USA > Indiana > Indiana Baptist history, 1798-1908 > Part 18
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2,196 members, Fort Wayne church having 988, and Warsaw 325. The total benevolence was $400.42, the largest being for Home Missions-$122.80. The Sun- day school enrollment was 1,803, and the ordained min- isters the Revs. A. J. Gage, S. A. Northrop, G. L. Conley, C. F. Dame, D. W. Sanders, W. A. Pavey, F. Moro and L. B. Mckinley. The Annual for 1906 contains the following information: Churches, six- teen ; members, 1,907, Fort Wayne church having 1,090 and Warsaw 182. The total benevolence for the year, $1,122.78, leaving out what is classed under "other benevolences"; the largest gift was for Foreign missions ($380.81), of which amount the women gave $283.70. The moderator was the Rev. A. E. Clem and the clerk, Mrs. Clara Grand.
Among the laymen of the Association, Deacon John Kenower holds a first place. He has long been in the service ; he has been a regular attendant at the meet- ings of his Association and of the Indiana Baptist Con- vention, and has always been deeply interested in higher education, being one of the leaders in plant- ing a Baptist Academy in Huntington-his own city. He gave his children the advantages of a college train- ing in Franklin college and has been a contributor to its funds. He has also stood firmly for the doctrines of his denomination, and has been at the front in Sunday school work, being the Superintendent of the school of his own church for twenty years. His home was always open to the Lord's servants.
The Fort Wayne church is clear and strong in its praise of its deacons, S. F. Bowser, A. Z. Polhamus
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and W. Carter, for they stay at the front in all the work of the church, the Association and the denomina- tion at large. This Association has been blessed with a strong ministry from the early days of the Revs. A. S. Kingsbury, G. L. Stevens, C. B. Kendall, W. N. Wyeth, C. A. Clark and J. C. Burkholder, on down to the times of the Revs. J. B. Tuttle, D. W. Sanders, J. N. Field, H. F. McDonald, Lee Fisher, S. A. North- rop, A. E. Clem, L. L. Henson, C. A. Lemon and J. F. Vichert. Among these, his brethren would assign the first place to the Rev. J. R. Stone, D. D., so long pastor at Fort Wayne. He was elected moderator at least eight different times; and he was never lacking in feeding his people with the "strong meat" of the gospel. He first came to Indiana as the representa- tive of the American Baptist Publication Society in 1864, and became the pastor at Fort Wayne in 1869. He was born in Massachusetts in 1818, was baptized in 1833 and was ordained a Baptist minister in 1839. He had pastorates in Connecticut, New York, Pennsyl- vania and Rhode Island before entering upon the work for the Publication Society. He had the privilege and joy of seeing Fort Wayne church come up from com- parative feebleness to a condition of strength and vigor.
The Rev. W. N. Weyth, D. D., who came west as a missionary of the American Baptist Home Mission So- ciety, assigned to the Wabash Baptist church, very soon gave evidence of first class ability as a writer, and was engaged by the Journal and Messenger, and after- wards by the Board of Franklin college as Corres-
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ponding Secretary. His crowning work was the authorship of eight volumes of Missionary Memorials. He died in Philadelphia in 18 -. The Rev. G. P. Os- borne, a good while pastor at Huntington, became As- sociate Editor of the Journal and Messenger, and also the author of an excellent work on Political Economy.
LOGANSPORT ASSOCIATION-(COUNTIES OF CASS, FUL- TON, MARSHALL, MIAMI AND WABASH).
This Association was formed in 1870 when the Weasaw Creek Association took the name Logansport. The session was held in Rochester, Fulton county, and at that time there were twenty-three churches and 1,720 members, Logansport having 257, Peru 164, and Yellow Creek 110. The Rev. Silas Tucker was moderator and the Rev. J. M. Maxwell, clerk. The Rev. F. D. Bland became a member of the Association being pastor of Peru church. Committees were ap- pointed on State Missions, Temperance, Publication Society, Sunday schools, education and next anniver- sary ; and from that time on much of the work of the body was done through these committees, each sub- mitting a written report at the annual meeting. The Rev. L. D. Robinson was enrolled as the representative of Franklin College, and the following resolution was passed favorable to the institution :
"That we rejoice in the prosperity of each of our denominational schools in the state, and especially of our College at Franklin, and that we pledge it our sympathy, co-operation and support in securing to it students and a liberal endowment."
