USA > Indiana > Historical data and life sketches of the deceased ministers of the Indiana Conference of the Evangelical Association, 1835 to 1915, Volume II > Part 34
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 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35
After M. Hoehn had preached a farewell sermon, 1858, at Tabor, Elberfeld Charge, the people went forward to bid him good-bye. One brother found it
313
INDIANA CONFERENCE
difficult to get to him to shake his hand, but finally succeeded and simultaneously gave him a dollar. That night the old man could not sleep, being conscience- smitten. Early next morning he came to where Hoehn lodged and said to him, "The devil played a trick on me last night. I intended to give you $5.00, but as I could hardly get to you while you were shaking hands with others, the devil said to me, 'See, Hochn cares more for others than he does for you, so I would only give him $1.00'. I did so. Then I could not sleep the whole night. I con- cluded to bring you the $5.00." Hoehn thanked him and handed him back $1.00.
"No, no," said the old man, "keep that $1.00 also. I'll now play a trick on the devil, instead of $1.00, you shall have $6.00."
A certain fine-looking, young man habitually came late to the revival at Bippus, conducted by Rev. Fisher. He came a distance of six miles. On enter- ing the church he would first stand by the stove, with whip in hand, to get warm, then he would crowd in among the young girls. While the people prayed, he would reach over with his whip and tickle those in front with his whip and cause other disturbances. The pastor asked the trustees to put a stop to his conduct, but they said, "He is a bad fellow; talking to him will only make him do worse."
The next night just as F. read the text, he again came in with whip in hand, and went to the stove. F. looking him straight in the eye, said, "The young men of this community are well raised, and know how to behave in God's house, but there are some others, who have not been brought up here, but some distance off; these have not been so well raised, but have just grown up tall, like weeds, and hence do not know how to behave in God's house. Now, sir, if your name 'goes before the grand jury, do not blame the trustees, but, I am the man that will do it. Do you understand?"
The young man went back and sat down in a corner. After church was out he said to others, "I will slap that preacher's face when he comes out."
The young men said to him, "Don't do it, while we are here", giving him to understand what they would do to him if he made the attempt. He jumped into his cutter, drove away, and stayed away.
While C. W. S. conducted a revival at E., two young men received such a wonderful blessing which revealed itself in a spell of uncontrolable laughter. The pastor wishing to close' the meeting for that night, wanted to make some announcements, but the interruption, of their laughter prevented the people fron catching the announcements. Father W., a very pious man, said audibly, "Stopf denna Buben ein Buch ins Maul". (Stuff a book in the mouths of those boys.) One of those boys is today (1924) a strong minister in the Indiana Con- ference.
314
HISTORICAL SKETCHES
HOW A CALL TO PREACH WAS SETTLED
Soon after a revival in the Snyder Class of the Old N. Webster Circuit, the people felt the need of another such meeting. The pastor consented and an- nounced the time. But when the time arrived the physical condition of the pastor was such that he could not go ahead with it, and so stated to the people, who were greatly disappointed. F. L. S. in his second year as a Christian stood in the door of the schoolhouse, where the meeting was to be held, ready to go home. A sister of the class stepped up to him and said, "Fred, you can hold this revival".
He replied, "Oh, my no, sister". Later he recognized that this was the devil's suggestion. After being urged with the consent of pastor and his mother, though Satan suggested, "You would not have the proper influence over the young people, they will laugh at you, even though you lived a consistent Chris- tian life'; but being assured that the contrary was true, he made the effort. It was, however, with trembling. The weather was wet, the roads muddy, and only about a dozen cooperated with him. The second week they had the first convert. The meeting in two places, one following the other, continued ten weeks and resulted in 100 conversions, some of a most remarkable character This result then settled his call to the ministry.
Sometime after the conversion of F. L. S. while he was cultivating corn and was happy in meditating on things divine, there suddenly was a voice back of him like that of a human voice, saying, "How do you know you will get into heaven when you get up there? God is almighty and may just thrust you out, and then what will all this ado on earth have amounted to?"
This at first nearly overcame S. But God's Spirit came to his aid, and he gathered his soul and body together, and then gave a tremendous kick forward with his right leg, as he uttered the words, "Get thee hence, Satan." Satan cleared out of the the field and S. was wonderfully strengthened in faith.
