tihxaxy of Che trheolo^icd ^^minaty 
 
 PRINCETON • NEW JERSEY 
 
 '3^J> 
 
 PRESENTED BY 
 
 Rufus H, LeFevre 
 
C-ft^^ ^1 
 
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A 
 
 Arrt 21 1952 
 
 BIOGRAPHY OF THE 
 
 ZELXiER FAMILY. 
 
 EMIGRATTON TO AMERICA FROM SWITZER 
 LAND, IN THE YEAR A. D. 1740. 
 
 A SKETCH OF 
 
 THE KUMLER FAMILY, 
 
 AND INCIDENTS IN THE 
 
 Life and Travels of the Authoi" 
 
 S. "W. ZELLER. 
 
 S, D. MlKEPEACE, Puixtkr: 
 
 J 898. 
 
INTRIJDUOTIUIS. 
 
 The Zeller and Kumler families were Ger- 
 ."!]ar.-s. Both vvero originully froip. S ^.' i tze r • n r. rl ; 
 a iiardy race of people, and both were of bijih 
 innval and religious character. Both Grscn- 
 faVher Kumler and Grandfather Zelleu's brotli- 
 (M' were loishops in the United Brethren ch-.irch. 
 The latter had nine children — four boys acd 
 five girls; the former had eleven — seven boys 
 and four girls. These fainilies did a <>'reat deal 
 Lovvnrds founding the United Brethren chui-eh. 
 
 Bishop Zeller assisted in forming the first An- 
 (,u:il Conference in Ohio. He emigraled to i)>e 
 6\.::i(i ia 1805. Kumler emigrated iu ISlV), and 
 located in llie northern part of Bullor coujity, 
 while the former locattid about twenty jniies 
 iartaer norUi, in Montgomery county- . 
 
 These families were remarkable for longtv- 
 ily as v/eii as piety. 
 
The writer, who is a grandson of the one, 
 and also of the brother of the other Bishop, an I 
 wishing to leave a few thing? on record to per 
 petuate the names of these two worth}^ families, 
 and also to leave on record some of ihe inci 
 dents and events that occurred in his own life, 
 is thn only apology he has to make for writing 
 this little hook. 
 
 And if the literary minded are not inter- 
 ested in reading it, it is nevertheless to be 
 hoped, and it is the desire of the writer that th^. 
 Uss cultivated and the less spiritual will be in 
 duced to strive for a better life. 
 
 S. W. Zeller, 
 
tHE ZELLEU FAMILY. ._ 
 
 Switzerland is located in ibe southwestes'i 
 part of Europe, with Germany on the noirth. 
 Austria on the east, the Mecliteranean sea on 
 the south and France on the west. It was set 
 tied in an early time by a hardy race of Gcf . 
 mans. The early history of this country in ite 
 struggle for freedom has interested, and fvea 
 excited the sympathies of the reader of History . 
 
 It was from this country that the ancestors 
 of the Zeller family descended. We can trace 
 the history of the family back to the great- 
 grandfather, who came with his parents to 
 America in the year seventeen hundred ai)«1 
 forty, when a boy of eight years of age, and 
 settled in Berks county, Pa., on a little str#iam 
 called Sweet-arrow, 
 
 This great-grandfather of whom I »p«ak, 
 
married in Pennsylvania and raised a family of 
 six boys. I cannot now tell yr.n nnything about 
 the girls, if there were an equal number or none 
 at all. Five of these six boys emi2vated to Ohio 
 in 1805; three of them, namely, Adam, Andrew 
 and Henry, located in Montgomery county, ten 
 miles south of Dayton. The other two, Jacob 
 anci John, settled in Hocking county, four miles 
 north of Logan. The latter was my .^crand 
 father, and although I have often been at his 
 grave, which is in a beautiful churchyard, where 
 the United Brethren have a flourishing society 
 near the county seat, I have no recollection of 
 ever seeing him. 
 
 My great-grandfather was in the prime of 
 life during the revolutionary war, being twenty- 
 four years of age at the time of the declaration 
 of independence. Whether he fought in the 
 war or not, and was noted for his bravery, I 
 am not able to say; but one thing is known, 
 the ancestors were a hardy race of people, and 
 temperate and industrious in their habits. It 
 is said "every family has its black sheep;'* but 
 this is not always true. I am truly glad that 
 the blood of my ancestors was free from the 
 taint of intoxicating liquor. 1 believe this is 
 the reason that I have no temptation to partake 
 
6 
 
 of this very prevalent drink. Andrew and Ja- 
 cob, became ministers in the U. B. chureb, 
 about Vtie year 1790. Andrew assisted in or- 
 ganizing tlie first Conference in Ohio, in tbe 
 year 1809, and served iionorably, as Presiding 
 Eider, for a number of 3'ears; and he was elect- 
 'e(j a delegate to the first General Conference, in 
 the year 1815, when he was elected Bishop, 
 "wliicli oflioe he filled with acceptability, for a 
 period of six years. John Lawrence says of 
 him, in church history, "His good sense,^ deep 
 piety, and liberality, contributed greatly to the 
 prosperity of the cause of Christ, especially in 
 the Miami valley, where his influence will be 
 perpetuated to the end of time." 
 
 Bishop ZeDer, as he appeared at four score, is 
 described as a little aboye the medium hight, 
 and remarkably straight; hair white and on ihe 
 top of liis head, thin ; eyes gray and full, and 
 skin very fair. To the last ^-ear of his life he 
 walked perfectly erect and with a quick and 
 measured step. He was the father of nine 
 cliild'ren, who occupied such an important rela- 
 tion to the church in Ohio, and a large number 
 of their descendants are now active workers in 
 
Ihe ciujiob-, in the Miami VaJley, is the vvniy 
 apolng\;for living tlie njimes of'thf; Gliildren o! 
 Kishop Zellcr. The-y are as foHolYS : "John, 
 Andrew,: George, Michael, Catherine^ EUzal-eLh, 
 Isurbery, Christena nwd Mary. Four of the iat- 
 ter Were conipaiiioiis of noted rp.irji.sters of t!ie 
 U. B. ciiuich, namely, Bishop Hi'Kumi-r, Jacob 
 Antrim, John Kemp and Henr}^ Evin^er. Tj-e 
 iattei-'s remains lie in OUerbein cemetery, in 
 Mutton township, ColesCc, 111. Bishop Z?lier 
 died May 25, ISo^'lu'the Sithyearof iii^ >ige. 
 
 Adam, tiie Bishop's brother, was married 
 twice and had two chi dreu l)y his ilrst wife and 
 three b}- his last wife. 
 
 Henry, another brath.er, died vuthout issue. 
 
 Jacob, another brother, had. three children 
 born to him. I have knowledge of two 
 ofthc girls and one boy; tii^" farmer mar- 
 ried liaudabangh, and Matihias. The Raud- 
 abaugh family still liVes four miles north of 
 Lancaster, and Matthias near Logan. Isaac 
 and Jacob Matthias and their sifter Stivison, 
 grandchildren of Jacob, were active christians. 
 
 John, still. another brother and the writer's 
 grandfather, had five children, namely, Benja- 
 
s 
 
 min, John, Jacob, Peter and Mary. The latter 
 married Judge PuUen of Logan, Ohio. Judge 
 Pullen wa8 a good, intelligent man and exerted 
 quite an iflfluencs in Hocking county. He was 
 accidently killed at a house raising in the city 
 of Logan, The Judge had by Mary his wife, 
 five children ; two boys and three girls. These 
 raised respectable families. Three of these 
 families lived in the vicinity of where 1 
 preached three years, namely, 1868-69-70 — and 
 with whom 1 became intimately acduainted. A 
 son of the Judge was the leading physician of 
 the city of Logan at the time alluded to. His 
 sister was the wife of Moses Fry, who was also 
 a physician, living two miles from the city, and 
 was an active member of the Baptist church. 
 The families of the other two children moved 
 somewhere to the west and it was not my priv- 
 Mege to form an acquaintance with them. 
 
 Benjamin Zelier, father's oldest brother, 
 was a minister of the Eyangelical association. 
 He was a good man, but in his old age was very 
 poor as far as this world is concerned. He sold 
 a small farm near Logan, Ohio, about 1857 and 
 emigrated to Illinois; there he invested his 
 
9 
 
 money in another fnrm, which was incumbered 
 with mortgagt^ ami lost evi-ryfhiii:^ h-'hi-i. 
 
 Jacob an] Pet^^r wt-rc th>^ youn.> st of the 
 fani'ly. B >th ot tlKin i.iru. 1 ih-; cfirpi3n. 
 ter tiaiv^ wir.h f.u. i t. TUm hiir l';»vort3cl 
 father v.^-y muc-h wirh tin- cx-iiiMn of be- 
 ins^ les'^ Ml -t»tiir^». rh<- f'iiMP.'r v i-* quite 
 corpulent, a iJ'-iol sp "ivii n il" ih« ^-^ vi -; ^ri-iuian. 
 He raise (1 a If^rg-- fM(nti\ an 1 ii; , l sun, very 
 much the t)ull(l of his la'h !•, h I'i !:i^ -liil more 
 numerous. Tiiese two uMcic^ mti I ihi^ other 
 mem^HM'.s of IhcMr farniiios wer.; ru-'inbers of 
 the M. E cliuicli an;l mflut^nli.-i! citiz- ns. 
 
 My father, John Zcller, was a man six feet 
 in hi<j;ht- ralh;T sUm hiiilt, with b'iMck oyes and 
 dark c.in'.piexion. In ht-vcral prirticulars he was 
 an ex^. (option to the rrst of th.c connection, 
 who were rather corpuh-nlr, with blue eyes and 
 fair complexion. He was born in Ijcrks county, 
 Pa, in the fall of 1797 and emigrated with his 
 parents to L-incastcr, Fairfield county, Ohio, 
 where the}' remained for a few months only,. 
 During the winter of this year the family wore 
 annoyed by some one stealing their hay. Grand- 
 father remarked one day that their hay was 
 going very rapidly, he feared some one wa& 
 
10 
 
 taking it. BenJamiL, the oldest of the boys, res- 
 pited that he would look after the matter, 
 whjc^ he did quite suoce9=5fully. He hid him- 
 self near the hay one dark night to await fur- 
 ther developments. After waiting awhile, he 
 heard the Hgbt footsteps of some one coming, 
 who secured a good bundle of hay, got it on his 
 back and started off. Uncle slipp3d up behind 
 tiie tiiief with a dark lantern and set firo to the 
 h^y. Soon it was ablaze. The thief dropped 
 the hay and ran off terribly frightened. Not 
 knowing where the fire came from, he probably 
 thought it was a judgment from heaven sent 
 upon him. This was the lust hay that was 
 aken. This circumstance was related Ko me by 
 my uncle himself when he was an old man, and 
 there were old persons who remembered some- 
 thing of the occurrence, when I lived in Lancas- 
 ter more than fifty years after It happened. 
 
 In the spring of 1815 father left the place 
 of his youthful days speiit along the Hocking 
 river and came west to Montgomery county, 
 about ten miles south of Dayton, Ohio, and 
 made his home with the Rev. Henry Evinger, 
 wh^ had married his cousin, Andrew Zeller's 
 daughter. Here he was an apprentice three 
 
H 
 
 years with his cousin and :e0usiD b}- marriage, 
 where he learned the carpenter trade. After 
 he had completed the time of his apprentice- 
 ship he continued to labor with his boss, as a 
 journeyman, three years more. During the 
 early period of his stay with Rev. Evinger he 
 embraced religion and joined the United Breth- 
 ren church, in which he was a consistett and 
 faithful member. Sometime during these six 
 years, not far perhaps from the time he finished 
 his trade, he was licensed to preach the gospel 
 and joined the Miami annual conference. 
 
 In the fall of 1821 he was joined in marriage 
 with Susanna Kumler, daughter of Bishop H. 
 Kumler, who resided near Mintonville, Butler 
 county, Ohio, Soon after his marriage he set 
 tied on a farm lying within and near the forks of 
 two streams — Seven Mile and Four Mile— being 
 somewhat nearer the latter. This farm was 
 located about six miles north of Hamilton, the 
 county seat of Butler county, Ohio. Here father 
 made his home from 1821 to 1830. During tlii^ 
 time four children were born; three boys .and 
 one ojrl. Father rented his farnff,. and worked 
 . at the carpenc&r trade. During these nine 
 years he did a large amount of hard work. 
 
12 
 
 There are a number of houses ano barns he 
 built in Butler county, O., three quarters of a 
 century ago, scill standing as monuments of his 
 industry and si<ill. A large part of the work, he 
 performed between tlie years 1817 and 1840, 
 during vvhich time he instructed a number of 
 
 men in the same art. Not far from the summer 
 of 1833 he did the carpenter work of a large 
 brick Presbyterian church — 40 by 60 feet, with 
 a self-supporting roof. There was m(ue timber 
 used in that roof than there is now used in 
 building four roofs of the same size. This was 
 considered VNouderful skill in those days. 
 
 He was also an active worker as a local 
 preacher. His salibaths were usually employed 
 in preaching in destitute neighborhoods. After 
 working hard all week he would often ride 
 twelve or fifteen miles and preach for the peo- 
 ple. From 1844 to 1850 a large part of his time 
 was spent in the ministry. Sometimes he would 
 preach for. the English people and sometimes 
 for the German. He preached a great many 
 funerals and solemnized many marriages. 
 
 After his marriage he first settled on ^ 
 
u 
 
 farm one mile and a lialf southwest of where 
 there is now a beautiful village called Seven 
 Mile, This village i8 located six miles north 
 of Hamilton, the countj seat of Butler county. 
 Here he resided from 1821 to the spring of 
 1830, at which lime he moved on a farm west 
 of Hamilton six miles. Here is where he lived 
 the rest of his days. 
 
 Father was a progressive man, and in the 
 front rank with the reformers of his time. He 
 zealously advocated the cause of temperance; 
 and he did this by example as well as precept. 
 T never knew him to use intoxicating liquor. 
 [ heard him relate rather an amusing incident 
 which occurred soon after he was married : 
 His brother-in-law, Jacob Flickinger, lived near 
 by and ran a distiller}^. He was father's sen- 
 ior about twenty years, and had been twice 
 married. Father thought his ex[)erieDce in 
 liouse-keeping, therefore, would be of immense 
 value to a young man just commencing. Flick- 
 inger said to Father one da^' that he ought ta 
 get a barrel of whisky as he was commencing 
 housekeeping. Father tcok his advice, and 
 succeeded in getting it safely in theoeilar. But 
 
14 
 
 as time rolled on he found it an article^ alto^- 
 
 gether useless to him, only as it was occasion- 
 ally needed for sickness. It lay in his cellar 
 for 3'ears until it became noted as the oldest, 
 and therefore the best liquor that could be 
 obtained in cases of sickness, and persons 
 would come from far and near and get it for 
 invalids. In this way father succeeded in dis- 
 posing of his liquor, and after this it was one 
 of the scarce commodities of the famil3^ 
 
 I remember when a small boy it was used 
 in the harvest field and at house and barn 
 raisings, but I never knew father to taste it; 
 lie said he could not not use it at all. I remem- 
 bei\ as far back as 1835, he and a few others 
 would not use any liquor, even for harvest 
 limes, and he furnished those with tobacco who 
 wouldrnot use whisky. He was among ths 
 early anti-slavery reformers, and about the year 
 1847, he withdrew from the Democratic party, 
 which had kept him in office almost continu- 
 ally in the township, and identified himself 
 with the Liberty party. For some time he and 
 two neighbors met at the polls and voted tbeir 
 sentiments on this subject. 
 
15 
 
 He died after protracted illness and sc^ 
 vere suffering from kidney afflicUoa hi the fall 
 of 1857, just about the time he completed his 
 three score vears. 
 
THE KUMLER FAMILY. 
 
 My grandfather on mother's side of ihe 
 house, was Bishop Henry Kumler, Sr. His an- 
 cestors were from Switzerland, also. They are 
 of German origin, descended entirely from Ger- 
 man ancestors. Grandfather Kumler was born 
 in Pennsylvania, January 3, 1775. After pass- 
 ing the usual catechical cours'*, he was received 
 into the German reformed church, in Green - 
 eastle, Pa. In 1811 he was awakened to a sense 
 of his sinful condition. In his youthful days 
 God's spirit haJ often impressed hitn with the 
 Epecesslty of living a christian-dife, and he had 
 as often resolved so to do, but hi* resolutions 
 were not put into practice until 'le was about 
 thirty-six years of age. He now felt that God 
 had given him the last call, and that unless he 
 accepted of Jesus Christ as his Savior he would 
 be lost. His distress was^great. He abandoned 
 
17 
 
 his work and sought a secret place to pray, and 
 determined never to cease until he obtained 
 mercy. He obtained the clear evidence of bi«* 
 acceptance with God while at prayer in his 
 barn. He ran to the house and told his wife 
 of the great salvation. That evening he held 
 family worship for the first time. United Bretli- 
 ren preachers called on him and preached in 
 his home. This, with the prayers and speaking 
 in which he participated, excited the displeas- 
 ure of his pastor, who one sabbath preached a 
 sermon for his benefit; saying, those people who 
 pray in public are Pharisees — they opened their 
 windo.ws so the people might hear them pray. 
 
 This hurt Kumler's feelings very much . 
 Some of the cold, formal members were pleased 
 with the discourse, and laughed, looking at 
 him ; and as the congregation retired one of this 
 class hunched him and asked if he knew for 
 whom the sermon was preached. Kumler wrote 
 the pastor a letter saying he could get no 
 sense out of the sermofi^ that the scriptures 
 taught that christians siio'M^ let their light 
 shine, and not hide it under a bushel. When 
 his pastor read the letter, he sent for Kiimler/ 
 and as he entered the room he said : 
 
18 
 
 '♦Never in 5^our life undertake to wrile to- 
 a preacher agairj.'! 
 
 ''Why not?" 
 
 ''Because, wiien yc.u only say a thing and 
 lind that you are cornorod, then you can sa3% 
 'I did not mean so.' '* 
 
 Kumler said, " What 1 have written I have 
 vvrilten." 
 
 The pastor then said, drawing the letter 
 from his pocket, "Well, come and sit down. 
 What do you understand by lettinp: your lisfht 
 shine?" 
 
 "To iet my light shine, is to show by 
 rny life before God an(i man that I am living 
 a better life," replied Kumler. 
 
 " Oh., thiit is well enough." 
 
 " And I believe that a man with a family 
 should pray with and for them." 
 
 "That's well enough," 
 
 " Yes," continued Kumler," God be praised',. 
 1 feel happy in doing my duty toward my family 
 and neighbors; and whosoever will may call it 
 hypocrisy." 
 
 TGe pastor said he should not have or^ached 
 the. ser-mon, but not . less than three came 
 
19 
 
 to bim and said " You will lose Kumler." TLus 
 ended the interview and also Mr. K.'s connec- 
 tion with the German Refornaed church. 
 
 Mr, Kumler was licensed to preach, and 
 i:eceived into the U. B, church at Hagerstown, 
 Md., iu 1813. In 1815 he was a delegate to the 
 first general conference of the church. His fir^t 
 circuit required 370 miles travel every four, 
 weeks. In 1817 he was elected presiding elder. 
 In 1819 he emigrated to Ohio, and settled in 
 Butler county. In 1825 he was elected Bishop 
 and re-elected iu 1829, 1833, 1837, 1841. Dur 
 ing the first eight years of his super! n tendency 
 he crossed the Alleghanies by private convey- 
 ance eighteen times. 
 
 Bishop Kumler was neat and comely. His 
 countenance was open and pleasant and he wa$ 
 possessed of much cheerfulness and great 
 thought. His mind was well balanced and he 
 was a gr^nvi leader in church matters. 
 

 A3;|tS. HENRY Km^LER. 
 
 Grandmother Kumler's maiden name was 
 Wengert. She was born in Pennsylvania Octo-" 
 ber 1, 1779, and died November 30, 1874, being 
 a little mpje than ninety-five years of age. 
 
 Hannah, her oldest child, was born October 
 1% 1798, and died February 5, 1892, being mure 
 than ninety- threejears old. 
 
 Henry, the second child, was born January 
 10, 1801. He became an eminent minister in 
 the U. B. church, and for several years, Bishop 
 He died August 19, 1882, being over eighty 
 yeafs old. 
 
 Mother, Susanna, was born January 3, 
 1804,. and died September 30, 1877, being nearly 
 &eventy-four yearly o|, age. I will spe^k 0^ her 
 again. -- 
 
 Elizabeth, the third girl, was born Jtily 
 $, 1805. Her death occurred in 1878. 
 
21 
 
 D^, C., who was a successful physician, and 
 thfi wittiest one of the family, was born Sep- 
 tfebaber 30, 1807, and died November 8, I88I5 
 b^ing a little over seventy-four years of age* 
 Luther, a eon of his, i* a Prespbyterian min- 
 ister. 
 
 Eiias, the fifth in of Her,' \vas hofn October 
 21, 1809, and died December 6, 1873, aged sixty- 
 four. He was the best financier of all the chil- 
 dren. A son of his is Dr. Kumler, of Pittsburg. 
 
 JatOb and Michael, twins, were born Au- 
 gust 31, 1811. They are still living — fche oldest 
 twins in Ohio. Each hftve a son in the ministy. 
 
 Joseph was born February 23, 1813. He is 
 still living. 
 
 John, the youngest boy, was born Decem- 
 ber 24, 1814, and died October 26, 1891. He 
 left five boys who are lawyers and successful 
 in business. 
 
 Catherine, the youngest of the family, was 
 born April 6, 1817, and died August 11, 18^9. 
 
MRS. JOHN ZELLEB. 
 
 I said I would write of motljier again. Here 
 ijt is : 
 
 Mother, in her looks an(3, general charac- 
 ter, was very much like her father; and without 
 a doubt was one among the best women that 
 ever lived. She was much interested in the 
 nioral culture and training of her children and 
 was much gratified lo believe they were striving 
 to live good liyes. After father's death rcother 
 ^ook care of her moJ,her (who lived to be almost 
 ninety-six years 5ld and was a great charge) 
 for eighteen years, and spared no labor or sacri- 
 fice to make her comfortable in her declining 
 years, and mother would probably have Hved 
 several years longer had she not taken the re- 
 sponsibility of this charge. 
 
 Mother liyed about two years after g.and- 
 motber's death, which time was spent with 
 Catherine, her youngest daughter, who lived in 
 
"T-^ 
 
 the state of Indianat She often said, in tho 
 last years of her life, "If it was the will of .God 
 she wou'd like to be 'taken from this llf« sud- 
 denly, when she was no longer able to labor, so 
 that she would not be a charge to others as b-^- 
 mother was." This demise was granted her even 
 better than she had asked for. She appeared 
 to have a premonition of her departure. She 
 said to an invalid grandchild, in the morninir 
 of the day of her departure, "Oh, John, I wish 
 1 could take you with me to Heaven today." 
 This was on Sabbath morning, the last day 
 
 of September, 1877. Her daughter asked her 
 to gc;,with her to church a mile distant. "No/' 
 she replied, "[ will stay at home and read liie 
 Bible." She did read the Bible and .in addition 
 to '.his prepared a good dinner for the famiiy 
 by the time they returned, and ate a hearty 
 dinner. She then read the Bible again, after- 
 ward lying down to rest awhile, falling to sleep. 
 Her Ciaughter awoke her at lunch time when 
 she arose and ate again for the latrt time. She 
 took sick about eight o'clock, and In half an 
 hour all was over and she had departed this 
 lif;5. Here are a few lines I wrote on the im^ 
 
u 
 
 pulse of the moment when the news came of her 
 death : 
 
 My Mother. How interesting the name 
 of mother is lo us all. But my mother is no 
 more — or rather, is goue to live with Jesus and 
 the angels in the better land. On Sabbath 
 night, as the last hours of the month of Sep- 
 tember were passing away, and while pleasantl}' 
 associated with members of Lower Wabaslr 
 Conference we were having a solemn and very 
 impressive communion season, my dear mother 
 way passing through the valley of the shadow 
 of\ death, and by the time our communion ser- 
 vice had ended she had also ended her earthly, 
 pilgrimage, and without doubt she is now re- 
 alizing what it is to be with Jesus and enjoy 
 tlie bliss of heaven. 
 
 Oh my mother ! that you are now safe and 
 happy at home, shall I meet you there? I shall 
 never forget your sympathy and kindness lo mc 
 when I was a little boy. Well do I remember 
 when I was about eight years of age I was sick 
 and you did so much to alleviate my pain. So , 
 cheerfully did you ^ deprive yourself of sleep 
 and rest to administer to my comfort. 
 
25 
 
 But after all, what interests me niore than 
 all besides, are the efforts you made for my 
 spiritual welfare. I may not know how much 
 I am indebted to you for your prayers and ex- 
 ample and counsel until I meet you in that 
 better land. Oh those memorable hours of my 
 awakening. When sin became to me exceed- 
 ingl)^ sinful ; your prayer in Jesus' name had 
 access to the throne of grace, the gloom of con- 
 demnation passed away and the light of par- 
 doning love came to my relief. Mother, rest on 
 in that heavenly land, and, Jesus helping 
 me, I will meet you by and by. 
 
I will now give short sketches of the lives 
 of my brothers and sisters : 
 
 Daniel K. is the oldest of the family. He 
 was born October 2, 1822. In build and dispo- 
 sition he is much like mother. He is a good, 
 benevolent man. He was a t-^uccessful farmer 
 and labored hard until he was forty years of 
 age. About this time he enlisted in defense of 
 his countrry, and was chosen captain of a com- 
 pany of National Guards, in which capacity he 
 served three months. About one year after he 
 was mustered out of service, he left the farm 
 and moved to Richmond, Ind,, and bought out 
 the city bakery* and has so conducted that bus 
 iness as to make considerable money. 
 
 Soon after he moved to Richmond, he took 
 a letter from the U. B. church and joined the 
 Pretsbyterian church : was at once ordained an 
 e-lder in that church, which office he has filled 
 With acceptability ever since. The most of the 
 
27 
 
 time he has held the office of city councilman, 
 and was county commissioner, and took an ac- 
 tive part in building the new court house. 
 
 Susanna, the oldest sister, was born No- , 
 \ember 11, 1828. She married David Zartman, 
 and moved about the year 1857 to Carroll 
 county, Ind., eleven miles south of Logansport. 
 She raised a large family. 
 
 Jacob A, Zeller was bo-rn October 30, 1830. 
 He i^raduated from Miami Universitv ; was a 
 student in college with President Harrison and 
 Whitelaw Reid. He has devoted his life to 
 giving instruction in the high schools of In- 
 diana. 
 
 His first efforts were made, howeyer, m 
 condncting the Union school of the city of 
 Oxford, where he graduated. After spending 
 several years here, his second charge was the 
 High school of Evansville, Ind., where he re- 
 mained in charge eleven years. He then took 
 charge of all th3 city schools of Richmond, 
 Ind., as Superintendent, where he remained for 
 three years. 
 
 He is now in charge of the High school of 
 Lafa ette, "whtie he has been working nearly six 
 
28 
 
 years. He is widely known in Indiana as an 
 educator. As an evidentie of what, the students , 
 thiLk of him, after being their instructor for ■ 
 eleven years in the city of P^vansville, the 
 young men and ladies who received their edu- 
 cation under him voluntarily ?nade him a pres- 
 ant of a gold watch and chain worth $125. 
 He was a soldier three months. 
 
 Elizabeth Zeller was born March 8, 1834. 
 She married Jacob Schell. She had five chil- 
 dren; all boys. She died November 7, 1864, 
 aged nearly thirty-one years. She was the 
 most deepl)^ pious of our family. A short time 
 before her death she had all her boys come to 
 her bedside and put her hands on their heads 
 
 and asked God's blessing on them, and said if 
 it was the Lord's will she would like for tbem 
 
 to be ministers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 
 
 Four of them are now engaged in this calling. 
 
 Catherine Zeller was born April 20, 1837. 
 She married Jacob Carr, by whom she had a 
 large family. She died January 18, 1881. 
 
 Joseph S. Zeller was born August 1, 1841„ 
 He enlisted as a soldier at the commencement 
 of the war, and came out as hearty and healthy 
 as any one wh© served as Jong as he did. 
 
29 
 
 Elias R. Zeller was born September 13, 
 1844. He enlisted in his country's service as a 
 soldier and served three months. After ihe 
 vya-r, he entered Miami University and gradu- 
 ated. He then took charge of a Burlington, 
 Iowa, paper as its editor, and supported Gree- 
 ley. He resigned this position and took charge 
 of .the schools of Winterset, Iowa, where he 
 labored for five years. He has been engaged as 
 editor, and farmer alternately since. 
 
 Henry was born September 14, 1824, and died 
 in February, 1840, 
 
 John Michael was born July 28, 1839, and 
 died ip February, 1840. 
 
BISHOP HENRY KUMLER'S SISTER. 
 
 Grandfather Kumkr's sister married Mr. 
 Hibschman, She had by him four boys and 
 four girls. Henry, John, Daniel, and Samuel; 
 and the girls were Elizabeth, who married 
 Fasic; Eva, married Winters; Catharine, mar- 
 ried Strickler; Sarah, married Rev, Rupp, 
 their son, Daniel, is also a minister, and their 
 daughter married George Sando, who is also a 
 minister. The three last named were ministers ' 
 in the Church of God. 
 
 Then there is a generation of the Hibsch 
 mans, grandchildren of Grandfather Kumler's 
 sister, who live mostly in Illinois, namely: Ben- 
 jamin, John, Henry, Daniel, Samuel and* Jacob; 
 also, Sarah, Elizabeth, Katherine, Sophia and 
 Malinda. The maiden names of the latter were 
 Hibschman. Then there were quite a number 
 off her grand-children that I am not able to 
 speak of. 
 
LIFE OF THE AUTHOR. 
 
 CHAPTKR I. 
 
 It is remarkable how far back into the his- 
 tory of early life the active memory will take 
 us. 1 remember incidents that occurred when 
 I was not more than three years of age. I was 
 born September 13, 1826, in sight of where 
 ^here is now the beautiful village of Seven 
 Mile, situated in the Miami valley, Butler 
 county, Ohio, six miles north of Hamilton, the 
 county seat. In the spring of 1830, when I was 
 between three and four years of age, father 
 moved to Hanover township, same county, on 
 Indian creek, about six miles west of Hamilton. 
 The circumstances^attending this removal arc 
 as fresh in my memory as if they had only oc- 
 curred last week. I will refer to one: 
 
32 
 
 When we were -ready to start, wagons all 
 loa(|ed, and the stock gathered together in the 
 farm yard, all on tiptoe of excitement, as is 
 tLe case usually with movers — boys of three 
 years as anxious to be off as those of riper 
 years, Just at this time the heavens gathered 
 over with dark clouds portending a storm, 
 and true to the omens of nature the rain de- 
 scended, delaying the anxious trip an hour «or 
 two. Not unlike this does it often occur with 
 us in our religious life. When we t;.re about to 
 engage in an important enterprise then the 
 moral heaveus gather in darkness, and discour- 
 agements meet us at every step in life. 
 
 Very early in life I was sensibly impressed 
 with the sinfulness and depravity of nay nature. 
 The first act of wickedness of which I was guil- 
 ty, lliat made a deep impression on my mind, was 
 perpetrated when I was about six years of age. 
 The circumstances connected with this sin are 
 as follows: 
 
 Soon after father arrived at his new farm 
 on Indian creek he, being a carpenter by trade, 
 built a new dwelling house. The old house 
 which stood near by was then occupied as a 
 &hop in which father worked in the winter 
 
33 
 
 season, at the cabinet 'justness. Father was 
 somewhat strict in his orders forbidding his 
 children to use his tools. One day when fath- 
 er was absent my oldest brother, who was four 
 years older than myself, went intp the shop, and 
 being anxious to construct a toy which he im- 
 agined would be of immense value; the tempta- 
 tion being too great he transgressed father's 
 law. Now, about this, time I found my way into 
 the shop. At once I said to brother, I will tell 
 fatherthat you are using his tools. Brother 
 said, If you will not tell I will make you a nice 
 toy. Whether I consented to it I do not re- 
 member; but brother commenced making me 
 the toy at once. He labored until the sweat 
 ran down his face, then when the work was fin- 
 ished I took the toy and leaving the shop said, 
 I will tell on you, anyway. 
 
 But I did not long retain a cheerful heart; 
 that day was spent In gloom and unhappiness. 
 Although I did not inform father what occurred 
 still the pain I inflicted on brother was a 
 source of deep regret to me. For days the 
 scene would come up before me afresh : the 
 toil, anxiety and sweat of brother to complete 
 the toy, and then my base ingratitude after- 
 
34 
 
 ward afflicted me' deeply. Whether I made any 
 -^ concession or asked forgiveness I can not cer- 
 ' tain%say; as a number t>f years have passed 
 
 ;since these things occurred. 
 
 Often during the next six years I was 
 Uonbled on account of my sins. Sometimes 
 afi;*r the troubles of 'the day were ended and 
 when retired to bed for the night, I would be 
 effected to tears for my life of ira piety and irre- 
 ligion. In the year of 1838 with my parents I 
 attended a campmeeting on the banks of the 
 Big Miami rivep, about len miles from the 
 mouth. Revs. Antrim, Stubbu, a-ad others of 
 the pioneers of the U. B. church were ia at- 
 tendance. I remember a. circumstance that oc- 
 curred with father Stubbs. Ho entered the 
 stand one day and arose to preach, when a 
 number of the rowdies gathered around the 
 stand and cried out, "That man can't preach," so 
 that the largest part of the congregation heard 
 it. The venerable old preacher replied^ '^well I 
 will tr}', and after I get chro'iagh, if you think 
 you can better it you can have tlie opportunity.''' 
 Ho proceeded to address the (people as if noth- 
 ing had occurred, from the following words^ 
 ''The w-^apons of our warfare are aoz carnal, 
 
3^ 
 
 but might}' th,rough. God to the pulling down of 
 Ih/i strongholds." — :2d cor. 10 :4. He preached a 
 powerful sermou in the demonstration of the 
 spirit, which resulted in convicting sinners 
 and comforting the saints. 
 
 At this meeting the power of God was man- 
 ifested in the awakening and happy conversion 
 of man}' souls. It was during this meeting that 
 I became powerfully awakened, and felt im- 
 pressed as T h id never been before with 
 the importance of being a christian. My 
 convictions did not arise so much from a 
 sense of externa! wickedness, as a want of con- 
 formity to Gods righteous law. I felt a very 
 deep sense of my ingratitude to God, for his in- 
 linit.e love was exhibited to me in a thousand 
 ways, while my loye and gratitude toward him 
 was so exceedingly small. The meeting having 
 progressed triumphantly for about ten days, it 
 broke up amid the shouts of new born souls. It 
 was the custom at the breaking up of camp, for 
 the preachers to head tho column of procession, 
 and all christians to fall in line and march 
 around the tent inclosure, at the same tiu^e 
 singing beauciful hymns, and then before part- 
 ing, take each other by the hand and giving tlje 
 
36 
 
 atfectionate farewell, he^n.r impressed wilh'the 
 fact that it would never be Lheir privilege all to 
 meet a^^aiii iu this' world. Thus closed the 
 meeting r&ferred to above, without any elfort on. 
 my part to become an active cbristian.- And 
 indeed it was not expected that one so young as 
 I would become a christian. Good christian 
 parents thought it better for their children to 
 wait till they were grown up, before they be- 
 came active in religion. Up to this time no 
 one had encouraged me to be a practical christ- 
 ian. I have stated that my awakening was the 
 result of internal wi(;kednes8 of the heart, 
 rather than external; this was not owing iiow- 
 ever to any innate purity that I was thus for- 
 tunate, but it may be referred to the restraining 
 influence of grace and the good example and 
 instructions of pious parents. 
 
