North-west, T. J. Fee.
Gove, to be supplied.
HUTCHINSON
The following report of the beginning of the work in Hutchin-
son, Kansas, is given by Rev. J. H. Keeler, the first pastor sent to
the charge in the spring of 1$90 :
1 I
On Tuesday evening, Feb. 18th, 1890, the first Evangelical
prayer-meeting was held in Hutchinson in the old -"Baptist church
on Sherman and East Streets. Seven persons were present, in-
cluding myself and wife. On Feb. 19, I purchased the church
building from G. W. Carpenter for $300.00, expecting that Con-
ference would ratify the purchase. On the evening of the 19th,
I preached for the first time in the building to twelve persons
from 2 Cor. 4:5. I then held a meeting for ten days when I had
208
1891
EXTENDING THE BORDERS
to close and go to Conference, which was held at Holton, Kansas,
On the 21st of March, Hutchinson was taken up as a mission in con-
nection with Thanksgiving class, nine miles north of Hutchinson,
which I had taken up last year while serving Rice Mission.
"On March 24th, when the Bishop read the appointments 1
was assigned to Hutchinson, and on April the 1st, I moved to 216
9th Ave., West Hutchinson. I preached three Sunday mornings
and evenings in the church which I bought and which purchase
Conference had ratified, but soon thought it advisable to purchase
a permanent location in another part of the city and move the
building there. This location was found at the corner of Jefferson
and 10th Streets, where I bought two lots from Mr. 0. 0. Woodard
for $500.00. The church was then moved and remodeled and made
almost new at a cost of $1,221.40. On June 15th we held our first
session of Sunday-school in it with 50 persons present, after which
I preached from Hab. 2 : 20.
"On Sunday, July 27th, 1890, we dedicated the church to the
service of God. During the month of June I held a revival meet-
ing, and on August 3rd I received 10 members into the church. In
February and March following I held another meeting, in which
many were converted and 31 persons united with the church. The
first official board was composed of the brethren D. M. Frey, class-
leader, G. Zent, exhorter, L. S. Welsh, Sunday-school superintend-
ent, and A. West, steward, and 'Rev. C. C. Bruner, local preacher.
"The following year, 1891, a Young People's Alliance was or-
ganized with Rev. J. H. Keeler, president, Adelia Gillett, secretary,
John Hopper, treasurer, and Sadie Keeler, organist. There were
16 active and 6 honorary members."
1891
TWENTY-SEVENTH SESSION
March 19th, 1891, Conference met at Canada, Marion County,
Kansas, to hold her twenty-seventh session with Bishop J. J.
Esher in the chair. P. Schumann was appointed secretary.
Rev. Murakami died during the year, and I. C. Patton, a
local preacher, withdrew from the church.
A. Yockel received credentials, and C. Linge, G. Sorg, A. Mat-
till and H. Toedman were retained in the itinerancy without ap-
pointment.
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1891
FIFTY YEARS IN THE KANSAS CONFERENCE
P. Fricker was placed on the superannuated list.
A. Solt, A. J. Spencer and Leo Schmidt received license to
preach.
In view of the action taken by the seditious element in the
church who instigated a pseudo-examination of Bishops Esher and
Bowman, declaring- them deposed from office, thus attempting to
deprive them of legal authority and place the church in a position
without Bishops, and since this movement had found some sym-
pathizers in the Conference, the Chairman declared that he could
not give an appointment to any minister who questioned his legal
standing in the episcopacy. In order to ascertain where each mem-
ber of the Conference stood on the above question each minster
had to express his opinion regarding the legality of the trial and
suspension of the Chairman, Bishop J. J. Esher. Each brother of
the Conference present expressed his conviction that the so-called
trial was illegal, except S. H. Dunkelberger, who, in consequence
of his position, was placed on the list of local elders. Several mem-
bers of Conference who were in sympathy with the disturbers in
the church were absent from the session, and later withdrew.
