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 L^ 1924 074 308 077 
 
 THE ORIGIN 
 
 And 
 
 EARLY HISTORY 
 
 Of The 
 
 Congregational Methodist Cliurch 
 
 BY 
 
 Rev. S. C. McDaniel 
 
T.H-S— 0-R-I-G-I-N 
 
 AND 
 
 E~A-R-L-Y~H-I~S-T~0-R-Y 
 
 OF THE 
 
 C-0.M-G-a«E-G>A-T-I..0-H-A-L-.IvI-T!:..T-H-0-D-I-5-T-~C-H>U«R-C-H. 
 
 BY 
 
 nev. S, C, McDaniel. 
 
 Atlanta, Georgia. 
 
 Jas, P, Ilarrisoa & Co., Printers & Publishers, 1881 i 
 
 DEDICATION 
 To all lovers of the Doctrines of Original l</iethodism, Believers in ailnister- 
 ial equality, and advocates of I^epublican Government in Church as well as State, 
 this little book is dedicated by The Ccxmnittee. 
 
 PHEFACB 
 
 No apology is necessarji- for the appearance of this volume; Church history 
 is always an interesting subject of study. Had the history of the Congregational 
 Methodist Church been written fifteen years ago, much which now is perhaps forever 
 lost to posterity would have been preserved. 
 
 Twenty-seven years after the organization of the Church but few of the first 
 actors were left on the stage, and the passing years had greatly diminished 
 the store of recollection of those who still remained. This, added to the 
 natural weakness of human manory, and the great political, civil and socisd 
 revolution through which our section had passed during the last quarter of a 
 century, rendered the effort to ti^ce the events of 1852 in 1878 exceedingly 
 difficult. 
 
 The great age and feeble health of the Chairman of the Committee (Rev. H. 
 Phlnazee), caused him to decline writing this history, for which he was better 
 qualified than any living man, except, perhaps. Rev. J* F. N. Hiddleston, 
 
 At the solicitation of brother Phinazee, I agreed to undertake the task 
 of compilation in pursuance of the design of the Georgia State Conference. 
 
 Ibr some time after it had been arranged that I should do this part of the 
 work, I fbund myself unable to start for the lack of information of the incep- 
 tion of the movement. This, however, was soon supplied by a number of good 
 brethren who were actors in the movement. 
 
 In the progress of the work, however, I was destined to meet more formid- 
 able difficulties. 
 
 One serious impediment in my way was my inability to learn anything definite 
 as to the start of the Church in the State of Alabama. Again and again I sought 
 light on this point~in every known way, and through all discoverable channels— 
 but all to no purpose, for I was eventually obliged, after delaying the complet- 
 ion of the work for some weeks, to close my labors without any history of the 
 original movement in Alabama* 
 
 Another serious trouble met me when I came to treat of the Convention of 
 the Churches, which met in 1855. Although there was doubtless a full record of 
 its proceedings kept, all my efforts to find such a record were utterly unavail- 
 ing, and I was obliged to depend on the few survivors of that body to furnish 
 details of its pz^jceedings, and with these I was forced to content myself. 
 
 Thus circumstanced, my task has been a difficult one— beyond what I had 
 anticipated— and, by the blessings of God, good health and strength, and the 
 
Cornell University 
 Library 
 
 The original of this book is in 
 the Cornell University Library. 
 
 There are no known copyright restrictions in 
 the United States on the use of the text. 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924074308077 
 
assistance of many of my good brethren, I eventually completed my task, such as it is 
 
 I am fully aware of the many imperfections of the work for which I have no 
 other apology to make than sin^jly to say, it is the best I could do under the cir- 
 cumstances. At the hands of a charitable Christian public I expect no unkindness; 
 and if any should be so unreasonable as to blame me because I did not have the 
 ability to write a better book, I have no quarrel for them. 
 
 IKTRCiDUCTION 
 
 In order that this history may be better understood, a short introduction 
 is thought to be necessary. 
 
 The publication of the articles in The Congregational I/Iethodist ended in 
 the spring of 1880, and the design was then to have the work put in book fom 
 without any delay; but no definite action in this particular having been had 
 by the Georgia State Conference, the matter was delayed until the meeting of that 
 body in the fall of that year. At that session such arrangements were made as 
 would secure the publication of the book before the sitting of the General Confer- 
 ence in J(hy, 1881, 
 
 In writing the histoiy, I was desirous of showing the changes which have 
 been made from the first organization until the present; and not having one of 
 the original books of Discipline, I made inquiry among my brethren for one, 
 and found it exceedingly difficult to find, but eventually I was kindly furnished 
 one by brother George T?. Todd, of MisSia8j)pf i ; and believing that very few of 
 those little books are now to be found, I have, upon consxiltation with brothers 
 U. C. Fambrough and James G, Phinazee (who are assisting me in the publishing of 
 this book), concluded to add, as an appendix to this book, all tliat part of the 
 original book of Discipline which has been in any manner chemged from the organ- 
 ization of the first church to the present time. The appendix contains all the 
 first twenty-one pages, except the "Advisory Rules," which in that book were placed 
 between the articles "Teims of I^embership" and "Of Offences," The remainder of 
 the book contains the "Advisory Rules," the twenty-five Articles of Religion, in- 
 cluding the note to be found at the bottom of 39th page of our present book of 
 Discipline, and as marked at the close of the XXIII, Article of Religion, In 
 addition to these the little book had a form for administration of the Lord*s 
 Supper; one for the baptism of infants; one for the baptism of adults; one for 
 ordination of Elders, of Elder's credentials, and closing with the resolution as 
 copied in Chapter VIII, of this book. 
 
 This much of the book is given in order that the old landmaiks may be pre- 
 served. The whole of it is not included in the appendix, because it would be 
 increasing the cost of the book without increasing its value. 
 
 It has been thought best to bind the book in cheap binding, so as to put it 
 within the reach of all, but to print it on the very best paper to be had in 
 ^order that it may be preserved, and, if necessary, rebound. 
 
 It is hoped the book will give satisfaction. 
 
 CHAPTSa I. 
 
 The causes which led to the organization of the Congregational Liethodist 
 Church, like the origin of all great movements, are involved in mystery to some 
 extent; some of than, however, are known to those who witnessed the first organ- 
 ization, and will here be treated of, 
 
 Methodism in America was originally a kind of missionary Church, and in its 
 earlier days the "itineracy" was the life-blood of the whole system, and, as 
 the people were looked after by the pioneer Methodist circuit-rider, more on the 
 fashion of sheep without a shepherd than otherwise; and as there were but few 
 regular churches and fewer church houses, and the people in many instances as 
 migratory as their teachers, who changed fields every year, there was not much 
 goveiranent, except such as operated on the preachers themselves, and as they made 
 very light demands on the membership for pay, it was very natural that aa they 
 did all the work, 'and frequently without any considerable compensation, the member- 
 ship should readily accord to them the right to govern the Church, For a number 
 of years, about the beginning of the nineteenth century, there was but one Bishop 
 in the whole United States, and he received only sixteen dollars a quarter for 
 his salary, and the rest of the clergy fared about the same way, and it will not 
 
 Page 2. 
 
astonish any one -to know, that -sirhatever Bishop Asbvcry did in governing the Church 
 was, never complained of by the laity. As early as 1816, however, the clergy 
 began to controvert the propriety of the Bishops having the right to appoint 
 the Presiding Elders, and in 1820, the General Conference, at Baltimore, passed 
 a resolution authorizing the Conferenae to elect the Presiging Elders. Joshua 
 Soule was at the same Conference elected a Bishop, but declined to serve on ac- 
 count of the passage of said resolution. Bishop McKendree, however (not being 
 present when the resolution passed), Trent into the Conference and induced the 
 suspension of said resolution for four years. This and kindred questions con- 
 tinued to excite the Church until 1828, when it resulted in the formation of the 
 Methodist Protestant Church, which was composed mainly of the dissatisfied members 
 of the iilethodist Episcopal Church. This organization differed from the one from 
 whence it originated mainly in two features, viz: it had no Episcopacy, and allowed 
 lay representation in its Conferences, But as time rolled on, the world advanced, 
 and experience proved eventually that other important reforms were needed to fully 
 adapt I^thodism to a thickly settled and advancing country. 
 
 About the year 1850, 3ev« Lovick Pierce, then one of the leading spirits in 
 the M, S, Church, South, wrote a series of very strong articles, which were pub- 
 lished in the Southern Christian Advocate, on the subject of public worship, in 
 which he showed the absolute necessity of abandoning the old style of week-day 
 preaching on circuits, and the necessity of Saturday and Sabbath preaching. Ha 
 met stout opposition from the pen of the venerable Allen Turner and others, and 
 thus the minds of the laity were directed to this natter. The imrestigation on 
 this point led to the discovery of anitlibBrdefect in the governmental economy of 
 the M. E. Church, South, which appeared to have been entirely overlooked up to 
 this time, viz: the degraded station which local ministers were obliged to take and 
 maintain in said Church. Although a great deal of the work of the Church was done 
 by them, they were neither allared to exercise any governing function over the 
 thousands of converts who annually were brought into the Church through the in- 
 strumentality of their labors, nor to have any voice in saying who should govern 
 either their converts or themselves. This truth, perhaps, was to a greater extent 
 operative in the production of the Congregational liethodist Church than any other 
 one thing. It is true the originators of this Church were opposed to Episcopacy, 
 and opposed to the government of the Chiirch being entirely in the hands of the 
 clergy; they also objected to itineracy as a system in any form as being inoperative, 
 CTmabersome and unnecessarily expensive. But the great sun and centre of their 
 system was the desire that there should be no artificial, unscriptural and hurtful 
 distinction among the watchmen who had been placed as sentinels on the watch-tower 
 of salvation by the Great Captain of the armies of heaven and earth, 
 
 CEAPER II. 
 
 In the early part of the year 1852, there lived in middle Georgia, and 
 principally in Itonroe county, several prominent local preachers belonging to the 
 M, E, Church, South, among whom were Bev. Hiram Phinazee, then a little less than 
 fifty years old; Absalom Ogletree, near the same age; J. F. V/ethersbee, some few 
 years younger, and J. F, N. Huddleston and T'. H, Graham, then young men, perhaps 
 about thirty years old. There were also in the same section of coimtiy a number 
 of laymen, distingtiished for their intelligence and high-toned demeanor, as well 
 as their piety and gnerosity. Among the latter may be enumerated iviickleberry 
 Merritt, t7, L. Fambrough, Robinson Fambrovigh, John Ham, Jackson Bush, Hiiliam A, 
 McCune, John E. Pettegrew, James R. MeCord, David Ogletree, E. White, Robert 
 Walker, S, F. Speer, J. V.', McCord, John Goodrum, and many others. Of the ministers 
 above named, all were active and laborious workers, and remarkably successful in 
 their efforts. They were traveling to the various churches in their section, and 
 regularly on the Sabbath days preaching the Word, and large numbers were converted 
 under their preaching, and revivals sprang up in different places. Soon the fact 
 began to attract attention that, although these good men did most of the work in 
 the revivals, the circuit-rider must needs receive the new converts into the Church 
 and baptize them, while those under whose ministry they had been awalcened and 
 converted, stood by with folded hands, without even a voice as to whether the 
 applicants should be received into the Church or not. 
 
