1816-1823 First Methodist Episcopal Church
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1790-1990: 200 Years of Methodism
by Debra Swirmicky (1990)
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In 1790, Norwich resident Thankful Pierce—known as the “Mother of the Methodists”—arranged for the first Methodist sermon to be preached in Norwich, also on the city’s West Side. The preacher was Reverend Jesse Lee, founder of Methodism in New England and the namesake of Lee Memorial United Methodist Church on Washington Street.
After buying the former First Baptist Church building at 49 High Street for $1,000, the group named their meeting house Mt. Calvary Baptist Church in 1880. Several members split off in 1900, forming Grace Memorial Baptist Church on Mount Pleasant Street. One former Mount Calvary member observed, “Mount Calvary was known all over the state as one of the most beautiful and largest churches, and Grace Memorial was known for its sincerity.”
The two groups reunited in 1937 as Union Baptist.
A grave stone in the Chelsea burial ground records the death of Capt. Moses Pierce, who was drowned May 4, 1781, aged 61; and of Mrs. Thankful Pierce, his relict, who died Feb. 3, 1821, aged 92 ; to which is added :
” She was a mother in Israel, and the first member of the Methodist Episcopal CKurch in this town, who, like Lydia, first heard the preachers, and then received them into her house.”
This lady, while on a visit to some relations in Tolland in the year 1796, met with the Rev. Jesse Lee, a noted preacher in the Wesleyan connection, and became deeply interested in his preaching. Shortly afterwards, on his way to Boston, Mr. Lee stopped at Norwich, and preached the first Methodist sermon at her house. The ground was well-prepared, advocates and well-wishers of the new doctrine having been for several years looking foi’ward to this result.
The Methodist Episcopal Chapel On the Chelsea Wharf Bridge
Reverend David N. Bentley and his wife Letitia were regarded as the pillars of the Methodist Church in Norwich for more than 50 years. He organized a church in 1811 at his home. In the early spring of 1816 Rev. Bentley requested assistance from others, but meeting no success, contracted, upon his own responsibility, for the erection of a church, 36×30 feet, to be located on the north side of Wharf Bridge. In order to complete the undertaking, after having expended his personal means, he mortgaged his house upon a loan of six hundred dollars.
During the 1823 flood some of the buildings on the wharf bridge shifted their position, or partly turned round. Most notably, Reverend Bentley’s Methodist Chapel, which stood on the bridge, was entirely swept away.
On March 6, 1823 a powerful freshet caused by 24 hours of continuous rain falling upon a deep snow flooded downtown Norwich. Six bridges over the Yantic were carried away, viz., three in Norwich, two in Bozrah, (at Colonel Fitch’s Iron Works and Bozrahville), and one in Franklin. The oil mill at Bean Hill was swept off, and the oil mill and machine shop near the Falls much injured. The Methodist Episcopal Chapel on the Chelsea (present-day downtown Norwich) Wharf Bridge suffered one of the most remarkable consequences of the flood.
Central Baptist Church on lower Broadway (by Faith Jennings), page 152
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The Free Methodist Church in Main street stands upon the site once occupied by an Episcopal and afterward by a Congregational church. The trustees are bound to keep the sittings free. This church was gathered in 1854, and held its first meetings in a large hall upon central wharf. Its early ministrations were conducted chiefly by the Rev. L. D. Bentley, a son of Elder D. N. Bentley, who follows the footsteps of his father as a preacher in the Wesleyan connection.
There is still another Methodist society within the bounds of Norwich, viz., at Greeneville, which began about the year 1850, and in the course of a few years reached a membership of more than 100 members. It then declined, and was left without a pastor or a convenient place of worship for six or eight years, until 1864, when the number of merabei-s was reduced to twenty. It has since revived ; a new house of worship has been built, which was dedicated April 7, 1864. The membership has largely increased, and the society is active and prosperous.