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At the fifth session, 1874, there were twenty-one churches and 1,508 members; the Rev. A. H. Stote was moderator and B. C. D. Read, clerk. The benevo- lence was $76.67; the largest Sunday school enroll- ment was at Rochester, 100. At the session in 1880 the Rev. G. E. Leonard was chosen moderator and B. C. D. Read re-elected clerk. There was a noticeable improvement in the make-up of the minutes, both as to the accessibility and fullness of the data. Among the new pastors were the Revs. L. F. Compton, Peter Hummer, G. E. Leonard, H. L. Stetson, M. Smith, J. G. Tedford, B. R. Ward and P. J. Ward. Peru church had the largest membership, 240, and the next was Yellow Creek, 218. The annual benevolence was $442.72, leaving out what is tabulated as "other be- nevolences" (which probably consisted, in the main, in expenses for meeting-house repairs). A full page table was given to Sunday schools in which it appears that the total enrollment in the churches of the Asso- ciation was 1,590; of these Peru had 200, Sevastopol 175, Logansport 168 and Kewana 175. The number of conversions in these schools was fifty-nine and the missionary collections $62.65. In 1884 there was formed the Woman's Missionary Society, with Mrs. M. P. Hall, of Logansport, president ; the good work of this Society began to appear almost immediately, for in the statistics of that year the women are cred- ited with $191.59 for Home Missions and Foreign Missions, and this was quite well up to the amount given by all the churches ($245.71) for the same ob-
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jects. Among the new pastors in the Association were the Revs. J. B. Bair and B. F. Cavins.
This Association has had many laymen whose names it is a pleasure to recall; one of these is that of W. J. Williams, for many years a citizen of Rochester. He occasionally filled a pulpit, but he claimed that his business was teaching. He was a teacher and super- intendent of schools in Rochester till he was called to take the chair of Pedagogy in Franklin College. Upon his resignation of this professorship he was elected superintendent of the Franklin City schools; and it is the testimony of the observant that no superintendent ever had a stronger influence over the pupils for good in the history of the Franklin schools. His power was not. that of command, but rather that which comes from a consciousness on the part of the pupil that his superintendent was really and deeply interested in his welfare. From Franklin he was called to the super- intendency of the city schools of Columbus, Nebraska. He had not been there very long till he sickened and died; the dust of both the professor and his wife re- poses in the Greenlawn cemetery, Franklin, and their children have a rich heritage in the beautiful and use- ful lives of their father and mother. Professor Wil- liams was an earnest and constant christian worker, not only meeting men face to face to talk with them about religious matters, but also by writing to those who were distant, and he had the satisfaction of know- ing that many to whom he addressed letters were led into the service of Christ.
Another layman whose name is loved by Indiana
F
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Baptists was Elbert H. Shirk of Peru. He was born in Franklin county, Indiana, in 1818; was reared on the farm, and when he had reached young manhood he attended Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, that being very near his home. He taught a few terms of school, but as the commercial instinct was strong he sought a field for the exercise of his business talents. He came to Peru in 1844 and engaged in mercantile life and was successful. In 1845 he and Miss Mary Wright were married, and their home soon became a center of social and religious influence. His busi- ness grew beyond the store ; he was diligent in study- ing the markets and in seeing opportunities for safe and profitable investments. It is said of him that at one time when he was in New York, laying in a sup- ply of goods, he discovered in the hands of some brokers a large lot of depreciated land warrants; he knew that they were for lands in the west where pop- ulation and wealth were rapidly increasing, and that to buy them would be financially wise; he gradually exchanged these warrants to men who were anxious to go west, for their lands nearer home; in this way he added largely to his fortune. He also anticipated the rapid growth of Chicago and the investments in real estate which he made there yielded large returns. He opened a private bank in Peru, and this had uni- form prosperity for his fellow citizens had unbounded confidence in his business wisdom and integrity. In time this became the First National Bank of Peru and one of the strongest institutions of the kind in North- ern Indiana. He was not completely absorbed in busi-
