USA > Kansas > Fifty years in the Kansas Conference, 1864-1914 : a record of the origin and development of the work of the Evangelical Association in the territory covered by the Kansas Conference > Part 10
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Charges were brought against H. Haas, who had been a member of Conference since 1865, at one time secretary of Con- ference, besides holding other places of trust in the Conference, and Missionary Society, for "slandering the stationing commit- tee," declaring that the devil had stationed him at the former session. He was also charged with making false accusations against said committee, as well as sowing the seed of dissension and discontent through correspondence which he carried on with members on his former field of labor.
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The foregoing charges were supplemented by another set of accusations of a similar character from another brother, covering practically the same ground. The charges were investigated, the accused found guilty and deposed from the ministry.
John Emmel was compelled to leave his field of labor during the year on account of sickness, but upon his request was permit- ted to remain in the itinerancy another year without an appoint- ment.
Carl Buchel, Stephen Weber, and John Bower received license to preach on probation.
The brethren Wm. Heiser and D. R. Zellner received deacons' orders, and Wm. Meier and Ferdinand Harder elders' orders.
The following brethren were received into the itinerancy : Carl Ehrhart of the Ohio Conference, D. R. Zellner, Geo. Marks, Carl Waehlte, Carl Buchel and John Bower.
BOUNDARIES
The Conference territory was arranged in three districts as follows: Jewell, Osborne, Junction, Americus, and Wichita shall be taken from the Kansas District, and in connection with Hum- boldt, Carthage, and Cedar Mission from Missouri District shall constitute a new district, which shall be called South-west Dis- trict.
Kansas District shall be changed to Holton District.
The following changes of boundaries were made on the dis- tricts :
Kansas District
a. The appointments Swede Creek and Fancy Creek of Big Blue Mission, and Red Vermillion and Rock of Junction Mission, in connection with Frankfort and Baety, shall constitute Big Blue Circuit.
b. The western part of Big Blue Mission, Leuslers, and Bettchers, with Hanover and Blue Springs, shall form a new mis- sion, to be called Hanover Mission.
c. Osborne, Kill Creek, and Twelve Mile, shall be taken
from Jewell and form Osborne Mission.
d. Soldier appointment shall be taken from Junction and be added to Holton.
e. An English appointment shall be taken up east of Hia- watha, in the vicinity where Brother Loose lives, and be served with Wolf River.
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f. The Ellerman appointment shall be taken from Leaven- worth Mission, and be added to Wolf River Circuit.
g. Wyandotte shall be served with Leavenworth Mission.
Missouri District
a. Hamburg appointment shall be taken from Oregon Cir- cuit, and with the surrounding country form Hamburg Mission.
b. Sloans Point, Green Castle, and Spring Creek shall be taken from Macon Mission, and with the Sheridan community form Sheridan Mission.
c. Clinton, in Henry County, with the appointment Black Oak, shall constitute Clinton Mission.
d. Ft. Scott and vicinity shall be served with Cedar Mission.
e. Morgan County Mission shall be discontinued.
f. Wyandotte Mission shall be added to Holton District.
H. Mattill was elected presiding elder and stationed on the new South-west District.
The brethren J. G. Pfeifer and J. Wuerth were elected dele- gates to General Conference, and H. Mattill alternate.
Conference proceeded to vote on the 29 recommendations to General Conference, of which 16 received the required number of votes.
At this time recommendations were frequently voted upon by the Annual Conferences before they were submitted to the General Conference. If they failed to receive the required sup- port from the lower Conference they did not reach the higher body, and, hence, did not consume the valuable time of the legislative body of the church. In later years it became customary for Gen- eral Conference to take the initiative in almost all cases where recommendations are submitted.
TEMPERANCE
Strong temperance resolutions were again adopted, and Rev. E. E. Condo was appointed to represent this body at the Western Temperance Convention, his expenses to be defrayed by the Con- ference.
For the first time in the history of this organization a repre- sentative of North-Western College visited this body in the inter- est of the school, whereupon the following resolution was adopted : "Since Brother Wm. Huelster, agent of North-Western College,
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visited our Conference in the interest of the college, we rejoice to hear of the prosperity of the institution, and wish it God's blessing in the future, we, however, do not deem it expedient in our present condition and finaicial strain to enter the college compact."
J. F. Schreiber was elected Conference treasurer for the en- suing year.
MISSIONS
The missionary offering for the past year for home work amounted to $1,984.09, with 13 new auxiliaries organized during the year. A commendable missionary spirit has been developed, which is manifest by the increase of auxiliaries, as well as the splendid amount of missionary contributions reported in the mis- sionary meeting of the society.
