USA > Nebraska > A history of Nebraska Methodism, first half-century, 1854-1904 > Part 27
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This last period will witness the rapid growth of the large cities, and the establishment of new churches in eligible locations. Omaha has grown from 30,000 in 1880, to a little over 100,000 in 1900. The census of 1890 gives the population as 139,000, but what many sus- pected at the time was clearly shown to be the fact by the census of 1900, that the census of 1890 was padded to the extent of at least 50,000. This is now acknowl- edged by all and is regarded by some of the best men in Omaha as having been a criminal blunder, which has re- acted disastrously. They are now convinced that hon- esty is the best policy, even in census matters.
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SOME WHO HAVE LED THE HOSTS AS PRESIDING ELDERS.
I. H. HIRST MILLARD. 2. STOKELY D. ROBERTS. 3. R. H. ADAMS. 4. WM. R. JONES. 5. RICHARD PEARSON. 6. D. F. RODABAUGII. 7. W. A. AMSBARY. 8. J. G. MILLER. 9. ASA C. SLEETH. IO. J. R. GETTYS. II. GEORGE W. ELWOOD. 12. W. K. BEANS.
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But the increase from 30,000 in 1880 to 100,000 in 1900 is a substantial gain, and has necessitated a corre- sponding expansion of our Church. We have seen Seward Street Church taking the place of the old Eight- eenth Street Church, and South Tenth strengthening its position by building a church in 1880, and a parsonage in 1881. Seward Street has had a healthy growth under a succession of energetic and able pastors, numbering such men as Wm. Worley, C. W. Savidge, D. K. Tindal, A. C. Welch, C. N. Dawson, and Wm. Gorst. It now numbers 444, as compared with 142 reported for Eight- eenth Street Church in 1880.
South. Tenth Street began the period with seventv- two and now has one hundred and thirty-one. Thus this Church has made some progress, but not equal to what we anticipated. It has been well and faithfully served by such men as J. W. Stewart. E. G. Fowler, T. C. Clen- denning, C. N. Dawson, Alfred Hodgetts, J. B. Priest, T. C. Webster, G. A. Luce, and the present pastor, A. L. Mickel. These have all been efficient pastors, and some most excellent lav workers, such as Luther A. Harmon and his father, Mrs. N. J. Smith, David Cole, and others, who were in the Church at the first and were joined by others who came in later.
In 1886 H. H. Millard, D. D., organized Hansconi Park Church. This Church occupies one of the very best portions of the city, and has the field to itself, being far enough away from any other Methodist Church to pre- vent any conflict of interest. It has also been favored by a number of aggressive laymen, prominent among them being John Dale, a local preacher and business man.
Brother Millard was very successful, and at the end of
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the year reported, a church worth $8,000, and a member- ship of ninety-four. It now has a fine church worth $33,- 500, a parsonage, worth $2,500, and a membership of 352.
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The appointment of H. H. Millard to Hanscom Park Church (which was to be) by Bishop Fowler, in 1886, is a good illustration of the embarrassment to which a presiding elder is sometimes subjected. The writer was at that time presiding elder of the Norfolk District, and had secured Brother Millard from Drew Theological School, and he having done two years of excellent work at Wisner, I wished very much to keep him. Bishop Fowler, seeing a splendid opportunity at Hanscom Park, was looking over the Conference for the best man for the place. Millard had been suggested, and the bishop proceeded to question me in regard to the young man. To tell the truth about him was to lose the man I needed, but being a little proud of him, I told the whole truth, after which the bishop quietly said, "We will put Mil- lard down for Hanscom Park."
Brother Millard's successors were George M. Brown, who remained five years; W. P. Murray, who staid five years; F. M. Sisson, who after two years was appointed presiding elder of the Norfolk District, and Clyde C. Cissel, who is now on his fifth year. It is a credit to this Church that they have so uniformly kept their pastors a long term, and these pastors have evidently been doing good work rearing this goodly superstructure on the foundations so well laid by H. H. Millard.
In 1883, the country where South Omaha now stands was open farm land, but about that time was purchased by packing-house interests in Chicago, and in a very brief time there was the beginning of the now thriving city of
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South Omaha, with a population of 25,000 or more. Of course, Methodismn will seize this important point, and in 1886, T. B. Hilton, who had previously served Fremont and York, was assigned to "Omaha Circuit." At the end of the first year the statistics show thirty-eight men- bers, and one church worth $32,000, and a parsonage worth $1,800. But this is manifestly an error, as the amount reported the next year was $3,800 for the church and $600 for the parsonage, which is correct.
