USA > Arkansas > History of Methodism in Arkansas > Part 1
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org.
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34
-
GEN
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01218 4609
GC 976.7 J546H
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2016
https://archive.org/details/historyofmethodi00jewe_0
HISTORY
OF
METHODISM IN ARKANSAS
BY HORACE JEWELL.
LITTLE ROCK, ARK .: PRINTED AND BOUND BY PRESS PRINTING COMPANY ..
1892.
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I I-4 . The Methodism of Arkansas. The Type of Preachers. The Difficulties. Similar to the Older States. Agreeable Coincidence. The Original Territory. Methodist Organizations in the State. History of the Church a Part of the History of the State.
CHAPTER II 5-9 The Geography of the Country. Character of the People. A Definition of Methodism.
CHAPTER III 10-18
Origin of Methodism John Wesley. At Ox- ford. His Conversion. Organization of Soci- eties. Lay Helpers.
CHAPTER IV 19-27
Introduction of Methodism in America. Robert Strawbridge. Philip Embury. Capt. Webb. Richard Boardman. Joseph Pilmore. First Annual Conference. Dr. Coke. The Forma- tion of Conferences. Western Conference. Earthquakes.
CHAPTER V 28-36
Introduction of Methodism in Arkansas. Wm. Patterson. Kentucky Colony. John Patterson. Helena. Eli Lindsay. Spring River. First Circuit. Wm. Stephenson. John Henry.
CHAPTER VI. 37-44
Local Preachers. Alexander. Maxwell. Eli Lindsay. Jacob Shook. Daniel Propps. Henry's Chapel. Charles Seay. Dr. Briggs.
iv
CONTENTS.
John M. Carr. Joseph Renfroe. William G. Guise. G. W. Sorrells.
CHAPTER VII
Arkansas Admitted as a Territory. Gov. Miller. Arkansas Post. Gazette. Washington Orr.
45-59
Thomas Tennant. Isaac Brookfield. John Scripps. Gilbert. Clark. W. W. Redman. Rucker Tanner .. District Conference. Green Orr. Jesse Haile.
CHAPTER VIII.
60-79
William Stephenson. John Harris. Thomas Tennant. James Lowery. Henry Stephen- son. John Scripps. Dennis Wiley. Thomas Johnson. John Kelly. William Shores. Ed- ward Perry. Jerome C. Berryman. Answer to Prayer. Uriel Haw. Nelson R. Bewley. George W. Bewley.
CHAPTER IX 80-96
An Increase of Laborers. New Fields Opening.
New Districts. Transfers. Indian Work. Burwell Lee. Conference at Cane Hill. Ar- kansas Church Paper. Church Music. Con- ference of 1835.
CHAPTER X 97-123. Arkansas Admitted as a State. The Organiza- tion of the Arkansas Conference. Batesville. List of Members. Statistics. Transters. Rob- ert Gregory. William H. Bump. Jerome B. Annis. Peter McGowan. John L. Irwin. A. W. Simmons. John B. Denton. Uriah Whate- ley. John C. Parker. Jacob Custer. John M. Steele. Letters from Bishop Andrew. Hiram Geering. Charles T. Ramsey. Wil- liam Mulkey.
V
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER XI. 124-127
An Eventful Period. Admissions. Transfers. John J. Roberts. A. S. Bell. J. Wayland. C. H. Edwards. J. H. Biggs. G. W. Cot- tingham. W. H. Goode. S. G. Patterson. Great Floods.
CHAPTER XII 128-137
Division of the Church. A Decline. Slavery Agitation. Bishop Andrew. Louisville Con- vention. Thomas D. Stroud. Jacob Shook. CHAPTER XIII 138-143
Wm. Moores. R. H. Carter. G. N. Boyd. J. J. Crouch. T. Q. C. House. Marcus Manly. John Revill. John S. McCarver. J. D. An- drews. Wm. B. Mason. Juba Eastabrook. D. L. G. Mckenzie. Jerome B. Annis. Jordan Banks. Geo. A. Dannelly. Thomas Hunt. A. L. P. Green. John M. Bradley. A. B. Winfield. H. O. Perry. Benton Williams. .
CHAPTER XIV 144-153
Tulip Ridge. Bishop Andrew. Jesse Griffin.
Casting Out Devils. James E. Caldwell. W.
J. Scott. C. M. McGuire. Whipping the Blacksmith. Bishop Early. Bishop Kava- naugh. Division of the Conference. Bishop Pierce. Winbourne. Gaddie. Eppes. Crouzon. Travis. Owen. James E. Cobb.
