The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-03-16
ONE PRESIDING ELDER'S REPORT
Rev Martindale's Heroic Work in the
Short Grass Country.

| The Rev. Martindale, presiding elder of
| the Dodge City district, made his report
to the conference Wednesday. The report
! is a revelation to those who think the
short grass country is good for nothing
but cattle. The Rev Martindale has made
a good record and his preachers have
| sent in good accounts OF their work The
! Dodge City district is probably the larg-
est one in the state comprising twenty
! counties IN the southwest corner of the
state, besides all of Beaver county, o. T.,
which is equal to six counties in Kansas.
A large part of the territory is sparsely
settled and devoted to stock raising. The
people according to the report of the
presiding elder. are energetic and intelH-
gent, and are prospecting. A much better
condition of things exist financially than
was the case few years ago. Rev. Mar
| tindale says in his report: "I do not be-
ieve you can find anywhere a large popu-
| lation with fewer destitute and dependent
poor"
The rest Of the report says: I'VE have
twenty-three charges. and our circuits
are large, some twelve of them contain
ing what is equal TO an entire county
each. One circuit contains two counties
and another over four There are in all
100 societies organized, and nine preach
ing places where societies are not yet
organized. There are forty-six Methodist
Sunday schools. twenty-five Epworth
Leagues and nine Junior Leagues
7 read an article some time ago in one
Of our church papers which stated that
the pioneer work in the church was
thing Of the past. but I think a visit by
the author of the article to some parts
Of my district would convince him that
we still have the pioneer preacher and
the pioneer circuit. There are preachers
in this district who preach on an aver
age OF three days out Of the week They
preach in private houses and sod school
houses and their congregations gather
from a distance Of FIVE miles 70 twenty
five miles At a quarterly meeting on one
OF these charges the people came twenty
five and thirty miles in covered wagons
with preparations for sleeping in their
wagons.
THE preachers on these charges are not
getting large salaries. and I sometimes
wonder how they get along. but not one
word Of murmuring have I heard on the
part Of any Of them"
IN Beaver county, Q. T. there are some
peculiar conditions The report says:
AT point in this territory where had
arranged for a preacher and a meeting
place q woman s. years IF age had come
many miles in a covered wagon 10 attend
the services She came late. as the ser
vices were closing. She expressed her re-
grets and disappointment and said. You
are the first preacher il has been M
privilege 10 see FOR twelve years. and this
IS the first religious service have at
tended fer fourteen years left Broth
er Paramo7e there in charge Of the cir
cult and We have now a n erube~Shi9 Up
wards &C sixty
Several q the churches Of the district
have been demolished or damaged by
STORMS. ard . great deal Of money has
been spent in repairs and Improvements +
q church p1r0erty. There have bae1 -
received on probation during The year
There has been received from probation
into Fun membership. =: b. certificate.
IS The beHevolenoes have been kept ID
admirably"
Here IS the splendid record % ths pre- /