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 5
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Trading, meanwhile, had ceased ; clerks and cus- tomers were all attention, eager to catch every word of Zeb's speech.
Years had passed since the occurrences he re- lated. The wonder is that any trace of them should have remained in his memory, he being, as he was, under the influence of strong drink when they trans- pired. Even after so many years of constant in- ebriation he was able to relate the facts, including minutest details, in consecutive order, exhibiting a remarkable memory, despite the whiskey-soaked condition of his brain. Poor Zeb! All through the upper Mississinewa country he heralded the name of the young preacher, preparing a way for the gospel messenger to the cabins of the people ; nor did he fail to give freely of his substance for the support of the church. His wife and several of his children made a profession of religion ; the old gentleman also became serious, but it is not known whether he ever overcame his appetite or how he finally left the world.
Within the bounds of Winchester circuit there then lived many whose names still honor the annals of Indiana Methodism. Among the number should be mentioned the Hunts. The Rev. W'm. Hunt was one of the early Methodist preachers of Ken- tucky, a pioneer in Indiana. He was a man of mark in the days of his strength ; he was mighty in the Scriptures, and-woe to the unlucky wight that tempted him into a doctrinal controversy. This venerable servant of God lived to smile upon the fourth generation of his descendents.
The home of the honored parents of the Rev. Ner
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Philips, now a prominent member of the North In- diana conference, was ever the welcome home of the weary itinerant. Ner-was then a nice little boy, fond of riding the preachers' horses to water, and ever ready, like his pious father and mother, to make the preachers comfortable. Not far from Brother Philips's, near Brother Edmund's, and close to a meeting-house called Union, there lived a pious little German brother, at whose house, on a certain quarterly-meeting occasion, the presiding el- der, Brother Burns, and the two circuit preachers, Bruce and Smith, all took dinner together. While they were at the table the following colloquy took place : Burns (addressing the German)-" Well , Brother, how are your preachers getting along ?" German .- "Vell, I does not hardly know ; vats you dinks Brudder Bruce ?
Bruce .- I would rather you'd say.
German .- Vell vats you dinks, Brudder Smitt ?
Smith .- Nothing to say, Brother ; you go on and make the report.
German .- Vell, den, I vill. Vell, Brudder Bruce, he ish de pig breacher, und ven 'e rains 'e blows und 'e snows, Brudder Bruce, (he ish de pig breach- er,) he ish not dere. Brudder Smitt, he ish de little breacher, und ven 'e rains, und 'e blows, und 'e snows, Brudder Smitt, (he ish de little breacher,) he ish dere. And Brudder Bruce, (he ish de pig breacher,) ven 'e don,t rain, und 'e don't blow, und 'e don't snow, he ish dere, and de beoples dey ish not dere ; but Brudder Smitt, (he ish de little breacher,) ven 'e don't rain, und 'e don't snow und 'e don't blow, he ish dere, and de beoples dey ish
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dere too. "-This droll speach of the honest German giving an account of his preachers, completely up- set the characteristic gravity of the presiding elder, and to all others present, except the preacher in charge, was the cause of much merriment.
At Bloomingsport lived Brother and Sister Hyatt, who were always ready to welcome the toiling itin- erant to their comfortable home. Brother Webb was the class leader. Junior preached at this point on a certain week-day occasion, and, in the absence of the leader, met the class. Brother Webb could not attend the meeting, but gave his family a special charge to bring the preacher home with them for dinner. On Brother Webb's coming in from his farm work at the dinner hour, the preacher, after the usu- al salutations, inquired for the class-book, in order to mark those present or absent, or sick, as the case might be, according to the uniform custom of the times. The rule was that the class-book should show a correct record of attendance at each class- meeting. The leader, Brother Webb, seemed sur- prised, somewhat embarassed, at the inquiry ; but, soon recovering himself, he said, "Why, haven't you heard the news ?"-"No," said the preacher, "what news ?"-"Why, that the church here has been de- devoured, swallowed up, and is all gone, every mem- ber of it."-"Why, what do you mean by such talk as that ?"-"Well, I'll tell you how it happened. I was out at work in my clearing, and had the class- book in my hat. I took off my hat and vest, and laid them on a stump. A cow belonging to one of the neighbors was browsing about in the clearing as I noticed at the time, but I thought nothing of it
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After awhile I happened to look, and there stood old Bos, the vest partially protruding from her mouth, chewing as contentedly as if she were standing over a basket of nubbins. I ran with all my might, but,be- fore I could reach the spot, the vest had disappear- ed-vest, hat, and class-book ! That cow had swal- lowed the whole business, and now there isn't a church member left- all swallowed up and gone."