CHAPTER XV
154-185
Bishop Kavanaugh. A Great Sermon. Dr.
Henderson. H. Perry. J. W. Owen. J. A. Stanley. Simeon Walker. R. C. Atchley. W. C. Haislip. James E. Cobb. Ouachita Con- ference. Arkansas Conference Transfers. M. C. Morris. H. M. Granade. Joseph Andrews.
vi
CONTENTS.
Stephen Carlisle. Benjamin Kellogg. Jacob Whitesides.
CHAPTER XVI . 186-191
Conference Sessions of 1865. Admissions on Trial. Thomas Howard. S. G. Colburn. John H. Riggin. Geo. Butler. Transfers. Obituary Notice. Conference Roll.
: CHAPTER. XVII 192-210
General Conference of 1866. New Departure. Changes Wrought by the War. Lay Delega- tion. District Conferences. Election of Bish- ops Wightman, Daggett, McTyiere, Marvin.
CHAPTER XVIII 2II-272
Review of Decade 1860-70. Statistics of 1860-70. Reminiscence. Changed Conditions. General Conference of 1870. Bishop Keener. Organ- ization of White River Conference. Lewis Garrett. Julius A. Stanley. Elijah McNabb. Marcus Manley. Richard P. Davies. Arthur Davis. Isaac Ebbert. Letter from Bishop Wightman. John Harris.
CHAPTER XIX 273-296. Eli C. Jones. George A. Schaeffer. M. J. F. Beas- ley. William P. Laney. Julius Stanley. Opti- mus C. Robinson. James A. Anderson. Alfred P. Melton. Elijah Dickens. Thomas J. Smith. Statistics of Conferences. W. J. Dodson. Semi-Centennial. The Conferences.
CHAPTER XX 297-329
Conferences of 1887. James F. Hall. Augustus R. Winfield. Samuel Parker. Towns and Cities. Little Rock. Early Settlement. First Preaching. List of Pastors. The Ames. Stanton Order. Church on Spring Street and
vii
CONTENTS.
Winfield Memorial. Asbury Chapel. Lay- men. Elect Ladies. Other Methodists.
CHAPTER XXI 330-357 Monticello. The Churches. Circuit Preachers.
Organized as a Station. List of Pastors. Mount Pleasant Circuit. Prominent Local Preachers. Laymen. Magnolia. Introduction of Methodism. Lists of Pastors. Adjacent Circuits. Towns. Batesville. First Settle- ment. Early Days. List of Pastors. Type of Inhabitants. Quitman. First Settlers. The College. Adjacent Charges. Fayette- ville. The University. The Pastors. The
Type of People. Arkadelphia. The First Settlers. Mary Dixon. The Colleges. Wal- dron. The Fourch LeFevre.
CHAPTER XXII 358-373 History of Methodist Schools. Methodism the Friend of Education. Kingswood School. Cokesbury. Mission Schools. Conference of 1844. Ratcliffe, Agent. Washington Semi- nary. Soulesbury. Bluff Spring. Camden Female College. Quitman College. Wash- ington High School. Arkansas Female Col- lege. Altus College. Hendrix College. Gal- loway College. Arkadelphia College. .
CHAPTER XXIII 374-379 Other Methodisms. Protestant Methodist Church in Arkansas. M. E. Church. African Metho- dists. African Zion Church. Colored M. E. Church.
CHAPTER XXIV 380-382
Methodism Among the Negroes. The Friend of the Negroes. Wesley's Visit to Charleston.
viii
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER XXV 383-384 Arkansas Tribes. Pierre Francois Charlevoix.
The Indian Forms of Worship.
CHAPTER XXVI 385-395
Methodism Among the Indians. Treatment by
the Whites. Old French Missions. Presby-
terian Mission. Rev. Cephas Washburn.
Original Boundary. Capers. Removal West.
CHAPTER XXVII 396-400
Conclusion. The Annual Conferences. First
Things in Arkansas.
APPENDIX A 401-410 e Conference Sessions from 1820 to 1840.
APPENDIX B. 411-419
Conference Roll for 1891. Date, Place of Meet- ing and President of Conferences in Arkansas from Organization Until 1891.
APPENDIX C 420-431
A List of Traveling Preachers from 1816 to 1886, with the Manner of Their Disconnection with the Conference.
ADDENDA. 432-445 An Account of Bishop Bascom, Bishop Capers, Bishop Andrew.
PREFACE.
For a number of years I have greatly desired to see a well-written history of Methodism in Arkansas, and sincerely" hoped that some one thoroughly qualified for the work would undertake the task. In 1869, the Little Rock Annual Conference passed this resolution :
" Resolved, That the Presiding Elders be, and are hereby constituted, a Committee on the History of Methodism in Arkansas, to collect items of interest connected therewith."
