USA > Nebraska > A history of Nebraska Methodism, first half-century, 1854-1904 > Part 28
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The writer and his family have resided in University Place for nearly four years, and finds the Church the most spiritual he has ever known. Ordinary prayer and testimony meetings present at every service all the fea- tures of spiritual power seen in times of great revival in- terest. Two to four are on their feet at once, claiming
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the privilege of speaking for the Master. Revivals break out spontaneously at the ordinary services. It is doubt- ful if there is another community and Church that sup- plies better moral and religious influences by which to constitute a wholesome environment for the students who attend than does University Place, and its Methodist Church of over 800 members.
Besides St. Paul's, the mother church, and these three strong Churches of which mention has been made, there are others, some of which give fine promise of future strength. Emmanuel appears in the Minutes for the first time in 1888, and reports at the next Conference, sixty- nine members, and now has one hundred and forty-eight, with a church worth $2,000 and parsonage valued at $1,- 000. Epworth Church first appears in the list of appoint- iments in 1890, and starts out with thirty-three members and now has seventy-four, with a church valued at $2,- 000. It has one hundred and thirty-five teachers and scholars in the Sunday-school, which shows it has a field for work that has some promise, though the progress up to this time has not been all that was expected.
Bethel was started in the southwest part of the town on the bottomns as early as 1887, and the old A Street Church moved over and fitted up for their use. The pre- siding elder reports for the year 1887-88 a great revival and the membership is reported as ninety-three, includ- ing forty-one probationers, but now there are only twelve. Asbury, another suburban venture, about the same time, starts with forty-one in 1889, and reported at the last Conference fourteen.
The trouble with some of these suburban Churches is that they were started when the boom was at its zenith,
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and while the city as a whole, has held its own, or grown, these particular suburbs were boomed beyond all reason, and have felt the reaction more keenly, and have been losing ground. None have made the gain that was ex- pected, and several, after ten or twelve years of struggle, have a smaller membership than at the beginning. They are maintained as missionary posts in localities that would otherwise be destitute of the Gospel.
Though St. Paul's has seen these other strong Churches grow up around her, she continues herself to grow and easily maintains her leadership. In 1880 her membership was 411, and the church was valued at $3,500 and the parsonage at $2.500. Now she has 1,057, or about the figures attained at the time of the great revival under Bitler, the evangelist. In this period she has erected two fine church buildings, the first St. Paul's, erected at a cost of about $50,000, during McKaig's pas- torate, and which burned down in September, 1899, and under Dr. Wharton's administration, the second, and much larger one. This is without doubt the best ar- ranged building for church purposes in the West, and cost over $80,000. These results have been attained by a live, progressive membership, led by a succession of able pastors. It will be sufficient to merely name them as they have come and gone during the last twenty-five years : A. C. Williams, R. N. McKaig, C. F. Creighton, A. Ma- rine, F. S. Stein, C. C. Lasby, W. R. Halstead, and the present pastor, F. L. Wharton. These have all been special transfers, which means that the Church has as- serted its right to draw on the whole Church for the right man for pastor, and the appointing power has recognized that the Church is of such importance, with such a com-
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manding position at the capital of the State, that the best man the entire Church can afford must be had if possible. St. Paul's has certainly had a succession of very able pas- tors, and some very spiritual, and all have achieved more or less success.
Besides these efficient pastors, St. Paul's has been blessed from the first by an able corps of lay workers, men and women, chief among whom are Dr. B. L. Paine and Mrs. M. E. Roberts. Both these consecrated per- sons have a genius for religion and religious work. Dr. Paine seems equally at home conducting his own private business, which is extensive, or in the Quarterly Con- ferences and business meetings of the Church, or prayer- meeting, Sunday-school, Epworth League room or on oc- casion, can break away from his practice as a physician and hold successful revival-meetings, preaching as well as "practicing." He seems to have no trouble blending the secular and religious, his business being conducted on religious principles, and his religious life proceeding on business principles. He has been prominent in the Ep- worth League work, being at one time on the Board of Control, and has been twice elected lay delegate to the General Conference.
