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 9
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An amusing fact, worth relating, occurred in connec- tion with the visit of Ames and Smith to this camp- meeting. Smith was agent for the college, and Ames for the Preachers' Aid Society. They left Rushville in com- pany, en route for the camp-meeting. They had pro- cured the names of a number of well-to-do farmers, upon
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whom they proposed to call, on behalf of their respective agencies, on their way to the camp-meeting, each alter- nately having the right, according to private agreement, to make the first application.
Their first call was on a Pennsylvania German, resid- ing near the village of Burlington. Smith made the first presentation of his cause, showing the advantages of ed- ucation, and the importance, both to the Church and State, of founding a Christian university. The old gen- tleman heard him patiently through, and then informed him that he did not believe in college learning. In his opinion it made young men proud and lazy ; and being unwilling to work, they would live by cheating their neighbors. Upon the whole, he regarded colleges as rather dangerous institutions, and would give nothing toward founding a college in Indiana. Smith . having failed to secure a donation to his enterprise, it was Ames's turn to present his cause. He informed the old gentle- man that he was an agent for a very different object; that the preachers, who had planted Churches all through our country, and were really laying the foundations of our Christian civilization, giving security to our homes, and increased value to our property, as well as leading sin- ners to God, and carrying the consolations of religion to the sorrowing and afflicted, were generally poor men. Their severe labors and exposures either brought them to early graves, leaving their families unprovided for, or left them, in the evening of life, so broken down in health as to be unable, by their personal exertions, to secure an adequate support; that the Church and the country owed these men and their families a debt of gratitude that could never be fully paid; that he was agent for a Society called " The Preachers' Aid Society of the Meth- odist Church," the object of which was to raise a fund to
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aid in supporting the broken-down or worn-out preachers and ' their families, and of aiding such as did not get a support from their circuits. The old man listened attent- ively, and when Mr. Ames was done, he said, "I be- lieves in your agency." Mr. Ames explained to him that ten dollars would constitute a person a life member of the Society. Said he, "I takes three life memberships in the Society-one for myself, one for my wife, and one for my daughter." He gave his notes, payable in a short time; and when the preacher came around, he requested that preaching be removed to his house, because it was larger; "and," said he, " I want you to put my name and my wife's name and my daughter's name on the class- book; for I bought three life memberships in the Church, of Mr. Ames, and we all want to belong to Church !" Of course their names were put on the class-paper. The old gentleman paid his notes in due time, and, what is better, he and his wife and daughter made good life members in the Church.
In October, 1837, the Indiana Conference met in New Albany, Bishop Soule presiding. There were reported to this Conference, 31,058 members in the Church in In- diana, being an increase, during the year, of 3,138. There were seventy-nine pastoral charges, divided into eight presiding elders' districts, to wit :
Madison District-E. G. Wood, Presiding Elder. Charlestown District-C. W. Ruter, Presiding Elder. Indianapolis District-Augustus Eddy, Presiding Elder. Bloomington District-Henry Talbott, Presiding Elder. Vincennes District-John Miller, Presiding Elder. Crawfordsville District-Allen Wiley, Presiding Elder. Laporte District-Richard Hargrave, Presiding Elder. Centerville District-David Stiver, Presiding Elder.
E. R. Ames was transferred to Missouri Conference, and stationed in St. Louis. William M. Daily and John
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A. Brouse were appointed agents for Indiana Asbury University, and James Havens agent for the Preachers' Aid Society. Ames had a severe attack of fever in St. Louis, and at the end of the Conference year was trans- ferred back to Indiana Conference, and the ensuing year was stationed in Madison, Indiana. Wiley remained but one year on Crawfordsville District, his health having suffered very seriously ; and at the ensuing Conference, he was stationed in Indianapolis. Most of the preachers from the eastern part of the state had gone to the Confer- ence, in New Albany, in 1837, by the way of the Ohio River. In returning from the Conference, there were some forty or fifty preachers on board the mail-boat, Gen- eral Pike, bound from Louisville to Cincinnati, among whom was Bishop Soule.
