A Short History Of The Methodists... - Media Sabda Org

There was another meeting house built by Mr. Strawbridge and his society, near Pipe Creek in
Maryland, called the Log Meeting-House, which was erected for the use of the first Methodist
society that was formed in that county.
The new meeting house in the city of New York, was first called Wesley's Chapel, which name
it bore for several years after the itinerant preachers came to this country.
In 1769, Mr. Wesley says in his Ecclesiastical History, vol.4, page 261, "Tuesday, August 1, our
conference began at Leeds. On Thursday I mentioned the case of our brethren at New York. For
some years past, several of our brethren from England and Ireland, (and some of them preachers) had
settled in North America, and had in various places formed societies, particularly in Philadelphia and
New York. The society at New York had lately built a commodious preaching-house, and now
desired our help, being in great want of money, but much more of preachers. Two of our preachers,
Richard Boardman and Joseph Pilmoor, willingly offered themselves for the service; by whom we
determined to send over fifty pounds, as a token of our brotherly love."
Mr. Boardman and Mr. Pilmoor came over to America from that conference, and landed at
Gloucester Point, six miles below Philadelphia, on the 24th day of October. These were the first
regular itinerant Methodist preachers that ever came to these United States. Mr. Boardman had been
an itinerant preacher in Europe for six years, and Mr. Pilmoor for four years, before they came to this
country as missionaries, a work for which they were well qualified, and in which they were owned
and honored of God, and made a blessing to thousands.
Soon after the two preachers mentioned above had arrived at Philadelphia, Mr. Robert Williams
came over. He had been a local preacher in England, and had received a permit from Mr. Wesley to
preach in America, under the direction of the regular missionaries. Mr. Williams, however, was not
sent over by Mr. Wesley. -- His coming to America was partly owing to temporal business, and,
withal, feeling a particular desire to preach the gospel in America, he had given his word to a
Methodist man in Ireland, that if he (Mr. Ashton) would come over to live in America, he would
accompany him across the Atlantic. Mr. Williams was an Englishman, but not a traveling preacher
at that time. At length he heard that Mr. Ashton had embarked for America, and, according to his
promise, he hurried down to the town near to which the ship lay, sold his horse to pay his debts, and
taking his saddle-bags on his arm, set off for the ship, with a loaf of bread and a bottle of milk, and
no money to pay his passage. His good friend Ashton provided for him and paid his passage, and
they came over together. As soon as Mr. Williams landed he went to New York, where he preached
in Wesley's Chapel, before either of the other itinerant preachers came to that city. Although Mr.
Williams had come to this country of his own accord, the preachers and people encouraged him in
his labors in spreading the gospel. On the first of November he visited Mr. Pilmoor in Philadelphia,
and then went on to Maryland.
As soon as Mr. Boardman and Mr. Pilmoor came to Philadelphia, they began their ministerial
labors; and soon began to preach on the commons, or in the fields, in the open air, where some