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GENEAL-OGY COLLECTION

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A HISTORY

Nebraska Methodism

FIRST HALF-CENTURY

1854-1904

REV. DAVID MARQUETTE, D. D.

CINCINNATI
The Western Methodist Book Concern Press

1904

9^
^4

PREFACE, ^o^^r-.

J251540

Thirty-four years ago, Dr. W. B. Slaughter was se-
lected as Conference Historian. He fully intended to
write a history and sent out circular letters calling for
the requisite information, but so few responded that he
became discouraged and abandoned the undertaking.
Some fifteen years ago Dr. Maxfield sent out circular
letters with the same object in view, but failed to get
^ enough data to justify him in going on with the work.

■^ It is a matter of very great regret indeed that one or the

other of these men should not have completed this impor-
tant task. Besides being far better qualified for the
M'ork than the author, they were then in possession of
many sources of information that have since passed be-
"^ yond our reach.

^ These facts show that Nebraska Methodism has long

j~^ felt the need of such a history. This desire found fur-

i ther expression in the organization of Conference His-

\ torical Societies, and more recently in the organization,

^ by the concurrent action of all the Conferences, of the

Methodist Historical Society of Nebraska, and the ap-
- pointment of a man to collect and care for material. It

■^ took still more definite form when at a meeting of the

2 Preface.

State Methodist Historical Society, in 1902, the author
was requested to prepare such a history. As correspond-
ing secretary of the society I had already spent more than
a year collecting material and had made a study of this
material for a sketch of our history for the J. Sterling
Morton History of Nebraska, now being published.

I accepted the task with fear and trembling, having
even then some conception of its magnitude and a keen
sense of inadequacy, but with a conviction that some one
ought at once to perform that service. I have found the
undertaking much larger and the difficulties greater than
I anticipated. I can only say that for three years, with
much pleasure and profit, I have wrought diligently at
the task. That the result is satisfactory to myself, or
will be above just criticism by others, I do not claim.
But such as it is, I send it forth on its mission, praying
that God may use it for good notwithstanding its defects.

Several plans presented themselves, either of which 1
might have pursued. I might have taken each charge in
order and written a history of that charge for the entire
time of its existence, and printed these four hundred sep-
arate histories in a single volume ; or I might have given
a biographical sketch of each oi the more than eight hun-
dred preachers who have at some time wrought in the
field, together with hundreds of worthy laymen. But
neither of these plans seemed best nor practicable. My
plan has been to give a picture of the movement as a
whole, by which Nebraska Methodism has become what

Preface;. 3

it is and done what it has. treating in greater fullness of
detail the earlier periods when the Church was in the mak-
ing. I have used such details in biography and events as
seemed best suited to this purpose. I may not have done
justice to every one and I may have overestimated some
and even overlooked men and events that should have
been mentioned. But I have not intentionally done so.

It was originally my plan to devote about two hundred
pages to the history and one hundred pages to biograph-
ical sketches. But I found the history and the biography
so inextricably mingled, the history being in large meas-
ure but the biography of the workers, and the biography
constituting so much of the history, that I have not tried
to separate them. In a few typical cases, like Adriance,
\\'ells, and Charles. I have used some of their biography
as part of the history, they telling their own story and
illustrating some phase of the work.

Concerning portraits, I have declined to have any one
pay for their cuts, bearing this expense myself. ^ly pur-
pose has been to make this feature help to tell the story
and be itself a part of the history rather than for the sake
of the parties whose portraits appear, or their admiring
friends. The following principles have determined the
selection : I have assumed that the reader would like to
look into the face of each one connected with the work
during the fifties and sixties. Of such as came in later
I have selected those upon whom the Church herself has
placed her stamp of approval by selecting them as pre-

4 PRErACii:,

siding elders or electing them delegates to the General
Conference, the latter class including the laymen so hon-
ored. Besides these there are some who have been called
to special work along missionary, educational, or char-
itable lines. I have not been able to secure quite all the
earlier ones and a very few of the later have neglected
or declined to send photographs, though twice solicited to
do so. It is not intended that any portrait shall appear
twice, each one being assigned to the group representing
the most important work to which the person has been
called.

I have drawn on many sources for the facts related,
but am especially under obligation to Hiram Burch, Jacob
Adriance, John Gallagher, and Dr. P. C. Johnson. Also
to Dr. Goode's "Outposts of Zion," Dr. Davis's "Solitary
Places Made Glad," Rev. James Haynes's "History of
Omaha Methodism," and Rev. C. W. Wells's book,
"Frontier Life." I am also indebted to Mr. Barrett and
other officials of the State Historical Society for many
courtesies.

I had expected to compress the printed matter into
300 pages, but in order to do justice to the subject I
have been compelled to add 100 or more pages.

The Author.

CONTENTS.
-^

Introduction.

Page

First Possessors of Nebraska: Indians, French, Spaniards, then
Napoleon — His scheme of colonization — The L,ouisiana
Purchase — God's purpose — the Chief Factors in its Accomp-
lishment— Ivcckey on National Greatness — Bancroft's Esti-
mate of Methodism — President Roosevelt on the Pioneers
and Pioneer Methodist Preachers. The Problem : The
Settlers found Nothing they needed and must make
everything 13-23

Chapter I.— First Events.

Appointment of Dr. W. H. Goode — Illustrates Elements of Power
in Methodism — Best Men to the Front — Dr. Goode's
Leadership in Indiana Conference — His Journey to Kansas
— From Kansas to Nebraska — Nemaha— Old Fort Kearney
— First Lots donated for Church — First Visit to Omaha —
His First Sermon in Nebraska — Returns to Indiana — Re-
ports, and is appointed Superintendent of Missions 25-35

Chapter II.— P^irst Period. (1854-1861.)

Dr. Goode, Superintendent of Missions — Second Visit to Ne-
braska—Responses to call for Help— Collins— Hart— Burch
— W. D. Gage, First Pastor appointed — Coincidence— First
Class formed— First Church built— First Class at Nebraska
City. Omaha: Arrival of First Pastor— Methodism the
First on the Field with Pastor— Organization— Church-
Isaac Collins— First Class— Probable Members- Building
of the First Church— J. M. Chivington, J. W. Taylor, W. M.
Smith— Collins's Successors 36-62

Chapter III.— First Period. (1854-1861.)

Development of Work in South Platte Country— Nemaha Mission
—David Hart— Incident— First Class in Pawnee County—
In Richardson County— Circuit changes Form and Name-
Falls City— Table Rock— Founding of Beatrice— Incident—

6 Contents.

Page
Brownville — London — Tecumseh — Nebraska City — The
Chivingtons — ^Jacob SoUenburger — Z. B. Turman — Platts-
mouth— First Class— David Hart— Mt. Pleasant—" Uncle "
Stephen Hobson— Martin Pritchard— J. T. Cannon, Sketch
of his lyife 63-83

Chapter IV.— First Period. (1854-1861.)

Development of Work in North Platte Country — Founding of
Fremont — Forming Class — The Two Rogers — ^Jerome Spill
man's Preaching — Florence — Calhoun — De Soto— Death of
Dr. Goode's Wife— Jacob Adriance— Dead Dog Incident at
De Soto — First Class and Sunday-school— Cuming City —
Tekamah— L. F. Stringfield — Decatur — T. B. Lemon—
Omadi or Dakota City visited by Dr. Goode in 1858 — Platte
Valley Circuit — Adriance goes to Colorado — Experiences
there — Marriage 84-1 10

Chapter V.— First Period. (1854-1861.)

Camp-meetings : First one held at Carroll's Grove in 1856 — Sec-
ond one, same Year, near Nebraska City — Third, in Rich-
ardson County — Another one at Carroll's Grove. Confer-
ences : Iowa and Missouri — Kansas-Nebraska Conference
— First Session at Lawrence, Kansas, October — Held in a
Tent —Preachers Armed — Statistics for Nebraska Portion —
Conference Minutes — Time of Meeting changed to spring,
the Next Conference year, six months — Second Session at
Nebraska City— Bishop Ames did not arrive till Sabbath—
Dr. Goode presided— Thrilling Adventure — Third Session
at Topeka — Trip of the Nebraska Contingent — Fourth Ses-
sion at Omaha— " Pike's Peak and Cherry Valley" (Col.)
on the List of Appointments — Fifth and Last Session of
Kansas-Nebraska Conference — Resolutions on Slavery ... .111-122

Chapter VI.— First Period. (1854-1861.) Conclusion.

Progress Under Difficulties, but Progress— Dr. Goode's Part of
the Work— His Generous Tribute to the Workers — His Ret-
rospect—Tributes to Dr. Goode's Worth 123-129

Chapter VII.— Second Period. (1861-1870.)

First Nebraska Conference : Great Events Pending— Relation of
Nebraska to these— Personnel of the Conference— Outlook
Unpromising. Three Great Leaders : Davis, Lemon, and
Maxfield— Dr. Buckley's Estimate of Maxfield — Other
Strong Men join the Ranks— Statistics — Average Salaries. 130-144

Contents.

Chapter Vlir.— Second Period. (1861-1870.) page

During- War Time : Little Progress — Missouri Refugees — Great
Difficulties— Excitement— Bitter Feelings — S. R. Trickett
shut out of Plattsniouth Church— Indian Troubles— Num-
ber of Charges decrease — F'alls City — Table Rock — Brown-
ville — Pawnee City — First Parsonage — How Built— Gra-
cious Revivals — Beatrice — Maxfield — Rulo — P. B. Ruch —
Burch at Brownville — Tecumseh — L,. F. Britt — Helena —
SoUenburger— Saltillo— Rock Bluffs— Plattsmouth— J. G.
Miller — Peru^esse L,. Fort 145-166

Chapter IX.— Second Period. (1861-1870.)

New Tendency toward Large Cities — Sunday-school Work —
Nebraska City — T. B. Lemon — Great Revival — Nebraska
City District— H. T. Davis— Follows T. B. Lemon as Pastor
at Nebraska City— Is followed by G. S. Alexander — Sketch
of his Life and Characteristics— Omaha — Obstacles to the
Work — David Hart — Is succeeded by T. B. Lemon — His
Popularity and Success — Growth of Church — W. M. Smith
— W. B. Slaughter — Haynes's Sketch of Life and Character
— Special Transfer — H. C. Westwood's Pastorate — Gilbert
De La Matyr — Omaha District served by W. M. Smith,
Isaac Burns, T. B. Lemon, and A. G. White 167-187

Chapter X.

Omaha District : Bellevue — Elkhorn — Platte Valley — Fort Kear-
ney— Calhoun — Parsonage built by A. G. White — De Soto
— Tekamah — Decatur — Dakota — Few Churches or Parson-
ages— War closes and Nebraska soon after becomes a Free
State— Summary of Results— C. W. Giddings, Sketch of
his Life 188-197

Chapter XL— After the War. (1865-1870. )

Increase in Immigration— Causes— More Helpful Agencies —
Church Extension Society — Re-enforcements — Growth of
Church at Nebraska City— Omaha— Peru— Pawnee City-
Beatrice— Plattsmouth— Fremont— The Rogers and Van
Andas — New Charges— Among these, Fremont, Schuyler,
Grand Island, Blue Springs, Ashland, and Lincoln, soon
attain Importance 198-209

Chapter XII.— Third Period. (1870-1880.)

General Features : Expansion— Great Influx of People and Great
Revivals— Rapid Growth of Cities— Revival Incidents-
Conversion of "General" Dane and the Fiddler— Era of
R. R. Building— Missionary Appropriations, ours compared
with the other Churches— Methodism keeps Men in the
Field when others can not— Father Janney's Explanation-
District Work— Difficulties— Strong Men at the Front-
Methodism's Reserve Force— Local Preachers 210-227

8 Contents.

Chapter XIII. — Third Period. (1870-1880.) page

Conference of 1870 — Statistics — Great Responsibilities — Spon-
taneous Movements — Local Preachers hold Revivals, or-
ganize Classes and Circuits — David Fetz and Moses Mapes
in Webster County — ^James Query in Polk County — Organ-
izes First Class — George Worley in Butler, Saunders, and
Seward — C. G. Rouse in Antelope County— The Worley
Family — William — Thomas— James. Regular Movements :
C. W. Wells in Republican Valley— G. W. Gue in Fillmore
— Newman Brass in Clay — W. E. Morgan — First Class in
York County— Father and Mother Baker— H. T. Davis
crosses Swollen Stream in Sorghum Pan — York — ^J. S.
Blackburn— G. A. Smith— W. G. Miller— J. W. Stewart.. . .228-254

Chapter XIV. — Third Period. (1870-1880.)

Development in North Nebraska : Logan Valley — Class formed
at Lyons — Dakota City — Covington District formed with
S. P. Van Doozer, P. E. — Sketch of his Work — Succeeded by
J. B. Maxfield— The Work on the Elkhorn— Madison— Nor-
folk— Oakdale — George H. Wehn — Camp-meeting — ^Jabez
Charles — Madison and Boone Counties — Albion — St. Ed-
wards— Church built at Madison — Camp-meeting — C. G.
Rouse. Omaha : Second Church — South Tenth Street —
First Church— G. W. Gue— New Factor— Phenomenal S. S.
with Samuel Burns, Superintendent — Clark Wright — Mag-
gie Van Cott— Great Revival— But Church Divided— L. F.
Britt — Church turned over to Creditors — H. D. Fisher —
Church on Davenport Street — ^J. B. Maxfield — Eighteenth
Street Church — Lemon, Pardee, Johnson, Beans, Shenk,
and Leedom as Pastors — South Tenth Street^. M. Adair,
John P. Roe, P. C. Johnson, D. Marquette, Pastors 255-275

Chapter XV. — Third Period. (1870-1880.)

Lincoln : First Preachers — Z. B. Turman and R. S. Hawkes —
Capital located in 1867— H. T. Davis, First Pastor— Little
Church on Tenth and Q— Church built on M Street— J. J.
Roberts— Close of his Career— Mrs. M. E. Roberts — Tribute
by one of "her Boys" — George S. Alexander — W. B.
Slaughter — S. H. Henderson — A. L. Folden — Beginnings
of Trinity — Sharon — A. C. Williams 276-293

Chapter XVI.— General Survey. (1870-1880.)

Some Old Appointments dropping out — Others becoming Strong
— Camp-meeting at Mt. Pleasant — In these Methodism a
Power — Extension of the Work — Nebraska Circuits — Bea-
trice District— Beatrice— Sterling and Crab Orchard— T. A.
Hull — Camp-meeting — Fairbury— Parsonage built — E. Wil-
kinson—Fairmont—Crete— Dr. Maxfield— His Report o'"
District — Succeeded by George W. Elwood — Progress of
Work on Beatrice District — Great Revivals — Reports — D. F.
Rodabaugh succeeds Elwood — Sketch of his Life 294-304

Contents. 9

Chapter XVII. — Kearney District. (1870-1880.) Page

A. G. White, P. E.— First Report— New Circuits— Hamilton
County— C. L. Smith— Claj- County— E. J.Willis— St. Paul-
Richard Pearson — Kearney Circuit — D. A. Crowell— Grand
Island — Wood River — ^Jepthah Marsh — Red Cloud — Charles
Reilly — Clarksville — Pastor "Expected Little and was not
disappointed" — First Year's Work — Grasshopper Scourge
— Four Years' Progress 305-323

Chapter XVIII. — Kearney District. (Continued.)

B. Lemon, P. E. — Progress Slow First Year — Rapid After-
wards— First Report— Beginnings of Kearney District —
C. A. Hale — First Preacher in Custer County — Kearney —
John Armstrong — North Platte — Edward Thompson — Has-
tings— A. C. Crosthwaite — C. L. Brockway — Leslie Stevens,
P. E. — Missionary— E. G. Fowler— Ord— William Esplin—
C. A. Mastin — David Fetz— J. M. Dressier— P. C. Johnson-
Sketch of Career — Some of the Laity, Tribute to— Growth
of District 324-344

Chapter XIX.— Fourth Period. (1880-1904.)

Development and Organization of the Conferences— North Ne-
braska— The Annual Conference — Functions of — Duty of
Preachers to attend— West Nebraska Mission — North Ne-
braska Conference — Names of First Members — Maxfield,
Adriance, Worley, Van Doozer, Charles and D. S. Davis
have already received some Mention— Others mentioned
Briefly— J. B. Leedom— A. Hodgetts— Appointed P.E., Elk-
horn Vallev District with 19 Appointments, 17 to be sup-
plied—The' Men secured— Difficulties of Presiding Elders
— Neligh— J. W. Phelps— Oakdale—D. C. Winship— C. M.
Griffith— Thomas Thompson — District Camp-meeting—
Albion District— S. P. Van Doozer— Sudden Close of his
Career— W. H. Carter— J. R. Gearhart-J. Q. A. Fleharty— •
C. F. Hey wood— J. W. Shenk— J. W. Stewart— Father Jan-
ney— J. L. St. Clair— E. L. Fox— J. B. Priest— John P. Roe
—J. R. Gortner 345-374

Chapter XX.— Fourth Period. (1880-1904.)

Organization of Conferences Continued.— Dr. Lemon's Report.

West Nebraska Conference : Progress from 1880 to 1885— Statis-
tics—Leaders of the Hosts— T. B. Lemon— P. C. John-
son—George W. Martin— West Nebraska Conference or-
ganized—Members— Asburj- Collins and his Wife, Louisa
Collins— First Members of Church at Kearnej— W. A.
Amsbary— James Lisle— T. W. Owen— James Leonard—
O. R. Beebe— Joseph Buckley— Dr. Lemon retires— Trib-
ute paid him— Close of his Career 375-391

lo Contents.

Chapter XXI. Page

Northwest Conference : Development began in the Early Eighties
— Visit of Dr. Lemon — Changes in Boundary Lines. Suc-
cessive Presiding Elders: Lemon, Johnson, and Martin —
The Men on the Picket Line — Owens, Friggens, Scama-
horn, and Jos. Grey — Indiana's Contribution to Nebraska
Methodism— T. C. Webster and A. R.Julian lead the Hosts
— Conference holds First Session, 1893 — Members — Further
Mention of some — Chas. H. Burleigh — Stephen A. Beck —
D. J. Clark— W. O. Glassner— Two Districts formed, and
P. H. Eighmy and J. A. Scamahorn succeed A. R. Julian —
Adverse Conditions 392-404

Chapter XXII. — Fourth Period. (1880-1904.)

Development of Strong Churches.

Progress in East and West part of the State — Growth of Work in
Cities — Omaha — Rapid Growth in Population — Expansion
— Soiitli Tenth Street — Seward — New Work — Hanscom
Park— H. H. Millard— South Omaha the "Magic City "—
First Church planted there— Trinity— Walnut Hill—" LefiF-
ler Memorial " — Southwest Church — " Hirst Memorial" —
Benson — McCabe — The old First Church continues to pros-
per— Total Membership of Omaha Churches — Lincoln —
Rapid Progress — Statistics for 1880 — Trinity — Stokely D.
Roberts — Close of his Career — Origin of Grace Church —
University Place — Marvelous Growth and Unique Church —
Emmanuel — Epworth— Asbury — Bethel — St. Paul— Growth
of Lincoln Methodism — P. W. Howe and Charity— Growth
of large Churches elsewhere in the Conferences — The Cir-
cuit and Rural Work diminishing — Causes — Possible Bene-
fits of new Conditions 405-435

Chapter XXIII. — German and Scandinavian Work.

German Work : First Sermon — First Pastor — General Conditions
— First Class formed — Size of Districts and Circuits — Ex-
tension of Work First Nine Years — Statistics — Work keeps
Pace with Population-Lauenstein's Great Circuit-Statistics
for 1890 — Last Ten Years under adverse Conditions — But
still growing— Statistics for 1903. Scandinavian or Swed-
ish Work ; First Movement in 187 1 — Real Beginning at
Oakland in 1877 — Excellent Work since — Statistics for
1902. Norwegian: Began in 1880 — Present Number 65 436-446

Chapter XXIV.— Fourth Period. (1880-1904.)

Expansion in the Direction of Wider Activities.

Nebraska Methodism needed Help at first — Must henceforth be
a Helper — Better Provision for her own Young People —
Helpful Agencies — Church Extension — Freedmen's Aid —
W. H. M. S. — World Movements — Parent and Woman's

Contents. h

Page
Foreign Missionary Societies— Last Twenty- five Years con-
trasted with the First— W. F. M. S.— Bishop Warne's Trib-
ute—W. H. M. S.— Valuable Aid during- Drouth— Increas-
ing Range of their Work — Church Extension Help —
Pressing Need for Churches — Era of Church-building —
McCabe Frontier Fund— Number of Churches and Parson-
ages built 447-464

Chapter XXV. — Nebrask.\ Methodism and Christian

Education.

Simpson University — Oreapolis Seminary — Peru Offer — Private
Enterpri-es — Subject considered at every Conference — No
Action till 1879 — York Seminary opened in 1880 — Edward
Thomson President — Seminary established at Central City
in 1884-5 — Mallalieu School— First Movement toward Uni-
fication— Concurrent Action of Conferences — Commission
of 28 appointed — Names of Commission — Meet in Lincoln
in December, 18S6 — Unification Plan adopted — Nebraska
Wesleyan established, University Place laid out — Dr.
Creighton elected Chancellor — Building Started — Haish
Manual-training School — Destroyed by Fire — Financial
Difficulties — Causes — First Twelve Years — Final Triumph
— Ellenwood Affair — Debt paid — Creighton, Crook, and
Huntington — Present Condition — Prospects — University
Place— Strong Church — Wholesome Moral Surroundings —
Preparatory Schools — Douglas — Orleans — Some of those
who have helped — Governor Mickey — C. C. White — A. L.
Johnson— J. M. Stewart — Attitude of Methodism toward
Education in General — Approves Public-school System —
Supplements State Institutions — Peru and Lincoln Meth-
odism, and the State Normal, and State University —
J. M. McKenzie's Work 465-507

Chapter XXVI. — Some Subordinate Agencies and
Institutions.

Hospital at Omaha — Inception — Agitation — Consummation —
Haynes' Account — Property purchased — Progress — New
Building^Number cared for — Deaconess Work — Mothers'
Jewels Home — Beginnings — Location at York — Dr. Arm-
strong— -Burwell and Isabella Spurlock — Letters showing
Nature of Work done — Epworth League — Epworth As-
sembly—(9wa/^a Christian Advocate — Origin — ^First Years
of Struggle— George S. Davis, D. D., J. W. Shenk, D. D.—
Recognized by General Conference — Subsidy appropriated
• — Commission appointed — Success — Finally combined with
Rocky Mountain ■AXiA. Central Christian Advocates — Evan-
gelists— Rapid Development of Movement — Recognized by
Church ^ Success — Temperance Reform — Admission of
Women to General Conference 50^533

12 Contents.

Chapter XXVII. Page

Some of the older Workers who have passed away, and some who
still remain — White — Van Doozer — Lemon — Maxfield—
Last Illness— Memorial Service— Tribute of Friends — Trib-
ute of North Nebraska Conference— H. T. Davis— Passes
away during last Session of his Conference— Memorial
Services — Expressions of Appreciation by Friends and
Conference— Some who are still living— Hiram Burch—
Jacob Adriance— John Gallagher— F. M. Esterbrook— J. H.
Presson— Some helpful Local Preachers— Robert Laing—
John Dale 534-548

Chapter XXVIII.— Conclusion.

Bishops who have presided— Influence— Number of Appoint-
ments made— Great Sermons — Other Services- Resident
Bishops— Newman — McCabe — Bishop F'owler the Father of
Wesleyan University — Nebraska Methodism compared
with other Churches— General Review of the Half-cent-
ury's Work — Some Interesting P'igures covering the whole
Time — Total Amount of Missionary Money appropriated
to aid the Work — Amount promised to Preachers in
Salaries and House Rent— Amount paid— Amount still
back — Amount contributed to Conference Claimants' Fund
— To Missions — To Church Extension and other Benevo-
lent Claims, including W. F. M. S. and W. H. M. S.—
Total for all Benevolences— Number and Value of Churches
and Parsonages built — Members of Conference — Members
on Trial — Membership — Sermons preached — Lessons
taught in S. S. — Means of Grace maintained — These are
the Visible Results — The Invisible Results — Agencies
achieving these Results often obscure— Dean Farrar's Trib-
ute to these 549-561

INTRODUCTION.

It is well known that for ages this territory was in-
habited by savage tribes of Indians. It is not so gen-
erally known that the territory now embraced in the State
of Nebraska was foreign territory up to 1803, a little
over fifty years before Methodism began its work in the
territory. In 1681 LaSalle, a French explorer, having
traversed the lake regions, came to the Mississippi River,
down which he floated in his boats to its mouth, taking
possession of the great Mississippi Valley in the name
of his sovereign, Louis XIV, and naming the region
Louisiana in his honor. Thus nearly 200 years before
Methodism entered upon its work in Nebraska, or even
before Methodism was born, the Roman Catholic Church
had taken possession of all this fair territory. For a
time (1763-1801) even Spain, the most Catholic of all
Catholic nations, unless it be Italy, had possession. Even
as early as 1540 a Spanish adventurer, Coronado, had
visited Nebraska. But afterwards it reverted to France,
and at the beginning of the nineteenth century Nebraska
had for its ruler the Great Napoleon, and for its religion
the Roman Catholic.

It is now well known that Napoleon's object in secur-
ing the retrocession of Louisiana from Spain to France,
2 ^3

14 Introduction.

was to work out a great scheme of colonization in Louis-
iana. How successful this strong man was in accom-
plishing his schemes, Europe had already come to know,
to her sorrow, and trembled at the deadly certainty of his
undertakings. He seemed to be a man of destiny that
could not be defeated. But a higher destiny, the destiny
of the great Republic, and the Protestant religion, was in
this case in conflict with his personal destiny, and he
was doomed to defeat. Yet it is startling to think how
near this puissant man, now at the zenith of his power,
able at this very moment to seize without question the
reins of government in his own France, and soon to march
in triumph with his conquering legions to Austerlitz, Jena,
and Wagram, and dictate his own terms to Russia, Prus-
sia, and Austria, came to the accomplishment of the plans
of colonization in Louisiana, on which he had set his
heart. Had he succeeded, the history would have been
very different from the one I am writing.

How did we escape the clutches of this mighty man?
How did he come to be turned from his long cherished
. purpose, a thing that so rarely occurred in his life?

When in 1801, Robert R. Livingston arrived in Paris
with $2,000,000 and authority from Jeft'erson to purchase
a small strip of ground which would secure to us the
mouth of the IVlississippi, and also the right to the navi-
gation of the river. Napoleon was nearly ready to con-
summate his great scheme of colonization, and as a recent
writer puts it : "But for the delay imposed upon the

Introduction. • 15

First Consul, first by Godoy, who would not yield Loui.-.-
iana until every condition of its transfer had been ful-
filled, and secondly by Toussaint and his followers, who
balked the French in San Domingo, General Voctor at
this time might have been setting in order a threatening
foreign host at New Orleans."

Happily, before they succeeded in this western coun-
try, circumstances and events were by the Louisiana
Purchase providentially closing this territory forever to
the domination of the Catholic religion, and opening it
to the best type of Protestantism. While the political
exigencies of the Great Xapoleon, and the wisdom and
statesmanship of the greater Jefferson, made them the
immediate human agencies by which this new state of
affairs was brought about, subsequent events have made
it plain that it had always been the purpose of God that
this continent, as a whole, and Nebraska as a part, should
be dedicated to a purer and more spiritual type of relig-
ion, with a moral and spiritual efificiency capable of build-
ing out of a heterogenous multitude that should come
from all parts of the world, and from all the races of men,
a homogeneous race of Americans.

And it was no accident or mere coincidence that while
political events w^ere so shaping as to give ample terri-
torial scope, the prime factors that were to mold these
elements into the most free, intelligent, moral, and force-
ful nation on the earth, were at the same time being
brought into existence and raised to an efficiency equal to

i6 • Introduction.

the needs of the new country and the new nation. It
hardly needs to be stated that the two factors that were to
make the largest contribution to this result were that sys-
tem of public schools that was to provide free education
to the masses, and that Church, that by its spirit, organi-
zation, and method, was to proclaim a free gospel to the
masses.

Of national greatness Leckey, the historian, says :*
"Its foundation is laid in pure domestic life, in commer-
cial integrity, in a high standard of moral worth and
public spirit, in simple habits, in courage, uprightness and
soundness and moderation of judgment." Bancroft, our
great American historian, says : "The Methodists were
the pioneers of religion. The breath of liberty has wafted
their message to the masses of the people ; encouraged
them to collect white and black in church and green-
sward for council in divine love and full assurance of
faith, and carried their consolations and songs and prayers
to the farthest cabins of the wilderness. "f

This recognition on the part of Leckey of those moral
ideals for which Methodism has consistently stood as the
true elements that constitute national greatness, and the
recognition by Bancroft of Methodism as the pre-emi-
nently pioneer Church, promoting these qualities in the
masses of sturdy emigrants out of which these great
States were to be built, is but the expression of that

* Quoted by Kidd, Social Ev., p. 326.

t Quoted by Moore, Debt of Republic to Methodism.

Introduction. 17

consensus of opinion held by those most qualified to judge
that the vigorous evangelism of the Methodist itinerants
did more to conserve the best moral qualities the people
brought with them into the great West, and to stimulate
into healthy development those finer, stronger traits of
character that constituted the vigorous and all conquer-
ing manhood of the West.

If then we inquire what were the influences that de-
termined the character of the men and women that were
to transform the 76,000 square miles of raw prairie that
constitutes, territorially, the State of Nebraska into a
State characterized by the highest civilization, and as low
a percentage of ignorance as any State in the world, we
must go back to that beginning of the peaceful conquest
of the continent that began immediately after the brave
colonists had effected their independence and set out on
their national career.

Perhaps no one has set forth more forcefully and
clearly the great movement of the population from east
to west, which set in immediately after the war of the
Revolution, than did President Roosevelt in his address
at the Bi-Centennial celebration of the birth of John Wes-
ley, in New York, February 26, 1903. The following
extract will show his estimate of the movement and the
great service which the Methodist pioneer preacher ren-
dered during the period :

"For a century after the declaration of independence
the greatest work of our people, with the exception only

1 8 Introduction.

of the work of self-preservation under Lincoln, was the
work of the pioneers as they took possession of this conti-
nent. During that century we pushed westward from
the Alleghanies to the Pacific, southward to the gulf and
the Rio Grande, and also took possession of Alaska. The
work of advancing our boundary, of pushing the frontier
across forest and desert and mountain chain, was the
great typical work of our nation ; and the men who did
it — the frontiersmen, plainsmen, mountain men — formed
a class by themselves. It was an iron task, which none
but men of iron soul and iron body could do. The men
who carried it to a successful conclusion had characters
strong alike for good and for evil. If left to himself,
without moral teacliing and moral guidance, without any
of the -influences that tend towards the uplifting of man
and the subduing of the brute within him, sad would have
been his, and therefore, our fate. From this fate we have
been largely rescued by the fact that together with the
rest of the pioneers went the pioneer preachers ; and all
honor be given to the Methodists for the great proportion
of these pioneer preachers whom they furnished.

"These preachers were of the stamp of old Peter Cart-
wright — men who sufifered and overcame every hardship
in common with their flock, and who in addition tamed
the wild and fierce spirits of their fellow pioneers. It
was not a task that could have been accomplished by
men desirous to live in the soft places of the earth and to
walk easily on life's journey. They had to possess the

Introduction. 19

spirit of the martyrs, but not of martyrs who could op-
pose only passive endurance to wrong. The pioneer
preachers warred against the forces of spiritual evil with
the same fiery zeal and energy that they and their fellows
showed in the conquest of the rugged continent. They
had in them the heroic spirit that scorns ease if it must
be purchased by a failure to do duty, the spirit that courts
risk and a life of hard endeavor if the goal to be reached
is really worth attaining. Great is our debt to these men
and scant the patience we need show toward their critics.

"It is easy for those who stay at home in comfort,
who never have to see humanity in the raw, or to strive
against the dreadful naked forces which appear clothed,
hidden, and subdued in civilized life — it is easy for such
to criticise the men who, in rough fashion, and amid
grim surroundings, make ready the way for the higher
life that is to come afterwards; but let us all remember
that the untempted, and the effortless should be cautious
in passing too heavy judgment upon their brethren who
may show hardness, who may be guilty of shortcomings,
but who nevertheless do the great deeds by which man-
kind advances.

"These pioneers of Methodism had the strong, mili-
tant virtues which go to the accomplishment of such
deeds. Now and then they betrayed the shortcomings
natural to men of their type, but their shortcomings seem
small indeed when we place them beside the magnitude
of the work they achieved."

20 Introduction.

THE PROBLEM.

While Nebraska had been inhabited by no less than
10,000 human beings prior to the settlement which began
in 1854, these aboriginal inhabitants may be said to have
built up absolutely nothing that was of value to the new
comers. The reason for this is found in the fact that
these aboriginals belonged to one of those undeveloped
and unchristianized races that depend almost entirely on
the resources of unaided nature to supply their simple
wants. For them lo change their location, or to remain
in the same place for a century or more made scarcely
any change in the general aspects of the country. When
they came they brought nothing into the country ; while
they staid they did nothing to develop the natural re-
sources of the country ; if they went away there was little
or nothing they could take with them that would affect
the country in one way or another. In the Christian sense
of the word, they can hardly be said to have known what
a home was, or how to make one. Their wants were so
few and simple that scarcely anything that characterizes
the Nebraska of to-day was in existence then. It could
not be said that they had developed any form of industry
or commerce. Hence they had no farms, strictly speak-
ing, but only a few stray patches of broken soil where
the squaws raised a little maize or vegetables. There
were no industries, unless we would call such establish-
ments as that of the "ancient arrow-maker in the land

Introduction. 21

of the Dakotahs," institutions of industry. There were
no schools or churches, except such as had been brought
in by the white missionaries, and there was only one of
these, at Rellevue. Indeed, it may be affirmed that the
Indians turned Nebraska over to the Christianized white
race in a state of raw, crude nature, not one whit im-
proved, or its wealth and resources developed in all the
years and centuries of their possession, and with not a
single element of modern Christian civilization in exist-
ence. Everything had to be built up from the founda-
tion. It is marvelous how quickly these settlers sur-
rounded themselves with all these elements of the highest
Christian civilization. And the church edifice was felt
to be as much of a necessity as the school-house, and
would come in due time. And though the money to build
school-houses was raised by taxation, while that to build
churches must be raised by voluntary contributions, the
church was none the less certain to be built. And though
the teacher's salary was raised by taxation and he was
given legal recourse to collect it at law, while the preach-
er's support must come from voluntary offerings, and in
the case of our Methodist preacher, he had no legal right
to fix the amount of his own salary and no recourse by
civil law to collect it, yet the people were just as sure to
have a preacher as they were to have teachers for their
children, and his work was just as faithfully and effi-
ciently done as that of the teacher.

22 Introduction.

THE PERIODS OF THE HISTORY OF NE-
BRASKA METHODISM.

With the exception of Kansas, the development of
which was simuhaneous and under hke conditions, the
development and history of Nebraska Methodism are
unique in the character and distinctness of the periods
into which it naturally divides itself. The two main
periods are the first quarter of a century, during which
the pioneer phase of the work predominates, and the sec-
ond quarter of a century in which while there was some
pioneer work yet to be done, the building of churches
and parsonages, the more complete organization of the
forces, the founding and development of her educational
and benevolent institutions, and the development and
strengthening of the older charges, were her chief tasks.

The first quarter of a century may be subdivided into
three periods. The first of these extends from 1854 to
1861, and is marked by the first events connected with
the beginning of our work, the organization of the Kan-
sas-Nebraska Conference, the external conditions under
which the work proceeded being characterized by an al-
most unprecedented financial disturbance and depression,
and an entirely unprecedented political struggle between
freedom and slavery in the political arena, causing great
excitement and intensity of feehng between the opposing
forces ; the second of these periods opens with the or-
ganization of the Nebraska Conference in 1861, and ex-

Introduction, 23

tending- to 1870, the external circumstances attending the
work being the unprecedented Civil War, and the recon-
struction period following, and also the inflated currency
and consequent high cost of living, without any corre-
sponding inflation of the salaries ; the third period, which
opened in 1870 and closed in 1880, was characterized by
great growth in numbers and rapid extension of our fron-
tier line toward the western part of the State, the external
conditions being that of a vast tide of immigration which
set in in the early part of the period, adding 329,549 to the
122,993 in 1870, bringing great growth and prosperity
to the country and Church, to be followed by the unpre-
cedented grasshopper scourge, which began in 1874 and
continued for several years, not only checking immigra-
tion, but causing not a few discouraged settlers to leave
the country. The early seventies was also a time of great
revivals and spiritual ingatherings.

The last twenty-four years, beginning with 1880, may
properly be called the fourth period. This will be char-
acterized by the growth and better organization of the
individual Churches, the organization of the Conferences,
the building of churches, and bringing into the field many
subsidiary and helpful agencies.

Rev. W. H. Goode.

The fiirst man appointed to an official position in
relation to Nebraska Methodism.

HISTORY OF NEBRASKA METHODISM.

w^ j^

CHAPTER I.
FIRST PERIOD. (1854-1861.)

THE FIRST WORKERS IN THE FIEED.

Rev. W. H. Goode, D. D.. of the Indiana Conference.
Avas the first to be placed by the authority of the Meth-
odist Church in ofiicial relation to the
work in Nebraska, being appointed
June 3, 1854. There had been occa-
sional sermons preached at earlier
dates by Methodist preachers. Rev.
Harrison Presson, who is still living,
and is an honored superannuated
member of the Nebraska Conference,
informs me that on April 21, 1850,
he, in company with a large colony
on their way to the Pacific Coast,
camped over the Sabbath on what is
now the site of Omaha, and that he
preached a sermon that day from the
text, Isa. XXXV, i. This was doubtless the first Aletli-
odist sermon ever preached in Nebraska.

Rev. H. T. Davis, D. D., in his book of personal
reminiscences, entitled "Solitary Places Made Glad,"

Rev. Harrison
Prhssox,

Who preached the first

Methodist sermon in

Nebraska, April

21, 1850.

26 History of Nebraska Methodism.

states that in 185 1 a Rev. William Simpson, who had at
the Iowa Conference been appointed to the Coimcil Bluffs'
Mission, learning that there were a few settlers across the
river, went over and preached to them.

In a letter from J. W. Barns, he states that his wife,
a daughter of Rev. W. D. Gage, had a very distinct recol-
lection that in January or February, 1853, her father
preached to a few settlers at old Ft. Kearney (now Ne-
braska City).

While it is to the credit of these men of God that
they seized these first opportunities to preach the Gospel
within the bounds of what is now the State of Nebraska,
the congregations to which they preached were merely,
passing emigrants, or transient settlers, and therefore
these sermons can hardly be regarded as the beginnings
of Methodism in Nebraska, or to sustain any practical
relation to the permanent work in the State.

The real beginning of Nebraska Methodism is found
in the following communication, which on the third of
June, 1854, Bishop E. R. Ames addressed to the Rev.
W. H-. Goode, D. D. :

"Rev. W. H. Goode :

"Dear Brother, — It is understood that emigration is
tending largely to Nebraska (a name then embracing
both territories, Kansas and Nebraska). It seems prob-
able that the Church ought soon to send some devoted
missionaries to that country. But there is not such a
knowledge of details respecting the topography and popu-
lation of these regions as to enable the Church authorities
to act understandingly in the premises. You are there-
fore appointed to visit and explore the country as thor-

History of Xecraska Methodism. 27

oughly as practicable, for the purpose of collecting in-
formation on these points. In performing this work you
will be governed by your own judgment, and make full
reports, in writing, of your labor and its results, so that
it may be known how many ministers, if any, should be
sent, and at what particular points they should be located.
Yours truly, E. R. A^IES,

"Bishop ^Methodist Episcopal Church,"

This communication from the bishop summoning Dr.
Goode from a pleasant and prosperous and honorable
career in Indiana, where Methodism had already become
strong and respected, to a career of hardship on the
frontier, illustrates the three principal features of the
Methodist economy, which perhaps more than anything
else, gave her not only her pre-eminent place as a pioneer
Church, but also gave her the unparalleled success as
revealed in the history of Christianity in this country.
The first of these features is the general superintendency,
by which her bishops in the regular course of their work-
visit personally all parts of the field and come in close
touch with all her working forces, and soon become cog-
nizant of the needs of each field, and also come to know
each of the preachers and their peculiarities, and which
of them are equipped for any special service. In the
quasi-military power with which the Church has clothed
them, by which they can command the service of any
man, anywhere, for any work, whatever its character and
wherever it may be, may be found tlie second feature giv-
ing efficiency to the Church. While technically this
power is absolute, and might be wielded arbitrarily, this is
rarely the case. Dr. Goode himself, than whom few have

28 History of Nebraska Methodism.

been summoned to harder fields by this same episcopal
authority, bears witness to the spirit in which this vast
power is wielded, in these words, used in connection with
his appointment in 1843 to the superintendency of an
Indian school in Arkansas : "I was consulted ; for au-
thoritatively as our bishops are empowered to speak and
implicitly as our ministry are wont to obey, for the Gos-
pel's sake, I have yet to learn the first instance in which
an arbitrary or unreasonable requirement has been made,
by which any brother has been transferred to a distant
field, irrespective of private considerations and wishes.
No man ever takes a foreign field or even a remote
field except as a volunteer; a policy at once wise and
humane."

The third feature consists in what the military gen-
eral would call the esprit dc corps, or what in its spiritual
aspect would be termed a spirit of devotion to the cause
that makes men willing to go anywhere for Christ's sake.
It is this last feature which is moral and spiritual in its
nature that gives efficiency to the other two which re-
late to the polity of the Church. With this spirit all ex-
ercise of arbitrary power on the part of the bishops is
rendered unnecessary. They only need to convince a
man that the Master needs him in a certain field, and he
responds, "Here am I, send me." Without this spirit,
all exercise of arbitrary authority would be in vain, for
success in moral and spiritual fields is impossible unless
the workman's heart is in the work.

Happy for Methodism and the cause of Christ and
the interests of our country, whenever our general super-
intendents have faced some emergency requiring some
strong, wise man to meet it, they nearly always knew

History of Nebraska Methodism. 29

where to find the man, and they usually found the man
ready for and equal to the emergency.

The selection of Dr. Goode emphasizes another fact of
immense importance in the development of the work in
the Western States, and that was the selection of the very
best men for leadership on the frontier. In nothing has
the far-seeing wisdom of our bishops been more mani-
fest than in this feature of their policy. As such men as
Paul had been chosen as the foundation builders at the
beginning of the Christian movement, so in that great
movement of population from east to west that has within
a little over a century spread over an entire continent,
and built up a strong, free republic, Methodism has al-
ways picked some of its strongest men and sent them and
kept them at the front. It is greatly to the credit of these
strong men that they have been willing to go. And the
bishops have found them all the more ready to go be-
cause they themselves have always been ready to make
the greatest sacrifices for Christ's sake.

It is difficult to conceive how they could have made a
better selection than Dr. Goode. He was a recognized
leader in Indiana Tvlethodism at a time when such men
as E. R. Ames, Matthew Simpson, and Thomas Bowman
were at the forefront of the Church in that State. That
he ranked along with these is evident from the fact that
it is said that when Ames was elected bishop, Dr. Goode
himself had a vote large enough to give promise of ulti-
mate success had he remained in the field, being only one
less than that received by Ames; but desiring, above
every thing the election of a Western man, which seemed
very important at that time, he magnanimously withdrew
in favor of Ames, and secured his election. At the time

30 History of Nebraska Methodism.

he was appointed to his mission to Nebraska and Kansas,
he was serving as presiding elder of the South Bend Dis-
trict, comfortably situated, and greatly honored among
his brethren, many of whom earnestly advised him to re-
main, both for his own sake and theirs. The work he
was doing was congenial, and having already spent sev-
eral years on the frontier as superintendent of our Indian
school at Ft. Coffee, in the southwestern portion of Ar-
kansas, he well knew the hardships involved in such a
mission. At first he was tempted to refuse the appoint-
ment, and went so far as to prepare a letter to that affect,
informing the bishops that he could not see that it was his
duty to go. But retaining the letter some time, and pray-
ing over it, it began to assume another aspect, that of
duty. Perhaps, after all, the bishops knew what was re-
quired, and his fitness for the work to be done, better
than he himself did. To Dr. Goode duty was imperative,
and in every case took precedence over all considerations
of ease and comfort. If they with their superior opportu-
nity of knowing what was needed to advance the inter-
ests of the Redeemer's kingdom, deemed him to be the
man best equipped for that work, then it was plainly
his duty to go. He tore up the first letter, and ad-
dressed another to the bishops, placing himself at their
disposal.

His first commission, it will be seen, was that of a
''scout," and was preliminary to the main movement. It
was in anticipation of what was yet to be, rather than
providing for what was. For this service his previous
experience on the frontier among the Indians fitted him,
and doubtless this fact, together with his good judgment,
in which they reposed implicit confidence, influenced the

History of Nebraska Methodism. 31

bishops in making choice of him for this difficnlt and
important service.

• Thus, four days after the Kansas-Nebraska bill, pro-
viding for the organization of these territories, became a
law, and twenty-three days prior to the proclamation of
the President declaring the Indian title extinguished and
the country open for settlement, and four months before
the organization of the Territorial government, the ]\Ieth-
odist Church had made provision for the religious needs
of the people yet to come, by the appointment of one of
her best equipped men to go in person to the field and as-
certain by actual observation what was needed.

It is difficult for us in these days of through railroad
lines and palace Pullman cars, that would have brought
him to Nebraska in twenty-four hours, with scarcely any
discomfort or fatigue, to conceive what it meant for Dr.
Goode, at the age of fifty or more, when most men are
thinking how they can make life more comfortable, to
make the journey of 600 miles to Kansas, and then 200
more to Nebraska by private conveyance or stage. On
the 8th day of June, five days after receiving his commis-
sion, he started from Richmond, Ind., where he had pur-
chased the necessary outfit of team and wagon, and after
a long and tedious journey, requiring four weeks, reached
his destination in Kansas, which, having more settlers,
was to be his first headquarters. It was not till late in
July that he reached Nebraska.

The details of that journey possess thrilling interest,
and may best be told by extracts from his own account,
as given in his "Outposts of Zion."

His work in Kansas had already brought on severe
illness, but he felt that he must also visit the Nebraska

32 History oi^ Nebraska Methodism.

portion of the field, and it is to his trip to this field the
following extracts refer:

"Still feeble, suffering, and apprehensive of results,
I urged on my course, and about three in the afternoon
reached the house of Rev. Thomas B. Markham, then
residing upon the bank of the Missouri, nearly opposite
to where the town of Kickapoo, in Kansas, now stands.
Here I found a brother in Christ and a kind Christian
family, who, though then afflicted themselves, received me
cordially, sympathized in my condition, and ministered
to my necessities.

"According to expectation, the ensuing day brought
on another paroxysm, by which I was completely pros-
trated, and for a period of about nine days I was confined
by illness. For a time, uncertain as to the result, it was
natural that my thoughts should turn, as they had more
than once done before under similar circumstances, to
the idea of dying from home, far from family and friends.
The trial was severe; but, through the grace of God, I
think I have, at such times, always felt resignation to the
Divine will. Once I well remember having my pocket-
book and pencil brought, and feebly tracing what I sup-
posed might by a last brief line to the companion of my
life, who has since preceded me to glory. But God had
other designs for me.

"By the 22d I began to feel as though I should sum-
mon up my little strength and again address myself to
the journey. Finding myself unable to manage my team
I determined to dispose of them and commit myself to
the stage-route up through northwestern Missouri, stop-
ping at different points, and making excursions into the
Territories as health and circumstances allowed. I ac-

History of Nebraska Methodism. 33

cordingly sold, at low rates, my carriage and horses, with
such part of my equipage as I could, gave away the re-
mainder, and prepared for another mode of travel.

"Returning to St. Joseph, I took my passage in the
stage for Council Bluffs on the 28th, with the privilege
of stopping at such points as I might think proper.
Feeble as I was, I found that I must start in the evening
and travel all night. Detained at one time on the bank
of the Nodaway, waiting for the ferryman, and worn
down by fatigue and debility, I lay down upon the ground
and slept an hour ; awoke and found myself chilled ; was
alarmed for the probable results, but traveled on and ex-
perienced no bad effects. I stopped a little after daylight
at Oregon, the county seat of Holt County, some ten
miles back from the river. Here I left the stage, and ob-
taining a horse, for twenty miles I followed the stage
road along the bluffs, and then leaving them turned in
the direction of the river, arriving in the afternoon at
the cabin of Colonel Archer, where I found a kind home
among Tennessee Methodists, recently settled in Mis-
souri Bottom. On the day following my kind host vol-
unteered his services to take me across the river in a
canoe, ran up the great Nehama a little way, and landed
for the first time upon the soil of Nebraska Territory.
(July 29, 1854.) Finding no settlers here, I spent some
time in meditating, prospecting, writing, etc. ; recrossed
the river and returned to the cabin of my pioneer friend."

Again taking the stage, he went to a point opposite
to Old Fort Kearney, there 1'=^ft the stage and again
crossed the Missouri. Resuming his narrative, he says :
"Old Fort Kearney was an evacuated military post, the
name and the troops having been transferred to a new

34 History of Nebraska Methodism.

post about two hundred miles up the Platte River. A
substantial block-house, one old log dwelling, and the
remains of a set of rude, temporary barracks, were all
that was there to be seen of the old fort. Squatters had
taken possession of the lands, and the two rivals, Ne-
braska City and Kearney City, had been laid off, the one
above and the other below the mouth of South Table
Creek. The site of the old fort, now of Nebraska City,
is bold and fine. I found a single frame shanty erected,
in which were a few goods, and a single settler in the old
fort cabin in the person of Major Downs. I found him
to be a frank, generous-hearted soldier, possessing some
noble traits of character, with some unfortunate remains
of army habits. He took me to his house, treated me
kindly and generously, exhibited quite an interest in my
mission, took down his city plat. and. in my presence,
marked off certain lots, since risen to a value equal to five
times the outlay and expenses of my whole trip, which
he then and there donated to the Methodist Episcopal
Church.

"Having taken all the steps practicable toward the
introduction of our work here, I took leave of the Major
and his kind family, recrossed the Missouri, returned to
Sidney, and about one hour after midnight again took
the stage."

The next day Dr. Goode reached Council Bluffs, and
after a brief rest of a day he at once crossed the Missouri
to the village of Omaha, which at that time was being
laid out. After surveying the field at that point he went
on down the river and spent the Sabbath, August 6th,
with Rev. Wm. Hamilton, of the Presbyterian Church,
at his mission at Bellevue, preaching his first sermon in

History of Nebraska Methodism. 35

Nebraska on that occasion. The next week he returned
to Council Bluffs and from thence started on his return
trip to his home, going- by stage across the State of Iowa
to Rock Island, thence by railroad to his home in Indiana.
Thus ended this memorable journey that as subsequent
events reveal, meant so much to the future of both Kan-

sas and Nebraska 12515,40 ^.

ihis record of his journey of over 800 miles from his
home to Omaha, by private conveyance, or by stage, con-
suming two months of time, exposed to the dreaded
Asiatic cholera then prevalent along portions of the Mis-
souri traversed, and under conditions of physical disa-
bilities which at times became so serious as to threaten
his life, and threatened by the excited pro-slavery people
of Kansas and Missouri with tar and feathers, or even
worse, is one rarely paralleled in the history of the
Church. Little wonder that after this veritable hero,
who so courageously and efficiently performed this pre-
liminary survey of the great field and reported its needs
to the authorities, should immediately be re-commissioned
to the same field to take charge of its development as
superintendent of missions in Kansas and Nebraska.
That he cheerfully did so reveals the true greatness and
nobility of his nature and the completeness of his conse-
cration to the Master's service more fully than any words
can do. This will become even more apparent as the story
of those early days is told.

CHAPTER II.

FIRST PERIOD. (1854-1861.)

Kansas Territory having the greatest number of
settlers, properly commanded his first attention, but after
a month of travel in that territory we find him, early in
December, turning his face toward the Nebraska portion
of the Territory, though there were as yet few permanent
settlers even at the more prominent points, such as Ne-
braska City and Omaha.

The eagle eye of Dr. Goode was on the lookout and
we find him in December, 1854, making his way up to
the Nebraska end of his immense field, on horseback,
his customary mode of travel in winter. It so often hap-
pened that there was difficulty in finding something to
eat for man or horse, that the good Doctor carried corn
and provision along with him for emergencies. He
speaks of that trip being "rough and fatiguing ; my horse
became lame, and on the second or third day, failed."
Procuring another he proceeded on his toilsome way.
But on the first day the new steed became sick and seemed
about to die. While not dying, this second horse had
to be abandoned and a third one procured, with which he
made his way to a point opposite Nebraska City, his in-
tended point for the Sabbath. The ice was already run-
ning to such an extent that the regular ferry had been
abandoned and the trip across the river had to be made
in a skiff, at no small risk of life. But Dr. Goode always

History of Nebraska Methodism. 37

felt that he must get to his appointments at all hazards.
Here he found the hotel of his old friend, Major
Downes, so crowded that he concluded to hunt up the
cabin of the pastor, W. D. Gage. This was over in the
brush some distance from the hotel, and night having
come on, he, with great difficulty, found his way to the
cabin parsonage and was royally entertained by the pas-
tor's family.

The next day being the Sabbath he held service in
one of the rooms of the hotel, amidst much confusion on
the part of some of the guests who were not interested.
No class had as yet been organized, the pastor, for some
reason, was absent, and he somewhat sadly says : "This
was all there was of the first quarterly-meeting at Old
Fort Kearney," and it may be added, the first in the Ter-
ritory. But before leaving Nebraska City he had some
consultation "as to the means of prosecuting the work
in this growing field, and especially the erection of a
house of worship on the lots already donated."

He had intended going on as far as Omaha, there
having as yet been no pastor secured for that point, but
his horses having failed him, he deemed it expedient to
abandon that part of his trip for the present and return
home.

While as yet there were few actual settlers, there were
many who had been on the ground, selected and staked off
their claims, returned to their Eastern homes and were
expecting to come back in the spring, bringing their fam-
ilies with them, so there was little that could be done until
that time.

In anticipation of this influx of permanent settlers in
the spring of 1855, Dr. Goode had published a call in the

38 History of Nebraska Methodism.

Advocates for men to supply the field, only one man so
far having been appointed. W. D. Gage, who has been
noted elsewhere, was assigned to Nebraska City in 1854.
A quotation from his book will show the care with which
Dr. Goode selected these men and the spirit in which he
expected them to come to the field, and prosecute the
work, and the difficulties he experienced in procuring
the right kind of men :

"Early in the winter responses began to be received
to the public calls for ministerial aid, which we had
made through the Church papers. These calls were gen-
eral. No man was individually requested or advised to
come into our new and exposed work. All were left to
follow the call of duty or of inclination. Our tables were
loaded with letters of inquiry, expressing good wishes,
and making contingent and indefinite proposals for the
future. But these did not fill the immediate and urgent
demands of our work. Occasionally, however, one was
found whose first proposition was, 'Here am I ; send me.'
With such our work in the Territories has been supplied.
None have been pressed into service.

"In a very large majority of instances our supplies
were men of the right stamp, volunteers, men of energy,
willing to 'endure hardness as good soldiers.' There
were a few instances to the contrary. Attempts were
made to foist upon us, from the older Conferences, men
who were too indolent or incompetent to labor acceptably
where they were ; but who, in the judgment of good
brethren, 'would do for the frontier.' Such efforts
were generally detected before consummation ; or, if not,
soon afterward, in which case they were disposed of in
the most summary way practicable. The speculating

f^^^^ll^^^

SOME OF THE MEN WHO CAME IN THE FIFTIES.

I. Jerome Spillman. 2. J. W. Taylor. 3. Lorenzo W. Smith. 4. Jacob

Adriance. 5. David Hart. 6. Z. B. Turman. 7. Jesse L. Fort.

40 History of Nebraska Methodism.

mania, that has sometimes seized Western recruits, or
perhaps even prompted their transfer, has been but little
known among the traveling preachers of these Terri-
tories. They have been, for the most part. Homines
unius operis.

"Rev. A. L. Downey was the first volunteer that came
to our aid. He was appointed to Leavenworth mission.
The second in order of time who appeared among us,
was Rev. Isaac F, Collins, a transfer from the Arkansas
Conference, and a man of considerable experience in the
work of Indian missions, who was assigned to the Omaha
City Mission.

"Some new fields, also, were laid off and supplied.
Meeting, providentially, with Rev. Hiram Burch, a young
man from Illinois, who had, in feeble health, been labor-
ing as a supply in Northern Texas, I employed him to
take charge of a new field in the northern extreme of
Kansas, known as Wolf River Mission. His health im-
proved ; he was received into the Iowa Conference the en-
suing session, appointed to Nebraska City, and has ever
proved a faithful and efficient minister. Upon a steam-
boat in Missouri River, I met with a young Englishman
with credentials and apparent qualifications for the work,
and employed him to travel between the Nemahas, and
organize the Nemaha Mission. This was Rev. David
Hart.

"Thus, in the course of the year, our entire work was
manned. The order of time has been anticipated in this
statement, for the purpose of presenting all the names at
one view. My Wyandott home became a place of resort,
and an outfitting point for preachers coming into the
Territories; a circumstance which probably had much to

History of "Nebraska Methodism. 41

do in fixing" the jealousy and inveterate hate of pro-slav-
ery sentinels, secular and ecclesiastical, posted along the
border."

Thus we see that this alert superintendent had pas-
tors in the field at all the strategical points before there
were organized flocks to shepherd. W. D. Gage was
sent to Nebraska City nine months before a class was
formed, Isaac Collins was in Omaha six months before
an organization could be effected, and David Hart was
sent early in the spring of 1855 to the Nemaha Mission
where he must wait and toil till the following fall before
effecting an organization.

It is a very suggestive coincidence that in the same
year that the territory which afterward constituted Ne-
braska passed from the possession of Catholic France to
that of Protestant America by the Louisiana Purchase in
1803, there was born in Pennsylvania the one who should,
half a century afterward, be the first to be assigned to a
pastorate in the territory, and as the chaplain of the first
legislature, should typify the character of the State to
be built up in the Territory. Though W. D. Gage was
a humble, unpretentious, rugged pioneer preacher, he
was the representative of the most aggressive form of
Protestant Christianity then in the field, the Church which
has wrought most potently in making the great State of
Nebraska what it is.

It would be interesting to speculate about what might
have been if the Louisiana Purchase had not been made,
and the territory remained in the possession of a Catholic
country, and Catholic colonies spread over these prairies,
and Catholic priests instead of Methodist preachers like
W. D. Gage and other Protestant pioneers had been the

History ot" Nebraska Methodism.

first to propogate Christianity on this territory. The
results in other exclusively Roman Catholic countries
supply an answer, and the answer thus supplied makes
us very thankful that matters have turned out as they
have. An allwise providence has seen to it that such
should be the case, and the more pleasing and profitable
task is ours to trace the work of the Gages, Burches,

Davises, Taylors, Harts, and others
of the historic band that in the fifties
lifted and held aloft the banner of
Prince Immanuel on the prairies of
Nebraska.

W. D. Gage was converted at the
age of twenty-one and entered the
New York Conference at the age of
twenty-five. . After spending twenty-
six years of faithful ministry in the
New York, Genesee, Illinois, Arkan-
sas, and Missouri Conferences, he
was, in October, 1854, appointed,
at the age of fifty-one, to the Nebraska City Mis-
sion. Being just prior to this a member of the Mis-
souri Conference, which was just across the river from
the lower portions of Nebraska, Father Gage had, pre-
vious to this time, crossed over to the Nebraska side,
visiting and preaching, as elsewhere noted, at Old Fort
Kearney (Nebraska City,) as early as January, 1853,
and was known to be familiar with the field. After serv-
ing as pastor at Nebraska City, and chaplain of the first
Nebraska Legislature, he asked and received a location.
This step was afterward regarded by himself and friends
as a great mistake which he very much regretted. How-

Rev. W. D. Gage,

The first pastor ap-
pointed in Nebraska,
October, 1854.

History of Nebraska Methodism. 43

ever, at the time of his location he was already past fifty,
with a family about him, and doubtless his motive was
to secure a home for these loved ones, which continuance
in the work at that time w^ould make difficult, if not im-
possible. Some years afterward he w^as re-admitted to
the Conference and did many years of faithful service on
the frontier.

He was married to Miss Sarah Schoonmaker, Janu-
ary I, 1833, who died in 1862, leaving three daughters.
Four others preceded her to the heavenly world.

Father Gage passed to his reward, November 20,
1885, and his brethren in the Conference place in their
Minutes this tribute to their fallen brother : "He was a
minister of good preaching ability, and very successful
in every department of Church work. He now rests in
peace, and his works do follow him."

The charge to which W. D. Gage was assigned Oc-
tober, 1854, was Nebraska City Mission, making that the
first place to be recognized in the list of appointments.
It included at the first all the settlements extending north
along the river as far as Rock Blufi's. It was doubtless
on this charge, in what was known as the Morris neigh-
borhood, that the first Methodist class in Nebraska was
formed, as early as March, 1855, and the first Sunday-
school organized a month or two later.

This settlement is worthy of special mention as be-
ing probably the first distinctively Methodist settlement
coming into the Territory. As early as 1853 there came
into the section a few miles southwest of Rock Blufl:'s, W.
H. Davis, together with Milton Morris, Abram Towner, ■
Mr, Acketyer, Thomas Ashley, and six other heads of
families, all members of the Methodist Church, except

44 History of Nebraska Methodism.

Mr. Ashley (and he was converted at the second camp-
meeting held in Nebraska, and in this same neighborhood,
in August, 1857). This visit was made prior to the
treaty by which the government obtained control of the
land, which was not made until the following March, and
did not take effect till June 24, 1854. But these enter-
prising Methodists did not wait for the government., but
made a private treaty with the Otoe Indians, by which
in consideration of the payment of ten dollars each to the
Indians, and a promise to defend them in case the Otoes
were attacked by their dreaded and powerful enemies,
the Sioux, they were permitted to stake out their claims,
which they at once proceeded to do. This arrangement
was so highly satisfactory to the Indians that they made
a great feast in honor of these pale-faced friends that for
the sake of a few acres of their land agreed to pay them
some money, but especially to help them in their contest
with their foes. They even examined the white man's
teeth to see that everything was right.

After completing these preliminary arrangements, Mr.
Davis and his party returned to their homes to spend the
winter, and came back to Nebraska the following year
with their families, and formed a permanent settlement
some two or three miles southwest of old Rock Bluffs.

These were all men of intelligence and Christian char-
acter, with families of like character. Indeed some of
them were of superior intelligence, and all characterized
by an earnest type of piety. Father Davis was a man of
culture and manly Christian character; Milton Morris,
the religious leader, and his wife, were of superior in-
telligence and force of character. Previous to coming
to Nebraska they had served as missionaries to the Sac

W. H. Davis.

Mrs. W. H. Davis.

Rev. Elza Martin.

THESE WERE ALIv AMONG THE FIRST MEMBERS OF THE

FIRST CLASS FORMED IN NEBRASKA, EXCEPT ELZA

MARTIN, WHO JOINED THE CLASS IN APRIL, 1855.

46 History of Nebraska Methodism.

and Fox tribes of Indians, and he was at the time of his
coming to Nebraska an ordained local elder. Abram
Towner was also a local preacher, and the first sermon
ever preached in Cass County was delivered by him at
the house of Thos. B. Ashley, in October, 1854.

Just when this company of earnest Methodists began
to hold religious services, and organize themselves into
a religious body, is not certainly known, but we may be
sure that it was not long after they arrived on the ground,
which was in the spring of 1854. With a positive spirit-
ual experience such as they evidently possessed, they
would not long "neglect the assembling of themselves"
in religious worship, and Mrs. Spurlock, daughter of W.
H. Davis, informs me that they at once began to hold
prayer and class meeting, and an occasional preaching
service in the cabins of the settlers, before even a school-
house could be erected. The exact date of their organ-
ization into a class can not be ascertained. Rev. Elza
Martin, an ordained local preacher still living In the
neighborhood of Falls City, informs me in a letter that
when he moved into the settlement in April, 1855, he
found the class already organized, and thinks the organ-
ization was effected at the quarterly-meeting held by Dr.
Goode at the cabin of Father Morris, the preceding March,
and referred to in his "Outposts of Zion." This would
make it the first class organized in the Territory. But it
seems more likely that Dr. Goode would have mentioned
the fact had he at that time organized the class. Indeed,
when we remember that those first settlers in the Morris
neighborhood were nearly all members of the Methodist
Church when they came there in 1854, making in all not
less than twenty, it is highly improbable that with two

. iluyihcA.

48 History of Nebraska Methodism.

such zealous and experienced local preachers as Father
Morris and Abram Towner, that they would remain long
without an organization. Besides W. D. Gage was ap-
pointed as we have seen, as early as October, 1854, to Ne-
braska City Mission, which included all the settlements
as far north as Rock Bluffs, and as they thus early had a
zealous pastor, it is well-nigh certain that this first class
was organized some time in 1854. At all events, there
can be no doubt that this Morris class was the first one
formed in the territory.

If the class in the Morris settlement was organized
as early as in 1854, which is prpbable, the class at Ne-
braska City, though the head of the mission, was not or-
ganized until in April, 1855, and was probably the second
organization effected in the territory.

Happily we are not without authentic information in
regard to this date. John Hamlin* was the first class-
leader, steward, trustee, and Sunday-school superintend-
ent, and had the contract for building the first church
building in Nebraska. His daughter, now Mrs. Melvina
Brown, of Omaha, was a member of this first class, and
to her I am chiefly indebted for these facts. The other
members of this first class were Isabella Hamlin, the wife
of John Hamlin ; Rev. W. D. Gage and wife. Rev. J. T.
Cannon and wife, and Rowina Craig. The organization
took place in a little frame shanty, twelve by twelve feet
in dimension, opposite where the Grand Central Hotel
now stands. Rev. J. W. Taylor, who a few months after
this succeeded Brother Gage as pastor, informs me that
he organized the first Methodist Episcopal Sunday-school
in Nebraska City.

* Since deceased.

History of Nebraska Methodism. 49

In the fall of 1855 Hiram Burch was appointed to
Brownville, but }. W. Taylor, who had been appointed
to Nebraska City, proposed to the presiding elder that he
and Brother Burch exchange places, which was effected,
and Brother Burch became Brother Gage's successor.

The society was yet quite feeble in numbers, not to
exceed sixteen, and none of these with much financial
strength. But they had already begun to plan for a
church building. As was often the case in those early
days, the initial steps had been taken some time before by
an outsider. Major Downs, who at the time of Dr.
Goode's first visit to the Nebraska City in July, 1854, had
donated two lots in the town site he had laid out on the
abandoned ground where old Fort Kearney had been,
for a Methodist church. This doubtless ranks as the first
donation of any kind toward the erection of a church in
Nebraska, except perhaps for mission churches for the
Indians. While subsequent development in the building
of the town made these lots less eligible in location for a
church, they were quite valuable, and were readily ex-
changed for those on which the church was then erected,
and on which the present edifice stands.

If the first contribution for the first Methodist church
erected in Nebraska was made by a non-church member,
the subsequent success of the enterprise depended largely
on the generosity of another outsider, S. F. Nuckells, a
banker, who generously gave one-fourth of the entire cost
while the building was in progress, amounting to $1,125,
and at the dedication gave $200 more.

These two cases are thus mentioned as typical of what
took place very often in those early days, and even before
the days of Church Extension help, made it possible for

50 History of Nebraska Methodism.

little, struggling societies to secure places of worship.
It indicates the fact that these worldly wise business men
had come to place a high value on the Church as a great
power for good in determining the character of the civil-
ization that should prevail in the State. Thus it often
happened that a large percentage of the means needed
for the erection of the first churches came from these
enterprising non-Christian business men, and in not a few
cases, more than half the sum needed came from that
source. Even in a place like O'Neil, Nebraska, where a
large percentage of the population is Roman Catholic,
Rev. B. Blain, who built our church at that place, says
there was more money contributed by the Catholics for
the building of the first Methodist church at that place
than the Methodists themselves were able to give, there
being but a handful of them, and they very poor. The
mention of these facts is not intended to discredit the
giving of the members themselves, which was doubtless in
many of these cases, if not in all, far more in proportion
to their ability than that of the non-Church members, and
from higher motives, and at greater sacrifice.

While Brother Gage had already secured a subscrip-
tion of $2,400, and had let the contract to John Hamlin
for a brick church, forty by sixty feet, before leaving
the charge, and probably immediately after the organiza-
tion of the Church, the successful prosecution of the work-
was chiefly due to his successor. Rev. H. Burch. who
reached Nebraska City, November 29. 1855. He at once
addressed himself to the task of completing the projected
church building. The walls had been completed to the
square, half the subscription had been collected and paid
to the contractor, and no more subscriptions were due

History of Nebraska Methodism.

until the church was completed. The winter season had
set in, and nothing more could be done till spring. Mean-
while a heavy wind had blown down the side walls. This
caused consternation among the little band of sixteen
members, and seemed like utter defeat to the enterprise.
I will let Brother Burch tell the story of how this crisis
was met:

"We had a meeting of the Board of Trustees, and
after giving the subject a good deal
of consideration, it was decided that
the only thing to do was to go ahead
and complete a church on the foun-
dation already laid. To do this, it
was necessary to borrow $800, as that
amount under the contract was due
the contractor, and because of the de-
fault of the payment of that sum the
building, or rather the walls, were left
uncovered and unsupported at the
mercy of the wind. A note of $800
signed by the members of the board
and the pastor, was placed in the
bank, the money drawn and paid to
the contractor, and the work of rebuilding begun. But be-
fore the building could be completed we had to borrow
$400 more. In these days that would seem a small mat-
ter, but not so at that time, when the number was so
small and so poverty stricken that none of our members
were able to procure more than the necessaries of life."

Thus by the wise and energetic work of the pastor,
Hiram Burch, the self-sacrificing devotion of the little
band of Methodists, and the generous contributions of the

John Hamlin.

Member of first class in
Nebraska City, was
first Sunday-school
superintendent. Had
contract for and built
first church in Ne-
braska.

52 History of Nebraska Methodism.

friends outside of the Church, was this first Methodist
church (and probably the first church of any kind except
mission churches for the Indians) in the Territory car-
ried forward to completion at a cost of $4'5oo» and in
November, 1856, dedicated to the worship of God by Dr.
Goode.

This historic church does not depend wholly on the
fact that it happened to be first for the significance that
makes it worthy of this detailed account of its construc-
tion, but from the first has justified the heroic sacrifices
involved at the beginning. It at once became the scene
of great revivals and has always housed a vigorous Meth-
odist society.

Omaha.

The next place to receive attention and the appoint-
ment of a regular pastor was the ambitious and growing
village of Omaha. There was something about this loca-
tion that attracted from the first settlement in 1854 some
of the shrewdest and most far-seeing business men that
came to the territory in those early years. From the
first they seemed confident that Omaha was to be the
metropolis of the West, and proceeded at once by all
legitimate business methods, and some perhaps less scru-
pulous than they ought to have been, to realize their ex-
pectation. True, every town on the river from Rulo to
Dakota City, entertained the same hopes. Some of them
at the start possessed equal advantages, and one at least,
Bellevue, superior natural advantages. Besides being a
more eligible site in point of beauty, it was the point that
nature seems to have determined as the proper place for
the projected Pacific Railroad line to cross the Missouri,

History of Nebraska Methodism. 53

furnishing a natural and easy route up the Papio and out
on to the Platte bottom, which could have been con-
structed at far less expense than the line from Omaha.
But from the first Bellevue and all the other competing
points were outgeneraled by the business men of Omaha,
who by first securing the removal of the territorial capi-
tal from Bellevue where Governor Burt first located it,
to Omaha, and at immense expense secured the building
of the bridge for the Union Pacific Railroad at Omaha,
forever settled the metropolis question in their favor.

It was not likely that so wise a leader as Dr. Goode
would fail to see and appreciate the strategical value of
such a place and provide for it. Hence early in 1855, long
before there was enough Methodists to form a class, he
appointed Isaac F. Collins to the mission. This was
probably in January, and he reached his field and en-
tered upon his work about the 20th of the following
March.

Thus it occurred at Omaha, as at many other places
in Nebraska, that the first events of a religious character
were Methodistic. The first sermon preached, the first
official appointed to look after her spiritual interests, the
first pastor assigned and present on the field, the first
church organization effected, and the first Protestant
church building erected, were all Methodist.

Of Isaac Collins little can be ascertained. During his
pastorate at Omaha, he married a daughter of Brother
Amsbary, the father of Rev. W. A. Amsbary. Another
brother, Webster Amsbary, is still living, and furnishes
me the following brief facts concerning this cultured and
devoted man who laid the foundations of Omaha Method-
ism. He says the first time he saw Isaac Collins was

54 History of Nebraska Methodism,

when, in 1855, he rode up to his father's log cabin on a
pony, and announced himself as having been sent to
Omaha Circuit. This extended north and west indefi-
nitely. He also says that Collins was born in Michigan,
and was educated at Ann Arbor. While a brother, Jud-
son, went to China as a missionary, Isaac went to Ar-
kansas, and there, after preaching some time, became
principal of a seminary at Tellequia, in the Indian Ter-
ritory. It was from .this field that he came in response
to Dr. Goode's call for workers in Kansas and Nebraska,
and was assigned to Omaha. In 1858 he left the Ne-
braska portion and served some pastorates in Kansas.

Isaac Collins was without a church to preach in or
a house to live in. He soon found a place in which to
live, being unmarried, and through the courtesy of the
Territorial officials he was permitted to occupy the United
States Government building in which to hold meetings.
While it was not possible to effect an organization until
six months after his arrival, he was not without a con-
gregation, and some supporters, as nearly all the early
settlers were anxious to have religious services main-
tained in the village, however they might feel towards
the Methodist Church or its pastor.

We would be glad to know who constituted that his-
toric class wdiich Isaac Collins finally succeeded in or-
ganizing in the month of September, 1855. The begin-
ning of a local Church organization, representing an ag-
gressive type of Christianity, is a matter of great moral
significance in any community. The mere presence of
such an organization, with its church building, and its
recurring religious services announced regularly to the
community by the ringing of the bell in their hearing, is

History of Nebraska Methodism. 55

a constant reminder of higher interests to be cared for.
and must tend to check and curb the more sordid and
selfish tendencies of our nature ; but when you add to this
mere existence the potent moral energies and inspiring
influences of the messages of divine truth delivered every
holy Sabbath by some faithful man of God, the instruction
imparted in the Sunday-school, the prayers and testimo-
nies and example of the faithful members, you have a
center of moral and religious power which radiates a
constant influence for good to the community ; and when
in addition to all these regular and stated services you
have at frequent intervals gracious and sometimes power-
ful revivals, you have an agency for good that no commu-
nity can afford to be without, being, as such a Church is,
the chief conservator of public morals, and the promoter
of those high ideals of life that tend to produce the best
result in life and character. But all this is especially true
when the place where this Church begins its humble ca-
reer is destined to become a great city, with its intense
activities begetting a forgetfulness of divine things, and
its powerful agencies of positive evil demoralizing many
of the people.

Rev. James Haynes, in his history of Omaha Meth-
odism, says there were six enrolled in this first class, in
September, 1855, but does not give the names. Nor is
there any record preserved that affords information on
this point. The only clue to this desirable information is
found in the names of those who one year afterwards par-
took of the sacrament at the first quarterly-meeting ever
held in Omaha. These were Mr. and Mrs. Amsbary, ^Ir.
and Mrs. Collins, Mrs. Crowell. Mrs. McCoy, and ^Irs.
Harris, and some, if not all of these were probably mem-

History of Nebraska Methodism.

bers of the original class, and have the distinction of
starting Omaha Methodism on its career. Of Mr. and
Mrs. Amsbary, little is known, except that besides giv-
ing their daughter to be the wife of Isaac Collins, they
gave a son, W. A. Amsbary, to the Methodist ministry in
Nebraska, who as the subsequent records will show, be-
came a very efficient preacher of the Gospel. Of the

others, Mrs. McCoy organized the
first Sunday-school in Omaha, and
was herself the first superintendent,
and was permitted in many ways and
through many years to serve the
Church she loved in the city of
Omaha. She died in the triumphs of
the faith in the fall of 1902.

Brother Collins remained till the
Conference of 1856, which met in
October 23d. During his pastorate,
besides organizing the class, he in-
augurated and carried to completion,
the first church erected in Omaha,
though it was not dedicated till December, 1856.

This brief statement concerning the building of this
first church in Omaha does not convey to our minds all
that it meant for that brave pastor and his little flock of
perhaps six, all of whom could not probably contribute
one- fourth of the $4,500 necessary. Material was very
expensive then, pine lumber being worth $100 per thou-
sand. But with the larger conception of the Church as
a public necessity in any community, and having raised
part of the amount needed by the sale of a portion of
their lots, he appealed to the public generally, first as-

Mrs. Geo. A. McCoy.

Member of first class in
Omaha, organized the
first Sunday-school,
and was first superin-
tendent.

History of Nebraska Methodism. 57

certaining what each was able to give, and then boldly
demanding that amount. The event proved this demand
was honored to such an extent that the church was car-
ried forward to completion and dedicated in December,
1856. It was located in what has since become the heart
of the city, on lots donated by the town-site company at
the corner of Douglas and Thirteenth Streets, on the
ground now occupied by the Omaha National Bank.

We would gladly mention the laymen associated with
Isaac Collins in this historic enterprise which meant so
much of faith and sacrifice to them, but the loss of the
early records make this impossible. We do not even
know who the first trustees were, or who were on the
building committee. We only know that of that memo-
rable list that partook of the first communion in Septem-
ber, 1856, there was only one male member. Brother
Amsbarv, and he resided near Florence.

The subsequent history of Omaha up to the end of this
first period brings into view some strong men, one of
whom, John AI. Chivington, who afterwards attained to
national notoriety, if not national fame, in what is known
as the Sand Creek massacre, when he was in command
of troops in Colorado. He succeeded Isaac Collins as
pastor one year, and at the Conference in April, 1857,
was made presiding elder of the Omaha District, and the
next year was transferred to the Nebraska City District.
He continued on this district until i860, when he went to
Colorado. John M. Chivington was one of those strong,
forceful characters who find it difficult to either control
themselves or to subject themselves to the requirements
of a Church, or to the rules of war, but are a law unto
themselves. But for these defects he would have been a

58 History of Nebraska Methodism.

power for good, as he was a strong preacher and pos-
sessed many of the elements which constitute successful
leadership.

J. W. Taylor followed J. M. Chivington as pastor at
Omaha. This devoted pioneer preacher came of South-
ern stock, having been born in Fayette County, Virginia,
December 6, 1815. He was converted and tmited with
the Church at the age of fourteen. His natural gifts of
speech and song soon led to his being licensed to exhort
and then to preach. He went from Virginia to Michi-
gan, where he was married to Barbara Eiken, who was
his constant and loyal companion for sixty-five years, and
then passed to her reward. His first charge was White
Oak Grove, in Platte County, Missouri, to which State he
had removed, and where he spent eighteen years of faith-
ful service in the western part, a section which became,
in the fifties, the very hot-bed of border ruffianism.
Platte County, the scene of his first and some of his sub-
sequent labor, was the storm center of the pro-slavery
opposition to Northern Methodist preachers. It was
here that the infamous Platte County resolutions were
passed, threatening a coat of tar and feathers for the first
offense, and death for the second, to any Northern Meth-
odist preacher who should proclaim the Gospel in that
county. Though the fact that he was a Virginian re-
lieved the situation in his case somewhat, the fact that
he was a minister of the Northern Methodist Episcopal
Church made it extremely perilous for him, and during
the last few years in Missouri he discharged his duty at
the peril of his life. One of his fellow workers on an ad-
joining charge, Rev. Sellers, was tarred and feathered,
while another, Father Holland, was shot dead, and

History of Nebraska Methodise:. 59

Brother Taylor, himself, was notified to leave the coun-
try or a similar fate would overtake him. The feeling of
bitterness having taken possession of the masses in Mis-
souri, and growing worse every day, rendered further
effort useless, and the new field opening up in Nebraska
presenting an opportunity for usefulness free from those
obstacles, he deemed it right and wise to cross the river
and enter the work in Nebraska, which he did in 1855.
His ministry in Missouri till thus interrupted, had been
very successful, and has been in Nebraska, but his home-
spun manners and style of preaching did not altogether
suit the taste of the more fastidious people of Omaha, and
his pastorate there can hardly be said to have been very
successful. But the old hero has, by his cheerful, happy
spirit; his inspiring songs, his plain, faithful preaching,
contributed largely to the planting of Methodism in Ne-
braska. There are few, if any, of whom it is more fre-
quently recorded that he was the first to preach the Gos-
pel and organize the Church in the frontier settlements.
He has since passed to his reward.

In 1858 W. M. Smith followed Brother Taylor. Of
him Haynes says : "Mr. Smith was a man of good gifts
for the pulpit, and an able manager of the affairs of the
Church ; but his sentiments on the question then vexing
the Church and nation were im-Wesleyan and provoking
to a majority of the people comprising the communicants
under his administration. The membership was small,
numbering hardly half a hundred, and any subject on
which they could not harmonize, and especially the grave
one at that time agitating the commonwealth, was next
to a disaster, as its direct tendency was to hinder the
most successful carrving on of evangelical work. The

6o History of Nebraska Methodism.

bitterness and asperity indulged in mere conversation
were adverse to spiritual growth, and engendered ani-
mosity which has not yet been outgrown. Mr. Smith's,
success was not what it should have been, and, most
likely would have been, if his views had tallied with a
controlling number of his people. Methodism failed for
this and other reasons to get a prevailing hold on the
citizens and hence suffered for want of adequate sup-
port, either financial or moral."

A man now appears on the scene, a devoted man,
whose ministry was a great blessing to Omaha. H. T.
Davis, D. D., entered the ministry in the Northwest In-
diana Conference on trial, in October, 1855. After three
years of successful work in that Conference, which was
attended with gracious revivals, he felt called to the
Western field, and in 1858 wrote W. M, Smith, who was
then pastor at Omaha, to that effect, and he at once in-
formed the presiding elder of Brother Davis's wishes.
He was offered Bellevue, then vacant. He, as soon as it
was possible to make such a move, reported for duty,
and entered upon a career that has meant much for the
cause of Christ, and especially for Methodism. His
experiences in first entering upon his work in Nebraska,
will be related more in detail in another part of this vol-
ume. His entrance into Omaha, which had already be-
gun to take on city airs, is characteristic both of the man
and of the times. Being unable to secure anything bet-
ter, he secured a lumber wagon drawn by a pair of oxen,
to haul his goods to Omaha, and he and Mrs. Davis on
the load, drove up Farnam Street to the parsonage.

Dr. Davis was a man of great faith and was con-
stantly expecting great things of the Lord, and soon in-

y^, cA ^O-tL-i^-z^

62 History of Nebraska Methodism,

spired his little flock with a like spirit, and they rallied
around him, forgetting their political differences, which
had become so acute under the administration of his pred-
ecessor.

Besides, H. T. Davis was always seen to be a man so
pre-eminently of one work, and that work the salvation of
souls, that few ever thought to inquire after his political
predilection, though his private convictions were well de-
fined. Such a pastor was much needed in Omaha just
at this juncture, when political excitement had reached
a high pitch. Brother Davis found a debt of five hun-
dred dollars on the church, and the whole community
so prostrated financially by the crash of 1857-58 as to
make it impossible to raise the money to pay this debt in
Omaha. His people gladly gave him permission and he
went back among his- Indiana friends and soon raised
the whole amount.

There is no record of any special revival interest dur-
ing the first year, and he himself makes no mention in his
book of special religious interest during the year, as he
most certainly would if there had been. But the follow-
ing year witnessed a very gracious revival.

H. T. Davis's pastorate being full legal term of two
years, carries us to the close of the first period, so further
mention of Omaha will be deferred till we come to treat
the second period.

CHAPTER HI.

FIRST PERIOD. (1854-1861.)

From tracing the history of the beginnings in the
^centers, we pass to a general survey of the whole. While
there is little difference in the date of the first settlements
during this first period along the eastern tier of counties,
probably with the exception of the Morris settlement
noted, we find, as might naturally be expected, that the
rich valleys of the Nemahas lying contiguous to the Ter-
ritory of Kansas, were among the first to be settled. In-
deed, as early as April or May, 1854, Christian Bobst and
family came with some others from Ohio and settled on
the South Fork of the Great Nemaha in the southeastern
corner of Pawnee County, near where Dubois now is.
These were joined in the following August by the Meth-
odist families of Henry and Jerome Shellhorn. During
the summer another settlement was made where Pawnee
City now is. When in the early spring of 1855, that
sturdy Englishman, David Hart, was appointed to the
unorganized region between the Nemahas, he found no
class-leader to tell him of spiritual aft"airs, no committee
to estimate or Quarterly Conference to fix his salary, or
steward to collect it, but he soon found a warm-hearted
welcome to this Methodist neighborhood at South Fork,
that had been waiting nearly a year for the coming of
the itinerant. Here in the cabin of Henry Shellhorn he
preached the first sermon in Pawnee County, and in the

64 History of Nebraska Methodism.

fall of that year he organized the first class in that county,
in the cabin of Christian, or Judge, Bobst.

The following named persons constituted this historic
class : Judge Bobst, Sarah Bobst, his wife ; Mariah
Shellhorn, Jerome Shellhorn and his wife, Mary E. Shell-
horn. Judge Bobst was class-leader and steward, x\
characteristic incident which occurred during the sum-
mer is related by Brother H. Burch, who was traveling
a circuit in Kansas, just across the line, and was at the
time visiting Brother Hart's work, having been invited
to preach on the Sabbath at the Bobst appointment. The
afternoon was rainy and no one was present but the fam-
ily. They had no sermon, but the opportunity for doing
something for the Master was not allowed to pass. Some
time was spent in religious conversation, reading the
Scriptures, singing and prayer. The pastor had called
for their Church letters, but in their moving from Ohio
these had somehow got mislaid. During this informal
religious exercise good Sister Bobst was wonderfully
blessed. The memories of the past and the experience of
the present filled her heart so full of joy that it shone out
of her countenance. The pastor, quick to perceive these
religious expressions, remarked that he guessed Sister
Bobst has found lier Church letter. "This,'" writes
Brother Burch, "was like the spark to the powder, and
there was an explosion of religious joy and acclamations
of praise that continued long after we had retired." Thus
the fires of spiritual life were burning on the altars of
many hearts, ere organization could be accomplished.

A general "history of Nebraska" credits David Hart
with organizing the first Methodist Church in Richard-
son County, at Archer, some time in 1855, which after-

History of Nebraska Methodism. 65

ward became the Church at Falls City, Archer, itself be-
ing moved to that place.

There is no reason to believe that Brother Hart was
able to effect any organizations other than these two, but
doubtless had other preaching places, and was able to re-
port at the Conference of 1856, forty- four full members
and six probationers.

These items given by Rev. C. W. Giddings in a His-
tory of Nebraska, published in 1882. are of interest.
"The Church at Table Rock was organized in 1857, by
Rev. C. V. Arnold, a member of the Wyoming Confer-
ence, Pennsylvania, and consisted of forty members. The
meetings were held for four years at the house of Rev.
C. W. Giddings, who had himself just come to Nebraska.
But many who came at the first settlement got discour-
aged by the hard times and in 1858 left, so that out of
one hundred and fifty families who had come, during the
eighteen months preceding, to make their homes in Table
Rock and vicinity, but fifteen families remained."

In 1856 Nemaha ^Mission is left to be supplied and
Brother Burch thinks it was served by a local preacher
named King. At the Conference of 1857 there are re-
ported sixty members, an increase over the preceding
year. In 1857 Nemaha does not appear, but probably
Table Rock takes its place, and is again left to be sup-
plied. Again there is no information in the ^linutes as
to who supplied, but it was probably C. \'. Arnold, who,
as before referred to by C. W. Giddings. organized Table
Rock Church in 1857. In 1858 Falls City becomes the
name of the circuit, with the old hero, J. W. Taylor, as
circuit preacher. Thus we see that what was originally
Nemaha j\Iission changed its name twice in three years.

66 History of Nebraska Methodism.

These changes in the names and forms of circuits, occur-
ring frequently in those days, make it difficult and often
impossible to trace the growth of any one charge.
Brother Taylor reports at the Conference in 1859 forty
members. At this Conference there are two circuits
formed out of the original Nemaha Mission ; Falls City
and Table Rock, the former receiving as pastor, Jesse L.
Fort, and the latter, J. W. Taylor. It is not unlikely
that Beatrice, on the Big Blue, that for the first time ap-
pears in the Minutes, included also some of the work in
Pawnee County. For Falls City there are reported in
i860, seventy-four members and probationers ; and for
Table Rock, seventy-two. In i860 Falls City is left to
be supplied, and Table Rock has L. W. Smith, under
whose labors there was a great revival.

In the spring of 1857 a steamer was making its toil-
some way up the Missouri River, often detained by
grounding on sandbars, delaying its journey. Some of
those on board, who at the beginning of the trip were
entire strangers, soon found that many were headed for
Nebraska, and during the trip formed a colony to be lo-
cated somewhere in the Territory, the exact location to
be determined after investigation. After landing at Ne-
braska City, two committees were sent out to find a suita-
ble place, and their report, was submitted to a full meet-
ing of the colony in Omaha. The committee recom-
mended a point on the Big Blue and decided to name the
place Beatrice, after one of Judge Kinney's daughters.
Among those who were in this colony and were the first
settlers of Beatrice, were Judge John F. Kinney, J. B.
Weston, and Albert, or "Pap" Towle, as he was knowr
familiarly, and his family. The same boat that brought

History of Nebraska Methodism. 67

this colony to Nebraska brought Bishop Ames to preside
at the Kansas-Nebraska Conference at Nebraska City,
and Adam Poe to represent the "Book Concern," of
which he was one of the agents. Dr. Poe related the
following incident, which occurred on the way up the
river :

"There was a young man on board who was very
officious and curt. He was exceedingly anxious to have
a dance. The cabin was cleared, a fiddler employed, and
everything was made ready for the hop, when the young
man stepped up to a young lady who sat at my side, and
after a very polite bow, said : 'Will you dance with me ?'
'No, sir ; I was better raised,' was the prompt reply.
'And w^here were you raised ?' said the young man, some-
what abashed. 'In the Sunday-school and at the family
altar,' calmly replied the young lady. Involuntarily I
clapped my hand on her shoulder and said, 'Good!' (Dr.
Poe was a tall man, standing six feet in his stockings,
and proportionately large in body.) The young man
squared himself up, thinking he saw something in my
proportions that would do to fight, and then said, 'Well,
if we can't have a dance, perhaps we can have a sermon.'
'Yes, sir;' said I. Knowing the bishop could preach
much better than I, we put him up, and Bishop Ames
gave us one of his best."

The young lady referred to in the above incident is
said to have been the daughter of "Pap" Towle, of
Beatrice.

D. H. May preached the first sermon in Beatrice in
1858, in Towle's cabin. J. W. Foster was assigned to
Beatrice in 1859, being the first pastor ever sent to that
place. His circuit included Blue Springs and perhaps

68 History of Nebraska Methodism.

some other points on the Big- Blue. He reports at the
Conference in i860 fourteen members.

Brownville was among the first in time on the list of
appointments, appearing in 1856, but there was no or-
ganization till 1858, the first class being formed by Philo
Gorton, in February, 1858. During that winter there
was a gracious revival in which some forty or fifty were
converted. Dr. Goode and J. T. Cannon assisted the pas-
tor. At London, as early as 1856, a society was formed
by J. T. Cannon, consisting of six members, and the fol-
lowing year a log church was built, which was also used
for school purposes. J. W. Taylor preached the first ser-
mon at a point where Peru now is, probably some time
in 1856, but the first class was formed by Rev. J. T. Can-
non, at the house of Geo. K. Pettit, early in 1857. Peru
at that time was a part of the Brownville Circuit, and the
next year Philo Gorton was pastor, a name "which appears
for the first time in 1858 and continues well at the front
for a few years and then disappears. He did faithful
work while he remained.

