Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-02-12
OLDEST METHODIST PREACHER
On the Roll OF the Northern New York
conferences Ia the Rev. Byron
Alden. q ON CT Vermont.

The Rev Byron Alden. whose name
stands at the head of the chronological
roll of membership In the northern Ne"
York Methodist conference, is now in ms
96th year and united with the old Black
River conference in ls4l, says the oGdens-
burg Journal. He was born IA lfneshurgh.
VT, III 1896. His parents We're Rufus AL
don and sally White Alden. His father
died in his 10Th year. Byron embraced ro-
ligion at an early age and united with the
church. He was licensed to preach in lNi'
at Nicholvllle, y. Y. by the Rev. George
G. Woodruff; admitted on trial in 1880; into
full connection In ISL, and ordaiued 10y
Bishop Suule; elder, in 1913, and ordained
by BISHOP Waugh. In 1863 he asked for 4
-supcrdnnuated relation ana soon after ne
went West, and settled at Greenwood, Ill.
Here they soon found that he was a man
of moral worth and tine talents and IN the
vicinity for years he serve! destitute
charges and his labors Were greatly APP
prcclated. After about 10 years he removed
to Streater, H., where he has since re-
sided. Concerning his early experience m
the ministry in st. Lawrence county, tho
Rev. Mr.. Alden writes:
The first incident transpirc1 very soor
after | was licensed Ia preach, which was
on the Hopkenton charge. iSrothor Wood
ruff, wishing to go TO the Troy conference
requested M TO I'LL his appointment al
Parishvi!ie. He was quite u faVoritc there
ard hesitatcd but finally consented to go
l for some reason did not get there til
some 10 minutes past the time appointed,
when | got in sight Of the academy where
the meeting was to he he'd ! saw a maL
stludlng on Tho platform looking IN every
direction for Brother Woodruff. ! rod" Wy
and asked If he was = m'mhor o'-tfIat
church.
yes. ana a leader.
brother Woodruff has gone to F.'tts-
bureh 10 attend the Troy conference, and
sent me as Il supply for you TODAY.
Have YOU preached much' be- asked.
No. this is my second attempt
Well, l don't thank him for sculinG his
unIerstrappers to MI his place. ! replied
that Is \ kind Of "knock-dowu mSpira-
ton
Well. he said. we might as well dismiss
now as any time.
No. sir; / am going in and shall try tc
preach, He followed me in and sat I'm thj
first seat ny the door. | read my hymn
suns and prayed, and when | arose from
my knees | at once looked for my man
Loo lie had moved nearly half way MP the
church. | read the text, 1T IS time to
seek the Lord till He como and rain
Righteousness upon YOU had n Good
time and at the close Of the meeting he
came to thu stand, coufessiuG with SORROW
for the Il of treatment he had Givcr
me. and said, IF Brother Woodruff vii.
let YOU supply we shah ho satisfied
! preached three years without moving
from my home mt NicholVilir whore wa,
allowed to stay two years, and tho LORD
poured out his blessings In showers or
every charge. From here We made oul
first move to Dokalb. \ team was sent
from there to move MS. We We're unable
to go to the end of the journey that day
50 we stopped on the outskirts of the cir
cult. There were seven in all. We had M
dinner or supper, with no signs of finding
beds. our man finally asked where W,
should sleep. In the north chamber,
was the snaprish reply. We found ont
bet. All did the best thing possible under
the circumstances Children tired an,
hungry, no place but the floor to sleep! i
was not pleasant and my wife, quito un
used to such treatment, was getting home
sick, but made an effort to be bravo. WheI
morning came We were up and started foI
town with no breakfast. After stoppins
at the parsonage Il little We were taken I,
the first neighhors for our breakfast, hu
my wife was somewhat discouraged an,
said. I'VE can never live like this. goinl
from place to place, let us go back home.
But we soon got settled and We are think
ing back now with pleasure to so man
dear friends that bore patiently with. anC
gave encouragement to the boy preacher
cannot take time to call names, hu
they are with me.