USA > Indiana > Circuit-rider days in Indiana > Part 12
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First. Let a stock be created to consist of an in-
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definite number of shares of one hundred dollars each, payable in money, to be put at interest or in notes bearing interest payable in five annual installments, and the interest to be paid annually at the time of pay- ing each instalment; provided that whenever a stock- holder shall commence sending a student he shall have paid at least one instalment.
Second. Each stockholder shall be entitled in vir- tue of his share, to send one student to the college six years or twelve sessions, subject to all the regulations of the by-laws and if any one shall have more shares than one he shall be entitled to the privilege of sending more students than one according to his shares.
Third. Any person who may desire it shall have the privilege of subscribing a half share or fifty dol- lars, and shall do it on the same terms of payment as those who take whole shares. And any person having a half stock may send one student for three years or six sessions.
Fourth. Let ten thousand dollars be the endow- ment of a professorship.
Fifth. Let two hundred and fifty dollars be the price of a scholarship for a term of 20 years.
Sixth. Let donations of five dollars and upwards be obtained towards endowing a professorship and let those donations be received in money or notes bearing interest and payable in annual instalments of $5.00 and the interest payable annually.
Seventh. Let there be established a dollar sub- scription payable within the current year in money towards endowing the professorship above mentioned.
Eighth. Let all the intinerant preachers and espe- cially Presiding Elders act with energy as agents and in addition to this let a special agent be appointed to travel within the bounds of this conference and solicit donations for carrying into full effect the foregoing
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arrangements and if practicable another agent to travel elsewhere for the same purpose.
Ninth. Petition the Legislature for an act of in- corporation fixing the number of trustees and so forth and for an endowment for one or more professorships.
Tenth. Let there be a subscription paper circu- lated in two or more prominent towns by way of com- petition to ascertain in what place the greatest amount for erecting suitable buildings be given by the people on condition of its location among them or in their vicinity.
Eleventh. At a convenient time send an agent into the eastern cities to obtain by donation books for a library, etc. All of which is respectfully submitted.
On motion, resolved that the secretary furnish each Presiding Elder with an abstract of the report and on motion the conference proceeded to elect the several committees to act in the principal towns in this state to carry into effect the object contemplated in the tenth article. Rev. James Haven, John Wilkins and Calvin Fletcher at Indianapolis. Rev. A. Wiley, Hon. William Hendricks and John Woodburn in Madison. Rev. Aaron Wood, John Jackson, and Elisha U. Brown at Terre Haute were elected. On motion, resolved that a vote of thanks be given to the citizens of Lafayette for their kind hospitality to the members of this con- ference during its present session. On motion, resolved that a vote of thanks be given to the members of the Presbyterian Church for the use of their house during the session of this conference. Resolved that this con- ference instruct its delegates to the next General Con- ference to consent that the northern boundaries of this state shall be the bounds of this conference.4 On motion, resolved that Rev. A. Wiley pay over to the treasurer of the Preachers' Aid Society the amount of money left in his hands by the last conference being
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the bequest of Swearinger. On motion, the appoint- ments were read out and conference adjourned.
R. R. ROBERTS.
C. W. RUTER, Secretary.
APPOINTMENTS FOR 1835.
Madison District, A. Wiley, Presiding Elder.
Madison Station-W. V. Daniel.
Vevay Circuit-J. Jones, H. J. Durbin.
Lawrenceburg Circuit-R. Lewis, D. Stiver, J. V. Watson.
Brookville-B. Phelps, L. M. Reeves.
Liberty -- G. M. Beswick, J. M. Stallard.
Greensburg-C. Bonner.
Versailles-M. Huffaker.
Vernon-W. W. Hibben.
Charlestown District-C. W. Ruter, Presiding Elder.
Charlestown-I. M'Elroy, J. S. Bayless.
New Albany Station-E. G. Wood.
Jeffersonville Station-Z. Games.
Corydon-G. C. Shively, J. W. Sullivan.
