USA > Arkansas > History of Methodism in Arkansas > Part 29
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Camden Female College was organized the same year, and William P. Ratcliffe was appointed by the Conference , as agent for the school. The fact that such a man was ap- pointed agent shows that the Conference regarded this as a very important enterprise.
Arkadelphia Female College was organized in 1860, James E. Cobb, president.
At the beginning of the war in 1861 there were in success- ful operation the following schools: Soulesbury Institute, at Batesville; Ouachita Female College, at Tulip; Arka- delphia Female College, at Arkadelphia, James E. Cobb, president ; and Wallace Institute, near Van Buren, Peter A. Moses, president. In addition to these there were a number of respectable private schools that were doing most excellent work in the elementary branches of education. The Oua-
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chita Conference for 1859 appointed Samuel Morris as agent to raise funds to establish a male college of high grade, and the enterprise was pushed with considerable suc- cess, and a large sum of money was subscribed, with every prospect of final success; but with nearly every other south- ern enterprise, every Church school interest in the State was completely destroyed by the war.
We are not to suppose, however, that because all these schools were destroyed that no good was accomplished by them. We had just as well suppose that because a church building is destroyed, and the society scattered, that the souls converted and saved during its existence are lost to the cause of Christ. Every youth that was educated in these schools was a clear gain to society, and many of these are now to be found occupying respectable positions in social life, and in Church and State. These schools in a large de- gree filled the demands of their day, and made it possible for the greater advancement of the present time. The first effort of which we have any knowledge that was made by the Church in Arkansas after the close of the war was in the City of Camden in 1868. At the session of the Little Rock Conference for this year the " Camden Male College " and the " Camden Female College " were organized and adopted as Conference schools. Rev. William H. Browning was ap- pointed to the presidency of the Camden Female College and H. O. Stanley was the president of the Camden Male College. These schools continued in successful operation for several years, and did some excellent work; but owing to the lack of adequate financial support, they were at length compelled to suspend. Quitman Institute was or- ganized as a Conference school in 1870, Peter A. Moses, President. This excellent school has been in successful op- eration from the date of its organization until the present time. During the past year (1891) the friends of the College erected new and commodious buildings, so that the prospects
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are that Quitman College will be one of the leading schools of the State.
In the minutes for 1871 we read, Quitman Institute, Peter A. Moses : Lewisburg Seminary, Isom L. Burrow ; Mineral Springs Academy, Thomas W. Hays. In 1873, we have in the White River Conference, Washington High School, A. R. Bennick, principal.
The next attempt to organize a school of superior grade was in 1871, when the Arkansas Female College was organ- ized in the City of Little Rock. In 1872 the Rev. A. R. Winfield was appointed agent and Rev. L. M. Lewis, presi- dent of the College. This school flourished for a number of years, but finally passed out of the hands of the Church, and is now in successful operation as a private school, under the direction of Mrs. Myra C. Warner. In 1883 Rev. I. L. Burrow established a college at Altus, which was subse- quently adopted by the three annual Conferences in Arkan- sas. In 1886, Rev. A. C. Millar was appointed to the presidency of the College, which has been eminently suc- cessful under his administration. In 1890 this College was removed from Altus to Conway, where large and well-ar- ranged buildings have been erected for the school. Since its adoption as a Conference school, it has been well patron- ized, and is now recognized as one of the best colleges in the State.
In 1888 the citizens of Searcy made a liberal offer to the Church in Arkansas, which was accepted by the three Con- ferences, to establish a female college of high grade in the Town of Searcy. A large and handsome building was erected, and the school was opened in September, 1889, Rev. S. H. Babcock, president. This school has had the most remarkable success from its organization to the present. time.
The Arkadelphia Female College, located at Arkadelphia, was organized in 1891. Excellent brick buildings have
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been erected and a good faculty has been secured, under the presidency of Rev. G. C. Jones, with every prospect of final success.
