USA > Nebraska > A history of Nebraska Methodism, first half-century, 1854-1904 > Part 17
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Thus John W. Stewart successfully led the Church of York through this fiery trial at a time when the finan- cial conditions throughout the entire country were de- pressed, and a severe drouth in Nebraska had intensified these unfavorable conditions to such an extent as to make the building of such a church as York needed to seem to the people an impossibility. But this incident is char- acteristic of the man and of his entire career.
He entered the ministry forty-six years ago, in 1858, in the Central Illinois Conference, but when the war broke out he enlisted in the service of his country, hold- ing the rank of major. After discharging his duty to his country, he resumed his place in the ministry, and in 1874 was transferred to the Nebraska Conference.
George A. Smith became a member of the Wisconsin Conference in 1858, and gave over twenty years to the ministry in that Conference before coming to Nebraska in 1880. He stood high in a Conference of such men as W. G. Miller, Coleman, George C. Haddock, the martyr, and others. Since coming to Nebraska he has served the prosperous and important charges of York and Fair- mont. But recognizing his superior ability as a preacher. and his sound judgment, the Church soon called him to
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the presiding eldership of the Lincoln District, and then to the Nebraska City District.
A sad misunderstanding of the situation in relation to our University matters that were at that time very com- plicated, led Bishop Warren to remove him from the latter district before his six years expired. The bishop was manly enough to afterward acknowledge his mistake and the wrong he had done to one of God's purest min- isters. In 1892 he asked and received a superannuated relation, and has since lived in University Place. But he has not been idle during these years of his retirement, but often supplies the pulpit for his pastor, and always to the delight and profit of his hearers. Though past seventy, his sermons are still delivered with much force, and contain many passages of rare beauty and originality. reminding us of the days when he was a great power in the pulpit and the counsels of the Church.
He has also spent much of this quiet evening of his life in literary work, and has written and published a vol- ume of poems, "Evening Bells," in which the sweetness of his own inner life finds tender expression, and other lives are being enriched. Though afflicted with partial deafness, he is happily spending his declining years along with his devoted wife and accomplished daughter, Mamie, a teacher in the music department of Nebraska Wesleyan.
About the same time that George A. Smith came to Nebraska, another of Wisconsin's strong men came, in the person of Dr. W. G. Miller, being transferred to the Nebraska Conference in 1879. Beginning his ministry in 1844, it was his privilege to give a half century in this blessed work, fifteen of which were given to Ne-
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braska. Death closed his long and useful career in 1893, and his brethren place on record the following brief sun- mary of his life and work, and also these fitting words of appreciation of his worth :
"Wesson Gage Miller was born in Otsego County, New York, February 8, 1822, and died in University Place, Nebraska, December 20, 1893. His youth was spent in New York and in the summer of 1844 he settled in Waupun, Wisconsin, and went into business. He soon dropped secular pursuits and entered the ministry. His first circuit, Waupun, had twenty-two appointments re- quiring two services daily to reach all the points in two weeks. His next appointment was Watertown, where he performed the double duty of pastor and teacher. His third appointment was Waukesha, and his fourth Grand Avenue, Milwaukee. At the age of twenty-eight he was appointed presiding elder of Fond du Lac District and served for four years. He then served a pastorate of two years each at Racine and Janesville, after which he served Milwaukee District four years and pastor in Mil- waukee three years. He was again appointed to Fond du Lac and Ripon and again, in 1872, to Milwaukee. April 26, 1874, during the delivery of a sermon, he was taken violently ill with a serious nervous prostration which caused him to retire for two and one-half years. On his recovery he was again appointed to Milwaukee, and in 1879 Bishop Harris transferred him to the Nebraska Con- ference and appointed him presiding elder of Omaha Dis- trict, which he served two years, when the Conference was divided and he was appointed to York District for four years, and finally to the Lincoln District for six years, when he retired from the active work of the min-
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istry, but continued to render what service he could to the University of whose Board of Trustees he was the president. All through his busy life he rendered much valuable service to the Church besides that assigned him by the Conference, especially in connection with the work of Christian education and the dedication of churches. Dr. Miller was an able preacher, a faithful pastor, a wise administrator and a warm friend to whom none need ever come in vain. He attended the Conference last September at Beatrice and made a touching address which all felt were farewell words. His last weeks he patiently waited for the summons to call him home. His work abides to bless the world. His memory is precious ; may his mantle fall upon us who remain."
