The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1880-12-29
Rev. DR.. HO0Der Crews.

hcN' Ut. llOOptf IftWS'
Dr.Crews wasone Of the oldest Methodists
in the country and had for nearly fifty
years devoted his time and energies to
work in the Rock River conference, and in
the vicinity Of Chicago. He was born
April II, 1907, in Barren county, Kentucky,
near the town Of Glasgow, and consequently
at the time Of his decease was more than 70
years old. His father died when he was
quite young and he was surrounded by all
those elements that led to corruption and
pcrdtion. His mother was pious, and be-
ieved IN he'll, and determined that her boy
should not 90 there He, however, was in
iluenccd by his surroundings, and was
growing up in worldncss, when in his 18th
year he attended a camp-meeting, held at
Level Woods, Haidn county, IN his native
state, by the famous Lindsey, and was there
con 5crted.
THE IDEA CT PREACHING
then entered his mind, but it seemed
absurd. Two years afterward he heard
Presiding Elder George Taylor preach
from the text, go work to-day in my
vineyard" The sermon seemed aimed at
him, and after it the elder said to him
Every young friend, | dedicate that sermon
to you" He was surprised and distressed,
but shortly afterward he spoke to his
mother about the matter, and found, to his
surprise, that she had been thinking of the
same thing, and she told him to go and
preach. A license TO exhort was given him
without his application, and one day an
elder called upon him to supply vacancy
in the Bowling Green circuit. lie was 81
years old when he accepted the position
In 1929 he joined
THE KENTUCKY CONFERENCE,
and was appointed to the Salt River cir
cult, where he remained for two years. In
1881 he was sent to the Greensbury circuit,
and preached in that circuit for two years
In 1888 he was stationed at Russclville, and
in 1884, after having been appointed by
Bishop Soulc to Cythiann, Ky, Bishop
Roberts transferred him TO the Illinois con-
ference, in order to send him to Galena
The Illinois conference then included Hi
nos, Wisconsin, Iowa and Minnesota. II
had at that time forty six preachers. The
districts and circuits were then very large.
The appointments Of Geena embraced the
mining districts as far north as Pla,teville,
Iowa. The transfer was made on the con-
diton that Mr.. Crews should
90 BACK TO KENTUCKY
after n year. But IN 1885 Bishop Roberts
urgency overcamc his decision to return to
his native state, and lac staid in Illinois,
and was sent to Springfield, and during the
same year was married to Miss Mary +,
Smith, of Russeville, Ky. The people
were at that time wild with speculation,
and in May, 1897, he found that the full
membership of his church had diminished
by forty during his pastorate, lie was
quite overcome by this discovery, and after
much silent prayer he preached
ArOwERFun SERMON
on "What shall itprotit man If he gain
the whole world and dose bis own soul
Ills sermon produced such nm impression
TINT an altar service lasting until midnight
was held and forty persons, all men, were
converted at that meeting. In 1887 he was
appointed presiding elder of the Danyilo
district, and served the churches in that
relation for three years. In ls4O he was