USA > Kansas > A history of Methodism in northwest Kansas > Part 29
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During Van Gundy's pastorate a very successful revival was held at the Maeville Church during which there were 30 conversions and 25 accessions to the church. Following A. H. Montgomery the following persons have superintended the Maeville Sunday School.
Maeville Church.
This church now a point on the Scottsville work was organized in 1893 by W. B. Keeley with persons who had been members of Old Highland, a stone church two and one-half miles west of Maeville and others who had belonged at the Range Line school house, two miles south of Maeville, some of the mem- bers were A. Wilson and wife, A. S. Wilson and wife, G. W. Lasley, Sr. and wife, Mandred Cline and wife, W. H. Riley and wife, Windfield Luft, A. H. Montgom- ery and wife, A. F. Macy and wife, Chas. Key and wife, Thos. Vass and wife, Mrs. Mary E. Moore, Stewart Key and wife, R. J. Wilson and wife, Erving Key and wife, Jas. Key and wife.
The services were held for a time at the home of G. W. Macy on the present site of Macyville. A Sun- day School was organized here and a United Breth- ren preacher held services.
The present church building was erected that year. The first board of trustees were: A. H. Mont- gomery, A. S. Wilson, G. W. Lasley, Thos. Vass, R. J. Wilson, Winfield, Lust and Mandred Cline.
Thos. Vass was the class leader. He held the of- fice many years; passed to his reward December 18, 1915 aged 82.
The first stewards were A. H. Montgomery and A. S. Wilson.
The class was then a part of the Jamestown Cir-
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cuit and so remained till 1906 when it was attached to the Scottsville. Erving Key, Jas. Key, Mrs. M. E. Moore, Laura Macy, A. F. Macy, Al. Moore, Harry Moore, Harry Riley.
An Epworth League was organized sometime in the 90's but it was shortlived. Another was organ- ized in March 1914, with Harry Riley president and Nolan Cline secretary-treasurer; it still flourishes, Ruby Ceder is president and Gladis Montgomery secretary. There are forty members.
A Ladies' Aid Society was organized in 1893 with 15 members. Mrs. Mince Wilson president and she holds the office in 1916. Others who have been presi- dent are Clara Macy, Laura Key, Huldah Taylor, Laura Macy and Susan Ledbetter. There are 30 members.
The statistics of the charge are: Church property, 2 churches, $4000; parsonage, $1000; full members, 111; Prob's., 12; expenses, $146; support pastor, $875; D. S., 58; bishop, $14; C. C's., $37; Benev. F. Ms., $20; H. Ms., $10; total benevolence, $363; 2 S. S. O's. & T's., 32; Enrl., 214; Av., 105; Exp., $130; Ep. 2 Sr., 62.
Smith Center.
Smith Center was the first point in this part of the state, to be favored with a Conference man, as their first pastor. The gospel had been preached but it has been done by local talent. Until April 1873, there had been but one Conference in Kansas. That year it held its session in Ottawa Franklin County; and by Conference action the state was divided into two Conferences, the Kansas and the South Kansas. Bishop Thomas Bowman presided. In the adjust- ment of the appointments, Rev. J. C. Dana, a cul- tured gentlemen and a good preacher, was appoint- ed at Smith Center.
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He says of the charge: "This was the farthest point west in the state to which any member of the Conference had been appointed up to that time. Earlier than that some active local preachers had been on the ground preparing the way. The follow- ing persons constituted the class which he organized : James Walker leader, Mary Walker, J. T. Duckworth, local preacher, D. E. Walker, Mrs. Nancy Hasker, Mrs. Nancy Robinson, Mary Zinn, William Andrews, Hattie Andrews, Levi Reed, Stewart Hite.
Steward.
The circuit organized and served by the pastor was consisted of the following appointments, Smith Center, Cedarville, Kirwin, Gaylord and East Beaver. The first Quarterly Conference was held at Smith Center June 15, 1873. The pastor's report follows : "As this is the first Quarterly Conference of the M. E. Church ever held on this charge, I take pleasure in presenting the following items.
