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 2
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CHAPTER XIV.
THE FATHERS.
REV. A. WOOD, D. D .- Rev. Joseph Tarkington-Rev. Enoch G. Wood, D. D .- Rev. John Schrader-Rev. John Miller-Rev. Amasa Johnson-Rev. Asa Beck-Rev. James Scott-Rev. Elijah Whitten-Rev. Henry S. Tal- bott-Rev. Richard Hargrave-Rev. Robert Burns-Rev. John W. Sulli- van-Rev. David Stiver-Rev. James T. Robe-Rev. Charles Bonner- Rev. John Kearns-Rev. John C. Smith-Rev. John A. Brouse-Rev. James Havens-Rev. Calvin W. Ruter-Rev. Allen Wiley-Rev. Augustus PAGES 247-276 Eddy.
CHAPTER XV.
METHODIST EDUCATORS.
Rev. W. H. Goode, D. D .- Rev. Cyrus Nutt, D. D .- Rev. W. C. Larrabee, LL. D .- Dr. Tefft-Rev. T. H. Lynch, D. D .- Rev. John Wheeler, D. D .- Rev. T. A. Goodwin, A. M .- Rev. Philander Wiley, A. M .- Dr. Benson- Rev. Wm. M. Daily, D. D .- Geo. W. Hoss, A. M .- B. T. Hoyt, A. M .- Prof. Joseph Tingley, Ph. D .- Prof. S. A. Lattimore-Rev. Daniel Curry, D. D .- Dr. Nadal-Dr. Bragdon-Rev. B. F. Rawlins, D. D .- Albion Fel- lows, A. M .- J. P. Rouse, A. M .- Rev. B. W. Smith, A. M .- Rev. W. R. Goodwin, A. M .- Rev. O. H. Smith, A. M .- Wm. H. De Motte, A. M .- Rev. Thos. Harrison, A. M .- Rev. J. P. D. John, A. M .- Rev. Jno. W. Locke, D. D .- J. M. Olcott, A. M .- Rev. J. H. Martin, A. M .- Rev. S. R. Adams, A. M .- Miles J. Fletcher, A. M .- Rev. L. W. Berry, D. D .- Rev. Thos. Bowman, D. D .- Rev. Erastus Rowley, D. D .- Rev. G. W. Rice-Rev. A. Gurney-Rev. R. D. Utter. PAGES 277-316
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CONTENTS.
CHAPTER XVI.
METHODIST EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS.
EARLY Educational Funds controlled by Presbyterians-Effort to amend the Charter of the "State University"-The Legislature memorialized- "Indiana Asbury University" founded-First Meeting of the Board of Trustees-First Commencement-"New Albany Seminary"-"De Pauw College "-"Fort Wayne College"-"Whitewater College"-" Brookville College"-"Moore's Hill College"-Educational Record for Indiana- Names of Institutions. PAGES 317-323
CHAPTER XVII.
INDIANA BISHOPS.
BISHOP R. R. ROBERTS-Licensed to Preach and admitted into the Con- ference-Circuits and Stations filled-Elected to the Episcopacy-Fact leading to his Election-Removes to Indiana-His Personal Appearance- His Manner-Extract from "The Fallen Heroes of Indiana Methodism," by Hon. R. W. Thompson-Example of his Kindness and Forbearance- Account of his Preaching, by Hon. Mr. Thompson-Funeral Services at Greencastle-Erection of a Monument-BISHOP MATTHEW SIMPSON-Enters the Ministry-Elected President of "Indiana Asbury University"-Elected Editor of the "Western Christian Advocate"-Elected Bishop-His Services in the Cause of Education-He visits Europe-His Services during the War-BISHOP E. R. AMES-His Ancestors-His Early Life-Opens a High School at Lebanon-Elected "Corresponding Secretary of the Missionary Society"-Elected President of "Indiana Asbury University"-Elected Bishop-His Personal Appearance-Manner of Preaching ..... PAGES 324-337
CHAPTER XVIII.
FROM 1870 TO 1872.
FORTIETH Session of the Indiana Conference-Death of B. F. Torr and Thomas A. Whitted-Delegates to the General Conference of 1872-Con- gratulations between the Electoral Conference and the Annual Conference- Statistics and Contributions-South-eastern Indiana Conference-Lay and Clerical Delegates to the General Conference-Thomas Ray-John W. Dole-William T. Saunders-Members-Church Property-Contributions- Largest Churches-Sketch of S. T. Gillett, D. D .- Twentieth Session of the North-west Indiana Conference-Electoral Conference-Resolutions against a Change in our Church Economy-Delegates to the General Con- ference-Members-Contributions-Educational-Twenty-ninth Session of the North Indiana Conference-Members-Contributions-Electoral Con- ference-Delegates to the General Conference-Resolutions on Conference Boundary-Lay. Delegation-Thomas Bowman, D. D. PAGES 338-360
INDIANA METHODISM.
