USA > Missouri > Annals of Methodism in Missouri : containing an outline of the ministerial life of more than one thousand preachers, and sketches of more than three hundred ; also sketches of charges, churches and laymen from the beginning in 1806 to the centennial year, 1884, containing seventy-eight years of history > Part 21
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Next to Warren Pitts, James Tomson was the singer of the St. Louis Conference. Except J. C. Berryman, he had the best bass voice I ever heard. Then he understood the science of music thoroughly, and could play on any kind of instru- ment. Pitts sang the air; Tomson sang bass. Pitts sang "with the spirit." Tomson sang "with the understanding also." The singing of the first pleased, delighted, thrilled the multifudes who heard him gladly ; the singing of the of .... charmed the cultivated, and they were pleased. Pitts, Tomson, Berryman. Did ever another Conference have such a trio of voices? But we shall never hear them all again till we "get home to that beautiful land."
"And when we reach that lovely shore We'll sing the songs we've sung before."
MANSON R. ANTHONY was born in Jackson county, Ohio, February 12, 1823; converted and joined the church in IS41 ; married in IS44; came to Missouri and settled in Polk county in 1846; was licensed to preach at Lower Shady Grove Camp Ground, by the Quarterly Conference of Boli- var circuit, B. R. Johnson, Presiding Elder, in 1849; joined St. Louis Annual Conference in IS51; located in IS64; readmitted in 1866; superannuated in 1867, and died at Greenton, Missouri, June IS, 1868, in the forty-sixth year of his age, and the nineteenth of his ministry. The above are the epochs in an extraordinary life. Manson Anthony had gifts far above the mediocrity. In person he was nearly six feet high, slender, a little stoop shouldered, light auburn hair, fair complexion, laughing blue eyes, and a face wreathed in almost perpetual smiles. He was quick at repartee and as witty as an Irishman. I suspect he was of that branch of Adam's family. He had an acute mind, quick
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perception, good judgment, exuberant imagination, tena- cious memory, a warm heart, and was always ready for emergencies. Had he been favored in early life with edu- cational advantages, he might have made one of the grandest men of his day. Or education might have spoiled him, for there was a touch of egotism in his composition. As it was, though, he died before most of men usually develop " ir full strength. He made a preacher of more than ordinary power ; was immensely and deservedly popular, and accom- plished much good.
I have not wasted much time or paper in giving anec- dotes. To break the monotony I give the following: In the spring of IS5S our Presiding Elder, J. K. Lacy, who was a delegate to the General Conference, arranged that we (Anthony and I) should assist each other at our quarterly meetings while he was gone to Nashville. My quarterly meeting met on Big Piney, a rough, romantic, mountainous country, where game abounded and hunters were numerous. Brother Anthony was there in the role of Presiding Elder. He preached at II o'clock on Sunday. He was in a lively mood; the occasion put him on his mettle and he did his best. Truth to tell it was a grand sermon preached in a grove.
After the services closed and the congregation was dis- missed, an old, gray headed, roughly dressed, uncouth look- ing man made his way to the preacher and grasping his hand said : "Who are you? Whar do you live? Whar did you come from? I am the old Kaintucky bar hunter. It's strange I never hearn of you afore. That was the bigest sarmunt I ever herd." Anthony wilted. No man loved a good anecdote better than our hero, and he had a good fund
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of them. Had he written this book the reader would have had many a good laugh, yet he never enjoyed that story much.
I am tempted-but I won't do it. Mr. Anthony's health gave way suddenly while he was on the Charleston circuit, in the summer of 1877. I took him home with me to Arcadia, where he stayed a while. He was strangely afflicted. At times his mind was completely unhinged. His nervous system was entirely broken down. The next summer he went with Brother Pitts to Lafayette county, where and at whose house he died. His body was committed to the Greenton cemetery, beside which, that of the wife of his youth has since been laid. He was a brilliant man, deeply religious, and faithful to his high calling. His work is con- tinued by his oldest son, J. N. Anthony, who is a member of the Southwest Missouri Conference.
1852.
This year the Missouri Conference admitted seven on trial and re-admitted one. Of these, one disappeared in I853, two in 1855, two have died, and three, G. W. Rich, Jas. Penn and Lilburn Rush, are still members.
