USA > Indiana > Indiana Baptist history, 1798-1908 > Part 20
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But the dark clouds of civil war were already visible on the horizon, and that fact had the effect to paralyze all religious effort. In some quarters there were alienations and recriminations among the brethren, but in general the Baptists of the State were true to the Union-and those in the southern part no less than those in the northern. It was not, however, till 1867 that the General Association began to manifest its old-time vigor. In that year the contributions by churches and individuals directly was $3,580.59; and the additional amount paid to the A. B. H. M. So- ciety and turned back into the Association treasury was $305.55, making a total for the year of $3,886.14.
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Fifteen missionaries were employed, and their fields were in many parts of the state. In 1871 the receipts were $2,013.02, and the number of missionaries six. In 1875 the receipts were $4,032.89, and the number of missionaries eighteen. The stations at which mis- sionary work was, carried on were Kendallville, Spencer, Newark, Worthington, Brownstown, Ander- son, Attica, Monticello, Westville, Indianapolis, (Ger- man) Freedom Association, Elkhart, Northeastern Association, Perry County Association, Evansville, (German) Salamonie River Association, Vincennes (Negro Baptists) and Kokomo. In 1880 the receipts were $5,256.93 and the number of missionaries four- teen and $574.55 was turned over to Judson, Laugh- ery and Indiana Associations for their local work; and $1,595.55 was permanent fund-the gift of Mrs. Maria A. Taylor of the Columbus church. The re- ceipts for 1885 were $3,316.13, and the number of missionaries twelve; for 1890 the receipts were $3,901.41 and the number of missionaries thirteen.
At the session at La Fayette in 1894 upon motion and second the following resolution was passed :
"That a committee of five be appointed by the president on revision of the constitution and by-laws of this Convention. This committee shall meet in In- dianapolis at the time of the next regular meeting of the board; that they be instructed to carefully pre- pare a constitution and by-laws for this Convention and have the same printed in the Indiana Baptist. Members of the Convention will be requested to send criticisms and suggestions to the members of the com-
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mittee on the constitution and by-laws submitted. The suggestions shall be considered by the members of the committee, and if after correspondence, radical changes in the proposed constitution and by-laws be found necessary, a second meeting may be held and a second suggested constitution and by-laws be again submitted and opened for criticisms. The final meet- ing of the committee shall be at the time and place of the next Convention, when they shall recommend to the Convention a constitution and by-laws for the government of this Convention."
The need of some changes in the constitution and by-laws was apparent in the fact especially that there was a lack of complete unity in the organization as a whole. There were various organizations with their appropriate officers, each awaiting its turn to tran- sact business and each responsible to itself only for the business transacted. Accordingly at the next session (1895) at Terre Haute, after prolonged dis- cussion, in which the Rev. C. M. Carter, D. D., the chairman of the committee, necessarily had a promi- nent part, the new constitution and by-laws were adopted. The principal changes in the constitution (or Articles of Association) were the change of the name to The Indiana Baptist Convention, and a de- scription of the seal of the corporation; the changes in the by-laws consisted mainly in a statement of the double purpose of the Convention, viz : 1st :
"The primary purpose shall be to unite the denomi- nation in some plan for promoting the Redeemer's kingdom in the State; and second : The secondary pur-
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pose shall be to encourage missionary and kindred denominational organizations over which the Con- vention has no direct control."
The constituency, as heretofore was to consist of the incorporators, pastors of Baptist churches in the State, delegates from Baptist churches in a given ratio, delegates from Baptist Sunday schools, dele- gates from Baptist Young People's Societies and life- members upon payment of a given sum (including those who are already life-members).
Considerable change was made in the matter of governing boards and committees.
"The primary purpose of the Convention shall be managed by the following named boards: State Mis- sion Board, State Education Board, Baptist Young People's Union Board and State Sunday School Board. The secondary purpose of the Convention shall be under the control and management of com- mittees designated as Managing Committee for Home Missions, Managing Committee for Foreign Mis- sions, Managing Committee for Publication Society, Managing Committee for Aged Ministers Home, Managing Committee for Women's Home Missions, and Managing Committee for Women's Foreign Mis- sions."