 This proved an excellent ej^e-opener to the intelligent laymen, who began to 
 notice and conment on this peculiar and not very admirable feature in their Church 
 government, and the airing of this part of the polity of the M. E, Church, South, 
 by the laity, excited in the minds of the local ministers a spirit of inquiry into 
 their own positions, and thus the ball began to roll, and the more they looked into 
 the natter the more they felt the urgent necessity of some sort of reform. 
 
 Page 3 
 
Au this time, Hev. Dr. McCarell Peurlfoy was on the Forsyth circuit, Rev. 
 John B. Wardlaw on the Jackson Circuit, and Rev. John C. Simmons the Presiding 
 Eldsi'a This excitement was greater within the bounds of these two circuits than 
 elsevYhere. The circuit-riders and the Elder were not well pleased with the turn 
 the bide of affairs were talcing, and began to apply their correctives like the 
 old advocates of blistering in the shape counter-irritants, by gravely intimating 
 that the "least said" about these imperfections in the machinery of the ¥u 2. 
 Church, South, would be the easiest mended; and that unless the ministers desisted 
 from the too free use of their tongues, they might find their authoilty to preach 
 taken away, and that the laymen, unless they should become more prudent in the 
 expression of their dissent to the high Episcopacy of their Church, would find 
 themselves outside of the pale of the Church. 
 
 But such threats were but idle words to such men, and they heeded them as 
 little as did Daniel the m a n date of the king against prayer, and were as careless 
 of the threatened harm as were Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego of the rage of the 
 monarch when they refused to fell down and worship the golden image which Nebuchad- 
 nezzar, the king, had set up "in the plain of Dura." 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 Early in the year 1852, the feeling of dissatisfaction referred to in the 
 second chapter of this history, became so manifest and public that it was evident 
 some kind of action was about to be taken, the circuit-riders on the Jackson and 
 Forsyth works — doubtless believing haim would result from any separate organizat- 
 ion, strove hard to avert it. The Presiding Elder of the district also added 
 his most earnest endeavors to preserve the unity of the M. E, Church, South, by 
 preventing organization. But the die had been cast, the purpose of the men moving 
 in the matter was not a mere whim, to pass away like the morning cloud. It was not 
 dissatisfaction growing out of individual wrong; it was a deep seated, firmly 
 rooted and fixed dissatisfaction with the very foundation stone of their ecclesiast- 
 ical economy. And the solemn alternative was presented to them of forming a Church 
 government of their own, with which they might be satisfied, or of living for the 
 balance of their lives under a Church government with which they never could be 
 contented. And although it was painful for these good men thus to sever them- 
 selves from a Church in whose doctrines they most "steadfastly believed, " and 
 from brethren and sisters with whom they had lived so long and so lovingly; yet 
 upon their knees, with hearts uplifted to the Great Head of the Chiurch, they felt 
 it to be their duty, to sever their relationship to the M. E. Church, South, 
 and with them the voice of duty was ever heeded. 
 
 Accordingly on the 8th day of May, 1852, a meeting was had at the house of 
 Mickleberry Merritt, in llonroe county, Georgia, for the purpose of organizing a 
 Church. At this meeting there were but few present save those who took part in 
 that meeting. At this late period it is impossible to state exactly £0.1 who did 
 then cast in their lots with the "little flock" there assembled; perhaps a majority 
 of the actors in that scene have passed away, while those who remain are scattered 
 abroad over the earth, and from the loss of the records or minutes of this meeting 
 and the frailty of the human memory, the full history cannot now be given. This 
 is to be regretted, for the reason that to those who shall come after -us, especially 
 will it be of the greatest interest to know all the particulars of this small begin- 
 ning. The meeting was not so large as had been anticipated — some who had intended 
 to take part in the movement had, fron an unknown cause, changed thsir minds — 
 and when the hovir of, decisive action came were not there. Like ^ideon's amor 
 the little company, by the application of the severest tests, had been lessf=!ned 
 until all the feeble of purpose and faint-hearted had been left at the rear; 
 and it was only those who had been found worthy to defy the flames of persecution; 
 who stood at the front with purposes set, hearts fixed and ears deaf to all other 
 soimds save that of the call to duty, that gathered round the cradle of -"ihe in- 
 fant Church to catch the first impress of its features, as the wise men of the East 
 gathered at the manger to see the beauty of "The Babe of BethJLehem." 
 
 The meeting organized by calling Hilliam L. Fambrough to the chair, and re- 
 questing Rev. H. Phinazee to act as secretary. The exercises of the meeting were 
 OTDened with piayer led by Rev. V.'illiam H. Graham. The names of the following 
 brethren were then enrolled by Hie seciretary as the membership of the infant Church: 
 ^, L. Fambrough, Rev. Hiram Phinazee, Rev. Absalom Ogletree, Rev. VJ, H. Graham, 
 Robinson Fambrough, Jackson Bash, John Flynt, James M. FLemming, George ". Todd, 
 Mickleberry Ivierritt, and Travis Ivey. ^e meeting adopted a preamble and sundry 
 resolutions, drawn up by Rev. Hiram Phinazee, as the basis of their action, and 
 
 then adjourned. 
 
 The preamble and resolutions adopted at this meeting are probably not now in 
 
 Page 4. 
 
existence; at all .events I have been unable to find them. This is greatly to be 
 regretted, because v/hat these good men then ccmmitted to writing as to their desires 
 and intentions, would be exceedingly interesting to us, and much more to futiire 
 generations. The venerable secretary of that meeting, who drafted these expressions 
 of the feelings of the meeting still remembers the substance thereof. The preamble 
 set out the inefficiency of the itinerant system, as then practiced, of large cir- 
 cuits and generally week-day preaching at country churches, declaring that the preach- 
 ing to walls and benches would never evangelize the mass of the people, 2, The 
 danger of a government where the whole power was in the same hands. 3. The impro- 
 priety of depriving the people of a voice in their own government. 4. The un- 
 scriptual character of the invidious distinctions made by the laws of the M. E. 
 Church, South, between the itinerant and local divisions of their ministers. 5. That 
 there was no reason to suppose these features of the government of the M, E. Church, 
 South, would be changed soon, if ever. 
 
 And the resolutions declared the intention of those taking part in the meeting 
 to establish a Church whose doctrines should be exactly Methodistic, but whose gov- 
 ernment should be in accordance with our civil institutions and their own ideas of 
 propriety. Thus declaring to the world and their former brethren the motives of 
 their conduct, they weighed anchor, and spread to the breeze the sail of THE C0NG5JE- 
 GATIOML iiETHODIST CHUHCH. 
 
 CHAPTEH lY. 
 
 The meeting at brother IvJerritt's on the 8th of May, 185S, was indeed the "small' 
 beginning," of a great work. Two characteristics of the meeting I desire to notice 
 in this number, 1, There was not a single one of those who then and there took the 
 important step of organizing a new Church, who did so hastily— or in a spirit of 
 envy or ambition. They would have made any reasonable sacrifice, or concession to 
 maintain their former Church relations, would have been willing to labor resolutely 
 or wait patiently for needed reform, if there had been any prospect that labor or 
 waiting would have brought them about. But no such prospect appeared in any quarter, 
 and the course Thich they then pursued presented the only course proper for them to 
 adopt. Such has ever been the conduct of reformers, either in Church or State, when 
 they have been good men. Luther, Zwingle and Helancthon, were loth to sever their 
 relationship with the Roman Church, and only did so because it was their duty. John 
 ajid Charles VJeeley, George Whitfield, and their co-laborers maintained their relations 
 with the Episcopal Church as long as possible. And so did these good men in 1852 
 relunctantly do what the voice of duty demanded at their hands. 2, This action on 
 the' part of these men, met with the most determined opposition from the Church from 
 which they separated. This also has ever been the case with similar movements. To 
 a disinterested and unbiased judgment it would seem quite unnatural, that any Chuxdi 
 should not willingly consent that any number of its members who were dissatisfied 
 with either its doctrines or polity, should "depart in peace',":but history shows 
 that they have scarcely ever been willing for their brethren to leave their fold, 
 and go where they would be better satisfied. The ministers in charge of the churches 
 and circuits where this movenent first took root, strove hard to drown it out and 
 prevent its spread. And in doing so, did many things which seemed at the time to be 
 harsh, but of this I do not comijlain, nor does the Congregational Iviethodist Church; 
 they were good men and doubtless were honestly of liie opinion that this raovemsnt 
 would eventuate in much evil and little good. But time has demonstrated that these 
 opinions of theirs were incorrect. Those men could never have been of much service 
 to a Church, whose polity was so entirely at variance with their views of right and 
 propriety as that of "The i/Jethodist Episcopal Church, South," but in a Church whose 
 polity they believed in — and whose government they devotedly loved, they have acccan- 
 plished great good. This was a very small meeting, scarcely as many persons in it 
 as were on the little fishing-boat with Peter, on the night of "fruitless toil," yet 
 this was a meeting destined to exercise a powerful influence on the world of Meth- 
 odiam» And those hiimble, good men had perhaps as little idea of the stupendous re- 
 sults to follow their humble action on that quiet ilay day, as Peter had of the effect 
 to follow his sermon when he began to preach on the day of Pentecost* Of these men 
 I shall write mora at length when I shall have closed these historical sketchas of 
 the early days of our Church, but of the results which have thus far been realized 
 from this meeting I shall say something, and with that close this number. 
 
 From the day when Rev. Francis Asbury, called himself or allowed others to call 
 him a "Bishop," to the 8th day of May, 1852, the government of the Methodist Church 
 in its various branches, except that of the "J/Iethodist Protestant," had been entirely 
 in the hands of the itineracy, and the authority of the Episcopacy growing stronger 
 and stronger. In no Conference was a layman entitled to a seat, save the quarterly 
 Conference, and in these only such laymen took part as the itineracy chose to have 
 there and*who could pe put in, and put out, of said Conference with the care of 
 
 Page 5, 
 
uttering a single commandi and the placing them in such positions did not amount to 
 as much as the tantalization of a sailor in throwing a tub to a whale | for when a 
 whale was once in possession of the tub, although he could accomplish nothing by- 
 its possession or use outside of amusing himself, still he could keep it as long as 
 he chose, but these laymen could only play with the tub until it was taken from 
 them, or rather, until they were taken from it» The great movement resulting in 
 the formation of the Methodist Protestant Church nearly twenty- five years before, 
 had not changed -this feature of either branch of the parent Church. But how stands 
 the case to-day? No where in all this land, either Worth or South, does a Methodist 
 Conference assemble now without the laymen being therei And these thousands of lay- 
 men who hold seats in "the General and inferior Conferences {most of them being ig- 
 norant that such a meeting was ever held), are indebted to the actors of I^iay 8th, 185J 
 for the privileges they thus enjoy* Where is the week-day system of serving country 
 churches in operation prior to that time? Why are nearly all supplied with Sabbath 
 preaching? The hundreds of thousands of country I;3ethodists all over this country who 
 now have preaching on the Holy Sabbath instead of on a working-day, are indebted for 
 these blessings to the good men who so manfully struck for this privilege amid the 
 opening flowers of my, 1852, "iVhy so many hundreds of good local preachers now ex- 
 ercising all their functions as pastors of churches to-day? Whence came these privi:^ 
 leges to local ministers and blessings to the people? The answer is they came from 
 the "quiet chamber" at brother I/ferritt's house, where these good men united their 
 feelings, their prayers and their tears, a little more than a quarter of a century 
 ago. 
 
