History of South Dakota, Vol. I, Part 77

Author: Robinson, Doane, 1856-1946. cn
Publication date: 1904
Publisher: [Logansport? IN] : B. F. Bowen
Number of Pages: 998

USA > South Dakota > History of South Dakota, Vol. I > Part 77

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This session of the mission conference was held under the shadow of a great bereavement. On August 4, 1882, the Rev. Thomas M. Wil- liams, the superintendent of the mission, while. in attendance upon a quarterly meeting at Bridgewater, was taken suddenly ill and one week later, August IIth, passed away. Mr. Wil- liams was a man of fine presence, possessing a high order of ability. As presiding elder and superintendent he had endeared himself to the ministry and membership of the church. At the time of his death he was just completing his fiftieth year, twenty-four of which he had spent in the ministry of the Methodist Episcopal church. He was a native of New York and be- gan his life work in that state. Upon the or- ganization of the Northwest Iowa conference in 1872 he was made one of the first presiding elders, and in 1876 he was transferred to the Sioux City district. During the trying period of 1876-79 he had oversight of the work in South Dakota. Everywhere he went during the brief period of his superintendency he met with an ovation from the people he had formerly served. His death, notwithstanding his sudden summons, was a veritable triumph. He was a noble, self- sacrificing minister of the gospel and his memory

is cherished by many who came under his in- fluence in the formative period of our work in this state.

So rapidly did the work develop during the next year it was found necessary at the fourth session of the mission conference, held at Huron, October 11, 1883, to divide the conference into four districts. The Rev. I. N. Pardee was ap- pointed superintendent of the mission and pre- siding elder of Mitchell district; the Rev. Lewis Hartsouglı, presiding elder of the Yankton dis- trict; the Rev. William Fielder, presiding elder of the Huron district; and the Rev. William McCready of the Ordway district. Seventy pastors were assigned to work and nineteen charges were left to be supplied. Bishop Matthew Simpson presided over this conference, and gave to Methodism in South Dakota the motto, "Dakota for Christ." The fifth annual session of the conference was held at Mitchell, October 10, 1884, Bishop E. G. Andrews presid- ing. The evidences of expansion are still mani- fest. Eighty-six charges, with fifty-one churches and fifteen parsonages, are among the items re- ported in the statistics.

In harmony with the enabling act of the general conference, at the sixth session of the mission conference, held at Blunt, Bishop Cyrus D. Foss presiding, the mission was organized as an annual conference. This important event oc- curred on October 9, 1885. The Dakota con- ference began its official existence with forty- two full members and nine probationers. Of this number the names of fourteen remain on the conference roll, five are numbered among our honored dead, and the great majority in sub- sequent years transferred their conference re- lations elsewhere. In the brief period of time from the organization of the mission conference in 1880 to the above date the membership in- creased to five thousand two hundred and nine. Four presiding elders' districts, with ninety- three charges, constituted the appointments. In this time churches were built and parsonages provided in many places. From the time the first church was dedicated at Elk Point in 1871 to the organization of the annual conference in

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1885, sixty-two churches and seventeen parson- ages were erected, valued at one hundred and sixty-one thousand and seventy-nine dollars. During the years immediately following Metho- dism kept pace with the rapid increase in popu- lation.

In 1890 the membership reached nine thou- sand six hundred and sixty-three. The reaction which came with the financial crisis of 1893-97, and the successive crop failures, incident to the settlement of a new country, brought to us a period of years in which our statistics show no appreciable increase. With the return of pros- perity, Methodism has for several years shown a steady and substantial advance. There are within the bounds of the Dakota conference one hundred and twenty-five charges under the super- vision of five presiding elders, one hundred and seventy-two church edifices, many of them mod- ern, up-to-date structures, and one hundred parsonages. The approximate value of this property is five hundred and forty-five thousand seven hundred and seventy dollars, largely the accumulation of the past twenty-five years of effort in this field. The membership of the church reported at the annual conference in 1903 is eleven thousand four hundred and forty. There are two hundred and thirty-two Sunday schools, with a membership of seventeen thou- sand two hundred and eight. These items do not reveal the hardships and sacrifices endured by the ministry and the people that such results might be realized by the church. Those who have had part in its struggles on the broad prairies of our young commonwealth are doubt- less grateful for the Providence that led them to be participators in this great work.

