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

the ministry of the Wesleys. He was religiously united with the first congregation of New York
Methodists for sixty-five years or more: he died, in view of heaven, in 1851, aged eighty-five years.
Mary Dando was born in England, in 1752, came to this country in 1783, and joined the
Methodists in 1786. She was aunt to Stephen Dando, and never married, but made herself useful by
taking care of orphan children, and raising them to piety and usefulness. In the days of five o'clock
morning preaching, she quitted her bed to attend at Wesley Chapel to early morning means of grace.
At the age of seventy-three years, she went to receive her reward from her Lord, in 1825. (Extracted
from "Lost Chapters," pp. 562-3, and 566-7.)
Philip J. Arcularius came from Germany when young; he was raised in the Lutheran Church, but
in 1787 he united with the Methodists, at Wesley Chapel. He built up a very fine reputation in New
York as a business man, and acquired a respectable estate. He filled the offices of trustee and class
leader among the Methodists; and, as a citizen, was honored with a seat in the legislature of the state
of New York.
Losing his first companion, he married, for his second wife, the widow of the Rev. Francis Ward.
Mr. Ward was a preacher of considerable standing among the Methodists; he was sent to Charleston,
S. C., in 1812, where his health gave way, and he died the following year on Long Island. In 1804
he was stationed on Long Island, and attended the first Methodist camp meeting which was held at
Carmel, Duchess county, N. Y., that was ever held north of the Susquehanna river. Mr. Ward took
notes of this meeting, which have since been read with much interest, and which we could here give,
if it were the proper time and place. This camp meeting had been gotten up through the influence of
the Rev. Nicholas Snethen, who had caught the inspiration of camp meetings in the South. He, with
many others, attended it, and it was attended with great power and good.
Mr. Arcularius died in 1825, aged seventy-eight years. Messrs. James and Samuel Harper married
two sisters, daughters of Mr. Arcularius: the name of Harper has America-wide, if not world-wide
fame. (Extracted in part from "Lost Chapters," pp. 544-6.)
Gilbert Coutant, a descendant of the Huguenots, who settled at New Rochelle, was born in 1766,
the epoch of New York Methodism. While young, he came to New York to live. He was led to the
Methodists by hearing Robert Cloud preaching in Wesley Chapel, in 1786. Under this discourse he
was awakened to the duties of religion. In 1788 he was married to Mary Varian, with whom he lived
for fifty-seven years. In 1789, while Thomas Morrell and Robert Cloud were laboring in New York,
he was converted, and joined Wesley Chapel society. In 1798 he was put into the board of trustees,
with William Cooper, Philip J. Arcularius, Paul Heck, Abraham Russel, and Israel Disosway. For
forty years he led a class. He was the great patron of the Two Mile Stone Church. He died at Sing
Sing, N. Y., in 1845, in his eighty-first year. He was regarded as a most valuable citizen and
Christian, in the community of New York. (Extracted from "Lost Chapters," pp. 564-5.)
Thomas Carpenter was born on Long Island, 1757. When twenty-five years old he embraced
religion, and joined the Methodists soon after. After a long and useful life, he died in 1825, being
sixty-eight years old. His excellent companion died the same year, aged seventy-two years. Mr.