CHAPTER 12 THE FIRST METHODIST CHURCHES IN OHIO
CHAPTER 12 THE FIRST METHODIST CHURCHES IN OHIO
We have already given a description of the "Old Stone," in Cincinnati; but before its day there were here and there scattered over the state, in different places, round and hewed-log, and frame churches, which had been, erected and dedicated to the worship of God. Though rude they answered the purpose for which they were erected, and were suited to the times. Some of these yet stand as mementos of the past; and though they may be unoccupied, or devoted to other purposes, or have fallen into decay, and no longer resound with the clear, full voice of the early pioneer itinerant, or echo the sound of praise and prayer, still their memory is precious, and a thousand hallowed associations gather around their fallen timbers and dilapidated walls. Could histories of all these early churches be written by some master hand, what thrilling memories would come up from the forgotten past, as the hallowed scenes of other days would crowd upon the vision. Our fathers are gone. Only here and there, like the rude churches they occupied, are they left. As the trees of the mighty forest they have fallen around us, and every year witnesses their departure from our midst. In the Advocate of 1840 the reader will find the following from the pen of the Rev. H. Smith, a western pioneer, whose letter to the Historical Society is not only descriptive of early times in Ohio, but shows the difficulties the first preachers had to encounter in getting congregations and places to preach. It was written to Mr. Samuel Williams, the Secretary of said Society; and among the interesting items which it contains the reader will find an allusion to a log meeting-house, on Scioto Brush creek, supposed by him to have been the first Methodist church in the North Western territory:
"As I have been solicited by several of my brethren, in the west, to write something for your society, I ventured to make a beginning in a letter to my old friend, the Rev. William Burke, about the first of August. I do not know whether it was received, or how disposed of, if received, as I have had no Western Christian Advocate from the 17th of July to the 28th of August. What I do in this way I must do quickly. I am the more encouraged to write as your Society gives great latitude, and seems to be disposed to exercise indulgence.
"Lewis Hunt, a young man, traveled Miami circuit in 1799; but we had heard that he was broken down, and I was sent to take his place. On the 15th of September I set out, in company with brother Francis McCormick, to meet brother Hunt, on Mad river. We met him at brother Hamer’s, and found him so far recovered as to be able to go on in his work. My instructions were, that if he should be able to continue in the work, to go up the Scioto, and form a circuit there. We consulted our friends, and formed a plan, uniting Scioto to Miami, making a six weeks circuit. This plan was, however, abandoned, on account of the great distance between the two circuits, and the dismal swamp we would have to pass through every round.
"On the 18th of September I left brother Hunt, and returned to brother McCormick’s, and on Sunday, the 22d, I, for the first time, heard the Rev. Philip Gatch preach. He was truly a very fine sample of primitive Methodist preachers, simple, plain, and powerful; his reliance for success appeared to be wholly upon power from above. I found him a meek-spirited, agreeable old man, always willing to give counsel when asked, but never intruding. But the old veteran has gone to his reward, and I trust his praise is still in the Churches in the west. I had the pleasure of giving an exhortation after the good old man, and the Lord was with us indeed, in public and in class meeting. Some were much refreshed, and my own soul among the rest.
"Monday, 23d. I was unwell, but rode about ten miles toward my new field of labor, and lodged with a poor but pious Methodist family.
"Tuesday, 24th. I pursued my journey up the Ohio river, and put up with James Sargent, an old Methodist friend from Maryland, who received and treated me with all the kindness of an old Maryland Methodist. Here I left two appointments for my next round.
"Wednesday, 25th. I still pursued my course up the Ohio river, but had a very intricate path, and, indeed, sometimes none at all; but by the good hand of the Lord upon me, the evening brought me to the house of a kind Presbyterian family. We spent the evening in conversation on religious subjects. The old gentleman asked me to pray with them in the evening, and again in the morning, and pressingly invited me to call again whenever I came that way. I thanked them for their hospitality, but never had another opportunity of calling upon them.
