USA > Indiana > Circuit-rider days in Indiana > Part 7
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24
57 Ibid., 51-60.
78
CIRCUIT-RIDER DAYS IN INDIANA.
peating the sentence until some one started to sing, while her immediate friends took her out of the con- gregation.">$ After this Dr. Simpson was voted the prince of preachers, and to the day of his death Indiana Methodism never reversed that opinion.
The reading of the appointments in these early days was a time of intense excitement for the preachers ; the preachers had no inkling, in those days, as they have in these, as to where they were to be sent, and to move then meant much more than it does now. We will let one who was an eye witness describe the read- ing of the appointments at the session of 1839. "Many of the preachers had bidden good-bye to their enter- tainers, and their horses, after a week's rest, were saddled and at the door ready to make a few miles homeward that day. A presiding elder stood in each aisle of the church, and the order was announced by the bishop that when the name of a circuit was an- nounced there would be a pause, and the preacher for the preceding year should stand up, and the presiding elder nearest to him would go to him and receive from him the "plan of the circuit." This occupied usually less than a minute, but to the conference it seemed an age. Not a word was spoken until this part was com- pleted. The preacher stood up as directed, and the Presiding Elder went to him; but not until the Bishop saw that the "plan" was handed over, would he break silence. Then followed the name of the new preacher. It was usually a disappointment. Naturally enough he hoped it would not be a long move, the quality of the circuit being secondary; for there was not so much difference in quality as might be supposed, as none were easy."59
While the appointments were being slowly read at this session of the conference James V. Watson, who
58 Tarkington, Autobiography, 17-19.
59 Tarkington. Autobiography. Goodwin's Introduction, 19-22.
79
CIRCUIT-RIDER DAYS IN INDIANA.
had been on the superannuated roll the year previous, sat listening with intense anxiety for his appointment. He had hoped to be sent to Lawrenceburg, for he had assisted in a series of meetings there, and had many friends in the charge who desired that he be their preacher. But Madison district was read and Law- renceburg had another preacher, and the bishop read on and on. Finally all the Indiana districts had been read and the bishop announced the Michigan district, and among the first appointments read in that district was "White Pigeon, James V. Watson." Watson sprang to his feet and with a great display of excite- ment exclaimed, "Where is White Pigeon? Can any one tell me where White Pigeon is?" "You will find it in Michigan, Brother Watson," coolly answered the Bishop. Finally after the conference was over William W. Hibben and S. C. Cooper took him by the arms, one on each side, and as they walked up the street Cooper told what a beauty of a place White Pigeon was, and that they had a fine brick church with a basement, and that the people would drive ten miles in their sleighs to hear him preach. And with such encouragement Wat- son's discouragement and rebellion passed and he said, "I will go: I will start tomorrow morning. Hurrah for White Pigeon." And he went to White Pigeon, and "he wrote his name in letters of immortal memory all over the great northwest."60 For after serving White Pigeon he became pastor at Detroit and other import- ant cities, and finally became the first editor of the Northwestern Christian Advocate. "Who shall say that, after all, the hand of the Lord was not in that cruel move."
When the preachers came to the conference in Oc- tober, 1840, at Indianapolis, there were 153 traveling preachers, 418 local preachers, and 52,626 communi-
60 Western Christian Advocate, June 30, 1858. Article by W. W. Hibben.
80
CIRCUIT-RIDER DAYS IN INDIANA.