Many other influential and faithful laymen have worked side by side with Dr. Paine, among them J. M. Burks. It may be said in passing, that from the first, nearly all the Churches of Lincoln have had a corps of lay workers that were both capable and willing to aid their pastors. Trinity Church has also had from the first a body of strong laymen who have co-operated with the pastors in many helpful ways. Among these are R. R. Randle, C. S. Sanderson, and many others.
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Perhaps Grace Church may be said to have been spe- cially favored with such men as L. O. Jones, J. M. Stew- art, A. G. Greenlee, and Brother Furgeson.
L. O. Jones is the presiding genius who, as president of the Nebraska Conference Epworth League Assembly, has organized one of the most successful assemblies in the Church, as will appear from statements made elsewhere.
J. M. Stewart, who has been for years the honored secretary of the Board of Trustees of Nebraska Wesleyan University, and an influential member of the Board.
L'niversity Place is said to have the cream of the laity from many of the other Churches of the State, so that when she raises over $1,300 for missions, $700 for edu- cation, and enough more for the other connectional benev- olences to swell the whole amount to $3,000, or nearly twice as much for benevolence as for current expenses, other Churches say it is hardly fair that that Church's benevolence should be the standard for the others, which have been weakened, that she may be strong. The real strength of this Church can hardly be said to result from the pre-eminence of the few strong leaders, but from a high general average of unselfish devotion to the cause of Christ.
If we survey Lincoln Methodism as a whole, we will find the progress has been marvelous during these last twenty-four years. Beginning it in 1880, with one society of 4II members, one church valued at $3,500, and one parsonage worth $2,500, it has increased till there are now ten, including University Place, with a total membership of 3,173, and a total property valuation of $148,800, in- cluding two parsonages, valued at $3,000.
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Among the most useful local preachers we have had
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in Nebraska was P. W. Howe, for many years city mis- sionary in Lincoln, and chaplain of the penitentiary. He came to Lincoln about 1880, and soon exhibited qualities which in special manner equipped him for his career of great usefulness, caring for the unfortunate poor in the city and dealing with the criminals at the State prison: So pre-eminently was he fitted for both lines of work that by common consent of donors and beneficiaries, Father Howe was the man to receive their benefactions on the one hand, and the one the worthy poor could always count on for tactful help bestowed in a way that did not hurt.
He semed to have a rare faculty for finding out who the really needy were, and was always on the lookout for them. His shrewd knowledge of human nature made it difficult for any to impose on him. The business men came to prefer having Brother Howe distribute their charity than to do it themselves, assured that he would bestow wisely what they gave him. Thus he came to keep two lists (principally in his mind), those who needed something and the one who would supply that particular need. He rarely failed to be able to keep the supply equal to the need, even in times of most adverse condi- tions. Such was the confidence of many business and professional men that they virtually said to him, "Draw on us for whatever you need for your work." They were sure he would not abuse their confidence or fail to make the wisest use of their gifts. They would give him flour by the ton, and only P. W. Howe and the Lord and the person helped knew who got it. They did not want to know. It was enough to know that Father Howe was distributing it.
He was not less adapted to the difficult work of the
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chaplaincy of the penitentiary. This fitness became so well recognized that through all the changing political complexions of State administration, P. W. Howe was retained in that work. Only one governor ever seemed to have a moment's questioning about the matter, and that was J. E. Boyd, whose sympathies were Roman Catholic. He attempted to displace Howe with a Cath- olic priest, but there was such a storm of protest against it that he reinstated him.
Brother Howe could tell when he saw a convict com- ing in whether he was a confirmed criminal or had been led into crime on the impulse. While not neglecting the hardened criminal, he would give special attention to the more promising cases.