It will be seen from this brief statement of the past his- tory of education in Arkansas that while there has been much misdirected zeal, and many mistakes have been made, that much real good has been accomplished. In this, as in many other things, we have learned to profit by our failures. The present outlook is cheering and hopeful. If the Church is wise to improve the advantages already gained, Method- ism will be able to take the lead in the educational move- ments of the day.
In addition to the schools that have been mentioned, there has been a number of private schools under the patron- age of the Church at various times, which, while they have not attempted to rise to the position of colleges, have done most excellent work for the cause of education in their day. Among these we notice a male and female seminary at Min- eral Springs, under the care of Rev. T. W. Hays, and Rev. John H. Riggin, at Warren, Ark., both of which were ex- cellent schools. A number of the districts in the Confer- ences have most excellent district schools at the present time.
RELIGIOUS LITERATURE.
The history of Methodism demands at our hands some reference to its literature. An eminent writer has well said : "Nothing, not even the living voice, has more contributed to the advancement of Christianity than the press. It has brought all languages under tribute to itself, and has given divine truth, like a fresh element of life, to all countries. In the midst of, violent political changes, the blood of war, the decay of nations, the press has preserved the Bible-the casket of heavenly jewels-extended the light of revelation to remote lands of darkness and sorrow, giving to them the promise of spring, the beauty of summer; making the glo-
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rious gospel, broad, high and majestic as a mountain, in the midst of the ruins of vice and error.
" Denominational literature is the natural outgrowth of denominational life. , They necessarily go together. Every regiment has its own colors. And as fresh deeds of valor add to the worth of the colors, new stages of life, increased years, give the mellowed charm and venerableness of his- tory to the records of distinctive churches.
"That which might commence obscurely and without pretension might, as time goes on and new energies are de- veloped, attain to great and commanding dimensions. In the process many changes take place, but these only strengthen and perpetuate the good and the useful."
That wonderful man, Mr. Wesley, was fully alive to the importance of employing the press as an agency in the great reformation in which he was engaged. Notwithstand- ing he was so busily engaged in evangelistic work, and was so burdened with the care of the societies that had been raised up by his personal labors, and those who were associated with him, he saw from the beginning the necessity of em- ploying the press in connection with the spoken word.
At the Conference of 1767, it is said that the greater part of the time was occupied in the examination of the character of the preachers. Among the items of interest was the better circulation of books, which Dr. Stephens says was " a means of usefulness which began almost with the origin of Methodism, and may thus be considered the commencement of the popular and systematic use of the religious press by evangelical Protestantism." The same authority says that "Wesley, from the very beginning of his public career, seemed to have a sublime idea of the power of the religious press. He used it continually and never ceased to exhort his preachers to circulate books and tracts."
As early as 1749 Mr. Welsey organized what was termed
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his Christian Library. In Jackson's preface to Wesley's works, we have this reference to the Christian Library :
" The cheap and useful literature of subseqent times has been an imitation, designedly or not, of this extraordinary literary scheme of Wesley. Modern compilers have few diffi- culties to surmount. They can readily avail themselves of the improvements of science, and of that appetite for knowl- edge which is excited by the school-master. Wesley had to create that appetite, and he had to create it in a people deeply sunk in ignorance and addicted to brutal habits. His Christian Library was a noble effort to render available to the spiritual interests of the people in general the scarce and valuable works of voluminous and learned authors.
"In August, 1777, he projected the Arminian Magazine, and issued the first number in the beginning of 1778. It was one of the first four religious magazines which sprung from the resuscitated religion of the age, and which began this species of Protestant publications in the world."
CHURCH PERIODICALS.