 And what more shall I say of tho gracious results which have grown out of this 
 "day of small things," For the time would fail mo to tell of the many thousands who 
 have thus been privileged to attend the Methodist sorvicos on Sabbath, of the tens of 
 thousands of faithful local ministers whose hearts before that burned within them-: .- 
 as Jesus talked to them, "by the way," as they looked for an open door where they 
 might feed the flock of God, and have thus been given a door of utterance, and of 
 the groat host of sinners, to whom they have successfully pointed out tho Lamb of God 
 which takoth away the sins of the world. Faithful and highly favored little bandlj 
 standing in the fore-front of the battle listening only to tho voice of their Captain, 
 and responding to tho roll call, "here eim I." And down in their hearts, so full of 
 anxiety and yet so full of peace, a still small voice was heard saying, "fear not 
 little flock for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom," 
 
 CHAITER V, 
 
 I have dwelt at seme length on the history of the first meeting held in the in- 
 terest of the Congregational Methodist Church, because I regard it as an important 
 meeting; and although the principal part of the two preceding chapters has been de- 
 voted to its history, I do not feel that I should dismiss this part of my subject 
 without noticing one other characteristic thereof. 
 
 From the time of Wcsley*s administration in America, thcrehad been, prior to the 
 8th of May, 1852, one hundred meetings in different parts of the United States, 
 similar in many respects to the one I have been writing of as occurring on that day, 
 and nearly all of them have been confined almost entirely to tho communities ret* 
 spectively whero they occurred and have passed away with those who took part in them, 
 and there are to-day a largo number of independent Methodist churches in the Southern 
 States who havo no connection with each other or with any other church. The Church 
 which was formed at brother Morritt's had a connexional as well as a congregational 
 and republican clement m its form of government, and to this cause may be ascribed 
 the popularity and spread of the Church which had its birth in Monroe county, Georgia, 
 on tho 8th of May, 1852, 
 
 There is one feature of tho subsequent history of the CM. Church which I desire 
 here to notice. Within a short time from the organization of the first church the 
 movement had spread over several counties in Middle Georgia, and found foothold in 
 the States of Alabama and Mississippi, and has, from that day until this, been pros- 
 pering in all throe of said States, and has now State Conferences in six States, 
 and organizations in several others with many thousands of members; still, in the 
 county whore it had its origin and has lived and flourished for more than a quarter 
 of a century, thero arc many persons ignorant of tho existence of such a Church and 
 more ignorant of its characteristics and doctrines. Those who desired to impede 
 its progress soon ascertained that the best way to prevent its spread was to say noth- 
 ins about it. Hence their papers (whether under the influence of the gag-law or not 
 I cannot say) havo refused to publish anything about it. Its ministers as a general 
 rule receive such notice and courtesy as the rules of good breeding absolutely requin 
 at the hands of their ministers and nothing more, I do not complain at this as un- 
 kindness or persecution, for ono who attempts reform in an existing Church organiza*! 
 
 Pago 6, 
 
tlon of an important character and docs not expect to noot persecution, calculates 
 inproperly and is doomed to disappointment. It has ever toon so, and ever will 
 bo so. But in dismissing this part of the subject I feel impelled to say sinply 
 this: The organs of the M*. E, Church, South, by their conduct ignore and appear 
 to bo ignorant of the existence of the C. M. Church, although their Discipline 
 has many features in it T7hich wore taken from that of the C, M, '^hurch. If we 
 shall be true to ourselves, true to otot Church paper, true to our principles as 
 Christians, and true to the Groat Head of the Church, the tine will soon cone 
 when the existence of the Congregational Methodist Church will no longer be ignored. 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 Haying dwelt at length on the first meeting of the friends of Congregational 
 Methodism, for the reasons already stated, I come now to speak of the second meet- 
 ing. This meeting was held at Rehoboth church about the third Sunday in May, 
 1852. Between the time of the first and second meetings the feeling had spread 
 over a considerable section of Middle Georgia, and quite a number of ministers 
 and members from the M, E, Church, South, came forward and united with the organiza- 
 tion. Among the former I can mention, Rev. J, F. N, Huddleston and Rev. J. Sletcher 
 Wethersbee , ' and among the latter I should name John ^m, John H. Phinazee, David 
 Ogletree, John E, Petigrcw, Edward ViThite, and others. 
 
 Quite a nximbor of those who had allied themselves with the new movement were 
 members of the M, E, Church, South, at Rohoboth; indeed nearly the whole of the 
 membership at that place went with the C, M, Church, and this was probably the 
 reason why they felt like they had the liberty to use the church-house at Reho- 
 both to meet in. But they vero not penuitted to occupy the house — the same, 
 under the economy of the M, E, Church, having been deeded to the Georgia Annual 
 Conference, and its officers not being willing for "the scceders," as they were 
 called, to use it. 
 
 By way of parenthesis I will hero say: This reference to the persecution 
 which the pioneers of Congre-ational Methodism met with, is not lugged in here 
 to excite any sympathy for the C, M, Church, nor to cast reflections on the M. E, 
 Church, South, but it is done in the discharge of the duties of the historian, 
 who, if ho does his duty to posterity(for whose benefit he principally writep) 
 states transactions just as they occurcd, leaving the reader to draw his own con- 
 clusions. 
 
 Not being permitted to hold their meetings in the church-house they withdrew 
 to the arbor of the camp-ground near by, and there hold their meeting. The bus- 
 iness of this meeting consisted principally (so far as its sccvilar affairs were 
 concerned) in the appointment of a committee of three to prepare a book of Dis- 
 cipline, with rules and rcgulationsfor the government of the Church, That com- 
 mittee consisted of Revs, H, Shinizce, A, Ogletree, anfl J, F, N. Hiddleston, And 
 here again "these good men and true" committed themselves and commended the cause 
 of the infant Church in prayer to the Great Head of the Church, with abiding con- 
 fidence in the propriety of the step they had taken, and in grateful remembrance 
 of the partial success X7hich had attended them thus far in their unabated zeal 
 in devotion to duty, and humble iTDllanco on Divine assistance and guidance in the 
 future, they parted with "the benediction" of peace. Rev. Allen Turner, a good 
 old man of the M, E, Church, South, who was present to forbid the use by the new 
 organization of the church-house, was requested to pray in the meeting. He led 
 in prayer, asking fervently that if the move was not of God it might came to 
 naught; but if it was of God that it night prosper, and all the brethren said 
 "amen," and the prayer has been heard and answered, 
 
 CHAPTER 711, 
 
 The meeting at Rehoboth church, as before stated, appeintcd a committee to pre- 
 pare a book of Discipline, and report to the next meeting. When and where this 
 third meeting was hold, I have boon unable to ascertain, and I regret my inability 
 to now state, what would bo of great interest, and xaiich pcrhqos may never be 
 known hereafter. It is, however, pretty certain that it was not long after the 
 second meeting, as the book of Discipline was published and given to the world 
 early in the month of August, 1852, The character of the book, as reported by the 
 connittee and adopted by the Church, I shall now notice, only so far as to refer 
 to the preface, as embodying sxie of the leading features of the Church, 
 
 The Rev, H, Phinazee, of the comnittoo above stated, was the author of the 
 above preface. The book was a small pamphlet of 48 pages, published by A, G. Murray 
 Griffin, Ga., and in order that the reader nay fully understand the sane, I 
 here insert that preface just as it there occurred; 
 
 (Sec Preface in the Discipline of the Congregational Msthodist Church,) 
 
 Page 7, 
 
WItb this declaration of the foundation of their GctiDn, tho Congrceational 
 Mothodist Church took its plioc anong thD ecclesiastical orgainizations cf tho 
 country, trusting to the correctness of its principles and the purity of its no- 
 tivee for that success which was afterwards to attend it. 
 
 Thus T70 have presented the histcry of tho conpletion of the organization of 
 tho first individual Church, the nucleus around which all in tho future v;crc to 
 gather. Less than three nonths had been consuncd in perfecting this nachinory, 
 and the enduring character of the work thus done, declares nost emphatically that 
 it was well done, as the leading features of tho original Discipline are preserved 
 to the present tine by tho C« M. Church, and nany of its peculiar features have 
 boon adopted by other populous nonbers of tho great Methodist fanily. 
 
 The body of the Biscipline was written by Rev. J. F. N. Huddleston, and when 
 reported by hin to his two fcllow-ccnnitteoncn, was adopted by then with very slight 
 alteration, if any at all, and was adopted by the Church as it cane from the Con- 
 nitteca 
 
 CHAJIER VIII. 
 
 Tho first Congregational Libthodist Church constituted was called Ifecky Creek, 
 its nenborship principally were f omerly necibers of Rchoboth, the noine of this 
 church was aftorwojds changed, as we shall sue hereafter. Between the 8th of ISay 
 and tho 1st of August, other organizations had been effected. Movuit Hope, in 
 Spalding county, Hock Spring, in Lfcmroo county, Pleasant Grove, in Butts county, 
 New Market, in Honroe county. New Hope, in Pike county, and Providence, in Monroe 
 county, naking, in all, seven churches, and all in the sane section of country. 
 
 As the Discipline provided for District Conferences, these seven churches, on 
 tbo 12th day of August, 1852, by their delegates, held their first District Con- 
 ference, at Rocky Creek Baptist church— that church kindly tendering to said body 
 the use of their church -hotise. Upon the assenbling of the Conference, the follow- 
 ing noned delegates, with proper credentials, caao forward and had their nanes en- 
 rolled, viz: 
 
 From Rocky Creek church, A. Ogletree, J. F. N. Huddleston, and H. Phinazee 
 fron Mount Hope church, Robert Walker and Joshua Sheptrine, fron Rock Spring church, 
 Allen Reeves fron PloaBant Grove clturcsh, George TJ, Barber and Willian A, McCune, 
 fron New Market church, J. F, Wethersby and BoQJanin Davis, fron Providence church 
 Willian H, Graham, fron New Hope church Daniel JJarroll, Rev, J, F. TTothersby 
 was elected President, and Rev, H. Phinazee, Secretary. Tho President opened the 
 Conference 'Bith prayer* At the organization of the first church at brother Merritt's 
 house, we have seen the little conpony gathered, bowing reverently before their 
 Great Head, and hoard the voice of ascending prayer for Divine protection, and now 
 when wc behold the first District Conference wo sec then bending the knee to God 
 and begging for Hcaven*s direction, their hearts in unison responding in tho 
 language of Scripture, "Without no ye can do nothing." 
 
