USA > Ohio > A history of the Disciples of Christ in Ohio > Part 13
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and at the Ohio State Convention at Bellefontaine, in 1917, she gave a resume of her twenty-five years' work. That summary is published in this history. Has any woman among the disciples of Christ, in Ohio or any other State, done a greater or more far-reaching work than Mary A. Lyons ?
At the Bellefontaine O. C. M. S. and C. W. B. M. Convention, May 21-25, 1917, Mary Alice Lyons gave a survey of twenty-five years of C. W. B. M. service (1892-1917). She said:
Twenty-five years ago, from my window in Bowler Hall at Hiram College, I watched a hack- load of happy delegates starting at four o'clock in the morning for the Bellaire State Convention. Up to the last mail on Saturday, I was counted as one of the number, but, alas! the money did not come, so, saying not a word, but sorely disap- pointed, I had to give up the last ray of hope to attend the wonderful convention of our dreams. Monday, breakfast over, the girls gathered in the parlor when they saw me coming in, all with one accord demanding why I was not on my way to Bellaire. Alma McMillin took things in hand, and, within fifteen minutes, dressed, packed, cash in hand and hack at the door, away I went to the first convention, by way of the Pennsylvania Rail- road. There I made my maiden speech. The secretary who was elected refused to accept. Weeks later, the Board elected me to serve out her term, and I am still at it.
Mrs. A. C. Pierson, retiring secretary, gave the following report at Bellaire in 1892:
Number of auxiliaries in the State. 143
Numbers of members 3,186
Amount raised for tho National Board. $4,145.31
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Amount raised for State work
122.46
Balance in the State treasury.
1.44
Report for the year ending March 31, 1917, is as follows :
Number of societies
270
Membership of the State 8,563
Missionary Tidings circulated. 4,194
Ohio Counselors published by the State Society 7,200
Number of societies on honor roll for perfect work 119
Number of societies observing O. W. B. M. Day 194
Amount raised in specials and on C. W. B. M. Day $10,185.10
Contributing churches
85
Amount contributed by churches. $5,213.84
Total amount sent to the national treasury.
41,575.90
Amount for State Development Fund.
4,478.57
Amount received at district convention and subscrip-
tions to Counselor.
284.09
Grand total raised
$46,338.56
Curiosity led me to search the records of the C. W. B. M. in Ohio from its beginning, to see how much the State has really contributed. The records show that from 1875 to 1892 there was raised, $36,817.27, and during the twenty-five years since then there has been raised $529,806.67, making a grand total for all purposes of $566,- 623.94.
It is interesting to know the cost of service in the past twenty-five years. The average salary of the secretary was $854 per annum, and the average wage of office help was $103.70 per annum, or an average of $957.70 for salaries per year.
I have attended 945 district conventions in this time, thirty State conventions and twenty- five national conventions, making 995, and made 1,990 convention addresses. Have averaged ninety-seven places visited in the interest of the work each year, occupied pulpits about thirty
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Sundays in each year, often speaking three and four times each Lord's Day when out, and had a hand in all the work of the church, teaching in Sunday school, reviewing the schools, meeting the Junior C. E. or Circles in the afternoon and organizing societies, as well as speaking every evening somewhere.
The office work has been largely done by myself, having help only nine out of the twenty- five years. We have published for many years a monthly paper of sixteen pages, with 7,200 copies per issue, now bimonthly, owing to high cost of paper. We have a well-equipped office, and the Board is quite willing to provide all the office help necessary to carry on the work.
As we look back over the years, some things seem very like dreams. In 1894-96, the one great thing was to introduce the State dues of five cents per month. It took more time, patience and grace to have this small coin adopted as a part of our regular work than it would now to raise as many thousand dollars. So the story of the nickel, from the day it was launched in Chi- cago in 1893, when W. T. Moore, on a visit from England, ridiculed us for talking such small things. He said that when he left America the women were talking ten-cent pop-guns, and now, after nearly twenty years, they are considering a smaller gun. Mrs. Burgess rose and said that we women had killed much opposition to missions with the ten-cent gun and expected to enlist a great army with the five-cent ones, and her say- ing has come true. Ohio has from this fund paid the first thousand dollars for the union college in Ginlin College for girls at Nanking, China; has sent three organs to India to sing the gospel
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DISCIPLES OF CHRIST IN OHIO
into the hearts of the natives and to cheer the homes of the missionaries; has helped negro churches to build, and contributed many a hun- dred to the national treasury. Ohio has in the twenty-five years paid for the Maudha (India) mission station building, the South American Christian Institute, a native church in Mexico, built a sewing cabin at Lum, Ala., and equipped it with material and machines. Ohio has now fifteen living links supported under the C. W. B. , M., organized within the last ten years, and we trust it will be one hundred before another ten years passes.
