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 8
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ed with rural circuits and districts, and not incapa - ble of a fellow-feeling with the rank and file of traveling preachers. The notoriety easily attained in numerous prominent positions due to the growth in the church-may the day never come when such notoriety may be sought as a means of gaining epis- copal honors ! Thus far the church has been ex- ceedingly fortunate in the choice of men for the epis- copal office ; yet, the fact cannot be concealed, that, in a very few instances, literary distinction was per- mitted to influence the episcopal election fully as much as sound church-statesmanship could by any means justify.
The address of Bishop Waugh, introductory to the reading of the appointments, was kind, paternal, appropriate, inspiring. A more timely, touching, effective address has rarely, if ever, been given on such an occasion.
The bishop had called Allen Wiley into the cab- inet, to assist in making the appointments. Wiley, by virtue of his ministerial office and 'experience, was a scriptural episcopos. He had traveled the Madison district when said district included Ft. Wayne. He knew the country from the Ohio river to the lakes ; he also knew the men of the confer- ence as no bishop could know them. Taken as a whole the appointments, it is believed, could hardly have been more judiciously or satisfactorily adjust- ed.
The following, which is a full list of the appoint- ments, indicates the working force of the new con- ference :-
I. Greencastle District, George M. Beswick,
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Presiding Elder ; Greencastle, Amasa Johnson ; Greencastle Circuit, D. D. Demotte ; Bruners- town, J. C. Ferris ; Terre Haute, Samuel T. Gillette; Roseville Wm. H. Smith ; Newport, J. B. Birt, L. B. Eaton ; Rockville, Jacob Colclazer, Rockville cir- cuit, Jared B. Mershon ; Russellville, Wm. Wilson, M. S. Morrison ; North Salem, James Johnson ; Indiana Asbury University ; Wm. C. Larabee, B. F. Teft ; Professors ; Aaron Wood, Agent.
2. Crawfordsville District, John Daniel, Presid- ing Elder ; Crawfordsville, Walter L. Huffman ; Crawfordsville Circuit, Wade Posey ; Alamo, J. J. Cooper ; Perrysville, Draper Chipman ; Williams- port, Joseph White; Covington, H. N. Barnes ; Newtown, Richard Hargrave ; Dayton, Thomas Bartlett ; Thorntown, George W. Stafford ; Leba- non, Abraham Koontz.
3. LaFayette District, S. C. Cooper, Presiding Elder ; LaFayette, Samuel Brenton ; Independence, J. M. Stallard, R. C. Rowley ; Monticello, A. D. Beasley, G. W. Warner ; Rensselaer, N. N. Wordon ; Pittsburg, Brinton Webster ; Logansport, Zachariah Games ; Kokomo, James Burns ; Delphi, Allen Skill- man ; Rossville, John Edwards ; Frankfort, Enoch Wood.
4. Peru District, Burroughs Westlake, Presiding Elder ; Peru, Hawley B. Beers ; Wabash, Orville P. Boyden ; Marion, Ancil Beach ; Bluffton, James Sparrh ; Liberty Mills, Warren Griffith ; Warsaw, Nelson Green ; Leesburg, George Guild ; Plymouth, Arthur Badly ; Rochester, Jesse Sparks ; Winamac, Franklin Taylor.
5. South Bend District, G. M. Holladay, Presid-
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ing elder ; South Bend, John H. Bruce ; White Hall, Daniel Crumpacker ; Mishawaka, Orange V. Lemon ; Middlebury, Eventus Doud ; Terre Coupee, J. C. Medsker ; Michigan City, J. W. Parrett ; Crown Point, Jeremiah Early ; Valparaiso, Jacob Cozad ; Union, Samuel Lamb ; LaPorte, John B. DeMotte. 6. Fort Wayne District, G. M. Boyd, Presiding Elder ; Ft. Wayne, John S. Bayless ; St. Joseph, Benjamin Winans; Decatur, Elijah Lilliston ; Au- burn, Enoch Holdstock ; Steuben, Charles W. Mil- ler ; Lima, John P. Jones; La Grange, Elijah S. Blue ; Goshen, Lanson W. Monson ; Wolf Lake, W. J. Forbes, J. B. Johnson ; Huntington, William G. Stonix.
7. Centerville District, Joseph Tarkington, Pre- siding Elder ; Richmond, Wm. F. Wheeler ; Cen- terville, Philip May ; Cambridge and Dublin, J. H. Hull ; Hagerstown, Luther Taylor ; Williamsburg, Robert Burns(superan.), T. H. Sinex ; Winchester, J. W. Bradshaw, J. C. Robbins ; Muncytown, I. M. Stagg ; Hartford, F. M. Richmond ; Granville, G. WV. Bowers; Portland, Abraham Carey .
