USA > Arkansas > History of Methodism in Arkansas > Part 4
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As Spring River was thought to be of sufficient import- ance to designate the name of the first circuit in Arkansas,
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a brief description of the stream may be of some interest to the reader. Spring River is a branch of the celebrated Mammoth Spring, which lies directly on the line between Missouri and Arkansas. The issue is about one hundred yards south of the line, and flows in a southeasterly direc- tion forty miles to its mouth, near Powhatan on Black River.
The following incident is related of Mr. Lindsay's first visit to the place where Batesville now stands. It was in 1816. A Mr. Reid had ascended the White River with a keelboat, which was loaded with a few dry goods and gro- ceries, and stopped at the mouth of Polk Bayou. As there were some scattered settlements near, and Mr. Lindsay thinking it a good place for an appointment, obtained per- mission from Mr. Reid to preach there on Sunday. Mr. Reid had built a small rough cabin, and cleared away some of the heavy cane that covered that rich bottom soil. The house was small, but it was sufficient to accommodate the small congregation that would assemble. Sunday came, and as the day was fair there was a good congregation for the community. As was the custom in those days, the men brought their rifles and bear dogs with them to church. After the rifles were all stacked against the house and the salutations had been passed, the preacher began the services of the hour. After the singing and prayer, and the preacher had fairly began his sermon, the bear dogs, which in the meantime had found a bear in the cane near by, and as he ran out into an open space near the house, the men sprang to their guns and ran out after the bear, leaving the preacher and the women in the house to conclude the services as best they could. Services, however, were suspended for awhile, and the bear was soon killed, when the men returned and . stacked their guns against the wall, and the preacher fin- ished his sermon without any further interruption.
This was the introduction of Methodism into the neigh- borhood of Batesville several years before the town was lo-
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cated. Rev. John M. Steele informs us that he had this in- cident from an eye-witness of the scene.
That portion of the Tennessee Conference lying west of the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers was organized into the Mis- souri Conference in 1816. At this session of the Conference there were two circuits in the Arkansas Territory. The ap- pointments for Arkansas were: Spring River Circuit, Philip Davis; Hot Springs Circuit, William Stephenson. These two circuits embraced the whole of the Territory of Arkan- sas. At the close of this year there were reported from the circuits lying within the Arkansas Territory 190 members.
The second session of the Missouri Conference met at Bethel, Illinois Territory, October 6, 1817, Bishop Roberts presiding.
The preachers for Arkansas were : Spring River, Alex- ander McAlister ; Hot Springs, William Stephenson and John Harris.
This was an eventful year in the history of Methodism in Arkansas. Two men, William Stephenson and John Harris, men who in after life made their impress upon the Church, and by their zeal and labors won the appellation of apostles of Methodism in Arkansas, were appointed to the same cir- cuit. At this time the Hot Springs Circuit embraced a large part of the Territory of Arkansas. It included all settlements south of the Arkansas River. Mr. Stephenson whose name will frequently occur in the course of this his- tory, has been described as being in personal appearance, a man of about five feet ten inches in height, of a round mus- cular form, with auburn hair, and a very expressive brown eye, and of a nervous, sanguine temperament. He is described as being a man of great personal courage, which gave him wonderful success among the people. At this date Hot Springs had a mixed population of French, Spaniards and Indians, together with a few Americans. There were small groups of settlements formed along the Ouachita and Saline
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and Red Rivers; and the work of these devoted preachers was expected to include all these settlements south of the Arkansas River. From the nature of the case this was a very difficult and important charge. The great majority of the population were either Catholics or inclined toward that religion, and consequently would not listen to the teaching of the Protestant ministry. To add to the difficulties under which these ministers labored there was but little per- manence in society ; the people were so migratory in their habits that permanent churches could not be established ; yet in the face of all these difficulties, these undaunted ser- vants of Christ, by their apostolic zeal, laid securely the foun- dations of success seldom surpassed in the history of the Church. Of these devoted men we will have frequent occa- sion to speak in the future progress of this work.
