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Book One - Pages 81-90
[[80/81]] Rock, and sought a home in the Church of God. (43) An appointment was made for meeting that night at the house of a brother Spangler, Father Ruddel Preached, our young Preacher exhorted, the Spirit of God was present to wound an + to heal and that night Eight souls were powerfully & happily converted, the work received a fresh impetus, and spread with increased rapidity.
Thus passed the entire year amid thrilling scenes of religious revival, especially was this the case on the lower part of the circuit in what was called “Clarke’s Grant.” But in the midst of these encouraging prospects, and these indications of divine favour, our young Pr was not without seasons of darkness and sore trials, he was often buffeted sorely by temptation, That over which he most grieved was the prospect of being forced to leave that work in which he so much delighted, and valued above all Earthly treasure, But by excessive study and labour, while in the Ohio Conference, his constitution had been shaken and the seeds of disease deeply sown, and the constant[ly del] excitement, and unceasing labours of the present year, had afforded no opportunity for that relaxation which a shattered constitution demanded, and it became apparent to all [[81/82]] that he must leave the field of effective labour or he would early fall a martyr to his work. As the conference year was nearing its close, it was, to him, painfully evident that he could no longer stand the labor then required in the Itinerant field, indeed he was too feeble to go to the seat of the Missourie Cf.-, as it would require a journey of several hundred miles on horseback, mostly through an unbroken wilderness, hence he determined to ask a location, and return to Ohio, and should he recover his health reenter the work there, This was strenuously opposed by his P.E. who prevailed with him to remain and get some rest while, he should go to Conf.- and return, that he would procure for him, if possible, some light work for the next year, and that his health might probably be restored without entirely leaving the field. But at the Conf.- it was found, that as the Harvest was great and but few labourers, (44) it was necessary to reappoint him to the charge of the same, Silver Creek, Ct.- with Wm Cravens as his colleague. The Bishop directed or rather instructed, our young Pr to act only as a supernumerary, (45) taking the oversight of the Ct, and to labour no more than would be entirely consistent with the feeble state of his health, and not retard his recovery, But [[82/83]] these instructions he found himself unable to obey, His health had improved a little while resting from regular labour, and the people expected him to go into the work as before, His colleague had come from Virginia, during the previous year and settled in the bounds of this Ct.-, He was a local Preacher of long standing, extensively & favourably known a sound divine & of great energy of character, and was readily admitted on trial in this new Conference tho. considerably past the middle age of life, He was an able preacher, possessing great originality of mind & great eccentricity, and his preaching and manner of working did not exactly meet the views of some of the membership, and hence he was not so well calculated to push forward the good work, as he might have been under other circumstances, and after a few months the P.E. sent him to look up some new settlements & form a mission farther North in which work he was quite successful, and he continued for several years in the itinerant work as an efficient labourer.
Thus circumstanced our young Pr found it necessary to labour more than his state of health would justify and as a consequence before the close of winter his health entirely [[83/84]] failed, and Rev. S. Glaize was called from a neighbouring Ct. by the P.E. to take charge of this work. – On the 29 th of March 1821 he was married to Mrs H. C. Cutler near Lexington Ia, a Lady of exemplary Piety, great amiability of character, who cheerfully undertook, and cheerfully endured the labour & privations of an itinerant life, He was prostrate with disease, most of the summer, and in the fall <of 1821> entirely unable to attend conference he again requested a location, which was however refused and he received +, unasked, a superanuated + (46) relation, the Conference believing, that though a young man yet as he had broke down through excessive labours in the itinerant field, he was entitled to the sympathy & aid of the Church. During the year he was able to preach but seldom, & suffered much, yet he was able some of the <time> to labour a little, & engaged in a light business, feeling it a duty to do all [in] his power toward gaining a support, and in the course of the year removed his family to Jeffersonville, Here he suffered much from affliction most severe.
In the fall of 1822 he was unable to attend Conf. and was continued in a superannuated relation. His health still declining, in the Spring of 1823 he [[84/85]] removed his family back, and settled them on a small farm near Lexington. Here during the summer he recruited a little and in the fall was able, for the first time to reach the seat of the Missourie Conf.- which met in St Louis, Here he was ordained Elder, Bishop McKendree confering + the orders. At this Conference his relation was changed to supernumerary, and he + appointed, with the Rev. S. Hamilton in charge, as assistant on Charlestown Ct.- , Rev Wm Beauchamp P.E. <He died at, or near, Paoli In October 8 th 1824.>
William McKendree (portrait courtesy of the
General Commission
on Archives and History, United Methodist Church)
He was not able to labour much during the year. In May 1824 the Gen l Conference (47) met in Baltimore, at which the Missourie conference was divided, the Mississippi River being the line, and the states of Illinois & Indiana united together & called the Illinois Conf--, and as there was a part of one district in the Eastern part of Indiana, which had belonged to the Ohio Conf— and was supplied with Preachers from there, hence, when the State line, was made the line of the Conf--, several Preachers from the Ohio, came into Illinois Conf--, among these were Revs Jno. Strange, A. Wiley and J. Havens, <with some others> Strange was a preacher of several years standing, having joined the Western Conf. in 1810, Wiley joined the Ohio Conf— in 1817 and Havens in 1820 These were considered as quite an acquisition to our new Conf--- as they were known to be able ministers & faithful labourers. and they each performed much good service. (37)
[[85/86]] In Oct.- 1824 the Missourie & Illinois Conferences met together for the last time, at Padfields, Looking glass + Prairie Ill s This Conference Bro. Ruter was unable to attend, and was again placed on the superannuated list. This year he was able to preach but little, suffering much from general debility, tho,- his voice still continued strong, and indeed this was the case during his continued illness, for when ever he was able to stand in the pulpit, he could be readily heard by the largest congregations.
