DR. WARREN ASA BELDING.
 
 BIOGRAPHY 
 
 ....OF.... 
 
 DR. W. A. BELDING, 
 
 INCLUDING SIXTY YEARS OF MINISTERIAL 
 PIONEER WORK. 
 
 WRITTEN BY 
 
 HIS GRANDSON, W. S. BELDING 
 
 * 
 **** 
 
 CINCINNATI, O.: 
 
 JOHN F. ROWE, Publisher. 
 
 1897.
 
 Copyright, 1897, 
 BY W. A. BELDING.
 
 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. WARREN ASA 
 BELDING. 
 
 Written by His Grandson and Namesake, War- 
 ren S. B elding, October, 1896. 
 
 This little work is written in response to the 
 request of numerous friends of my grandfather's. 
 They have said that there are many persons who, 
 charmed with what they have seen of the simple 
 purity and unselfishness of his life, would fain 
 know more of its details and incidents. No 
 startling or thrilling adventures have occurred 
 therein, but the story is of a man of remarkable 
 abilities in financiering for philanthropic and 
 Christian work remarkable also for his success 
 in evangelizing. 
 
 During the sixty-odd years devoted to minis- 
 terial work, he has immersed, with his own hands, 
 between eleven and twelve thousand persons. 
 Besides this, the raising of funds for colleges and 
 schools, and the erection of and paying for numer- 
 ous churches scattered all over this land, has 
 engaged his time. From Maine to California, 
 and southward to Florida and Mississippi, there 
 is hardly a State that has not been the scene of 
 his labors at some time during his busy life. It 
 is asserted that no man among the Disciples of 
 Christ is personally known to as many brethren 
 as the subject of this sketch. 
 
 The record of one year, as shown by its diary, 
 (in)
 
 IV PREFACE. 
 
 is remarkable for its results. He was then corre- 
 sponding secretary of the General Christian Mis- 
 sionary Society, and also its financial agent. That 
 year he raised twenty thousand dollars in money 
 and pledges, wrote two thousand letters, received 
 and read four thousand letters, and traveled about 
 twenty thousand miles. This is undoubtedly his 
 greatest year measured by visible results, but 
 there are several years in which he traveled fully 
 as much. 
 
 If -I succeed in presenting to the reader a true 
 picture of the character and work of my grand- 
 father, I am satisfied that it will be interesting 
 reading, especially to those who, by association 
 with him, have caught a glimpse of the purity, 
 simplicity and loving kindness which have been 
 the natural characteristics governing his life. 
 
 The writer has had the advantage of access to 
 his grandfather's diaries, some forty-six in num- 
 ber, covering the entire period from 1850 to the 
 present year 1896. An idea of the methodical 
 habits of the doctor may be had when I state that 
 not a volume is missing. When asked if he could 
 find his diaries for my use, the response was, 
 " Yes, sir," and they were immediately produced 
 in good condition and in consecutive order. 
 
 I have also had the good fortune to acquire 
 some manuscript written by my father, most of 
 which is from recollections dictated or told by 
 grandfather in the hours when his mind went 
 back to his earlier days. Some manuscript from 
 Bro. Walter S. Hay den is also acknowledged.
 
 PREFACE. V 
 
 He once undertook this work, but gave it up for 
 lack of time. 
 
 But last and most helpful of all has been the 
 loving assistance of grandfather himself, without 
 which I doubt not that many mistakes would have 
 been made, as the diaries before spoken of were 
 not designed by their writer to form the basis of 
 a work of this kind ; hence many things were 
 omitted which were essential to a full understand- 
 ing of their contents. 
 
 The preparing of this work for publication has 
 been a " labor of love " on my part, and, though 
 hampered by the lack of a literary education, and 
 obliged to write in time taken from my business, 
 still I hope that all may feel repaid for the time 
 spent in its perusal. 
 
 WARREN S. BELDING.
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 It is well that this book has been written. The 
 life of its central figure spans the entire history 
 of "the current reformation." His ministerial 
 experience dates from an early period in the his- 
 tory of the Disciples of Christ. He was a com- 
 panion of many of the mighty men who, under 
 God, were agents in the inauguration of a move- 
 ment for the union of Christians in order to the 
 evangelization of the world by a return, in faith 
 and life, to the religion described on the pages of 
 the New Testament. The incidents in this long 
 and unusually busy life, recorded in this volume, 
 throw not a little light on the early history of the 
 Disciples. To read them will enable one, in im- 
 agination, to live in the midst of the stirring 
 scenes of those early years. This will be of prac- 
 tical value. Inspiration to more intelligent and 
 heroic endeavor in behalf of the Christianity of 
 Christ will follow. The time, in our growth, 
 has come for the publication of such records. Too 
 many of our aged men, pioneers in this good 
 work, have passed from earth without telling the 
 story of their trials and triumphs. Our poverty 
 is greater on account of this failure. Such simple 
 narratives will possess, in years to come, great 
 value to the writers of history. Those who are 
 now coming into the work of the ministry, and 
 into the fellowship of the churches of Christ, 
 have, as a rule, an exceedingly imperfect under- 
 
 (VI)
 
 INTRODUCTION. VII 
 
 standing of the condition of the body of Christ 
 in the United States from thirty to sixty or 
 seventy-five years ago. They are ignorant of 
 the conditions out of which came the religious 
 communion known as the Christian Church or 
 Disciples of Christ. There is therefore a failure 
 to discern the good hand of. our God, and to real- 
 ize that this movement is a child of Providence. 
 The pioneers were mighty men, some of them 
 mental giants, all of them moral heroes, to whom 
 was committed, by the Head of the body, Jesus 
 Christ our Lord, a special message and mission. 
 No man can fully understand what we call ' ' the 
 current reformation ' ' who is not acquainted with 
 the facts connected with its origin. These ex- 
 plain its spirit, purpose, method. The most in- 
 teresting and effective manner in which these 
 facts can be exhibited is in the simply written 
 narratives of personal adventure and experience 
 by the men who are yet with us, and who were 
 actors in those "times that tried men's souls." 
 It is this feature of the following pages that gives 
 to them their value. It is probable that no man 
 living among us has delivered so great a number 
 of sermons, attended a larger number of religious 
 conventions and conferences, been instrumental 
 in erecting a larger number of houses of worship, 
 has a personal acquaintance in more churches, 
 has solicited money for religious and educational 
 enterprises to a greater extent, or has baptized 
 more men and women into Christ, than has the 
 central figure in this book. His narrative is sim-
 
 VIII INTRODUCTION. 
 
 pie, clear, veracious. He speaks of matters of 
 which he was personally cognizant. This volume 
 ought to be widely circulated and read, especially 
 by the middle-aged and the young. The elderly 
 folks will find pleasure in these pages, because 
 their contents will remind them of a glorious 
 past a period of time in the remembrance of 
 which they find a peculiar joy. 
 
 B. B. TYLER.
 
 INTRODUCTORY. 
 
 The honest record of the experiences of many 
 years of those who have served God well in any 
 noble ministries in his work among men, espe- 
 cially if these ministries have been full of unbroken 
 active service, is of inestimable value to the 
 Church. There is offered to us in such a record 
 the full harvest of a life of true faith, of exalted 
 motives, of a sincere devotion to the cause of our 
 Master, of unwavering fidelity to the holiest con- 
 victions that can inspire human souls. The story 
 of such a life, even if passed in the least am- 
 bitious paths, is a picture that can be studied with 
 pleasure and profit Such unostentatious "an- 
 nals" of a long service in the Church of God 
 are unfolded to us in the pages of this book. 
 Personally familiarly acquainted, I may say, with 
 Dr. Belding's history for about fifty-seven years, 
 I can speak with confidence of what it reports 
 to us. I desire to point out some particular feat- 
 ures of this history. 
 
 Dr. Belding throughout all his life has been 
 unfalteringly true to his profession as a Christian. 
 The ardent faith of his early years has sustained 
 him, a faith unchanged, unabated to the present 
 hour. There have been no periods of weakening 
 or defection in his life. His clear conceptions of 
 New Testament Christianity also, which he learned 
 directly from the fathers of our reformatory move- 
 Ox)
 
 X INTRODUCTORY. 
 
 ment, have never, even for a moment, given way 
 before the influence of any of the adverse changes 
 which time inevitably brings with it. Our brother 
 holds fast to-day, close on the borders of four- 
 score years, as he did in his youth, to the faith, 
 the doctrine and the practice of New Testament 
 Christianity. This the pages of this book reveal. 
 
 The author of these personal memoirs has al- 
 ways been ardent and zealous in whatever service 
 he undertook. To be constantly in action has 
 been an enduring passion with him. This is high 
 praise, That is not due to all in the ministry, but 
 it is a most noble instinct of the soul. 
 
 As this biography relates, Dr. Belding has 
 been in many forms of the Master's service. He 
 has been very active in our national and State 
 missionary and benevolent enterprises, and has 
 always courageously urged upon churches and 
 individuals their full duty to support the cause 
 of Christ, and in a manner that gave him much 
 success, and never caused him to lose the good 
 will of the people. His experience has been large 
 in "setting in order the things that were want- 
 ing" in churches, and in quieting disturbances 
 and restoring peace among brethren. To him is 
 due this great praise : he never made trouble any- 
 where. The reason of this is, that he has been a 
 man of kindly disposition and of wisdom. Dr. 
 Belding has not been a blunderer. 
 
 But I have said enough. My object in these 
 introductory words is to tell the reader what kind
 
 INTRODUCTORY. XI 
 
 of a man he is who here tells the story of his 
 life, and consequently what is the value of the 
 book he has written. 
 
 CHARLES LOUIS LOOS. 
 LEXINGTON, Ky.
 
 TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
 
 PAGE 
 PREFACE BY THE AUTHOB m 
 
 INTRODUCTION BY B. B. TYLER, OF NEW YOBK vi 
 
 INTRODUCTORY BY CHABLES Louis Loos, PBESIDENT OF 
 
 KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY ix 
 
 CHAPTER I. GENEALOGY OF THE BELDING FAMILY. 
 DR. RUFUS BELDING. DEATH OF W. A. BELDING'S 
 MOTHEB 1 
 
 CHAPTEB II. W. A. BELDING'S EARLY LIFE. A 
 MIXED FAMILY. FIVE SETS OF CHILDREN, AND ALL 
 HAPPY 4 
 
 CHAPTER III. DEATH OF ALVIN BELDING. EXCHANGE 
 
 OF NAMES. A HUGE JOKE 7 
 
 CHAPTER IV. EARLY EDUCATION. MISCHIEVOUS. A 
 MAN WITH HINDSIGHT. A GOOSE QUILL CAUSES 
 TROUBLE. CHURCH OFFICERS AS DISTILLERS. EX- 
 PERIENCE WITH INTOXICANTS. FIRST ESSAY 10 
 
 CHAPTER V. CAMPBELLISM. DEERFIELD CHURCH. 
 ALL PREACHERS. STEPHEN R. HUBBARD'S LOST 
 OPPORTITNITY. FAILURES. CONVERSION OF WAR- 
 REN 14 
 
 CHAPTER VI. SEVERE ILLNESS. ON THE BORDER 
 LAND. CALLED BACK. RESOLUTION. A. S. HAY- 
 DEN. THE FIRST AND ONLY CAMPBELLITE CHURCH. 
 EBENEZER AND FREDERICK WILLIAMS LOSE THEIR 
 UNIVERSALISM. WARREN STUDIES MEDICINE. 
 TRIES TO PREACH ALSO. MINGLES PREACHING 
 WITH PRACTICE. ASKS SOME TROUBLESOME QUES- 
 TIONS 18 
 
 (XIII)
 
 XIV TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 CHAPTER VII. MEETING AT INDIAN RUN. ISRAEL BEL- 
 TON AND DR. BELDING UNITE Two CHURCHES. MAR- 
 RIAGE TO MYRA E. WARD. LIVE AT HANOVER, O. 
 "THAT UGLY MAN." J. H. LAMPHEAR AND WAR- 
 REN DEBATE WITH A. C. HANGER AND DR. HAYES. 
 WARREN'S FIRST BAPTISM. "BURY THAT MAN." 
 A MAN BURIED FOR THIRTY SECONDS. COMPENSA- 
 TION 24 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. MOVES TO MINERVA. PARTNERSHIP 
 WITH GEO. W. LUCY. J. H. JONES. A CHASTISE- 
 MENT. A PERTINENT TEXT. AN IRRESPONSIBLE 
 HEARER. Two TROUBLESOME GIRLS. SMART YOUNG 
 MEN. INSINCERITY 29 
 
 CHAPTER IX. MEETING AT STEUBENVILLE. PREACHER 
 IN GLOVES. DROWNING OF Two BOYS. CHARLES 
 LOUIS LOOS. A. WlLFORD HALL. NO BREAD. 
 FISH 35 
 
 CHAPTER X. PREACHED IN A BALLROOM. A FORTY- 
 POUNDER LOADED TO SHOOT A CHIPMUNK. ONE 
 TEXT SPOILED A DEBATE. SERMON ON JUSTIFICA- 
 TION 39 
 
 CHAPTER XI. A LUTHERAN EXPOSES CAMPBELLISM. 
 STREET PREACHING. DISCUSSION. A GOOD MEET- 
 ING. FATHER STANMETTS. THE DEVIL AND THE 
 CAMPBELLITE PREACHER : 44 
 
 CHAPTER XII. DIVISION OF THE SCRIPTURES. GREAT 
 ENLIGHTENMENT. DR. TUTTLE. PREJUDICE. THE 
 DOCTOR MOVES TO DOYLESTOWN. PARTNERSHIP 
 WITH DR. A. L. SIMMONS. MAKES SLANKERTOWN 
 His HOME. JACOB HUFFMAN 49 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. STARTS A TEMPERANCE HOTEL. DIS- 
 COURAGEMENTS. A HELPLESS WIFE. RESOLVES 
 TO DEVOTE HIMSELF TO PREACHING. MOVES TO 
 SHALERSVILLE 52
 
 TABLE OF CONTENTS. XV 
 
 PAGE 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. THOMAS MUNNELL. THREAT TO SHOOT. 
 A FLAT CONTRADICTION. GOOD MEETING AT SHA- 
 LERSVILLE. JOHN RUDOLPH. PREACHING TO THREE. 
 BAPTIZING THE ONLY SINNER. MAD. REPENTANT. 
 CONVERSION OF AN ANGRY CHOIRMASTER. SING- 
 ING A FALSEHOOD 56 
 
 CHAPTER XV. BELLIGERENT BACKSLIDERS. THEY BE- 
 COME PEACEFUL. GROUNDLESS FEARS 63 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. TRIP TO CHICAGO. VISIT TO PUMPKIN- 
 TOWN, PA. A SMALL LEGACY STARTS THREE 
 CHURCHES. MEETINGS HELD IN SOUTH BUTLER, N. 
 Y. , XEW YORK CITY AND DANBUEY, CONN. TOUCH- 
 ING INCIDENT. MOVES TO MENTOR. RUFUS, His 
 SON, BAPTIZED 65 
 
 CHAPTER XVII. BEDFORD MEETING. METHODIST DE- 
 SIRES BAPTISM. FORSAKING HOME TO BECOME A 
 CHRISTIAN 68 
 
 CHAPTER XVIII. ORIGIN OF HIRAM COLLEGE. THE 
 DOCTOR AS A BEGGAR. THE MAN WHO WAS AL- 
 WAYS IN DEBT 72 
 
 CHAPTER XIX. LEGACY FOR POOR STUDENTS AND FOR 
 PREACHING. BEGINNING OF THE CHURCH IN WELL- 
 INGTON, O. PREACHES IN MADISON TO PRESBYTE- 
 BIANS 75 
 
 CHAPTER XX. AT AUBURN AND SOUTH BUTLER, N. Y. 
 A SEVERE REPRIMAND. FIGHTING CHRISTIANS. A 
 GOOD RESULT. "A LITTLE CHILD SHALL LEAD 
 THEM." PREACHING FOR CONGREGATIONALISTS 77 
 
 CHAPTER XXI. MRS. BELDING. HER LAST ILLNESS. 
 VISIT OF A. S. HAYDEN AND WIFE. DEATH OF 
 MRS. BELDING. OBITUARY . . 82
 
 XVI TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 CHAPTER XXII. VISIT TO AUBURN, N. Y. CONVER- 
 SION OF WEALTHY ANN ELLEN. HER GIFT BEGINS 
 A CHURCH AT SYRACUSE. SECTARIAN OPPOSITION. 
 A WORLDLING COMES TO THE RESCUE. Too GOOD A 
 COUNTERFEIT. DAILY PAPERS RECEIVE A LESSON. 
 CHURCH AT SYRACUSE ORGANIZED. DEDICATION BY 
 D. S. BURNET. TESTIMONIALS 8ft 
 
 CHAPTER XXIII. WORK AT TROY, N. Y. MARRIAGE 
 TO EMILY SHERMAN. MARRIAGE OF RUFUS E. 
 BELDING. THE SHERMAN FAMILY. MEETING AT 
 CHICAGO. . BUILDING THE FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCH 
 AT CHICAGO. A GOOD DAY'S WORK. BUILDING A 
 CHURCH AT TROY, N. Y. WM. B. MOOKLAR. J. 
 Z. TAYLOR. D. R. VAN BUSKIRK. A RELIGIOUS 
 GIRL .94 
 
 CHAPTER XXIV. NEWSPAPER HOSTILITY 100 
 
 CHAPTER XXV. WORK AT BROOKLYN, ^. Y. J. BRAD- 
 FORD CLEAVER. A GOSPEL CHURCH REORGANIZED 
 INTO A CHURCH OF CHRIST. A HOUSE PURCHASED. 
 C. B. EDGAR. DR. BELDING RETIRES FROM REG- 
 ULAR PASTORAL WORK. GREENPOINT MISSION. A 
 HOUSE OF THEIR OWN 103 
 
 CHAPTER XXVI. SOUTHERN CHRISTIAN INSTITUTE ITS 
 ORIGIN. OVID BUTLER. O. A. BURGESS. R. FAU- 
 ROT. BUYING A PLANTATION. T. I. MARTIN. THE 
 DOCTOR VERY ILL IN MISSISSIPPI. JEPHTHAH 
 HOBBS 107 
 
 CHAPTHR XXVII. A CALL TO SAN FRANCISCO. BUYING 
 A LOT. CANED. F. W. PATTEE. ENGLEWOOD, 
 ILL. ANOTHER CHURCH HOUSE BUILT AND PAID 
 FOR. CHICAGO CITY BOARD OF MISSIONS FORMED. 
 AT WORCESTER, MASS. W. S. ROGERS' REPORT. 
 EXTENSIVE ACQUAINTANCE. SON (SHERMAN) AND 
 GRANDSONS. PREACHING AT PITTSTOWN, N. Y 111 
 
 APPENDIX. FAMILY TREE. A CHAPLAIN'S PRAYER. 
 PIONEER PREACHERS. TESTIMONIALS. MOUNT BEU- 
 LAH. SERMON ON SALVATION. SERMON ON CHURCH 
 UNION.. 115
 
 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 HENRY WARD BEECHER, being once asked 
 what things were necessary to a noble and suc- 
 cessful life, replied: " First let a man choose a 
 good father and mother." The influence of ances- 
 tral habits and training can be traced in the life of 
 every man, and it is certainly a point in a man's 
 favor that we can trace his ancestry back to the 
 old States of Massachusetts and Connecticut. If 
 it was "the land of witches," it was also "the 
 land of steady habits." If the unbending rigor 
 of conscience led the Puritan Fathers to a too- 
 literal interpretation of the command, "Suffer 
 not a witch to live," they were certainly no more 
 given to superstition than the rest of the world at 
 that time ; while for unyielding loyalty to con- 
 viction and devotion to truth, as they understood 
 it, they have probably never been surpassed. 
 
 The genealogy of the Belding family has been 
 traced by the writer back eight generations, to a 
 Richard Bayldon, of Wethersfield, Conn., living 
 in 1640. Further back than this it is difficult to- 
 go, but the name is undoubtedly English. Some 
 branches of the family have changed the spelling 
 to Bel din, Bel den, or Bel don; but it is certain 
 that the original spelling was Bayldon, and the 
 first change, to Belding. 
 
 Dr. Rufus Belding, the father of W. A Beld- 
 (i)
 
 2 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 
 
 ing, was born in Northampton, Mass., in 1777. 
 The year 1800 found him and his wife Charlotte 
 Sabin, daughter of Jeremiah Sabin, of North- 
 ampton in company with a large number of 
 others, who emigrated about that time from Mas- 
 sachusetts and Connecticut to various portions of 
 what was then called the Connecticut Western 
 Reserve, but which soon after became a portion 
 of the State of Ohio. 
 
 The party with which the family traveled went 
 first to Cleveland, O., then but a village of seven 
 log cabins. It is difficult for us to realize how 
 new and undeveloped that region then was. Only 
 four years previous (July 4, 1796), the first sur- 
 veying party of the Western Reserve had landed 
 at the mouth of Conneaut Creek, and on July 
 22, of the same year, the city of Cleveland was 
 founded. Every part of the ground upon which 
 that city is now built could have been purchased 
 for one dollar and a quarter per acre at the time 
 the doctor and his family arrived. 
 
 The subject of this sketch says his father had 
 some intention of settling there and beginning 
 the practice of medicine, for which he had pre- 
 pared ; but, after looking the ground over, he 
 decided that it was too unhealthy even for a phy- 
 sician. Accordingly he wended his way to what 
 is now Randolph, Portage Co., O. Accompany- 
 ing him were two other families, named Baker 
 and Blackman ; the Bakers settled in Shalersville 
 and the Blackmans in Aurora. It was difficult to 
 travel through the almost unbroken wilderness, as
 
 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 3 
 
 for miles it was necessary to cut their way through 
 the dense forests. 
 
 Upon his arrival, he set about making a home. 
 Here he afterwards lived fifty-seven years, in that 
 time witnessing the vast changes produced in the 
 wilderness around him by the settling of thou- 
 sands of immigrants from the Eastern States. 
 
 He continued the practice of medicine until ill 
 health compelled him to abandon it, leaving a 
 record of which few physicians can boast that 
 he never was accused of being exorbitant in his 
 charges. When asked why he did so much work 
 for so little pay, he often replied: "It is hard 
 enough to be sick without having to pay out all 
 one has for the privilege." Devoting himself to 
 others, with little thought of compensation, it fol- 
 lows naturally that he left only a small property 
 to his numerous family at his death, which oc 
 curred in 1854. 
 
 The wife, who bravely shared with him the 
 dangers and privations of this pioneer life, was 
 born in Herkimer County, N. Y. Her maiden 
 name was Charlotte Sabin. She died before 
 Warren was two years old, leaving eight children 
 six older and one younger than he. The boys 
 were Justin, Sabin, Anson and Alvin ; the sisters, 
 Louisa, Ruth and Charlotte.
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 WARREN ASA BELDING was born at Randolph, 
 September 5, 1816, about sixteen years after his 
 parents settled in that place. There must have 
 been much of the pioneer vigor in the constitution 
 of the lad, for that life in a new country was try- 
 ing enough at best ; but, for one deprived of a 
 mother's love and care before his second birthday 
 anniversary, it must have been doubly hard. 
 
 One little occurrence of this early time in his 
 life's history remains engraven on his memory 
 and suggests the difficulties under which the 
 father labored in endeavoring to care for the 
 motherless children. This incident is rather 
 amusing in the light of his religious experiences 
 of after years. 
 
 Shortly after his mother's death, his father took 
 him on horseback to the house of a good old 
 Presbyterian deacon, who had kindly offered to 
 take care of the lad for a time. As they drew up 
 at the door of the good man's cabin, he made his 
 appearance, wearing a countenance which the 
 doctor declares was as "[long as the moral law," 
 and which made such an impression on his mind 
 that for years he associated solemn countenances 
 with Presbyterianism. 
 
 In the family of this man Warren remained for 
 some time, and, as he grew up, he visited them 
 often. The deacon had a very kind heart, but 
 was of a strong-willed, unbending nature, and 
 was a firm Calvinist of the old school. It was 
 
 (4)
 
 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 5 
 
 from this family that Warren first learned of the 
 conflict between Calvinism and Arminianism. 
 Indeed, it furnished in itself a living example of 
 that conflict ! 
 