J. G. Pfeifer was again elected delegate to the Board of Missions. The officers elected by the society for the ensuing year were: J. G. Pfeifer, president; J. Wuerth, vice-president ; C. Emmel, secretary, and J. F. Schreiber, treasurer.
The amount of $2,915.00 was appropriated for missions for the ensuing year.
The following statistics indicate an encouraging condition in the development of the work.
STATISTICS
Conversions, 209; accessions, 480; membership, 1,876; itin- erant preachers, 27; local preachers, 10; churches, 16; parson- ages, 10; Sunday-schools, 39; officers and teachers, 316; scholars, 1,159; catechetical classes, 15; catechumens, 176.
For the first time the Sunday-schools have reached and passed the 1,000 enrollment mark, with a splendid increase of 433 mem- bers recorded for the past year.
APPOINTMENTS
Holton District-J. G. Pfeifer. P. E.
Holton, C. Emmel.
Lawrence, J. F. Schreiber.
Nemaha, C. Berner.
Wolf River, P. Fricker.
Leavenworth and Wyandotte, F. W. Voegelein.
Big Blue, Wm. Meier.
Hannover, H. Toedman.
Swan Creek, Wm. Heiser.
Missouri District-J. Wuerth, P. E.
Oregon, J. H. Kiplinger.
Platte River, H. Koepsel.
Grand River, E. J. Troyer.
Glasgow, C. Woelte.
Macon, C. Stauffer, under presiding Sheridan, M. Alsbach. elder .. Hamburg, F. Stecher, under presiding Clinton, F. Harder. elder.
Shoal Creek, to be supplied.
Warrensburg, C. Ehrhardt.
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South-west District-H. Mattill, P. E.
Humboldt, G. Marks.
Junction, D. R. Zellner.
Osborne, John Cover.
Jewell, C. Linge. Americus, L. Wenger. Wichita, C. Buchel.
Carthage, E. E. Condo. Cedar, to be supplied.
The increase in membership, as well as the rapid growth of the Sunday-school, and the division of the Conference into three presiding elder districts, speaks well for the development of the work in the past year, and the promising outlook for the future.
OSBORNE
In 1872 a neighborhood Sunday-school was started in the vicinity known as Kill Creek, in Osborne County, Kansas, and conducted as a union Sunday-school by the people of the com- munity.
Two years later, 1874, Rev. L. Wenger, serving Jewell Mis- sion, extended his itinerary west through Osborne County, and preached at various points, including Twelve Mile Creek and Kill Creek. Among the early settlers at the latter place were the families, Crist Bliehm, J. Guyer, Jacob Wismar, Geo. Beck, and others, who received Brother Wenger and united with the Evan- gelical Association, becoming faithful workers and pillars of the church.
During the pastorate of Brother Wenger a great awakening took place in the community which resulted in the conversion of many souls. The revival fires spread till people came for many miles, some in ox-carts, to attend the services. The Holy Spirit was working mightily, and many were brought under conviction, and yielded their hearts to Christ. This revival was spoken of for many years as a wonderful awakening among the frontiersmen by those who were present and saw the manifestations of God's power.
The precise time of the organization of the society cannot be ascertained, nor is it known who the first officers were. The Sun- day-school was later converted into a denominational school, and has been continued as such for many years, although the names of the original officers are not known at this time.
The first church was built in 1877, during the pastorate of J. Bower, and dedicated by Rev. H. Mattill, presiding elder.
In 1878 the work was served in connection with Cawker Mission by the brethren C. Linge and A. J. Voegelein. The con-
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solidation of the two works necessitated a great deal of traveling. The work had 23 appointments, which required from 330 to 350 miles to complete one round over the work. During this year the brethren built a small house and dug a cellar and a well for a parsonage. This, in addition to their pulpit and pastoral work, prevented monotony and indolence.
The second church was built during the pastorate of J. H. Kiplinger in 1900. During this year there were two churches built on the circuit.
F. W. VOEGELEIN
Brother F. W. Voegelein records his "early experience" in the Kansas Conference in the following interesting words :
"Having received a recommendation from the Nickels Grove Class, near Oregon, Mo., the presiding elder of the Missouri Dis- . trict, J. G. Pfeifer, requested me to enter the work at once. He said he was in need of a man in Glasgow, Mo., and on Glasgow Mission, which extended from Glasgow to Versailes in Morgan County, Mo., to Warrensburg and Holden, from there to Frank- fort, and then to Glasgow. This was indeed a "big" field to which had been appointed Rev. M. Alsbach at the Conference session in 1869. As the field was too large for the aged brother who lived in Holden, Mo., it was the presiding elder's wish that I reside at Glasgow and serve as assistant to Father Alsbach. I was to de- vote considerable of my time to making a real beginning there. I was appointed to this work Oct. 1, 1869.
