The Indiana and Central Illinois Conference was formed out of territory originally occupied by the Illinois and Michigan Conferences; but one of the chief instrumentalities in preparing the way for it was the "Western Holiness Association." The origin of this Association, and the way in which its work prepared the way for the organization of the before mentioned Conference is tersely sketched in the "Outline History of Free Methodism" as follows:

Near the close of the seventh decade of the nineteenth century, or in the early part of the eighth, several ministers of different denominations in Central Illinois were led into the experience of entire sanctification. Among these were M. L. Haney, Hardin Wallace, L. B. Kent, W. B. M. Colt, J. P. Brooks, Isaiah Reid, and others. These men began to preach the doctrine and urge believers to seek the experience which they themselves had received. Soon violent opposition to them and their work developed and they were forced out of the ranks of the regular ministry In their Churches and became known as "Holiness Evangelists." They soon became convinced that some form of organization was necessary to conserve the work and organized the "Western Holiness Association." Under the auspices of this association the Banner of Holiness, was issued, and became a strong factor in the promotion of the work. Soon "county associations" were formed, and these were followed by "bands" composed of those in the different localities who were in accord with the work. In some cases there was a brief statement of doctrine and practice, which one has denominated a "miniature Free Methodist Discipline," to which all subscribed. But In many cases there was no formal basis of union, but a mere informal agreement to stand together to promote the work of holiness. The ministry In the different churches generally opposing the work, the direction and management fell largely into the hands of the laity In many places. This led to the organization of the "Laymen's Holiness Association," and under the leadership of this organization many gracious revivals were held by laymen In which many souls were converted and sanctified. J. H. Moss, of Greenville, Illinois, now in glory, but for many years one of the stanch laymen of the Church; H. W. Sanderson, now for several years a successful pastor in the Central Illinois Conference; and "Uncle Shel" Young, of Sorento, Illinois, were active workers in this movement. Soon some of the leaders, among both the ministry and laity, saw that if the work was to become permanent there must be a closer organization and unification of the "holiness people" than existed. About this time some having become acquainted with the Free Methodists began to look toward that Church as a home for the holiness people, and began to plan for the bringing of the work into that organization. Many of the preachers and people at first seemed to favor it, but later some of these strongly opposed It. In the fall of 1879 W. B. M. Colt, H. F. Ashcraft and F. H. Ashcraft decided to unite with the Free Methodist Church and to use their influence to Induce the "holiness people" to do the same. Accordingly at the organization of the Indiana and Central Illinois Conference these brethren united, Mr. Colt by certificate of location from the Nebraska Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and the Ashcraft brethren on trial W. W. Kelly, an elder, and F. H. Haley, a deacon, in the Illinois Conference also united, and John Harden, who had been two years on trial in the Michigan Conference, was received Into full connection. Four others besides those mentioned above were received on trial. The new Conference embraced what had been known as the Central Illinois and Belleville districts In the Illinois Conference and the Indiana district of the Michigan Conference. The total membership reported was two hundred and fifty-seven. At the end of the first year this had been Increased by over four hundred. A good degree of prosperity has always attended the work in the Conference, and notwithstanding the fact that she has "swarmed" several times the Central Illinois Conference still reports an aggregate of two thousand members.

The foregoing were tile figures for 1909, since which there has been a decrease of sixteen. It should be remembered that the 2,000 members mentioned in the foregoing extract were for the Central Illinois Conference, and do not include the membership of those portions of Indiana and Eastern Illinois later formed into the Wabash Conference. The total membership of the two Conferences is now (1914) 3,162.

The Indiana and Central Illinois Conference originally included "that part of the State of Illinois south of a line running from Keokuk, on the Mississippi River, to Peoria, Illinois; thence east to Logansport, Indiana, to the line of the Chicago and Indianapolis Railroad; thence south on the railroad to Indianapolis; thence to New Albany on the Ohio River; and all that portion of the State of Indiana south and west of these lines." The southern part of the State of Indiana and a strip along the eastern part of the State of Illinois are now comprised in the Wabash Conference.

