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 23
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Brother Harman is a devoted and cultured Chris- tian gentleman. He never fails to make the im- pression among the people that he is a man of God. What he lacks in pulpit power he more than makes up in looking after all the details of the work ; no interest in his charge is permitted to suffer for the want of attention. He has one of the best of wives, who is a granddaughter of Brother and Sister Le- brick, who were many years ago pillars in the church at the village of Dublin, Wayne county, In- diana,-at whose home the weary intinerant ever found a warm welcome.
In 1847 this writer was called upon to officiate at the marriage of Mary, the eldest daughter of Brother and Sister Lebrick, to Prof. Erlaugher ; and, about thirty years after that event, he was called upon to perform a similar service at the marriage of their youngest daughter, to Rev. J. N. Harman. Brother Harman is now the useful pastor of Morocco circuit, and is having, as he usually does, good revivals in his charge.
Brother Hollingsworth very soon after his admis- sion into the conference took rank among his
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brethren as a clear, and sparkling preacher ; was well received and very useful, not only on the cir- cuits he traveled, but in Frankfort station, and As- bury, Terre Haute. He is now in his third year at South Bend. His conference sermon preached at Valparaiso, in 1885, was regarded by many as one of the most lucid, clear-cut, and pointed, ever preach- ed before the conference on a similar occasion. He is a genial, warm-hearted, and companionable broth- er, highly esteemed among his people. A few years ago, in his experience, he was brought into deeper knowledge of spiritual things, sometimes called the higher life ; since then much of that element in his preaching which was sometimes called wit and flip- pancy, has been eliminated from his sermons, and he is now, not only in the enjoyment of perfect love in his own experience, but is preaching the gospel of salvation with an unction and success not known in his earlier ministry. He preaches better,although, as above observed,he never failed to interest his con- gregations.
The death of Rev. John S. Donaldson was report- ed at this conference. Brother Donaldson was well known among the older preachers of the conference, having been admitted on trial in 1839. He was a very industrious and faithful man, and successful as well, in his work as a Methodist preacher. His early religious education and training was accord- ing to the Westminster confession of faith. When converted to God, while comparatively young, he became clearly convinced that the atonement of the Lord Jesus was made for all men, and it is not re- markable that in after years he sometimes in the
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pulpit, as some of his friends thought went to the extreme in pounding Calvinism. Revivals attended his labors wherever he preached, and thousands of members were received into the church by him dur- ing the active years of his ministry. In 1863 he re- ceived the appointment as chaplain in the army, where he remained two years. While in the army his health was much impaired, and at the next con- ference he received a superannuated relation ; soon after this he removed to Merrick county, Nebraska, where he took a claim and succeeded in making a home for himself and family, supplying at various times, the adjoining circuits under the direction of the presiding elder. He was born in Mercer coun- ty, Penn., August 31, 1808, and died in great peace at his home in Nebraska, May 11, 1878.
The Annual conference was held at South Bend in 1879, September 3-8, Bishop Foster, in the chair, J. C. Reed, Secretary. No one of the five admitted, remains in the conference to-day.
Four deaths were reported, viz., W. H. Smith, Aaron Conner, Richard Hargrave, and Philip I. Bes- wick.
Brother Smith was one of the early pioneer preach- ers of Indiana. He was born in the State of Georgia, April 12, 1796, and closed his long and useful life at Greencastle, Indiana, September 28, 1878.
Brother Aaron Conner, after a number of years of useful service in Indiana, superannuated and re- moved to California. He was a good man, and many were turned to righteousness through his in- strumentality. He was born in Pennsylvania, May 22, 1822, and died in great peace at the residence of
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his son-in-law, Rev. E. R. Dille, in Santa Clara, Cal., September 28, 1878.
Richard Hargrave, one of the greatest preachers in Methodism, is elsewhere characterized in this volume, and nothing now needs to be added, ex- cepting to say that he was born in Caswell county, N. C., Dec. 5, 1803, and died in holy triumph near Attica, Fountain county, Indiana, June 23, 1879.
The delegates elected in 1879 to the General con- ference held in Cincinnati in ISSo were : Clerical, J. W. Greene, I. W. Joice, J. H. Cissel ; Reserves, R. D. Utter, W. Graham ; Lay, Clem Studebaker, L. B. Sims.
The death of three bishops was reported at the General conference of ISSo, viz., Bishop Janes, Ames, and Haven. The lives of these three great men constitute a rich heritage to the church.
Edmund S. Janes was born in Berkshire, Mass., April 27, 1807, and entered into rest from his home in New York City, September 18, 1876. His last words were, "I am not disappointed."
