USA > Ohio > Early history of the Disciples in the Western Reserve, Ohio : with biographical sketches of the principal agents in their religious movement > Part 21
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3. Sundry passages in Corinthians and elsewhere, calling for contributions for benevolent objects, show that no such system prevailed in the primitive churches.
This put an end to it. Rigdon finding himself foiled in his cherished purpose of ingrafting on the reformation his new community scheme, went away from the meeting at its close, chafed and chagrined, and never met with the Disciples in a general meet- ing afterward. On his way he stopped at Bro. Aus- tin's, in Warren, to whom he vented his spleen, saying; "I have done as much in this reformation as Campbell or Scott, and yet they get all the honor of it!"
On Lord's day, from a stage prepared in a grove,
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the addresses were delivered to an immense con- course. Mr. Campbell's discourse was based on the language, "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners." I Tim. i: 15. Two propositions, he affirmed, are in the passage : I. That the gospel is true; 2. That it is good. Taking the first proposi- tion, he delivered a sermon of great power on the evidences of Christianity.
About a thousand conversions in the previous year were reported ; over forty united on that occasion. For many years this meeting was referred to as con- spicuous among the joyous religious festivities so numerous on the Western Reserve.
NORTH BLOOMFIELD.
BENJAMIN ALTON was born February 22, 1799. His early life was spent in Genesee County, New York. At the age of eighteen, he was a zealous exhorter among the Methodists. Falling in with Elder Wm. True, of the " Christian Connection," he was baptized by him, and continued to preach the gospel as he understood it.
About the year 1827, he moved to North Bloomfield, Trumbull County. He was a man of marked abilities, full size, finely formed, and possessed most winning man- ner and tender speech. He had been very successful as a revivalist among the " New Lights" or "Christians." In the process of his ministry he became convinced that something was radically wrong in the exhibition of the gospel in these times, as no case is to be found in all the history of the apostles' preaching of penitent sinners mourning for days and nights, and sighing for undis- covered pardon. The sensitive heart of the sympathetic Alton was overwhelmed, as he saw many souls weeping under conviction for sin, crying out to know what they
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should do, while the only answer ever given was to con- tinue in that very condition of agony, and that relief some time and in some way might be expected. Disgusted and discouraged, he resolved to hide himself away in a " lodge " in the wilderness, and there in quietness and seclusion, to live for his family and heaven. He settled on lands in the dense forests of Bloomfield. He had traveled much, and witnessed with grief and shame the sectarianisms of the day; and, moreover, he thought it a great mistake that the gospel contained no express pro- vision by which a repenting sinner might be assured at once of the forgiveness of his sins. He was fast tending to skepticism, and might have been swept into the vortex of infidelity, but for an incident which called him forth to the light and to great usefulness.
About the year 1829, the good people of Bloomfield called a public meeting, and resolved to unite in raising a fund to support preaching, and all go to meeting to- gether. It was an effort, after its kind, to form a union for religious purposes ; a union out of diversity. But the union not arising out of previously existing unity-the only condition of a permanent union-it proved of short du- ration. Yet they entered into the enterprise in good heart, with good intentions, and good omens. As the Presbyterians were the most numerous, they were to have the house half the time; the Baptists and the Methodists one quarter, and the Unitarians the other quarter. Squire Brown, a prominent citizen, was to secure the Unitarian minister. By some of the more rigid in sentiment he was thought to be skeptical ; but he entered heartily into the arrangement as a means of the moral improvement of the town. By him Benjamin Alton was engaged. Alton, thus called from his coveted retreat, consented to gird himself again in the panoply of the gospel. He came regularly to his appointments. He would sit quite a while in the pulpit, and then, rising, proceed to preach
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without singing or prayer. He usually preached on the prophecies, and many became interested in his sermons,
About this time William Hayden preached at the center of Bloomfield, and staying over night with Alton, these two Bible men spent much of the night searching the Scriptures in relation to the ancient gospel, particularly as it relates to the manner in which the apostles preached it, and brought convicted sinners into the light and peace of pardon. In the course of the same year, Alton heard Thomas Campbell. In that discourse he saw the scrip- tural plan of salvation. The darkness, which like a cloud had rested on the Bible, cleared away, and he discovered, to his great joy, that God had not left us ignorant of what to do to be saved. Like Saul, when the scales fell from his eyes, he forthwith preached the gospel after the mod- els found in the sermons of the apostles.
