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92
¡HISTORY OF THE
CHAPTER X.
Numbers-Census Report of the Statistics of the different Denominations in the field occupied by the Presbytery.
IN the Presbytery of Indianapolis, N. S., there were, in 1860, twelve ministers, eighteen churches, and eight hundred and three members. Of these eighteen churches, only nine were within the boundaries of the present Presbytery of Indianapolis. Of these nine churches, five were small, aggregating only sixty-seven members. The other four churches contained a membership of four hundred and fifty-seven. The membership of the nine churches was five hundred and four. In the seven other New School churches that were within the bounds of the present Presbytery of Indianapolis, there was a membership of five hundred and eighty six, making a total membership in the New School churches of eleven hundred and ten.
This number, added to the seventeen hundred and forty of the Old School churches, would make the mem- bership of the Presbyterian churches within the boun- daries of the present presbytery to have been, in 1860, two thousand eight hundred and fifty.
This is not so rapid an increase of the members of the Presbyterian church upon this field as in the prece- ding ten years of its history. It is only an increase of little more than fifty per cent., while the increase of the preceding decade was eighty per cent. But the rate of
93
PRESBYTERY OF INDIANAPOLIS.
increase is greater than that of the population. The population of the counties within the presbytery in- creased from a little more than a hundred and twenty thousand (121,736) to something over a hundred and fifty-eight thousand (158,853), an increase of little more than thirty-three per cent. In 1850, the proportion of the membership of the Presbyterian church in the field of the presbytery was about one to sixty-five of the population. In 1860, the proportion is one to fifty-five.
CENSUS REPORT.
The United States census report of 1860, more com- plete and accurate than that of 1870, gives the following religious statistics of the field occupied by the presby- tery :
Bartholomew county, with a population of 17,865, has-
3 Presbyterian churches, with property valued at $1,450.
9 Baptist =
66
7,750.
6 Christian
66
" =
7,650.
1 Friends'
=
1,200.
4 Lutheran 66
= 1,900.
1 Moravian
3,500.
25 Methodist
" 17,800.
Brown county, with a population of 6,504, has-
1 Presbyterian church, with property valued at
$400.
9 Baptist
=
600.
3 Christian
"
420.
6 Methodist
66
2,450.
Hancock county, with a population of 12,802, has-
2 Christian churches, with property valued at $3,700.
2 Baptist
=
=
800.
6 Lutheran
=
66
3,750.
14 Methodist =
16 8,000.
3 Union
1,054.
1 Presbyterian
no property.
94
HISTORY OF THE
Hendricks county, with a population of 16,953, has-
4 Presbyterian churches, with property valued at $10,000.
11 Baptist
9 Christian =
=
6,400.
4 Friends' =
=
=
14,000.
11 Methodist
3.700.
Johnson county, with a population of 14,854, has-
9 Presbyterian churches, with property valued at $15,450.
16 Baptist 10,375.
11 Christian
18 Methodist
1 Roman Catholic " =
400.
Marion county, with a population of 39,855, has-
9 Presbyterian churches, with property valued at $92,960.
10 Baptist
3 Christian
=
=
4,600.
1 Congregational = 66
8,000.
1 Episcopalian
=
=
16 27,000.
5 Friends'
6,500.
1 Lutheran =
=
800.
32 Methodist
= 100,905.
2 Roman Catholic "
16
19,000.
Monroe county, with a population of 12,847, has-
2 Presbyterian churches, with property valued at $10,500.
9 Baptist
10 Christian 66
16
=
=
5,000.
13 Methodist
1 Cumb'rl'nd Pr.
.
Morgan county, with a population of 16,110, has-
26 Methodist churches, with property valued at $23,800.
4 Baptist =
11,800.
12 Christian
66
=
11,800.
2 Episcopal
66
16
800.
6 Friends'
=
6,100.
1 Cumb'rl'nd Pr.
16 1,000.
1 Rom'n Catholic
=
300.
יו
2,000.
