Conference of 1859.--Presiding Elder.--Milwaukee
District.--Residence.--District Parsonage.-Visits to Charges.--Spring
Street.--Asbury.--Rev. A.C. Manwell.--Brookfield.--West
Granville.--Wauwatosa.--Rev. J.P. Roe.--Waukesha.--Rev. Wesley
Lattin,--Oconomowoc.--Rev. A.C. Pennock.--Rev. Job B. Mills.--Hart
Prairie.--Rev. Delos Hale.--Watertown. Rev. David Brooks.--Rev. A.C.
Huntley.--Brookfield Camp-Meeting.
The next Conference session was held April 20th, 1859, at Sheboygan
Falls. The excellent Bishop Baker presided, and I was again elected
Secretary. It was at this Conference the trial of Rev. J. W. Wood was
had. He had been the Presiding Elder of the Janesville District, but,
having obtained a divorce from his wife on the ground of desertion,
instead of the one cause named in the New Testament, and married
another, he had been suspended during the year. The trial resulted in
his expulsion. The case was carried to the next General Conference on
Appeal, and that body sustained the action taken by the Conference.
The disability thus hanging over the Presiding Elder of the Janesville
District, rendered it necessary that some one should be appointed to
represent the District in the Cabinet. The Bishop appointed me to this
duty, thus imposing severe labor for the session. Since I was appointed
to represent the District at the Conference, it was generally supposed
that I would be continued the following year, my term having expired at
Janesville. But on the contrary, I was assigned to the Milwaukee
District.
This arrangement made Waukesha my place of residence, as the Milwaukee
District had erected at this village a District Parsonage. The
inevitable concomitant of the Itinerancy, the moving season, passed in
the ordinary course of events, and left us comfortably located in
our new home.
The District at this time included nineteen charges. The larger portion
of them could be reached by railroad, but a sufficient number lay off
the line of public conveyance to render it advisable to keep a horse and
buggy, and hence they were obtained.
Soon after reaching my new field of labor, my attention was called to
the financial condition of the District Parsonage. I found that a small
debt had come down from the erection of the building, which had been
increased from year to year by accruing interest and repairs, until at
this time the entire indebtedness amounted to nine hundred and
thirty-one dollars. Meantime there had been, during the preceding year
of financial pressure, such a depreciation of property in the village,
that the building was now worth but little more, if any, than the amount
of indebtedness.
In looking the matter over, I saw at a glance that it would be much
easier to build a new house in a desirable location than to pay an old
debt of this magnitude. But there were other interests to be considered.
The money for the erection of this Parsonage had been given in good
faith by the people, and if it were now permitted to pass out of the
hands of the Trustees, there would be a shock to the confidence they had
reposed in the administration of the Church. And in the next place, this
money had been borrowed of innocent parties, and it was but right that
it should be returned.
With these views, I undertook to save the property, but I am free to
say it was the most thankless financial task I had ever undertaken. I
gave the first one hundred and fifty dollars, and then divided the
balance among the charges of the District. In passing around to my
Quarterly Meetings, the amounts in most cases were pledged, and the
larger portion finally paid. Yet the collections were not fully
completed before the end of my term.
Milwaukee at this time still retained its three charges, and they were
now in charge respectively of Rev. J. M. Walker, Rev. E. Cooke, D.D.,
and Rev. A.C. Manwell. As stated in a former chapter, Brother Walker had
served his full term on the Beaver Dam District, where he had been very
popular. He entered upon his field with great spirit, but found himself
greatly embarrassed by the unhappy financial condition of the charge.
Besides the indebtedness remaining on the Church, there remained
considerable arrears on the salaries of preceding Pastorates.
This paying a Pastor at the end of his term in notes, that shall come
back to haunt his successor, is not in keeping with the financial genius
of the Church. I once had some sad experience in that line, and since it
was not in Milwaukee, I will take occasion to refer to it in this
connection. It was at a time when the slip rents were not large,
averaging only about two hundred dollars a quarter. In the case referred
to, the two hundred dollars of the first quarter of my year, had been
absorbed to meet the claims of the outgoing Pastor. And then, as he was
still behind two hundred dollars, a note was given him for the balance.
