Highways and hedges

Front matter

Class ..I' • . . took ,>S 7^ 4 A $ j PRESENTED BY

| JUDGE atd m. ISAAC R. HUT,

| ^ASHSNCTON, D. C.

Preface

of the Methodist Episcopal Church on this continent, and which have sent its streams of influence to Europe, Asia, and Africa. From the store-house of my memory I have endeavored to record some things which I thought would be of interest to the present generation, and of value to the future historian. I have also ventured some opinions in regard to men and measures, and some counsels to ministers and laymen. I am conscious of the decay of memory, and, doubtless, other powers of mind, less observed by myself than others, are failing also; hence it becomes me to ask forbearance for whatever errors may be found in my book, consequent upon the infirmities of age. I have never kept an extensive journal, and only the brief notes of my circuit " diaries " to prompt my memory. The book, such as it is, has been called out by the partiality of my friends, and I doubt not they will treat it with the same courtesy that they have so long extended to its author.

At the close of my fiftieth year in the regular work, in obedience to a request of my Conference, I delivered a semi-centennial sermon before that body. My brethren had the kindness to spread the following upon their journal :

" Resolved, That having heard with much pleasure, and, we trust, with profit, the very interesting and instructive semi-centennial sermon, delivered this day before the Conference, by our venerable and beloved brother, John Stewart, we do hereby very respectfully request him to have it published, in such form as he may think best, for our benefit, as well as for the interest of those who were not present at its delivery. B. N. Spahr."

PREFACE.

This was followed up by solicitations from my friends that I would prepare and publish an autobiography. After a good deal of hesitation I have yielded to that solicitation, and here is the result of my effort.

I have given the names of those admitted on trial into the Ohio Conference from the year 1816 to the year 1866, a period of fifty years. I have also given the names and brief biographical notices of those of her members that have fallen in death during that period. This arrangement gives somewhat of a monotonous beginning to the several chapters, but will be convenient for reference. Though I have expressed my views fully of the characteristics of my colleagues and presiding elders, and the many preachers who have been associated with me during the years of my pastorate and presiding eldership, yet I have been so fortunate in these associations, that there have been very few of them of whom I found it necessary to say aught but good.

If my book shall meet the reasonable expectations of my friends, and above all if it shall be made a blessing to others after I shall have gone to join my comrades in the Church above, I shall not have labored or prayed in vain.

THE AUTHOR.

Monroe, Wis., June 10, 1870.

Chapter I

Birth and ancestry — Father heads a small colony and emigrates to the Hockhocking Valley, in Ohio — Incidents of the journey — George Barris — Builds a cabin — Establishes Sabbath services in his cabin — Travels twenty-five miles to class-meetings — Induces Revs. Jacob Young and George C. Light to visit the Hockhocking Valley — They establish the first permanent societies in the region — Names of members of first class at Daniel Stewart's — Class at South Town — Family religion — The subject of this narrative converted — Eliphalet Case — Hunting and praying — Philadelphia Case — Rev. Marcus Lindsey — Rev. Joseph Pownell — Revival — Singular mode of appointing new leader — E. T. Webster attends class and is awakened — The subject of this narrative is licensed to exhort — Appointments: Smith's, M'Keever's, Pilcher's, and Lotridge's — Doings of mother Ruter — Rev. T. A. Morris — Glorious time at Milton Buckingham's — The young exhorter becomes tempted — He eludes his companion and starts for home— Meets Lindsey at Athens, and counsels with him — Teaches school and holds prayer and class-meetings — Licensed to preach — Visits a camp-meeting near Circleville page 15

Chapter II

Ohio Conference at Louisville, Kentucky, October 3, 1816 — Appearance of the preachers — List of those received on trial — Vast boundaries of the Conference — Appointments of the preachers — The writer employed as assistant on Letart Falls circuit — Struggle and decision — Reception by colleague and people — Opens his work at King's, at mouth of Mill Creek — Large circuit: partly in Ohio and partly in Virginia — Twenty-eight appointments every four weeks — Sketch of first sermon — Revivals — Received for year's labor $25 in depreciated money — Question as to life-work — The farm and plenty, or the circuit and poverty — Decides for God — Recommendation carried up to the

Ohio Conference page 27

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER , III.