Consider some of the great things the National Board has done in the past. We have seen, in the twenty-five years, the beginning of the Bible Chair work, and this has done one thing for the church; namely, made us known among the educated peoples as nothing before had done. Men and women are in every land who have studied under these teachers. We have seen work opened in Africa, China, Canada and Ori- ental work on the Pacific coast. The mountain work has been handed over to us by the breth- ren. We were present at Kansas City when the Smith brothers (C. C. and B. L.) came and of- fered us a $70,000 gift from the American Chris- tian Missionary Society, and all the responsibil- ity of training the negroes of the Southland, and we accepted it and proved our ability to teach school.
We have, with pride in the churches, seen the leaders show such willingness to help those women, too, and have cause to believe it is only a beginning of what shall be. We have also seen the day now when the work of the C. W. B.
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M. shall be taught in Sunday school and doubt not that the time is near at hand when the chil- dren shall make an offering through the school to this Board that has for so many years trained the children for leadership in missions.
In looking over my parish, I can see no cause of complaint, but, on the other hand, much in which to rejoice. The ministry of Ohio has been most helpful and cordial in assisting the women in the work. We see an educated constituency in missions because of mission-study classes and libraries. We have four thousand homes read- ing the Missionary Tidings, and seven thousand reading the Ohio Counselor. We distribute thou- sands of leaflets each year among the societies. We urge the women to attend interdenomina- tional summer schools of missions.
We have organized the young ladies into Mis- sion Circles where they are receiving the very best of training for larger service. We still guide the children in the knowledge of the world need of the Saviour, and last, but greatest of all, the prayer life of the members of these mission- ary organizations permeates the whole church, so that every interest receives a kindly hearing in a church where an active group of C. W. B. M. women live, teach, give and pray, and they are ready to serve at home as well as in the wide world.
I can not close this survey without acknowl- edging the debt I owe to Bro. Alanson Wilcox, as he was secretary of the O. C. M. S. during the first several years of my work and greatly aided me and was always making a place for my work. Then, Robert Moffett served for seven more years. I learned very much from him of
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the spirit of the early work of the C. W. B. M. It was he who helped establish it in Ohio, and we who now live and work owe much to Robert Moffett, Isaac Errett and others, as well as to Mesdames Sloan, Gerould, Powers and Weeden. The five-year campaign, in which societies, members and funds are to be doubled, is a goal worthy of the daughters of such fathers and mothers in the faith. Ohio is to have 500 soci- eties, 10,000 members and $70,000 in 1921. Help us make Ohio a missionary brotherhood; plant this spirit in every congregation and they will prosper.
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XXVII
THE CHURCH AT HILLSBORO
THE church at Hillsboro was planted in 1888. W. D. Moore and Alanson Wilcox, of the O. C. M. S., had done preliminary preaching in the court-house. The O. C. M. S. secretary paved the way for the great meeting held by Evangelist J. V. Updike. He wrote as follows for the county paper :
"The religious people known as disciples of Christ have had a remarkable growth. They started in Ohio about sixty years ago, and have 450 churches in Ohio. In the whole country they number a million communicants. They sustain thirty institutions of learning and thirty periodi- cals. They have missionaries in foreign lands. One of their home societies has expended $1,500,- 000, and added to the churches fully one hundred thousand members.
"In doctrine the disciples claim to take ad- vanced ground. Instead of trying to reform the modern churches, which have more or less, as they claim, departed from the teaching and prac- tice of the apostolic church, they aim at a resto- ration of the teaching, faith and practice of the original church planted by Christ, through his apostles, and which commenced fifty days after the death of the Saviour. They claim to recog- nize all that is Scriptural and divine in all the
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DISCIPLES OF CHRIST IN OHIO
churches, and to object only to that which is merely human in origin. There is only one arti- cle in their formula of faith, which declares Jesus to be the Christ, the Son of God. Building on this truth, they claim that believers will be bap- tized and follow the teaching of the New Testa- ment as the rule of life, and will build up Chris- tian character which will hereafter admit per- sons into the presence of the Lord.
"In pleading for original Christianity, they advocate the unity of the household of faith, and to this end all human opinions must be discarded as tests of fellowship, and only the divine will can be made the standard of faith and practice. "The disciples have thirteen churches in Highland County, and the people of Hillsboro will have an opportunity to learn more of this remarkable people.
