USA > Arkansas > History of Methodism in Arkansas > Part 16
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Williams, John Dickson, William A. Chamberlain, Samuel G. Colburn, J. A. Stanley, George E. Butler.
An examination of the roll of the Conferences now will show that a very large part of those whose names were on the roll in 1865 have passed away. Of the sixty-two preachers of the Little Rock Conference who received ap- pointments at the Conference of 1865, only eleven are at this date (1892) members of that body. Of the remainder, fifteen- have either transferred to other Conferences or located, while thirty-six have gone to their final reward.
The statistics of the Arkansas and White River Confer- ences will show a similar condition of change. Of those that remain the larger part have grown old, and have in a measure retired from the active work of the Church, and a new generation have come upon the stage of action. "God buries his workmen," but his work goes forward with in- creased interest in the hands of younger and stronger men.
CHAPTER XVII.
GENERAL CONFERENCE OF 1866-NEW DEPARTURE - CHANGES WROUGHT BY THE WAR -LAY DELEGATION- DISTRICT CONFERENCES-ELECTION OF BISHOPS WIGHT- MAN, DAGGETT, McTYERE, MARVIN.
The great changes through which the country passed dur- ing the civil war from 1861 to 1865, must of necessity leave their impress upon all the institutions of the Church. The immediate and unconditional emancipation of 4,000,000 of slaves was an event of no ordinary magnitude. It disorgan- ized for the time being the whole labor system of the South, and as our Church was principally confined to this portion of the country it was more seriously affected by the disas- ters of the war than other Church organizations. There had been no session of the General Conference since 1858; the Conference of 1862 failed to meet on account of the dis- turbed condition of the country. It was thought by many that the changed condition of the country would demand a change in the organization of the Church. Many sugges- tions were made, and many outsiders, especially political editors, were anxious to see a reunion of the Churches North and South. It was in the midst of this confusion and uncertainty that the General Conference of 1866 met in the City of New Orleans. The delegates from Arkansas were, for the Ouachita Conference, William P. Ratcliffe, Andrew Hunter, A. R. Winfield and James E. Cobb ; for the Arkansas Conference, John M. Steele, J. M. P. Hicker- son and Ed. T. Jones.
In their opening address to the Conference the Bishops said :
" If we are to judge of the tone of the religious press and
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the action of many of our Conferences, great concern is felt in respect to certain changes in our economy. It is obvi- ously unbecoming in us as Bishops to occupy any other than an impartial relation to these matters. But we take this occasion to urge upon you the importance of giving these subjects your sober and prayerful consideration. From our extensive observation of the state and wants of the Church, we hesitate not to say, that some improvement in our econ- omy may be wisely undertaken at this time. Well for us if we can happily avoid extremes, and do neither too little nor too much. Let us remember that while innovations are not necessarily improvements, wisdom may demand, in the de- partment of ecclesiastical expediency, new applications and developments of fundamental principles." The Conference appointed a new Committee on Changes of Economy com- posed of one member from each one of the Annual Confer- ences. This of itself was a departure from the old methods. A large number of petitions, memorials and resolutions were sent to this committee, and for a time it looked as though the most radical changes would be made in the economy of the Church ; but such was the conservative spirit of the Con- ference that no changes were made except such as the changed condition of the country seemed to demand.
One of the changes proposed was the name of the Church from Methodist Episcopal Church, South, to Episcopal Methodist Church. It passed by a large majority in the Conference, but it failed to receive the three-fourths majority in the Annual Conferences to which it was referred.
Previous to this Conference, attendance upon the class meeting was by law a test of membership, but at this Confer- ence this test of membership was removed and attendance upon the class-meeting was left to the voluntary action of the individual. This, however, was no very great change,. as the law making it a test of membership had been a dead letter for many years.
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The Conference also abolished the six months probation for membership in the Church.
The system of District Conferences was established and made a part of the Church polity. This was not exactly a new feature in the polity of the Church, as District Confer- ences were held from 1820 to 1836.
Another very important feature in the economy of the Church was the introduction of laymen into the various Conferences of the Church. Twenty-six years have now passed since these changes were made, and they have stood the test of time, and the wisdom of the Conference in their adoption has been fully vindicated. Great fear was expressed by many of the more conservative of the member- ship of the Church that the lay delegates in the Conferences would imperil the stability of the organization by extreme radical measures upon many questions ; but it has been fre- quently remarked that as a class they are more conservative than the ministry and less inclined to changes of polity.