Conference at Zanesville, Ohio, October 3, 1817 — Bishop Roberts — List of persons received on trial — The writer the only survivor of the class — Bishop Roberts's sermon on Sabbath — Samuel Parker sent as missionary to Natchez — His feeble health, and affectionate parting with his brethren — The writer appointed to Little Kanawha circuit — Plan of circuit — Writer's views of preaching and other duties — He and his colleague blaze their pioneer path through the forest — Rude but cheerful hospitality — Amusing experiences — Bear meat and bear skins — "Not all gold that glitters" — Preacher deceived by outward appearances — Revs. David Smithers, Samuel Briggs, and Reese Wolf : their peculiarities and worth as local preachers — Transferred to Fairfield circuit — Jacob Young's notice of the change in his autobiography — Mistakes corrected — Rev. Michael Ellis — His fatherly welcome — Reminiscences of appointments and fellow-workers — Charges that have grown out of this circuit — Some of the local preachers were men of great ability and worth — Biographical sketch of Rev. Michael Ellis — The quarterly-meeting of those days — Writer's first sermon in presence of his colleague — Rev. J. M'Mahon's criticism — Rev. James Quinn's amusing experience — Conference year two months shorter than usual — Round exchanged with Rev. Job Baker page 33

Chapter IV

Conference at Steubenville, Ohio, August 7, 1818 — Persons received on probation — Conference business — William Burke — Mahoning circuit — First call— Rev. Shadrach Bostwick — Revival — Horatio Day — Conversions — Erie Circuit — Dr. Samuel Adams — Dr. D. D. Davisson — Rev. Alfred Brunson — Dr. Menarey — Revs. Smith, Leach, and Miller useful local preachers — Great revival and ingathering — Exchange one round with Rev. Isaac C. Hunter, the supply on Lake circuit, New York — Accompany Rev. J. B. Finley to Chautauqua camp-meeting — Large circuit— Erie — Waterford — M'Connelsville— -Meadville — Mercer — Rev. Samuel Gregg's mistakes corrected — Horseback journey to Cincinnati — Proposition to found an institution of learning agitated — Indian missionary work — Delegates elected to General Conference — Persons admitted on probation — Ordained deacon — Postpone matrimonial engagement in view of missionary work — Sketches of J. Young and J. B. Finley page 44

Chapter V

Volunteers for frontier work — Blue River circuit, Indiana — Marriage and retirement of my colleague— Bishop Roberts moves into the bounds of the circuit— Character and popularity among the people-Experience with a young Calvinistic missionary — Lewis Roberts and family — Wedding scenes— Muskatatack camp-meeting —

CONTENTS.

The jerks -List of appointments — General Conference, and exciting scenes page 61

Chapter VI

Mt. Carmel circuit, 111. — Conference at Shiloh, 111., September, 1820— Bishop Koberts presiding in bed — Camp-meeting— Received on trial — Plan of Mt. Carmel circuit — Leading Methodist families of 1821 in that circuit — Camp-meetings — Remarkable conversions — Ohio Conference, and list of persons received on trial page 72

Chapter VII

A horee-thief pursued, captured, and punished — Societies organized for protection — Return to Ohio page 85

Chapter VIII

Vincennes circuit, Indiana — Marriage — Conference at Lebanon, Ohio, September, 1821 — Persons admitted on trial— Camp-meeting cn Mt. Carmel circuit — Conference at Cape Girardeau, Missouri — Camp-meeting — Persons admitted on trial — Ordination to elder's orders — Sickness — Vincennes — General Harrison — Representative Methodists of tbe circuit — Birth of a son — Plan of circuit. ....page 97

Chapter IX

Sketch of the early life and Christian experience of Mrs. Stewart PAGE 106

Chapter X

Ohio Conference at Marietta, September, 1822 — Transfer to Ohio Conference — Madison circuit, Indiana — Delegates to General Conference — Preacher's family to "board around" — Local preachers — Route of travel — Controversy with Baptists — Camp-meeting — Valuable families from Ohio — Camp-meeting — Bishop Roberts's great sermon page 120