.
In February, 1901, at the South Bend First Church, Nitsche had a great revival, resulting in 76 conversions, 42 of whom were young men. Among them was Jonathan Hawkins, 24 years old, who would not yield for some time. He was to leave the city for the Illinois cornbelt where he had been working for a wealthy farmer for several years. The pastor, being told of this plan, called for a season of silent prayer, afterwards singing: "Nearer My God, to Thec," whereupon this young man staggered to the altar, fell to the floor, and cried aloud for mercy and soon was wonderfully saved. The next morning he had to leave for Illionis. But in May he came home very ill, was baptized and died, a saved man.
315
INDIANA CONFERENCE
BETTER YET
An aged German member of L. Society was seemingly deeply interested in his church. He was always anxious to have an interview with the newly ap- pointed preacher. When pastor Me. called on this brother for the first time he told him of the faults of all his predecessors in office at this charge. He started far back in the history of the church, enumerating the shortcomings of the pas- tors in rotation as he read their names from his little book. All save one young man, were much deficient, one in this, the other in that. He punctuated each brother's name with "Ach, -". Proceeding he would say, "Then, there was that -- , ach -". Having reached the last name in the list, and done him justice, he looked the new pastor over, and said, "Und now yust see vot we got!" Mc. stood the shock and in the end won out.
DO YE LIKEWISE
J. O. M., while holding a Quarterly Meeting at Foraker, Indiana, asked A. A. K., pastor, for something to do on Saturday forenoon, saying, "Isn't there some hard customer in the neighborhood that we could see today?"
K. replied, "There is an old man over yonder who does not go to church nor support it."
Then the P. E. said, "Let's go and dig about him as the Scripture says, will you?"
K. hitched his pony to the buggy and they went and found him at home. They began to talk to him, dwelling wholly on the love of God and his goodness to him all these years, etc. Then the P. E. asked if he might pray, which was allowed. They bade him adieu, and went away. After the Saturday night serv- ice K. came to his P. E., and said, "That brother whom we visited, came to the steward after our visit and handed him $20.00 for the preachers!"
M. F. Finkbeiner, with his brother, Christian, went to a camp-meeting held near their home in 1839, when M. F. was only 12 years old. The avowed pur- pose for going was to throw stones on the worshippers during the mecting. The mighty gospel sermon brought them to their knees at the altar. Instead of throwing stones on God's people, the Lord threw the burden of conviction upon them. After a severe struggle they were gloriously saved and both joined church, and Fred became a useful minister of the Gospel.
BITTER MEDICINE FOR TWO DISTURBERS
Rev. A. G. and E. T. H. were engaged in a meeting at the Immanuel Church on the Fulton Circuit. One evening there were two young men, brothers, who made quite a disturbance during the service. After the service, these preachers had occasion to walk the road with the two disturbers, and soon found that both
316
HISTORICAL SKETCHES
were under the influence of liquor, and were intent on making H. trouble. The older one attacked him in most profane and abusive language. His mad temper finally got the better of him. He jerked off his coat and approached God's serv- ant, but before he could strike, God interposed. Some young man, not of the company at the time, knew who the defender was; stepped up to the enraged would-be culprit and said to him "If you are determined to fight, you will have to settle with me, you dare not strike the preacher if I can prevent it."
This sudden change of front completely cowed the young man, and took all the fight out of him. There was nothing more said about whipping the preacher. H. prosecuted these brothers before the grand jury, and they were fined ninety dollars apiece. This was bitter medicine, but wholesome.
While A. G. held a revival meeting at the Husselman Church two miles south of Waterloo, preaching on sin, its nature, and the necessity in the moral government for its punishment, several young men, one Amos O. Raber, for some reason became greatly offended. These men set on foot a scheme to de- tract from the attendance and interest of the meeting, by starting a debating club in the school house near the church. Their scheme failed. They came to church one evening after preaching had begun, and stomped the snow off their shoes in a boisterous manner, whereupon G. took the occasion before closing the service, to give the boys a lesson on good behavior in the church.
After church the boys were grouped together outside expressing their opinion of the preacher in a loud manner. G. stepped up to one, and laid his hand on his shoulder and said that they were laying themselves liable to prosecu- . tion by their conduct outside of the church, and that they better quietly go home.
