USA > Indiana > Indiana Methodism : being an account of the introduction, progress, and present position of Methodism in the State; and also a history of the literary institutions under the care of the church, with sketches of the principle Methodist educators in the state . . > Part 13
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In consulting the old records of the Silver-creek Cir- cuit, the following items were thought worthy of being transcribed : At a quarterly meeting held at Charles- town, January 10, 1810, the Jeffersonville society is credited with fifty cents quarterage. At the first quar- terly-meeting in 1811, the amount was $1.25. At the first quarterly-meeting in 1812, it had advanced to the sum of $2. The first quarterly-meeting for Jefferson- ville was held March 11 and 12, A. D. 1815. Charles Holliday was presiding elder, and Shadrach Ruark and James Garver were circuit-preachers. The circuit- preachers at this quarterly-meeting received each $15.97, and presiding elder nothing. This was truly the day of small things. Still the holy men labored on through
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poverty and obloquy, rejoicing in their work, and con- tented if they might win souls for Christ. They have en- tered into their reward, and we are still enjoying the blessed fruits of their self-sacrificing and faithful labors.
The spirit of primitive Methodism was well repre- sented for many years in this society, especially by the female members, who had united with the society in its infancy. Among these may be mentioned Anna Tuley, who still lingers on the shores of time, standing as a way-mark-a bright example of Christian meekness and patience, like her ancient namesake, waiting in the tem- ple, looking for the appearing of her Lord. There were also Polly Taylor, Anna Wright, and Elizabeth Jackson. These three sisters lived in the enjoyment of glorious religious experience to the close of life. For a long series of years, on entering the Wall-street Methodist Episcopal Church, the first object that greeted the sight was these three sisters, attired in costume severely plain, occupying a slip near the pulpit; and they were rarely absent from the house of God. Their tender, sisterly love for each other, no less than their constant Christian zeal and exemplary walk, was a sight beautiful to behold. Many a minister has been made to feel the cheering and sustaining influence of their presence and intercessions while delivering his Gospel message. They have passed from the Church militant to the Church triumphant. Among the earlier class-leaders, we find the names of Andrew Fite, James Keigwin, Charles Sleed.
HISTORY OF CHURCH PROPERTY.
THE first record or notice of Church property belong- ing to the society, is found in a letter, on file, from Rev. William Shanks, Presiding Elder, to James Keigwin, Charles Sleed, Andrew Fite, David Grisamore, Aaron
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Applegate, and Nelson Rozzle, dated at New Albany, In- diana, June 22, 1833, as follows :
"DEAR BRETHREN,-Being informed by Brother Ames that it is necessary to appoint trustees for the Church in Jeffersonville, and the Discipline making it the duty of the presiding elder or preacher-in-charge to appoint trustees when and where the Church may need them, I do appoint you to fill the office of trustees, according to the Discipline of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
" WILLIAM SHANKS, Presiding Elder."
The certificate on the back of this paper runs thus :
" Came into the office June 25, 1833; recorded in book A, 2d volume, page 254, number 28.
"JOHN DOUTHETT, R. C. C. [" Gratis."]
Two of these trustees lived in the country, as there were not a sufficient number of male members in town to constitute a board.
The time of the building of the first church on Wall Street will be indicated by the following memoranda. Having been informed that James Keigwin, one of the trustees, had done most of the work on the Church, and perhaps had full knowledge of all the particulars, I ad- dressed a note to him, a short time before his death, ask- ing him to communicate any information he might pos- sess upon the subject. The following is a copy of the letter, in reply to my inquiries :
" LOUISVILLE, September 10, 1860
" DR. CURRAN,-Dear Sir: At your request, I here- with submit a statement of facts in regard to the Meth- odist church in Jeffersonville, of which I agreed to do the brick-work as my subscription toward building the
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same, which, at the customary prices of the time, amounted to $516.28; but after the foundation was laid, ready for the joists, I found the building would be stopped unless I procured them myself, which I did. Below, you will find a statement.
" AMOUNT OVER REGULAR SUBSCRIPTION.
1833. November 13-To Mr. Young's Bill. $48 032
13-To James Ridge, for Plank. 5 28
13-To two boxes Glass. 8 00
1834. December 9-To turning Column and Plank. 10 15
1835. June 22-To making five Window-frames. 30-To Messrs. Ames and King's Bill.
6 561
19 20
Recording Deed.
