ing confined here for several weeks The small-pox broke out among them, with dreadful fatality, and the whole corps, in consequence, soon after vacated the building. An old Dutch clergyman, known as Dominie Sampson, occasionally preached in the chapel, to the German refugees. Religious meetings at night were then generally forbidden, but allowed in the Methodist church, as the British imagined, or rather desired, that the followers of Wesley should favor their cause. Still the services were sometimes interrupted and disturbed by the rude conduct of men belonging to the army. They would often stand in the aisle with their caps on during divine worship, careless and inattentive. On one occasion, before the congregation was dismissed, they sang the national song, "God save the king." At its conclusion, the society immediately began and sang, to the same air, those beautiful lines of Charles Wesley : "Come, thou almighty King, Jesus, our Lord arise, And make them fall; Lord, hear our call," &c. Upon a Christmas Eve, when the members had assembled to celebrate the advent of the world's Redeemer, a party of British officers, masked, marched into the house This attempt to disturb the service originated at the play-house, which at the time occupied a spot not far from the chapel, where Thorburn's seed-store now stands. The British officers were often actors, and doubtless obtained their masks and grotesque dresses from this theatrical wardrobe. The affair caused no little excitement, as it was considered a bold outrage upon the rights of the religious community. There was, however, redeeming virtue enough in the British authorities to rebuke the rioters, and the devil-colonel made a public apology for his offense. To atone for what had been done, a guard of soldiers was regularly stationed, during a long time afterward, at the door of the chapel, to preserve order. A state of war is always inimical to the advancement of morals and religion, and during the seven years, while the foreign foe had possession of New-York, it was a season of sorrow and trial to the Wesleyan Society. All the preachers from England, except Mr. Asbury, were obliged to return home on account of favoring the British king and cause. Many of the society removed into the country, and those who remained in the city, now destitute of their own ministers, would repair to St. Paul's Church, on Broadway, to receive the sacraments from the hands of an Episcopalian clergyman. The glorious termination of the severe revolutionary struggle introduced a brighter day to the Church of Christ. Until now Methodism in America had been the same as Methodism in England. In its objects, doctrines, and moral discipline, it remains so to this hour; but Mr. Wesley's powers over the American Societies ceased when the United States became independent of the political and ecclesiastical authority of the mother country. Accordingly, in the year 1784-5 the Methodist Episcopal Church in the United States was organized. From this period the march of Methodism has been rapid. Previously to the year 1817 six Methodist Episcopal churches had been erected in New-York. Still more room was needed, especially for the members in the lower part of the city, and it was determined to erect a new and large church upon the spot where Wesley Chapel stood. The old walls were accordingly demolished on the 13th of May, 1817, the Rev. Daniel Ostrander making a suitable address at the time, and on the first Sabbath of the new year, January 4, 1818, the new church was dedicated to the service of God, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Immense congregations attended on the occasion, by estimation not less than two thousand. The Rev. Dr. Bangs, Samuel Merwin, and Joshua Soule, now bishop, delivered the dedicatory sermons, distinguished for most impressive eloquence, and attended with unusual pathos. The new church was one of the most commodious and beautiful in the city, and served as a model for many throughout the country. Its walls were of granite partly built from the materials of the old chapel, and the dimensions were sixtytwo by eighty-seven feet. The cost was about $30,000. It had a large lectureroom, and here was deposited a valuable library for the use of the congregation. To the credit of these early Methodists, it should be mentioned that this collection of books was commenced in the year 1792, and was formerly located in the old parsonage. The example is worthy the imitation of all religious societies. Here, too, was placed the old clock of Wesley Chapel, which still tells the hours of the sanctuary as it has marked the flight of so many annual rounds upon that consecrated spot. There was a beautiful cenotaph to the memory of the Rev. JOHN SUMMERFIELD, placed in the front and outside wall of the church. He was President of the Young Men's Missionary Society, and its mana SUMMERFIELD'S CENOTAPH. gers erected this memorial to commemorate his virtues, eloquence, piety, and devotion to the holy cause. The monument is made of finely polished black marble in the shape of a cone. An urn is fixed upon a pedestal at the base with a few volumes of books on either side, and drapery hangs in graceful folds from one part of the urn, while to the right of it there is a scroll half-unrolled. The following tribute, from the pen of Bishop Soule, is inscribed upon the tablet in the center of the cenotaph : SACRED To the Memory of the REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD, A. M., He commenced his Ministerial Labors in the connec- His mind was stored with the treasures of science. FROM A CHILD HE KNEW THE SCRIPTURES. Meekness and humility, united with extraordinary intellectual power, exhibited in his character a model of Christian and ministerial excellence. His perception of truth was clear and comprehensive, His language pure, And his action chaste and simple. THE LEARNED AND THE ILLITERATE ATTENDED HIS MINISTRY WITH