The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1922-09-29

takingly pursued their devotion that !
it led to the term of Methodist being
applied to them in derision, because
they were methodical in all they did.
About the year 1876 they came to
America for a short time as mis-
sionaries to the Indians, confirming
their ministrations to those in Georgia.
Their visit had its effect, and over the
land societies within the Episcopal
Church began to be formed of earnest
men and women who believed as
Wesley lived. They were scattered
here and there, as sheep with neither
fold or shepherd, and it was not
until Mr.. Francis Asbury and Mr..
Richard Wright. began their syste-
matte work that the cause OF MethO-
dism prospered.
| Mr. Francis Asbury, the great light
of the future Methodist Church in
America, arrived in Philadelphia in
! l771 and shortly came to Baltimore,
the result of his efforts there being
the formation of society ut FEELS
/ Point, and the erection of Il meeting
house in Strawberry Alley. The next
year Philip Rogers and William
Moore, OF Baltimore took up a sub
scription and built Church on Lovely
Lane (about the site of the Merchants
Club and on May u, 1916 the Fourth
! Conference of Methodist preachers in
! the United States was held in it, This
was the first Maryland Conference of
Methodist, three others having been
held in Philadelphia.
The great event in Methodism oc-
CURED in December 1884 at this same
meeting house on Lovely Lane, where
the Methodist preachers met and II
was agreed TO form an Episcopal
Church and to have Superintendent
elders and deacons" (Asbury's
journal Vol. l, p. 377) and thus was
organized the Methodist Episcopal
Church in the United States Of
ANTI IL anu thC IACh AbhC
who had come over from England
"set apart" Mr.. Asbury by hand and
prayer" first as deacon, and the next
day as elder, and the third as supern-
tendent This was the great Christ
mas Conference" Before this prac-
tically all the Methodists were
members of the Episcopal Church
and its ministers were really Icy
preachers or readers of that Church
and had not the power to baptise or
perform the sacred ordinance of com
muniOn. From now on it WAS an in
dependent organization, and thus
Maryland has the honor of not only
building the first Methodist meeting
house. raising up the first Methodist
Society in America. OF producing the
first native American Methodist
preacher Orchard Owen. the first
native American preacher who was Il
regular itiaerant (William Wattersl.
History of Maryland Scharf Vol. II.
p. 555). but being the birth place Of
that great religious organization. thu
Methodist Episcopal Church in
America, which is now world wide il
its influence and ministrations.
This step was not taken lightly, the
converts did not wish to leave the
Church in which they had been hap
tised and confirmed. The minutes of
the conference held in 1879 show that
the question was put, Shall We guard
against separation from the Church.:
Answer: by all means" Up to this
time they considered themselves mem
bers of the Episcopal Church. a re
ligiOus party or society in it THE
Garrison Church p. 3D..
This formation of the Methodist
Church was a serious blow to the
Protestant Episcopal Church OF
America. (Which had organized under
the Act of 1879 and the Rectors Of
St Paul and St Thomas Parishes.
Mr. West and Mr.. Andrews, met DR..
Coke and Mr.. Asbury and tried -
effect union between the Churches,
but were unsuccessful. Mr.. Andrews
later called on DR.. Coke, but found
that the contempt and aversions
with which Methodists had always
been treated in England and in this
country. was an effectual bar in The
way of accomplishing what he hal
desired" (The Garrison Church 46).
The indignities to which some were
subjected in this country. was. how
ever, largely owing to their being
Englishmen and their failure to take
the oath of allegiance to our country,
the outpouring of the same patriotic
spirit which drove the ministers of the
Church of England from our land.
During the Revolution the itinerant
Methodist preachers We're the only
ministers actively engaged in serving
the spiritual needs of the people, and
men, who had served without pay for
principle, naturally appreciated such
services. Recalling the large amount