Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-02-02
HISTORIC CHAPEL.
Barratt's. Known as Cradle of
Methodism in America, Has
Proud Record.

One of the most interesting papers
yet given before Caesar Rodney Chapter
Of the d. A. n. was heard at the chap
ter meeting yesterday afternoon. at tho
New Century Club, when Mrs. Harvey
w. Ewing's excellent paper on Bar
rats Chapel was read as one in a
series of papers on historical churches
in Delaware, which is being heard by
the chapter before being sent to the
National Society at Washington. Mrs,
Ewing said:
Among the historic buildings of
Delaware. Barrstt's Chapel. known as
the cradle of Methodism, holds a promi-
nent place. 1t was there that the sac
ramental ordinances were first admin
istered in America by duly authorized
Methodist preachers to Methodist COM
municants. It has a history to be proud
of, and Methodists are proud of Il, al
though the structure is In striking con-
trust 10 the many splendid Gothic Meth
odist churches of today. Captain
John Smith in Pathway to Erect a
Plantation tells us of the first place of
divine worship in Virginia-'We did
hang an awning which is an old sale
to three or foure trees to shadow us
from the sunne; outwalls were rails of
NpOus our 8edtS HfH0Weu LfteSt unll
we cut planks; our pulpit a bar Of wood
nailed TO two neighboring trees. This
was our church till we built a homely
thing like a barn set upon crotchets.
covered with RATS, sedge and earth:
also We're the walls the best of our
houses were of like curiosity that could
neither defend from wind or rain
In March. 1850, Philip Barratt and
Waitman Sipple took the initiative I'm
erecting a meeting house, the result of
which was Barratt's Chapel. The edi-
fee was 42 by 4S. two stories high and
had n vestry room connected with it,
There is n tradition that the bricks Of
which il was built were imported from
Holland, which is improbable as the
clay in the vicinity is as good as any
in the world. and the art of making
bricks was already known at Lewes
Del, many eyears before this time. The
house was furnished with a pulpit and
occupied as a place of worship in the
latter part OF 1880.
In March, 1884, DR.. Samuel Megaw,
who had been rector Of Saint Paul's
Protestant Episcopal Church. Philadel-
phia Bishop Ashury. Caleb h. Pedi-
cord. Joseph Hartley. Rev. Cromwell
and Rev. Thomas Coke, Ill. D.. met at
Barratts Chapel and celebrated the
first quarterly conference held there. at
which 1000 people Were estimated to
have been present. It was on this oc-
casion. November II. that DIR. Coke.
who preached the sermon OF the day.
first met Francis Asbury and concerted
those measures by which the Methodist
Episcopal Church WAS organized in
America, which was effected in Balti-
more a few weeks later. At that meet
ing AsbUry was elected first bishop I'm
America. and was consecrated by DR..
Coke, who had been ordained the first
bishop Of the Methodist Episcopal
Church by John Wesley. The old fash
ioned high pulpit, reached hy a flight Of
stairs, has been reTnodeled to suit mod
ern ideas but the seat or wooden bench
upon which Coke and Asbury sat. is
| stin preserved as a memento. For the
| first so years Of its existence the ground
| was the only floor Of this church. Bar
/ rats Chapel has enjoyed the ministra
/ tions OF some OF the brightest ecclesi-
astical lUminaries III the Methodist
/ Episcopal Church.
/ THE most memorable epoch in It's
/ history was the meeting Of Bishop Coke
and Bishop Asbury, and the ordination
/ Of Ezekiel Cooper. To this trio is. at
! tributed the ultimate great success the
! Methodist Episcopal Church has
achieved throughout the world"