If anything ever came of this action of the Conference I have never heard of it. In 1878, or near that time, the White River Conference requested Rev. John M. Steele to undertake the work of preparing a history of Methodism in Arkansas. He immediately began the collection of ma- terial for the work, and had succeeded in collecting much valuable information, but was called away by death before it was completed. It was left in such condition that no one else could properly arrange the material he had collected. I have undertaken to gather up the material that has been preserved in the minutes of the Annual Conferences, in District and Quarterly Conference records ; in manuscripts written by some of our old pioneer preachers, in articles written for our Church papers; in memoirs of our deceased preachers; in letters from brethren and friends; in inci- dental allusion found in books, and in conversation with old residents of the State. From the information gathered from all these sources, I have endeavored to present a connected history of Methodism in Arkansas. In many instances where I had to depend upon the personal recollection of brethren, I found the dates to be conflicting, and in such cases I have reconciled the dates as best I could. In the acknowledgment of obligations to others for help in the
x
PREFACE.
preparation of this work, I am more indebted to the mate- rial collected by Brother Steele than any other one source. I am largely indebted to Dr. Hunter for the privilege of using material furnished by him in a series of articles to the Ar- kansas Methodist. Valuable aid was received from manu- scripts left by that faithful old pioneer, Rev. John Harris. I am under obligations to a number of brethren whose names will appear in the body of the work for letters of informa- tion and valuable suggestions in the preparation of this work. In this connection I must publicly return my thanks to Mr. Fay Hempstead for his kindness in permitting me to make use of his very excellent History of Arkansas, in gath- ering material for this history of Methodism. It has been my purpose to give proper credit in every instance to the au- thors from whom I have made quotations ; if in any instance I have failed, I desire in as public a manner as possible to correct the mistake. The practiced reader will no doubt find missing links in the narrative; in many instances I found it impossible to obtain the information I needed to complete the chain.
It has been my design to give the reader a book of relia- ble facts, and great pains has been taken to verify all the quotations made from other authors. Whatever faults there may be in the style of the book, I believe the reader can trust the accuracy of the facts given, and rely upon the cor- rectness of dates and numbers as found in the body of the work. If the study of the History of Methodism in Ar- kansas should inspire our people with a greater love for the Church and to greater zeal for Christ, by recounting the noble deeds of those who planted the Church in the early days of the State, I shall feel that my labors have been richly repaid.
HORACE JEWELL.
INTRODUCTION.
The author lays no claim to literary merit in the following pages, however desirable this might be in a history of this .- kind. If he can only present the record of the past in a clear and consistent way so that the reader can gain an accurate knowledge of the history of Methodism from the time that it was first planted in Arkansas until the present date, he will be perfectly satisfied with his effort. If he can only rescue from oblivion the names of the noble men that dared the privations and dangers incident to a pioneer ministry, and so successfully laid the foundations of the Church in the Territory of Arkansas, he will feel that he has. been more than repaid for all the labor and trouble incident to the preparation of such a work. He feels that such a work, if successful, will meet the approval of all his brethren throughout the State.
The following glowing tribute to the memory of the pioneers who laid the foundations of Methodism in the West is from the pen of Bishop Paine :
" The Methodism planted by the heroic and holy pioneers in this region was truly Wesleyan; no wild or spurious offshoot of the original stock, producing fanaticism and de- grading its disciples, but a genuine root of the true vine which Paul planted, Apollos watered, which Luther pruned, and Wesley nourished, and whose fruitful foliage was now rapidly spreading over England, the West Indies and the great Western continent. Its fruit was healing the chronic ulcers of the nations. It introduced order, social and moral ; it subdued the vices, restrained the passions and vitiated appetites ; refined the taste, enlightened the minds of men, and spread peace and happiness through society. It insti- tuted an unequaled system of propagandism, the very plan
.
xii
INTRODUCTION.
introduced by the great Master himself, and called forth the moral heroism of martyrs in its ministers. Its doctrines were scriptural, its forms and ceremonies simple and signifi- cant, its spirit catholic, its discipline strictly evangelical and its system of government subordinated to the great cardinal object of spreading scriptural holiness over all lands by an itinerant ministry. No wonder it succeeded; it would have been far more wonderful if it had not. Every attribute of the God-head was on its side, and every intercession of the world's Redeemer was virtually a prayer and a pledge of its triumph. The highest interests of humanity were involved in its efforts, and some of the purest and noblest of earth sacrificed their earthly all in its behalf."
