EDWARD PAYSON HART

DANIEL WEBSTER'S TRIBUTE TO THE CHRISTIAN MINISTRY "The ministers of Christianity, departing from Asia Minor, traversing Asia, Africa, and Europe, to Iceland, Greenland and the poles of the earth, suffering all things, enduring all things, raising men everywhere from the ignorance of idol worship to the knowledge of the true God, and everywhere bringing life and immortality to light through the gospel, have only teen acting in obedience to the divine instruction; they were commanded to go forth, and they have gone forth, and they still go forth. They have sought and they still seek, to be able to preach the gospel to every creature under the whole heaven. And where was Christianity ever received, where were its truths ever poured into the human heart, where did its waters, springing up into everlasting life, ever burst forth, except in the track of a Christian ministry? Did we ever hear of an instance, does history record an instance, of any part of the globe Christianized by lay preachers, or 'lay teachers' And ascending from kingdoms and empires to cities and countries, to parishes and villages, do we not all know, that wherever Christianity has been carried, and wherever it has been taught, by human agency, that agency was the agency of ministers of the gospel."

The scene is laid in the Methodist Episcopal Church at Marengo, Illinois, in the year 1858. A far-famed evangelist, original both in his preaching and in his method of conducting his meetings, is beginning his first service. The church is packed to the doors. A young man who could find no place in the pews makes his way through the congregation and takes his seat on the steps of the pulpit. The strange preacher arises and announces his opening hymn beginning with the words,

          "Am I a soldier of the cross,
          A follower of the Lamb
          And shall I fear to own His cause
          Or blush to speak His name?"

At the end of each line with rising inflection he repeats the words, "Am I?" Silently it seems as though each individual in the audience is putting the question to his own conscience -"Am I?" A feeling of God-presence makes his utterance in prayer almost oppressive with divine awe. When his steady voice utters the text, "And holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord," to the young man on the pulpit steps it seems like the voice of eternity. Beginning in quiet, serious tone, he develops this tremendous statement of divine truth by laying as a foundation of his discourse the nature and necessity of scriptural holiness. Then rising in the scale of earnestness he lays down with incisive clearness the price that must be paid and the conditions which must be met in order to obtain this experience. Rising higher and higher, he reaches his climax by giving outstanding examples of the mighty power of this baptism upon the lives of men in his own ministry. For almost an hour this "son of thunder" holds his audience spellbound under the outpouring of divine truth. As the young man sitting on the steps of the pulpit gazes in amazement at the speaker propounding the conditions which must be met in the attainment of this state of grace, he continually says within himself, "That has never entered into my estimate of religion."

The evangelist was Dr. Redfield; the young man on the steps of the pulpit was Edward Payson Hart. Doctor Redfield, a physician and licensed local preacher in the Methodist Episcopal Church, was one of the leading characters in promoting the great revival of holiness in western New York which culminated in the birth of Free Methodism. In Hart's "Reminiscences of Early Free Methodism" we find this description of him: "He was a man of a very sensitive, retiring nature, but in his pulpit ministrations, under the baptism of the Spirit, his appeals and flights of eloquence at times were almost unearthly. The awakening on the subject of scriptural holiness, which invariably characterized the labors of Doctor Redfield, resulted in the formation of the Free Methodist Church."

In his "Reminiscences" (p. 14) Hart gives this characteristic snapshot of his first close contact with Redfield: "Doctor Redfield was entertained at my father's house. On our return from the meeting he and I were alone in the sitting room, when, turning to me, he inquired, 'How did you like the meeting tonight?' I rather hesitatingly answered, 'Oh, very well -- a good deal of noise.' The doctor said, 'The noise did not hurt you, did it?' I replied, 'No; but there were some persons there whom I thought might not like it.' Suddenly he said 'Young man, has God Almighty made you ear-inspector-general of this town?' As meekly as I could I answered, 'No, sir.'

Shakespeare said, "There is a divinity that shapes our ends, rough hew them as we may." It was highly fitting that Redfield should be entertained in the Hart home, for it was through their influence that the Doctor came to Marengo. After the local pastor had started a revival, his health failed and the church was in search of someone to continue the meetings. One night Father Hart, the class leader of the church, dreamed that he saw Doctor Redfield coming down the aisle of the church. He had never seen Redfield but had heard Mrs. Hart describe him as an unusual evangelist whom she had heard years before in Vermont. As Father Hart told his dream to some members of the church, one replied that there was a Doctor Redfield who had held meetings at St. Charles. Correspondence revealed the fact that he was then holding meetings at Elgin, Illinois. Since Mrs. Hart was acquainted with him, she was sent to Elgin to invite him to Marengo. The evangelist agreed to come on condition that he would be allowed, without interference, to conduct the revival in his own way. Although the pastor vigorously opposed this demand, the members finally prevailed upon him to allow Redfield to have full charge.

A far-reaching revival followed. As the members of the church obtained the experience of holiness, conviction spread throughout the community and into the country for miles in every direction. Men of all walks of life were converted, from professional men to saloonkeepers. The depth of the revival was evidenced by closing up every saloon in Marengo. It was a common thing to hear men at the close of the services shouting "Glory! Hallelujah!" as they journeyed homeward. Many demonstrations of divine power attended these meetings. Mother Lawrence, a veritable saint, would continually shout "Amen" in her own peculiar way while the evangelist was preaching. Some of the members of the Methodist Church, wishing to keep the services dignified so as not to offend the Baptists and Presbyterians, tried to silence her amens. As a result the old lady told the doctor she thought she had better go home. "Oh, don't go," said Redfield, "don't go; we can't spare you -- we need at least one fog-splitter here."

