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 25
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theological study. On the third of March, 1837, he was confirmed by the United States Senate as lieutenant in the navy. Being passionately fond of the sea, he was, for a season, tempted to retain the commission so unex- pectedly sent him, and, for the present, decline active ministerial life. The immediate result was a loss of religious enjoyment, and distaste for spiritual exercises. Being on a visit to his brother-in-law, Rev. W. H. Goode, D. D., at New Albany, he attended a camp-meeting near by, and, after a severe struggle over the sacrifice de- manded, resolved to end the matter forthwith, resign his commission, and enter on the ministerial life. His re- ligious peace returned, and, entering the altar at the camp-ground, he commenced, among the mourners, the future work of his life.
Soon after, in the Fall of 1837, in a letter to the Sec- retary of the Navy, he tendered his resignation, assign- ing the reasons impelling him to the sacrifice. The resignation was accepted, and the matter forever settled. He was duly licensed as a local preacher, and his recom- mendation from the Madison Quarterly Conference to the Indiana Annual Conference was presented by Rev. E. G. Wood, D. D., Presiding Elder, and he was received on trial at the session of 1837, in New Albany, and ap- pointed to Lawrenceburg Circuit, James Jones and Silas Rawson, his colleagues. Their labors were successful, and extensive revivals followed. In 1838, he was re- appointed to the same work, with Charles Bonner in charge. Lawrenceburg having been, made a station, the circuit was called Wilmington. Extensive revivals crowned their labors in the twenty-two appointments, and seventeen hundred and ninety-nine members were returned to Conference. In 1839 and 1840, he was on Rising Sun Circuit, but was transferred to the charge of
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the Union Bethel, Louisville, Kentucky, by Bishop Soule, December, 1840. In 1841, he was sent to Lawrenceburg Station, but in May following was ordered to the navy- yard, New York, having been commissioned as chaplain in the navy, by Mr. Tyler. He remained there several months, but became satisfied he would be more useful in the regular work, resigned his commission, and was ro- appointed to Lawrenceburg. In 1843 and 1844, he was in charge of Terre Haute Station, North Indiana Confer- ence ; in 1845, of Greencastle Station ; and in 1846 and 1847, of Roberts Chapel, at Indianapolis. He was then four years on the Centerville District as presiding elder, and was delegate from the North Indiana Conference to the General Conference in 1852. At the close of this year, he was elected President of the Fort Wayne Fe- male College, but declined the appointment, and was stationed at Asbury Chapel, Indianapolis, South-eastern Indiana Conference. While on the Centerville District, he was also elected President of Whitewater College, but served only until a successor could be obtained, pre- ferring the regular work. In 1853, he was sent to the Connersville District, and remained three years. In 1856-57, he was in charge of Centenary Methodist Episcopal Church, New Albany, Indiana Conference. In 1858, he was on the Bloomington District. In 1859, he was placed in charge of Locust-street Church, Evans- ville, and remained two years. In 1861, he was placed on Evansville District. From Evansville District he was removed, in 1862, to Wesley Chapel, Indianapolis, and remained two years. In 1864 and 1865, he was on Bloomington Station, but was relieved, early in 1866, and placed in the Centenary agency, and raised, in con- nection with his colleague, Rev. Dr. Hight, over $30,000, in cash and subscriptions, for our literary and benevolent
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institutions. In the Fall of 1866, he was placed on the Indianapolis District, where he remained two years, when, on the division of the district by act of the General Con- ference in changing the boundary lines, he was again placed in charge of Asbury Station, Indianapolis, where he remained two years, and was removed, in the Fall of 1870, to the First Church, in Greensburg, where he is now laboring. Dr. Gillett's ministry has been abundantly blessed in the awakening and conversion of sinners, and in the sanctification of believers, as well as in promoting the educational and benevolent enterprises of the Church.
NORTH-WEST INDIANA CONFERENCE.
THE North-west Indiana Conference held its twen- tieth session in Crawfordsville, Indiana, beginning Sep- tember 6, 1871, Bishop Ames presiding. J. C. Reed was elected secretary, and L. Taylor and J. L. Boyd assistants.
On the second day of the session the Laymen's Electoral Conference convened, pursuant to the provis- ional plan for lay delegation. Mark Jones was elected president; A. S. Morrow and Joseph Miller, vice-pres- idents ; and W. C. Smith was chosen secretary, with R. S. Tennant as assistant secretary. Hon. H. S. Lane and John Brownfield, Esq., were elected delegates to the ensuing General Conference, to be held in Brooklyn, in May, 1872.