The Episcopacy had been greatly weakened by the death of Bishop Soule, and the great feebleness on account of age in Bishops Early and Andrew, so that the election of four new Bishops was regarded as a necessity for the welfare of the Church. Holland N. McTyiere, William M. Wightman, David S. Daggett and Enoch M. Marvin were elected to the Episcopacy. A better selection could not have been made.
The name of the Ouachita Conference was changed at this session to Little Rock Conference, as being more ex- pressive of its geographical position.
The Little Rock Conference for 1866 met at Arkadelphia, Bishop Pierce, presiding.
The following were admitted on trial : James Stincil and Jonathan Clower. By transfer, W. H. Browning.
The Arkansas Conference for this year met at Searcy. There was one admission on trial, Thomas Howard.
This was the first time in a number of years that the Con-
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ferences in Arkansas had received an official visit from one of the Bishops of the Church. The Church from this time began to take courage, and to adjust itself to the changed · condition of the country. The various interests of the Church began to receive more attention at the hands of the preachers and people.
The Little Rock Conference for the year 1867 met at Des Arc, Bishop Marvin presiding. This was his first visit to the State since his election to the Episcopacy. His visit to the Arkansas Conference was hailed with delight by hun- dreds who had heard him during the war. We have had occasion to speak of his earnest and successful labors among the soldiers and of the great esteem in which he was held by them. When the news of his election to the Episcopacy reached the Church in Arkansas there was a great desire upon the part of the preachers and people to see and hear him again. During this visit to the Arkansas Conference the expectations of the people were fully met both in the pulpit and in the chair.
The admissions on trial were R. W. Massey and William O. Lanier. R. W. Massey traveled for a few years and lo- cated. William O. Lanier discontinued in 1870.
At this session an incident occurred that shows that the Conferences of the present day are much more rigid in the enforcement of discipline than the Conferences of that day. At the Conference of 1866 Horace Jewell was appointed to the Monticello Station and refused to go to his work, but immediately went to Louisiana and was appointed to Mon- roe. When the Conference met in Des Arc his name was called and a vote of censure was had, after which his char- acter was passed, and he was transferred to the Louisiana Conference. Within recent years several members of differ- ent Annual Conferences have been suspended for the same offense. Some allowance perhaps was made for the peculiar circumstances that existed at that time.
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This was the first time in the history of the Church in Arkansas that lay delegates had been admitted to seats in the Conference. There were some who entertained grave doubts as to the propriety of the measure, but the most timid soon became convinced of the wisdom of the plan, and our lay brethren by their wise and conservative coun- sels have fully justified the wisdom of their admission into the Conferences of the Church. Upon several occasions their wise conservatism has saved the Church from hasty and inconsiderate action. A little more than twenty-five years have passed and our lay brethren are everywhere recognized as important factors in all our Conferences, and have largely aided in the growth and development of every interest of the Church.
At this session of this Conference there arose considerable discussion in reference to the use of tobacco. The follow- ing resolution was finally adopted :
"Seeing the tendency of the Church to needless self- indulgence and softness, we say to clergy and laity that at this time there is a great evil in the Church, in the use of snuff and tobacco, and that there is now more money spent in that needless self-indulgence than is raised for all the be- nevolent charities of the Church ; therefore, be it
" Resolved, That we will use all means in our power to dissuade our members from the use of the same, and that the moral influence of the Church be against it."
At the same session of the Conference there was quite a spirited discussion about the use of organs and choirs in the Church. The Conference finally adopted this resolution :
" That we disapprove of the use of choirs and instruments of music in our churches, believing that they tend to formality in worship, and the destruction of congregational singing."
Pending the discussion of the question the following ques- tion of law was propounded to the Bishop for an Episcopal decision :
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" Is it not in accordance with the discipline of the Church for any individual society that may see proper to have an organ and choir ?"
Answer : " There is no specific law of the discipline de- priving individual societies of the right to regulate their own church music ; but the spirit of the discipline, chap. 3, sec. 4, ques. 2, ans. 4-7, is against the introduction of choirs and organs. [Signed] E. M. MARVIN."
