USA > Indiana > Indiana Baptist history, 1798-1908 > Part 15
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
226
INDIANA BAPTIST HISTORY.
Aged Ministers' Home at Fenton, Michigan. In his own city he has several times been elected a member of the common council; also was made a water works commissioner. He has always been a liberal contrib- utor to the expenses and benevolences of his own church, as well as to the enterprises of his denomina- tion. His helpfulness to young men beginning in busi- ness has been one of the marked characteristics of his career. He has assisted and trained more than a score of young men in business, a large per cent of whom have become successful men, and are to be found in many lines of industry-especially merchandise.
Abbott L. Johnson, of the First Muncie church, was born in Ohio, a small village in Herkimer coun- ty, New York. His parents were Henry I. and Eliza (Ferguson) Johnson. When he was twelve years of age, with his family he moved to Ashtabula, Ohio, where he lived till he was twenty-one years of age. He then moved to Bluffton, Indiana, where he engaged in the lumber business. After four years he changed his location to Liberty Center where, with his wife, he joined the Baptist church. In 1878 he moved to Mun- cie where he quickly manifested business ability of a high order. He assumed the management of a large number of business enterprises, until his interests ex- tended very widely, including not only the original lumber business, but also mining and especially manu- facturing. As a business man he has remarkably quick and certain judgment, able to forecast business condi- tions with noticeable exactness. He has been signally successful until now he ranks as one of the best known
227
DISTRICT ASSOCIATIONS.
business men of Indiana. Mr. Johnson was married to Miss Florence Merriam at Ashtabula, Ohio, in Janu- ary, 1872. Mrs. Johnson has been a helpmeet in every sense of the word, and a woman of rare judgment, gracious disposition and deeply religious character. The home life of this household has been ideal. The three children are J. Edgar, Ray P., and Florence Grace, all of whom are members of the First Baptist church at Muncie, as are also the wives of the sons, and Charles S. Davis the husband of the daughter. So it is a united family in the church, and all are pro- foundly interested in its work. Mr. Johnson has for many years served the church as deacon, and also as trustee and superintendent of the Sunday school, as well as in giving his time whenever it was needed in special activities; he counts his business subordinate and subservient to his church interests. When his church has needed his advice he has counted it no sac- rifice to ride a thousand miles, coming and going, to attend an officers' or a church meeting. He knows as well how to deal with men religiously as in busi- ness, and often have inquirers been shown The Way by him. He and his wife both know how to pray and to speak in behalf of their Redeemer. Mr. Johnson is a giver of not only great liberality but also of most delightful spirit. He gives carefully and prayerfully and with great cheerfulness, counting it a privilege. Few appeals are made to him in vain, if they appeal to his judgment as worthy objects of the kingdom of God. From a child he was trained to give one-tenth of his income to the Lord's treasury, and from this
228
INDIANA BAPTIST HISTORY.
early training he has never departed. As a youth he knew something of the straitness of limited means, but however low the home treasury the Lord must have His portion. Such fidelity the Lord has blessed, and while it may not be affirmed that giving his "tenths and offerings" has been the cause of his financial suc- cess, it has surely not hindered, and what is more sig- nificant still, it has given him a richness of enjoy- ment in the portion he has thought it right to retain for his own use, that has paid immeasurably. His per- sonal and home life religiously has been happy, blessed and honored. As an officer of the church he has al- ways been loyal to his pastor, and made him his near- est friend and confidential counsellor. Next to his own family he has thought of the pastor's family. Both Mr. and Mrs. Johnson have held a number of offices of responsibility in the Baptist work of Indiana, and
he is now a member of the Board of Directors of Franklin College, in which he takes a deep interest and to which he has been a liberal contributor. He and his wife are of world-wide sympathies in their benevolences. While Mr. Johnson has the strength of a business man of large interests, he is as tender as a woman, and of unsurpassed thoughtfulness for oth- ers. His sympathy for any one in need is profound, and he knows just what to do; while others may be asking what can be done, he does it. Above his busi- ness judgment are his kindness of heart, humility of soul, tenderness of disposition, thoughtfulness for others, unswerving fidelity to his friends and unerring sense of justice."
-
229
DISTRICT ASSOCIATIONS.
BEDFORD ASSOCIATION-(COUNTIES OF LAWRENCE, MARTIN, MONROE AND ORANGE).
