USA > Arkansas > History of Methodism in Arkansas > Part 22
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" William K. Pugh was born July 28, 1849. Brother Pugh professed religion in 1866, and joined the M. E. Church,
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South. He was licensed to preach July 24, 1875, and re- mained a faithful, devoted local preacher until the Annual Conference held at Ozark in the fall of 1879, where he was received on trial. Brother Pugh was sent to one of the hardest works, if not the hardest, in the Conference-the Mountainburg Circuit. He did a faithful year's work, and did it cheerfully. The reception was not so cold, the moun- tain so high, the impediments so great, as to quench the itin- erant fire that sparkled in his heart and burned in his bones. He was a close student, brought up his course of study. but at Conference was too unwell to go before the committee. Brother Pugh was next appointed to the Valley Springs Cir- cuit with Brother Stork, but was unable to travel. He went home to his mother's in Baxter County, Ark., where he re- mained, and suffered with that deceitful disease, consump- tion, till November 10, 1882, at which time he was released from suffering and carried to his reward above. Brother Pugh died as he had lived, full of faith and the Holy Ghost."
The Little Rock Conference for this year met at Malvern, Ark., November 28, 1883, Bishop Granberry, President. The following were admitted on trial, John T. Rascoe, W. W. Mills, Achilles O. Evans, Lorenzo W. House, Soule Scott, James Y. Christmas and John H. Callaway. Of these A. O Evans, James Y. Christmas, W. W. Mills, Soule Scott, J. T. Rascoe and L. W. House are all members of Little Rock Conference.
The Little Rock Conference, like the Arkansas Confer- ence, suffered the loss by death of some most excellent preachers-John Pryor, B. C. Weir, J. C. Greenwood and W. B. Whitesides.
The following memoirs were published in the minutes of the Conference :
W. B. Whitesides was born in Hempstead County, Arkan- sas, in 1853. He professed faith in Christ and joined the
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Methodist Church when but a small boy. He was licensed to preach at Prescott in 1877, and received on trial in the Lit- tle Rock Conference in 1881, and appointed to the Ultima Thule Mission. In 1882, he was appointed to the Texar- kana Circuit, where he died during the year. He was re- garded as being a good, faithful preacher, and left a good testimony behind him to comfort his friends.
John Pryor was recognized by all who knew him as one of the purest men that ever labored in Arkansas. He was a native of Sullivan County, Tenn., and at the time of his death was 72 years old. He was licensed to preach and joined the Tennessee Conference in 1830. He became a member of the Ouachita Conference in 1854 and remained effective until within a few years of his death, when advanc- ing years and disease compelled him to take a superannu- ated relation the Church. He filled during his ministry a number of very important positions in the Church, and in whatever relation he was placed, his fidelity to the trust re- posed in him, won for him the confidence and love of his brethren.
James C. Greenwood was a native of Giles County, Ten- nessee. He was converted and joined the Church in 1857, and was licensed to preach in 1858. He was admitted on trial in the Little Rock Conference in 1878, and appointed to the Sheridan Circuit. He traveled four full years, doing most faithful and effective service for the Church, and greatly beloved by the people in every charge he filled. It was said by one who knew that at his death the Church mourned for him as children for a father.
B. C. Weir was known among us as one of the most faith- ful and devoted preachers of the Conference. At the time of his death he was 79 years old, and had been a traveling preacher for forty-five years. It was said of him that, though he was appointed to some of what would be called hard ap- pointments, no murmur was ever heard to escape his lips. He
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died as he lived, trusting with implicit confidence in Christ.
The White River Conference for 1883 met at Newport, December 12, Bishop Granberry, President.
The following were received on trial at this Conference : William Rutledge, James D. Rutledge, James R. Edwards, John Q. Maynard, William A. Pendergrass, Henry C. Kirby, Joseph B. Dodson. Received by transfer, N. Futrell and Francis A. Jeffett.
There was one death reported during the year. William M. Avery was about 33 years old at the time of his death. He was licensed to preach in 1881, and joined the Confer- ence in 1882, but before he was able to go to his work was taken sick and died. He was a good and true man, and his end was in peace. ,
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CHAPTER XIX.
ELI C. JONES-GEORGE A. SCHAEFFER-M. J. F. BEASLEY- WILLIAM P. LANEY-JULIUS STANLEY -- OPTIMUS C. ROBIN- SON-JAMES A. ANDERSON-ALFRED P. MELTON-ELIJAH DICKENS-THOMAS J. SMITH-STATISTICS OF CONFERENCES -W. J. DODSON -- SEMI-CENTENNIAL -- THE CONFERENCES.