 This was the first District Conference ever held by any Methodist body, and 
 therefore a center of curiosity. So far as history shows, this \tvls the first Con- 
 forencc over held by any I-fcthodist body, except Quarterly Conference, which was ^ 
 ccciposed nore largely of layacn than of niniaters, and the first body of Ifethodists, 
 which was purely a roproscntativc body, ani Ttiose members all held their seats only 
 by the choice of their brethren. This Conference was therefore clearly on cxperi- 
 nont; but the dovelopmonts have shown that it was a success. The thousands of 
 District Conferences and District liSeetings which have been since held anong tSetho- . 
 dists of this country declares IJiat a District Conference is a success. The 
 President of the Conference had once been an itinerant of note, and had frequently 
 been a member of Conferences, airl in case of Quarterly Conferences, seme tines its 
 presiding officer, I suppose; but there wore two now features to him, evem in 
 this assonbly* 1. Ho was ttero on a perfect equality with every other nenber (ex- 
 cept what privileges wore conferred on him by his election to the Presidency), and 
 2. Ho was there by the election of his brethren. Hitherto ho had held seats in 
 Conferences, where some of the members were on a shelf above him, some on the some 
 shelf with him, and some on tho shelf below hin, but here all tho members were on 
 thn sane platfom. Before that time he had held his seats in Conferences, beosuse 
 bcoaus© ha.waa ian' itinerant, here he-. held his seat because he waB the choice of 
 
 his brethren. 
 
 None of the olhor members of this Conference had ever been members of ani"- 
 Conference before, save Quarterly Conferences, and when we consider that a majority 
 of than nore laynen wo will very naturally suppose they felt a little awlcward_, 
 having belonged, some of then, for many years whore they had no right guaranteed 
 b^- their Discipline of voting, much loss of holding office, save as put in cffise 
 by the proachor in charge, and not evorn owning cmy interest in the houses in which 
 
thoy worahippod. But inoa^jorioncod as they t7oro, tho duty uas upon thou of put- 
 ting in operation tho now naohinoiy of a now organization, and well and faith- 
 fully did thoy acquit thoneolvcB# 
 
 One of tho first -things done by tho Conferenco after organization was to recog- 
 nizo tho liconso of brother Caroy Oox, a licentiate fron tho M, E» Church, South, 
 and to pass a resolution that all ninistors coning fron other orthodox denoninations 
 bo received as such in our Church, upon presentation of thoir ctcdcntlot.'-^ in proper 
 fom. The Conferenco liien granted exhortor's license to brother John Hon, Daniel 
 Carroll and Travis Ivoy, they all having been duly roconnended for such license 
 by tiie cbvirches to which thoy rospectivoly belonged, 
 
 Tho Conference being impressed with the belief that a Church paper was essential 
 to its prosperity, lost no tino in looking to this inpertant interest, and after 
 discussing tho natter at length, in which a free interchange of opinions were had 
 anong all the delegates, tha Chair, upon notion, appointed a Connitteo of five "to 
 take into consideration tho subject of establishing a press, and report to the 
 Church as early as practicable, for their ratification." That Conoittoc consisted 
 of brother J. F. N. Huddleston, T7, L. Kraribrough, Mickloborry Mbrritt, Absalon 
 Oglotrco and John Han, 
 
 Axi.6. here I nay rcne.rk (by way of parenthesis) that this subject has over been 
 before us as a Church, but at no tine in our history have we been sufficiently 
 alivQ to its inportance, eja& have too often contented ourselves with the passage 
 of resolutions, or the "apointncnt of a connittec," as to what the Church, in its 
 then novel and untried condition, needed, I an not in any wise conpetcnt to soy, 
 but, now wo need soncthinr; noro tangible, nore real, nore substantial than reso- 
 lutions, or <j<att3ittocG of invcctiaation, wc need money, subscribers j contributors 
 for the paper. Jay dear orcthrcn, pardon mo for exhorting you throughout ou» 
 connection to wake up, work for our paper timong tho peop'.e, write for the papcrj 
 encourage our worthy editor and don't leave him neglected to do so much work for 
 us, but lend him a helping hand. 
 
 The Conference, before adjourning, adopted the following resolution, then 
 found at the close of the book of Discipline: 
 
 "Resolved, unanimously, That in view of the great importance of this work of 
 reformation, upon which we have voluntarily entered, the hasty manner in which 
 it has been thus far prosecuted, and the imperfections which may consequently be 
 found in it, we reserve to ourselves the right and will do ourselves and the cause 
 we advocate the justice to call a convention of delegates from all the churches 
 in our connection; and that said Convention shall appoint a committee, whoso 
 duty it shall be to revise this work throughout critically, after which it shall 
 be put up pcmojiently. Said Convention vail be called as soon as practicafile." 
 
 The Conference appointed next District Conference to be held at Mt; Hope 
 church, Spalding ccunty, Georgia. 
 
 This session of the Conference lasted three days, and was a remarkably quiet 
 and haimonious session. It did much work and did it well, setting a worthy example 
 to the many siniliar Conferences to cone after it, 
 
 CH.'iPrER IX. 
 
 Having in the last chapter related the history of the first District Conference, 
 I propose here to follow up the history of tto District Conference at its various 
 sessions up to the formation of different District Conferences and A State 
 Conference in Georgia, The idea of what the tern "District" signified seems at 
 first to have boon construed as indicating a Congressional District; accordingly, 
 the heading of tho ninutes of the first and second District Conference designates 
 the body as "the District Conference of the Congregational Methodist Church for 
 the Third District of Georgia," After the thiru session, it was no longer desig- 
 nated as of "the Third Congressional District," but simply as "the District 
 Conference of the Connrcgational Methodist Church," and they wore certainly entitled 
 to bo called the District Conference, as there was at that tine no other ©rganized 
 District Conferenco in the known vrorld. All tho churches organized in Georgia, 
 and oven sone in Ala bona, wore connected with this District Conference, 
 
 Tho second session of this body was held at l/bunt Hope church, Spalding cotinty, 
 about four and one-half miles east of the city of Griffin, on the 11th day of 
 December, 1852, A temporary organization was effected by calling Rev. J. F. N, 
 Huddleston to the chair and upon examination it was found that the following 
 dolcgatos were present, with proper credentials to take their seats in tho Con- 
 ference viz: Frcn Rocky Creek — J. F. N. Huddleston, 17, L. Ibnbro, M, Merritt 
 and H, Phinazec; Rock Spring— A, H. Reeves, Thco, Millions and C. G. Harper; 
 Providence— n", F. Mapp; New Hope— Den icl Carroll; Mount Hope — S. F. Speer and 
 Thonas Thrower, An election of TJillion L, Fanbro as President, and Ifcv, Htrtan 
 Phinazec as Secretary, 
 
 Pago 9, 
 
Brother Famtro, although a layman, had been called to preside over the • 
 first meeting of the denomination at brother Merritt's house, as before stated, 
 and was now called on to preside over the District Conference, composed, in a 
 large proportion, of ministers and the best talent in the young Church, and 
 such was the ability and zeal which he brought to the discharge of Ms duty 
 as a presiding officer, that he was not only elected to preside over District 
 Conferences thereafter, but was the presiding officer of the llrst State Con- 
 ference ever organized, and subsequently presided with ability over the General 
 Conference of the C, M, Church, I shall have more to say about this good man 
 hereafter, ^en I shall have finished these historical sketches, and come to 
 present some pen portraits of the founders of Congregational lilethodism. 
 
 Four new churches sent delegates to this Conference, who wore received and 
 seated viz: Prom New Prospect, in lAonroc county — Carey Cox and P. D. Pringle; 
 Mount Zion, Carroll county — J. C, Pearson; Antioch and Mount Pisgah, in Alabama-- 
 James M, Adams, In addition to the duly elected delegates, as before stated, 
 there were a largo number of visiting brethren, Tr*o were duly invited to seats 
 as honorary members of the body. Also, William Griffin, John Bass and Isaiah 
 Wallis, fraternal messen;^crs of the llethodist Protestant Church, and Rev» Mr, 
 Reddlngham, from the Lutheran Chiirch, Two-thirds of the members of this Con- 
 ference were laymen, showing a larger proportion of the lay element than the 
 Conference which had preceded it. I suppose if some of the advocates of the 
 theory of the rainistrj'- governing by divine right, or some of the opposors of 
 lay representation, could have beheld this Qonference entering on their duties, 
 they would probablj"- have adopted the language which a colored * preacher once 
 said Adam used when he awoke up out of his deep sleep, and "put on his specks 
 and looked at Eve," "This is a bad job," 
 
 Nathaniel was a good man, yet when approached by one of his friends who 
 informed him that the promised Messiah had been found and he hailed from Naza- 
 reth, asked with much of honest doubt, "Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?" 
 So in like manner those who had been educated to believe that the governing 
 power of right rested in the hands of the ministry, and that the laity had neither 
 the ri^t nor the capacity to share in the government of the Church, had serious 
 misgivings of the success of a government where the laity had the balance of 
 power. But their doubts T;cre as unfounded as were those of Nathaniel, Aad al- 
 though there were not a few who looked on at the part the little new Church was 
 taking in the battle of the ecclesiastical world against the power of darkness, 
 aad'l predicted its early downfall and signal failure, the long and eventful years 
 which have since intervened~evcntful as they have been — have left us a record 
 of the labors of these laymen- in Conference, which demonstrates that the ifconfidenffle 
 of their brethren was not misplaced when they chose these laymen to represent 
 them in Cronfcronce, 
 
 The time had now come viicn the world was to have a demonstration of the fact 
 that the masses of Methodists were as capable of transacting the business of 
 their Church as the masses of other denominations, and the idea that nothing 
 could be done except by the ministry ".Tas now to be exploded, and the great truth 
 was to be discovered by both preachers and people, that the function of the minis- 
 tor would in chief be exercised in the puloit, while the layman was to labor in 
 the pev; and in the government of the Church. Christ was to be the Head and 
 both the laity and the clergy wore to be co-workers, each in his proper sphere, 
 doing the allotted v.-ork, showing that one was not to exist without the other, 
 and that neither was independent of the other, nor exalted above the other, but 
 foimod separate parts in the grand and glorious whole, wherein all things -jork 
 together for the glory of God and the good of His people. 
 
