USA > Nebraska > A history of Nebraska Methodism, first half-century, 1854-1904 > Part 33
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Moved by this impulse, Dr. W. L. Armstrong, M. D., had already dedicated his one hundred and sixty acre farm in Platte County, Nebraska, to that purpose, and had been caring for a few children as best he could. But the movement did not become very efficient, or command the support necessary to success. But Dr. Armstrong had his heart set on this noble project, and the Heavenly Father soon opened the way to much larger things. Coin- cident with this intense desire on the part of Dr. Arm- strong to do something along this line, there was a grow- ing conviction among the leaders of the Woman's Home Missionary Society that they ought to enter this field, and were already casting about for a suitable place to es- tablish a national orphanage. Just at this juncture Mrs. Spurlock, who had been elected a delegate to the meeting of the National Board of Managers, who were to act on this matter at their next meeting, proposed to Dr. Arm- strong that he join forces with the Woman's Home Mis- sionary Society and that they work together for the ob- ject that had come to be so dear to both. To this he readily consented, and with this leverage, Mrs. Spurlock's earnest and eloquent plea won the day, and it was decided by the Board of Managers to locate their institution in Nebraska, and soon after that York was selected as the site. Dr. Armstrong giving his $3,000 farm and the York people adding $7,000, a fine farm of 160 acres ad- jacent to the city of York, worth then $10,000, was pur- chased and the Mothers' Jewels Home began its benefi- cent career.
As seemed most fitting, good Dr. Armstrong was placed in charge, but he was already growing old and enfeebled by ill-health, and soon found the work too hard,
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and retired. His heart was saddened by the fact that by reason of unlooked-for financial embarrassment his, as he supposed, munificent gift, proved rather a financial burden to the society. To help him in his time of ex- treme need they paid him $900 besides paying off a mort- gage on his farm. But his intentions were good and Dr. Armstrong is none the less noble and is to be none the less honored because of these troubles.
It was thus this beneficent institution came into be-
MR. BURWELL SPURLOCK.
MRS. ISABELLA SPURLOCK.
ing, for which the Woman's Home Missionary Society of the Methodist Church becomes sponsor. While national in this regard, and in the scope of its operations, yet being located in the center of Nebraska's population, its beneficent results must accrue more largely to Ne- braska than to any other State, and specially concerns Nebraska Methodism. Besides, the two to whose care it was intrusted, after Dr. Armstrong was compelled to retire, have been identified with Nebraska Methodism from its very beginning. Burwell Spurlock came to Ne-
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braska in 1855, settling in Plattsmouth, and, as we have seen, was among the members of the first class organ- ized there. He was one of the first Methodists the writer got acquainted with when he landed in Nebraska in 1865, and he has known him well ever since. He found him busy in Church work, and has never known him to be otherwise. His pure life, good business qualifications, and kind-hearted instincts, make him an ideal superin- tendent. Mrs. Spurlock came to Nebraska still earlier than Burwell, coming with her parents in 1854. She was among those who formed the class organized in the Morris settlement, which we have seen was the first ever formed in Nebraska. She, too, has the qualities of re- finement, culture, and motherly instincts that fit her for the place of assistant superintendent. We may be sure that the institution over which these two preside will be speedily transformed into a real home to the little folks under their care, and it is not surprising that the waifs soon trustfully and affectionately call them "Uncle Bur- well" and "Auntie Spurlock."
Mrs. Spurlock, before entering upon her present work was identified with the Woman's Christian Temperance Union work in the early seventies, and in 1875 was sec- retary of the convention that effected the State organiza- tion of that society. She was the first delegate elected to the National Woman's Christian Temperance Union Cou- vention at the time when Miss Willard was the unchal- lenged leader of that organization, and was destined to become recognized as the chief of womankind through- out the world. The following letter in answer to one writ- ten by Mrs. Spurlock, shows the high regard in which Sister Spurlock was held by this queenly woman :
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"Dearest Friend,-Your letter is the nicest one we have yet, and carries me back to the early days of the dear 'Old National,' when you and I worked together. I can not tell you how I have regretted that we have not done so from that day to this, and yet it was perhaps largely a regret of sentiment because of the congeniality I felt in you, for so far as accomplishing a blessed work in the world, you have certainly done so. Please thank your good husband for me that he chose the Signal, and may you both be blessed in your own precious work as you have helped ours by generous gift and glowing words. Believe me, always your sister in heart,
"FRANCES E. WILLARD."