The alarm was sounded at once. The people had never agreed to hear a "Campbellite." The union ex- ploded and went to the four winds. The people called another meeting, dissolved the covenant, and each party agreed to support its own meeting.
Alton kept up his appointments. Four or five were baptized this season. In 1830-1, some others were con- verted. In 1832, Bro. Alton preached half the time, and began to attend regularly to the Lord's Supper. They were now meeting in a school-house, where they continued several years, during which time they were growing strong and more numerous, under the visits of Hayden, Henry, the Bosworths, Applegate, and others.
In 1836, Bro. Alton moved to De Kalb County, Indi- ana. There he displayed the same zeal which had always warmed his own heart, and melted the hearts of hundreds. Suffering all the hardships of pioneer life in a densely wooded country, contending with marsh and miasm, he still found time to preach the gospel and plant churches. With a numerous family, little money in the country, and
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nothing to sell to procure any, his fare was the plainest, and his costume any thing but clerical. Sometimes with- out a coat-but a wrapper instead-a shoe on one foot, the other honored with a boot, he traveled afoot to his ap- pointments. His genial disposition, manly form, sweet- ness of countenance, and earnest, convincing pathos, full of Scripture withal, brought many from far to hear his sermons, and many turned to righteousness. Some of the churches planted by him in that wilderness, are yet stand- ing and flourishing.
As illustrative of the straightened condition of those days, a young man wished Elder Alton to perform for him the marriage ceremony. Unable to pay money for the service, he stipulated to compensate him with pumpkins ! The service was rendered cheerfully, to the satisfaction of the happy bridegroom, and the next day he brought a large load of selected " fruit of vine," and delivered them to the very needy and equally gratified parson.
Exhaustive toil, and the malaria of the rich opening soil, undermined his naturally hardy constitution. He sank gradually to a feeble state from which he could not rally. His wife, the faithful sharer of his life and fortunes, sank with him and before him. She died March 24, 1847. He survived thirteen days longer, and fell asleep, April 7th, aged only a little over forty-eight years. He was univer- sally lamented. His talents commanded the respect of the people, who sought to put him on the ticket for politi- cal fame. But he chose to suffer reproach with the people of God. Like all men who move men for God, he was a most devoted Bible student. It is said he had the whole New Testament by heart. His family are religions, and his youngest son, Cyrus Alton, is devotedly engaged in the ministry of the gospel.
The little band in Bloomfield had organized as a worshiping assembly with eleven members. Among
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them were Nelson Works, Bro. Netterfield and his wife, Mary Sager, Polly Green, and Mehitabel Thayer. Bro. Works was appointed to take the lead of the meetings. Bro. Alton's removal left them much dis- couraged ; but they were not cast down nor forsaken. In October, 1836, Marcus Bosworth visited them, and learning the condition of the church, thought it nec- essary to take steps to complete their organization, their number being now considerably increased. This was done the nineteenth of that month. The following new names were taken at this time, viz .: Zephaniah Luse, Ruhama Luse, Wm. M. Bellows, Benjamin Bellows, Josiah Bellows, Rachel Bellows, Mary Ann Bellows, Henry G. Neal, Clarissa Neal, Wm. Parker, Charles Thayer, Clarissa Wilder, Can- dace Green, Nancy Green, Anna Sager, Rebecca Sager, Miriam Smith.
The church has never lost its identity. It was as- sisted by the preaching brethren of the time; the brethren Hayden, Henry, Hartzel, Applegate, Cyrus and Marcus Bosworth, Clapp, Collins ; and a little later by Lucy, Brockett, Perky, Calvin Smith ; and later still by Edwin Wakefield, W. A. Belding, C. C. Foote, and H. Reeves.
In the winter of 1848, Bro. Isaac Errett held a meeting in the Congregational church at the center of the town. Bro. Charles Brown made every ar- rangement to secure for him a favorable hearing. The church was doubled in numbers, and the cause of religious reformation lifted up to the notice of a large number of the people in the township. Their place of meeting in the school-houses was too small for the assemblies, and in 1849, the meeting-house
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at the center was built, and Bro. Errett moving there in October, that year, he became the first pastor of the church. He remained two years, adding numbers and strength to the congregation, preaching also in other communities, so that the principles of this religious reformation were established in various places. The church in Green was formed chiefly under his ministry.
