Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1897-12-16

Brandywiue Methodist Episcopal |
Clutch, at Twenty second and Market
streets, was the scene of interesting |
EXERCISES Thursday evening when Hon. |
Thomas F. BRyard presented to the
church a medallion of John Wesley |
made by JOSIAH Wedgswood. Mr..
Bayard delivered felicitous address
In which he dwet upon the work of
the founder OF Methodsm and OF the
great potter and found the Lesson from
their SUCCESS to be that they addressed
themselves to that which is highest in
every human heart.
In the absence, on account OF illness
10 his family, Of the pastor Of the
church. the Rev. Asbury Burke, ID.
G. Gibbs, who with James Clayton
formed the committee of arrangements,
acted as presiding officer The exer
cises opened with the singing Of the
hymn, 80 Thou lncRrnate Word,
after which prayer was offered by
Medford II. Cahoon. Cheney Loomis
sang Trinity Chimes,'' and Mrs. j.
A. Fitch of Philadelphia sang one of
her effective solos. A brief address
was made by Moses Bullock, local
preacher of Brandywina Church, who
spoke of the founding of that church
about 40 years ago, that anniversary
having recently passed. and OF the
growth of the congregation. He eulo-
kized the United States az being free
country, with free speech and free re.
ligion. After singing by a quartet
comprising Messrs. Loomis and the
Messrs Taggart and Taylor, Presiding
Officer Gibbs announced the presenta-
tion OF the medallion by Mr.. Bayard.
Mr.. Bayard was warmly welcomed.
Il. d., / farnrad
with an invitation to attend this night
in this church, 1 was asked at the
same time to make here an address.
But did not feel myself worthy or
competent to make such an address
that | think house dedicated to the
worship of God should always contain.
But remembered that | had in my
possession something which attracted
my attention while representing our
country in England, and it occurred to
me that this would be proper occasion
to present a cameo msdallion of John
Wesley to Methodist congregation in
my native town.
1t would be presumptious in me. and
do NOT propose TO make any extended
comment on Wesley. but so remarkable
mar as John Wesley cannot be passed
without commenting on the extraordi-
nary influence he produced upon the
civilization OF mankind. He was an
Englishman; born an Englishman
bred an Englishman, and ST he died.
since he was burn, TO be exact, 19e
years, and he lived to the age OF Sc
yoarH. John Wesley was graduate Of
Oxford. His father was Clergyman
of the Church of England. John acted
as curste to his father. lie went tt
Oxford where he joined with hi
brother Charles, where he found thii
great human movement, the great
warming Of the mass of mankind fol
higher spiritual life. He declared tina
vt was not his desire TO depart from th,
Church of England. the church of hi
childhood, hut it was his purpose to re
vjve tho spirit of religious feeling
which was confined to the few and kep
from the many. And SO he said: "T
save souls is my vocation; the world il
my parish "
He and Whitefield were driven fror
the use of churches and compelled +
preach In the open fields. 1t is not 8
long ago, 1888, since the first Methods
Episcopal chapel was erected in Bris
iol, England. Wesley came over to thi
country with Gov. Oglethorpe {
Georgia, being missionary to the In
dians. His brother Charles was also i
the party in the capacity Of secretary
the Governor.
During his life time his verbi
speeches. were countless; OF writing
there are perhaps 200. His hymns al
translations from the German; he
not the known author of any hymn
but his brother Charles was the authC
OF 1000 hymns. remarkable for piet,
which have held their own as sylnbo
of divine Worship from that time
this and never will be forgotten.
Wesley's ministration in Americ
cannot be called in one SENSE success
full, twas not popular. He and b
brother were glad to 60 back to En-
land and continue work, for John We
ley was the founder of Methodism
England, and the founder of Metho
ism iu America. After be went baC
to England one Of the most rsmarkab
men who came under his ADMINISTRATION
was FIancis Aebury, and in II
Francis Asbury, as the general assiH
ant in America, landed in Philadelphi
and 10 l774, l believe he was cons
Grated an assistant to Bishop COX
who was sent also by John Wesley. ~
mention of Asbury brings us to o
own times aod closer to this col
munity. 1t brings me to my inner
tauce of Methodism. II was he VIII
by his ministrations, converted, as /
saying ia, or certainly induced 3
father's grandfather, Gov Bassett.
become member of the MethOd
society. 1t was that inheritance viii
always made the house of my faith
and grandfather the stopping place
visiting clergyinen and which caus
my father to havs all his children ba
tized by a methodist clergyman.
was the Rev. Ezekiel Cooper from who
i received the rite Of Christian ba
tism and that is one reason why ii
mysslf SO glad before such q congrel
tion as this to speak words of respt
for the founder Of the congregatic
and this feeling led me 10 present Il
little medallion which ] procured
England.
But the little medallion has anott
point Of interst. 1t ia BY Josiah Wedl
wood, who exerted remarkable inf
snce on the land in which he lived.
was potter, hut his genius raised Il
occupation 10 the level Of high a
and he Araised the feeling the reiii
meut. the character, and the conscier
OF his countrymen. lilo sent artists
Italy who found treasures of art Of |
past and brought them TO England. a
taught tine people to study thu beau
full. the true and the useful. lie fiS
his mahufaetory in Burslem and tn,
lie erected factory for the higher eli
OF artistic pottery and called it Etrnr