John Grubb and Barton Andrews were among the active and efficient laymen at the Grubb's appoint- ment, as also George Robbins, (father of Rev. Cald- well Robbins, now diseased, of Wisconsin, ) and Daniel Worth at Econemy, who was the recording steward, became, in the winter of 1840-41, a convert to the extreme views of the Abolitionists as led by the notorious Arnold Buffom, who had been brought over from England to enlighten the American people on the slavery question. Buffom was in the habit, in his public lectures, of holding up a copy of the constitution of the United States between his thumb and fingers, and saying, "If his satanic majesty, the devil, had been appointed a committee of one to draw up a bill of rights, he would have written just such an infernal paper as that which I hold in my hand." The spirit of strife thus engendered at Econ- emy and at some other places, resulted in the with- drawal of Daniel Worth and others from the church.
One of the leading citizens of Randolph county, John Sumwalt, a brother-in law to Henry T. Sample, Esq., of Lafyette, opened his house for preaching. His house became one of the regular preaching- places of the circuit. There Junior held a watch- night meeting, Dec. 31, 1840, the mercury ranging
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from 12 to 15 degrees below zero. The house was built of hewn logs, was 18x24 feet, and had a huge old-fashioned fire place, which, on the occasion re- ferred to, was well filled with green beech wood. The house being crowded, a chair for the preacher, at which he stood while preaching, was placed at the front door. The door-shutter being an inch or more short, left an open space at the bottom, through which poured a steady stream of cold air during all the service. As the clock struck 12, all kneel- ing, and led by the preacher, the covenant hymn was sung. The power of the Most High came down upon the people. Some cried for mercy, some pray- ed for the mourners, and some shouted aloud for joy The meeting continued till about 2 o,clock in the morning. The people having at length dispersed to their homes, the preacher, on taking off his boots, found, to his great surprise, that his heels were both frozen.
In Spartanburg lived the McKims, the Pomeroys, the Flemings, the Locks, the Loves, and the Bord- ers's. The McKims were Irish, warm hearted, zeal- ous members of the church, and devoted to their preachers. Ralph M. Pomeroy was a clever sinner, his wife an excellent Christian lady. They were both very kind to the preachers, and liberal supporters of the church. Mr. Pomeroy was then comparatively poor, but he is now, it is said, a millionaire, of Bos- ton, Mass. Brother and Sister Fleming were among the excellent of the earth. Their example was a power for good in the community. Sister Locke was a great shouter and a good woman. Brother Locke was a quiet Christian. He and Brother Love, a local
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preacher, and their wives, uniformly, according to a preconcerted arrangement, prayed twice every day for their preachers and the success of the preached word.
At the Hopewell church worshipped the Laceys, the Williamses, the Freemans, Peeles, and others. Mother Williams, a devout woman, has long since gone to her reward in heaven. The preacher-in- charge had instructed Junior to preach a missionary sermon at Hopewell, and take up a collection. Money was scarce and collections were generally small yet several on this occasion contributed a dollar each. Mother Williams had but a quarter to con- tribute ; but, with a warm heart and a countenance all aglow with enthusiasm, she stepped forward to the pulpit, laid her offering on the book board, then turning toward the congregation, she offered such a prayer for missions as perhaps was never heard before or since. Apparently under the pow- er of a direct inspiration did the elect lady, mother in Israel, supplicate the throne of grace in behalf of the minister at home and the missionary abroad. All hearts were moved by the mighty faith and pa- thos of the supplication.
That good man Brother Lacey, whose son, the Reverend J. H. Lacey, is now an active and honored member of the Northern Indiana con- ference, like Mother Williams, and others of the Hopewell class, had been a Quaker or, rather, had descended from a Quaker family. He was a na- tive of North Carolina, and claimed to be of "Quak- er warp and Methodist filling."
Revival power, like a tidal wave, was rolling over
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the country. It was not an unusual thing for people to be powerfully converted while hearing a sermon, or at a class meeting, or in the fields, or in their shops and stores. Hundreds were brought to Christ at the family altcr.