cants, an increase of 9,116 over the previous year. The year had been one of prosperity for the church, for the spirit of revival had continued throughout the year. On the Newton circuit more than three hundred joined the Church ; Rockport reported a similar number of acces- sions, and a great "sweeping revival." J. B. Birt on the Mooresville circuit received four hundred members on probation and by letter, and during the year meet- ing was established for the first time at Plainfield. Aaron Wood of the Laporte district tells of holding two quarterly meetings in barns, and three on camnp- meeting grounds, where many thousands have attended. During the summer a camp-meeting was held near the "little modest town of Lebanon," and a writer de- scribes "this settlement" as having shared more largely in the great blessings of Methodism, than any other, which he has seen in the Wabash valley, "and its peculiar tendency to make men sober, industrious, kind and devotional, is here distinctly visible." Meetings were also reported from the Independence, Centerville, Brownstown, Warsaw mission, Deep River mission, Evansville, Brookville, and from many other circuits and stations. Augustus Eddy from Indianapolis dis- trict reports more than 1,500 added to the Church since conference, "embracing all ranks and stations in so- ciety."61 "Revival power like a tidal wave was rolling over the country."62
These were years of rapid growth, in the number of members, circuits and districts. At the conference of 1840 eleven districts were formed, as follows : Madison, Charlestown, Indianapolis, Vincennes, Crawfordsville, Greencastle, Bloomington, Connersville, Winchester, Logansport and South Bend. The list of the presiding
61 Accounts of many such revival meetings will be found in the Western Christian Advocate for 1840.
62 J. L. Smith, Indiana Methodism, 36-39, 74. 75.
81
CIRCUIT-RIDER DAYS IN INDIANA.
elders included Calvin W. Ruter, Enoch G. Wood, James Havens, Henry S. Talbott, Thomas J. Brown, Allen Wiley, John Miller, Augustus Eddy, Robert Burns, George M. Beswick and Aaron Wood. The number of circuits and stations in each district ranged from eight to eleven, and the whole state was now completely covered by these eleven Presiding Elders districts.63 The conference at its session in 1839 had asked the General Conference to make the northern boundary of state the northern boundary of the conference, and ac- cordingly provision was made for the organization of the Michigan conference by the General Conference of 1840.
In the latter thirties Methodist work was begun among the Germans, who were beginning to come into the state in considerable numbers. The unsuccessful political revolutions in Europe during the year 1830 sent many disappointed Germans into the United States, and they kept coming into the central states in a continuous stream until the opening of the Civil War. In 1839 it was reported that four hundred had been converted and joined the Methodist Church, in various places in the country, and in 1840 the first German mission was established in Indiana, at Lawrenceburg, and John Kisling and M. J. Bofer were appointed mis- sionaries. The German work prospered and the next year three German missions were reported, one at New Albany, one at Fort Wayne, beside the Lawrenceburg mission. The next two years the New Albany and Fort Wayne mission disappear, but new German work is begun at Evansville.64
Seventy-five years ago there was much less harmony among the denominations, and far more rivalry and jealously than now, and debates between the champions
63 Minutes of Conferences. Vol. III (1839-1845). 109, 110, 111. 64 Ibid., Western Christian Advocate, page 54; 1839.
(6)
82
CIRCUIT-RIDER DAYS IN INDIANA.
of the various rival churches were common. Not only were there arguments and debates between the preach- ers, but the people were well versed in the peculiar doctrinal position of their particular denomination, and embraced every opportunity of defending it. The Methodists had strenuous debates with the "Camp- bellites," the Presbyterians, and the Baptists, but all the denominations united against the Universalist. In the forties there were several large debates held in the old court house at Martinsville between the Univer- salist leader of the West, Rev. Erasmus Manford, and James Scott, a Methodist preacher. Manford declared that all mankind would finally reach holiness and hap- piness, while Scott affirmed the endless punishment of the unrepentant wicked. At the close of the three days' debate Manford painted a hell for Scott and his brethren to look at, * * then flung into it all the hu- man race that orthodoxy excluded from Heaven.
Scott retaliated by sending Judas to Heaven before his Lord, and by carrying all liars and lechers, seducers and murderers, to Abraham's bosom," all bedeviled and unrepentant as they were." Manford replied that Mr. Scott need not worry himself about heavenly society, for all would be purified by the offering of Christ.
