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Book Two - Pages 151-160
[[150/151]] be appointed to some other charge, and he was called in, and the Bishop so informed him.
But subsequently when another name was named for Madison, he arose and stated his case so affectingly, especially with reference to the affliction of his wife, being unable for years to walk without aid, that in view of his long experience faithful labours, and known prudence, the Bishop with the consent of the counsel granted his request. Bro. Ruter, altho, he opposed the appointment, (and some thought he was not well treated in the affair) When he returned to Madison used every exertion, before Bro, Wiley arrived, to open the way for his cordial reception, He did not tell then how the appointment was made, but told them that he had done the best he could for them, and that he <Bro. Wiley> was a good man of superior talents &c. And their only safe [[151/152]] course, as Methodists, was to hold up his hands, to rally around him, and he hoped they would have a good year &c. The leading members said, “Bro. Ruter says he did the very best he could for us, we have every confidence in him, We will recieve + the Preacher & do the best we can. And so they did and the Preacher was pretty well sustained.
This is not related to censure Bro-- Wiley, (One of the best of men, and most faithful ministers,) but to show that good men & good ministers sometimes err in judgment with regard to themselves, and that it is not best, generally, for a preacher to select his own field of labour, as it is probable, before the close of the year he <Bro. Wiley> would have prefered + some other charge, For the church was not at peace, and the rupture which took place, caused him much anxiety of mind.
There had been a difference of opinion, causing an alienation of feeling for two or three years, existing in the church here, growing out of the establish[[152/153]]ment of a choir, to do the singing, Hence, there was the choir & ante + Choir parties, and there appeared but little hope of a reconciliation, and now the ante Choir party requested to be set off, and made a separate charge, this request they urged with such earnestness, that at the second quarterly meeting for this year, Bishop Roberts being with us, the matter was laid before him, and on Monday the members were called together, and after hearing their statements, and counseling, with the Preachers present, the Bishop granted their request, and at their suggestion, whote + to Rev. Wm M. Dailey, (who was at that time holding a superanuated + relation to the Conference), directing him, (if his health would permit.) to come and take charge of this new congregation. He came, They rented the building, erected on third street by the Protestant Methodists, (called Radicals,) which was now standing idle, and hence the new organization was called third + street + charge,
William M. Dailey
Bro. Dailey laboured hard, a revival followed, [[153/154]] He was very successful in gathering members into the church, so that, (in point of members,) this soon became the strongest charge, [so that del] & at the end of the year, they returned double the number of members & Probationers, of those returned by the other charge called Wesley Chapel, The unpleasant feeling between the two parties, now two charges, still continued, and rather increased after the separation into two charges. Bro. Wiley however laboured on faithfully till the close of the year, maintaining his character for prudence & piety, and at the ensuing conference, was appointed to the charge of the Connersville District. During this difficulty <& separation> Bro-- Ruter exercised such skill in governing, that is in the discharge of his duties as P. E.. that both parties generally approved of his Administration. (37)
This year there were several failures in the District. Rev George W. Baker, a young man of deep piety, great Zeal, and promising usefulness to the church, who had [[154/155]] Just past his probation in the Conference, admitted into full connexion & ordained Deacon, was appointed to labour with Bro. H. Hays on the Canaan Circuit. a short time after the Close of Conference, was seized upon by disease, and in a few days he heard, to him the welcome summons “it is enough come up higher, He died in peace among his friends & relatives, near Hartford in Dearborn Co Ia. His funeral Discourse was preached in Hartford by Rev. R. Hargrave with whom he had laboured, during the preceding year on the Manchester Ct__. His place was supplied on the Canaan Ct__ by the employment of Jno. S. Winchester a licensed Exhorter. He was a very timid young man, but succeeded well on the Circuit, was licensed to Preach, after having travelled one quarter, and at the close of the year recommended to the travelling connexion, admitted and (as the quarterly conference had requested it) appointed the next year <with Bro Hayes> to the same Circuit. [[155/156]]
Rev. Geo W. Stafford, who was appointed to the Rising Sun Ct. to labour with Rev. S. Bussey, partly from affliction, and partly from other causes, failed, and the P. E. had to supply the work as best he could,
Rev. S. T. Gillett, who was appointed to the Lawrenceburg Station, was, after some months, appointed , through the agency of some friends at Washington City, as Chaplain in the Navy department, to be stationed at Brooklyn N. Y. The Bishop concurring in the appointment, he left in the Spring & went with his family to Brooklyn, and the P. E. employed Rev. D. Stiver, who then held a superanuated + relation to Conference, to fill out the year in the Station, which he did acceptably,
David Stiver
Bro— Gillet however was not satisfied with his position at Brooklyn, he soon resigned his place and returned to Ia and at the conference in the fall was there ready for another appointment, and was appointed to the [[156/157]] Lawrenceburg Station;
These changes and failures, appeared to operate unfavourably to the work in some degree, yet on the whole we had a pleasant year, & some prosperity the Preachers labouring in much harmony.