Chapter XI

Muskingum circuit, Ohio — Conference at Urbana, September, 1823 — Death of Rev. Charles Trescott — Rev. Thomas Beacham — Plan of circuit — Membership — Salary — "Wife teaches school — Local preachers — Rev. C. Springer — Visit from Bishop Roberts and Rev. Martin Ruter — Delegates to General Conference — Presiding elder question — Lay delegation discussed page 126

Chapter XII

Marietta circuit, Ohio — Conference at Zanesville, Ohio, 1824— Deceased preachers — Incident of travel — Revival — Vaterford — Parks —

CONTENTS.

Itinerant feature of Church polity — Whitney — Crawford — Daniels — Birth of second son — Plan of circuit page 133

Chapter XIII

Guyandotte circuit, Virginia — Conference at Columbus, Ohio, October, 1825— Nathan Walker deceased — Rugged mountain ride — Search for a house — Sheep turned out and shepherd turned in — Outline of the circuit — Local preachers — Spurlock — M'Comas — Barboursville — Ladeley— Public whipping-post and characteristic scenes ...page 140

Chapter XIV

Deer Creek circuit, Ohio— Conference at Hillsboro, October 4, 1826— John Walker deceased— Rev. John Ferree — Rev. Russel Bigelow— Conversion of a young skeptic — Parsonage at Dry Run — Kind neighbors — Domestic incidents — Serious illness of wife and prayer answered in her recovery — Dr. Deming — Third son born — Radical excitement— Anecdote of father Timmons— Camp-meeting — Conference at Cincinnati, September 19, 1827 — Delegates to General Conference — John Sale deceased — Returned to Deer Cre^k circuit — Move to Greenfield — General Conference and its exciting questions — Nicholas Snethen and Thomas Bond page 146

Chapter XV

Miami circuit, Ohio — Conference at Chillicothe, September 18, 1828 — Camp-meeting — William R. Anderson — J. M. Trimble's first Conference exhortation — The great Freemason excitement — List of appointments — Prosperous year — closed with camp-meeting — Conference at Urbana, September 3, 1829— Returned to Miami circuit with James Laws for colleague — Camp-meeting— Incidents of the meeting — First daughter born page 159

Chapter XVI

Oxford circuit, Ohio — Conference at Lancaster, Ohio, September 8, 1830 — Pleasant year — Build parsonage in Oxford — Conference at Mansfield, Ohio, September 8, 1831— Michael Ellis deceased — Delegates elected to the General Conference— Returned to Oxford circuit — Miami State University — Second daugbter born — Rev. Moses Crume — Local preachers — Aaron Powers and the Mormons — Names of precious memory — Camp-meeting — Collision with Kidwell of the "Star of the West" page 167

Chapter XVII

Bellefontaine circuit, Ohio— Conference at Dayton, Ohio, September 19, 1832 — Bishop Emory— Rev. J. G. Bruce and Peter Sharp — Camp-meeting— Local preachers and model private members -Kind-

CONTENTS.

ness of brother Messick— Deputation from the Flat-Head Indians this year resulted in founding a mission among them page 173

Chapter XVIII

Troy circuit — Conference at Cincinnati, August 21, 1833— Eev. John Ulin deceased — Arza Brown — Eichard Brandriff— Local preachers and lay members page 177

Chapter XIX

Adelphi circuit, Ohio- Conference at Circleville, Ohio, August 20, 1834— Sargent and Callahan deceased — Plan of the circuit — Haunted house — New parsonage — Great camp-meeting — Incident — Camp-meeting near the falls of the Hockhocking — Conference at Springfield, Ohio, August 19, 1835— Philip Gatch, William Page, afid Eussel Bigelow deceased — Delegates to General Conference page 181

Chapter XX

Athens circuit, Ohio — Conference at Chillicothe, Ohio, 1836 — William Phillips deceased — Eeturn home — Conference at Xenia, Ohio, September 27, 1837 — John A. Waterman and Erastus Felton deceased — Ohio State University page 190