"Thursday, 26th. I left this kind family at the mouth of Red Oak, and started for Eagle creek, and began to inquire for Methodists, but could hear of none. I took up Eagle creek, and being directed to a family where I could get some information, I rode up to the house, and asked the good man of the house if he could tell me where any of the people called Methodists lived. He said he, could give me no information. But his wife formerly belonged to the society, and invited me to alight and come in. I did so; and while my horse was eating, I told them who I was, and my business. I entered into conversation about spiritual things, and requested the man to call his family together, and I prayed with and for them, and was much drawn out. I gave them a short exhortation, and left them all in tears. I rode about eight or nine miles, and inquired for Methodists again, and was directed to a poor man’s cabin. I found him and his wife Jane in the cornfield. I called to him, and inquired if he could tells me where I could find any of the people called Methodists. He leaped over the fence, ran to me, and took me by the hand with all the cordiality of a true Irishman.
I told him my name and business, sand he received me with every expression of joy, called to Jane, and conducted me in triumph to the cabin. Jane came out of the field in cornfield habiliments, it is true; but she soon washed and changed her dress, and appeared to make me as welcome to their cabin as her husband. Such a reception was worth a day’s ride. If I was but poorly qualified for a missionary in every other respect, I was not in one thing; for I had long since conquered my foolish prejudice and delicacy about eating, drinking, and lodging. I could submit to any kind of inconvenience where I had an opportunity of doing good, for I thought myself honored in being permitted to labor in any part of the Lord’s vineyard. My call was among the poor, and among them I could feel myself at home. Jane gave me something to eat, and we ate our morsel with gladness, and talked about Jesus. In time of family prayer the melting power of God came down and filled the place with glory. The merciful people had taken their poor horse in with them the previous winter, and of course it could not be very agreeable; but poor Jane brought out of her chest as clean white sheets as ever came from Ireland, and spread them on my bed, and I slept sweetly, and arose refreshed. Here I was informed there were four or five Methodist families still higher up the creek, who had formed themselves into a society, and met on Sundays for prayer and class meeting.
"Friday, 27th. I rode to old brother John Foster’s, and the dear family received me with open arms, and sent out word to their neighbors, and I preached on Saturday the 28th, to about eighteen or twenty persons with a degree of life, and the word seemed to find way to their hearts.
"Sunday, 29th. I preached at Peter Rankin’s, four miles down the creek, to a small but very attentive congregation — this was the place where the small society met — and the poor starving sheep fed freely upon the word of life.
Monday, 30th. I rode to a brother Wormsley’s, on Ohio Brush creek. With this family I had been acquainted in Kentucky, and we had an unexpected but joyful meeting. In family worship the Lord was present in power, the dear family were melted into tears, and the room appeared to be filled with glory and with God. We sang and talked about Jesus, and shouted aloud for joy. And who would not shout for such an unexpected, but seasonable visitation of mercy? Word was sent out, and preaching appointed at William Bushill’s.
Tuesday, 31st. I attended, our congregation was small, the country was sparsely settled, and the notice short. I stood up among them, and cried, ’I Am hath sent me unto you.’ Some poor sinners were deeply affected, and seemed to feel as if the Lord had sent me to them, and the Lord’s poor mourning children had no doubt of it. O, it was worth while to suffer a little to meet with such a scene, and such a reception! Here a society was all ready formed by Joseph Moore, from Scioto Brush creek; and Simon Frilds was their leader.
"Wednesday, October 1st. I rode to Joseph Moore’s, Scioto Brush creek. Here I found a considerable society already organized by brother Moore. Here I had some success, and the society increased, so that on the sixth of August, 1800, we proposed building a meeting house; for no private house would hold our week-day congregation. But we met with some opposition, for some wanted a free house. But as no one seemed to care ’for their souls’ but the Methodists, it appeared to me, like foolishness to build a house for other denomination, before they came and wanted a house. We, however, succeeded in building a small log-house, but then large enough for the neighborhood, the first Methodist meeting-house on the circuit, and perhaps the first in the North-Western territory. I did not stop to preach here on my first visit, but left an appointment for my next, and pressed onward toward Pee Dee, on the Scioto.