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CHAPTER XIV.
THIRD PERIOD. (1870-1880.)
IF we turn our eyes to the north part of the State we find the same process going on, though the number of immigrants is not so great. As early as 1868 the rich Logan Valley began to be settled as far north as the Omaha Indian Reservation. The first Methodist preacher to go as far as Lyons was Jesse W. Perkins, then a local preacher, who organized the Church at that point in No- vember, 1870. The first members were: Joel S. Yeaton, Susan Yeaton, John Armstrong, Roseanne Armstrong, Adam Hetzler, Adelia Hetzler, Charles Shaw, Theresa Shaw, Albert and Hattie Thomas. Brother Perkins also organized the class at Alder Grove in southeast part of Burt County.
North of the Omaha Indian Reservation, at what at first was called Omadi, and afterwards Dakota City, an appointment had been maintained from 1856 up to 1867 and then drops out, to reappear in 1870, with that man of consecrated push, courage, and tact, S. P. Van Doozer, as pastor, whose fiery missionary zeal reaches up the Mis- souri River twenty miles and takes in Ponca, besides other points in the surrounding country, and according to the report of his presiding elder, A. G. White, was re- warded with an increase of 500 per cent in the member- ship, and according to the list of appointments the suc- ceeding year, was himself justly rewarded by being
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placed in charge of the Covington District. As might be expected the event proved the selection to be wise, his tireless energy, resourceful tact, and warm-hearted sym- pathy for preachers and people made him the man for the time and peculiar needs of the situation. There be- ing no railroads, all his quarterly-meetings must be reached by private conveyance, involving sometimes travel of hundreds of miles and weeks of absence from home. He is verily another of those heroic spirits to whom will fitly apply the words by which as we have seen, Dr. Maxfield described C. W. Wells, being one of the men who "shake hands with ease and comfort, bid- ding them farewell, and taking their lives in their hands, go forth bearing the precious seed."
These high qualities were destined to be frequently called into action and subjected to the severest tests dur- ing his term of service. He will find but one organized charge as far west as Cedar County. Old St. James Class had been formed by an elderly preacher named Brown, as early as 1868, and had as one of the charter members Mrs. O. D. Smith, of precious memory. But about this time settlers began pouring into the southern parts of Dixon and Cedar Counties, penetrating as far as Wayne, Knox, Pierce, Madison, Boone, and Antelope Counties, all embraced in the Covington District. All these must be cared for and organized and it will tax even S. P. Van Doozer to keep up with the rapidly ad- vancing tide.
Of some of S. P. Van Doozer's experiences on this district, his devoted wife writes me as follows:
"For four years and a half Mr. Van Doozer seemed like a stranger to his family, being gone nearly all of
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the time, often being absent seven weeks on one trip. So much of a stranger was he that his first baby boy re- fused to notice him, and we always had trouble in the family when the papa came home.
"I am sure only God and Mr. Van Doozer knew the hardships of that new unorganized district during those years. Quarterly-meetings were held in sod school- houses, dug-outs, on the prairies in tents, or under a clump of cottonwood trees. He could always find a place to hold quarterly-meeting, 'Nothing daunting or making afraid.' On one of these long trips in the cool fall, he swam the Elkhorn River seven times to get his team and buggy with its contents over. The quarterly-meeting was held as per appointment and a grand spiritual feast was enjoyed. After giving me the details, he said, 'I brought home the quarterly collection to you.' 'How kind of you !' Drawing it from his pocket he handed me two copper pennies. 'Poor pay, don't you think,' said I. 'No,' he replied, 'I held the quarterly-meeting in a poorly kept dug-out, all for Jesus' sake. He was with us in fullness of power. I was well paid.'"
The work on the district progressed, as each Confer- ence report gave proof. I question if any Methodist Episcopal minister had as great a variety of experience. He was obliged to cross the Indian Reservation going over his district. A good story is remembered by those people of a horse trade he made with an Indian, in which the Indian got the best of the preacher.
