USA > South Dakota > The Baptist history of South Dakota > Part 16
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AMERICAN BAPTIST PUBLICATION SOCIETY.
The organization of Baptist Sunday schools, and the distribution of Baptist literature, became necessary with the beginning of the work of planting Baptist churches. Earnest appeals were made to the American Baptist Publication Society for the appointment of a Sunday school missionary and colporteur. Rev. Isaiah W. Reed was appointed Sunday school missionary for Nebraska and Dakota in 1870, but there is no record of his having rendered any service outside of Nebraska. Mr. George T. Johnson was appointed for Dakota in 1880, and served nearly one year.
Mr. B. S. Wales was appointed Sunday school mis- sionary and colporteur, December 1, 1881, and served until May 1, 1887. During the six years and a half that he was in the service of the society, with his mission- ary ponies and wagon-load of books, he traveled over the territory, organizing Baptist Sunday schools, and scattering sound and healthful literature. In his report of services rendered, it is stated that at the beginning of his term of service he found nine Baptist Sunday schools in existence; at its close there were over eighty. In a summary of his labors during this period he gives the following statistics: Organized personally fifty and indirectly twenty-two Sunday schools, visited 3,500 families, delivered 1,000 addresses, traveled, mainly by team, 35,000 miles, sold and distributed 5,000 copies of
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the Scriptures, and 3,200 books, and distributed 65,000 pages of tracts. Under the fostering care of mission- ary pastors, eight churches were organized on fields where Sunday schools had been planted.
In July, 1888, Mr. David P. Ward was appointed Sunday school missionary. He had previously been engaged for seven or eight years in union Sunday school work. In September, 1895, he resigned to become Sunday school missionary for California. During the seven years that he was in the service of the Publication Society in South Dakota he organized a number of new schools. Statistical reports of his labors are meager and incomplete. The following summary is given: Addresses delivered, 1,423; Bibles and Testaments distributed, 1,502; pages of tracts dis- tributed, 20,500; miles traveled, 84,750; Sunday schools organized, 37.
Mr. Frank D. Hall was appointed Sunday school missionary, October 1, 1895. He also has charge of the work in North Dakota. Since his appointment for this state he has organized in South Dakota seven new Sunday schools; sold and distributed 310 Bibles and Testaments; distributed 17,200 pages of tracts; and traveled 21,566 miles. Peter Anderson, P. M. Olsen, C. A. Lindbloom, and Rev. O. Sutherland have served as colporteurs among the Scandinavians. During 1892-3, Rev. H. F. Wilkinson, Sunday school missionary for Wyoming, also rendered valuable services in the Black Hills. Rev. E. G. Wheeler, who, with his wife, had charge for several years of the chapel car "Eman- tel," and was accidentally killed in New Mexico, August 7, 1895, was one of the pioneer settlers in cen- tral South Dakota. He built the first dwelling house in Huron. where for several years he was a druggist.
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FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH, SIOUX FALLS. CHURCH ORGANIZED JULY 4, IS75.
HOUSE OF WORSHIP DEDICATED NOVEMBER 1, 1SS2.
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He organized the first Sunday school in the city. In 1884, he went from Huron to the Pacific coast where he became a Sunday school missionary in Oregon and Washington.
WOMAN'S BAPTIST FOREIGN MISSION SOCIETY.
During most of the years since the organization of the Woman's Baptist Foreign Mission Society of the west, in 1871, it has been represented in South Dakota by a vice president, or a state secretary, or both. The following have served as vice president since 1880: Mrs. E. J. Brownson, Yankton; Mrs. Edward Ellis, Sioux Falls; Mrs. W. W. Smith, Sioux Falls; Mrs. Miltimore, Huron; Mrs. Helen M. Barker, Huron; Mrs. C. E. Baker, Sioux Falls; Mrs. D. C. Smith, Pierre: and Mrs. C. F. Hackett, Parker. The following have been under appointment as state secretary: Miss Mabel Childs, Childstown: Mrs. H. J. Austin, Ver- million; Mrs. F. B. Dobson, Sioux Falls: Mrs. C. H. Hotchkiss, Marion; Mrs. J. Fargo, Dell Rapids; Mrs. W. W. Smith, Sioux Falls; and since March 1. 1888, Miss Emma L. Swartz, Parkston.