2 United Pr.
~
3,200.
=
31,200.
3,500.
14,100. 800.
2 Reformed Pr.
¥
8,300.
=
10,125.
=
=
4,750.
95
PRESBYTERY OF INDIANAPOLIS.
Putnam county, with a population of 20,681, has-
8 Presbyterian churches, with property valued at $18,700.
18 Baptist
66 11,690.
14 Christian =
14,700.
27 Methodist
42,350.
2 Cumb'rl'nd Pr.
3,200.
The term churches, denoting particular organizations or congregations, gives no definite information concern- ing the strong or weak, the prosperous or declining con- dition of particular organizations. Yet the term church, denoting an individual congregation, has definite ideas of organization, of life, of power, of influence, connected with it. And in the absence of more complete know- ledge, the United States census report of the number of the churches of the different denominations in the field occupied by our presbytery, and especially in connection with the value of the property possessed by these churches, gives us much valuable information and per- haps clearer and more accurate knowledge of the whole field than can otherwise be obtained by us.
96
HISTORY OF THE
CHAPTER XI.
Indianapolis Presbytery, N. S .- Greenfield Church-Kings- ton and Clarksburg-Edinburg-Sixth Church of Indi- anapolis- Shelbyville- Ministerial Changes- Progress- Reunion -- Adjournment sine die-Hendricks County- Putnam County -- Bloomington-Columbus- Numbers.
1861-1870.
RENEWING our history of the Presbytery of Indianap- olis, New School, we will find it in the progress of the next ten years growing in numbers, strength and efficiency.
February, 1861, it received the church of Greenfield, which was at the time in connection with the Old School Presbytery of Indianapolis. It also received J. T. Iddings, a licentiate of the Presbytery of Kaskaskias, O. S., and installed him pastor of the Greenfield church. But at the next meeting of presbytery, in April, citations were issued for the trial of Mr. Iddings, for forgery of the certificate of licensure, upon which he had been re- ceived into the presbytery. After long and wearisome trials before presbytery, and in synod, he was found guilty and deposed from the ministry. The church of Greenfield was visited by committees of presbytery at various times, but had become alienated from the pres- bytery, and in the spring of 1866 reunited with the Old School Presbytery.
97
PRESBYTERY OF INDIANAPOLIS.
May, 1863, the Second Church of Franklin was dis- solved, and the stated clerk directed to furnish the re- maining members with letters to unite with such branches of the church of Christ as they might elect.
April, 1864, the churches of Kingston (formerly Sand Creek) and Clarksburg were received into the presbytery. They had left the presbytery years before, because the General Assembly had not taken such action upon the subject of slavery as they thought should be taken. They had united with the Felicity Presbytery of the Free Pres- byterian Church. The civil war and emancipation procla- mation of the President of the United States, by which the system of slavery was destroyed, took away the standing place and removed the necessity of the exist- ence of a Free Presbyterian Church, and these churches now returned to the old fold with a largely increased membership.
September, 1864, the reorganization of a church at Edinburg was reported to presbytery.
The Sixth Church of Indianapolis, called Olivet at the time of its organization, was established by the Second Church. In June, 1867, a committee was appointed by the Second Church to buy lots and build a chapel in the south-western part of the city. A site was selected at the corner of Union and McCarty streets. A building was begun in September. In October it was completed. The 20th of November a church was organized with twenty-one members. It was reported to presbytery April, 1868. In the spring of 1870 it reported one hun- dred and eleven members.
April, 1861, presbytery received under its care the First German Church of Shelbyville, with one hundred and twenty-five members. 7
98
HISTORY OF THE
MINISTERIAL CHANGES.
August, 1861, L. P. Webber, a licentiate of Dayton Presbytery, was received and employed as presbyterial missionary. November, 1861, he was ordained. Sep- tember, 1863, he was dismissed to the Presbytery of San José.
October, 1861, John S. Craig and John B. Logan, members of the Presbytery of Holston, Tennessee, un- able to get their letters from their presbytery on account of the war, were received without them.