Both parties regarded the decision as favorable to their views, so the decision had no effect upon the question in any manner whatever.
In the meantime, the custom of using the organ in the ser- vices of the Church has grown until they have been placed in all our churches in the cities and towns and in a great many of our country places. The opposition to the organ has well-nigh ceased, and the controversy over its introduc- tion into the Church will have been forgotten, or remem- bered only as a thing of the past.
The Arkansas Conference for this year met at Searcy, Bishop Marvin presiding.
The admissions on trial were Robert A. Allison, William W. Gillispie, W. M. Watson, G. W. Stewart, William R. Young, Van Buren Tate, Stephen P. Hicks, John H. Dye, A. Mathis, R. H. Young, A. C. Ray, David Sturdy, C. S. Floyd. Of this number several have become prominent in the work of the Church in Arkansas. Robert A. Allison traveled for several years, doing faithful service, and located in 1872. W. W. Gillispie died in 1872, after a few years of faithful service. W. M. Watson is a faithful and devoted member of the White River Conference, and enjoys the es- teem and confidence of his brethren. G. W. Stewart was discontinued in 1869. Van Buren Tate located in 1873. Stephen P. Hicks transferred to the Indian Mission Confer- ence. John H. Dye is an honored member of the White River Conference, and is at this time President of Galloway
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Female College. Dr. Dye has filled a number of very im- portant positions in the Church, and has been for a number of years the Superintendent of the State School for the Blind. A. C. Ray located in 1874, after eight years of faithful service.
The statistical report for this year shows a membership of 13,056 white members for the Arkansas Conference, and 8412 white members for the Little Rock Conference.
The Arkansas Conference for 1868 met at Jacksonport, Bishop Pierce presiding.
The following preachers were received on trial at this Conference : Henry P. Clay, N. E. Fair, F. A. Ellis, George F. Fair, C. H. Ford, William H. Martin, C. S. Floyd, J. H. Porter, A. H. Goodloe, B. H. Young, W. R. Young. Of this number there is not one in the traveling connection in Arkansas. They have either transferred to other Confer- ences or they have located, or they have been removed by death. A. T. Goodloe transferred to the Tennessee Confer- ence in 1869. H. P. Clay was discontinued in 1870. F. A. Ellis located in 1873. C. H. Ford located in 1891. N. E. Fair and W. R. Young located in 1870.
The Little Rock Conference for this year met in the Town of Warren. Bishop Pierce presided at this Conference again to the great pleasure of the preachers and people.
The admissions on trial were James A. Anderson, Am- brose D. Jenkins, William O. Lanier, Thomas H. Ware, W. H. H. Biggs, N. S. Burnett, George Hare, Leonard M. Chandler and William R. Bayliss.
The transfers to the Conference were William C. Hearn, William J. Davis and Henry B. Frazee. Of this number A. D. Jenkins, William J. Davis and Thomas H. Ware are members of the Little Rock Conference; William O. Lanier discontinued in 1870; George Hare located in 1880, and en- gaged in the practice of medicine; Leonard M. Chandler died in 1871 ; W. H. H. Biggs transferred to one of the Texas
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Conferences in 1874; Henry B. Frazee transferred to the Florida Conference in 1875; William C. Hearn transferred to the Denver Conference in 1874; James A. Anderson trans- ferred to the White River Conference in 1882, and continued in that Conference until his death in 1885.
The minutes of the White River Conference for 1885 con- tained the following memoir :
"James A. Anderson was admitted on trial in the Little Rock Conference in 1868 and appointed to the Brownsville Circuit ; ordained Deacon in 1870 and Elder in 1872. In 1882 he was transferred to the White River Conference, where he continued to travel until his death, June 5, 1885. He was a deeply pious and useful preacher, and was greatly esteemed by all who knew him as a man of great moral worth. To one who visited him during his last illness ' he said his heart was in the work of saving souls, and if it was God's will he would like to be restored so that he could call sinners to repentance, but he was resigned to the will of God.' He was never married, and at the time of his death was 54 years old. He belonged to that honored class of plain, humble, faithful men whose record is in the hearts of those who knew him best, and in the book of life to be revealed in the last day."