1 00
One-third of E. Tulley's Carpenter's Bill.
16 00
114 222
Add amount for Brick-work.
516 283
Total
$630 51}
" JAMES KEIGWIN."
This record shows that the old church was not fin- ished until the Summer of 1835. When the question of building the present church was first agitated, there was a conflict of opinion about the place of its location. After a free discussion of the subject by the whole Church, the present location was unanimously agreed upon; the ground being doubly consecrated, having been occupied by the private residence in which the first soci- ety was organized and afterward met. The lecture-room of this church was dedicated to the service of Almighty God by the Rev. Thomas Bowman, D. D., President of Indiana Asbury University, April 22, 1860. On the 16th day of July, 1865, the main audience-room of the Wall-street Methodist Episcopal Church was dedicated to the service of God, by the Rev. T. M. Eddy, D. D., in the use of our beautiful ritual. The Wall-street Church, true to her traditional loyalty to the advice and counsel of our highest Church authorities, with regard to-
12
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the celebration of the Centenary of American Methodism, labored to carry out the programme as nearly as possible. It is well known we have no rich men in our Church here, and yet we think the offering was not to be de- spised. We here give a statement of the aggregated amount :
For Centenary Educational Fund. $40 00
Garrett Biblical Institute. 10 00
Irish Connectional Fund. 25 00
Sunday-school Children's Fund.
16 00
Indiana Asbury University.
1,012 00
Moore's Hill College. 147 00
Public Collection. 7 25
Total
$1,259 25
PRESENT STATISTICS.
Population of Jeffersonville. 7,209
Full Members in Wall-street. 425
Probationers .. 75
Port Fulton Population.
649
Full Members 72
Probationers
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NEW ALBANY.
METHODISM was organized in New Albany in 1817. The first church was built in 1818, and dedicated by Rev. John Schrader. The sacrament of the Lord's-sup- per was administered, for the first time in New Albany, by Rev. John Schrader, in 1817. The service was held in a tavern kept by Mrs. Hannah Ruff. Now the Meth- odists have the following churches: Wesley Chapel, Cen- tenary, Roberts, M'Kendree, and John-street, with an aggregate membership of over 1,400. De Pauw College, for young ladies, is an ornament to the city, a credit to Methodism, and an honor to the large-hearted Christian gentleman whose name it bears. New Albany Meth- odism is more expansive at present than at any former time. She is now establishing three mission churches in the city-one under the care of Wesley Chapel, to
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cost $1,200, and two under the care of Centenary Church. Hon. W. C. De Pauw, to whom the Church is indebted for numerous liberal donations, has recently purchased the old St. Paul's Episcopal Church, removed it to the eastern part of the city, and refitted it, at a cost of $2,500, including the lot. The Churches give indications of growing zeal, and a prosperous future.
METHODISM IN RICHMOND AND VICINITY.
BY REV. THOMAS COMSTOCK.
Ar the treaty of Greenville a large portion of terri- tory was purchased from the Indians, extending from the mouth of the Kentucky River (opposite Madison) to Fort Recovery, now situated in the edge of Ohio, about midway of the eastern boundary of the state-all of which territory belonged to Dearborn County, Indiana Territory. The first settlement in that portion of it which was afterward Wayne County, began in 1804.
Methodism, " the child of Providence," anticipating the moral necessities of the people, as well as the per- manent growth of the country, recognizing the voice of the living God in the "Go ye into all the world," of Jesus, kept pace with the westward march of empire.
Rev. Hugh Cull, a local preacher, born of Roman Catholic parents in Havre-de-Grace, Maryland, October, 1757, removed, with his father, to the Redstone country, Pennsylvania, in 1763, and to the place on which Lex- ington, Kentucky, now stands, in 1777; thence to Henry County, Kentucky, in 1785, where he married Miss Rachel Meek, a devoted Methodist girl of sixteen, through whose consistent Christian life, under Christ, he was brought to feel the need of a Savior, found peace in believing, and in a few months was licensed to preach. Feeling the wrongs and oppression of slavery, and
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having no hope that Kentucky would ever become a free state, he resolved to go North, and, if possible, either get beyond the latitude where the institution would be profitable, or where the moral atmosphere would extir- pate the evil. In 1804, he entered one hundred and sixty acres of land four and a half miles south of where Richmond now stands ; and, in 1805, moved his family, consisting of his wife and Patience, her niece, upon it; where they all sojourned until, one by one, the Master called for them.