The "Fall races " had by that time just closed at Louisville, and a large number of sporting gentlemen, vulgarly called gamblers, were on the boat, bound for Cincinnati and other points along the river. The boat left the wharf at Louisville a little before noon. As soon as dinner was over, the gamblers took possession of the gentlemen's cabin, which was soon lined with card-tables, plentifully supplied with cards and liquor; and a scene of profanity and drunkenness began, that was remarkable for a steam-boat, even in that day. It seemed as though the lower regions had emptied some of their worst speci- mens into that company. Bacchanalian songs and coarse jests, interspersed with a great deal of profanity, filled the entire room. The bishop became excited ; he arose, and walked from one end of the cabin to the other, closely surveying the scene. It was one of the cases in which open reproof would have caused strife, and per- haps led to serious results. Speaking in a loud voice, that all the preachers might hear him, the bishop said,.
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"Brethren, can not we sing too?" The preachers gathered together in a group, and commenced singing lustily :
"Jesus, the name high over all, In hell, or earth, or sky; Angels and men before it fall, And devils fear and fly."
The gamblers paused, listened, and looked astonished. One by one, they began to leave the card-tables, and re- tire to their state-rooms, or get out on the deck of the boat; and by the time the preachers had sung two or three hymns, there was not a pack of cards to be seen anywhere about; the card-tables were shoved back, and cards and brandy-bottles and gamblers had all disap- peared; and, during the afternoon and evening, the com- pany, though large, was as quiet and agreeable as any one could have desired.
George Randle located in 1831. He was an English- man by birth. Came to this country as a preacher. In 1829, he had traveled Madison Circuit, and, in 1830, Vevay Circuit. Having married a Miss Eubank, con- trary to the wishes of her friends, and the alienation increasing, rather than being cured, after the marriage, her father's friends, thinking that the Conference dealt too leniently with Mr. Randle, withdrew from the Church with the "Radical Secession," as it was called, and took two societies in the north part of Dearborn County, including two stone churches, the titles to which had not been properly vested in the Church. The Conference located Mr. Randle in 1831, and in the unfortunate trouble neither of the parties seemed to be satisfied with the action of the Church-doubtless be- ·cause they were impelled in their actions by passion, that was not shared by those who were called to pass judgment in their case. Mr. Randle settled in the
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southern part of Dearborn County, accumulated a fine property, and raised a large and respectable family. He left the Church shortly after his location, and never reunited with it, although his family belonged to the Church, and he attended its ministry.
In 1833, John A. Decker and Wm. Evans located.
In 1834, Samuel Brenton, Eli P. Farmer, Asa Beck, and James Scott located. Samuel Brenton will be no- ticed more especially in connection with the Methodist educators in Indiana. Eli P. Farmer traveled a num- ber of years in the Indiana Conference, either as a sup- ply, under the employment of a presiding elder, or as a member of the Conference. He was an earnest and ready talker, but a rough, uncultured man. After his location he withdrew from the Church, but continued to preach.
Asa Beck was for many years a laborious circuit preacher, and, owing to feeble health, sometimes super- numerary, sometimes superannuated, sometimes effective, and sometimes located; but in whatever relation he sus- tained to the Church, he maintained the true character of a Christian minister.
James Scott was a man of marked individuality. He was a man of small stature, quick in all his move- ments, well read in dogmatic theology, rather fond of controversy in his earlier days. He had a keen, incis- ive mind, that could cut a knotty question right through the core. And when he had closed a conclusive argu- ment with one of his peculiarly culminating sentences, he would pause and look keenly at his hearers, while his countenance wore a self-satisfied expression-as much as to say, "Do you see the force of that ?" And, if they were intelligent hearers, they generally did see the force of it.
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In 1835, Thomas S. Hitt and Isaac N. Ellsbury lo- cated. They were both of them good men and true, eminently useful as itinerants ; and their usefulness con- tinued after their location.
