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 11
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GRASSHOPPERS
During the years 1875-1876 the country was afflicted and laid waste by a siege of drought and grasshoppers, so that many peo- ple were brought to destitution. A call for aid was made through the Church papers, and in response to these appeals considerable relief was sent to the ministers from friends in the East.
Brother Pfeifer had charge of the distribution of the relief fund in the Conference, and rendered valuable assistance to many who were in need and dependent on charity. Many who lived in Kansas during those trying times still hold in sacred remem- brance the help they received from such who were more fortu- nately situated in other parts of the country and were able and willing to extend a helping hand to their afflicted brethren.
Even in such visitations, on the one hand, and commendable deeds of mercy on the other hand, the enemy of all good, would, if possible, by the spirit of malignity and slander, defeat the purest motives of charity.
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Among those receiving aid was a certain man who appealed to Brother Pfeifer for help in his distress and received $10.00 from the relief fund. This gentleman being an honest and able- bodied man, insisted on giving labor in return for the $10.00 re- received. In keeping with his request he was permitted to work on the district house at Holton, Kansas, which was under con- struction at the time. This arrangement was perfectly satisfactory to all parties concerned.
PETER DOKLER
Shortly after this there appeared an article in one of the Ger- man daily papers, written by one named Peter Dokler, who lived in Holton, Kansas, condemning Brother Pfeifer, and declaring that he was using the charity fund for selfish purposes, and that Brother Pfeifer, after being exposed, had found it necessary to flee from Holton in great haste and confusion. Brother Pfeifer had just prior to Conference moved his family to Missouri on his farm and continued to serve his district as before. This libelous charge was also circulated by said Peter Dokler in a pamphlet which he distributed. This unprincipled character had formerly been a member of the Evangelical Association and had now found a method by which he might give vent to his bitter hatred.
Conference thoroughly investigated the matter in reference to the reports, as well as Brother Pfeifer's accounts, and found everything in perfect order, thus exonerating him of the libelous attack made upon his character. Brother Pfeifer's accounts showed that the amount of $1,975.48 had been received for the relief fund, of which amount $1,656.50 was disbursed among the needy, leav- ing a balance in the treasury of $318.98. The presiding elders were requested to distribute the balance among the needy preach- ers and laity of the Conference.
Some of the ministers were severely criticised by Conference for failing to look after the missionary money and other collec- tions as they should, in consequence of which some of the stronger works fell short in their contributions. The delinquents were urged to attend to these important matters more carefully, and in case of a repetition of failure in discharging their duty they would be re- ported to Conference. It was also ordered that where there are still no missionary auxiliaries organized the matter of organization shall be attended to during the first three months of the ensuing
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Conference year, and the presiding elders shall see to it that these instructions are carried out.
C. Emmel was re-elected Conference treasurer. He reported $370.50 in the Conference treasury, independent of the $60.55 jubilee fund. He was instructed to loan the amount out at 8 per cent interest with good security. Up to this time there were no Conference claimants, as the ministers and their families were hitherto spared the invasion of death.
The pastor of Swan Creek was authorized to collect on Holton District for a new church at Blue Springs.
CONFERENCE INCORPORATED
It was ordered that Conference should be incorporated accord- ing to the laws of Kansas. The following trustees were elected : John Wuerth, H. Koepsel, Wm. Meier, A. Fuessle and P. Fricker.
The incorporation act was attended to according to order of Conference, and the charter issued by the Secretary of State of Kansas was placed on file with the Conference trustees.
BOUNDARIES Missouri District.
a. Winston and Grindstone appointments shall be taken from Platte River Circuit and be added to Shoal Mission and be called Winston Mission.
b. Hamburg Mission shall be left unsupplied this year.
Southwest District
a. The two appointments in Osage County shall be taken from Lawrence Circuit and addded to Americus Mission.
b. The appointments in Marion County shall be taken from Americus Mission and be added to Junction Mission.
c. Osborne Circuit shall be divided. All the German ap- pointments shall be taken from Osborne Circuit and form a new mission which shall be called Cawker Mission.
MISSIONS
The amount of $1,608.27 was raised for missions in the Kan- sas Conference the past year. Of this amount $355.00 was con- tributed by the ministers. The amount raised the past year was $113.76 less than the former, and $375.72 less than the second
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year previous. This condition was doubtless due to the failure of crops.
