Eden Methodist Church History: Part 2 LaSalle Parish, Louisiana Contributed by Patti Greer ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** TIPS FOR SEARCHING RECORDS ON THE INTERNET Netscape & Ms Explorer users: If searching for a particular surname, locality or date while going through the records in the archives or anywhere....try these few steps: 1. Go to the top of the report you are searching. 2. Click on EDIT at the top of your screen. 3. Next click on FIND in the edit menu. 4. When the square pops up, enter what you are looking for in the FIND WHAT ___________blank. 5. Click on DIRECTION __DOWN. 6. And last click on FIND NEXT and continue to click on FIND NEXT until you reach the end of the report. This should highlight the item that you indicated in "find what" every place it appears in the report. You must continue to click on FIND NEXT till you reach the end of the report to see all of the locations of the item indicated. This was also published in the Jena Times December 1975, that was taken from the history written by the Eden Methodist Church. Interesting personalities related to Eden United Methodist Church "Bishops Asbury and Whatcoat in October, 1805, divided Natchez circuit into three and made them into a district, Learner Blackman in charge. A fourth circuit, on paper, was formed in Louisiana, and Elisha W. Bowman, Virginian by birth and Kentuckian by adoption, was appointed to it. The minutes give his appointment as "Appalousas", but according to McTyeire it was "missionary to Louisiana, with instructions to begin in New Orleans". The Western Conference raised a hundred dollars for his outfit and expenses. A letter from Bowman to Rev. William Burke of Lexington, Kentucky, tells of his long ride to New Orleans, his brief stay there, and his first experiences in the Opelousas country. "He arrived in New Orleans about the first of December and found it as 'filthy as a hog-sty'. Mr. Watson, a gentleman to whom he had been recommended by Bishop Asbury, had returned to Philadelphia. Twice promised the Capitol to preach in by Governor Claiborne and twice finding it locked, he preached two Sundays on the street. Unable to find a preaching place, he preached a third Sunday to a few 'straggling people in the open street'. "Bowman's money was going fast and he decided to leave for 'a settlement of American people about two hundred miles to the west and northwest'. He records: 'I accordingly on the 17th of December 1805, shook off the dirt from my feet against the ungodly city of Orleans, and resolved to try the watery waste and the trackless desert'. In his memorable journey to the Opelousas country, he described a great S on the map, with a disproportionate sweep on the final curve. "He landed near the mouth of the 'River O'Tash' (Teche), rode up the stream eighty miles, reached a 'large French settlement', perhaps St. Martinville, passed through a small tribe of Indians, crossed Vermilion River, and came to the Opelousas Country. The following day he reached the Catholic church, which had been established in 1777 near the site of Washington. "Like Paul in Athens, 'his spirit was stirred in him' by what he saw and heard--'a pair of race-paths at the church door', and a few Americans swearing with almost every breath. When he reproved them for their profanity, they told him the priest swore as hard as they did, played cards with them every Sunday evening after mass, and kept a race horse. "Bowman visited a settlement of American people about twenty miles from the Catholic church, and also another settlement about thirty miles farther. The people 'knew very little more about the nature of salvation than the untaught Indian'. Some asked the preacher what he meant by the fall of man, and wanted to know when it was that he fell. He had to teach them how to sing and to 'do everything that is like worshipping God'. "His letter was dated January 29, 1806--we have but meager facts about his labors after that date. That year he established the original Methodist circuit of Louisiana, the Attakapas, formed the first Methodist congregation in the state at Opelousas, prior to August, and reported for the year seventeen white members." "Bowman had included Avoyelles and Catahoula in his travels. Learner Blackman writes that from Opelousas he rode with Bowman nearly 175 miles 'to the Catahoula settlement'. "In 1807, Thomas Lasley, who was the grandson of an English school teacher of Virginia but who had only six weeks schooling as he grew up in Kentucky, followed Bowman in Attakapas. "After the long ride from Conference, he stopped at the home of Brother Biggs, 'living in the bounds of West Florida', where he met a warm reception. He left on Monday for the 'Bayou Shicow' settlement. After a young man rode with him a distance to guide him into the right rail, Lasley had trouble enough. After bogging down for a times in an ugly slough, he came to a 'large, deep, muddy creek' (probably Bayou Choctaw), 'where, ever and