The comfortable and spacious chapel, now occupied by the congregation, was built in 1904 during the pastorate of Wiley Homer, the God-fearing cowboy, who 30 years before had built the arbor in the timber.

NEW HOPE CHURCH AT FROGVILLE

The New Hope Presbyterian church at Frogville, Choctaw county, was organized about 1872 by Parson Charles W. Stewart, who had conducted occasional services in this neighborhood for some time previous.

The first elders were Elias Radford, who died in 1908 after 36 years of faithful service, and James Pratt, who, after 40 years of faithful official service, is still living (1914) in his own cozy cottage home near the church. In the interest of the church, which is located in the Oak forest, along Red river southeast of Hugo, and still fifteen miles from railway, he has from the first been the principal host, to receive and entertain the Frogville circuit-riders, as in the days of Stewart and Homer; and provided rooms in his own home for the resident ministers as in the days of Sleeper, Harry and Starks. When the Presbytery meets at Frogville, he generously plans to entertain about one half the people that are present from a distance. The good he has already accomplished, by his faithful, life-long service in the church and Sunday school, make him worthy to be long and gratefully remembered, as one of the noblest and most generous benefactors in the community in which he lives.

Others that have been ordained and are still serving as ruling elders in this church are Willis Buffington, ordained Sept. 7, 1902; and Garfield Pratt, son of James, April 9, 1911.

The succession of pastors of the New Hope church has been as follows:

Wiley Homer, an elder and catechist in the Beaver Dam church at Grant, as an aid to Parson Stewart conducted most of the services during his last two years, 1887 to 1889.

This church in 1913 reports 26 members and 59 in the Sunday school. In all probability it was the second church organized by Parson Stewart.

ST. PAUL CHURCH, EAGLETOWN

In 1877, Parson Charles W. Stewart of Doaksville began to hold occasional religious services in the colored settlement at Eagletown, and Saint Paul Presbyterian church was organized in 1878.

Rev. Charles Copling, a missionary to the Choctaws also conducted an occasional service among the colored people, during the year preceding the organization of the church.

The elders ordained at the time of organization were Elijah Butler, Primas Richards and Solomon Pitchlyn. In 1885 William Butler was ordained to supply the vacancy, occasioned by the removal of Elijah Butler, and Primas Richards to Lukfata, where they became that year two of the first elders of the Mount Gilead church. William Butler continued to serve as an elder until 1897, when, as a licentiate of the Presbytery, he became the stated supply of St. Paul and Forest Presbyterian churches. Shepherd Riley served a number of years as an elder of this church. Those serving as elders in 1913 are Calvin Burris, Monroe Lewis, George Burris and Adam Lewis.

The ministers serving Saint Paul have been:

William Butler, a favorite son and elder of this church, continuing to serve it acceptably in the pastorate ever since he was made a licentiate in connection with Forest has made a very noble record. He is a pastor who has acquired the art of emphasizing in a very pleasant way the word "come."

MOUNT GILEAD CHURCH, LUKFATA

The Mount Gilead church at Lukfata was organized July 26, 1885, by a committee of the Presbytery of Choctaw, consisting of Rev. John Edwards, superintendent of Wheelock Academy, and Elder Charley Morris, a Choctaw. The members enrolled on this date were:

Elijah Butler and Amanda Butler, his wife; Elisha Butler and Vina Butler, his wife; Easter Butler, Francis Butler, Jane Butler, Francis Burris, Daniel Burris, Kate Burris, Primas Richards, Rhoda Butler, Nelson Butler and Adaline Butler.—14.

Elijah Butler and Elisha Butler, his son, and Primas Richards were elected and ordained as the first elders. On Jan. 29, 1896, Matthew Richards was ordained an elder.

This church was called "Mount Gilead," the home of the prophet Elijah, in honor of Elijah Butler, one of the first elders, who, having served a few years as one of the first elders of Saint Paul church, conducted the first religious meetings among the colored people, that led to the organization of this Presbyterian church at Lukfata.