The Arkansas Conference for 1884 met at Van Buren, November 19, 1824, Bishop Hargrove President, J. W. Bos- well, Secretary.
The following were admitted on trial : William B. Smith, Frank Naylor, Perry P. Burke, George S. Yarborough, Wil- liam D. Powell, Charles C. Spence, Charles C. Graham, Harvey A. Storey, William A. McIver, John M. Cantrell and John H. Watts, Received by transfer, Young Ewing, James A. Walden and William W. Lundy. There was one death during this year.
Eli C. Jones died at his residence in Mountain Home, Ark., June 4, 1884. He was born in Stafford, Orange County, Vermont, July 12, 1811. He was consequently 73 years. old at the time of his death. He was an itinerant preacher about twenty years, the greater part of the time in Indiana and Wisconsin. Being an educated man, a profound thinker and a close student, he was called to fill important stations, circuits and districts. By his powerful reasoning hundreds were turned from their sins to Christ. He was a true Metho- dist and a bold, fearless defender of her doctrines. Eli Jones, as he was familiarly called, spent about eighteen years. in this part of the country, and was known as a strong preacher, a good citizen and a devoted Christian. Not- withstanding he has been on the superannuated list for many' years, and was granted a superannuated relation at our last
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Conference, he has had regular appointments almost every Sabbath. In addition to his faithful labors, he was a liberal supporter with his money. The preachers who have traveled this work will remember his home, his liberal sup- port and wise counsel. He was the itinerant's friend.
The White River Conference for 1884 met at Batesville, December 3, Bishop Hargrove, President, and George Thornburgh, Secretary.
A. M. R. Branson, C. W. Rock, William F. Walker, E. M. Davis, Thomas Whitaker, A. J. Johnson, W. A. Pender- grass and Moses Harp were received on trial.
There were two deaths during the year, George A. Schaeffer and M. J. F. Beasley.
George A. Schaeffer was received on trial in the Alabama Conference in 1853, and traveled in that Conference until 1858, when he was transferred to the Arkansas Conference, and appointed to the Fayetteville Station. In 1859, Fort . Smith Station. In 1860, Clarksville Circuit. In 1861, Lewis- burg Circuit. In 1862 and 1863, Dover Circuit. In 1864 he was transferred to the Texas Conference. He returned to the Arkansas Conference in -, and continued to travel in the Arkansas and White River Conferences until his death ; in 1884. In the memoir presented to the Conference we have this estimate of his character as a preacher : "As a preacher he was above mediocrity. He was an elegant and refined Christian gentleman in all the varied walks of life. In his social intercourse with his brethren he was always pleasant and agreeable, and we shall greatly miss him from our annual gatherings. He died in peace, strong in faith. and has gone to his reward in heaven. He bore the burden of the itinerant life for more than thirty years, and has gone to reap the reward of that rest prepared for the people of God."
M. J. F. Beasley was admitted into the Conference in 1876, and was appointed to the Marvel Circuit. He con-
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tinued to travel until his death in 1884. Of him the min- utes say : " M. J. F. Beasley was a man after God's own heart, thoroughly consecrated to the work of the ministry, He exemplified in a life of holy living the vital principles of the gospel, and gave evidence to all around that he had been with Christ, and had learned of him. The divine afflatus was upon him. His religion was no dry intellectual abstrac- tion, but a glorious experience, a blessed assurance within of his acceptance with God. In the death of Brother Beas- ley the Church has lost an indefatigable worker, humanity a friend, and this Conference one of its purest and most con- secrated men. May we emulate his many Christian virtues, and may his mantle fall upon every surviving member of the Conference."
The Little Rock Conference for this year met at Little Rock, Bishop Hargrove, President ; J. R. Moore, Secretary.
Joseph A. Baker, J. W. Scott, W. R. Harrison, J. H. Cal- loway, W. A. Freeman, L. W. House, J. Y. Christmas, W. W. Mills and E. M. Wright were admitted on trial.
The Little Rock Conference for 1885 met at Arkadel- phia December 2-8, Bishop Granberry President.
William A. Cajul, Thomas D. Scott, William McKay, Nathan E. Bragg, Samuel A. Hill, B. B. McCraw, William C. Adams and R. T. Nabors were admitted on trial. W. G. Miller was received by transfer.