In addition to those ministers mentioned in the extract from MacGeary's "Outline History," the Indiana and Central Illinois Conference at its organization received W. A. Hyle, T. J. Noland, W. C. Lopeman, and G. P. Bishop on probation, and H. S. Abbott was continued in that relation, making a total of eleven preachers at the beginning. There were fourteen circuits, several local preachers being appointed as supplies on those for which there were no Conference preachers to appoint. At present there are forty-five preachers in the Central Illinois Conference, and thirty-three in the Wabash, or seventy-eight in all. Of these, eleven are on the supernumerary and superannuated lists; the rest supposedly are all effective.

The Wabash Conference was formed partly of territory formerly embraced in tIle Indiana and Central Illinois Conference, and partly of new territory. The first appointments within the territory which it now embraces were made by the Michigan Conference. In 1871 the appointments of this Conference contained the following: "Cincinnati District - Septer Roberts, Chairman. Cincinnati, Septer Roberts; Dublin, to be supplied; Attica, to be supplied." This shows that Septer Roberts was the first preacher given charge of work in what was later to be the Wabash Conference territory. Dublin and Attica are both in Indiana, and it appears that Mr. Roberts assumed the pastorate at Dublin. During that year he visited Evansville, and, shortly before the session of the Michigan Conference, he organized a society there of a dozen members. Mr. J. W. Vickery, one of its charter members, had heard of the people called Free Methodists, supposedly through reading the Earnest Christian, and it was through him that the work was introduced into that region. None of the members of the original Evansville society now survive, all having finished their course and gone to their reward some years ago.

The next year the appointments of the Michigan Conference to the Indiana District show that three regular preachers were assigned circuits there - B. R. Jones, to Evansville and Fort Branch, S. Roberts, to Tippecanoe, with one to be supplied, and J. W. Sharpe, to Westville and Indian Point. In 1873 there were five circuits within the Indiana territory, three of them receiving regular preachers, and two left to be supplied. B. R. Jones was returned to Evansville and Fort Branch, and at the end of that year reported fifty-eight members in full connection, ten on probation, and Church property valued at $4,000. The total membership reported from Indiana was 124 in full connection, and twenty-five on probation.

At the session of 1873 C. S. Gitchell was sent by the Michigan Conference to Tippecanoe, Indiana; and some time during this year three brethren, named respectively Johson, Harden, and Biddle, were instrumental in getting him to visit Attica, Indiana, to engage in special evangelistic meetings. These meetings resulted in the organization of a society at Attica, and the erection of a good, substantial brick Church and parsonage. The three brethren who invited Mr. Gitchell to Attica were men of means and influence, and became charter members of the new Free Methodist society. In 1875 the society reported forty-six members and probationers, and Church property valued at $9,000.

In 1874 the Indiana work was divided into the Northern Indiana and Southern Indiana districts, and C. S. Gitchell was elected Chairman over both. The membership of these two districts was reported as 241, including probationers, at the session of 1875.

Not long after the introduction of the work into Attica, Indiana, it also began to spread along the Western part of the State, and also in the Eastern portion of Illinois; and finally, on October 21, 1885, the Wabash Conference was formed, to "include all that part of the State of Indiana not embraced in the territory of the North Indiana Conference, and that portion of the State of Illinois bounded by a line running west from Fowler, Indiana, to the Chicago branch of the Illinois Central Railroad, thence south on said railroad to Edgewood, on the Spring. field branch of the Ohio and Mississippi Railroad, thence on the said road to Shawneetown on the Ohio River, thence up the river to the State line."

The Conference was organized by General Superintendent Hart, with twelve preachers in full connection and five on probation. The lay membership within the Conference was reported as 362 in full connection, and thirty-three on probation.

For a number of years this Conference, though fairly prosperous, was embarrassed and hindered in its work by the misdoings of some of its preachers; but it was finally determined to apply stiff disciplinary action to all such cases, and after that great improvement was manifest, the Conference being relieved of ministers who were a reproach to the work, while other and better men took their places. Then began an era of greater prosperity in both spiritual and temporal affairs, which still continues. The report for 1914 shows thirty-five preachers, besides five probationers, and a total lay membership of 1,369, only 156 of whom were probationers. It also shows Church property valued at $80 900, and parsonage property worth $27,600.