The debate was followed up by the Methodists with a revival, at which many seekers sought pardon at the altar, and at its conclusion a long list of probationers was turned over to the class leaders. At the end of the probationary period, however, the list had shrunk, "for the temptations to former habits and amusements which were forbidden in the Discipline were too great for their self-denial. * They had most willfully listened to the enchanting music of the violin, which was not at all commendable; for in those days, it was thought by many that more devils lurked in catgut and horsehair than Luther ever dreamed of. The Baptists, Presbyterians and Christians were all in accord with
83
CIRCUIT-RIDER DAYS IN INDIANA.
the Methodists in denouncing "fiddling and dancing and gumsucking parties."64
The tenth session of the Indiana conference met at Terre Haute, October 6, 1841, and was presided over by Bishop Roberts. This was the last time the vener- able Bishop, now the senior Bishop of the Church, was to preside over an Indiana conference. For over twenty years Bishop Roberts had been a resident of Indiana, having moved to Lawrence county, Indiana, from Shenango, Pennsylvania, in 1819. He had been elected to the episcopacy by the General Conference of 1816, the very year of Asbury's death, and was the first married bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Bishop Roberts being the first married bishop, the General Conference which elected him, passed a resolu- tion, making it the duty of the Book Committee at New York, to decide what sum was to go to married Bishops for family expenses. This was done until 1832 when the rule was so changed as to make it the duty of the annual conference in which a Bishop resided, to esti- mate the "table expenses." Thus at each of its sessions since 1832 the Indiana conference had appointed a com- mittee to estimate the "table expenses" of Bishop Roberts. From 1816 to 1832 Bishop Roberts had re- ceived the sum of $200 living expenses; from 1832 to 1836 he received $250; from 1836 to 1840, $300; and from 1840 to his death in 1843, the annual sum re- ceived was $400. Besides this the Bishop received a quarterage $200 yearly, which was contributed by all the Conferences. 65
During these years of residence in Indiana, Bishop Roberts had greatly endeared himself to the Methodists of the state, and as old age approached the Indiana Conference became solicitous for his comfort, and at
64 Memoirs of Noah J. Major, "The Pioneers of Morgan County." Edited by Logan Esarey, 343-348.
65 Charles Elliott, Life of Roberts, 359.
84
CIRCUIT-RIDER DAYS IN INDIANA.
the session of the conference in 1839 resolutions were offered by C. W. Ruter, and Allen Wiley, which were unanimously passed, requesting Bishop Roberts to re- move to some more prominent place in the state, where his brethren and friends could more easily have access to him, and thus render him such attention, as the Church felt anxious that he should receive. Bishop Roberts, however, refused to leave his farm in Law- rence county, and form new neighborhood alliances.66 Again at the session of the conference at Terre Haute, in 1841, a Resolution was offered and passed request- ing "That our venerable and beloved Superintendent, Bishop Roberts, be, and is hereby requested, at his first convenient opportunity, to sit for his portrait, and that the preachers of this conference be permitted to defray the expense which may accrue in obtaining such por- trait."67 When this resolution was passed Bishop Roberts related the following anecdote of Bishop As- bury. When the Philadelphia conference offered a similar resolution, in view of getting Bishop Asbury's portrait, he told them, if they ever got his portrait they would have to go to "Paradise" for it. The brethren thought the Bishop altogether unreasonable, and in- sisted that it was a duty he owed the Church and pos- terity, to sit for his portrait. "Well," said Bishop Asbury, with an indifferent air, "all I have to say is if you ever get my portrait, you will have to go to 'Para- dise' to get it. He is the best artist I know of in America."68 Mr. Paradise resided in New York, and of course the portrait was taken.