Two preachers of considerable note in the Methodist denomination were natives of Norwich : Rev. Edward Hyde and Rev. B. Ilibbard. Mr. Hyde was one of those fervent, heavenly-minded men that seem to have been formed after the model of the apostle John. Mr. Ilibbard was an enterprising itinerant during the first thirty years of the present century. A memoir of his ministerial life, written by himself, has been published.
The photo shows the Main Street Congregational Church. In earliar times the worship housed the Free Methodist Church, and later, the Episcopal Church.
Acknowledgements
“Diverse, historic, spiritual: Norwich centers of worship reflect changing city,” (12/23/2007), by John-Manual Andriote
“History of Norwich, Connecticut: From Its Possession From the Indians, to the Year 1866”, ppg 602-603, by Frances Manwaring Caulkins
“The Methodist Episcopal Churches of Norwich, Conn.,” (1867), page 59, by Reverend Edgar F. Clark
The complete list of sources may be found by clicking the “Bibliography” button, and, then typing “Methodist Church” in the SEARCH box.
1822-1909 East Chelsea Universalist Church
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In the year 1779, a public debate on the subject of Universalism was held in the Congregational Church at Chelsea, between Mr. Niles and Mr. John Murray, which excited considerable interest at the time.
The doctrine of universal salvation, connected with belief in the Trinity and a purification from sin by a limited degree of punishment in another state, ending in actual pardon and a final restoration to the favor of God, had at that period a considerable number of advocates in Norwich, It was introduced into the town in the year 1772, by Mr. John Murray, the English Universalist, or “Great Promulgator,” as he was sometimes styled. He was first invited to preach in Norwich by Mr. Samuel Post, who, having been accidentally present when he delivered an address at Guilford, was charmed with his persuasive oratory. He preached first in the academic building at the foot of Bean Hill, and Mr. Gamaliel Reynolds, the principal exhorter among the Separatists, who held their meetings in that house, became his convert. To accommodate the throngs that came to hear him, the committee of the First Congregational Society permitted their meeting-house to be opened for his use, which Mr. Murray says was never afterward shut against him.
The doctrine of universal salvation, or the restitution of all things, was successfully introduced into Norwich between 1816 and 1820, through the persuasive eloquence of Rev. Edward Mitchell and Rev. Hosea Ballon. These preachers made repeated visits to the place, and attracted large audiences.
“History of Norwich, Connecticut: From Its Possession From the Indians, to the Year 1866”, page 472, 604, by Frances Manwaring Caulkins
The complete list of sources may be found by clicking the “Bibliography” button, and, then typing “Universalist” in the SEARCH box.
1834-1854 Main Street Methodist Chrurch ~ Norwich
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The Main Street Methodist Episcopal Church has been known by several names. It was called “Norwich South” in 1834, “Landing” in 1837, “East Main Street” in 1855, and “Main Street” in 1858. The building was located at today’s 38 Main Street in Norwich. (Info Source 1). This article will use the name Main Street Methodist Church.
The Main Street Methodist Church was dedicated on June 18, 1835, with a sermon by Dr. Fisk of Wesleyan University. This building, in size and convenience, far surpassed the previous accommodations of the society in Norwich. It has since been enlarged and refitted.
The Main Street Congregational church was built in 1844 but destroyed by fire in 1854. The Methodists have since erected a free church on the same ground, making three successive churches of three different denominations on the spot.
The church stands upon the site once occupied by an Episcopal and afterward by a Congregational church.
This church was gathered in 1854 and held its first meetings in a large hall upon Central Wharf. Its early ministrations were conducted chiefly by the Rev. L. D. Bentley, a son of Elder D. N. Bentley, who follows his father’s footsteps as a preacher in the Wesleyan connection.
Main Street Methodist Church
“The Methodist Episcopal Churches of Norwich, Conn.,” (1867), ppg 59, 89, by Reverend Edgar F. Clark
The complete list of sources may be found by clicking the “Bibliography” button, and, then typing “Methodist” in the SEARCH box.