Mountain advocate., 1908-10-02
SKETCH or KENTUCKY nETHODISn.

and succeeded organizing several societies among
the settlers.
At this time Kentucky only county of Virginia and
before she admitted statehood in 1892
The first official appointments for ministers Kentucky
made in 1856 when James Haw and BENJAMIN Ogden,
both young men, assnged to the two Kentucky CIR
cults, Lexington and Danville.
Methodism continued to grow with the advancement of
civilization and early 1SOS the Wes
Conference held Liberty Hill Tennessee and the
appointments made that conference covered Ohio Indiana,
Kentucky Tennessee and Mississippi
In 1916 the Western Conference divided into three
conference.-the Ohio include Ohio and Kentucky districts;
the Missouri, and the Tennessee conferences
In 1920 the Kentucky conference created include
the Kentucky, Salt River Green River and Cumberland Dis
tricts and that part Virginia included in Greenbrier and
Monroe Districts heretofore belonging the Baltimore Con-
ference.
In May 1914 the separation of the Church brought
about General Conference and the Kentucky Conference
held Bowling Green September of that year. the
last report regular order recorded in the General Minutes
of the Methodist Episcopal Church, until Kentucky
Conference organized.
In the Spring of 1865 the first Methodist class
eanized in Barbourvle and Rev. Wat Rdge the first
pastor During the following year frame church erect
ed the site occupied by the First Methodist Episcopal
Church, which stood until 1906 when it removed to
make Tor the brick church which adorns
We have been able ob list of the
pastors their order the church established here
but give the following list who have served the
Methodist Church here since first established in 1865
After Rev. Rdge Rev. John Godbey served pastor,
then Rev James Gagg, Rev. p Grinstead Rev. A. S Rog
Rev W. J. Brockway Rev. 5. F. Kelley Rev. B. F. White
Rev. J. A. Hepenny Rev. L. L. Hanks Kew y L. kel
ley second time Rev W. G. Bradford Rev. E. b. Hill, Rev.
G. Bradford again, Rev G n Jolly Rev. T. B. Straton
and Rev. J. D. Hitchcock, the present pastor
Ephriam Cole Presiding Elder when this
first known the Barbourve District The Elder
succeed Rev Cole Rev. J. 2. Grinstead, he
ceeded BY Rev E. l. Shepard and he by Rev. K Ramey,
he by Rev. w. H. Chiders and he by Rev. S F. Kelley.
The District changed the Lexington District,
and Rev. G. N Jolly, named the Presiding Elder. Two
years later changed the Mddesboro District and
Rev. S X Ramey, reappoined the Presiding Elder.
He succeeded bv Rev. Ioseph S Miller.
The District then changed back the Lexington
District and Rev. b. Hill appointed as the Presiding
Elder. He succeeded by Rev. X. Howes in 1905 who
holds the position.
The first Conference of the Methodist Church be held
with the church at Barbourve was in the 1888 before
the railroad was built through city and Bishop r. s.
Foster presided over the conference
In 1890 the session of the Kentucky Conference was
again held in Barbourvie conducted by Bishop W. F. Nal
lalieu.
Again in 1904 for the third time the held
Barbourvle with Bishop H. W. Warren as the presiding
Bishop.
The ministers nicely received and entertained that
fondness grew between themselves and the of
town who extended standing invitation TO come again.
Taking word they have decided again,
this good of 1908 again have the pleasure OF
ertanng the Kentucky Conference the of Barbour
vile for the fourth time in twenty-five years
The brick church which now affords the Barbour.
vile class such comfortable and conlmodous place for
ship erected in 1906 and $1,000 This building became
necessity as Methodism had with the until
the old church would longer accommodate the congega-
ton that assembled every Sunday for worship it will be
remembered by all who familiar with Barbourvile that
1904 the class here sufficiently strong be made
station and Rev T. b. Stratton the pastor and
charge preaching tw ice every Sunday His vigilance
and untiring energy largely responsible for the
Portable church that Methodsts of Barbouve enjoy
day.
The growth of Methodism in Barbourvie has been
markable The class organized 1865 struggled along
earnestly and prayerfuy although few in numbers Rev.
F. Kelley tells there only S in the class when he
first the circuit in 1880. but there approx
mate uD from he citi
zenship of our city and county.
Union College was established in Barbourvie through
the influence of Methodsm and while it has suffered heavy
loss by FIRE it is easily leading institution of learning
TODAY in Kentucky, and property in this
city worth at least 500 OOO and enjoying greater
cess now than at any period of its history 1t model
school for both Young ladies and young gent men and the
pride of evey citizen Of Babourve but which would
have existed had been for the seeds o Methodsm own
here in the early days of our little town
Methodsm is growing. only in Barbourylle and in
Kentucky but throughout land until today It leads all
other churches in numbers and has missionaries
i, II. nars of the earth sowing the good seeds which will