The history of South Dakota Methodism would be incomplete without an extended notice of Dakota University. As early as 1882 steps were taken looking to the establishment of a college under the auspices of the Methodist Episcopal church. At the third session of the mission conference, held at Parker, a commission was appointed to receive bids from any town de- siring the location of an institution of learning. At the next session of the mission conference,

which was held in Huron in 1883, this commis- sion laid before the conference three bids which had been received from Mitchell, Ordway and Huron. After much discussion the conference decided to accept both the bids of Mitchell and Ordway. This action resulted in a misunder- standing and dissatisfaction throughout the con- ference and only resulted in delaying the work of establishing a school. Another year found that neither of the favored towns had complied with the conditions. It soon became evident that one institution was all that the conference should un- dertake to sustain. In 1885 the first college building at Mitchell was about completed, and in the fall of that year the school was opened for students. Rev. William Brush, D. D., was the first president, and he was supported by a small but very efficient faculty. The second year wit- nessed the improvement of the property. The chapel and halls were finished, and the dormi- tories made more comfortable. The faculty was enlarged and inducements offered for students to attend. The attendance soon exceeded one hun- dred, and the future appeared highly promising. when, on March 9, 1888, the fine college building was destroyed by fire. This irreparable loss re- sulted in the death of two students and the injury of several others. Notwithstanding this calamity, the work was continued in temporary quarters provided by the citizens of Mitchell. The work of re-adjusting the affairs of the college was im- mediately undertaken, and steps taken to replace the first building with one better arranged and equipped than the former for the work of a growing school. To this work the citizens of Mitchell unitedly gave their support and made possible the erection of the present building, which is recognized as one of the best of its kind within the borders of our state. It is a beautiful and commodious structure built of granite, four stories high, one hundred and ten feet front by eighty-seven deep, containing thirty-seven rooms, used for recitations, library and chapel.

The fall of 1889 witnessed the reopening of the college in the present main building and the permanent establishment of Dakota University.

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Dr. Brush, having witnessed the accomplishment of this great work, which in its magnitude and importance will appear more clearly in future years than at the present, resigned the presidency to accept an appointment in the diplomatic service of the government. After a time, Prof. C. O. Merica was selected as his successor. He remained at the head of the school one year.

In connection with the initial period of Dakota University may be found many names worthy of mention, for the sacrifice and devotion displayed by them in the establishment of this institution. No account would be complete, however, without reference at least to Prof. and Mrs. F. C. Eastman, Miss Dell Noble, Prof. L. A. Stout and Prof. T. A. Duncan, who gave their best efforts to the upbuilding of the college. Many laymen and ministers of Dakota conference are deserving of recognition for the part they bore in these years of arduous struggle. Suf- fice it to say they did not labor for reward or with the expectation of securing the plaudits of man, but that an institution of learning worthy of the denomination it represents might be founded on the prairies of our young commonwealth.

In 1893 Rev. W. I. Graham, D. D., was elected to the presidency. The selection was most fortunate. Dr. Graham, by his careful man- agement of the affairs of the college, during the ten years of his administration, brought the school up to the front rank of the best institu- tions of the state. In every respect Dakota University soon came to take its place by the side of the other institutions, and the work ac- complished during this period reflects great credit upon those who administered its affairs. During this period of its history the college met its cur- rent expenses, and a floating indebtedness of nearly ten thousand dollars was provided for, largely through the liberality and sacrifice of the ministry of the Dakota conference. In 1899. under the impetus of the Twentieth Century Thank-offering movement, by which the Metho- dist Episcopal church raised twenty millions of dollars, the Dakota conference as its part of the movement undertook to raise thirty-five thousand dollars to erect on the college campus Century

Memorial Hall. The work was impeded some- what by the general attention of the churches being directed to the paying off of old indebted- nesses ; notwithstanding, however, the work has gone on steadily and at the present time is near- ing completion. The principal event in connec- tion with the commencement of 1904 will be the dedication of this new building. This is one of the most substantial college buildings in the west. It is as absolutely fireproof as a build- ing can be made. With all modern conveniences, the new hall will add very much to the facilities of the college to care for its increasing constit- uency.