Tecumseh, in Johnson County, appears in the Minutes
for the first time as early as 1857, with H. A. Copeland,
who was received on trial that year, as circuit preacher.
He reports forty-seven members at the next Conference,
At that time Tecumseh itself was little more than a post-
ofiice, the number of people never exceeding one hundred
until after the war, when a number of old soldiers and
others coming in, the town was incorporated in 1865.
There were probably a number of appointments on the
circuit in 1857, all together making the forty-seven mem-
bers above referred to. Following Copeland was J. R.
Minard, in 1858, who was received on trial that year and

History of Nebraska Methodism. 69

discontinued at his own request in 1859. The fact that
the statistics for 1859 are the same as for 1858, being
forty-seven members, indicates that Brother Minard
made no report, and the figures for 1858 are repeated in
1859. In 1859 Tecumseh Circuit was left to be suppHed,
and there was reported at the next Conference thirty-nine
members, a sHght loss, which is probably accounted for
by some change in the circuit, or by the rush to the newly
discovered gold fields in Colorado, which attracted many
from Nebraska, and temporarily depleted our population.
Hiram Burch was succeeded in Nebraska City by D.
H. May, who continued two years. Brother Burch re-
ported seventy members and four probationers at the
Conference of 1857, and Brother May reports one hun-
dred and forty-eight members and fifty-eight probation-
ers ; a very substantial growth in two years, and indicat-
ing faithfulness and efficiency on his part. The two
Chivingtons now appear in Nebraska City; J. M. as pre-
siding elder of the district, and Isaac as preacher in
charge. The membership drops to ninety, with three
probationers, a falling off of over half in a single year.
In i860 J. M. Chivington goes- to Colorado, and Isaac
Chivington becomes presiding elder, with L. D. Price as
pastor. There is a note in the Minutes of 1861 stating
that "there was no regular preacher last year, hence no
report," from which it seems that L. D, Price did not go
or did not remain, and this, then the strongest charge,
was without a pastor. In Otoe County, besides the work
of W. D. Gage, Hiram Burch, and their successors at
Nebraska City, we find traces of that hardy pioneer, Z.
B. Turman, as early at 1857. as far west as Walnut
Creek, near where Syracuse now stands. Jacob SoUen-

70 History of Nebraska Methodism.

burg-er had taken his family and settled on Walnut Creek
as early as 1858, and the McKee family came soon after
and a small class was formed by Brother Turman about
that time. The permanence and final success of this little
struggling- society was probably due more to this faith-
ful layman, Jacob Sollenburger, than to any other one
person. He was as true as steel and a faithful pastor
would always find him a faithful friend and one of the
most efficient stewards the Church has had in Nebraska,
as the writer learned by experience a few years later. He
was one of those stewards who said "something initst
be done." He will appear at a later stage of this history,
but always the same earnest, consistent Christian and effi-
cient official in whatever place he was called to fill.

Wyoming, about nine miles north of Nebraska City,
was laid out as early as 1855, and was a part of the first
Nebraska City Mission, but never developed into any-
thing for Methodism.

A few settlements were scattered along Salt Creek
from a point fifteen miles south, and up to the present
site of Lincoln, as early as 1857, and these appear in the
appointments as Salt Creek Circuit, which is left to be
supplied. The following year Z. B. Turman was ap-
pointed circuit preacher. Of this devoted pioneer Dr.
Davis speaks as follows :

"There were many thrilling events connected with
the early history of Brother Turman's work in Nebraska
which can but be of very great interest and profit to the
reader. At the second session of the Kansas and Ne-
braska Conference, in 1857, the Salt Creek Mission was
formed and Zenus B. Turman was appointed preacher in
charge. The first sermon ever preached in Lancaster

History of Nebraska Methodism. 71

Count}' was by Brother Turman. This was in 1857, and
in the private house of James Eatherton, some twelve
miles south of where the city of Lincoln now stands.
The same year he preached the first sermon ever preached
on the present site of Lincoln. Salt Creek Mission em-
braced seven counties, and Brother Turman established
sixteen preaching places. The settlements were sparse
and confined to the streams and the distance from one to
the other was often very great. Over these prairies, un-
der the burning rays of the summer sun, and the fierce
winds, blinding storms, and terrible winter blizzards,
Brother Turman rode from settlement to settlement, and
calling the people together in their rude dwellings, pro-
claimed to them the Word of Life. All over this part of
the State we see to-day the grand results of the sacrifices
and toils of this noble man of God. The Church planted
by him has arisen in beauty, grandeur, and glory, and we
now enjoy its sacred privileges. I have been intimately ac-
quainted with Brother Turman for thirty years, and I have
often heard him tell of his work in the State in an early
day ; but never have I heard a murmur escape from his
lips. He has always been a genial, uncomplaining, happy,
sunny-hearted minister of the Gospel. The winter of
1858 witnessed one of the most powerful revivals of re-
ligion under his labors, near where Louisville now stands,
that was ever known in that region of the country. The
singing, praying, and rejoicing could be heard for miles
away. The people said, 'The only reason why there were
not more converted was because there were no more peo-
ple to convert.' The revival swept the entire community
into the Church — men, women, and children."*

^Solitary Places Made Glad.

72 History of Nebraska Methodism.

Salt Creek becomes Saline Circuit and appears as
"supplied" in 1859, and only twelve members reported at
Conference in i860. That year W. H. Kendall, who had
just been admitted on trial, was appointed to travel it.
He reports at the Conference of 1861, only ten members.

Burwell Spurlock, who came to Plattsmouth in 1855,
informs me that the first class, of which he was a mem-
ber, was one that had been formed at Broad Cole's cabin,
on what has since been known as the "Perry Walker"
farm, two miles southwest of Plattsmouth, there not be-
ing enough Methodists in Plattsmouth to form a class.
The first pastor was W. D. Gage, whom we have seen
was the first pastor ever appointed to a pastoral charge
in Nebraska, he having been assigned to Nebraska City
Mission in October, 1854. This class at Cole's was very
probably a part of this first Nebraska City Mission at
that time, but the next year became a part of Rock Bluffs
Circuit, organized in 1856, which included Rock Creek,
Plattsmouth, Eight Mile Grove, and Mt. Pleasant, with
J. T. Cannon as the second pastor.

At the Conference of April, 1857, held at Nebraska
City (and the first one held in the Territory), Hiram
Burch was appointed to Plattsmouth, which appears for
the first time in the minutes. Early in the year he organ-
izes the class at Plattsmouth, of thirty members. The
following are some of the names of the first members :
Wesley Spurlock and wife, Burwell Spurlock, Stephen
Spurlock, Charlotte Spurlock, John Spurlock and wife,
Mr. McCarthy and wife, John W.. Marshall and wife,
and Father Throckmorton and wife. Among these ap-
pears the honored name of Burwell Spurlock, who came
to Plattsmouth as early as 1855, and has ever since been

History of Nebraska AIethodism. 73

an influential and useful member of the Church, for many
years at Plattsmouth, and for the last thirteen years he
has, along with his wife Isabella, had charge of the
Mothers' Jewels Home, at York. His wife was Betty
Davis, the daughter of Wade Davis, who was a member
of the ]\Iorris class, before referred to as the first formed
in the Territory, and which was now a part of Platts-
mouth Charge. There were three other appointments,
one at Rock Bluffs, another at A\'ade H. Davis's, and a
fourth at Eight Mile Grove. For three months Burch
also served the J\It. Pleasant Circuit, until supplied bv M.
Pritchard.

Following Hiram Burch at Plattsmouth, was David
Hart, whom we first met in the Nemaha country, preach-
ing where opportunity offered and visiting the people and
talking religion in their homes and organizing classes.

David Hart was born in England, November 21, 1821.
He was early left an orphan and was apprenticed to a
machinist. He was converted at the age of sixteen, and
at twenty-one entered the ministry. After spending
some years in that thorough training school, the Wes-
leyan local ministry, he, in 1852, emigrated to America,
locating at Jacksonville, Illinois, where his first wife died.
In 1854 he came to the Kansas and Nebraska Indian Alis-
sions, and, as elsewhere noted, was, in the spring of 1855
assigned to the Nemaha Mission, ^^'hile at the Indian
Mission he became acquainted with one of the teachers,
Miss Martha Higley, to whom he was married after com-
pleting his work on the Nemahas. He then resided two
years in Holt County, JMissouri, and did missionary work
and assisted in establishing Methodist Churches in Holt,
Nodaway, and Andrews Counties. The following trib-

74 History of Nebraska Methodism.

ute to his work and worth is put on record in the Minutes
by his brethren in the Conference, who esteemed him very
highly :

"Closing his pastorate at Beatrice he was appointed a
third time to Plattsmouth. Here his labors in connection
with Conference commenced, and here, with failing
health, prostrated by his pulpit efforts, his labors closed.
Often with his countenance all aglow with heavenly
transport, he would exclaim, 'I am ready now, this mo-
ment, to depart, if it be the Lord's will.'

"He preached his last sermon from 2 Tim. iv, 6, 7, 8.
The text and sermon were a fitting close to his minis-
terial life. He attended Conference at Omaha last Oc-
tober, took a superannuated relation, and in company
with his wife, went to Utah, hoping that a change of
climate might so restore health as to enable him to resume
labor in that dark, difficult field. He had no desire to
live only to be useful, and his zeal in the cause of God
could only be quenched by the waters of death. While
at Salt Lake City he took part in the services of the
Church as far as he was able, greatly to the edification of
its members. Leaving there he went to American Fork
to spend the winter with his brother-in-law, where, on the
14th of January, 1878, he passed away from earth in holy
triumph, exclaiming, 'Glory,' and saying, 'They are wait-
ing. I see them — a great company. Let us go.'

"Brother Hart was a man of strong faith and full of
the Holy Ghost, and his preaching was in demonstration
of the Spirit and of power. He possessed great energy
of character and was unswerving in his adherence to
the right. He was ardent in his affections and faithful
in all the relations of life, Abundant in labors, he gath-

History of Nebraska ]\Iethodism. 75

ered many sheaves into the garner of the Lord and will
doubtless have many stars in the crown of his rejoicing."

David Hart was followed at Plattsmouth bv Philo
Gorton, but of his pastorate there we have no record ex-
cept that he remained the full term of two years and
turned the charge over to his successor in good condition.

Jesse L. Fort is appointed in i860, and is able to re-
port in iS6i, sixty-eight members.

When Brother Burch went to Plattsmouth it was the
head of a circuit of four appointments with the strong
class in the Davis settlement as one of these. In 1859
this becomes the head of the circut, which reports one
hundred and forty-eight at the close of the year. To
make this circuit probably the outside appointments were
taken off from Plattsmouth, leaving that with Eight Mile
Grove and Oreapolis as a charge. Probably Plattsmouth
society was having a substantial growth during the years
it was seeming to be losing, or barely holding its own,
or actually reporting a heavy loss.

]\It. Pleasant was one of the earliest circuits formed
and for many years one of the strongest and most desira-
ble circuits. It appears as the head of a circuit for the
first time in 1857, and was left to be supplied. Pending
the securing of a man for the place. Hiram Burch served
it temporarily in addition to his four appointments on the
Plattsmouth Charge.

Among the first settlers was W. D. Gage, who had
located and taken a claim there as early as 1856, and was
living there with his family. In 1856 a stanch Methodist
layman, Stephen B. Hobson, long known as "Uncle
Stephen," moved into that settlement, and from his
daughter, Mrs. J. H. Bates, now residing in California,

76 History of Nebraska Methodism.

and Rev. George Hobson, his son, and other sources, and
my own knowledge, I am able to glean a few facts con-
cerning the beginning of the work at Mt. Pleasant and
vicinity, and the part their honored father bore in the
planting of the afterward flourishing vine.

That same summer that Stephen Hobson settled at
]\It. Pleasant (then called Cassville). a Sabbath-school
was held in the shade of a large oak-tree near the house
of Rewel Davis, conducted by Matthew Hughes, Milton
Case, J. F. Buck, and a few others. Mrs. Bates says the
first sermon she heard was by W. D. Gage, in an un-
finished frame building that afterward belonged to Bran-
non. That old veteran, Joseph T. Cannon, was the first
circuit preacher, having been assigned to Rock Bluff Cir-
cuit in 1856, which then included Mt. Pleasant, and in-
deed all of Cass County and part of Otoe. He preached
in the house of Matthew Hughes. In the summer of
1857, Sabbath-school was held in Uncle Stephen Hob-
son's house, as was also the preaching ; and several quar-
terly-meetings were held there. By much effort a log
school-house was built that vear, which also served as a
place of worship. Though no mention is made of the
fact by Mrs. Bates, it is very probable that during J. T.
Cannon's pastorate, the first organization of a class was
effected, with the Gage and Hobson and other families
as members.

It was a characteristic fact that in the home of Stephen
Hobson, the infant society was first nursed into strength
and begun that career of growth and power and influence,
which, for nearly forty years, was equaled by few and
excelled by none of the other stations or circuits of Ne-
braska Methodism. And through all that magnificent

History or- Nebraska Methodism.

history. Uncle Stephen Hobson was the mainstay of the
Church. He was recording steward for thirty-five years,
missing but two quarterly-meetings in the first ten years
of the history of the charge, and one of these was on ac-
count of sickness, and the other was once when serving
on a jury. He always made it a point to be on hand in
time to pass the bread and water. Xot only was he faith-
ful in these official relations, but also in his attendance on
the means of grace. The pastor not only expected to see

UNCLE " STEPHEN AND "AUNT" MARY
HOBSON, AT WHOSE HOME THE MT.
PLEASANT CLASS WAS ORGANIZED.

him at the preaching service, but was just as sure to find
Uncle Stephen in his place at prayer and class meeting.
He would never go to town (Plattsmouth, their nearest
trading point, twelve miles distant) on Thursday, lest he
might not get back in time for prayer-meeting.

It may be truthfully said that all the pastors who have
ever served Mt. Pleasant Circuit have reason to thank
God for faithful, punctual, sympathetic, helpful Stephen
"B. Hobson, and his not less devoted wife, "Aunt Mary."
The writer looks back to the fact that he was one of those
fortunate pastors and Uncle Stephen and Aunt Mary

78 History of Nebraska Methodism.

hold a warm place in his affections and he and his wife
will never forget them.

I offer no apology for giving this much space to this
layman. He stands as a representative of a class of faith-
ful men and women who helped plant and develop the
Church in all parts of Nebraska, and who have been
among the Aarons and Hurs who, during the battle, have
held up the hands of the leader. I would give equal
space to many other men and women of the laity, ec|ually
deserving, but can not. For while their deeds of faithful
self-sacrifice are on record on high, they are not on earth,
and to-day only God knows how much the faithful men
and women of the laity have done in the last fifty years
for Nebraska Methodism.

In after years Stephen Hobson found by his side such
faithful friends and helpers as Bird and family. Brother
and Sister John Frew and Flora Frew, Wm. Schleisti-
meir. Brother and Sister Winslow, and others of like
precious memory.

Stephen Hobson raised a family of children who all,
early in life, became stanch Methodists, and one son,
George A. Hobson, was given to the ministry, and has
spent many years in the ranks of the itinerancy. His clear
thought and sound preaching have been a blessing to
many ; and though now on the superannuated list in the
Nebraska Conference, because of partial deafness, is still
busy along literary lines, and is highly respected by his
brethren.

When, as before noted, ]\It. Pleasant was made the
head of a circuit. Dr. Goode, as he frequently did during
his administration, drew on Indiana Methodism for the
man to supply the place, and at the end of the first quar-

History of Nebraska Methodism. 79

ter, that stalwart Alethodist preacher, ]\Iartin Pritchard,
entered upon his pastorate at Alt. Pleasant, a circuit with
six appointments, and began an honorable career of great
usefulness, which was to continue twenty years. It closed
in triumph at Peru, March 24, 1877. At the next Con-
ference his brethren pay the following tribute of his work
and worth :

"Rev. Martin Pritchard was born in the State of
Ohio, April 23, 1827. When seventeen years of age he
was converted and united with the Alethodist Episcopal
Church. About the same time he left home, and without
any pecuniary aid from others he secured a good
education. He then engaged in teaching, and continued
in that employment until he entered the traveling connec-
tion. He was licensed as an exhorter when twenty-three
years of age, and as a local preacher about two years
later.

"In the spring of 1857 he was united in marriage to
Miss Mary Howard, and a month or two after came to
Nebraska, and was employed as a supply on Mt. Pleasant
Mission, by Rev. W. H. Goode, presiding elder of Ne-
braska District. He at once entered upon his duties as
an itinerant with that energy and devotion to his work
which so signally characterized his whole career as a min-
ister, and the fruits of his labor gave abundant proof
that he was indeed called to the work of the Gospel min-
istry. At the close of the year he was recommended to
the traveling connection, and was received on trial in
the Kansas and Nebraska Conference at its session in
Topeka, April, 1858. As a preacher he was sound in
doctrine, his sermons solid rather than brilliant. His
piety was of that cheerful type that caused him to look on

8o History oi? Nebraska Methodism.

the bright side of life, and rendered him hopeful and
happy. During the last two years of his life he was at
times a great sufferer. For months together paroxysms
of pain were frequent and very severe, but amidst it all
he maintained that same cheerful spirit, and was never
heard to utter a word of complaint. During his last ill-
ness, which continued ten days, his mind and heart was
still upon his work ; and as late as Thursday, he still
thought he would be able to attend his quarterly-meeting
on Saturday and Sunday, but when Saturday morning
came, the messenger of death came also, and found him
ready alike for labor and for rest. When the congestive
chill, of which he died, was upon him, stupefying both
body and mind, so that he thought and spoke of little
that related to earth, he was twice asked if he felt Jesus
to be precious, and twice answered with emphasis, 'Yes,
O yes,' and soon, with apparently little or no pain, he
passed from earth to heaven to join the happy spirit of
his cherub child, which only a few hours had preceded
him to glory, leaving his family thus doubly bereaved to
mourn the loss of a kind and loving husband and father,
and this Conference one of the ablest and most efficient
members. But while we mourn, we also rejoice — rejoice
that he being dead yet speaketh. Though our lamented
brother is no more among us, he lives in his labors and in
his influence, and his memory is enshrined in our hearts."
Besides what his brethren have noted above of the
facts of Martin Pritchard's life and work, there are a
few others which in justice ought to be mentioned. It
was he who built the first Methodist parsonage in Ne-
braska, this being erected during his pastorate at Peru in
i860. He also built the first church in Pawnee City.

History of Nebraska Methodism. 8i

At the election for the delegates to the General Con-
ference of 1876, Martin Pritchard came within one vote
of being elected delegate, W. B. Slaughter and H. T.
Davis being the successful competitors. He was twice
elected reserve delegate and served four years as a mem-
ber of the Book Committee, one of the most responsible
positions of the Church.

These facts tell of the high esteem in which Martin
Pritchard was held by the Nebraska Conference and the
Church at large. His wife, and now his widow, is a most
noble specimen of beautiful, sanctified, Christian woman-
hood, and bore well her part as an itinerant's wife.

After Martin Pritchard's tw^o years expired. Rock
Blufifs becomes the head of the circuit, and as the name
does not appear separately, Mt. Pleasant doubtless re-
mains a part of the Rock Bluffs Circuit till 1862, when it
again becomes the head of a circuit. J. T. Cannon is
Martin Pritchard's successor, remaining the legal limit
of two years. The first year he had (as we have seen)
Jacob Adriance as junior preacher, but he was soon sent
out to Colorado. The second year Philo Gorton was
junior preacher. This being the only circuit that had two
men assigned to it, indicates, as do the statistics, that it
is the largest and strongest in the Territory. This is in
marked and sad contrast with the Rock Bluffs of to-day,
where town and Church are extinct.

This will, perhaps, be a suitable place to make fur-
ther mention of J. T. Cannon, who was Jacob Adriance's
senior preacher on the Rock Bluffs Circuit when the lat-
ter was taken away for the Colorado work.

Joseph T. Cannon came to Nebraska among the first,
and from 1855 he becomes a member of the little band

82 History of Nebraska Methodism.

that during the fifties were laying the foundations of
Nebraska Methodism. Mt. Pleasant Circuit and other
charges mentioned elsewhere were helped by his faithful
labors. After his death his brethren give this brief ac-
count of his life and death :

"Rev. Joseph T. Cannon was born in Shelby County,
Ohio, September i8, 1814, and died of dropsy in Cass
County, Nebraska, July 24, 1883, in the seventieth year
of his age.

"His grandfather was a native of Tennessee, and a
schoolmate of General A. Jackson. Joseph T. Cannon
was converted to God at the age of seventeen. Was mar-
ried November 7, 1835, to Miss Phoebe Jordon. In 1839
he was licensed to preach, and for fourteen years labored
on various circuits in the JMissouri Conference as local
preacher. In 1851 he joined the Missouri Conference
and was ordained deacon by Bishop Waugh, at Hannibal,
Missouri. In 1855 he moved to Otoe County, Nebraska,
within the bounds of Kansas and Nebraska Conference,
and continued in the itinerancy three years. I i860 he
was appointed to pioneer work, and stationed at Central
City, Colorado. While there, he, with Rev. Brother Wat-
son (brother to Richard Watson of Methodist fame),
erected the first Methodist church in that country. They
built it mostly with their own hands, hewing the logs on
the mountain side, and carrying them on their shoulders
to the site of the church. His labors there told seriously
on his health, and he returned to Nebraska, and settled
on his farm in Cass County, near the Union Methodist
Episcopal Church. In 1870 he was elected to the eighth
Legislature of Nebraska, and did his work well. In 1871
his wife died, in the blissful hope of heaven, leaving a

History of Nebraska Methodism. 83

husband and three children to mourn their loss. In 1874
he married Miss Mary S. Daley.

"As a preacher, Brother Cannon was moderate in
speech, concise and practical. In the Conference he en-
joyed the respect of all, and was highly esteemed by
those who knew him best. As a Christian he was quiet,
thoughtful, patient, and persevering. He suffered much
by disease, which sometimes brought clouds and disap-
pointments to his mind, but never did he lose confidence in
his God. His end was peaceful and grandly triumphant.
He even exulted in the approaching hour, and passed
gently away to his reward, leaving a wife and little son,
Wallace, and three adult married children. Thus Brother
Cannon lived long, labored much, and died triumphantly."

CHAPTER IV.

FIRST PERIOD. (1854-1861.)

As EARLY as 1856-57 town site companies and other
speculative organizations, confidently expecting that a
railroad would soon be constructed along the Platte \^al-
ley, induced people to form settlements and start towns
as far west as Hall County. Beginning with Dodge and
Platte Counties, we have the towns of North Bend, Fre-
mont, and Columbus, started in the order named. In
1857 a large German colony had also settled in Hall
County, at the mouth of Wood River, farther west than
any other settlement, being about 150 miles west of the
Missouri River.

These settlers must have the Gospel, and as early as
1857 North Bend which probably included Columbus and
intermediate points, was among the appointments named
in the Minutes, but was left to be supplied. About this
time another town was platted, east of North Bend, which
was destined to become the most important citv in the
State west of Omaha, and the Methodist Church at that
place has ever been and is now, one of the most influen-
tial in the State. Of the founding of this town and
Church I shall let Mrs. Ida Moe tell the story :

"In the sultry month of August, 1856, there set out
from the rough territorial capital called Omaha, a group
of young men filled with a very definite purpose.

"Following the grass-walled road which in the past

History of Nebraska AIethodism. 85

had been the trail of the Indian, the explorer, the Mor-
mon, and was destined to become in the immediate future
the natural highway of the freighter, the emigrant, and
the engineer, they halted about forty miles to the west,
and with chain, chart, and tripod ran out the lines and
set the stakes that outlined the site of a new town. A
sea of prairie grasses billowing in the wind, the level
valley of the Platte stretched away, four miles to the
bluffs on the north, one to the river in the south, to the
horizon on the east and the west.

"In June, John C. Fremont had been made the nomi-
nee of the Republican party. Being ardent partisans and
most of them of that political faith, the founders of the
infant burg bestowed upon it the name of the picturesque
and popular presidential candidate.

''Among the half-dozen families who were the first
settlers was that of a Congregational minister. Rev. Isaac
E. Heaton. A good man and a scholar, he was held in
deep esteem by his fellow-citizens and his subsequent
long and godly life was felt to be a benediction to the
community. But those who had been adherents of other
forms of faith were early desirous of establishing their
own Church organization and soon began to break away
from the common fold.

"Two brothers, Eliphus H. and Lucius Henry Rogers,
had been reared in a Methodist parsonage and were eager
to enjoy the service of God in accordance with their own
mode of worship. This desire led to the formation in
1857 of a class consisting of five members : E. H. Rogers,
his wife, Lucy J. Rogers, L. H. Rogers, Mrs. Mary A.
Flor, a young woman who had come with her husband
from Wisconsin, Mrs. \\'ealthy Beebe, a widow who with

86 History of Nebraska Methodism.

her four sons had settled upon a claim three miles west
of the village.

"E. H. Rogers was the first leader, and except when
absent for brief intervals, continued to sustain that rela-
tion until his death. The first pastor was Rev. Jerome
Spillman, who had been assigned to Fontanelle Mission,
of which Fremont constituted one appointment."

This is the first appearance- of this flaming evangelist
in Nebraska. He was born and converted and educated
in Indiana. Indiana Methodism at that time, as it had
ever been, was of the most aggressive type, and was led
by men who were giants in intellectual stature and full
of the Holy Ghost, mighty in word and deed. Among
these Jerome Spillman received his first inspiration, and
imbibed his ideals of Methodism "as Christianity in ear-
nest." He was pursuing the course of study at old "As-
bury," under the great Dr. Cyrus Nutt, who was then
president. After a few years of college life, and before
graduation, he heard the call for men to plant Methodism
in Nebraska, and reported to J. M. Chivington for work.
The following letter will explain how Jerome Spillman
was initiated into the work, and will illustrate how pre-
siding elders supplied these fields as the needs demanded :

"Omaha, June 22, 1857.

"E. H. Rogers, Esq., — Dear Brother: This will intro-
duce to you Rev. Jerome Spillman. I have employed him
on the Fontenelle and North Bend Missions. He is a
young man, as you will see ; still he is full of fire, and
will do you good service. He is just now from Indiana
Asbury University (of the junior class), is a good scholar
and will prosecute his studies until he graduates. Board

History of Nebraska Methodism. 87

him if you can. I will be out on the eleventh of July.
Kind regards to yourself and family. Yours truly,

"J. M. Chivington.''

As stated in Mrs. Moe's account, Brother Spillman
soon had a class organized. Meetings were held at the
home of E. H. Rogers. Under these humble conditions,
with a membership of five, began the history of one of
the most prosperous Churches in the State. This Church
from the first was blessed with the membership of strong,
zealous, and influential laymen. The two Rogers. E. H.
and L. H., were from the first marked men in the com-
munity, and leaders in every legitimate enterprise that
promised to promote the interests of the place and Church.
From the first and as long as they lived, they were a tower
of strength in the struggling Church. They were the
sons of Rev. L. C. Rogers, an honored member of the
old Oneida Conference in New York. E. H. Rogers was
born in Litchfield, New York, January 12, 1830, and
Lucius H. Rogers was born March 20, 1834. These two
men will often appear in the story of our Church in Ne-
braska, and always in some honorable relation, or some
important work.

Fontenelle, on the Elkhorn, some twelve miles north
of Fremont, was one of the oldest towns in the State,
though now almost entirely defunct. But during those
early years it was a place of some importance, with a
population of two hundred, and much promise, and un-
limited expectations. It appears among the appoint-
ments in the Minutes of 1856, and was left to be supplied.
J. A. Wilson was employed as a supply, but failed to ap-
pear, and the charge was served that Conference year by

88 History of Nebraska Methodism.

M. M. Haun, who reported fifteen members. Then, as
we have seen, Jerome SpiHman was sent to supply Fon-
tenelle, which it seems, from Chivington's letter, included
both Fremont and North Bend. At Fontenelle he had a
gracious revival, the first of a series which attended his
ministry in Nebraska. There seems not to have been any
revival at Fremont or North Bend, probably for lack of
suitable places to hold special meetings. Brother Spill-
man reported forty-five full members and twenty-eight
probationers, where the year before there had been but
fifteen. The name of North Bend appears in the Minutes
in 1857 as being left "to be supplied," but as seen by Pre-
siding Elder Chivington's letter, it was included in
Jerome Spillman's field. It was little more than one of
the numerous paper towns, though $60,000 worth of lots
had been sold, mostly to Eastern purchasers. When
Jacob Adriance was appointed to Platte Valley Circuit
in 1858, it extended from Fremont to Columbus, and in-
cluded North Bend and Buchanan.

The work in Sarpy County began with Bellevue Cir-
cuik, which included Fairview and all the points in the
county, and appears for first time in 1857, to be supplied,
and was also left to be supplied in 1858, and, as already
noted, H. T. Davis was placed in charge at that time. In
1859," Jerome Spillman, that flaming evangelist, whose
labors were everywhere attended with great revivals,
fresh from his victories at Fontenelle, was assigned to
Bellevue. There was a great revival and the member-
ship which had been reported at the Conference of 1858
as ten, and in 1859 as nine, was reported at the end of
Jerome Spillman's first year to be sixty-two, with eighty-
two probationers. It Vv^as at this meeting that T. B.

History of Nebraska Methodism. 89

Lemon, who, after some years of efficient labor in the
Baltimore Conference, had come West and gone into the
practice of law, was recalled to his duty as a minister of
the Gospel. In i860. Jerome Spillman is returned to
Bellevue, with J. H. Ailing as junior preacher, and re-
ports in 1 86 1 one hundred and eleven members and sixty-
four probationers, showing that the revival of the pre-
vious year left permanent results.

Of Spillman's preaching, Judge A. N. Ferguson, of
Omaha, son of Judge Fenner Ferguson, the lirst chief
justice of the Territory, has this to say : "I was but a
boy of sixteen at that time, but I often heard Spillman
during that great revival and at other times, and no
preacher that I have heard in Nebraska has impressed me
more profoundly than did Jerome Spillman." His pow-
erful preaching and great revivals were still matters often
referred to wdien the writer came to Nebraska in 1865.
He went into the service of his country early in the Civil
War, as chaplain, Plattsmouth and Oreapolis being his
last charge in Nebraska, to which he was appointed in
1 86 1. After the war he remained in the South.

When in 1856 Isaac Collins was changed from Omaha
to Florence, after having served the full term of two
ecclesiastical years at Omaha, though not two full cal-
endar years, the town was flourishing and still hopeful.
There had been a church built at Omaha : there must be
one built at Florence. This Collins undertook during
the inflated times pending just then. But before it could
be completed the financial crash of 1857-58 came, and
money became scarce. But they felt the building must
now be completed, and five hundred dollars were bor-
rowed at five per cent a month, the pastor going on the

90 History of Nebraska Methodism.

note with some others. This rate of interest may seem
incredible now, but was common then, as were even
higher rates. By the time of the next Conference, 1858,
when Hiram Burch was appointed to succeed ColUns,
the case had become hopeless, the principal and interest
on the note already amounting to more than the cost of
the building, and the people having lost heavily, there
was nothing left but to do that which a Methodist
preacher hates to do, acknowledge defeat. 'They ac-
cepted an ofifer of the creditors to take the building and
cancel the note. These afterward sold the building to
the school district, and it was still used for religious
services.

After a year of discouraging work in a town that was
constantly losing ground, Brother Burch was returned;
Calhoun, DeSoto, and Cuming City being added to Flor-
ence, and the name of the circuit changed to DeSoto.
Fort Calhoun, DeSoto, and Cuming City were very simi-
lar in their fortunes and history to that of Florence.
They flourished for a few years, and then declined.
Isaac Collins, while at Omaha, preached at Calhoun once
in four weeks, and even went occasionally as far as De-
Soto, twenty miles from Omaha. These places had, dur-
ing their brief history, the services of some of the ablest
and most efficient preachers, such as Isaac Collins, H.
Burch, Jerome Spillman, Jacob" Adriance, T. B. Lemon,
and in the early sixties, J. B. Maxfield and A. G. White.
But manifest destiny was stronger than even these strong
men, and these places became defunct in a few years.
But during the fifties they kept their places in the list of
appointments. During Burch's second year there were
some gracious revivals and the Church made gratifying

History of Nebraska Methodism. 91

progress. Brother Burch continued to preach at Flor-
ence, though the Baptists and Presbyterians had aban-
doned the field. The town continued to run down, and
the faithful work of Collins and Burch came to naught,
as was often the case in those times of shifting fortunes.
While Brother Burch was in a revival-meeting at Cal-
houn, the following sad incident occurred, as related by
Dr. Goode, who had stopped on his way home to assist :

"\Ye now approach a scene of deep and painful inter-
est ; one which, in its results, was greatly to affect my
future life and labors. Hitherto, in all my wanderings
and toils, I had always had a devoted and willing par-
ticipant. Home had been cheered and made a resting-
place, with a society and companionship all that I desired.
Absence had been relieved by the reflection that the family
altar w-as kept up, the morning and evening sacrifice of-
fered, the interests and comfort of dependent ones pro-
vided for, and all the details of secular business and do-
mestic care guided by a competent and faithful hand. A
counselor, too, and friend, had been near me in every
hour of impetuosity or of discouragement ; diffident, un-
obtrusive, but judicious, constant, gentle, faithful.

"The opinion had seemed to be mutually, though
rather silently, entertained that I, though possessing more
firmness of physical constitution, should first be called
away; and all the arrangements of later years had con-
templated this event. For this I had endeavored to have
my "house in order." But how vain are all our plans
founded upon mere presentiment. 'God's ways are not
our ways, nor His thoughts our thoughts.' A cup was
prepared for me of which I had never expected to drink.

"Upon the morning of the third of February, 1859,

92 History of Nebraska Methodism.

I started upon the northern portion of my fourth round
of quarterly-meetings. The trip would take me to the
extreme of the district and occupy several weeks. All
at home were Well and cheerful. My meeting at De-
Soto was attended. On the morning of Thursday, the
9th, my last day in Tekama, the family scene at home
had been as usual. My wife, according to her uniform
custom in my absence, had assembled the household at an
early hour, read the Holy Scriptures, the portion for that
morning being Psalm cxlvi, bowed with her children, and
commended them to God in prayer. A few hours passed
in household avocations, when, while seated at her needle
she was suddenly attacked with violent illness. Medical
aid was immediately called, but in vain. The disease
baffled medicine, and almost from the first precluded hope.
On the morning of the 14th, God released her sanctified
spirit and took her to Himself.

"My supposed great distance, and the want of knowl-
edge of my route, prevented my being sent for, though
in reality I had passed most of the time of her illness
within one day's ride of home. Reaching Omaha in the
afternoon, where I had expected to pass the night, I
heard of her illness, and in ten minutes after of her death.
A solitary, but hasty, night ride of twenty-five miles
brought me to my home at a late hour. Unknowingly, I
passed into a room where my eyes rested upon the pre-
cious remains, before I had seen a living being about the
house.

"Reason remained unimpaired to the last. Under the
most racking torture, perfect patience and resignation
were exercised. Not a murmur escaped. Eight children
were at her bedside. During the illness she had all ob-

History of Nebraska Methodism. 93

jects removed out of sight which reminded her of un-
finished plans and contemplated domestic arrangements,
saying-, 'I shall work no more,' calmly gave directions
about her household affairs, even the most minute, in-
quired kindly after the health of some that were indis-
posed, thanked attending friends for their good offices,
and expressed a fear that she should be troublesome or
grow impatient, gave instructions for preparations for
her funeral, addressed personally each of her children
present, sent her last words to the absent one, and charged
all to meet her in heaven, enjoined them to be 'kind to
their father,' left a most tender and consoling message for
myself, referring to my expectation that she would sur-
vive me, 'Tell him not to grieve — we shall meet soon,' ex-
claiming near the last. 'O that I could see Mr. G. once
more !' From the first her confidence was firm and re-
peatedly expressed. Almost the last words uttered were
two lines of a hymn often sung in our family worship :

" 'Rock. of Ages, cleft lor me,
Ltt nie hide myself in Thee !' "

It was in the spring of 1857 that there appeared on
the field a young man who was destined to play a large
part in the planting of Methodism in Nebraska and Den-
ver, Colorado.

Jacob Adriance was born in Cayuga County, New
York, October 22, 1835. His parents were members of
the Dutch Reformed Church, but afterward joined the
Methodist Episcopal Church. A\'hen Jacob was ten years
of age his parents moved to Niagara County, New York,
where he grew up to manhood. He attended the district
school and three terms at the Wilson Collegiate Institute.

94 History of Nebraska Method rsM.

He was religiously inclined from childhood, but
thought he must wait until grown up before acknowledg-
ing it openly, hence did not become a Christian until he
was sixteen, when he was converted. Two years later he
felt called to preach the gospel, but the call included the
additional idea that it should be a long way from home.
Though he says he was as conscious of the call as if some
person had spoken, he, like Jeremiah, and probably every
truly called prophet of God, hesitated from a sense of in-
adequacy, saying, "I can't do that, I have no qualifica-
tions as to gift of speech, or education for so great a
task." After thus resisting the call for more than a year,
conscientious Jacob Adriance surrendered and said, "Yes,
Lord, I'll go." Having had a license to preach pressed
upon him, and armed with a government land warrant for
i6o acres of land, the gift of his father, on the seventh
of April, 1857, at the age of twenty-two, he turned his
face toward the mighty West, that country afar ofif where
it seemed stipulated in his call to the ministry that he
should in after years "make full proof of his ministry."

He reached Nebraska City April 26th, a day after
the Conference had adjourned. He then walked to Glen-
wood to see Dr. Goode, and thence to Omaha to see the
presiding elder of the Omaha District. It was charac-
teristic of this modest man that his highest ambition up
to that time was to assist some pastor, and when offered
sole charge of 'DeSoto Mission, he shrank from the re-
sponsibility, and only after considerable pressure did he
consent to go, and entered upon his work. Instead of
entering a quarter section of land with his land warrant,
he sold it for $163 that he might have the means to pro-
cure a horse and other outfit necessary for an itinerant

History of Nebraska Methodism. 95

circuit rider in Nebraska. A good brother gave him a
pair of saddle-bags. He had less than twenty dollars
left after these purchases, and this was soon spent for
Sunday-school libraries, as we shall see. The presiding
elder had taken a map and showed him nine appoint-
ments which were to constitute his circuit, including, be-
sides DeSoto, Cuming City, Tekamah, and Decatur, some
other towns. He says of the other towns the good elder
had shown him on the map, they had either gone into the
river or were mere paper towns. Methodism had not as
yet a single class organized on this field, much less
churches and parsonages, nor was any other Church or-
ganized. Nothing had been raised the year before but a
little sod corn, but most of the settlers had come too late
for even that. There were not to exceed one hundred
people in any one of these four towns, though each were
hopeful of a great future. Decatur was then confidently
expecting a railroad and is still in a receptive mood after
nearly fifty years of waiting. Brother Adriance was
the first regular pastor of these places, and his first serv-
ice was on May third, at DeSoto. in the home of Jacob
Carter, a Baptist. He found but two Methodists. T. W.
Carter and P.. S. Sprague. But he organized a Sunday-
school on the I2th of July, 1857, purchasing a library for
the same of Rev. ]\Ioses F. Shinn. of Omaha, who was
then Sunday-school agent of the Iowa Conference. T. W.
Carter had organized a Sunday-school as early as 1856,
the first in Washington County, but it had gone down.
The following winter he held extra services, and there
were three conversions. While Isaac Collins was as-
sisting in holding these meetings, a rather ludicrous in-
cident occurred, which well illustrates the spirit of the

96 History of Nebraska Methodism.

times. Perhaps the form of amusement the Methodist
preachers most frequently came in conflict with in all
those earlier days, was the dance, usually so prevalent in
newly settled countries. The meetings were producing a
profound impression on the community and threatened
to break up the dancing business entirely. Some of the
leaders in that amusement determined to take vengeance
on the preachers, and if possible, break up the meeting.
Finding a small, dead dog, these hoodlums slipped up to
the house, and while Brother Collins was preaching,
hurled the dead carcass through an open window, strik-
ing him in the back. The dead canine was removed, and
except a ripple of excitement, the meeting went on as
usual, the sermon was finished, and victory was on Is-
rael's side.

With the two Methodists which Jacob Adriance found
at DeSoto and those converted at the meeting, and some
others who came in later, he, by the close of the Con-
ference year, organized a class of twenty-two with a
Brother Harney as leader. This was the first class or-
ganized at this place.

On the same Sabbath that Jacob Adriance opened his
mission in Nebraska at DeSoto, on the morning of the
3d of May, 1857. he preached at Cuming City in the
evening, in a log cabin without any door. A local
preacher from Iowa, by the name of L. F. Stringfield,
had been over in the fall of 1856 and preached a few
times, but no organization had been effected. Finding
seven Methodists, Adriance organized a class, appoint-
ing H. Benner class-leader. This is the first class he ever
organized, but it was not the last. On the 17th of May
he organized a Sunday-school and again purchased a li-

History of Nebraska ]\Iethodism. 97

brary of M. F. Shinn, packing the same on his pony
from Omaha to Cuming City, a distance of over thirty
miles.

At Tekamah, in Burt County, he found that that zeal-
ous local preacher, L. F. Stringfield, had preceded him,
preaching a few times in the fall of 1856. A general
history of Nebraska states that in 1854 the first sermon
ever preached in Tekamah was by a Methodist preacher,
but gives no name.* In 1855, Rev. Wm. Bates, a local
preacher who lived near Tekamah, preached a few times.
His brother, Rufus Bates, was an enthusiastic and effi-
cient choir leader, and for many years rendered valuable
service along that line. This same history states that
Springfield organized the Methodist Church in 1856, but
Adriance found no trace of the organization. He says
that he found eleven members, and organized the first
class ever formed there. This is probably correct, or if
there was a class formed in 1856, it had been allowed to
lapse, as was sometimes the case. W'm. Bates, a local
elder, was appointed class-leader. Brother Adriance's
first service was at the house of Benjamin Folsom, whose
wife was a stanch Methodist and deeply pious Christian.
The other members of this historic class, the only one of
those formed by this faithful pastor on this circuit that
has remained permanent till this day, was Michael Oh-
linger and wife, Adam Ohlinger, and John Oaks, after-
ward the founder of Oakland. Here he also organized a
Sunday-school May 24th, purchasing a library and pack-
ing it up from Omaha on his pony. The class doubled in
numbers during the year. At Decatur Brother Adriance
found a population of about fifty, but at that time no
Alethodists, and though he preached there regularly, could

* This was probably 'W'. D. Gafire.

98 History of Nebraska Methodism.

effect no organization. His first service was on a week
night, May 7, 1857, at the hotel, with ten persons present.

In reviewing the year's work, he says : "I held no
extra services, except at DeSoto, for want of a place ;
there were no public rooms available, and dwellings were
small and full. The year with me was one of many
severe trials, both of body and soul, but of many expe-
riences that were helpful to me in after years. I found
twenty-two members ; I left forty-six." He found not a
single organization of Church or Sunday-school. He
left a fairly well organized circuit, out of which has since
grown several strong charges, among them Blair and
Tekamah. Like Paul, he laid the foundations which
others have built upon. His last Quarterly Conference
renewed his license, and recommended him for admission
on trial into the traveling connection, which was done at
the Conference in 1858 at Topeka.

Jacob Adriance is one of those unassuming men that
rarely pass for all they are worth. But all soon came to
respect and believe in him as a pure-minded, sincere
Christian man. His preaching had little of the arts of
oratory or embellishments of fine rhetoric, but possessed
that element of genuineness and sincerity that all orators
must have if they would be permanently successful.
His messages of truth came straight from a warm, sym-
pathetic heart, and his hearers felt that he was seeking
them, not theirs. His preaching was effective chiefly in
building up believers in the faith, but his ministry was
also attended with many precious revivals and he will
have many stars in his crown. Besides,- he was gifted
with a wonderful power of song, that added greatly to
his usefulness. He was in demand at camp-meetings,

History of Nebraska Methodism, 99

where his singing was deeply impressive. Brother
Btirch tells of his being at the camp-meeting at Carrolls
Grove, in Cass County, in 1857, where among other songs
which he rendered in a most impressive manner was one
entitled, "The Prodigal Son," during which the congre-
gation was a good deal stirred. Thus Jacob Adriance has
been permitted to sing the gospel as well as preach it, and
only eternity will reveal the number that have been saved
or helped through his twofold ministry.

Adriance was followed on the DeSoto IMission by
Jerome Spillman. The drcuit presumably included the
same points as the year before, though we have no means
of knowing certainly about this, circuits being subject to
change in their boundaries at any time, as the exigencies
of the work demanded. Knowing what we do of Jerome
Spillman we can hardly conceive of his spending a year
on a circuit without a revival at one or more of his ap-
pointments, yet the JMinutes show no gain on DeSoto Cir-
cuit during that year. The following year, as we have
seen, DeSoto was served by Hiram Burch, and Tekamah,
which probably included Decatur and other points, ap-
pears in the list as a separate circuit "to be supplied."
There is no means of knowing who, if any one, was found
to supply it, and the statistics for that year show no
growth in membership.

The following year, i860, Z. B. Turman, whom we
have already found at the front in other places doing
valiant service, is sent to Tekamah, and as might be ex-
pected, the membership is more than doubled. The next
year after Brother Burch's pastorate, on the DeSoto Cir-
cuit, the name of the circuit is again changed, and it ap-
pears in the Minutes of i860 as "Calhoun, to be supplied."

loo History of Nebraska Methodism.

The man found to supply this hard field was no less a per-
sonage than T. B. Lemon, who now appears for the first
time in the work in Nebraska and is destined to fill a large
place in the next twenty-five years. During this, his first
pastorate, a great revival takes place at old DeSoto, trans-
forming the whole neighborhood.

John E. West, now a resident of Crawford, Nebraska,
was then living at DeSoto. He sometimes accompanied
Brother Lemon, and told the writer the following charac-
teristic incident that occurred when visiting one of the
appointments of the circuit at a school-house a little south
of Fort Calhoun. The weather was cold, there was no
stove up and they had to go two miles to find pipe with
which to put one up. Only two besides themselves came
to the service, but Brother Lemon preached with all the
unction and power that characterized his preaching when
large audiences listened to him.

Omadi, or what is now Dakotah City, at that time be-
ing off by itself to the north of the Omaha Indian Reser-
vation, appears on the list from 1856 to 1867, when it
drops out till 1869. The first two years it is left to be
supplied. As there is no report of any kind at the Con-
ference of 1857, it was probably not supplied in 1856, bul
at the Conference in 1858, nine members and three pro-
bationers are reported, and $382 out of a claim of $800 is
reported paid, by William M. Smith. But the place
being isolated, there are no other points within reach to
combine with it and make a circuit. This would make it
difficult to supply it. The first regular pastor sent from
the Conference was A. J. Dorsey, who had just been ad-
mitted on trial in the Conference. Of his work we know
little, except that he found twelve members and proba-

I02 History of Nebraska Methodism.

tioners and reported twenty-eight ; was promised $ioo
and reports all paid. He is discontinued at his own re-
quest at the next Conference. A. J. Dorsey is followed
by T. M. Munhall, who reports in i860 seventeen mem-
bers and probationers, and $213 received out of the $300
promised. There appears on this field, now Dakotah
City, one who has just been received on trial, W. A.
Amsbary, this being probably his first charge. He re-
ports fourteen members and sixteen probationers, which
indicate some revivals, and it would be strange if there
were none with W. A. Amsbary pastor.

The first quarterly-meeting was held on this distant
field by J. M. Chivington in 1857, and during the summer
of 1858 W. H. Goode made the trip and in his book gives
an account of it, which is well worth quoting. It will be
seen what it meant to be a presiding elder in those days,
and especially what a trip to Dakotah City meant. He
says :

"My first trip to this upper region occupied a portion
of May and June. Most of the bridges had already gone ;
the direct road had to be abandoned and a way sought
over the blufTs. About one hundred miles up, among the
Black Bird Hills, is the Omaha Reserve, fronting some
thirty miles up the river, through which we must pass to
the upper settlements. In the forks of the Black Bird
Creek is the Omaha village, heretofore described. The
two bridges were gone, and both streams were swollen
steep-banked, miry, and dangerous to pass. Arrived at
the first I found a group of lazy, lounging Indians sun-
ning themselves on the opposite shore, and awaiting the
approach of some luckless traveler. By signs and words
I inquired where I should cross. The wily savages

History of Nebraska Methodism. 103

pointed me to a place into which they tried to induce me
to drive ; expecting probably, to see some sport and to
realize a fee for helping me out of my difficulty. Being a
little suspicious, I waited for a time. At length an honest-
looking fellow came along, and pointed me the way to a
place of less difficulty, thereby depriving them of the
sport and profit, and saving me from difficulty and dan-
ger. It being late in the afternoon when I got over these
streams, I sought a lodging at the Government Farm and
agency, but was denied. In vain did I present my voca-
tion and object; I could not obtain the privilege even of
sleeping upon the floor, and finding my own provisions,
but was directed to an Indian tavern some miles off. Not
relishing this, I drove off, planning for a night in the
woods by my own campfire. Soon I found that my trail
entered a vast tract covered with water of unknown depth,
perhaps for miles. I endeavored to pass around, but was
hemmed in and had to 'take water.' In I drove, com-
mitting myself to the floods. It proved of fordable depth,
though of long and tedious continuance. Emerging from
the floods, I espied through the forest, the stately stone
mansion of the Presbyterian Station. Approaching and
giving my name and position, I was kindly met by the
superintendent, Rev. Dr. Sturgiss, and his excellent lady,
recognized as a missionary and a brother, formed an in-
teresting acquaintance, and ever after had a welcome and
pleasant home among them. Thanks to the churl that
turned me off an hour before."*

Jacob Adriance attended his first Conference at To-
peka, making a journey of over one hundred and fifty
miles to reach the seat of Conference. He was received
on trial and appointed to Platte Valley Mission. Of how

^Outposts of Zion.

104. History of Nebraska Methodism.

he gets from Tekamah to his new circuit and his expe-
riences and description of the work he does, except that
of Fremont, which is described elsewhere, I wih let
Brother Adriance himself tell the story :

"I was appointed at the Conference of 1858 to the
Platte Valley Mission, embracing Fremont and the set-
tlements west, including Monroe on the Loup Fork, fifty-
eight miles distant from Fremont. Fremont had a popu-
lation of one hundred. My first service, May 2, 1858.
The following week I moved my two trunks from Teka-
mah, with my pony and a one-horse wagon. At Bell
Creek ford, as the water would come into my w^agon-bed,
I made a bridge with it and a tree, and packed my trunks
over. One day, as I had no bucket, I carried water to
my pony in my hat.

"North Bend had six families in the vicinity ; it was
a paper town, from which, it was said, $60,000 worth of
lots had been sold. The town site was afterward turned
into a farm, and later the present town laid out. ]\Iy
first service here was June 6, 1858. George Turton and
Harriet, his wife, were the only Methodists here.

"Buchanan was also a paper town located on the old
military road at Shell Creek ; six families in this vicinity,
mostly strong Universalists. My first service was on
June 6th. They were intelligent, kind people, but ob-
jected to me having family prayer, yet wished me to
have public services in their houses.

"Skinners was a settlement of five families. Mr.
Skinner and wife were Methodists, living ten miles east
of Columbus. My first service here was on June 20th,
at 7 P. M., and as one family did not arrive until serv-
ices closed, they having come four miles with their ox-

History of Nebraska IMethodism. 105

team, I held another service, making four sermons and
twenty-two miles ride in the hot sun for the day.

"Columbus had a population of about one hundred,
mostly Germans, no Methodists ; first service May i6th,
with twenty-four persons present.

"Monroe. Here there were two families and ten or
twelve single men keeping 'bach.' First service May
1 6th, with fifteen persons present. At one service here,
all were away but two men. I stopped with them for the
night and preached to them in the morning as best I
could, having come fifty-eight miles to do it. I think
these were the first religious exercises held at the five
places named. I kept up the appointments regularly
during the year and organized the North Bend class, with
George Turton leader ; six members, including a Sister
Stephens living three miles above Columbus. Thus the
class was thirty-six miles long.

"Jalapa, on Maple Creek, eight miles north of Fre-
mont, was my sixth appointment, and a settlement of four
families. O. A. Himebaugh was the proprietor of the
townsite, a Methodist, and later the first settler in Hooper,
where he was active in building up Methodism. He died
September, 1902.

"The Fontenelle work was left to be supplied ; June
29th Brother Goode put me in charge of it, in addition to
present work. A church had been built the preceding
winter, 1858, with native material, except the flooring and
siding, which was hauled by wagon from St. Joe, Mis-
souri, costing $100 per thousand. In later years it was
taken down and rebuilt at Arlington. The leading Meth-
odist families were those of S. Terances, Keeys, Han-
cock, and Van Horn.

io6 History of N£;braska Methodism.

"As early as possible the settlements on the Elkhorn
were visited. (From my diary.) October 19th, preached
at Mr. Todds, at Logan Ford ; seven persons present ; en-
tire settlement. October 20th, at DeWitt, thirty-eight
miles from Fontenelle ; nine present, of whom Amzi
Babitt was a Methodist. There were two Wesleyans, one
Presbyterian, and one Baptist ; entire settlement out ;
failed to organize. The 21st, at West Point; one family
and six men in the settlement ; five present. Twenty-
second at Hunters, Cuming Creek ford, five present, the
entire settlement. No services at fords since I left. At
West Point Methodism has never succeeded, and last
Conference ordered our property there to be sold. On
December 6, 1858, I found a settlement of three families,
eight grown persons and two children, all in one cabin,
twenty-five miles from Fontenelle on Logan Creek, where
Oakland is now located. February 21, 1859, fo^i* oi them
joined on probation, and March 21st, one more, so a
class of five was organized, with the mother of the four
daughters class-leader. Sister Arlington had been a Pres-
byterian in Philadelphia, but made a good leader and
kept up their Sabbath prayer-meetings for over two years.
No settlers coming in and being so isolated from society,
they finally abandoned their claims with the improve-
ments, and re-located in Burt County, six miles south of
Decatur, where Sister Arlington died a few months ago,
upwards of ninety years old. I did not attempt to hold
special meetings, but kept up the appointments, thirteen
in number, and at different times traveling over three
hundred miles in one rovmd in four weeks ; often without
a trail ; by the sun and by my watch ; at times in storms
keeping the pony's neck straight and sighting between his

History of Nebraska Methodism. 107

ears to objects a little in advance. Dangerous risks were
avoided, yet at one time Logan ford was crossed by sit-
ting on my feet on the .top of the saddle, with saddle-
bags over my shoulders, and the water running over the
pony's back. It was to cross or go back ten miles."

At the Conference of 1859 he is appointed junior pas-
tor on Rock Bluff Circuit, with the old veteran, J. T.
Cannon, as senior preacher. This was the strongest
charge numerically in the territory, having a membership
of 143, being the only one that had over one hundred
members. Doubtless the arrangement of being the junior
preacher was much to the liking of this modest young-
man, but it was not to last long. He was soon summoned,
along with Dr. Goode, to a far distant, and as subsequent
events proved, a far harder and more important field, re-
ferred to elsewhere. Of the work of Jacob Adriance in
Denver, it being in another field, little can be said in a
volume treating of Nebraska Methodism, still I can not
forbear a few. quotations from that excellent history of
our Church in Colorado, by Isaac H. Beardsley, D. D.,
entitled "Mountain and Plain," as showing the nature
of the work, the character of the man, and the high re-
gard in which he is deservedly held by Denver and Colo-
rado Methodists. Of their arrival at Denver and the first
service. Dr. Beardsley says :

"Brother Goode drove his four-mule team into Den-
ver at half-past two P. M., on Tuesday, June 28, 1859;
Brother Adriance following on his pony. They had six
months' provisions for two. Their trip had been one of
great fatigue and exposure during the twenty-eight days
en route. After putting up notices for preaching on the

io8 History of Nebraska Methodism.

following Sabbath, they drove four miles up the Platte-
to get feed for their animals.

"Allen Wiley's motto was theirs, 'Methodist preachers
are in a pushing world, and they must push also.' Expe-
rience soon taught them that the best way to get a crowd
was to sing it up. Their first service was held July 3,
1859, in Pollock's Hotel. This was a frame building, one
of the three or four only in the two towns of x^uraria,
now West Denver, and Denver City. This house stood
on the east side of Eleventh Street, between Wazee and
Market Streets. Brother Goode preached at eleven A. M.,
and Brother Adriance at three P. M. The congregations
were small, the people not caring for these things."

And of his marriage we find this : Again I quote from
Brother Adriance's letter to the writer and others : "How
glad I was to meet the brethren, and have some minis-
terial society. It was like an oasis in the desert. I was
nearly overcome with joy. After Conference I went back
to New York to visit my parents and friends. There I
found a girl willing to become a missionary's wife."
(There is a slight touch of romance and heroism about
this match. She was Ivliss Fanny A., daughter of L. C.
Rogers, of the Central New York Conference. Just sev-
enteen days after their first meeting they were married
and started for the "Pike's Peak" country.) "On our re-
turn we crossed the plains at the rate of twenty-eight to
thirty miles a day, reaching Golden about the first of July,
and began housekeeping in a little cabin, twelve by four-
teen feet, with no floor, one door, half a window on each
side, slab roof, eaves about five feet high, three stools,
and a little sheet-iron stove. Kept house three months
without a chair."

History of Nebraska Methodism. 109

"When Presiding Elder Chivington came to stop oyer,
night he had a much better bed than I had a number of
times, the year before, in the same place, for I had pre-
viously, with a pick and sledge-hammer, broken off,
pounded down, or dug up some of the stones, among
which I had wriggled myself down so that I could rest
a little and sleep. Further, I had covered the ground
w^ith sawdust, then with hay, upon which we had put a
carpet of gunny-sacks, tacked down with wooden pegs
driven into the ground. So, with a few blankets, a pair
of nice, white cotton or linen sheets, and a big feather-
bed, we made him quite comfortable. But wife had to
wait in the morning until he got up before breakfast could
be started. A wedding party of four came to stop over
night. We bunked on the ground wath a part of them,
giving the newly-married pair the bedstead with one leg,
of my own make.

"When wife and I visited on the circuit, she rode the
pony and I took it afoot. I carried my revolver and
knife in my belt. On the whole, we had a good year;
some souls converted."

And this concerning his w^ork on Central City Circuit
in 1861 : "I traveled this work on foot, as it was too ex-
pensive to keep a pony, with corn at twelve cents per
pound and hay at six cents; Wlien potatoes and squashes
came dozvn to four and five cents per pound we thought
we could afford the luxury. Here wife had to foot it as
I did, when she went with me. Sometimes she would
walk as much as six miles in half a day over the moun-
tains."

John M. Chivington, who has also gone to Colorado

no History of Nebraska Methodism.

and is again Jacob Adriance's presiding elder, is quoted
by Dr. Beardsley as expressing this high approbation :

"Gladly and with willing hearts did he and his noble
wife go forward on their mission of love, foregoing a
thousand and more comforts that they might have en-
joyed. He was a good singer, powerful in prayer, thor-
oughly Methodistic in all his ways, and strong in faith,
giving glory to God. He was pre-eminently 'a man of
one work.' The writer of these lines recollects the day
this faithful servant of God and the Church came to
his 'hired house' at Omaha, in April, 1857, seeking a
place to work for the Master. Have known him ever
since and can not now remember an act, or indiscretion
that could be censured, except this, his leaving Colorado.
I have purposely said miore about Mr. Adriance than
others, because he may fairly be said to be the founder
of Methodism in Colorado. Dr. Goode simply came on
a reconnoitering expedition, and that accomplished, his
work here ended ; v/hile Mr. Adriance remained, formed
a mission circuit, organized societies, appointed class-
leaders, held Quarterly Conferences, and started the first
Sunday-school ever organized in Colorado. He is, in-
deed, the father of Methodism in Colorado."

CHAPTER V.

FIRST PERIOD. (1854-1861.)

CAMP-MEETINGS.

At the close of this period there were only four church
buildings reported, and as yet there were few school-
houses. We find many of the pastors, like Brother Adri-
ance on the DeSoto Circuit, saying they were not able
to hold extra revival services at many places because
there were no public buildings suitable for such pur-
poses, and the private dwellings utilized, perforce, for
the regular, but occasional. Sabbath or week-night serv-
ice every two to four weeks, were unavailable for revival
meetings. As might be expected under these circum-
stances, they began earl}- to avail themselves of ''God's
first Temples," the native groves, and hold old-fashioned
]\Iethodist camp-meetings.

The first of these to be held in the territory was very
appropriately at John Carroll's grove in the Morris set-
tlement in Cass County, where the first society was or-
ganized. It occurred in August, 1856. While Dr. Goode
had charge of the camp-meeting, he barely mentions it in
his book except to say it was "largely attended and re-
sulted in much good." Hiram Burch, then pastor at Ne-
braska City, also attended, and writes more fully, say-
ing: "During the summer I attended my first camp-
meeting. It was held in John Carroll's grove, three miles
southwest of Rock Bluffs. It was in charge of the pre-
siding elder, Dr. W. H. Goode, and was of great inter-

III

112 History of Nebraska IMethodism.

est and power. Eighteen preachers were present some
time during' the meeting, and there were just eighteen
professed conversion/'

Both Dr. Goode and Brotlier Burch speak of attend-
ing another camp-meeting, held near Nebraska City, the
same summer, ''of considerable interest, but not so largely
attended."

In the summer of 1857 there were two camp-meetings.
Dr. Goode says of these : "The first was in the rear of
the Half-breed Reservation, near where Falls City is
now located. The rain fell copiously and continuously.
The tents had no sufficient covers. I was thoroughly
drenched in my bed, having no alternative. I bore it pa-
tiently. But there were showers of grace, too. On the
Sabbath the sun shone forth ; the Word was preached ;
the power of the Lord attended, and before the close of
the meeting a large number, old and young, were brought
into the fold of Christ. The second was held as the year
previous, near Rock Bluffs. This is one of the most
populous and best improved sections of the territory.
The attendance was large and the meeting pi-ofitable."

Of this second camp-meeting that year, Hiram Burch,
then pastor at Plattsmouth, speaks more in detail, say-
ing: "In August of that year (1857) we had a camp-
meeting jointly for the two charges (Plattsmouth and
Mount Pleasant). The meeting was one of great power,
resulting in the conversion of many souls. Among others
I remember Charlotte Spurlock, now Mrs. Sherfy, of
Nebraska City, who was joyously converted, and her
father. Brother Wesley Spurlock, of precious memory,
seemed equally happy, and expressed his joy in shouts
of praise. During the fore part of the meeting he spoke of

History of Nebraska jMethodism. 113

striking tent and going home because of the excessive rain.
In the height of his rejoicing over the conversion of his
daughter, he was asked, "Do you feel Uke going home?"
and his prompt reply was, "Yes, to my heavenly home."

CONFERENCES.

At the beginning of the work in these two territories,
Dr. Goode, when appointed general superintendent of
missions in both Territories, was transferred to the Mis-
souri Conference, with the intention of having both Ter-
ritories attached to that Conference for administrative
purposes. By some misunderstanding, however, the Iowa
Conference supposed Nebraska, being contiguous to that
on the west, would naturally come under its jurisdiction,
and as early as October, 1854, laid out a Council Bluffs
District, including Omaha and Nebraska City, and JMoses
F. Shinn was appointed presiding elder. But there is no
record showing that Shinn ever exercised the function of
this office on the Nebraska soil, the arrangement being
superseded by the prior appointment of Dr. Goode as
general superintendent.

The appointment, however, is significant of the fact
that Iowa ]\Iethodism was on the lookout for these op-
portunities of extending its work, and ready to provide
for the religious needs of the settlers in Nebraska, unless
otherwise provided for.

In 1855, Dr. Goode attended both Iowa and the Mis-
souri Conferences, and by courtesy the former was al-
lowed to care for the Nebraska portion, and Hiram Burch
was received on trial in the Iowa Conference, and ap-
pointed to Brownville, Nebraska, but afterwards, as noted
elsewhere, was changed to Nebraska City. But the Gen-

114 History of Nebraska AIethodism.

eral Conference of 1856 intervening, and passing an en-
abling act, both these Conferences were reheved of all
responsibility in the matter by the organization of the
Kansas and Nebraska Conference, which occurred in a
tent at Lawrence, Kansas, on the 23d of October, 1856,
Bishop Baker presiding. Of Lawrence, where the Con-
ference was held, Dr. Goode has this to say :

"Lawrence still presented the aspect of war. Demol-
ished buildings, fortifications, the United States troops on
the one hand, and the Territorial militia on the other,
were the surroundings of the scene. The Conference
sessions were to be held in a large cloth tent, which had
been occupied for the purpose of religious worship.
Bishop Baker was to preside, and due time arrived, hav-
ing been conducted by land across the State of Missouri
by a competent escort. The preachers, too, were on hand
in proper season, but when, before, did a Methodist Con-
ference assemble bearing arms ! I can not say to what
extent. But that some were armed I do know."

Of this historic Conference, Dr. Goode says :

"The number of members of Conference was found to
be increased by transfers to fifteen. Bishop Baker pre-
sided with his usual self-possession. The session was
barmonious and pleasant. Brethren felt themselves ce-
mented together by common sufferings and common
perils, and rejoiced after the year of unparalleled con-
flicts to meet again. The religious exercises were at-
tended with divine unction and weeping and rejoicings
were mingled together."

Nebraska District was formed and five preachers were
sent to this field. The time of meeting was changed to
spring, which made the next Conference year a short one
of six months. Nebraska City was fixed as the place

History of Nebraska Methodism. 115

for holding the next Conference. There were reported
at this Conference (1856) from the Nebraska portion,
two hundred and fifty-five members and forty-two proba-
tioners.

We can not help but w4sh we could have more knowl-
edge of these Conferences during this period than can
be gleaned from the ]\linutes. These ^linutes are very
brief indeed. In the ]\Iinutes of 1856 we have the Dis-
ciplinary questions and answers with which the Journals
of present Conferences are supplemented and a list of
committees and their reports, but only a few lines are
given to the proceedings of the Conference proper. There
is no mention of any roll call, or names of those present.
The record of these Conferences in these pages must
therefore be brief. Two of these Conferences were held
in Nebraska, and at both the presiding bishop was de-
layed till after the opening of the Conference by reason
of floods in the ^Missouri. At the Conference which met
at Nebraska City. April 16, 1857, Bishop Ames did not
reach the seat of Conference till Sabbath afternoon, after
the Conference business had been transacted and appoint-
ments made. Dr. Goode, who presided, conducted the
business with such ability that many said he was as good
a bishop as any of them. But the flood that prevented
Bishop Ames from reaching Conference till it was nearly
over, came well-nigh being fatal to the man who acted
in his place. In the trip from his home in Glenwood,
Iowa, to Nebraska City, he encountered this flood, and his
experience in crossing is well worth relating, and may
best be told in his own language :*

"Two hacks set out from Glenwood filled with pas-
sengers eager to cross. So soon as we reached the blufif

* Outposts of Zioa.

ii6 History of Nebraska Methodism.

and saw the vast expanse of water spread out before us,
the old hackman said, 'It is useless to go further.' We
urged him on down to the water's brink, but when there,
all saw that further progress was impracticable. It was
proposed to construct a raft of logs and endeavor to make
our way down the cvirrent of a bayou which put in near
the ferry. Of the ten anxious passengers all declined the
hazard save three, two stalwart six-footers and myself.
Dismissing our hackman and comrades, we took a wagon
through the water to a cabin occupying an elevated spot
on the brink of the bayou. Here we purchased two logs
and sufficient plank, pinned the logs together at a dis-
tance of some four feet, nailed on a deck of plank, and
launched our craft ; took dinner, placed ourselves and
baggage on board, and deliberately committed all to the
current. It was a distance of about three miles to our
desired landing, and all the way a world of water. The
two juniors undertook to manage our float, while I was
honored with the post of baggage-master. 'Don't drown
the old pioneer,' shouted a voice to the boys as we passed.
"The first half of our voyage was through open
prairie. Here we were able to keep our course tolera-
bly Well, but on entering the timber we soon encountered
logs and heaps of drift-wood. Attempting to pass a huge
drift that presented itself broadside in tlie current, the
treacherous craft careened, slid under the mass of logs
and disappeared, leaving us afloat and 'no bottom.' The
boys sprang upon the drift, I remained in the water till
the last article of baggage was handed out, and then they
drew me up.

. "But now what was to be done? To retreat was im-
possible, and half the distance was yet before us. So on

History of Nebraska Methodism, it/

we went, bearing' our baggage, now wading, swimming,
plunging in the cold water, the ice girdling the trees,
through fallen timber or long entangled grass ; then, for
a time, on a dry elevated spot, where the keen wind
pierced through our saturated clothing and chilled us
even more than when in the water. Thus passed about
two hours, sometimes consulting about trying to return,
and then again urging onward. By this time I began to
find it difificult to speak from a cramp approaching, I sup-
pose, to lockjaw. Mentioning it to one of the young men,
I found him affected in the same way. At length,
when almost exhausted, we espied through the forest,
the buildings at the ferry. ]\Iy young companions now
left me, and urging their way, sent a man to my assist-
ance, who met me just as I emerged for the last time
from the water, so enfeebled that in ascending a gentle
slope of some ten feet, I fell twice to the ground.

"O. how marvelous is the loving kindness of the Al-
mighty ! 'His tender mercies are over all His works.'
Often I look back upon the perils of the past and wonder
that I still live. Deeply have I felt in my own case the
force of the remark of Mr. Wesley, 'A special Providence
has been over my life, or I should not have been alive to
this day.' We were taken to the cabin, supplied with dry
clothing, warm drinks, and a good fire, and kindly cared
for in all respects. Our clothing, books, papers, bank-
bills, etc.. were dried. The night passed comfortably.
In the morning I felt refreshed, crossed the river, hired
a conveyance, rode down to Nebraska City, and preached
that nieht. my quarterly-meeting being in progress, and
never felt any inconvenience. Word went back that I
was drowned, but when it was ascertained that I was

ii8 History of Nebraska Methodism.

actually alive and on the other shore, the statement was
changed, and it was currently reported that I had 'waded
Missouri River.' "

Of this Conference the Minutes are very meager in-
deed. The entire list of Disciplinary questions and an-
swers is not given, and only four are entered in the Jour-
nal as being acted on. Of these, only the minute in rela-
tion to question three has special interest to Nebraska
Methodists, recording as it does, the fact that Hiram
Burch was admitted into full connection. Two districts
are formed, the Nebraska City District, with seven ap-
pointments and Dr. Goode as presiding elder, and the
Omaha District, with eight appointments and J. M. Chiv-
ington presiding elder. Seven of these fifteen appoint-
ments receive pastors at Conference, and eight are left
to be supplied. Though the Conference year was only six
months, and the winter the severest in the history of the
State, making the holding of meetings often impossible,
it will be seen that the number of districts was doubled,
the number of appointments nearly doubled, and the
membership, including probationers, increased from two
hundred and ninety-seven to three hundred and seventy-
two.

The Conference of 1858 is held at Topeka, Kansas,
April 15th to 19th, Bishop Janes presiding. The Ne-
braska contingent, consisting of about fifteen, all on
horseback (except Colonel Chivington), with Dr. Goode
in the lead, all went together. These had from one hun-
dred to one hundred and seventy-five miles to travel, re-
quiring those who went from the north of the Platte one
week each way. Adriance says, it rained or snowed each
day on the way down.

History of Nebraska Methodism. 119

That we may know how the preachers went to Con-
ference in those days, I will transcribe the account of this
trip which Dr. Goode gives in his book :

"Early in April we were on our way to the session of
our Annual Conference at Topeka, Kansas. The distance
from my residence was about one hundred and sixty
miles. Our company from Nebraska, numbering- about
fifteen, concentrated on Saturday, the loth, at Falls City,
near the Kansas line, where I was holding a quarterly-
meeting. The two days of religious service passed with
much interest. The weather was stormy, and the Great
Nemaha was swollen beyond crossing. We had intended
to take the 'Lane Route' directly through, but were forced
into another course. Fearing a confusion of councils, it
was proposed, at our Sabbath afternoon meeting to ap-
point competent conductors, who should make all arrange-
ments, select a route, give directions, and pilot the com-
pany through. Two seniors, acquainted with the coun-
try, were selected. Orders were immediately given to all
to appear early on Monday morning at a designated point,
furnished, each, with one day's provisions.

"The morning came, cold, snowy, and forbidding,
but all were on hand. 'Sly buggy was left behind, and
my faithful steed again converted into a saddle-horse, in
common with my brethren. Passing down the Nemaha
near its mouth, we crossed at Roy's Ferry. Thence ang-
ling across the country we, on the second day, entered
the Lane Road.

"The appearance of such a company of 'mounted
rangers,' in this land of excitements, often led to the
question, 'What's up?' To all we were able to return
'an answer of peace.' Rain, high waters, and rough fare

I20 History of Nebraska Methodism.

.did not depress the spirits nor lessen the appetite. At
nightfall we distributed ourselves over sufficient space to
find edibles, and in the morning reassembled. The after-
noon of the 14th found us on the bank of the Kansas
River opposite Topeka. But the river was from bank to
bank, the ferry-boat gone, and the bridge was not finished.
Putting our horses temporarily in the care of some In-
dians, by the help of a skifif, and the part-way bridge, we
reached the other shore, and delivered our company safely
into the hands of the committee of reception."

An item in the details of that memorable trip not men-
tioned in Dr. Goode's account, is supplied by Hiram
Burch, who was one of the party :

"Our hero (Dr. Goode), when in discharge of his
duty, disregarded the warning of men and of the ele-
ments. In the month of April a band of Nebraska
preachers, while on their way to Topeka, Kansas, en-
countered a swollen stream, and the bridge was gone.
Not knowing the depth of the muddy water, there was
a momentary pause. But our hero soon solved the prob-
lem by dashing into the current on his faithful steed, and
the rest of the company followed."

In the transactions of this Conference we are specially
interested in the answer to the question, "Who are ad-
mitted on trial ?" for we find among the fifteen admitted
the names of Jacob Adriance, Jerome Spillman, Martin
Pritchard, David Hart, Zenus B. Turman, and Philo
Gorton, all men who were destined to play an important
part in the development of Nebraska Methodism. The
answer to the fourth question, "Who are the deacons?"
has interest from the fact that Hiram Burch and D. H.
■May are elected and ordained deacons.

History of Nebraska ^Methodism. 121

The Conference of 1859 was held at Omaha, April
14th to i8th. Again Bishop Scott was delayed until the
second day and Dr. Goode is elected to preside. We find
several items of business which meant much to Nebraska
and Colorado. H. T. Davis is admitted by transfer, Jesse
L. Fort by readmission on certificate of location, and J.
T. Cannon changed from superannuate to eft'ective rela-
tion. In the list of appointments was "Pike's Peak and
Cherrv \'alley. to be supplied." This meant that the
grand old man who had organized the Church in the two
Territories of Kansas and Nebraska should move on five
hundred miles farther west and organize the work in
Colorado, and that he would choose as the man who
should go with him and be the supply at Cherry Creek,
that faithful brother, Jacob Adriance. These two, with
a mule team, should make the long trip across the plains
to Denver, Dr. Goode remaining long enough to get the
work well Parted, and Adriance remaining long enough
to lay good and strong the foundations of Denver j\Ieth-
odism. Of his great work there, we speak in another
place.

For the last time Kansas and Nebraska preachers meet
together in a single Conference at Leavenworth, Kansas,
March 15, i860. There has been rapid growth along all
lines, as shown by the Minutes. Indeed, the Minutes
themselves have been growing. The Minutes of 185G
having but nine pages, while those of i860 have forty
pages. The districts have increased from three to eight ;
the circuits and stations from twenty-one to seventy-six
within the two Territories. The members of Conference
from fifteen to thirty-eight, and members and probation-
ers from 1,207 to 5,405. The Conference of 1859 having

122 History of Nebraska Methodism.

memoralized the coming General Conference to divide
the work into two Conferences on territorial lines, the
absence of any action on this subject at this Conference
was equivalent to reaffirming it, and it was deemed cer-
tain that the General Conference in May following would
so divide the Conference, and as a matter of fact such
action was taken.

The Rocky Mountain District appears with six ap-
pointments, and only two men in all the vast field, and
both of these were from Nebraska, J. M. Chivington, pre-
siding elder, and Jacob Adriance at Golden City and
Boulder. W. H. Goode and L. B. Dennis are delegates
to the General Conference.

It may be of interest to know that this Conference,
in session in a city that had been the hot-bed of the pro-
slavery sentiment, six months after the John Brown raid
at Harper's Ferry, and less than a year before the seces-
sion movement began, passed the following resolutions
on the subject of slavery :

"Resolved, That whereas, God has made of one blood
all nations of men, we recognize in every human being
the offspring of the same common Father, and admit the
universal brotherhood of man.

"Resolved, That no enactment made by any number
of human beings can give one person the right of posses-
sion in another person as an article of property."

CHAPTER VI.

FIRST PERIOD. (Concluded.)

With great difficulty, costing years of effort, we have
been able to gather up these few scattered facts relating
to this important period of the beginnings of our work
in Nebraska ; and combine them as best we could into a
statement that would convey to the reader a just concep-
tion of the work and the workers. I have felt justified in
tracing in detail, to some extent, the history of each
charge, a method that will be impracticable when we
come to deal with later periods, when the charges have
multiplied into scores and hundreds in each Conference.

We have also tried to follow each of these first build-
ers working at the task of laying the foundations of our
Methodism during this period, a method which can not
be pursued later, when the workers begin to multiply in
numbers. But it has been assumed that the reader would
be especially anxious to know all about these men who
laid the foundation, and how they did the work, and the
spirit in which they did it.

We have seen that in the short space of two years
after Dr. Goode was appointed superintendent of Mis-
sions in Kansas and Nebraska, in September, 1854, and
there had been appointed at the Missouri Conference in
October of that year one lone missionary to Nebraska,
the work has sufficiently developed to justify the organ-
ization of the Kansas and Nebraska Conference in Oc-

123

124 History of Nebraska Methodism,

tober, 1856. In less than four years more the General
Conference of Ivlay, i860, authorized the division of this
Conference into two, along territorial lines, and in 1861
they each set out in their independent careers, the Ne-
braska Conference being organized by Bishop Morris in
April, 1861.

This will constitute the close of the first period and
the beginning of the second.

As we have watched the progress of the work in these
years we have seen much of the stress of hard work and
sacrifice and uncertainty. During the fifties there were
very few of the earlier settlers who thought there was
much of Nebraska fit for agricultural purposes. They
were unable to disabuse themselves of the false impres-
sions made by the maps in the geographies they had
studied, which included nearly all of Nebraska in the
"Great American Desert." The writer was about that
time taking his first lessons in geography and remembers
how distinct the impression was and how it made him
think Nebraska was something like the great desert of
Sahara. Few thought that settlements would ever extend
more than thirty or fifty miles west of the Missouri, ex-
cept perhaps along the southern portion. Then probably
the severest winter Nebraska has ever experienced since
it was settled was in 1856-57, and this was followed by
one almost as severe the next year. In 1856-57 the snow
was three to four feet on the level, and some perished and
all suffered. It was next to impossible to get to where
provisions could be obtained. This, with the one or two
unfavorable seasons for crops, and a financial crash that
in many cases rendered worthless what little money they
had, completely discouraged many of the settlers, and

History of Nebraska jNIethodism. 125

they either returned East, or were swept along- by the
current that about that time set in toward Pike's Peak
and the Colorado gold mines. There is no doubt that the
population of many sections, if not of the entire territory,
decreased during 1858 and 1859.

But by 1 86 1 the tide had turned and Nebraska was
no longer an experiment. The soil was found to be fer-
tile ; the climate favorable for crops and healthy for man.
The severe winters of 1857-58 had been followed by one
or two exceptionally mild ones. The thousands that
rushed to the Colorado mining camps must be fed and
clothed. These supplies could be brought up the Mis-
souri River to different points in Nebraska, but they were
still five hundred miles or more from the camps and must
be hauled over the plains by ox or mule teams. This
gave rise to the freighting business, which, in the later
fifties and earlier sixties, furnished remunerative em-
ployment to many, and built up a flourishing trade in
outfitting supplies in Nebraska City, Omaha, and other
points on the river, bringing much money into the im-
poverished country.

Of this period, and the men who did the work, no
one is more competent to speak than that grand old hero
who had led the hosts during these beginnings, had
shared their toils and perils, had asked none to go where
he, himself, would not go, nor endure more hardship than
he, himself, would cheerfully endure. If Paul fought
with wild beasts at Ephesus, so did W. H. Goode fight
with the wild beasts of border rufifians in Missouri and
Kansas. In doing this he could sav as Paul said, "In
journeyings often, in perils of waters and in perils of
robbers, in perils by my own countrymen, in perils by

126 History of Nebraska Methodism.

the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilder-
ness." 2 Cor. xi, 22. In closing- his book, "Outposts of
Zion," Dr. Goode makes this retrospect of the work dur-
ing this period :

"And, now, a closing word with the reader. Near
ten years of itinerant life, embracing- a portion of my best
days, has been spent in the work of frontier missions, a
work unsought, undesired by me. till the providence of
God, through the constituted authorities of the Church,
indicated a path.

"The fields of labor embraced in my successive ap-
pointments, and, to a great extent, actually traveled over
and occupied, have covered a large area, including all
the region between Texas on the south and the extreme
territorial settlement in Nebraska on the north, and reach-
ing from the State lines on the east to the Rocky Moun-
tains on the west.

"The country up Red River has been traversed to
a point seven hundred miles from its mouth. The re-
gion upon the Arkansas has been explored eight hundred
miles up; that upon the Missouri one thousand, while the
tributaries, Kansas and Great Platte, have been followed,
the one to the junction where its takes its name, and the
other to its mountain sources.

"Nearly every military post has been visited, and al-
most all of the mission stations of every denomination.
The lands of every tribe of Indians on the Western fron-
tier, and many of the tribes beyond, have borne the im-
press of my feet, and more or less intercourse has been
had with them all. The white settlements have been ex-
plored in their infancy and watched in their progress;
and an acquaintance has been formed with all the phases
and circumstances of frontier life.

History of Nebraska Methodism. 127

"In the course of these labors, the valley of the Mis-
sissippi, from the States east, near or remote, to the Ter-
ritories west, has been crossed twenty-three times, by
different routes and modes of travel, besides the amount-
of traveling in the Territories themselves. The number
of miles traveled over in the time is probably not less than
sixty thousand, in about five thousand of which my family
have participated in their necessary removals.

"The Gospel, meanwhile, has been proclaimed to de-
vout worshipers in the churches ; to delegates in Terri-
torial conventions ; to promiscuous crowds in court-
rooms and hotels ; to soldiers in barracks, and to camps
of armed men ; to the thoughtless and dissipated in sa-
loons ; to emigrants in corrals, and to miners upon the
mountain sides ; to savages around the council-fires, and
to slaves upon the cotton plantations of the South.

"Great and unanticipated changes have taken place
within this period. New communities have been organ-
ized, and lands which, when first I passed over them,
would not, I supposed, for half a century, if ever, be the
abodes of white men, are now teeming with population.
The border has been transferred a thousand miles west-
ward. An empire has sprung up and more than a hun-
dred thousand white inhabitants are found where, less
than a score of years ago, I preached to Indians only, save
the few whites officialh* tolerated among them.

"Three entire Conferences west of the State lines have
sprung up, and contingent provision is made for a fourth,
in the formation of each of which it has been my privi-
lege to bear a part.

"I have witnessed much of the outbreakings of sin,
and have seen some violence and bloodshed. Many of

128 History of" Nebraska Methodism.

the contacts of life have been rugged. The scene has
often been stormy and the skies sometimes deeply over-
cast.

"I have seen and marked the workings of Christianity
in its personal effects upon the great and small, the states-
man, the military officer, the common soldier, the white
settler and his family, the miner, the Indian, the African
slave, and the prisoner awaiting his doom under the law.
I have seen its power exhibited in living and dying ex-
ample^

"Shall I forbear to add — I have, I humbly trust, real-
ized its supporting power under all life's changes, and
often experienced that

" God is ever present, ever felt,
In the void waste, as in the city full,
And where He vital breathes there must be joy."

Nor have its Divine consolations been wanting, when, to
human appearance, it has seemed that there might be but
but a 'step between me and death.' .

"Neither personal feelings nor sense of duty will allow
me to close without a brief tribute to the moral and relig-
iotis worth of the three }Oung men who successively have,
by appointment of the bishops, accompanied me upon my
dift'erent fields of labor — Revs. Henry C. Benson, James
S. Griffing, and Jacob Adriance. More fortunate selec-
tions could not have been made. In the very intimate
relations necessarily sustained by us, our intercourse has
been confidential and our co-operation cordial. We have
consulted, labored, prayed, wept, and rejoiced together.
Cheerfully have they borne their part, and have often
lightened by participation, my own burdens. Never have

History of Nebraska Methodism. 129

I witnessed in any of them the shghtest deviation from
strict moral integrity or entire devotion."

Of Dr. Goode, himself, it should be further said : As
early as .1837 his standing among his brethren is indi-
cated by the fact that he was elected principal of New
Albany Seminary. "The first literary institution of learn-
ing under the care of the Indiana Conference, and \Yni.
H. Goode was our pioneer educator," says Dr. Holliday.
in his "History of Indiana Methodism." Had he continucl
in the career of an educator, he would doubtless have
achieved success and attained distinction along that line.
But he soon resigned, regarding the pastorate as the field
to which he was called. After finishing his great work in
Kansas, Nebraska, and Colorado, he spent many years in
the work in Indiana. Dr. Holliday, in summing up his
career, says : "Few men have made a more valuable or
a more enduring impression upon the interests of the
Church than Dr. Goode."

CHAPTER VIL

SECOND PERIOD. (1861-1870.)

The Nebraska Conference came to its birth in a time
of momentous events, its own organization being itself an
event of great significance. On April 4, 1861, at Ne-
braska City, Bishop Morris gathered the fourteen Meth-
odist preachers who were members of the Kansas-Ne-
braska Conference at work in Nebraska, and with these
and two others received into full connection during the
session, constituted the first Nebraska Conference. At
the close of that Conference he found ready to receive
marching orders twenty-one men, including those on
trial. This band he sent forth against the hosts of sin
who were in rebellion against the government of Jehovah.
Of these, two were presiding elders, who, among other
duties, were to serve as recruiting officers to enlist more
workmen as the exigencies of the work demanded.

Eight days after this, on the 12th of April, Beauregard
fired the fateful shot that opened the slave-holders' re-
bellion, and which proved the death-knell of slavery. On
the fifteenth of the month Lincoln summoned seventy-
five thousand men to the army, and sent them out to sub-
due this rebellion.

These events are not wholly unrelated, as may seem
to the casual reader, nor is the relation one of mere coin-
cidence in time. Both these great leaders are fronted
with a rebellion, but with this difference; the one against

130

SOME WHO CAME IN THE SIXTIES.
I. J. J. Roberts. 2. A. L. Folden. 3. W. S. Blackisurn. 4. Joel A. Van
Anda. 5. F M. ESTERBROOK. 6. W. A. Presson. 7. Geo. S. Alex-
ander. 8. Lewis Janney. 9. D. H. May. ic. Thos. Worley.

132 History of Nebraska Methodism.

which Bishop Morris organized his forces and sent out
his bands was more fundamental, being against the gov-
ernment of God. This rebellion having depraved the
human heart and placed selfishness on the throne instead
of love, was the cause of the rebellion which Lincoln set
out to subdue. The rebellion of the South was but an in-
cident in the age-long and world-wide rebellion against
God.

But we may trace even a still closer relation. There
can be no doubt that the defeat of the slave party in their
effort to capture Kansas first and then Nebraska, and
make them slave States, greatly exasperated the Southern
leaders. So it is but the simple truth of history to say
that the first battle was fought during the late fifties,
when the conflict raged between the hordes of border ruf-
fians, and the hosts of free men from the north, who had
rushed to these Territories, many to Kansas as the point
in greatest danger just then, but also many like H. T.
Clark, Andrew Cook, and others, came to Nebraska, for
the express purpose of saving these to freedom. We know
the result. Kansas was saved to freedom, and that meant
that Nebraska should remain free as God had made it.
We are proud to record that Methodism, under the lead
of Wm. H. Goode, was one of the prime factors in bring-
ing about the victory won in this first battle. When the
Conference met in Lawrence in 1856, many of the preach-
ers, recognizing the situation, went armed, and all con-
tinued their work at the peril of their lives. But they staid
and fought it out, and triumphed.

It was this exasperating defeat in their scheme con-
cerning Kansas and Nebraska, together with the subse-
quent election of Abraham Lincoln, that led to the cul-

History of Nebraska Methodism. 133

mination of the "irrepressible conflict" in the fierce Civil
\\'ar and the final doom of slavery.

While it may be true that those at work in Nebraska
were not as much exposed to these perils as if they had
been in Kansas, they belonged to the same Conference
and were subject to marching orders that would place
them there if the work demanded it. Hiram Burch re-
ceived his first charge in Kansas, and while there crossed
the river into Platte County, ]\Iissouri, and bearded the
lion in his den by preaching the Gospel in a county whose
citizens had declared such action on the part of a North-
ern ^Methodist should be punished by tar and feathers for
the first offense, and death for the second. David Hart,
after planting ^Methodism in Richardson and Pawnee
Counties, spent two years in Missouri preaching the Gos-
pel in the face of these threats. Isaac Collins, after serv-
ing two pastorates in Nebraska, in 1858 received appoint-
ment on the Kansas side of the line, and at first Dr. Goode
spent most of his time in Kansas. Thus, so far as their
Church relations and duties were concerned, they were
integral parts of the same body of men who fought this
preliminary battle. -

But let us approach with becoming respect still more
closely to this historic body of consecrated men. A few
names with which we have become familiar during the
struggles and toils of the fifties, are missing. The name
of W. H. Goode does not appear, and will not appear
again. But he has accomplished his mission and having
just returned from his arduous work of organizing Colo-
rado ■Methodism, he is spending a few quiet days in his
home at Glenwood, preparing for the press that wonderful
story of frontier work in his book "Outposts of Zion."

134 History of Nebraska Methodism.

Isaac Collins, the cultured pioneer, who was among
the first who hastened to the front and began to lay the
foundation of Omaha Methodism, has cast in his lot with
the Kansas Conference, his last two pastorates being
Atchison and Baldwin City, the latter the seat of Baker
University, already established. He was soon after this
transferred to the ranks above, departing this life in 1863.

Jacob Adriance is temporarily absent laying the foun-
dations of Colorado IMethodism, but will soon reappear
upon the scene. J. M. Chivington is presiding elder of
the Denver District, and will be heard from in his cele-
brated military role. D. H. May is in the Kansas Con-
ference, but will soon return and be heard from in Ne-
braska.

A few others who appeared for a brief time have lo-
cated and dropped out of the work. But most of those
who have wrought in this field during the fifties are on
hand to organize the new Conference and are ready to
push the battle still further.

Of these, Wm. M. Smith is there but soon passes on
west. J. H. Ailing remains a little while, then goes back
to Garrett Biblical school, takes the course and remains
in the Rock River Conference. Theodore Hoagland con-
tinues until 1863 and then disappears from the list.
Jerome Spillman goes into the army as chaplain, and at
the Conference of 1863 is granted a location, at his own
request, as is also L. W. Smith. . Concerning Jerome
Spillman it should further be said that after serving two
years as chaplain of Fifth Iowa Cavalry, he went to his
old home in Indiana, raised a company, was elected cap-
tain of this Company "G," Ninety-third Regiment of In-
diana Volunteers, and went to the front and was wounded

History of Nebraska Methodism. 135

at the battle of Jackson. After the war he entered the
ministry in the South, and besides other charges, served
one term as presiding elder of the Atlanta District. He
died November 30, i8gg.

But there are a number of strong, faithful men who
for many years, and some during their entire life, remain
in the ranks. Among these are ^^lartin Pritchard, David
Hart, W. A. Amsbary, Z. B. Turman, J. T. Cannon, Isaac
Burns, Jesse L. Fort, and H. Burch. It is the privilege of
Hiram Burch to still tarry among his brethren and go in
and out among the people, highly esteemed and revered
by all Nebraska Methodism. Few have done more than
this quiet, unassuming man of God, in making the history,
and none have been so able and willing to render inval-
uable assistance to the writer in rescuing from oblivion
many of the facts of the history of those early times. He
has cheerfully rendered every assistance in his power.

While we miss the great leader, W. H. Goode, his
work as leader is bequeathed to three great leaders, one,
H. T. Davis, coming to the Conference by transfer from
Indiana in 1859, and the other two, T. B. Lemon and John
B. Maxfield, being received on trial at this Conference,
Dr. Goode's mantle has fallen on worthy shoulders. In-
deed, it is manifestly providential that with the retirement
of Dr. Goode, and just at the time when Methodism was
entering upon its new era of separate work, and during
its formative period, much of it through the stress and
storm of adverse conditions, that the leadership should
have fallen to these three stalwart men and capable and
wise leaders, and that they were spared long enough to
lead Nebraska Methodism into the full maturity of its
organized career.

. 136 History oi^ Nebraska Methodism.

True, Dr. Lemon was not allowed to give as many
years to the work in Nebraska as either of the other two.
But he entered the work at a more mature period of Ufe
and with a larger experience and thorough training ac-
quired in the old Baltimore Conference, that mother Con-
ference of organized J\Iethodism, and hence in the twenty-
five years he was permitted to give to the work in this
State, his achievements rank with the best. For sixteen
years he gave the eastern portion of the work the benefit
of his great powers, contributing mightily to the building
up of such centers as Omaha and Nebraska City, besides
effective leadership as presiding elder. Then in 1877 be-
gan the great work of his life, the development and or-
ganization of the work in the western part of the State.

It was the privilege of H. T. Davis to begin his work
in Nebraska two or three years earlier than the other two,
and continue in the effective ranks two or three years
longer than either of them, beginning his work as a sup-
ply on the Bellevue Circuit in 1858, and ending it on the
Lincoln District in 1901, forty- four years of continuous
service.

While the territorial range of H. T. Davis's work was
more restricted than either of the other two, beine con-
fined to what is now embraced in the Nebraska Confer-
ence, with the exception of a few years of pastoral and
district work in Omaha, yet within these bounds no name
is so well known and no workman has left so deep an im-
press upon the Church and the cause of Christ in gen-
eral, as H. T. Davis. His very presence in a home was a
benediction. In the presence of this saintly man sin stood
rebuked and righteousness strengthened.