The Little Rock Conference suffered the loss by death of three active and promising young preachers-William P. Laney, Julius A. Stanley and Optimus C. Robinson.
William P. Laney was 31 years old at the time of his death. He was converted in 1872, and licensed to preach in 1874, and received on trial in the Little Rock Conference in 1878. He traveled the following circuits in the order named: Lacey, Hamburg, Bartholomew and Camden. His health failing in 1884, he was granted a superannuated rela- tion, but that artful and insidious destroyer of human life-
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consumption-had seized upon him as a victim, and day by day he grew weaker until his pure spirit was released by death. It was truthfully said of him that he was a man of fine mind and a sweet, loving spirit. He loved his brethren and they loved him. His race was short but brilliant, and he rests from his labors.
Julius A. Stanley was from Tennessee to Arkansas, and of his early history we have but little information. He was received on trial in the Little Rock Conference in 1879. He · filled the following charges: Richwoods Mission, Maumelle Circuit and White River Circuit. His health failing, he was. granted a superannuated relation, but the fell destroyer soon claimed him for its victim. Almost his last words were, “ I am so happy." He was a studious, zealous and prudent man, and died without a blur upon his character.
Optimus C. Robertson was received on trial at the Con- ference with Julius A. Stanley. He was on the Amity Circuit for three years, then two years on the Social Hill Circuit. His last work was on the Camden Circuit. He died during the session of the Conference. One who knew him well said of him that "he was a. noble, true man and a devoted minister. A strong, well-balanced man; if God had spared him he would have measured up to any of his brethren."
The White River Conference for this year met at Helena, December 9-14, 1885, Bishop Granberry President.
R. S. Deener, W. J. Vick, William Mavly, D. W. Reid, J. M. Denison, R. C. Bland, M. J. Hively, W. S. Southworth, T. B. Williamson, M. Martz, W. A. Peck were admitted on trial. W. E. Rutledge, Edgar M. Pipkin and J. R. Rob- ertson were received by transfer.
There was one death during the year.
James A. Anderson was admitted on trial in the Little Rock Conference in 1879, and traveled in that Conference until 1882, when he was transferred to the White River Con- ference. Brother Anderson was a plain gospel preacher,
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well received and greatly repected by the people on every charge he served. He was never married. He sent this message to the Conference : " Tell my brethren of the White River Conference that I died at my post."
The Arkansas Conference for this year met at Morrillton, November 25-30, 1885, Bishop Granberry President.
William O. Basham, John M. England, James B. Wil- liams, William Jenkins and Samuel N. Burns were received on trial. A. M. Elam and William E. Rutledge were re ceived by transfer.
There were three deaths during the year-Alfred P. Mel- ton, Elijah Dickens and Thomas J. Smith.
The following notices are taken from the memoirs fur- nished by the committee as found in the minutes :
" Alfred P. Melton, son of Robert and Elizabeth Melton, was born in Gilmer County, Georgia, on the 3Ist day of March 1855, and died at the parsonage in Russellville, Ark., on the 5th day of September, 1885, in the thirty-first year of his age. The deceased was reared in McMinn County, Tennessee. At the age of 14 years he made a profession of religion and joined the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which he remained a member until the fall of 1871, when he joined the M. E. Church, South, whose name he adorned to the day of his death. On the 12th day of October, 1876, he was married to Miss Harriet Horton, of Quitman, Ark., whom he leaves a broken-hearted widow with two little boys to mourn him gone. He was licensed to preach in the month of May, 1875, by the Quarterly Conference of the Clinton Circuit, and was admitted on trial into the Arkansas Conference at its session held in Russellville in November, 1878. so that he fell on the very spot where he entered the itinerant service. From Russellville he was sent to the Walnut Tree Circuit. His next appointment was the Dardanelle Circuit in 1880-I, and in 1882-3 he served Springfield and Hill Creek Station with acceptability. In
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1884 he was appointed to Russellville Circuit, and in 1885 to Rusellville Station, from whence he was summoned home. He was ordained Deacon at Fort Smith by Bishop H. N. McTyeire in November, 1880, and Elder at Clarksville, in November, 1883, by Bishop J. C. Granberry. Bro. Melton was one of the successful men of his time. His success was accomplished in spite of great disadvantages. He was reared by a widowed mother, who, with her family, had a hard struggle to gain a sustenance, and his service was put under tribute to this end .. It was not, therefore, until he heard distinctly and unmistakably the inward voice saying ' Go!' that he set about the preparation for the journey. He at once set out for an educational qualification, which he attained to a satisfactory degree in the common English branches, and passed through the prescribed course of min - isterial study with credit to himself, which gave great promise for future usefulness. His thirst for knowledge, started here, staid with him to the end, and made of him a student, as his earnest religious zeal made him sound in the faith and zealous for his Lord. He was quick and sharp in his criticisms, loving toward his brethren, fervent in spirit, bold in the pulpit, fearless of the world, solicitous in his pas- torate, full of pathos, a man of prayer and full of faith and good works. Being abundant in labors, the body was con- sumed by the spirit, and he died a martyr to his work, with his grave watered with the tears of a bereaved people. Death has taken away this sweet-spirited, magnetic soldier ; but death shall have a conqueror, and our brother shall rise and rejoice in another victory when it shall come to pass that 'death is swallowed up in victory.'