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ness ; he took a deep interest in young men who were looking forward to a business life. Many a man would gladly express his gratitude to Mr. Shirk for the training and the inspiration received. He was an earnest christian man, and a Baptist, and as soon as the way opened for the organization of a Baptist church in Peru he and his family were ready to give their full support to the enterprise. He was glad to pay half the cost of the first meeting-house, and doubt- less his family gave as large a proportion of the cost of the present elegant edifice. His benevolence was not ostentatious, yet he was a constant giver. He early became interested in the building up of Franklin College, and representatives of that institution were not turned away when they sought an interview; his gifts grew larger as he knew more of the college and its work. His son Milton when he came into manhood manifested the same tendency to business life that had characterized his father ; in fact, lie gave himself up to business at so early an age, and with such absorption that, while yet in the prime of his years, he became infirm in health. And like the father, he too was deeply interested in religious matters and was an ear- nest and active member of the Baptist church in Peru, and gave freely for its support; but his benefactions were not confined to his church; he made several gifts to Franklin College and, as well, to other objects that are fostered by the denomination to which he belongs. He sought rest in travel, but with all his aid from that source, and the physicians' care, he could not resist the encroachments of disease ; he died in middle
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life. His spirit and purpose were fully shared by his wife, who takes delight in extending encouragement to worthy causes. The daughter, Mrs. Alice S. Ed- wards, also shares in large measure her father's pru- dence, christian devotion and liberality ; she has con- tributed more than once to Franklin College when its needs have been presented. One of the sons of Mr. and Mrs. Milton Shirk is a member of the Board of Directors of the college, as was the father and grand- father. Mrs. E. H. Shirk, the mother, died in 1894- the father in 1886. The family has been liberal in its benefactions to the college, having given, up to this time, not less than $30,000; and this liberality has been recognized by the Board by placing a bronze 4 tablet in the entrance hall of the new Library building.
In any list of the leading ministers of the Associa- tion the name of the Rev. Silas Tucker, D. D., would easily come first; he was one of the "five Tucker brothers," and was born (probably in New York) in 1813. He was baptized by his brother Levi in Phil- adelphia in 1833 and was licensed to preach the year following. After studying with his brother for a while he entered Hamilton Literary and Theological Semi- nary; he continued his studies till 1857, when he was called to the pastorate of a church in Ohio City (now a part of Cleveland). He was pastor, in turn, of two churches in Indiana-LaPorte and Logansport-and afterwards pastor at Racine, Wisconsin, and Naper- ville, Galesburg and Aurora, Illinois. He died while pastor at Aurora, in 1872. During the pastorate at Logansport (1860-1871) the church membership grew
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from 99 to 243. He was nine times chosen moderator of the Association.
The Rev. F. D. Bland, D. D., pastor of the Per" church, will be mentioned in connection with the Indiana Baptist Convention.
The Rev. G. E. Leonard, D. D., was at Peru in the earlier history of the Baptist church there, coming to that work in 1870 and continuing till 1880, when he was solicited to become corresponding secretary of the Ohio Baptist Convention. He was not only a live pastor ; he wielded a large influence in the general denominational work of the State. He had exceptional ability as a manager of railroad excursions to the vari- ous meetings in which the Baptists were interested.
The Rev. H. L. Stetson, D. D., was pastor of the Logansport church from 1878 to 1887, when he was called to Des Moines, Iowa, first as pastor of the First church and then as president of Des Moines college. He now occupies the chair of Psychology and Ped- agogy in Kalamazoo college, Michigan. He delights in learning and is especially fond of metaphysical subjects
The Rev. B. F. Cavins, D. D., was pastor at Peru from 1882 to 1896. He was one of the very effective preachers of the Association.
The Rev. W. H. H. Marsh was pastor at Logans- port from 1890 to 1894, and while in that pastorate he published a very valuable work on the New Testa- ment Church. It is an important contribution to Baptist church polity.
