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 13
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"I bought a small pony weighing about 750 pounds and had my buggy shipped from Illinois, so that I was now ready for busi- ness. On my first trip I attempted to cross Plum Creek, not knowing how deep the water was. My horse went under, and the buggy followed, but we got through finally, although I was thoroughly drenched.
"During the year the work expanded so that at one time I had 18 appointments, which I served every four weeks. At the end of the year I had 14 appointments, with nine organized classes. It now required 400 miles driving to make one round over the work. In ten months I drove 4,800 miles. Our members came from all parts of the church in the East and took up claims in this Western country, building sod houses, dugouts, with here and there, where rock was available, a stone house.
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"It sometimes required a drive of 50-60 miles to find a family which we had been requested to look after by some friend in the East. Sometimes the joy created in those whom the preacher found would abundantly reward him for all the labor and hardships en- dured in locating their place of residence. They were ofttimes poor, homesick and discouraged, longing for comfort and fellowship. Food, fuel and clothing were ofttimes scant. Many times I ate a meal prepared with cow chips for fuel, when wood and even corn stalks could not be obtained.
"One day I drove 50 miles to visit a family from Minnesota which I had been requested to find. When I met them and in- formed them who I was, they almost carried me off my feet for joy. The brother said: 'Well, you will preach for us this even- ing?' I replied: 'Certainly, and you may invite some of your neighbors in,' not knowing that it was seven miles to the nearest neighbor. I preached to the man and his wife that evening, choos- ing for my text the 23rd Psalm. We had a glorious meeting. When bed time came the furniture was carried out doors and a box 21/2 feet wide and about 5 feet long was carried in and filled with carpet. An old-fashioned feather bed was placed on top of the carpet, with a white spread and pillow, and the bed was com- plete. Before morning I was pretty well settled down in the box which was standing in the doorway because the house, 8x10 feet, was too small to contain two beds. The next morning I started home, feeling that the life of an Evangelical preacher was worth living because it enabled one to help his fellow-man. Then I also remembered my Saviour who had no place to lay down his head. I often visited homes in which there was no furniture save such as was nailed together from rough lumber.
"On one occasion I came to a dugout where one of our fam- ilies lived who had moved there from Michigan and were trying to hold their claim. I observed all the bedding and clothing out on the grass to dry. There had been a heavy rain and hail during the night, and upon inquiring I learned that they had gotten 18 inches of water into their dugout. The woman was alone with four small children, the baby only six weeks old. When I asked her where her husband was she replied that he had gone further east to find work as they were nearly out of funds with which to buy provisions. 'But,' I remarked, 'what will you do here all alone if another storm should come? You will certainly perish.' While the tears trickled down her cheeks she replied: 'If I die
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here I have a home in heaven.' I was not a little inspired by that mother's courage and faith in God, and left that dugout more than ever determined to look after the poor families scattered over those wide prairies.
"A 60 mile drive in one day, with an evening service thrown in for good measure, was a frequent occurrence. One day I drove 80 miles and conducted a funeral service. Of course I did not complete the task between sunrise and sunset.
"I consider this year, the first on Rice Mission, the best year in my ministry. I received 143 members into the church, and would gladly have been returned for the second year, but Con- ference determined otherwise. My salary this year amounted to $350.00, and from this amount I paid $8.00 per month rent."
HUMBOLDT MISSION (GOLDEN VALLEY APPOINTMENT)
Prior to 1879 the families of Godfrey Laury, Obed Kerr and Dreibelbis moved from the State of Pennsylvania, where they had been members of the Evangelical Association, to Allen Co., Kan- sas, and settled in the vicinity of Golden Valley, east of Humboldt. Here E. J. Troyer, then serving Humboldt Mission, preached for them. A class was organized. Godfrey Laury was chosen class- leader, and Obed Kerr exhorter. A Sunday-school was also or- ganized with Brother Laury superintendent and Brother Kerr as- sistant.
There are no early records of the society available, but at the Conference held in 1886 all the appointments east of Humboldt were taken from Humboldt Mission and formed into Golden Val- ley Mission. This was continued until 1891, when it was again consolidated with the former work. A very pretty and substantial church was erected later and Golden Valley became for many years a prominent appointment of the Humboldt work.