Appointed by Bishop Thomas Bowman to this charge on April 2, 1873. I came as promptly as cir- cumstances would permit, and after a journey of 230 miles by buggy I reached the circuit on Saturday May third.
The next day I preached at Cedarville and at Kirwin. There are now classes formed at these two points also at Smith Center, Gaylord and East Bea- ver." Signed J. C. Dana pastor. Dana was return- ed to the charge for another year 1874, it continued to be served, as follows: '75, L. M. Burnett; '76, Smith Center was left to be supplied; '77-79, J. Boy- court; '80, E. H. Fleisher; '81-3, H. G. Miller ; '84-5, W. J. Meredith; '86-88, W. R. Allen; '89-91, R. A. Hoffman. Up to this pastorate no facts were glean- ed from the Central, but Brother Hoffman thought it worth while to report quite a few items. April 2,
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'90 he had received 12 by certificate and 21 into full membership.
The church and parsonage had been improved to the value of $160, and the Ladies' Aid had raised $100 with which a barn had been built and some im- provement made on the church. In March 1891 a 24 days' meeting had been held which closed with a quarterly meeting service. Sixteen had been convert- ed and joined the church. Fleisher, Pierce and Mor- ton assisted in the services. The deficiency in the pastor's salary had been provided for.
In March '92 Mrs. Hoffman was recovering from a severe illness. The pastor had received 60 from probation in a three years' pastorate and baptized 50. In May the church was not harmonious but were praying for a revival. Prayer and class meeting were good, and the S. S. had a growing interest in Missions.
In October '97 Fleisher had received 15 into the church since Conference. Miss Livermore sailed for India in November of that year.
In December 1902 W. J. Meredith held a good re- vival with the assistance of A. H. Shelton.
U. S. Brown was pastor from 1903 to 1906. In February, 1904 he reported three weeks' revival with the assistance of M. J. Mumford of Glen Elder in which 19 were converted and 13 joined the church. In March 1904 the pastor and C. W. Woynant, the D. S. held a meeting less than three weeks and 27 were received into the church on Sunday morning.
In 1907 H. M. Templin pastor. Five churches united in a service in charge of W. E. Biederworfle. The tent used would seat 2000 people and the congre- gations ranged from one to two thousand. The meeting held three weeks and 600 people confessed Christ, 140 joined the M. E. Church. Templin re- mained on the charge till 1910 when he was succeed-
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ed by L. O. Housel who held Smith Center till 1913, when J. O. Burton became pastor. He reported that in October, their brotherhood gave the first banquet. Sixty-four were present. The S. S. and League were flourishing. Burton held the charge till 1915 when he was succeed by L. C. Cutler who is still pastor and kindly favored the historian with the names of the present.
Official board: D. H. Hildebrand, H. G. Moberly, H. W. Mackey, E. E. Matson, C. S. Buchanan, Frank Cole, Dr. V. E. Watts, Charles Cameron, D. N. Kirk- endall, Asa Tucker and Newton Morrison; S. Shine- man, Epworth League president; Prof. Wm. McMul- len, S. S. Supt .; Mrs. Thomas Cameron, president Ladies Aid; Mrs. Edith Gilson, W. F. M. S.
Statistics for 1917 give the following report: Church, $12,000; parsonage, $35,000; full members, 347; Prep., 15; current expense, $350; pastor, $1600; D. S., $104; bishops, $26; C. C., $65; F. Ms., $226; H. Ms., $148; Gd. total, $448 ; S. S. O's. & T's., 27; Enrl., 337; average, 160; expense, $160; Ep. L. Sr., 40.
Star and Brown's Creek.
