The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-10-23
BRANDYWINE METHODlSM
FORTY YEARS AGO.
Rev. John France Tells Of Il at the Church
Anniversary Exercises.
he WAS THE FIRST PASTOR.
His Sketch Treats Of the Church In Its In
Cipiency and Follows its Progress
Until the Present Day.

Exercises copmemorating the fortiett
anniversary of'Brandywins NJ. E. ,churcl,
| which have, been held in tho chupch every
day since Sunday Of this week, ,have beer
Doth Interesting and instructive from u
religious standpoint. Thursday nights
exercises were perhaps the most interest
Ing. Rev. John France. the first pastor OF
tho church, then read II brief history OF the
organization ns follows:
Il am indebted for some OF the facts
herein given, to u historical sketch of the
church. prepared and read by Rev. G. A.
Grise at the centennial of Asbury church
In tho year 1880
''About the year 1899. Sarah Haislette
and Sarah Morrow, both of Asbury NJ. t.
Church, went into Brandywine village
and gathered what children they could
into Sunday school class, which held its
stone building Is yet standing on what is
known Us Vandever avenue near Market
street.
AT that time the village was not part
OF the city proper, had no church in it, and
numbered less than 40 inhabitants. Tho
school steadily grew in interest and num-
bers. In 1858 it was transferred to a band
of workers from the Union NJ. Il, Church,
ana In 1896 or 1867 1t went back again to
the care Of Asbury,
VIM. Calvert and Elizabeth Stevenson,
were the male and female superinten.
dents, They were assisted in tho work by
Rev. s. w. Thomas, who still lives and is
aprolnlhont minister and u member OF
the Philadelphia Conference. Jos. e,
smith was also ono of these workers; he
afterward became q pronIinentm ministerand
was Il ,ew years ago pastor of Grace NJ. e.
Church Of this city.
tI)eDnia OrnIyoo1 Thop,oa Orp,roo1
Isaac Preston am Jacob NJ. Gurretson,
nro mentioned in the same connection.
My own personal association with tho
Me'hodisin OF this community dates back
to about this period, although was in no
way connected with the Sunday school
above mentioned. Twas at that time an
apprentice at my trade in this city, and be-
ing a member of church, became ac-
quulnteu with an earnest brother by tho
name of Isaac Stratten, who, with some
others OF like Jealous spirit among whom
may be mentioned Matthias Barnhill, went
about holding prayer meetings In private
houses. l remember that the first prayer
meeting which l attended in tho village
was held in stone house which still
stands few yards below the present site
OF tho church and was led by brother
Strattcn.
There were but two Of us to load in
prayer, and we prayed twice during tho
meeting. Shortly after this regular pray.
er meetings and Sabbath services were
held In the Academy. Thesv meetings
were under tho direction of tho Union NJ.
&. Church of which Rev. Mr.. Maddix was
then pastor. Rov. Philip Jones, IL very
useful local preacher OF that church, was
given charge Of tho Aoa iemy meetings
A protracted meeting was held about this
time. and during this meeting preached
my first sermon. Very soon after this, or
IN the autumn of 1865, was regularly
licensed TO preach by my own church,
which was Mt. Salem, and sent BY the
Presiding Eldor, ~ }, Thompson, to my
iirst charge. In the meantime the meet
ings continued in tho village. aud In the
fail of 1856 tho FIST NJ t. Society was
formally ersaiized in the old academy.
Key. W. J. kennard, local preacher Of
Asbury, was placed in charge.
"ln 1857, a board OF Trustees was elected,
mud they proceeded to arrange for the
building of II church A lot at 22nd and
Market streets WAS obtained from Joseph
Ia, nall A two-story brick building 40
G) feot was begun. the cornerstone being
laid on September 2sth, 1857, :Rov. Alfred
Goodman and Newton iiesJon officiating
In the Spring of 1858. W. j Kennard
was re-appointed, but left the work In the
lnddlc Of the year. AT that time was
cult when Rev. W. Wise, Presiding Elder,
was transferred to Brandywine.
"On coming here found tho situation
exceedingly embarrassing to myself ms well
as TO the small struggling society, on &C.
count Of the unfaithful conduct of my
predecessor. There was the church build
ing, but 1t was IN debt for about as much
as it was worth, with no deed oven for the
lot on which the building stood. Truo,
,l-p. .i,,tip r
but 1t was found to be of bu5 little value.
However, some Of the friends of Methodism
coming TO our help. we secured settees and
furnished the lecture room, and moved
from the Academy to the church. AS
matter of course we had an opening SER
vice, but do not recolIeot anything con.
:erning tho OCCASION.
1t is with pleasure that recall the names
of some who were members at that time
and ussist3d at tho moving They were
James Spencer, Sarah u Spencer, Sarah
Rigby, May A. Hill, Edgar Pierce, Sarsh
Morrow, Elizabeth Hill, Fmellre Bullock
Rebecca Burton, Franklin Lloyd, Eliza
beth Lloyd, Annie H. Pierce. William A.
Breon, William Fl. Mckinney, Edwin +.
Morrow, Brother and Sister Lobb, K J..
Rodgers, Mary A. Talley.
From that time began tho struggle to
save precious souls and to save the church
room was furnished and dedicated. My
recollection Of that event is that Bishop
Scott preached in tho morning; Rev. Geo.
Wiswell, of tho Central Presbyterian
Church in the afternoon, and Rev. Andrew
Manship at night, Bro. Mapship having
charge Of the finances during the entire
day. After this came fairs, festivals, sup.
pers and lectures as well as private solici.
tation to raise money.
n,,,, 1,,,t
nowned Peter Cartwright, delivered in As
bury Church and an other by Newton Hes.
ton, at ST Paul's Church. A fair was
held by the ladies OF Asbury, St. Paul's
and Union Churches assisted by the untir.
ing ladies of our own church in the Town
Hall. BY these.and other means we raised
soino money, but by no means enough to
relieve the church of its burden of debt.
Had wo tho time wo might recall many
interesting events which occurred during
that pastorate Notwithstanding the dis.
couraglng condition Of finances, many
precious souls were converted, some of
whom abide TO tho present. whilst not
few have crossed the river to ther Heaven.
ly homo. But there was one event which
took place at that time which l mover can
Nrget, 1t was my marriage and OF bring.
ing my wife as bride to the church Of
which had the honor to bo the pas or.
1 Hut Iuppg eNcut OtCurTtu VII rtUTiIFy
II, 1859 At the end Of my torn, in 1850 l
was removed elsewhere aud was followed
by Thomas Montgomery, who rendered the
church faithful service.
In the spring of 1861. w. II. Fries was
appointed pastor, and served until January
/, 1862, when he left to go into the army
as chaplain of tho Fourth Delaware Regi.
mcut of Volunteers Brother Fries had
ono striking popularity which was Of
swinging hisih and to his hack and exciting.
Iy rubbing the back of shis coat while
preaching. When asked why he did It. he
replied that he was scratching for ideas
Happy for him if he could find them In
this way.
IGmay be noted that during his pastorate
the first marriage In the church took
place, and the contracting parties were
Edwin f. Morrow and Rebecca l., Burton,
among the most active workers Of ths
church of those days.
Creditors of the church now began to
grow restless and wanted their money,
and some interesting things are related Of