How the church looked
before it was remodeled
into a school house in 1876
sketch by Mary Weed
METHODIST
EPISCOPAL CHURCH,
EAST LINE
This body is now
dissolved, but it was a point where Methodism was
established in very early years. The house of worship, now
changed into a spacious school-house, was built in
1809, and this was a
prominent point in the work of the Methodist church. The
book of church records at the county clerk's office
shows that "The Methodist Episcopal Church of
Stillwater" was incorporated March 26, 1800, and this no
doubt refers to the pioneer church of East
Line. The officers were
Jeremiah Hart, Frederick Conley, John Myers, Stephen
Hart.
The town of Stillwater then, and for two years later,
included Malta.
The town of Malta was also honored in the year 1823 by the
session of the New York Annual Conference of the Methodist
Episcopal church. It met on the 28th of May, at
East
Line,
in the old Methodist chapel, now remodeled into a
school-house. The New York Conference then comprised the
New York district, having nine circuits; New Haven
district, sixteen circuits; Rhinebeck, nine circuits;
Saratoga district, nine circuits; Hudson River district,
thirteen circuits; and Champlain district, eleven circuits.
It included a large part of Connecticut, considerable
portions of Massachusetts and Vermont, and extended from
the Canada line on the north, to the bay of New York and
the farthest point of Long Island on the south. From all
this vast territory there came to East
Line the hardy, self-denying
itinerancy of the church, and then and there the annual
business was transacted, and the plans laid that added to
the growth and power of Methodist churches through all this
section of country.
The conference was cheerfully entertained in the
neighborhood, and the delegates welcomed to the hearts and
the homes of the people. Many of the oldest citizens have
pleasant memories of this ecclesiastical gathering, and
relate many interesting incidents connected with it.
This Methodist church was for sixty years or more an active
working society, but owing to various causes it declined in
numbers, and services were discontinued in 1870. Methodist
families interested in this old church transferred their
relations either to Ballston Spa or to Jonesville.
Considerable inquiry has failed to find the old book of
records.
OTHER
CHURCHES OF
EAST LINE
THE
CHRISTIAN CHURCH OF EAST LINE
This society was established about 1858 or '59. They
erected a meeting-house about that time at an expense of
$1000, and services were maintained quite regularly for ten
or fifteen years, but more rarely since, and at the present
time are discontinued. John Brownell, Rensselaer Hall,
William Emigh, and Elisha Scidmore principally managed and
sustained the enterprise.
The dedication sermon was by Rev. J.G. Holland, now of
Scribner's Monthly.
THE
EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF EAST LINE
The pastor of the Ballston Spa church, Rev. Mr. Delafield,
commenced services at this place in the fall of 1876, the
congregation meeting in the house of worship belonging to
the Christian church.
In the spring of 1877, through the energy of the pastor,
assisted by a few active workers, a lot was purchased and a
chapel erected. It was an unusual ease of rapid church
work. The corner-stone was laid and the finished building
consecrated within a month. Indeed, the principal work is
said to have been actually done in eleven days. The expense
was about $1200, and it is a very fine addition to the
little village of East Line.