The aggressive zeal of Free Methodist preachers of the old stamp made it impossible for them to confine their labors within the territorial limits of any circuit, even though it comprised a county or a state, so long as the Macedonian call came from the "regions beyond," and whenever overstepping their circuit boundaries would not be infringing on another preacher's territory. It was this spirit and disposition which did so much to hasten the spread of the work into new territory, and which accounts for the raising up of many of the Conferences of Free Methodism. From the Michigan Conference the work spread to the South, North and East, and doubtless would have spread to the West had not Lake Michigan served somewhat as a natural barrier.

At the first session of the Michigan Conference, held June 22, 1866, H. L. Ash was admitted on trial, and then appointed to Ohio, presumably with the entire State as his field. H. L. Ash, as we are informed by "Hart's Reminiscences,"[1] was a son of Uncle Arby Ash, of Huron circuit, Michigan, who figured quite conspicuously in connection with Mr. Hart's early labors in that field. This young man had prevailed upon Mr. Hart to go to his aid in the work at Windsor, Ohio, and had advertised him so extensively as "a big gun" from Michigan that it had called out many humorous remarks, a local paper suggesting that, in the language of Artemas Ward, "There might be danger of busting the gun." All of this awakened curiosity. however, and served to draw out a large crowd to hear Mr. Hart upon his arrival in the place. A gracious outpouring of the Spirit and revival of God's work occurred under the labors of Mr. and Mrs. Hart and Mr. Ash at Windsor, and a strong society was organized, which was afterward served at different times by some of the ablest men of the Conference, and which proved to be the germ from which came the Ohio Conference.

In 1868 Toledo and Seneca circuits were added to the list of Michigan Conference appointments in Ohio, and the next year Springfield was added, making four circuits in Ohio. At the Conference of 1868 a total membership of 168 was reported from Toledo and Windsor, and at the session of 1869 Springfield and Windsor reported 134 members, while no report was given for Toledo and Seneca. Assuming that the membership at Toledo remained unchanged the total membership should have been 244. In 1870 a Toledo district, comprising circuits in Ohio and Southeastern Michigan, was formed, and E. P. Hart was elected Chairman. The Ohio part of the district included four circuits, which, with their preachers in charge, were as follows: Cleveland, Toledo, Holland and Whitehouse, E. P. Hart, E. Leonardson; Delta, L. T. Frink; Mansfield and Windsor, B. R. Jones; Seneca, G. H. Comp ton. At the end of this year 191 members and thirty-two probationers were reported from the Ohio part of the district.

The Conference of 1871, as has been noted, created a Cincinnati District in Ohio, in addition to the Toledo District, with Cincinnati as the only Ohio appointment, however, the other appointments being Dublin and Attica in Indiana. A total membership of 260 was reported from the Ohio part of the Toledo District, while Cincinnati and Evansville, the one in Ohio and the other in Indiana, reported together forty-three. The Conference of 1873 made the Toledo District to comprise eight circuits, all but one of which were in Ohio, and to all of which preachers were sent.

Following the General Conference of 1874, at Albion, New York, where he had just been elected General Superintendent, E. P. Hart having received repeated calls to visit Summerfield, Ohio, planned his winter campaign with a view to making Braddock, Pennsylvania, his objective point, but to go by way of Attica, Lawrenceburg and Aurora, Indiana, and Cincinnati, Ohio, and then take in Summerfield on his way back to Braddock. The Rev. Joseph Travis, at that time Chairman of the Central and Iowa districts of the Illinois Conference, had previously visited Summerfield on invitation of one John M. Rounds and a Doctor Taylor, whom he met at Cincinnati, while attending the National Convention Opposed to Secret Societies, as delegate from the Illinois Conference, in May, 1874. Summerfield was their home. Mr. Travis was the first Free Methodist they had ever met, and, on becoming acquainted with him and learning that the Free Methodist Church was a young and growing denomination, they were very anxious that he should accompany them home, that they might have a representative man of the new denomination preach in that place. He yielded to their persuasion and went. He held a few meetings there and organized a small class. Feeling, however, that his District work demanded his attention at home, he made arrangements to go, and referred the people of Summerfield to Mr. Hart. Accordingly he had been urged to visit them, and later did so. So sanguine were they of success that they had proceeded at once to the building of a house of worship. They had communicated repeatedly with Mr. Hart, but his time had been too fully occupied to admit of his going to them until the time already mentioned.