 The Conference was entertained by fraternal greetings between the repre- 
 sentatives of the other sister churches and those of the C. M, Church, and the 
 best and kindest of feeling prevailed. Theo, Williams having been proplorly 
 recommended for license to exhort, was duly licensed as an exhorter by the Con- 
 ference, 
 
 J. C. Pearson, James M, Adams, J. F. N, Huddleston, Robert TIalker and w. A. 
 McCuno were appointed fratcnal messengers to the next Conference of the Lutheran 
 Church in Georgia,. The noxt meeting of the Conference was appointed with the 
 church at Hock Spring, Monroe county, beginning on Friday before the third Sab- 
 bath in May, 1853, 
 
 And thus ended the second session of the District Conference, Seven months 
 and tliree days had passed frcra the meeting at brother Morritt*s to the meeting 
 of this Conference, and ovonitul months and days they had been—months of watch- 
 ing, weeping, praying and hoping on the part of the movers in this "departure;" 
 months of persecution, bitterness and distrust on the part of its enemies, and 
 months of anxious curiosity and speculation on the part of the outside -.vorld. 
 But the fathers of Congregational Methodism took their cause "to the Lord in 
 
 Page la. 
 
and prosperity and advancement attended them, and now the fire had spread until 
 eleven churches came frcm different sections of Georgia, and even from Alabama, 
 and stood by the side of ths twelve individuals who joined hands at brother 
 Merritt*s, saying, ♦Tour God shall be my God; whore you dwell, there will we dwell; 
 where you die, there will we be buried," 
 
 CHAPTER X, 
 
 I come now to spoak of the organization of the first Congregational Methodist 
 Church in the State of Mississippi* In the fall of the year 1852, there lived 
 in Richmond county, Georgia, a local elder of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, 
 by tho name of Henry T, Jones, During the fall of that year this minister was 
 attending a camp-meeting at a camp-ground in tho cointy of Jefferson, called "Mt» 
 Mbriah," This camp-gro\md was within the bounds of one of .the districts of the 
 Georgia Annual Conference, of which Rev. John W. Glonn was the Presiding Elder, 
 who was present at the caicp-meeting. One day during the meeting Rev, H. T# Jones 
 had preached, and after preaching retired to the preachers* tent and was lying donn 
 resting, when the Presiding Elder ani a minister by the name of Uunn^ entered the 
 tent, sat down near where Hcq Joncscas lying. and began Qonversing on the subject 
 of general Church matters. During the ccnvcrsation tho Presiding Elder said to 
 Bov, Mr» Dunn that "brother Ogletroo and a number of others had withdrawn from the 
 Church and gone into a separate organization," This much of tho conversation Rev, 
 Mr, Jones accidently heard, the tone and manner of the conversation indicated to 
 him that it was intended to be private or confidential, and he did not seek to hear 
 more of it, 
 
 Bev» Mr, Jones had never been fully satisfied with the government of the Church 
 to whidb. ho belonged; but it came nearer to his standard of a Church— all things 
 considered— than aw Church of which he knew anything. Being a believer in the 
 doctrine of an unlimited atonement and free salvation to all who uould accept 
 the teima of ths gospel, the Calvinistic creeds of the Baptist and Presbyterian 
 ChTirches forbade his identifying himself with them. And believing in personal, 
 heart-felt piety, and tho known power of experimental religion in the soul, the 
 foimaUsm of the Episcopalians forbade his iiniting with that Church, while the 
 govommont of tho Methodist Protestant Church was oven more objectionable to him 
 than that of tho M, E, Church, South, Hence ho had been waiting and watching for 
 some Church to make its appearance whose polity as well as doctrines ho could 
 fully indorse, and when this little fragment of information floated across his path, 
 like a little cloud across the sky, he felt a longing desire to know more of it. 
 But small as the rovelation was it told him two things: 1st, That a portion of the 
 members of the M. E. Church, South, in Georgia, had left that church. And 2nd, 
 that brother OgLetree was one of the members of the now Church, But still other 
 things must be known before this infOnnation would avail him anything, 1, He 
 did not know wheire the new movement orlginatod or was located, 2, He did not 
 even know the given or Christian name of the only member of whom he had any infor-^ 
 nation, to-wit, broth3r Oglotrce, 3, He know nothing of tho character of the 
 Church, But having long felt the necessity of certain refoims in tho government 
 of the M. E. Church, South, and knowing that the now Church vms coaposed, in part, 
 at least, of others, who had become dissatisfied with said Church, ho fancied it 
 was problablc that they might have shared his objections, and fomed the now 
 Church with a view of meeting them. 
 
 At all events he wanted to loam moro of this ncv; organization, but how to 
 find out was tho difficulty, Tho tone and manner of the Presiding Elder in the 
 conversation before stated indicated that he spoke of the matter confidentially, 
 and hence he felt a delicacy to make inquiry of that functionary, and ho did not 
 know any one else from whom the desired information could be obtained. Shortly 
 after this Dr» Lovick Pierce, then stationed in tho city of Savannah, wrote a 
 piece in the Southern Christian Advocate in reply to certain charges which had 
 been laid at his door about the new organization, in which he stated the name of 
 the new Church, and that those Tdio took part in it lived in "a county above," and 
 were 0Qn5)0scd of a number of local preachers and others of good name. 
 
 This additional infonnation increased the desire of brother Jones to know more 
 of "the Congregational Methodist Church and those local preachers and others in 
 a county above," etc, but still ho desired "more light," 
 
 In the fall of that year brother Jones removed to Jasper county, Miss*, and 
 while passing through Georgia, made diligent inquiry as to the post-office address 
 of brother Ogletree, and finally succeeded in finding one man who could tell him 
 whore brother Ogletree lived. After reaching his now home and settling down he 
 found some of his neighbors of the same mind with himself as to a church organization 
 ocmbining all the elements of Methodist faith and republican government. Brother 
 Jones, therefore, in tho spring or early summer of 1853, wrote to brother Ogletree 
 at Forsyth,. Ga,, for information about the Congregational Mothodist Church, aid in 
 
 Pago Hi 
 
reply brother Oslotrco sont hin several copies of the little book of Discipline, 
 ^th all other infomation desired about the organization of the Church, etc. 
 Upon the receipt of these books brother Jones and his neighbors, a fcv? in nunbcr, 
 finding in the nor; novencnt the very features for Tvhich they had so long looked 
 and hoped, net at the house of L. J. Jones, on the 29th doy of July, 1853, and 
 there orgEmized r.ith eight ncnbcrs the first Congregational Methodist Church in 
 the State of Lassissippi, ond I beg leave to close this chapter by exhibiting 
 a copy of the prcanblo and minutes of that nccting as furnished ne by one of those 
 uho took part in the sane. It is as follows: 
 
 "A number of nenbcrs of different branches of ths Christian Church, believing 
 that the itinerant system, as at present carried out by different branches of the 
 Methodist Church, has alike failed to meet the vants of the Church and the v:orld, 
 and believing the CongTCgational fom of v.'orship to bo more in accord with the 
 Holy Scriptures, and more efficient in feeding the flock of Christ as well as tho 
 spread of Scripture holiness, net at tho house of Lazarus J, Jones, Esq,, on 
 IWday, July 29th, 1853, for the purpose of organizing a Congregational Ivlcthodist 
 Church, After reading the Scriptures and prayer by Eev, James S, Tcrral, on 
 notion brother Terral v;as called to tho chair, ond brother L. J. Jones ins requested 
 to act as Secretary. The foliating names from different denominations ucre then 
 enrolled as members: Hcv, Jas. S, Tcrral, Rev. Henry T. Jones, Lazarus J. Jones, 
 George W, Hyan, Seaborn W, Jones, Pleasant ^forris, Itancis M, Jones and Idary S. Jones. 
 
 Tho Church ras then oi^nnized by the election of Rev, Henry T. Jones, Elder, 
 brother S, \7. Jones, Loader, Pleasant Morris, Ste-ard, and L, J. Jones, Clerk, 
 Tho Church next proceeded to adopt tho Constitution and government of the Congre- 
 gational lifcthodist Church extant in the State of Georgia* 
 
 The third Sabbath in August and the Saturdajj- before T:as the tine appointed 
 for the next church meeting. After prayer by Rev. H. T, Jones the meeting was 
 dismissed, 
 
 Jas. S. Terrall, Chairman, 
 In J. Jones, Secretary, 
 
 CKlFTER XI . 
 
 The third District Conference held its session at Rock Spring Church, Monroe 
 coxinty, beginning on the 15th of May, 1853, the C. M, Church being then one j^ear 
 and five days old. Nine churches '.verc represented at this Conference, Mt, Zion, 
 in Carrol county, Georgia, and Mt, Pisgah ond ^'intioch churches in Alabama, 
 having become connected \rith District Conferences nearer heme, sent no delegates 
 to this Conference, Providence church had changed her name, and was enrolled 
 arong the churches this session under the name of "High Falls." Nov; PiDOspect, 
 having also changed, appeared under the name of Sand Hill, tho rest of the churches, 
 still retaining their former names. Liberty Hill, Jackson, ond Pleasant Grove, 
 wore admitted into the District Conference and their delegates seated. The delega- 
 tion present T;as~.from High Falls, T. ?. Fonbro; Jackson R. Shepherd, Jas, R. McCord: 
 Pleasant Grove, D. ?, Caracn; Liberty Hill, J. E. Potts; Mt, Hope, S, F, Spoor and 
 Bobert Walker; Rock Spring, Joshua Sheptrine, Theo. Williams, Robert Letson, Jr,J 
 Sand Hill, W, R. Eankston, P, D, PrLnglo; Rockey Creek, M. Merritt, and H, Phinazce, 
 Janes R, AicCord uas chosen President taiporarily, and J. F. N. Huddleston, tenpo- 
 raiy Socrctarj'. Upon orgcnizing permanently. Rev, H. Phinazec was elected Prcsidcrt , 
 and Janes R, McCord, Secretary, Bcfcro the close of -Qio Conference, John Carriker, 
 as a delegate from Union church, Pike County, presented a petition for adnission 
 into tho Conference, The petition vas granted and he '::xis duly seated as a delogato 
 making the aggregate number of churches in tho district ten. 
 
