in, and lasted several years, entailing great suffering among the settlers. A. G. White, with the experience and training acquired by four years as presiding elder of the Omaha district, was equal to the occasion. He at once went to the older eastern states, laid the needs of the sufferers on the hearts of the generous people, and soon started streams of beneficence which made it possible for many of these pioneers to weather the storm and remain on their homesteads. By the help thus secured the church held her ground, and the brave presiding elder and his heroic preachers remained on the field, faithfully proclaiming the Gospel to the people and sharing with them the hardships of the occasion.
   As this condition of things continued during nearly all of Mr. White's administration. partially suspending immigration, and causing not a few to become discouraged and leave the country, it could not be expected under these circumstances that the church could more than hold its own. To have done so would have been a great achievement. But, as a matter of fact, the church in the portion of his district now embraced in the West Nebraska Conference nearly doubled its membership during his four-years term, increasing from 588 members and probationers in 1873 to 1,044 in 1877.
   After serving the full term of four years on the Keaney district Mr. White was ap-

FIRST METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH BUILT IN NEBRASKA

Built at Nebraska City in 1856

pointed to the Lincoln district and afterward served one or two pastoral charges, and then, in the prime of his life and in the midst of his usefulness, passed to his eternal reward. He died at his home in Lincoln, Nebraska, November 3, 1883. It occurred in his case as he had often expressed the wish that it would, for he "ceased at once to work and live."
   If the church in the western part of the state was fortunate in having such a leader as. A. G. White during the trying time of the grasshopper scourge, it was equally fortunate in having a skilful (sic) organizer and leader like T. B. Lemon during the years of its rapid growth which followed. Dr. Lemon was appointed to the Kearney district in 1877, and in addition to the heroic men he found on the field, soon gathered around him a band of enthuisastic (sic) workers. The work grew rapidly under his administration, and the twenty-seven charges which he found on the Kearney district in 1877 increased to thirty-seven in 1880, when it was deemed expedient to organize the district with slight modfication (sic) in boundary lines, into the West Nebraska mission. Dr. Lemon was appointed superintendent of missions.
   His work now rapidly extended along the Elkhorn river from Holt county as far west as Valentine, and along the Union Pacific railroad as far as Sidney, and up the Republi-

can river as far as the west line of the state. The growth was such that in 1885 the Mission Conference was erected into the West Nebraska annual conference.
   Soon after the organization of the West Nebraska Conference Dr. Lemon, by reason of advancing age and increasing physical infirmities, felt constrained to retire from the work in west Nebraska. About this time, however, he took an important part in the founding of the Nebraska Wesleyan University, and was for some time the financial agent. But increasing feebleness soon made it necessary to relinquish all work, and along with his devoted wife, he found a restful home with his daughter, Mrs. J. W. Maynard, in Omaha, where, on February 19, 1890, he passed to his reward. He had been three times elected delegate to the General Conference, and was held in high esteem by many of the prominent men of the church outside of the state, and was greatly beloved by those who knew him best.
   Among the efficient men who wrought with Dr. Lemon at this time was P. C. Johnson, D.D. He was transferred from the New Jersey Conference to Nebraska in 1876. After filling several important pastorates, among them Eighteenth street and south Tenth street, Omaha, North Platte, and Grand Island, he was appointed presiding elder of the Grand Island district in 1883. This district embraced an area equal to forty-five counties, and to serve it Dr. Johnson traveled 7,000 miles in a single year. He afterward served as presiding elder of the Republican district.
   Of Dr. Johnson, one of his coworkers at this time -- Rev. Jos. Buckley -- writes: "We all loved him. Indeed, he was very popular throughout the district. His administration as presiding elder was marked by fairness and courtesy. He was frank, manly, and true. His quarterly visitations were hailed with delight by both preachers and people." He has twice been elected delegate to the General Conference, and is still in the active work, being at present an honored member of the Nebraska Conference and chaplain at the state penitentiary.
   Of the more than thirty preachers doing faithful work in the West Nebraska mission and conference during these years, only a few can even be mentioned for want of space. Of these C. A. Mastin still remains on the field; C. A. Hale was transferred to Nebraska Conference and died suddenly on the 23d of December, 1905; J. R. Gortner went as a missionary to Africa, dying of the African fever a few months after his arrival; Joel A. Smith went as a missionary to India, and Leslie Stevens, after serving the Sidney and

REV. JACOB ADRIANCE

Kearney districts, was appointed superintendent of the Central China mission.
   The West Nebraska Conference continued to expand its borders, and in 1893 the northern portion was organized into what is now the Northwest Nebraska Conference. Following Dr. Johnson, Dr. G. W. Martin, T. C. Webster, and A. R. Julian have in turn served as presiding elders and contributed valuable service to the building up of this, the last formed of the Nebraska conferences. Chas. H. Burleigh, W. O. Glassner, J. A. Scamahorn, and P. H. Eighmy, along with a number

of others that deserve to be mentioned, have also done efficient work. The last two have served as presiding elders.
   At the session of the Nebraska Conference at York, beginning September 14, 1881, it was decided to divide the conference by the organization of the North Nebraska Conference, which was consumated (sic) at Fremont, September 14, 1882, by Bishop Merrill. The two conferences extended as far west as the

REV. PORTER C. JOHNSON, D.D.