By this arrangement, the first half year of my term had been
anticipated, and had not the people, finding out the state of the case,
come to my aid with a good donation, I must have been greatly
embarrassed.
Nor does such mismanagement affect the one man alone. The system
entails disaster upon the successive Pastors of the charge. Each man
feels that his predecessor has done him a great wrong, when the case may
be, the wrong was done by one man several years before, and afterwards
his successors have only been carrying it over from year to year. But,
however long it may be carried, it still remains as the plague of both
the Pastors and the Church.
But in the person of Brother Walker, the system was squelched. Though at
the end of his term, owing largely to this irregularity, he was largely
deficient in his claim, he balanced the year.
Brother Manwell, the Pastor of Asbury, entered the North Indiana
Conference in 1853, was transferred to the Wisconsin Conference in 1857,
and had served Green Bay two years, before coming to this charge. The
Church accommodations were limited, but he made two good years at
Asbury, and was able at their close to report considerable progress.
After leaving the city, Brother Manwell served a good class of
appointments, and among them Racine, Janesville, Whitewater and Ripon,
until 1873, when he was transferred to Upper Iowa Conference. He was a
man of kind spirit, pleasant address, and specially successful in
leading the social meetings in his charges.
Reference is made to Dr. Cooke in a former chapter, and I need only say
in this connection that under his Pastorate Summerfield had a
prosperous year.
At Wauwatosa, I found Rev. N.J. Aplin, of whom mention is made in a
former chapter. His assistant was Rev. Edward Bassett, a promising young
man, who had been converted in the revival at Janesville. The two men
worked admirably together, and the year was one of great prosperity to
the Circuit. The Circuit was in a flame of revival. And during the year,
the beautiful brick Church at West Granville was erected.
The Brookfield class, it will be remembered, was formed by Brother Frink
in 1840. The members were: Robert Curren, Leader, Sarah Curren, T.M.
Riddle, Adeline Riddle, Gideon Wales, Polly Wales, Mark Johnson, Ann
Butterfield, Margaret Underwood, Charles Curran, Frank Morgan, Mrs.
Frank Morgan, and Mrs. Fellows. To these were soon added, Mr. and Mrs.
Carlton, Mr. and Mrs. Raymond. This Society had already erected a
comfortable frame Church, and the neighborhood had become famous as the
locality in which the Milwaukee District Camp-Meetings were held.
West Granville Church was located in the neighborhood that was known in
the early times by the name of Menomonee. And it will be recollected
that Brother Frink organized a class at this point also in 1840. The
members of the class were: William Coates, Leader, Sarah Coates, T.J.
Rice, Cynthia Rice, Edward Earl, Hannah Earl, Lyman Wheeler, Bigelow
Case, Alvira Case, Mrs. Martin M. Curtis, Nathan Wheeler, Jr., William
Hudson, Susan Hudson. At the first the class at Menomonee included all
the members in that region, but as the country became settled other
classes were organized, and among them those at the Haylett, Nelson and
Coates neighborhoods. Subsequently these classes concentrated at
Menomonee Falls and erected a Church. A new Church has since been built,
and at this writing the village constitutes a respectable charge.
At Wauwatosa there was no Church, and Brother Aplin held his meetings in
a school house. But in 1869 a fine brick edifice was erected under the
Pastorate of Rev. John P. Roe.
Brother Roe resided, at the time of my appointment to the Milwaukee
District, on the New Berlin Circuit. During the war he went to the army
and served as Chaplain with great acceptability. On his return he
rendered effective service as a Local Preacher until 1869, when he
entered the Conference and was appointed to Wauwatosa. At the end of two
years he was elected Agent of the Lawrence University, and continued two
years, performing prodigies of labor, and achieving a grand success in
raising an Endowment Fund. But his health finally failed, and he was
compelled to retire from the work. At this writing, he is traveling
in Europe.
At Waukesha, the Pastor was Rev, Wesley Lattin, who had been returned
for a second year. This noble and true man was received into the
Conference, as before stated, in the same class with the writer. His
first appointment was Sycamore, Ill., with Rev. Stephen R. Beggs as
Preacher in charge.