While the Mothers' Jewels Home is thus closely ider- tified with Nebraska Methodism, it is yet national and cosmopolitan in the range of its beneficence, admitting homeless children of all races and nationalities. Some have come from many of the States, and two from far- off Alaska, while there have been two from India, and two Arabian children.
The work is carried along two lines: The finding of Christian homes for as many as possible, and the mak- ing of a home for such as can not be provided for in that way.
Those seeking children are particular that they come of good stock, are strong and healthy, and the girls must be handsome. Brother and Sister Spurlock are also very particular about the homes they put their "children" in. It is not every Christian home even that will do, so there are always quite a number to be cared for and these are the ones less robust in health and less promising men- tally and morally.
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There is a regular school imparting instruction from the first to sixth grade, besides lessons in sewing, house- work, farming, and other employments.
But we may be sure that the moral and spiritual in- terests of these children are duly cared for. Family prayers, services each Sabbath afternoon, and attendance at the Church service in town, but chiefly through the influence of these pious, tactful superintendents, are some of the ways by which the supreme culture is imparted.
Besides the general officers of the society, with Mrs. General Clinton B. Fisk at the head, the oversight of this "Home" is committed to an Advisory Board of ten elect ladies, including the following well-known names of those who represent the Nebraska Conference: Mrs. M. E. Roberts, Mrs. John A. Van Anda, and Mrs. Erastus Smith.
Perhaps the following letters, the first from a foster mother who has adopted one of these waifs, and the sec- ond an extract from one written by one of these waifs that has been adopted, will show even more clearly what is being done than I can in any words of mine:
"Dear Mrs. Spurlock,-Your letter received some time ago, and really, should have been answered sooner, for I know if you get time from so many other little ones to think of Helene you must feel uneasy at our long silence. I do not think she has seen a homesick day since she came, and she is altogether lovable and lovely. She goes to school every day and is perfectly happy. She says, 'Tell Auntie Spurlock that we love each other ten times better than we did at first.' What more can I say about her only that we all love her and she does us. And,
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now, dear Mrs. Spurlock, I will close with best wishes for you and yours, I am yours sincerely,
"MRS. W. E. HADLEY."
From a little girl twelve years old :
"Dear Auntie Spurlock,-I have been thinking I would write to you for a long time. I have been here over a year. I like my home very, very, very much, they are all so good to me. I go to school and read in the fifth reader. I like my teacher very much, you saw her when you were here. Aunt Julia thinks everything of the little girl you gave her, Ruby Viola. Ruby comes and sees me and then I go and see her. I have such a pretty hat for summer, it is white leghorn, and is trimmed with pink roses and pink ribbon. Aunt Julia got Ruby a white leghorn hat, too. Hers is trimmed with blue ribbon and blue flowers."
Many loving hearts and willing hands have wrought in this blessed work. Among these it is fitting that a daughter of the late Dr. W. B. Slaughter, who has been mentioned frequently in these pages, Mrs. Hattie Haw- ver, is now rendering valuable assistance in collecting funds for a new building
YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES.
Up to 1880, little had been done for our young peo- ple aside from the Sunday-school and the Chautauqua Circles. The idea of the latter had some years before the beginning of this period been born in the heart and the brain of that Sunday-school genius, John H. Vincent. and in many of the Churches of our own and other de- nominations, Chautauqua Circles had been formed, and
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Chautauqua Assemblies had sprung up everywhere. While the religious element was present in this move- ment, its predominant feature seemed to be more intel- lectual, and though of great value was deemed inade- quate to accomplish all that was needed to be done for the young people of the Church. The recognition and feeling of this need seemed to rise spontaneously in all the Churches, but Rev. F. E. Clark, of the Congrega- tional Church was the first to give practical form to the wish by starting the Christian Endeavor organization. It was intended at first that this should be a great inter- denominational affair, and there should be but one great Young People's Society. This idea seemed to take well for awhile, but it soon became apparent that it did not work well for our young people, and in the early eighties, a number of Young People's organizations sprung up in our Church. This did not work well, either, and the clashing of conflicting claims soon gave rise to a strong desire among the leaders to combine all in one, and this was effected in May. 1887, at what is now called Ep- worth Church, Cleveland, Ohio.
