164 History of Methodism 



To the zealous labors of Mr. Smith in forming the 

 Edisto Circuit must be added the successful ministry 

 of Henry Willis. He preached first in a Lutheran 

 church on Cattle Creek. Jacob Barr, who had been a 

 Continental officer, lived in the neighborhood, and, 

 drawn by curiosity— half atheist as he was— went out 

 to see and hear the stranger. The result was that he 

 was thoroughly awakened and soundly converted, and 

 became afterward a most faithful and successful local 

 preacher. The Edisto Circuit was made to extend 

 from the Savannah Eiver to within thirty miles of 

 Charleston, and from Coosawhatchie Swamp to the 

 Santee River, and reported to the Conference for 1787 

 a membership of two hundred and forty whites and 

 four colored. 



The work made encouraging progress in Charleston 

 during this year. The first Methodist church was 

 erected in the city, and was ready for occupation at 

 the first session of the South Carolina Conference. It 

 was a plain wooden structure, sixty by forty feet, with 

 galleries for the colored people, and occupied a site on 

 Cumberland street which cost three hundred pounds 

 sterling — about fifteen hundred dollars. The building 

 cost one thousand pounds sterling — about five thou- 

 sand dollars — and was at first called the " Blue Meet- 

 ing," in contradistinction from the " White Meeting " 

 (Circular Church), but afterward took the name of 

 Cumberland, from the street on which it stood. The 

 congregations were large during the year, and a grow- 

 ing interest was manifested on the part of the people 

 on the subject of religion. The preachers reported at 

 Conference a membership of thirty-three whites, ac- 

 cording to the Minutes, but of forty, according to Dr. 

 Coke, and fifty-three colored. 