On the 25 th of August 1825, the Illinois Conference held its first separate session in Charlestown Clarke Co Indiana, Bishop McKendree presiding. Here Bro. Ruter attended and although in feeble health, was appointed, or rather elected secretary of the conference, which office he continued to fill each successive year as long as Illinois and Indiana composed but one Conference. At this Conference he was continued in a superannuated relation. Jno. Strange was returned to Madison Dist as P.E. and Sam l Bassett stationed in Madison, -- Charlestown Dist, Jas.- Armstrong P.E. Charlestown Ct.— A Wiley & Geo. Randall --
Bassett was a very conscientious man, and a pretty good preacher, but he found the Church in Madison in a very low, and a rather distracted condition, Old & unpleasant difficulties existed among the [[86/87]] members, and having had no regular Pastor the previous year, difficulties had increased so as to be thought almost incurable, Bassett prayed & wept, but soon became discouraged, the P.E. Bro Strange lived in Madison, and did all he could to sustain him, but it soon became evident he (Bassett) could do no good there, and lingering out a dying existence for some six months, the P.E. released him from the charge, and sent him to a circuit, thus Madison Station was again left without a Pastor. The quarterly meeting Conf. (48) which requested the removal of Bassett, also requested the P.E., if practicable, to get Bro. Ruter to take charge of the Station for the remainder of the year. Hence the ensuing week the P.E. accompanied by his faithful friend, Rev. James [?] Taylor, a Local Preacher of the Madison Station, came to Lexington and spent a night with Bro Ruter, who overpowered by argument & persuasion reluctantly consented to spend the Sabbaths in Madison for the remainder of the year, and do what he could for the recovery of the church there. He found some good members there, though the church + in a very low state, and almost entirely discouraged, but he went to work with a will, visited the members, aided in settling such difficulties as could be settled, [[87/88]] and others refered + to a future judgment, persuading the Church to pray & labour for a revival of religion knowing that mountains of difficulty would then only be removed, He did not labour in vain, in answer to prayer, the Lord made bare his arm, and a change for the better was soon witnessed, the congregations increased, Classes revived & better attended, and the faint hearted, even, began to hope that a better day was coming for the church in Madison. The time for the last quarterly Meeting arrived, the P.E. who having a larger Dist.-- had been absent most of the time during the quarter returned home, Preached on Saturday to a small congregation, held quarterly Conf.- in the afternoon, no complaints, no appeals!
“How is this?”
“Well, we have been trying to settle some of our difficulties and live in peace.”
Said the P.E. “I think you had better not attempt to hold a Lovefeast at this meeting.”
Why ? Responded the Pr, I had appointed a Lovefeast on tomorrow morning, but if <it> is thought not best to hold it, we can recall the appointment to night, but why should we not hold Lovefeast?
“Because” said the P.E., from my knowledge of the Church here such an entire want of Christian union & Brotherly love, I fear it would be a burlesque [[88/89]] on the institution." +
After a short pause, in which all seemed to feel, that there was too much of truth in charge, the Pr replied, Bro Strange has been absent most of the quarter, and I think, that altho we are not as a Church what we should be, yet there has been some improvement, we are better indeed we are better than we were, we are struggling into life, I go for a Lovefeast, this was seconded by several of the members,
“O well” said the P.E. very pleasantly, “I am glad to hear that there is improvement, I withdraw the suggestion, hold your Lovefeast I will be with you, and we will do the best we can.” +
There was Preaching at night, and the announcement repeated Lovefeast at 8 o clock Sabbath morning. The hour arrived, the church members with a few others gathered in, The opening exercises were conducted by the P.E. and it appeared that the divine unction accompanied every word, he closed the opening exercises with an approriate + exhortation, and a few words of encouragement, urging the members to speak, The speaking was quickly commenced a few spoke in quick succession, and then O what tongue or pen can adequately describe the scene which ensued. I can only say, a better Lovefeast [[89/90]] I have had not had the privilege of attending, The Holy <Spirit> appeared to fill the house, while tongues of fire seemed to rest upon every one, and while one after another <with tearful eyes> confessed his or her backslidings, and pledged future faithfulness, all seemed to feel, truly, God is in this place, (49) indeed persons (church members) who had indulged in such feelings of hostility that for months previous they would not speak when they chanced to meet, were now seen, pressing to each others + extended arms, and often locked in the fond Christian embrace, while the shrill voice of the P.E. was more than once heard exclaiming (accompanied with a triumphant shout,) Why! “ How the Lord surprises me”!
The Lovefeast closed, the meeting throughout was glorious, and all seemed impressed with the pleasing conviction that God was again uniting his church in Madison. From this time the course of the church was onward, we concluded to hold a protracted meeting, but our house, a small Brick + near the upper end of the City, was now too small for our ordinary congregation, what was to be done, Why the people turned out, went to the woods and cut and hauled forks, Poles & boughs, and built [[90/91]]