Parson Charles W. Stewart held occasional services in the neighborhood of Lukfata, two or three years before the church was organized in 1885, and then continued to be its monthly supply during the next five years.

In 1890 it was grouped with St. Paul church at Eagletown and supplied by Rev. William G. Ogburn from that place. From 1895 to 1899 it was supplied by Rev. John H. Sleeper, who then moved to Frogville. From 1901 to 1903 it was served by Rev. Samuel Gladman, who then took charge of Bethany near Wheelock.

Rev. Thompson K. Bridges, after serving and organizing Ebenezer church at Lehigh the previous year, located at Lukfata in the fall of 1903, and has been the local teacher and regular supply of the church, since that date, a period of eleven years.

XLIII

PARSON CHARLES W. STEWART

DOAKSVILLE, 1823-1896.

This pioneer circuit rider of the Choctaw Freedmen came forth from a period of slavery, to the Choctaw Indians in the wilds of Indian Territory, that covered the first 42 years of his life. His home was afterwards located near the Kiamichi river, seven miles west of Doaksville. He grew to manhood and always lived in an unimproved, sparsely settled timber country in an obscure and inaccessible corner of the world.

Taking John the Baptist, as his ideal of a good christian worker, he became the leading herald of the gospel message to his people, first in the valley of the Kiamichi, and then going forth in every direction in the larger valley of Red river, he established a monthly circuit of preaching stations, that included the most thickly settled neighborhoods of the colored people in the territory, now included in Choctaw and McCurtain counties. Like John, he seems never to have sat before a camera long enough to leave the world his portrait, and, though serving faithfully as a minister more than 25 years he never enjoyed the privilege and pleasure of attending a meeting of the General Assembly.

Judging him, however, by the results of his work, the circle of churches established and acceptably served for an unusually long period of years, and the number of talented young men, whom he discovered, in the communities visited, and enthused with the longing desire and ambition to become leaders of their race especially useful and efficient teachers and preachers of the gospel, he proved himself worthy to be rated as one of the most aggressive and successful of the early leaders of his race.

PERIOD OF SLAVERY, 1823-1866

Charles W. Stewart was a native of Alabama, and, at the age of ten in 1833, was transported with the Choctaws, to whom as a slave he belonged, to the southeastern part of Indian Territory. John Homer was then his master, and he located about three miles northeast of the present town of Grant, His first marriage occurred, while he was serving Homer. The wedding of one of Homer's daughters occurred a few years later, and his wife was assigned to serve in the home of the newly married daughter. She located in a distant part of the reservation, and he was thus deprived of his first wife, Charlotte Homer.

Charles Stewart, a white man, keeping store at Doaksville, soon afterwards became his owner, and his previous name, "Homer" was then changed to "Stewart", after the name of his new master. About the year 1860, Samson Folsom, a Choctaw who lived eight miles southeast of old Goodland, became his new and last owner.

PERIOD OF FREEDOM, 1866-1896

He began to hold religious meetings as early as 1856, when he belonged to Stewart, and lived at Doaksville. Mrs. Stewart, who had been a missionary teacher, encouraged him to learn to read and furnished him with books for that purpose. Rev. Cyrus Kingsbury, pastor of the Choctaw church, gave him the instruction in the Bible, that fitted him for the work of the ministry, and accorded to him the privilege of holding meetings in the church, for his people, on occasional Sabbath afternoons.

He was accorded ordination by the Presbytery of Indian (southern) in the fall of 1870, and was then officially assigned the pastoral care of the congregations he had previously developed at Doaksville and its vicinity, and at Wheelock, or Oak Hill. He greatly appreciated the recognitions accorded to him by the Presbytery, which had previously given him a license to preach; and he endeavored to magnify his office, as an evangelist, by going to the "regions beyond," as fast as the door of opportunity opened for him. During the early sixties he gathered new congregations for worship at his home on the Folsom farm and in the Horse Prairie neighborhood. The Oak Hill appointment was established soon after he was accorded his freedom.

