USA > Indiana > Historical data and life sketches of the deceased ministers of the Indiana Conference of the Evangelical Association, 1835 to 1915, Volume I > Part 31
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Presiding Elders and preachers-in-charge on circuits, besides sal- ary and reasonable traveling expenses, were now allowed moving and rent expenses, but had to collect it from their respective fields. Salaries on circuits were, from now on, independent of each other, so that each circuit preacher could keep the amount paid, in ex- cess of his fixed salary, instead of distributing it to those who fell short. And missionaries were allowed for their salary the average between the highest and lowest salary receipts on circuits, plus reasonable traveling expenses, and moving and house rent ex- penses, provided these expenses were collected on their respective fields.
In 1862 the salary ranged from $90 to $100; in 1864 from $101 to $125. Ministers on circuits and country missions had now their salaries increased from 10 to 15 per cent. for living ex- penses, and the Presiding Elders and station pastors were put on an equality for living expenses. In 1865 living expenses of preach- ers were increased 10 per cent. Salary in 1866, $118 to $125; 1867, $110 to $125; 1868, $150-36; 1869, $188.88. At this ses- sion the plan of independent salary was redeclared as in full vogue, and the salary was now fixed on each field for the year, and the missionaries, from now on, could keep the surplus salary receipts.
THE SALARY STANDARD OF 1882
1. A preacher on probation, married or unmarried, shall be allowed no less than $200.
2. An ordained preacher, if married, shall be allowed no less than $400 for himself and wife, and $331/3 for each child un- der 15 years. If single, his allowance shall be no less than $300.
3. Pastors of city stations and missions shall be allowed 20 per cent., and Presiding Elders 30 per cent. additional to the above.
4. Each minister shall be entitled, additionally, to the neces- sary traveling expenses and to rent where there are no parsonages.
THIS BASIS OF SALARY WAS ADOPTED 1896
In the beginning of the Conference year the preacher-in- charge shall announce a meeting of the official members of the charge, of which he is to be chairman, who shall fix the preach- er's salary and provide to raise it. The salary shall not be less than the following sums :
On circuits, married elders, $475, and married deacons, $425.
On city charges, married elders, $525, and married deacons, $475.
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THE HISTORY OF THE PREACHERS' SALARIES
Probationers on circuits, married, $375, and single probationers, $250.
Probationers on city charges, married, $400, and single proba- tioners, $300.
The Presiding Elder's salary shall not be less than $600. The above amount shall not include house rent or traveling expenses, which shall be added.
A NEW STANDARD OF SALARY ADOPTED APRIL, 1903
The new standard was prefaced by reasons as follows: The times demand a better prepared ministry, requiring years of study; the increased cost of living; the inadequacy of the stand- ard of salary set by the Conference, and the greatly improved condition of the laity.
Therefore Resolved, That, exclusive of traveling expenses and rent, the following shall be the minimum of salaries in our Con- ference: Single probationers, $300; married probationers, $375; deacons on circuits, $425; deacons on city charges, $500; elders on circuits, $550; elders on city charges, $600; Presiding Elder's salary shall not be less than $900, including traveling expenses and rent.
Resolved, further, That at the beginning of the Conference year, as soon as the preacher's claim has been presented and ac- cepted, the class-leaders and exhorters shall assist the stewards in each society in apportioning the claim among the members, to in- form each one of the amount, and to request payment in quarterly installments in sufficient time before each Quarterly Conference.
This resolution did not apply to city charges that had an ade- quate financial system.
A NEW STANDARD ADOPTED APRIL, 1908
The General Conference, held October, 1907, expressed the be- lief of a shortage of efficient ministers in the church, to be at- tributable, in part, to an inadequate financial support of the min- instry and increased cost of living from 20 to 40 per cent. Be- cause of this fact the Indiana Conference, in April, 1908, made an appeal to the Conference constituency for better support ac- cording to the following minimum standard (see page 107, Con- ference Journal, 1908) :
Single probationers, $450; married, $450, and rent; deacons on circuits, $500, and house rent; in cities, $550, and house rent; elders on circuits, $600, and house rent; in city missions, $650, and rent; on city stations, $700, and rent; Presiding Elders,
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$1,000, and rent. Moving expenses of all to be paid by fields and districts to which a minister is appointed. By this standard all former ones were rescinded.
AN ADDITIONAL PRESIDING ELDER STANDARD ADOPTED, 1911
Whereas, The office of Presiding Elder is one of high dig- nity and great responsibility, requiring ability of no ordinary de- gree; and, Whereas, In the absence of any fixed amount of com- pensation the pay received in the past by these officers of our Con- ference has not been in keeping with the importance and dignity of the office; therefore be it
Resolved, That this Conference fix the amount to be paid the Presiding Elder by each district, and that these amounts be pro- rated or apportioned among the appointments on the districts.
REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON PRESIDING ELDERS' CLAIMS
The Committee on Apportionment of Presiding Elders' Sal- aries for the coming year would report as follows :
Resolved, First, That each field of labor, with but very few exceptions, raise the same amount of money for the Presiding Elders as last year.
Resolved, further, That it shall be the duty of every preacher on the first Sunday he is on his field of labor to clearly explain to his people and his official board at each appointment the pur- pose and spirit of the reduced number of Presiding Elder districts.
Resolved, finally, That the Presiding Elder ask each preacher- in-charge at the first Quarterly Conference whether the above in- struction has been complied with.
Donations and Bequests to the Indiana Conference and Institutions of the Church.
The members of the fields of labor of the Indiana Conference, blessed with this world's goods, believe in "honoring the Lord with their substance," and remember the various institutions of the Conference and the church. It is only to be regretted that not more of our people have received a like vision, but it is to be hoped that in the near future a goodly number of loyal Evangeli- cals will join this blessed company of royal givers!
Many gifts have been made during the years that cannot be put into statistics because of their nature, but which have, never- theless, been of untold blessing. One example of this sort of giv-
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ing may be mentioned as an example of others: George Wise, Sr. (father of J. J. and D. O. Wise, ministers of our Conference), boarded and roomed three young, unmarried preachers in his own home, a year each, gratis, while they were serving the charge, of which he was a member. This was a great help and encourage- ment to these young men and to the Conference.
The following are the donations and gifts, so far as can be ascertained, which were made year by year :
1857-Peter Burgener gave two lots, one in Olney, Ill., and the other in Evansville, Ind., to the Conference Missionary So- ciety.
1858-John Kerstetter gave the Conference Missionary Society $400.00 to establish a permanent missionary fund, on con- dition that the Conference arrange to pay $600.00 on the church at South Bend. The Conference members responded at once with $220.00 toward the $600.00. When the preach- ers did so nobly the laity could not be idle.
1863-David Garl bequeathed $100.00 to the Conference.
1868-Emanuel Niederhauser, of Linn Grove, gave $50.00 to the Indiana Conference Treasury.
1871-About this year, Rev. G. Kloepfer willed $600.00 to the General Missionary Society of the church, but later paid it before his death as an example and incentive to others.
1872-Elizabeth Hartung, member of Elkhart society, willed her estate to the Indiana Conference. The same was applied on the indebtedness of the Elkhart, Division Street Church, with the provision that half that amount shall, without in- terest, be applied to the building of an English church in its proper time.
1886-Father Henry Klein gave $300.00 to the Indiana Confer- ence.
1892-Hannah Link, of Bremen, Ind., donated $1,000.00 to the Conference, to be used as a basis of a permanent church building fund.
1895-By request of Conference, Mrs. Mary Porr, widow of Rev. P. Porr, deeded her property in Dayton to the Indiana Con- ference, with the provision that she retain a life lease on the same, and that the Conference keep the property in re- pair and pay the taxes thereon. At her death, in 1912, the property was sold for $1,300.00, and the proceeds flowed into the Conference Treasury.
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1897-Rev. F. Wiethaup, being without any direct heir, willed his possessions to the church as follows: $600.00 to the Gen- eral Missionary Society, $100.00 to benevolences, $100.00 toward the new church in Huntingburg. The remainder -after all necessary expenses were paid-was to be given to mission work in Germany and Japan.
1900-Sister Fredericke Wolf, of Marshall, Ill., bequeathed $200.00 to the Conference, of which $100.00 was returned to the local society in Marshall for the repair of the church.
1902-John Voltz, of Arlen Co., Ind., bequeathed toward the In- diana Conference debt fund $100.00.
1905-The Spangler heirs of Bunker Hill, Ind., donated $100.00 to the Conference, to constitute a permanent fund for su- perannuated preachers, widows and orphans.
1907-Aug. Werner, of Medaryville, Ind., bequeathed $400.00 to the Indiana Conference Missionary Society. Mrs. Anna Mertz, of Vera Cruz, $50.00, and of Noah Barnheisel from Akron, $25.00 was received. Mrs. Geo. Smith, of Salem, Elkhart, $100.00 was received in memory of her son, Clin- ton. Mrs. Verena, of Vera Cruz, Ind., gave $25.00. All these gifts went to the permanent missionary fund of the Conference.