The St. Louis Conference received two by transfer and ten on trial. Two discontinued in IS54, one has withdrawn, one disappeared in- 1864, one has located, one transferred, three have died, two-the transfers-W. R. Babcock and D. R. M'Anally, are still members, and one, J. P. Nolan, is a member of the Missouri Conference. Of the twenty, four have served in the office of presiding elder, and one has been a member of five General Conferences.
ROBERT GARLAND LOVING was born in Nelson County, Virginia, February 1, ISOS, where he was converted and
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joined the church in IS27. He entered Augusta College in 1829, graduated in 1832, was licensed to preach in Lynch- burg, Va., in 1835, where he traveled one year ; then taught school in Buckingham County. He came to Missouri in 1849, and joined that Conference in 1852, superannuated in ISSO, and died in great peace at his residence in Montgom- ery City, July 27, ISS2, in the seventy-sixth year of his age, and the forty-seventh of his ministry. He was among the oldest members of the Missouri Conference, and the good he has done, eternity alone can reveal. A life so beauti- ful and grand, is worthy of emulation and respect. When asked how he felt in reference to the coming change, he said : 'All's right! all's right. ! ' His remains were depos- ited in the beautiful cemetery at Troy, Mo., where they await the coming resurrection of the just."
IIENRY H. HEDGEPETH was one of the most gifted young men ever received into the Missouri Conference. The minutes contain no memoir of him, and I never saw him but twice; hence the brevity of this sketch. He traveled eleven years in Missouri and six in Kansas, being presiding elder part of the time.
He attended the session of the St. Louis Conference held in Lexington in IS66 and preached from the text: "Blessed are the pure in heart; for they shall see God." For clearness of perception; for simplicity and beauty of arrangement : for penetration of thought ; for perspecuity of language, and for logical argument, I think I never heard that sermon excelled. Two years after he was at our Con- ference at Jefferson City, when he preached again. . But oh ! how different. He was confused and embarrassed. He had some knowledge of the impression he had produced two
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years before, and felt that he could not meet the expecta- tions of the preachers. He failed completely, and was, no doubt, mortified, as were his friends. Mr. Hedgepeth was tall, raw-boned and angular, had a large, well-developed head, that indicated wonderful intellectual power. Had he lived long enough he would have been equal to Caples, his foster father, in cold intellectuality, but in moral force- never. His temperament was too phlegmatic. But he would have argued subjects like Bledsoe, and men would have been elevated by the force of his intellect. But he went to the grave early, lamented by all who knew him. The minutes of 1869 announce his death, which occurred in Kansas.
THOMAS JAMES was born in Madison County, Tennes- see, October 19, 1832. His parents came to Missouri and settled one mile east of Ebenezer, in Green County, in I835. His father died in 1837. He joined the church when thir- teen years old, soon after which he was converted; was licensed to exhort by Jesse Mitchell when eighteen, and to preach by the quarterly Conference of Springfield circuit when nineteen, joined the St. Louis Conference in IS52, and left his mother's for his first circuit the day he was twenty years old. He was married in Green County in 1853, and died in the same county in IS58, in the twenty-sixth year of his age and the seventh of his ministry. My rule, strictly adhered to, would exclude this sketch of him, as it would have that of our teacher, A. H. Mathis. But he was one of the dearest friends I ever had and I cannot in silence pass him by. We were converted at the same camp meeting, attended the same school, studied the same books, recited in the same classes, were members of the same literary soci-
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ety, and corresponded with each other as long as he lived. I think I knew him well, and my verdict is: A man nearer guileless than he never lived, Thomas James was the tallest man in our Conference except R. A. Young. I remember once, Young was making a speech, and before he sat down, James rose to say something, when Young motioned to him, saying : "'Sit down! sit down! You are after my laurels." I think he was six feet, five inches, high, slender, angular and awkward.