During the year 1883, the evangelistic work among the Freedmen in Indian Territory, was voluntarily transferred by the Southern to the Northern Presbyterian church, with the conviction the latter was better prepared to successfully prosecute it. At the time of this transfer Charles W. Stewart was enrolled as an ordained minister and designated as the Stated Supply of the following organized churches: Beaver Dam, Hebron, New Hope, Oak Hill and St. Paul. During the next two years three more of his appointments, Mt. Gilead, Forest and Horse Prairie were enrolled, as the fruit of his labors, and added to his circuit. At this early date he had also a preaching station at Caddo near Durant, and the distance across his circuit of appointments, from Caddo eastward to St. Paul at Eagletown, was 118 miles.

In 1886 when the Synod of Indian Territory was formed by the union of three Presbyteries having 24 ministers, his circuit included 8 of the 43 churches that were then enrolled. He continued to serve all of these churches four more years.

Previous to this latter date, 1890, he was the first and only Presbyterian minister that preached the gospel to the colored people of Indian Territory. During that period, he laid the foundation for most of the churches, that are now enrolled in the Presbytery of Kiamichi and give employment to a half dozen ministers. He was now advanced in years and beginning to feel the infirmities of age. He relinquished, in favor of two new men from a distance, all of his circuit of churches, except Oak Hill and Forest, which he continued to serve three more years, or until 1893. He was then at the age of 70 honorably retired by the Presbytery, after a long and remarkably successful career in the gospel ministry.

CIRCUIT OF CHURCHES

The following exhibit of the churches he established and served is as nearly correct as it is possible at this date to make it.

About 1890, he moved to a home near Forest church, and died there at 73, April 8, 1896; after an aggressive ministry of more than twenty-five years after his licensure, which had been preceded by nearly ten years of earnest volunteer service for the betterment of his people. He was buried in the Crittenden grave yard.

He left three children, the offspring of his marriage to Catherine Perry, namely, Thomas, Betty married to Benjamin Roebuck, and Harriet, married to Rev. Pugh A. Edwards.

In 1886, after the death of Catherine, he married the widow of Jeffers Perkins, and she died at 65 in 1905, survived by seven of twelve children by her first marriage, namely, Charles and Louis Perkins, Mrs. R. D. Arnold, Fredonia Allen, Virginia Williams (d. 1913), Fidelia Murchison and Jane Parrish.

CHARACTERISTICS AS A PREACHER

Charles W. Stewart was a man of medium height and rather stout build. The rugged features of his face suggested a man, possessing strong and sturdy elements of character. He grew to manhood under circumstances and changes that made an early education impossible. His education, which was very limited was acquired by the private study of a primer, catechism, Bible and other books, furnished him by Mrs. Stewart, his real owner, and, Rev. Cyrus Kingsbury (d. 1870).

Parson Stewart was a faithful christian worker, who did not become weary in well doing. He made his long journeys on horseback. He endeavored to arrive at his monthly appointments the previous day so as to have time for the discipline or reinstatement of wayward members, or hold an evangelistic meeting. He manifested so much of hopeful enthusiasm in his work that he seemed unmindful of the loneliness and wearisomeness of the long journeys in the wilderness and regarded it merely as a passing incident, when he had to spend a day or even a night in the timber, waiting for the overflow of flooded streams to subside, so he could safely ford them.

He was an aggressive christian worker. He strived to preach the gospel, "not where Christ was named, lest he should build upon another man's foundation," but, as it is written, "To whom he was not spoken of they shall see, and they that have not heard shall understand." He was on the alert to hear the cry of Macedonia, "Come over and help us," and he was always ready to enter and hold a new field while his strength lasted. When he was licensed, all the land of the Choctaw Nation seemed to be spread out before him, as his field of effort, as the land of Canaan was before Joshua, when the Lord encouraged him to be "strong, very courageous and possess it," for his people. He knew he had the "book of the law," that his people needed and his whole nature seemed to be enthused with the promise, "Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you." His ambition, to carry the message of gospel light and liberty into new settlements of his people, was limited by the necessity laid upon him, to continue to serve those he had already acquired.