Credentials were voted to A. J. Voegelein, F. J. Shafer, A. J.
Engler, G. A. Manshardt, J. K. Elmer, S. J. Luehring, H. L. Holz-
grafe, E. J. Troyer, D. F. Honstedt and A. W. Piatt. The three
latter being absent their credentials were granted on condition
that they answer the foregoing questions satisfactorily. None of
the three brethren would admit the authority of the Chairman,
hence their credentials were withheld.
C. C. Bruner, an elder from the Free Methodist Church, and
F. W. Voegelein, missionary in Japan, were received. The latter
submitting his credentials from the California Conference, was
welcomed back to his home Conference after an absence of fifteen
years.
The following brethren received deacons' orders : J. M. Fricker,
B. H. Hobbs, J. S. Miller, C. S. Steinmetz and Omer Butler. They
were also received into the itinerancy. The brethren B. J. Fehnel
and E. A. Bruner received elders' orders.
J. J. Kliphardt was elected presiding elder and stationed on
Newton District.
The following brethren were chosen delegates to General Con-
ference, to be held at Indianapolis, Ind., in the month of October:
J. J. Kliphardt, J. F. Schreiber, A. Brunner, J. H. Tobias, J.
Wuerth, F. W. Voegelein and H. J. Bowman.
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1891
EXTENDING THE BORDERS
J. F. Schreiber was elected Conference trustee for five years,
and C. F. Erffmeyer to fill the unexpired term of E. J. Troyer.
M. C. Platz was elected statistical secretary.
The following plan was adopted whereby to increase the mis-
sionary contributions during the coming year: The presiding el-
ders were instructed to apportion the amount to be raised to the
various districts, and each presiding elder with one or two minis-
ters on his district appointed by him to distribute the apportion-
ment to the respective fields of labor ; in addition to this a commit-
tee was appointed consisting of J. Schmidli, J. H. Keeler and L.
Wenger to prepare a plan whereby to liquidate the deficit in the
missionary treasury. No record is left to indicate that anything
material was done in the matter. This was probably due to the
death of Brother Wenger early in the following Conference year.
Again the usual large number of requests for aid was brought
to Conference through the "Ways and Means" committee which,
as on former occasions, was unable to recommend in all cases the
help desired, much as it was inclined to do so. A heavy burden
of mission church debt was already pressing Conference.
The building of a church in Topeka, Kansas, was authorized
and a committee appointed to superintend the project, with the
instruction that the enterprise should be carried out if it could be
done without creating too heavy a debt.
The Church Extension Society reported that $156.90 had been
raised, and two churches had received help to the extent of $25.00
each.
The members of the Zion Church of Clay Circuit sent a peti-
tion to Conference, and the trustees of the society a telegram, to
the effect that they would not accept a minister sent them by the
Kansas Conference. For this conduct Conference declared that:
"We regard this action an offence against this Conference and re-
bellious in its character. The presiding elder and preacher in
charge are instructed to deal with this petition according to direc-
tion of our church Discipline."
YOUNG PEOPLE'S ALLIANCE
The following action was taken relative to the Young Peo-
ple's Alliance, which was in its infancy in the church:
"We look upon the Young People's Alliance as bringing within
the reach of our young people a means of attaining to better quali-
fications and a greater efficiency in the work of the Lord. Re-
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1891
FIFTY YEARS IN THE KANSAS CONFERENCE
solved, that wherever possible on our various fields of labor we
will endeavor to interest our young people therein and form such
Alliances to further the spiritual and intellectual interests of the
young people in our Zion, to bring them under the influence of the
church. Further, that we recommend the organization of a Con-
ference Branch of the Young People's Alliance as soon as a suffi-
cient number of local Alliances shall have been organized, and the
presiding elders shall be a committee to call a convention for the
purpose of organizing such a Branch Alliance at the time and place
they may deem best."
