The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1890-11-01

the church and in 1886 was elected Trus-
tee which office he has held for the last
fifty four years and is still active i'll all
that pertains to the welfare of tho
church Brother Thompson is now
eighty five years old, and so well pres
seved is he that he is able to take long
carriage rides acting as his own driver
He took his horse and carriage on Satur
day evening the list of Oct. and drove
me over to Chesapeake city TO hold
Quarterly Conference and on Monday
brought me to Elkton. He belongs to a
long lived family, His Great Great
Grandfather was one hundred and eight
years old when he died. Seventeen such
lives linked together would take us back
to the time of the death of Christ. This
aged man was so full of activity the year
he died, that he rode on horse back and
unbagged fox for some young sports
who had heard of his being a great
hunter. Bro Samuel Thompson's Great
Grand Father was eighty two years of
age when he died, his Grand father eighty
one his father sixty -seven, making the
aggregate age of these four men four
hundred and twenty years.
Brother Thompson remembers much
concerning the Old Methodsts and their
customs. Bro. Henry White appointed
him door keeper at Love Feasts with
80 Ill rrh
members and to admit none but these
who were serious or seekers.
One day two young ladies came with
q member and were admitted. These had
black and red ribbons on their bonnets.
Henry White saw them and commanded
aloud, Brother Thompson to let no more
of the Devils livery into the Love Feast
What change, Not always for the
better.
When Lafay cite visited :nis country
i'll 1924, Bro. Thompson dined with him
n Annapolis, and y hen the first boatwent
| through the Delaware and Chesapeake
| Canal 10 rode omit. He helped to buildthe
! l,st house in Chesapeake City and was
one of the subscribers to the first Metho-
| dist Church built there. He has many
old records in his possession and many
important facts in his memory. From his
| conversion in 1884 he has been ar annual
subscribed to the "Chrstian Advocate"
| constant reader of our church organ for
more than fifty years. lie is also sub,
scriber to the Peninsula Methodist and
has been from its origin. What great
advantage it would be II the converts in
our day if they would read our church
papers. The irst Board of Trustees of
Bethel church were John Carnan, Tobias
Biddle, Nicholas Chambers, James Rat
cliff Robert Cutlery. John Carnan was
considered the founder of The church and
remained faithful member and officer
until the day of his death. In 1900, May
9th Bishop Asbury writing of Bethel
says, 1.-The people leaped tor JOY of heart
they had beaten down strong drink and
the power of God is come We cannot
tell Just what Bishop Asbnry meant bj
"they have beaten down strong drink
but we lejo;ce not oni; that Bethel com
munity but the whole of Cecil Co. il
under Local Option law with publ,
sentiment sufficiently powerful to arres
aud convict its violators. Connected
with Bethel church lot is one Of the mos
beautiful cemeteries of three and hal
acres to be found on the E .stern Shore
of Md Gods acre at this place is wei
kept and contains many monuments tt
the memory of great aud good men,
Here sleeps the dust of Rev. VIM. Tay
lor the m 4riner's friend unmarked. lie
who befriended others and gave his lif
for them, has found no friend to mari
his grave or care for his tomb. Is there
not some one yetalive who owes this deb
of gratitude TO his memory? Rev. Law
renee Lawrenson an able and successful
Methodist preacher, whose relations still
live in the community, also awaits wit
Rev. Samuel Grace and Row. VIM. Il
Brisbane A. NJ. the esurrect;on. Tn
Rev. VIM. B. Brisbane married I'll
. daughter of John Biggs who was de
voted member of Bethel, and for Ion;
!, time faithful trustee, and sister of Hon
B. T. Biggs now Governor oil Delaw~r re
After the reading of letter from MI
George Johnston and pleasing sol
by Mrs. T.. S. Ellison. cine Beautifr
5 land" Mr.. John Fletcher Kane sub
3 mitted paper affectionately recalin
the ministers that have led the Sacra
, mental hosts at Bethel church.
The want of space prevents fu
q notice of the evening service, at whic
an interesting address was made b
o Mr.. VIM. ]. Lake Superintendent Of tn
, Sunday School and forcible sermon
was preached, by the Rev. Aifre
Smith of Middletown, pleasing featur
of the service being the selection
rendered by the choir composed {
Mrs c. S. Ellison, Miss Mary Ellison
Miss Lynch and Messrs. Gardner Ma
: fit and Stiles.