The writer had one of those cases come under his ob- servation. A mere boy, whose name I will omit, the son of respectable parents, got into a company of rough boys who robbed a store. Though my young friend would not share the spoil he was in bad company and all were sent to the State prison for a year. I went to see him, and when he came into the waiting-room of the penitentiary . he said, "Mr. Marquette, you could hardly expect to find me in such a place as this. But it is all right. Father and mother had often warned me not to go with those boys, and I ought to have known better. I have no com- plaints against the State. The sentence was just. Be- sides, I am a better boy than I was before coming here. Chaplain Howe came to me at once and was so kind and persuasive that he has led me to the Savior and I will go forth a Christian." He was soon after pardoned by Gov- ernor Crounse, at the earnest request of his mother, backed by the recommendation of the trial judge, and is
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now leading an honorable, useful life. This is a fair sample of what Chaplain Howe was doing during the many years of his incumbency.
He died recently at his home in Lincoln, and among the chief mourners were the rich whose benefactions he had so wisely distributed, and the poor whom he had so often befriended.
The growth of the local Churches into more complete- ness of organization, larger equipment in the way of church buildings, and enlarged membership, has been go- ing on at a rapid rate throughout all the Conferences.
In 1880 there were only two charges, Omaha and Lincoln, that had as many as two hundred members, and neither of these had five hundred. Now there are in the Nebraska Conference thirty-five that have over two hundred, and six that have over five hundred, and one with over a thousand. In the North Nebraska Confer- ence there are eighteen with over two hundred, and two with over five hundred. In the West Nebraska Confer- ence there are nine with over two hundred members, and in the Northwest Conference there are two. In the whole of Nebraska we now have one with one thousand, eight with over five hundred, and sixty-four with over two hundred, where we only had two in 1880. Assuming that a charge with two hundred members, or over, of average quality, is a strong Church, able easily to maintain itself, pay comfortable salaries, and make itself felt for good, the foregoing facts show that we have vastly multiplied our power in the last twenty-five years, throughout the entire State, by multiplying the number of strong, in- fluential Churches.
It might seem well to mention all the Churches that
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have attained to strength according to this standard, but numbers are not always a correct measure of strength, and many of those with less membership are doing more for the Master than some of the larger Churches. Nor are numbers a test of merit, for the strength of the Church numerically at least, must depend somewhat on the size of the town and character of the population. It is easier to build up a strong Church of over eight hundred in a small place like University Place, with the character of the people they have there, than to build up a Church of similar size in a big city like Omaha, with its mixed popu- lation. But as the purpose of this comparison is to show a certain line of growth during the period, we will refer the reader to the Published Minutes for the names of the "strong Churches," and call on him to rejoice and be thankful for the fact that we are developing so many centers of great moral influence and spiritual power.
An examination of the Minutes will show that of these sixty-four strong Churches, numerically considered, only one or two are circuits. What does this mean? Is the Church discarding the circuit system, and thereby neglecting the rural districts, from which she and the State have heretofore drawn so much of their strength? Perhaps, but not necessarily. It may, and probably does mean that from several causes the Church finds it more and more difficult to maintain the circuit system in its old-time power and efficiency.
First. The existing tendency of the population towards cities, towns, and villages, by which a much smaller percentage remains in the rural districts, leaves the Church no choice but to follow this population, and
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give relatively more attention to those places where the people are.
Second. The need and demand for a resident pastor to oversee the various departments of the Church creates the tendency toward small stations, rather than large circuits.
Third. The railroads have built so many lines through the State, and built up so many villages and towns that there are not very many people left who can not attend service in one of these towns, and many prefer the more frequent and regular services in the town, to the less frequent meeting in the country.
Fourth. Hence some of the strong circuits that flour- ished during the first periods, like Mt. Pleasant and Belle- vue, have disappeared entirely from this cause. Before the time of railroads, Mt. Pleasant, at first under the name of Rock Bluffs, maintained her place for many years at the head of the column, with the largest mem- bership of any charge in the Conference. But the changed conditions have made this impossible.
In this last period the Church found herself con- fronted with a condition, and whatever her theory might have been, she has but one duty, and that is to carry the Gospel to the people. wherever they are, in city, town, village, or on the farms. It is not her function to compel them to stay on the farms so she may keep up rural work and still maintain large circuits.
But she still resorts to the circuit system, wherever needed, both in the country, and in uniting two or more villages or towns in circuits. But this has always been temporary, each town being ambitious to reach the point where it could be a station, and have the pastor live among them and give his entire time to that society.