 While 1 owe to my parents a monument of 
 eyerlasting gratitude for the moral and religious 
 influence they exerted upon my mind in early 
 life, still 1 think the3' erred in thinking that 
 children in early life had better not make a 
 public profession of religion, 
 
 I was exceedingly mortified after joining 
 the church and making a public effort to be 
 
37 
 
 a ctirifitian, on codi in union occnMion, when the 
 ordinance of the sacrament was b^in^ observed, 
 I too felt it my duty to commune, and \\beu on 
 my way to the communion table was met by 
 my father who advised me not to commune. I 
 passed on and out of the house with a sad 
 heart, 
 
 1 suppose that ray father had an idea that I 
 was not a very good christian, which was too 
 true, although I was trying sincerely to live a 
 good life. It may have been because I was 
 quite young. I am more than ever conyinced 
 that christian parents should not only instruct 
 their children in the principles of morality and 
 religion, but also to impress upon their minds 
 the importance of being practical christians in 
 early life. It is said of Timothy that "from a 
 cnild he knew the scriptures which are able to 
 make him wise unto salvation," "J love them 
 that love me and ihe\' that seek me early shall 
 Hnd me." But leaving the meeting without 
 consecrating myself to the service of Chiist> 
 still the impression upon my mind continued 
 with me, and soon after, there being an oppor- 
 tunity given, I went forward voluntarily and 
 Joined the church. 
 
38 
 
 I shall never forget the question asked by 
 the minister: "Do \'ou wish to live a christian, 
 life?" I said 1 did, and was received into the 
 church. After this I was often found at the 
 mercy seat seeking salvation. I desired the 
 blessings of God's grace to be imparted to me, 
 as I had witnessed it imparted to others at the 
 altar of prayer, but from some cause this was 
 denied me. 
 
 About this period in my struggles against 
 sin my awakening became powerful and con- 
 viction pungent- 
 One night in the winter of 1840, after re- 
 tiring, I became so distressed that I could not 
 restrain myself longer, and my cries and sobs 
 attracted the attention of mother, who came to 
 my bed and asked what was wrong. I replied, 
 I am so wicked a feel so badly. The family all 
 got up and we had prayer meeting until about 
 midnight, but no relief came to ray mind. I 
 continued to make use of the means of grace 
 especially prayer, public and private. 
 
 I shall never forget my class leader J. Zinn, 
 who was so much interested in my spiritual 
 welfare. H« would often call upon me to pray 
 
39 
 
 in public. And it was on one of these occa- 
 sions when wo had met at God's house ex- 
 pressly for pra3'er and on a beautiful Sabbath 
 day, while praying as best 1 could, that light 
 came into my heart. Here I first felt the com- 
 forting influence of God s grace in the heart. 
 Indeed there was light and joy ia my heart cor- 
 responding to the light and beauty of the Sab 
 bath da3' without. 
 
 I have realized since however, in this 
 poor heart of mine the truth of this beautifu. 
 sentiment of the wise man : "The path of the 
 Just is as the shining light that shineth more 
 and more unto the perfect day." Had I have 
 had the proper instructions I verily believe a 
 large part of this anxiety and trouble would 
 have been avoided- 
 
 In Februar}' o.f the same year father's fam • 
 ijy was severely afflicted with typhoid fever. 
 My two older and youngest brothers were vi:*.- 
 tims of this disease. My youngest and next to 
 the oldest died within a few days of each other. 
 This" was a very sad time and effected me very 
 much. To be deprived of the society of two 
 brothers in so short a time, the one a year, and 
 the otlier fifteen years of age, was a source of 
 
40 
 
 sadness never to be forgotten; but religion 
 which affords comfort in the darkest hours of 
 life, was a source of real comfort now. It said 
 lo the afflicted parents and children, as they 
 looked upon the pale forms, of never to be for- 
 gotten remembrance, these loved ones shiill live 
 again in the better land, where the inhabitants 
 never complain of sickness and where death 
 shall never come. 
 
CHAPTKR 11. 
 
 There is one thing remarkable in father's 
 family, six hoys and three girls, all embraced 
 religion and joined the U. B. church before they 
 reached the age of sixteen years. 
 
 . I had an intense struggle of mind with 
 reference to the work of the ministry. At the 
 age of sixteen years [ felt it to be my duty to 
 euo;aore in this blessed work. But then when I 
 would think of the greatness of this work, and 
 the responsibility that rested upon the minister 
 of Jesus Christ, I would banish the thought? 
 /rom my mind, and resist these impression? 
 made by the Holy Spirit, as I verily believe, 
 and I would say of myself, Why think of such 
 a thing? you never will be able to enter upon 
 
4-2, : 
 
 the high and holy o flic t? of tht; Christitm minis, 
 trv. I had a loft}' anii icost sacred idea of Ihf 
 (rreaLncs> of this work. 1 associated with this 
 work the principles of Inteliii^jence, Gaodnes;* 
 and Puiity, and even the presence of the iniin- 
 ite Jehovah as being witli th.e minister of the 
 gospel, and then I would feel that these being 
 so far beyond the possibility of attainxnent by 
 mysell: the conclusion to my mind was clear, I; 
 could never be a minister of the pure and holy, 
 2osoel of Jesus, 
 
 rhe.->e impressioiis that I ought i.o work for. 
 Jt^siis ever and anon would intrude themselves 
 upon me, ri:;ht in ihe midst of other pursuits 
 and |).ojects cf a vvorldly nature in which I was 
 engaged. And thus it was that the contest- 
 went on from the time I was sixteen to twenty - 
 four years oC age when, after more than ordin- 
 ary struggles of mind, I consented to accept ofr 
 license to exhort, whi(;h was .jiiven me at a. 
 quarterly meeting held in tlie town of Millville? 
 Butler county, Ohio, May IS, 1850. The ser- 
 vices of this meeting were conducted by Elder 
 Kumler, jr., whose worthy name is signed to 
 mv first license. 
 
43 
 
 I will state a few things further in regard 
 to the struggles of 1113' mind before I decided to 
 enter the ministry. When about twenty-three 
 years of age I determined to enter upon some 
 permanent business for life. For the two past 
 years, after having completed the time of my 
 minorit}^ under the parental root' with kind and 
 loving parents, I had devoted partly to farming 
 and partly to teaching school. Now I resolved 
 to devote the rest of m}' life to the occupation 
 of farming. 
 
 I selected for rav companion, Mary G. Lan- 
 di«, and upon the 17th day of May, 1849, the 
 niarviage ceremony was performed b}' the Kgv« 
 Samuel Williams, of the old school Baptist 
 church. We moved upon a farm. I commenced 
 work v/ith fair prospect of success. It was not 
 until the summer of 1849 that my trouble be- 
 came truly great and anxiety alarming with re* 
 gard to my call to the ministry. The larger 
 part of my wakeful hours were spent in serious 
 meditation and prayer upon this subject. And 
 the more I thought and prayed upon this sub- 
 ject, the more I was convinced that T was doing 
 wrong in resisting God's oiill to this work. But 
 many new difficulties wore now in the way of my 
 entering upon the work of the ministry. 
 
44 
 
 I had bought a farm and having but liitle 
 means to pay for it, gave jny obligations to pay 
 for it in the future. This financial difficulty 
 looked in me to be insurmountable. But there 
 was another difficulty that appeared to be even 
 greater than this: Wnn.t will your wife say 
 about this? A few montl^s ago ilie consent of 
 only' one was required, but now it will require 
 the consent of two. Ah, thought I, Mary will 
 never consent to my lea\'ing home, and spending 
 mj^ life in the itinerant work of the church. 
 Now this thought came forcibly to my mind; 
 An active, faithful life as a layman in the 
 church is all that is required of me. So I be- 
 gan to ihink in what way I could make myself 
 useful. I thought this: I could employ part 
 of the evenings and also otiier scraps of time 
 to labor for the good of souls, and determined 
 to go and see a neighbor that?- night an'] talk 
 with him upon the interest of his soul. 
 
 After supper, without saying a word to my 
 wife, I started off on ray irst missionary elf'ort. 
 Now, while walking along, I felt well. I have 
 ascertained at last what my duty is; it is to be 
 a faithful layman in the church. And as I 
 went along the way I thought success would at- 
 
45 
 
 tend the effort and good would be accomplished 
 I was soon at the house of my friend, and with 
 some difficulty I introduced the subject of re- 
 ligion. 
 
 My friend who I thought could be per- 
 suaded to be a christian, led out in the discuss- 
 ion of man's responsibility and moral agency, 
 assuming the former and denying the latter. 
 I contended that these were inseparable, and 
 if we were responsible beings and accountable 
 to God, then necessarily we must be moral 
 agents, for the one implied the other. This he 
 denied, and the discussion went on for an hour 
 and I bade him good night and went home. As 
 I was returning I felt terribly disappointed ; 1 
 thought it. was a perfect failure and 1 had accom- 
 plished nothing, and it was a long time before 
 I made another effort as a missionary. 
 
 Not long after this my youngest brother 
 took seriously ill with congestion of the brain. 
 He was about six years of a^^e, and being the 
 youngest of the family, was a fayorite with us 
 all. He grew worse and worse until his life was 
 lespaired of, and three physicians said he musL 
 lie. As I looked upon his lovely, innocent 
 
^6 
 
 form I sincerely desired that he might live, and 
 I said while standing by his bedside and look- 
 ins: him in the face: *'0 Lord, if thou wilt re- 
 store hira to health again I will take this as an 
 evidence that it is thy will that 1 shall engage 
 in the work of tiae ministry." 
 
 I returned to my home one mile and a half 
 from father's home, thinking of the. vow I had 
 taken, that if the boy gets well I will make 
 an effort to become a minister of Jesus. The 
 next day we were sent for in great hasce to go 
 to father's, for it was thought the boy was 
 dying. My wife and I went as soon as we could 
 to see him alive for the last time, as we thought, 
 and here we were gathered around the coueh 
 waiting for the last gasp to close the scenes 
 with him on earth. How solemn was the occa- 
 sion ! Father and mother, brothers and sisters 
 waiting at the very margin of the river of 
 death. I think none of that group felt as 1 
 did. Ah! did not father and mother feel as 
 deeply upon this sad hour as any orher could 
 feel? Yes, surely. But In my case there was 
 this complex state of feelii.g. When I looked 
 upon the boy my heart was melted with syiii- 
 pathy at the thought O^^f his death; am!" then n 
 
47. 
 
 t!iought quite different would steal across the 
 mind: you will now be relieved from all anxiety 
 and doubt with reference to your call to th(- 
 ministry. For indeed I had an lionest, anxious 
 desire to know the will of God upon this sub- 
 ject, and I believe 1 can truthfully say that n© 
 one subject more intensely and ;'ompleti_v ever 
 absorbed my mind than t|iis. And now that 
 this perplexing question was to, l)e decided, and 
 my mind set at rest, after years of agitation 
 and trouble, was a matter of no small im- 
 portance. 
 
 But the boy after lingering for several 
 hours, and the struggle going on between life 
 and death, commenced slightl}' to recover, and 
 soon was well and hearty. New the matter of 
 deep solicitude was only partially aettled and I 
 had terrible doubts if it was my duty after all 
 to be a minister of Jesus and, like Gideon, 
 wanted the Lord to give me still anoUier piau. 
 And so it is, we are slow to believe even when 
 the Lord gives us clear evidence of his will con- 
 cerning us. 
 
 Now, soon after this there was a precious 
 revival of religion in the neighborhood and my 
 companion, who had pot. up to this time pro- 
 
fessed faith in Jesus, became very much inter- 
 ested in the welfare of her soul, and as she pre- 
 sented herself at the altar of prayer I, desiring 
 another evidence of my call to the ministry, 
 said aoain to the Lord : If thou wilt cocvert my 
 'jompanion this night I will take this as the con- 
 ciusive evidence that it is thy will that I should 
 ^nigage in the work of the ministry. She wt;,s 
 converted that night, and I have been endeav- 
 oring ever since, though unworthily, to proclaim 
 the precious words of salvation to the people, 
 
 I have alread}'' stated that at the age of 
 twenty- four years I received license to exhort. 
 At the close of the first year, the class to which 
 I belonged recommended me to the quarterly 
 conference for license to preach. H.Kumler was 
 continued in the office of presiding elder, and 
 after examination by the elder, the conference 
 granted me license to preach the gospel. When- 
 ever opportunity afforded, I at least, made the 
 effort to talk for Jesus, though it was in great 
 weakness. Sometimes I realized great peace 
 3.U(] comfort in the discharge of duty, and at 
 other times there was impenetrable darkness 
 and I would be greatly discouraged and feared 
 
^9 
 
 I should not succeed, and so it was for some 
 time, a life of alternate suusliine and shadow. 
 The Lord however blessed me with sustaining 
 grace. 
 
 After sustaining a quarterly conference rela- 
 tion for one year I was recommended for mem— 
 bersjiip in the Miami annual conference. The 
 conference.held its session this year at Pleasant 
 Ridge chapel, Butler county, Ohio, about 3 miles 
 west of Middletown. My license bears date 
 September 4, 1852, signed by Bro. J. J. Glos- 
 brenner, Bishop. 1 gave ipy name to the station 
 committee for a field of labor. I was appointed 
 to the Germantown circuit with J, W. Cochran, 
 who had charge of the work. 
 
 We had a pleasant time together during 
 the fall and winter. We were blessed with some 
 good revivals of religion and my soul was happy 
 in the Lord. It was not long however, until a 
 dark cloud came down on the circuit and 
 many hearts were made sad. A serious charge 
 of imi^iorality was made against the preacher in 
 charge of tbe circuit. I thought tnese dark 
 clouds of adversity would soon be driven away, 
 and prosperity wo^ld again attend us, but I 
 
50- 
 
 was sadly disappointed. J. W. Cochran resigned 
 the work and arrangements were made by the 
 l-residing elder to investigate the case. I 
 tbought my colleague would be able to vindi- 
 cate his character and prove his innocence. I 
 C'lt a deep interest in this investigation and ac- 
 «companied the presiding elder to Darke coun- 
 1.-, the place where my colleague liyed and 
 where the crime should have been commit- 
 ted. Darke county, Ohio. Rather significant, 
 indeed before we were through with the investi- 
 <.: ition of the case, I thought truly, it is terribly 
 ilark here just now. But what was a source of 
 unpleasantness to me, I was chosen as the third 
 p^irson to sit as juryman, and to assist in decid- 
 i;Vi? this matter of my colleague. I objected Cfi 
 c >urse, but being urged both by J. W, C. and 
 the two Gtkef committeemen, I accepted, and 
 the trial comMen<ced. 
 
 I did my best to note all ihe evidence for 
 and against my friend, for I felt I had a heavy 
 responsibility upon me, and I desired to be 
 prepared to do right. The evidence was very 
 clear and decided against the poor man. And 
 after a weary day was spent in the investigation 
 of the evidence and half of the night heating 
 
, 81 
 
 the pleadings^of tjie attorneys, the case was Bub- 
 mitled to us for decision. And now a move was 
 npade by the oldest member of the committee, 
 that I thought was a little hard. Said he to, 
 me, "You are the youngest member of the com-, 
 mittee and therefore must giye your verdict 
 first." I could see but little logic in this, but as. 
 L might have been mtinenced by the decision 
 of others, it may have been right. I said with-:, 
 out liesitation, that if v,e were to be governed 
 bj the. evidence presented, the man was^ 
 guilty. And the verdict was unanimous. 
 The man was guilty. He was now suspended 
 until the next annual conference, where hi.'* case 
 was further looked into, and b^- the unanimous, 
 vote of the conference, he was expelled froq^, 
 the church. 
 
 Now new. responsibilities were imposed on. 
 me. The entir^^ o'aa.rge of the work was qom- 
 mitted to. my care. The circuit was large and 
 I was without experience in the management of 
 a charge and had never made out a report to 
 read before conference. But my brethren were 
 kind and I got through some wa3^ L r:eceived: 
 a salary of $150. 
 
CHAPTKK I'll. 
 
 In the fall of 1853 I was sent with G'. C. 
 Warvel — who had charge — to Mount Pleasant 
 half station and Miamitown circuit combined. 
 We preached every Sabbath at the former place 
 and every two weeks on the circuit. We had 
 some very interestingly meeiings this year. Bro. 
 Warvel was a very stirring and quite a success- 
 ful preacher. 
 
 There occurred an incident this year I must 
 riot fail to note: Grandfather Kumler for sev- 
 eral years previously had made his home with 
 my father, who resided trwo miles north of MMl- 
 
63 
 
 ville — the place of my residence at that ti-ice. 
 I was in need of some money, (and this was the 
 condition of many of the itinerant preachers in 
 those Jays,) so I called on grandfather for 
 assistance. This was on Friday. He cheer- 
 fully granted the fayor. I bade him farewdl 
 and started for home. When about ten roils 
 from the house he came to the door and called 
 me to return. I at once did so, and when I en- 
 tered the house he was sitting with his large 
 bible befare him, and had already selected tlie 
 3*3d chapter of the book of Ezekiel. He read 
 at once about half of the chapter, where tTro 
 Frophet is speaking in impressive terras show- 
 ing the responsibility of the watchman. He 
 then gave me a warm exhortation to be faithful 
 as awatciiman upon the walls of Zion ; to pro- 
 claim faithfully the counsel of God to the peo- 
 ple. Then said he, "Now you can go; this is 
 all 1 wish of you." 
 
 I started to a protracted meeting on my 
 work, and on Monday following, while we were 
 enjoying a good meeting, a messenger came and 
 announced the sad intelligence of grandfather's 
 deatn. He had a severe stroke of the palsy 
 
54 
 
 the next day after I had an interview wit^ hii^, 
 and fell asleep in Jesys on Sabbath, J^nuarv; 
 8, 1854, living only a.bout one day after be wa^^ 
 taken ill. A very short time, dear reader, yop, 
 maj^ say, for one to perpare fpr, cjeath, but not, 
 so in his case; he had been laboring for almostj 
 a half century in this blessed work of a chris- 
 tian life, and death found him ready. My salary 
 this year was $150. 
 
 Here is an incident in Bishop Zeller's life 
 I should have given before : While on official 
 
 tour he stopped at? the town of M to have. 
 
 work done. The mechanic was a worth3^ man 
 but would not attend church. While doing the, 
 work he looked at Bishop Zeller. He looked 
 the second and the third time, but with strange, 
 feelings he could not account for. Anotherr 
 look, and conviction came into his soul. He had> 
 no rest (the stranger stood ever before him as 
 he thought, praying for h,is poor sojij,)^ t^ill Gfld* 
 spoke peace to him^ 
 
 Another incident of the Bishop and his five 
 brothers when they were boys: They lived 
 a stream called Sweet Arrow. The family was 
 poor, and often their meal consisted of a dish 
 
55 - 
 
 of soap. They would gather around this dish 
 with spoons hi hand and go for the soup, and 
 33 the contents of the dish would sink thcv 
 would put dowii a spooa and measure it, anil 
 then say, '"Sweet Arrow so deep," the dish of 
 soup being compared to the stream. 
 
 After laboring two years in the Miami con- 
 ference I moved into the bounds of the Scioto 
 annual conference and settled in the village of 
 Westerville, where our senior college is located. 
 My object in doing this was to attend schooi 
 and secure a better qualification for the work 
 of the ministry. A Presbyterian minister by 
 the name of Gilliland, with whom I had been 
 long acquainted, advised me not to do this. 
 Said he : ''Persons who have deferred the work 
 of drill and culture in college until they arrive 
 at your age, and having the charge of a family, 
 seldom succeed. I think you had better con- 
 tinue in the regular work in which you are en- 
 gaged." 1 had made up my mind to go to 
 school and to school I must go. And I need 
 only say 1 entered college and applied myself 
 to study as best I could for three y^ars and a 
 half, &nh tv-hile I might have succeeded better 
 auder other cireuinstances, I have never re- 
 
56 
 
 j^retted the courae I took. After attending 
 }>chool six months I was disappointed in m^^ 
 liaancial arrangements and was out of college 
 for a time. 
 
 In the fall of 1855 I was ordained an elder 
 ill Bethlehem church, Pickaway county, Ohio. 
 I vvas appointed by the Scioto annual conference 
 {') a field of tabor in Licking county, called the 
 }''.na haif station. Here I became acquainted 
 with Bro. J. M. t>pangler, who was my Elder 
 ihis year. He was an open-hearted, cheerful 
 brother whom I dearly love. His kindness and 
 love toward rae did much to introduce me to 
 ,the members of this conference. In l.eaving the 
 . Miami conference I realized tlie sacrifice to be 
 much grgati^r tjian I had expected, I had lived 
 Iw'juty-eight in Butler county and had already 
 been a member of the church sixteen years and 
 was acquainted with a great many pious chris- 
 tians and enjoyed many happy seasons with 
 them. Now leaving all these and a large con- 
 nection of relatives, including father and moth- 
 er, four brothers and three sisters, and last 
 though not least the members of the Miami an- 
 nual conference, bidding these all adieu and 
 going among strangers was no ordinary sacri^ce. 
 
57 
 
 But while all tkis is true I soon found that the 
 same christian friendship and sympathy and 
 religion prevailed among the membership and 
 ministry of central Ohio. The first year's travel 
 in Scioto annual conference although a pleasant 
 year was not attended with such signal revival 
 influence as the two former years in the confer- 
 ence I had left. This was a source of sadness 
 to me and was the cause of close personal ex- 
 amination. This year's salary, $250. 
 
 But as I have already stated I spent three 
 years and a half m school so at the close* of 
 this year's labor which was in the fall of 1856 
 I entered college again. I was now 30 years of 
 age and there were five of u« in the family and 
 while there were difficulties with which to con- 
 tend, mainly of a financial nature, I was enabled 
 to continue three years i^ school and in the 
 summer of 1859 completed the English course in 
 the college. And while I am quite sure that 
 lioy success was pot what it might have been 
 under other circumstanKies yet I shall ever prize 
 highly these three years of mental drill in col- 
 lege. I doubt whether a young man can make 
 a better investment, if h-e is a christian, than to 
 secure ar good educationy s,nd the more thorough: 
 
58 
 
 ^Me 1)etter. Tlieso three years were pleasantly 
 i-pent. 'I'he noble hearted, intv-lii^^cnt christian 
 y >iing men an?l ladies with whom I associated 
 '.i\A\ recited, will ever live in my most pieasaiit 
 memory of the past. 
 
 Among the most pleasant associations of 
 mylife were enjoyed with the nohie minded, 
 and kind hearted }Oung men, and ladies of 
 Ottcrbein University. Among these we may 
 mention W. O. Hiskey, theKumlers, the Hanbys, 
 the Hainep, the Millers, Winters, and Clarks, 
 And then I must not forget, S. B. Allen, Henry 
 Garst, D. Surface, J. P. Landis and Guitner. 
 And the able faculty of the college — I liave no' 
 words that will express my appreciation of their 
 mental ability and moral worth. The yenerabltj- 
 and dignified President, Lewis Davis, who by 
 his own eiforts of industry and habits of clos^ 
 systematic study has distlnguisbsd himself as 
 an educator Profe«sor Walker, who had charge 
 of the Greek and Latin clasaes, was an eminent 
 teacher, and although quite impulsive in his 
 nature, excelled in his department of college 
 work. Professor Haywood, who occupied the 
 Mathematical chair, in view of his age and ex- 
 pferien^e, was regarded second to none. He was 
 
59 
 
 a very noble hearted man. There was but littip 
 of the impulsive in his nature and ail the stu- 
 dents were much endeared to him. Professcr 
 McFadden, who had charge of the department 
 of Natural Science, was a successful teachtr 
 and quite much at home in his department of 
 labor. Afterward Professor Hammond was add- 
 ed to the faculty. Miss Gilbert, who was Prin- 
 cipal of the Ladies department, was a christian 
 lady and a successful teacher. 
 
 The college in the yrar 1854 when I enter(."i 
 it was in its infancy, and the town of Wester- 
 Villt V, :>> :: -5: till place and its inhabitants weie 
 favored with the music of the frogs, from morn 
 ing until the morning again, the whole year, 
 with the exception of about three months dur^ 
 ino- the winter season. The ponds which wei^- 
 the homes of these interesting creatures, did 
 not add much to tho health of the place. Tho 
 streets and i^idewalks were in terrible condltior, 
 and it liad but, few attractions for the visitor 
 who occasionally stoppe<l there. But the work 
 of improvement soon commenced, and has been 
 gradually going on, and now after a period of 
 thirty-three years the town is one of the moj^l 
 beautiful in central Ohio. 
 
60 
 
 In June 1859 I? completed the Scientific 
 course in the college. This was an interesting 
 occasion to me. The new college chapel was 
 completed. It required extra exertions however 
 to accompUgt^ this. I remember I was induced 
 to give fiffc}^ dollars m^ addition to what I had 
 already given, eo that it could be used for Com- 
 mencement exercises. This wa? a large room 
 68x98 feet, and the ceiling about thirty feet 
 high. 
 
 A large crowd gathered on Commencement 
 <J.ay and this large rooijji was filled to its utmost 
 Qapacity. The trustees of the college and many 
 visiting brethren frop abroad weie present 
 to enjoy the exercises, and to see for them- 
 selves how well the. graduates would acctuit 
 themselves. This added not a little to the inter 
 ©Bt ,of the occasion, and the friends oj thiiS 
 school had anticipations of its success. 
 
 There were this 3'ear nine graduates: Two 
 Scientific — Jacob Burgner and the writer; four 
 who had completed the Ladies course — S. Leib, 
 C. L. SlaugUtei:, E. Walker and R.Bowman; 
 and three who bad coir-igjieted the Classical 
 course — S. B. Allen, J. A. Clark and John Hol-^ 
 way. 
 
61 
 
 Id the month of September following, the 
 Scioto annual conference . held its session at 
 Zion chapel, Perry county, Ohio. It was my 
 privilege to attend it. We had a very pleasant 
 session. Bishop Edwards preached a very stir- 
 ring sermon from the text, "Open thy mouth 
 wide and I will fill it.'- Truly God was with the. 
 preacher and in the midst of his peopje this 
 holy Sabbath. 
 
 . Brolher E. Vandymark, one of the olde»V 
 rainiRters of this conference, was a very strong 
 Liberty mn\\ ; this could be said of the most off 
 these ministers. He was eo much interested in 
 tne anti slavery movement that when Frenjpnt, 
 was candidate for President in 1856 he took a 
 vow upon himself that he would not shaye off 
 bis beard until Fremont was elected President 
 af the United States. At this conference he 
 l^a(J.a long white beard >v^ch: gave him a ven- 
 erable appearance. I had let my beard grow for 
 several 3 ears, not however that I had taken a 
 vow upon myself so to do ; but wore it for com- 
 fort and convenience. At this da^' there was a 
 prejudice against christian« wearing heards.- 
 Qne of the ministers of this conference who 
 was an inveterate tobacco user, offered the f ol- 
 
lowing resolution for adoption by the confer- 
 ence: "Resolved, That the two brethren 
 w!io wore beards be required to pass a razor 
 over their faces so they might be distinguished 
 from the Tunkers." Bishop Edwards, who up 
 to this time had not worn a beard, arose to re- 
 ply to this resolution. He remarked that he 
 was not much m favor of ministers wearing 
 bearxls, but after all is not the habit of using 
 tol)acco much more offensive in the sight of 
 God than the beard?" He gave us one of his 
 most elegant and stirring speeches against the 
 use of tobacco. He alluded to the filthiness of 
 the habit in defiling the house ot God and in 
 staining the mouth and bespattering the shirt 
 bosom. These three so eminently applied to 
 the brother who had offered the resolution that 
 his countenance fell and he had not a word to 
 say. The Bishop said he objected to the res- 
 olution because it was a very awkward one 
 and also because it reflected on a christian de- 
 nomination. I felt sure that the resolution 
 would be lost, before the Bi-^hop was half 
 through speaking, and I was not mistaken, for 
 it was lost without even one defending it,, either 
 by soeech or vote. 
 
63 
 
 At this conference I was assigne,! to tlr^ 
 Pickaway circuit, with Joseph Holfhin^s as my 
 colleague. A numl)er professed faith iu Jesus 
 and vvere received into the church. After I vv;:,^ 
 appointed to this work a good brother by the 
 name of Z. Morgan wrote me a kind letter and 
 informed me that there would be objections to 
 me for wearing a beard and that it would be 
 better for me to take it off. He said a brother 
 would leave the church unless 1 did. I thought 
 at first it was unreasonable to sacrifice my 
 beard to accommodate myself to the prejudices 
 of one man. But nftefward while meditatin"^ 
 prayerfully over this matter, the language of 
 Paul came to ray mind, where he says: "If eat- 
 ing meat make my brother to offend I will not 
 eat meat while the world stands." I shaved oif 
 my beard. I called on this brother who was 
 so sensitive on this subject, and for a time 
 things passed along with him pleasantly. It 
 was not long howeyer until there was something 
 else that did not please him. One Sabbath as I 
 was going into the church he requested me to 
 present his name to the class for a letter of 
 withdrawal from the church. I enquired of him 
 the'cause for this. He said there was too much 
 
pritle in the chufch and he wishe-i to with- 
 draw. I presented his name to the class and 
 Ihe3^ gave him a letter. It was thought that 
 I lie real cause was kept back. The church 
 was needing a new roof and the brethren were 
 making arrangements to attend to this, and 
 It was thought he left the church to avoid the 
 i'esponsibility that would devolve upon the 
 membera of this society for this improvement. 
 So you see I lost my beard and my member 
 also. These who have so little love for God's 
 cause will not acoomplish much anywhere. ' 
 
 This was my first year with a colleague in 
 which I had the responsibility of the charge of 
 the work. I had charge of a single work once 
 before. 
 
 This was only a little while after the John 
 
 Brown excitement at Harper's Ferry, Virginia. 
 My colleague called one stormy night at Kiugg 
 
 ton iu Pickaway county, with an old United 
 Brethren family. He said to them that he Wfis 
 a United Brethren preacher. "Well," said the 
 man, "I used to think is great deal of United 
 Brethren preachers, but since they are con- 
 ' etaatly striking and blowing tor John Brown 
 
65 
 
 I think but little of them." Soon after this the 
 preacher was invited to another part of the; 
 Uouse for supper, and his horse was put up for. 
 the ni^lit. It was late when he called, and by '' 
 the time he had eaten his supper it was near> 
 nine o'clock. He ,then called the attention of 
 the brother to the remark he had made about 
 the preachers, and wished to know what he 
 meant by it. "I mean," said lie, "just what I 
 said; these U- B. preachers are blowing for 
 John Brown and I think but little of them." 
 "Well,'' said the preacher, "who are striking 
 and blowing'for Brown?" "You are all doing . 
 it," was the reply. This chafed tlie preacher- 
 quite a little, especially when he repeated it," 
 and aaid, "These mean abolition preachers 
 are doing that very thing." The preacher in- 
 quirad who it was. "You all do it," the brothw- - 
 said. "Well," said the preacher, "may be you 
 think I am a mean man and blowing for 
 Brown. He replied, "I have no doubt but you/ 
 are." Said the preacher, "If you think I am a,- 
 mean man I can not remain with you over 
 night" "You can leave if 3'ou wish," was the 
 r^ply. "Then," said our friend, "will you get 
 my horse; I will be going." "Get him yourself' 
 
66, 
 
 if you want ham," was the rptor|,, Hf g,atl^-_ 
 ered bis wraps and started out to find, hi^ horse. 
 It was a very stormy, sleety winter? night. The, 
 good woman of the house sent a boy out to aa; 
 sist in getting the beast. And olf he went, trav 
 elinjr through the storm about seven miles. It 
 was soon known all over town that he had 
 treated this preacher badly and it was not a 
 little to his discredit. 
 
 We had some precious revivals of religion 
 this year. It was a blessed time in my itiner- 
 ate life» There were not less than fifty con- 
 versions and accessions to the church this year. 
 I traveled this year over three thousand miles 
 but I enjoyed good health, as also my family 
 was permitted to enjoy the same blessing. I re- 
 ceived ai salary this year not far from three 
 hundred dollars. 
 
OHAPTKR IV. 
 
 In the fall of 1860 I was sent to the Etna and 
 Burnside circuit^ith Samuel Longshore as my 
 colieague. What used to be called the Albany 
 circuit was connected with this work. This was 
 the second time I traveled the Etna part of thi? 
 work. Here I met the brethren and sisters with 
 whom 1 had formerly worshipped and labored 
 and I enjoyed myself among them very much. 
 This .0 ir w;*- bad precious revivals ot religion 
 at Etna, Licking county, Ohio. These two 
 meetings continued nine weeks; the former five 
 
 '-and the latter four. They resulted in oyer sey 
 ent}^ conversions and accessions to the church. 
 We had some very good meetings at other 
 points on this work; probably there were one 
 
 -hundred conversions *and accessions to the 
 
68 
 
 church this year. Oh ! these were blessed 
 times never to be forgotten. Some of those 
 who were converted this year have long since 
 gone to the better land. Shall I meet them 
 there? 
 
 The latter part of thie conference year 
 » was a very exciting time. The great American. 
 Rebellion wfis being inaugurated. The flag at 
 , Sumpter had been fired upon by the rebels and 
 the spirit of war was fanned to a flame. In May 
 of this year General Conference convened at 
 Westtryille, Franklin county, Ohio. Secret so- 
 eietiea, American slavery and the rebellion were 
 tho eufe^JealB of excitement and discussion by 
 the conference. I received about .^250, 
 
 In the fall of 1861 I was appointed to the 
 Otterbein station. This is where I had lived 
 over seven years and had spent half of this time 
 in school. It was a responsible work and to 
 take charge of a station where there was so 
 much talent and learning was to me somewhat 
 embarrassing; but by the sympathy and kind- 
 ness of the ministers of tho place, and the pro- 
 fessors of the school I was enabled to continue 
 during the year. I had much kindness and 
 brotherly love shown me by Ex-Bishop Hanby. 
 
69 
 
 He would say pleasantly to me: "Now, Brother 
 Zeller, when yon get in a close place for soroe 
 one to preach for yo-u then you can dr.aw .on 
 rae." And so I did, for I seldom preached more 
 than once on the Sabbath. 
 
