Thirty Years in the ItinerancyMiller, W. G. (Wesson Gage)
Philosophy
Thirty Years in the Itinerancy
Miller, W. G. (Wesson Gage)
Frontier and pioneer life -- Wisconsin; Methodist Episcopal Church. Wisconsin Conference
Brother Lattin was followed successively by Revs. J.M. Snow, O.F.
Comfort, and Daniel Stansbury. During the winter of 1852 Brother
Stansbury held a series of meetings, assisted by Rev. C.C. Mason, which
resulted in a considerable addition to the membership of the Church.
Finding that the little Church was now becoming too small to accommodate
them, the Society decided to build a more commodious house of worship.
It was commenced in the spring following, and was located on the corner
of Jackson and Centre Streets. This is the edifice now occupied by the
first charge, is built of brick, and is 75 by 45 feet in size. The
building was not fully completed until during the Pastorate of Rev.
Henry Requa, in 1855, but it was so far advanced that it was dedicated
in July, 1853, by the pioneer veteran, Rev. John Clark, of the Rock
River Conference.
The severe labors of Brother Stansbury overtaxed his strength, and he
was compelled to seek rest. Brother Mason was employed to fill out the
balance of the year. Brother Mason was a Local Preacher from England,
had lost one limb, and though somewhat eccentric, he held a high rank as
a pulpit orator. He was often not a little surprised with the queer ways
of this country. I remember to have met him at the Janesville Conference
several years later. He was put up to preach, as usual on all great
occasions, and delivered a grand sermon. The following evening the
Missionary Anniversary came, and at the close of the speeches, the
meeting proceeded to constitute Life Memberships. This was a new role to
the old gentleman, but, soon comprehending the movement, he launched
into it with all his soul. The good Bishop was made a Life Member, then
his wife, then the Missionary Secretary, and so on in a spirited manner.
As each proposition was made, the good brother planked his dollar,
little dreaming of the length of the road upon which he had entered. But
as the memberships were multiplied, his purse fell under the law of
subtraction, until it contained but one dollar more. Just at this moment
some zealous brother proposed to be one of ten to make the Presiding
Elder of the Janesville District a Life Member of the Conference
Missionary Society. It was no time for parley about that remaining
dollar, for the Janesville District must not be outdone by the other
Districts in gallantry, so down went the last dollar. But it had hardly
reached the table before the giver was hunting for his crutches. Such
was the generous nature of the man, however, that he would have stood
his ground to the coming of the morning if he had been advised in
advance of the character of the Anniversary exercises.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account