At the Murray and Kenneday appointments were many precious Christians. The country was new, and the people were plain in dress and manners, but a kinder-hearted people could not be found. Not merely the stewards or official members, but the people in general seemed concerned for the welfare of the preacher and his family. In the vicinity of one of the above-named appointments, an incident occured, which it may be well to mention for the benefit of such as can trust the Lord only when their coffers are full. Junior, when making one of his grand rounds, called, as his custom was,at a number of the road-side houses on his way. On his taking leave the people would slip into his "dandy-wagon" a present for his family-something,a cabbage head, may be, or even a bacon ham. Such at least was the general practice. Silver and gold they had not, but such as they had, they freely gave. Just before reaching one of his preaching-places, he called on a very poor family, living on a lease. The man, about sixty years of age, looked haggard and wan. There were eight children, the eldest about fourteen, the youngest about two years old. The mother, sick and seemingly heart-broken, was trying to weave tow-linen on a rickety home-made loom under a frail shed adjoining the cabin. After talking with the parents and children, and offering prayer, the preacher was somehow led to reflect,-"There are
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seven hams now in my wagon, and, may be, for this poor family, there is more gospel in one of those hams than in all my prayers." And remembering the words of the Savior, "Freely ye have received, freely give," he took one of the hams and had almost reached the door of the cabin, when the spirit of self- ishness whispered, "These hams were given to you, why not keep them yourself ?" Determined to re- buke the selfish spirit, he answered, "I will give two instead of one." The two were taken and laid by the door. As the preacher was about to depart, the evil spirit came again, saying, "You ought to have kept those hams for yourself." Alighting from his- wagon, the preacher gathered two more hams and laid them down by the other two. This he felt con- fident would silence the grumbler, but no sooner had he regained his place at the wagon, than came the selfish whisper, "Now you have made a fool of yourself." Thereupon the preacher reined up his horse once more, and taking the remaining three, carried them to the house and placed them beside the others. Then calling the poor woman from the shed, where she had resumed her place at the loom, he said, "Sister, be kind enough to accept these hams, and please say nothing about it." "Oh," she exclaim- ed, "do you give them to us ?" "Certainly," said the preacher. She , made an effort to speak, but her utterance was choked with emotion. The tears that filled her eyes spoke louder than words the grati- tude she felt. As the preacher drove away she wav- ed a "God bless you" with her hand. Never before had Junior felt the force of the saying, "It is more blessed to give than to receive."
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Junior went on to his appointment, preached and met the class. In the afternoon, as he was return- ing towards Spartanburg, his home, pleasantly rumi- nating on the so newhat novel events of the day, he was suddenly aroused by a voice at the road -side, - "How are you, Lewis ?" A min coming forward ex- tended his hand, and was recognized as a cattle dealer from Clark county, Ohio, who had come over into Indiana to buy stock. "How are you getting along out here?" continued the cattle merchant. "Do these Hoosiers give you anything to live on ?" "Oh, yes," he was answered, "they are very clever indeed ; they are very kind and liberal, and willing to give anything they have to spire." "But," said the dealer, "have they much money ?" And with- out waiting for an ans .ver he said, "You don't get much money, I recon." On taking leave he reached over to shake hands, and dropped something in the hand of the preacher, saying, as he started on, "Be a good boy, Lewis ; your father was a noble man, and one of the best friends I ever had." Junior re- sumed his journey towards home, wondering what kind of a coin it was he held in his hand, but he did not continue long in suspense. After driving a little way, he opened his hand, and there lay a glittering ten-dollar gold piece. His first thought, on behold- ing the coin, was, "Hams pretty well sold after all."
The conference year closed up with a camp-meet- ing, and religious re-union, for the whole circuit, near Spartanburg. The meeting was one of great interest. The Spirit of grace was poured out upon the multitudes in attendance.
The Annual conference met in the city of Terra-
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Haute, Oct. 6, 1841. Brother Bruce reported, after deducting the losses, as by removals and deaths, 929 members, a net gain of 96. The net gain, for the whole conference, was 2520.
CHAPTER VI.
PREDESTINATION. - THE OLD SAILOR.
The appointments for 1841-42, Indiana Confer- ence were in part as follows : Winchester District, R. Burns, presiding elder ; Winchester, J. H. Hull ; Portland, Joseph Okermon ; Muncytown, J .L. Smith; Granville, B. H. Bradbury ; Marion, Hezekiah Smith, B. Webster ; Andersontown, J. W. Bradshaw ; Pen- dleton, J. S. Donelson ; Bluffton, H. H. Badley ; New Castle, J. H. Bruce, S. C. Swaze.