The spiritual momentum of this revival was so great that a daily, five-o'clock prayer meeting was held in the church for over a year. Doctor Redfield pronounced this revival the most thorough and perfect work in all his labors. While young Hart did not seek the Lord, this meeting set the standard of religious work for the rest of his life.

In his characteristic style he gives the following account of his conversion: [14] "The winter following the meeting by Dr. Redfield at Marengo, I was convicted of my need of salvation. I concluded I must be saved at any cost. In my desperation I went one day to the office of my young friend, the lawyer. I was so convicted I could not keep back the tears, and he, noticing my agitation, inquired the cause. I said to him, 'Henry, it has come to this. I can go on as I am going, fill a drunkard's grave, and go to a drunkard's hell, or I can give my heart to God, live to some purpose, die happy, and gain heaven;' then added, 'and Henry, I shall do just as you say.' He was a professed infidel; but with a good deal of earnestness, he replied quickly, 'Why get religion, of course.' I replied, 'That settles it.'

"That evening at the meeting at the church, I made my way to the altar and sought God in the pardon of my sins. I prayed earnestly, and Brother Wood, a local preacher, with others held on to God for me. Directly it seemed as if a single ray of sunlight streamed into my soul; rather faintly I said, 'Hallelujah.' The local preacher, thrusting his hand through the altar railing, grasped mine and at the top of his voice shouted, 'Hallelujah!' The cloud broke, and from my heart I began to sing,

"'This is the way I long have sought,

And mourned because I found it not.'

"From my earliest recollection a story had been told me, which, when I seriously thought of seeking God, would come up before me. The story was that when I was born my maternal grandmother, a good old New England Congregationalist, dedicated me to God and, naming me Edward Payson, said I would be a minister of the gospel. I settled that as I bowed at the altar in the church that night. Not only so, but tobacco, and all my bad habits left me as well. For weeks I shut myself up for study, and only as I went to and from the church appeared on the streets.

"After consulting with my pastor, I began to make preparation to go to a school of the prophets over on Lake Michigan and get fitted up to preach. About three weeks after my conversion I went one day to an afternoon meeting, feeling all through my soul, I had lived up to the grace I had received; something more must be done for me. In speaking, I told the brethren and sisters just how I felt. Mother Cobb, one of God's D. D.'s jumped to her feet and exclaimed, 'The young man needs the experience of entire sanctification.' I had seen a great many in Dr. Redfield's meetings seeking the experience. I had seen their tears, witnessed their earnestness, and heard their groans; and, starting down the aisle to the altar, I made up my mind, 'If tears and groans and cries will bring it, I will have it.' Falling on my knees with hands uplifted I began to cry out, 'O Lord, sanctify me! sanctify me!' When the Holy Spirit, seemingly to get my attention, began to whisper in my heart, 'See here! See here! You know God has called you to preach the gospel.' 'Oh, yes,' I replied, 'I have settled that'; and then, as if the Holy Spirit was to be put off with strong crying and tears, again I cried, 'O Lord, sanctify me! sanctify me!' when as the Holy Spirit for a little gained my attention again he said, 'You know God has called you to preach the gospel. Will you start out just as you are, and trust God for the qualifications?' I thought it over for awhile. It looked to me like a failure; but I said, 'Yes, Lord, you must take the responsibility; I'll do the best I can.'

"Then came the suggestion, 'But suppose the Lord should call you to leave your friends and home and native land, to go perhaps to leave your bones to bleach on the burning sands of Africa, will you go?' As these tests were brought to bear on my heart I saw God was not to be put off with strong crying and tears, but demanded unconditional surrender. I cried, 'Yes, Lord, I'll go anywhere, be anything, or do anything, only cleanse me.' Just then the faith took hold in appropriating power and 'the peace of God which passeth all understanding' took possession of my soul. I arose from my knees and said, 'Brethren and sisters, I have been so honest in consecrating myself that I dare stand before God in judgment this moment.' I knew that I was all given up, and I knew that God knew I was. I looked at myself as best I could from head to foot and said, 'I am God's man.' Three days after I went to an afternoon meeting. They were having a season of prayer. I knelt at a front seat. The suggestion came that I should pray. Then the thought came, 'If you do, the people sitting in the back of the church will look you right in the face'; but I said, 'I am God's man,' and opened my mouth to pray; but before I could utter a word down came the baptism of the Holy Ghost and fire. God fulfilled to me the promise, 'Before they call I will answer, and while they are yet speaking I will hear'; and for several hours I could do nothing but shout the praises of God.

"Just at dusk I returned home. Standing at the gate at my father's house were three men. I at once recognized them as Methodist brethren from a near-by neighborhood over north called the Burr Oaks. They said, 'We have been trying to hold a meeting in our schoolhouse, but we have not been able to get a preacher to help us.' I replied, 'The Lord willing, I will be there next Thursday night.' I went, and have been going ever since. 'What think ye of Christ?' were the first words from which I ever attempted to preach.

"When I was converted I was secretary to a lodge of Freemasons. All my surroundings were favorable to Masonry. The next day after I was converted, a prominent church member who was a Mason said to me, 'A man needs to be a Christian in order to understand Masonry.' But I never entered a lodge but once after my conversion, and went then to pay in some money that I as secretary had in my hands. Not that I was prejudiced against the order, or had any light that it was wrong. I did not care to attend. The impulses of a regenerated heart are sometimes in advance of light in the understanding."