CHAPTER I.
Early Civil History-First Romish Church built in the Territory-First Governor and Civil Officers-First Session of the "General Court of the Territory of Indiana"-First Grand Jury-Members of the House of Representatives-Governor's Message-Convention to form a Constitution for the State of Indiana-First General Assem- bly of the State-Indiana admitted into the Union-First Senators elected-Early Public Men-Hugh Cull-Dennis Pennington-Ezra Ferris-James Scott-Influence of the Early Itinerants.
THE first white settlements in the territory of Indiana were made by French traders. The villages of the Miamies, which stood at the head of the Maumee River, the Wea villages, situated about Oniatenon on the Wabash River, and the Piankeshaw villages, which stood near the present site of Vincennes, were regarded by the early French fur-traders as suitable places for the estab- lishment of trading-posts. As early as 1719, temporary trading-posts were erected at the sites of Fort Wayne, Oniatenon, and Vincennes. The Romish Church, with a zeal and perseverance which must command our highest admiration, are found on the frontiers of civil- ization. The missionary of the Church was close on the track of the fur-trader and the trapper. The first Church in the territory was established by a Romish 17
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missionary by the name of Meurin, at the Piankeshaw village, in 1749, where the city of Vincennes now is. In 1750 a small fort was built at the same place, and another slight fortification was erected, about the same time, at the mouth of the Wabash River. Vincennes received considerable accessions to its white population in 1754, 1755, and 1756, by the arrival of emigrants from Detroit, Kaskaskia, Canada, and New Orleans. On the division of the territory of the United States north of the Ohio River, by the act of Congress of May 7, 1800, the material parts of the ordinance of July 13, 1787, remained in force in the territory of Indiana, and the inhabitants of the new territory were invested with all the privileges and advantages, granted and secured to the people by that ordinance. The seat of Government was fixed at Vincennes.
On the 13th of May, 1800, William Henry Harrison was appointed Governor, and on the next day, John Gibson, a native of Pennsylvania, and a distinguished pioneer, to whom Logan, the Indian chief, delivered his celebrated speech, was appointed Secretary of the Ter- ritory. Soon afterward John Griffin, Henry Vanderburg, and William Clark were appointed Territorial Judges. The civilized population of the territory was estimated in 1800 at 4,875. Governor Harrison and the Territorial Judges held their first meeting at Vincennes, January 12, 1801, for the purpose of adopting and publishing "such laws as the exigencies of the times" required, and "for the performance of other acts conformable to the ordinances and laws of Congress, for the government of the Territory." The Territorial Judges commenced the first session of the General Court of the Territory of Indiana at Vincennes, March 3, 1801. The first grand jury impaneled in the territory consisted of nine-
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teen persons, as follows: Luke Decker, Antoine Mar- chal, Joseph Baird, Patrick Simpson, Antoine Petit, Andre Montplaiseur, John Ockiltree, Jonathan Marney, Jacob Tevebaugh, Alexander Valley, Francis Turpin, Fr. Compaynoitre, Charles Languedoc, Louis Severe, Fr. Languedoc, George Catt, John Bt. Barois, Abraham Decker, and Philip Catt. It will be readily inferred from these names that a large per cent of these early settlers were Frenchmen. The members of the first Legislature of the Indiana Territory convened in Vin- cennes, pursuant to the proclamation of the Governor, on the 29th of July, 1805. The members of the House of Representatives were Jessie B. Thomas, of Dearborn County, Davis Floyd, of Clark County, Benjamin Park and John Johnson, of Knox County, Shadrach Bond and William Beggs, of St. Clair County, and George Fisher, of Randolph County. In his message, delivered on the 30th of July, 1805, the Governor congratulated the mem- bers of the General Assembly "upon entering on a grade of government which gave to the people the important right of legislating for themselves." The Convention to frame a constitution for the State of Indiana held its session in Corydon. The Convention was composed of clear-minded, practical men, whose patriotism was above suspicion, and whose morals were fair. The first General Assembly, elected under the authority of the State Con- stitution, commenced its session at Corydon, then the capital of Indiana, on the 4th of November, 1816. The Territorial Government was thus superseded by a State Government, and the State formally admitted into the Union by a joint resolution of Congress, approved on the 11th of December, 1816. On the 8th of Novem- ber, 1816, the General Assembly, by a joint vote of both Houses, elected James Noble and Walter Taylor
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to represent the State of Indiana in the Senate of the United States.