West Nebraska mission, the Platte river constituting the dividing line between them. The following named preachers constituted the first conference: Jacob Adriance, J. B. Maxfield, J. B. Leedom, David Marquette, J. W. Shenk, S. P. Van Doozer, W. F. Warren, Z. S. Rhone A. Hodbetts, Jabez Charles, W. M. Worley, J. R. Wolf, J. L. St Clair, W. H. Carter, J. Q. A. Fleharty, John P. Roe, J. M. Adair, J. W. Stewart, D. S. Davis, J. Fowler, W. F. Grundy, C. V. Heywood, J. R. Gearhart, E. G. Fowler, J. B. Priest, and D. C. Winship.
   Having traced the history of Methodism in Nebraska till its rapid growth has extended over the entire state, and the organization of its four conferences has-been effected, it will now be necessary very briefly to note some of the important features of the last period following the organization of the North Nebraska Conference in 1882.
   A characteristic feature of Methodist policy has been to carry the Gospel into the rural neighborhood as well as into the towns and cities. To do this it has been necessary to divide the missionary money appropriated to the conferences for domestic missions into very small amounts for each mission. In 1878 Dr. Maxwell reports that while the Methodist pastors on the North Nebraska district received on the average only $73 from the mission fund the pastor of another denomination on the same field received an average of over $400. Of the $5,000 missionary money appropriated to the entire state in 1880 no pastor received as much as $100, while the average for the seventy-one receiving help was only $50. Of these seventy-one missionaries, 38 received not to exceed $300 from their respective charges, and many much less. One reported only $41, and another received only $15. Surely nothing but the overmastering conviction that the people of every neighborhood, rural as well as urban, must have the Gospel, whether the preacher got a comfortable support or not, could have induced these preachers to make the sacrifices involved, or justified the church in requiring it. Happy for Methodism and the state that there were always found devoted men who would voluntarily and even cheerfully go to these out-of the-way places on these hard terms.
   An era of church and parsonage building set in about this time. At the conference in York in 1881 the number of Methodist churches reported for the entire state was 102, valued at $199,000, and the number of parsonage was 56, valued, at $41,000. In 1903 the number of churches for the entire state was 574, valued at $1,592,000, and the number of parsonages was 321, valued at $330,525. Thus it will be seen that the Methodists of Nebraska during these twenty years dedicated two churches every month,

on an average, investing in the work over $1,000 every week. Besides all this a large number of new edifices were erected to take the place of old ones, which had become too small.
   During this last period the church has given special attention to perfecting the organization of its forces. Sunday school methods have been improved; her young people have been organized into Epworth Leagues, and the women into home and foreign missionary societies.
   The Methodists of Nebraska have been in hearty sympathy with all moral reforms. They were opposed to slavery in the '50s, and loyal to the government in the '60s. They have occupied an advanced position on the temperance question, and whenever the issue has been distinctly drawn, as in the contest in 1890 for a constitutional amendment, have been unanimously arrayed against the saloon.

   It was not till this last period that the church found it possible to enter upon its long cherished work of Christian education. It is, however, characteristic of the church that the first enterprise of any kind projected was Simpson University, as far back as 1855, for which the Methodists of the ambitious city of Omaha secured from the legislature an act of incorporation. To furnish a financial basis for the institution. Rev. Moses F. Shinn gave fifty acres of land and T. B. Cuming, acting governor, gave twenty-five. This tract of land, lying as it does just north of Cuming street, has since become very valuable, being in the heart of a fine residence portion of the city. But a disputed title, involving long years of litigation, made it impossible for the Methodists of Omaha to consummate the project, and unwise for the church to make it its own by conference action. A year or two after this an effort was made to establish a center of learning, including a theological school, at Oreapolis, near the mouth of the Platte river. Along with other prominent business men John Evans, M.D., was the projector. He had a few years before helped to found what is now the great Northwestern University, the city which grew up around it being named Evanston in his honor. He afterwards became governor of Colorado, and was one of the principal founders of Denver University. These facts are mentioned to show that this enterprise at Orepolis (sic) was not wholly visionary, though, being premature and started in unpropitious times, it was doomed to failure. Though after this the conference frequently received offers from ambitious localities, of lands and subscriptions, it was usually to found a college "or a university," and the conference wisely refused to undertake to maintain an institution of that grade. So it was not till the conference which met in Lincoln in October, 1879, that the Methodist church of Nebraska officially began its long deferred work of Christian education by accepting a proposition from York, Nebraska, to establish York Seminary. This institution located in a thrifty section of the state, and in a town in which there never has been a saloon, opened for work January 7, 1880, under the principalship of Dr. Edward Thompson. The school did splendid work under the management of Professor Thompson and also during the presidency of Dr. R. N. McCraig, who succeeded Professor Thompson in 1885, and in the meanwhile it was raised to the rank of a college. The attendance at one time reached over 200.
   In 1884, two years after its organization, the North Nebraska Conference appointed a commission with authority to establish a conference seminary. The commission met in December and selected Central City as the place. Dr. J. B. Maxfield was elected president, and a substantial brick building erected at a cost of $10,000. The following year the school was opened with good prospects. At the following conference the grade was changed to that of college, and the name changed to Nebraska Central College. At the end of the second year Dr. Maxfield resigned on account of failing health, and Rev. David Marquette was elected to the place. He, too, after a year spent principally in an effort to solve the