But these with others that joined the ranks later on

History of Nebraska Methodism. 137

will be more fully appreciated as the story of their grand
achievements is unfolded in the succeeding pages.

Of the other member of this ecclesiastical triumvirate,
John B. Maxfield, it may be said that for the range of
territory over which his work extended in the course of
his career, in the peculiar talents which he brought to the
work, in the strength of his great personality and in the
results achieved, he stands second to no one in Nebraska.
He was by nature richly endowed with a strong mind that
could readily grasp the great truths of the Gospel, and
possessed a command of language that never failed to
give clear, forceful, and often most attractive expression
to these truths. This was true in the very beginning of
his career. Such men as J. B. Weston, of Beatrice, who
heard him when on his first circuit (the Beatrice, 1861),
rated his sermons then as far above the average. With
a wonderful mental capacity for quickly and clearly
grasping the meaning of an author ; with a most tenacious
memory by which he retained the contents of a book, and
being a diligent student, he made rapid progress. With
what would be called a good education to begin with,
though not a graduate, he soon reached a commanding
position among his brethren and a high rank as a preacher
of the Gospel, which was at once recognized by all classes
who heard him, as the following pages will amply demon-
strate. Indeed as a preacher, it may be questioned if he
has had a superior in the history of the pulpit in Ne-
braska, in our own or any other denomination.

W^e would be glad to peer into the early life of this
strong personality and trace the influences which wrought
to make him what he was, but we are only in possession
of a few simple facts. He was born in Syracuse, New

138 History of Nebraska Methodism.

York, February 24, 1833. He was converted at a meet-
ing held by the Wesleyan Methodists at Waddell Meeting--
house, in Knox County, Ohio, in February, 1856, and
united with the Methodist Episcopal Church at Wayman-
ville, Indiana, in the following April, He soon felt the
call to preach the Gospel, but, as in the case of many
others, this was not to be without a struggle extending
over several years. He was then twenty-three years old
and may already have had other plans of life. The next
year, 1857, he fell in with the currents that set in toward
Kansas and Nebraska at that time, and soon plunged into
the rough life on the frontier, first in Kansas and then in
1858 coming up into Nebraska. But all who knew him
say he bravely met some of the severest hardships inci-
dent to life in a new country. He came to know what
poverty meant. At one time he must part with his gun
to pay his board-bill. And he knew what sorrow meant.
It was here in the vicinity of Blue Springs, Nebraska,
that he lost his first wife, the daughter of Dr. Summers,
and soon he, himself, passed through a long siege of sick-
ness, often hovering very near the verge of eternity. Good
Mrs. Knight, who is still living, and who nursed him
through this spell of sickness, says that the call to rhe
ministry that had come to him in Indiana soon after con-
version, came again, and he yielded. But though he had,
up to this time, not yielded to the call to the ministry,
Mrs. Knight and Mother Shaw and all who knew him,
agree in saying that he had all this while maintained his
Christian integrity. After his recovery from his illness,
and receiving license, he preached occasionally during the
winter of 1860-61.

They tell the story that at the first service he con-

140 History of Nebraska T\Iethodism.

ducted he was so embarrassed that forgetting- himself,
he turned his back on his congregation when he knelt to
pra\-. We can hardly believe this of the self-poised Max-
field that most of us knew in later years, but as a side
light, served to explain in part, at least, his long hesitancy
about entering the ministry. His sense of the great re-
sponsibility in preaching the Gospel and a feeling of in-
adequacy to the task made him hesitate, and overwhelmed
him with embarrassment at the first attempt, as it has so
many other strong men.

He was recommended for admission on trial and re-
ceived at the Conference of 1861. Perhaps of all the little
band of twenty-one whom Bishop Morris sent out from
the first Nebraska Conference to their several fields, none
went to a harder or more discouraging post than did John
B. Maxfield when he went as junior preacher to the Beat-
rice Circuit, which was on the extreme frontier, there be-
ing nothing further west. His senior, Joel Mason, had
been on the circuit the year before and had received only
$150 of the $300 promised. Now there were two of them
to divide the $150, if they received so much, which, as it
turned out, they did not, and the amount that J. B. Max-
field received for his first year's preaching, from the people
he served, did not exceed thirty dollars, the whole amount
for both being sixty dollars. His share of the missionary
money would be $112.50, assuming that the junior
preacher received half of the allowance of $225. But this
strong man, to whom the world was beckoning with much
more enticing offers in a worldly way, "chose rather to
suffer affliction with the people of God," rode forth on
his little white pony and began at the bottom that great
career as a Methodist minister, asking no favors except

History of Nebraska Methodism. 141

a fair chance to win his way and by the blessing of the
great Head of the Church do his work "and make full
proof of his ministry." As might be expected of so well
equipped and forceful a personality, he soon finds, and
easily maintains his place among the leaders for over
forty years, as pastor, presiding elder, college president,
member of General ^lissionary Committee, or as dele-
gate to the General Conference, and is listened to with
respect and interest.

Of the standing wdiich he won in the General Con-
ference, and with the Church at large, we have an intima-
tion in the following editorial by Dr. Buckley : "The
Rev. David Marquette has contributed to this paper a
memorial on the career of the late Dr. John B. jMaxfield.
With Dr. Maxfield we had as intimate acquaintance as
was possible to be maintained by men separated by half
the continent. In the General INIissionary Committee, and
in the five General Conferences of wdiich he was a mem-
ber, we met him frequently. As an extemporaneous ora-
tor he was far above the average. In the Committee on
Episcopacy, in 1892, in a debate that sprang up unexpect-
edly, and for which he could have made no preparation,
he delivered an address which was, from one end to the
other, a rolling current of true eloquence. It was upon
the fixing of official residences in Europe, and a part of
it was as lofty in thought and diction as any passage from
the recorded debates of the great ecclesiastical bodies of
England in the days when great men spoke without limi-
tation of time. Dr. Maxfield always had the rhetorical
manner, whether he said more or less important sentences
or was more or less solemn.

In the course of his life he had two severe attacks of

142 History of Nebraska Methodism.

paralysis, and so great was his general strength that not
until the third, which occurred in the summer of 1899
(as Dr. Marquette observes in another paper), was he
robbed of that power of speech that had meant so much
to himself and his friends and the Church. His efficiency
in every sphere was fully equal to his power as a public
speaker, pastor, and presiding elder. Until paralysis had
destroyed the mobility of one side of his face, he was a
magnificent looking man, stalwart, well proportioned, and
had his voice exactly adapted to his style of thought and
expression."

But while the number of preachers did not increase
during the first eight or nine years, these three leaders
were soon joined by others who took the place of those
who left. Among them were such men as A. G. White,
W. B. Slaughter, J. J. Roberts, and J. G. Miller; equal,
and perhaps in some respects superior, to some of the pre-
eminent three above referred to. These were all strone
intellectually, men of culture, who will compare favorably
with those of any other denomination. If they did not
attain to the same pre-eminence, it was because they were
not permitted to give as much time to Nebraska Method-
ism, or lacked the opportunities.

The Conference was organized by Bishop Morris at
Nebraska City, April 4th to 8th, with H. T. Davis as sec-
retary, Martin Pritchard assistant, and Hiram Burch sta-
tistical secretary. The bishop conducted the opening
services, consisting of the reading of the loth chapter of
Romans, singing the 137th hymn, and prayer.

In the Minutes of this session the Disciplinary ques-
tions and answers took the place of the usual Conference
Journal, and from the statistical reports we find Nebraska

History op" Nebraska Methodism. 143

^Methodism started out in its separate career with 948
members and 396 probationers, and twenty local preach-
ers. There were thirty-one Sunday-schools, 214 officers
and teachers, and 978 scholars. There were four churches
valued at $7,700, and one parsonage valued at $600.

Of the benevolences, only the Missionary and Bible
cause received contributions, the former $36.22, and the
latter $20. The claims, receipts, and deficits for pastoral
support the preceding year, as reported at this Confer-
ence, did not present a very inviting- prospect for these
men, from a financial standpoint. ' On the Omaha Dis-
trict the total claims were $3,956 ; receipts, $2,364 ; deficits,
$1,811. On the Nebraska City district the deficits were
$426 in excess of receipts ; only forty-five per cent of
claims having been paid. The average per pastor and pre-
siding elder on the Omaha District was $338, while on
the Nebraska City District the average was $160. This
does not include jMissionary money, which was about $125
for each charge.

This is the outlook for support which confronts these
men. Will they go to such fields for such pay ? A promi-
nent pastor in a sister denomination, who was in Omaha
in those early days, states that his salary was only $600,
not half enough, he affirms, to support a family. If $600
was not half enough to support a family, how far short
must the $300, the average of our men, including mis-
sionary money, have been?

As the war had not vet broken out this Conference
did not feel called upon to express itself on the pendino;
struggle, but at the first Conference after the strife began,
in 1862, it hastened to put itself on record in these em-
phatic words : "Resolved, That we hold in the deepest

144 History of Nebraska Methodism.

abhorrence the wicked and treasonable efiforts of the
rebels of the Southern States, who are laboring to rend
to pieces the best Government the world has even known.

"Resolved, That it is the duty of every citizen of
these United States to uphold and aid the Government
in suppressing the present rebellion.

"Resolved, That we highly approve the policy the
Federal Government is pursuing, in the present agitated
state of the country, and the vigorous and successful ef-
forts she is making to restore her to her former quiet and
prosperity,

"Resolved, That the* Government of the United States
has our warmest sympathies, cordial support, and most
ardent prayers, in this her fearful struggle."

For the first four years, or during the war, the growth
was slow. Indeed, in one respect they were at first not
able to hold their own. Starting out in 1861 with nine-
teen pastoral charges, they dropped down to seventeen
in 1863, and to eighteen in 1864. These losses are ac-
counted for by the disturbed conditions incident to the
war, and the check to immigration resulting therefrom.

CHAPTER VIIL

SECOND PERIOD. (1861-1870.)

All but two of the preachers will go to circuits,, Ne-
braska City and Omaha being the only appointments that
have reached the dignity of stations. And this will con-
tinue to be the case through nearly all of this first part of
this period. But while Nebraska City station leads in
number, there are several circuits with a larger member-
ship than Omaha. Nor will those who go to the stations
find the work much easier than on the circuits, except
perhaps in the matter of travel and exposure. All will
find confronting them peculiar difficulties growing out
of the war that is soon to break in fury upon the country,
and some will meet what seem almost insurmountable
obstacles to the successful prosecution of the Lord's work.

It may be said that many will do well if they "hold
the fort" during these trying times. There will be no
accessions through immigration, for this will cease, al-
most entirely, with the exception that there will be many
Missouri refugees. But neither the Church nor the coun-
try will derive any benefit from this class. That State
was fought over by both parties, and these refugees were
largely sympathizers with the rebellion, without the cour-
age and manliness to fight for their principles. They did
little but breed dissension in the local commvmities and
Churches along the river. It had come about in Nebraska
as in all the North, that after the leaders of the Southern

145

146 History of Nebraska Methodism.

rebellion had become traitors, the loyal portion of the
people were not quite satisfied with a non-committal atti-
tude, but insisted on outspoken and unmistakable loy-
alty to the Government and approval of the Government
in its effort to suppress rebellion and save the Union.
Failure to do so sometimes brought on bitter conflicts in
the locality and even in the Church. We have already
seen how one otherwise pious and strong preacher, Wm.
M. Smith, was shorn of his power to do good by refus-
ing to come out decidedly as a Union man. If the fail-
ure to come out decisively for the Union cause made
trouble, it fared still worse for any who were indiscreet
enough to express disloyal sentiments. S. R. Tricket,
who came from Missouri in 1862, well recommended, and
was employed by the presiding elder, H. T. Davis, to fill
out the unexpired term of Jerome Spillman at Platts-
mouth, learned this to his sorrow. He managed to keep
his real sentiments concealed for a little while, but, being
something of an orator, he was invited to deliver the ora-
tion on the Fourth of July, and declined with the remark
that "the Fourth of July was played out." The indig-
nant Church officials, being all loyal, locked the door
against him, and instead of the Fourth of July being
"played out," Mr. Tricket found himself shut out of his
pulpit, and was soon run out of the town by an incensed
community.

On the other hand there were Southern sympathizers,
especially among those refugees who became so numer-
ous in some places as to feel that they could assert them-
selves, and these resented any statements in the pulpit
by any of our preachers, adverse to the "institution" of
slavery. P. B. Ruch tells of some of these at Rulo, who

History of Nebraska INIethodism. i47

became offended at some remarks made in the pulpit on
a quarterly-meeting occasion, by Presiding Elder C. W.
Giddings, against slavery, and they indignantly demanded
of him why he, as pastor, should allow such a man as
Giddings in his pulpit.

These are but a few examples of what took place in
nearly every community during the w^ar, and greatly re-
tarded the progress of the Church.

Another cause that affected the growth of the
Churches was that, while immigration ceased almost en-
tirely, up to 1865, many who were here w^ent into the
service of their country. It is probable that not less than
2,500 went from Nebraska, including those in Curtis's
Cavalry, of Iowa. This was about nine per cent of the
total population, wdiich was, according to United States
census of i860, 28,000.

Besides the distractions incident to the Civil War,
there were frequent Indian troubles on the frontier, and
even more frequent Indian "scares." Besides the men
sent to the front to fight rebels, militia companies were
formed to repel the bloodthirsty Sioux, who were then
on the warpath, attacking freighting trains on the plains,
and sometimes swooping down on defenseless settlers on
the frontier.

William Mudge, still living with his family in Beat-
rice, and all worthy members of our Church from the
first, was an early settler in Gage County, locating a claim
on Cicely Creek. He informs me that about this time
they lived in daily peril from the Indians, and the Chey-
ennes did drive away all his stock. They were then on
the warpath in the southern portion of the Territory, the
range of their operations extending from Cottonwood on

148 History of Nebraska Methodism.

the Platte, to Little Blue and Big Sandy, in Gage County.
He soon after, with other settlers, joins the militia that at
that time made a campaign against the Indians. Of one
incident in this campaign he tells me this story :

At Pawnee Ranch on the Little Blue, on August 13
to 15, 1864, 1,000 Sioux surrounded a little band of one
hundred white settlers with but few arms. But they had
for their commander that indomitable leader, Rey. A. G.
White (afterward a presiding elder), who had led a com-
pany from Pawnee County, and under his leadership this
little handful of braye, determined frontiersmen put up
such a yigorous defense, shooting with such terrible ef-
fect, that even these mighty Sioux gaye up the contest
and retired on the third day.

Andrew Cook, in his reminiscences of these times,
tells of the panic-stricken settlers who occasionally rushed
in to the older frontiersmen for protection and supplies
to take the place of their all, which had been taken or
destroyed by those bands of Indians. In the general
history of Nebraska, published about 1880, is a letter from
General O. P. Hurford, then of Oakdale, giving an ac-
count of these Indian troubles north of the Platte.

The following brief extract will tell of these troubles,
and explain the immediate causes of these outbreaks of
savage cruelty :

"During the rebellion, the animus of the Indians on
the plains seemed to change as the fortunes of the Union
forces varied, and when it became necessary for the Gov-
ernment to pay them their annuities in greenbacks instead
of gold and silver, they became restless and impudent.
Frequent depredations were committed by them upon
freighters and the graders and tie-cutters of the Union

History of Nebraska Methodism. 149

Pacific Railroad. This state of things was a constant
source of anxiety to the sfttlers along" the Elkhorn and
Platte Rivers. In addition to this. Governor Saunders
was frequently in receipt of anonymous letters from Kan-
sas and Missouri, warning him that the rebel Ouantrell
was planning a raid on Omaha, to sack the town and rob
the banks. These letters were brought to my attention
by the governor, with instructions to adopt such means
as I had at my command to meet the danger, should it
arrive. While the public mind was thus agitated, we
awoke one morning in July, 1864, to find some of the
streets of Omaha full of refugees from the Elkhorn, who
brought with them the dire report that the Indians were
down upon them in force. Whole settlements packed up
what movables they could in a hurry, and rushed into
Omaha for protection. The thing looked serious. Word
was sent to Bellevue, in Sarpy County, where the good
people rallied and hastened to the scene of the reported
danger. /\t Omaha, we rushed to arms ; horses enough
for two companies of cavalry were pressed into service,
mounted by willing volunteers, and sent to the front. I
remember well the high character of some of the volun-
teers. Side by side in the ranks appeared Hons. P. W.
Hitchcock and A. S. Paddock, both of whom served af-
terward with distinction in the Senate of the United
States, and Mr. Hitchcock also as delegate in Congress
from the Territory of Nebraska."

Here we have a combination of causes, any one of
which would supply obstruction to the growth, both of
the Church and Territory. But combined as they were,
and operating at the same time and on the same area, did
actually result not only in hindering the growth of the

150 History of Nebraska Methodism.

Territory, but without doubt diminished the population,
and would have prevented any growth and perhaps de-
pleted the membership of the Church, but for the faith-
fulness and efficiency of pastors and laymen, and the gra-
cious revivals with which they were blessed, whereby
there was some growth during every year of this dark
period.

Only the pastor who goes to Peru in 1861, will find
a parsonage, and only three outside of Omaha and Ne-
braska City will find churches to preach in, these being
at Bellevue, Elkhorn, and Brown ville.

They start out with two dfstricts and this will remain
the number till 1865. These are manned by H. T. Davis
on the Nebraska City District, and Wm. M. Smith on the
Omaha District till 1863, when Isaac Burns fills the place
for two years.

There are besides the districts only nineteen appoint-
ments, and in 1863 and 1864 even this small number will
be reduced to seventeen. Let us, as far as possible, fol-
low the several members of this devoted band as they
bravely battle with these difficulties during these exciting
and eventful years.

If we start in on the southern tier of counties where
the settlements have already extended as far as Beatrice
on the Big Blue, we will find J. W. Taylor, he who was
among the first to report for duty as early as 1855, at
Falls City, and the old hero, Isaac Burns, at Table Rock,
both in Richardson County. These are busy through the
year building on the foundations laid by David Hart in
1855. The following year J. W. Taylor asks and re-
ceives a local relation along with Philo Gorton, and Isaac
Burns is sent to Mt. Pleasant, and the next year is pro-

History of Nebraska Methodism. 151

moted to the responsible place of presiding elder of the
Omaha District, where he remains two years.

In 1862 we find T. U. Munhall and L. W. Smith on
the Falls City Circuit. They found one hundred and six
members, including" six probationers, and report at the
next Conference 242, including sixty-four probationers.
This was a gain of 136. This increase may be in part
accounted for by change of boundaries, but was doubtless
mostly the result of revival effort, the increase in proba-
tioners being fifty-eight.

On account of ill-health, L. W. Smith asks and re-
ceives a location at the next Conference. T. M. Munhall
goes the next year, 1863, to St. Stephen Circuit, which
appears for the first time at this Conference, and was
probably before a part of Falls City Charge, the phenome-
nal increase of the year before making a division neces-
sary. The next year Brother Munhall is located at his
own request, but reappears in 1865. There is nothing in
the Minutes to show that he was re-admitted except the
fact that he appears on the examining committee and re-
ceives appointment at that Conference and at several suc-
ceeding Conferences.

The Minutes during all this period up to 1867, are de-
fective in that there is no mention of those coming into
the Conference by transfer or by re-admission on certifi-
cate of location. The Journal of the proceedings not be-
ing printed, it was deemed sufficient to print the usual
Disciplinary questions and answers, but these did not in-
clude a number of items of this kind.

W. King, a local preacher, becomes pastor of the Falls
City Circuit in 1863. The number he reports drops down
to 115, including probationers, but this is owing, in part

152 History of Nebraska Methodism.

at least, to division of the circuit. During Brother King's
pastorate a small parsonage is built at a cost of three hun-
dred dollars.

R. C. Johnson follows King at Falls City and con-
tinues two years, reporting in 1865, eighty members, in-
cluding twenty probationers.

Hiram Burch goes from Brownville to Table Rock in
1862, but resides in Pawnee City, one of the appointments
on the circuit, the other of the three organized points be-
ing South Fork.

They can secure nothing better than a log cabin, with
one room and a garret in which to live. But he soon had
a subscription of $500 in cash and labor, and by doing
much of the hard work himself, quarrying stone, making
shingles, mixing mortar and doing carpenter work, they,
in due time, had a parsonage of four rooms, a cellar and
pantry, into which they moved in December and had a
comfortable house the balance of the pastorate of two
years. This is the way parsonages were built in those ■
days.

Hiram Burch is followed on the Table Rock Circuit in
1864 by A. G. White, but like Brother Burch, he lived in
the new parsonage built at so large a cost of personal toil
by his predecessor. Here also his labors are rewarded by
a small increase. This pastorate was distinguished by
the raising of a militia company, which, as previously
noted, he commanded in the memorable and victorious
contest with the Sioux at Pawnee Ranch on the Little
Blue. At the close of his single year on this circuit he
reports a slight gain, both in members and probationers.

In 1865 Martin Pritchard becomes pastor of Table
Rock Circuit, and is able to report a substantial gain of
sixty-nine members and probationers.

History of Nebraska ^Iethodism. 153

To Beatrice Circuit, the one farthest \Yest on the fron-
tier, and the one with as few attractions as anv charge in
the Conference, John B. ^laxfield is sent. He will find
no parsonage, no church, and only forty-seven members,
and these scattered over a wide range of territory. But
nothing daunted, this stalwart young Methodist preacher
will be seen on his little white pony, riding up and down
the Blue, from Blue Springs on the south to points near
where Lincoln now stands, on the north.

After a year of hard work on the Beatrice Circuit.
Alaxfield goes to DeSoto Circuit, then to Decatur, but
the Government calls him to take charge of the Industrial
School for the Pawnee Indians, located at Genoa, where
he remains three years. Of his brief stay at Decatur, ]\Irs.
Robert Ashley, one of our most intelligent and faithful
members at Decatur, has this to say in an interesting-
sketch of the history of Decatur :

"In 1863. Rev. J. B. ^laxfield was sent to be our pas-
tor. He made his home with us. After staying less than
three months, he was transferred to Pawnee Reservation,
and we were left without a pastor. Brother ^laxfield was
appreciated in Decatur ; he was a powerful preacher. We
held services in a small school-house and every one at-
tended. There was a warm feeling for him in the entire
community, and his removal caused great consternation."

Rulo, while one of the oldest towns in the State, did
not seem at first to present conditions favorable for the
planting of a Methodist Church. This was finally ac-
complished by Rev. P. B. Ruch, in the spring of 1865.
He had given a number of years of faithful and efficient
work in the old Baltimore Conference, until failing health
compelled him to give up the work, and he sought a home

154 History of Nebraska Methodism.

in Nebraska, coming to the Territory in 1864, and locating
at Rulo. He found only three Methodists when he came
to Rulo, but soon began to preach as opportunity of-
fered. He taught the first public school in that place,
which was attended by both white children and those of
the half-breed Indians living on the half-breed tract, on
which Rulo was located, near the mouth of the Great
Nemaha.

The first members of this class which P. B. Ruch was
finally able to organize, were D. W. Searles and Jacob
Shafif and their wives ; Mrs. Scott, the mother of W. D.
Scott and of Mrs. Shaff; Mrs. W. D. Scott, Mrs. Mav,
Mrs. Parsons, and Rev. P. B. Ruch and wife. D. W.
Searles was the first class-leader. A little later. Rev. C.
W. Giddings appointed Brother Ruch preacher in charge.

Brother Ruch says he thinks he was the first Tvleth-
odist to preach the Gospel in Rulo, at least no one there
seemed to have any knowledge of any sermon at an ear-
lier date. This is accounted for by the mixed character
of the population up to that time, consisting, as he in-
forms me, of half-breed Indians, Frenchmen, political
refugees from Missouri, and some white people, mostly
from Ohio. But there were not enough of these last and
the other classes were poor material for a Methodist
Church. It was not until the latter came in sufficient
numbers that a class could be formed.

At the Conference of 1861, H. Burch was returned to
the Brownville Circuit the second year. A small church
was built at a country appointment and one purchased at
Brownville. It seems that T. W. Tipton, afterwards
chaplain in the army, and one of the first United States
Senators from Nebraska, had been a Methodist preacher

History of Nebraska Methodism. 155

in Ohio, but came to Brownvillc as a Congregationalist
and organized a society and built a church. The society
soon run down and the church was sold to our people for
$700. A part of this Brother Burch raised in Brownville,
but the balance was raised in 1861-62 among some
Churches in Illinois, where he was acquainted. This
sending pastors back to the East to solicit help was some-
times a necessity in those days, before the great Church
Extension Society became the medium by which the
benevolent contributions of the East reached the needy
Churches of the West, and as we shall see, greatly facili-
tated church-building.

Brother Burch succeeded, though during his absence
one of his children died. The child was sick only two or
three days. Of this sad incident, he says :

"It was two weeks before tidings could reach me by
letter, and even then I felt I could not return home until
money enough was raised to save the Church, and so
wired my wife to know if the rest were well, and con-
tinued my work."

The circuit had four appointments : Brownville, Ne-
maha City, London, and Fairview. His pastorate is
blessed with two gracious revivals at Brownville, and one
at each of the other appointments, besides two successful
camp-meetings near by. But he says with some degree of
sadness, referring to the times succeeding the organiza-
tion of the Nebraska Conference : "We were few in
numbers, and during the troublous war times our growth
was comparatively slow."

In 1863 A. G. White is appointed to Brownville. As
this strong, cultured man will be met with in responsible
places as one of the most successful leaders in Nebraska,

156 History of Nebraska Me;thodism.

it will be well to take some note of him before passing.
He rame to Nebraska in 1862, and was principal of the
Oreapolis Seminary until the Conference of 1863, when
he was received on trial. He is one of the most aggress-
ive and thorough men, looking after all the details and
ready to make any sacrifice for the cause so dear to him.
He seems not to have known what fear meant, if we are
to judge from the heroic defense which he made with
one hundred men under his command, against 1,000 howl-
ing Sioux savages, as previously noted. We will meet
him again in most trying situations, but always the daunt-
less A. G. White.

His pastorate in Brownville occurred in the darkest
portion of this dark period of the war time, yet he was
able to report a substantial increase, both of members and
probationers.

In 1864 Brownville is supplied by Isaac Chivington.
The next year Brownville becomes a station and is served
by David Hart. The fact that it has become a station is
proof that the work in Brownville itself has been well
looked after by these successive pastors, and that sub-
stantial progress has been made. •

Tecumseh Circuit starts out with eighteen members
and forty-six probationers, and in 1865 reports thirty-nine
members and fifty probationers. The Minutes record that
W. H. Kendall was pastor in 1861, that it was left to be
supplied in 1862, with no information as to who was se-
cured. J. T. Cannon was appointed in 1863 and it was
again left to be supplied in 1864 by F. B. Pitzer, who is re-
ceived on trial in the Conference and returned in 1865.
He is able to report large gain in membership. He is a
plain, simple-hearted preacher of the Gospel, whom Gotl

History of Nebraska ^Methodism. 157

honored with gracious revivals, and who often succeeded
in building up the Church where others failed. He lo-
cated at the Conference of 1868. In 1867 Tccumseh re-
ceived as pastor L. F. Britt. of whom Andrew Cook has
this to say :

"L. F. Britt is a Tennesseean by birth, enlisted in
the Union army when of age and went through the war
without visible injury; he came to Tecumseh in 1867,
under Presiding Elder C. W. Giddings. Over a quarter
of a century ago this young ^Methodist Episcopal preacher
rode over this country, holding meetings among the
sparsely settled neighborhoods, preaching in rude school-
houses, dugouts, and private dwellings, to a poor but
anxious people. He rode a white horse, which, I have
thought at times, was proud of his master, and of his call-
ing. He was rather an aristocratic horse, carrying his
head high in the air. and with much dignity. There were
several causes for this ; the horse heard his master's ser-
mons before the congregations did, even, when the ser-
mon w'as in embryo, he heard it, also the hymns were
sung long before they reached the meeting-house. It
was Brother Britt's custom to preach three times on Sab-
bath and many times through the week. His circuit seemed
to have neither metes or bounds, and the young man was
in constant demand oyer a large area of country. It is
well that he was put up as he was, for what was crushing
troubles to many of us, was just food for amusement to
him ; he not onlv carried his own troubles, but the troubles
of others. It was only a young, vigorous mind and body
that could stand the constant drain upon his cheery, happy
nature. To how man}- weak and discouraged ones has
he been their talisman, more especially in the early days

158 History or" Nebraska Methodism.

of our Church history ; he had wept with those who weep
and rejoiced with those who rejoice. Dr. Britt has filled
some of the best appointments in the State and was never
known as a "yearling," or one year man. He filled his
appointments and staid his full time. He is now filling
his third term as presiding elder. The Doctor's forte is
his native ability. God endowed him with a good, prac-
tical mind ; his perception is good, his executive ability
also. He has a good knowledge of men and things, and
his long years in the ministry has given him wisdom and
experience which is of great value to him as a presiding
elder. He owes nothing to books or college. It were
better that he did, for these advantages would certainly
add much to his general usefulness."

Of the extent, results, and present outcome of his work
on that circuit he further says: "New church buildings
have been erected at Talmage, Brock, Elk Creek, Mt.
Zion, Sterling, Douglas, Burr, Mt. Hope, Cook, Spring
Creek, Vesta, Smartville, Maple Grove, Crab Orchard,
Lewiston, Tecumseh, Plum Grove, Adams, and Glendale.
These churches have all been on the territory included in
his early circuit. Here he sowed the seed of the king-
dom, and laid the foundations for others to build upon."

He was elected a delegate to the General Conference
in 1864. Dr. Britt received his honorary degree of D. D.
from York College. After over twenty-five years of serv-
ice he asked for a certificate of location at the Conference
in 1895, and took up his residence in Omaha, where he
died.

In 1866 a circuit called Helena appears in the Minutes
for the first time. This has special interest to the writer
as being his first charge to which he went in fear and

History of Nebraska Methodism. 159

trembling, and a year on which convinced him that he
needed a far better preparation than he had, for whicli
reason, at the Conference of 1867, he asked to be dis-
continued to attend schooL I may be pardoned, however,
if in passing", in the interest of historical completeness,
some note be made of the year's experiences. Two of the
five appointments, Syracuse and Palmyra, were in Otoe
County, and three, Rockford, Helena, and the Illinois set-
tlement, were in Johnson and Nemeha Counties.

We lived in an old cottonwood shanty that had been
a ranch, and besides this house with but one finished
room, was an old hay-covered stable, which had been left,
with a vast armv of rats, and thev were verv hungrv.
Happily the house stood near to that royal family,
Jacob SoUenberger's. Brother Sollenberger had rented
that claim that year, in order that the preacher might
have a home. In addition to that and many neighborly
and Christian acts of kindness, he paid over eighty dol-
lars on the salary that year, and said he never paid his
portion of the salary more easily. Yet he was a poor
man and he, with other Nebraska farmers, had the first
touch of grasshoppers that year. However, they came so
late that they only partially destroyed the corn crops.

The following incident was of serious import. We
started one evening about sundown from a friend's, where
we had been visiting, to visit a family living in a dug-
out about two miles distant. There was six inches of
snow, and the country rough, and our sleigh broke down,
one runner bending inward and letting the sled tip at an
angle of thirty-five degrees. It held top-ether. however,
so my wife could ride and hold our wraps on, while I
walked and led the horse. By the time we got to the

i6o History of Nebraska Methodism.

stream on which the dug-out was located, it was darl<,
and we missed the crossing. After an hour or two of
vain search for a place to cross. I became so tired that I
must rest. Unhitching our horse, we tied him to a tree
and went down into the bed of the creek out of the wind
to rest. After a little breathing spell we went back to get
the horse and resume our journey, but he was gone. It
was now nine o'clock at night, and already we began to
fear we would have to stay out all night, which, with the
thermometer at six below zero, was an unpleasant and
even perilous prospect. I had little concern for myself,
but feared that my wife, whose health was frail, would
not be able to take exercise enough to keep from freezing.
But committing ourselves to the care of the Heavenly
Father, we took our shawl and buffalo robe, and started
out to find some house, if we could, or to make a brave
struggle for life through the long, bitter cold night, if
we must. We failed to find any house, and remained out
all night, walking till tired out, and then, wrapping our-
selves up as well as we could, would rest till we began
to get cold, then up and on again. It was New Year's
eve, and the moon was bright enough to see my watch and
note the time. By the side of an old oak we watched the
old year out and the new year in, and again committing
ourselves to the Lord, we determined, if possible, to keep
alive till morning. About four in the morning it became
very dark, and my wife was so exhausted she felt she must
rest, and even sleep. But we both knew this would be
fatal and resisted the almost irresistible impulse to give
up. Just at that darkest moment we were within a few
rods of the dug-out we were looking for, but unconscious-
of the fact that deliverance was so near. After resting a

History of Nebraska Methodism. i6i

while, we nerved ourselves for a final effort, being en-
couraged thereto by the first faint streaks of the dawn.
Seeing a dark object across the creek, we went over and
found it to be a haystack with some cattle near by. Find-
ing a path through the snow, we pursued it a little way
and soon found ourselves standing in front of the long-
sought dug-out. The people were up and had a fire, and
promptly answered our rap, and were surprised to re-
ceive a New Year's call from their pastor and wife so
early in the morning. Explanations followed, a warm
breakfast was served, and we were, we trust, duly thank-
ful to God that we had come through that bitter cold night
without freezing any part of our person. This personal
reference may be pardoned as furnishing an illustra-
tion of the perils to which the itinerant was exposed.

Saltillo drops out of the list in 1861, and does not ap-
pear again till 1864, and is then left to be supplied, but
as there is no report of salary, there was probably no one
secured. In 1865, H. H. Skaggs, who had the year before
been received on trial, is appointed to this charge. He.
finds ten members and reports nineteen, with thirt3'-six
probationers, which indicates some gracious revivals.
Though small, this charge has special interest as being
partly on the ground now occupied by Lincoln.

Philo Gorton is placed in charge of the still strong cir-
cuit of Rock Bluffs, as it is called this year. He finds
138 members and thirty probationers, and leaves 107 mem-
bers and sixty-five probationers, which seems to indicate
that while the members decrease by removals, the proba-
tioners have increased by revivals, leaving the strength
of the charge unimpaired. Philo Gorton asks for a loca-
tion at the end of this year and disappears from our ranks.

i62 History of Nebraska Methodism. .

He has given four years to the work in Nebraska, was
the first to preach and organize societies in a number of
places, and did faithful service.

Plattsmouth and Oreapolis Circuit is favored with
the appointment of Jerome Spillman in i86i, and doubt-
less had he remained he would have stirred things there
by the blessing of the Lord, as he had done elsewhere dur-
ing his successful ministry. But early in the year he
accepted what seemed to be the call of duty in another
direction, and entered the service of his country as chap-
lain of the Curtis Iowa Cavalry, as mentioned elsewhere.
In 1862 this charge is left to be supplied, and H. R.
Tricket is employed by the presiding elder, with the re-
sult of a speedy rupture on account of the expression of
disloyal sentiments, as recorded on another page. The
remainder of the year is filled out by J. G. Miller, who
had come to Nebraska from the old Genesee Conference,
New York. He had become interested in the Oreapolis
Seminary, and put in his first few years in Nebraska in a
vain effort to save that institution, being appointed agent
in 1862, and in 1863 both principal and agent.

J. G. Miller was one of our most forceful personalities,
a good preacher, with good executive ability, and was a
shrewd business manager. He might have been one of
our most useful men, had he not got involved in various
business enterprises and landed investments which re-
quired so much of his attention that as a rule his minis-
terial function became merely a co-ordinate branch of his
life's activity, and after a few years as pastor at Platts-
mouth and Oreapolis, and as presiding elder of Nebraska
City District, to which he was appointed in 1865, he took
a supernumerary relation in 1868. He always took great

History of Nebraska Methodism. 163

interest in the local Church where he lived, was a liberal
supporter, and remained to the last an influential mem-
ber of the Conference. His brethren honored him with
an election to the General Conference in 1864. Perhaps
his greatest usefulness was in his aggressive advocacy of
temperance and his relentless warfare on the '"rummies,"
as he called the saloon-keepers and their supporters. He
was several times the temperance candidate for governor,
and other offices, and the vigor of his campaign speeches
drew large audiences. He spent the later years of his
life in California, where he passed to his reward.

In 1864 David Hart comes to Plattsmouth. The mem-
bership has dropped from 102, including probationers, in
1861, to forty, but David Hart's labors are blessed to
such an extent that he is able to report seventy-eight mem-
bers and twenty-three probationers.

The next year, 1865, Plattsmouth received as its pas-
tor, W. A. Amsbary, and under his energetic ministry is
destined to make a large advance. Here, as elsewhere,
his ministry was to be attended by great revivals, both at
Plattsmouth and the country appointment. Eight Mile
Grove, and the membership increased the first year to one
hundred and forty-four, with seventy-four probationers.

Peru Circuit had already become one of the strongest
circuits when, in 1861, Jesse L. Fort was appointed pas-
tor. He remains two years, and the charge about holds its
own. He is followed by R. C. Johnson, who remains one
year and reports a substantial increase in membership. He
is followed in 1864 by that old veteran, Hiram Burch,
who is able, at the next Conference, to report still fur-
ther gains in membership. He is returned the second
year, and inaugurates a movement looking toward the es-

164 History of Nebraska Methodism,

tablishment of a Methodist College at that point. The
details of this movement are treated under another head,
and it need only be said that owing to the arduous work
involved in the enterprise during his third year (the
time limit having been extended), his health became so
impaired that he was compelled to ask to be relieved of
his pastoral duties, and at the Conference of 1867 he
was under the necessity of askmg and receiving a super-
annuated relation. After this he was able occasionally
to resume the effective relation and serve the Church in
Nebraska. Of the above named pastors, Jesse L. Fort
tarried with us until 1902.

The following account of his life, written soon after
his death, will perhaps do partial justice to the worth of
this saint and faithful ambassador of Christ :

"Jesse Lofton Fort, the youngest son of Frederick and
Lucy Fort, was born in Warren County, Kentucky, May
I, 1816. He was converted at the age of fourteen years,
and his parents being Baptists, he united with that
Church. At the age of seventeen, while learning the tan-
ner's trade, he made his home with a stanch Methodist,
and becoming better acquainted with the doctrines and
spirit of the Methodist Episcopal Church, he transferred
his membership to this Church. About 1836 he emi-
grated to Illinois, and settled near Monmouth. Here he
was made a class-leader. In 1837 he was licensed to ex-
hort. In 1847 l^e was licensed as a local preacher. This
license was renewed for four successive years by the fa-
mous Peter Cartwright, who, with Richard Haney and
others of like spirit, gave Jesse L. Fort his first lessons in
the Gospel ministry. In 1851 he was received into the
Missouri Conference. Missouri and Kansas were at this

History of Nebraska Methodism, 165

time the storm center of that fierce conflict between free-
dom and slavery, which was to determine whether Kansas
was to be a free or slave State, and which culminated a
few years later in the g'reat Civil War in which slavery
was overthrown. In the midst of this storm of hate and
bitter persecution, Jesse L. Fort stood firm, though at
times he and his brother preachers did so at the peril of
their lives. In 1859 he came to Nebraska and was sent
to Falls City. Being unable to obtain a house for his
family, he went to Nebraska City, and supplied that
charge part of the year. In i860 he was sent to Platts-
mouth. It was his privilege to be one of that historic
group that constituted the first Nebraska Conference
which was organized at Nebraska City, April 4, 1861, by
Bishop ^Morris. At this Conference he was sent to Peru,
where he remained the full legal term. In 1863 his health
failed and he was compelled to take a superannuated rela-
tion. In 1864-66 he served the American Bible Society,
being superintendent for Nebraska and Colorado. In
1867 he was honored with the chaplaincy of the Nebraska
Senate. In 1869 he again served as agent of the Amer-
ican Bible Society, this time in Pottawattamie County,
Iowa. In 1 87 1 he was made effective and stationed at
Palmyra, and 1872, on the Upper Nemaha. In 1873 he
was made a supernumerary on account of failing health
and went to ^Missouri, where he served different charges
as a supply until 1885. On his return to Nebraska, he
took a superannuated relation, which he retained up to
the time of his death. He was thrice married. On Au-
gust 20, 1840, to Miss Martha McChesney ; on May 19,
1859, to Miss Mary A. Gates ; and to Miss Mary H. Free-
man, May 15, 1872, who has walked by his side for thirty

i66 History of Nebraska Methodism.

years, caring for him through his long illness, and who
survives him. Though, as this brief and imperfect
sketch discloses, he has been for most of his life handi-
capped by poor health, he has been permitted to give
nearly three-quarters of a century to the Christian life,
and over half a century to the Christian ministry. Brother
Fort's last illness was long, and at tinies very painful, but
patiently borne. He passed to his eternal reward at three
o'clock, Thursday morning, May 2,2, 1902, aged eighty-
six years and twenty-two days."

CHAPTER IX.

SECOND PERIOD. (1861-1870.)

The period covered by this history coincides with the
beginning of that modern movement marked by the tend-
ency of people toward the great centers, building up
these relatively much more rapidly than the rural dis-
tricts. Historic proportion will require us to give special
attention to the development of the Church in these cen-
ters, by reason of the relative measure of influence these
must exert on the general situation and their consequent
greater relative importance. Yet, while Methodism, as
is her wont, will adjust her administration so as to meet
the new conditions and give special attention to these cen-
ters, she will not do so at the expense of the smaller vil-
lages and rural districts ; a feature of the evangelistic
work to which she has always given due care and which
the peculiarities of her system, and the spirit of her min-
istry, have fitted her to do, and in which she has been
pre-eminently successful. The justice of this claim will
be amply shown in the pages of this history.

It may be said in a general way that no department
of our Church work in these first periods was more care-
fully looked after and utilized than the Sunday-school.
We have seen John Hamlin at the head of one in Ne-
braska City, and good Sister McCoy effecting an organi-
zation of a Sunday-school among the first things in
Omaha. We have seen that one of the first things Jacob
Adriance thought of was to organize Sunday-schools,

167

i68 History of Nebraska Methodism.

supplying libraries. In many places the first movement
of a public religious character was to organize a Sunday-
school. This sometimes took the form of a Union Sun-
day-school before there were enough of any one denomi-
nation to carry it on. Though these Union schools some-
times persisted in holding the ground long after the Meth-
odists became strong enough to have one of their own
and made us some trouble when the effort to do so was
finally made, our preachers rightly held that, the Sunday-
school being an integral part of the Church, as soon as
possible it was better for each Church to have one of its
own, and would proceed to organize a Methodist Sunday-
school.

It should be explained in passing, that I have felt jus-
tified in assuming that the Sunday-school department has
been well cared for, and to economize space I have omitted
the Sunday-school statistics, except in a few exceptional
cases. The reason for this is that I have found that as a
rule, the number of officers, teachers, and scholars usually
about equal the number of Church members. Thus the
total membership in the Church, as given by the last
Year-book, was 3,029,500, and the officers, teachers, and
scholars in the Sunday-schools were 3,123,297. This rule
holds in Nebraska, with occasional exceptions both ways,
some of which will be noted as we pass.

The two centers that still claim our attention and
which it will be our duty to trace through this second
period, are Nebraska City and Omaha.

Nebraska City received as its pastor in 1861, T. B.
Lemon. It is very strange, but there is no report from
this important charge in 1861. L. D. Price had been ap-
pointed in i860, but had evidently not gone to his charge,

History of Nebraska ^Methodism. 169

and thoug'h one of the most important charges, it seems
at the close of the Conference year not to have had a pas-
tor and no report is made. But the year before the mem-
bership had been reported ninety, inckiding probationers.
Assuming that the number in 1861 was the same, this is
the number that greeted T. B. Lemon when he entered
upon this unportant pastorate. He found the member-
ship discouraged. The Church was in debt and was about
lo be sold. One of the members told him he did not see
how he could live there with four children. But the Lord
most wonderfully blessed his labors with a great revival,
and he came to Conference in 1862 rejoicing over a great
increase in membership, being able to report 235, a net
increase of 137. The Church debt was also paid.

Dr. Lemon, during this first year, had won the affec-
tions of the Church and of the community, and was very
popular with all classes and was returned for the second
year.

At the end of this year he reported 225 full members
and sixty-four probationers, another gain of over fifty,
showing the permanency of the work the year before, and
the success of the second year.

The legal limit still being two years. Dr. Lemon,
though he had won the hearts of all, must needs go to
another field, and is sent to Omaha, while Wm. M. Smith
is stationed at Nebraska City. He remains two years,
and at the end of this term reports 191 members and two
probationers. This is a loss of about sixty, as compared
with Dr. Lemon's last report, though it still leaves Ne-
braska City by far the strongest charge in the Conference.

This strong man seems to have been unable to either
hold what he found, or build up the Church anywhere,

lyo History of Nebraska Methodism.

owing to his want of tact in the expression of his political
views. However, this loss may be accounted for in part
by the reaction that often follows times of great revival,
such as attended Dr. Lemon's pastorate, or by the general
adverse conditions that prevailed during the Civil War.
As noted elsewhere, the entire Conference did little more
than hold its own during the first three or four years of
this period.

At the Conference of 1861, Bishop Morris appointed
H. T. Davis, who, we have seen, had just closed a very
successful pastorate at Omaha, presiding elder of the
Nebraska City District. Though thrust into this high
office at the early age of twenty-seven, his administration
of the district was very acceptable and we may be sure
that the residence of himself and wife contributed in no
small measure to the success of the work in Nebraska
City.

At the Conference of 1865, his time being out on the
district, he is appointed pastor at Nebraska City, again
following Wm. M. Smith, as he had done in Omaha in
1859. The time limit having been extended to three
years, H. T. Davis, as was always the case with him,
staid the full time.

The first time the writer ever heard Dr. Davis preach
was during this pastorate. I was on my way to my first
charge, Helena, in 1866. Two appointments on this cir-
cuit lay directly west, the nearest, Syracuse, near where
we lived, being sixteen miles from Nebraska City. I
reached Nebraska City late in the day and remained over
night. Brother Davis was engaged in revival meetings
that had been continuing for several weeks. I expected
to hear a powerful revival sermon, but heard only a short

History of Nebraska ^Methodism. 171

talk of not to exceed twenty minutes, when the invita-
tion for penitents was given. Will any one respond to
so tame an affair as that? I said to myself. But to my
astonishment quite a number responded. Of course many
were already under conviction and had been at the altar
before. But the incident convinced me that much of the
power of H. T. Davis's preaching was the result of the
man back of the sermon.

Brother Davis's pastorate at Nebraska City was a suc-
cess throughout and at its close he was set to the task,
of laying, at the new capital at Lincoln, the foundations
of another great center, which was in after years to be-
come the strongest in the State.

Nebraska City, in 1868, is left to be supplied, and
George S. Alexander appears for the first time in Ne-
braska Methodism, being transferred from the Providence
Conference, and filling out the year, is returned in 1869
and again in 1870 to the pastorate at Nebraska City.

With the exception of five years spent in Illinois, dur-
ing which he filled important places, he was connected
with the work in Nebraska twenty-six years, when death
closed his career in 1894. His brethren place on record
the following as a tender memorial of his life and work :

"George Sherman Alexander was born in Cumber-
land County. Rhode Island, July 10. 1832. He was kept
in school until he was fourteen years of age. During
this time he laid the foundation of his future life w'ork.
Leaving school he worked in a cotton mill, then in a
woollen mill, where he became a weaver. While work-
ing in the mill he was also broadening his education by
careful study. At the age of twenty-one he abandoned
his loom and followed teaching for a short period. In

172 History of Nebraska jMethodism.

1854, under deep conviction that he was called to preach
the blessed Gospel, he entered the ]\Iethodist ministry,
preaching- his first sermon April 30, 1854. For several
years he served prominent charges in Massachusetts and
Connecticut. March 11, 1856, he was united in marriage
to Miss Abby G. Smith, at Eastham, Mass. In October,
1867, he moved to Iowa, and from thence, in April, 1868,
he was transferred to the Nebraska Conference and served
Nebraska City, Peru, and Lincoln. He was then ap-
pointed chaplain of the State penitentiary. During this
time his wife was called to the Father's house above, leav-
ing six children. These were separated until September
20, 1877, when he was married to Miss Susan M. God-
ding at Philo, Illinois. For the next five years he served
Homer and Monticello as pastor, and then, from failing
health, returned to Syracuse, Nebraska, taking charge of
the Syracuse Journal and preaching for the Church in this
place for one year. He could not cease preaching, and
while editing his paper he became pastor of the Church at
Turlington, which he served until a few months before
his death. He patiently waited for the summons to call
him from the Church Militant to the Church Triumphant,
tmtil ]\Iay 2, 1894, when he was called from pain and suf-
fering to his glorious and eternal rest."

The coming of George S. Alexander brought into our
Western work an infusion of New England blood. In
the best sense of the word he may be said to have been a
live Yankee translated "into the vim and push of the great
West. He seemed at home from the first. His physique
was slight, his weight rarely exceeding one hundred
pounds, and sometimes it was not as much. The story is
told that meeting a friend in a grocery store his friend

History of Nebraska Methodism, 173

proposed to weigh him over against a sack of flour, and
if the saclc weighed more than his pastor his pastor was
to have it. His pastor got it.

But though his body was always sHght and for many
years he was the victim of a cancer, that body was the
dwelHng place of a restless, determined spirit, always tax-
ing the body with plans and schemes of life beyond its
frail powers.

It will be seen that Nebraska City during this entire
period has had a succession of able men for pastors, and
closes the period with 237 members and sixty-three pro-
bationers, about the same as reported at the close of Dr.
Lemon's two years of phenomenal success. There have
been some fluctuations, but it is greatly to her credit and
to the credit of these able, faithful men, that through this
most difficult period there has been no permanent loss,
and she retains -her place as numerically and perhaps
otherwise the strongest charge in the Conference.

If we now turn to Omaha we find that it starts out in
this period with only fifty members and thirty-one pro-
bationers. It is left to be suppUed and at the end of three
months David Hart, who has been sent to Calhoun, is
transferred to Omaha. He remains the second year and
reports fifty-five members and sixteen probationers, which
indicates that he had some revival, yet he is not able to
increase the membership. There were at that time many
removals and the city itself was losing population. Cer-
tainly the situation was discouraging in the extreme.
These were the times that try men's souls, and to zealous,
ambitious preachers like David Hart, supply the severest
test of loyalty. It is much easier to work in a place where
everything is prospering and things move forward, than

174 History of Nebraska Methodism.

in a place that is at a standstill, with people discouraged
and distracted and facing an uncertain future. Brother
Hart is to be honored for holding the forces well in hand
and preventing a complete collapse, so that when the tide
turned, as it soon did, he could turn over to his successor
a well organized Church, with such members as J. W.
Tousley, Col. Richie, Samuel Burns, Brother Isaacs, and
Mrs. McCoy and others of like zeal and capacity. And
Omaha Methodism had the right man in the person of
T. B. Lemon to make the most of the opportunity when
the tide turned. Fresh from his wonderful success in
Nebraska City, Dr. Lemon entered upon his work after
the Conference of 1863, flushed with victory and ready
to lead the Church forward to larger things.

T. B. Lemon became popular with all classes, not by
seeking it for its own sake, but by the inherent qualities
of his mind and spirit. There were the strength of intel-
lect, and the culture and refinement of the well-bred gen-
tleman, which seemed perfectly natural to him and
strongly attracted the most influential men, like A. J. Pop-
pleton, G. L. Miller, Samuel Burns, and others of like
standing. So he was in demand for special services on
great occasions. When in December, 1863. Omaha cele-
brated the fixing of that point as the terminus of the
Pacific Railroad, and the ceremony of breaking ground
for this great enterprise which was to be of national and
even international importance occurred, it was T. B.
Lemon who was called on to open the exercises with
prayer. When the legislature met it was T. B. Lemon
who should be chaplain of one of the houses. In speak-
ing of Dr. Lemon's pastorate at that time, Haynes says y'"

"The national conflict was rife, but Mr. Lemon re-

* History of Omaha Methodism.

History of Nebraska Methodism. 175

fused to commit himself to either side, and with eaeer
desire for success in his charge preached, prayed, and
sang as if undisturbed by the rigor of fratricidal strife.
]\Ir. Lemon was occasionally criticised for his not unre-
servedly avowing Union sentiments. A story is told that
during a session of the legislature at Omaha, after he was
elected chaplain, in a prayer one morning he uttered a
petition in behalf of the Chief Executive of the nation.
Some members of the Assembly found fault by saying he
did not pray for the country. A lawyer of prominence
and a friend of the chaplain, told some of them that they
v/ere too illiterate to comprehend the meaning of a gifted
man's language."

He made friends outside of the Church who volun-
tarily assisted in the maintenance of the pastor and his
projects. The two years of his sojourn in Omaha were
almost uninterruptedly pleasant to him and his family,
and to the day of his death he had many admirers in the
city. Coming to the metropolis at that time, and pursu-
ing the lines of conduct thought by himself the best, he
well-nigh broke down the partition that separated between
the ardent friends of the Government and those who pre-
ferred the success of the Confederacy.

At his coming he found nearly a hundred communi-
cants,* and received seven hundred dollars for his first
year's allowance. An increase in the number of the mem-
bership not worth mentioning is noted at the close of the
year, but his acceptability is signified by his having re-
ceived on salary, as reported in the Minutes of the Con-
ference, $1,000, and $500 as a donation.

But while thus popular with the rich and influential,

'•'This is au error, the number being fifty-seven.

176 History of Nebraska Methodism.

he was equally popular with poorer classes. His warm,
sympathetic nature made him a real friend to everybody,
and everybody felt that the friendship was genuine. The
presence of T. B. Lemon in Omaha, unquestionably gave
Omaha Methodism a standing in the community it had
not had before.

But amid all this popularity. Dr. Lemon held himself
steadily to his high ideals of a Gospel minister. He did
not depend on what accessions might drift into the Church
as the result of the new prosperity and growth of the
city, but preached with power the old-fashioned gospel,
and held revival services which were very successful and
at the end of two years, when he took the district, the
membership had increased to one hundred, including
twenty probationers, and the Church was strengthened in
every way.

It can not but be regretted that at this critical juncture
a man like William M. Smith should have been appointed
to follow T. B. Lemon, in April, 1865. Flushed with
the victories being won by Grant, and a few days later
maddened by indignation at the assassination of the be-
loved Lincoln, the people were more intolerant of any
want of sympathy with the Union cause than ever, yet
this man stubbornly and offensively held on his way, as
will be seen by the following related by Haynes :

"He reaches the city in time to preach on the Sabbath
following the assassination of President Lincoln. The
church was draped, and loyal men and women were in
mourning as if one of their own household had been taken
away. They were in expectation that a memorial service
would be held. Mr. Smith entered the pulpit at the ap-
pointed hour, and to many present was not a stranger.

History of Nebraska Methodism. 177

He chose as a text, i Cor. xi, 2 : 'For I determined not to
know anything among- you, save Jesus Christ, and Him
crucified,' and proceeded to preach. In the discourse he
made no alhision either to the preparation of the room
for the occasion nor to the taking off of the now dead
chieftain, totally ignoring the sad and disappointed people
who had met to honor his name and to do a most willing
part in perpetuating a remembrance of his noble manhood
and distinguished patriotism.

Mr. Smith was not willing to concede that he had
made a mistake in paying no respect to the feelings or
preferences of a large share of the people present ; but the
loyal and patriotic at once decided not to sustain a man,
though appointed as a pastor, who would so brazenly
offer an affront ! A few weeks later the Quarterly Con-
ference met, and after proceeding with the business
till the question was reached, 'What has been
raised for the support of the ministry this quarter?' An-
swer: 'Nothing!' The presiding elder, who was present
and in the chair, was informed that if he would remove
the offending pastor, he would receive pay for the time he
had served ; otherwise he would get no salary. He was
removed, and for a time the charge was left pastorless.
Mr. Smith's name appears not again in the Minutes as
pastor, but as having superannuated. He removed to
Colorado, and it is intimated became connected with the
Methodist Episcopal Church, South ; and now owns and
lives upon a ranch a few miles south of Pueblo, in that
State."

There appears now the right man for the place in the
person of W. B. Slaughter, who fills out Wm. Smith's
year, and completes the full term of the pastorate in

lyS History o'^ Nebraska Methodism.

Omaha. He finds ninety-three members and seventy-five
probationers, the latter being the fruit of T. B. Lemon's
revivals. He finds Omaha entering upon an era of pros-
perity, with Methodism well at the front among the
Churches of the city, thanks largely to the influence of T.
B. Lemon. Haynes says : "The Methodist Church was
now the place of entertainment on the Sabbath, and as a
consequence the congregation was much the largest in
the city." (Of course by "entertainment" he means that
the preaching was the most attractive.)

W. B. Slaughter was one of the most scholarly men
we have had in Nebraska, He was born in Peim Yan,
New York, July 15, 1823, and received his education in
part at the Genesee Wesleyan Seminary. For a while he
engaged in teaching, being principal of an academy at
Coudersport, Pennsylvania, and later of the Genesee
Model School, in Lima, New York. He then joined the
Genesee Conference, serving several pastorates, among
them Old Niagara Street Church, Buffalo.

Coming West he served Wabash Avenue, Chicago, for
the full term, then Joliet. Of this cultured, consecrated
man, Haynes gives some facts which show the spirit of
the man, and of his devoted wife as well :

"Early during the late rebellion he raised a company
of volunteers for the Thirty-ninth Illinois Infantry, ex-
pecting to be appointed chaplain of the regiment. But
the men whom he recruited insisted upon his being their
captain, to whose preference he yielded. However, he
actually served as chaplain, organizing class and prayer
meetings, and seeking the conversions of soldiers. Serv-
ing twenty-one months, toiling with heroic zeal, he was
disabled and returned to his family. Recovering as nearly

i8o History of Nebraska Methodism.

as to permit him to perform pastoral work, he was ap-
pointed to Rockford, Illinois. In the midst of his labors
at Rockford, in the spring of 1864, Bishop Ames sought
him as the man he wanted for Denver District, Colorado.
The matter was urged, and he finally consented. The
people wdiom he served remonstrated, and telegraphed the
bishop asking that he might not be removed. But the
reply was 'He must go.' " He left at once and hurriedly,
only delaying long enough to provide a private convey-
ance that his family might follow. He reached the seat
of the Colorado Conference just in time to hear the ap-
pointments read at the close of the session, and was
startled to hear his own name announced for Colorado
District, instead of Denver.

The last-named district, at that date, included all of
the southern part of the territory and was made up of a
few preaching places a great distance apart, the largest
of which was Colorado City, once the capital, having
less than ten members. The sacrifice he must make was
unexpected, but there was no loyal way out of it. Hero-
ically he accepted the work and sent for his wife and two
sons, leaving his daughter that she might attend school.
There was no railway reaching further west than Mar-
shalltown, Iowa. Mrs. Slaughter sent her eldest, a boy
of seventeen, with the conveyance for crossing the plains
in advance, and, taking the rail, overtook him at the west-
ern terminus. They together hence began the long and
hazardous journey, expecting to meet bands of Indians
after crossing the Missouri River.

Arriving at Omaha they were kindly received by Rey.
T. B. Lemon, pastor, and his family, who persuaded them
to rest a few days. Mrs. S. says: "I started from

History of Nebraska Methodism. i8i

Omaha with my two boys, the older serving- as driver,
and the other two years old, feeling there was safety only
in the protection of the divine arm." Often their vehicle
was surrounded b}' the red men, who, at that time, were
committing- frequent depredations, but they were not mo-
lested. Four weeks of wearisome travel had passed, and
an axle of their carriage broke when several miles from
any habitation, and they were helplessly alone. Fortu-
nately a covered wagon came in sight. They were t-ikcn
on beard and their conveyance was drawn behind ; and
in this manner were driven into Denver, where they were
met by Mr. Slaughter. Tarrying long enough to get the
carriage repaired, the trip toward Pike's Peak v»?as re-
sumed, Colorado City being their destination. Their ar-
rival v/as in the evening, onl}' to find that there wa^- bui
one place where they could get lodging for the night ;
and but one frame house in the village ; the others were
of logs. They could make no arrangement for house-
keeping, and could find no place where they could all
occupy the same house — they had to be separated for
sleeping. As their money was nearly gone, Mrs. S.
began teaching, while her husband made a round on the
district, taking about a month.

Mr. Slaughter attempted to make better provision for
his family's comfort. In his travels he found some min-
eral springs (now Manitou), and as he had never used
his right to government land, he concluded to claim them
as a homestead. Upon this claim he and his son put up a
log house, and while yet unfinished the family occupied
it. Retiring the first night while the stars could be seen
through the undaubed apertures and the air balmv and
quiet, an unlooked for change in the temperature occurred

i82 History oi^ Nebraska Methodism.

before morning'. The wind blew cold and biting and
snow began flying; and daylight found Mr. S. with a
severe cold that soon developed in pneumonia. He
summoned a doctor who invited him to his cabin, one
room of which he occupied for two months. By the
watchful care of the physician he was brought through
the crisis. But the doctor advised that he would con-
valesce more surely in the altitude of Denver.

Mrs. S. says : "Our finances were meager, and liv-
ing very costly. When we broke our last dollar it indeed
looked very dark ahead. But I felt surely the Lord will
provide. And he did ; for the next mail brought a check
for fifty dollars from Governor Evans, who had heard of
Mr. Slaughter's illness. This enabled us to outfit for
Denver."

Though relating to other fields, these extracts are jus-
tified because they reveal so vividly the spirjt of .self-
sacrifice that characterized this cultured man and wife
through their entire career in Nebraska. While, as we
see, his abilities were soon recognized and he was soon
summoned to responsible places in educational and pas-
toral lines, both in the East and West, lie also heard the
call of duty when summoned to that hard far-away field
in Colorado. There are few men who have n'ade as
great sacrifices in the ordinary way as VV. B. vSlaiighter.
But there was a special feature in his case which made
the trial doubly hard. He was well qualified and strongly
inclined to serve the cause of Christ along literary lines,
as shown by his book referred to by Haynes, "Modern
Genesis," pronounced by competent judges one of the
strongest arguments against the "Nebular H3pothesis"
ever written. To go West meant to give up the cherished

History of Nebraska Methodism. 183

and cono-enial plans of his life work, as it then seemed,
and doubtless did rob the Church of much excellent work
on that line. After coming to Nebraska, though as a lule
serving the best charges, it was not always so. He cheer-
fully took some hard circuits. The writer well remem-
bers that in 1871, when Dr. Slaughter was in charge of
Bellevue Circuit, actually receiving not to exceed $700,
I visited him at his home in West Omaha. Dr. Slaughter
took me with him in his old buggy, down through the
woods near where Hanscom Park Church now stands, to
yisit his son Bradner, who was superintendent of a soap
factory, and laughingly mentioned the fact that while he
was getting the promise of $700 for preaching the Gos-
pel, his boy was getting $1,300 for making soap.

This visit was an illustration of one side of Dr.
Slaughter's character, which was prominent. He had
become a father to all the boy preachers, and they often
found their way to his home for counsel in their work, but
especially in their studies. No one could make a young
preacher feel more at ease in his presence. He treated
them as though they were his equals, and inspired in them
self-respect, self-confidence, and made them feel that if
they tried they could make something of themselves.

Eternity alone will reveal how many young preachers
Dr. Slaughter has helped at some crisis, and put at their
best, and his service along this line is unique, and its
value to the work in subsequent years may never be com-
puted, but will be none the less real.

It can hardly be said that Slaughter was an orator, or
a revivalist, but he was pre-eminently a teacher of the
Gospel. He was a diligent student to the last, and con-
stantly digging about the foundation to lind the reason

i84 History of Nebraska Methodism.

of things, and wonid, in skillful wavs, indoctrinate the
people in the foundation truths of Christianity. It was
his chief function to build up into intelligent, strong Chris-
tian character the raw material furnished by the revivalist.

This was the strong, cultured pastor that Omaha
Methodism needed and received at the crisis in 1865,
when the flock had been left without a shepherd by the
violent rupture with Wm. M. Smith.

Though the membership is only one hundred, includ-
ing twenty probationers, they are in high spirits and face
a much more hopeful future than had as yet presented it-
self. The need of a new church was keenly felt, but the
way to realize it did not present itself during Dr. Slaugh-
ter's pastorate of three years, though he and his brethren
among the laity sought it diligently. But along all other
lines the Church grew and prospered, and at the end of
three years, when Dr. Slaughter gave way to his suc-
cessor, he handed over a well-organized, enthusiastic
Church. As to the exact number of members we have no
means of knowing, as the Minutes that year unaccounta-
bly omit the statistics relating to membership, something
that had not happened before, nor has it since. But the
number must have been much larger than at the begin-
ning of his pastorate. The Church had been growing and
was beginning to feel its own importance. This is inci-
dentally shown in the fact that they now felt they must
have a "special transfer" from the East, and Dr. H. C.
Westwood was secui^ed from Baltimore Conference. He
was distinguished as being the only Methodist preacher
who up to that time had received the degree of Doctor
of Divinity from Presbyterian Princeton College.

Of the man, his work, and the results of his pastorate.

History of Nebraska Methodism. 185

Haynes has this to say : "Henry C. Westwood. trans-
ferred from the Baltimore Conference, was next in the
succession of pastors. He arrived in May, 1867, more
than a month after the closing of Mr. Slaughter's term.
The agitation the year before of the project of more in-
viting quarters as a place of worship resulted in the quit-
ting of the old church and making extensive alterations
in the structure that it might be rented as a source of
revenue. The congregation had already hired and had
begun using the German Methodist Church as a place of
meeting. J\Ir. Westwood's cultivated notions of propriety
were almost shocked at the coarse looking apartments of
this cheap building ; and as a concession to his wishes the
trustees hired the privilege of using the Academy of
Music as a preaching place onlv once a week — on the
Sabbath.

Mr. Westvv'ood reports having large congregations,
and that the official board and himself were in complete
harmon}'. The estimating committee suggested $2,000
as his salary, and the Quarterly Conference confirmed
their judgment. A new and comfortable parsonage
housed him and his family, and the prospect was flatter-
ing. The thoughts of the official members were much
engrossed in devising a method by which money might be
secured to provide a new chapel. Mr. Westwood inter-
ested himself in giving assistance, to the partial neglect
of more directly religious work. The congregation was
not held to the maximum ; no revival occurred, though
the preacher failed not to be in the pulpit on Sunday.
But before the winter was ended, and while the new
chapel's walls were being raised, there were intimations
of discontent.

i86 History op" Nebraska Methodism.

The pastor did not enjoy Western etiquette nor the
bland manner of some of his parishioners. Much of his
former life had been spent among better polished people,
and he hardly would tolerate those who could not appear
well at their homes or in society ; and he almost refused to
visit the humble poor of his charge. Nothing better
might be expected than that fault-finders would use such
an opportunity to complain of the pastor. There st'cnied
to be but little room left for mutual good feeling bi^tween
the servant and the served, and before the ending of the
first year the chances for the accomplishing of goo.l were
lost.

Mr. Westwood was, in appearance, an accomplished
gentleman, and an interesting sermonizer. His elTorts in
the pulpit were not criticised unfavorably ; and if he had
not persisted in his exhibitions of an haughty spirit, ac-
cepting the situation in right good fellowship, he might
have been very certainly a useful man in Omaha. As it
was, he went to Conference under a cloud, pursued by a
delegate from his charge instructed to ask for his removal.
But he was reappointed only to meet such opposition as
forced his presiding elder, A. G. White, to consent to his
removal in three months. He was transferred to the
Conference which he left to come West. His death oc-
curred at Fredonia, New York, August, 1890.

Moses F. Shinn, in those days a handy man to use in
filling a gap, and having reformed, was employed to take
charge till some one might be secured permanently to
stand in his stead as pastor. Mr. Shinn was a man of
much experience in the ministry, and, at times, of great
value to the Church. He was a cheerful companion, and
a speaker of no mean qualities, sound in doctrine and a
thoroughlv orthodox Methodist."

History of Nebraska ]\Iethodism. 187

After an interval of six weeks, during which diligent
efforts had been made by presiding elder, bishop, and the
leading lay members to find the right man to meet this
crisis in affairs, he was finally found in the person of
Gilbert De La IMatyr, D. D., who entered upon the pas-
torate in 1869. Dr. De La Matyr was doubtless the equal
in pulpit ability of any of his predecessors or successors.
With his great abilities as a preacher was a large stock of
common sense, together with a kindly sympathetic nature
that gave him social access in helpful ways to all classes.
He seized the situation with a firm grip, and soon be-
came its master, and the Church starts out on a new era
of prosperity. The first year of Dr. De La Matyr's pas-
torate coincides with the close of the second period, and
we will resume later the storv of this strong man's work.

Before passing, however, it is proper to note that dur-
ing this period Omaha had residing in the city the fol-
lowing presiding elders: The first two years, Wm. i\L
Smith, who succeeded better as presiding elder than as
pastor, being a wise administrator, and not coming in such
constant contact with the people as to make his political
views ofifensive. He was succeeded by Isaac Burns, who
at the end of two years asked to be released that he might
resume the pastorate, which to him was more congenial.
It was providential that after three successful, helpful
years in the pastorate in Omaha, Dr. Lemon was placed
on the district and remained four years in Omaha as pre-
siding elder. Doubtless his influence was of great value
in steadying things during the pastorate of Dr. H. C.
Westwood. He was followed by that natural born pre-
siding elder, A. G. White, whose sound judgment was
much needed in those critical times.

CHAPTER X.

OMAHA DISTRICT. (1861-1865.)

If we pass now to the Omaha District, we will find
the same adverse conditions, with even more discourag-
ing reports of the progress of the work, during the excit-
ing war period.

Beginning with Bellevue, we find this circuit well
manned by that sterling Methodist preacher, Martin
Pritchard. He follows Jerome Spillman, whose two
years' work was on the high pressure order, which, while
it was of great value in permanent results, as we have
seen, is likely to be followed by some reaction and loss,
and Martin Pritchard did splendid service by keeping the
high figure of ninety-six with nineteen probationers,
though this shows a loss, as compared with the number
Spillman left.

He is followed by that- faithful and efficient pastor,
David Hart, but he, too, is compelled to report a small
loss, the number dropping down to eighty-two, with ten
probationers.

Wm. A. Amsbary, a revivalist after the Spillman or-
der, succeeds Hart, in 1864, and is able to report a gain
of fifty during his year's pastorate.

T. M. Munhall follows Amsbary in 1865, and reports
a loss of some twenty-five. Passing to the westward and
tracing the progress of the work along the Platte Valley,
we find Elkhorn Circuit, which appears for the first time,

188

History of Nebraska Methodism. 189

and probably takes some of both Bellevue and Platte Val-
ley ; J. H. Ailing is pastor. Of course it is impossible
to say whether the sixty-four members and probationers
he reports represents gain or loss. He is followed by T.
Hoagland in 1862. He reports fifty-one, a loss of thirteen.

We now come to Platte Valley, that large, indefinite
charge which is supposed to extend as far west as Co-
lumbus, at least. Theodore Hoagland, the pastor, will
only find thirty-six members, and will be compelled to
report only nineteen. This is Brother Hoagland's first
appointment, he having been received on trial along with
T. B. Lemon and J. B. Maxfield, but in sad contrast to
these, he only continues for two years and drops out of
the work ; why, we have no means of knowing. *

Joseph H. Ailing, who entered the w'ork in i860, en-
ters upon his last year in Nebraska as Theodore Hoag-
land's successor on the Platte Valley work and reports a
gain of three members.

]\Iartin Pritchard gave a year to this mission, yet
strong and efficient as he is known to have been, he was
only able to report an increase of five or six.

He is followed in 1865 by that faithful pastor, Jacob
Adriance, who also reports only a small gain. All this
while Fremont has been a part of this mission, but could
not have grown much, for the whole mission had only
twenty-four members and five probationers in 1865.

Kt. Kearney appears for the first time in 1861, with
T. M, ]\Iunhall as circuit preacher. He remained but
three months, being changed to Calhoun, a more product-
ive field. As no one is sent to that far off field to fik
out the year, and Ft. Kearney Circuit is dropped the next
year, it is probable the presiding elder was justified in

IQO History of Nebraska ^Methodism.

abandoning the field and changing ]\Iunhall to Calhoun.
It did not appear again till 1864, and was then, as also in
1865, left to be supplied, with no record as to who, if
any one, found their way to that hard, distant field. But
the Union Pacific is rapidly pushing its way up the
Platte, and there will soon be enough people to justify
the presence of a pastor, and, there will in a few years
be a strong, vigorous Church.

In 1861 Calhoun received David Hart as pastor, but
as noted elsewhere, at the end of three months he was
changed to Omaha, and T. M. Munhall was changed
from Ft. Kearney to fill ovit the year at Calhoun. This
circuit had T. B. Lemon the year before, which accounts
for the fact that there are thirty-one probationers with
only thirty full members. The revivals then, as now, oc-
curring in the winter, and Conference coming in the
spring, probationers could not be received into full con-
nection until the following Conference year, so the num-
ber of probationers left was a fair index to the extent of
the revival the preceding year. It will be noted that T. B.
Lemon usually left some probationers, for he almost in-
variably had a revival. According to this standard there
must have been revivals that year under Munhall's min-
istry, also, for sixty probationers are left to the care of
his successor.

That successor was J. B. Maxfield, the name of the
circuit being again changed to De Soto. As noted else-
where, Maxfield passes on to Decatur the next year, and
is followed by the old rough-and-ready pioneer, Isaac
Burns, who puts in a year of faithful work. E. T. Mc-
Laughlin is received on trial in the Conference of 1864
and succeeds Burns on De Soto Circuit. The Minutes of

History of Nebraska Methodism. 191

1865 record his appointment as a missionary to Montana,
but it seems that he did not go but suppHed the Decatur
work that year and continued two years and dropped out.
ile leaves twenty-four probationers, which indicates that
lie had some revivals. There now appears as pastor of
this circuit. A. G. White, a name that will become a house-
hold word in many parts of Nebraska. Rev. W. A. Wil-
son writes me that there are still standing and growing,
at old Ft. Calhoun, in front of what was then the parson-
age which he built while on the circuit, some large trees,
which White had planted, typical of the permanence and
healthy growth of much of the results of this strong, thor-
ough man's work in after life. He will be heard from
again, wisely and triumphantly leading the hosts of King
Immanuel. We have already heard of his brave leader-
ship in defense of Pawnee Ranch against 1,000 yelling
savage Sioux. We will always find him ready for emer-
gencies and master of the situation, however difficult.
During his first year at De Soto the membership, includ-
ing forty-three probationers, is nearly doubled.

W. A. Amsbary goes to Tekamah in 1861. The cir-
cuit included Decatur and the next year the name of the
circuit is changed to Decatur and Amsbary returns for
the second year. But even this aggressive revivalist,
whose success elsewhere in building up the Church
through revivals has been phenomenal, reports at the end
of his full legal term a loss of ten. He is followed, as be-
fore noted in a personal reference, by Dr. Maxfield, who
after a short time is called to the Government Training
School at Genoa. As good Sister Ashley says, there was
"consternation" at the loss of such a man, whose min-
istry had already taken strong hold of the entire com-

192 History of Nebraska Methodism,

munity, and promised a year of great success. The cir-
cuit was supplied the balance of the year by Joel Mason^
but hardly rallied that year from the discouragement oc-
casioned by the departure of Maxfield.

In 1864 Jacob Adriance is sent to Decatur mission and
finds a disheartened people almost ready to give up. But
by a year of faithful work, such as he always did, he left
the charge in good condition for an advance when the
change in the tide of affairs, which was soon to come,
arrived. He is followed by A. J. Swartz in 1865.

Dakota Mission has for pastor for two years, begin-
ning with 1861, Z. B. Turman, whose presence is a guar-
antee of two years of hard, aggressive worlc, but by some
mistake Dakota does not appear in the statistics and we
know nothing of the results of his labor.

He is followed by W. A. Amsbary in 1863. The
omission of the statistics of the charge the year before
makes a comparative statement impossible, but that the
field was a discouraging one is evident from the fact that
after three years' faithful service by two such men as
Turman and Amsbary, there were only eighteen members.
"For the next two years Dakota is left to be supplied and
we have no means of knowing who, if any one, was se-
cured for this purpose, and as there is no report of sta-
tistics, we can not know whether there was gain or loss.

This ends the detailed statement of each charge dur-
ing the war period so far as such details can be obtained
from meager records, and other inadequate sources of in-
formation. Only two churches have been built during the
stress and excitement of the war period. One of these
was, as noted, bought of the Congregationalists at Brown-
ville, and the other was erected at a country appointment

History of Nebraska Methodism. 193

on the charge, during the pastorate of Hiram Burch, who
had already made a reputation as church builder, by the
erection of the first ]\Iethodist church ever built in Ne-
braska, at Nebraska City. In 1863, during- the pastorate
of J. G. ]\Iiller at Plattsmouth, a small building that had
been used for a saloon was purchased, and made to ser\^e
as a place of worship for several years.

According to the ^linutes there were reported in sta-
tistics for 1 86 1 four churches, including the one at Brown-
ville, and one at Bellevue, but which is not reported in
any succeeding copies of ]\Iinutes, and must, like the
Florence Church, have been. sold to pay debt. In the sta-
tistics for 1 86 1 even Nebraska City church building is
omitted, because there was no report from that charge,
but it ought to be counted. Including all these Nebraska
iMethodism started out in the war period with five church
buildings, and up to 1865, loses one and gains two, mak-
ing a net gain of one church for the period.

They do better on parsonages, however. Starting out
in 1861 with only one. in 1863 there are two'built, one at
Pawnee City on Table Rock Charge, by Brother Burch,
and one at Falls City by Brother King. In 1864 Brother
Lemon reports one at Omaha, and W'm. ]\I. Smith one at
Nebraska City. But according to the statistics in the
Minutes of 1865 both that at Omaha and the one at Ne-
braska City drop out. but that of Nebraska City is re-
ported each year afterward. This leaves the net gain for
the period of the war, four, including the one purchased
at Plattsmouth that year, during the pastorate of W. A.
Amsbar3^

Aside from what has been done by those faithful
workmen in the direct interest of the Church, g^reat thines

194 History oi^ Nebraska Methodism.

have occurred on the wider arena of the national Hfe.
The Union has been saved and slavery abolished. Be-
fore the war Nebraska and Kansas had been thrown open
for the admission of slavery, on equal terms with free-
dom. Now Nebraska is forever dedicated to freedom,
greatly to the gratification of such men as H. T. Clarke
and Andrew Cook and hundreds of others who had come
in the "fifties" to make Nebraska free, and to the joy of
all lovers of their kind.

SUMMARY OF RESULTS, 1861-1865.

There has not been much growth in any direction dur-
ing these stormy times. Omaha District gains sixty in
the four years, and Nebraska District gains, on the face
of the statistics, 261. But the important station of Ne-
braska City was not reported in 186 1. If we add the
ninety that were reported for Nebraska City in i860 to
the total reported in 1861, the net gain for the period will
be only 171, or a total for the Conference of 231, being
an average of fifty-six per year for the entire Conference.

But under the circumstances that was a great achieve-
ment. The Church more than held its own, while the
population of the territory' has at times decreased. It is
well organized and full of holy enthusiasm as it faces
the new and more hopeful future.

That future is bright with promise for Nebraska
Methodism. Several causes will operate to bring a large
population in the next five years. Among those is the
free homestead law which went into operation in 1862,
but up to 1865 had not attracted many to Nebraska. But
now the tide sets in strongly. The war being over, many
of the old soldiers hasten to Nebraska to find a home.

History of Nebraska Methodism. 195

Tecumseh and many other places are started largely by
the old veterans.

The spaces on the open prairie left vacant in the older
counties rapidly fill up. The first settlers had taken
claims along the streams where there was some timber,
many doubting whether people could live at all out on
the prairies away from timber. Even as late as 1865,
when Rev. P. B. Ruch ventured out some twenty miles
on the wild prairie of Richardson County, his friends
deemed him reckless. But he and many others had al-
ready demonstrated the richness of these prairie farms
and increasing confidence served to fill up the vacant por-
tions of the older counties, so that up to 1870, while the
population increased from 28.841 in i860, to 122,993 in
1870 (nearly all this increase occurring after 1865), the
increase found homes in the older counties and the west-
ern line of the frontier remained substantially the same as
in 1861.

In anticipation of this increase, a new district is
formed in 1865, called Brownville District, with that rug-
ged old leader, C. W. Giddings as presiding elder, while
J. G. Miller succeeds Davis on the Nebraska City Dis-
trict. This arrangement, however, only continues till
1867, when the number of districts is again reduced to
two, with T. B. Lemon on the Omaha District and C. W.
Giddings on the Nebraska City District. The number of
districts remains the same till 1869, when the number of
circuits and stations have increased to thirty-nine, mak-
ing another district necessary. A. G. White is made
presiding elder of the Omaha District, T. B. Lemon of
the Nebraska City District, and C. W. Giddings of the
Lincoln District.

196 History of Nebraska Methodism.

We pause a moment to note some facts relating to
that forceful personality and efficient preacher, C. W.
Gidding"s.

C. W. Giddings had given twenty-five years to the
ministry before coming to Nebraska in 1858, having
joined the old Oneida Conference, New York, in 1833.
After many years of toil in the East, his health broke
down and he came to Nebraska to recuperate if possible.
In a few years he was so far restored that having been
transferred to the Nebraska Conference, he re-entered
the work as presiding elder of the Brownville District.
He afterward served two years on the Lincoln District,
but the old infirmities, together with advancing years,
made it necessary for him to take the superannuated rela-
tion in 1871. He retired to his farm at Table Rock, and
there, with his devoted wife, he lived in peace, looking
back over a long life well spent, and forward to the life
that never ends.

While not able to give many years to the Nebraska
work, they were years of great influence for good. The
preachers soon came to recognize him as a superior man,
and by their votes sent him as delegate to the General
Conference of 1868. His death occurred December 23,
1879. His brethren place on record, in 1880, the fol-
lowing estimate of their fallen comrade : Brother Gid-
dings was a man of more than ordinary ability, and like
the most of men of such rank, he had his peculiar char-
acteristics. He was possessed of great will power, and
hence of great decision and firmness. He also had great
endurance and persistent activity. He was a thorough
and devout Arminian Methodist of the old style ; jealous
for the purity and power and zealous for the success of

History of Nebraska Methodism. 197

the Gospel — elements that made him a true and able min-
ister of our Lord Jesus Christ.

"His sermons evinced deep thought and a comprehen-
sive understanding. He was a workman at his calling.
Sin and error suffered mortal thrusts by the scathing
shafts of his incisive gospel logic. Finally his devotion
to the cause in retirement was evinced by his fidelity to
every religious and reformatory interest of society. As
Sunday-school superintendent he will be missed and long
remembered. And, as might be expected, he died as the
good man dies, quoting to his pastor the significant lines :

" ' Not a cloud doth arise to darken the skies,
Or hide for a moment my Lord from my eyes.'

"Blessing upon the family, honor to the record, and
peace to the memory of one of life's true heroes, Charles
W. Giddings."

CHAPTER XI.

(1865-1870.)

The task of tracing the history of the next five 3'ears
will be a more pleasant one. The struggle for existence,
both for Territory and Church, is over, and it will be our
pleasant duty henceforth to note the rapid march of prog-
ress in all directions, which, though at times will be re-
tarded, will not cease.

The era of free homesteads and rapid movement of
population westward, enhanced by the large foreign im-
migration that is coming from Europe, and stimulated
by the building of the Union Pacific and other lines of
railroads, has set in.

The era of helpful subordinate institutions in the
Church has also set in. The Missionary Society, which
had begun its work in 1819, had, up to this time, been
the only helpful agency in the field. It was seen what
an immense advantage it had been in maintaining a work-
ing force in the field, being often the chief reliance of
the scantily paid itinerant in his efifort to keep the wolf
from the door. It was manifest that if this helpful agency
was re-enforced by another that would enable the faithful
pastor who was rapidly forming classes out of the ]\leth-
odist settlers who were coming to the West by the thou-
sands and through his revival efforts adding to them
young converts by the scores and hundreds, to build
churches and thus to house and care for them more effi-

198

History of Nebraska Methodism. 199

ciently, the results would be larger and more permanent.
As usual, when this great need was pressing, God raised
up the needed help in the organization of the Church Ex-
tension Society in 1865.

This need became acute when the problem of evangel-
izing the Western prairie country confronted the Church.
When the hardy pioneers planted the Church in Ohio and
Indiana, they found an abundance of native material,
which only needed a small amount of money to enable
willing hands to hew it and place it in shape and construct
a church that served their purpose very well. But this was
not possible in Iowa and Nebraska and other prairie coun-
tries. True, rather than go without any shelter, they con-
structed the rude sod church, which would temporarilv
serve the purpose, but could not be permanent. Hence
it was an event of immense import to Nebraska Meth-
odism when the Church Extension Society was born.
However, it was several years before it got its work so
well in hand that it could be of much assistance, but it
was a beginning full of promise that should be realized in
full measure later on.

During the five years, from 1865 to 1870, a number of
preachers who had rendered efficient service for a number
of years, either passed on to other fields, as did the ag-
gressive Amsbary, who in 1867 went to Colorado, or
through failing health were compelled to take a non-effect-
ive relation, as did J. T. Cannon, Jesse L. Fort, Hiram
Burch, David Hart, J. G. Miller, Isaac Burns, and M. F.
Shinn. Besides these, H. H. Skaggs, F. B. Pitzer, A.
Williams, located in 1868; and in 1867 A. G. White was
appointed chaplain in the army. But others rapidly took
their places. During these five years there came in on

200 History of Nijbraska Methodism.

trial, in 1866, David Marquette, A. Williams, and A. J.
Folden ; in 1867, Benjamin C. Golliday, L. F. Britt, Joel
Warner, Joseph H. Presson, William A. Presson, H. P.
Mann; in 1868, Joel A. Van Anda, T. R. Sweet, R. S.
Hawks; in 1869, David Marquette, Francis M. Ester-
brook, J. W. Martin.

Concerning myself it will be noted that I was twice
received on trial, which may need explanation concerning
my own and other like cases during these earlier times.

At the close of my first year I felt the need of a better
education and determined to go to Garrett Biblical School.
There was no provision then, as now, by which those tak-
ing such a step, which may be as much involved in the
call to the ministry as preaching, could continue their re-
lation and be left without appointment to attend school,
but they must be discontinued, and then when they re-
sumed active work, be received on trial again.

Among these recruits are men who have risen to high
distinction for usefulness. It will not be regarded as ex-
travagant praise by those who know the facts to say that
A, L. Folden, who, though not entering the Conference
till near forty years of age, has made a record in the way
of solid achievements that will compare favorably with
any of his co-laborers ; then there is L. F. Britt, the Pres-
sons, Joel A Van Anda, F. M. Esterbrook, and others,
who, on various fields, have rendered splendid service.

Besides these raw recruits, there were some who trans-
ferred into this Conference, bringing well-trained minds
and consecrated hearts, and most of them devoted
themselves to the work in Nebraska the remainder
of their lives. Of these we mention a few. Just
at the close of the war period we saw C. W.

History of Nebraska ]\Iethodism. 201

Giddings step into the arena ; in 1866, J. J. Rob-
erts, than whom- Nebraska has had no abler ex-
pounder of the truth, joined our ranks, bringing- with him
a wife who has also been a power for good as all who
know Airs. j\I. E. Roberts will readily testify. And wdio
does not know her, whose "name is in all the Churches ;"
then there were W. S. Blackburn, J. M. Adair, H. C.
Westwood, George S. Alexander, Gilbert De La Matyr,
S. P. Van Doozer, and George W. Elwood, all of whom
wrought faithfully, and some powerfully, for the cause of
the blaster. Then J. E. Alaxfield, who took charge of
the Indian Training School in 1863, resumes his place in
the pastorate in 1867, greatly strengthening the forces.

These gains to the working forces so outnumber the
losses, that in 1869 we have thirty-five receiving appoint-
ment at the hands of Bishop Janes, as compared with
eighteen, who were assigned to work by Bishop Scott in
1865.

With such accessions to the working forces we may
expect corresponding growth in the work, and will not be
disappointed. The work is already assuming the twofold
form of developing into strength and more perfect or-
ganization the older charges, and pushing the work along
the frontier, though the frontier features of the work
will predominate for some time to come.

Under svich pastors as the saintly Davis and the stir-
ring Alexander, Nebraska City maintains its place in the
lead in membership, and is abreast with any in all that
makes a strong, aggressive Methodist Church,

Omaha makes rapid progress toward permanent con-
ditions under Slaughter, Westwood, and De La Matyr.
If there was some trouble, it was doubtless because the

202 History of Nebraska Methodism.

Church was crowded forward too rapidly under the ag-
gressive Westwood, whose Eastern ideas did not fit into
Western conditions. But there was a decided gain in
membership and all other elements of local strength and
influence.

Before passing we should glance at some of the more
important places, and note, as far as possible, their prog-
ress toward their present commanding positions. Peru
has assumed special importance as the seat of the State
Normal, which was established there after the refusal of
the Conference to accept their offer. The JMethodist
Church has supplied the positive religious and moral in-
fluence needed in an educational center, through a succes-
sion of faithful pastors and great revivals. J. J. Roberts,
R. C. Johnson, J. W. Taylor, and A. J. Swartz succes-
sively served this charge during this period. At Brown-
ville, David Hart, B. C. Golliday, and D. H. May served
as pastors. Falls City was mightily stirred and strength-
ened by revivals and faithful pastoral work under W. A.
Presson, followed by Martin Pritchard. Table Rock re-
ceived the Gospel at the hands of M. Pritchard and L. W.
Smith in these years.

Pawnee stands out by itself as an appointment for the
first time in 1868, with W. A. Presson as pastor for two
years, during which it is strengthened by a good revival.

Beatrice is served by H. P. Mann, R. C. Johnson, and
George W. Elwood. Tecumseh makes great progress
under the labors of A. L. Folden and L. F. Britt, as might
well be expected. Over 100 conversions result from the
labors of Brother Folden, assisted by Joseph H. Presson.

Plattsmouth had the misfortvme to lose W. A. Ams-
bary about this time, but rallied under the able ministry

History of Nebraska Methodism.

203

and wise administration of J. J. Roberts. During his
three years a substantial church was built.

After tw^o years' pastorate by faithful Adriance, Fre-
mont had the service of Joel A. Van Anda for three
years, during which their first church was built, antl
the charge moved rapidly forward along all lines
of growth, and began to take rank as one of the
best charges.

These are the principal points, which, with a single
exception, Methodism has developed into strength and
influence in the community.

■

■1

*S»,

W8W

W^^

■L- ^

■cjM

fe^^^^^H

3h1

KjH

Father Van Anda.

John A. Van Anda.

Probabl}- to no two families has Fremont Methodism
been more indebted for its growth and influence than to
the two Rogers families who were members from the
first. These were joined in 1867 by the Van Anda fami-
lies, father and mother and two sons, Joel A. and John A.
While J. F. Hansen. N. V. Biles, R. B. Schneider, O. F.
Glidden, and many other excellent families came still later,
it seems appropriate that the Rogers and Van Andas re-
ceive something more than mere mention, they having
stood in special relation to the early history of the Church.

204 History op* Nebraska Methodism.

The two brothers, E. H. and L. H. Rogers, who were
members of the first class formed in Fremont, in 1857,
and during their whole lives were pillars in that Church,
are worthy of further mention.

E. H. Rogers, the more aggressive of the two, after
twenty-five years of great usefulness in all the relations
of responsibility to which a layman may be called, such
was his high standing as a stanch and influential Meth-
odist, that the ministry, after his death in 1881, in the
prime of life, do him the honor of giving him the rare
distinction of prominent mention among their honored
dead, usually reserved for members of the Conference.
In the Minutes of 1881 they place on record this brief
account of his life, and appreciation of his worth, which
I transcribe and make my own : "Eliphaz Hibbard Rog-
ers was born in Litchfield, New York, January 12, 1830,
and died in Vera Cruz, Mexico, August, 1881. He ob-
tained a good academic education, and at the age of six-
teen engaged in school teaching, and a few years later
in the practice of law, in both of which professions he
was successful. Twenty-five years ago he came to Ne-
braska and located in the valley of the Platte, where now
is the city of Fremont. In 1858 he was elected to the
legislature. From 1863 to 1867 he was county clerk ; and
while yet in the office he was elected to the last Terri-
torial Council, and afterward to the first State Senate of
Nebraska ; and in both bodies he was chosen president,
and served with marked ability. At the time of his death
he was United States Consul at Vera Cruz, Mexico. In
early life he became a Christian and a member of the
Methodist Episcopal Church. His experience was clear,
constant, and satisfactory. He never compromised prin-

History of Nebraska Methodism. 205

ciple for worldly gain. He brought all his secular inter-
ests to the bar of an enlightened judgment, and then
acted according to its dictates. His piety found intelli-
gent expression in a system of good works. From the
first he devoted one-tenth of his income to religious uses.
For awhile after coming to Nebraska that tenth was very
small, and there were urgent demands for it in his family
and business ; but to his mind and conscience it would
have been robbery of God to use it, and he never did. In
all his Christian experience he proved the truthfulness
of Paul's teaching, that godliness is profitable to the life
that now is. His life was a practical refutation of the
popular slander that the children of clergymen are more
reckless and more indifferent to sacred things than other
children. He was the son of Rev. L. C. Rogers, who
spent all the years of his manhood in the Methodist min-
istry in the State of New York ; and our lamented brother
grew to man's estate in the home of an itinerant, sharing
all of its privations and self-denial. The Church loved
him and trusted him, and he was twice lay delegate to
the General Conference, serving with marked ability upon
one of its most important committees. He was an accom-
plished orator, a model class-leader, a faithful friend, a
devoted husband and father. In short, he was a Christian
in the best meaning of the term, and "the end of that man
was peace."

