Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-02-18
PENN'S GROVE CHURCH
CELEBRATES TOMORROW
Emmanuel M. e. VIII Observe
18th Anniversary Of Its
Founding.

Penn's Grove. N. j.. Feb. 1s.--Em-
manuel M. E. Church will celebrate
The scventy-eixth anniversary OF It's
tomorrow with special al
iay services conducted by Rev. Ralph
y. Carlisle. pastor. and Or. Alfred
WagE. district superintendent.
BesIdes being the FIRST MethodiSt
church In this borough Emmanuel
wsA the frsf church OF any denomina-
tion 10 be erected In Upper Penns
Neck township. n little more than
nifty years after tho first Methodist
meeting. This meeting was held In
1892 near Perkintown which Benjiman
Abbott. the Methodist minister de-
scribed as famous for vice and Inn
morality and where they had no regu-
lar preaching nearer than ten or twelve
miles except now and then a few words
in the small Quaker meeting house
where very few OF the vulgar ever at
tended"
Abbott describes the planting Of this
seed OF Methodlsm In his memories.
II was informed that there were some
present who were nearly or quite men
and women grown who had scarcely
ever heard o gospel sermon In all their
lives. John Firth and / went to Will
liam Barbers In Upper Penn's Neck
where we dined. He used us kindly
and gave us some Information that
we might expect some interruption
from some dissolute people; for there
had been talk of running horses on
the public highway which led through
the mans land where the meeting was
appointed and not far from his home
and 10 be at the same hour OF the
meeting but this fell through. When
we arrived at the place we found a
| large congregation assembled for in
consequence Of the novelty OF a Meth
odist meeting the talk OF the Intended
Interruption. etc. the people had gem
orally got together. When we went
/ into the house as many people fol-
lowed US % well could crowd in and
stand on their feet. / took by stand
/ near the door there being consider
able number outside.
Abbott explains how he had TO con
tend with n rowdy sailing captain who
endeevored TO break up the meeting
and create a disturbance and VINO had
Ianchored his vessel in tho Delaware
River. two or three miles distant 20
ATTEND this meeting, and who had
sworn he never meant to weigh anchor
again until he hsd driven Methodism
out Of ths Neck"
About 1894 the few Methodists In
Upper Penn's Neck and Pilesgrove
built a church near the boundary line
known AZ Pilesgrovs meeting house
The church was a station OF the
Salem Circuit untp 1896 when the
erection OF church in Shsrptown and
Auburn In Is42 by the younger genera
ton caused tho society to pass awsy
with the death OF the old members.
Penn's Grove had only A half doxer
houses in 1872 and the nrst schoo
, house WAS erected two years later and
called Iafsystte Seminary. In thi'
, school house tho first Msthodist meet.
ing was hcid In 1895 and = year late'
olass OF nine persons, comprising
r Rev. John BoquA, his wffs and thre'
daughters. Mary FLANAGAN Rsbecc,
Sack, Daniel and Hannah Vanneman
was orga nized.
!. Under the leadership OF Rev. r. y
Morrison. a great revival spresf
= through the community 1867. is
persons being converted. AmonI
: those was Joseph II. Clark known ~
= Uncle joe" who for fifty-nve year
G was most faithful servant Of tn
n church serving as trustee. stewar'
t and treasurer.
d On August 2s. 1914 Emmanuel NJ
d T.. Church was formally organized b.
the election of tho following trustees
: James Denny. Robert Walker, VIII
II liam Sack. David Smith and James I
" Smpkins and at a later meeting o.
q Nov. Ia, Daniel Vanneman and VII
n liam SuInmerill. After the success
" ful pastorates Of Rev. Thomas Stew
: ard and Rev. $. Y. Moore tho schoc
'e house grew too small 10 accommodate
- the large congregations and commit
tee WAS appointed TO select a site 70
a church building.
The committee consisting OF Wiliiar
Sack, Daniel VannemAn, Jane
" Denny. David Smith, and Josep
y. Guest selected site on the farm {
:" John r. Smith. The building. of bricl
k 97x45 feet. with end and side gallerie
;" was completed In February 1S4s. Th
le building cost $4,000. Rev. John {
e. Beegle and Rev. Joseph Atwood wei
:; the first pastors and August Can
e. the first superintendent.
e Rev. George Kitchens was called 9
. the first minister when Emmanuel b.
;, came a station In 1860. Trouble whic
had been brewing for a number
n, years eliminated In the Withdrawal
!. many members and the founding
y the First Methodist Protestant ChurC
!. of Penn's Grove. This church Wa
Il known for many years as II
u Mariners Bethel Methodist Protesta,
III Church because the attendance OF II
- mariners and fishermen who shunns
- Emmanuel services was sought /
- Joseph Quest. who led the revo
- against Emmanuel and who for mar
Ia years was sole preacher and own,
of Bethel Church.
During the pastorate OF Rev. ]. ]
Hutchinson 1884 the congregatie
became so large that 1t was almo
E. impossible to hold services in Il
st church and special services were he
ne in the Odd Fellows Hall. This a
I'll ton produced agitation TO build
" larger church In the central part
,r, the town and caused split In Il
he congregation. Those favoring Il
n new church separated and built Il
ch present st. Paurs NJ. e. Church {
g Franklin street.
a. Emmanuel Church was remodell
at a cost OF 5000 In 1884. The ga
leries were taken out, 13 feet add
to the length OF the new building, ne
,Y carpets. and the windows lengthene