Immediately he began to exercise his gifts, exhorting and preaching wherever he found an open door. In the fall of 1859, the presiding-elder of the Rockford District presented his name to the annual conference, and without being present or passing any examination he was received on trial in the Rock River Conference. His first appointment was as junior preacher on the Lynnville circuit near Rockford, Illinois. Of the preacher in charge he gives this description: "The old gentleman was slow and prosy and like the bones of Ezekiel's vision, very dry. I was full of zeal, in fact had a good deal more zeal than judgment." In the revival held that winter, he and the senior pastor would preach each week alternately. The converts under Hart's ministry were quite fiery and demonstrative. Their demonstrations annoyed the senior preacher, who would tell the people that an empty wagon always made the most noise. On Hart's round, as a counteractive, he would tell them if they would load up with the world, the flesh, and the devil, their carts would not make any noise.

In the meantime, the laymen's camp meeting at St. Charles was starting on its historic career under the leadership of Dr. Redfield. Stopping over night at his home en route, his father, a staunch Methodist, offered him one hundred dollars if he would not go among these "Redfieldites" who were reported to be noisy and boisterous and lacking in culture. He replied that he would go and investigate for himself. At first sight he was captured by the spiritual sweep of this mighty meeting. "Here for the first time," as he states in his Reminiscences, "I met Rev. B. T. Roberts. He was about thirty-seven years of age and in the prime of his manhood. With a Roman cast of countenance, high, full forehead surrounded with hair black as a raven's wing, I thought he was one of the finest looking men I had ever seen."

At this meeting another person came in contact with Rev. Edward P. Hart who was destined to cast a great influence over his life. One day, as the spirit of a love feast rose to high tide, Doctor Redfield cried out from the pulpit, "Mattie, sing 'Gideon.'

A young woman stepping into the aisle, began to sing with a clear voice:

"See Gideon marching out to fight,
See Gideon marching out to fight,
See Gideon marching out to fight,
He had no weapon but a light.
If you belong to Gideon's band,
Here's my heart and here's my hand;
We're fighting for a home."

Before the first verse was finished, a tidal wave of glory swept over the encampment.

This young lady was Mattie Bishop, whom Dr. Redfield first met in his revival at Marengo. A Methodist born and bred, she was attending a Presbyterian college in the town. Although converted several years before and consecrated to sacrificial service in the upholding of the church, she had never prayed in a public congregation. She had believed the suggestion of Satan that she had no gift for prayer and that she would disgrace the cause by a stammering failure if she should attempt to pray in public. During a testimony meeting following the first altar service, she told how eagerly she desired full salvation. Under divine guidance Dr. Redfield called upon her to lead in prayer. With a flash of new light upon her soul, she replied, "I never had religion enough to pray in a public congregation in my life, but I am going to tonight!" Casting herself at the altar, she earnestly prayed until the baptism of the Holy Spirit came upon her. Ever afterwards she was a power in prayer. It was this once timid girl who moved the camp with her song. In August, 1860, shortly after the close of the camp meeting, Mattie Bishop merged her life with Edward P. Hart to be a heaven-sent helpmeet, a power in song and exhortation, a companion of his labors to the end of the long road.

During this camp meeting the Western Laymen's Convention was held on a rail pile adjacent to the camp ground. This convention resulted in the organization of the Free Methodist Church in the West, and eventually became the Illinois Annual Conference. Since the work was all in a formative state, it was necessary for almost all of the preachers to raise up their own circuits. Hart reported to the convention that he felt obligated to remain on his charge until fall and then he would be ready to accept an appointment. At the close of the conference year he returned to his home in Marengo and notified his presiding-elder to discontinue his name. Taking his letter from the Methodist Church, he wrote to Aurora, where it was understood he was to be appointed, that he was prepared to come. By an unexpected turn of events, the door was closed and there was no prospect of work in sight. His parents, who were opposed to his leaving the Methodist Church, presented this as the certain evidence that he was out of divine order. In his perplexity, he and his wife after continued prayer decided they would enter the first open door. The presiding elder, on his return from conference, stopped at his father's house and reported that he would have a good circuit for him in a few weeks. It seemed for the moment that he had made a mistake and must retrace his steps.

The fall of 1860, when the muttering storm of the Civil War was about to break in its fury upon the land, was a time of intense political excitement. Senator Hale of New Hampshire was advertised to speak in the park at Marengo. On Hart's return after the address, he stopped at his father's store. Three men entered from Belvidere and announced that they had come to engage him to preach in their home town. Recognizing this, like Gideon of old with his fleece, as the first open door, one week from the following Sabbath he was preaching at Belvidere in a vacant Universalist church which had been rented by these earnest brethren. From that time forth he never had any question about the call of God to the Free Methodist Church, then in process of formation.

As soon as he had the work on his new field organized he sent for Dr. Redfield to assist in a revival. After the revival had continued a week, Dr. Redfield was stricken with paralysis and the active labors of this heroic soldier of the cross were over. He went to Marengo, where he died after lingering in a disabled condition for two years.

When preaching, the Doctor had a peculiar way of raising his right foot and as he put it down shouting, Hallelujah! Just as his breath was leaving his body, he drew up his foot in his characteristic way and, as some friends looking said, set it down in heaven. B. T. Roberts, who was providentially in the West at the time, was secured to preach the funeral sermon. On the stone marking his resting place in the cemetery at Marengo is inscribed this terse sentence underneath his name: "He was true to his motto -- Fidelity to God."

This unique and powerful preacher had a greater influence than any other man upon those who became the founders of the Free Methodist Church. In the sweep of his influence are numbered B. T. Roberts, E. P. Hart, C. E. Harroun, Sr., J. G. Terrill, W. D. Bishop, J. W. Dake and I. H. Fairchilds, to say nothing of a host of laymen, "of whom the world was not worthy." So great was his name among the holiness followers in Illinois and adjacent parts that they were styled "Redfieldites," just as those in New York State were called "Nazarites." To those who would read the thrilling adventure of one of the great evangelists of the nineteenth century, we refer the reader to "The Life of Rev. John Wesley Redfield, M.D.," by J. G. Terrill.