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And after all, may not this have some advantages over the old circuit system ? The writer is of the opinion, formed after nearly forty years' experience as pastor on circuits and stations, and as presiding elder, that this is true. It gives the pastor a better chance to give pas- toral care and work the more complicated machinery up to its full capacity.
CHAPTER XXIII. FOURTH PERIOD. (1880-1904.)
GERMAN AND SCANDINAVIAN WORK.
IT would be wholly improper to close a history of Nc- braska Methodism without reference to these lines of work which are as much a part of Methodism as our English-speaking work. The only difference is that of language. It has been found best to carry on our work among each of these peoples yet speaking a foreign lan- guage, by those speaking their own tongue, with separate charges, districts, and Conferences.
Though over a year ago I requested competent repre- sentatives of these classes to furnish me a sketch of their history, with a single exception I have been unable to get any one to supply the necessary data to enable mie to give much of the details of these different lines of work in our Church in Nebraska. That exception is Rev. Charles Harms, pastor of our German Church in Lincoln, who has kindly given me a brief account of our German work in Nebraska.
It is greatly to the credit of our German brethren that their work began about the same time as the English- speaking work, the first sermon being preached by Wil- liam Fiegenbaum, presiding elder of the Missouri Dis- trict, under some trees in the southeast part of the State, as early as 1855. In 1856 C. F. Langer was appointed to
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Kansas and Nebraska Mission, embracing all their work in the two territories. John Hausam, Sr., becomes presid- ing elder of Missouri District and has the oversight of Kansas and Nebraska.
From now on their work will proceed under condi- tions similar to the English work, with the same frontier hardships and privations we encountered, with these dif- ferences : Their circuits are much larger than ours, em- bracing whole Territories, while we were content with a few counties. Their districts sometimes included one State and two Territories and their Conferences were cor- respondingly comprehensive in the area included in their bounds. If our circuit-riders had long journeys to make between appointments, theirs had longer. If ours had sometimes to wait a long while before effecting an or- ganization, they waited stili longer. If our preachers found the soil hard and the people prejudiced against us, their soil was perhaps still worse and the prejudices more intense, and the difficulties stiil greater.
Brother Langer preaches his first sermon in a cabin near where Humboldt now stands.
But Brother Harms tells the story so well I quote from his paper. Speaking of this first year and subse- quent work, he says :
"But little seems to have been accomplished during 1856 and 1857. One quarterly-meeting was held during this time, and that was in the Kansas territory. It seems that Rev. Langer had devoted most of his time and labor in the vicinity of Nebraska City, but did not succeed in organizing a society. A small class had been organized ill the southeast corner of the State where the first sermon had been preached.
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"In 1857 Nebraska City Mission was formed, with Rev. Jacob Feisel, presiding elder of Missouri District, and George Schatz, missionary of Nebraska Territory. Rev. Schatz made his headquarters at Nebraska City, but traveled over that part of the territory now known as Humboldt, Kramer, and Plattsmouth. One family from Missouri and two families from Ohio, who were meill- bers moved at this time to a point near Humboldt, where they settled and were then successful in organizing a class there.
"In 1858 the Omaha Mission was organized and J. P. Miller appointed missionary. In 1860 August Mecke was appointed his successor and a class was organized in the vicinity of Papillion. H. Muehlenbrock was appointed to Nebraska City in 1860 and remained until 1862, when H. C. Dreyer was appointed and labored faithfully up to 1863, when Henry Meyer was made his successor and did all he could to advance the cause of Christ, remain- ing till the fall of 1864.
