CHAPTER XIX.. Conference of 1859.--Presiding Elder.--Milwaukee

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.