USA > Kansas > A history of Methodism in northwest Kansas > Part 30
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Barnard.
This name appears first in the list of conference appointments in 1888. The first pastor was G. P. Miller who served the charge two years. At the close of the first year he reported a church worth $740, 75 full members and 35 probationers, a Sunday school having 8 officers and teachers and 100 scholars. In '90 there were two schools with 20 officers and teach- ers and 100 scholars. But the charge did not grow.
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In '92 it had gone back to one school with about the original attendance.
The following pastors served the charge: '90-91, J. H. Kuhn, '92, L. E. Baldwin; '93-4, A. Richardson ; '95-6, H. R. Goulden ; '97-8, D. R. Laport; '99-1900, M. L. Kerr; '01, J. N. See; '02-05, H. W. Wolf; '06, J. A. Schooley ; '07, H. W. Wolf; '08, C. W. Muir; '10, B. C. McDonald; '11-13, G. Johnson; '14, B. D. Brooks; '15, F. Gunson; '16-17, O. E. Schaal.
The charge showed little sign of growth till near the close of the century. The report of 1899 gives one church valued at $800 and a parsonage worth $200. With the opening of the new century there was indications of new life. In 1901 two churches were reported, which were valued at $2,200; and $1,520 were raised and paid that year. In 1906 a third church was reported, valued at $2,300 and in 1909 the parsonage had been improved by the expenditure of $810. The next year Barnard was reported as a station, there being but one church and it was im- proved by the expenditure of $1,500. But in 1911 a second church was reported, the two being valued at $3,000. In 1912 the value was placed at $4,000.
The membership has fluctuated in numbers be- tween 70 in 1889 and 180 in 1914. Statistics for 1917 give the following figures: Two churches, $6,000; parsonage, $2,000; membership, 125; preparatory, 12; expenses, $125; pastor, $1,000; district superintend- ent, $68; bishops, $16; conference claimants, $34; for- eign missions, $20; home missions, $15; grand total, $475; Sunday school officers and teachers, 16; enroll- ment, 273; average, 90; expenses, $120; Epworth League, Sr., 40; Women's Foreign Mission, $11; Women's Home Mission, $7.
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Beloit.
The session of the Kansas Conference of 1871 was presided over by Bishop E. R. Ames and was held at Paola, March 15.
There were few classes organized at that time west of the sixth principal meridian. In the list of appointments James Phillips was announced for Beloit, though it is doubtful if any organization had yet been expected there.
The pastor held the first services in a shanty built of cottonwood boards, put on vertically with daylight visible through every crack; it also served as the first school building. It stood on the west side of Mill street where the harness shop now stands.
The county seat was established the same year and Mr. Hersey who came from Beloit, Wisconsin, was permitted to name the town. He at once began the erection of the old stone court house. It was sold to the county and became Mitchell county court house. The church services were then taken to the court room upstairs. The first choir was there organized.
The schoolhouse was begun in 1872, the brick for it were burned by John Norris on the lots back of where the Blue store stands. When the building was completed the church services were taken to the school house.
In 1874, W. J. Mitchell was appointed to the Beloit charge. He obtained class books and a church record. The circuit consisted of seven appointments, viz .: Beloit, Solomon Rapids, Laban Creek, Honey Creek, South Salt Creek, Newbanks and Springfield. This was grasshopper year but the pastor says: "Notwith- standing the devastation we more than held our own."
At the close of Mitchell's pastorate the circuit was divided after which the Beloit charge consisted of Beloit, Solomon Rapids and Newbanks school house.
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James Lawrence was appointed to the Beloit charge and served it three years. The Beloit district was formed and W. J. Mitchell was appointed presiding elder. The pastor's salary was fixed at $500. Up to this time there had been a Union Sunday school. A Methodist school was now organized and J. S. Mc- Grath was elected superintendent. In 1878 Mr. Decker was chosen superintendent and J. H. Lock- wood was appointed pastor. At the close of the year, Lockwood was placed on the district and J. M. David- son succeeded to the pastorate.
In March, 1883, the Northwest Kansas Conference met in its first session in Beloit. Bishop W. A. Harris presided. C. L. Shackelford was appointed to the pastorate and served one year, when he was made presiding elder of the district and J. H. Lockwood was made pastor. He served two years and was suc- ceded by E. P. Michener, who also served two years and was then appointed to the district and J. S. King became pastor. He remained in charge three years and was succeeded by I. McDowell in the spring of 1891.