 For many years Presbyterianism had held un- 
 disputed sway in that section, but, not long before 
 the events just spoken of, the Methodists (who 
 were at that time looked upon much as the Salva- 
 tion Army is to-day) had established a class in 
 the northern part of the town. On a " Sabbath " 
 morning the devoted deacon would saddle his best 
 horse and start for the south, where stood his 
 church ; while his equally devoted and conscien- 
 tious wife would mount the horse saddled for her 
 use, and, giving it free rein and choice, would 
 find the "Spirit" guiding her toward the north, 
 to the Methodist meeting at the schoolhouse. 
 So matters continued for thirty years, both going 
 their separate ways on Sunday, and living the 
 balance of the week in perfect harmony. 
 
 "What," says Warren, "I could not under- 
 stand at the time, and have never been quite able 
 to figure out, was why the self-same Spirit who 
 foreordained that the deacon should go south to 
 worship with the Calvinists, should have unerr- 
 ingly led his wife to the north, to worship among 
 the Methodists. I am unable to reconcile it with 
 Christ's prayer, ' That they all may be one ; as 
 thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee ; that they 
 also may be one in us : that the world may know 
 that thou hast sent me.' ' 
 
 It had been necessary to find homes for War-
 
 6 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 
 
 ren's brothers and sisters in different families, and, 
 in consequence, they became almost strangers to 
 one another for a time. But the family was par- 
 tially reunited by the second marriage of the 
 father, who found a helpmeet in the person of 
 Mrs. Hannah Spellman. By this marriage a 
 daughter, Martha, was born. The second wife 
 lived but a few years, and, after a suitable period 
 of mourning, the father again married. This 
 bride was also a widow, Mrs. Sarah Humphrey. 
 From this marriage but one child was born, Edwin 
 Clinton. 
 
 Warren has often declared that it was given to 
 this family to disprove two adages : First, that 
 "there is no such person as a. good stepmother" ; 
 second, that "no house is large enough for two 
 families." 
 
 The Widow Spellman had seven children, and 
 the Widow Humphrey two, by their former hus- 
 bands. There were in this family, as it was 
 finally constituted, five sets of children nineteen 
 in all and it is the assertion of the subject of this 
 sketch that few families, if any, ever lived more 
 happily together. 
 
 The last wife survived her husband many years, 
 dying at last at the age of eighty-four, at the 
 home of her son, Edwin C. Belding, of Ra- 
 venna, O.
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 OF Warren's own brothers and sisters, all but 
 one (Sabin) attained to maturity. Justin, the old- 
 est, was for nearly forty years engaged in a mer- 
 cantile business in Randolph, where his life was 
 ended. Anson studied medicine and had just 
 begun to practice in Newburg, O. (now a part of 
 the city of Cleveland) , when he] was suddenly 
 stricken by death. 
 
 Alvin, the fourth son, and next older than 
 Warren, devoted his life to the medical profes- 
 sion. His last thirty-nine years were spent in 
 Ravenna, O., where he gained a widespread rep- 
 utation as a skillful physician. He was attacked 
 by typhoid pneumonia ; and, when it was decided 
 that the issue would be fatal, he requested that his 
 brother Warre'n should be sent for. A telegram 
 was immediately dispatched, but before Warren 
 arrived death had claimed its victim. Alvin, 
 knowing the hours of arrival of the different 
 trains, would often inquire whether the time was 
 not near at hand. At length he said, " I can not 
 wait longer ; bid him good-by for me," and he fell 
 asleep. 
 
 In early life Alvin had been skeptical. When 
 (in 1854) he was standing with his brother War- 
 ren at the grave of their father, as the remains 
 were being lowered, Alvin said: *' I would give 
 the world, if I possessed it, for the hope that 
 you have, and that I have no doubt you enjoy ; 
 but the future looks dark to me." As the years 
 (7)
 
 8 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 
 
 passed, his skepticism gradually gave way, until, 
 later, when visited by Warren, he would often in- 
 vite him to return thanks at the table, and some- 
 times to read the Scriptures and offer prayer 
 before retiring for the night. 
 
 In the autumn preceding his death, while the 
 two were conversing upon religious matters, he 
 said: "You think I will never unite with the 
 church, but I think I shall. If you could know 
 how hard it is for a man of my age to break away 
 from his lifelong associations, you could not be 
 too thankful that you became a Christian in early 
 life. Would that I had done the same !" 
 
 Of the sisters, Louisa became the wife of D. 
 K. Wheeler, while Ruth became Mrs. Calvin 
 Rawson. The third, Charlotte, married Joseph 
 H. Ward. 
 
 The three sisters lived and died in their native 
 county. Of the original family, none survive 
 except Warren. 
 
 At an early age there appeared some of the 
 traits that have since become marked charac- 
 teristics. Among these were a love of a trade, 
 and a general capacity for business. He re- 
 lates a number of transactions, which, perhaps, 
 do not differ greatly from the average country 
 boy's experience. But one was of so unique a 
 character that it certainly deserves to be recorded. 
 
 A very dear friend of nearly the same age had 
 a name that Warren admired more than any other 
 proper name. He says he tried to purchase it, 
 and to exchange for it, but without success
 
 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 9 
 
 Finally his business tact suggested that each 
 should take the first name of the other and use it 
 for a second name. As this met with Asa's favor, 
 they were known thereafter as Asa Warren Raw- 
 son and Warren Asa Belding. 
 
 Another prominent trait which appeared early 
 in life and which, though subdued by age, has 
 never been lost, is his love for a joke. 
 
 One day, while riding according to custom, 
 upon horseback behind his father he suddenly 
 called out: "Father, who is that coming behind 
 us on a white horse?" 
 
 The father turned himself on his horse, and, 
 looking back, replied : "I see no one." 
 
 "Turn your horse around." 
 
 This was soon done. Still the father saw no 
 one. At this the boy said: "It's just an April 
 fool, father." 
 
 This was too much for the serious-minded par- 
 ent, and the rebuke he administered was so severe 
 that a like experiment was never again attempted 
 at his father's. expense.
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 AT the age of fourteen, Warren was placed in 
 what was called the High School of Randolph. 
 Here he distinguished himself for a time by his 
 high spirits and intense love of fun. He himself 
 says of this period: " I was not as well qualified 
 to enter this school as I might have been had I 
 been as faithful to my studies as I was diligent at 
 play. I do not think I was vindictive, sullen or 
 stubborn, but I -would have fun." 
 
 The boundless energy displayed in after years 
 in the service of Christ found its outlet while he 
 was a boy in the hundreds of mischievous pranks 
 that he played. 
 
 Schoolmasters in those days were literally 
 "knights of the birch," and, as it was the stand- 
 ing rule with his father to duplicate any whipping 
 he received at school, Warren considered it a 
 fortunate day when he came off with no more 
 than two punishments. On one occasion, the 
 teacher having remarked many times that he had 
 eyes in the back of his head, it occurred to War- 
 ren to test the truth of the remark by removing 
 his chair as he started to sit down. Watching his 
 opportunity, he did so, and, as the result, the 
 teacher measured his length upon the floor. The 
 result may be left to the reader's imagination ; 
 but the next day found him as deeply in mischief 
 as ever. 
 
 The teacher one day fell asleep in his chair. 
 Warren coolly split a goose-quill, crept softly up, 
 do)
 
 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. II 
 
 and placed it firmly on the end ol his nose. This 
 was too much for the school ; the shouts of laugh- 
 ter aroused the slumberer and his ungovernable 
 temper. His first inquiry was: "Who did it?" 
 The scholars were disposed to shield the perpe- 
 trator of the daring joke ; but the teacher's anger 
 was excited to its fighting-point, and he declared 
 thatj he would flog every scholar in the school 
 unless the culprit was revealed to him. By some 
 means he gained the desired information, and the 
 truthfulness of the saying that ' ' a scolding does 
 not hurt and a whipping doesn't last long " proved 
 less true in practice than in theory. 
 
 Another characteristic, which manifested itself 
 in boyhood, and which has always been prominent 
 in the man, is an ambition not to be [outdone. 
 This is not associated with a selfish spirit, nor is it 
 the result of pride, but, rather, the outworking of 
 a restless energy. This quality sometimes led the 
 lad into difficulties. In those days every one 
 drank liquor. Farmers furnished strong drink in 
 the field and at all house and barn raisings. 
 Church-members distilled and sold it without any 
 qualms of conscience and without losing the re- 
 spect of their neighbors ; even ministers of the 
 gospel made liberal use of it. It need not be 
 thought strange that Dr. Rufus Belding had com- 
 bined hotel-keeping with his farming and practice 
 of medicine. In his hotel, as a matter of course, 
 he kept a bar. Nor was it deemed incongruous 
 that Captain Hubbard, who was one of the lead-
 
 12 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 
 
 ing men of the place, and a deacon in the church, 
 should own and operate a distillery. 
 
 As Warren advanced in years he felt an increas- 
 ing desire to be a man and to do the things that 
 all men seemed to do. Inasmuch as all his male 
 acquaintances drank liquor, he felt that a long 
 stride toward manhood would be taken when he 
 learned to drink. He told his stepmother one 
 day that he wished she would not stint him, but 
 for once give him all the whisky he could take. 
 She immediately granted his request, placing be- 
 fore him a large glass of liquor, well sweetened. 
 Telling him to help himself, she left him. This 
 he proceeded to do, taking spoonful doses and 
 after each one trying to^walk a crack in the floor. 
 This was continued until, unable to stand, he fell 
 violently, striking his head and causing his nose to 
 bleed copiously. 
 
 A short time after this, he was invited by Cap- 
 tain Hubbard's sons to visit their father's distillery. 
 Obtaining permission from his father, he did so, 
 and was much interested in the various processes 
 of the still. At length one of the boys proposed a 
 test which he said was put to all visitors to the es- 
 tablishment. It was to see who could drink the 
 most of the raw spirits without staggering under 
 the load. The noble sons of the captain set the 
 example of draining the proof-glass filled from the 
 barrel, and Warren, of course, followed suit, 
 emptying several glasses in his anxiety to show his 
 manhood. The consequence was that he became 
 drunk, and had to be carried home in a carriage
 
 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 1$ 
 
 by his comrades and put to bed to sleep off the 
 effects of the liquor. 
 
 'Warren declares from that event he first learned 
 the close relationship existing between falsehood, 
 deceit and the liquor business ; for he afterwards 
 learned that the boys who had led in this exploit 
 did not drink a drop, but merely feigned to do so. 
 From that day to this he has declared his undying 
 enmity to the making and sale of intoxicants. He 
 has never swerved from the resolution then formed. 
 The cause of temperance has always found in him 
 a zealous advocate, while the" ranks of total ab- 
 stainers received a lifelong recruit. 
 
 His first literary production, which was read be- 
 fore the school not long afterward, was an essay,, 
 in which he took the position that the manufactur- 
 ers and venders of liquor were more guilty than 
 the consumers ; inasmuch as the former acted for 
 the sake of paltry gain, while the drinker often- 
 times was the victim of an uncontrollable appetite. 
 
 This was a very advanced position for those 
 days, and was vigorously resented by many in 
 the community. One good man, a liquor-dealer 
 and a deacon in the church, forbade his daughter's 
 walking to and from school with a boy of so rad- 
 ical sentiments. 
 
 Warren also tried tobacco once and once only 
 He has often been heard to say that he does not 
 understand how Christian men can indulge in so 
 filthy and injurious a habit, directly contrary to- 
 Second Corinthians vii. I.
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 ABOUT this time the doctrine called " Camp- 
 bellism " was introduced into Randolph. This 
 greatly disturbed the orthodox citizens of the 
 town, so that even the Methodists, who so lately 
 had met with the same disfavor on making their 
 debut, took fright, and, joining forces with the 
 Presbyterians, thought to stay the ravages of a de- 
 lusion which threatened the ruin of many of their 
 best citizens. 
 
 The adjoining town of Deerfield had taken hold 
 of the pernicious and unheard-of doctrine, that 
 God had so plainly and simply revealed his will 
 in the Bible that men of common understanding 
 could read it, gather its meaning, and even tell 
 to others the plan of salvation. This was aston- 
 ishing, and led to more Bible reading in a few 
 months than had been done before in many years. 
 Men were sent over from Deerfield, one after an- 
 other, or in couples, until the wonder was whether 
 all its men were not preachers. These men were 
 Jonas Hartzell, Peter Hartzell, John McGowen, 
 Peter McGowen, Amos Allerton and Z. Finch, 
 with others whose names are not recalled. Most 
 of them found a temporary home at Dr. Belding's, 
 where they were always welcome. One of them, 
 being asked by the doctor how many preachers 
 there were in Deerfield, replied: " About sixty." 
 " How many members in the church?" "About 
 sixty male members." 
 
 This was in harmony with Scripture teaching, 
 (14)
 
 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 15 
 
 as found in Paul's second letter to Timothy : "The 
 things thou hast heard . . . commit thou to faith- 
 ful men, who shall be able to teach others also." 
 
 On August 27, 1832, Warren resolved to carry 
 into execution a desire long cherished, although 
 expressed to very few ; that desire was to become 
 a Christian. His most intimate friend, Stephen R. 
 Hubbard, had asked him several times to obey the 
 gospel with him, but Warren was not then ready. 
 Now that he had made up his mind, he would like 
 the company of his friend ; however, Stephen's 
 time and opportunity were past, his desires having 
 taken another direction. So Warren alone, true to 
 his convictions of duty, was immersed, upon a pro- 
 fession of his faith in Christ as the Son of the 
 living God, by the hands of Elder Marcus Bos- 
 worth . 
 
 The day he was baptized was a memorable one 
 to the Disciples of Christ in Ohio, as well as to 
 himself memorable to the Church as the date of 
 the first annual meeting of the State. The pres- 
 ence of every leader and nearly every member of 
 the denomination living in Ohio made the occa- 
 sion important to all. 
 
 Among those best known who were assembled 
 on that day were Alexander Campbell ; Tolbert 
 Fanning, of Tennessee ; A. S. Hayden, William 
 Hay den, J. J. Moss, and Marcus and Cyrus Bos- 
 worth . 
 
 He cast in his lot with the little company of 
 Disciples, then nicknamed " Campbellites," al- 
 though they acknowledged no names except those
 
 l6 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 
 
 sanctioned by the primitive church ' ' Disciples 
 of Christ," or "Christians." As a church or 
 body, they desired only the name authorized by 
 the Master, when he said that he would build 
 upon a foundation against which the gates of hell 
 could not prevail ; meaning the Church of Christ. 
 
 Very naturally, the reader will want to know 
 what became of Stephen Hubbard. His refusal 
 to go with Warren sealed his fate ; from that time 
 forward he never again felt " almost persuaded." 
 He married a devoted and religious young lady ; 
 children were born to them, and the wife, by her 
 devotion to the cause of Jesus, won other souls to 
 him. But her tears and prayers were unavailing 
 in Stephen's behalf. When on her death-bed, she 
 took from beneath her pillow her long-loved Bible 
 her mother's gift and begged him to accept it 
 and to promise that, as it had been her guide 
 through life, so he would make it his. He took 
 the well-worn book, but he withheld the promise. 
 The last word heard from him by his old compan- 
 ion was a letter written with the trembling hand 
 of age and betraying the skepticism still nursed in 
 his almost pulseless breast. 
 
 warren, wuh fixed purpose, began his religious 
 life in earnest. He made an effort several times 
 to speak in prayer-meeting, but each time failed, 
 owing to his extreme embarrassment. 
 
 JNo doubt one reason for this lay in the fact that 
 his lormer associates had said sneeringly : " Yes, 
 he got dipped that he might be a preacher." The 
 remark had its influence, and, with all his efforts.
 
 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 1 7 
 
 to drive it away or rise above it, he was unable 
 for a long time to accomplish what he otherwise 
 might have done. 
 
 An incident of this period will illustrate the de- 
 gree of his embarrassment ; and few have felt it 
 more than he. Calling one day on a very pious 
 member of the church who, to all appearances, 
 was near the close of life, being so feeble that he 
 was unable to speak above a whisper he was 
 beckoned to the old man's bedside, and, in scarcely 
 audible voice, was requested to pray ; but so em- 
 barrassed was the lad that he turned aside, feign- 
 ing not to hear. The good man died soon after- 
 wards, and for a long time Warren was troubled 
 by night and day. He never found relief until 
 he sought pardon of the Lord, resolving that he 
 would never again be guilty of a like offense. 
 
 By repeated efforts to speak, this timidity was 
 gradually overcome. A constant study of the 
 Scriptures gave him courage and increased his 
 knowledge of the truth.
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 IN January, 1834, accompanied by Stephen 
 Hubbard who now took no interest in the sub- 
 ject of religion he one day left the heated school- 
 room, and, rushing, boylike, into the extremely 
 cold outdoor air, ran a mile and a quarter to his 
 home. Having become intensely heated by this 
 violent exercise, and using no precaution, they 
 cooled off too rapidly. Warren, as a result, was 
 attacked with a severe cold, and that night was 
 stricken with pneumonia. This disease held him 
 poised between life and death for seven long 
 weeks. Much of that time he was unconscious 
 of his surroundings ; but his mind seemed to rove 
 among the stars, from world to world, even to 
 that home of which we know so little, save what 
 we see by the eye of faith ! This was told him 
 by his bedside watchers. When consciousness 
 returned, it was decided that there was no hope of 
 life. There were several consulting physicians, 
 partly because of sympathy for the father, who, 
 you will remember, was a physician. Some of 
 them were very confident in their opinions, and 
 said that he " was no better off than in his grave." 
 
 The watchfulness of the loving father and the 
 vigilance of the kind-hearted stepmother can 
 never be forgotten. The brothers' and sisters also 
 rendered what assistance they could, and, 
 prompted by grief and sympathy, did all that 
 human hands could do to be helpful in these try- 
 ing hours. The time came when it was thought 
 (18)
 
 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. ip 
 
 the struggle was over. The father had pro- 
 nounced him dead, and the family was in tears ; 
 while the son, with mind unclouded, was wonder- 
 ing all the time why the living should manifest so 
 much grief at so happy a change. He was be- 
 holding, as in a panorama, his entire life at a 
 single glance, and at the same time getting a view 
 of heaven, with its myriads of inhabitants, when, 
 to his great disappointment, he heard his father 
 say : " He is reviving." 
 
 No language can express the peculiar emotions 
 of that hour in being brought back to life. The 
 entire past and the heavenly future, both occupy- 
 ing the mind at the same moment, are indescribable. 
 If that point of exquisite bliss can ever again be 
 reached, it will not, it can not, seem hard to die. 
 
 This was the crisis, from which hour he became 
 convalescent. "A walking skeleton" was re- 
 ported to infest the house. Long and tedious was 
 the process of recovery ; but precious hours for 
 study and reflection were afforded, and it was at 
 this time that he resolved to devote the future of 
 his life to the proclamation of God's own plan for 
 the salvation of men, through the gospel of his 
 Son. 
 
 A plan was formed and an effort made to carry 
 the same into execution. He was to enter the 
 field in company with A. S. Hayden, his senior 
 by a few years. When the desire was made 
 known to his father it did not meet his approval, 
 and for awhile it was abandoned. 
 
 His father was not yet identified with the Disci-
 
 2O BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 
 
 pies, but avowed himself a " Campbellite." He 
 had been associated with the Universalists, in 
 which faith his first wife, the mother of Warren, 
 had lived and died. Her funeral services had 
 been conducted by Ebenezer Williams, who after- 
 wards became a preacher among the Disciples, as 
 did also his brother Frederick. Both of them 
 have told the writer that when they first heard the 
 ordinance of Christian baptism discussed by the 
 Disciples, to their minds it was clearly taught, 
 and their love for Christ and reverence for his au- 
 thority led them at once to say : " Lord, lead and 
 we will follow." They were both baptized, be- 
 lieving as firmly as ever that God would ultimately 
 bring the entire race into a state of holiness and 
 happiness. They soon lost their belief in Univer- 
 salism, but when or how they never knew. 
 
 To return to the avowal of the father that he 
 was a Campbellite : he wrote and circulated a 
 subscription to build a house, in which the people 
 called " Campbellites " or "Disciples" might 
 worship. On being asked whether he and one of 
 his neighbors were Disciples, he promptly an- 
 swered : " No, we are ' Campbellites.' ' He de- 
 fined the word as meaning one who believes the 
 teaching of Alexander Campbell, but does not 
 obey it. He said, further, that that teaching of the 
 Disciples was the only consistent Scriptural doc- 
 trine he had ever heard. He circulated the sub- 
 scription and largely superintended the work of 
 building the house, until it was ready for use. He
 
 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 21 
 
 was among the first within its walls to make con- 
 fession of his faith in a once crucified and buried, 
 but now risen and exalted, Savior. His course of 
 life, in some respects, was changed ; in many oth- 
 ers there was no need of change. As already 
 stated, two of the deacons of the church were 
 manufacturers of whisky ; of which he himself 
 was a retailer. Nevertheless, three better men 
 would have been hard to find. 
 
 The son, Warren, dissuaded by his father from 
 devoting his life to preaching, and especially from 
 beginning at so early an age, turned his attention 
 to the study of medicine. His father had a good 
 medical library for the times, and he inherited a 
 taste for this kind of study that increased as the 
 years rolled on. But, in spite of his love for the 
 study of medicine, he never lost his desire to 
 preach the gospel. If an opportunity offered to 
 talk on the subject, he seldom let it pass without 
 trying to improve it. It was not, however, until 
 several years later that he attempted to preach a 
 discourse. Warren began the practice of medi- 
 cine in 1839, at Aurora, O., with Dr. Fowler, of 
 that place, but soon after removed to Greentown, 
 Stark Co., O. 
 
 Being in Wayne County, where Dr. George W. 
 Lucy was holding a meeting of some days' dura- 
 tion, the doctor insisted that " Bro. Belding 
 should preach in his stead." Warren naturally 
 declined, saying that he had never tried to preach ; 
 but the preaching doctor was not to be put off,
 
 22 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 
 
 and declared that Warren must do it. When he 
 found excuses of no avail, he made up his mind 
 to make the effort, but told Dr. Lucy that the re- 
 sponsibility of failure lay with him. It is related 
 that he spoke earnestly for about thirty minutes, 
 but when he sat down he could not recollect any- 
 thing he had said. 
 
 Not long after this, while living in Stark 
 County, O., Warren heard a Methodist preacher, 
 one Sunday evening, advance some sentiments 
 which he did not think in harmony with Bible 
 teaching He arose, and begged the privilege of 
 asking a question or two. 
 
 It was readily granted by the minister, a Mr. 
 Weekly. The first question was: "Suppose a 
 man to be so depraved by nature that he can not 
 think a good thought, speak a good word, or do a 
 good act, without some renewing grace ; if he 
 never gets the renewing grace, on whom does the 
 blame rest?" 
 
 Before the question was fairly put, an old gen- 
 tleman, in a very excited and angry manner, 
 jumped up and said : "I think you had better sit 
 down." Bro. Weekly spoke up very pleasantly, 
 and said: " Speak on, doctor." He resumed his 
 talk, when the old man again cried out: "You 
 had better sit down. You have manifested 
 enough of the spirit of antichrist." Bro. Weekly 
 kindly said, "Go on, brother," keeping silence 
 while the doctor finished his speech. It was a 
 dear speech for him from a business standpoint,
 
 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 23 
 
 as he did not receive a call from a single member 
 of that church for the next three or four months. 
 When a physician's services were needed, they 
 sent ten miles for a Methodist doctor. This was 
 no new thing, however, for " our religion' 1 '' was 
 frequently a persecuted religion. But the world 
 moved on, and the cause of the Master gained 
 friends by being persecuted.
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 DOCTOR BELDING, as he was thereafter called, 
 grew in spiritual strength, and was embolden to 
 speak publicly and advocate the distinctive fea- 
 tures of the plea which is characteristic of the 
 Disciples of Christ. While in Stark County, he 
 was invited to assist in holding a meeting at Indian 
 Run, where the Baptists had a small church. The 
 pastor, Israel Belton, came in and took a friendly 
 part in the services a few times, until his brethren 
 found so much fault with him that he frankly told 
 them that if they did not cease their persecutions 
 he would unite with the Disciples, for he believed 
 they had the truth. This he subsequently did, 
 and, through the united efforts of Bros. Belton 
 and Belding, the two bodies became one, and 
 have continued thus until the present time. 
 