Greenville-J. Tarkington.
Salem-J. Kern, M. Reeder.
Paoli-E. Whitten.
Lexington-G. K. Hester.
Brownstown-E. Patrick.
E. R. Ames, Agent for the Preachers' Aid Society. Indianapolis District-J. Havens, Presiding Elder. Indianapolis Station-J. C. Smith.
Indianapolis Circuit-D. H. Dickerson.
4 The Illinois Conference was divided in the general Confer- ence of 1832 and the Indiana Conference was formed out of the Western portion of it. This new conference included, in addition to the state of Indiana, a small portion of southern Michigan and Elizabethtown, Ohio. The above resolution simply asked that the conference include the state of Indiana alone.
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Rushville-R. Burns, T. Gunn.
Connersville-J. T. Johnson, F. C. Holliday. Wayne-J. Carter, C. W. Appleton. Winchester-C. Hall. Newcastle-C. B. Jones.
Pendleton-H. Griggs.
Noblesville-J. Harbin.
Marion-J. T. Robe.
Bloomington District-J. Oglesby, Presiding Elder.
Bloomington Station-W. M. Dailey.
Bloomington Circuit-W. Duncan.
Greencastle and Putnamville Stations-A. Johnson. Danville-I. G. Lewis.
Mooresville Circuit-A. Beck.
Franklin-T. J. Brown.
Columbus-L. Hurlbert. Bedford-L. D. Smith.
Vincennes District-A. Wood, Presiding Elder.
Vincennes Station-J. Daniel.
Princeton Circuit-G. Tevebaugh.
Booneville-E. Vanschoick.
Rome Mission-D. Stucker. Washington-J. White.
Otter Creek Mission-S. C. Cooper.
Terre Haute Station-S. L. Robinson.
Terre Haute Circuit-T. Ray, T. Bartlett. Carlisle-E. Wood.
Evansville-I. Owen.
Crawfordsville District-J. L. Thompson, Presid- ing Elder.
Crawfordsville Station-J. Miller.
Crawfordsville Circuit-C. Swank.
Rockville-E. Sewel, W. T. Madaras. Lafayette-C. M. Holliday, J. Richey. Lafayette Station-H. S. Talbott. Frankfort-A. Beach. Carroll-E. Rogers.
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Pine Creek-H. Vredenburgh, W. Watson.
Cole Creek Mission-D. DeMott.
Lebanon Mission-B. Griffith.
Laporte District-R. Hargrave, Presiding Elder. Laporte Circuit-R. C. Meek, one to be supplied.
South Bend-J. Wolf.
Cassopolis-T. P. McCool.
St. Joseph-E. Kellogg.
Elkhart-S. R. Ball.
Kalamazoo-S. S. Williams.
Fort Wayne Mission-J. S. Harrison.
Deep River Mission-S. Jones.
Logansport-J. A. Brouse.
FIFTH SESSION OF THE INDIANA CONFERENCE, INDIAN- APOLIS, 1836.
Journal of the fifth annual session of the Indiana Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church1 held in Indianapolis, October 26, 1836.
Wednesday, 9 o'clock a. m., Conference met ac- cording to appointment, and no superintendent being present, on motion Allen Wiley was called to the chair, who opened the conference by reading a portion of the Holy Scriptures, singing and prayer. The list was called and the following members being present an- swered to their names, viz .: Allen Wiley, Rodman Lewis, Lemual L. Reeve, Miles Huffaker, Enoch G. Wood, John Kern, E. R. Ames, John C. Smith, Amasa Johnson, Aaron Wood, Joseph White, Thomas Ray, James L. Thompson, Henry L. Talbott, H. Vredenburg, Stephen R. Ball, John A. Brouse, William H. Smith, James Jones, David Stiver, Charles Bonner, C. W. Ruter, Joseph Tarkington, Elijah Whitton, James Ha- vens, William M. Dailey, Thomas J. Brown, John Dan-
1 The church was on the corner of Meridian and Circle streets. John S. Smith was the preacher in charge. ( Indiana Methodism. Holliday, 272.)
