The Methodist Episcopal Church South.
On the southwest corner of South Main and Bruce Streets, Harrisonburg, Virginia.
1789.
Trustees of the Methodist Episcopal Church from Robert and Reuben Harrison, October 26, 1789, for five shillings B.R.D.B.O., page 391.
Trustees of the Methodist Episcopal Church from Jacob R. Stevens, January 1, 1851, $1.00, D.B.1, page 436.
Trustees of the Methodist Episcopal Church from Andrew Feuchtenberger, April 26, 1878, $1800. D.B. 15, page 281.
Trustees of the Methodist Episcopal Church from T.C. Firebaugh, April 26, 1810, $6750. D.B.89, page 177.
Of the first church no description can be given, except to say that it was built of logs and was also used by the church for its school. It was torn down. The second church probably of frame construction was larger than the first church and faced to the south. The front was gabled. A gallery was on the east, south and west sides, and a high box pulpit at the north end was on a level with the gallery floor. It was ceiled with unpainted pine boards and had sixteen windows and the usual altar and mourners-bench in front. The seats were benches with slat backs and the building was crowned with a cupola in which was hung a bell, the sweet tones of which was far famed. The size of the church was forty by forty-eight feet.
The third and fourth buildings were of brick, one of which a picture is attached. The present church, of which a picture is attached, is of brown stone and was completed in 1911.
It is possible that Harrisonburg, from the beginning until its organization known as Thomas Harrison’s, (locally called Rocktown) was the first place in Rockingham County, where the doctrines of Methodism were preached, and a Methodist society was organized, though Methodist itinerants may have preached in the County before that time.
In the Annual Minutes of the Methodist Episcopal Church. In the Annual Minutes of the Methodist Episcopal church for the year 1788, Rockingham Circuit embracing Augusta, for the year 1788, Rockingham circuit embracing Augusta, Rockingham, Shenandoah and Frederick counties appears for the first time with a membership of sixty, Francis Asbury being the bishop, Philip Bruce the elder and William Phoebus and James Ringin the preachers. In 1789 Robert and Reuben Harrison, (Sons of the founder of the town) deeded to David Harner, Jeremiah Ragan, Richard Ragan, John Hicks, James Mitchell, John Harrison, and Joseph Denney, Trustees of the Methodist Meeting House, lot No. 12, containing one acre on the southwest corner of the square according to the original plot of Harrisonburg, this being the site now occupied by the Church of the Brethren. On this lot was built soon thereafter the first Methodist Church in Harrisonburg and in the county. Previous to this time the services were held in the open air and in private residences. According to the best information obtainable, the Methodist denomination was the first organized, continuous and regularly served congregation and the first church built in Harrisonburg.
The Church was built of logs and in the summer of 1794 was fitted up for school purposes as well as preaching services. The school began it career under the management of Rev John Walsh as teacher at a
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salary of fifty pounds for the first year…. The rules of the school were in accordance with the usual strict standards of the day. No games or instruments of play were tolerated, ruffles and powdered wigs were forbidden. School hours were from eight o’clock in the morning until six in the evening, in the summer time with shorter hours in the winter. The strictest religious discipline was observed and black servants were admitted as scholars., though they were seated and classified by themselves. Thus Methodism in Harrisonburg from the beginning made education and culture her handmaidens and bequeathed to her children the high standard of intelligence and piety that has characterized her membership ever since. Then as now she numbered among her followers a large number of the most influential, intelligent and consecrated people of the community.
The First conference in Harrisonburg was held by Bishop Asbury in the old stone house just across the street from the Bruce Street side of the present church building, beginning its session June 3, 1794. This old stone house, still standing, was the original home of Thomas Harrison, founder of the town, and was the first house built upon his arrival and locating here.
Men then in their youth, were in attendance at this conference, who in later years were destined to become great preachers and to wield a guiding influence in the affairs of the church, particularly Richard Whatcoat, afterwards Bishop. Stephen George Roscel was the preacher and host to the conference.
The First Church, 1789, built by the Methodists was as said, on a lot given by Robert and Reuben Harrison,
and located at the corner of what is now North High and Water Streets, described on the original plot of the town as lot No. 12 on the southwest side of the square.