 His professional business frequently called him 
 into adjoining towns, where he would make an 
 appointment to preach in the evening, returning 
 to his home after meeting. Thus he would de- 
 liver more discourses in the year than many men 
 who gave their entire time to the work of preach- 
 ing. 
 
 He could never understand how some pastors, 
 making it the business of their lives, could expect 
 the Master to say, " Well done, good and faithful 
 servant," for the little labor they had performed. 
 
 We will step back to relate a few incidents 
 which occurred before this time. On September 
 29, 1837, he was married to Miss Myra E. Ward, 
 (24)
 
 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 25 
 
 the eldest daughter of Elisha Ward, of Randolph, 
 O. Their first-born child, a daughter named 
 Sarah Sophia, died at the age of two years and a 
 half, at Hanover, Columbiana Co., O., where 
 they had taken up their residence. While living 
 at Hanover, he preached throughout Columbiana 
 and Carroll Counties. 
 
 While attending an annual meeting in what was 
 called the Roudabush settlement, upon his return 
 from meeting one evening, Mother Roudabush, 
 who spoke very broken English, not knowing 
 that Dr. Belding was in the house, asked: "Who 
 vas dot ugly mon vat breached to-day?" Not 
 being able to describe him very accurately, she 
 was delighted when the doctor stepped into the 
 room, and shouted : " Dot is de werry feller." 
 
 A discussion was carried on for several days by 
 Bro. J. H. Lamphear and Dr. Belding on one 
 side, and A. C. Hanger and Dr. Hays, of the 
 Christian Connection, on the other. This at- 
 tracted much attention in the community, and 
 brought together large audiences. The questions 
 discussed were : "Does the guilt of original sin 
 cleave to every child of Adam ?" and. if so, ' ' Does 
 God, by some supernatural interposition of his 
 Spirit, convert and save him?" Of these two 
 propositions Mr. Hanger and Dr. Hays affirmed 
 and the others denied. Another subject was : 
 " Do the Scriptures teach that the alien or sinner 
 must be baptized in order to become a citizen of 
 the kingdom of Christ?" Also: "Are all spirit- 
 ual blessings promised, in the Bible, in Christ?""
 
 26 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 
 
 These latter propositions were affirmed by Lamp- 
 hear and the Doctor, and denied by the others. 
 This was the first public discussion in which Dr. 
 Belding ever engaged. But the triumph of truth 
 was so apparent to the minds of the people, 
 and they were so demonstrative, that it embold- 
 ened him to stand for its defense wherever and 
 whenever it seemed to be demanded of him. 
 
 Soon after this, in company with Joseph 
 Rhodes, or Father Rhodes, as he was familiarly 
 called in the community, he went into Carroll 
 County to attend a meeting to be conducted by 
 Bro. Jonas Lamb. The preacher failing to ap- 
 pear, the brethren insisted that Dr. Belding 
 should conduct the meeting a thing he had 
 never before attempted. But, as he had pledged 
 himself never to shrink from what seemed to be 
 his duty, he said: "'With your help and the 
 help of the Lord, I will try." At the first meet- 
 ing, Saturday afternoon, three persons came for- 
 ward to confess their faith in the Savior, and 
 asked to be baptized. 
 
 Now came a greater ordeal than any preceding 
 one. He had never administered the rite of bap- 
 tism, and there was doubt in his mind whether it 
 was proper for him to do so, never having been or- 
 dained to the ministry. But the thought from the 
 "Book of all books," that every Christian is a 
 "king and priest to God," settled the question, 
 and he resolved to do the best that he could. 
 
 The hour was set for the baptism, and a large 
 gathering was in waiting at the water when he ar-
 
 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 27 
 
 rived. It seemed to him that every eye was fixed 
 upon him, and that everybody knew this to be his 
 first experience. Some, indeed, hoped that he 
 might make a failure, for the people of this com- 
 munity had little regard for the institution. After 
 invoking the divine blessing upon the candidates 
 and administrator, they descended with trembling 
 steps into the water. When a sufficient depth was 
 reached, in as solemn and reverential a manner as 
 possible the person was buried in the baptismal 
 grave, raised from it, and led to the shore with a 
 relief of mind which is easy to imagine. The 
 second candidate was led forward and both went 
 down into the water. The first was so easily bap- 
 tized that, not being on his guard, he failed to 
 entirely submerge the second, who was very tall. 
 He had partly raised him out of the water, when 
 Father Rhodes shouted: " Bro. Belding, bury 
 that man!" On this advice, he was again low- 
 ered into the water and buried. This, while it 
 was very embarrassing, taught him a lesson which 
 he never forgot. Thenceforward he never failed 
 to bury the candidate entrusted to his hands as 
 baptist. 
 
 Some years after this, a gentleman in Cato, N. 
 Y., who all his life had been troubled with skepti- 
 cism, was compelled to yield to the claims of the 
 gospel and desired to be baptized. As he was 
 being led down into the stream, he asked the doc- 
 tor to bury him as deeply as possible and hold him 
 under the water at least thirty seconds. This 
 request was complied with, and the brethren on
 
 28 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 
 
 shore became quite excited, thinking that perhaps 
 the doctor had not strength to raise him. Bro. 
 Cook, an elder in the congregation, stepped into 
 the water and was coming to his assistance ; but, 
 before he reached the spot, the apparent struggle 
 was over and the anxiety relieved. 
 
 The reason afterward given for this singular 
 request was a desire to remain under water long 
 nough to think of the death, burial and resurrec- 
 tion of Christ. 
 
 From this time forward, he devoted much more 
 time than before to preaching, and, while he con- 
 tinued the practice of medicine, he did not, and 
 would not, accept compensation for his service as a 
 preacher. In looking over his old diaries, we find 
 recorded : " For two hundred and sixty-seven days, 
 spent largely in preaching, I received two dollars 
 and thirty-seven cents in cash, a pair of socks and 
 a pair of striped mittens, knit and given me by an 
 old sister."
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 LEAVING Hanover, he moved to Minerva, Stark 
 County, in 1841. Here he entered into partner- 
 ship with Bro. Geo. W. Lucy, who was also a 
 physician and preacher. Being alike interested 
 both in the practice of medicine and in preaching 
 the gospel, they so managed that one of them was 
 constantly filling a pulpit on Lord's-days, and 
 frequently engaged in protracted meetings during 
 the week. 
 
 Bro. J. H. Jones was assisting in a meeting in 
 Minerva, where he and the doctor were preaching 
 alternately. One afternoon, when Bro. Jones was 
 expected to preach, the hour for meeting arrived, 
 but the preacher did not put in an appearance. 
 The brethren, becoming somewhat impatient, 
 requested Dr. Belding to go on with the services. 
 After the opening hymn, the reading of the Scrip- 
 tures and prayer, and after the doctor had an- 
 nounced the subject of his discourse, Bro. Jones 
 stepped in the door. Dr. Belding sat down, and 
 Bro. Jones, wiping the freely flowing perspiration 
 from his face, walked into the pulpit and said : 
 "Brethren, I have been a-fishing ; and no man 
 can be a good preacher who is not a good fisher- 
 man." He then continued: "Jesus once said, 
 ' Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men/ 
 Pray tell me, where did a man ever catch a fish 
 but in the water?" 
 
 This was the theme of his discourse, founded 
 upon the language of Christ to Nicodemus r John 
 (29)
 
 3O BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 
 
 iii. 5 : "Except a man be born of water and of 
 the Spirit, he can not enter into the kingdom of 
 God." He gave an explanation of the figurative 
 language of the Savior, as follows : ' ' The man be- 
 gotten or regenerated by the Spirit, through the in- 
 strumentality of the gospel, as Paul declares ( i Cor. 
 iv. 15) : ' Though ye have ten thousand instructors 
 in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers : for in Christ 
 Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel ' 
 this man, being baptized, or born of water (not of 
 a few drops, a substance less than itself, but a 
 burial, a -planting, an overwhelming] , is born of 
 the Spirit at the same time, having been begotten 
 by it. It is one thing to become a citizen of a 
 kingdom, but quite another to form the character 
 of a loyal citizen. The King will crown only 
 those who are loyal." 
 
 While speaking of the peculiarities of J. H. Jones 
 (for there has never been one like him), we will 
 relate another incident which occurred at Minerva 
 in the same meeting. While Bro. Jones was 
 preaching, one of his own little boys, who had 
 been led into the meeting by his aunt, his mother 
 being absent that day, partaking of iiis father's 
 mischievous disposition, seemed inclinecT to take \ 
 advantage of circumstances. While his father) 
 was preaching, he did not behave himself iff a 
 manner altogether satisfactory. His father spoke 
 to him reprovingly two or three times without 
 producing the desired result. Thereupon he 
 asked the congregation to sing a few verses of a 
 familiar hymn, and, stepping down from the pul-
 
 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 3! 
 
 pit, he took the offending lad by the hand and 
 started toward the door. Conviction at once 
 seized the boy, and, if drops of grief are an evi- 
 dence of repentance, he became a true penitent. 
 Nevertheless, his father chastised him with a 
 hickory switch. The performance being ended, 
 the lad was brought in and seated, with an em- 
 phatic " Sit down and behave yourself." After 
 this episode, the preacher resumed his place in 
 the pulpit, and succeeded (as few men can do) in 
 drawing the attention of the people from what 
 had occurred, to the subject under discussion. 
 
 The following anecdote will illustrate the dan- 
 ger of indiscriminate rebuke from the pulpit : 
 A minister, who was called to preach in a cer- 
 tain place, found before him a young man who 
 not only seemed indifferent to the sermon, but 
 who was talking and apparently trying to attract 
 the attention of those around him. The speaker 
 rebuked him sharply, but without good result. 
 When the preacher went to his temporary home, 
 the host expressed his regret that he had reproved 
 the young man ; for he belonged to one of the 
 best families in town, but was an idiot not 
 responsible for what he did and the parents 
 would be much grieved. The preacher declared 
 that thereafter he never dared to reprove any one 
 in church for fear of rebuking an idiot. 
 
 The doctor thought on one occasion that he 
 would try the effect of relating the above incident 
 in church. It was while holding a meeting at 
 Cascade, Mich. Two young ladies one the
 
 32 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 
 
 daughter of a clergyman in the village, the other 
 an intimate associate of hers had proved very 
 troublesome, not only to the resident pastors, but 
 to all who had tilled the pulpits of the place. 
 After inquiring who they were, and being told 
 that it would be useless to reprove them, the 
 doctor one day paused in the midst of his sermon 
 and told the story. It proved effectual as nothing 
 else had been. The girls covered their faces with 
 their veils and pouted until the services were over. 
 They then said they would not hear that man 
 preach again, because he had called them idiots* 
 He frankly confessed that it would have been 
 much better to interest them and captivate their 
 affections, if possible, by the gospel of Christ, 
 and lead them to an acknowledgment of the 
 truth. But this appeared to be hopeless. 
 
 About the year 1840, the doctor held a series 
 of meetings at Wintersville, O. In the course of 
 the protracted effort a number of persons con- 
 fessed Christ and desired baptism. The same 
 difficulty was encountered, to a limited extent, 
 which is o f ten urged by pedobaptists as an argu- 
 ment against immersion, viz. : the scarcity of 
 water. There was no convenient place for bap- 
 tizing, short of the Ohio River, six miles away. 
 
 At one of the evening sessions, when the gos- 
 pel invitation was extended, a young man, among 
 others, came forward to make the confession. 
 For some reason the doctor doubted his sincerity. 
 So, after taking the confessions of the others, he 
 turned to this young man and asked: "Who
 
 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 33 
 
 wished you to be baptized?" He replied: "Mr. 
 
 ." " What did he agree to give you?" The 
 
 answer was : "Twenty-five cents." The person 
 who hired him to act thus was the son of a 
 prominent church-member. The incident is a sad 
 comment on the influence of sectarianism, and a 
 proof of the truthfulness of the saying that " our 
 religion is a persecuting religion." 
 
 During the same meeting another incident oc- 
 curred which illustrates the wiles of Satan in his 
 efforts to hinder the progress of truth by making 
 the ordinances of the gospel of Christ appear 
 ridiculous . 
 
 A man or one who presented the appearance 
 of a man in answer to the inquiry, " Who is on 
 the Lord's side?" came and said that he wished 
 to do as they did in the days of the apostles (Acts 
 xvi. 33), be baptized "the sam^ hour of the 
 night." The doctor, who had seen so many at- 
 tempts to destroy the effect of his work, was at 
 once impressed with a conviction that the whole 
 thing was a scheme of the enemy's. They were 
 evidently trying to get the preacher and the more 
 zealous of the church-members to the water, sev- 
 eral miles away, that they might find themselves 
 without a candidate. So, for the first time in his 
 life, he recommended putting off until to-morrow 
 what the Lord commanded to be done to-day. 
 But the Lord also commanded, through Paul, in 
 First Corinthians iii. 10, that a man should be 
 careful how he builds on the foundation, which is 
 Christ. The suspicion proved to be well founded,
 
 34 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 
 
 for the man, penitent for what he had done, con- 
 fessed that his only object was to play a trick upon 
 the preacher. But the doctor detected the decep- 
 tion, and he said to the congregation : " If it is a 
 sheep, it will continue bleating around the fold ; 
 but if a wolf, he will leave when he fails to catch 
 the prey."
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 AFTER the work closed at Wintersville, Dr. 
 Belding was called to Steubenville to assist in a 
 meeting at that place. Nothing of a very inter- 
 esting or peculiar character occurred during this 
 time, save one incident, which shows the influence 
 of little things. The doctor had come in contact 
 with some poison vine, and, being very suscepti- 
 ble to its action, was suffering much inconvenience 
 from it ; especially about the hands, which were 
 not very presentable for the pulpit. Therefore, to 
 hide their unpleasant appearance, he preached 
 wearing gloves, and that without making an apol- 
 ogy or explanation. 
 
 Several years had elapsed ; when Dr. and Mrs. 
 Belding were once crossing Lake Erie, Mrs. 
 Belding fell in company with an old lady, arid 
 they became quite social. It was ascertained that 
 the woman resided in Steubenville, and Mrs. Beld- 
 ing asked her if she had ever attended the Chris- 
 tian Church, or heard their preachers. The reply 
 was : "Not often ; but, a number of years since, 
 I heard a young upstart, who preached with his 
 gloves on. That spoiled him for me!" Mrs. 
 Belding called her husband, and, introducing him 
 to the lady, said that she thought he must be the 
 man alluded to, as she had heard him tell the same 
 story. 
 
 A revival was in progress at Bellaire, O While 
 Dr. Belding was preaching on New Year's Day, 
 word was brought to the church that the only two 
 (35)
 
 36 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 
 
 sons of Bro. Archer were drowned in the river. 
 The whole congregation was thrown into confu- 
 sion and rushed from the house. A diligent search 
 was made for the bodies, and they were soon 
 found, locked in each other's arms. The funeral 
 was largely attended, and the doctor discoursed 
 upon the words of the wise man: "Remember 
 now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while 
 the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, 
 when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them" 
 (Eccl. xii. i). Without doubt this dispensation 
 of affliction had its influence upon the meeting, 
 since large numbers were gathered into the church. 
 About the year 1839, in Minerva, Dr. Belding 
 formed the acquaintance of Charles Louis Loos, 
 or Charlie Loos, as he was then called. He came 
 ffom home to request the doctor's attendance 
 upon his sister, who was quite ill. From that time 
 their friendship has been constant and most inti- 
 mate. When Charlie was quite a boy, Alexander 
 Wilford Hall and he spent some little time at the 
 doctor's home. On one occasion Charlie wished 
 to leave the village quite early in the morning, 
 and, being more thoughtful than many young men 
 are, he did not want to disturb the people to get 
 him an early breakfast. He thought he would 
 take some bread and milk. But, there being no 
 bread in the house, he started out to find some. 
 After calling at the homes of Brethren Whittaker, 
 Pool and Shrivers, he returned with the sad story 
 of "no bread to be found," remarking that it
 
 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 37 
 
 would be very difficult, in that village, for a man 
 to live long on bread alone. 
 
 Many pleasing incidents are recalled of their 
 intermittent, though almost lifelong, companion- 
 ship. In later years, Bro. Loos and wife desired 
 to make a visit to New England. They proposed 
 that the doctor accompany them, to which he 
 assented. On their trip, they were permitted to 
 visit nearly all of the Disciples in New England, 
 for they were not numerous. While at Bro. J. C. 
 Talbot's, in East Machias, on the seacoast of 
 Maine, they remained several days without seeing 
 a fish, either on the table or elsewhere. They 
 wondered at it, as they supposed fish would be 
 plentiful there, if anywhere. The doctor asked 
 Sister Talbot if there were no fish in that part of 
 the ocean. 
 
 " Fish ! " said she ; " yes, but we supposed that 
 everybody was tired offish, just as we are." 
 
 "Well," replied the doctor, " -we -want fish.' 1 '' 
 
 "Yes," said Bro. Loos, "fish, fish, FISH, 
 FISH, until we say stop." 
 
 Here the doctor says : " If you desire a pleas- 
 ant traveling companion, take the president of 
 Kentucky University with you. You can have 
 fun, anything serious or instructive, as you may 
 desire. He does not think it wicked to laugh, 
 and is in sympathy with the thought that God 
 made this world for men. If kept under the feet, 
 where it belongs, all will be well ; but if permitted 
 to get on our heads, it will crush us, or if in our
 
 38 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 
 
 hearts, it will render us miserable forever. The 
 Christian can enjoy all in this world that is worth 
 enjoying, for he has the promise of this life and 
 that which is to come. He who knows us better 
 than we know ourselves has revealed to us his 
 will a guide to our feet and a lamp to our path- 
 way. Will we walk in the light? "
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 DR. BELDING was invited by a friend living 
 there to preach a few discourses at Paris, Stark 
 Co., O. But when he arrived, no house could be 
 found in which to speak. The Methodists had 
 the only church building in the place, and, being 
 in power in the community, they closed the 
 schoolhouse against the heretic. But, as often 
 happens, they overshot the mark ; for it aroused 
 a feeling, in the non-professing portion of the vil- 
 lage, favorable to the heretic. A hotel-keeper 
 came forward and said that he had a ballroom 
 which he would seat and light, and that the doc- 
 tor might occupy it as long as he pleased. The 
 room was fitted up and crowded with people, 
 curious to hear what the " setters forth of strange 
 doctrine" had to say. The meeting progressed 
 and the interest increased. The people began 
 the cry that "this fellow must be stopped in his 
 work, or he will destroy our church and fill the 
 community with his soul-destroying doctrine." 
 
 The pastor of the church was approached by 
 anxious members, and urged to interfere and stop 
 the work of the " wolf in sheep's clothing," before 
 he slew the lambs of the fold and scattered the 
 sheep. He was earnestly entreated to enter into 
 a discussion with the doctor, for there was no 
 doubt that the fallacy of the " Campbellite " 
 teaching could easily be shown and its influence 
 annulled. When the pastor was approached by 
 some of the leading members of his church, who 
 (39)
 
 40 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 
 
 insisted that something must be done, he replied : 
 " I am not going to load a forty-pounder to shoot 
 a chipmunk." 
 
 This, of course, came to the ears of the doctor, 
 and feeling his spirit stir within him to see the 
 place wholly given up to Methodism, he without 
 doubt said some things [which tended to fan the 
 flames already existing. At length, the fire be- 
 came so hot that the pastor began to feel that the 
 time had come when he ought to escape from the 
 heat and save the remnant. Now, for the first 
 time, he consented to hold a debate. Some of 
 the citizens, not members of the church, came to 
 the doctor and asked him if he would attempt, 
 in a public discussion, to defend the position he 
 had taken. To this he replied: " Yes, and more 
 also. I will show that the Methodist Discipline 
 is not only anti-scriptural, but is, in its tendency, 
 designed to make infidels instead of Christians." 
 
 " What will you discuss? " 
 
 " Anything in the Discipline, which is contrary 
 to the teachings of the Bible." 
 
 A number of propositions were submitted, and 
 agreed upon by both parties. The time and 
 place for the discussion were fixed, moderators 
 were chosen, and an anxious community waited 
 impatiently for the appointed hour. It came, and 
 with it the crowd of people, for the news had 
 spread far and wide. When the Methodist Epis- 
 copal, " called and sent," preacher entered the 
 place for discussion, his arms were loaded with
 
 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 4! 
 
 commentaries. He also had a large pair of old- 
 fashioned " saddle-bags," brought in by an assist- 
 ant, filled with books. It appeared as if the 
 forty-pounder was loaded, and as though the 
 chipmunk might be in danger. The meeting was 
 opened with prayer. The first proposition for 
 debate was : " Do the Scriptures teach justification 
 by faith only? " Half-hour speeches were agreed 
 upon, and each was to be allowed his full time. 
 "The pastor" arose, and, opening his Bible, 
 read what Paul said upon the subject of justifica- 
 tion in Romans and 'Galatians. When the half- 
 hour was up, the speaker sat down. The doctor 
 arose and stood for a moment in the midst of a 
 deathlike stillness. Picking up the written ques- 
 tion from the desk, he read in clear and measured 
 tones: "Do the Scriptures teach justification by 
 faith only?" He then sard: "James, we will 
 hear your testimony." Turning to James ii. 24, 
 he read: "You see then how that by works 
 a man is justified, and not by faith only" Closing 
 the book, he sat down. 
 
 The pastor arose for his second half-hour, and 
 occupied it in reading page after page of com- 
 ments from various authors. " Time expired," 
 called out the moderator. Again Dr. Belding 
 arose to his feet, read the question, and empha- 
 sized still more the same answer. 
 
 The Methodist pastor, doubtless, felt some an- 
 noyance at the turn which the discussion had 
 taken ; but he mustered courage to make his
 
 42 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 
 
 third attempt, which consisted in reading from 
 manuscript that he had prepared for the occasion. 
 At the expiration of his time and speech, the 
 doctor again lifted the paper upon which the 
 question was written, and said : " Friends and 
 brethren, this is a Bible question, and must be 
 settled by Scriptural authority. "Therefore, we 
 will listen to the declaration of one concerning 
 whom Jesus said : ' He that heareth you, heareth 
 me ; and he that despiseth you, despiseth me ; and 
 he that despiseth me, despiseth him that sent me.' 
 James, what is your testimony? 'You see then 
 how that by works a man is justified, and not by 
 faith only'' (James ii. 24)." The Methodist 
 preacher and demolisher of "small animals" did 
 not wait to discuss the remaining question, but, 
 in a very excited and angry manner, gathered 
 up his books, took his hat, and left the house 
 and congregation. 
 
 The only thing left for the doctor to do was 
 to fill up the time allotted to him, which was one 
 and a half hours for he had not used more than 
 five minutes. 
 
 He accordingly delivered a discourse on the 
 subject of justification, as taught in the Holy 
 Scriptures. He endeavored to show that grace 
 alone never blessed a man, but simply prepared 
 the blessing. " Faith alone," he asserted, "never 
 blessed a man, but only led him to partake of 
 the blessing which grace had prepared. * For 
 by grace are ye saved through faith," meaning,
 
 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 43 
 
 by faith are we led into the grace. By faith we 
 eat and drink, and, in eating and drinking, we 
 are blessed." 
 
 As the visible results of the discussion and 
 preaching, many were brought into Christ and to 
 a knowledge of the truth.
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 
 THE spirit of the doctor was aroused by hearing 
 that a Lutheran minister, by the name of Schafer, 
 near Canton, O., had resolved to expose Camp- 
 bellism (as he called it) at an appointed time. 
 Word had been widely circulated, as he was a 
 man of some note and would call together many 
 people. Dr. Belding and Alexander Wilford 
 Hall then a stripling, but afterwards the author 
 of " Universalism Against Itself," and, later, 
 " The Problem of Human Life ; or, Evolution 
 Evolved " determined to hear him. 
 
 After riding all day, they reached the place in 
 time to find a large church filled with people. 
 Being strangers, they readily gained admission, 
 and listened to such a harangue and misrepre- 
 sentation of the Campbellites or Disciples, as 
 the speaker sometimes called them as but few 
 men could or would give. 
 
 At the close of a lengthy speech, and after the 
 appointments for the next day (Sunday) were 
 given out and the benediction had been pro- 
 nounced, Dr. Belding asked the attention of the 
 congregation for a few moments. All were seated, 
 and, in breathless silence, wondered what was 
 coming. 
 
 The doctor requested the privilege of delivering 
 an address in that house the next morning. 
 
 The Rev. Mr. Schafer answered: "We, our- 
 selves, want to use the house." 
 
