Ireland and the centenary of American Methodism...

Front matter

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CHAPTER I. ||alafims in Jfolsmb, • . . 17

Palatinate of the Rhine —Position— Name blotted from modern maps — Persecutions of the Palatines by the Romanists — Turenne and Louis XIV. — Burning of Towns and Villages — Flight of the Palatines to the Camp of Marlborough— Religious character of the Palatines when in Germany— Arrival of 7,000 in England — Encamped at Camberwell and Blackheath Commons — Emigration of 3,000 to America — Settlement of remainder in Ireland, principally on Lord Southwell's Estate, County Limerick— Names of those who thus settled in 1709 — Rev. John "Wesley on their Emigration — Testimonies as to the character of the Palatines and services in Ireland — Influence of Romanism and Protestantism on Irish character.

Chapter II

Character and Appearance of the Palatine Villages — Ballingran— Character of the Palatines prior to the introduction of Methodism — Mr. Wesley's Testimony — Some honourable exceptions— Philip Guier — Introduction of Methodism into Limerick by Robert Swindells

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Contents

— His Bravery in Preaching on the King's Parade, March 17, 1749 — " Swaddlers " — Mrs. Bennis, of Limerick — Thomas Walsh the ultimate fruit of Swindells's Sermon on the Street — Walsh's Character and Value as a Man and a Minister — Swindells and the first Methodist Class in Limerick — Mother of the Eev. William Myles — Thomas Williams — His Popularity, Calvinism, and Fall — Origin of Methodism amongst the Palatines — First Class at Newmarket — Wesley's first "Visit to them — Walsh commences to Preach amongst the Palatines — Cownley and other Labourers — Wesley's second Visit to Limerick — First Irish Conference — Wesley and Calvinism — Philip Guier and five others received on Trial as Preachers — Wesley's first Visit to Ballingran in 1756 — Thomas Walsh Preaching in Irish — Wesley's seventh Visit to Ireland — Irish Conference of 1758 — Philip Embury and William Thompson received on Trial — Illness of Walsh — His Death, and Mental Suffering explained — Important Document, respecting Walsh's last Illness, from the Rev. John Dinnen — Charles Wesley's Lines on his Death — Wesley's further Visits to the Palatines — Death of Philip Guier — Wesley's last Visit — Great Revival amongst them — Rev. Mr. Ingram, of Limerick — Wesley's Final Testimony as to the Character of the Irish Conference in 1789 — His interest in Ireland, and in the Palatines, and his remarkable prediction concerning Ireland, and its fulfilment.

Chapter III

Embury and his Party leaving for America — Parting Scene a Hundred and Six Years ago — Ballingran — Methodist Church — Ruins of Embury's House — Mrs. Heck's House, and old Mrs. Ruckle — Embury's Birth — Education — Apprenticed to a Carpenter — Conversion — Appointed a Leader and Local Preacher — His Services in Connec-

CONTENTS.

ix tion with the Building of the Church at Court-Matrix — Wesley Preaching at Ballingran in 1756 — Conference at Limerick in 1758 — Embury and William Thompson recommended for our Itinerancy — Character of Thompson — Embury's Marriage in November, 1758 — Paul Heck and Barbara his Wife — Emigration of Embury, Paul and Barbara Heck, and Others, to New York in 1760.

Chapter IV

Probable Causes of Embury's Silence for Six Years in New York — Worshipped with the Lutherans — Death of two of his Children — Arrival of Second Party of Irish Palatines in 1765 — Mrs. Heck and the Card-players — Proof that Embury was not present — Full Refutation of this Slander — Embury's First Sermon and the Origin of Methodism in America — His own Hired House — Removal of the little Church to the " Upper Room " in Barrack Street — Early Members of the Church — Removal to the "Rigging Loft" in 1767 — Arrival of Charles White and Richard Sause from Dublin — Captain Webb, his Preaching and Success.

CHAPTER Y.

Important Letter from " T. T." (Thomas Taylor) to Wesley — value of this Letter in fixing the Date of Embury's Emigration, and the Origin of Methodism in New York — Lease of John Street Property, and Trustees — Embury the First Trustee and First Treasurer of the Chapel Fund — Irish Contributions to the Enterprise — Mrs. Heck the Architect of the Church— Embury's Opening Sermon, in October, 1768 — Destruction of the " Rigging Loft," in 1854.

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CONTENTS.