The preparations which these people had made for Mr. and Mrs. Hart's coming had attracted much attention in the community, and so great was the interest awakened that even unconverted people were predicting a great work of grace. On beginning his work there Mr. Hart, as his custom was wherever he went, put the plowshare of truth into the soil with depth and thoroughness. The truth took hold on the people from the start. Aided by the Holy Spirit he insisted on the necessity of being saved from all sin, and showed the people that true holiness and membership in secret societies, as well as the raising, trafficking in, and using of tobacco were inconsistent with holy living. This was going further and deeper than those who had been instrumental in securing his services had anticipated; and some, even of those who called themselves Free Methodists, began to question the wisdom of dealing so plainly with things that were so commonly indulged by professedly Christian people in that part of the country, especially with the tobacco habit.

They were being reined up to a point, however, where they must take their stand either for or against the attitude of the Church on this subject as expressed in its Discipline and interpreted by the preacher. The melting power of God was on the people outside the Church, and it was evident that a revival was about to come, if not hindered by those who professed religion. Writing of this state of things Mr. Hart says, "It was a crucial test, and poor Brother Rounds on Sabbath evening, after service, as we were seated by the grate in his sitting-room, gazed into the burning embers, and with a long-drawn sigh exclaimed, 'Well, we have got ourselves into a pretty boat. I am as empty as a barrel.' Doctor Taylor afterwards told us that as he was riding his horse on his round of professional visitation, he found himself nervously chewing the weed and vigorously expectorating the juice, and exclaiming, 'I wish Hart hadn't come.' "[2]

At the Sabbath service Mr. Hart announced that at 11: 00 a. m. the following day they would gather at the Church and decide as to the continuance of the meeting. He said to them, "If you will come to the teaching of the Word of God as interpreted by our book of Discipline we will gladly remain and assist in the meeting; if not, we shall pack our baggage, and on Tuesday take the early hack for the station."[3] After due consideration and much struggle they decided to stand by the principles Mr. Hart and his wife had been advocating, and all gathered at the altar to seek for purity of heart. From that time there was no restraint upon the preacher as to what he should preach, and success in the work seemed assured. Meetings were held both day and night, and for some days at a time would continue from 11 o'clock in the morning until near midnight. Demonstrations akin to those so common among the early Methodists were frequent occurrences. Many were converted and sanctified, the whole region round about being deeply stirred on the subject of religion.

A strong society was finally organized at Summerfield. Severe testings came to those who composed it, which resulted in some sifting; a number later moved away; and some on one pretext and some on another finally with-drew; but the candlestick was not removed, and the things that remained were strengthened from time to time. Eternity only can disclose the full results of that meeting.

After closing their labors at Summerfield, Mr. and Mrs. Hart continued their labors at different places in Noble County, organizing a number of societies, and dedicating two churches-one at Mt. Tabor, and the other at East Union. The work not being very encouraging at Lawrence-burg, Indiana, and the demand for pastoral oversight in Summerfield and vicinity being urgent, Mr. Hart sent to the former place for the Rev. W. H. James, and appointed him preacher in charge of Summerfield and adjacent societies. Mr. James pushed out also into other places in his preaching of the Gospel, and saw some good fruit of his labors brought into the Free Methodist Church. One of these places was Perryopolis. At this point J. T. Headley and his wife, among others, were fully saved and brought into the Free Methodist Church, he later becoming a Free Methodist preacher of considerable prominence in the Ohio Conference, and serving efficiently for some years as one of its District Elders.