"The only members of our church at that time in Glasgow were Brother and Sister Nuhn, with whom I made my home. In November of this year I assisted Brother Alsbach in a revival meeting in Morgan County, where about 35 conversions took place. This was my first experience in this kind of work. I made several rounds on the work with some interesting experi- ences. But according to instruction I paid special attention to Glasgow. I was permitted to use the city hall there as a preach- ing place on Sunday. I started a little Sunday-school and opened preaching service with six persons in attendance. After preach- ing there several Sundays one man was happily converted, and thereafter others came and were converted until in all we had nine converts and organized the first class in Glasgow. This took place in the months of January and February, 1870.
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"In March of this year I attended Conference at Deer Creek, where I received license and was sent as assistant to J. F. Schrei- ber on Holton Circuit in Kansas. On this field I served one year during which time (1870) the first church was built in Holton, and that winter we had a good revival in the new church. We also had a goodly number of conversions at some of the other eight appointments on the work.
"In 1871 I was sent to St. Joseph, Mo., where we had- nothing! No place in which to hold services, nor one member to hold services with. I rented a hall at my own expense and started a Sunday-school, in which we soon gathered about 30 scholars, but having no funds, and no local assistance, the presiding elder concluded to transfer me from St. Joseph to the proposed Kansas City Mission during the year. On the Kansas side, then called Wyandotte, we had a few members, one of whom owned a hall in which I could hold services. In January, 1872, we had ten con- versions there and organized a class. I was expected to gain en-
trance into Kansas City, Mo. In these 'good old times' Conference never thought of allowing anything for hall rent, etc., in new places. I tried hard to find a place 'free of rent' in that city, but failed. Then I undertook to preach on the streets. I arranged with a store-keeper at the corner of 12th and Grand Ave. to stand on a box to sing and preach. A few of our people from Wyandotte came over and assisted us in singing every Sunday afternoon. This took place in the latter part of summer and autumn of 1872.
"By this means we met with some people who showed a favor- able disposition to hear the gospel. Sometimes I had a very large attendance at these street-meetings. In the autumn, when the weather became too cool for out-door meetings, we were fortunate enough to find a Cumberland Presbyterian church where I was kindly permitted to preach on Sunday afternoon. This was the real beginning of our work in Kansas City. I very much regret- ted that in the following spring I was transferred to Leavenworth. This was in the spring of 1873, and I served Leavenworth three years, which was the limit at that time.
"In the spring of 1876 the Conference was held at Leaven- worth, and on this occasion I took my farewell from the brethren of the Kansas Conference with no little regret, for I loved the brethren and the work, but our General Executive Committee of the Board of Missions had appointed me to San Francisco, Cal."
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TWELFTH SESSION
Conference met March 23, 1876, at Leavenworth, Kansas, to hold her twelfth session. Bishop R. Dubs, one of the newly elected bishops, presided. C. Berner was again appointed secre- tary. J. Wuerth, P. Fricker and F. W. Voegelein were appointed a committee to prepare resolutions regarding the Centennial Ju- bilee of our nation.
John Emmel located on account of failing health, and E. E. Condo received credentials.
F. C. Stecher of the Ohio Conference was received as a pro- bationer.
The following brethren were received from other Confer- ences : J. Dengel and S. Schwartz from the Illinois Conference, Rev. Johnson from Iowa, G. F. Yeager, Central Pennsylvania, S. Werner, Pittsburg, and W. Wonder from Ohio. The latter with the understanding that he present his credentials at the next session.
G. Marks received deacon's orders, and J. H. Kiplinger and L. Wenger elders' orders.
The brethren G. F. Yager, W. Folgate and C. F. Stecher were received into the itinerancy.
BOUNDARIES
Again extensive boundary changes were made as follows:
Holton District
a. Hiawatha shall be taken from Wolf River and added to Nemaha Circuit.
b. Blue Springs appointment shall be taken from Hanover Mission and added to Swan Creek Mission, the remaining portion of Hanover with the appointments Clay Center and Mill Creek of Junction Mission shall be served with Big Blue Circuit.
c. The appointments Red Vermillion, Rock Creek, Frankfort and Baety shall be taken from Big Blue Circuit and with the ap- pointments Louisville, Wamego and Vermillion of Junction Mis- sion shall form a new mission to be called Red Vermillion.
