USA > Indiana > A history of the North Indiana Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, from its organization in 1844 to the present > Part 10
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The thirty-first session of the North Indiana Con- ference was held in Wayne Street Church, Fort Wayne, Indiana, April 1-6, 1874. R. S. Foster was the presid- ing Bishop. It was at this conference perhaps that the Presiding Elders first began to make their reports. Their reports, if in manuscript form, were not printed in the minutes. A heroic stand or sacrifice was made by the conference in the cause of education. The fol- lowing resolution was introduced by W. S. Birch and D. P. Hartman: "Resolved, that we, as the ministers of the North Indiana Conference, will pledge ourselves
5 Miss Amanda Way was the first woman licensed to preach in the North Indiana Conference, [Western Christlan Advocate. March 6, 1872.] On the ordination of women, see also Western Christian Advocate, November 12, 1873; August 5, 1874: August 16, 1876.
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to assume the debt of the Fort Wayne College by giving our individual obligations, and then we will appeal to our charges to assist us in the payment of said obliga- tions to be paid in three annual installments." Each preacher assumed from $150 to $50, making a total debt assumed by the preachers $11,265. After this matter had been adjusted the following resolution was introduced and passed: "Resolved, that it is the judg- ment of this conference that the Trustees of Fort Wayne College should, in no case, create an indebted- ness or use any of the capital stock of the institution for the payment of instructors or for meeting any of the running expenses of the college." A resolution was also passed to the effect that every man that sub- scribed as much as five dollars should have his name printed in the minutes on the honor roll along with the ministers.
Another matter of finance-namely, The Preachers' Aid Society, was a matter of interest to this confer- ence, to every conference of this period; in fact, it was and is of supreme importance to every conference in Methodism. The North Indiana Conference has shown interest from the beginning of its history, in the Preachers' Aid Society. In the light of the present campaign for an increased endowment it is interesting to note that the capital stock in 1870 was $15,397.58; $761.12 was received during the year and claims against the fund to the amount of $3,140 were presented. $1,797.64 was added to the capital stock in 1871; $4,230.04 was added to the capital stock in 1872 while this made a total capital stock in 1872 of $21,390.26. This year (1872) O. V. Lemon was elected secretary of the board and started a campaign to raise $30,000 dur- ing the next two years. Yet the minutes only show an addition of $79.06 to the capital stock in 1873. In 1874 O. V. Lemon, the secretary, reported that the capital stock was only $18,977.78. The amount set
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apart for Conference Claimants was $900. In 1875 the Board of Control, of the Preachers' Aid Society was instructed to initiate an amendment to the constitution, so as to make it clear in the first clause of Article VIII, that eight years' service anywhere in the regular min- istry of the Methodist Episcopal Church shall entitle a member to be a claimant on the funds of the Society. The stewards for this year (1875) reported claims to the amount of $3,140. E. F. Hasty, secretary of the Preachers' Aid Society announced the amount of the receipts for the year to be $761.12 and the capital stock to be $18,768.04. In 1876 the capital stock was $19,- 165.35. The income was $400.41 and the income for 1875 was $1,135.55. Only the interest on the capital stock was supposed to be used to meet the claims. It will be noted that there was a considerable decrease in the capital stock from 1872 to 1874. The records do not say that there were any bad loans made, yet there are some implications to that effect. It is also pos- sible that a portion of the capital stock was in notes, pledges, and the like that never fully materialized. The tendancy, though, has been ever toward better business standards. A very interesting volume could be written on the evolution of the Preachers' Aid Society of the North Indiana Annual Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
The North Indiana Conference convened in its thirty- second annual session in the Methodist Church at Elk- hart, Indiana, April 14, 1875. O. V. Lemon called the meeting to order, as no Bishop was present, and Will- iam H. Goode was elected to preside over the conference until the arrival of the Bishop. One of the first things called to the attention of the conference was the desti- tution in Kansas and Nebraska. The conference re- sponded with a resolution soliciting and even request- ing that each pastor take a collection for the depressed brethren in those states. Several preachers had gone
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from North Indiana Conference to those states, among the number being Rev. J. S. Donaldson, a superannuate. He said that he did not have so much as five dollars and that his neighbors, while willing, were all too poor to help.