Anderson was for a series of years the scene of the labors of J. S. Craig ; afterwards Noblesville. J. B. Logan, as stated supply and home missionary, occupied various fields.
April, 1862, A. L. Brooks, stated supply of the Fourth Church of Indianapolis, and D. A. Bassett, stated sup- ply of the church of Connersville, were dismissed to the Presbytery of Chicago.
May. 1863, A. A. Jimeson was received from the Pres- bytery of Dayton. He was pastor elect of the church at Connersville. April, 1865, he was dismissed to the Presbytery of Sciota.
May, 1863, A. T. Rankin was received from the Pres- bytery of Ripley. He was stated supply of the Kingston and Clarksburg churches.
September, 1863, C. H. Marshall was received from the South Congregational Association of Illinois. He was stated supply of the Fourth Church of Indianapolis.
September, 1863, T. A. Steele was received from Salem Presbytery. He labored as home missionary for one year, and was dismissed September, 1864, to Salem Presbytery.
September, 1863, G. P. Tindall was released from the
99
PRESBYTERY OF INDIANAPOLIS.
pastoral care of the Second Church of Indianapolis, and dismissed to the Presbytery of Washtenaw.
September, 1864, H. A. Edson was received from the Presbytery of Niagara. He was called to the pastorate of the Second Church of Indianapolis November 5, 1863; began his ministry in the Second Church January 17, 1864, and was installed April 26, 1865.
April, 1865, Joseph Swindt was licensed. He was or- dained June, 1866, and dismissed to Ripley Presbytery September, 1866.
March, 1866, W. L. S. Clark was received without credentials. He had been laboring for some months under direction of the Committee on Home Missions. September, 1867, he was dismissed to the Presbytery of St. Louis.
September, 1866, Isaac De La Mater was dismissed to the Presbytery of Hamilton. He had labored for several years as stated supply of the church at Thorntown, and in 1863 was commissioned chaplain of the seventy-second regiment of Indiana volunteers.
December, 1866, the pastoral relation of P. S. Cleland and the church at Greenwood was dissolved, after a ministry of twenty-six years, ten as stated supply and sixteen as pastor. The reason for the dissolution of the pastoral relation urged by Mr. Cleland was impaired health, that, made it perilous for him to continue his pastoral labors, and impossible for him to discharge the duties of pastor. Mr. Cleland, who had become stated clerk of presbytery in 1859, continued to discharge the duties of stated clerk until April, 1869. In September, 1869, after laboring thirty years within the bounds of the presbytery, his labors at Greenwood antedating the organization of the presbytery, he was dismissed to the Presbytery of Smoky Hill, Kansas.
100
HISTORY OF THE
April, 1867, Alexander Parker was received from the Presbytery of Madison. He was stated supply of the church at Connersville.
April, 1867, George D. Parker was licensed. He was ordained October, 1867, labored at Edinburg, and was dismissed to Vincennes September, 1869.
April, 1867, Thomas G. Bartholomew was licensed, ordained April, 1869, and dismissed to the Presbytery of Lansing April, 1870.
September, 1867, Horace Bushnell, Jr., was received from the Presbytery of Madison, and became stated sup- ply of the Southport church.
April, 1868, J. B. Brandt was received from the Pres- bytery of Wabash. His first work was in connection with the Sixth church of Indianapolis
Rufus Nutting, Jr., was received at the same time from the Presbytery of Illinois, and G. H. White dis- missed to Windsor Association, Vermont.
April, 1868, Alexander Reid was received from the Presbytery of Madison, and installed pastor of the church at Anderson.
April, 1868, Frederick F. Friedgen was received from the Presbytery of Madison. He was stated supply of the First German Church of Shelbyville.
December, 1868, Luman A. Aldrich was received from the Presbytery of Cincinnati, and installed pastor of the Sixth Church of Indianapolis.