The next morning, Elkiah Zerkle reported to G. that he was being prose- cuted for "assault and battery". G. could scarcely believe this, and treated the matter lightly, but by Z.'s insistence he went to Waterloo to see the Judge for counsel. After hearing the case, the Judge said, "You should have taken him by the collar and have given him a thorough shaking up. Go to your work. If we need you, we will send for you."
This ended the suit. It, however, cost the young prosecutor five dollars to withdraw the case. These young men vowed they would never enter the church so long as G. was pastor.
But a few evenings after this, G., having preached on God's redeeming grace, invited seekers to the altar, and was surprised beyond measure to see three or four of the young men referred to above, come forward. Among them was Amos O. Raber, who two years later became a promising young minister in the Indiana Conference.
In 1896 while I. H. G. served Carmi, Illinois, he received a letter from the sheriff of Hamilton Co., urgently entreating him to visit at once a German man
317
INDIANA CONFERENCE
in the McLeansboro jail, who desired a German Protestant minister to pray with him. This man and his wife were reared in the Catholic faith. But he had left the Roman Church. They had one child. The priest persuaded the mother se- cretly to have it baptized against his will. This so enraged him that he in an intoxicated condition murdered the wife and child. For this horrible crime he had to pay the penalty of his life on the gallows. Just prior to his death, G. several times visited him. One bright morning while both were on their knees, imploring God's mercy, sweet peace came into his heart so that he glorified God that even a sinner with a blood-stained heart could be saved. His Catholic friends, with the priest, did their best to bring him back to the "Mother Church". This he absolutely refused. They persisted, until he ordered the sheriff to keep them out of his cell. Then they came to the barred window of his cell, offering him crucifixes, rosaries. etc., but all in vain. They told him he would be lost and his day of execution would be gloomy which would be an uncontrovertible sign of his eternal perdition. But the day of his execution was absolutely cloud- less. According to his desire, G. stood by his side on the gallows. In his con - fession on the gallows, he said, "If all the priests were married and true to their wives, this occasion would not have occurred."
SUDDEN JUDGMENT
In 1882 a new church was being built four miles north-west of Sandoval. Illinois. Two men from East St. Louis had the contract for the plastering. They wanted to finish the job on a Sunday. In a nearby schoolhouse Nitsche was holding his preaching services while the church was under construction. N. told these men that he and his people would positively object to their working on Sunday. One big fellow then began to curse N. and the Almighty. Ten minutes later this man had a paralytic stroke, leaving him helpless and in an unconscions condition. He died that evening.
III. REVIVAL EXPERIENCES
While Rev. J. R. was holding a revival on E. Circuit, inconsistent church members militated against the success of the revival. Outsiders had lost their confidence in them, due to dishonest dealings. Thus, the pastor's efforts among outsiders were defeated. When he gave opportunity to witness for Christ, one man especially would get up and earnestly admonish outsiders to come and re- pent of their sins. This he did repeatedly. So the pastor announced a special meeting at which confessions for sins should be made. This man was there. The pastor stated the object of the meeting clearly. All were to confess their sins if they had wronged anyone in word or deed. This member soon arose, and as usual began to exhort outsiders. The pastor stopped him and said,
318
HISTORICAL SKETCHES
"Brother, this is a meeting to make confessions of personal sins, not to give exhortations."
The man started again, in the old way. Again the pastor stopped him, saying, "Brother, you are out of order, you are not speaking on the subject under consideration."
"Well," said the man rather sharply, "Preacher, what do you want me to say?"
The pastor replied, "Tell the people how mean you have been this year, and confess your sins."
Hereupon he humbled himself and began to confess his shortcomings and sins. This was the beginning of an effective revival.
J. Kaufman relates an experience he had at the Zion Appointment on Bunker Hill Circuit, when he conducted a revival there in a schoolhouse. There was a great religious awakening among the Amish there (in the Troyer settle- ment). A son of an Ainish family was under deep conviction, and in agony of soul. On invitation he came to the altar for prayer, but did not find pardon. His parents found this out, and his mother was incensed over it, and hurriedly came to the church with a broomstick and ordered him home. But the next morning he again went to the church services and in the evening was again out at the altar. His mother did not, however, molest him this time. He found great peace and comfort for his soul.
