USA > Missouri > Presbyterianism in the Ozarks : a history of the work of the various branches of the Presbyterian Church in Southwest Missouri, 1834-1907 > Part 31
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"Whereas, The Ozark Synod of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, for some cause, is in a disorganized condition (having one organized Presbytery in its bounds) : therefore be it
Resolved. That said Ozark Synod is hereby dissolved and its Presbyteries are hereby attached to the Missouri Synod."
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PRESBYTERIANISM IN THE OZARKS
CHAPTER IV.
HOMEWARD BOUND.
"I still had hopes my latest hours to crown Amidst these humble bowers to lay me down. *
*
*
"And as a hare whom hounds and horn pursue Pants to the place from whence at first she flew. I still had hopes, my long vexations past, Ilere to return, and die at home at last."
I shall pass in rapid survey the era from 1871 to 1907. The heading of this chapter may be regarded as an anachronism, but the trend of events as seen in retrospect rather than prospect jus- tifies the conviction that the unceasing purpose of the Eternal em- braced the coming together of the dismenbered branches of the Presbyterian Church.
A long time ago the sons and daughters of the Great King were building a palace beautiful. The workers grew weary and the work languished for a time. Then some of the younger chil- dren fancied they discovered a faster way to build the palace and they began to work with might and main. Then this disputation followed :
Older Children : "What are you doing ?"
Younger Children : "We are building the palace beautiful."
O. C .: "But you are using unseasoned timber and are going about it in the wrong way."
Y. C .: "Nay, but this is the best way to build. You are idle and scarcely doing anything."
O. C .: "You mar the symmetry of the palace and your work is temporary."
Y. C .: "Your house is cold and cheerless and has no bright fireside."
O. C .: "The eternal sun has given it light and warmth all
FIRST FRUITS OF THE UNION
T
REUNION CHURCH OF SPRINGFIELD
CARTERVILLE CHURCH
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PRESBYTERIANISM IN THE OZARKS
these years. The clouds, if such there be, will pass away and the palace will be resplendent and grand."
Y. C .: "But you are not building fast enough."
O. C .: "The eternal years of God are ours. You can't build with that material and in that way."
Y. C .: "But we will."
O. C .: "Then you cannot work on this palace."
Y. C .: "Then we will build a better one."
So they went out and started to build another house. Side by side the two buildings rose. The two sets of workers sometimes looked askance at each other; sometimes said things that had bet- ter have been left unsaid, for family troubles are most intense and oft-times hardest to right. By and by the proportions and the grandenr of the buildings they were erecting grew upon them. And because they were kindred and each profited by experience and began to exchange ideas, they found that their buildings looked very much alike. Then they discovered that all these years they had been building on the same foundation-building toward one another. They were right together. And there was hewed out of the Mountain of the Divine Purpose a great capstone called
LOVE.
and they lifted it together in its place and one family was building one palace beautiful. * * *
In the spring of 1871 the Ozark and Neosho Presbyteries were reorganized, and in 1887 the West Plains Presbytery was enum- erated in the sisterhood.
To the Assembly of 1871 the Springfield Presbytery reported 1,700 communicants. Ozark 1,204, Neosho 1,000, a total of 3,904 For several succeeding years the reported membership of the Presbyteries was smaller. due no doubt to the incompleteness of the returns. Although the Springfield Presbytery alone survived the ravages of the war, and at the reconstruction retained more of the communicants, Ozark Presbytery soon came to its own and presented the fairest field of Cumberland Presbyterian triumphs in Southwest Missouri. Within its confines were the stalwart Cumberland counties of Lawrence. Dade and Barry. Here too were the scenes of the labors of the pioneers-Young. Montgomery and Garrett-and here the educational and institutional efforts of the church were at their best.
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PRESBYTERIANISM IN THE OZARKS
In some years the growth of this Presbytery was phenomenal. The statistics for the years 1885-7 were :
Year
Minis- ters
Licen- tiates
Candi- dates
Churches
Additions by Letter
Profess- ions
Total Com.