This charge appears under this double name for the first time in the Minutes of this year, 1917. Whether the two appointments have been so associ- ated previously, is not known. Star is a country church a few miles from Jewell which, in 1914 was given as a charge; but two churches were reported; and in the report gave a very creditable account of itself. There were 182 full members and 155 senior members of the League. They paid their pastor $800, the D. S. $64, the bishops $14 and Conference claimants $40. Contributed $46 for Foreign Mis- sions and $32 for Home Missions. There were two Sunday Schools with 36 officers and teachers and en- rollment of 295, and average attendance of 120. The
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Sunday Schools alone gave $44 for Missions. All things considered it seems highly probable that these are the banner schools of the Conference.
There are two churches which are valued at $4,- 500. There is no parsonage. The pastors who have served these churches were 1914-15, W. A. Pierce; '16-17, Thomas Miller.
The statistics for 1917 report 2 churches $4500, current expenses $60, members 120, supply pastor $850, D. S. $64, bishop $13, Conference Cls. $40, F. Ms. $79, H. Ms. $28, Gd. total $408, 2 S. S's. O's. & T's. 40, Enrl. 290, Av. 170, Exp. $110, Ep. L. Srs. 81, W. H. Ms. $18.
Wayne.
The society known at the present time as the Wayne M. E. Church, was organized in 1866 by Rev. R. P. West, the faithful local preacher who organized so many churches in this part of the country. At the time of organization the class worshipped in a log school house, dirt floor and roof, which stood one mile south of Wayne, in the S. W. corner of property now owned by the Wayne Union Cemetery. This was used until 1871.
Rev. Edwin R. Brown, the first regular pastor, came to the work in 1869. He remained for three years. During the last year of his ministry, 1871, the society built a church. This was chartered in 1876, under the name of "The Methodist Episcopal Church of Fairview." The lumber for the building was hauled from Waterville, a distance of forty miles, and the pastor helped to haul it. The church was not completed in '71, however, but was merely enclosed. It was finished and dedicated under the pastorate of Rev. T. B. Gray, who came to the work in 1873.
The Fairview Church was the first of any denomi-
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nation to be built in Republic county. It is still stand- ing (1918) being now used as a barn. It was aban- doned about the year 1885 or 1886, at which time the Evangelical Association of North America came in and built a church nearer to the present town of Wayne. The Methodists of the community contrib- uted to the building of this, with the understanding that they should use it jointly with the members of the Evangelical Association, and while it was dedi- cated as an Evangelical Church, this arrangement was effectively and harmoniously carried out. The decreasing membership of the Evangelical Society made it necessary to dispose of their rights in the building and it was purchased by the Methodists in 1897.
The society was officially known as the M. E. Church of Fairview until 1915, when, the name of the town having been changed some years before from Fairview to Wayne, and the original charter having expired, a renewal of the charter was secured under the name of the Wayne M. E. Church.
Until the organization of the Northwest Kansas Conference (1883), the society was a part of the Kansas Conference. It has also had a changing his- tory in its relationship with other societies, being at first connected with what was known as the Clyde Circuit, later the Belleville Circuit, Seapo Circuit, and finally the Hollis and Wayne Circuit. It remained a part of this circuit until the spring of 1915, when, under the pastorate of Rev. B. H. Horton, who had served the circuit for six months preceeding, it be- came a station.
This sketch has been prepared with almost no' records on which to base it. Many interesting items might have been added but for the fact that the ac- curacy of fact or date could not be verified by the writer. He has set down only such as there is little
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or no doubt concerning. As a result of not having an accurate record, it is necessary to omit the names of ministers serving the work from 1872 to 1880. This is due to the fact that the writer cannot ascer- tain with what circuit this work was connected during these years. Except for these years the names are as follows: List of ministers serving the Wayne M. E. Church, and the first board of Trustees: E. R. Brown, 1869-71; E. C. Chilson, 1872 (probably re- mained 3 years) ; E. R. Price, 1880-81; W. H. Wil- liams, '82-84; W. A. Matson, '85; G. H. Cheney, '86- 87; A. J. Markley, '88-Sept. '90; F. D. Funk, '90-92; E. H. Bailiff, '93-94; J. M. Miller, '95; J. H. Laird, '96-99; Grant Mann, 1900-Sept. '02; W. C. Brayman, '02; W. A. Phillipe, '03-04; M. G. Terry, '05-06; C. M. Corrie, '07-08; J. M. Barnes, '09 (English Lu- theran minister) ; B. Turrentine, '10; J. A. Templin, '11-13; C. R. Carlin, '14-Sept. same year ; B. H. Hor- ton, '14-15.