The stamp of approval of God was upon the ministry of Edward Payson Hart from the beginning. His labors at Belvidere were crowned with the organization of a strong society and the purchasing of the unused Congregational church. The work at Belvidere being now well-established, it was turned over to James Matthews from the East.

This released the Rev. Mr. Hart to go to Marengo, where a Macedonian call came to raise up a new society. It was early summer and since they were not able to rent a hall, he held his services on the streets. As street meetings were new in that community, large crowds came from far and near to attend these novel services. With the backing thus secured, the Metropolitan Hall, the largest in the town, was rented. Later in the winter a lot was bought, and in the spring a new church was built. When they moved into the new church, the society numbered about one hundred members.

At the end of the year he was sent by the conference to St. Charles, Geneva, Batavia, Wheaton, etc. Mr. Hart in his "Reminiscences" states that he could never have cared for such an extensive circuit, had it not been for the splendid assistance given by the local preachers. The order of lay preachers, which was a bulwark of strength to Wesley in establishing Methodism, was likewise an indispensable aid in early Free Methodism. At this session of the conference held at Clintonville in 1861, at which he was sent to the St. Charles circuit, Mr. Hart was ordained deacon.

At the session of the conference at Aurora the following year, 1862, B. T. Roberts, president of the conference, told Brother Hart he had a letter from a man in Michigan calling for a preacher, and asked him if he would go. He replied, "If you say so and I can get there, I will go to the north pole." The conference sent him back to Marengo because the brethren there agreed to fill the appointments while he would go to Michigan for three months during the year.

The old friends welcomed him back to Marengo and he anticipated a pleasant year among them; but divine providence designed that the first quarter of the year spent there before his departure to Michigan would be the end of his pastoral labors in Illinois.

Mr. Roberts turned over to Mr. Hart the request from Michigan, with instructions to correspond with the writer, Rev. H. L. Jones, for the purpose of arranging for an evangelistic campaign. Plans were accordingly made to go to Mt. Ida, Michigan, on January 24. The providences of God leading up to the establishing of Free Methodism in Michigan read like a romance and "justifies the ways of God to men." We quote the following account from Hart's "Reminiscences."

"Some years prior to our arrival in the state, Father Jones and others, members of the Methodist Episcopal Church deploring the lack of spirituality, decided to organize a new denomination which they called The Methodist Episcopal Conformist Church -- the word "conformist" being expressive of their determination to conform to the doctrines and disciplines of primitive Methodism. For a few years they met with success, and at one time in southeastern Michigan numbered some three or four hundred. But in every truly evangelical movement history repeats itself, and this little branch was soon called to encounter very bitter worldly and Satanic opposition, so that at the time of our advent into the state their membership was sadly diminished and Henry Jones was the only remaining preacher.

"A Free Methodist woman from Buffalo, New York, went to Michigan to visit her sister, a Mrs. Knoll, who was a member of the Conformist Church. The sister from Buffalo had a copy of the Earnest Christian, which at that time Brother Roberts was publishing in that city. Sister Knoll handed the periodical to Henry Jones, who read it carefully, and then wrote Brother Roberts for a copy of the Discipline. Having studied this with care, he wrote Brother Roberts, requesting him to send them a Free Methodist preacher. So, in this instance, as in many others, the Earnest Christian proved to be a John the Baptist and forerunner of our work, and from this beginning six or seven annual conferences with two or three hundred traveling preachers and a membership of over six thousand, have been added to our Zion."

Although arrangements had been made previously, no one was there to meet Mr. and Mrs. Hart upon their arrival at the little village of Ida. After inquiring at the country store, directions were given to the residence of Mr. Jones over a mile away. Picture the two pilgrims trudging along the country road, rough with ruts and covered with snow -- he carrying the baggage and she the lunch basket. Weary with the journey, they put down their luggage to rest. Little did this look like the beginning of our widespread work in the great state of Michigan. Reflecting on the unpropitious outlook, turning to his wife he said, "Mat, this looks rather dubious, doesn't it?" As if moved by a sudden inspiration, she seized the basket, started up the road and began to sing,

"While there's a track I'll never go back,

But go on at the risk of my all."

When they reached the Jones' home, they found it was the residence of his father and that his son, the Rev. H. L. Jones, who had gone to East Milan ten miles away to arrange for a quarterly meeting, would return and take them the next morning to that place. These persecuted saints in Michigan were pleased with the new preacher and with the discipline of the new church as publicly explained, and invited him to hold revival meetings with a view to organizing a church.

The following plan of campaign was decided upon by the Rev. Mr. Jones. Mr. Hart was sent to a place called Otter Creek where the brethren owned a church building which had not been used for a number of years. If the work could be resurrected, they would have the advantage of being in possession of a good church property. Mr. Jones began another meeting at the "Plues Schoolhouse," not far from Mt. Ida. If the revival at Pines Schoolhouse should be successful Mr. Hart would return and assist later. Since the revival meetings at the Otter Creek church proved a failure, Mr. Hart soon returned to Mt. Ida.

They then joined in the revival being conducted by Mr. Jones. The meetings were not going very strong and the prospects of success were not very promising. Besides, they had been away from home a month and were homesick to see their only child whom they left behind. Then there was a longing to return to the beautiful town in Illinois with its comfortable parsonage and church and its well-organized society of faithful saints. Accordingly, as he went to the Pines community, he decided that unless there should be some unusual indication of divine providence that would be his last attempt to raise up a work in Michigan and he would shortly return home. With this resolve firmly fixed, as he went to the schoolhouse that night he said to his wife, "Mat, tonight it is either make or break."