1885
24
10
11
37
305
340
2180
1886
23
7
11
39
132
668
2638
1887
21
6
10
40
104
466
2662
The educational interests of the Ozark Presbytery were re- vived at Greeenfield by Rev. and Mrs. W. J. Garrett. In the '70s Mrs. Garrett opened a female seminary, which ultimately devel- oped into Ozark College. The institution first received favorable mention by the Presbytery, then was accorded Presbyterial visita- tion, passed under the control of the Presbytery, became a Synodical college, then returned to Presbyterial control at the time of the dissolution of the second Synod of Ozark. In September, 1883. it was stated that there were eight candidates for the min- istry attending this institution and that three more were to enter soon, and the entire attendance reached as high as 190 one year.
In October, 1884, it was reported that the school had a prop- erty worth from $16,000 to $18,000 with a debt of about three thousand dollars, and an enthusiastic purpose to raise an en- dowment of $20,000. his purpose was not fully realized. By October. 1890, it was reported that the school was out of debt and had an endowment of $4,000.
The toilsome struggle that brought the educational interests of the Presbytery to this point had led them to the unrecognized brow of the hill. The fathers and brethren thought there were yet mountain fastnesses before them, but the next decade, while now and then presenting an upward look and climb, for the most part led through a rapidly descending way. Several times the institu- tion was closed, and reopened, debts accumulated and scholars de- creased, and at length Missouri Valley College fell heir to most of the property, a few hundred dollars falling to the Presbytery for missionary purposes. The institution, like its predecessors, had its day, and it accomplished a work for the church of no mean propor- tions.
Springfield Presbytery, while not so intimately associated with Pleasant Hope Academy, yet realized some of the benign in- fluences of that school. In 1849 Rev. R. D. Smith, a C. P. minister, superintended the first high school at this place. The institution passed out of existence prior to the war; but was revived for a short time by Rev. A. Griggsby, another C. P. minister, and then in 1883 a company was organized "to establish a permanent school." Note the Presbyterian sound of recurring names in this list. "The members were: E. M. Cowan, J. P. Fullerton, W. P. Patterson. Z. .
322
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PRESBYTERIANISM IN THE OZARKS
T. L. Burns, R. W. Fullerton, J. P. Cowan, W. M. Fullerton, J. S. Cowan, R. F. Fullerton, N. A. Cowan, D. Salee, S. H. Fullerton, S. II. Cowan and A. Armstrong."
For fifteen or twenty years after the reorganization of the Presbyteries the general trend of the church in Southwest Mis- souri was toward rapid progress. Some few incidents diverted the minds of the church and kept the advance from being continuously rapid. The church in this section had to winnow the harvest of its sewing in the baptismal issue. As has been intimated, the early practices permitted the candidate to select the mode. The com- mittee on the state of religion in the Ozark Prsebytery said: "It would appear from the above* that you had discarded the doctrine of infant baptism in the bounds of your Presbytery." But if such was the case it was soon restored, and gradually the church eame to firmer ground on the question of the mode as well as the subject of baptism, and administered an admonition to those who con- tinned to practice immersion. There was one instance, too, where a brother was admonished for baptizing a dead person. The doc- trine of sanctification was also a disturbing element for a time, but it is evident that the views out of harmony with historic Presby- terianism gained but few promulgators.
I shall quote now from the biography of Rev. A. A. Young :
"The year 1877 opened with brighter prospects for the Cum- berland Presbyterian Church than ever before in Southwest Mis- souri. For forty years Mr. Young had labored and toiled here in the bounds of Ozark Presbytery, and at no time in his life had he seen the Cumberland Presbyterian Church so prosperous as now. * * In October of this year Ozark Synod met at Zion Church house, and here again Mr. Young had an opportunity of showing his zeal for his Master's work. At this meeting of the Synod the Wichita Presbytery was added to the Synod. This extends the territory of the Ozark from the Gasconade on the east to the west- ern boundary of Kansas. * * Mr. Young told the writer of this chapter that he had been permitted to see and hear what he never thought of seeing or hearing when he came into the wilder- ness country. He had been permitted to shake the hand of min- isters from the country bordering on the Rocky Mountains. 'And, better than all. that in that far-off field are some who have been brought into the church under my poor. feeble efforts.' 'This day,' said he, 'is a day of much joy to me, and yet it is a day of solemn meditation. All my brethren who started with me in the ministry-very nearly all-are gone. There is Bnehanan, John- ston, Burton, and Abernathy, all are gone.' * * *
"The year 1878 opened with heavy, murky clouds hanging over a portion of the church in Southwest Missouri. Troubles be-
*That year there were 79 aduit baptisms and no infant baptisms.