Edward R. Ames, the great church-statesman and model presiding officer was born in Adams county, Ohio, May 20, 1806, and died in the City of Baltimore, Md., April 25, 1879. And on that day it might truthfully been said, "A prince and a great man hath fallen in Israel."
Gilbert Haven was born in Malden, Mass., Sept. 19, 1821, and died at the same place, Jan. 3, 1880. He graduated at Wesleyan university, Middletown, Conn., in 1846. He was elected editor of Zion's Herald, in 1867, and elected bishop in 1872.
In 1880 four bishops were elected, viz., Henry W.
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Warren, Cyrus D. Foss, John F. Hurst, Erastus O. Haven.
Beginning Sept. 1, ISSo, the Northwest Indiana conference was held by Bishop Bowman in the city of Frankfort. Eight persons were admitted on trial, of whom W. P. Hargrave, A. M., G. W. Switzer, A. M., and L. S. Smith, A. M., are still workers in the conference.
Brother Hargrave, the eldest son of the celebrated Richard Hargrave, is a Christian gentleman, highly respected, a good, safe preacher, a man of character , and every way trustworthy in his work.
G. W. Switzer is now the successful and popular pastor of Crawfordsville station, having his usual success as a preacher and pastor.
L. S. Smith is a good preacher, warm-hearted and brotherly,and much esteemed by his people as a faithful servant of the Lord.
Five brethren was reported as having passed to their reward in heaven. Brother William Blake was born in Prince Edward county, Virginia, Nov. 9, 1819, and died in peace at his home in Greencas- tle, May 3, 1880. He was a good man, and a use- ful preacher.
W. M. Fraly was born near Springfield, Ohio, June 8, 1816 ; admitted into the conference in 1838 ; a laborious and faithful man of God. He sank to his final sleep July 5, 1880, in his own home, and surrounded by his family.
John Leach was born near Winchester, Virginia, May 14, 1813, and died at New Carlisle, Indiana, Oct. 10, 1879. In the early years of his ministry, be- fore his health declined, as a revivalist and a church-
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builder, and as a success in every part of the work, Brother Leach had few equals in the conference.
Jesse Woodward was born in Lee county, Vir- ginia, May 16, 1812. He was admitted to the con- ference in 1856 ; a devoted Christian, a fair preacher, a faithful friend and pastor. He was suddenly taken off in crossing a railroad track in his buggy ; was run over by a train, and sent home to his reward July 23, 1880.
Ferris Pierce was born of pious parents in Duchess county, N. Y., June 1, 1809. He was converted and united with the church in 1829 In 1851 he was mar- ried to Miss Effa Force ; was admitted to the con- ference in 1852, and died at his home in Stockwell, Indiana, April 10, 1880. He was a good preacher and singularly powerful in prayer.
The conference of 1881 was held by Bishop An- drews at Danville, Indiana, August 31-September 5. At this conference of the three admitted on trial, only one, W. B. Slutz, the genial gentleman, ac- ceptable pastor, now on his third year in Frankfort station, remains in the conference. He has been a success from the beginning, useful and popular wherever he has labored, and possibly never more so than now. Long may he live to do good, and bless the church.
In 1882 Bishop Jesse T. Peck presided at the con- ference at Michigan City, beginning August 23. Seven were admitted on trial ; those who yet remain in the conference are W. H. Broomfield, a nice gen- tleman, fair preacher, now doing successful work on the Colfax charge.
Brother J. W. Shell, formerly a teacher, now a
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preacher, zealous and faithful in the work. The church is still prospering under his labors in the Master's vineyard.
Brother D. A. Rodgers, and alumnus of DePauw university, is now doing faithful work on Rossville circuit.
R. S. Martin has had a successful and somewhat remarkable career thus far ; after serving on various fields of labor, in the fall of 1888 he was appointed to Valparaiso station, where his reputation as a preacher and pastor continued to grow : at the con- ference of 1891, at the earnest request of the official board of that church, he was transferred by Bishop Ninde, and is now the popular pastor of Grace church in the city of Chicago.
The death of the venerable Thomas Bartlett was reported at this conference. Brother Bartlett was a native of England, born . in Kent county, May IO, ISII ; came to America in 1828 ; united with the M. E. church in Philadelphia, in 1830. He was the first person received into the church by Edmund S., - afterwards Bishop Janes. He was licensed to preach in Indiana in 1833, and received into the conference in 1834. He was a devoted Christian, a respectable preacher, a successful pastor, and will, doubtless have many seals to his ministry in the bright world above. He was a devoted husband, a kind father, much loved by his brethren in the ministry and the people generally. He died in holy triumph on the 19 of January, 1882.