anon, the alligators rising to the surface of the water, rendered the prospect still more gloomy'. But committing himself to God, he plunged in and reached the opposite shore. The mud was deep and the bank was steep--Lasley leaped ashore, pulled hard on the bridle rein and the horse gained the top of the bank, but fell with one leg doubled under him and seemed seriously crippled. Struggling to his feet, the horse stood trembling with pain, unable by several inches to put one foot to the ground. The preacher feared the horse had 'slipped his shoulder'. He fell on his knees in prayer. When he arose he found his horse perfectly sound, and he went on his way rejoicing. "'My next point was the Catahoula settlements. Here I established two appointments--one at Brother Wiggins' and the other at Brother Bowie's, whose wife I found to be of the excellent of earth. I am sorry that their son is the inventor of that dreadful weapon called the Bowie knife. With this young man I was then acquainted--at that time a civil young man'. "Lasley would have been glad to spend his days with the people on the circuit, but at the end of his second round, his resources for support all exhausted, his clothing literally worn-out, and his Presiding Elder having written him to leave, he took an affectionate leave of the people toward the end of June. Concerning his hard experiences in Louisiana, Lasley added: 'In no part of the history of my life was I ever more blessed than in this field of labor'. After an eventful career, both as itinerant and local preacher, in the Kentucky Conference, Thomas Lasley died in January 1857, at McMinnville, Tennessee." "When Mr. Lasley was local, and quite advanced in years, he visited Mississippi twice on secular business, and while here greatly delighted and edified the few old acquaintances he found with his powerful sermons and enrapturing songs. 'He is just as full of the holy fire, ' said they, 'as when he was our preacher thirty-six years ago'. The writer very gratefully remembers a short visit he received at his humble dwelling about 1842 from this man 'full of faith and the Holy Ghost'. Mrs. Jones was quite ill, of which we informed him on his arrival. 'Then, said he, in obedience to the holy Scriptures, let us unite in prayer to the Author and Preserver of life and health for her recovery'. And O what a prayer that was! What unction, what pathos, what power with God, what taking hold of the great and precious promises, as he pleaded for the immediate recovery of his afflicted sister in Christ! When we arose from our knees he turned to the writer and said, 'Brother Jones, your wife will soon be well'. How did he know that? Because he was conscious of having prayed 'the prayer of faith', and he knew that God was graciously pledged to answer it. According to his faith, so it was." Rev. William W. Whatley (1788-1840) was appointed the first leader of the Eden Wesleyan Society in 1806, and afterwards was licensed to preach. As a local Methodist preacher he supplied old "Ebenezer Church" which was built by the Eden Class and was named for some of the earliest Methodist Churches in Georgia. Rev. Uriah Whatley was born January 1, 1802 in the Catahoula Prairie territory of Louisiana, son of William and Elizabeth Wiggins Whatley, and died May 25, 1864. He was the first circuit rider to serve the Eden Church after its construction on Haw Branch, and he is buried in the Eden cemetery with his wife, Jane Walker, whom he married in 1835. "Uriah Whatley was born in Catahoula Parish, Territory of Louisiana, January 1, 1802. He was converted in 1826, and joined the M.E. Church in 1827. He was licensed to exhort by Rev. Wm. Stephenson in 1830 and joined the Mississippi Conference at Vicksburg in December, 1832. He traveled the Boeuff Prairie Circuit in 1833, Lake Bolevin in 1834, and the Opelousas Circuit in 1835, at the close of which he located. In November 1837 he was admitted on trial in the Arkansas Conference, and traveled the Monroe Circuit in 1838, Harrisburg in 1839 and Claiborne in1840. At the close of this year he again located. During his local relation he was employed by Richmond Randle on the Trinity Circuit in 1845. In 1846 he again joined the Mississippi Conference and traveled Haw Creek Circuit, Columbia in 1847, Harrisonburg in 1848, and Boeuff River in 1849. At the close of this year he again located, and supplied the Trinity Circuit under Joel Sanders, Presiding Elder, in 1853 and 1854. In 1853 he represented his Parish in the Legislature. He was admitted on trial in the Louisiana Conference in January, 1855 and appointed to the North Rapides Circuit and Mission, on which work he labored, sometimes on the Circuit and sometimes on the Mission until the day of his death, which occurred on the 25th of May, 1864. Brother Whatley died as he lived, a man of God and faithful laborer in his Master's vineyard. His last words were, "I am almost home." Methodist historian J.G. Jones tells the story of the circuit