Congratulations were exchanged between the Lay- men's Electoral Conference and the Annual Conference. The following preamble and resolutions, offered by Hon. Henry S. Lane, were adopted by the Electoral Con- ference :
" Whereas, the doctrines and economy of the Methodist Episcopal Church have been signally blessed, in the conversion and salvation of mul- tiplied thousands during the last one hundred years; and, whereas, we are
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unfalteringly opposed to all radical changes in that form of Church govern- ment which has so efficiently administered the Word of Life to millions of anxious hearers; and, whereas, we hear with sincere regret that an effort may be made, at the next General Conference, to introduce great, and we fear dangerous, innovations in the government of our beloved Church; therefore,
" Resolved, That we, the members of the Electoral Conference of the North-west Indiana Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in Con- ference assembled, declare that we are opposed to any change whatever in our Church economy, looking to alteration in our plan of general super- intendency.
" Resolved, That we believe a quadrennial election of bishops in our Church would be fraught with great danger, and would imperil her peace, prosperity, and success.
" Resolved, That, in the opinion of this Electoral Conference, the effi- ciency and almost unparalleled success of the Church, in the past, has been largely attributable, under God, to the Christian zeal, energy, and efficiency of our general superintendents; and that the life-tenure in that office is essential to its Christian power and usefulness.
" Resolved, That a committee of three be appointed to bear our fra- ternal greetings to the bishop and members of the North-west Indiana Conference, now in session in this city, and ask most respectfully and ear- nestly their concurrence in the foregoing preamble and resolutions."
Hon. Henry S. Lane, Mark Jones, and John Brown- field, Esqs., were appointed said Committee. Hon. H. S. Lane addressed the Conference on behalf of the Electoral Conference; and at the close of his address, on motion, the Conference unanimously concurred in the foregoing preamble and resolutions.
The clerical delegates to the General Conference were, A. A. Gee, J. C. Reed, N. L. Brakeman, and S. Godfrey ; reserve delegates, A. Wood and L. Taylor.
The reports showed : Members and probationers, 22,010; number of churches, 261; value, $743,268; number of parsonages, 68; value, $94,118. Contribu- tions : For Missions, $5,529.52 (being a falling off from the contributions of the preceding year of $666.76) ; Church Extension, $463.60; Bible Society, $1,622.92; Sunday-school Union, $161.50; Tract Society, $129.62; superannuated preachers, etc., $1,410.45.
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The Conference is earnestly devoted to the good work of fostering our institutions of learning, and directs its patronage to Indiana Asbury University, Fort Wayne College, Stockwell Collegiate Institute, Valparaiso Male and Female College, and Russellville Academy. The Conference expressed its appreciation of Christian edu- cation, in connection with Indiana Asbury University, in the following words: "The Church and Conference surely can not complain; for, of the thirty-two who graduated June 22, 1871, seven are already in the min- istry, and we believe at least four more will yet enter the regular work. Ten are sons and daughters of min- isters ; the greater number are members of the Church, and devoted Christians."
NORTH INDIANA CONFERENCE.
THE North Indiana Annual Conference held its twenty-ninth session in Simpson Chapel, Muncie, Ind., commencing March 27, 1872, Bishop Scott presiding. M. H. Mendenhall was elected secretary, and E. F. Hasty, D. P. Hartman, and H. N. Herrick, assistants.
The number of members and probationers reported was 29,856; number of churches, 371} ; value, $821,- 100; number of parsonages, 91; value, $114,655. The Church contributions were as follows :
For Superannuated Preachers, etc. $1,469 00
For Missions.
8,719 03
For Church Extension Society
420 38
For the Tract Society.
190 95
For the Bible Society
For the Sunday-school Union 1,910 49
217 70
Educational Collection.
765 00
For General Conference Expenses
507 97
Extra Missionary Collection ..
946 56
For Woman's Foreign Missionary Society. 421 55
The Electoral Conference of Lay Delegates convened on the second day of the session. Joshua H. Mellett,
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Esq., of Newcastle, was chosen as chairman, and C. C. Binkley, Esq., of Richmond, was chosen secretary. J. A. Funk and W. R. West, Esqs., were elected delegates to the ensuing General Conference, to be held in Brook- lyn, N. Y., in May, 1872. Congratulations were ex- changed between the Electoral Conference of Laymen and the Annual Conference, and addresses were deliv- ered by representatives from each.
The delegates to the General Conference, from the Annual Conference, were, W. H. Goode, Thomas Bow- man, Wm. S. Birch, N. H. Phillips, and O. V. Lemon. The reserve delegates were : Ministers, M. H. Menden- hall and L. W. Monson; and for the laymen, G. W. Milburn and A. C. Swayze.