Although the history of Fort Wayne and Vincennes date back to the time of Louis XIV, when missionaries and traders led small colonies far from the homes and comforts of civilized life, and ambitious statesmen sent military forces across the ocean and along our northern lakes; and although the Swiss have cultivated the sunny . slopes of the Ohio, in the vicinity of Vevay, from the be- ginning of the century, it was not until after the close of the war with Great Britain and the suppression of Indian hostilities that population began to flow into the terri- tory of Indiana. Although the representatives of nearly all nations are found among us, yet a large majority of our people are of the sturdy English stock, which, under the extraordinary influences consequent upon the stirring events of the seventeenth century, spread along the Atlantic coast, from Maine to the region of the tropics. Our population is truly composite. Like some grand piece of mosaic, in which all the colors are united, to the obscuring of none and the enhancing of the luster of each, the typical Indiana man is dependent on every ele- ment for completeness, yet as a whole is dissimilar to any part. He is neither German nor Scotch, nor Irish nor English, but a compound of the whole. The conqueror of our forests and the plowman of our prairies is pos- sessed of a spirit of personal independence that may be sharpened into insolence or educated into manly self- respect. Quite a number of the early public men of Indiana were men of high moral character, and not a few of them were men of decided piety; and they left their impress upon general society. Hugh Cull, one of the delegates from the County of Wayne to the Constitu- tional Convention, to frame the first Constitution for the
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State, was a local preacher in the Methodist Church, lived to the extraordinary age of one hundred and one years, retaining his faculties, his untarnished Christian character, and the esteem of all who knew him, to the last. He lived to see the county which he represented in the first Constitutional Convention of the State, be- come the empire county of the State, and a garden-spot both in physical and moral culture, and the population of the State increase from a few thousand to a million and a quarter of inhabitants. Dennis Pennington, from Harrison County, was also an active and influential member of the Methodist Church. He served a number of years in the State Legislature under the Constitution which he had helped to frame, and died at a good old age, having served his generation faithfully and well. Ezra Ferris, a member of the Constitutional Convention from Dearborn County, was a Baptist preacher of a liberal spirit and great Christian influence. He resided in Law- renceburg till the close of his life, which occurred near the age of eighty years. James Scott, from Clark County, who was subsequently, for a number of years, one of the Supreme Judges of the State, was an exem- plary and earnest Christian, a member of the Presbyte- rian Church, but in hearty sympathy with all Christians. He also lived to a good old age.
Such were some of the men that framed the first Constitution for the State of Indiana. A high responsi- bility is devolved upon, and rare opportunities are en- joyed by, the men who lay the foundations of society, whether civilly, socially, or ecclesiastically. Society, like the individual, has its educational period, during which it takes on those characteristics by which it is afterward distinguished and known. History teaches us that social and intellectual peculiarities are almost as transmissable
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as physical traits. John Knox yet lives in the Psalm- singing and rugged Calvinistic theology of Scotland. Every country furnishes illustrations of this truth; and that community is highly favored whose early leaders possessed the requisite intellectual, social, and moral qual- ities. A decidedly religious impression was made upon the minds of a large proportion of the early settlers in Indiana by the preaching of the Methodist itinerants, and the value of their services is recognized by men of all parties. Our itinerant system carried the means of grace to the remotest settlements, gathered the people into societies in the country, as well as in the towns and vil- lages, and went far toward molding the minds and morals of the people. Preaching every day in the week, they lived among the people, sharing their privations and en- joying their scanty but cheerful hospitality. Under their labors "the wilderness and the solitary places have been made glad, and the desert has blossomed as the rose." It is fitting that the means, the processes, and the agencies by which Methodism has wrought out her work in Indiana, should be a matter of permanent record.
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INDIANA METHODISM.
CHAPTER II.