"Friday morning, 4th. I rode through a heavy rain to Pee Dee, and called at the house of Snowden Sargent, a kind-hearted old Methodist from Maryland. I was wet, hungry, and brought plenty of company with me, from a bear-skin, my bed the night before. I introduced myself; and met with a cordial reception by a very kind family.
"Saturday, 5th. I rested and refitted; and truly rest was needful, as well as desirable. Here I met with several friends with whom I had been acquainted, and among them the Rev. William Talbott, who had preached at my father’s when he first began to itinerate. But his zeal and excessive labors soon broke him down, and he retired from the itinerancy, and tried to provide for himself and rising family. He, however, preached occasionally. I heard him preach afterward at our quarterly meeting, at Pee Dee, with divine unction.
"Sunday, October 6th. I preached for the first time at Pee Dee. All were very attentive, and some felt the word. After preaching I called together a few who had been in society in various places, and organized a class, and the Lord was truly among us. One shouted aloud; and the most of the professors appeared to be much quickened. In those days I was always at home in a class meeting, and if I did not succeed in public I was almost sure to come out in class. I preached again at night; the people were all attention. I lodged with my friend Talbott. O, how ought those to be esteemed who have sacrificed their health, and almost their lives, in the cause of God! but this is not always the case, for some end their days in obscurity and poverty."
We have before us also a communication from one of the pioneers of Methodism in Ohio — the Rev. John Meek — which will furnish the reader an account of some of the first meeting-houses of his day. These reminiscences of olden time are not only interesting in themselves, but they serve to show how small and seemingly insignificant were the beginnings of Methodism in this western valley, and what astonishing progress has been made in the increase of membership, and the building of churches all over the land.
"In the year 1805, when the Miami Valley, from Cincinnati to the settlement two miles from the spot of ground where the beautiful town of Urbana is built, extending and spreading from the Big Miami river to Whiteoak creek, into what is now called Brown county, at brother Davis’s, near where Georgetown is now growing, I was appointed to that circuit. The above territory was my field of labor in that year — 1805 — which was the year alluded to by brother Simmons in which Hopewell meeting-house was built, at the dedication of which the small Church in that part of the wilderness was blessed by the labors of our beloved McKendree, of precious memory, and brother William Burke, who was then presiding elder of the Ohio district, together with brothers Amos and Patterson. I believe brother Burke preached from 2 Corinthians iii, 18: ’But we all with open face,’ etc.; and brother McKendree followed with, ’Now the Lord is that Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty’ — 17th verse. The anointing of the Holy Spirit appeared to be upon them; ’the power of God was present to heal;’ the slain of the Lord were many; the cry of the wounded, and the shout of them that were made whole ’was heard afar off;’ and, blessed be God! I expect to meet some in heaven that were converted to God at that meeting. I will here say, those were the happiest days of my life — log cabins to preach in, puncheon floors to sleep on, long rides, corn bread and milk to eat, a constant succession of kind friends to make welcome, and the love of God in the soul, a home high up in heaven in prospect, and the blessed promise of, ’Lo I am with you always, even unto the end of the world,’ gave the mind a most pleasing variety, and caused our time to move on most agreeably. But where have I wandered from what I intended when I sat down to write?
"But to old Hopewells log meeting-house. I will say to brother Simmons’s inquiry, a log meeting-house was erected in West Wheeling circuit, on Indian Short Creek, called Holmes’s meeting-house, some time in the year 1808, in the immediate neighborhood of which there followed one of the most powerful revivals of the work of God, in the awakening and conversion of sinners to God, that I recollect ever to have witnessed; and I think I will be safe in saying, that from the time was ever thought of. And in the year 1804 there was a log meeting-house commenced vered at old brother Thomas Odie’s, a local preacher, on Eagle creek, in Scioto circuit, never finished. So you see the pioneers of the Miami were not the first in Ohio t g-houses."