 The fourth session of this Conference v;as held at Jackson, Butts county; all 
 ton of the churches woro duly rcprosentod, and the Conference began its session 
 on tho 9th day of September, 1853, Rev, J. F. Wethersbee, was chosen temporary 
 President, and Rev, H, Phinazee ter^jorary Secretary, 
 
 Tho following delegates wero present with proper authority, and took part in 
 the organization, viz: From Union church, Uriah Fincher; New Hope, Daniel Carroll 
 and L. P. Culpepper; Jackson, Isaac W. Smith and John W. McCord; Head's Academy, 
 (formerly Liberty Hill), John P, Hunt; Fredonia, (formerly Sand Hill) Carey Cox, 
 111, Goodman and Jackson Bush; High Falls, J. F. N. Huddleston, and Edvrard White; 
 Pleasant Grove, George W, Barber, D. P« Carson and Thomas J, Giles; Rock Spring 
 Joshua Sheptrine and Robert Letson; Mt. Ifone, S. F. Speer, V, Fish and Robert 
 Walker; Mt, Zion (formerly Rockey Crock), David Ogletrce and H, PhiHazec, Rov, 
 H. Phinazee was elected permanent President, ai^ Jas. H. McCord, Secretary, John 
 p. Hunt, fron Head's Academy, and Daniel Carroll, form New Hopo church, having 
 boon properly reconmcndcd by their rcspecti'/e churches for license to preach, v.-erc 
 oxanincd by a caTmittec appointed for that purpose by the Conference, and wore, 
 in pursuance of Ihc report and rccormendation of that committee, duly licensed 
 h-(r the ConferencG to preach. The licenses of brothers Uriah Fincher, Travis Ivcjr, 
 
 Page 12, 
 
and John Han as exhorters, v;ere renewed by the Conference, and brother Frederick 
 Pearce fron Pleasant Grove, having been duly recommended by that church, was li- 
 censed to exhort. 
 
 The reports from the various churches sent up to this Conference, shov/ed tha^ 
 they were in a healthy and growing condition, one church only reported the same 
 number of members as at the preceding Conference, all others had increased their 
 numbers. Pleasant Grove, under the pastoral care of Rev. J. F, N, Huddle ston, 
 led the van, her membership having increased frcm twenty-five to sixty-five, while 
 Fredonia, under the pastoral care of Rev, Absalom Ogletree, follwed close behind 
 with an increase of thirty-one members, raising its former number of thirty-eight 
 to sixty-nine. Rock Spring frcm sixty-five had reached ninety-three, Mt, Hope 
 had received twenty-three new members. '^%v Hope eighteen, and all the rest of the 
 nine had increased more or less, the aggregate increase in the district being one 
 hundred and sixty-one. 
 
 The first district Conference for the year 1854, met at New Hope churfth. In 
 Pike county. Rev, H, Phinazee -v^^as temporary President, and John B, Thuiman tempo* 
 rarjr President, and John E, Thuiraan temporary Secretary. The proceedings «f this 
 session were quite interesting and perfectly haimonious, the reports showed con-- 
 tinued prosperity and growth. aaong the churches. This Conference was in Ivjarch, 
 1854, and was the last Conference hold during the third year of the existence of 
 the C. M. Church, ^nd. although the birth-day of the Church was "a day of small 
 things, the Church now represented by the dole gates to this Conference, showed 
 that the hand of GOd had guarded them and prospered them in their way. 
 
 Chapter XII, 
 
 The progress of God's irork is sometimes rapid, at others very slow, '7.ithjn 
 less than seven months from the organization of the fl»st Congregational Iviothodiat 
 church in Iviidle Georgia, the seed had sprung up in the State of Alabama, whither 
 they had been wafted by favoring breezes, but it never gained a foothcJld in ?l»rida 
 until near the close of 1871, more tiBn 19 years froa the tine of the first meet- 
 ing at the house of brother Micklcbcrry Morritt, But such has ever been the history 
 of the Church, and probably the future will not differ from the past in this part* 
 icular. 
 
 In the year 1871, there lived in Alabama an_ old minister by the name of Virgil 
 Nichols, who was a member of the C, K, Chxirch, -^ was then very old and poor, his 
 family consisted of his aged wife, a widowed daughter, ilrs, Eliza Liorgan, and her 
 three little girls, Emma, Sarah and Rebecca, In the latter part of 1871 father 
 Nichols conceived the idea of moving to '^'cst Florida, And after making what ar- 
 rangements ho could, started to move between one and two hundred miles, tfith his 
 helpless family and all his earthly goods in an ox-cart, d^a^7n by one ox, '.Vithout 
 stopping to speak of the privation, exposure and fatigues of his long, slow and 
 disagreeable journey, I will content myself on this point by saying, ho reached 
 the end of his journey near Portland, Florida, about the 20th of December, Sick 
 himself with fevor, his wife with rheumatism, and two of his little grand-daughters 
 also sick, — without provlEions, without raoncy— a stranger in a strange land. Here 
 was the first representation of the C, ii. Church in "the Land of FLowcrs," ^at 
 a picturci Here was poverty, old age, Tddowhood, orphanage, arid sickness, under 
 the same roof. And under that roof was the hope of the C, M. Church for the future 
 in that sunny land, where the birds sing all the ycax round, and the flowers bloom 
 every month in the year. Reader, do you sec this picture? Look at the shadov/s 
 gathering about it. But lest you should not see the li^t as well as the shade, 
 lot us drop the curtain for a time and look at another picture. Near by this place 
 there lived a [ cntloman who, although a married man, might be called a young man, 
 financially hc'was "well-to-do" in the world. Socially he v/as beloved of his neigh- 
 bors morally he was in many respects a model, but religiously ho was dcfi»ient, 
 Frcm'what little I have loarncd and seen of him, I am inclined to the opinio*, that 
 he had been converted probably years before, but had not joined any _ Church » His 
 mother v/ho was a veiy good v;oman, had been a member of thj3 ii, E. Chiirch, South, 
 but having looked into its government and economy, became dissatisfied, and T:hen 
 she icmoved frcm Kladison to "est Florida, took her letter and never would unite 
 with that Church again, and but for the organization of a C, M, Church near where 
 she lived would probably never have united with any Church again. This man's 
 name was George H. Berry. 
 
 Shortly after father Nichols arrived, as boforo stated, the rumor that an 
 old preacher and his family ^ho had recently moved into the neighborhood were sick, 
 and in need came to the cars of Mr, Berry, and in obedience to the promptings of 
 his heart he went to sec them, little dreaming of -feho new chapter in the Book of 
 Life which was about to begin "Ith him. In my imagination I see him enter that 
 
 Page 13. 
 
humble home, and stand bewildered at the evidence of his eyesight. Upon his lowly 
 bed he beheld the aged and wasted servant of God, poor in earthly goods but rich 
 in faith, unconscious of the fact that this feeble old man who was in need of food 
 for his body, was ere long to minister to him in spiritual things, and that it 
 was to be through such an humble instrument that God was to bless him, 7/ith the 
 full enjoyment of the bread spiritual which oometh down from Heaven, There is a 
 world of glory and brightness in God's manifestations. These two men thrown to- 
 gether by circumstances, seemed the counterpart of each other, neither able to do 
 much by himself, but each possessing the special qualification which the other 
 lacked, like the blind traveler ani the lame beggar, unable to tr&vel separate, 
 but exactly suited to go together, bearing each others burdens, and thus fulfill- 
 ing the law of Christ, Mr. Berry supplied the wants of the destitute and afflicted 
 family as fer as he could, received the thanks and gratitude of their hearts, and 
 wont back to his home followed by their payors and blessings, leaving the family 
 profoundly impressed v,'ith the care v/hich God takes of his children. While Mr 
 Berry felt not only a sense of a duty discharged, but also a mysterious interest 
 in that old man upon his sick bod, and perhaps wondering, like Cornelius when he 
 saw a vision at what all this should portend. The old and suffering saint had 
 told him he belonged to the "Congregational Methodist Church." Mr. Berry had never 
 before heard of such a cliurch; there was something like a cham in the name to him. 
 Question after question about its doctrines, its usages, its government, where it 
 originated, etc., came crowding into his mind, but the sufferer was too feeble and 
 too much in need of rest to answer them now, hence he mvist wait. 
 
 And now, reader, when for the third time we look into that humble home, we see 
 a little light mingling with the shade, and yet, perhaps, you mak ask can anything 
 considerable come from such feeble instrumentalities? To which I answer, come with 
 me to the sequel and you shall see in the next chapter, and learn that 
 
 'God moves in a mysterious way, 
 
 His wonders to perform 
 He plants his footsteps in the sea 
 
 And rides upon the storm,'' 
 
 Chapter XIII. 
 
 The axquaintance between father Nichols and his new friend grew with each 
 visit of Mr. Berry to his house. Hest and kind attention cheered, conforted and 
 strengthened the aged Christian. As soon as his returning strength would pennit, 
 he began to preach whenever and wherever opportunity was offered. His preaching 
 created considerable stiri Some objected to him because he was what they called 
 a new ligit; others said he was too old to preach, while others became interested 
 in his preaching, Father Nichols seemed to have a special, earnest desire for the 
 salvation of Mr, Berry, and frequently approached him on the subject of religion, 
 but met with little encouragement. Eut one day he handed lir. Berry a copy of the 
 C. M, Discipline, and specially requested him to read it. This Mr. Berry consented 
 to do, '^he perasal of that littli3 book was attended with great interest in the 
 mind of Mr, Berry. In it he found the good old Methodist doctrines, which had been 
 taught him by his good mother, and a government so just, evenly balanced, and Re- 
 publican in every feature^ that his judgment at once indorsed the whole thing, as 
 combining the best faith and government he had ever seen, and soon afterward he 
 gladdened the heart of father Nichols by telling him that whenever he joined any 
 church it would be the C, M, Church. 
 
 Ihther Nichols now began to try for an organization, but difficulties gathered 
 about himj wMch would have deterred many a younger man, and indeed any man whose 
 heart was not ''fixed," and although he perhaps felt almost like Elijah in the desert, 
 he nevertheless pressed forward, resolved to succeed if possible* Unally he de- 
 termined to make the venture. He accordingly made a visit up into middle Alabama, 
 and while passing though Louisville, called on Dr. Di A. Murdock, a minister of 
 the C. M. Church; also brother Haines, of Now Topia, and induced thos good brethren 
 to promise to visit the community where he lived and preach. From what father Nichols 
 had told them, these brethren felt peculiarly impressed that it was their duty 
 to go. Accordingly they wrote to Mr. Berry (whose address had been furnished them 
 by father Nichols), requesting him to give notice at his mill that they would be- 
 gin a meeting at a church near by, called "Union,'' on Saturday before the third 
 Sunday in October, 1872. As the appointed time drew near for these brethren to 
 leave home and start on their long journey of 130 miles, difficulties began to 
 gather about them, and the nearer the day came the more and greater were the ob- 
 stacles in the way. Dr. Murdock said it really seemed that he could not gc, and 
 still the Spirit impressed him that he must go^ Finally the time to start came, 
 with a heevy t)ractice and several patients seriously sick; ho resolved to leave all 
 in the hands of God, and go in obedience to tho Iviaccdonian cry, the echoes of which 
 
 Page 14 
 
they heard caning from Florida, "Come and help ua,** They reached their desti- 
 nation in good time, began the meeting at the time designated, and had a glorious 
 meeting, and before they left organized the first 0. M* church ever constituted 
 in Florida, consisting of seven members—two males and five females, and included 
 in that number was George H, Eerry, This little flock organized October 20, 1872, 
 and called father Nichols as their pastor. 
 