"A tent has been secured, and the successful evangelist of northern Ohio, J. V. Updike, as- sisted by Singing Evangelist J. E. Hawes, will commence the meeting the last of May."
In the meeting Hawes sang the following hymn :
THE DAY OF PENTECOST.
The day of Pentecost the Holy Spirit came,
He sat upon apostles and looked like lambent flame; He taught what Christ had told them, they wrote it in a book, And in that book-the Bible-he tells us where to look.
CHORUS.
Now the Spirit holy, he will guide us safely. If we read the Bible, there he guides aright; Now the Spirit holy, into life and glory,
He will guide us safely, if we trust his light.
The day of Pentecost, the church of God began,
And Peter said to sinners: "Repent now while you can; You must obey the Saviour, he will your sins forgive,
And thus the Holy Spirit with you will always live."-CHO.
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The day of Pentecost, the law of God went out; Three thousand sinners then obeyed, the name of Christ to shout. So, now let all receive him, his word has not been changed; It is the only safe way, from earth to heaven arranged .- CHO.
This hymn has in it the poetry of truth. The tune was well adapted to the words, and the hymn became popular.
Some negroes attended the tent meeting, and one afternoon an old negro, sitting a few seats from the front, gradually raised up as Updike began to warm up, and then, raising his hand, bringing it down with two blows, cried out, "He's gettin' dar, he's gettin' dar." And he did get there with eighty baptisms and forty-six other additions-in all, 126-and the church was organized.
This is only a sample of the work done by the Ohio Christian Missionary Society.
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XXVIII
CENTRAL OHIO
PIONEER ministers of central Ohio were : R. R. Sloan, R. Moffett, John Encell, Cyrus Mc- Neeley, Alexander Hall, J. G. Mitchell, Nathan Mitchell, Israel Belton, D. A. Hannum, A. Gard- ner, John Hick, L. M. ,Harvey, John Sinclair, E. Worther, Nathan Moody, J. M. Dicky, W. Michem, J. Kenderson, Mahlon Martin, Benjamin Lock- hart, D. Shrapless, C. E. Van Vorhis, Wm. Hayes, Andrew Burns, Henry Dixon, John Read, S. R. Willard, O. Higgins, T. D. Garvin, J. H. Garvin, T. N. Madden, A. Lemert, J. B. Millison, A. Skid- more, S. P. Moody, Q. A. Randall, N. A. Walker, Adam Moore, M. Riddle, J. W. Lowe, Isaiah Jones, W. S. Lowe, W. L. Neal, A. B. Williams, James Williams, S. B. Teagarden, R. Winbigler, Hiram Wood, J. A. Barr, A. B. Way, Timothy J. Newcomb, Wm. Dowling, Hiram Wood, S. McBride, L. R. Norton and others.
DOCTOR WM. HAYES.
Back in the thirties and forties and fifties, the Restoration movement depended very largely upon an itinerant ministry. And even in the six- ties and seventies and eighties the "stalwarts" made long journeys on horseback and in buggy- proclaiming, as they went, the catholic plea for
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union which fired communities and resulted in our present influential churches.
"There were giants in those days"-not only in the pulpit, but by the roadside. It was a day of free entertainment for the heralds of the cross, and many houses were known as "preach- ers' homes."
One of these hospitable houses stood about eight miles from Mt. Vernon, O. It was the home of Dr. Wm. Hayes, a "veritable preachers' hotel." Such men as Isaac Errett, Robert Mof- fett, Norton, Huffman and Gardner held meetings at the Simmons Church, and they always "put up" with Dr. Hayes. Here the neighbors gathered with the family on the veranda in sum- mer, in the "sitting-room" in winter, and listened to the preacher explain the Scriptures or tell of the progress the cause was making in other places. Here the "big dinners" were served- after the distinguished guest had "said grace." It was a religious home, a hospitable home, a happy home, a great home.
Dr. Hayes was not only the preachers' friend, but himself a preacher of power. He practiced his profession during the week, and on Sunday, when no "regular preacher" was present, he delivered the sermon and dispensed the emblems. He wielded a mighty influence for good in his community, which means that he was a great man.
