The Idaho scimitar. [volume] (Boise, Idaho) 1907-1908, 1908-09-05
Historical Notes
n Quarter Century of Methodism.

great representative of the Methodist Episcopal
church in the northwest:
September II, 1884, was the date of the first
session of the Idaho Annual Conference which was
presided over by Bishop c. H. Fowler in Boise,
Idaho This body is offshoot of the Columbia
river conference, which dates back to 1874.
At its beginning the Idaho conference included
about the same territory that it now does. Its
boundaries have been changed from time to time,
but four years ago they were again placed much
as they were at first.
1t will be of interest to mention the of the
charter members of this body, of them are
still we'll known toiers in the northwest They
were the following: L. N. B. Anderson, S. E.
Grove Hugh Duncan, Abraham Eads, G. w. Gran
son, G. W. Kennedy J. w. Maxwell, James Nixon,
F A. Riggin, E. Smith, J. H. Wood At the close
of the session there were three probationers on
the list viz E. J. Beckett N G. Su11ens and
Alfred Thompson These eighteen men were as
signed to fields scattered over a territory of more
than 100000 square miles They very nearly at
the beginning of things spiritual in this new country
which largely desert wilderness. Boise, then
now, the most important town in the con-
ference though Canyon City, Oregon, had larger
membership, with 124 members and practitioners,
while Boise had only 90.
At the first, and indeed the same true for
nearly fifteen years, the important fields
the mining towns and camps. This fact will largely
account for the slow development of the work during
that trying period. While it is true that mining
towns often provide fair support for the workers
the field it is equally true that they contribute
but little toward permanent development. Substan-
tial and enduring work always be better accom-
plShed in agricultural sections, and since Idaho and
Oregon have turned to the tilling of the soil, the
work of the kingdom has assumed permanent
form.
For many years Idaho conference was of very
slow growth In 1900, the record shows but twenty
full members in the effective list of ministers,
and five probationers. A year later one of gen
eral superintendent who was familiar with the sit
uation heard to say "The Idaho conference is
problem" The manner of his saying it indicated that
he thought it difficult problem to solve. 1t IS
we'll known that he voiced the sentiment of all Our
bishops who had been on the field for some years.
Indeed there were not a few others who freely
pressed the opinion that the conference should be
changed into a MISSION while others thought 1T
should be parceled out to other conferences IN this
region.
Those early toers worked hard and faithfully,
but the conditions were very hard, and the Difficult
ties to be overcome were most discouraging. The
distances between charges great, the circuits
large and in barren regions difficult to travel;
the expense was great and the enemies OF Christ
were many and outspoken, and the faith OF many
grew weak.
Nearly half the places named in the early minutes
appointments have gone out of existence SO far
work is concerned, and some of them have
actually ceased to be save as memory of record
For the first six years of the life of the confer
ence there two districts, the Boise City Dis
trict" and the LA Grande District" Abraham Eads
was presiding elder of the Boise City District for
four years, and was followed by II. K Hines for the
next two years. G. M. Irwin was presiding elder
of the. La Grande District for three years, and
was succeeded by Ira Wakefield for the next three
In 1890 the entire conference placed under the
care of S. NJ Driver the sole presiding elder for
the next two years In 1892 two districts again
formed, with J. H. Skidmore presiding elder of the
Idaho District, and ]. S. Anderson of the Oregon
District This twodstrict plan continued until 1896,
when owing to the loss of territory to the Columbia
river conference, the entire remaining body was
again placed in charge of one man, and this plan
continued for eight years, until 1904, when the
territory lost to Columbia river again acquired
school study in statistics will be of interest
a ShOun0