_Becomes a Missionary Superintendent—Second Marriage—An
Unexpected Welcome—Forms a Quaker Friendship—The Spirit Moves
in a Quaker Meeting—A Quaker’s Prayer Answered—Builds a
College—Shows What to do for a Dead Church—Another Tilt on the
Doctrine of Baptism—Conversion of a Dunkard Preacher—Turns a
Great Movement in the Right Direction._
In the fall of 1876, Rev. Mr. Newgent entered upon his duties as
Superintendent of the Tennessee Mission Conference, under appointment of
the Home, Frontier, and Foreign Missionary Association. In the meantime
he had married Miss Annie Crowther, of Terre Haute, Indiana, who, under
the divine blessing, abides as the companion of his joys and sorrows amid
the lengthening shadows. She is a woman of rare and excellent qualities,
which especially fitted her for her position as the wife of an active
and ambitious minister. She is in fullest accord with her husband’s
ambitions and tastes, and has contributed her part toward the success
of his career. He freely accords to her this credit. With this queenly
woman ordering its affairs, the Newgent home has ever been a haven of
real rest, a retreat for God’s servants especially. It extends a welcome
and hospitality—a true home spirit—that at once makes the wayworn pilgrim
feel at ease in body and mind, and charms the hearts of the young as well.
At the time of their removal to Tennessee, the United Brethren Church
was new in the South. Its attitude of open hostility to slavery largely
shut it out of regions south of Mason and Dixon’s line. The Tennessee
Conference then had less than four hundred members, with only six houses
of worship. So a great field spread out before the new Superintendent,
taking him back to conditions in many respects similar to those in which
he began his ministerial labors. It was still a time of reconstruction
in church affairs as well as in matters political. But his was a work of
construction rather than of reconstruction.
Aside from the need of laborers and the vast opportunities afforded for
building up the church in this section, one reason he had for accepting
this appointment was the condition of his own and his wife’s health. Both
were threatened with failing health, and a change of climate was advised,
the high altitude of eastern Tennessee being recommended as especially
adapted to their physical needs.
They arrived at Limestone, Tennessee, on a Friday evening in September.
Here was illustrated how his fame as a genial, good humored personality
had spread throughout the Church, so that the people felt that they were
acquainted with “Jack” Newgent (later Uncle Jack) even though they had
never met him personally. Arriving at the city some time after dark, worn
by the long journey, the discomforts of which were aggravated by their
poor health, they little dreamed of finding in that particular realm an
acquaintance or anyone who had any concern for them.
Great indeed was Newgent’s surprise when, as he alighted from the train,
a gentleman, a total stranger, with a lantern on his arm, stepped up and
in a familiar manner accosted him, “Hello! Is this Jack Newgent?”
He had been so familiarly known as “Jack,” that he had resolved to be
known by the more grave and dignified appellation of Andrew J. Newgent
when he came into his new kingdom. But his expectation perished, as it
would have done even had the circumstances been otherwise. A man’s name,
like his clothes, is a part of him, and if it does not fit, his friends
will persist in trimming it until it does. The personality and the title
cannot be unequally yoked together.
“Well,” said the reverend gentleman from the Hoosier State, “I suppose if
I should land in the heart of Africa, some Hottentot would come rushing
out of the jungle and say, ‘Hello, Jack Newgent!’ Who are you, anyway?”
The stranger was Mr. W. C. Keezel, a prominent layman in the conference,
who had been advised of their coming by Dr. D. K. Flickinger, Secretary
of the Missionary Society, and was there to take them to his hospitable
home. It was a pleasant surprise, and they felt at once that they were
among friends whose hearts God had touched with his spirit of kindness
and tenderness. Their anxieties were dispelled, and they felt as near
heaven in Tennessee as in Indiana.
Next day his host took him on a ten-mile ride by horseback over a
mountain road to a quarterly conference, where he met a number of
ministers, and began to get acquainted with his new co-workers. His
presence filled the little band of faithful toilers with new hope and
courage. He preached the following day (Sunday) at a neighboring church
to an immense crowd. Here he met Rev. Eli Marshall, a minister of repute
in the Quaker—or Friends—church, with whom he was destined to form a
close friendship, a friendship which revealed later to both of these
servants of God how mysteriously God moves in answer to the earnest
prayers of his faithful children.
Rev. Mr. Marshall was not only an able minister, but was also a
successful business man, being the owner of several plantations. He took
Newgent to his home, and later showed him a congenial cottage on one of
his plantations. “This is at thy disposal,” he said, “if it suits thee.”
Newgent replied that it was just such a place as he was looking for,
as it was but a short distance from town and the railroad station, and
inquired as to the rental value.
“Just move in,” said Marshall, “we will talk about that some other time.”
But when Newgent insisted, he set a nominal price, which indicated
that he was not especially concerned about the financial side of the
transaction. He furthermore insisted on transporting Newgent’s household
goods from the station, but this privilege he was compelled to share
with Mr. Keezel. While they were moving his goods from the train, his
Quaker neighbors set to work and filled the smoke-house with provisions,
and supplied sufficient fuel to last him through the winter. Such
expressions of kindness and generosity seldom had been seen.