Chapter XXI

Felicity circuit, Ohio — Conference at Columbus, Ohio, September 26, 1838 — Eev. J. B. Finley deceased — Augusta College, its professors, successes, and downfall — Hon. David Fisher — Holly Eaper — John Patterson— James Armstrong — Erection of church in Augusta — Church in Higginsport page 198

Chapter XXII

Georgetown circuit, Ohio — Conference in Cincinnati, Ohio, September 18, 1839 — Preachers deceased — Delegates to General Conference — Protracted meetings— Camp-meeting — Conference at Zanesville, Ohio, September 30, 1840 — Persons admitted on trial — Charles E. Baldwin and Jeremiah Hill deceased — Controversy on baptism — Protracted meetings — Camp-meeting — Decease of venerable mother — Sickness of daughters- Incidents and triumphant death of the girls — Local preachers — Prominent laymen page 204

Chapter XXIII

Bainbridge circuit — Conference at Urbana, Ohio, August 25, 1841 — E. W. Finley deceased — Pleasant year — Closing camp-meeting near Bainbridge— Conference at Hamilton and Eossville, Ohio, September 28, 1842 — William B. Christie and Isaac C. Hunter deceased— Protracted meetings — Wonderful outpourings of the Spirit — Building a

CONTENTS.

church — Revival incidents— Writer's second son licensed, and recommended to the traveling connection page 219

Chapter XXIV

Kanawha district, Virginia—Conference at Chillicothe, Ohio, September 23, 1843 — Rev. A. Hance deceased — Appointed presiding elder — Delegates to General Conference — Territory and population of the district — Preachers — Charges — Great Variety — Amusing anecdote — General Conference at New York, May, 1844 — Plan of separation — Intense excitement — Ohio Conference at Marietta, Ohio, September 4, 1844 -Bishop Soule — J. W. Kanaga deceased — Bishop's cabinet — Inside view — Stormy times—" Abolitionism " — Conference at Cincinnati, Ohio, September 3, 1845 — Exciting times — Bishops Soule and Hamline — Brothers Collins, Jones, and Farnandis deceased-Doctrines of the Church on slavery — Position of the writer — ■ Outrage at Parkersburg — Correspondence with Bishop Soule — State of the district page 233

Chapter XXV

Portsmouth district— Conference at Piqua, Ohio, September 2, 1846 — Deaths — Preachers on district — Residence — Conference at Columbus, Ohio, September 1, 1847— Delegates to General Conference — Journey to Pittsburg — Session of General Conference — Dr. Dixon — Conference at Newark, Ohio, September 27, 1848— James Quinn and "William Parish — Preachers on Portsmouth district — Kentucky work included — Cbolera — Kentucky hospitality — Conference at Dayton, Ohio, September 26, 1849 — Deaths reported — Pew question — Visit to Iowa — Reminiscences page 261

Chapter XXVI

Deer Creek circuit, Ohio — Conference at Chillicothe, Ohio, September 18, 1850 — Pleasant charge — Conference met at Springfield, Ohio, September 17, 1851 — Deaths — Returned to Deer Creek circuit — Colleague, Samuel Middleton — Sickness of wife — -Reminiscences and reflections — Delegation to General Conference page 279

Chapter XXVII

London circuit, Ohio — Conference met at Zanesville, September 1, 1852 — Deaths — Colleague, Rev. James Brown — Appointments — " A. mere garden spot" — Gracious revivals, and a happy year — Conference met at Lancaster, Ohio, September 7, 1S53 — Deaths — Returned to London circuit — Colleague, Rev. J. Crum — Revival fires spread over the circuit — Incidents — Washington Withrow's conversion — Buys a horse for the preacher — Names of noble-hearted laymen — Critical illness of wife -Prayer prevails — Journey to Wisconsin page 281

CONTENTS.