This picture is not overdrawn. The planting of Method- ism in this country did indeed cost the "all" of many of the noblest men. While we know something of the hard- ships and privations to which they were exposed, we can never know the half they suffered. Even the patient, heroic Asbury, with all his powers of endurance and sublime faith, was made to exclaim :
" Sure I am that nothing short of the welfare of immortal souls and my sense of duty could be inducement enough for me to visit the West so often. Oh! the roads, the hills, the rocks, the rivers, the want of water even to drink, the time for secret prayer hardly to be stolen, and the place scarcely to be had."
When he saw the destitution among the preachers at the Conference of 1806, he wrote : "The preachers were in great want, and to help them so far as I could I parted with my watch, my coat and my shirt."
While this language was applied to the laborers in other fields, it was just as applicable to the early preachers, who planted Methodism in the wilds. of Arkansas. It is equally true of such men as Stephenson, Harris, the Tennants, the Orrs, Scripps, Medford, Whitesides, Henry, Ratcliffe, Hun-
X111
INTRODUCTION.
ter, Steele, and others of equal fidelity to the work of Christ.
The time has come for us to gather up the incidents con- nected with the early history of Methodism in Arkansas be- fore they are irrecoverably lost to the Church. A few of the old veterans who were conversant with the scenes of early Methodism in the State are still living ; but in a very . short time they will have passed away, and much of inter- esting information in their possession will be buried with them, unless the pen of the historian shall preserve it for the edification of the Church. It will be the purpose of the writer to gather up as much possible of the unwritten his- tory of early Methodism in Arkansas. Doubtless there are many incidents and names that should find a place in the history of the Church, but they are lost beyond recovery. There are saints and heroes who sleep in unknown graves, but their record is on high. It is a sacred duty we owe their memory to rescue, as far as we can, their honored names from oblivion.' As an illustration of the fact that the mem- bers of other communions regard the Methodist Church as the great pioneer organization, in supplying the new countries and outlying districts with the gospel, and that they are expected to be the first to enter new fields and prepare the way for others, the following incident is related :
Some years ago the writer was traveling one of the large districts in Arkansas, and holding a Quarterly Conference in a rather sparsely settled neighborhood, when a gentleman of another denomination-a man of more than ordinary in- telligence-complained bitterly of being somewhat neglected by the Methodist Conference in not being as prompt in sending them a preacher as he thought they ought to have been. The writer asked him what his own denomination were doing for the community. The answer was, nothing at all ; he said it had not occurred to him that anybody but the Methodists could supply them. This man voiced the feel- ing of many others, that the Methodists were the only ones
-
xiv
INTRODUCTION.
who could successfully enter new and sparsely settled por- tions of the country.
It is just as true in regard to communities as it is in re- gard to individuals, that the after-life is largely influenced by the training and culture they receive in the early forma- tive period of their existence. Whatever of success the Church has achieved in Arkansas, has been in a very large degree the result of the labors of these old pioneer preachers. We of a later generation have entered into their labors, and we are now reaping a harvest from their patient labor in sowing. They often went forth sowing in tears; we who have entered in, reap in joy. If the author succeeds in doing nothing more than to rescue the names of these noble men from oblivion, he will have performed a lasting service to the Church in Arkansas.
'HORACE JEWELL.
ERRATA.
On page 142, seventeenth line from top, read one of the most instead of the most widely known.
On page 174, eleventh line from bottom, read to unite in- stead of to write.
On page 189 there is a repetition of a paragraph on page 181.
On page 239, fourth line from top, read for 1874 instead of for this year.
On page 276 read William Manley instead of William Mavely.
On page 348, where the name of William L. King appears, read Wilbur L. King; also in the list of preachers for the White River Conference read Wilbur L. King instead of William L. King.
CHAPTER I.
THE METHODISM OF ARKANSAS-THE TYPE OF PREACHERS- THE DIFFICULTIES -- SIMILAR TO THE OLDER STATES- AGREEABLE COINCIDENCE-THE ORIGINAL TERRITORY- METHODIST ORGANIZATIONS IN THE STATE -- HISTORY OF THE CHURCH A PART OF THE HISTORY OF STATE.
The history of Methodism in Arkansas will necessarily resemble the history of Methodism in every other Southern and Western State. The great similarity in the class of people who first settled, and the character of the preachers who first planted Methodism, in these States, would neces- sarily produce similar results. To write the history of one is in a large degree to write the history of every other one. There existed in all these States the same natural difficul- ties, connected with a sparse population, scattered over a new country, which required the same methods to reach and gain access to them. There were first a few scattered set- tlements of very poor people, and then a pioneer Methodist preacher following closely upon the advance guard of these hardy settlers. Then came the first religious services, which were usually held in the rude cabins of these plain people, or, when the weather would permit, in the open air. As the population increased, these pioneer preachers would preach in school houses, and rude churches built in the most primi- tive style. Then came the formation of societies and the organization of circuits, districts and conferences.