 Bro. J. Weaver who is now one of the 
 Bishops of the church, was soliciting agent of 
 the school and resided at this place. He was 
 kind, and ready to help me. President L. Davis 
 was also a good friend, and helped me much. 
 O ! I shall never forget them. God grant that 
 their lives may be long and happy and their 
 deaths triumphant. And then here were the 
 learned professors of the college from whom I 
 had received instruction, and they were always 
 my hearers. I often felt that I should be the 
 hearer and that some one of the talented mem- 
 bers of my congregation should be the speaker. 
 There were a few conversions and accessions to 
 the church during this year. Among the num- 
 , ber was my oldest daughter, who was convert 
 ed and joined the church before she was twelve 
 years old. She was baptised by Brother Hanby. 
 Salary this year, $250. 
 
 In the fall of 1862 I was sent to the 
 
^0 
 
 Winchester circuit, which was mainly in the 
 county of Fairfield Ohio, This was the stormy 
 year of my itinerant life. There were a num- 
 ber of Pennsylvania Germans on this work. 
 They were opposed to the war, and through the 
 influence of their political leaders were made 
 to believe that the preachers had brought about 
 the war by their abolition doctrine, and some of 
 them from the same cause would defend the 
 system of Americau slavery itself, ' 
 
 I was invited by the brethren at Canal- 
 Wincbester to assist in holding a watch-night 
 meeting. This meeting was held the night be- 
 fore the memorable first day of January, 1863, 
 when the Proclamation of Emancipation issued 
 by President Abraham Lincoln three months 
 before, now liberated all the slaves in this great 
 republic of ours. Now it would be expected 
 that if there was any patriotism about us it 
 would be stirred within us at «uc1j a time a« 
 this. 
 
 1 met with the brethren agreeably with 
 their request and being somewhat tired with my 
 journey I rested until 8 o'clock. The class 
 leader agreed to hold prayer meeting until that 
 
71 
 
 hour. We had a fine large bticjj church house 
 in the village and this house was well filled, 
 and the leader, L. C. was apparently en 
 joying himself well. I entered the house 
 at the time appointed. I read God's word and 
 the congregation sang with spirit and life. I 
 felt at liberty in prayer, and asked God. . in the . 
 lively exercise of faith to give us success in the 
 njeeting, and received hearty responses from the • 
 leader and others. But when I petitioned . thg^ . 
 Almighty to give th^e Union soldiers suqce^s in., 
 putting down thje rebellion ; and also aaked tba 
 all might enjoy the liberties we prized so dearly, 
 Inoticed the leader, responded no more, andj; 
 indeed these last petitions ofl^ended the class 
 leader, and as soon as prayer^e^ided he left the. 
 house and said to a frien^.who met iiim on the 
 street that he was going hom,e and that he would 
 not encourage these abolition preachers. This 
 caused much excitement in town, and while the 
 class was laboring to correct this brother for 
 unchristian conduct, a charge of gross immor- 
 ality was alleged against him. Two of the 
 merchants of the town procured a warrant ta 
 l\ave his house searched for stolen goods.. 
 Tihey found the stolen property. He was then, 
 
72 
 
 arrested, and tried and fou,iicl gailty. He w^ajs 
 afterwards expelled from the church. It was" 
 thought that the circumstances with which he 
 was surrounded added not a little to his crime . 
 He WHS in good circumstances. He had a good 
 farm near town of two hundred acres worth 
 sixty dollars an acre. This in addition to the 
 loud profession of religion he had made for 
 many years in the past added greatly to the 
 crime. 
 
 At another point on the circuit the mem- 
 bers proposed to give me a good salary if I 
 would say nothing. on the slavery question. I 
 was unwilling to sell myself or my principles, 
 cither. I prepared a sermon on the subject of 
 the christian's responsibility, aod.specitied some 
 of the tunings for which the christian would be 
 held responsible. I dwelt upon the thought: We 
 must oppose sin, and all sin of every kind; and 
 if Amfrriean slavery was a sin, there was but 
 one course for the christian to take, and that' 
 was to oppose it. This offended the brethren 
 much, and some one, I know not who, cut my 
 harness, took off the burr from one of my buggy 
 wheels and threw it away or hid it so I never 
 found it, and well nigh disabled me from trav^ 
 
73 
 
 eling. But after all this I continued upon tiie 
 work, and filled m}' appointments and preached 
 what I thought to be the truth as I should have 
 to answer to God in the great jugdment day. 
 
 And now that the excitement is all over 
 and passed I feel that I did the will of my 
 Father in Heaven, and I trust the |)ret|a,ren al- 
 luded to have long eince repented at their evil 
 ways and see now that it was -th,e will of God 
 that slavery with its iniquity should come to 
 an end. Brother S. Longshore was my cOl- 
 (league this year again. This good brother had 
 been associated with the Democratic part3\ He 
 was junior preacher on this work the previous 
 year and the brethren at the class alluded to 
 last, petitioned the conference to return him to 
 this work. Their request was granted, and i 
 was through him the bid was made to me to be 
 silent on the slayery question. J spurned their 
 ptfer and declared unto them the sin and iniq- 
 uity of slavery. However they m'c,\de good 
 their threat to pay us but little salar\\ At the 
 next quarterly meeting a wealthy class reported 
 only one dollar. 
 
 Brother Joshua Montgomery, who was pre- 
 siding elder, saw at once there was something 
 
74 
 
 wrong aiul inquired firmly wbat it vi'as... .Silenoe 
 rcii^'ned for a time in the conference*;: The Eld-" 
 or pressed the question and after quite a dela3' 
 the steward of the class remarked, '*If I must 
 tell, I must. The brethren of the Salem class' 
 (for this was its name) sa^- they will not pay 
 AboUtion preachers." Broilier Longshore up 
 tO this time had said nothing in the conference , 
 Sow he arose and remarked tliat his mouth had 
 been gagged for about two years but npw de- 
 termined to take the gag off and be a free man. 
 J give you now to understand that from the 
 crown of my head to the soles of my feet I am 
 an Abolitionist. Some of the members of tk^ 
 circuit said "We feared that Brother Sammy 
 would be spoiled. by associating with Zeller." 
 
 Such was the pressure brought to bear 
 against this brother that he preached no more 
 fbr this class. The quarterly conference passed 
 a resolution asking them to pay us for the time 
 we had labored for them, and if they desired it, 
 we would labor for th«m no more. But they 
 were unwilling to take the responsibility to say 
 4hat we should stop preaching for them, so I 
 <iontinued to preach for theni during the year 
 and they supported ne moderately' well. Sal- 
 ary, about $200, 
 
In the fall of 1863 I was sent by the con.- 
 ference to the Palestine circuit. Brother Dan-^ 
 iel Benebrake was my colleague. He was a 
 most pleasant and agreeable companion. This 
 year was much more pleasant than the last. We 
 had gracious revivals of religion and there were, 
 over one hundred conversions and accessions to 
 the church during this year. Brother Bone- 
 brake had charge of the work. He held meet- 
 lugs at one end of the work and I did the same 
 at the other end of the work. 
 
 I shall never forget a meeting I held near 
 the town of Circleville, Pickaway county, Ohio. 
 The meeting was continued about three week?. 
 J^ames Blacker and wife were precious good 
 chrietians. The former w,ae class leader. They 
 with only a few others labored faithfully with 
 inc. The meeting grew more and more inter- 
 eabrng. I lodged part of' the time with an ec- 
 centric brother by the name of Capt. Ridgr^ 
 way. One morning in the early part of the 
 meeting, after arising from the slumbers of the 
 night, he said to me : "Brother Zeller, we are 
 going to have a good meeting." '*Why," said 1^ 
 "Gaptain, what makes you think so?" "0!" 
 aaid h;e, **I ha^ such an impressive dream last 
 
76 
 
 night: I was near a stream- that was almost 
 dry. And there were drift wood, brush and 
 :rash along the bed of the stream. The water 
 commenced to rise and a large black snake 
 raised his head up through the drift, and he 
 made a wonderful hissing noise, and the water 
 in the stream raised higher and higher until it 
 swept away the snake, with all the drift, far in 
 the distance." Then he repeated again : "I 
 know we will have a good meeting." I told him 
 that I did not like to dream about snakes. 
 
 Whether this dream was an omen of a good 
 meeting or not I do not pretend to affirm. But 
 after all there was something in the progress of 
 this meeting like unto the drearff: The stream 
 of salvation commenced to rise, and it rose 
 higher and higher and ihe drift of sin and in- 
 iquity was washed away. The work of the 
 Lord was graciously revived. Sinners were con- 
 victed and mourners were converted and chris- 
 tians rejoiced in the Lord. Indeed it was a 
 soul-cheering time for the Lord was with us, 
 and it is blessed to think of it yet. 
 
 An" incident occurred at this meeting 1 
 think will justify my relating: A wealthy fam- 
 
77 
 
 ily livedo near where the meeting was in s'ession. 
 They were very kind and clevet. They invilf d 
 me to make my home with them as much as I 
 could or wished to, so I accepted their 1;ind in- 
 vitation and went with them frequently. They 
 were members of the Episcopalian church in 
 the city of Circleville. They were distant from 
 their place of worship about five miles, and at 
 this time were destitute of a pastor and seldom 
 had services in their own church. So it was 
 that they attended rae^tfng with us .quite reg- 
 ularly, took an stclite part in singing and were 
 active members in the Sabbath school. In vis 
 iting with them I found that tliey were desti- 
 tute of experimental religion of the heart and 
 in conversing with them on this subject they 
 would say as Nicodemus said to Christ: "How 
 can these things be?" I tried to explain this 
 subject to them and referred them to the teach- 
 ings of the Bible on this subject. 
 
 But it is a difficult task to impress' the 
 mind of a formal professor of religion who has 
 satisfied himself with the externals thereof, 
 with the great importance of enjoying the life 
 and powef of God's grace in the h«art. The 
 
78 
 
 lady of the. house, wtia was Very sociablB, and 
 Jfree to talk with me on this subject, one day 
 gaye me a hymn selected by her husband. for me 
 to read. This hymn told largely ol the chris- 
 tian's doubts and fears and that this , was an ev- 
 idence that we were the children oi God, I 
 read the hymn carefully and then said oO her:., 
 "This is only an opinion of a man. What is. 
 that in comparison to the teachirgs of the in- 
 liuite God? He says, 'The spirit itself beareth 
 witness with our spiritsj that we are the chil- 
 dren of God.' — Rom. viii: 16. And again the 
 apostle says, 'The Ijoye of God is shed abroad 
 in our hearts by the Holy Gihost which is gi^v^n, 
 unto us.*— Rom. V : 5. The Psalmist says, *-^e 
 brought me up also out oi a horrible pit, o.u,t 
 of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rockj 
 find established my goings. And He hath put 
 a new song in my mouth, even praise uuto our 
 •God,'— Fsalms xl • 2. 'We know that we haye 
 passed from death unto life, because we love 
 aur brethren.' — IstJohn, iii: 14. These pass- 
 ages clearly teach us that it is our privilege to 
 know that God is our friend in the ,forgivene.|^ 
 ;of our sins and that we are hiis children an(J 
 heirs of Heaven." 
 
V.' 
 
 Tliere was a neighbor lady who was an in- 
 Umate*Ti^ieiiti of the lady I am speaking about, 
 and a member of the Methodist churoh.= 
 The name of Ihe former was Mrs. Swearingen ; 
 and the name of the latter was Mrs. Rennick. 
 As I was riding home with the S. family froai 
 meeting:, after we were permitted to enjoy some 
 excellent seasons of grace, we were conversing 
 pleasantly together*. Said Mrs. S. : "I do not' 
 like your prayer and speaking meetings. They ' 
 ar€ altogether different from our meetings. Youv 
 meetings for public preaching I enjoy wel 
 enough ; and my friend Mrs* R. says she is ju»t 
 like nayseif, and she is a member of the Melh- 
 odisJ; church." *'Well," said I, "that's strange; 
 tiife Methodists hold a great many of these kind 
 of meetings," ''Yes," said she, '*I believe they- 
 do, but I could not take pari in your speaking 
 meetings; 1 could not get up in public and- 
 speak." I had requested her previously to take 
 part in our social meetings. She appeared to 
 take comfort from what her Methodist neigh- 
 bor had said on this subject. She said the 
 parents of Mrs, R. often insisted on her taking 
 part, in the social meetings but she could not. 
 I said but little but thought a great deal about 
 
80 
 
 H ; and this impression came forcibly to my 
 mind: She can not be a live Methodist nor a 
 live christian, either, or she would enjoy social 
 leligious meetings. 
 
 Up to this time there had been a few vei^- 
 clear conversions, but they were confined to the 
 poorer class of people, and Mrs. S. woi^ld say, 
 '•If the work was ampng the higher class of peo- 
 ple I would have some confidence in it." She 
 inquired of a Presbyterian lady one night what 
 she thought of the meeting and if she believed 
 jn experimental religion. Most a88uredl3' I do, 
 said the lady. This is the work of God's grace 
 changing the heart. 
 
 About this time Mrs. S. and her husband 
 were cailed away to attend the funeral of ;\i\s 
 father at Ghillicothe. The meeting was grow- 
 ing more and more interesting daily, and before 
 iheir return, their intimate friend, Mrs. R., 
 became powerfully awakened and came for- 
 wi\rd trembling to the altar of prayer. I slinll 
 never forget with what earnestness and humility 
 she asked the prayers of God's people in her 
 behalf and with what meekness, simplicity and 
 confidence she looked up tp Jesus for salva- 
 
81 
 
 tion and although she was wealthy aric! well 
 i dressed she was humble and submissive as a 
 child, and in a -short time she was made com 
 pletely happy. She obtained the pearl of great 
 price and rejoiced in the love of Jesus. Now I 
 ne3ded no explanation why formerly §he <li<l 
 -.not enjoy prayer and class meetings. 
 
 The n-ext day we met for social .wprslrp 
 ; again. In good time the sister was att^he place 
 of worship — and not as it was previously; now 
 ehe sat near the stand among the , lovers of 
 Jesus. At rather a late hour Mrs. S. came 
 to church also, having hera-d what had occurred 
 the day before white she was absent, ifl the 
 ^onvj^rsion of her intimate friend; but she took 
 a seat far back in the house. I could not but 
 be impressed with the contrast in the actions 
 of these two persons v^^ho were much alike only 
 a few da3'S before. They invariably before sat 
 together about the middle of the congregation. 
 Now one was near the stand among christians, 
 the Q,ther was far back in the house. I intro- 
 duced the meeting by reading the 25th chapter 
 of Matthew, Then after singing and prayer I 
 commented awhile on the parable of the ten 
 virgins, I t|iea gave the privilege to all who 
 
wishedj to speak on the subject of- rejigion. 
 Sister R. w^as tbe first to get up and speak. 
 She said: "I have been a member of the Metli- 
 (;distchurch-for ten years and I never knew 
 what experimental religion was until yesterday. 
 r came forward to the altar of prayer and gave 
 my heart to Jesus, and O! liow happy I am in 
 Uie love of the Savior. I will try to obey, love 
 H.!id serve Him while I live." 
 
 We ha(i a most precious season of grace . 
 ip waiting on the Lord that day.'^Ait^r%' 
 i^pmber of the. brethren and sisters had spoken, 
 ^\^9. S., who had refused to take part in speak-; 
 lag meeting and said privately she could not,, 
 now arose in the back part of the housft and 
 said: ** 1 know these christian people enjoy 
 somothitig to which I am a str^anger. I fear I. 
 vv^ijl be like the foolish virgips of wkom we 
 have been hearing to-day." S!^e then with^ 
 tears in her eyes asked christians to pray for 
 her axid then took a seat, manifestly with a sad 
 hcnr.t^ She said to me afterward tha.l she had 
 been a memjber of the Presbyterian chui'ch and 
 also a member of the Associate Reformed 
 church, and now to accommodate her husband 
 hA(J; joined the Episcopalian church, and she 
 
t3 
 
 tb ought she would not join any other, I said 
 to her that I would not insist on her to join any 
 other church, but I desired her to seek the eal- 
 Tation of her soul, that she might do good and 
 be happy and gain a home in Heayen' wtien 
 done with this life. 
 
 The Swearingen family were very wealthy. 
 They had one thousand acres of land in the 
 Scieto valley, worth at the time of this meeting 
 one hundred dollars an acre. But with all this 
 it ie to be feared they were destitute of the 
 riches of God's grace that makes the eouf 
 
 i 
 
 happy. 
 
 At this meeting another wealthy man's 
 daughter was awakened and desired to seek re 
 ligioD, but was opposed by her parent. Her 
 father *aid to her if she weut to the altar of 
 prayer and thue disgraced hereelf she could 
 not have a home with him. She was not per- 
 mitted to attend the night meetings, but came 
 regularly to the day meeting*^ The spirit of 
 God po moved upon her he*H that she came 
 forward to the altar of pra\^er ati'd was happily 
 converted. So the Devil was cheated again by 
 christians having altar exercises and praying " 
 
84 
 
 and J«boring with sinners in day time. T dp 
 not know all he did and said to his daughter 
 by way of discoiiragiug her ; but the couDmon 
 report was that he did what lie could to lead 
 her in the way of sin and folly again. He se- 
 cured some wicked worldly young people to in- 
 duce her to attend a ball and thus to lead her 
 away from Jesus and Heaven. O! what a f^nr- 
 ful responsibility rests upon such parents; nnd 
 what an awful account they wv^p r€,nder by 
 and by. 
 
 About three miles north of this place we 
 had an extensive revival of religion. It was 
 the continuation of the work of grace of which 
 I haTC been writing. This meeting was com- 
 menced a few days after ihe close of the former ^ 
 one alluded to. Brother Bonebrake, my col- 
 league, conducted the services mostly of this 
 meeting and it resulted in many happy con- 
 versions to the christian religion. During the 
 progress of this meeting, 1 commenced a meet- 
 ing in the town of Palestine, which, was a meet- 
 ing of interest and power. There was much 
 good accomplished at this meeting also, and 
 many made happy iothe Suvior's lovfiv;,. A ml(3-, 
 dl<j aged' m^n of intem^^erate habits, sadly de- 
 
86 
 
 gradexS, anrl deeply fallen, was marie the subr.. 
 ject of par.loning love; biit I fi'ar iiis oM liab- 
 its again obtaiued ^he ascendenc}- and that Liie 
 went back to his cups again, and to filth and 
 degradation. 01 what an amount of wretched- 
 ness and suffering the sin of intemperance has 
 brought upon the family of man. » 
 
 Brother Bonebrake was with lue during 
 the latter pan of this meeting. After enjoyin^ 
 a pleasant night's rest together, when we arose 
 in the morning, he remarked that he had a sin- 
 gular dream during the night: "I thought you 
 and I were fishing and you caught all the large 
 fish while f caught onl)- small ones." We part- 
 ed from each other that morning and I thought 
 nothing more about the matter until Sabbath. 
 
 We had a very interesting meeting and I opened 
 the door of the church and receiyed into her 
 five members of respectability who exerted 
 quite an infi'.ience in the community. When T 
 next met my colleague I said to him, I have 
 cauglit those large fish you had such an im- 
 pressive dream aboiit.. 
 
 We had about one hundred and forty con- 
 versions and accessions to the church this year 
 and received three hundred dollars salary each, 
 and my tra.vel ihis year was at least two. 
 thousand miles, and my health was good and' 
 God was my kindest and best friend. 
 
During this year the ^ar of the Americati 
 febellion waa raging fearfully and many noble , 
 young men were falling; some by disease and 
 others on the battlefield. About the middle 
 of May I was notified by the proper officer thai 
 I was drafted to go into the army» I had a 
 large family, and my wife said it could not, be 
 that I should leave home, and go to war, and 
 indeed such was the circumatarces of ray fami- 
 ly at this time that it was very difficult for me 
 to leave home. I made an effort to procure the,, 
 money required for my release, but it Hvas very 
 
difficult to obtain it, A good hearted brother 
 hy the name of D. Guitner who was engaged in 
 the merchantile business in the town of Wes- 
 terville, agreed, to let me have one hundred 
 d9llars;.and then I made considerable effort, 
 ^to secujre the remainder. There was an ar,. 
 i*angem^nt on the part of the govermeat that by 
 the payment of three hundred dollars a drafted 
 man could be released. The times were quite, 
 hard and money up to this time was scarce, anV 
 I failed to get the remaining two hundred dol.- 
 lars. The time was at hand for me to report a 
 the headquarters of the military district, and 
 I. was at a distance from the place eighty miles. 
 'There were but two days left for "^^me* to get 
 ready to go at the call of my country', and one 
 of. them the Sabbath day. l*he brethren re- 
 quested me to preach for them as this would 
 •be the last Sabbath I would in all probability 
 ever sp^ud with them on earth. It was a solemn 
 timp wjl^h me. I preached to a large congrega- 
 tioUvOtterbein College, and the Lord was with 
 me. I bade them good bye. 
 
 On Monday morning I heard of a man who 
 Uyed, sir miles off, who had sold his farm, and 
 
88 
 
 't was thongbt I could get money of him; but 
 
 here again I tvas disappointed, and was roturn- 
 
 ■ Ing tiome expecting to start;t6 Mansfield, the 
 
 headquarters of the militia, the next morning. 
 
 On my way home a shower of rain came up 
 
 and I stopped to shelter from the rain with a 
 
 man who was somewhat acquainted with me. 
 
 He had heard that I was drafted, and he in- 
 
 quired if it was correco. I tpld him that the 
 
 /eport he had heard was true. "Are you going to 
 
 war?" inquired he. I answered this is all that is 
 
 left me. I am compelled to go. I can not secure 
 
 the money and tomorrow I must report. He then 
 
 said to me : You need not go, I will let 3^ou have 
 
 ihe money. 1 need not say that I accepted his 
 
 . kind offer and with a light heart look the money 
 
 and settled the account with the government, 
 
 secured a receipt for the same and returned. 
 
 My family was cheerful apd much delighted 
 
 vUiat I was so kindly saved froip a soldier's life, 
 
 and it may be from a soldier's 'death, I have 
 
 always regarded it as a special providence of 
 
 <;iod in directing me to where the money could 
 
 oe had. 
 
 I was now involved to a considerable ex- 
 tent liaaacially and was paying ten per cent, in- 
 
• 89 
 
 terest on my indebtedness. By close economy 
 I could sustain my family with the salary I r.^. 
 ceived and what little I would make while ut 
 home; but the interest I was paying yearly 
 was constantly increasing my indebtedness, and 
 with the very best I could do was getting more 
 and more in debt every year. I counseled with 
 ray wife about this matter and suggested to 
 her that we had better sell the property we had 
 and purchase elsewhere. This was a great sac- 
 rifice for her to make. We had a good house 
 and the place and neighbors pleased her well. 
 We had now lived at Westerviile and near the 
 place ten years. We had eujo^'ed the advant- 
 ages of the college and good society all this 
 time. My children were of sufficient age to 
 enter high school and some of thern had at- 
 tended college some. Now we had to sacritice 
 all these privileges if we left the place. We 
 decided however to sell out and try our fortune 
 elsewhere. 
 
 It was not long until I bought a farm 
 
 x)f one hundred acres for one hundred dollars 
 
 less than I sold my property tor. This left me 
 
 Btill in debt about fourteen hundred dollars, I 
 
 did almost two men's work for a time> that Is 
 
90 
 
 ^8 far aa manual labor is concerned. I traveleri 
 circuit and did al>out as much as ray neighbors 
 fanning; but this of course rendered me les^^ 
 useful as a circuit preacher, and I knew I could 
 not long continue with sucb a heavy draft upon 
 my ph3'sical structure. I had spent fifteen 
 hundred dollars of my capital while I, was iu 
 college three years. Four hundred of this, how- 
 Gver, I donated to the school. Now I was anx- 
 ious to get out or debt and I was trying hard 
 bj economy and hard labor to make this so I 
 would have the same amount of capital I had 
 ten years before, but this would have taken a 
 long time had it not been for an, advance in 
 real estate. In just two years after I bought 
 this farm I sold it for twelve hundred dollars 
 i^ore than I gave for it. This put me out of 
 debt and I felt truly thankful for it. I moved 
 upon this farm in March 1865. The winter 
 previous was a very severe^ one. There was 
 good sleighing awhile in February. Salary this 
 year $250. 
 
 In the fall of 1864 I ^vas ieturned to the 
 Palestine circuit, with Oliver ISpencer as my 
 colleague. We had a pjeai^ant time this year. 
 The first day of 1865 was the cold New Years 
 
91 
 day. The weather for some time previous was 
 mild ami the day before it rained some. I com- 
 menced a meeting the night before at the 
 Thomas chapel and announced a meeting for 
 the next day. This was the most sudden and 
 severe change in the weather I ever knew. At 
 sundown it was warm, about ten degrees abov- 
 freezing point. The next morning the mercury 
 went down ten degrees below zero. A large 
 amount of wheat was killed in central Ohio. 
 
 This cold day was on Friday and a few of 
 us met for worship. The church, house was 
 somewhat open and it was impossible for us to 
 keep comfortable. Tlie part of a person next 
 to a well heated stove was disagreeably hot 
 and the other part was cold ; so we suffered 
 with heat and cold at the same lime. It was 
 t-hought on Account of the very disagreeable 
 _ weather we bad better close the meeting. 
 
 I traveled seventeen miles the next d:iy. 
 Early on Saturday mornino; it was still bitter 
 cold weather. I lodged New Years night with 
 -^illiam Adama. I never came so near freez- 
 ing while in bed in my 4 if e. I lay near a west 
 window and although the 'house was tolerably' 
 
9? 
 
 gaicli the cold through th^. v^^e^sp. window was so, 
 very piercing that all the sleep I had was. in 
 in Ihe fore part of the i?iglit. I sv.ffertd so 
 much with the cold that I got up and went 
 c\ -wa ta the fire and spent the rest of the night 
 hy a good fire in conversation with the brother, 
 I stopped with. 
 
 I had a horse and suik}^ with me but t 
 started on my journey and walked ten miles be- 
 fore I rode any. I then rode about twenty-five 
 minutes and became so cold that I was com- 
 pelled to walk again. I did not ride at any 
 pne time tHat day more than one half hour. I 
 arrived laie at night, tired and hungry, at 
 the house of George Goodson. He had the 
 r,ight name for he was a good;, i;ind-hearted 
 V^rotber, He lived in Madison county, about 
 e.ight miles from London, the county seat. This 
 circuit was located in Pickaway', Tranklin and 
 Madison counties. I lived on the circuit and 
 t|herefore my traveling was not so extensive. I 
 received about $300 salary. 
 
 In the fall of 1865 the conference was held 
 at Canal Winchester, Fairfield county, Ohio. 
 I was sent this year to the Washington circuit, 
 located near the county a.ea,^ oj^ Faj^tte countj', 
 
93 
 
 and.tpok it^ name fiom the county- town of the 
 same.napaG. I(Only remained on tliis work one 
 n^pnth ; and this was the only field of labor I 
 had ever left before my time expired. Brother 
 Joseph, Bybee, a very liberal hearted and 
 wealthy man, supposed to be worth at least one 
 hundred, thousand dollars, lost all he had about 
 the time I went to the work, by bailing his son. 
 The year before, he paid about one third of the 
 salary the preacher received. And his failing 
 embarrassed the other brethren on the work. 
 A brother of his who usually did well towards 
 supj)prting the preacher, was seriously effected 
 by his ipis^ortune. 
 
 This was a small field and a few men sup- 
 ported tjheir minister. Now this financial 
 trouble c.o,p?ing upon, them just at the time I 
 went to the work, so^ completely discouraged 
 them that they determined to do without a 
 minister for a time. T ascertained this when I 
 galled a meeting of the otficiary to arrange for 
 the finance of the year. So. when 1 heard their 
 request and the reasons for the same, we pleas- 
 antly separated and I returned home. 
 
 Before I arrived a^t h;Ome when about five 
 ipiles distant, I stppp,e4 ^here I was ^pquainted 
 
u 
 
 and applied for a school and conditionally ar- 
 vMiged to teach. When 1 was within one mile 
 ^rd a half of home I was ort'ered another po- 
 sition to teach school; and those of the for- 
 mer place being somewhat tard}^ in arranging 
 the business of their school, I contracted to 
 teach near home during the winter. I had 
 preached the two previous years in the neigh- 
 borhood where I contracted to teach. 
 
 A young man came to school who had 
 formed the habit of profane swearing. The 
 rules of my school forbade this ungentlemanly 
 habi». And I made an arrangement with the 
 directors that the young men and ladies who 
 refused to obey the rules of the school should 
 be diaaissed by their authority. And the 
 younger members of. the. school were to be entire 
 ly under my control. The young man alluded to 
 had yery bad training at home and I could not 
 but anticipate trouble. I did what I could to 
 learn his disposition and treat him accordingly. 
 He was a high spirited young man and very 
 impuliive in his nature but usually kind hearted 
 and sociable. When he was aUji^ry his passions 
 were uncontrolled, and then he was accusto^ied 
 to use very bad language. I took pains to -talk 
 
9^, 
 
 with him and tried to impress his mind with 
 the ungentlemanly and also with the" sinful 
 course he was pursuing, and I tried to show him 
 the very bad influence he was exerting among 
 the childi^en. 
 
 Bnt all. my efforts of moral suasion in his 
 case failed. And % the authority of the di- 
 rectors I informed him that he must leave 
 school. He took his books and left us, and I 
 supposed my trouble with him was now at an 
 end. But in this I was sadly mistaken. His 
 father interceded with the directors, and ob- 
 tained premission for him to return again ; with 
 the understanding however that he should be 
 under my control, and that in case he should 
 violate the rules of the school I should inflic 
 Gorp6ral punishment upon him. I feared the 
 consequences for his father was a neighbor of 
 mine, and a very profane man himself. 
 
 It was not long after this until he became 
 angry again, and used bad language. He had 
 intimated some days before to the boys that I 
 was not man enough to inflict punishment upon 
 hiiii. In this however I had no difficulty; for I 
 chastised him severely. He left the school 
 
96 
 
 find did .not return. I felt sad at the thought 
 i!i vt the friendship of this family, and es- 
 pecially of this young man, was now at an end, 
 ))iobably forever. But I was agreeably mis- 
 taken in this. At a quarterly meeting held 
 snbsequenily he came forward penitently to 
 ihe altar of prayer, and ever afterward treated 
 uie with kindness and respect. I believe ii did 
 him good. 
 
 During the spring and summer I worked 
 on the farm part of the time and pa'rt of the 
 i!ine»solcf books. During this summer my 
 oiiiest daughter, M. E. Zeller, taught her first 
 school. 
 
 In the fall of 1866 the conference was held 
 in Vinton county, Ohio, not far from McCarthy 
 town, the county seat. From this conference 
 I was sent to the VValnut circuit. At this con- 
 ference I made my first effort to preach before 
 the Bishop and the other members of the ccb- 
 ference. The walnut circuit Was situated in the 
 counties of Fairfield and Pickaway. It was a 
 large work. I had eleven appointments and 
 v'.onsiderable traveling to do this year. There 
 were some conversions and accessions to the 
 
97 
 
 church. A very intelligent and influeDtinl 
 young man bj the name of Whitehead was 
 a'wakened and embraced religion this year. 
 Sometime after the meeting closed we attended 
 to the ordinance of baptism. At the close of 
 services in the church 1 gave an opportunity 
 for those who recently embraced religion to 
 come forward and take a seat near the stand 
 and I would ascertain their names and the way 
 they vvished to be baptized. A number came 
 forward. Some wished to have the ordinance 
 attended to by sprinkling, one by immersion. 
 The young man alluded to, when I enquired of 
 him how he wished to be baptized, replied that 
 he wished to go to the water. We went to a 
 nice clear stream near by. Several knelt down 
 by the stream and I baptized them by sprink- 
 ling water upon them. I then enquired ofj this 
 young man again how he wished to be bap- 
 tized. He replied that he would go into the 
 water and kneel down and I should pour the 
 water oa him. I did so and we had a very 
 pleasant time. 
 
 Now, dear reader, we went to the water 
 and from it ; and we also went into the water 
 and came up out of it, and attended to the or- 
 
68 
 
 diaance of christian baptism, as far as We have 
 any evidence, in a scriptural way, and there 
 was no immersion as far as these were con- 
 cerned. After these were baptized we went still 
 a little farther into the water and baptized by 
 immersion. And after all there was but one 
 Lord, one faith, one baptism. 
 
 When 1 first went to this work I formed 
 an acquaintance with a local preacher by the 
 name of Pliilip Lamb. He was a good hearted 
 brother but somewhat peculiar, T think he was 
 the most uneven in his christian life of any 
 man I ever knew. At times he would be on 
 the mountain top of extacy and enjoyment and 
 then in the valley of gloom and despondency. 
 His oldest daughter, Sarah, by name, was the 
 opposite of her father; even tempered and ap- 
 parently always happ3% She was afflicted with 
 consumption. She was much resigned to the 
 will of her Father in Heaven. In conversation 
 with her she often said : "It is all right if I 
 live; or, if I die ic is ail right." She grew 
 worse and while I was holding a meeting near 
 by she died a most triumphant death. The 
 night before her death a number of her young 
 classmates remained with her all night. She 
 
99 
 
 became very anxious to hear singing early in 
 
 the morning. She said to her friends that she 
 
 would like very mnch to hear them sing; 
 
 and to hear them sing the hymn : 
 
 "I am glad that I am born to die, 
 From grief and woe my bouI shall fly." 
 
 They sang the hymn all through, and she re- 
 quested them to continue singing. They then 
 started to sing some other hymn. She asked 
 them to stop, and said to them • " I want you 
 to sing, but I want you to sing the same good 
 hymn you sang before." And they repeated it 
 over and over until she left the world in tri- 
 umpli? of faith and a glorious hope of endless 
 life in Heaven. 
 
 In April of this year I moved to Fairfield 
 county, on the work I was traveling, about five 
 miles from the city of Lancaster. This is an 
 old settled country. Amahg the first im- 
 provements made in this state were here arul 
 at Marietta. Here I resideii two j-ears and six 
 months; and sold for an advance of seven 
 hundred dollars above what I paid. 1 re- 
 ceived this year $350 salary. I and my family 
 were much blessed with health. 
 
CHAPTER VI. 
 
 In the. fall of 1867 the conference was held 
 K,t the Howser church, near Etna, close to the 
 line between Licking and Fairtield counties. 
 Here I^ was appointed to the Logan circuit. 
 This was in the vicinity of the county seat of 
 Hocking county and derived its name from the 
 town. I never had such severe temptations dur- 
 ing my itinerate life as in the first two weeks 
 after my appointment to this work. Some un- 
 iiuarded expressions from one of the members 
 «)f the conference, and my removal from the 
 Walnut circuit, was the main cau«e of this ter- 
 rible gloom and sadness. I had moved oaly a 
 
101 
 
 fev?^ months before forty -Hvem ilea on the work 
 I was traveling; and now to be sent thirty 
 miles farther on appeared to me to be yery 
 hard, but this was not the lightest part of my 
 temptatioa. I thought one of my best friends 
 had turned against me. Like David, I felt, if 
 an enemy had done this I could have borne it; 
 but a friend to lift up his heel against me, was 
 too much. T worried over this matter until it 
 became worse and worse. I then resolved to 
 write the brother a letter. He came at once to 
 see me and made it all right. He acknowledged 
 his fault in doing me a wrong and he left me 
 with his bast wishes and I have ever since felt 
 that he was a good man and have now the kind- 
 eat feelings toward him. 
 
