Embury was one of a group of Irish-German emigrants to the
United States in 1764. He settled in New York, but lacked
courage to begin religious work there, and by a natural and
inevitable reaction his own religious life began to die.
Another party of these German-Irish emigrants, from the same
neighborhood, landed in New York the next year. Among them was
Barbara Heck, a peasant woman of courageous character and an
earnest Methodist. Her zeal kindled in womanly vehemence when
she found the first party of emigrants had practically forgotten
their Methodism. A familiar but doubtful story relates how she
went into a room one day where Embury and his companions were
playing cards. She seized the pack, threw it into the fire, and
cried to Embury: “You must preach to us or we shall all go to
hell together; and God will require our blood at your hands.” “I
can not preach,” stammered the rebuked man, “for I have neither
chapel nor congregation.” “Preach in your own house,” answered
Barbara Heck, “and to our own company.” And so the first
Methodist sermon in America was preached under a private roof
and to a congregation of five persons.--W. H. FITCHETT,
“Wesley and His Century.”
(1609)