In our account of the honored men who laid the founda- tions of the Church in Arkansas, we cannot omit the name of John Henry. He is supposed by some to have been the first Methodist preacher to enter the Territory of Arkansas, and to preach the first Methodist sermon. There is some confusion of dates as to the exact time when he entered the Territory. From the best information in possession of the writer, Mr. Lindsay preceded Mr. Henry a short time. Mr. Henry, however, occupies the same relation to the southern part of the State that Mr. Lindsay does to the northern part. They were both pioneers in their respective fields of labor. Father Henry, as he was familiarly called, lived to the great age of 93 years, honored, respected and beloved by all who knew him. The following notice of this vener- able man from the pen of his old friend, Dr. J. Custer, will be greatly appreciated :
"The Rev. John Henry departed this life at his residence near Centre Point, Ark., September 17, 1872, in his ninety- third year. He was a native of North Carolina, and was reared and received strict moral culture by pious Presbyte-
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rian parents. He arrived at manhood a stranger to spirit- uality or spiritual enjoyment, but in early life he was awakened under the preaching of the Rev. Thomas Logan Douglass, and was induced to seek the spiritual life that he felt he so much needed. He became very serious, and sought for about two years without finding comfort. At length he determined to renew his efforts by entering upon the discharge of every Christian duty. The first that came up in order was family prayer, as he was the head of a family. He unfolded his plan to his wife, who was a pious lady, and very cordially agreed to co-operate with him with all her heart, and in his very first effort to lead his family to a throne of grace, God most mercifully and powerfully con- verted his soul. A sacred flame was then kindled in his heart that never burnt dimly through the course of his long and useful life. He left his native State at an early day and settled on Duck River, near Columbia, Tenn., when it was comparatively a wilderness, where some of his family still reside. He remained in that section about ten years, then removed to the Missouri Territory, where he remained until the autumn of 1818, when he made his final move to the wilderness Territory of Arkansas, and settled near Mount Prairie, Hempstead County, within twenty-five miles of which point he spent the remainder of his life. I have no data by which I can arrive at the precise date when he received his license from the Church to preach. It was prior to the year 1810, probably as early as 1805. He was elected by the Missouri Conference to Deacon's orders years before the Arkansas was set off from that Conference, but it was not until 1841 that an opportunity was afforded by Bishop Thomas A. Morris passing through this country for him to receive ordination. He became identified with the Methodist Church in Arkansas in her infancy, and was an active and indefatigable co-laborer with the noble and sweet-spirited William Stephenson, who was the Apostle of 3-M
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Methodism in Arkansas. He made many sacrifices, and labored extensively with that man of God in building up the Church in this wilderness country. Although he never belonged to the itinerancy, yet, in the days of vigorous man- hood, he was abundant in labors, and had a wide-extended sphere of usefulness. His great soul filled to overflowing with love to God and mankind ; he was ever alive to the in- terests of the Redeemer's kingdom, and from his warm heart flowed perpetual streams of beneficence for the weal of the fallen sons of want. And doubtless hundreds, and per- haps thousands, in the day of eternity, will hail him as the blessed instrumentality, either directly or indirectly, of their conversion to God. His life in the Church and in his in- tercourse with the world, most beautifully exemplified the doctrine and spirit of our holy Christianity. Such was his meekness, gentleness, patient forbearance, charity and sympa- thy with the unfortunate and suffering of his race, his can- dor and strict integrity in all the relations of life, that in the estimation of the Church and world he has stood almost without a peer in the Church of God in Arkansas for the last half a century, and to love him was but to know him, by all who had the least appreciation of a virtuous and useful life. God's ministers, especially those in the itinerant ranks, have ever found in him a faithful and reliable friend, and among the vast numbers who have been associated with him in the last half century, perhaps not one could be found who would not readily acknowledge the material aid received from him in the work of forwarding the benevolent enterprises of the gospel. Especially the young and inex- perienced in the ministry ever found in him a sympathizing friend, who watched over them in love, administered godly admonitions, and poured into their desponding hearts sweet comfort and encouragement, and ever followed them up with his mighty prayers. Of late years I have seen some of those who have been the beneficiaries of his godly counsels