rider, Uriah Whatley, who was overtaken on the road to Alexandria by three lawyers. Recognizing the garb of the Methodist minister, the three agreed to poke some fun at him. Passing by the lone rider one after the other, the first said, "Good day to you Father Abraham", The second said, "Good day to you, Father Isaac", and the third said, "Good day to you, Father Jacob". In answer to which Uriah Whatley called after them, "Neither Abraham, Isaac, nor Jacob am I, but surely akin to Saul, for I have certainly found his father's asses!!!" Rev. Phineas Whatley, the oldest son of William Whatley, was a traveling itinerant Methodist minister in Louisiana for 15 years with his invalid wife, who finally accepted location in order that he could more tenderly nurse her. In 1905 he supplied the Brokston Circuit, Monroe District. Rev. Enoch Whatley, the third son of Uriah Whatley, was a preacher of great power who lived, died, and is buried in Texas. Rev. Samuel Hugh Whatley (1846-1911), was the second son of Uriah Whatley, For many years he lived in Pineville, and frequently preached revivals at the Eden Church. "In 1864 an old, superannuate local itinerant preacher found himself fast reaching his end. Calling his son to his bedside, he said, "My son, brush away your tears. For forty-five years I have been preaching up and down this land, and have shown you how to live. Now I shall show you how a Christian should die. Soon I shall be very happy in my eternal home." Then after a short while, remembering his far away unsaved boy, he said, 'O Lord, have mercy on Sam Hugh, and save his soul', then quietly passed to his glorious reward. Thus died Uriah Whatley, for forty-five years an acceptable, efficient and honorable preacher, local and itinerant in the hill country between Campti and the mouth of Red River -- the Red River on the west and the Ouachita on the east. "On Thursday, October 5, 1911, at 3:25 pm, in the comfortable home at Rayville, La., which he had just completed after much arduous toil and self denial, this prayer was fully answered, when Rev. Sam Hugh Whatley passed over to meet that glorified Father. For thirty-one years, Brother Whatley had been an accepted and effective itinerant, traveling over much of the same territory where his father from 1825 to 1864 had sown the seed of the kingdom. Only ten years intervened between the death of the father and the call of the son, who was admitted on trial into the Louisiana Conference in 1880. Brother Whatley served the Rapides Circuit in 1880-81, Colfax Circuit 1882-83, Evergreen and Big Cane 1884-87, Lecompte and Bayou Boeuf 1888-89, Caddo Circuit 1890-91, Pleasant Hill Circuit 1892-93, Prudhomme Circuit 1894, Indian Bayou 1895, Gross Tete 1896, Girard and Colony 1897-1900, East Feliciana Circuit 1901, Melville, Circuit 1902-04, White Castle 1905, New Roads 1906, His health failed from organic trouble and he was forced to ask superannuation at sixty-one years of age. For four years he has labored in and around Rayville so fat as his health would permit. "During his active ministry he wrought well and left behind thirteen churches by his efforts, showing himself to be a builder, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed. A record worthy of emulation. "November 18, 1868, he was married to Miss Ada B. Dayton, who by the grace of God through all the strenuous labors of his itinerant life, proved a help meet indeed for him, sharing with glad heart his many joys and sorrows. "He came to his end in full assurance. He grew old without sourness but happily, cheerfully accepted the providence of God that necessitated his superannuation because of disease. "Among his last words, a few hours before his death, were "Sweet peace", quoting in part that beautiful song. What a welcome that father gave the son for whom his dying prayer was breathed out almost with his dying breath. The father rested from his labors; the son took up the cry ten years after, and for seventy-five years the cry of father and son, "Perhaps the way of the Lord", sounded forth through the Louisiana hills and valleys. Now the two rejoice together forever in the estate of the Lord's blessing, whose death is precious in his sight.: Rev. William (W.R.) Whatley (1850-1903) did missionary work in his old age in Urania and is buried in the Eden Cemetery. "It is with no small degree of historic pride that the Whatleys boast of succession in early Methodism and loyalty to her doctrines." Louisiana Methodism, Harper pp.6-8. Louisiana Methodism, Harper, pp. 8-10. A Complete History of Methodism, Rev. John G. Jones, pp. 169-170. Abstract of letter, data written in 1910 by Rev. Samuel Hugh Whatley. Abstract, op.cit. Taken from the minutes of the 19th Session of the Louisiana Annual Conference, 1864. Abstract, op.cit. Abstract, op.cit. Abstract, op.cit. Taken from the Minutes of the session of Louisiana Annual Conference, 1911. Newspaper article by Rev. Sam Hugh Whatley, printed in Jena Times in 1908. Abstract, op.cit.