During his pastorate the old stone church which was of sacred memory to many people, was sold and the new church was erected and the basement finished so as to be used for church purposes. It was valued at $10,000. L. O. Housel followed McDowell. The church was completed in 1897, and dedicated by Bishop Earl Cranston. Housel was returned to Beloit for the third year. In 1898 W. H. Sweet was ap- pointed pastor and served the church four years. Dur- ing his pastorate a great union meeting was held in the Methodist church led by Lincoln McConnell and his singer, Mr. Curry. McConnell is a great preacher and Mr. Curry is a good chorus leader and personal worker. Beloit was stirred religiously as it perhaps never had been before.
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Sweet was followed by F. D. Baker two years and he by J. A. Bull, who also served two years. H. J. Lorenz came to this church in 1906. June 20th of that year he reported through the Central, that the presiding elder, F. D. Baker, at his first quarterly meeting preached a sermon of unusual tenderness and more people than was usual partook of the sacrament. There had been 115 accessions since conference.
In June, 1907, a union meeting in which six churches united under the leadership of W. E. Bieder- wolfe was reported. It was held in a tent seating 2,000 people. On the first Monday night 20 persons were at the altar. Following Lorenz, S. A. Chapple served Beloit two years and was succeeded by Attree Smith. The first year of his pastorate he was assisted in evangelistic services by three of his brothers: R. P. Smith, president of the Kansas Wesleyan Uni- versity, The Rev. Edward Smith, pastor of the Meth- odist church at Billings, Montana, and S. C. Smith, of West Jefferson, Ohio. The church was greatly quickened and 18 united with it.
A Ladies' Aid Society which is now known as the Queen Esthers, was organized in 1876. For several years it had feeble existence, but for more than thirty years it has been very active and has been a great blessing to the church.
A Women's Foreign Mission Society was organized in 1885. Like the aid society it did not do much for a number of years, but recently has been quite active. It now supports a trained Bible woman in India, paying $25 annually.
The membership at present is 130. Last year $271 was sent to the branch treasurer. The society has vouchers for $1,650, paid to the branch treasurer since the organization was begun. There is a King's Herald Society of 50 members.
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The Sunday school is organized into eight depart- ments, viz .: Cradle roll, primary, beginners, juniors, intermediate, senior, home department, and teacher training.
The following was clipped from the Central of March 14, 1894: Two hundred people of Beloit and vicinity surprised the pastor, Rev. I. McDowell, by gathering at the parsonage on the night of his sixtieth birthday and leaving the handsome sum of $100 as a birthday present.
This sketch must have closed here but in July, 1916, Sister Hale wrote me as follows: There is not much of church history since March, 1912. We have the same pastor who at this date, June, 1917, has been returned to them for the 7th year.
Earl N. Kendal was confirmed Sunday school superintendent and served until November, 1915, when Mrs. J. E. Tice was confirmed in that office.
The Junior League has been discontinued and an Intermediate League has taken its place.
The Queen Esther Society is still at work. It pledged $1,000 toward enlarging and improving the church two years ago, besides refurnishing the base- ment and kitchen.
The following list of the first trustees was taken from the 4th Quarterly Conference record of March 1, 1880. S. G. Guard, A. D. Leach, A. Reeder, E. Valentine and George Campbell.
The official board, April, 1896: Trustees, J. F. Robinson, G. H. Goudy, J. E. Tice, J. K. Gise, N. A. Wilson, W. J. Coburn, B. F. Cook, Joseph Morrell.
Stewards : W. J. Coburn, B. F. Cook, Joseph Mor- rel, W. H. Creitz, R. R. Roder, F. E. Shook.
Statistics for 1917 give the following: Church, $20,000; parsonage, $4,000; expenses, $5,000; mem- mers, 517; preparatory, 85; salaries pastor, $1,900; district superintendent, $136; bishops, $30; confer-
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ence claimants, $62; benevolences, foreign missions, $357; home missions, $60; grand total, $2,269; Sun- day school officers and teachers, 57; enrollment, 687; average, 375; expenses, $783; Women's Foreign Mis- sions, $289; Women's Home Missions, $310; Epworth League, Sr., 100.
Beloit Circuit.
Beloit circuit began its development along with the Beloit charge in 1871. The work was served by Rev. James Phillips until 1874, when he reported a mem- bership of 63 and 70 probationers. At this time W. J. Mitchell came to Beloit as has already been recited.