(CENTER RIDGE APPOINTMENT)
In 1883 E. J. Troyer, serving his second term on Humboldt Mission, began to preach occasionally to several Evangelical fam- ilies living in the vicinity of Center Ridge, southwest of Hum- boldt, holding services in private houses as circumstances per- mitted. The following year H. Koepsel filled the appointment from Yates Center, who in turn was succeeded in the spring of 1885 by P. Schumann from Yates Center. Brother Schumann
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organized a class in the cabin of Frederick Stauffer with the fol- lowing families. Brother Timms, Stephen Roeder, Brother Wilts- man, Jacob Stauffer, Fred Stauffer, W. S. Martin, Robert Stauf- fer, Israel Bucannon, and George Nickols.
In the spring of 1886 Center Ridge appointment was taken from Yates Center and added to Humboldt Mission, with which it has been united ever since. During this year the work was served by Rev. A. Ernst, who preached in a school house, where the services were continued until 1893. A church was built during the pastorate of J. S. Miller. This building was dedicated Dec. 17, 1893, by Rev. S. P. Spreng, from Cleveland, Ohio, then editor of the "Evangelical Messenger."
A Union Sunday-school had been held for several years, but was changed to a denominational school when the church was built. Mrs. Ida Stauffer was elected superintendent and served in that capacity for eight years. In 1906 a Woman's Missionary Society was organized during the pastorate of J. M. Fricker.
1881
SEVENTEENTH SESSION
This session was held at Holton, Kansas, beginning March 31, 1881. Bishop R. Dubs again being present, C. Berner was appointed secretary.
A letter from R. Stahli, who was appointed to Southern Cali- fornia as missionary during the past year, was read, after which his credentials were granted.
The brethren T. W. Serf, G. W. Edgar, Martin Grabenstein and A. Brunner received license to preach.
S. Weber, who received credentials a year ago, returned them and was reinstated in the Conference, also Samuel Werner was received as an elder from the Methodist Episcopal Church.
The brethren L. C. Schnacke, Wm. Daeschner, E. A. Bruner received deacons' orders, and C. Geiser, John Dreisbach, D. F. Honstedt, J. H. Tobias, H. Toedman and R. Stahli elders' orders.
E. A. Bruner and Wm. Daeschner were received into the itin- erancy.
H. Mattill and S. B. Brown were elected presiding elders and the districts assigned as follows : Holton District, L. Wenger ; Mis-
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souri District, H. Mattill; Southwest District, S. B. Brown. Later Brother Brown resigned as presiding elder and Philip Fricker was elected to fill the vacancy.
C. Berner was elected Conference trustee for five years, and S. B. Brown for four years.
The following was adopted relative to the language question : "In view of the necessity of our preachers being able to preach in English and German, therefore resolved, that we require our candidates for the ministry to study both languages, and prepare for examination in both English and German."
ST. JOSEPH
The society of St. Joseph, Mo., was allowed to purchase a lot more suitably located than their present site, and erect a new and better adapted church building. To this end a commitee was ap- pointed, composed of the Bishop in charge of the Kansas Confer- ence, the presiding elder of the Missouri District, the pastor of St. Joseph, the preacher in charge of Platte River Circuit, with the lay brethren C. Vick and E. Ernst of the St. Joseph society, to superintend the project. The committee was also authorized to build a parsonage if they considered it feasible. The church building should not cost more than $2,500.00, and the pastor of St. Joseph was appointed to collect for said purpose.
The pastor of Newton was authorized to collect on Southwest District for the debt resting on the church at that place.
C. Berner was elected Conference treasurer for the ensuing year.
The Conference secretary, with his assistant, J. Schmidli, and P. Schumann and H. Mattill, associate members, were appointed a committee to arrange for the publication of a Conference jour- nal a year hence. This was the first step taken by the Confer- ence in this direction, but did not materialize until 1888, when the first Conference journal was issued, which has been continued every year since.
BOUNDARIES
Holton District
a. Wolf River appointment shall be taken from Hiawatha Circuit and be added to Atchison Mission.
b. Four Mile shall be taken from Nemaha Circuit and added to Hiawatha Circuit.
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Southwest District
Huscher shall be taken from Hanover Mission and added to Jewell Mission.
b. Big Medicine and Lost Creek shall be taken from Osborne Mission, and with the appointments Fair Haven and Philipsburg be added to Stockton Mission.
c.
Osborne and Cowper Missions shall form a circuit and be
called Osborne Circuit.
d. Fairview, Solomon, Steins and Bennington appointments shall be taken from Dickinson Mission and form Salina Mission.
e. Wilson, Cedron, Becks, Venango, and Russell shall be taken from Rice Mission and form Wilson Mission.
f. Sepo shall be taken from Hanover Mission and be added to Jewell Mission.
g. Lawrence and Red Vermillion Missions shall be served each with two preachers and the appropriations be equally di- vided.
