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

In 1852, James Smith, a preacher forty-two years, at the age of sixty-three, was buried in this
ground.
Four local preachers also are sleeping here: -- The good Samuel Hanse, who died in 1828; the
highminded Andrew Mecaskey, who fell asleep in 1842; the zealous and useful David Kollock
passed away in 1855; and the innocent John Caldwell, in 1857.
The next place of worship erected by the Methodists in this city was for the use of the colored
people, and was called "Bethel." It was opened for worship about 1794. For several years the society
connected with this house was subject to the discipline of the Methodist Episcopal Church, the
preacher in charge of the St. George's station having charge of it. But a plan was devised among
them by which they became independent, with Richard Allen at their head; who subsequently was
ordained bishop, by the Rev. Bishop White, of the Protestant Episcopal Church of this city.
In 1796, another place of worship was opened for the people of color up town, in Brown street,
called "Zoar;" this was the third house built by the Methodists in Philadelphia and its Liberties; and
now they had four places of worship -- two for white people, and two for colored people. When Zoar
was built its site was called "Campingtown." The regularly built town did not extend to it by a
considerable space. This society maintained its allegiance to the M. E. Church with good faith.
In 1800, there was considerable dissatisfaction in the St. George's society, which resulted in a
secession of some fifty members, who rented the north end of Mr. Whitefield's Academy to worship
in; and in 1801 they bought the south end, which became their church for more than thirty years. At
first, the Academy was a little on the Independent plan; several local preachers -- such names as John
Hood, Thomas Haskins, Samuel Harvey, and others, belonged to it, and preached to the
congregation. In 1802, the Rev. George Roberts was received, by Bishop Asbury's appointment, and
it was recognized as a member of the Methodist family. This "dividing of the body of Christ," as
Bishop Asbury called it, gave him much grief. Hitherto he had supposed that Methodism could grow
only from the seed of truth sown in the people by the Spirits influence on the gospel. The subsequent
prosperity of the Academy convinced him that Methodism could also grow from a slip, or a sprout
taken from the main stem.
In 1833, the era of modern church arrangement, with basement for weekly lectures, prayer and
class meetings, Sunday schools, &c., was inaugurated in Philadelphia by the Methodists, when the
old Academy or Union gave place to the "Union M. E. Church." As epic poetry attained its
perfection in Homer, its father, so modern church symmetry in Philadelphia M. E. Churches seems
to have attained its perfection in the audience chamber of the Union Church, the "inexpressible
quality," as Mr. Wesley calls it, which we take to be nothing else than proportion. We have yet to
see a Methodist Church that presents more beautiful simplicity than the Union when filled with
people.
In this notice of M. E. Churches in Philadelphia, we think it proper to comprehend all the
churches in the consolidated city. Probably the next in the order of time is Germantown. We shall
not be able to give many dates of this Church with certainty. We cannot say with certainty which
Methodist preacher was in Germantown first. Mr. Asbury preached in the German Reformed Church