The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-11-21
A Practical church Worker.


The pastor of Hall-place NJ E. Church is ma
tive Hoosier. He first saw the light in Dear
born county, among the hills near Aurora, in
I849. His parents were both of Scotch-Irish
blood, and Methodists, his father being class
leader for twenty five years Little wonder,
with such parentage, born into Methodism, that
he should bear the name John Wesley Duncan.
After few terms in the country schools he
went to Moore's Hill College, AMI after gradual
ing there completed his education at Garrett
Biblical Institute, near Evanston in 1875 That
same fall he began preaching, his first charge be-
ing at Kilbourn City Wis. From there, after
one years service, he was transferred to the
Southeast Indiana Conference. and was sent to
Wilmington, a village within sight of his birth
place. From there he went to Flatrock where
he remained but a few months, and
married there. His next charge Grace NJ.
E. Church, of this city, whore he served three
years, and where the congregation hold him il
specially pleasant remembrance He found the
church greatly embarrassed by mortgage debt,
and about to be bargained away by the trustees
to the Albright Church membership. The bar
gain was all but contaminated, lakine only the
confirmation of the quarterly conference. Mr..
Duncan's pastorate began with other dismal sur
roundings He followed in the wake of politi-
cal preacher, DR.. De LaMatyr, and had been
placed in the Grace Church pastorate ex-
pertinent, to see if he could save the church
Mr.. Duncan has good, round, financial head,
and the confidence placed in him was
not ill-founded. The congregation thought
themselves unable to pay the interest on the
debt but it was shown that they not only could
pay the interest, but the principal as we'll. This
has been done. The debt of 900 has been
lifted, with the exception of seven or eight hun
dred dollars
From this city Mr. Duncan went to the church
at Franklin, where he remained three years.
The church there was torn with dissension, and
the new pastor was kept busy applying soothing
applications and sticking plaster. He left the
church in good condition, over one hundred
mem bers having been added during his pastor
ate.
From Franklin he returned to In
danapolis, where he was put in charge
of the Third-street NJ E. Church. He
saw at once that the church had an
unpromising location, and began to look about
TO see what could be done. A survey of the sit
uation brought about the purchase of the site on
which Hall-place Church stands and the erection
of that beautiful church, which is said to be by
far the handsomest brick church ever built in
Indiana for anything near a like amount of
money-seven thousand dollars. The church is
admirably located in the center of rapidly
growing part of the city, beautiful cottages hav-
ing sprung up in that part of the city with
magical suddenness. The church will seat 40
persons Mr.. Duncan is starting in with
large audiences, and the new church bids fair to
exert great influence for good Mr. Duncan
is quiet ard modest, but a man of force and
thoroughness, both in and out of the pulpit, and
greatly liked by the Hall Place churchers. He
is Methodist, but not hide bound, and is ready
to give God speed and the hand of fellowship to
any enterprise that has for its object the good of
mankind. whether the creed attached thereto
has exactly his kind Of brand on it or not