After this the development in Nebraska, as elsewhere, was very rapid, and there is now scarcely a Methodist Church in Nebraska without its Epworth League, with its inspiring motto, "Look up, Lift up." Many of these are vigorous, and tend greatly to promote intelligent piety among our young people.
While in 1880 there was not a single distinctive re- ligious Young People's organization, outside of its Sun- day-school, there are now in the State about sixteen thousand members of the Epworth League. We have to say "about" for the West and Northwest Nebraska Con- ferences do not report their Leagues. There is not to
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exceed one in ten of the circuits and stations where there is not a League organized. These Leagues, besides holdi - ing their local devotional, social, and business meetings, have held enthusiastic district, Conference, and State conventions, at which topics relating to their work have been discussed, and plans of work made.
Without doubt the most striking evidence of the zeal and ability to bring things to pass of Nebraska's younger Methodism is found in the Ne-
braska Epworth Assembly.
Founded by the Nebraska Conference Ep- worth League upon recommend- ation of Presi- dent L. O. Jones, in 1896 the first session was held at Lincoln Park, in August, 1897, and was admitted by all to be a L. O. JONES. phenomenal suc- cess. Seven annual sessions have been held, each being greater in attendance and interest than its predecessor. The Assembly Camp has been a marvel to all who have seen it. Three thousand people, in round numbers, have each year spent the Assembly period in tents upon the grounds.
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Many widely noted and world famous men and women have been heard from time to time from the Assembly platform, including such well-known names as Bishops Bowman, McCabe, Ninde, Thoburn, Hamilton, Cranston, Joyce, and Galloway; General Secretaries Schell and Berry ; Reverends Sam Jones, Frank Gunsaulus, Abram Palmer, Thirkield, McDowell, Eaton, Parkhurst, Nichol- son, Driver, McIntyre ; Generals O. O. Howard and Fitz- hugh Lee ; Colonel Bain, and Mrs. Ballington Booth, and many others.
This was the first of the summer Assemblies to adopt and maintain a distinct and pronounced evangelistic fea- ture in the annual program.
The annual gross income of the Assembly has been about $10,000. In addition to paying all expenses, about $800 has been donated to worn-out preachers, and $1,000 to the Nebraska Wesleyan, to aid in paying off the debt of that institution. With the further accumulation of . funds purchase was made of a beautiful tract of neariv forty acres adjoining Lincoln on the southwest, which was named Epworth Lake Park. Extensive improve- ments, including the building of the largest park audi- torium in the State, were made, and in which the sessions of the 1903 Assembly were held.
The present officers are L. O. Jones, president ; C. E. Sanderson, vice-president; Elmer E. Lesh, secretary ; Rev. C. M. Shepherd, D. D., auditor; R. W. Kelly, treasurer.
OMAHA CHRISTIAN ADVOCATE.
Omaha, being 500 miles west of Chicago, where the Northwestern Christian Advocate was published, and over 400 miles from St. Louis, where the Central was then
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published, was for many years regarded as the strateg- ical point where a branch of the Book Concern would be located, and another member of the Advocate family es- tablished. The writer attended a meeting in Council Bluffs in 1871, which had that object in view. Nothing tangible came of it until the Omaha Advocate entered the field.
The origin of this enterprise dates back, according to Rev. W. G. Vessels, formerly of the West Nebraska Con- ference, to a paper called The Vanguard*, which he pub- lished, and which was changed to the Nebraska Christian Advocate, and after fifteen months was sold to Rev. Geo. S. Davis and became the Nebraska Methodist, which was published for one year at Hastings, Dr. George S. Davis being editor, and Dr. L. F. Britt being associate editor.
It was then removed to University Place, where Davis continued to edit and publish it for two years. In 1890, Dr. J. W. Shenk bought an interest in it and the plant was removed to Omaha, the first issue of the paper froni Omaha bearing date of August 9, 1890. On the first of the following January, Geo. S. Davis sold his interest to Dr. Shenk and was soon after appointed to the difficult and responsible position of superintendent of missions in Bulgaria.