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probably a quarter of a century in the past wending their way from distant parts of this field of labor to the humble and retired domicil to interview once more this venerable friend and servant of God. And, O, what a blessed privi- lege to hear the religious experience of one so holy and so ripe for the kingdom of heaven! They felt that God was there, and that they were at the very gate of heaven. But those privileges are past. Father Henry is gone; the loss of his counsel and prayers to us is a aserious one. He has been infirm for many years; has not attempted to preach probably for the last twenty years. For the last six or eight years he has not been able to get out to church regularly, but his heart was there. He felt a deep and abiding interest
for her prosperity. When taken to church, though unable to exhort, he would arise to his feet, supported by a friend, and relate his experience and magnify the love and amazing mercy of God in his salvation. He would speak of his firm hope and ever-brightening prospects of heaven, and would strongly admonish the Church to faithfulness, and urge them, in the language of the apostle, to brotherly love : " Little children, love one another.' He was confined in his last sickness about two months. He bore it without murmur or complaint, but in patient submission he could say, 'Thy will be done,' and in the midst of his deepest affliction the great purpose of his life, to magnify God and to do good, was fully exemplified, and it was a matter of small concern whether this was done by life or by death."
The first "meeting-house " built in Hempstead County was called Henry's Chapel, in honor of John Henry.
Rev. John M. Steele says of him, in reference to his re- moval to Arkansas: "This move brought Mr. Henry in contact with Mr. Stephenson and Mr. Harris, both of whom were laboring in the neighborhood of Mr. Henry's new set- tlement. Their religious views, sentiments and style of labor were in full accord. They introduced the camp-meet-
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ing into that part of the country, and the people would attend them from a distance of twenty-five to an hundred miles. As the chief speaker on such occasions, Mr. Stephen- son was called the Apostle of Methodism for Arkansas."
We have had occasion to speak of a colony of Kentuck- ians, that settled on the west bank of the Mississippi, where Helena now stands. During the year 1818 there was a valu- able addition to that colony in the person of William Harri- son Bailey, who, with his family, came down from Nelson County, Ky., in a flatboat and settled at Helena. His earnest, consistent Christian life soon made an impression upon his neighbors. He opened his house for prayer meet - ings for his neighbors, and finally organized a society of Methodists in Helena, which was the beginning of Methodism in Helena.
In 1818 the tribes of Indians that inhabited the Territory of Arkansas, began, according to treaty stipulations, to re- move to the West, but as they were not hurried by the influx of the whites into the Territory, they did not all remove for a number of years.
From this date, as the original inhabitants began to decline in numbers, and the white population to increase, there was more freedom felt in Church and State, in laying plans for the future growth and development of the country. The statistical reports for the year show a white membership of 447, and colored membership of thirty-five.
CHAPTER VI.
LOCAL PREACHERS -- ALEXANDER-MAXWELL-ELI LINDSAY -JACOB SHOOK -DANIEL PROPPS - HENRY'S CHAPEL- CHARLES SEAY-DR. BIGGS - JOHN M. CARR - JOSEPH RENFROE-WILLIAM G. GUISE-G. W. SORRELLS.
Among the first settlers in Arkansas there were many Methodists from the older States, and among these were some local preachers, and before any regular circuits had been formed or any preachers had been appointed by the Con- ferences to take the pastoral oversight of the flock, these local preachers had collected a few scattering congregations, preaching to them in private houses, and in the open air and under brush arbors, and in this way laid the foundations . of Methodism in the State.
It is somewhat difficult for us at this day, when the de- mands for regular preaching are so fully met by the itinerant ministry, to fully appreciate the labors of these early local preachers. Methodism owes a debt of gratitude to the local ministry of the Church. We can never forget that the first Methodist sermon ever preached in the United States was by a local preacher, Robert Strawbridge, in his own house, on Sam's Creek, then in the backwoods of Maryland. Philip Embury, another local preacher, delivered the first Methodist sermon in the City of New York, in his own hired house, to a congregation of six persons. Then came Thomas Webb, another local preacher, who preached to a congregation gathered in a rigging loft, in the City of New York.