Charter board of trustees: Noah Kunkle, Hiram Roszell, J. M. Campbell, C. A. Campbell, Philo P. Way, David Lawrence, C. B. Williamson, Isaac Cor- bett, Isaac Walton.
(Sketch written by Bertram H. Horton, pastor Wayne M. E. Church.)
Statistics : Church, $2000; members, 89; Prep., 5; pastor, $800; D. S., $64; bishops, $14; C. C's., $40; F. Ms., $20; H. Ms., $10; Gd. total, $372; S. S. O's. & T's., 17; Enrl., 216; Av., 81; Exp., $110; Ep. L. Sr., 54; Jr., 26.
Webber.
This is one of the older charges in the northeast part of the Conference. It was at first in the Con- curdia District. E. P. Michener was the presiding elder and Isaac Booth was pastor. He was appoint- ed in 1892 and served two years. In 1893 a church
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was built costing $1600, which was all paid that year. Forty members and two probationers were re- ported, and one Sunday School with 45 scholars. In 1898, a second church was built. The two were val- ued at $3000. In 1900 a parsonage was reported worth $600.
The following pastors served the charge: '92-3, I. Booth; '94, W. B. Keeley; '95, M. J. Bailey; '96, A. D. Wright; '97-8, Jas. Flowers; '99-01, C. W. Ste- vens; '02, J. B. Morris; '03, I. L. Mckean; '04, W. K. Harris; '05, C. H. Cowman; '06, C. M. C. Thompson; '07-8, J. K. Hunter; '09-10, E. H. Wilson; '11-15, R. E. Morgan; '16, C. R. Wade; '17, Mark E. Smith.
In 1915 the pastor, R. E. Morgan, made a thor- ough canvass of the charge for the Advocate, and put 63 Centrals in the homes, which was more than double the number of families in the charge.
In 1904 a second church was reported the two be- ing valued at $3100. In 1907 they were improved bringing the valuation to $4450. In 1909 they were farther improved increasing the value $1000. The parsonage was also improved that year bringing its value to $1000. The two points which constitute the charge are Webber and Henderson. The pastor re- ceives $900, each church paying the same amount.
The two churches have a membership of 96 and the Sunday Schools have an enrollment of 151 with an average attendance of 82. They paid last year on benevolences $119 and a grand total of $465. The historian would be glad to report what each church did but not having received the figures he is unable to do it.
Statistics for 1917: 2 churches, $5100; parson- age, $1000; members, 96; pastor, $900; D. S., $72; bishops, $16; expense, $70; C. C's., $45; F. Ms., $35; H. Ms., $30; Gd., Total, $465; 2 S. S's. O's. & T's., $27; Enrl., 151; Av., 82; Ep. L. Sr., 10.
CHAPTER X.
HISTORY OF THE CHURCHES IN THE SALINA DISTRICT.
Ada.
Ada is named as a charge first in the first copy of Minutes published by the N. W. Kansas Confer- ence.
The class had been organized some years previous and had been served by pastors living elsewhere.
The first man named as pastor was H. R. Golden, the faithful local preacher, who lived not far away, and who for some years previous had dispensed the gospel to people of Ada and at other points in the vicinity. He served the charge three years. In his first report there were 55 full members and 20 pro- bationers, in the next, 85 full members and same number of probationers; and in the next 96 full mem- bers and 26 probationers.