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PRESBYTERIANISM IN THE OZARKS
gan to work up in the bounds of Springfield Presbytery which threatened destruction to some parts of our church. Some min- isters in Springfield Presbytery, like Paul and Barnabas, fell out by the way and had to separate. This brought trouble in the con- gregation and from the congregation to the Presbytery, and from the Presbytery it reached the Synod. * * * The Synod met in the month of October in the town of Brookline, Greene county, Missouri. *
* * We had a strong sea from the very first day. Rev. G. W. Browne was chosen moderator, and. to his wisdom and good judgment we are indebted to a very great extent for the results of the work of this Synod." The writer then tells of the mediating influences of Mr. Young in the Synodical sessions of this and the following year. I quote him again: "In the midst of all this confusion Mr. Young sat in silence, but counselled the moder- ator* to stand firm to the decision, saying that we will sustain you in your decision. On Monday of this session Mr. Young arose from his seat. It was some effort for him to get upon his feet, he was so feeble: but when he did get on to his feet he delivered an ad- dress which told on all who heard him. He still wanted peace, but, he said: 'Let us execute the law, and if, according to the law men must die just, let them die.' He gave the young men of the. Synod an important lesson that they will not soon forget. Here in this Synod the question was settled, the Synod sustaining the ac- tion of Springfield Presbytery. God brought us through all these troubles safely, and gave to us the safe counsel of our venerable father until our church had passed through the 'narrows.' On Wednesday of this meeting of Ozark Synod, the final action was had on the report of the committee on overtures. The report was submitted by the committee in regard to an overture coming from Neosho Presbytery asking the Synod to change the lines between Ozark and Necsho Presbyteries. The change proposed would place Mr. Young in the bounds of Neosho Presbytery. On this subject Mr. Young delivered his last speech on the floor of the Synod. *
* * 'Brethren, I am a member of Ozark Presby- tery, have been a member of this Presbytery ever since it was or- ganized, except a few years when I was loaned to Neosho Presby- tery, when that Presbytery was weak, and could not live without me, and during the period of war and its results, when the Ozark Presbytery had no existence. With these exceptions I have al- ways been a member of Ozark Presbytery. And now, brethren, I have but a short time to live, and let me die at home with my brethren in my Presbytery, and after my decease, then you may make your changes, but let me be quiet at home.' "
The Ozark Synod passed ont of existence in accordance with the adoption of this recommendation made to the Assembly of 1888: "Your committee beg leave to report that at your last meet-
* Rev. J. B. Fly
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PRESBYTERIANISM IN THE OZARKS
ing your reverend body saw fit to attach the Springfield Presby- tery to the Synod of Ozark, from which it had been detached by former action. A memorial from Ozark Synod, referred to ns by this Assembly, asks for the dissolution of said Synod, and the con- nection of the Presbyteries which compose it, viz., Neosho, Ozark and Springfield, with the Synod of Missouri. Further, it is pro- posed that Ozark Synod surrender all its rights in law to Ozark College to the Ozark Presbytery, and that the trustees of said col- lege be directed to secure the legal rights of the church in the property of the institution. We recommend that the General As- sembly comply with the request of the Synod."
A minister of wide observation and discriminating judgment told me since the recent reunion that for ten years prior to this union the church had made no growth in Southwest Missouri, and gave his opinion as to the cause. Like young Elihu "I also will shew mine opinion." The minutes of the Assembly give the fol- lowing as the communicant strength of the Presbyteries (this in- clndes non-resident members) :
Year
Springfield Pres.
Ozark Pres.
Neosho Pres.
West Plains Pres.
Total
1880
1200
1480
700
3380
1885
1042
2180
1076
4298
1890
1730
2753
1396
463
6342
1895
1824
2663
1465
860
6812
1900
1698
2360
1417
600
6075
1905
1773
2290
1347
559
5969
The disturbed conditions in 1905 may account in part for the falling off of that year, but the decrease of 1900, as compared with . the membership in 1895 and 1890, occurred before the reunion agi- tation began.