The old Muncytown circuit had now become two charges,-Granville circuit and Muncytown station. And Junior, having been placed in charge of the station, was permitted to doff the title of Assistant and don the title of Pastor. The Station, with one country appointment (Borter Gipson's), 1ad 242 mem- bers. Muncytown, now Muncie, was so named in memory of a celebrated Indian chief Munsey, whose dust reposes on the bank of the White river in the immediate vicinity of the town.
The only house of worship in Muncytown, 1840, (situated at one side of the village, remote from the center of population,) belonged to the Methodists. The trustees, with consent of the pastor, freely per- mitted the Presbyterians, with their pastor, the Rev.
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R. Irvin, to occupy the house when not in use by the Methodists. Early in the year a meeting of the presbytery was held in the church, the attendance from abroad included a number of ministers and lay elders. Among the more distinguished of the clergy was a Mr. Munfort, who had been selected to preach an ordination sermon. The old doctrinal controversies, as they are now styled, were then rife ; and on this occasion, to which the community had looked forward with much interest, it was confi- dently expected a lively battle would begin. Mr. Munfort delivered a learned and very dignified dis- course on the subject of "decrees and foreordination," advocating the highest of high Calvinistic views. Had a bomb-shell been exploded in the quiet little town it would have produced nothing like the ex- citement caused by Mr. Munfort's sermon. A furor for disputation ensued. Everywhere, in the shops, in the stores, and on the streets, the people, all classes, engaged in a general discussion of "election" or "reprobation" versus the doctrine of "free grace." The presbytery closed its meetings, but the ghost of controversy wouldn't down. The leading men, there- fore, of both churches, determined that the contro- versy should be settled by single combat, and se- lected the two pastors, Smith and Irvin, respectively as their champions. A joint committee of the two churches was appointed, to arrange plans, settle de - tails, and agree upon a mode of warfare,-to see that neither party did injustice to the other, and re- quiring that the articles of war be strictly complied with on the part of the contestants.
Mr. Irvin at his first interview with the committee
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of arrangements was asked the question : "Why, if you believe it, do you not preach Calvinism ?" He answered that his church in Muncie was made up mainly of young members, who needed milk rather than meat. "You surely would not think," he said, "of giving a leg of mutton to a babe, but the time will come, when my people will be able to bear strong meat."
This honest avowel of his sentiments was exceed- ingly distasteful to not a few of his communicants; for, as a matter of fact, a number of them indignantly denied the doctrine of unconditional election and reprobation. Some of his people had claimed. by the way, that he believed, like the Methodists, in the doctrine of free grace. However it was agreed, at this meeting, that Mr. Irvin should select his own time and method for the statement of his doc- trinal views, and that he should not be interrupted while making his statement. Mr. Irvin, therefore, after observing that he was easily confused in the presence of an opponent, announced that he would preach a sermon the next Sunday evening, in which his views of Calvinism should be clearly defined and explained. The hour came The church was crowd- ed with eager listeners. Mr. Irvin rose and announc- ed as his text, Rom., 8, 32,-"He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things ?" Precisely as some had predicted he would do, the preacher went through his discourse without even alluding to the matter in controversy, stoutly main- taining that, according to the text, Christ died for all. At the close of the discourse every eye was turn-
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ed toward the Methodist pastor, who then rose and said : "Does it not seem a little strange-no, not a. little strange, that our friend, having solemnly prom- ised to state his "belief" at this time and in this pres- ence, should close his sermon and take his seat with- out so much as alluding to the subject ?" And is it not passing strange that he should select a text for this occasion, the doctrine of which, he himself be- ing judge, is in perfect harmony with Arminian the- ology ? But, my friends, there is much in the force of habit. Our brother has been so long preaching in a Methodist pulpit, and to a congregation made up so largely of Methodist people, he has become something of a Methodist himself, unconsciously of course, by absorption. Some times men do marvel- ously escape from the darkness of Calvinism into the light of free grace. And now for the encourage- ment of my friend and others of like faith with him, I will relate an incident that came under my own observation some twenty years ago. There was a love-feast at a place called Old Union in the State of Ohio. The Rev. James B. Finley, presiding el- der, was seated in the pulpit. Near the close of the meeting a venerable looking man, with flowing white locks and palsied limbs, arose, and, with quivering lips and tremulous voice, asked permission to speak a few words for the cause of his master. 'Speak on,' responded the presiding elder, 'speak on, bro- ther.' The venerable man then proceeded to re- late his experience in about the following terms : I am by profession a sailor. I was born on the Em- erald isle. My Protestant father, to get me away from papel influences, bound me to a sea-captain,