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iel, Samuel C. Cooper, Enoch Wood, John Miller, Ancil Beach, Richard Hargrave, James L. Harrison, William Shanks, Richard L. Robinson.
C. W. Ruter was chosen secretary and E. R. Ames assistant secretary. Conference then proceeded to elect by ballot a president pro tem, and on counting the votes Allen Wiley was declared duly elected. Con- ference then voted to fix the time of meeting at 8 o'clock and adjournment at 12 m. James Havens, J. C. Smith and C. W. Ruter were nominated and elected a committee to appoint the preachers to officiate and to superintend the congregations. The by-laws of the first session of the Indiana Conference were read and adopted for the government of the conference of the present session.
On motion of T. J. Brown, resolved, that during the session of this conference none of its members are to use tobacco or defile the floor by spitting, and every brother is particularly requested to avoid it.
W. Shanks, E. R. Ames and S. C. Cooper were elected as conference stewards.
On motion, resolved, that a committee of seven, one to be taken from each presiding elder's district, be appointed to be denominated as the Committee on Edu- cation, whose duty it shall be to inquire into the situa- tion of the place or places which may be prepared as suitable sites for the location of a Conference Col- lege, the amount subscribed at each, the general health of the town and surrounding country, their relative distance from the center of the conference and report the same to this conference as soon as possible. And that said committee be also directed to review the report of the Committee on Education of last confer- ence and suggest such additions as they may deem expedient.
Resolved, That a committee of seven, to consist of one preacher in charge from each district be appointed
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to be denominated the Committee on Itinerancy, whose duty it shall be to examine into the general state of the work within the bounds of the Indiana Conference and report any usages which in their opinion are in- consistent with the original design or spirit of our itinerancy and to report as soon as practicable.
Conference proceeded to the consideration of the first question on the minutes, viz .: Who are admitted on trial? William H. Goode and Ezra L. Kemp, recom- mended from Charlestown District, were admitted; John H. Bruce, William Fraley and Jared B. Mershon, recommended from Crawfordsville District, were ad- mitted. And the case of John M. Cole from the same district was on motion laid over. John F. Truslow, recommended from the Indianapolis District, and R. R. Bints, Anthony Robinson and Wade Poesy, recom- mended from Vincennes District, were admitted.
The president announced the Committee on Educa- tion to consist of A. Wiley, C. W. Ruter, James Ha- vens, Joseph Oglesby, Aaron Wood, Samuel Thompson, and Richard Hargrave. And the Committee on Itin- erancy to consist of R. Lewis, S. G. Wood, J. C. Smith, T. J. Brown, John Daniel, J. Miller and R. S. Ball.
Whereupon conference adjourned.
Thursday, 8 o'clock a. m., Conference met pursu- ant to adjournment, and was opened according to rule, Mr. Allen Wiley in the chair. Conference proceeded to business. The case of John M. Cole was called up and he was admitted on trial. Isaac Kelso recom- mended from Vincennes District, Francis M. Rich- mond from Indianapolis District, James D. Sanford, George M. Boyd, Hawley B. Beers and Jacob Colclasier from Laporte District, William D. Cox, David J. Cox, G. C. Beeks from Madison District, Isaac Welch, Philip Seay, John Sinclair from Bloomington District, were admitted on trial, and James Scott was readmitted. Ezra Munson was not admitted but on motion the
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Presiding Elder has leave to employ him when nec- essary.