This Association was organized at Bedford in 1842; doubtless Elder T. N. Robertson was the most efficient man in the organization, for he was pastor at Bedford at the time, and he aided in the constitution of other churches in the Association. In a sketch of his life it is found that he began preaching in Bedford in 1841; in the second year, the church of 25 members, in one and a half years, numbered 145. The earliest minutes accessible are for 1848; then there were seventeen churches-Bedford, Beaver Creek and Spice Valley having the largest number of members. Elder T. N. Robertson was elected moderator and Elder R. M. Parks, clerk; Elder Robertson also wrote the Circular letter. Other ordained ministers in the Association were Elders J. Odell, H. Elkin and S. Weber. At the session in 1855 mention is made of the death of the Rev. N. V. Steadman, a general agent of the Ameri- can Baptist Home Mission Society, and a resolution was passed endorsing the Ladoga Seminary. In 1856 there were twenty-one churches and 1,508 members; Spice Valley had the largest church membership, 191. Additions to the ministry of the Association were the Revs. J. D. P. Hungate, A. 'H. Gainey, H. Burton, W. Baker, M. C. Edwards, A. Pickthall and I. Carothers. At the sesion in 1857 the matter of a seminary of learning for that part of the State was considered and a committee was appointed to make recommendations. On the cover of the minutes for 1862 appears the ad- vertisement of Mitchell Seminary; the Rev. Simpson
230
INDIANA BAPTIST HISTORY.
Burton was principal and Misses Carrie Graves and Mary Montonya were the assistants. (More will be said of this school under the head of Education.)
At the twenty-eighth anniversary the Circular took up the question, "Why can't Baptists commune with other denominations?" Those who knew the writer of the letter (the Rev. Wright Sanders) need not be told with what emphasis he gave the reasons why they cannot.
The minutes for 1873 give the names of thirty churches, and they aggregate 2,053 members. Beaver Creek leads in the number of members, and Scotland church is next. The resolutions passed indicate that the Association is in co-operation with all the mission- ary and educational movements of the times; the or- dained ministers at this time were the Revs. J. M. Stalker, H. Burton, T. C. Phipps, T. N. Robertson, A. J. Essex, L. W. Bicknell, W. H. Lemonds, N. Wil- liams, W. Sanders, I. Carothers, J. W. Thomas, J. M. Rendell, V. T. Baker, G. W. Terry and J. Cornelius. At the session in 1875 but ten churches reported ; ten are named that do not "have regular preaching, and some do not meet for worship at all; deplorable, sad !" In the minutes for 1890 this record is found-"In addition to the above (contributions) Sister Jane Parks, in memory of her late husband, the Rev. R. M. Parks, gives $50 to the Missionary Union, $100 to the Home Mission Society, $50 to the Woman's Home Mission Society of the West, and $50 to the Franklin College fund."
Among the ministers of the Association Elder T.
231
DISTRICT ASSOCIATIONS.
N. Robertson clearly holds the place of patriarch. Most of the following brief sketch of his life is taken from a sketch written in 1879 by Mrs. Viola P. Ed- wards of Bedford. He was born in North Carolina in 1802; in his third year his parents emigrated to Cumberland county, Kentucky, and in 1816 they moved to Washington county, Indiana. He had but slight public school advantages; he was in Lane's Academy in Kentucky for two years. His father and mother were Baptists, and in his nineteenth year he was baptized into the membership of the Clifty church, Washington county, by Elder Abram Stark. He was married in 1823 and for several years had a struggle with himself between the sense of duty to give him- self to the work of the ministry and the inclination to engage in business. His business was anything but satisfactory ; at one time the civil officer exposed all his property for sale to satisfy creditors, and all was sold except his Bible and hymn-book, but as nobody would bid for these he was allowed to keep them- the very things he needed most, and could make the most use of. He says: "After I was stripped of all my property I concluded to submit my condition to the churches and abide by their advice." They were prompt to tell him that he should give himself en- tirely to the work of the ministry ; accordingly in 1841 he moved to Bedford and began a long and successful career as pastor. He visited all parts of that portion of the State and in many places had remarkable power in leading the ungodly to accept Christ as Savior and Master. Once he moved to Bloomington and once to
232
INDIANA BAPTIST HISTORY.
