The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-11-28
is ACTIVE AT 83.
Rev. j. NJ. Morgan Has Fought
for DOctrin of Immersion.
Aged Circuit Rider Opposes the
Custom of SprinkIing.
NATIVE OF MISSOURI
Began Preaching at Oak Mills
Kan, in Civil War.
Other Items of General Interest
to State Readers.

Atchison, Kan. Nov. 2S-The cir
cuit-riding preacher is passing in
Kansas. but there are a few left who
put in their Sundays going from place
to place preaching the gospel of Jesus
| Christ. Near Oak Mills, eight miles
south of Atchison. lives a man who
has spent much of his life in the
Lords vineyard. This man, now So
years old, is James Madison Morgan,
who received the inspiration to ego
preach the gospel to every creature"
many years ago in his boyhood home
in Charlton county Missouri
Mr.. Morgan is one of the old-time
Christian ministers of this region He
bachelor of g years, at Oak Hills
The Rev. Mr.. Morgan organized a con-
gregatiOn and began preaching at Oak
Mills during the war. He has convert
ed scores of people in that vicinity and
he has imm ersed them all in the
streams around about that little vii
1age. On one occasion the Rev. Mr..
Morgan had a debate on the subject of
baptism with the Rev. John Mitchell,
a Meth Odist preacher, at the pioneer
home of Jesse johnson, and it caused
quite furOre in religious circles.
People from Atchison, Wildwood and
other towns went to hear these divfnes
debate on what is meant by Philip
and the eunuchboth going down into
the water, and both coming up out of
L.
Morgan always has been that
"sprinkling" is not baptism; that to be
baptized one must "go into the water
and come out of the water and that
this does not mean sprinkling a few
drops on the head.
In 1861 the Rev. Mr.. Morgan broke
the first prairie on Joseph Potter's
farm, near the present site Of Potter,
using OK teams and following and hold
ing the blk pillow himself. Sometimes
the big oxen would become unruly and
sorely test the preachers piety, but he
always maintained an even composure
and never permitted such things to dis
turb his good temper. Anderson Nor
gan, the son with whom the old
preacher lives, helped in this work.
Mr.. Morgan broke a great deal of the
virgin soil IN that section, moving his
four and six oxen and great pillow from
place to place. turning over the sod
and underbrush by contract at so
much per acre.
In 1847 Morgan went to Oregon and
settled in what is known as the webb
Foot" country, where he lived and
preached the gospel for many years,
returning to Kansas about ten years
ago. He preached in many of the
counties in oregon, organizing little
bands of the followers of Alexander
Campbell in many of the counties of
that state.
He frequently delivered three dis
courses a day, travelling from place to
place on horseback and carrying his
tracts. hymn book and Bible in an old
fashioned pair Of saddle bags which he
inherited from his father in Charlton
county, Missouri He is the only mem
Der of his father family now living.
One of his brothers was also a
preacher.
Anderson Morgan, the old bachelor
son with whom this old-time minister
is now living devotes much of his time
to trapping for wild fur-bearing ami
mails along the Missouri bluffs He
owns several dozen steel traps, which
he sets each day, visiting them the
next for the catch of the preceding
night