Dr. Shenk now became sole editor and soon after sole owner of the paper. In 1892 the General Conference made the paper an official organ of that body and ap- pointed a publishing commission consisting of Bishop J. P. Newman, Dr. J. B. Maxfield, Dr. C. F. Creighton, Dr. J. W. Shenk, John Dale, Dr. B. L. Paine, and C. F. Wel- ler. This body operated under the name of the Methodist
* Dr. Davis thinks a paper published by Geo. S. Alexander is entitled to be considered the first.
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Publishing Company, but the commission refusing to be- come financially responsible for any obligations, the finan- cial burden fell upon the chief owner of the stock, Dr. J. W. Shenk, who was thus made the real publisher as well as editor, to which position he had been elected by the Commission. In 1896 the General Conference accepted the paper as a donation to the Church, and appropriated a subsidy of $3.000 a year to aid in its publication. Un- der the impetus thus given, the subscription list, which in 1890 consisted of 800 subscribers, when it came to Omaha and had increased to 4,000 in 1896, went up to 6,500, the largest subscription list of any subsidized paper in the Church. Under the arrangement Curts and Jen- nings were the nominal publishers, but the editor, Rev. Dr. J. W. Shenk, who had been elected by the Book Com- mittee, was made solely responsible for the financial as well as the editorial management.
In the fall of 1899 a movement toward consolidation of our Advocates was inaugurated by the Kansas Con- ference, and a memorial was sent up to the General Con- `ference to that end. It resulted in the consolidation of the Omaha Christian Advocate, the Rocky Mountain Christian Advocate, and the Central Christian Advocate, and the place of publication was removed to Kansas City, Missouri, together with the removal of the Methodist Book Depository from St. Louis to that city. By this means a large list of subscribers was transferred from the Omaha Christian Advocate to the Central Christian Advocate. At the time of the consolidation the sub- scription list of the Omaha Christian Advocate was in- creasing rapidly.
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EVANGELISTS.
The fourth period has witnessed a marked develop- ment of the evangelistic form of Church work, and brought into the field a large number of professional evangelists, or men and women who have felt themselves called to that work. This has been attributed by some to the want of spirituality in the pastorate, and lack of old- time spiritual power in the Church generally. But this is an erroneous view and does injustice to a noble class of men who are burdened with the care of increasingly large Churches, with a complex machinery that calls for the same degree of devotion and sometimes more of care than the fathers knew. Their very success in building up strong Churches has brought about these changed condi- tions to which Methodism is adjusting herself. This readiness to adopt new methods in the accomplishment of her soul-saving, soul-nurturing mission, has been char- acteristic of our Church from the first, and one of the sources of her power. To her it is not means and methods that are sacred and fundamental, but the end, which is the salvation of men and building them up into strong, clean characters. She is ready to discard the old methods whenever new ones seem better adapted to that great purpose.
In common with other Churches everywhere, Ne- braska Methodism has in the last twenty-five years in- troduced into the local Church much additional machin- ery, which with what we already had, makes the Church a much more complex organism than. our fathers served. It would be difficult to mention any feature of that ina- chinery that we would care to leave out. Certainly not the Sunday-school nor Epworth League or Ladies' Aid
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·or the Woman's Foreign Missionary Society, or Woman's Home Missionary Society. But these impose a new and difficult task on the modern pastor, and call for equip- ments other than those which give a man success as a re- vivalist. He must also have executive ability and these two are not always found in the same man. While no Methodist preacher has a right to be satisfied with him- self if he has not the old-time passion for lost souls ; or with his work, unless blessed with some seals to his min- istry, still he may not have the natural qualification for re- vival work that the Church needs. What then? As in the industrial world the more complex conditions have made the principle of the division of labor necessary, may not the more complex organization of the Church operate the same way, and the pastor with these other cares and responsibilities, call to his aid some man of God who has been specially equipped for this work? Thus it seems to the writer.
But, however we may account for it or justify it, there has been a great growth of this idea and method, and there has spontaneously arisen a great army of evangel- ists. While many of these have been God-called and very useful, others have been self-constituted, fanatical, or worse, and very harmful. In view of these things, our Church has wisely recognized the evangelist class of workers and provided a place in our system for the sante. Any Conference may request the appointment of one or more of its members to this special work, and under cer- tain restrictions, the local Churches may employ these and others to assist their pastor.