He was an enthusiastic Presbyterian. He frequently delighted, as well as instructed the people, by explaining to them the Bible, by repeating familiar portions of the shorter Catechism and Confession of Faith. These were his most familiar and best commentaries on the Bible. He encouraged the elders, to become leaders of meetings, and teachers of the people, by maintaining regular Sabbath services, for the study of the Bible and Catechism, to promote their spiritual welfare.

He was a forceful and acceptable preacher. In his later years he was sometimes slow in finding the hymn, Scripture lesson and text. But when he found the hymn, it was always one the people could sing, and in leading them with his own powerful voice, he needed neither tuning fork or organ accompaniment. He read the Scripture with such a variety of emphasis, as to awaken the desire to catch every word. In the delivery of his message he manifested so much sincerity and earnestness, that every one felt he was speaking to them "direct from the shoulder."

He grew in favor with the people. He held, to the end of his life-long ministry, the love and affection of the people, whom he served. He saw their need of teachers and preachers, and encouraged the young people in every neighborhood, to prepare themselves to supply that need. As a direct result of his personal influence and encouragement, Wiley Homer, Richard D. Colbert, William Butler, Elisha Butler, Simon Folsom and others came to be recognized, as efficient Bible teachers and religious leaders, in their respective settlements. Acceptable and permanent preachers could not be found, for the group of churches from which Stewart retired in 1890, until Homer, Colbert and Butler were licensed, and two churches assigned to each of them.

The worthy veteran lived long enough to see Wiley Homer licensed in 1893 and become his successor at Beaver Dam and Hebron, The other two were licensed in 1897, the year after he "entered into the joy of his Lord." It was not until this year, when, John H. Sleeper continuing to serve Mt. Gilead, William Butler became his successor at St. Paul and Forest, and R. D. Colbert was assigned New Hope and Sandy Branch, that all of the churches in the circuit of Stewart had regular supplies.

He was a real pioneer "circuit rider," who has left the good impression of his personal work, upon the colored people of a large section of country and of him it may well be said:

"He was a faithful circuit rider—though a slave in his youth; His artless earnest sermons were the simple tale of truth, How the Son of God who loved us, left a scepter, crown and throne, All the joys of highest heaven, to go, seek and save his own."

The opportunity to prepare the foregoing tribute to the memory of Charles W. Stewart, and give it an historic setting in this volume, has been greatly appreciated by the author. Rising above the limitations of his condition as a slave, during the first half of his natural life, he consecrated himself to the betterment of his race and thus, under the most unfavorable circumstances, prepared himself for the wider field and greater opportunities, that came to him with the dawn of freedom.

This story of noble achievement by one of their own number, is well worthy of long and careful preservation; that it may thrill to noble endeavor, the present and future generations of the Choctaw Freedmen.

XLIV

REV. WILEY HOMER

It has been said, "some men are born great, some have greatness thrust upon them, while others achieve greatness." Many, however, who have inherited a great name, wealth or power have failed to meet the expectation of their parents and friends. When, therefore, any one, reared in the home of poverty and educated in the school of "hard knocks," rises above the unfavorable limitations of his surroundings and achieves a noble career of eminent usefulness in church or state, he merits commendation.

The subject of this sketch is a good illustration of the self-made man. He inherited good lungs, a strong voice and a splendid physique. He is really a physical giant, his stalwart frame towering upward six feet, and tipping the beam at 265 pounds. His erect and dignified movements have made him a commanding figure among his people. His constant endeavor to promote their best interests has made him a popular leader among them. A slave by birth and denied the privilege of books and papers, lest he should learn to read, his eager desire for knowledge led him to devise ways and means of self-education, to enable him to rise above the fetters that bound him in youth. His successful career as a minister of the gospel, serving the same people amongst whom he was born and raised during the entire period of his active ministerial life, was as unusual and worthy of special commendation, as it was long and useful.