In the meantime B. F. McMillen, a teacher and Christian worker had organized a Sunday school at district 65 (Shiloh). At the close of Mitchell's pas- torate at Beloit, this Sunday school and several of the appointments on the Beloit charge were made to con- stitute a charge which was named the Saltville charge and J. S. Kirkpatrick was appointed pastor. The name Saltville was retained but one year. The next year the work served by Kirkpatrick was called Round Springs. The records do not give the names of the appointments. The next year there was a Beloit cir- cuit of which Kirkpatrick was pastor and a Round Springs circuit of which W. A. Matson was pastor. Shiloh class was a part of the Round Springs circuit.
In the year 1800 the church was built. It still stands unchanged in outward appearance but is not large enough for the present need and must soon be enlarged. The original trustees were J. F. Trout- man, J. C. Houts, W. R. Vassell, J. R. Lowe and T. J. Morgan. In 1883, L. V. Morton was appointed to the circuit and under his leadership the trustees at Pleas- ant View were induced to renew the effort that had been begun some years before for a church building. A donation of $250 was secured from the Board of
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Church Extension and a church costing $1,676 was erected and dedicated by H. D. Fisher, November 23, 1884.
The trustees were John Brecken, A. L. Cooke, William Ketler, R. Kinslow and Anson L. Cooke. The following year with the leadership of G. L. Rarick, pastor, a parsonage was built half a mile south of the Pleasant View Chapel. The different points on the charge contributed as follows: Shiloh, $41.50; Pleas- ant Valley, $35.25; Pleasant View, $238.
It is becoming that the historian notes the fact that in the year 1886 occurred the death of Rev. J. S. Kirkpatrick. For it was largely through his efforts that the foundations of Methodism were laid in these several communities and his interest in the work per- sisted to the day of his death.
Following the pastorate of Rarick, H. E. Pickel, J. H. Laird and G. H. Cheney traveled the circuit suc- cessively; Pickel and Laird six months each and Cheney a year. In that year the league was organ- ized and proved a great blessing to the cause. J. C. Brairnard of Beloit supplied the charge in 1890 and 1891.
He was followed by E. M. Evans. February 8, 1893, Evans reported to the Central that a two weeks' meeting had been held resulting in 91 conversions. July 5, he reported that Children's Day had been ob- served. Collections, $17.20. There had been 102 con- versions in past six months and a league of 30 had been organized at Shiloh.
Following Evans, J. V. Morris served the charge one year, followed by E. P. Michener two years. De- cember 1, 1897, Helimick reported a five weeks' meet- ing resulting in forty conversions.
The church at both Shiloh and Pleasant View had been improved. G. W. Hood became pastor in 1900. January 1, 1902, the pastor was pleasantly surprised
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at which time E. P. Michener spoke pleasantly of the pastor. March 18, 1903, the pastor, H. H. Bowen, reported that ten had been converted at the regular service at Pleasant View and a three weeks' meeting at Shiloh had resulted in thirteen conversions.
Benington.
The Methodist Episcopal church of Benington was organized by Rev. S. J. Kahler, of Solomon, at the home of Captain Spitzer two miles north of town.
The class consisted of the families of C. J. Spitzer and W. W. Walker, Sr., the latter being the leader. At first the meeting was held at the house either of Daniel Struble or W. W. Walker. After the Stanton school house was built the services were held there.
Benington was at first connected with Solomon. While so connected it was served in 1872-3-4 by J. R. Madison. In 1875, 6, 7, by William Whitney and in 1898 and 9 by J. W. Denning. In 1880 it was made the head of a charge with M. Wolperfert, pastor. J. Pittinger was appointed to the charge in 1881 and served two years. The church was quite prosperous during his pastorate. The membership was increased to more than fifty and a neat frame church was built at a cost of $2,200.
Up to this time the Sunday school had been Union, but was now changed to a Methodist school. In 1883 Benington became a two men's circuit, W. S. R. Ben- net being appointed with Pittinger. He remained with the work till September, when he returned to Iowa and W. H. Doner was appointed in his place. He served the remainder of that year and was ap- pointed in charge of the work the following year. In 1884 successful revival meetings were held and 49 persons were received on trial, 31 of them came into full membership, 12 at Benington and 19 at Fairview. In 1885, B. F. Hewlit became pastor. He was assisted
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in revival meetings by Rev. E. P. Michener. Forty- one were received on probation, 27 of whom came into full membership. O. N. Maxson was sent to Bening- ton in 1886 and served the charge three years. The visible results of his work was 35 received on proba- tion and 12 became full members. B. F. Rhodes was pastor in 1889. S. B. Lucas was appointed in 1890 and remained two years. He organized the Epworth League and the organization is still maintained. It has been a great help to the work. J. W. Edgar was pastor in 1892-3 and J. V. Morris in 1894. During these two pastorates, the membership increased eleven. During 1895-6 the charge was served by H. J. Lorenze, who is remembered by the people as a spiritually minded man and a successful pastor evangelist. Seventy-five persons were converted in his revival meetings and united with the church on probation. Thirty-six were received into full membership.