Brother Lattin had been stationed in Waukesha in 1852, and had now
returned in 1858 and 1859. The year was a prosperous one. A good revival
crowned his labors, and all the interests of the Church were kept in a
healthy condition. In the department of Pastoral labor Brother Lattin
was not inferior to any man in the Conference. Filled with the spirit of
charity himself, he was always able to diffuse the same kindly feeling
among the people. Nor is it too much to say, he was universally beloved.
Of an easy and graceful delivery, and plain, practical thought, his
Ministry was always agreeable and useful.
After leaving Waukesha, he was stationed successively at Beloit, Fond du
Lac, Waupun, Ripon, Appleton, and then returned again to Waukesha. But
here his health failed and he retired from the work for two years, but
having removed to Kansas where his health rallied again, he was
transferred to the Kansas Conference in 1872. Since going to Kansas, our
dear brother has had the misfortune to lose his wife and son. They were
traveling to a neighboring town with a horse and buggy. In trying to
ford a river the waters proved too strong for the faithful horse, and
they were all swept down the stream together, and were drowned. In this
great sorrow Brother Lattin has the sympathies of all his brethren of
the Conference.
Oconomowoc was at this time under the Pastoral charge of Rev. Thomas
Wilcox. It will be remembered that a class was formed at this place by
Brother Frink, in connection with his labors on the Watertown Circuit.
The members were: George W. Williams, Leader; Mrs. George W. Williams,
Jonathan Dorrity, Mr. and Mrs. Day Dewey. In 1840 it was connected with
Summit, and retained Brother Frink as Pastor. In 1843 it was connected
with Prairieville Circuit, and shared the services of Revs. L.F.
Moulthrop and S. Stover. Before the erection of the Church, the meetings
were held in a hall over a cooper shop. The Church enterprise was
commended under the Pastorate of Rev. S.W. Martin, a lot being donated
for the purpose by John S. Rockwell, Esq. Under the Pastorate of Rev.
A.C. Pennock, the Church was put in condition for use, and on the 3d of
February, 1850, the writer was called to dedicate the basement.
The second Church enterprise was commenced in 1867, tinder the labors of
Rev. George Fellows, and was completed during the Pastorate of Rev. Wm.
R. Jones in 1868. It was dedicated by Bishop Thomson. Oconomowoc has
grown to be one of the strongest and most desirable appointments in the
Conference.
At the time of my visit in 1850 the charge had been divided, giving to
Rev. A. C. Pennock the Oconomowoc portion, and Rev. Job B. Mills the
northern appointments.
Brother Pennock entered the Conference in 1848, and was appointed to
West Bend. The following year, as above stated, he was sent to
Oconomowoc, but here his health failed, and he was compelled to rest a
year. In 1852 he was re-admitted and again appointed to Oconomowoc, with
Rev. T.O. Hollister as Assistant. During this year he was greatly
afflicted in the loss of his wife, and before the expiration of the year
he was sent to Waukesha to supply the place of Brother Lattin, whose
health had failed. In 1853 Brother Pennock was stationed at Asbury,
Milwaukee, but, his health again failing, he decided to go to Minnesota
at the end of the year. He remained in Minnesota, doing effective work
until 1864, when, becoming satisfied his health was unequal to the
Itinerancy, he located. At the present writing he is residing in
Madison. He has a clear head and a warm heart.
Brother Mills came to Wisconsin from Washington, D.C., in the Spring of
1848. After stopping in Milwaukee a few months, and receiving license to
exhort from Spring Street Station, he removed to Oconomowoc, where he
was granted a Local Preacher's license. Being employed, as before
stated, on the north part of Oconomowoc charge, he found ten
appointments and seven classes committed to his care, which gave him
abundance of labor. He was admitted into the Conference at its next
session, and returned to his former field. His subsequent appointments
in Wisconsin were Bark River, Palmyra, and Root River. In 1854 he was
sent to Minneapolis Mission in Minnesota, having Rev. David Brooks as
his Presiding Elder.