 To this the, doctor replied : " We will be through 
 <44)
 
 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 45 
 
 with the house before the hour of your service 
 eleven o'clock." But this met with an emphatic 
 response from the pulpit: "You can not have 
 it, sir." 
 
 In reply, the doctor said, in a tone which he 
 intended should be heard by all who were in the 
 house: "Very well, sir; the Lord willing, there 
 will be preaching in the street, opposite this house, 
 to-morrow morning at six o'clock." 
 
 The night passed, and, at the appointed hour, 
 a congregation, in number far exceeding what 
 was expected, was in attendance and eager to 
 hear. The place was beautiful a green plot of 
 grass, shaded by a grove of maples that had been 
 planted to adorn a country churchyard. The 
 services began with the hymn : 
 
 "How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord, 
 Is laid for your faith in his excellent word." 
 
 Prayer was offered for the divine favor in behalf 
 of the people assembled, and that they might be 
 possessed of the same spirit that Jesus prayed for, 
 as recorded in John xvii. This chapter was read 
 and used as the text of the discourse by Dr. 
 Belding. The union of all who believe on Christ, 
 through the teaching of his apostles, was the main 
 topic of the address. 
 
 He took the position that to adopt practically 
 the one creed the Bible, which all admit theo- 
 retically to be the only infallible guide and the 
 one name Christian or Disciple of Christ, which 
 is an honor to any one would result in the bring- 
 ing together of all who sincerely love Christ, and
 
 46 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 
 
 would thus lead the world to believe that "Jesus 
 is the Christ, the Son of the living God." 
 
 The discourse was listened to with attention. 
 At the close, an elderly man stepped forward, 
 and said: " I have a new barn a short distance 
 from here, which I will seat and light. You may 
 preach in it as long as you please." 
 
 The doctor asked how soon it could be made 
 in readiness, to which the gentleman answered : 
 " By three o'clock this afternoon." " All right," 
 said the doctor; "there will be preaching, the 
 Lord willing, in the barn this afternoon and 
 evening " 
 
 The announcement made and the meeting ad- 
 journed, the people gathered in little groups to 
 discuss what they had heard some favorably im- 
 pressed, some otherwise. The appointed hour 
 came, and the people were again assembled. 
 After the opening exercises, which were con- 
 ducted by Dr. Belding, Alexander Hall addressed 
 the audience, taking as a theme, "The Power 
 and All-sufficiency of God's Word in Converting 
 and Saving Men." The train of thought was 
 entirely new to his hearers. 
 
 At evening the seats were well rilled. The 
 doctor presented the Bible as containing the re- 
 vealed will of God, and spoke of its power in 
 creation, providence and redemption. After the 
 sermon, he announced that there would be preach- 
 ing each afternoon and evening, until further 
 notice. 
 
 The whole community was aroused, and the
 
 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 47 
 
 Bible became the general theme of conversation 
 among the people. Meetings continued for some 
 weeks, and scores of people became obedient to 
 the faith. Among them were several members 
 of the Lutheran Church, who had looked in vain 
 for what they had supposed to be clearly taught 
 in the Scriptures, viz. : " infant baptism." When 
 they believed the preaching of Philip concerning 
 the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus 
 Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. 
 (Acts viii.) 
 
 Here was organized the first " Campbellite 
 church " that has come to our knowledge. Dr. 
 Rufus Belding, father of Dr. W. A. Belding, had 
 defined a Campbellite to be one who believes the 
 doctrine taught by Alexander Campbell, but re- 
 fuses to obey it. From twenty to twenty-five men, 
 mostly members of the Lutheran Church, formed 
 what they called a "Campbellite" church, and 
 appointed their elders and deacons. 
 
 The special object of the organization was 
 avowed to be the study of the Scriptures to see 
 whether these things were so. The greater part 
 of them were subsequently baptized, and became 
 members of the church of Christ at Sparta. 
 
 Among the number was a young man by the 
 name of Stametts, who, yielding to his convic- 
 tions of right, after a long study of the Bible, was 
 induced to confess his faith in Christ, and was 
 baptized by Dr. Belding. 
 
 This young man's father, one of the leading 
 men in the so-called " Evangelical " church, being
 
 48 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 
 
 very much enraged at the step his son had taken, 
 drove him away from home. Mrs. Stametts (the 
 mother) sent for Dr. Belding to visit her the doc- 
 tor thought, professionally. But he found out, on 
 going there, that it was for spiritual, rather than 
 medical, consultation. Father Stametts was so 
 displeased at this that he left the house in a rage. 
 
 A few years afterward, Elder Jonas Hartzell 
 went into the neighborhood and delivered a few 
 discourses in the German language. Mr. Stametts, 
 being a German by birth, was induced to hear 
 him, and soon, like thousands of others, fell in 
 love with the simple truth. After a time, he, too, 
 was immersed by Bro. Hartzell. 
 
 Dr. Belding, hearing of the change which had 
 taken place, determined to visit Sparta, and call 
 upon the adopted brother. This he did, and, as 
 he was tying his horse to the post, Father Sta- 
 metts, standing in the door, lifted the glasses from 
 his eyes and discovered the newcomer. He has- 
 tened to the gate, crying out: " Vy, Brudder 
 Belding, is dat you ! You looks a heap more 
 like a man as you used to do ; for you used to 
 look like de werry debil. I always thought de 
 debil and de Campbellite breacher looked zhoost 
 alike." *.
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 AT a later meeting held in Sparta, the doctor 
 delivered a discourse upon " The Division of the 
 Word," showing that no new revelations are now 
 made to preachers, but that the injunction to 
 rightly divide the Word of truth is imperative. 
 He then pointed out that the Old Testament con- 
 tains the account of creation, of the dealings of 
 God with the human family for about sixteen 
 hundred years, of the flood and the repeopling of 
 the earth, together with a further history of the 
 world for twenty-four hundred years until the 
 coming of Christ ; that it contains the law, the 
 prophets and the Psalms, and that the special 
 design of it is to point the reader to Christ as 
 the Messiah of God God's Son and man's only 
 Savior. 
 
 He said further that the first four books of the 
 New Testament give an account of the birth, life, 
 death, burial and resurrection of Christ ; his com- 
 mission to the apostles, and his ascension to 
 heaven. The Book of Acts narrates some of the 
 apostles' experiences with sinners, answering the 
 question : " What must I do to be saved? " (See 
 Acts ii. 38; ix. 6; xxii. 16 ; x. 4, 48; also xvi. 
 
 30-33-) 
 
 The Epistles were written to believing, penitent, 
 baptized persons ; to the individual, the family, 
 the congregation and the church, scattered abroad 
 everywhere. Their design was to teach how to 
 live as Christians and form a Christlike character. 
 (49)
 
 5O BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 
 
 The Book of Revelation describes the Church 
 of Christ, from its organization on the day of 
 Pentecost until the end of time ; telling of past 
 events, others now transpiring, and still others 
 yet to come, closing with a description of the 
 Christian's final home. 
 
 When the discourse was ended and the meeting 
 dismissed, an old man, Dr. Tuttle, stepped for- 
 ward. Taking Dr. Belding by the hand, he said : 
 "My young brother, I have been a preacher in 
 the Methodist Episcopal Church for thirty-six 
 years, and have my- license in mv pocket But 
 I have learned more about the Bible this evening 
 than in all my life before. Many, many things 
 which have always been mysterious to me have 
 been made plain by the division which you have 
 given us." 
 
 After hearing a few discourses, he further said : 
 * ' I have been a regenerated man for nearly fifty 
 years, but have never been born. I wish to be 
 baptized." His request was granted, and he was 
 immersed in Sandy Creek by Bro. John Whittaker. 
 
 To show what prejudice will do, we will further 
 state that his baptism took place Lord's-day morn- 
 ing. In the afternoon of the same day, and -at 
 his regular place of preaching, at the close of 
 his sermon, he asked the church for a letter 
 of commendation, saying: "I have my license 
 from the conference, but, wishing to visit the 
 western part of Ohio, I would like a letter, pro- 
 vided you think I am worthy of one." This was 
 freely granted, and a letter given him. But when
 
 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 51 
 
 it was ascertained that he had been immersed, the 
 report was at once circulated that he ought to be 
 excluded from the conference for immoral con- 
 duct. He did not wait for the action of that body, 
 but, having been born of water and the Spirit, 
 he took his place among his brethren in Christ, 
 and continued to preach the Word until death 
 called him to lay his armor down. 
 
 Soon after this, Dr. Belding moved from Mi- 
 nerva, Stark Co., O., to Doylestown, Wayne 
 County. Here he entered into partnership with 
 Dr. A. L. Simmons, whose wife was a sister to 
 Mrs. Belding, but had recently died. Through 
 the instrumentality of Dr. Belding, a small con- 
 gregation of Disciples was formed in Doylestown ; 
 so also in Slankertown, two and a half miles away. 
 
 To these, as well as other churches, he con- 
 tinued to minister, without money and without 
 price, until it was thought best for him to remove 
 to the latter place. This he did in 1843, board- 
 ing for some time with the family of Jacob 
 Huffman, who was an earnest Christian and warm 
 friend.
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 IN the small village of Slankertown was a 
 hotel, kept by a German, for whom the village 
 was named. At this place liquors were freely 
 dispensed, which was quite a trial to the doctor, 
 with his ^strong temperance principles. He re- 
 peatedly remonstrated with Mr. Slanker, and tried 
 to persuade him to abandon the sale of intoxicants 
 and keep a temperance house. For a time Mr. 
 Slanker intimated that he would do this. But he 
 at last declared that, if he should give up the sale 
 of whisky, he and his family would starve. The 
 doctor, being somewhat excited, replied : " If you 
 do not keep a temperance house, I will." Upon 
 this they parted, but met again in a few days and 
 resumed the conversation. 
 
 The doctor reaffirmed his former statement, 
 and asked Mr. Slanker: " Have you ever known 
 me to lie? My discipline says that I must not 
 lie, and I shall not begin here." 
 
 Matters looked very discouraging to a would-be 
 hotel-seeker. He had but a small house ; but 
 that was not the greatest obstacle to be overcome. 
 His wife was an invalid, and had not walked a 
 step for many years. But he believed that where 
 there was a will a way could be found. His 
 struggles in earlier life gave him strength and 
 courage, and he at once set about enlarging his 
 house and barn. Within four weeks he put out a 
 sign with this inscription: "Temperance House, 
 by W. A. Belding." This was made so con- 
 (52)
 
 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 53 
 
 spicuous that it could be read from one end of 
 the village to the other. The name was familiar, 
 his father having kept a hotel for many years, so 
 he received a steady patronage. 
 
 Imagine a man practicing medicine, preaching 
 the gospel, and now, with an invalid and almost 
 helpless wife, attempting to run a hotel. But 
 this he did, and was prospered in all. He finally 
 resolved to dispose of the hotel, abandon the 
 practice of medicine, and devote his life in 
 future exclusively to the proclamation of the gos- 
 pel of Christ. Ere long an apparent opening 
 presented itself. 
 
 During the year 1849, a man wfoo owned a 
 piece of land in Shalersville made a proposal to 
 exchange places with him. The terms were soon 
 arranged, and the contract resulted in the re- 
 moval of Dr. Belding to the extreme southwest 
 corner of the township of Shalersville. That 
 same year he began preaching for the church at 
 Shalersville Center. 
 
 He fitted up two rooms of a dilapidated log 
 house that had come into his possession with the 
 land before mentioned. It was thought that the 
 wife and boy Rufus E. , now about seven years 
 old could manage to winter there in tolerable 
 comfort. When the family was settled, he com- 
 menced a series of meetings in a schoolhouse 
 near by. The interest increased until the house 
 would not hold the audiences. 
 
 A lot of wild and reckless boys were in the 
 habit of attending the services, concerning whom
 
 54 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 
 
 the doctor's nearest neighbor had said, by way 
 of warning : " You must not leave your carriage, 
 or anything else which these boys can get hold 
 of, outside ; for they will surely destroy it or 
 carry it off for you. Indeed, they often take my 
 carriage wheels and hang them in the tops of 
 the trees." 
 
 The doctor had not forgotten that he was once 
 young. He accordingly treated the boys kindly, 
 and in turn found that they were always ready 
 to do him any favor that he asked. 
 
 During the meeting, several converts requested 
 baptism. The stream was frozen over, but the 
 boys were on* hand. They cleared away the 
 ice, held the doctor's overcoat and hat, and 
 helped him into and out of the water, thus show- 
 ing themselves to be among the warmest friends 
 he had found in the neighborhood. 
 
 The winter passed and the interest was such 
 in the community about the center of Shalers- 
 ville that a strong desire was expressed for the 
 doctor to move into their midst and devote more 
 time to them. This necessarily involved another 
 change. Dennis C. Day, a good brother, pro- 
 posed an exchange of farms with the doctor, 
 but seven hundred dollars was required by the 
 doctor to pay the difference in value. How he 
 should do it and continue preaching was the 
 question, for he had promised the Lord that' he 
 would continue to preach while he had strength. 
 
 Ascertaining by accident that Albert Under- 
 wood, the keeper of the poorhouse, was about
 
 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 55 
 
 to leave that situation, the doctor called on -him 
 and induced him to purchase a half interest in 
 the new farm for fifteen hundred dollars. Mr. 
 Underwood worked the farm, while the doctor 
 preached. But, a year or so afterwards, the 
 doctor's father, Dr. Rufus Belding, wished to 
 join his son. The doctor agreed to purchase Mr. 
 Underwood's half, which his father, in turn, 
 agreed to buy from him. But after the doctor 
 had given his notes for Mr. Underwood's interest, 
 the father suddenly died. How to pay Mr. Under- 
 wood fifteen hundred dollars was the question. 
 However, as usual, a way was found. He sold 
 the half interest to his brother Edwin, who came 
 from Randolph, and worked the farm, while the 
 doctor gave his whole time and attention to the 
 work of the gospel ministry. 
 
 The work of evangelizing seemed to be his 
 strong point, and nearly one hundred were gath- 
 ered into the Shalersville Church.
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 IN a meeting at which Thomas Munnell was 
 assisting him, a certain young lady made con- 
 fession of her faith in Christ. While the doctor 
 was consulting with her and arranging for the 
 baptism, the young lady's brother stepped in 
 between his sister and the doctor, declaring that 
 he would shoot any man who attempted to baptize 
 his sister. The doctor very calmly, but decidedly, 
 said to him that if his sister wished to be bap- 
 tized and desired him to do it, he would undertake 
 it. The brother then said that his sister wished 
 to see her mother, to which the doctor replied : 
 "She can do so if she desires." He asked a 
 young man who stood near to drive his (the doc- 
 tor's) carriage to the door. The lady and her 
 sister stepped into the carriage, when a friend 
 of her brother's said that he would drive for 
 them. "Step in and do so,'' said the doctor. 
 The young man declined, but, upon the doctor's 
 insisting, he finally accepted the invitation and 
 drove off. 
 
 By this time the excitement was running high, 
 and some of the people who knew the driver well 
 said to the doctor : " You will not see your horses 
 and carriage again to-night." But he replied 
 that he had no fear of that. They did not return 
 for some time. So Bro. Munnell and the doctor 
 thought it might be well for them to go to the 
 home of the young lady to see what was detaining 
 them. Upon their arrival, they found the young 
 (56)
 
 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 57 
 
 lady in tears, pleading with her mother for con- 
 sent, which she positively refused to give. After 
 urgent appeals and arguments, she at last yielded. 
 The doctor took possession of his team, and, with 
 the young ladies, Bro. Munnell and the young 
 man who had driven from the church, hastened to 
 the creek at Bro. Davis Haven's, where the bap- 
 tism was to be administered. It was nearly or 
 quite twelve o'clock, and Bro. Haven's house was 
 crowded to overflowing. 
 
 Some time was spent in prayer, song and ex- 
 hortation. Dr. Belding remarked, "There is a 
 young lady" pointing towards the sister of the 
 one about to be baptized "who told me this 
 evening, that if it were not for her associates, 
 she also would confess and obey her Savior, 
 which she believed to be her duty." 
 
 A young man standing near her, after whisper- 
 ing to her, said: "She says that she never 
 said so." 
 
 The doctor turned to her, and asked : " Harriet, 
 did you not tell me that this evening? " 
 
 " I did," she audibly replied. 
 
 Another invitation was [extended, which four 
 more accepted, and fourteen were immersed into 
 Christ without any disturbance whatever. 
 
 While living in Shalersville, the doctor spent 
 a portion of his time in the surrounding towns. 
 A meeting was appointed in Garrettsville, where 
 he was expected to preach in the evening He 
 drove from his home in the afternoon and stopped 
 at the house of Bro. Rudolph, who was one of
 
 58 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 
 
 the elders of the church. As the hour for meet- 
 ing drew near, it rained in torrents. But Bro. 
 Rudolph, who was a brave soldier, said : " We 
 will go to meeting, for we must not let trifles 
 keep us from the performance of duty." Soon 
 his carriage was at the door, and his family and 
 the doctor got into it. The rain increased, and, 
 just as the elder and the preacher arrived at the 
 church, the sexton was on the steps, about to 
 open and light the house. But the sexton said : 
 'It is useless to open this house to-night, for 
 no one will be here." .Bro. Rudolph turned to 
 the doctor and asked: " Shall we get out of the 
 carriage?" The doctor replied: "Do as you 
 think best, for I will take no responsibility in the 
 matter." Bro. Rudolph turned his horses and 
 drove home. On the way they met two men 
 going to meeting, and in the morning the doctor 
 met a young lady, who said she was waiting for 
 the house to be lighted and was intending to go 
 to church. This caused him to renew a former 
 pledge, that, if he had an appointment to preach 
 and had but one hearer, he would preach to 
 that one. 
 
 Only a few weeks had elapsed when he went 
 to Streetsboro to fill an engagement in a school- 
 house. Upon entering, he found it empty. He 
 took his Bible, and, while he was reading, three 
 men came in. Two of them he knew to be mem- 
 bers of the church, while one was not. The rain 
 was falling copiously, and one of the brethren 
 proposed that they all go across the street to hear
 
 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 59 
 
 what the Baptist minister might have to say. The 
 doctor said that if they would remain, he would 
 preach to them. They assented, and he addressed 
 the two brethren for perhaps thirty minutes. He 
 then turned and spoke to the man of the world, 
 closing with a personal appeal: "Do you believe 
 what I have said ? " He replied : " I do." " Do 
 you intend ever to become a Christian?" He 
 answered promptly: " I do." The question was 
 then put, "When?" and as promptly answered: 
 " I will start to-day." The confession of his 
 faith in Christ was then taken, and the preacher 
 and congregation repaired to the stream, where 
 he was buried in the baptismal grave, arising to 
 walk in "newness of life." He has often since 
 been heard to say : " If the house had been full, I 
 would, doubtless, have gone as I came ; but, the 
 preaching being personal, I could not resist it." 
 Dr. Belding was engaged in a meeting in 
 Ravenna, O., when, in response to the gospel 
 invitation, a lady confessed her faith in Christ. 
 Her husband left the house in a rage. When 
 the wife returned to her home, he met her at the 
 door, and, in a most profane and abusive manner, 
 forbade her going to the church again. On Mon 
 day morning he was so angry that he left home 
 for his school (he was a teacher) without his 
 breakfast. His wife was very unhappy until 
 Wednesday, near the middle of the day, when, 
 on looking out the window, she saw him coming 
 home. On arriving at the house, he asked her to 
 come*to the door where he had met her on that
 
 6O BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 
 
 previous evening. Making an humble apology, 
 he asked her to forgive him, saying that if she 
 would go with him, he, too, would confess his 
 Savior. This he did, and they were forthwith 
 baptized. 
 
 It is better sometimes to move people even to 
 anger than to have them remain in a state of 
 indifference. Many cases bear witness to this. 
 
 While an invitation hymn was being sung at 
 Pompey Hill, N. Y. , the leader of the music 
 being an unbeliever, the doctor asked that the 
 singing cease for a moment. He inquired if 
 there were not persons in the room who were 
 singing sentiments that they did not believe. The 
 leader, Mr. Ellis, threw ao^vn his book, took his 
 hat and left the house, looking mad enough to 
 fight. He told his wife that he would never 
 enter the church again. 
 
 Two years or more passed. The doctor was 
 holding a meeting at Cato, Cayuga Co., N. Y. 
 Mrs. Ellis, of Pompey, came into the house. At 
 the close of the services, the doctor inquired after 
 the welfare of herself and family. She burst 
 into tears, and, after she had . controlled her feel- 
 ings sufficiently, related to him the story concern- 
 ing her husband, as above stated. The doctor, 
 who was accustomed to looking on the bright 
 side of the picture, said: "Do not grieve, for 
 I intend going to Pompey when this meeting 
 is over." 
 
 The time came, and the meeting in Pompey 
 was in progress. Mr. Ellis brought his family to
 
 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 6l 
 
 church and took them home. As the people were 
 getting into their carriages after service, the doc- 
 tor heard Mr. Ellis asking Bro. Joseph Garrett 
 and wife to go home to dine with them. The 
 doctor said to himself: " Now is my time." 
 Stepping up to Mrs. Ellis, he said: "I think I 
 will take dinner with you to-day." She re- 
 sponded: "I wish you would." Dr. Belding 
 stepped into the carriage with Bro. Garrett' s peo- 
 ple, and they arrived at the house a little in 
 advance of the family. When Mr. Ellis drove 
 up, the doctor, in a very jovial manner, came 
 forward, and, reaching out his hand, said : " How 
 do you do, Bro. Ellis?" 
 
 Mr. Ellis extended his hand rather reluctantly, 
 and, in a reserved manner, said: "How are 
 you?" The doctor continued: "I don't know 
 that you can put up with such fare as we have 
 here, but we would like to have you come in and 
 take some dinner with us." "All right," said 
 Mr. Ellis. The doctor went to the barn, assisted 
 in putting up the horses, looked over the farm, 
 went to the house and took dinner. After a good 
 social time, as the hour for evening meeting drew 
 nigh, he said to Mr. Ellis : " Come, hitch up that 
 nice team and take us to church. We can not 
 afford to walk with such good horses standing 
 idle." To this he readily consented. The doc- 
 tor sat beside him on the way to church, and 
 said : " Hi'tch your horses under the shed and go 
 to meeting with us." He made no reply, but 
 the doctor repeated the invitation more earnestly,
 
 <>2 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 
 
 when Mr. Ellis reluctantly said: "I will think 
 of it." The friends alighted and entered the 
 house. Presently, to the astonishment of all, Mr. 
 Ellis came in. The next evening found him in 
 attendance, and the third day witnessed what his 
 friends had long desired, but had never dared 
 hope for the confession of his confidence in 
 Christ. 
 
 After his baptism and change of raiment, the 
 <loctor addressed him : " Well, Bro. Robert, how 
 do you feel?" His answer was: "I feel good, 
 and not much as I did two years ago, wheji I 
 angrily left the church." He added: "Now I 
 am thankful for the merited rebuke. It was that 
 which saved me." 
 
 Another incident of a similar nature occurred 
 in Chardon, Geauga Co., O. An interesting 
 meeting was in progress. The congregation was 
 singing the hymn of invitation, when, suddenly, 
 the doctor called out, " Please stop singing," 
 and asked: " Which is the worse to tell a false- 
 hood or to sing it? " One of the leading singers, 
 a daughter of the resident pastor, drew her veil 
 over her face, stepped across the aisle, and dropped 
 into her seat. With a deep sigh the pastor, Bro. 
 Collins, exclaimed: " Oh, dear!" Bro. Collins 
 and the doctor were singing from the same book. 
 The doctor replied: "Bro. Collins, don't be 
 alarmed, for I think I know Lizzie well, and 
 \ do not believe I have missed the mark." He 
 was right, for in a day or two Lizzie was obedient 
 to her Savior.
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 DURING the years of Dr. Beiding's stay in 
 Shalersville, he was called to fill an appointment 
 of Calvin Smith's in Austintown, O., from which 
 Bro Smith was detained by sickness. The meet- 
 ing had continued but a short time when the 
 brethren of the church came, and, in great dis- 
 tress, begged of the doctor that he would give 
 no invitation for "backsliders" to return to the 
 church. They feared that a man, who in former 
 years had been excluded from the church for his 
 continued litigation and contention with a fellow- 
 townsman, might ask for admission. The two 
 men could never meet without exchanging angry 
 words, and two or three times had come to blows. 
 All felt certain that, if he returned, the church 
 must have trouble with him, and would, no doubt, 
 be again compelled to withdraw the hand of fel- 
 lowship from him. 
 
