The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-03-02
DR.. Tinker's Letter.

farther East, 1t may not be ainiss o refresh
tn ir minds Ly some historic reiorences to
tina. garden of MethCdlsn known as the
Pcnninsuia-and which includes all that
territory lying oFwren no DELAY 'rh r!ver
an Dvi"w re bay the Gas, and the Sus,
quehunnn r.sr..nu Chrsape;tke t.ty Oh ttie
west, and extending to the Pennsylvania
State line ON The north Ecclt siastically
this territory is known a> the Wilmington
Conference, with its nlnistoria! force of
more than one hundred and oighty persons
and with lis lay mem bership OF orty.tbreo
thousand.
Methodism was introduced into this
Territory at ieast as early as seven cen
hundred and sixty-seven, by that heroic
Christian soldier and lay preacher, Cap
tain Webb or tho English army. Stand
ing at the corner Of King and Eighth
streets. Wilmington, he dlscoursed with
great rarnaatnnss and cloIuel.ce to II
motely crowd that had gathered to hear
man clothed ia he uniform Of British
soldier. E"om That sermon originated tho
first Methodist class. However, iwenty-
two years clap-el before the first edilice
was dedicated on the very spot whore now
stands the present Asbury church, tbs
mothorof Wilmington Methodism. Bishop
A,bury was to preach tho dedicatory SER
nor, and the cditlce was to bear his now
vcnerated name.
Barrett's chapel, in Central Delaware,
wis to witness the first meeting of Coke
ar d Asbury on Sunday in November,
1854. 1t was here and on that day that
the Lords Supper WAS administered for
the first time IN America by IL regularly
ordained Methodist preacher. 1t was here
that plans were laid 10 organize the Meth
odist Episcopal Church.
Tho Peninsula ppnvrb t, ba "a pnry nan
goniAA soil for Molhodism. Hero were
born Asd reared somo oi The great preach
ers and scholars and executive officers of
our Church. And hero havo wrought some
of tho most powerful and eloquent men
of Methodism. Ezekiel Cooper, Bishops
Emory and Hurst and many Others scarce.
ly loss distinguished, are on tho honor roll
O. natives; while Thomas Ware. Richard
Whatcaat Freeborn Garrettson, Vulun.
tine Cook Henry Boehem. Robert K.
Roberts. Benjamin Abbott, Matthew
Sorin, Alfred COckman, and Il host OF
other emtnent proachors aud workers by
div!no help, have mad. this Alotholistic
plot 10 bud and blossom as the rose. Viii
mlngton, with 10 8 than eighty thousand
inhabitants, is snid to be the most
thoroughly Mothudistic city on the con-
tinent, with its thirty churches and mis-
s!ons and with constituency larger than
tine B,ptists, Presbytoriaus, anu Episco-
paliHnS combined.
And what is true of the metropolis Of
Delaware is likewise true of lha State OF
Delaware and the other portions of the
Wilmington Conference. You hayo q
good sample of tha Peninsula natives in
tho person OF tho stalwart and eloquent
preacher of Howard Street church, San
francisco who gave twenty years of his
life TO this torrItory, with un
energy and an untiing zeal, possibly
never surpassed bv any man that evIr trUd
the soil.
We have here tho best typo of old-fash.
i"Eol Methodism, with its class. meeting
and joyous anu enthusiastic services Ii
Is just rs easy now for Delaware Methu-
dsts to shout and sing as it was for D,la.
wh:c Mcthoulsts of u huudred years ago.
They hclieye in tho old landmarks and in
progress forward. Imuit confess that
enJ"y their religious tcryor and rather
miss their hearty anenS, whom | stand in
pulrlts Ill some sections OF our land where
the proprietus demand absolute silence On
tho part ot the hcarer, lost his expressions
of assent and of joy should dis ,urb tho
sensitive.
In few weeks yonr resident Bishop
Will be among Us to reaSsigu the minis
'crlal toilers to their old fields or to assign
them TO new fields. Bishop Newman will
receive Il very cordial welcome, and ind q
very loyal aud royal SET of ministers aud
laynen. He will have no vexed or vgxing
questions 10 confront him. In nautical
phase. he will have smooth sailing An
executive officer, with his commanding
abilities for administration, and with his
loyalty TO tho best interests
of he church and the ministers, will find
a comparatively easy task before him.
The wisdom displayed in his flrSt official
act leads ministers and laymen to expect
a splendid adjustment Of tho work on The
lines OF highest efficiency and the greatest |
harmony.
The Methodists of Wilmington are glad |
10 know that the good Bishop Is to he a few
lays in tho city before leaving for the seq
sion of the Conference at Loves, Della !
ware. During their stay in Wilmington,
Bishop and Mrs Newman will be the |
guests of Mr.. md Mrs William Mrs. Field |
1t kentmere, their beautiful Suburban
home. Tho Methodists Of the Pacific |
Noast mad tho pleasure Of greeting Mr.. !
md Mrs. Field last summer during their |
ong tItp of fifteen thousand miles The
Bishop and his wife could not fall into |
better hands. for Mr., and Field not only
lnow how to entertain, but also really en-
oy It,
May add in my closing words that I
with much pleasure my visit to
he Coast in July and August last? S;nch
'ourtesy us received could not vol he
surpassed. Courtesy evarywharo At AL
at Pacific Grovo. at San jose, at
san Francisco, at Portland, NJ Victoria and
" sea and by land, even The dust OF tho
yosemite showed an unwonted attach
nent for me, and had to literally shake
t off ia order to get rid Of it,
At Pprtlnul I had nat nrIy ti,n ,,,,-,u, |
'f preaching twice to d lva bishop, hut
!! SO tho added pleasure Of meeting my
lessnlate of thirty years ng0 and more, |
md whom had not met since wo wore |
tuuentS at Cazenovia Seminary in the
lays of Bishop Andrews presidency. DR..
fisher was known us the boy preacher,
nd created u sensation wherever he
reached. As boy several years his
unior, thought him a marvel. l found
hat the other students and the public ut
arge shared my opinion. He was practical
Y tho stated supply whenever the pastor
1 the Methodist church was absent !
him at once. bat ha failed to
eco2nlze me.
lilo had changed but very littlo in ap-
earance or size while | had changed
rom tall. slim, green farmers hoy to
'hat my innate mode,ty and self-depre-
la'ion will not permit mo to phrase Snf-
ce III TO say that the two best listenora |
hat Sabbath day in Grace church, Port
and, wero Bishop Cranston and DR. A.
!. Fisher. They stood it right royaly.
nd proved what years Of discipline will
o for christian men.
Allow US tosay that it the good hrcthron
the Coast will visit our fair city and vi
!nlty we Will try to sxcel, If possibl D., the
ourtcsy so lavishly shown lis. Wheic wo
zero invited to preach twice, thoy shall ho
rged to preach thrice. Where wo were
ressed to epoak often, they shall he asked
} speak still oltener. Pleasure, sight .sea-
Ig the rostrum and tho pulpit shall he
no order of the day. Give and take 1s our
iotto, with good fellowship to the b,im.
Nth Sincerest prayers for Mcthodism ha-
ond the Rockies. wo close the diversified
Di,tlo,
Wilmington, Delaware. Feb. g. 1895