A few months afterward, he dreamed that a Meth- odist preacher rode up to his tent; and, on the follow- ing day, while he and his wife were picking and burn- ing brush, they saw a stranger approaching on horse- back. Mr. Cull said to his wife, "Rachel, there's the preacher ;" and throwing down his load of brush, he made for the stranger, grasped his hand, and inquired if he was not a Methodist preacher. It was no other than Rev. Arthur W. Elliott, who had heard that there was a settlement forming somewhere in the upper White- water country, and had come across from Hamilton, Ohio, through the woods, without a road, to spy out the country for Christ. Though they were strangers in the flesh, the meeting was not unlike that of Jonathan and David. Providentially, Mr. Elliott was directed through the wilderness to a Methodist family singularly prepared by the Lord to receive him, whose expectation being that of the righteous, could not perish. He was wel- come to their hospitalities, and invited to share a place in their earthly mansion, which never lacked room and other accommodations for a servant of God, though it was only six feet high, covered with bark, without window or floor, Brussels carpet, or even a split-bot- tomed chair, or any other furnishing or furniture, which
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"she that layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff," or the woodman with his ax, had not made, with only three sides, sugar-camp like, having an open front; yet it contained all the essentials of an earthly paradise, made and fashioned after the pattern of the heavenly, "the light of the world " shining into it, being filled with the love of Christ in the hearts of its possessors. Mr. Cull, after providing for his guest and weary creature, hastened over the settlement and announced the "glad tidings " of preaching at his house on the next day. His neighbors came from several miles around, to the number of twelve or fifteen, and listened to the first sermon ever preached in that region of country. After preaching, there being no class to lead, and believing in sowing with one hand and reaping with the other, he proceeded, in apostolical, Methodistic style, to organize a Church out of the handful of hearers. The invitation was given, and six persons came forward, and were formed into a Church-class, with Mr. Cull as their leader. They were, Rev. Hugh and Mrs. Rachel Cull, Peter and Mrs. Martha Weaver, Jacob and Mrs. Nellie Meek; and afterward met regularly for preach- ing, class and prayer meetings, at Mr. Cull's.
The new society, thus formed, was favored with regular preaching, at rather long intervals, if judged by the present, from Mr. Elliott, during his stay on the circuit, in which Hamilton, Ohio, was situated. The next year Mr. Cull was apprised of the time when the new preacher would be at Hamilton, and, fearing that he could not readily find his way to the new appoint- ment, met him there, and conducted him to his cabin home. Mr. Cull, from the organization of the class, preached also regularly, in his own house and at other places.
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In 1807, Whitewater Circuit was formed, with Rev. Thomas Hellums as preacher; but, as far as can be ascer- tained, he confined his labors to the southern part of the strip of territory, where he was quite successful, and reported, at the close of the year, sixty-seven members.
In 1808, Rev. Joseph Williams was appointed to the Whitewater Circuit, and took in the class at Mr. Cull's, which was given up by the Ohio preachers on his coming to the circuit. Circuit preaching was kept up at Mr. Cull's for nineteen years, from 1805 to 1824, when it was removed to the house of James P. Burgess, afterward a local preacher, about a mile north, where it was continued until 1848, when a neat, commodious brick church was erected in the neighborhood. Mr. Cull, in speaking of Mr. Elliott's first coming, said to a friend : "Uncle Jim, you don't know how my soul jumped; for as far as I could see him coming through the woods, I knew he was a preacher."
Father Cull, as he was called in later life, was a de- voted disciple of Christ, and traveled somewhat exten- sively as a local preacher, sometimes supplying the place of the itinerant for a round, or a part of the year. He was acceptable wherever he went, and was known as the weeping preacher. At Concord camp-meeting he was to preach at 9 o'clock A. M., on Sabbath. After singing and prayer, he announced for his text Job xix, 25, and commenced to read it. "I know," and then said, " Glory!" Repeating, "I know," he said, in a louder tone, "Glory !" Again repeating " I know," he shouted, at the top of his voice, "Glory, glory, glory!" and, covering his face with both hands, wept like a child. The presiding elder, Rev. Robert Burns, asked him if he should read the text, to which he assented. He then introduced his subject by saying that, "Job was
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no Campbellite-glory !- for he knew-glory !- that his Redeemer lived-glory!" and preached a melting ser- mon to a weeping congregation.