MISSIONS
The amount of $2,055.44 was raised for missions the past year and $3,975.00 appropriated for the ensuing year.
H. Mattill was again elected delegate to the Board of Mis- sions and the following officers elected for the Missionary Society : J. Wuerth, president; H. Mattill, secretary ; and Wm. Meier, treas- urer.
STATISTICS
Conversions, 358; accessions, 753; membership, 3,245; itine- rant preachers, 40; local preachers, 32; churches, 33; parsonages, 21; Sunday-schools, 63; officers and teachers, 626; scholars, 2,606; catechetical classes, 30; catechumens, 308; Botschafters, 687; Messengers, 324; Magazins, 319; Epistles, 44.
APPOINTMENTS
Holton District-L. Wenger, P. E.
Nemaha, J. G. Pfeifer.
Hiawatha, J. Kurtz.
Bloomington, C. H. Linder.
Holton, J. Wuerth.
and W. Daeschner.
St. Joseph, C. Berner.
Kansas City, S. B. Brown.
Winston, S. W. Snyder. Glasgow and Frankfort, L. C. Schnacke. Warrensburg, H. Koepsel.
Leavenworth, J. Schmidli.
Red Vermillion, H. S. Bower and C. Geiser.
Hanover, D. R. Zellner.
Atchison, C. Brandt.
Missouri District-H. Mattill, P. E.
Nickels Grove, C. Linge. Platte River, W. Meier.
Lawrence, M. Dissinger
Big Blue, J. F. Schreiber.
Clinton, C. Ehrhardt. Denver, Fr. Shafer.
Sheridan, to be supplied.
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South-west District-Philip Fricker, P. E.
Humboldt, E. J. Troyer and E. A. Bruner.
Osborne and Stockton, T. W. Serf and A. Brunner.
Jewell, A. W. Kramer.
Dickinson, W. Heiser.
Salina, P. Schumann.
Wilson, D. F. Honstedt.
Rice and Offerle, P. H. Rischel and
S. H. Dunkelberger.
Wichita, H. Toedman.
Newton, C. F. Erffmeyer.
Marion, L. Snyder.
Americus, J. M. Dreisbach.
Osage, F. Harder.
Parsons, A. J. Voegelein.
Carthage, J. H. Tobias.
LEONARDVILLE
In 1880 Rev. Wm. Heiser served Big Blue Circuit. In his travels he formed the acquaintance of Christian Hoch, living two miles south of Leonardville, Kansas, who invited him to preach in his home. Brother Heiser accepted the invitation and preached twice in Brother Hoch's house, baptizing two of his children in connection with the first service. After the second service the meetings were held regularly every two weeks in the Leonardville school house. The blessings of God attended the preaching of Brother Heiser, and soon several German Presbyterian families were awakened and converted, who also united with the church and were organized into a class by Brother Heiser. The follow- ing persons became charter members of the new class: Martin Gravenstein and wife, Reinde Nanninga, Gelke Nanninga, Lucas Buss, Marie Buss, Gerald Buss, D. Buss, Jacob Benninga, Gretye Benninga. These young converts were subject to ridicule and persecution from their former pastor and associates, who were opposed to experimental religion, however they remained firm in their faith and experience.
In 1881 Rev. J. F. Schreiber succeeded Brother Heiser as pastor and served the work for three years, during which time the work was established and souls added to the church. In 1884 Wm. Heiser was again assigned to the work, when steps were taken to build a church. March 5, 1884, a meeting was held in the home of Garrelt Nanninga, in charge of J. Wuerth, P. E., when it was decided to build a church and $700.00, was secured for the pur- pose at once. March 11, the following brethren were elected trus- tees : Garelt Nanninga, Henry Dierolph, Jacob Benninga, Jurgen Nanninga. Rev. W. Heiser, Garelt Nanninga and M. Graven- stein were elected a building committee. A lot was secured from Mrs. Thompson and a church 28x44 ft. was erected at a cost of $2,121.00 and dedicated as the Zion Church of the Evangeli- cal Association. During the time the building was under con-
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struction the beloved pastor met with an accident which terminated his useful career upon earth. While engaged in his ministerial work his team of horses became frightened, ran away, throwing him out of the buggy, by which he received fatal injury. Sud- denly this dear brother was taken from his life work which seemed so far from being finished, and left his flock bowed in sorrow without a shepherd. Brother E. E. Evans took charge of the work and served the same until Conference session in March, 1885.