At a very early period in the history of Methodism in Ar- kansas, the Church recognized the importance of a sound, healthy Church literature, and at a very early day patronized the various periodicals published in the interest of religion. The early Methodist patronized to some extent the New York Advocate, and at a later date the National Christian Advocate, as the general organ of the Church. The first mention that we have of a paper especially devoted to the interests of Methodism in Arkansas, was in 1851, when the Memphis and Arkansas Christian Advocate was published in the City of Memphis, Francis A. Owen, editor. . The names of Stephenson and Owen, as book agents of the Pub- lishing House in Nashville, are familiar to all the older Methodists, whose recollection of Church affairs reaches back into the fifties, and up to the beginning of the civil war. In 1854 there was a change in the name and manage-
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ment of the paper. It was then called the Memphis Christian Advocate, with James E. Cobb, editor, who was at that time a member of the Arkansas Conference. In 1856 the style, of the paper was again changed to Memphis and Arkansas Ad- vocate, Samuel Watson, editor. In 1857 the style of the paper was Memphis, Arkansas and Ouachita Advocate, Samuel Watson, editor. This arrangement continued until 1862, when the paper was compelled to suspend publication on account of the civil war. The older preachers and mem- bers of the Church will remember the type of paper that was furnished the readers of that day. If we take into con- sideration the limited advantages afforded the publishers of our Church papers, as compared with the advantages possessed by the publishers of the present time, we are sur- prised at the success they achieved in Church literature. As late as 1859 the entire membership of the Memphis, Arkan- sas and Ouachita Conferences did not exceed 35,000. At the present writing, 1892, the membership in Arkansas is a little more than 70,000. In those days there was not a mile of railroad in Arkansas, and but very few miles within the territory embraced in the Memphis Conference. Now the entire country is traversed by railroads, bringing our pub- lishers and editors in direct contact with the great body of the people.
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In 1865 the Rev. Samuel Watson resumed the publication of the Memphis and Arkansas Christian Advocate, at Mem - phis.
In 1866 the Rev. James E. Cobb began the publication of the Arkansas Christian Advocate at Arkadelphia, which re- ceived the indorsement and patronage of the little Rock and Arkansas Conferences. This paper was removed to the City of Little Rock, where its publication was continued under the editorial control of James E. Cobb until 1870, when its publication was suspended, James E. Cobb trans- ferring to the Louisiana Conference to take charge of the
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Homer Male College, an institution under the control of that Conference.
Upon the suspension of the Arkansas Christian Advocate, the patronage of the Arkansas Conference was transferred to the Western Methodsst, published in Memphis, William C. Johnson, editor, and R. W. Blew, publisher. Under the management of Johnson & Blew, the Methodist enjoyed a large degree of popularity in Arkansas, as well as in the Memphis and North Mississippi Conferences. The death of R. W. Blew, which occurred in 1878, was a serious loss to the Western Methodist, for but few laymen have ever suc- ceeded in gaining so strong a hold upon the confidence and love of the Church as did R. W. Blew. In 1880 William C. Johnson removed the office of the Methodist from Memphis to Little Rock, where it continued to be published until 1882, when it was again removed to Memphis.
In 1882 Rev. Samuel Colburn began the publication of a paper at Monticello, Ark., and about the same time Rev. John W. Boswell, Jerome Haroldson and Rev. Juliau C. Brown began the publication of another at Morrilton, Ark. These, however, were combined in one paper at Little Rock, to be called the Arkansas Methodist, under the editorship of Rev. Samuel Colburn, with Rev. John W. Boswell and Rev. Julien Brown, associate editors. The paper enjoyed a good degree of prosperity under this management. In 1883 the paper passed into the hands of Rev. Samuel Colburn, as editor, and John P. Lowry as business manager, and was beginning to enjoy a good degree of prosperity, with a bright future before it, when the editor, Samuel Colburn, was called away by death. This required an entire change in the management of the paper. The writer of this assumed the temporary con- trol of the paper for a few months, until permanent arrange- ments could be made for its continuance. The paper was finally sold to Rev. A. R. Winfield, D. D., and John H. Dye, D. D., who became the joint editors and proprietors of the
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Arkansas Methodist. Under the leadership of such able and popular men the Arkansas Methodist soon enjoyed a large degree of prosperity.
