LEWES PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

LEWES PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

1692

The source of this article appeared in the Wednesday, September 13, 1967 , Wilmington

Morning News and was written by W. Emerson Wilson, stating that the year, 1967 was the 275^th

anniversary , and on October 7^th & 8^th will be marked by a observation and the publication of a history of the church. Wilson's source appears to be the history book of Elizabeth Russell Atkins of Lewes.

2017 the church will be 325 years old .

W. Emerson Wilson wrote;

Although a Presbyterian missionary of London, Samuel Lewes, may have formed the congregation

in 1691, it is known that Rev. Samuel Davis, an Irish native, was preaching to a congregation there in 1692, so therefore that date has been accepted for the founding. Rev Davis had served the church in Maryland before settling in Lewes in 1692. Rev. Davis was followed by the Rev. Francis Macemie who is known as the founder of the Presbyterian Church in America.

Coolspring and Indian River Presbyterian Churches are included because of their close connections with the congregations in Lewes.

The Coolspring church may have been set up as early as 1700, even though it was not active

until 1734, and the first church was buit there in 1737 on land obtained from Thomas Penn.

The Indian River church was organized in 1730 near Millsboro.

These three churches served as a unit with a single preacher pastor for many years. In 1666

the Indian River church was abandoned and the Coolspring church later became separate.

The first church building in Lewes was a wooden frame and used until 1707 when replaced by a brick built church in 1726. The present church was dedicated this year and the brick structure became a school until 1871 when it was demolished. The subsequent history now is presented through biographies of its pastors. They follow; A Mr. Thompson was an author and a preacher who had several books published in Williamsburg, Virginia.

In 1793 when Rev. Josias Martin was pastor, the famous evangelist George Whitefield

spoke at the Lewes church, and a 'split' in the church, attributed to his preaching's, resulted in the

Indian River congregation joining the New Light factions, while the other two remained Old Light congregations but later reunited Another early pastor was, Rev. Matthew Wilson, who served for 34 years, and equally well known as a physician and surgeon. Medical students came from distant states to study under him. He was a surgeon in the Army during the Revolution and preached sermons in favor of the patriot cause. He became a charter member of the Delaware Medical Society and wrote many medical papers.

From the “Old Sessions Book” which the church recorded births, marriages, deaths and offences against the church, there came the story of the year 1809, when young members of the church were reprimanded by the Session for the practice of dancing and their refusal to refrain shocked the Session which entered their name on record as an offence to the church.

The book of Lewes resident Elizabeth Russell Atkns by name, is “History of the United

Presbyterian Congregations of Lewes, Coolspring and Indian River Churches”.

Abstract: August 29, 2017 Harrison Howeth, Lewes, Delaware