In no part of the state is Methodism advancing more steadily and rapidly than within the bounds of the North Indiana Conference. The General Conference of 1868 having detached that portion of the North Indiana Con- ference lying in Marion County, and attached the same to the South-eastern Indiana Conference, the Conference adopted a series of strong resolutions against said alter- ation in their Conference boundary, and instructed their delegates to the General, Conference to use their influ- ence to have the former boundary restored. Their me- morial was duly considered, both in the Committee on Boundaries and before the General Conference, but the boundaries of Conferences in Indiana were left substan- tially as they were settled at the General Conference of 1868.
The introduction of lay delegation into the Method- ist Episcopal Church, by the General Conference of 1872, marks an epoch in the history of the Church. The freedom from undue excitement, and the harmony and concert of action between the preachers and people,
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was a very striking proof of the mutual confidence ex- isting between them, and promises well for the future harmony and increased efficiency of the Church. This change in the constitution of the Church received the support of all the delegates from the several Indiana conferences.
Indiana Methodism was well represented in the General Conference of 1872, both by her lay and cler- ical delegates. And Indiana Methodism was honored in the selection of Rev. Thomas Bowman, D. D., as one of the bishops of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
BISHOP BOWMAN.
BISHOP BOWMAN is a native of Pennsylvania. He was born near Berwick, Columbia County, Pennsylvania, July 15, 1817. His ancestors, for two or three generations, were noted Methodists, distinguished for the fervor of their piety, their fidelity in the discharge of religious duties, and also for their enterprise and frugality in tem- poral affairs. His parents and grandparents, on his father's side, were Methodists. His grandparents, on his mother's side, were Scotch Presbyterians. His grand- father, Rev. Thomas Bowman, was an efficient local preacher, and introduced Methodism into Columbia and the adjoining counties at an early day. He was an ear- nest and an indefatigable worker, frequently spending weeks from home carrying on revival meetings. The bishop's father was a steward, class-leader, trustee of the Church, and Sunday-school superintendent during the most of his life. His parents were both noted for their industry and economy. They were remarkably exem- plary in the performance of their religious duties, not allowing any thing to interfere with them, either in the family or the Church. The children were uniformly
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taken to Church. They accompanied their parents not only to public worship, but also to the class-meetings and love-feasts. The bishop was consecrated to God by his parents from his birth, especially by his mother, who earnestly desired that God would call her son to the work of the Christian ministry. He early evinced a fondness for books, and read almost every thing he could find; for books were then less numerous than now, espe- cially books that were likely to interest boys. The bish- op's childhood home had much to do in the formation of his character. He was remarkably fond of history and biography, and early stored his mind with a large amount of solid information. At the age of fourteen, through the influence of Rev. George Lane, who was subsequently Book Agent, young Bowman was sent to the Wesleyan Academy, at Wilbraham, Massachusetts. The next year he went to Oneida Conference Seminary, at Cazenovia, New York, it being nearer home. Here, on the first of January, 1833, he was converted to God in one of the most remarkable revivals of religion ever witnessed in our land. Almost every student in the Seminary was converted. Rev. W. C. Larrabee was Principal of the Seminary at the time. Not a few of the leading men, in Church and State, throughout the land, received an important part of their literary training under the in- struction of Professor Larrabee. Immediately on his conversion, young Bowman united with the Church, and determined to do his whole duty as a Christian with what- ever ability he had. His piety was of the most earnest, happy, hopeful type, that at once opened before him doors of usefulness, and won for him the society and friendship of the better class of his fellow-students. In the Fall of 1835, he entered the Junior Class in Dickin- son College, at Carlisle, Pennsylvania, then under the
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Presidency of Rev. John P. Durbin; Drs. Emory, M'Clintock, W. H. Allen, and Mr. Caldwell being Pro- fessors. The bishop always expresses himself deeply indebted to these men for his religious growth, and especially to the teaching and preaching of Dr. Durbin.
Having completed the College Course, he graduated in 1837, and studied law one year. His legal studies have, doubtless, been of value to him through life, al- though Providence designed him for a different sphere of labor. His impressions of duty to preach the Gospel, which had followed him nearly all his life, became so strong that he could not prosecute his legal studies. He accepted license to preach, and, in the Spring of 1839, entered the Baltimore Annual Conference, and was sent to Beaver Meadow Mission, where he had a happy and successful year in a rough field of labor.
In 1840, at the earnest solicitations of the Faculty, he took charge of the Grammar School of Dickinson College, to which he was appointed by the bishop, where he remained three years, most of the time as colleague of Rev. L. Scott, now the venerable Bishop Scott. Mr. Bowman's health being delicate, he then took a super- numerary relation, and for five years did such work as he could. In 1848 he was appointed Principal of Dick- inson Seminary, at Williamsport, Pennsylvania. He organized and opened the institution, and presided over it for ten years, leaving a fine property and a school of about four hundred students. During the years that he had charge of the Seminary, he preached as often as any of the stationed preachers, traveling over the country in his own conveyance for nearly a hundred miles in every direction.