The annual contributions to the society from women's mission circles have ranged from one dollar in 1872, to S635.34 in 1893. The contributions from the beginning to the division of Dakota Territory in 1889, represent both South Dakota and North Dakota, and amount to S1,203.31. Of this amount at least two-thirds, or $802.20, represent the offerings of the women's mission circles in South Dakota. The reported contributions from this state since the division of the territory amount to $4,187.23. Total since 1872, $4,989.43. Much of the interest in and success of the work in South Dakota, during the last eleven years, has been
15
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due to the persistent efforts and perseverance of the state secretary, Miss Emma L. Swartz.
WOMAN'S BAPTIST HOME MISSION SOCIETY.
This society was organized in 1877. Its object is to promote woman's work for women and children among Americans, and people of all nationalities and races in America. Its motto is "Christ in every home." Under its management is the missionary training school, in which many young ladies have been educated and trained for missionary work, both in America and in foreign lands. The society elects annually a vice- president from each western state, who has the general supervision of woman's home mission work in her state, including the organization of women's mission circles and young people's mission bands, and raising funds through these organizations for the general work of the society. The following have served as vice-president for South Dakota: 1882 to 1884, Mrs. R. R. May, Can- ton; 1885 to 1888, Mrs. J. Rowley, Vermillion; 1889 to 1896, Mrs. T. M. Shanafelt, Huron; 1896-7, Mrs. L. J. Ross, De Smet; since 1898, Mrs. E. T. Cressey, Sioux Falls.
The young women who have represented South Dakota in the missionary training school, and as mis- sionary workers on various fields, are as follows: Miss Belle L. Pettigrew, from Sioux Falls, several years a missionary among the colored people in the south, a teacher in Shaw University, Raleigh, N. C., and now preceptress in Roger Williams University, Nashville, Tenn .; Miss Caroline E. Larson, missionary among the Mormons, at Ogden, Utah: Miss Abbie E. Ross, teacher and missionary among the Chinese in San Francisco, Cal .; Miss Marie S. Liebig, missionary among the Germans in Dayton, O .; and Mrs. Martha
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Liebig Wedal, general missionary among the Germans in South Dakota. Miss Mary Cliser and Miss Emma Olsen were members of the training school from 1883 to 1886.
The contributions from South Dakota amount to S2,839.03. This has been sent mainly by the women's mission circles, auxiliary to the churches. For several years, in addition to the amount here reported, these circles have paid to the treasurer of the South Dakota Baptist Convention, for missionary work in this state, one-half or more of the amount raised by them for home missions. The women's mission circles of this state are organized on the union plan, representing study, work, and contributions for both home and for- eign missions.
CHAPTER XXII.
SIOUX FALLS COLLEGE.
The subject of Christian education was among the important matters that received careful consideration in the early days of Dakota Territory. The pioneers, in .a broad and far-reaching forecast of the future. seemed to clearly understand that they were laving the foundations of a coming state, and they desired, at the beginning, to make provisions for the education of their children, and of the generations that should follow.
When there were only nine Baptist churches in all the territory, on the first occasion for the assembling together of the pastors and other representatives of these churches, at the time of the organization of the Southern Dakota Baptist Association, at Vermillion, June 5, 1872, a committee on Christian education was appointed, consisting of J. J. McIntire, S. A. Ufford, and Martin J. Lewis. The committee presented the following resolutions, which were fully discussed and unanimously adopted :
Resolved, That this association recognize the inter- ests of Christ's cause in this young and growing terri- tory, in connection with our denomination, as intimately allied to the interests of higher education.
Resolved, That we take immediate steps for the establishment of an institute among us, and that we devote a suitable portion of time at each annual meeting to a consideration of this important subject, and give
SIOUX FALLS COLLEGE.
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our individual and associated influence to encouraging a more general and complete education of our vonth under distinctively Christian influences.
Resolved, That we organize an educational depart- ment (for the present in connection with the general work of the association), by the election of a committee on education, consisting of seven members, whose duty it shall be to consider and propose the best means of helping the cause, and especially to select a locality, easy of access, healthy, and surrounded by moral, intellectual and social influences, friendly and helpful to the interests of an institute, and that will furnish the largest financial assistance.