Wiley Homer was born March 1, 1851, in the south part of the Choctaw Nation, known as the Red river valley. His parents were Isam McCoy and Adaline Shoals, who lived about three miles northeast of the present town of Grant. As his parents were called after the family name of their masters, in accordance with the usual custom in slavery times, he was called "Homer" after the name of his master, John Homer, a full-blood Choctaw.

LEARNING THE ALPHABET

His self-education began, when at fourteen, he was employed as a cowboy, to herd cattle on the little prairies and hunt them, when scattered through the timber. The timber was a general pasture for the cattle of everybody, and their ownership was told by the brand which consisted of the initial letters of the owner's names, burned on the hip, or back of each. It became necessary for him, to learn how to distinguish these brands, one from another, for he was sometimes asked to hunt the cattle of other people. To do this he began by drawing the outline of familiar brands in the dust or sand, where the ground was smooth, and then on slips of paper. In a short time, the list on the paper slips included the brand of every owner in the settlement, and nearly all the letters of the alphabet.

A man once called on his employer, Samson Loring, to see if he could hunt his cattle. When asked if he could identify the new brand, "A. B.", he took a stick and, stooping down before them, drew the outline of these letters, in the loose sand of the road. On seeing this performance one remarked to the other, "That boy will make a smart nigger." That remark was a source of considerable encouragement to him, and awakened the desire, to take advantage of every opportunity to gain knowledge.

LEARNING TO READ

When, at 16 in 1867, he was accorded his freedom he obtained a primer and first reader, and undertook to master these by private study. About four years later, a testament and shorter Catechism were given him. He now had what was regarded as a good library for a young man and he applied himself to the reading and study of these books, in the evenings and other periods of spare time. The testament was frequently taken to the field when plowing, in order that he might learn to read a verse or two, while the team was resting, or get a neighbor, passing on the road, to read it for him. The reading of the testament soon awakened a desire to be a teacher and preacher, and this greatly increased his interest in the study of that book.

He learned to sing from his mother, who greatly enjoyed whiling away spare hours on the Sabbath, singing the songs they used to sing in slavery times. The only help of a teacher, that he enjoyed was a period of three months, to enable him to read the Bible aloud correctly. This instruction was given only on Sabbath afternoons, and for it he had to cut and split for the teacher 250 oak rails.

THE MAN WHO BUILT THE ARBOR

The story of the incidents, that prepared the way and providentially led him into the ministry, is as novel and interesting as the one relating to his method of learning the alphabet.

When he had learned to read portions of the Testament and Catechism there were no meetings held in his neighborhood on the Sabbath, for the religious instruction of the colored people. He had a good voice and loved to sing. He had experienced as much joy and delight in learning to read the Bible, as many do, when they learn to play a musical instrument. He longed for an opportunity to read the Bible for others.

This yearning first took the form of a prayer, that God would provide for them a church or place for meeting. When this prayer had been offered a few times, at the foot of an oak tree in the timber he told others of his earnest desire for a church; and proposed to some friends, that they unite with him in building an arbor in the timber for a meeting place. This proposal was not taken very seriously, and yet none of his friends cared to oppose it. A day was finally appointed and all, who were interested, were requested to meet at the place selected for the arbor, and help to build it.

On the morning of that day, he went alone to the appointed place, which was near the oak tree at the foot of which he had before knelt in prayer, and by noon he had cut and erected the frame. Another friend arrived in the afternoon and assisted to cover it with branches of trees and supply it with seats.

On the day following, which was the Sabbath, the colored people of the neighborhood assembled to see the new arbor and enjoy a meeting. Now it happened that no one present had ever led a meeting, and the first question to be settled was, "who should lead the meeting?" Every one, that was asked to lead it, insisted, "the man who built the arbor" must serve as leader of the meeting.

Young Homer accepted the situation and led the meeting in the best manner possible. The exercises consisted of a prayer, the reading of a familiar passage from the Bible, some remarks by the leader and others, and the singing from memory of a few plantation melodies, such as "Kentucky Home," "Swanee River", and "The Angels Are Coming to Carry Me Home."

