Kansas Methodist-Chautauqua from Topeka, Kansas • 2

KANSAS METHODIST-CHAUTAUQUA. superanuated member of one of the Indiana We established an appointment at Bro. Fow- BEGINNINGS ON THE NEOSHO. BY BAXTER C. DENNIS.

couferonces. My work embraced all the upper lers, a few miles above the mouth of the Cotton- Neosho aud Cotton wood streams and the main wood, on that stream, and at one of our meet- At the first session of the Kansas and Neb raska Conference, held in Lawrence, in October stream down to what is now as Hum- ingssaw a few surveyors, who we were told boldt, and all the branches of the river on either were laying out a town, up on the high prairies 1850, the presidency or Bishop O. C. Baker, I found myself assigned to the "Boone side, as far as the settlements extended. Af.

two or three miles away, aud we had a quiet ter making the first round, and visiting all the laugh at their folly in think of a town so far ville" charge, without an inkling of such an ap settlements, the work was divided and a away from the rivor and from timber. There pointment before it was announced. As it was Bro. B. M.

Blanton, from the Cumberland was a conviction in the minds of many of the Presbyterian church, was placed in charge of early settlers, that while the timber portion of the lower portion while I retained the newer the country would be settled someday, the part, including Booneville. prairie portion would mostly remain as "the a place of which I had never heard, I knew not which way to look for it. The elder however soon gave me to understand that it was about midway between the head waters of the Neosho, and the place. where that stream entered the Indian Territory. And said he, "we expect you to capture the Neosho valley this winter." Booneville is probably not much better known I established three preaching places above great American desert," but valuable for graz- Booneville on the main stream, at Hawkins, in purposes.

We need not tell the people of Fenimores and Ryans; three on the Cottonwood, Kansas that the opinions of her first settlers Fowl am. IlnwftlPs and Phillins. and hra a nn have undergone some chancre. Ihe town then vii I he Upper Neosho, Lodards, Shockleys and laitl out, and which caused so many smiles on to this day. It was a settlement some 05 or 70 Dows but so far as membership was concerned, tne Parfc of tuo peoplo living near, turned out miles Southwest of Lawrence, and had been oc in no case outside of Booneville did it reach to De Emporia, which has managed to survive- cupied by a few admirers of Daniel Boone from beyond the family where the meetings were es- tDe laughter at her expense, and the very next from the south at first, which gave rise to the tablished, and in two instances, they did not conference became the center of a new circuit.

name. A town organizatian, effected the following winter, adopted the name of OUumwa, belong to church, but kindly opened their doors 0ur conference year was shortened by chang- for us. ing the session from fall to and though we had no great revival, we did see some old by which it has since been better known, though I have learned that the promise with Our working force, however, was unusually fashioned conversions, and received several into the church, both by letter and on probation. strong, in proportion to the number we had. Matthew Fen i more, a member of the N.

W. We did not capture the Neosho valley exactly, Indiana Conference, in somewhat broken health, was a valuable helper as far as health but did the next best thing to it we could, that was to capture the best looking girl on the -rr ri 1 1 1 na.mif T-To firo a man rt mrm tVian f9 I had the iiuum livji will. uu nao in iiiA i iiiuio tuau ui i i i 1 Neosho, to our notion at least, and privilege of leading her to Hymen's altar not uiiiary auiiuy, auu ancrvvarus, regaining ms health, did several years service in the conference. Dr. McGhinnie was a local preacher of long after, and she has been leading its about ever since.

decided ability and had formerly been a mem Braceville, 111. ber of conference in the east, but was then in advanced life, did not, 4 preach often. Either of these men would have done honor to BOARD OP CONFERENCE CLAIMANTS. 1. There shall be a Board of Conference the church anywhere, so far as talents were Claimants, consisting of twelve ministers and concerned, but unfortunately for t'xem and for twelve laymen, chosen by the General Confer- the church, differences and difficultifs between ence, who together with the bishops of the them crippled their usefulness very materially, church, who shall be ex official members, and Father Earnheart was another earnest local the corresponding secretary, shall constitute a preacher of the old stamp, and one of the moat Board of Control.