April 19, 1840, Nelson Works and H. G. Neal were appointed Elders. William Parker served also awhile in that capacity. In 1842, John Sager was elected deacon. These, and others after them, per- formed the duties of their respective offices without ordination. Some new officers having been selected, the church set apart April 19, 1854, for the purpose of ordaining them after the scriptural example. On that day Bro. Edwin Wakefield was, by imposition of hands, with prayer and fasting, set apart to the " work of an evangelist;" brethren Nelson Works and Charles Brown were, in like manner, ordained as elders; and John Sager, David Snyder, Chester Howard, and N. B. Ferry were ordained deacons. Brethren Cyrus Bosworth, M. S. Clapp, Isaac Errett and B. F. Perky were the officiating ministers.
This church owes much to the unwavering faith- fulness of her time-honored elder, Nelson Works. Through all her trials he has held firmly the stand- ard, its honored flag unfurled and aloft. Around it, with supporting encouragement, a number of the sis- ters, whose names are in the book of life, have as faithfully rallied, displaying a zeal, constancy, and devotion worthy of special commendation. In this connection also, the godly zeal and cheering voice of
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Brockett comes to remembrance. In the darkest days he would cheer the little company of believers with assurances that the gospel would yet triumph in Bloomfield. And when at length the day dawned, and such an ingathering attended the labors of Bro. Errett, " he is but reaping," said the sincere Brockett, "the fruits of the sowing of others."
THE CAUSE IN FARMINGTON.
Like most of the churches the congregation in Farmington is an example of Christians coming to- gether in gospel order from different "orders," so called. In 1818, Abijah Lee came into that town with his family. He was a Baptist. His son, Isaac Lee, who had embraced religion among the Metho- dists, went after a few years to Kirtland. There in the great reformatory movement under Bentley and Rigdon, in 1828, he saw the great difference be- tween Christianity as a unity, as contained in the Holy Scriptures, and an organized "branch " of the church. He dropped the terms and title of schis matic party, and stood for uniting Christians in Christ Jesus. He returned to Farmington in the spring of 1829, and found a young man, Harvey Brockett, much awakened on the subject of religion. Lee found little trouble in teaching him the "obe- dience of faith" as now re-proclaimed by the disci- ples. He received the truth "with all readiness of mind" and was baptized by his friend Isaac Lee. Meantime Father Abijah Lee, his family and others there, were reading the "Christian Baptist." The powerful stimulus of that revolutionary periodical awakened inquiry in the minds of many. Soon Ben-
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jamin Alton was on the ground, and to full houses announced the call to the Bible-to Pentecost-to Christ. A local Methodist preacher confronted him, but God in his truth was mightier than man in his ignorance of it ; and the people "heard him gladly." In 1830, a church was formed, with Abijah Lee as leader, which met every Lord's day according to the commandment, to keep the ordinances as they were delivered to the church by the apostles. With no chart but the unerring Word, they launched on the ocean under the pilotage of the Captain of salvation.
They numbered at the beginning about twenty. The Baptists gave them Abijah Lee and wife, and Daniel Davidson and his wife. Isaac Lee, for a little with the Methodists, and Harvey Brockett also now rallied with them and the new converts around the "ensign" lifted up for all nations on the day of Pen- tecost, A. D. 33.
Alton did not forsake them, nor were they wanting in zeal nor gifts among themselves. They lost no opportunity to teach the people ; and they were con- stant in mutual edification. The sincere Applegate, the tender Bosworth, the rapid Henry, and the ener- getic Hayden, labored among them early and with much success ; as did also Collins, Clapp, and Hartzel.
SKETCH OF HARVEY BROCKETT.