New Albany, but in each case soon came back to his old home. During the years of the civil war men's minds were so absorbed with the condition and pros- pects of the country that very little interest was taken, even by churches, in religious matters, so that he was obliged to supplement his meager salary by clerking in a store at Mitchell. But in 1865 he again went back to Bedford and took up the work of the pastorate. In the years following he preached for a good many churches in both Indiana and Illinois. Mr. Jacob Garrett of Greene county gave him a farm-on ac- count of admiration and friendship-to which he moved in 1872, and wrote: "We are comfortably fixed and well satisfied and do not intend to move any more." But he continued preaching wherever there was a call, and many of the churches were strength- ened by his instruction and example, and hundreds of men and women were brought to Christ through his labors. His last pastorate was at Orleans ; he died in 1879 and the funeral sermon was preached by his old friend and fellow-worker, the Rev. R. M. Parks, in whose family Elder Robertson had spent many pleasant hours. A commemorative poem was written by the Rev. W. Sanders.
Next to Elder Robertson as a founder and leader in the Association was the Rev. R. M. Parks, just men- tioned. He was born in Indiana in 1815; united with the church in 1833, and he and Miss Jane T. Short were married in 1842. He began preaching in 1842 and was ordained in 1843. Having been a teacher in early life he was constantly encouraging young men
233
DISTRICT ASSOCIATIONS.
and young women to seek a liberal education. Many now occupying places of responsibility refer their first impressions and impulses to his suggestions and per- suasions while pastor of the churches to which they belonged. And what was his theory was also his practice, for he gave to each of his children a college education. His family lived alternately in three dif- ferent educational centers-Greencastle, Franklin and Bloomington-but wherever they were the children were enjoying the educational advantages afforded. He and his wife gave more than $1,000 to Franklin College when it was making its most earnest strug- gles to get on. He died at Bedford, his old home, in 1890, remembered and loved by the many churches which he served, and some of which he assisted in their organization. He had the privilege of baptizing more than one thousand persons who had been led to accept Christ through his ministry. His children who still survive-Mrs. Lou Richards of Anderson, Mrs. Viola P. Edwards of Bedford, Mrs. Theo. P. Hall of Franklin, and the Dr. R. M. Parks, M. D., of Louis- ville, Kentucky-all bear testimony to the worth of their father's precepts and example, by their own ex- alted ideals of life.
Among the laymen of the Association none holds a worthier place than William N. Matthews, late of Bed- ford. He was born in London, England, in 1844; at the age of five years he came with his parents to America, settling first in Cincinnati, Ohio, where the father found employment as superintendent of a stone quarry. They next moved to Gosport, Indiana, where
234
INDIANA BAPTIST HISTORY.
the same business was followed; in 1862 the father bought a tract of land near Ellettsville where he opened a quarry on his own account. The subject of this sketch in common with thousands of other young men of the country felt impelled to go into the Union army, and accordingly he enlisted in the Fifteenth Indiana Infantry. After being mustered out in the spring of 1864 he took service with his father in the stone business; but in the fall of the same year he found service again in the army, this time in the Quartermaster's Department with headquarters at Nashville, Tennessee. Upon returning home he took a short course in Wabash College, including book- keeping. Not long afterwards he engaged in the stone business with his father, and upon the death of the latter there was formed the firm of Matthews Broth- ers. In 1872 he united with the Ellettsville Baptist church and was made a deacon in that body in 1875. Upon moving to Bedford he at once became identified with the Baptist church there, and has been an active member in both work and gifts; he gave over $5,000 towards the new building, and was equally generous in his gifts for other objects. He became a life mem- ber of all the national denominational societies, and was a liberal contributor to the funds of Franklin College; and in his benevolence his wife was his cheerful supporter. He was a member of the Board of Directors of Franklin College at the time of his death; he was elected State Senator from his district in 1892 and served with ability and fidelity. The stone business in which he was engaged grew to large pro-
235
DISTRICT ASSOCIATIONS.
portions ; the "Bedford stone" found a market from Massachusetts to Minnesota. In later years, owing in part to his strenuous life, he was in poor health. After a lingering illness he died on June 29, 1907, at his home in Bedford. His children are all respected and prosperous, and his wife, now moved to Franklin, is a recognized leader in the benevolent and missionary work being done by the Baptist women of Indiana.
SAND CREEK ASSOCIATION-(COUNTIES OF JENNINGS, DECATUR, RIPLEY AND BARTHOLOMEW).