Some of these evangelists whom God has honored with His presence and power, and whose labors have been
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a blessing to the Church, should be mentioned. We have seen how good Robert Laing has given over forty years to that work in Nebraska, and thousands of souls have been saved.
N. L. Hoopengarner, of the Nebraska Conference, entered the field as an evangelist in the later eighties and was eminently successful. He conducted a union revival at Neligh during Dr. Wm. Gorst's pastorate, resulting in some sixty accessions to the Methodist Church and many to others. The same year he had charge of the evangel- istic services of the Neligh District Camp-meeting, at which about one hundred were converted.
H. L. Powers, D. D., entered the North Nebraska Conference in the early eighties, being transferred from the Missouri Conference. After filling a number of in- portant pastorates, among them Tekamalı, Columbus, and Trinity, Grand Island, he felt called to the evangelistic field, in which he has been very successful. His earnest, not to say vehement, style of oratory, emphasizing the depth of his conviction that what he says is truth of tre- mendous import, seems well suited to his chosen work. His Bible readings are also very helpful. Brother Powers is now Conference evangelist and resides in Lincoln.
D. W. McGregor is another one of our safe, success- ful evangelists, who, up to last year, had been appointed as North Nebraska Conference evangelist, and has been the means of bringing many into the kingdom. He re- entered the pastoral work at the last Conference.
Miss Mae Phillips has been one of our most success- ful evangelists, and on the Neligh District and in many other places, many think of her as the chosen instrument by which they have been led to the better life."
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Others have entered the field later whose labors have been blessed of the Lord. Dr. B. L. Paine, of Lincoln, has been very successful. F. A. Campbell, W. H. Pres- cott, and L. F. Smith are now under appointment as Con- ference evangelists for the Nebraska Conference, and are vigorously pushing the battle along that line.
MORAL REFORMS.
In all moral reforms, Methodism has been at the fore- front. This is specially true of the temperance reform that has been most prominent during the half century. At the first Conference in 1861 the report on tent- perance has these ringing words in the following reso- lution :
"Resolved, First, That if it was ever necessary to op- pose an unbroken front to this evil, now is the time. Sec- ond, that a prohibition law would give force and vigor, edge and point to moral suasion. Third, that at each of our appointments during the coming Conference year, we will preach at least once on this subject."
Though substantially the same attitude has been re- affirmed at every Conference since, no subsequent expres- sion on this subject has shown a more advanced position regarding the two main phases of the reform, being total abstinence for the individual and absolute prohibition of the traffic. Here is one point where Nebraska Methodism will not be able to grow, but will have many opportunities to show her colors in more tangible ways than by resolu- tions. It may be safely affirmed that whenever the lines have been clearly drawn, as they were in 1890, during the amendment campaign, Methodism has borne the brunt of the battle. No Church put in a larger percentage of votes for the amendment. Indeed it may be said it was unani-
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mous. And at the present time, what seems to be one of the most aggressive forms of the temperance reform, the Anti-Saloon League, very fittingly has at the head of it an able, aggressive Methodist preacher, in the person of Rev. J. B. Carns, D. D.
WOMEN IN THE GENERAL CONFERENCE.
It is greatly to the credit of the entire Methodism of Nebraska in general, and to the leaders of St. Paul's Church in Lincoln in particular, that in that Church, in the spring of 1887, the agitation which in twelve years issued in the admission of women into the General Con- ference, had its origin. The two women whose fertile brains first conceived the thought, and broached the sub- ject to the other ladies of the Church on the occasion of the dedication of the dining-room of the Church, were Miss Phebe Elliott and Mrs. Franc R. Elliott. Both these elect ladies, as might be readily supposed, were of superior intelligence and force of character. The former is the daughter of that famous educator and champion of co-education, Rev. Charles Elliott, D. D., president of Wesleyan University at Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, and editor of the Western Christian Advocate. In answer to a ques- tion as to how the thought took shape in her mind, she says that it must have risen spontaneously and naturally out of those lessons of her girlhood, that came from her father's teaching of the absolute equality of the sexes in all that relates to mind, morals, and religion, and the rights growing out of this. Miss Phebe made her honie with her sister-in-law, and the subject was a matter of frequent discussion, Mr. Elliott being in hearty sympathy with the ladies.
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