The Choctaw Freedmen Part 53

XLV

TRIBUTES TO OTHER MINISTERS AND ELDERS

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

"Walk about Zion and go round about her; tell the towers thereof.

Mark ye well her bulwarks, consider her palaces; that ye may tell it to the generation following."--David.

REV. WILLIAM BUTLER

"The kindly word, how far it goes along life's way!

The kindly smile, how it lights up a sad, gray day; The kindly deed, how it repays the doer."

--Mary D. Brine.

Rev. William Butler (B. 1859), pastor of St. Paul Presbyterian church at Eagletown, and of Forest church near Red River south of Millerton, is a native of the community in which he still lives. His parents, Abraham and Nellie Butler, were the slaves of Pitchlyn and Howell, Choctaws; and William was about seven, when freedom was accorded the family in 1866.

His home and work as a minister until recently have been in localities remote from the railway and good schools. The short period of one and a half months was all the time he ever went to school. He learned to read by a regular attendance at Sabbath school, and by private study at the fireside. The Bible and the Shorter Catechism were the books that occupied his spare time and attention. As a natural result, he became a christian and united with the church at an early age.

In 1885, at the age of twenty-six, he was ordained an elder in the St.

Paul Presbyterian church. He then began to read the Bible to the congregation and to hold religious meetings. While preparing himself for the work then in hand, he was led to see the great need of more teachers and preachers for the colored people, and, believing he could render efficient service as a minister, he undertook a special course of reading and instruction under Rev. John Sleeper, his pastor, and later of Rev. E. G. Haymaker, superintendent of Oak Hill Academy, instructors who lived 12 and 35 miles distant, respectively.

In 1894 he was enrolled as a candidate for the ministry under the Presbytery of Choctaw, Three years later he was licensed by the Presbytery of Kiamichi and appointed the stated supply of St. Paul and Forest churches. He has continued to serve these two congregations, faithfully and acceptably ever since that date, a period now of sixteen years. His ordination occurred in 1902. Other fields, that he developed and served for short periods are, Bethany, two years; Mount Gilead, one year; and Mount Pleasant, one year.

A WINNER OF SOULS

Mr. Butler is a man, who experienced a hard struggle in early life, in the effort to train himself for his life's work, as a minister and farmer. He has overcome many of these difficulties in a manner, that is very praiseworthy and commendable.

He is a man, who carries with him a happy, hopeful spirit, and a countenance full of good cheer. Seeing the need of a religious leader among the people of his home community, he decided to fit himself to supply that need, and has done so hitherto in an efficient and admirable manner. To win souls to Christ and instruct them aright from the word of G.o.d, have been his aims during his ministry. He has been to the people an example in righteousness, and has labored with faith and zeal in the vineyard of the Lord.

His annual visits to Oak Hill Academy during term time, were always antic.i.p.ated with considerable interest. They were made the occasion for special evangelistic services, followed with an opportunity for decisions; and many times his heart was gladdened at the close of the sermon, by seeing more than a dozen of the young people manifest their decision to live a Christian life.

The people, whom he serves regularly, have shown their appreciation of his efficient and long continued work among them, by according to him a loyal and constant support. He has always lived in the wilderness far removed from the railway, notwithstanding the fact the Frisco railway in 1902 pa.s.sed through the country, lying between Eagletown on the north and Forest church on the south. He has always had a pony circuit, of two or more rural churches, widely separated. The faithful and acceptable service rendered these widely distant churches, makes him a good representative of the itinerant work of Parson Stewart, his pioneer predecessor.

The following lines by Hastings, are an appropriate prayer for all, who like Bro. Butler faithfully and patiently minister to those, who dwell in the wilderness.

"O thou, who in the wilderness The sheep, without a shepherd, didst bless, Oh, bless thy servants, who proclaim In every place thy wondrous name.

"May voices in the wilderness, Still with glad news the nations bless; And, as of old, in deserts cry, 'Repent', G.o.d's kingdom draweth nigh."

REV. RICHARD D. COLBERT

Rev. Richard D. Colbert of Grant, is one of the young men, enlisted in the work of the church, by Parson Stewart. He attended Biddle University from October 1884 to June 1887, three years, when he returned home, on account of impaired health. Regaining his health after a few months, he became a teacher and taught school eleven years during the territorial period.

In the spring of 1897, he became a licentiate of the Presbytery of Kiamichi, and two years later was a.s.signed the pastoral oversight of New Hope and Sandy Branch churches. He was ordained in 1903. Most of his ministerial labors have been devoted to Sandy Branch and Hebron churches, serving the latter until 1913. As a result of accidents that happened in making the journey to the Hebron church in 1911, he experienced the loss of an eye and other injuries that resulted in total blindness in 1913. He endeavored to make a good record as a teacher and preacher, and has served his generation faithfully.

REV. SAMUEL GLADMAN

Rev. Samuel Gladman, who died Jan. 11, 1913, at Eufaula, Okla., was a native of Westchester, Chester county, Pa. During the early seventies he went to western Texas and engaged in teaching. Sometime afterwards he was licensed and ordained to the work of the gospel ministry.

In 1896, when the Presbytery of Kiamichi was organized, he was enrolled as one of its charter members. He was then living at Atoka. During the next year he served New Hope and Sandy Branch churches, but continued to reside in Atoka until 1900, when he located at Lukfata. Three years later he took charge of Bethany, near Wheelock, and in 1905, effected the organization of the church in the new town of Garvin. In 1910, he voluntarily resigned the work at Bethany and the office of stated clerk of the Presbytery, and located at Eufaula.

As a minister and life-long teacher, he rendered a very helpful service to the various communities, in which he lived and labored.

