Trials and Triumphs - Huntington University

EARLY CHURCH GROWTH 135
ing children matured and assumed places of leadership in the church.
They would require English preaching, and, not finding it with the
United Brethren, would turn to the Methodists, who at that time were
producing English speaking preachers in some quantity and with
whom the long years of friendship had created the climate of easy
transition.
Also, young preachers were enticed to enlist into the Methodist
ranks. To the Methodists, the whole country was open, but the United
Brethren work was confined to a few areas. The Methodist work was in
the language in which young men had received their education. The
Methodists itinerant system was far better organized and supported.
There was a strong denominational feeling in Methodism which was
still lacking in United Brethrenism. Historian Spayth noted that there
never was a year "when the labors of our German fathers were not
crowned with the conversion of numerous souls; yet, from causes
already noticed, not only was no progress made in numbers from 1810
to 1820, but, undoubtedly, there was a retrocession." 3
General Conference Work Approved
In both annual conferences, the actions of the General Conference
of 1815, for the greater part, brought general approval among the
brethren, with very little reaction. The Miami Conference ordained
eight ministers in 1815. Christopher Crum was ordained by Bishop
Newcomer first, then the two together ordained the others. When the
Original Conference next met, they also proceeded to ordain four
elders.
In 1816, the Old Conference strengthened their ministry by electing
three presiding elders. The Miami Conference that same year elected
five presiding elders for three districts of Miami, New Lancaster, and
Kentucky-Indiana. John George Pfrimmer was presiding elder for the
new Kentucky-Indiana District, and he took Bishop Newcomer on a
tour into Indiana immediately following the conference sessions. The
bishop then went on his own into Kentucky and reached the cities of
Louisville, Frankfort, and Lexington with quite a few stops and meetings
along the way. During this year, the Miami Conference collected
forty-two dollars to begin a fund for the support of poorly paid
preachers.
General Conference of 1817
When the second general conference convened on June 2, 1817, only