A few Alliances were organized in the Conference at this
time, however, only a very few, but the work received an impetus
and other local organizations were soon effected preparatory to a
Conference Branch.
BOUNDARIES
Emporia District shall be called Newton District.
Kansas City District
a. Warrensburg and Windsor shall be served together.
b. The Conference trustees shall be authorized to act in the
matter of the Kansas City, Kansas, church property as they deem
best.
Newton District
a. Golden Valley Mission shall be served with Humboldt
Circuit.
b. Parsons Mission shall be called Dennis Mission.
c. The appointments Pawnee Rock and Cottonwood shall be
taken from Ellinwood and added to Offerle.
d. LaPorte Mission shall be discontinued.
e. The presiding elder shall be authorized to sell the church
at LaPorte Mission.
Abilene District
a. Luecks appointment shall be added to Hiawatha Circuit.
b. All the appointments south of the Saline River on Wilson
Mission shall be added to Ellinwood Mission.
c. Long Grove shall be taken from Wilson and be added to
Lincoln.
d. Wilson Mission shall be called Rosette Mission.
e. Pleasant Valley shall be taken from Jewell Mission and
added to Jewell Station.
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1891
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f. The appointments near Concordia on Washington Mission
shall be added to Jewell Mission and called Concordia Mission.
g. Northwest Mission shall be served with Osborne Circuit,
h. Gove Mission shall be discontinued.
MISSIONS
The missionary contributions for the past year amounted to
$5,769.01, and the appropriations for the coming year $7,660.00.
A deficit of $1,149.33 was reported for the missionary treas-
ury. J. Wuerth was elected delegate to the Board of Missions, and
the society was renewed by electing J. H. Tobias president, P. Schu-
mann secretary, and J. Schmidli treasurer.
STATISTICS
Conversions, 889 ; accessions, 1,073 ; membership, 5,923 ; itine-
rant preachers, 66 ; local preachers, 33 ; catechetical classes, 27 ;
catechumens, 433; churches, 73; parsonages, 37; Sunday-schools,
101; officers and teachers, 1,137; scholars, 6,383; Botschafters,
915; Messengers, 708; Magazins, 575; Epistles, 69; total for mis-
sions, $7,333.27.
APPOINTMENTS
Holton District — J. F. Schreiber,
P. E.
Holton, F. Harder.
Leavenworth, D. R. Zellner.
Atchison, C. F. Erffmeyer.
Atchison Circuit, D. Swart.
Falls City, A. Rodewald.
Preston, S. Mueller.
Bern, I. Hauptfuehrer.
Westmoreland, J. M. Fricker.
Leonardville, J. Schmidli.
Swede Creek, M. Manshardt.
Eudora, T. R. Nanninga.
Osage, C. Meeder.
Topeka, J. Wuerth.
Kansas City District — A. Brunner,
P. E.
Kansas City, Oak St., H. J. Bowman.
Kansas City, Highland Ave., C. W.
Stauffer.
Oregon Circuit and Mission, J. W.
Keiser and supply.
Platte River, J. Neuffer.
Kansas City, Kans., to be supplied.
Shelby, J. Beck.
St. Joseph, W. F. Wolthausen.
Glasgow, C. E. Platz.
Warrensburg and Windsor, H. W.
Hartman.
East Lynn, C. S. Steinmetz.
Winston, H. E. Meyer.
Carthage Circuit, H. S. Bower.
Carthage Mission, D. E. Hoover.
Denver, to be supplied.
Newton District — J. J. Kliphardt,
P. E.
Emporia, P. Schumann.
Peabody, E. A. Bruner.
Newton, B. H. Hobbs.
Yates Center, C. Brandt.
Humboldt and Golden Valley, B. J.
Fehnel.
Dennis, M. J. Steinmetz.
Cambridge, S. A. Burgert.
Derby, L. E. Becher.
Halstead, M. Walter.
Hutchinson, J. H. Keeler.
Alden, J. S. Miller.