A. M. Lott was the next pastor and served but one year. He was followed by W. R. Leigh who also served one year. Then came E. B. L. Elder, '88; J. O. Osman, '89; M. T. Brown, '92; E. E. Damon, '93; H. J. Lorenz, '94; W. T. Shelby, '95-96; H. O. Holter, '97-8; R. B. Beaty, 1900-1; James Kerr, '02-3; C. M. C. Thompson, '04; J. B. Gilmore, '06-8; W. S. Price, '09-10; W. A. Pierce, '11-12; L. M. Alexander, '13-15; J. M. Newton, '16-17.
The church and parsonage were both built during the pastorate of J. O. Osman, '89-91. The parsonage was built first, and cost $600. The church, costing $2,000, was built the next year. $1,500 was paid that year, leaving a debt of $500; four hundred of which was paid the next year, and the remainder was paid the next year.
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In '98 the charge reported two churches valued at $6,000, one having been built in the country. For several years no parsonage was reported. In 1903 a house was reported valued at $1,000, and in 1905, $500 was added to the value of the parsonage. In 1907 the charge reported one church valued at $3,400.
No other change in the value of property is noted, till 1916, when the church is valued at $6,000 and the parsonage at $3,000. The next year the church was appraised at $9,000 and the parsonage at $2,500. The writer would be glad to present the facts in a more satisfactory form, but being compelled to collect data, wholly from the Conference Minutes this is the best he can do.
Statistics for 1917 give the following: Church, $9,000; parsonage, $2,500; members, 83; expenses, $250; pastor, $1,300; district superintendent, $80; bishop, $16; conference claimants, $32; foreign mis- sions, $54; home missions, $47; grand total, $625.
Alton.
This place was originally known as Bull City, so named in honor of H. C. Bull, the first settler of the place. For a time he kept a store in a wagon. After- ward he built a log cabin and moved the store into that where he also kept the post office. He was a man of generous impulses, always ready to help those who were in need. He was therefore highly esteemed by the early settlers who strongly opposed the change of name which was agitated by the newer settlers who came in after the completion of the railroad. The change was finally effected by a fraudulent petition sent to Washington, D. C., by a man who kept a store in the village. A petition for some popular object had been numerously signed by the people of the place. When it had accomplished its purpose, it was left at this man's store. The store keeper who before
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had opposed the change of name was persuaded to change his mind. He wrote a petition requesting the change and addressed it to Representative Han- back, and attached to it the names which had been signed to the other petition. In a short time a tele- gram was received stating that the name of the post office was changed from Bull City to Alton. This was in 1884. It was years before the people knew how it had been effected. Many of those whose names were on the document were opposed to the change.
The Methodist class at this place was organized by W. A. Saville in 1880. Some of the prominent members were T. O. Bickell and wife, A. J. Runyan, a local preacher and wife. The meetings were held in the school house. This class was attached to the Cedarville circuit, where W. A. Saville was the pastor.
In 1882 the Bull City charge was organized, Hawkeye and Spring Branch, two country points being connected with the village. E. G. Casey was the pastor. At the first Quarterly Conference, Isaac Kurtz, of the Spring Branch appointment, was granted a local preacher's license. He proved to be quite an efficient worker. Though he was never ad- mitted to the conference, he was instrumental in organizing many classes in neighborhoods where there had been no religious services and in having them at- tached to an organized circuit. He often said he wanted to die in the Lord's work. His desire was granted for on July 19, 1914, while in a layman's Gospel team meeting, he was standing giving his testi- mony as to the joy and blessedness of the Lord's service, he stopped in the middle of a sentence and dropping back was dead from heart failure.
In 1882 the corner stone was laid for the Bull City church but owing to the lack of funds was not completed until 1885. Ruben Bisbee was the pastor in 1884. In 1885 H. M. Mayo was appointed to Alton.
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This was his first charge. At first the outlook was very discouraging. He says of it: "So little did the people of the place believe in our cause, that not one man could be found who would give so much as five dollars to put the building in shape for the plasterers, whose bill the Ladies' Aid was willing to pay if the building could be put in fit condition. The pastor was young and had no money and supposedly no credit, but soon a lumberman and a carpenter were found who were willing to furnish all needed material and charge them to the pastor's account. As soon as the work was fairly under way and the people saw that something was going to be done, sufficient financial and moral support was enlisted to carry the enterprise to completion. The church was dedicated in May by Rev. H. D. Fisher.