In 1858, he was stationed at Lewisburg, Pennsyl- vania, and at the end of one year was called to the
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Presidency of Indiana Asbury University, where he re- mained until elected by the General Conference of 1872 to the responsible position of Bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
Although most of his life has been given to the work of Christian education, it formed no part of Bishop Bow- man's plan of life when he entered the ministry. The pastoral work has always been his delight, and, left to his own choice, that would have been his chosen field of labor; but when he consecrated his life to God and the Church, he determined to do whatever work the Church might call him to do, to do it cheerfully and to the utmost of his ability. Bishop Bowman's willingness to work, and his ability to work well, have caused him to lead a very busy life. While in Dickinson Seminary, he did the work of nearly three men, acting as principal, agent, and steward, averaging from seven to nine hours a day.
His special sermons, lectures, and platform addresses, while they have been models as to matter and style, have been so numerous as to seem to leave but little leisure for the performance of other duties, while they, in fact, have not been taken into the account as any part of his regular work.
More than forty men are now in the active work of the ministry who were under his care and instruction while at Dickinson Seminary, besides those who have gone out from the halls of Asbury University since he assumed the Presidency of that institution. Without . his knowledge, in 1864, Bishop Bowman was elected Chaplain to the United States Senate, which place he filled during one session of Congress. The General Conference of 1864 appointed him a co-delegate with Bishop Janes to the Wesleyan Conference, of Great Britain.
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In 1859, he received the degree of Doctor of Divinity.
Bishop' Bowman's scholarship is thorough, and his career as an educator has been a brilliant one. But, after all, he has been distinguished through life as a preacher. His sermons give proof of having been care- fully thought through; but they are never written. The bishop uses no notes in the pulpit. His style is per- spicuous, his ideas are never involved, and his hearers are never in doubt about his meaning. His manner is easy and natural, and at the same time earnest and often impassioned. Ripe in Christian experience, and rejoic- ing in the assurance of faith, he leads his hearers to contemplate, and often to experience, the freeness and fullness of a present salvation. The power of faith and the joy of salvation are exhibited in his own experience, and glow in all his sermons.
While Bishop Bowman's life has been largely devoted to literary pursuits, and much of it spent in literary so- ciety, there is no ostentatious display of learning, either in his conversation or his sermons. Few men have as many elements of personal popularity as Bishop Bowman. He is eminently social, and his conversational powers are of the first order. He is so genial and full of sunshine, so hopeful and brave, that his personal presence is felt to be a blessing. His personal popularity, combined with his superior ability as a platform and pulpit orator, cause him to be called on frequently in the dedication of churches, and on occasions where large sums of money are to be raised'; and on such occasions the expectations of his friends are never disappointed. Few men, in any part of the connection, were called on as frequently, or invited to go as far, to dedicate churches, as was Dr. Bowman, during the ten years immediately preceding
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his election to the episcopacy ; and few, if any, raised as much money for Church enterprises during that time as he did. Among his first efforts of this kind, after his election to the episcopacy, was in Roberts Park Church, Indianapolis, where he made an appeal to the congrega- tion for a subscription to complete their new church, and the response was a subscription of about thirty-eight thousand dollars. The pastor, Rev. J. H. Bayliss, had prepared the way by a sermon on the preceding Sab- bath, and co-operated efficiently in securing the contri- bution, which, taken all together, was one of unprece- dented liberality.
As President of the University, Bishop Bowman was eminently successful. His influence over the young men was almost unbounded. He governed without seeming to do it. There was no display of authority, and yet obedience was promptly secured. The students loved him as a father, and confided in him as a friend. Many a poor young man has been encouraged by him to secure a good education, who, but for his counsel and the inspiration of his hopefulness, would have given up in despair.
The Church has much to hope from Bishop Bowman as one of her chief pastors. And the Methodists of Indiana have only to regret that his residence is removed from among us, and the position that he has so efficiently filled, as President of our chief institution of learning, will have to be filled by another.
Bishop Bowman has hitherto led too active a life to allow him much leisure for the use of his pen. It is to be hoped that, in his present position he will be able to give to the Church, in a permanent form, much that has fallen from his lips in eloquent appeals and in per- spicuous and convincing argument. With our present
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episcopal force, the Church has a right to expect the literary labors, as well as the preaching and executive functions, of her bishops, and that our literature shall be enriched by the contributions of their pens, as well as guided to greater efficiency by the wisdom of their counsels and the inspiration of their zeal.
THE END.
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