Minutes from Record Book Methodist Episcopal
1833
Transcribed by : Tina Easley
From : St. Louis Christian Advocate - Feb. 5 , 1879
05/31/2005
CHAPTERS FROM AN OLD JOURNAL - I
MR. EDITOR - THE FOLLOWING IS THE TILET PAGE OF THE " OLD JOURNAL " : " RECORDING BOOK FOR THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH FOR CRAWFORD MISSION . 1833 ." THE FIRST PAGE CONTAINS THE FOLLOWING :
" MINUTES OF THE SECOND QUARTERLY MEETING CONFERENCE HELD FOR CRAWFORD MISSION AT KICKAPOO MEETING HOUSE , APR. 27 , 1833 .
" MEMBERS PRESENT : JESSE GREEN , P. E. : JAMES MCMAHON ,P.C.; JOHN ROPER , ISAAC WOODS AND WILLIAM ROSS, EXTS.
" WILLIAM ROBINSON AND JOEL JENKINS , C.S.'S . WILLIAM ROSS WAS NOMINATED AND APPOINTED SECRETARY .
QUES. ARE THERE ANY COMPLAINTS OR APPEALS ? ANS. NONE.
WILLIAM ROSS RESIGNED THE OFFICE OF RECORDING STEWARD AND BENNETT ROBBERSON WAS NOMINATED AND APPOINTED IN HIS PLACE .
THERE BEING NO MORE BUSINESS , CONFERENCE ADJOURNED . J. GREENE , P.E. , WM. ROSS , SEC. B. ROBBERSON , REC. ST'D. THAT IS ALL.
THE NEXT ENTRY IS :
MINUTES OF THE FOURTH QUARTERLY MEETING CONFERENCE FOR CRAWFORD MISSION , HELD AT CAVE SPRING CAMP GROUND , AUG. 26 , 1833 . ALL THOSE PRESENT AT THE PREVIOUS CONFERENCE , AND WM. FRIEND , ROBERT LAWTHER , SAMUEL MACKEY , AARON RUYLE AND BENNETT ROBBERSON WERE PRESENT.
THE CONFERENCE WAS OPENED WITH SINGING AND PRAYER . THE SAME QUESTION ANSWERED . THEN CONFERENCE PROCEEDED TO THE EXAMINATION OF ITS MEMBERS.
JAMES MCMAHON EXAMINED AND PASSED AND RECOMMENDED TO ANNUAL CONFERENCE TO BE RECEIVED ON TRIAL IN THE TRAVELING CONNECTION.
THE CHARACTER OF ALL MEMBERS OF THE CONFERENCE WAS EXAMINED AND PASSED .
THE MINUTES SIGNED AND THEN THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT IS MADE:
AMOUNT OF QUATERAGE AND PUBLIC COLLECTION ON CRAWFORD MISSION IN 1833 WAS $ 39.86 . HIS EXPENSE PAID OUT THE SAME.
NO ACCOUNT OF WHERE THE MONEY WAS COLLECTED , NOR TO WHOM PAID .
THEN THE FOLLOWS THE NAMES AND DATES OF BAPTISM OF ELEVEN CHILDREN AND THREE ADULTS BY JESSE GREEN.
THE ABOVE IS WRITTEN HISTORY OF CRAWFORD MISSION FOR 1833 , THE MINUTES OF THE FIRST AND THIRD QUARTERS NOT HAVING BEEN RECORDED .
THE GENERAL MINUTES FOR 1830 SHOW IN THE ARKANSAS DISTRICT, J. GREEN ,P.E.: JAMES FORK , OF WHITE RIVER MISSION , TO BE SUPPLIED.
IN 1831 WE HAVE IN THE MISSOURI DISTRICT J. EDMONSON , P.E.: JAMES ' FORK , OF WHITE RIVER MISSION , J.H. SLAVENS . IN 1832 , JAMES FORK IS CHANGED TO CRAWFORD MISSION , TO BE SUPPLIED.
JESSE GREEN WAS PRESIDING ELDER (MISSION DISTRICT) AND SUPPLIED THE MISSION WITH JAMES MCMAHON .
JAMES FORK RISES IN WHAT IS NOW WEBSTER COUNTY , RUNS THROUGH CHRISTIAN AND EMPTIES INTO WHITE RIVER IN TANEY COUNTY. IT DRAINS SOUTHERN PART OF GREEN COUNTY.
THE PROBABILITIES ARE THAT JESSE GREEN PREACHED THE FIRST SERMON AND ORGANIZED THE FIRST CLASS IN SOUTHWEST MISSOURI ; AND THAT THOSE THINGS WERE DONE NEARLY FIFTY YEARS AGO . IT WOULD BE PLEASANT TO KNOW WHERE , WHEN AND BY WHOM THE FIRST SERMON WAS PREACHED AND THE FIRST CLASS ORGANIZED AND WHO THE MEMBERS WERE. I SUGGEST THAT THE PRESIDING ELDER OF THE SPRINGFIELD DISTRICT ASCERTAIN THESE FACTS AND ARRANGE FOR THE CELEBRATION OF THE SEMI CENTENNIAL OF METHODISM IN THE SOUTHWEST MISSOURI. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT URIAL HAW , WHO WAS APPOINTED TO ARKANSAS DISTRICT IN 1829 OR J. KELLY , WHO WAS THAT YEAR ON WHITE RIVER CIRCUIT , MAY HAVE VISITED THE JAMES FORK COUNTRY PREACHED AND ORGANIZED A CLASS WHICH WAS THE NUCLEUS OF THE MISSION FORMED IN 1830.
THERE WAS A FORT ON JAMES NEAR THE MOUTH OF WILSON'S CREEK AROUND WHICH A SETTLEMENT HAD BEEN MADE AND THE PROBABILITIES ARE THAT A CLASS WAS ORGANIZED THERE IN 1829.
THIS MUCH WE KNOW ; THERE WAS PASTORAL CHARGE IN THIS COUNTRY BEFORE 1833. EVIDENCE ; WILLIAM ROSS RESIGNED THE OFFICE OF RECORDING STEWARD . THERE WAS ALSO A MEETING HOUSE.
IT WOULD BE PLEASANT TO LOOK OVER THE PLAN OF JAMES FORK MISSION AND REPORT THE BOUNDS THEREOF AS TRAVELED BY BRO. SLAVEN.
IT WAS THE ONLY CHARGE IN THE STATE WEST OF THE GASONADE RIVER AND SOUTH OF THE OSAGE.
CRAWFORD COUNTY THEN EMBRACED ALL OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI WEST OF WASHINGTON COUNTY.
THE COUNTY SEAT WAS AT THE MOUTH OF LITTLE PINEY , WHICH WAS ALSO THE NEAREST POST-OFFICE , AND THAT WAS MORE THAN ONE HUNDRED MILES TOWARD THE SUNRISE. METHODISM , IN ITS WESTWARD , MARCH , OUTRAN THE U.S. MAIL.
NOW THERE ARE TWENTY THREE COUNTIES THREE DISTRICTS AND THIRTY TWO PASTORAL CHARGES IN THE SOUTHERN CHURCH AND ONE DISTRICT OF THE CHURCH NORTH.
OF THE MEN WHO WROUGHT HERE IN 1833 AND PREVIOUSLY AND THE PLACS THEY CULTIVATED , I WILL GIVE SOME ACCOUNT IN THE NEXT CHAPTER.