That night as he preached from the text, "Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight," the spirit of God moved mightily both upon the preacher and the people. They were held spell-bound as the preacher developed the solemn truth that the Lord comes to every man's life in one of two ways -- either in salvation or damnation. When the altar call was given there was a break for the altar. Remarkable demonstrations of God's power followed in an outpouring of salvation. Among the seekers were the wife and daughters of John Pines.

A few days previous, while riding past a large farm house in the community, Mr. Jones made this pointed remark to Mr. Hart: "If the man living in that house should get saved, it would stir this whole community." John Plues was the man to whom he referred. Mr. Hart gives this description of him: "John Plues was a man of strong personality; tall, lank and bony, standing six feet four in his stocking feet. In his general appearance he reminded one strongly of the pictures of Abraham Lincoln. He was descended from an aristocratic English family."

Mrs. Plues and her daughters were seeking the Lord again the next night and were breaking through to victory. When they reached home that night, Mrs. Plues said to her husband, "John, I want to ask your forgiveness for any wrong I have ever done and I would like to read the Bible and pray before we retire." Angrily he replied, "I'll never forgive you and there shall be no reading the Bible and praying in this house." Then he added, "These preachers are not coming here to tell my family what to do. How do you know who this couple from Illinois are? Probably just off from some theater boards. Why, I saw him give that woman the wink and she knew just what to do."

That night John Plues could not sleep thinking how meanly he had treated his wife. The arrow of conviction had pierced his heart. In agony he rolled and tossed upon his bed until at length he called to his wife, "Samantha, do you think those preachers would come and pray for me?" The answer came back, "Why, yes, John, and I'll pray for you, too."

At daybreak Mrs. Plues brought the preachers and the neighbor where they were entertained to pray with the seeking penitent. After a desperate struggle he was gloriously converted. As soon as forgiven, before arising from his knees a burden for his unsaved neighbors fell upon him and he cried out, "Oh, my neighbors! my neighbors! We must go and pray with my neighbors."

Immediately a system of personal evangelism was inspired by the Holy Spirit in the heart of the new convert. A procession of twelve or fifteen, led by John Plues and the preacher, went from house to house to pray with the people. Many were the remarkable conversions in the homes of the community. In one home where opposition was encountered, Mr. Plues in great earnestness exclaimed, "Mr. Hart, you pray! Mrs. Hart, you shout!" By shouting, as afterwards explained, he referred to the first meeting in the schoolhouse when every shout uttered by Sister Hart in prayer pierced his soul like a dagger. No little excitement was aroused as this praying band, increased in number by those who were just saved, moved from house to house. The conversion of John Plues was an important link in the chain of divine providence in establishing our work in Michigan. "As the sequel will show, it was the key to the train of providences by which thousands were brought to a saving knowledge of the truth."

Mr. Pines, with his Bible under his arm, visited homes for miles around. The schoolhouse was packed. The work widened and deepened until about one hundred were converted. Free Methodism was taking firm root in Michigan. As a result of this revival, a number of preachers were raised up who became efficient laborers in establishing the new denomination in the state.

After this revival had continued a month or more, Mr. Hart became anxious to return to his pastorate in Illinois. He was discussing with Mrs. Hart, in the Pines' home where they had been entertained since his conversion, his thought of advising the converts to join in some church while he would go back to Illinois. Just then Brother Pines came into the room and said, "Brother Hart, what are you going to do with us people?" He then repeated the suggestion he had just made to his wife. Turning to Mr. Hart, he said, "No, s-i-r; you have got us into this boat and you must see us through." The quick reply came from Mr. Hart, "By the grace of God we will, Brother Pines." Upon explaining the situation to General Superintendent Roberts, he sent back word, "Stay, by all means."

The Harts returned to Marengo, resigned the pastorate there, and prepared to return to Michigan. Amid the tears and protestations of the church, they turned their backs upon the comforts of a good parsonage with an assured support, to face the hardships of pioneering in Michigan. C. S. Gitchell, a student from Garrett Biblical Institute, took charge of the church at Marengo which he served most acceptably for several years. He then came to Michigan, where he became a great success in raising up new circuits and building new churches.

At the Plues' schoolhouse, a Free Methodist society of about fifty members was organized, the first in the state of Michigan. After the Harts' return to Michigan they spent the summer journeying here and there, holding services in schoolhouses or groves or wherever a door opened. We quote from "Reminiscences"; "We were now getting calls from every direction and, getting the loan of a buggy and harness from Brother Plues and a horse from Brother Atkinson, we started to spy out the land. We went from neighborhood to neighborhood, preaching in a different schoolhouse every night. This was kept up all the remainder of the summer, sometimes not being able to commence services until nearly nine o'clock. Oftentimes the schoolhouse would be crowded and as many more standing outside, so taking my position in the door, I would announce my text and preach to those outside as well as inside the house. In this way our work became thoroughly advertised throughout all that part of the state."

Receiving a call to organize a society at Hillsdale, Michigan, he found a man (later sentenced to the penitentiary) with a daughter whom he was eager to push out into the ministry. Upon investigation, he discovered that they were undesirable people, a type upon which no stable work could be established. He wisely declined to organize a church and put this conceited self-styled woman preacher in charge. But through the workings of divine providence, this trip to Hillsdale was most profitable for it furnished the opportunity of coming in contact with John Ellison and his wife, Eunice. "The Master sometimes chooses a very unlikely donkey on which to ride into the fulfillment of the Father's will."