 I went to the Logan circuit and it was one 
 of the best years of my life. I commenced a 
 meeting "two miles north of Logan, at the Beth- 
 any church. The Lord was with us to awaken 
 sinners and comf jrt mourners. And christians 
 wore greatly revived, at this meeting. There 
 was a number of additions to the church by 
 profession of faith in Jesus Christ. The ' next 
 meeting was commenced northwest of Logan 
 four miles, at Pleasant Hill church, A locjv.l 
 
102 
 
 preacher said to me, -'I do not thiak you will 
 succeed at this place, it is a hard place to do 
 anything. B. Hood intide an effort and failed, 
 acd he was a good revival preacher." "Well," 
 said I, we will hold a meeting and leave the 
 event with the Lord." I prevailed on the breth- 
 ren to hold a meeting a few days before I could 
 be there, and the second time I preached for 
 them the way was opened for the anxious souls 
 to come to the altar of prayer. Several came 
 forward at once and we had a precious meeting 
 and many were converted to living faith in 
 Jesus. 
 
 A young lady by the name of Isabel lies, 
 who v;as living with her uncle Wm. lies, be - 
 came awakened and was very anxious to have 
 her uncle take her to the meeting. After she 
 had asked him several times he concluded to 
 take her to the meeting. He was not a chris- 
 tian himself. The first time she attended the 
 meeting as soon as the invitation was given, 
 came forward to the altar of prayer and was 
 made the subject of saving grace. I shall nev- 
 er forget with what speed she went back in 
 the congregation and threw her arms around 
 her uncle's neek and told him of the joys of 
 
salvation and besought him to give his heart 
 to Jeau9 and be happy alao. I think through 
 her pious life he was led to the Savior; for it 
 was not long until he too was the subject of 
 saving grace. Oh ! this was a blessed time of 
 comunion with God and with his people. 
 
 Some years after, I received a telegram 
 from the family to be present with them snd 
 preach the funeral sermon of this christian 
 lady, I got on the Hocking Valley railroad 
 and went to where the family lived. There was 
 a large number of neighbors and friends at the 
 house and they expected their pastor present 
 also. To meet their wishes, I preached at the 
 liouse where they lived. Some of the family 
 were sick and could not go to the church. We 
 then went in proceBsion four miles to the 
 grave yard and church house : and here was 
 a large congregation, and they requested me 
 to preach again to the people. This was the 
 first time in my life that I preached two 
 funeral sermons, and partly to the same con- 
 gregation for the same person on the same 
 day. 
 
 During the revival meeting just alluded 
 
104 
 
 to T visited a family by the name of Tignor. We 
 .vcre sittiBg cheerfully around the fire engaged 
 in sociiil conversation when I was impressed to 
 speak to a young man of the family about the 
 interests of his soul. I said to him, "David, 
 do you not think that you ought to be a 
 :jhristian?" He answered very promptly, "No 
 air, I think not." I replied to him, "Well, Da- 
 vid, I an] sorry to hear this." The next night 
 he came to the altar of prayer and anxiously, 
 sought the pardon of his sins and was made 
 happy in the Savior. I said to him after his 
 conversion that he was like the son in the gos- 
 pel, who said to his father, who] told him to go 
 into his field and work: he said he would not 
 go, but afterwards repented and went. This 
 was preferable to the course taken by the other 
 son who said, I go sir, but went not. 
 
 On Saturday of the first week of the 
 meetinj^ I called on Brother J. lies to conduct 
 the meeting over the Sabbath or to fill my 
 appointments on the lower part of the work. 
 He decided to carry on the meeting. On Sat- 
 urday night he preached for the people and 
 was considerably embarassed, and the members 
 complained some that 1 had left, and this 
 
105 
 
 tempted the good brother to think they did not 
 want him to preach for them. He told ihem he 
 would not be with them the next da^" ; but he 
 . had already announced his appointments for 
 Sabbath. He made his statement good to them, 
 for he remained at home and did not not attend 
 the meetings for nearly a week, I told him 1 
 would not return until Monday. While I was 
 on my way to my afternoon appointment I re- 
 solved to make an extra exertion to be at the 
 meeting again Sabbath night before they would 
 close, I had twelve miles to ride after four 
 o'clock. At about seven o'clock I drove up to 
 the meeting house. I at once saw there was a 
 large congregation out. But it was so strange 
 to me that everything was so very quiet in tht^ 
 house. There was no singin^^ and everything 
 was as still as death. I expected that Bro. lies 
 would be preaching, or if he had closed this 
 part of worship, they would be laboring with 
 the anxious, and I could not think what was 
 wrong. I hitched my horse as soon as I could 
 and went in. The class leader and exhorter 
 were counseling what to do with the meeting. 
 1 went into the pulpit and took for my 
 text the 6th verse of the 55th chapter of Isa- 
 
106 
 
 iab : Seek the Lord while He ipay be found*; 
 call upon Him while He is neaiv I talked from 
 these words about thirty minutes, enforcing the 
 conditions of the text as well as I could, and 
 then presented the altar of prayer, and invited 
 penitents to come forv^j^arcj and engage with us 
 in prayer aad there w.e.re several who availed 
 themselves of this privilege, and some who had 
 ^()t been at the altar, before, and we had a 
 blessed time all that' week. On Tuesday I 
 think I never enjoyed a better meeting. There 
 were four young men who had been anxiously 
 seeking religion for several days. They all pro- 
 fessed faith in Jesus, and then we had a rejoic- 
 ing time together indeed. 
 
 These meetings continued over five weeks 
 and from the first invitation given to penitents 
 to come forward to the altar of prayer until the 
 last at the close of the meetings, there were 
 penitents who availed themselves of this priv- 
 ilege at each invitation thus given. This made 
 an impression on my mind as b^ing something 
 more than common. 
 
 I then commenced a meeting about eight 
 miles south of Logan, at the New Zion church, 
 
107 
 
 and in one week from its commencement there 
 were twenty-two who professed faith in Jebr.s 
 in the forgiveness of their sins. And here again 
 as it was at the other two meetings, every time 
 an invitation was given to penitents they came 
 to the altar of prayer. This meeting progressed 
 with the least effort of any 1 ever held ; but I 
 fear the work of grace was not as permanent as 
 many others. Some however who embraced 
 religion at this meeting proved faithful and 1 
 have reason to believe did an honor to the 
 cause of the Master and at last found a home 
 in the better land. 
 
 I commenced a meeting in the latter part 
 of March at the Fellowship church, about Hye 
 miles east of Logan. I drove into the neighbor- 
 hood a little before sunset on the Sabbath day. 
 I told a few who were near that we would have 
 meeting there that night. It was called after- 
 wards a surprise meeting, for no one was ex? 
 pecting it. Here again the Lord was with U8 
 In awakening and converting power. Some ten 
 'or twelve professed faith in Jesus. A man of 
 family by the name of Gilbert Donaldson, wb«Q 
 *had been seeking peace with God through Je- 
 •sus for five years, was happily converted at this 
 
f 
 108 
 
 iiireting. He obtained peace in belieying ai a 
 speaking meeting on Sabbath morning. We, 
 hud a very precious meeting that day. Truly 
 the Lord was with His people on His holy day. 
 A few minutes before the time for preach- 
 ing hud arrived, Bro. Donaldson arose in the 
 congregation to express himself on the subject 
 of religion and while speaking, the Lord pow- 
 erfully blessed him; and then his talk was so 
 much more impressive on the minds of the peo- 
 ple than anything I could have said that 1 re- 
 solved not to interrupt him. He did the most 
 impressive pleading with sinners to give their 
 hearts to Jesus and to be saved by His grace 1 
 ever heard. T^ow as his preaching was so much 
 in advance of what I could have done I recalled 
 my appointment fo.v preaching and told the 
 brethren and sisters that they should do the 
 preaching at that hour; and they did it right 
 well, for God was with tliem to help tbem. 
 There was another middle aged man who had 
 long been seeking the pearl of great price and 
 who found it to the joy and comfort of his souU 
 jCind ,weut on his way rejoicing, 
 
 I was more than ever impressed with one 
 feature of these o^eetings already alluded to , 
 
109 
 
 namely: that every time I bad invited sinners 
 to come to the altar of prayer, from the first of 
 December until April, there was one or more 
 who without delay came forward and anxiously 
 Gought for the forgiveness of sins. There were 
 penitents seeking religion at each of these 
 meetings when they closed. This is an occur- 
 rence which it has never been my privilege to 
 see and enjoy before nor since this time. Truly 
 the Lord was very near and ver}'' precious to me 
 all this time. 
 
 There were, about sixty conversions and 
 not quite so many accessions to the church this 
 year. I traveled not less than sixteen hundred 
 miles. The providence of God toward me made 
 a deep impression on my mind. I went to this 
 work under severe temptations and with a 
 heavy heart- I felt that in the removal from 
 the work I had traveled the year before great 
 injustice had been done me, and while it was 
 the darkest year of my life at the beginning, it 
 ^as in the outcome the brightest and the best. 
 And thus it is, God leads us in a way that looks 
 dark and strange to us, but after all it is the 
 way of kindness and mercy to us. Salary 
 about $250. 
 
no 
 
 In the fall of 1868 tbe conference was beld 
 ui Westerville, Franklin county, Ohio. At this 
 conference I was sent to the Pleasant Run cir 
 caiL. This was convenient to where I lived. 
 Thi> circuit was located in Fairfield county, 
 near Lancaster. There were five appointments 
 on this work and either of them could be 
 reached in two hours drive. In December of 
 this vear I moved into the city of Lancaster, 
 This town is one of the oldest in the state. I 
 believe Marietta was settled awhile before. 
 Mount Pleasant is situated near the city on the 
 north side. This is a hill two or three hundred 
 feet high. Its sides on the south, west and. 
 north are almost perpendicular. On the east 
 it is gradually sloping so that it may be easily 
 ascended from this side. From the top of tbi« 
 mount a splendid view may be had of the city. 
 This hill is noted as the place where Wetzei 
 had a hard struggle with the Indians. Uem 
 he rcscn«d a young lady mho had been a cap- 
 tive with the Jndiaias a long time. It was oft 
 this bill where he defended himself and tbe 
 young lady. It is said he rolled a large stotj^ 
 
 from this hill which frightened them, and e*». 
 caped unharmed with his prize. The fair ^rounfi 
 is located on the west immediately m the foot 
 
lU 
 
 of the mount. Hundreds of visitors ascend this 
 i^ill at fair times. My family attended reiigi- 
 qu8 meetings at the M. E. church. We were 
 about two miles distant from the nearest ap- 
 pointment on this circuit. 
 
 We had a very pleasant time associating 
 with christians m th's city. Church and Sab- 
 hiith school were very convenient. I preached 
 ip the M. E. church quite frequently during this 
 year; once for the colored people, by invitation . 
 We had a pleasant time, indeed their singing 
 excelled anything I had heard for some time. I 
 shall not soon forget Bro. B. N. Sparr who was. 
 pastor of the congregation part of the time;, 
 and Bro. Taylor who was pastor the rest of th^ 
 time we livedjin the city. 
 
 Bro. JoRatl^fin Rarick who made no pro- 
 fession of r^ligipn was superintendent of Sab- 
 bath school at tiip l^leasant Run clas.<*. When 
 the minister the previous year m.ade an effort 
 to organize a school there were none found in 
 tihe class who were willing to superintend the 
 school. Mr. Rarick proposed to take charge 
 of the school. This was opposed by some of 
 t<he older members, on the ground that he was 
 i)ot a professor^ ofv r.eligion. He was elected 
 
112 
 
 bo waver by a large majority of the class. He 
 commenced in good earnest and soon bad one 
 of the best schools they ever had before in 
 tbat class. When I went to the circuit there 
 was objection urged by some of the old mem- 
 bers against Mr. Rarick conducting the school. 
 They said it was a disgrace to the church that 
 one who makes no profession of religion should 
 lead the school. I told them they had none to 
 blame but themselves, I advised them to as 
 sibt in making the school as interesting as it 
 could be made. They all became interested 
 and worked faithfully and we had a very 
 pleasant and proiitable time. The superintend- 
 ent was atheoretical christian, and would say to 
 me when I would converse with him on this 
 subject that he desired to be an experimental 
 christan and to enjoy the blessings of sal~ 
 tion. 
 
 We commenced a protracted meeting at this 
 place. The meeting grew in interest and a 
 blessed work of grace commenced in the hearts 
 of the people the second week. Some of the 
 Sabbath school scholars were Lhe first to give 
 
113 
 
 their hearts '• the Savior. ' visited Bro. Rav 
 rick at his home and urged upon him the 
 claims of religion and told him it would be a 
 good help to him in instructing the children 
 if he were to enjoy the blessings of salvation 
 hiojself. 
 
 While I pressed this motive upon hie ^i- 
 tention he said to me he knew be ought to be :i 
 christian. He then inquired of me if I did not 
 think that he could, by using the means of 
 grace, singing and praving wiih christians, ob 
 tain the blessing of pardon and peace. I re 
 plied if he had humility and contrition of soul 
 sufficient to make any sacrifice Jesus required 
 of him he might obtain the blessings of salva- 
 tion ; for thiti blessing was designed for all 
 who would meekly and humbly go to Jesus 
 and call upon him in the exercise of living 
 faith; for it was through the atoning merits of 
 Jesus alone that men could have the forgiveness 
 of their sins and the regenerating power of 
 God's grace in their souls. Now if he was un- 
 willing to humble himself as much as it requires 
 him to do in going to the altar of prayer, he 
 would likely fail to obtain the blessing he de^ 
 sired. The humility and reproach of the cross 
 
lU 
 
 of Christ was the real difficiiltv in his way and 
 it required quitf 'an e^'ort an ray^^p^^ make 
 
 hi in see it, and \ sho'iil'd have utterly failed had 
 it not been I'or the divine light of thfe jrace 
 of God 3hining upon his mind. 
 
 An interesting bo}' and the only child of 
 his, sixteen years of age, was awa-kened and at 
 the altar of prayer was made t^e subject of 
 God's pardoning love. In his conversion we 
 had a clear evidence of the power of saving, 
 grace, and this added much to the interest of 
 the meeting. A few nights after this while we 
 wete laboring with penitents at the altar of 
 prayer I called on hiin to lead in prayer, as he 
 had suggested this as a probable wav of suc- 
 cess. I concluded to try it, but this was an en- 
 tire failure, his mouth was closed, he could not 
 utter a sentence. This was used as a means 
 by the Holy Spirit to humble him before the 
 Lord. 
 
 1 preached the next night from the cironm- 
 stance of Naaman's unwillingnesy to comply 
 with the conditions tlie prophet gave him to ef- 
 fect a cure. As soon r.s I gave an opportunit3: 
 for periitenls to come forward to the altar of 
 
115 
 
 prayer, he at, once, cam^e to the altar and plead 
 for mercy, and the same .night after service in 
 the church,, he. went home and while anxiously 
 looking to Jeaus in the exercise of faith obtain 
 ed the forgiviness of his sins. This meeting 
 continued four weeks and there were about 
 twenty who professed faith in Jesus and were 
 added to the church. 
 
 In February of the same year he took the 
 contract to bnild the bridge across Eel river 
 near Bowling Green, Clay Co., Ind. At this tipie 
 the United Breihr^en had a weak ^ society near 
 the river, wjievje.h^h,ad his .contract. '!]!ie breth- 
 ren had iiu old log church house, and i^ was 
 with Uiem indeed the day of small things. Bro* 
 J, Barrick organized a sabbath school and in n. 
 a little while he had the best school in all that 
 country. The Lord blessed their efforts and 
 they had from time to tim^gpod. revivals of re- 
 ligion, and about two years jift^pr, tlje brethren 
 built a new house, and they now have a flourish 
 ing society, nnd much of, theiv prosperity is ow- 
 ing to tlie efforts of J. Rarriuk in the sabbath 
 school. After m}' removal to Illinois I traveled 
 this work and he was then talked of as the best 
 
116 
 
 sabbath school worker that had ever been in 
 that country. The objection to his conducting 
 sabbath school was now all removed, and he 
 was elected class leader and served in this ca- 
 pacity with acceptability. O ! how interesting, 
 It was to see the superintendent and the schol- 
 ars of the school side by side together seeking 
 religion, and what was better still, to know 
 that they had consecrated themselves to the 
 'service ot the Lord and was happy in His love, 
 
 1 had a very interesting meeting this year 
 at the appointment near Baltimore, Fairfield 
 county. The meeting was a little dull in the 
 commencement, but the Lord came to our help 
 and through Him we triumphed oloriously. Sin- 
 ners were awakened and some professed faith 
 :.u Jesus. One evening while we were laboring 
 with penitents at the altar of prayer a young 
 man by the name of Henry Devenbaugh fell as 
 suddenly as if he had been shot through the 
 heart. Some said he was dead. I went to him 
 and he was cold and stiff. I believe he could 
 haye been taken up by the head and feet with- 
 out his body bending a particle. We took him 
 to the nearest home and he rem.ained much th,e 
 
117 
 
 ^an?e way— just like a dead man — only he was 
 much more stiff aud cold tlian any d'^ad mua, 
 until morning. This condiiion of llii;}o-s Ihen 
 passed away and he becatne materiril n^rtiu 
 There were two others effected in the .sam^^ ww 
 during this meeting, Treceived liiis yt^ar i')48;) 
 salary. 
 
 The quarterly conference at its last ses^ioii 
 unanimously asked for my return to this ':ir- 
 cuit by passing a resolution to this eifeot, 'k^' : 
 this was the last I traveled circuit in Ohio 
 
CHAPTER- VlliV 
 
 lii th« fail of 1869 the conference was iield 
 ill Circleville, Pickaway county, Ohio. At this 
 oonferenc® I was elected Presiding Elder and 
 placed upon the Rush^'ille district. This dis- 
 trict had fields of lalDor located in nine couritiee., 
 as follows: Fairfield, Perry, Muskingum, Mor- 
 i^au, Washino-ton, Meigs, Athens, Vintoii, Hock- 
 in<y. 1 had eleven fields of labor, nine circuils 
 and two missions. Their names were a? Inllows : 
 Bloomington, Portland, WillowcreeU, C.^idarviih- 
 Mission, Marshfield Mission, Gibersonvilic, 
 PleasaBt Kun, Rushcreek, Deavertown, Plym- 
 outh, Logan. 
 
DuriDg this conference i-haa n. koucti as 
 signed nje with a brother of veiy limited cir 
 oumstancea. I was well satisfied witb my 
 home. The members of the family were kirjcl 
 but they were very poor. After I was elected 
 P. E, the station preacher, the previous year, 
 came to me and said he wished me to go and 
 be the guest of a wealthy banker during the 
 rest of the conference. Said he. It will not do, 
 you know, for the reputation of our conference 
 to send an^' of our ministers to sucb a 
 place; I think you should be the banker's 
 guest. He has requested that some of the min 
 iators stop with him. Yes, said [, When w.v 
 were appointed our homes, any place would dv? 
 for Zeller, but now as I have been promoted by 
 the conference you come around with your 
 compliments and blarney. I think I had better 
 not change my boarding place. It will make 
 thoae feel bad with whom I am stopping. Said 
 he, I am well acquainted with them and will 
 see them and make it all right. 
 
 After being earnestly pressed to make the 
 change, arid being assured that the stat'on 
 preacher would make it all right with the fam- 
 
120 
 
 ilv with whom I was stopping, I consented. I 
 >vas then the guest of the wealthiest man in 
 rhe city of Circleville. Some of his family were 
 members of the Episcopalian church; but as 
 for himself I fear he trusted in his wealth. 
 He would converse upon the subject of religion 
 
 11 a general way, and spoke of Rev, Williaai 
 Otterbein, founder of our church, in the highest 
 terms; and with \^hom he baid he was well ac 
 
 iUB-inted while h^- lived in the city of Baltimore. 
 I suppose after all it was best that the change 
 was made, at least this poor family had a little 
 raore bread and meat left for their own want^ 
 ■ban if I had remained; while the rich banker 
 :'a,d an abundance left, if he was not in any 
 
 i:jher way benefitted by the change. Giving 
 
 hat little might soften his heart some. 
 
 Circleville is one of the most beautiful 
 •-owns in central Ohio, with a population of 
 about 5, COO. The country around the city is 
 the most beautiful and productive, and taking 
 everything into account, it is the best country. J 
 ever saw. The Scioto valley and the Pickaway 
 plains can not be surpassed any where. 
 
121 
 
 In the fall of 1870 we met in annual con- 
 ference on the Gibersonville circuit, about live 
 miles north of Logan, the county seat of Hock- 
 ing county, Ohio. Bro. J. J, Glossbrenner pre- 
 sided. We had a very interesting sessinu of 
 conference. Bro. J. W. Sleeper, a very cheer- 
 ful and sociable fellow, was'one of the piesitl- 
 ing elders, and William M'cDaniel the oilier. 
 Bro. J. W. S. eame to me and remarked that he 
 had the best report of any of the presiding eld- 
 ers this year. I replied- to him: We will figure 
 up and see. The result of casting up the iig-' 
 ures is as follows : 
 
 Bro. William McDaniel, Winchester dis 
 trict. — Accessions to church, 447; missionary 
 money collected, $591; salary, $690. 
 
 J. W. Sleeper, Cynthiana district. — Acces- 
 sions to the church, 1032; missionary money 
 collected, $395 ; salary, $651. 
 
 S. W. Zeller, Rushville district.— Acces- 
 sions to the church, 1105; missionary money 
 collected, $7i0: salary, $640. 
 
 This being my first year as presiding elder, 
 1 thought but little of the result of my labor 
 until this good brother introduced the matter. 
 This result was »ot so much owing to iny labor 
 as it was to the faithful ministers of my district . 
 
122 
 
 l)uriug this year my family was seriously 
 
 i;;licteti. The two youflgest of the family came 
 
 very near dying. While the older of the two 
 
 •vas very low with typhoid pneumonia 1 was 
 
 rr.ore than a Lundred miles away from homr. 
 
 After the physician did what he could, he be- 
 
 atne somewhat excited and wished to know 
 
 wht^re I was, and said to my companion he had 
 
 louhts of her recovery, and that I ought to 
 
 \^e informed of her condition. Active efforts 
 
 were made use of to get word to me, but I 
 
 I'-iiioc! to receive the sad news until she had 
 
 partially recovered. And then the youngest 
 
 was also quite sick, but the good Lord kindly 
 
 spared their lives and raised them to their usual 
 
 aeaitii again. 
 
 At this conference I was electad presiding 
 ^Ider and sent to the Cynthidna district. In 
 this district there were fields of labor located 
 in eleven counties, as follows; Fayette, Ross, 
 'Pike, Highland, Adams, Scioto, Lawrence, Galia, 
 Jackson, Vinton and Hocking. I had twelve 
 fields of labor,— ^:eight circuits, tswo stations and 
 two Oiissions, as follows: Cynthiana station, 
 Irocton Mission station. Bear Creek, HillsborOf 
 
123 
 
 West Union, Scioto, Burlington, Centerville, 
 McArtliur and Hallsville, and Wilkesville and 
 Raysville missions. 
 
 T!)is year was very pleasant in the main= 
 We had extensive reyiyals and many precious 
 so a is adder! tq the cliurch of Jesus Christ. Liv- 
 ing, however, at Lancaster, the county seat of 
 l^^airiield county, in the bouads of the work 
 where 1 had traveled the year before, I had 
 necessarily a large territory to travel over, 
 and vv?.s from home from three to six weeks at 
 & tipje. 
 
 Flow wonderful are the providences of God ! 
 Things that have been very trying to our na- 
 ture;^; and during the lapse oi years have al- 
 most been forgotten by us, come up again with 
 different phases, someUmes favorable and at 
 other times only to deepen the wound and :v;!d. 
 to our sorrow. I had lenrned from the good 
 book that he who hateth suretyship is sure: 
 and realizing the effects of not heeding the 
 wise man's counsel, in that I bailed three stu-^ 
 dent gentlemen who were in close quarters 
 tinancially, while I was attending Otterbein 
 University, and having part, of the money to 
 
1^4 L^^„:..j 
 
 pay. This occurred about the year 1857. As 
 I was engaged in my regular work, I went 
 DO hold quarterly meeting in the place where 
 the father of one of the student boys lived. 
 While in conversation with the family I inci- 
 dentalh' learned this fact. I was considerably 
 surprised at this, for I never expected to see the 
 student again, much less his father and mother. 
 Of course I was anxious to know what had be 
 come of their son. They informed me that he 
 went into the army six or seven 3'ears before 
 and that he had lost his life in defence of his 
 country, 
 
 I merely alluded to this business transac- 
 tion, and his father voluntarily wiihout asking 
 him f©r it, paid the claim. When he proposed 
 to do this, I said 1 could not say his son was 
 the one who really owed the debt. I had bailed 
 the three and had the money to pay. He re 
 plied that he had heard his son say just before 
 he went into the service of his country that 
 there was a claim of this nature unsettled, and 
 that he was anxious to have it settled. This 
 did a good deal to change m}' mind with refer- 
 ence to these three student boys. I had now 
 learned for the first that this young man had 
 
125 
 
 aBSumecl the debt, and it may be, arranged 
 for kis father to pay the debt. I did not in- 
 quire after this, but the cheerful manner in 
 which he paid it impressed roe this way. 
 
 During this year I bought a horse of a 
 brother in whom I had the utmost coDfi(?ence, 
 that caused me quite an amount of trouble and 
 Jiot a little suffering. The beast was recom- 
 mended to me as being all right. I hitched hini 
 up in my gig, in which I traveled this year, 
 and drove him about five miles without any 
 trouble, when the animal commenced all of a 
 sudd«n to kick, without any apparent cause, and 
 broke my rig considerably ; but the worst of 
 all inflicted a wound oa me that was painful and 
 annoying for weeks, and came neaj- being a vc-^-y 
 serious affair with me. Here I was five miles 
 away from the place where I got the horse, and 
 for a time I did not know what to do. In my 
 extremity a luan came along and said he knew 
 the horse well, and that he would often take 
 such spells and without any apparent cause 
 would kick everything to pieces, and that doubt- 
 less the man I had got the animal of knew it. 
 [ decided at once to send the horse back to 
 the m^n I got him of. 
 
126 
 
 The greatest trial I had to endure thi« year 
 vv:vs with reference to troubles arising from 
 charges preferred against one of the traveling 
 preachers on my district. When I came to his 
 Held of labor I ascertained that there was a 
 good deal of excitement about the matter in 
 the community. When we entered into the 
 business of the quarterly conference the preach- 
 er iatroduced the matter himself and said he 
 would investigate ttie matter, and because I in- 
 sisted on the conference to take the disciplin- 
 ary steps in the investigation of his case, but 
 more especially because I intimated to some of 
 the brethren that there had been trouble with 
 him on the same line before; he became my in- 
 veterate enemy. He succeeded in getting a 
 committee that was one sided, and in his favor, 
 who decided that there was no cause for action 
 in his case. The charge was a grave one and 
 there was sworn testimony against him, and yet 
 the committee decided that there was no cause 
 for action against him. I have reason to fear 
 that deep, dark iniqaity was covered up in 
 this case. This must be left however for the 
 judgment day to reveal. what an amount ni 
 deep-laid schemes of iniquity and deception will 
 
127 
 
 be exposed in the great day. It is believed that 
 the same man obtained holy orders for the min 
 istry by telling a disgraceful lie on his first 
 wife, from whom he was separated, and marry 
 ing another previous to entering the ministry 
 
 ^ome time before this I had arranged to 
 go west and this forbade me taking any active 
 measures in his case. I am quite sure if I had 
 remained in the conference I could not have- 
 permitted thiy matter to have passed by with- 
 out at least an investigation. I have no ill feel- 
 ings toward this brother but hope that if he la 
 guilty he will see the importance of making 
 this matter all right before his probation ends. 
 And if I have been uncharitable in anywise to- 
 wards him I desire forgiveness; but after 12 
 years have elapsed since these things have oc 
 curred I see no reason to change my mind on 
 this subject. My salary this year was $600, and 
 I think in other respects the reports compared 
 favorably with the year before. Soon after this 
 I closed up my work in Scioto annual confer- 
 ence, being connected with it from September 
 1854 to the latter part of August 1871 ; almost 
 seventeen years. 
 
1S8 
 
 In the fail of 1871 I joined the Lower 
 Wubash annual conference. Its session this 
 yor.r was held in the city of Terre Haute, Ind. 
 I had not been in the city for Qver twenty 
 Y<^ju\«i...,.ln the year of 1846 I visited this town, 
 i, wfts tiien a small place. In walking down 
 ir(.ugii. the city from 14th street to the river 
 f n ibo Bame thoroughfare I had trayeled 26 
 yAars- before, I could scarcely believe my own 
 ^jyf'y when I looked at the wonderful chadge' 
 that was brought about by the energy ami 
 HkHil-'Sf man, Terre Haute bad grown from a 
 village probably of 1,500 to a city of 25,000 in 
 1 he ehort time of 26 years. 
 
 Rev. David Edwards was the presiding 
 Bishop, and with some little exception we had 
 a pleasant time. On Sabbath in the morning 
 services were held in the M, E. Centenary 
 oburcht. This is a very fine building. By invi- 
 ..;'Joh i introduced the morning services. We 
 .:-ad an interesting hour in the relation of chris- 
 -.tin experience and in singing spiritual hj^mns' 
 l;^ the praise of God. The Bishop then 
 preached a very stirring sermon from the cir-' 
 
cumatamce of the children of Israel bei^g fed 
 for over forty yeara, miraculously with tiaanna 
 from heaven. 
 
 I was sent this year to the Center Foint 
 circuit, located in Clay county, Ind. I went to 
 my work determined to do the best I could for 
 the welfare of immortal souls and for the honor 
 of God's cause. I had a discouraging time ; for 
 it was sixty miles to the first appointment. I 
 found kind brethren on the work, and we had 
 good meetings and some ingathering into the 
 church. In the fall of the year I met with a 
 number of the members of the conference in a 
 ministerial association for the first time. This 
 meeting was held at Rosehill, Vigo county, Ind. 
 Here we had lively discussions on female suf- 
 frage and other interesting topics. Our worthy 
 Bishop did not endorse woman suffrage. He 
 feared the better class of women would remain 
 at home while the baser sort would avail 
 themselves of this privilege, if it was granted 
 them to vote. 
 
 The winter following was exceedingly cold 
 and I was absent from home nearl}^ all the time. 
 My oldest boy wHo Was in his fourteenth year. 
 
130 
 
 exposed himself quite too much, not being s^c- 
 customed to the severity of the western winds. 
 I fear his fatal afflictions were induced from a 
 want of care after exercising, which caused- a,e~ 
 rirvas lung trouble. He was taken down on the 
 l":th of Februarj-, with the fever. When, I 
 left home he was well as usual, and I thought 
 enjoying good health. But the attack was very 
 b!:dden and severe. I am under the impression 
 that a mistake was made in his treatment. 
 'i iic doctor advised the application of cloths 
 wi'i. with cold water on his breast; and I think 
 v;.is was not carefully attended to, and it threw 
 hi in into a congestive chill, which came very 
 lu. ir proving fatal at ouce, and from which he 
 never recovered. 
 
 1 was at once sent for, and when the mes.. 
 scnger came, although he was not from the 
 neighborhood where I lived, I was forcibly im- 
 pressed that there was something wrong at 
 home. I was informed that my bOy was seri- 
 ously ill. I started at once and although it 
 was very difficult to travel on account of the 
 
 ice, I arrived home the same night, which was. 
 Thursday. He sulfered intensely the rest of 
 the time he lived, and died a little after mid- 
 night on Saturday morning. 
 
131 
 
 But it was a very cheering thought that b.e 
 nad embraced religion over a year before. The 
 evening before 1 left home, which was just one 
 week before I returned, I called on him to 
 lead in family devotion and he prayed with 
 more freedom than f had ever hoard him, I was 
 so glad to believe that in his.youthful days ha 
 was trying to loye and serve the Savior.^ Ar 
 rangements were made I'or the interment of his 
 body, and it was laid away to await the resur 
 rection morning. This was a sad affliction for 
 us. He had arrived at an age to be a great 
 deal of cheer and comfort to us. O how often 
 1 thought oi: him and the happy hours we 
 spent together. But we conld only say the 
 Lord giveth, and taketh away, blessed be the 
 uame of the Lord. 
 
 We had five children remaining — four girlS; 
 and one boy; of the former three were the old- 
 fr'St of the family ; and I felt thankful that it 
 was no worse with us. During this year we had 
 four children in college and paid eighty dollars 
 for their tuition, besidies incidental charges, and 
 expenses for their' bob-ks; and clothing for the 
 family. I received as salary .$220, and spent 
 
132 
 
 abp-atsix hnndred. Thus endod the fir^t year of 
 Itinerant labor, in the Lower Wabask annual 
 conference. ^-a ■::!;; 
 
 In the fall of 1872 the Wabash annual 
 conference held its session at New Goshen, 
 Vigo county, Ind. 1 received for my appoint- 
 ment this year the Westfield circuit. This year 
 I had some of the severest trials of my life. 
 It had been only one year since I movpd to 
 Westfield, 111., and the greater part of this time, 
 I spent sixt3' miles awaj' in Indiana; and of 
 course was but little known. One thing favor 
 able, niy work was near where I lived. I 
 weni out on my work with a good deal of cheer. 
 This was the year of the great epizootic among 
 horses. Farmers were fearful that travelers 
 would be the cause of spreading this disease, and 
 that their horses would take sick aad die. So 
 part of the year I traveled afoot, and indeed 
 part of the time my horse was affected with 
 the same trouble. And when I took my horse 
 at'times it had to be left at a distance from 
 other horses. But farmers soon ascertained 
 that it made but little difference whether their 
 borses were exposed to the disease or not ; for 
 
r6-6 
 
 alike nearly all the horses in the country, took 
 it. But only a few of them died, and the ex- 
 citement died away. 
 
 At the close of this year the village of 
 Westfield had the severest scourge of typhoid 
 fever that was ever known in this legion of 
 country. On the 13th of August our second . 
 daughter W(^8 taken down with it. And then 
 wiB had constant watching and waiting on the 
 sick members of our family until about the 
 25th of October ; during which time we buried 
 our three oldest children. And for some time 
 we thought we would have to bury the fourth 
 one; but a kind providence smiled upon us, 
 and she was spared for our cheer and comfort. 
 This left us two children, one twelve, and the 
 other nine years of age. This was a very sad 
 time with us. To be called upon to part with 
 our three oldest children, all of whom were 
 grown, and aged respectivel}^ twenty-three, 
 twenty-one and nineteen, was a trial exceeding- 
 ly severe ; but the good Lord was with us, aiid 
 gave us strength and grace to endure it. My 
 salary this year was $100, and our expenseB 
 were not less than $800, 
 
134 
 
 This siege of affliction eontiaued some time 
 
 into the next conference year. The confererce 
 
 in the fall of 1873 was held in Westfield where 
 
 we were living. And during its session two of 
 
 the girls were lying in a very critical condition, 
 
 and on Wednesday after its ciose the oldest one 
 
 died. And in a little over three days after thie 
 
 the second died also. At this time the third 
 
 one showed some signs of taking the fever. We 
 
 secured a physician wlio we called as counsel, 
 
 to take charge of her, who commenced at once 
 
 to treat h^r, who thought he could ward off the 
 
 attack. He had ten days the start of thv fever, 
 
 but was not able to arrest the disease which by 
 
 this time was deeply seated in her system, 
 
 and on the 7th of October she clpsed the scenes 
 
 of this life. 
 