Ellinwood, E. Brown.
Offerle, J. Paulin.
Oklahoma, J. R. Nanninga.
Kingman, to be supplied.
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1891
FIFTY YEARS IN THE KANSAS CONFERENCE
Abilene District — J. H. Tobias, P. E. Lincoln Center, C. H. Hartman.
Osborne and North-west, Wm.
Abilene, G. J. Schumacher. Daeschner.
Alida, A. Solt. Jewell, M. C. Platz.
Marion, F. M. Peek and D. Jones. Concordia, L. Wenger.
Canada, J. Kurtz. Washington, R. R. Brand.
McPherson, Omer Butler. Hiawatha Station, J. K. Young.
Rosette, W. F. Schuerman. Hiawatha Circuit, A. E. Flickinger.
OKLAHOMA
At the former session of Conference the need for mission
work in Oklahoma received recognition by locating a mission in
the territory.
When in the summer of 1889 the Government signal was given
declaring a large tract of land in the heart of Oklahoma open for
settlement large numbers of men and even women engaged in the
"run" for a homestead. Dangerous as this undertaking was, yet
thousands participated in the venture. Some were successful, oth-
ers were not. Some lost their lives in the mad rush for a claim.
No sooner had the successful one obtained his claim when he began
to make the necessary improvements.
Towns sprang up as by magic. Where only a few days be-
fore the jack rabbit and coj^ote held forth, there were now stores
of merchandise. Men came to do business and make money. Sod
houses soon dotted the prairie where the homesteader had driven
his stake to indicate his claim.
Almost invariably the people were very poor, with nothing
of this world's goods except perchance an emigrant wagon, a team
of horses, a few crude farm implements, and their families. That
there were no luxuries goes without saying, and when the virigin
soil refused to yield her returns for the labor performed because
of the scarcity of moisture, the poverty of the people became in-
tense indeed. Yet those early settlers, like the pioneers of Kan-
sas, were undaunted in their purpose, and many of them holding
on to their homesteads through adversity and privations were re-
warded in seeing the desert blossom and yield fruit.
Among the early settlers before and after the opening of the
"Cherokee Strip," which was a section of country extending across
the northern part of the territory, 62 miles in width, between the
original settlement in Oklahoma and the southern line of the State
of Kansas, were also members of the Evangelical Association from
Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, and other states. In view of this fact,
and because others were moving into the territory, the Conference
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1891
EXTENDING THE BORDERS
located a mission there and appointed S. A. Burgert the first mis-
sionary to the new field. Brother Burgert was just licensed to
preach, and hence this was his first appointment, which was pio-
neer work in the full sense of the word. The new mission was at-
tached to Emporia District, with J. Wuerth as presiding elder.
Brother Burgert describes his interesting journey to Okla-
homa in the following words: "As soon as possible after Confer-
ence I left for Oklahoma Mission. Starting from McPherson, Kan-
sas, with horse and buggy, on Friday, April 11, 1890, I drove as far
as Moundridge, and on Saturday to Newton, where I spent Sun-
day with my presiding elder, Brother J. Wuerth. On Tuesday fol-
lowing I left Newton and on Thursday evening I arrived at Ar-
kansas City, my last stopping place in the State of Kansas.
"On Friday at 6:30 A. M. I left Arkansas City and at 9:30
P. M. reached Stillwater after driving a distance of 75 miles.
"I cannot describe my feelings when I left the state and drove
into the territory where there was no settlement. I drove for
miles and miles without seeing a human being. About 9:30 A. M.
I saw something red in the distance, but could not discern what it
was until I came nearer, when I discovered that it was beef hides
hung up on the stock yard fence, the flesh side out, to dry in the
sun. The Indians had received their rations from the Government
the day before and were now enjoying a feast.
"Here I saw my first Indians. I can't describe my feelings. I
was alone with the Indians, perhaps 20 miles from any white set-
tlement, for I was crossing the Cherokee Strip, which was re-
served by the Government for the Indians. As I drove on I saw
some Indian women sitting on the ground in front of their houses,
while the pigs and chickens were in the house."