October 19 th 1842 Conference met at Centreville Ia Bishop Morris Presiding. Bro Ruter was returned, for the fourth year to the Madison Dist-- Rev A. Eddy appointed to W. C. Madison (71) and W m M. Daily to third Street, Bro. Wiley appointed to Connersville District. This was rather a pleasant & prosperous year on the District showing in an increase of nearly seven hundred, but no very extraordinary revivals, The preachers laboured faithfully & peace & harmony prevailed. Rev. Jno— W. Sullivan & S. Rawson were appointed to Rising Sun Ct.. But at the 1 st quarterly <Conference> it was thought that the interest of the work in the town of Rising Sun, required the constant and entire time & labour of one man, and hence, with the advice of the quarterly Conf,, [[157/158]] Bro Sullivan was directed to labour in the town, as a Station, and Rev. Saml. Hicks a Local Preacher, living at Patriot, was employed to assist Bro. Rawson on the Circuit. He laboured faithfully, and at the close of the year <was> recommended and admitted into the annual Conf— . on trial. In February Bro. Ruter was prostrated by a severe attack of congestive fever, which it was feared for a time, would prove fatal, but by the blessing of God, on the efforts of Physicians and friends, & in answer to prayer, he was raised up, and, after a confinement of several weeks was able to resume his work on the District. During this illness he enjoyed almost uninterrupted peace of <mind,> feeling a consciousness, that living or dying, all would be well * (Here read the next leaf) (72)
[[159]] This year was rendered memorable in Indiana Conference by the death of the senior Bishop of the M. E. Church, who had resided for several years in Lawrence Co Ia He died in great peace [in del] at his residence in Lawrenceport on Sabbath morning March 26 th 1843 in the 65 + year of his age. Shortly after the death of our beloved Bishop a meeting of the Preachers of the Madison District was called to take some notice of this bereavement of the church. They met in Vevay. Several resolutions were past + by this meeting which were published in the W. C. Advocate (73), one of which contained a request that the P. E. of the district, <would> Preach the funeral Sermon of Bishop Roberts within the bounds of each charge in the District. [?I del] He complied with this request a discourse was delivered in each charge, and at the request of several quarterly conferences was subsequently published, and that [[159/160]] discourse published at the Book Room in Cincinnati in July1843; we would refer the reader for a brief sketch of the life and labours of that admirable servant of God. Several hundred copies of the sermon were sold & some yet remain at the Book room. (74) Several years afterwards the Author received a letter from Rev. Sam l C. Cooper P. E. on Ft Wayne District stating that he had sold a hundred copies of that sermon on that District, and that one of the copies sold had been the means of the awakening & conversion of two individuals of his acquaintance who were now happy members of the M. E. Church.
Samuel C. Cooper
This brought more real joy to the heart of the author, than all the eulogies of the discourse which had <been> or could be published. He hopes to meet them in the better land, where we shall know as we are known. (75)* [revert to p. 158]
On the 18 th of October 1843 Conference met at Crawfordsville Ia Bishop Andrew Presiding. At the previous Conference the subject of the division of the Conference had [[158/159]]