USA > Indiana > Indiana Methodism: a series of sketches and incidents grave and humorous concerning preachers and people of the West with an appendix containing personal recollections, public addresses and other miscellany > Part 19
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The committe appointed to report a plan for the organization of the Church Extention Society was
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composed of the following persons : Edwin C. Griswald, Alpha J. Kynett, Samuel C. Thomas, Miner Raymond, Barzillai N. Sparrh, David L. Dempsey and Reuben Nelson. This was the be- ginning of one of the grandest church movements of modern times, next to the Missionary society.
If the history of the Church Extension board was written from its inception to the present time it would fill a large volume, and then the half would not have been told.
On May 11, John L. Smith offered the following resolution, which was adopted :
"Resolved, That the election of bishops (if any shall be elected) and General conference officers be made the order of the day for Friday, the 20th inst , immediately after the reading of the journal." When the time arrived the bishop presiding ap- pointed J. C. Pershing, J. L. Smith, J. Lanahan, T. H. Pearne, T. C. Gardner, and L. H. King, tellers. On the first ballott Davis W. Clarke and Edward Thomson were elected "Bishops of the Methodist Episcopal Church of the United States of America." And on the second ballot Calvin Kingsley was de- clared duly elected a "Bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church of the United States of America." May 20, on motion of J. L. Smith, the following resolution was adopted:
"Resolved, That the consecration of the bishops elect be made the order for Tuesday, May 24, at 3 o'clock, p. m., and that the bishops be requested to arrange for special religious service as in their judgment may be proper."
In the forenoon of that day the following state-
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ment, indicating the duty of church members as to the ordinary means of grace, and doing away with class-meeting attendance as a condition of church membership, was adopted, namely:
"Such as the public worship of God, the supper of the Lord, family and private prayer, searching the scriptures, class-meetings, and prayer-meet- ings." The vote stood, ayes 129; noes, 80.
There was another very important action taken, namely, changing the time of ministerial service in the same station from two years to three as the limit. This was done by a vote of 165 to 48.
At precisely three o'clock May 20, the service on the occasion of the ordination (consecration) of the recently elected bishops was introduced by Rev. Charles Elliott, D. D., who read the 213th hymn; after the singing of the hymn, Rev. George Peck, D. D., led the devotions of the conference and con- gregation in an appropriate prayer. The services were continued by Rev. William H. Goode, who read the hymn commencing, "Let Zion's watchmen all awake." Davis W. Clarke was presented for ordi- nation (consecration) by Randolph S. Foster, and George Webber; Jessie T. Peck and Leonard B. Gurley presented Edward Thomson; then S. Y. Monroe and Moses Hill presented Calvin Kingsley. The sacrament of the Lord's supper was then ad- ministered to the bishops and members of the con- ference, Bishop Janes conducting the services. Bishop Ames then offered the concluding prayer and pronounced the benediction. And thus Rev. Davis Clark, D. D., Rev. Edward Thompson, D. D., and Rev. Calvin Kingsley, D. D., were severally
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ordained (consecrated), and set apart to the office and work of bishops or superintendents of the Methodist Episcopal church in the United States of America. At the close of these services, on mo- tion, the conference adjourned. The Doxology was sung, after which the benediction was pro- nounced by Bishop Morris.
CHAPTER XXIV.
PREACHER'S AID SOCIETY-SWISHER'S BEQUESTS.
For 1864 the Northwest Indiana conference was held at Delphi, commencing on the 7th of Septem- ber, with Bishop Baker in the chair. Of the three persons admitted on trial, one only is a mem- ber of the conference, Rev. Samuel Beck, D. D.
Brother Beck has been a success as a traveling preacher from the beginning. He has steadily grown in power and influence, and to-day in many respects stands the peer of any man in the confer- ence. A faithful and successful circuit preacher; a successful church-builder and soul-winner; has been stationed at Attica, Crawfordsville, Greencastle, Terre Haute; served a full term on the Frankfort district; closed up at the last conference 1891 a full term of six years on the LaPorte district; highly respected by preachers and people wherever he labored. He is still in vigorous health, at the high noon of his manhood, and it is hoped he may live
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yet many years, laboring in the future as in the past with abundant success. He is now stationed at Brazil, Indiana.