W. T. Selby and R. B. Beaty served the church as pastors from 1897 to 1900. The Methodists of Ben- ington remember these years as a season of dearth in the church. Had Selby been removed at the close of his second year, the conditions might have been differ- ent, but the presiding bishop took the case into his. own hands and sent Selby back for the third year, contrary to the judgment of his presiding elder .. Shortly after conference conditions were such that it. seemed best for all concerned that he resign the charge. His elder, M. M. Stolz gave his consent and appointed R. B. Beaty to supply it.
J. H. Laird served the charge during the year 1900 and J. F. Ekey, a local preacher at Salina, supplied it in 1901. Both did their work faithfully, but owing to conditions existing in the charge neither succeeded in building it up. In 1902, J. T. Wilks came to Ben- ington. Under his wise and faithful ministry, the church began to regain what it had lost.
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With the assistance of Revs. A. N. Smith and F. P. Raby, successful revivals were held in which 27 were brought into the church on probation, 18 of whom became full members.
J. A. Templin served the charge from 1904 to '09. This was the longest and on the whole, the most suc- cessful pastorate, the church has enjoyed. During the years 1904 and 5 a neat six room parsonage was built at a cost of $1,000. Within the five years there were thirty-one received on probation and twenty-one admitted into full membership.
John J. Mickey was pastor 1909 to 1911. At that time a commodious room was added to the church for the primary department of the Sunday school and a furnace was installed at a cost of $1,200. Fourteen were received on probation and all became full mem- bers.
Rev. J. T. Bates, one of the veterans of the cross, was sent to Benington in 1911.
Blue Hill.
This charge is found in the list of conference ap- pointments first in 1891 and the first report to the conference is found in the minutes of 1892.
The charge has raised $196 for missions. $1.25 per member. Improvements had been made on the parsonage, to the amount of $500. In 1904 J. H. Lockwood became pastor for one year, followed by W. C. Brayman who also served one year. J. M. Miller became pastor in 1906 and remained three years. The historian says of him: "He was true and faithful and kept the fires burning and all departments of the church at work." He was followed by W. A. Pierce, who held a very successful revival at Shiloh and, dur- ing his pastorate the church at Pleasant View was in a measure rebuilt and modernized. A basement was
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put under it and a furnace installed, a pulpit recess put in one side and a large room on the other side which opens into the main room, also a vestibule and tower. It was rededicated February 19, 1910 by J. W. Snapp the district superintendent. The trustees at this time were T. A. Broadbent, I. B. Shultz, O. C. Creitz, E. C. Tilton and A. L. Cooke, who, with the pastor, were the building committee. The improve- ment cost about $4,000.
The day of dedication was stormy and there was only a small attendance. $1,292 were needed to meet the indebtedness, yet notwithstanding the unfavorable conditions, $1,614 were pledged and enough came in later to bring it up to $1,700. Since that time the circuit has been served by L. E. Cooke, a grandson of J. S. Kirkpatrick, who served a year and a half, then went to Garrett Biblical Institute to seek better equip- ment for the work. M. G. Terry finished Cooke's year and stayed another year, when he was succeeded by T. E. Hoon, who has shown himself to be a workman that needeth not to be ashamed.
Statistics for 1917: Two churches, $6,000; par- sonage, $2,000; expenses, $190; members, $180; preparatory, 7; superintendent, pastor, $1,120; dis- trict superintendent, $80; bishop, $19; conference claimants, $41; benevolences, foreign missions, $212; home missions, $94; total, $847; 2 Sunday schools, officers and teachers, 39; enrollment, 416; expenses, $153; Epworth League, Sr., 52; Jr., 22; Women's Home Mission Society, $10; foreign mission society, $98.
Bow Creek Circuit.
Methodist services were held by local preachers at various school houses within the present bounds of this charge as early as 1885 and on until the late '90's. At the Delmar school house a class was organized and
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maintained for a time, but the interest waned till the few remaining members moved their membership to Kirwin.
However, in justice to the early settlers, whose names are no longer available, it should be stated that a Sunday school was organized in 1873 at the Sailor school house, which was later moved to the Delmar school house and the organization has been kept up ever since. William Knowls was the first superin- tendent. The first class leader was William Ward and the first local preacher was a brother Cummings.