Bishop Harris was welcomed by the conference at Terre Haute in 1883, the session commencing August 29. Four persons were admitted on trial,
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neither of whom is now with the conference.
J. A. Maxwell and I. N. Beard were transferred from the Southeast Indiana conference.
Brother Maxwell is a fine preacher, a genial gentleman, successful in his work, highly es- teemed, now in his third year at Delphi station.
Brother Beard, as before stated in these pages, is now president of Napa college, California.
The delegates elected to the General conference which met at Philadelphia in 1884, were : Clerical, -Samuel Beck, Francis M. Pavey, L. C. Buckles ; Reserves,-S. P. Colvin, H. A. Gobin ; Lay,-E. G. Holgate, Clem Studebaker ; Reserves,-John Dough- erty, A. R. Colburn.
The death of three bishops was reported at the General conference of 1884.
Levi Scott, senior bishop, full of years and rich in faith and love, fell asleep in Jesus in the eightieth year of his age, and it was believed he died without an enemy on earth.
On the 17 of May, 1883, Jesse T. Peck died at his home in Syracuse, N. Y. He was a man of great simplicity of character and strength of mind. His useful life went out in the seventy-third year of his age.
E. O. Haven was born in Boston, Mass., November 1, 1820 ; elected to the Episcopacy at Cincinnati, in 1880, and as one of the bishops, took up his resi- dence in San Francisco, Cal., and died in Salem, Oregon, August 2, 1881.
The bishops elected in 1884 were, William X. Ninde, John M. Walden, Willard F. Mallalieu, Charles H. Fowler.
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The Northwest Indiana conference was held at Attica by Bishop Foster, from August 27 to Sep- tember I, ISS4.
Brother W. B. Warren, J. S. Wright, N. F. Jen- kins, (of the seven admitted on trial,) are still faith- ful laborers in the conference. These comparative- ly young brethren are successful in their work, and have been from the beginning, and are now actively laboring as follows : Brother Warren, on Romney charge ; Brother Wright, at North Liberty, Brother Jenkins, at Goodland.
Bishop Foss made his first visit as the presiding officer of the Northwest Indiana conference, at Val- paraiso, September 3, 1885. Brother D. Tillotson and N. E. Tinkham are the only two remaining in the conference,in active work, of the four who were admitted on trial.
Brother Tillotson is an excellent young man ; took the Theological course at Garrett Biblical In- stitute ; was appointed at the last conference Tract Agent ; and is making himself felt as a successful evangelist.
Brother Tinkham, a good man and a good preach- er, is now doing effective service on the Plainfield charge.
At this conference was reported the death of Rev. James Johnson. Brother Johnson was born in Clark county, Indiana, January 21, 1812, and died Novem- ber 11, 1884. He was admitted on trial at the or- ganization of the North Indiana conference, at Ft. Wayne, in 1884 ; traveled forty consecutive years ; a man of deep piety, good preaching ability, an ex- cellent pastor ; served a number of years as a suc-
-
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cessful and popular presiding elder. "He was a good man and full of the holy Ghost," and through his in- strumentality many were added to the Lord. He was a member of the General conference of 1860; and, in every place, there or elsewhere, of respon- sibility,he showed himself a man, an able minister of the New Testament. He was greatly loved by his brethren in the ministry, and by the people in the churches where his faithful labors were bestowed. Loved in his life he was lamented in his death.
In 1886, beginning September 2, the conference was held at Frankfort, Bishop Merrill presiding. Nine were admitted on trial, and of these excellent young men, F. W. Gee and S. P. Edmondson are still with the conference, receiving their appoint- ments in 189 !.- Brother Edmondson, to Danville; and F. W. Gee, to Coatsville charge.
At this conference the writer was appointed to Valparaiso district, then in the seventy-fifth year of his age ; closing five years service on the district at the conference at South Bend in 1891.
In 1887 Bishop Bowman held the conference at Greencastle, September 7-12. Of the fourteen ad- mitted on trial at this conference the following breth- ren remain with the conference, and are in the active work as vigorous, true, and promising young men; viz., William E. McLennan, H. L. Kindig, E. P. Bennet, J. G. Campbell, and W. F. Switzer.
Four deaths were reported at this conference, H.M. Joy, George Guild, W. J. Forbes, and Aaron Wood.
Dr. Joy was transferred to the conference and stationed at Greencastle, and, soon after, was, by ac- cident, suddenly killed.
