The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1910-05-25
THE FOUNDATION
OF METHODIST
In Kentucky, Nearly IFS
Years Ago.
THE FIRST CHURCH WAS BUILT
In a Vast WiIderneSS-SOm
Faithful Pioneers of
The Church.

When the 1lrSJ MeJHOulSJ cnuICI
was erected in Kentucky in 1887, iEG
State was a wilderness, and thuse
who attended the first conference
which VAS held in the edifice had 10
undergo the suffering of hunger and
the perils of a land which was in
tested with Indians, who were ready
to inflict death or any kind Of tor
ture upon their victims.
Not only has the State grown since
the date Of the erection Of the first
Methodist church in Kentucky, but
the growth of the denomination has
been phenomenal. Progress has been
made in every section of the State
and the world 1T large. In Louisville
the Methodists are among the strong
est denominations of the city.
The first church in Kentucky was
erected at Masterson's Station, five
miles northwest of Lexington, and the
first annual conference was held
there, with Bishop Francis Asbury
presiding. There were at that time
six members of the conference
RANGES Poythress, James Haw, Will
son Lee, Stephen Brooks, Barnabas
McHenry and Peter Massee.
Masterson's Station was in the cen
ter OF a wilderness IN 1884, 77SS775- and TO-
reach the seat of conference volun-
teer company was raised to escort
Bishop Asbury through the dreary
waste, which was replete with dan
gers and savages. This company was
composed Of the Rev. Peter assoc,
John Clark and eight others. Seven
days were required to reach Rich
mond, and three more days were re-
quired to reach Lexington. In writ
ing Of the trip at the time, Bishop
Asbury said:
81 was strangely outdone for the
want of sleep, having been greatly de-
prived of it in my journey through
the wilderness, which is like being
at sea in some respects, and in 9TH
eFs 1t is worse Our way was over
mountains, steep hills, deep rivers
reeds for miles together and no in
habitants but wild beasts and savage
men. I slept about an hour the first
night and about two the last. We
ate no regular meals, our bread grew
I xntac
lie also referred to seeing the graves
Of twenty-four men who had been
murdered a few nights previously by
the Indians.
The conference began on May 10,
and lasted two days. One of the
most important matters which was ia
ken up was the consideration of the
establishment of Bethel Academy, as
it became known, and 300 pounds,
equivalent to about $500, was sub
scribed in land and money. This
academy was built in JessamineI
county on the banks of the Kentucky
river. 1t was a building so feet long,
40 feet wide, and three stories high.
Even at that early time the Meth
odists were anxious to establish edu-
cational institutions and teach the
people of the State.
At the first conference, which was
held at Masterson's Station, Bishop
Asbury ordained three men as elders.
These were Wilson Lee, Thomas Will
hanson and Barnabas McHenTy. Bish-
op McHenTy was son OF Il yeJman
In the parish of HandswOrth, Stat
fordshire, England, ard was convert
ed at the age of seventeen years. He
was appointed to America at the age
of twenty-six, and at the Christ
mas conference in Baltimore, in 1884,
was unanimously elected Bishop.
The coming OF Bishop Asbury and
the conference at Masterson Station was
decidedly the most important church
event in that day. 1t is said that a
revival CT religion commenced, follow
ing the conference, and that this re-
vival spread throughout the State. 1t
is said nat the year proved by far
more prosperous thpn any which pre-
coded it.
The first deed for ground on which
to build church On record in Mason
county is dated 1906, and the lot
contained an acre. 1t WAS cold for n
shilling, or about twenty-five cents.
In 1919, the Methodist population in
Louisville was 81 white people and
80 negroes. In 1920 the population was
4,O12, while the Methodist membership
was 145.
The first conference in Louisville
was held in 1916.