The Free Methodist Church of Herkimer, NY
The Free Methodist Society
of Herkimer, was organized in the year 1879, by Rev. B. Winget, of Oneida,
N.Y. The charter members were eight in number. They first held
their public services in a small hall in the Adams block, now the Mark
block, on Albany street. The first pastor sent from the annual conference
was Rev. George Stover, who served the charge one year. From
the close of his pastorate until September, 1899, the following ministers
have served, some one year, and some two years each.
The present pastor is Rev. Moses N. Downing. A few years after organizing, the society was without a permanent place of worship, but held services in different localities in the village. The society finally secured the present site on Park Avenue, near the entrance to Myers' Park. The building on the lot was origianlly used for barn purposes, but was converted into a church edifice, and was again improved during the pastorate of Rev. Mr. Kendrick. The present commodious parsonage, located in the rear of the church edifice, was built during the pastorate of Rev. Mr. Jenks. The present membership of the society, including probationers, is forty-two. The church property, including the parsonage, is valued at $3,500. The Free Methodist denomination preaches no new doctrine. In belief they are Wesleyan. They seek to be Bible Christians; to come out from the world in association, spirit and practice. They do not believe that Christianity has changed to suit the fashionable tendencies of the age. They believe that the terms of discipleship are the same now as when laid down by Christ. Insisting on this is doubtless the principal reason why they do not increase more rapidly in numbers and wealth. The first annual conference of the Free methodist denomination was organized in October, 1860, at Rushford, N.Y. It now has 37 annual conferences, nearly 1,000 traveling preachers, several hundred local preachers, about 2,500 members, six seminaries, and one college. It also sustains six missionaries in South Africa, six in India, and one in Japan. It has throughout the United States over one hundred Woman's Foreigh Mission Societies; a publishing house at Chicago; and a weekly paper which is the official organ of the denomination. |