In 1885 Leonardville was taken from Big Blue Circuit and formed into a mission, which was supplied with T. R. Nanninga as pastor. About this time a Sunday-school was organized with Derk Buss as superintendent, however Father Nanninga and Fa- ther Buss used to gather the children for Bible study long before this time. German school was also conducted by those brethren for their children. In this year a class was also organized at Mill Creek. The following year one was organized with 11 members in Manhattan, which was, however, discontinued three years later.
J. H. TOBIAS
The following interesting and inspiring incident is related by Rev. J. H. Tobias: "I attended my first camp-meeting in Kan- sas at Alida in the summer of 1879. This was a blessed meeting. On Monday morning, the last day of the meeting, a sister testified as follows: 'This will be a happy day for me, my husband will be converted.' Her husband was not present at the time as he had not yet returned from his lodging place. This sister and her husband had come 40 miles to attend the camp-meeting. The forenoon and afternoon services closed with no sign of conviction upon the husband for whom the wife had been praying so much and so earnestly. Just a little before sunset several ministers were conversing when I saw this man coming out of a thicket of under- brush with a beaming countenance almost running toward us, saying: "I am converted!" I asked him when he got converted, and he answered, "Just now, down there in the brush." He then went on to explain: "This afternoon, at the close of the meeting, a great fear came upon me all at once. I got frightened and started to leave the camp ground. When I got into the brush yonder I fell down and could not get up any more. Then I began to pray to God for forgiveness of my many sins. God heard my prayer and saved me. Glory! glory! I am saved." An old-fashioned
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camp-meeting shout followed this scene. Now the secret of it all was revealed. His wife spent all of Sunday night under a tree back of the tent until four o'clock in the morning in prayer for the conversion of her husband, until she got the assurance from God that her prayer would be answered and her husband converted that day, hence she arose in the meeting that morning stating so pos- itively that he would be saved today.
"This man was addicted to the use of strong drink, and his wife prevailed upon him to take her to the camp-meeting, but back of it all was the design to get him converted. So she held on to God in prayer like Jacob of old until she got the answer. The next day they went home a happy family."
Brother Tobias was the great camp-meeting enthusiast of the Conference and had a variety of experiences along the line of soul saving. Many of those meetings were seasons of wonderful power and victory which resulted in great demonstrations of God's grace.
A great part of the summer was spent in holding camp-meet- ings when Brother Tobias was serving in the office of presiding elder. These services would sometimes last until late in the night, and in some instances even all night, when God's power came down upon the meetings and the "Durchbruch" occurred. Sometimes the meetings would reach such a stage that they were beyond human control, and God's people would stand still and behold the salvation of the Lord. While the altar was filled with seek- ers who were praying for pardon, the shout of the young convert, mingled with the notes of triumph from the lips of the Chris- tians, often struck conviction to the heart of sinners who came to the meetings out of curiosity, sometimes to scoff. Cold formal- ism and ecclesiasticism were not spared on those occasions, and many lost what religion they supposed they had, after which they were in a proper attitude to get something better. The positive and fearless method of Brother Tobias in conducting his meet- ings added much to his success and results. Endowed with a strong body, a voice which could be heard in the far distance even when holding out-door meetings, an optimistic disposition, a great degree of magnetism, coupled with a strong faith in the doctrine of full salvation, and a consecrated heart and life, emi- nently fitted him for this particular line of work in which he was very successful.
The following is a description of his first camp-meeting :
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"My first camp-meeting, held on my own work, was on Car- thage Mission in 1880. In making preparations for the meeting I appointed a committee on arrangements. I instructed the com- mittee to make an altar or, as it was called, a 'mourners' bench.' One member of the committee objected, saying there will be no mourners' bench arranged. When I returned and found the same missing I called the committee together and told them we could not hold an Evangelical camp-meeting without an altar, and in- sisted that the same be made. This brother, who had erected a tent for himself, threatened to remove his tent and go home. His good wife prevailed on him to remain. The second day of the meeting he was sitting in front of his tent which was near the altar, when the invitation was given for seekers to come for- ward. Conviction fell upon him, he cried out, 'I am lost,' and rushed to the altar. He was the first one to be converted at the despised bench which he refused to make for the meeting. Three families came sixty miles in wagons and tented at this meeting. Many souls were converted, and what was best of all, many of the church members got saved."