The Rev. Samuel Colburn, who may be regarded as the foun- der of the Arkansas Methodist, was, at the time of his death, rapidly developing into a strong, clear and vigorous writer, and no doubt if he had lived would have carried the enter- prise to a very large degree of success. Under his manage- ment the paper was beginning to take rank among the older papers of the Church. Under the leadership of Dr. Win- field the paper soon began to attract the attention of the Church and the most prominent men throughout the State. In 1885 Dr. Dye sold his interest in the Methodist to A. Emmonson, a layman, of Carlisle, Arkansas, and from this time Dr. Winfield continued to be the sole editor until his death, which occurred December 26, 1887.
At the death of Dr. Winfield everything was again in con- fusion in reference to the Methodist. The writer of this again assumed the temporary editorial control of the paper until other arrangements could be made. In a few weeks satisfactory arrangements were made with Rev. Z. T. Ben- nett, who purchased the financial interest of the paper which formerly belonged to Dr. Winfield, and assumed the edito- rial control of the paper, having been elected to that posi- tion by the publishing committee of the three Conferences.
In 18-, Hon. George Thornburgh, a prominent layman in the Church, and having large experience in the field of journalism, became associated with Rev. Z. T. Bennett in the conduct of the paper as business manager. Under the con- trol of Bennett & Thornburgh the success of the Arkansas Methodist has far exceeded the expectations of its most sanguine friends.
Arkansas Methodists have not confined their patronage to their own Conference organ; they have been loyal to the general publishing interests of the Church. The Nashville
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Christian Advocate has always enjoyed the confidence and received the patronage of the Church in Arkansas. Other Church papers, such as the St. Louis Christian Advocate and the New Orleans Christian Advocate have a very good circulation, the one in the southern and the other in the northern part of the State. Other Church papers have a few subscribers in the State. The last few years has wit- nessed a great improvement in the circulation of our Church literature, and indicates a growing interest upon the part of our people in everything that pertains to the welfare of the Church.
While our Methodist people have not appreciated the power of the press as they ought to have done, an exam- ination of the statistics of the Church papers of other com- munions will show, however, that they compare favorably with the membership of other denominations in this respect,. and that there has been a gradual improvement in the quality of our Church literature, and in the patronage given by the people.
An examination of the newspaper directory of 1891 re- veals the following facts in regard to the weekly circulation of the papers devoted to the interests of the denominations. enumerated in this list :
Methodist papers, weekly circulation . . . 495,120
Baptist papers, weekly circulation 324,439
Presbyterian papers, weekly circulation . . 163,004 Episcopal papers, weekly circulation. .. 63,550
In the above enumeration no account has been taken of any other than weekly denominational newspapers. Neither has any account been taken of the Sunday-school literature of these denominations. An examination of these figures will show that the proportion of papers read is to the total mem- bership about the same in each of the denominations. When we remember that the Methodist and Baptist Churches con- tain such a large number of poor people and negroes, it is
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very remarkable that the proportion of members who read our Church literature is as great as in those churches whose boast is that their mission is more especially adapted to the cultured and educated portions of society. An examination of the directory will reveal another fact, that the member- ship of the Church in Arkansas support as many Church papers as the membership of the Church in any other State.
CHAPTER XXIII.
OTHER METHODISMS-PROTESTANT METHODIST CHURCH IN ARKANSAS - M. E. CHURCH-AFRICAN METHODISTS -- AFRICAN ZION CHURCH -- COLORED M. E. CHURCH.
The Methodist Episcopal Church, South, and the Protest- ant Methodist Church were the only forms of Methodism that existed in Arkansas in 1860. The great body of the Methodists, both white and colored, were connected with the M. E. Church, South. There were a few Protestant Methodists scattered over the State, but not in sufficient numbers to make any considerable impression upon the Methodism of the State. Their congregations were gen- erally very small, and so widely scattered that they were of very little support to each other. While the Protestant Methodists have had some very faithful ministers and ex- cellent members, that form of Methodism has never been able to make much impression upon the people of Arkansas.
