Evening journal., 1921-03-29
METHODIST PILGRIMAGE
ALONG ASBJRY TRAILS
WILMINGTON CONFERENCE
Shrines on Every Hand Tell of Early Heroes,
Their Trials and Triumphs in What Was
Then Called and Still Is a Garden of
Preachers

Probably no conference in Amei-
can Nethodism covers territory more
associated with early Methodist his
tory IA American that the Whining
ton Conference Of the Methodist
Episcopal Church according TO the
Rev. W. c. Poole. writing in the Bal
timore sun.
Coverirkras Il does the small area
OF the Eastern Shore Of Maryland
and the State Of Delaware. It serves
population Of about 4O0. 900 people
and 1000 square miles Of territory.
To complete the decimal system over
10000 members belong to the Meth
odist Episcopal churches served by
Il. while perhaps the other branches
OF Methodism have some 10000
communicant members. That is,
1000 square miles Of territory have
over 10000 communicates OF the
Methodist Episcopal Church in a
population of about 1000 An
other feature OF the population is
that Il is not double that OF 100 years
ago at the first census in 1890.
Probably no part of the country
was better developed in the days Of
Asbury than this territory. which he
termed his preacher garden. in which
he was raising his preachers. The
ninth college in America was in this
territory in his Washington
College at Chestertown, Md-found-
ed 1882. On the very edge Of this
territory across the Susquehanna
river was founded Cokesbury Col
lege-the first Methodist College in
the New World. The rich planters
lived in luxury for those days. and
many of their old colonial mansions
still exist. In this territory lived two
OF Maryland's signers Of the Declar-
alton Of William
Paca, In Queen Anne county. and
Samuel Chase, OF Somerset. and all
OF the signers for Delaware.
Nor was Methodism the only
church TO first begin its work in
America in this territory. A hun
dred years before the coming Of AS
bury the Presbyterians were grow
ing so strong that the first Presby-
terian church in the United States
was built by Francis Mackenzie at
Rehoboth. Somerset county. Mary
land, and the building still remains.
Although there is some claim that
the first Presbyterian church In
America was built AT Snow Hill, Md.
not far away. the fact remains that
both were built about 1852 by Fran
els Mackenzie.
In the very same year that the
Friends or Quakers began a frame
meeting house az Easton. I'm Talbot
county. which still stands and prob
ably is the oldest frame church in
the country. with the first weather
boarding. framing and original plar
Just as built. without any rebuild
ing except occasional replacing OF
roof. This building was completed
two years later. in 1854.
As In Asbury's Day.
Tho main roads as Travelled by As
bury are still the main roads. wild.
ened and graded and built into the
State roads system Of Maryland
one OF the first and best in the ma.
tion.
Leaving the Washington. Balti
more and Philadelphia road at Elk
ton, in Cecil county, one heads soutl
Tor ChlenufNf n Instance OF over
hundred miles. from which place h'
can make short tours, and return by
way OF Rehoboth. Nd. Pocomok'
City, Snow Hill, Ocean City, ant
thence north through the Delaware
section via Georgetown. Milford
Barrats Chapel. Dover and back e
Wilmington. Del. The total triI
from the Baltimore Philadelphia
road and return can be made will
some 300 miles running, while goo,
hotels and summer boarding house,
are all along the road I'm the village
and towns.
Some 10 miles below Elkton tn
road leads through Bohemia Manor
in Cecil county, where was establish
ed one OF the first 100 Methods
preaching places In America Tel
miles more takes one TO Galena
through which Lafayette passed AM
Is said TO have stood out before hi
men and raised his hat in reverenc
and thankfulness to God for sucl
beautiful country. In the villag
churchyard three preachers hav
been buried over 100 years One o
these-John McCloskey-wa ono o
the first men Of power in Peninsul