The richest heritage of nations, organizations or movements are the men they produce and give to the world. What are all the ecclesiastical organizations, power and prestige of Protestantism growing out of the Reformation compared with the names of Martin Luther, Philip Melancthon, John Knox and a host of others; what are all the glories of Methodism measured by her vast number of adherents, her wealth, her colleges and universities compared with the treasure of such names as John and Charles Wesley, John Fletcher, Adam Clarke, Francis Asbury and others which are written in her annals? Our nation would be poor indeed could we point only to our broad do main, our great corporations, our extensive manufacturing establishments and our other signs of material wealth. We have a far more illustrious and lasting wealth in those immortal names which throughout our national history have been imperishably engraven among the lists of the world’s greatest men. Free Methodism has not much as yet to offer to the world in the way of numbers, wealth, prestige or denominational achievement, but she is rich in that she has given to the world, both among her ministry and laity, men who are worthy to stand side by side with the uncrowned kings of any period in the history of the church. In this closing chapter the writer would pay brief tribute to a few of these.

Around one man, B. P. Roberts, as a storm center, the forces opposing the work of which Free Methodism is the outgrowth seemed to gather at the beginning. This has rendered it necessary to say much of him and his relation to the movement in the former part of this work. But in closing a brief personal appreciation of the man will not be out of place. In appearance he was of medium height with a well knit frame, weighing about one hundred and eighty pounds. In early life his hair was dark. His complexion was ruddy indicating strong vitality. His eyes were hazel in color, clear and penetrating. lie had a large well-formed head, bald in later life. One said of him as he met him for the first time when he was about forty-five years of age, “I thought he was one of the finest looking men I had ever seen.” He was characterized by great simplicity of spirit and manner. No one need feel diffident or embarrassed in his presence. He made one “feel at home.” Although a finished scholar and life long student he never sought to make any show of his learning. After he had preached a dedicatory sermon at a certain place a man who was impressed by the sermon said, “It is too bad that man is not educated.” He little knew that it required the highest type of culture to enable one to express exalted thought in simple language. He had the power of saying much in a few words His editorials, the subject matter of the books he wrote, his sermons, were all models of brevity and conciseness in stating truth. He possessed in a marked degree the faculty of going directly to the heart of the matter in hand. He could say more in half an hour than most men in twice that time. Capable of exalted conception, sublime thought and expression, he usually spoke in language so simple that a child could understand. As a presiding officer he was a thorough master of parliamentary law, self-possessed, expeditious, kind. His experience as a Christian was marked by the same directness and simplicity which characterized him as a man. He sought for himself continually a definite experience in saving grace, conscious personal communion with God in the Holy Spirit and urged the same upon others, especially upon the preachers. As a preacher he impressed all who knew him with the feeling that he did not look upon the pulpit as a place in which to display the erudition of the scholar or the arts of the orator. He spoke as God’s messenger directly, forcefully, simply to the intelligence and conscience of his hearers. Possessed of a strong personality, a commanding intellect and a pleasing address, he was a man who, had he sought to use his abilities for his own personal advantage, might have gone to the summit of worldly position and influence. But he voluntarily turned his back on all prospect of earthly advancement and, resigning himself to a life of toil and self-denial, devoted his time and his energies to the advancement of the work of full salvation. His arduous labors wore on his sturdy frame and all too soon he fell. Born in July, 1823, he died February, 1893, being not quite seventy years of age. But he fell in the fight. He lived long enough to see the Free Methodist church, which existed only in name when he was elected its first General Superintendent, grow into a well organized body of twenty thousand people; he lived to see many of the reforms which he advocated adopted not only by his own people but by others; he lived, not to see the doctrine of holiness become popular, but to see many everywhere outside the bounds of his own denomination become earnest advocates of the truths for which he had contended. His appeal “to God and the people” was entertained. God honored him and his work and in thousands of hearts to-day his memory is enshrined as one of God’s noblemen.

No one has been more closely associated with the origin and progress of the church than S. K. J. Chesbro. He wrote the call for the first “Laymen’s Convention.” He was secretary of both sessions of that body in western New York. He was the intimate personal friend of B. T. Roberts, Loren Stiles, and of all the men who were engaged in the conflict which resulted in the organization of the church. Among the names appear. ing in the minutes of the first session of the “Eastern Convention” we find his, and from that time until the present his has been a familiar name in the annals of Free Methodism. For years he served as pastor in “old Genesee.” In 1888, upon the resignation of T. B. Arnold, he was elected publishing agent by the executive committee and continued with marked ability to fill that position until the General Conference of 1907, when on account of advanced years he declined a reelection. During this time he was also general treasurer of the church funds. Of slender build and erect carriage he impresses one as being taller than he really is. Naturally quick, alert, active, his long experience in business life and with business men has given him a bruskness of manner which many have mistaken for sharpness, but there is no more tender, kindlier hearted man than he. Loftiness of character, transparency of motive, unbending integrity, unimpeachable fidelity are elements of his personality which have made him a central figure in our history. Now in his eighty-third year, beloved and revered by all who know his personal worth, he calmly awaits the summons to join those who have gone on before.

