The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-03-02
wEsLEY's T1Esr pRArER IN GEORGIA.

I
river Feb. 5, 1876. Wesley Immediately
entered upon his clerical duties by resura-
ing thanks TO God for their safe deliver
ance in the presence Of the ships company
on Tybee Island where they had landed, a.
Oglethorpe's suggestion OElethorpe and
his party were heartily welcomed by the in
hSbitants ON their arrival The governor 8
first act was 20 give orders to provide
materials 70 build church
Wesley found Savannah town Of about
forty houses, standing on a Fat bluff. On
the east Of the town was a swamp, on the
west wood, and on the south forest OF
pines. The principal building was the
/ Wesley succeeded Rev. Samuel Quincy
as clergyman to Georgia, bis
parish including the whole settlement Of
the young colony from Ebenezsr, on the
north Of Savannah, TO Frederick, on ST.
Simol's Island.
There was no church in the province.
| Wesley entered upon his ministry IN Georgia
Sunday, March z. by preaching on the
! epistls for toe day-the thirteenth Of first
| Corinthians.
WEsLEY's POPULARITY.
Wesley was much pleased with his charge
/ and was st first very popular with the peo-
| pie, who were delighted with his zeal and
enthusiasm. Il is eiated that on one occa-
sion a ball and public prayers beginning at
| Tue SAIue time, lue crown ATTENDED the
| prayers, while the ballroom was empty.
This popularity was not for long, how
| ever. Weseys zeal for the strict observ-
ance of what he considered the ordinances
Of the church was so great that the eAsy>
going population of the new settlement
were soon alienated from him, ana, in fact,
would have gladly have been rid Of him.
Charles Wesley, who had been appointed
secretary Of Indian affairs by Oglethorpe
and had gone with him TO the new settle
ment Of Frederick, had a lard time of it
there.
Like his brother, his zeal outran his dis
erection, and he was soon heartily hated by
a class Of population which had left taeir
counuy, probably for their country's
the new world, and his life
was made burden 10 him.
Charles Wesley returning to Savannah dis
gUsted with his treatment at Frederick,
John Wesley exchanged places with his
brother went to Frederick, and where he
remained about a month.
Wesley was very anxious to go upon his
intended work as a missionary among the
Indians, but was dissuaded by Oglethorpe,
who urged upon him that it would not be
proper to leave Savannah without a min
lister.
RETURNED TO ENGLAND.
Charles Wesley embarked for England on
July 26. 1887, after spending a little more
than five moths in Georgia.
Wesley was very Jealous in fulfilling his
duties to his whole charge, and underwent
great hardships in visiting the distant
portions Of his parish, being nearly frozen
TO death upon one occasion. His efforts
were very coldly received by the
people, who cared little for the
cons lations Of religion, and Wesley
made many enemies by his zeal, his life
being often threatened.
Wesley was High Churchman and en-
deavored to compel his pa ishlouers to
strictly observe all the ordinances of the
church, even in unimportan' matters. In this
be was arbitrary and extreme, which Sc
cured him the emnity of many persons,
especially Of the baser sort. Wesley re-
fused to give the benefit Of the services of
the church to those whose conduct he
thought unworthy.
CHARGES AGAINST HIM.
A number of charges was made against
him and he was indicted by the grand jury
upon long list, most of them
trivisl and foolish. Though the charges
were proven TO be false and malicious, MS
enemies continued to pursue him in the
most vindictive manner, until, at
last. under the advice of friends,
be decided to leave the province
As soon as his intention was known his
the proviuce, and suit was brought against
him for FL 900, aud he was ordered 10y the
magistrate not TO leave until he had
answered the accusations against him.
Wesley had already attended seven seS-
sions OF the court to answer these charges
but was not permitted to answer them. He
was prisoner at large.
wEsLEY's DEPARTURE.
On the night Of Dec. 2. 1887, Wesley left
l. =
Purrysourg, distant about twenty miles,
where he arrived the next morning. From
Purrysburg they set out on foot to Port
Royal, and tram ped through the woods for
four days, suffering from hunger and thirst
From Port Royal they set sail for Charles
ton, where they arrived Dec ID, and Dec
% Wesley sailed for England. He had spenta
year and ten months In Georgia in most
unpleasant and Improbable, work, though
the Rev. George Whitefeld, who succeeded
him, testified to the good memory which
Wesley had left behind him in the minds of
many.
THE START OF MErHoDIsM
1t was after his return to England that
Wesley formulated and Systematically ad-
vocated the doctrine and manner of life in
which he has been so widely followed.
1t is remarkable that until within the
last quarter of a century the Methodist
church, so popular and prosperous in the
rest OF the state, had but a
very slight foothold In Savannah.
DIR. Dixon's "Methodism in America,
says: at is a remarkable fact that, though
Savannah is the chief city in the state of
Georgia, Methodism hardly has an exist
epce in it. Wesley left it in 1877.
ana three years after Whitefield
founded his Savannah Orphan House,
which has long since crumbled. into
ruins. Nothing more was done until 1870,
when Hope HUI was sent to Savannah and
preached a few times in chair makers
shop, but me with more mob violence than
spiritual success. Ten years later John
Garvin tried to collect a society, but
the attempt was failure. The
South Carolina conferences held in
1906 appointed Samuel Dunwoody, and he
succeeded in forming the first Methodist
society in Savannah since the breaking up
of that formed by Wesley seventy years
previously Dunwoody's society consi ted
Ct twelve members, five of them white and
seven colored. After hard toiling a chapel
was erected in Savannah in 1912
aud was opened by Bishop Asbury, but to the
present day the opposition to Methodism is
most decided and the Methodist society and
| congregation are extremely poor aud
meager."
Merhodism in Savannah has increased
| greatly since the above was written.