History of the M.E. Church, Vol. IV - Media Sabda Org

y still another western apostle, Alexander Cummings, and sent to Limestone Circuit. The next year
the "old Western Conference" was divided, and he went alone into the northwest corner of Ohio,
where the Indians still roved, to look after some one hundred members of the Church, who were
scatted through the wilderness over a circuit of some two hundred miles.
Here he began his studies in the cabins, where the was but one room, which served for chapel,
parlor; kitchen, dining-room, and chamber for the whole family. On this circuit he found an old
German who had Dr. Clarke's Commentary in numbers. He borrowed them, slipped two numbers
at a time into a tin canister about four inches in diameter, and lashed it behind his saddle, and thus
carried it round his circuit. As soon as preaching was over, and the class dismissed, he sat down in
the midst of a frontier family, with pen and ink, to study and take notes of Clarke, especially on the
Pentateuch and New Testament. Not a line escaped him. To this book he added Wesley's and
Fletcher's works, all of which he thoroughly mastered in the western huts, generally reading in the
winter by firelight, which was made by pine-knots and dry wood, prepared by the boys, who used
to wonder at him as a living marvel.
The next year he was sent into Indiana, and had for his colleague James Collord, later, for many
years, the printer of the Methodist Book Concern, New York. At Collord's instance he began to study
English grammar, and from him he received much instruction. He used to commit the rules to
memory, and read the examples and notes as he rode on horseback from one appointment to another.
Toward the close of the year he attracted the notice of Dr. Martin Ruter, who advised him to study
Latin and Greek, and gave him a grammar or two. He studied indefatigably, and, as he was stationed
the third year in Hamilton, Ohio, about twelve miles from the Miami University, (at Oxford,) he used
to go to the university on Monday, stay all the week, pursuing his studies, and return on Friday
evening to prepare for the Sunday. At first this caused some dissatisfaction among the people; but
when they saw his thirst for knowledge, and his fidelity and efficiency on Sunday, they had the good
sense to approve his course. The next year he was stationed in Lebanon, and was still guided by the
counsels Ruter. The family in which he resided there still relate with interest the peculiar industry
of their boarder. He transcribed the Latin and Greek grammars, and putting the copy on pasteboard,
suspended it before him for more easy reference. The next year he was stationed in Cincinnati, an
was admitted to the Cincinnati College, with the personal countenance of Dr. Ruter and the late
President Harrison. Here he finished his collegiate course, and was admitted to the degree of A. M.
without being required to take first the degree of A. B.
After taking his degree at Cincinnati, he was appointed Professor of Languages in Augusta
College, Ky., and spent the ensuing year in traveling to recruit his health, and to collect money for
the college. In this way he first became known in the eastern cities. In 1831, without his knowledge,
and in his absence, the Senate of the United States, by a large vote, elected him chaplain. His
sermons in the capitol are remembered still for their originality and power.
In 1832 he was elected professor of natural sciences in the Wesleyan University, Middletown,
Conn., but resigned immediately upon being elected editor of the "Christian Advocate and Journal."
In 1834 he was elected president of Dickinson College. In 1842 he had leave of absence to visit
Europe and the East. He returned in 1843, was a member of the General Conference of 1844, and