John Ellison, who was attending the Freewill Baptist College at Hillsdale, was filling an appointment for his denomination a few miles from the city. On Saturday he intended to start early in order to visit among his members, but being detained he stayed with one of his parishioners at Steamburg until Sunday morning. Being informed that a woman was going to preach at the schoolhouse that night and concluding she must be a Spiritualist or an Adventist, he decided to attend in order to refute any false doctrine that might be preached. On this trip to Hillsdale, Mr. Hart was preaching for a few nights at Steamburg. As Mr. Ellison approached the schoolhouse he heard the song, " 'Tis the very same Jesus." As he entered he saw a man behind the pulpit. When an opportunity for testimony was given at the close of the sermon, a noble looking man arose and said, "This meeting puts me in mind of meetings I attended some years ago in Woodstock, Illinois, held by one Doctor Redfield and possibly there are some here tonight who knew him." A bond of fellowship immediately sprang up between the Harts and the Ellisons.

Brother Hart invited these new friends to a grove meeting held two weeks later at Mt. Ida. At this meeting Mr. Ellison, after a thorough consecration, obtained the experience of sanctification. Returning home, he preached full salvation in his own church and a number received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. As there was "no small stir" in the community, the higher officials of the church held a meeting and put the preacher out -- a revelation which the Spirit made to him when consecrating for holiness. The homeless preacher, along with those who had received the second blessing, began services in the Blunt schoolhouse. Desiring a church home and being in sympathy with the doctrine of Free Methodism, they sent for the Rev. Mr. Hart to organize a society. A splendid class was organized and the deposed preacher became the pastor under the new order of things. This was the beginning from which Free Methodism spread throughout the western part of the state. Mr. Ellison became one of the successful pioneer preachers and a prominent factor in the formation of the conference.

After the grove meeting near Ida, Mr. Hart in company with his wife attended the Illinois Conference at St. Charles, Illinois, opening September 22, 1864. Joseph Jones went as delegate from the Michigan field. Mr. Hart, who had been ordained elder at Aurora the previous conference, was elected district chairman and sent to the Michigan District. The appointments for the Michigan District were: Michigan District, E. P. Hart, chairman and evangelist; Raisinville, W. D. Bishop, H. Jones. Since his quarterly meetings took comparatively little of his time, the new district elder went far and near opening up new fields, holding revivals and organizing the work. The "new religion," as Free Methodism was called, was introduced into Branch County and a number of effective preachers were raised up.

At the next session of the Illinois Conference at Marengo in 1865, almost two hundred members were reported. Since plans were in mind to pioneer in Indiana, the appointment read as follows: "Michigan and Indiana District, E. P. Hart, chairman . Huron, H. L. Jones; Raisinville, Lemuel Frink; Morenci, to be supplied; Van Buren, to be supplied; Ransom, W. D. Bishop; Coldwater, John Ellison." During this year the work was pushed into the "regions beyond" -Indiana and Ohio.

During the month of June, a camp meeting of unusual manifestations of God's power and of far-reaching influence was held near the Raisin River. In connection with this camp meeting the Michigan Conference was organized, June 22, 1866. General Superintendent Roberts presided. E. P. Hart was elected secretary. Six preachers were received from the Illinois Conference by transfer: E. P. Hart, H. L. Jones, C. S. Gitchell, W. D. Bishop, John Ellison and L. T. Frink. Six preachers were also received on trial, making twelve preachers in all.

In September, the regular time for holding the fall conferences, another session of the conference was held at Sherwood, Branch County. The first Free Methodist church ever built in Michigan was erected at Sherwood. It was dedicated on the Sunday of the conference by Joseph Travis, who presided in the absence of General Superintendent Roberts. His sermon on the text, "The glory of this latter house shall be greater than the former, saith the Lord of hosts; and in this place will I give peace, said the Lord of hosts," was equal to his reputation as a master in the pulpit.

The membership at this session of the conference had increased to four hundred and eighty-two. E. P. Hart was again elected district chairman. He was also elected ministerial and John Plues lay delegate to the General Conference which met at Buffalo, October 10, 1866. In his humorous style Mr. Hart says: "The Michigan Conference had but two delegates, but with the help of Brother Plues we made noise and stir enough for half a dozen."

The activities of the Free Methodists had been confined to the southern part of the state until the formation of the Michigan Conference. The spirit of aggressiveness was in the air. The Rev. and Mrs. L. T. Frink, together with Thomas Riley, pioneered in Richland County, Ohio, and sowed the seed which blossomed into the Ohio Conference. The Rev. C. S. Gitchell blazed his way in Indiana, leaving a trail of circuits in his wake.

About 1868 two aggressive laymen, A. W. Perry and Lyman Parker from the Genesee Conference, settled at Coopersville, Michigan. Determined to have Free Methodism established there, they invited Brother Hart to come. Meetings were held there and at other points in that locality. A great revival, far-reaching in its effects, was begun by the Rev. Mr. Hart and finished by W. R. Cusick, who came from the Genesee Conference and settled in this part of the state. Through the efforts of Mr. Cusick a church was built at Coopersville and from this point as a base the work spread through the northern part of the state. From Michigan the holy fire leaped across national boundary lines and spread, through the labors of evangels whose names will never be known till the great day of rewards, into Canada and came to full fruition in the organization of the West and East Ontario Conferences. The Minutes of 1869 show that the Michigan Conference had grown in a few years until it comprised 807 full members and 266 probationers, making in all 1073 members.