Missouri District
a. The appointments Winston and Grindstone shall be taken from Grand Circuit and be added to Platte River Circuit. The re- maining portion of Grand Circuit, with the appointment Mt. Pleasant of Platte River, shall constitute Denver Mission.
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b. Macon Mission shall be changed to a circuit.
c. Oregon Circuit shall be called Nickel's Grove Circuit.
d. Nickel's Grove Circuit and Hamburg Mission shall be served together, but the finances shall be kept separate.
e. Wyandotte Mission shall be discontinued.
Southwest District.
a. Elk Creek and Labette shall be taken from Humboldt Circuit and in connection with Parsons and vicinity constitute Parsons Mission.
b. A new mission shall be located in the vicinity of Ellin- wood, Barton County, and be called Ellinwood Mission.
c. Ft. Scott shall be taken from Cedar Mission and added to Parsons Mission, and Cedar Mission shall be discontinued.
SUNDAY-SCHOOL
The following action was taken relative to the Sunday-school work: 'We urge that the purpose of the Sunday-school, namely, leading the youth to Christ, be not lost sight of. The Sunday- school should not be the work of a few persons, but of the whole congregation. Here all should unite their consecrated powers and efforts, and because of this, let us ministers apply all our energies to carry on the Sunday-school work. We will endeavor to enlist not only the appointed leaders in this work, but the entire mem- bership. We urge our preachers, wherever possible, to organize Sunday-schools and catechetical classes."
F. W. VOEGELEIN
Brother F. W. Voegelein was during the year appointed mis- sionary to San Francisco, Cal., by the Board of Missions, and was thus necessitated to sever his connection with his mother Confer- ence, in consequence of which the following action was taken:
"Inasmuch as the Executive Committee of the Board of Mis- sions has appointed F. W. Voegelein, a minister of the Kansas Conference, as missionary to San Francisco, California, there- fore
"Resolved, That we can only regretfully submit to the inev- itable, and deplore our loss deeply. We are of the opinion that we stand in need of the service of our beloved brother as much as any other place.
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"Further Resolved, That since Brother Voegelein leaves us, we wish him and his family God's richest blessings and protection on their journey, that we will pray to God that he may labor with the greatest degree of success in his important work of saving souls.
"We hereby grant him an honorable dismissal and a hearty recommendation to the Pacific Conference."
CENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY
This year being the centennial anniversary of our national independence, Conference passed the following resolution regard- ing this fact:
"We are mindful that our merciful God, the Ruler of nations, and the Director of their destinies, has led and kept this glorious Republic for one hundred years since its beginning, through dan- gers within and without, blessing our land with wealth and pros- perity, and granting us liberty of faith so that we could extend our borders from the shores of the Atlantic to the Pacific. We are, therefore, of the opinion that our Church has great reason to express her loyalty by participating with our citizens in the jubi- lee celebration on the Fourth of July next. Therefore Resolved :
"1st. That in harmony with the order of General Confer- ence, we, as preachers and members, will assemble at the places designated by the proper authority to take part in the jubilee celebration.
"2nd. That we will pray God to protect us and ward off the evils of Sabbath desecration and corruption which have pene- trated the highest government circles. This terrible evil must be counteracted if we would perpetuate our glorious Republic.
"3rd. That during the year, in keeping with the order of General Conference, a thanksgiving service shall be held in each of our societies in the United States, in which service themes re- garding the founding and preservation of the Republic shall be made the subject of consideration and thanksgiving.
"The offerings received at this thanksgiving service shall be used to aid some poor young man, who is an applicant for the ministry, in educating himself for work in the Kansas Confer- ence."
The following program was prepared as an order of exercise : (a) Opening exercise with song and prayer. (b) Reading of Scripture and the Declaration of Independence. (c) Song. (d)
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A short appropriate address. (e) Song and collection. The preachers shall procure and use this program.
Conference resolved that in the future the matter of adjust- ing preacher's salary shall be referred to the pastor and board of stewards.
UNION BIBLICAL INSTITUTE
Rev. S. Dickover, agent of the Union Biblical Institute, directed a letter to Conference relative to the appointment of one of the Bishops as Principal of the Institute. Conference ex- pressed her willingness to accede to this request.
H. HAAS
Rev. H. Haas, who was tried and deposed from the ministry at the former Conference session, appealed to General Conference, which was held during the year, for justice, on the assumption that he could not be present at the time of his trial on account of family circumstances.