L. H. Eddleblute succeeded Hilton, and during the two years of his successful pastorate began and inclosed a more commodious church building. The writer fol- lowed Eddleblute and found that his work had been well done. During my pastorate the Church begun under my predecessor's administration, was carried forward to com- pletion, and dedicated by Bishop Newman. I found some splendid laymen, who co-operated heartily in the work. Among these were Young, Mead, Eastman, and Rich- ardson. Chief among these was the last named, who as president of the Board of Trustees, Sunday-school super- intendent, class-leader, and steward, proved himself a valuable helper and true friend to the pastor. There were others who were helpful, but whose names are not recalled. At the close of the first year I was appointed presiding elder of the Elkhorn Valley District, and C. N. Dawson followed. His pastorate continued five years, and was very successful. During his term the church burned down, and he successfully led the people through the difficult task of erecting on the same site a much bet- ter one at a cost of $15,000. Under Dawson and his suc- cessors, J. A. Johnson, H. H. Millard, and M. A. Head, all strong men, the Church has made steady progress,
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SOME WHO HAVE LED THE HOSTS AS PRESIDING ELDERS. I. THOMAS BITHEL. 2. ISAAC BURNS. 3. A. G. WHITE. 4. C. W. GIDDINGS. 5. J. S. W. DEAN. 6. J. F. KEMPER. 7. D. J. CLARK. 8. MARTIN PRITCHARD. 9. S. P. VAN DOOZER.
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and the thirty-eight reported by Hilton have increased to four hundred.
Omaha extended rapidly toward the north during the eighties, and presented an inviting field to Methodism, which was promptly entered, and in 1887, Trinity Church began its eventful career. The church is located in the addition known as Koontz Place, in which no lot was sold to any one that did not agree to build a house worthi $2,000.
T. B. Hilton was the first man to preach in that vicin- ity with a view to establishing a Church, but remained but a short time, when J. E. Ensign, who had something of a reputation as a financier, was employed to solicit subscriptions. But a failure to secure a guarantee of $1,200 salary caused him soon to retire, not being the kind of man needed. A. H. Henry was transferred from Castellar appointment in the south part of the city, where there was little promise, to this much more promising field. Trinity thus had the somewhat novel experience of having three pastors before there was any Church or- ganized.
But Henry was an energetic, bright young man and soon found the following persons who were on the 13th of November, 1887, organized into a class and took the name of Trinity Church: M. M. Hamlin and wife and three children, Ed. A. Parmelee and wife, Mrs. Norah H. Lemon, C. W. Cain and wife, and Stella Cain ; J. J. Mc- Lain and wife, J. J. Toms and wife, L. A. Harmon and wife, O. T. Smith and wife, H. H. Miller, Mrs. F. B. Brayton, J. H. Cornes, C. D. Simms and wife, Elizabeth Hamilton, Edward Bell, wife, and family; Mrs. Willett, Mary Willett ; Kittie Snow and Kate Elsas.
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Encouraged by a generous subscription of $500 from Rev. John P. Roe, the amount deemed needed to make it safe to do so, was secured, and a good substantial church was built at a cost of $17,000, and dedicated by Bishop Newman.
Succeeding A. H. Henry was J. W. Robinson, and he and his successor, W. K. Beans, added to the Church till the membership had increased to 269. F. H. Sander- son follows W. K. Beans, and remains five years, report- ing at Conference in 1898, 228 members. Thus in its first ten years it grew into a strong Church numerically, but when Jesse W. Jennings, who had been appointed to Trinity, reached his field, he found a discouraged people almost ready to give up the struggle and acknowledge that they were bankrupt. Trinity was one of those enter- prises that had the misfortune to start out at the wrong end of the boom, and before they could get their finances in good shape, the boom burst and made it difficult to collect old subscriptions, or secure new ones. But
Brother Jennings is something of a genius in church finances, and after a year of determined effort, he, with the heroic co-operation of the membership and friends, succeeded in raising the debt and saving the property. After two years he was placed in charge of the Omaha District, and is followed at Trinity by H. H. Millard, who after a year became presiding elder of the Grand Island District, and D. K. 'Tindal goes to Trinity, and was fol- lowed by J. R. Smith, who is now pastor. The Church has progressed under these faithful, strong men till now the membership is 385.