He had a high, broad forehead, jet black hair, large black eyes, and a face and countenance beaming with intelli- gence. He could only attend school in the winter, having to work on the farm to support his widowed mother in the summer, (he was the youngest child), yet he kept up his studies, and always stood at the head of his classes. At the age of n'neteen he was a good English scholar, a fine mathe- matician, and read and translated with ease the Latin and Greek languages. I reckon the Southwest Missouri High School never sent out a better scholar than Thos. James. He was a fine writer, a superb penman, and an excellent correspondent. He commenced to write for the press when he was but a boy. I remember how proud I was while on my first circuit, to see an article written by him in the first column of the Nashville Advocate on "The Attributes of God." He died before he had time to make a reputation as a preacher, though not before he had attained to success in this field. "During his first year there were about two hun- dred and forty conversions on his circuit." However, he never would have made an orator. There was no flexibility in his voice ; no music ; nothing to thrill the hearers ; only a dry monotone. It seems strange that one so gifted, so guile-
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less, so pure, so useful and so full of promise, should die so young. But the world was not worthy of him. He was pre- pared for a higher sphere and a nobler service, and the all- wise Father took him from us here that he might glorify the name of Jesus in a world of supernal light and joy. Never was a saint avouched a more triumphant death than that accorded to our glorified brother. IIe was, though not demonstrative in life. exultantly happy. In the language of Jas. McGehee, "he shouted the praise of God in the very jaws of death." Surely,
"Where the good man meets his fate; Is honored above the walks of virtuous life, Quite on the verge of heaven."
SAMUEL S. HEADLEE was also a schoolmate of the writer, and the product, as a preacher, of the Springfield circuit. No other circuit in Missouri has given so many preacher, to the church as the Springfield. I have just now counted twenty-five names on the roll that came from that circuit. I think there are more, besides a host of local preachers. In 1837, six brothers-Daniel, Elisha, John, Joel, David, and Caleb Headlee, five of whom married as many sisters by the name of Steele,-came from Tennessee to Missouri, and settled in Greene county. Two of Daniel's sons-J. H. and E. E., and one of Caleb's-E. B .- became preachers in an early day. Now S. S., the son of Joel, comes upon the page of the Annals of Methodism in Missouri. Though born in Tennessee, he was only about ten years old when he came to Missouri. I suppose he was converted at Ebenezer. He was licensed to preach in 1847 or S, and married to Miss Cynthia Hoover about the same time. He was a pupil in the Southwest Missouri High School from
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IS49 to IS52. He was studious, but did not learn rapidly. His mind developed slowly and acted sluggishly. Nothing short of the most persistent effort could have secured for him the knowledge he acquired, for he attained to respect- able scholarship. He had two splendid talents, "stickality and retentivity." He did not quit a lesson till he learned it, and when he learned it, he had it.
He was of medium size, fair skin, light, auburn hair, good forehead, prominent cheek bones, large mouth and languid, blue eyes. As a preacher, he was neither profound nor brilliant, yet he was instructive and practical. Socially, he was pleasant and companionable. There was a vain of dry wit that he had in common with all the Headlees, that gave a spicy turn to his conversation. As a christian he was sincere, devout, uniform, faithful and true. As a Methodist he was pronounced and loyal to his vows and obligations. As a citizen he was obedient to all laws that did not contra- vene his duties and obligations to his Lord and Master. He "rendered to Cæsar the things that belonged to Cæsar, and to God the things that belonged to God." He was a man of sterling integrity and unimpeachable character.
Such a man and preacher could not be without influ- ence, and that influence could not be otherwise than helpful to society.
He had strong convictions and the courage born of his convictions to do what he deemed to be right. He would follow the path of duty, regardless of the dangers that might lurk there along. He was made of the stuff of which mar- tyrs are made. ' Like Luther, he would have "gone to Worms, though the devils should be as thick as tiles on the house." The propriety of the M. E. church, South, joining
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in a body the church, North, was discussed in Southwest Missouri in 1865, and strong, able, influential men advised. that course. Mr. Headlee set himself against the measure. He made speeches, rallied the people, and begged them to wait further development.
At the Conference held in St. Louis in 1865 he was appointed presiding elder of the Springfield district. Bishop Kavanaugh, before announcing the appointments, said among other things: "Some of these appointments will be hard. I feel deeply for you, my brethren. I fear that I am sending some of you to your graves.". Prophetic words. Alas ! they were only too true.
Mr. Headlee went to his district and cautiously, but firmly, entered upon the work of re-organization. The church was re-animated and hope began to revive. In the prosecu- tion of his work on his district he made an appointment to hold a quarterly meeting for Marshfield circuit at Pleasant View church, in Webster county, July 28, 1866.
The appointment had been published weeks before the time. On Friday, the 27th, H. W. M'Nabb, a Northern Methodist class leader, and his son, rode through the neigh- borhood and collected a mob "of the baser sort" to prevent Mr. Headlee from preaching. The next morning a mob of twenty armed men gathered early at the church. The con- gregation assembled. At the appointed hour Mr. Headlee arrived. He had been informed of threats against his life if he attempted to preach.