 He and his avowed enemy were in the house 
 at every service, but as far removed from each 
 other as they well could be. The doctor, who 
 declares that by nature he is cowardly, studied 
 carefully to avoid all suggestions that might be 
 construed into an invitation for the wanderer to 
 return to the fold, and really failed to do his duty. 
 Upon one occasion, when speaking of the power 
 of the gospel to make the warmest friends of bit- 
 terest enemies able even to turn "a raven to a 
 dove, a lion to a lamb " he mustered up courage, 
 after breathing an earnest prayer for help, to do 
 (63)
 
 64 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 
 
 * 
 
 his duty. He asked: "Are there not several 
 present who have known the joy arising from the 
 assurance of sins forgiven by obedience to Christ, 
 and the hope of eternal life who have wandered 
 from their Father's house and feel like returning? 
 If so, let them come." No sooner was the oppor- 
 tunity offered than the wanderer came to the 
 front. At the same moment the other man ap- 
 peared, coming from the opposite side of the 
 house. Consternation filled the hearts of the 
 congregation, and especially that of the doctor, 
 who felt that a collision was inevitable, and that 
 the contentious parties would break up the meet- 
 ing with an excited row. But great was the 
 relief when the two men, who for many years 
 had been at swords' points, met as friends, throw- 
 ing their arms around each other, and, each with 
 his head resting on the other's shoulder, with 
 tears of penitence confessed his faults, each asking 
 the forgiveness of the other, of the congregation, 
 and of God. 
 
 This was one of the most touching scenes of 
 the kind that Dr. Belding has ever witnessed, 
 and one of the most convincing evidences of the 
 power of the gospel of Christ over the hearts and 
 lives of men. 
 
 "How sweet the name of Jesus sounds 
 
 In a believer's ear; 
 
 It soothes his sorrows, heals his wounds, 
 And drives away his fear. 
 
 "It makes the wounded spirit whole, 
 
 And calms the troubled breast; 
 Tis manna to the hungry soul, 
 And to the weary rest."
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 ON the twentieth day of August, 1855, in com- 
 pany with his brother Edwin and two friends, 
 Harmon Lake and Wallace Hunt (the latter of 
 Auburn, N. Y.), the doctor left home for the 
 West. The boys, Edwin and his companions, 
 had with them ten horses, which they designed 
 selling in Chicago, if not successful in disposing 
 of them before reaching that place. Mrs. Belding 
 accompanied the doctor, but was to leave the 
 party at the then celebrated "water cure" at 
 Berlin, O. On the second day, towards evening, 
 the party arrived at Berlin, where Mrs. Belding 
 remained, while the rest of the party pushed on. 
 During the third day the doctor traded his black 
 team for a gold watch, and traveled with the rest 
 of his party to Maumee City, where they paused 
 to inspect old Fort Meigs. They found some 
 relics of battle, among which were several human 
 teeth. Hastily leaving Maumee City, where over 
 half of the people were sick it being a very 
 unhealthy place they advanced, stopping occa- 
 sionally to call on an acquaintance. The doctor 
 preached nearly every evening. 
 
 They passed through Hillsdale, Coldwater, 
 Bronson, White Pigeon and Elkhart, to South 
 Bend, Ind., which they reached on the 3ist of 
 August. The 4th of September found them in 
 Chicago This was the doctor's first sight of 
 that now tremendous and unrivaled city, and 
 he described it as " no city at all ; very rough, 
 (65)
 
 66 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 
 
 uneven, unpaved, a malarial place of a few thou- 
 sand people, and in no way attractive or prom- 
 ising." 
 
 A sister in Austintown, O., after supporting 
 herself and an invalid mother for a number of 
 years by her needle, left fifty-one dollars and a 
 few cents in the hands of Brethren Joseph Karl 
 and Joseph Kyle, with the request that they 
 should use it to the best of their judgment to 
 pay for preaching the gospel. Dr. Belding went 
 to a place near New Castle, Pa., called Pump- 
 kintown, where he preached ten days, and was 
 paid one dollar per day from this fund. 
 
 He has said that he scarcely ever felt the in- 
 spiration to preach that he felt there, as if a voice 
 from the grave was constantly urging him to 
 make known to his fellowmen the wondrous love 
 of God. Three other churches were then brought 
 into existence by that small, but liberal, donation. 
 
 The year 1855 was spent almost entirely in 
 holding meetings and soliciting funds for the 
 General Missionary Convention. A meeting held 
 by the doctor at South Butler, N. Y., resulted in 
 the immersion of sixty-seven persons. 
 
 From South Butler he went to New York City, 
 where he remained but a few days, immersing 
 nineteen. We find him next at Danbury, Conn., 
 tarrying at the home of Bro. E. A. Mallory (a 
 long-tried friend) , and holding a meeting in the 
 Danbury Church. The result of this effort was 
 the adding of between fifty and sixty to the mem- 
 bership.
 
 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 67 
 
 The last evening of the meeting, after closing 
 the church and upon returning home in company 
 with Bro. Mallory and wife, they found awaiting 
 them two young ladies, employes of Bro. Mallory. 
 They had been steadily attending the meetings, 
 and were now crying and sobbing because the 
 meeting was past, and they had not found cour- 
 age to confess their belief in Christ. A service 
 was held then and there, for their dear sakes, in 
 which they confessed their Savior, and stated 
 their desire to be immersed. It was then between 
 twelve and one o'clock at night, and the doctor 
 was to leave the town early in the morning. 
 Arousing a few of the brethren who lived near 
 by, the party started for a neighboring stream. 
 Before they had gone many rods, a large distillery 
 began to burn fiercely, and afforded them ample 
 light for the ceremony. 
 
 During all this time his home was in Shaler- 
 ville. But, in 1856, he sold his remaining interest 
 in the farm to a brother-in-law of Edwin's, El wood 
 Hamilton, and moved to Mentor, Lake Co., O., 
 early in 1857. 
 
 At a yearly meeting held in Randolph, Portage 
 County, in June, 1852, he had the pleasure of 
 baptizing Rufus E., at that time his only son, 
 aged eleven years, in the stream in which he was 
 himself immersed some years before.
 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 SOON after moving to Mentor, the doctor bought 
 a place of about ten acres in the center of the 
 township, and within sight of the Garfield resi- 
 dence, which has since made Mentor known to 
 the nation. While engaged in holding a meeting 
 at Bedford, O. , soon after he had moved his 
 family to Mentor, an incident occurred. During 
 the singing of a song of invitation, Dr. J. P. 
 Robinson, who was extremely anxious for the 
 salvation of his only sister, approached her, and 
 kindly said : " Come, go with us, and we will do 
 you good." She shook her head, and he returned 
 to his place near the pulpit. Not feeling satisfied, 
 he went to her again, but with the same result. 
 Still the brother could not feel content, and re- 
 turned the third time, pleading with her to yield 
 to the invitation of the loving Savior, but again 
 she refused. The meeting closed, and, soon after, 
 the young lady was taken suddenly ill, and drew 
 rapidly near the end of life. Calling her brother 
 to her bedside, she said : " You came to me once, 
 twice, three times, and urged me to confess my 
 faith in Christ, and I as stubbornly refused your 
 loving opportunity. Why did you not conic again? 
 I meant in my heart to yield, but you did not 
 come, and I was left yes, left to die without 
 hope." " Go into the highways and hedge?, and 
 compel them to come in," said our blessed Savior. 
 
 Being called to Batnbridge, O., to spend a few 
 days, he was invited to preach in the Congrega- 
 (68)
 
 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 69 
 
 tional Church. The invitation was accepted. 
 During the series of discourses which he gave, 
 there was one of his hearers a lady from New 
 York who became deeply impressed with the 
 truth of what she heard. She sent the doctor a 
 note, asking him to call on her, expressing a 
 desire to converse with him privately. He 
 promptly complied with her request, and found 
 her an intelligent and conscientious woman, a 
 member of the M. E. Church. She said she was 
 troubled about her baptism, concerning which she 
 had never had a doubt until she heard the few 
 discourses delivered by him, one of which was a 
 discussion of the subject, "A Penitent Believer." 
 
 After asking a number of questions, which were 
 answered to her satisfaction, she asked if he 
 would baptize her, and allow her to retain her 
 membership iu the M. E. Church, and added: 
 "There is no other where I live, and I do not 
 know as I would join one if there was." To 
 this question the doctor answered: "I will bap- 
 tize you with the understanding that you will 
 follow the teaching of the Lord Jesus Christ and 
 the apostles. If they make of you a Methodist, 
 be one; if a Presbyterian, be one; if a Baptist, 
 or even a Mormon, be one. In short, go where 
 the Bible leads you, and be what the Bible makes 
 you." To this the lady replied : " I resolved many 
 years ago to do all the Savior asks of me as fast 
 as I can learn my duty." Upon a confession of 
 her faith in Christ she was immersed. 
 
 A few weeks later the doctor was called to
 
 7O BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 
 
 attend a funeral in the same town. The lady was 
 present, and at the close of the services she 
 approached the doctor, requesting a letter or 
 certificate of her baptism, at the same time stating 
 that she was going to spend the winter in Cin- 
 cinnati, and would like to spend it with the 
 " Church of Christ." The doctor said, smilingly : 
 "You will doubtless find a Methodist church 
 there also." She quickly responded: "I have 
 learned too much to be a Methodist, and prefer 
 to be simply and only a Christian." The letter 
 was, of course, granted. 
 
 The saying of Him who spake as never man 
 spake, "Except a man love me more than all 
 else, he can not be my disciple," is sometimes 
 put to the test. A single instance will illustrate. 
 Dr. Belding was called to attend the funeral of 
 one whom he supposed to be a stranger. But, 
 upon entering the house and looking upon the 
 face of the sleeper, he at once recognized it as a 
 familiar one, and one having a sad, but interest- 
 ing, history. 
 
 Many years before, while Bro. William Hay den 
 was preaching at Royalton, O., a young lady 
 was most forcibly impressed with his clear and 
 touching presentation of the simple " story of the 
 cross." Her father was an infidel, while the 
 mother and all the members of her family were 
 scoffers at the Christian religion ; nevertheless, 
 her interest increased and her convictions deep- 
 ened. Her father told her emphatically that if
 
 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 7 I 
 
 she joined that despised little company, she could 
 no longer have .a home with him. 
 
 After calm and serious reflection, and most 
 earnest prayer, she decided to follow Christ. She 
 was immersed by Bro. Hayden, and went" from 
 the stream to her father's home, only to be denied 
 admittance. She turned away, and though for 
 eighteen long years she lived within ten miles of 
 her childhood -home, yet she spoke to but one 
 member of her family, and never was allowed to 
 enter the old home during that time. None of 
 her relatives were present at her funeral to see 
 her carried to her resting-place. Her closing 
 hour was peaceful, and when her eyes were grow- 
 ing dim with death's approach, she said to those 
 around her : " I am going to see the loving Savior, 
 for whom I have forsaken all." Jesus verified to 
 her his promise here, and will no doubt do so as 
 fully in the new Jerusalem. "He is truthful" 
 " he is faithful; " "he gives homes and friends 
 an hundred-fold."
 
 CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 IN 1849, during the annual meeting being held 
 at Russell, Geauga Co., O., a few brethren were 
 called together in the house of Bro Lattin Soule 
 to consult with reference to the propriety of build- 
 ing a school for the education of their children 
 not only in the sciences, but also in the Bible. 
 We will give the doctor's connection with this 
 work in his own language. 
 
 " I was present at that meeting, and when the 
 plan was agreed upon and the determination made 
 to go ahead with the work, I was selected as its 
 financial and general agent. The raising of the 
 sum needed for such an enterprise seemed like a 
 great undertaking for a people so weak financially 
 and so few in numbers. But I succeeded in 
 raising the first twenty-five thousand dollars con- 
 tributed to lay the foundation of the Western 
 Reserve Eclectic Institute, which has since grown 
 into the well-known and reputable educational 
 institution called Hiram College. 
 
 "I am now (1897) the only person living who 
 was present at that preliminary meeting. I natu- 
 rally feel proud of the work there inaugurated 
 and so prosperously carried on. God's blessing 
 has attended it from the first, and many noble 
 men and women have gone forth from its halls 
 who have honored the institution, and aided to 
 fill the world with the knowledge and spirit there 
 impressed upon them. Among those best known 
 to the American people was James A. Garfield, a 
 (72)
 
 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 7$ 
 
 graduate from, and afterwards the president of,, 
 the college. May it long continue to prosper, 
 and when those who so generously contributed to 
 its support shall be gathered to their fathers,. 
 and rest from their labors, may their work still 
 continue, that future generations may call then* 
 blessed." 
 
 In this work, and in his labor for the mission- 
 ary society of Ohio, he gained the reputation of 
 being a ''successful beggar," as he himself has 
 expressed it. 
 
 While engaged in these works, he often found- 
 persons who expressed the wish to donate to the 
 object for which he was soliciting, but who plead 
 the excuse that they had no money ; but if they 
 could sell such a piece of property a horse, a 
 cow or a piece of land they would do so. 
 
 The doctor was always ready for such emer- 
 gencies, and would propose to take the property 
 and pay to the institute its value. Upon one 
 occasion, he visited a man from whom, it was 
 said, nothing could be [obtained. In the midst 
 of harvest, when work was pressing hard, the 
 doctor called early in the morning and found the 
 family at breakfast with a number of hired men. 
 Being invited, he took breakfast with them. 
 When, rising from the table, the brother re- 
 marked, "You must excuse me, for my work is 
 pressing," he replied: "The Master's work is 
 always pressing, and I am in a hurry, too." He 
 made known the object of his visit, and asked 
 for the modest sum of one hundred dollars. To-
 
 74 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. VV. A. BELDING. 
 
 this request the miserly brother replied quickly 
 .and rather excitedly, "I am so much in debt 
 that I can not give you one hundred cents," and 
 he started for the harvest field. The doctor called 
 him back, and kindly entreated him to give him 
 a promise for the amount, but he insisted that he 
 could not afford it. 
 
 The doctor knew that, like many others, before 
 lie had one farm paid for he would buy another, 
 keeping always in debt, and thus always having 
 that as an excuse for not giving. He finally sat 
 -down, and, in the course of the conversation that 
 ensued, told the doctor what liabilities he had 
 outstanding. After much persuasion, he gave his 
 note for the amount asked for, due one year after 
 his last obligation was due. This he did as much 
 to get rid of his visitor as from any other motive. 
 It was collected from his estate, as he died before 
 it became due. The doctor's comment on the 
 -above, as found in his diary, is slightly humorous. 
 It stands: " The Lord loveth the cheerful giver."
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 IN 1856, Bro. Garrett, of Pompey, N. Y., had 
 a little money, which he desired to devote to the 
 Master's cause. Fifty dollars of this money he 
 handed to the doctor to assist some young man 
 in preparing for the ministry. After keeping it 
 for some time without finding a place where it 
 seemed needed, he at length gave to C. C. Foote 
 fifteen dollars, with which to buy an overcoat. 
 Soon after, the doctor wrote Bro. Garrett that he 
 had thirty-five dollars in his pocket, and asked 
 what disposition he desired made of that amount. 
 To this Bro. Garrett replied: "Go and preach 
 it out." 
 
 The place selected was Wellington, a town in 
 Ohio, between Cleveland and Columbus. After 
 repeated efforts to obtain a house to preach in, 
 a certain Mr. Tripp (a man of the world) came 
 to the doctor and said: " I have a carriage shop, 
 which I will heat and light ; there you can preach 
 as long as you wish." The invitation was ac- 
 cepted and the meeting began. The novelty of 
 the place attracted the people, and from the first 
 the attendance was good. Converts were made, 
 and soon a congregation was formed amid much 
 sectarian prejudice and opposition, which became 
 so manifest that the sympathies of "outsiders" 
 were aroused, and a subscription was started. 
 Soon the building of a house of worship was 
 commenced and ultimately finished, owing largely 
 to the assistance rendered by non-professing 
 citizens. 
 (75)
 
 76 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 
 
 When Bro. Garrett was informed of what had 
 been accomplished, he said: "Thank God! I 
 have fifty dollars more to spend in the same way." 
 
 During the same year Dr. Belding was preach- 
 ing at Madison, Lake Co., O., when an invita- 
 tion was given him to speak in the Presbyterian 
 Church upon the subject, "Christian Union." 
 This he consented to do on the following Lord's- 
 day evening. The house was crowded, and the 
 congregation so much interested and pleased with 
 the manner in which the subject was presented that 
 one of the officers in the church arose and asked 
 the speaker if he would not speak to them again. 
 The doctor replied that he would be pleased to 
 do so, providing he was assured that his hands 
 should not be tied, nor his tongue padlocked. 
 The man who made the request rose again to his 
 feet, and responded: "We would like to have 
 you preach here every evening until we request 
 you to stop." He called upon three others of the 
 trustees, all of whom expressed themselves in 
 favor of continuing the meeting. The pastor of 
 the church objected in quite a spirited speech, 
 but the trustees prevailed, and the meeting 
 went on. 
 
 A number of persons declared that they had 
 learned the way of the Lord more perfectly, and 
 were determined to walk in it. They were bap- 
 tized into Christ, ignoring their former " baptism*' 
 while unbelieving infants.
 
 CHAPTER XX. 
 
 THE meeting at South Butler, N. Y., to which 
 reference has been made, had in it several items 
 of interest. A number of invitations had been 
 given the doctor to visit that congregation, each 
 of which he refused without giving any reason 
 for the refusal. A committee was finally sent to 
 Auburn. They succeeded in getting his consent 
 to assist them in a meeting when his labors were 
 ended in Auburn. 
 
 The time arrived, and he was on hand. The 
 first week the time was spent in trying to arouse 
 the spirituality of the church, w r hich was at a very 
 low ebb. On Saturday afternoon, while one of 
 the elders was speaking, another spoke out ex- 
 citedly : " If you believe that, you don't believe 
 the Bible." 
 
 When he sat down the doctor arose and said : 
 "This gives me a good opportunity to say what 
 I have had on my mind ever since I came here. 
 The reason I refused to come here was that I 
 had heard of you as a congregation of intelligent 
 Disciples, Jull of discussion and possessing very 
 little spirituality. And what have you accom- 
 plished? It is evident that you have a good 
 knowledge of the letter of the law of Christ, but 
 have failed to catch the spirit of its author, and 
 by your oft-repeated discussions have driven away 
 (if you ever had it) the Spirit of the Master. 
 You have failed to observe the injunction of Paul, 
 ' Speak the truth in love,' until you are driving 
 (77)
 
 /8 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 
 
 your own children and your neighbors' children 
 out of the church. Let us see! Bro. Lowell, 
 your pastor, has not a member of his family, save 
 himself and wife, in the church. It has often 
 been said to me : ' Elder Lowell is a man of 
 splendid talent, but no religion.' Elders Dratt 
 and Johnson have children who should have be- 
 come members long ago. The members of Elder 
 Laing's [another preacher] household are in the 
 same condition. Brethren, you are not blind and 
 can see this. Bro. Lowell has done one part 
 of his work well, in fulfilling the old saying: 
 ' Like priest, like people.' He has filled them 
 with the spirit of ' dispute.' ' 
 
 Bro. Lowell was sitting by and \veeping like a 
 child. When the opportunity occurred, he arose 
 and said : " I have always supposed it was our 
 duty to contend earnestly for the faith once de- 
 livered to the saints, but I see now that the 
 manner in which I have done so has been wrong." 
 He was followed by a number of others, who, 
 like their pastor, confessed that they had been 
 wrong when they supposed they were right. Such 
 a breaking down of spirit is not often witnessed. 
 On the last morning of the meeting, twenty-two 
 were baptized among them Dr. Sweeting, a 
 Methodist class leader. In all, sixty-seven were 
 added to the church, and the vitality of the con- 
 gregation was greatly improved. 
 
 A number of years later, the doctor assisted in 
 holding another meeting at South Butler, where 
 he baptized one hundred and sixty-seven persons.
 
 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 79 
 
 During this meeting, he was called upon to attend 
 the funeral of a young Bro. Hibbard, who was a 
 devoted Christian and a teacher in the Sunday- 
 school. After the funeral services and during 
 the Sunday-school, the doctor was called upon to- 
 make a few remarks. During a short speech, he 
 suggested that there were at least one hundred 
 young persons in that school who ought to confess- 
 their Savior. This thought stimulated the breth- 
 ren and the doctor. The meeting was continued, 
 and, in less than three weeks, the one hundred 
 spoken of were added to the church. Among 
 those added was a beautiful girl of thirteen, the- 
 youngest among the new converts and an only 
 child. She was of an affectionate disposition. 
 At the social meeting, in which a great number 
 took part, she said that for many days she had 
 desired to obey her Savior, but she had wanted 
 papa and mamma to go with her. As they would 
 not, she had gone alone. But, turning toward 
 her father and mother, who were present, she- 
 said: "How I wish that they would now accept 
 Christ as their Savior, and be as happy as I am." 
 They both arose, and she led them forward, amid 
 the common rejoicing and tears. "And a little 
 child shall lead them." 
 
 At the close of the meeting in South Butler,, 
 the doctor was invited by a Congregational min- 
 ister to go to Savannah (four miles distant) to 
 help hold a meeting. The doctor was inclined 
 to accept the invitation, but did not feel like
 
 SO BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 
 
 compromising in any way the truth of our plea. 
 He insisted that he should be allowed perfect 
 freedom to speak the truth, as he understood it, 
 from God's word. "That," said the preacher, 
 "is what I want you to do." Accordingly, the 
 meeting was commenced at once. The congre- 
 gation grew in numbers and the interest increased, 
 until sinners began to inquire, " What shall we 
 do to be saved?" The doctor, turning to the 
 preacher, who was sitting beside him in the pul- 
 pit, said : " Bro. P , what shall I tell these 
 
 convicted inquirers?" Bro. P , himself ap- 
 parently deeply moved, said: " Bro. Belding, did 
 I not tell you to preach the truth?" "Yes." 
 " Well, then do so." The doctor thereupon gave 
 them the same answer that Peter gave to the peo- 
 ple on Pentecost (Acts ii. 38) : "Repent, and be 
 baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus 
 Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall 
 receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the prom- 
 ise is unto you, and to your children, and to all 
 that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our 
 God shall call." 
 
 In response to an invitation which followed, a 
 .number of the old members of the church re- 
 sponded, and, encouraged by their pastor to live 
 Jip to their convictions, they were immersed into 
 Christ Jesus. At the close of his labors, the pas- 
 tor arose, and, in a very feeling manner, said : 
 -"I am sorry Dr. Belding is to leave us, for I 
 Jiave been deeply interested, encouraged and in-
 
 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 8 1 
 
 structed." After the meeting closed, and they 
 had retired to the pastor's study, the doctor said : 
 
 " Bro. P , / am sorry that I am going to 
 
 leave, for I would like to stay long enough to 
 baptize you and the rest of your congregation." 
 
 "That you would do," responded Bro. P , 
 
 " if all doubts on the subject were removed." 
 A few months after this pleasant interview, Mr. 
 
 P was called very suddenly from his labors 
 
 falling dead in his pulpit on a Lord's-day morning.
 
 CHAPTER XXI. 
 
 MRS. BELDING was an invalid almost from the 
 time of her marriage. The first eighteen months 
 of their married life she was sick, and, though 
 better at times, was unable to walk a step for 
 fourteen years. During nine years of this time, 
 the doctor used a crutch or a cane to assist his 
 own steps ; but he finally recovered the use of his 
 limb, although ever since compelled to wear an 
 elastic stocking. 
 
 His beloved wife, of whom he took the most 
 tender care, finally died of nervous fever, at 
 Mentor, O., November 25, 1860. The following 
 extracts from the doctor's diary for 1860 speak 
 with a pathos that shows the strong affection of 
 the man for his family : 
 
 Sept. 29. But little sleep ; Myra sick all night, 
 Oct. i. Still very sick. I was confined at home 
 
 all day. % 
 
 Oct. 5. A little better ; Rufus at home. 
 Oct. n.-'-Myra no better that I can see. Drs. 
 
 Rosa and Stebbins say that she is doing well, 
 
 but I do not believe it. 
 Oct. 1 8. At home all day. Dr. Rosa here ; 
 
 Myra no better. 
 