Near Stillwater Brother Burgert found a family which had
formerly belonged to the Evangelical Association in Kansas, but
would now have nothing to do with the church. Hearing of some
Evangelical people 25 miles farther west, near Orlando, he started
to that place where he found the families H. Dierolf, Sr., and
August Meyer, both formerly from Leonardville, Kan., who re-
ceived him gladly and rejoiced to have an Evangelical preacher
with them.
Brother Burgert says further: "I will assure you I was glad
to find Evangelical people. It was now Saturday evening, about
4:00 o'clock, April 19th. The following day was my first Sunday
in Oklahoma. We held the first service of the Evangelical Asso-
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1891
FIFTY YEARS IN THE KANSAS CONFERENCE
ciation in Oklahoma in Brother Meyer's house. I took for my
text Matt. 14 : 22-32. There were 18 persons present in the sod
house, and we had a blessed meeting. God was in Oklahoma the
same as in Kansas."
On Tuesday, April 29th, 1890, the presiding elder, J. Wuerth,
arrived to visit the work and organize a class and Sunday-school.
Brother Wuerth preached on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
On Thursday, May 1st, the first class was organized, consisting
of H, Dierolf, Sr., class leader; Mrs. H. Dierolf, Henry Dierolf,
Jr., Catharine Dierolf, Elisa Dierolf, Maggie Kissinger, August
Meyer, Mrs. Lena Meyer, Rev. S. A. Burgert and Mrs. Mary Bur-
gert.
The presiding elder returned to Kansas after arranging the
work and giving them the encouraging promise that he would
make an appeal to the church through the "Botschafter" and
"Messenger" for aid in builiding a church, which was later done.
On Sunday, May 4th, Brother Burgert preached in the house of
H. Dierolf, where also the Sunday-school was held for a season,
when later it was held under the trees in the back yard of Brother
Dierolf's home.
Brother Burgert further writes: "On May 14, Mrs. Burgert
and the children arrived. I rented a small board house for them
which was 12x14 feet in dimensions. Here we lived until fall.
We moved three times this year, for houses, such as they were,
were hard to get."
During the summer the young missionary was engaged in
hunting up Evangelical people, and preaching wherever oppor-
tunity presented itself; in dugouts, log cabins, sod houses, stone
houses, and under the trees, to appreciative audiences. Some of
the people stated that they had not attended a religious service
for more than 20 years.
The following nine appointments were served regularly dur-
ing the year: Beaver Creek, two and one-half miles west of Or-
lando; Lyon Valley, eight miles east of Hennessey; Union school
house, nine miles south of Lyon Valley ; Cimarron, six miles east of
Dover; Dover (in the Rock Island depot) ; Cottonwood, south of
Downs; Clear Creek, ten miles southeast of Orlando; Stillwater,
and Orlando. There were Evangelical members at all of these
places.
Rev. C. F. Harder, a local preacher from Yates Center, Kan.,
made frequent trips to Orlando during the year and preached in
' 216
1891
EXTENDING THE BORDERS
German to the people, which was greatly appreciated by the Ger-
man people of the community.
The following incident is an example of pioneer experience in
Oklahoma as related by Brother Burgert: "One night my family
and I stayed at the home of one of our members who lived in a
sod house with a dirt roof. The roof was made by placing poles on
the walls of sod, reaching from one wall to the center ridge beam,
brush being thrown on these poles and then earth on the brush. We
retired after coming from church, weary, and were soon soundly
asleep. About midnight it began to rain, or rather to pour, and
kept it up until daylight. Soon the water began to come through
the roof of brush and earth. No more sleep. We arose, dressed
and sat on the bed with a quilt over our heads to keep the dirt off
our clothes, waiting for morning to come. The mother and two
daughters stood and held an umbrella over the lamp to keep it dry
lest it should be extinguished and we be left in darkness. There
was not a dry thing left in the house when daylight finally came,
but mud, and water, quite deep because the floor was a dirt floor.
