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

Methodists of New York), by giving them the use of the First Baptist Church in Lagrange Place, in
Front street, to worship in; thus showing them a little more favor than was manifested to the Baptists
and Presbyterians.
When the British army left Philadelphia, the Methodists began to rally, to build up their shattered
cause, which was now in a worse condition than it was eight years before. They made out to put a
rough ground floor in the east end of their church, while the other half of it had its natural earthen
floor, -- their seats were equally coarse; and, the pulpit was a square box in the north side, near the
door that was in the church before it was modernized, -- and the preachers and people could rejoice
that they had such accommodations for worship; when Mr. Wesley preached in a stable, he did not
think he had condescended too low, as he professed to be a follower of him who was born in a stable.
The holy men that planted Methodism, could condescend to anything but sin. In 1779, some of the
Philadelphia brethren went down to the quarterly meeting in Kent county, Delaware, where they saw
Mr. Asbury, and he sent Mr. Garrettson to preach for them and re-organize them. He continued with
them two months and was followed by Philip Cox, and in 1780, John Cooper and George Mair were
appointed to the Philadelphia Circuit, and ever since there has been a supply.
In process of time the house was floored from end to end, and more comely seats were put in with
a new pulpit, like a tall tub on a post, which was the fashion of the times, but one of the worst
fashions that ever was for a pulpit. It was generally too high, it held but one person, and scarcely had
room in it to allow any action in the speaker. In such a place Mr. Webster, or some great man, has
said, no lawyer could hope to gain his cause. This second pulpit stood in the right place -- in the
center of the east end of the church. The house was not plastered until Dr. Coke came to America,
and the Methodists were organized into a Church.
During the first fifteen years that the Methodists worshipped in St. George's, they sat under the
ministry of most of the Fathers that planted Methodism in America; such preachers as Boardman,
Pilmoor, Webb, Williams, King, Asbury, Wright, Watters, Rankin, Shadford, Gatch, Duke, Webster,
Ruff, Lindsay, Spragg, Rodda, Jno. Cooper, Hartley, Garrettson, McGlure, Kennedy, Pedicord,
Tunnell, Gill, Dickens, Ellis, Cole, Chew, Cromwell, Cox, Ivy, Willis, Rowe, Dudley, Hagerty, N.
Read, Foster, Boyer, Mair, Lambert, Everett, McGeary, Thomas, Hickson, Haskins, Lee, Green,
Phoebus, Jessup, Coleman, Ware, Whatcoat, and Dr. Coke.
There was no church in the connection that Mr. Asbury labored as much for as St. George's. It was
for nearly fifty years the largest place of worship that the Methodists had in America. Metaphorically
it was their cathedral. In 1772, he was endeavoring to raise £150 -- to discharge the debt upon it. In
1782, he received a subscription of £270 -- to relieve it of the encumbrance of ground rent. In 1786,
he was trying to discharge its debt, which then amounted to £500. In 1789, he had a meeting of the
principal members, to consult about incorporating it. As the original trustees were all out of the
board except Mr. Fitzgerald, in the same year James Kenear, Thomas Arnnatt, Jacob Baker, John
Hood, James Doughty, Josiah Lusby, Duncan Stewart, and Burton Wallace, were added, to fill it up.
About 1791, the galleries were put in it, after the Methodists had owned it more than twenty years.
In 1795, after preaching in it, he says, "To my surprise I saw the galleries filled;" what he had not
seen before. In 1798, he had his last meeting with the trustees, to consult about the church, and it was
resolved to raise a subscription to complete it. This sketch shows the difficulty the Methodists had