 We had now laid away three of our child- 
 ren in the short period of twenty-^eyen days, 
 and. now the fourth one is sick. Ws bad an op- 
 portunity to send her away with a friend to the 
 work assigned to me at the rcQezjt session of 
 cogference, tb,.e next day after ^e buried the 
 third daughter. She was fiearlj^ able to ride in 
 a private conveyance to the work, situated forty 
 
135 
 
 miles distant. She' %a3 - ac once taken down 
 with a violent attack of the same fever, and for 
 ft number of days we thought it would pro^e 
 fatal. But after being confined for a number 
 of weeks she commenced to recover. 
 
 My field of labor this year was the New 
 Goshen circuit, Vigo count}', Ind. This work 
 was one of the oldest of the conference and 
 convenient to travel. There were five appoint- 
 ments and these were/near each other. Hert I 
 had a pleasant year, though not- attended with 
 as much success as I desired. My' salary this 
 year was $350. 
 
CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 In the ffill of 1874 the coaforence was held 
 cU Prairieton, Ind. I received for my field of 
 labor thia year the Vermillion circuit. This in 
 niany respects was a very pleasant year. There 
 were some good revivals on the work and twen- 
 ty-four accessions to the church; % received 
 this year forty dollars for marrying persons; 
 i!ie most I ever received in one year in this 
 way. My salary was $390. This was an ex 
 ceedingly wet summer and a large amount of 
 grain was damaged in the shock and stock. 
 
 In the fall of 1875 the conference was 
 held at Vermillion, 111. I was sent to the Long 
 Point circuit. This work comprised of ten a p 
 pointments situated in the counties of Cumber 
 
137 
 
 la.nd and Jasper. In the winter of this year the 
 small pox and measles were prevalent ou this 
 work, and in addition to this my health was 
 poor, so I did but little this year. There were 
 anly six accessions to the church. My salary 
 this year wns $220. 
 
 During this year I made my first trip to 
 the eastern states, taking my family with me. 
 We started the latter part of July, four of us 
 in number, and in company with President S. 
 B. Al'en and daughter. The first place we 
 stopped at was Cleveland, Ohio* Here we re- 
 mained about twenty hours. The next town 
 we visited was Buffalo, and from there we went 
 to Niagara Falls, where spent some over one 
 day, viewing the scenery of this, the world's 
 renowned place of visitors. From here we 
 went to Albany, the capital of the state of New 
 York, Here we took a steam boat and had a 
 pleasant ride down the Hudson river to the 
 city of New York, where we arrived on Satur- 
 day. We remained in the cit}*^ until Tuesday, 
 when we started to Philadelphia to attend the 
 great exposition. Here we remained three days 
 seeing what we could of the centennial show. 
 From here we went to Baltimore and visited the 
 
138 
 
 (;uerbein church and the grave of this great; 
 aiid good roan. Here we met old friends among 
 \v!;ora was I^ehemiah Altman, who used to stop 
 Ml lather's home when I was a boy. In those 
 t.jys he was a peddler but afterward embraced 
 the christian religion and became a successful 
 r.jinister of Christ. 
 
 From here we went to Washington where 
 wo spent some time in yisiting the goyernrpeut 
 buildings and the Smithsonian Institute. We 
 then returned by way of Coluinbus and stopped 
 several days at Westerville, where we had for- 
 merly lived 11 years. Here is where theOtter- 
 bein College is located, and where I spent three 
 years and a hr.lf, in mental drill, which I have 
 never regretted. Then we stopped awhile at 
 
 Dayton and visited the Soldiers' Home. We 
 then spent about one week in the bounds of the 
 Miami Conference, on the first field of labor I 
 traveled. We arrived at our home in Illinois 
 soii»e time in September, having enjoyed this 
 trip exceedingly well. On this trip I went to 
 see my mother, who was living with my young- 
 est sister near Richmond, Ind. Salary, $200. 
 
139 
 
 In the fall of 1876 the Conference was 
 held in Middleburg, Clay county, Indiana. 
 From here I was sent to the Richland circiiit.. 
 This work is located in Shelby county, Illinois. 
 My health was poor, and I was not able to do 
 anything for about four weeks after conlerencc^. 
 However I obtained strength sufficient to st.i:. 
 to my work which was about llfty miles ivoi)) 
 home. Here I had a very pleasant year. Tho 
 Lord blessed us with several good revivals oT 
 religion and there v/ere twenty live additions 
 to the church. This made my heart glad to 
 have the evidence that the Lord could use me 
 io lead souls to himself, that he thereby might 
 be honored and glorilied. My salary this yenr 
 was $2.30. 
 
 In May of. thi? conference year the general 
 conference of the church was held at Westfleld 
 where my family lived; and where I was per- 
 mitted to be with them occasioanlly. At this 
 conference we had a very exciting time on the 
 Secrecy question. I was at home during this 
 conference, and enjoyed the privilege of hearing 
 the discussions, and associating with the leading 
 men of the church. This was the third general 
 
140 
 
 conference I was permitted to attend. The 
 tiret was in May, 1^853, held at Miltouville, But- 
 ter county, Q. The aecond was in May, 1861, at 
 VVesUirvillp, Franklin county, O., and the last as 
 I have stated above. But I do not wish to be 
 naisunderstood ; I was at no time a member qf 
 
 Jbis general assembly. Salary, about $200. 
 
 •I 
 
 In the fall of 1877 the conference convened 
 at Certer Point, Clay county, Ind. Here I was 
 permitted to meet a large number of brethren 
 and sisters with whom I associated the first 
 year of my travel in this conference. How 
 cheering it was to take them by the hand, and 
 look into their friendly faces once more. We 
 had a very pleasant session of conference this 
 year together, and while we were reviewing the 
 past, and contemplating the future, we were 
 inspired with new zeal to go out and work foj 
 the Master. 01 how cheering and soul inspiring 
 these annual gatherings of the ministers of 
 Jesus Christ are. At the close of this confer- 
 ence at the very^ime we were having an inter 
 esting communion season together, my mother 
 passed away from this troublesome world to 
 to the spirit land, and 1 shall see her no more 
 
lil 
 
 until we meet in that better land. She died 
 after an illness of less than half an hour, with 
 h^a,rt disease. Although her health was as 
 good as usual, she made a remark that was al- 
 ^kost prophetical, early in the morning before 
 •a^e died. Her grand child was an invalid, antl 
 liier sympathies were stirred in his behalf. The 
 remark was this. "O ! John I wish I could 
 take you along with me to heaven to-day." 
 
 I received for my field of labor this year 
 the Lawrence circuit, located in Lawrence and 
 Wabash counties. This work was distant about 
 seventy miles from where I lived. It was what 
 is called a good work. There was an abund- 
 ance of wealth on the work to support a minis- 
 ter and there were plenty of sinners who needed 
 salvation. I met a number on this work with 
 whom I used to associate in Ohio. I stopped 
 with one brother often who used to be at fath- 
 er's home over forty years before. The Lord 
 was with us this year in converting power, We 
 had several good revivals and twenty accessions 
 to the church. My salary this year was $3.39. 
 
 In the fall of 1878 the conference was held 
 at Westfield, Clark county, 111. At this session 
 
142 
 
 I received the Arthur iniesion for my field of 
 iniior. A j'oung man with whom I became ac- 
 quainted during my travels the last year had 
 some encouragement from members of the 
 conference that he would receive an appoint- 
 ment to a field of labor at this conference. He 
 was engaged in tiie business of teaching school 
 and had the oifer of a school where he lived, but 
 declined to take it because he expected to enter 
 upon the active work of the ministry. But at 
 this conference he failed to get work, which 
 was a great disappointment to him and he ex- 
 pressed himself greatly injured financially, as 
 his opportunity to secure a school had now 
 passed by. 
 
 As we were leaving the conference room he 
 was lelling me his trouble. I at once proposed 
 to give him my work. He accepted the offer 
 and the conference ratified the change, and he 
 traveled the work assigned to me. The preach 
 er appointed to the Grand Prairie circuit re» 
 signed his work and I was appointed to it by the 
 presiding elder, Things were in a discouraging 
 condition on this work, and they had been with- 
 out a preacher for some time. I had some difli- 
 culty in getting things arranged properly on 
 
143 
 
 the work. Then there Was a church trial to l;t 
 attended to at once, which was ditficult to mai5 
 age and which effected the work quite a litth^ 
 But after all we had some success, by way oi 
 some conversions and forty-six accessions to 
 the church. I received this year for nine 
 months labor, $140. 
 
 In the fall of 1879 the conference was held 
 at Vermillion, Edgar county, 111, At this con- 
 ference I was appointed to the Annapolis cir- 
 cuit. It had been a mission the previous year, 
 with an appropriation of t#efaty dollars. This 
 year two appointments were added, quite a 
 distance from the work — in another county — 
 with only a little financial strength, which paid 
 twenty dollars. I received for compensation 
 this year, eighty-nine dollars ;. only nine dol- 
 lars more than the conference paid the preach- 
 er missionary money, in addition to what the 
 work paid him. He collected fourteen dollars 
 missionary money on the work, and I collected 
 $14.10. At the end of fehis year the work was 
 changed to a mission again and received 
 an appropriation. 
 
 In the fall of 1880 the conference convened 
 
; 1** 
 
 at Ce^nter Point, Clay county, Ind. At this 
 conference I was appointed to the Sullivan cir- 
 cuit, Moultrie county, 111. This work had paid 
 tlie preacher but little for a number of years* 
 In 1878 it paid Bro. Cougill but forty dollars, 
 and in 1879 Bro. Rebok's pay was .$103. A 
 brother, in view of his wants, received in 1880 
 .|159. So it was apparent I had but little 
 prospect of remuneration, I went however and 
 did the best I could. We had some revival on 
 the work and twelve joined the church'. I re- 
 , ceiyed a remuneration of $115. I collected for 
 missions eleven dollars. In 1878 nothing was 
 collected for this interest; and in 1879, six 
 dollars were collected. The next year the 
 preacher sent there received three into the 
 , church and collected seven dollars missionary 
 , money. At the conference of 1881 it was con- 
 . stituted a mission and the preacher received 
 .$70 appropriation. 
 
 In the fall of 1881 the conference was held 
 in New GosHen, Vigo, county, Jnd. At this 
 conference I asked for a location one year. I 
 had taken charge in June of the village paper 
 as its editor. I did this to assist my only son, 
 
U5: 
 
 Joseph Kobert Zeller, to start in this business. 
 He had been working for some time with M. 
 Bair, who was proprietor of this calling in our 
 own. My son was sixteen years of age the 
 9th of November of this yeai* We worked to- 
 gether about one year and ttL^n when he was a 
 little over sixteen years of,:^e he took charge 
 of the paper as its editor. Although he was so 
 young he gave us a good paper. Indeed some 
 thought it was as good if not better than -.v^ 
 had ever before. At an earl}' period in life he 
 embraced religion and joined the U. B, church. 
 He conducted this business only a short tim? 
 when I induced him to stop this business and 
 go to school. 
 
 In the fall of 1882 the conference was held 
 in Parkersburg, Richland county, 111. At this 
 conference I was appointed to a field of labor 
 composed of a circuit and a mission. There 
 were ten appointments, scattered around in the 
 counties of Jasper, Cumberland and Effingham. 
 After visiting this work and finding the loca- 
 tions of these appointments, I thought: Well, 
 I am^spread out entirmly too far, I must neces- 
 sarily be quite thin after this expansion. What 
 
146 
 
 in ihe world do the big men of the confeTence 
 mean ; the bishop and the presiding elders must 
 f'xpect a wonderful amount of work from an old 
 mnn nearly sixty years of age. 
 
 Well, I commenced the work of course un- 
 der great discouragement. I commenced a pro- 
 tracted meeting the Ist of October. After con- 
 tinuing this meeting about two weeks with con- 
 siderable success I received word that my boy 
 was dangerously sick. When I arrived at home 
 1 found that my boy had been already quite 
 sick ten days, with but little hopes of his re- 
 covery. He lingered between life and death for 
 os^er two weeks longer and died, leaving us but 
 one child living. 
 
 While I was attending conference in Sep- 
 tember before, while in the cornfield getting 
 some feed for the pigs, he was bitte:i by a large 
 ugly|worm'6U'the arm, which caused it to swell 
 badly, and made him exceedingly sick for a 
 time. His mother poulticed it and did for him 
 what she thought \Nould be for the best. In a 
 short time after this a house uear us burned, 
 and he got up in the night and worked hard 
 taking things out Of the house, and became ' 
 
m 
 
 very warm aud heatejj a^ this work. I think 
 now that the poison in bis blood, and beinaf 
 hjaled by work was without doubt the cause of 
 lliis death. He died the 2l8t day of November, 
 1882, being 18 years and 12 days old. This 
 was an exceedingly sad time for us all. This 
 was a hard years work for which I received only 
 $130. I had to sell my horse to get the essen- 
 tials of life to live upon. 
 
 This work remained m this way only one 
 year and was separated again. Only a short 
 time before a work was arranged in a similar 
 way to which I was sent. So it was when 
 there was an unpleasant experiment to be made, 
 it was generally ra}^ lot to lead out and try it; 
 at least, so it looked to me. We are assured in 
 the bible that all things work together for good 
 to them that love the Lord. These hardships 
 and trials doubtless have their part in the cul- 
 , ture and drill necessary to develop our moral 
 character and prepare us for whatever awaits 
 us in this life, and also to purify and refine 
 our characters, through the atoning merits of 
 Christy for a happy immortality in the world to 
 come. 
 
148 
 
 In the fall of 1883 the conference was held 
 at Westfield, Clark county, 111. I received as 
 my field of labor the New Goshen circuit. I 
 iraveled this work ten years before and was 
 ^^eil acquainted with the membership. In that 
 reppect it was pleasant. But there had been 
 trouble on the work the year closing, which 
 made it gloomy for me to enter upon my work. 
 The preacher had resigned the work, and it had 
 been without a preacher for three months with 
 the exception of a little work the preacher did 
 
 for them, who lived on an adjoining work. 
 There were three classes on thi^ field of labor; 
 two of them had some financial strength. One 
 of these was located in the vicinity of the place 
 where the preacher tiad his trouble the previaus 
 year, and this class was left without an organ- 
 ization of officers. T made on effort to have 
 the class elect a leader and steward but this 
 proved a failure. I succeeded in getting a 
 brother to steward part of the class oext to 
 him. But there was only a little done at this 
 place during the year ; not only was there a 
 failure financially, but it was so largely in oth- 
 er respects. The appointment was continued 
 and I think there was a better state of feeling 
 
149 
 
 at the close of the year. At the other appoint- 
 menls we had good revivals of religion. 
 
 I arranged with Bro. H., a minister of a 
 sister donomination, to assist him at a meeting 
 in the town of S., where the U. B. had a num 
 ber of members conveniently located. When 1 
 called on him his meeting had been in session 
 already about two weeks. I found the good 
 brother sadly discouraged. He had just closed 
 a meeting two miles distant with but little suc- 
 cess and was about to close this one also, i 
 «aid to him : We close our meetings often too 
 «oon. He agreed to continue the meeting if I 
 would assist him. 1 said I had come for that 
 purpose, but I would expect him to help me 
 in return. This he cheerfully consented to do. 
 The house in which he was holding the meeting 
 was a nice one, seated with high back chairs. 
 They had an organ and a choir. The house 
 had been buili six years, but during this time 
 had not beeti *ilessed with a single conversion. 
 
 The first night I talked the pastor did not 
 invite penitents for prayer. The second night 
 after I preached I said if there were any who 
 desired to be christians to come forward and 
 ^ive me their hand and we would have a short 
 
150 
 
 season of prayer together. A gray hejide<3 man 
 sixty-seven years^ old, in the back part of the 
 house, arose and said : "I am now old and have 
 neglected the interests of my soul. I have oft- 
 Len felt that 1 should be a christian. I believe 
 I will commence the work to-night of living a 
 christian," And as he was speaking, the Ust 
 words he came walking up to me and gave me 
 his hand. During this scene we were favored 
 with the Divine presence and a holy solemnity 
 pervaded the assembly. We had a very clear 
 Ttrification ot the promise of Jesus: "Wheve 
 two or three are gathered together in my 
 name there am I in the midst of them." In- 
 quiring penitents came forward by the dozen 
 and we had one of the most interesting meet- 
 ings I ever attended. The meeting continued 
 ten days after my connection with it, and re- 
 sulted in fifty-five conversions who professed 
 faith in Christ and joined the church. This 
 was in many respects a pleasant year but thp 
 support was meager. 
 
 In the fall of 1884 the conference was 
 held in the village of New Hebron, Crawlord 
 county, 111. I received this year the Arthur 
 
151 
 
 missioD fpr my field of laboR I remained oii 
 this woik three months and received but little 
 vethnneration ; about enough to meet traveling 
 expenses. I traveled some on the cars and the 
 rest of the time a-foot. I then resigned the 
 work. 
 
 At the commencement of the year 1885 I 
 employed to work for the American Bible soci- 
 ety and canvassed a large part of Clark county, 
 visiting from house to house. I sold this year 
 about one thousand bibles and testaments. 
 Usually on the Sabbath I preached or lectured 
 on the evidences of Christianity, or the inspira- 
 tion of the scriptures and secured funds for 
 the fiibliB society. 
 
 In the latter part of October of this year 
 I arranged to preach for two Presbyterian 
 churches, located in the southeastern part of 
 this' county where I had been working for the 
 bible cause. I remained with these churches 
 until the Spring meeting of the Mattoon Pres- 
 bytery. I continued to preach for the Pres- 
 byterian church one year from this time. I 
 then labored for two other churches ; one located 
 In Newton, Jasper county, 111, and the other ten 
 
168 
 
 miles south of this. I was received into the 
 MaMoon Presbytery of this church at Taylor- 
 v.iie. Christian county, 111., the 7th day of 
 Auiil, 1887. So you see I preached for the 
 Presbyterians and had charge of four churches 
 s;)me considerable time before I joined this 
 church. 
 
 I have been often asked : " Why did you 
 leave the U. B. church after being a member of 
 it from 1838 to 1887; almost forty-nine years?" 
 Well, there are various influences that led to 
 this change. I left Ohio in 1871. I found that 
 United Brethrenism was different in Illipois 
 from, what it was in Ohio. And first permit me 
 10 remark, I found the sentiment on Infant bap- 
 tism was almost ignored in practice. Then I 
 became acquainted with a number of U. B* 
 'jreachers in the west who were strongly, in 
 fayor of administering the ordinance ,of. bap- 
 tism by immersion and were quite Bap-tist in 
 their sentiments. Then I found I was not in 
 harmony with the great majority on the nature 
 and design of this sacrament. I found that 
 my views were in harmony with the Presbyteri- 
 ans on these subjects. The following is their 
 declaration and formulary on baptism: 
 
153 
 
 Baptism is a sacrament, wherein the wash 
 
 ing with water in Ihe name of the Father, >'on 
 and Holy Spirit, , doth signify and seal, our 
 ingrafiiing into Christ, and partaking , of the 
 benefits of the covenant of grace, and our en- 
 gagement to be the Lord's, 
 
 This so perfectly met my views on the 
 nature and design of baptism, that 1 did nat 
 want anything more complete. Then a number 
 of the U. B. Ministers believed in the conting- 
 eni knowlege of God: this 1 could not endorse. 
 I never could endorse the policy of many of 
 the U. B. ministers who would compass sea and 
 land to make proselytes, and take them into 
 the church ; and a minister's reputation con- 
 sisted largel}^ in the number of members he 
 could report to the nnnual conference; when 
 often many they would take in the church, did 
 it more harm than good. Then another object- 
 ion was to the presiding eldership of the church. 
 There are results which naturally grow out of 
 this system which fosters selfishness and favor- 
 itfsm. It often results in a few, lording it over 
 God's heritage, in a very unpleasant manner. 
 It may be that there is no church government 
 that is perfect. But I believe in the parity of 
 the ministry, and also the right of the Pastor 
 
154 
 
 in connection with the other members of the 
 church session, which are ruling elders, to rule 
 and control the church, was the Apostolic 
 method. I can not believe that there was a 
 high official that would come around at stated 
 times to call in question the actions ard doings 
 of the pastors. Then lastly the frequent 
 changes of the ministers was a serious objec- 
 tion. Now these are some of the reasons why 
 I changed church relations. I have no ill feel- 
 ings toward the brethren in the church I left, 
 but wish them abundant success; many of 
 them I know are good men. 
 
 In April 1887 I took charge of the Pleasant 
 Prairie church in Coles Co., HI. I preached for 
 them half time for eleven months. I had a 
 very pleasant time and would haye remained 
 longer, but in September of this year engaged 
 to preach for a church in Shelby Co. half of the 
 time; then the brethren of another church in 
 the same county who were connected with this 
 church for years, came to me and msisted on 
 my taking the other church also. I could not 
 without resigning the Pleasant Prairie church, 
 which I did the next spring rather reluctantly^ 
 1 received ten into the church and baptised four 
 
155 
 
 children. I received salary for half the time, 
 eleven ra^nths, $250. 
 
 I then moved to Tower Hill, Shelby county, 
 III., in April, 1888. The other church alluded 
 to was called Prairie Bird. I assisted In hold 
 ing a meeting at this church in August before. 
 We had a communion season. I took two mem- 
 bers into the church on profession. I then 
 had charge or these two churches for two 5' ears 
 more, making for the one chui'ch three years 
 lacking five months. I also assisted in holding 
 a meeting at Tower Hill the last week in Dec- 
 ember 1887 before I moved there. I had a 
 pleasant time on this field of labor and the 
 last year I preached for a third church. This 
 charge had been a home mission charge; but 
 it was self supporting while I was with it, and 
 has continued so since. I took 17 members in- 
 to the church, and received between four and 
 five hundred dollars salary each year. Our 
 only child living, having moved to Westfield 
 where we formerly liyed, and Mrs. Zeller in view 
 of this, wishing to go back to our old home, I 
 resigned the charge. 
 
 In 1890 I took charge of two churches in 
 Champaign coualy, Bloom ington Presbytery, 
 
156 
 
 The church of Mahomet and one eight miles 
 ■asL. Here I made my home and paid my 
 hoarding. I !iad a pleasant year, received $550, 
 salary and received several into the church. 1 
 could not remain longer on this work although 
 I v/as kindly requested to do so. In 1891 I 
 preached for the New Hope church south of 
 Greenup, Jasper county, 111. In October 1892 1 
 took charge of three churches in the southeast 
 em part of Clark county, III. Two of these 
 churches were the lirst Presbyterians I labored 
 fon was in 1885 and 1*886, 
 
 Erratum: In 4th line, page 117, material should read 
 natural. 
 
 END OF PART FIRST. 
 
N 
 
-THE- 
 
 
 
 &Mwi 4mm m 
 
 mm 
 
 MARY, ANGIE and LOUISA ZELLER, 
 
 Who Died near each other in 1873, with 
 TYPHOID FEVER. 
 
 WITH 
 Some of Their ow^n Wmtings 
 
 ALSO, A 
 
 Of the life of 
 DANIEL OSCAR ZELLER, 
 
 A BROTHER OF THEIR's; WHO DIED Ui 
 
 1872. 
 
 WESTFIELD, ILL. 
 1881. 
 
CONTEXTS. 
 
 paaje. 
 
 Title page, 1. 
 
 Contents, 2. 
 
 Introduction, 4. 
 
 Life of Marv, 5. 
 
 Biography of M <fc S. Z, by Allen D. D. 16. 
 
 Philalethean's action, 20. 
 
 Tinprovemcnt of time, 21. 
 
 Decision and Persevereance, 27, 
 
 Behind the clouds the sun is still shining, 30. 
 
 Tribulation agency for good, 35. 
 
 Life of Sarah A. Zeller, 39. 
 
 No place like home, 50. 
 
 Wiiat hast thou gleaned to-day, 53. 
 
 Thy father's virtue is not thine, 56. 
 
 Musical Concert, 62. 
 
 Phases of inner life, 65. 
 
 Mental beauty, 69. 
 
 There is plenty of room up-stairs, 73. 
 
 Philalethean action, 75. 
 
 Life of Lou A. Zeller, 76. 
 
 Life's stream, 90. 
 
 Voyage of life, . 9L 
 
 Making Pies, . 92. 
 
 Night, 94. 
 
 Philalethean action. 95. 
 
 Life of Daniel Oscar Zeller, 96. 
 
 Oscars' Obituary, > 99. 
 
 Action of the Zetagathean Society, 100. 
 
 Article on death cf Lou & Oscar by Allen d. d, lOL 
 
 Early'trainingof children by the Author, 103. 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 In giving the following pages to the public, the 
 writer makes no pretentions to literary ability; for 
 he knows full well, that there are many who will 
 discover errors in this his first effort to publish a 
 work. 
 
 The lives of his three children have been so very 
 remarkable in many respects, that it will be inter- 
 esting to persue these pages, even with their im- 
 perfections that may be found in them. Now I 
 trust that these humble pages will accomplish all 
 that the writer bad in view in publishing them. 
 And now this little work is dedicated to the chil- 
 'dren and youth of the U. B. Church. 
 
 By the Author, S. W. Zeller. 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 In the Summer of 1873', the healthy village of 
 Westlield was visited with the most terrible 
 scourge of typhoid fever that was ever known in 
 this region of Country. Among the many who 
 yulfered during this contagion that swept over this 
 stricken village, was the family of the writer of the 
 following pages, three of whose children fell vic- 
 tims to its terrible ravages. I have been impressed 
 for years that something should be written giving 
 items of the lives, and characters of these three 
 girls, who were much loved and respected hj 
 those who knew them best. I have concluded to 
 publish a part of their literary productions, they 
 prepared during the two years they were students 
 in Westfield College. And in addition to this, I 
 will include a short sketch of the life of their 
 brother, who preceded them one year and seven 
 months to the better land. 
 
 My object in doing this, is, I trust, to accom- 
 plish good; and I pray that these pages may be 
 instrumental in awakening, and leading many to 
 love and work more faithfully for the blessed Sa- 
 viour. 
 
 It will be the object ef the writer of these pag- 
 es to give a few plain, unadorned incidents in the 
 lives of four of his chilnren, who, in the providen- 
 ce of God, were called away by the relentless hand 
 of death, at an*interesting period of life. 
 
THE EARLY LIFE OF l\r\in^ ZEJ.LER. 
 
 Mn,ry Eliz^ibcth Zellcr, the oldest, was born in 
 Butler Coujit}-, Ohio, near Indian Creek, about 
 seven miles West of Hamilton, tlie county seat, 
 oii tlie first day of June, 1850. 
 
 She viii^i quite delicate the hrst months of her 
 life, and the parents had a great anxiety about 
 her. often thinking her days would be few on 
 earth. There was, however, a favorable change. 
 She improved in health and commenced growing 
 rapidly, and at the age of five months was a. very 
 interestino- and lovelv child. At the a<?:e of nine 
 months she commenced to walk, and in two weeks 
 she could walk alone wdth entire freedom. At the 
 age of ten months she was taken with the whoop- 
 ing-cough; this affected her but little, and with 
 the exception of the time she was under the influ- 
 ence of the paroxysms peculiar to this disease, 
 appeard to be in the best of health. Her mother 
 taught her the alphabet, and when but two years 
 old she could name every letter. 
 
In September following lier secon.l birthday 
 her father entered npon the work cf ihe^itinerant 
 ministry of the church, and being from home for 
 weeks at. a time, when he would return she would 
 run to meet him with delight. 
 
 When a little past three years of age,- her pa- 
 rents left the farm and moved to a village called 
 Millville, on the banks of Indian Creek. Here the 
 United Brethren had a large and flourshing chiss, 
 and a line, large briCk church house, ibrty feet 
 wide by 60 long. There she was m iich interested 
 in attending Sabbath School. Her parents remain- 
 ed at Millville but one year, and then removed to 
 Westerville, Franklin Co. Ohio, where the senior 
 college of the church was located. There were 
 good opportunities for 'the development of intel- 
 lect, and moral culture. She was very anxious to 
 learn to read, and was much delighted in going to 
 the district school. She came home one evening- 
 sad and gloomy. The cause of this was that she 
 had heard during the day tKat children under five 
 years of age were in the school unlawfully, and 
 were liable to l^e dismissed. She ascertained that 
 it was only a short time until she would be five; 
 and said very emphatically to her mother :'Tf 
 
* 
 
 ihej tiini ine out of ocliool. von. can f-oon put me 
 111 again.'"" Rev. B. R. Hauby, son of'ex-Bi^liop 
 Hanby, who was at that lime a student in tJie 
 ('o]h:^ge, took a deep intrest in the children oi' the 
 town. He taught them to sing, and after tliis for 
 bonie time was their preacher. She thought verv 
 laucii of P>ro. Hanby. a 
 
 In early life she. became interested in reli^'iou 
 and. in the vv inter of her twelfth year, made a pub- 
 lic profession <)i religeion and w^is received into 
 the church at Westervilie, Franklin County, Cdiio 
 by her own father, who was pastor of the church 
 at that time. When the privilege was given to 
 extend the hand of fellowship to her, Rev. J. M. 
 bpangier, a minister of the conference, came for- 
 ward with tears in his eyes and gave her his hand. 
 He remarked afterwards: ''1 could not refrain 
 from shedding tears when little Mary was taken 
 into church by her own father.'" She was bap- 
 tized soon after by ex-Bishop Hanby. She dearly 
 loved the means of grace, and had much to siiy a- 
 bout the good meetings held for the special bene- 
 fit of the children by B. R. Hanby. 
 
 When about thirteen years of age she entered the 
 preparatory department of the College, in which 
 
8 
 
 she remcdiied about twtj years. 
 
 In her fifteenth year her pareuts moved ciljosit 
 twenty-three miles from Westervlilc, to the south- 
 ern part of the county. There was a wonderfully sad 
 contrast between the place left and the nc'.v home. 
 The countj-y was new and the improvements poor, 
 and everything forbidding. Church privileges 
 wffre quite different here. Instead of i>reaching 
 twice every Sabbath, nov/ once in three weeks; 
 and instead of Sabbath school every Sabbath morn- 
 ing, now there was none at all. Mary felt very sad 
 and discouraged on acount of these things. She 
 went to her father one morning and said: ''Father 
 may I have^our horse to ride some to-day?'' He 
 asked: "What do you want to do, Mary?'' She 
 -replied: ''I cannot think of living here without a 
 Sabbath school. I want to canvass the neighbor- 
 hood, and see if I cannot raise money enough to 
 start a Sabbath school." I need scarcely say that 
 the father cheerfully gratified her wishes in this 
 respect, and off she started upon her mission. It 
 was not a failure; for in the short time of about, 
 one day she raised over thirty dollars for this good 
 enterprise. Now think of it. She was not fif- 
 teen years old, being promi)ted by a love for the 
 Sabbath school, and a desire to do good, started 
 out among strangers and going from house to 
 
house: and none refaoed to listen to her rer^iicrit, 
 and ]j\\i iew\ if any, ^'li'^ w^^rp ■i^ all -;l'le. b'Tt 
 cheerfuliy ^e^])on(led to herctill by contri]>atmg ^o 
 this noble enter} nise. The scdiool was then (n;4(-in-= 
 ized at once, and a iiourishing school it wa.^. Froi-i 
 the influence of this school mainly, dirrinc the 
 early [>artoitlie ensuing winter, there \\;\> a grf!- 
 ciuus revival of religion in this j)lace. and a iiiui!- 
 bei' of accessions to the church. Tliei'e was one r-- 
 niarkaljle con.^rsion that should not be 'ariitted 
 in this narrative, as Mary was the iasfcruiuent in 
 the hands of God of her conversion. Slie was 
 knov>^n and recognized in the community as Dick- 
 ey Flanders. She was very intelligent .and well 
 cdiu^at:-d. HJi.i .-ilsout five yen's the senior of Mary, 
 tier i'.iiiiiiy r;.!iiic<-i i-,-!!.- and relatiorjs in genci'al 
 weiv uau'ldi v-nihiiicd iiiid wicked, and h.-id their 
 erijoyiiit'iir.- in \v(.t;lil!y associations and *niful 
 pleasures. Miss Flanders came to the Sabbath 
 school and tbrmed the acquaintance of Mary. At 
 oncf^ quite an intimacy grew up between them. 
 Dickey and Mary v/ere often together on the Sab- 
 bath, the former often accom])anying the latter 
 home from school and church ; ibr ver,y soon Miss 
 Flanders became interested in attending the preach- 
 
10 
 
 inr' of t^c- Y/ord cf Gocl as well as the 8abbath 
 
 ~rV>rtr'! ' rttI il"'d6G(l. tll^J:' l~-> hV'll R SinilltllitY bs- 
 
 iween iiitse two means ei grace ihat ii would be 
 difficult to bold to the e;ie aud deq:)i3e the other. 
 Ill i\D effort uiade diiectlj- lor the ooiiYeision of 
 persons. Miss F. was a>"a]^ened. and made the liub- 
 je<~-t of Godg's renemng grace/- 1 shall never forget 
 this interesting occasion. Persons are seldom more 
 deeply penitent and more earnest seeivers of salva- 
 tion than was this ladj-, aud the%ffort was not in 
 vain. The good seed had been sown in the Snl>- 
 bath school, and it produced the happy fruit of 
 love to God and a consecrated life to his service. 
 Miss F. lived a faithful cliristian life, and died a 
 happy death some years after. 
 
 Before Mary was fifteen years of age she ob- 
 tained, at Columbus, 0., a certificate to teach 
 school. The examinations at this time were oral, 
 and it was near the middle of the day when she 
 entered the room where the public examination 
 was held ; there was a board of three who conduc- 
 ted the examination; each hacha class busily en- 
 gaged at work when she entered the room. She 
 was invited t(> take a seat in a class with other 
 teachers, and after answering questions quite sat- 
 
11 
 
 isfactcrily for about an hour, (Lis ezaminey rr-pcrt- 
 ed to liis associates that Mai} ^Yas quite y, oitb.y of 
 a certificate ;^it was made out and given to- lier, 
 while about twenty who were in the classes Vv-lieii 
 .she entered were retained wjien she leit the roruri. 
 She completed the most of her first term of 
 teachincr before i-^he vyas sixteen, and rendered eood 
 satisfaction to the district. 
 