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NECROLOGY.
There are periods in the history of church and commu- nity when the death of a prominent citizen or an honored and efficient minister marks an era in the history of that community and church. The year 1868 was such a period in the history of Methodism in Arkansas, when one of the most noted, honored and talented preachers in the State passed to his reward.
At such periods we do well to pause for the time and study the lives of such men, and learn something of the great secret of their power, and note the impress that they have left upon society.
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To write the life of William P. Ratcliffe would be in a large measure to write the history of the Church in Arkan- sas from 1834, the date of his entrance into the Conference, until his death in 1868. At the session of the Tennessee Conference, which met at Pulaski, Tennessee, November 6, 1833, a young preacher was received on trial, and transferred to the Missouri Conference, who was destined to exert as great an influence upon the destinies of Methodism in Arkan- sas as any one man that ever labored in the State.
William P. Ratcliffe possessed in a very large degree many of the qualities that should enter into a successful itinerant Methodist preacher. His physical, mental and spiritual qualifications were of the highest order. He was a man of great physical endurance and commanding personal appearance. In social life there was a happy combination of dignity of character and affability of manners that won the respect of all with whom he came in contact. His scholastic attainments were very good for that early day. and being a close student and possessing a strong, vigorous intellect he amassed a large fund of valuable information, He was a close, accurate thinker, and his sound practical judgment made him a valuable and safe counsellor on all difficult questions. His preaching was very practical ; the theories upon which he delighted to dwell were the plain, practical duties of religion, which he enforced with great spiritual power. Upon occasion, however, he could defend the great doctrines of the Church. Such was his accurate knowledge of the doctrines of the Church, and such was the logical order of his mind, that he was able to present them with great clearness. His rule was to make careful prepa- ration for the pulpit. But few men relied as implicitly upon the help of the Holy Spirit in preaching the Word ; but with him this did not preclude the necessity of careful prepara- tion. Upon one occasion he was unexpectedly called upon to preach, and after having preached what the congregation
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thought was a very good sermon, he apologized for its length by stating that if he had had more time for preparation he would have been able to condense it into smaller space. Although he was not an orator in the usual sense of that term, he was an attractive preacher. His easy, dignified manner in the pulpit, clear, strong voice, his ready command of the purest English language, and close logical reasoning, made him an attractive and pleasant speaker. Then his great earnestness, pathos and tenderness, brought his hearers into closest sympathy with himself.
He spent much of his time in prayer, and was a firm be- liever and strong advocate of the doctrine of Christian per- fection. At times his faith would rise to such sublime heights that his preaching, and the force of his example, would carry conviction to the hearts of all who came within the circle of his influence.
The following obituary notices were furnished for insertion in the minutes :
" William P. Ratcliffe .- The subject of this memoir was born in Williamsburg, Va., February 18, 1810. His parents were pious and in early life instilled religious principles into their son. His earthly father he claimed as his spiritual father. He was converted to God in Obion County, Ten- nessee, in 1832, and was admitted into the traveling con- nection in the fall of 1834. He was transferred to the Mis- souri Conference, which at that time embraced the Territory of Arkansas; he was admitted into full connection at the Arkansas Conference, which held its first session at Bates- ville in 1836. He was happily married to Miss Mary Cum- mins at Little Rock, where he was stationed that year. For more than thirty years he labored faithfully to build up all the interests of Methodism in Arkansas, nearly all the while in regular work, filling circuits, stations and districts. Always promptly at his post and faithful to his work, suc- cess attended his labors wherever he went. A plain, prac-
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tical, earnest preacher, a zealous and devoted adherent to all the doctrines of Methodism, he fully subscribed to all our laws and regulations. He was a man of strong faith, nour- ished by constant, earnest prayer. Of him it may be truly said, 'He went about doing good.' He was appointed Bible agent in 1866 at our Conference at Arkadelphia, and none ever had a better. Truly it may be said of him : ' He died at his post.' He closed his earthly career in the Vil- lage of Mount Ida, Montgomery County, May 1, 1868, while engaged in his work as agent of the American Bible So- ciety."