In 1836, there were seven locations, namely: L. D. Smith, John I. Johnson, Robert Burns, Joseph Oglesby, Zachariah Gaines, Wm. D. Watson, and James V. Wat- son. Three of these, Burns, Oglesby, and James V. Watson, were well known throughout the state. Robert Burns was a zealous and successful preacher, and, al- though never occupying what might be regarded as the more prominent appointments, he was eminently useful. Oglesby entered the itinerancy in the old Western Con- ference, before the organization of the work in Missouri, Illinois or Indiana. He traveled for many years, and did a great deal of hard frontier work. He studied medicine, and had some skill as a practitioner. He served awhile as presiding elder. In doctrine he was supposed to lean toward Pelagianism. He located be- cause of some reflections upon his opinions or his utter- ances by the Conference; but, in view of his long and · faithful services, and of his undoubted Christian char- acter, in a few years the Conference placed his name on the superannuated list, where it remained till the close of his life. James V. Watson located in consequence of ill-health, but re-entered the Conference again, and, at its session in Lawrenceburg, in 1839, was sent to White Pigeon, in Michigan-one district of the Indiana Conference being included in the territory of Michigan. When the appointment was read out, Watson sprang up on a bench and called out, "Where is White Pigeon ? Who can tell me any thing about my White Pigeon ?" It was a name he had never heard, and of its location he knew nothing. But Watson found his White Pigeon,
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and lived to make an impression upon the Church that will not soon be forgotten. He founded a paper, by his own exertions, that grew into the North-western Chris- tian Advocate, of which he was the popular and talented editor at the time of his death. Watson was the victim of asthma for many years, and was a great sufferer; but he accomplished what few men of robust health would have thought possible. He was a close student, a re- markably eloquent preacher, and a forcible and per- spicuous writer. Besides editing the North-western, he was the author of a book of sketches and essays, called "Tales and Takings," and a work on "Revivals of Re- ligion." He participated in two sessions of the General Conference.
At the session of the Conference in New Albany, in 1837, William H. Goode was appointed principal of New Albany Seminary. That was the first literary institu- tion under the care of the Indiana Conference, and Will- iam H. Goode was our pioneer educator. In the month of May, 1837, Mr. Goode was elected principal of New Albany Seminary, upon the resignation of Philander Ru- ter, A. M. By the act of the presiding elder, Rev. C. W. Ruter, who was also President of the Board of Trust- ees, Mr. Goode was authorized to accept, his place being supplied on Lexington Circuit. The Seminary was in a flourishing condition, with about two hundred students, two male and two female teachers, and had comfortable buildings, for that day, though somewhat embarrassed by debt. In addition to the charge of the Seminary, Mr. Goode was expected to labor jointly with the pastor in New Albany Station. Near the close of the Conference year, Mr. Goode resigned the charge of the Seminary, that he might re-enter the pastoral work; and was suc- ceeded in the Seminary by George Harrison. A. M., who
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continued in charge of the Seminary for several years. The entire charge of the station devolved on Mr. Goode, after his resignation of the charge of the Seminary, until the ensuing Conference.
Among the founders of this early institution were the names of Ruter, Wiley, Sinex, Leonard, Brown, Downey, Robison, Evans, Stoy, Childs, Conner, and Seabrook. It was an early, earnest, and, in itself, a successful effort; though, like most of our early enterprises, in the absence of precedents and experience, some errors were commit- ted which proved fatal to its continuance. Still, it ac- complished great good, and is now represented in the act- ive departments of life by many men and women, in New Albany and elsewhere, that are ornaments to the Church. One single class of six boys gave to the Church the names of Charles Downey, John W. Locke, Thomas H. Sinex, and George B. Jocelyn. The germ of educational enterprise thus early developed has never been lost, but has culminated in the present highly prosperous condition of our educational work, not only in New Albany, but throughout the state.
In October, 1838, the Indiana Conference held its session in Rockville. Among the appointments made at this Conference, are : Indiana Asbury University- C. Nutt, J. W. Weakley, Professors; Samuel C. Cooper and Zachariah Gaines, Agents. At this Conference, L. D. Smith, Boyd Phelps, Stephen R. Ball, Henry Van Order, and William B. Ross were granted locations. They were efficient preachers ; but while some were com- pelled to retire for the want of an adequate support, and others from impaired health, God raised up others to take their places, and to meet the demands of the rapidly ex- tending work. Thirty-two young men were admitted on trial at this Conference.
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The sessions of those early conferences were not only seasons of great interest to the preachers, but the jour- ney to and from the conference was, to many of them, an important affair. The whole state being in one con- ference, and the chief mode of travel being by horse- back, it of course took a number of days to make the journey from the more remote portions of the state.
