Local editor of HERITAGE gets out the word about history of Va. Methodism

Myra Lindsey has done it again. As a seasoned Prince William County writer, Lindsey has picked up her quill (or opened her laptop) to accept the editor position of HERITAGE, a scholarly, biannual journal of Virginia United Methodist history that has been in circulation since 1973.

Formerly a writer for eight years with the Old Bridge Observer newspaper, Lindsey, of Woodbridge, now has the responsibility of preserving and promoting the history of Methodism in Virginia.

Since January, she has been busy learning the ropes of this publication, which is available in print and online each spring and fall. It is published by the Virginia Conference Historical Society in Glen Allen.

The 30-plus page journal includes well-researched, scholarly articles with “lots of footnotes,” perfect for the studious reader as well as the casual curious ones. As a Methodist herself, Lindsey attends Grace United Methodist Church in Manassas led by Pastor Rudy Tucker.

With her reputation as a prolific writer and researcher coupled with her passion for church history, Lindsey was approached by Jack Martin about the editor position. Martin was an interim pastor at Bethel United Methodist Church in Woodbridge where Lindsey used to attend, and knew about her experienced editorial skills.
 
Now, Lindsey works with a publication committee that meets a couple times a year in Glen Allen. Some committee members include L. Boyd Lucas, copy editor; Cathy Morgan, circulation manager; Cathryn Wooton, graphic designer; Stephanie Davis, an archivist for the Virginia Conference of the United Methodist Church and Patti Russell, emerita. Rev. Raymond F. Wrenn of Winchester is also on the committee as a regular scholarly contributor. Wrenn was the publication’s first editor for the spring 1973 issue.

As editor, Lindsey finds topics for future articles, makes edits and ensures the publication goes out on time. She also writes a forward in the beginning of each issue titled, “from the editor’s quill.”

Each issue contains a regular contribution from Rev. Wrenn called “Notes from the Ethelbert Drake Society,” plus an article written by the archivist and a “History in the Making” piece about a current event that is “making history.”

“The committee members are our biggest contributors and they often know people who have researched a topic for a story,” Lindsey says. “And considering Rev. Wrenn’s long-standing with HERITAGE since 1973, he is to be awed.”

Fast-forward 41 years later, and the 2014 spring issue was published at the end of May. It includes an article about Dr. C. Ralph Arthur, the visionary president of Ferrum College in the foothills of Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains. Through the 1950s and 1960s, Arthur successfully led the school through advancements in modernization and expansion.

HERITAGE’s front cover shows an early 1950s black-and-white photo of male and female students casually standing around the college fountain with old ’50s cars parked in the background.

Another feature in this May’s issue is an announcement about the 10th anniversary of the Old Brunswick Circuit Foundation. The event, which includes speakers and a luncheon on Sept. 13, will include a tour of Edward Dromgoole’s house (circa 1790) in the village of Valentines, Va. (Brunswick County - home of the famous Brunswick Stew).

The house, which is the only remaining Virginia Conference circuit rider home, was a frequent stop for Bishop Francis Asbury and other circuit riders. It is on the Old Brunswick Circuit, which is considered “The Cradle of Methodism.”

Lindsey shared some interesting facts about Methodism in America. For example, John Wesley (1703-1791) came to America from England in 1735. He considered Methodism as a “movement” or part of the Church of England (also known as the Anglican Church), and did not consider it as a separate denomination.

“Wesley was Anglican,” Lindsey explained, “and when he died he still considered himself as a member of the Anglican Church. He came here to preach as a missionary and then went home to England and sent people to the colonies to minister - to take the message of ‘Methodism’ to the streets.” Wesley was also a “circuit rider,” which was a travelling preacher who rode on horseback to various church communities within a certain region, or “circuit.”

Wesley ordained preachers in England who were sent to America in 1784 to ordain other preachers giving them the authority to serve the sacraments (Holy Communion and Baptism). Lindsey says this was the beginning of the divide between the Methodists and the Anglican Church. The Methodist Episcopal Church formed in America as a result of this split.

Francis Asbury (1745-1816) and Thomas Coke (1747-1814) were the first two bishops of the Methodist Episcopal Church in America.