Upon the resignation of Dr. W. I. Graham as president, in the fall of 1903, the Rev. Thomas Nicholson, D. D., of Cornell College, was chosen as his successor. Dr. Nicholson comes to his new task with a well-earned reputation as an educator of the first rank. Under his masterful leader- ship a new impetus will be given to every de- partment of the college work. The college de- partment is being doubled and other improve- ments made that will put this institution in the forefront of colleges of this character in the west. The library has been increased by donation about one-third, and in every respect the future of Dakota University was never brighter.

The introduction of Methodism into the Black Hills furnishes the historian with ample material for a chapter of as heroic sacrifices as were ever made by the Methodist itinerants in the earlier periods of the movement. The first preacher of the gospel to enter that region was the Rev. Henry Weston Smith, a regularly or- dained minister of the Methodist Episcopal church, who of his own accord went into the Black Hills to minister to the spiritual wants of the people in the early, turbulent period previous to the opening of that section to white settlement and the extension of civil government over that part of South Dakota. This heroic preacher be- gan his labors at Custer City in a log house, with sawdust floor, where he preached in the fore- noon and evening of Sunday, May 7, 1876. He held services in the same place the following Sunday. On May 22d he left Custer City and

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three days later preached in camp on Box Elder, arriving in Deadwood May 27th. The first au- thentic record of services held in Deadwood is to the effect that he preached on the corner of Main and Gold streets on Sunday, July 9, 1876. It is not improbable, however, that he held services previous to that time in the same man- ner, of which we have no record. That the Rev. Mr. Smith conducted a series of open-air services on the streets of Deadwood is evident. It is recorded of his labors that it was no un- common sight to see him hold the attention of one end of a crowd, while at the other end a broker or prospector was exploiting his business before the same motley throng. To the everlast- ing credit of the early pioneers and adventurers that thronged the streets of Deadwood in those days it can be said they manifested such pro- found respect for the minister and the message he sought to give them that in his public ministrations he was never disturbed or molested. On Sunday, August 20, 1876, he attempted to walk to Crook City to hold services, against the remonstrances of his friends who warned him of his danger. He had proceeded only a few miles from Deadwood when he was shot by an Indian in ambush. Information soon reached the city and a strong scouting party was organized and started in pursuit of the Indians. The pursuers soon surrounded the murderer and he was ulti- mately killed; but not until he had shot into the party, killing one of the men. The body of the murdered preacher was found lying where he fell, his hands folded across his breast, clasping his Bible and hymn book. He was not scalped nor otherwise mutilated, his murderer probably surmising his calling. The body of the Rev. Henry W. Smith, the martyred Black Hills mis- sionary, lies in the church lot of Mt. Moriah cemetery at Deadwood, and his last resting place is marked by a life-size figure standing on a square pedestal, which bears the inscription. The monument is of native red standstone and was erected in October, 1891, by his "Black Hills Friends."

At the seventh session of the Northwest Iowa conference, held at Cherokee, Iowa, with

Bishop Jesse T. Peck presiding, the Rev. James Williams was appointed a missionary to Dead- wood. This was the beginning of organized work under the auspices of the Methodist Episcopal church in the Black Hills. In the fall of 1879, at the next session of the above con- ference, held in Sioux City, Iowa, Bishop W. L. Harris made of the Black Hills work a district, and appointed the Rev. James Williams presiding elder. In addition to this appointment Mr. Wil- liams was continued as pastor at Deadwood. Rev. William Fielder and Rev. A. J. Whitfield were assigned to Central City and Lead re- spectively. In the year 1880 the Black Hills was organized as a mission by Bishop Warren, and the Rev. James Williams appointed the super- intendent. The names of Ira Wakefield, R. H. Dolliver and W. D. Phifer appear in the list of appointments. Two ministers, with the bishop, constituted the membership of the first annual meeting of the Black Hills mission. At the second session, held in Deadwood, August 12, 1881, the Rev. Jesse D. Searles was appointed the superintendent. In 1884 he was succeeded by the Rev. James Williams, who served four years. In 1888 the Rev. J. B. Carnes was appointed. The Rev. E. E. Clough was his successor in 1896, and in 1902 the present incumbent, the Rev. C. B. Clark, D. D., was appointed.

The first religious organization effected by the Methodist Episcopal church in the Black Hills was at Central City. In the month of De- cember, 1877, Judge David B. Ogden, assisted by some earnest local workers, held a series of revival meetings. In November, 1878, upon the first visit of the Rev. James Williams, the first quarterly meeting was held.

