Milford chronicle., 1940-03-08
The Delmarya PeninsmlaS
Contribution To Methodism

, cause that was ianguishlng In most
places and dead in others. One OF the
core spots OF early MethOdism, was
! the failure TO provide for the sacra-
ments. We mad no ordained men In
America. Our people would seek
some sympathetic ordained clergy
men of other faiths, usually the
Church Of England's, or do without
that precious right. Some of the piO-
neer Methodist preachers had kicked
over the traces and did. administer
the saeTaments unlawfully. II took
all OF Asbury's genius TO prevent this
becoming general.
On Sunday afternoon. November
n. 1884. Thomas Coke was preacher
in Barratt's Chapel After the SER
mon he proceeded to administer the
sacrament of the Lords Supper. Fol-
lowing that service he repaired TO
the outside and there, under the
trees, baptised some thirty or forty
adults beside the children. From Bat
rats he Travelled throughout the PEN
insula and every where he went
crowds fiOcked 70 hear and to re-
ceive the Bacraments. The second
place they were administered was at
Whites Chapel near Greensboro, the
third in old Bethel near SeafOrd and
the fourth MOOTe's Chapel, near Lau-
rel. This in1ugurated the legal ad-
ministraliOn Of the sacramcnts In
America and gave to the Church the
right II had been demanding for
years. Thus we launched the sacra-
ments in America.
When Coke and Asbury met in
Barratt's Chapel on that afternoon,
to the amazmeut of Asbury, Coke un-
folded the plan of a separate Church
in America with Asbury and himself
as joint superintendent. Asbury
knowing the independent spirit OF
those pioneer preachers. suggested
they retire to the home Of Widow
Barratt's. which they did, and un-
folded the plan to the eleven minis
ters present. They discussed the plan
in detail, sent FreebOrn GarrGttsOn
to call all the preachers into gen
eral conference in Baltimore on
Christmas DaV. II was at Widow
Rarratt's home the General Confer
ence had its birth and the Methodist
Church was Graded in its first
breath.
Three Bishops have been furnish
ed by us. Bishop John Emory. Bishop
Levi Scott and Bishop John +. Hurst.
AT the altar of other faiths we have
given men who rose to the rank of
Bishop but we DO not include them
in this subject.
In the realm of the mission fields
our light has not failed. Kentucky.
Ohio, Kansas, Indiana are Ouly a
few of the many that were enriched
by our gifts of men and means. BOs-
TOMS first Methodist Church was
erected because Of the generosity of
Peninsula Methodist aud the foreign
fields have known some Of our saints.
The following is selected number
we have Beut TO the far 1uug fields
in more recent years Elizabeth An
drews 10 China, Goldsmith d. Oar
row TO South America, William f.
Collier TO India, William d. DOdsOn
to Africa. Arthur l.. Gray aud wife
to India, James II. Hargis to Italy,
George +. Hopkins and wife to In
dia, 0. J. KrOuse aud wife TO China
james S. Nagle to Malaga, 7, Il.
Parker to Liberia, Louis r. Dennis
aud wifo to China. Mrs. Robert Flem-
ming to India, Leonard J. IIampsOn
to South America. These arc 'Ouly
partial list Our greatest gift to the
staff of the Board of Foreign Mis-
BiOns was the Secretary John Dash
icll. who guided the destiny of the
work for many formative years.
We feel we have Il right to think
on these things inasmWch as we have
them in the Masters
Name and believe they have enrich
ed the Church and the Kingdom