Chapter XXVIII

Pickerington circuit and Lancaster district — Conference met at Portsmouth, Ohio, September 6, 1854— No deaths reported— Journey to Wisconsin— Settlement at Pickerington — List of eight appointments — Pleasant home and surroundings — Names of some of those excellent families— Conference met at Athens, Ohio, September 5, 1855 — Death — Pleasant Conference — Delegates to General Conference — Returned to Pickerington circuit -- Rev. J. L. Grover resigns the district— The writer appointed to fill the vacancy — The work and the preachers— Pleasant and profitable year page 291

Chapter XXIX

Jackson district— Conference met at Newark, Ohio, September 3, 1856— Deaths — The field and the workmen on Jackson district — Live at Jackson — Conference met at Chillicothe, August 26, 1857 — List of those received on trial — Death — Preachers for Jackson District — Sickness and death of venerable father — Conference met at Marietta, Ohio, August 25, 1858- -List of preachers for Jackson district — Conference met at Columbus, Ohio, August 31, 1859 — List of those received on trial — Bishop Morris's Sabbath sermon — Preachers on Jackson district — Pleasant years — Stewart Chapel page 297

Chapter XXX

Minister at large — "Western tour — Conference at Gallipolis, Ohio, September 19, 1860 — Deceased, Jacob Young and Samuel Harvey — Semi-centennial celebration resolved on — Permission to travel at large during the year — Visit Chicago, Monroe, Madison, Freeport, Eockford, Burlington, Mt. Pleasant, Fort Madison, "West Point, Chambersburg, St. Louis, Springfield, Indianapolis, Cincinnati, Covington, Columbus, etc. — Preached about one hundred sermons and visited a multitude of friends — Impressions of persons and places visited — Programme for memorial services page 305

Chapter XXXI

Frankfort circuit — Conference held its fiftieth session at Circleville, Ohio, September 11, 1861 — Semi-centennial celebration — Colleague, W. W. Cherington — Old friends— Nine appointments— Attended many funerals — War excitement — Cherished names page 319

Chapter XXXII

Deer Creek circuit and Chillicothe district — Conference at Zanesville, Ohio, September 3, 1862— J. "W. Clark, Uriah Heath, and John P. Calvert deceased — Historical succession of preachers on Deer Creek circuit from A. D. 1800 to 1863— Colleague, Rev. T. J. N. Simmons ; Z. Connell, presiding elder — Conference at Lancaster, Ohio,

CONTENTS.

September 3, 1863 — Neither probationers nor deaths - Eeturned to Deer Creek circuit— Death of presiding elder — Writer appointed to the district— The work and workmen on the district — Continued military excitement page 322

Chapter XXXIII

West Kushville circuit — Conference at Chillicothe, Ohio, October 8, 1864 — Edward Estell and Zachariah Connell deceased — Reunion of the members of Cincinnati and Ohio Conferences- Grand patriotic address of Bishop Simpson — Circuit plan of four appointments — Mode of pastoral work — Rebel sympathizers — Neighbors and choice spirits page 329

Chapter XXXIV

Royalton circuit, Ohio — Conference at Columbus, Ohio, September 21, 1865 — John C. Havens, Henry Wharton, and Leonidas L. Hamline deceased — Kind attention from brethren and Conference — Request of Conference that the writer should deliver semi-centennial sermon at its next session — Colleague, Rev. John W. White — Nine appointments — Meditations page 333

Chapter XXXV

Superannuated life — Conference at Columbus, Ohio, September 26, 1866 — Semi-centennial sermon made the order of the day for Monday, 10 o'clock — Conference request publication — Superannuated — Resolution of respect — Journey to the North-west — Settled at Monroe, Wisconsin — Welcomed — Letter of welcome from Dr. Brunson — Rev. Aspinwall — Called on to preach — Letter to Ohio Conference — Assist son on Joliet district, Rock River Conference — Concluding adieu to Methodists page 337

Appendix

I. Commemoration Sermon— Delivered by request of the Ohio Conference on the occasion of its fiftieth anniversary, at Circleville, Ohio, September 16, 1864 page 345

II. Semi-centennial Sermon — Delivered by request of the Ohio Conference on the completion of half a century in the regular work, at Columbus, Ohio, October 1, 1866 page 377

OR,

Fifty Years of Western Methodism.