After four years of aggressive leadership, S. P. Van Doozer retires from the North Nebraska District, and in his report for 1875 makes this summary of results : "When the district was formed, four years ago last
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spring, there were nine charges, now there are seventeen, including one consolidation. Then there were two churches, one at Covington, valued at $2,000, and one at Decatur, valued at $1,500 ($3,500), which is too high by $1,000; now there are eight churches, whose proba- ble value is $12,000. Then there was one parsonage val- ued at $600 ; now there are eight parsonages, whose prob- able value is not less than $3,000, making an increase of six churches and six parsonages, with an aggregate value of some $15,000, or an increase of about $12,000, and all increase of membership of at least 200 per cent. And while we feel thankful for the prosperity that has at- tended the district in its first four years of struggle, I am sorry that more has not been done. But I feel safe in saying that had it not been for providential calamities, much more would have been accomplished. In quitting this field of labor, I can not dismiss from my mind all feelings of solicitude and anxiety for its future welfare, and yet I cheerfully step aside and give place to some more worthy and efficient person as successor, praying the Divine blessing to rest upon him and crown his la- bors with abundant success, for Jesus' sake."
J. B. Maxfield is assigned to the North Nebraska Dis- trict in 1875, having completed his full four years on the Beatrice District. It is still a frontier field, though some of the appointments are among the oldest in the Con- ference. The population is rapidly finding its way up the Logan, Elkhorn, and Niobrara Valleys, and on the fer- tile table-lands, the settlements extending as far west as Holt County. Of this district, the work of the year, and prospects, Dr. Maxfield gives this description in his first report : "The year now closing is my first on the North
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Nebraska District. My predecessor, in his various re- ports, has conveyed to this Conference and to the public sufficient intelligence of its geographical contour, and nat- ural resources. It comprises much the largest scope of actually inhabited territory of any district in the Con- ference. Its circuits are in consequence very large, each comprising many appointments ; many of them remote from each other. This necessarily involves a great amount of travel in working each circuit, demanding large industry and faithfulness of every preacher in charge. Early in the year an unusual spirit of religious concern was observable almost everywhere upon the dis- trict. From very small beginnings, widespread revivals were the results. These continued during the entire winter, and in some places far into the spring and sum- mer. A solid and considerable increase has thus ensued, both of numbers and, I am convinced, of personal piety.
"Looking upon the history of this centennial year, there are abundant reasons to be discovered for gratitude to Almighty God for the gracious mercies He has be- stowed upon us. Our financial concerns have suffered in common with the business depression prevalent every- where. Prices have been very small and money hard to obtain. Added to this general condition of monetary stringency, is the harm wrought by those periodical visit- ants, the grasshoppers, which have scourged this area of territory, comprised in the district I represent, once more. In the western and northern parts thereof, the harm done was much more severe than in the castern portion. Yet there is not in my knowledge a single acre anywhere that entirely escaped, and in many instances the corn was ell- tirely destroyed. The crops of small grains were meager,
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and the farmers' hopes were builded upon an abundant corn crop; hopes that never were to be realized. An in- evitable consequence is the poverty of our preachers, and a large deficiency arising from unpaid salaries. I do not recall more than one instance in which the entire salary has been paid. When we remember how small the sal- aries are, and then deduct therefrom at least one-third for deficiencies, we may then understand how many are the privations to be endured by the Methodist itinerants in the frontiers of Nebraska."
It is to be greatly regretted from the standpoint of the historian, that for some reason the secretaries did not print the reports of the presiding elders for several years. This involves the final reports on both the Beatrice and North Nebraska Districts, which have special value, as usually containing a résumé of the four years' work on their districts.
While we are deprived of this valuable source of in- formation, we know in other ways that Dr. Maxfield suc- cessfully led the forces during the following four years, and the district, while not expanding territorially, con- tinues to develop along all lines of Church work.