At the second meeting, which was held on the following Sabbath, the people were formed into a class for instruction in the Bible and catechism, and Homer was chosen to be the leader. This was the organization of the Sunday school for that neighborhood.

At this meeting Homer offered prayer the first time in the presence of others; and it happened in this way. When he called on the friend, who led in prayer at the first meeting to do so again, he politely declined, saying: "Homer you lead in prayer, yourself."

A TEACHER, ELDER AND PREACHER

This arbor, which was the tiny beginning of the Beaver Dam church, was built in 1873, the year after he became of age. The next year this place was visited by Rev. Charles W. Stewart, and it then became one of his regular monthly appointments. Homer was again appointed Bible teacher and leader of the meetings, on the other Sabbaths.

In 1875 a church house or meeting place was built of saplings, near the old arbor, that continued to be used for many years.

In 1881 he was elected as the first elder of the church, and in 1887 was appointed a Catechist. Encouraged by these recognitions and duties he secured a good library of religious books including a Bible dictionary and a Webster. He read many of them with great profit, and was soon recognized as an intelligent and valuable instructor of the people. The Bible and the shorter Catechism, the one containing all of Bible truth and the other, a brief compend of Bible doctrine, were the two books that were studied most and proved most helpful.

In 1893 he was licensed to preach by the Presbytery of Choctaw and assigned the pastoral care of Beaver Dam and Hebron churches. On Sept. 28, 1895, by the same Presbytery, meeting at Oak Hill Academy, now known as the Alice Lee Memorial, he was ordained to the full work of the gospel ministry. He continued to serve Beaver Dam, his old home church, until Oct. 1, 1912, when, after a pastorate of twenty years, he was honorably retired from the active work of the gospel ministry. In 1904 he secured the erection of a commodious chapel at Grant that, during the next five years, served also as the most convenient place for holding the neighborhood school. After serving Hebron about ten years on alternate Sabbaths, in connection with Beaver Dam, he relinquished that field and served Sandy Branch and Horse Prairie, each a short period.

When the Presbytery of Kiamichi met in the new chapel at Grant, in April 1905, he conducted the Bible lesson for the entire Sunday school, as had been his custom ever since the early days. The writer was pleasantly surprised and profoundly impressed, by his scholarly and highly instructive management of it, and the many useful, practical lessons he endeavored to impress.

THE POWER OF THE BIBLE

Wiley Homer is a good practical illustration of what the Bible is intended to do for all men. If he were asked, what book, in the process of his self-education, had proved most valuable to him, he would unhesitatingly reply, "the Bible." His prayer in regard to it has been that of David in the 119th Psalm, "Let my heart be sound in thy statutes," and his testimony, that of David in the 19th Psalm, "The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure making wise the simple. The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart, the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes."

If he were to name the next most helpful book, it would be, The Shorter Catechism, with the statement on its first page, that, "The chief end of man is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever."

The private study of the Bible and Catechism prepared him for life-long usefulness as a teacher, discovered to him and his people his divine call to the ministry and enabled him to do the most important work of his life. He has been a faithful and efficient teacher of these two books, but of these only, to all the people and, as a result, he has become recognized as their spiritual leader.

The habit of private study, formed while learning to read the Bible, fitted him to search for knowledge in other fields of literature, and he has thus become one of the most intelligent, highly respected and successful citizens of the community in which he lives.

He has been an ardent friend and promoter of education among his people. When in 1889, it was decided to make the school at Oak Hill an industrial institution, he donated two head of cattle to start the herd. He has ever since taken a personal interest in the welfare of that institution. During recent years, he has made one or two visits each year, for the purpose of delivering special lectures and sermons to the young people gathered there. He thus brought to them the encouragement of his own word and example, in solving the problems of their education and life-work.