 "In the Spring' of the year after her sixteen tii 
 birthday, she took the train at Columbus, Ohio 
 went to Hamilton, and spent two or three months 
 among rehitivesin the Miami Valley, and returned 
 hfsnie auotlier way to where her father ha<l uiov- 
 ed during' her absence, near the city of Lanc<ister. 
 Fairfield Co., Ohio, nuiking this trip of over three 
 hundred miles alon*^. without a single person be- 
 in<i" with h(U- with wliom she svas in the l^Mst ac- 
 quainted. This tAi), requiring a number of 
 changes, was made mthout an}^ dificulty; a little 
 more than the most of girls of her nge would un- 
 dertake. 
 
 She was at hojiie only a short time, until, 
 through her earnest solicitations, her father per- 
 mitted her to goiuto the millinery business in tin? 
 . city of LajK-aster, uot however, v/ithout having se- 
 
12 
 
 rious impressions, and plainlj^ telling lier of tlie 
 probable unfavorable results of this l)usiuess to lier 
 health. But she was not satistied unle^i^s she was 
 in some occupation bj which she could assist her 
 father in bearing a p^irt of the expenses of the 
 somewhat large family. Whilp in this business, 
 for about four years, she formed mauy acquain- 
 tances, and had many warm friends ^vho loved 
 her dearly, and who often spoke decidedly in her 
 favor; but she was loved and honored mostl3^ 
 while in the city, for her piety and devotion to the 
 Sabbath school. As an evidence of the esteem the 
 church had for her, she received from its members 
 a beautiful certificate of life membership in the 
 Missionary Society. During the time of her fath- 
 er's residence in the city of Lancaster, which was 
 nearly three years, she would sometimes accompa- 
 ny him to his fields of labor, and assist him in 
 protracted meetings. One meeting will never be 
 forgotten by her father. This was when she was 
 about eighteen years of age. After the meeting 
 had .been in session a few days, there was a direct 
 appeal m-ade to the unconverted to at once conse- 
 crate themselves to the Lord Jesus and his blessed 
 cause by coming forward to the alter of prayer. 
 
m 
 
 Mfiry went out tliroiii>"]i tlie con'2^ro;j;:i!i<- n :md 
 plead witji siiiiier.s to jicci'pi: tlic c;i!l. aii'l ]>:' i-ccon- 
 ciled to tlie Savior. Mciiiy Averc |»ot;siia'L"l bjlier 
 to come forward to tlie altar of praA'or', and vAnie 
 tliey were kiieelin^^'tiierc, were ]j;!])jiily converted" 
 How exceodijigly slie- rej<)i(:efl to see .siiiiier-: com- 
 verted. and iiiaile liaj)py in the Savior's h)Vi\ ThAn 
 w^as a ]dessed nieetin.i;', and tlie result largely of 
 Mary's faithful lahors. Oil! my _youn,9; friends, 
 how much good}<)u eoidd aceom]»lis]i if you were 
 consecrated workers for Clirist. Youn;^' persons, 
 if truly pious,- will luiv(^ an iirniienc;' Avitli jiervsons 
 of their age th-at older ])ersoriS cannot have. 
 
 In the summer of 1S7J. she emigrated with lier 
 })arents to Westheld. Ckrk County. 111. There 
 she was admitted as a stad«:'nt in the <'ollege 
 ahout the first of Se])t<='Uih('r, ami continued, jn 
 school the most of th-' time until le.^]- 'le;H h. So(>n 
 after her arrival ;it Wcstlield sh.e was S'deeU^d hy 
 the Supt.. I^roi: AV. \i. Shmw a-< a t-aclier otth^ 
 Sahbath school. This ]iositir,ji rOu' ijlf-d ^vith 
 promptness and honor, being niiudi c^-eemed l-y 
 the members of her class, and this iv'latioti she 
 sustained to the sch^)ol wh'U eddied :-!vvay to lier 
 reward in Heaven, fl )w bli-s-u-'d it is io ))e eiu^T.crt'd 
 
IJ 
 
 in so good a work wlien the Master comes to call 
 us home. 
 
 In the Sprmg of 1873; he ^vas engaged to taich 
 sch )ol ahout three mileo southwest of town, in 
 the Gohle neighhurhood. Hern she succeeded a- 
 gain, as she did in almost every thing she under- 
 took. 
 
 She was strickjn down with the typhoid fever 
 on the tenth day of Septemher, 1873, after sulfer- 
 ing intensely for about fifteen days. She frequent- 
 ly said during her affliction tliat slie would Jiot 
 get? well again, hut would surely die. A cloud of 
 temptations and gloom settled down ii])on her 
 mind duriiig the early part of her affliction. She 
 spoke of her unworthiiiess; but the clouds gave 
 way, and the presence of tin.' blessed Jesus was 
 precious, and spoke of her prospects of a home in 
 the better land. She said to her father the day 
 before her death: "I am going soon to leave you, 
 and I want to tell you while T have the ability to 
 talk; I may not be a1)le to converse with you 
 when I come to die. I wish you would tell all my 
 friends to meet me in Heaven." Was not this a 
 presentment by her kind Father in Heaven of her 
 coalition in a. dying hour, for it proved true to 
 
J J 
 
 ilic Irilw jji her CcLSc, - 
 
 TJie la^;t cumer^^airon Lcr iidliti: ]i.au.v\iLli lior a 
 shuri time beloj-e ilnj hi.i striig-Jc cajuc, she saia: 
 'lain pa^wilig away; the f^hadow is tsiiihenn^' 
 round liie. I eaiinot see/' The hjdicaLiuus were 
 that she wuidd live i:)iil a ii^w hiau's. A little ijast 
 lour uV-loek on liie sad day, (k-alh eajjie to her re- 
 liej;; and she passed to a hir better . and happier 
 clime. Although tiie day was elear and' brjoht 
 durnig her struggle in death, there was fur a time 
 a light above the brighine'ss ol'day around hej- face 
 as she passed away. The funeral ser\^iees were 
 conducted by ilev. Wui. McUiniris, who was i^as- 
 tor of tlie charge, and Itev. ^ B. Allen, President 
 of th(^ College. Her body v/as then laid av/ay to 
 rest quietly until the resurrection morn ; while her 
 spirit doubtless is mmgling with the inue ones a- 
 ]-ound the throne of God in the better land. 
 
16 
 
 BlUGKAI'lIY OF ]\IARY A^^JJ ANGIE' 
 
 WliPD T iiH'iition the r; r. c of Miiry F. ;tiid &.i^. / (!'( r 
 many of our icaclery, famiiiar Avitli these iiame^, will 
 ])ause and inquire, ""^Viiut r)f them V what of Maiy .iud 
 AngieV'My reply must be, "Much that is sad." Yet there 
 is much that is sw( (;t, much admirable, evcrytliinghonor- 
 able, every thing of good re]>ort. Tlie !?ad part is that they 
 have both died. I thought when Mary was gone that the 
 rent in family, churcli, and social circle was far too large; 
 but soon — in only three days — Angle was gone too, and 
 "the mourners went . about the streets"— ay, the sti'cets 
 were full of mourners. 
 
 Mary. Zeller died y»ii1rm1 ( r 11th, IS'io, aged 23 years 
 3 montlis and 10 davs. b. Anceline Zeller died Sei)tembtr 
 14th, 1878, aged 21 years and'^ days. 
 
 Thus their brief day of Jifc is clostd, their night of 
 death has come; and as they were wont to lie side by side 
 upon their nightly couch beneath their father's roof, they 
 are now lying side by side in" the house appointed for all 
 living." In life, as true, loving sisters, they were ever 
 companions of each other, and in death they are not sep- 
 arated 
 
 Typhoid fever, thatdejigr of medic;il skill, seized upon 
 theui and, after a painful and protracted struggle, proved 
 victor, and they faded away from our midst. 
 
 Karely is it necessarv to chronicle so serious a loss. Tiuc 
 there is no period when friends can feel that it is a tit 
 time to lose a friend. A civilized household ever craves 
 more and more of the asso(,iation of all its members — 
 the infantile, the youthful, themature, and theold INone 
 can be spared. We refuse to death the righ: of way to 
 any heart we love. But when, of all -ages, could he rob us 
 worse than when he carries of the blooming son or daugh- 
 
17 
 
 tcr, whose steps are just at the thrcsholcl of iii:.lurity ; 
 talented, too, and educated, and skiJled for usefulness, 
 and amiahlein spirit? Such a seizure lias he uiaij^ from 
 the household of our dear brother, Rev, !S. * W. Zeller; 
 and that seizure ioo, as wc have seen, is a double one. 
 ]f "one had been taken and the oiher ]eft," it would 
 have been indeed hard to bear; but -when we r(!tlect tluit 
 botli are taken, that father -i d- mother became ol>je(ts 
 o! our deei-'cst sjm] aih}- c nd our most earnest prayers. 
 Oh, may this terrible experience })rove a ])urifvin;L:; tire 
 to gloriously refiue and beautify their hearts, long a.j;'o 
 bent to the gos})el yokel May divir.e gr.ce, wliich has 
 enabled them to pass through this ordeal without one 
 word of discontent, so inflate their souls as to ever keep 
 them nloft above the storms of life — spiritual aeronauts 
 a'bove the clouds. But not only parents aie sufferers. 
 Hearts of brother, sisters, and tenderly loving compan- 
 ions have been absolved by this regretted stroke. 
 
 "Both these sisters are recorded among the recent sUi 
 dents of Westfield College. Both had made high marks 
 in the intellectual struggle, so as to be an honor both to 
 tneir family and the college. High hopes were justly in- 
 dulged in by the parents and instructors, and by all who 
 were estimating the rising forces of the Church — hopes 
 that these lights, after a little more trimming by the hand 
 of education, would do much to dispel the darkness of 
 earth . 
 
 Aire idy had their influenc been felt, strongly felt, as 
 co-workers with oPher serventsof Christ. Quite early in 
 life they gave themselves to Jesus Christ. Idlers in the 
 vinyard they were not. They "had not so learned of 
 Christ. " well had they heeded the divine injunction, 
 'whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might.' 
 Accordingly, their connection with Christianity was not 
 a, merly nominal one as regards good works. 
 
 Years ago. Mary (little Mary then) was one of the pre- 
 cious few\\;hose piety did not wane with the wintcj- moons 
 The writer, together with others of "class No. 3," in the 
 ihurch at Westcrville, Ohio, can well recollect the exem- 
 plary regularity and consistency of her childhood life. It 
 will be a pleasure to all those classmates who are yet sur- 
 viving, to learn that the buds which then so beautifull 
 adorned her young character were not blasted, but con- 
 tinued fruiting untill the frost of death so untimely cu- 
 
lo 
 
 (lo-^u the plant. To these classmates, aud to all her 
 frienrls, she left a message. j\Iauy hours before her death 
 she said, as il" prophetlcallj', 'When I am dying! shall not 
 be able to speak; iherefore I want you, iViLhcr, to tell all 
 nijr friends to meet mc in lieaven." As slie expected, 
 her speech was gone long befoie her trial ended. Bodily, 
 her dyiug-bed was not as sof; a;- d<.wny i)iliows: it was 
 hard; and for a time it seemed as if she must pass away 
 without a sign of her inward state- But just at the last 
 moment, just w^hen cruel Death, after ras king her frame 
 in. a con uulsive struggle, had apparently completed his 
 work aud ceased, her face, from wiiLuiiig in aFpiibm, in- 
 stantly became wreathed in a heavenly smiiC that plain- 
 ly show'Cd the victory and the joy wiiliTu. 
 
 Sometimes dayb of cioud, and ram, and storm, days 
 gloomy and forbidding, are illuminattd at evening by an 
 outburst of brightestsunshine from beliiDd the western 
 blackness; and tlu u we are all made glad. So it seemed 
 in the death of Mary Zeller. Her dying smile asserted, 
 v/ith delightful plainness, that her agonies were only of 
 the body, and that her soul was bursting out with the 
 new wine of heaven. Let us heed her admonition and 
 meet her in that bright land. 
 
 Angle embraced religion at fourteen years of age, un- 
 der the labors of Rev. B H. Kerns, of ihe bcioto Con- 
 ference of the Unit- d Brethren Church. For seven years 
 she lived to demonstrate the soundness of her conversion 
 and the strength of her Christian character. 
 
 Her last sickness was loug and painful; but, like her 
 sister, she "possessed her soul in patience," nor in aught 
 murmured at lier lot- While not disguising her hope of 
 recovery, she nevertheless recoguized the chances of the 
 opposite, and unhesitatingly and earnestly said, "I want 
 the will of God to be done; i want no will but his." 
 
 To her father, whose labors and sacrifices in the- ser- 
 vice of God ha've been abundant, as is known to many, 
 she left this dying expression: "Pa, I want you not to 
 quit preaching." As if she feared his manffold trials 
 might overcome him, and lead him to give up his heaven- 
 ly mission, her spirit, with its vision cleaiicd from sordid 
 mists, was prompted to uige him on in his eflbrts to res- 
 cue men from sin and ruin. He will not forget these 
 words, They will support him in future trials. They 
 
V.) 
 
 will reiuvi,ij,"v)ralc iill his ]) urpoocs as a ministei-. They 
 M'iU iucite him to Uiiprccedented devotion to his callini^'. 
 Would thai all Loilers iu God's vinyard could always have 
 domestic voices, not odI}^ of the dyiug, but of the living;, 
 eucouragiug them in their toil. Wilh such aids, uuiuy u 
 minister's usefulness aa well as his comfort, woui<J. be 
 more than double. 
 
 But Angle's voice can no longer plead for the cause of 
 God. ilubhed in silence, her words ai'e ail said, ilovv 
 happy that she spoke so many right things! Bound in 
 icy fetters, iier feel can no longer i un. How good that 
 they were wont, to run on errands of mercy! Contrary 
 to her cxpeclutious, her work on earth is done How 
 blessed that she "worked w^hile the day lasted." 
 
 It is sad. to think that so much of worth, so much of 
 talent, so much of youthful educaliou, so much of iov-eli- 
 ness and amiability as abode in these two lost ones si oald 
 be absolutely buried away from earth. The wise will 
 learn lessons from these sad thoughts; and thus beauty 
 may spring up out of the ashes of our sisters. 
 
 Samuel B. Allen. 
 Westlicld, 111., SepLemoer 17, 1873 
 

 I T MEMOllIAM. 
 
 ""Whereas, Our kind and merciful Father bas .-ceu fit 
 in his wise and good though sad and mysterious i^yovi- 
 dence to send the donth-angel once again inlo the Phila- 
 lethean Literary Society of \\ estfield I'oiiege, and call 
 froni earth to a'blissful home in tlie fair clune of heaven 
 one of its most devoted and best beloved members, Miss 
 Mary E. Zeller, of Westtield, ill.; and WlieredS, We 
 deem it fitting that we give public expression to our sor- 
 row and irreparable loss in tUe death of our sister; there- 
 fore, 
 
 Hesolvecl, l- That ia the sad and unexpected dis- 
 ])ensation we witness the divine hand of our loving 
 Father, and desire, meekly, to buw in submission to his 
 will; that we truly feel th.vi tlie tender cord of affoi-tiou 
 unites our hearts with those of bereaved; and we would 
 lovingly mingle our tears with their's in this dark hour 
 of sorrow; yet resting in the assurance that "behind the 
 clouds the sun is sti'l shining," the sun of his love who 
 doeth all things well, who wounds to heal, who has gone 
 to prepare a place for those who love him, where severed 
 cords will be reunited, and where he will wipe all tears 
 from their eyes- 
 
 2. That w^e will ever sacredly cherish her memory, 
 brightened by so many fond recollections, and will strive 
 to live each day in the faitb of the holy religion which 
 she so truly honored and exemplified in her life, and 
 through which she so gloriously triumphed in her death- 
 
 3. That Ave wear the usual badge ol mourning thirt}^ 
 days. 
 
 4. That copies of these resolutions be presented to the 
 bereaved ones; that they be recorded in the journal of 
 our society; and that copies be sent for publication to the 
 Religious Telescope, Clarh Coufity ^ Mercild. 
 Marsliall Messenger, Charleston Pkoindealer, 
 Ohio State Voiimal, Lancaster Gazi^tte, and 
 Westerville Banner. 
 
 DoKA F. Bolton, j 
 MoLLiE E. Ross, r Com. 
 Matti^ Daves, ) 
 Philalethean Hall, September 10, 1873. 
 
We will now give our readers some of Mary 
 Elizabeth's productions she prepared while in 
 College onlv a few months before she died. Writ- 
 ten in 1872 and 1873. 
 
 Improvement of Time. 
 
 When ^Ye look around us and see hovv^ uncer- 
 tain, life is and with what velocity time is speed- 
 ing us on, are we not truly made to feel that the 
 few days, or perhaps years of our mortal existence 
 cannot be too well improved? 
 
 Although we commence to lisp the Savior's 
 name at our Mother's knee and unswervingly de- 
 vote all our lives to His service, and at the same 
 time receive the first principles of mental develop- 
 ment, and then industriously and earnestly, we 
 
90 
 
 will scarcely ever feel that our time lias been as 
 well improved as it could have been. We can 
 look back upon the past to some time, yes indeed 
 n: 'ny times, in which we might have made more' 
 rapid progress. 
 
 But the past cannot be reclaimed, iind it is 
 useless for us to tarry, longer thah learn lessons 
 of warning, which many serve for future aid, in 
 recalling jjast failures; the present, and only the 
 present is ours. ;iud it is uot ouiy a privilege we 
 have ])ut a" duty we owe, to ourselves, to our asso- 
 ciates, and our Heavenl}' Father, that we now 
 improve each moment in the best possil^le ]naii- 
 ner. 
 
 We nre now fitting ourselves lo enter the great 
 school of eternity, surely we do not have this im- 
 portant truth properly fixed upon om* memory or 
 we would JH)t be so sluggish and inditFerent, we 
 would find little or no time to spend iu adorning 
 the body, in useless and frivolous conversation, in 
 restlessly roaming about in order to destroy time, 
 as we often hear the thoughtless and indolent ex- 
 press themselves. 
 
 We would have no time to discuss our neighbors 
 extravagant wardrobe or shabby coat, his false 
 
2 3 
 
 air.s or sedate iiiaiuier, his eoiiij)lr(,[i()ii or iiu per- 
 fect features. ])ut if we would seek to aid in eradi- 
 eatijig all eviJ. lend a helping hand to the dosii- 
 tnte. and a (dieering word to the disconsolate. If 
 we were tlins actively engaged how little dissen- 
 tion and strife there wonld he. We« v/onld cer- 
 tainly have a paradise on earth, and wonld be 
 more fuily fitted and qualified for the paradise of 
 a never ending' etei'iiitv. 
 
 KEroLLEr'Tiois-s OF Eaely Life. 
 
 Memory calls ns away from monotinous routine 
 of school life, to the almost forgotten past. ^Ve 
 are iirst ]ia,stened to the place where we obtained 
 cair hrst mental and morol instructions. The 
 means employed, the manner in which those les- 
 sons were imparted and the enstructors are all in 
 view. The little -d-h-t tin plate that was studied 
 principally at meal time. The finger marks in the 
 frost and steam upon the window pane, in the 
 form of names, sums and pictures, altegather 
 making an attractive picture. 
 
 Our first with many succeeding school day, our 
 innumerable trials and difficulties alternating with 
 
24 
 
 !^llll^hille and happiness. ^ 
 
 And what tender recQleetions duster around the 
 hrst prayer we learned^ to repeat, when too young 
 'to jven know the meaning- of prayer and assumed 
 the form simply because Mother said it was right; 
 but still more precious is the time when we laid 
 aside the form and asked our Pleavenly Parent to 
 fill our hearts with true devotion. 
 
 How signally benificial, although not so pleas- 
 ant, to recall the dark and stormy part of our his- 
 tory, which assists us in fortifying ourselves a- 
 gainst the furious gale which is liaJjle to sweep a- 
 cross our pathway when least expected. 
 
 Whether our life has been tempest-tossed or 
 comparatively calm, we love to occasional!}' review 
 by -gone. days. 
 
 The weeds of sin" deeply rooted. . 
 
 Some weeks since, my mind was quite visably 
 impressed that our yard ought to be cleaned. 
 
 It being so much larger than the ones I had 
 previously been accustomed to sweep, and owing 
 to the temperature of the weather T was loth to 
 undertake so much. But knowing that weeds 
 
would not uprooted themselves but were becom- 
 ing larger and stronger each day ; and the chips, 
 shavings and rubbish were rapidly smothering the 
 tender grass, giving the yard such a wild and de- 
 serted appearance, that I at once procured hoe, 
 rake, broom and basket and commenced the work^ 
 Economy suggested that I first clean off the weeds. 
 I thought this quite reasonable and proceeded to 
 hoe off the w^eeds in rapid succession. But imag- 
 ine, if you like, my chagrin as Ma tapped me up- 
 on the shoulder and exclaimed "how stupid,' 
 '^your plan will do if you desire to repeat this pro- 
 cess in a short time ; but allow^ me to suggest that 
 you take these weeds out by roots and you will 
 not need' to be annoyed b}^ theii' appearance a- 
 gain." 
 
 I then laid my hoe aside and did as instructed, 
 although some were so well fortified that it re- 
 quired a good degree of strength to remove them. 
 I felt more than repaid for my labor, to know 
 that these weeds could not reappear, also thinking 
 that the greater part of my task was completed. 
 
 I then proceded to gather the chips, shavings 
 and small particles from the sod, but I soon found 
 that the most tedious and irksome part was yet 
 
20 
 
 to do. I tried to rake tlicni together into heaps 
 but either the riike was too large or the ehii)s were 
 too small and many remained in the grass undis- 
 turbed. 
 
 Finally I fonnd it necessary to sweep the grass, 
 whieh took gieat care niul perseverance; bat the 
 agreeable change which tliis process produced, 
 more than re}»aid irie for mj labor. 
 
 Likewise we find the character of persons in 
 which are large and deeply-rooted weeds of vice, 
 choking out all good purposes and impressions. 
 Also the chips, shavings and smaller partiles of 
 sin leaving no opportunity for the development 
 of tender loving thoughts and acts of kindness. 
 
 Many have l>een brought to see the rude ap- 
 pearance of their characters ; and desiring to sus- 
 tain, at least, a good reputation, undertake to 
 remove its rubbish. They proceed to hide from 
 public view their most aggravating and promi- 
 nent faults, only cropping off that Avhich can be 
 seen while the roots are left firm in their natures. 
 
 Those who are prudent will endeavor to pluck 
 their errors up by the roots, although the work 
 may be difficult and require all the strength they 
 possess, that they may not shoot forth in some 
 
iiiiguarded moment and caube lurtlier paiji. 
 
 The smaller faults like the chii^s and bliavings 
 require still more careful attention and perse- 
 vering energy, and it should be ambition of each 
 individual to toil on until even the dust of im- 
 morality is removed. Then his character "vvill 
 sparkle like the pure grass Inithed in morning 
 dew. 
 
 Decision?' ak'd Pee5eyeea>7ce. . 
 
 From a want of persevering resolution, and 
 firmness of puri^ose many (ail to make a good re- 
 cord upon time's pages. 
 
 Like birds that desert our forests as soon as the 
 chilling winds of autumn appear, some men are 
 prompted to seek other employment when met 
 by opposition and discouragement; or if their oc- 
 cupations do not afford the desired ease, their 
 courage is shaken and they seek fairer climes hop- 
 ing to acquire a living by less labor and fewer in- 
 terruptions. But they find difficulties in each 
 pursuit they undertake; and spend more of their 
 time and strength in devising plans to get out of 
 
tlie reach of life's duties tlian would be required 
 to perform them. 
 
 We have the example of one who r< apparently 
 lets favored. He is poor, and has few friends, but 
 he possesses a decisive and persevering aim to suc- 
 ceed; he asks for the symi)athy of no one; realizing 
 that there is work for him to perform, and that he 
 only can steer his barque safely into harbor. The 
 sea is sometimes tempest-tossed, but he moves 
 steadily onward, gaining new strength, and new 
 power over the contending elements. Decision is 
 moulded in his character, and he rows manfully a- 
 gainst the current until he reaches the port of 
 happy anticipations. 
 
 Not only do individuals incur their own misfor- 
 tune and unhappiness b}^ an irresolute and un- 
 reliable disposition, but often bring sorrow upon 
 those with whom they associate. 
 
 The fond Mother is often grieved at the fickle 
 and undecided course of her daughter who is con- 
 trolled altogether by circumstances, and makes no 
 effort to shape her own future welfare. Domes- 
 tic duties are too rude for her fastidious taste; and 
 education requires more will and nerve-power than 
 she can command; not because she i« destitute of 
 
2d 
 
 suiFicient heiiltli and ori.yijiMl iii-ellcc[, but of 
 resolution unci persevei'tince. How much more 
 valuable an object tliat is procnred hy sacriiicrs 
 and earnest labor! 
 
 The miner deprives himself of the co nforts and 
 many pleasant associations of honiC, a]id sf^e: s 
 his fortune in a distant land. He toils many 
 weary days without remuneration, but he has 
 "put his hand to theiOow" and decs net cpufilir n 
 whether to cease the pursuit or not. He lias in- 
 vested all in this enterprise, and must n'.)w se;irch 
 until the devsirecl treasure is obtained or all his 
 work shall be in vain.- 
 
 Many fields are yet uncultivated. There is 
 work for all to do; and we are held accountalde 
 for the manner in which each moment is e])iploy- 
 ed. Then should we not endeavor to dispell tliis 
 •letharo'v that bedims our metal and mor;il hori- 
 zon? If we earnestly ejnploy the means wiMiiii 
 o\v: reach, we shall realize that "A cloudy morn- 
 ing oft brings a pleasant day.*' 
 
Behind the clouds the sun is still 
 
 SHINING. 
 
 When the heavens liave been darkened by 
 dense vapor and gathering storms hover o^er for 
 many days, at times lashing the earth in fits of 
 fury, how often we wish for the illuminating 
 splendor of golden sunshine. 
 
 We become weary and downcast when the rays 
 of the sun are obstructed from our view by the 
 clouds; the birds cease to trill their sweet notes, 
 and all nature appears dreary and dreamy. But 
 who, being acquainted with her laws would say 
 "give me all sunshine ; allow no angry clouds or 
 yet lighter mists to intervene between me and the 
 azure sky?' Not one; for the earth has only been 
 favored with one of her necessary elements. To 
 her, new life has been imparted and when the 
 clouds are dispersed the sun is still sitting on his 
 majestic throne, sending out the rays of his im- 
 perial grandeur; and now the earth is prepared to 
 
^1 
 
 welcome his bright and cheering smiles; the hum 
 of the busy bee is again heard ; the warbling of 
 joyous birds ai:)pear more melodeous, and our 
 whole being is filled with new vigor and delight. 
 
 Thus we find life alternating in clouds and suji- 
 shine: none are free from sorrow and afliietion. 
 Many are their shades and dimentions; varying 
 like the light and airy clouds that float in etheri- 
 al brightness to the black and sweeping blast that 
 envelops the whole heavens. We would gladly 
 escape all pain, privation and disappointments; 
 but, what ''blessings in disguise!" Were we not 
 sometimes afflicted both mentally and physically 
 how indifferent to each others interests would we 
 become. 
 
 Until we have suffered the pangs of disease, 
 had high hopes and aspirations cru^ed to the^ 
 earth,- and laid dear friends beneath the sod, we 
 are not prepared to sympathize with those un- 
 dergoing like sorrows. Our hearts are melted to 
 softness; made more flexible by trouble and lifted 
 to the suuli^dit beyond. 
 
 When the clouds are thickest and storms are 
 raging we are apt to murmur, or at least wish the 
 sun would again appear; forgetting that behind 
 
32 
 
 tliem all, lie is still performing his great and won- 
 derful mission. Also when we are attacked by 
 mental distress, when some has filled our bosom 
 almost to overflowing, and hope is about yielding 
 to helpless despair, we often think that God's 
 smiles have been transformed into displeasure. 
 But the Eternal Sun of Glory is surely sending 
 out rays of beaming love as if all were light and 
 gladness. 
 
 Then take courage when daylight is bedimed 
 and our sky is o'ercast; and banish oil fears; since 
 ''Behind the clouds the sun is still shining". 
 
 A Contented Mind. 
 
 Those who have a contented mind are in possess- 
 ion of a great treasure. 
 
 All may enjoy it if they will. Observation 
 teaches us that this precious gem is not always 
 to be found clasping hands with affluence and 
 luxury. 
 
 There are many persons who seemingly have 
 
33 
 
 all they desire ; but become acquainted with them, 
 or learn a little of their history and you will very 
 soon change your opinion. They prove to be un- 
 happy, and dissatisfied. Always wishing for 
 something beyond their reach, which if they did 
 possess would not help to satisfy their restless, 
 covetous dispositions. For ere one selfish de- 
 sire could be obtained, there would be others to 
 take its place. 
 
 We may have a great many friends, occupying 
 prominent positions in society and possess wealth, 
 but unless we are resigned to the Will of our 
 Heavenly Father, and also willing to improve our 
 time and talents as much as possible, we cannot 
 enjoy the comforts of a contented mind. 
 
 Monarchical compared with Republican 
 FORM OF Government. 
 
 Government is a systematic arrangement for 
 the exercise of power and authority, over the ac- 
 tions of men, for the^purpose of promoting the 
 wellfare of both ruler and subjects. 
 
 In order that we may judge of the comparative 
 
34 
 
 merits and demerits of the two forms of Govern- 
 ment under discussion, we have but to examine 
 the nature and out croppings of each. 
 
 A monarchical form of Government is based 
 upon Ji sandy foundation; one of man's own self- 
 ish devising. How then can it meet the wants 
 of a people who are bound with fetters of serveili- 
 ty ; which brings the masses into subjection to 
 one, and must recognize only a favored few as 
 having the rights of free will and free speech; 
 fobbing men of the ambition, intellect, and pow- 
 er alloted them by the one great Monarch. 
 
 The motives to industry are few. A man who 
 milst give the half or three fourths of the pro- 
 ducts of his labor to sustain the nobility will soon 
 loose all energy, if he even had any, to gain posi- 
 tions of dignity and usefulness. There is nothing 
 to stimulate his^ weary brain and nerves, and he 
 drops down into dispair, poverty and degredation. 
 
 Schools and Colleges are comparativly few, and 
 only those of honorable birth and wealth are able 
 to enjoy their benefits. 
 
 In a sentence ionorance, crime and blood-shed 
 are its greatest products. 
 
 Not so with a free Republican government: it 
 
dh 
 
 is founded upon principals of justice and "good- 
 will toward all men." It coincides with Holy 
 Writ, and is the only sure road to peace and i^ros- 
 perity. 
 
 How innumerable ai-e the pleasures and enjoy- 
 Inents of our beloved America to-day? Whence 
 come all these blessings? We answer b}^ com- 
 plying with the demands of equity. 
 
 . ''Tkibulatioi^ an^ ageis'cy for good." 
 
 If we notice the etymology of the word ''tribu- 
 lation," which is derived from the latin Avord 
 ^'tribulum," this word- signifying a threshing in- 
 strument, which was used in ancient times by the 
 liomans for separating the corn from the husk, 
 we can understand better its true meaning. . 
 
 I will attempt to show that tribulation is a 
 means for separating the evil in the world from 
 
 the good. 
 
 It seems to be one of the many ways by which 
 God establisiies good among mankind: and I 
 think deserves not to be omitted or passed by as 
 not belonging to this class: if we attempt to prove 
 
36 
 
 this statement, history will not; leave us without 
 aid. Its pages contain many instances in which 
 good has been brought out of evil, and joy out of 
 sorrow. It has often been of great value when 
 no other power could turn a people from their 
 
 evil ways; when they seemed to think that they 
 were their own masters, and no other nation had 
 a right to dictate to them what they ought to do; 
 and how they should conduct their ways : and al- 
 though they were determined to continue to do as 
 they had done : yet when the chastening rod of 
 affliction was laid"upon them, when they were 
 brought to feel their dependence by some pesti- 
 lence or famine, they were willing and ready to 
 listen to and accept the advice of others^ to revi&w 
 their past actions, see where they had done wrong 
 and endeavor to do better. 
 
 It was in the furnace of affliction that God pre- 
 pared his children in Egypt for doing the good 
 which they afterwards accomplished. 
 
 And the same might he said about the founders 
 of our country. They were prepared for this noble 
 work in England, while undergoing persecutions 
 from their neighbors, none of which -they deserved, 
 but which they endured for the sake of their re- 
 
ligion. Their persecutors knew but little about 
 wliat they were doing, when they drove them out 
 from among them: and yet no doubt they fulfill- 
 ed their Creators design in conpelling them to 
 fordi a new state and, organize a new and free 
 government. If these persons had been well 
 treated iu ilim' form Br country, it is doubtful 
 whether they ever would have made an effort to 
 do anything excei>t for their own enjoyments, or 
 ever have done the good which they did under 
 these circumstances. 
 
 It is the nature of the whole human famil}" to 
 sink into a state of quietude and ease, caring only 
 for their own wellfare, and never attempting to 
 do anything for any person else, or for the good 
 of their country, unless aroused to action by some 
 threatening voice, or fearful calamity. "Each 
 one for himself:" is the general motto and instead 
 of helping a neighbor on over the rough road of 
 life. Each does all he can to pull him back ; in- 
 stead of clearing his way, he heaps up brush to 
 make it as rough as he can, instead of being his 
 friend, he is his enemy. 
 
 We may also see how tribulation has been the 
 means of furnishing us many writings of great 
 
38 
 
 value. John Buiiyaii Avrote his ''Immortal Al- 
 legory" in Beiford jail where he was confined for 
 s 3veral years, for preaching the gospel in an . un- 
 authorized manner. He refers to this when he 
 speaks of the '"Den." ''The Lord often causes the 
 wrath of man to praise him." Had Bunyan not 
 been shut up in jail it is not probable that we 
 sjiould ever have seen the Pilgrims Progress. 
 
 And not only this has l)een left through the 
 means of affliction to bless the world, but many 
 other writing's which doubtless would never have 
 been composed had they not been done under cir- 
 cumstances of affliction. 
 
 With what pride does the former look upon his 
 fields of grain ripe and for harvest when not half 
 of their worth can be seen, for before tlie rich and 
 useliil flour appears, the chaff and weeds must be 
 sepai-ated from that wheat. And this is enough, 
 but the grains must even be torn in pieces by the 
 mill : then we may see its true worth pure and re- 
 fined. So it is with man. If he is good and no- 
 ble, and if he is in possession of all those prmci- 
 ples which would characterize a man of worth, yet 
 his true value will not be estimated so highly, as 
 after his person has been touched by affliction. 
 
39 
 
 He is like ilie wheat in the straw. 'T\v^ flails 
 of (locrs coiTeetioiis must be hiid ujioii liiui, and 
 all those rain thoughts and desires of his threshed 
 away. The dust and cmiff of the world must he 
 separated from him. Tlieu_ he is i>repared to seek 
 1 jr those treasures the most noble and lasting*. 
 
 How many of us. after being released from the 
 cliam])er of the sick and suffering, have not real- 
 ized that we were ]>etter than before we enterrxl? 
 