The committee appointed to carry out the spirit and instructions of these resolutions consisted of the fol- lowing persons: J. J. McIntire, G. W. Freeman, J. H. Young, J. L. Coppoc, E. H. Hurlbutt, S. A. Ufford and M. J. Lewis. At each annual meeting of the asso- ciation the subject was earnestly discussed, and plans for the establishment of an institution of learning were considered. That something decisive and definite was not done was due to the weakness and poverty of the churches, and the crop failures and hard times result- ing from various causes, covering a period of several years. Though unable to carry out any of these cher- ished plans, the subject of higher education lay heavily on the hearts of the people, and when, in later years, the time came for action, they were ready to render prompt and willing assistance.
In 1881 a call was issued for a mass meeting of Bap- tists in the southern half of Dakota Territory. It was held at Lake Madison, July 1-4. The primary object of the meeting was to consider the advisability of organizing a Baptist state or territorial convention. The South Dakota Baptist Convention was organized. officers were elected, and a constitution was adopted at
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the next meeting, held in Sioux Falls, in 1882. At this meeting, held at Lake Madison, the necessity for estab- lishing a denominational school was fully revealed in the earnest discussions held at different sessions. The following resolution was adopted:
Resolved, That it is our duty to watch with vigilance the indications of Providence with reference to the establishment of an institution of learning in Dakota, and that a committee shall be appointed whose duty it shall be to correspond with and receive offers from dif- ferent localities, looking towards the establishment of such a school.
The committee appointed to secure proposals for the location of the school were Edward Ellis, A. W. Hilton, A. S. Orcutt, M. J. Lewis and B. Morse. The largest financial offer was made by citizens of Sioux Falls, who proposed to give, in cash and land, $6,000. Their prop- osition was accepted, and the school was located at Sioux Falls. It was at first called the Dakota Collegi- ate Institute. Through the arrangements made at the meeting at Lake Madison, a board of trustees was elected. A provisional school was begun in a hall in the city, but it continued only a few months. A suit- able building for the school was necessary.
About November 1, 1882, the Baptist church at Sioux Falls completed its house of worship, and Rev. E. B. Meredith became its pastor, January 1, 1883. He and Rev. Edward Ellis secured the $6,000 pledged by Sioux Falls-including $3,000 in cash and forty acres of land. The board of trustees appointed E. B. Meredith, E. P. Beebe and Edward Ellis an executive committee, with authority to make arrangements for starting the school and erecting a building for its use. The work was undertaken, and in the fall of 1883 the foundation of the present building was laid. A curriculum of study
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was prepared, and Professor Hardy C. Stone, a recent graduate of Colgate University, was called to take charge of the educational work. Meanwhile E. B. Mer- edith and Edward Ellis were making arrangements for the completion of the building and looking after the financial interests of the school, in addition to their other labors as pastor of a struggling church and sery- ing as general missionary.
The first session of the school opened .September 18, 1883, in the basement of the Baptist church, where all of the sessions were held for two years. The total number of students enrolled the first year was one hundred and fifteen. The faculty consisted of Prof. Hardy C. Stone, principal; Rev. E. B. Meredith, Dr. A. H. Tufts, Hon. S. E. Young, Mrs. S. E. Young, Mrs. A. H. Arnold, Mrs. Lora Welsh, and Miss Nellie Hall. The second year Prof. F. W. Perry and his wife, who had taught several years in Shaw University, and Mrs. C. M. Aikin, were added to the faculty. Principal H. C. Stone died of typhoid fever, February 11, 1885. He was a young man of great promise. His superior ability, unselfish spirit, and high Christian character, commended him to all who knew him. His death left the charge of the school in the hands of Prof. F. W. Perry.
In the summer of 1885 the school was reorganized, and became known as Sioux Falls University. Rev. E. B. Meredith was elected president, and Rey. Edward Ellis, financial secretary. Both resigned their former positions as pastor and general missionary, and entered heartily into the work to which they were called. The building was completed at a cost of $16,000, and the educational and financial work of the school was pushed forward with great earnestness and zeal. Miss M. L.
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Fullington, of Vermont, was added to the faculty. Mrs. F. W. Perry, the preceptress, died suddenly. December 3, 1885. After her death her husband resigned. The faculty was reorganized in the midst of the term, and the year's work was carried on successfully.
Rev. Edward Ellis resigned August 1, 1886, as finan- cial secretary, to accept an appointment as district secretary, from the American Baptist Home Mission Society. This left the entire burden of financial responsibility resting on the president. The school vear opened with a faculty consisting of the president, Prof. H. J. Vosburg, now principal of Wayland Acad- emy, at Beaver Dam, Wis., Dr. A. H. Tufts, Miss Carrie E. Lawrence, preceptress, and Miss M. L. Full- ington. The president spent several months in the east raising funds to apply on indebtedness. A loan of $3,000 was secured from Mr. J. D. Rockefeller. In 1887 Prof. F. J. Walsh became a member of the faculty and remained seven years. He was a model teacher. and did much to mould the character and increase the effectiveness of the school.