Bishop Roberts, probably, would have taken no step to have his portrait painted had it not been for a letter addressed to him by Dr. Matthew Simpson and E. R. Ames, urging him to come to Greencastle in July, 1842,
66 Ibid., 336. Minutes for 1839.
67 Minutes, 1841.
68 Western Christian Advocate, August 11, 1858.
85
CIRCUIT-RIDER DAYS IN INDIANA.
to sit for his portrait. Accordingly everything was arranged and the Bishop spent two weeks in Green- castle, and during his stay his portrait was painted, and Dr. Simpson wrote down, from the Bishop's own mouth, a brief outline of his early life, intending to write the life of the Bishop, but these notes were after- wards used by the Bishop's biographer, Dr. Charles Elliott.69 The portrait then painted was a life-sized picture, and for many years hung in the old chapel of Indiana Asbury University, but in the fire which par- tially consumed that building, in 1878, the picture was cut out of the frame and is now hanging in the east gallery of Meharry Hall of DePauw University.
The conference of 1842 was held in Centerville, pre- sided over by Bishop Morris. The conference was still growing rapidly and an increase of 9,562 members was reported, twenty-seven preachers were admitted on trial, and when the appointments were read 180 preach- ers were appointed to charges. Among the interesting occurrances of this conference was a sermon by J. B. Finley, of the Ohio conference. He was known as the "old chief" and was unsparing in his denunciations of gold watches, jewelry and all clerical foppery, and the preachers' wives, who sported jewelry, where much in- censed at his denunciations.70 The sermon of this old warrior, before the Indiana conference on this occasion made a powerful impression. The Church was a new one and was packed to the doors, and down in front sat James Havens, then known as "Father Havens." Finley told of his experiences as a missionary among the Wyandotte Indians, and his accounts of remarkable conversions and triumphant deaths among them were thrilling beyond comparison. Among other things he told of his first attempt to preach, when he tried to read one of his father's sermons, his father being a
69 Elliott, Life of Roberts, 349-351.
70 Western Christian Advocate, September 1. 1858.
86
CIRCUIT-RIDER DAYS IN INDIANA.
Presbyterian minister, but the sermon was not a suc- cess. Then he said, "I dropped on my knees and called upon God to help me, and help me now." And his stammering tongue was loosed, and he shouted and ex- horted, and prayed, and that first sermon resulted in the conversion of one person. "He was a stripling, an awkward, green boy. He came to Indiana : God called him to preach ; he is now a son of thunder. He was not afraid of Indians. Scalping knives and tomahawks did not frighten him. He blazed his way through the woods of Indiana. He became familiar with the growl of the bear and the scream of the panther. He is now a veteran leader among you : he is here tonight-there he sits !" pointing to James Havens. The scene which followed beggars description. Havens sprang from the altar to the pulpit, to embrace the "old chief" in his arms, and the people shouted and screamed. 71
The last session of the old Indiana conference con- vened in the Old School Presbyterian Church in Craw- fordsville, on October 18, 1843, Bishop James O. An- drew, presiding. It was the conference at which Gen- eral Conference delegates were to be selected, and a deep current of anti-slavery sentiment was manifest among the preachers. Since the General Conference of 1840, anti-slavery sentiment had greatly increased in the Church at the North. Only eight years before in the General Conference of 1836, which met in Cincin- nati, a resolution was introduced and passed by an overwhelming vote, condemning "Modern abolitionism, and wholly disclaiming any right, wish or intention to interfere in the civil and political relation between master and slave as it exists in the slave-holding states of the Union." The Bishops in their pastoral letters the same year exhort all "to abstain from all abolition movements and associations and to refrain from patronizing any of their publications." Between 1836
71 J. L. Smith, Indiana Methodism, 85-88.
87
CIRCUIT-RIDER DAYS IN INDIANA.