H. A. Tarkington applied for readmission but was rejected. A motion was made that Amos Sparks should be admitted but it did not prevail. It was de- cided by a vote of Conference that the children of those preachers who have received their table expenses in the bounds of their different fields of labor shall never- theless be claimants on quarterage money. Confer- ence then took up the second question, viz .: Who re- main on trial? Ebenezer Patrick, John W. Sulliman, Thomas P. McCool, Stephen Jones, Eli Rogers, Israel G. Lewis, Daniel Demott were continued on trial. George C. Shively and H. J. Durbin were discontinued at their own request. Joseph Wolf, William S. Me- daris and Elijah Vanschoik were discontinued. Coll- reth Hall, Jacob M. Stallard, Benjamin Griggith, W. W. Hibben were continued and Teverbaugh was dis- continued.
Conference adjourned.
Friday, 8 o'clock, conference met pursuant to ad- journment and was opened according to rule. Rev. A. Wiley in the chair. Conference proceeded to business. Conference then proceeded to the consideration of the second question in the minutes. Elijah Sewall was continued on trial and Warren Duncan was discontin- ued but on motion the presiding elder has leave to em- ploy him. C. W. Appleton was discontinued at his own request. C. B. Jones, Erastus Kellog and Isaac Mc- Elroy were continued on trial. Conference resumed the consideration of the first question on the minutes.
Solomon Miller, recommended from Laporte Dis- trict, and John Newell, from Bloomington District, were admitted on trial. The report of the Committee on the Itinerancy of the last General Conference was presented, read and ordered to be spread on the Jour- nal. An address from the New York book agent was
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read and on motion a committee of three was appointed to be denominated as the Book Committee to whom all papers and those connected with the business should be referred. S. L. Robinson, William M. Dailey and A. Beach were appointed that committee.
Resolved, That a copy of the said report on Itin- erancy be spread on the Journal of each Quarterly Meeting Conference.
The stewards spent some time in attending to the pecuniary concerns of the Conference.
Conference voted to draw on the Book Concern for four hundred dollars, and on the Chartered Fund for seventy-five dollars. On motion the vote taken yester- day on the Stephen Jones case was reconsidered and he was discontinued at his own request.
Conference passed to the consideration of the third question on the minutes. William V. Daniel, Lewis Hulbert, Thomas Gunn, Thomas Bartlett, Isaac Owen, Sanford L. Williams and F. C. Holliday, having been previously examined by the committee appointed for that purpose, were called up by the president and ques- tioned as the discipline directs. Their characters were then examined and passed, and they were admitted into full connection. Also elected to Deacons Orders. Jo- seph Carter, D. H. Dickinson, S. P. Moore and M. Reeder were discontinued. J. S. Bayless and David Stucker were, at their own request, continued on trial.
Conference adjourned.
Saturday, 8 o'clock a. m., Conference met pursuant to adjournment and was opened according to rule. Bishop Roberts having arrived took the chair and pro- ceeded to business. The Committee on Education pre- sented their report in part which was read, and after some amendments was adopted.
On motion, resolved, that a member of each of the delegations from the different towns inviting the loca- tion of the proposed institution be invited to take a
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seat within the bar and take part in the discussion on the subject of its location, and General Howard, of Rockville; Doctor Cowgill, of Greencastle; J. Town- send, of Putnamville, and C. Fletcher, of Indianapolis, took their seats in Conference and after some discus- sion4 the Conference adjourned to meet at 6 o'clock p. m.
Saturday, 1 o'clock p. m., Conference met pursuant to adjournment and was opened according to rule. Bishop Roberts was in the chair. Conference pro- ceeded to business. The subject of the location of the institution of learning was again brought up and the discussion continued. General Howard made a few additional remarks and also Doctor Cowgill. The Con- ference was then addressed by Esquire Townsend and followed by Doctor Talbott who was succeeded by Es- quire Fletcher. The discussion being closed, the Con- ference proceeded to fix, by ballot, the location of the said institution. And on the second balloting, Green- castle, of Putnam County, having the majority of all the votes given was fixed upon as the place for its location.
It was then resolved that a vote of thanks be re- turned to the citizens of the several places which have solicited the location of our contemplated institution of learning for their liberal subscriptions and espe- cially to the citizens of Rockville.