In succeeding years the faculty has been composed of able and experienced teachers, including Professors Geo. F. Wilkin, Charles J. Ives, R. R. Putnam, H. E. Brown, Z. C. Trask, O. W. Moore, J. B. Meredith, E. A. Ufford, S. L. Brown, C. W. Henry, E. B. McKay, A. B. Price. J. D. Gardner, Mrs. F. J. Walsh, Mrs. J. B. Meredith, Miss Mary Wadsworth, Miss Flora E. Harris, Miss Emma Hicks, Miss H. D. E. Hall, Miss Genevieve Blair, Miss Mary E. Price, Miss M. L. Paul, Miss Grace I. Post and others.
At the first election of trustees the following persons constituted the board: Rev. E. B. Meredith, Rev.
REV. E. B. MEREDITH, PASTOR FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH, SIOUX FALLS, DECEMBER 23, ISS2, TO SEPTEMBER 1, 1SS5. PRESIDENT SIOUX FALLS COLLEGE, SEPTEMBER I, ISS5, TO JANUARY 1, ISO5.
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THE BAPTIST HISTORY OF SOUTH DAKOTA.
Edward Ellis, Rev. J. P. Coffman, Hon. W. W. Brook- ings, Hon. H. H. Keith, M. J. Lewis, Rev. G. W. Freeman, B. F. Roderick, J. B. Young, E. P. Beebe, Peter Morse, and E. T. Cressey. Other trustees have been as follows: E. A. Sherman. C. E. Baker, Geo. Morehouse, Chas. R. Dean, Rev. Jacob Olsen, John Sutherland, G. A. Uline, J. G. Eddv. J. T. Hamilton, Z. C. Trask, Rev. R. N. Van Doren, C. E. Mckinney, O. W. Thompson, and Rev. T. M. Shanafelt. Rev. Edward Ellis, and Hon. H. H. Keith have served as president of the board of trustees; Rev. E. B. Meredith and J. G. Eddy as secretary, and E. A. Sherman, Martin J. Lewis and Z. C. Trask as treasurer.
Among those outside of the state who have made large contributions towards the erection of the college building and the expenses of the institution, are J. A. Bostwick, J. B. Trevor and J. D. Rockefeller of New York; Mrs. Elizabeth Bishop of New Jersey, and J. B. Hovt of Stamford, Conn. Within the state gen- erous assistance has been rendered, in some cases fre- quently, by Martin J. Lewis, G. W. Freeman, E. B. Meredith, H. H. Keith, Geo. Morehouse, W. W. Brook- ings, E. A. Sherman, A. C. Phillips, Mrs. Hattie Phillips, E. P. Beebe, Peter Morse, Edwin E. Sage, and others.
The first class graduated from the academic depart- ment in 1886. Each succeeding year the graduating class has ranged in number from three to fifteen. These students have reflected great credit upon the institution, and many of them are filling places of honor and responsibility in the various professions which they have adopted, or in business life. Several grad- uates have entered the ministry, and are preaching the gospel successfully in South Dakota and other states.
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The financial panic of 1893, and the long continued drought throughout the state so seriously crippled some of the burden-bearing friends of the school, that President E. B. Meredith tendered his resignation January 1, 1895. Professor F. J. Walsh also severed his relation with the college, after seven years of faith- ful and self-sacrificing service. Rev. E. B. Meredith was identified with the institution, nearly all of the time as president, during a period of twelve years. Some of the later years were devoted largely to efforts to secure financial support, and thus help to maintain the existence of the school. Much of this period he bore without flinching or complaining the larger part of the financial burden, until it became too heavy for any one friend and helper of the college to carry. A very important part of the work of establishing an institu- tion of learning is foundational in its character. The founder of any important enterprise is often lost to sight in the foundation. The value of the services rendered is not fully known, and is therefore not cor- rectly understood nor appreciated. Comparatively few have had a just conception of the services rendered to Sioux Falls College by President Meredith. Not many have fully understood or appreciated his unflinching loyalty and devotion to its interests, his constant anxiety for its prosperity, and his personal sacrifices to promote its welfare.