REV. THOMPSON K. BRIDGES

Rev. Thompson K. Bridges, (B. Dec. 6, 1856), Lukfata, is a native of Ellisville, Jones county, Miss. He grew to manhood and received his early education at Claiborne, Jasper county. Later he attended the city school at Meridian, and then took a course in theology at Biddle university. He began to teach public school at the age of 21 in 1877, and taught fourteen years in Mississippi. In 1891, he located in Indian Territory, and has now taught sixteen years in Oklahoma. In 1899 he was licensed to preach by the Presbytery of Catawba and in April 1902 was ordained by the same Presbytery. His first ministerial labors were at Griffin, Indian Territory, where in 1903 he effected the organization of the Ebenezer church. The next year he continued to serve Ebenezer, but located at Lukfata, where he has since continued to serve as the stated supply of the Mount Gilead church, and teacher of the local school. He served two years, 1904 and 1905, as stated clerk of the Presbytery of Kiamichi.

Mr. Bridges has been a progressive teacher and minister. In his youth, he formed the habit of having a good book or paper always at hand to occupy his attention profitably, whenever he had a spare moment. That habit of private study in spare moments has enabled him to keep abreast of the times, and the changes that have taken place in recent years, by the addition of new branches of study to the public school course. Ever since he began to render service to his people as a teacher, he has made a highly creditable record for efficiency and faithfulness. As he looks forward to the future it is full of hope and bright prospects.

He has never ceased to be grateful, for the benevolent aid, generously furnished him by the Presbyterian church and Sunday school at Purcell, Okla., while he was pursuing his theological studies at Biddle university. The persons, whose names are most a.s.sociated with these grateful memories, are those of the pastor, Rev. S. G. Fisher, and two of the elders, Mr. Lotting and Will Blanchard. This generous aid, which made possible an education for the gospel ministry, has led the recipient ever since to feel, that he is under a special but very delightful obligation, to render to the church a faithful and efficient service, as long as he lives.

REV. WILLIAM J. STARKS

The Lord Jesus, who brought to the world the glad tidings of the gospel often finds his messengers in strange or unexpected places; and leads them, in remarkable ways to the accomplishment of his purposes. No one can tell, what is going on in the mind of a young man, brought under the influence of the divine Spirit; nor how deep the impressions, that may have been made upon the heart of those, who naturally seem most unlikely to become heralds of the gospel.

William J. Starks (born March 14, 1876), Garvin, is a native of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. After completing the grammar course in the public school of that place, he prepared for college under special teachers.

The Falling Spring Presbyterian church of that city, maintained a mission, that was attended by white and black. Mr. J. M. McDowell, a white lawyer, was the superintendent of this mission. His special interest was awakened in young Starks, by the fact he committed the entire list of 107 questions and answers in the shorter catechism, in one week after a copy was placed in his hands. The superintendent proposed, he undertake special studies under him as his teacher. In 1897, he entered the college at Lincoln university and graduated from it in 1901, and from the Theological department in 1904.

After one year spent in mission work at Mercersburg, Pa., he became in 1905 the stated supply of the New Hope church at Frogville, and in 1908, also of Sandy Branch. On November 1, 1912, he became the successor of Rev. W. H. Carroll at Garvin.

During his residence of seven years at Frogville, he maintained a six months term of school every year in the chapel, serving the first five years as a mission teacher under our Freedmen's Board, and the last two as a teacher of public school. In September, 1910, he was elected stated clerk of the Presbytery of Kiamichi, and is still serving in that capacity. In October, 1910, he served as moderator of the synod of Canadian at Little Rock, Ark.

REV. PLANT SENIOR MEADOWS

Plant Senior Meadows, (Born Feb. 15, 1841) Shawneetown, is a native of Lewis county, Mo. At 17 in 1859, he was sold by the administrator of the Cecil Home, and a sugar planter at St. Mary's Parish, La., became his master. Here he was employed at various kinds of mechanical work, until he was accorded his freedom, at 26 in 1865. Mrs. Cecil taught him to read, and during this early period, he made the best possible use of his spare moments, by reading all the good books that were available. As soon as he was free, he became a teacher and in connection with ministerial duties taught twenty-two years in Texas, and since 1908, in Shawneetown, Okla.

On Nov. 10, 1867, he was licensed and in 1869, ordained to the full work of the gospel ministry, by the A. M. E. church of Texas. After 41 years of faithful service in that church, which included a term as presiding elder, in 1908 he located within the Presbytery of Kiamichi, Okla., and, becoming a member of it, was placed in charge of the Presbyterian church at Shawneetown. Bethany and Pleasant Hill have since been added to his field. He has made a good record and is still doing splendid work at 73.

OAK HILL PIONEERS

Henry Crittenden, 1830-1894.

Teena Crittenden 1831-1898.

John Ross Shoals 1849-1885.

Hattie Crittenden Shoals, 1850-1909.

Henry Crittenden and Teena Crittenden his wife, John Ross Shoals, his son-in-law and Hattie C. Shoals, his wife, all of whom were buried in the Crittenden Burying Ground near the old Crittenden pioneer home east of Valliant, were four of the six original members of the Oak Hill church in 1869.

During the last years of the slavery period, they lived in the neighborhood of Doaksville, and there enjoyed the occasional privilege of attending Sabbath afternoon meetings for the colored people, in the Choctaw Presbyterian church. These meetings were at first conducted, by Rev. Cyrus Kingsbury and Mrs. Charles Stewart, wife of the storekeeper, and later by Parson Stewart. The instruction, given by the parson, consisted princ.i.p.ally in reading selections from the Bible and shorter catechism. The rest of the time was spent in singing familiar hymns and giving testimonies. They became Presbyterians and formed a part of Parson Stewart's first congregation at that place.