 AVhil^there, how many good resolves did ^we 
 make? and how many plans did we lay lor doing 
 better in the fntui'e, which we afterwards follow- 
 ed? 
 
 In a place like this we are among solemn reali- 
 ties, the'mind being shut In from the world and 
 all. 
 
 BIOGRAPHY, 
 
 SARAH ANGELIl!^E ZELLER- 
 
 Sarali Angelina Zeller, the secoiid iu age, was 
 born September 11th, 1852, neai' the aume place 
 where her older sister was, as ab'eadj stated. She 
 grew up very much as children xisuiillj do who 
 are favored with religious influences. She accom- 
 
40 
 
 pauied her older sister to Sabbath school when 
 quite young, and in this enjoyed herself q4.iite well 
 in the early part of life. As soon as she was old 
 enough she attended district school, and in this 
 succeeded quite well. When nine years of age, in 
 connection with her older sister, she took lessons 
 in instrumental music. Here she showed more 
 than ordinary ability, and soon surpassed others 
 of riper years. 
 
 When fourteen years of age she had a serious 
 attack of congestive fever. This was in 4he fall 
 of 1864. It was exceedingly wet, and rained a great 
 deal. The streams became very much swollen. I 
 was attending the annual conference, which con- 
 vened that year in Vinton Couiity, Ohio. The 
 rain and swollen streams kept me from ^returning 
 home for nearly a week after the close of the con- 
 ference. In my absence, Angie, as she was fa- 
 miliarly called, was taken sick. As soon as I re- 
 t irned home I called a phys'cian, who did all he 
 could for her relief. After she had been confined 
 to her bed for about four days, the whole family 
 were much startled by her impressive talk about 
 dying. She called her mother to her bedside, and 
 said: ''0, mother, I heard the angels sing so beau- 
 
41 
 
 ' tifuljy. And the uksssed Jesus cajiie ami lock all 
 my pain away. I will not siaj'-iii tills world any 
 longer. 0, mother, I will go up an! live with the 
 blessed Jesns and with the beautiful angels. Now 
 mother I aui going to die. T want you to bury lue 
 at Westerville, beside my little brother.^' Her 
 Ijrotlier. about, four months old, dieil eigdit years 
 before. She 'often visited the village cemetery = and 
 assisted her sister to plant beautiful flowers on his 
 little griiv.^ Her mother was so' much cdfecled 
 that it was much easier for her to cry than to talk 
 with'lier d3dhg child, as she then thought. She 
 kept on insisting for this until her mother was 
 able to gratify her with an. affirmatiTe answer, 
 
 ' "which entirel}^ satished her. But now she has an- 
 other request to make that interests her not a little. 
 She says; ^'Mother, I do not think it is nice 
 when one is dead to lay them out on a board. 
 Please let me lay on the bed until yon get ready 
 to ]}ur3'^ me.*' 
 
 This being granted, she was soon resting quiet- 
 ly, without any suifering or pain at all. What 
 she had said appeared to be true to the letter; lier 
 paiu was all gone, and it was so sudenly removed, 
 almost iu a moment. Was she uot right in sup- 
 
42 
 
 posing that the blessed Savior came and removed 
 all her pain ? Having been at one of the neigh- 
 bors for a few minutes during this exciting talk 
 of hers, a messenger was sent, met me half way on 
 my return home, and said, "Angie is dying." As 
 soon as possible I was by her bedside, and while 
 she was lying quietly and comfortably, the family 
 were shedding tears of sorrow, as much so as if she 
 were dead. As I inquired of her how she felt, 
 she repeated to me the most of what she had 
 said to her mother, about the angles singing, and 
 what Jesus did for her. I cannot describe to you 
 my feelings in this hour; it is a mingling of joy 
 and sadness; sadness because we thought in all 
 probability she would soon leave us: joy because 
 she was so joyful and happy in anticipation of re- 
 alizing so soon a happy home with Jesus and the 
 angles. Several of the neighbors came in and kind- 
 ly rendered us all the assistaace they could. I shall 
 never forget them ; they thought she would surely 
 die. After the excitement had subsided, I took a 
 chair and sat down by the side of my companion, 
 and conversed with her about the probable result 
 of the strange scene, and we concluded she would 
 die, and we made some arrangement for the inter- 
 
43 
 
 ment of her telj^ as she hiid requested to be done. 
 After this l W^ht to her bedside, and found her 
 resting as ^fetly and sleeping as sweetly as she 
 ever did in Her life. SHie ivas lying with her face 
 from me, next to the wall of the room. I spoke to 
 her tenderly, and she turned over and looked me 
 full in the face. I had prepared some medicine the 
 doctor had left for her. I said: "Angie, here is 
 some medicine I want you to take.'' "No," she re- 
 plied rather emphatically: "I am not going to stay 
 in this world, I am not going to take any more 
 medicine either." I insisted on her taking it, but 
 she refused, and this was the first time she object- 
 ed in the least to take what we thought would be 
 good for her. One of the neighbors present thought 
 I had better not insist on her taking it, so she had 
 it her own way. By the next day she had so far 
 recovered that she was able to sit up in a chair, 
 and in a very short time was iu her usual health. 
 1 believe the Lord Jesus appeared to her iu mercy 
 during this affliction, and not only relieved lier of 
 bodily pain, but also irapaited to her the comforts 
 of religion; and if called away at this time she 
 would, without a doubt, have gone to the better 
 land. She was a good child and had a mild and ge- 
 
44 
 
 iiial nature. She attended scliool at the Otter- 
 bein College in the fall and winter of the same 3^ear 
 In tha latter part of the winter of this 3'ear, she re- 
 iurned home, and at a meeting held by Rev. B. 
 H. Kearns, in the southern part of Franklin Co., 
 Ohio, she made a' public profession of religion, 
 and united v>dth the church ; and ever after was an 
 active christian. When in her sixteenth year she 
 entered the graded schools in the city^ of Lancaster, 
 audhere she hwl an opportunity, under the tuition 
 of an eminent musician, to cultivate hermusical 
 talent. She was muidi delighted with music, and. 
 when not otherwise engaged would vsing and play 
 on the piano. She enjoyed herself very much in 
 this wa}^; and was always hapi)y to entertain her 
 friends with impressive instrumental music. She 
 was not only, interesting and attractive in the 
 parlor, but eminently so in the kitchen. There 
 never was a^more industrious and faithful person, 
 ready to do anything in or about the house that 
 was needful to be done. It was a common thing 
 for her, while attending school, when she return- 
 ed from the recitation room, to go immediately to 
 the kitchen and inquire of her mother if she 
 could do anything for her. 
 
45 
 
 She had muny wtirjii friendis in Ohio, etspecially 
 is this true of many with whom she became ac- 
 quainted while livin<j^ in the city of Lancaster. 
 In the summer «)f 1871 she entered college classes 
 in Westliold, Clark Co., III. In this place the re- 
 mainder of her short and eventful life was spent. 
 She lacked but one year of completing the ladies' 
 course in this College. 
 
 Soon after her arrival in Westfield she was se- 
 lected by the Sabbath school Supt., W. R. Shuey, 
 as one of the Sabbath school teachers, which office 
 she filled during the remainder of her life. In the 
 winter previous to her death, during a revival of 
 religion, she was at least in part, instrumental 
 in the conversion of all the scholars of her class. 
 
 How very pleasant it was to have these call and 
 visit her during her last sickness, and this they 
 did quite often. Angie was very modest and un- 
 assuming, and was an example of piety, and de- 
 voted to the cause of religion. She had obtained, 
 by faithful labor, a good education, was well drill- 
 ed in the sciences and also in music. This ena- 
 bled her to contribute largely, in the social circle, 
 to the cheer and happiness of all around her. 
 While she is doubtless missed in other places, her 
 
4(3 
 
 absence is most herioiisly felt in tiie iamily by fath- 
 er and motlier, brother and sister. She was taken 
 with the typhoid fever on the thirteenth of Au- 
 gust, 187B, and after suffering intensely for thir- 
 ty-two days, death came to her relief. Three days 
 before she died she said to me. in a plain, clear 
 voice: ^' Will you please get me the almanac?'' I 
 did so. She turned to the month of September and 
 said: ''To-day I am twenty-one years old," I re- 
 plied, ''Yes, you are now* your own girl, but we 
 Avill keep you j^et awhile." She looked at me sig- 
 nificantly and said not a word. I then had a good 
 deal, of encouragement that she would get well; 
 but alas! how soon this hope was torn from me. 
 
 One incident I must not forget to relate. Du- 
 ring the time Ave were in Illinois, our expenses 
 were large, and my salaray small. This made it 
 discouraging, not only to myself, but also to the 
 family, and Angle sympathized with me in this 
 dihiculty; and fearing I would turn aside from 
 the ministry and engage in some more lucrative 
 calling, she said to me while on her dying bed: 
 ''Now father, I don't want you to leave the min- 
 istry. T think it is your duty to declare the bless- 
 ed gospel of salvation to men. Continue on in this 
 
47 
 
 good work." While tliat inciite'r was settled ])e- 
 tweeii myvself luid my Father iii heaven, years be- 
 fore, still this earnest request of hers affords me 
 real comfort amidst the dark hours of temptation 
 through which I am called to pass so often in this 
 life. 
 
 Her sister Mary was taken away from us three 
 days and a half before she left us. For several 
 
 weeks it was thought Angie would go first; but 
 as time rolled on Mary declined very rapidly and 
 
 died first. We were then more anxious than ev- 
 er in behalf of the remaining sick one, who had 
 suffered so long and patiently. But now there 
 were new difficulties before us. Angie kne\v noth- 
 ing of the death other sister, and it was a very 
 difficult matter tu determine whether to let her 
 know it or not, in her very feeble condition. 
 
 After consulting with the family and a few 
 friends of the family on this subject, we de- 
 termined to inform her of this matter. As I was 
 carefidly laboring to introduce this matter, she at 
 once comprehended the condition of things and 
 Temarked; "0, is Mary dead?" I answered in the 
 affirmative. Tears gathered in ker eyes and ran 
 down her cheeks, but she was not very much .ex- 
 
48 
 
 cited, but said: "You must bring her in and let 
 me see her before you bury her.'' This we did, 
 and she looked upon her perhaps half a minute. 
 She said nothing about her sister [ift^r this until 
 the night shti died, ^vhen she appeared to have 
 an interesting conversation with her. She called 
 her by name, beckoning with her h and, and ask- 
 ing her to come to her. She described to her how 
 she was dressed, all the particulars, even better 
 than could have been done by those who did the 
 work. This is evidence that the mind is independ- 
 ent of the body, and exists when the body is cold 
 and silent in death ; for this exercise of intellect 
 was just a short time before the spirit left the 
 body. 
 
 I will now allude to tw o impressive dreams that 
 our pa >tor, Rev. Wm. Mcdinnis, had, the one 
 before and the other during our sad atttictions. 
 He thought in his dream that the two sisters, 
 Mary and Angie, and himself were walking to- 
 gether in the country, and they came to where 
 the timber was all cut oft*, aud the white stumps 
 made an impressive appearance. He said to them, 
 ''What is this?" "0," said they, ''this is Pa s 
 clearing," and all at once Angie became very sick 
 
49 
 
 and iaiiitetl, and it \va« with difficiili y tliat lliry 
 returned home again. How true and sad this was 
 verified. It was verily n clearing, for in a short 
 time of twenty-six days the three ohlest of tlic 
 family were ttrfven away from us. About two days 
 after the death of Mary, he had another impress- 
 ive dream. He tliought a number of our family 
 and himself were riding in a carriage and he was 
 driviug a very large, fine-looking horse; they came 
 to an elevation in the road that was perpendicular 
 and exceedingly high, and when they came to 
 this place the horse commenced at once to ascend 
 this steep, and when })artly up, he stepped out of 
 the carriage, handed the lines to those within, and 
 looked after them until they had gone up over 
 the hill far away to the plains ])eYond. T anxious- 
 ly inquired of liifu, l»ow many were in the car- 
 riage; Till* answer was indefinite. It may be 
 that tlie (hvujn was ofthesanu' nature. Ah"! yes, 
 hi'iv was the great dark norse of Death, beaiiug 
 many of the family over tlie hill. nj)«»n the plains 
 .)f Ktrj-nal life. 
 
I ^vill give the reader some of Sarali Angie 
 Zeller's productions wiiile she attended schooL 
 
 No PLACE LIKE HOME. 
 
 We may mingle, in the society of kind and 
 friendly associates ; and with them apparently en- 
 joy seasons of pleasure and mirth; but amidst all 
 of this, and in all of the finely furnished mansions 
 and costly residences, if we are not greeted by the 
 pleasant smiles ; and familiar voices of Fathers, 
 Mothers. Sisters and Brothers; what a vacancy 
 their i*^: around us, in the midst of crowds, 
 
 No place like home! Is the constant inward 
 motto, which always prompts us, to seek after 
 every source of conversation, which perhaps 
 might for a time draw oar thoughts from the 
 past; and engage them in the surrounding a- 
 musements of the present. 
 
 But alas! In vain is our search,, for the ties 
 which bind in one common bond, the affections 
 and thoughts of our hearts, with those who fre- 
 
51 
 
 queiit tlie iiouieoi our youtl! are not to ])escveiv(l 
 by the cold, yet se^'iiiiiigly warm tVieiMls of pleas- 
 ure. 
 
 Home is the deiirest place on eif,rtli. U is there 
 we first lisp the names of our parents; and by 
 .them are taught to repeat the sweet words of 
 a Saviors love; and then to join in the song of 
 thanks for daily blessings. It is there, in the be- 
 gining of life, and with innocent prattle, that v/e 
 are firmly linked in the chain of love with the 
 affections of Brothers and Sisters. 
 
 When pleasantly seated around the heai'th, 
 with the circle complete, and all, either en- 
 gaged in some interesting conversation, or in read- 
 ing, in my estimation, there can be nothing added, 
 that will incre^Lse the beautj^ of their certainly 
 happy scene. 
 
 But let their circle ])e broken. After death has 
 pronounced his sentence and clothed his 
 victim, pal'e and icy, in the ro])es of t/je tomb; 
 and wafted the spirit across the roiling billows: 
 What a change has taken place in hojne, one 
 pleasant face, smiling countenance, and familiar 
 voice is forever hushed in silence. 
 
 The last gaze upon the nuirble brow is not 
 
t^O 
 
 soon to be forgotten, as it Laluily and sweetly lay 
 sleeping. 
 
 Tlie chain is again divided and another link is 
 taken for the ranks of the Eternal World, Al- 
 though, conscious of the wisdom of Providence 
 such a blow^ can not he withstood without the 
 shedding of many a silent tear, from the sense qf 
 being separated for a time, from those dearly 
 loved. 
 
 And recalling past associations, as we vacantly 
 stare at the empty seat, everything around is en- 
 stamped with solitude and mourning. Even the 
 lamp which before burned brightly, seems now, 
 but dim, scarcely shedding one ray of light to the 
 eyes of those w^ho are left behind. 
 
 It is now, nothing but a pale blaze, slowly 
 flickering away, and this reminding us, that such 
 must be in turn; our fate passing from our timely 
 home to our Eternal rest. 
 
What hast thou gleaned to-day. 
 
 This is a very imporLaiit questio]i. Altliougli, it 
 consists of Ijut five sinall words, and at first 
 thought, many would say they are very iiisigniti- 
 cant in their meaning, and i)ass them by, with so 
 saying; without thinking that it woukl do no 
 harm to confer another thought, especialy on any 
 sentence that contains the word to-day, which im- 
 pHes vohimes, that may never be reve;i,led, nut 
 because, tu-morruvv uuiy never dawn, but should 
 it, perhaps those who were to solve these un- 
 known mysteries, may be called to giv^e a rijial ac- 
 count of what they have gleaned during the time 
 allotted to them for this purpose. 
 
 It is a question, that should be pondered often 
 and well, by those who wish to attain some useful 
 position, while in this state of probational life, as 
 well as hy those who are preparing themselves to 
 ijiherit a higher, and more important station, the 
 
54 
 
 kingdom of God. 
 
 Ever against a great deal of apposition, each 
 day, we should glean something from the wide 
 field of intellectual and moral knowledge. 
 
 "Since little by little, great things are accom- 
 plished." 
 
 We may thus acquire a large store of that 
 which is beautif al and useful ; and also, gain men- 
 tally, great superiority over those who are waiting 
 and expecting to receive suddenly and without 
 any effort, these things, which to them will never 
 come, as they can only be procured by patient 
 and incessent labor. 
 
 Are we, a band of gleaners, as we profess to be, 
 by meeting here from time to time, by having 
 our names enrolled on the class-book of the sever- 
 al branches of study, and by our presence each 
 day, thoroughly gleaning the ground over which 
 we are passing? 
 
 And are we eagerly listening to, and grasping 
 after that which is being dropped by our teachers ; 
 and for that which has been printed on the pages 
 of our books, for our improvement, by those who 
 have preceeded us? By many, these questions will 
 be negatively answered. 
 
00 
 
 How luany ciiii review tiieir ddy.i, tliat were 
 ypeiit at school, and decide ifpou a single day of 
 tiieir .school life, and recommend iu a.; ;mi example 
 j)y which they would wnsli others to follow, but 
 comparative! J few of them, even the Frotessers 
 ajid Teachers would be willing to comply with 
 this. 
 
 There are those, though painful to reflect, who 
 after canvassing tlie field of knowledge, and ar- 
 riving too late, to amend at a period of reflection, 
 recall many instances, in which th( y left wlxdr 
 
 isheaves unbroken and unnoticed; and luiiny clu,s~ 
 ters, which are all still waving, as though the held 
 had uever beeu tread by the reapers. 
 
 They view ihis held with a wdshful, and a long- 
 ing eye; and with a heart full of regret, that they' 
 had entered; and passed along with .such blind- 
 ness; they are now perfectly surprised at their 
 
 negligence of having leit .so nincii wlrich -was 
 within their power to acquire. 
 What a satisfaction it would now beif they could 
 
 reach back to childhood day^s ; and from then to 
 the present, make the corrections, which they 
 now .see could be made, in the meanderijig 2)aths 
 of lifk 
 
56 
 
 But time past can never be reclaimed; and tlie 
 works performed therein can never be undone. 
 Siiuie fate has thus marked out our course, so 
 luast it remain. 
 
 This should be an instructive lesson, for those, 
 in the future who -have listened to the affecting- 
 story of those who have been thus disappointed at 
 the close of their gleaning time, and it should 
 prompt us to seek after the smallest particles, 
 procure them and solve their worth. 
 
 That we may have a ready answer and a good 
 report when we hear the question; What hast thou 
 gleaned to-day? 
 
 "Thy father's virtue i8 ^ot thiis^e." 
 We as children undoubtedly look forward with 
 delight to that time when we shall become by 
 right the heirs of oiu' lather s possessions. And 
 with particular eagerness do we await such an e- 
 vent provided we know that our father is a just 
 one; and that we are assured of receiving the por- 
 tion due us; which will not be ours, because we 
 
•X 
 
 have the decree to claim it; but because our fatli- 
 er is willing^and desirous of bestowing upon us 
 these boons. 
 
 Although it be true that the father possesses 
 this generous heart, and with it much to give. 
 Although he is commander of armies, owner of 
 tribes, and worthy of having all persons call him 
 great; yet there is one gem, virtue, or his true 
 worth which he cannot give to his child. 
 
 He who would be more than a blank in his 
 neighbors estimation, and on memories pages, 
 must be it by his own exertions. If he wishes oth- 
 ers to say and know that he is living for an aim, 
 that he is here to aid the the needy of the world, 
 and to do what he can for the bettering of society, 
 he must be'in the possession of this jewel, which 
 he can only obtain by his own toil, and which if 
 duly cultivated will place Jiim in the highest de- 
 gree of elevation. 
 
 There is no vocation in life however simple that 
 can be rightly filled by one who has no merit 
 which he can claim as his. who Avill not dare to do 
 as his concience dictates, and who has no princi- 
 ples of his ow a to put in to use, but who must 
 beg or steal the implements he needs. This may 
 
58 
 
 be done by the one in almost any kind of business, 
 but his beggary or theft which ever it may be 
 can be detected at once, by any person who can 
 see anything. 
 
 It is phiin that he wlio is sailing alone on the 
 rough billows of the sea, drifted about upon its 
 threatening waves must with a steady, and un- 
 ceasing motion work his own oars, if he would 
 reach the desired haven in safty. His father may 
 be skilied in every principle that is needful con- 
 cerning sea life, but not the least assistance ■ can 
 he give to his needy child. And just as the voy- 
 ager allows it so shall the waters hurl him. 
 
 Each and all are sailing on an unfathomed and 
 angry sea, called life: whose tide eager, is ever 
 willing to bear portage down, down with its rap- 
 id current until it has conveyed it to a port of dis- 
 pair, from whence there is no return. , . 
 
 Wherever our career on this unstable sea, 
 whether drifted about from haven to haven, or car- 
 ried by a smooth gale, if we would reach the an- 
 chorage for which we are aiming our ship must 
 be rowed toward that place by our own labor; for 
 should we trust another to do it tor us. we would 
 too frequently be found drifting in the direction 
 
59 
 of waves to an uiikiiowii place, and witlioui m 
 
 guide. 
 
 Some of us while toiling tor ;ui education may 
 at times think that we are giving our nioney, our 
 time, and some of us even our health, from which 
 is derived the greatest enjoyment of life, wdthout 
 seeing much good result. Although to us it may 
 so seem 3^et th:> one who takes as a rule justice to 
 
 himself, and is not afraid to exercise his mental 
 faculties, is laying the foundation for a character 
 which no man can give or take away. But I must 
 say it, not because it should be so, that there are 
 persons who do not take this as their guide, and 
 who for this manner of doing, are accustomed to 
 construct numerous vaiieties of excuses, but none 
 of them will pass a civil test. 
 
 Some of this class Aviil say if I only had money, 
 and a third part if I only had talent. 
 
 But what of these excuses, some of the most 
 well doing and illustrious men that the world lias 
 known, have been those who had no friends until 
 they won them ])y their worth, who had no mon- 
 ey until they made it, and who had no taleiit un- 
 til with labor they scoured from its surhice the 
 rustiness, and wrecked the sluggishness which 
 
60 
 
 clang to its material. 
 
 There certainly is no person who can Hnd a 
 true deienct.' for his nonprogression. so long as he 
 has health antl reason, and if the iirst of tiiese 
 does not impede his advam-e. we must conclude 
 that it is the latter which does. 
 
 No person has a just reason for thinking that 
 there is nothing for him to do, because some per- 
 son else can seemingly do more, or has had a bet- 
 ter commencement and more assistance. For there 
 are as many individuals of worth who have arisen 
 from poverties home, yes more than those who 
 have come from wealths abode. 
 
 VV here do we generaly see the landing of that 
 youth who has all the uKmey he desires, and which 
 he obtains in some other way than by his own labor. 
 In liis unthinking moments he may imagine that 
 his fathers good name will secure for him friends 
 
 and all things necessary tor his enjoyment. But 
 too soon do we tind him an unlearned, unthink- 
 ing man, in the lowest possession that degredation 
 can place him. His father may be a true and de- 
 voted hero to all that is right and elevating. But 
 alas his child in a place of horrid misery, in dan- 
 ger of eternal destruction, to which money and 
 
01 
 
 friends lirive borne hiin. and from which his own 
 father eannotrebeue liini. 
 
 The fantasy is false that some persons are car- 
 ried throu«<li life along iiowery paths of ease. To 
 the hjoker on the^e [)hices may seemingly he joy- 
 ous, while to those permeating tliem they eom- 
 prise nothing (jf sunshine and happiness. 
 
 Although the picture of these might indicate 
 to the observer tliat tJieir lives were more cheer, 
 ful than others, yet they are not even so much as 
 acquainted with tiie joys of life, nor is their situa- 
 tion one to be desired. And should they trust to 
 sceues like these for their portage through, life, 
 through life, they would never go. 
 
 Aud truly did the poet think when he said: 
 
 \S]f this world, aud dowu, this world, 
 
 Aud over this world aud through, 
 
 Though drifted about. 
 
 And tossed without. 
 
 We must row our own canoe. 
 
 What tJiou<j^h our sky is heavy with ciouds, 
 Or shiuing a field of blue; 
 
 If the black wiud blows, 
 Or the sunshiue glows, 
 We must row our owu cauoe. 
 
 There are daisies springing along the shores 
 Blooming and sweet for you; 
 There ;ire rose-hued dyes 
 In the autumn «kies, 
 If you row your owu canoe.— Lou Zeller. 
 
Musical CoisUEKT. 
 
 You wi]} lind enclosed, as a quotation. 
 The topics of the song, by notation ; 
 And in rhyme the idea wilf be convev ed, 
 Of sentiment, and of music made.* 
 
 And should 1 fail in point of praise, 
 'Twill be in that 1 do not raise, 
 In words the impression on my heart, 
 Made by the strains of this concert, 
 
 A Sunday-school concert of singing 
 Was held at College the fifth of May, 
 Within its walls had ne'er such twinging, 
 Been heard till tne eve of this day. 
 
 When called to order, the school did sing 
 "O, we were youthful soldiers" if 
 To God, amidst all trouble, we cling; 
 While climbing from valley to cliff. 
 
 Then prayer bv Kev. S- W. Zeller; 
 
 And 10 hear the pleading for right. 
 All listened as if in silent awe 
 
 They stood before their Maker s ^i/ihi. 
 
 "if I come 10 Jesus,' the infant class, 
 ISext, sung in simple words, yet sweet; 
 
 As if they had come from angelic bliss, 
 With angel toneut:, the song to rfjciii. 
 
 "Beauiiful iSabbath,' by clear and 
 young, 
 St)ft voices, in straiuf^ that >»:-em 
 blending 
 With the tunes made by spirit tongue, 
 On the breeze of eve was wending- 
 
<Vi 
 
 Thfii thf-' sciu'ol suuii'. <_> ! wJi.d i> lii\f:d 
 bcsl 
 
 Of all tlif bi>oks iiiofal or libel, 
 No liciiou, verst; or prose of just, 
 
 But "God's blessed book the Bible. ' 
 
 "Reunion iu Heaven," music did swell 
 By classes combined, yet to sever, 
 
 In this rcuuiou, joy will dispel, 
 All sorrow of parting forever. 
 
 In pleasure or pain, labor or ease, 
 A 'warning voice,' ever solemn im- 
 parts, 
 The truth of two roads across the seas, 
 And &-ciy^, soft yet stern, prepare 
 your hearts!"' 
 
 President Allen a speech did give, 
 Concerning the school, its aims and 
 views, 
 He in words that will ever live, 
 
 Of the truths that those absent shall 
 lose! 
 
 A class of boya affirmed, in song. 
 And in sweet notes the tune did glide 
 
 That to this earth Jesus looks down, 
 And doe;; Bis "little reapers" guide. 
 
 The "Harvest iiome," by a quartetttJ, 
 
 Was like a vision before us brought; 
 relling of the pleasure there, aua yet 
 To enjoy this home, wr must be taugli; 
 
 The Lord commfc'ud.s us. ever and above. 
 All else, to know that Jesus for us 
 
 Come to earth through pitv and love, 
 Then, Lord, "Kemembcj" Me." and 
 keep me thus, 
 
 ' 'A penny a day," we were informed. 
 To those who labor would be given; 
 
64 
 
 And m^ny a star our crow a will adorn 
 When we reach the shore called 
 Heaven. 
 
 Those most dear are "Going' one by one' 
 Like the sand of the hour ;^lass^ slow 
 
 They have reached that laud, their 
 journeys done. 
 Of either happiness or woe 
 
 In memory we cherish their names; 
 
 And long for the smiles of their face ; 
 And familiar they come in oui dreams, 
 
 Seeming still to be tilling their place. 
 
 Who does not ""Welcome Sabbath 
 morninig," 
 With its rest from labor aid toils I 
 And who would not greet each morn 
 returuin.!:!'. 
 That brings us balm to ease turmoil? 
 
 "Jusus Came," from his beautiful home 
 
 on high. 
 Down to this world of shame and sin. 
 And oD the cross with thieves did die; 
 That Eternal life we might win. 
 
 Angels chant for the coming of others, 
 
 To their liome; will they not w^hen 
 
 we, 
 
 With parents and sisters and brothers 
 
 Together meet o'ei- "the crystal sea?" 
 
 Thirty-four voices in the last place 
 
 Swelled praises to their giver, 
 And told how music would never cease, 
 "When we cross the crystal river." 
 
Phases of I if nek Life. 
 
 How instinctively nature presents to ns at dif-. 
 ferent times the changeable phases of. man's real 
 characters. The peculiar properties which }3elong 
 to his disposition of heart, whether favorable to 
 his separation, in general, or not, can easily be de- 
 tected by the discriminating observers. 
 
 Sometimes, however, man by a long and care- 
 ful training can exhibted to the eye of others an 
 illusive appearance; and, with the aid of false airs, 
 cause them to believe that such is his true and 
 invariable temper, when, perhaps, beneath this 
 quantity of cultivated deception lies hidden a heart 
 as corrupt and depreaved as that of any of those 
 vicious persons, who flood the streets of our cities 
 and towns ; and keep, up the din and riot therein. 
 
 Although, such persons are skillful in some in- 
 stances in governing, and control! ng their tem- 
 per within due limits, for which they should cer- 
 tainly be commended, yet often, as soon as 
 
66 
 
 some trivial dispute concerning their interests, 
 arises among those with whom they are associated ; 
 and, when the brittle thread which holds their ir- 
 ritable spirits is broken, they are around, in a 
 twinkling, from their obscured chambers; into 
 which, no doubt, they have repeatedly retreated 
 sealing the doors, with the Avords, ''You shall nev- 
 er again obtain possession of all the agreeable 
 qualities of my nature." 
 
 But now being aroused ; regardless of the eleva- 
 tion which they wished to obtain in the estima- 
 tion of others. They are at once engaged in all 
 manner of reproachful threats and improper lan- 
 guage. And thus, with their passions enraged to 
 the highest pitch, they are tossed hither and thith- 
 er upon the rough billows of the stream of uncon- 
 trol. 
 
 Many persons while seeking happiness are al- 
 ready standing on the mountain of sunshine; and 
 in the vally of gloom and djspair; and at each 
 change from the mountains to the valleys, the in- 
 ward phases are characterized, in a degree, by the 
 peaceful, or, the restless and unquiet expression 
 either brightness or overshadows the counten- 
 ance. 
 
67 
 
 Men do not always need a written recommenda- 
 tion or condemnation to secure them an accei)t- 
 ance, or a rejection, either in respect to a position 
 in business, or the favor of others; for the inscrij)- 
 tion of the ruling motive is phiiniy enstamped up- 
 on their every feature and every deed performed 
 in society. 
 
 'J^here is, truly speaking, no path in this world, 
 that can guarentee safety to the deceptions indi- 
 vidual, who, endeavors to gain the victory ; and 
 still cherish the inward foe; and without observ- 
 ing the inconsistancy in attempting to present 
 before the world a fictitious semblance of virtue, 
 they persist in this course. Meanwhile, they do 
 not obtain much credit with others for their vain 
 efforts, for through this filmy curtains, the true 
 picture can be viewed, as it is painted i;pon the^ 
 reflecting walls of the soul. 
 
 The most desirable path, among the diifercut 
 varieties, that are placed before our judgement, 
 from which wecau contiuually coiulucfc our hearts 
 and actions, as will he in liarunjiiy witli Divine 
 Providence. 
 
 Then the ap[)earances of the iauer life can not 
 
 vaiy to any distinguishal)le extent either at morn- 
 
68 
 
 iiig, noon, or night, as the interior principles are 
 fully portrayed by the exterior, through the means 
 of our words and actions. 
 
 Let the heav}'^ crusliing weight of disappoint- 
 ment of some contemplated future enjoyment or 
 pleasure, fall upon the innucent heart of that sun- 
 ny-faced youth; and what remarkable change oc- 
 curs in the expression of the eye and in the tones 
 of the voice! And, often, a consoling word or a 
 kind look of S3anpathy is but a thorn piercing 
 deeper than ever into the afflicted feelings ; arous- 
 ing afresh- the faithful thoughts of the present 
 gloom, and vividly l)ringing up the vision of the 
 might have been pleasant realities. 
 
 Then let one ray of sunshine be admitted to the 
 troubled heart, with the tidings that the disap- 
 pointment is false ; and what will be the result ? 
 In a moment an expression of joy accompanied by 
 streakings of sunlight will be creeping over the 
 bi*ow, and will fill the heart with unutterable de- 
 light; and the gloom may be seen slowly passing 
 away from its impatient companion. 
 
 Ever, then, before the imagination should we 
 keep upon spangled canvas, in gilded letters, i 
 motto, "Gruard well your passions, for the vvttii o± 
 
09 
 
 the soiiFs clianiber is almost absolutly transpar- 
 ent; and ])eing thus, are unveiled to the view of 
 others the phases of the inner life." 
 
 ^'Mental Beauty." 
 
 The only true mode of determining the Ijeauty 
 of the mind is from its intrinsic qualities. By a 
 knowledge of its real worth, its skill, and its fit- 
 ness for the various departments of work in the 
 field in which it labors, are we furnished with the 
 key to the beautiful and pleasing chambers of 
 the soul. 
 
 All this cannot be perceived by the eye at first 
 view. The eye must carefully follow for a time 
 the quiet workings of nature as she is successively 
 exhibiting her grace that are pecular to the opera- 
 tions of the mind. 
 
 It is true that nature displays magnificence and 
 splendor in all her structures. There is a perfect 
 harmony of parts in the plan of natural things 
 throughout the entire universe. Of course there 
 
iO 
 
 is that Avhicli excites our feelings of admiration 
 and wonder ill the arrangement of the luminous 
 bodies in the ethereal heavens. Also, in the sys- 
 tematic order of continents, oceans, islands, lakes, 
 
 mountains, plains and valleys, on this our own 
 sphere. 
 
 But do we not recognize a more beautiful sup- 
 ply of the beautiful and sublime in this oiie of her 
 departments, the mind, than in any other? Does 
 natui*e not here find the efficiency and scope to 
 produce her brilliant elfects, in a greater degree 
 than elswhere? Most certainly she does! The 
 soul can not now comprehend nor the imagination 
 conceive of the vastiiess of present discoveries in 
 mental glories; and the field is still being explor- 
 ed and extended in both breadth and depth. As 
 we review the past and survey the present, what 
 do we see? We learn that there is now in the 
 intellectual meadows much more that receives 
 our admiration and praise, than existed one hun- 
 dred years ago. And we dare not say that the a- 
 inount will not bedoubled or even quadrupled at the 
 period of 1973. 
 
 We can scarcely calm our passions from be- 
 coming envious of that mind, of its gift of genius. 
 
Who has invented and assembled the many min- 
 ute machines into one grand combination, for the 
 purpose of facilitating labor; for that of delight- 
 ing the eye or for pleasing the ear. 
 We can see the beauty ot the mind and estimate its 
 real worth, only as we ourselves are prepared for 
 this purpose. Our own minds must be cultivated 
 in order that we may enjoy the education of oth- 
 ers. 
 