The work was opened at Deadwood in Oc- tober of the above year by Rev. James Williams. In the great fire of September 26, 1879, all that had been accumulated was consumed. Despite many discouragements some progress was made, and on March 4, 1883, a church was dedicated, costing six thousand seven hundred dollars. It will be difficult to find the record of appalling disaster following so closely upon complete suc- cess. On May 18, in the great flood, the entire

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HISTORY OF SOUTH DAKOTA.

property was swept away and the commercial value of the lot utterly destroyed. After much difficulty another location was found and a fine church building erected thereon. A fine par- sonage property has been secured, and after many years' struggle with a heavy indebtedness, the church is now enjoying increasing prosperity. Recently the second church has been organized in Deadwood.

In Lead in 1880, the Rev. W. D. Phifer or- ganized the Methodist Episcopal church, and the following year witnessed the erection and dedi- cation of the church.

The Rev. Ira Wakefield was one of the most efficient workers in the pioneer days of the Black Hills. He organized the church at Crook City, now Whitewood, in 1879. In 1880 he or- ganized the work at Custer and succeeded in building a church. At Rapid City he organized the church in 1881, which has since become one of the strongest Methodist church organizations in the Black Hills.

Among those who by their self-sacrifice and toil laid the foundations of our work in this dif- ficult and ever-changing field we find the names of W. D. Atwater, J. O. Dobson, J. W. Hancher, H. A. James, E. E. Lymer, D. W. Tracy and C. M. Ward. These men, and doubt- less others not brought to the writer's notice, were worthy representatives of the church in a field where only the highest ability and tactful leadership could command attention and compel success. They were men of faith and consecra- tion, as evidenced by their large plans for the future prosperity of the church, and the sacrifices made to realize their ideals.

The founding of the Black Hills College at Hot Springs, in 1890, under the auspices of the mission, and its maintenance for ten years as a center of religious training deserves more than a passing mention. The devotion of Dr. J. W. Hancher, the first president, and of his successor, the Rev. E. E. Lymer, to the unequal task of establishing the college is worthy of all praise. Unfortunate complications arising after the resignation of Dr. Lymer resulted finally in clos- ing the doors of the institution.

In 1888 the work was organized as a mission conference, and in 1896 as an annual conference. In 1901, however, the original form of organiza- tion was resumed, which has been found to be the best for that field.

At the present time Methodism is well established in the Black Hills and, notwithstand- ing the peculiar difficulties of the field, is exer- cising a potent influence for good throughout the borders of the mission. The church membership, as reported at the last annual meeting, is one thousand one hundred and ninety-four. There are enrolled in the twenty-seven Sunday schools, including the officers and teachers, one thousand nine hundred and sixty-one. Twenty-eight churches and thirteen parsonages are valued at eighty thousand two hundred dollars.

At the time of the general settlement of the eastern part of the state work was opened up among the Germans and Scandinavians. Among the former a number of churches were organized and the work constituted a district. At Redfield, Parker and other points prosperous churches are maintained as the result of the faithful and efficient labors of German Methodist ministers. The work among the Norwegians and Danes has not been so extensive, but of no less heroic char- acter and is worthy of more extended notice.

The Canton Epworth League Assembly, es- tablished in 1901, under the auspices of the Ep- worth Leagues of the Sioux Falls district, promises to become a potent factor in the pro- motion of all that the young people's movement in the Methodist Episcopal church stands for. It has become one of the leading assemblies of the Northwest, and sustains each year a program the equal of the best given in our state. The fine auditorium and beautiful park situated on the banks of the Big Sioux river, within the corporate limits of the Gate City of South Dakota, stands as a monument to the Rev. J. O. Dobson, D. D., who, as presiding elder of the Sioux Falls district, conceived the idea and wrought successfully to realize the establish- ment of the assembly. Recognizing the fitness of things, upon the motion of citizens of Canton. the assembly grounds were named Dobson Park.

CHAPTER XCVI

THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

BY DR. H. P. CARSON.