While, as said before, Lucius Fl. Rogers was less ag-
gressive, he was permitted to give nearly half a century to
the Church he loved, filling faithfully the many posts of
duty to which the Church called him. He was on the
Commission that founded Nebraska Wesleyan, and was
for many years an honored member of the Board of Trus-

2o6 History of Nebraska Methodism.

tees. His pastor, Rev. F. H. Sanderson, D. D., speaks
thus tenderly of this departed saint :

"Lucius Henry Rogers was born in Fayetteville, New
York, March 20, 1834, and died in Fremont, Nebraska.
September 11, 1903. He was the son of the late Rev.
Lucius Cary Rogers, who labored a lifetime in the Oneida
Conference. Brother Rogers imbibed the truths of re-
ligion at his mother's knee, from his father's lips, in the
modest parsonage of the long ago. He was cradled in
the lap of piety. In the dawn of manhood he received
the truth, and the emancipating power of that knowledge
made him free. Himself and his brother, the late Eliphaz
H, Rogers, and three more devout Methodists, organized
the first Methodist Episcopal Church of Fremont, Ne-
braska, forty-six years ago. As a charter member of this
noble Church, and an official of the same for forty years,
he demonstrated his faith in God and love to the Church.
By a well ordered and consistent life and conversation,
and by his large and constant contributions to its welfare,
he ever said: 'I love Thy Church, O God!' In 1888 he
was elected a delegate to the General Conference in New
York. His spiritual experience was a living reality. His
faith in God and his blessed experience of the power of
Christ to save and keep, preserved him from all skeptical
doubts touching the authority and inspiration of the Bible
and the immortality of the soul. His spare moments were
not given to folly or to the acquiring of political renown,
or even to the achievement of commercial fame. Unos-
tentatious, modest, always 'esteeming others better than
himself,' his leisure was devoted to substantial reading
and the sublime work of doing good. The Church, the
poor, the great ameliorating agencies of our times, were

History of Nebraska Methodism. 207

all objects of his ceaseless regard. His personal assist-
ance, his prayers and sympathies, his purse, were ever at
the command of religion, philanthropy, and charity. All
the older bishops and many of the senior ministers knew
and loved him. His hospitable home was always open
to the Methodist itinerant. He was universally beloved
and esteemed. Until ill-health prevented, he was ever at
his post in the house of God. 'He was a good man, and
full of the Holy Ghost and of faith.' "

The two Rogers families were soon joined by another
family, the Van Anda's, mother, father, and two sons,
Joel A. and John A. Joel A. Van Anda was pastor of
the Church at Fremont when the first church was built
and Fremont Methodism took a fresh start in its steady
march towards its present strength and influence. The
year the church was completed, in 1870, the Conference
held the first of a long series of sessions in Fremont, at
every one of which the hospitality has been most cordial.

Joel A. remained as pastor the full term, but did not
stay long in Nebraska, being summoned to the pastorate
of some of the most important Churches in other States.
His whole career has been eminently successful.

Father and Mother Van Anda remained many years as
bright and shining lights, and John A. Van Anda re-
mained in active business in Fremont and in faithful serv-
ice in official relations to the Church until last summer,
when after long and intense suffering from rheumatism,
he passed to the heavenly country. His devoted wife still
tarries among the working forces of the Church. Fre-
mont Methodism owes much to the Van Anda family.

We find many new charges are formed, yet mostly
within the area already partially occupied. In the Omaha

2o8 History of Nebraska Methodism.

District we find Wood River and De Witt Charges in
1866; Fremont in 1867; City Mission, West Point, and
Nortli Platte in 1868, and Schuyler in 1869. In some
cases, like Fremont, these had been parts of circuits, but
had become heads of circuits or stations.

In Nebraska City District we have Blue River and
Helena in 1866, and Lancaster in 1867; Cub Creek,
Upper Nemaha, and Lincoln in 1868; and London, Salem,
and Blue Springs in 1869.

Then we have the new Lincoln District, with the new
circuits, Ashland, Oak Creek, and Northwest Blue, in
1869.

Some of these new charges that have their birth dur-
ing these five years, will become important centers in due
time. Among these destined to realize this larger future
are Fremont, Schuyler, Wood River, which should have
been named Grand Island; Blue Springs, Ashland, and
last, but not least, Lincoln. Methodism in this place, the
capital of the State, will, under the leadership of H. T.
Davis, its first pastor, and his successors, soon forge to
the front and ever after maintain its place in the lead.
There was one of these new charges. West Point, that
has defied the best efforts of faithful men, and has be-
come defunct.

In 1865 the Minutes report six churches and six
parsonages, while in 1869 we have thirteen churches and
twelve parsonages. The membership has also nearly
doubled, being 2,973, including probationers, in 1869, as
compared with 1,564 in 1865.

It would be most interesting and profitable to trace
the history of each of these stations and circuits, and
to watch the work of the pastors who achieved these

History of Nebraska Methodism, 209

splendid results, but this has become impossible for want
of space. We only know that such results could only
come of the work of consecrated men blessed of God in
the salvation of souls, and the building up of the Church
along all lines. As we view these splendid achievements,
we must say, with the Master, "Well done," and hasten
on to survey the labors and struggles and triumphs of the
period from 1870 to 1880.

CHAPTER XII.

THIRD PERIOD. (1870-1880.)

This period is one of thrilling- interest. It is charac-
terized by a great influx of people into the State and great
revivals in the Church. While up to 1870 the population
had grown to 122,993, i" the next five years it increased
to 247,280, more people coming into the State in five
years than had come the preceding fifteen years. By 1880
there were 452,542, a total increase during the decade of
323,549, while the increase during the preceding decade
had been less than 95,000.

The frontier had, up to this time, extended but little,
if any, over one hundred miles west of the IMissouri River,
except up along the line of the Union Pacific Railroad,
and there but few except railroad employees had settled.
But now this tide of immigration rapidly extended over
the table-lands of Butler, Seward, Polk, York, Fillmore,
Saline, Gage, and Jefferson Counties, pushing out up the
Republican River in the south part of the State, up the
Platte and Loup in the central part, and up the Elkhoni
in the north.

If I were to seek for a single word to express the sit-
uation during this period, especially the first four years,
that word would be expansion. This expansion was two-
fold. The growth of the older charges through accre-
tions, conversions, revivals, and more thorough organiza-
tion. Then the territorial expansion towards the west line
ot the State corresponding with the extension of the set-

210

History of Nebraska Methodism. 211

tlements through the vast immigration of that period.
Then the growth of the population within the area al-
ready partially settled, and the corresponding growth of
the Church, by the multiplication of appointments on the
circuits and resultant increase in number of stations, cir-
cuits and districts. In 1863, D. S. Davis is appointed to
Wahoo Circuit. He starts in with five appointments and
closes up with fourteen, and out of that one circuit there
has grown four stations and circuits.

Often where there was no circuit in the beginning of
the year, some presiding elder would send a man to make
one, or possibly, as often happened, some zealous local
preacher, or superannuated veteran, would launch out
and make one. Nor were these new circuits wholly the
result of the coming of Methodist settlers who only needed
to be hunted up. ]\Iany of the preachers possessing the
missionary spirit, would go into neighborhoods where
there were perhaps no members, or not enough to organ-
ize a class, hold revival-meetings, get a number converted,
and thus extend the work. Then the head of a circuit
would grow to the extent of being able to support a
preacher, and there w'ould be a station made of one, and
a circuit made of the rest.

Rapid as was the growth of population and the exten-
sion of the area of settled country, the Church kept pace
with the rapid advance, and few. if any, Methodists had
time to backslide before the helpful itinerant visited in
their homes, bringing their Gospel and the means of
grace. In many cases the growth of the Church was in
excess of 'the population, great revivals bringing many
into the kingdom.

L. W. Smith tells of some camp-meetings and reviv-

212 History oi? Nebraska Methodism.

als in the southeastern part of the Territory : "In 1862,
Brother Munhah and myself had a large circuit, Falls
City, Rulo, Salem, and four other points, country school-
houses, of which I have forgotten the names. In 1861 we
had one of the most successful camp-meetings ever held
in that part of the country not far from Falls City.
Brother King was on the charge at that time. I went
down from Table Rock to assist him. A week had passed
with no special results. The preachers had all left ex-
cept Brother King and myself. On Tuesday night I
preached with unusual liberty and at the close of the ser-
mon I invited them to stand up and sing. But we did not
get to sing, as the people, when they stood up, began to
fall all over the camp-ground, till about fifty were down
and we had to take care of them. The meeting continued
then about eight days longer.

"We sent ovit and obtained more ministerial help and
the result was glorious, very many conversions. So in
1862 we continued the revival influence and gathered
much from the past and had many conversions at differ-
ent points that year. In 1861 L held a glorious camp-
meeting on Table Rock Circuit, on the South Fork of
Nemaha, at which there were many conversions."

At the beginning of this period, A. L. Folden and J.
H. Presson were on the Tecumseh Circuit, and report
300 conversions, and in 1871 this same A. L. Folden is
blessed with a great revival at Mt. Pleasant, with eighty-
five accessions, and at Eight Mile Grove with sixty-five.
The following year, on the same charge, with John Gal-
lagher as junior preacher, there were one hundred con-
versions at Weeping Water. To A. L. Folden 's work on
this charge, his presiding elder pays this tribute : "Mt.

History of Nebraska Methodism. - 213

Pleasant Circuit embraces the central part of Cass County.
This is one of the oldest, wealthiest, and most Method-
istic circuits in the country. Having- a live man as pastor,
live men as leaders and stewards, live women at the head
of the Sabbath-school, and a live membership, ^It. Pleas-
ant is emphatically a live place. Brother Folden, having
no children of his own, is nevertheless very deeply inter-
ested in the welfare of the children of others, and spares
no pains in their religious instruction ; and he has had the
privilege of seeing all the regular attendants of the Sab-
bath-school at Mt. Pleasant and Eight Mile Grove happily
converted to God. Had we but one advice to give to
ministers and laymen, that advice would be, 'Take care
of the lambs.' This is the most important work of all the
departments of the Church ; and this work Brother Fol-
den most faithfully performed. Under his efficient min-
istry, Mt. Pleasant, Eight Mile Grove, and Weeping
Water have been visited with great revivals of religion,
and multitudes, old and young, have been made the re-
cipients of saving grace. Over 150 have been converted
to God. At Weeping Water, a church of the best lime-
stone, thirty-two by sixty feet, is being erected. The
walls are partly up, and the material is on the ground for
its completion, and it will be finished early the coming
summer. When done, it will be one of the most beautiful
and substantial church edifices in the bounds of the Con-
ference. There has been an increase in every department
of the Church on this circuit the past year."

Jf we follow A. L. Folden from one charge to another,
we find him building churches and holding revival meet-
ings wherever he goes. At Seward, he completes a
church and holds a revival at a country appointment in

214 History of Nebraska Methodism.

1874. At Ashland in 1875, he was met, when he drove
up with his goods, by a prominent official member, and
told it was not wise to unload his goods ; that they could
not support him, and he would starve. He staid. He
was blessed with a wonderful revival resulting in two
hundred conversions and one hundred and fifty uniting
with the Church. It is said that he made this entry in
the official record : "They tried to starve me, but I
would n't starve worth a cent." As might be expected,
he is returned in 1876, and has a great revival at Coffman
school-house, five miles north of Ashland. Among the
conversions were two prize fighters, one horse racer, and
a fiddler.

On the South Bend Circuit we find two new churches
to his credit, and in 1878 we find him on Lincoln Cir-
cuit, organizing in South Lincoln what has since become
Trinity Church, the first year ; and the second, holding a
revival-meeting at which over one hundred were saved.
We see this consecrated man of God, full of faith and of
the Holy Ghost, beginning, as he says, each day by sing-
ing "Nearer, my God, to Thee," attended with a flame of
revival power throughout this period, and there are over
1,000 conversions in ten years.

But others are having revivals. Isaac Burns has
sixty-five conversions on the Nebraska City Circuit in
1871. Presiding elders bring in cheering reports of re-
vivals from all over the field. J. J. Roberts is at Blair,
but extends his work in the country, holding revivals in
the cabins of the people, with many conversions, among
them William Peck, a well-educated Prussian, who af-
terward became one of our ablest preachers. J. M. Adair,
assisted by F. B. Pitzer, has eighty-four conversions on

History of Nebraska Methodism. 215

the Arizona Circuit, and the membership of old Dakota
Circuit is increased by five hundred per cent under the
labors of S. P. \'an Doozer; and J. \V. Perkins reports
ninetv-three accessions on the Logan Valley Mission.

Of W. A. Presson's work at Beatrice in 1871, Presid-
ing Elder Lemon has this to say : "The past year has
been a most successful year at Beatrice. At the begin-
ning of the Conference year there was a very small so-
ciety worshiping in a small school-house. Brother W.
A. Presson was appointed to this charge, and on his way
from Fremont, the seat of the Conference, to Pawnee
City, his former charge, he went through Beatrice, find-
ing stone walls standing in a very desirable part of town,
having been built for a Union Church and left uninclosed.
He bought the property and raised a subscription and
began a church and finished it during the year at a cost
of about $5,000, and raised all the money about Beatrice
except $500 borrowed from the Church Extension So-
ciety, the w^hole being provided for by subscription. After
the dedication of this church God poured out His Spirit
and over eighty, many of the principal families of the
town, were converted and joined the Church."

Dr. ]\Iaxfield reports that Brother Presson had a gra-
cious revival the next year. The presiding elder reports
that L. Oliver was blessed in 1871 wnth gracious revivals
in some neighborhoods on the West Blue Mission, and in
some cases all in the neighborhood were converted.

Presiding Elder A. G. White reports for the Omaha
District in 1872. gracious revivals at Omaha, Fremont,
and Schuyler. Of the Eldred Circuit the presiding elder
tells the story of victory in these words :

"Eldred Mission was left to be supplied, and Richard

2l6

History of Nebraska Methodism.

Pearson reappointed pastor. Brother Pearson came from
England about two years ago, and on his arrival he was
received into our Church and appointed to the north half
of Saunders County, in which we had no Church organ-
ization. He w^as recommended for admission into the
traveling connection one year ago, but affliction in his
family prevented his attending Conference. He has la-
bored the past year with great success. He is a sort of
spiritual fire-brand, bearing light and heat and power all
over the circuit.

"Church interests developed on
his hands, demanding more help, and
Daniel S. Davis was licensed to
preach and appointed assistant some
months ago. These brothers have
given the people a rare example of
Christian love for each other and for
the cause of Christ. Every week has
witnessed an advance.

"The secret of their success is they
have taken counsel of God and al-
lowed Him to lead them ; and when He leads them they
go 'conquering and to conquer.' These brothers re-
port over two hundred members and probationers, and
they are both recommended by the District Conference for
admission into the traveling connection."

During the time these devoted men worked they had
about 200 conversions.

Brother Davis is returned to Wahoo Circuit the next
year after being received on trial, in 1873, ^^^^1 as noted,
began with five and ended with fourteen appointments.
The way things grew in those days is well illustrated in

Daniel S. Davis.

History of Nebraska Methodism. 217

this incident. He sometimes traveled sixt3'-five miles on
Sabbath and preached four times, often not having" time
to eat his meals. At what was called Cottonwood, he
went for the first time to preach at 2.30 on the Sabbath.
While preaching, a woman jumped up from her seat and
cried out, addressing her husband, "Jake, you married
me when I was seventeen years old, and I was a Christian
then, but have been afraid to tell of it, though it has been
forty years." He broke down, saying, "Why, I did n't
know it." She came to the altar to rejoice that she had
found courage to confess Christ before men, especially
before her husband, and he came, seeking and finding the
Savior. Brother Davis continued the meetings five days
and the results were sixty-five conversions and a new
class.

Another incident occurred during this meeting:, show-
ing how God's Spirit can get hold of the worst cases.
Davis had visited an eccentric and noted character called
"General" Dane, and been welcomed to stay if he would
take care of his own horse. This Brother Davis pre-
ferred to do, and staid. About davbreak one mornini''
Dane said to him, "I want to speak to you." He led the
way to a large elm-tree, and pointing to a limb, he said :
"Several years ago I caught a horse thief with the stolen
horse, and knowing him to be guilty, I hung him to that
limb. Now, is there salvation for me?" The pastor
answered, "That depends on your motive." Dane ex-
plained that before that all the horse thieves who had
been caught and brought to trial had been acquitted, and
he was tired of that and decided to execute one, anyhow.
Davis then said : "The sin was a crimson one, but the
promise is that 'though your sins be as scarlet, they shall

2i8 History of Nebraska Methodism.

be white as snow ; though they be red Hke crimson, they
shall be as wool.' " He took courage, sought the Lord,
and was happily converted.

Another case was that of a fiddler by the name of G.
W. Damon. During a meeting held by Brother Davis,
Damon's wife came to the altar. On the way home he
told her that thing must be stopped. The next night she
got ready to go to the service and he said, "If you go, I
will leave you." She answered, "I have always been a
true, obedient wife to you, but when it is a question of sav-
ing my soul, I must obey God rather than man." She
started to the service and he, taking his fiddle under his
arm, started off in the other direction. By the time he
went half a mile he said to himself aloud, "What a fool I
am to leave the best woman on earth because she does
not want to go to h — 1." He turned at once and hastened
back home, leaving his fiddle, and hurried on to the place
where the service was held. She had gone in and he fol-
lowed. When the invitation was given, Damon rose and
said to his followers in sin : "You have been keeping
step to my music, now follow me and I will play you a
tune that will end in heaven." And with that he went
to the altar, and altar and aisles were soon filled with
penitent seekers. But Damon was not converted at the
altar, and about two o'clock that night, he cried out to his
wife, "Carrie, you must get up and pray for me or I will
be in hell before daylight." He was gloriously converted.
He was soon after licensed to preach and served the
Church in after years as a supply, doing some excellent
work in that capacity.

But this rapid expansion, especially during the first
three years of this period, is seen in the increase of dis-

History of Nebraska ^Methodism. 219

tricts. Up to 1869 there were not enough charges to
make more than two districts. True, in 1865 they tried
three districts, but in two years abandoned one of them
and went back to two.

But in four years from 1869 there were six districts.
But in nothing is this expansion seen more than in the
increase in membership, from 1870 to 1874. This in-
crease is over 3,000. That is, there were as many acces-
sions to the Church in these four years as there had been
in the entire fifteen preceding years. While from 1874
the advance is not so rapid, yet another 3,000 is added in
six years, making a total of over 6,000 additions in the
ten years, ever twice as many as had been added in
the preceding fifteen years.

It was during this third period that an era of railroad
building began which determined the drift of population,
built up innumerable towns that became centers of trade
for the rural population, and must be seized and held by
the Church. As we have seen the Union Pacific had al-
ready been extended through the entire length of the
center of the State in 1867, the connecting link complet-
ing the great transcontinental line to the Pacific Coast
having been formed at Ogden in May. 1869. Though
the portion embraced within the State of Nebraska had
been completed several years, for some reason there had
not been attracted along its line a sufficient population,
or people of such a character that even the Methodist
Church could get hold of and organize into Methodist
societies. Only three appointments west of Kearney, a
distance of nearly 300 miles, appeared on the list as late
as 1880, and only one of these, North Platte, had devel-
oped any strength, and that only had a membership of

220 History of Nebraska Methodism.

sixty-nine and five probationers. But we had already
gone as far as Sidney, and were on the ground eagerly
watching developments, and ready to seize any point and
effect an organization at the first opportunity.

It was during this period that the great B. & M. Rail-
road built its line out from Plattsmouth through the rich
and populated counties of Cass, Saunders, and Lancas-
ter, and the unsettled or sparsely settled counties of Sa-
line, Fillmore, Clay, Adams, and Kearney. Then extend-
ing south to the Republican River, pushed its line west-
ward along the valley of that river through the entire
length of the State, to its destination at Denver.

In the meanwhile the St. Joseph and Denver line was
constructed along the Little Blue through the counties of
Jefferson, Thayer, Clay, Adams, and Hall, to its destina-
tion at Grand Island. In the north part of the State the
Chicago, Minneapolis and St. Paul was extended from
Omaha to Sioux City, and a branch of the same system
was extended from Emerson thirty miles west of Sioux
City to Norfolk, and the F. E. & M. V. pushed its line
far to the Northwest along the valley of the Elkhorn. At
the same time the Midland was built west from Nebraska
City through Lincoln and Seward westward, and the
Atchison line was built from the southeast corner of the
State to Lincoln.

These railroads no longer waited for settlements to
be formed and then built to them, but inaugurated the
new idea of sending out their experts and engineers and
ascertained where settlements might be made, and built
their lines into those sections of the State that best suited
their purpose and took possession of the territory that
naturally belonged to their system, and proceeded to de-
velop it by attracting settlers.

History of Nebraska IMethodism. 221

These railroads are of interest as bearing on the re-
Ugious development of the country. First, they have
vastly increased the amount of work which presiding
elders as well as bishops can do. and have frequently
aided the work on the frontier by giving free transpor-
tation to presiding elders, reduced rates on material for
churches, in addition to the usual half-fare rates extended
to all clergymen. In the next place they change and de-
termine the centers of population, collecting many of the
inhabitants into villages. It often happens that what
were once prosperous and strong rural circuits, with
churches and parsonages, are hampered or obliterated by
the construction of a railroad and building of a town
near by, and the building up of a church in the town.
This was the case with old Alt. Pleasant, one of the
strongest rural circuits, when the ^Missouri Pacific was
extended up the Weeping Water and Nehawka estab-
lished. In this way our rural work has been very much
curtailed.

These facts have been set forth in detail because the
operation of these combined causes brought about in these
few years the extension of the frontier almost or quite to
the west line of the State. A line west of Jefferson
County, in the south part of the State, and extending to
the west of Cedar County in the north, with still much
unsettled country east of that line, and being an average
distance of about sixty miles west of the Missouri River,
marked, with sufficient accuracy the extent of the settle-
ments at the beginning of 1870, except along the Union
Pacific Railroad, being less than one-sixth of the entire
area of the State. To this narrow strip, averaging sixty
miles in width, which it had required fifteen years to set-

222 History of Nebraska Methodism.

tie, much of it being still frontier work, there were sud-
denly added 200 miles along the southern tier of counties,
and 100 to 150 miles along the center and northern por-
tions, being a scope of country nearly three times as great
as was settled during the first fifteen years. East of the
line referred to there were 117,000 people settled in 1870,
while to the west there was not to exceed 5,000, and these
principally along the line of the U. P. R. R., and they
were mostly employees of the railroad.

Another fact of great significance must be noted in
passing if we would understand what it meant to take
and hold Nebraska for Alethodism during this trying
period. While the number of missions requiring help
increased from thirty-one in 1870. to eighty-seven in 1879,
and while at the same time the capacity of the people to
support their pastors had diminished by reason of the
grasshopper scourge, the Missionary Society had not
been able to respond to this vast increase in the demand
with any increase in the appropriations, these being $5,050
for 1870 and $5,000 for 1879. So the average for each
mission receiving help in 1870, aside from what was ap-
propriated to the district for the presiding elder, was
$125, while in 1879 it had dropped down to $43.

About the same time, 1878, Dr. Maxfield, in his re-
port, makes the following significant comparison : "The
district (North Nebraska) has at work this year fifteen
preachers, exclusive of the presiding elder. Of these,
eight were appointed by the bishop and seven are sup-
plies. To aid in their support the Missionary Society
appropriated $1,170. Another Church having eight men
in the same field appropriates for their support over
$3,000. That is. our appropriation, divided equally among

History of Nebraska Methodism. 223

sixteen men, gives about $73 to each, while theirs, divided
in the same way among eight men, gives about $400 each.
When we consider that the great difficuhy to meet and
overcome in this frontier work is the support of the
preachers, we can understand the great disadvantage
under which we labor when we are compelled, as we are,
to work side by side with these competing Churches,
backed by so much larger outlay of money than our own."

But to understand the full significance of this com-
parison we must remember that all the $3,000 or more
appropriated by our sister Church went to the eight pas-
tors, while $400 of our $1,170 went to the presiding elder.
Deducting this we have left $770 to, be divided among
fifteen pastors, reducing the average to a little over fifty
dollars, a few dollars above the general average for 1879.

It is greatly to the credit of ouj" sister denomination
that she made such bountiful provision for the comfort
of her missionaries in the home field. But is it not even
more to the credit of Methodism that with one-eighth of
the amount of missionary money for each pastor she
could still find devoted and self-sacrificing preachers
enough to man her work, and that they and their suc-
cessors have done their work so well that the membership
of the Methodist Church is nearly four times as 'great as
that of this same sister denomination ?

This feature of Methodism by which she is able to
keep up the supply of workers under all circumstances
has been alluded- to before in a general way. To some of
those who have been prominent as leaders in some of
these sister denominations, who put special emphasis on
the comfort of the home missionary, the fact has been
inexplicable. One said to the writer: "I can't under-

224 History of Nebraska Methodism.

stand how you can keep men in the field on such small
salaries ; we can't get our men to do it." Another asked
me how many presiding elders we had in Nebraska, and
when I told him fourteen, he asked if they all hustled
round like I did. I told him I hoped they were all doing
better work than I was. He then said : "That is where
you beat us, in providing this thorough supervision of
the work." While the first could think of no explanation,
the second was only partially correct, though doubtless the
presiding eldership has been of great value in mustering
and inspiring and directing the forces. Any complete
explanation will place first of all the genius and ideals
of Methodism and the spirit of self-renunciation and en-
tire devotement to Christ and his cause, and conviction
of duty, with which every one who enters her ministry
must be possessed. Without designing, any invidious
comparison, I venture to give quaint old Father Janney's
putting of the case : "While some of the other Churches
when they enter a field, put the emphasis on ministerial
support, and say a preacher must have sl fair salary, and
after this is secured, the people may have the Gospel,
Methodism approaches the same field, putting the em-
phasis on the needs of the people, saying the people must
have the Gospel, whether the preacher has a comfortable
support or not." While this putting of the case may not
be quite just to some of the other denominations, some
of which worked side by side with us, their ministers
making many sacrifices, it certainly puts well the case of
the Methodistic view of Church work and ministerial
duty. These preachers must have had a passion for souls,
and a profound, overmastering conviction of duty.

All this is referred to as showing the tremendous re-

History of Nebraska Methodism. 225

sponsibility of the Church to conserve whatever there was
of the rehgious Hfe among this vast multitude of settlers,
by hunting them up in the dugouts, organizing them into
classes, circuits, districts, and Conferences, and supply-
ing them with pastors. Some of the frontier districts
when formed included ^ast regions of unorganized work,
and sometimes less than half of the charges assigned were
supplied with pastors from the Conference, leaving the
work of finding men for the balance, and for the settle-
ments not mentioned, or yet to be made, in the charges
assigned him, to the presiding elder. Only men of the
highest executive and organizing ability, with a spirit of
self-sacrifice and devotion to the work, who would shrink
from no hardship which the interests of Zion required,
would meet the demand. They must somehow find the
men to man this vast field, with little or nothing to ofifer
in the way of an inducement, unless an opportunity for
hard work on small pay in laying the foundations of the
Church would be considered inducements. C. W. Wells,
who entered the work as we have seen in 1871, and who
was one of the most faithful and efficient pioneer preach-
ers we have had, received from the people for the first
seven years of his work less than an average of $175 a
year. His experience could be matched by scores of
others. Can these presiding elders find enough men to
do this hard work on these hard terms.

This will be no easy task. When the Beatrice and
Covington Districts were formed in 1871, and the Kearney
District in 1873, more than half the charges on each of
these districts were left to be supplied, and this was true
of the Kearney District each year throughout A. G.
White's administration. Where can they find the men?

226 History of Nebraska Methodism.

Certainly they can not depend on the theological schools
to turn out enough to supply this demand. Nor will they
be able to secure the transfer of enough experienced men
from other Conferences. In nothing has the Meth-
odist Church showed its hard, sanctified, common sense
in the administration of its work more than in the policy
of getting the best material possible, and seizing on the
best available talent to be had at the time, and by any
and every means keep" the work going, look after the
scattered flocks, and get these organized into classes, and
then get sinners converted. Or, reversing this order,
have some itinerant or some local or superannuated
preacher go into neighborhoods where there were no
members, or not enough to effect an organization, hold a
revival meeting, and in that way get enough to organize
a class ; and perhaps extend this process to a number of
neighborhoods and soon have classes enough to form a
circuit.

Methodism's readiness for this great emergency lay
largely in the fact that in addition to her army of regu-
lars, which consisted of the efifective members of Con-
ference, she had provided a great reserve force, consist-
ing of her local preachers, supplemented in these times
by the supernumerary and superannuated preachers.
These may, as compared with the regulars, be called the
militia, to be called into action on occasions when the
regulars were not present in sufficient numbers, or not
available. And the Church hesitated not to call out the
militia when the battle was on, and the question at issue
was whether Christ or Satan should have Nebraska.
True, there were some in this militia that were not so
well equipped by learning as might be wished, but they

History of Nebraska ]\1ethodism. 227

had the root of the matter in them. Though destitute of
the training of the schools, they showed that they had
"been with Jesus and had learned of him," and under-
stood by experience the great plan of salvation. And
as American independence had been won principally by
men who were ill clothed, fed, or equipped, according
to the prevailing military standards of the day, but being
true patriots and understanding the value of liberty, and
being led by such men as Washington, achieved success
in the establishment of the cause of freedom for which
they contended, so these untrained and poorly equipped
local preachers, who yet like Stephen, the deacon, being
"full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles
among the people," and being skillfully led by such men
as Davis, Maxfield, Lemon, White, Pritchard, Giddings,
and Van Doozer, contributed greatly toward the winning
of that great battle and saving Nebraska for Christ.

CHAPTER XIII.

THIRD PERIOD. (1870-1880.)

In the beginning of this period at the Conference
held at Fremont, March 31, 1870, only twelve preachers
answered to roll call, and as there was no note made of
members coming in later, and no roll of the Conference
members, it is somewhat difficult to ascertain the exact
number, but there were probably about twenty-five. This
number included such men as T. B. Lemon, W. B.
Slaughter, C. W, Giddings, J. B. Maxfield, David Hart,
A. L. Folden, Jacob Adriance, J. J. Roberts, Gilbert
De La Matyr, G. S. Alexander, Martin Pritchard, H. T.
Davis, A. G. White, Jesse L. Fort, and J. M. Adair,
many of them intellectual giants, and capable and
willing to do efficient service. Thirty-four received their
appointments from Bishop Clark, and eight places were
left to be supplied. There were 2,670 persons in full
membership and 876 probationers. There were twenty-
one churches, valued at $117,000, and fourteen parson-
ages valued at $15,000.

Will Methodism be equal to this great emergency,
and with this little band of thirty-four members of Con-
ference be able to keep pace with this rapidly advancing
frontier? Surely it will be tested severely, but as events
prove, it is equal to the occasion.

Providentially there were at the beginning of this
vast movement of population four of the best presiding

228

History of Nebraska Methodism. 229

elders Nebraska IMethodism has ever had, whose four
districts covered the ground of this advance. The Beat-
rice District was placed in charge of J. B. Maxfield in
1 87 1, and included Gage, Jefferson, Saline, York, Thayer,
Nuckolls, Franklin, and Harlan Counties, and the
sparsely inhabited but unorganized territory extending to
the west line of the State. The same year Bishop Ames
placed H. T. Davis, who was on the Lincoln District,
in charge of the new settlements along the Burlington
and ^Missouri River Railroad, which was extending its
line west from Lincoln to Kearney. A. G. White was
already on the Omaha District and had jurisdiction over
the entire length of the Union Pacific Railroad and up
the Loup River, The Covington District was formed in
1871 and placed in charge of that natural-born pioneer
preacher, S. P. Van Doozer. It extended along the north
tiers of counties in the State, from the Missouri on the
east, to the limits of settlement in the west, embracing
about 10,000 square miles. As might be expected, these
leaders of the past were equal to the demands of the sit-
uation.

Those were trying times for presiding elders, and for
circuit riders who already had large circuits. Some
Methodist settler, anxious that he and his few Methodist
neighbors should be organized into a class and be sup-
plied with preaching, would beseech the presiding elder
to send them a preacher, or would visit the nearest cir-
cuit rider they could hear of and urge him to "come over
and help." The presiding elder moved by this clamor,
would sometimes exercise less care than he would other-
wise have done, and under the pressure of an urgent de-
mand be tempted to send them the first man he could

230 History of Nebraska Methodism.

find, and who would sometimes turn out to be an eccle-
siastical dead beat, and great harm would follow. Or the
already overburdened circuit preacher would yield to the
urgent appeal and launch out into unorganized settle-
ments and add appointment after appointment to his
charge, rendering it more difficult to do justice to the
original appointments. When in the spring of 1871, the
writer was assigned to Schuyler Circuit, it embraced all
of Colfax and Butler Counties. He had to cross the
Platte on a flatboat every alternate week to fill his three
appointments already existing along the Platte Valley.
But during that spring and summer all that table-land
from the Platte Valley to the Blue, and west into Polk
County and east into Saunders, was settled. The fol-
lowing incidents will show how the work expanded in
those days : On one trip during the summer, while
crossing the river, an elderly man, an entire stranger, ap-
proached me and asked if I was the preacher on that
circuit. An affirmative answer brought an urgent re-
quest that I go over to a new settlement some twelve
miles southwest, on the table-lands and look after the re-
ligious interests of some of his sons, with others, who,
with their families, were located there. There was noth-
ing to do but to promise, and in a few weeks what is now
Rising Church was organized, the man making the re-
quest being old Father Rising, after whom the town was
named. About the same time, at the close of one of my
services at the Rosenbaum appointment in the Platte
Valley, in Butler County, a fine, intelligent looking man
approached me, introducing himself as a new settler, and
asked me to make an appointment at his house. The re-
sult of this interview was that in a short time the David

History of Nebraska Methodism. 231

City Church was organized in the unfinished home of
Captain A. F. Coon, the man who had hunted up the
itinerant preacher and made the request.

The problem of gathering up these scattered ]\Ieth-
odist settlers and organizing them into classes and cir-
cuits proceeded along two lines, the spontaneous and the
regular. There had come along with these very settlers
many local preachers and some superannuated preachers,
and some of the more zealous of these, seeing the need
of immediate action, waited not for the coming of the
presiding elder, but launched out into any unorganized
territory and began work.

The regular line of work consisted on the part of
the presiding elder largely in pushing out himself and
holding meetings in new settlements and then finding
some one to supply the work, perhaps some local or super-
annuated preacher. The first of these movements, in
order to distinguish it from the usual method, is called
spontaneous, rather than irregular. In one sense it is
the regular duty of the local preacher thus to supplement
the regular.

It will be interesting and instructive to trace some of
these spontaneous movements that antedated the com-
ing and exercise of authority on the part of even these
vigilant presiding elders.

A typical case of this kind of work is related by Rev.
David Fetz, a local preacher at that time, who had set-
tled in the northern part of Webster County in July,
1873 ■ "Brother Moses Mapes, a local preacher, and I
commenced work in the north part of Webster and the
south part of Adams Counties, extending our work into
Franklin and Kearney Counties. Wherever we could

232 History of Nebraska Methodism.

obtain a place to preach we soon had a class and Sunday-
school organized. The Lord was with us in great power
and numbers were converted and added to the Church.
At Cloverton, in the north part of Webster County, a
class was organized that year of over fifty members, tak-
ing in nearly all the inhabitants for eight or ten miles
around. Also at Daily's ranch, on the Little Blue an-
other was organized of equal numbers, where infidels
and skeptics, and all classes, had been swept into the
kingdom of our Christ. One infidel was converted as he
lay on his bed at the midnight hour reading his Bible.
Immediately he arose, went out into the darkness, and
going from house to house and calling the people out
to tell them what the Lord had done for his soul. At
other points equal victories were obtained. No presiding
elder had reached that part of the country as yet, and
the Conference knew nothing of our work until the fol-
lowing year."

As early as 1869 that consecrated apostle. Rev. James
Query, a local preacher, had preached the first sermon in
Polk County, in (now) Governor J. H. Mickey's house,
and organized the first class in Polk County, consisting
of James Query and wife, J. H. Mickey and wife, Mrs.
A. Roberts, Mrs. Jane Clark, and V. P. Davis and wife.
The class was attached to the Seward County Circuit.
This same James Query performed the first marriage
ceremony ever solemnized in Polk County. In his report
to the Conference of 1872, H. T. Davis, presiding elder,
says of this zealous local preacher: "Brother James
Query, a local preacher, organized this year a work on
the Upper Blue, in Polk County, and reported to me 130
members, including probationers, two Sabbath-schools

History of Nebraska Methodism. 233

with sixty scholars. Assisted by George and Joshua
Worley (also local preachers) a most gracious revival of
religion took place and some sever;ty-five souls were con-
verted to God, including some of the most influential citi-
zens 01 Polk County. They desire the Conference to send
them a preacher." This is the cry that came up from
many settlements at that time.

The mention of the Worleys brings to view two local
preachers that wrought diligently and efficiently in lay-
ing the foundations of our Zion in the country contigu-
ous to their homesteads, including portions of Lancaster,
Saunders, Seward, Butler, and Polk Counties. The two
older Worleys, George and Joshua, were constantly on
the lookout for openings, and were constantly finding
them, where they might hold a meeting and organize a
class. Sometimes they were temporarily employed by
the presiding elder, as supplies, but more frequently as-
serted their right to pre-empt any unclaimed territory
not occupied by the regularly appointed itinerant, and
there raise the standard of King Immanucl, and take pos-
session for Christ and the Church.

At Norfolk, W. G. Beels and John Allberry, local
preachers, held the fort in Madison County till the regu-
larly appointed minister came, or like Charles G. Rouse,
assumed the aggressive and pushed out into new settle-
ments, held revival-meetings, and organized and laid the
foundation ready for the itinerant when he came. Or
A. C. Butler in Cedar and Dixon Counties, in the ex-
treme north, who organized the first Sunday-school in
the Morton neighborhood, near where Hartington now
stands, and afterwards going along with W. H. Carter
into some neglected neighborhoods west of Hartington,

'234 History of Nebraska Methodism.

held revival-meetings, resulting in the organization of
the Oliver appointment on the Wausa Charge, with sev-
enty members and a church.

Thus these zealous local preachers and devoted super-
annuates, who were willing, and capable of doing the
work needed at that time, were gladly utilized by these
wise presiding elders, and they actually did much of the
work of organizing the Church, work that could not pos-
sibly have been done when it needed to be done, but for
their help.

This will be a suitable place to speak more fully of
the Worley family, a family that has played an impor-
tant part in the history of Nebraska Methodism.

Besides these years of faithful and efficient service
by these two brothers, George and Joshua Worley, both
local preachers, it was the privilege of George Worley
to give three sons to the Methodist ministry, who in both
the home and foreign fields have wrought efficiently for
many years. William McKendree Worley, the oldest of
these, was born in Vermilion County, Illinois, Decem-
ber 23, 1839, father and grandfather being stanch Meth-
odists. He was converted at the age of fourteen, anrl
soon became class-leader and Sunday-school superin-
tendent in his home Church.

On the i8th of April, 1861. he enlisted in Company
C, Twelfth Illinois Infantry, for a term of three months ;
was mustered into the United States service May 2d, at
Camp Yates, Springfield, Illinois, by Captain U. S. Grant.
He afterwards re-enlisted in the 135th Illinois Infantry,
and was finally mustered out of the service September
28, 1864.

Brother Worley removed to Nebraska in May, 1867.

History of Nebraska ^Methodism. 235

He was licensed to preach by Rev. C. W. Giddings, pre-
siding elder of Lincoln District. He served one year as
supply and junior preacher on the North and West Blue
Circuit, which embraced all of Butler. Polk, Hamil-
ton, York, and Seward Counties, and part of Saline
County. There were twenty-two appointments on the
charge.

He was the first ]\Iethodist to preach in York Countv.
The service was held at the home of Mr. Anderson, a few
miles west of Beaver Crossing. Besides sixty-two dol-
lars which he received from the missionary appropria-
tion to that circuit, he received eleven dollars in money,
five of which was paid by J. H. Mickey. In addition to
this he received one pair of socks. There was but one
school-house on the entire circuit, so of course the serv-
ices had to be held in the private homes of the people at
a time when these homes consisted of dugouts and sod
houses, and rarely had more than one room.

What he regarded as the greatest misfortune that
came to him during that year was the loss of his saddle-
bags and their contents while swimming Plum Creek,
fifteen miles north of Seward. The contents consisted of
a pair of socks, a Bible, Discipline, Wesley's "Plain Ac-
count of Christian Perfection," and Fletcher's Appeal.
This is doubtless a fair sample of an itinerant's library,
and the swimming of the stream, not an uncommon ex-
perience in those days of bridgeless streams.

Brother Worley was received on trial in 1873, and has
had success on all the many charges he has served dur-
ing his long career. New churches have been organized
at Roca and Bancroft, and at Covington, Schuyler,
Seward Street, Omaha, and other points, old debts have

236 History of Nebraska Methodism.

been paid and churches built at Alder Grove, Bancroft,
Richland, and a new parsonage at Lyons.

There was some revival interest on every charge he
served, and on some there were gracious revivals. At
Albion a great revival occurred during Brother Worley's
pastorate that brought into the Church such men as Dr.
Lewis. C. G. Barns, and others, who proved to be a
progressive element that has ever since carried the
Church forward on lines of steady and healthy progress.

Brother Worley represented the North Nebraska
Conference in the General Conference of 1888. In 1895
he was transferred to the Nebraska Conference and has
been tmiformly successful in the successive pastorates
assigned him, and he is yet hale, hearty, and cheerful,
after a third of a century in the Christian ministry. He
was married to Miss Frances T. Worrell in 1874, and
she has proved a faithful Methodist itinerant's wife
through all these years,

Thomas, another one of the Rev. George Worley's
"boys," was born in Vermilion County, Illinois, October
II, 1852, and converted in 1865. He was educated at
the State University, and after two years at Garrett Bibli-
cal School, was received on trial in 1876. After several
years of efficient service in Nebraska, he was sent as a
missionary to Central China, where he remained a few
years and returned to the work in Nebraska.

Thomas Worley has done excellent work on many of
the successive important charges he has served, and is
now pastor at Weeping Water, where the old stone
church built by Andrew L. Folden thirty years before
was enlarged and remodeled at a cost of some $7,000.

Jas. H. Worley, the third son given by George Wor-

History of Nebraska Methodism. 237

ley to the ministry, was born May 17, 1854, and was also
educated in the State University. At about the tinie
James Worley was taking his course, there occurred the
effort elsewhere referred to, to turn the institution over
to infidel influence, and had so far succeeded that it be-
came a hand to hand contest between St. Paul's Church
and the infidel professors, who should have the boys and
girls. Mrs. Roberts, Mrs. Hyde, Mrs. Peckham, and
other elect ladies of the Church, found in James Worley
one of the most efficient helpers, being their missionary
to the students, carrying their invitations to attend so-
cials at their homes and to come into their classes in the
Sunday-school.

He was received on trial in the Nebraska Conference
in 1880, and was sent as a missionary to China in 1882,
to which field he has given twenty-two years. He was
for seven years principal of the Theological Seminary at
Foochow, and has been the rest of the time in evangelis-
tic work. He was the delegate from Foochow Confer-
ence to the General Conference in 1900. He is now pre-
siding elder of a district, and in a letter to the writer,
joins with all the other missionaries in noting a mar-
velous change taking place in old China, presaging great
events in the near future, which will accrue to the more
rapid advance of missionary work.

It has been given to but few men to do more for the
cause of Christ by their own personal work in the local
ranks, and to give to the Church three ministers whose
influence has been as great on both sides of the globe.

While these spontaneous activities of faithful local
preachers were valued, and always recognized and in-
corporated in the system, they were the exception, and in

238 History of Nebraska Methodism.

their nature temporary. These enterprising' presiding
elders were on the constant lookout for these new settle-
ments and were kept posted in various ways as to tlie
needs and possibilities of the work, and were not long in
finding some one to supply the field.

Thus word came to Dr. Maxfield, who in 1871 had
been placed in charge of Beatrice District, then a frontier
district, that a man was needed on the Republican, and
C. W. Wells was sent.

The appointment and work of Brother C. W. Wells
on the frontier being a typical one, is well worthy of a
somewhat detailed statement, which will best be told in
his own language, as recorded in his very valuable and
intensely interesting book, "Frontier Life," prefacijig his
own statement of the case by a few preliminary and ex-
planatory facts. In 1 871 Rev. C. W. Comstock had been
appointed to the Republican Valley Circuit, but after a
brief visit to the country he became discouraged and re-
turned as far as Fairbury, to which Brother Wells had
been appointed, saying in explanation that he did not like
to stay in a country where he had to carry a revolver,
accompanying the remark by an exhibition of such a
weapon. But people were beginning to crowd into the
Republican Valley and must be cared for. Dr. Maxfield
wrote Brother Wells that there were Methodists at Red
Cloud, and asked if he would go out and look after
them, adding, "There is no use sending C, I want some
one who has sand in his craw." Recognizing this essen-
tial quality in Brother Wells he asked him, and Brother
Wells possessing the quality in rare degree, went, though
at great sacrifice. It may be remarked in passing that
while Brother Wells has put in many years of valuable

History of Nebraska Methodism. 239

work, and is now an lionored superannuated member of
the Nebraska Conference, Comstock, after a few years of
inefficient work, dropped out entirely and has long since
been forgotten. The frontier service tended to sift the
ranks of the itinerancy and usually all but those who had
the requisite "sand in their craw" dropped out. Refer-
ring to this willingness of Brother Wells to go to this
hard field, Dr. Maxfield says in his next report to Con-
ference, "God's blessing rests upon men who shake hands
with ease and comfort, bidding them farewell and taking
their lives in their hands, thus go forth bearing the pre-
cious seed."

But we must let Brother Wells tell his own story of
his experiences during his pastorate there, as recorded on
pages 190 to 193 :

"Now came the tug of war with real frontier work in
the ministry. For the first months my time was princi-
pally spent in looking over the country for Christian peo-
ple and for houses to preach in. Soon after reaching Red
Cloud an appointment was made at Brother Penny's,
about four miles southwest of town, and at Brother
Knight's, some five miles from Red Cloud up the valley,
and another one about eight miles southeast of town.

"At the Penny appointment preaching was in Brother
Penny's house, which was a log building with a roof of
'shakes' split from the native oak-trees on his own place.
Here I had a good preaching point during my entire
pastorate on the charge. At Red Cloud I procured a
vacant log building, which 1 occupied for a short time,
then preached in Mr. Garber's store-room for a while;
after this I moved into a dug-out in the south part of
town, which shall be noticed further on. At the Knight

240 History of Nebraska AIethgdism.

appointment I preached in Brother Knight's house, and,
if I remember correctly, it was covered with poles and
dirt, and had a floor of native soil. Here, as previously,
we sang, prayed, preached, ate, and slept all in the same
room, and had a glorious, good time. At the appoint-
ment southeast of Red Cloud we had preaching and Sun-
day-school in a dug-out in the bank of a creek, where we
worshiped the Lord in the winter season, and in the sum-
mer we worshiped under the branches of two large oaK-
trees. Under these native trees I preached, held Sunday-
school, and we made the woods and hills ring with our
songs of praise and plain Gospel sermons. I often won-
der if the echo of my voice is not still heard in that new
country. The many happy hours I spent among those
warm-hearted early settlers in dug-outs and sod houses
will never be forgotten. They will be held in sweet re-
membrance as long as I live.

The house where I boarded was about as good as the
country afforded at that time, and yet it was a very un-
comfortable place in cold, stormy weather. Alany times
I have sat poring over my books while the snow sifted
through the roof upon them, and I was compelled to
throw something over my shoulders and sit in a stoop-
ing posture in order to keep my books from being soiled.
Though the house was open to the cold, we could keep
comfortably warm, for we were blessed with plenty of
wood and a large fireplace. I say plenty of wood ; there
was plenty close by, but much of the time I carried it
from the grove on my own shoulders. In cold weather,
Brother Penny was usually on the road teaming, and left
me to replenish the woodpile without a team.

"Another burden was imposed upon me. A good

HisTOR.Y OF Nebraska Methodism. 241

brother who lived a mile from my boarding place was
compelled to leave home and find work, that he mig-ht
provide bread for his family. While he was away there
came a heavy fall of snow. The weather grew exceed-
ingly cold and the fuel he had provided for his family
w^as entirely consumed. As there was no other man near,
it fell to my lot to replenish this brother's wood-pile also,
and keep his family from freezing. He had drawn up a
lot of ash poles for fencing, which I converted into stove-
wood, and, on his return he found his fencing had been
burned to ashes. There is a vast difference between act-
ing the part of a city pastor and preaching on a large
circuit in the frontier work. While the city pastor is sit-
ting in his cozy study at home, the frontier preacher is
perusing his books in a cold room, with the family of
children about him, or traveling through deep snow to
meet his appointments, or to relieve the sick and desti-
tute. Yet there is a glory in laying the foundation of our
beloved Zion in a new country that many of our East-
ern preachers know nothing of. I have no disposition to
envy the comparatively easy lot of our Eastern brethreji ;
but I do sympathize with them in their loss of the glory
there is in laying the foundation Church in the new fields,
upon which others may build.

"In all my travels on that large circuit at Red Cloud,
through the snow and cold, piercing winds of winter^ I
neither had an under-garment nor an overcoat. Being
born a backwoodsman, I did not mind such things as one
who had been used to the comforts of life. On this charge
I had some difficulty in finding houses to preach in ; for
when first going to the place there were no school-houses
in all the country; so I preached in private houses, hop-

242 History of Nebraska Me;thodism.

ing for the time when my congregation could have even
a sod school-house to worship in. Even in the town of
Red Cloud I was compelled to resort to a little dug-out
on the outskirts of the village, where we held a series of
meetings which resulted in great good for the Master's
cause. Let the pastors of the present-day beautiful
churches in Red Cloud rejoice that they are so comforta-
bly situated, and remember that the first pastor and his
little flock in that now flourishing town, preached, sang,
and prayed in a small dug-out in the ground.

"On first coming to this country, I found Indians,
buffaloes, deer, antelopes, turkeys, thousands of prairie-
dogs, and a few white men with their families. What a
change has taken place in that country in so short a tim.-? !
Then it was new, wild, and desolate ; now it is well set-
tled, rich, and a fertile country, with school-houses and
churches ; and fine residences have taken the place of the
dug-out, the sod-house, and the log-cabin. The first win-
ter I spent there I killed twelve wild turkeys, two of
which were shot from the window of my room. Besides
these, Brother Penny killed some seven or eight. So you
see the wild turkey took the place of yellow-legged
chicken. Then, occasionally, some chanced to kill a deer
or buffalo, which went far toward supplying the table
with meat the entire year.

"During the winter we held a revival-meeting in our
dug-out church, eight miles southeast of Red Cloud.
Though worshiping under ground, there were many souls
saved and made happy in the Lord, and there was a
glorious awakening among the people of God. Truly
the Lord is not confined to the large assemblies, the city-
full, or the fine churches, but meets and blesses his peo-

History of Nebraska Methodism. 243

pie in the dug-out, the sod house, and the log-cabin. O
what a wonderful God is our God, who heareth the
prayers of His people at all times and in all places !

"In the spring of 1872 I finished my first year's work
in the Conference, and on the Red Cloud Circuit, and
went to Conference to report my charge. Traveling from
Red Cloud to the seat of Conference, a distance of a hun-
dred and fifty miles or more, through mud, rain, and cold,
I reported as follows : Full members, twenty-three ; pro-
bationers, six ; received on salary from the circuit, thirty-
two dollars; from the Missionary Society, $150 — making
$182 for the year. The bishop returned me to the Red
Cloud Circuit, where I spent another year of toil and hard-
ship, worrying through the year about as I did the pre-
vious one. During the warm season I had a good and
enjoyable time in traveling up and down the valley and
across the prairie with my horse and buggy ; but in the
snow and severe winds of winter, being poorly clad, 1
suffered intensely from the cold. During this year a
class was formed at Guide Rock, which was made a reg-
ular preaching point, though there were but few Meth-
odists at the place or within reach of it. I now had five
preaching points on the charge, which gave me abun-
dance of work.

"In the summer of 1872 we held a camp-meeting
southwest of Red Cloud, on what was called Penny
Creek. Here we had a successful meeting, and received
some fifteen into the Church on probation, and the pre-
siding elder, J. B. Maxfield, baptized a number of con-
verts in the Republican River — the first Methodists bap-
tized in that river in Nebraska.

"During the week of our camp-meeting a heavy rain-

244 History of Nebraska Methodism.

storm visited the camp, saturating the ground to such a
degree that it was unfit for use ; so the presiding elder
and I, with a few of the brethren, went on a buffalo hunt.
We hunted all day without seeing any game, and came
home tired and hungry, as hunters usually do. But the
elder and the brethren went out the second time with bet-
ter results. /Vfter hunting a few hours in the morning,
they came upon their game, wounded a large male buffalo
and chased him for several miles. He ran until he could
or would go no farther, and then seemed determined to
defend himself. Halting not far from where two young
men were in camp, he unmistakably showed signs of
fight. On seeing that he would go no farther, one of the
young men, taking his gun, walked out toward him. As
he was approaching the beast one of our men called to
him not to go too close or he might be hurt. Paying
no attention to the warning, he went on, swearing that
he would kill the animal. When within a few .rods of
the enraged beast, he presented his gun for firing; but
the buffalo made a lunge for him, caught and crushed
him to the ground, and threw him five or six feet into
the air. As he came to the ground the buffalo prepared
for another attack, when one of our men shot the beast
through the heart, killing him instantly. The young man
was taken to his camp and died there. Our men dressed
the buffalo and returned to the camp-ground with enough
beef to supply every person there for more than a week.
Our camp-meeting closed with the good results already
mentioned, and every one went home greatly benefited by
having attended. The presiding elder, J. B. Maxfield,
and a family by the name of Hurlburt came to this camp-
meeting from Fairbury, nearly eighty miles distant, in a

History of Nebraska Methodism. 245

covered wagon. Thus the reader can see something uf
the presiding elder's work and what he passed through in
the early days of Methodism in this new country. Brother
Maxfield's district extended from somewhere east of
Beatrice as far west as the Nebraska line, a distance of
more than three hundred miles, though he was not re-
quired to go so far west ; for as yet much of the country
was unsettled."

What Brother Wells and George W. Hummel were
doing in the Republican Valley, others of like spirit were
doing all along the line. About this time the tide of im-
migration was pouring into all the country west of the
Big Blue, and in 1871 Bishop Ames placed the terri-
tory contiguous to the B. & M. R. R., which was being
built from Lincoln to Kearney, in the care of H. T. Davis,
then presiding elder of the Lincoln District. He pro-
cured the services of Rev. G. W. Gue, a transfer from
Central Illinois Conference, to organize the work in Fill-
more County. Brother Gue was a man of fine culture
and high, scholarly attainments. He went to work with
a will, visiting the people in their sod houses, and or-
ganizing them into classes, and soon formed a circuit.
Perhaps no part of Nebraska has been settled with people
of a higher grade of intelligence than those that speedily
occupied the table-lands extending west of the Big Blue
to Adams and Hamilton Counties. They were ambitious
and enterprising and in nine months after the first settle-
ment of Fairmont, Brother Gue had a church well under
way. The next year Brother Gue was appointed to First
Church, Omaha, and seemed equally at home in either
charge.

In Clay County, Newman Brass was doing the same

246 History of Nebraska Methodism.

kind of work, hunting up tlie Methodists that were conn-
ing in and organizing them. Others were doing the Sam's-
in York, Butler, and Polk Counties.

YORK.

If we are to judge of the value of the work accom-
plished in those early days by the subsequent growth of
the Church, no more important work was done in 1871,
than when the York Church was organized. Of the or-
ganization of this important charge, H. T. Davis gives
this interesting account : "The first Methodist class was
organized at the house of David Baker in the spring of
1871, and was composed of the following persons: Da-
vid Baker, Elvira Baker, J. H. Bell, Thomas Bassett, L.
D. Brakeman, Ella Brakeman, Sarah N. Moore, Thomas
Myres, John Murphy, Mary Murphy, S. W. Pettis, and
Mrs. Shackelford. Brother Baker was the leader. At
Brother Baker's house the class was regularly held ; and
here the traveling preacher always found a royal wel-
come. The home of Brother and Sister Baker was al-
ways open to newcomers, and Father and Mother Baker
were household names in every settler's cabin in York
County for many years. In 1872 the writer had the
privilege of sharing their hospitality, and after remaining
over night with the kind family, in the morning Brother
Baker ferried me over Beaver Creek in a sorghum-pan.
The stream was high and could not be forded, and there
was no bridge, so the only way of crossing was in thl::
unique boat."

But before the organization referred to by Dr. Davis
W. E. Morgan, a graduate of Garrett Biblical Institute,
had preached in Father Baker's sod house on the 14th r •

History oj? Nebraska Methodism. 247

May. He afterwards served as pastor for several years.
Doubtless the location of our Conference school at
York in 1879 tended to strengthen our Church, attract-
ing as it did many Methodist families. During the ex-
istence of the school, under the pastorates of W. S. Black-
burn, George A. Smith. H. T. Davis, Duke Slavens, and
W. K. Beans, the membership increased from 140 to 568.

W. S. Blackburn was pastor at York at the time the
school was located there, and it was largely through his
influence that this action was taken. Of course, before
this action, York had the reputation of being one of the
most moral communities in the State. Up to that time,
and ever since, they had kept the saloon out, and this
had much weight in determining the Conference to locate
at York. Though soon after the location of Wesleyan
at Lincoln, the York College ceased to be, the Methodist
Church had already acquired such strength that this fact
did not check its growth, but it kept on growing under
the successive pastorates of Hilton, Crosthwaite, and
Stewart, until the present pastor, in his sixth year of a
successful pastorate, finds himself the pastor of the third
largest Alethodist Episcopal Church in Nebraska, with
nearly 800 members. The two which excel it numeric-
ally are St. Paul's Church, Lincoln, and University Place.

It would be interesting if space permitted to give the
life history of each of the men who have wrought in the
building up of so strong and influential a Church as that
at York. But this is impossible, and we must be content
with the mere mention of the names, except in a few
cases of long service to the Church in Nebraska. Of
Davis and Crosthwaite mention has been made on other
pages.

248 History of Nebraska Methodism.

W. S. Blackburn was born in Westmoreland County,
Pennsylvania, September 11, 1830. He first became con-
scious of the love of God in his heart when eight years
of age, but childhood conversion received less recognition
then, and he was not encouraged in his religious life and
fell into spiritual darkness. This continued until he was
fifteen years of age, when he was clearly converted, and
has since that day to this, "witnessed a good confession."

After spending some time at Allegheny College -he
was, at the age of nineteen, without solicitation on his
part, licensed to exhort by his Quarterly Conference, and
was at once assigned work in a destitute neighborhood
and soon had, as seals to his ministry, twenty souls con-
verted. He was soon licensed to preach, and on the i8th
of June, 1 85 1, he was admitted on trial in the Pittsburg
Conference, and began a successful ministerial career of
over half a century.

In June, 1854, Eliza Jane Wakefield, the granddaugh-
ter of a pioneer Methodist minister, became his life com-
panion, and from that day to this she has devoted her life
to the work required of a minister's wife, with an en-
thusiasm and efficiency which has largely contributed to
the successes which mark her husband's ministerial ca-
reer.

Pronounced unfit for service in the Union army in
1 86 1 as a common soldier, he later waived an appoint-
nient as chaplain in favor of his junior colleague. Soon
thereafter he took work with the Christian Commission
and spent a term in that important auxiliary service, min-
istering to the physical wants of the sick and dying sol-
diers, pointing them to the Savior and seeing many a
brave boy die with the love of the Redeemer quickening

History of Nebraska Methodism. 249

his departing soul and banishing the sting of death and
the terror of the grave.

For sixteen years Mr. Blackburn was a member of
the Pittsburg Conference, and on every charge his pas-
sion for soul saving was rewarded with conversions. In
the fall of 1867 a transfer was taken to the Nebraska
Conference, and for the next twenty-seven years this pio-
neer pastor colabored with those grand old evangelists,
Lemon, Pritchard, Slaughter, Giddings, Burch, Davis,
Maxfield. and others, serving the Church in pastorates at
Brownville, Rulo, Salem, Athens, London, Auburn.
Plattsmouth, and York, in the original Nebraska Con-
ference, and in West Nebraska Conference, at Axtell,
Benkleman, Culbertson, Gering, and Republican.

Always frail in body, he believed a change of climate
and rest would benefit him. He went to California and
spent a couple of years, during which time he served San
Miguel. Finding himself renewed in strength he re-
turned to Nebraska, and at Republican City, in West Ne-
braska, in the State to which he had given over twenty-
five of his best years in a faithful, efficient service, he
fittingly rounds out his half century in the Christian min-
istry by a pastorate attended by old-time revival power
and the conversion of souls. He returned to California,
and he and his saintly wife are spending a happy, peace-
ful old age, serenely waiting the summons that shall call
them up higher. In closing a letter to his son, T. W.
Blackburn, a prominent lawyer of Omaha, he says :

"With a heart glowing with gratitude to the Infinite
Father, that He has given me so long a life of service in
the ministry and that He has crowned my more than
threescore and ten years with His loving kindness, strong

250 History of Nebraska Methodism.

in the faith that came to me in childhood, happy in the
njemories of half a century in the itinerancy, and confi-
dent that God will welcome me home in His own good
time, I here expect to spend the remnant of my days and
from this city at His call to remove to the city not made
with hands, whose builder and maker is God."

Another strong man who wrought in the rearing of
the goodly structure of York Methodism, was J. W.
Stewart, during whose pastorate the Church passed
through a severe crisis in the loss by fire of the beautiful
structure that had been erected during the pastorate of
H. T. Davis. Of this great calamity the local historian,
Mrs. Sarah N. Moore, gives this pathetic description :
"One calm, beautiful night in October, the i6th, 1895,
while prayer-meeting was in session in the lecture-room,
fire was steadily making its way through the roof of the
building, and by the time it was discovered it was too
late to save the building, and while members and friends
stood by and watched with tears running down their
cheeks and exclamations of sorrow and regret coming
from their lips, our beautiful church home was burned
to the ground. We were bereft indeed, for was it not the
second year of the drouth, and how could we ever re-
build? It'was deemed an impossibility.

"Our sister congregations offered to share their church
homes with us, but our membership was large, and it
was thought best to secure a room, though it might be
small and inconvenient, where we might hold regular
services without interfering with the rights of others.
As in the early days, there was no room suitable for a
place of worship. But the Sunday after the fire found
the congregation assembled in an empty store room on the

History of Nebraska Methodism. 251

south side of the square, fitted up with a pulpit, a few
pews, and the organ, which had been saved from the fire,
and chairs sufficient for the seating capacity. We had
a stirring sermon from the pastor. Brother Stewart, and
at the close an appeal for money to rebuild the church,
and in an incredible short time $6,000 had been sub-
scribed, and it was settled that the Methodist Episcopal
Church of York would not be homeless for a very long
time."

Thus John W. Stewart successfully led the Church
of York through this fiery trial at a time when the finan-
cial conditions throughout the entire country were de-
pressed, and a severe drouth in Nebraska had intensified
these unfavorable conditions to such an extent as to make
the building of such a church as York needed to seem
to the people an impossibility. But this incident is char-
acteristic of the man and of his entire career.

He entered the ministry forty-six years ago, in 1858,
in the Central Blinois Conference, but wdien the war
broke out he enlisted in the service of his country, hold-
ing the rank of major. After discharging his duty to his
country, he resumed his place in the ministry, and in
1874 was transferred to the Nebraska Conference.

George A. Smith became a member of the Wisconsin
Conference in 1858, and gave over twenty years to the
ministry in that Conference before coming to Nebraska
in 1880. He stood high in a Conference of svich men as
W. G. Miller, Coleman, George C. Haddock, the martyr,
and others. Since coming to Nebraska he has served the
prosperous and important charges of York and Fair-
mont. But recognizing his superior ability as a preacher,
and his sound judgment, the Church soon called him to

252 History op' Nebraska Methodism.

the presiding eldership of the Lincohi District, and then
to the Nebraska City District.

A sad misunderstanding of the situation in relation to
our University matters that were at that time very com-
plicated, led Bishop Warren to remove him from the
latter district before his six years expired. The bishop
was manly enough to afterward acknowledge his mistake
and the wrong he had done to one of God's purest min-
isters. In 1892 he asked and received a superannuated
relation, and has since lived in University Place. But he
has not been idle during these years of his retirement,
but often supplies the pulpit for his pastor, and always
to the delight and profit of his hearers. Though past
seventy, his sermons are still delivered with much force,
and contain many passages of rare beauty and originality,
reminding us of the days when he was a great power in
the pulpit and the counsels of the Church.

He has also spent much of this quiet evening of his
life in literary work, and has written and published a vol-
ume of poems, "Evening Bells," in which the sweetness
of his own inner life finds tender expression, and other
lives are being enriched. Though afflicted with partial
deafness, he is happily spending his declining years along
with his devoted wife and accomplished daughter,
Mamie, a teacher in the music department of Nebraska
Wesleyan.

About the same time that George A. Smith came to
Nebraska, another of Wisconsin's strong men came, in
the person of Dr. W. G. Miller, being transferred to the
Nebraska Conference in 1879. Beginning his ministry
in 1844, it w^as his privilege to give a half century in
this blessed work, fifteen of which were given to Ne-

History of Nebraska Methodism. 253

braska. Death closed his long and useful career in 1893,
and his brethren place on record the following brief sum-
mary of his life and work, and also these fitting words
of appreciation of his worth :

"Wesson Gage ^^liller was born in Otsego County,
New York, February 8, 1822, and died in University
Place, Nebraska, December 20, 1893. His youth was
spent in New York and in the summer of 1844 he settled
in \\'aupun, \\'isconsin, and went into business. He soon
dropped secular pursuits and entered the ministry. His
first circuit, Waupun, had twenty-two appointments re-
quiring two services daily to reach all the points in two
weeks. His next appointment was Watertow'n, where
he performed the double duty of pastor and teacher. His
third appointment was Waukesha, 'and his fourth Grand
Avenue, Milwaukee. At the age of twenty-eight he was
appointed presiding elder of Fond du Lac District and
served for four years. He then served a pastorate of
two years each at Racine and Janesville, after which he
served Milwaukee District four years and pastor in Mil-
waukee three years. He was again appointed to Fond
du Lac and Ripon and again, in 1872, to Milwaukee.
April 26, 1874, during the delivery of a sermon, he was
taken violently ill with a serious nervous prostration
which caused him to retire for two and one-half years. On
his recovery he was again appointed to ^lilwaukee, and in
1879 Bishop Harris transferred him to the Nebraska Con-
ference and appointed him presiding elder of Omaha Dis-
trict, which he served two years, when the Conference
was divided and he was appointed to York District for
four years, and finally to the Lincoln District for six
years, when he retired from the active work of tbe min-

254 History of Nebraska Methodism.

istry, but continued to render what service he could to
the University of whose Board of Trustees he was the
president. All through his busy life he rendered much
valuable service to the Church besides that assigned him
by the Conference, especially in connection with the work
of Christian education and the dedication of churches.
Dr. Miller was an able preacher, a faithful pastor, a
wise administrator and a warm friend to whom none
need ever come in vain. He attended the Conference last
September at Beatrice and made a touching address
which all felt were farewell words. His last weeks he
patiently waited for the summons to call him home. His
work abides to bless the world. His memory is precious ;
may his mantle fall upon us who remain."

CHAPTER XIV.
THIRD PERIOD. (1870-1880.)

If we turn our eyes to the north part of the State we
find the same process going on, though the number of
immigrants is not so great. As early as 1868 the rich
Logan Valley began to be settled as far north as the
Omaha Indian Reservation. The first Methodist preacher
to go as far as Lyons was Jesse W. Perkins, then a local
preacher, who organized the Church at that point in No-
vember, 1870. The first members were : Joel S. Yeaton,
Susan Yeaton, John Armstrong, Roseanne Armstrong,
Adam Hetzler, Adelia Hetzler, Charles Shaw, Theresa
Shaw, Albert and Hattie Thomas. Brother Perkins also
organized the class at Alder Grove in southeast part of
Burt County.

North of the Omaha Indian Reservation, at what at
first was called Omadi, and afterwards Dakota City, an
appointment had been maintained from 1856 up to 1867
and then drops out, to reappear in 1870, with that man
of consecrated push, courage, and tact, S. P. Van Doozer,
as pastor, whose fiery missionary zeal reaches up the Mis-
souri River twenty miles and takes in Ponca, besides
other points in the surrounding country, and according to
the report of his presiding elder, A. G. White, was re-
warded with an increase of 500 per cent in the member-
ship, and according to the list of appointments the suc-
ceeding year, was himself justly rewarded by being

255

256 History of Nebraska Methodism.

placed in charge of the Covington District. As might be
expected the event proved the selection to be wise, his
tireless energy, resourceful tact, and warm-hearted sym-
pathy for preachers and people made him the man for
the time and peculiar needs of the situation. There be-
ing no railroads, all his quarterly-meetings must be
reached by private conveyance, involving sometimes
travel of hundreds of miles and weeks of absence from
home. He is verily another of those heroic spirits to
whom will fitly apply the words by which as we have
seen. Dr. IMaxfield described C. W. Wells, being one of
the men who "shake hands with ease and comfort, bid-
ding them farewell, and taking their lives in their hands,
go forth bearing the precious seed."

These high qualities were destined to be frequently
called into action and subjected to the severest tests dur-
ing his term of service. He will find but one organized
charge as far west as Cedar County. Old St. James
Class had been formed by an elderly preacher named
Brown, as early as 1868, and had as one of the charter
members Mrs. O. D. Smith, of precious memory. But
about this time settlers began pouring into the southern
parts of Dixon and Cedar Counties, penetrating as far as
Wayne, Knox, Pierce, Madison, Boone, and Antelope
Counties, all embraced in the Covington District. All
these must be cared for and organized and it will tax
even S. P. Van Doozer to keep up with the rapidly ad-
vancing tide.

Of some of S. P. Van Doozer's experiences on this
district, his devoted wife writes me as follows :

''For four years and a half Mr. Van Doozer seemed
like a stranger to his family, being gone nearly all of

History of Nebraska Methodism. 257

the time, often being absent seven weeks on one trip.
So much of a stranger was he that his first baby boy re-
fused to notice him, and we always had trouble in the
family when the papa came home.

"I am sure only God and Mr. Van Doozer knew the
hardships of that new unorganized district during those
years. Quarterly-meetings were held in sod school-
houses, dug-outs, on the prairies in tents, or under a
clump of Cottonwood trees. He could always find a place
to hold quarterly-meeting, 'Nothing daunting or making
afraid.' On one of these long trips in the cool fall, he
swam the Elkhorn River seven times to get his team and
buggy with its contents over. The quarterly-meeting was
held as per appointment and a grand spiritual feast was
enjoyed. After giving me the details, he said, 'I brought
home the quarterly collection to you.' 'How kind of you !'
Drawing it from his pocket he handed me two copper
pennies. 'Poor pay, do n't you think,' said I. 'No,' he
replied, 'I held the quarterly-meeting in a poorly kept
dug-out, all for Jesus' sake. He was with us in fullness
of power. I was well paid.' "

The work on the district progressed, as each Confer-
ence report gave proof. I question if any Methodist
Episcopal minister had as great a variety of experience.
He was obliged to cross the Indian Reservation going
over his district. A good story is remembered by those
people of a horse trade he made with an Indian, in which
the Indian got the best of the preacher.

After four years of aggressive leadership, S. P. Van
Doozer retires from the North Nebraska District, and in
his report for 1875 makes this summary of results:
"When the district was formed, four years ago last

258 History of Nebraska Methodism,

spring, there were nine charges, now there are seventeen,
including one consolidation. Then there were two
churches, one at Covington, valued at $2,000, and one at
Decatur, valued at $1,500 ($3,500), which is too high
by $1,000; now there are eight churches, whose proba-
ble value is $12,000. Then there was one parsonage val-
ued at $600 ; now there are eight parsonages, whose prob-
able value is not less than $3,000, making an increase of
six churches and six parsonages, with an aggregate value
of some $15,000, or an increase of about $12,000, and an
increase of membership of at least 200 per cent. And
while we feel thankful for the prosperity that has at-
tended the district in its first four years of struggle, I am
sorry that more has not been done. But I feel safe in
saying that had it not been for providential calamities,
much more would have been accomplished. In quitting
this field of labor, I can not dismiss from my mind all
feelings of solicitude and anxiety for its future welfare,
and yet I cheerfully step aside and give place to some
more worthy and efficient person as successor, praying
the Divine blessing to rest upon him and crown his la-
bors with abundant success, for Jesus' sake."

J. B. Maxfield is assigned to the North Nebraska Dis-
trict in 1875, having completed his full four years on the
Beatrice District. It is still a frontier field, though some
of the appointments are among the oldest in the Con-
ference. The population is rapidly finding its way up the
Logan, Elkhorn, and Niobrara Valleys, and on the fer-
tile table-lands, the settlements extending as far west as
Holt County. Of this district, the work of the year, and
prospects. Dr. Maxfield gives this description in his first
report: "The year now closing is my first on the North

History of Nebraska Methodism. 259

Nebraska District. My predecessor, in his various re-
ports, has conveyed to this Conference and to the public
sufficient intelligence of its geographical contour, and nat-
ural resources. It comprises much the largest scope of
actually inhabited territory of any district in the Con-
ference. Its circuits are in consequence very large, each
comprising many appointments ; many of them remote
from each other. This necessarily involves a great
amount of travel in working each circuit, demanding
large industry and faithfulness of every preacher in
charge. Early in the year an unusual spirit of religious
concern was observable almost everywhere upon the dis-
trict. From very small beginnings, widespread revivals
were the results. These continued during the entire
winter, and in some places far into the spring and sum-
mer. A solid and considerable increase has thus ensued,
both of numbers and, I am convinced, of personal piety.
"Looking upon the history of this centennial year,
there are abundant reasons to be discovered for gratitude
to Almighty God for the gracious mercies He has be-
stowed upon us. Our financial concerns have suffered in
common with the business depression prevalent every-
where. Prices have been very small and money hard to
obtain. Added to this general condition of monetary
stringency, is the harm wrought by those periodical visit-
ants, the grasshoppers, which have scourged this area of
territory, comprised in the district I represent, once more.
In the western and northern parts thereof, the harm done
was much more severe than in the eastern portion. Yet
there is not in my knowledge a single acre anywhere that
entirely escaped, and in many instances the corn was en-
tirely destroyed. The crops of small grains were meager.

26o History of Nebraska Methodism.

and the farmers' hopes were builded upon an abundant
corn crop ; hopes that never were to be reahzed. An in-
evitable consequence is the poverty of our preachers, and
a large deficiency arising from unpaid salaries. I do not
recall more than one instance in which the entire salary
has been paid. When we remember how small the sal-
aries are, and then deduct therefrom at least one-third
for deficiencies, we may then understand how many are
the privations to be endured by the Methodist itinerants
in the frontiers of Nebraska.''

It is to be greatly regretted from the standpoint of
the historian, that for some reason the secretaries did not
print the reports of the presiding elders for several years.
This involves the final reports on both the Beatrice and
North Nebraska Districts, which have special value, as
usually containing a resume of the four years' work on
their districts.

While we are deprived of this valuable source of in-
formation, we know in other ways that Dr. Maxfield suc-
cessfully led the forces during the following four years,
and the district, while not expanding territorially, con-
tinues to develop along all lines of Church work.

In 1871, George H. Wehn was admitted on trial and
appointed to Madison Charge, which was, with the ex-
ception of a small class at Union .Creek, an unorganized
work, extending to the west as far as an enthusiastic
young circuit rider, such as Brother Wehn was, would
sfo in search of the scattered members of the Methodist
fold. In a letter from Mrs. C. D. Trask, formerly of
Oakdale, and one of the oldest settlers, she speaks thus
of the beginning of religious work at that place: "Prior
to any organization, Rev. George H. Wehn traveled as

History of Nebraska Methodism. 261

far west as Frenchtown (near where Clearwater now is),
preaching at some points along his line of travel, visiting
from house to house and doing much good among the set-
tlers. He organized the Oakdale class in the spring of
1872 at the residence of J- H. Snyder, the first members
being A. M. Salnave, Hester A. Salnave, Wm. P. Clark,
Mary E. Clark, Laura E. Snyder, Jacob Holbrook, Jesse
T. Bennett, and Helen L. Bennett." In speaking of
Brother Wehn, Mrs. Trask further says that "he pos-
sessed a good education, was a fair preacher, and diligent
in labor."

Of Brother Wehn's circuit, and the work he did dur-
ing that year, his presiding elder, S. P. Van Doozer, says :
"Madison is a new work, and lies in the extreme west-
ern part of the district, embracing all of Madison and
Antelope Counties, and a part of Boone County. One
year ago Rev. George H. Wehn was appointed to this
newly organized mission. When he entered upon his
work he found a class of four or five members formed on
Union Creek. From this small beginning he has gone
on heroically, ascending the Elkhorn River and its tribu-
taries, doing the work of an evangelist, and now reports
five classes, and a membership, including probationers,
of more than one hundred souls." During the year a
camp-meeting was held, at which there were forty acces-
sions to the Church. He significantly adds that the mis-
sion had assumed such proportions "that necessity will
dictate a division for the ensuing year."

There appeared upon the scene in 1872 a sturdy Eng-
lishman, Jabez Charles. He was born in England, Sep-
tember 6, 1836, converted at the age of fifteen, and li-
censed to preach in the Primitive IMethodist Church in

262 History of Nebraska Methodism.

1864. In March, 1857, he was married to Miss Eliza-
beth Powles. and in June, 1868 they came to America,
and he became a local preacher on the Charters Circuit,
Pittsburg Conference, of the Methodist Episcopal
Church. In March, 1872, he was recommended to the
Pittsburg Annual Conference for admission on trial.
But thinking he ought to avail himself of the opportuni-
ties offered in the great West to secure a homestead, he
did not join the Pittsburg Conference, but came to
Omaha, Nebraska, not intending to preach, but to make
a home for himself and family. However, he preached
once in a grove of scrub oaks just south of the Union
Pacific depot, sometime during that summer, and soon a
letter passed to that alert presiding elder, S. P. Van
Doozer, who was on the lookout for good men to supply
some unoccupied fields, informing him that in Omaha
there was an English local preacher who would probably
fill the bill. It was not long before Brother Charles re-
ceived a letter from Van Doozer requesting him to meet
him, which he did. The result of this meeting meant
much for Nebraska Methodism, for he was at once re-
quested to take charge of the work in Madison County.
After informing him fully of the character and condition
of the people, living in their sod houses ; their poverty,
intensified at that time by the grasshoppers ; that there
were no churches, and in many cases no school-houses
even ; no railroads through the country and no bridges
over the streams, the presiding elder asked him how he
liked it? Brother Charles answered, "I have learned to
adapt myself to circumstances." The presiding elder said,
"You will do," and at once employed him as a supply. On
the 13th of September, 1872, Jabez Charles reached his

History of Nebraska Methodism. 263

large and hard field of labor and began that self-sacrific-
ing career of faithful and efficient toil and great useful-
ness, which continued without a break until the Confer-
ence of 1902, when at the age of sixty-six, worn out by
thirty years of incessant toil on large circuits with small
salaries, he requested, and was granted, a superannuated
relation.

The history of the North Nebraska Conference would
be very incomplete if what Jabez Charles has done for the
Alaster were left out. Of that portion of it relating to
the development of our work in Madison, Boone, and
Antelope Counties, it was he, doubtless, above all
others, who laid the foundations of our Zion during the
first five years of his ministry in Nebraska, during which
time he remained in the local ranks and was contented
to serve as a supply under the presiding elder. The
slor}' of his work and experiences during these five years
is so well told in a communication from him to the writer,
that I can do no better than to quote his own words :

"On the 13th of September, wdth a letter of authority,
I found myself in Madison County, Nebraska, as preacher
in charge of the Madison Circuit. I found six preaching
places ; namely, Madison, with no class and no church ;
Union Creek, wnth J. T. Trine as leader and local
preacher ; Battle Creek, three miles up the creek from
the present town of Battle Creek, with no class at this
place; Fairview (Clarion Post-ofitice), Brother Reigle, a
local preacher and a good Methodist, and a class led by
Brother E. Heath. At Buffalo Creek was the best appoint-
ment in every sense of the word. There we had a strong
class, with good Father George Rouse as leader ; we had
two local preachers, Brothers J. T. Morris and R. J.

264 History of Nebraska Methodism.

Harvey, and after a while two exhorters, Brother Shafer
and Charles Rouse. (Ever since that time Brother Rouse
has held a local preacher's license.) At Buffalo Creek
we worshiped in a sod school-house, earth floor and sod
roof, and yet what glorious times we enjoyed ! After
preaching in that old dug-out I heard sixty persons tell
their experiences. I have known the men to put their
spring seats around the door on the outside when there
was snow on the ground because they could not get in-
side. This place is now known as Meadow Grove, Ma-
rietta was a preaching place, with a class, J. Alberry
leader and local preacher. There were a number of other
places at which we preached. The Best appointment was
five miles west of Norfolk ; Solters, twelve miles west of
Norfolk ; Deer Creek, Dry Creek, and St. Clair Creek.
At this place we held a very good revival-meeting in
1873 and 1874. Brother C. Rouse was leader. This
place was five and one-half miles southeast of Oakdale.
I forded the Elkhorn River at different points all the
way from Westpoint to Oakdale. Once I crossed in a
molasses pan. I have taken off all my clothing and
waded the stream, in order to get from one preaching
place to the other. Those were the grasshopper times,
when frozen squash was a luxury. Dry Creek Circuit
was formed in 1873, taking in the northwest part of the
county. In the fall of 1874 I left ninety-three full mem-
bers on the circuit. In the fall of 1874 I was sent to the
Albion Circuit, including the entire county of Boone. I
found four preaching places. At Albion we had no town
and no church. True there was one store, a school-
house, and a court-house, and John Ayers's shanty, but no
dwelling-house. Rev. S. P. Bollman, a local preacher,

History of Nebraska Methodism. 265

lived in his homestead and preached all he could while
holding various county offices. W. T. Xelson was our
class-leader. At Boone we worshiped in a sod school-
house, R. W. King was leader. At St. Edwards we had
not even a school-house, but worshiped in Joel Berrey's
sod dwelling-house. J. Berrey was our class-leader and
W. J. Thompson was postmaster and the most prominent
member at this place. We held a revival-meeting in a
blizzard, with thirteen conversions.

"Twenty miles from Albion was Dayton, on the Cedar
River. Brother James Robinson kept the post-office.
Brother Broadbent was leader. This place is now called
Cedar Rapids. At School-house No. 15 we held
revival meetings, early in 1875, and formed a class of
thirteen members, of which W. Deupoe, H. Guiles, and
J. Moore were members. This place is now called Fin-
ical Hill. At the first quarterly-meeting, when the ques-
tion was asked, 'How much will you raise for the sup-
port of the minister this year?' Brother R. W. King said,
'We can not promise anything. If the grasshoppers
take our crops, we can not pay anything.' But for 1875
I received $203.45 ; for 1876 I received $229.59. There
was an increase of sixty-two full members and seven
probationers. At our Conference held at Lincoln in
1875 I was ordained a local deacon by Bishop Haven.
In the fall of 1876 I was sent back to the Aladison Cir-
cuit a second time. On this work I found six appoint-
ments ; namely, Madison, Union Creek, Fairview, Kala-
mazoo, Newmans Grove, and Tracy Creek. There was
no church on this circuit. But in the summer of 1877
we commenced our Church enterprise at jMadison. The
first load of lumber for the new church came from Co-

266 History of Nebraska Methodism.

lumbus, thirty-five miles away. The night before we
started to Conference, which was held in Eighteenth
Street, Omaha, October ii, 1877, Bishop Bowman pre-
siding. At this Conference I was admitted on trial in the
Nebraska Annual Conference, and was sent back to Mad-
ison for the second year. We continued work on our
church all through the winter and in the summer we held
a ministerial Conference in the new church, closing with
a camp-meeting in Severens's grove, at which were pres-
ent Rev. J. B. Maxfield, D. Marquette, J. B. Leedom, A.
Hodgetts, and others. A good, time was enjoyed.

"I received $175, and had an increase in membership
of twenty-three. For the year 1878 I received $210.42.
and had an increase in membership of four. Of this
amount Madison paid $80 and I gave them on subscrip-
tion $80 to the church. There went into the building of
that church two yoke of oxen, one cow, and four pigs.
]\Iy boy worked for the oxen and cow."

Another stalwart worker in the local ranks entered
the field in Antelope and Madison Counties in the later
seventies in the person of Charles G. Rouse, who was
born in Dupage County Illinois, September 17, 1836;
came to Nebraska in 1870, and received license to preach
under Jabez Charles's pastorate in 1873, and has since,
though remaining in the local ranks, assisted pastors and
preached, as a supply, for twenty-five years, as regularly
and efficiently as if he had been a member of the Con-
ference. He would doubtless have been admitted into
the Conference had he entered the work earlier in life.
At the time his name was presented he was past forty
and had a large family, and objection being made on

History of Nebraska Methodism. 267

that score alone, he was not admitted, whereby a great
mistake was made and injustice wrought, as his subse-
quent career of great usefuhiess makes clear. His record
compares favorably with that of the average member of
Conference. Brother Rouse is a man of fine physique,
excellent voice, a good singer and a good preacher, and
withal is "full of faith and the Holy Ghost." Great re-
vivals have attended his ministry from the first. A
goodly number of churches and parsonages have been
built under his guidance and inspiration. Indeed, it
would be difficult to find a charge which he has served
that has not been strengthened in some way by this faith-
ful man of God. He has served some important charges
on the Neligh and other districts, among them may be
mentioned Plainview, Osmond, Pierce, Creighton,
Meadow Grove and Tilden, and Newman Grove and
Emerick.

He began his work on the latter charge which was
in the neighborhood of his homestead at St. Clair Valley,
God blessing his ministry with a wonderful revival.

Brother Rouse has been twice married, first to Miss
Lydia Motter, September 10, 1857, who after thirty
years, during which she was a faithful wife and devoted
mother of her children, she passed to her reward Sep-
tember, 1887. He was married the second time to Mrs.
Amanda Grantham, February 11, 1897, who has since
been a true companion in his toils and victories.

His patriotism was evidenced by three years' service
in the army. He enlisted in Company B, Thirty-third
Regiment, Wisconsin Infantry, August 14, 1862, and
was honorably discharged August 9, 1865, at Vicksburg.

268 History of Nebraska Methodism.

OMAHA.

In tracing the history of Omaha through the last
period, we left it in the hands of Gilbert De La Matyr,
who was leading the Church to large and more prosper-
ous conditions. Samuel Burns, that genius in Sunda)-
school work, was at the head of that department and had
already brought it up to 540, as compared with 240
Church members. Everything seems to promise well for
the future, and in 1872 the presiding elder, A. G. White,
puts the situation as follows :

"Dr. De La Matyr has fully sustained the prestige of
the pulpit, and closed up his third year greatly beloved
by the friends of the Church, and respected by the whole
community. The Sabbath-school seems each session to
be in the very zenith of its excellence. The officers and
teachers present a rare example of promptness and adapt-
ability and faithfulness in their work. Whatever mone}'
can purchase — judicious management and faithful labor
can accomplish, are here applied to make Sabbath-school
instruction attractive and successful."

G. W. Gue, whom we have seen cheerfully doing pio-
neer service among the new settlers in Fillmore County
the year before, succeeds Dr. De La Matyr, and puts in a
year of efficient service, when he is compelled to tempo-
rarily quit the active ministry and accept a lucrative secu-
lar position to make"up a heavy financial loss caused by
becoming surety for a friend.

The new factor of progress above referred to had
been introduced into the Sunday-school work by the elec-
tion of Samuel Burns as superintendent in 1869. That
he was a rare genius in this kind of work is manifest

History of Nebraska Methodism. 269

from the fact that the school, according to reports made
to the Quarterly Conference, increased from 319 in 1870,
including thirty-seven teachers, with no conversions re-
ported, to 702 in 1872, including thirty-five teachers, with
thirty conversions reported. The full significance of this
phenomenal growth, will be better appreciated when we
consider that the entire membership of the Church had
not materially increased during that period, being 225.
Indeed, the Minutes for 1873 show only 150 members,
but this is probably an error. But when we recall the
fact that the number in Sunday-school rarely exceeds
the number of the Church membership, it will appear that
this growth is almost unprecedented in the history of the
Church. And that good was being done is evident from
the thirty conversions reported in 1872.

With such a splendid record as this we can almost*
pardon a man if he becomes a little vain and even arro-
gant, and insists on running that department himself, as-
suming that results had proved him thoroughly compe-
tent to do so, and it would be sound policy for the Church
to be patient with a man who could bring this important
department up to such a high state of efficiency, and
make it such a great power for good in the community
as it certainly was. For the sake of the cause they could
well afford to let him think the Sunday-school was the
biggest thing about the Church, as it literally was, numer-
ically, at least, and they could bear with him if he thought
it the most important department. Perhaps this exag-
gerated view of the relative importance of the Sunday-
school was one element of his success.

But when in 1863 Clark Wright was transferred from
one of the Eastern Conferences and became pastor, he

270 History of Nebraska Methodism.

seemed not to be able to take in the unique situation of
a Church with one of its subordinate departments more
than twice as large as itself, or comprehend that geomet-
rical contradiction, that in this case the part was greater
than the whole. Nor did he understand Samuel Burns,
and having himself no small store of ministerial dignity
to maintain, it was difficult for him to brook what seemed
tmdue arrogance on the part of Burns.

That both these men were honest in their convictions,
and that both loved the Church and were, in their differ-
ent ways equally loyal, and willing to toil and sacrifice in
order to build it up, did not relieve the situation, but as
it often happens, the very intensity of their honest con-
victions increased the tension, and made it more difficult
for either to understand the other.

But probably these men might have gotten along to-
gether and perpetuated the situation that was so full of
present power and future promise, If the pastor in his
zeal for the spiritual interests of the Church had not in-
troduced an element into the situation in the person of
Mrs. Maggie Van Cott, which, as events proved, greatly
increased the difficulty of a satisfactory adjustment of
conflicting convictions.

Assuming, as we may properly do, that it was right
for the pastor and Burns and the entire Church, to con-
serve and perpetuate the Sunday-school in the high state
of efficiency to which it had been brought, and that Burns
was the only man who could do it, and his judgment as
to what would best serve this purpose, was entitled to
more than ordinary respect. And further assuming that
the pastor was right in desiring a revival of religion, and
in good faith sought to promote it by what he deemed

History of Nebraska Methodism. 271

the most efficient means, by the employment of Mrs. Van
Cott, who had already a great reputation as a successful
evangelist ; the problem now presented to the pastor and
the whole Church was how to perpetuate the now pow-
erful agency for good, the Sunday-school, and also make
it possible for ]\Irs. Van Cott to accomplish all she could
in her line of work.

She comes, as every evangelist should come, with a
conviction that there is no work so important as the sal-
vation of souls. And in this she shared what has been
the universal sentiment of Methodism. She felt that for
the time being all else should be subordinated to the re-
vival, and as the leader in the special movement she also
felt that all others should willingly submit to her will,
and obey her commands, including pastor and Sunday-
school superintendent. This had doubtless been conceded
to her wherever she had been, and she knew nothing in
the conditions at Omaha that would make that an excep-
tion. It did not occur to her that by careful and skillful
methods, in which the weekly teachers' meeting was a
most potent factor, Samuel Burns and his co-workers
had built up one of the best schools in Methodism, and
that therefore the situation in Omaha presented some
features which were peculiar and probably different from
any she had ever met, and called for special consideration,
and special treatment.

There can be no doubt that Mrs. Van Cott was a con-
secrated woman, whom the Lord was using in the salva-
tion of many souls. But it is to be feared that she was
so constituted that her success had, perhaps uncon-
sciously to herself, exaggerated her conception of her
own importance, and narrowed her views as to Church

272 History of Nebraska Methodism.

work, and greatly strengthened a naturally imperious
will. This we know sometimes happens in the case o£
otherwise excellent evangelists. There was probably
somewhat in the manner and spirit of her demands that
would make it difficult for a man like Samuel Burns to
accede to them, even if reasonable. And in view of the
peculiar importance of maintaining his large Sunday-
school and the teachers' meeting as an essential feature,
he could not but regard her demand for unconditional
surrender, and entire suspension of the teachers' meeting,
even after he had offered to hold it an hour later, so all
could attend both services, as unreasonable, and refuse
to surrender. Hence the disastrous rupture, that has
many times overbalanced all the good that Mrs. Van Cott
did in her revival, which would have been great and last-
ing but for this. And what was equally and more per-
manently harmful to Omaha Methodism, it destroyed the
best Sunday-school she has ever had in her history. And
still further, the withdrawal of Burns and his influential
followers, was probably the chief cause of subsequent
financial embarrassment by which they became bankrupt
and lost their property. And we must still add as an-
other item to the dark account of loss, the years of futile
effort to build up a rival Church, which cost such men
as Lemon, P. C. Johnson, Pardee, Shenk, Beans, and
Leedom years of valuable ministry.