 Nov. i. Myra no better ; sick five weeks to-day. 
 Nov. 3. Myra failing ; Rufus at home. 
 Nov. 7. Meeting of the Missionary Board at 
 
 Bedford. Could not leave Myra to attend. 
 
 Went to bed the first time in six weeks. 
 Nov. 8. Sent Rufus to Painesville for Dr. 
 
 Stockton. 
 (82)
 
 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 83 
 
 Nov. 12. Myra no better. Bro. A. S. Hayden 
 and wife came to see us, and spent the night. 
 
 Nov. 13. Myra had a very sick day. 
 
 Nov. 15. Myra very sick and vomiting. Sister 
 Lucy Clapp and Mrs. Shoemaker took care of 
 her all night. I have taken care of her, until 
 this time, for seven weeks. Dr. Stebbins and 
 Dr. Storm came to see her to-day. They say 
 that she must starve to death. (Terrible to 
 think of!) 
 
 Nov. 17. Myra failing; suffering beyond any- 
 thing I ever witnessed. Her mind as clear as 
 a cloudless sky. Happy in the love of God 
 and the bright hope of heaven. Says: "Tell 
 all my friends that my feet are on the Rock." 
 
 Nov. 18. Myra but just alive. Twice this morn- 
 ing she requested me to go and preach to the 
 people, saying: "Give them my dying love; 
 tell them to examine well the ground of their 
 hope. I am happy, for I am almost home." 
 A very hard day for me. 
 
 Nov. 19. Myra very low. A number of calls 
 to see her. 
 
 Nov. 23. Myra very low. It does not seem as 
 though she could stay another day. Suffering 
 much, but calm and very quiet. 
 
 Nov. 24. Myra had a very sick night ; talked 
 much ; had not a doubt as to her future bliss. 
 Bade us good-by ; had a sinking turn, but 
 revived. Could not talk plainly; was much 
 distressed for breath.
 
 84 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 
 
 Nov. 25. At home by the bedside of our dear 
 Myra, until she died at 10:45 A.M. Felt a 
 calmness and quiet when she breathed her last 
 that I had not felt for weeks during her suffer- 
 ing, which was most severe. 
 
 Nov. 27. Funeral at I P.M. Bro. A. S. Hayden 
 preached, by request, from i Cor. xv. and 2 
 Cor. v. Selected hymns: "Rock of Ages,' r 
 "Why Should We Mourn?" "Departed 
 Friends," and "Asleep in Jesus." 
 
 The following obituary was written by a life- 
 long friend : 
 
 " Died, on Lord's-day, the 25th of November, 
 1860, of nervous fever, Mrs. Myra E. Belding, 
 consort of Dr. W. A. Belding, of Mentor, O. ; 
 aged 47 years, I month and 22 days. 
 
 " Long and gradual has been her descent of 
 the hill of life. For a period of twenty-four years 
 she has been the subject of severe afflictions, and 
 some fourteen years of that time she was so ex- 
 tremely feeble as not to be able to walk or to 
 stand on her feet. Much of the time, so extreme 
 was her frailty that cradled innocence was scarcely 
 more helpless. Yet no murmur escaped her 
 uncomplaining lips. Remarkably patient and 
 hopeful throughout her protracted debility, she 
 manifested a resignation, and even cheerfulness, 
 that commanded the admiration of all who enjoyed 
 an acquaintance with her. No pain or depression 
 from an illness so tedious and discouraging ever
 
 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 85 
 
 disturbed for an hour the equanimity of her feel- 
 ings as balmy and genial as a morning in May. 
 Having chosen in early life the Savior as her 
 portion and her hope, she maintained a highly 
 consistent profession of the gospel, which shed 
 the radiance of its brightest hopes over her spirit 
 as she verged on the confines of eternity. 
 
 "Along with her calmness of spirit there was 
 associated a Christian benevolence untiring in its 
 assiduities for the welfare of all around her. 
 Often, when so feeble as to be unable to lift her 
 head from her pillow, she urged her husband *to 
 fill his appointments, willing to suffer any priva- 
 tion that the salvation of the people might be 
 promoted. Even the last Lord's-day of her stay 
 on earth she said to him : ' Go .to your appoint- 
 ment to-day ; you may be the means of saving 
 some poor sinner. Give the church my dying 
 message of love. Exhort all to look well to the 
 ground of their hope, and tell them I am happy ; 
 that my feet are on the rock. The Lord will 
 sustain me till you return.' 
 
 " She grieved lest she might ever have said 
 anything to discourage him in the work of carry- 
 ing the gospel to the dying world. 
 
 ' ' As might be expected from such a spirit and 
 such a life, her last sickness, of two months' con- 
 tinuance, was crowded with evidences, which 
 grew brighter and more frequent to its close, of 
 a most peaceful and even exultant departure to 
 the rest that remains for the people of God." 
 
 (Signed) A. S. HAYDEN.
 
 CHAPTER XXII. 
 
 THE work of establishing a nucleus in Syracuse 
 and erecting a church is told in the doctor's own 
 language. The writer simply verified the dates 
 from diaries, covering the years during which he 
 labored there. 
 
 " In the fall of 1862, while residing at Mentor, 
 O., I received a letter from Sister Wealthy Ann 
 Allen, of Auburn, N. Y. , asking me to visit her, 
 at her expense, in the interest of the Master's 
 cause . 
 
 " I accepted the invitation, and arranged to 
 comply at once with her request. The facts, as 
 related by Sister Allen and as recorded in my 
 diary, are these : 
 
 " In her girlhood days, while she was engaged 
 in teaching in the then small city of Syracuse, 
 she picked up a leaf or two of a monthly pam- 
 phlet, which she afterward learned was called the 
 4 Millennial Harbinger.' Upon these torn and 
 dirty leaves she found a sentiment expressed 
 which arrested her attention, and in a manner 
 that led her to take it to her pastor for an ex- 
 planation. 
 
 " After looking at it for a moment, he said, 
 with much earnestness : ' That is rank Campbell- 
 ism, and will ruin you, soul and body, for time 
 and for eternity. Have nothing to do with it.' 
 
 ' ' She found out by him where and by whom it 
 was published, and wrote for it the same day. In 
 about eighteen months she was asked to renounce 
 (86)
 
 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 87 
 
 the sentiment imbibed, or submit to an exclusion 
 from the fellowship of the church on the charge 
 of heresy. She preferred the latter, for the rea- 
 son that her convictions would not permit her to 
 accept the former. Accordingly, she was ex- 
 cluded. She then and there resolved that if 
 spared, and if the Lord permitted means to come 
 into her possession, the primitive gospel should 
 be preached in Syracuse. 
 
 " She further informed me that an uncle of 
 hers, now deceased, had left her seven hundred 
 dollars. Three hundred of this she gave me, 
 wishing me to hire a hall and begin work at 
 once. 
 
 " This I did, and January 21, 1863, I preached 
 my first discourse in the City Hall. After thor- 
 oughly advertising, we succeeded in getting 
 together fourteen hearers, but I find recorded in 
 my diary, in addition to the above, the following : 
 Jan. 24. The beginning is small, but the Lord's 
 blessing upon our labors will cause it to be suc- 
 cessful. We hope to continue until the truth 
 shall win its way, and the Church of Christ 
 be firmly established here. 
 
 Jan. 24. Preached three times in the City Hall 
 to-day. Interest increasing, and the opposition 
 also. Twice the number that were present one 
 week ago. 
 
 Jan. 30. Great reason for encouragement in at- 
 tendance and interest. 
 
 " A number of persons wishing to be immersed, 
 I asked for the use of a baptistery belonging to a
 
 88 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 
 
 certain religious body in the city. They called 
 together the Board of Trustees, and, after a full 
 and free discussion of the subject, passed the fol- 
 lowing resolutions, to-wit : 
 
 " 'Whereas, Dr. Belding has asked for the use 
 of our baptistery, in which to baptize some con- 
 verts, we feel compelled to refuse him for this 
 reason : the nearer a counterfeit is to the genuine, 
 the more dangerous.' 
 
 " A Dr. Ray came to me at once, and asked 
 if I had been refused the use of the baptistery. I 
 replied in the affirmative. He then said: ' I have 
 a large number of dressing-rooms attached to my 
 bathing-park, arid, although I belong to the big 
 church, I like fair play. You are welcome to 
 the use of as many of those rooms as you wish, 
 and as often as you wish. They will be warmed 
 for you free of charge.' We accepted his kind 
 and generous invitation, and used it many times 
 until we had a baptistery of our own. 
 
 "The papers several times refused to publish 
 notices of our meetings. At length I was so 
 much annoyed by them that I wrote a request 
 for one of the editors, as follows : ' The prayers 
 of this union meeting are most earnestly requested 
 for the editor of one of our daily papers that 
 his heart may be opened, so that he will consent 
 to publish the religious notices of a feeble church, 
 which is trying to honor God and bless the world.' 
 
 "With this notice in my pocket, I started for 
 the meeting, with a firm resolution to present it.
 
 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 89 
 
 But, meeting one of the local editors, I read him 
 the request, and told him my determination. He 
 begged of me not to do it, and said that anything 
 I wished published, if I would bring it to him, 
 should be done. From that time we had no fur- 
 ther trouble. 
 
 Feb. 8. I preached in the morning, and, after 
 baptizing nine persons upon a profession of 
 their faith in Christ, we took the preliminary 
 steps toward an organization. Thirty-five per- 
 sons who had given themselves to the Lord now 
 pledged themselves one to another to accept 
 the teachings of Christ and the apostles as their 
 guide of life, discarding all humanly formulated 
 creeds and man-given titles. Sister Allen, from 
 Auburn, being present with us, spoke many 
 pleasant and encouraging words, and closed by 
 saying, in a very feeling manner : ' It is the 
 happiest day of my life. Now, Lord, let thou 
 thy servant depart in peace, for I have seen thy 
 salvation.' 
 
 " She then pledged two hundred dollars towards 
 the erection of the building in which we are gath- 
 ered this evening, and which was the first sub- 
 scription made. 
 
 Feb. 15. Preached twice. Received nine into 
 the fellowship of the church and baptized two. 
 Hall well filled, with a good representation 
 from the religious community and the world. 
 May 10. Baptized three. The interest not abated 
 in the least.
 
 90 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 
 
 Nov. 22. We meet to-day for the first time in 
 the Courthouse, and are much pleased with the 
 change from the City Hall. Things are looking 
 hopeful, and yet the papers refuse us a fair 
 representation, even when paid for publishing 
 notices of our meetings and work. 
 
 "From this time until June 17, we continued 
 to meet in the Courthouse, with a fair attendance 
 and t frequent additions. On June 19, 1864, the 
 new church building was formally opened, Bro. 
 D. S. Burnett preaching a very appropriate dedi- 
 catory discourse In the evening services were 
 held, and three persons confessed their faith in 
 Christ. 
 
 June 19. Met on this the first Lord's-day in the 
 new church building. Bro. Burnett preached, 
 and I baptized eight persons, making eighteen 
 since the opening of the house. 
 
 June 25. Meeting again this evening ; three bap- 
 tisms and four other confessions. 
 
 June 26. Closed the meeting this evening, with 
 thirty-one added to the church. 
 
 July 3. Several added to the church to-day. 
 Organized a Sunday-school and Bible class, 
 with about thirty in each,. 
 
 Aug. 28, 1864. This closes my engagement in 
 this church, which was organized with thirty- 
 five members, and now numbers one hundred 
 and three. A house has been built costing 
 fifteen thousand dollars, of which twelve thou- 
 sand are paid.
 
 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 9! 
 
 ' I continued my work with the congregation 
 until some time in 1865, when I resigned my 
 position, and was followed by Bro. A. N. Gilbert, 
 the membership having increased to one hundred 
 and twenty-eight. My labors closed with the 
 consciousness that I never had a more earnest 
 and faithful company of helpers than I left in 
 Syracuse. I parted from them with strong at- 
 tachments. 
 
 "The resolutions passed and the presents re- 
 ceived have been kept, and the memory of them 
 cherished most tenderly, even to this day. They 
 will be a source of comfort to myself and family 
 while memory retains its sway. I might speak 
 with tender feeling and deepest emotion of indi- 
 vidual co-laborers, some of whom still linger, 
 while others are on the other shore, awaiting 
 the reunion of the family in the mansions prepared 
 by the Elder Brother, where there will be no 
 parting. In conclusion, let me say that if the 
 present membership, with its experience and added 
 facilities for carrying on the work of the Lord 
 in the years to come, be as faithful as the older 
 members were during the same number of years 
 now past, the city of Syracuse will not long be 
 left with a single organization, but with a number 
 of them. When the reunion of all who have par- 
 ticipated in this grand work shall take place, may 
 I be among the happy throng." 
 
 W. A. BELDING. 
 
 TROY, N. Y., May 28, 1891.
 
 92 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 
 
 COPY OF TESTIMONIALS PRESENTED TO THE DOCTOR 
 
 BY THE CHURCH AT SYRACUSE, N. Y., AT THE 
 
 CLOSE OF His LABORS "THERE. 
 
 To Bro. W. A. Belding:\K behalf of the 
 church of Syracuse, I wish to say that we desire 
 on this occasion to acknowledge our [indebtedness 
 to you for the great work that has been achieved 
 here, by the blessing of God, through your in- 
 strumentality. 
 
 Words fail to express the emotion of our hearts 
 and the gratitude we feel for the untiring devotion 
 with which you have labored among us. We owe 
 our existence as a church to your labors. Many 
 of us, had it not been for the word of life which 
 you have preached so faithfully, would have been 
 at this time without hope and without God in the 
 world. Thanks to his holy name, in his provi- 
 dence he saw fit to send you here to preach the 
 unsearchable riches of Christ. We would further 
 say that, like the apostle to the Gentiles, you 
 "have not shunned to declare all the counsel 
 of God." 
 
 While we acknowledge our indebtedness to you, 
 we feel that it is not in our power to recompense 
 you ; but you shall be recompensed at the resur- 
 rection of the just. Although we have the promise 
 of a hundred- fold in this life, yet we are told that 
 we have but a foretaste ' ' an earnest of the in- 
 heritance prepared for the saints in light." 
 
 The relations you have sustained to us, and the
 
 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 93 
 
 faithfulness with which you have discharged the 
 obligations which that relationship imposed, have 
 made an impression on our hearts which time will 
 hardly eradicate. 
 
 We have no desire to forget you, neither would 
 we be forgotten by you. Therefore we have 
 thought best to present you these vessels [a silver 
 pitcher and goblets] as a token of remembrance 
 and a slight appreciation of what you have done 
 for us. J. C. HUTCHINGS, Committee. 
 
 AUGUST 30, 1864.
 
 CHAPTER XXIII. 
 
 THE next work which occupied the doctor's 
 attention for any great length of time was the 
 building of a church at Troy, N". Y. But several 
 important events must be sketched before we fol- 
 low him to Troy. 
 
 In 1862, his son, Rufus E., was married to 
 Martha A. Seymour, of Meridian, Cayuga Co., 
 N. Y. Two days later (January 8) the doctor 
 was himself again married ; this time to Miss 
 Emily Sherman, who lived at Pittstown, about 
 twelve miles northeast of Troy. She was one of 
 a family of eight, having four sisters and two 
 brothers. The sisters Sarah, Asenath, Amanda 
 and Mary have all been helpful to the work in 
 Eastern New York, contributing most liberally to 
 all necessary funds. 
 
 Mrs. Belding, owing to the doctor's migrating 
 life, has mostly always made her home at Pitts- 
 town. Together they managed the large and fine 
 farm known as the " Sherman girls ' ' farm 
 known far and wide as the seat of the most gen- 
 erous hospitality and of an overflowing abundance, 
 which it was the delight of the sisters to share 
 with their numerous guests. It was the Mecca 
 of the writer's boyhood days. I looked forward 
 to spending a portion of each vacation there with 
 keen anticipation of the welcome always given, 
 and of the lavish table that appealed so strongly 
 to my appetite. Mrs. Belding' s last sister, Mary, 
 died March 12, 1897. The farm spoken of is 
 
 (94)
 
 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 95 
 
 now managed by Mrs. Belding and her son, 
 Sherman W. 
 
 Such was the family into which the doctor 
 married, and a most happy marriage it proved, 
 though differing from the home life enjoyed by 
 others. During the time that intervened between 
 his work at Syracuse and that at Troy, he made 
 a flying trip to Chicago to hold a meeting. There 
 was quite a little organization at Chicago, which 
 met in the Opera-house on Clark Street. 
 
 The doctor preached on Sunday morning and 
 evening in the Opera-house, and on the week days 
 at the homes of some of the brethren. 
 
 One evening he asked the members present 
 why they did not own a house in which to wor- 
 ship. The reply was : " We are not able." The 
 doctor answered : " If I were to say that of you, 
 you would resent it. If you will take hold, I'll 
 see what we can do towards raising a fund for 
 building." Several agreed to do what the}^ could, 
 though doubtful of the result. 
 
 The next morning he went into the office of 
 Dr. Major, then a wealthy physician, whose office 
 was in the Opera-house. Seating himself at a 
 desk, Dr. Belding drew up a subscription for a 
 church edifice, and, handing it to Dr. Major, 
 said: "Is that all right?" After reading it, he 
 replied :" Yes." " Then sign it." A moment's 
 deliberation, and Dr. Major's signature for one 
 thousand dollars headed the list. As the doctor 
 did not pick up the book, or look as though
 
 96 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 
 
 he were pleased, Bro. Major inquired: "What 
 is the matter? What did you expect? " 
 
 The doctor responded: " If we are men, let's 
 be men not boys. You ought to give five thou- 
 sand dollars at least, and as much more as you 
 can afford." After a few moments' conversation, 
 the sum subscribed was changed to five thousand. 
 
 Next the doctor took the book to the office of 
 Bro. Honore (the father of Mrs. Potter Palmer) . 
 He looked at the subscription of Dr. Major, and 
 simply ejaculating "My gracious!" put down 
 his own name for a similar amount. 
 
 Within ten days the list footed seventeen thou- 
 sand dollars, and the house of the Lutherans on 
 Randolph Street was purchased. For this four- 
 teen thousand dollars was paid, while one thou- 
 sand was expended in remodeling it. 
 
 The congregation then offered the doctor a 
 salary of twenty-five hundred dollars to preach for 
 them one year. But he replied : "I have prom- 
 ised the Lord that, if spared, I would do a certain 
 work in Troy ; I must be about it." 
 
 He went to Troy soon after, and labored to 
 organize the church at that place. He succeeded 
 in building them an edifice costing twenty-one 
 thousand dollars, for which labor he received his 
 compensation of five hundred dollars per annum 
 from the Missionary Society of New York State. 
 
 Troy is the county-seat of Rensselaer County, 
 N. Y., on the east bank of the Hudson River, 
 and, on account of its location between the hills, 
 which rise somewhat abruptly on that side of the
 
 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 97 
 
 river, its greatest length is from north to south, 
 parallel to the river. It was a manufacturing city 
 of considerable importance, promising at one time 
 to become the center of the iron industries of this 
 country. But the invention of a process that 
 utilized the magnetic ores changed this prospect 
 and ruined the iron manufactories already built. 
 The business of stove manufacturing in Troy was 
 at one time the largest in the world, but strikes 
 and labor unions caused those interested to move 
 to other places, and Cleveland, Detroit and vari- 
 ous small Western towns profited by Troy's loss. 
 Shirt and collar making has increased, however, 
 and Troy leads all places in these lines. There 
 is no other place in New York State where girls 
 and women have the opportunities for self-support 
 afforded by this city. 
 
 The surrounding country is hilly, and contains 
 some of the best farming land of the State. 
 
 We have already spoken of Pittstown, the home 
 of Mrs. Belding. Three miles from this home 
 is the village of Pittstown Corners, a mere 
 "cross-roads," with blacksmith's shop, one or 
 two stores, and possibly one hundred inhabitants. 
 But that little village had a Disciple church long 
 before Troy did, and at one time had the strong- 
 est organization in the State. 
 
 In the year 1865, Bro. William B. Mooklar, of 
 Covington, Ky., sent to the doctor two young 
 men and the sum of seven hundred dollars, with 
 the messuage : " Use this and these for the good 
 of the cause." The doctor had become interested
 
 98 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 
 
 in the work of the little band at Troy, N. Y., 
 and, dividing this money, he sent one of the 
 young preachers to Buffalo, N. Y., and the other, 
 Bro. J. Z. Taylor, to Troy. 
 
 As the doctor was connected with the Troy 
 Church for the ensuing ten years, we will sketch 
 briefly its record up to the time that his own 
 efforts commence. 
 
 As far back as 1844, an organization existed 
 in Troy under charge of four elders, who alter- 
 nated in preaching the Word. The names of but 
 two of these leaders are now known Elder Ager 
 and Elder Read. The congregation met in the 
 upper story of a frame building at the corner of 
 River and King Streets, where is now located 
 one of Troy's most prominent banks. 
 
 The little band lost in number, and was twice 
 reorganized the second time having but three or 
 four of the original members among those com- 
 prising the new organization. Soon after this 
 reorganization, Dr. Belding became interested in 
 the work, and sent Bro. J. Z. Taylor to hold a 
 meeting for them. This meeting was held in the 
 Young Men's Association Hall on First Street, 
 over the old post-office. This hall would seat 
 twelve hundred people, and was consequently 
 much too large for the little band and the few 
 friends they could gather together. In spite of 
 this, a good meeting was held. But, for some 
 reason, Bro. Taylor could not stay, and Dr. Beld- 
 ing sent D. R. Van Buskirk to continue tlae work. 
 
 Bro. Van Buskirk commenced in August or
 
 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 99 
 
 September, 1865, and remained two months. 
 During his stay, Dr. Belding made one of his 
 unexpected trips, and, arriving in Troy in the 
 afternoon a short time before the time for meet- 
 ing, he went to the building. Before he had 
 time to make himself known, he was accosted by 
 a little daughter of Captain Rhodes, who said: 
 "We are having some very interesting meetings 
 upstairs ; wouldn't you like to go up? " "I don't 
 know but I will," responded the doctor. He 
 gravely went up with her, to be warmly welcomed 
 as an old and needed friend. The doctor spoke 
 of this incident, and promised the brethren that 
 if they would have the cause as closely at heart 
 as that young girl, they would soon have a church 
 building to meet in. 
 
 At this time besides the church at Pittstown 
 Corners, already spoken of there were congre- 
 gations at Eagle Mills and Poestenkill, both small 
 towns, four to eight miles east of Troy.
 
 CHAPTER XXIV. 
 
 THE Troy membership numbered eighteen, and 
 at the close of D. R. Van Buskirk's efforts, in 
 November, the doctor began to look for some 
 smaller place in which to worship. Finally, about 
 May, 1866, he secured Agricultural Hall, at the 
 corner of Ferry and First Streets, where they 
 worshiped for some time. 
 
 June 2, a legal notice having been given, the 
 members of the church of Christ met at their 
 place of worship. The pastor, Dr. W. A. Beld- 
 ing, presiding, Cornelius Van Schaick and John 
 C. Welch were selected as judges of election, and 
 three trustees were elected: Joseph H. Rhodes, 
 for the term of three years ; Jeremiah Washburn 
 for two years, and James B. Thomas for one year. 
 
 A document was drawn up in proper form, for 
 record in the county of Rensselaer, containing the 
 names of trustees and adopting the name, Church 
 of Christ of Troy, N. Y., "which name it is to 
 be forever called." Thus was the foundation 
 laid, legally and in good order. A nucleus of 
 eighteen members was formed to accomplish what 
 the citizens of Troy universally said could not 
 be done ; /. ., the building of another church. 
 
 The newspapers resented the sending of a mis- 
 sionary to Troy. They for some time kept up a 
 fusillade of sarcasm that was more annoying than 
 harmful. The doctor finally wrote and had pub- 
 lished an article in which he stated that Troy cer- 
 (100)
 
 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. IOI 
 
 tainly needed missionaries, for some of the inhab- 
 itants acted like heathens. 
 
 The doctor promptly opened a subscription- 
 book for purchasing a lot on which to build a 
 house of worship. The sum of five thousand, 
 three hundred and twenty-one dollars was sub- 
 scribed within a short time, and the selection of a 
 lot located suitably for church purposes occupied 
 his attention. Troy had been through a terrible 
 fire only a short time before (1862), and there 
 were then many vacant lots formerly occupied by 
 buildings. The southwest corner of Seventh and 
 Fulton Streets was selected and purchased. 
 