financial problem, which had already become serious, found his health so impaired as to make it necessary to relinquish the work, and Rev. J. W. Shenk was elected. He in turn was soon succeeded by Rev. H. A. Crane, and he by F. W. Ware. The number of students continued to increase till at one time there were 150 in attendance, but the financial conditions constantly became worse.
   In 1886 Rev. Allen Bartley and others started the town of Bartley in the southwestern part of the state, and within the bounds of the West Nebraska Conference, and established an institution of learning with the pretentious title of Mallalieu University.
   This was the situation of Methodist educational affairs in 1886 when Bishop Fowler came to preside over the Nebraska conferences. With the York and Central City schools within forty miles of each other, and both financially embarassed (sic), and the tendency to increase the number of struggling schools, each conference wanting to have its own high grade institution, it seemed improbable that either would ever be able to reach

REV. JAMES J. ROBERTS     MINERVA E. R0BERTS

the standard of a first-class institution. The bishop suggested the appointment of a commission composed of five members from each conference, and three from each school, and that an effort be made to unify the educational work of the church in the state by centering its efforts on one institution of high grade for the entire state. The suggestion was adopted by all the conferences. The commission as thus constituted, together with Bishops Bowman and Warren, who had been made members, met at St. Paul's Church in Lincoln, on, December 15, 1886. Bishops Fowler and Foss had also been made members of the commission, but were unable to attend.
   The commission addressed itself at once to the delicate and difficult task of unifying the educational system, and as a result of its deliberation what is called the "Plan of Unification" was adopted, involving these features: (1) That there should be but one institution of college grade in the state, the location of which should be determined by a majority vote of the commission; (2) that all other schools should be parts of, but subordinate to

the central university, and should have permission to carry their course of study as far as the sophomore year. By a vote of the commission the central university was located at Lincoln, and named the Nebraska Wesleyan University. It was located some three miles from the main part of the city and a building costing $70,000 erected. A town site was laid out and named University Place, which has grown into a thrifty village of nearly or quite 2,500 inhabitants. Being outside of the city limits, it maintains a separate municipal government, excluding saloons and all other haunts of vice. It is connected with the city by two electric street car lines, with service every fifteen minutes.
   Dr. C. F. Creighton was the first chancellor, serving in that capacity for six years, when he resigned and was succeeded by Dr. Isaac Crooks. After three years he resigned, and the place was left vacant with only an acting chancellor. In March, 1898, Dr. D. W. C. Huntington was elected to the vacant chancellorship, and under his administration, which still continues, the school has thrown off the burden of debt, and has increased its attendance of students more than 900, and starts out on a new era of prosperity, the unique "plan of unification" placing back of this one school the entire 50,000 Methodists of the state as a constituency. Though by reason of debts, adverse financial conditions, and other causes, all the other schools of Methodism in the state have suspended, the Nebraska Wesleyan, because of its favorable location and better equipment, will be able, for the present at least, to do the education work for the church better than it would have been done had they continued to live and Wesleyan had not been. Besides the income from the sale of Nave's Topical Bible, there is a productive endowment of nearly $50,000. The new conservatory of music, named the C. C. White Memorial, is rapidly approaching completion and will be about as large as the main building, and will cost over $50,000.