C. BRANDT
Brother C. Brandt, who served Hanover Mission in 1880, re- lates the following of his many .experiences :
"I served this mission under Wm. Heiser, who also had charge of Big Blue Circuit, and lived in Washington in a log cabin with two small rooms. The first time the presiding elder came to visit me he bumped his head against the joists overhead, when I gently reminded him that while tarrying among us he must look after those things which are above and remain humble. On July 27, I started on my first trip to find and visit the village of Haddam in the north part of Washington County, where I heard there were a number of German families. I missed the right road and got lost among the hills. When night set in I was a wanderer indeed, not knowing whither to go. At last I succeeded in find- ing a small dugout where I called for information, but could not get an answer. I concluded, however, that I would go no farther, so dismounting I staked my pony out for the night. When I went to the dugout again I heard some one within. I called, and a man came to the door. After telling him who I was and what had happened to me, he received me cordially and assured me that I could stay with him all night.
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"Entering his door I discovered an odor which was exceed- ingly offensive, and when he lighted a lamp I was shocked. Be- fore me stood a man with blood-shot eyes, long, greasy hair hang- ing down over his shoulders, his face covered with heavy black untrimmed beard, and his body clad in rags and filth. Every- thing in the house, the bed included, compared with his personal appearance. I could not make up my mind to tarry at this place all night, but what to do? He now proceeded to make corn frit- ters for my supper, but the odor of the rancid lard used in the baking turned my stomach, and I excused myself from eating on the ground that I was not hungry. But now I was confronted by another proposition. I felt certain that the bed was preoccupied by the "pestilence that walketh in darkness," and dreaded the thought of exposing myself to the mighty force. At last my host consented that I might sleep in a straw stack near the house if I preferred. During the night a heavy rain came up which drove me to the fateful dugout after all, and I spent the rest of the night in deadly combat with the innumerable host in the under- ground region. The next morning the remaining corn cakes were served for breakfast, but I again I tried to convince my host that my appetite had not yet returned. So after a conversation with him about his personal salvation, reading out of my Bible to him, and praying, I proceeded on my way to Haddam. I soon reached this place and found a German blacksmith who kindly received me while his good wife prepared me a dinner which tasted exceed- ingly fine after a fast of thirty hours. Here I took up an appoint- ment, and in a short time six persons were converted; among the number was my former host of the dugout.
"On September 27, my quarterly meeting was to be held in the Leusler school house, south of Washington. Both my presid- ing elder and my preacher in charge were detained at home on account of sickness, so that the preaching devolved upon me. On Saturday afternoon, while preaching, my attention was attracted by a man in the congregation who was unusually attentive to the Word. After the service I extended to him my hand and asked him who he was, when he laughed aloud and said: 'Don't you know Charly B. any more?' Indeed he was my dugout host, but what a change! His hair was cut, his beard trimmed, his face washed, his clothes cleaned, so that I did not know him any more. Soap and water accomplished on the outside what the grace of God had effected on the inside, and the man was clean."
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"On October 10, 1879, I passed a school house about 4.00 P. M. when the children were starting home from school. Observing that some of them spoke German, I inquired after their name, and invited them into the buggy to take them home. Arriving, the mother was not a little surprised to see a stranger accompanying her children, but when she learned that I was a minister of the Gospel she received me very cordially. In a short time her hus- band returned from his work in the field, and he, too, seemed pleased to meet me. After supper we determined to visit another German family in the neighborhood, consisting of parents and two grownup sons. They also seemed glad for a pastoral call. In a short time the table was cleared and a game of cards was begun, in which I was invited to participate. I excused myself on the ground that I could not play cards, when the gentleman of the house told how their pastor in Germany excelled in card playing. 'Oh, yes,' I remarked, 'but not all the pastors in Germany could play cards, and I am one of that class.' Thereupon wine was brought and offered. In order to not rudely offend them I took a little of the wine in a glass and filled the same with water as I drank it, re- marking that wine makes people raging. After they had finished playing cards I spoke to them about their salvation. To this my friend retorted that he was an unbeliever, and man had no soul, besides, the Bible was only a collection of lies. I turned to him and demanded that he prove his assertion, or retract his state- ment, as I would not remain with him over night unless he did, since he had called my heavenly Father a liar. When he saw my Bible from which I read he declared that it was an Evangelical Bible, and not a Lutheran Bible, but when I showed him the name of Dr. M. Luther on the fly leaf he yielded the point and apologized.
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