 He that is wholly ignorant of science and 
 knowledge in general, can not duly appreciate the 
 products of minds well versed in the same. He 
 can find but little pleasure and derive less benefit 
 from hearing an address from one of the classics. 
 *' Why is this?'' You may ask. Simply because his 
 mental faculties are not sufficiently vstrong to di- 
 gest that which is so well matured. 
 
 As the mind grows and advances in science, it 
 will seek its food in that field; but he whose 
 mind is not being cultivated seemingly desires 
 no better food than the lowest and most vulgar 
 expressions, language, and thoughts. 
 
 Almost universally the mind seeks for its com- 
 panions among its equals. The one class searches 
 for the society of the educated and refined; while 
 
72 
 
 the others look around for that of the rude and il- 
 literate. To these last the mind "is without form 
 or comeliness that they should desire it.'^ 
 
 But after all, may not the beauty of every thing 
 ])esaid to fexist in the mind? When we admire an 
 object; and call it beautiful, ma}^ it not be the sim- 
 ple echo of our feelings; the reflection of the emo- 
 tions that are within us upon some outward ob- 
 ject? It may be fi'om certain feelings of piety and 
 lovf, or from some other atfectious that we may 
 possess for the object so called beautiful. For the 
 same object others may regard in an entirely dif- 
 ferent manner. 
 
 The more that is to be admired we have in our 
 own possession the more we will see in others. 
 God is the beautiful of all beauties. 
 
 It is He alone that can satisfy our inward long- 
 ings. He is the lovliest object of the heart, and 
 the most ravishing of the imagination. With 
 Him as our pattern we can acquire and store with- 
 in us much that will secure a life of happiness 
 for ourselves, and also for those around us. 
 
there's plejtty of eoom up stairs. 
 
 Up to the chambers of knowing, 
 Numbered with Learning's blest heirs, 
 A band of sisters were going, 
 For there's plenty of room up stairs^ 
 
 We're strewing sweet roses along 
 The pathway of those who are players; 
 And ask them to join in our song, 
 As we go to the room up stairs. 
 
 E'en the poor child of depondence 
 Can come and go up, if he dareijt, 
 For there's food for the raind in abundance 
 And there's plenty of room up stairs. 
 
 This world contains a giddy throng, 
 A certain class of people; who 
 With no fixed motive, pass along, 
 Regardless of the good and true, 
 
 With pleasure as their constant guide 
 They're drifted o'er the stream of time; 
 And on the surface, with the tide, 
 Forget there is an upper clime. 
 
 "Oh! days go by in switt reduction,'' 
 They shrilly cry: and, plunging ott, 
 Go down the sea of dire destruction. 
 With total loss of all aloft. 
 
 They miss as often as they obtain 
 The object of their strong desire. 
 For pleasure they can't long retain; 
 And know act of sn objeet higher* 
 
Their minds by ■ ©very simple tale 
 Are quickly aroused and swiftly tofised, 
 As a tiny boat by rushing gale 
 Is roughly whirled and likely lost. 
 
 Bedazzled by some gaudy treasure, 
 Not half do scan life's ocean wide, 
 But, with heart brimful of pleasure, 
 Soon they're drifting with the tide. 
 
 Oh! that all would choose to leave 
 The room below, and all its wares; 
 And from to-night begin to wear 
 Their thoughts with those who dwell up- 
 stairs. 
 
 For harmony is found to dwell, 
 Where all demean themselyes like broth- 
 ers- 
 Forever found promoting well, 
 The great design: Good will to others. 
 
 And each will then be fitting still. 
 His mind and heart for endless lif#; 
 And when we constant do God's will, 
 There's all of love, and naught of strife. 
 
 Then sorrow's moan shall cease its ringing, 
 
 In that blithest place where none have 
 cares, 
 
 Where every heart breaks forth in sing- 
 ing. 
 
 In heaven's unbounded room upstairs. 
 
IN MExMORIAM. 
 
 Whereas, It hath seemed good in the wisdom 
 and love ol our ever kind Father to again geud the 
 messenger of Death into the Philaiethean Literary So- 
 ciety of Westfield College, and take from our little 
 band still another one of its most faithful, honored and 
 dearly beloved members, Miss S. Angie Zeller, of VVest- 
 helJ, 111., and 
 
 Whereas, We deem it fitting that we give pub- 
 lic expression to our sorrow and our sense of irreparable 
 loss in the death of our dear sister; therefore, 
 
 Resolved: That in this sad and unexpected dis- 
 pensation we behold the work of the Divise hand, and 
 desire humbly to bow in submission and say, "'Thy 
 will is done." That we truly feel that our hearts are 
 closely united in sympathy with those of the stricken 
 family and we would tenderly mingle our tears with 
 theirs in this the hour of their sore affliction, when 
 their wounded hearts are made to bleed afresh under 
 this, the second stroke; yet remembering that "Whom 
 He loveth He chasteneth," and believing that on the 
 other sliore a happy band is forming, composed of those 
 who are passing over, never again to be separated. 
 
 Resolved: That we will ever cherish fondly and 
 sacredly her memory, around which cluster so many 
 sweet associatiorjs, and strive day ])y day :o follow in 
 the footsteps of the blessed Redeemer, whom she so 
 loved and who sustained her in her dying hour. 
 
BIOGRAPHY. 
 
 LOUISA ANN ZELLEB, 
 
 The third in age, was born in WestervillUs 
 Franlilin county, Ohio, February 10, 1855. She 
 was very hearty and robust from her earliest 
 infancy. And on account of her sound phys- 
 ical constitution, she was what mothers call a 
 good child. While quite young she would eat 
 and sleep and hardly ever cry, She grew very 
 rapidly and was soon a fine, interesting girl. 
 Nothing of any note occurred until she was 
 about the age of five years. She soon learned 
 the alphabet and was noted for her ability to 
 spell correctly. Before she could read she won 
 the prize in her class for spelling. For three 
 consecutive terms after this, she bore away the 
 prize in triumph, being the best speller of her 
 class. She was a very hearty girl, and I think 
 very few persons have passed through life 
 with less aflliction than she did, at least this 
 is true up to witbin two weeks before her death. 
 
/ 
 
 She had good privileges and advantages in in- 
 telectual and moral culture until we left Wester 
 ville, which occured when she was ten .years op 
 age. She attended Sabbath-school and the other 
 means of grace in the vicinity of our new home, 
 where we remained ,a little over two years. She 
 gave no evidence of any special interest in the 
 christian religion until two months after she was 
 twelve years of age, when she was awakened and 
 happily converted under very remarkable circum- 
 stances. In the Spring of the year 1867, we moved 
 four miles west of the city of Lancaster, Ohio, on 
 the circuit 1 was then traveling. We arrived at 
 our new home the day she was twelve years and 
 two months old. We were part of two days mak- 
 ing the journey of a little over forty miles. Hav- 
 ing completed the trip at four o'clock on the sec- 
 ond day, and the kind friends who were soon to 
 be our associates having cleaned the house and 
 made it ready for us to occupy. The two teamsters 
 who assisted me to move, and myself, were soon 
 busily engaged in unloading the wagons, aud fix- 
 ng up things generally for a nights lodgiiig . Her 
 brother, nearly nine years old, came to where I 
 was unloading a wagon, and said, with tears in his 
 
78 - 
 
 ej^es, said to me: ''Louisa wants you to come in 
 and pray for her. She says she is going to die." 
 I immediately stopped my work, and went to the 
 house and inquired of her mother what was wrong 
 with the girL She replied; "She is awakened and 
 troubled with convictions for sin.'' She had 
 gone upstairs. I went up and found her in the 
 farthest room bad^ in the house, all alone sighing 
 and weeping. I inquired what was the cause of 
 her sadness: ''(),'' said she, ''I am such a great 
 sinner, I know not what to do." This was the 
 first intimation 1 had that such sadness and gloom 
 were weighing her down. Her mother, however, 
 has noticed for some time that she was more than 
 ordinarily sad, and troubled with a meloncholy 
 state of mind. I was at home but a short time, 
 and was very busy in getting ready to move; this 
 will in part account for my entire ignorance o^ 
 her condition. Some of the members of the fam- 
 ily had already carried a number of the articles of 
 household furniture upstairs, and also some books 
 among which was a volume of the New Testa- 
 ment and Psalms. I suppose; indeed, that she 
 had been assisting the rest of the family in this 
 work until she broke dow:.i with grief and sorrow. 
 
70 
 
 I spo]:e a fev.^ ^vords of encoiiragemeut to lier, and 
 then seeing this Book of God near, I picked it up 
 and tnrned to the sermon of Jesns oji the Monn- 
 tain; and told her to read it carefully and ask the 
 Savior anxiously i i praj-er ;aiid totra.-t in him with 
 all her heart; and she would find peace in his par- 
 doning lore.O, how thankfuHve ought to be to our 
 Father in Heaven for the cheering and coniforl- 
 ing promises of His H0I3' Word. AUhxtugh she 
 was onl}^ a little over twelve years of age, she 
 could read quite well, and this was 11 great help to 
 her in seeking the Savioi*. I then went back to 
 my work, for it was then neaidy night, and no a,r- 
 rangements consummated for eating and sleeping; 
 
 and she h<id to struggle with her sorrows as best 
 she could during the night. By diligence and 
 activity, we soon succeeded in getting thewa-^ons 
 unloaded and things in the house. We then had 
 some victuals prepared to satisfy the denntnds of 
 jiature, and then W(V kneeled down and asked 
 
 God's blessings upoii us, and protection o\x^r us 
 during the night. The morning light came, but 
 no peace to Louisa's jnind. We again knelt 
 around the family alter in prayer, reserving the 
 more complete dedication of the house in Avhich 
 we expected to live for a time to a future day, as 
 
80 
 
 as it afterwards turned out. After spending a little 
 time in convsrsation with her on the subject [of 
 reiigion, and encouraging her to trust in the bless- 
 ed Jesus, I went to get a cow we left on the way, 
 twelve miles back; this required the whole day, 
 and it was night when 1 returned. During this 
 day and th^ following night she was exceedingly 
 sad and heart broken. The next day being the 
 second after we moved, after attending to some 
 work somewhat pressing, I determined to have a 
 prayer meeting in our new home. 1 said t;o Louisa: 
 Would you like for us to have a prayer meeting? 
 It may be a blessing to you." I shall never for- 
 get her reply "I am willing for anything that will 
 bring me relief." We then went into the back 
 room, the farthest from the road, and commenced 
 devotional exercises. There were three of us who 
 professed religion at the meeting, Mrs. Zeller, 
 Miss Angle and mysetf. Mary E., the oldest, of 
 whom I have written, was not at home, and sever- 
 al other children. We joined in singing and then 
 I led in yrayer; then, after the singing, her moth- 
 er led in prayer. I encouraged her to pray, and 
 at once she looked to Jesus for salvation. By this 
 time she had become very much in earnest, pray- 
 
81 
 
 iug and pleadiii<^ faithfully tor- the blessing of 
 .saving grace. And, indeed, we were having rather 
 a stirring time. Tliere was a family living near 
 us who would hear the singing and pr.iyiug, and 
 the plaintive cries Oi. the penittHit; so I sent ill* 
 little uo} to their home to tell them that we wvre 
 holding religious services at our house, and that 
 tliev should come and attend the jneetiuii:. but 
 they were not enjoying a) I the religion it was their 
 privilege to enjo}', lor when I called on tliem to 
 sing they could not. I did not meau that they 
 had no musical tallent, but to sing at this meeting 
 under such circumstances was not at all congenial 
 with their feelings. One of them said tome;/'Shall 
 1 go and get Uncle Benj;nnin to help at the meet- 
 ing? He is a good hand at these meetings." I 
 replied that she might if she wished; so she started 
 out for her uncle and her sister followed her, but 
 neither of them returned to the meeting. Their 
 uncle was the class leader at that place, and was 
 an active, faithful christian. We kept onsingin<>' 
 and praying, for we had much to encourage us, 
 for Jesus said: "Where two or three are gathered 
 together in my name, there aai i in their midst," 
 and so it was, for He was with us in convertin*'- 
 
82 
 
 power; itt a moment her sin • -it; v./:. i-vr, 
 
 she was happy in the love of Jesus. Her gloom 
 and sorrow were all gone, and peace, and love 
 reigned in her sovil. A few moments after her 
 conversion. Uncle Benjamin, the leader, came in. 
 I said to him : You have come too late to the 
 meeting. It has closed. vltisall right," said 
 he,/^I am glad it has closed so well." He stayed 
 some time, and liekl au interestijig conversation 
 with her who had just entered upon the new life 
 of faith in Jesus. She enjoyed herself very much 
 in the religion of our Lord Jesus Christ, and went 
 forward in the duties of a religious life with more 
 than ordinary freedom and delight. 
 
 In the fall of the year after she was fourteen 
 years of age, she entered the Union School of Lan- 
 caster^ Ohio, where she had good opportunities 
 for mental culture for nearly three years; and 
 here she made rapid advancement in her ^:^T7di*'i? 
 When a little past seventeen she entered the Col- 
 lege at Westfield,, Clark Co., 111. She was as 
 distinguished for her industry and success in col- 
 lege as she had proven herself to be in the prima- 
 ry depai'tment of education . 
 
83 
 
 She would not be behind any one of her class, 
 and if she could excel she was all the better satis- 
 lied. She was a Sabbath school teaclier the last 
 year of her life, and sustained this I'olatiou when 
 !?he died. She assisted in taking care of her two 
 sisters during their sickness, and saw both of 
 them buried. She then commenced showing in- 
 dications of an attack of the same fever, and I be- 
 came much concerned about her welfare. I secured 
 a good physician to undertake her case, who had 
 ten days the start of the fever, but with all this 
 ad vantage,, his efforts and skill failed to arrest the 
 disease, and when the attack was made it termina- 
 ted fatally with her. 
 
 There was a good deal of excitement in on** 
 town with refrence to this disease, some thought 
 it was caused by one thing, and some thouglit by 
 an other. Some thought the poison was in the air, 
 while others were of the opinioii that the disease 
 could be traced to local causes; but it was dificult 
 to decide this matter definitely, and to this day it 
 is still a mistery. I think it is quite doubtful if the 
 cause will ever be known. 
 
 Some days before she was 
 
84 
 
 taken with the fever 1 was expressing my fears of 
 the result. She spoke to us very decidedly, and 
 said : ''Tt will be all right, let it terminate as it 
 will. If it is the will of the Lord that 1 should die, 
 it is all right, and if it is His will that I should get 
 well it will be all right. Now do not censure 
 yourselves about any thing you may think was not 
 attended to right, and do not think you made a 
 mistake here aud a mistake there.' She appeared 
 to be entirely resigued to the will of (jod. My fears 
 were fully realized. Slie had such a m alignant ft 
 tack of the fever that it resulted in her death in 
 about twelve days. 
 
 I never knew a case of fever that raged with 
 such unabated fury. The physicians could do noth- 
 ing with it. The pulse beat as rapidly as it possi- 
 bly couldin a human being; not less than 140 beats 
 to the minute during the last two or three days of 
 her life. The physical system undergoing such 
 a wonderful strain would soon wear out. 
 
 About two days before she died she requested 
 me to sing that interesting piece of music called 
 ''The Home of the Soul,'' 1 made the effort, and 
 she joined in a tull, loud voice and assisted me to 
 sing. She became more calm and rational the 
 
85 
 
 day before she died, and talked very beautifully a^ 
 bout her prospects of a home in the better land 
 in Heaven, where sickness and sorrow, pain and 
 death will be felt and feared no more forever. She 
 bid adieu to the scenes of this life with its suffer- 
 ing and troubles about two o'clock on the 7th of 
 October, 1873. The funeral services were con- 
 ducted by Rev. H. Elwell and Pres. S. B. Allen 
 before a large congregation in the College Chape), 
 and then her remains were laid beside her sisters 
 who had so recently left us and gone before her. 
 
 The next day after she was buried, Laura, the 
 only girl we then had living, about twelve years 
 of age, was taken sick very much as the others 
 were. We sent her with a friend to the circuit 
 that I received as my field of labor at a recent ses- 
 sion of the Conference, held during our siege of af- 
 fliction. The following day the rest of us, con- 
 sisting of my companion, a little boy and myself, 
 started for my new field of labor; we arrived there 
 on the second day, and found the girl very sick 
 indeed, it was quite an undertaking for one not 
 well, to travel so far in one day in a private con- 
 veyance. Now we were called upon once more 
 watch over and take care of another sick child, a 
 
86 
 
 work that over a month of constant watching, 
 care and anxiety had made quite familiar to us. 
 She lay dangerously ill for two weeks ; part of this 
 time we had serious doubts of her recovery ; but in 
 the kind Providence of God her life was spared, 
 and she was permitted to remain with us for our 
 cheer and comfort ; and she soon recovered her us- 
 ual health again. We returned home after an ab- 
 sence of nearly a month to realize the sad loss as 
 only those can realize who have passed through 
 similar scenes of bereavement. 
 
 The readek will now be favored with 
 SOME OF Louisa's writings. 
 
 '•Civilization.'' 
 
 In this country it is the privilege of evry person 
 whether rich or poor, whether they belong to this 
 class ot persons or to that, to be advanced to some 
 degree in civilization. 
 
 The time has been when civilization was un- 
 known in this part of the globe. When this coun- 
 try called America was only known by the bar- 
 
87 
 
 barous and savage tribes, who su})p(jrfced lite by 
 jfishing and hunting; and whose greatest enjoy- 
 ment consisted in roving througli the forests. 
 They were created beings similar to those who 
 now occupy their places, and yet how different 
 were their lives. They were iu)t capalile of rea- 
 soning, and they saw but little, if any beauty in 
 the things of nature or things around them; and 
 were almost entirely ignorant of themselves. They 
 know that they had a being, and Ijut little else, 
 they knew not \^'hy or for what they were living, 
 nor could they solve the least mystery in the case 
 of a dying friend. Th«\\' were uiiconcious (jf be- 
 ing ill the possession of souls, and of all bwing the 
 children of one eommon Father. But since 
 thcnr time what a change civilization Jias effected. 
 This country has arisen from a l)arbarous and 
 miserable condition, to one which is worthy of the 
 highest parise. Instead of the uncultivated fields 
 and forests, there are the well attended and pro- 
 ductive farms, and the Conunercial, Agricultural, 
 and other citties of importance. 
 
 Instead of their rude huts and wigwams, made 
 of undressed logs and trash of the woods, there 
 
88 
 
 are the beautiful and accommodating dwelling 
 houses. 
 
 And where they would worship a string of beeds 
 or something else as trifling in our eyes, we wor- 
 . ship the true and living Lord. 
 
 We may look back and say wretched was their 
 condition, and so it was. But in this day of en- 
 lightenment there are cases continually being 
 brought befora us, that are equally as wretched and 
 pitiable as was theirs, and many that are far worse. 
 We are not justifiable in saying that if these per- 
 sons in ancient times could live without any more 
 labor and cultivation of mind than they did, that 
 we can live in the same manner, for it is said in 
 the Divine word that, ''He to whom much is given 
 of him much shall be required." I understand 
 this to mean that he who has many privileges and 
 talents shall be required to encrease his possess- 
 ion in proportion to the one who has less. We 
 say that our country at the present time is a civ- 
 ilized one, but this does not imply that all of its 
 inhabitants are civilized, although it should imply 
 this, and great is the disgrace of those who are not 
 of this class, and all of their excuses for doing 
 wrong summed up together are as but trifles. For 
 
89 
 
 they have been shown right trom wrong, thay 
 know it, and are earnestly laboring tliut they may 
 not be lost. 
 
 What I understand by a civilized person is one 
 who is refined in liis luibbits .uid luinners, and 
 who is to some degree acquainted with the arts 
 and sciences, but we need not search long nor far 
 to find persons avIio claim to be civilized, and yet, 
 they possess more of these qualities. We may 
 take for our example the drunkard, whose chief de- 
 light and comfort consists in satisfying his raging 
 appetite with strong liquors, which are unfit for 
 a civilized person to taste, such persons as these 
 ought not to be regarded above the brute in civili- 
 zatiou, nor even equal, for out of human beings 
 whom God has giveji talent and mind, they are 
 making persons equal to barbarians and beast.^, yet 
 th^se persons think that they are civilized and 
 ought to be regarded as such. Fot another exam- 
 ple we may take the wicked villain, who has nev- 
 er thought of being any one except a civilized per- 
 son, he will in the darkness of the night force his 
 way into and innocent neighbors house, and take 
 his life in order that he may have in his possession 
 a few dollars, which he regards as being a valuable 
 
90 
 
 treasure^ but which is the means not only of de- 
 stroying his character and life, but which is also 
 preparing a dungeon of the deepest wretchedness 
 for the dwelling of his immortal soul in the future. 
 I cannot conceive of a world which such persons 
 as these are worthy of having, and I think uncivil- 
 zed is too good. At the present age the greater 
 part of mankind have attained to some degree in 
 civilization, yet there is much room for improve- 
 ment. Some have succeeded better than others, be- 
 cause they have labored more earnestly for the ac- 
 complishment of this end. 
 
 ' Life's Steeajh. 
 
 The stream on which \\' gSk.r, 
 May now have a smooth tide ; 
 
 Our sky may be clear 
 And all on earth most dear. 
 
 We may think we will always glide 
 Along on the unruffled tide, 
 
 And that all of life so wide, 
 Will calmly meet our side. 
 
 It may seem that trouble's rage» 
 Shall never with us engage; 
 
 And bury our hopes of life 
 Beneath the darkest night. 
 
91 
 
 But sorrows will come^atlast, 
 Though we saw iL uol in ihe [)ast, 
 
 And in parts to us unknown 
 We may wander all alone. 
 
 With nut a friend below, 
 
 '1 o wlioui we may show, 
 The darkness of our day, 
 
 And the scenes along ihe way. 
 
 But although this be our way, 
 Let it not be to us forgot, 
 
 That above is a friend in need. 
 Who will i)roveu friend indeed. 
 
 Voyage of Life. 
 
 We are all voyaging o'er life's ocean, 
 If sometimes the way seems dark, 
 
 let us not give way to fashion. 
 But onwarxl push our bark. 
 
 Though we often meet in darkness, 
 Let us think that help is near; 
 
 And alwavs look for higher goodness. 
 But never aside for fear. 
 
 In this battle we are sisters, one 
 Not rebels against each other; ' 
 
 Then let us cheerfully work on, 
 
 As a true brother would lor a brother 
 
 We are all lighting the same tight, 
 The same victory we would gam; 
 
 We are climbing the samehight, 
 And each linked in the same chain. 
 
 Why can't we all be tirmly bound. 
 By the same ritli coid <>f love, 
 
 And then press on, h ind in hand; 
 'Till we r«ach the y,olden grove. 
 
92 
 
 We were made to bear another's care, 
 And to join in anothers grief, 
 
 If this be done our sky is f air^ 
 And peaceful shall be our death. 
 
 The same one has account of our deeds, 
 He sees the frail webs weliave woven , 
 
 And at God's right hand He faithfully 
 pleads, 
 That we all may be forgiven. 
 
 Making Pies. 
 
 On the thirtieth of August, 
 
 In eighteen hundred, seventy-threCj 
 My mother said: "now daughter Lou, 
 
 Pies must be made by thee." 
 
 This was the day before Sunday, 
 
 And sisters two I had, 
 The typhoid fever them had chained, 
 : Oh! they were very bad. 
 
 And all I knew was work, work, work, 
 
 From early until late. 
 Nor had a soul revealed to me, 
 
 The sorrow of my fate. 
 
 Mother, the command had given, 
 Then to the sick she spake. 
 
 And she did'nt even tell me 
 What kind of pies to make. 
 
 As I stood a moment, thinking 
 
 What would be best to do, 
 I happened to see a pumpkin^ 
 
 Which was full ripe I knew. 
 
 I prepared it first for cooking, 
 Then with the bucket went. 
 
 To the barn-yard in haste and hurry; 
 For all the milk was spent. 
 
Aow our i:()ws were very gentle, 
 And g'ood as tbey could b«i, 
 
 And surely they u'ways; were glad 
 When me tliey once would see. 
 
 So I dreamed not of daugcr here. 
 
 But inendly met the cow, 
 Who gave me such an awful kick 
 
 Thatl just wondered how, 
 
 A brute that 1 had always loved. 
 
 Could dome sucli a sin; 
 tShe laid me low, but 1 arose 
 
 Without a single grin. 
 
 ] did uoi say a W(.)rd lo lho><\ 
 Who now in sighi looked ou, 
 
 But to. myself I deeply cried, 
 Uh! has she brolve my crown. 
 
 And as the blood did freely flow, 
 
 My heels the faslei sped, 
 To see if 1 was really hurt 
 
 And hail to go lo bed. 
 
 A student gent was passing by. 
 
 And thinking something wrong, 
 Stood still and with the kindest winds, 
 
 Asked the sior}" or song. 
 
 My bucket lay beside the cow, 
 While she contented seemed, 
 
 Aud thought 1 did not want lo milk, 
 But she had only dreamed. 
 
 Because in haste 1 left ber there, 
 
 And soon was out of signt; 
 JSo doubt she thought when 1 was gone, 
 
 I've shown to her my s[)ile. 
 
 The cow was thinking she had ruled. 
 
 But ah! alas I in vain, 
 The gent who shw the act, milked her, 
 
 Aud then returned the pain. 
 
I went to bed and wet my head, 
 For bruised was 1 indeed, 
 
 And now, for once in many years, 
 I was a child in need. 
 
 Night. 
 
 Beautiful night whose scenes we love, 
 Is a gift from our God above; 
 
 Telling his children here on eaflh, 
 To trust with Him their all of worth. 
 
 'Tis in darkness when we alone, 
 Can truly feel our neighbor's moan, 
 
 And bended low iu humble prayer, 
 Tell our Father for them we care. 
 
 Each cl ings to something he loves best, 
 And holds it above all the rest, 
 
 On this his joy of life depends, 
 As onward to t4ie grave he tends. 
 
 Not the world can his treasure buy, 
 Nor will he tell the reason why, 
 
 Le&t they should deem it do excuse, 
 And in return himself abuse. 
 
 But give me rieht with its manv charms 
 When disapeared have all alarms; 
 
 No other time I'll place above, 
 This sacred one of tru-t and love. 
 
IN MEMORIAM. 
 
 Whereas. Our Fataer has seen Hi, yet ouce rnoie, to 
 send mourning and sorrow into the Philalethean Society 
 of Westrield College' by sending his messeuger, Death, 
 to bear away slili another one of its brightest orna- 
 ments, a faithful and devoted member, Miss Lou A. Zel- 
 ler,of Westfield, Illinois; and, WhereaS', We, as sis- 
 ters, desire to publicly express our deep sorrow and our 
 sense of irreparable loss in the death of this dear one; 
 therefore, 
 
 Resolved^ 1- That m this, to us, mysterious and 
 sad dispensatioM, we will endeavor to be submissive to 
 the divine will; that w^e deeply sympathize with the af- 
 flicted family in this third sad stroke, and would tender- 
 ly mingle our tears with theirs in this hour of sorrow 
 and grief, — yet trusting that they will look heaven- 
 ward to the "many mansions" where their loved ones 
 are going one by one, where broken links in the chain 
 of affection shall be reunited, and where there will be 
 no nore death. 
 
 2. That we will ever hold In remembrance her noble 
 character, endeared to us by so many sweet associa- 
 tions, and will endeavor to trust more and more in the 
 dear Jesus who guided her footsteps in life, and who 
 enabled her to sing his praises in her dying hour. 
 
 3. That we wear the usual badge of mourning thirty 
 days. 
 
 4. That a copy of these resolutions be presented to 
 the family, and that they be recorded in the journal 
 of our society, and that copies be sent for publication 
 to the Rei^iows Teescope, Clarh County Rir- 
 ad, Mcirsha Messenger, Ohareston Ptin- 
 deaer, Ohio Eage, nnd the Westervie Ban- 
 ner. 
 
 EtTIE PARCEIi, i 
 
 Dora Bolton, ^ Com. 
 Mattie Daves- ) 
 
 Philalethian Hall, Oct. 7, 1873. 
 
Biography of Daniel Oscar Zeller. 
 
 Daniel Oscar Zeller was born in Delaware Co. 
 Ohio the 5 of Oct. 1868, about one mile north of 
 the village of Westerville Delaware Co Ohio. 
 
 He had one brother older than himself, who 
 died when only four months of age. He had three 
 sisters who were older, whose biographies the read- 
 er has already been made familliar with. There 
 is one brother and one sister who is still living. 
 D. Oscar being tl\e only boy in the family for 
 some time, he was much thougt of. He was the 
 favorite of the preachers who stoped with his tather. 
 He committed to memory a little speech that he 
 would often repeat, and call it preaching. On one 
 occasion 0. S. a minister who often put up with 
 the family, called him his little preacher. He said 
 to the minister that he could preach," Well then get 
 up on a chair and preach." He at once mounted a 
 chair and declaimed his speech. Rev. 0. S. then 
 gave him a dime and remarked that preachers who 
 delivered sermons should be paid for their work. 
 
97 
 
 He was uljoat ibur years oicl ■vvleii this o nnrd. 
 His mother heard him talking- very pityingly 
 one day to a cidf that was in the yard, ai]d spying 
 to it ''don't cry poor cali'y, don't cry cally." Jlio 
 motlier ascertained b}' going to where ]je was that 
 he had hit the calf with the sharp end of an ax, 
 blood running from the wonndlrightened him Ijad- 
 ly: hence his effort to console the calf. 
 
 When he was aliont tour vears of aa:e. his fath- 
 er wus drfifted to go into the army during the 
 great rebellion, and this was rather a sorious time 
 with all the members of the family. 
 
 The government permitted those who were 
 
 drafted to remain at home exempt from military du- 
 ty by paying tliree hundred dollars. ! >nt the hard 
 part of it was. in the early part of th«.' war mone}' 
 w^asexceedingh' scarce. Efforts were made to ob- 
 tain the mon^% but it was a failure. 'The matter 
 was talked over iji the fiunily; and it looked very 
 much as if the father would have to ) )id adieu to 
 the wife and children, and go out in defence of his 
 country. My companion thought this could not 
 be. but there was only one course to take if the 
 money was not secured, and that was to bear arms 
 in defenc of our country, and it seemed impossible 
 
98 
 
 to get money at this time. Daniel Oscar was listen- 
 ing with intense interest at all that was said, and 
 impressively remarked 'Ta can't you pay out with 
 eggs." The little fellow knew that his mother ob- 
 tained a number of articles from the store with 
 eggs, and thought this amount could be obtained 
 in the same way. In the spring of 1865 the family 
 moved about 26 miles, and he assisted in driving 
 the stock to the new home. He was a very stirring 
 and obedient })oy. While the family lived in the cit- 
 y of Lancaster Ohio, he embraced religion at a meet- 
 ing held in the M. E. Church, when only a little 
 past twelve years of age. He said one day to his 
 mother, during the the progress of the meeting 
 that he thought he ought to make an effort to be 
 religious. His mother did not think him sincere for 
 he was quite jocular at times. On the next even-' 
 ing he was forward with other anxious penitents 
 to the altar of prayer, and continued ^o go. time 
 ' after time until he professed faith in the Loid Je- 
 sus. Tliis was all volu^itary upon his part, without 
 persuasion from any one. He joined the church and 
 attended the prayer and class meetings faithfully 
 while he remained in the city. 
 
 In the summer of 1871 he %<reiit with the rest 
 
99 
 
 of the fkniily to We^^i field 111. He went to College 
 during the fall, and winter ot 1871 and 2, This 
 was a very cold winter, and he took down with the 
 
 typhoid pneumonia, which terminated fatally with 
 him in le^s than one week. On Friday night be- 
 fore he was taken down with disease, he led in fam- 
 ily prayer, and he had unusual liberty in devotion. 
 His father left home the next morning for his 
 field of labor, and saw him no more until called 
 home to see him on a bed of death. After traveling 
 seventy miles, the writer was permitted to return 
 home late at night, and be with him ;i few hours 
 before his death. He sutt'ered much during the 
 night and next day; and on Saturday night, he bid 
 adieu to a world of trouble.and has d')ubtless gone 
 in dwell in the better land. 
 
 DANIEt OSCAR ZELLEK, sou of R< v S. W and 
 Mary G. Zellcr, died Feb. 18th, 1872, m Uk' 14th year of 
 his age. Rev. 8. W. Zeller is a member of the Sciota 
 Annual Conferance, but at ptesent is ;< resident of 
 Westtield, Illinois. His son, the subject c)f this notice, 
 at the time of his death, was a student in Westfield 
 College. A short time before he became religious, speak- 
 ing upon the subject, he said, "Mother I have made up 
 my mind to be a christtan." His religion sustained him 
 through his short pilgrimage, and afforded' him special 
 consolation during his aifiiction. He said to his pastor. 
 "I am ready to live or die. Jesus is precious! 1 am hap- 
 py." And thus he calmly passed away. May Cod bless 
 the bereaved parents and friends, and enable them lo 
 so live that they may meet their dear loved one in 
 the paradise of God. ' H El well. 
 
100 
 
 i IN MEMORIAN. 
 
 Whereas, Our almighty Father, the author and dis- 
 penser of life, in the wisdom of his mysterious though 
 righteous provideuce, has seen fit to cause theZetagath- 
 ean 1 iterary Society, of Westfieid College, to mourn the 
 death of Oscar Zeller, of Westfieid, Illinois, one of its 
 most active and worthy members, as well as one of its 
 most deyoted and untiring friends. 
 
 Whereas, AVe feel called upon to give a public ex 
 pression of our grief and consciousness of irreparable 
 loss in the removal of our much-beloved brother; there- 
 fore, 
 
 Resolved-, That in this bereavement we recognize 
 the hand of our heavenly F'ather, and that we will meek- 
 ly bow in submission, and say, "Thy will be done." 
 
 Resolved, That we truly sympathize with the be- 
 reaved family, and fain would mingle our tears with 
 theirs in the bereavement they sustain, trusting that He 
 who governs all things well may comfort and cheer 
 them with his love in this hour of sadness, and that tbt- 
 loved bond, so suddenh' seyeredhere, may be re-united 
 in the glory-world; where it shall never be broken. 
 
 Resolved-, That we will endeavor to treasure up in 
 our he;irts a memory fraught with so many i)leas;inl re- 
 membrances, and also to practice daily the precepts of 
 the ble!>sed religion in which faith he lived and died. 
 
 Resolved^ Ihat we wear the usual badge of mourn- 
 ing for thirty days, and that our hall be draped in 
 mourning the remainder of the college year. 
 
 Resolved, That a copy of these resolutions be pre- 
 sented fo the afflicted family, and that a copy of them 
 be spread on the journal of the society, and also, that 
 copies be furnished for publication in the Religious 
 Telescope, Lancaster Gazette, Ohio Eagle, 
 Clark County Herald, Charleston PLAiNDeALCR., 
 
 G. Thompson, ) 
 M. R.Bair, { Com, 
 L. S. ToHiLL, r 
 E. R. Smith. ; 
 
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