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and I went on board a merchantman as cabin boy at eight years of age. After awhile I set out for heaven, but, my strange friends, it pains me to say, I was led to embark on a Predestination ship. Un- fortunate craft ! After much rough sailing,-driven about by the winds of " fore-ordination, " and brok- en on the rocks of " partial atonement, " and pound- ed by the waves of " election and reprobation, "- the crazy old hulk foundered in the deep water of "eternal decrees." When it became evident the ship must go to the bottom, I became greatly dis- tressed, thinking my fate was sealed ; but, to my joy, as I looked out over the watery waste, I saw a magnificent ship, under full sail, heading toward our wrecked and sinking craft. As she drew nearer I saw a brilliant star flaming on her colors, and be- neath it written in letters of gold, "The Star of Bethlehem : free Grace to a dying World." I made signs of distress, and the captain sent his long-boat. and took me on board. This grand old ship, in spite of adverse winds or stormy weather, speeds prosperously on her way. Soon she will anchor in the harbor. This morning, brethren, in triumphant faith I pace the deck, sniffing the spicy breezes that float down from the fields of the blest, and-I can almost see the land ahead." Mr. Irvin rose and said : " I take this as a reproof from God. I ought to have preached the doctrines of our church to- night ; and I now promise that hereafter I will try to do better. " With deep mortification he and his people withdrew. And so, almost before it was begun, the controversy was ended.
During the conference year a commodious par-
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sonage was erected in Muncytown, and paid for; the church-building was repaired ; and the member- ship was increased from 242 to 332. So by the close of the year Muncytown was fairly in the field with her sister stations of the conference.
On Saturday evening, Oct. 15, 1842, two presiding elders,-Aaron Wood, of the South Bend District, and Burroughs Westlake, of the Fort Wayne Dis- trict, -- together with a goodly number of preachers from the north, on their way to Centerville, the seat of the conference, arrived in Muncytown, to spend the Sabbath. Elder Wood gave the people a rare treat Sunday morning at the Methodist church, preaching one of his great sermons on "Govern- ment as related to the Family, Church, and State. " At night the youthful, smooth-faced, graceful Boyd, then stationed at South Bend with the eccentric Walter Griffith, preached from Psalm 23 : 1,-" The Lord is my Shepherd ; I shall not want." On Mon- day morning, Oct. 17, the troop, mustering eighteen strong, set out at an early hour, on horse-back, for conference. The company was composed of the two presiding elders, and G. M. Boyd, W. L. Huff- man, W. Griffith, H. B. Beers, E. Holdstock, W. F. Wheeler, J. C. Medsker, C. W. Miller, I. M. Stagg, W. J. Forbes, E. S. Blue, O V. Lemon, A. Skill- man, S. Smith, J Sparks, and J. L. Smith.
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CHAPTER VII.
WYANDOTTE INDIANS-JAMES HAVENS.
The Indiana Conference met at Centerville, Wed- nesday morning, October 19, 1842. The conference was called to order by Bishop Thomas A. Morris. The secretary, Mathew Simpson, called the roll, after which several visiting brethern were introduc- ed. Prominent among the visitors were James B. Finley and E. S. Janes.
The church then had six bishops. Naming them in the order of seniority, they were,- Robert R. Rob- erts, Joshua Soule, Elijah Hedding, James O. Andrew, Beverly Waugh, and Thomas A. Morris.
The impressions of our Pastor as he looked upon the conference, the presiding bishop, and distin- guished visitors, were those of awe and veneration, Bishop Morris was of course the central figure of the assembly.
On the second day of the session a certificate of location in behalf of J. T. R. was presented, with the motion that the brother be re-admitted to the trav- eling connection. Silence reigned for a time no one seeming disposed to say anything either for or against the motion. Uncle Jimmy Jones at length rose and said : "Mr. President, I know this brother well ; I have known him well for a long time, sir. He is a good man, sir, in his way. He is a great eater, he is a great sleeper, he is a great smoker ; but, sir, he don't visit, he won't read and he can't preach at all, sir." The motion to re-admit the brother did not prevail.
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