The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-09-24

call was made at the Jesse Lee chapel site and the church. built in 1796 was also visited.
 At the farm house the services began with the singing of the hymn, "All Hall the Power of Jesus Name and was followed by the reading of the Twenty third Psalm. The principal feature was the historical sketch by George B. Hawley of this city. It was of much historical value on account of his familiarity with the history of the denomination in this locality and activity in it's work. On account of this value it is printed in full, as fol- lows: q
 (By George B. Hawley.)
 We are here this afternoon to ceIe- brate the one hundred and twenty fifth anniversary of the first Metho- dist Society organized in New Eng .land
 may be pardoned if give "a very terse account of the work of Jesse Lee in the interest of Methodism in this and the contiguous section. Jesse Lee was born in Prince George County, Virginia. in the year 175s.
 His parents were members of the English Episcopal Church. and dedi- cated their children to cod, according to it's ceremonies,
 Tn the latter part of the year 1772 his father became much more serious and much more engaged with God, than formerly, and refused to go to any places of aTnusement; and told his children they had better go no years old. says: From that time ] felt willing to fofego the vain arnuse- ments of life. and conform to my fathers will.,,
 At the age of sixteen years he be- came a member Of the Methodist So- ciety, continued four years as a, private member. five years more as Class Leader Exhorter-and Local preach CT.
 He removed to North Carolina dur ing the latter part of the year 1777 then nineteen years of age.
 In 17ss then thirty-one years of age he came north, attended the Con- ference in New York in May 178s, and was appointed to the Stamford Circuit. and on the 11thr of June ar rived in the State of Connecticut. His first sermon was preached in Norwalk, on Wednesday. June 17th, under the shade of an apple tree, by the roadside as no house could be procured to preach in. The next day Thursday. June 18th, he put up at Penheld's Tavern, Fairfield, and preached in the Court House at $500 o'clock.
 On Friday 18th, Mrs. PenfieI6 wife of the tavern keeper, gave him let ter of introduction to her sister. Mrs Timothy Wheeler, living four miles east, (which would be, the southern end of strathe1d). now Bridgeport. At ZOO o'clock the people gathered at the house and he preached Fo an attentive audience.
 From Mrs. Whe1er's home MT. Lee Journeyed on to Milford and New Haven.
 l On Sunday. June 21, he preached in the Court House in New Haven at 5:0o o'clock; a considerable number of men being present, among whom were the president of the college many students and one Congregation al minister.
 From New Haven Mir. Lee went ste Bedding. then to Danbury. On Friday July 8. he preached. ir stratheld, in the house of Deacon Elijah Haw1ey, now the corner o1 Water and Thomas streets. Bridge port. Mir Lee says: "The house was filled with hearers. I had great sat I 1isfaction in preaching; and some o1 the people were melted into tears There are about a dozen in the place Ethat meet every week for the pur. pose of conversing on the subject o; ! religion. and of spending some time I in prayer. Some of them belong tc the Church of England. and others are Congregationalfsts they desired me to meet with them in the even
 ing. to which consented, and spok' l to them just as I would at one of oul
 Class meetings. The greater par
 of them kneeled down when we wen
 to prayer, 9 thing that expect som'
 of them never did before in public.' 1 On, August 5th. MT. Lee agail preached in the house of Deacol FIawIey. and on the 14th. of Angus
 he preached in MT Wells new hous