At this conference was reported the death of A. G. Chinowith and J. B. Mershon. Brother Chino- with was a transfer from the Baltimore conference; a genial companion, a fair preacher; was for some time presiding elder; highly respected and loved in his life, and much lamented in his death.
Brother Mershon was a devout man, and at one time was thought to be about the ablest man in the conference in combating the somewhat popular error, viz., that there is no mode of baptism author- ized by the Scriptures excepting that of immersion. His last words were, "I have one request to make of my brethern: tell them, when they meet my chil- dren, to remember them in religious conversation and point them to heaven;" and then added, "Oh, what joy! Higher! Higher!"
Presiding e!ders appointed at this conference, and their respective districts: Indianapolis, Benjamin Winans; Terre Haute, J. C. Reed ; Attica, J. W. T. McMullen; LaFayette, J. H. Hull; Delphi, James Johnson; Valparaiso, Conrad S. Burgner; LaPorte, S. T. Cooper.
Agent Preacher's Aid Society, Daniel DeMotte.
Principals of schools: O. H. Smith, Danville Academy; David Holmes, Battle Ground Institute; H. G. Jackson, Stockwell Collegiate Institute; B. W. Smith, Valparaiso Male and Female College; G. W. Rice, New Carlisle Institute; Levi Tarr, Northern Indiana College, South Bend.
Chaplains in the army: N. L. Brakeman, Charles
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W. Tarr, John S. Donaldson, James H. Claypool.
Being detained at LaFayette to conduct the fun- eral services of honorable Albert S. White, judge of the United States circuit court, this writer failed for the first time to answer to his name at the first roll-call.
The writer was appointed a commissioner, at this conference, to secure, if possible, a division of the capital of the Indiana conference Preacher's Aid society. The society was organized about the year 1836, and the younger conferences of the State felt that they had an interest in the capital. After much delay a special act of the legislature was secured, chiefly by the agency of the aforesaid commis- sioner, authorizing a division of the capital of said society into four equal parts, and so providing for an equal distribution among the conferences. Even after this the Indiana conference refused to consent to a division of the funds, until Judge McDonald issued an order commanding the division to be made. The object of the commissioner was thus at length accomplished. The commissioner, from the time of his appointment in 1864, until the final settlement was made in 1871, labored faithfully, making collections, and securing donations and be- quests for the Preacher's Aid society of the North- west Indiana conference. The reader is referred to a future chapter for some additional facts, especially in regard to the closing up of the commissioner's work.
The conference session of 1864 was a very pleasant one, followed by a remarkably successful year in the work of the preachers, resulting in
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many conversions and additions to the membership ·of the church.
Bishop Scott held the Northwest Indiana confer- ence, in 1865, at Attica, Indiana, beginning on the 6th day of September.
The only death reported at this conference was that of Rev. Benjamin Winans, presiding elder of the Indianapolis district.
After attending five of his quarterly meetings, while returning home from the last, he was in- stantly hurried into eternity by an accident on the LaFayette and Indianapolis railroad, October 31, 1864. Thus suddenly was he cut down in the prime of his manhood and in the midst of his usefulness, "ceasing at once to work and live." His last ser- mon was preached only the evening before he was killed, from the text, "O Lord, I will praise thee!"
Brother Winans possessed preaching abilities of ·a superior order; he was a strong logical thinker, an earnest, effective speaker, chaste in style, natural in manner, and evangelical in spirit. He was not a profuse reader, but a profound thinker; modest in his pretentions, and unassuming in his claim; retired in his disposition, given to solitary walks and medi- tation. As an officer in the church he was faithful, law-abiding, and prompt; and by his wakeful energy he was instrumental in originating and sustaining several of our literary institutions, as well as in ·other respects serving the permanent institutions of the church. Heloved the church of his choice, was ever jealous of her honor, and desirious for her suc- cess. As a citizen he was peaceable and loyal, serving his country in every way that a faithful
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minister, not entering the army, could in the time of its peril. His hospitality was proverbal. Not only was the itinerant always welcomed to his- home, but his beds and the floors of his house were often appropriated as lodgings for soldiers, whom he gathered in from the streets. As a companion he was cordial, facetious, and entertaining. As a husband and father he was affectionate, considerate, and cheerful; happy in his domestic relations, and hopeful of the future. His piety was unpretending but evangelical; he bore his affictions with patience, and under the chastening hand of God he was sub- dued but confiding, never doubting the wisdom and goodness of God in the allotment of Divine provi- dence.
