Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1872-10-10
Peter Cartwright.

oluef IMAM Ine photograph, the FRO
testant Episcopal Prayer Book, the
American Postofice, the Telegraph, our
oldest railway, ocean steamers, and the
Constitution of the United States.
He was contemporary to John Wes-
ley, George Washington, John Han
cock, Patrick Henry, Thomas jefferson,
Henry Clay, James Madison, John Ran
dolph, Roger Sherman, Richard Henry
Lee, and other shining names. He
came into the world before Abraham
Lincoln. Stephen A. Douglas, Theodore
Frelinghuysen, Thomas Ewing, Rufus
Choate, Edward Everett, and others
who made their records long ago.
When he was born the Union had but
thirteen States, it was still under the
Articles of Confederation, and the Con-
tinental Congress was in session in New
York city. When the first census was
taken, five years after his birth, the
country had population of less than
100000.
His long life of 81 years seems short
one, but the period is more golden than
the seventy-fve years that witnessed
the invention of printing, the mariner 5
compass, gunpowder, the Reformation,
and the first effectual blow against
Popery The period bounded by 1885
and 1872 has no rival in history, and
Peter Cartwright's lie spanned it ALL
lie died as old as the Republic, and all
his labor was given to Methodism, that
ministry of the Republic as sturdy and
vital as Puritanism.
At Cartwright's birth, John Wesley
was still living. When he was convert
ed, in 1901, the American Methodist
Church had less than $4,000 members,
and the whole world had less Metho-
dists than are now within the patroniz
ing territory of the Norttacestern. Long
before his decease, in 1872, the world
had 100000 Wesleyans and Metho.
dist constituency of over 100000.
His chronology alone will attract a
casual reader. He was born in Virginia
of a Revolutionary father and Metho-
uist mother, in 1888; came to Ken
lucky almost on the heels of Daniel
Boone was converted in 1901, at a
camp-meeting joined the Methodist
Church in the same year was licensed
to exhort by Jesse Walker in 1902; was
ordained deacon by Bishop Asbury in
1906; was ordained an elder by Bishop
McKendree in 1908; was married in
that same year; in 1868 completed his
fiftieth year as presiding elder; and at
Pleasant Plains, H., on Wednesday,
September %, he was promoted to a
land far better than the one in which
he had labored so long.
The wide swing of his life's pendulum
is illustrated by the facts that he was
member of all quadrennial general con-
ferences from 1916 to 1860, inclusive,
and, for the thirteenth time, sat in the
conference of 1868 at Chicago; that in
the year Of lis birth our church in this
country had but is, 900 members, while
now the branch of Methodism in which
he died member numbers one millien
and one half; and that he cast ballots
when George, Roberts, Soule, Hedding,
j. 0. Andrew, Emory, Waugh, Morris,
Fiske, Hamline, james, Scott, Simpson,
Baker and Ames were elected bishops
of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
What grasp to the experience that
grouped the manned heroes of the war,
which broke the power of kings, and
those of the one which swept slavery
away from among freemen
He was true gospel minister. Though
not by any means a Chrysostom, or a
Nelancthon. or even q gowned gosling
who so mumbles the invitation to sin
ners that it may be mistaken for the
table, he did work of
which the other Peter, his prototype in
all save denial of the Master, might not
have been ashamed. He began West
ern evangeGzation when forty dollars
per year was scarcely underpay, when
Gothic architecture had not yet crossed
the Atlantic, when a log, stump, or
kitchen-table was an eligible pulpit,
when circuit was as large as New En-
gland, and "a Methodist was here g
synonym for everything grotesque, hor-
rible, or prescribed. This Peter was SO
brave, odd, ready and irresistible, that
the Ranters, Shakers, proselyting Bap-
lists, Universalists, and unscrupulous
sinners of that date came eagerly, saw
him efectually, and were conquered to
their hearts content. The story of his
life is stirring, militant, industrious, de-
vout despite its brusaueness, often outre,
and always triumphant.
He was true apostle, and, though
also rough one, the Church in earlier
ages would have placed him in her cal
endar of crowned, if net charming,
saints. The record printed in 1856
reads like an apochrypha written by
some pretentious boaster. He SAYS
truly, that he had already travelled
eleven circuits and twelve districts had
received 10000 persons into the church;
had baptized $4,000; had preached 400
funeral sermons; had pronounced an
average of four discourses week for
thirty-three years; and had preached in
all near $4,000 sermons.
Two books yet in press give a good
idea OF the times, the work, and the
characteristic makeup of Peter Cart
wright. These are his autobiography.
and FIFTY Years a Presiding Elder
The latter has chapter relating to the
Cartwright Jubilee, a full report of
which appeared, the week after the
event, in the Northeastern. That
/" jubilee in 1868 was in honor of the
Presiding Eldership. On the occasion
the old Illinois Conference had cele-
bration. Several orators, including
Bishop Thompson, made addresses, let.
tiers were read from Bishops, Governors.
Congressman, and other dignitaries.
and presents were made to the old horo