Smyrna times., 1947-03-06

Duck Creek Cross Roads, and As
bury thus styles it in his journal.
The present name was adopted in
1906. 1t is not definitely known
who introduced Methodism into
Smyrna, but the first preaching
place was in the house of James l..
Stevenson, Esq, who was the great
grandfather of the late Miss Lydia
Mcdowell, one time Superintend-
ent of the primary department of
the Sabbath School. Among the
distinguished men who preached in
this house was Francis Asbury,
later Bishop, who preached in the
settlement for the first time on De-
cember 80, 1870. The text, it is
recorded, was Matt. 8: 7-10 and
the sermon had such remarkable
affect on the people, that their
church was later named for him.
Bishop Asbury had burning de-
votion to the cause which caused
him to travel up and down the
land, preaching a sermon every
day, sometimes two or three. He
would rise at three o'clock, to
preach his first sermon at five in
the morning, then ride twenty to
fifty miles to preach at the next
place in the afternoon, and would
be at still another place for a SER
mon in the evening; in barns,
school houses, private homes, or in
the open air. Francis Asbury fin
ally came to Delaware to escape
the persecution of the revolution
airy patriots. Because he was
English born, they believed he was
friendly to the crown. This in spite
of the fact that he refused to 60
back to England and carefully
avoided taking sides. For several
weeks after coming to Delaware
he stayed in hiding at the home of
his friend, Judge White, but was
too impelled by the needs of men
to stay silent for long. Soon he
began preaching in the homes of
the people of Kent County and one
was the log cabin of Mr.. Steven
son, and another that of Joseph
Wyatt a shoemaker. In Novem-
ber, 1884, Thos. Coke, who had
been ordained a Bishop by Mr..
Wesley, came from Wilmington to
Smyrna, where he spent the night,
and preached in the home of John
Cole. This was the first sermon
preached on this peninsula by a
Methodist Bishop. Bishop Coke
was on his way to meet Mr.. As
bury and they did meet few days
later in historic Barrett's Chapel.
1T was at this time that Coke and
Asbury planned and arranged for
the famous Christmas Conference
which resulted in the formal or
ganization of the Methodist Epis-
copal Church and the election of
both Coke and Asbury to the Epis-
copacy, Smyrna at once became
a regular appointment on Della
ware Circuit, which then embraced
nearly the entire peninsula. In
1871 Delaware Circuit was divided
into Kent and Sussex Circuits,
Smyrna being on the. former. Var
ious changes and readjustments in
these circuits were made, extend
ing from 1882 to 1906 when the
name of the circuit was changed
to Smyrna. This was the arrange
ment until 1845, when Smyrna was
made a station. Smyrna Circuit
retained the old name with head
quarters in Smyrna for some time
and was probably the Oldest Cir
cult in the conference. The first
regular church edifice was erected
in 1876. This building was about
thirty feet square, seating nearly
three hundred people, and cost
about $1,000 In honor OF the
APOSTLE of American Methodism, it
was called Asbury, the name the
present church bears.
The women of that day played
a prominent role in the affairs of
the church, although they did not
have the freedom women enjoy to-
day. In the summer of 1920, Mar
garet Kennedy, Presbyterian and
Sallie Bassett, Methodist, went
by stage to Wilmington where
they became very much interested
in a new institution called a Sun
day School. They determined at
once that they would have one in
SMYRNA. When they got home,
they went about town visiting the
homes of the poor and inviting the
children to come. So on Septem-
ber 20, 1920, they opened the
school in Mechanics Academy. The
school was run entirely by girls,