8. Indianapolis District, J. Marsee, Presiding El- der ; Indianapolis East, J. L .. Smith ; Augusta, R. H. Calvert ; Danville, Daniel F. Stright ; Cicero, John R. Tansey ; Noblesville, H. H. Badley ; An- dersontown, John Leach, L. M. Hancock ; Pendle- ton, James Scott, Michael Johnson ; New Castle, Bardin H. Bradbury; Knightstown, Hezekiah Smith ; Greenfield, John S. Donaldson; Indiana Asbury University, John C. Smith, Agent
Presiding-elder Tarkington became, in the course of the session, very much concerned about the un-
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finished church at Cambridge City, especially as a new pastor had to be appointed to the Cambridge and Dublin charge. The retiring pastor had been there two years, a full term, and could not be re- turned. "What shall I do?" inquired the presiding elder. The answer of the retiring pastor was, "Send J. H. Hull there ; he is just the man for the place ; you can depend on him to finish the house." Broth- er Hull was appointed. He had been only one year at Richmond. He was well received by the people, and expected to return, but-those were not the days for Methodist preachers to think of ease or per- sonal emolument. The question then was, "Where ought I to go ?" or "Where can I probably accom- plish the most good ?"
The first move Brother Hull made after arriving at his new field, was to sell his horse, and apply the proceeds towards finishing the house. The people, inspired by his zeal, came to the rescue of the enter- prise. Early next spring, by invitation of the preach- er and the trustees, President Simpson and the pas- tor of the Eastern charge, Indianapolis, attended the dedication of the new church at Cambridge City. The debt to be provided for at the dedication amounted to $640. After the morning sermon $340 was raised ; and the balance, $300, was raised in the evening. The leading contributors were : Hon. James Rariden, Gen. Sol Meredith, Ira and Sanford Lacky, John Hosea, Wm. Conwell, John L. Starr, sen., Dr. Wheelan, Dr. Johnson, Jacob Waltz, Thom- as Tyner, Wm. Elliott, and Pleasant Johnson. The preaching of Dr. Simpson measured up to the stan- dard of his best effort. During the morning ser-
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vice Dr. Hoshour occupied a front seat, and was thoroughly absorbed in the sermon. He listened with great interest from the beginning, but as the discourse advanced the minister becoming more an- imated, the German scholar and former Lutheran preacher came very near losing the power of self- control. The minister had occasion to speak of the Reformation. While dwelling in his eloquent way on Luther's noble stand at the Diet of Worms, Dr. Hoshour fairly breaking down, wept freely.
The new appointee to the Eastern charge, Indian- apolis, arrived at his post of duty on a certain Thurs- day in time for the regular week-night-prayer-meet- ing,-the day on which arrived the first authentic news in regard to the presidential election.
The political campaign had been a very exciting one,- the Whigs huzzaing for Henry Clay, of Ken- tucky ; the Democrats, for James K. Polk, of Tenne- see. Late in the afternoon of that well-remember- ed Thursday, the mail-coach arrived, bearing the news so long and anxiously awaited. Some idea of the condition of the National road may be inferred from this, that the aforesaid mail-coach came in minus coach, minus rear wheels, minus everything except the two front wheels and indispensible rig- ging, to which was attached a kind of pannier. On the mail-bags, which were piled in the bottom of the pannier, were seated the driver and one passenger. This lone passenger made it his business to herald the news of Mr. Polk's election to the anxious crowds at the hotels, cake-shops, and cabins, all the way from Richmond to Indianapolis. On crossing Pouge's run, or at Lytle's tavern, an old frame building on
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Washington street, near the eastern limits of the city, the herald began to vociferate the news ; thence to the post-office, he made the welkin ring with "Polk's elected !"
A number of the leading men of the charge were present at the prayer-meeting, which met at Broth- er Goldsberry's. The new preacher was a stranger to all of them, but before the meeting closed, he re- garded himself pretty well informed as to their politics. The Democratic jollification began on the streets while the meeting was in progress. The preacher noticed that; at each boom of the cannon or burst of loud huzzas from the excited multitudes that thronged the streets, Brothers Phipps, Wilkins, Goldsberry, and others sighed as if in great sorrow; while, at the same time, the effect seemed to be of an entirely different character in the case of Broth- ers Beck, Tutewiler, Brouse, and others. The boom - ing cannon only increased their animation.
