Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1920-03-09

said there was Methodist preaching in
Annapolis. occurring from l74G TO 1855,
when the first Society of Methodists
Was organized. In 1852 there was
class OF FIVE ladies. two Of whom were
Mrs Katherine Small and Mrs. Rather
inc Weldon who practically organized
the Methodist Society
John Chalmers became a Methodist
and gave the ground within the pres
en' Naval Academy enclosure, facing
Hanover street on which to build the
First Methodist church here. A little
caspel was erected Mr. Chalmers gave
The ground, but Mrs, Small practically
collected 81 the money 10 build the
chapel from the Methodists ana
fGiends Of the community. Methodism
therefore had IT'S church inception here
In the year l7s5
Geo. Wells Letter
on Easter Sunday 1885. George
Wells. grandfather Of the late DR.
George Wells Joined the Methodist So
Getty. and IL is from a letter written by
him. that DR.. Burgan read the follow
Ing interesting data: "In 1856. George
Wells. with one John Sullivan. com
ptised two men of the fourteen mem
bers Of the Methodist Society in Anna
polls Others were Mrs Weldon, Mrs
Small, Mrs. Owens. Mrs. Wood, Mrs
Chalmers, Mrs. Sparrow and Mrs
Thakrel
The men OF the first Methodist So
ciety's membership were: John Chal
mcrs. ST.. John Chalmers, Jr., John
Chalmers. john Sullivan. George Wells
and lgnatius Pigman, Leader These
andhmany other interesting facts con
cerIfing the founding of the Society are
s. GAINED in the paper written by DR..
Wells grandfather The paper was
supposed 20 nave been lost during the
baltimore fire. but was found recently
y pr. Burgan safely slowed away in
safe OF the Church in Baltimore
Dir. Burgan Reads Letters
Or. Burgan then read letter writ
ZEN by John Hagerty in 1883 10 Bishop
Asbury. John Hagarty was the first
castor of the First Methodist church
mere
Another letter was read by the pas
who was preacher in 1899 Mr. Cooper
Sho was preacher in 1888 Mr.. Copper
wrote about the various phases of An
aapolis life an told about the work of
he church.
In, IA nY ri
! chapel was built for the place of
worship or the Methodists on State
House Hill, facing what is now Mary
land avenue. II was frame building,
and was afterward used as a school
aouse
On February % (Washington's
Birthday. in the year 1900, the Presi-
lent of the United States called for a
lay Of humiliation and prayer on ac-
count OF the death of General Wash
ington in the previous December Two
religious services were held in re-
ponse to the call at ST. Annes church.
IN the morning the Rector of ST.
Anne's preached the sermon He was
The Rev Ralph Higginbotham, and in
The afternoon the sermon was
preached at st. Anne's by the Metho-
dist preacher. the Rev George Rob
erts.
In 1917 the deed for the ground on
which the present church stands was
iaxecuted In 1920, just enc hundred
years ago, the church was built on the
present site. the ground being bought
from Mr. and Mrs DnvaI Anne Har-
wood and Mr. and Mre William S
Green The pastor at THIS time was
John Emory, who afterwards became
bishop.
Lafayette WorShipped Here
IN 1891 General Lafayette visited
Annapolis He was given a public re-
ception al the State House on Satur-
day. and at St Johns College on Sat
urday night ball was given in mis-
honor on Sunday he worshipped in
the First Methodist church. i
When ST Anne's church was burned
about sixty years ago. the record read
W III. hQi gan S1ltA TIE 1lGtliOQASlS Ill
vited the Episcopalians TO worship
with them.
TOnight'S Program
Tonight. the third of the series of
celebrations of the 135th anniversary
of the founding of the Methodist So
ciety in Annapolis. the program will
be as follows:
Tuesday, March 9th-S P. NJ. Cen
tenary Night" Rev Don s. Colt, d. D.,
District Superintendent. presiding.
Address by Rev. W. l. Mcdowell, D.
D.. a former pastor. now Svperintend-
ent of the Department of Church Ex-
tension. Board of Home Missions and
Church Extension, Philadelphia. Pa.