After the resignation of President Meredith and Professor Walsh, the faculty was re-organized, and Professor E. A. Ufford became principal. At the end of one year of successful service, he went to Germany for a year of study in special departments, and Pro- fessor E. B. McKay became his successor. After the death of Professor Mckay the present principal,
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Professor A. B. Price, was appointed. He has been earnestly devoted to the interests of the college. Associated with him is a faculty of thoroughly qualified and experienced teachers, who are rendering excellent service to the institution.
When the school was first established, in 1883, it was called the Dakota Collegiate Institute. After a couple of years, through local influence at Sioux Falls, a new name was given to the institution, and it became known as Sioux Falls University. Like nearly all western schools of higher learning, it has long been handi- capped by an overshadowing name it ought never to have borne. It is the earnest desire and hope of its friends that it shall be in the fullest sense a college, but no one anticipates that it will have associated with it the various schools of medicine, law, theology, and other departments that would properly constitute it a university. Thus far during its history, it has, from financial causes been limited to doing mainly, the work of an academy, and this it has done with com- mendable thoroughness and efficiency. In addition to this, several students have been taken through a regular college course of study to the end of the sophomore vear. Recently the board of trustees have arranged to have the charter so changed that henceforth the name of the Baptist institution of learning in South Dakota shall be Sioux Falls College.
The college is admirably located in a campus of ser- eral acres, on elevated ground, in the south side of the city. It is an imposing building, seventy-six feet long and forty feet wide, three stories high and a basement. and is built of Sioux Falls granite. Its record has been one of efficient and self sacrificing service on the part of its faculty. Its graduates are men and women
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of influence and prominence in South Dakota and the northwest. It has been, and is now, embarrassed by an indebtedness which ought to be speedily removed. With freedom from debt, and a reasonable endowment, it will be prepared to do full college work, and thus increase its efficiency and usefulness.
While Baptists in South Dakota established a Bap- tist college at Sioux Falls, representatives of the denomination have been prominent in the establishment and administration of some of the state institutions of learning. A Baptist, Dr. Ephraim M. Epstein, laid the foundations of the state university, located at Ver- million. Dr. Epstein was a native of Russia. thor- oughly educated, a linguist of the highest order, being a master of many languages, and an enthusiast in all matters pertaining to education. It was his earnest desire to establish a university for the higher educa- tion of the young people of Dakota Territory. The territorial legislature, in 1862, passed an act locating a university at Vermillion, but it was twenty years before it was in operation. In 1881, congress passed an act setting apart seventy-two sections of public land for its endowment.
After serving for some time as pastor at Yankton, early in 1882 he resigned, and spent some months trav- eling over the southern counties of the territory, to awaken an interest among the people in the contem- plated university. Its first session opened at Vermil- , lion, October 16, 1882. Dr. Epstein was its first pres- ident. Through his great energy and zeal he con- ducted it successfully to the end of its first year. An official report concerning the work done makes this statement: "The trustees are entirely satisfied with the school. It has been successfully managed. The
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students also showed their satisfaction by returning in large numbers at the opening of the following school year." Miss Carrie Lawrence, one of the members of the faculty, was also a Baptist. While the citizens of the territory and the students were satisfied with the administration of Dr. Epstein, there was in that early period an exhibition of the peculiar methods sometimes adopted by the managing boards of state institutions. The one to whom, above all others, credit was due for the successful establishment of the school, and its first prosperous year, was removed from the office of presi- dent, and another one chosen in his place. During the second year he remained as a member of the faculty, and at its close he was dropped from the list of teach- ers. Many friends of the institution deeply regretted the discourtesy and ingratitude exhibited towards its founder.
Edward Olsen, Ph. D., the third president of the state university, was a Baptist. At the time of his election to this responsible station he was a professor in the old Chicago University. His profound scholar- ship and great administrative ability placed him in the highest rank among the leading educators of the north- west. He served as president until his untimely death in Minneapolis, November 3, 1889. He lost his life in the disastrous fire which destroyed the building occu- pied by the Minneapolis Tribune. His successor, Rev. Howard B. Grose, D. D., was also a Baptist. J. W. Heston, LL. D., president of the state agricultural col- lege at Brookings, is a Baptist; so also is Prof. J. S. Frazee, A. M., president of the state normal school located at Springfield. A fair proportion of the mem- bers of the faculty in each of the state institutions are Baptists.
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