The new preacher found his congregation with- out a house of worship. Robert's chapel had been commenced the year before, in the pastorate of the Rev. John S. Bayless ; but the walls were raised on- ly one story, when work on the building was sus- pended for the want of funds. The court-house, however, had been secured as a preaching place, and was so occupied till sometime in the summer of 1845, when the basement of the church was so far finished that it could be used for public services and Sunday-school purposes.
The winter of 1844-45 was a season of refreshing to the churches of Indianapolis. A revival spirit seemed to prevade the city. Many souls were
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awakened and converted.
The pastor of the Western charge at this time was Wm. W. Hibben,-Lucian W. Berry, presiding elder. The two Presbyterian churches had for their pastors -- the Old school, Phinneas Curley ; the New school, H. W. Beecher.
Mr. Gurley was a man of deep piety, a learned and dignified gentleman, an able and thoroughly evangelical minister. He had honest convictions, and was outspoken in defense of his creed. He was true to the inspirations of the gospel, kindly and char- atable, and catholic in spirit. Both as a man and as a minister he was highly esteemed, not only among his own people, but by the community in general.
Mr. Beecher was fluent and flippant, ready at any time to make a speech on any subject, always as trifling or as sober as the occasion required. Any- thing to gain notoriety, seemed to be the motto of his life. "Mankind", said the Rev. John S. Bayless, "includes three distinct classes,-the righteous, the wicked and the Beecher family." Beecher was a man of great genius and versatility of talent. This everybody readily admitted ; but, that he was a gos- pel preacher, or had any well defined theological views or fixed principles either in ethics or religion, those competent to judge, who knew him best, did not pretend to claim. Artful and cunning, he had a way of wining people to his church that was pecu- liar.
The following illustrations of Mr. Beecher's pecu- liar methods were given to the writer by Rev. Mr. Gurley. Many, as already stated, were awakened in the course of the winter, and led to inquire, "What
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shall we do ? Among the number was a certain merchant, a man of wealth and high social position. He had been raised a Calvinist, and it was supposed he would join Mr. Gurley's church. The man's busi- ness partner, who was a member of Mr. Beecher's con- gregation, arranged for an interview between the pen- itant brother and Mr. Beecher. The penitent, ad- dressing Mr. Beecher, said : "I should like well enough to be a member of your church, but there is one insuperable difficulty in the way." "Why, what is the difficulty you refer to ?" inquired Mr. Beecher. "Why, sir," responded the penitent, "I was raised among the Scotch Covenanters, and, as you might ex- pect, I am a firm believer in the doctrine of fore-ordina- tion ; but, as I understand it, you New-school people have split off from the old school Presbyterians on this very doctrine. I do not see therefore how I can consistantly join your church." Mr. Beecher, pro- ducing a copy of the Westminster Confession, an- swered : "Here sir, is what we believe ; why, sir, we have never changed this grand old creed one jot or title ; we hold the creed in its unadulterated form, just as it came from the fathers." The peni- tent's scruples were thus overcome, and he was soon received into the church. Another penitent now appears on the scene. Mr. Beecher has an inter- view with him also. Mr. Beccher : "The thing for you to do is to join my church." Penitent : "I should like very much to be a member of your church, but, -there is an insuperable barrier in the way. I was raised a Methodist, and I can never join a church that holds the God-dishonoring doctrines of the Westminister Confession." "My dear sir," respond-
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ed Mr. Beecher, " you seem to have forgotten that it was on account of these objectional doctrines, de- crees, fore-ordination, partial atonement, etc., that we split off from the Old-school church. Why, my brother, we believe in, and preach, free grace, just as the Methodists. The Methodists, to mention an- other important matter, have what they call class- meeting. We have about the same thing in our church. The conference meeting with us is really the same thing as the class-meeting among the Methodists." A little time for reflection, and an opportunity for the "manipulating committee" to second Mr. Beecher's efforts, and the man is receiv- ed into Mr. Beecher's church.
Mr. Beecher was the recognized embodiment of "liberal Christianity," Indianapolis brand, which, in spite of its emasculated theology and laxity of mor- al discipline, was rendered attractive to many by the brilliancy of his genius.
The Eastern charge had a protracted revival meeting at the court-house, their usual place of worship. The first week or ten days the meeting did not seem very promising and many were be- coming discouraged. On a certain Monday evening. at the close of a prayer-meeting, the pastor, in his exhortation, said : "Thus far we have seen but little fruit of our toil : but I am willing to hold the meet- ing ten days longer, if I can be assured that there are three persons in the house that will stand by me, and labor for a revival." Brother Foudray, though a very modest man, instantly sprang to his feet, and clapping his hands, cried out, "Go on Brother Smith, I'll stick to you while there is a button on my coat !"