"In 1860 Table Rock, Salem, Humboldt, and Muddy were separated from Nebraska City and Justus Langer was appointed missionary. In 1862 H. Meyer succeeded him, and in 1863-1865 C. Pothast followed, all of whom traveled over the then unsettled country of Clatonia Creek, Swan Creek, Meridian, Fairbury, and Turkey Creek, without success, leaving their families for weeks and months, before they could return home. In 1864 German Conferences were organized and the first report was made to the Conference. Nebraska City Mission re- ported thirty-three full members and ten probationers. Of course this included all the little classes in the sur- rounding country. Omaha and its territory reported
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seventeen members and three probationers. Salem, in- cluding Table Rock, Humboldt, and the surrounding country, twenty-two members and twenty-six probation- ers. Total members, seventy-two; probationers, thirty- nine. Salem reported one parsonage, valued at $200 ; one Sunday-school with five teachers and seventeen scholars. Total collections for benevolent causes: For missions, $58.60 ; necessitous cases, $17.15; tracts, $4.20; Bible Cause, $7.50; Sunday-school Union, $2.35. These were the results of the first nine years of German Meth- odism in the State. The privations, burdens, and suffer- ings of preachers and members were great, but tlie achievements noble. At that Conference Bishop E. S. Janes presiding, Charles Heidel was appointed presiding elder of the newly formed St. Joseph District, comprising the entire Territories of Kansas and Nebraska.
"During the period from 1860 to 1868 there was but slow progress, mostly due to the lack of means and inen. However, some advancement was made. Fields of labor were more conveniently adjusted and divided and sonie new appointments taken up. Henry Meyer, who made his headquarters at Salem. Nebraska, 1864-65, began to preach at or near Swan Creek, about ten miles west of Swanton. C. Pothast continued to labor on this field, living at or near the place now called Humboldt, taking in Swan Creek, Meridian, and Fairbury, operating west- ward. In 1866, C. Steinmeyer was appointed, who lived at Muddy Creek, traveling over all the ground of four or five counties. In 1867 H. Muehlenbrock was appointed his successor up to 1870. In 1867 F. Miller was ap- pointed to Nebraska City Mission, including Hamburg, Iowa, and westward to Meridian, Nebraska, including
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some new appointments, such as Centerville and Clatonia. At Pekin, Illinois, in 1868, Bishop E. S. Janes made the following appointments: F. W. Meyer, presiding elder of St. Joseph District, comprising the Kansas and Ne- braska Territories, with the following missionaries: Ne- braska City and Linden, J. Hausam, Jr .; Omaha City, P. J. May ; Lincoln City, F. H. Meyer ; Salem, H. Meuhlen- brock. Bear in mind that the above were names for sta- tions without organized societies, and the missionaries were to look after the Germans over the entire inhabited part of the territory. In 1868 the above four missions reported 142 members in all. In 1869, 204 members, an increase of sixty-two.
"At the seventh session of the Southwest German Con- ference at St. Charles, Missouri, in 1870, Bishop Simp- son presiding, H. Fiegenbaum was appointed presiding elder of St. Joseph District. This district had nineteen appointments, including the entire States of Kansas and Nebraska, with the following charges on the Nebraska part of the district : Nebraska City, Tecumseh, Lincoln, Omaha, and Meridian. Besides these it included Den- ver, Colorado. This was surely a notable extension for a district.
"In 1872 the Conference met in Quincy, IlInois, Bishop Gilbert Haven presiding. Jacob Tanner was made pre- siding elder, his district embracing the entire State of Nebraska. York Center was taken in as an appointment. In 1873, Platte Valley, now Osceola, was taken up and C. W. Lauenstein appointed missionary, who labored faithfully, pressed the work forward, and extended it, taking in Merrick and Howard Counties, now known as St. Paul and Boelus. This was made an appointment in
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1875 with C. W. Lauenstein as the missionary. At this time Lincoln and Centerville was made a charge and H. R. Riemer appointed as the missionary. In 1876 Elk- horn, now West Point, and Pebble Creek were taken up and C. W. Lauenstein appointed to take care of these points and extend the work.
"In 1878 the West German Conference was organized at St. Joseph, Missouri, Bishop Harris presiding. At this time German Methodism had eleven charges with as many missionaries in Nebraska.
"H. Fiegenbaum was appointed presiding elder. The district then numbered 604 members and 105 probation- ers ; thirteen churches, six parsonages, twenty-four Sun- day-schools, one hundred and eighty officers and teachers and 734 scholars. This was the result of twenty-two years of privations, hardships, and labor.
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