" Servant of God, well done! Rest from thy loved employ ; The battle fought, the victory won, Enter thy Master's joy."
" Elijah Dickens, the son of John A. and Nancy Dickens, was born in Smith County, Tennessee, November 22, 1842.
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In early life he made a profession of religion and united with the M. E. Church, South. At the breaking out of the late war he was in his eighteenth year, and very soon he en- listed in the Confederate army, where he served his country until the surrender. He was married May 22, 1863, to Miss Mary C. Hubbard, of his native county. During the time he was in the army, like many others under the influence of evil associations, he went astray from the path of Christian duty and rectitude. At the close of the war, returning to the more congenial influence of a Christian home, he soon returned to his first love, and became an active Christian worker. He was licensed to preach October 5, 1867 ; or- dained Deacon October 8, 1871, by Bishop G. F. Pierce, and Elder October 10, 1875, by Bishop Wightman. He was admitted on trial in the Tennessee Conference in the fall of 1875, and spent six years of his itinerant life within the bounds of that Conference. He was transferred to Arkan- sas in 1882, and appointed to Cauthron Circuit, Fort Smith · District. In 1883 he traveled the Rover Circuit, where he endured many hardships, privations and even persecutions ; but with the spirit of a true embassador of our Lord Jesus Christ, he stood to his post of duty amidst them all. At the last session of the Conference he was appointed by Bishop Hargrove to the Opelo Mission. As soon after the close of the Conference as he could move his family he was at his work, where he did a faithful and successful work up to the time of his death. On the morning of the 12th of October he was taken suddenly and violently ill with congestion of the brain. He lingered in an unconscious state until Thursday morning, October 15, 1885, when he ceased to live and to work. Brother Dickens as a preacher possessed to a high degree a logical mind, and being well posted in the scriptural doctrines of Methodism, he not only loved her doctrines, but was an able defender of the same. He leaves a wife and four children to mourn their loss."
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"T. J. Smith, familiarly known as 'Uncle Tom,' passed into heaven Thursday morning, November 26, 1885. While he was making preparation in order to answer to his name at roll-call, a pain struck him in his heart, and in twenty minutes he fell asleep and went up to answer the roll-call of the skies. The message, 'Uncle Tom is dead,' went through the Conference like an electric shock. We came to Confer- ence with the shadow of death upon us, for Brother Dickens and Brother Melton had been taken from labor to reward within the year. However, we were happy to meet our now ascended brother in the enjoyment of his usual health, hav- ing had no sickness during the year or for many years. He had been at every Conference since 1867. In answer to the question, 'Have you had a good year?' he said to the writer : 'It has been one of the happiest years of my life.' He went to Dardanelle with 'fear and trembling,' it being the first station to which he was ever appointed, but he came to Conference with tears of joy in his eyes, because he had gathered many sheaves for the Master during the year. He had been heard to say frequently : 'I want to cease at once to work and live. I would like to go from the pulpit or an Annual Conference to heaven.' God granted his wish. After an active and successful ministry for thirty years- laboring from 1855 to 1867 in Missouri, and from 1867 to 1885 in Arkansas-he reported his year's work to the Annual Conference, and then went up from the midst of his brethren to report his life-work to the great Master of the vineyard. He was born in Tennessee, March 30, 1831. His parents moved to Crowley's Ridge, Ark., when he was a small boy ; thence to Barry County, Mo., where the subject of this sketch was born again in his fourteenth year, and joined the M. E. Church, South. He was married to Miss Mahala Stennett, September 6, 1855. He was licensed to preach in 1852 and joined the Missouri Conference in 1855, in which Conference he remained until he was forbidden to preach by the Federal
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authorities. He spent eleven years of his itinerant life in Arkansas on circuits ; six on districts, and one year on Dar- danelle Station. In these different and difficult fields of labor he showed himself 'a workman that needeth not to be ashamed.' He made no pretence to learning, but was well read in our standard theological literature and was a good student of holy scripture. He laid no claim to exceptional excellence of Christian character, but his piety was pure, strong, fervent. Wherever he went his warm, true heart and blameless life secured for him the love and confidence of the people, and gave point and power to his sermons. He was a good preacher. The people loved to hear him. His ser- mons were not abstract, speculative, apologetic, but plain, practical, doctrinal, hortatory. The duties and doctrines of the gospel and the great atonement of Christ-these were the themes of his preaching. Protracted and camp-meetings were his delight. On such occasions he preached with great boldness and power. But he is not, for God has taken him. There is but one remaining link that binds the Conference of 1885 to 1867. By transfer, location and death, the Con- ference has so changed in its membership that the Rev. A. C. Ray is the only representative of the Conference of 1867. Our ascended brother rests from his labors and his labors do follow him. His heart swelled with emotion, and his eyes filled with tears as he listened to the eloquent sermon of the Rev. Dr. Hunt, from the text ' Ye are complete in him.' The vision of that evening has become a glorious reality."