and 1840 a number of preachers were brought to trial before their respective conferences because of their abolitionism, and the Philadelphia conference for ten years after 1837, asked each candidate for admission into the conference, "Are you an abolitionist?" and un- less this question was answered in the negative he was not received. The incident which was the direct cause for the increase of anti-slavery sentiment in the Church, was the action of a Maryland pro-slavery con- vention which met in the winter of 1841-1842. This convention passed resolutions asking the Maryland Legislature to pass a law which would result in either driving the free negroes from the state or reducing them to bondage. This action greatly aroused the Methodists all over the North, because many of the free negroes were Methodists. 72
This convention was discussed in all the Church papers, and the notice of the convention in the Chris- tian Advocate and Journal of New York, created such alarm at the South, that predictions were made, if it continued to take part in the slavery discussion the paper would not circulate in the South.73
The delegates elected by the Indiana conference of 1843 to the General Conference of 1844, were Matthew Simpson, A. Wiley, E. R. Ames, John Miller, C. W. Ruter, Aaron Wood, Augustus Eddy and James Havens with John C. Smith and Richard Hargrave as reserve delegates. Two of these men elected as General Con- ference delegates were afterwards to become bishops, Matthew Simpson and E. R. Ames, both elected on the same ballot by the General Conference of 1852, and both became conspicuous leaders of the Church and the nation during the critical period of the Civil War.
The most important question before this last session of the old Indiana conference was the one relating to
72 Sweet, Methodist Episcopal Church and the Civil War, 20-24. 73 Charles Elliott, The Great Secession. 237, 238.
88
CIRCUIT-RIDER DAYS IN INDIANA.
the division of the conference. The conference was fast becoming unwieldy, each year there having been large increase in the membership; and the whole state was now dotted with circuits and stations. At the close of this session there were 16 districts, 148 circuits and stations, and over 200 ministers. The conference of 1842 had taken action on the matter of division and resolutions, favoring it had been passed. After con- siderable discussion a number of resolutions respect- ing division were adopted. The boundary between the conferences was to be the National road, with the pro- vision that the Eastern charge in Indianapolis, now Roberts Park Church, with all the towns on the road east, were to be placed in the Northern Conference, while the Western charge, now Meridian Street Church, with all the towns west on the National road, were to be placed in the Southern Conference, except Terre Haute, which was placed in the Northern Conference. The conference also provided that the Southern confer- ence was to be known as the Indiana conference, and the Northern division of the North Indiana Conference.
Bishop Roberts had died March 26, 1843, and it was fitting that the old Indiana conference at its last session should take appropriate notice of his death. Early in the session a committee consisting of C. W. Ruter, Matthew Simpson and Allen Wiley was appointed to draft appropriate resolutions, and later in the session they reported in a series of nine resolutions. Among the resolutions were several resolving that the remains of Bishop Roberts, which had been buried on his farm, should be removed to Greencastle; and that a suitable monument should be erected over the body, to be paid for by the Indiana conference; and that Bishop Soule should be requested to furnish the epitaph for the tomb. These resolutions were afterwards carried out to the letter, and in 1844 the remains of Bishop Roberts were removed to the campus of Indiana Asbury University,
-
. TERRE COUPE · SOUTH BEND
. MIDDLE QURAY
+ MISHAWAKA,
· LAGRANGE
· LA PORTO
. GOSHEN
AH Ounh .
I
· crown Point
- union
. WOLF LAKE .
W4 ASAW
FORT WAYNE .
wind max . noenEST
DECATUR
RENDU SLELAAR
LOU ANS PORT
IL FORT WAYNE
ERMO
MONTICELLO
Y PENDLETON
Port PLANO
ODALPHI
OMARION
CHART
· LA FAYETTE
· DAYTON
OGHANVILL.
FRANKPERT
· COVINGTON
W
LEGENON
PARTYVILL. YIZ
.
WINCH+RY T & H
· KNICHTS TOVÝM
2.
NenPORT
R.
1X
. MARTIN VILLE U
· FAN. FIKLO
SHELBYVILLE
GREINLAITLES
OFRANKLIN
-
LAW JENSFOTO
·BLOOMINGTON
MANCHESTER
COLVA OUD
OPENLEK
L
WILLIAMSBURG
..
