The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1880-12-29
THE CIRCUIT RIDER.
Methodist Ministry in Northern Indiana
Thirty-seven Years Ago.

With Elder Reuben ID. Robinson time has in
deed been generous for while something like the
Gose Of youth yet fingers upon his cheek, he may
Justly be considered one of the fathers of the
Methodist Church in Indiana. After graduating
from the University OF Greencastle, he chose the
profession of medicine, but early became more
concerned with the spiritual than physical ills Of
man; applied for and obtained a license, entering
in 1875 upon the duties Of Methodist minister, a
calling he has ever since, with the exception Of
few years of college prOfessorsnp, zealously fol
lowed.
4 The first circuit to which he was assigned CON-
prised the County of Upton. part of Howard u
. part Of Carroll, part of Clinton, and part of
Boone. There lacked great deal of being an in
habtant to every square mile of territory, and tho
settlements were only connected by blazed trails.
In a brief interview with Sentinel representa-
tive yesterday-brief because Elder Robinson is
now doing all the work that devolyes upon the
Aead Of the Kokomo Conference. and because he
was busy shaping sermon to be delivered In
Peru on Friday eyening-he talked of the olden
time, and read entries in his journal. made I'm
1876 This conversation was in the library OF his
residence in this city at the corner of New Jersey
The salary of n Methodist minister in those DAYS
was 500 year. That was the amount he eX-
pected TO receive, and he was fortunate enough to
collect $50. His expense, he says, was scarcely
nothing. ne was q mere DOE ana al nome every
where in the neighborhood. The people had an
abundance Of everything but money, and that Is
article for which they had but very little use;
The streams yelled fish, the forests game, wild
fruit, and even an abundance OF honey. Until
the railroads came the Popular wants were de
store clothes. In the use OF the spinning wheel.
every wife was proficient, and the hand looms
had place in every thrifty household.
There were no church buildings in that section
of country at that day. Service was held in the
various houses of the neighborhood, and when
the weather was at ali favorable the congrega,
tons were immense, the people coming, old and
young, distance of ten miles in every direction.
walk of four miles to Hoosier of that day was
nothing.
Net long ago, the Elder says, venerable wo-
arose in class meeting and said that the first
time she ever saw the Presiding Elder, he was
then quite young man, preaching in a house in
(Which there was neither door nor window. He
ktoOd in the chimney corner. and the only
4 light by which to read came through the roof.
Elder Robinson remembered the place, and at
once recognized the good old sister.
Indoor service was only known during the
" winter. In summer the woods offered better
place for such speaking. Groves have been the
scene of the strongest religious meetings ever
conducted. Much Of Wesley's and Whiteheld S
success may properly be attributed to the fact
that they spoke in the open air.
There was not power nress in the world at that
-<sGay The newspaper was not q daily or weekly
Visitor then as now the preacher and the school
teacher were the only popular instructors.
The Elder read minute from his journal OF a
journey performed on horseback from Frankfort,
Clinton County, in 70 to witness session of the
Legislature. He noted the meeting OF DR.. Evans,
who has since served as Governor of Colombo,
the representative of Tippecanoe, with whom he
was AGO uained. having been born and reared near
Lafayette and GOvernOrelect Albert G. Porter,
with whom he a schoOl-mate. The Elder
devoted six days to the study OF this deliberative
body, and then started for home. Upon the way
he fell in with New Yorker, who seems 10 have
been gentleman of only tOlerable intelligence,
but cOpiOus flow OF profanity. He was Disguised
with the people OF indiana; their ignorance ne
thought intOlerable, and the corn-bread upon
which they fattened he abominated. The stranger
believed the Elder QuakeT-a belief that was not
4 opposed But for his vulgar oaths he might have
proven a more acceptable travelling companion.
At last the Elder, annoyed beyond endurance,
demanded that he define and analyze the word
damn. Soon after this they parted.
The Elder also read an account OF a visit to an
Indian town from the city of KokomO That was
also in the winter of 1916. Snow covered the
ground. but he rightly judged the quality of land
from the timber. He remarks the stately walnut.
OAK. poplar and sugar tree. After wandering for
some time he struck bazed trail. and made the
Indian town without much difficulty. II was a
remnant of the Miami tribe and the Chief, once
fully persuaded that he had not come for the pur-
pose Of buying or selling but purely out of curl
-OSity, received him with great hospitality, and
fery courtesy that the camp afforded was at his
ervice. He describes the dress of the Indian wo-
hen, which must have been rather elegant as
compared with the costumes of the squaws OF Vie
tOria band The name of the Chief Sharp
andOrsh. The abOrigine had just returned from
Ia visit 10 the far West He did not like the cOun-
try He had visited the Usage tribe. When asked
what he thought of them, he answered.: Him
heapugly."
When asked ii the people of those days were
happy and contented, the Elder answered.: Il
zu~aever have seen happier people. They were
erfectly cOntented."
ibid they talk in those days much about the
progress the country was likely TO maker
Not much. have no reason to believe they
ever contemplated the great change that has taken
place / often wonder now. in passing through
that country and looking upon those large, mag
niicent farms, why 1t never occurred to me to
purchase some of the land. / could have pos
Sessed myself of a nice tract but the idea never
entered my head
The Elder having for some years officiated in
the University At Fort Wayne, his library is
largely of textbooks. He has. however, with a
vast amount of Methodist literature much of the
exclusively polite and what is known as liberal
Sandwiched between Dr. Clarks Commentaries
and a classical dictionary Andrew Jackson
Davis HarmOnial Philosophy" When ques
toned about the work, he replied, with merry
laugh, that 1t was a harmless delusiOn.