ADMIRATION, And felt that his preaching was in the demonstration of the Spirit and of power. Distinguished by the patience of hope, And the labor of love, He finished his course in peace and triumph. Born in PRESTON, ENGLAND, January 31st, 1798. Died in THIS CITY, June 13th, 1825. This second church on the earliest spot of American Methodism continued to be used for its sacred purposes for twenty-four years, when it was taken down, and the third, which is the present edifice, was erected in 1841. When Wesley Chapel was finished in the year 1768, the city of NewYork did not extend beyond the present Park. St. Paul's Church and the Brick Chapel were in "the fields," then so called. Its population did not quite reach twentytwo thousand, and three thousand of these were colored. Few cities of the world have increased more rapidly; in less than three-quarters of a century afterward its inhabitants numbered three hundred thousand. The lower part of the city had become the business section, and residences were built far beyond this limit. Many new Methodist churches had been provided to meet the wants of this rapidlygrowing population. It was now resolved to erect a smaller chapel on the spot, with two four-story brick houses, one on each side, as a source of income. The cut is a very excellent view of the whole. In its external appearance the church is simple, plain, and neat-the inside beautiful and commodious, with a pulpit in a semicircular recess -dimensions, forty-two feet by eighty. The basement is above ground; it is an admirable room for religious meetings, and here may be seen the only relics of old John-street Church-its venerable clock and library. There are two tablets in front, with these inscriptions :— THIS CHURCH, The first erected by the Methodist Society in America, Was Built 1768. Rebuilt, 1817. According to this time it shall be said, What hath God wrought! (Numbers xxiii.) THE FIRST METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, Rebuilt, A. D. 1841. This is my rest forever: here will I dwell. (Ps. cxxxii.) It is a remarkable fact, and worth recording, that although when Wesley Chapel was first founded its members were compelled to solicit aid from Mr. Wesley to finish it, their successors own the present beautiful place of worship. More than this-by the sale of the adjacent new houses the present trustees have an overplus of some thousands of dollars. Few spots have been thus more signally blessed. As long as there are hearers of the gospel in this great metropolis may this consecrated ground be devoted to the preaching of a pure, earnest, and evangelical faith! What a history does Methodism present? In these few pages we have briefly traced its infant course in the city of New-York. It has grown rapidly since, and now its commanding form arrests the gaze and ences, districts, circuits, and stations, and in 1850, not three-quarters of a century afterward, the "Methodist Episcopal Church" and the "Methodist Episcopal Church, South," had five thousand six hundred and forty-six regular ministers, besides a large number of local, and one million one hundred and seventy thousand eight hundred and thirty communicants. We are speaking of Episcopal Methodism; but then there are besides, Wesleyan, Primitive, Welsh, Calvinistic, and African Methodist Churches, all combined having at least six thousand regular preachers, eight thousand local, and over a million and a quarter of members. We doubt not that the membership of this communion has increased in a ratio more than six times as fast as the population of the United States has since the year 1784! According to the United States Census of 1850, the combined members of the Congregationalists, Presbyterians, (both branches,) Episcopalians, and Baptists, amounted to one million three hundred and seventy-four thousand seven hundred and forty. We do not vouch for the correctness of these numbers, but take them as we find them, and, if correct, the Methodist Episcopal Church only needs less than three hundred thousand to equal in her membership all the other leading denominations of the country! She exceeds all of these sister Churches nearly half a million, and almost doubles them. American Methodism, in the short space of eighty-seven years, has built thousands of churches in our land, founded numerous colleges and academies, built innumerable parsonages, and supplies millions with Sabbath school instruction, religious literature, and the WORD OF LIFE. "The day is broke which never more shall close." The fathers of Methodism have long since ceased from their labors; but the gospel dies not with its champions. David's place may be empty, but “instead of the fathers are the children, and the children's children." So long as her ministers feel an ardent love for the conversion of souls, maintain evangelical doctrine, and lead holy and zealous lives, the signs of their apostleship will accompany them, and the word preached shall accomplish the great purpose for which it was intended. [For the National Magazine.] THE THUNDER STORM. The bird's full song is ringing still; But the storm is coming, The voice of the coming tempest swells. The drooping rose, Hath the tempest given The sad, dark hues of the tomb. Hush hush! for the lurid lightnings gleam On the glassy bosom of the stream, And the thunder rolls through the echoing air, And the wild beast quakes in his forest lair, 'Tis an hour; and the western sky is clear, A fresher bloom doth the green earth wear, And the iris bow, In its softest glow, Doth the frowning face of the orient bear. Again in the grove by the purling rill Doth the wild bird's dulcet carol trill, And the soft low notes of the forest swell With the clear sweet chimes of the distant bell. H. C. GARDner. [For the National Magazine.] All nature there is hush'd and still, The light scarce penetrates the glade; The rose-tree waves above her head, Yet naught disturbs her slumbers now, |