Every Church should stand for a distinct principle that separates it from every other Church organization to justify its existence as a separate denomination. The sentiment of the great body of Christians is against needless divisions. While the very largest liberty should be granted every class of Christians to form any kind of Church organization that they believe would best promote the kingdom of Christ, this liberty should not be used to promote needless divisions, thereby weakening the influence of the Church in the great work of saving men. Whether correct or not, the great body of Methodists do not believe that the difference be- tween the Protestant and Episcopal Methodists is of suffi- cient magnitude to justify a separate organization.
As many of the readers of this work may not have access
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to any history of the organization of the Protestant Metho- dist Church, a short account of this body may not prove un- acceptable to them.
About the year 1821 an animated discussion of the princi- ples of Church polity was introduced into a periodical enti- tled the Western Repository, edited and published by William S. Stockton, a layman of the Methodist Episcopal Church in Trenton, N. J. The controversy was continued with con- siderable bitterness upon both sides, until it finally resulted in the organization of the Methodist Protestant Church in 1830. The principal points of controversy were involved in the episcopacy and lay representation. Episcopacy was rejected and lay delegation was adopted. The doctrines, general usages and modes of worship common to Method- ism were retained. For many years there was quite a bitter controversy carried on between the Methodist Protestant and the Methodist Episcopal Church, but as the parties to the original controversy have passed away, a much more pleasant state of feelings has existed between these Churches, and the relation between these bodies is of the most amicable character.
THE M. E. CHURCH.
This body of Methodists, usually called for the sake of distinction Northern Methodists, were introduced into the State during the civil war. After the northern part of the State had been occupied by the Federal armies there were some of the members of the M. E. Church, South, who be- came dissatisfied with their Church relations, and united with the M. E. Church and formed congregations in different parts of the State. To these were added a large number of Northern Methodists who came down with the army. In 1873 the first Annual Conference was formed. This Con- ference met in the City of Little Rock, Bishop Bowman pre- siding.
A large number of the colored people, who had formerly
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belonged to the M. E. Church, South, united with the M. E. Church, and constituted a very large proportion of the mem- bership of the Church. From 1865 to 1873 the whites and colored members were united in the same Conference, but in 1873 a division of the Conference was made on the color line, the white and colored Methodists being placed in sep- arate Conferences but occupying the same territory. The colored Conference was called the Little Rock Conference while the white Conference was called the Arkansas Con- ference. That distinction is still retained. In view of the severe criticisms of our Northern brethren upon their South- ern brethren on account of the color line, it appears a little strange that they would consent to draw that line so closely themselves. It is but another instance of the disappearance of plausible theories before the stern logic of facts. It is a fact that both white and colored can do their work better in separate Conferences and congregations than when united in the same Conference and congregation. The latest statis- tics show that they have 5538 white members and -- col- ored members within the State (1891). Little Rock Uni- versity, a school for whites, and Philander Smith College, an institution of learning for the colored, are both located in the City of Little Rock, and are both meeting with fair suc- cess in the education of the young people of the Church. While to many it may seem that the success of that branch of Methodism has not been at all commensurate with the large amount of money expended, it is highly probable they have been able to reach a class of population that could not have been reached by any other form of Methodism.
It may be of interest to the reader to know something of the locality of the churches connected with this body of Methodism. There are 180 members in the two churches at Little Rock; at Argenta, 50 members; Hot Springs, 53 members; Fort Smith, 43 members; Waldron, 73 members. The greater part of their membership is within the Fort
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Smith and Eureka Springs Districts. The Little Rock Dis- trict, which embraces all South Arkansas and east of the Iron Mountain road, has a membership of 767.
It will be seen from these facts that the membership of the M. E. Church are scattered over a wide extent of terri- tory, and it does appear to us that there is not sufficient cause to justify such an expenditure of men and means to continue the separate existence of that Church in the State.
COLORED METHODIST ORGANIZATIONS.
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