Upon this ground the verdict was set aside, and the Kansas Conference was instructed to proceed with the investigation of his charges in his presence. The accused, however, again failed to appear for trial, but in the meantime united with the Methodist Church South, so that without further ceremony he was declared "withdrawn from the Church under charges."
MISSIONS
This year the amount raised for missions was $1,721.13. Bishop Dubs was elected to the Board of Missions, and the Society reor- ganized by electing H. Mattill president, M. Alsbach vice-president, J. Wuerth secretary, and J. F. Schreiber treasurer.
The amount of $2,930.00 was appropriated for missions for the ensuing year.
STATISTICS
Conversions, 284; accessions, 561; membership, 2,156; itin- erant preachers, 26; local preachers, 12; churches, 16; parson- ages, 10; Sunday-schools, 45; officers and teachers, 364; scholars, 1,219; catechetical classes, 16; catechumens, 155; Botschafters, 417; Messengers, 119; Magazins, 187; Living Epistles, 24.
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APPOINTMENTS
)
Holton District-J. G. Pfeifer, P. E. Holton, H. Koepsel.
Lawrence, P. Fricker and supply.
Nemaha, J. F. Schreiber and C. Woehlte.
Wolf River and Atchison, C. Berner.
Big Blue and Hannover, W. Meier.
Leavenworth, August Fuessle.
Red Vermillion, C. Buchel.
Swan Creek, W. Wonder.
Missouri District-J. Wuerth, P. E.
Nickels Grove and Hamburg, J. H. Kiplinger and R. Stahli.
Platte River, E. J. Troyer.
Bloomington and Sheridan, M. Als- bach and supply.
Warrensburg and Clinton, C. Ehr- hardt.
Glasgow, F. Stecher.
Shoal Mission, Wm. Folgate.
Denver, F. Harder.
South-west District-H. Mattill, P. E.
Humboldt, C. Emmel.
Junction, D. R. Zellner.
Osborne, W. Heiser and John Bower.
Jewell, C. Linge.
Wichita, to be supplied.
Americus, L. Wenger.
Carthage, G. F. Yager.
Parsons, J. G. Marks.
Ellinwood, to be supplied.
VASSAR
In 1875 Rev. J. F. Schreiber was serving Lawrence Circuit. He extended his labors west into Osage County, in the vicinity of Vassar, where he found members of the Evangelical Association, for whom he preached. The same year he organized a class with the following members: Brother Kersten and wife, Brother Ul- rich and wife, Brother Storbeck and wife, Henry Schindle and wife, Henry Brecheisen and wife, Ed Brecheisen and wife, and Mother Pittker. Over this little band of Evangelicals Henry Schin- dle was placed as the first class-leader, and Ed. Brecheisen ex- horter. They labored faithfully, holding their services in school- houses until they were able to build a church in 1891.
1877
THIRTEENTH SESSION
This year Conference was held in the Nickel's Grove Church, Oregon Circuit, Holt County, Mo., beginning March 22, 1877, with Bishop Esher as chairman, who appointed C. Berner secretary.
Charges were preferred against Rev. C. Woehlte for entering into matrimony during his probationary period, which was a viola- tion of the Church Discipline. As a penalty for his transgression he was continued on probation for another year, with the under- standing that his financial claim shall not be affected thereby.
Charges were also preferred against C. F. Stecher for breach of promise. The accused was found guilty of the charge and was
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severely reprimanded for trifling with a matter of such sacred import. He was given an opportunity to promise Conference that he would redeem his pledge concerning the engagement, in which event his official promotion in Conference should not be impeded. If he refuses to do this he could not be retained in the ministry. If the other party refuses to resume the engagement, then the accused shall be released from further obligations in the matter.
G. F. Yager deserted his field of labor during the year, and G. Marks located on account of family circumstances.
L. Lutz received license to preach, and J. Dreisbach was re- ceived as a preacher on probation.
The brethren, John Bower, C. Buchel, C. F. Stecher, received deacons' orders, and Wm. Heiser and D. R. Zellner elders' orders.
E. Evans, John Emmel and R. Stahli were received into the itinerancy.
The terms of J. G. Pfeifer and J. Wuerth as presiding elders had expired and the two brethren were re-elected and stationed on the Missouri and Holton Districts respectively.
It was reported that the amount of $60.55 was raised in the collections at the centennial jubilee meetings, held during the past year. It was ordered that the amount be placed in the hands of the Conference treasurer, and by him loaned out on interest with good security.
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