At a revival meeting held at Common Centre, Cass Co., Indiana, in the winter of 1879, conducted by J. M. Dustman, two small girls came to the altar on the evening following the day meeting, when 11 seekers were wonderfully saved. Many older ones were saved in this meeting and joined the church; but these girls did not find peace, though they came to the altar night after night. But they united with the church. Soon after this, these girls with their parents and other children, went to Brother Hoffman's for Sunday dinner. After dinner the children went to the barn to play. There they were led to hold a prayer- meeting in the hay-mow. Soon the parents heard what seemed a great commo- tion among their children. The parents thinking it wrong for them to make such a noise, especially on Sunday, being church-members, were grieved, and went to the barn to see what was the matter. On reaching the hay-mow they learned to their surprise that the children were all praising God except the two girls. These lay on the hay, unconscious, but only for a short time, when they rallied with the glory of God in their hearts. Mrs. Peter Hoffman and a daugh- ter of Jacob Paulen were eye-witnesses.
In the fall of 1891, while H. H. Reinochl conducted a revival in Bethel Church, south of Ft. Recovery, rain fell almost incessantly for a week. Roads
319
INDIANA CONFERENCE
became almost impassable. , Only a few could get to church. The meeting was continued to the second Sunday night when only five members, and twelve un- converted young men were present. R. concluded to offer prayer and close the revival. But as he entered the pulpit he was led to think that these people were as much entitled to a full service as if he had a crowded house. He opened in the usual way, preached, and closed with an appeal to the unsaved young men. Eleven of them came out, with only five members to pray for them. H. said, "What a time we had! Such praying!" Three were saved that night. The re- vival was continued. Monday night some more were saved. Tuesday night the last of the eleven were saved. They all joined church. Truly "man's extremity proved God's opportunity".
A DAUGHTER'S PRAYER ANSWERED
In the Berne revival conducted by J. O. M., in 1917, a young lady who was a member of the church, asked for the prayers of the Christian people in behalf of her parents who lived in the country and belonged to a church which received her catechetical scholars into the membership of the church. One day while alone in her home, her mother heard a voice saying, "Why don't you read the Bible?"
She replied, "I don't know how to read and what part to read."
The voice again said to her, "Open the Bible and read." Later the voice again said, "Why don't you pray?" She went into another room and prayed and found wonderful peace and joy. When her husband came home she told him that she was converted.
Then he asked her to pray for him, and she said to him, "You must pray also." They both prayed, and he too was brought to the light, and both united with the Evangelical Church.
P. E., S. H. B. was asked to conduct a short evangelistic meeting in Culver, Indiana, in the winter of 1905 in the stead of the pastor, Chas. McConnehey, who was ill. A week's prayer-meeting preceded. Two men and their wives came to the altar the second night, and were saved. Thereafter, seekers came night after night, as many as thirty on one night. On one night in particular, conviction definitely gripped sinners and backsliders. Five denominations participated. Even two Jews, (merchants) attended and sanctioned the work as, "bettering the social life of the community". Their Gentile wives professed conversion and one joined the Evangelical Church and the other the M. E. Church. One young man under conviction declared he would rather shovel coal in hell than go to that altar, but the next night he was a penitent at the altar. The dancing master in anger declared that this meeting broke up the dances on the boat for six months. It did. The 12-day meeting closed with over 100 at the altar with
320
HISTORICAL SKETCHES
nearly that many conversions. About 60 united with the Evangelical Associa- tion. Some joined the M. E. Church and some the Reformed Church.
In a meeting held in Bippus, Indiana, Jan., 1888, a young married woman came forward. As she walked out, a good brother nodded to her husband to come also. This enraged him for he construed the brother's nod as an annoy- ance. The woman was happily saved that night. When church was out, her husband began a fuss in the church with the man who nodded to him. Walking together on the road with the pastor, C. C. B., this young man charged the h society with hypocrisy, etc. After he reached home he had no rest. He tried to sleep but could not. He tried to quarrel with his wife the whole night. In the morning after breakfast he went out into the woodshed that stood by the road-side. He had heard the night before, that the man who annoyed him was going to town in the morning. He had to pass this woodshed to go to town. The angry young man purposed to kill him with a split-axe when he arrived there. He split some wood and kept watching for his man until II a. m. when he suddenly was overcome hy divine power. His axe fell out of his hands, he rushed into the house, cast himself on his knees, and called to his wife to come and pray for him. He struggled for deliverance from the power of sin and Satan. He was now ready to forgive the man he accused wrongly. About I p. m. he found peace. That evening he told the whole story in the church to a full audience.