The general officers of the Convention were to be a president, three vice-presidents, designated as first, second and third, and a secretary and treasurer. The first vice-president of the Convention is president of the Education Board, the second vice-president is president of the Baptist Young People's Board, and
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the third vice-president is president of the Sunday school Board. The presidents of the various boards of the Convention and the secretary constitute the executive committee of the Convention. This execu- tive committee and the pastor of the church with which the annual Convention is held shall consti- tute the committee to prepare a program and order of business for such annual meeting. General officers are elected by ballot ; the president of the Convention nominates the members of the various secondary boards and committees. The new constitution and by-laws have been in operation since 1895, and seem to give general satisfaction.
The receipts for State missions for 1895 were $4,- 410.70, and the number of missionaries supported in whole or in part was fourteen; besides, many of the pastors of the State donated ten days' work each in evangelistic work. The annual session of 1898 was in some sense a centennial, for the first Baptist church organized in Indiana was in 1798. A brief history of one hundred years was prepared and read, and, it is printed in the Indiana Baptist Annual for that year. The anniversary of ' 1900 was held at Fort Wayne, the State mission receipts were $4,705.02, and the number of stations aided, eight. For 1905 the receipts were somewhat in advance-$8,774.80, and the number of fields occupied fourteen. Still other evidences of advance are that evangelists are being employed in addition to the missionaries. During the year, the Revs. G. M. Lehigh, D. R. Landis and T. A. Aspy and Mrs. N. B. Leslie were so employed, and
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with gratifying results. Another marked evidence of progress is found in the fact that an encouraging beginning has been made in securing permanent funds for State missions. The treasurer's report for the fiscal year ending October 9th, 1906, shows a total of $42,300.00 belonging to the permanent fund (including real estate estimated at $4,400.00.)
Indiana Baptists in (A) Missions. The strength of a religious denomination can be approximated only by the number of its adherents; its liberality in giv- ing, though not a perfect standard, is better. Indiana Baptists of an early time gave the most freely to what was called Domestic missions-that is missions with- in the bounds of the several district Associations ; not that Home and Foreign missions were entirely neg- lected, but that the main interest centered on the fields closer by, and therefore better understood. And it might have seemed to the leaders that we must be strong at home if we are to extend a strong right arm to the fields which lie farther away. The Asso- ciations most interested in Domestic missions were Bethel, Coffee Creek, Elkhart River, Flat Rock, Long Run, Northeastern, Northern and Tippecanoe. In 1853 the aggregate amount given to this work by these Associations was $1,735.79. Through many years Bethel Association carried on this work giving from $220.70 (1858), to $640.05 (1867) ; but in some years the contributions were less even than in 1858.
However, as time went by it was seen that this was not the most successful method of evangelizing the state. Pastors of acknowledged ability had all their
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time taken in caring for their own churches; the main thought of Domestic mission boards was not so much taking hold of a work in a promising center and hold- ing on to it till a church was formed and became self-supporting, as it was to have frequent preaching in school houses and private homes, so that the whole population might have an opportunity to hear the preaching of the gospel occasionally. Maturer
thought and larger observation led to the conviction that the most economic mission work was that which led to permanent results-the planting and training of churches that would in turn help to plant and sus- tain others. And so while Domestic missions declined in general, the work of the General Association (Con- vention) constantly increased. In 1833 the amount reported as given for state missions was $35.75, and $12.50 of this was given in work; in 1856 the amount reported was $1,356.65, and the average for twen- ty-five years was $849.21. The amount in 1857 was $1,101.35, and that in 1881 was $3,481.31, and the average for the second twenty-five years was $2,376 .- 24. The receipts in 1882 were $3,272.60, those in 1906 $7,557.03; and the average for the third twenty-five years was $8,677.78.