The friends of Brother Winans at LaFayette paid his entire funeral expenses; then placed a beautiful monument at his grave. They secured for the fam - ily, from the Railroad Co., four thousand dollars in cash, (with which this writer had something to do,) as also, a United States bond of one hundred dol- lars, for each of the five children as a free gift, and otherwise looked after the stricken widow and fatherless children.
The conference of 1866 was held at LaPorte, In- diana, August 29 -- September 5, with Bishop Ames. in the chair. Of the six persons admitted on trial at this conference only one remains in the active work to-day, viz : William A. Smith, now, and for several years, stationed in the goodly little city of Perrysville. Though a comparatively small place, Perrysville is, and has been for many years, a prom- inent point in the conference. Perhaps no truer,
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better, more permanent and loyal laymen, and godly women are to be found in the conference than at Perrysville. Years ago among the dwellers of that village were John P. Jones and family, William Brown and family, good old Sister Blair, Brother George McNeil and his good wife and noble boys ; be- sides these, the Smiths, the Dunlaps, the Roseburys, and many others no less worthy, have successfully carried forward the work. Perrysville has also been marked as the place where a large number of the leading preachers in the conference, from time to time, have been stationed ; among whom might be named Samuel Brenton, Aaron Wood, Richard Hargrave, John B. DeMotte, Joseph C. Reed, George M. Boyd,J. A. Clearwaters, and others, and last, though not least, the good, kind-hearted, genial, social, and always successful preacher,-Rev. William A. Smith, the present incumbrant.
In many respects 1866 was a year of stirring events. This writer, who had acted for four years as revenue collector, a part of the time in the work as presiding elder, financial agent for the Stockwell collegiate institute, and for one or two years on the supernumerary list, resigned as collector of revenue, and was appointed to the LaFayette district.
The War being over, Dr. H. G. Jackson. as before stated, was sent that year as a missionary to the city of New Orleans. On the fourth day of July of that year, while the loyal Union men were holding a meeting in a public hall, Brother Jackson being among them, they were set upon by an infuriated mob composed of blood-thirsty, Southern secession- ists. The Union people were assaulted with chairs,
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billets of wood, dirks and revolvers. Dr. Jackson in passing down the stairway received a bullet from one of the mob standing afew steps above him. The ball entered his side, and passed through the body and through the upper part of one of his lungs and the lower part of the other, and with the blood spurting from the orifice caused by the bullet, from each side, he was arrested at the foot of the stairs and hastily put in prison. A kind hearted physician with whom Brother Jackson had become acquainted, missing the missionary, set out among the police stations to find his friend ; after long searching he discovered him, faint from loss of blood, and took him home to his family in an almost dying condition, which was the first intimation his wife had of the terrible affair. The weather was very hot, but, through the bless- ing of God and the faithful attentions of his "Good Samaritan" he so far recovered that in the fall of that year he was able with his family to return to his friends in Indiana. After his almost miraculous recovery, and several years of faithful and success- ful work of teaching and preaching in Indiana, he was sent as a missionary to South America, with headquarters at Buenos Ayers, where he remained ten years or more. Returning again to Indiana in 1878, took charge of the church at Kansas City to fill a vacancy where he preached for several years ; was then stationed at Sedalia, Mo. ; and then elected president of Lewis College at Glasgow ; was trans- fered from there by Bishop Fowler to the Rock River conference, and stationed at Centinary Church, Chicago, remaining a full term of five years and is now (as before stated) in charge of one of the dis-
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tricts of that city. Dr. Jackson's treatment in New Orleans, and the apathy of the then President of the United States, who, it was and is believed, might have prevented the terrible slaughter in New Or- leans,-these, together with other important facts, were among the reasons which induced the writer to resign as revenue collector ; which further rea- sons, with letter of resignation, the reader will find in the Appendix page -.
Bishop Janes held the conference at Danville, In- diana, beginning September 11, 1867. There were two admitted on trial this year, of whom Brother John Thompson only is in the active work. Brother Thompson is large-hearted, kind-spirited, and a very industrious man ; he is now Bible agent in California as he was in Indiana for several years. He is a good preacher, and excells in his work as agent. Through his indomitable energy and per- severance he succeeded in building up the Bible work in Indiana as no agent had ever done before. Long may he live to bless the church and honor God.
