Book One - Pages 1-10
[1] Calvin Washington Ruter was born in Orange County State of Vermont on the 15 th day of March in the year 1[8del] <7 !>94. His Parents at the time of his birth, were both pious, and respectable members of the regular Baptist church. (1) Shortly after. the Methodist[corr.]s <ministers del> visited that section of the State. they <his Parents> were pleased with the liberal views, and spiritual preaching of her ministers, and soon attached themselves to her communion. a society was formed their house became a place for Preaching, and a home for the weary Itinerant, so that C, W, who was the youngest of seven Children was reared in the lap of Methodism, and from his earliest recollections, favoured with the society and <pious> instructions of the early Methodist ministers. -
When he was thirteen his Parents remove + to New Hampshire, and settled for a short time in Enfield near the well known Pond beside which stands the Shaker Village. (2) There he embraced religion and joined the M. E. Church. It soon became evident to his friends and the church that he was called to the work of the ministry, This was also deeply impressed upon his [1/2] own mind, causing him much anxiety <of mind,> and many sore conflicts. And altho but a youth much effort was made by the P. E. (3) of the District and other Preachers to get him into the work, but he shrank from the responsibilities, and tho they had gained the consent of his Parents, he finally refused to receive license, or to enter the work, which he <ever> afterwards deeply regretted, as he soon lost that spiritual life, and conscious sense of the divine favour, which had hitherto been his chief joy.
In his fifteenth year he emigrated with his Parents to the state of Ohio, They settled first in Athens County, but subsequently in Washington County [and settled del] on the bank of the Ohio River about seven miles below Marietta, where in 1813 his Father died, (and his dust sleeps in the Cemetery of Marietta) Until this time he had retained his membership in the church, though destitute of religious enjoyments, except in a very limited degree. The care of a widowed Mother now devolved upon him and he felt inclined to settle in life, but where an opportunity was presented, he hesitated and finally declined from a fixed conviction in his own mind that he must Preach or be lost. His Mother preferring to live in Athens County near [2/3] her Eldest <and youngest> daughter[corr]s, he procured for her a home there, where he remained with her for a season, but his convictions of duty increasing, he did not connect himself with the church, hoping by thus standing aloof, he would be able to stifle his convictions or at least be free from the importunities of the members & ministers, but failing in this, Jonah like. he fled from the presence of the Lord, and in the fall of 1814 he went to Cincinnati and from thence on a Barge to New Orleans, reached there shortly after the great Battle of the 8 th January, (4) where he remained, principally in the City till the ensuing May.
During this time he was sorely afflicted, so that his Physicians and all around him despaired of his life, yet God in great mercy raised him up, As soon as he was able to travel he started up the River and arrived at home (at his Mother’s) about the last of August -- where he remained mostly for some year and a half, his convictions of duty still increasing, and so great was the conflict, that his health began to fail, and his friends feared a permanent decline & fatal issue, not knowing the fearful struggle of mind which he was undergoing, and which he knew was wearing out his [3/4] physical system. He still continued his private devotions, though the Heavens appeared like brass (5) over his head, and the only answer was, you know your duty and must do it or be lost.
During the Spring of 1816 his convictions so increased that worldly pleasure and even society became irksome and he often wandered for hours in the lonely forest, and would often retire in haste from the society of friends and young associates, and hasten to a retired spot in the grove, throw himself upon the ground and roll in agony afraid to pray, anticipating the answer, utill + in the month of May while walking in a small orchard near his Mother’s residence, he paused and reflected,
‘What a foolish wretched rebel am I, God has done much for me, has been very merciful in sparing my life, raising me from the gates of death, and now still proffers his grace only on condition of obedience to his call.’
And after indulging for some time in this train of thought, he said “I yield, and planting his foot firmly upon the green sod exclaimed ‘Lord let me but enjoy thy smiles I’ll go and preach if <it>’s even to devils.’ Instantly light broke into his mind, the day star from on high (6) dawned upon his soul, he walked nay ran to [4/5] his favourite place of retirement, threw himself upon the ground, wept and prayed and praised the Lord aloud.
A few days after he went to the place of Circuit preaching and at the close of Class meeting, tho standing outside the house when the invitation was given, went immediately in and gave his name to Rev. Marcus Lindsey of precious memory, and was by him received as a probationer in the Church. From that time his course was onward and his mind unwavering with regard to the discharge of duty.
On the 20 th of February 1817 he was licensed to Exhort (7) by Rev Cornelius Springer then in charge of the Marietta Circuit, with Rev T. A. Morris, now one of our Bishops, as his colleague. (Springer has since figured pretty largely among the Protestant Methodist +. (8)) On the 17 th of May 1817 he was licensed to Preach by a Quarterly Meeting Conference held in Newbury for the Marietta Circuit Rev Jacob Young P. E. . and in a few days after bid farewell to his widowed Mother, (who cheerfully gave him up to that work believing he was called of God.) and started for the head waters of the Muskingam River; being employed by the P.E. to travel with Rev. [5/6] Lemuel Lane on the Mansfield Circuit.