Some may doubt the propriety of dwelling so long on
this unhappy affair. But the historian has not the option
to choose only the pleasant features of the history, but is
in duty bound to note what has obstructed the progress
of the Church. It is my conviction that no event in the
fifty years of Nebraska Methodism has been so far-reach-

History of Nebraska Methodism. 273

ing in its pemiciovts influences, not only in Omaha, but
to some extent, beyond the Hmits of that city, as this un-
happy affair. It is here recorded as a monumental
blunder, not to use a harsher name, that should stand
out as a warning to good people not to sacrifice the in-
terests of Christ's kingdom for the sake of having one's
own way.

Clark Wright was an attractive man and might have
succeeded well but for these troubles, and the financial
embarrassment. As it was he reports considerable gain
in members during his pastorate, but the Sundav School
of 700 which he found, dropped down to 400, and this
number was not maintained.

He is followed by L. F. Britt, who remains a year
and has to his credit a gracious revival resulting in the
conversion of some seventy-five. But success along spir-
itual lines, could not avert the doom of bankruptcy im-
pending, and the bondholders accepted in settlement all
their property, both on Seventeenth and Thirteenth
Streets, leaving the Church homeless.*

At this juncture, that old veteran, H. D. Fisher, was
induced to come to the rescue, though he would receive
$800 less salary by doing so. He found a homeless
Church, but temporary arrangements were made for serv-
ices in a rented hall. A lot was purchased on Davenport
Street, between Seventeenth and Eighteenth, and the
third church enterprise w^as inaugurated, and in due time
a plain frame structure, with parsonage at the rear, was
completed and dedicated by Mrs. Van Cott. In speak-
ing of this achievement, Dr. Fisher quotes Bishop Haven,
who, when he preached in the church remarked to the
congregation: (See Gun and Gospel, by Fisher, p. 257.)

274 History of Nebraska Methodism.

"It is marvelous indeed !" and to me, "where did you
get all this? We have known of the state of things in
Omaha for years before you came. Some said Methodism
was dead there and ought to be buried. But when I
learned you had gone to Omaha I told my friends 'that
means resurrection,' and so it did. The bishop preached
for us, and told the congregation that the bishops had
regarded the case as practically hopeless, and it was the
man from Kansas who, in the economy of grace, had
brought them resurrection."

The growth of the city and of the Church seems to
call for expansion, and the Second Church has been or-
ganized just north of Cumings Street, meeting a grow-
ing need of that part of the city. This expansion takes
place in the south part of the city, in 1872, and its be-
ginnings are thus reported by the presiding elder :

"Omaha Mission — J. M. Adair, pastor. This is a
new work, embracing the scattered settlements not in-
cluded in any other pastoral charge in Douglas County.
A church has been purchased in South Omaha, near the
Union Pacific depot, and Brother Adair has labored to
pay for it. He has displayed commendable zeal in city
and country, but has received for his services barely suf-
ficient to pay his house rent."

In 1879, ^t the close of Dr. Fisher's pastorate, there
appears as pastor, J. B. Maxfield, D. D., one who has al-
ready become familiar by his work on pastorates and dis-
tricts. Of his work here Haynes says :

"He never failed to enlighten his hearers on the sub-
ject in hand nor to edify his people. With him in the
pulpit the assurance that the services would be interest-
ing was not doubtful ; and he was able to hold this good

History of Nebraska Methodism. 275

opinion and respectful hearing to the end of his labors
in the charge. Closing the second year as pastor, he was
removed to take charge of the Omaha District."

The expansion noted before, consisting of a second
charge on Izard Street, enjoyed some prosperity under
the successive pastorates of C. A. King, Charles McKel-
vey, and J. H. Presson, and gave promise of steady
growth, being in a growing portion of the city where it
was much needed. But in 1874 the party who followed
Burns out of the First Church, purchased the building
and moved it up onto Eighteenth Street. After some
eight or nine years, during which such men as Lemon,
Pardee, P. C. Johnson, Beans, Shenk, and Leedom had
given their best service, the effort to establish a Church
there was given up as hopeless, and it was sold and
Seward Street Church established.

South Tenth Street was served during this period by
J. M. Adair, T. H. Tibbies, John P. Roe, P. C. Johnson,
and David Marquette. Under Father Roe's ministry the
Church, during the first year, received his services free
of charge on condition that they pay all their debts,
amounting then to $500. This was done. The second
year he agreed to put the entire salary, $500, into a build-
ing fund, to be available when they came to build. It
was this and other generous actions of this man of God
that made it possible for the writer to carry forward to
success the building of both church and parsonage, dur-
ing his three years' pastorate, beginning in 1879.

CHAPTER XV.

THIRD PERIOD. (1870-1880.)

LINCOLN.

As EARLY as 1857 Salt Creek appeared in the Min-
utes, and was left to be supplied. As to whether any one
was secured for the circuit is not known, nor do we know
just what territory was comprised in the circuit that year,
and for several subsequent years. But the following year
we find, as noted elsewhere, that Zenas B. Turman was
assigned to Salt Creek. The first settlement on the site
where Lincoln now stands, of which we have any au-
thentic account, was established by Elder Young, and
several others who were Methodist Protestants, and had
in contemplation the establishment of a colony of their
co-religionists, and started a seminary. But the project
failed. The next effort was made by parties attracted by
the supposed possibility of profitably developing the salt
works, and the little village of Lancaster was the result.
The superior richness of the salt deposits in Kansas soon
made the Nebraska enterprise unprofitable and it was
abandoned. But in 1867 Nebraska became a State and
must needs have a capital, and Lincoln was selected. The
plan was to sell lots enough to put up the State-house, an.l
this being realized, Lancaster became Lincoln, the flour-
ishing capital of the State.

Prior to this, however, probably in 1867, R. H.
Hawkes preached on the site where Lincoln now stands.

276

History of Nebraska Methodism. 277

Father Edward Warnes, who speaks of himself as the
oldest settler in Lincoln, having built his cabin near what
would now be 719 A Street, in 1862, in an interview in
the Lincoln Ne-ii's, for October 28, 1903, speaks of Brother
Haw kes's ministry as follows :

"Rev. Hawkes was the first preacher. He was a very
devout man. ]\Ioney was scarce then, and the preacher
was paid mainly in produce. It appeared that the good
preacher and his family had not been remembered by the
congregation for some time, and they had come to the
point of starvation. A lot of us, hearing of the extreme^
poverty in which our pastor and his loved ones were
placed, met and formed a donation party. We were
loaded down with provender — Hour, meat, coffee, sugar,
and other substantial eatables too numerous to mention.
As some of us reached the door we heard a voice engaged
in prayer. Through a crack in it we saw the good man
on his knees pleading with his Maker to help him in his
hour of trouble and asking that a way be found to ena-
ble his family and himself to be relieved from the pangs
of hunger. I tell you it brought the tears to the eyes of
his listeners.

"The produce was quietly and swiftly piled against
the door, while the man within continued his prayer for
relief. Then when the job was done a loud knock was
given on the door and the entire party retired to a safe
distance and waited developments. When he opened the
door, the stuff piled up fell into the room, and it was
laughable and pathetic to see the astonished and grateful
look on the face of the recipient."

The following year, 1868, however, marks the real
beginning of Lincoln Methodism. Happily, just at this

278 History of Nebraska Methodism.

juncture, when the capital had been located, and was
starting out with every prospect of success, H. T. Davia
is just closing his three years' pastorate at Nebraska City,
and is available for the work of laying the foundation of
the Church in Lincoln, being appointed at the Confer-
ence that year. Of the beginnings of Lincoln Methodism
no one is more competent to speak than H. T. Davis, him-
self, and in his "Solitary Places Made Glad," he tells
the story :

"In the spring of 1868, Lincoln first appeared upon
the Minutes of the Nebraska Annual Conference, and the
writer was appointed pastor. The town contained a pop-
ulation of some two hundred souls. There was no par-
sonage, beautifully and richly furnished ; no large so-
ciety to greet the pastor and his family, and give them a
royal welcome to a grand reception. The pastor built his
own house and furnished it as best he could. While our
house was being finished, Mrs. Davis did her cooking in
the largest kitchen we ever had, the ceiling was high, the
floor beautifully carpeted with living green, the ventila-
tion perfect and our appetites of the very best. Here we
lived a number of days in the most roomy apartment we
ever had,

"We found sixteen members of the Church, including
men, women, and children and a small church on Tenth
Street inclosed only. We found another thing we did not
like so well. On this shell of a house we found what the
little girl called the latest improvement — a $400 mort-
gage. We went to work, finishing the building, and con-
secrating it to the worship of Almighty God, Dr. W. B.
Slaughter preaching the dedicatory sermon. At the end
of one vear the building became too small for the congre-

History of Nebraska Methodism. 279

gations. The trustees authorized the pastor to dispose
of the church, and the next week I sold it to the School
Board of the city for a school-house. On the lots given
by the State to the Church, we then built a frame build-
ing. This building was afterwards enlarged."'

At the close of Dr. Davis's pastorate, Lincoln is
favored with the appointment of J. J. Roberts. He is now
at the zenith of his great intellectual powers and enters
upon his work among a people capable of appreciating his
worth, both as a preacher and as a man. He preached
at the session of Conference which was held in Lincoln,
and well does the writer remember how profoundly that
sermon impressed the Conference. He, with his devoted
wife, entered upon what promised to be the most fruitful
pastorate they had had in Nebraska, but was destined to
be cut short by the failing health of Brother Roberts.
At the close of the first year he had become a hopeless in-
valid, rheumatism having fastened its relentless hold upon
his physical frame. His presiding elder, Dr. Davis, re-
ports the year's work as follows :

"Lincoln is in a healthy condition. A neat and sub-
stantial parsonage, with eight good rooms, two large
halls, a good cellar and cistern, has been built during the
year at a cost of seventeen hundred dollars, and the whole
amount paid, leaving no encumbrance whatever on the
property. There is in connection with the Church a large
and flourishing Sabbath-school. Brother Roberts's
health during the past year has been poor, suffering in-
tensely with rheumatism most of the time ; nevertheless
he has done an amount of labor that but few under the
same circumstances would have performed. A mind of
the Pauline type, he is one of the strong men of the

28o History of Nebraska Methodism.

Church, and his trumpet never gives an uncertain sound.
He is most emphatically what Paul exhorted Timothy to
be, 'A workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly
dividing the word, giving to saint and sinner his portion
in due season.' "

After nearly a year of intense sufifering, J. J.
Roberts closed his earthly career on the 17th of jNIarch,

1873.

J. J. Roberts was without doubt one of the ablest
preachers Nebraska has ever had. And the strongest
features of his preaching did not consist in the arts of
the rhetorician or the orator. He rather eschewed these
as being unnecessary, depending almost wholly on the
capacity of the truth itself to make its way, if it onlv had
a fair chance, by being clearly perceived by the speaker
and plainly presented to the people. J. J. Roberts ex-
celled in that marvelous capacity to see a great truth
clearly and all truths in their true logical relations, as
constituting a system, and grasp the system itself as a
whole. This same power enabled him to detect fallacies
and expose them most mercilessly. Brother Burch tells
of an instance of this kind while Roberts was at Peru.
A Christian (Campbellite) preacher was holding a series
of meetings at Peru, and according to their usual method
at that time, his preaching was of the controversial order,
more attention being given to an effort to show that other
Churches, especially the Methodist, were wrong, than in
convincing sinners of their need of salvation. Roberts
attended and after their meetings were over, devoted a
little time to the matter in his next prayer-meeting, but in
that short time completely swept away the fallacies of
two weeks of preaching.

History of Nebraska ]\Ii5Thodism. 281

This same keen logical power enabled him to detect
shams. These he most heartily despised and took great
delight in exposing them.

So complete was his work along these lines that when
he got after a fallacy or a sham it took him but a few
moments to create the impression on the minds of his
hearers that there was nothing left of either sham or
fallac}'.

His standing among the people of Lincoln is indicated
in these extracts from the Daily State Journal of March
18, 1873: "The death of J. J. Roberts, though not unex-
pected, threw a gloom over the city. No man in Lincoln
was more generally regarded with respect and veneration
than he. His life for months past has been a struggle
with terrible pain and suffering, and his indomitable for-
titude and cheerfulness, his sterling piety, and his un-
complaining resignation won for him a warm niche in
the hearts of all who knew him. His disease was rheu-
matic gout, that racked his frail body with merciless
cruelty for days and weeks together and stretched him
helpless on a couch of pain. Mr. Roberts came to Lincoln
two years ago as pastor of the First Methodist Episcopal
Church, but after a year's faithful service, was obliged
to take the superannuated relation. As a preacher he
showed a wonderful depth of thought and originality
that would have made him a famous orator had his
physique possessed the health and energy of his mental
organization."

These sentiments of high esteem were shared by all
the preachers of the Conference and the members of the
charges he had served.

The same year in which J. J. Roberts died witnessed

282 History of Nebraska Methodism.

the departure of that old, battle-scarred veteran, Isaac
Burns. His name has often appeared in the earlier
pages of this history and always in connection with some
valuable service rendered to the cause he loved dearer
than his own life. There have been more brilliant men,
but none more faithful than Isaac Burns. He was well
along in life when he came to Nebraska and was there-
fore not permitted to give many years to the service. Bur
they were years well filled with toil and sacrifice. He
has passed in triumph to his well-earned heavenly reward.

There will be no better place than in connection with
this mention of her husband's last days to make some
note of the life and character and work of Mrs. M. E.
Roberts, who was his devoted wife, a wise mother, and
withal, one of the most useful of the "women who have
helped."

A determined effort was made during the seventies
to turn the State University over to the control of the
"Broad Gaugers," as they were called. This, as a mat-
ter of fact, had succeeded to the extent of placing a num-
ber of free-thinkers of decided infidel proclivities in the
Faculty. These lost no opportunity to sneer at the Bibk;
and raise doubts in the minds of the students concerning
the doctrines of Christianity. As yet, Methodism had no
school of her own and many of our young people were in
the State University, as well as the young people of other
denominations. Indeed, even now, with nearly every de-
nomination maintaining an institution of its own, it is
well known that a majority of the students of the State
institutions come from the Christian homes. Of course
the percentage was much larger then. Under these cir-
cumstances we may be sure that this movement raised a

History op Nebraska Methodism. 283

storm of indignation throughout the State. In 1879 the
Nebraska Conference entered this vigorous protest :

"Resolved, That we, as a Christian denomination, en-
ter our earnest protest against the prostitution of the
State University to the propagation of modern infideUty,
known as "Broad Gauge" or "Liberal" religion, and we
do not and can not feel free to send our children there
while it is under the influence of teachers who are known
to discard the Bible and sneer at Christianity, and who
pour contempt upon prayer and the religious services in
the chapel by refusing to attend. And we hereby peti-
tion the Honorable Board of Regents of the University
of Nebraska to make such changes in the Faculty as will
protect our children from being perverted by influence
and example from the Christian faith which is so dear
to us.

Pressure was brought to bear in political circles by
which the nefarious scheme was defeated by changing
the complexion of the Board of Regents. But it required
years to complete the process of elimination.

In the meanwhile the problem for the Christian
Churches in Lincoln was, how, for the time being, can
we counteract this infidel influence? St. Paul's Church,
as might be expected, took the lead in this movement, and
of the members of the St. Paul Church, Mrs. M. E. Rob-
erts stood out as the pre-eminent leader, supported by
such women as Mrs. Hyde, Mrs. H. T. and A. M. Davis,
and Mrs. Peckham, in every effort to save the young men
and women exposed to the adverse influences. It was a
hand to hand battle, but the Church won, and it is no dis-
credit to the pastors at that time to say that to Mrs. Rob-
erts and her band of godly women was this victory chiefly

284 History of Nebraska Methodism.

due. Many of the Christian fathers and mothers through-
out the State will never know the many plans and devices
faithfully worked to save their boys and girls. Their
homes were made the homes of the young students. Al-
most before they had had time to become homesick they
would be invited by some chum who had been commis-
sioned for that purpose, to attend a sociable at Mrs. Rob-
erts's, or perhaps at the home of some other good sister,
and to their surprise would find these consecrated women
almost or quite as kind and motherly as their own
mothers. Then they would be invited to Church and
Sunday-school. Such was the influence of St. Paul's
Church through these means, that a son of a Lutheran
minister who was converted there while a student at the
State University, told the writer that it was hardly possi-
ble for a student to remain four years and not be con-
verted.

Of Mrs. Roberts's work and influence during these
years, one who himself was the object of her efforts, and
the subject of her purifying and uplifting influence, and
who, like many other young men, were proud to do, calls
himself "one of her boys," shall tell tli€ story :

"Rev. James J. Roberts was appointed pastor of the
Methodist Episcopal Church in Lincoln, Nebraska, fifteen
years ago, where he continued until his death, two years
later. He was a zealous and earnest worker, and his
grand life and services have unquestionably much to do
with the great Church work now being accomplished in
that city. Mrs. M. E. Roberts, the widow, gathering
about her her four fatherless children, looked as bravely
as possible to the future. She found, after careful ex-
amination of her temporal resources, that she had means

History of Nebraska Methodism, 285

of siibsistance for herself and family for scarcely three
years. The brave lady, however, was not discouraged.
She placed herself in the hands of Him who had promised
to be a Father to the fatherless and a Husband to the
widow. For eleven years ]\'Irs. Roberts taught in the
public schools in Lincoln, having from fifty to ninety
pupils. Meantime, though she had the care of her family,
and of her own business affairs, she found time to do
much Christian and charitable work.

"Two years after the death of her husband, Mrs. Rob-
erts made a specific surrender of herself to the Lord,
promising to do any work He should place in her hands.
First came 'the crusade,' into which she went with other
brave women, and since then she has been identified with
the Women's Christian Temperance Union. Four years
after the crusade, Mrs. Roberts commenced Sunday-
school work, her class being composed entirely of young
men, and her success in this has been something phenome-
nal. With great fear and trepidation she began this duty.
The class, which began with five or six, has steadily in-
creased, until at present there are over eighty enrolled,
and the prospects are bright for one hundred before the
year ends. (It did reach one hundred.)

"Mrs. Roberts's methods to obtain members for her
class are unique and original. Every stranger is warmly
welcomed, introduced, and made to feel at home. He
soon begins to feel a personal interest in the class, and
invites his friends to attend. Airs. Roberts visits all busi-
ness houses and searches for new faces, and when one is
found, ascertains at once whether or not the young man is
identified with any Church or Sunday-school worlc. If
not, he receives a cordial invitation to attend her class
19

286 History of Nebraska Methodism.

'next Sunday.' Should he fail to appear, she p^oes 'again
and again, until finally the young man surrenders to the
inevitable and soon finds himself as much interested in
the work as if he had been a member of the class for a
year. Like Caesar, the lady knows the name of each of
her soldiers, and has always a smile and a hearty welcome
for all. Mrs. Roberts carries her class in her heart at
all times, and a daily prayer is on her lips for their w'el-
fare. She speaks good words to their employers, and in-
vites them to her home. Every week some members of
the class are at her home for dinner or tea. For years,
in June, the class has a party, to which the young men are
accompanied by lady friends.

"The work accomplished by Mrs. Roberts is simply
prodigious, and the result of her untiring efforts had
placed many a young man in Christian work. A number
have entered the ministry, several have gone out as mis-
sionaries to foreign countries, and a large majority are
earnest Christian workers. This busy woman has no
other thought now but to work for the Lord. She has
calls from all over the State, and is to be found wherever
there is work to do, in prisons, hospitals, and in revivals.
Her very face shines with the love of Christ, a wonderful
energy, and an insatiable desire for the welfare of souls."

Many of the pastors, the writer among the number,
have availed themselves of Mrs. Roberts's wonderful
power over young people, by securing her help in revival
work. The Woman's Home Missionary Society have
availed themselves of her winning ways and organizing
ability to extend the usefulness of that beneficent society,
she having served in many States as their national or-
ganizer. When they laid the corner-stone of the domii-

History of Nebraska Methodism, 287

tory of their great institution at York, the "Mothers'
Jewels Home," as reported at the time, Mrs. M. E. Roh-
erts was introduced as an indefatigable worker in this
behalf, and filled with the spirit of prophecy and the in-
spiration of the hour, thrilled the audience with her burn-
ing words of hope and portend of the future of the Home,
And at its recent session the Nebraska Conference hon-
ored her, and at the same time honored itself even more,
by electing her by a large majority on the first ballot, a
lay delegate to the General Conference.

But neither this nor many other places of trust in
which she has been placed will constitute the chief title
of Mrs. M, E, Roberts to distinction in this world or
the world to come. This will rather be found in the
thousands of young men she has helped in time of dis-
couragement and temptation and led to Christ.

It may be well to note in passing, the great service
Methodism has rendered both at Peru and Lincoln in
supplying the positive religious and moral conditions in
which these State institutions can do their work, but
which in the nature of things they can not supply them-
selves. And the Methodism of the State is entitled to no
small part of the credit.

Resuming the history of Lincoln Methodism we find
that J. J. Roberts was followed by George S. Alexander,
who remained three years. He finds 277 members, in-
cluding thirty-eight probationers, and leaves 299 mem-
bers, including twenty-six probationers. His pastorate
coincides with the years of the grasshopper visitation, and
Lincoln, as all other places, has been checked in growth,
which explains the meager increase for these years. At
the close of his term in Lincoln Brother Alexander is ap-

288 History of Nebraska Methodism.

pointed chaplain at the penitentiary, and is succeeded as
pastor by Dr. W. B. Slaughter. The Church enjoys a
steady growth under the scholarly ministry of this true
man of God, the membership increasing to 350, and the
Sunday-school to 500.

Dr. Slaughter has been in his element in ministering
to this cultured spiritual Church.

St. Paul's Church has now reached a point in its de-
velopment when the demand for a special transfer has
set in, and is gratified with the transfer of S. H. Hender-
son, from the Upper Iowa Conference. The demand for
this transfer came from the more spiritual element.
Brother Henderson being an exponent of the special holi-
ness movement somewhat prominent in the Church at
that time. He had been one of the evangelists at the
State Holiness Camp-meeting at Bennett, and had im-
pressed many of the members as being the ideal man for
the place.

He entered upon his pastorate with much zeal, and
gave special attention in his preaching and social meet-
ings to the necessity of a second blessing. He was a
faithful pastor, and withal possessed of a missionary
spirit, going out to destitute neighborhoods in the after-
noon. There was quite a number of Cumberland Presby-
terians settled on Steven's Creek, some six miles east of
Lincoln, who had naturally first endeavored to get a
preacher of their own denomination to come and organize
a Church, applying to Rev. J. B. Green, pastor of that
Church in Nebraska City. But that Church could not
send a man west of Nebraska City, so they turned to the
Methodists, sending a request to Brother Henderson to
come and organize a Church. Though burdened with the

History of Nebraska Methodism. 289

care of a large Church, he gladly took up this work, and
in May, 1878, he organized what is now known as the
Sharon Church. Among the charter members were the
following: Mr. and Mrs. Fred Hinkley, Mrs. Martin Bab-
cock, Mrs. Elizabeth Beach, Mrs. George V. Hall, Mrs.
Morgan, Miss Eliza Morgan, Mr. and Mrs. D. P. Doubt,
Mr. and Mrs. Michael Doubt, Sr., and Mr. and Mrs. J.
Michael Doubt.

The first class-leader was Mr. Fred Hinkley, and the
first trustees were O. M. Shore, C. C. Beach, Wm. Hotal-
ing, J. M. Doubt, and J. C. Doubt.

During the remainder of the Conference year Brother
Henderson faithfully served them, preaching there every
alternate Sabbath afternoon. After his pastorate at St.
Paul's, S. H. Henderson served several important
charges, among them Falls City and Hastings. He was
for several years secretary of the Conference. In 1892
Brother Henderson transferred to the West Nebraska
Conference, but was soon compelled to take a superan-
nuated relation because of failing health.

S. H. Henderson was born in Tennessee, March 4,
1829, and died at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Cone,
in Lincoln, Nebraska, April 25, 1899. The brethren of
the West Nebraska Conference place on record the fol-
lowing estimate of his work and character: "Brother
Henderson was a remarkable man, a many-sided man.
Rarely ever do men do many things equally well, but here
is found the exception. Whether as civil engineer, school
teacher, lawyer, soldier, judge, minister, presiding elder,
chaplain of senate, secretary of Conferences and National
Holiness Associations, he showed great adaptability and
served with great credit to himself and profit to all in-

290 History of Nebraska Methodism.

terested. Twelve years he was presiding elder and fifteen
years in the pastorate. He was a strong Biblical scholar,
and wore out his commentaries and his Bibles, turning
their truths into great sermons and helpful addresses and
well remembered exegeses, to the great profit of all who
fortunately came under his ministry. He was a manly
man, a true friend, a loving and loyal son of the Church.
Few men have occupied so high and honorable positions
and lifelong associations, and remained so brotherly and
fraternal. Any young minister was at home in his pres-
ence. He honored his positions and opportunities, but
was not unduly exalted thereby. He grew old beauti-
fully. He made no complaints, had no enemies, but pa-
tiently bore the increasing infirmities with resignation."

Sharon was attached to the South Lincoln Circuit the
following year, with A. L. Folden as pastor. This meant
either a church or a revival, and perhaps both. In this
case it soon meant a church building. Brother Folden and
some of the laymen doing most of the carpenter work.
It was dedicated by Brother Folden himself, November
28, 1880. Sharon has remained to this day a flourishing
rural Church, and is now served by W. J. Nichols.

This brings into view two significant facts that may
be noted here. This Steven's Creek settlement at first
preferred another Church, but were compelled to turn
to the Methodist Episcopal Church, and did not apply in
vain. Few, if any, of the settlements that had members
enough for a class sought in vain for a Methodist
preacher to organize them, and then find some place in
the system by which they could be served.

The other fact was the venture to make another ap-
pointment in Lincoln. The Lincoln Circuit was organ-

History of Nebraska Methodism. 291

ized in 1878, and A, L. Folden made pastor. This move-
ment seemed called for by the rapid extension of the city
to the southward, and while Brother Henderson remained
pastor of St, Paul's, seemed to be acquiesced in, if not
heartily approved. But just when the growth of a city
makes it impossible for the mother Church to properly
care for all the people of that city, is a question not easily
answered, and the first movement in the direction of a
second Church is often looked on with little favor, and
is sometimes met with determined opposition. A, C. Wil-
liams, a transfer from the St. Louis Conference, succeeds
Henderson at St. Paul's in 1879. He was a strong
preacher, soon had large congregations, and seemed pre-
possessed with the notion that one strong Central Church
would best serve the religious interests of the city, and
that a diversion of strength by the organization of a sec-
ond Church would be a blunder. Probably he had no
difficulty in bringing his Official Board to a like convic-
tion, in which he and they were perfectly honest, and
Brother Folden was regarded as encroaching on their
territory. This view seemed confirmed when Folden, be-
ing imable to get a suitable place south of J Street, rented
the Universalist Church on that street, and proceeded to
hold services. This was within five or six squares of St.
Paul's, and as a matter of fact was too close for a per-
manent Church. But clearly this arrangement on the part
of Folden was temporar}^, forced upon him by a hard
necessity. He could find no other suitable place in which
to do a needed work in South Lincoln. But he was soon
waited on by a committee from St. Paul's, who demanded
of him by v^'hat authority he was preaching in Lincoln.
Folden stood his ground and answered that he was there

292 History of Nebraska Methodism.

by the highest authority — Bishop Harris. Matters
seemed to have rested at that, and Andrew Folden held
an old-fashioned Methodist revival in this Universalist
Church, and over one hundred souls were converted, and
perhaps many from within the sphere naturally occupied
by St. Paul, joined the Second Church. Thus this plucky,
determined man finally won his case, and as events have
proved, was right in his contention, originating as he did.
Tnnity Church, which has become one of the most potent
centers of religious influence, while St. Paul remains un-
harmed, being easily the leading Church in Lincoln.

It is not intended by these details to reflect on any
one, but to show the very great difficulties which our
rapid growth involved. This is a typical case, and is but
a repetition of what took place in Omaha, especially under
the administration of T. M. House, and has taken place
in many other growing cities. In this case, the initiative
came from St. Paul's Quarterly Conference, which, at its
first session after the Conference in 1878, while S. H.
Henderson was pastor, invited A. L. Folden to take up
an appointment in South Lincoln, and a committee, con-
sisting of J. C. Johnson and Mr. Lawson, was appointed
to aid him in securing a place. But A. C. Williams had
entirely different views and was as honest, doubtless, in
holding and vigorously maintaining them as Brother
Folden himself. But he took too narrow a view, for the
time had doubtless come for an advance movement.

A. C. Williams was a preacher who conscientiously
viewed religion as an intellectual matter, and this view
gave tone and character to his preaching which should be
described as intellectual rather than spiritual. It is not
meant that he was anti-spiritual, but was inclined to con-

History of Nebraska Methodism. 293

stantly emphasize the intellectual as the true basis of
whatever was permanent and of ultimate value in the
spiritual. He was a strong personality, and had a large
and influential following in the Church. He remained
three years, and though there were no revivals there was
steady growth.

CHAPTER XVI.

THIRD PERIOD. (1870-1880.)

GENERAL SURVEY.

As WE look over the field and note the general situa-
tion in the older districts, we see that while all have suf-
fered a serious check, and could not be said to have re-
covered from the disastrous conditions prevailing through
a large portion of the period, until 1879, no field has been
abandoned, and some advance made every year. Occa-
sionally two circuits or stations have been temporarily
combined. This was the case when the writer was ap-
pointed to Mt. Pleasant, in 1875, Rock Bluffs Circuit
being connected with the Mt. Pleasant for that year. But
the first year there were two very precious revivals, one
at, or near, Old Wyoming, in the Gregg neighborhood,
where there had never been one before, and one at Mt.
Pleasant. Out of the number converted there, one John
W. Miller, a grandson of Father Gage, entered the min-
istry. The following year the work was divided again,
and T. A. Hull put on the Rock Bluffs portion. During
the summer we had a camp-meeting in Brother Schleiste-
meir's grove, at Mt. Pleasant. Brother Burch and D. F.
Rodabaugh were present, and rendered valuable service.
The latter preached a sermon of wonderful power on the
Sabbath, and at other times during the meeting. It was
-.t this camp-meeting that the death of Mother Davis,

294

History of Nebraska Methodism. 295

Mrs. Isabella Spurlock's mother, referred to elsewhere
by Brother Burch in his account of the camp-meetings,,
occurred. Out of about ninety conversions, one of these,
Earnest B. Crippen, entered the ministry and is now a
member of the West Nebraska Conference.

Thus, while for the sake of making the support of the
pastor possible, there were a few cases of combination,
none that I know of really worked any detriment to the
cause.

As we note the development of the work during those
ten years, we find in some of these older districts a num-
ber of the river towns that had derived their life and im-
portance from the river traffic, steadily running down
after the railroads began to extend their lines through the
State, and some old, familiar names drop out of the Min-
utes. Among these are London, Nemaha City, Salem,
Rock Bluffs, Bellevue, Florence, Calhoun, and De Soto.
But others are growing, and by 1879, we are already
aware that they have taken their places permanently
among the strong Churches of the State. Among these
may be mentioned Falls City, Table Rock, Humboldt,
Tecumseh, Pawnee City, Nebraska City, Peru, Platts-
mouth. Weeping Water, Lincoln, Seward, Ashland,
Omaha, Fremont, Schuyler, Osceola, David City, and
Rising. Nearly all of these have become stations, and
have a membership of from 100 to 300. They are be-
coming better organized, and the machinery of the
Church is in more skillful hands in some cases. The
finances are conducted on more business-like principles
and the salaries are growing larger and deficits are grow-
ing less. The spiritual interests are cared for more effi-
ciently through more regular means of grace, while the

296 History of Ne;braska Methodism.

old-time revivals still prevail. In these, and many others
like Beatrice, York, Hastings, Grand Island, Kearney,
Central City, that have, or might have been mentioned in
connection with our account of the newer districts, Meth-
odism has already ceased to be an experiment, the prob-
lem of existence having been finally solved. Henceforth
they are to become more and more centers of moral and
spiritual power in their respective communities.

BEATRICE DISTRICT. (187I-1875.)

Up to the formation of the Kearney District, Dr.
Maxfield has charge of the field as far west as any set-
tlements can be found. Still beyond Red Cloud, where we
have seen Wells at work, we find Harlan and Franklin
being cared for by C. R. Townsend, formerly of the Eng-
lish Connection, but the presiding elder notes the fact that
"from the large extent of the territory some points need-
ing the Gospel have not been reached." Republican City
and surrounding country constitute an urgent demand
for another man. Up the Little Blue, F. E. Penny, a
local preacher, has formed societies, made appointments,
and laid the foundations of a compact and prosperous cir-
cuit. The old veteran, W. D, Gage, who probably organ-
ized the first class in Nebraska, is still in the field, and
has organized Dorchester Circuit.

While these new charges are being formed, the older
charges on the Beatrice District are being cared for by
successive pastors during the four years of Dr. Maxfield's
incumbency, and for the most part making progress. This
district has also felt the blight of the grasshopper scourge,
though perhaps not to the same extent as the Kearney
District, the settlements being older and further advanced.

History of Nebraska Methodism. 297

Among others, David Hart has served the Beatrice
Station, which though suffering loss through removals,
has made some progress, completing its church, building
a parsonage, and increasing its membership.

Sterling, which includes Crab Orchard, has for pas-
tor during the most of this period, T. A. Hull, the man
to whom the elder wrote not to come, but who neverthe-
less, did come, and was such an unqualified success that
no one was more pleased that his request was ignored
than the elder himself, who thus speaks of this man of
God in his report for 1874: "He has purchased a commo-
dious parsonage, and his labors at various points have
been blessed by good revivals. He is pre-eminently a
man of one work. The work has grown, and is still
growing." Besides these revivals, a great camp-meeting
was held during the summer of 1873. At a prayer-meet-
ing in the big tent from Beatrice there came an old-time
manifestation of Divine power, during which some fell
and remained in an unconscious, or semi-conscious state,
for hours. One, a cultured lady from Beatrice, who fell
into this state, relates that it seemed a heavenly experi-
ence during which she could hear what was being said
about her. She, on her part, wanted to speak, and re-
quest that she be not disturbed, but was utterly unable
to do so. In due time she came out from the strange
spell, happy in the Lord, and none the worse for her re-
markable experience.

Many were deeply convicted of sin and most of these
happily converted to God. One poor sinner had resisted
to the last, however, and just as Dr. Maxfield raised his
hands to pronounce the final benediction, the poor fellow
rushed up to him and on his knees clasped him about the

298 History of Nebraska Methodism.

feet, and begged piteously that the camp-meeting be not
closed till he was saved. The benediction gave place for
the time to earnest prayer, during which he was soon
soundly converted. The benediction was then pronounced
and the great camp-meeting closed.

The writer was appointed to Fairbury in 1872-73, and
as was so often the case in those early days, was under
the necessity of erecting a small parsonage, in order to
have a place in which to live. There were some revivals,
and we trust, some growth.

Fairbury made steady progress under the pastor-
ate of Rev. E. Wilkinson, a transfer from Michigan Con-
ference. He was not a revivalist, but, being a sound doc-
trinal preacher, his mission seemed to be to build up char-
acter through the truth. He gave twenty years to the
work in Nebraska, and after his death, his brethren put
in the Minutes this appreciation of his work and
worth :

"Edward Wilkinson was born in Northumberland
County, England, January 6, 1822. His early life was
spent under deep religious influences. In his boyhood he
became an enthusiastic Christian. At the age of nine-
teen he became a local preacher in the Wesleyan Meth-
odist Church. For several years he continued in this
work. In April, 1859, at the advice of Bishop Simpson,
he came to America, settling for a short time in Pennsyl-
vania. In i860 he moved to Michigan, where he resided
until 1873, and labored there in the ministry. He then
came to Nebraska, where he continued his successful min-
isterial career till about three years before his death,
which occurred at the home of his son, at Weeping Water,
April 23, 1900. During his residence in Nebraska, he

History of Nebraska ]\Iethodism. 299

filled the following appointments: Fairbury, Weeping
Water, \"alparaiso, Wahoo, Harvard, x\shland, Steele
City, and South Bend. He was a man of superior worth.
It is the lot of few men to secure so large a measure of
esteem and afifection from their brethren in the ministry
and their people in the pastorate."

Fairmont has become a part of the Beatrice District,
and under the two years' pastorate of J. W. Stewart,
who succeeded G. W. Gue, made fine progress.

Crete, in 1865, is still having the same struggle for
existence that it had had from the beginning, having
been overshadowed at first by the Congregational Church,
which had the advantage, owing to the presence of Doane
Congregational College. A small church had been built
and a few determined laymen, like D. J. F. Reed and his
devoted wife, and others, continued to maintain their
ground, and were finally rewarded by the Church attain-
ing a commanding and perhaps leading position.

Of the progress of the work on his district during the
four years, Dr. IMaxfield speaks as follows in his final
report :

"The last four years have furnished a history of great
interest, demonstrating in many things a remarkable
growth. At the beginning of this term there was not a
single mile of railway in this district ; since then three
lines have been completed, running in various directions
through the country. Then there was but one Methodist
church in the entire district ; now there are seven very
commodious houses of w^orship. Then there was not a
single parsonage ; now the Church possesses six.

"The growth in population has been large, and the
increase of our Church membership has kept proportional

300 History of Nebraska Methodism.

pace with this rapid growth. Our Sunday-schools have
been largely developed, and still exhibit marked pros-
perity.

"The preachers, without exception, have obeyed the
appointing power at the several Conferences held during
this quadrennium, and not a single refusal to go to the
allotted work has occurred ; neither has an appointment
refused to accept the preacher sent. A system producing
such fine results with so little friction and no rebellion,
must be something more than accidental in its origin,
and not seriously defective in its operations.

"Our district of country suffered much in the early
part of the season by the ravages of the brood of locusts
hatched from the eggs deposited last autumn. The crops
of small grain in some localities were entirely destroyed.
During the summer, unusual rains flooded the valleys re-
peatedly ; freshets of such magnitude have not been
known in the traditions of 'the oldest inhabitant,' for 'the
memory of man runneth not to the contrary.' These
floods, in some valleys, swept away all the crops which
'the locusts had not devoured.' "

BEATRICE DISTRICT. (1875-1879.)

In 1875, George W. Elwood succeeds Dr. Maxfield on
the Beatrice District, and continues four years. Two
causes make it more difficult to trace the progress of the
work during these years. The first is that there are no
presiding elder reports printed after 1878 till 1882. The
next cause is the form in which Brother Elwood makes
his reports, and their exceeding brevity. However, from
his first report we glean the fact that little was done on
material lines. One church is inclosed, and a subscrip-

History of Nebraska Methodism. 301

tion of $800 raised for another. Great efforts have been
made to remove heavy debts from churches at Crete,
Fairmont, Beatrice, and York, with entire success. Old
Father Gage succeeds in erecting at Steele City the only
parsonage built on the district that year. But according
to the following extract from his report they are doing
splendidly on spiritual lines.

"The tide of spiritual life rose rapidly during the
first three-quarters of the year on nearly all the charges.
The present spiritual state of the district, as a whole, is
very encouraging. With gratitude to God, we record the
year as one of great revival movement. There was the
sound of abundance of rain during the first quarter ; the
second quarter witnessed the great outpouring. The
quarterly-meeting were all revival-meetings. All the
pastors held protracted services. ]\Iost of the local
preachers engaged in the work with their might. The
membership very generally engaged in the work. In
some communities the people seemed to be moved en
masse. The revival was the prevailing theme of conver-
sation in all circles. One broad sheet of revival flame
swept over York, Fairmont, Geneva, Western, Steele
City, and Adams Circuits, West Blue, Crete, and Pleas-
ant Hill; Wilber and De Witt and Plum Creek Circuit
shared largely in the glorious work. Laborious and per-
severing efforts were put forth at Beatrice and Blue
Springs with good results. The pastors reported about
seven hundred conversions, and a goodly number sancti-
fied. A very large proportion of the converts continued
faithful. In all this great work of God, the pastors proved
themselves worthy leaders. Language is too weak to
describe their self-sacrificing labors of love. Their record

302 History of Nebraska Methodism.

is on high, and their reward is sure. All glory to God
forever. Amen,"

In Elwood's second report we learn of steps being
taken toward building churches at several points, but
none are actually erected. Two parsonages are built, one
by J. S. Orr at Fairmont, and another by E. J. Willis, at
York.

Of the men on his district he has this word of com-
mendation :

"The toils, trials, and triumphs of these men of God
can not be described with words. The pen of the record-
ing angel has given them a fitting and enduring record on
high and the ages of eternity alone can suffice to reveal
the results thereof."

In his third report, in 1878, the dominant note is one
of progress in debt-paying and church-building : "It
will be seen by the statement in the 'Review of the
Churches' that great activity prevails in the line of church-
building. Two churches have been dedicated to the wor-
ship of God. Three churches have been repaired and old
debts have been lifted from four. Eight are now in
process of completion, and the Lord helping, all will be in
use this winter. The smallest of these churches is twenty-
four by thirty-six feet. One parsonage has been erected.
The lots and lands acquired are too numerous to be de-
scribed in this report."

In comparing the statistics of 1875 with 1879 there
has been a gain of 472 members on the district. The
growth in the principal charges appears in the fact that
in 1875 there were only four with a membership of over
one hundred, while in 1878 there are eight.

The number of churches has more than doubled, the

History of Nebraska Methodism. 303

increase being confined largely to the last two years, the
people having begun to recover from the depressions
caused by the grasshoppers.

G. W. Elwood retires from the Beatrice District after
four years' faithful service, and is succeeded in 1879 by
D. F, Rodabaugh.

In 1873, D. F. Rodabaugh came into the Nebraska
Conference by transfer. He united with the Rock River
Conference in 1859 and came to Nebraska in the prime
of his life., with nearly fifteen years' experience in the
work. Few men have come to us with greater pulpit
ability than D. F. Rodabaugh. He was a hard student,
and thoroughly thought out his sermons, which were al-
ways interesting and instructive. He never preached any
poor sermons, but on special occasions he was a power-
ful preacher. The first time the writer ever met Brother
Rodabaugh was at a camp-meeting held at Mt. Pleasant
in 1876, during my pastorate there. Brother Rodabaugh
and Hiram Burch had been sent to represent the presid-
ing elder and hold the Mt. Pleasant and Rock Bluffs,
quarterly-meetings, the latter charge, with T. A. Hull,
pastor, joining with us in the camp-meeting. Brother
Rodabaugh impressed me as a preacher of extraordinary
power, and while all his sermons were impressive, his
Sunday morning sermon was overwhelming. It was a
great camp-meeting. There were about ninety conver-
sions. This camp-meeting was held within a few miles
of where the first camp-meeting in Nebraska was held.
It so happened that Mother Davis, who had attended the
first, was present. Brother Burch had also attended the
first camp-meeting. Mother Davis was taken ill during
the meeting, and felt from the first that she would die,

304 History of Nebraska Methodism.

and seemed greatly rejoiced at the prospect of going to
heaven from a camp-ground. And the illness did prove
fatal, and her funeral took place on the ground, and
Brother Burch fittingly preached the funeral sermon.
Sister Davis was the mother of Mrs. Spurlock, of the
Mothers' Jewels Home, at York.

D. F. Rodabaugh's first charge in Nebraska was Falls
City, where he remained three years. Brownville and
Nebraska City were his next pastorates, and in all these
charges he was a success.

In 1879 he was appointed presiding elder of the Bea-
trice District, where he remained the full term, and was
popular with preachers and people. Soon after leaving
the district he transfers to the West Nebraska Confer-
ence, where for fifteen years he serves successive charges,
rendering valuable service in developing that new Con-
ference to its present strength. But his growing infirmity
necessitates his asking for a superannuated relation in
1900, which was granted. He is now residing at Peru.

CHAPTER XVII.

THIRD PERIOD. (1870-1880.)

KEARNEY DISTRICT.

It was providential that just on the eve of a great
calamity, A. G. White was placed in charge of Kearney
District. He had already had four years' experience on
the Omaha District, which had included that portion of
the new district which extended along the Union Pacific
Railroad and up the Loup Valleys. Of this district, as
constituted by Bishop Andrews in 1873, White gives this
description in his first report :

"One year ago Kearney District was instituted, hav-
ing no churches or parsonages, and but two or three
charges fully organized. Names of a respectable num-
ber of circuits were given, and authority to penetrate the
incognita of the plains, discover the territory, gather up
the people, organize into societies, and supply them with
preachers.

"Armed with this roving commission, we entered
upon the work with such frontier experience and energy
as we could command, willing to fight with wild beasts,
if necessary, and often glad to subsist upon them, that
we might find and gather up the scattered elements of our
Zion.

"This district, as it has been canvassed, only partially
developed, for want of men and means, contains more

305

306 History of Nebraska Methodism.

territory than the States of Massachusetts, Rhode Island,
and Connecticut, and it embraces the interior and western
part of the State. The Platte River and Union Pacific
Railway extend through the district from west to east,
dividing it into two parts nearly equal in size. In the
northern section, the Loup River and the most of its
tributaries ; in the southern part, the whole of the Repub-
lican River in Nebraska, are within the bounds of this
district. The climate is salubrious ; the soil unsurpassed
in fertility ; the people are intelligent and enterprising,
but generally poor. Here are the elements of great phys-
ical and spiritual prosperity to be realized in the near
future. Now, there is less pride, less infidelity, and less
corruption here than in older settlements, and Christian
labor will accomplish much more here than there. The
moral elements are plastic now,- and easily molded and
controlled. And the Church that visits the people in their
poverty and loneliness, and brings them the sympathy and
instruction of the Gospel, will gain their confidence and
affection and retain them for all time.

"At last Conference a presiding elder and five pastors
were assigned to this new district, but one of the pastors
declined to go to his work, one has since withdrawn from
the Church, and one has been partially disabled with im-
paired health. This was a small working force for so
vast a region, and it has been increased from time to time
by the addition of such ministerial help as could be made
available. Several preachers — supernumerary, superan-
nuated and local — are living within the district on home-
steads, and as they had a mind to work in the ministry,
they were employed. But as the Church could not in
any case give more than half salary, it could not reason-

History of Nebraska Methodism. 307

ablv claim all their time and eners^ies. It was necessary
then to so arrange their work that they could cultivate
their claims, and thus make the principal part of their
support, and cultivate Immanuel's land as they had oppor-
tunity. Some of these preachers have labored with great
success, and gathered scores into the Church by conver-
sion, and yet their worldly compensation has been scarcely
sufficient to defray their traveling expenses."

According to this first report in 1874 there seems to
be as yet no organized charge west of Kearney along the
Union Pacific Railroad. North Platte indeed is men-
tioned as having been left to be supplied, and as having
remained unsupplied through the year. These towns on
the Union Pacific seem slow in developing Alethodistic-
ally. Some of them were flourishing in 1867 when the
Republican Valley was a hunting ground for the Indians,
while at this time (1874) there are several flourishing
circuits on the Republican, but none west of Kearney.

Four new circuits are formed with an aggregate mem-
bership of 200.

We can not but wish to know something of the men
that A. G. White led out on this picket line, who, in the
name of King Immanuel, proceeded to set up their ban-
ners and take possession.

A few names appear that are already familiar in Ne-
braska jMethodism as having done efficient service.
Charles L. Smith is assigned the task of organizing the
forces in Hamilton County, and gives a year of faithful,
effective service, reporting more than 100 members.

E. J. Willis, frail in body, cultured in mind, brave
and devoted in spirit, does the same service in Clay
County.

3o8 History of Nebraska Methodism.

These two, Smith and Willis, are the only effective
elders reporting from this district at the following Con-
ference.

We find in the Loup Valley, at St. Paul, Richard
Pearson, who has just been received on trial in the Con-
ference. But he has been serving in Saunders County
as a supply for two years, and has been spoken of by his
presiding elder as a "sort of spiritual fire-brand, leaving
light and heat and power all over the circuit, every week
witnessing an advance." Evidently his work at St. Paul
is in the same spirit, and with substantially the same re-
sults. A church is built and over loo added to the mem-
bership. Before the year is out he will find cause to be
thankful that he brought a good supply of clothing from
England, for he will not be able to buy any for some
years to come.

Of the supplies, he found and put to work, D. A.
Crowel, a supernumerary, who is sent to Kearney Cir-
cuit. A church built and nearly one hundred added to
the membership, are facts mentioned by the presiding
elder, as showing him to be a "workman that needed not
to be ashamed." He is soon after transferred to this
Conference, but continued ill health limits his career of
usefulness in Nebraska to a few years.

A superannuated brother, J. S. Donaldson, of North-
west Indiana Conference, though sixty-six years old, does
effective work as a supply on the Grand Island Circuit,
building a church at Grand Island. The presiding elder
reports that notwithstanding this efficient service he is
obliged to labor with his hands a portion of the time to
secure the necessaries of life.

Among the supplies that came to the assistance of

History of Nebraska Methodism. 309

Elder White at this trying time was Jepthah Marsh. He
was born in Pennsylvania, February 6, 1825, was con-
verted and joined the Church at the age of nineteen, and
married to Miss Jerusha Campbell in 1850. He was
licensed to preach in 1853 and received on trial in the
Erie Conference in 1854. As supply and member of Con-
ference he gave eight or nine years to the work of the
ministry in that. Conference during which his labors were
uniformly successful, his earnest, faithful preaching be-
ing always attended with some revival power, and some-
times he was blessed with great revivals. At one place a
number of Indians were converted, one of whom becanie
a preacher of the Gospel.

His health failing, he took a supernumerary relation
and came to Nebraska, March, 1873, intending to rest,
and refrain from preaching at least a year. But such
was the urgent need for men he was induced by Elder
White to supply Wood River Circuit, beginning this pas-
torate in May. Thus began the ministerial career of
Jepthah Marsh in Nebraska. He is still on fire with a
burning zeal and nearly everywhere he has gone, has
kindled a flame of revival power, besides building up the
Church in other ways. When he prays he seems to get
close up to the throne of Divine power. He was trans-
ferred to Nebraska Conference in 1874,

Few have been more useful than has this saintly man
during the year of his active ministry, both in Pennsyl-
vania and Nebraska, and few crowns will have more stars
than will the one our Lord will place on the brow of this
humble servant, when he finally says to him, "Well done."
He resides at University Place, and together with his
faithful companion, is a benediction to all who come

3IO History of Nebraska Methodism.

within the range of their influence. He is an honored
superannuate of the Nebraska Conference. May God
raise up many more men Hke Jepthah Marsh.

Perhaps the presiding elder deemed it a misfortune
that the man he depended on did not go to Red Cloud,
but it turned out otherwise when Charles Reilly, a local
preacher, was found and sent in his stead. There had
already been good work done in laying the foundations
by that skillful and devoted workman, C. W. Wells, and
that free lance, George Hummel, a local preacher, who
had been holding revival-meetings in all that section, add-
ing many to the Church. "Never," reports the presiding
elder, "was appointment more fortunate. He found the
Methodist elements scattered, but soon gathered them
up and engaged in special services with a view to saving
sinners. He worked each week as though it was his
last. He svicceeded marvelously, and for months many
souls were saved every week. He has sixteen appoint-
ments and has had revivals at nearly all of them." The
membership was increased from fifty-six to one hundred
and fifty-five. He was admitted on trial at the Confer-
ence of 1874, and continued in the work for some years,
but was compelled to relinquish his work in 1879 and take
a supernumerary relation, and is now a superannuated
member of Nebraska Conference. He resides in Kearney,
and as police judge is administering the law with the
same fidelity that he preached the Gospel.

Of M. A. Fairchild, who supplied Clarksville, the
presiding elder significantly says, that "he expected but
little from the people in the way of salary and was not
disappointed." His service, "rendered in fatigue from
the physical labors of the work during the week (made

History of Nebraska Methodism. 311

necessary by the scanty pay); and without previous study,
could not be as edifying- as the Church needs, or as he
could have performed under more favorable circum-
stances. And this applies to nearly all the preachers of
the district."

Of the marvelous results of this year's work on the
Kearney District the presiding elder informs us in this
extract from his first report :

"At the beginning of the year the membership of the
district amomited to four hundred and ninety-two; now,
we number fifteen hundred and fifty. As we report six-
teen charges, the increase of ten hundred and fifty-eighr
in the membership may not seem remarkable. But it
should be remembered that some of these circuits have
recently been organized and most of the pastors have
given at least half their time to business to eke out a sup-
port which the circuits could not give them, and sortie of
them could give no more than two-sevenths of their time
to the ministry.

"But the Lord has been with us, and this explains our
success.

"There was no Church property reported to last Con-
ference from the territory included in this district ; now
we have property to the value of $10,000.

"This was considered missionary ground, and during
llie year we have received funds to aid in the w^ork as
follo\\ s :

From the Board of Missions, $2,512 50

From the Board of Church Extension (by dona-
tion), 300 00

Total, ' f2,8i2 50

312 History of Nebraska Methodism.

"And in return for this investment the Church has ac-
quired ten hundred and fifty members and property to
the value of $10,000. And larger appropriations of mis-
sionary and Church Extension funds would have been
proportionally profitable to the Church. And the
amount received is regarded as a Gospel loan to be repaid
with interest in yearly installments ; and we have already
commenced the liquidation of this debt.

"We have explored the country, discovered some of
its necessities and possibilities ; we have extended our
skirmish line one hundred miles into the interior, and
taken up some positions of strength and strategical im-
portance. But how little, comparatively, has been accom-
plished towards making the desert glad with the light and
civilization of the Gospel ! The outposts are to be held
and strengthened, and made batteries of Christian power.

"The great battles are yet to be fought, the great ob-
stacles to be overcome, and the great armies are yet to
be supported in the field. And for this work we need
men of mighty faith to lead the forlorn hopes of Chris-
tian enterprise, — men of practical wisdom, mighty in
word as well as in deed, to inspire confidence, infuse
zeal, and organize the forces of the Church.

"There is a little band of laborers engaged in this
work who feel that God wills they should remain. The
Church can do but little for them and the world will do
less. The grasshopper plague has visited every part oi
the district, and not a field escaped ; the corn crop, which '
was the main dependence of the frontier settlers, is
ruined, and gaunt poverty frowns upon preachers and
people, but 'in some way or other the Lord will provide,'
or, if not, still we will remain and share in the fortunes

History of Nebraska Methodism. 313

of the people if the authorities of the Church shall so
order."

It will be noted that in his jubilation over the grand
achievements he almost forgets the grasshopper scourge,
which began in the summer of 1874, merely mention-
ing it.

The next three years on this district embraces the
period of the grasshopper devastation, and their histor}-
is a pathetic story of suffering on the part of the people
in the district, and of heroic self-sacrihce on the part of
the presiding elder and preachers. But it is also an in-
spiring" story of splendid generosity on the part of the
people in the older parts of Nebraska, and throughout
the Church further east, by which these sufferings were
greatly alleviated.

It certainly presents a great and unlooked-for emer-
gency. Will Methodism be ready for this emergency,
and the man in charge be master of the situation ?

Perhaps what has been said is sufficient as a por-
trayal of how Methodism met the great emergency caused
by the sudden inflow of vast numbers of people, and kept
pace with the rapidly advancing tide as it swept over the
prairies toward the western line of the State. A Church
that could successfully meet and cope with such an emer-
gency, may be confidently expected to be ready for any
emergency. Surely, though, a severer test remains, when
she is confronted with the conditions brought by the
grasshopper plague. There had been much of hardship,
it is true, connected with the rapidly developing work of
the early seventies, but there was progress in both Church
and State, and therefore much to inspire and encourage,
and all were in good heart. The settler had built his

314 History of Nebraska Methodism. .

cabin or sod house, the latter becoming the prevailing
type when the table-lands between the streams were oc-
cupied. He had broken out enough prairie to furnish him
a good crop the second year. Even the first year there
was enough sod corn raised to carry his stock through
the winter. This was one of the advantages the early
settler of the prairie States had over the early settlers of
Ohio and Indiana. There the timber had to be removed,
stumps uprooted, and work that required many years of
toil had to be done, before much of a farm could be
opened. But here a most excellent and productive farm
could be made in a year or two, and the advance toward
comfort and a competence was much more rapid.

The people were confidently looking forward to what
seemed a bright and prosperous future, when they should
move out of the "soddy" into the more comfortable home,
and build school-houses and churches, and surround them-
selves with all the elements of highest Christian civiliza-
tion. Indeed, it would be difficult to conceive of a
brighter prospect than that which invited the people of
Nebraska to honest toil, and incited them to hopeful in-
dustry, from 1870 to 1874. But suddenly, without a mo-
ment's warning, an enemy appeared that changed the
whole situation from one of brightest hopefulness to one
of darkest despair; from rapidly increasing comfort to
abject misery.

Somewhere on the unoccupied plains of the great
Northwest, there had been hatched countless millions of
locusts, commonly called grasshoppers. Food supplies
being soon exhausted in their native habitat, they followed
their unerring instinct which led them with deadly pre-
cision to the productive farms of the settlers in the West.

History of Nebi^\ska Methodism. 315

y\nd men who, in the morning looked out on thrifty crops
and were already estimating there gain, were compelled
in the evening to look on a scene of utter devastation.
In the meanwhile, puissant man stood helpless in the
])resence of this tiny insect whose combined energy thus
far exceeded his own. But the picture of utter ruin
wrought by these pests, and the constant scenes of suf-
fering inflicted on tiiese settlers, especially in the large
sections which had been so recently settled that people
had not been able to accumulate anything as a reserve,
can best be drawn by some who were in the midst of
the scenes of desolation. Dr. Maxfield, whose district
suffered much, thus paints the picture :

"There have been certain reminders visiting us upon
this district this year, keeping us keenly alive to the fact
that we are still upon earth and not in heaven. I refer
to the scourge of hot winds and grasshoppers, which I
hitherto forbore to mention, because it rested heavily
alike upon all parts of the district, without exception.
The harvest of small crops — wheat, oats, and barley —
had been gathered when the grasshoppers fell like snow--
flakes from the skies. Myriads in multitude, they settled
everywhere, and devoured the vegetables in the garden
and the growing corn in the fields. All consumed in an
incredibly short space of time. Relentlessly the work of
ruin proceeded until nothing but the ruin of the farmers'
prospects remained.

To those who have not visited the wasted districts, no
adequate idea can be conveyed of the extent and complete-
ness of the disaster visited upon us. P'amilies dependent
upon corn alone are in a condition of absolute destitu-
tion. Individual instances of suffering are not given,

3i6 History of Nebraska Methodism.

for, where the suffering is so general, to do so would
seem an invidious distinction against a multitude equally
worthy of mention. But very few families have left this
district on account of this calamity. With a fortitude and
courage praiseworthy in the highest degree, they have
nearly all of them elected to remain. They have not
asked to have the field curtailed, but that more preachers
be given. A people so brave demand the best ministry
in the world.

"Of the preachers, but little can be said in blame or
reproof. Volumes might be justly filled with their praise.
I am unable to justly write the records of their noble
lives and heroic sacrifices, but they are written in the
book of God's remembrance, they shall be read at the last
day in the hearing of all nations."

While the whole State suffered and all the presiding
elders make pathetic allusion to the scourge, Kearney
District is the storm center of this awful visitation. Here
the settlements were all new and scarcely any one had
more than enough for a b?.rc ^subsistence, even if their
crops had matured. Hence there is no one more com-
petent to tell the sad story than A. G. White, the heroic,
resourceful, and self-sacrificing presiding elder. He says :

"One year ago Kearney District was financially pros-
trate. 'The destruction that wasteth at noon-day' had
come upon the whole land in the shape of prairie locusts ;
the crops were consumed and the people left destitute and
helpless. They could not carry forward their Church en-
terprises nor support preachers, or even obtain for them-
selves the necessaries of life, and yet they needed the Gos-
pel none the less for their misfortune ; and the Church
could not with honor, or with any Christian propriety,

History of Nebraska Methodism. 317

withdraw from the field merely because the people had
been unfortunate. The missionary appropriation was
barely sufficient to pay the house rent for the preacher,
and this was about all the visible means of support they
had. A forlorn hope without ammunition, and depending
wholly upon the bayonet, has, in a desperate emergency,
saved the honor of an army. And so these preachers went
forth as representatives of a Gospel faith and of sacrifice
and found the Divine assurance still in practical force,
*Lo, I am with you.' Some of them have traveled their
extensive circuits the whole year on foot, giving full proof
of their ministry, and not neglecting the people in their
underground cabins, who, in many cases, were kept at
home for the want of clothing. And through the benevo-
lence of Eastern friends these preachers have distributed
relief to the amount of thousands of dollars among our
needy people. Their congregations have been increased
by distributing clothing to the poor who could otherwise
not appear in public, and some were converted in the gar-
ments furnished them and thus enabled to attend public
worship. This has been a year of faith and trial. The
preachers were led by the spirit into the wilderness, not
knowing how they were to subsist, but 'bread has been
given and their water has been sure.' Not one who went
to his work was compelled by poverty to leave ; two were
faint-hearted and declined their appointments. The past
winter was unfavorable to special services, being intensely
cold, and the people so straitened in their circumstances
that they could not in every place obtain fuel and light for
a place of worship, and many of them abandoned the
country on account of the scourge.

"At the time the appointments were made last Con-

3i8 History of Nebraska Methodism.

ference, it was apparent that the work could not be done
unless extraordinary means should be used to procure
subsistence for the preachers. Bishop Bowman had been
in the district and knew the destitution of our people,
and that many of them were not able to provide for them-
selves, and must receive charitable assistance or perish ;
he therefore advised me to go East for assistance, and
gave me letters of commendation to our more fortunate
brethren in the distance. Governor Furnas also highly
approved of this charitable mission.

After hastily arranging the district work and supply-
ing a few charges with pastors, I went East to procure
subsistance for the needy. My mission was regarded
with great favor, and the people responded with a lib-
erality far beyond my expectation. After an absence of
two months, and organizing relief agencies as far as prac-
ticable in that time, I returned to take the oversight of
the distribution of supplies, and perform district work as
I had opportunity. An extensive correspondence was
opened up and supplies collected by this means from twen-
ty-two States and Territories.

Amount collected in cash, $2,850 00

Amount collected in other supplies 10,46000

Total, $13-310 00

"Whole expense for collecting and distributing, in-
cluding freight, expressage, stationery, postage, etc.,
$409.50, or a little more than three per cent.

"I have taken vouchers for the cash distributed, but
not for the other supplies, as they were sent in bulk, for
the most part, to preachers and others who were well
known, who would charge themselves with the work of

History of Nebraska Methodisai. 319

distributing them. A s.tatement of this business, and
vouchers for the cash, are prepared for the information
of Conference, and a committee is desired to inspect them.
We have received timely assistance from the Boards of
Missions and Churcli Extension, and from our Sunday-
school Union, and thus we have been enabled, not only
to maintain our position, but to strengthen it in spite of
the plague of last year. We have not done much in re-
turn, but have formed a higher appreciation of these great
connectional interests, and propose to express it in a more
practical manner in the future. Many of the people con-
tracted debts the past year, but they have been favored
with a good crop, and are again on the road to prosperity.
The storm of adversity has winnowed out the chaff of
our population, but the men of weight, of intelligence, of
firmness and faith, remain to work out the fortunes of
the Church and State ; and these people, many of them
from the great cities, and from educational centers, are
to be provided with the Gospel, and for this work tlie
best talent of the Church is needed ; not the frothy and
fanciful that floats upon the popular wave, but practical,
consecrated workers to meet and mold the elements of
society, and to cut the channels for fortune to run in.

"For this work we do not desire one thousand-dollar
men, nor two thousand-dollar men, nor three thousand-
dollar men, but men who are not in the market — men
who are above all price, who feel the force of the blas-
ter's prayer and abide by it. 'As thou. Father, hast sent
me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the
world/ "

The story of these marvelous four years on the Kear-
ney District will find a fitting conclusion in the following

320 History op" Nebraska Methodism.

summary of results contained in A. G. White's last re-
port, made at the Conference of 1877 :

"Four years ago Kearney District had neither church
nor parsonage ; now it has eight churches and three par-
sonages, worth at least $16,000 over all indebtedness.
And in addition to the above, six lots have been procured
in Red Cloud and three in Fairfield for church purposes,
and $2,000 pi'ovided for churches thereon. Then that
entire region contained but 492 members, and 309 of those
were taken into the Church under my supervision in con-
nection with Omaha District. Now we have a member-
ship of 2,200. Then there was not a Sunday-school in
that vast territory, excepting on Clarksville Circuit — a
new charge which had been organized and supplied by
myself. Now we have fifty-four schools, 352 officers and
teachers, 1,606 scholars, and 1,500 volumes in libraries.
During every year of this district's existence a majority
of the charges were left without pastors, and on those
charges supplied by the elder has been more than half
the increase in members and church property. All the
members of Conference in Kearney District were brought
into Conference through my agency ; so we have not
drawn heavily upon the working force of the Conference.

"During the last four years I have collected outside
of the State, and distributed in it, in furtherance of our
Church work, more money and its equivalent than the
Church has ever paid me as fees and salary ; so I have
not been a financial burden.

"During these four years I have appointed fifty pas-
tors. The most of these were noble men, and true to the
great interests of the Church ; but in a few instances,
yielding to the clamor of the people for preachers and

History of Nebraska Methodism. 321

depending mainly upon the commendations of strangers,
I appointed men who were unsuitable for the work; but
when this became known they were speedily dismissed.

"We have aimed at better things, and with the means
employed, would have wrought out better results in ordi-
nary times ; but we are thankful to a kind Providence
that it is no worse, and thankful to the brethren in the
ministry for their efficient co-operation. And if in view
of the peculiar conditions of the district, greater success
has been realized than is customary in like circumstances,
it may not be improper to indicate here the policy which
has contributed to this result.

"I have never supposed that my appointment to this
position was a personal favor, or made for my good ; and
it has never occurred to me that I had any right to use
the influence of my office to accommodate ■ personal
friends. I have acted conscientiously upon the belief that
the preachers were the servants of the Church, and not
the masters. And in appointing or recommending them
for particular positions. I have sought first the greatest
good of the Church, and always held that the interests of
the preachers were of secondary importance.

"And while I never made an appointment for the
purpose of gaining a friend, or retaining one. I have for-
tunately been associated with men of such broad Chris-
tian principles, that they have thought none the less of
me for holding their interests in abeyance. These
preachers are impressed with the idea that 'the kingdom
of God is not in word, but in power.' Hence, while they
modestly profess their kinship to Christ, with vigor and
persistence they demonstrate the fact by their works.
And they cultivate a type of piety which is not boisterous

322 History of Nebraska Methodism.

or showy, but fruitful. And they have exhibited a supe-
rior abiUty to cause things to come to pass. If they had
no opportunity for usefulness, they quickly made an op-
portunity and improved it. If circumstances were un-
favorable, they proceeded to convert the circumstances
and then use them. And as the coral insect, with no
other resources, finds in its own body the substance for
the foundation of a continent, so these brethren, 'with a
heart for any fate,' with but little human support, either
financial or moral, and thrown out across the track of the
destroyer, have drawn from their personal resources the
material for a monument of ministerial efficiency, which
proclaims them to be in the true succession from the Head
of the Church through the founder of Methodism."

Of A. G. White's personal service and sacrifices, he
says little or nothing, but the spirit in which he did it,
and the character of the man will be better understood by
a few facts that others relate. Many a hard-pressed pas-
tor was surprised when he had taken the collection for
the presiding elder's claim, to have it quietly handed back
with the remark, "You need it more than I do."

He would allow nothing but insurmountable obsta-
cles to keep him from his appointments. At one time he
was due at Gibbon to hold a quarterly-meeting some time
in the month of March, and coming up from the south,
found no way of crossing the Platte, but to wade it, which
he promptly proceeded to do, reaching his quarterly-
meeting in time, with zeal for God's cause undiminished.
The ministers came to the nearest railroad for him and
brought him back wherever practicable. Brother Hale
took him sixty-five miles on one occasion. But ii was
not always possible for the pastors to do this, especially

History of Nebraska Methodism. 323

in such cases, of which there were not a few, where the
pastors themselves had no horse, and were compelled to
travel their large circuits on foot. But if A. G. White
could get to his quarterly-meeting no other way, he would
not hesitate to go on foot, often walking long distances
rather than miss his appointment.

CHAPTER XVIII.

THIRD PERIOD. (1870- 1880.)

KEARNEY DISTRICT CONTINUED.

If it was providential that A. G. White should be
placed in charge of Kearney District in 1873, on the eve
of a great calamity, it was equally fortunate that T. B.
Lemon should be assigned to the district, just as it was
rallying from the effects of that calamity and girding it-
self for a marvelous advance along all lines.

It is no secret that T. B. Lemon felt aggrieved that
he should be sent to that hard field, nor is it surprising
that he should feel so. He is already well advanced in
life, being fifty-eight years old, and not being very vigor-
ous in body, he naturally feared that he would be phys-
ically unable to stand the strain. Indeed, it really seemed
perilous, and many of his friends earnestly protested
against the appointment. In all this there is absolutely
no taint of disloyalty on the part of Dr. Lemon, and it is
not to his discredit in the least that he should hesitate in
the matter.

But this is one of those cases where the wisest do not
always know what is best for them, and an over-ruling
Providence seems strangely directing our course.

Dr. Lemon entered heartily into the work on the dis-
trict, and soon found his health improving, and coming

324

History of Nebraska Methodism. 325

to like the work, was permitted to do his greatest work
on this district.

It is remarkable that while the grasshopper scourge
temporarily checked immigration, it did not stop it. The
increase in population in the State from 1870 to 1875 was
124,000, while it was 205,000 from 1875 to 1880. The
smaller increase for the first half of the decade as com-
pared with the last half, is doubtless owing to the larger'
number leaving the State at that time.

Up to the close of Dr. Lemon's first year on this dis-
trict, the country barely had time to rally from the dis-
asters of the preceding three years, and in his first report
the tone is not so hopeful and jubilant as in subsequent
reports. There had been much to confirm his conviction
that the appointment was a mistake. He had had a long
and severe spell of sickness early in the year. The doubts
regarding the future of the country were still prevalent
and seemed well grounded. The force at his command,
both of men and means, seemed inadequate. But recov-
ering from that illness he takes up his great task, visits
his vast field, musters such forces as are at his command,
and by the following year things begin to move at a rapid
rate under the inspiring leadership of this strong man.

The strength of his Christian character is revealed in
no other way so clearly as in resistance of the temptation
to give up so sadly expressed in these words contained in
his first report :

"The Church has not received much addition from
the immigration of the past year, but the people are com-
ing and the valleys and divides are filling up and the
Gospel preached by earnest, consecrated men can bring
them to Christ. Within this vast territory there were

326 History of Nebraska Methodism.

twenty-one appointments and only eight men appointed
by the bishop from the Conference, leaving thirteen ap-
pointments to be supplied, with only $1,400 to aid the
men to work this field, and every charge purely mission-
ary. With so few men, such limited means, and our own
health impaired by overtaxing our energies during the
past year, and the extent of the field before us, we felt
more like giving up than ever before, but after prayer
and reflection, we resolved to be obedient to the powers
that be and enter upon and do the best we could, with
very little expectation of standing it for the year, or ap-
pearing before this Conference with a report from Kear-
ney District, but God has been good, and in mercy has
preserved us. During the first quarter we did but little
in consequence of an illness which prostrated us for a part
of the winter, but the few men sent to the district did
double work to aid us, and they ably served the charges
they were sent to, so that no loss was sustained by our
absence."

None but the strongest character, grounded in mighty
faith in God, could have met this moral crisis, and con-
quered, as did T. B. Lemon. We honor him all the more
because he stands the severest test to which a Methodist
preacher can be sometimes subjected, to honestly ques-
tion the wisdom and justice of the appointing power.

But not only does he remain firm and go to his task
in the spirit of loyal submission to constituted authority,
but we find even in his first report some fore-gleams of
that fierv enthusiasm which soon comes to characterize
the spirit in which he did his work in that portion of the
State. And what is perhaps of even more importance,
he was able to communicate this enthusiasm to the band

History of Nebraska Methodism. 327

of workers he soon gathered about him. Hereafter his
reports to Conference were an inspiration to all of us.

Perhaps no portion of the story of the first twenty-
five years of Nebraska Methodism is more pathetic in the
tale of suffering to be recorded, or more inspiring in the
recital of the heroic self-sacrifice of the preachers, and
the marvelous growth of the district in the face of these
sufferings.

When the district was organized in 1873, few in the
Conference had much faith in the enterprise except A. G.
White. When the report of the Committee on Appropria-
tions of missionary money to the different missions was
presented, one brother moved to strike out some of the
missions in the proposed Kearney District, and had his
map and other proofs ready to show that that part of the
country could not be settled, and that to appropriate mis-
sionary money to such a field was to squander it. But
the men of faith prevailed and Kearney District set out
on its eventful career.

Small indeed were its beginnings, as has already been
mentioned. Had all the conditions remained favorable,
the actual achievements of seven years could hardly have
seemed possible. But when we remember that through
nearly or quite half of this seven years the conditions
were about as bad as they possibly could be, many leav-
ing the country, and those that remained being so im-
poverished as to be unable to build any churches or par-
sonages, or even pay their pastors enough to keep them
from suffering, the growth has been simply marvelous.

In his first report, after stating that his district con-
tained thirty-one counties, lying principally in the Re-
publican, Platte, and Loup Valleys, and containing an

328 History of Nebraska Methodism.

area of 20,000 square miles, Dr. Lemon speaks this of
the year's work and of its difficulties :

"We think the statistics will show that our frontier
district has not been neglected, but the duties enjoined by
our Discipline have been attended to. We have in per-
son visited all the counties in the district and made per-
sonal examination of the country and its wants and what
we say of the demands are from personal observation.
We need for that vast district of country men and means.
Our sister Churches are putting up their best young men
at the important centers and places of promise along the
thoroughfares of travel, and liberally supporting them
from their mission and Church Extension funds, and say-
ing, 'Occupy and build churches, and we will help you
until your people can sustain themselves.' Alongside of
these agencies we are compelled to employ the local
preacher, who has to toil day by day to support his fam-
ily, as the people are not able to support him, and our
missionary appropriation to these charges very small —
amounting only to some fifty dollars — while in the same
places our sister Churches give from four hundred to
seven hundred dollars to their preachers. Yet with all
these disadvantages, our employed local aid and the few
men sent from Conference, have nobly met and overcome
the discouragements, and the results of their labors have
been glorious, but how much greater would have been
the results if we had had the men and means to meet
the increasing demands of that growing country ! Give
us .these and you will hear good tidings from the West.'*

The reader will doubtless want to know something
more about these men who rallied around Dr. Lemon,
and under his leadership brought about such results.

History of Nebraska Methodism. 329

Besides the men that T. B. Lemon found on the dis-
trict of whom mention has been made, there is one, Rev.
C. A. Hale, whom we find at St. Paul. He has already
done much pioneer work, penetrating as early as 1875
into the unorganized territory now comprised in Custer
County, preaching the first sermon and organizing the
iirst Sunday-school in all that section of country, in a
dug-out on the Middle Loup River, at what is now Corn-
stock. Twenty miles further up the Loup was Lillian
settlement, and here in the summer of 1875, Brother Hale
and another minister of a sister Church, preached the
first sermons in that part of tlie country. We have no
means of knowing which was first, but if the usual cus-
tom was adhered to it was that of the Methodist preacher.
Brother Lemon finds Brother Hale at St. Paul in 1877,
with a large family, just at the close of three successive
years of grasshopper devastation. He feels it due to his
family to suspend preaching for a time. Of this enforced
retirement Dr. Lemon says in his report : "We regret
to lose Brother Hale from the ministry ; he is a good
preacher, a pure, upright man." But he is back in the
ranks again in a few years and T. B. Lemon had no more
loyal supporter, and West Nebraska Methodism received
a large contribution from his faithful and efficient labors
on small stations, large circuits and districts through
many succeeding years. His brethren express their ap-
preciation of the worth of the man and his work by elect-
ing him as a delegate to the General Conference in 1896.

Brother Hale was transferred to the Nebraska Con-
ference in 1900, and has most of the time since resided in
University Place, serving such charges as are contiguous,
and still doing good work for the Master.

330 History of Nebraska Methodism.

Others come into the district this first year. Amoni?
these is the brilliant orator and erratic man, John Arni-
strong, who serves Kearney, and who, after attaining to
the position of a special transfer, was in demand by
some of the best Churches, and actually filled some of the
best pulpits in Methodism. Finally, when pastor of one
of the best Churches in Kansas City, he drops out of the
ministry because of an unwillingness to pay his honest
debts, a trait that had characterized to some extent his
whole career, but had grown worse, as usual, and be-
came intolerable.

Edward Thomson, son of Bishop Thomson, is at
Hastings, but is soon changed to North Platte, which is
seen by the keen perception of this wise presiding elder
to have reached a point, where the right man, given a
fair chance, will bring the charge into conditions of per-
manent strength. This is what Edward Thomson did
for North Platte. He is soon to be called to the educa-
tional work of the Church, and as related elsewhere, is
the first principal of our first Conference Seminary at
York. He is afterward called to the head of the Malla-
lieu University in 1886.

Thomson's place at Hastings is filled by A. C.
Crosthwaite, a transfer from the Pennsylvania Confer-
ence. He remains three years and his presiding elder
says, "has proved himself to be the right man in the right
place." He, too, comes to Hastings at a critical time,
when the right man can start a charge on a career of per-
manent growth and power. This is what Crosthwaite
did for Hastings, building a fine church and strengthen-
ing the work there along all lines, and it has ever since
taken rank as one of our most important stations.

History of Nebraska Methodism. 331

The writer first met A. C. Crosthwaite at a meeting
of the Conference Church Extension Board, being a mem-
ber at the time. He well remembers with what thor-
oughness Brother Crosthwaite, who was there with an ap-
plication for aid for the Hastings Church, presented his
case and won it. I have been impressed since as 1 have
watched his career, as he has filled the successive impor-
tant places to which he has been appointed, that the secret
of his pronounced success may be found in that one trait,
tlioroughness, more than in any other one thing. Besides
Hastings he has served many of our most important pas-
orates, including York, and a full term as presiding elder
of the York District. He was for many years secretary
of the Conference, and in 1888 was one of the delegates
to the General Conference, and was chosen one of the as-
sistant secretaries of that body. He is still in the effect-
ive ranks, serving his second year at Edgar, and gives
promise of many more useful years of work.

Another name appears on the Kearney District in
1878 that presents some remarkable features. Charles L.
Brockway was received on trial in 1876, and in 1880, at
the same Conference that he was ordained elder, he was
appointed presiding elder of the Hastings District. This
rapid advance to a place of such responsibility has oc-
curred but few times, if ever, in the history of Meth-
odism, and certainly never before or since in the history
of Nebraska Methodism. The nearest approach to it was
the case of Leslie Stevens, who was ordained elder in
1885, and appointed presiding elder in 1886. This was
also under Dr. Lemon's administration, and was one of
the best things he ever did.

Brockway had joined the Conference on trial under

33-2 History of Nebraska Methodism.

Dr. Lemon, while the latter was yet presiding elder of
the Nebraska City District, and joined the ranks of his
devoted followers in the Kearney District in 1878. They
were mutually attracted to each other. Dr. Lemon so
strongly impressing himself on the younger man that he
either consciously or unconsciously imitated the Doctor's
peculiar style of oratory so closely as to be a matter of
common remark. But this was the case with Amsbary
and many other young preachers who came under the
spell of his oratory. But there was also something about
Brockway that strongly impressed Dr. Lemon with his
superior talent and capability. Brockway had been a law-
yer before entering the ministry, and was a well-matured
man when he entered our work. Besides, his self-con-
sciousness relieved him of any of those difficulties aris-
ing from diffidence which sometimes hinders young men
at the beginning of their career. This natural tendency
to undue self-confidence might have remained within
proper bounds had he not been unduly pushed forward.
If Dr. Lemon failed anywhere it was at this point, where
his affection for one of his boys tended to blind him to
any possible danger of this kind and he recommended
Brockway for presiding elder when the Hastings District
was formed. This proved a calamity for the Church,
and a misfortune to Brockway himself. His vanity was
inflamed, and he became reckless in his conduct and fell.
Perhaps of all the young men who rallied round T.
B. Lemon, none were superior, and few equal, to Leslie
Stevens, who joined the ranks in 1878, and was received
on trial in 1880. Of the character and career of this
choice young man, a writer who worked by his side and
knew him well, shall speak. I quote from an article pub-

History of Nebraska Methodism. 333

lished in a newspaper on the eve of his departure for
China to become superintendent of Central China Mis-
sion :

"Rev. Leslie Stevens, presiding elder of Kearney Dis-
trict, and under appointment as superintendent of the
Central China Mission, was born in Michigan, April 25,
1858, and is therefore thirty-two years of age. As a boy
he attended the public schools and obtained a fair com-
mon school education to which he has since added a large
store of special and general knowledge by intelligent ef-
fort and intense application to books and professional
duties, as a pastor and presiding elder on the frontier of
Nebraska.

"He early in life embraced religion and joined the
Methodist Episcopal Church. A short time in the work
of the Church convinced him that he was called of God
to be a messenger of His truth. Licensed to preach
he served as a supply for about a year and a half, and
in 1880 was admitted on trial in the Nebraska Confer-
ence. For five years after his admission into the Con-
ference, he did splendid work all over Western Nebraska.
So great was his success in administering the affairs of
the Church, that at the Annual Conference, held
at Sidney in the fall of 1886, he was appointed pre-
siding elder of Sidney District. This appointment was
made through the efforts of that great and good man,
who very recently has gone to his reward, Rev. Dr.
Lemon, who having the greatest confidence in the young
man's judgment, honesty, and capacity, gave him such
strong indorsements that the presiding bishop could not
do otherwise than appoint him to the honorable position.
The action of the bishop in appointing such a young man

334 History of* Nebraska Meth.odism.

to such a position was severely criticised at the time, but
time has proven the wisdom of his choice. One year in
the presiding eldership was sufficient for the people ever)^-
where in the district to recognize that he had by his en-
ergetic efforts, indomitable pluck, devotion to the Church,
and executive ability, deserved the honor. He entered
upon his duties of the second year in the same position,
fully conversant with the Churches and people in his dis-
trict. He displayed the same activity, sympathy, and zeal
in serving the humblest Church that he did for the most
influential. In the fall of 1887, Brother Stevens was
taken from the Sidney District and placed in charge of
the Kearney District, the strongest and most important
district in the West Nebraska Conference. From that time
to the present he has labored assiduously for the Church
and district, over which he presides with so much grace.

"The Kearney District has made wonderful growth
during his incumbency. When he was pastor at St. Paul,
Nebraska, he wooed and won Miss Minnie Phillips, of
that city. We would feel that this sketch would be in-
complete, if we failed to say anything of Brother Ste-
vens's wife.

"Mrs. Stevens is a noble woman of queenly bearing.
Her sunny spirit has hardly its peer for sustained cheer-
fulness. Her home is the shrine of natural beauty, good
sense, and good taste, the very incarnation of comfort.
When asked about going to China, she replied, 'I am per-
fectly satisfied.'

"Bishop Newman gave his opinion of Brother Ste-
vens's appointment to China in the following words : 'It
is a good appointment. Brother Stevens is an able young
man, earnest in his labors in the ministry, and in every

History oi^ Nebraska Methodism. 335

way qualified for the important duties which will devolve
upon him in his new field. I know him well, and I think
him one of the coming lights in the Methodist work.'

"The position to which Brother Stevens is appointed
is not that exactly of missionary, but as superintendent of
the 'Central China Mission/ with headquarters at Wan-
king, the abiding place of the famous porcelain tower.
There has been a mission at that point since 1868. and in
the confines of the mission are about fifteen missionaries,
and a number of ladies who work in the schools and hos-
pitals under the auspices of the Woman's Foreign Mis-
sionary Society. The position of superintendent of this
important mission is one requiring great executive and
administrative ability, and those who are acquainted with
Brother Stevens know full well his peculiar fitness."

By -the year 1879 others joined the ranks in the Kear-
ney District. E. G. Fowler, frail of body but strong of
purpose, with an ambition far transcending his physical
endurance, joins the ranks. He was something of a poet
as well as preacher, and in his preaching his polished
thoughts were clothed in poetic expression. The writer
remembers reading a most excellent poem written by him
on the occasion of the printing of the entire New Testa-
ment in the Chicago Times, at the time the new version
was first published. He spent several years in the State,
filling South Tenth Street, Omaha, Stanton, and other
important places, when he transferred to a Western Con-
ference.

William Esplin appears for the first time as a supply
on the Ord Circuit in 1879, ^"d is received on trial in
1880. None have been more faithful and efficient through
a quarter of a century than this hearty, cheerful, conse-

336 History of Nebraska Methodism.

crated man of God. He remains in the West Nebraska
Mission Conference till 1885, when he was transferred
to the North Nebraska Conference. His career in this
Conference has been creditable in the highest degree, fill-
ing some of the most important charges, like Randolph,
Hooper, and his present charge. Hirst Memorial Church,
Omaha. His pastorates have been uniformly successful,
and his good, strong, common sense, his sound preach-
ing and cheerful, pleasant, genuinely sympathetic pas-
toral work has made him deservedly popular, and he has
usually served the full term.

C. A. Mastin is admitted on trial in 1879, being one
of a large class of nineteen admitted that year. He is
appointed to Minden, and begins a career of great useful-
ness, which seems yet to promise many years of efficient
service. He has been uniformly popular as a pastor, al-
most invariably serving the full legal term. He was ap-
pointed presiding elder of the Indianola District in 1889,
and was successful and well liked by all, and might have
remained the legal term of six years, but finding the pas-
torate much more suited to his taste he asked to be re-
lieved of district work, and resumed the pastoral work,
being assigned to Lexington. His next charge is First
Church, Kearney. He served for several years as chap-
lain of State Reform School at Kearney, and is now again
pastor of First Church. He has been twice honored by
his brethren by an election to the General Conference,
each time on the first ballot; the last time he was in the
pastorate when elected.

He has already given a quarter of a century to the
work in West Nebraska. He has long occupied the most
important fields, and none have contributed more valua-

History of Nebraska Methodism, 337

ble service in building up that Conference to its present
strength.

David Fetz is referred to elsewhere as the zealous
local preacher who waited not for the presiding- elder,
but with another local preacher, Moses Mapes, as early
as 1873-74, carried the Gospel to the settlers in Webster
and Adams Counties, and was blessed. with great revivals.
This was not out of any disrespect for the presiding elder,
but the need was so pressing that he felt that he must
not wait. But he does not have to wait long for the com-
ing of the presiding elder, and we soon find David Fetz
taking his place in the regular way, first as a supply in
1878, and then in 1880 he is received on trial along with
a class of twelve. Since then his career has been one of
constant usefulness, often on humbler circuits, but every
year counting for good.

J. M. Dressier appears as a supply on the Plum Creek
Circuit in 1878, and has seemed to prefer to remain in
the local ranks. He has greatly honored that class of
workers, which have seemed of late to be in danger of
dropping into a condition of "innocuous desuetude." Few
men in the regular work as members of Conference have
put in more years of continuous service, or have done
better work for the Master, than J. M. Dressier, local
preacher. In later years his work has been within the
bounds of the North Nebraska Conference, and princi-
pally in the Grand Island District.

And last, but by no means least, appears the name of
P. C. Johnson, in 1879, as pastor at North Platte. With-
out doubt he stands next to Dr. Lemon as an influential
factor in developing West Nebraska Mission into West
Nebraska Conference in 1885.

338 History of Nebraska Methodism.

P. C. Johnson was born in New York, July 14, 1836,
and was educated in private and public schools in that
city. On the death of his mother, in 1846, he was sent
to Perrinesville, New Jersey, where he spent several
years on a farm, getting some training from the country
schools. He was converted in 1858, and joined the Meth-
odist Church; taught school till the war. Then his pa-
triotism finds expression in a prompt enlistment in the
Third Regiment of the Pennsylvania Reserve Corps, was
soon at the front, and participated in seven days' fight be-
fore Richmond, and was wounded in the head at the bat-
tle of White Oak Swamps, and taken to the West Phila-
delphia Hospital, where he remained over two months and
was then honorably discharged from the army in Sep-
tember, 1862, after fourteen months in the service of his
country.

He was licensed to preach in 1866, and after serving
one year as a supply, was admitted on trial in the New
Jersey Conference. After serving several charges in that
Conference he was, in March, 1876, transferred to the
Nebraska Conference, and stationed at Tecumseh. Of
his pastorate here, and of some of the laymen in that
Church, he speaks thus pleasantly in a paper read before
the Methodist Historical Society, on "A preacher's esti-
mate of some of the laymen I have known :" "There was
a class of men at Tecumseh that impressed me very fa-
vorably. They were plain men, without any society frip-
pery whatever. They made no pretension — they simply
did whatever there was to do. I may mention their
names, partly by way of honoring them, and partly that
you may, if you care to, know them. Andrew Cook,
Joseph Pilmore, John Graff, Robert Robb, and Dr. C. K.

History of Nebraska Methodism. 339

Chubbuck. Others there may be that deserve mention,
but I can not recall them now."

Of these laymen he further says : "Andrew Cook was
an Englishman by birth, but an American by adoption.
Just when he joined the Methodist Church I do not
know. His piety was a practical kind and he was not
strictly orthodox, that is, to let some estimate his theol-
ogy. But he was a good man, honest, generous, prompt,
liberal in sentiment and sincere in his faith and life.
He lived and died a trustful follower of the Master.
For a number of years he was a steady supporter, re-
liable member, and firm adherent of the Church in
Tecumseh.

"Joseph Pilmore was also an Englishman. He was
a strict constructionist in matters of doctrine, and a rigid
disciplinarian. Brother Cook and he were not made in
the same mold and they would good naturedly clash abotit
many things ; the first suave and courteous, the second,
short and pointed, but both good men and honest.

"John Graff was the silent man. He kept his own
counsel, did his own thinking, said it in few words —
but he always paid his share without a murmur.

"Robert Robb was the old-fashioned Methodist of the
lot — an emotional man, ready to cry as occasion de-
manded, not insincerely, however, for Brother Robb was
all heart.

"Dr. C. K. Chubbuck was the manager of the party.
His sense, skill, financial and other ability, were often
depended on by the others ; while they would co-operate
with him almost in every plan he might propose.

"Of course there were some others who aided these
leaders in their plans and work and made them a success.

340 History of Nebraska Methodism.

It was never in my ministry, mine to see five men who
could work together more pleasantly, and harmoniously,
and successfully than could these."

After a successful pastorate at Tecumseh, he was sta-
tioned at the important Eighteenth Street Church in
Omaha, and then after a year at South Tenth Street in
Omaha, he goes to North Platte. Here he begins his
career of great usefulness in connection with the work in
West Nebraska. Of his pastorate here he has this to say
in the paper above referred to : "When I went to North
Platte, 300 miles west of Omaha, I found a small Church
membership almost entirely composed of women. The
society had been organized but a little time before. My
immediate predecessor was Dr. Edward Thomson.
There was no church building — we used the house of the
Baptist brethren. There was, however, a small parson-
age on the north side of the railroad track.

"Among these women were Mrs. Charles McDonald,
Mrs. Joe McConnell, Mrs. Alice Robinson, Mrs. Russell
Watts, Mrs. Spoor, and others. I recall the name of but
one man, and the mention of it would add no interest to
the record, for so far as I can /emember, he was noted
only for his good-natured uselessness.

"These women were 'the fathers of Methodism' in
North Platte, and incidentally of all that region. They
did the work, paid the bills, aided the pastor, ran the en-
terprises of the Church, taught in the Sunday-school,
filled the prayer-meetings, and had about all the religion
there was in the place.

"The pastor would not have been in it at all had it not
been for the women of the Church, for he would have
had to move out and seek for work elsewhere.

History of Nebraska Methodism. 341

"A word or two about each of these. Mrs. McDonald
was a woman of very fine tastes, deeply pious, and yet
withal, she possessed sound, practical sense, and to the
extent her health pemiitted, worked and did her share.
She has since died.

"Mrs. McConnell was the leader in almost every de-
partment of Church work. She was of petite figure, in-
tensely active, always in earnest, lively and sprightly,
possessing a mind and will of her own, never asking any-
body's permission either to think or act. She was an in-
tense Methodist, yet not of the shouting kind. She was
always in motion and could be relied on for anything
within the length of her cable tow. She now lives in
Pittsburg.

"Mrs. Robinson was a woman of very practical sense.
She was pre-eminently the worker. She collected the
pastor's salary, and it was collected, too. She could
shame scores of men into shadowy silence, with their
miserable cry of 'Can't do it.' She was a woman of kind
heart, and generous impulses, yet, if she took a notion to,
she would wound her best friends. We soon came to
know her, appreciate her excellencies, and love her for
her real, solid worth. She was a whole-hearted Meth-
odist and Christian. The story of her husband's conver-
sion is one of the most thrilling I ever knew.

