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
There were a few scattered sheep in the wilderness, and these were
gathered into the fold. At Manitowoc, Brother Lewis formed a class.
In 1844 Brother Lewis was sent to Pewaukee, where he had eleven
appointments. Though at the beginning of the year there was no class on
the charge, at its close Brother Lewis, was able to report sixty-five
members. It was during this year that our sturdy pioneer took to himself
a worthy helpmeet, in the person of Miss Adelia Morley, who, as an
inmate of the Presiding Elder's family, spread the table for the
writer's first meal as an Itinerant. Brother Lewis was next appointed
successively to Root River, Kankakee, and Brothertown, in which charges
he enjoyed his usual share of hard work and spiritual prosperity.
In 1849 he was appointed to Sheboygan Falls. The circuit was very large,
taking the entire tract of country between the Lake and Fond du Lac,
but the year was one of marked success. Finding the Parsonage under a
mortgage that imperiled the safety of the property, Brother Lewis
stepped forward and offered his horse, saddle, and a dollar and a half,
all the money he had, in liquidation of the indebtedness. They were
accepted, and as a result, the dear brother traveled his circuits on
foot for two years before he was able to procure another horse. Such is
the sterling material out of which the early Itinerants were made. With
such men in the field, it is not a matter of surprise that, under the
Divine blessing, the "Wilderness and solitary place" were made
to rejoice.
At the close of his labors on this circuit, Brother Lewis was again sent
to Manitowoc for one year, when, the Greenbush charge having been
created, principally out of the west part of his former work, he was
appointed to it, as before stated. After leaving Greenbush he was
stationed at West Bend, Columbus and Fall River, Oneida Indian Mission,
New London, Markesan, Caldwell's Prairie, and New Berlin. At the
Janesville Conference in 1870, Brother Lewis, having served the church
nearly thirty years with great devotion, took a superannuated relation.
At this writing he is residing in Fond du Lac, maintains a happy frame
of mind, and is still doing what he can for the cause. He certainly
deserves well of his Conference.
Sheboygan Mission, the next point visited, appears on the Minutes, as
stated in a former chapter, in 1837, with Rev. H.W. Frink as Pastor.
During this year Brother Frink formed a class at Sheboygan, consisting
of the following members: Mr. and Mrs. Morris Farmin, Uriel Farmin,
Benjamin Farmin, Mr. and Mrs. Elder Farmin, and Mr. and Mrs. McCreedy.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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