September, 1869, H. L. Dickerson was received from the Presbytery of Greencastle. He became stated sup- ply of the church at Edinburg.
July 2, 1870, J. H. Eschmeier was received from the Indiana Classis of the German Reformed Church, and installed pastor of the First German Church of Shelby- ville.
101
PRESBYTERY OF INDIANAPOLIS.
DEATHS.
September 9, 1866, Claiborne Young, one of the oldest members of the presbytery, died at his own residence in Boone county, at the age of sixty-six.
June 19, 1867, Thornton A. Mills, D. D., Secretary of the General Assembly's Committee on Education, fell dead from a stroke of apoplexy as he was stepping from the ferryboat at Hoboken, New Jersey. So, absent from the body, he entered into the presence of the Lord.
PROGRESS.
During this period of ten years, the years 1866, 1867 and 1870 were marked with the greatest increase to the churches. The narrative for 1866 says: " We desire to express our gratitude to God for the increased pros- perity of many of our churches since the last report to presbytery. The influence of the numerous revivals du- ring the last winter is apparent in the large and atten- tive congregations, the earnest prayer meetings, and the growing Sabbath schools, of which not a few are able to speak." 'The revivals of 1868 prevailed in a larger num- ber of the churches, and resulted in large additions. In 1870, two of the churches of the presbytery were blessed with very large additions. The church of Kingston re- ceived one hundred and twenty-two upon profession of faith ; the Second Church of Indianapolis one hundred and twenty-six.
During this period, the Second Church of Indianapo- lis began and completed its second house of worship. Ground was broken for the structure at the corner of Pennsylvania and Vermont streets in the spring of 1864. The corner-stone was laid May 14, 1866; the chapel was first occupied December 22, 1867, and the completed ed- ifice was dedicated January 9, 1870. The entire cost of
102
HISTORY OF THE
the property was about one hundred and five thousand dollars.
REUNION.
The first mention made of reunion in the records of presbytery is in April, 1865. Then, Rev. Wm. Phelan is present as a delegate from White Water Presbytery, and presents to the presbytery a series of resolutions from the White Water Presbytery on the subject of the reunion of the two branches of the Presbyterian church. The following resolutions were passed by the presbytery :
First. That the presbytery cordially reciprocate the sentiments and action of the White Water Presbytery on the subject of the union of the now divided Presbyterian church.
Second. That we instruct our commissioners to the next General Assembly to co-operate in any measures which may be proposed in the Assembly which, in their judgment, may have a tendency to bring about a harmonious and honorable blending of the two branches of the Presbyterian church.
Third. That Rev. A. A. Jimeson and Elder P. H. Roots be appointed to convey to the White Water Presbytery, either in person, or otherwise, our sincere Christian salutations, and our , willingness to co-operate in bringing about a union so desirable.
Fourth. That Rev. C. H. Marshall and Elder W. N. Jackson be appointed delegates to the Indianapolis Presbytery, O. S., which is to meet in Indianapolis next week, and extend to that body our fraternal greetings and our readiness for an organic union with their branch of the church as soon as in the providence of God the way is open.
The final action of the presbytery on the subject of reunion is in September, 1869.
An overture on the reunion of the two branches of the Presbyterian church, O. S. and N. S., was received from the General Assembly, through its stated clerk, propounding the following question, and directing that a report to the Assembly of the answer given should be made before November 1, 1869 :
103
PRESBYTERY OF INDIANAPOLIS.
"Do you approve of the reunion of the two bodies claiming the name and rights of the Presbyterian church in the United States of America, on the following basis, namely :
' The reunion shall be effected on the doctrinal and ecclesiastical basis of our common standards : the Scrip- tures of the Old and New Testaments shall be acknowl- edged to be the inspired word of God, and the only infallible rule of faith and practice; the Confession of Faith shall continue to be sincerely received and adopted as containing the system of doctrine taught in the Holy Scriptures ; and the Government and Discipline of the Presbyterian church in the United States shall be approved as containing the principles and rules of our polity.' "
The vote being taken on this overture, it was answered in the affirmative by a unanimous rising vote, and pres- bytery directed that a special record should be made of the names of all voting. The list follows :
MINISTERS.
