shut himself up in his room and study intently for six- teen hours out of the twenty-four with insufficient nour- ishment. Tliis, together with the terrible remorse he sutTered, seriously and permanently injured liis consti- tution. Established in the coal trade by his father, he was so discontented and neglectful that he brought jxiverty and distress u])on his father's family, and was liimself thrown into tiie Marshalsea of Dublin. Here he employed himself in drawing up the necessary me- morials of his fellow -|)risoners, and was so successful that he continued in this business for some time after his release. In 1817, in great distress and almost de- spair, he was led by a jdaiu Methodist mechanic to ser- vices, and the same night foinid peace. He became the jirincipal of a "praying association" which exercised in public, and in April, 1818, took his place among tlie local jireachers. He was received on trial in the Methodist Conference of Ireland in 18i;i, emigrated to America in JIarch, 1821, and was received on trial in the New York Conference. His first appearance in public after his arrival in New York was at the anniversary of the American Bible Society, and his speech on that occa- sion produced a wonderful efTect, and was regarded as one of the very highest efforts of platform eloipience. The following June he was admitted into the Troy Con- ference. He entered on his labors in New York city, where the churches could not contain the audiences that desired to hear him. Persons of all professions and classes of society were attracted by the fame of his eloquence, and expressed their admiration of the pow- er with wliich he enchained them to the words that dropped from his lips. He continued to preach to large audiences until early in June, 1822, when his ministra- tions were suspended by the failure of his health. De- siring a milder climate, he was appointed delegate from the American Bible Society to the Protestant Bible So- ciety in France. He returned to America, April 19, 1824, but was unable to perform regular service, and was appointed by the Missionary Board of the Phila- delphia Conference to travel in Pennsylvania and New Jersej^'and to take up collections. He united with min- isters of other denominations in forming the American Tract Society, and his last public act was an eloquent address at its organization. He died June 13, 1825. Mr. Summerfield was very famous as a pulpit orator; naturally eloquent, deeply devoted to the cause of (iod, possessed of great command of language and of a rich stock of the most useful knowledge, whenever he spoke in the name of (Jod he poured forth from a heart overflowing with the kindliest feelings a stream of evangelical truth which melted his audiences. A '"god- ly sincerity" was evidently the pervading principle of his heart, and a tone of simplicity characterized his style of preaching. James Montgoraerv, the poet, said of his discourses that "the sermons are less calculated for instantaneous effect than for abiding usefulness." His only publication was, .4 Discourse on Behalf of the New York Institution for the Disti-uction of the Deaf and Dumb (1822). After his death appeared, Sermons, and Sketches of Sej-motis, bi/ Rev. John Summerfeld, A . M.,n-ith an Introduction hi/ Rer. Thomas E. Bond. M.D. ( N. Y. 1842, 8vo). See Holland, Memoir of Sumwerf eld's Life and Ministri/ (1829, 8vo; 2d ed. 1830, 8vo; *N. Y. 8vo; reviewed by L. Bacon in the Amer. Quar. Rev.vu, 141; Chri,'<t. Quii'r. Spec, ii, 118); his Life by liev. Will- iam M. Willett (Piiila. 8vo) ; Spragiie, Annals of the Amer. Pulpit, vii, (!39-(;54; Fish, Pulpit Eloquence (1857), ii, 539 ; AA'aterbury, Sketches (f Eloquent Preach- ers (1864, 12mo) ; Allibone, Diet, of Brit, and A mer. A u- thors, s. V. ; Bangs, Hist, of the M. E. Church, iii, 324- 329; Minutes of Annual Conferences, i, 508; Simpson, Cyclop, of Meffioilism. s. v. (J. L. S.)
Summer-house Silver, a payment made in the mediiBval ages liy certain tenants of abbeys to the ab- bot or prior, in lieu of providing a temporary summer habitation for him when he came from a distance to inspect the property.— Lee, Gloss, of Liturg. Terms, s. v.
SUMMERS
15
SUMPTUARY LAWS
Summers, William, a minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church, was bom in Fairfax County, Va., in September, 1796. He joined the Church in Lees- burgh, O., and in 1832 was admitted on trial in the Pittsburgh Conference. In 188-1 he was ordained dea- con, and in 1843 received a sui>ernumerary relation; but his health improving, he was made effective at the next conference. In 1853 he was again placed on the supernumerary list, and that relation continued until terminated by death, which came to him in IMartinville, O., March 29, 1855. He was kind, courteous, and hon- orable in his deportment, calm and Hrm in his purpose, steadfast in his friendship, and faitliful and successful as a minister. See Minutes of' A unuul Cotiftrences, 1855, p. 568.
Summerville, John, a Methodist Episcopal min- ister, was born in the County of Tyrone, Ireland, March 1, 1782. He enjoyed early religious training, was re- ceived on trial in the Baltimore Conference in 1812, and tilled the following appointments: Trumbull, Tus- carawas, Hinkstone, Oxford, Shenango, Letart Falls, Manstield, Chautauqua, Ridgeway, Paint Creek, Erie, Youngstown, Deertield, Lisbon, Canton, Hartford, Butler, Mercer, Centreville, Kittanning, Elizabeth, Waynesburg, and Birmingham. In 1836 he was made a superannu- ate. He died Oct. 6, 1850. See Minutes of Annual Conferences, iv, 602.