1908 -- Anna Rohrer Schamory, of Elkhart, Ind., willed the In- diana Conference $150.00, with other bequests to general benevolences of our church. Philip Hertel and wife, of Van Wert, O., bequeathed $100.00 to the Indiana Conference church building fund. Mrs. Charles Conrad, of Bunker Hill Circuit, $25.00 to the charitable fund of the Indiana Conference, and $25.00 to the permanent fund of the In- diana Conference Missionary Society. Mrs. Mary Holde- man, of Elkhart, Ind., $125.00 for the Indiana Conference permanent missionary fund.
1909-Sister Mary Crowder, of Bunker Hill, gave $25.00 for the charitable fund of the Conference. S. L. Smith, of Akron, Ind., and John Trachsel, of La Gro, Ind., each gave $25.00 for the Conference student aid fund. Geo. W. Green and his wife, Julia J., of near Winnamac, Ind., deeded their farm of 80 acres, and donated $2,100.00 in cash to the Board of Trustees of the Indiana Conference on the annu- ity plan, with the provision that they have the proceeds of the farm and the interest on the money during their nat- ural life. After this a proper division is to be made. They
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DONATIONS AND BEQUESTS
also donated in the form of an annuity $1,000.00 to the North-Western College Endowment Fund in about 1906. 1910-Peter Wiest, of Bremen, Ind., provided in his last will and testament that, at the death of his wife, Rachel Wiest, the Indiana Conference should receive $1,500.00 for the promo- tion of Christ's cause within her borders, and the Mission- ary Society of the Switzerland Conference should receive $500.00. That $600.00 of the donation to the Indiana Con- ference shall be placed in the permanent missionary fund of the Conference, to be known as the Peter Wiest memorial fund. The remaining $900.00 shall flow into the Confer- ence Treasury. Geo. Gottschalk, of Linn Grove charge, be- queathed $100.00 for missionary purposes. This sum, by the special desire of the wife of the deceased, was appro- priated to the Crescent Avenue Mission Church of Ft. Wayne, Ind. A good brother on Celina charge appropriated $71.00 of his tithe money for the purchase of a church lot in Celina, Ohio. This was a good beginning of a prosper- ous mission, now in this city.
1911-Through the efforts of S. H. Baumgartner, Brother Charles Meuser, of Grand View, Spencer Co., Ind., gave a donation of $5,000.00 on the annuity plan to the Endowment Fund of North-Western College, which sum is to be credited to the In- diana Conference over the regular amount assumed. At the same time, on the same plan, he donated $5,000.00 to the Or- phan Home of the Evangelical Association at Flat Rock, O. The Conference expressed her highest appreciation to this brother for his very generous gifts to these institutions.
The following gifts were given to the CHURCH EXTENSION SOCIETY: Charles Hartman, $1,000; Katherin Hettler, $2,500; from Indiana Conference church fund, $1,247.91; Indiana Con- ference Branch Young People's Alliance, $765; John Koch and wife, $1,000; Andrew Kramer, $1,000; Andrew Kramer fund, $2,000; J. A. Oneth, $100; D. L. Speicher, $100; Mr. and Mrs. Shoenherr, $2,000; Mr. and Mrs. D. E. Speicher, $100; the S. S. Speicher heirs, $255.35; A. D. Kroft, $100.
The following gifts were given to the SUPERANNUATION FUND : Andrew Kramer, $1,000; G. W. Frederick, $500; E. F. Kimmel, $500; Katherin Hettler, $500; D. L. Speicher, $500; Chas. Hart- man, $500; A Friend of Indianapolis, $500; John Koch, $500; Geo. Schafer, $125; F. H. Hirsch, $100; W. L. Miller, $100; W. G. Schaefer, $100; Harry Krause, $100; J. E. Meyer, $55; E. M. Ray,
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$50; Wm. Mertz, $50; W. L. Easterday, $50; W. H. Ecki, $50; A Friend, $50; Frank Krause, $50; A Friend, $30; Winey Bros., $100; P. Moore, $25; C. W. Grau, $50; Geo. Wise, Sr., $25; W. W. McCurtin, $25; Incognito, $25; J. W. Bucks, $25; Franklin Ott, $25; Dr. Carl Winsch, $25; Geo. Schafer, $25; Geo. Wise, Jr., $10; Henry Schlerb, $10; Conrad Meyer, $10; Eliz. Barnheisel, $10; Mrs. L. Cook, $10; Ray Bowen, $10; Ira Faulkner, $10; Geo. Zechiel, $10; Mrs. R. Hawk, $10; H. Schuermeier, $7; Fred Schmoe, $5; A Friend, $5; J. F. Ude, $5; Lillian Graf, $5; C. W. Zehner, $5; Mrs. C. Kalwitz, $5; Incognito, $5; Phil. Moore, $5; Mrs. A. Schoenherr, $2; Chr. Bandow, $2; Gust. Kalwitz, $3; Fred Guse, $1; A Friend, $5; Alva May, $5; J. H. Evans, in honor of his foster parents, $100; C. W. Zehner, $100; Noah C. Lehman, $100; Chas. Rhoade, $100; F. C. Laudeman and Wife, $100; W. Iwan, $100; Lewis Cauffman, $50; Mrs. Mary Hirschman, $500; Henry Schlosser, $500; John C. Soltau, $100; A Friend, $10; J. W. Null, $25; Mrs. L. Parker, $5; Rev. W. H. Mygrant, $5; Elva Lander, $2; G. F. Bandtel, $20; A Friend, $50.