H. Mattill was elected delegate to the Board of Missions, and the following officers were elected for the Missionary Society : H. Mattill, president; J. Wuerth, secretary, and J. F. Schreiber, treas- urer.
The amount of $3,525.00 was appropriated for the work the coming year.
STATISTICS
Conversions, 245; accessions, 412; membership, 2,183; itine- rant preachers, 28; local preachers, 12; churches, 19; parsonages, 11; Sunday-schools, 45; officers and teachers, 445; scholars, 1,573; catechetical classes, 14; catechumens, 121; Botschafters, 515; Mes- sengers, 140; Magazins, 204; Epistles, 36.
APPOINTMENTS
Holton District-John Wuerth, P. E.
Holton, H. Koepsel.
Lawrence, P. Fricker.
Wolf River, C. Berner.
Nemaha, J. F. Schreiber and J. Dreis- bach.
Big Blue, Wm. Meier and Carl Bu- chel.
Leavenworth, A. Fuessle.
Red Vermillion, D. R. Zellner.
Swan Creek, W. Wonder and D. F. Honstedt.
Missouri District-J. G. Pfeifer, P. E.
Nickels Grove, E. Evans.
Platte River, E. J. Troyer.
Bloomington, C. F. Stecher.
Sheridan, M. Alsbach.
Warrensburg, C. Ehrhardt and sup- ply.
Clinton Mission,
Glasgow, J. Schmidli.
Winston, J. H. Kiplinger.
Denver, Wm. Folgate.
Hamburg, to be supplied.
South-west District-H. Mattill, P. E. Humboldt, C. Emmel.
Parsons, C. Woehlte.
Americus, John Emmel.
Carthage, to be supplied.
Wichita, to be supplied. Junction, L. Wenger and R. Stahli.
Jewell, C. Linge.
Cawker, W. Heiser and Crist. Geiser.
Osborne, J. Bower.
Ellinwood, to be supplied.
YATES CENTER (TURKEY CREEK)
In 1876 Rev. C. Emmel, who was serving Humboldt, of which Yates Center was an appointment, held a revival meeting about 10 miles north-west of Yates Center on Turkey Creek, where was a large settlement of German people who were thrifty farmers, formally religious, but without knowledge of experimental re- lion, having been reared in the State Church of Germany. In this community Brother Emmel began his meeting in the home of "Uncle" Carl Weide, who was a very influential man among his
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neighbors and countrymen. A mighty awakening soon followed and among the first converts was "Uncle Carl." No sooner had he found peace in the Saviour when he became a mighty mission- ary among his friends, leading many to Christ, among others his brother Gottlieb, who was a deeply pious, but reserved man. These two brothers became the founders of a strong congregation at Tur- key Creek, which for many years was a rival of the congregation in town.
Uncle Carl Weide believed in and enjoyed a religion which made soul and body happy. He was in his element at camp-meet- ings, revival meetings and quarterly meetings, where he could tell about his Saviour's love and power. He would often leap for joy and praise God aloud when testifying in the congregation. Not only in the public service would he get unspeakably happy talking religion, but also in his home. On one occasion his pastor and presiding elder called at his home, and while his companion was engaged preparing dinner he began to relate his conversion, and the beginning of the work in his home and community. He stepped across the room and pointed to a dent in the door casing about three feet from the floor, saying: "Here is where I struck with my heel the night the Lord saved me." As he went on tell- ing what great things the Lord had done for him he became so happy that he began to leap over the floor and praise God for his goodness and mercy. His wife, hearing the noise, came to the door, looked in, and then went about her work as if nothing unusual had happened. Indeed this was no unusual occurrence for "Uncle Carl" and his family. The influence of the two brothers named was strong in the community and church, so that when the Lord called them to their reward, the world, and in particular Turkey Creek, lost two good and useful men.
Quite a number were converted in Brother Emmel's meeting, after which he organized a class of ten members as follows: Carl Weide and wife, Gottlieb Weide and wife, Henry Weide, Fritz Weide, Anna Weide, Carl Weide, Rose Weide and Willie Weide.
In 1892 a commodious country church was built during the pastorate of C. Brandt, which, in later years, became a Bethel for many souls. Glorious seasons of grace were experienced at her altars, and many souls were born into the Kingdom of God while God's people were praying and singing songs of redeeming love. The annual camp-meeting was a season never to be forgotten by those who were present. These meetings were held in later years
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in connection with the other appointments on the Yates Center work. Often the altar service would continue till after midnight, while parents would kneel at the altar with their children, pray- ing with them, embracing them, and encouraging them to look to Jesus and trust him for salvation. Then when the glorious mo- ment came that faith took hold of the promise, the joy of parents and children knew no bounds. Salvation was taught and believed to be the pearl of great price, and the one thing needful. Though the farm work was laid aside for a week at a busy time of the year, yet the Christians felt it was not connected with loss, but rather infinite gain to them.