He knew M'Nabb, and went to him and inquired under what law and by what authority he forbade him to preach in his own church. (The house and grounds belonged to the M. E. church, South.) M'Nabb replied : "I do not care
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for the law," and, pointing to the mob, added, "that is my authority." Finding that it would be impossible to worship - peacably "under their own vine and fig tree," Mr. Headlee proposed to go to a grove, nearly a mile distant, and wor- ship, if Mr. M'Nabb and his comrades would allow them to do so. To this he assented. Some of the mob treated Mr. Headlee very roughly, cursing him and punching him with their guns.
When he and his congregation had gotten about half a mile from the church four of the mob galloped up behind them, one of whom, Bill Drake, rode up to Mr. Headlee's side and shot him three times. They then rode back to Mr. M'Nabb's house.
Mr. H. rode to the shade of a tree and dismounted, pulled off his gloves, put them in his pocket, then said : "Friends, I am a dead man. Those bad men have killed me! Lord have mercy on them? Lord save them!" As soon as it could be done, a chair was procured and he was placed in it and carried half a mile distant to the house of his sister, where he died at ten o'clock that night, and went up on high to wear a martyr's crown.
He was shot near twelve o'clock and his wife reached him about seven. When she went to him he raised his right arm and put it around her, but did not speak for a minute or more. He then said: (She was crying) "Ma, you must not grieve for me. I thought I was doing right ; I still think I was doing my Master's work. Think of me often and tell my brethren that I died at my post." He said he knew that he had to die as soon as Drake rode up. His wife asked him : "Did you not feel scared?" "No, no," said he, "I never felt the least alarmed or excited." "How did you
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feel when he drew his revolver?" asked his wife. "Well," said he, "God had most graciously removed all fear of death by violence. I knew that my time had come, and felt that I was ready and willing to go." He told her that she must not let the children forget Pa; that she must talk to them often of him, and train them up for heaven and glory. His talk with his wife was with much difficulty, as his lungs were all the time bleeding profusely, and he was suffering intensely, and sinking rapidly. Just one hour before he died, his only brother reached him. He was then wading deep in the cold Jordan of death, but on seeing his brother he held out his hand and said : "Asbury, I'm almost home ; I'm almost home ! O! that I had strength and time to tell of my prospects of heaven and immortality! Oh! those bad men, those bad men! Lord have mercy on them ! Lord save them !" After a few more endearing words to his wife he quoted the words : "And God said, let there be light, and there was light." And when the pure, soft light that flows from where the flash of sun and star grows dim in uncreated light came quietly falling around his dying pillow, he exclaimed :
"O, Sing to me of heaven, When I am called to die ; Sing songs of holy ecstacy, To waft my soul on high."
Then fell asleep, not gently like the babe on its mother's bosom, but with intense physical agony, like the martyred Stephen, amid a volly of stones.
Roberson, Glanville, Headlee, all licensed to preach by the Springfield circuit, all murdered for preaching the truth as it is in Jesus. As truly martyrs as was Stephen. The
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wanton, cruel, atrocious murder of this good man produced a wide spread and painful sensation. Good men everywhere condemned the dastardly deed ; yet the grand jury of Web- ster county, with a Northern Methodist preacher as foreman, persistently refused to find a bill against the murderers and they went unpunished.
Lexington 1852-1866. Here in 1852 S. S. Head- lee began his life work. Here in 1866 his completed work and funeral obsequies committed to the keeping of the Annals of Missouri Methodism. The Conference requested Rev. W. M. Prottsman to preach a sermon in his memory. Tuesday, at 4 o'clock p. m., was set apart for the solemn service. Though the day was clear, in the afternoon the smoke in the west was so dense that only a sombre light straggled through the gloom, and all nature seemed to partake of the sadness of the hour.
At the appointed time the Conference and citizens of Lexington assembled in the spacious auditorium of the church. Bishop Doggett, Drs. McAnally and Sehon occupied the pulpit with the preacher and assisted in the service. The sermon on " The Opening of the Fifth Seal," was a most appropriate one. It was subsequently, at this writer's suggestion, published and sold extensively, by which a fund was raised and a home secured .for the widow and fatherless children.
Mr. Headlee's body was buried in the cemetery at the Elm Spring Church and over it his Conference subsequently erected a suitable marble monument.
1853.