Walnut Hill Church first appeared in the Minutes in 1891, as "Wesley Chapel," and is left to be supplied. The
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Church was organized January 4, 1891. The first men- bers were Mr. and Mrs. F. L. Cotton, Miss Mattie Ma- son, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Johnson, Miss Eunice Stanardt, Mr. and Mrs. A. L. Stonecypher. The charge was ten- porarily served by John P. Roe, John Dale, and others, and D. F. Rodabaugh held a revival meting of two weeks. Fortunately, just at this juncture, T. C. Webster, who had, as before mentioned, been compelled to relin- quish his work on the Chadron District on account of ill health, was available, and was appointed to this infant Church in June, 1891.
Happily at this time the Hanscom Park Church, hav- ing outgrown their first building, and were under the necessity of erecting a larger one, generously donated their old church to the struggling society, and it was moved and served a second time as a place in which to shelter and nurse an infant Church into maturity of power and influence.
T. C. Webster was reappointed at the next Confer- ence and remained two years. He found seventeen mem- bers and left one hundred and ten. He found not a penny worth of property, and left a property valued at $6,000. T. C. Clendenning and J. E. Moore followed in succes- sion, serving one year each, and the membership increased to 159. C. N. Dawson is next in succession, and re- mained five years, and the membership increased to 305. G. A. Luce and George H. Main, who is the present pas- tor, round out the list of pastors who have made Walnut Hill Church, as it is now called, one of the most influen- tial in the city. A fine parsonage has been added to its property, and it is rapidly becoming one of the most de- sirable charges in the city and has a fine field for future growth.
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SOME WHO HAVE LED THE HOSTS AS PRESIDING ELDERS. I. D. W. CRANE. 2. J. E. MOORE. 4. A. C. CALKINS. 5. GEORGE A. SMITH 6. J. B. LEEDOM. 8. W. G. MILLER. 9. S. H. HENDERSON.
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While some of the efforts have been abortive, as was the case with Castellar Street and Newman Church on St. Mary's Avenue, others have amply justified their ex- istence by supplying the religious needs of growing suburbs. Among these are Leffler Memorial, in South Omaha, with W. D. Stambaugh, pastor; Southwest Church, with R. M. Henderson pastor ; West Omaha (now McCabe), T. S. Watson, pastor; Monmouth Park is now Hirst Memorial, named in honor of Rev. A. C. Hirst, former pastor of First Church. William Esplin is pushing the work here. Benson is served by the faithful, efficient Englishman, John Crews. The last three named are full of promise. Hirst Memorial has a new church, and Benson a new parsonage, and both are facing a more hopeful future.
Thus the number of churches have multiplied with . the growth of the city. By some law of human nature the needs of the individual and of society are best served by dividing them into groups. When our Lord would feed the five thousand he had them divided into compa- nies, "by hundreds and fifties." (Mark vi, 40.) So it has been found that the average Church in a city can not reach effectively more than about ten thousand of the population, or extend its influence much beyond the radius of one-half mile from the Church. This would require in Omaha ten Methodist churches to supply effi- ciently the religious needs of the city. Methodism has nine, not counting those in South Omaha. This seems about the right number, and they are all so located as not to be crowding each other.
The old mother church has sometimes looked on these new enterprises at the beginning with some misgiving's,
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fearing it would merely weaken her without strengthen- ing the general cause of Methodism in the city. The out- come, however, has proved that her fears were ground- less, and that she is buttressed on all sides by strong, vigorous Churches, and much more is being done for Christ and His kingdom in the city of Omaha than could have been done by a single Church. There are now three other Churches with a larger membership and better property than she had in 1880, and one other with as many members. In the meanwhile she herself has in- creased her membership from 240 in 18So, to 670 in 1903, and the value of her property from $12,000 to $100,000.
This progress has been achieved by a succession of aggressive and able pastors, beginning with J. B. Max- field in 1880, who was placed on the Omaha District in 1881. Following Maxfield were J. W. Stewart, Charles W. Savidge, R. N. Mckaig, T. M. House, P. S. Merrill, Frank Crane, John McQuoid, A. C. Hirst, and the pres- ent pastor, E. Combie Smith.
During this period there has been no time until re- cently that nearly all these Churches have not been bur- dened with heavy debts, some to the verge of bankruptcy. Now, under the co-operation of presiding elders, pastors, and laymen. they are all free from debt, or the debts are amply provided for. It may be truthfully said that at no time in the last fifty years has Omaha Methodism stood so high or been so fully equipped and ready to assume an aggressive attitude as now.
With a total membership, including South Omaha, of 2,789 (Minutes of 1903), she faces a more hopeful fu- ture than ever before, and will doubtless achieve larger
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results along spiritual lines, being unhampered by the burden of debt.
