INSKIP, John S.., American clergyman, evangelist and editor: b. Huntington, England, in 1816; d. Ocean Grove, N. J., 7 March 1884. He was brought to America in 1820, the family settling first at Wilmington, Del., and then at Marshallton, Pa. In 1836 he entered the min istry of the Methodist Episcopal Church, join ing the Philadelphia Conference, and serving prominent churches in that Conference, the Ohio, the New York East and the New York Conferences. When pastor at Springfield, Ohio, he introduced the custom of having families sit together. Previous to this men sat on one side of the church and women on the other in Methodist worship. He was tried and censured by his Conference, but appealed to the General Conference of 1852 which exonerated him. He was chaplain of the Brooklyn 14th regiment the first year of the war but resigned on account of poor health. From 1873 until
his death he was editor of The Christian Standard and Home Journal of Philadelphia. He was one of the founders of the National Campmeeting Association and personally con ducted more than 50 camp meetings. He was an evangelist of unusual ability. In 1881-82 he took an extended evangelistic tour, con ducting meetings in England, India and Aus tralia, traveling in the year 31,000 miles, con ducting over 500 public services, and witnessing over 5,000 conversions. He wrote more than 160 columns of editorial matter for his paper on the trip and conducted an extensive cor respondence besides. He was the author of 'Methodism: Explained and Defended> (Cin cinnati 1851); 'Songs of Triumph' (Philadel phia 1882). Consult McDonald, William, 'Life of John S. Inskip' (Boston 1885).