In those days Isabella County was considered the northern limit of civilization. To this county W. H. James was appointed. In this new country, Brother Hart arranged to hold a quarterly meeting. He proceeded by train to St. Johns, thence by stage to St. Louis, where Pastor James took him to land's end with a pony and buckboard. Thence on foot over a trail to the schoolhouse, a newly-built log structure with the spaces between the logs still unplastered. When the district elder asked the pastor why so few people came out -- only about twenty-five -- he replied, "Why bless you, they are here for miles around." Mr. Hart with his dry humor said there was a fifteen-minute intermission between the logs. This gives a glimpse of the hardships commonly endured in what was then an almost unbroken wilderness.

Even in the midst of the hardships incident to pioneer work, E. P. Hart saw the need of a Christian school in Michigan. Attention was called to a school property at Spring Arbor vacated by the Freewill Baptists. Accordingly, the annual conference was held at Spring Arbor in 1871 and was made historic by the inauguration of a movement to establish a school within its bounds. The ten-acre tract of land with two college buildings, in poor condition, was purchased, repaired, and the new school launched upon its career as Spring Arbor Seminary. The dedicatory services were conducted September 2, 1873, by General Superintendent Roberts. E. P. Hart moved his residence to Spring Arbor in order to assume supervision of establishing the school.

In spite of the financial struggles necessary in conducting a denominational school, improvements have been made in the plant and the school has continued to carry on its noble work. In recent years a junior college course has been added to its curriculum. From this spiritual center has gone forth a trained body of youth to bless the church and the world.

Such was the growth of the Michigan Conference that it became expedient to divide it at the conference held at St. Johns in September, 1876. "It was decided to organize the work north of what is known as the 'base line' running from east to west across the state and forming the northern boundary of a tier of two counties lying across the southern part of the state and the Dominion of Canada, into what should be known as the North Michigan Conference."

In September, 1884, eight years after the formation of the North Michigan Conference, the East Michigan Conference was organized at Gaines by E. P. Hart, who was now General Superintendent. "This territory was again divided by a line running due north from the 'base-line' to Lake Huron from the southern point in the boundary line between Ingham and Eaton Counties, the conference east of this line to be known as the East Michigan Conference."

When the two unheralded pilgrims were traveling that day in January, 1864, on foot along the snowy road at Mt. Ida, there were no Free Methodists in the state and not a dollar's worth of church property. In describing the fruitage of the labors of these two solitary evangelists leading up to the organization of the Michigan Conference, with an initial membership of 475, J. S. MacGeary says: "All this was accomplished in less than three years as the result of the faithful labors of one man and one woman who, without any missionary board or missionary appropriation back of them, went forth trusting God for all and proclaiming the old-fashioned gospel. Surely we of this generation of Free Methodism owe much to these fathers and mothers of 'early Free Methodism' who, 'without scrip or purse,' went forth and blazed the way for this work which has brought so much of spiritual enlightenment and liberty to us." [15]

Starting with these wayfarers who, like Bunyan's pilgrim, had nothing but their hand baggage and their faith in God, the statistics of 1938 tell the following eloquent tale: Michigan Conference, 1592 members, 35 preachers, $223,800 in property; North Michigan Conference, 2152 members, 71 preachers, $216,950 in property; East Michigan Conference, 3328 members, 104 preachers, $381,300 in property; making a total of 7072 members, 210 preachers (not including a multitude of local helpers) and $822,050.00 in church and parsonage property. What an exemplification of the promise, "He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him."

At the General Conference held at Albion, New York, in 1874, the fourth after the founding of the church, it was decided to elect another general officer to assist B. T. Roberts in bearing the administrative burden of the new organization. Accordingly E. P. Hart was elected General Superintendent (later called Bishop) and continued to be re-elected for eight successive four-year terms. In the fall of 1908, on account of a nervous affection of his throat and vocal organs, he was compelled to retire from active life. It was a great grief to the church, for he had served long and well.

Surely the prophecy of his maternal grandmother came true, who, when he first saw the light of day at Middlesex, Vermont, June 6, 1835, declared that he would be a preacher. By a divinely appointed providence she was permitted to give him his name, Edward Payson, after that illustrious herald of the cross. "The divinity that shapes our ends" was at work early in his life.

The following description is given of him by a contemporary: "In personal appearance Mr. Hart is of medium height, well built, inclining to be a little stout in later years. A well-formed head covered in earlier life with dark hair, a pleasing countenance, with a clear bright eye. In the prime of his manhood he bore a strong resemblance to General U. S. Grant. His manner is grave, quiet, unassuming, unostentatious. He weighs his words, but when he speaks it is with the positiveness of conviction and carries weight with it."

By nature retiring and reticent, he never sought honor or place but rather shrank from the positions to which he was called. When there was a movement in the church favoring the election of a second general superintendent, he learned that a certain brother was advocating his name for the place. He hunted up the delegate and protested against any such action. When he saw he was not making much impression upon his friend he said, "Brother McCreery, I don't like such work in a General Conference; it looks too much like log-rolling." The quick reply came back from the eccentric McCreery, noted for his originality, "I don't know who was has a better right to roll the log than the man who cut down the tree."

He practiced the gospel he preached -- obedience to the will of God regardless of the cost. His earlier years especially were marked by great privation and heroic sacrifice. Yet in the midst of it all his daughter writes, "My parents' lives were of joyful obedience and faith. As a child I never heard any complaints or talk of hardships in their service for the Master."