JOHN ENCELL
Knox County gave some good Restoration preachers to the cause. James Encell was an able expounder of the Word. He gave illustrated lectures, especially on the Revelation as found at
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the close of the New Testament. John Encell
was a good singer and evangelist. Wellington was one of the churches he planted. He gave a new version of "The Old Parson's Story," and lovingly dedicated it to the "old preachers":
I'm an old-fashioned kind of a preacher, The Jerusalem story I tell; How often, how often I've told it; Dear story, I love it so well. For many bright years I've been preaching The story that came from above, While earnestly lost ones beseeching To hear the glad message of love.
'Tis still my delight and my glory To tell of a Saviour once slain, That the dying may hear the glad story Of life through Immanuel's name. Thro' all of my years yet remaining, May strength unto me still be given, This message of mercy proclaiming To help many hearts' hope for heaven.
Many noble and true ones har left me; Their pure lives have come to a close; They sleep in the silent old churchyard, And there, too, I soon will repose. Dear battle-worn vet'rans of Zion, Our stay in this world won't be long: Let us try to be faithful and cheerful, And finish it up with a song.
There's a bright crown the faithful awaiting, A scepter, a robe and a palm, And glories forever unfading In the presence of God and the Lamb.
We shall soon meet the loved gone before us, In the mansions eternally fair: We shall soon sing the heavenly chorus, And we'll never grow old over there; No, we'll never grow old over there.
ALEXANDER WILFORD HALL
Alexander Wilford Hall was a remarkable man, and possessed a great memory, and was ex- ceedingly shrewd. He was an antagonist of Uni-
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A HISTORY OF THE
versalism. He soon learned all the arguments of Universalists and passages of Scripture used by them in support of their doctrine-how they construed and supplied them-and framed a reply. He usually contrived to turn their argu- ments and the Scripture quoted against them. He wrote a book entitled "Universalism Against Itself." It created a profound sensation. Twenty-five thousand copies were sold in two years. It has been issued again in these days and is meeting with sales.
A favorite argument of Universalists of those early days was as follows: "God is infinitely good, so that he would save everybody if he could. But he is infinitely powerful, so that he can save everybody if he will. Therefore, he will save everybody." To this Hall replied- first quoting the Scripture, "Vengeance belongs to me: I will repay, saith the Lord"-"God is infinite in vengeance, so that he would damn everybody if he could. But he is infinite in power, so that he can damn everybody if he will. Therefore, he will damn everybody."
It is said he was to debate with a Universal- ist, who came with many books; and his first speech was on "The whole human family will finally be made holy and happy." Mr. Hall in five minutes gave his reply, gave a statement of all the arguments the man could produce and replied to them, and sat down before his time was out. The Universalist was so overcome that he refused to go any further, declaring that he "did not come there to debate with a man who knew everything at once and who could talk like lightning." And so the debate ended. The tre- mendous sale of Hall's book gave him popularity,
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DISCIPLES OF CHRIST IN OHIO
Mahlon Martin
Adam Moore
Andrew Burns
Orange Higgins
S. Bottenfield Teagarden
William Dowling
W. L. Neal
J. W. Lowe
Alonzo Skidmore MORE RESTORATION LEADERS
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and he started at Loydsville, O., the Gospel Proc- lamation, and published it there for two years.
Hall, in time, settled in New York City, and was the author of "The Microcosm," "The Sci- entific Arena," "Immortality of the Soul," and "Problems of Life, Here and Hereafter."
1841-ALONZO SKIDMORE-1912
Alonzo Skidmore was born in Union County, O., June 7, 1841; died May 20, 1912, at East Liberty, Logan County.
Bro. Skidmore's life was an especially active one from his youth to the close of life.
He began teaching in the public schools at the age of eighteen, and followed this profession nearly all his life. In 1860 he identified himself with the disciples of Christ worshiping at Mill Creek, Logan County. He gave to this congre- gation much service as elder and minister.
In 1862 he enlisted in the 121st Regiment O. V. I., and served to the close of the war.
In 1865 he was united in marriage to Sarah J. Morse.
Having a deep interest in educational and religious questions, he decided to secure a college training.
In 1874 he, with his family, went to Bethany, W. Va., where he spent four years as a student, graduating with the honors of his class in 1878. The following year he was engaged as a profes- sor in his alma mater and as pastor of the church at Bethany. In both of these , positions he achieved marked success.
From Bethany he went to South Butler, N. Y., where he held a pastorate. The next place to call him was a college at North Middleton, in
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Kentucky, with E. V. Zollars as coworker. Leav- ing Kentucky, he came back to his old home and, in 1882, organized, at East Liberty, "The Central Ohio College," and conducted it, with fine re- sults, until 1890. During these years of college work in East Liberty he, in co-operation with the Ohio Christian Missionary Society (Alanson Wil- cox, secretary), organized the church and min- istered to it in many helpful ways.