Conference then proceeded to the fourth question on the minutes, viz .: Who have been elected and or- dained Elders? The characters of John Daniels,
4 Calvin Fletcher, representing Indianapolis, did not labor hard for the institution, saying that it was not good for boys to be away from home in as large a place as Indianapolis would he some day. When General Howard admitted that there were some chills and fever at Rockville, Mr. Fletcher even admitted some even died at Indianapolis: but Dr. Cowgill said, "People never die at Greencastle; although for convenience they have a cemetery there." (Autobiography of Jas. Tarkington, pp. 131-132.)
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Thomas Ray, Joseph White, Elijah Whitton, Enoch Wood were severally examined and elected to Elder's Orders.
Conference then took up the case of local preachers. The following were recommended for Deacon's Orders : William W. Hibben, John Kisling, Thomas F. Spillman and P. S. Silvy, from Madison District; Waller Ben- ton, Charles Bruner, John W. Sullivan, John Earn- heart and Thomas Ryson, from Charlestown District; John Robbins, John Romsil, F. Farnsworth, George Smith, John Alman, F. M. Richmond, William Perkins and Elijah Sims, from Indianapolis district; John Peters, William Terrel, John A. Spicer, John Clinger and B. Bales, from Bloomington district; James Bon- ner, Samuel Barcourt, George Teverbaugh and Ben- jamin Bushnell (a man of color) from Vincennes dis- trict; C. Gem and Daniel Demott from Crawfordsville district ; B. Robinson and Cyrus Spinlock from Laporte district; all of which were duly elected.
Conference then took up the case of local deacons. The following were recommended for local Elders Orders: Alfred Phelps, Jonathan Shaw, Henry Rom- well, Thomas Lowry, E. Patrick, F. A. Stauderford and Edward Jones; these were duly elected to that office.
Conference adjourned.
Monday, 8 o'clock a. m., conference met according to adjournment and was opened according to rule. Bishop Roberts was in the chair.
The committee appointed to estimate the table ex- penses of Bishop Roberts reported an appropriation of three hundred dollars per annum, which was consented to by the conference. H. A. Tarkington, recommended for Elders Orders, was elected. The president ap- pointed A. Wiley, C. W. Ruter and S. L. Robinson to draft a charter for the institution of learning estab-
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lished by this conference to be presented as soon as possible.
Conference proceeded to the examination of the characters of Elders. Resolved, that conference sit with closed doors during the examination.
The characters of A. Wiley, James Jones,5 J. W. Hunter, Rodman Lewis, Boyd Phelps, George M. Bes- wick, Charles Bonner, Miles Huffaker, C. W. Ruter, Enoch E. Wood, Joseph Tarkington, John Kern, L. Games and E. R. Ames were examined, approved and passed. James Haven's name was called and objec- tions being raised by Brother Oglesby, Brother Havens requested that a committee be appointed to investigate his character, and on motion, a committee of five, viz: A. Eddy, John Miller, A. Wood, John Kern and S. C. Cooper were appointed for that purpose.
The characters of J. C. Smith, Robert Burns, J. T. Johnson were examined, approved and passed. Brothers Games, Burns and Johnston each asked and received location.
The characters of James T. Robe, Wm. M. Dailey, Amasa Johnson, Asa Beck, Aaron Wood, S. C. Cooper, James L. Thompson, John Miller, Cornelius Swank, C. M. Holliday, John Richie, H. S. Talbott, Ancil Beach, H. Vredenburg, Richard Hargrave, William Shanks, John W. McReynolds, Wm. H. Smith, R. S. Robinson, John Ray, George H. Hester, David Stiver were severally examined, approved and passed. Brothers Beck and Richie asked and received a super- anuated relation. Brothers McReynolds, Ray and Smith were continued in the superanuated relation, and Wm. Shanks obtained a supernumerary relation and the relation of R. S. Robinson was changed from superanuated to effective. L. D. Smith was called and
5 Rev. James Jones, while pastor at Lawrenceburg, during his second year, received almost 600 persons into the church. (J. C. Smith, "Early Methodism in Indiana," p. 193.)