Lincoln Methodism has made even greater progress than Omaha. The Minutes for 1880 gives one church, valued at $3,500, and parsonage, $2,500, and a niember- ship of 411. But Trinity Church was even then in its incipiency, in the form of an appointment in South Lin- coln as a part of the Lincoln Circuit. The city was rap- idly extending southward, and when that energetic and persistent man, A. L. Folden, was appointed to Lincoln Circuit in 1878, the first Quarterly Conference of St. Paul's Church held that year, voted to request Brother Folden to take up an appointment in South Lincoln, and appointed a committee to assist him in finding a suitable place in which to hold services. The details of his sub- sequent struggles are given elsewhere, and it will suffice to say that an organization was effected and in 1880-81 a small frame building was erected at Twelfth and A Streets, at a cost of $1,200. This marks the beginning of Trinity Church. The little society continued a part of Lincoln Circuit until 1883, when it became a separate charge with fifty-three members. Following Brother Folden were P. S Mather, two years; J Marsh, three years ; and C. H. Gilmore, one year. Under these faitlı- ful men the society increased to ninety-four members in 1887. Then H. T. Davis became pastor and continued three years. At the commencement of his pastorate the little church building was donated to what was known as Bethel, a mile west on B Street. We see the law men- tioned in connection with Omaha, asserts itself in the de- velopment of our work in Lincoln, and Trinity is located about a mile from St. Paul's, and finds, plenty of room
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SOME OF THE MEMBERS WHO HAVE SERVED AS CONFERENCE SECRETARIES.
I. GEO. P. TRITES. 2. O. W. FIFER. 3. CHAS. H. BURLEIGH. 4. J. B. PRIEST. 5. D. C. WINSHIP. 6. W. G. VESSELLS. 7. Z. S. RHONE.
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and leaves plenty of room. Bethel is located a mile west of Trinity, and as we shall see, Grace Church will find an ample field about a mile and a half east of St. Paul.
At the close of Dr. Davis's pastorate the membership had increased to 258, and a commodious frame chapel had been erected at the corner of Sixteenth and A.
Stokely D. Roberts, one of our ablest preachers and successful pastors and presiding elders, came to the pas- torate at Trinity at a time when his once strong mind was becoming unbalanced, and his health breaking down, and when he was very near the end of a useful career. He was born in Indiana, August 16, 1844, and was con- verted at the age of sixteen. He enlisted in the army in 1862, and remained to the end of the war. He began his ministry in 1873, and had successfully served some of the most important charges, including Peru, Tecumseh, Fairbury, David City, and Beatrice, and a full term on the Beatrice District: While at Tecumseh he was mar- ried to Miss Ella I. Gehr.
Had Stokely D. Roberts come to Trinity in the full vigor of his mental and physical powers, he would have made a large contribution to its progress. But the sad end of his influential career is at hand, and on the 16th of August, 1893, in a fit of temporary insanity, he took his own life. His brethren put on record this true esti- mate of their departed brother: "Brother Roberts was a close student, a deep thinker, and a good preacher."
In the fall of 1891, Dr. D. W. C. Huntington, of Genesee Conference, after a long and honorable career in that Conference, was transferred, at the invitation of the Official Board, unanimously tendered, and became their pastor. The five years' pastorate of this strong man, as
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might be expected, was marked by great progress along all lines. The frame tabernacle gave place to a beautiful and commodious structure costing $17,000, which is to be the chapel of a much larger church when completed. The membership has increased to 447. While pastor of Trin- ity, Dr. Huntington was chosen as the agent for the entire Methodism of the State, to receive and distribute supplies during the years of drouth, in 1894-95, which difficult, delicate, and laborious service he rendered to the satisfaction of all.
The two pastors that have succeeded him are R. S. Chipperfield, who served three years, and N. A. Martin, the present pastor, who is now in the fifth year of a very successful pastorate. Both these are able and consecrated men and have carried forward the work `so well begun by Dr. Huntington and his predecessors, and the result has been a still further increase in membership, which now numbers 484, and a magnificent church property, well located, and valued at $20,000.
By 1886 East Lincoln had grown to such an extent that St. Paul's Church herself recognized the necessity of another church in that part of the city, and not only consented, but promoted the new enterprise in a most substantial manner, so that Grace Church is spared the years of struggle for existence, and starts out with a $10,000 church and 107 members at the end of the first year. It was the year of the great revival at St. Paul's, during Dr. Creighton's pastorate. The pastor was as- sisted by J. S. Bitler, a successful evangelist. The pre- siding elder says in his report that year, "By the revival (at St. Paul's) the membership was carried up to 1, 100, and the church became so packed with people that we
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have been compelled to plan for additional room. Lots were secured in East Lincoln, one and one-half miles from St. Paul's, and Grace Church, a $10,000 edifice, is being erected thereon." This is healthy expansion, and is a case where the hive became so full that the only relief was in "swarming," with gain both to the original hive and to the swarm that departs.