The work in Ohio had been spreading and the membership increasing until, in 1876, an aggregate of 535 was reported to the Michigan Conference. Ten circuits had been raised up, and a number of Churches had been erected and dedicated. The Free Methodist work within the State had been fairly launched, but much of it being remote from the Michigan Conference, necessitating long journeys to and from the seat of Conference, as well as other inconveniences, it seemed best that the work in Ohio should he organized into a separate Conference. Due authority having been given for such action the new Conference was finally organized at West Windsor, Ohio (where the first society in the State was formed), October 2, 1879, by General Superintendent Hart. The preachers ii full connection were, J. A. Wilson, B. R. Jones, C. F. Irish, J. Cripps, N. R - Woods, Jasper Hayden, C. B. Schaefer. William Jones and A. Spicer were continued on probation, and S. K. Wheatlake was received on probation. After proving himself an efficient and worthy preacher of the Gospel for many years Mr. Wheatlake was elected to the position of General Conference Evangelist in 1907.

The Conference decided to place a stationed Chairman over the Southeast Ohio District, and a traveling Chairman over the other two districts. Accordingly, J. Cripps was stationed at Summerfield and Perryopolis and made Chairman of the work in the southeastern part of the State, and B. R. Jones was made Chairman of the Toledo and Cleveland Districts. A total lay membership of 611 was reported, and Church property to the value of $16,900. In 1914 the Conference reported thirty-eight preachers in full connection, with seven on trial-forty-five in all; and a total lay membership of 1,235. It also reported Church property to the value of $74,000, and parsonage property to the amount of $36,300.

The Northern Indiana Conference was developed from the labors of ministers sent out by the Michigan Conference, which, in an important sense, has also been a mother of Conferences. As noted in a previous chapter, T. S. LaDue was the first Free Methodist preacher of whom any record is obtainable to introduce the principles of Free Methodism in the State of Indiana. While living in Van Buren County, Michigan, in 1862, he received a letter from J. W Barron, a local preacher in the Methodist Episcopal Church, living in the vicinity of Elkhart, Indiana, requesting that he come there and preach. In accordance with this request he established an appointment at Elkhart, which was continued for some time. He likewise held services for a time at Mishawaka, Indiana. His Conference (the Michigan) removed him in the fall of that year, and no work appears to have been organized at either place.[4]

Four years later, at the first session of the Michigan Conference, C. S. Gitchell was appointed to Indiana. At the next session the Indiana work was left to be supplied. At the third session Dublin, Indiana, reported sixteen members in full connection, and was left to be supplied; but in 1868 a total of seventy-two members, including probationers, was reported, and C. S. Gitchell was appointed preacher in charge. Boston, Indiana, with a society of four members and twenty-one probationers, was also added as a new appointment, and was left to be supplied. The minutes show but little change after this until 1872, except that Attica, Indiana, was incorporated in the list of appointments for 1871, at which time Dublin finally disappears from the record; while Lawrenceburg, Evansville, Fort Branch, Tippecanoe, Westville and Indian Point are added to the list, with a total of seventy-two members. Fort Wayne, with nineteen members and three probationers was added in 1873; and the society at this point appears to have been the first organized in the territory which finally became the North Indiana Conference. The Conference sent three regular preachers and two supplies to the Indiana work that year, which, with two or three societies in Ohio and Michigan, was formed into an Indiana District, with Septer Roberts as Chairman.

The next year, as we have seen, the Indiana work was formed into two districts-the Northern Indiana and Southern Indiana-and C. S. Gitchell was made Chairman over both. One hundred sixty-nine members and twenty-five probationers were reported, but this included the report from Cincinnati, Ohio, which was coupled with Lawrenceburg, Indiana, forming one circuit.

From this time the work in Northern Indiana just about held its own, so far as membership was concerned, for several years, sometimes reporting an increase and then a decrease, but never exceeding a total of 200, and some-times only about 100, members and probationers. Nevertheless the work was being introduced into new places, occasional new societies were being raised up, a few Churches were built, and the way was being prepared for a new Conference. Amid many reverses circuits were raised up with the following as their principal points: Blue River, Bunker Hill, Knox, Bourbon, South Grade, Elkhart, Mishawaka, Crown Point.