Brother Andrew Sheridan was reported at the conference as having passed from labor to reward. He was born in Butler county, Ohio, February 7, 1825 ; converted in 1841 ; licensed to preach by Richard Hargrave in 1852 ; admitted to the confer- ence on trial, in 1863, and appointed to Lebaron circuit ; after which he successfully labored on dif- ferent circuits until January 10, 1867, when he peace- fully fell asleep in Jesus. His last words were "Jesus is with me ; glory to God!"
For the second time the conference was held, in
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1868, in Valparaiso, September 30-October 5, when Bishop Edward Thompson, for the first time, presid- ed over the Northwest Indiana conference.
The brethren admitted to this conference, who are still in the active work, were John M. Stafford, William G. Vessels, and D. W. Risher. Each of these good brethren has a fine record behind him.
Brother Stafford, a man of good preaching ability, a good pastor, pure in spirit, after filling a number of important posts of duty, is now the acceptable and much loved pastor on the Crawfordsville circuit. His honored father, Rev. George W. Stafford, preached his semi-centennial sermon at Rochester in 1888 ; now retired, living on his farm near Craw- fordsville, revered and loved, as he ought to be af- ter so many years of successful labor. He is a man of character, piety, and broad intelligence ; and, to crown all, he is a first-class specimen of the true Christian gentleman.
Brother Vessels, still active and energetic, hav- ing been transfered several years ago to Nebraska, where he is reported to have done excellent work, was, in the fall of 1891, transfered back to his old conference, among his former friends and brethren, and is now shouting to the battle on the beautiful "Wea Plains," near the city of LaFayette.
Brother D. W. Risher is one of the solid men of the conference, with less flash and brilliancy than some of his brethren, but with a skill and activity in the work far above many of his fellows. He is ever found at his post, successfully pushing forward the work of the Lord. He deserves well of his brethren.
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The deaths reported that year were W. O. Wyant and A. D. Cunningham. Brother Wyant's race was short ; he was an Alumnus of Asbury, now DePauw University, and, in his public speech, for purity of diction, brilliancy of imagination, and power to im- press his audience with the truth of the gospel, was not surpassed by any man of his age in the confer- ence. At the conference of 1867 he was admitted on trial and appointed to Delphi station. He en- tered upon his work with a burning zeal, determined by the grace of God to witness a revival of the work of the Lord, and in this, he was not disappoint- ed, for a gracious revival attended his labors. He tax- ed his energies too severely. On Thursday evening, January 23, 1868, while holding to the railing of the rostrum, he grew dizzy and partially blind, and said: "Are they putting out the lights ? I cannot see." Staggering from the pulpit he was assisted into the parsonage to die. As the result of congestion of the brain, a stupor ensued from which he never re- vived, and on Sunday morning, January 26, while his church bell was ringing for class-meeting, be- tween eight and nine o'clock a. m., his spirit fled to the heavenly world. And so passed away the flash- ing yet fleeting meteor-this very remarkable young man.
Rev. Amor D. Cunningham was born in Ripley county, Indiana, July 12, 1833. In his younger life he attended school at Brookville college. During his nineteenth year he united with the Methodist Episcopal Church, under the ministry of Rev. Will- iam M. Fraley, and was soon after converted to God ; he was received into full connection by Rev.
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T. M. Eddy, and soon after received license to preach. He was married to Miss Mary M. Chafee, May 1, 1855. For a time he had charge of the schools of Blooming Grove and Greenfield, Indiana, and went from Greenfield to Indianapolis and filled the chair of Mathematics in the Female College. He was a man of great fervor of spirit, a magnetic preacher, but feeble in health ; he died of hemor- rhage of the lungs, August 9, 1868.
The delegates from the Northwest Indiana con- ference to the General conference, held in Chicago in 1868, were Joseph C. Reed, William Graham, Aaron Wood, John L. Smith. Bishops present at that General conference were Thomas A. Morris, Edmund S. Janes, Levi Scott, Mathew Simpson, Edward R. Ames, Davis W. Clark, Edward Thomp- son, and Calvin Kingsley. It was understood that Bishop Baker was in feeble health and was not ex- pected to be present during the conference.