In view of his stern integrity, ability, and moral up- rightness, clearly discerning the evils of slavery, he was elected to the Constitutional Convention, in 1816, which place he filled with true Christian dignity, and to the honor and satisfaction of his constituents.
He continued to preach within a year of his death, and fell asleep in Jesus-whispering the oft-repeated words, " Glory, glory, glory!"-August 30, 1862, "in a good old age, an old man, and full of years," aged one hundred and four years and ten months, in the sixty- fifth year of his ministry; and was buried in the Meth- odist Episcopal Church-yard, where a most beautiful marble monument marks the resting-place of himself, wife, and niece.
The Lord graciously honored the members of this first Methodist class with a good old age, and peaceful, if not triumphant, death. Mrs. Weaver was the only one that died comparatively young, being about fifty-five, while Mrs. Meek and Mrs. Cull bordered on ninety. Mr. Weaver was in his ninety-seventh year, and Mr. Meek was nearing his ninety-ninth birthday. They were permitted to look far down the stream of life, and share in the triumphs of many a long and hard-fought battle.
During Rev. Mr. Williams's conference year, in 1808, Meek's Meeting-house was built, about four miles south- west from Richmond, and was among the first in Indiana. The total membership, from the Ohio River north, on the eastern boundary of Indiana Territory, to a few miles, above where Richmond is located, was one hundred. andi sixty-five whites and one colored.
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In 1810, a camp-meeting was held near Meek's Meet- ing-house, John Sale, Presiding Elder; Thomas Nelson and Samuel H. Thompson, preachers on the circuit, which was one of the first, if not the first, ever held in Indiana.
In 1819, James P. Burgess, seeing the growing evils of intemperance, wrote a temperance pledge, signed it himself, and solicited his neighbors to do likewise. Its provisions would be somewhat novel in these days of tee- totalism, when we have learned better how to treat the wily foe, and were as follows :
1. Beer was not considered intoxicating, hence not mentioned.
2. Wine, rum, gin, brandy, and all other foreign li- quors, were left out of the schedule of prohibited drinks, because they cost money ; and there being so little of that commodity in the country, there was little danger of becoming intoxicated on beverages so costly.
3. The only prohibited article was whisky, and of that they were at liberty to take a dram every morning.
It created quite a stir in the neighborhood, and many saw that, in signing the pledge, their social and national liberties would not only be abridged but jeopardized ; and others refused because there was no exception in harvest ; so that, between the two, only a few pledged themselves to total abstinence.
The work enlarged, and from the small beginning of the local preacher, with a class of five other members, in 1805, we see the meeting-house erected in 1808; the .camp-meeting in 1810, where the multitudes worshiped in the temple not made with hands; the temperance movement, inaugurated in 1819, but as yet no gathering .of the children and adults into the Sunday-school. This was not long to continue. In 1822, an itinerant Sunday- :school, or rather, Bible-class, was formed (it being exclu-
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sively for adults) in the neighborhood of Mr. Cull's, by Rev. James Martin, a Baptist minister, and James P. Burgess, the latter being superintendent. It continued only a part of the Summer. In 1825, J. P. Burgess or- ganized a regular Sunday-school for adults, and children that could read in the New Testament; which was not only the first Methodist Sunday-school in that region, but the first real Sunday-school of which children formed a part. It was organized in a school-house, two and one- half miles south of Richmond. People came to this Sunday-school, on pleasant days, from eight to ten miles around, and from Ohio. They often had to take the benches out of the school-house, and place them on either side of some logs near by, when the superintendent would open the school by singing out of the Church hymn-book, and praying. After that, there being no in- fant classes, all were put into one class, with the super- intendent as the only teacher. They read sometimes one, two, or three chapters, and closed with singing and prayer.
The organization of the first class and Church, and other unpublished facts stated in the foregoing, were re- ceived personally from Rev. James P. Burgess and wife, who were married fifty years ago, and are living on the old homestead which her father, Jacob Meek, entered, who was one of the members of the first class, she being then (in 1805) only three years old. A sister, seven years older, also corroborates the above statements.
We have thus casually noticed the beginnings of Methodism in Wayne County, and now turn our attention especially to the cause in Richmond.
