Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-03-12
.METHGD|STS MEET
/. IN HISTORIC CHURCH
Annual Session of Wilmington
Conference Convenes in
Dover on March 20.
Special Correspondence of Every Evening


Dover, March 1.-THE convoning of
the annual session of the Wilmington
NJ. T.. Conference In Wesley NJ. T..
Church, this town, March 20-25. on tho
fiftieth anniversary OF it's organization,
as n separate conference formerly being
part of the Philadelphia annual CON
ference). will mark an epoch in the his
tory of Wesley Church. enjoyed. possibly,
by no other Methodist Episcopal Church
on the peninsula.
Methodism in Dover came TO its
first organized life in 1889. when n plot
ol ground. lying at the intersection of
North and Queen streets, not far from
the Pennsylvania railroad station, WAS
sold Ivy Vincent Loockerman, for the
sum of five shillings, TO John Prior, Rich
ard Lockwood, William kirley, Major
Taylor and James Hull. ''for the express
purpose of building preaching house or
chapel thereon for the use of the Mctho-
dist preachers and the friendly clergy oi
the Church of England
In tho year 1909, the soeiety. consisting
Of twenty families, was Incorporated hy
the name of "Woslcv Church, near Dover
Kent county and State of Delaware,
The first trustees elected included Rich
ard Bassott Benoni Harris, John Wilt
bank, John Iowber and Joseph Harper.
Some idea NAV be had of tho meagre
beginning of the society hv the record
on the minutes which reads. purchase
two boxes of glass to he put into the
windows below IN the meeting house and
MS many above as may he left
Tho house, n one-story brick with
galleries on the north, south and cast
sides. was built in 1880 by Richard
| Bassctt, prominent member ot the
society, afterwards governor ot the state
| of Delaware. ~ q cost nj s2l0oh, ct when
one-half was repaid hv subscriptions
| In this house many Of the first advocates
of Nrcthodism lahorcd with success. ~
ciuding Dr Coke. Bishops Ashury. What
coat Mckendree. George and lrcehnrn
Garrctson, Doctor Chandler, "old Father
Conlcv," John W. Many, John Manlnve
and Others,
Bshop Whatcoat's remains lie buried
in the old NJ 4 cemetery here where tho
old church stood, tho lntcrmcut bong
DIRECTLY under the pulpit oi the old
church. in tSn6 The old odlfirr was
torn down ~ 1880. many of tho bricks
thercfrom being used ~ tho building oi
the present cditice, vhlrlt Is located on
South state street, two doors from the
rnstofhce The cornerstone Of the pres
ont odlfico MAS lad September ~. 1850
| In February. 1851. the basement ot tho
new church was opened for ruhhc vor-
ship. tho first eermon being preached hy
! tho Rcv Charles I Thompson In
November 1855, ~ congregational
meeting. II Was resolved bv vote ni 81
ia = "a make Wesley Church q station
~ had bocn station IN 1895, hut return
| cd ia circuit afterwards Tho request
was granted in 1856 and II became
| station tho second tlmc and haz thus
renamed ever slnrc Ia 1886 q ihfoo-
story brick parsonage adjoining tho pros-
cni cdjitcr Was built ~ q cost nt Si,OW
including the lot The church WAS on
| larpcd IN 1865 hv the addition oi twenty
feet during tho pastorafc oi kev ! II
Iirhtbomne ~ ID II WAS further en-
argcd during the pastnratc oi kev ! J.
Nartindalc. ~ d. IN 1884 hy tho addi-
tion of an infant Sunday school room
and an organ and CHOIR gallery In
lSn. The church was again enlarged and
tho auditorium entirely rrmodclcd. mak-
ing tho inside measurements 4nNihl troi
~ a cost at $500 This Improvement
was made under the paStnratc OF Rcv
Alfrcd smith. II j. Many prominent
rlCrrvmcn of the Methodist Episcopal
Church haze served Wesley Church
From l1S3 Ia 1880 with a few years
intervening. two preachers were as
signed YEARLY to tho church during its
circuit organization From 1896 "a the
present time Il has had hut one pastor,
heing n station Since 1856 the several
ministers who have served this charge
| have been among the foremost including
| the following
Charles karsncr. William & Robinson
| Charles Cook. John - Curtis. Thomas
]. Thompson. Henry Colclazer, ]. II
| Iightho,lrnc. James Il Merritt George
ID Watson John II Caldwell, William
| T. DAVIS. Thomas T. Martindalc. Thomas
| T. Terry. W L. :. Murray, Walter L
| Avery, Alfred Smith. LOUIS T.. Barrett
\. VI lIghthourne, j. L. liofiecker
W l.. Wmtc and the present pastor
Rev Walter l. Gunby,
| Sessions az the Wilmington NJ. Il
| Conference have been held in Dover
since its separation from the PhIladeIPhla
Conference IN 1865. aS follows March
1871. with Bishop Lew Scott presiding
March 1850. with Bishop +. G.. Andrews
presiding. March 1896. with Bishop II
W Warren presiding; March 1904, with
bishop J. N Fitzgerald presiding The
presiding bishop Ut the coming confer
cncc will he Bishop Frank NJ. Bristol, OF
Chattanooga. Tennessee.
Wesley Church for many wears was the
largest and most influential church IN
The State capital Prior Ia 1909, when a
split occurred in the congregation and
membership of the church over the
deposing of the pastor at that time, Rev
A. W Llghtbournc the membership as
gwen by the annual official journal or
minutes numbered close to the 500 mark.
After this break IN the congregation, the
membership fell below 225, due To .
withdrawal Of the larger part of the
memberships l909and the formation Of
the People. Christian Church Of this
town. with the deposcd pastor. Rev 4.
W. Lightbournc rs the minister IN charge
Of the new church, which now has the
largest edifce IN Dover, with member
ship Of nearly 600.
With the beginning of the pastoratc Of
the present minister III charge Rev
" alter T. Gunby. the membership has
been on the increase. as the official minutes
or journal Of the Conference disclose rs
follows -l9I5: -230 full members;
10 nonresident members. 1916: 235
full members; IL nonresident members.
i9I7:-275 Full members; 20 nonresident
members.
Rev W L. Gunby has been invited
TO return to Wesley for the next Confer
ence year BY a unanimous vote Of the
Quarterly Conference.
Did your attentions to the hetress