 The old subscription-book lies before us as we 
 write, and is headed with the names of W. A. 
 Belding, Mrs. W. A. Belding and Asenath and 
 Sarah Sherman. 
 
 In the records of the many different enterprises 
 in which the doctor was engaged we find him not 
 content to devote time and energy to the work, 
 but he was liberal with his money. Almost in- 
 variably his name would head the list and the 
 names of his family or of his wife's sisters would 
 appear next. 
 
 Subscriptions were now taken for the erection 
 of a building, and were due and payable when the 
 walls were up ready for the roof. 
 
 The first subscription for the purchase of a lot 
 was made June 9, 1866, and the date of the first 
 meeting in the church was 1868. This took place 
 in the basement, the upper story not being com- 
 pleted. But soon after the edifice was declared
 
 102 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 
 
 complete, and it was announced that a total of 
 twenty-one thousand dollars had been spent and 
 that a debt of three thousand dollars remained. 
 This may seem a high price for the Troy prop- 
 erty, but this was soon after the war, and materials 
 and labor were very expensive. 
 
 In 1883 this building was sold to the Lutherans 
 for twelve thousand five hundred dollars, and the 
 congregation built the one now occupied at the 
 corner of River and Jay Streets. 
 
 It must not be supposed that during these years 
 the doctor had been constantly in Troy. Scarcely 
 a week went by without a drive to Pittstown. He 
 owned a horse and carriage which he kept for 
 that trip alone. Meetings were held at Amster- 
 dam and elsewhere, and his financial work for 
 the missionary societies was kept up. 
 
 In 1870, at his solicitation, his son Rufus, with 
 his wife and family (composed of two sons, War- 
 ren S. and Paul W.), moved from Syracuse to 
 Troy. The doctor, soon after, purchased a home, 
 in which they still reside (1897). The doctor 
 had now two homes, and alternated between them 
 according to the promptings of his restless nature.
 
 CHAPTER XXV. 
 
 THE church of Christ in Brooklyn is the out- 
 growth of a movement made by a number of 
 honest, conscientious, Bible-loving Baptists, to 
 escape from the bonds of sectarianism, under the 
 lead of their pastor, Mr. J. Bradford Cleaver, 
 whom the Sixth Avenue Baptist Church had tried 
 and found guilty of the heinous crime of having 
 declared that he would baptize a young lady upon 
 a confession of her faith in Christ, without sub- 
 mitting her rights in the premises to any church. 
 
 A considerable number left that organization 
 with him and they established a "Gospel Church," 
 upon a declaration of their belief in the sufficiency 
 of the Bible alone as a rule of faith. 
 
 Mr. Cleaver had not received a theological edu- 
 cation, consequently he had little to unlearn. 
 But, having been trained for the bar, and being 
 successful in the practice of law, he had acquired 
 the habits of analysis. Looking upon the Bible 
 as a book of statutes, instead of a repository of 
 texts to sustain preconceived theories, before he 
 was aware of the fact he found himself in the 
 ranks of the Disciples of Christ, manfully battling 
 for the faith delivered to the saints. When ap- 
 prised of his position and the logical result, he did 
 not draw back, but continued to search the Scrip- 
 tures. Having learned to "rightly divide the 
 word," he became more and more impressed 
 with the beauty and simplicity of the plan of 
 human redemption, as revealed in the King's 
 (103)
 
 104 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 
 
 statute-book, and brought to light by those whom 
 the world calls "Campbellites." 
 
 Some of those who followed him into the 
 "Gospel Church," not having moral courage suffi- 
 cient to sustain them under such insolent epi- 
 thets, drew back and returned to sectarianism. 
 
 In August, 1875, while spending his vacation 
 in Troy, Mr. Cleaver was invited to speak for 
 the church there. This he did with such satisfac- 
 tion to the members assembled that he was in- 
 duced to remain there until February, 1877. Dur- 
 ing his ministry in Troy some one hundred and 
 twenty-nine were added to their number. 
 
 After Mr. Cleaver left Brooklyn, meetings were 
 continued in the chapel on Lincoln Place until 
 about the middle of November, 1875, at which 
 time, by a vote of its members, the "Gospel 
 Church" was disbanded and in its stead they 
 organized a church of Christ. 
 
 They chose Dr. Beldiag as pastor and he labored 
 there until October i, 1876. His efforts to raise 
 money to build or buy a church were, as usual, 
 successful. In this work he was warmly seconded 
 by Brethren G. B. Farrington, C. C. Martin and 
 others. The result was that they bought a house 
 of the Methodists. This was on Sterling Place, 
 well located and beautifully constructed, having 
 originally cost fifty-seven thousand dollars. For 
 this house they paid twelve thousand dollars and 
 assumed a mortgage of six thousand. 
 
 In 1876 the doctor resigned his pastorate for 
 the reason that he had resolved, early in his min-
 
 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 105 
 
 * 
 
 isterial life, that he would never have it said of 
 him : " He is too old to preach." 
 
 The age he fixed upon as that in which to close 
 his settled pastoral work was sixty years. That 
 time had now arrived, and since that day he has 
 had no time engagements with any church. He 
 has remained for months preaching for one 
 church, but the engagement has been considered 
 as from week to week. The church prospered 
 steadily, though under the care of several pas- 
 tors who remained but a short time each. At 
 the conclusion of the engagement of Bro. J. 
 Z. Tyler, who had been located with them for 
 two years, a call was given to Bro. C. B. Edgar, 
 of Kentucky. He was delayed by sickness, and 
 the doctor was asked to preach during this inter- 
 val. He responded, and for six months preached 
 regularly, receiving for compensation forty dol- 
 lars a week. 
 
 Nothing was ever said by him or to him regard- 
 ing salary while in Brooklyn ; but during his first 
 stay the clerk had handed him fifteen dollars 
 every Sunday evening, this being doubtless all 
 they could then afford. 
 
 The change from a little band of about thirty, 
 with no home, to a fine building and increased 
 membership, was very encouraging. From that 
 time the organization has continually prospered. 
 
 Greenpoint Mission occupied the time and en- 
 ergies of the doctor for one year. It was an out- 
 lying point of Brooklyn, between four and five 
 miles from the Sterling Place church. The neigh-
 
 IO6 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 
 
 borhood was full of churches and was sparsely 
 settled, while the people were poor. The mis- 
 sion was started by the Sterling Place congrega- 
 tion and assisted somewhat by the New York 
 Missionary Society. They numbered about twenty 
 and met in a store-room, having no organization 
 whatever. But, when left by the doctor, they 
 numbered nearly one hundred, met in a house of 
 their own that had cost fifteen hundred dollars, 
 and were thoroughly organized. 
 
 This work was very trying to the doctor. 
 While at Greenpoint he lost flesh and was half 
 sick most of the time. He describes it as a great 
 deal of work with very little results. Many 
 pledges were found uncollectable, and there was 
 little effort made to pay him anything for his 
 time and labor ; but with dogged perseverance he 
 put them on their feet and left them prosperous 
 and out of debt.
 
 CHAPTER XXVI. 
 
 IN the winter of 1877, Dr. Belding received a 
 joint letter written by Ovid Butler and O. A. 
 Burgess and asking him to come over to Indian- 
 apolis. He went and found present the sub- 
 scribers to a fund (then small) to establish an in- 
 stitute in the South for the education of the col- 
 ored race. 
 
 Officers were elected and the doctor was re- 
 quested to assume the responsibility of raising the 
 necessary funds. He replied: "I am under 
 obligations to the Missionary Society, but will 
 divide my time between their work and yours, if 
 you wish." It was so agreed, and he com- 
 menced a work that has always had for him a 
 great attraction. It resulted in the establishing of 
 a school which has given instruction to over six 
 thousand colored pupils of both sexes, who would 
 probably have gone through life in complete men- 
 tal and moral ignorance, had it not been for this 
 work . 
 
 A school was started in two dilapidated school 
 buildings in Jackson, Miss. These structures 
 were owned by the Quakers, who gave free use 
 of them. Bro. R. Faurot and wife taught there 
 while a permanent place was being decided upon. 
 
 April 27, 1882, the doctor called on Mr. T. I. 
 Martin, of Louisville, Ky. This gentleman owned 
 a plantation of eight hundred acres at Edwards, 
 Hinds Co., Miss. This plantation he held for 
 sale at fifteen thousand dollars. But, after talk- 
 (107)
 
 IO8 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 
 
 ing with the doctor and learning the use for 
 which he desired it, he said that he would do- 
 nate one-half of the amount, making the cost 
 to the society seven thousand dollars. A bar- 
 gain was concluded on that basis, the doc- 
 tor entering into a contract making him per- 
 sonally responsible for the payment of that sum. 
 July 5, the deed was given and (including what 
 had been paid at the drawing up of the contract) 
 the sum of four thousand dollars was paid, and 
 a trust deed to secure the remaining three thou- 
 sand dollars, due in one, two and three years, was 
 given. 
 
 The doctor says of Mr. Martin: "He was my 
 ideal of a business man liberal, unsuspicious, but 
 business-like." 
 
 This plantation is declared to be equal to an 
 endowment fund of thirty thousand dollars. It 
 has been, to a great extent, the support of the 
 institution, pupils paying for their tuition by an 
 hour's labor, daily, during the school term. 
 
 The school was moved from Jackson to the 
 plantation, which was named Mount Beulah. 
 Bro. Faurot died in October, about three months 
 after the purchase of the plantation. The inter- 
 ests of the school staggered under the blow. The 
 doctor was telegraphed for. He came, and, in 
 the work that he found it necessary to do, he be- 
 came ill. For several weeks he was confined to 
 his bed with a slow fever. This was a natural 
 result of the change of climate, as he is peculiarly 
 susceptible to hot weather, always suffering in
 
 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. IOp 
 
 health during the heated spells of summer. He 
 was most kindly cared for and has often expressed 
 his appreciation of the attention he received. 
 Upon his recovery he set earnestly to work to 
 supply the place left vacant by the death of Bro. 
 Faurot. 
 
 An arrangement was finally entered into with 
 Bro. Jeptha Hobbs, of Kentucky, to take the 
 presidency of the Institute. This he did about 
 the last of the year (1882), the contract being for 
 five years. The terms were that he was to run 
 the school and pay all expenses himself, for 
 which he received the use of the farm. All cash 
 contributed to the work (now known as the South- 
 ern Christian Institute) was to be devoted to per- 
 manent improvements ; all other donations were to 
 be for his own use. He faithfully carried out his 
 contract, and the school and plantation both pros- 
 pered under his management. 
 
 In the appendix will be found a description of 
 the plantation written by a correspondent of the 
 New York Herald and published in that paper in 
 1883 ; also, an abstract of the origin, aims and 
 purposes of the Institute, as given in their pros- 
 pectus of 1887. 
 
 Towards the last of 1887, Dr. Belding closed 
 his connection with the Institute. Several thou- 
 sand dollars were due him, for which he took 
 various notes, most of which were payable after 
 the death of the makers. These notes had been 
 obtained by him for the Institute and were, of* 
 course, rather uncertain assets. He also turned
 
 IIO BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 
 
 over to the General Missionary Society (which 
 assumed the work) between seventy-five and 
 eighty shares of the stock, which cost him fifty 
 dollars per share. 
 
 It has been the same in every work in which 
 he has been engaged he took what compensation 
 was offered, and then helped liberally, with no 
 thought of his own needs.
 
 CHAPTER XXVII. 
 
 IN July, 1883, a call to " come and aid us in 
 San Francisco" was heard and heeded by the* 
 doctor.' Leaving, temporarily, the work of the 
 Southern Christian Institute, in which he was 
 then engaged, he started for California, where he 
 labored until March 29, 1884. This trip is one of 
 which the memories are very pleasant, and good 
 were the results of his work while there. A lot 
 was purchased and paid for, and a balance of 
 nearly three thousand dollars remained in the 
 treasury. (Total, about nine thousand five hun- 
 dred dollars.) 
 
 On the last evening of his stay, a farewell re- 
 ception was tendered him, and he was the recipient 
 of a fine gold-mounted cane, having engraved on 
 its head, " To Dr. W. A. Belding, by San Fran- 
 cisco friends." 
 
 In a letter written from Dallas, Tex., soon 
 after, the doctor says : "I have been caned at 
 home and in private, but never publicly before. 
 But 'twas kindly done, and tears were in my 
 eyes and also in the eyes of most of those assem- 
 bled. Oh, these meetings and partings of friends 
 especially the partings." F. W. Pattee took 
 charge of the San Francisco congregation, and the 
 farewell to the doctor served as a welcome to him 
 and his wife. 
 
 The trip east was by way of Los Angeles and 
 the Southern Pacific Railroad, with a stop over 
 Lord's Day at Dallas, Tex., and a few days at 
 (in)
 
 112 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 
 
 Mt. Beulah, where he found the school flourish- 
 ing. The month of May finds him at Pittstown 
 with wife and son. 
 
 Englewood, then a suburb of Chicago, was the 
 scene of his labors in 1887. In July of that year, 
 he undertook to build a house for a little band 
 who met on Sixty-third Street in a rented store. 
 During a stay of six months, he bought a lot, 
 built, furnished and paid for a house, and inter- 
 ested the Chicago churches in, and formed, a city 
 board of missions. This board is composed of 
 two members chosen from each church organiza- 
 tion within the city of Chicago, and additional 
 members from congregations numbering over one 
 hundred. The duty and object of the board was 
 to select mission points, appoint persons to take 
 charge of these missions, and look after their finan- 
 cial support in short, to increase the number of 
 churches in Chicago. This board has not only 
 helped establish the Englewood church, but has a 
 North and a West Side mission, both progressing 
 nicely. 
 
 In the appendix will be found a copy of a testi- 
 monial presented the doctor by this board, show- 
 ing their appreciation of his efforts in the difficult 
 work of raising money in Englewood. 
 
 It will be remembered by the reader that he 
 raised the money to purchase the first church of 
 the Disciples in Chicago. Adding that to these 
 later labors will explain why, of all cities, his wel- 
 come is perhaps warmest in the " city by the 
 lake."
 
 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 113 
 
 W. H. Rogers, in his Boston letter to the Mis- 
 sionary Weekly (October, 1888), reporting the 
 annual meeting at Worcester, speaks of the doctor 
 in a way that evidences the feeling regarding him 
 possessed by all who have known him and his 
 work. It follows : 
 
 "The Disciples of New England had their an- 
 nual festival at Worcester from Friday, Septem- 
 ber 28, until Monday, October i, closing with 
 their highly prized farewell meeting, Monday 
 morning. 
 
 " Bro. W. A. Belding preached on Friday 
 night and hastened to Brooklyn the next morn- 
 ing. Bro. Belding is venerable according to the 
 almanac only. In face, in spirit, in faith, in 
 hope, and in cheerfulness, in energy as well as in 
 general movements of the body, he is still in his 
 prime. He is a sort of patron saint in the hearts 
 of the Worcester brethren. In his Christian 
 make-up he unites the rocky firmness of the olden 
 time with the catholicity and growth of the mod- 
 ern period. The older brethren trust him, while 
 the younger brethren rejoice in him as their own. 
 Few men among us have raised more money for 
 religious, educational and benevolent purposes 
 than he, and with his own hands he has buried 
 some ten thousand believing penitents with their 
 Lord in baptism. 
 
 * ' The time was when he knew personally al- 
 most every one of our preachers, and it is an evi- 
 dence of our growth that now there are so many 
 among us who have never seen his face."
 
 114 BIOGRAPHY OF DR. W. A. BELDING. 
 
 The doctor now lives at Pittstown with his wife 
 and son, Sherman W., who also has a wife and 
 two young sons. 
 
 He preaches on Lord's Day for the little con- 
 gregation at Pittstown Corners, and occasionally 
 breaks the monotony by attending or holding a 
 meeting elsewhere. A man of eighty, he still 
 holds his faculties unimpaired, and his form is 
 almost as straight as of yore. His endurance is 
 somewhat lessened of late, but his hair remains 
 dark, and his eyesight is better than it has been 
 for years. He has discarded glasses altogether, 
 and, were it not for a slight deafness, his friends 
 could not see that time had touched him. 
 
 Verily a sweet and pleasant journey on the 
 downhill side of life is his, surrounded by his 
 family, with no recent gaps in their little circle ; 
 with the family of his eldest son, Rufus, near 
 him, at Troy, and hosts of friends and brethren 
 glad to see him wherever he goes ; and with the 
 proud consciousness that he has been of use in the 
 world in the cause he espoused.
 
 APPENDIX.
 
 GENEALOGY OF BELDING FAMILY. 
 
 RICHARD AND WILLIAM BAYLDON (BROTHERS) WERE AMONG 
 THE EARLIEST SETTLERS OF WETHERSFIELD, CONN., 
 
 1640. 
 
 WILLIAM BAYLDON 
 
 moved to Norwalk with family 
 
 1646. 
 
 Samuel, John, Mary, DANIEL, Susaunna, Nathaniel, 
 b. 1648 
 
 . * 
 
 Nathaniel, Daniel, John, SAMUEL, Richard, John, William, and seven daughters, 
 b. 1687 
 
 SAMUEL. 
 b. 1729 
 
 DANIEL, John, 
 b. 1754 
 
 Alfred, Amos, Allen, RUFUS, Sears, 
 b. 1778 d. 1854 
 
 Kuth, Charlotte, Martha, Anson, Edwin C., WARREN ASA, Alvin, Sabin, Louisa. 
 
 b. 1816 
 
 i "* - \ 
 
 Rufus E. and five who died young (by first wife). Sherman W. (by second wife), 
 b. 1841 b. 1868 
 
 Warren S., Paul W., Louis K., Anson W. Victor L., Leroy S. 
 
 b. 1862 b. 1868 b. 1876 b. 1881 b. 1895 b. March 5, 1897 
 
 Myra E. W*-~ . 
 
 b. 1884
 
 A TROY CHAPLAIN PRAYS FOR THE 
 LOBBY. 
 
 [From the Troy "Times."] 
 
 Rev. Dr. Belding, of this city, offered prayer in 
 the Assembly on Friday last. The correspondent 
 of the New York Times says of him : 
 
 "Among the chaplains who are in the habit of 
 alternately offering prayer in this Legislature, 
 Rev. Dr. Belding, of Troy, appears most clearly 
 to comprehend the situation, and to direct his 
 petitions to a quarter where they are most needed. 
 He seldom comes down here to officiate as chap- 
 lain, but, when he does, he hits the nail on the 
 head every time. In opening the Assembly this 
 morning he prayed, among other things, that 
 ' the men who are in the habit of loitering about 
 the halls of the Legislature with bribery in their 
 hands might be induced to see the error of their 
 ways, and that their wicked designs, if they had 
 any, might be thwarted.' There was no response 
 to this appeal either from members or lobbyists, 
 but the people from the State at large will no 
 doubt second the petition of Rev. Dr. Belding."
 
 PIONEER PREACHERS. 
 
 The recent death of J. J. Moss has called my 
 attention again to the rapidly vanishing number 
 of Disciple preachers who were well known and 
 active on the Western Reserve. Among these J. 
 J. Moss was one of the earliest and one of the 
 strongest. My father heard him preach for the 
 first time in Randolph, Portage County, in August 
 of the year 1832. At this meeting W. A. Beld- 
 ing, whose name should appear in the list of the 
 preachers fairly called pioneers, was baptized. 
 
 Bro. Belding baptized me. I made the first 
 exhortation I ever tried to make, at a meeting in 
 North Royalton, where he was preaching, and 
 his name for me is written large in the honored 
 list of the pioneers. Bro. Belding has baptized 
 more than ten thousand persons, and has been in 
 the ministry almost sixty years. J. M. Monroe, 
 in his brief notice of his uncle, J. J. Moss, speaks 
 of J. H. Jones as the only survivor of the pioneer 
 preachers of the Western Reserve. But there 
 still lives W. A. Belding, who is nearly eighty 
 years of age ; Wm. Moody, hale and hearty at 
 eighty-five ; P. Green, who- will soon enter his 
 eighty-fifth year, and J. H. Jones. In regard to 
 Bro. Moss, it was my privilege on his eightieth- 
 birthday to make, in behalf of many friends, an 
 address congratulating him on his having reached 
 the age of fourscore. He was a sturdy disciple 
 of the Lord. His ambition to extend the kingdom 
 of Christ was as restless as that of Alexander of 
 (118)
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 Macedon, and his courage in facing every enemy 
 of the truth was equal to that of Julius Caesar. 
 
 It will not be long before the last of those 
 glorious men will be known only in the memories 
 that remain and never die. May we, their sons 
 and grandsons, be as faithful to our generations 
 as they were to theirs. F. M. GREEN. 
 
 WILMINGTON, O., June 22, 1895.
 
 TESTIMONIAL TO DR. W. A. BELDING. 
 
 CITY BOARD OF CHRISTIAN MISSIONS, / 
 CHICAGO, JANUARY 9, 1888 j 
 
 WHEREAS, Our beloved brother, Dr. W. A. 
 Belding, did, at the earnest and combined solici- 
 tation of this Board and the congregation of 
 disciples in Englewood, undertake the laborious 
 work of securing for said congregation a house 
 ot worship ; and, 
 
 WHEREAS, This undertaking has involved on 
 the part of our brother a protracted absence of 
 months from his distant home and family ; and, 
 
 WHEREAS, His endeavors have been crowned 
 with abundant and marked success, wherein we 
 do greatly rejoice and pay humble tribute to the 
 God of all grace ; therefore be it 
 
 Resolved, That not only do we desire to place 
 on record our entire approval and satisfaction 
 with his work, but that our heartfelt thanks and 
 grateful appreciation be hereby tendered him for 
 the unselfish devotion he has exhibited in this 
 enterprise, and for the sacrifice he has made in 
 order to its accomplishment. 
 
 Be it further resolved, That a copy of these 
 resolutions be furnished Bro. Belding. 
 
 H. H. HUBBARD, } n 
 
 W. P. KEELER, $ L ' om ' 
 
 (120)
 
 SOUTHERN CHRISTIAN INSTITUTE. 
 
 [From the New York " Herald."] 
 
 The name of Hinds County, Miss., is historic 
 in connection with the riots of 1876, wherein the 
 colored voters were driven to the swamps. It is 
 one of the centers of black population. Twenty 
 years ago General Grant had crossed the Missis- 
 sippi below Vicksburg, moved on eastward, and 
 many a soldier still remembers the battle of Cham- 
 pion Hills. Nearly three thousand men were 
 buried on the field. The enemy fell back toward 
 Big Black River. At McGee farm the struggle 
 was sharp, and there shot and shell have been 
 thrown from the ditches dug to drain the cotton 
 fields, now cultivated by the free labor of black 
 men, who, after that, were made Union soldiers. 
 A great plantation house stood on a beautiful 
 eminence overlooking the Vicksburg road and 
 the Black River. In the front was a wide lawn 
 and on the east a garden of flowers, while in the 
 rear southward was a cotton-gin and rows of 
 negro cabins. It was known as the Cook plan- 
 tation of two thousand acres or more. The owner 
 mustered his slaves, and the cotton grew in fields 
 miles away toward sunset along the Black River. 
 The woman of the mansion commanded its halls, 
 and there are tales of tying the negroes to the 
 shade trees, and in the strength of her own arm 
 lashing them with the whip. How swift came 
 the retribution ! Call it providence, call it fate, 
 (121)
 
 122 APPENDIX. 
 
 call it what you may. Cannon balls fell close on 
 that house. A water pond near by was drained, 
 and in its mire a solid shot had lain these twenty 
 years. The soldiers bivouacked in the woods 
 southwest. Names and dates cut in the trees in 
 1861-63 still show plainly. 
 
 The mansion was used for a hospital. The 
 spring by the river bank gave water to friend and 
 foe. The plantation was stripped and its owner 
 gone The railroad bridge at the river was de- 
 stroyed, but Grant marched on. We all know 
 the result of that march, and the siege which 
 followed. 
 
 The Southern Christian Institute has it in con- 
 trol now. Two hundred boys and girls have been 
 taught to study within its walls the past winter. 
 