"Mrs. Watts was one of the purest, kindest, truest
women God ever made. She was not so pronounced in
her manners as some. Not at all demonstrative, but very
true, and certain all the same. These were a type of
laymen found 'away out West' from twenty-five to thirty
years ago. Of all the places I ever served in my ministry,
East or West, in the past thirty-nine years, I liked none

342 History of Nebraska Methodism.

better than North Platte. And could I have my way, I
would ask for no better set of laymen than were the good
sisters of North Platte."

Dr. Johnson was next sent to Grand Island, where he
found another Church which had for more than ten years
been struggling for existence, but was just ready to
emerge out of these conditions of weakness into strength,
and power, and influence, that has characterized it since,
and he again proves the right man for the place, and
does much during his pastorate to secure this much-
wished but long-waited-for consummation. He was then
placed in charge of the Grand Island District in 1889. In
his first report he gives the following description of this
district and his year's work :

"Grand Island District occupies the northeastern and
northern half of the West Nebraska Mission. Bounded
on the south by the U. P. R. R., east by North Nebraska
Conference, north by Dakota, and separated from the
Kearney District by the Middle Loup River.

"Its territory is large enough for more than forty-five
counties of the average size of Nebraska counties, viz :
twenty-four miles square, or 16,000,000 acres, and is
traversed by the U. P., the Grand Island and North Loup,
and the Sioux City and Pacific Railroads. (This terri-
tory is larger than three States the size of New
Jersey.)

"It contains a population of about from 25,000 to 30,-
00c persons, and possesses a number of rapidly growing
towns, destined to be in the near future towns of consid-
erable importance, a business center of a fine agriculture
and stock raising community."

When the General Conference of 1884 established the

History of Nebraska Methodism. 343

line between the North and the West Nebraska Confer-
ences, so that it ran along the west line of Hall County,
taking that and Merrick from the West Nebraska Con-
ference, it of course took the main portion of Johnson's
district, and he was appointed to the Republican Valley
District.

In 1888 Dr. Johnson transferred to the Nebraska Con-
ference, where he has since labored efifectively in differ-
ent pastoral charges, and is now field agent for the Semi-
centennial Superannuate Fund,

Dr. Johnson was on the commission that instituted
the "Plan of Unification" for our educational work, and
has tv/ice been a delegate to the General Conference, from
the West Nebraska Conference in 1888, and from the
Nebraska Conference in igoo.

These places of high trust and great responsibility to
which his brethren have called him are a fair index to
the high esteem in which Dr. Johnson is justly held by
those who know him best.

It is a matter worthy of special remark that Dr. Lemon
not only attracted men in large numbers, but also many
of high qualities, of cultured mind and character, as the
foregoing sketches make manifest.

As to the number, many were needed, and this saga-
cious leader found ways of securing them. It will be
noticed in the Minutes of 1877 the number admitted on
trial was five, and in 1878,* four. But at the end of Dr.
Lemon's second year, in 1879, the number ran up to nine-
teen, and in 1880 it was twelve, or thirty-one recruits in
two years. A further scrutiny of the Minutes explains
the mystery of the sudden increase. Twelve of them are
the young men who have rallied around this great leader.

344 History of Nebraska Methodism.

Of the twelve coming up for admission in 1880, five are
from this district.

In 1880, the close of the period we are treating, we
find that the little band that A. G. White led out into the
wilderness had grown under his leadership and that of
T. B. Lemon, to a sufficient number of men and charges
to lead the General Conference, at its session in May,
1880, to organize the West Nebraska Mission, with twen-
ty-two members, and there were still enough left to con-
stitute the Hastings District with nineteen appointments.

Thus closes the brief story of this marvelous Third
Period of our History. How much of all that is highest
in human character, greatest in human achievement, have
been crowded into these ten years ! Almost an entire
State has been wrested from the dominion of Nature,
populated, and put to the uses of Christian civilization.
In all this Methodism has been true to her mission.

CHAPTER XIX.
FOURTH PERIOD. (1880-1904.)

ORGANIZATION OF THE CONFERENCKS.

If the retrospect of the achievements of the Third
Period tend to make Nebraska Methodists grateful to
the Great Plead of the Church, these very achievements
will keep us busy during the Fourth and last Period.
This conquest of a State will make possible, and even
necessary, further expansion along many lines, as we shall
see.

The first of these will be the speedy organization of
two new Conferences. The verv large growth of the
past has made this a necessity. In the carrying out of
that feature of our polity, known as the itinerancy, the
Annual Conference becomes the unit of administration. In
it are centered the interests, both of the local Churches
and of the pastor. Though this is not strictly a function
of the Conference proper, but of the appointing power, it
is there the Bishop and his cabinet determines the mo-
mentous question for each charge as to who is to be their
pastor, and for each preacher, what is to be his field of
labor to which he and his family are expected to go.
It is here the pastor makes his report for the year past
and receives his marching orders for the year to follow.
It is here that the Annual Conference examines every one
of its members, and the bishop asks in open Conference
whether there is anything against him. Till this is an-
swered in the negative, the Conference will not pass his

345

346 History of Nb;braska Methodism.

character. Any preacher, or the humblest lay member
of the Church may be there, and if they know any reason
why his character should not be approved, they may, in
due form, say so, and the challenge will be respected and
they will be heard. It is there the undergraduates are
examined in their studies, and to them the Annual Con-
ference is a theological school, with its four years' course
of study, and the usual requirement is that they attain to
a grading of seventy out of a possible rating of one hun-
dred. They must pass their examination before com-
mittees appointed for that purpose.

Besides these and other legal aspects of the annual
gathering, which makes it the imperative duty of each
preacher to be there, if possible, it is a most happy reunion
of the soldiers in the field, and their wives. Then there
is very sure to be the bishop, and a bishop is a very large
personage in the eyes of the young preacher. Besides the
bishop, some of the strongest men of the Church will be
there to represent some of the connectional interests.

For these reasons, every preacher ought to be, and
wants to be, and usually is, at the Conference session.
But the work having extended over so large an area, to
attend Conference will mean for some hundreds of miles
of travel and an expenditure of money out of all propor-
tion to the amount received. Hence new Conferences
have become a necessity, and will follow in due course.

The first move in this direction is the organization of
the West Nebraska Mission, embracing substantially the
same territory as that comprised in the West and North-
west Conferences, except that the line came a little fur-
ther east, taking in Hall and Merrick Counties along the
Platte, and Holt County along the Elkhorn.

SOME OF THE FIRST MEMBERS OF THE NORTH NEBRASKA CONT-

FERENCE.

r. J. L. St. Clair. 2. J. R. Gearhart. 3. J. Q. A. Flehartv. 4. C. F.

Heywood. 5. C. W. Wells. 6. W. H. Carter. 7. Jabez Charles.

8. John P. Roe. 9. J. M. Adair.

347

348 History of Nebraska Methodism.

At the session of the Nebraska Conference at York,
in 1 88 1, it was decided by vote to make two Conferences
of the territory lying east of the West Nebraska Mission,
making the Platte River the dividing line running east
and west, and the next year the North Nebraska Confer-
ence met for the first time on September 14, 1882, at
Fremont, and its organization was completed by Bishop
Merrill.

We will want to know something more about some of
these than their mere names, especially those who have
become prominent, and those who have rendered long
years of service. There are some with whom we have
already become familiar; they have already been men-
tioned ; and some have been characterized.

There is J. B. Maxfield, who has been in the forefront
of the battle for the past twenty years, and is destined to
be the recognized leader for the next twenty years ; then
there is Jacob Adriance, whom we have seen laying the
foundations of our Zion in two Territories ; there is Wil-
liam Worley, whom we have met on the frontier plant-
ing Methodism in York County, still hearty and strong
for another twenty years ; there is S. P. Van Doozer, who
led the hosts to victory on the North Nebraska District
twenty years before, and is ready for any service to which
the Church may call him ; there is Daniel S. Davis, whom
we saw ten years before unfurl the banner of the cross
and set up the standard in Saunders County ; there is
Jabez Charles, who ten years before laid the foundations
of our Zion in Madison and Boone Counties ; there is
John P. Roe. who, though a supernumerary, by his faith-
ful and efficient labors and generous giving, did more
than any other one man to make the present South Tenth

History 'of Nebraska Methodism. 349

Street Church, Omaha, a possibility ; there is E. G. Fow-
ler, with his still frail body, but still eager soul.

Besides these, of whom we have already made more
or less mention, there are others who deserve much more
than it will be possible to give. But there are some of
these who have given so many years, and have occupied
places of trust and responsibility, filling them creditably,
that they must receive something more than a passing-
notice. Nor will the fact that some of them are still liv-
ing and will read with some surprise what is said of them,
deter us from more extensive mention of their work. If
they be words of censure, may they profit by the same and
be thankful for the "wounds of a friend." If they be
words of commendation, there will be no impropriety in
saying them before they die.

J. B. Leedom is a name known and honored through-
out the North Nebraska Conference, where for twenty-
eight years he has lived a holy life of entire devotion to
the Master, and usefulness to the Church, on circuit,
station, and district. He was born in Middlesex, Arm-
strong County, Pennsylvania, June i, 1840, and was
reared on a farm in a godly home, presided over by a
Baptist father and a Methodist mother. He was edu-
cated in "the common schools, which continued three
months in the year. The balance of the time young Lee-
dom worked on the farm till twenty-one. Patriotism led
him to enlist in the army, in Company G, Eighty-third
Pennsylvania Regiment Volunteer Infantry, and as a
part of the army of the Potomac, he helped fight the fol-
lowing battles: Hanover Court-house, Gaines Mill, Mai-
vern Hill, Second Bull Run, and Rappahannock Station.
Then in Grant's campaign, from May ist to September,
23

350 History of Nebraska Methodism.

1864, in the Wilderness, Petersburg, Virginia, and South
Side Road. When the term of enlistment expired, the
fag end of the regiment returned to Harrisburg, Pennsyl-
vania, where the enlistment roll was made out, and he
was returned to civil life.

Surely the above record is an expression of patriotism
and heroism that any one might be proud of.

At Pittsburg, in April, 1866, he was luiited in mar-
riage with Miss Evaline Reynolds, who has been at his
side in all his subsequent career as a Methodist itinerant,
sharing with him the varying experience of joy and sor-
row. Besides being a loyal, helpful wife and wise, de-
voted mother, Sister Leedom has been a prominent leader
along different lines of Church work, but especially in the
Woman's Home Missionary Society.

It was two years after their marriage on the 14th of
February, 1868, that they gave themselves in covenant
relation to God and the Methodist Church.

Brother Leedom was licensed to preach November,
1868, and was received on trial in the Erie Conference in
September, 1870. A few years are given to the ministry
in that Conference, when, as a result of some correspond-
ence with S. P. Van Doozer, he was transferred to this
Conference and began on the St. James Circuit a career
of great usefulness, which continues to this day.

They reached their charge in due time and moved
their family of six into the small, but neat parsonage,
twelve by twenty feet. But if the parsonage was small,
he found a large circuit to give him plenty of hard work,
something which Jacob B. Leedom always seemed to en-
joy, and on which he seemed to thrive. In such laymen
as the German Henry Ferber, and the English Henry

History of Nebraska Methodism. 351

Morton and his father ; Adam Snyder and his wife, and
saintly W. H. Carter, who will himself soon be in the
ranks, and that irrepressible local preacher, A. C. Butler,
he found a large-hearted welcome and hearty co-opera-
tion. Souls were saved during the first year, and his
work so acceptable that he is returned. This was a year
of great spiritual prosperity, with revivals and conver-
sions, but also of great hardship, on account of the grass-
Jioppers.

Brother L,eedom's next pastorate was West Point Cir-
cuit, where three years' patient, efficient toil results in
strengthening the charge along all lines, and he is re-
warded at the Conference of 1879 by his being appointed
as the successor of J. B. Maxfield as presiding elder of
the North Nebraska District. This appointment was a
complete surprise to himself, but later proved a benedic-
tion to manv others. He served the full term, and dur-
ing his administration churches were built at a number of
places, and the number of charges on his district had so
increased that a large portion of the New Albion Dis-
trict was taken from the western end, and still there was
left for the writer, who succeeded him, seventeen charges
on the Norfolk District, the district having been given
that name.

He has since, with a few intervals as supernumerary,
on account of broken health, served diiTerent important
pastorates, among them Eighteenth Street, Omaha, and
Central City. He is now the successful pastor at Silver
Creek.

Alfred Hodgetts is another name well known in North
Nebraska Conference, and indeed throughout Nebraska
Methodism and in the Church at large, having filled some

352 History of Nebraska Methodism.

of the most important places. He was a native of Brook-
lyn, New York, and received his first lessons in religious
work in that city, in Talmage's school for lay workers.
But he soon found his way to Nebraska with his family
in 1878, his first charge being Blair, which he supplied
under Dr. Maxfield, then presiding elder.

He is received on trial at the next Conference and ap-
pointed to Wisner Circuit, which extended up the Elk-
horn, and included Stanton, where he organized the first
class. This class did not continue, however. We next
find him on the Decatur Circuit, which then included
Lyons, where Brother Hodgetts resided, and where he
built a comfortable parsonage. Here he remained two
years, and was then appointed to Papillion Circuit. Vv^e
have now reached a turning point in the ministerial ca-
reer of this young man.

In the Conference at Blair, in 1884. Bishop Mallalieu,
recognizing the need of two new districts to take the
place of the Albion District, which we have seen was
served for a while by the lamented Van Doozer, one to
lie along the Platte Valley and be called the Grand Island
District, and one to lie along the valley of the Elkhorn
and be called the Elkhorn Valley District, and include
the contiguous counties on either side of the river and
west of Norfolk as far as the eastern half of Holt County.
For this new district he selected Alfred Hodgetts.

If ever a presiding elder was sent to a district well
nigh empty-handed, it was Alfred Hodgetts. Maxfield
had been sent to the new Beatrice District in 1871, with
but five men appointed by the bishop. S. P. Van Doozer
took with him four when he went on the Covington Dis-
trict in 1 871. A. G. White had five given him when he

History of Nebraska Methodism. 353

took the Kearney District in 1873, though only two mem-
bers of the Conference and one probationer stay with
him through the year. Cut this young man goes to his
district of nineteen appointments, and finds that the
bishop has appointed but two, one, D. C. Winship, who
has just been received into full connection, and J. R.
Gortner, who still remains on trial in the Conference.
Happily, both these are excellent workers. But this
leaves this inexperienced presiding elder seventeen
charges for which he must find supplies. True, there
are five most excellent men ready to his hand, and ap-
pear in the iMinutes as if they had been appointed by the
bishop. There is that stanch old Methodist preacher,
Bartley Blain, who is a supernumerary member of the
Minnesota Conference. He has already done some work
in Holt County. He is now superintendent of public
schools in that county, but will supply Star Circuit.
There is Oscar Eggleston, who has just received license
to preach, and is ready to enter on his long career as a
useful, faithful itinerant, and he will serve Clear Water.
Then there is that zealous local preacher, W. H. Burt,
who has already done excellent work up in that country,
on the Plainview and other circuits, and who will return
to Plainview, w'here he has already done one year of ex-
cellent service. Then there is the irrepressible R. Kinne,
who has just carried forward to completion a church at
Neligh. He will supply the Willowdale Circuit, but will
remain but a few months. That faithful, reliable local
preacher, Charles G. Rouse, will supply Emerick. Then
he will find at Knoxville another local preacher, J. W.
Bell, but will soon wish he had not found him and must
get rid of him. John Wright will supply Neligh.

354 History of Nebraska Methodism.

But Alfred Hodgetts will still find ten charges for
which there are no men visible to serve as supplies. Any
presiding elder, however experienced, that takes a dis-
trict with ten places to be supplied, will be taxed to the
utmost to find ten men suitable for this work. True, the
appointments are published in all the Advocates, and ad-
vertise the fact that he needs ten men. This will be some-
what to his advantage, but will also be a source of great
peril to his reputation for wisdom, and to the interests of
the Lord's work. Many will at once apply for the places,
and among them will be many excellent men. But he
will find that almost every ecclesiastical dead-beat in the
country is watching for this very opportunity, and will
write him. How shall he separate this chaff from the
wheat? It will not do to depend entirely on the recom-
mendations sent him. He will find later that there are
some of his brother presiding elders in the East and else-
yvhere, the strength of whose recommendations is in pro-
portion to the worthlessness of the man, and is the meas-
ure of said presiding elder's desire to get rid of him. He
may, when writing it, have quieted his conscience by
the vain imagination that "any one will do for the fron-
tier." Under these circumstances the presiding elder
will find himself the subject of opposite sentiments, over
against his caution will be his desire to get these vacant
places supplied as soon as possible. He will be urged
to prompt and perhaps hasty and inconsiderate action by
the clamor of the people for a pastor, and will doubtless
in some cases be imposed on.

If he is to get good men for these ten vacant charges,
it will not be because of the salaries he can promise them.
The highest salary reported the year before was $368,

History of Nebraska Methodism. 355

but only one got that much and one reports but $176.
Nor will he get much help from the missionary funds,
the average per pastor being sixty-two dollars. How-
ever great the difficulties, Alfred Hodgetts will soon have
nearly all these charges supplied with most excellent men.
Some of these he will find among the local and superan-
nuated preachers and others will come from outside.

Though in the nature of the case Dr. Hodgetts must
depend largely on supplies during his entire administra-
tion, the district made progress under his leadership. At
the close of the full term of six years he is appointed to
South Tenth Street, Omaha, where he remains three
years and has a successful pastorate. In 1893 Bishop
Walden appointed him to the Norfolk District, where he
served the full term. He is elected to the General Con-
ference of 1896 and is there selected as the representa-
tive of the Tenth District on the General Missionary Com-
mittee, on which he serves during four years. There are
few more responsible positions than this. Besides these
positions of trust to which he was called, he was also a
member of the Commission that adopted the "Unification
Plan," and started Nebraska Wesleyan University out
on its career of usefulness and power. He continued a
member of the Board of Trustees continuously till his
removal from the State, which occurred in 1900, at which
time, at the close of a successful pastorate at Trinity
Church, Grand Island, he was transferred to the New
York East Conference, of which he is now a member.
These various places of responsibility to which the Church
called Dr. Hodgetts are a sufficient index of his stand-
ing, and render unnecessary any further words of com-
mendation.

35^ History of Nebraska Methodism.

It will be seen that much of the space given to Dr.
Hodgetts is devoted to incidental allusions to his work
on his district, and the men who wrought with him. Elk-
horn Valley District presented the same phases and had
much in common with the frontier districts of the earlier
period. But it also presented some peculiar conditions
that required some notice. The historian soon finds how
difficult it is to treat men in the abstract separated from
their siuTOundings of fellow-workers and events. In-
deed, it is impossible. And these subordinate laborers
that have received this brief notice are all worthy of much
fuller treatment, and one of the unpleasant features of
the remaining portion of this history will be the self-
denial which the limited space of a single volume will
impose on the historian in the treatment of the rapidly
increasing number of workers ; many of those who come
later will not be more than mentioned, if even so much
as that is accorded to them. They must wait the prepara-
tion of a far more elaborate history of Nebraska Meth-
odism, which the writer sincerely hopes some more com-
petent hand will write in the future.

There is something so unique about this Elkhorn Val-
ley District in the first years of its history, that it seems
to demand that we tarry a moment before passing, and
note its development and make brief mention of some of
the men whom Hodgetts found and who wrought on this
hard field the first two years of his administration.

Father C. W. Sackett, a retired preacher of saintly
character, will supply Chambers, though he will only re-
ceive $7.95 for his work. D. T. Olcott, still known as
one of our most consecrated and holy men among our
superannuates, whom everybody respects and loves, will

History of Nebraska Methodism. 357

successfully serve Creighton Charge, and will leave a
memorial for himself in Olcott Chapel, built at one of the
country appointments, and also in the church erected in
Creighton.

He will find in Holt County, living on a claim,
George P. Bennett, who has for years held high rank in
the Des I\Ioines Conference, serving one term as presiding
elder. He is glad to do some preaching, and will supply
Inman Circuit. He would gladly have relinquished his
claim if he could have disposed of it, but jokingly re-
marked that he was in the same fix as the traditional man
who had hold of the bear's tail, and was anxiously wait-
ing for some one to help him let go. Some years after-
ward he did return to his old Conference.

E. S. Bargelt, a superannuated member of the Upper
Iowa Conference, deeply spiritual and still full of faith
and old-time Methodist zeal, served Pierce. For Neligh,
Hodgetts secured N. H. Gale for the first part of the
year. He had come to us from the Presbyterian Church,
and was a pure man and an excellent, scholarly preacher.
But the infirmity of deafness increased to such an extent
that he was compelled to retire from the pastorate and
was employed as financial agent of the new Nebraska
Central College. His place at Neligh was soon filled by
J. W. Phelps, a transfer from the Rock River Confer-
ence. J. W. Phelps was a mixture of strange contradic-
tions. He was possessed of a personal magnetism which
gave him remarkable power in the pulpit. Few men could
swav an audience more powerfully than could he. Vast
crowds attended his ministry, and in a few months Ne-
ligh Charge was marvelously advanced. This same mag-
netic power gave him a strange influence over many in

358 History of Ne;braska Methodism.

his personal intercourse. Such was his phenomenal suc-
cess at Neligh, that when at the next Conference at
Ponca, in 1885, a man was needed to succeed Dr. Max-
field on the Omaha District, no one seemed so well fitted
for the place as J. W. Phelps, and Bishop Andrews ap-
pointed him. For two years he seemed to be carrying
everything by storm. Never had such quarterly-meet-
ings been known in that part of the State, and the district
was soon ablaze with enthusiasm. But alas ! as is some-
times the case with these strong men, a vein of weakness
existed on the moral side of his nature. He was tempted
to place his great personal influence, resulting from the
prestige of his office, and also from his great personal
magnetism, at the disposal of a mining stock corporation,
and become agent for their fraudulent, worthless stock,
inducing many preachers to invest. In two years his bril-
liant career on the Omaha District closed in shame and
disgrace, and he resigned and went to California.

The two men appointed by Bishop Mallalieu to cir-
cuits on Dr. Hodgetts's District are well worthy of fur-
ther notice.

Dugald C. Winship had chosen the honored and
highly useful profession of a physician, and was succeed-
ing" admirably, having become skillful in his chosen life
work. He had located in Bennett, and built up a prac-
tice worth at least $i,000, or more, a year, with excel-
lent prospects of even larger success and larger income
in the future. He afterward resided a year in Oakdale^
Nebraska, where he practiced his profession. But the
call to preach had become so clear that it had reached the
point where, with Paul, he was constrained to say "woe
is me if I preach not the Gospel." But this could hardly

History of Nebraska Methodism. 359

be without a struggle. He already had a little family
around him that looked to him for support. Could he
afford to relinquish his income of $1,000 or more, as a
physician, to accept less than $500 as a Methodist itiner-
ant? Not a few of our most successful pastors have been
confronted with just such a problem. John P. Yost, at
North Bend, Nebraska, was serving as postmaster on a
salary of $1,200 a year, and resigned and entered the min-
istry, accepting a charge that paid $300. D. W. Crane,
presiding elder of the Kearney District, was train dis-
patcher on the Union Pacific Railroad, and was one of
the best in their employ, receiving $1,700 with an almost
certain prospect of speedy promotion with much larger
pay. But when the conviction of duty became clear, he
turned his back on these brilliant worldly prospects and
cheerfully went to a charge that did not promise to pay
more than $400.

I speak of these cases, not because they are excep-
tional, or more worthy of note than many others, but as
illustrations of the fact that as a rule Alethodist preachers
have not been attracted to the ministry from mercenary
motives, but almost invariably have entered it from a
sense of duty, attracted, not by large salaries, but by large
opportunities of usefulness and impelled by the convic-
tion that God had called them, and that it therefore be-
came their imperative duty.

This was certainly the case with D. C. Winship. He
was admitted on trial in 1882, and was sent to Wayne,
which included Wakefield, rival towns just springing up
on the new railroad running from Sioux City to Norfolk.
The year before, 1881, W. H. Carter had organized a
small class at Wayne, and Josiah Fowler had formed an-

360 History os' Ne;braska Methodism.

other at Wakefield. These were the first classes formed
at these places. Winship took his family of five to
Wayne, but finding no place to live, and little encourage-
ment, he accepted the ofifer of Wakefield to reside there,
they agreeing to build a parsonage. This they proceeded
to do as far as possible, but only one room could be made
fit to live in, and from January until spring that small
room must serve their family of five for kitchen, bed-
room, dining-hall, parlor, reception-room, and study. Be-
sides the parsonage, a good church building was erected
during Brother Winship's pastorate, and Methodism well
established at Wakefield. To support himself and wife
and three children he received less than $500.

Brother Winship's next charge was Wisner, a circuit
of four appointments, and his pastorate here was attended
with some revival interest.

When, at the next Conference, D. C. Winship's name
was read out for Niobrara, Brother Leedom came to the
writer, who had become Brother Winship's presiding
elder, and demanded, with no little indignation, why I
had sent Winship there, saying it was an outrage. But
there had come a great change in Niobrara, by the com-
ing of a wealthy and devoted family, Brother C. D. Chip-
man and wife, and I felt sure the time had come to send
them a strong man, and felt sure they would take care
of him as they had promised. The event proved that I
was not mistaken. Though he only found twelve mem-
bers, he was blessed with a great revival, breaking up
vicious amusements, and resulting a large number of ac-
cessions, among them M. W. Barnum and wife, the latter
the daughter of Brother and Sister Chipman. As an ex-
pression of gratitude for this last result, Sister Chipman

History of Nebraska ^^iIethodism. 361

came to Brother W'inship saying she had promised the
Lord if He would save her son-in-law, and bring his fam-
ily into the Church, she would build a parsonage. The
parsonage ^vas built and good Sister Chipman drew her
check for $650 to pay the bill. As for support, Brother
Winship was promised $500, and received $556, fifty-six
dollars more than was promised, and more than he had
yet received. Though Brother and Sister Chipman were
soon removed by death, M. W. Barnum and his devoted
wife remained for many years the mainstay of the Church,
which even after Dr. Winship's pastorate remained a
fairly comfortable charge, served by some of our best
men.

Brother Winship next went to O'Neil, where he suc-
ceeded in saving the Church, which was having a life-and-
death struggle against the predominating Catholic in-
lluence there, which has always made it difficult to main-
tain our position. After this hard year, during which the
wing of the church building was fitted up for a parson-
age, he and his family had a pleasant pastorate of two
years at Oakdale, where he had received license to preach
a few years before. Then to Stanton, where, during a
pastorate of three years, he had gracious revivals and
cleared the property of debt. Then a year at Old Dakota
City, and then to First Church, South Omaha, where
more than one hundred souls were converted, and a float-
ing debt of $1,200 paid off.

But Brother Winship's outspoken opposition to the
vices of the city brought on him the wrath of the saloon
power. He did not realize his personal danger until he
was waited on in the parsonage by a big ruffian, who
talked so abusively that Dr. Winship made a move to put

362 History of Nebraska Methodism.

him out, when lie was confronted wdth a big knife. It is
a great wonder that he came out of the affray ahve. The
would-be assassin was immediately arrested, and ad-
mitted that the saloon men had sent him to "do up the
preacher." But he was made to pay so dearly for his
amusement that it is not likely that he has ever been in-
duced to attempt to "do up" a preacher again.

Brother Winship was secretary of the Conference for
many years, was elected delegate to the Ecumenical Con-
ference at Washington, and was once elected reserve dele-
gate to the General Conference.

He went to Colorado, where he spent several years in
and around Denver, in the meanwhile educating his chil-
dren at Denver University, returning to Nebraska in
1890, since when he has served Trinity Charge, Grand
Island, and is now pastor at Central City.

During Dr. Hodgetts's administration he inaugurated
the district camp-meeting at Oakdale, which continued to
be for fifteen years the scene of many great gatherings,
and resulted in many great spiritual victories ; as high as
one hundred souls were converted at some of them. Be-
sides the interest of successive presiding elders and the
pastors of the district, this success was due in no small
measure to some choice laymen, among them A. J. Leach
and others, of Oakdale, and J. H. Barns and Monroe
Whitmore, of Cedar Creek.

We must pause a moment to note the pathetic close of
the career of S. P. Van Doozer. It was fitting that he
who played so large a part in making the North Nebraska
Conference, as pastor, but especially as presiding elder of
the Covington, or rather. North Nebraska District,
should be among those who should help to organize the

History of Nebraska Methodism. 363

North Nebraska Conference. After a year on the Papil-
Hon Circuit, where he built a church. largely by his own
labor, he is again summoned by the authorities of the
Church to district work on the frontier, and is assigned
by Bishop Wiley to the new Albion District, lying west
of the Norfolk District. The writer was at the same time
assigned to the NorfolJ^ District, and we both found it
convenient to reside at Norfolk.

Brother Van Doozer seemed yet the very picture of
robust health, and as between us, gave much fairer prom-
ise of long life than I did. But he threw himself into
the work, as was his wont, with his whole soul, not spar-
ing himself. This is something S. P. \*an Doozer never
seemed to think of doing. But he was greatly enjoying
his work, and was in the midst of plans evolved during
the first quarter, when with startling suddenness the news
came that he was stricken down with disease while on his
way to his quarterly-meeting, and in a few days the sad
intelligence came that at Fullerton, at the home of Brad
Slaughter, to which his devoted Vvdfe had been hastily
summoned, S. P. Van Doozer "ceased at once to work
and to live."

I have had occasion to refer to the work of this rug-
ged, stirring, consecrated man of God, because no history
of Nebraska Methodism would be complete without not-
ing the great contribution he made in various ways to
the making of that history.

His brethren of the Conference put on record the fol-
lowing memoir, prepared by his comrade in the Lord's
work, J. B. Maxfield:

"Rev. S. P. Van Doozer, presiding elder of Albion
District, North Nebraska Conference, and reserve dele-

364 History of Nebraska Mi5Thodism.

gate-elect to the last General Conference, died at Fuller-
ton, Nebraska, January 16, 1884. Concerning the exact
date of his birth we have no certain information. He
was a native of New York, and about fifty-eight years of
age. He graduated at the Michigan State University,
and attended the Garrett Biblical Institute. Soon after
he removed to Missouri and was engaged in our educa-
tional work for a time. Brother Van Doozer married in
1871, Miss Sarah E. Malloy, who, with two interesting
sons, survives him. As a preacher. Brother Van Doozer
was sound in his theology, Scriptural in presenting sal-
vation on the terms of the Gospel, 'Repentance toward
God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ,' That school of
the prophets, Garrett Biblical Institute, had taught him
that our theology is a complete system, compact, har-
monious, strong, and all-sufficient. He was clear and
forcible in setting forth the momentous themes relating to
man's moral estate and eternal happiness. His flock was
fed upon solid truth rather than vapid sentimentalisin.
He built many churches, often with his own hands, when
help was lacking, which frequently was the case. He
was a wise builder of living stones into Christ's spiritual
temple. To many throughout these borders his memory
'is as ointment poured forth.' He was the intimate
friend and co-worker with the gifted and sainted White,
of our Nebraska Conference, to whose sudden death his
own decease presented such a striking and painful
parallel. He was a Christian hero. He was a wise coun-
selor. He was a devoted husband and a kind, affection-
ate father. The world has been made richer because he
lived, the Church poorer because he died."

J. M. Adair spent many years in the work in Ne-

History of Nebraska Methodism. 365

braska, and was one of our most faithful men. Besides
serving some important charges, among them Platts-
mouth, it was he who laid the foundations of our Church
at South Tenth Street, Omaha, as early as 1872. He
bought a small church of the United Presbyterians, and
"displayed commendable zeal, both in the city and coun-
try, but received for his services scarcely enough to pay
house rent." says his presiding elder.

Josiah Fowler transferred to this Conference from
Michigan in 1876, when he was advanced in life and
somewhat broken in health, and while a most excellent
preacher, and faithful pastor, was never appreciated at
his full value by the people. He served some of our best
charges, among them Dakotah City and Fremont, and
was highly respected by all who knew him. But his re-
tiring disposition was not well fitted to the rush and push
of the Western life. He was permitted to give a third
of a century to the gospel ministr}-, eight of which were
spent in Nebraska. He died at his home in Dixon
County, in 1889. Three of his sons have entered the
ministry, and are now members of the North Nebraska
Conference.

Other names connected with this first Conference are
worthy of mention. Among the most saintly of men is
A\'. H. Carter. We have already met him on the St.
James work, where he was converted at a camp-meeting
at Lime Creek, tmder S. P. Van Doozer's administration,
and at once becomes an active supporter of the pastor.
In 1878 he is received on trial, and gives many years to
the work in Nebraska. He is the first to organize the
work in many portions of Antelope and Knox Counties
in 1879. He is said to have been "a typical pioneer

366 History of" Nebraska Methodism.

preacher, spending most of his time in the homes of the
people, and travehng from place to place carrying the
message of divine truth." It was he who first organized
Methodism in Wayne, and many other places. He is
still a highly respected superannuated member of the
Conference, but some years ago, his health failing, he
removed to the coast, and is now residing in Wash-
ington.

Then there is steady-going, faithful J. R. Gearhart,
who has given many years to the ministry in Nebraska.
He was received on trial in 1880, and appointed to Madi-
son, and afterward served in succession St. James, Wake-
field, Humphrey, Coleridge, and other charges. He is
now an honored superannuated member of the North Ne-
braska Conference and resides with his family at Uni-
versity Place.

J. Q. A. Fleharty entered the work in Nebraska In
1874, being received on trial and appointed to Iron Bluffs
that year. The next year he has all Polk County, and with
his Bible, hymn-book, and a few clothes stowed away in a
pair of saddle-bags, he spends most of the time in the
saddle. He builds the first church at Wesley Chapel ap-
pointment, and has a revival at Osceola, at which over
one hundred are converted. Among those converted
were the county judge, sherifif, and constable ; and J. PI.
Mickey, now the honored governor of Nebraska, was
among the most active workers during the nieeting.
North Bend, Columbus. Harvard, Madison, where he
builds a parsonage, and Oakdale, are among the charges
he has served, on many of which God blessed his labors
with gracious revivals, and he has received over 500 pro-
bationers while in the ministry.

History of Nebraska Methodism. 367

While at Aladison, 1881, he was married to the now
sainted Ella A. Woodman, "whose desire was to die in
the work." After twenty years as a faithful wife and in-
telligent worker in the Church, she goes to her reward on
the i8th of October, 1901.

Brother Fleharty is now a superannuated member of
the Xorth Nebraska Conference, and resides in Omaha.

Charles F. Heywood saw not a little of life before en-
tering the Alethodist ministry, having practiced law,
served a term in the Nebraska Legislature, and was for
some time a minister in the United Brethren Church. He
comes into our work with a good equipment of natural
ability and a large experience with men and affairs.

He is received on trial in 1880, and goes to Niobrara,
and the next year is appointed to Norfolk. Here he pur-
chases two lots for a church, and that he wisely selected
the location is the verdict of all subsequent pastors and
presiding elders. With a little handful of members he
proceeded to erect a church, and by doing much of the
work himself, he succeeded in inclosing it so it could be
used. C. F. Heywood may be said to be the first to give
Norfolk Methodism a permanent place in the community.
His next pastorate is Madison, where he remains two
years, doing excellent work. Then at the Conference in
Ponca, in 1885, just after that great calamity in which
the new church they had erected had blown down, C. F.
Heywood was selected to meet the emergency. His abil-
ity as a preacher soon commanded a large congregation,
and his careful management of the difficult problems
brought the Church through the crisis in good shape. He
has given twenty years of efficient service in the effective
ranks, but was compelled to take a superannuated rela-

368 History oi^ Nebraska Mkthodism.

tion in 1901, and now resides at Central City, greatly
respected by all who know him.

Another name that has become well known in Ne-
braska is that of J. W. Shenk, D. D. Born at Cobles-
ville, New York, January 20, 1842, and converted at the
age of fourteen, he began preaching at the age of six-
teen. After graduating at Garrett Biblical School, he
joined the Central Blinois Conference and was sent as a
missionary to Buenos Ayers, South America. But fail-
ing health soon compelled him to relinquish that work
and he returned in 1867. He was transferred to the Ne-
braska Conference in 1878. He served in succession the
important stations of Seward, Fremont, Eighteenth
Street, Omaha, and was six years on the Grand Island
District. While he had a good measure of success in all
of these responsible positions, his chief distinction grows
out of his relation as editor of the Omaha Christian Ad-
vocate throughout its eventful history. As that enter-
prise will be treated in another portion of this history, it
only needs at this time to mention the fact that Dr.
Shenk was once elected delegate to the General Confer-
ence and twice elected reserve delegate. He was also a
member of the Commission that located Nebraska Wes-
leyan University at Lincoln.

J. W. Stewart's name appears among the first mem-
bers of the North Nebraska Conference, but inasmuch
as he only served two pastorates, First Church and Tenth
Street Church, Omaha, in this Conference, nearly all his
ministerial work in Nebraska being in connection with
the Nebraska Conference, it might be more proper to
mention his work in the portion of this history relating
to that Conference. But after all, every Methodist

History of Nebraska Methodism. 369

preacher, in some large and important sense, belongs to
the whole Church, and is equally at home everywhere.

Then there is quaint old Father Janney. He had been
preaching for half a century before the North Nebraska
Conference had its birth, and began his ministry before
most of its members were born. He preached his first
sermon in that historic Foundry Church, in Washington,
D. C, and was ordained deacon by Bishop Soule, in 1832.
He was of Quaker parentage, but was converted at a
Methodist camp-meeting near Washington, D. C, and
joined the Methodist Church, but retained through Ufe
some of the Quaker traits.

He was nearly sixty years of age when he began his
work in Nebraska, but he shrunk not from some of the
hardest service. After serving De Soto and Fontenelle,
he was sent to the Wood River Circuit, 150 miles west,
the point farthest west of any circuit in the State. He
is already on the superannuated list, but we are glad to
reckon him among the charter members of the North Ne-
braska Conference.

After a life of over seventy-five years and a ministry
of over fifty years, he passes on to his well-earned re-
ward, departing this life April 11, 1887.

J. L. St. Clair is well worthy of mention among those
who helped to organize the North Nebraska Conference
and has done much to develop it into its present strength.
He came to us from the United Brethren, among whom
he had been a leader for years, and was one of their best
preachers, as he was afterward one of our best preachers.
He would command large audiences wherever he went,
and always left his mark on the charges he served, in
the way of accessions, or some substantial advance in

37° History of Nebraska Methodism.

the way of a church building-, or parsonage, or both, for
Brother St. Clair had a penchant for economizing means
and space by partitioning off the rear end of the church
for a parsonage. This was the case at West Point and
Albion, at each of which places he built a church. At
Columbus he gave our Church its first permanent foothold
by the erection of a fine church. His career has been one
of uniform success. He tarries with us, but is doubly
afflicted with defective eyesight and hearing.

Of the probationers in Conference at its organization,
besides those already mentioned, are two well worthy of
mention. E. L. Fox was one of these resourceful young
men that will make their way anywhere, and that people
can not help but like. His few years in Nebraska were
very successful, and he is just the man for the difficult
mission he is carrying on in New York City,

Another probationer whose subsequent career justifies
further notice is J. B. Priest. Brother Priest is a native
of Iowa, but came to Nebraska in the later seventies, and
settled in the neighborhood of St. James, where he taught
school for some years, and where he was married to Miss
Carr, who has proved a helpmeet indeed.

Brother Priest is another one sent down to Confer-
ence from the old St. James Charge, and was admitted on
trial at the first Conference in 1882. J. B. Priest has been
a popular pastor from the first, being a good preacher,
an industrious, sympathetic pastor and skillful, resource-
ful manager of the affairs of a local Church. His first
circuit is Ponca, where all these qualities will be in ur-
gent demand throughout his entire pastorate, which con-
tinued the full legal term. This first pastorate is typical
of all his subsequent ones, in that it brought into action

History of Nebraska ^Methodism. 371

those qualities that have made him a pronounced success
wherever he has been sent in the last twenty-three years.
He found Ponca in a very low state, spiritually and every
way, but a great revival, in which he was assisted by a
Brother \^'endell, an evangelist from Iowa, gave the so-
ciety a fresh start along spiritual lines. The revival,
however, has so increased the number in Church and con-
gregation, that a new church building becomes a neces-
sity, and under the wise and stimulating leadership of this
young probationer, speedily becomes a possibility, and a
little later, through the self-sacrificing efforts of pastor
and people becomes a reality, in the erection of one of the
best churches in North Nebraska Conference. The future
seemed bright with hope for the Ponca Church and plans
for aggressive work along all lines in the new church
were being laid, when suddenly, early in June, a terrific
wind storm tore their new temple to pieces, blighted their
hopes, and defeated their plans, or seemed to. To make
matters worse, the Conference had accepted their invita-
tion to hold its next session at Ponca in the new church.
A few days after, when the writer, who was then presid-
ing elder of the district, suggested to Brother Priest that
we might have to change the place of holding the Con-
ference, the indomitable pastor said, "No; we need the
Conference more than ever.'* That was one of many
cases where the pastor was wiser than the presiding elder,
for the Conference met in Ponca and the ]\Iethodist
preachers came to the rescue of the stricken Church by
pledging $500 to aid in rebuilding. With this help the
brave society rebuilt under the wise leadership of C. F.
Heywood.

It will suffice to say that in all the important charges

372 History of Nebraska Methodism.

he has served, such as Norfolk, Lyons, South Tenth
Street, Omaha ; Central City, Albion, Randolph, and Blair,
this faithful preacher and tireless worker has been suc-
cessful. He has for years been secretary of the Confer-
ence, and is yet in the prime of life.

John P. Roe is one of the ablest preachers we have
ever had in Nebraska. He came to us originally from the
Episcopal Church. He was born in England and reared
in the Church of England, and coming to America, he
naturally became a member of the Episcopal Church and
remained such till converted in a Methodist revival, when
he seemed instinctively to find his way into the Methodist
Episcopal Church, of which he has ever since been a
stanch defender. He was licensed to preach, and served
as chaplain during the war. He returned from the war
and served several pastorates in the Wisconsin Confer-
ence. But probably the greatest service he rendered the
Church in Wisconsin was as financial agent of Lawrence
University, our Methodist school at Appleton. He suc-
ceeded in relieving it of a burdensome debt, and greatly
strengthened it financially.

He took a supernumerary relation in the Wisconsin
Conference, and came to Nebraska in 1875, ' residing in
Omaha. Here he soon after lost his wife, a most ac-
complished lady, characterized by a deep and intelligent
piety. Brother Roe served South Tenth Street two
years, as noted elsewhere, and also Seward and Crete,
and at each of these places his ministry was attended by
large congregations, and his strong, faithful sermons
made a deep impression on the community.

But perhaps his greatest service in Nebraska was
when, as elsewhere related, during his pastorate at the

History of Nebraska Methodism. 373

little mission church on South Tenth Street, Omaha. It
is not too much to say that during the first year he saved
the struggling society from bankruptcy by giving his
entire salary to pay their debt, and the next year made
it possible for them to build their present church by do-
nating his salary to the building fund.

John P. Roe is a man with somewhat peculiar traits
not often understood by the casual acquaintance and only
a few know him sufficiently well to appreciate his true
nobility of character. He is still residing in Omaha. In
1881 he was married to Miss Cattell, an English lady
with whom he became acquainted during his pastorate at
Seward. Sister Roe is a true Christian lady, of great
force of character, and is devoting her energies to the
task of ministering to her husband, who is rapidly failing
in strength. Brother Roe is among the honored superan-
nuated members of the North Nebraska Conference.

There is one more name that well deserves mention.
J. R. Gortner came to Nebraska in 1882 and settled on
a homestead in Holt County. He was at once employed
as a supply by Dr. T. B. Lemon, though he had come to
Nebraska to rest and recuperate, his health having be-
come impaired in Illinois. In 1883 he was admitted on
trial in the Nebraska Conference, but w^as transferred in
1884 to the North Nebraska Conference, and was one of
the two men appointed by Bishop Mallalieu to places on
the new Elkhorn Valley District, being sent to Inman.

While serving faithfully and efficiently on the frontier
for several years, J. R. Gortner's chief distinction lies
in the fact that he felt himself distinctly called of God to
the mission work in Africa, under that Pauline leader,
Bishop ^^^illiam Taylor, So, with his devoted wife and

374 History of Nebraska Methodism.

two boys, John Narver and Ross, he was sent to the
chosen field in the fall of 1887, There are few more pa-
thetic stories in the annals of missions than this brief ac-
count furnished by his son. Rev. J. Narver Gortner, who
for years has been a successful minister of the Gospel in
the North Nebraska Conference. He says :

"My father was stationed by Bishop Taylor at Garra-
way. Later he was made presiding elder of the Cape
Palmas District. He died the following- March. I was
alone with him when he died, my mother being uncon-
scious at the time. The next day I assisted certain col-
ored men in tearing down a partition in the mission house
and making two coffins, one to bury the remains of my
father in, and the other to bury the remains of Mrs.
Meeker, a missionary lady who had died the day before.
A few months later my mother and I, accompanied by
my younger brother, Ross, returned to America."

Though like Melville B. Cox, the first missionary to
Africa, J. R. Gortner in a few months fell a victim to
the dread African fever, this makes him none the less
worthy of all honor for the spirit of self-sacrifice that
made him willing to give his life, if not his service, to
redeem Africa. And the spiritual redemption of Africa
should ever be an object of special interest to Nebraska
Methodism, seeing one of our number lies buried there.

There are a few other names, but they are those who
remained only a few years among us and went to other
fields.

CHAPTER XX.

FOURTH PERIOD. (1880-1904.)

The five years from the formation of the West Ne-
braska Mission, in 1880, have witnessed such marvelous
growth as to justify the organization of the \\'est Ne-
braska Conference, in 1885, the General Conference hav-
ing passed an enabling act to that effect. Dr. Lemon,
in his last report as superintendent of missions, gives
this glowing account of the general situation in that part
of the State :

"Towns have sprung up, centers of trade formed, and
the once desert plains are becoming the most fruitful and
promising parts of our State. We have within our mis-
sion lines about thirty counties organized, and much val-
uable unorganized territory, while Cheyenne, Sioux,
Keith, Cherry, and Custer Counties are large enough to
make at least ten other counties." That the Church has
kept pace with the increase in population is seen in the
fact that the districts have increased from one to three,
the appointments fromi twenty-two to sixty-one, and
preachers, including probationers, from twenty-three to
forty-seven. The membership, including probationers,
has increased even more, advancing from 1,329 in 1880,
to 3,895 in 1885, or nearly threefold. These figures arc
based on the face of the statistics as they appear in the
Minutes. But the net gain will be seen to be even greater,
if we note the fact that thirteen of the best charges that

375

376 History of Nebraska Methodism.

were a part of the Mission Conference, have become a
part of the North Nebraska Conference. This is only
partially offset by a few that came from the Hastings
District to the mission in the readjustment of lines by the
General Conference of 1884. Had the boundary lines re-
mained the same as in 1880, the additional increase would
have been four hundred, or more.

They have also been building churches. Dr. Lemon
speaks, in his reports, of having dedicated seven churches
in a single year. In 1880 there were seven, and though
by the change in boundary lines they have lost five, they
still were able to report sixteen, making a net gain of
fourteen.

Thus this army of conquest has been pursuing its
triumphant march to the western line of the State, with
Presiding Elder Johnson in command of the southern
wing along the Republican, and the old commander, T. B.
Lemon, leading the center column along the Platte, and
the northern portion under the leadership of George W.
Martin, has extended along the Elkhorn and to the
northwest as far as Chadron. They have about com-
pleted the conquest of all this vast territory, comprising
over 40,000 square miles, or about two-thirds of the
State.

Plaving attained in every way to the proportions of
an Annual Conference, there is little wonder that many
should feel that the time had come to avail themselves
of the enabling act of the last General Conference, and
erect themselves into Annual Conference. On this they
voted, and without a single negative. West Nebraska
Conference became a fact, the bishop concurring in the
action, and starts out on its career of power and useful-

*«>*^

SOME OF THE FIRST MEMBERS OF THE WEST NEBRASKA CON-
FERENCE.
1. Joseph Buckley. 2. J. A. Badcom. 3. T. W. Owen. 4. Bartley
Blaix. 5. Jepthah Marsh. 6. W. H. Wheeler. 7. Charles
Reilly. 8. Wesley Wilson.

377

378

History oi^ Nebraska Methodism.

ness. The reader will want to know the names of those
who constituted this body of brave men :

Amsbary, W. A.
Bos well, G. M.
Buckley, J.
Campbell, C. E.
Carr, J. S.
Collins, A.
Cooper, C. S.
Eddleblute, L. H.
Ellsworth, D. M.
Glassner, W. O.

Greenlaw, A. L.
Hale, C. A.
Johnson, P. C.
Lemon, T. B.
Mann, J. M.
Martin, G. W.
Mastin, C. A.
Owen, T. W.
Pierce, M. R.
Pitchford, W. J.

Randolf, R.
Scamahorn, J. A.
Smith, E.
Smith, M. W.
Stevens, L.
Taylor, W. M.
Thurber, T. H.
Vessels, W. G.
Webster, T. C.
Wilson, W. C.

Badcon, J. A.
Calder, F. H.
Castle, M. A.
Chapin, A. B.
Cox, C.
Crandall, C. C.

ON TRIAI..

Durham, J. P,
Ferguson, G. O.
Fulmer, C. E.
Friggens, R. H.
Gray, J.
Helm, J. Q.

Howell, E. W.
Kleeberger, J. A.
Mount, E.
Robinson, R. L.
Thomas, F. F.
Wheeler, W. S.

It will be seen that the number on trial continues to
be relatively large. This has been the case since the sec-
ond year of Dr. Lemon's administration on the Kearney
District. In the meanwhile the transfers are also growing
in number. Dr. Lemon seemed to have a genius for find-
ing good men and attracting them to this hard field and
keeping them here.

But we should know something more about some of
these than their names. While many of those who were
present when the Mission was formed were mentioned in

History oi^ Nebraska Methodism.

379

that oonnection, there are some new names well worthy
of further mention.

As early as May, 1871, Asbury Collins took a claim
and he and his family made their home in Kearney. He
and his family are of those to whom religion is a neces-
sity, and Church fellowship essential to the religious life
of the individual, and the best moral order of the commu-
nity. So they were hardly settled in their new home be-
fore he wrote to the presiding elder,
A. G. White, that "there are some
stray sheep out here that need look-
ing after." But A. G. White, whose
district extended from Omaha toward
the west as far as there were any
settlements along the Union Pacific,
was unable to come till the next Oc-
tober. Sister Collins, in speaking of
this visit says, "Our hearts leaped
for joy at the first sight of our pre-
siding elder, who was truly a man of God, enduring
great hardship for Christ's sake."

The result of that visit of the elder was the organiz-
ing of a Methodist Church, the first of any denomination
in Kearney, and is thus related by Sister Collins : "The
evening after the elder arrived our little band assembled
to listen to an able sermon by him. Then assisted by my
husband, the first society was organized. Charter mem.-
bers : Rev. Asbury Collins, Louisa E. Collins, H. E. A.
Sydenham, Alfred Gay, Hannah Jay. Mr. Collins was
then appointed pastor of the little flock at Kearney, with
instructions to look after newly-forming settlements."

Thus, in the home of Asbury Collins, Kearney Meth-

Rev. Asbury Col-
lins.

380 History of Nebraska Methodism.

odism took organized form and has steadily grown in
power and influence under successive pastors who have
served her, until now there ate two flourishing societies,
First Church, with 330 members, and C. A. Alastin, pas-
tor, and Trinity with 109, of which J. G. Hurlburt is pas-
tor. The little class of five has multiplied till the total
number of Methodists in Kearney is 439.

This same Asbury Collins, a few months after the
class was formed, organized the first Sunday-school, and
in 1900 helped lay the foundation of Trinity Church.

Brother Collins had spent many years in the itiner-
ancy in Iowa before coming to Nebraska, and having
been trained in that school of aggressive Methodism, was
no novice in the work. He united with the Iowa Con-
ference as early as 1846, and continued in the work till
compelled to desist on account of hemorrhage of the
lungs. He asked for a location and came to Nebraska,
hoping to find relief. At first he only consented to ac-
cept a pastoral charge temporarily, fearing his health
w^ould not hold out. But he did much work in and around
Kearney, organizing classes and circuits, and turning
them over to others as soon as some one could be found.

He was permitted to give nearly twenty years to the
work in West Nebraska, filling some important place^,
taking about 1,000 people into the Church, and building-
eight churches. He dedicated the first church in Custer
County, which was of the then prevailing type of the first
churches, being constructed of sod. However, the doors,
windows, and necessary lumber were drawn by wagon
from Grand Island and Kearney, a distance of fifty miles
or more.

An incident which well illustrates the character of

History of Nebraska Methodism. 381

Brother and Sister Collins, and the difficulties of church-
building, occurred while the Church at North Loup was
being- built during Brother Collins's pastorate at that
place. At one time during its erection a point was reached
where forty dollars were needed, and without which the
work could not go on. But all had given to the utmost of
their ability, and so far as any human resource was con-
cerned, it seemed to be unattainable. Brother Collins
said to his wife, "Let us take this matter to the Lord,"
and on their knees they pleaded with God for the forty
dollars needed. Brother Collins went out in town as
usual, and soon found a man who gave him the forty dol-
lars, and he came home with a radiant face to report to
his wife the wonderful answer to prayer.

Brother Collins was received into the Nebraska Con-
ference on his certificate of location from the Iowa Con-
ference, and was one of the charter members of the West
Nebraska Conference. He served a number of pastor-
ates, among them Chadron, 300 miles from Kearney, his
home. The journey to this far-away circuit must be
made by private conveyance across a vast stretch of bleak
prairie. Yet at the advanced age of sixty-one, or more,
these two made this long journey. The Lord seemed to
have prepared the way for them, for at one place which
they reached late in the evening, very weary with a long
day's ride, they found the housewife already at work mak-
ing down a bed on the dirt floor of her single-room dug-
out, having been moved to thus prepare for her guests
in advance by a strong impression that some weary trav-
eler would certainly come that night seeking shelter.

Brother Collins was for all these years a friend, com-
panion, and counselor of such men as A. G. White and

382 History of Nebraska Methodism.

T. B. Lemon. He closed his career March 9, 1890. His
brethren placed upon their record the following appre-
ciation of his life and character :

"Rev. Asbury Collins was born in Ohio on October
25, 1823, and died in Kearney, Nebraska, on March 9,
1890. Brother Collins was converted on February 19,
1841, and at once united with the Methodist Episcopal
Church. He was soon after licensed to preach, and in
1846 he was admitted on trial into the Iowa Conference.
Iowa was then the extreme frontier; and as a pioneer
preacher, through almost incredible toil and privation, ho
helped to lay the foundations of Methodism in that State.
After many years of itinerating, his health failed, and for
a long time he was laid aside because of hemorrhage of
the lungs. In 1872 he located on a claim and became the
first settler on the site of the city of Kearney. In his
home the first religious service was held, also the first
sermon preached, the first Sunday-school, Church Society,
and class-meeting organized. Brotiier Collins was the
first class-leader and pastor in Kearney. In 1852 he mar-
ried Louisa Fletcher, at Iowa City, Iowa, who survives
him. They were called upon to pass through bitter trials.
In 1875 their oldest son, Milton, was shot by drunken
cowboys, and fell dead in his wife's arms at his own
door; and in 1882 the only remaining son, Finley, was
killed by the accidental discharge of a gun in the hands
of a friend.

"In 1881, at the request of Dr. Lemon, Brother Col-
lins began to do outlying mission work, and in 1885 was
readmitted to the West Nebraska Conference on his cer-
tificate of location, and died in the active work. Brother
Collins was of mixed English and German extraction.

History of Nebraska Methodism. 383

and possessed in a large degree the impulsiveness of the
latter race. This characteristic was at once his strength
and his weakness. It led him to throw his whole soul
into whatever he undertook. In his business and social
relations it carried him to the front. In his Christian and
ministrial life it made him peculiarly useful and
successful. It made him a soul-winner and church-builder.
Over a thousand accessions to the Church were the result
of his nine years' labors in the West Nebraska Confer-
ence, and seven churches built under his leadership stand
as monuments to his energy. In his disposition Brother
Collins was kind and sympathetic, and in social inter-
course very pleasant. He was a warm friend, true as
steel, and loyal as a man could be. His religious expe-
rience was keen and bright, his trust was full and com-
plete, and his life well rounded out."

Mrs. Louisa Collins, the devoted wife of Asbury Col-
lins, still tarries among us, and the preachers of the West
Nebraska Conference affectionatel}' call her "Mother."
And well they may. For nearly forty years she was at
the side of her husband, in all his years of toil, not only as
a companion, but as one of "those women that helped in
the gospel." Besides the ordinary duties of a pastor's
wife, she would, on occasion, fill tlie pulpit in his ab-
sence, and such occasions were not unfrequent in those
days. Since her husband's death she has devoted herself
to the interests of the Woman's Home Missionary So-
ciety. For some years she was corresponding secretary'
for that Conference, but extended her labors to portions;
of the older Conferences, organizing many auxiliary so-
cieties.

In 1888 she was elected president of the West Ne-

384 History of Nebraska Methodism.

braska Woman's Home Missionary Society. Though
feeble now her heart is still warm and she loves the clear
old Methodist Church, but is waiting for the time of her
transfer to the Church triumphant.

W. A. Amsbary reappears in the work in Nebraska
after an absence of nearly twenty years. His is a familiar
name in the early days of Nebraska Methodism, when he
was a power for good. His subsequent career is detailed
in the following just tribute which his brethren of the
West Nebraska Conference put on record after his useful
career had closed by his sad death : "Rev. W. A. Ams-
bary was born of Methodist parents in Oshua, Canada
West, December 14, 1834; came to Ohio at the age of
six years, and settled with his parents in Lorain County.
Moved to Berea, Ohio, in 1847, and was a student in
Baldwin Seminary from 1849 until the spring of 1855,
at which time he moved to Nebraska and lived with his
parents on a farm north of Omaha. In 1857 he was mar-
ried to Miss Hattie Diffin. He was licensed to preach
in i860 by the Quarterly Conference of Florence Circuit,
Rev. Hiram Burch in charge. He was admitted to travel
the same year, and served Tekamah, Bellevue, and Platts-
mouth Charges with marked success. In 1867 he was
transferred to Colorado and served Central City and
Georgetown. The blessing of God richly attended his
labors upon these charges. Brother Amsbary located in
1868 and for several years did not have charge of a work.
At the request of Dr. Lemon, of blessed memory. Brother
Amsbary returned to Nebraska in 1884 and enjoyed a
good year at Ord. The next year he was stationed at
Gibbon, then at North Platte. These were years of suc-
cess both for the Church and pastor. The following year,

• History of Nebraska Methodism. 385

1887, Brother Amsbary was appointed presiding elder of
Sidney District." Of this period Brother Amsbary writes :
"This year was one of clouds and sunshine. Traveled
nearly 11,000 miles, preached over 300 times, beside other
labors. This year little four-year-old Frank died, to the
memory of whom (with his sister Villa) is dedicated one
of the rooms in Nebraska Wesleyan University, Hon.
Frank Grabb paying $100 and the district paying the
rest."

Brother Amsbary served the district faithfully until
his death. He was just closing up his sixth year in this
capacity, and was on his way to Big Springs in the dis-
charge of his duties on the morning of the nth of the
present month, when the fatal accident occurred which
terminated the useful life of our beloved brother, and
brought great sorrow to the hearts of all the members of
this Conference.

James Lisle is one of the most scholarly men the West
Nebraska Conference has had in its ranks. But without
a vigorous body he has been content with the more mod-
est appointments, on which he has always done efficient
work. But he has devoted much time to scientific re-
search, and is a frequent and interesting contributor to
our Church periodicals. After many years in the work
in Iowa, he came to Nebraska, settling on a homestead
near Long Pine' in 1885, his name appearing that year as
pastor at Stewart. He becomes a member of the West
Nebraska Conference in 1887 by transfer from the Des
Moines Conference, and has since been in the active work
as far as his health will permit. He is now Conference
secretary for the semi-centennial celebration of Nebraska.
Methodism, and the Jubilee Conference Claimants' Fund.

386 History of Nebraska Methodism.

T. W. Owen was among the first to respond to Dr.
Lemon's call for men after he came to the Kearney
District, and in 1878 is appointed to Indianola Circuit.
This was two years before the Burlington and Missouri
Railroad was built up the valley of the Republican, and
everything was new.. Brother Owen built the first frame
house south of the river, and west of Arapahoe, which
was included in his circuit, all the other settlers living in
the primitive sod houses. The river was not yet bridged,
and had to be forded. There were no church buildings
and the pastor must preach in sod houses or in the public
halls, court-houses, or any place available.

Only a few years before this the Republican Valley
was the hunting ground of the Indians, where great herds
of Buffalo ranged, and the Indians were still troublesome.
About this time a band of warriors passed through that
country, killing some of the settlers to the south of there,
and stealing horses and destroying property.. Brother
Owen went to one of his appointments, but instead of
Sunday-school and service he found in the neighborhood
a crowd of terrified settlers, with arms, and their camp
surrounded with wagons to protect women and children
from an attack by the savages, which was momentarily
expected, but happily did not occur.

After seven years' faithful work on circuits along the
Republican, which included such places as Arapahoe, In-
dianola, Cambridge, Wilsonville, Beaver City, Bartley,
Republican City and Alma, where he laid the foundations'
of our Zion, he passed to the north side of the State,
where we find him at Ainsworth, Johnstown, and other
places, building churches, holding revivals and in all other
ways extending the borders of our Zion.

History of Nebraska Methodism. 387

Brother Owen, like all the preachers on the frontier,
found the people poor and unable to give him much of a
support, yet he found in some of the sod houses people
with diplomas from our educational institutions, and
musical instruments, and other tokens of superior culture
and refinement. He is still in the work, stationed at Riv-
erton in the Republican Valley, near the scenes of his
first experiences in the Nebraska work.

Rev. James Leonard came into the Mission Confer-
ence just as it was changing into an Annual Conference,
but the character of the work he has wrought since calls
for this brief reference : He was born in Ohio, January
18, 1842. He was admitted on trial in the North Indiana
Conference. He is transferred from that Conference to
the West Nebraska Conference in 1885. His first charge
was Indianola, and the second one was Beaver City.
Then Curtis, Wallace. Ord, and Gibbon are served in
succession, when in 1893 he is appointed presiding elder
of the North Platte District.

In this important field he soon becomes very popular.
His sympathetic and genuine interest in his preachers
soon won their hearts, and his care in all the details of
the circuits and stations won the confidence of the people.
We are not surprised that his brethren in the Conference
should express their appreciation by electing him reserve
delegate to the General Conference of 1896, and a dele-
gate to that of 1900. Brother Leonard was on the Com-
mission that established our Nebraska Wesleyan Univer-
sity, and has . been a member of the Board of Trustees
almost continuously since. Of later years he has been a
successful Conference evangelist, but is now serving Lan-
der, Wyoming, as pastor.

388

History of Nebraska Methodism.

O. R. Beebe is another of the strong men who,
though not coming into the Conference till 1887, ren-
dered long and efficient service in building up the work
in West Nebraska Conference. He has since 1887 given
his entire time to a number of the most important pas-
torates in that Conference, and has been recognized as a

leader among his brethren. He has
for many years served as a member
of the Board of Trustees of Wes-
leyan University, and was twice
a delegate to the General Confer-
ence. A stroke of paralysis neces-
sitated his taking the superannuated
relation in 1903, and he is now resid-
ing in University Place.

Joseph Buckley was among those
who wrought in this field through-
out almost the entire history of the
Mission, his name appearing for the
first time as supply on the Clarksville Circuit, as early as
1882, and has continued through many years of effective
service on many a hard field. He is one of those choice
spirits who, at the time of enduring the greatest hard-
ships, making the greatest sacrifices, and even exhibiting
a high degree of real heroism, are unconscious of doing
anything but plain. simple duty for Christ's sake.

He remains to years at Clarksville, where he improves
the church property, and then goes to Alma and Repub-
lican Circuit, where he remains two years, and then to Ax-
tell and other circuits in succession, till compelled to relin-
quish his work and enter the ranks of the superannuated,
in 1902, which relation he yet sustains, honored by his

Rev. O. R. Beebe.

History oi^ Nebraska ^Methodism. 389

brethren as one of the fathers of the West Nebraska Con-
ference. He was born in England in 1840, and was well
along in life before entering the work in Nebraska, but
by faithful work he has done much in laying the founda-
tions in this new world.

As a result of this change to an Annual Conference,
Dr. T. B. Lemon's official relation as superintendent of
missions ceases and the old commander, after a year as
presiding elder of the Kearney District, lays down his
commission and retires from all active participation in the
affairs of West Nebraska Methodism. But his work is
done, and well down. For eight years he has been per-
mitted to lead the hosts from victory to victory, rapidly
extending the borders of our Zion, He has seen the
"little one become a thousand." He may already say,
with Paul, at least with reference to his mission in West
Nebraska, "I have finished my course." He has been
marvelously preserved for this very work, which has been
the crowning work of a long ministerial career, marked
by great success at every period. The event has proved
that Bishop Bowman made no mistake when, in 1877, he
sent this old hero to this important field, though it might
have seemed otherwise to him and his friends at the time.

His friends, whose "name is legion," will not allow
their beloved leader to retire from this scene of battle and
victory, without placing on record some words of appre-
ciation, as seen in the following resolutions :

"Whereas, The Rev. T. B. Lemon, D. D., for a con-
siderable time presiding elder and superintendent in what
is now the West Nebraska Conference, is at this time
broken in health and suffering bodily pain.

"Resolved, That this Conference desires to assure Dr.

390 History of' Nebraska Methodism.

Lemon of its continued love and earnest sympathy with
him in his distress and its prayers for his speedy recovery.
The Conference desires further to assure Dr. Lemon that
it does not for one moment forget his eminent services,
his great and long- continued labors in behalf of the
Church he has done so much to plant on firm foundations
in Western Nebraska, and his fatherly care for those
whom the Church has placed under his direction.

"Resolved, That while God calls our beloved brother
who has so long served Him in earnest activity, now to a
service of patient sufifering, he is affectionately assured
that our hearts will follow wherever he may be called
to go."

As noted elsewhere, Dr. Lemon was permitted to take
an influential part in the great work of organizing our
present educational system, being a member of the Com-
mission, and as financial agent of Nebraska Wesleyan
University during the first years of its existence rendered
good service in rallying the forces to its support. But
increasing infirmity was bringing his long and useful life
to a close. The end came February 19, 1896, at the home
of his daughter, Mrs. C. F. Maynard. His brethren of
the North Nebraska Conference, to which he had been
transferred, place on record the following brief resume
of his life work, and appreciation of his worth, written
by his comrade, J. B. Maxficld :

After referring to matters already mentioned in other
pages of this book, Dr. Maxfield j:ontinues : "In 18S8
the North Nebraska Conference requested the bishop to
transfer Dr. Lemon to that body, which was done. He
was a member of the General Church Extension and Mis-
sionarv Committees for several terms. He was a mem-

History of Nebraska Methodism. 391

ber of the General Conference in 1872 and 1880. These,
and all other positions of responsibility and honor en-
trusted to him by the Church, he filled with credit to
himself and fidelity to the cause whose interests he served.
The first meeting of Dr. Lemon with myself was at Ne-
braska City in 1 86 1. Here began a friendship wdiich con-
tinually increased until the time of his death — nearly one-
third of a century later. Before time had bowed his
commanding presence and shorn him of his strength. Dr.
Lemon was a fine specimen of symmetrical manhood ; the
expression of his countenance was very attractive and he
possessed a voice of great flexibility and wonderful com-
pass. His speech was chaste and fluent, and his words
chosen with rare good taste. In his prime, his sermons
were rare specimens of pulpit oratory, of w^hich any
preacher of the Church need not be ashamed. He was
a sound reasoner, a correct thinker, who brought rare
native endowments with gifts of rich culture to the serv-
ice of the ]\Iaster whom he loved and served. He came
to his grave like a shock in its season, in the midst of
nearly his entire family, composed of his companion in
the kingdom of patience of Jesus and his fellow-pilgrim
to the skies, his four children — two daughters and two
sons — and their children ; three generations about the
bedside of the mighty man of God, departing from their
midst to the home in the skies to await their coming.
Surely the 'chamber where the good man meets his fate
is privileged above the common walks of life.' Dr.
Lemon's life was grand and useful, his death tranquil and
sweet as the falling to sleep of a babe on its mother's
breast, without pain, in the full possession of his facul-
ties. 'He was not, for God took him.' "

CHAPTER XXI.

FOURTH PERIOD. (1880-1904.)

But we are not yet done with that form of expansion
expressed in the organization of new Conferences. De-
velopments in the West continue, especially in the north-
west portion. It began as early as 1882 under the ad-
ministration of T. B. Lemon, when the Mission Con-
ference included all of Holt County. Two appointments.
Middle Branch and Inman, appear in the Minutes for
1 88 1, and these and two others, Keya Paha and Long
Pine, in 1882. These are circuits, and embrace more than
the places named. Inman includes Atkinson ; Long Pine
includes Johnstown. Of the general situation in that
part of the State, the prospects, and the difficulties en-
countered, are thus set forth in Dr. Lemon's report for
1882 : "These roads are opening up the country and
bringing large settlements along the different lines, and
the valleys and divides bordering on them. Towns are
being built at the different stations and divisions ; and
new charges are needed to be formed and men secured to
fill them and do the great work Providence is opening up
before us along the frontier. The different branches of
the Church are putting men and large means, from their
Missionary treasury, all along these lines of road and
pushing out into the rural districts and organizing
Churches with an earnest zeal and liberality of means,
which shows their faith in the future of this country."

392

History of Nebraska Methodism. 393

Dr. Lemon is still in charge of the whole field, with
thirty-three charges scattered over nearly the entire west-
ern two-thirds of the State. To visit his farthest appoint-
ment, Long Pine, requires 300 miles of travel. Yet Dr.
Lemon visited that portion of his district in person, and
years after, when the writer was presiding elder, and had
the eastern portion of Holt County in his district, there
were still many with distinct and pleasant memory of
those visits.

But in 1883 the whole number of appointments had
increased to forty-five, and twenty-three of the eastern
and northeastern appointments are set oflf and the Grand
Island District is formed, with P. C. Johnson as presid-
ing elder. The number of circuits up along the Elkhorn
Railroad have increased to ten.

Prior to the meeting of the Mission in 1884, a ses-
sion of the General Conference had intervened and had
done two things of great interest to the Mission. It had
so changed the boundary lines of the older Conferences
as to run on the west line of Webster, Adams, Hall, and
through" the center of Holt County on to the north. By
this change the ^Mission gained five appointments from the
Hastings District and lost thirteen from the central and
northern portion, these going to the North Nebraska
Conference. The other action of interest was the pas-
sage by the General Conference of an enabling act, au-
thorizing the Mission to resolve itself into an Annual
Conference.

Notwithstanding the loss of thirteen charges, as stated
in Dr. Lemon's report, there were still enough left to
form three districts, the Republican Valley, with P. C.
Johnson presiding elder; Platte Valley, in charge of T.

394 History of Nebraska Methodism.

B. Lemon ; and the Niobrara Valley, with George W.
Martin presiding elder.

By 1886 Dr. INlartin has enough charges up along the
Elkhorn to constitute the Long Pine District, which now
embraced settlements as far west as Chadron, there being
fourteen charges in the district. The Elkhorn Valley
Railroad is now completed as far west as Chadron and
towns are springing up all along the line.

George W. Martin, who, since 1884, has as presiding
elder led the hosts during this rapid development along
the northwest portion of the State, came to the Mission
in 1882 and was employed by Dr. Lemon to fill out the
unexpired term of A. H. Summers, at Kearney, the lat-
ter having gone to California. Of Dr. Martin's pastorate
at Kearney, Dr. Lemon speaks these words of commenda-
tion : "We were fortunate in obtaining the services of
Rev. George W. Martin, of the Central Illinois Confer-
ence, who brought a most valuable ministerial experience
to Kearney and to our Mission, and his labors at Kear-
ney prove him to have been the right man in the right
place. Brother Martin has collected and paid off an old
debt of $545, clearing the charge of all indebtedness, and
they have contracted for the building of a parsonage at
a cost of $1,500."

Dr. Martin was returned to Kearney in 1883, and in
1884 Bishop Mallalieu appointed him to the Niobrara
Valley District.

He found in the north part of the State one church
building and a few towns scattered along the line of the
railroad, beginning with Atkinson, with that holy man of
God, D. T. Olcott, as pastor, building up the Church, and
extending as far as Gordon, where the old veteran from

History of Nebraska Methodism. 395

Indiana, J. A. Scamahorn had already lifted up the stand-
ard. There is an indefinite circuit called White River,
which was doubtless intended to include the settlements
in the region w^here Chadron now is. That was left to
be supplied, and Joseph Gray, a recruit from Pennsyl-
vania, is sent to that farthest outpost.

This may be said to be the Northwest Nebraska Con-
ference in embryo. But it is to be fortunate, like so many
other portions of our frontier work, in having' some of
our strongest, wisest men to superintend the laying of
the foundations, and it will rapidly advance in its march
towards the goal of a full-fledged Annual Conference,
which it will reach in a few years.

But perhaps no period of its growth w^as more rapid
than during the incumbency of George W. Martin, and
at no time was more careful oversight required than dur-
ing these years when the completion of the Elkhorn Val-
lay Railroad to the Black Hills attracted an immense im-
migration to the country contiguous to the line. Classes
must be formed, circuits organized, churches and parson-
ages built, and men must be found willing and capable of
bringing these things to pass. This required no little
executive ability and alertness on the part of the presid-
ing elder, but George W. ]\lartin seemed equal to the oc-
casion, and our work made fine progress under his admin-
istration. He starts out with nine appointments on the
north part of his district, and turns over to his successor
fifteen organized charges. Instead of one there are nine
churches and one parsonage.

After leaving the district Dr. Martin is appointed to
the important station. North Platte, and afterward was
for some years chaplain of the Reform School at Kear-

396 History of Nebraska Methodism.

ney. He was on the Commission that located Nebraska
Wesleyan at Lincohi, and has since been transferred to
the Nebraska Conference, where, besides several pas-
torates, he has served as chaplain of the penitentiary. He
now resides in Lincoln, and is prominently connected with
the Prison Reform Association

Indiana Methodism is to furnish the two men, T. C.
Webster and A. R. Julian, who are to wisely and vig'-
orously carry forward the work in the northwest part
of the State, so well begun and efficiently executed by T.
B. Lemon, P. C. Johnson, and George W. Martin, and
the faithful Blains, Gortners, Olcotts, Owens, and others
equally true, who wrought under the leadership of these
men.

We pause to note the large part that Indiana Meth-
odism has played in the history of Nebraska Methodism.
While nearly every Northern, and some Southern States
have made their contribution of noble ministers and men
and women in the laity, it can not but have been noticed
that Indiana has done in some ways what no other State
has done. It was Indiana Methodism, which had com-
manded the services of a Simpson and Bowman, in her
educational work and then gave them, along with her
stalwart Ames to the Episcopacy, that also gave their
equal in many respects, W. H. Goode, in 1854, to lay the
foundation stones of Nebraska Methodism. And a few
years later, in 1858, gave us H. T. Davis to continue the
work on the foundation and give forty-four years effect-
ive, labor on the superstructure. W^ho may compute the
value of the labors of these two men alone? But these
are not all. It was in Indiana that J. B. Maxfield united
with the Methodist Church, and received his commission

History of Nebraska jNIethodism.

397

from on high to preach the Gospel, though it was not
till after he came to Nebraska that the Divine call was
formally recognized by the Church which licensed him to
preach and admitted him into the traveling connection in
1861, and for over forty years furnished him suitable
fields for the employment of his great powers. Then
later we have Leonard and Beebe and Vessels pushing
the battle in West Nebraska. Others might be men-
tioned, but these few choice spirits, along with Webster
and Julian, will be sufficient to bear
us out in the statement that the con-
tribution of Indiana to Nebraska
Methodism has been unique in the
character of the workers and the
value and extent of the influence ex-
erted.

T. C. Webster came to us from
the Northwest Indiana Conference,
being transferred to the West Ne-
braska Conference in 1885, and after
filling some important pastorates he, in 1887, succeeded
Dr. Martin on the Northwest District, w^hich had changed
its name every year up to that time, and is now called
the Chadron District. This has become an immense dis-
trict, extending from the west line of the North Ne-
braska Conference, which runs through the center of Holt
County, to the west line of the State, and is about 300
miles long, and of varying width, from 100 miles on the
eastern portion to the towns along the railroad in the
western portion. Everything is still new, and there is
much work to be done in organizing new charges and
building churches and parsonages. Of these the churches
26

T. C. Webster.

398 History oi? Nebraska Methodism.

increase in number from nine to twenty, and parsonages
from one to ten during Webster's administration; the
number of appointments from fifteen to twenty. In the
western portion the district has broadened so as to take
in AIHance, Box Butte, and Hemingsford, and Marsland
along the B. & M. Black Hills and Billings Line. The
membership, including probationers, has about doubled,
increasing from 888 to i,6i8 in the same time.

During the Conference year of 1890-91, T. C. Web-
ster finds the work on the district too hard for his frail
body, and that he is breaking down, and must relinquish
the district work. The magnificent results show that he
has not spared himself, but has successfully led the hosts
of workers during his incumbency, and turns the district
over to his successor well organized and well manned.

He then joins the ranks in the North Nebraska Con-
ference and successfully serves Walnut Hill and South
Tenth Street, in Omaha, and Lyons, Trinity Church,
Grand Island, Central City, and Schuyler, where he is
now in his second year. He is the secretary of the Semi-
centennial Celebration and Conference Claimants' Fund
for the North Nebraska Conference.

A. R. Julian, who has been pastor at Deadwbod,
in the Black Hills, succeeds T. C. Webster on the Chad-
ron District, and so successfully carries on the work that
by 1892 the number of appointments have increased to
twenty-seven.

Territorially, the district is isolated to such an extent
that it has become a great hardship for nearly all the
preachers to reach the seat of Conference, involving as it
does 150 to 300 miles travel by private conveyance, and
there being no line of railroad running north and south,

History oi' Nebraska Methodism. 399

except at Crawford on the west, and Norfolk on the east,
the distance for most of them is even greater by railroad,
being- from 200 to 450 miles to any point along the Union
Pacific Railroad. Of men whose average receipts are
about $350, and none much above $600, this sacrifice
should not be required any longer than necessary. And
the growth under these successful leaders, and the effi-
cient work of the pastors had gone on, until all the con-
ditions seemed to imperatively demand that the privilege
accorded by the enabling act of the General Conference
be accepted. This was done at Kearney, Nebraska, in
1892, when the following resolution, introduced by C. H.
Burleigh, was adopted by a vote of fifty-nine to two :

"Whereas, An enabling act was granted by the last
General Conference to the West Nebraska Conference to
divide itself into two Annual Conferences, the presiding
bishop concurring in this action, and

"Whereas, We believe the most favorable time for
such action has come, in order to facilitate the work of
the Church within this large territory, therefore,

"Resolved, That we divide our territory and organize
a new Conference, the boundary line of division to be as
follows : Commencing on the east line of the Conference
where the said line crosses the south line of Holt County,
and thence west along the south line of Holt, Rock,
Brown, Cherry, Sheridan, Box Butte, and Sioux Coun-
ties to the west line of the State of Nebraska. That por-
tion of this Conference lying north of this line to be
known as the 'Northwest Nebraska Conference.' The
interest of the new Conference, as to missionary appro-
priations and otherwise, to be preserved. Signed,

"Charles H. Burleigh,
''James Lisle.''

'400 History of Nebraska Methodism,

Thus the fourth and last of the Annual Conferences
came to its birth, as the result of ten years of develop-
ment, brought about by the wise leadership of Lemon,
Johnson, Martin, Webster, and Julian, and the faithful
work of many efficient men who wrought on this hard
field, some of them throughout the entire period. These
names are worthy to be put on record, and are as follo\\'s,
as they appear in the Minutes at the first session of the
new Conference at Alliance, in September, 1893 :

Austin, H. H. Elkins, T. J. Moore, O. T.

Balch, T. C. Foutch, M. S. Ramsey, O. L.

Baker, O. S. Gammon, R. H. Rorick, E, E. E.

Beck, S. A. Gettys, J. R. Scamahorn, J. A.

Burleigh, C. H. Glassner, W. O. Smith, C. F.

Davenport, R. J. Julian, A. R, Snedaker, G. P.

PROBATIONERS — EIRST YEAR.

McCuUough, John W. Connell, Charles E.'

Kendall, John W. Clark, Darwin J.

Pucket, William T.

Many of these are worthy of fuller treatment than
the mere mention of their names, but the writer's efforts to
secure the requisite data have failed, and only a few can
receive any further notice than this record of names, and
that very briefly.

A. R. Julian, who is the son of a Methodist preacher,
has been the recognized leader of this band since 1891,
and has served six years as presiding elder. Without
doubt, his district, 300 miles long and extending eighty
miles southeast from Crawford along the B. & M. R. R,,
involved as much travel in the course of the year as any

w *

FIP«T MEMBERS OF THE NORTHWEST NEBRASKA CONFERENCE.

I. C. E. CONNELL. 2. A. B. Chapin. 3. C. F. Smith. 4. W. O. Glass-

NER. 5. O. ly. Ramsey. 6. T. C. Balch.

401

402 History of Nebraska Methodism.

district we have ever had in Nebraska, and probably
more. To make the work still harder, the single passen-
ger train that ran each way on the Elkhorn Road ran m
the night in that portion of the route, so that much of
the travel must be done at night, except the few trips that
might be made on freight trains in the daytime.

About the time the Northwest Nebraska Conference
was born, and A. R. Julian began his hard six years of
work, the conditions began to change for the worse, mak-
ing progress more difficult, if not impossible, in many
parts of that territory. The preceding "seven years of
plenty" were to be followed by "seven years of lean-
ness." A succession of dry seasons brought partial and
sometimes complete failure of crops. Notwithstand-
ing these adverse conditions the report made
at the end of his term by the presiding elder shows
during this six years "we had 2,800 conversions
and additions. During this period our population has de-
creased at least one-third. With decreasing population
we have doubled our membership, and we have sent out
of the district more than a thousand members to other
societies. We have built fifteen churches and eleven par-
sonages. We have raised and expended on old debts and
for building and improving churches and parsonages $32,-
700." At the close of his term it was deemed best to make
two districts, the Long Pine and Chadron, manned by
those two old veterans, both in their country's service,
and in the Lord's army, P. H. Eighmy and J. A. Scama-
horn, both of whom have just closed their full term.
Brother Eighmy was elected a delegate to the General
Conference at the last session of their Conference.

After retiring from the district in 1887, Brother
Julian served a term as superintendent of public instruc-

History of Nebraska ^Methodism. 403

tion of Dawes County, and after serving two pastorates
he has again been summoned to district work, succeed-
ing P. H. Eighmy on the Long Pine District. D. J.
Clark succeeds Brother Scamahorn on the Chadron
District.

Brother Julian has twdce been elected delegate to the
General Conference, the second time while he was a super-
numerary, something that so rarely occurs that it shows
in special manner the high esteem in which he is held
by his brethren. He has been for many years an influen-
tial member of the Board of Trustees of the Nebraska
Wesleyan University. He is still in the prime of life and
gives promise of many years of usefulness.

Charles H. Burleigh was transferred from the South-
west Kansas Conference to the West Nebraska Confer-
ence in 1888. He has given five years to the West Ne-
braska Conference before the division, and is a charter
member of the Northwest Nebraska Conference, in which
he has been in the pastorate from its beginning. He has
served some of the most important charges, built churches
and parsonages wherever needed and it was possible, been
blessed with many very gracious revivals, and by his
thorough business-like method, has contributed as much
to the success of the work in that part of the State as
any other pastor. He seems to be a born secretary. He
had not been long in the West Nebraska Conference till
he was elected secretary and continued at that post till
the organization of the Northwest Conference, and that
Conference has had but one man for secretary, and that
man is Charles H. Burleigh.

Stephen A. Beck, after a few years of successful work
on pastoral charges, was sent as a missionary to Korea,

404 History of Nebraska Methodism.

and is in charge of our publishing estabUshment at Seoul,
tlie capital of the kingdom.

D. J. Clark began his ministerial career the same year
ti.e Conference was organized, and has grown with its
growth, filling the pulpit at Chadron and other important
f.elds, and is now presiding elder of the Chadron District.

W. O. Glassner was born in 1833, and entered the
ministry in 1858, and after many years in the active serv-
ice in the western part of the State, is now a superan-
nuated member of the Northwest Conference, greatly be-
loved and honored by his brethren.

The conditions referred to in connection with A. R.
Julian's six years on the district have continued in full
force nearly ever since, precluding any material progress.
For the last five or six years they have held their own.
the membership being slightly in excess of what it was
when Julian closed his first term on the district. For
the last year, however, there has been many indications
that better conditions are in store for both State and
Church in that part of the country. The people are com-
ing to understand the soil and the climate better, and
there are plenty of opportunities for successful farming
and stock raising, which couibined, becomes quite profita-
ble. People are again settling in that part of the State,
and Methodism in the Northwest Conference is on the
field, organized and enthusiastic, and ready for the nev/
era of progress.

This completion of the organization of the four Con-
ferences marks the limits of expansion in that direction,
as there will probably never be more needed in the State.

CHAPTER XXII.

FOURTH PERIOD. (1880-1904.)

Thus we have traced the expansion of the Church
until it has covered the entire area of the State. We
have found that organization has kept pace with the ex-
pansion. The Httle class in the Morris settlement in Cass
County was the first to be organized. But others quickly
followed, necessitating the forming of circuits, stations,
and districts ; and. finally, as the population extended, and
the area occupied became greater, the evolution of the
four Conferences has been the natural result of the
growth of a live evangelistic Church.

These Conferences will henceforth have charge of the
territory assigned them, and supervise the further devel-
opment and organization of the Church within their
bounds. Their work will have much in common and
their progress will be under the same general laws of spir-
itual growth, requiring the Divine power of the Holy
Spirit to guide and make effective the consecrated human
agencies.

But while much will be in common, each Conference
will, in subordinate ways, have its own problems to solve,
its own peculiar conditions, which will favor or retard
the progress of the work, and though the workers in each
may be characterized by the same zeal, consecration, and
capacity, the progress in some will perhaps be greater
than in others, as conditions may be more or less favor-
able. So, if in the farther tracing of the history in the

405

4o6 History of Nebraska Methodism.

diiTerent sections of this State we find that some of these
Conferences have made greater progress than others, it
will be attributed to these varying conditions, and not be
deemed to indicate any less fidelity in the workers in any
one of the Conferences. Our Lord Himself found the
conditions such at Nazareth that "He could there do no
mighty work."

As a matter of fact it will be found from now on
that the natural conditions in the eastern portion of the
State, occupied by the older Conferences, will be much
more favorable than in the western portion. The expe-
rience of the years has made it plain that while much of
the western portion is rich in soil, it belongs to the semi-
arid belt, where the rain fall from year to year is not suffi-
cient for reliable farming, and the material growth of that
section has not kept pace with the eastern. However,
during this last period, the West Nebraska Conference
has made commendable progress and even the Northwest
Conference, where the conditions have been least favor-
able, has made some progress.

This last period will witness the rapid growth of the
large 'cities, and the establishment of new churches in
eligible locations. Omaha has grown from 30,000 in
1880, to a little over 100,000 in 1900. The census of
1890 gives the population as 139,000, but what many sus-
pected at the time was clearly shown to be the fact by
the census of 1900, that the census of 1890 was padded
to the extent of at least 50,000. This is now acknowl-
edged by all and is regarded by some of the best men in
Omaha as having been a criminal blunder, which has re-
acted disastrously. They are now convinced that hon-
esty is the best policy, even in census matters.

SOME WHO HAVE LED THE HOSTS AS PRESIDING ELDERS.
H. Hirst Millard. 2. Stokely D. Roberts. 3. R. H. Adams. 4. Wm. R.
Jones. 5. Richard Pearson. 6. D. F. Rodabaugh. 7. W. A. Amsbary.
8. J. G. Miller. 9. A,sa C. Sleeth. 10. J. "" ^ •" ^ "" "'

Elwood. 12. W. K. Beans.

407

R. Gettys. II. George W.

4o8 History of Nebraska Methodism.

But the increase from 30,000 in 1880 to 100,000 in
1900 is a substantial gain, and has necessitated a corre-
sponding expansion of our Church. We have seen
Seward Street Church taking the place of the old Eight-
eenth Street Church, and South Tenth strengthening its
position by building a church in 1880, and a parsonage
in 188 1. Seward Street has had a healthy growth under
a succession of energetic and able pastors, numbering
such men as Wm. Worley. C. W. Savidge, D. K. Tindal,
A. C. Welch, C. N. Dawson, and Wm. Gorst. It now
numbers 444, as compared with 142 reported for Eight-
eenth Street Church in 1880.

South' Tenth Street began the period with seventy-
two and now has one hundred and thirty-one. Thus this
Church has made some progress, but not equal to what
we anticipated. It has been well and faithfully served
by such men as J. W. Stewart, E. G. Fowler, T. C. Clen-
denning, C. N. Dawson, Alfred Hodgetts, J. B. Priest,
T. C. VVebster. G. A. Luce, and the present pastor, A. L.
Mickel. These have all been efficient pastors, and some
most excellent lay workers, such as Luther A. Harmon
and his father, IMrs. N. J. Smith, David Cole, and others,
who were in the Church at the first and were joined by
others who came in later.

In 1886 H. H. Millard, D. D., organized Hansconi
Park Church. This Church occupies one of the very best
portions of the city, and has the field to itself, being far
enough away from any other Methodist Church to pre-
vent any conflict of interest. It has also been favored by
a number of aggressive laymen, prominent among them
being John Dale, a local preacher and business man.

Brother Millard was very successful, and at the end of

History of Nebraska Methodism. 409

the year reported, a church worth $8,000. and a member-
ship of ninety-four. It now has a fine church worth $33,-
500, a paisonage. worth $2,500, and a membership of 352.

The appointment of H. H. Millard to Hanscom Park
Church (which was to be) by Bishop Fowler, in 1886,
is a good illustration of the embarrassment to which a
presiding elder is sometimes subjected. The writer was
at tliat time presiding elder of the Norfolk District, and
had secured Brother Millard from Drew Theological
School, and he having done two years of excellent work
at Wisner, I wished very much to keep him. Bishop
Fowler, seeing a splendid opportunity at Hanscom Park,
was looking over the Conference for the best man for
the place. Millard had been suggested, and the bishop
proceeded to question me in regard to the young man.
To tell the truth about him was to lose the man I needed,
but being a little proud of him, I told the whole truth,
after which the bishop quietly said, "We will put Mil-
lard down for Hanscom Park."

Brother Millard's successors were George M, Brown,
v/ho remained five years ; W. P. Murray, who staid five
years; F, M. Sisson, who after two years was appointed
presiding elder of the Norfolk District, and Clyde C.
Cissel, who is now on his fifth year. It is a credit to this
Church that they have so uniformly kept their pastors a
long term, and these pastors have evidently been doing
good work rearing this goodly superstructure on the
foundations so well laid by H. H. Millard.

In 1883, the country where South Omaha now stands
was open farm land, but about that time was purchased
by packing-house interests in Chicago, and in a very brief
time there was the beginning of the now thriving city of

4IO History of Nebraska AIethodism.

South Omaha, with a population of 25,000 or more. Of
course, Alethodism will seize this important point, and in
1886, T. B. Hilton, who had previously served Fremoni
and York, was assigned to "Omaha Circuit." At the
end of the first year the statistics show thirty-eight mem-
bers, and one church worth $32,000, and a parsonage
worth $1,800. But this is manifestly an error, as the
amount reported the next year was $3,800 for the church
and $600 for the parsonage, which is correct.

L. H. Eddleblute succeeded Hilton, and during the
two years of his successful pastorate began and inclosed
a more commodious church building. The writer fol-
lowed Eddleblute and found that, his work had been well
done. During my pastorate the Church begun under my
predecessor's administration, was carried forward to com-
pletion, and dedicated by Bishop Newman. I found some
splendid laymen, who co-operated heartily in the work.
Among these were Young, Mead, Eastman, and Rich-
ardson. Chief among these was the last named, who as
president of the Board of Trustees, Sunday-school super-
intendent, class-leader, and steward, proved himself a
valuable helper and true friend to the pastor. There
were others who were helpful, but whose names are not
recalled. At the close of the first year I was appointed
presiding elder of the Elkhorn Valley District, and C. N.
Dawson followed. His pastorate continued five years,
and was very successful. During his term the church
burned down, and he successfully led the people through
the difficult task of erecting on the same site a much bet-
ter one at a cost of $15,000. Under Dawson and his suc-
cessors, J. A. Johnson, H. H. Millard, and M. A. Head,
all strong men, the Church has made steady progress,

mmmmSk

^^p^'ifs^t^

%^ ^

^jjy—v

SOME WHO HAVE IvED THE HOSTS AS PRESIDING ELDERS.

I. Thomas Bithel. 2. Isaac Burns. 3. A. G. White. 4. C. W. Giddings.

5. J. S. W. Dean. 6. J. F. Kemper. 7. D. J. Clark. 8. Martin

Pritchard. 9. S. P. V.\N Doozer.