Brother Mayo says further of his experiences on this charge: "One of the greatest revivals took place at the Hawkeye appointment that I ever witnessed. The sainted Isaac Kurtz was the pastor's constant helper. He was a local preacher on the charge and certainly no young preacher could ask for a better standby and helper. The mud was deep and frequent rains added to the discomfort but the house was packed to the doors every night. Practically the whole community was converted." Mayo was returned to the charge in 1886 but left the work in the fall to attend school. Isaac Kurtz filled out the year.
M. J. Bailey was the pastor at Alton in 1887-1888. In the winter of this year the pastor in conjunction with a band of the Salvation Army held a meeting of remarkable power at Alton. About 125 were con- verted. Many who came to make sport remained to pray.
During the summer of 1889 the first Methodist Sunday school was organized at Alton with LeRoy Rhodes superintendent. In 1892 H. E. Kurtz was
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made superintendent and served nine years. George Winterburn, G. W. Morley and B. W. Hollen served as pastor, each for a few months in 1889 and 1890.
In 1891, W. O. Allen was appointed to Alton, but left in the fall to attend school. Again Isaac Kurtz filled out the year. The following pastors served the charge from 1891 to 1905: W. C. Littell, M. J. Mum- ford, C. H. Stevenson, J. G. H. Armstead, M. L. Kerr, I. L. Clark, C. M. Medlin, J. H. Laird, E. H. Tannehill, H. D. Washburn. James Kerr was appointed and served four years. The people remember Kerr as a strong preacher and temperance worker. Two re- vivals were held during his four years, he being his own evangelist.
At that time there was a man in town named Han- son who ran a joint in quite a bold way, but was a regular attendant at church and contributed liberally to its support. People came to regard his contribu- tions as a sop to the church to induce it to keep still. On a Sunday morning the pastor preached a strong temperance sermon hitting the jointists right and left. Hanson grew very uneasy and restless and was evi- dently glad when the sermon closed. Shortly after- ward detective work was undertaken and the jointist left in high dudgeon.
In 1909, J. M. Miller was sent to Alton and re- mained four years. In the winter of 1910 a most gracious revival was held lasting six weeks. Little was done the first two weeks, then the interest deep- ened and for four weeks the house was crowded. The people were greatly stirred and deep conviction took hold of them. The evangelist, Charles R. Mathis, was a good preacher and singer and especially good in lining up the church for work. One hundred were converted and fifty united with the Methodist church.
V. V. Whitset was the pastor in 1912 and C. S. Spalding was appointed in 1913. In 1916 he was
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returned for the fourth year. In 1913 it was decided to build a new church. J. W. Tucker, Melvin May- field and H. H. Hall were appointed a building com- mittee. The corner stone was laid December 18 and on May 21, 1914, the church was dedicated by Dr. T. C. Iliff. The main auditorium is 34 x 44, the pulpit platform 6 x 16, the lecture room 24 x 30, the vesti- bule 9 x 16. A ten foot basement is under the whole building nicely furnished. The cost was about $7,000 in addition to $500 worth of material used from the old church.
The membership of the charge is 112. The Sunday school numbers 142 with 12 in the home department and 31 on the cradle roll. Expended for supplies, $95; paid for missions, $38. Dale DeFord is presi- dent of the league. Mrs. Nannie Peach is president of the Ladies' Aid Society. There are 33 members of this society and in the last four years they have} raised $658. The church is valued at $7,000; parson- age, $1,000; number of full members, 111; prepara- tory members, 3; expenses, $125; pastor's salary, $1,145; district superintendent, $80; bishops, $16; conference claimants, $36; foreign missions, $92; home missions, $46; Sunday school officers and teach- ers, 24; enrolment, 254; average attendance, 136; cur- rent expense, $110; Epworth League membership, 21.
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