It is to be greatly desired that these noble and gracious gifts will be a stimulus to others. The benevolences should be remem- bered by repeated givings, and in the last will and testament. One's life can be made to speak even though the mortal body has been laid to rest, and the generations to come will arise and call "blessed."
Interesting Miscellany.
That strange things, and, sometimes, queer and even unjust happenings, occurred during these many years, is only to be ex- pected. A few of these items are here inserted. In 1856 the Pre- siding Bishop arrived at the Conference session one whole day late. The Conference had been duly opened, but, upon his ar- rival, it was voted that he, the Bishop, should preside during the remainder of the session! It was his right, by virtue of his office, to do so without any such action. At the same session it was de- cided that each preacher going to and returning from the Con- ference session via the railroad must bear all his own expense in excess of what it would have cost him had he gone per horse and buggy! In '67 a great improvement was made in the matter of lodging at Conference sessions. Hitherto it had been the rule that every preacher attending the session change the place of his lodgings daily, but at this session it was decided that there would
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be a change only every other day. It saved the transfer of the luggage so often! In '98, when a Presiding Elder was to be elected to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of a certain Presiding Elder, it was decided to elect one to fill out the unex- pired term only. General Conference, however, decided this ac- tion to be irregular, and the newly elected elder held his office for the full four years. In '57 each missionary was instructed and re- quired to pay 6 per cent. interest on the missionary money he re- ceived in excess of $25. In '97, when the full appropriation failed to appear, each missionary was paid but 90 per cent. of his appro- priation. This was not only unjust, but exceedingly oppressive to those receiving large appropriations. Some voted very heartily for this unjust measure, but at the next session, after they had served a year on a mission field, they lost all faith in such actions! A far better and more brotherly resolution was adopted in 1907, when it was resolved that, in case there be a deficit in the mis- sionary treasury, all the members of the Conference shall equally share the same. Since then the missionaries have received their full appropriations.
Flood experiences at two sessions were not so pleasant. In 1866 and in 1913 two notable floods harassed the territory of the Conference, causing great loss. Concerning the one in '66, D. S. Oakes writes: "This was a very rainy season, resulting in high water. When nearly the entire Indiana Conference arrived at Terre Haute, on their way home from the session just held at Evansville, Ind., they met with a great number of preachers of the Methodist Episcopal Church, who were likewise returning from their session. The depot was thronged with preachers, and it would surely have been a lively religious time had not distressing news of floods and impassable bridges reached them. Presently the word was brought that the railroad bridge between Terre Haute and Indianapolis-the very way that most of the ministers were going-was impassable. A panic almost ensued." A few of the brethren hastily boarded a train going west, and in a very round-about way finally reached home. The great majority had to spend nearly a week before they reached home. In 1913 a deep depression rested upon the Conference session, caused by the ter- rible and disastrous flood reaching over Indiana and Ohio, which caused the destruction of property amounting to millions of dol- lars, and many deaths in some cities. Many of our own people in Dayton, O., Ft. Wayne, Peru and Logansport sustained great loss, and considerable damage was done to their churches. How- ever, none of our members lost their lives, for which all were
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devoutly thankful, though some had very narrow escapes. A num- ber of the ministers had a hard and perilous time to get to In- dianapolis, the place of Conference session. Some arrived quite late. One did not get to come at all, due to the flood robbing him of his necessary apparel. These facts brought a depression upon all that could not be shaken off, and which had a visible effect upon the session of the Conference. Action was taken by the Conference to look after the interests of our flood sufferers in a financial way. The people of other congregations who escaped the flood at once liberally responded to appeals for aid, one so- ciety giving $1,000.00, and the committees appointed to make the distribution of the flood fund nobly discharged their duties with fairness to all concerned. The suffering congregations gratefully received this help from their church friends.
