Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1905-08-17
EARLY MEYHODISM IN
| AUDRAIN COUNTY.
HISTORICAL PRAYER MEETING
SERVICE AT PROMENADE
STREET CHURCH wEDNEs.
DAY EVENING TALKS
BY OLD MEMBERS.
K. 5. PEARSON'S RECOLLECYIONS.
Organized in 1889 in House of John
.. Martin by Robt. Younger
Mot a Church or
Schoolhouse in the
County at the
Time.
R. 5. PEARSOE'S RECOLLECYI0NS.

held a historical meeting, In connec
tlon with the regular prayer meeting,
al the Promenade street church, which
consisted Of interesting papers and
entertaining talks from the early
Methodists of the town and county
and anecdotes Of the various pastors
That were stationed here at different
times, one OF which being particularly
Interesting we will relate further on,
Papers and talks were heard from,
Rufus S. Pearson, one of the county's
Oldest settlers, Mrs Warner X. Potts,
the Oldest Methodist In the church, In
point of active church service, W. II.
tkern) White, whose father was one
OF the charter members OF the church,
Mrs. f. II. Cordner, whose grand.
father, John G. Martin, was also a
charter member, and at whose house
the church was organized in 1882, and
DR.. II. K. Hinde, who made a most
Interesting talk on early church recol.
lectlons, and stories of the different
pastors.
Rev. G. G. Selecman, the present
pastor, took bis scripture lesson for
the evenings service, from Exodus
80; II, the text used by Bishop
Mather Marvin when he dedicated the
first church building In this city.
EARLY METHoDIsM IN AuDRAIN BY
RUFUS s. PEARSON.
The Methodist Episcopal Church,
South, was obtained as near as | can
find out, in 1882 by Robert Younger
at the house OF John G. Martin II
miles northwest Of Mexico. Some OF
the charter members we're: John c.
Martin and wife, John Allen and wife,
Allen Martin, Nelson Martin, Henry
Keeton and wife, Thos. Keeton and
wife, Roland McIntire and wife, Gid
con Williams and wife, and perhaps
Others not now remembered; and our
first meeting plan was John G. Martins S
house.
At that time there was not church
or schoolhouse In the county, this
church belonging to the Paris circuit;
and as late as 1910 there was not a
Methodist living in Mexico. Alfred
Cauthorn, deceased, and his wife later
becoming the first members Of the
town.
Meetings were kept up at private
houses for several years until 1910,
when we had preaching In Mexico at
the house of Alfred Cauthorn; and
when the Court House was built, SER
vices were held there. The Methodist
next bought log house which stood
just west OF the present Court House.
Preaching, prayer meetings and class
meetings we're held there until about
1916, when the house was sold to o. II.
Ward for dwelling, then the Court
House was again used until late In
the fall OF 1851, when the first brick
church was finished, which stood on
the same site Of the present City Hall
+ This building was used until the
two story brick structure on Prone
made and Cole streets was erected Ia
1870 and dedicated in 1871 by Bishop
Mather Marvin.
Some of the early pastors were:
Robert Younger, from 1882 to 1888;
John Thatcher, 1910; James M. Green,
John Granville, Jesse Stritton, John
Young, John f. Gray, Danile Penny,
w, A. Mayhem, Robt. Hatton, Robt
Baldwin, VIM. Jordan, j. R. Taylor,
Horace Brown, NJ. McIlhenney, W. G.
Miller, John W. Cook, A. P. Lynn J.
+. Shores, S. f. Foresman, W. G. FL
linpton; II. A. Bourland, w. N. New
land, T. S. Gooch, S. B. Vincll, p. d.
vandeyenter, W. II. Lewis, ]. S.
Smith, T. G. Whitney, e. X, Miller
and ]. A. Mumpower.
The presiding elders we're: William
Patton, jesse Green, N. G. Bergman,
W. W. Redman, Andrew Monroe,
Tyson Dimes, B. Fl. Spencer, W, g.
Oopely, James Robinson, e. M. Mar
win, S. W. Cope.
This is a brief history of the church
I'D until 1870. Some names may have
been left out.
The Methodist church grew ana
prospersd. Camp meetings were held
from ls4s to 1868 nearly every fall the
first near the creek north of the b. Il
Cauthorn homestead, the Others
about one mile northeast of Mexico
on the ]. ]. West land; and during
these meetings the Lord was with HIS
people in a wonderful degree and
many souls we're made happy IN the
Savior's love.
REcoLLECrIoNs OF BoURLAND kENl-
VAL.
DR. II. X. Hinde made n most inter
esting talk on early recollectionS IN,