 From the day that father Nichols landed in Florida, he had watched and waited 
 to see the Church wich he loved so well planted in that State, and from the day 
 that George H, Berry came like "tte good Samaritan" to visit the afflicted and 
 feed the hungry of his household, he had not ceased to pray that he might enter 
 fully into that service, for which he believed he would be so well fitted, if his 
 heart was only full of God*s love. And now, like good old Simeon v>,'aiting for the 
 consolation of Israel, wandering in the temple one morning and seeing the promised 
 "Child Redeemer," felt that life's labor was ended, so father Nichols, having seen 
 the C. M. Church established in "the Land of Flowers," and his kind friend Berry 
 taking his stand as a member of that Church and a servant of God, looked complacently 
 for life's sun-set to como and put a period to his labors and trials, and soon it 
 came. On the 24th of Doccmbcr, 1872, the Groat Captain, under whose command he had 
 so long and so faithfully fought, called him back fron the face of the foe, ani 
 the old soldier, scarred, weary and vmst&d with life's long conflicts, stacked his 
 arms and laid down his wcll-wom aimor on life's last and brightest battle-field 
 vnd went home a conqueror, while the angel choir sang~"Soldier of Christ, well done. 
 
 The little church so recently organized, so few in numbers, and feeble in earthly 
 resources, with only six members— five of these females, and throe of the females 
 widows and one an orphan — found themselves without a pastor and 120 miles from the 
 nearest church of their "faith and order," and to make their condition more unhappy, 
 the devil had kindled the fire of persecution around them on every side. But this 
 only served to bind them closer to each other, and to make them feel more intensely 
 their utter dependence on the hand of their Heavenly Father, and, like the disciples 
 vflio were gathered together praying for the deliverance of Peter from prison, this 
 little band prayed continually that God v;auld send them help. They petitioned the 
 District Conference for a preacher, but no answer came. Finally God moved upon the 
 heart of brother Berry, who began, luider the promptings of the Holy Spirit, to con- 
 duct meetings for the little flock, and finally, in I.'Iay, 1873, when the General 
 Conference met at Mount Jefferson, Alabama, brother Berry was there (having been 
 properly recommended for ordination), and on Sunday, the 12th dfsy of Ithy, was 
 solemnly ordained to the office of Elder in the Church of God, 
 
 Immediately upon his return the little church of five women called him to be 
 their pastor. He accepted, and entered upon his duty "trembling" but trusting, 
 
 God has greatly blessed and prospered his labors, and the little church has 
 increased tmtil there arc today in 1i7est Florida six churches with 240 members, 
 three ordained ministers and seven exhorters, and the good work goes on. And many 
 there are all over that country who bless the day when father Nichols came to 
 make his home in this section, 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 The Second District Conference in Georgia for the year 1854, met with the church 
 at Pleasant Gvoer on the first day of September, S, F. Speer, of Itoint Hope church 
 was elected as temporary President, and J, R. McCord, of Jackson, temporary Secretary, 
 The following delegates were reported present with proper certificates, viz: From 
 Pleasant Grove, Thomas J, Giles, David P, Carson and John B, Thtirman; Mount Zion, 
 Absalom Ogletree, Travis Ivey^ Hiram Phinazee and Wm, L, Fambrough; New Hope, Jas, 
 Lefsey and Daniel Carroll; Union, Uriah Fincher; Jackson, J. R. McCord and Caswell 
 Ethridge; Fredonia, William E, Potts, Jas, A, I&ans and Jas, Brazier; Rock Spring, 
 Joshua Sheptrine, Robert Letson, Peter Nicholson and Wm, P. Sheptrine; Mount 
 Hope, Robert Walker, Washington Warren and Simeon F, Speer; Providence, J, F, N, 
 Huddleson and W, F, IvJapp; Mount Pleasant, Jesse Waddell; and Liberty, W, A. Walker, 
 The election of pemanent officers resulted in the choice of Rev, Absalom Ogletree, 
 President, and Jas, R, McCord, Secretary, Jno, Bass, C, S, Lcseur and MoKendreo 
 Tucker, wore present as fraternal messengers from the l/3ethodist Protestant Church, 
 Rev, John A, Hurst and Peter M, Roland, were present as visiting brethren from the 
 C. M. Church in Alabama, 
 
 At tho time of -ftiis Conference I was a youth of seventeen, and a member of the 
 church where the Conference was held, and will here record scmo of my recollections 
 of the visiting and fraternal brethren. 
 
 My recollection of brother Leseur of the fraternal dclegatse M. P. Church is 
 limited, I renember but very little, indeed, so little, that I can only say I ' . 
 can only say I thought him a very proper person to be sent on such a mission. 
 Brother John Bass was a layman, grave and dignified in manner, and noble and ccanmand- 
 ing in appearance, ho was indeed a fine specimen of 1ho elegant, cultivated. Christian 
 
 Pago 15. 
 
gentleman, his ccnversational powers were very fine, anr* I then felt it would bo 
 a privilege hard to be valued, to associate v.lth him,. Brother McKondroc J'-ackcr 
 was a minister, then in the prime of life, and at the zenith of his uscrulnoss, 
 I remember to-day distinctly, how I sat with delight and listened to two sermons 
 from him during that meeting* In the beginning of his discourse those not ac- 
 customed to his preaching, would be impressed vA th the idea that his capacity was 
 quite limited. During the first ten minutes after announcing his text, he wculd 
 proceed as though his subject had not been digested, and it would seem that he 
 ■Was entering upon a rambling talk, rather than a v:ell arranged sermon, and even 
 his voice appeared to be not subject to control; but as he advanced ho seemed to 
 catch inspiration, and the longer he preached, thr* deeper ho plunged into his 
 subject, and the higher ho soared in his illustrations, clearer, louder and sweeter 
 his clarion voice would roach every corner, and impress every ear in the house; 
 you could but seldom sec anybody asleep while brother Tucker was preaching, nobody 
 oould afforft to sleep on such an occaaion. And when ha would take his seat, you 
 would rarely hear any objection urged to the sermon, except that it was too short. 
 I never saw brother Tucker until that meeting, but I learned to love him much 
 then, and I have been ever since learning to love him more, 
 
 BiDthor Hurst was an old man, v/hite haired and venerable, he appeared to 
 grace the sacred stand as much as any nan I ever saw. Ho delighted in his Master*s 
 work and loved nothing else so much as duly. His sermons v;ere plain and practical 
 and pointed. He never gathered flowers of fancy to weave into the web of his dis- 
 coursee, but ho could tell, with v/ondrous power, the old, old story of the Cross, 
 And somotimes v;hen he '.Tould come to speak of the Heavenly Canaan, he would impress 
 his hearers with the heavenly brightness which appeared that morning when Hoses 
 stood alone upon Pisgah's summit, and fteasted his eyes upon the earthly Canaan 
 until ho had been prepared to look upon the matchless beauty of the Heavenly Land, 
 He was indeed a grand old man, and a noble preacher. Brother Rov,land \/as than 
 quite a yoving man, and I believe had not been licensed to preach; ho '.;as in ap- 
 pearance tall and awtorard, and yet he seemed to have a kind of personal magnetism 
 about him, that made everybody xiio cane in contact v,ltfa him love him. Brother 
 Rowland is still living, and is one of the most useful ministers belonging to our 
 Church, I have not space to saj'' more of these brethren now, but I hope to be able 
 to write more a length aboit some, if not all of lhaa, before a great v:hile. 
 
 A resolution calling a Convention at Mount Zion in the spring of 1855, was 
 adopted by this Conference. The Church now having taken root in the three States 
 of Georgia, Alabama and Mssissippi, it was thought advisable to call a Convention 
 of all the chiirchcs to revise the Discipline, By another resolution the Llethodist 
 Protestant Church was invited to send delegates to that Convention, And Revs, 
 H, Phinazee, A, Ogletreo, J. F. N. Kuddlcston, and John P, Hunt, v;ith brothers 
 0. P. T7illis, ii, S&rritt, and V7. A, LlcCune, of the laity, were appointed fraternal 
 messengers to visit the next session of 1hc Georgia Annual Conference of the M, P, 
 Ohurdi, 
 
 And thus closed ttie last Conference for the third year of the existence of the 
 now Church, and the "little flock" "tlHriked God and took courgage," 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 From 1852 to 1872 no organization under the Congregational Ivbthodist Discipline 
 had even been effected in "the State of iviissouri; indeed prior to that time, the news 
 of the origin or existence of such a Church, even, does not appear to have reached 
 that State; so studiously had the publication of what had started in Georgia and 
 spread to Alabama, Iviississippi and oiiicr States been avoided, that ihe good people 
 of this growing young State had not so much as heard that such an organization 
 existed at all. 
 
 There lived in 1873, near Marquand, Missouri, a minister of the M, E. Chiordh, 
 South, ^o belonged to the local ranks, ani was a man of sane prominence in that 
 Church, by the name of Reuben TTatts, Brother Watts had long been dissatisfied with 
 the episcopacy and itineracy of his Church, but did not know of any organization 
 where he could be better suited, and therefore had made the best he could of his 
 unpleasant position as local preacher, and submitted to the snubbing and slights 
 which usually fall to -Qie lot of that class of good men in that Church, believing 
 that what could not bo cured must needs be endured. 
 
 At the time referred to brother Watts was a subscriber to the Christian Advocate 
 published in the city of St, Louis, and then edited by flr, McAnnally. In May, 
 1873, the editor of "the Advocate gave in the shape of an editorial, a brief outline 
 of "the fonn of government of the different branches of 1210 ilethodist Church, and 
 among the rest the form of government of Ihc C. Ivl« Church, As the eye of brothcer 
 Watts fell on this outline of the Congregational IJcthodist Church government, he 
 at oncG recognized the features of govcririent in a Methodist church which he had 
 long since ondcrsed, aaaS wfeicsh worn ir. fall aooord Tfl'^i his own views, 
 
 Prge 16 o 
 
There vTcro quito a number of ministers and members of the M. E, Church, South, 
 in the sane community, T;ho v;orc not satisfied wiih episcopal power and itinerant 
 rule, as indeed there are in every community (almost viicre they have an organization. 
 To some of these brother T^atts communicated the infoimation gathered, as before 
 stated, from 1he Christian Advocate. Among the latter may be mentioned Rev. Yfa» 
 Watts and Rev* L, P, Yount. By some means (I cannot exactly say how) brother Yount 
 ascertained that Rev. Eppes Tucker of ppelika, Ala., was then publishing the 
 CCNGHEGATICiKAL IvETHCDIST, the organ of the C. M. Church, axd wrote to him for some 
 copies of his papero These were forwarded, and a careful perusal of the same re- 
 sulted in a more earnest desire to know more of the Church; hence brother Yount 
 wrote to brother Tucker for three copies of the C. M. Church Siscipline. These 
 were promptly forwarded and duly received, Samestly searching for a Methodist 
 organization with whose government they would be satisfied, but unwilling to take 
 any hasty or unadvised step, these good men carefully studied and closely scanned 
 every feature of -Qie C. IvI. Church Biscipline, Finally, after long and patient study 
 and much earnest prayer to God for direction, they declared their convictions one to 
 the other, that the C. M. Church was the long looked-for thing — "a church with 
 Methodist doctrines and republican gavernment." 
 