This Association was constituted in 1843-some records name 1842-with Elder William T. Stott moderator and Elder John Vawter clerk. Neither of these ministers belonged to churches in the Associa- tion, but some of the constituent churches came out of the Madison Association to which they both be- longed, and so it was not unnatural that they should be chosen. Eight churches went into the organiza- tion, and three ministers-Elders William Vawter, Benjamin Tucker and Chesley Woodward. The As- sociation early put itself on record as favorable to missions in a resolution offered by the Rev. John Stott ; the body is composed mostly of country churches, North Vernon being the only city in the territory; and this church was first begun in the country four miles northeast of North Vernon, then it was moved to a location two and a half miles northeast, and dur- ing all the time it was located in the country it was called Zoar. The oldest church in the body was Geneva (Queensville), organized in 1824; it has now
.236
INDIANA BAPTIST HISTORY.
become extinct, although at one time it had a large membership. The causes assigned for the decline was the prevalence and persistence of the preaching of the doctrines of Alexander Campbell. At the twentieth session there were seventeen churches and 997 mem- bers; at the fortieth session nineteen churches, eleven ministers and 1,469 members. For forty years after its organization the Association had but two modera- tors-Elders William Vawter and Albert Carter. Sun- day schools were early introduced into the churches -Zoar being one of the first; and from the Associa- tion scores of young men and young women attended Franklin College. Another minister who lived in its territory, but whose membership was in another Asso- ciation, was greatly honored and loved in the Sand Creek; he was nearly always present at the annual meetings and was sure to be called on to preach- Elder William T. Stott, Sr. His last work was build- ing the first North Vernon church house. The Baptist Annual for 1906 gives the following facts: Number of churches, eighteen; number of members, 2,237; aggregate benevolent offerings for the year, $949.63. Mount Aerie church led in the number of members, 248.
Of the ministers who have belonged to the body the first to be mentioned is Elder William Vawter, who was called the father of the Association. The following is the record found in the minutes of 1868: "Resolved, that in the death of Elder William Vawter we have had taken from us a father in Israel indeed ; he was ever alive to the service of the Master. He
237
DISTRICT ASSOCIATIONS.
labored long and faithfully in his Lord's vineyard, and has gone to receive that crown for which his soul waited. He was taken as a shock of corn fully ripe; his memory will be ever sweet and his influence will never die. May we imitate his example of faith, zeal and piety."
He was born in the Holston country, Virginia, in 1783, was brought by his parents to Kentucky in 1790 ; about 1800 he was greatly exercised about his relig- ious condition and "went to church to see if they could tell me how to get religion, and to my surprise they received me as a fit subject for baptism." He emigrated to Indiana in 1806, locating near Madison. While there he aided in the constitution of what was afterwards called Mount Pleasant, and then Madison Baptist church. He and Miss Frances Vawter, a cousin, were married in 1809, and in 1829 moved to a farm near Vernon, and before many years assisted in the organization of Zoar church, of which he was pas- tor most of the time for twenty years. He was a friend of education and aided Franklin College to the extent of his ability; his two sons, A. J. and P. C., were students in the institution for several years, the latter being graduated in 1855; they both became teachers of ability. He died in 1868 and his wife in 1869.
Another minister whose work deserves extended mention was the Rev. Albert Carter. He was born in Hope, Indiana, in 1824; was ordained at the re- quest of Little Sand Creek church in 1860; was in turn pastor of Little Sand Creek, Sharon, Sardinia,
238
INDIANA BAPTIST HISTORY.
Liberty and Mount Aerie churches. After Elder Wil- liam Vawter he had the largest measure of influence of any one in shaping the methods and spirit of the Association. He was universally respected and was frequently called on to officiate at marriages and funer- als-many of them not in his own denomination. He was moderator of the Association for thirty-three years, and that was as long as he was physically able to serve. His abilities and tastes led him into lines of evangelistic rather than pastoral work, consequently the churches which he served were not largely devel- oped in christian and denominational benevolence. He died at his home in 1903.