An examination of the statistics of the Church in Arkan- sas, and a comparison of the numbers in 1880 and 1885, re- veals the fact that during these years there was a most grat- ifying increase in the membership of the Church and a healthy growth in all departments of Church work. The total membership of the Church in Arkansas in 1880 was 43,917. In 1885 it was 56,637, showing an increase during these five years of 12,720.
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The total collection for missions in 1880 was $5368.56 .. In 1885 it was $10,857.85, showing that during these five years the missionary collection was a little more than doubled. An examination of the increase of the collections. for all the other benevolent enterprises of the Church will reveal the same encouraging facts. While the Church has not yet reached its duty on all these questions, it is a source of pleasure to know that progress is being made in the right. direction.
The thirty-third session of the Little Rock Conference was held at Hot Springs, Ark., December 8-13, 1886, Bishop Galloway, President, J. R. Moore, Secretary. The admis- sions on trial were Russell R. Moore, Charles L. Adams, Charles B. Brinkley, J: C. A. Marshall, Joshua H. Guffey and R. G. Turner. Received by transfer, Samuel N. Burns.
The fiftieth session of the Arkansas Conference was held at Ozark, Ark., November 24, 1886, Bishop Galloway, Pres- ident, John W. Boswell, Secretary. The admissions on trial were Irwin F. Harris, George A. Marvin, Jesse M. Mc- Anally, John W. Head, James P. Keith, Stonewall J. Dob- son, Geo. W. Davis, John S. Wilbanks, Hugh A. Armstrong, Andrew M. Colson, Charles H. Culpepper. By transfer, Bascomb Monk.
There was one death during this year. W. J. Dodson was born near Somerville, Tenn., October 19, 1835. At the age of fifteen he came with his father to this State and set- tled in White County. He was licensed to preach in 1870, and joined the White River Conference, held by Bishop Keener, at Mount Zion, Cross County, Ark., the same year. He was at once transferred to the Arkansas Conference, hoping to find within its bounds a more healthful locality. He served the following charges : Dardanelle Circuit from 1869 to 1871, Galla Rock Circuit from 1871 to 1875, Darda- nelle Circuit from 1875 to 1877, Lewisburg District from
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1877 to 1880. From that time to his death, his health hav- ing failed, he was placed on the superannuated list.
We do not always appreciate fully our brethren while they are among us, helping to bear the burden and heat of the day, but after they go from us and memory brings back their sweet companionship, their faithful lives, made beauti- ful and glorious by the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, then it is we realize how we loved them and how we need them.
My eye does not fall upon the picture which graces the wall before me without recalling to my mind the image of the ruddy-faced boy preacher, as we called him. Modest as a maiden but bold as a lion, of deep humility and lofty faith, with an intellect of rare logical and imaginative power, with a tongue born to eloquence and a soul on fire with love, I ask myself the question, will the like of Benjamin Lee Ferguson appear among us again ? His memory is as green and fresh today as the wreath which arches with beauty those words, his last text, which tell us of the purity and loftiness of his spirit, and of his flight, all too soon as it seems to us, to that happy place where " the wicked cease from troubling and the weary are at rest."
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