In 1871, George H. Wehn was admitted on trial and appointed to Madison Charge, which was, with the ex- ception of a small class at Union Creek, an unorganized work, extending to the west as far as an enthusiastic young circuit rider, such as Brother Wehn was, would go in search of the scattered members of the Methodist fold. In a letter from Mrs. C. D. Trask, formerly of Oakdale, and one of the oldest settlers, she speaks thus of the beginning of religious work at that place: "Prior to any organization, Rev. George H. Wehn traveled as
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far west as Frenchtown (near where Clearwater now is), preaching at some points along his line of travel, visiting from house to house and doing much good among the set- tlers. He organized the Oakdale class in the spring of 1872 at the residence of J. H. Snyder, the first members being A. M. Salnave, Hester A. Salnave, Wm. P. Clark, Mary E. Clark, Laura E. Snyder, Jacob Holbrook, Jesse T. Bennett, and Helen L. Bennett." In speaking of Brother Wehn, Mrs. Trask further says that "he pos- sessed a good education, was a fair preacher, and diligent in labor."
Of Brother Wehn's circuit, and the work he did dur- ing that year, his presiding elder, S. P. Van Doozer, says : "Madison is a new work, and lies in the extreme west- ern part of the district, embracing all of Madison and Antelope Counties, and a part of Boone County. One year ago Rev. George H. Wehn was appointed to this newly organized mission. When he entered upon his work he found a class of four or five members formed on Union Creek. From this small beginning he has gone on heroically, ascending the Elkhorn River and its tribu- taries, doing the work of an evangelist, and now reports five classes, and a membership, including probationers, of more than one hundred souls." During the year a camp-meeting was held, at which there were forty acces- sions to the Church. He significantly adds that the mnis- sion had assumed such proportions "that necessity will dictate a division for the ensuing year."
There appeared upon the scene in 1872 a sturdy Eng- lishman, Jabez Charles. He was born in England, Sep- tember 6, 1836, converted at the age of fifteen, and li- censed to preach in the Primitive Methodist Church in
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1864. In March, 1857, he was married to Miss Eliza- beth Powles, and in June, 1868 they came to America, and he became a local preacher on the Charters Circuit; Pittsburg Conference, of the Methodist Episcopal Church. In March, 1872, he was recommended to the Pittsburg Annual Conference for admission on trial. But thinking he ought to avail himself of the opportuni- ties offered in the great West to secure a homestead, he did not join the Pittsburg Conference, but came to Omaha, Nebraska, not intending to preach, but to make a home for himself and family. However, he preached once in a grove of scrub oaks just south of the Union Pacific depot, sometime during that summer, and soon a letter passed to that alert presiding elder, S. P. Van Doozer, who was on the lookout for good men to supply some unoccupied fields, informing him that in Omaha there was an English local preacher who would probably fill the bill. It was not long before Brother Charles re- ceived a letter from Van Doozer requesting him to meet him, which he did. The result of this meeting meant much for Nebraska Methodism, for he was at once re- quested to take charge of the work in Madison County. After informing him fully of the character and condition of the people, living in their sod houses; their poverty, intensified at that time by the grasshoppers; that there were no churches, and in many cases no school-houses even ; 110 railroads through the country and 110 bridges over the streams, the presiding elder asked him how he liked it? Brother Charles answered, "I have learned to adapt myself to circumstances." The presiding elder said, "You will do," and at once employed him as a supply. On the 13th of September, 1872, Jabez Charles reached his
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large and hard field of labor and began that self-sacrific- ing career of faithful and efficient toil and great useful- ness, which continued without a break until the Confer- ence of 1902, when at the age of sixty-six, worn out by thirty years of incessant toil on large circuits with small salaries, he requested, and was granted, a superannuated relation.
The history of the North Nebraska Conference would be very incomplete if what Jabez Charles has done for the Master were left out. Of that portion of it relating to the development of our work in Madison, Boone, and Antelope Counties, it was he, doubtless, above all others, who laid the foundations of our Zion during the first five years of his ministry in Nebraska, during which time he remained in the local ranks and was contented to serve as a supply under the presiding elder. The story of his work and experiences during these five years is so well told in a communication from him to the writer, that I can do no better than to quote his own words :
"On the 13th of September, with a letter of authority, I found myself in Madison County, Nebraska, as preacher in charge of the Madison Circuit. I found six preaching places ; namely, Madison, with no class and no church ; Union Creek, with J. T. Trine as leader and local preacher ; Battle Creek, three miles up the creek from the present town of Battle Creek, with no class at this place ; Fairview (Clarion Post-office), Brother Reigle, a local preacher and a good Methodist, and a class led by Brother E. Heath. At Buffalo Creek was the best appoint- ment in every sense of the word. There we had a strong class, with good Father George Rouse as leader ; we had two local preachers, Brothers J. T. Morris and R. J.
