The Pocomoke Public Eye: 6/9/24

thank you for these excerpts is there a way to get a copy

of this book? Thank you.

Pocomoke Public Eye-

We haven't located an available paper copy of this book for sale. The full text is available online at no cost at the following link. There are a few blank pages before the full text.

History of Pocomoke City, formerly New Town : from its origin to the present time (archive.org)

(Chapter flow:)

ITS ORIGIN AND TOWN LIMITS

TOWN LIMITS

GROWTH, CHANGE OF NAME, ETC.

MERCANTILE ASPECT

MANUFACTURING

TRADES ETC.

SHIPPING INTERESTS

EASTERN SHORE STEAMBOAT CO.

SHIP BUILDING ETC.

HOTELS, LIVERY STABLES, ETC.

PHYSICIANS

LAWYERS

POST OFFICE

PRINTING OFFICES

SOCIAL ASPECT, ETC.

MORAL ASPECT

TEMPERANCE CAUSE

SCHOOLS

CHURCHES

Note: In duplicating this material for publishing on The Pocomoke Public Eye we have made minor adjustments to correct some of the spelling, punctuation, etc. We believe the errors were not in Rev. Murray's original writing but occurred in the process of formatting the material to a digital format for viewing online.

CHURCHES (CONTINUED)

To close up the history of the Methodist Episcopal 
Church in New Town and not give a list in detail of its 
ministers would be, to say the least of it, a partial history. 
I shall, therefore, give as correct a list of their names as I 
am able. I shall first name the Bishops, then the Presid- 
ing Elders, and lastly the traveling preachers. 

The Bishops were: Francis Asbury, Beverly Waugh, 
Edmund S. James, D.D., and Levi Scott, D.D. 

The Presiding Elders were: Dr. Chandler, Lawrence 
Lawrenson, Henry White, David Daily, Levi Scott, D.D., 
Jas. A. Massey, John D. Onins, Thos. J. Thompson, D.D., 
Henry Colclazer, Adam Wallace, D.D., Solomon Cooper, 
Vaughn Smith, John L. Taft, N. M. Brown and Thomas 
J. Williams. 

The traveling preachers were: Lorenzo Dow, 
Bayne, Avra Melvin, John Collins, Matthew Sorin, D.D., 
Lummas, Sparks, William Connally, John 
A. Roach, D.D., Samuel McElwee, James L. Houston, 
W T william Quinn, George Lacey, M. D., Isaac R. Willetts, 
Shepherd Drain, James Hargis, John S. Taylor, Leeds K. 
Berridge, Charles Karsner, M.D., William Bishop, John 
Allen, Joshua Turner, Zachariah Webster, Jas. A. Brindle, 
Charles Schock, Thomas J. Burroughs, Charles Hill, 
Jonathan Turner, Curtis Turner, Robert Pattison, D.D., 
Daniel Titlow, William Merrill, John F. Chaplain, D.D, 
N. W. Bennum, Charles McDermond, Edward G. Erwin, 
George S. Conway, T. B. Killiam, John W. Pearson, Jas. 
Miller, Albert Jump, George W. Covington, T. E. Mar- 
tindale, James Murray, George D. Watson, D.D., A. A. 
Fisher, Thomas Poulson, William Potter, George W. 
Wilcox, E, J. Ayres, A. P. Prettyman, William Passwater, 
William L. P. Bowen, Thomas O. Ayres, Charles A. 
Grice, Robert Roe, William I. Baine, John D. C. Hanna 
and George V. Townsend. 

A brief sketch of incidents of some of the above list of 
preachers, may be of interest to the reader. John Collins 
was a positive, burly Irishman. He was preaching at a 
certain place on a certain occasion, and there was a young 
man in the congregation who stood up during preaching, 
much to the annoyance of the preacher; Johnnie Collins, 
for that was his ordinary name, seeing the young man 
would not sit down, said: "He wished when a tailor made 
a coat for a man, that he would publish it, and not put the 
man who wore it to the unnecessary trouble to stand up 
in the congregation to show it; that had the desired 
effect and settled the young man for the time being. But 
when the services were over, and Mr. Collins went to get 
his horse, where he had hitched him, the young man and 
his young associates were there waiting for him. 

He called Mr. Collins' attention to the insult which he 
had passed. "O yes!" said Mr. Collins, "are you the 
young man that stood up in the congregation during 
preaching?" "Yes," said the young man, "and I am 
going to whip you for insulting me so." Johnnie Collins 
said, "I have preached this morning, and have to ride 
many miles and preach twice more to-day, and it would 
be a pity to get a flogging in the bargain." This kind of 
talk only made the young man more bold, and he told 
Mr. Collins to get ready for he was going to whip him, 
"well!" said Mr. Collins, "if I must, I must, but before you 
begin this business, I want to inform you that, before I 
embraced Christianity, my name was fighting Jack Collins, 
and when I became a Christian, I promised the Lord that 
I would whip the Devil wherever I found him," and with 
that he brushed up his sleeves and said, "now come on 
and I will whip every devil of you." The fight was then 
over without a blow, and Mr. Collins mounted his horse 
and rode off. 