The first missionary work done under the auspices of the Presbyterian church in what is now South Dakota was desultory and the first organization disappeared before regular mis- sionary work became established. Probably the first public religious services conducted by any minister of the gospel in what is now South Dakota was by the Rev. Stephen Riggs, a Pres- byterian minister who came from the Indian mission on the Minnesota river to Fort Pierre in the autumn of 1840, accompanied by Alexander Huggins. His audience - consisted of Indians, with an occasional paleface. Fort Pierre was then the principal trading post for all that re- gion. (Further mention of Dr. Riggs' later work among the Dakotas will be made later on.)

In January, 1860, the Rev. Charles D. Martin, a missionary connected with the Presbyterian church, reached Yankton and preached there the first sermon ever delivered to any congregation of white people in Dakota territory. The con- gregation was large and enthusiastic. His text was, "Whoso despiseth the word shall be de- stroyed; but he that feareth the commandment shall be rewarded" (Prov. 13:11). His pulpit was an upturned whiskey barrel, the most avail- able article at hand for the purpose. The first hymn he put out, one of his hearers reports, was "Old Hundred," and a part of his first prayer, "O Lord, may the people of this town not become puffed up with importance because of their great- ness, and become proud and haughty, but accept this great trust as coming from the hand of a

kind and generous Father to be used by them for the upbuilding of education and religion for Thy great glory."

Mr. Martin seems to have been familiarly called "Father Martin," and to have come at that time from Dakota City, Nebraska, a distance of about seventy miles. In October, 1860, he solemnized the first marriage recorded after Dakota territory was opened for settlement, the parties being a Mr. Jacob Deul and a Miss Rob- inson.

On June 14, 1861, he succeeded in organiz- ing a Sabbath school in Vermillion, so far as is known, the first in Dakota territory. Its ses- sions were held in a log building erected by the settlers under Mr. Martin in August, 1860, and since known as the first church building erected in what is now South Dakota. It was small but was immediately supplied with the necessary furniture. It was used for public-school pur- poses until the summer of 1862, the early settlers being too poor to build also a public-school build- ing. To build this log church building they had fifty dollars aid from the Presbyterian Board of Church Extension at Philadelphia and Mr. Mar- tin procured a bell from Cincinnati, Ohio. Gen. J. B. Todd, as a local citizen, especially helped the enterprise. Judge John W. Boyle acted as superintendent of the Sabbath school. To this Sabbath school the Board of Publication of the Presbyterian church sent a library. But the Indian outbreak at New Ulm, Minnesota, be- came the occasion of converting this log church

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HISTORY OF SOUTH DAKOTA.

building into a fort for the protection of the settlers in the autumn of 1862. By this time Mr. Martin, having been appointed clerk of the United States court, third judicial district of Nebraska territory, had ceased to preach at Ver- million and at Elk Point.

Thus this organization disintegrated and now only the site of this first church building re- mains. It is on the Missouri river bottom about ten rods west of the south end of what was known as Market street in the first Vermillion town site and now almost on the bank of the Vermillion river.

In September, 1901, Hon. Doane Robinson, secretary of the State Historical Society of South Dakota, and several of the old settlers of that community erected on this first church site a wooden post having on it the following inscrip- tion : "Site of the First Church in Dakota, erected in June, 1860, by Presbyterians."

After the desultory. efforts from the eastern Nebraska side and the interruption of the In- dian uprising, further work in that region was and has since been left to other denominations of church workers.

The visit of the Rev. Stephen Riggs to Fort Pierre in 1840 seems to have been the precursor of the next renewal of effort under the auspices of the Presbyterian church to evangelize Dakota. The presbytery of Dakota was organized in 1844, and antedates all other presbyteries in the territory and includes what is now the states of Minnesota, North and South Dakotas, Montana, Idaho and Colorado. It was bounded on the north by the international line, on the west by the Pacific ocean, on the south by Iowa and Missouri and on the east by Wisconsin. This presbytery had its origin early in the mis- sionary work among one of the most powerful and warlike native tribes on this continent, known as the' Sioux, or Dakotas. The Rev. Stephen R. Riggs was one of the missionaries and original members of this body.

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History of South Dakota, Vol. I, Part 77

Author: Robinson, Doane, 1856-1946. cn Publication date: 1904 Publisher: [Logansport? IN] : B. F. Bowen Number of Pages: 998

Author: Robinson, Doane, 1856-1946. cn
Publication date: 1904
Publisher: [Logansport? IN] : B. F. Bowen
Number of Pages: 998