Chapter VI. Page

Arrival of Thomas Ashton and Robert "Williams from Ireland — Williams the First Itinerant in America, and the Spiritual Father of Jesse Lee — Ashton and his Colony at Ashgro ve— Rev. Abraham Bininger — Arrival of Boardman and Pilmoor — Embury, Paul, and Mrs. Heck remove to Camden — Embury forms a Class at Ashgrove — Becomes a Magistrate — His Death in 1773 — Catherine Lowe — Death of Two of his Children — Mrs. Embury, Paul and Barbara Heck remove to Canada — Ashton and Cemetery at Ashgro ve — Removal of Embury's Remains to Ashgrove in 1832 — Oration on the occasion by John Newland Maffitt — His Tomb.

CHAPTER VII. Jihwranf, 133

Disposition on the Part of Methodist "Writers in America to do full justice to Irish Methodism — Mistake of Wakeley and Dr. Stevens as to Robert "Williams — He was not a " Lay Evangelist," but a Member of the Irish Conference — Came to America with Ashton — "Was in Charge and issued Tickets before the arrival of Boardman and Pilmoor — His Character and great Services — Germ of "The Book Concern" — His Enduring Memorial.

Chapter VIII

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Description of Strawbridge's Birthplace at Drumsna, county Leitrim — Wesley's visit to Drumsna — Mob in Carrick-on-Shannon in 1760 — Strawbridge's Persecution and Removal to Sligo — Preaches in Kilmore, county Cavan — Removes to Tandragee — Marriage — Traces of

CONTENTS. Xi

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the Strawbridge family at Drumsna— Annaduff— Emigrates to Maryland, about 1766— The "Log Meeting- House" — Probable Date when he commenced his Labours in America — Traces of his Family — His Labours and Poverty, and great Success — His Death and Funeral — Asbury's antipathy to him— Defence of Strawbridge, and Obligations of American Methodism to him.

CHAPTER IX. |iic|rarjtr §0arbman, . . • -1^1

Leeds Conference of 1769, and Appointment of Boardman and Pilmoor— Conversion of Mary Redfern — Perilous Passage to America — Boardman's Services in America — Returned Home in 1774— Appointed to Londonderry — His Services in Ireland — Death in Cork in 1782 — His Tomb at St. Fin Barre's.

Chapter X

Methodism in Canada, as in the United States, the Child of Irish Methodism— First Class in Canada, and Mrs. Embury, Paul and Barbara Heck — George Neal, his Character and Services — James M'Carty, his Character and Martyrdom — Fate of his Persecutors — William Losee — First Methodist Chapel in Adolphustown in 17^2, and Irish names as Subscribers — Death of Paul and Barbara Heck — Families of Embury and Heck, and Canadian Methodism—" The Old Blue Church, Augusta," and the Grave of Paul and Barbara Heck— Canadian Methodism, and Emigration from Ireland — Methodism in Canada in 1866.

Chapter XI

Extent of Eastern British America — Methodism there, as in the United States and Canada, the Child of Irish Metho-

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dism — Laurence Coughlan — His Character — Letters to "Wesley — Commenced his Labours in 1765 — Letter from Newfoundland to Wesley — His Labours, Persecution and Triumphs — Moral State of Newfoundland — Conversion of Arthur Thomey — John Stretton of Waterford — His Conversion and Emigration to Newfoundland — Mrs. Bennis, of Limerick — First Methodist Chapel in Eastern British America, Built and Opened by Stretton, at Harbour Grace — HisCharacter and Labours — Return of Coughlan to England, and his sudden Death — Origin of Methodism in the Channel Islands, and in France — Labours of Stretton and Thomey — Arrival of Hoskins — Stretton applies to "Wesley for a Preacher — Wesley's Letter to him — Appointment of John M 'Geary, in 1785 — Progress of the Cause— Rev. John Remmington— Samuel Ellis and Samuel M'Dowell — Rev. George Cubitt and Captain Tickers — Present State of Methodism in Eastern British America.

Chapter XII

Concluding Chapter — Irish Methodism, its peculiar Difficulties and Success — Ireland's Political troubles — The hand of God in Emigration — Dr. M'Clintock's visit to his family homestead in Tyrone — English and American sympathy with Ireland during the Famine — Ireland's sympathy with America during the rebellion of the slave power — Bishop Janes' Speech on the Debt of American Methodism to Ireland — Success of the Irish General Mission in dealing with Popery — Discontinued for want of Funds — Present danger of English and American Protestantism from Irish Popery — Dr. Wylie's remarks on Ireland as a source of strength to the Papacy — Dr. Manning on the Triumphs and Progress of Popery in Great Britain — Dr. Brownlee on Popery in the United States — Practical suggestions — Special efforts for the Conversion of Irish Romanists in England and America — Irish Methodism and want of Capital — Great Liberality of Irish Methodism — What it might do if adequately supported.

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