In this place, now so flourishing a city, he was compelled to hold his
meetings in a loft over the Post Office. But, notwithstanding these
disadvantages, he formed a class, and his good wife organized a Sabbath
School. In 1856 Brother Mills took a transfer to the Peoria Conference,
now Central Illinois, and in 1864, on account of blindness, was
compelled to take a superannuation. At this writing he is residing at
Oconomowoc, but, on invitation, often goes abroad to assist the brethren
in their work. He is a grand, good man, and his labors are always
appreciated.
The next charge visited was Hart Prairie. This Circuit had once formed a
part of the old Troy charge of the early times, but, after undergoing
various changes, it was now a charge by itself. It had a small Church
and a most interesting congregation. Here I was the guest of Rev.
Richard Fairchilds, a Local Preacher of large intelligence and extensive
influence.
The Pastor was Rev. Delos Hale, who entered the Conference in 1854. He
had shirked duty for several years, and had been known as a reliable
business man at Summit. But finally, accepting his responsibilities, he
was appointed first to Oak Creek, and then West Bend. He was now on his
second year, and was in the midst of a revival.
At my visit in the following summer, I attended a Camp-Meeting on
grounds a short distance east of the Church. The meeting was largely
attended, and many souls were brought into the Kingdom.
I was greatly pleased with my visit to Watertown. The Church I had left
in an unfinished condition in 1848, was completed by Rev. David Brooks
two years later, when I returned and performed the dedicatory service.
Brother Brooks entered the Rock River Conference in 1844, and was
stationed at Dixon, Illinois. On coming to Watertown, he entered upon
his work with spirit, and success crowned his efforts. After leaving
Watertown, he rendered effective service in the regular work until 1852,
when he was elected Agent of the Lawrence University. In 1853 he was
appointed Presiding Elder of the Minnesota District, since which time he
has continued to labor on both stations and Districts in that field with
great acceptability.
Brother Brooks is a man of sterling qualities. Sound in the Faith,
circumspect in demeanor, faithful in his work, and true to every
interest of the Church, he could not fail to make a good record.
I found Rev. A.C. Huntley the Pastor at Watertown. Brother Huntley
entered the traveling connection in Western New York, and came to the
Wisconsin Conference by transfer in 1858. He had already held a
protracted meeting, and a large number had professed conversion, giving
considerable additional strength to the charge. The Church edifice had
now become too small to meet the demands of the charge, and Brother
Huntley had entered upon the labor of enlargement. In this good work he
had not only planned and superintended, but had also put his own hands
to the actual labor. He succeeded so well in the enterprise, that he
finally decided to make the extension large enough to furnish also a
good Parsonage in the rear of the Church edifice. The dedicatory
services were conducted by the writer on Saturday, July 16th.
The Brookfield Camp-Meeting was held in the latter part of June. The
grove on the farm of Robert Curren, Esq., was secured for a term of
years, and through the assistance of Brothers Aplin and Bassett, and
the brethren on adjacent charges, it was well fitted up for the purposes
of a Camp-Meeting. At this meeting we adopted the plan of making our
Camp-Meetings self supporting. Instead of relying upon the brethren in
the neighborhood to do all the work and keep open doors for the week, we
determined to pay our own bills, and thus permit the good people in the
vicinity to enjoy the meeting, as well as those who came from abroad.
The change was deemed a great improvement. There was a good show of
tents, and the attendance was large. The preaching was excellent, as the
good brethren were more intent upon saving souls than ventilating their
great sermons. The meeting resulted in the conversion of many souls,
while the membership was greatly quickened.
In these latter days the question is sometimes raised, "Of what
advantage are these Camp-Meetings, now that we have good Churches in
which to worship God?" The question might be answered by another, "Of
what advantage is it to have picnics and other excursions in the open
air, and pleasant groves, since we have houses to dwell in and
restaurants to supply the cravings of the appetite?" The fact is,
Camp-Meetings are as thoroughly in harmony with the laws of Philosophy
as they are in keeping with the principles of Religion.