The fourth week in October was the time for the Quakers’ yearly meeting,
to be held at Rev. Mr. Marshall’s home church. He had issued an order
to Newgent to have no engagement for that time, as his presence and
help were desired at the meeting. Under the circumstances there was but
one thing to do, and that was to respect the order. These meetings were
matters of no small significance in that denomination. They usually
lasted several days, and were great seasons of fellowship. They were very
largely attended so that the program sometimes had to be carried out in
several sections. Newgent had never had the privilege of attending a
Quaker meeting, but his appreciation of the Quakers by this time knew no
bounds.
He first went to the meeting on Saturday morning and was surprised to
find more than a thousand people on the ground. His friend, Rev. Mr.
Marshall, met him immediately and said, “If the Spirit moves thee to
preach to-day, we want thee to preach in the church this morning.” Some
one was to preach in the school house nearby. The Spirit moved, and
Newgent preached.
In the afternoon he was “moved” to preach again. He was urged to preach
again at night. This time the Spirit was not consulted, but his preaching
had touched a responsive chord in the Quaker heart, so it was taken for
granted that the Spirit would be favorable. An out-door service and a
service in the school house besides that in the church were required in
order to accommodate the crowd. Newgent declined to preach at this time,
not wishing to usurp the honors that belonged to the Quaker preachers.
But the Quaker “Spirit” refused to let him off. He was even urged to
sing a special song, which was a great departure from Quaker usage in
those days. While preaching with his usual power, it was evident to him
that great conviction prevailed in the congregation. As he had been
invited to depart from one of the Quaker usages, he now felt bold to
depart from another. Indeed he felt strongly moved by the Spirit to give
an invitation for seekers to come to the altar. The invitation given,
the altar was soon crowded with anxious penitents. He then called upon
the Quakers to come forward and to sing and pray with the seekers. This
a considerable number did, casting aside all reserve, and the meeting
became a typical United Brethren revival. It was one time when the
Spirit “moved” beyond question in a Quaker meeting.
He was given right of way in the church on Sunday morning, Sunday
evening, and Monday evening. A new element was thus diffused into
Quakerdom. He held a meeting in that same community a few weeks later,
in which the Quakers took a leading part, and which resulted in about a
hundred conversions.
The best part of the whole procedure came to light when Newgent called
to pay his landlord the small pittance that was due on rent. Rev. Mr.
Marshall refused to accept even the nominal amount that had been agreed
upon.
“Let me explain,” he said, “I have never told anybody what I am going to
tell thee—not even my wife. Some three months ago I moved my foreman out
of that house, and began to pray for the Lord to send us a good, live
preacher from the North. I had got tired of these slow-going Southern
fellows. But I forgot to tell the Lord to send a Quaker. So the Lord
was free to send whomsoever he pleased. And the first time I heard thee
preach, I said, ‘There is the answer to my prayer.’ Now, it would not do
for me to charge rent of the man the Lord sent in answer to my prayer,
when he is living in the property I vacated for him when I besought the
Lord to send him. That house is for thee as long as thee wants it.”
When this noble soul was called to heaven some years later, Rev. Mr.
Newgent was called from a distant State to preach his funeral. Truly, he
was a man of God.
When the conference projected a college enterprise at Greenville, Rev.
Mr. Newgent took up his residence at that place so as to give personal
attention and encouragement to the institution. This college was
afterwards moved to White Pine, Newgent being the leading spirit in the
matter of relocation. He served as financial agent and supervised the
construction of the building. Through his personal efforts the building
was erected and paid for.
The evangelistic gift and executive faculty, both of which were prominent
in our subject, peculiarly fitted him for the duties of Missionary
Superintendent amid such conditions as the Tennessee Conference
presented. Much incipient work had to be done. The routine work of his
office required only a small portion of his time, leaving him free to do
the work of an evangelist, to encourage weak churches and to survey new
territory to conquer. This narrative has already afforded many examples
of his constructive work along these lines. One more characteristic
incident may not be out of place.
Near Limestone, Tennessee, was a church which was so unpromising that the
quarterly conference seriously considered abandoning it and disposing
of the property. It was well located, but there were strong churches on
either side, and the little church, overshadowed as it was by these older
organizations, had never been able to gain a proper standing.
“Let us give it another chance,” said Newgent, who was presiding at the
meeting. “I will hold a meeting there at the first opportunity, and
we will see if it can be saved.” He held the meeting accordingly and
received ninety-seven members into the church, and the little, struggling
church was lifted to such a position of prestige and prominence that it
overshadowed its rivals, becoming a strong center of religious influence.
But it was not enough to merely get people converted and brought into the
church. They must be taught in the doctrines of the church, so as not to
get their doctrinal ideas from other sources.
One of the strong churches of this community was of the Dunkard order,
and mainly through its influence a strong immersion sentiment prevailed.
