Indiana Methodism

F.ag* hy W. Wells to orl la [Fo(So »LU INDIANA METHODISM: BEING AN ACCOUNT OF THE INTRODUCTION. PROGRESS, AND PRESENT POSITION OF METHODISM IN THE STATE; AND ALSO A HISTORY OF THE LITERARY INSTITUTIONS UNDER THE CARE OF THE CHURCH, SKETCHES OF THE PRINCIPAL METHODIST EDUCATORS IN THE STATE, DOWN TO 1872. REV F C. HOLLIDAY, D. D. CINCINNATI: HITCHCOCK AND WALDEN i873- Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1873, BY HITCHCOCK & WALDEN, In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington, D. C. PREFACE. TN writing the following account of Methodism in In- *- diana, I have desired not only to rescue from oblivion valuable information that would soon be lost, but also to pay a feeble, but justly merited, tribute to the heroic pioneers and founders of Methodism in our state. The record of their toils is found chiefly in the numerous and flourishing Churches that have sprung up all over the state, in the multitudes of living witnesses to the truth and power of the Gospel that they preached, in the schools of learning which they founded, in the vigor of the benovolent institutions which they fostered, and in the educational effect produced by their earnest and evangelical preaching on the public mind and conscience. The pulpit is always a popular educator, and its teachings are the basis of doctrinal belief, to a great extent, in every Christian community This is especially true in a community where books are scarce, and in a state of society where the opportunities for reading are limited. Such was necessarily the case with the early settlers in Indiana. 3 PREFACE. Methodism, with its itinerant system, and its extem- pore method of preaching, found ready access to the people. Its doctrinal basis, so consonant with reason and revelation, was readily accepted by the masses. Total depravity—not total in degree, but in its univer sality as to the powers of the soul—universal redemp- tion, the duty of immediate repentance, justification by faith, regeneration, and perfect love, were the grand' themes upon which they dwelt. They preached expe- rience doctrinally, and they preached doctrines experi- mentally They were too busy to write the results of their labors. Their work was grander than their estimate of it; they planned and builded wiser than they knew- The function of the pulpit as a popular educator is grand. Its mission, always glorious, is pre- eminently so in a new country The founders of Methodism in Indiana were, many of them, great preachers. Had the sermons of Allen Wiley, James Armstrong, Calvin W Ruter, George Locke, James Havens, and Richard Hargrave, been reported as they preached them, when, in the days of their vigor, the multitudes that were gathered from far and near attended their camp-meetings and quar- terly-meetings, they would have been regarded as grand specimens of pulpit eloquence. They would have com- pared favorably with the productions of the pulpit in any age or country The pulpit with them was a sort of telegraph-office, and the people were so many wires in the hand of the preacher. They put themselves in full sympathy with their hearers; their words vibrated PREFACE. 5 from nerve to nerve. There is a power in human sympathy that is almost irresistible. They were men of deep, earnest convictions, and loving hearts. And who can resist the fascination of a loving nature? They were the prophets and pioneers of a better day Their ministry was not only characterized by deep, earnest convictions, and true human sympathy; it had clearness, knowledge, force —convincing the judgment, arousing the conscience, establishing faith, nourishing earnestness, sustaining zeal, and satisfying the felt wants of the soul. They felt an agonizing determination to speak the words of truth to their fellow-men at all hazards. They were impelled by yearnings of super- human import. And while the modern pulpit has gained some in breadth and culture, some in refinement and surface acquirements, it is well if it has lost nothing of the earnestness and honesty of the early days. The mission of the pulpit is the same to-day that it has ever been. It is the grand instrument, the Divinely appointed instrument, of the world's evangelization. And if the pulpit in our day has rare opportunities for use- fulness, it is also beset with remarkable difficulties. The platform is no mean rival to the pulpit. Popular lectures on current themes engross a large share of public attention in towns and cities, and command much of the attention of the better educated classes. And thus the platform becomes a rival to the pulpit. If the pulpit would retain the pre-eminence that it should, the sermon must have as much freshness and culture, as much breadth of thought and ease of manner, as the 6 PREFACE. lecture, and it must have superadded the unction of the