   While Methodism is distinctively evangelistic in its spirit and mode of work, it was inevitable that the kindly spirit generated by the Gospel should sooner or later result in the erection of a hospital and a deaconess home as subsidiary agencies. Hence, in 1890, Dr. D. A. Foote, a leading physician of Omaha, came before the Omaha Methodist preachers' meeting with a proposition that such an institution should be established. The idea was at once received with great favor, but the financial condition of some of the leading churches seemed to make its immediate realization uncertain. However, a committee was appointed, and the matter was kept before the attention of the church and general public. In 1891 Dr. Harold Gifford offered a two-story building at No. 419 South Twentieth street, which he had erected at his own expense and used as an infirmary, on condition that a debt of $1,900 be assumed and eight rooms reserved for his patients. This was accepted, a board of trustees appointed and incorporated, and on May 24, 1891, the building was dedicated by Bishop Newman.
   Thus was launched what has since been known as the Methodist Hospital and Deaconess Home of Omaha, a beneficent institution that besides training many consecrated women for the various forms of deaconess work, has ministered to the physical ailments of thousands of earth's afflicted ones, coming from all classes of society. The poor have been treated gratuitously, and the rich have found it to their advantage to avail themselves of the superior services both of physician and nurse, supplied by it. It was successful from the very beginning, and soon the demand for treatment under its auspices exceeded the capacity to furnish room. Inside of ten years it became apparent that a larger building was an imperative necessity, and a movement in that direction was inaugurated in 1900 by the purchase of a fine site at Thirty-sixth and Cuming streets for a $100,000 building which is now in process of construction, the funds for which are nearly all provided. As typical of the work this hospital has been doing, the following facts taken from their last annual report will be of interest:

Connected with the institution are fourteen physicians and surgeons and specialists; there are twenty-three nurse deaconesses and five visiting deaconesses under the superintendency of Mrs. Allie P. McLaughlin, who has occupied this position from the first, and by her devotion and skill has contributed largely to the success of the work. These deaconesses receive no salary, the small amount of $250 a year being assigned to each for a bare support. During the year 1903 there were admitted for treatment 897 patients, 267 being treated free. The rules make no distinction as to church affiliation, all needing treatment being equally welcome. This is apparent from the fact that 235 were of no church, 231 were Methodists, 63 were Catholics, and the other 372 were from fifteen different denominations. In addition to this service in the hospital, there were 26,872 hours given by these deaconesses to nursing the sick outside the hospital, in the homes of the people. Then the visiting deaconesses did a great deal of evangelistic work, visiting and holding revival meetings in many places, besides much effort in soliciting funds in the interest of the new hospital.

NATIONAL ORPHANAGE OF THE WOMAN'S HOME MISSIONARY SOCIETY OF THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, YORK, NEBRASKA

Known as the Mothers' Jewels' Home in soliciting funds in the interest of the new hospital.

   Another institution, our Mothers' Jewels' Home, at York, Nebraska, was established at that point by the Women's Home Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal church. Its work has to do with homeless waifs, and is carried along two lines: The finding of Christian homes for as many as possible, and the making of a home for such as can not be provided for in that way. Burwell Spurlock assisted by his wife, Isabella Spurlock, has had charge of this important work about twenty years. Both have been in Nebraska over fifty years, and have all this while been prominent in church and other benevolent forms of work, but in their present relation they have rendered the most valuable service.
   In closing this brief sketch it may be appropriate to note some of the results of the first half century of Nebraska Methodism. In 1903 the conferences had increased to four, the districts to fourteen, the pastoral charges to 410. But many of these charges have from two to five distinct organizations

known as classes, which in other churches would be counted as separate charges. On this basis there would be not less than 500 distinct Methodist church organizations in Nebraska. The membership, including 3,354 probationers, increased to 55,054, and the effective ministry, including full members of conference and those on trial preparing for admission, numbers 354. In addition to these there are 82 superannuated and supernumerary preachers, some of whom are doing efficient work in supplying charges. To these must be added 158 local preachers who have done excellent service as pastors pending the time the charges could be supplied with members of conference.
   Want of space has made it impossible to include in the above sketch a detailed account of the history of the German and Swedish branches of our work, the former of which numbers 2675, including 140 probationers; and the latter 1,090, making a total membership for the entire Methodist church in Nebraska of 59,083.

BURWELL SPURLOCK

Superintendent Mothers' Jewels' Home

ISABELLA S. D. (MRS. B.) SPURLOCK

Assistant Superintendent Mothers' Jewels' Home

   In conclusion it may be said that it has been and is the wish of the citizens of our state that all the elements of the best civilization should be present and active. There is also substantial agreement in the conviction that among these elements must be included the home, the farm, the factory, the store, civil government, schools, and churches; that is, that the bodily, social, intellectual, moral, and religious interests of all the people should be recognized and provided for. Of all the factors that have wrought in the realization of this ideal in so far as it has been realized, none have been more potent than the Christian churches. All from the first have worked side by side in a generous rivalry of Christian effort and self-sacrifice. And among these Christian churches it may be said in truth of the Methodist Episcopal church in Nebraska that none was more promptly on the field to begin this work; none was more constantly and universally at the forefront of the advancing tide of immigration, supplying the uttermost frontier with the Gospel and