XV
VERNON
PATRIOT
XIV
OVING LINN ..
LHAINGTON
CONLEANS
New WASSH
0 6ALEM
· PETONS OFAC
XVII
JONEN SONTILLC
· PRINCETON
· ROCK POOT
NEW ALBANY
· CYNTHIA
GLIJANETN-
TOWN .
NOME
·· VANJVILLE
Presiding Elder's Districts at the division of the old Indiana Conference in 1844,
SHE EVANS VILLE
SANDIANAPOLI
NEW
PI CENTERVILLE DE COAWFAROAVILLE DI QUEENCASTLE IDEDPORD.
· CAMDEN
IL INOZANAPOLIS Brookville- THERising Sun ITV. Madison . LE VINCENNES DET NEW ALBANY
ANDERSON
MILBOYO
ILAVREIC
VEVAY
MADISON
LYON
ICONTRON. UTICA
· VALPARAISO
89
CIRCUIT-RIDER DAYS IN INDIANA.
at Greencastle, and later a suitable monument was erected over the spot, upon which was engraved the inscription furnished by Bishop Soule, where it can be seen to this day.
The General Conference of 1844, which met in New York, divided the Indiana Conference into the North- ern and Southern divisions, as the conference itself had asked, and with this division, we bring this account to a close.
PART II. MINUTES OF THE INDIANA CONFERENCE 1832-1844.
First Session of the Indiana Conference, New Albany, October, 1832.
JOURNAL of the first annual session of the In- diana conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, held in New Albany, Floyd county, Indiana, commenc- ing on the 17th of October, 1832.
Wednesday morning, nine o'clock, conference met according to appointment and was opened by Bishop Soule by reading a portion of the sacred Scriptures, singing and prayer.
The list was called and the following members be- ing present, answered to their names: Allen Wiley, Joseph Tarkington, John Kern, Daniel Anderson, Samuel C. Cooper, George Locke, James Havens, Asa Beck, Charles Bonner, John T. Johnson, William Shanks, C. W. Ruter, James Armstrong, William H. Smith, Enoch G. Wood, James Scott, Richard S. Rob- inson, Boyd Phelps.
Bishop Soule in the chair, conference proceeded to business. C. W. Ruter was nominated and elected secretary.
Conference voted the time of meeting and adjourn- ment as follows : At one-half past 8 a. m. to meet, and adjourn at 12 m. To meet at 2 o'clock p. m. and ad- journ at 5 p. m.
William Shanks and C. W. Ruter were appointed a committee to appoint the preachers to officiate, and superintend the congregations during the present ses- sion of the conference.
91
CIRCUIT-RIDER DAYS IN INDIANA.
Brothers James Scott, A. Wiley and William Shanks were elected conference stewards. Bros. A. Wiley, E. R. Ames and James Armstrong were appointed a committee to write the memoirs of the dead.
Bros. George Locke, E. G. Wood and James Scott were nominated and elected a book committee.
Bros. C. W. Ruter, J. Armstrong and D. Anderson were appointed a committee to draft by-laws for this conference and report as soon as convenient.
Bros. C. W. Ruter, A. Wiley and James Armstrong were appointed a committee to take into consideration the propriety of building a conference seminary, and report as soon as convenient.
Conference proceeded to the consideration of the first question on the minutes, viz: Who are admitted on trial ? Answer, John Daniel, Henry Deputy were recommended from Charlestown district and admitted. Thomas Nicholson and David Stucker not admitted, but the Presiding Elder is permitted to employ them should he deem it expedient. David Stiver, Elijah Whitten recommended from Madison district, were ad- mitted. Stephen R. Ball and Joseph White recom- mended from Crawfordsville district were admitted, but I. W. McEwing was not admitted; the Presiding Elder has leave to employ him when he thinks proper.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.