History of Methodism in Denver by John Alton Templin
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INTRODUCTION The Work of Dr. Metcalf As this work is undertaken, there are two research projects completed already on the history of the early Methodist Church in Colorado. In August, 1948, Dr. Kenneth E. Metcalf completed his dissertation The Beginnings of Methodism in Colorado, treating essentially, the years 1859-1863.1 Dr. Metcalf has completed a masterful task, made even more difficult by the scarcity of early records, and complete histories of the various churches. He has given new life to many men who had become little more than names in Conference Journals, and new meaning to statistics filed away and almost forgotten. Especially noteworthy was his treating of the early history of the state, that the Methodist development might be seen to unfold in its natural environment, and have coherence, as well as its true relationship to the state‟s development as a whole. Perhaps some explanation as to the specific dates which are chosen would be in order. It was on July 3, 1859, that Rev. William H. Goode preached in what is now the city of Denver.2 It is following the work of Goode and his associates, Jacob Adriance, that the Methodist Church was permanently organized in Denver. However, a Methodist service had been held several months before (in the fall of 1858) by a George W. Fisher, in cabins, saloons, or preaching in the open air.3 The Rocky Mountain Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church was organized July 10, 1863, with Bishop Edward R. Ames presiding.4 It is this most important era of Methodism with which Dr. Metcalf has dealt in great detail. The Work of Dr. Swan The second dissertation which the writer has used as background material was completed by Dr. Lowell B. Swan, August, 1951.5 In his History of Methodism in Colorado he includes the work done between the dates 1863 and 1876, the latter date was significant in the history of Colorado. It was on July 1, 1876, at a special election, that the Colorado State Constitution was voted upon, and passed by a vote of nearly four to one. Colorado became the thirty-eighth state, the “Centennial” state a month later by Presidential proclamation, August 1, 1876.6 Dr. Swan 1 Kenneth E. Metcalf, Beginnings of Methodism in Colorado (unpublished Th. D. dissertation, the Iliff School of Theology, 1948). 2 Peter Winne, “Historical Gleanings,” The Trail, from a letter written by Adriance to Winne, VIII, No. 6 (August 1915), p. 12. 3 The Rocky Mountain News, March 23, 1867. 4 “Minutes of the Rocky Mountain Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church,” July 10, 1863. These minutes were printed following the conference, and they were duplicated again in the Conference Journal of 1913, the Golden Jubilee. 5 Lowell B. Swan, A History of Methodism in Colorado, 1863-1876 (unpublished Th. D. dissertation, The Iliff School of Theology, 1951). 6 LeRoy R. Hafen, Colorado and Its People (New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Co., 1948), Vol. I, p. 355. 1 has compiled his many resources in a logical progression, showing the development within the three large areas: Denver and vicinity; Greeley, or the Northern District; and the Southern District. In addition, he has included a summary of the educational work of this same period. Scope of this Work The research which is contained in these two completed dissertations has proved invaluable as the basis on which this present work is begun. In a very special way both of these men have given new meaning and clear insight to the work they have undertaken. The present work seeks then, not to be repetitious in any needless way, but should include only summaries of their work to give true perspective to the Denver Methodist churches in 1876. For the brief summaries of the churches before 1876, the writer is indebted to both these men and their work. However, for a complete history of the early periods, the reader is referred to these two theses in their entirety. As the present work is planned it is with a deep sense of gratitude, both to Dr. Metcalf, and to Dr. Swan, for their pioneering work. As the next section of history is now undertaken, it is with the fond hope that its excellence may measure up in some small way to the goals which they have set and the supreme mastery with which they have compiled and made coherent their histories. Since Colorado became a state, it has seemed to this writer that Methodism in the whole state has become too diverse and too broad a subject to cover adequately in one dissertation, hence it seems wise to concentrate on one particular portion of the state‟s development since 1876. The topic chosen includes only those churches of the Metropolitan Denver area, and the special projects and institutions of this same area. The date 1912 includes the developments in Denver to the close of the Episcopacy of Bishop Henry White Warren, whose great influence is felt in every valley and plain within our state. Bishop Warren first came to Colorado in 1880 to conduct his first conference after having been elected to the Episcopacy in that year.1 In 1884 when an Episcopal Residence was established in Denver, Bishop Warren chose this as his home, and remained here until his retirement and his death, both in 1912. Thomas Carlyle once said, “The history of the world is but the biography of great men”. In the life and the work of Bishop Warren we can again see the truth of this famous saying. In choosing to relate this dissertation closely to Warren‟s work and influence it is hoped that we shall be able to give him a part of the recognition which he has long deserved, and probably less often received. Two educational institutions play their great part in the early history of Denver Methodism, namely the University of Denver (Colorado Seminary), and later the Iliff School of Theology. In the case of each of these, only a sketch of their history will be given; but this will let us see their true place in the development of Methodism in the city. A detailed history of 1 Journal of the Colorado Annual Conference of the Methodist Church, 1880. Hereafter cited as Journal of the Colorado Conference ... 2 either institution would be a complete work in and of itself, and indeed, there are already two theses dealing with a portion of the developing history of the University of Denver.1 The work is divided into four major sections. Each date is chosen because of certain events within the stream of the developing history, and the attempt is made to unite the progress of the various churches and institutions around certain major influences within the city and church. Perhaps others might have been chosen, but the scheme adopted here has proved a convenient way to organize the vast amount of material into coordinated sections. The first of these sections includes the history from 1876 to 1884. The former date is the ending of Dr. Swan‟s work, and the latter marks the establishment of an episcopal residence in Denver with Bishop Warren as Colorado‟s leader. The second section including the history between 1884 and 1890 ends with the establishment in 1890 of the “City Missions” appointment in Denver which did much to further the church work in the outlying regions of the growing city. The third section ends with the year 1900, chosen in part because that was the beginning of the great work of Dr. Henry A. Buchtel of the University, and chosen in part rather arbitrarily as a convenient breaking point between 1890 and 1912. The fourth section concludes the work of Bishop Warren to his retirement and subsequent death, as has been mentioned earlier. Limitations as to Sources At many points in this unfolding story of Denver‟s Methodism, many questions must go unanswered, because the details in many cases are unobtainable, and perhaps will remain unknown. Much of the material is based on newspaper records, church records, conference minutes, and printed histories. However, there are also many details which have been supplied through interviews with older members in the various churches. In most cases these are not from written records or notes, but are the reminiscences and interesting recollections taking the person interviewed back to his childhood or early adolescence. Such additions from unsubstantiated sources are generally included here, though qualified by the mention of their origin. In many cases also, such recollections add interesting side-lights which would not have been included in records had they been preserved. Often these little human interest items add new life to the facts and statistics which are reported, and help us to feel the true spirit of the times in which our church had its development. 1 Robert B. Rhode, Governor John Evans, Builder of two Universities (unpublished Master‟s thesis, the University of Denver, 1952); and Jeannette Joan Dunleavy, Early History of Colorado Seminary and the University of Denver (unpublished Master‟s thesis, the University of Denver, 1935). The latter of these two is the more comprehensive, though it includes only the history of the school to the year 1880. Mr. Rhode has sketched in the history to the death of John Evans in 1897. 3 CHAPTER I A SKETCH OF EARLY DENVER HISTORY Denver, the “Queen City of the Plains” is not yet one hundred years old. As we look over this growing metropolis today, it is hard to imagine a time when it was only a few tents, or some crude shacks on a plain dotted only with small hills and a few trees along two sources of water; the Platte River, and Cherry Creek.