Holy Ghost. The modern pulpit has another rival in the press, and especially in the style of modern literature. The paper, the magazine, and many of our books, are written in the most fascinating style. This is a reading age, and for the pulpit to retain its hold upon the popular mind, the sermon must be as interesting as the paper, the magazine, or the book. No book can perform the peculiar office of the pulpit. The pulpit is missionary in its char- acter; its office is to dig in the garden of the soul, to excavate a road for moral manhood, to indicate a path- way to moral attainments. No book can so well arouse flagging and exhausted powers, no book can so well grapple with wandering convictions, no book can so well quicken generous and active impulses, and no book can rebuke vice with the same withering, scathing force, as the voice of the living preacher. And while we honor the Fathers, and claim that theirs was an efficient ministry, and adapted to the times, we can not admit that the pulpit, upon the whole, has lost any of its power. Some of the early founders of Methodism in Indiana yet remain Avith us, most of them suffering from the infirm- ities of age, while a few, as Dr. A. Wood, of the North- western Conference, and Dr. E. G. Wood, of the South- eastern Conference, retain much of the sprightliness and vigor of their earlier years, with the ripeness and ma- turity of age. The spirit of Methodism is retained in its vigor, while its modes of operation have been mod- ified to suit the changed condition of society PREFACE. 7 Thus the large circuit system has been superseded by smaller charges, and week-day preaching has nearly disappeared. Church interests and ministerial cares have greatly increased as Church institutions have mul- tiplied, and while long journeys and physical exposure have greatly diminished, intellectual exertion and moral responsibility have greatly increased. No notice has been taken of a number of ministers, who, for various causes, have seen fit to leave the ministry, some for positions in other Churches, and some for secular pursuits. Such cases have been few, and subse- quent history will do them justice. It is enough at present to say that none of them have profited by their changes, and that the men who have remained faithful to their ministerial vows have been the men of the largest influence and the greatest success. Many interesting details in the history of Methodism in the state have been necessarily passed by, and much local history has been omitted for want of room. A full history of Indiana Methodism would fill three vol- umes of the size of this. What has been aimed at in this volume, is to make such a record of the introduction, progress, and present position of Methodism in Indiana, as Avill convey to the mind of the reader a just estimate of what Indiana Methodism is, what it has achieved, and the circumstances under which it has wrought out its results, without attempting a minute and consecutive history It is hoped that the plan of the work will be acceptable to the majority of readers. I am indebted to the kindness of brethren in different 8 PREFACE. parts of the state for valuable information. I have had free access to the Journal of Dr. A. Wood, and he has also furnished many valuable items from his own memory The difficulty, and in many cases the failure, to obtain needed information, can not be appreciated, except by persons who have labored in the same field. Elliott's "Life of Bishop Roberts," Cartwright's "Au- tobiography," Smith's " Indiana Miscellany," " The Life and Times of Wiley," the Indiana School Journal, " The Census of the United States," and Dillon's "History of Indiana," have been consulted in the preparation of this work. Where local history has been written by parties on the ground, the names of the writers appear in connection with their articles. This work has been written under the pressure of ministerial duties, and does not claim to be invul- nerable to criticism. With devout thanks to God that the writer has been enabled to complete his self-im- posed task, and with a sincere prayer that the work may, to some extent, be useful, it is submitted to the public. F. C. Holliday. Indianapolis, "June 5, 1872. —— CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. Early Civil History—First Romish Church built in the Territory—First Governor and Civil Officers—First session of the " General Court of the Territory of Indiana " —First Grand Jury—Members of the House of Rep- resentatives— Governor's Message—Convention to form a Constitution for the State of Indiana—First General Assembly of the State of Indiana Indiana admitted into the Union—First Senators elected—Early Public Men—Hugh Cull—Dennis Pennington—Ezra Ferris—James Scott—In- fluence of the Early Itinerants pages 17-22 CHAPTER II.

Load more