They gave us the best they had." Many experiences of a similar
character could be related.
In September the presiding elder again visited the work and
on the 12th day of the month dispensed the Lord's Supper to a
band of devout worshipers. This was the first communion serv-
ice of the Evangelical Association in Oklahoma, and was held at
the Clear Creek appointment. At this time steps were taken to
build a church in Oklahoma. Work on a church building at Beaver
Creek, two and a half miles west of Orlando, was begun in October
of this year. The building was 16x24 feet in dimensions, and cost
$237.98. The furniture was all home made and much labor was
donated. Of this amount $206.53 was received in response to an
appeal made through the church papers by Brother Wuerth.
This church building was dedicated by Rev. S. Heininger, Cor-
responding Secretary of the Missionary Society, of Cleveland, Ohio,
Feb. 12, 1891.
At the time this building was being erected another one was
under construction at the Lyon Valley appointment, which was
dedicated only a few days later by Brother Heininger. The cost
of the Lyon Valley church was $273.25, exclusive of donated labor.
Of this amount $117.76 was contributed from outside sources
through an appeal in the church papers. The dimensions of this
building were 24x34 feet.
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1891
FIFTY YEARS IN THE KANSAS CONFERENCE
The Lyon Valley class was organized a little later than the one
at Orlando.
The following report was given by the pastor at the close of
his first year of service on Oklahoma Mission : "Nine regular ap-
pointments were served, two classes organized, two Sunday-schools
started with 20 officers and teachers, and 130 scholars. Two
churches were built free of debt. Three conversions are reported
and a total membership of 47. Seven dollars was raised for preach-
er's salary and $6.50 presiding elder's collections. The amount of
$5.00 was reported for missions.
"This was a year of hard work and many privations on the
part of the missionary and the people. The work has assumed a
promising aspect for the future."
ORLANDO, OKLAHOMA
Orlando formed the base of operations for mission work in the
territory of Oklahoma, being the first place visited by the first
missionary, S. A. Burgert, in the spring of 1890. The first service
was held at the home of Henry Dierolf, three miles west of town,
where also the first class was organized. During the summer
months the meetings were held in the yard of Brother Dierolf,
under the Black Jack trees, where also the Sunday-school was
held.
The first members were H. Dierolf, Sr., and wife, August
Meyer and wife, Carl Bolay and wife, F. Proehlocks and wife, and
Fred Mugler. H. Dierolf was elected class-leader of this little
band of Evangelicals in Oklahoma.
A little church was built in 1890 in the community west of
Orlando, which was dedicated by Rev. S. Heininger, Corresponding
Secretary of the Missionary Society, from Cleveland, Ohio. Great
was the joy of the pioneers when they owned their little church
in which they could meet for worship.
The little cemetery across the road was also theirs. Here lay
their dead, whose last resting places were often visited that the
memory of loved ones who had accompanied them to the new coun-
try might be retained. Alas ! that so soon some of them were taken
away, leaving the others to carry the burdens and sorrows alone.
But the grace of God is sufficient to comfort in sorrow's lone hour.
CUSTER, OKLAHOMA
Custer Mission was originally a part of Southwest Mission
and was begun in 1891, when J. R. Nanninga, pastor at Dover,
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1891
EXTENDING THE BORDERS
visited the Hamburger families south of Weatherford, Custer Co.,
and preached for them. He also organized a class with the fami-
lies indicated, namely Henry Hamburger, John Hamburger, and
Conrad Adler and wife. H. Hamburger was chosen class-leader,
and Conrad Adler exhorter. A Sunday-school was organized one
year later during the pastorate of H. W. Hartman.
OSCEOLA, OKLAHOMA
In 1892 a class was organized 40 miles north of Weather-