First Protestant Sermon preached in the Territory-First Methodist Society formed-Mr. Cartwright's Encounter with the Shakers- First Pastoral Charge in the Territory-First Methodist Meeting- house-Whitewater Circuit-Indiana District organized-Indiana District in 1809-First Protestant Preaching at Vincennes-William Winans-Indiana District in 1810-Prominent Members of the Con- ference-William M'Kendree-Charles Holliday-John Collins- Leander Blackman-John Sale-James Quinn-Solomon Langdon- William Burke-James B. Finley-John Strange-James Axley- Division of the Western Conference-Missouri Conference or- ganized-Introduction of Methodism into Decatur County-First Prayer-meeting in the County-First Class formed-Anecdote of Mr. Garrison-Preaching established in Greensburg-Thomas Rice-Salaries of the Early Preachers-Illustration-First School taught in the Territory-Geo. K. Hester's account of the School- Sketch of the introduction of Methodist Preaching into Clark County by Rev. Geo. K. Hester-First Traveling Preachers sent to the Grant-Benjamin Lakin and Ralph Lotspiech - First Society formed-Silver-creek Circuit organized-Camp-meeting held near Robertson's-Revivals-The New-lights-Memorable Revival in 1819-Illinois Conference held at Charlestown in 1825-Both Bish- ops M'Kendree and Roberts attend and preach.
MONG the first Methodist sermons ever preached A in the territory of Indiana were those preached by the venerable Peter Cartwright in 1804. Some Meth- odist families had removed from Kentucky, and settled in Clark's Grant, now Clark County, north of the Ohio River, nearly opposite Louisville. Among them were the Robinsons and Prathers, who settled near the present town of Charlestown, the county-seat of Clark County. This was in 1803. In 1804 Benjamin Lakin and Peter Cartwright traveled Salt-river and Shelby Circuits in Kentucky, and Mr. Cartwright, in his "Autobiography,"
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INDIANA METHODISM.
says that he and Mr. Lakin crossed over the river that year, and preached at Robinson's and Prather's. This was between two and three years before the organization of Silver-creek Circuit by Moses Ashworth.
Mr. Cartwright has also the honor of organizing the first Methodist society in the south-western part of the state, at a place known in the early history of the state as the Busroe settlement, which, for a time, was the stronghold of Shakerism. We will let Mr. Cartwright tell the story of his encounter with the Shakers in his own language :
"I will here state a case which occurred at an early day in the state of Indiana, in a settlement called Bus- roe. Many of the early emigrants to that settlement were Methodists, Baptists, and Cumberland Presbyte- rians. The Shaker priests, all apostates from the Bap- tists and Cumberland Presbyterians, went over among them. Many of them I was personally acquainted with, and had given them letters when they removed from Kentucky to that new country.
"There were then no Methodist circuit-preachers in that region. There was an old brother Collins, a local preacher, who withstood the Shakers, and in private combat was a full match for any of them; but he was not eloquent in public debate; and hence the Shaker priests overcame my old brother, and by scores swept members of different Churches away from their stead- fastness into the muddy pool of Shakerism. The few who remained steadfast, sent to Kentucky for me, pray- ing me to come over and help them. I sent an appoint- ment, with an invitation to meet any or all of the Shaker priests in public debate; but, instead of meeting me, they appointed a meeting in opposition, and warned the be- lievers, as they called them, to keep away from my
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meeting; but, from our former acquaintance and inti- mate friendship, many of them came to hear me. I preached to a vast crowd for about three hours, and I verily believe God helped me. The very foundations of every Shaker present were shaken from under him. They then besought me to go to the Shaker meeting that night. I went; and when I got there, we had a great crowd. I proposed to them to have a debate, and they dared not refuse. The terms were these : A local preacher I had with me was to open the debate, then one, or all of their preachers, if they chose, were to follow, and I was to bring up the rear. My preacher opened the debate by merely stating the points of dif- ference. Mr. Brazelton followed, and, instead of argu- ment, he turned every thing into abuse and insulting slander. When he closed, Mr. Gill rose; but instead of argument, he uttered a few words of personal abuse, and then called all of the Shakers to meet him a few minutes in the yard, talk a little, and then disperse. Our debate was out in the open air, at the end of a cabin. I arose, and called them to order, and stated that it was fairly agreed by these Shaker priests that I should bring up the rear, or close the argument. I stated that it was cowardly to run; that if I was the devil himself, and they were right, I could not hurt them. I got the most of them to take their seats and hear me. Mr. Gill gathered a little band, and he and they left. They had told the people, in the day, that if I continued to oppose them, God would make an ex- ample of me, and send fire from heaven and consume me. When I arose to reply, I 'felt a sense of the ap- probation of God, and that he would give me success. I addressed the multitude about three hours, and when I closed my argument, I opened the doors of the Church,
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and invited all that would renounce Shakerism to come and give me their hand. Forty-seven came forward, and then and there openly renounced the dreadful de- lusion. The next day I followed those that fled; and the next day I went from cabin to cabin, taking the names of those that returned to the solid foundation of truth, and my number rose to eighty-seven. I then or- ganized them into a regular society, and the next Fall had a preacher sent them; and perhaps this victory may be considered among the first fruits of Methodism in that part of the new country. This was in 1808. They were temporarily supplied with preaching until 1811, when they were regularly included in the Vincennes Cir- cuit, then under the care of Thomas Stillwell as preacher in charge."