MATTHEW SIMPSON.
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Brother Guild did long and faithful service as a traveling preacher. His active labor has been more fully characterized in the preceding pages as also that of Brothers Forbes and Wood.
The delegates elected to the General conference which met in the city of New York in May, ISS8, were as follows : Ministerial,-S. P. Colvin, R. D. Utter, W. H. Hickman ; Reserves,-S. Beck, J. W. Greene ; Lay,-A. R. Colburn, J. C. Ridpath ; Re- serves,-I. H. C. Royse, E. G. Hogate.
CHAPTER XXVII.
CRAWFORDSVILLE 1890-SOUTH BEND 1891.
Tuesday morning, May 1, ISSS, THE TWENTIETHI DELEGATED GENERAL CONFERENCE of the METHOD- IST EPISCOPAL CHURCH convened in the Metropolitan opera house, in the City of New York. The bishops present were : T. Bowman, R. S. Foster, S. M. Mer- rill, E. G. Andrews, H. W. Warren, C. D. Foss, J. F. Hurst, J. M. Walden, W. F. Mallalieu, C. H. Fow- ler.
During the quadrennium three of the bishops had been called from labor to reward, viz., Simpson, Wiley, and Harris.
Bishop Simpson was born at Cadiz, Ohio, June 21, ISII. He was elected a tutor in Madison college in the eighteenth year of his age. Studied and prac-
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ticed medicine for a short time ; was received on trial in the Pittsburg conference in 1834 ; elected vice president and professor of natural science in Alleghany college in 1837; and, in 1839, he was elect- ed president of Indiana Asbury university. All this remarkable history took place before he was thirty years of age. In 1848 he was elected editor of the Western Christian Advocate ; and, in 1852, at the session of the General conference in Boston, he was elected bishop. He closed his honorable life at his home in the city of Philadelphia, Pa .. June 18, 1884.
Bishop Wiley was born at Lewistown, Pa., March 29, 1825 ; studied medicine in his young manhood ; was sent as a missionary physician to China ; be- came a member of the Genesee conference ; in 1864 was elected editor of the Ladies' Repository, and re-elected in 1868 ; and, in 1872, was elected bishop. He died at Foochow, China, November 22, 1884.
William Logan Harris was born near Galion, Ohio, November 4, 1817, and died in New York City, September 2, 1887. He was on several occa- sions secretary of the General conference. He was elected bishop in 1872.
The bishops elected in 1888 were : John H. Vin- cent, James N. Fitzgerald, Isaac W. Joyce, John P. Newman, Daniel A. Goodsell.
The all absorbing question of discussion at the General conference of 1888, was the eligibility of wom- en as members of that body. At the opening of the session the senior bishop, in behalf of the board of bishops, read a remarkable paper, informing the conference-
I. That the roll of delegates-elect had been
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duly made up by the secretary of the last General conference, according to a practice fully authorized, from certificates forwarded to him by the secretaries of the Annual conferences. (The former rule was for each delegate to carry his own credentials to the General conference, and, when call was made, pre- sent them in person.)
2. That certain delegates-elect to the present conference, whose election had been duly certified to the secretary of the last General conference, were of a class of persons never before admitted to mem- bership in the General conference, whose right to be admitted had never been determined, nor even considered, by the supreme authority of the church.
3. That protests against the admission of such delegates-elect, protests responsibly signed, chal- lenging the right of such parties to seats in the Gen- eral conference, had been lodged in the hands of the bishops, to be presented for consideration at the proper time.
4. That the bishops had no jurisdiction in the matter of the eligibility of the class of persons in question.
5. That the General conference, which must pro- nounce upon the issue, cannot exercise its jurisdic- tion until duly organized.
6. Therefore, in the nature of the case, there must be a general conference, with a quorum of un- challenged members, before the claims of the parties thus challenged can be presented.
7. "The secretary of the last General conference will now call the roll prepared in conformity to the principles enunciated, and as soon as the conference
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shall have elected a secretary to make a record of its proceedings we will present the names requiring your deliberation."
This action of the bishops, to say the very least of it, was altogether unnecessary. Had they per- mitted the calling of the roll as made up by the act- ing secretary it would have interfered with nobody's right to challenge the seating of the women dele- gates. The course taken by the episcopal board in this matter evidently had the approval of a part (not all) of the delegates opposed to the admission of the women, while at least many of those who be- lieved the women lawfully entitled to seats looked upon it as almost revolutionary.