412 History of Nebraska Methodism.

and the thirty-eight reported by Hilton have increased to
four hundred.

Omaha extended rapidly toward the north during
the eighties, and presented an inviting field to Methodism,
which was promptly entered, and in 1887, Trinity Church
bes:an its eventful career. The church is located in the
addition known as Koontz Place, in which no lot was sold
to any one that did not agree to build a house worth
$2,000.

T. B. Hilton was the first man to preach in that vicin-
ity with a view to establishing a Church, but remained
but a short time, when J. E. Ensign, who had something
of a reputation as a financier, was employed to solicit
subscriptions. But a failure to secure a guarantee of
$1,200 salary caused him soon to retire, not being the
kind of man needed. A. H. Henry was transferred from
Castellar appointment in the south part of the city, where
there was little promise, to this much more promising
field. Trinity thus had the somewhat novel experience
of having three pastors before there was any Church or-
ganized.

But Henry was an energetic, bright young man and
soon found the following persons who were on the 13th
of November, 1887, organized into a class and took the
name of Trinity Church : M. M. Hamlin and wife and
three children, Ed. A. Parmelee and wife, Mrs. Norah H.
Lemon, C. W. Cain and wife, and Stella Cain ; J. J. Mc-
Lain and wife, J. J. Toms and wife, L. A. Harmon and
wife, O. T. Smith and wife, H. H. Miller, Mrs. E. B.
Brayton, J. H. Cornes, C. D. Simms and wife, Elizabeth
Hamilton, Edward Bell, wife, and family; Mrs. Willett,
Mary Willett ; Kittie Snow and Kate Elsas.

History of Nebraska Methodism. 413

Encouraged by a generous subscription of $500 from
Rev. John P. Roe, the amount deemed needed to make
it safe to do so, was secured, and a good substantial
church was built at a cost of $17,000, and dedicated by
Bishop Newman.

Succeeding A. II. Henry was J. W. Robinson, and he
and his successor, W. K. Beans, added to the Church
till the membership had increased to 269. F. H. Sander-
son follows W. K. Beans, and remains five years, report-
ing at Conference in 1898, 228 members. Thus in its
first ten years it grew into a strong Church numerically,
but when Jesse W. Jennings, who had been appointed to
Trinity, reached his field, he found a discouraged people
almost ready to give up the struggle and acknowledge
that they were bankrupt. Trinity was one of those enter-
prises that had the misfortune to start out at the wrong
end of the boom, and before they could get their finances
in good shape, the boom burst and made it difficult to
collect old subscriptions, or secure new ones. But
Brother Jennings is something of a genius in church
finances, and after a year of determined effort, he, with
the heroic co-operation of the membership and friends,
succeeded in raising the debt and saving the property.
After two years he was placed in charge of the Omaha
District, and is followed at Trinity by H. H. ]\Iillard, who
after a year became presiding elder of the Grand Island
District, and D. K, Tindal goes to Trinity, and was fol-
lowed by J. R. Smith, who is now pastor. The Church
has progressed under these faithful, strong men till now
the membership is 385.

Walnut Hill Church first appeared in the Minutes in
1891, as "Wesley Chapel," and is left to be supplied. The
27

414 History of Nebraska Methodism.

Church was organized January 4, 1891. The first mem-
bers were Mr. and Mrs. F. L. Cotton, Miss Mattie Ma-
son, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Johnson, Miss Eunice Stanardt,
Mr. and Mrs. A. L. Stonecyphcr. The charge was tem-
porarily served by John P. Roe, John Dale, and others,
and D. F. Rodabaugh held a revival meting of two
weeks. Fortunately, just at this juncture, T. C. Webster,
who had, as before mentioned, been compelled to relin-
quish his work on the Chadron District on account of ill
health, was available, and was appointed to this infant
Church in June, 1891.

Happily at this time the Hanscom Park Church, hav-
ing outgrown their first building, and were under the
necessity of erecting a larger one, generously donated
their old church to the struggling society, and it was
moved and served a second time as a place in which to
shelter and nurse an infant Church into maturity of power
and influence.

T. C. Webster was reappointed at the next Confer-
ence and remained two years. He found seventeen mem-
bers and left one hundred and ten. He found not a penny
worth of property, and left a property valued at $6,000.
T. C. Clendenning and J. E. Moore followed in succes-
sion, serving one year each, and the membership increased
to 159. C. N. Dawson is next in succession, and re-
mained five years, and the membership increased to 305.
G. A. Luce and George H. Main, who is the present pas-
tor, round out the list of pastors who have made Walnut
Hill Church, as it is now called, one of the most influen-
tial in the city. A fine parsonage has been added to its
property, and it is rapidly becoming one of the most de-
sirable charges in the city and has a fine field for future
growth.

SOME WHO HAVE IvED THE HOSTS AS PRESIDING ELDERS.

I. D. W. Crane. 2. J. E. Moore. 4. A. C. Calkins. 5. George A. Smith

6. J. B. Lbedom. 8. W. G. Miller. 9. S. H. Henderson.

415

4i6 History of Nebraska Methodism.

While some of the efforts have been abortive, as was
the case with Castellar Street and Newman Church on
St. Mary's Avenue, others have amply justified their ex-
istence by supplying the religious needs of growing
suburbs. Among these are Leffler Memorial, in South
Omaha, with W. D. Stambaugh, pastor ; Southwest
Church, with R. M. Henderson pastor; West Omaha
(now McCabe), T. S. Watson, pastor; Monmouth Paik
is now Hirst Memorial', named in honor of Rev. A. C.
Hirst, former pastor of First Church. William Esplin is
pushing the work here. Benson is served by the faithful,
efficient Englishman, John Crews. The last three named
are full of promise. Hirst Memorial has a new church,
and Benson a new parsonage, and both are facing a more
hopeful future.

Thus the number of churches have multiplied with
the growth of the city. By some law of human nature
the needs of the individual and of society are best served
by dividing them into groups. When our Lord would
feed the five thousand he had them divided into compa-
nies, "by hundreds and fifties." (Mark vi, 40.) So it has
been found that the average Church in a city can not
reach effectively more than about ten thousand of the
population, or extend its influence much beyond the
radius of one-half mile from the Church. This would
require in Omaha ten Methodist churches to supply effi-
ciently the religious needs of the city. Methodism has
nine, not counting those in South Omaha. This seems
about the right number, and they are all so located as not
to be crowding each other.

The old mother church has sometimes looked on these
new enterprises at the beginning with some misgivings.

History of Nebraska Methodism. 417

fearing it would merely weaken her without strengthen-
ing the general cause of Methodism in the city. The out-
come, however, has proved that her fears were ground-
less, and that she is buttressed on all sides by strong,
vigorous Churches, and much more is being done for
Christ and His kingdom in the city of Omaha than could
have been done by a single Church. There are now three
other Churches with a larger membership and better
property than she had in 1880, and one other with as
many members. In the meanwhile she herself has in-
creased her membership from 240 in 1880, to 670 in
1903, and the value of her property from $12,000 to
$100,000.

This progress has been achieved by a succession of
aggressive and able pastors, beginning with J. B. Max-
field in 1880, who Avas placed on the Omaha District in
1881. Following ]\Iaxfield were J. W. Stewart, Charles
W. Savidge, R. N. McKaig, T. M. House, P. S. Merrill,
Frank Crane, John AlcOuoid, A. C. Hirst, and the pres-
ent pastor, E. Combie Smith.

During this period there has been no time until re-
cently that nearly all these Churches have not been bur-
dened with heavy debts, some to the verge of bankruptcy.
Now, under the co-operation of presiding elders, pastors,
and laymen, they are all free from debt, or the debts are
amply provided for. It may be truthfully said that at no
time in the last fifty years has Omaha Methodism stood
so high or been so fully equipped and ready to assume an
aggressive attitude as now.

With a total membership, including South Omaha, of
2,789 (Minutes of 1903), she faces a more hopeful fu-
ture than ever before, and will doubtless achieve larger

4i8 History of Nebraska Methodism.

results along spiritual lines, being unhampered by the
burden of debt.

Lincoln Methodism has made even greater progress
than Omaha. The Minutes for 1880 gives one church,
valued at $3,500, and parsonage, $2,500, and a member-
ship of 411. But Trinity Church was even then in its
incipiency, in the form of an appointment in South Lin-
coln as a part of the Lincoln Circuit. The city was rap-
idly extending southward, and when that energetic and
persistent man, A. L. Folden, was appointed to Lincoln
Circuit in 1878, the first Quarterly Conference of St.
Paul's Church held that year, voted to request Brother
Folden to take up an appointment in South Lincoln, and
appointed a committee to assist him in finding a suitable
place in which to hold services. The details of his sub-
sequent struggles are given elsewhere, and it will suffice
to say that an organization was effected and in 1880-81
a small frame building was erected at Twelfth and A
Streets, at a cost of $1,200. This marks the beginning
of Trinity Church. The little society continued a part of
Lincoln Circuit until 1883, when it became a separate
charge with fifty-three members. Following Brother
Folden were P. S Mather, two years ; J Marsh, three
years ; and C. H. Gilmore, one year. Under these faith-
ful men the society increased to ninety-four members in
1887. Then H. T. Davis became pastor and continued
three years. At the commencement of his pastorate the
little church building was donated to what was known
as Bethel, a mile west on B Street. We see the law men-
tioned in connection with Omaha, asserts itself in the de-
velopment of our work in Lincoln, and Trinity is located
about a mile from St. Paul's, and finds, plenty of room

SOME OF THE MEMBERS WHO HAVE SERVED AS CONFERENCE

SECRETARIES.

I. Geo. p. Trites. 2. O. W. Fifer. 3. Chas. H. Burleigh. 4, J. B. Priest.

5. D. C. WiNSHip. 6. W. G. Vessells. 7. Z. S. Rhone.

419

420 History of Nebraska Methodism.

and leaves plenty of room. Bethel is located a mile west
of Trinity, and as we shall see, Grace Church will find
an ample field about a mile and a half east of St. Paul.

At the close of Dr. Davis's pastorate the membership
had increased to 258, and a commodious frame chapel
had been erected at the corner of Sixteenth and A.

Stokely D. Roberts, one of our ablest preachers and
successful pastors and presiding elders, came to the pas-
torate at Trinity at a time when his -once strong mind
was becoming unbalanced, and his health breaking down,
and when he was very near the end of a useful career.
He was born in Indiana, August 16, 1844, and was con-
verted at the age of sixteen. He enlisted in the armv
in 1862, and remained to the end of the war. He began
his ministry in 1873, and had successfully served some
of the most important charges, including Peru, Tecumseh,
Fairbury, David City, and Beatrice, and a full term on
the Beatrice District. While at Tecumseh he was mar-
ried to Miss Ella I. Gehr.

Had Stokely D. Roberts come to Trinity in the full
vigor of his mental and physical powers, he would have
made a large contribution to its progress. But the sad
end of his influential career is at hand, and on the i6th
of August, 1893, in a fit of temporary insanity, he took
his own life. His brethren put on record this true esti-
mate of their departed brother : "Brother Roberts was a
close student, a deep thinker, and a good preacher."

In the fall of 1891, Dr. D. W. C. Huntington, of
Genesee Conference, after a long and honorable career in
that Conference, was transferred, at the invitation of the
Official Board, unanimously tendered, and became their
pastor. The five years' pastorate of this strong man, as

History of Nebraska Methodism. 421

might be expected, was marked by great progress along
all lines. The frame tabernacle gave place to a beautiful
and commodious structure costing $17,000, which is to be
the chapel of a much larger church when completed. The
membership has increased to 447. While pastor of Trin-
ity, Dr. Huntington was chosen as the agent for the
entire ^Methodism of the State, to receive and distribute
supplies during the years of drouth, in 1894-95, which
difficult, delicate, and laborious service he rendered to
the satisfaction of all.

The two pastors that have succeeded him are R. S.
Chipperfield, who served three years, and N. A. Martin,
the present pastor, who is now in the fifth year of a very
successful pastorate. Both these are able and consecrated
men and have carried forward the work ^ so well begun
by Dr. Huntington and his predecessors, and the result
has been a still further increase in membership, which now
numbers 484, and a magnificent church property, well
located, and valued at $20,000.

By 1886 East Lincoln had grown to such an extent
that St. Paul's Church herself recognized the necessity
of another church in that part of the city, and not only
consented, but promoted the new enterprise in a most
substantial manner, so that Grace Church is spared the
years of struggle for existence, and starts out with a
$10,000 church and 107 members at the end of the first
year. It was the year of the great revival at St. Paul's,
during Dr. Creighton's pastorate. The pastor was as-
sisted by J. S. Bitler, a successful evangelist. The pre-
siding elder says in his report that year, "By the revival
(at St. Paul's) the membership was carried up to 1,100,
and the church became so packed with people that we

422 History of Nebraska Methodism.

have been compelled to plan for additional room. Lots
were secured in East Lincoln, one and one-half miles
from St. Paul's, and Grace Church, a $10,000 edifice, is
being erected thereon." This is healthy expansion, and
is a case where the hive became so full that the only relief
was in "swarming," with gain both to the original hive
and to the swarm that departs.

The next report from the presiding elder, in speaking
of Grace Charge, and of the dedication of the completed
building by Bishop Warren, says : ''Her membership has
continued to increase from the first by accessions from St.
Paul's and by conversions, until she holds a fair rank in
membership." The same report says of St. Paul's, not-
withstanding she has given of her members and money
to start Grace Church: "St. Paul's Church is still press-
ing her work forward aggressively. She is a tower of
strength to the cause of God in this city. We no longer
attempt to count the converts. Each week, with rarest
exceptions, brings its list of new recruits. Both the con-
gregation and the Sunday-school tax the utmost capacity
of the church. She responds generously to every call for
either work or benevolence. In short, she is an inspira-
tion to this city and State in every good work." "There
is that scattereth and yet increaseth ; and there is that
withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty,"
is a bit of inspired philosophy tliat applies to Church af-
fairs as well as to individuals.

St. Paul soon came to look upon Trinity and Grace,
not as rivals, but as helpers in the proper care of the re-
ligious interests of the city, and such indeed they have
been as they have grown from year to year, in numbers,
power and influence, and the whole structure of Lincoln
Methodism has become a unit.

SOME LOCAL PREACHERS WHO HAVE RENDERED VALUABLE

SERVICE.
I. J. A. Larkin. 2. JAS. Query. 3. P. B. Ruch. 4. J. M. Dressler. 5. A. G.
Blackwell. 6. A. C. Butler. 7. P. W. Howe. 8. Geo. W. Hum-
mel. 9. C. G. Rouse. 10. Geo. Worley. ii. L. H. String-
field. 12. Robert Laing.

423

4-24 History oi' Nebraska Methodism.

Grace Church has been a success and power from the
beginning. True, they have had some trouble the first
year or two with their first pastor, T. Minehart, who,
though a deeply pious and intellectual man, became fanat-
ical, and so ill-balanced and perverse as to require the
administration of discipline. He was tried at a prelim-
inary hearing and suspended, and then at the Annual
Conference, and expelled.

Minehart's successors were J. H. Creighton, who sup-
plied till Conference, after Minehart's suspension ; J. S.
W. Dean, George W. Isham, C. M. Shepherd, L. T.
Guild, R. N. Orrill, and P. P. Carroll, the present in-
cumbent. The Church has made progress till the one
hundred with which she started in 1886-87, has grown
to 582.

University Place, except in the matter of municipal
government, which is wisely kept distinct in order to ex-
clude saloons and other vicious institutions, is to all in-
tents and purposes a part of Lincoln. The selection of
that piece of raw prairie and farm land, in 1886, on
which to locate the Nebraska Wesleyan University, has,
besides the founding of a great educational institution,
resulted in attracting enough people to University Place
to make a town of nearly or quite 2,000 population,
and the building up of a Church of over 800 members.
Probably the growth, both of the town and of the Church,
is without parallel in the State. The percentage of Chris-
tian people is larger and the proportion of those that are
Methodists is greater than in any other place in the State,
and in these respects it has few, if any, equals in the na-
tion. Evanston, Illinois, comes nearer to it than any
other, but that soon attracted many from Chicago who

History ot^ Nebraska Methodism. 425

came to secure a suburban home, and there were soon
many of other denominations. The Church has grown
with the growth of the town, and is constantly fed by a
revival spirit that pervades the Church at all times.

D. L. Thomas, Asa Sleeth, W. B. Alexander, G. W.
Abbott, J. J. Mailley, B. W. Marsh, and L. C. Lemon
have served as pastors, and faithfully ministered to the
spiritual needs of the people and the student body. L.
C. Lemon is now on his fourth year.

University Place appears in the Minutes for the first
time in 1888, and is left to be supplied. It is then in-
cluded among the Lincoln Churches and continued to be
for some years. D. L. Thomas becomes the first pastor,
serving till Conference as a supply, and was then returned.
It starts out with one hundred and seven members and
ten local preachers, a proportion of preachers which will
be maintained throughout its history. In 1896 a $2,000
parsonage was built, but the society, though steadily and
at times rapidly increasing in numbers, has been content
to use the College Chapel until two years ago. They
have contributed largely to the payment of the debt on the
Wesleyan, giving $5,000 for that purpose. But they have
constructed the foundations for a fine large structure,
roofed it over, and are using what will be the basement
of a fine large church, and are resting financially. But
they will doubtless soon construct the superstructure.

The writer and his family have resided in University
Place for nearly four years, and finds the Church the
most spiritual he has ever known. Ordinary prayer and
testimony meetings present at every service all the fea-
tures of spiritual power seen in times of great revival in-
terest. Two to four are on their feet at once, claiming

426 ' History of Nebraska Methodism.

the privilege of speaking for the Master. Revivals break
out spontaneously at the ordinary services. It is doubt-
ful if there is another coninumity and Church that sup-
plies better moral and religious influences by which to
constitute a wholesome environment for the students who
attend than does University Place, and its Methodist
Church of over 800 members.

Besides St. Paul's, the mother church, and these three
strong Churches of which mention has been made, there
are others, some of which give fine promise of future
strength. Emmanuel appears in the Minutes for the first
time in 1888, and reports at the next Conference, sixty-
nine members, and now has one hundred and forty-eight,
with a church worth $2,000 and parsonage valued at $1,-
000. Epworth Church first appears in the list of appoint-
ments in 1890, and starts out with thirty-three members
and now has seventy-four, with a church valued at $2,-
000. It has one hundred and thiity-five teachers and
scholars in the Sunday-school, which shows it has a field
for work that has some promise, though the progress up
to this time has not been all that was expected.

Bethel was started in the southwest part of the town
on the bottoms as early as 1887, and the old A Street
Church moved over and fitted up for their use. The pre-
siding elder reports for the year 1887-88 a great revival
and the membership is reported as ninety-three, includ-
ing forty-one probationers, but now there are only twelve.
Asbury, another suburban venture, about the same time,
starts with forty-one in 1889, and reported at the last
Conference fourteen.

The trouble with some of these suburban Churches is
that they were started when the boom was at its zenith,

History oi" Nebraska Methodism. 427

and while the city as a whole, has held its own, or grown,
these particular suburbs were boomed beyond all reason,
and have felt the reaction more keenly, and have been
losing ground. None have made the gain that was ex-
pected, and several, after ten or twelve years of struggle,
have a snialler membership than at the beginning. They
are maintained as missionary posts in localities that would
otherwise be destitute of the Gospel.

Though St. Paul's has seen these other strong
Churches grow up around her, she continues herself to
grow and easily maintains her leadership. In 1880 her
membership was 411, and the church was valued at $3,500
and the parsonage at $2,500, Now she has 1,057, ^^^
about the figures attained at the time of the great revival
under Bitler, the evangelist. In this period she has
erected two fine church buildings, the first St. Paul's,
erected at a cost of about $50,000, during ]\IcKaig's pas-
torate, and which burned down in September, 1899, and
under Dr. \\'harton"s administration, the second, and
much larger one. This is without doubt the best ar-
ranged building for church purposes in the West, and
cost over $80,000. These results have been attained by a
live, progressive membership, led by a succession of able
pastors. It will be sufiicient to merely name them as they
have come and gone during the last twenty-five years :
A. C. Williams, R. N. McKaig, C. F. Creighton, A. Ma-
rine, F. S. Stein, C. C. Lasby, W. R. Halstead, and the
present pastor, F. L. \\'harton. These have all been
special transfers, which means that the Church has as-
serted its right to draw on the whole Church for the right
man for pastor, and the appointing power has recognized
that the Church is of such importance, with such a com-

428 History of Nebraska MiiXiioDis:.^.

manding position at the capital of the State, that the best
man the entire Church can afford must be had if possible.
St. Paul's has certainly had a succession of very able pas-
tors, and some very spiritual, and all have achieved more
or less success.

Besides these efficient pastors, St. Paul's has been
blessed from the first by an able corps of lay workers,
men and women, chief among whom are Dr. B. L. Paine
and Mrs. M. E. Roberts. Both these consecrated per-
sons have a genius for religion and religious work. Dr.
Paine seems equally at home conducting his own private
business, which is extensive, or in the Quarterly Con-
ferences and business meetings of the Church, or prayer-
meeting, Sunday-school, Epworth League room or on oc-
casion, can break away from his practice as a physician
and hold successful revival-meetings, preaching as well
as "practicing." He seems to have no trouble blending
the secular and religious, his business being conducted on
religious principles, and his religious life proceeding on
business principles. He has been prominent in the Ep-
worth League work, being at one time on the Board of
Control, and has been twice elected lay delegate to the
General Conference.

Many other influential and faithful laymen have
worked side by side with Dr. Paine, among them J. M.
Burks. It may be said in passing, that from the first,
nearly all the Churches of Lincoln have had a corps of lay
workers that were both capable and willing to aid their
pastors. Trinity Church has also had from the first a
body of strong laymen who have co-operated with the
pastors in many helpful ways. Among these are R. R.
Randle, C. S. Sanderson, and many others.

History of Nebraska Methodism. 429

Perhaps Grace Church may be said to have been spe-
cially favored with such men as h. O. Jones, J. M. Stew-
art. A. G. Greenlee, and Brother Furgeson.

L. O. Jones is the presiding genius who, as president
of the Nebraska Conference Epworth League Assembly,
has organized one of the most successful assemblies in the
Church, as will appear from statements made elsewhere.

J. AI. Stewart, who has been for years the honored
secretary of the Board of Trustees of Nebraska Wesleyan
University, and an influential member of the Board.

University Place is said to have the cream of the laity
from many of the other Churches of the State, so that
when she raises over $1,300 for missions, $700 for edu-
cation, and enough more for the other connectional benev-
olences to swell the whole amount to $3,000, or nearly
twice as much for benevolence as for current expenses,
other Churches say it is hardly fair that that Church's
benevolence should be the standard for the others, which
have been weakened, that she may be strong. The real
strength of this Church can hardly be said to result from
the pre-eminence of the few strong leaders, but from a
high general average of unselfish devotion to the cause of
Christ.

If we survey Lincoln Methodism as a whole, we will
find the progress has been marvelous during these last
twenty-four years. Beginning it in 1880, with one society
of 411 members, one church valued at $3,500, and one
parsonage worth $2,500, it has increased till there are now
ten, including University Place, with a total membership
of 3'i73» and a total property valuation of $148,800, in-
cluding two parsonages, valued at $3,000.

Among the most useful local preachers we have had

430 History of Nebraska Methodism.

in Nebraska was P. W. Howe, for many years city mis-
sionary in Lincoln, and chaplain of the penitentiary. Ho
came to Lincoln about 1880, and soon exhibited qualities
which in special manner equipped him for his career of
great usefulness, caring for the unfortunate poor in the
city and dealing with the criminals at the State prison.
So pre-eminently was he fitted for both lines of work that
by common consent of donors and beneficiaries, Father
Howe was the man to receive their benefactions on the
one hand, and the one the worthy poor could always count
on for tactful help bestowed in a way that did not hurt.

He semed to have a rare faculty for finding out who
the really needy were, and was always on the lookout lor
them. His shrewd knowledge of human nature made it
difficult for any to impose on him. The business men
came to prefer having Brother Howe distribute their
charity than to do it themselves, assured that he would
bestow wisely what they gave him. Thus he came to
keep two lists (principally in his mind), those who needed
something and the one who would supply that particular
need. He rarely failed to be able to keep the supply
equal to the need, even in times of most adverse condi-
tions. Such was the confidence of many business and
professional men that they virtually said to him, "Draw
on us for whatever you need for your work." They were
sure he would not abuse their confidence or fail to make
the wisest use of their gifts. They would give him flour
by the ton, and only P. W. Howe and the Lord and the
person helped knew who got it. They did not want to
know. It was enough to know that Father Howe was
distributing it.

He was not less adapted to the difiicult work of the

History of Nebraska Methodism. 431

chaplaincy of the penitentiary. This fitness became so
well recognized that through all the changing political
complexions of State administration, P. W. Howe was
retained in that work. Only one governor ever seemed
to have a moment's questioning about the matter, and
that was J. E. Boyd, whose sympathies were Roman
Catholic. He attempted to displace Howe wdth a Cath-
olic priest, but there w'as such a storm of protest against
it that lie reinstated him.

Brother Howe could tell when he saw a convict com-
ing in whether he was a confirmed crinTinal or had been
led into crime on the impulse. While not neglecting the
hardened criminal, he w^ould give special attention to the
more promising cases.

The writer had one of those cases come under his ob-
servation. A mere boy, whose name I will omit, the son
of respectable parents, got into a company of rough boys
who robbed a store. Though my young friend would not
share the spoil he was in bad company and all were sent
to the State prison for a year. I went to see him, and
when he came into the waiting-room of the penitentiary
he said, "Mr. Marquette, you could hardly expect to find
me in such a place as this. But it is all right. Father
and mother had often warned me not to go with those
boys, and I ought to have known better. I have no com-
plaints against the State. The sentence was just. Be-
sides, I am a better boy than I was before coming here.
Chaplain Howe came to me at once and was so kind and
persuasive that he has led me to the Savior and I w'ill go
"forth a Christian." He was soon after pardoned by Gov-
ernor Crounse, at the earnest request of his mother,
backed by the recommendation of the trial judge, and is

432 History of Nebraska Methodism.

now leading an honorable, useful life. This is a fair
sample of what Chaplain Howe was doing during the
many years of his incumbency.

He died recently at his home in Lincoln, and among
the chief mourners were the rich whose benefactions he
had so wisely distributed, and the poor whom he had so
often befriended.

The growth of the local Churches into more complete-
ness of organization, larger equipment in the way of
church buildings, and enlarged membership, has been go-
ing on at a rapid rate throughout all the Conferences.

In 1880 there were only two charges, Omaha and
Lincoln, that had as many as two hundred members,
and neither of these had five hundred. Now there are in
the Nebraska Conference thirty-five that have over two
hundred, and six that have over five hundred, and one
with over a thousand. In the North Nebraska Confer-
ence there are eighteen with over two hundred, and two
with over five hundred. In the West Nebraska Confer-
ence there are nine with over two hundred members, and
in the Northwest Conference there are two. In the whole
of Nebraska we now have one with one thousand, eight
with over five hundred, and sixty-four with over two
hundred, where we only had two in 1880. Assuming that
a charge with two hundred members, or over, of average
quality, is a strong Church, able easily to maintain itself,
pay comfortable salaries, and make itself felt for good,
the foregoing facts show that we have vastly multiplied
our power in the last twenty-five years, throughout the
entire State, by multiplying the number of strong, in-
fluential Churches.

It might seem well to mention all the Churches that

History of Nebraska Methodism. 433

have attained to strength according to this standard, but
numbers are not always a correct measure of strength,
and many of those with less membership are doing more
for the Master than some of the larger Churches. Nor
are numbers a test of merit, for the strength of the Church
numerically at least, must depend somewhat on the size
of the town and character of the population. It is easier
to build up a strong Church of over eight hundred in a
small place like University Place, with the character of
the people they have there, than to build up a Church of
similar size in a big city like Omaha, with its mixed popu-
lation. But as the purpose of this comparison is to show
a certain line of growth during the period, we will refer
the reader to the Published Minutes for the names of
the "strong Churches," and call on him to rejoice
and be thankful for the fact that we are developing
so many centers of great moral influence and spiritual
power.

An examination of the INIinutes will show that of
these sixty-four strong Churches, numerically considered,
only one or two are circuits. What does this mean? Is
the Church discarding the circuit system, and thereby
neglecting the rural districts, from which she and the
State have heretofore drawn so much of their strength?
Perhaps, but not necessarily. It may, and probably does
mean that from several causes the Church finds it more
and more difficult to maintain the circuit system in its
old-time power and efficiency.

First. The existing tendency of the population
towards cities, towns, and villages, by which a much
smaller percentage remains in the rural districts, leaves
the Church no choice but to follow this population, and

434 History of Nebraska Methodism.

give relatively more attention to those places where the
people are.

Second, The need and demand for a resident pastor
to oversee the various departments of the Church creates
the tendency toward small stations, rather than large
circuits.

Third. The railroads have built so many lines
through the State, and built up so many villages and
towns that there are not very many people left who can
not attend service m one of these towns, and many prefer
the more frequent and regular services in the town, to
the less frequent meeting in the country.

Fourth. Hence some of the strong circuits that flour-
ished during the first periods, like Mt. Pleasant and Belle-
vue, have disappeared entirely from this cause. Before
the time of railroads, Mt. Pleasant, at first under the
name of Rock Bluffs, maintained her place for many
years at the head of the column, with the largest mem-
bership of any charge in the Conference. But the changed
conditions have made this impossible.

In this last period the Church found herself con-
fronted with a condition, and whatever her theory might
have been, she has but one duty, and that is to carry the
Gospel to the people, wherever they are, in city, town,
village, or on the farms. It is not her function to compel
them to stay on the farms so she may keep up rural work
and still maintain large circuits.

But she still resorts to the circuit system, wherever
needed, both in the country, and in uniting two or more
villages or towns in circuits. But this has always been
temporary, each town being ambitious to reach the point
where it could be a station, and have the pastor live among
them and give his entire time to that society.

History oi^ Nebraska Methodism. 435

And after all, may not this have some advantages over
the old circuit system? The writer is of the opinion,
formed after nearly forty years' experience as pastor on
circuits and stations, and as presiding elder, that this is
true. It gives the pastor a better chance to give pas-
toral care and work the more complicated machinery up
to its full capacity.

CHAPTER XXIII.

FOURTH PERIOD. (1880-1904.)

GERMAN AND SCANDINAVIAN WORK.

It would be wholly improper to close a history of Ne-
braska Methodism without reference to these lines of
work which are as much a part of ^Methodism as our
English-speaking work. The only difference is that of
language. It has been found best to carry on our won<
among each of these peoples yet speaking a foreign lan-
guage, by those speaking their own tongue, with separate
charges, districts, and Conferences.

Though over a year ago I requested competent repre-
sentatives of these classes to furnish me a sketch of their
history, with a single exception I have been unable to
get any one to supply the necessary data to enable me to
give much of the details of these different lines of work
in our Church in Nebraska. That exception is Rev.
Charles Harms, pastor of our German Church in Lincoln,
who has kindly given me a brief account of our German
work in Nebraska.

It is greatly to the credit of our German brethren that
their work began about the same time as the English-
speaking work, the first sermon being preached by \\'il-
liam Fiegenbaum, presiding elder of the Alissouri Dis-
trict, under some trees in the southeast part of the State,
as early as 1855. In 1856 C. F. Langer was appointed to

436

History oi' Nebraska Methodism. 437

Kansas and Nebraska Mission, embracing all their work
in the two territories. John Hausam, Sr., becomes presid-
ing elder of Missouri District and has the oversight of
Kansas and Nebraska.

From now on their work will proceed under condi-
tions similar to the English work, with the same frontier
hardships and privations we encountered, with these dif-.
ferences : Their circuits are much larger than ours, em-
bracing whole Territories, while we were content with a
few counties. Th.eir districts sometimes included one
State and two Territories and their Conferences were cor-
respondingly comprehensive in the area included in their
bounds. If our circuit-riders had long journeys to make
between appointments, theirs had longer. If ours had
sometimes to wait a long while before effecting an or-
ganization, they waited stili longer. If our preachers
found the soil hard and the people prejudiced agaipst us,
their soil was perhaps still worse and the prejudices more
intense, and the difficulties still greater.

Brother Langer preaches his first sermon in a cabin
near where Humboldt now stands.

But Brother Harms tells the story so well I quote
from his paper. Speaking of this first year and subse-
quent work, he says :

"But little seems to have been accomplished during
1856 and 1857. One quarterly-meeting was held during
this time, and that was in the Kansas territory. It seems
that Rev. Langer had devoted most of his time and labor
in the vicinity of Nebraska City, but did not succeed in
organizing a society. A small class had been organized In
the southeast corner of the State where the first sermon
had been preached.

438 History of" Nebraska Methodism.

"In 1857 Nebraska City Mission was formed, with
Rev. Jacob Feisel, presiding elder of Missouri District,
and George Schatz, missionary of Nebraska Territory.
Rev. Schatz made his headquarters at Nebraska City, but
traveled over that part of the territory now known as
Humboldt, Kramer, and Plattsmouth. One family from
Missouri and two families from Ohio, who were mem-
bers moved at this time to a point near Humboldt, where
they settled and were then successful in organizing a class
there.

"In 1858 the Omaha Mission was organized and J. P.
Miller appointed missionary. In i860 August Mecke
was appointed his successor and a class was organized in
the vicinity of Papillion. H. IMuehlenbrock was appointed
to Nebraska City in i860 and remained until 1862, when
H. C. Dreyer was appointed and labored faithfully up to
1863, when Henry Meyer was made his successor and
did all he could to advance the cause of Christ, remain-
ing till the fall of 1864.

"In i860 Table Rock, Salem, Humboldt, and Muddy
were separated from Nebraska City and Justus Langer
was appointed missionary. In 1862 H. Meyer succeeded
him, and in 1863- 1865 C. Pothast followed, all of whom
traveled over the then unsettled country of Clatonia
Creek, Swan Creek, Meridian, Fairbury, and Turkey
Creek, without success, leaving their families for weeks
and months, before they could return home. In 1864
German Conferences were organized and the first report
was made to the Conference. Nebraska City Mission re-
ported thirty-three full members and ten probationers.
Of course this included all the little classes in the sur-
rounding country. Omaha and its territory reported

History of Nebraska ■Methodism. 439

seventeen members and three probationers. Salem, in-
cluding Table Rock, Humboldt, and the surrounding
country, twenty-two members and twenty-six probation-
ers. Total members, seventy-two; probationers, thirty-
nine. Salem reported one parsonage, valued at $200 ;
one Sunday-school with five teachers and seventeen
scholars. Total collections for benevolent causes : For
missions, $58.60; necessitous cases, $17.15; tracts, $4.20;
Bible Cause, $7.50; Sunday-school Union, $2.35. These
were the results of the first nine years of German ]\Ielh-
odism in the State. The privations, burdens, and suffer-
ings of preachers and members were great, but the
achievements noble. At that Conference Bishop E. S.
Janes presiding, Charles Heidel was appointed presiding
elder of the newly formed St. Joseph District, comprising
the entire Territories of Kansas and Nebraska.

"During the period from i860 to 1868 there was but
slow progress, mostly due to the lack of means and men.
However, some advancement was made. Fields of labor
were more conveniently adjusted and divided and some
new appointments taken up. Henry jMeyer, who made
his headquarters at Salem, Nebraska, 1864-65, began to
preach at or near Swan Creek, about ten miles west of
Svv'anton. C. Pothast continued to labor on this field,
ji\ing at or near the place now called Humboldt, taking
m Swan Creek, ^Meridian, and Fairbury, operating west-
ward. In 1866, C. Steinmeyer was appointed, who lived
at Muddy Creek, traveling over all the ground of four
or five counties. In 1867 H. Muehlenbrock was appointed
his successor up to 1870. In 1867 F. ]\Iiller was ap-
pointed to Nebraska City Mission, including Hamburg,
Iowa, and westward to Meridian, Nebraska, including

440 History of Nebraska Methodism.

some new appointments, such as Centerville and Clatonia.
At Pekin, Illinois, in 1868, Bishop E. S. Janes made the
following appointments : F. W. Meyer, presiding elder
of St. Joseph District, comprising the Kansas and Ne-
braska Territories, with the following missionaries : Ne-
braska City and Linden, J. Hausam, Jr. ; Omaha City, P.
J. May ; Lincoln City, F. H. Meyer ; Salem, H. Meuhlen-
brock. Bear in mind that the above were names for sta-
tions without organized societies, and the missionaries
were to look after the Germans over the entire inhabited
part of the territory. In 1868 the above four missions
reported 142 members in all. In 1869, 204 members, an
increase of sixty-two.

'*At the seventh session of the Southwest German Con-
ference at St. Charles, Missouri, in 1870, Bishop Simp-
son presiding, H. Fiegenbaum was appointed presiding
elder of St. Joseph District. This district had nineteen
appointments, including the entire States of Kansas and
Nebraska, with the following charges on the Nebraska
part of the district: Nebraska City, Tecumseh, Lincoln,
Omaha, and Meridian. Besides these it included Den-
ver, Colorado. This was surely a notable extension for
a district.

"In 1872 the Conference met in Quincy, Illnois, Bishop
Gilbert Haven presiding. Jacob Tanner was made pre-
siding elder, his district embracing the entire State of
Nebraska. York Center was taken in as an appointment.
In 1873, Platte Valley, now Osceola, was taken up and
C. W. Lauenstein appointed missionary, who labored
. faithfully, pressed the work forward, and extended it,
taking in Merrick and Howard Counties, now known as
St. Paul and Eoelus. This was made an appointment in

History of Nebraska Methodism. 441

1875 with C. W. Lauenstein as the missionary. At thio
time Lincohi and Centerville was made a charge and H.
R. Riemer appointed as the missionary. In 1876 Elk-
horn, now West Point, and Pebble Creek were taken up
and C. W. Lauenstein appointed to take care of these
points and extend the work.

"In 1878 the West German Conference was organized
at St. Joseph, Missouri, Bishop Harris presiding. At
this time German Methodism had eleven charges with as
many missionaries in Nebraska.

"H. Fiegenbaum was appointed presiding elder. The
district then numbered 604 members and 105 probation-
ers ; thirteen churches, six parsonages, twenty-four Sun-
day-schools, one hundred and eighty officers and teachers
and 734 scholars. This was the result of twenty-two
years of privations, hardships, and labor.

"In 1879 C. Harms was appointed presiding elder of
Nebraska District. At this time Papillion and Bell Creek
were made a charge, and C. Lauenstein appointed their
pastor. In 1880 Lincoln City was made a mission and
J. G. Kost appointed to this charge. At the same time
Oxford, in Furnas County, with adjoining counties, were
formed into a mission, and W. C. Kellner appointed mis-
sionary. In 1881 at the third annual session of the West
German Conference, held at Oregon, Missouri, Bishop
R. S. Foster presiding, C. W. Lauenstein was appointed
missionary to the northwestern part of Nebraska, giving
him an unlimited territory to work, looking after the
Germans and fixing stations and appointments, to preach
and organize societies wherever he found it practicable.
He made his home for his family at Norfolk, for he him-
self could onlv come home once in a while on a visit.

44-2 History of Nebraska Methodism.

Neligh, St. James, St. Peters, Weigand, Hainesville, Nio-
brara, O'Neill, Ray, Stuart, Plum Valley, Bow Valley.
Ballentins, Halifax, Albion, Oakdale, along the Ray Val-
ley, and westward as far as Arabia, Woodlake, and Ains-
worth, all of this territory was canvassed. In spite of
all the privations, hardships, and hard labor this proved
to be the most satisfactory and blessed work during his
entire ministry.

"In 1882 McCook and Beaver Creek were made a mis-
sion with W. C. Kellner as the missionary. Custer, Val-
ley, Holt, and Knox Counties were given considerable
attention, but owing to the lack of mien and means were
not regularly cared for.

"In 1883 a mission was formed at Stuart, with the ad-
joining counties, and Charles Werner was appointed
there, and H. C. Ihne was put in charge of the newly
formed circuit now called Sterling. Valentine was made
a mission during this time.

"In 1884 F. H. Wippermann was stationed at Custer
and Broken Bow. In 1885 the work was taken up at
Courtland and Beatrice by Gustav Becker-, Custer, Fron-
tier, and Ash Creek, Gordon, and Rushville, Greeley and
Wheeler, Niobrara, Scottsville were supplied. In 1886.
at the eighth annual session of the West German Con-
ference, held at Kansas City, Kansas, Bishop J. M. Wai-
den presiding, two districts were. made and Jacob Tan-
ner was appointed presiding elder of Nebraska District
and H. Bruns presiding elder of North Nebraska Dis-
trict, Platte River to be the dividing line. Big Springs,
Hemmingford, and Hebron were made appointments,
and in 1887 Colby, with C. Falter, missionary, was added
to the list.

History of Nebraska Methodism, 443

"Slow but steady has been the growth of German
Methodism, so that in 1890 there were twenty-nine ap-
pointments with but twenty-six regular Conference mem-
bers (preachers) to take care of them. These twenty-nine
appointments, consisting of 1,633 members and 206 pro-
bationers, contributed $1,386, or about eighty-five cents
per member, to missions. Sunday-schools, fifty-two ;
officers and teachers, 466; scholars, 2,059. ^11 collec-
tions were taken and people contributed as they were able.

"During the last ten years German Methodism has
been nearly at a standstill, owing to light immigration
from Europe, and many of our younger people having
moved westward into Oklahoma, Washington, Idaho,
Dakota, and also into localities where there are no Ger-
man Churches, and others on account of the language
have united with our English Churches. In 1900 Ger-
man ]\Iethodism numbered fifty-two churches, thirty-
three parsonages, fifty-three Sunday-schools, 577 officers
and teachers, 2,178 members, and 175 probationers.

"During the period of ten years, 1890- 1900, passing
through drought and failures, German Methodism kept
up its collections to the usual standard. For instance,
for mission, $18,055 was given, being an average of over
eighty-five cents per member.

"In 1903 the collections for missions was over $1.15
per member, being a little more than during 1901 and
1902. On Nebraska soil are twenty-nine charges and as
many faithful workers employed to press forward on the
line. Since 1890. H. Bruns, P. C. Schramm, and Ed-
ward Sallenbach were filling the office of presiding elder
in the order named, on the North Nebraska District, and
J. Tanner, Edward Sallenbach, and G. J. Leist were do-

444 History o:f Nebraska Methodism.

ing district work on the Nebraska District, officiating in
this capacity at the following points : Beatrice, Center-
ville, and Highland, Clatonia, Cortland, Culbertson,
Humboldt, Jansen and Gilead, Kramer and Hallam, Lin-
coln, Macon and Oxford, and Sterling.

"J. G. Leist, presiding elder of North Nebraska Dis-
trict, has charge of Arlington, Berlin, Boelns, Duncan
and Columbus, Eustis, Friend, Grand Island and Palmer,
Hampton, Kalamazoo and Fair View, Omaha, Osceola,
Papillion and Portal, Rushville, South Omaha and Platts-
mouth, Waco and Seward, West Point and Scribner,
Western and Swanton. Humboldt was the first self- ■
supporting charge, in 1869. The first German camp-
meeting was held June, 1868, near Centerville, in Charles
Krolls's grove. The first district meeting was held at
Clatonia in June, 1875."

Our German brethren closed their first half-century
with a membership of 1,788 and ninety-nine probation-
ers, forty-two- churches, valued at $74,100, and twenty-
seven parsonages, valued at $33,100, and contributed for
missions in 1903 the sum of $2,199, being an average of
$1.23 per member.

SCANDINAVIAN WORK.

As early as 1871 an effort was made to establish a
mission and start the work. The first man appointed
failed to come, and of the second, A. G. White speaks
thus in his report to the Conference of 1872 :

"At the request of Bishop Ames, I applied to Rev.
S. B. Newman, presiding elder of the Swede Mission
District, Illinois Conference, for another man, and he
recommended Peter Lindquist, a local preacher of Chi-

History of Nebraska Methodism. 445

cago. Brotlier Lindquist reported to me about the first
of October, 1871, and was assigned to the mission, with
the agreement that lie should receive but $150 of the mis-
sion fund for the remainder of the Conference year.*
Brother Lindquist has labored incessantly among his peo-
ple, traveling and preaching in four presiding elder's dis-
tricts, and he has organized societies in all these districts.
The Scandinavians in the State number 10,000; they are
generally irreligious, but moral and industrious. They
are widely scattered, like sheep without a shepherd, but
eager to receive any one who cares for their souls and
who can impart religious instruction in their own lan-
guage. There is a pressing demand upon our Church
for more men and more money for this work."

The next year Arthur Smith is appointed to assist
Peter L.indquist in prosecutmg the work, but the presid-
ing elder speaks less hopefully in his next report: "They
have traveled extensively and labored faithfully, but little
has been accomplished. And m my judgment the results
of the experiment do not justify a continuance of the
mission. It appears unwise to perpetuate the language
and customs of otb.er nationalities among us, and I am
not prepared to ask for an appropriation of mission funds
for this purpose."

Nothing more seems to have been done until 1877
when John Linn began work in Oakland. Since then
the work has grown until we have prosperous charges In
Omaha, Lincoln, Oakland, and several other places in
the State. The latest statistics we have are for 1902, at
which time there were 1,090 full members and twenty
probationers.

*The Conference then met in the spring.
29

446 History of Nebraska Methodism,

We would be glad to trace more fully the history of
this work, as we doubt not it presents the same features
that the English and the German work have presented.
If there has been any difference it has been in the di-
rection of larger circuits and larger districts than that
which has been required in our German work. We may
safely say that the toils anil hardships and difficulties
have not been any less and the faith and 'devotion and
heroism of the workers must have been equally great.

NORWEGIAN WORK.

This did not begin until 1880, and there being but
very few of that people in the State, only two charges
have been formed, one at Fontenelle and one at Omaha.
The former has thirty and the latter sixty-live, including
probationers.

CHAPTER XXIV.

FOURTH PERIOD. (1880-1904.)

As WE have watched this great organization of Ne-
braska Methodism grow, it has seemed more Hke an or-
ganism with its principle of spiritual life building itself up
into maturity and completeness, power and influence, very
much after the law of development of the individual,
with the periods of infancy and youth, when little is re-
quired or expected except growth. But growth brings
ever-increasing power and larger range of action. It
has been developing its organs, increasing their func-
tions, and ever-broadening the range of its activity and
the extent of its relations.

At the beginning it must receive help rather than give
help. Hence for a number of years there were but few
benevolent collections taken, while the amount of mis-
sionary money received was relatively greater, as we have
seen, than at subsequent periods when the need was even
more urgent.

The only subordinate organizations were the class and
Sunday-school, and the class-meeting and prayer-meet-
ing, and the preaching service had regard more for the
maintenance of the life of the infant Church than for
any activities looking to helping outside of itself.

But a religious organism, with as vigorous a type of
spiritual life as that possessed by Methodism could not
help but grow into conditions of greater strength and in-
creasing responsibility, and ever-broadening range of ac-

447

448 History of Nebraska Methodism,

tivity. She will be expected to increase the range of her
own inner activities, looking to the care of her young
people, by improved methods in Sunday-school work,
and the organization of the young people into societies
specially adapted to their development along the line of
spiritual life, moral restraint, and more efficient service
for the Master.

She will be expected to take a more intelligent view
of the needs of the great world outside of the narrow
circle of her own existence, and to come in touch with
the great movements in our own country, such as the
Church Extension, Freedmen's Aid, in its efforts to help
up a race; the Woman's Home Missionary Society, with
its varied benevolent enterprises, like our Mothers' Jewels
Home, and the beneficent deaconess movement. Then
she must keep in touch with the great world movements,
as represented by our Missionary Society, and the sister
organization, the Woman's Foreign Missionary Society.

She will be expected to lend a helping hand in moral
reforms, and especially see that her great influence be
unmistakably on the side of temperance and against the
saloon.

As we enter upon this fourth and final period we are
inspired, both by the achievements of the past and the
prospects of the future. The quarter of a century just
past, from 1854 to 1880, has been an eventful one. Most
of it has been characterized by storms in the political
world and disasters in the industrial world. There has
been an almost constant struggle against great difficulties
of various kinds. The periods of peace and prosperity
and other favorable conditions have been brief and few
and far between. The strength of the Church is to be

History of Nebraska Methodism. 449

measured as much by the obstacles overcome as the
achievements wrought ; judged by either standard, she
has stood the test. If there have been battles, there have
also been victories. If there have been difificulties, they
have been met and overcome. If there have been hard-
ships, they have been patiently borne. If the work has
demanded sacrifices, they have not been withheld.

Though the obstacles at times have seemed almost
insurmountable, there has been no period during which
some progress has not been made, and at some periods
great progress.

As we look back from the summit of the year 1880,
and view the twenty-five years over which the Church
has passed in her work of planting Christianity in Ne-
braska, it may be said that, with the exception of "bleed-
ing Kansas," no section of the Lord's vineyard, and no
quarter of a century of time, have presented greater difti-
culties, involved more hardships, or called for more real
heroism, in all the history of the frontier work of the
Church, than did Nebraska during this period.

The fourth period, on which we are entering, will
present some marked contrasts with the preceding ones.
The prevailing conditions will be far more favorable, the
opportunities in some directions greater and the respon-
sibilities correspondingly increased. Methodism will
again be tested. She has shown that she can meet ad-
versity and triumph in spite of it. How will she stand
prosperity ; will she come to trust in her own acquired
strength, and cease to keep close to God, and trust only
in Him? It has often occurred in the history of the
Church that when the life and power of Christianity has
built up a great institution, with machinery complete for

450 History of Nebraska Methodism.

the further carrying out of the purpose of this living prin-
ciple, the institution has ceased to be the means through
which the life and power is to accomplish its purposes in
saving souls and building them up into high-grade men
and women, and has itself become the end to the main-
tenance of which the energies of the Church are directed.
Will history repeat itself? We shall see.

The keynote in this period, as in the one just preced-
ing, is still expansion, but it is largely expansion of an-
other kind. Before, the expansion has been territorial,
with some traces of the beginnings of the expansion of
the range of the Church activities along new lines. As
early as 1869, the Woman's Foreign Missionary Society
had been organized and auxiliaries were formed in some
of the Churches in the sixties. But there was still a lin-
gering doubt as to the need of this new society, and the
zealous women found scanty welcome by not a few pas-
tors. Even some of the officials of the parent Mission-
ary Society looked askance at the interloper, fearing it
would cut in on receipts. True, to prevent this, the
women were prohibited taking any public collection. Not-
withstanding this handicap, they sometimes reported
more for the Woman's Foreign Missionary Society than
the pastor did for the parent society.

There were not many auxiliaries formed until late in
the seventies, when the sainted Mary Ninde visited the
State and organized some societies. Mrs. Angle F.
Newman was also active during these years in promot-
ing the interests of this society, and Avas very successful
in extending the range of its influence and its hold upon
the people, so that in 1879, when Mrs. M. J. Shelley, of
Tecumseh, was elected secretary for the Nebraska Con-

Mrs. M. J. Shel-

LEV,

For many years organ-
izer for Nebraska,
and Treasurer
of Topeka
Branch.

Miss Rebecca
Watson,

Missionary to Japan.

1,1

jm-' vC

MissUrdell Mont-
gomery,

Principal of Baldwin
High School for
girls, Banga-
lore, India.

Miss Matilda
Watson,

Corresponding Secre-
tary, Topeka
Branch.

Miss Louisa Im-

HOFF,
Missionary to Japan.

OFFICIALS AND MISSIONARIES OF W. F. M. S.

451

452 History oi^ Nebraska Methodism.

ference, the young society had demonstrated its vitality
and vindicated its right to be by effective work in rais-
ing money and supporting missionaries in the foreign
field. And it was found that instead of curtailing the re-
ceipts of the parent society, it was materially aiding it by
disseminating missionary information and stimulating the
Church to unselfish giving.

Mrs. Shelley entered upon her work with enthusiasm
and prosecuted it with vigor, going not only to the places
accessible by railroad, but traveling many hundreds of
miles in her own private conveyance, thus reaching many
points away from the railroads. In 1883 the society had
become so well established throughout the Western
States that the Topeka Branch was organized, and Mrs.
Shelley was elected to the responsible place of branch
treasurer, a promotion she had well earned.

For sixteen years Miss Matilda Watson, of Lincoln,
Nebraska, the daughter of a Methodist preacher, has
been the efficient corresponding secretary of the Topeka
Branch, which includes the States of Nebraska, Kansas,
Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming. Mrs. Ida Moe, of Fre-
mont, Nebraska, the daughter of E. H. Rogers, has been
for many years the Conference secretary for North Ne-
braska Conference, rendering valuable service.

This is the only society in our Church, the work of
which lies wholly in the foreign field, and may therefore
be said to be the one whose work represents disinterested
benevolence more nearly than any other.

That its great work in the foreign field is coming to
Se highly appreciated is evident from the words of un-
stinted praise by Bishop Moore, in China, and all oar
bishops that have visited China and India. Perhaps

Rev. E. R. Fulker-

SON,

Principal of the Chingci

Seminary, Nagasaki,

Japan.

(^^

Rev. James H.

WORLEY,

Missionary to China.

<*^

t.^

J^i

Mrs. George S.
Miner,

Missionary to China.

^pj

Rev. Stephen A.
Beck.

In charge of publishing

interests at Seoul,

Korea.

Idb

«S^

Rev. George S.
Miner,

Missionary to China,

MISSIONARIES OF THE PARENT BOARD.

453

454 History of Ne;braska Methodism.

there could be no more competent witness as to the high
character of their work than Bishop Warne, the greater
part of whose ministerial life has been spent in India. In
an interview in the Christian Advocate for March 24.
1904, in answer to an inquiry concerning the work of
this society, he pays this well-deserved tribute both to
the noble women who manage the Woman's Foreign Mis-
sionary Society at home and their missionaries in the field :

"Our Woman's Foreign Missionary Society has some
of the choicest spirits of the nation in India. Not only
that, but I suppose it is not generally known that the
women have sent more money to India each year of the
quadrennium than the parent society has sent. Because
of this the women are able in some places to educate their
girls where we are not the boys, until it is difficult to find
husbands for the girls who are at all their equals. When
one remembers that women have been illiterate through
the centuries in India, and now compares that with a
state of affairs in the Christian Church where the women
are better educated than the men, it is surely true 'these
that have turned the world upside down are come hither
also.' One often wonders whether the women who go to
the field or the women who remain at home, and without
salary give time and thought to raising the necessary
funds to carry on the work, are the most worthy ; and
when one remembers the restrictions that have been put
upon the women in raising the money, it seems still more
wonderful. May we all catch the spirit of the Woman's
Foreign Missionary Society workers, and may they in-
crease and grow mightily, is the prayer of all Indian
workers !"

It is a happy coincidence that in 1880, when Nebraska

Rev. Peter Van
Fleet,

Missionary to Porto
Rico.

Mrs. Eva Van
Fleet,

Missionary to Porto
Rico.

Rev. E. E. Wilson,

Missionary to Porto
Rico.

Rev. Leslie
Stevens,

Superintendent of Mis-
sions in Central
China.

f<f>^''

Rev. J. R. Gortner,
Missionary to Africa.

Mrs. I<ouisa Col-
lins,

Prominent worker in
W. H. M. S.

MISSIONARIES OF THE PARENT BOARD.

455

456 History of Nebraska Methodism.

Methodism was girding herself for an advance, the
Woman's Home Missionary Society had its birth and
would soon become a potent factor in the larger work of
the Church, and often make life more comfortable for
the itinerant and his wife and children. Up to that time,
except in times of special calamity, the missionary on the
frontier was never relieved and gladdened by the receipt
of a barrel or box of supplies to supplement his meager
salary. But from now on, thanks to this noble society,
this is to be a common experience.

And when a time of special need, came, by reason of
the drouth in 1894, the writer, who was then presiding
elder of the Neligh District, in the North Nebraska Con-
ference, the one which suffered most, this blessed society
only needed to be notified of the situation and they at
once started the streams of beneficence which were the
first to reach the scene of destitution, and enabled our
pastors to relieve the suffering, not only of our own peo-
ple, but of Congregationalists, Baptists, Catholics, non-
Church members, and even infidels shared the bounty
supplied by the Department of Supplies of the Woman's
Home Missionary Society. Boxes and barrels came from
New England, North and South Carolina, the States of
the Middle West, and from the Pacific Coast, and not a
little cash as well. The elder and his wife gave up half
of their house as a supply depot, and they, and nearly all
the pastors were kept busy distributing this beneficence.

What was done for the Neligh District in 1894 is but
a type of what this society is doing all the time for all the
Nebraska and other Western Conferences. In 1888 the
West Nebraska Conference resolved that "we are grate-
ful to the Woman's Home Missionary Society for its aid.

History of Nebraska Methodism, 457

Many pastors would have been compelled to leave their
fields of labor, had it not been for this band of noble,
Christian women."

Still earlier, in 1884, Dr. Lemon, in his report, says:
"The Woman's Home Missionary Society has done a
grand work in helping by sending clothing to the preach-
ers and their famiUes, and others in our mission field.
This has long been a felt necessity and is doing good."'

But the beneficence of this society is not confined to
sending supplies to the missionaries on the frontier, but
has taken on a multiplicity of forms, and extends from
Porto Rico to Alaska. It has established what to Ne-
braska Methodism is doubtless its most important in-
stitution, its National Mothers' Jewels Home at York.
This will be spoken of on another page.

Doubtless the most prominent among the good women
who have extended the organization of this society within
the bounds of Nebraska is Mrs. M. E. Roberts, who has
for years been national organizer. Others, like Mrs.
Louisa Collins, in West Nebraska Conference ; Mrs. J.
B. Maxfield, Mrs. John Crews, Mrs. J. B. Leedom, Airs.
D. C. Winship, and others of the North Nebraska Con-
ference, that might be mentioned, have in various ways
rendered valuable service in this connection.

But probably the most urgent need of Nebraska Meth-
odism at the beginning of this fourth period was more
church buildings in which to house the multitudes tliat
had come into our fold by immigration and conversions.
The number of circuits and stations have increased to
136. But we must remember that we are still in the
period when the stations are yet few, and the circuit
system yet prevails to a large extent. It is not uncommon

458 History of Nebraska Me;thodism.

for these circuits to have from four to eight appointments,
and some of the presiding elders report circuits with ten
and even fifteen appointments. It would be safe to say
that at about that time the average circuit had not less
than four separate appointments, and that the general
average, including stations and circuits could not have
been less than three appointments for each charge-. But
lest we overstate the facts in this case we will make the
general average two. This would give us two hundred
and seventy-two separate Methodist societies to be
housed, while the total number of churches in 1880 was
only seventy-seven. This leaves one hundred and ninety-
five unhoused societies and congregations. In other
words, over two-thirds of the societies are entirely with-
out shelter, except as pensioners on the State for school-
houses, and on other denominations occasionally for a
church.

Besides these two hundred societies and congrega-
tions for which the Church has not as yet been able to
furnish any shelter, there are many of the older societies
that. have outgrown the small buildings they first erected
and must have larger ones. Probably two-thirds of
those which already have churches will have to build new
ones in the next ten years.

Thus in 1880 Nebraska Methodism is far behind in
her church buildings. Many of her congregations are un-
housed, or are still in the school-house stage of develop-
ment. This is better than no place, but can not be per-
manent.

The conditions we have seen have been such since
this need for churches began to be urgent by reason of

History of Nebraska ]Methodism.

459

the marvelous growth of the last decade, that many pro-
jected enterprises have had to be abandoned, and few
churches have been built. Indeed throughout the entire
State during the whole quarter of a century there has
been no time that has been favorable to church-building.
Besides, the Church Extension Society has been in

First Methodist Church Built in Nebraska, at Nebraska

City, 1855-6.

effective operation but a few years, and has not been
able to do as much as it will in the next quarter of a cen-
tury. Happily, just as Nebraska Methodism emerges
from under the disastrous financial conditions that have
made much church-building an impossibility in the past,
there emerges upon the scene of action, a Chaplain Mc-
Cabe, in whose fertile brain and large, warm heart so

46o History of Nebraska Methodism.

many forward movements have been born, and about this
time he starts that prolific source of helpfuhiess for Ne-
braska and the entire West, known as the Frontier Fund.
This has wonderfully stimulated church-building.

An incident in the early history of the Wayne Church
illustrates the difficulties pastors and presiding elders
have had of inspiring the discouraged band with enough
confidence to induce them to try, even after the need of
a church had become most urgent. The only thing in
the way of rapid advance and permanent hold at Wayne
was a church. Strange to say, the Presbyterian, Luth-
eran, and Baptist had all got ahead of us, and we were
pensioners on the bounty of the Baptists for a place to
worship. But the very fact that these three had already
been built made our people feel that it was impossible
to build another.

This was the situation in 1884, when the pastor, H. G.
Pittenger, sent for the writer, then presiding elder, to
attend a meeting called for the purpose of considering the
advisability of erecting a place of worship. The voice of
nearly all the brethren was against the project, deeming
it impossible., Things seemed to be going the wrong
way, and the pastor, whose heart was set on having a
church, was weeping, when good Sister Wm. Miller rose
and spoke as follows : "You brethren say we can't buiid
a church. I say we must." And with the tears stream-
ing down her cheeks she continued, "You know my
health is poor and we live a mile from town, and hoped
we might this year have a more comfortable conveyance
than a lumber wagon. But I will continue to ride in
the old lumber wagon, and put that $100 in a church."
And then when I told them that the Church Extension

First Church Built in Lincoln, Nebraska, iS68. Size, 25x40.
Seating Capacity, 2cx).

Present St. Paul's Church, Lincoln, Nebraska.
Size, 142x150. Skating Capacity, 2,300.
10 461

462

History of Nebraska Methodism.

would give them $250 and loan them $250, they took
courage and soon had a subscription of $1,000, and soon
after this had a $2,000 church.

This case at Wayne is mentioned as typical of a great
many. Perhaps no part of our work has represented
more of faith and the spirit of self-sacrifice than in the

Sod Methodist Church Built in Tyrone, Red Willow County,

IN 1886. A Type of Many of the First Churches

Erected in Nebraska.

building of these first churches. How many of these
have been built, not because from a business standpoint,
the prudent man of the world could say it was practica-
ble or even possible, but because some self-sacrificing
Mrs. Miller has said it must be done. Perhaps in no
field have so many seeming impossibilities become real-
ities. There were evidently at work in this phase of our

History of Nebraska Methodism.

463

church Ufe moral and spiritual forces that the cool, cal-
culating business man wot not of. When we had organ-
ized at Stanton the second time, in 1883, the need of a
church seemed miperative. and as presiding elder, I was
urging them to build, but was met with doubts as to their
ability. John A. Ehrhardt, who knew every one in the
community, undertook to show me that $600 was the
utmost that could be raised. I said to him, "Raise that
and we will build a church." The point in this, as in
many such cases, was to get the people to venture. When
they started with their subscription paper, they soon had
over $1,000 pledged, and ere long they had an excellent
church.

These scenes witnessed at Wayne and Stanton, with
slight variation of detail, but always arising from the
same cause, love for the Master, and faith in God, are
transpiring in every section of the State, and Nebraska
Methodism enters upon a church-building era.

The Church enters upon this last period with seventy-
seven churches valued at $147,000, and sixty-one par-
sonages valued at $41,266. We now have by Confer-
ences :

Conferences. Churches. Value. Parsonages. Value.

Nebraska, 241 $748,250 124 $133,805

North Nebraska, 167 564,005 104 123,580

West Nebraska, 134 233,750 68 55,190

Northwest Nebraska 32 46,950 25 17,950

Total, 574 $1,592,955 321 1330,525

Thus ]\Iethodism has built seven times as many
churches this last twenty-three years as she did during
the first quarter of a century. Counting those that take
the place of the old ones, she has built nearly two a

464 History of Nebraska Methodism.

month, and has laid upon the altar for that purpose over
$1,500 a week, or $250 a day.

Not only have the churches built during the last period
been much more numerous, but with the help of the
Church Extension Board she has been able to build bet-
ter churches.

CHAPTER XXV.

FOURTH PERIOD. (1880-1904.)

METHODISM AND EDUCATION,

It is characteristic of the spirit of Methodism that
among the first things the Church thought of and planned
for was a great Christian institution to be called "Simp-
son University," to be located in the city of Omaha.
During the first session of the Nebraska Territorial Leg-
islature, in the winter of 1855, the following charter was
procured :

AN ACT

To incorporate Simpson University.

Section i. Be it enacted by the Council and House
of Representatives of the Territory of Nebraska, that
Rev. W. H. Goode, J. H. Hopkins, W. D. Gage, Charles
Elliott, Moses F. Shinn, Thomas Benton, Jr., O. B. Sel-
den, John B. Robinson, Mark W. Izzard, Thomas B.
Cuming, Charles B. Smith, W. N. Byers, and J. P. Buck-
ingham, with their associates and successors, be, and are
hereby erected a body politic and corporate, by the name
and style of Simpson University, at Omaha, Nebraska.
For the present the aforesaid individuals shall constitute
a Board of Trustees.

Sec. 2. The object of said corporation shall be the
promotion of the general interests of education, and to
qualify students to engage in the several pursuits and
30 465

466 History of Nebraska Methodism.

employments of society, and to discharge honorably and
usefully the various duties of life.

That this action was taken prior to the organization
of the Church in Omaha or anywhere else in the Terri-
tory, as is probable, and before a single church or par-
sonage building had been erected, and when there were
not to exceed 300 members in the entire Territory of Ne-
braska, is creditable as indicating the interest the Church
always took in the work of Christian education. And
that this enterprise was not merely local, is shown by
the following report which was adopted at the first ses-
sion of the Kansas and Nebraska Conference, in October,
1856:

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION.

Your Committee to whom was referred the subject of
education in this Conference, have had the same under
consideration, and beg leave to present the following as
their report :

We are gratified in being able to present to this Con-
ference the fact that our brethren in Nebraska Territory
have taken such initiatory steps as to secure the passage
of an act of incorporation for the "Simpson University,"
located at or near Omaha City, the capital of Nebraska
Territory, and that the trustees of said institution have
been presented with the generous donation of fifty acres
of ground, from Rev. Moses F. Shinn, of the Iowa An-
nual Conference, now residing in Omaha, and twenty-
five acres more, from Hon. T. B. Cuming, secretary of
the Territory of Nebraska, lying adjacent to the town
plat of Omaha City, now worth not less than one hundred
dollars per acre, as the permanent site of the university,

History of Nebraska Methodism. 467

and for university purposes ; and the title to the same
will be confirmed to the said Board of Trustees for that
object; therefore,

Resolved, First, That each presiding elder be re-
quested and is hereby instructed and authorized by this
Conference, to give especial attention to the subject of
education, and where lands and tenements can be se-
cured by donation for educational purposes they take
such measures as may be necessary to secure, in fee sim-
ple, such lands for sites of seminaries or universities, and
their building and endowment by legislative action and
otherwise.

Second. That as a Conference we will co-operate
with the Board of Trustees of Simpson University as far
as practicable in their efforts to establish and sustain a
first-class university at Omaha City, Nebraska Territory,
by our patronage and otherwise.

I. F. Collins, Chairman.

Defective titles and consequent litigation defeated this
first enterprise.

Another enterprise was projected in 1857 at Oreapo-
lis, just south of the Platte, and near its mouth. Besides
the mdorsement of the Conference, Oreapolis Seminary
had the backing of some of the wisest and strongest men
of Methodism outside the Territory, among them Pro-
fessor George Loomis, a leading educator, and Hon. John
Evans, who had already borne a conspicuous part in the
founding of Evanston, Illinois, which was named after
him, and the establishment of the great Northwestern
University at that place, and who was afterward Gov-
ernor of Colorado, and contributed largely to the found-

468 History of Nebraska Methodism.

ing of Denver University. Even Dr. John Dempster, first
president of Garrett Biblical School, proposed to become
responsible for a theological school as a department if
ten students could be found. But these men themselves
soon saw that the enterprise was premature and with-
drew, and soon after, the Conference withdrawing its
support, the school was abandoned.

Though this second effort proved abortive, the Con-
ference still maintained the receptive mood assumed as
we have seen at the first session of their Conference, with
standing instructions to pastors and presiding elders to
be on the lookout for opportunities to locate an institu-
tion of learning. And if propositions from ambitious
towns inviting the Church to locate its educational institu-
tion in their community could be regarded as opportuni-
ties, there were many such in the first twenty-five years
of her history. But in almost every case this very ambi-
tion defeated the project by insisting that the institution
should be a university or, at the very least, a college.

A typical case of this kind was the proposition from
Peru, under the leadership of Rev. H. Burch, the pastor,
backed by the Church and the leading citizens of the
place. A generous offer was made on condition that the
Church would establish a school of college grade. This
the Conference refused to do deeming such an under-
taking premature and unwise, but offered to accept the
proposition on the basis of an institution of seminary
grade. But as the subscriptions of the people of Peru
had been made on the basis of a college, the citizens de-
clined the Conference proposal and offered their bonus
to the State for the establishment of a normal school,
and it was accepted.

HisTORv OF Nebraska ]\Iethodism.

469

There are few places of any importance in the eastern
portion of the State which did not during the first twen-
ty-five years make a definite proposition of some kind,
or were in some way considered in relation to the loca-
tion of a school. ]Many private enterprises were begun
by Methodist ministers or laymen, and these were con-
stantly knocking at the door of the Conference for adop-
tion as Conference schools, or at
least some kind of recognition.
Among these private enterprises may
be mentioned the Nemaha Collegiate
Institute, by Professor J. M. Mc-
Kenzie, who afterward served the
State as State Superintendent of In-
struction, and the Church in connec-
tion with York College; a seminary
at Nebraska City, by Rev. P. T. Ken-
ney ; at Factoryville, on the Weep-
ing Water, by Mrs. Nichols ; at Fre-
mont, by Rev. IMcndenhall ; at Os-
ceola, Rev. J. J. Fleharty established
Nebraska Weslevan University,
which, on the location of the seminary at York, he re-
moved to Fullerton. Having failed to secure adoption
by the Nebraska Conference, he still hoped he might
find favor with the North Nebraska Conference, but in
this he also failed, and the Fullerton school was aban-
doned when the Central City School was established.

Thus there was scarcely a session of the Conference
that this matter of the duty of the Church to establish a
school of some kind was not considered. In 1870, in
order evidently immediately to affect something along

Professor J. M.
McKenzie,

First Principal of State
Normal School, and
second State Super-
intendent of Public
Instruction.

470

History of Nebraska Methodism.

this line the following action was taken : "That a com-
mittee of six members be appointed to receive applica-
tions for the location of one or two schools, to be under
the control and patronage of the Conference, but for
which no financial responsibility shall be assumed, said
committee to report at the State Convention" (which had
been provided for). Not being ready to report at the

convention the committee obtained
leave to report to the succeeding Con-
ference at Lincoln, which they did
as follows : "Propositions have been
received from Papillion, Bellevue,
4jC . Jlr Lincoln, Pawnee City, Weeping

fltei^B^ Water, and Ashland, each of which

^^H^^^Tv has its advantages." Of these it was
^^B^^^^t _ decided that the choice lay between

Ashland and Bellevue. In view of
existing numerical and financial con-
ditions it was still deemed inexpe-
dient to attempt to locate a college,
but nine trustees were appointed and empowered to ac-
cept propositions for a seminary. But at the session of
1872 the trustees reported that no acceptable proposition
had been received. They were continued and instructed
to meet at the Methodist church at Lincoln on the first
Tuesday of the following October, and if practicable
make final choice of a location. This Board was com-
pelled to report to the Conference of 1873 that they had
not been able to fix on any location for a Conference
seminary, but it was resolved "that we will never cease
our efforts to build an institution of learning, such as
the times demand, until crowned with abundant success."

Rev. J. J. Fleharty,
A. M.,

Pioneer Educator.

History of Nebraska Methodism.

471

But before that success was achieved the dreadful grass-
hopper scourge of 1874-77 intervened, making the post-
ponement of the long-cherished object to a later date
necessary.

In 1879, however, the Conference established a sem-
inary at York, Nebraska, with Rev. E. Thomson as prin-
cipal. Thus, while Nebraska Methodism had from the
first year of its organized existence watched prayerfully
and carefully for an opportunity to establish an institu-
tion of learning and actually made one attempt, and en-
tertained a large number *of propositions from ambitious
towns, the Church did not really, in
an official way, adopt an institution
till its membership had reached above
ten thousand and the population of
the State had reached 450,000. This
seeming failure during the first
twenty-five years of her history to
formally enter the educational field,
was not the result of indifference, or
a want of appreciation of its impor-
tance, but all efforts prior to 1879
were premature, the population and
membership being insufficient in
numbers, and what there were being incapable by reason
of financial limitations to sustain even a seminary. But
from now on she has had from one to three in the
field.

York Seminary continued to prosper, and in 1883
the grade was raised to that of college. In 1885
Rev. R. N. McKaig, D. D., succeeded Dr. Thomson as
president.

Rev. R. N. McKaig,

President of York Col-
lege.

472 History of Nebraska Methodism.

In 1884, three years after its organization, the North
Nebraska Conference appointed J. B. Maxfield, N. H.
Gale, D. Marquette, J. L. St. Clair, William Worley, J.
Fowler, J. B. Leedom, a commission with power to act,
and instructed them to locate and establish a seminary
within ninety days. The commission met at Fremont,
and from a number of propositions accepted the one from
Central City, and established a seminary. A building
worth $10,000 was erected, and Rev. J. B, Maxfield,
D. D., was elected president.

In 1885, by the action of the Conference, it was raised
to the grade of a college, and named Nebraska Central
College.

The institution prospered, and the attendance in-
creased from about thirty the first year to one hundred
and fifty at one time. In 1887, Dr. J. B. Maxfield re-
signed the presidency on account of broken health and
D. Marquette was elected to succeeed him. But the task
proved too much for his physical strength, and he, too,
was compelled to resign in 1888, and was succeeded by
Rev. J. W. Shenk. He soon resigned and was followed
by Rev. H. A. Crane, and he by F. W. Ware.

In 1886 Rev. Allen Bartley and others founded the
town of Bartley in the Republican Valley, and estab-
lished Mallalieu University, with a view to its ultimate
adoption by the West Nebraska Conference, and Edward
Thomson was called to the presidency. While it was
never formally adopted by the West Nebraska Confer-
ence, it was so far recognized as to be authorized to send
representatives to the commission that was to unify the
educational interests of the State.

History of Nebraska Methodism. 473

unification.

Thus in 1886, there were three colleges, one in each
Conference, struggUng for existence. The York and
Central City institutions were within thirty-five miles of
each other, and each was burdened with debt, and being
Conference schools were limited to their respective Con-
ferences for patronage and support. The struggle seemed
liopeless and the prospect for building up a strong, high-
grade institution of learning, worthy of the Church of
John Wesley, seemed to many remote, if ever attainable.
IMallalieu, while possessing a pretentious title, had not
even been formally adopted by the Church.

This was the educational situation when Bishop Fow-
ler came into the State to preside over the three Con-
ferences then existing. He found that Nebraska Meth-
odism was already the victim of a tendency to the undue
multiplication of institutions, each Conference insisting
on having its own high-grade school of learning. This
makes it impossible for either to realize the best results
in the establishment of a strong institution.

Bishop Fowler proceeded to lay the matter before the
three Nebraska Conferences over which he presided. The
result was the following concurrent action, which orig-
inated in the North Nebraska Conference, that being
held first that year, and was adopted by the other two :

Resolved, That while there is so much reason for re-
joicing because of zeal for our educational interests, we
also desire to guard against the disaster sure to come
from undue multiplication, within narrow territorial
limits, of institutions of learning of the same grade ; and,
in order to secure the unification of our educational work
in the State of Nebraska, therefore we, as a Conference,

474 History of Nebraska Methodism.

request our presiding bishop to appoint a committee of
five, to act with a committee of the same number from
each of the other Nebraska Conferences together with
Bishops C. H. Fowler, Thos. Bowman, H. W. Warren,
and C. D. Foss, as a joint commission, to take such action
toward this unification as they may deem proper. And
we also request Bishop Fowler, as chairman of said com-
mittee, to invite this suggested action on the part of these
Conferences and the co-operation of these aforemen-
tioned bishops.

Resolved, That the Board of Trustees of Nebraska
Central College be requested to appoint three of their
number to represent them in the commission to consider
the unification of our educational work in the State of
Nebraska.

Besides the four bishops named, the following per-
sons were appointed on the commission :

CONFERENCES.

Representing the North Nebraska Conference : Rev.
J. W. Shenk, Rev. J. W. Phelps, Rev. A. Hodgetts, L.
H. Rogers, A. J. Anderson.

Representing the West Nebraska Conference: Rev.
T. B. Lemon, D. D., Rev. h. Stevens, Rev. W. C. Wil-
son, Rev. G. W. Martin, Rev. P. C. Johnson.

Representing the Nebraska Conference: Rev. W. G.
Miller, D. D., Rev. C. F. Creighton, D. D., Rev. H. T.
Davis, Hon, J. W. Small, Hon. C. C. White.

COELEGES.

Representing the "Nebraska Central College:" Rev.
J. B. Maxfield, D. D., Rev. David Marquette, Hon. N.
R. Persinger.

History of -Nebraska AIethodism. 475

Representing "]\Iallalieu University" Rev. L. H.
Eddleblute, Rev. Jas, Leonard, Rev, Allen Bartley.

Representing the "Alethodist Episcopal College of
Nebraska:" Rev. R. N. McKaig, F. K. Atkins, F. L.
INIayhew.

The Commission met at the call of Bishop Fowler, at
Lincoln, Nebraska, December 15th. and continued in ses-
sion three days. All the members were present, includ-
ing Bishops Bowman and Warren. Bishops Fowler and
Foss could not be present. The following telegram ex-
plains the absence of Bishop Fowler: "Chicago, Illinois,
December 16, 1886. — Two days lost by two derailings.
Baggage just in from wreck. Can not reach you. \'ery
sorry."

Bishop Bowman was elected chairman of the com-
mission.

After a careful consideration of all the interests in-
volved, the following plan of unification was adopted:

PI^AN OF AGREEMENT FOR THE UNIFICATION OF OUR COIv-
LEGES IN A UNIVERSITY IN NEBRASKA.

First. — That trustees, to be hereafter appointed, se-
cure a charter for a university to include as contributory
or allied institutions the schools and colleges at present
or hereafter coming under the control of the Methodist
Episcopal Church in Nebraska.

Second. — That all schools or colleges, which are now
or may hereafter become the property of the Methodist
Episcopal Church in Nebraska shall be under the con-
trol of the University trustees, but all the property, real,
personal, or m.ixed, shall be held and controlled by their
own local boards of trustees.

476 History of Ne;eraska Methodism.

Third. — The first Board of University Trustees shall
consist of seven trustees, from within the boundaries of
each Conference in Nebraska to be appointed by this
commission, and approved by the several Conferences to
which they belong, and that hereafter the trustees shall
consist of seven persons from each and every Confer-
ence, elected in four annual classes by their respective
Conferences. The persons thus elected by the several
Conferences shall constitute the local boards of the sev-
eral colleges within the bounds of their respective Con-
ferences.

These several local boards of trustees to hold and
control the property of each college as above provided,
and each local board may nominate so many additional
members as each separate Conference may determine to
elect, who, in addition to said local board, shall perform
the duties of said local trustees.

Fourth. — Duties of the University and College
Trustees.

(a) The University Trustees to have and hold all
property belonging to the University proper, and to
manage the afifairs of the same.

(b) To determine the course of study, text books to
be used, systems of grading, and to do all such other
work as appertains to the general educational interests
of the allied colleges. Providing that each college elect
its own faculty and arrange for its own internal dis-
cipline.

All other powers remain with the local boards of
trustees as defined by their charters and by-laws.

Fifth. — Any school or college existent, or that may
come under the charter of the University, shall be en-

History of Nebraska Methodism. 477

titled to retain its college name, to acquire property to be
held for the benefit of such college., to teach regular
preparatory and collegiate studies, as far as the end of
sophomore year of the university course, and to confer
academic and normal degrees. The colleges of the uni-
versity shall have the same courses of study, use the
same text-books, and students of one college shall be en-
titled to enter the same grade and rank in any college
of the university, on certificate of standing, without ex-
ammation.

Amendment to Article Fifth.

The clause in Art. 5 of the above which reads, "as
far as the end of the sophomore year," etc., shall be un-
derstood to be so interpreted that any college of this uni-
versity may be graded in its classical curriculum in every
detail, so that its classical- senior year of graduation shall
not be graded higher than the end of the sophomore year
of the classical course of the university.

The following addition was adopted :

The Board of Trustees shall make the grade of the
university equal to that of any Methodist university in
the United States.

WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY.

Having traced the steps by which, by a process of
evolution, this institution came into being, the plan under
which it was founded, the subsequent history of its
growth and development, contains so much of thrilling
interest and far-reaching influence, that a somewhat de-
tailed treatment seem.s justified.

Broadly speaking, it may be said that the first ten or
twelve years of her history covered a period of as many

■«i^?!

C. F. Creighton, D. D.
First Chancelloi-.

"^1^

^ 7

Isaac Crook, D. D.
Second Chancellor.

D. W. C. Huntington, D. D.
Present Chancellor.

479

480 History of Nebraska Methodism.

and as great financial difficulties as any of our schools
have ever been called to face. We began at the close of
an unprecedented boom, in which all values were enor-
mously inflated, and the notions of nearly all men were
even still more inflated. While the original proposition
included a $50,000 building to be erected and paid for
by the people of Lincoln, local pride, and the still pre-
vailing boom ideas, led to the selection of a plan costing
$70,000. It was still thought we could realize on some
real estate enough over and above the bonus ofifered to
provide for the extra $20,000. But after the contract was
let, and the building was in process of construction, it
was found that the boom had spent itself, the reaction
had set in, the bottom fell out, and everybody wanted to
sell and no one wanted to bviy. This sudden and unex-
pected turn in the tide made it more difficult for the Lin-
coln people to collect or pay their pledges for the build-
ing fund, or for the trustees to realize on the real estate
set apart for the extra $20,000. Money for building
ceased to come in, and local banks refused to advance
any more. A crisis of such seriousness was reached
that a meeting of the Board of Trustees was hastily
called. The greatness of the peril found expression in
the language of the following telegram from Dr. Creigh-
ton to Bishop Warren, a member of the board : "We
are hanging by the eyelids, be sure and come." When
the trustees met and the situation was considered, the
emergency, while serious, was not thought to be one
arising from the lack of ultimate resources, but a tem-
porary inability to raise the cash needed to finish the
building. With 800 lots contiguous to the campus, val-
ued at an average of not less than $300, and several

GOVERNOR J. H. MICKEY.
President Board of Trustees.

482 History of Nebraska Methodism.

thousand dollars worth of lots in Peck's Grove and other
parts of the city, over and above the Lincoln pledge of
$50,000, it was thought that the emergency could be met
by the purchase by the trustees and others of enough of
these lots, and giving their notes, secured by these, and
thus furnish paper that could be used as collateral se-
curity, and on this get the banks to carry them through
financially. No doubt was entertained that if we had
time we could realize enough cash out of sales of real
estate at these boom prices to pay the balance needed
over and above Lincoln's $50,000. The emergency was
promptly met in this way by Bishop Warren generously
offering to secure a loan of $5,000, and also to purchase
$5,000 worth of real estate, on condition that the other
members of the board make purchases as they were able.
This they all did, and the means to finish the building
was thus secured, but at the financial loss of every in-
vestor, there never having been a time since, until now,
that they could have gotten half what was paid by them
for their lots. Nor could the extra lots be sold. The
result was that instead of starting out in our career with a
building paid for, as contemplated, we were about $25,000
in debt, the one cause of all our subsequent troubles. Like
thousands of others at that time, it seemed impossible
for the trustees to divest themselves of the notion that
the boom prices were to continue forever, and all our
plans involving the expenditure of money were made on
that basis. When we could and did appraise our lots at
an average of $300 per lot, making a total valuation of
$240,000, there did not seem to be any demand for rigid
economy, but the face of the facts seemed to justify a
liberal policy. Hence we at the first fixed the chancellor's

J. M. STEWART
Secrktar-i .

48.'.

484 History of Nebraska Methodism.

salary at $3,000, and the other members of the Faculty at
about $1,000 to $1,200. It may be safely said that few
other Methodist institutions ever started out on such a
munificent scale.

But the tide had turned and was moving in an ad-
verse direction at a rapid rate. It soon became impos-
sible to transform our real estate into productive endow-
ment, as was contemplated, and as might readily have
been done but for the unforeseen bursting of the boom
and consequent depreciation of our real estate along with
all other of like nature, until it became unsalable at any
price. A lingering faith in the outcome induced many
of the faculty to take our lots in part payment of salaries,
but in spite of this generous action, there was an increas-
ing" deficit from year to year, which added to the nine per
cent interest we were paying on our notes, the debts kept
growing, and soon passed the limit of $25,000, as fixed
by the charter. In the meanwhile the financial situation
throughout the country was growing worse. Banks were
breaking in every' direction, and many private individuals
and firms were going under. Cotner University, of the
Christian denomination, established a year after Wes-
leyan, and about a mile distant, was compelled to go into
bankruptcy, and the Episcopal Church deemed it inex-
pedient to rebuild their school after its loss by fire. The
remarkable thing about this whole matter is, not that a
debt was contracted, and allowed to grow to alarming
proportions, but that under the awful stress of financial
storm under which her infancy and youth were passed
during the first ten or twelve years of her history, that
she weathered the storm, was kept in the field and up to
a high grade of efficiency, and the debt kept down to a

REV. E. E. HOSMAN.
Financial Secretary, 1900-1901.

485

486

History of' Nebraska Methodism.

manageable point, so that at the first opportunity, when
a changed financial condition made it possible, the debt
could be and was paid.

In this connection historical justice requires that the
chief factors in this glorious consummation should be

mentioned, being Dr.
D. W. C. Hunting-
ton, Chancellor; Gov.
J. H. Mickey, who
besides giving $6,000,
gave much of his
time in personal can-
vass of the State, and
Bishop McCabe. Be-
sides these, E. E.
H o s m a n rendered
valuable service as
Financial Secretary,
and Mrs. C. C.
White, who gave $5,-
100. Under the in-
spiration of this lead-
ership and this giving
the Methodists of Ne-
braska were led to lay
upon the altar enough to pay the last penny of the old
indebtedness, and under the efficient leadership of Field
Secretary Dr. G. W. Isham has since paid every dollar
of its current expenses, besides making many needed im-
provements and repairs. There have also been erected and
paid for at a cost of $7,000, a heating plant and gymna-
sium and botanical conservatory. Then there is now in

George W. Isham, D. D.
Field Secretary and Treasurer.

History of Nebraska Methodism.

487

process of construction a Conservatory of Alusic to cost,
when completed, $50,000, one wing of which is now com-
pleted and paid for at a cost of $16,000,

The financial history of this great institution would
not be complete without the mention of the fact that
through the influence
of Bishop Warren,
Jacob Haish, who
had already given
$50,000 to build and
equip a manual train-
ing school for Denver
University, was in-
duced to do likewise
for Nebraska Wes-
leyan University. Ac-
cordingly a fine build-
ing was erected for
this purpose on the
campus. Negotia-

tions for the insur-
ance were held with
dififerent insurance
companies for the
proper insurance of

this building, but the rates demanded seemed so exorbi-
tant that those responsible for this part of the business
hesitated to pay the rates. This happened to be a case
where to hesitate was to be lost. For unhappily, before
any agreement could be reached and the property in-
sured, it took fire from some unknown cause and was en-
tirely destroyed.

C. C. V^HITE.

Former President Board of Trustees.

488 History of Nebraska Methodism.

There was some talk of rebuilding the "Haish," but
as Mr. Haish himself naturally declined to furnish the
money, the pressure of debt and adverse financial condi-
tions made the project impossible.

But financial and moral confidence have been seem-
ingly completely restored, and the future of Nebraska
Wesleyan is assured, and her expanding needs in the
way of additional endowments and additional buildings
will in due time be met by the generous men and women
who are interested in the cause of Christian education.

After this somewhat detailed statement of the finan-
cial and material side of this history, which in the nature
of things must always be a very important feature in the
early periods of the existence of such institutions, when
income is small and expenses are great, often involving
from a quarter to a half a century of struggle, seems jus-
tified by the unique conditions through which we have
reached the final victory. It is due, however, to the
Board of Trustees to say that at the very first every pre-
caution possible was taken to start the institution out on
its career free of debt arising from any expense of build-
ing, and the creation of productive endowment through
the sale of lots and pledges from the people such as
would amply provide for the payment of current ex-
penses. That these expectations and plans were not
realized was no fault of the trustees, but was the result
of changes in conditions that no one but the Omniscient
could foresee.

The other phases of Wesleyan 's history may be
briefly summed up. Dr. Charles F. Creighton seemed to
many, when the plan was consummated, to be the ideal
man to serve as chancellor, and put the plan in operation.

History of Nebraska Methodism. 4S9

Accordingly he was elected the first chancellor, and pro-
ceeded with vigor and enthusiasm to inaugurate the great
enterprise. In many respects he was well suited to Lhe
work. He was certainly a great preacher, with no little
ability as an organizer. He had a great opportunity,
and realized it, and seemed determined to make the most
of it. But just at that juncture there was needed at the
head of affairs a man, that while vigorously pushing the
inauguration of the new plan should also in marked de-
gree possess a spirit and tact calculated to bring into line
the doubting ones and conciliate the antagonistic.
Neither of these did Dr. Creighton possess in such meas-
ure as to enable him to meet this demand under the con-
ditions then prevailing. After several years of strenuous,
and in many ways, successful, effort in behalf of the
school, he in June, 1893, resigned, and the following
August Dr. Isaac Crook was elected Chancellor.

Dr. Crook was a dignified, cultured, and scholarly
man, and as such was pre-eminent'y an educator. He
was well adapted to manage the internal affairs of an in-
stitution already established and endowed, and did intro-
duce a number of improvements in the methods of work.
He also did much to allay the feeling of bitterness aroused
during the preceding years. The work that was urgentlv
needed at that time was not at all to his taste, and Dr.
Crook gracefully retired after three years of honorable
and efficient service along the lines for which he was
adapted, leaving the institution in much better condition
in many ways than he found it. He was soon called to
the honorable position of president of the Ohio State
University.

After an interregnum of two years, during which

490 History of Nebraska Methodism.

matters went rapidly from bad to worse, the Ellinwood
defalcation being detected about that time, we found
right in our midst the man for the hour, in the person of
Dr. D. W. C. Huntington, who was elected Chancellor.
After many years of distinguished service in the old
Genesee Conference, in New York, which sent him sev-
eral times as one of her delegates to the General Confer-
ence, he was transferred to Nebraska Conference in Oc-
tober, 1 89 1, to take charge of the new and promising
Trinity Church enterprise in Lincoln. It is a high com-
pliment to Dr. Huntington that at a great crisis, when
the school needed a wise man to save it from its financial
perils, and restore the confidence and respect of the pub-
lic, lost through the defalcations of its trusted treasurer,
C. M. Ellinwood, all turned spontaneously to him as the
one man whose wisdom could guide us safely through the
financial breakers, and whose high moral character, which
had become recognized throughout the entire State, could
reinstate our institution in the confidence of the people,
which must be done if we were to live at all. At a meet-
ing of the trustees, called for the purpose of electing a
chancellor, immediately after convening, and without
waiting for a nomination by any committee. Dr. Hunt-
ington was unanimously elected chancellor, notwithstand-
ing he himself earnestly protested against the action.

It is not too much to say that this was a turning point
in the history of the Nebraska Wesleyan University, and
that ever since the tide has moved steadily in the direc-
tion of increasing prosperity, confidence has been not
only entirely regained, but is to-day greater than it has
even been.

While it was intended that the other schools should

History of Nebraska AIethodism. 491

keep in the field as subordinate departments of the Uni-
versity, confining themselves chiefly to preparatory work,
though allowed at their option to carry that work as far
as the sophomore year of the university course, attention
and effort were so largely concentrated on the new en-
terprise as to operate to the immediate disadvantage of
all the others. Besides, the immediate patronizing territory
of the York College, the oldest and strongest, coincided
with that on which the new institution must mainly de-
pend. Then there was naturally a feeling of disappoint-
ment that York should not have been made the one uni-
versity, but instead, her grade was reduced virtually to
that of a seminary. Added to this wounded pride, and
discouragement incident to defeat, hard times set in and
many who had pledged help or had been in the habit of
doing so, refused to pay old pledges or make new ones,
on the score that the conditions had changed and there
was no use trying to keep up the subordinate schools.
The conditions resulted in tlie closing of both the York
and Central City schools in a few years.

Two preparatory schools were afterward adopted by
the Universit}-. one at Douglas, within thirty miles of
Lincoln, and one at Orleans. The first soon died be-
cause it ought never to have been. The one at Orleans
supplied a real need for all the southwestern part of the
State and deserved success. It flourished a few years
under the principalship of Prof. J. L. ^IcBrien, but suc-
cumbed to the adverse financial conditions caused by gen-
eral depression, and especially by the drouth.

This left the entire field to the Nebraska Wesleyan
University, and nobly has she done the work. Under
the successive chancellorships of Drs. C. F. Creighton,

492 History of Nebraska Methodism.

Isaac Crook, and I). W. C. Huntington, a -steady growth
has been maintained. Beginning with less than one hun-
dred students, the number has increased to over seven
hundred at present.

