The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-04-21
THE FOLLOWERS OF WESLEY
Rapid Growth of Indianapolis Method
ism Since the Early TWenties.
1t Ranks First Among the Local Churches
The Wealth 1t Represents in Property
An Exhibit Of Interesting Statistics.

teEuay 1uo AbSt evening". Inc meeting was an
interesting one. both in the papers read and in
the discussions and facts which they brought
out The m crDing was devoted to the topic
THE Past OF Indianapolis Methodism,D the first
paper on the subject being read by DR.. T. A.
Goodwin. He said: ut had been customary in
the earlier churches in the State to organ
lie classes in the country near the town,
partly because there was no town to speak OF
and what there was was mostly under the in
thence of lawyers. doctors, merchants and tav-
ern keepers, and all tavern-keepers kept bars and
lawyers then practiced more at the bar of tn
tavern than at the bar of the court, and doctors
prescribed whisky in all manner of diseases, and
they were not backward in taking their
medicine Sixty and seventy years ago it was
fashionable to be infi6el The writings OF
Paine and the French infidels wsre fresh in the
minds of the psopls. The effect of these writings
on the young and on those who desired political
prefermsnt cannot now be realized. A religious
lawyer or doctor was hardly to be found. They
took pos session of the town. crowding religious
people out into the country. When the new
Territory OF Indiana was first opened. the relig-
ious people were first to enter, and before the
sale OF lots in Indianapolis there were praying
men in tho camps and cabins, in which all sorts
OF creeds were represented. Early in 1921
local preacher from Clark county came to enter
land, and he preached on Sunday TO the miscel-
laneous crowd of adventurous the first sermon
ever preached in Indianapolis Soon afterward
he returned home and told the circuit riders on
the Charlestown circuit, Calvin Ruter and Will
lam Cravenss that there was a little settle
ment on the White river, called Indi-
annapolis, and they had no preacher
whs,i!eupon Mr. Cravens soon after took Indian
apolia into the Charlestown circuit. At the
missouri Conference held that year. Indians polis
became the head of q circuit and VIM. Cravens
was the preacher, in district extending from
country was wholly 81 private cabins, except in
indianapolis where there was . school-house-
log structure on Maryland street. between
Meridian and Illnois-wnich the place of
worship. Two of the fashionable ladies of the
town. Miss Salle Nolan, Afterward the wife of
Edw1a Ray and mother of Col John W. Ray,
and Mrs Paxon. would set the house in order
every Saturday by driving out the sheep and
sweeping it for Sunday"
DIR. Goodwin then spoke of the difficulties
to Methodism on account of the peculiarites Ia
their church economy, the large districts as
signed TO each pastor. the hardships encountered
by them, and the advantages possessed by other
preachers in being constantly Ia the town. ssIn
1924 the Indianapolis circuit" he continued,
twas divided, and Nashville circuit was formed.
but 1t gave no additional preaching to Indian
apolis Things were no better in 1925 when there
was still but preacher en- the circuit the aver
age diameter of which WAS about seventy miles.
Years passed on, and the church grew. Il more
than kept pace with the growth of the town,
until to-day there mere Methodists in the
city IN proportion to the population than there
were sixty years ago, Notwithstanding there
go many more religious denomin atoms to divide
christians" He then traced the history of the
church under the various psstorates noting the
principal characteristics IF the ministers and
the points OF interest in their times The paper
was one of unusual interest
Col. John w. Ray followed with a paper on
the history of the church from 1912 to 1872. He
began with the single church in 1912, giving its
numerical strength and some of the names of
those members who still survive, tracing the
division of the church, describing the church
property at the Time and some of the eminent
ministers who had served in the city He
traced the history of the early churches, Merid-
ian and Roberts Park, describing the oreaniza-
ton of branch churches and the difficulties en-
countered in their growth. He devoted special
attention to giving the history of Roberts Park
church. as he had been more intimately asso-
ciated with that organization. He gave. far
as the data conld be secured, the circums tances
under which all the different churches of the
city were organized, and their progress down to
the present time closing with . eulocy of some
OF the distinguished clergy well the laity in
Indianapolis Methodism.
The first paper in the afternoon was one by
Rev. w. r. Jordan, upon "The Present OF Indi
annapolis Methodism.' He presented statistics
Ia REGARD TO the strength of the different
ship TO be 5,873; probationers, 865; Sunday
school scholars. $3.50. Roberts Park has q
membership Of GAO, Sunday-school Of GIL: Me-
ridian-street Church o membership OF 573 and
Sunday-school of 400; Central-avenue a member
ship of 400 and Sunday OF 1926; Blackford.
street membership OF BIS and a Sunday
OF 400 acd Sunday school of 400;
Edwin Ray Church membership of
SaO and Sunday-school Of Az. Simpson
Chapel membershiplof 40O and aSundsy-school
OF 300. He said that Indianapolis produced
more Methodists to the square inch than any
city IN. IN the country he had . Examined the
Columbus and others-but found no such show
ing as in this city. The Prssby iarians have
3.049 members. the nearest in strength to
Msthodists He thought the church was never
in 50 good condition in Indianapolis to-day
He spoke Of the work of pioneers, of
their pOint: Of superiority. and Of the
the attendance upon the social means or grace,
he said 81 doubt whether any city in the coun-
try can give bstter showing in this respect
than ours Take, for example, the five churches
having the largest membership: Roberts Park
stands first. and has 300 members who attend
class and $50 who 60 70 prayer-meeting. Merid-
ian-street has so who attend class and 200 who
go TO prayer-meeting. Edwin Ray stands third
in membership, with 200 in class and $50 in
in the list. and 2s0 who go to class
and 300 to prayer-raeeting Fletcher
Place, 200 who go to class and the same
number who attend praysr-meetine, showing
stance threefourths. of al membership attend
this social OF grace" Mr.. Jordan
churches in the city was organized effort. sym
pAthy and brothsrly leve, and he looked 30 the
Alliance to furnish great deal of that.
Rev. c. w. Lee came next with the subject.
"Church Property in Indianapolis" He gave q
great deal of statistical information regarding
the value of church property and Indebtedness.
The condition of che property of the church in
the city is good. Its total value is $40 000
while the indebtedness is but 500
23o. There has bsen steady. decrease
in the church Indebtedness and an increase in
pastors salaries for some time. The following
is the value of some Of the church's property
aud the salary of the minister as given by Mr..
Lee: Ames Church, property 1880, salary
$1,000 Biackford-street, property sc. 600. salary
81. 000 Californiastreet. property s. 900, salary
$1,000; Central-avenus. property SO, 900, salary
s., $780, Edwin Ray property IS, 900, salary 81 300
Fletcher place, property s25 000 salary 81, 400;
Grace Church. property $50. 900, salary 500;
HAll-place, property $40 600. salary 81, 000
Meridian-ssrset property sos, 900. salary So 3O0