Invariably the climax of the meeting was reached after re- peated groups of prayer-meetings in the adjoining grove, where frequently seekers were taken for prayer and brought back to the camp rejoicing in a newly found Saviour.
From this congregation ministers and ministers' wives have gone out to labor in the vineyard of the Master, and devote their powers to work in the Kansas Conference.
Some of the sons and daughters of this congregation moved farther west in the county and established a congregation at Cedar Creek, where later a church was built and the work established.
A thriving Sunday-school has been maintained at Turkey Creek from the beginning of the work, although the names of the first officers are not at hand.
ALDEN
In 1876 a mission was located in the vicinity of Ellinwood, in Barton County, Kansas, named Ellinwood Mission. This field was left unsupplied for two years, when Wilson was taken from Cawker Mission and added to Ellinwood and the name changed to Rice Mission. Peter Schumann came from Dayton, Ohio, to take up work in Kansas and was assigned to this place in the spring of 1878. A few years prior to this Rev. S. Swartz moved from Ohio to Rice County, Kansas, and preached at various places over the country.
Rev. Schumann organized the first class in the home of Bro. Reimer in 1878. There is no record of the charter members or officers of the class.
In 1879 J. H. Tobias succeeded Brother Schumann with C. W. Snyder for his colleague. Brother Tobias served the work one year and writes as follows: "I preached my first sermon on April
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the 10, 1879, in a school house near where Alden now stands. In the fall of 1879 I preached the first time in Lincoln County in a dugout not far from where Rosette is now located. I traveled and preached in six counties as follows : Rice, McPherson, Pawnee, Russell, Lincoln and Ellsworth.
Brother L. Wenger, my presiding elder, held my first quarterly meeting in Brother Davis' sod house. We had 20 Quarterly Con- ference members present. Some came 40-60 miles. Brother Davis lived in the vicinity of where Alden now is located. I received 140 members into the church this year, had 14 appointments and a 600 mile drive in making one round over the work. I sometimes drove 60 miles in a day and held services at night."
There is no record of the organization of the Sunday-school or of the first officers.
DENNIS
The historical data of Dennis Mission are meager, and what we have is not fully reliable. In the year 1876 Conference took the following action : "Elk Creek and Labette appointments shall be taken from Humboldt Circuit and in connection with Parsons and vicinity constitute Parsons Mission." The same was supplied by Rev. G. A. Marks. This was evidently the beginning of the work around Dennis, although the dates of organization are want- ing. The first members of which a record can be found are: Mrs. Wm. Webb, Mrs. Dienst, Geo. Dienst, Wm. Dick, John Carson, Mrs. Cleveland, Sam Rickard, Dan Maury, David Markley, W. W. Blake.
There is no record of the first officers. The church was built about 1885 during the pastorate of J. W. Keiser.
1878
FOURTEENTH SESSION
The fourteenth session of Conference was held at Willow Springs, Douglass County, Kansas, beginning March 21, 1878, with Bishop Thomas Bowman as chairman for the first time. C. Berner was again appointed secretary.
J. G. Marks withdrew from the Church during the year, and Wm. Folgate and C. Buchel located on account of family circum-
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stances, while M. Alsbach and John Bower were necessitated to locate on account of physical disability.
Philip Fricker, one of the charter members of the Confer- ence, was compelled, on account of failing health, to withdraw from the active work for the present time. A suitable resolution was passed expressing regret at the stand Brother Fricker was necessitated to take, and assuring him of the interest and prayers of Conference for his speedy restoration and return to the work.
J. F. Yager and A. Fuessle received credentials, the latter to the Illinois Conference.
The following brethren received license to preach : Fred Scha- fer, C. F. Erffmeyer, P. Schumann, A. J. Voegelein and J. M. Dreisbach.
H. S. Bower of the Central Pennsylvania Conference and J. S. Seip of the Erie Conference were received.
R. Stahli and C. Wohlte received deacons' orders, and John Emmel elder's orders.
The following brethren were received into the itinerancy : H. S. Bower, C. Geiser, Fr. Schafer, C. F. Erffmeyer, Albert Voegelein and D. F. Honstedt. John Kurtz was also received into the itinerancy with the understanding that he present his creden- tials to his presiding elder.