In the winter of 1885-86, I. B. Fisher, pastor of Huntington Mission, held an evangelistic meeting at Bippus in the newly dedicated church. The third Saturday night, he announced that there would be no service on Sunday night. but at 3 p. m. to avoid the crowded condition. When he arrived Sunday after- noon he scarcely found a hitching place for his ponies. The church was crowd- ed. It was difficult for him to reach the pulpit. Thus far he had no conver- sions. He felt somewhat blue over the situation, but this scene brought him a feeling that victory was near. He had no time for preparation to preach. After the singing of a song, he read from Ps. 145:1-13, then he stopped, announced the outline of his sermon, thus: I. The kingdom of God in Heaven; II. The kingdom of God on earth; III. The kingdom of God in men's hearts. Suddenly there was a shout which was followed by deep emotions. Immediately he gave an invitation to come to the altar. The people arose, and many ran to the altar until it was filled. Many more ran for the door as though a great calamity was about to befall them. A goodly number of seekers were converted.
One man, alarmed, ran for the door, beckoning his wife with his hat to come. He went home scolding about the noisy meeting, saying, that such confusion was displeasing to God and dishonoring His house. That night he could not sleep, so he got up and went to the living room, and knelt down by the lounge
321
21
INDIANA CONFERENCE
and began to pray, and he got so loud that he could be heard a great distance away. His wife also knelt by his side, and also cried for mercy. A 14-year-old lad, sleeping upstairs, came down to see what was the matter. Not knowing what to do, he walked across a field for his uncle and aunt. They came, and hearing them pray, they also knelt and cried for mercy. The boy then hurriedly started out a half mile to neighbors for help. A man and his wife came and seeing what was going on they also knelt and began to pray. The lad made another attempt to get aid by going to relatives, a man and his wife, who came, and also knelt and cried for mercy, making in all eight penitents. Now the lad said, "I guess that I must get the preacher." He stopped at the house next to the church, but the man of the house knew not where the preacher was, but he went with the boy to his home to see what was wrong, and he also knelt down to pray. Nine sinners were now praying for salvation. The boy now concluded, "I guess they are all crazy," and went back to bed. But before daylight they were all saved and sent out a messenger for the preacher. He found him at a breakfast table. The preacher hurried over. They told of their experience and that they were now gloriously saved. This revival lasted six weeks, resulting in 84 conversions.
In 1917 J. O. Mosier held a revival in Berne, Indiana, lasting seven weeks during which time 315 professed salvation. A Mr. Braecker, whose wife had previously been converted, tried to convince himself that he was a Christian. But his wife knew better. On a Saturday night, while at the supper table, con- viction came upon him so definitely, that he suddenly rose from the table, went out for help, but not finding aid, he made for the parsonage at 10 p. m. and said to the pastor, "I have to have help or I will die tonight." The pastor talked and prayed with him for an hour when he went home, and soon experienced salva- tion.
At a day prayer-meeting at Zion, Bunker Hill Circuit, during a revival in 1889, there seemed to be present something that blocked the way to victory. Some difficulty existed in the society. The meeting began at 10 a. m. Pastor S. H. B. gave an earnest exhortation on the need of unity of spirit and coopera- tive work as necessary to succeed. Then followed earnest prayer without ap- parent victory. It was about 12 o'clock when the local preacher, A. Troyer, expressed the thought, whether they all had complied with Christ's petition, "Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors", and then suggested that all once more kneel and all should join in real sincerity and pray the Lord's Prayer, and fully comply with the above petition. The suggestion was carried out. All knelt, praying this prayer audibly. Coming to the above petition, there was suddenly a wonderful divine power present. Petitioners let go of self. The Holy Ghost came and purged them from the ill feelings. Hearts were melted
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.