 This feeling was not confined to one community, but the three little books 
 were passed from house to house, and from neighborhood to neighborhood, and large 
 numbers of MDthodists became enlisted in ihe moverment which was about to begin 
 in that State. Finally during the first month of Ihe year 1874, the Iviissouri 
 brethren resolved to tah3 action in the premises, and on the 31st day of January 
 of liiat year brother Reuben V/atts organized the first Congregational Methodist 
 Church in Missouri, at Fatten, Bellinger county, with eleven members. Four days 
 later ho organized a second church at Rock Point, with sixteen members, and the 
 following week he organized Ihc third one at Pleasant Valley, with a membership 
 of twenty-four. 
 
 On the 21st of July, 1979, brother H, Watts, then upon his bed and near the 
 shore of eternity, wrote mc in reference to the condition of the Church as follows; 
 referring to the first organization of the C. M. Church in Missouri, he said: 
 "Since which time wc have most gloriously prospered, amid all the hard sayings 
 and persecutions that a Christian people ever underwent." 
 
 Rev. Eppes Tucker visited IvJissouri not long after Ihe first start of Congre- 
 gational Methodism there, and did some effective work for the Church ttiere. 
 Prosperity has attended the labors of our ministry, ani they rejoice in the blessings 
 of "peace." 
 
 CHAPTER X7I. 
 
 The first District Conference for the year 1855 met with the church at 
 Providence, in Monroe county, Georgia. 
 
 The following were the delegates in attendance: 
 
 From Providence— John Ham, John E. Pettagrew, William Scarborou^, B. M. 
 Huddle ston and H. B. Fletcher. 
 
 From Jackson— R. F. Gilmorc. 
 
 Pleasant Grove—F. II* V/isc, Stephen Moore, D, P. Carson, T. B. McCune and 
 S. C. McDaniel. 
 
 Mt. Zion— Wm. L. Fambro, George Edwards and David Ogletree. 
 
 Fredonia — ^W» H. Bankston, Gary Cox and P. D, Prlngle. 
 
 Rock Spring— Absalom Ogletree, Theo. Williams, A. Hodge and C. G. Harper. 
 
 New Hope— Lewis Culpepper and Daniel Carroll. 
 
 Mt. Pleasant— Jesso Waddell and John Roper. 
 
 Union—William H. Graham. 
 
 Liberty Hill— Janes Potts. 
 
 Rev. Gary Cox was elected President, and David Ogletree, Secretary. 
 
 Mt. Carmcl C. M. church, located in Crawford county, made application for ad- 
 mission into the Conference. The church v/as duly admitted, and brother M. 
 Ogletroe, her delegate, seated. 
 
 Brother Jesso Waddcll having been properly recommended by his church (Mt, 
 Pleasant), was granted license to exhort. 
 
 The aggregate membership of the district now reached nearly six hundred. 
 
 This Conference met on the 23rd day of Ivlarch, 
 
 The next District Conference met rdth the church at Fredonia, J/fonroo county, 
 on the 7th of September, 1855. The following delegates attended: 
 
 From Fredonia— Carey Cox, Jackscn Bu^ and W. H. Bankston. 
 
 From Mt. Zion— H. Phinazce, W. L. Fambro and Mickolbeiry Morritt. 
 
 Fron Providence— Edward White and J. F. N. Huddleston, 
 
 Fran Rock Spring— Absalom Ogletree, 
 
 From Mt. Hope— W. Warren and W, Orear. 
 
 Pago 17. 
 
Jrom New Hope— Daniel CarrSll and Lewis Culpepper* 
 
 From Union— Uriah Finchor. 
 
 From Philadelphia (foimorly Liberty Hill)— J, E« Potts, 
 
 From Mt» Pleasant— Jesse V,'addcll» 
 
 Fran Ploasant Grove—John B, Thurman, John S, McDaniol and George ¥. Barber, 
 
 From Jackson— Lory Goddard* 
 
 From Mt» Oarmol— W. V. Gordon* 
 
 W, L» Fambro v/as cluctcd President and H, Phinazeo, Secretary. John S, MoDtmicl 
 of Pleasant Grove, and Uriah Finchor, of Union, having been rccommondod by their 
 respective churches for license to preach were duly examined by the Conference 
 and received license* 
 
 The license of Daniel Carrol and John P, Hunt were renewed* Pleasant Hill, 
 C* M. church, of Upaon county, made application and was admitted into the ConferGjic* 
 
 The next session of this body met at Nc; Hope church, in Pike county, Lkrch 
 7, 1856, and was composed of Uie follo^dng delegates: 
 
 Jackson Bush, W, H. Bankston, P. D. Pringle, T. W, Moye, Daniel Carroll, 
 L. P. Culpepper, Thoo, Williams, H, Byrd, Edv/ard l^Tiito, V-'m, P. Fambro, W. L, 
 Fambro, W, H. Graham, William Gregoiy, S. C. McDaniel and Bolden Brovm. 
 ■William L. Fambro was elected President and Thomas W. Moye, Secretary. 
 
 Among other regular business this Conference elected and ordained Daniel 
 Carroll an Elder, ho having been properly recommended by New Hope church of which 
 he was a member* And after going through with the regular order of business 
 the Conference resolved itself into a State Conference retaining the same officers 
 
 The President appointed a ccanmittce of seven viz; Carey Cox, V>'. H. Graham, 
 Thoo* Williams, W...T. Fambro, T, W, Ivioyc, L. P. Culpepper and B» Brown to divide 
 the churches into districts* 
 
 The Committee reported that they recommend that the churches be divided into 
 two districts to be called the Towaliga and Flint River Districts. That the 
 churches of New Market, Pleasant Grove, Now Providence, Bock Spring, Philadephia 
 and lit, Zion compose the Tovfaliga district, and the churches of Mt. Ploasant, 
 Ploasant Hill, New Hope, Mt* Hope and Mt* Caimcl, Fredonia and Union ccmpose 
 tho Flint River district. 
 
 The report of tlxi Conmittcc was adopted* 
 
 The Conference then elected the following delegates to tlie General Conference 
 to be held at Ht. Zion, Monroe county, Georgia, in Ivlay of that year, viz: 
 H, Phinazce, A* Oglctree, C* Cox W» A. IvIcCunc, W, I, Fambro, W. P, Fambro and 
 M, Mbrritt, 
 
 And now having traced liiis movement from its inception to this point, I 
 shall not follow it further* I shall take one step backwards to notice the 
 Convention of 1855 and thai leave tfcc matter to some able pen to v;rite the regular 
 history of the Congregational liethodist Church. 
 
 CHAPTER XVII > 
 
 I now come to write of one of 1h,c most important incidents in -the history 
 of our Church, to-v;it: the Convention of 1855* I however approach this part 
 of my duty more reluctantly than I havo any olfcor part of it in this inattcr, 
 for tte reason "that I do not possess sufficient infoimation about the composition 
 or the- action of that August and important assemblage, to write about it in a 
 manner at all creditable. Lforc than once I havo almost determined to say 
 nothing about that Convention, fearing that an effort to write about such a 
 Convention without more information than I have been able to gather, would 
 bo worse than no history at all. But having started, I feel now that it would bo 
 manifestly improper toclose my labors without referring to the Convention of 1855, 
 
 It will be rcmanbercd that the first district Conference over held, passed 
 a resolution stating in substance that from the hurried manner in rhich the first 
 book of Discipline was gotten up, a Convention of all the churches would bo 
 called as soon as circumstances authorized it to revise ihc Discipline fbr perma- 
 nent use. Accordingly in 1854 when tho Church had taken hold in different parts 
 of Georgia, Alabama, and LiLssissippi, the district Conference in Georgia passed 
 a resolution calling such a Convention to meet at Mt. Zion, in the spring of the 
 next year. And in obodiece to this call, the different churches throughout the 
 
 entire coxmcction elected delegates to- said Convention which met on the 
 
 day of 1855. William L, Fambro, who had been the President of first 
 
 district Conference and one of the "original" movers in liiis dii»ction, was 
 in every way an appropriate person fbr the Presidency of this important body 
 of Christians, to ;*ich he v;as unanimous 1;^' called by his brethren. 
 
 One of tho most important committees appointed by this body, was the Com- 
 mittee on Rcvisals* That Committee consisting of nine members, was filled with 
 three of the ablest delegates from each of the throe States of Georgia, Alabama 
 
 Rigc 18* 
 
and IJississippi, viz: J, F. N, Huddleston, Absalom Ogletree and William A, Mc- 
 Cune, of Georgia; John ^, Hurst, James IvI, Adams and Robert D, Kennedy, of Ala- 
 bama, and L, J, 'Jones, Henry T, Jones and ^/illis ""indham, of Mississippi. This 
 able Committee after patient, earnest, laborious effort as the result of their 
 labors, r^eported to the Conference the following seven paragraphs as embodying 
 the foundation principles of the C, M, Chxirch, as a distinctive denomination of 
 Christians. (These are found on pages 5 through 8 in the tenth edition of our 
 Discipline.) 
 
 This able report was v/ritten by a layman viz: L. J. Jones, of Mississippi, 
 now the editor of "The Congregational liethodist." The substance of the report 
 having been agreed on by the Committee, brotlier Jones, at their request, put it 
 in shape— and when he presented it to the Committee they were so well pleased 
 with it that they adopted it without a single change. 
 
 The report of this Committee was approved by the Convention, and with these 
 fundamental principles thus adopted and settled, as the basis of the distinctive 
 features by the representatives of the Congregational ^iethodist Church, that humble 
 Church, the child of so many prayers, of so many prayers and tears, of so many 
 good men, took its stand among the Christian denominations, to take part in the 
 great battle for religion and right. 
 
 And with these fundamental doctrines thus adopted, the C. M. Church has ever 
 since been satisfied. Seven out of nine of the good men who canposed that Com- 
 mittee, have ended their mortal strife, and now rest from their labors, two alone 
 remain. But their work still lives to-day, twenty thousand Congregational Meth- 
 odists delight in the record of that Comiaittee on ^^evisals, and many who do not 
 belong to the C, M, Church indorse every word of those seven paragraphs, Uethodism 
 has been planted where an Episcopal or a semi -Episcopal Methodist church could 
 not have lived, many useful ministers wJio would never have submitted to the 
 degrading distinctions in other branches of the Methodist Church, are doing valiant 
 service for God in the rf.nks of the C, M. Church, And still the good work goes 
 on. But my task is done, imperfectly done though it may bo. 
 
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