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The Hon. John McLain, U. S. District judge, then holding court in Indianapolis, was present at the meeting. He was visibly effected by Brother Foud- ray's earnestness and zeal, and, at the close of the meeting, came to the pastor, and said, "Go on, brother ; you have nothing to fear. I have no doubt the Lord will give you the victory ; with such men as Brother Foudray to hold up your hands, you can- not fail." The people left the house, greatly en- couraged. The next evening the work began in earnest, and for seven weeks the meeting con- tinued with unbating interest.
Occasionally the brethren indulged in remarks often heard in times of revival, remarks born of zeal, not intentionally wrong, but thoughtless, such as- "Now, if we could only see such men as Judge Wick, Col. Henderson, and Judge Blackford converted, and brought into the church, how glad we should be !" How often men forget the meek and lowly Savior's caution,-"Mind not high things, but con- descend to men of low estate." The writer's obser- vation these many years has fully satisfied him that in all genuine revivals history repeats itself,-in re- vivals as in other matters. Accepting the popular notion of two classes in society, the high and the low, or the rich and the poor, it may be confidently affirmed that revivals, with scarcely an exception, always begin among the so-called poorer classes. So it was at the beginning. Tax-gatherers, fisher- men, and those generally that belonged in the ranks of the poor, were the people that gathered about the lamb-like Son of God. To the anxious disciples of John the Baptist, who inquired, "Art thou he
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that should come, or do we look for another ?" the Savior answered, "Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard ; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached. Every-where the great mass of society consists of the very classes to which the gospel was preached by the Master. And while the higher classes were saying, "This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them," the common people heard him gladly. The work begins at the foundation of the social fabric, not among the rich and great, but among the common people. The first convert at the court-house meeting was a hod-carrier. His wife took care of the baby while he sought and obtained pardon ; the next night she was converted while John held the baby. The immediate fruits of the meeting were 250 accessions and 258 conversions. Many of the converts were men and women of high social position and large influence. Some of them yet live to honor God and bless the church, but many have fallen asleep in Christ-have gone to the world of bright spirits above.
The congregation moved from the old court-house into the basement of Roberts chapel, on the corner of Pennsylvania and Market streets, in the summer of 1845, and remained there a little more than a year, until the main audience room was finished, in 1846. Several circumstances connected with the completing of the church, the best church-edifice then in Indianapolis, ought perhaps to be mention- ed. The facts may be of interest to some of the de- scendants of the good men and women, who, for the
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Master's sake, toiled and sacrificed in behalf of the enterprise.
Three thousand dollars were required to finish the building but where was the money to come from ? especially as the people generally felt that they had already contributed to about the utmost limits of their ability. The pastor was exceedingly anxious to have the building completed before the expiration of his term, two years, as pastor. Several official meetings were held, to devise ways and means to raise the needed funds, but all seemed unavailing. John Foudray was a man of prayer and wonderful faith. His liberality was evinced by his contributions to the building fund. The pastor was not a little worried over the apparently desperate case. At length, after much prayerful reflection, the thought came to him that John Foudray's prayers, and Calvin Fletcher's money were the main factors to be considered in the solution of the prob- lem. He formed his plans accordingly : then opened his mind to brother Foudray, who said, "Why, the Lord is in this, I spent much of last night in prayer about this very matter. Why, there is no longer any doubt about it ; we shall certainly finish the church before you go to conference. Brother Fletch- er has already given a thousand dollars, and if he will give another thousand, (I am now confident he will,) we can pull through." Inspired with new con- fidence the pastor went immediately, to lay the mat- ter before Brother Fletcher, and ask him for the money. Seeming to anticipate the pastor's errand, Brother Fletcher, of his own motion, said : "Brother Smith, I have a plan for finishing our church. I will
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give one thousand dollars more, if you will collect a like sum outside of the church. Brother Foudray and the rest of the brethren can pay a little more ; we can raise something. at the dedication, and so make out the other thousand." His proposition was gladly accepted. He at once handed over five hundred dollars, and the builders were soon at work, finishing the now historic Roberts Chapel. For some twelve or thirteen weeks the pastor plied his trade as solicitor, on the streets, in the shops, stores, dwellings, and hotels, in order to make good his part of the contract. He received one hundred dol- lars from Gov. Whitcomb, fifty from Judge Wick, and smaller sums from Judge Blackford, Col. Quarles, Judge Dewey, and many others "too numerous to mention." Suffice it to say the pastor collected his thousand dollars. The house completed, Dr. Simp- son, president of the university at Greencastle, was called to dedicate the house to the worship and ser- vice of God.
