindlc, one of the
oldest members of the Wilmington Con
ference, who entered the ministry in 1913.
will also participate, and speak upon the
subject, ministers That Have Led the
Sacramento Hosts at Bethel