The General Conference of 1886 made provision for the formation of a North Indiana Conference, "to embrace the territory now occupied by the Michigan, Wabash, Illinois and Ohio Conferences lying north of the line of the Toledo, Peoria and Warsaw Railroad running from Sheldon to the second principal meridian, thence due south on the second principal meridian to the south line of Boone County, thence due east to the Ohio State line; said Conference to be organized at the discretion of the General Superintendents."[5]

Accordingly the North Indiana Conference was organized at Knox, Indiana, October 27, 1S87, General Superintendent Roberts presiding. Robert H. Clark and H. H. Cannon were the only preachers in full connection; but one Elder, M. L. Reynolds, was received by transfer from the Methodist Episcopal Church, and George B. Day remained on trial, while S. H. Mathews, M. C. Bonar, T. J. Loring, C. E. Edinger, P. W. Botts, J. S. Wamsley, John Delcamp, and W. T. Loring were received on trial. The appointments were grouped in two districts, the Knox and the Fort Wayne, and Robert H. Clark was made Chairman over both.

This Conference embraced some of as promising territory as could be found in any part of the country, and ought to have had uninterrupted prosperity. It also had a number of most excellent societies, with as stanch and loyal laymen as were to be found anywhere in the denomination, and with a goodly number of Churches and parsonages, some of the former being of superior quality and worth. But notwithstanding all these advantages, the Conference had a checkered history-to a considerable extent a history of failure - the occasion being chiefly that of divisions and sometimes of graver misdoings, among its ministers. Perhaps no other Conference in the connection suffered so much and so long from these causes as did this one.

Finally, in the autumn of 1913, with a view to bettering the state of affairs by providing for the scattering some of its ministers among other Conferences and for the ultimate importation of at least some new preachers into its territory, it was decided to petition the Executive Committee to dissolve the Conference, and partition the territory among the adjacent Conferences. At its annual meeting later in the same year the Executive Committee granted this petition for dissolution, but thought best to annex the divided portions to the Illinois, Wabash and Michigan Conferences only. It is probable, however, that at some later time the North Indiana Conference will be reorganized.

At the time of its dissolution this Conference had sixteen preachers in full connection and two on trial, with a lay membership of 385 in full connection and fifty-four on probation, and Church and parsonage property valued at $50,700.

"The Kentucky and Tennessee Conference was formed from territory originally developed by the Central Illinois Conference in the State of Kentucky, the State of Tennessee being included within its boundaries."[6] It was organized by General Superintendent Coleman at Scottsville, Kentucky, October 29, 1896, the session holding over Sunday, October 31. It was organized with three preachers in full connection; but two were received later, making five in all. The following are their names: J. W. W. Kelley, J. A. Manning, Walker Mayfield, George M. Dun. ham, H. 0. Coates. R. H. Hinton and W. R. Garrison were received on probation. The ministerial force was small numerically, but full of faith and courage.

The work was arranged in two Districts-Scottsville, and Mammoth Cave - the former having nine appointments and the latter three. Of course seven circuits had to be supplied. J. W. W. Kelley was made District Elder over both Districts. The total lay membership within the Conference was 151, all but three in full connection. There were four Church edifices reported, one valued at $1,000, one at $600, and two at $500 each.

This Conference has had to contend against all those obstacles peculiar to the work of the Free Methodist Church in the South, but in face of these things it has steadily held on its course, and has made some progress. Its work has been chiefly among the rural populations, and to a considerable extent among those not blest with much of this world's goods. Its ministers have been for the most part courageous, devoted and self-sacrificing men, who have not served for filthy lucre's sake, but from a sense of the constraining love of Christ. Accordingly they have succeeded in developing some good territory, and in raising up a goodly number of stanch and loyal laymen to help on the cause. A number of circuits have been raised up in Tennessee, which are grouped in the Nashville District.

It should be remembered that the work in this Conference has been largely missionary in its character, and has been maintained only by self-sacrifice and earnest prayer and labor. Its statistical table for 1914 showed twelve preachers in full connection, and two on probation; a lay membership in full connection of 266, and of forty-one on probation-307 in all; with Church property to the amount of $12,000, and parsonage property valued at $3,900.