All honor to the church that could produce a Brockett ! He was a man of attractions. Few men in so short a ca- reer have left so lasting results to witness for their devo- tion to Christ. He was born April 13, 1806, in Onon daga County, New York. In 1821, he came with his parents to Farmington. When he was ten years old, his mother, a devoted Christian, gave her son to God, and
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bidding him follow her, she left him, and was borne to her grave amid plentiful tears. From that day, heaven was to him a dear place. The Savior was precious ; the Bible was sacred; but confused by the teaching of the day he found no peace, till in his twenty-third year he obeyed the Lord Jesus Christ. His way was now clear, and the young disciple and future preacher of righteous- ness studied diligently the Holy Scriptures, and began to exhort sinners to turn to God. He rose rapidly. His whole nature was aglow. Gifted with great copiousness of language, and fluency of speech, his natural timidity yielded to his mastering zeal, and he was heard gladly wherever he went. The church of Bazetta caught hold of the hand of this young Timothy, gave him a home among them, and helped him on his way.
For about twelve years he was among the churches. And who shall describe the swell of holy enthusiasm which every-where attended his labors? Converts came like the dew-drops of the morning. In his hands the gos- pel was luminous and tender, melting the heart, and con- vincing the judgment with such a power, and an array of evidences so abundant and pungent, that all who heard admired, and many yielded to his trumpet call to repent- ance. He preached twice a day, sometimes thrice, sung much, was a great talker, and not having, like Paul, a Silas or Timotheus to baptize his converts, his personal administrations of that sacred ordinance were almost daily.
He was cheerful, but never trifling, serious, and most earnest, with a voice of good compass and charming tone. His pathos excelled his logic, in which, however, he was not deficient. His sermons were long, closing up with ex- hortations of warmth and power., He overworked ; his constitution lost its iron, and he became a prey to frailty and fever. On the. 12th of September, 1848, his most active and useful life closed at his home in Sharon, Penn- sylvania. He was twice married; the last time to Mrs.
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Margaret McCleery, relict of Hugh McCleery, of Sharon. She was much respected for her benevolence and steadfast- ness in the faith, and has recently joined him in the prom- ised rest.
THE CHURCH IN GREEN FOUNDED.
The church in Green, Trumbull County, was or- ganized the first Sunday in January, 1851, by Isaac Errett and C. Bosworth. The following eleven per- sons were the members : Walter Bartlett and Pru- dence Bartlett, Wm. D. Morris and Mary A. Morris, Edwin Wakefield and Mary Wakefield, Eldad Barton and California Barton, Austin Dean, Deborah Curtis, and Polly Smith. Walter Bartlett was chosen over- seer, and Wm. D. Morris, deacon. There were twenty additions during the year ; ten in a meeting held by Calvin Smith in November after this organization.
Bro. Edwin Wakefield, widely and favorably known for his success in the gospel, was baptized here in the spring of 1845, by the able Perky, in a meeting held there by him. Bro. Bartlett has from the be- ginning held a leading position. He was born 1801, and came to Mecca with his parents in 1818. In 1821, he heard Mr. Campbell deliver two discourses in Warren, which were " nails driven in sure places " with him. He united with the F. W. Baptists, and preached among that people a few years. His asso- ciations and reading opened his mind to the plea and principles of the disciples ; and as he earnestly sought only to know and teach the truth, he sometimes pro- claimed sentiments not in the theological system of that sect. He was arraigned in the quarterly meet- ing for heresy, and after various hearings, they re- fused to renew his license. They granted him a letter, and as the brethren in Bazetta had been kind
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to him, he presented to them his letter, was received, and after due time was ordained an elder in the con- gregation. This was in 1836. Though no church was established in Green till the year 1851, as above related, Bro. Bartlett's tongue was not silent, nor his light under a cover. There was occasional preaching there by Alton, Brockett, Perky, Hartzel, and Bos- worth. Wm. Hayden and Elder T. Campbell ex- plored the land as early as 1828.
The church numbers about eighty members. Bro. E. Wakefield has long been a " captain of hundreds" among them, and his son, E. B. Wakefield, is rising to usefulness as a proclaimer of the gospel. Bro. A. C. Bartlett, son of Bro. W. Bartlett, for many years be- fore the public, is a gift to the cause from this church.
Bro. W. Bartlett writes : " It is wonderful to see what great results sometimes spring from small causes. I can not doubt that my hearing A. Campbell in 1821, was the cause of my withdrawing from the F. W. Baptists and uniting with the Disciples ; and this led me to labor for an organization in Green, which, through the blessing of God, I have seen accom- plished. The seed, after passing through more than one crucible, and occasionally watered, not only brought forth the blade in 1836, but the full ear in 1851, and has produced fruit ever since. How little did I think when I was listening to those sermons that they were to have an influence on me through all my life! But I now know that this has been the case. It has taught me to sow the seed of the king- dom wherever I could, for I knew not how much might fall on good ground, and bring forth fruit in the salvation of souls."