No better picture could be given for the church today of the hardships suffered in establishing Free Methodism than a description of the early camp meetings in Michigan:

"Our camp meetings in those days were of the primitive order. Each family had its own tent. The frame was of poles cut in the grove. We had no tabernacle, but had a rough stand for a pulpit, so constructed that twenty or more preachers could sleep in the back part, and this also answered for a temporary jail in which any roughs who persisted in disturbing the services might be confined until the proper official could come and take them away for trial. But in the large number of camp meetings we held I do not recall more than two or three instances in which we were obliged to resort to force to keep order. We usually had so much going on at the altar that the attention of all classes was held to so late an hour that they were glad to go home for rest. We had large 'fire stands,' one at each corner of the grounds inside the circle of tents. These were built with four upright posts, supporting a platform about four feet square. The platform was covered with earth, and on this a bright fire of dry wood was kept burning at night during the service. Lighted in this way, with the blaze from the fire stands streaming up among the branches of the tall beech and maple trees, a congregation of perhaps one or two thousand seated on planks laid across log stringers, the preachers in the stand at one time in thunder tones declaring the mandates of Sinai and then in accents of sweet mercy pleading with sinners to turn to God, the saints with glory beaming from their countenances and the heavenly light flashing from their eyes, ever and anon encouraging the speaker with their glad responses of 'Hallelujah' and 'Glory to God' -- all together, in spirit at least, went to make up a scene akin to the Revelator's description of the happy, blood-washed throng around the throne." [16]

Bishop Hart never used any notes in the pulpit but trained his memory from the beginning to carry all his outlines, references and Scripture in his mind. He did not write extensively and his articles were short and pointed. His great strength was in his uttered sermons. The pulpit was his throne. His daughter, Mrs. Helen M. Jones, furnishes this sidelight, "I heard him remark to my mother after returning from a round of conferences, 'I would rather go to some new point and hold a protracted meeting, settle down for a real siege and hold out till victory comes than do anything else.'"

As a presiding officer he was a master -- deliberate, never hasty in his decisions. He had the happy faculty of taking into consideration the point of view of the person on the other side of

"As a presiding officer Bishop Hart possessed the tactical skill of the born lawyer. He was calm, clear, incisive. And when he could not manage with all his tact and skill to avert a threatened conflict, he had a way of making the clash very brief; and the rapidity, combined with the Quaker-like calmness with which he would terminate such clashes, often very humorous, was little short of marvelous. On these and other occasions he was equal to any emergency, helped often by a natural wit, of which he himself seemed scarcely aware -- a sudden sally of which I have often seen enliven a humdrum business meeting or ward off a threatened crisis.

In the pulpit he had few equals. We present the picture accurately painted by his intimate friend, J. S. MacGeary:

"My first contact with Rev. E. P. Hart was at a camp meeting held at Franklin, Pennsylvania, in the summer of 1876. He was then just past forty, in the full strength of a vigorous manhood. I was at the age when youth idealizes those to whom it looks as leaders. The man -- his appearance, his manner, his personality, his style of preaching, his sermons -- made a most profound impression upon my mind which years have not effaced.

"His preaching fully conformed to the apostolic injunction, 'Preach the word.' He had no time to deal in modern novelties and theories which so often are substituted for the gospel in these times. His sermons were masterly presentations of the fundamental truths of the Word relating to Christian doctrine, experience, and practice as developed and taught by the church of the centuries.

"His manner in the pulpit was worthy of emulation. He was an example of the rule, 'Let your deportment be serious, weighty, solemn.' One could but feel, as he observed his manner in the pulpit and listened to his strong presentations of truth and faithful appeals to men, that here was one who felt he had a message from God to men and whose only care was so to deliver his message that men might be enlightened and God glorified.

"While an earnest, forceful speaker he did not waste energy in unnecessary physical exertion. Usually standing quietly by the desk, apparently with perfect poise and self-possession, in a clear, full resonant voice he would without any show of physical effort, pour forth a burning message that could be heard by thousands.

"The appeal of his preaching was to the intelligence and conscience rather than the imagination and sensibilities. (Is it not true that when men are moved, however, by such an appeal that they are stirred to the depths as by no other?) To the writer his preaching could not be so aptly illustrated by any other figure as that of dropping heavy shot and shell from . large guns. This figure occurred to him the first time he was privileged to sit under his preaching and has always remained. Not only was his manner 'serious, weighty,' but his words so manifestly expressed the conviction of his own heart and were accompanied with so much of the divine unction that they took hold of the intelligence and conscience of those who heard. I have seen an audience of thousands so moved under his appeals that they involuntarily swayed from side to side as he moved quietly from one side of the desk to the other.

"He had a marvelous faculty of arresting and holding the attention of his audience. He made use of none of the common arts of the orator; he used but few illustrations, but his evident earnestness and sincerity impressed itself upon all who heard and commanded attention. I recall one instance at the closing service of a camp meeting. The service was being held in an open auditorium in the grove. The audience numbered not less than two thousand. Rain began to fall soon after he began preaching. Immediately over one thousand umbrellas were raised but not one person left the audience. The rain soon ceased (all in answer to prayer, as we all believed) and the meeting closed with victory.

"He has gone. For him 'the training hard and lowly,' with 'Weary feet and aching brow,' is past. He has entered upon 'the service holy.' He has heard the Master's 'Enter thou,' and he is at rest in 'the palace of the King.' His voice is forever hushed here. Some of us shall wish many times to hear it again as we have heard it in the past -- rich, clear, strong -- delivering the message. We shall also wish that we might have the benefit of his counsel in the affairs of the church. But his work is finished; he has entered into rest. Earth grows a little more lonely, heaven more attractive as one by one the saints go home. What a meeting it will be 'in the morning.'

The evening of his passing was beautiful. Since 1881 he had made his home at Alameda, California. Although able to preach but seldom in his later years, he continued his life-long habit of preparing a weekly sermon before the Sabbath. This he prepared as usual on Saturday, March 15, 1919, and on Sunday morning about 1:30, the call of his Master came. Suddenly, without any suffering, his noble heart ceased to beat -- Edward Payson Hart was with the Lord.

15 Outline History, p 35.

16 Reminiscences, p. 139.