The next report from the presiding elder, in speaking of Grace Charge, and of the dedication of the completed building by Bishop Warren, says: "Her membership has continued to increase from the first by accessions from St. Paul's and by conversions, until she holds a fair rank in membership." The same report says of St. Paul's, not- withstanding she has given of her members and money to start Grace Church: "St. Paul's Church is still press- ing her work forward aggressively. She is a tower of strength to the cause of God in this city. We no longer attempt to count the converts. Each week, with rarest exceptions, brings its list of new recruits. Both the con- gregation and the Sunday-school tax the utmost capacity of the church. She responds generously to every call for either work or benevolence. In short, she is an inspira- tion to this city and State in every good work." "There is that scattereth and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty," * is a bit of inspired philosophy that applies to Church af- fairs as well as to individuals.
St. Paul soon came to look upon Trinity and Grace, not as rivals, but as helpers in the proper care of the re- ligious interests of the city, and such indeed they have been as they have grown from year to year, in numbers, power and influence, and the whole structure of Lincoln Methodism has become a unit.
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SOME LOCAL PREACHERS WHO HAVE RENDERED VALUABLE SERVICE.
I. J. A. LARKIN. 2. JAS. QUERY. 3. P. B. RUCH. 4. J. M. DRESSLER. 5. A. G. BLACKWELL. 6. A. C. BUTLER. 7. P. W. HOWE. 8. GEO. W. HUM- MEL. 9. C. G. ROUSE. IO. GEO. WORLEY. II. L. H. STRING- FIELD. 12. ROBERT LAING.
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Grace Church has been a success and power from the beginning. True, they have had some trouble the first year or two with their first pastor, T. Minehart, who, though a deeply pious and intellectual man, became fanat- ical, and so ill-balanced and perverse as to require the administration of discipline. He was tried at a prelini- inary hearing and suspended, and then at the Annual Conference, and expelled.
Minehart's successors were J. H. Creighton, who sup- plied till Conference, after Minehart's suspension ; J. S. W. Dean, George W. Isham, C. M. Shepherd, L. T. Guild, R. N. Orrill, and P. P. Carroll, the present in1- cumbent. The Church has made progress till the one hundred with which she started in 1886-87, has grown to 582.
University Place, except in the matter of municipal government, which is wisely kept distinct in order to ex- clude saloons and other vicious institutions, is to all in- tents and purposes a part of Lincoln. The selection of that piece of raw prairie and farm land, in 1886, on which to locate the Nebraska Wesleyan University, has, besides the founding of a great educational institution, resulted in attracting enough people to University Place to make a town of nearly or quite 2,000 population, and the building up of a Church of over 800 members. Probably the growth, both of the town and of the Church, is without parallel in the State. The percentage of Chris- tian people is larger and the proportion of those that are Methodists is greater than in any other place in the State, and in these respects it has few, if any, equals in the na- tion. Evanston, Illinois, comes nearer to it than any other, but that soon attracted many from Chicago who
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came to secure a suburban home, and there were soon many of other denominations. The Church has grown with the growth of the town, and is constantly fed by a revival spirit that pervades the Church at all times.
D. L. Thomas, Asa Sleeth, W. B. Alexander, G. W. Abbott, J. J. Mailley, B. W. Marsh, and L. C. Lemon have served as pastors, and faithfully ministered to the spiritual needs of the people and the student body. L. ('. Lemon is now on his fourth year.
University Place appears in the Minutes for the first time in 1888, and is left to be supplied. It is then in- cluded among the Lincoln Churches and continued to be for some years. D. L. Thomas becomes the first pastor, serving till Conference as a supply, and was then returned. It starts out with one hundred and seven members and ten local preachers, a proportion of preachers which will be maintained throughout its history. In 1896 a $2,000 parsonage was built, but the society, though steadily and at times rapidly increasing in numbers, has been content to use the College Chapel until two years ago. They have contributed largely to the payment of the debt on the Wesleyan, giving $5,000 for that purpose. But they have constructed the foundations for a fine large structure, roofed it over, and are using what will be the basement of a fine large church, and are resting financially. But they will doubtless soon construct the superstructure.
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