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CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY BOUGHT WITH THE INCOME OF THE SAGE ENDOWMENT FUND GIVEN IN 1891 BY HENRY WILLIAMS SAGE Cornell University Library BX8248.N5 S7 3 1924 029 470 410 olln Cornell University Library The original of tliis book is in tlie Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924029470410 : HISTORY OF IMETHODISMI AND THE METHODIST CHURCHES OF STATEN ISLAND. BY A. Y. HUBBELL. NEW YORK RICHMOND PUBLISHING COMPANY. 1898. f3x PREFACE.- We have endeavored in this book to collect and present to our readers the principal events in the history of Methodism on Staten Island. As far as possible we have gathered the information from the church records made at the time of the events naiv rated. When records have not been attainable great care has been exercised to get the most ac- curate data possible from those best able to give facts correctly. As far as possible the work has been compiled by or under the immediate supervision of the pastors in charge of the different churches. CONTENtri. Asbury M. E. Church i6j Bethel M. E. Church, by the Rev. J. H. How- ard, D. D 55 Bloomfield M. E. Church 285 Dickinson M. E. Church 271 Grace M. E. Church 233 Kingsley M. E. Church 255 Mt. Zion M. E. Church 159 Origin and Organization of the Methodist Episcopal Churches in America, by the Rev. W. S. McCowan, D. D 19 Origin and Progress of Methodism in England 9 St. John's M. E. Church 137 St. Mark's M. E. Church, by the Rev. J. C. How- ard 117 St. Paul's M. E. Church 91 Summerfield M. E. Church 187 Trinity M. E. Church 209 Woodrow M. E. Church, by the Rev. M. S. Lam- bert 27 Zion A. M. E. Church, by the Rev. Wm. Biddle 147 HISTORY OF THE PPICfftD 'i OF STATEN ISLAND. CHAPTER I. ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF METHODISM IN ENGLAND. The Rev. John Wesley, the founder of Method- ism, v-as born 1703 O. S. In 1725 he was ordained a deacon of the Church of England, '^hree years later he took priestly orders. At this time he was his father's curate, btit soon afterward left his curacy and returned to Oxford at the call of the rector of his college. It was while at Oxford that the title of Method- ists was first applied to Mr. Wesley and his as- sociates, about fifteen in number. They wei-e so conscientious and regular in their reli*gious duties, observing fasts every Wednesday and Frida}'; visit- ing the sick and the poor, meeting for religious con- versation and reading the scriptures, that a rude youth of Christ's church, observing the exact reg- ularity of their lives and studies, characterized them in derision as a " new set of Methodists" in allu- sion to a class of ancient physicians who assumed that name. to HISTORY OF THE M. E. CHURCHES OF STATEN iStAiJS. But the principal characteristics which distin- guish the Methodist Episcopal church came into Mr. Wesley's life a few years later. In 1835 he came to America as a missionary to the colony of Georgia and the American Indians. On the voyage he fell in with a company of devout Moravians. On one occasion they experienced a storm, but the Moravians held their religious service as usual. During the singing of the Psalm, with which the service opened, the sea broke over the vessel, split the mainsailinto pieces and poured in between the decks. A terrible screaming began among the English, but the Moravians continued their service as calmly as if nothing unusual or dangerous had happened. "I asked one of them afterward," writes Mr. Wesley, 'Were you not afraid?' He answered, ' I thank God, no." I asked, 'But were not your women and children afraid?' He mildly replied, 'No; our women and children are not afraid to die.'" These things and his con- versation with jjious Moravians convinced.Mr. Wes- ley that there was something more in religion than the belief in the creeds and submission to the laws of Christ and to the rules and services of the church acted out day by day and hour by hour, in all the pre- scribed means and services of the church, and in the general duties of life. In 1738 Mr. Wesley returned home much dissatis- fied with his spiritual condition. Of himself he writes at this time, " I went to America to convert the Indians, but O ! who shall convert me ? Who is he that will deliver me from this evil heart of unbelief?" But two months later in writing of his conversion he says, "I felt my heart strangely : " 1 Okl&IN ANt) PROCURESS OF METHODISM IN gN^LAKi). 1 warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone, for my salvation. And an assurance was given me that he had taken away my sin, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death. We see, therefore, that Mr. Wesley had been a priest of the English church for ten years, living a most conscientious and exemplary Christian life before his conversion. His own experience, therefore, led him to adopt very different views of conversion and salvation from that held by the English church. The new doctrine of the Wesleys, their associates and followers, which was a condemnation of the English church, drew down upon them the wrath of both the clergy and laity, and they were obliged to preach in the open air. This offended the clergy still more. Among the followers of Mr. Wesley were a number of clergymen of the church of England, and these and Mr. Wesley administered the priest- ly offices for their converts until their numbers be- came too great and the territory too large for the labors of so few laborers. The following rules were adopted by these early Methodists for conducting their services and gov- erning their religious life 1. That they would meet together once a week, to confess their faults one to another, and pray one for another that they might be healed. 2. That the persons so meeting should be divided into several bands, or little companies, none of them consisting of fewer than five, or more than ten per- sons. 3. That every one, in order, should speak as freely, plainly, concisely as he could, the real state I 2 HISTORY OF THE M. E. CHURCHES OF STATEN ISLAND. of his hear<", with his several temptations and de- liverances since the last time of meeting. 4. That all the bands should have a conference every Wednesday evening, beginning and ending w^ith singing and prayer. 5. That any who desire to be admitted to this society should be asked: What are your reasons for desiring this? Will you bs entirely open, using no kind of reserve ? Have you any objection to any of our orders? 6. That when any new member was proposed, every one present should speak clearly and freely of whatever objection he might have of him. 7. That those against wliom no rea.sonable ob- jection ajppeared should be, in order for their trial, formed into one or more district bands, and siinj person agreed on to assist them. 8. That, after two months ' trial, if no objection appeared, they should be admitted into the society. 9. That every fourth Saturday should hi ob- served as a day of general intercession. 10. That on Sunday seven-night following, there should be a general love-feast, from seven till ten in the evening. 11. That no particular member should be al- lowed to act in anything contrary to any order of the society; and that if any persons, after being therein admonished, should not conform thereto, they should not longer be esteemed as members. It will be seen from the above rules, how closeK the Methodist Episcopal church has followed the plans first lail d )v.i by its distinguished founder. It will be remembered that up to this time all the religious services were conducted by regularly or- ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF METHODISM IN ENGLAND. I 3 dained clergymen of the English church, but the number of clergymen who joined Wesley were so few and their follow 2rs so numerous that the move- ment seemed in danger of being greatly retarded by the lack of preachers. The majority of the En- glish clergymen not only refused to let the Method- ist ministers officiate in their churches, but also refused to administer the sacrament of the Holy Communion to their followers, and actually drove them from the altar. We cannot give the next step in the progress of Methodism better than by quoting from Porter's "Compendium of Methodism:" "Another necessity to be provided for, arising from the growing state of the societies, was the increas- ing demand for laborers. Mr. Wesley's desire was that the established clergy should watch over such as he and his associates had brought to repentance, and encourage them in faith and practice, as their spiritual interest required. But they did no such thing. They conducted toward them, in most cases, more like wolves than shepherds, ridiculing their religion, repelling them from the Eord's table, and otherwise hindering rather than helping them. The result was, many turned back to the world and plunged into sin, as their legal pastors tauglit them. "How to remedy this difficulty was a question. Every society needed a pastor; but pastors were few, and these must travel all over the kingdom.

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