In the preparation of this volume I have scanned and anno- tated about three thousand five hundred pages of manuscript min- utes of various Presbyteries, in addition to the information gath- ered from printed pages, letters, sessional records and by private interviews. I believe, therefore, that the deductions I shall make are based on a sufficiently wide acquaintance with the facts to guarantee their accuracy (1) The Cumberland Church was not exempt from the tendency cityward and the waning power of rural and village churches, so noticeable for a score of years. In Sonthwest Missouri the New School Church in its work at North Prairie and Cave Springs prior to the war, and the Presbyterian Church after the reunion of 1870 in the early '80s at Ozark Prairie and the northeastern part of Jasper county, approached the fa- miliar practice of the Cumberland Church in pre-empting a terri- tory and making it a stronghold. Oakland and Spring River, Mount Vernon and Big Spring in Lawrence county : Center Creek
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PRESBYTERIANISM IN THE OZARKS
in Jasper ; the territory contiguous to Greenfield in Dade; Wash- burn's Prairie and its offshoots in Barry ; Salem-afterwards Neo- sho-in Newton ; Mount Comfort, New Providence and Brookline in Greene, and Pleasant Hope in Polk are in evidence. The Cum- berland Church justly prided itself on its work for the rural re- gions. The Springfield Church was a nursling when some of these were vigorous and strong. Carthage was a mission, receiving help from beyond the confines of its own Presbytery as late as 1887, and the church never had more than a feeble plant in Joplin. When the question of union was at issue insinuations were made that if the union was effected the Presbyterian Church would neglect the rural regions. In justice to the united church it must be said that the decline in the country work began years before the union ques- tion was agitated and that the united church did not inherit from the Cumberland branch a single strong rural church in all South- west Missouri. Allusion has been made to the fact that the com- bined membership of the four Presbyteries was not as large in 1900 as in 1890. The showing would have been worse still had not the city churches kept up the average. Before the union was consum- mated, and without any reference to that event, the old New Prov- idence Church had been reduced to a feeble remnant, enjoying the occasional ministrations of the Word. Brookline, that I am told had once a membership of 300, reported but a sixth of that num- ber. And where was the grandeur of Center Creek, that reported in 1905 twenty members, and Washburn that reported twenty-one ? These churches, together with Mount Comfort and Pleasant Hope, have not recognized the union, and although it may be charged that Mount Comfort and Pleasant Hope have suffered because of the union, yet I am constrained to believe that even their palmiest days were at least five years before the union was mentioned. It has not been the policy of the united church to disturb the anti- unionists where they have the majority. In Southwest Missouri, if anything, the union element in the Cumberland Church has lacked in justifiable aggression in this respect and has given way too readily. It remains to be seen what those in possession will do with the old strongholds of Pleasant Hope, Mount Comfort, Big Spring, et. cet.
(2) The General Assembly of 1895 pronounced the rallying shibboleth, "Education before ordination." Southwest Missouri Cumberland Presbyterianism caught up the cry and echoed it from Presbyterial deliverance to Presbyterial deliverance. The annals of Ozark Presbytery particularly are replete with the consideration of educational interests for half a century. With all this one gets the impression that the shibboleth was used in fulminating deliv- erances and disregarded in practical application. On the subject of supporting the ministry, Dr. McDonald says that the church
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PRESBYTERIANISM IN THE OZARKS
rectified its mistakes slowly. I quote: "The whole generation of preachers had false views on the subject. 'Supporting the Gospel' was the text; a pitiful hat collection which furnished the ministers who held the meeting from one to three dollars apiece for a week's labor was the application.'" I have examined probably a hun- drd reports given by ministers to the Presbytery, enumerating the number of times they preached during the year and the compensa- tion received therefor, and I am fully prepared to assert this is not a hyperbole. But I am anticipating. The quotation from Dr. Me- Donald was given to illustrate another point. "Education Before Ordination" was the text. The application was evaded until some future time. In 1898 the committee on education in Ozark Presby- tery submitted the following: " 'Education before ordination,' was made the war cry of the General Assembly at its session in 1895, and the cry, we are glad to say, (has been) continually sounded ever since. The time was when perhaps an educated min- istry was not so essential as now; but that day is passing, yea, has passed. The young man who feels that he is called to the min- istry, should also feel and know that God expects and requires his best efforts, and no man is at his best as a teacher unless he is at least the equal in education of a majority of his hearers. There never will be a time when the church is not in need of well-edu- cated men. We would insist that our probationers prepare them- selves by attending our own institutions of learning as far as pos- sible. When the attendance at some good school is not possible we, your committee, insist that the course laid down by the Gen- eral Assembly be followed strictly, and that no probationer be al- lowed to pass until a fair knowledge of the branches is shown. The Presbytery should encourage her young men in every way pos- sible to secure an education, and should hold them strictly to ac- count for remission in attending the duties of preparation. As Ozark Presbytery has been put on the list of those who have been derelict in their duty as touching the education of its probationers, it behooves us to take advanced steps in the line of education." The perhaps in this report should be emphasized by the additional fact that there were strong reasons why many of the earlier min- isters were not educated that do not obtain in later times. Oppor- tunities must be taken into account. Men of strong native gifts entered the ranks and did exploits on meager educational qualifi- cations. If they had possessed the opportunities of today they would have improved them.