One day in the winter of 1859, a young man in Marengo, Illinois, who had decided to make the law his profession went into the office of a lawyer who was a personal friend. The young man had been under conviction for some time and on this day he was on the verge of desperation. His friend noticing his agitation inquired the cause. The reply was: “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, and,” after a pause, “Henry, I shall do just as you say.” The friend, a professed infidel said, “Why, get religion of course.” The other replied, “That settles it.” That evening he sought and found God. The decisions of that day gave to the Free Methodist church and the cause of Bible religion the life, labors and influence of Edward Payson Hart. About three weeks after this lie entered into the experience of holiness. The next week lie went to assist in a protracted meeting and, as he expressed it in his own terse way has “been going ever since.” In August, 1860, he was united in marriage with Miss Martha Bishop who has been indeed a “hell) meet for him” during all these years. 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 lie speaks it is with the positiveness of conviction and carries weight with it. As a preacher he is clear, strong, forceful, eloquent. His manner in the pulpit is dignified, easy, pleasing. Never descending to harsh invective, his polished shafts of keen sarcasm hurled at sin and the weaknesses and foibles of popular religion cut to the quick. When a young man the writer considered him the greatest preacher he ever beard, and has not materially changed his opinion yet. In 1874 he was elected general superintendent and has filled the position with marked ability ever since. With the exception of B. P. Roberts no other man perhaps has exerted a greater influence in the making of the Free Methodist church. Beloved, honored by all who know them, the weight of years settling upon them, he and his devoted wife can no more take the active part in the work they have taken in time past. In the possession of such characters the church has a heritage far above all wealth, or power, or prestige of a merely earthly nature.

And what shall I say more; for time and space would fail me to tell of the polished, eloquent Stiles, “the orator” of the Genesee conference of the “old church,” and, later of the Genesee conference of the Free Methodist church, stricken down in the prime of his manhood and usefulness; of La Due, the stalwart, fiery, eloquent pioneer of the northwest; of quaint C. E. Harroun, Sr., some times reminding those who knew both of Dr. Redfield, again reminding others of B. P. Roberts, but always his own inimitable self; of the versatile and amiable Terrill; of Joseph Travis, whose lofty conceptions and sub. lime presentations of truth linger as a sweet perfume in the memories of those who heard him, and of many others whose names can not even be mentioned. There were giants in those days. To be associated with them in the work to which they gave their lives, to have some little share in helping to advance it is the highest honor which can come to a man.

It is now a little over fifty years since the agitation culminated in western New York which resulted in giving us a denominational existence. Men are both to believe that in a Christian land there could be found ‘those professing the religion of Jesus Christ, ministers of the gospel in one of the leading Protestant churches, church dignitaries occupying the highest ecclesiastical positions, who would lend themselves to such schemes and methods as were resorted to in order to cast out the founders of Free Methodism. But the facts are indisputable. The record has been made. It affords another illustration of the truth that the most bitter, relentless spirit with which one can come in contact is the spirit of religious persecution and ecclesiastical proscription. With malice toward none, with charity toward all, the facts which made our existence necessary are written. It is almost forty-eight years since the Free Methodist church was organized at Pekin, New York. Has she justified her existence? The results of an individual’s life are not always fully seen in what he himself has accomplished. The influence he exerts upon others may be productive of farther reaching results than anything which may be seen in his own life. The same may be true of an organization. Early Methodism exerted a tremendous influence upon the religious organizations around her, the results of which in many respects are apparent today. So the Free Methodist church is not to be judged as to the results of her work by what is seen in her own body alone. Her reflex influence upon others must be taken into account. At the time when our fathers were thrust out for their faithfulness in advocating arid urging people into the experience of entire sanctification as taught by Wesley and his coadjutors, the testimony in behalf of that doctrine and experience was well nigh silenced. Znzendorfism and gradualism were being substituted in Methodist pulpits everywhere. The modern holiness revival dates from the time when those men so heroically took their stand for original Methodism. On all questions of moral reform she has stood and still stands in the van. Her rallying cry has always been, “Holiness unto the Lord.” This she has inscribed upon her banners and in every conflict the battle is fought out on this issue. But around this central issue she has grouped certain others which she insists are the necessary practical concomitants of the experience, and by these she has stood with unswerving fidelity. Thus her message has not only been a clarion call to earnest spirituality but to the most thorough type of practical Christianity as well. Who can estimate the results of her testimony and loyal adherence to convictions of right and duty during these forty-eight years of her existence? True, some, looking from the outside, seeing how resolutely she has maintained her attitude on these positions have misunderstood her and, looking upon her as a merely reform organization, have turned away. Some from within have, by giving undue prominence to these “issues” in their preaching and testimony, strengthened this wrong impression and have thus hindered the very cause they were seeking to advance. But notwithstanding all she has gone forward and has prospered.

It has required no small degree of self-denial and self-sacrifice to carry this work forward through these years. Were the story written in full it would compare in examples of moral heroism and devotion to duty with the greatest battles for right in other times. Men capable of filling the highest ecclesiastical or educational positions, capable of making name and fame for themselves in the world, have joyfully turned their backs on it all and have gone forth without purse or scrip to preach the gospel of full salvation to small congregations at a smaller salary. Men who might have had luxury and ease have cheerfully accepted poverty and toil because they loved truth and righteousness. In the opinion of the worldly wise they are written down as fools. In God’s book they are recorded as wise and their names shall shine among the moral heroes by and by.

The limited space to which the writer has been confined has rendered it impossible to dwell upon the striking characters which Free Methodism has produced. The bare mention of a name must suffice where he would gladly devote pages. For thirty-five years he has been identified with Free Methodism, its work and its workers. No cleaner, purer, truer men live than are found in the ranks of her ministry. No nobler, more devoted, consecrated company of men and women can be found than compose her membership.

Forty-eight years have removed the fathers of Free Methodism, with but few exceptions, from the ranks of the church militant to those of the church triumphant. A younger generation is coming into control and taking the direction of the affairs into its hands. Such a change has proven disastrous to more than one organization in the past. The temptation to turn aside will come to us; inducements to tone down will be held out to us. God grant that we may never forget the ground of the battle which gave us existence. May the example of those men who gladly suffered the loss of all things be a constant inspiration to us to maintain the standard they set. And thus contending for the faith once delivered to the saints may we so acquit ourselves in the fight that we too may receive the crown which the Lord has promised to all who love and obey him.