The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1920-06-14
ANNIVERSARY IS CELEBRATED
At FOURTH ST. N. {. CHURCH

double anniversary being celebrated and
paid a tribute tn IN" sturdy MethodistS
who nearly IL century and a half ago,
sOwrd the seeds that planted in Wheel
ing District a church that will live for
ages to come.
The morning service ended with pray
or, bcncdiCtion and an organ recession
al.
Historical Sketch.
The feature OF the evening anniYcr-
Sary service was tho historical address
made by Clarence +. Allen u. D.. pas
tor Of The church. Or. Alien had pre-
pared a historical sketch into which he
had interviewer descriptions of the
scenes in and about Wheeling In the
fore part OF the last century, that were
listercd to with absorbing Interest.
The lack OF space prevents publishing
DR.. Aliens sketch in full in this Issue.
but IL Is stated that 1t will be printed
later in pamphlet form.
At the outset he drew a word picture
Of the itinerant Methodist preacher.
Wilson Lee Of the Baltimore confer
cncc, in 1885. into the wilderness. How
he had organized the Methodist Eptsco-
pal church in Baltimore and then start
ed out TO realize his dream Of pcnetrat-
ing the western frontier and carrying
tho gospel 10 the hardy pioneers.
He came 10 the stockadc known as
Fort Henry and the settlement OF
Wheeling. and after making known ms
mission became member OF the house.
hold of FTbcnczer and Elizabeth Zane.
The meeting with these people was
the foundation Of the first Methodist
organization in Wheeling.
Rev. Allen then went on to say:
whistlsd the Tune.
1T is recorded that on one occasion
at meeting held at West Liberty there
was no one present able 10 start a tune:
There were many present who could
carry it after IT was started. In tho
hn fsli1ahNth
appeared, and upon being informed OF
the difficulty which beset them stated
that although she was acquainted win
the tune she was unable TO start II. put
she proposed to whistle II. The propo-
sition was accepted az the best that
could be done under the circumst ances.
and the forest soon rang with praise.
Such was the woman who with hcr
companions maintained a rehg1ous Or
ganization in the small etucTncRt o:
Wheeling in the form Of Methodist
class, before the constitution OF the
United States had been adopted ana our
government founded-and that M"thH-
dist class is represent tonight by ms
large and nourishing Fourth street
Methodist Episcopal church that hAs an
unbroken history Of one hundred anu
thirty-five years.
Itinerant Preachers.
THE new class wRS attached 10 the
Old Rrdstonc.' tho first circuit forrnea
west Of the Allegheny mountains. EN
u number of years wheeling was serNra
by different itincrants. among - T ,beit
time. In 1911 the nAmc OF the circuit
was changed TO Fast Wheeling circuit
a very eccentric character by the name rsIne
OF Jacob Gruhcr being the Presio!hs
cIder He was very particular ABOUT inc
plalnncss Of his dress. and on one occ%
Sion at a camp meeting near PhiIa9e.-
nhla he met n company of ladies' rlcnlS
attired In silks and satins ana sinsi"s
hymn: ,,,, ho,o.
And find my long sought rest
.Grubcr Joined in the singing. subSti.
tut.ng for the phrase: my long sous"'
rest the words. my long silk dress.
AS vet the little class had no churcn
"rncteJ that was used. In 1908 the
work was greatly stimulated by an
episcopal visit from bishop Francis As
bury. who preached IN me court Noo0
The bishop and .pnr,y were eT n,,fr
tanned Mt the home Of Eb"nezrr and r'il%-
ahcth Zane. who thrilled them Win
their rccitals Of Indian warfare. Inc
that Mrs. Zane joiner the METHODIST
church in 1855. under Wilson ZEE. neI
cabin was early open for preaching anu
she made rho ministers very weiCofDr.
She was Sor ca arH aaIR h%F %hafcS "a
I'm tho ycnr 1918 N" Methodist soci-
o,y having grown. the people detcrnin-
cd 10 crrct n church building: Nohtt
Zane donated p site on the fourth s'rcet
back from the river. upon which Whs
placed n small brick structure. IL was
dedicated in 1919. and was the nrst
church house erected in Wheeling. Inc
lot was nm elevated sand bank sloplTl'
toward Market street. There was ~.
ont trance from Fourth street. hut the
: doorway Of the building faced Market
street and WAS reached nv wooden steps.
steps Led to Church .
4 John Waterman was prachcr ~
I charge. Mr.. Waterman WAS a man OF
; Ercst pulpit poweS. In his Lectures
on Preaching delivered years alter.
ward to the students Of Yale thdl
prncely rulpit"rr. Rish"r Matthew
! Simrsnn. stated that after hearing
| Waterman at a special srrriC" and WIZ
Messing his wonderful mastery over me
| hearts Of his nudIcnc" h" himself be-
c,rrc utirrlv dcSpond"nt over his own
prospects Of success in the ministry ana
determined AZ tho next session or me
! conference ~ retro. Truly, there were
| giants in those davs.
at thia time Wheeling was some
what rambling village OF 100 people
that is, ahNut tn" number of members
IN tho Fourth Strc"t church of today.
Retwcen tho present stone hridG" on
Main street and the nrc"eHt location or
the National Rank OF WcSt Virginia
Established that r"arl there ~"r"
few houses. log. fran" and brick. Al
, the present corner Of Main and Elev-