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In the northern part of Sadsbury Township several persons embraced Methodism prior to 1820. Their number continuing to in-crease, they formed a society. The most zealous and influential member was Jacob Swartzwelder. Charles Simon and William Shaw were also active members. They procured ground for a church and graveyard, and erected the building in 1821. This was the first Methodist Church in this township. It was a stone structure, thirty-six by forty-six feet. It was named Asbury Methodist Episcopal Church. The preacher in charge was Samuel F. Griffith, and the assistant, Daniel Fidler. This became a prosperous society, and its members assisted in introducing Methodism into other parts of the township, in Wasteland and Christiana. This church continued in use until 1873, when it had become so dilapidated as to need either a large outlay of money for repairs or a new building. Gap, on the Pennsylvania Railroad, having become a center of business and population, and many of the members of the Asbury Methodist Episcopal Church residing in its vicinity the society decided to abandon the old building and erect a church at Gap.