[J. Thomas Scharf (1886)] 1884-85. —Rev. R. Gibson " The church is in a prosperous state and bids fair to continue thus for many years. In the early days of the history of the Methodist Episcopal Church, circuits were the adopted form of regular pastoral visitations to preaching-points, some being termed "six weeks' circuits," some "four weeks circuits," this being the length of time required by the preacher to fill his various preaching appoint-ments on the circuit and reach his starting-point again. Of this class was Cortlandt Circuit, so named in honor of the original owners of this part of the county. Cortlandt Circuit first comprised all the upper part of the county under the jurisdiction of 494 HISTORY OF WESTCHESTER COUNTY. the Methodist Episcopal Church, and the churches of this denomination in Somers, Lewisboro' and North Salem were thus designated as late as 1850. As the population increased in numbers and ability to maintain distinct church societies, the different churhes became detached and the circuit system, as originally devised and operated, was abandoned. Jit. Zion Methodist Episcopal Church belonged to this circuit system and was one of the important points on old Cortlandt Circuit. There are but meagre records of the early history of this church, the original books having been mislaid or lost through some oversight or carelessness of those hav-ing them in charge. The society, however, was organized May 10, 1794, through the instrumentality of Rev.