Bad railroad connections was the reason Bishop Bowman was not present during the first day of the conference. He arrived in time to occupy the chair at the beginning of the second day. He received a hearty welcome due to the fact that he was a member of North Indiana Conference before becoming a member of the Episcopal Board.
A number of magnificent structures were erected in 1875 among them being the beautiful church at Ken- dalville.6 It was a substantial brick building, 44x93 feet, Gothic throughout, with tower 130 feet high. The exterior of the church was ornamented with heavy cut stone. The auditorium was supplied with patent seats and vaulted ceiling. The cost of the building was $23,500. In 1876 a nice parsonage was erected at Marion. Indiana. It was of brick and stone and well arranged for comfort and conveni- ence. yet planned in good taste. Ten rooms were above ground and a large cellar beneath. Grace Church, Richmond, Indiana, had installed one of the finest pipe organs in Indiana. Church and parsonage property had a gradual growth during this whole period. For instance, in 1870 the estimated values of the church property was $698,100, in 1873 the estimated value of church buildings was $884,925, while in 1876 the estimated value was $960,675. The increase in value together with improvements in parsonage property showed the same general climb. For example, in 1870 the approximate valuation of parsonage property was $116,185. In 1873 it was $120,734. In 1876 the value was estimated to be $198,550. These figures show that
6 Western Christian Advocate, January 13, 1875.
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there was a general interest in both church and par- sonage property, that both ministry and layman were not content to worship in just any kind of a structure.
Another question that has always, from the begin- ning of its history, gripped the very life of North In- diana Conference was that of missions. All during this period, and in every other period, it has not only been the pleasure but the duty of every preacher hold- ing a charge in the conference to stand on his feet on the floor of the conference, duly assembled in open session and give testimony on this particular phase of religious activity. Not a scheme or a plan worthy of mention escaped their notice. Not a chip was left unturned and more than one circuit-rider has pre- vailed over the pious women of his congregation to sell a few hens to meet the missionary appropriation. Public collections were taken in the church followed by private solicitations and re-enforced with teas, ice cream suppers and bazaars. All during the early 70's an itemized missionary report was printed in the min- utes of the annual conference taking up from fifteen to twenty pages and making the cost of the minutes $200 or $300 more. Any person paying ten cents, even though he lived in a back woods circuit got his name printed in the minutes. In the minutes of 1872 the detailed missionary report covered twenty-eight pages of fine closely printed type. In looking over the report you find Elisha Rawles, 10 cents; F. Lewis, 25 cents; N. Taylor, 15 cents; 25 cents occurs oftener than any other sum. A wrangle took place on the floor of conference every year for two or three successive conferences before the detailed missionary report could be eliminated from the printed minutes. Many of the preachers contended that it was quite a help when it came to raising the missionary money to have each name and the amount of the contribution in the last year's printed minutes. While it has been a long time
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since the printing of the detailed missionary report yet the conference has never ceased to profit by that one time custom; for, each preacher in the conference is now (1916) supposed to turn over to his successor in the pastoral charge the amount of missionary money given the past year by each person.
The thirty-third annual session of the North Indi- ana Conference was held in Grace Church, Richmond, Indiana, March 22-27, 1876. W. L. Harris was the pre- siding Bishop. The most important part of this con- ference was the role played by William H. Goode.
William H. Goode had been for many years one of the leading members of North Indiana Conference. He presented to the conference in 1876 what might be called a petition for superannuated relationship. As presiding elder of the Richmond District he submitted the first written report of the district. The full text appears below and gives an idea of what comprised many of the early oral reports. "Richmond District, as now constituted, embraces eleven pastoral charges- five stations and six circuits. This is the close of my third year upon the district for the present term. I have, by the divine blessing, been able to attend all the quarterly meetings, and to perform the regular duties, though my strength has not been sufficient for much extra work.
The preachers of the district were all early in their several fields, and have labored with a good deal of faithfulness and acceptability throughout the year.