Similar instances of the usefulness of the local ministry might be given from the history of the Church in every State in the Union. In speaking of the labors of Alexander
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in the early days of Methodism in Texas, Bishop McTyiere says: "He had the co-operation of a few faithful local preachers who had gathered a score of members of whom a goodly number were present at this camp-meeting west of Brazos." The wisdom of the Church in recognizing the labors of the local preachers is clearly seen in its adaptation to the necessities of the Church in all new countries. From the time that Mr. Wesley was led to recognize the valuable services of Thomas Maxwell, until the present day, the local ministry has been an essential factor in the success and prosperity of Methodism. An eloquent writer has said : "In many districts in England, laymen-local preachers- prepared the way for Mr. Wesley, and his regular helpers. In some places they broke up the hard soil, planted the first gospel seed, and reaped the first fruit before Wesley came." This history was constantly repeated in America, where the local preachers were not only the first Methodist preachers, but in many instances they were the first Protestant preachers to enter the new Territories. Dr. McAnally says: "It is worthy of note that the earliest pioneer of Methodism in Missouri came from the ranks of the local ministry. It was a local preacher who broke and blazed the way for the first itinerant who, but for these pioneer labors, must have much longer delayed his entrance into this field and achieved when he came a greatly inferior measure of success. Nor was this a solitary instance, but to a large extent it was the case throughout the southwestern and western parts of the country generally."
In common with the history of Methodism in other places, the first Methodist organizations in Arkansas were effected through the labors of local preachers. It was a local preacher, Eli Lindsay, who organized the first societies in the northern part of the State in the early settlements along the Spring and White Rivers, while another local preacher, John Henry, organized the first societies in the
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southern part of the State. He came to Arkansas in 1818, and settled at Mount Prairie, in Hempstead County, where a house of worship was soon built, known as Henry's Chapel. In a short time after this, the brothers Alexander, Jacob Shook, and Daniel Propps, moved into the Territory and settled near Mount Prairie.
These all became familiar names in the history of Arkan- sas Methodism. Some of their descendants afterward en- tered the itinerant ministry, and of them we will have frequent occasion to speak in the course of this history. Another pioneer of Methodism from the local ranks was Charles Seay, who settled in an early day near Warren, in Bradley County, and John M. Carr, who came in an early day to Drew County, and Joseph Renfroe, and William G. Guise, and Dr. Jacob Custer, who at an early day were in the itinerant ranks, but having located did valuable service for many years as local preachers. The name of Dr. Biggs deserves especial notice in this connection. He was for many years engaged in the practice of medicine, and was eminent in his profession. He was a local preacher of marked ability. He located at an' early date in the south- western part of the State, and preached extensively in Hempstead, Howard, and the adjacent counties. He has two sons in the itinerant ministry, W. H. H. Biggs and Joseph Biggs.
The following notice of prominent local preachers in the northwestern part of the State will be of interest :
" The name of George W. Sorrells deserves a place amoug the pioneers of Methodism in the northwestern part of Ar- kansas. The first society of Methodists organized within the territory embraced by the Fort Smith District was in his house, and was principally composed of his family. The nearest appointment to this society was seventy miles, to which place Mr. Sorrells went and reported the organization of this society to the missionary, who placed it on the plan of
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his work. Soon after this he was licensed to preach the gospel. Possessing a strong and vigorous intellect, and of studious habits, he soon became a very able and successful preacher in the local ranks. His services were sought by the people throughout that region of the State. His house was the itinerant preacher's home, and his counsels were greatly prized by his brethren in the traveling ministry, who ever found in him a loyal and sympathizing friend. He was directly instrumental in the conversion of many who attended upon his ministry.