Another incident is related of Mr. Collins to the follow- 
ing effect. He was leading a colored class, which met on 
Sunday mornings before preaching, when he called Jacob 
so and so; before this, however, he was informed that Jacob 
had stolen a pair of breeches, " Jacob " said he, "let us 
hear how you are getting along?" Jacob said, "my breath- 
ering, I-s-e come here to give in my sperience, I've come to 
tell you that I am sometimes up and sometimes down, but 
yet any soul is heaven bound, and if you never no more sees 
me, you may look for me on dat mornin', for I spec's to 
scale heaven and get to glory." As it was usual to give 
a word of advice or encouragement after the experience 
was given; Mr. Collins said, "Jacob let me feel your pulse?" 
Jacob held out his hand and Mr. Collins felt his pulse 
when all of a sudden, he exclaimed in a loud tone, "what! 
what! Jacob does your pulse beat breeches? breeches, 
and then addressing himself to all, the class said, "Jacob 
has been stealing a pair of breeches!" 

Lawrence Lawrenson was a man of great pulpit power, 
and although it has been said that he was most self-distrust- 
ing; he was an orator of the first magnitude, and were he 
living now, he would stand abreast the first pulpit orators 
of the day. Henry White and David Daily were men of 
precious memory, though very dissimilar in their make up. 
Henry White was a positive man, he had no compromise 
to offer in preaching the gospel; indeed he was the most 
powerful man in the pulpit, in wielding the Sword oi the 
Spirit that I ever knew. I have witnessed the effect of his 
preaching, when with streaming eyes and tremulous limbs, 
he would deliver his message, the most intelligent men of 
the place would be in tears like little children. David 
Daily was placid and pleasant, he was a strong preacher, 
and was also a poet; he was one of the committee who 
revised the hymn book in years past. 

Matthew Sorin was raised and educated a Roman 
Catholic, and it has been said that he was intended for the 
priesthood; but when he embraced Christianity he became 
a traveling preacher in the Methodist Episcopal Church. 
An incident occurred in relation to him while he traveled 
Snow Hill circuit (which embraced this place), which is 
here recorded. 

He was preaching at a certain appointment and some of 
the most aristocratic of the county were to hear him. 
During the discourse he said something to which excep- 
tions were taken by one of the above class. After the 
services were over this gentleman stood at the door until 
Mr. Sorin came out. He called his attention to the remark, 
and said he was going to whip him for it. 

They were both large men, standing at least six feet in 
the clear. If there was any difference in size, I think Mr. 
Sorin was the lighter of the two; but he was clear built, 
muscular and plucky. He wore a straight-breasted frock 
coat that buttoned up to the neck, and when the other 
told him what he was going to do, he commenced button- 
ing up his coat until the last button was fastened, when he 
said to him then: "Sir, it takes a man to whip me." 
That was the last of it. 

He filled some of the best stations in Philadelphia; 
became an author, and for distinguished talent, he received 
the degree of Doctor of Divinity. He died but recently, 
at the probable age of four score years. 

In reviewing the history of the Methodist Episcopal 
Church in New Town, I am authorized in saying that it 
has been a great power for good. It has given force and 
strength to moral sentiment, and has reached out a helping 
hand to the lost and straying and has been instrumental 
in saving an untold number that otherwise might have 
been lost. It is the mother of churches in New Town, 
and like a fostering mother, it has furnished to all its sister 
churches a member now and then. In its present outlook 
it has church property, including church, parsonage and 
cemeteries, amounting to, in original cost and present 
improvements, probably $7,000. It has a membership of 
ninety members and probationers and a fine Sabbath 
School, which has already been described. 

In taking the past year as a basis in calculating the 
running expenses of this church, including preacher's 
salary, conference collections, etc., will amount to some- 
thing over $1,100. It holds a very elevated position as a 
great evangelizing power, and is now, as it has been in 
the past, like the beacon-light to the ocean-tossed mariner, 
warning sinners of the breakers and pointing them to the 
harbor of rest.

CONTINUES NEXT SATURDAY HERE AT THE POCOMOKE PUBLIC EYE.

Snow Hill Volunteer Fire Company Inc

While the Snow Hill Volunteer Fire Company is no longer on location at Tyson, but still supporting the mitigation of it, we would like to take a moment to thank some organizations for their assistance through this incident.

First and foremost, thank you to Pocomoke City Volunteer Fire Company for lending us Engine 103 to use. Unfortunately just prior to this incident, we had two apparatus go out of service for maintenance. We asked around to see if any company had a piece of spare apparatus to lend to help support the incident, and Pocomoke came through in a big way. We greatly appreciate the use of your apparatus during this time!

Secondly, to Powellville Volunteer Fire Company and Girdletree Volunteer Fire Company, Inc. for making responses during the day and night. Your help is always greatly appreciated!

To the Town of Snow Hill, and our elected officials, thank you for your unwavering support as we supported the operations and mitigation of the incident!

To members of the various Worcester County Agencies, and Government that lent personnel, apparatus, equipment, expertise, thank you. The amount of phone calls, conversations, text messages, etc. that occurred, and brought us all together in support of mitigating this incident was overwhelming, but a safe mitigation could not have occurred without it.

To the membership of the Snow Hill Volunteer Fire Company, thank you for working as hard as you did over the last two weeks.

To our community, your support has been tremendous. We understand this has been a long incident, but the support you have given us is amazing. We truly appreciate it.

Mike Creech

Fire Chief