The benevolent claims of the Church have received due attention from the presiding elder, and the pas- tors, it is believed, have used more than ordinary effort. This will be seen in the fact that, in few instances, if 'any, the claims of any department have been wholly neglected. Still, it is true that the financial pressure has been heavily upon us, in common with others, it is hoped, however, that the exhibit from the charges will
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show a very small diminution, if any, in the aggregate, from the receipt of former years. The Missionary Plan for the discipline is carried out, in whole or in part, in all the charges. Only a minority of the Sab- bath schools are organized into Missionary Societies.
Only one new church edifice has been finished and dedicated the present year; but a large and valuable work has been done in the refitting and improvement of Church property. Church debts have been liqui- dated to a considerable amount, and no very heavy or embarrassing indebtedness now remains upon any of our property in the district.
The Sabbath-school cause has had a large share of attention from the ministry and membership. A very devoted and faithful band of superintendents and teachers are engaged in the work, and it is steadily and constantly extending the sphere of its influence.
Ministerial support has shared, with other depart- ments, in the hardships of financial depression. More than ordinary effort has been required to reach a sup- port for the pastors, and to bring up arrearages accru- ing in the early part of the Conference year. It is hoped that the final showing will prove that this effort has not been in vain. Most of the charges have been visited with gracious seasons of revival, attended with conversions and accessions in considerable numbers, as well as a general quickening of the membership. The year, upon the whole, is believed to have been one of some advance in the spiritual and financial interests of the district, and to have laid some foundations for further success and enlargement.
Six years of my life-labor have been spent upon Richmond District, in addition to the years previously employed in the two city stations. The year now clos- ing is added to the pleasant and profitable intercourse of the past with my brethren in the ministry and in the membership, and renewed evidence of kind Chris-
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tian regard and affection have been received that will ever remain among the cherished memories of life."
This is not only a report of Richmond District, but somewhat of an autobiography of a great and good man. Moved by the reading of this report and the presence of the pious old man, the conference sang :
"His work my hoary age shall bless When youthful vigor is no more; And my last hour of life confess His saving love, his glorious power."
After which the preachers of the District presented Dr. Goode an elegant sofa and foot rest.
The conference of 1876 was also the one at which delegates were to be elected to the ensuing General Con- ference. North Indiana conference was now entitled to four delegates, and on the first ballot the following members received ten votes or more; W. S. Birch, 85; S. N. Campbell, 59; M. H. Mendenhall, 56; N. H. Philips, 54; E. Holdstock, 40; A. Marine, 37 ; M. Mahin, 35; O. V. Lemon, 29; R. D. Robinson, 27; T. Stabler, 23; J. V. R. Miller, 14; A. Greenman, 12; J. Colelazer, 11. Five ballots were required before the whole num- ber of delegates were elected. W. S. Birch was elected on the first ballot, S. N. Campbell and N. H. Phillips on the third, and A. Marine on the fifth; M. H. Menden- hall and E. Holdstock were the reserve delegates.8 The second lay electoral conference was also held this year, and Aaron C. Swayzee of Marion, and Josiah H. Derfrees of Goshen were elected lay delegates, with Charles C. Binkley of Richmond, and George W. Brack- enridge of Fort Wayne as reserves. The first lay elec- toral conference had been held four years previous at Muncie, and had elected Joseph Funk of Warsaw, and William R. West of Anderson as their General Con-
7 Minutes, 1876, 15, 16.
8 Minutes, 1876, 16-21.
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ference delegates, with George W. Milburn of Mischa- waka, and Aaron C. Swayzee, reserves. The minutes of this first lay electoral conference were printed in the conference minutes for that year.
During the seventies camp meetings were still com- monly held and each of the districts had their own camps. In 1872 the camp meeting for the Logansport District was held at Bunker Hill,9 while the Goshen Dis- trict conducted their camp meeting near LaGrange.10 We read of camp meetings for the Muncie District and also for the Richmond and Anderson Districts, and even circuits conducted their own camp and grove meetings.11 The old time camp meeting, however, seemed to be on the decline, for articles in their de- fense begin to frequently appear in the columns of the church papers.12 In the early days, the great revivals were held in the camp meetings, and the circuit riders depended upon them for reaching the unsaved and the unchurched. This was necessary because the church buildings of the early day were entirely inadequate for the conducting of a great meeting, and so of neces- sity such meetings had to be conducted in the warm season, and under the trees. But with the coming in of the larger and better equipped church buildings, the modern winter revival gained almost universal vogue. February and March seemed to be the favorite time to hold revivals and the columns of the Western Christian Advocate for those months are filled with accounts of such meetings.