It is a pleasure to note in this connection the be- ginning of a movement to form a permanent fund for the work of the Convention. The first step was taken by the Rev. Joseph Brown, then corresponding secretary ; he gave a lot in Indianapolis in the times when real estate was rapidly changing hands; the lot yielded $1,000.00; since then fifteen different persons
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or families have been contributors to the permanent fund. The Rev. A. Ogle, up to this time superinten- dent of state missions, reports an increasing interest in this form of benevolence. And it is peculiarly gratifying to record that $15,000.00 of the fund was given by Simon Yandes, a member of the Presby- terian church in Indianapolis. And it should prove very encouraging when he tells us why he made the gift ; he was a clear headed and successful christian business man, and his statement was that after a careful study of the results of mission work in the several denominations, he found that the Baptists had most to show for their investments; that a Baptist dollar accomplished more than the dollar of any other denomination.
The next largest gift to the permanent fund was made by Mr. and Mrs. J. L. Kindig, of Goshen; the amount of $10,000.00 and by the agreement was to be paid in $500.00 annual installments. After a few installments were paid Mr. Kindig grew ill and died, and his wife proposed to the board to pay the re- mainder of the amount at once and so rid herself of the care of the installments yet due; accordingly the whole amount came into the treasury of the Con- vention. Many other liberal gifts were made and the Convention has been enabled to do a constantly widening work in evangelizing the State.
It is fitting that a biographical sketch of the Rev. A. Ogle, during whose official connection with the Convention the bulk of these gifts were received, find a place on these pages.
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"The Rev. Albert Ogle is the son of Achilles and Charlotte Bakes Ogle. He was born April 10th, 1839, near Vevay, Indiana. He spent his boyhood on the farm, working in the summer and going to school in the winter. At the age of 15 he was con- verted and baptized by the Rev. J. D. Griffith, into the fellowship of the Long Run church.
"Mr. Ogle was early impressed with a call to the ministry. He received his collegiate training at Franklin College and his theological training at Shurtleff College, Upper Alton, Illinois. He was a soldier in the war of the Rebellion.
"On April 6th, 1864, he and Mary Joyce Cotton, of Vevay, Ind., were married. In 1867 he was called to the church at Mitchell, Ind. Here he was or- dained. He remained in this pastorate four years during which time the church was greatly strength- ened both in numbers and influence and a debt of long standing was paid.
"In 1871 Mr. Ogle accepted a call to the church at Seymour. A little more than fourteen years of un- interrupted service were given to the interests of this field. This pastorate witnessed the addition of nearly 200 members, among whom were prominent business men of Seymour, and the erection of a beautiful house of worship, costing about $18,000, every dollar of which was provided for before the building was dedicated. From this church, to which he was bound by so many ties of affection, he resigned in 1885 to accept the large responsibilities of the church at Franklin, Ind. Here he found the membership some-
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what depressed on account of a long but unsuccess- ful struggle with a building enterprise. The walls of the new church were partly up but work thereon had been suspended because of exhausted funds. The house was soon completed, Mr. Ogle raising about $3,000 from the state at large for that purpose.
"During this pastorate of three years, there were other tokens of divine favor beside the completion of the house of worship: namely the spiritual upbuild- ing of the church and the addition of almost 100 members, most of them by baptism.
"In 1888 Mr. Ogle was called by the State Conven- tion to the superintendency of state missions. He was loathe to leave the pastorate, but this call came approved by so many of his brethren, that he felt it his duty to heed it.
"His successful leadership in the pastorate, his long and intimate connection with the state work as a member of the board for thirteen years, combined with many qualifications of temperament for such work, seemed to point to him as the man fitted to lead the work of the Baptists in the state at large. He therefore resigned at Franklin and entered upon a term of service as superintendent of state missions now covering a period of nearly twenty years. The special features that characterized this work and that gave importance and value to it, are the large num- ber of churches founded and brought to a condition of self-support, the number of church buildings erected by funds raised especially for that purpose
THE REV. ALBERT A. OGLE,
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and the addition to the permanent endowment of the Convention of $42,000.
"Mr. Ogle's ministerial life has been one of un- broken service; the three churches he served as pas- tor and the headquarters of the state convention board, being geographically so near each other that in changing from one to the other, not a day of active service was lost. His leadership has been marked throughout by the presence of a rare judgment, both as to men and conditions. His methods of work have been aggressive, progressive and persistent. He is genial, hopeful, patient and broad in his sympathies. These qualities taken in connection with his long years of service have endeared him to the Baptists of the entire state and given him a place in its relig- ious life which few men of his time have been per- mitted to occupy.