chapter I. BIRTH AND EARLY LIFE

I WAS born in Sussex county, New Jersey, June 8, 1795. My ancestors, on my father's side, were of Scotch origin. My great-grandfather, Daniel Stewart, emigrated to America at an early day, and settled in Litchfield, Connecticut. My father, Daniel Stewart, was born November, 1762, in Litchfield, Connecticut. Before he had reached his majority the Revolutionary War broke out. He warmly espoused the cause of the struggling colonies, and offered himself for the service. He was accepted, but being too young for the ranks was put in charge of a wagon. His position was one of hardship and danger, but he endured cheerfully, and had the pleasure of living to see the country that he had assisted in wresting from British domination taking a front rank in the great brotherhood of nations. He married Miss Ruth Fulford, and settled in Sussex county, New Jersey. About the beginning of the present century he formed the acquaintance of a man who owned a large tract of land in the valley of the Hockhocking, in the then wilds

HIGHWAYS AND HEDGES.

of the Ohio Territory. The man was very anxious to dispose of the property, and my father purchased it, and determined to emigrate to that place and open a farm. One of his brothers, Archelaus Stewart, determined to accompany him. The two families commenced making their arrangements. My father sold off his personal property at public auction, and as he was compelled to give a credit to the purchasers, he removed his family to New York city and engaged in temporary business. "When the sale notes were due we returned to Sussex, closed up the business, made a short visit among old friends, and then set out upon the long journey. Kind neighbors bid us good-by with many tears, and shuddered in view of the hardships we were to encounter on the journey and after we should reach our destination. We had two wagons and five horses. In view of difficult roads and the amount of our load, it was necessary that some of the company should walk most of the time. Though only seven years old, I walked almost the entire journey. At the difficult mountain ascents we doubled teams, and thus, though our progress was slow it was sure. After more than a month of weary marching we caught our first view of the beautiful Ohio River at Wheeling. We purchased of Mr. Palmer, who kept the ferry at Wheeling, an old ferry-boat. One of the party took the horses through by land. W r e packed the goods on the boat and floated down the river. The scenery was wild, but beautiful and exciting. As we were floating quietly . along one day, one of our company saw an object reclining on the limb of a tree which overhung the water. A closer inspection revealed the fact that it was a huge bear lazily enjoyiDg the sunshine. With a trusty rifle in hand, one of the party landed and soon brought old bruin down with a deadly shot. When we reached the mouth of the Hockhocking we landed, and after providing ourselves

BIRTH AND EARLY LIFE.

with suitable barge-poles, commenced the laborious work of poling our boat and cargo up that stream to the place of our destination. The knowledge of the fact that we were so near to our new home inspired us all with fresh courage, and we worked with a will. The first day of January, 1803, we tied up our boat at the mouth of Federal Creek, and were made welcome to the hospitalities of the log cabin of George Barris. The land which my father owned was in this immediate vicinity, and with his usual promptness and enterprise, he gathered a sufficient force to put up with great dispatch quite a pretentious cabin for those days. I shall not indulge in many reminiscences of those pioneer days at present, as I shall have occasion to refer to them frequently as I progress with my narrative. Though we were in the dense forest, where the wild whoop of the Indian was a more familiar sound than that of the churchgoing bell, yet we were at home, and we addressed ourselves to the task of making that home as attractive as possible. My uncle built his cabin a few miles further up the river. The settlers were few and far between, and school and Church privileges far away. My father and his brother and their wives were the only Methodists within the bounds of what now constitutes Athens county. They acknowledged God, and erected the family altar in their houses. They also met regularly at my father's house on the Sabbath-day, at twelve o'clock, to worship God publicly. The service consisted of singing, prayer, and the reading of one of Mr. Wesley's sermons. In view of seniority and superior education, my father usually read the sermons. Though they enjoyed times of refreshing at these family gatherings, and realized the faithfulness of God's promises to two or three gathered together, yet they longed for the ministration of the Word from God's liying ministers. In the

course of time my father learned that there was Methodist

HIGHWAYS AND HEDGES.