The years from 1870 to 1876 had not been years of exceptional growth in membership. In 1870 there were 23,944 full members, while in 1876 there had been an increase of but 1,297, making a total of 25,241.
9 Western Christian Advocate, July 3, 1872.
10 Ibid., July 17, 1872.
11.6 Ibid., July 24, 1872; September 9, 1844. 12 Ibid. September 17, and 24, 1873.
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The number of probationers reported for these seven years was 42,897; the greatest number reported was 8,049 in 1870, while the least number reported was in 1873, 4,636. These figures would certainly seem to indicate that a very large number of probationers were never received into full membership, and that the Methodist Church in those days, at least, was not con- serving the results of their revival efforts. And the criticism that has often been made of the Methodist Church, that it wins converts but cannot hold them, would seem to be justified.
CHAPTER VII.
THE NORTH INDIANA CONFERENCE, 1877-1887.
No institution can be understood nor its history thoroughly studied unless there is a comparative study made of the advancement of other movements of the same time. The purpose of this chapter will be, to a certain degree, to show that when the financial and industrial pursuits of the state are progressing at a rapid pace the church is making equal progress with them. The period from 1870 to 1890 is marked by great strides of advancement in almost every line. Dur- ing the decade before 1870 Indiana had lost twenty- five thousand men, the flower of the state physically, and almost that many millions of dollars, which if applied would have contributed vastly to our progress. In addition to this the morals of the state received such a set-back that it took at least fifteen years for the church to gain back the ground that she lost during the Civil War period. In 1875 business was developing with a wonderful rapidity. Banks, insurance com- panies, bridges, and good roads came into existence. Farms during this period decreased in size from an average acreage of 135.5 acres to 105.4 acres, the result of an increase in population at the rate of three hundred thousand per decade.1 The great increase in popula- tion, the making of good roads, and the increase in the financial and industrial world made possible the ad- vancement of the church.
We shall now take up Methodism and its progress along side of the other movements of the day. At this time there were great discoveries made in science and
1 Hyman & Cottman, "Centennial History of Indiana."
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in 1877 fierce attacks were made by the church upon these discoveries. Especially was this true in regard to Darwinism.2 The Rev. M. J. Cramner makes the most pointed attack. "Darwinism," he says, "leads to, and in fact is materialism and hence is incompata- ble with religion. The two can harmonize no more than fire and water. Religion based upon Darwinism cannot prosper. It is based upon hopeless inconsis- tencies and contradictions. Its scientific impotency is supported by a dogmatism that is more fanatic than the fanaticism of the Mohammedans. Darwinism can- not be true because it is based on an assumption-an unproved assumption-that man is derived from the lowest forms of animals by a slow process of variation through countless millions of years. Again, Darwin- ism cannot be true because it is based upon the un- proved assumption that matter forms the function of the mind or rather that the mind in its specific pro- ductions are the general products of the chemical pro- duction of matter. Now to say that the chemical pro- duction of matter produces thought, a thing entirely different from matter, is a mere unproved assumption, an absurdity rejected by the good sense of all men ex- cept a few dogmatic materialists." But these attacks were not to be long lived. The telephone and telegraph systen were nearing perfection and the people were beginning to look upon these and other modern ap- pliances not with a spirit of an antagonist, but they were becoming more and more convinced that the power of scientific discovery was not the deadly enemy of the church that it was once thought to have been. One of the more progressive ministers3 of the country says this: "Either Darwinism or Christianity seem to be untrue. To prove the latter so is a hard task. Science does not and religion cannot furnish any testi- mony to this end. We can only assert that the thing is wrong, and on this assertion we may base all of our
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negatives which must fall, one by one, before the un- answerable arguments of science. Undoubtedly the trouble is this, that the theologians know not enough of science, and that scientists know too little of the- ology. Let us reconcile the church with science and do away with this imaginary conflict; and let it be un- derstood that Darwinism is neither Anti-Christian nor Atheistic." In a few days after this article was pub- lished in the Western Christian Advocate a good old brother4 who was not quite so progressive in his think- ing submitted this in answer to the above article: "If Darwinism be true, every time we eat an oyster or a fish we gulp a soul germ down our murderous throats and destroy a prospective immortal life."