The question of admitting the women delegates- elect was debated at length. The conference finally decided against the seating of the women, basing its decision on constitutional grounds ; but took such action as was necessary to submit to the An- nual conferences a proposition to so change the con- stitution of the church that women might become eligible to membership in the General conference.
This proposition has failed (April, 1892) of the requisite majority in the Annual conferences ; so the General conference of (May) 1892; will have no authority to admit delegates of the women of the Church. What further action may be taken on the subject remains to be seen.
The session of the Northwest Indiana conference at Rochester, Indiana, began September 5, 1838, with Bishop Andrews in the chair, H. M. Middleton as secretary. Ten persons were admitted on trial at this conference, of whom, those now in the active
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work, are, C. M. Stockbarger, C. L. Harper, W. N. Dunn, R. M. Simmons, and J. H. Warrall. These are excellent young men and promise, in view of their good health, piety, and perseverance, much in the future in the work of the Lord.
The deaths reported in 1888 were : J. C. Reed, H. B. Ball, R. H. Calvert,
Joseph C. Reed. D. D., was born in Butler county, Ohio, March 7, 1826, and died October 27, 1887. He was admitted on trial at the conference held at Cambridge City in 1850. For a number of years Brother Reed occupied important stations in the conference, and also did excellent service as presid- ing elder on the Terre Haute and Greencastle dis- tricts. He served for a considerable time during the war, as chaplain of the Twenty-ninth Indiana Regiment. At the conference held in Frankfort, in 1886, he took a superannuated relation. He was for twenty-four years secretary of the conference, of whom Bishop Janes once said : "Dr. Reed is the best secretary I ever met." He was an effective and popular pulpit orator, a devoted Christian, and in every way a lovable man.
R. H. Calvert was born in Canada, April 12,1816 ; while not a brilliant preacher he was a very active and faithful man in his work. He died in holy tri- umph in Miami county, Indiana, March 20, 1888.
Herman B. Ball was born in Ontario county, New York, May 6, ISIS. He joined the conference in 1848, and, after years of effective service, was placed on the superannuate list in 18So, which relation he sustained up to the time of his death in 1888.
Bishop Hurst presided at the session of the North-
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west Indiana conference at Brazil, beginning Sep- tember 4, 1889. The following persons were ad- mitted on trial : Eugene C. Alford, Benton H. Beall, John H. Carson, George F. Cramer, Edward M. Dunk- elbarger, Samuel W. Goss, William M. Hurt, Sam- uel H. Murlin, John C. Reeve, Clarence D. Royse, Joseph B. Sites, Alanson M. Virden, Telesphore Le- veque, John H. Strain.
The deaths reported at this conference were : Lu- cas Nebeker and E. B. Woodson.
Brother Nebeker was born in Pickaway county, Ohio, February 25, 1819, and died at his home in in Battle Ground, Indiana, November 22, 1888. When but a child, his father einigrated to Fountain county, Indiana, and, in 1824, settled on the Wa- bash river. He was converted at a camp meeting near Rob Roy, August 20, 1838. He was admitted in the North Indiana conference, at South Bend, in the fall of 1851. He traveled circuits for nine years; was stationed at Rockville, and afterwards at Terre Haute, Crawfordsville, Thorntown, Stockwell ; and was appointed to LaPorte district as presiding elder in 1872. He was a fair English scholar, an indus- trious and useful traveling preacher. Sometimes in the pulpit he measured up to a beautiful and im- pressive eloquence. He was a true man, loved his friends, was devoted to his church, and died in full possession of a blissful hope of immortality, in the evening of February 23, 1889.
Rev. E. B. Woodson, A. M., was an alumnus of Northwestern university, at Evanston, Illinois. He was not only a good scholar and an interesting preacher, but he excelled as a pastor. His last work
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in the conference was Remington station. From the beginning of his work at Remington, as elsewhere in his former history, he was received with delight and joy by the people ; and there, as elsewhere, he did not fail to build up the work of the church and win souls from darkness to light. He was born in Michigan City, Indiana, March 30, 1850. He preach- ed his last sermon Thursday evening, February 14, from the text, "To-day, if you will hear his voice, harden not your heart." He died on Friday, Feb- ruary 22, 1889.
In 1890, beginning October I, the conference was held in Crawfordsville, Bishop Fowler in the Chair, H. N. Ogden, secretary. Thirteen were admitted on trial, and the following were received into full connection: C. M. Stockbarger, C. L. Harper, W.N. Dunn, R. M. Simmons, J. H. Warrall, J. L. Green- way, N. E. Tinkham, Joseph Dawson.
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