William P. Ratcliffe filled so large a space in the history of our Church in Arkansas that justice to his memory and fidelity to the truth of history, requires a more extended no- tice of this eminent servant of Christ and the Church. His old friend and companion in toil, Dr. Hunter, has furnished the following tribute to the memory of this eminent man :
" From the time William P. Ratcliffe entered upon the work of the ministry in Arkansas, no man among us occu- pied a more prominent place. The first Conference it was my privilege to attend was in the fall of 1837 in Little Rock; Bishop Andrew was President, Brother Ratcliffe was Secre- tary, and he continued to occupy that place as long as he lived, with a few exceptions. He attained perfection almost as a secretary of an Annual Conference. When I first knew him he was a handsome young man, standing nearly six feet in his boots, dark hair, carrying himself as straight as an Indian, with a carriage and gait that would make him in any company a gentleman. He had just closed his first year as a station preacher, and was almost idolized by the church people of all denominations. He and Rev. Mr. Moore, the first pastor of the Presbyterian Church in Little Rock, worked together in perfect harmony and a life-time friendship sprang up between them, which has been re- newed in the bright world beyond, where " friend holds fel-
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lowship with friend." During the year of which I speak he married Miss Mary Cummins, who proved to be a helpmeet indeed. No preacher was ever more fortunate in the se- lection of a companion for life ; no husband and wife were ever better mated. Bishop Andrew at that Conference placed him on the Helena District. For four years he la- bored in that field. The district extended from the mouth of White River on the Mississippi to the Missouri line, and as far west as to include all the settlements on 'Crowley's Ridge.' The Mississippi River was not leveed then, nor were the bayous bridged then as now, and preachers had all sorts of difficulty in keeping up their appointments. It re- quired a man with a lion heart to keep the ranks of the itin- erancy unbroken in such a country as that. They went to their appointments in skiffs and canoes, crossed the bayous on the backs of their horses, or if that was too hazardous they got a few logs together, tied them with grape vines and went over. None of these difficulties were considered too great to be encountered and overcome for the privilege of preaching the gospel to those denizens of the swamps of Eastern Arkansas. There is unwritten history here that cannot be known by the preachers of the present day. The heroes of the earlier days may repeat this history to us, when we have joined them and are resting under the spread- ing branches of the tree of life. Ratcliffe, Brown, Steele, Avery and many others were the 'swamp angels' of that day, having the everlasting gospel to preach to the inhabi- tants of this wilderness, and right well did they do it. Re- vival after revival resulted from their labors; churches were organized in what were considered the most unpromising communities. Several preachers were raised up who ranked with the best, and the Church was established that under the impulse received has continued to grow and flourish as the garden of the Lord ; and in the day when results are traced to causes, it will be seen that to William P. Ratcliffe
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more than any other is due the honor of establishing Meth- odism in that difficult field. More than half a Conference rest securely under God on the territory over which Rat- cliffe traveled as a Presiding Elder. The preachers there today, dwelling under their own vine and fig tree, may boldly say to the enemies of Methodism: 'Walk about Zion; tell the towers thereof; mark ye well her bulwarks ; consider her palaces, that ye may tell it to the generations following.' 'This God is our God for ever and ever ; he will be our guide even unto death.'
" As a practical preacher Ratcliffe had no superior. He never preached any sky-scraping sermons, that left his hearers gaping and wondering. He hid behind the cross and always tried to make the impression that he was deliver- ing a message from the God of heaven. Many a sinner that had gone to church out of mere idle curiosity, or as a matter of course, has under his preaching remained to pray. Hun- dreds in eternity will call him blessed. He was a born captain of the Lord's host. Had he drifted into military life, he would have won renown on every battlefield. Under the first Napoleon he would have been a Marshal Ney. But his natural impetuosity was chastened by the sanctifying power of the spirit of God, so that all he was was on the altar of sacrifice. He could not live without daily communion with his Lord ; hence, he prayed much. I have never been asso- ciated with any one who prayed more. Such was his con- stitutional temperament, that to use his own language he could not ' get along on a little religion.' He read his Bible with prayer, he prepared his sermons with prayer, and he could get the marrow out of a text with more aptness than any man of his day. He was strong in the Lord ; he did not know fear. I have seen him at camp-meeting when 'lewd fellows of the baser sort,' who came for fun and frolic, were trampling the rules of order under their feet. I have seen him meet such men, and with his hand clasped in theirs, he
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