Thirteen new names were enrolled by the Missouri Con- ference this year, the largest class since the division, all on
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trial, and the same number by the St. Louis Conference, one of whom was by readmission. Of the twenty-six, eight discontinued, two have been transferred, six have located, seven have died and the names of the other three-Thomas Hurst, Wesley G. Miller and John Thomas-are still on the rolls. Five have served in the Presiding Eldership.
JOHN C. C. DAVIS was born in Lewis county, Ken- tuckey, March 2, IS32 ; came to Buchanan county, Mo., in IS37 ; professed religion Feb. 21, 1850, and was received into the church by M. R. Jones ; was licensed to preach in Sept., 1853, and immediately joined the Missouri Confer- ence. He traveled twenty-one years ; took a supernumerary. relation in IS74, and died at his home in St. Joseph, March II, IS75. He was married March 26, IS55, to Miss Mary Clay.
"Brother Davis enjoyed a rich religious experience, entertained sound views of gospel truth, and was a plain, honest and useful preacher, winning souls to Christ and ministering to the comfort and edification of believers. As he grew in. years he grew in grace and in the confidence and affection of his brethren. His health, which was never robust, grew more feeble during the last years of his life. But the solemn hour came sooner than his beloved ones expected. But it did not find him unfurnished. Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright, for the end of that man is peace. He said to his loved ones ' All is well. All is well,' and slept in the arms of Jesus."
WILLIAM McKENDREE NEWLAND was born in Tennes- see in IS2S. His parents moved to Missouri, and settled in Pike county in IS32. He was converted and joined the church under the ministry of Rev. Daniel Penny in IS51, by whom he was licensed to exhort in IS52. He was licensed to preach by E. M. Marvin, and admitted on trial by the Missouri Conference in IS53 ; preached continuously, succes- sively, and successfully twenty-three years; finished his
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work and entered into rest in Glasgow, Oct. 31, 1876, to which charge he had been reappointed one month before. Mr. Newland was highly gifted, deeply devoted, sincerely pious, manifestly earnest and wonderfully successful. As I remember him his physique was almost faultless, his presence most commanding and his face indicated almost perfect mental poise and a heart brimful of love. He was just such a personage as one wishes to see in the president's chair. He would have made a good bishop. As a preacher he was orthodox, logical, clear, perspicuous, practical, pungent and powerful. As a friend he was true, faithful, kind and lov- ing. .
It was fitting that he should close his work where the great Caples closed his-in the same pulpit-and go from the same parsonage whence he had gone to meet him " on the other shore." The master builders die, but God's temple rises in grandeur still.
WILLIAM PERKINS was born in Goochland county, Vir- ginia, August 2, IS00 ; was "born again" August 25, 1825 ; was married in 1824; was licensed to preach in 1828, and joined the Missouri Conference in 1853; superannuated in IS70; and died most triumphantly January 31, 1871. Although Mr. Perkins was fifty-three years old when he began his itinerant career, he rendered seventeen years of faithful service on circuits, stations and districts. In all, he preached the gospel forty-three years. How much he accomplished during those years, eternity alone can reveal. "He was a man of culture and extensive research, and was an able and faithful minister of the Word." He loved the Word of God above all books, and during the last six years of his life read the Bible through twelve times. All the
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time of his last illness he was in a happy frame of mind, exhorting all his friends to increased faithfulness in the ser- vice of God. His pastor, Rev. William Warren, went to see him, and found him "quite on the verge of heaven." He desired to partake of the Lord's Supper with his beloved family once more before his departure, which was accord- ingly administered. Jesus entered into the charmed circle. Said he : "I want you, dear wife, to continue to live the life of the righteous, Oh, how my soul yearns for Wayne (a grand-son). Bro. Warren, tell the preachers to read the Bible more, pray more, and preach more faithfully. Tell all the members of the Conference how much I love them, and though I will not be with them in body at the next session, I have no doubt I will be there in spirit. I shall hear their reports and Oh, how anxiously shall I listen for the report from Linneus. Bro. Warren, farewell ! My brother, farewell! And may God bless and be with you till we meet again. And now, children, when it becomes evident that I am dying, you must all gather around my bed and sing. 'Oh, sing to me of heaven, when I am called to die ;' and, if I am able, I will join you ; and, if conscious, will fold my arms across my breast and embrace my Savior." No wonder that it has been said: "Methodist preachers die well." I covet no earthly boon so much as such a happy passport to the skies.
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