circuit preaching at or near Rev. Reece Wolfs, three miles above Parkersburg, Ya., a distance of twenty-three miles from our house. My father went, found that preaching-place, handed in his letter, and attended the service, making the journey of forty-six miles each time with more of fidelity than many professors attend religious duty who live within a stone's throw of the house of God. It was impracticable, however, for the families to attend, and at length, by earnest solicitation, the preachers consented to make a tour of observation up the valley of Hockhocking. Jacob Young, then a single man, in the vigor and ambition of early life, led the way. The scattering pioneers received him so gladly, that he determined to expand the already enormous boundaries of the Little Kanawha circuit to embrace these Ohio neighborhoods. Rev. Geo. C. Light, the junior preacher followed in his turn, and the result was the establishment of several classes. The first was organized at my father's house, and comprised six members, namely : Daniel Stewart, Ruth Stewart, Archelaus Stewart, Lydia Stewart, AYilliam Pilcher, and Letta Pilcher. Not long afterward Harrison Long and Lydia Long, Job Ruter and wife, parents of the Ruter family, brother and sister Case, Rev. John and Palace Green, and others, were added to the class. Another class was organized in what was then called Southtown — now called Alexander — about six miles south of where Athens now stands. Those pioneer societies still live, and they who planted them and they who were the original members of them live also, but not on earth — the pioneer preachers and the pioneer members are now safe at home.

My father had a large family — nine sons and five daughters. He opened up a large farm on heavily-timbered land, and educating his family to habits of industry and economy, accumulated a large property. During more than sixty

BIRTH AND EARLY LIFE.

years of membership in tlie Methodist Church, I never knew him to omit family prayers, morning or evening. He usually had a good many hands about him, but it mattered not what was the press of business or who were present, he neither omitted or abridged the service. He read a chapter — usually in course — sang a hymn, and offered prayer. For many years the regular preaching was on week days. He gave all his hired help privilege to attend, without any deduction from their day's wages. My mother died in 1839. She was a strong-minded, kind-hearted, noble, Christian woman, having been a faithful member of the Methodist Church about fifty years. My father married again in his eightieth year. The woman that he selected, Mrs. Lovica Willard, was an excellent Christian woman, and they lived together some sixteen years, being a great help and comfort to each other. During- the last years of my father's life he was nearly blind and unable to kneel, but his wife would read the chapter and then read a hymn, after which she would kneel down, and father would lead in prayer, sitting in his chair, or call on his companion, or the hired girl, if a Christian, or any praying visitor who might chance to be present. This punctuality in the maintenance of the exercises of religion in the family had a salutary influence on the whole household. All of my brothers and sisters embraced religion iu early life, and the most of them made a permanent home in the visible Church. In his ninety-seventh year my father fell asleep in Jesus, and about one year afterward my step-mother was called to her rest, in the eightieth year of her age.

As my father's house was a home for the travelingpreachers and the preaching-place, I was early brought under the influence of their public and private teaching. The Holy Spirit strove with me, and deeply convicted me of the necessity of a change of heart. I often commenced

HIGHWAYS AND HEDGES.

seeking it, and often gave up seeking it, as I passed up from childhood to manhood. The restraints thrown around me were so numerous and strong that I was kept from running into open wickedness. I was kept within the bounds of what the superficial of this world call morality; but in my most careless state I never thought that morality would save me. When I was about twenty years of age the Spirit called me again with great earnestness, and I determined, not without a severe struggle of mind, to give up the amusements which so engrossed the young, and enter upon the work of seeking my soul's salvation with full purpose of heart. I sought the Lord by day and by night, read the Scriptures much, spent much time in secret prayer, and realized that though I was doing the work of repentance and faith, the work was delightful to me in some respects though painful in others. I was distressed with the remembrance of my long procrastination, but comforted with the assurance that I was now honestly and earnestly seeking God. After several months of seeking, it occurred to me that I might find helps in the Church that would be of value to me. On one occasion I remained for the class-meeting after preaching. Before the preacher commenced to lead it, he asked the leader if any person had remained who was not a member. His attention was directed to me, and he gave me such counsel as suited my case. The preacher was Rev. Marcus Lindsey, a man of precious memory, who turned many to righteousness. I did not join that day, but began at once to persuade others to come to the Savior that I so much desired to serve. On one occasion Eliphalet Case came to our house, intending to go out with my brother Charles hunting that night. Charles not being at home, Eliphalet remained and lodged with me. After we had retired I told him that I was seeking religion, and that I intended to be a Christian if none of my young companions