"The Rev. R. E. Neighbor, for many years secre- tary of the Indiana Baptist Convention, expressing the unanimous sentiment of the board bears the fol- lowing testimony to the value of Mr. Ogle's services in his present field of labor :
"'His labors for 19 years as missionary superin- tendent have been arduous, unremitting and splen- didly efficient. The steady progress which has been made from year to year in Indiana missions has been more largely due to him than to any other single agency, because of his wisdom and devotion and his beautiful christian spirit, which has made him a bro- ther beloved from one end of Indiana to the other.'
"'None of his predecessors has equaled him in the
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term of his service or the measure of its fruitfulness.' " 'When his term of service shall terminate the board will part with him with regret and continue to carry him in its heart and cherish the memory of his consecrated fidelity to the Baptist cause and to the interest of our feeble churches and their pastors.'"
It is equally fitting that a biographical sketch be given of the Rev. R. E. Neighbor, who for so many years, and with such signal ability, has filled the office of recording secretary of the Convention.
He was born in Wisbeach, England, in 1842. His father was a teacher in the government schools until he came to the United States in 1854. He bought a farm in Racine county, Wisconsin, and on this farm the son worked with the father, studying during the winter months, until he was 18 or 19 years of age, when he entered the grammar school of Racine Col- lege, walking six miles morning and night and not missing a single day in fair weather or foul. He en- tered the junior class in the University of Chicago in 1865, and was graduated in 1869 with the A. B. de- gree. He received the A. M. in 1870. He was or- dained at St. Charles, Illinois, in 1867, and in 1870 he accepted service with the American Missionary Union and was assigned to Assam; after eight years of service he returned to the United States, his de- clining health not allowing him to remain in the mis- sion field longer.
While in mission work he compiled an English Mikir vocabulary and sentence book, which was pub- lished at the expense of the Indian government. He
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also contributed to the magazine published by the Baptist Mission Press in Calcutta. He became pas- tor of Elkhart Baptist church in 1880, was called to what is now College Avenue church in Indianapolis in 1883, to Mount Vernon, Ohio, in 1889 and to Sey- mour, Indiana, in 1892. He became editor of the Baptist Outlook in 1896 and continued that work for more than three years. Since his connection with the Baptist Outlook ceased he has wrought in various fields ; he is now editor of the Baptist Observer. Since 1883 he has been recording secretary of the Indiana Baptist Convention almost continuously ; and besides other work he has corresponded for our leading de- nominational journals and written extended articles for the same, as well as for the reviews such as the Baptist Quarterly Review and the Bibliotheca Sacra.
Hon. J. J. W. Billingsley, of Indianapolis, has been the treasurer of the Convention continuously for fifteen years, and has had the full confidence of his brethren for both his business knowledge and his ab- solute integrity. He has been a member of the board for twenty years. As was said in the brief sketch of his father A. D. Billingsley, of the Freedom Associa- tion, he had an example and inspiration in his early home to be the most possible for God and humanity, and to do whatever came to him that would advance the cause of the Redeemer.
The American Baptist Home Mission Society. This organization began early in the history of In- diana to locate and support missionaries, and was always glad to have the Convention elect the work-
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ers, apparently satisfied with the privilege of furnish- ing the salaries. Of course the Society assumed that in after years the State would no longer need such assistance, and would in turn contribute liberally to send workers still further west.
For many years past we have not had missionaries in the state, supported by the Home Mission Society, except in a few German populations as at Indianap- olis and Evansville. As to the response of Indiana Baptists to the kindness of the Home Mission Society, statistics will afford the most accurate if not the most pleasing evidence. The total reported as given up to 1852 was $1,282.55; the average for the years 1872, 1880 and 1881 was $1,165.60; the average annual contribution for the third quarter century of the Convention's history was $5,358.30; and the contribu- tion for 1906 was $13,980.10. An even 150 different stations in the state have been occupied by the So- ciety, and 169 different missionaries have been em- ployed-this up to 1882; since then a few missions have been maintained among the Germans. Among the secretaries of the Society sent to Indiana none were as powerful as the Rev. James Cooper, D. D., in impressing the people with the great possibilities of the west, and the magnificent opportunities for us to glorify our God by planting strong churches in all that region; he seemed sometimes to grow truly Pauline in the fervency of his eloquent plea. No sec- retary has had the work better in hand, and has had steadier results, than the present one, the Rev. S. C. Fulmer, of Indianapolis.