In 1806, Andrew Hoover, John Smith, and Jeremiah Cox, members of the Society of Friends, having emi- grated from North Carolina a few years before, with some
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others, who were chiefly Friends, settled permanently in the immediate vicinity where Richmond is located, and John Smith entered the land south of Main Street. A number of wealthy families having settled within a few miles, they formed a nucleus for a Quaker settlement. Emigration set in rapidly, and it was but a short time until the country was, what was then termed, filled with the friends of peace. With increased emigration, and the rapid improvement of the country, a Quaker town was a necessity. Hence, in 1816, John Smith and Jer- emiah Cox laid off the village of Richmond, which grew rapidly for those days, and soon became, what it contin- ues to be, the largest town or city in that part of the state.
From 1805, when the first Methodist Church organi- zation was effected, until 1822, there had been regular Methodist preaching in Wayne County, and the member- ship had been many times multiplied at compound rates ; but as yet no special effort had been made to introduce Methodism into Richmond. Indeed, the ground seemed to be so preoccupied by the Friends, that there was but little left uncultivated, and that little was so completely under their influence, that it seemed almost impossible to get a foot-hold.
Another reason why special efforts had not been made before, was the Macedonian cry that was heard from "the region beyond," calling for laborers, where there were no Church privileges, and among many families who were without, and never had, a copy of the Bible. The voice of the Master was, "Go ye into all the world," which had been paraphrased and incorporated in their Book of Discipline thus: "Go always, not only to those that want you, but to those that want you most." Be- lieving that Methodism, in its essential principles, was to
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take the world for Jesus, and the surrounding country having been faithfully cultivated, Rev. Russel Bigelow, in 1822, introduced it into Richmond. The opposition was intense, the Friends considering that any of their families would be disgraced by attending Methodist meet- ing; others participated in kindred feelings, and there being no Methodist families in the place, no private house could be obtained in which to hold services. There re- mained only one chance, which was, to get the school- ยท house. After considerable delay, with great reluctance, permission was granted to occupy the little school-house, where, in a short time, a class of seven members was or- ganized, composed of George Smith, Sarah Smith, Mary B. Smith, Rachel S. Smith, Stephen Thomas, Margaret Thomas, and the Widow Pierson, of which George Smith was the leader. The opposition to the work of the Lord through the Methodists, from the Friends and infidels, became so powerful that, in a little while, they were pro- hibited from using the school-house, when, for a short time, they occupied the house of Mrs. Pierson, until she left Richmond; and then, there being no other place which could be obtained, preaching, as well as other Methodist meetings, were discontinued for the time being.
The spirit of vital Christianity could not long endure the restrictions placed upon it by its erring friends, or avowed enemies. Hence, during the conference year of 1825, under the leadership of Rev. James Havens, the residence of Isaac Jackson was secured for Church services, preaching was resumed, another class organized, and services have continued without interruption to the present.
On the reorganization of the class, and the re-estab- lishing of regular preaching, hostilities commenced anew against what many were pleased to call " a hireling min-
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istry" and a "shouting membership." But the Lord owned and blessed the labors of his servants to such an extent that in 1828 they were able to sustain a two- days' meeting. The influence of Methodism on the morals of the people in the surrounding country had been such as by this time to allay somewhat the intense opposition of a few of the more liberal-minded Friends, as well as others, and permission was obtained to hold the two-days' meeting, and to continue regular services, in the brick school-house. Rev. S. H. Beggs was on the circuit, and the meeting was a glorious success for the cause of Christ, such as had never before been witnessed by the Richinondites; but which, through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, was to be repeated time and again, until there should be a shaking among the dry bones of a dead, formal Church, as well as among the open adversaries of a Bible Christianity. The more the Lord manifested his power in saving souls, the more intense was the opposition, especially from infidels and Hicksite Friends-the Friends' Society having divided in 1827-with but few exceptions even among the orthodox Friends. Infidelity and the world united, on the one hand, with a formal Christianity on the other, as a bulwark, behind which the former could take refuge, marshaled such a combination of forces as to be almost irresistible. These forces were publicly and privately brought to bear on the occupation of the school-house by the Methodists, who were the first among the Churches to invade the quiet of Quakerism by seeking to establish themselves in their midst. And they were again left without a home. Truthfully they could say: "We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed ; we are per- plexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not for- saken ; cast down [out], but not destroyed." Nothing
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