The meeting of the conference and the National Convention for nominating a President and Vice President of the United States at the same time and in the same city, brought together thousands of peo- ple ; and every hotel, and other places where a stranger could get lodging, seemed to be filled. There were in attendance on the General conference many celebrities, among whom was Dr. William Morley Puncheon, of the Wesleyan Methodist con- nection in England. Dr. Puncheon was a marked man, whether in public speech or private conversa- tion. In private interviews with preachers he seemed disposed to make the impression that the Americans were rather an inferior race compared
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with the English. On one occasion he and Bishop Ames indulged in a familiar conversation in which Mr. Puncheon, among other things, said : "Bishop Ames, I feel, after all, that you Americans are rather a clever sort of people. I find among them some men of brilliant power, but then I readily account for that on the principal that most of your better, and cul- tured, people are descendents from English stock." To which Bishop Ames responded : "Well, Brother Puncheon, I am inclined to think that your state- ment is as much at variance' with the facts as your conclusion is illogical ; for, in my studies of the laws of pomology, I find that our best apples originated with the crab, and according to my taste and ex- perience the farther we get away from the original crab the better the fruit," whereupon the conversa- tion took a different turn.
Perhaps the most important act of the General conference of 1868 was that which so far perfected the lay-delegation movement as to make it possible for the lay brethren to enter as members of the Gen- eral conference of 1872. The arrangement, how- ever, which was as near perfection at the time, as the friends of the movement thought it possible to make it, has never yet seemed to be adjusted to the satisfaction of the lay brethren ; and the ques- tion, therefore, for some time has been, how to ad- just the lay and clerical elements in a satisfactory way, so as to secure harmony in the body as a whole. As to whether the ensuing General confer- ence (May, 1892) will take the initiative for dividing itself into two houses, remains to be seen. On the thirteenth day of the conference, J. C. Reed pre-
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sented the following question, and it was referred to the committee on episcopacy, viz : "When a copy of charges against a member of an Annual conference has been sent to him, and the charges put in the hands of the presiding bishop of said con- ference to be presented to the conference, has the bishop the power or right at his discretion to suppress or withhold them from the conference."
On the fifteenth day of the session J. L. Smith presented three petitions on the subject of lay rep- resentation, signed by Levi Ritter, J. H. Ross, E. S. Organ, and sixty others, and they were referred to the committee on that subject.
In this General conference there were two vener- able and very remarkable men from the Illinois conference. These were Peter Cartwright and Peter Akers. This was Dr. Cartwright's last General con - ference, but Dr. Akers served in the General con- ference of 1872.
At the General conference at Boston in 1852, the scholarly and precise Dr. E. K. True delivered a lengthy address, in which he admonished the mem - bers of that body and urged that in discussing any subject they should not only sacredly observe par- liamentary law, but keep close to the subject, and not waste so much time in wandering from the point of debate. As Dr. True seemed to be near the close of his speech Dr. Cartwright was observed to keep his eye first upon the speaker and then upon the chair ; while Dr. True was in the act of resuming his seat Cartwright sprang to his feet, and, obtain- ing the floor, he said : "We have had a long homily upon the importance of sticking to the pint and now,
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Mr. President, Dr. True's speech brings to my mind a song that the Suckers used to sing in the early settlement of Illinois, which was this :
'It is pint look out and pint look in, Its pint and no pint and pint agin.'
And now, Mr. President, I want Dr. True and all the other Drs. on this floor to know that I too am a Dr .; for I was born in a canebrake, rocked in a sugar trough, and graduated in a thunder storm." To say that this speech brought down the house is drawing it very mildly, for it was some time before order was restored in that grave body.
A good many Methodists have read Dr. Cart- wright's autobiography but very few are familiar with the close of his earthly pilgrimage. So the au- thor, believing that many of his readers would be interested in a brief history of this remarkable man, takes the liberty of here giving the full text of his memoir as published in the General minutes.
Peter Cartwright died at his home near Pleasant Plains, Sangamon county, Illinois, at three o'clock p. m., September 25, 1872. He was born September 1, 1785,in Amherst county, Va .; hence at his death he was eighty seven years and twenty-four days old. When he was eight years of age his father moved with his family to Logan county, Ky. He was converted May 1, 1801, at a protracted meeting held by the Presbyterians and Methodists near his home, and was made an exhorter in May, 1802. His ex - horter's license was all the human authority he had to preach until he was ordained deacon. His first appointment was as junior preacher on the Red Riv- er circuit, embracing Logan county, Ky. He re-
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