"Among the first teachers to whom I was sent was Rev. William Atchley Maples. He was converted and licensed to preach near Cleveland, Tenn .; came to Carroll County, Ark., in 1850; joined the Arkansas Conference in 1852; was ap- pointed to work in or near the Saline Valley, but by the advice of Rev. Thomas Stanford never took charge of it. Feeble health prevented. He was efficient in helping his pastor. Beyond this his itinerancy never extended, though his heart was in it. He married Mrs. Elizabeth R. Slover, daughter of Binks Lafferty. 3 The Laffertys were famous
for their attachment to Methodism, and Rev. Henderson Lafferty was mighty in word and deed, both in Arkan- sas and Texas. Brother Maples was a devout man, complete master of himself, and those who know him most intimately said he never surrendered to his tongue or temper. He was seized and carried away quickly by con- sumption. He was joyful in death-ended his race August 18, 1855, and his body awaits the coming of Christ, in the Carrollton cemetery. We know his two sons and their mother well. It is a pleasure to minister to them in holy things.
" Rev. John Fletcher Seaman was a New York Yankee ; came to Arkansas as a traveling preacher at an early day ; did several years of hard work in Northwest Arkansas, and in the Indian Territory; married Miss Sophia Kenner; located
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about 1834, and turned his attention to the practice of medi- cine, and then to merchandising. He hung northward at the division of the Church in 1844, and labored hard to have a following. Failing in this he held his intense abolitionism in abeyance, went into the Church South until the war, and then found congenial company in the Methodist Episcopal Church near Marionville, Mo. He fell in his tracks lifeless on a Sunday evening in 1871. I spent six months once in his family. He was a money-maker, and commanded the confidence and patronage in business of many of the very best citizens. I called at his home in Missouri, in July, 1865, just from a two-years imprisonment, sick, worn, weary and whipped. He nursed me, fed me, doctored me, kept me a week, sent me half-a-day's ride on my way, and gave me a written pass through a vicious neighborhood. But he in- quired of me when I first felt compunction for fighting against the 'best government the world ever saw ?' He saw instantly the question was too much, and pressed it not. His kindness had been at work, and he looked for immediate results. If they did not appear on the surface he probed for them. He would have been immensely pleased to have known I was sorry for my part of the fight. I could have told him I had not done much of it, but conscience would have replied that I had been an uncompromising well-wisher. I held him up three years for a counter-question. I got my chance. I asked the doctor how he could without solicita- tion take the Confederate oath, and then afterwards by Missouri's iron-clad oath swear he had never sympathized with, or aided the Southerners ? He said, on the command, ' Be subject to the powers that be.' When the South changed hands he changed his allegiance. We subsided into a day's talk on religious experience and the work of the ministry.
" Rev. Martin Trentham, of Berryville, was the most re- markable of my local preacher acquaintances. He was con-
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verted in a most powerful manner. His conviction for sin were pungent and all-pervading. They ran through some years. Finally, he was made vividly to feel that conviction had come to him for the last time, and if he did not turn effectually to God the spirit would abandom him. He sought God vigorously, his case became desperate, all his efforts and prayers failed him. So he determined to settle the matter. In his desperation he left his house to seek only once more. Completely overcome he fell at the road- side, but staggered to the woods only to fall again. In intense anguish of the soul he begged God for mercy, and thrillingly it came, and he arose a new man. He said he felt like he had never committed a sin, and in the glad innocence of his forgiven soul he shouted, 'Lord, I want to live forty years to tell it.' How he could tell it ! God would seem to come into your soul when he told it, and for nearly fifty years he never tired in telling it. He was licensed to preach in Tennessee, came to Arakansas and traveled as a supply for several years."
In an old copy of the Minutes of the Third Quarterly Conference for 1844, for the Harrison Circuit, Washington District, Arkansas Conference, occurs this note :
" The certificate of John Milton Carr, a local preacher from the bounds of the Memphis Conference, was presented and received by this Conference."
This introduces us to one of the most saintly men that ever adorned the ranks of the local ministry in our State. But few men have wielded a greater influence for good in their immediate communities. Some men may have sur- passed him in some special traits of character, but few have equaled him in the possession of so many traits of excel- lence. There was in his mental and moral character a. happy combination of virtues that made him one of the most amiable characters in all the community in which he lived. He was a man of great humility of character, com-
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