To intensify either the mental or spiritual forces, it is necessary to
break up, at times, their monotonous habits, and send them off into new
channels of thought and feeling. A lesson may be learned in this
direction from the picnic excursion. It is not the little ones alone
who, relieved of the confinement of the parlor, gambol in half frantic
ecstasy, but the sedate matron and the grave sire renew their youth, and
in their exhuberance of spirit, join in the recreations with the zest
of childhood. The same law obtains in Camp-Meetings. Why not go out into
the woods, beneath the spreading branches of the trees, or even under
the uncurtained canopy of Heaven, and enjoy a grand unbending of the
spirit? With the shackles thrown off that have so long fettered the
soul, what a Heaven of felicity there is in its conscious freedom. The
eagle, long confined in a cage, after stretching his wings to satisfy
himself that he is really free, gambols in the air with an indescribable
ecstasy. So there are thousands of Christians shut up in the Churches
who are dying for a little spiritual freedom. Their poor souls need a
holiday. Let them go out to a good thorough-going Camp-Meeting, and
obtain a new lease of life. And in saying this, I am not advocating
undue license. I am only pleading for the inalienable rights of a human
soul. Such freedom of spirit is entirely consonant with the highest
culture and absolute decorum. Communing thus with nature in her purest
and most lovely moods, the soul is dwelling in the vestibule of God's
own sanctuary. No wonder that prayer and song find such grand perfection
in the Camp-Meeting. It is there they find their highest inspiration.
But another advantage of the Camp-Meeting lies in the unbroken chain of
religious thought and feeling which it affords. In the ordinary
experiences of life, the secular and the religious strongly mingle and
intercept each other. But in the tented grove the secular is shut away
from the mind, and the religious holds complete mastery. One service
follows another, and one religious impulse succeeds another so rapidly
that the soul finds no interval for communion with the world. And as the
ore, by long tarrying in the furnace, where no breath of cooling
currents can reach it, flows as a liquid and is ready to take any form,
so the soul, held in hallowed communion with the Divine spirit, is
prepared to receive the perfect image of God.
To the soul who has no knowledge of these delightful experiences, there
hangs a mystery around the Camp-Meeting, but to Christians the whole
subject is as clear as the noon-day. Like the disciples on the mount of
transfiguration, they are prepared to say, "Master, it is good for us to
be here." With them Christ is the central figure, and it is his presence
that hallows the temple in the wilderness.
It is sometimes objected that the exercises at Camp-Meetings are too
boisterous, and lead to extravagances. To this objection there are two
replies. First, it must be conceded that Camp-Meetings are not the only
meetings that may be denominated boisterous. At political meetings, and
on other occasions, I have witnessed the equal, at least, of anything I
have seen at Camp Meetings.
But the other reply is more to the point. No one can well deprecate the
boisterous and extravagant in religion more than I do, and yet I accept
both as a necessity. To move men to right action, they must be swayed by
right influences. If men were susceptible to the good, then gentle
influences might sway them, but as they are steeped in evil, and largely
lost to the better influences, the sterner only can reach them. If this
shall be found to be true in the individual, then certainly it is more
emphatically true of men in the aggregate. To move a multitude, then, to
the acceptance of Christ, the congregation must be put under an intense
moral pressure. And it will be found that the measure of pressure that
will move the great mass, will sometimes move individuals of peculiarly
sensitive temperament over into the extravagant. Now in such cases, one
of two things must be accepted. We must be content to leave the great
aggregate unmoved, or we must endure the irregularities that are
sometimes seen, not only at Camp-Meetings, but in all revivals of
religion. We cannot accept the former, for it involves the ruin of
perishing souls. Then, accepting the latter, we may not condemn what
cannot be avoided, if the great end of Christian effort shall be
realized. Human nature is a very strange combination, and it must be
taken as it is. The religion of Christ proposes to save men, and to do
so it must take us as we are. The wonder is not that it can make so
little out of us, but rather, that it is able to make even a few fair
specimens, while the balance of us are only indifferent ones. Yet I
rejoice to know that even the poorest of us are vastly better than we
would have been had it not been for the revelation of Christ in us.