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Harvey, and after a while two exhorters; Brother Shafer and Charles Rouse. (Ever since that time Brother Rouse has held a local preacher's license.) At Buffalo Creek we worshiped in a sod school-house, earth floor and sod roof, and yet what glorious times we enjoyed! After preaching in that old dug-out I heard sixty persons tell their experiences. I have known the men to put their spring seats around the door on the outside when there was snow on the ground because they could not get in- side. This place is now known as Meadow Grove. Ma- rietta was a preaching place, with a class, J. Alberry leader and local preacher. There were a number of other places at which we preached. The Best appointment was five miles west of Norfolk ; Solters, twelve miles west of Norfolk; Deer Creek, Dry Creek, and St. Clair Creek. At this place we held a very good revival-meeting in 1873 and 1874. Brother C. Rouse was leader. This place was five and one-half miles southeast of Oakdale. I forded the Elkhorn River at different points all the way from Westpoint to Oakdale. Once I crossed in a inolasses pan. I have taken off all my clothing and waded the stream, in order to get from one preaching place to the other. Those were the grasshopper times, when frozen squash was a luxury. Dry Creek Circuit was formed in 1873. taking in the northwest part of the county. In the fall of 1874 I left ninety-three full mem- bers on the circuit. In the fall of 1874 I was sent to the Albion Circuit, including the entire county of Boone. I found four preaching places. At Albion we had no town and no church. True there was one store, a school- house, and a court-house, and John Avers's shanty, but no dwelling-house. Rev. S. P. Bollman, a local preacher,
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lived in his homestead and preached all he could while holding various county offices. W. T. Nelson was our class-leader. At Boone we worshiped in a sod school- house, R. W. King was leader. At St. Edwards we had not even a school-house, but worshiped in Joel Berrey's sod dwelling-house. J. Berrey was our class-leader and W. J. Thompson was postmaster and the most prominent member at this place. We held a revival-meeting in a blizzard, with thirteen conversions.
"Twenty miles from Albion was Dayton, on the Cedar River. Brother James Robinson kept the post-office, Brother Broadbent was leader. This place is now called Cedar Rapids. At School-house No. 15 we held revival meetings, early in 1875, and formed a class of thirteen members, of which W. Deupoe, H. Guiles, and J. Moore were members. This place is now called Pin- ical Hill. At the first quarterly-meeting, when the ques- tion was asked, 'How much will you raise for the sup- port of the minister this year ?' Brother R. W. King said, 'We can not promise anything. If the grasshoppers take our crops, we can not pay anything.' But for 1875 I received $203.45; for 1876 I received $229.59. There was an increase of sixty-two full members and seven probationers. At our Conference held at Lincoln in 1875 I was ordained a local deacon by Bishop Haven1. In the fall of 1876 I was sent back to the Madison Cir- cuit a second time. On this work I found six appoint- ments ; namely, Madison, Union Creek, Fairview, Kala- mazoo, Newmans Grove, and Tracy Creek. There was no church on this circuit. But in the summer of 1877 we commenced our Church enterprise at Madison. The first load of lumber for the new church came from Co-
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lumbus, thirty-five miles away. The night before we started to Conference, which was held in Eighteenth Street, Omaha, October II, 1877, Bishop Bowman pre- siding. At this Conference I was admitted on trial in the Nebraska Annual Conference, and was sent back to Mad- ison for the second year. We continued work on our church all through the winter and in the summer we held a ministerial Conference in the new church, closing with a camp-meeting in Severens's grove, at which were pres- ent Rev. J. B. Maxfield, D. Marquette, J. B. Leedom, A. Hodgetts, and others. A good, time was enjoyed.
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