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CHAPTER XIV.
Primitive Christianity in Deerfield-E. B. Hubbard-Experiences of J. Hartzel-Church formed-Scott's Sermon-Captain Al- lerton surrenders-John Schaeffer relieved of Lutheranism.
E PHRAIM B. HUBBARD was born in Duchess County, New York, February 28, 1792. His father, of Connecticut ancestry, moved to Deerfield, Portage County, Ohio, in 1802, Ephraim being then ten years old. His early life was the usual toil and privations in a new country. His education was gained in the primitive log school-house. But the thirsty soul can drink water from goblet or gourd. Hubbard learned rapidly, and acquired information which placed him high among his fellow-citizens, and eventually raised him to a seat in the Ohio Legislat- ure.
July 1, 1817, he married Miss Mary McGowan, whose father was an early emigrant from Maryland. After raising eight children, and filling faithfully the duties of domestic and social life, she fell peacefully asleep, October 13, 1839. Hubbard was re-married to Miss Jerusha Reed, and is enjoying life at eighty- three.
The Methodists pre-empted Deerfield. The Hub- bards gave assent to their assumed claim, all except Ephraim. He held membership with them about four years, but he openly protested against the creed and discipline as a direct challenge of the rights
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of the King. He felt relieved, however, of responsi- bility on the subject, as he had been cordially received with expressed opposition to it as an unauthorized usurpation of the place of the Word of God in the government of his church.
About this time a Methodist class was formed in Smith Township, under the leadership of Gideon Hoadley. This class solicited Hubbard to unite and assist them. To this he consented on condition that he should not be required to assent to the "disci- pline." This band of Christians, acting on their in- herent rights, and, in this act, setting aside the rules of the Methodist church, unanimously agreed to his terms. Accordingly, himself and his wife, who was a Baptist, became members the same day. With the same noble sentiments, his brother-in-law, Samuel McGowan, a Baptist, and his wife, a Presbyterian, offered themselves for membership. Some demurred, alleging that the rules of the church should be en- forced. Bro. Hubbard asked them to delay a de- cision for two weeks, and to search the Word of God for authority to guide their action. To this they assented ; and at the end of that time, no precedent or other authority for a period of probation being found, McGowan and his wife were cordially received.
As soon as this was known by the authorities of that church, Presiding Elder Swaize came with the circuit rider, Rev. Mr. Taylor, denounced these whole proceedings as a violation of the rules of the disci- pline, and declared the class dissolved.
But this was not the last of it. The most of the class were so dissatisfied with this invasion of their rights as men and Christians, that they held them-
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selves aloof from any farther union with the M. E. Church, and stood ready for the coming light, which was soon to result in a practical and permanent union of these and many others on New Testament grounds. The leader of the class, Bro. Hoadley, be- ing one of this number.
As the history of a religious movement is identical with that of its chief actors, I insert some notice and experiences of Bio. Jonas Hartzel, associated with the origin of this church, and long identified with it.
He was born October 19, 1803, in North Hamp- ton County, Pa., In 1805, his parents settled, with several other families of the same name and kindred, in Deerfield, then quite an unbroken wilderness. Now let his own pen continue the recital :
" On the second day of June, 1825, the marriage con- tract between myself and Miss Alice Wallahan was con- summated. In religious profession we were divided ; but in religious tendencies, industrial habits, domestic econ- omy, and love of home, we were happily united.
"Soon after this my mind became more seriously af- fected with my religious condition. My wife being a Methodist, we occasionally attended Methodist preaching. This brought before me the complications of Calvinism and Arminianism. Sovereign grace put on the more ortho- dox face, but free grace wore the more pleasant smile. But the effect was uncertainty and doubt, and this was followed by skepticism in the current religion of the times. Meanwhile I said nothing in relation to my troubles, until in an evil hour I communicated the state of my mind to my father. It was, as we then called it, a sacramental occasion. I attended all the sessions until Monday morning.
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