In 1890 he, with his family, went to Texas, where he accepted a professorship in Texas Christian University. A few years later he re- turned to Ohio and taught in Hiram College. In 1894 he accepted a call to the church at Marion and remained with this church six years. At the close of this pastorate he again came to East Liberty, where he lived and wrought a good work.
During the years of his teaching and preach- ing he managed his farm by mail, with much suc- cess to himself and tenants. He continued to carry on the business of farming, with the idea that he wished to minister, preach and teach as much as possible at his own expense or with as little remuneration as possible. To him the farm was the same as Paul's tent-making, to enable him to live by the work of his own hand and to give to him that needeth.
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E. P. Wise
T. L. Lowe
Robert Place
A. R. Teachout
I. J. Cahill
W. H. Cowdery
H. E. McMullins
C. R. Stauffer
SECRETARY AND BOARD OF MANAGERS, O. C. M. S., 1917
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XXIX
THE OHIO CHRISTIAN MISSIONARY SOCIETY
THE Ohio Christian Missionary Society is a voluntary association of disciples of Christ for propagating the gospel and helping weak churches. The society is incorporated under the laws of the State of Ohio. The trustees are es- pecially incorporated to hold and manage moneys in the interests of the society.
It was organized at Wooster, O., May 12, 1852. Alexander Campbell was present on the occasion and delivered an address. Isaac Errett was a prominent factor in the meeting. The or- ganization of the society marked the beginning of an epoch in the history of the disciples of Christ. Some years later, while the brethren were still struggling with the vexed problem of co-operative missionary work, Alexander Camp- bell earnestly exhorted the brethren to be stead- fast in this enterprise, "for," said he, "the whole future of organized missionary work among the disciples of Christ depends on the Ohio Society."
Before the organization of the society, co- operative work had been done in northeastern Ohio. From 1827-30, Walter Scott, as the evan- gelist of this co-operation, worked within the
territory of the Mahoning Association. This early co-operation accounts for the strength of the disciples in the Western Reserve. Its con-
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tinuance and extension at that time would have covered the whole State. Later there arose some objection to co-operation. In the interest of hoped-for peace, the brethren yielded to the ob- jectors, and the co-operative work ceased in 1830.
More than a score of years were wasted in demonstrating the impractical nature of the theories that had disrupted a vital and conquer- ing work. Then wise brethren were impelled to return to the old and eminently Christian way of fraternal co-operation for aggressive work of enlargement.
From 1852 this co-operative work has had the untiring devotion of wise and good men. Many leading brethren served freely in unofficial capac- ity. Men held in honor in all the churches of the State served as officers and employees.
The presidents of the society have been : David S. Burnet, J. P. Robison, R. M. Bishop, Isaac Errett, R. R. Sloan, B. A. Hinsdale, T. D. Garvin, R. Moffett, W. M. Dowling, E. B. Wake- field, J. Z. Tyler, A. J. Marvin, E. V. Zollars, Russell Errett, J. M. VanHorn, C. J. Tannar, G. P. Coler, S. L. Darsie, J. W. Allen, J. A. Lord, H. McDiarmid, Benj. L. Smith, C. W. Huffer, Justin N. Green, J. G. Slayter, M. L. Bates, A. M. Harvuot, A. R. Webber, H. Newton Miller, J. E. Lynn, T. W. Pinkerton, I. J. Cahill, Geo. Dar- sie, John P. Sala, W. F. Rothenburger, P. H. Welshimer, W. D. Ward, T. L. Lowe, C. B. Rey- nolds.
The corresponding secretaries have been : Lee Lord, Isaac Errett, A. S. Hayden, J. H. Jones, W. A. Belding, R. R. Sloan, Robert Moffett, Alanson Wilcox, S. H. Bartlett, H. Newton Mil- ler, I. J. Cahill.
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DISCIPLES OF CHRIST IN OHIO
S. M. Parker
P. H. Welshimer
L. G. Batman
C. R. Sine
C. B. Reynolds
C. M. Rodefer
Noyes P. Gallup
C. A. Hanna
OTHER LEADERS IN O. C. M. S. WORK
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The financial plan of the earlier period pro- vided that offerings should be sent to the district secretaries. Half the amount was retained and expended within the borders of the district, under the direction of the district officers. The remainder was forwarded to the State secretary and expended under the direction of the State Board of Managers.
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