As the wealth of the country increased, and the popula- tion became more densely settled, the plain and small houses of worship would give place to better and more commodious ones, better suited to the altered condition of the country. New circuits and stations would be formed, and older con-
2
HISTORY OF METHODISM IN ARKANSAS.
ferences would be divided and new ones formed, to meet the growing demands of the Church and country.
There were, in all these States, similar examples of self- denial, and heroism in meeting difficulties and surmounting obstacles. There were similar examples of devotion to Christian duty, followed by similar success in winning souls to Christ.
But while there was this general resemblance in the Meth- odism of all these States, there were some peculiarities in the condition of each that caused it to differ from every other. While these early preachers belonged to the same general class, and very greatly resembled each other, a more independent body of men never lived so that each preacher had something about him peculiar to himself. Within these clearly-defined limits of general resemblance, there was a wonderful variety of character and incident. The fact that each community was widely separated from every other com- munity, and each preacher was left to develop any peculiar- ity of talent that might belong to himself, would necessarily produce a greater variety of character than can be found in older communities, that are constantly being brought into contact with each other.
It does not follow that because the history of Methodism in Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, Georgia, Missouri and Texas, has been written by such able writers as Redford, McFerrin, Bennett, Smith, McAnally and Thrall, that the necessity does not exist for some one to write the history of Methodism in Arkansas. The dauntless heroism, the untir- ing devotion, the burning zeal, and the fervent piety, of the pioneers of Methodism in Arkansas, were not surpassed by the early preachers of any of the older States. It is a sacred duty to rescue from oblivion the names of these men, whose labors have so enriched the Church of God. If we should delay this work much longer, the materials from which the history could have been written will have forever perished.
3
HISTORY OF METHODISM IN ARKANSAS.
It is only here and there that an old inhabitant remains, in whose memory are stored the recollections of many of the most important events in the history of early Methodism in Arkansas, from the planting of the first societies until the present time.
In our researches into the history of the Church in Ar- kansas, and into the civil history of the State, we will find a singular and agreeable coincidence between the principal epochs in the growth and development of each.
The State was originally a part of the Louisiana Territory. The Church in Arkansas was embraced in the Missouri Con- ference. The Territory of Arkansas was formed in 1819, and organized into a territorial government.
The Arkansas District of the Missouri Conference was formed in 1818. It was called the Black River District, but Jay entirely within the Territory of Arkansas. Arkansas was admitted into the Union, as a State, in 1836 ; and the Arkan- sas Conference of the M. E. Church was organized the same year. From that time until the present time the Church in Arkansas has kept pace with the growth of the State. There are more members in the M. E. Church, South, alone in proportion to population than there were in 1836 in the M. E. Church, to say nothing of the other Methodist organ- izations within the State.
In addition to the M. E. Church, South, there are the M. E. Church, the Protestant Methodist Church, and various colored Methodist churches ; and taking all these into the account, there are many more Methodists now in propor- tion to population than there were at the organization of the Arkansas Conference in 1836.
Methodism is a recognized factor in the civilization of America. Men of every religious creed, and of no creed, whatever may be their opinions about the system of doc- trine, ecclesiastical polity or customs of the Methodist Church, readily admit that it has had great influence in
4
HISTORY OF METHODISM IN ARKANSAS.
moulding the social and religious habits of the country ; whether they approve or condemn, they readily grant that it has had a large influence in moulding the habits and relig- ious faith of other communions. It is one of the largest, if not the largest, religious denomination in the United States, and is more universally diffused throughout the country than any other body of Christians. There is scarcely a community to be found in which the Methodist Church is not represented. No one can be said to be well informed in regard to the history of the country in which he lives, who is ignorant of the history of so large, active and aggressive body of Christians. His opinions about them or his feelings toward them can have nothing to do with his lack of information about their history and influence. The student of secular history must necessarily feel an in- terest in the ecclesiastical history of the country. There is such a close connection between the civil and religious condition of the country, and their interests are so closely blended, that we cannot properly understand the one with- out some knowledge of the other. This fact has been so well understood by all the great writers of history, that they have invariably studied with great care the religions of the countries whose histories they would write. The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire is largely a history of the early Christian Church. Macauley's History of England contains in a large degree the history of the English Church, together with an account of the various sects that arose from time to time in England.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.