He went with much fear and trembling, lest he should not succeed, and sometimes fearing that he might yet be mistaken in his call to the itinerant work, but determined to do his best, and make a full trial <, trusting in the Lord> then should he fail, and not be received as a preacher, he could return to the retirement of private life which had ever been the desire of his heart. But when he arrived in the Circuit, he was kindly and gladly received, a good work was in progress in the Circuit into which he readily entered, and found his work though laborious yet delightfull +, though the country was new, and travelling + sometimes difficult, yet he never missed an appointment, and seldom failed of enjoying a refreshing season, with the warm hearted Christians of that delightful region and many sinners were awakened and happily converted during the few Months which he spent on that Circuit, labouring in sweet harmony <with> the [the del] Preacher in charge, who has long since gone home to his reward. Our young itinerant had determined always to reach his appointments if possible, and never to disappoint a congregation. As a sample of his perseverance, perhaps some would say recklessness, [6/7] in carrying out this determination, take the following,
During a season of unusual rain, he found himself on + Sabbath morning several miles from the place of preaching, and between him and the appointed place, rolled the waters of a large and what was [was del] considered an impassable Creek, as there was no bridge, no Boat, and the stream had overflowed its banks, and low bottom lands for miles on either side were entirely <submerged> {covered with water}, He was advised not to attempt going, but on learning that some distace + above the usual ford, at a place where the banks were some + higher than <usual> {at most other places}, a large <tree> had been cut & thrown across, on which foot passengers had crossed in time of high water, (but not when so high as [now del] <then>,) and having procured as a pilot a young Brother well acquainted with the woods in that neighbourhood, they started, and after riding some miles through the water, from six inches to three feet or more deep, on the overflowed bottoms, they reached the bank of the angry stream, {The bank} <It> was entirely covered with water, and but [illegible del] a little of the upper side of the fallen tree, for a few feet near the stump, [7/8] could be seen above the water, all the rest of the body of the tree was covered with the running water from three to six inches deep, while on the other side of the Creek where the top of the tree rested there appeared a very small spot of Earth above the water, which was all the land in sight, now, said the Pilot, shall we go back?
“No not till we make the trial of crossing.["]
They {alighted on}<reached> the butte of the fallen tree, took off the saddlebags & saddles, procured a small stick [stick del] which, though it would not reach bottom, enabled them to feel their way on the top of the log, as they cautiously waded {over the muddy rushing waters of the Creek}, In this way they carried over their {saddles and other} equipage, and then the bridles were wound around the heads of the horses, and they + driven into the stream, which was not difficult, {to do} as they could see little difference till they stepped off the edge of the perpendicular bank, when they at once plunged entirely under the water, and on rising to the surface, they would of course swim for the only land in sight which, {as noticed above}, was a little spot on the other [8/9] side of the Creek, where our young Pilot was waiting to receive them, they were soon saddled and remounted, and after travelling for some distance, wading through water of various depths they at length, with joy, reached the higher ground and {hastening on reached} <a little later> the appointed place, but little after the hour for preaching and found a {very} large congregation in waiting, The services were soon commenced, and the Preacher taking for his text, (and for the first time in his life) the first verse of the fifty third chapter of Isaiah, “The Report,” (9) though delivered by trembling lips, was well received, being carried with divine energy to the hearts of a numerous audience, the “Arm of the Lord was,” on that occasion, powerfully revealed in the sight of all the people, and while <Saints> rejoiced, sinners were brought to bow to the sceptre of mercy, and several souls were added to the Church, such, we trust we shall be saved.” The young Bro. who acted as pilot, waited untill + the waters were assuaged and returned home in safety. <and the young Preacher pursued his onward way> The year closed with a Camp meeting at which many souls were converted and much good accomplished for the Church.
He was [9/10]] recommended by the last quarterly Meeting Conference, as a suitable person to enter the travelling connexion, and returned home to visit his widowed Mother during the session of [the del] the Ohio annual Conference which met in Zanesville on the third day of September 1817. At this conference he was admitted on trial, and appointed as junior Preacher on the Steubenville Circuit, with Sam l Hamilton and Wm Knox seniors. it being a six weeks Circuit -- Rev. J. B. Himley P.E. He laboured with acceptability and usefulness, yet here he met with some discouragements, and was sorely tempted. On his first round being belated on a Saturday evening on his way to his <Sabbath> appointment at Long’s M. H. (10) He was overtaken by the darkness of a stormy night in October, the rain descending in torrents, he was utterly unable to discern any object however near, At length the top of a dead tree breaking just over his head fell with a tremendous crash all round him, his horse taking fright sprang out of the road and ran at full speed through the woods and down a very steep hill, he was enabled however to keep his saddle untill + the horse finding his course obstructed by a fallen [[10/11]]