 If one is up at sunrise here, he finds the morn- 
 ing light breaking over the little town of Edwards, 
 on the east. It is a great cotton market. Near 
 the mansion now occupied for the colored school 
 is some trace of the grand garden of former days. 
 A close line, of cedar-trees partly hides it on the 
 east, and central through the ground from north 
 to south are ridges thrown up for beds of flowers. 
 On the north side all there is left to mark the 
 fearful days of the olden times is a single rose- 
 tree, or rather a dense clump of the Cherokee 
 rose, which stands six to ten feet high, and covers 
 a spot, say fifty feet square. It was covered 
 with buds just ready for bloom, and in a few 
 days would be one solid ball of white ros.es. . We 
 measured a square of the buds in sight, and
 
 APPENDIX. 1 23 
 
 counted in order to estimate the bloom. It will 
 blossom a half-million roses. From the delight- 
 ful site of the mansion the plantation stretches 
 westward away to the clumps of shade trees by 
 the river. It reminds us of the Garfield farm at 
 Mentor, and the railway cuts through from east 
 to west going to Vicksburg. 
 
 The Southern Christian Institute originated 
 with Thomas Munnell and others in 1873. He 
 was then secretary of the General Christian Mis- 
 sionary Convention. Through the labors of 
 George Owen (white) and Levin Wood (col- 
 ored) many freedmen in Mississippi became dis- 
 ciples. Twenty or thirty churches were formed, 
 or came in a body from the Baptists. To render 
 this work permanent and effective, Munnell fore- 
 saw there must be a class of preachers and Sun- 
 day-school teachers much better educated than 
 any those days furnished. To supply this need, 
 he projected the Southern Christian Institute. In 
 connection with his general work, he made two 
 trips to Mississippi about this time to push forward 
 the work. * 
 
 By special act of the Legislature, he obtained 
 a charter, drafted by Ovid Butler, of Indianapo- 
 lis, approved March 5, 1875, authorizing an or- 
 ganization on a stock basis of not less than ten 
 thousand dollars in fifty-dollar shares, and ex- 
 empting all property, both personal and real, to 
 the amount of two hundred and fifty thousand 
 dollars, from all taxes whatever. 
 
 Through the personal solicitations of George
 
 I 24 APPENDIX. 
 
 Owen, Thomas Munnell and Dr. W. A. Belding, 
 the minimum quantity of stock was taken. At 
 Indianapolis, December 4, 1877, tne company 
 organized and elected trustees. Dr. Belding was 
 made financial agent.
 
 SALVATION. 
 
 " Wherefore he is able also to save to the uttermost them 
 who come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make 
 intercession for them" (Heb. vii. 25). 
 
 The idea of salvation suggests danger. If 
 there were no danger, there would be no need 
 of salvation. Let us first inquire what the salva- 
 tion referred to in the text involves. 
 
 A salvation to the uttermost can mean nothing 
 less than a salvation from everything which annoys 
 or makes unhappy, and these can be summed up 
 in four things sin, disease, death and the grave. 
 Or, in other words, from the love of sin, the 
 practice of sin, the guilt of sin and the conse- 
 quences of sin. 
 
 Of whom does the writer speak? Of Jesus of 
 Nazareth, of whom the angel told his mother: 
 " Thou shalt call his name Jesus, for he shall 
 save his people from their sins." 
 
 The next question is, Is he able to do it? Go 
 with me to the bedside of the paralytic, and hear 
 Jesus saying to him, " Thy sins are all forgiven 
 thee," and when he discovers among those gath- 
 ered about, them who doubted as to his power to 
 forgive sins, he says, " Whether is it easier for 
 me to say, Thy sins are all forgiven ; or to say, 
 Arise, take up thy bed, and walk?" and that they 
 might know that he had power on earth 'to for- 
 give sins, he says to the sick man: "Arise, take 
 up thy bed, and walk." Thus he demonstrates 
 his power over sin and disease. 
 (125)
 
 126 . - APPENDIX. 
 
 : But, again, 'he meets the funeral procession, 
 which he commands to stop. They are bear- 
 ing to the lonely grave the only son of a widowed 
 mother". '" He calls him back to life and presents 
 him to his mother living and well. 
 
 Still again, we follow him to the grave of 
 Lazarus. He stops and sheds tears of sympathy 
 with the weeping sisters, for the record says : 
 "Jesus wept." Then, lifting up his heart and 
 voice in solemn prayer to his Father in heaven, 
 he says, " Father, hear me ;" then, turning to the 
 grave in which the dead man lay, speaks with a 
 voice that not only penetrates the dark recesses 
 of the tomb, but also the dull ear of the dead 
 man, "Lazarus, come forth," and said to those 
 weeping ones, "Unbind him, and let him go." 
 He has now r demonstrated his power over all the 
 enemies of humanity which can afflict or make 
 them unhappy in this world or any other. 
 
 Next we inquire, Is he willing? Yes, for he 
 invites all who are weary and heavy laden to 
 come unto him. John, in the Book of Revela- 
 tion, says: "The Spirit and the bride say, Come. 
 Let him that heareth say, Come. Let him that is 
 athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the 
 water of life freely." We have learned that he 
 is both able and willing ; thank God. If now we 
 can find out the conditions of this, the most 
 precious gift of God to man, and find in our own 
 hearts a willingness to accept the gift upon God's 
 own terms, we are nigh the kingdom of God. 
 
 We learn from Paul, in the same letter from
 
 APPENDIX. 127 
 
 which we have selected our text, that Jesus, 
 " although a son, learned obedience by the things 
 which he suffered, and became the author of 
 eternal salvation to those who obey him." Also, 
 in closing up God's Book, we are told in language 
 which can not be misunderstood that those who 
 do his commandments are blessed, and shall be 
 permitted to partake of the tree of life, and to 
 enter through the gates into the city, the disobe- 
 dient and wicked shut out. (Rev. xxii. 14, 15.) 
 I now speak with reverence, and say that God 
 can not save to the uttermost, or save from sin, 
 without saving from its love, its practice, its guilt 
 and its consequences, from the first three in this 
 world and life, and from the fourth and last in 
 the world and life to come. 
 
 As the God of nature is the God of religion, 
 and all blessings in the realm of nature are con- 
 ditional, why is it unreasonable to suppose that 
 all spiritual blessings are also conditional? The 
 question is, How does he propose to save men 
 from the love of sin? I answer unhesitatingly, by 
 faith. Faith in what or whom? Not in a dogma, 
 not in a church, but in a person " Jesus the 
 Christ as the Son of God, divine as well as 
 human ; faith in him as the only Savior." " God 
 so loved the world that he gave his only begotten 
 Son, that whosoever belie veth in him might not 
 perish, but have everlasting life." 
 
 This faith begets such love in the heart that it 
 destroys, or saves from, the love of sin. No more 
 can the love of God and the love of sin dwell
 
 128 APPENDIX. 
 
 in the same heart at the same time than light 
 and darkness in the same room. None can be 
 saved from sin without being saved from its prac- 
 tice. What is the condition? I speak the sen- 
 timent of the Bible when I say, repentance. 
 "Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish," 
 says Jesus. 
 
 I have often asked, " What is repentance? " and 
 nearly as often get the answer, "It is sorrow." 
 But another says it is "godly sorrow," and that 
 is not all, for Paul declares that "godly sorrow 
 worketh repentance that needs not to be re- 
 pented of." 
 
 The Scriptural meaning of. repentance, then, is 
 a sorrow for sin, a determination to forsake it, and 
 that determination put in practice as the good 
 Book teaches. "Let the wicked man forsake 
 his way, and the unrighteous his thoughts ; return 
 unto the Lord, who will have mercy, and unto 
 our God, who will abundantly pardon." Who 
 will deny that this repentance will save from the 
 practice of sin? 
 
 The next question, and a very important one, 
 is, when a person is saved from the love of sin 
 by faith and the practice by repentance, is he 
 necessarily saved from its guilt? The answer is 
 no. Permit me to illustrate. I do not offer this 
 as proof, but simply to get the thought before 
 the reader. Suppose you were dealing in goods, 
 and my habit has been to purchase on credit ; I 
 at once decide to buy no more on credit, and in 
 the future pay for every article which I purchase.
 
 APPENDIX. 129 
 
 This resolution is fully carried out ; does this can- 
 cel or pay the debts of the past? If so, it might 
 be an easy way of paying debts, but I think not 
 very satisfactory to the one who holds the claim. 
 Now, its application is readily discovered. Here 
 is a man who has spent many years of his life 
 in sin. In hearing or reading of the love of God 
 manifested to man in the gift of his only Son 
 to save a perishing world, his understanding is 
 enlightened, his affections captivated, he finds 
 and acknowledges himself a sinner, and forms 
 the resolution, I will try to be a better man. 
 Now, suppose he could live and does without 
 committing another sin during his whole life, 
 what is to become of those he has committed? 
 One of three things may be done : make an atone- 
 ment (pay the debt), which, if he can do, no 
 need of a Savior ; they may be forgiven, or stand 
 upon the books against him forever. 
 
 Thanks to our kind Father, who proposes to 
 forgive, and he has told us in his word (Heb. 
 ix. 22) that "without the shedding of blood there 
 is no remission." He also assures us in the same 
 connection that the blood of animals could not 
 purge from sin ; nothing short of the blood of 
 Christ could cleanse from its guilt. This is the 
 sentiment of all who accept the sacrificial offering 
 of Christ, but when and where and how this is 
 applied is the question to which I would invite 
 the reader's most careful and candid consideration. 
 Let me ask the thoughtful. When was that blood 
 shed? Was it not in his death, and more than
 
 I3O APPENDIX. 
 
 eighteen hundred years ago? Who, then, can 
 expect a literal application of his blood? It is by 
 faith the blood is sprinkled on the heart, but when 
 and where? When we approach his death, and 
 in the language of Paul (Rom. vi. 1-4) by being 
 baptized into it, or, as Paul affirms (Heb. x. 22) : 
 " Having our hearts sprinkled from an evil con- 
 science, and our bodies washed with pure water." 
 Now the question may arise in the mind, With 
 what is the heart sprinkled? Peter answers that 
 question in his first letter: "Elect according to 
 the foreknowledge of God the Father, through 
 sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and 
 sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ" (i Peter 
 
 i. 2). 
 
 As we have learned that the sinner is saved 
 from the love of sin by faith, from the practice 
 of sin by repentance, and from the guilt of sin by 
 the blood of Christ, all this is in this life, and we 
 now feel anxious to know how we can continue 
 in this saved state, and enjoy the full fruition " or 
 salvation to the uttermost " which God has prom- 
 ised, for we are still exposed to and afflicted by 
 the consequences of sin, which are disease, death 
 and the grave. The good man dies ; the innocent 
 and unconscious babe dies. If the Christian is 
 overtaken in a fault, John tells us in his first let- 
 ter (i John i. 9), writing to Christians: "If we 
 confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive 
 us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unright- 
 eousness." 
 
 Thus we discover that prayers preceded by
 
 APPENDIX. 131 
 
 faith, repentance and confession are the condi- 
 tions upon which the believing, penitent and bap- 
 tized person is promised forgiveness. When 
 Simon the sorcerer had believed and was bap- 
 tized, he committed sin in supposing that the 
 miraculous gift could be purchased with money, 
 and Peter (Acts viii. 22) commands him to "re- 
 pent, and pray God that the thoughts of his heart 
 might be forgiven." Not for the forgiveness of 
 all the sins of his life, for he had secured this by 
 accepting Christ and complying (as he was 
 taught) with the conditions which Jesus himself 
 had commanded the apostles to proclaim (Mark 
 xvi. 1 6), "He that belie veth and is baptized 
 shall be saved," and the record says Simon did 
 believe and was baptized, and if the Savior's 
 words were true, he was saved from past sins, 
 and yet like all others in this life exposed to the 
 consequences of sin, from which he must be saved 
 in order to enjoy the full salvation, or that which 
 is to the " uttermost." 
 
 This third and last salvation is to be "worked 
 out" as the apostle of Jesus exhorts in Phil. ii. 
 12 "work out your own salvation with fear 
 and trembling," etc. We may therefore conclude 
 that the conditions of this final salvation are secured 
 by forming a Christian character. Hence Peter 
 exhorts in his second letter (2 Peter i. 6-n). 
 Add something to your faith. He evidently did 
 not accept the doctrine of "justification by faith 
 only," but believed additions were essential; 
 faith being alone is dead. "Add to your faith
 
 132 APPENDIX. 
 
 virtue [or courage] , to virtue knowledge, to 
 knowledge temperance, to temperance patience, 
 to patience brotherly kindness, and to brotherly 
 kindness charity " (or love) . These make a per- 
 fect character, and secure admission into the ever- 
 lasting kingdom, for Peter says in the same 
 passage : " If you do these things, you shall never 
 fall, for so an entrance shall be ministered unto 
 you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of 
 our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." This salva- 
 tion is complete, " saved to the uttermost," saved 
 from everything which can annoy or make un- 
 happy, for in that kingdom nothing shall be per- 
 mitted to enter which can disturb the peace of its 
 inhabitants. 
 
 God shall wipe all tears from all faces, and 
 banish sorrow from every heart ; permit his chil- 
 dren to look upon his face without an intervening 
 veil, and enjoy his smile forever. There with 
 purified spirits and immortalized bodies, sin for- 
 ever banished, saved from its love by our faith 
 in Christ, from its practice by repentance, which 
 results in reformation, from its guilt by the blood 
 of Christ (applied by faith when we were bap- 
 tized into his death) , and from its consequences 
 by forming a Christian character. 
 
 In conclusion let me ask, Who would not be a 
 Christian? All which is in this world worth pos- 
 sessing belongs to God's children, and all that 
 the heart can desire is promised in the next. 
 Paul, in Rom. viii. 32, asks: "If he that spared 
 not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all,
 
 APPENDIX. 133 
 
 how shall he not with him freely give us all 
 things?" Again he declares (i Cor. iii. 21-23) 
 "that all things are yours; whether Paul, or 
 Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, 
 or things present, or things to come ; all are yours ; 
 and ye are Christ's ; and Christ is God's." Christ 
 must reign until all enemies are put under his 
 feet, and when all are subdued, even the last 
 enemy conquered, which is death, then he will 
 deliver up the kingdom to God, even the Father, 
 who shall be all in all. Christ's reign will end, 
 and coming up the golden paved street in the 
 city of our God followed by the blood-washed 
 throng, he introduces them to his Father, saying : 
 " Here, Father, am I, and the children whom 
 thou hast given me." Reader, shall you and I 
 be there? May the Father of all our mercies 
 help us to be ready.
 
 CHRISTIAN UNION. 
 
 SERMON BY DR. W. A. BELDING. 
 
 ["Church Union," May 27, 1876.] 
 
 On the natal day of the world's Savior, the 
 angelic choir sang an introductory hymn adapted 
 to his mission: "Glory to God in the highest, 
 peace on earth and good will to men." 
 
 In the Savior's memorable prayer, recorded in 
 the seventeenth chapter of John's testimony, he 
 unburdens his almost bursting heart in these im- 
 pressive words : " I pray not for these alone, but 
 for all them also who shall believe on me through 
 their word, that they all may be one, as thou, 
 Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also 
 may be one in us, that the world may believe 
 that thou hast sent me. " 
 
 The oft-repeated sayings of those men whose 
 lips were fired by God's own inspiration in their 
 ministerial labors, give full evidence of their true 
 devotion to the theme : " Mind the same thing" ; 
 " Speak the same thing " ; " Be of one heart and 
 of one mind"; "Mark them who cause divi- 
 sions"; "While one says, I am of Paul, and 
 another, I am of Apollos, you walk as men and 
 are carnal." These are but the reiterations of 
 the same sentiment sung by the heavenly choir as 
 it left the plains of Bethlehem for its native home. 
 These utterances were prompted by the same 
 spirit which was breathed forth in the Sayior's 
 prayer, and which guided the heavenly messenger
 
 APPENDIX. 135 
 
 as he stood beside the loving John upon the Isle 
 of Patmos, and uttered the last words to be re- 
 vealed to men until the startling cry, "Behold, 
 the bridegroom cometh," and pronounced that 
 terrible denunciation against him who dares "to 
 add to or take away from the words written in 
 this book" (Rev. xxii. 18, 19). The religious 
 world has been made to see, and to deplore 
 deeply, the divided conditions of the so-called 
 church ; an interest has been awakened in the 
 hearts of thousands to search for " the old paths," 
 together with a disposition to return to the primi- 
 tive oneness of the church, established on the first 
 Pentecost after the crucifixion of the world's Re- 
 deemer. For this I thank God and take courage. 
 
 While so many have discovered the necessity 
 there is for a platform, broad enough and strong 
 enough to hold and carry all the true and loving 
 friends of Jesus, they have failed to see that God 
 has provided such a one, and are themselves 
 making every effort to erect one, which, like 
 themselves, must be too contracted and too weak. 
 
 Thus far, the religious world has advanced, 
 and in the right direction . They have organized 
 associations and called conventions local and 
 general, young men's and old men's, young 
 women's and old women's Christian associations. 
 
 When they come from their various religious 
 homes to worship in these associations, they meet 
 to worship the same God, to love and adore the 
 same divine Savior, and enjoy the same blessed 
 and divine Spirit ; but when they go out, it is to
 
 136 APPENDIX. 
 
 labor with all their wonted zeal to build higher 
 and stronger these partition walls which have so 
 long kept apart the acknowledged children of the 
 living God. And why all this? Let me tell it 
 in the spirit of my Master, and may you, my dear 
 brother, hear it ! 
 
 When you go to the place where these associa- 
 tions meet, you leave your " isms " at the door 
 would that the world could see them as you stack 
 them in the vestibule Presbyterian ism and Meth- 
 odism, Baptistism and Episcopalianism, Luther- 
 anism and Congregationalism, are all left to rest 
 together quietly in the vestibule, whilst the owners 
 of them are inside, engaged in peaceful worship, 
 wishing the " heavenly meeting would ne'er break 
 up, and the precious Sabbath never end." 
 
 Stand at the door until the last sweet hymn is 
 sung, " Blest be the tie that binds our hearts in 
 Christian love " ; wait until the last amen is said, 
 "that the peace of God and fellowship of the 
 Divine Spirit may go and abide with the parting 
 ones forever." See the bustle and commotion 
 now. As the passers-by go out, they return to 
 their various churches, perhaps to worship the 
 self-same hour, each eager to gather up the 
 bundle which he brought, and fearful lest he 
 might, perchance, lay his hand upon the package 
 of another, less precious than his own. 
 
 Oh, that each one could leave his party name 
 and creed thus laid down, without which he has 
 survived for a few hours, giving them to the devil, 
 where they all belong ! Or, what would be better
 
 APPENDIX. 137 
 
 still, make of them a bonfire, that they may pass 
 out of sight and forever be forgotten. 
 
 Methinks if this were done, shrieks of despair 
 would be the common wailing of the legions of 
 the dark abode. There would be more joy among 
 the heavenly host than even at creation's dawn, 
 and the angel songsters would strike a still higher 
 keynote upon their golden harps than when they 
 sang the birth-song of God's only begotten and 
 beloved Son. When this shall come to pass 
 and for it I will ever pray "the solitary places 
 shall be glad, and the deserts blossom as the 
 rose." 
 
 Then hallelujahs shall be shouted from ten thou- 
 sand tongues which never lisped the praise of 
 God before. I thank my God there is a common 
 ground of union, concerning which there is no 
 controversy. What we need to do, and what 
 must be done, before the time so anxiously looked 
 for, and so earnestly prayed for, will come, is to 
 accept and adopt practically what we all, without 
 a dissenting voice, admit in theory. 
 
 Pile up the many hundred creeds in the so- 
 called Protestant religious world, lay them on the 
 precious Bible, and with a ladder, long as Jacob's, 
 climb to the topmost one, if you can reach it, and 
 upon its first page you will find the sentence writ- 
 ten : " We believe the Bible, the Old and New 
 Testaments, to be the only infallible rule of faith 
 and practice. What is not contained therein, and 
 can not be proven thereby, ought not to be re- 
 quired of any person as an article of faith." Let
 
 138 APPENDIX. 
 
 us, then, adopt the creed in which we all agree 
 as the only perfect one, and about which there is 
 no controversy. 
 
 There is also a name which all are willing to 
 wear, and to which none will object. My Bap- 
 tist brother might not be willing to accept the one 
 so gracefully and easily worn by my Presbyterian 
 brother. The Episcopalian would most emphat- 
 ically reject the one which the Lutheran would so 
 kindly give him. Thus each would feel about 
 the name chosen by his sectarian friend and 
 brother. Thank the Lord, none feels slandered or 
 abused when called a Christian or disciple of the 
 lowly Nazarene. Let us, then, accept the name 
 given to the bride by the Bridegroom himself, 
 and reject every other with disdain as the true 
 and loving bride of Christ, who is called the hus- 
 band of the Church. Let us strive to call Bible 
 things by Bible names. The Church of God or 
 Church of Christ are Bible names. 
 
 When we can get rid of party names and party 
 creeds, the party spirit will soon die. There is 
 not one fact which God has given to be believed 
 as essential to salvation about which the religious 
 world has any controversy ; not one command of 
 God given to be obeyed about which the religious 
 world is disagreed. The controversy is about 
 something else. Things believed or disbelieved, 
 which would neither shut a man out of heaven 
 nor let him in, are what (whether true or false, it 
 matters little) have been discussed until the spir- 
 ituality of the church has well-nigh fled. That
 
 APPENDIX. 139 
 
 faith in God and in Jesus Christ as his only begot- 
 ten Son is needful to be believed none doubt for 
 a single moment. Whatever else may be required 
 by creeds, this truth alone has power to save the 
 soul. That the Spirit does convert by its facts, 
 control by its laws and comfort by its promises, 
 none will or can deny ; that the Holy Spirit is 
 promised to every child of God as an indwelling 
 guest, a Comforter to abide with him forever, is 
 beyond dispute ; that every believing penitent or 
 regenerate person ought to be baptized has the 
 united testimony of all who acknowledge the di- 
 vinity of Christ and the inspiration of the Bible. 
 The dispute is whether the children of believing 
 parents shall be admitted to the divine ordinance. 
 No one denies that believing, penitent, baptized 
 persons have a perfect right to the Lord's house 
 and table. The question in dispute is whether 
 the unbaptized can claim the right. Every pro- 
 fessed child of God freely admits the privilege, 
 and it is the duty of every one to examine him- 
 self. It is only when one claims the right to 
 examine others that the spirit of controversy is 
 again aroused. 
 
 Once more, and I have done. The whole 
 religious world, in one grand army, lifts up 
 its voice with one accord, and says that the 
 believing, penitent, baptized person, who lives a 
 God-fearing, Christ-loving, alms-giving, devout 
 and prayerful life, will and must be saved. That 
 all such will be gathered with the blood-washed 
 throng at last in the peaceful and sinless city of 
 our God, where are palms of victory and crowns
 
 140 APPENDIX. 
 
 of glory, fadeless and bright, even the Universalist 
 himself does not dispute or doubt. Thus we find 
 the inspired Paul, in his letter to the church at 
 Ephesus (chapter iv. 1-6) , giving this pathetic 
 and impressive exhortation : " That they walk 
 worthy of their high and holy calling, in lowli- 
 ness and meekness, with long-suffering, bearing 
 with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the 
 unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." 
 
 " There is one body and one Spirit, one hope 
 of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 
 one God and Father, who is over all, through all, 
 and in all." Here are the seven pillars planted 
 by the Head of the Church, strong enough and 
 broad enough for the Church of Christ to rest 
 upon, and whilst the ages last " the gates of hades 
 shall not prevail against it." All who have the 
 one faith, the one Lord, and have been baptized 
 by the one baptism into the one body Christ 
 (Gal. iii. 27) and, because in the one body (Gal. 
 iv. 6), have received the one Spirit as a constant 
 Comforter and an ever-abiding and indwelling 
 guest, are the heirs of God and joint-heirs with 
 Christ to an unfading and never-failing patrimony. 
 
 Do not, dear brother, barter such a claim for 
 sectarian pottage, however palatable or delicious, 
 but stand in the full liberty of the children of 
 God and gospel of Christ, "contend earnestly 
 for the- faith once delivered to the saints," and 
 when the Master comes you shall enter with him 
 to the " marriage supper of the Lamb," to enjoy 
 all God has promised to the faithful. 
 
 [Written at San Francisco, Cal.]
 
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 from which it was borrowed. 
 
 TH 
 
 50m-3,'68 (H9242s8 ) 9482
 
 A 001 029 839 6
 
 Universi 
 South 
 Librj