The Conference Trustees reported that in accord with the instructions given a year ago Conference had been incorporated in harmony with the laws of Kansas. Since the trustees were elected for a period of one year only, it was ordered that they should be elected in the following order : one for five years, one for four years, one for three years, one for two years, and one for one year. The following brethren were elected in the above order: J. Wuerth, H. Mattill, J. F. Schreiber, C. Berner and Wm. Meier.
It was ordered that all societies not yet incorporated should do so during the coming year and be reported at the next Con- ference session. It was made the duty of the presiding elders to look after the deeds of the local church property on their respec- tive districts whether they comply with our disciplinary require- ments, and where this is not the case the matter shall be at- tended to and reported to the next session of Conference.
The brethren C. Berner and J. Wuerth were appointed a com- mittee to compile a history of the Kansas Conference.
Up to this time the Chairman was considered the examiner of junior preachers in theology, but now provisions were made for
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an alternate examiner, whose duty it was to examine the written sermon of the young minister. Brother H. Mattill was chosen as such alternate.
It was ordered that each preacher pay 25 cents for repairs on the district house at Holton, Kansas.
BOUNDARIES
Holton District
a. Blue Springs shall be taken from Swan Creek and be called Blue Springs Mission.
b. Lawrence Circuit shall be supplied with two preachers and the city of Lawrence shall be taken up without delay.
Missouri District
a. St. Joseph shall be taken up as a mission and supplied.
b. Kansas City shall be taken up as a mission and supplied.
c. Hamburg Mission shall be discontinued.
Southwest District
a. Wilson shall be taken from Cawker Mission and added to Ellinwood Mission, the same to be called Rice County Mission.
b. Offerle and vicinity shall be taken up and called Offerle Mission.
MISSIONS
The amount of $2,030.50 was raised for missions the past year. This was $422.00 in excess of last year, but in spite of the commendable increase of missionary offerings there was a deficit of $257.50 reported to Conference. The preachers this year con- tributed $433.00. The amount appropriated was $3,600.00. Bishop T. Bowman was elected delegate to the Board of Missions.
STATISTICS
Conversions, 210; Accessions, 463; membership, 2,382; itine- rant preachers, 32; local preachers, 16; churches, 22; parsonages, 13; Sunday-schools, 48; officers and teachers, 471; scholars, 1,660; Botschafters, 519; Messengers, 184; Magazins, 237; Epistles, 34.
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APPOINTMENTS
Holton District-J. Wuerth, P. E.
Holton, W. Meier.
Nemaha, J. F. Schreiber and Fr. Sha- fer.
Wolf River, C. Berner.
Big Blue, Wm. Heiser.
Hanover, C. Brandt.
Lawrence Circuit, C. Emmel and C. Stahli.
Leavenworth, J. S. Seip.
Red Vermillion, D. R. Zellner.
Blue Springs, W. Wonder.
Swan Creek, D. F. Honstedt.
Missouri District-J. G. Pfeifer, P. E.
Nickels Grove, E. Evans.
Platte River, C. Ehrhardt.
Bloomington, C. F. Stecher.
Glasgow, J. Schmidli.
Warrensburg and Clinton, H. Koepsel and supply.
St. Joseph, E. J. Troyer.
Kansas City, J. Kurtz.
Sheridan, to be supplied.
Winston, John Kiplinger.
Denver, C. Geiser.
South-west District-H. Mattill, P. E.
Humboldt, C. Woehlte.
Parsons, H. Toedman.
Americus, John Emmel and supply.
Junction, L. Wenger and C. F. Erff- meyer. Jewell City, H. S. Bower.
Osborne and Cawker, C. Linge and A. J. Voegelein.
Rice County, P. Schumann.
Wichita, F. Harder.
Carthage, J. M. Dreisbach.
Offerle, to be supplied.
KANSAS CITY, MO.