At the close of the revival there were a large number of applicants for
baptism. According to prevailing custom, all expected to be immersed.
It was in order on such occasions for the baptismal service to be
prefaced by a sermon on baptism. Rev. Mr. Newgent took advantage of the
opportunity to make some remarks on the mode of baptism, which was the
one live subject in religious circles. In his discourse he said:
“We often hear people say, ‘I want to be baptized as Jesus was.’ I do not
share this sentiment. For in one essential respect Jesus’ baptism was
different from ours. It was for a different purpose. He was baptized to
fulfill the law; we, because we are sinners, either for the forgiveness
of sins or because they are forgiven.
“But we may be baptized in the same manner in which he was baptized, and
if you wish, I will tell you what that was. Paul said, ‘He was made a
priest like unto his brethren.’ Jesus said, ‘I am come, not to destroy
the law or the prophets, but to fulfill.’ He fulfilled every jot and
tittle of the law. The law required a priest to have the water of
consecration sprinkled upon his head when he was thirty years of age.
Hence, if Christ was made a priest like his brethren, it is easy to see
that his baptism was the same as that of the priests, his brethren,
and that the water was sprinkled upon his head at the age of thirty;
otherwise he would not have fulfilled every jot and tittle of the law.”
A prominent Dunkard preacher present made a public statement at the close
of the discourse to the effect that, while he had always believed and
taught that Christ was baptized by immersion, he was now fully convinced
that he had been mistaken. When they came to the baptismal service,
all the applicants chose the mode of sprinkling, though they had come
prepared to be immersed.
Under his capable and aggressive leadership the conference maintained a
steady growth. At first its territory was confined to the eastern part
of the State. But in the early nineties he, with some other ministers,
advanced to the central and western parts of the State on a sort of
missionary-evangelistic campaign. They held a number of meetings and
were successful in winning quite a sprinkling of converts. The work thus
accomplished made possible the organization of what was then known as
the Tennessee River Conference in 1896.
One of the most important events in connection with the Tennessee
Conference, and which was brought about mainly through his influence,
occurred in 1895. It is referred to as follows in Berger’s History of the
United Brethren Church, page 614:
“About two years ago a movement which had been for some time in process
of development, began to take definite form, resulting in considerable
additions both of ministers and laymen to the United Brethren Church. The
greater number of these came from the Methodist Episcopal Church, some
from the M. E. Church, South, and a few from other denominations. Those
coming from the Methodist churches were attracted chiefly by the milder
form of episcopal government in the United Brethren Church. There was
for them no possible inducement in material or worldly considerations.
They could not look for larger salaries or easier fields of labor or
lighter sacrifices, nor was the prospect of official promotion better
than in the churches from which they came. Nor could they bring with
them any of the church-houses or other property which they had aided in
building. No thought or hope of this kind was entertained; much less was
any effort made to do so. Influenced by principle alone, and in the face
of present loss, they chose to cast in their lot with us, and they have
addressed themselves earnestly to the work in their new relations. About
twenty-five ministers in all, with a considerable number of members, have
thus connected themselves with the United Brethren. Among the leading
ministers of the movement are: Dr. T. C. Carter, Rev. W. L. Richardson,
J. D. Droke, and others. They have been given a cordial welcome by
the United Brethren Church, not in any spirit of proselytism, for no
proselyting was done, nor from any desire to reap where others have sown,
but with an open heart and door to receive any persons who love our
common Lord and desire to cast their lot with us.”
It seems a pity, however, that church history is so silent in regard to
Rev. Mr. Newgent’s connection with this event, for it was he who turned
this movement toward the United Brethren Church. Those who refused to
tolerate what they considered abuses of episcopal supervision in the two
great Methodist bodies were in the very act of forming a new church. In
this movement Dr. T. C. Carter, now Bishop Carter, occupied a conspicuous
place of leadership, as he did in every great religious movement in that
part of the country. His name was a household word in all that realm,
and when he spoke, multitudes reverently listened. Rev. Mr. Newgent met
him, and showed him a Discipline of the United Brethren Church, believing
that it set forth the very principles of church government for which
these great souls were contending, and thus presented the alternative of
connecting themselves with a denomination that afforded what they wanted,
or of adding to the number of denominational organizations which many
believed were already too many. Doctor Carter suggested that Disciplines
and other United Brethren literature be sent to the leading ministers of
the movement. This was accordingly done; and as a result they decided to
connect themselves with the United Brethren Church.
They were formally received in a special conference held in Knoxville. A
number of the Bishops, general officers, and leading ministers and laymen
throughout the denomination attended this conference, which was presided
over by Bishop Weaver. One of the leading ministers of the movement,
in delivering the welcome address on that occasion, made use of the
following language:
“I am certain that one-half the membership of both churches (the
Methodist bodies) heartily prefer a church government of the people, by
the people, and for the people, to their own.... In view of these things,
I may venture to say that a strong church that will fill the valleys and
mountains of this country with a religious paper devoted to Arminianism
and liberty, and will follow up this plan with men and with churches may
expect a glorious welcome.”