Thirty Years in the Itinerancy

by W. G. Miller

The Juvenile Missionary Society was formed this year, and thereby the Sunday School became an efficient agency in raising Missionary money. In our plan, each class in the School constituted a Missionary Society, taking a distinctive name. The gatherings of the class for a month went into a common fund, and was reported at the monthly meeting. This meeting was held on the last Sabbath of each month, and was usually made an occasion of special interest.

The year now closing had been full of work. Besides my regular labor, and the responsibilities of the Church enterprise, I had rendered considerable service in raising regiments for the war, by delivering addresses in various portions of the State.

From the beginning of the conflict, I greatly desired to go forward with the brave boys and share with them the burdens and perils of the camp and field. But it was the view of many of my friends, and especially of the Central War Committee of the State, that I was doing a better service for my country at home, in seeking to shape public sentiment, than I could render by leading a regiment in the field. Accepting their judgment, I endeavored to fulfil my mission to the best of my ability in the field to which I seemed to be specially called.

The Conference of 1863 was held Oct. 1st, at Waukesha, and was presided over by Bishop Scott. The body again adopted a strong report in support of the Government. At this Conference Delegates to the General Conference were again elected. They were H. Bannister, S.C. Thomas, C.D. Pillsbury and M. Himebaugh. At the close of the session I was returned to Spring Street. My fellow Pastors in the city were Revs. P.B. Pease and George Fellows.

Brother Pease entered the Wisconsin Conference at its session in Fond du Lac, Sept. 1st, 1852. His appointments had been Aztalan, Wauwatosa, Palmyra, Appleton, Kenosha, and Beloit. He remained two years at Summerfield. His subsequent appointments have been Spring Street, Appleton District, and Janesville District, where at the present writing he is doing a good-work.

Brother Pease has a clear head, a sound understanding, and positive convictions. His pulpit ministrations are impressive and practical, his administration wise and reliable, and his intercourse with the people agreeable and spiritual. Wherever he has labored he has left a record of ability and fidelity.

Brother Fellows entered the Wisconsin Conference in 1852, in the same class with Brother Pease. He was stationed at Wauwatosa, Grafton, Hartford, Oconomowoc, Beaver Dam, and Kenosha. He located in 1859, was re-admitted in 1862, and appointed to Asbury the same year. Here he had been engaged in the erection of a new Church. During this year the building was completed, and the old Church changed into a Parsonage. The Church was dedicated by Rev. Dr. Eddy, assisted by Rev. Dr. Tiffany.

In 1864 Brother Fellows located, and for two years served Madison Station. He returned to the Conference in 1866, and was appointed to Oconomowoc. His subsequent fields of labor were Waukesha, Neenah, Menasha, and Cotton Street, Fond du Lac. In 1872 he accepted a Bible Agency, and in 1874 was appointed Presiding Elder of Waupaca District. Brother Fellows is a man of energy, and will doubtless make an efficient Presiding Elder.

On the Spring Street charge the new year opened auspiciously. The accessions of the former year, in connection, with the better Church accommodations, had given to the work a broader basis, and afforded the promise of wider usefulness. From month to month throughout the year, the stakes were strengthened and the cords lengthened. And at its close there was a general feeling of grateful satisfaction.

In 1864 the Conference was held Oct. 5th at Oshkosh, Bishop Scott presiding. At this session Rev. Samuel Fallows was elected Secretary. Brother Fallows, after his graduation from the State University, devoted several years to the profession of teaching, in connection with the Galesville University, in the Northwestern part of the State. He came to the Wisconsin Conference in 1861, and was stationed at Oshkosh. Before the expiration of the year, however, he went out as a Chaplain in the army, in the service of the Thirty-Second Regiment, and at the Conference of 1862, he received his appointment to that post. Having returned from the army his next appointment, in 1863, was Appleton Station. He was reappointed to the same charge in 1864, but before the expiration of the year he became interested in raising a regiment of one hundred days' men, and went out as Lieutenant Colonel. He graduated to the Colonelcy while in the service, and was brevetted as Brigadier General on his return home. The war having closed before the expiration of the Conference year, he returned to the regular work, and received his appointment in 1865 to the Summerfield Station. After serving three years at Summerfield, he was appointed in 1868 to Spring Street. Here he drew to his ministry a large congregation, and had an extensive revival, thereby hastening the erection of a new Church. The building during the second year was enclosed, but was not completed until the close of the following year.