The building and grounds cost, in round numbers, eleven thousand dollars,-a large sum of money for that day. There was no debt to be provided for at the dedication. The leading men of the congrega- tion, in a spirit of noble generosity, came forward before the day of dedication, and cancelled every dollar of debt against the church. And so Roberts Chapel, as a lamb without blemish, was presented as an offering unto the Lord.
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CHAPTER XI.
BISIIOP HAMLINE-DR. ELLIOTT.
September 24, 1845, the North Indiana Confer- ence met in the city of Lafayette, Bishop Hamline, president.
The Sunday before conference the Roberts-chapel congregation had the pleasure of hearing Bishop Hamline and Dr. Charles Elliot, who were stopping over at Indianapolis on their way to the confer- ence. On Monday morning the bishop, Dr. Elliott, and the pastor of Roberts chapel set out in a pri- vate carriage for Lafayette. Just before starting it was agreed that the bishop should act as purser for the company, Dr. Elliott as chaplain, the pastor as charioteer. At noon of the first day the company brought up for dinner at the house of the Rev. James Ross, on the old Michigan road. The char- ioteer saw the jaded horses well provided for at the barn, and, on returning to the house, found the ven- erable doctor leisurely promenading under the shade- trees in the yard ; he also heard the sound of cook- ing going on in the house, and the bishop's voice in prayer! "Why, Dr. Elliot," said the charioteer, "why ar'n't you in the prayer-meeting ?" "Be- cause," responded the doctor in his Irish style, "you, Brother Smeth, have to look after the quadrupeds, jist ; I have to study editorials for the Western Christian Advocate ; and the bishop has nothing to do but to pray, and-may the Lord bless 'im, let 'im pray on."
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The bishop, in his Sunday sermon at Indianapo- lis, took occasion to speak of popular amusements, and sharply criticised attendance at theaters, cir- cuses, and the like. Becoming, in the course of his remarks, intensely excited, he said, "The man that makes me laugh is my enemy, and I cannot forgive him except on my knees before the Lord." The pastor, on hearing this inconsiderate and fool- ish remark, said to himself,-" If it is a sin to laugh, then the bishop shall commit the sin of laughing the first chance I have to bring it about." On the second day out from Indianapolis, as the company was crossing the Twelve Mile prairie, the opportunity came. The bishop and the doctor, who sat together in the back seat, fell into a discussion of the question whether, if the African Methodist Episcopal Church should decide to propose a union with the Methodist Episcopal Church, it would be wise, all things considered, to favor any compact of union giving the two sets of bishops, white and col- ored, co-ordinate authority. After a very earnest and exhaustive debate, the bishop favoring and the doctor opposing the suggested union, the doctor, leaning forward, thus appealed to the charioteer : "Well, Brother Smeth, and what do you think of it, sir?" Charioteer, anxious to improve his oppor- tunity, answered: "I am of your opinion, doctor ; it won't do at all ; and, if you choose to hear me, I will relate a bit of experience that has, I think, some bearing on the question. Last week the African Methodist Episcopal Church held an Annual con- ference in Indianapolis, Bishop Quinn presiding. I had the privilege of attending. And being invited
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by the bishop to a seat on the platform, I had an ex- cellent opportunity to witness the proceedings of the conference. The fact came out in the examin - ation of character, that a certain brother had, some- time during the year, withdrawn from the church, the African M. E. Church, and joined the Wes- leyans. After a time he repented of his course, and came back to his presiding elder, asking pardon, say- ing he wanted to be restored to the bosom of his mother, and begging the presiding elder to re-in- state him on the circuit to which he had been as- signed by the bishop, the charge he had abandon- ed. The presiding elder said to the brother,-"I will comply with your request with this understand- ing, that the question of your re-instatement shall be re-opened, and the whole matter fully investi- gated, adjusted, and adjudicated at the annual con- ference next ensuing." When the name of the re- cusant brother was called, and the presiding elder had made his statement of the case, a spirited dis- cussion arose among the members of the confer- ence. The main question at issue in the debate was, not whether he should be disciplined at all, but what degree of punishment ought to be inflicted on the culprit. Finally this motion prevailed, 'that the brother be gently admonished by the chair, and that his character pass.' As soon as the vote had been taken, Bishop Quinn arose from his seat, and, looking most solemnly dignified, said, 'Where is that fellow ?' 'That fellow' was pointed out to him. ' Walk up here, sir,' said the bishop sternly. The poor man, like one going to the whipping post or gallows, with down-cast eyes, trembling with fear,
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