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some objections being raised in consequence of his having failed to go to the work assigned him last con- ference, his character did not pass and by his repre- sentative asked and obtained a location. T. Truslow, a local preacher, was recommended for Deacons Orders and was elected and Wm. Hunt, recommended for Elders Orders, was elected.
Conference adjourned.
Tuesday, 8 o'clock a. m., conference met pursuant to adjournment and was opened according to rule. Bishop Roberts was in the chair. Conference pro- ceeded to business. The stewards of the conference presented their report, which was read and accepted, said report declared a dividend of 42 per cent. The entire deficiency was $550.50, leaving a small balance in the hands of the stewards.
On motion, Resolved, that hereafter any preacher failing to present to the stewards of conference, offi- cial statements of their claims and receipts, shall not have a claim on the funds of this conference.
Resolved, that ten dollars of the surplus in the hands of the stewards be appropriated to D. H. Dick- erson and ten dollars to Asa Beck to make up a defici- ency that was made through a mistake in the case of those brethern last conference.
Resolved, that monies appropriated to the children of our deceased brethern be forwarded to their sur- viving parent.
Conference proceeded to the consideration of the fourth question on the minutes, viz: Who are the Dea- cons? The characters of W. D. Watson, John A. Brouse, Stephen R. Ball, Hiram Grigg, James L. Harri- son, R. C. Meek, J. C. Harbin, L. M. Reeves and J. V. Watson were severally examined, approved and passed and W. D. Watson and J. V. Watson asked and received location.
The certificate of the recording steward of the (11)
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Danville circuit, signed by the president of quarterly meeting conference, was submitted to this conference certifying that J. C. Faulkner, a local deacon who had been expelled from the church, was restored to his former standing and a motion was made that his parch- ments should be restored to him, which after some dis- cussion, the vote being taken, it was decided in the negative.
On motion, the vote by which James Scott was re- admitted into this conference, was reconsidered, and after some discussion, Brother Scott was invited in to answer some questions on doctrinal points in order to satisfy the minds of some of the brethern, as to the soundness of his faith. He made some statements and answered several questions on the doctrine of original sin, which were proposed by the bishop and others. Upon retiring, a vote was taken and he was admitted a member of this conference.
Resolved, that in our opinion the discipline does not authorize the expulsion of members for not paying quarterage. Resolved, that we disapprove of the course of Brother Oglesby in appropriating the fourth collec- tion not according to the discipline.
Brother Oglesby, having retired, on motion, his character was passed and he received a superanuated relation.
Conference adjourned.
Wednesday, 8 o'clock a. m., conference met accord- ing to adjournment and was opened according to rule. Bishop Roberts in the chair and the conference pro- ceeded to business.
Brother Oglesby asked and obtained a location. The book committee presented their report, which was read and accepted and ordered to be filed among the papers of the conference.
The stewards spent some time in adjusting their business. On motion, J. White received the balance
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remaining in the steward's hands. Conference pro- ceeded to take the numbers in societies, etc.
Conference then proceeded to elect by ballot two college agents and on counting the votes, Aaron Wood and John C. Smith were declared duly elected. The committee on itinerancy presented their report, which was read and adopted.
Conference adjourned.
Thursday, 8 o'clock a. m., conference met pursuant to adjournment and was opened according to rule. The list was called, journal read and approved. Conference proceeded to business. Bishop Roberts in the chair. Brother S. L. Robinson, by his representation, asked and received a superanuated relation.
The committee appointed to examine certain com- plaints made against James Havens, presented their report, which was as follows: The committee to whom were referred certain complaints against the character of James Havens have had the same under considera- tion and beg leave to report that after hearing all the evidence adduced in the case and bestowing the most careful investigation, your committee find nothing to support the accusations, nor anything that goes to impeach the character of Brother Havens, either directly or indirectly.
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