The Babcocks-father and sons-are as much a part
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of Logansport Association as any ministers who have been connected with it. The father, the Rev. James Babcock, was the son of Andrew Babcock, who came from England before the Revolutionary war, and had some part in aiding the cause of the colonies. The son was born in Pennsylvania in 1795; his family came west by several different stages, first to Maryland, next to Pennsylvania, then to Ohio near Cincinnati, then to Dearborn county, Indiana, and at last to Ful- ton county, same State. He wrote an autobiography in his later years and from this it seems that he had two long struggles, first in forsaking the world and accepting the salvation and the service of Jesus Christ, the second being still more prolonged-his consenting to enter upon the work of the christian ministry. As with Peter, it took visions and dreams to convince him that the Lord really wanted him, or could use him in that holy office. His first ministerial experience was in Dearborn county, where he had the encourage- ment and instruction of such godly men as the Rev. P. T. Palmer, the Rev. Thomas Curtis, the Rev. J. L. Holman and the Rev. Ezra Ferris. Before he left the county he had preached for most of the churches in that part of the State. He went as a delegate to the Western Conference held in Cincinnati in 1834 and was called on for a statement of the religious con- dition and needs of the Mississippi Valley. While in Dearborn county he became interested in the study of medicine, and availing himself of all the opportunities possible, he became proficient enough to begin the practice of medicine. The money earned in this prac-
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tice helped in the support of the family, and it was needed, for the churches were not paying enough to support him if he had been living alone; indeed, there was a widespread prejudice against paying ministers for their service; had not the scriptures taught that they were to depend on the Lord not only to fill their mouths, but also their cribs and their larders? In 1821 while he was clerk of the church a brother, Demas Moss, asked for a letter of commendation to the Board of Foreign Missions for the purpose of the civiliza- tion and the furtherance of the gospel among the western Indians. The recommendation was freely given, but for some reason he did not go; on the other hand, he was called into the ministry and became very helpful to the churches. (Was he not the father of the Rev. L. Moss, D. D., who became one of the lead- ing Baptist ministers of this country?) Early in the forties Elder Babcock had the conviction that he would better go farther west, where he could buy a larger tract of land, and give something more to his chil- dren than he had been able hitherto to give. He and a son went first to Iowa; they were also solicited to go to Missouri; but they were not thoroughly pleased, and so after their return they decided to go to the northwest part of Indiana. They settled in Fulton county and became very efficient in advancing the Bap- tist cause there. In 1849 the Rev. James Babcock had become so well and so favorably known as a nat- ural leader that he was asked to accept the probate judgeship of the county. He served the full term to which he was elected, and with general if not universal
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satisfaction. His election was the more a compliment for the fact that a majority of the voters of the county were not of his political faith. In his diary of the time is found a statement of fervent thanks to God that he has been able without fear or favor to reach right decisions in all cases that came before him. In the preface of his autobiography is to be found the expression of his maturest views as to the ministry of those early times ; it is all worth quotation :
"As the editor of a western periodical says the only library possessed by some Baptist ministers was the Bible, a hymn-book and a religious newspaper. Indeed, it may be regarded a matter of thankfulness that in planting the cause of Bible truth in the great West, the men on whom it devolved were shut up to the Bible al- most entirely, . . . . because it exhibits the power of the scriptures to hold together a widely scattered peo- ple in the same faith and order; and how by simply appealing 'to the law and to the testimony' of the great Head of the church these simple-minded God- fearing men were able to carry the interest committed to their care through the formative state of society and planted it firmly as an element of power in this broad land of wealth, already teeming with its millions of population, and destined in the march of time to exert almost untold influence upon the religious and political interests of the world. The importance of the pioneer fathers to the cause of truth is seen in the. power they exerted on other denominations. While it is true that the Baptists have not undertaken to anni- hilate the denominations, it must be admitted that
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they have to a very great extent infused very much of what may be called the peculiarly Baptist senti- ment into other organizations. This is especially true of the three points-immersion for baptism, believers the only proper subjects for baptism, and a congre- gational form of church government."
He died in 1861 full of years and usefulness, and mature in all the christian graces. Of his sons who were Baptist ministers in the same Association the most eminent was Andrew E. Babcock, who was or- dained in 1853, and was called to rest in 1888. He was used of God in the conversion of more than a thousand persons ; he planted the first Sunday school in Fulton county, and bought a library for it from his own purse; he also assisted in planting many of the churches of Logansport Association, and it is believed that in traveling over the country during the thirty- five years of his ministry (most of this travel was on horse-back) he covered not less than fifty thousand miles. The names of the other Babcocks who were ministers were James R. and C. P. J., of whom no extended account is furnished in the minutes or other- wise.
ORLEANS ASSOCIATION-COUNTIES OF WASHINGTON, LAWRENCE AND ORANGE).
