A History Of The Rise Of Methodism In America - Media Sabda Org

was, A. R. was dismissed, and Mr. Smith, his wife, and two daughters, with the rest that had broken
off from the Valley or Grove society, returned to it.
Mr. Philip Ebert was, most probably, from the Western Shore of Maryland. He set out to travel,
as a preacher, in 1773, at which time Mr. Asbury expressed his doubt of his call to the work. In 1774
he was appointed to Greenwich, N. J. After Mr. Whitworth's defection, he went into Jersey and
converted Ebert to Universalism, and the Methodists dismissed him; both were expelled in 1774.
Mr. Daniel Ruff was a native of Harford county, Md., and lived not far from Havre-de-Grace. He
was brought to God in the great reformation that was progressing in that region a in 1771. In 1772
his house was a preaching place; and in 1773 he began to exhort his neighbors to "Flee from the
wrath to come," and turned many of them to the Saviour. Of his usefulness, Mr. Asbury thus speaks:
"Honest simple Daniel Ruff has been made a great blessing to these people. Such is the wisdom and
power of God that he has wrought marvelously by this plain man, that no flesh may glory in his
presence." He was received on trial in 1774, and stationed on Chester Circuit; a part of the year he
labored in Jersey.
Chester Circuit had been growing up since 1769. It embraced all the preaching places that the
Methodists then had in Delaware state, and in Chester county. The better half of it lay in the upper
end of New Castle county, including the towns of New Castle and Wilmington, the appointment now
called Bethel, above Wilmington, Mr. Isaac Hersey's now represented at Salem Church, Newport,
Christiana village, Mt. Pleasant, and Red Clay Creek. In Chester county (which, up to 1789, included
Delaware county) there were appointments for preaching in Marlborough, at Thomas Ellis', at
Woodward's, on the Brandywine, west of West, Chester, at Samuel Hooper's, probably in Goshen,
and in the course of the year, in Uwchlan and Coventry.
The preachers, in passing from Philadelphia to Delaware and Maryland, frequently preached in
Old Chester. Most likely, Captain Webb was the first; after him, Messrs. Boardman and Pilmoor.
Mr. Asbury first preached in this town in 1772, in the court house, "to one of the wildest looking
congregations he had seen in America, having the Church minister, and many Quakers, to hear him."
Mrs. Withey -- who kept one of the best houses of entertainment on the continent -- was awakened
to a sense of her need of a Saviour the first time he officiated in her house in family prayer, which
was on this occasion. From this time she considered herself a Methodist, and gladly received the
preacher. Through her efforts a small class was raised up in Old Chester, about 1800; but it was
dissolved again: for, though the people were fond of Methodist preaching, in the beginning they did
not like to be Methodist; and Methodism was not permanently established in this town until about
1830. Mrs. Withey's experience was chequered by doubts and happy confidence. She slept in Jesus
in 1810, and Bishop Asbury preached her funeral sermon.
The appointments in the upper end of New Castle county, were mostly made by Captain Webb
and John King in 1769 and in 1770. At this time there were societies at New Castle, Wilmington,
and Isaac Hersey's. It was some years before Methodism was established at Christiana Village, and
at New Port. At the latter place, at one time, the itinerants had their accommodations in the houses
of people of color, and were glad to find even there a clean bed to rest upon. This was one of the