The first entire pastoral charge in the territory of Indiana was Silver-creek Circuit, in Clark's Grant, now Clark County, under the ministry of Rev. Moses Ash- worth.
The first Methodist meeting-house in the territory was built in what was then, and is still, known as the Robertson neighborhood, near Charlestown. Mr. Ash- worth was an enterprising, energetic man. Three meet- ing-houses were built on this circuit during the first year of its history, and, although they were necessarily cheap log-houses, they evidenced the piety and liberality of the people. They made provision for the public worship of God, as good as they were able to make for the comfort of their own families. Mr. Ashworth returned, at the end of the year, one hundred and eighty-eight members.
Whitewater Circuit, on the eastern, border of the state, and lying then principally in the state of Ohio- though that part of the circuit lying in Indiana retained the name-had been organized the year before under the
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labors of Rev. Thomas Hellams and Rev. Selah Payne. What classes, if any, were organized by them in Indi- ana, and at what points, is not now known. The cir- cuit, as organized a few years later, included Brookville, Brownsville, Liberty, Connersville, and all of the settled parts of the Whitewater country, from the mouth of Whitewater to as far north as what is now Randolph County.
In 1808, Indiana District was organized as follows:
INDIANA DISTRICT-SAMUEL PARKER, PRESIDING ELDER.
Illinois-Jesse Walker. Missouri-Abraham Amos.
Merrimack-Joseph Oglesby. Coldwater-John Crane.
Whitewater-Hector Sanford and Moses Crume.
Silver-creek-Josiah Crawford.
Here was a district extending from the western border of the state of Ohio to Mexico. There is some- thing sublime in the heroism that planned such fields of labor-a single presiding elder's district embracing what is now the three great states of Indiana, Illinois, and Mis- souri. The mode of travel was on horseback. The streams were unbridged, and could often be crossed only by swimming. The roads were mostly bridle-paths, " blazed," as the backwoodsmen called it, by hatchet- marks on the trees. The country was full of Indians, some of them friendly, but many of them exasperated by the encroachments of the white men. Salaries were scarcely thought of; they lived among the people, sharing their scanty, but cheerful hospitality, encountering perils in the wilderness, from floods and swamps and savage men, often compelled to sleep in the woods. Their meet- ing-houses were the rude cabins of the pioneers, where one room served as kitchen, bed-room, and chapel. These were lion-hearted men; they "endured as seeing
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Him who is invisible;" they saw that these fertile valleys were to be seats of empire, that populous cities would rise on the margin of these mighty rivers, that commerce would burden these navigable streams, knowing that they were laying the foundations of Christian civilization that should bless uncounted millions in after years. Grand as were their conceptions, the facts have out-run them, and the reality is already grander than their most sanguine imaginings. Giving them credit for great fore- sight, they, nevertheless, built wiser than they knew. In 1809, Indiana District stood as follows :
INDIANA DISTRICT-SAMUEL PARKER, PRESIDING ELDER.
Illinois-Abraham Amos. Missouri-John Crane. Merrimack-David Young and Thomas Wright. Coldwater-Isaac Lindsey. Cape Girardeau-Jesse Walker. Vincennes-William Winans.
Vincennes appears for the first time on the list of appointments. Catholic priests had previously officiated there, for Post St. Vincent was an early French trading- post, but it was now an American settlement. General William Henry Harrison, Governor of Indiana Territory, had established his head-quarters there; and William Winans was the first Protestant preacher to visit the place. One of his first services was a night appointment for preaching in the fort. The Government officers, a few English and French settlers, and two or three Indians, make up the audience. A few tallow candles furnish all their light for the occasion. One of these is kindly held by. Governor Harrison for the young preacher, while he reads his text and hymn. And in that dingy room young Winans delivers his Gospel message in such a manner as commends both the preacher and his message to the hearts of his hearers. Winans was a young man
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of fine personal appearance; not handsome, but com- manding in his appearance; a little above the medium height, with an open countenance, a clear, strong voice, an easy, rather negligent manner, that showed perfect self- possession and self-reliance, qualities of great value to the frontier missionary, who has no treasury to depend on, and whose audiences are, for the most part, composed of strangers. Winans did not disappoint the expectations of his friends. He rose to eminence, and was for many . years a recognized leader of the forces of Methodism in the state of Mississippi, into the bounds of which Con- ference he fell by the division of territory.
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