Still another of the ministers of the Association worthy of mention was the Rev. John Stott. He was born in Kentucky in 1811 and came with his parents to Indiana and settled near Vernon, while he was yet a child. In 1831 he and Elizabeth Vawter, daughter of Elder William Vawter, were married. In 1848 at the request of Zoar church he was ordained. He served many of the churches of the Association as pas- tor, but as his remuneration was painfully small he was obliged to work at home for the support of his family; consequently his visits to the churches were mainly confined to Saturdays and Sundays. His power of personal contact and influence was remarkable, and many a man and woman was led to the Savior by means of these gentle, earnest, personal appeals. He died at his home in Johnson county in 1887; his wife followed in 1893. Their children honored and loved them for their sterling christian characters, their un-
239
DISTRICT ASSOCIATIONS.
swerving fidelity to duty and their never failing paren- tal affection and care.
Yet other ministers should be named as useful and influential members of the churches of the Associa- tion : the Revs. Joab Stout and Jacob Martin, O. F. Feagler, Ira Gleason, N. Johnson, W. E. Spear, N. Smith and J. C. Brengle. North Vernon church has recently dedicated a new house of worship at a cost of $15,000, and is well organized for its various lines of christian activity. Its pastor, the Rev. P. O. Dun- can, D. D., is constantly feeding the flock with nour- ishing spiritual food, and by his presence and sugges- tion is leading the church on to larger conceptions and larger purposes in relation to the kingdom of God.
JUDSON ASSOCIATION-(COUNTIES OF HOWARD, CLIN- TON, CARROLL AND MIAMI).
This Association was organized in 1848; the Rev. William Moore was chosen moderator and the Rev. T. P. Hedge, clerk; the total membership was 454. The Jubilee anniversary was held with the Camden church, the place of first organization, and the Rev. C. S. Davisson, pastor of the church, presented a his- torical paper from which many of the facts here given were taken. At a meeting of the Tippecanoe Associa- tion in 1848 it was considered wise to divide that body on account of the large number of churches then be- longing. Accordingly a committee was appointed which, after deliberation, presented the following res- olution : "That the churches in White, Carroll, Boone, Clinton and Howard counties be advised to form them-
-
240
INDIANA BAPTIST HISTORY.
selves into a new Association." When the naming of the new organization came up there was afforded a test of the missionary spirit present ; the Rev. T. P. Hedge proposed the name Judson-he was then the brightest star in the missionary constellation among the Baptists ; the anti-mission brethren opposed it and sug- gested the name Kokomo; and so evenly balanced was the preference when the matter came to a vote that the moderator was obliged to decide; he decided in favor of the name Judson. But from that time to this the Association has been missionary in both theory and practice. At the tenth session, on account of the large increase of the body, the question came a second time as to the wisdom of a division, and the final re- sult was that Burnett's Creek, Liberty, Monticello, New Lancaster and Rensselaer churches were dis- missed to form the Monticello Association.
The intensity of Union sentiment in civil war times may be judged from the fact that at the fifteenth session only those who were loyal to the government were invited to participate in the proceedings. There was some friction, however, in some of the churches. At the next session the expediency of division came up again, and the following churches were dismissed to go into the organization of the Harmony Association : Curtisville, Friendship, Liberty, Mississinewa Valley, Mount Pisgah, New Harmony, Olive Branch and Salem. Notwithstanding these several "swarms" went to form other "hives," the mother hive grew and pros- pered. From 1887 on the numbers steadily increased. The Indiana Baptist Annual for 1906 gives these facts :
241
DISTRICT ASSOCIATIONS.
total membership, 2,777; the largest number in any one church was in Kokomo, 288, the next, Middle Fork, 260.
The records of benevolence have not been fully kept from the first; for many years Judson Association in common with many others had the habit of depending on collections at the Association for the benevolent contributions. Deacon M. H. Thomas, a wide-awake business man of Camden church, has the honor of leading the churches to make their collections in their home churches, and sending the contribution to the Association by the hands of the delegates. As soon as the plan became general the volume of benevolence was greatly increased, and what was better, the churches grew in their intelligent interest in respect to our denominational enterprises. The total for mis- sions. education, Ministers' Home, Baptist Industrial School and Publication Society for 1906 was $1,313.73, Kokomo leading and Elizaville next. From the first the Association has fostered education and few Asso- ciations have sent as many young men and young women to Franklin College; for many years the col- lege catalogue was not without the names of the Dun- cans, Dunkins, Merricks, Bettses, Muggs, Smiths, Caldwells, Merrells, Wards, Todds and Thomases. Nor is it without representatives on the foreign mis- sion field ; the Rev. H. B. Benninghoff was for some time in Burma, and is now in Japan.
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.