This Association was formed in Orleans in 1874- the first anniversary being held with Freedom church 1875. The Rev. A. J. Essex was the first moderator and the Rev. J. K. Howard the first clerk. The Asso- ciation began with clear-cut and positive convictions
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as to the fundamental doctrines of christianity, the distinctive principles of Baptists and the practical duties of the christian life. Twelve churches were enrolled in the organization with a total membership of 1,145, the largest number being at Beaver Creek, 163, and the next at Mitchell, 146. The ordained min- isters were the Revs. A. J. Essex, J. K. Howard, W. Sanders, R. M. Parks, D. Manly, R. B. Bird, J. W. Thomas and J. H. Dark. The minutes for each year contain a table of "moneys for religious pur- poses." The benevolence proper for the first year was $197.50, leaving out that very uncertain term "other objects." Of this amount $107.30 was given in a public collection. Strong resolutions were passed favoring missions, temperance and education. At the fifth anniversary the Rev. W. Sanders was made moderator and J. C. Woner clerk; there were four- teen churches and 1,145 members. The circular let- ter, presented by J. W. Burton, discussed the duty of Sabbath observance, and here follows a quotation: "There are yet other ways in which we may violate the Sabbath, but only a few of which I will mention, such as attending Sunday picnics or going on excur- sions for pleasure, or attending to secular business. These things ought not so to be." The contribution for State missions was $100.00, and for Foreign mis- sions $101.05. The membership at Mitchell was 190 and that at Lost River 142. In the history of Spice Valley church, which is given in the minutes of 1881, are some noteworthy items:
"She went into the White River Association in 1822
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and remained till 1838, when the split on account of missions and two-seed-ism occurred among the churches; then she went into the Bloomington Asso- ciation. She left that and went into the formation of the Bedford Association in 1843, and remained till she went into the Orleans Association in 1875."
"February, 183-, decided that the Campbellites, Unitarians, Arians and Universalists shall not preach in our house."
"In May, 1840, Mr. Palmer, a New Light preacher, tried to join our church and was rejected on account of his false doctrine."
"In April, 1842, the church decided to attend to feet washing at the May meeting."
The tenth anniversary was held with the Paoli church, the Rev. W. Sanders was moderator and the Rev. J. K. Howard, clerk. Of the fourteen churches of the Association but one (Mitchell) had a settled pastor ; of the others, four had preaching each alter- nate Sunday, and the rest had services but once in each month. The membership of the Association was 1,258; of these Mitchell had 249 and Lost River 157. The annual contribution for missions and education was $531.63; of this amount Mitchell gave $258.00, Livonia $144.75, and Lost River $82.03.
The fifteenth anniversary was held at Mitchell, the Rev. W. Sanders was moderator and the Rev. J. K. Howard, clerk; the number of churches was thirteen, the membership 1,347; Mitchell had 288, Liberty 230, and Huron 200. The total benevolence was $398.64, and of this amount Mitchell gave $237.94; Sunday
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school enrollment 804, and baptisms from the schools forty-eight.
The twentieth session was held with Spice Valley church and the moderator and clerk of the fifteenth session changed places. The membership had in- creased to 1,514, and the Sunday school enrollment to 1,193. Contributions for benevolence had not in- creased. The session of 1900 was held with Mount Pleasant church ; there were twelve churches and 1,534 members; the Sunday school enrollment was 1,017, and the number of baptisms from the schools was fifty-one. The total benevolence was $288.40, and of this amount the women gave $33.10. The Indiana Baptist Annual for 1906 contains the following data: Churches, twelve; members, 1,691, of these Liberty church has 314; the Rev. W. Sanders was moderator and Wesley Elgin, clerk; total benevolence $406.38, of which the women's societies gave $75.54.
Orleans Association has always been in close touch with Franklin College; the catalogues have always contained the names of students from that body: the Burtons, the Howards, the Wrights, the Carters, the Sanderses, the Davises, the Edwardses and the Elgins. And a considerable number of the pastors of the Association were students at the college: the Revs. A. J. Essex, J. K. Howard, Simpson Burton, W. San- ders, C. M. Carter, S. P. Smith, C. F. Dame, J. B. Thomas, C. J. Bunnell, L. D. Webb, J. L. Matthews, E. R. Clevenger and C. L. Merriman.
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