A mission was again located in Kansas City and supplied with John Kurtz. As early as 1858 M. J. Miller, missionary at Leaven- worth, made a visit to Kansas City, of which he wrote as follows: "In Kansas City I found a great many Germans, and no German preachers among them, but a Catholic priest. In this city I have the promise of a large hall to preach in, and will go there in a few weeks and make arrangements to preach on a Sabbath." There is no record to show to what extent missionary work was pro- jected at that time, however the work was to some extent devel- oped in the community, which was later known as Westport. The indications promised fair for a permanent and successful work, but during the years of the Civil War these prospects were de- stroyed and the work abandoned. In 1865, at the first session of the Kansas Conference, a mission was located in Kansas City, hoping thereby to redeem the work by gathering what fragments could be found. The new mission was not supplied, and a year later no mention is made of the project in the Conference records, thus indicating that the enterprise met with disappointment and failure.
Nothing further was done for Kansas City until the spring of 1871, when the following action was taken: "Wyandotte and Kansas City, Mo., shall be taken up as a mission and be added to Missouri District." Again the work was left unsupplied, but
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the following year F. W. Voegelein was assigned to the place, who was succeeded a year later by Wm. Lingelbach. In 1874 the mis- sion was again left unsupplied, and in 1875 joined to Leavenworth Mission when the two works were served by F. W. Voegelein. In 1876 it was discontinued, and the field abandoned until at this session of Conference. Brother Kurtz, upon his arrival in the city, found eight members of the Evangelical Association. He preached his first sermon in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church on 14th St., between Oak and Locust.
For a while he preached there on Sunday afternoons, but later rented a hall on Grand Ave., between 17th and 18th Streets. He organized a Sunday-school and preached regularly every Sun- day morning and evening. During the year a number of families of the Evangelical Association moved into the city, and in Octo- ber of the same year he organized the first society of the Evan- gelical Association in Kansas City with 35 members, of which Bro. Lotz became class-leader.
During this year a lot was purchased between 14th and 15th Streets, on Oak St., for the sum of $700.00. Conference, at her following session in 1879, authorized the young society to build a church on the lot purchased, at the same time opening the entire Conference district for the solicitation of funds.
Rev. H. Mattill was pastor at the time, and on the 14th of September had the church ready for dedication, which function was performed by Bishop J. J. Esher. The mission enjoyed a prosperous year. More than 100 members were added to the church, and a thrifty Sunday-school organized.
In 1883 Jackson County Mission was changed to Brooklyn Mission, and the following year Forest Ave. Mission was located in the eastern part of Kansas City. This was short-lived. A church was built which was later destroyed by a tornado. The mission, not prospering sufficiently to warrant its continuation, was abandoned in 1887. In 1898 Oak St. Mission was changed to Kansas City English Mission, which was later changed to Mersing- ton Heights. In 1885 Brooklyn Mission was changed to Highland Ave., and, later, to Park Ave.
PETER SCHUMANN
Peter Schumann was licensed at this Conference and assigned to Rice Mission on the big Southwest District. He having lived his life in the city met with many new and interesting experiences
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in the West as a frontier circuit rider. Some of these were pleas- ant, others unpleasant, but all of them instructive. He writes as follows :
"I was necessitated to travel 35 miles against a blizzard from the Northwest one day. I was advised by those who were familiar with the condition of the weather, not to undertake the trip, as I would probably freeze to death on the road. I felt, however, that I should go and hence ventured on my journey. I had not gone far till the tempter approached me, suggesting that I might just as well be sitting in a comfortable office room in the East where I came from, if I had not yielded to preach the Gospel in this West- ern country. I might be surrounded with congenial companions instead of being exposed to this severe storm on the wide prairie, not knowing but what I would lose my life many miles from home, and would probably never again see my family.
"The cold was so intense that I could not remain in my buggy more than ten minutes at a time. Then I would dismount and walk to keep from freezing. At this juncture Satan tried to make me doubt my call to the ministry, and that I had made a great mis- take in giving up an occupation of comparative ease in the East in exchange for a life of hardships and privation in a country where probably no one cared very much whether I were dead or alive. In this struggle I recalled the wonderful grace of God in receiving me as his child, and adopting me into his family, as well as his gentle, loving call to the ministry of the Gospel, when suddenly the power of God swept into my soul, and though the blizzard was raging without and I was exposed to the freezing elements, my soul was kindled and I felt that I could cheerfully go to the utter- most parts of the earth to preach Christ, because he had done so much for me. My faith was increased, an unseen power seized me so that I could praise God aloud. Satan was put to flight with all the hosts of hell, and I was victor through Jesus Christ my Saviour. I completed my journey and reached my destination safely to the surprise of the friends who had no thought that I would venture on the trip. I have often thought of this experience as a miracle next to my conversion. Praise His name for ever- more."
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