The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-06-05
a RELIC OF METHoDISM
The FIRST PROTESTANT CHURCH
EDIFICE ERECTED IN INDIANA.
Venerable Structure of Hewed Logs
which Is Still Standing and Now
~ Put to Unworthy Uses.
enecIal % the IndIanapolI. journal.

Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
CHARLESTOWN. Ind, June 4.--The old
est Methodist Episcopal congregation in In
diana has it's home in this historic town, and
the first Methodist Episcopal Church, as
well as the first Protestant Church built
in Indiana, was erected on the farm of Ma
thaniel Robertson. three and half miles
north of Charlestcwn, during the winter of
1862 This venerable structure of hewed
logs still stands near the original site. hay
ing been removed a short distance some
years age and converted into stable Many
souvenirs have been made from chips and
splinters 4aken from the old logs that form
this historic structure, and the great wonder
IS that the Methodists of Indiana have not
taken steps to preserve the building and res
cue it from its present lowly use. 1t is prob
able, however, that outside of Clark county
very few members of that church know the
birthplace of Indiana Methodism
In the spring Of 1902 Rev. Benjamin Lakin.
OF the Salt River Methodist Episcopal cir
cult Of Kentucky, came to Indiana Territory
and preached among the scattered settlers of
this region. He continued his visits from
time to time, and was Joined in his work
by the Rev. Adjet Mcclure and the famous
Peter Cartwright, the most renowned of the
earnest pioneer Methodist preachers. Peter
Cartwright preached here in 1S04-5, and was
assisted in his work of ENGRAVING Protest
antism upon the new Territory by the Revs.
Asa Shinn, David Young and Frederic Hood.
1t was not however until 1907 that the
first church organization was perfected, and
the Silver Creek circuit of the Methodist
Episcopal Church formed. AS the Journal
correspondent writes this story he has be-
Ii of
Bethel Church. The penmanship is perfect
in fact, elegant, and the ink used was so
good that it stands out boldly and legibly
On the pages yellow and discolored by nearly
a century of time.
The first quarterly conference was held
at the home of Nathaniel Robertson, Aug
5, s, and 8, 1905 William Burke was the
presiding elder, and Jesse Rowland the sec
rotary, and twenty-one members were in
attendance Thereafter, for long time,
the quarterly conferences were held in the
only Protestant Church in Indiana Terri
tory, the old log church near Charlestown.
CHARLESTOWN'S BRICK CHURCH.
The Robertson Church. then known as the
Bethel meeting house. continued to be the
center of Indiana Methodism until 1920, when
the church records were removed to the
little brick church, then recently built at
Charlestown and Bethel became only a
memory. Those hardy religionists whip
hewed the great trees into building timber
and constructed this rude but substantial
house of worship have long since passed to
their reward, and it has remained for the
Journal, after the lapse of century, to
rescue this old church from oblivion and
present it's history to the Methodists of In
diane, that they may take steps toward
preserving the venerable struetures 81
Some time after the Bethel meeting house
was built churches were established afSa-
lem, Jacobs, Chitwoods, Ebenezer, New
Chapel and Mount Pisgah,9 and, in March,
1916, the first Methodist Church of Jeffer-
sonville was completed. The Christianity Of
the early days of the nineteenth century
was of an heroic kind, and as one turns the
pages of these time-worn records his eyes
behold Methodism as exaceing as the Ptri-
tanism of early New England. The Silver
Greek conference tried one spf its members
for promising to sell potatoes at 3f19 cents
.per bushel and, failing to keep his promise
because of an upward tendency in the mar
kets, he was found guilty and expelled from
the church.
On Sept. r. 1895, a resolution was adopted
by the quarterly conference held at Charles
town, as follows: And on motion, that
Brother Thomas Ryan be appointed COM
mittee to encourage Brother E. Huckle-
berry to preach more, and not to disappoint
his congregation as much as he has done
heretofore The modern conference would
hardly indulge in such specific language
without raising a great storm.
FIRST CAMP MEETING.
The first camp meeting held in Indiana by
the Methodists was near the old Bethel
meeting. house in August. 1896. The first
temperance resolution ever adopted by re-
ligious body in this State was unanimously
carried by the quarterly conference which
convened in Charlestown, April Ia, 1885, and
from that date the church records show
that there were numerous expulsions of
members for tarrying too long at the flow
ing bowl. On the 9th day of March, 1850,
these sturdy Christians at their quarterly
conference expelled a prominent member
for "falsehood and evading the payment of
a just debt ..e
Father Parker. superannuate preacher,
was supported by the conference which
usually met at Charlestown, and on Jan.
2s 1876, the officers of the conference en-
tered into an agreement with John Carr to
board and care for Father Parker for 500
per year
The ministers of the early Methodist
churches of the Charestown circuit had to
content themselves with very meager pay
for their services In fact, there was no
stated salary attached to the profession,
and the minister was fortunate if he re-
ceived sufficient to buy food and clothing
for himself and family. On Jan. 5, 1888. the
conference held in Charlestown appointed
committee to estimate the table expenses
of Revs Miller and James. the circuit
preachers. The committee reported in favor
of allowing Rev. Miller $50 and Rev.
James $50 annually. 1t is probable that Rev
Miller was married, which accounts for the
larger amount voted him for table expenses.
Several Methodist Episcopal churches have
been built at Charlestown, and one by one
have given place to larger and more SUBJ
stantial buildings while the old Bethel
Meeting House, standing alone in its soil
tude, has witnessed this birth and decay,
mute evidence of the skill of the master
hands that formed it from the everlasting
giant trees of Indiana.
Among the eminent ministers of the Meth
odist Episcopal Church who have preached
to devoted congregations either in the old
Bethel Church or it's successor. the Charles
town Church, are Rev. Moses Ashworth, the
first minister of the Slver-creek Circuit;
Josiah Crawford the first pastor of the