At the session of the Conference in Rockville, in 1838, the preachers along the Ohio River had to go clear across the state on horseback. Enoch G. Wood, who was then presiding elder on Madison District, and F. C. Holliday, who was stationed in Rising Sun, made the journey to Conference in company, from Indianapolis. Wood came from Madison to Indianapolis, and Holliday went from Rising Sun to Brookville, in one day; the next day, to Centerville ; the next, to Knightstown; and the next, to Indianapolis. Wood and Holliday started from Indianapolis on Saturday morning, and reached Dan- ville, in Hendricks County, for dinner, where Wood was taken unwell, and they remained over until Monday, Holliday preaching twice in the court-house on Sunday. Resuming their journey on Monday morning, they reached Greencastle for dinner.
Late in the afternoon, having traveled some distance without seeing a house, and coming across a double log- cabin, and fearing that it might be their only chance, they applied for entertainment for the night. The good woman said her husband was absent to mill, but would be home by dark, and they could stay. During the night there was a tremendous racket in the door-yard, and a severe contest with the farmer's dog, assisted by his master, and what the preachers supposed was some wild animal. They thought of going out and seeing what was the matter, but not being called by the man
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of the house, and, withal, being tired from their journey, they concluded not to turn out. In the morning the man of the house expressed regret at the disturbance during the night, and feared that their slumbers had been interrupted. Upon inquiry it was ascertained that a large bear had got into the yard, had climbed into the hog-pen, and was trying to carry off one of the hogs. With the help of his dog, the man had saved his hogs, but the bear had escaped. The preachers regretted deeply that they had not been called to his assistance, as the capture of a bear on the way to Conference would have been a romantic incident.
In 1839, the Indiana Conference met in Lawrence- burg, Bishop Roberts presiding, assisted during a part of the session by Bishop Morris.
In October, 1840, the Indiana Conference met in In- dianapolis, Bishop Soule presiding. The Conference now numbered one hundred and fifty-three traveling preachers, four hundred and eighteen local preachers, and included 52,626 communicants; being an increase in the membership during the year of 9,116 members.
This year our first German mission was established in Indiana, called Indiana German Mission, and John Kisling and M. J. Hofer were the missionaries. It is interesting to trace the progress of the Church from small beginnings to respectable proportions, not only in numbers, but to note its progress in liberality. We take the contributions to the missionary cause as an example. In 1835, the contributions for missions amounted to $528.50; in 1840, to $1,474.92.
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CHAPTER VII.
From 1841 to 1856-Indiana Conference in 1841-George K. Hester- Thomas Gunn-Isaac Kelso-Indiana Conference in 1842-E. W. Sehon and Edmund S. Janes address the Conference-Indiana Conference in 1843-General Conference in 1844-Indiana Dele- gates-Indiana Conference divided into two Conferences-Indiana Conference in 1844-John A. Decker-Ebenezer Patrick-North Indiana Conference in 1845-Peter R. Guthrie and Daniel S. Elder- Growth of Methodism from 1832 to 1843-Division of the State into four Conferences-Benjamin T. Griffith-Walter Prescott- James E. Tiffany-Wm. C. Hensley-Francis F. Sheldon-Emmons Rutledge-Isaac Crawford-Hosier J. Durbin-Isaac Owen-His Life and Labors-Calvin W. Ruter-His Character and Services- James Jones-Seth Smith-Geo. M. Beswick-John H. Bruce- Statistics for 1856-The early Circuit System-Results of relin- quishing Week-day Preaching-Effect of Building Churches too close together in the Country.
TN 1841, the Indiana Conference held its session in Terre Haute. Twenty-five young men were admitted on trial, and three located, namely : George K. Hester, Thomas Gunn, and Isaac Kelso. George K. Hester, be- sides giving a number of the best years of his life to the itinerancy, has given three talented and educated sons to the same work, namely: F. A. Hester, Wm. M'K. Hester, and Milton Addison Hester-the latter of whom fell a victim to the cholera while stationed in St. Louis, in 1850. Thomas Gunn was a faithful minister, whose labors were blessed in the building up of the Church; but impaired health induced him to ask for a location. Isaac Kelso was a man of feeble health, and of some eccentricity of character. After his loca- tion, he preached some for the Christians, or Campbell-
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ites, and awhile for the Universalists. He wrote a romance called "Danger in the Dark," directed against Jesuitism in particular and the Papacy in general. The volume was published just as the "Know-Nothings," as a political organization, were exerting a great influence in the Western States; and, although there was no con- nection between that movement and his book, the former helped to sell the latter. But in a short time both the author and the book seemed to be forgotten.
