Rev. J.B. Cooper was this year employed to supply Byron charge. This excellent brother entered the traveling connection in the State of New York, where he filled several appointments, but, his health failing, he took a superannuated relation in 1854, and came to Janesville. In 1857 he rendered special service, as before stated, in the great revival of that year, and in 1860 re-entered the regular work in the Wisconsin Conference. His charges have been Evansville, Delavan, Hart Prairie, Byron, Randolph and Rosendale, where he is stationed at the present writing.
Brother Cooper is a good specimen of the Itinerant Preacher. His manner is affable, his spirit genial, and his hand diligent. In all his charges he is deservedly popular.
At one of the Quarterly Meetings of this charge, I was approached, at the close of the morning services, by a gentleman who enquired whether I came from the State of New York. On learning that I did, he further enquired whether I attended, when a boy, Prof. McLaren's Academy at Gallupville. I informed him that I was there several years. "Well," said he, "are you the one who measured the shote?" I replied, "Tell me about it, and we will see." He then related the following incident: "At the time to which I refer there was a boy about thirteen years old who was very proficient in figures, and the Professor took great pleasure in giving him difficult problems to solve during the dinner hour. On one of these occasions, as the Professor was going across the green for his dinner, the boy met him and asked for a problem. Looking up, he saw a half grown hog near by, and quickly replied, 'Give me the cubic inches of that shote.' And, supposing he had got a good joke on the boy, he passed on. But as soon as he was fairly out of sight, the boy called together several other boys, and stated the case to them, adding, 'Now, boys, if you will help me to catch that shote, we will show the Professor a thing that they have never done in Edinburgh.' The boys consented, and his hogship was soon made a prisoner. Under a vigorous vocal protest, he was then dragged to the back end of the Academy building, and plunged into a half hogshead of water. After his release, of course, the vacant space in the hogshead, caused by the displacing of the water, represented the actual size of the shote. In five minutes more, the cubic inches were obtained, and on the return of the Professor the answer was ready for him." The story was well told, and I was obliged to confess to the impeachment.
During this, the last year of my second term on the Fond du Lac District, my strength was taxed to its utmost. Besides the regular Quarterly Meetings, I had made it my earnest concern to aid all the Preachers on the District in their work as far as possible. During the winter this service was largely rendered in protracted meetings, and during the summer in Church enterprises. In fact, the latter branch of labor had been made a specialty during the entire term. And as a result, two Churches had been dedicated in Fond du Lac, three on the Chilton charge, three on the Hingham work, one on the Byron, two on the Markesan, one on the Brandon, one on the Rosendale, one on the Fox Lake, one on the Empire, and one on the Horicon and Juneau, besides quite a number that were remodeled and largely improved. Including both classes, we had had on the District during the term twenty-two Church enterprises. Extensive revivals had occurred, and we were now able to report an increase of eight hundred and seventy-seven members.
CHAPTER XXIV.
Conference of 1869.--Stationed at Ripon.--First Visit.--Rev. E.J. Smith.--Rev. Byron Kingsbury.--Sabbath School.--Early Record of the Station.--Church Enterprises.--Rev. William Morse.--Rev. Joseph Anderson.--Revival.--Church Enlargement.--Berlin.--Early History.--Rev. Isaac Wiltse.--Conference of 1870.--Returned to Ripon.--Marriage of our Second Daughter.--A Happy Year.--Close of our Labors.
The Conference of 1869 was held September 23d at Appleton, Bishop Scott presiding. My term on the District had now expired, and a new appointment must follow. Several of the strongest charges opened their doors, but for reasons that were quite satisfactory both to myself and the good people, I was stationed at Ripon.
The following week I started for my new field of labor. As before stated, I had visited this locality in 1845, it then being known as Ceresco. But, besides a casual visit and a week's stay during the session of the Conference, I had enjoyed limited opportunities to maintain an acquaintance with the people or the charge. I reached the city Saturday afternoon, and immediately, satchel in hand, started down Main Street to find some one who might invite me to lodgings. I had not gone far when I saw a gentleman hastily crossing the street to intercept me. On approaching I found it to be Rev. E.J. Smith, a Local Preacher, to whom reference has been made in former chapters in connection with Fall River. I had learned of his removal to Ripon, but was hardly prepared to meet my old friend so suddenly, and receive such a hearty greeting. An invitation to lodgings immediately followed, and I joyfully accepted, remembering the kind hospitality this noble family had given me in other days.
After chatting over the past, and taking some refreshments, my old friend took me out to a multitude of introductions among the brethren. I found them all cordial, and began to feel quite at home among them. Passing down Main Street, we visited the Church, a building of respectable size and comparatively new, and passing down still further into the borders of what was formerly known as Ceresco proper, we found the Parsonage. This little walk of Saturday gave me an outline of the lay of things, and helped me to poise my head and arrange my thoughts for the Sabbath.