Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-10-22
NEW CASTLE Church
IS 100 YEARS old.
Methodists to Begin Tomorrow
Celebration OF Centenary
Anniversary.

Special Correspondence Every Evening
New Castle. oct. 22-~The celehra-
ton of the centennial anniversary of
the New Castle Methodist Episcopal
Church win bnein tomorrow. The
following preachers who were former
pastors will have charge of the SER
vices during the week; Tomorrow. II.
Irving Watkins OF Danbury. Comb
Il. ID. Hubbard OF Cambridge. Md;
Oct. "a. John L. johnson OF Crisheld,
Md. Oct. 20, George I. Anderson of
Elltton. Md. Oct. 20, Vaughn =. Col
Inns district superintendent OF the
Salisbury district; Oct. q, Frederick
X Moore of Baltimore, Md; Oct. 2s,
John II. Rcauchamp. Wilmington, Oct.
a030. G. W. prettyman OF Carlisle. Pa.
and Thomas Terry OF Brldgeviille.
The history of Methodism In New
Castle may be traced back tc the
spring Of t172 when Francis Asbury,
the pioneer bishop OF American
Methodsm, came riding into the town
on the hack of horse. which was the
swiftest method of .ravel then known.
/ In his Journey arc the following notes,
Iconcerning this and other visits:
/ April 17f2, II rode to New Castle
land stopped at the house of Brother
! Furness. a tavern keeper. bat good
man / preached there TO n few
people. but met with opposition and
found that the Methodists had done no
great good. The Court House is shut
against us, but Is open for dances
and balls and brother Furness lost
fhis conpany by receiving us" De
cember Is. 17T2. "t rode to New
Castle and preached TO n large COM
lpany." Wednesday. July rs, 1i73. AT
New Castle the company was but
small, though great power attended
the Word. Perhaps the Lord VIII yet
visit these people, although at present
too many of them appear 20 be devot-
cd 20 pride. vanity and folly" New
Castle. Sunday, May IA. 1775. Preach
cd last night and today. | hope my
skirts are clear of the blood of the
people of this little town, whether
they reject or accept an offered saliva
zion
The Mr. Furness who entertained
Bishop Asbury and opened his house
for the psaching Of the word may
b. termed the father of Me.hodlsm In
New Castle Notwithstanding the fact
that he lost his business as the result
OF entertaining Methodist preachers,
he continued to be a Methodist and
> his home continued tosbe a haven for
] methodist preachers. In the year 1719
Rev. BENJAMIN Abbott was visitor al
the hospltable home and there preach
ed the gospel The following rs an
abstract from his diary pertaining t.
this visit. Having been pressed IN
spirit for some time 10 visit Pennsyl-
vania and in the love and fear of God
with my life in my hand. it being q
time when war was raging. left my
home in New Jersey. | crossed this
delaware at New Castle and that night
at early candle light. preaching at II
Furneas to a pack OF rufiians as
senbled in order to mob me One stooS
with a bottle of rum in his hand
! swearing that ne would throw II a
my head Mr.. Furness stood in th'
door and prevented it. If ever preach
ell to the terrors of the law / did
ther<" The New Castle Class Roll wa
formed in 1920 with a roll of 81 mem
5 hcrs; in the fall Of 1920 the trustee
; and stewards were elected. On tn
> 2Sth day of September. 1920, tn
u board Of trustees purchased fror
; Richard Sexton and wife a lot whic
e forms a part of the present cemeter
J. and proceeded to build thereon tn
i FIRST Methodist meeting house i'm Me-
5 Castle. Thsmss Challenger, who's
+ name appears on the original list {
the board of trustees, was a prime fac
: tor in organizing the church. He can
" from England in the year 1917 an
81 took up the occupation Of shoemake
" In it's early history the church had
d hard struggle The members wei