And they shall be duly and powerful exhorters ever through that part of the legally incorporated with such powers and pre- country. A man, who had given himself full rogatives as shall be needful for the accomplish. to the work in early life, would have made one ing of the objects of the Board, as shall be of the most succefsful revivalists. It seemed hereinafter stated. no one could stir the people in revival times, as 3.

The officers of said Board shall consist could he. Hamilton Smith, a younger man, of a president, a vice president, a secretary, a and of comparatively little acquired ability was treasurer, and a corresponding secretary, all of one of the most popular local preachers on the whom shall be elected by the Bo.trd from among which the place was once regarded, has been dampened, by the railroads leaving it out in the cold. I may remark I did not feel greatly elated over the appointment, and am satisfied that none of the younger preachers were envious of my honors, however much they may have felt me favored through my relationship to one of the presiding elders. I could truthfully cry, neplus ultrat as there was nothing beyond, to ihe south, except red men and buffalos. I have never yet leaned the special reason of the Cabinet in sending me so completely to the outside, more than to try my mental probably.

1 had very flimsy foundation on which to build any very flattering prospects for support or pleasure. Furthermore I was not burdened with any missionary appropriation, the conference leaving me entirely dependent upon the people I might find and serve. Being young and footloose, and withal hopeful, I suppose it was thought if I survived the winter, it would be well) if not, there would be no great loss sustained. Of course I at once prepared for making my way to my work. No traveling preacher except the presiding elder, Dr.

Still, had been through the country at all, officially, as far as I could learn, but local preachers, of whom there were several, had gathered in a few of the sheep aud formed small classes at Boone-ville. Hapden and Leroy, but above Booneville nothing had been done. And a largo majority of those forming the classes, had left the country, being in sympathy with the south and not satisfied with the shape things had assumed in the Territory, so the reports made at the conference by no means correctly represented the condition of the charge, numerically, when we entered upon it. I started westward from Lawrence, traveling over my work of the proceeding year, as far as it extended West, and there struck over the open prairie for the upper Neosho, striking the 6tream near Council Grove. It (Council Grove) was then the centre of a small Indian Reservation, where the Southern Methodists had a mission established.

Passing down the river I gathered up the people and left appointments, and made my way to Booneville, headquarters of ray charge, and not far from the center. At this place we had our largest and it numbered less than a do? an members, but among them were three local preachers and a Neosho, one who generally carried the people its own number, except the corresponding sec with him, and who did more marrying than any, retary, who shall be nominated by the Board of if not all the rest of us together, and always B'shops, and may be either a minister or a lay- preached with acceptability to the people. His man, and elected by the tragio end threw a gloom er the whole coun- 4. The corresponding secretary shall be un- try as far as he was known. Becoming some- der the Board in his official duties, and conduct what involved financially, his mind seemed to its jorrespondence.

He shall travel among the get unbalanced, and died by his own hand. Annual Conferences, or elsewhere in the inter- Ttipso ministers all belonged at first to the est of the Society, with the approval of the i Booneville class. Bro. Phillips on the Cotton- Board, and authorized to secure pledges, make wool, was an earnest acceptable preacher, but collections, and do such other work as will in- backward, and in those days it was difficult to crease the funds of the Board. get him to exercise in the presence of other 5.

The funds of this Society shall be known peachers. I doubt if any circuit in Kansas at as the Permanent Fund and the Disbursing that time was bette; manned with local home Fund. The Permanent Fund shall consist of talent. Bro. Blanton and I were often made to special collections, grants, wills, bequests or feel rather small when these brethren were other conveyance of property, from which ex- nresent and volunteered to helD us out of the Denses shall be deducted and the balance brusht as they often did.

They seemed to placed on interest by direction of the Board. come to the work so easily and so fresh as to 0. The Disbursing Fund shall consist of make us feel we had left about everything for collections by the several Annual Conferences them to tell. Bro. Blanton was an earnest for conference claimants, together with the i man, of very limited education, and am'ts coming from the profits of the Book Con- though he worked faithfully till conference was cern, and all interest from the Permanent Fund.

cured of his ambition to be a Methodist itiner- 7. The upon this fund shall be ant in Kansas, and went back to his first love, all superannuated preachers and the widows and surroundings. and children of deceased preachers, A super- ii.