(3) A secularized ministry and a feeling on the part of the ministry and the churches that a tenure of six months or a year at least was all that could be contemplated in preaching appoint- ments clung to the church with remarkable tenacity. The people never awakened fully to the conception of an adequate support.
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PRESBYTERIANISM IN THE OZARKS
Many of the ministers retained their secular engagements. Ap- pointments were made for six months at a time and supplies se- lected churches widely scattered with little regard to forming a contiguous group and building it up. It has been asserted, with reason as I believe, that there were two distinct elements in the ministry of the church before the agitation for union; and it has even been averred that the church would have split in this section had there been no union. I cite these things in extennation of the charges that the union was pushed too rapidly. So far as South- west Missouri is concerned I do not believe the situation would have changed in ten years. We can dispassionately affirm that the Presbyterian Church, U. S. A., has learned some lessons in adapta- tion in the last quarter of a century-that some of the Cumberland Presbyterian ministers in the best sense "discerned the signs of the times" and were held back by those who clung to the faults rather than emulated the virtues of the past. Beyond question a number of the Cumberland ministers in Southwest Missouri were not and are not doctrinally, temperamentally and practically in accord with the Presbyterian Church. They do not claim to be and we would not insinuate that they are. On all policies essential to the best development of the church, on the question of subordi- nation to established principles of .church government, and on the fundamentals of historic Presbyterianism, they were in little, if any, more accord with their brethren who entered in to the union before the union was agitated than they are with the united church. Throughout its existence the Cumberland Church has claimed to belong to the Presbyterian family of churches. This claim involves the acceptance of the Presbyterian form of govern- ment and the Reformed or Calvinistic doctrine. In all. of the Presbyterian churches there are different shades of Calvinistic be- lief. We may denominate these high Calvinism and low Calvin- ism, or rigid Calvinism and moderate Calvinism. The Presby- terian Church, U. S. A., maintains that its fold is large enough to embrace Calvinists of all shades. The Cumberland Church his- torically recognized its affinity with the Presbyterian family, sought repeatedly to unite with this or that branch of the church, and was admitted to a place in the Presbyterian alliance through- ont the world. After repeated efforts that failed by reason of the fact that agreement could not be reached as to the basis of nnion, at last terms of agreement were found which were declared to be alike honorable to both bodies, and the union was consummated.' Unfortunately, in Southwest Missouri, as elsewhere, a large ele- ment of the church has followed the leadership of those who pro- claim that they are not in accord with the Presbyterian Church. Some of these laymen bear the names of fathers of the church, who were largely instrumental in planting the church and some of them
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PRESBYTERIANISM IN THE OZARKS
have themselves borne a conspicuous part in perpetuating the church. Some of the churches that have been the scenes of marvel- ous displays of Divine grace are not with us. We cherish for them the kindliest of feelings. Their resplendent history is the heritage of the united church as well as that of the body unfavorable to the union. Pleasant Hope gave to us B. P. Fullerton, D. D., and Con- cord J. M. Hubbert, D. D., to say nothing of other enrichments to the Kingdom of God as represented by the Presbyterian Church, U. S. A.
In this volume I have endeavored to accord honorable mention wherever it is due. I have not stopped to ask which side of the union question the valiant soldiers of the cross were on, or would have been on had they lived. Much less have I stopped to inquire as to whether their descendants or relatives are identified with the reunited church.
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