Asbury arrived in 1771, and Coke, in 1784. It was Asbury who established the precedent for “circuit riders” who brought the concept over from English Methodism. On his first recorded visit, Asbury preached on Feb. 29, 1776 at the Old Stone Church in nearby Leesburg, which is the first Methodist-owned property in America deeded May 11, 1766. Although the original building is no longer standing, it is a heritage landmark of the United Methodist Church and includes an old cemetery and information kiosk with literature.

Both Asbury and Coke were ordained ministers and therefore could serve the sacraments, which was important since most ordained pastors/circuit riders who shared the Methodism message in the colonies returned to England during the Revolutionary War (1775-1783). “Since they were part of the Church of England, they were British subjects,” Lindsey clarified.

Most of the remaining Methodist preachers were patriots who were not officially ordained (unable to perform sacraments), so they were considered lay pastors.

Over the issue of slavery, the Methodist Episcopal Church split in 1844 into the Methodist Episcopal Church, North and the Methodist Episcopal Church, South.

In fact, a stone foundation pillar at the entranceway of Grace United Methodist Church in Manassas reads, “1872 Grace M[ethodist]. E[piscopal]. Church, South.” 

The church recombined in 1939 (along with the Methodist Protestant Church) to form The Methodist Church. In 1968, it merged with Evangelical United Brethren to form the United Methodist Church. Some stayed with the Anglican Church in America after the Revolutionary War; and this group, became known as the Episcopal Church.

HERITAGE’s spring 1975 edition mentions Methodist history related to Northern Virginia. In the 1880s pastors’ reports, it states, “Northern Virginia Methodism often didn’t have a roof over its head.”  In 1887, the Fauquier Circuit had four congregations but only two church buildings. In 1892, Manassas had two churches for seven congregations.

The district conference of 1890 was held in the “brand new Southern Methodist Church in Manassas,” which was, in fact, Grace United Methodist Church when the church building was at the corner of Zebedee and Center streets.

Grace UMC later moved to a building on Main Street in 1929; the church relocated to its current site in 1994.

The article refers to a “problem” that faced the Manassas Church, which was that the town already had one Methodist Church - a Northern one. “But what with Bull Run and Stonewall Jackson and all that, a Manassas without a Southern Methodist church would have been unthinkable.”

The same spring 1975 issue mentions Sudley Church, the Methodist congregation in Catharpin near Manassas National Battlefield Park. It states that the Alexandria District Conference of 1921 met there the first week in August 1921.

Lindsey revealed some topics for future issues of HERITAGE. She plans to include an article about a scholarly book featuring Trinity United Methodist Church in Alexandria, founded in November 1774–right before the Revolution.

“It’s very interesting with information about Mount Vernon and George Washington. Rev. Wrenn says it’s about the best local church history he’s ever encountered,” Lindsey said.

Another topic? Lindsey plans to publish an article about Lomax AME (American Methodist Episcopal) Zion Church in Arlington that has roots in the Freedman’s Village.

This village, which provided housing, education, medical care and churches, was established in 1863 by the federal government for freed slaves from Confederate states who were transitioning to freedom after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued by Lincoln on January 1, 1863. Many former slaves from Virginia migrated to D.C.

The village was built on a portion of the Arlington estate, a half mile north of Lee’s mansion, now called Arlington House. The Freedman’s Village was demolished in 1900 to make more room for Arlington National Cemetery.

“I love history and I have the motivation to keep the ball rolling,” Lindsey said.

Thanks to this Prince William County writer-editor, the history of Methodism in Virginia will continue to “ride the circuits” and be preached for future generations.

For more information on the tour of Edward Dromgoole’s house and luncheon on Sept. 13 (10:30 a.m.-2 p.m.) in Valentines, VA, contact stammany@bitbroadband .com or call 434-636-5604. Cost is $10 and it is open to the public.

Interested writers can check out HERITAGE’s writer guidelines and link to a sample issue at http://www.vaumc.org/heritagewritersguidelines .
To subscribe to HERITAGE, visit http://www.vaumc.org/heritage Cost .for print edition is $10; online edition is $7 or $12 for both.

For more information about Grace United Methodist Church go to http://www.umcgrace.org or call 703-361-7800.

For more information about Sudley United Methodist Church go to http://www.sudley-methodist.org or call 703-754-4380.