Once in a while reprimands were delivered to delinquent brethren. In '60 one brother had to hear of it that he left his field during the year without a valid reason. In '66 another was severely censured because he broke an engagement vow, and, there- fore, had his ordination as deacon deferred. A third had charges preferred against him in '73 because he consulted a fortune-teller. He humbly sought forgiveness for his gross error and was re- tained. A fourth was brought to task for absence from the Con- ference session and for not presenting his annual reports in a proper way.
At various times brotherly acts of kindness were shown in a financial way. One brother was reimbursed for money which had been lost in transit to the Publishing House. Another was helped to purchase a horse in place of one he had accidentally lost by death. Still another received aid who had lost a valuable part of his household effects in moving. And a number of such happen- ings occurred to cheer and assist a brother in need.
Woman Suffrage was upheld in the church. In 1871, in answer to a Mrs. H., of Indianapolis, whether women have a right to vote in church affairs, the following declaration was given by the Conference: No church society has the right to deny women who are full members of the society the right to vote in business meetings of the church, in view of the fact that women are ex- pected to take part in defraying the church expenses, and espe- cially also in view of the fact that there are widows and maiden ladies in societies who can have no substitutes, and would, there- fore, be wrong to deprive them of their franchise.
Several times since Woman Suffrage, in a national sense, has been endorsed by suitable resolutions.
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In 1867 the Conference got the mutual aid fever and appointed a committee, consisting of B. Hoffman, M. W. Steffey and E. L. Kiplinger, and, after a year of patient waiting, the project was abandoned with disgust.
In 1878 initiatory steps were taken to inaugurate "The In- diana Conference Fire Insurance Co." Blanks were issued, and a constitution with by-laws was formulated, which ended the mat- ter! In 1895 a committee of three was appointed to draft a suit- able constitution for a mutual fire insurance for our churches and parsonages, and in '97 the Conference Board of Trustees was em- powered to take such steps as were necessary to complete such or- ganization. After a delay of several years it was discovered that, owing to the fact that the Indiana Conference extended into four States, it would be impractical to comply with the fire insurance requirements of each of these States, and, in 1900, the project was dropped.
It seems as though tobacco was used by some of the Confer- ence members during the sessions. Hence it was tabooed in '62, '71, '86, forbidden altogether, at last, to new applicants for the ministry. The resolution of '62 reads: "It shall not be permit- ted for any member of the Conference to use tobacco on the Con- ference floor"! War was considered as a great evil, but a lesser evil than slavery, and, therefore, none were prohibited from taking active part. The disapproval of the Conference of '60 rested upon secret societies and Sunday-school gift and reward books; upon the former because they were considered a detriment to real church life, and the latter were considered a species of lottery. The ses- sion of 1885 condemned the skating rink as "a grave evil," and to be shunned.
In 1914 every preacher that failed to have the episcopal por- tion in the hands of the treasurer by October was called to give account of such negligence.
In 1871 Republican candidates for United States President and Vice-President, U. S. Grant and S. Colfax, respectively, were made honorary members of the Indiana Conference Missionary Society, and Mr. Seymore a life member. J. Kaufman, and lay members W. Just and C. Liphart, of South Bend, had the honor of presenting the certificate to Mr. Colfax.
PARSONAGES
Whereas, Quite a few of our parsonages are not kept in a com- fortable condition and in good repairs; and
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Whereas, The moving of heavy furniture involves a risk and expense; therefore be it
Resolved, That we commend those societies who have taken advanced steps in these matters and would encourage others to in- stall furnaces and other heavy furnishings.
DISTRICT PARSONAGES .- The agitation of securing district par- sonages resulted in appointing the following persons to assist the Presiding Elders in this matter: Ft. Wayne District, Mrs. Cath. Hettler and And. Gottschalk; Indianapolis District, And. Kramer and E. Pfaul; Elkhart District, G. W. Frederick and E. Hering; Louisville District, H. Duffendach and L. Katterhenry. No further action was taken.
Several unusual, but very pleasant, events occurred during the Conference sessions. In '86, on Sunday, the Conference had the privilege of having the presence of two distinguished divines from the United Brethren Church, Bishops Wright and Weaver. Bishop Thomas Bowman invited them to participate in the ordi- nation of all deacons, namely, G. B. Holdeman, P. A. Orth and F. Rausch. In '91, Kichinosukee Kaneko, a Japanese, was licensed as a preacher on probation, as the Japan Conference had not yet been organized. Going to the Conference at Huntingburg, in 1908, a special car was chartered from Indianapolis for the brethren coming from Northern Indiana, who were thus spared the incon- venience of making three changes on the road. It was a great and uplifting experience, and highly appreciated by all in the group.
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