At this time as well as at all other times the church thought that it was its business to try to regulate all society.5 At the annual North Indiana Conference of 1879 the following resolutions were adopted and the ministers pledged themselves to do their best in enforc- ing them :
"Resolved, that we look upon state and county fairs, legitimately and properly conducted, as worthy encour- agements to the agricultural and industrial and stock growing interests of the state and in no sense injurious to religion and morality.
"Resolved, that we are deeply grieved at the grow- ing demoralization of these fairs arising from trotting, betting, drinking, etc., and that we are fully satisfied that the interest of religion and morality demands that the race track and all of its accomplishments be abol- ished."
"Resolved, that the so-called popular amusements such as dancing, card playing, and baseball playing
2 Rev. M. J. Cramner, Western Christian Advocate, 1878.
3 Ibid., September, 1882.
4 Ibid., October 4, 1882.
5 Conference Minutes, 1879.
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are injurious to sound piety, and are to be considered as such 'diversions that cannot be used in the name of the Lord.' They draw the attention from the truth, lead to a disrelish of spiritual things, and alienate youth especially from the service of God."
Now to get an insight of what the North Indiana Conference was doing at this time we will have to look into the reports of the Conferences." The Annual Con- ference of 1877 met at Bluffton, Indiana, April 11, with Bishop Wiley in the chair. In the reports of the presiding elders interesting facts concerning the prog- ress of the conference were brought out. There were during the past year six thousand persons received on probation and over one thousand and seven hundred were taken into full membership. When we look over the work of the year in the department of Church Ex- tension there seems to be very little done.7 Only six new churches were built during the year, but this is a decided advance over the preceding year, which lost twenty-six churches.8 The steps toward liquidating old church debts during this year was very gratifying. In all the benevolences there was an increase in the yearly amount ..
On June 24, 1877, a new church was dedicated at Geneva. The building was of frame structure, 32 by 45 feet. The entire cost was about six thousand dol- lars. On the dedication day the crowd was so large that the meeting had to be held out in a nearby grove. During the services the pastor, Rev. R. H. Smith, asked for seven hundred dollars and received five hundred and sixty. The church was then dedicated and the trustees assumed the debt of one hundred and forty dollars.
At Hagerstown, on October 21, a brick church
6 Ibid., 1877.
7 Ibid., 1877. 8 Ibid., 1876.
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building with a seating capacity of four hundred was dedicated. The inside of the building was furnished in black walnut and the entire cost was four thousand ninety dollars. There was a contribution of one thou- sand twenty-six dollars made on the dedication day and the church was received by the conference out of debt.8
The annual Conference of 1878 was held in the First Methodist Episcopal Church in Anderson with Bishop Pack presiding. The Conference met and went through their usual routine of business. But there was one thing that seemed to have more weigth than any other, during the whole year. That was the Mis- sionary Movement. Dr. Reid was the speaker at the Anniversary of the Woman's Foreign Missionary So- ciety. In his address he showed the advance of the Missionary Movement.9 "In the early days no fields were open; now they are all calling for help. Then it was impossible to get help; now more want to go than can be sent. In the days of Bangs one hundred thou- sand dollars was more than could be used; now six hun- dred thousand dollars is entirely too small. The human harvest is more fruitful now. Missionaries used to work for ten to twenty years and never have a convert. Recently more than a thousand were converted in three cently more than a thousand were converted in three years as a result of one man's work." In a chart which will appear later in this chapter definite facts will be given as to the part played by the North Indiana Con- ference. The year was not so outstandingly important but it did close with six new churches added to her list.
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