Early in 1898 a successful revival was held by D. E. Standard, a local preacher, and the class was re- organized with a reported membership of 65. Soon after Standard held another meeting at the Sailor school house in the adjoining district and a class of 45 members was organized.
Standard reported another meeting in March of the same year, at Pleasant Valley, in Rooks county, at which there were a number of conversions and reclamations. The circuit as reported by Standard, consisted of four school house appointments, namely, Class No. 1, Delmar; No. 2, Sailor; No. 3, Pleasant Valley; No. 4, Blue Mound. The last had previously belonged to the Stockton charge.
In 1899 Standard was followed by H. E. Pickel. He was succeded as follows: 1900, C. A. Falgren; '01-04, Thomas Muxlow; '04-05, L. E. Cook; '06, W. C. Green; '07, C. W. Reed; '08, E. H. Wilson; '09, R. Bisbee ; '10-11, F. N. Stelson ; '12, G. M. Ryder; '13-14, C. J. King; '15, L. I. Mickey; '16-17, W. A. Pierce ; from 1908 to 1912, Bow Creek was served by the Kir- win pastor.
At sometime in the past the classes at Sailor, Pleasant Valley, and Blue Mound were dropped. At Delmar services were held in school house till 1908. At that time the teacher, one A. E. Dodds, made a stir
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about the meetings being so held. The pastor, E. H. Wilson, started a subscription for a church, which, after a long struggle was successfully carried through and during the pastorate of F. N. Stelson the church was dedicated. An illustration of the truth of the words of the Psalmist: "He maketh the wrath of man to praise him."
For some years a Presbyterian church held services at the Mt. Lebanon school house. During the pastorate of L. E. Cook this society decided to sever its connection with the Presbyterian church and invited Cook to come and organize a Methodist class. This was done and the Bow Creek circuit now con- sists of the two points Delmar and Mt. Lebanon.
At the present the official members are at the Del- mar appointment, class leader, F. J. Fuller ; trustee, A. Knowls, J. L. Martin, F. J. Fuller and wife, J. L. Martin and Mrs. Knowls; Sunday school superintend- ent, J. L. Martin. At Mt. Lebanon : Stewards, Floyd Bartholomew, Isabel Miller and Mrs. Ed. Bartholo- mew; Sunday school superintendent, F. J. Southward.
Statistics for 1917 give the following: Church, $2,000; parsonage, $1,000; members, 111; expenses, $19; pastor $656; district superintendent, $41; bishop, $8: conference claimants, $21; foreign missions, $2; home missions, $2; grand total, $302; Sunday school officers and teachers, 10; enrollment, 65; average 55; expenses, $16; Epworth League, Sr., 34; Women's Foreign Missions, $17.
Covert.
The Osborne Mission was organized at the session of the Kansas Conference held at Emporia in March, 1872, and first appears as an appointment in the. Salina district with Rev. James Lawrence presiding elder. The mission was supplied by Rev. Jared Cope- land who in spite of poor health organized classes at
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Osborne, Emily and Pleasant Valley. The number enrolled in these classes was twenty-five.
The year previous, 1871, at the funeral of Tom Ritter, one of the early settlers which was preached by an exhorter in the Methodist church, Griffeth Jones, steps were taken to organize a Sunday school. The following Sunday a Sunday school was begun in a log house a little south of where the Bristow church now stands. Griffeth Jones preached for the people in the neighborhood until the following spring. In the meantime the location of the school was changed to Emily City.
At the Conference of 1873, the appointment was left to be supplied and J. C. Ayres, an old minister from the Upper Iowa Conference was employed. He remained two years and added to the circuit Corinth, Lawrence Creek, Indian Creek, Delhi, Wolf Creek and Covert. This year then marked the beginning of the Covert charge which is the subject of this account.
In 1875 the Beloit district was organized with W. J. Mitchell as the presiding elder. Osborne was placed in this district and left to be supplied, which was done by A. B. Conwell of Ohio. During this pastorate it was decided to build a church. Up to this time the people had been worshiping in one of the store rooms at Emily City. Rev. J. C. Ayers was chosen to solicit help from the Upper Iowa Conference, securing $325. The sum of $200 was obtained from the Church Ex- tension Society. A site of more than an acre was donated by T. J. Gossett and the church was built cost- ing $1,088. In 1876, H. G. Breed was sent by the conference as pastor and remained two years. He was the first regularly appointed preacher on the cir- cuit.
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