CHURCHES. ELDERS.
Philip S. Cleland.
John S. Craig
Noblesville H. F. Chappell.
Charles H. Marshall Indianapolis, 4th Samuel Merrill.
John B. Logan. Edinburg Henry Ewing.
Rufus Nutting, Jr.
Philander Anderson
Alexander Parker
Henry L. Dickerson Thorntown John Higgins.
Archibald S. Reid Anderson, 1st Jacob Beachler.
Arthur T. Rankin. Kingston J. B. Hopkins.
Francis F. Friedgen Shelbyville, Ger Henry Burkher.
Hanford A. Edson Indianapolis, 2d. Edwin J. Peck.
Horace Bushnell, Jr. .Southport. Samuel Moore. Greenwood Garret Sorter.
Luman A. Aldrich. Olivet C. P. Wilson.
John B. Brandt.
104
HISTORY OF THE
FINAL ADJOURNMENT.
July 3, 1870, at the close of installation services in the First German church, in Shelbyville, " the Presbytery of Indianapolis, N. S., as existing prior to the reunion, adjourned sine die, with thankfulness to God for all the good it had been permitted to do, and for that union, which gives hope for greater good in the future."
HENDRICKS COUNTY.
The Danville church enjoyed the ministry of W. L. Dickerson until February, 1868, when the pastoral rela- tion was dissolved by the Presbytery of Greencastle. W. L. Lee succeeded to the pastorate of the church July, 1868. The number reported in the church, 1870, was one hundred and forty-four.
The church at White Lick reported at the same time sixty-three.
PUTNAM COUNTY.
The Rev. Henry Rossiter ministered to the church at Greencastle until December, 1868. W. A. Bosworth became, in 1869, supply, and was supply for one year.
In January, 1864, a new house of worship, begun some years before, was dedicated to the worship of God. The membership in 1869 was one hundred and four. Organic union with the Second church had been completed in the spring of 1870, and a membership of two hundred and fifty is reported in connection with the Presbytery of Crawfordsville, O. S. In the Second church there was, in 1869, one hundred members.
The Bainbridge church reported in 1870, seventy members.
In 1865, the Rev. Ransom Hawley ceased his labors in the Putnamville church as stated supply. When he ceased his labors, he had been ministering to the church
105
PRESBYTERY OF INDIANAPOLIS.
one-fourth of his time for twenty-four years. Rev. John Hawks became stated supply of the Putnamville church for one-fourth of his time. The membership reported in 1870, was eighty-nine.
BLOOMINGTON.
The church at Bloomington was supplied by Rev. John M. Bishop one-half of his time until 1865, when he was installed as pastor by the Salem Presbytery. Until this installation, Prof. Ballantine supplied the church one-half the time. In the fall of 1867, Mr. Bishop was released from the pastorate of the church, to accept a call to the church at Rockville. Prof. Bal- lantine at this time, became stated supply of the church and ministered to it for two years. In the fall of 1869, this church, the Second Presbyterian church of Bloom- ington, made arrangements for united services with the First church. These services continued until April, 1870, when the organic union of the First and Second churches was consummated. The Second church had at the time of this union, a membership of sixty-eight.
COLUMBUS.
This church was ministered to by Rev. N. S. Dickey, until November, 1870, when he terminated his labors with the church, closing a ministry to it of seventeen years. The membership reported in 1870, was one hun- dred and seventy.
At the time of the final adjournment of the India- napolis Presbytery, N. S., there were connected with it, fifteen ministers and nineteen churches, with a member- ship of nineteen hundred and fifty-nine. Of these churches, eight are within the bounds of the present presbytery, and had a membership of one thousand and
106
HISTORY OF THE
thirty-six. The other seven churches that were in con- nection with New School presbyteries, had a member- ship of six hundred and seventy three. The total mem- bership of all the churches, was seventeen hundred and seventeen.