A COMMISSIONER TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, SIX TIMES

He has enjoyed the unusual distinction of having been chosen a commissioner and to have represented his Presbytery in the General Assembly, five times during the last fourteen years as a minister, and once before as a ruling elder, making six times in 24 years. The times and places of these meetings were as follows: In 1889, New York; in 1899, Minneapolis; in 1901, Philadelphia; in 1903, Los Angeles; in 1905, Winona Lake, Ind.; in 1913, Atlanta, Georgia. In attending these great meetings he has passed over the entire length and breadth of this land. To appreciate the unusual character of this privilege and honor it is merely necessary to state the fact, that the eminent man, who was chosen Moderator of the Assembly at Atlanta in 1913, Rev. John Timothy Stone, D. D. of Chicago, was attending the Assembly on that occasion, the first time as a commissioner; and Rev. Charles W. Stewart, the worthy founder of Presbyterianism among the Choctaw Freedmen, never so much as got there once.

These frequent voluntary recognitions, on the part of his brethren in the Presbytery, suggest the power of leadership he has modestly, but always exercised among them. His brethren have found him a wise and prudent counselor, and an unselfish helper; and he has always been held in the highest esteem by them.

A LIFE-LONG LEADER OF THE CHURCH HE FOUNDED

He has been a man of strong and positive convictions and a persevering worker for the moral and spiritual uplift of his people. He learned from his own early experience as a slave, the trials and urgent needs of his people and, as the way became clear before him, he consecrated himself unreservedly to the promotion of their welfare.

As a preacher he has emphasized the necessity of repentance and forgiveness of sins, willing obedience to all the commands of Christ, and the joyous rewards of faithful service. As he surveys the progress of recent years, he sees the fulfilment of Isaiah's prediction, "The people, that walked in darkness, have seen a great light, they that dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined."

Thirty years have now passed, since he began to hold the ever memorable meetings, in the little arbor in the timber. Ever since that date he has been the faithful Bible instructor of all the people, during the lesson hour of the Sunday school, and the resident pastor of the Presbyterian church for twenty years. The cozy chapel, and the good congregation of happy christian people, that regularly meet there for worship and Bible study, are visible reminders of his consecrated genius and unselfish devotion to the best interests of his people.

Wiley Homer and Laney Colbert were married in 1867 and their family consisted of ten children, of whom five died in childhood and youth. Those that are living are Susan, Mary Shoals, Hattie Lewis, Sarah Williams and Lincoln.

In 1890, after the death of Laney, he married Rhody Tutt; and in 1906, after her decease, Lizzie Homer.

In October 1912, he was granted by the Presbytery, an honorable retirement from the performance of the public duties required of the active ministry. As the sunset of life approaches, and the shadows lengthen toward the closing day, he enjoys the consciousness of a well spent life, as a source of comfort and consolation to sustain and strengthen, until the recording angel shall proclaim, the gracious benediction, "Well done good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord."

HAYSTACK MEETING

The use of the shadow of the oak tree, and later of the arbor near it, as a place for prayer and worship, reminds one of the historic prayer meeting that was held near Williamstown, in 1806, when Samuel J. Mills, and four other students of Williams college, Newell, Nott, Hall and Judson, met in the shadow of a haystack and united in prayer, that God would fit them and prepare the way for them to carry the gospel into heathen lands.

After making two tours to the southwest as far as New Orleans, distributing and selling Bibles and organizing Bible societies, Mills made the suggestion, that led to the organization of the American Bible society in New York, May 11, 1816; and to the Synod of New York, the plan of educating negroes to carry the gospel to Africa. In 1817 he was sent as a missionary to Western Africa, including Sierra Leone. He died on the homeward voyage and like his friend Adoniram Judson, who went to farther India and translated the Bible for the Burmese, was buried in the sea.

XLV

TRIBUTES TO OTHER MINISTERS AND ELDERS

BUTLER.—COLBERT.—GLADMAN.—BRIDGES.—STARKS.—MEADOWS.—AND ELDERS CRITTENDEN.—SHOALS.—FOLSOM.—BUTLER.

"Walk about Zion and go round about her; tell the towers thereof. Mark ye well her bulwarks, consider her palaces; that ye may tell it to the generation following."
—David.

REV. WILLIAM BUTLER