In October, 1842, the Indiana Conference held its session in Centerville, Wayne County. Thirty-one preachers were admitted on trial. E. W. Sehon and Edmund S. Janes visited this Conference as secretaries of the American Bible Society. They each had a high reputation, both as able preachers and eloquent platform speakers, and both addressed the Conference on the claims of the Bible cause. Sehon made the first ad- dress, and fairly captivated the congregation with his eloquence. When Mr. Janes arose to follow him, after a few very pertinent introductory remarks, he seemed to become strangely embarrassed, and, after struggling along for a few minutes, he paused, and, looking over the congregation, said : "Brethren, my position to-day re- minds me of an incident in connection with one of Na- poleon's generals at the battle of Waterloo. One general accosted another, who, all pale with fear, was, neverthe- less, rallying his troops, with the remark : 'General, you are scared !' 'Yes,' said he, 'I know I am scared; and if you were half as badly scared as I am, you would run; but I mean to stand and fight it out.' I am scared," said Mr. Janes, "but I mean to make a speech." That broke the spell; and Mr. Janes made such a speech, both for argument and eloquence, as but few men could deliver.
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In October, 1843, the Conference held its session in Crawfordsville, Bishop Andrew presiding. Thirty-one preachers were admitted on trial, and two located; namely, Thomas Spillman and John Richey.
In May, 1844, the General Conference convened in the city of New York. The delegates from Indiana Con- ference were : Matthew Simpson, Allen Wiley, E. R. Ames, John Miller, C. W. Ruter, Aaron Wood, Augustus Eddy, and James Havens. At this General Conference the state of Indiana was divided into two conferences- that part of the state lying south of the National Road retaining the name of Indiana Conference, and that part of the state lying north of the National Road was called North Indiana Conference. The Indiana Conference held its session in Bloomington, October, 1844, and North Indiana Conference held its session the same Fall in Fort Wayne.
The Indiana Conference contained, as reported at its session in Bloomington, October, 1844, traveling preach- ers, 105, and 35,971 members. The North Indiana Con- ference included 101 traveling preachers, and 27,563 members. In Indiana Conference, two members had died : John A. Decker and Ebenezer Patrick. Decker was a native of Tennessee; came to Indiana with his parents when a boy, and was converted at the age of eighteen. He was licensed to preach in the Fall of 1828, and in the Fall of 1829 was received on trial in the Illinois Con- ference. From this time he continued to travel until the time of his death, with the exception of some five or six years, during which, in consequence of impaired health, he sustained a local relation. He died on the 25th of October, 1843. Ebenezer Patrick died on the 16th of August, 1844. Mr. Patrick was a native of Vermont. He was admitted into the Indiana Conference
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in 1835, and continued a faithful and useful minister to the close of life. In a fit of delirium, caused by fever, he seized a razor and cut his own throat.
September, 1845, the North Indiana Conference held its session in Lafayette. Burroughs Westlake and Zach- ariah Gaines had died during the year. Westlake was a man of ability. He was received into the Ohio Confer- ence in 1814. The last nine years of his ministry were spent in Indiana. Mr. Gaines was a native of Virginia. He was admitted into the Ohio Conference in 1832, and the same year transferred to Indiana. In 1836, under the pressure of pecuniary embarrassment, he located; but in 1838, he re-entered the itinerancy, where he la- bored till the close of life.
In October, 1845, the Indiana Conference held its session in the city of Madison. Peter R. Guthrie and Daniel S. Elder had died during the year. They were both of them young men of ability and promise. Mr. Guthrie entered the ministry in 1839, and Mr. Elder in 1840. Their ministerial career was brief, yet they gath- ered not a few sheaves for the heavenly garner, and fin- ished their course with joy ; witnessing a good confession in death, as they had done in life.
The growth of the Church was constant from 1832 to 1843, having increased in that time from 20,035 to 67,976; and from 1838 to 1843 its increase was almost unparalleled, being, in five years, 32,716.
In 1852, the state was divided into four Conferences, called Indiana, South-eastern Indiana, North Indiana, and North-west Indiana Conferences. The numbers for that year stood as follows: Indiana Conference, 25,412 mem- bers, and 84 traveling preachers; North Indiana Confer- ence, 16,747 members, and 72 traveling preachers ; North-west Indiana Conference, 19,729 members, and 78
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