THE REV. R. E. NEIGHBOR.
1
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The cause of Foreign missions had friends in In- diana while it was yet a territory; and when in 1835 the Rev. Alfred Bennett-or as he was familiarly called, "old father Bennett"-came to the state on a kind of flying visit in the interest of Foreign mis- sions he soon collected $400 but not very much was given for that or any other cause except when the representative was present to make the plea. The average annual contribution for foreign missions from Indiana during the first quarter century of the Convention's history was $451.86; the average dur- ing the second quarter century was $2,548.36; and the average during the third quarter century was $6,443.36. The contribution in 1906 was $8,751.36.
The permanent fund of the Missionary Union has had several respectable gifts from Indiana Baptists. One of the first was from Samuel Dow, a sturdy New Englander, who came first to Sparta on the Ohio river. After some years he came to Franklin because his son-in-law, the Rev. A. R. Hinkley, was an in- structor in the college. In his will he gave all his estate, at his wife's death, to the Union. Under the careful and wise management of Professor J. S. Hougham of the college, the estate yielded $8,000.00 which was turned over to the treasurer of the Mis- sionary Union.
According to the best information at hand, In- diana Baptists have given $20,450.00 to the perma- nent funds of the Union.
The contributions to the Aged Ministers' fund have not been large, but since the home was estab-
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lished at Fenton, Michigan, in the maintenance of which the five states-Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, Ohio and Indiana-are united, the gifts have been larger and fairly regular. The average annual amount from 1886 to 1896 was $949.16; from 1896 to 1906 it was $1,389.75, and for 1906 the amount given was $2,168.08.
The gifts to the work of the American Baptist Publication Society have never been large, but there has been a steady growth in the amount in recent years; from 1873 to 1882 the annual average was $2,457.77; from 1882 to 1892 it was $1,392.28; from 1892 to 1902 it was $1,451.55; and 1902 to 1906 it was $2,937.87. Some gifts have been made to the permanent funds of the society also; J. L. Allen, of Spencer, gave $5,000.00; in 1825 the Rev. James Mc- Coy and wife, Elisha Denny, Polly Denny, Samuel Neald, Abigail Neald, Mary Trowbridge, Elizabeth Trowbridge, Matthias Waller, Isaac Skelton and Thomas Mount, members of the Blue River Mission- ary Society, gave clothing, etc., worth $15.00 to Indian missions; Sarah Payne and Miss McNeald, $.75, and Mrs. Sarah Polke table linen worth $4.00.
The beneficiary fund of the college received an average of $562.00 from 1881 to 1890. There is also a small permanent beneficiary fund, the principal part of which was given by Deacon W. C. E. Wanee, of Fairland; the fund is now $6,775.00.
In the earlier history of the Baptists of the state regular contributions were made to the Bible Society ; in 1842 the amount given was $68.37, that in 1872
THE REV. S. H. HUFFMAN.
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was $2,000.00, and the annual average from 1842 to 1872 was $350.00. But the observant reader will say "of course the gifts in the various lines grew larger year by year for the number of members was con- stantly increasing," so there is a demand that a per capita statement be made, as that will give a more accurate index of the progress that has been made in beneficence.
As to State Missions. From 1832 to 1842 the per capita annual contributions were 2.1 cents (using but one decimal) ; from 1842 to 1852, 3.7 cents; from 1852 to 1862, 5.7 cents; from 1862 to 1872, 5.3 cents ; from 1872 to 1882, 8.5 cents; from 1882 to 1892, 9.2 cents; from 1892 to 1902, 7.3 cents, and from 1902 to 1906, 11.4 cents.
As to Home Missions. From the beginning to 1878 the whole amount given was $4,282.81; from 1879 to 1885 the annual per capita was 4.7 cents; from 1885 to 1895, 8 cents, and from 1895 to 1905, 11.4 cents.
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