The Georgia and Florida Conference was raised up largely through the labors of E. E. Sheihamer, a member of the Pittsburgh Conference. He entered the field of evangelism under the Pentecost Bands, which were then recognized evangelistic agencies of the Free Methodist Church. In 1894 he united with the Pittsburgh Conference in full connection, and was ordained Deacon, having previously served two years on probation. Owing to delicate health, and also to a divine drawing in that direction, he desired to take up missionary or evangelistic work in the South, and accordingly the Conference gave him an evangelistic relation, that he might be free to labor in such fields as were opened before him. His wife was an evangelist licensed by the Conference, and together they went to Jacksonville, Florida, where they opened up a mission work, which they conducted during the following winter.

In the spring they went North, holding evangelistic services along the way. They stopped at Atlanta, Georgia, among the other places, where they had a great meeting. In the fall they returned to Atlanta and opened a mission there, which they continued to operate; and, after two years, they organized a Free Methodist class-the first in the State. From this time the work continued slowly to grow, though in the face of fierce opposition, the workers being occasionally arrested and jailed. But worse than this was the effort of the preachers representing the more popular holiness movement of the South to freeze them out. Mr. Sheihamer, in a personal letter to the author, said, "We had on one occasion to sell our last two-cent postage stamp to get a five-cent soup-bone, which we boiled three days. Finally God said it was enough, and doors opened and calls came from every direction."

They then started an Industrial Mission, wood and coal yard, printing office, etc., etc. They did not know at the beginning that in helping others they would also be helping themselves, but such proved to be the case. For several years they spent over $1,000 a year in printing and circulating literature, conducted two Rescue Homes and a Training Home for Workers, having at times as many as fifty to be regularly fed.

Later, Mrs. Shelhamer, who was a woman of strong character, an earnest, able and effective evangelistic worker, and generally beloved, was called to higher service in the world of spirits, and Mr. Sheihamer gave himself to evangelistic work, which he has constantly followed since - a period of ten years. After a time he was again married-to Miss Julia Arnold, of Illinois-who has ever been heart and soul with him in his work, and who accompanied him on a round-the-world tour of visitation among foreign missions in 1909.

In connection with his evangelistic work Mr. Shelhamer has for years edited and published the Repairer, a monthly sheet devoted to the advocacy of old-time religion, and has generally held an annual Holiness Convention in Atlanta, and an occasional Convention in Florida, at which he has usually had some of the foremost men of the denomination to do the chief part of the preaching and teaching. Through the labor of himself and others whom he has been enabled to raise up, supplemented by the influence of his publications and the Holiness Conventions referred to, seven circuits have been formed in Georgia, five in Florida, and two in Alabama. From the starting of the Atlanta mission the Pittsburgh Conference duly recognized Mr. Shelhamer's work, making yearly appointments thereto, and in 1900 organized an Atlanta District, appointing him District Elder. The work was thus carried on under the auspices of the Pittsburgh Conference until the fall of 1913, when the brethren of this Southern work memorialized the Conference, requesting it to petition the Executive Committee to provide for the organization of a Georgia and Florida Conference. The Conference acted favorably on the memorial, and a week later the Executive Committee took action authorizing the formation of the proposed new Conference, to embrace the States of Georgia and Florida.

Accordingly the Georgia and Florida Conference was organized by Bishop William Pearce, at Atlanta, Georgia, in connection with a session held November 12-16, 1913. The preachers in full connection were the following: E. E. Shelhamer, W. B. Harris, James B. Cunningham, T. B. Adams, W. S. Gardner, J. F. Beeson, 0. J. Withrow. Two were also continued on probation-E. L. Garrow and W. P. Juhlin. Besides these nine regular preachers four supplies were also sent to circuits not otherwise provided for. The Conference work was arranged in two Districts-the Atlanta and Florida-and E. E. Shelhamer was elected District Elder of both. The table of statistics for 1914 showed a total lay membership of 173, all but twenty being in full connection, with Church property valued at $7,800, and parsonage property to the amount of $1,100.
 

[1] Page 168.
[2] "Hart's Reminiscences," pp. 232, 233.
[3] Ibid.
[4] MacGeary's "Outline History," p.133.
[5] General Conference Journal.
[6] "Outline History," p. 181.