107
PRESBYTERY OF INDIANAPOLIS.
CHAPTER XII.
Indianapolis Presbytery, O. S .- Changes in the Churches -Ministerial Changes-Deaths-State of the Country- Revivals-Reunion-First Church at Indianapolis-Sev- enth Church of Indianapolis-Brownsburg and Clermont -Greencastle, Carpentersville, Bloomington-Numbers.
1861-1870.
IN this last decade of the history of this presbytery, we note first the changes in the churches.
In April, 1861, the Edinburg church was dissolved, and by request of its members they were united with the church at Franklin.
April, 1865, the name of New Providence church was changed to Acton.
April, 1865, the church of Greenwood was dissolved.
April, 1866, the Greenfield church, reporting a mem- bership of one hundred and thirty-eight, was received.
October, 1867, the organization of the Fifth church of Indianapolis with eighteen members, was reported to presbytery.
October, 1867, the church of Bloomington, with its pastor, T. M. Hopkins, was transferred to the Presbytery of New Albany.
MINISTERIAL CHANGES.
1 April, 1861, A. B. Morey, a licentiate of the Presby-
108
HISTORY OF THE
tery of Albany was received. The succeeding month of May he was ordained and installed at Franklin.
April, 1861, J. B. Vawter was licensed. March, 1863, he was dismissed to put himself under the care of the Presbytery of Dubuque.
September, 1861, Charles Axtel was received from the Presbytery of Rock River. He was installed at Knights- town in the following October. April, 1864, he was re- leased from his pastoral charge. In September, 1865, he was dismissed to the Presbytery of Dubuque.
September, 1861, P. R. Vanatta was received from the Presbytery of Hillsboro. IIis labors were in the Bible cause.
September, 1861, G. C. Heckman was received from the Presbytery of Milwaukee. October, 1871, he was installed pastor of the Third church of Indianapolis. This pastoral relation was dissolved in October, 1867, and Dr. Heckman dismissed to the Presbytery of Albany to accept a call from the State Street Church, Albany.
June, 1862, B. F. Wood was released from the pas- toral care of the Bethany church.
June, 1862, F. Senour was received from the Presby- tery of Louisville. March, 1863, he was dismissed to the Presbytery of Chicago.
June, 1862, J. H. Vannuys, a licentiate of the Pres- bytery of Donegal, was received. April, 1863, he was dismissed to put himself under the care of the Presby- tery of Rock River.
September, 1862, Levi Hughes was received from the Presbytery of St. Paul. This brother losing his hearing, and becoming entirely deaf by exposure while preach- ing in Minnesota, became, notwithstanding this great affliction of being totally deaf, an earnest and successful evangelist. He labored for some time as evangelist and
109
PRESBYTERY OF INDIANAPOLIS.
missionary in the presbytery, and then became agent for Hanover College. He was dismissed to the Presby- tery of New Albany in October, 1867.
April, 1863, W. W. Sickles was received from the Presbytery of New Albany.
April, 1864, J. Q. McKeehan was received from the Presbytery of Madison. May, 1869, he was dismissed to the same presbytery.
C. H. Raymond was received at the same time from the Presbytery of White Water. April, 1866, he was dismissed to the Presbytery of Oxford.
April, 1865, S. E. Barr was received from the Presby- tery of New Albany. May following he was installed at Hopewell.
April, 1865, N. S. Palmer was received from the Pres- bytery of Crawfordsville. His labors were principally in connection with the American Tract Society.
April, 1866, James Gilchrist was received from the Presbytery of White Water. He was stated supply of the Bethany church. April, 1870, he was dismissed to the Presbytery of Crawfordsville.
April, 1866, R. B. Abbott was received from the Pres- bytery of White Water. He was stated supply of the church at Knightstown. In April, 1867, he was dis- missed to the Presbytery of St. Paul.
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