The second Church, 1806, built by the Methodists, was on the same lot on which the first was built which had become too small to accommodate the growing congregation and work of the church. This second building was completed by August 10, 1806, at which time it was dedicated by Bishop Asbury, he preaching the first sermon in the new building.
A partition as high as the backs of the benches separated the sexes who never sat together, not even man and wife. Here, Bishop Asbury held Conference in 1809, beginning Friday, March 2nd, Bishop McKendree being present also and Christopher Frye, the preacher in charge and host to the conference. The Bishop says: "the conference wrought with order and industry, had preaching three times a day, on Sunday had preaching in German as well as in English, and closed the labors of the Conference on Wednesday in great peace."
This church was used for worship until 1852, and after that for fairs, public gatherings and as a drilling place for military companies. It served its day and generation well and fell with a crash on Sunday, September 19, 1865, being kind to the last by warning the boys who at the time were playing in and about it, of their danger in time to get away. A description of this church will be found in item 5.
Bishop Asbury made a number of visits to Harrisonburg, both holding conferences and preaching, at least some ten or a dozen times. His second Conference here was held in 1809, at which time he says "traveling and local preachers ordained, preaching three times a day, had preaching in German also and a sermon at night. On Wednesday we closed our labors in great peach." Bishop McKendree was also there. There were forty-seven preachers.
In 1815, he made his last visit to Harrisonburg and died while on a journey through Virginia, in Spotsylvania County, about sixteen miles from Fredericksburg, in 1818.
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From the first Bishop Asbury held his people of Harrisonburg and in Rockingham County and spoke affectionately of them, especially of the Harrison’s and McWilliams with both of whom he often stopped and was entertained.
On the lot of these first two churches is the first burial grounds in which many of the old worthies of early Methodism in this town were laid to rest. Many of the bodies were in later years removed to Woodbine Cemetery, but a goodly number are still resting there and their tomb stones still standing, though some have fallen down. Robert Harrison’s head stone is still standing and show that he died at the ripe old age of eighty- six years.
Schisms and violent disagreements creep into organizations and the church is no exception. This happened to Methodism in 1844, bring many heartaches and painful contentions, when the Methodist Church separated and became the Methodist Episcopal Church and the Methodist Episcopal Church South. Among others, the ownership of church property became a great bone of contention. The Methodist Episcopal Church claimed the church property in Harrisonburg as they did in other localities, and had preachers in this field, but were unable to maintain their claim. For a few years both branches worshipped in the "old church on the hill, but in 1853, the Methodist Episcopal Church built its place of worship on West Market Street, finally disposing of it in 1867 to Roman Catholics, since which time the Methodist Episcopal Church has not operated in this field.
In 1851, the Methodist Episcopal Church south, worships in its new (third) church. It was built of brick and dedicated Sunday May 4th of that year. It was knows as Andrew Chapel, and here the Baltimore Conference help the first of the "War Conferences", May 15, 1862. No Bishop being present Rev. E. R. Veitch was elected President and J.S. Martin and James E. Armstrong, Secretaries. Andrew Chapel continued to be the place of worship for the Methodists until 1879. It is located on what was then German Street, now Liberty Street. It is now owned and occupied by the Colored Methodist Church.
Andrew Chapel becoming too small, the next church built by the Methodists was on West Market Street. This church, built of brick was erected in 1879, and served the congregation until it, too, became too small and the location undesirable for the church purposes, when it was sold and the present splendid brown stone church was built and dedicated in 1911.
The Methodist Church in Harrisonburg has had a steady and continuous growth from the beginning and we believe we may say with a pardonable pride that it has faithfully, loyally and helpfully served Harrisonburg and the County of Rockingham with great fidelity for the one hundred and fifty years of its existence. It seemed to have taken Asbury’s remark "we have a church set on a hill": as a slogan and through the years continued to be a "burning and a shining light". So may it ever be. Its pulpit has been filled by the eminent men of the dear old Baltimore conference.
Photograph.
Rockingham County Court Records.
Souvenir History of the Methodist Episcopal Church South, by Rev. H.S. Sherman.
December 9, 1937 Geo. W. Fetzer
Harrisonburg, VA