Alhision has been made to the defalcation of our treas-
urer, and as this sad fact has been much misunderstood
historical justice requires a brief statement of the oc-
currence. Professor Ellinwood was among the first men
elected to our Faculty, he coming to us from Simpson
Centenary College, in Iowa, and taking charge of the de-
partment of natural science. He was a master in his de-
partment, and would have succeeded had he not gone
into banking and other business projects, by which he
became involved financially. He was withal an expert
accountant, and such was the implicit confidence all had
in his business and moral integrity, that he was soon made
deputy treasurer, and afterward treasurer. Doubtless
this confidence in his honesty and skill as an accovuitant
made the Board of Trustees less careful in auditing his
accounts, and his confidence in his own ability as an ac-
countant tempted him to abuse this sacred confidence of
his brethren and to begin and carry on a series of frauds
which he skillfully kept covered up for years, deceiving
not only the trustees, but also the officials of different
banks, among which were the First National of Lincoln,
a leading bank in Burlington, Iowa, and Windom Bank
of University Place. He was tried and expelled from
the ministry and membership of the IMethodist Church,
but escaped criminal prosecution on the part of the au-
thorities of the State. While the defalcation was at first
about $34,000, Ellinwood turned over certain properties
which reduced the loss to $27,000, and by equitable ad-

History of Nebraska Methodism. 493

justments made by the trustees with the several banks in-
volved, the net loss to the University was reduced to
about $7,500, or less than one-fourth of the original
amount.

In the meanwhile, through all these changes and vary-
ing experiences, the school was doing most excellent
work, being able to keep in the field an able corps of
teachers. The attendance has steadily increased almost
from the first, beginning with niney-six the first year,
and reaching the present year over seven hundred. There
has been a total of 179 graduates from the College of
Liberal Arts. The normal department has for a number
of years been among the few normal schools that have
measured up to the demands- of the State, and received
for its graduates from the State superintendent. State
certificates on an equality with the State Normal school
at Peru.

Indeed all* the departments have been well manned
from the first, the course of study comparing favorably
with that of our best institutions. Even in the more ex-
pensive departments, as in the chemical laboratory, im-
provements have constantly been made and the latest
appliances have been procured.

The tract of ground surrounding the campus which
fifteen years ago was farm land, has grown to be a thrifty
village of nearly, or quite, 2,000 inhabitants. While vir-
tually a suburb of Lincoln, with street car service every
fifteen minutes, and a five-cent fare to any part of the
city, they have wisely maintained their own separate
municipal government, rigidly excluding all places of
vice, thus protecting the students from the degrading in-
fluences which prevail in our cities and many of our

villages.
32

494 History o^ Nebraska Methodism.

Not only in this negative way have the youth who
flock to the Nebraska Wesleyan for instruction been pro-
tected from positive immoral influences, but there has
grown up a strong Methodist Church with over eight
hundred members, being the second largest church in
the State. But not only is it strong numerically, but it
is one of the most spiritual Churches in the Connection.
A Church that maintains its spiritual power throughout
the year, where at every testimony meeting two to five
are on their feet at once waiting their turn to speak, and
where revivals are liable to break out spontaneously at
any time, and seekers after salvation present themselves
at the altar for prayers. Where vigorous means of grace
for the intelligent culture and development of Christian
experience and character exist in a high state of effi-
ciency, and all the modern departments of a Methodist
working Church are in operation.

While it is true that the conversion of a youth in.
one of our city, village, or rural Churches, may be said
to double the probability of that youth seeking an educa-
tion at Wesleyan or elsewhere, so that over fifty per cent
of the students that enter all our institutions of learning,
including State schools, and about eighty per cent of
those coming to Wesleyan are professing Christians when
entering these schools, it is also true that the twenty per
cent of unconverted that come to Wesleyan are three
times more likely to be converted there than they would
if they had staid at home. If twenty per cent enter Wes-
leyan unconverted, only two per cent of those graduat-
ing remain unconverted.

If Nebraska Methodism was slow about getting at
its educational work, it has finally solved the problem of

History of Nebraska ^Iethodism. 495

Christian education in a most satisfactory way by the
estabHshment of an ideal school, surrounding it by a
highly moral communit\ , and supplementing' the power-
ful influences of the school itself by a strong spiritual
Church, thus creating well-nigh perfect conditions under
which our }outh may secure an education.

Among the laymen mentioned in connection with our
Wesleyan, and who are worthy of further mention, is
J. H. Mickey. Even before his elevation to the place of
Chief Magistrate of the State, he w^as one of the best
known and highly honored laymen of the State. This is
because John H. IVIickey always gave evidence of a gen-
uine piety, everywhere, and under all circumstances,
"witnessing a good confession," and living a pure life.
And under all circumstances the Church has found in him
a true friend, ready to help up to the extent of his ability.
And though he has been prosperous, both as a farmer
and banker, and later in politics, this prosperity has never
diminished his devotion to Christ and His Church.

After serving his country during the w^ar as a mem-
ber of an Iowa Regiment of Volunteer Cavalry, he came
to Nebraska in 1869, settling on a homestead in Polk
County, and at the organization of the county, soon after,
he was appointed county treasurer, to which position he
was afterwards elected a number of terms.

It is characteristic of this devoted layman, that Father
Query, the local preacher who planted Methodism in
Polk County, found a hearty welcome to the home of
John H. Mickey, where he organized the first class in
that county, and that Wm. Worley should report that
out of the eleven dollars received on the West Blue Mis-
sion in 1869, J. H. Mickey paid five, and that during a

496 History of Nebraska Methodism.

great revival held at Osceola, by J. O. A. Fleharty, J. H.
Mickey was one of the most earnest and efficient lay
workers, leading his friends and neighbors to Christ.

It may be truthfully said that every Methodist pastor
that has served the Church at Osceola has found in
Brother Mickey a true personal friend, and in some cases
that friendship has continued to the pastor's family, after
he has died. The first time the writer met Governor
Mickey to know him was just after the death of S. P.
Van Doozer, who had been his pastor at Osceola, and
he was then busy settling up the estate, endeavoring to
save as much as possible for the widow and fatherless
children.

These and other incidents that might be mentioned,
occurring before he came into prominence in Church and
State, best show his true character, and explain in part
why he has come into prominence.

Perhaps the moral and religious sides of his charac-
ter are too pronounced and are too rigidly applied to the
affairs of State to suit the average politician, but his up-
right principles and downright honesty suit the Meth-
odists, and indeed, all other decent people who believe in
an honest administration of the affairs of the State. We
think all the more of him because he has not allowed
any one to use him, and has never apologized for being
a Christian.

He has twice been elected lay delegate to the Gen-
eral Conference, and ever since the death of C. C. White,
he has, from year to year, been the unanimous choice of
the Trustees of the Nebraska Wesleyan for President of
the Board.

The Board of Trustees of the Nebraska Wesleyan

History of Nebraska Methodism. 497

University has had no more faithful and influential mem-
ber than J. AI. Stewart, who has been on the Board for
many years. Though a leading lawyer of Lincoln, with
a large practice, he still finds it possible, or makes it pos-
sible, to give much time to the affairs of the university.
It was largely due to his legal services that the institu-
tion was able to save so much out of the loss caused by
the Ellinwood defalcation.

It would be safe to say that besides much generous
giving directly, his legal services, the charge for which,
if any, has been merely nominal, have saved the institu-
tion many thousands of dollars.

C. C. White is another one of those strong laymen
who not only rendered valuable service to Nebraska Wes-
leyan at the time of its sorest need, but was a tower of
strength in the Church, and indeed, in all the walks of
life. Few men have touched humanity in more varied
and helpful ways than C. C. White. But I feel that an-
other pen will be far more able to do justice to this unique
character, unique, not in the sense of oddity or eccen-
tricity, but of a rare and well-proportioned combination
of well-nigh all the virtues.

But Dr. Isaac Crook, who came to know him in their
close official relations to Nebraska Wesleyan, shall speak
for me : "The outward story of his life need not be long
— true with all of us. He was born in Sylvania, near
Toledo, Ohio, February 24, 1843, ^^^ attended the com-
mon schools, also a local academy, till eighteen years of
age. He intended to become a teacher, but instead en-
listed in the Ninth Illinois Cavalry, and for three years
had the stern schooling of war — in camp-life and battle,
and for seven months in prison at Libby and Belle Isle.

498 History of Nebraska Methodism.

Exchanged, he returned to his regiment and served out
the term of his enhstment. In 1864 he settled near Ray-
mond, Nebraska, and engaged in farming, to support
his widowed mother and sisters. January 19, 1868, lie
married a teacher. Miss Olive A. Johnson, of Valparaiso.
In this marriage he found a helper in every excellence
and a large part of his life success.

"His intimate friends, such as saw most of his real
life, are his greatest admirers. Incidental glimpses,
when he could not be on guard, showed him at his best.
The real man grows on one by careful observation. It
may indicate how deeply and widely rooted was his life,
when we recall but his official relations. At home he was
class-leader, president of the Church Board of Trustees,
leader of the choir, Sunday-school superintendent, presi-
dent of the Young Men's Christian Association, president
of the Board of Education ; and he attended to all of
them. He had been president of the State Millers' As-
sociation ; was, at the time of his death, president of the
Veterans of the Ninth Illinois Cavalry, member of th.e
Board of the Central State Sunday-school Conrention,
president of the Crete Chautauqua Assembly, and presi-
dent of the Board of Trustees of the Nebraska Wesleyan
University. He attended to these several duties cheer-
fully and systematically, without hurtful neglect of private
business or domestic life. Surely he must have been
highly endowed with executive ability and inspired with
great philanthropy.

"He was a Methodist theoretically and practically ; but
many of his sweetest, most sacred fellowships were in
Churches difitering from his own most radically. His
love was too large for denominational fences. His cor-

History oj? Nebraska Methodism. 499

respondence, and the letters of sympathy written after his
death, reveal a widespread feeling of esteem, amounting-,
as one says, 'to a sentiment akin to reverence.' These
tribute-bearing letters are from clergymen, educators,
lawyers, physicians, merchants, millers, grain-dealers,
pastors of congregations in and out of his State, from
East and West, North and South. But the most signifi-
cant of all come from the unfortunate. Little wonder,
when we remember that he once said to his wife : 'How
can I sleep when there is under our roof a broken heart !'
It was the heart-break of a hired girl. Or he would say :
'I must at least go and shake hands wath the people in
that prairie schooner and speak an encouraging word.'
Or when a transient hired man would be overcome with
drink, he would try the man again, saying: 'Were I in
his place I might have done no better.' One such man
was under his care when he died ; and a poor Bohemian
woman, on hearing of his death, sat down in the street,
crying, as she said: 'I've lost the" best friend I had in
the world.' One closest to him in his office says, 'There
was scarcely a day without his giving relief privately.' •
"His gentleness did not mean weakness. His was
not the pliability of the willow, but of the palm, which
bends to the zephyr, yet withstands the simoon. Men
who undertook to dislodge from a right position by bribes
or threats, found cause for humiliation and shame. That
mild, blue eye could flash fire, and that kind face be set
as a helmet of steel. Though generous in his interpreta-
tions of men's motives, he read character accurately.
Like the Master, he condemned and forgave the sins of
weakness for which men were sorry, but his wrath was
unsparing towards hypocrisy.

500 History of Nebraska Methodism.

"The great honor of being the spiritual guide of Mr.
White and his wife fell to Rev. H. T. Davis, D. D. First,
he was their guest at Raymond, and, like sensible people,
they talked frankly on religion. In a year Davis returned
as presiding elder. Before he came Mr. White said,
'Wife, I fear I can't hold out much longer against Elder
Davis's preaching.' 'I also feel that way,' she said.
After the sermon on the following Sabbath night, invi-
tation was given for enquirers to go forward for prayer.

, His wife said, 'Let us go.' He replied, 'Do you wish to?'
'Yes.' 'All right.' And to that humble school-house altar
they went, and again were united in a holier bond than
ever. Here, as often, the wife was the leader, while he
was a willing follower and companion. She soon found
peace that floweth like a river. He held resolutely on,

' going three nights in succession, when he, too, entered
into peace, and said, 'Glory, glory, hallelujah!' Now,
after twenty-three years of service, he is with the in-
numerable company whose hallelujahs never end.

"He was elected senator for Saunders County in 1880.
During the same year he was honored as delegate to the
General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church,
held at Cincinnati. He moved to Crete, Nebraska, in
1888, where, as an enterprising leader in the milling
business, he prospered and became a blessing to the city
and State. After a brief illness, he died, September 20,
1895, just as he had come to the riper years of full ma-
turity."

Mrs. C. C. White, the widow of this true nobleman,
whom he always regarded as his equal and companion,
was in hearty sympathy with her husband in what he
was doing" for Wesleyan, and along other benevolent

History of Nebraska Methodism. 501

lines, and finds pleasure in carrying out his wishes as
well as her own, in the generous contribution of $5,000
to pay the debt. To her, in pursuit of the same purpose,
is largely due the stately new structure, the conservatory
of music, one wing of which is now approaching comple-
tion, as well as timely assistance in other improvements.

A. L. Johnson, the business partner of C. C. White in
the milling business at Crete, is another one of the true-
hearted laymen who have proved to Wesley an a "friend
indeed," because a "friend in need," who, besides con-
tributing largely to the payment of the debt, has gen-
erously aided the erection and furnishing of the new
gymnasium, and also of the conservatory. He is an in-
fluential member of the Board of Trustees, and a mem-
ber of the Executive Committee, giving much valuable
time to the interests of the university.

Regarding the general subject of education, Nebraska
Methodism, in common with other evangelical denomina-
tions, with the exception of the Roman Catholic, holds
uncompromisingly to these views :

First, that every human being is entitled to the best
education possible, and that no education is complete that
ignores the moral and religious elements in human na-
ture.

Second, that the Church and State, having different
functions, are to be separate.

The first of these requires that the State, especially in
the case of a free Republic, provide through a public
school system, supported by taxation, an opportunity for
every boy and girl to be educated. But the second re-
stricts the State from exercising the function of the
Church in carrying on and directing the religious feature
of this education.

502 History of Nebraska Methodism.

That is, we say to the State, it is your duty to edu-
cate the people, but in doing so you must leave out the
most important elements.

Few, except the Catholics, question the practical
soundness of these seemingly contradictory positions.
But they give rise to one of the most difficult problems
the American people have to solve.

Hence Nebraska Methodism, in common with all
evangelical denominations, has recognized the fact that
her duty in reference to the work of education was two-
fold:

First, to help the State in its efforts to furnish the
best education it could, under the before mentioned re-
strictions, by supplying as many earnest Christian young
men and women to be teachers in the public schools as
possible.

Second, surrounding the State institutions with an
environment of positive moral and religious influences,
such as the State, under her restrictions, can not supply.

But, however much the Church may help the State
in its educational work, the State can never build up a
system or an institution that will impart a complete edu-
cation, according to our standard, and must therefore be
supplemented by denominational schools.

How much of the work of education can be safely en-
trusted to the State, and how much must be reserved for
other agencies?

How far can the State go in the recognition of the
Bible in the school, and where must it stop in the process
of education?

In regard to these questions, the Methodists of Ne-
braska hold that, as this is neither a non-Christian nor

History of Nebraska Methodism. 503

an infidel nation, but essentially a Christian nation, the
State may, in a general, non-sectarian way, allow the
Bible to be read in the schools. But it may not presume
to exercise the function of propagating any form of relig-
ion, or interfere in any manner with the religious life.

While the question of just where the dividing line is
to be drawn, beyond which the State may not go in the
direction of developing and directing the religious na-
ture, is not yet fully determined, two broad principles
are recognized :

First, that the State must, as far as it can consistently
with the second principle, supplement the home, and pri-
vate and denominational enterprises in the work of edu-
cation.

Second, that this same principle of the separation of
State and Church makes it impossible for the State to
furnish a complete education, according to the first prin-
ciple, and it must in turn be supplemented by the Church
with her denominational schools.

We are glad to say that the truth of history requires
us to record that Nebraska Methodism has done credit-
able work along both lines.

I am informed by Professor W. R. Jackson, ex-State
Superintendent of Public Instruction, and Professor J.
Iv. McBrien, present deputy, that a large percentage of
the public school teachers are Christian, and a large per-
centage of these are Methodist.

Then in the second line of helpfulness we have ren-
dered good service, as the history of the State University
and the State Normal School will show, when fully writ-
ten. As previously stated, the latter was at first intended
to be a Methodist school, and Hiram Burch, one of our

504 History of Nebraska Methodism.

most faithful Methodist preachers, and Professor Mc-
Kenzie, gave over two years' hard service to its building
up, and after failure to induce the Conference to take it,
because of certain conditions deemed impracticable, con-
sented to its being turned over to the State as a Normal.
In the chapter on the development of our Church in
Lincoln, reference was made to the magnificent services
rendered by St. Paul's Church, and especially by a band
of "elect ladies," led by Mrs. Roberts, in counteracting
the influence of certain infidel professors in the State
University, and supplying the requisite moral and relig-
ious environment for the students. Along the same line
the following extract from Hiram Burch's "Recollec-
tions," will show the immense influence Methodism has
exerted in shaping and giving a moral and even religious
tone to the State Normal, which was located at Peru m-
stead of a Methodist college, as at first designed : "It
may seem to the casual observer that the time spent, the
labor bestowed, and the sacrifice made in founding that
school was nearly or quite thrown away, at least so far
as our Church is concerned. But not so. Our .beloved
brother. Professor J. M. McKenzie, a devout Christian
and earnest Methodist, who had charge of the school dur-
ing its formative period, and without whose labors and
sacrifice it seems hardly possible that any degree of suc-
cess could have been attained, was still at the head of the
school after it was given to the State, and gave it that
religious trend which it has largely maintained during its
entire history. For instance, a Tuesday night students'
prayer-meeting was established, which was never inter-
fered with by other exercises, not even during commence-
ment week. In fact, the farewell students' prayer-meet-

History of Nebraska Methodism. 505

ing, at which students took a religious leave of each other,
and of their teachers, was an interesting and inspiring
feature of commencement week, and was kept up as long
as I was personally acquainted with the school, and is
still, so far as I know. And not only did they have their
student's prayer-meeting, but no exercises were held at
the Normal on the regular Church prayer-meeting
evening.

It was from the position as principal of the State
Normal that Professor McKenzie was called to be State
Superintendent, which position he held for six years.
Thus, indirectly, the founding of the school gave the
State the services of that godly man and competent and
successful educator, who, more perhaps than any other
man, laid the foundations of our public-school system,
and in so doing, emphasized the importance of the moral
and spiritual in education. The seat of the State Normal
school has been the scene of some very gracious revivals,
mainly in connection with the Methodist Church of that
place. Among the most successful of these, which ha^'c
been of almost annual occurrence, may be mentioned one
during the pastorate of Rev. L. F. Britt, when there were
about one hundred converts ; and of more recent date,
under the labors of that successful lay evangelist, Dr. B.
L. Paine, which occurred, I think, during the pastorate
of Rev. G. M. Gates, at which nearly or quite three hun-
dred were converted. These converts have been mostly
students, and largely from Methodist families. Several
of these have entered the work of the ministry in our
own Church and in other Churches. Some have gone as
missionaries to distant fields, some have become minis-
ters' wives, and many more have gone forth as Christian

5o6 History of Nebraska Methodism.

teachers, working in our public schools and institutions
of learning."

J. M. McKenzie was the pioneer Methodist educator
in Nebraska. We meet him first in the early sixties at
Pawnee City, endeavoring to plant an educational insti-
tution in that place, called "Nemaha Valley Seminary and
Normal Institute." But he was soon called to take charge
of the institution at Peru, referred to by Brother Burch,
while it was yet expected that it would be a Methodist
school, and remained at the head after it became a State
Normal. While here he was called to the State superin-
tendency, the second man to serve in that capacity. Prob-
ably few men who have occupied that position, have had
as much to do, or have actually done as much toward
organizing the public-school system of Nebraska, as did
J. M. McKenzie during the six years which he held that
important office. His efficiency is evidenced to some ex-
tent by the fact that his was the rare distinction of serv-
ing three terms in succession.

During all these years in which he was serving the
State, first in organizing its Normal school, and after-
ward the larger system of public schools, he was a de-
vout Christian, with a rich religious experience, which
gave tone and character to all his work on educational
lines. He afterwards rendered years of splendid serv-
ice to the Church at York College, and later went to
California.

Another of the pioneer educators was J. J. Fleharty.
He seemed to feel that his life work lay along educational
lines. Coming to Nebraska in the later seventies and
finding that nothing had been done officially along that
line, it seemed to him that this situation furnished him

History of Nebraska Methodism. 507

the opportunity to supply the long recognized need.
Looking over the field he selected Osceola as the most
suitable place and soon had that warm-hearted, stalwart
layman. John H. ]^lickey, as one of his stanch supporters.
He was doing faithful work in his line, but ere long he
was doomed to disappointment, the Conference soon after
choosing York as the seat of its Conference school.
Though disappointed, he was not daunted, and as we
have seen, tried again, selecting Fullerton. in the North
Nebraska Conference. But here also he was again dis-
appointed. Central City being chosen, and he was again
to see his plans miscarry.

No purer man, or one more unselfishly devoted to
what he deemed the call of God has ever wrought in the
Lord's vineyard in Nebraska. This is none the less true
because of these two defeats, and the consequent bitter
disappointment that followed, which, together with the
hard work involved, soon undermined his constitution.
He was in the meanwhile, engaged in literary pursuits,
publishing two books, the "Life of Rev. Asahel E.
Phelps" and "Social Impurity."

In 186 1 he was married to Miss Anna Brace, and in
all his subsequent labors she was a true "helpmeet."

This noble, toilful, sanctified life closed May 2. 1884,
at Tampa, Florida, whither they had gone in a vain hope
of prolonging his life.

CHAPTER XXVI.

FOURTH PERIOD. (1880-1904.)

SOME SUBORDINATE AGENCIES AND INSTITUTIONS.

It could not be otherwise than that the religion es-
tablished by our Lord, who Himself was constantly min-
istering to the whole man, feeding the hungry, healing
the sick, instructing the mind, and pardoning the guilty,
and regenerating the soul, should take on all the mani-
fold forms required by human nature, and continue to
minister to the whole man. Then the generous impulses
that are generated in the hearts of his disciples, eliminat-
ing selfishness, impelling by their gentle pressure, guided
by an intelligent perception of the need, must soon find
expression in suitable agencies and institutions for carry-
ing on these larger features of Christian work, and found
a hospital for the sick.

It is among the pleasant recollections of the writer
that, when pastor of the First Church, South Omaha, in
1890, at one of our preachers' meetings. Dr. D. A. Foole,
of Omaha, came before us and presented the matter for
the first time, and the truth of history requires the state-
ment that the inception of the movement is due to Dr.
Foote. A committee was appointed and the agitation
began and through varying stages of careful, prayerful
consideration, culminated in a tangible form the follow-
ing year.

508

Old Methodist Hospital at Omaha.

The New Methodist Hospital at Omaha.

509

5IO History of Nebraska Methodism.

That the matter should be approached captiously,
step by step, with no little hesitancy, and even some hon-
est opposition, was to be expected, for Omaha Meth-
odism was yet under the burden of debt, and ill prepared
to assume further financial responsibility.

The progress of this movement toward its blessed con-
summation is so well told by Brother Haynes,* that I
again quote him : "The making of a beginning was held
in reserve for the time being till the matter might be
further investigated. The most inquisitive were on the
alert seeking the while information. An opportunity
came unsought. Mrs. Lucy Rider Meyer, of Chicago,
who is reputed as the founder of training schools for
nurses in the Methodist Church, accompanied by her hus-
band, on their way to Denver, visited Omaha, and pre-
sented to a meeting held in the basement of the First
Methodist Church, some of the features of the work
necessary to the organization of a hospital. This begin-
ning was the occasion of an effort to commence work
looking to the establishment of a hospital and Deaconess
Home in this city. The intelligent and satisfactory pre-
sentation of the case bv these zealous advocates gave in-
spiration to not a few, and particularly the women pres-
ent were aroused so thoroughly as to incite them to
greater deeds.

The women — ^Irs. Haynes, Mrs. Claflin, Mrs. Aus-
tin, and Mrs. Bryant — pressed the matter with such ear-
nestness and solicitude that the pastors changed their
purpose as much as to agree that if $1,500 should be
raised as a guarantee of success, they would make no fur-
ther opposition. Dr. J. W. Shenk courageously sec-

■ History of Omaha Methodism.

512 History of Nebraska Methodism.

onded the presiding elder and the women in an endeavor
to make a trial.

In the meantime Dr. Gifford, who was the owner of
an infirmary on South Twentieth, near Harney Street,
learning of the effort being made, offered the building
which he had erected at his own expense, on the condi-
tion of an indebtedness of $1,900 being assumed and that
there be six rooms reserved for his patients — two for men
and two for women, and two besides, subject, however,
to the rules of the hospital. The Hospital A-ssociation ac-
cepted the proposition, and leasing the ground at $400 a
year, opened the institution on May 28, 1891, for the. re-
ception of patients.

On the same day and at the same place, the associa-
tion met and effected a permanent organization by elect-
ing Dr. J. W. Shenk president, and J. C. Cowgill secre-
tary. A constitution was adopted, and a committee ap-
pointed to secure the legal incorporation of the asso-
ciation. The name given the institution is the Methodist
Hospital and Deaconess Home of Omaha. On May 24th,
the hospital and home were dedicated by Bishop John P.
Newman.

"The opening of the hospital," says the Omaha Chris-
tian Advocate, "is an event of great interest. The asso-
ciation now owns property worth $10,000, on which there
is -an indebtedness of $1,900. There has been about
$1,500 subscribed for current expenses. The building
has capacity for twenty-eight beds."

From the date of the opening till the present a con-
tinuous good work has been done in caring for the sick,
maimed, and otherwise disabled ones. But the work of
caring for such as are admitted to the hospital can not

History of Nebraska Methodism. 513

be done without expense ; and provision had to be made
to meet the constantly accumulating outlay. To meet
this in part, it was deemed wise to make an inducement
for friends and citizens to contribute a small sum by of-
fering an equivalent. Hence, any one in health who may
pay into the treasury ten dollars at one time is entitled
to a yearly membership ticket, which allows the con-
tributor, in case of personal sickness, to be taken
care of without charge, during the year of making
the payment."

The growth and history of this blessed work are thus
briefly, but eloquently, summarized by Mrs. Allie P. Mc-
Laughlin, who has been superintendent from the first :
"The Hospital and Deaconess Home Association was or-
ganized thirteen years ago this March. We opened the
hospital the 28th day of May, 1891. We began to receive
our patients without any means on hand, but the Lord
has so prospered us, we have taken care of more than
nine thousand people, of whom one-third have been en-
tirely free. And to-day we have no debt. Our little
deaconess family of workers numbered three at first, but
now numbers forty-seven. We have been very much
cramped all of these years because of our limited quar-
ters. Thousands have been turned from our doors be-
cause we could not receive them for lack of room.

The spiritual part of this work is one of the leading
features, all of the workers being Christian people. The
hospital itself is a great mission field. There have been
a great many conversions as the months and years have
gone b}'.

The new building is now begun, the site paid for and
about half enough for a $110,000 building. Of the first

514 History of Nebraska Methodism,

workers who came thirteen years ago, two of ns yet re-
main, Miss Jennie Cavanaugh and myself."

While under Methodist auspices, its beneficence is not
confined to Methodist people, as will be seen by the fol-
lowing figures of a year's work, as appears from the an
nual report for 1901-02: No Church, 235; Methodist,
231 ; all other denominations, including sixty-three Cath-
olics, 420.

Besides the nursing in the hospital, involved in the
care of these patients, these nurses spent 26,872 hours
in nursing patients outside of the hospital.

On the lines of spiritual work they have visiting dea-
conesses, and many of our pastors will bear cheerful wit-
ness to their helpfulness in revival-meetings, and other
forms of work.

Their staff of physicians and surgeons include some
of the most skillful in the country. Their names are :
Harold Gififord, A. F. Jonas, J. C. Moore, W. O. Bridges,
W. S. Gibbs, H. M. McClanahan, J. M. Aikin, R. S.
Anglin, O. S. Hoffman, W. K. Yeakel, D. A. Foote, S.
J. Ouimby, and Mrs. Freeda M. Lankton.

mothers' jewels home.

Not only was the Church broadening the range of her
activities and agencies so as to include the hospitals, but
the same generous impulse led her to take steps to pro-
vide for homeless children. In this she shared a general
movement in this direction which set in about this time
which was not only the result of a charitable impulse, but
the intelligent perception of an urgent need that such
children should be cared for and nurtured under favorable
influences, lest they grow up without any training, or
what is worse, vicious training.

>-i

5i6 History of Nebraska Methodism.

Moved by this impulse, Dr. W. L. Armstrong, 11. D.,
had already dedicated his one lumdred and sixty acre
farm in Platte County, Nebraska, to that purpose, and
had been caring for a few children as best he could. But
the movement did not become very efficient, or command
the support necessary to success. But Dr. Armstrong
had his heart set on this noble project, and the Heavenly
Father soon opened the way to much larger things. Coin-
cident with this intense desire on the part of Dr. Arm-
strong to do something along this line, there was a grow-
ing conviction among the leaders of the Woman's Home
Missionary Society that they ought to enter this field,
and were already casting about for a suitable place to es-
tablish a national orphanage. Just at this juncture Mrs.
Spurlock, who had been elected a delegate to the meeting
of the National Board of Managers, who were to act on
this matter at their next meeting, proposed to Dr. Arm-
strong that he join forces with the Woman's Home Mis-
sionary Society and that they work together for the ob-
ject that had come to be so dear to both. To this he
readily consented, and with this leverage, Mrs. Spurlock's
earnest and eloquent plea won the day, and it was decided
by the Board of Managers to locate their institution in
Nebraska, and soon after that York was selected as the
site. Dr. Armstrong giving his $3,000 farm and the
York people adding $7,000, a fine farm of 160 acres ad-
jacent to the city of York, worth then $10,000, was pur-
chased and the Mothers' Jewels Home began its benefi-
cent career.

As seemed most fitting, good Dr. Armstrong was
placed in charge, but he was already growing old and
enfeebled by ill-health, and soon found the work too hard,

History of Nebraska ]\Ietiiodism.

517

and retired. His heart was saddened by the fact that by
reason of unlooked-for financial embarrassment his, as
he supposed, munificent gift, proved rather a financial
burden to the society. To help him in his time of ex-
treme need they paid him $900 besides paying off a mort-
gage on his farm. But his intentions were good and Dr.
Armstrong is none the less noble and is to be none the
less honored because of these troubles.

It was thus this beneficent institution came into be-

Mr. Burwell
Spurlock.

Mrs. Isabella
Spurlock.

ing, for which the Woman's Home Missionary Society
of the Methodist Church becomes sponsor. While
national in this regard, and in the scope of its operations,
yet being located in the center of Nebraska's population,
its beneficent results must accrue more largely to Ne-
braska than to any other State, and specially concerns
Nebraska Methodism. Besides, the two to whose care
it was intrusted, after Dr. Armstrong was compelled to
retire, have been identified with Nebraska Methodism
from its very beginning. Burwell Spurlock came to Ne-

5i8 History of Nebraska Methodism.

braska in 1855, settling in Plattsmonth, and, as we have
seen, was among" the members of the first class organ-
ized'there. He was one of the first Methodists the writer
got acquainted with when he landed in Nebraska in 1865,
and he has known him well ever since. He found him
busy in Church work, and has never known him to be
otherwise. His pure life, good business qualifications,
and kind-hearted instincts, make him an ideal superin-
tendent. Mrs. Spurlock came to Nebraska still earlier
than Burwell, coming with her parents in 1854. She
was among those who formed the class organized in the
Morris settlement, which we have seen was the first ever
formed in Nebraska. She, too, has the qualities of re-
finement, culture, and motherly instincts that fit her for
the place of assistant superintendent. We may be sure
that the institution over which these two preside will be
speedily transformed into a real home to the little folks
under their care, and it is not surprising that the waifs
soon trustfully and affectionately call them "Uncle Bur-
well" and "Auntie Spurlock."

Mrs. Spurlock, before entering upon her present work
was identified with the Woman's Christian Temperance
Union -work in the early seventies, and in 1875 was sec-
retary of the convention that effected the State organiza-
tion of that society. She was the first delegate elected to
the National Woman's Christian Temperance Union Con-
vention at the time when Miss Willard was the unchal-
lenged leader of that organization, and was destined to
become recognized as the chief of womankind through-
out the world. The following letter in answer to one writ-
ten by Mrs. Spurlock, shows the high regard in which
Sister Spurlock was held by this queenly woman :

History of Nebraska Methodism, 519

"Dearest Friend, — Your letter is the nicest one we
have yet, and carries me back to the early days of the
dear 'Old National,' when you and I worked together.
I can not tell you how I have regretted that we have not
done so from that day to this, and yet it was perhaps
largely a regret of sentiment because of the congeniality
I felt in you, for so far as accomplishing a blessed work
in the world, you have certainly done so. Please thank
your good husband for me that he chose the Signal, and
may you both be blessed in your own precious work as
you have helped ours by generous gift and glowing
words. Believe me, always your sister in heart,

"Frances E. Wielard.""

While the Mothers' Jewels Home is thus closely iden-
tified with Nebraska Methodism, it is yet national and
cosmopolitan in the range of its beneficence, admitting
homeless children of all races and nationalities. Some
have come from many of the States, and two from far-
off Alaska, while there have been two from India, and
two Arabian children.

The work is carried along two lines : The finding of
Christian homes for as many as possible, and the mak-
ing of a home for such as can not be provided for in
that way.

Those seeking children are particular that they come
of good stock, are strong and healthy, and the girls must
be handsome. Brother and Sister Spurlock are also very
particular about the homes they put their "children" in.
It is not every Christian home even that will do, so there
are alwa3^s quite a number to be cared for and these are
the ones less robust in health and less promising men-
tally and morally.

520 History oi^ Nebraska Methodism.

There is a regular school imparting instruction from
the first to sixth g-rade, besides lessons in sewing, house-
work, farming, and other employments.

But we may be sure that the moral and spiritual in-
terests of these children are duly cared for. Family
prayers, services each Sabbath afternoon, and attendance
at the Church service in town, but chiefly through the
influence of these pious, tactful superintendents, are
some of the ways by which the supreme culture is
imparted.

Besides the general officers of the society, with Mrs.
General Clinton B. Fisk at the head, the oversight of
this "Home" is committed to an Advisory Board of ten
elect ladies, including the following well-known names
of those who represent the Nebraska Conference : Mrs.
M. E. Roberts, Mrs. John A. Van Anda, and Mrs.
Erastus Smith.

Perhaps the following letters, the first from a foster
mother who has adopted one of these waifs, and the sec-
ond an extract from one written by one of these waifs
that has been adopted, will show even more clearly what
is. being done than I can in any words of mine:

"Dear Mrs. Spurlock, — Your letter received some
time ago, and really, should have been answered sooner,
for I know if you get time from so many other little ones
to think of Helene you must feel uneasy at our long
silence. I do not think she has seen a homesick day since
she came, and she is altogether lovable and lovely. She
goes to school every day and is perfectly happy. She
says, 'Tell Auntie Spurlock that we love each other ten
times better than we did at first.' What more can I say
about her only that we all love her and she does us. And,

History of Nebraska jMethodism. 521

now, dear Airs. Spurlock, I will close with best wishes
for you and yours, I am yours sincerely,

"Mrs. W. E. Hadley."

From a little girl twelve years old :

"Dear Auntie Spurlock, — I have been thinking I
would write to you for a long time. I have been here
over a year. I like my home very, very, very much, they
are all so good to me. I go to school and read in the
fifth reader. I like my teacher very much, you saw her
when you were here. Aunt Julia thinks everything of
the little girl ypu gave her, Ruby Viola. Ruby comes
and sees me and then I go and see her. I have such a
pretty hat for summer, it is white leghorn, and is trimmed
with pink roses and pink ribbon. Aunt Julia got Ruby
a white leghorn hat, too. Hers is trimmed with blue
ribbon and blue flowers."

Many loving hearts and willing hands have wrought
in this blessed work. Among these it is fitting that a
daughter of the late Dr. W. B. Slaughter, who has been
mentioned frequently in these pages, ]\Irs. Hattie Haw-
ver, is now rendering valuable assistance in collecting
funds for a new building

YOUNG people's SOCIETIES.

Up to 1880, little had been done for our young peo-
ple aside from the Sunday-school and the Chautauqua
Circles. The idea of the latter had some years before
the beginning of this period been born in the heart and
the brain of that Sunday-school genius, John H. Vincent,
and in many of the Churches of our own and other de-
nominations, Chautauqua Circles had been formed, and

522 History of Nkbraska Methodism.

Chautauqua Assemblies had sprung up everywhere.
While the religious element was present in this move-
ment, its predominant feature seemed to be more intel-
lectual, and though of great value was deemed inade-
quate to accomplish all that was needed to be done for
the young people of the Church. The recognition and
feeling of this need seemed to rise spontaneously in all
the Churches, but Rev. F. E. Clark, of the Congrega-
tional Church was the first to give .practical form to the
wish by starting the Christian Endeavor organization.
It was intended at first that this should be a great inter-
denominational affair, and there should be but one great
Young People's Society. This idea seemed to take well
for awhile, but it soon became apparent that it did not
work well for our young people, and in the early eighties,
a number of Young People's organizations sprung up in
our Church. This did not work well, either, and the
clashing of conflicting claims soon gave rise to a strong
desire among the leaders to combine all in one, and this
was effected in May, 1887, at what is now called Ep-
worth Church, Cleveland, Ohio.

After this the development in Nebraska, as elsewhere,
was very rapid, and there is now scarcely a Methodist
Church in Nebraska without its Epworth League, with
its inspiring motto, "Look up. Lift up." Many of these
are vigorous, and tend greatly to promote intelligent
piety among our young people.

While in 1880 there was not a single distinctive re-
ligious Young People's organization, outside of its Sun-
day-school, there are now in the State about sixteen
thousand members of the Epworth League. We have to
say "about" for the West and Northwest Nebraska Con-
ferences do not report their Leagues. There is not to

History of Nebraska Methodism.

523

exceed one in ten of the circuits and stations where there
is not a League organized. These Leagues, besides hold-
ing their local devotional, social, and business meetings,
have held enthusiastic district. Conference, and State
conventions, at which topics relating to their work have
been discussed, and plans of work made.

Without doubt the most striking evidence of the zeal
and ability to bring things to pass of Nebraska's younger
Methodism is

fovmd in the Ne-
braska Epworth
Assembly.

Founded by
the Nebraska
Conference Ep-
worth League
upon recommend-
ation of Presi-
dent L. O. Jones,
in 1896 the first
session was held
at Lincoln Park,
in August, 1897,
and was admitted
by all to be a
phenomenal suc-
cess. Seven annual sessions have been held, each being
greater in attendance and interest than its predecessor.
The Assembly Camp has been a marvel to all who have
seen it. Three thousand people, in round numbers, have
each year spent tlie Assembly period in tents upon the
grounds.

L. O. Jones.

524 History of Nebraska Methodism.

Many widely noted and world famous men and women
have been heard from time to time from the Assembly
platform, including such well-known names as Bishops
Bowman, McCabe, Ninde, Thoburn, Hamilton, Cranston,
Joyce, and Galloway ; General Secretaries Schell and
Berry ; Reverends Sam Jones, Frank Gunsaulus, Abram
Palmer, Thirkield, McDowell, Eaton, Parkhurst, Nichol-
son, Driver, Mclntyre ; Generals O. O. Howard and Fitz-
hugh Lee ; Colonel Bain, and Mrs. Ballington Booth, and
many others.

This was the first of the summer Assemblies to adopt
and maintain a distinct and pronounced evangelistic fea-
ture in the annual program.

The annual gross income of the Assembly has been
about $10,000. In addition to paying all expenses, about
$800 has been donated to worn-out preachers, and $1,000
to the Nebraska Wesleyan, to aid in paying ofiP the debt
of that institution. With the further accumulation of
funds purchase was made of a beautiful tract of nearly
forty acres adjoining I^incoln on the southwest, which
was named Epworth Lake Park. Extensive improve-
ments, including the building of the largest park audi-
torium in the State, were made, and in which the sessions
of the 1903 Assembly were held.

The present officers are L. O. Jones, president; C. E.
Sanderson, vice-president ; Elmer E. Lesh, secretary ;
Rev. C. M. Shepherd, D. D., auditor; R. W. Kelly,
treasurer.

OMAHA CHRISTIAN ADVOCATE.

Omaha, being 500 miles west of Chicago, where the
Northwestern Christian Advocate was published, and over
400 miles from St. Louis, where the Central was then

History of Nebraska ^Methodism. 525

published, was for many years regarded as the strateg-
ical point where a branch of the Book Concern would be
located, and another member of the Advocate family es-
tablished. The writer attended a meeting in Council
Bluffs in 1871, which had that object in view. Nothing
tangible came of it until the Omaha Advocate entered the
field.

The origin of this enterprise dates back, according to
Rev. W. G. Vessels, formerly of the West Nebraska Con-
ference, to a paper called The Vanguard^, which he pub-
lished, and which was changed to the Nebraska Christian
Advocate, and after fifteen months was sold to Rev. Geo.
S. Davis and became the Nebraska Methodist, which was
published for one year at Hastings, Dr. George vS.
Davis being editor, and Dr. L. F. Britt being associate
editor.

It was then removed to University Place, where Davis
continued to edit and publish it for two years. In 1890,
Dr. J. W. Shenk bought an interest in it and the plant
was removed to Omaha, the first issue of the paper from
Omaha bearing date of August 9, 1890. On the first of
the following January, Geo. S. Davis sold his interest to
Dr. Shenk and was soon after appointed to the difficult
and responsible position of superintendent of missions in
Bulgaria.

Dr. Shenk now became sole editor and soon after sole
owner of the paper. In 1892 the General Conference
made the paper an official organ of that body and ap-
pointed a publishing commission consisting of Bishop J.
P. Newman, Dr. J. B. Maxfield, Dr. C. F. Creighton, Dr.
J. W. Shenk, John Dale, Dr. B. L. Paine, and C. F. Wel-
ler. This body operated under the name of the Methodist

* Dr. Davis thinks a paper published by Geo. S. Alexander is
entitled to be considered ihe first.

526 History of Nebraska Methodism.

Publishing Company, but the commission refusing to be-
come financially responsible for any obligations, the finan-
cial burden fell upon the chief owner of the stock. Dr. J.
W. Shenk, who was thus made the real publisher as well
as editor, to which position he had been elected by the
Commission. In 1896 the General Conference accepted
the paper as a donation to the Church, and appropriated
a subsidy of $3,000 a year to aid in its publication. Un-
der the impetus thus given, the subscription list, which
in 1890 consisted of 800 subscribers, when it came 10
Omaha and had increased to 4,000 in 1896, went up to
6,500, the largest subscription list of any subsidized paper
in the Church. Under the arrangement Curts and Jen-
nings were the nominal publishers, but the editor, Rev.
Dr. J. W. Shenk, who had been elected by the Book Com-
mittee, was made solely responsible for the financial as
well as the editorial management.

In the fall of 1899 a movement toward consolidation
of our Advocates was inaugurated by the Kansas Con-
ference, and a memorial was sent up to the General Con-
■ference to that end. It resulted in the consolidation of
the Omaha Christian Advocate, the Rocky Mountain
Christian Advocate, and the Central Christian Advocate,
and the place of publication was removed to Kansas City,
Missouri, together with the removal of the IMethodist
Book Depository from St. Louis to that city. By this
means a large list of subscribers was transferred from
the Omaha Christian Advocate to the Cential Christian
Advocate. At the time of the consolidation the sub-
scription list of the Omaha Christian Advocate was in-
creasing rapidly.

History oi-* Nebraska Methodism. 527

evangelists.

The fourth period has witnessed a marked develop-
ment of the evangeUstic form of Church work, and
brought into the field a large number of professional
evangelists, or men and women who have felt themselves
called to that work. This has been attributed by some to
the want of spirituality in the pastorate, and lack of old-
time spiritual power in the Church generally. But this
is an erroneous view and does injustice to a noble class
of men who are burdened with the care of increasingly
large Churches, witli a complex machinery that calls for
the same degree of devotion and sometimes more of care
than the fathers knew. Their very success in building up
strong Churches has brought about these changed condi-
tions to which Methodism is adjusting herself. This
readiness to adopt new methods in the accomplishment of
her soul-saving, soul-nurturing mission, has been char-
acteristic of our Church from the first, and one of the
sources of her power. To her it is not means and methods
that are sacred and fundamental, but the end, which is
the salvation of men and building them up into strong,
clean characters. She is ready to discard the old methods
whenever new ones seem better adapted to that great
purpose.

In common with other Churches everywhere, Ne-
braska Methodism has in the last twenty-five years in-
troduced into the local Church much additional machin-
ery, which with what we already had, makes the Church
a much more complex organism than, our fathers served.
It would be difficult to mention any feature of that ma-
chinery that we would care to leave out. Certainly not
the Sunday-school nor Epworth League or Ladies' Aid

528 History of Nebraska Methodism.

•or the Woman's Foreign Missionary Society, Or Woman's
Home Missionary Society. But these impose a new and
difficult task on the modern pastor, and call for equip-
ments other than those which give a man success as a re-
vivalist. He must also have executive ability and these
two are not always found in the same man. While no
Methodist preacher has a right to be satisfied with him-
self if he has not the old-time passion for lost souls ; or
with his work, unless blessed with some seals to his min-
istry, still he may not have the natural qualification for re-
vival work that the Church needs. What then ? As in
the industrial world the more complex conditions have
made the principle of the division of labor necessary,
may not the more complex organizatiop of the Church
operate the same way, and the pastor with these other
cares and responsibilities, call to his aid some man of
God who has been specially equipped for this work ? Thus
it seems to the writer.

But, however we may account for it or justify it, there
has been a great growth of this idea and method, and
there has spontaneously arisen a great army of evangel-
ists. While many of these have been God-called and
very useful, others have been self-constituted, fanatical,
or worse, and very harmful. In view of these things, our
Church has wisely recognized the evangelist class of
workers and provided a place in our system for the same.
Any Conference may request the appointment of one or
more of its members to this special work, and under cer-
tain restrictions, the local Churches may employ these
and others to assist their pastor.

Some of these evangelists whom God has honored
with His presence and power, and whose labors have been

History of Nebraska AIethodism. 529

a blessing to the Church, should be mentioned. We have
seen how good Robert Laing has given over forty years
to that work in Nebraska, and thousands of souls have
been saved.

N. L. Hoopengarner, of the Nebraska Conference,
entered the field as an evangelist in the later eighties and
was eminently successful. He conducted a union revival
at Neligh during Dr. Wm. Gorst's pastorate, resulting in
some sixty accessions to the Methodist Church and many
to others. The same year he had charge of the evangel-
istic services of the Neligh District Camp-meeting, at
which about one hundred were converted.

H. L. Powers, D. D., entered the North Nebraska
Conference in the early eighties, being transferred from
the ^Missouri Conference. After filling a number of im-
portant pastorates, among them Tekamah, Columbus, and
Trinity, Grand Island, he felt called to the evangelistic
field, in which he has been very successful. His earnest,
not to say vehement, style of oratory, emphasizing the
depth of his conviction that what he says is truth of tre-
mendous import, seems well suited to his chosen work.
His Bible readings are also very helpful. Brother Powers
is now Conference evangelist and resides in Lincoln.

D. W. McGregor is another one of our safe, success-
ful evangelists, who, up to last year, had been appointed
as North Nebraska Conference evangelist, and has been
the means of bringing many into the kingdom. He re-
entered the pastoral work at the last Conference.

Aliss Mae Phillips has been one of our most success-
ful evangelists, and on the Neligh District and in many
other places, many think of her as the chosen instrument
by which they have been led to the better life.'

530 History of Nebraska Methodism.

Others have entered the field later whose labors have
been blessed of the Lord. Dr. B. L. Paine, of Lincoln,
has been very successful. F. A. Campbell, W. H. Pres-
cott, and L. F. Smith are now under appointment as Con-
ference evangelists for the Nebraska Conference, and are
vigorously pushing the battle along that line.

MORAE REFORMS.

In all moral reforms, Methodism has been at the fore-
front. This is specially true of the temperance reform
that has been most prominent during the half century.
At the first Conference in i86i the report on tem-
perance has these ringing words in the following reso-
lution :

"Resolved, First, That if it was ever necessary to op-
pose an unbroken front to this evil, now is the time. Sec-
ond, that a prohibition law would give force and vigor,
edge and point to moral suasion. Third, that at each ot
our appointments during the coming Conference year,
we will preach at least once on this subject."

Though substantially the same attitude has been re-
affirmed at every Conference since, no subsequent expres-
sion on this subject has shown a more advanced position
regarding the two main phases of the reform, being total
abstinence for the individual and absolute prohibition of
the traffic. Here is one point where Nebraska Methodism
will not be able to grow, but will have many opportunities
to show her colors in more tangible ways than by resolu-
tions. It may be safely affirmed that whenever the lines
have been clearly drawn, as they were in 1890, during the
amendment campaign, Methodism has borne the brunt of
the battle. No Church put in a larger percentage of votes
for the amendment. Indeed it mav be said it was unani-

History of Nebraska ]\Iethodism. 531

mous. And at the present time, what seems to be one of
the most aggressive fornis of the temperance reform, the
Anti-Saloon League, very fittingly has at the head of it
an able, aggressive Methodist preacher, in the person of
Rev. J. B. Cams, D. D.

WOMEN IN THE GENERAI^ CONFERENCE.

It is greatly to the credit of the entire ^lethodism of
Nebraska in general, and to the leaders of St. Paul's
Church in Lincoln in particular, that in that Church, in
the spring of 1887, the agitation which in twelve years
issued in the admission of women into the General Con-
ference, had its origin. The two women whose fertile
brains first conceived the thought, and broached the sub-
ject to the other ladies of the Church on the occasion of
the dedication of the dining-room of the Church, were
Miss Phebe Elliott and Airs. Franc R. Elliott. Both
these elect ladies, as might be readily supposed, were of
superior intelligence and force of character. The former
is the daughter of that famous educator and champion of
co-education, Rev. Charles Elliott, D. D., president of
Wesleyan University at Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, and editor ot
the Western Christian Advocate. In answer to a ques-
tion as to how the thought took shape in her mind, she
says that it must have risen spontaneously and naturally
out of those lessons of her girlhood, that came from her
father's teaching of the absolute equality of the sexes in
all that relates to mind, morals, and religion, and the
rights growing out of this. JMiss Phebe made her home
with her sister-in-law, and the subject was a matter of
frequent discussion, Mr. Elliott being in hearty sympathy
with the ladies.

532 History of Nebraska Methodism.

About this time Bishop Bowman visited Lincoln, and
when asked as to the eUgibility of women for member-
ship in the General Conference, seemed to be of the opin-
ion, that being eligible to a seat in Quarterly Conferences
and Lay Electoral Conferences, nothing could keep them
out of the General Conference, if they could get the votes
to elect them. This seemed so rational, that they were
encouraged to go forward, and broach the matter to the
ladies of the Church on the occasion of the dedication re-
ferred to. "That was an earnest meeting composed of
responsive, intelligent women — a more choice coterie it
would be hard to find in any community than were these
women of St. Paul's in the prosperous town of Lincoln in
the eighties."

These two elect ladies who gave the initiative to the
movement were at once joined by such women as Mrs. M.
E. Roberts, Mrs. Angle F. Newanan, and others, and
the result of their agitation was the election at the next
session of the Nebraska Conference of Mrs. Angle F.
Newman, the first woman ever elected to the General Con-
ference.

But by extensive correspondence, these women ex-
tended their propaganda to other Conferences, and the
result was the election by the great Rock River Confer-
ence of that greatest woman of her age, Frances E. Wil-
lard, as one of the lay delegates; then Mrs. Mary C.
Nind, from the Minnesota Conference, and five others
from different sections.

We know the result. When the Methodist Church
saw eight such women, some of them the peers of any
lay delegate on the floor of the General Conference, and
one at least the peer of any bishop, representing two-thirds

History of Nebraska Methodism. 533

of the membership of the Church, knocking at the door
of the General Conference, it was never possible after-
ward to convince that Church that there was any sufil-
cient reason for shutting them out, and it was impossible
to stop the movement till the womanhood of the Church
were conceded their rights and triumphantly seated in
the General Conference.

Mrs. M. E. Roberts, one of those who took part in
the original movement, and who at the Lay Electoral
Conference in 1887, nominated Mrs. Newman for the
place, was herself elected at the last Nebraska Confer-
ence. There is not only a sort of poetic justice in this, but
it is an honor w^ell won and worthily bestowed.

CHAPTER XXVII.

FOURTH PERIOD. (1880-1904.)

During this last period all but two, Burch and Adri-
ance, who bore a conspicuous part in the fifties and six-
ties, have CTone to their reward.

In 1883, A. G. White, the indomitable leader whom
no calamity could daunt, passed away in the prime of life.

In 1884 the pushing, energetic Van Doozer was sum-
moned with startling suddenness, but was found ready,
for he had "fought a good fight and finished his course."

In i8go. T. B. Lemon, "like a shock of corn ripe for
the garner," is gathered home.

Of these three suitable mention has already been
made. It will now be fitting, as we stand at the graves
of these two fallen leaders, Maxfield and Davis, to note
more fully some phases of their later work, and of the
great qualities that made them leaders, as observed by
their comrades on the field of battle. Dr. Maxfield was
the first of these two to hear the summons.

During the last period the Church has found much ini-
])ortant work for this strong man. We find him, at the
beginning of the period, in 1880, in charge of one of the
two most important charges in the State, First Church,
Omaha. He is again called to district work in 1881. be-
coming presiding elder of the Omaha District. Then
when the North Nebraska Conference established her in-
stitution of learning at Central City, none seemed so
well qualified to superintend the organization of this

534

History of Nebraska Methodism. 535

school, and throiigli his influence and abiUty rally tlic
forces to its support, as J. B. Maxfield, and accordingly
he was elected president.

But the task involved much excessively hard work, and
there was in the nature of such an undertaking much of
care, and not a little that would worry and annoy even
this usually self-poised man, and many of us who watched
him during the three years of incumbency, are not sur-
prised that even his seemingly robust frame could not
stand the strain, and required him to relinquish the work.
But this did not occur till his constitution was shattered.
Though he will yet put in twelve years of efifective work,
serving full terms on the Norfolk and Omaha Districts,
the beginning of the end may be traced to his work at'
Central City.

John B. Maxfield was spared, and his usefulness con-
tinued till he saw the band who constituted the first Ne-
braska Conference, which he joined on trial in 1861, in-
crease through the years, till there are four Conferences,
any one of which is larger than the Conference he joined,
and the Church well organized in all parts of the State.
It must have been a source of very great satisfaction to
him to have contemplated these grand results, and be con-
scious that he had borne no small share in bringing all
this to pass. He closes his life with a sense of well-
rounded completeness, his work all done, when at last the
summons came, as it did on the nth of September, 1900.
Mrs. Maxfield, who had ministered to his comfort during
his long and painful illness, was at his bedside at Boulder,
Colorado, seeking by all possible means to prolong that
precious life, writes me that a "beautiful smile came over
his face as he died."

536 History or Nebraska Methodism.

I have already had much to say about Dr. Maxfield hi
the course of this history, but will add what his brethren
of the North Nebraska Conference have to say of their
fallen leader. At the memorial service Dr. Ilodgetts
speaks of his preaching, saying: "I remember well the
first time I heard him preach, when I was fresh from the
East, where I had lived among the great preachers of
the Church. I can say honestly and frankly I thought I
never heard the equal of that man as a preacher of Jesus
Christ. Some of my friends who came out shortly after-
ward and heard him, said about the same. Wherever I
went I heard the same story. Everybody conceded he
was a prince among preachers."

And his brethren officially place on record the follow-
ing estimate of his worth :

"His great intellectual power, which enabled him to
see clearly, grasp easily and strongly the fundamental
truths of the Gospel, his marvelous command of language
which enabled him to give most clear and forceful ex-
pression to his thoughts, and his warm and sympathetic
nature constituted John B. Maxfield a great pulpit orator,
ranking among the best in the entire Church.

"His quick perception of what ought to be done in
emergencies, his sound judgment in alTairs of public in-
terest in Church and State, with his decision of character
made him alwa3's a leader among men.

"His genial qualities of heart and his commanding
power of intellect made him seem equally at home in the
humblest Quarterly Conference on a frontier charge, or
on the floor of the General Conference of the Methodist
Episcopal Church. No one has done more, and few have
done as much for Methodism in Nebraska as Dr. J. B.

History of Nebraska Methodism. 537

Maxfield. His Christian character was absokitely free
from all cant or mere perfunctoriness, but was alwa)s
genuine and hearty. He stood out boldly for righteous-
ness under all circumstances, and was never known to
fear any man."

Instead of being present at the last session of his Con-
ference and answering to roll call as he had done at every
session since it was organized in 1861, H. T. Davis was,
during the session, on September 18, 1903, transferred
from the Church militant to the Church triumphant, and
will henceforth answer to the roll call of the redeemed.
It is his distinguished privilege to have given more years
of effective service to the cause of Christ in Nebraska
than any other Methodist preacher, remaining in the ef-
fective ranks without a break, from June, 1858, to Sep-
tember, 1 90 1, when he asked and received a superan-
nuated relation. But he continued to do evangelistic
work, aiding some of the pastors in revival-meetings dur-
ing the following year, and thus it may be said, he gave
forty-four years to active work in Nebraska, out of a total
of forty-five during which he resided in the State.

And such years, every one crowded with some form
of service that made the world richer, and was a benedic-
tion to thousands.

Of the great triumvirate, Davis, Lemon, Maxfield,
naming them in the order in which they entered this field,
he is the first to have entered the service in Nebraska,
and was the last to be mustered out.

Much of the biography of each of these great leaders
has appeared in preceding pages of this narrative. It
could not be otherwise. I have not been able and have
not tried to keep the history of the Church and the lives

538 History oi^ Nebraska Methodism.

of these men separate. The web and woof of this history
has been largely what these men, and hundreds of others
of like spirit, were, and what they did, the great Head
of the Church employing them as His agents in the work.

The following memoir and words spoken by friends at
the memorial service, held September 21, 1903, must
close this imperfect earthly record of this man of God.
The only perfect record of the lives of such men is the
one kept by the recording angel, and may be read in the
great hereafter:

"Henry T. Davis was born July 19. 1833, in Spring-
field, Ohio. He was 'born again,' 'from above,' March
4, 1853, in South Bend, Indiana, and almost immediately
after his conversion came the call to preach. He was
licensed as an exhorter when received into full fellow-
ship in the Church, and June 23, 1855, received his li-
cense to preach from the Greencastle (Indiana) Quarterly
Conference, being then a student at Asbury University.
The following October he was received as a probationer
into the Northwest Indiana Conference and appointed
junior preacher upon Russell ville Circuit. On September
17, 1857, Emily McCulloch, of Virgo County, Indiana,
became his wife, and after forty-six years of beautiful and
loving union, she and their three daughters sit together
in hope lighted shadows.

"October 4, 1857, Bishop Waugh ordained Brother
Davis a deacon. In 1858 he transferred to the Kansas-
Nebraska Conference, and received as his first work in
Nebraska, appointment to Bellevue. In the division of
the Kansas and Nebraska Conference he identified himself
with the Nebraska Conference, at the organization of
which, April 4, 1861, he became a charter member. His

History of Nebraska ^Methodism. 539

subsequent ministerial activities have been within the
bounds of this Conference. The confidence reposed in
hiiii by his superiors in authority is indicated by his hav-
ing served seven terms as presiding elder, and the es-
teem of his brethren in -the Conference by their choice of
him to represent them in the General Conference four
times. He was also honored by the Nebraska W'esleyan
University with the honorary degree of Doctor of Divin-
ity. During the session of Conference, which met at
Lincoln, his home city, September 18, 1903. he came
triumphantly to the end of his earthl}- sojourn, and his
brethren in the ministry laid the precious deserted dust to
rest in Wyuka Cemetery, September 21, 1903.

"Brother Davis excelled as a preacher. Much and
faithful study of the 'Word' and of such other literature
as w^as really helpful sidelights for its interpretation, il-
lustrative for its application, furnished him always with
the subject matter for sermons. And his own deep and
fervid religious experience always afforded the fire to
make those sermons effective with men. A multitude are
they — God's seal to his ministry.

"He was also especially acceptable as a pastor. Nat-
urally cheerful, genial, loving of disposition, and, with
the iMaster Spirit of Ministries upon him. he was always
a w^elcome comer. And his wise counsels, his tender sym-
pathies, his fervent prayers left a sense of benediction
when he had gone. He was beloved by well-nigh every
one, and his memory will be precious."

Fletcher L. Wharton spoke tenderly: "The impres-
sion left upon me in the first short interview I had with
Dr. Davis, was deep, and it grew deeper. I had a pro-
found conviction that I had met a Christian gentleman.

540 History of Nebraska Methodism.

He was a gentleman, therefore a good man. He was a
Christian man, therefore a strong man. Somehow he put
me upon my honor, in the confidence he put in me as a
presiding elder, to be a true, faithful man in the ministry
of the ^Methodist Episcopal Church. In the last days his
countenance pale and wan, seemed to radiate the great
peace of God. He made it easier for the people of this
State to be good, to believe in God the Father, and to
pray. Everywhere, on the prairie, in the dugout, he had
the same message, 'God so loved the world that he gave
his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on Him
might not perish, but have everlasting life.' The King
has gone to his coronation. He stands on the hills in the
sunlight eternal." Dr. Wharton closed his address with
a fine expression concerning Mrs. Davis and her family.
Hiram Burch, who for so many years stood with Dr.
Davis at the head of the Conference roll, spoke next. "I
pay my tribute with mingled sorrow and joy. The per-
sonal loss of a friend and brother, the greater loss of the
Church and society, causes sorrow. There is joy in the
recollection of the past, of good actions, of Christian life
and labors. Remember that the influence of that life and
labors does not cease at the grave — but will go on in ever
widening circles as the years go on. I am glad of that.
Brother Davis was a great preacher, because he preached
the Gospel. There was a Christian character and a blame-
less life, and love, behind his sermons. He excelled as a
pastor. His cheery, genial sunshiny disposition made
him a welcome visitor in the homes of the people. Ke
was not only an acceptable visitor but a useful visitor.
He is gone from us, but his memory remains with us and
we shall cherish it as a treasure. We shall miss him in

History of Nebraska Methodism. 541

the counsels of the Church, in the Conferences, but his
record is on high. Knowing his life for more than forty-
four years, we are not surprised over his triumphant
death."

There are only two who came into work in the fifties
who are still living ; Hiram Burch and Jacob Adriance.
Of the latter I have already spoken quite fully. Of the
former, though I have had frequent occasion to mention
his work, justjce requires a few brief sentences in addi-
tion to what has already been said.

Hiram Burch has the distinction of having been con-
nected with Nebraska ^Methodism since 1855, a longer
period than any other Methodist preacher, either among
the living or dead. While Brother Burch has not always
been technically in the effective lists, being compelled to
superannuate occasionally, and sustaining that relation
now, there has been no time that he has not been active.
Even while he was a superannuate he served charges as
a supply and preached nearly every Sunday. He preaches
occasionally even yet. and is a constant attendant on the
means of grace.

Another fact that distinguishes him is that he built
the first church ever erected in Nebraska, in 1856, at Ne-
braska City, and during those trying periods in the fifties
and sixties, it was Burch that built more churches and
parsonages than any one else.

Hiram Burch was born in Canada, December 11, 1829,
and converted when eleven years old, and at twenty-one
experienced heart purity, and entered the ministry in
1853, in Iowa, where he had gone from his home in Win-
nebago, Illinois, for his health. He was employed, as a
supply, being junior preacher on the Dubuque Circuit.

542 History of Nebraska Methodism.

His health not improving there, he went to Texas in 1854,
partly in search of health, but seeing in the Church papers,
Dr. Goode's call for young men, he reported to the super-
intendent in May, 1855, and was among the first to be
assigned a charge by that great leader, being sent to what
was called Wolf Creek, in northern Kansas, extending
west of St. Joseph, Missouri. That fall he was received
on trial in the Iowa Conference and though appointed to
Brownville, was, as before noted, changed to Nebraska
City, and began that long and useful career in Nebraska,
which lacks but a single year of being half a century in
duration.

Brother Burch. though not having been advanced to
the higher official positions in the Church, has been one
of those steady, reliable, efficient workers who have a
way of bringing things to pass.

He served York College as financial agent, and at a
critical time in the history of Nebraska VVesleyan, ren-
dered valuable service in the same relation in turning the
York patrons to that institution.

He was united in marriage with Miss Mary Brisbin,
October 11, 1855. They are living in University Place,
respected and honored by all.

John Gallagher appears in the Minutes for the first
time thirty-two years ago, at the Conference of 1872,
where he is received on trial and appointed junior
preacher on the Mt. Pleasant Circuit. It is to his ad-
vantage, that, like J. H. Presson, he has A. L. Folden for
the senior preacher.

Brother Gallagher has been a close student from the
Deginning of his ministry, this studiousness not ceasing or
even diminishing after he had finished his Conference

History of Nebraska ^Methodism. 543

course of study. He soon took up the course for the de-
gree of Ph. D., which was conferred on him, after exam-
ination. This degree may sometimes represent more of
soUd learning than the honorary degree of D. D.

But John Gallagher's standing in the Conference and
the Church does not depend upon his degree, but upon
his real ability as a preacher and his thoroughness as an
administrator of the interests committed to him. He has
been pastor of a number of important charges, among
them Ashland, Weeping Water, Plattsmouth, Falls City,
Tecumseh, Falls City a second time, Fairbury, Auburn,
Seward, and Aurora, his present charge.

In 1883 he was placed in charge of Hastings District.
For several years he was secretary of the Nebraska Con-
ference and was reserve delegate to the General Confer-
ence in 1900, and delegate in 1904. He has for several
years been the efficient secretary of the Nebraska Confer-
ence Historical Society, and has aided the writer by the
material his diligence has secured. He is now record-
ing secretary of the Methodist Historical Society of Ne-
braska.

Among those who came into the work in the later
sixties was F. M. Esterbrook, who was received on trial
in 1869. He has been one of the most useful pastors we
have had, usually getting hold of his people so strongly
that they very often kept him the full legal term.
F. M. Esterbrook belonged to the class who, while doing
much of the real work, reporting gains on every pastoral
charge served, do not attain to the same prominence that
others do who have done no more, or. perhaps not as much.
But with scarcely a break, this man has moved steadily
on in the "even tenor of his wav" for over a third of a

544 History of Nebraska Methodism.

century, cheerfully doing the work assigned him, always
successful in some direction and to some extent, and some-
times blessed with great revivals. At Peru, his first
charge in Nebraska, there were eighty conversions. The
next year, 1869, he was received on trial and sent to West
Point, where he finds seven members, and after three
years' service reports over eighty. He was popular, and
everybody believed in BVancis M. Esterbrook.

When, after the shameful abuse of their confidence
by C. M. Ellin wood, the Board of Trustees of Wesleyan
University felt that they must find a man for treasurer
whom ever3'body could trust, selected Esterbrook and no
words of mine could more clearly set forth the sterling
worth of this man of God than this expression of confi-
dence. He was retained in that position for several years,
and would probably have been there yet but for the change
of plan that took place when Dr. G. W. Isham was elected
field secretary, and it was deemed best to combine the two
offices in the interests of economy.

The spirit of this man is shown in these words con-
tained in a letter to the writer : "Thirty-five years seems
a short time to work for my Master, but they have been
filled with much sunshine, for truly the 'darkest cloud has
a silver lining.' Do you ask me, have I regrets ? Yes,
and no. I regret that I have not done more for His cause ;
I see where I could have greatly improved if I had known
all that I know now, but I have this comfort, that I did
the best I could with the light I then had."

Joseph Hile Presson was born in Ohio, and at an
early age was taken by his parents to Illinois, where they
resided a number of years. He was converted at a meet-
ing held by his father, Harrison Presson. He enUsted

History of Nebraska Methodism. 545

in Company A, Fifty-fifth Regiment, Illinois Volunteer
Infantry, and gave over three years to the service of his
country, holding the responsible position of quartermas-
ter's sergeant. He was in the battles of Shiloh, Corinth,
Chickasaw Bayou, Champion Hills, Black River, Siege
of Vicksburg, and Jackson, then marched from Mem-
phis to Chattanooga, he was in battles of Missionary
Ridge, Altoona, Big Shanta, Kenesaw Mountain, and
also the battle around Atlanta. He was mustered out on
the 30th day of September, 1864. and on the 23d of De-
cember, of the same year, landed in Tecumseh, Nebraska,
traveling from St. Joseph in a lumber wagon, a distance
of no miles.

Joseph H. Presson's ministerial career began in Ne-
braska as early as 1867, when he was licensed to preach
and recommended for admission into the traveling con-
nection. He was, however, closing his first term as
county clerk of Johnson County, and had consented to be
a candidate for re-election, and felt under obligation to
do so, and requested that his name be not presented at
that Conference.

At the close of his second term as county clerk he
was appointed junior preacher under A. L. Folden. Two
years before Folden had received him and the woman
who was to become his wife, into the Church on proba-
tion, and gave the promising young man license to ex-
hort. Now this eminently successful preacher is to give
Joseph H. Presson his first lessons in preaching the Gos-
pel. They together traveled Tecumseh Circuit. They
must travel 135 miles to reach all the eleven following
appointments : Tecumseh, Sterling, Adams, Elk Creek,
Crab Orchard, Vesta, Upper Spring Creek, Lower Spring

546 History of Nebraska Methodism.

Creek, Illinois Settlement, Blodgets School-house, ancJ
Hooker Creek. To-day there are eleven charg-es on the
same ground. During the winter of that year they re-
ceived III probationers. At the next Annual Conference,
held in the spring of 1870, he was received on trial and
returned for the same work as junior preacher under A. L.
Folden. Success attended the work and during that, year
the first church in Johnson County was built in Tecumseh.
Brother Folden being a carpenter, did, with the help of
his colleague, most of the work.

For a third of a century, J. H. Presson has efficiently
wrought in the Gospel ministry in Nebraska, being blessed
at times with great revivals, and in every charge advanc-
ing the interest of the Church. He is popular in Church
and G. A. R. circles, and was elected chaplain of the
House of Representatives of the Nebraska Legislature in
1901, and of the Senate in 1903. He is still in his later
prime and on his fourth year as pastor at Milford.

Among the local preachers who have done splendid
service were Robert Laing and John Dale.

It was Robert Laing that in 1868 welcomed H, T.
Davis to Nebraska, and it was in the Laing cabin in Sarpy
County, that Davis preached his first sermon in Nebraska
and began a ministry that v/as to continue forty-four
years and be of untold blessing to thousands. Though
remaining in the local ranks almost as long, Brother Laing
has been serving the Church as local preacher and evangel-
ist, and in the thirty-five years or more he has almost
constantly given to the work, he estimated that not less
than 10,000 souls have been saved.

He was a very forceful preacher, tactful in managing
a revival-meeting, could sing or pray or preach as occa-
sion required.

History of Nebraska Methodism. 547

Haynes speaks thus of this successful local preacher:
"Many of the protracted-meetings he conducted were
continued from two to four weeks, each, and it has been
estimated that an average of fifty had been converted each
seven days. He claims not that such results were reached
by his might or power, but by the Spirit of God. He
ascribes as a great means of success his method of Bible
reading. One interested person said to him, 'Brother
Laing, I wish you would bequeath to me that Bible of
yours ; I never heard such a Bible read before.' He in-
sists upon the reading of the Word of God attentively,
studiously, that there may be cultivated in the heart a
deepening desire for a closer walk with God,"

Though not a member of the Conference, his brethren
in regular work, many of whom he has helped, express
their appreciation in the following memoir : "Rev. Rob-
ert Laing, a deacon in our local ranks, did efficient service
in our Church for about forty years in this State, he be-
ing one of the earliest settlers in Nebraska. He departed
this life full of faith in the saving power of God to the
uttermost, aged sixty-nine years. He was a revivalist of
great power ; many pastors can testify to his valuable
evangelistic services in their pastoral charges."

Sister Laing, to whom R.obert Laing was married in
1854, and her father, have the distinction of being the
first two persons who brought Church letters to Council
Blufifs in 1852. They became members of the first Church
formed in that place, by William Simpson.

John Dale, another helpful local preacher, though a
man of business, finds time, or takes time, to do the Lord's
work. We have seen the prominent part he took in the
founding and development of Hanscom Park Church.

548 History of Nebraska Methodism.

But he has been very helpful in many ways, in connection
with the hospital and other enterprises, and every strug-
gling Church has had a sympathetic, helpful friend in
John Dale, and Omaha Methodism in general is in debt
to him for years of efficient service.

I have already in the course of this narrative spoken
at some length of many others of our local brethren,
gratefully recognizing their valuable services to the
Church. All honor to the class of workers to which they
belong, a class that has done much to make the history
that I have been trying to record.

CHAPTER XXVIII.

FOURTH PERIOD. (1880- 1904.)

CONCLUSION.

The following bishops have presided at the Nebraska
Conferences during- these fifty years : Morris, Simpson,
Ames, Baker, Scott, Kingsley, Thomson, Janes, Clark,
Andrews, Bowman, Gilbert Haven, Foster, Harris, War-
ren, Merrill, Wiley, Alallalieu, Fowler, Hurst, Foss, Vin-
cent, Goodsell, Walden, Newman, McCabe, Ninde, Fitz-
Gerald.

Of these twenty-eight bishops there are none whose
presence has not been influential for good. The very
presence of these chief pastors has been a benediction to
all, and especially to the younger members. These bishops
have all been men of good ability, and by their addresses
and counsel during Conference sessions, and the sermon
on the Sabbath have made a deep impression for good.
Under no other system do the people and preachers have
the privilege of meeting and hearing from so many of
the chief men of the Church, Some of these sermons
have been the event of a lifetime with some of these
preachers, as was that of Bishop Foster at Falls City in
1876, which, after more than a quarter of a century, is
still fresh in the memory of those of us who were per-
mitted to hear it.

It may be said that these have all been men of great

549

550 History of Ne;braska Methodism.

personal power and influence. But when you add to this
the vast official power with which the Church has clothed
them, by which they have the entire legal authority to de-
termine the appointment of every member of Conference,
and also those on trial, you have a factor that can not but
be a power for good if wisely and conscientiously used.
Though our bishops may be fallible and make mistakes,
they have no motive for using this vast power otherwise
than in the interest of the Church.

At the four Nebraska Conferences of 1903 Bishop
Andrews, in the exercise of this power, assigned over 350
men to different places and positions. If we take 150, less
than half this number, as the average number thus ap-
pointed from year to year by the several presiding bishops,
we have a total for the fifty years of 7,500 appointments
made by these bishops, chiefly to pastorates and presiding
elderships.

How much of the success of these fifty years has been
due to the wisdom and spirit in which these appointments
have been made may not be in our power to determine.
That much is due to this cause can not be doubted.

Besides these regular services at the Conferences many
of these bishops have aided on special occasions in dedi-
cating churches, delivering lectures, and other like serv-
ices. Two of them, Newman and McCabe, have been
resident bishops in Omaha, and have been specially help-
ful to the Churches in that city and others throughout the
State. As elsewhere noted. Bishop Fowler may be said
to be the father of our present educational institution and
the splendid service of Bishop McCabe in helping to res-
cue that institution from the burden of debt will not soon
be forg-otten.

MINISTERIAL DELEGATES TO GENERAL CONFERENCE.

1. William Gorst. 2. W. B. Alexander. 3. John Gallagher. 4. P. C.

Johnson. 5. C. A. Mastin. 6. W. E. Hardaway. Wm. M. Wor-

LEV. 8. L. F. Britt. q. J. W. Stewart.

551

552 History of Nebraska Methodism.

Nebraska Methodism will bear the test of compari-
son with other sister Churches. For this purpose I have
chosen the United States census religious statistics for
1870 and 1890. I have chosen these two dates because
this feature of the census does not appear before 1870,
^and those for 1900 are not out yet. But as these cover
the period of greatest growth in population and conse-
quent need, and during the eighties, the greatest oppor-
tunities for church-building and expansion in all direc-
tions, the comparison for that period will serve as a sam-
ple of what has been done during all periods of Nebraska
history.

The three items with which the census deals are the
number of organizations, the number of churches, and the
number of sittings these churches afford. Here Meth-
odism is at a disadvantage in 1870 by reason of the fact
that under our economy in our circuit system there are
sometimes from two to five separate organizations com-
bined in one and so reported, while with all the other de-
nominations included in this comparison each such organ-
ization is counted separately and so reported. So we
should remember in reading these figures that to get at the
real facts we should multiply the number of our organiza-
tions in 1870 by three. But in 1890 the number 649 indi-
cates that the census report conforms to the facts. The
above caution, of course, does not apply to churches and
sittings.

Churches. Date. Organizations. Edifices. Sittings.

Methodists, 1870 50 36 10,150

Baptists, 1870 26 15 5,400

Presbyterians, 1870 24 9 3.125

Congregationalists, . . . 1870 10 7 2,050

IvUtlierans, 1870 14 7 2,000

History of Nebraska Methodism. 553

Churches. Datt. Organizations. Edifices. Sittings.

Episcopalians, 1870 15 12 3.500

Catholics 1870 17 11 2,935

Methodists, 1890 649 461 112,000

Baptists 1890 230 164 36,500

Presbyterians, . ... 1S90 228 155 34,900

Congregationalists, . . 1890 172 144 32,000

Lutherans, 1890 3S7 253 49.900

Catholics, 1890 213 179 38.390

This story of the fifty years of Methodism will prop-
erly close with a brief summary of results and a glance at
some of the causes of the success that is written on every
page.

These results may be divided into two classes, the
visible and the invisible. (Note that all previous statis-
tics, except German and Swedish, and those which fol-
low, relate to our English-speaking work alone, the Ger-
man-Swedish occurring elsewhere.)

During the fifty years Nebraska Methodism has re-
ceived from the Missionary Society to aid in supporting
the men in the field the sum of $430,802. This was often
the chief reliance of the frontier preacher, the one thing
on which he could bank. Not infrequently it amounted to
much more than the people were able to pay, and its ab-
sence would have meant suffering if not starvation.

To support her ministry during the entire fifty years
Nebraska Methodism has promised, including salaries and
house rent, a total of $4,817,420, and has paid a total of
$4,367,283. This leaves her still in debt, according to or-
dinary standards, to her ministers that have actually done
her service these fifty years, to the amount of $450,137.
It will be easy to reckon how far this would go if paid

554 History of Nebraska Methodism.

now to producing the $100,000 Conference Claimants'
Fund proposed during this, her jubilee year. There
should, however, be deducted from this balance still due
the amount given to Conference claimants in fifty years,
being $34,460. That still leaves us short in our account
with the old veterans to the amount of $415,677.

It is true that much of this deficit accrued during the
first twenty-five years, before financial conditions becanie
favorable and the Church became thoroughly organized
so as to handle her financial afifairs efficiently.

Of the $430,802 received from the Missionary Society
in fifty years $285,283 have been returned by collections
during that time. This leaves us $145,519 behind in our
account with the Missionary Society.

To the several other benevolent interests we have con-
tributed during the half-century, or during the time they
have been in existence, as follows : For Church Exten-
sion, $42,204; Freedmen's Aid, $40,189; Tract, $5,619;
Sunday-school Union, $6,434; Woman's Foreign \[\s-
sionary Society, $77,332; Woman's Home Missionar\-
Society, $52,752; Education, public collection, $134,230;
Children's-day Fund, $12,955; Bible Society, $9,869;
Methodist Hospital, $10,786.

The total contributed to all the benevolences, not in-
cluding Conference Claimants, General Conference ex-
penses. Episcopal Fund, or "other" collections, $660,421.

While doing this and paying preachers we have built
574 churches, at a cost of $1,592,955, and 321 parsonages,
at a cost of $330,525, besides the second and third
churches and parsonages that have been erected in many
places.

While in the statistical tables the Conference Claim-

MINISTERIAL DELEGATES TO GENERAL CONFERENCE.

I. F. M. SissoN. 2. Geo. I. Wright. 3. J. W. Shenk. 4. P. H. Eighmy.

5. James Leonard. 6. D. K. Tindall. 7. Jesse W. Jennings.

8. C. A. Hale. 9. Alfred Hodgetts. 10. C. C. Lasby.

II. A. R. Julian. 12. A. C. Crosthwaite.

555

556. History oi^ Nebraska Methodism. •

ants" and Episcopal Funds, and the collection for General
Conference expenses are included in the benevolences for
convenience, neither of them are properly there, as their
support is not a benevolence.

These figures include only the Conference collections,
and do not embrace all the amounts raised by subscrip-
tions for college and seminary buildings, hospital, and
other such institutions, though in a few cases some of
these may have been reported.

While these statistics for the entire period of fifty
years have been carefully compiled, and we have reason
to believe are substantially correct, they are not abso-
lutely so. There are occasional errors in the Minutes as
published, and there is no way of correcting them. But
these errors are of such a nature that they are as likely
to occur on one side as another, and in the course of fifty
years tend to balance each other.

It should be further explained that nearly all the
benevolences have begun their existence since the begin-
ning of Nebraska Methodism. This is true of Freedmen's
Aid, which began after the war ; Church Extension began
in the later sixties ; Woman's Foreign Missionary Society
began in 1869, and Woman's Home Missionary Society
in 1880. We had no institution of learning till 1880. Mis-
sions and Bible Cause were about all there were at the
first. So with the exception of Missions and Bible Cause,
Tract, and Sunday-school work, these contributions for
benevolences have all been made in the last twenty-five
or thirty years.

At the close of our half-century we find ourselves with
393 full members of Conference and forty-three on trial.
Of these, twenty-three are supernumerary and fifty-nine

LAY PELEGATES TO THE GENERAL CONFERENCE.
Bayard H. Paine. 2. George H. Hornby. 3. L. S. Feigenbaum.
4. M. C. Hazen. 5. Wm. W. Haskell. 6. John N. Dryden. 7. W. H.
Westover. 8. John A. Slater. 9. S. A. D. Henline. 10. John Davis.
II. A. J. Anderson. 12. W. G. Olinger. 13. John J. Doty. 14. F. E.
Sala. 15. John Dale. 16. E. H. Rogers.
36 557

558 History of Nebraska Methodism.

superannuated. This leaves 311 effective, of whom four-
teen are presiding elders, and forty are missionaries to
the Territories or to foreign fields, or in some other special
service, as Conference evangelists, or attending school.
This leaves 257 effective preachers as pastors.

We have, according to the Minutes of 1903, 51,697
full members, and 3,354 probationers. These are divided
into 399 different charges, with 257 effective members of
Conference to man them, leaving 142 charges to be sup-
plied otherwise. This is largely done with our reserve
force of 158 local preachers, many of whom are in this
way being tested before being presented to Conference
for admission on trial. A few charges are supplied by
supernumerary preachers, and some even by the super-
annuated.

There are very few of our 574 church buildings in
which there is not at least one Gospel sermon preached
each Sabbath, and in nearly all there are two sermons
preached. It would not be far from the truth to say that
there are 1,000 sermons preached in Nebraska by Meth-
odist preachers every Sabbath day at the regular services,
or 52,000 in the course of the year. Besides these there
are probably not less than 5,000 preached at revivals and
camp-meetings.

In the 690 Methodist Sunday-schools in the State
there are not less than 3,000 teachers giving lessons every
Sabbath from the Divine Word of God. If this is what
Methodism is now doing in a single year, what a magnifi-
cent aggregate of earnest, efficient effort must the entire
half-century present !

Add to these the means of grace as found in the prayer
and class meeting, and Epworth League devotional meet-

LAY DEIvKGATES TO THR GENERAL CONFERENCE.

T. D. King. 2. Mrs. M. D. Nickell. 3. A. F. Coon. 4. M. B. Rees.

5. :\Irs. M. E. Roberts. 6. J. L. McBrien. 7. D. C. Fl;;mixg.

8. Mrs. Angie F. Newman. 9. B. L. Paine. 10. John W.

Balso.n'. II. N. R. Persinger. 12. Chas. a. Goss.

559

560 History of Nebraska Methodism.

ings, and we have some idea of the visible means by which
Methodism has been and is now trying to do her part in
evangeHzing the State, saving souls, and helping to make
the world better.

Some of the results of all these sermons, lessons, prayer
and class meetings, together with her revivals, schools,
hospitals, and other forms of Christian effort and helpful
institutions, we have been able to placej^efore the eye in
tangible form.

But perhaps the best and most lasting results are the
invisible. The truth lodged in the heart and growing
secretly, bearing the rich fruitage of pure thoughts, high
resolves, noble purposes, and these ultimating in strong-
clean character and noble living. The word of sympathy
that has inspired the wavering soul with new courage,
brought hope to the despairing and stanched the tears of
sorrow are results incapable of expression in language or
statistics and must await the eternities for their full ex-
pression.

Many of the agencies that brought about much of
these results, both visible and invisible, have themselves
been obscure ministers and laymen who have wrought for
years with little or no recognition. It has been my pur-
pose to bring to light as many of their achievements as
possible, but I have found it impossible to do justice to
all. But among these are to be found some of our choicest
spirits, our noblest heroes. Their lot is well described by
Dean Farrar in these true words : "There is yet a harder
and a higher heroism — to live well in the quiet routine of
life ; to fill a little space because God wills it ; to go on
cheerfully with a petty round of little duties, little occa-
sions ; to accept unmurmuringly a low position ; to smile

History oi^ Nebraska Methodism. 561

for the joys of others when the heart is aching; to ban-
ish all ambition, all pride, all restlessness in a single re-
gard for our Savior's work. To do this for a lifetime is
a greater effort, and he who does this is a greater hero
than he who for one hour storms a breach, or for one day
rushes undaunted in the flaming front of shot and shell.
His works will follow him. He may not be a hero to the
world, but he is one of God's heroes ; and, though the
builders of Nineveh and Babylon be forgotten and un-
known, his memory shall live and be blessed."

LAY DELEGATES TO GENERAL
CONFERENCE

Page

Anderson, A. J 557

Balson, J. W 559

Coon, A. F 559

Dryden, John F 557

Davis, John 557

Doty, J. J 557

Dale, John . 557

Feigenbaum, L. S 557

Fleming, D. C 559

Goss, Chas. A 557

Hornby, Geo. H 557

Hazen, M. C 557

Haskell, Wm. W 557

Henline, S. A. D 557'

Page

King, J. D 559

McBrien, J. L 559

Nickell, Mrs. M. D 559

Newman, Mrs. Angle F. . . .559

Ollinger, W. G 557

Paine, Bayard H 557

Paine, B. L 559

Persinger, N. R 559

Rogers, E. H 557

Rees, M. B 559

Roberts, Mrs. M. E 559

Slater, John A 557

Sala, F. E 557

Westover, W. H 557

CUTS OF BUILDINGS

First Church Built 459

First Church Built in Lin-
coln 461

St. Paul's Church 461

Sod Church 462

Nebraska Wesleyan Uni-
versity 478

M. E. Hospital 509

Mother's Jewels Home 515

LIST OF PORTRAITS

Page

The Author Frontispiece

Adriance, Rev. Jacob 39

Alexander, Rev. Geo. S. ..131

Adair, Rev. J. M 347

Adams, Rev. R. H 407

Amsbary, Rev. W. A 407

Alexander, Rev. W. B 551

Burch, Rev. Hiram 47

Blackburn, Rev. W. S....131

Buckley, Rev. Joseph 377

Badcon, Rev. J. A 377

Blain, Rev. Bartley 377

Beebe, Rev. u. K 388

Balch, Rev. T. C 401

Beans, Rev. W. K 407

Bithel, Rev. Thos 411

Burns, Rev. Isaac 411

Burleigh, Rev. Chas. H 419

Blackwell, Rev. A. G 423

Butler, Rev. A. C 423

Beck, Rev. S. A 453:

Britt, Rev. L. P 551

Carter, Rev. W. H 347

Charles, Rev. Jabez 347

Collins, Rev. Asbury 379

Connell, Rev. C. E 401

Chapin, Rev. A. B 401

Clark, Rev. D. J 411

Crane, Rev. D. W 415

Calkins, Rev. A. C 415

Collins, Mrs. Louisa 455

Creighton, Rev. C. F 479

Crook, Rev. Isaac 479

Crosthwaite, Rev. A. C 555

Davis, W. H 45'

Davis, Mrs. W. H 45

Davis, Rev. H. T 61

Davis, Rev. D. S 216

Dean, Rev. J. S. W 411

Dressier, Rev. J. M 423

Esterbrook, Rev. F. M 131

Elwood, Rev; Geo. W 407

Eighmy, Rev. P. H 555

Fort, Rev. J". L 39

Folden, Rev. A. L 131

Page

Fleharty, Rev. J. Q. A 347

Fifer, Rev. O. W 419

Fulkerson, Rev. E. M 453

Fleharty, Rev. J. J 470

Goode, Rev. W. H 24

Gage, Rev. W. D 42

Gearhart, Rev. J. R 347

Glassner, Rev. W. 0 401

Gettys, Rev. j. K 407

Giddings, Rev. C. W.... ..411

Gortner, Rev. j. R 453

Gorst, Rev. Wm 551

Gallagher, Rev. Jonn 551

Hart, Rev. David 39

Hamlin, John 51

Hobson, S. B. and Mrs 77

Hey wood, Rev. C. F 347

Henderson, Rev. S. H 415

Howe, Rev. P. W 423

Hummel, Rev. Geo. W 423

Huntington, Rev. D. W. C.479

Hosman, Rev. E. E 485

Hardaway, Rev. W. E 551

Hale, Rev. C. A 555

Hodgetts, Rev. A 555

Imhoff, Miss Louisa 451

Isham, Rev. Geo. W 486

Janney, Rev. Lewis 131

Jones, Rev. W, R 407

Jones, L. 0 523

Johnson, Rev. P. C 551

Jennings, Rev. Jesse W. ..555

Julian, Rev. A. R 555

Kemper, Rev. j. F 411

Lemon, Rev. T. B 101

Leedom, Rev. J. B 41?

Larkin, Rev. J. A 423

Laing, Rev. Robt 423

Leonard, Rev. Jas 555

Lasby, Rev. C. C 555'

Morris, Rev. Milton 45

Morris, Mrs. Milton 45'

Martin, Rev. Elza 45

McCoy, Mrs. Geo. A 56

May, Rev. D. H 131

564

List of Portraits— Continued.

Page

Maxfield, Rev. J. B 139

Marsh, Rev. J 377

Millard, Re\. n. H 407

Miller, Rev. J. G 407

Moore, Rev. J. E 415

Miller, Rev. W. G 415"

Montgomery, Miss Urdell..451

Miner, Rev. Geo. S 453

Miner, Mrs 453

McKenzie, Prof. J. M 469

McKaig. Rev. R. N 471

Mickey, Gov. J. H 481

McLaughlin, Mrs. Allie P.
and group of Deacon-
esses 511

Mastin, Rev. C. A 551

Owen, Rev. T. W 377

Presson, Rev. Harrison 25

Presson, Rev. W. A 131

Pritchard, Rev. Martin 411

Pearson, Rev. Richard 407

Priest, Rev. J. B 419

Query, Rev. James 423

Roberts. Rev. J. J 131

Roe, Rev. John P 347

Reilly, Rev. Charles 377

Ramsey, Rev. 0. L 401

Roberts. Rev. Stokely D..407

Rodabaugh, Rev. D. F 407

Rhone, Rev. Z. S 419

Ruch, Rev. P. B 423

Rouse, Rev. C. G 423

Spillman, Rev. Jerome.... 39

Smith, Rev. L. W 39

Slaughter, Rev. W. B 178

St. Clair, Rev. John T.....347

Smith, Rev. C. P 401

Sleeth, Rev. Asa C 407

Page

Smith, Rev. Geo A 415

Stringfield, Rev. L. H 423

Shelley, Mrs. M. J 451

Stevens, Rev. Leslie.... 455

Stewart, J. M 4g3

Spurlock, Burwell 51'/

Spurlock, Mrs. Isabella 517

Stewart, Rev. J. W 551

Sisson, Rev. F. M 555

Shenk, Rev. J. W 555

Taylor, Rev. J. W 39

Turman, Rev. Z. B 39

Towner, Rev. Abram 45

Towner, Mrs. A 45

Trites, Rev. Geo. P 419

Tindall, Rev. D. K 555

Vessels, Rev. W. G 419

Van Doozer, Rev. S. P 411

Van Anda, Rev. Joel A... 131
Van Anda, John and Fa-
ther 203

Van Fleet, Rev. Peter 455

Van Fleet, Miss Eva 455

Worley. Rev. Thos 131

Wells, Rev. C. W 347

Wheeler, Rev. w. H 377

Wilson, Rev. Wesley 377

Webster, Rev. T. C 397

White, Rev. A. G 411

Winship, Rev. D. C 419

Worley, Rev. Geo 423

Watson, Miss Matilda 451

Watson, Miss Rebecca 451

Worley, Rev. James H....453

Wilson, Rev. E. E 455

White, C. C 487

Worley, Rev. Wm. M 551

Wright, Rev. Geo. 1 555

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